Martian Dawn

Part 4, Chapter 4: Grandma's Rule 16

"Terra Aurora to Buggy Six. Dawn, Come in."

Dawn recognized Magda's raspy voice.

"Terra Aurora, this is Buggy Six. I read you. Over."

"Dawn, where are you? Over."

"I'm on the road, on my way to Terra Aurora, just passing marker 120. Over."

"Anyone with you? Over."

"Coming in by myself. Small and Santiago are back at Waystation One. Over."

"Dawn, there's a road crew out at marker 240 that picked up some extremely strange chatter over the short range channel from Waystation One. They couldn't hear the entire conversation, but they--this will sound crazy--they thought they heard you threaten to kill the station manager and your friend, Emilio. Over."

"I would prefer to explain in person when I arrive. Ov-- oh wait, as soon as I get in, I need to speak with Doc B. Over."

"Doctora Herrera is in the clinic, today. Will she do? Over."

Dawn considered that. It might be easier to speak to a woman. But no. Doc Herrera was one of Them.

"Sorry. It's got to be Doc B. Is he around?"

Silence on the line. Dawn waited.

"That is fine, Dawn. The doctor will meet you at the dock, if you need him to.  Just tell us: Is there a situation at Waystation One that we need to know about now? Over."

"Recommend that no one dock at the station or stop there until I have a chance to give you my full report. Over."

"Stand by one, Buggy Six." Silence.

When Terra Aurora next called, the voice on the line was that of Dawn's mother. "Buggy Six, Terra Aurora. Remember Grandma's Rule Sixteen. Over."

Dawn slammed on the brakes. "Rule 16! Why didn't I think of that?"

Dawn had grown up following her parents' set of numbered rules--things like, always triple check your seals (rule 7), don't leave home without a change of oxygen (rule 8), and always sound calm on the radio, even if you aren't (rule 25). But her parent's rules were adapted from Grandma's Rules, which were more Earth-centric, and included wisdom such as, always keep your receipts (rule 1) . Grandma was an ex-cop, and she'd been inspired to have her own set of rules from some old cop show.

Rule 16 was special. It read, Always keep private conversations private, and it applied to radio, social media, and face-to-face conversations.  Grandma had written the encryption code that they used to transmit the rover feed to her grandparents, and she had insisted they add the same code to the family pressure suits and laptops.

They'd never used it for real--never even believed there'd ever be a need, but to humor Grandma, they drilled in using it once every Terran year on Grandma's birthday.

Mom actually suggesting they speak over an encrypted channel was just the latest way in which Dawn's world was swirling downwind, quckly.

Dawn wired her mic and headphone jacks from her laptop into her radio. She loaded the encryption file and the executable, switched the radio to channel 45, and spoke into the laptop's built in mic. "Mom? Do you read? Over."

"Loud and clear... -ish. Dawn, the newest rumors from Waystation One are that those two boys have barricaded themselves on opposite sides of an airlock, and they're each threatening to kill the other. Can you please tell me what's going on, now? Over."

"Who's there, with you? Is Dad there? Over."

"It's just me and Magda. Dad's out at the chemistry lab. Do you need him here? Over."

"No, I'm actually glad he's not there. I'm not ready to tell him, yet. Mom, I..."

The channel was encrypted. No one could overhear. Rule 25 didn't apply. It was OK if her voice cracked. "I think I was raped, last night."