Orbs (3 page)

The lights dimmed, and a holographic image appeared over the console in front of Dr. Hoffman. Several circular shapes floated in the air. Studying them briefly, he plucked one of the spinning circles out of the group and said, “This is the Biosphere.” He enlarged it with a swipe of his index finger, and the layers of the rest of the facility faded.

“As you can see, the Biosphere consists of four individual biomes that operate with the most advanced technology NTC has to offer,” he said. “Dr. Winston will be in command of the facility, and each biome will be assigned a team leader. This is Biome 1.” He held out the individual sphere and let it hover above his hand. “One could argue it is the most important. It's where you will be growing your food and testing the habitat. There are more than one hundred different plant species that will eventually be introduced to the environment. Why so many, you ask? Good question. Traditionally we used a smaller number, but in case of habitat failure or bug infestations, we want to ensure the survival of several species. The seeds are all genetically altered hybrids, hand-selected by our best botanists, and designed to grow in the harshest of conditions, so rest assured—they will be resilient in any situation short of a nuclear meltdown.” He paused to look at Emanuel, who watched the presentation with interest.

“Dr. Rodriguez, you are the team lead for Biome 1. I trust you will find the setup to be satisfactory.”

Emanuel acknowledged the statement with a nod, but Dr. Hoffman had already refocused on the glowing cluster of images. He flicked the sphere and it rejoined the group, the layers of the facility once again sharpening. He hesitated with a finger to his lip and studied the other circles before plucking another one from the cluster. “Biome 2 is the pond. Traditionally, other Biosphere projects included an alternative source of water, packed with a variety of species of fish. We debated designing one with an ocean and coral reef, which has been done in the past. However, our engineers decided to keep it simple. Biome 2 is exactly that. It is your water source—nothing more, nothing less. Remember, the end goal is to have a fully functioning facility producing
food and resources by the time the ship lands on the Red Planet. This will be a modern-day Noah's Ark, if you will.” With a raised brow he caught Emanuel's gaze. “You will be the lead for this Biome as well, Doctor.”

Another quick flick of his index finger, and Biome 2 disappeared back into the cluster. He reached for the third sphere, checking his wristwatch.

“I have a quick question,” Saafi said, his voice just loud enough to be heard at the front of the room.

Dr. Hoffman suddenly looked very stern, as if annoyed by the interruption. “Go ahead,” he said.

“I'm having a hard time understanding how the pond biome will operate in space, on whatever ship NTC decides to take to Mars.”

With a smile, Dr. Hoffman plucked the third biome from among the others. “That's because the artificial gravity device NTC has been designing is still confidential. But rest assured, Mr. Yool, the gravity on whatever ship we decide to take to Mars will be almost identical to what you experience here.”

Emanuel glanced over at Saafi to see a wide grin on the man's face. Everyone on the team had heard the rumors of the artificial gravity experiments NTC was conducting, but none of them knew it was so close to designing a functional device.

Dr. Hoffman stepped away from the third sphere. “Since we are rushed for time, I won't spend long on the livestock biome.” He stopped to point out several horizontal lines cutting through the image. “As you can see, the chamber is divided into subsections. These lines represent electric walls that separate the animals from one another. Dr. Rodriguez will be in charge of this biome.”

Dr. Hoffman flicked the sphere away and retrieved the last circle. “This is Biome 4, the largest area in the Biosphere in terms of square footage. It is broken down into several unique spaces to meet the team's individual needs. There's a state-of-the-art medical ward, a kitchen and mess hall, a command center, and barracks with bathrooms. We have gone to great lengths to make sure these conditions are as comfortable as possible. Inside the barracks, you will find private quarters.
Obviously every biome will be closely monitored. Dr. Brown will be in charge of the medical ward, while Mr. Roberts and Mr. Yool maintain the command center.”

He paused to look at the young programmer. “Am I boring you, Timothy?” Dr. Hoffman bellowed.

Timothy yawned and then quickly shook his head. “Nah, it's this coffee. Not strong enough,” he said, shaking the cup of black liquid with a scowl.

“Well, if you're done daydreaming, maybe you would like to join the rest of the group for this very important presentation.”

“Absolutely, sir,” Timothy said, taking another sip.

“Obviously, we will be monitoring you throughout the experiment.” Dr. Hoffman continued, waving a hand at one of the four cameras in the briefing room. “There are cameras stationed throughout each of the biomes, and Alexia has been programmed to monitor your vitals twenty-four hours a day.”

Emanuel could almost smell Big Brother over the cheap coffee. NTC hadn't become the most powerful security and technology company overnight without controversy. It had risen to the top by destroying the competition. Rumors of sabotage and murder were discussed in hushed voices in the halls of the United Nations, but there were never any investigations or inquiries. NTC had truly become invulnerable to international law.

“Any questions?” Dr. Hoffman asked.

Emanuel watched Sophie stand in the front row. He compressed his eyebrows and concentrated, becoming slightly agitated as he watched her lips form a smirk. He could only see her from the side, but there was no hiding it. He knew what came next—her lips would curl back and she would spout out something that would more than likely get her in trouble. She had one of the most brilliant minds on the planet, but one very dangerous flaw often got in the way of reason—her venomous tongue.

“Dr. Hoffman, I have a question.”

“Yes, Dr. Winston?”

Sophie reached down and pulled out a binder from the duffel bag
she had tucked neatly under her seat. Quickly, she flipped through the pages, licking her fingers and pulling them back one by one. “Ah, here's the clause,” she said, putting on her glasses with her free hand.

“Section 10.12: In the event of contamination, the artificial intelligence assigned to the mission will take control of the facility.” She paused to take a breath before continuing. “If the Biosphere is rendered contaminated by toxic substances, then the facility will be cleansed accordingly.” Sophie set the binder down on the chair.

“What exactly does ‘cleansed accordingly' mean?”

“Would you mind if I answered that?” Carlson asked, stepping up next to Dr. Hoffman.

“Not at all, Miss Carlson. Go right ahead,” he said politely.

“Dr. Winston, I'm sure you are aware there are always threats of contamination. In fact, our last mission, which is still classified, failed for that very reason. Fortunately, we were able to isolate the team before the toxic contaminants took over the Biosphere ecosystem, but the mission was a complete loss.”

Carlson brushed a strawberry-red strand of hair behind her left ear. “In space, we won't have the luxuries we have here. If a toxin is identified, then the facility will cordon off the infected chamber and losses will be minimized by a complete cleansing. Anyone unfortunate enough to be within the infected zone will receive a lethal dose of the proper chemicals needed to destroy the toxin. We simply can't risk losing data.”

“In other words, we're all risking our lives,” Sophie snarled.

Emanuel quickly stood, recognizing the flush in Sophie's cheeks as a sign she was about to blow a gasket. “We're risking our lives for the sake of the planet,” he chimed in.

Sophie turned and locked eyes with him for a second before the red in her cheeks began to fade.

Dr. Hoffman walked toward the audience and crossed his arms, nodding at Emanuel. “Thank you, Dr. Rodriguez, for that pertinent observation. You and your team are risking your lives for the future of humanity. The data this project seeks to obtain could very well save the
human race. If a toxin is identified, it will be cleansed, and Alexia will attempt to protect the mission's data.”

“Are there any more questions?” Carlson asked.

Seeing none, Dr. Hoffman said, “You are dismissed. Get some rest. You enter the Biosphere at 0600 hours.”

Emanuel headed for the door but stopped, opting to wait for Sophie and the rest of the team. He watched the two soldiers exit the room, Dr. Hoffman and his staff following closely behind. Once the NTC crew had left, he joined his colleagues in the corner.

“Let's chat,” Sophie said, motioning them over to a metal table. “It's good to see all of you,” she said, scanning the faces of her team. Stepping behind the table, she offered her hand to the team's psychologist, Dr. Holly Brown, first. “How have you been?”

The petite doctor reached out with a pleasant smile. “I'm good, and excited to get started!”

“That makes two of us,” she said. “Timothy, how are you?”

When he didn't look up from his tablet, she repeated the question, trying to catch the man's gaze.

“I guess I'm okay,” Timothy finally replied, giving her hand a loose shake. Sophie didn't waste time engaging him in any small talk. Instead, she smiled and acknowledged Saafi with a nod. He loomed awkwardly over the others, his slender, six-foot-five frame dwarfing the rest of the team.

“Thank you for agreeing to this mission, Saafi.”

“My pleasure, Dr. Winston,” he said. His deep voice held a vague trace of a Somali accent.

With a single wink aimed at Emanuel, Sophie returned her attention to the team. “Thank you all again for being here. I know how hard this must be for those of you with families at home, but I can't express how pleased I am to have you all back for this significant mission. I thought we should take the opportunity to talk before we enter the Biosphere tomorrow. First, let's start with questions.”

Emanuel asked quietly, “Does anyone else feel like NTC has way too much muscle invested in this project?”

“Why they hired an outside team to complete this mission is beyond
me. Puerto Rico was one thing, but this is Mars we're talking about, the fate of humanity,” Saafi piped up.

“That's what I don't get. Don't they have twenty teams that can do what we do?” Timothy asked.

Sophie stepped up to the table. “We're the best private science team on the planet, that's why. The NTC board has enough common sense to realize that.”

“I don't like that we're being intimidated,” Emanuel said.

“Dr. Hoffman's clearly trying to exert dominance over Sophie,” Holly said.

Emanuel shrugged. “I don't care what you call it. I don't like it. And the contract we signed scares the shit out of me.”

“You were the one who said we're risking our necks for the human race, Emanuel,” Sophie said, shooting a stern glance in his direction.

“That was to keep you from getting us fired before the mission even started!”

“Well, we aren't going to be fired, and now that we're here we need to be focused. That means we need to get some rest. So if we're done, I suggest we head to our bunks. 0600 is going to come quicker than we might like.”

The team members all nodded, acknowledging her before filtering out of the room. Sophie waited for them to leave before returning to the holographic images of the spheres still hovering over the table in the front of the room. She had an odd feeling, an eerie sensation that something was amiss. It was the same sensation she had felt in the chopper. But she shook it off; there was no turning back now. Emanuel was right—humanity was depending on them.

CHAPTER 3

S
OPHIE
awoke with sharp pain running up her back and neck, more than likely the result of the turbulent helicopter ride. A few pain pills and a cup of coffee numbed most of the aches. The mixture of excitement and adrenaline in her system took care of the rest.

It was actually happening; the mission was starting.

Just one more step until she reached her goal of seeing the Red Planet. She blinked and took in a short breath, savoring the moment before joining her team on a narrow ramp. They shuffled up to the platform anxiously.

She watched them advance, listening to the clank of their shoes on the metal walkway. Each of them had a unique reason for joining the mission. Emanuel had called it the opportunity of a lifetime for a biologist. Saafi had joked that it was his chance to continue his travels. Holly hadn't said much, but Sophie knew she had signed on to advance her career. Timothy was the only anomaly. He had never explained why he decided to join them. Perhaps it was the familiarity of working with the team, or perhaps it was something else—Sophie wasn't sure, and that bothered her.

The top of the platform was a large, triangular chamber made of thick, airtight glass on all sides. A single glass door blocked their entry into the space. They stopped in front of it, pausing to await further instructions. Several seconds passed before a speaker above the door coughed to life.

“Welcome,” said Dr. Hoffman's voice. “In front of you is the first
airtight chamber. Inside you will find a white jumpsuit with your name and title. Upon entering, please change into these suits and discard all of your clothes and personal items into the metal trunks on the floor. Once the green light flashes, a second glass door will open, and you are to proceed into the next isolation chamber. When the door is sealed behind you, a cleansing mist will fill the room and kill any toxins you may be carrying. After the cleansing is complete, you will enter Biome 1. NTC will monitor you for the duration of the mission; but remember, there will be no contact with the outside world after you enter the Biosphere. Do you have any questions?”

Silence washed over the room. “Good luck. We'll see you in six months. Remember, humanity is counting on you.”

“Thank you, sir,” Sophie replied.

The words had hardly left her mouth when she realized what it was that had been troubling her. Dr. Hoffman was a businessman, short on words but big on details. His presentation had seemed rushed, as if he had been preoccupied with something more important. What could be more important than their mission? Was there something he hadn't told her?

The questions retreated as the glass doors to the first chamber opened. She moved inside and removed the suit marked Dr. Sophie Winston off a hanger. The set of clothes were a bit tight around her waist, but would suffice.

When the green light blinked she moved anxiously into the next chamber. The doors closed behind her and the hissing of jets broke the silence, spraying a cloud of mist into the decontamination chamber. Sophie closed her eyes, trying to drown out the noise from her throbbing ears.

The process of decontamination took about five minutes, and before she knew it, the hiss of the cleansing jets faded and the doors shuddered and began to open.

Sophie squeezed through the parting glass doors as soon as the gap was wide enough, and stepped into Biome 1. She took in her first breath of 100 percent filtered air, her eyes scanning the massive white dome rising above her. A warm glow radiated from the circular lights dangling from the top of the chamber.

Seconds later, Emanuel rushed out of the decontamination room and onto the metal platform extending around the habitat, a grin on his face. “Those are the grow lights,” he said, pointing to the ceiling. “They mimic sunlight with ninety-nine percent accuracy. During spaceflight these lights will sustain all organic life.”

One by one the other team members emerged and joined Sophie and Emanuel. They stood in silence, admiring the space that dwarfed them. There was something serene about the chamber—something peaceful. The space was so clean, Sophie felt like she was standing inside a massive operating room that had just been sanitized. The walls were a clear white; void of any of the signs or warning labels that would be present in a government facility. The only markings were the simple red lettering above the entrance that read
Biome 1
. The space felt so pristine. Even the dirt was perfectly level.

She took in another breath. The atmosphere didn't taste like the smog she was used to. It wasn't filled with the scent of chemicals or fertilizer, either. It was pure—the purest air she had breathed in as long as she could remember.

Emanuel was the first to step out onto the ground of the chamber. He landed on the dirt with a soft thud. Carefully, he trekked across the football-field-sized garden.

He paused to pick up a handful of the black soil before turning to look at the team. He let the soft dirt filter between his fingers. “This is some of the best topsoil left on the planet, imported from the largest industrial farm in Iowa.”

He wiped his hands on his pants and continued through the field, his excitement growing with every step.

“Do you see these red-tipped poles sticking out of the dirt?” Emanuel shouted.

“That must be the irrigation system,” Sophie said.

“Yeah,” he said. “I want to start planting within the next twenty-four hours. The hybrid seeds will take only a fraction of the time to germinate and sprout. But in the meantime, we'll be eating whatever NTC has left in the cafeteria for us, which I presume is nutrient-rich and taste-poor.”

“I know you're anxious to get started, but we need to follow protocol,” said Sophie. “Saafi, I want you to head to the control room and check all of the systems. We need to ensure everything is running properly.”

“That isn't necessary, Dr. Winston,” said a voice over the speakers. The holographic face of a young woman with a slender nose and cropped hair appeared on a console in front of them. The ocean blue image faded in and out before solidifying.

“All systems are running at one hundred percent. CO
₂
levels are acceptable. Further—”

“You must be Alexia,” Sophie said, interrupting the hologram. She let out a frustrated sigh.

“That is correct. As I was saying, the systems are at—”

Sophie held up her hand to stop the AI. “Alexia, we can take it from here. We will contact you if we need assistance,” she said, turning to face her team.

“Very well, Dr. Winston.” The AI's image crackled and faded away.

“You should consider treating her with a bit more respect,” Holly said, peeking around Saafi. “She's part of the team now.”

“Yes, Holly, I know. But she isn't in charge of the mission. I am,” Sophie responded firmly.

“She could be a very useful ally,” Holly said in a hushed voice, her eye catching a camera on the wall above them.

“Consider it noted,” Sophie said, continuing around the metal platform. “As I was saying, Saafi, please check the control room and familiarize yourself with the systems. Timothy, I want you to check the computer systems and ensure they are working properly as well.”

“All right, boss,” Timothy said, heading off toward a glass door that led to the next chamber. Saafi trotted after him.

“Great. Let's check out the rest of the Biosphere, shall we?”

“Can we see Biome 2 next?” asked Emanuel.

“Sure,” Sophie replied, the hint of a smile crossing her face.

They hurried down the passage to the pond. As they approached, the glass door slid open, revealing another dome-shaped chamber. The ambient sound of a waterfall greeted them.

Sophie paused to admire a stream of clear water pouring into the pool from a stainless-steel pipe. The cascading water sent ripples racing across the pond. Reflections danced on the surface from the four globe lights nestled inside the white walls.

“Holy shit. Look at the size of it!” Emanuel crouched on the metal platform and peered into the dark water. “How far down do you think it goes?”

“If you get any closer, you might find out,” Holly chuckled.

Emanuel shot her a quick frown and stood, placing his hand on his hips. “This is our sole water source for the next six months. Whenever we turn on a sink or flush a toilet, the water will be filtered out of the pond through a series of metal pipes.”

“Magnificent. It even comes with a waterfall,” Sophie said, pointing at the cascading falls spilling into the pond.

“That water has already been filtered through the system and is being cycled back into the pond,” Emanuel replied. “Waste water, drinking water, it's all recycled through a central processing center. I would guess that NTC spaceships will have
very
similar systems. Without an external source of fresh water, they'll have to conserve everything. It is, without a doubt, quite extraordinary technology. Where to next?” he asked, rubbing his hands together.

“Let's head to the livestock biome,” Sophie said, motioning the others toward the exit.

Emanuel couldn't help but smile. He had waited to see this facility for over a year now. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, one he never would have imagined being a part of earlier in his career. There were still moments when he felt as if he didn't deserve it. He glanced at Sophie, smiling at her obvious enthusiasm. Had she wanted him on the project for his expertise as a biologist? Or because they—no, he refused to let himself finish that thought. All that mattered now was the mission. He wouldn't let his team down—or, more important, the world.

Biome 3 was smaller than the others, but equally impressive. A set of holographic walls arched into the distance, slicing the room into three sections; one contained two sows and three cows, another held a dozen hens and one rooster, while the last held five nanny goats. Emanuel had
requested the odd assortment of animals with a vegetarian diet in mind. The odd assortment of animals was surprisingly similar to the other biospheres Sophie had worked in.

“We're not going to have to kill them, are we?” asked Sophie, eyeing the chickens uneasily.

“Maybe,” said Emanuel. “If Biome 1 fails to produce enough nutrients for the team. It's all part of the experiment.”

Emanuel began trudging through the mud toward a console at the edge of one of the blue walls. Sophie noticed for the first time that he had already gotten dirt stains on his pants, and couldn't help but laugh. He didn't seem to notice. A variety of numbers and symbols hovered over the center of the console.

“See this?” he shouted. “This console controls the holographic walls. We can't hear it, but the walls emit a sound that keeps the animals from approaching. Amazing device.”

Emanuel had been all teeth since he entered the Biosphere. His wide smile was what had attracted Sophie to him from the moment they met. The worst day of the solar storms was the only one she could recall when she hadn't seen him beaming with energy.

The scent of fresh manure crept into Sophie's nostrils, making her cringe. She hated the smell of animals, especially their waste. “You can play with your toys later. Let's meet up with the others; I want to check out the personnel quarters.”

Emanuel pushed the rim of his glasses higher onto his nose, and made his way across the dirt reluctantly.

“He's the stereotypical nerd biologist, isn't he?” Sophie asked Holly, her arms crossed.

Holly chuckled. “Sure is. A side part, glasses, and a five o'clock shadow. He basically radiates nerd.”

An image from their past crawled into Sophie's mind: her and Emanuel, their bodies wrapped up under the soft sheets of a bed in the bowels of a bunker as they rode out the solar storms. She recalled the panic of knowing that the world was dying around them—and that the only cure was intimacy, the feeling of him being inside her, as if they were the last two humans on Earth.

The thought was dangerous. She knew she couldn't risk that happening again. Not now, not like that, and not during the mission. There was too much at stake. She didn't need any distractions, and besides, she wasn't the type of person to try something that had failed once before. Her life wasn't a science project.

She pressed on, her shoes hardly making a sound as she walked toward their quarters. It was less than a minute's walk from the livestock chamber. She wasn't an architect, but if she were, these were two areas she would have separated. Sleeping with the stench of manure wasn't her idea of a good night's rest, but it could help suppress any unwanted desires she might have.

Her concern disappeared when Biome 4 came into view. She poked her head into the first room. It was much more spacious than she had imagined, and impressively welcoming. A large bed protruded out of the concrete wall. It was attached only by small wires on both ends, and appeared to hover in place. On the nightstand was a thin tablet. It was encased in carbon, and her name had been engraved on the back.

“Not bad, NTC, not bad,” she muttered aloud on her way to the hallway.

“What do you think?” Holly shouted from the entry of her room.

Sophie smiled. “I won't lie; I'm impressed. The conditions are much nicer than I thought they would be.”

“These tablets are great!” an excited Emanuel piped up. “They're connected to the central mainframe. We'll have access to live data about any of the chambers at our fingertips.”

“Not too shabby,” Sophie agreed. She looked down the hallway, noticing how different the chamber's design was from the others. Instead of being a single circular space, Biome 4 was built around a massive mess hall. Three hallways branched off the central room and led to their sleeping quarters, the medical ward, the kitchen, and the command center.

By the time Sophie and the others got to the cafeteria it was late in the day. Timothy and Saafi were busy tinkering with their tablets at one of the metal tables. A blue hologram shot out of Saafi's, illuminating Biome 2 on the middle of the metal table.