Chapter 6

"We aren't getting out of this alive. [CRACKLE] I can only hope that some amateur radio enthusiast will get this message and tells the world that we were sent here as martyrs [STATIC] ...only found out after two months into the trip to Mars. They are doomed as are we [CRACKLE] ...don't even have enough supplies to reach the Red Planet. [CRACKLE] ...they reached Mars... we will die in spa---- [STATIC]." Commander Chris Ferguson, Final Transmission, 2011 Mars Lifeline Mission. 103rd Remove.

"So, we're good? The mission is still a go?" Madeline raised an eyebrow.

Everyone rendezvoused back at the Pod. They were back to discuss any needed changes. At the moment, the only people who had been on away missions from the Pod or the initial rendezvous outpost were Terry, Madeline, Baker, and Chase. With the one exception of the run in with the locals, things seemed like they were going to go as planned until Terry and Madeline had been separated.

"We all agree that almost ended badly, right?" Terry was looking at Charles (Kyle Marinz) Smith. After an affirmative nod, "And we are still on course? How is that even possible?"

Charles piped up, "Well. On course is a bit of a stretch. More like we stumbled upon a streak of luck that is... well... I don't think we could have planned it better. What was that old movie K.C. is always quoting... Space War? 'The force was with you.' or something like that." Charles cracked a wry smile that no one else seemed to return. "Anyway, from my calculations and read of the resonant streams, The Great War will be shortened to slightly less than a decade. But..."

"What do you mean by 'But?'" Madeline interjected.

Chris interrupted. "Let's go home. There's no 'But' anything. We did better than we bargained to accomplish. Let's go home. We don't even have to do any of the other movements."

"There's one snag." continued Charles. "There's now a 18 year long war in the SouthEast asia that is engulfing Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal, Burma, and parts of China."

"So?!" Chris continued to object.

"So!" Charles mocked. "We have a war we never counted on and..."

"There's always a war we aren't coutning on. That's life. Do you think rational people want war?" Retorted Baker as he backed up Chris. Chase sat just behind him rolling his eyes knowing this was about to turn into a political discussion.

"Chris, I know you and your team have no probems with war, but..."

Chase raised his hand haltingly and interjected with a calm firmness, "Before this gets too far gone, let's make one thing clear: If anyone on this team has a problem with wars and armed military conflict, it would be the four of us. There's no telling how many different conflicts we've seen before we became part of the ChronAgency. The ones we do remember... and the ones we have to study that we don't remember... well, we're not psychopaths. We have a conscience and we do not 'WANT' a war. We are not warmongers. But we know that someone has to be prepared to do voilence on behalf of the citizens. Sure, we were all guilty of having ignorant and flamboyant bravado when we were younger, but that has subsided – especially with the wars we've read about which have now never happened."

Looking around the group he noticed the scientists' faces had fallen in a collective apologetic shame. "There is no 'your' team versus 'our' team. This team is our team whether you carry an carbine or a calculator. We're all here together. Clear?" Looking around the group, there was a sense of finality to the question that made it clear the team was not to begin infighting.

Chase continued, "So there's an Asian war... I think what Chris is trying to ask is whether this Asian war is an acceptable outcome for now. We know we'll be back working on other adjustments. Why can't it wait until then?"

With a renewed sense of comraderie, Charles continued, "Fair enough. To clarify, the 18 year War in Asia is on the cusp of spilling into the Americas through Russia. It's teetering on the edge of making a Cold War between communist China and the US into a powder keg and potentially a very hot war where we could see the end of the western civilization within 50-75 years of our return."

The faces were much graver as Charles continued, "Calculations project the US will break into 5 smaller countries and the remnant of the freest part of the US will look like a socialist France. As it stands, we are currently looking to return to a US with only 45 stars on the flag and we aren't certain those stars are as tightly embroidered as we'd like."

"What's the call?" Terry leaned into the question. "Are we working here? Is there another destination?" Terry knew that not all mission failures were scrubbed... It was actually quite common to get a second or third follow up mission. Most were centered around the same insertion points with a few that would hop to second points in a similar era.

"Welp. I've been messaging the calculations team back at base in since they're in campus wide resonance lockdown. That's nothing new. They're all expecting we'd be back sooner, but they're going to hve to wait. The good news, we will all get to retain our idenities. The bad news, we'll probably be jumping forward after Felicia and John run one quick operation." Felicia & John's heads popped up as they glanced at Charles then at each other. "Hopefully when you two return, we'll have our mission operations updates and we can head to our next insertion point."

Terry's eyes also widened at the memtion of John and Felicia. "I wasn't aware their movement was scheduled this early."

"It wasn't." Charles answered. "But you and Madeline are known faces at this time..." then looking directly at Madeline, "and, let's be honest, your exit was a bit more noticible than we would have liked. That's why the new inflection point." Charles stopped to ponder, "No. Inflection point is a bit too subtle a term. Having Baker bail you out from an almost certainly horrible demise was almost devestating... Almost." Charles let that last word hang in the air just enough to draw out a response.

"How do you mean, 'Almost?' I mean, if it wasn't devestating, how close of a call was it?" Madeline's inquisitive academic tone was pronounced.

"There's happy accidents then there's devine providence. This is almost looking like the latter." Charles said conclusively. "What's even more interesting is the fix that seemed to almost present itself to the home team as a result. The preliminary reviews show that we could fully eliminate the Asian war with a few adjusted movements. We're still determining whether our current timeline insertion will work or if we will have to move forwards or backwards in time. It's looking like forwards, but we'll see."

"Uhm, 'We?'" Terry asked in confusion? "This is the first I've heard of any new insertion points for this mission. Not that I'm shocked or offended, but don't they normally inform the security team also?"

"You're being informed." Charles stared blankly at Terry. "Right now. I just informed you. I will need your review on the mission updates and any assessments of additional measures. But, the folks back at mission control and those in strategic command began consulting me as soon as Baker made the call to rescue Madeline. I promise, you're input was wanted, you just weren't available."

Terry winced at a sudden thought of possibilities of what could have happened. With recent memory of running a clean up... He couldn't get distracted by that now. The mission was moving and as a soldier, a commander, and a natural leader, he knew it was his responsibility to own the moment and his response to it. "Okay, Let's have it. What do I need to know?"

* * *

"Something isn't right here." Ben's voice was still not yet a man's voice. "I'm telling you, the last time I was here, it seemed... different."

Jonathan & Joseph both held aloft quickly crafted torches as they could see the floor of the cave.

"It does seem wrong. I'd expect more critter markings... paw prints, scat, and, well, you know... it almost looks swept clean." Joseph remarked as he squatted to get a closer look at the floor. "Look at the markings here. It almost looks like someone took a drug a branch through here. Maybe like they were trying to cover something up. I mean, this is the only place I see it... but it don't look old."

"You think whoever it was would come back? You think someone actually found gold in here?" Jonathan queried his two younger brothers.

Ben shushed his brothers, "Lemme think!" and he paused a moment. "It sounds different in here. There's more of an echo. I was stumbling around in here. Couldn't see for nothin'. But I could swear it sounds like there's more of an echo."

"You still didn't answer my question, You don't think they're coming back, do ya? I mean there's three of us... but maybe there's more of them." Jonathan smirked a bit perterbed at his brother's chastizing.

"Let's run outside and see if there's any indication of if anything came or went." Jonathan jerked his thumb towards the cave entrance."It's getting late now, but maybe we can come back sometime later... on the next week's end or so... and maybe we can get a better idea."

The brothers all headed out the cave entrance and wandered around. The sun was getting low and Ben became aware of how much time they spent in the cave. "Wow, we spent maybe 3 hours in there!" he exclaimed to no one in particular. The three brothers gently scoured the area hoping not to disturb any evidence that may have been left nor leave any additional evidence for their phantom to find.

"That's odd." Joseph answered with in almost a hushed whisper. Then looking southward. "Hey, fellas!" a bit louder. "There seems to be some impressions just beyond those briars... a slight oddity in how the leaves seem to lay. Maybe deer tracks, but its not normal." Then looking towards his brothers, "When we come back next time, the pay off may simply be a few deer for the dinner table or maybe..." he trailed off.

"Maybe what?" Ben inquired.

"Well, what if it is gold?" Joseph's eyes glittered as he met Ben's gaze. "Momma would surely benefit even if we found a little. We have to come back. We're gonna!"

The boys looked around for a few minutes more and then started the path home so they'd not be caught in the dark. They stayed quiet so not to alarm any would-be watchers but seemed unaware there were those still watching.

* * *

Felicia was finished packing her few supplies and armed herself with a small, period-accurate knife on her thigh. "With what happened to Madeline, I can't say I'm going to go out unprepared." The sheath's leather straps bit into her skin a bit and rode just on her hip. "This will not be noticable at all once I get this irritating dress back on." Then looking at John she quipped, "Now turn around so I can change out of these clothes."

John's cheeks flushed a bit. He hadn't realized he was staring at Felicia. "Sorry" he blushed a bit more, "I just think it's a bit cool that you're going out strapped like Crockadile Dundee into the 1800's." Then with a little flirtatiousness, "I gotta admit, if we were dating like... AHEM..." jerking his head towards Terry & Madeline, "I'd hope you were never armed like that." he said with a nervous chuckle.

"They're dating? NOOOOH!" Felicia responded with genuine surprise. "Now that you say it, it doesn't surprise me but..." She was gazing at Madeline now. "They are cute together." Looking back at John, "But we'd never date... I mean, nothing against you, but I am a rule follower to the T!"

John turned away and walked out the small prep area and pulled a makeshift curtain to give Felicia some privacy. Terry looked up at him and clarified, "Ready to go, then?" John nodded & subtly flourished his bag and knife. "And you know what to do in the event of anything out of the ordinary... anything... unplanned?" Again, John nodded.

* * *

Felicia & John walked for what seemed to be hours in the light of a nearly full moon. The stars were bold and bright and almost alien. "I'll never get used to this... how clear the sky is and all." Felicia noted to John. They had just found what looked to be the beginnings of a small rock quarry. "At least they knew where the road was going to be. Imagine if we had to walk this in the brush with no flashlight!"

"There's a reason they sent a cartographer. I can almost breathe map and compass." John said with a touch more arrogance than he intended. "Am I trying to impress Felicia or something?" he thought.

"Well we're here." Felicia pointed out "How far are we from the pod now? Feels like 20 miles!"

"As the bird flies, we're about 3 miles away give or take." John said looking up at the moon.

"Three miles? Only? WOW. Did we go the long way?" Felicia a bit baffled.

"Yes, actually we did. We need to grab a few branches off the beaten path and break them off for our journey back. We will have to cover our tracks and make sure people can't find where we came from. Chase will work to cover a fair amount of our tracks from our trek in. When first light breaks, you and I will be setting a few charges and timers to set off an explosion that is supposed to go off after the pod makes the next jump." John concluded.

They both bedded down and slept uncomfortably under a few small blankets with a small fire to keep them warm.

* * *

With the morning well under way, their charges were set in one of the caves furthest to the south. Travel back was quite a much faster in the dim light of the dawn. They had just reached the pod as the first glint of sunlight crested the horizon.

Chase saw them as they entered with several branches tied to their waste.

"Good job, guys. It'll throw off the general observer to see no real footprints." Chase grinned. "You both walked in single file, right?" Chase asked. They both nodded. "Good. I expect anyone who comes on these branches will get the idea that someone was trying to cover their tracks... But they'll think it's from the gold mine up the way," he pointed back from where they came, "and give them the impression that whoever is here would be looking for the handful of nuggets that'll be found just over there."

"C'mon guys. We gotta go. Wheels up in 2 minutes." Terry barked. "Did the charges get set?" He asked towards Chase, Felicia, & John. With an affirmitive nod, Terry popped his head back in the pod and repeated, "Wheels up in 2 minutes... everybody got that? Two minutes."

Two minutes later the thunderous boom echoed out of the cave caused by the pod spontaneously leaving a vacuum behind it.

* * *

"C'mon Ben! Did you hear that?" Joseph exclaimed. They had returned the next day to do a little more digging into their mystery. The large explosion seemed to rattle the rocks and echo among the caves. "It sounded like it came from a little south of here."

As they approached the cave where the pod had been, it was evident that something had happened. They happened upon staged used explosives. "We better be careful. I'm not going in there if there's more charges set to go off. We absolutely will have to come ..."

Ben was interrupted by a second explosion about three miles away. All three young men instinctively ducked as if to dodge some unseen projectile.

"Whoa!" Ben exclaimed. They both scurried out of the thickets that surrounded the cliff face. A few minutes later they saw smoke rising just over the hill line at the horizon. Sharing a glance they both took off in that direction.

* * *