“So this is humanity’s backup planet, huh?” I mutter as I observe the mostly reddish globe through my main screen.
“Mars isn’t just humanity’s beta planet,” Azkarra corrects me, “but also home to several thousand animal and plant species! The Confederation attempted to reintroduce every Earth species compatible with extreme temperatures and high altitudes.”
“It only has two moons?” I ask, eyeing the two nearby celestial bodies.
“Exactly,” Azkarra confirms. “Deimos and Phobos, both orbiting close to the planet’s equatorial plane.
For your information, Martian days are almost the same length as Earth’s. However, its year is nearly twice as long. Currently, Mars and Earth are almost aligned with the Sun, which is why we’re passing by the first before reaching the second. As you can see, due to its distance from the Sun, Mars is a very cold planet—hence the two massive polar ice caps. The area designated for Humans lies between Arabia Terra and the Cydonia region, nearthe equator. All other zones have been set aside for former Earth lifeforms.”
“Is that where Ileana came from?” I ask out loud without even realizing.
“No. According to my records, she was from a scientific space base. Neither she nor her parents ever set foot on Mars. Besides, this terraformed world is reserved for Earth’s former species only. Humans are expected to fend for themselves on their last-chance planet, with only a few tools and guidance provided by the Confederation during their transfer.”
“Then why did you rule Mars out as a possible destination for Bully? It’s closer, and conditions here seem more hospitable than what’s left of Earth.”
“Because, as I just said, Mars is reservedexclusivelyfor former terrestrial creatures!”
Hmm. I see.
Sometimes my AI seems locked into rigid rules and protocols—completely opposite to the subversive nature of certain Coalition members. It simply doesn’t consider that a law might be bent, or outright ignored.
I still don’t know what Bully’s doing in this isolated solar system, but one thing’s certain—he’ll always go for the easiest, most profitable option. If it’s valuable resources he’s after, Mars would’ve been a perfectly decent pit stop, whether the Confederation likes it or not. They may think they’ve privatized this planet for a handful of Earthlings, but that won’t stop a guy like Bully.
“Azkarra, run a full scan, please. See if you detect any recent atmospheric entries. Unlike you, I’m not ruling out the possibility that Bully might be nearby.”
“You’re the one in charge, but I must insist—this option is highly improbable. With oxygen levels a third lower than those on Earth or Polaris, the environment here is far from ideal. Ittakes between six to eight days for a humanoid-type organism to acclimate to these extreme conditions.”
I won’t say it out loud, but she’s not wrong.
I really don’t see Bully hanging around in orbit for a week while his AI gradually adjusts his ship’s interior to match this planet’s ecosystem. Way too inconvenient for him.
As if to prove me wrong, a typical single-seat Coalition craft suddenly shows up on theBakartia's scan.
Shit! What the hell ishedoing here?!
Unfortunately, I don’t get time to ponder a thousand questions—because that’s when the alarm goes off.
“We’re under attack,” Azkarra informs me flatly in her metallic tone.
I leap into the pilot seat and strap in fast while my AI gives me the situation report. It’s not just one—we’re taking multiple successive hits.
“TheBakartia’s protective force field has failed,” Azkarra announces.
That’s very bad news. My whole body tenses, fur on end, already bracing for whatever disaster’s about to follow.
A violent jolt confirms that another shot just hit us head-on.
“Main thrusters are down, as well as the gravity stabilizers,” Azkarra states.
“Can you fix it?” I ask, more out of habit than hope.
“No. I’ll try to slow our descent using the emergency booster, but it won’t prevent the crash.”
The crash? Shit. We’re going down.
On this goddamn planet shejustdescribed as unpleasant in every possible way. Then again, I might not even survive the crash, so maybe I should worry about the restafter.
And I don’t even know who the hell shot at me!
