Martius recalls Mars top executive early
Elric Balvicar to leave post in five weeks
ARES PORT, March 28 - Martius Endeavours is recalling planetary manager Elric Balvicar after only two-thirds of an annos as the company’s top official on Mars, the Chaos Courier has learned from top corporate officials.
Pontus Caelestis (Mars Carousel) Manager Johannes Tycho will succeed him in the post as planetary manager with Ares Port Manager Ernesto Bosch as his deputy, according to the officials, who declined to be identified publicly.
‘Martius is trying to make a clean move to a new direction to build support with stock and bondholders,” Luna-based space industry analyst Camilla Fortuna messaged. “Balvicar won’t be the only move, but they want to signal that they’re continuing the restructuring.”
Martius declined official comment on Balvicar’s expected departure after only 450 sols on Mars nor on the reasons.
Balvicar did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
Balvicar’s arrival aboard a crippled ship seemed to have presaged his tenure as the red planet’s first in-situ corporate overseer for Mars DevCo, which was renamed Martius when it announced its restructuring at the end of December.
“He had a rough journey here and a rough time since he arrived,” Tithonia City Council President Luca Matteo said. “To be fair, that coincided with a lot of difficulties for Mars DevCo., that he had no control over.”
After previously serving in top management positions on two Earth orbitals, Balvicar arrived unannounced at Mars on July 46, 101, after being rescued from the fast packet Caraval, which had suffered near total engine failure on its approach to the planet.
Balvicar was brought to the Mars Carousel aboard the explorer scout Boudicca, which with its sister ship Beansí (Banshee) rescued the 12 passengers aboard the stricken Caraval and brought them to Mars.
The Caraval, en route from the Astra Earth Orbital, flew past Mars on its June approach and was brought back by the Beansí.
The Boudicca and the Beansí are owned by Attracta and Electra O’Ceileachair (O’Kelleher), who formed the private O’Ceileachair Exploration Group which operates an independent orbital shipyard that performs substantial work for Martius.
Their two ships played an essential role in the arrest of the crew members of the Doughty, which recently hijacked an exploration drone.
A troubled tenure
Before Balvicar’s arrival, Tycho and Bosch had reported directly to a corporate supervisor at the corporation’s Luna headquarters.
While on Mars, Balvicar tried to re-assert control over development outside Mars’ largest city, Tithonia, in a coordinated effort with then City Council President Claude Paddingbury, who now serves as city mayor, reporting to the council.
That attempt at increased corporate and City control was roundly rejected by voters in the November election across the chasmata, including Mars’ second city, Ius, as well as Melas, Candor and Coprates.
“He alienated a lot of people by coming in and trying to dictate how the independent cities of Mars should grow and develop,” Ius Councillor Seamus Mitsutomi said. “It didn’t help that he had no relationships with any of us and didn’t even try.”
Under financial pressure, DevCo announced a massive restructuring at the end of December that involved tens of thousands of job cuts, scaling back its Mars surface operations, and rebranding as Martius Endeavours.
The move came in an effort to shore up the company’s stocks and bonds after a series of setbacks that included explosions aboard a Mars-bound passenger liner in November.
One of the first problems Balvicar faced was when a a dozen bottles of whiskey in a parcel he had shipped down to Ares Port on his arrival went missing.
The case of whiskey was later found, though officials would not say where.
That discovery came just two weeks after Tithonia City Safety shut down a surreptitious nightclub, City Speakeasy, for serving alcoholic drinks.
Distilled alcoholic drinks remain officially banned in Ares Port, and the City, where the ban is widely flouted.
Balvicar drew widespread criticism over the whiskey, and his office called it a private matter.
As for his return, it's likely that Balvicar will journey back to Earth orbit aboard the same ship he arrived in, though on what is likely to be a swifter journey.
The Caraval was renamed the Pilgrim after it was salvaged and refurbished by the O’Ceileachair Exploration Group.
The Pilgrim, whose engines were replaced by the more powerful O’Ceileachair models, is scheduled to depart in five weeks for Earth orbitals and Luna on April 3.
No other ships are scheduled for departure in that time frame.
The ship will be piloted by Peregrinus Aeolus, who captained the Caraval.
Accused ransom gang hijackers land in orbital brig
Didn’t get the gold or credits
MARS CAROUSEL, March 28 - Instead of getting away with the gold, the ransom gang members accused of hijacking an exploration drone carrying precious metal ore samples are likely to get a long spell in an orbital brig, at best.
The four crew members of the ship Doughty, which was waiting to intercept the drone some 50 million km from Mars, arrived in orbit on Friday on the explorer scout ships Beansí (Banshee), Boudicca and Fortuna.
The three scout ships intercepted the Doughty as part of a dramatic capture.
The four were identified as Victor Fahr, captain of the Doughty and a former Earth fleet cargo first officer, Eliphalet Jones (Eli), a former Luna shuttle navigator awaiting reassignment, Zephyr Yancy, orbital cargo yard and shipwright Octavio Urban.
Martius Endeeavours, the corporate owner of most Mars orbitals and industries, has confirmed the names, which were obtained independently by Chaos Courier correspondents, but would not comment further on the individuals.
All four are in custody in an orbital cargo yard brig, and face penalties ranging from lengthy confinement to spacing.
The gang comprised 11 members with the four aboard the Doughty, five on Mars or in orbit, and two at the Luna base of Martius Endeavour’s, the former Mars DevCo.
“Those who were operating in space can be charged with piracy with penalties ranging all the way to spacing,” Martius Mission Control Chief Ceres Piazzi said. “To be clear, under Space Law, they could have been spaced upon capture.”
Because the gang had threatened all of the people of Mars, Piazzi said Martius in conjunction with local councils had decided to put them on trial in Tithonia Superior Court, which will assess the penalties should they be found guilty.
“Though they will remain in space, we believe it is entirely appropriate to conduct the trial in the City because of the impact their actions had on its citizens and all of the people of the Valles Marineris,” Tithonia Mayor Claude Paddingbury said.
Ship boarded in space
The Doughty crew was arrested in space two days before the other alleged gang members, but that was kept quiet until the alleged gang members in orbit and on Mars were taken into custody.
A Space Rescue squad led by Nico Virtus boarded the Doughty through an airlock after the Boudicca managed a forced pairing by attaching a self-welding pairing lattice to it.
“It was a daring, and dangerous mission,” Piazzi said. “The crew was threatening to blow up the ship even as they were being boarded.”
The Doughty, being piloted by Virtus, is scheduled to arrive in two weeks, with the hijacked drone attached.
The ransom gang had steered the drone carrying precious metal ore samples from the Asteroid Belt to a spot some 50 million km behind Mars on its orbital path, and sought a 100-megacredit ransom for it.
When Martius refused, the gang threatened to steer a different exploration drone returning from the Asteroid Belt into the Mars Carousel if they did not receive a 1 gigacredit (1 billion) payment.
The drones were part of group of nine survey drones returning from the Belt that stopped sending or responding to messages about seven weeks out from Mars.
Mission Control regained control of the eight other drones as they neared Mars orbit.
Five of the nine members of the gang were arrested on Mars or in orbit after they tried to accept a 250 megacredit ransom put out as a lure by Martius, the former Mars DevCo.
In addition to the Doughty, Space Rescue also seized a rebuilt scout ship in an orbital shipyard that was being prepped by two crew members to depart Mars for an unreported destination.
“Everyone is looking forward to wrapping this up at trial,” Paddingbury said, “except for those charged.”
Accused ransom gang sprang from orbital cargo staff
List of those accused in Mars' ransom threat
MARS CAROUSEL, March 29 - Following is a list of accused ransom gang members who have been taken into custody. Martius Endeavours confirms the names but declines further comment.
Arrested on Luna
Samantha (Sam) Quentin, Martius Endeavours senior logistics manager for Earth Mars transport
Remy Jacot (Jacko), Martius Asteroid Belt exploration planner
Aboard the Spaceship Doughty
Victor Fahr, Doughty captain, Martius cargo shuttle pilot, former Earth fleet cargo first officer Cargo Ship Samson, Earth fleet 99
Eliphalet Jones (Eli), cargo shuttle pilot, former Luna shuttle navigator
Zephyr Yancy, Martius orbital cargo yard engineer
Octavio Urban, Martius shipwright
In Orbit and on Mars
Chari Aeroglen, Martius ship engineer, rebuilt escape scout ship in orbit
Aloysius Ellison, Martius cargo yard pilot, rebuilt escape scout ship in orbit
Alford Walla, Cargo specialist, arrested at Ares Port
Beryl Elorza, Cargo logistics manager, arrested at Ares Port
Henri Veradis Ship wrecker, arrested on orbital while awaiting transfer to Ares Port
- With reporting by Mirihi Merced, City Correspondent
Cargo train families set cross apprenticeships for young adults
Cargo 'tenners' swap tractors
COPRATES, March 28 - Cargo train families gathered for the Caravansary here are turning to a temporary solution to finding apprenticeships for their oldest children.
They’re going to let their ‘tenners,’ young adults who are around 10 annos, swap places with other family cargo trains to gain new experience.
Of the two dozen family cargo trains that have come to Coprates for the week-long Caravansary gathering, eight have agreed to let their children swap places for about 180 sols with a different family to gain experience in different jobs.
Over dinner at the Farmstand, featuring fresh peaches, apples, tomatoes and zucchini, the new apprentices and their families agreed to the deal after hammering out a standard contract over the past few days.
“We need to clearly spell out the responsibilities of both the apprentices and the host families,” says Isabella Haverhill, whose 9-annos-old daughter Ettoria (17 years) will be taking a berth on the Charettier family cargo train.
In return, Tom Charettier, who just turned 9, will take a berth on the Haverhill train.
“We know that everyone in the family ends up doing most jobs to the extent that they’re able, but we want to be sure that they acquire enough experience in one area to earn credit for a partial apprenticeship.”
Next steps
Both Tom and Ettoria have earned surface cargo certificates along with tractor maintenance, so they are looking to expand their skills.
Tom, who wants to eventually find an apprenticeship in orbit or with the Air Mars intercity shuttle, will be focusing on environmental systems maintenance for his apprenticeship.
“Each train is like a space ship,” Tom says. “We travel through a hostile environment that will kill you if you aren’t careful, and we absolutely depend on on our life systems to keep us alive.”
Ettoria will be working with Tom’s mother and father, Liliana and Ed Charettier, on cargo planning.
“It’s not just the individual trips,” Ettoria says. “You have to plan several trips ahead. Only some of the cargo gets off at the next stop.”
The Charettiers also plan to put Ettoria in charge of cargo trading.
“Mostly we carry goods on commission, but every family trades it own account, and Ettoria has some good ideas we want to try out,” Liliana Charettier says.
For the families, there’s also some sentimental factors involved, Charettier admits.
This apprenticeship is just over 200 sols rather than a full annos, and they’re likely to see and hear from their children more often.
“If they take an apprenticeship in Tithonia, Ius or orbit, it’s a full-time job, and it might be hard to keep in contact,,” she says. “The family trains are talking with each other all the time, and we’ll be back together in July, unless, they get a July 1 apprenticeship off planet.”
Earth approaching
30,000 km closer in two days
ARES PORT, March 30 - After marking its greatest distance form Mars this orbit on Friday, Earth is now coming our way.
Earth has moved 30,000 km closer to Mars to a distance of 400.34 million km on Sunday, after reaching its maximum 400.37 million km Friday.
That means fast shuttles are now prepping to leave both planets to take advantage of the closing distance to move high-value personnel and goods in both directions.
Mei Aonio, Ares Port Correspondent
Arrivals and Departures
Interplanetary routes take off
The Doughty, piloted by Space Rescue squad leader Nico Virtus arrives in orbit March 44, with Mission Control’s exploration drone carrying precious metal ore samples.
The Mars shuttle Dione is scheduled to depart the Selene Lunar orbital March 35 with a stop at the L5 station, before continuing to Mars. The pilot has not been identified.
The fast packet Pilgrim, captained by Peregrinus Aeolus, departs for Earth and Luna orbitals on April 3.
Hotel Itinérant, Melas
The Hotel Itinérant passenger caravan departs Candor March 32 for Melas, arriving March 44, and continuing on to Ius/Geryon. Message ‘Itinerant’ for bookings and information.
Desert Star, Ius Chasma
Desert Star, cargo train is scheduled to depart Ius/Geryon March 33 for Oudemans Crater station, continuing to the Noctis Grange Hall. Message Desert Star
Air Mars
Friday - Orson Welles, Coprates, Melas, Ius.
Monday - Ius, Candor, Coprates.
Tuesday Coprates, Wells, Orbit. No passengers to orbit. Message Air Mars.
Calendar
“Rhumba Room”
“Rhumba Room” Fun song and dance review threedee. Goofy guilty pleasure. Great dancing.
City Samba at Pub Seventeen
City Samba will make sure you don’t just stand around at the Hab 3 brew pub near the Terrace One Arena. Friday, Saturday from 21:00
Cubby Samba
City Residence hosts the weekly Cubby soiree. All are welcome. Cubby Terrace at 20:00 Friday. Hab 1 Terrace 3.
Las Panteras de Marte
Singer Monique Solis, guitarist Hernando Senatobia and accordionist Ignacio Beck, play Mars style Norteño music, with a few show-stopping torch song solos. Geryon Agora. Saturday 16:00
Rock Hounds
Old Earth style trio, guitar bass and drums liven up the Ius Forum. Friday 21:00
Melas Aquanauts
Fun a-capella group. Listen and sing along Bottom of the Sea Cantina, Melas Friday 20:00.
City Social
Mix and mingle with new arrivals and old hands. Hab 2. Terrace 4, by Tithonia Gardens. Friday 17:00
City Farmer’s Market
Saturday. Stalls available by appointment. Fabrica (Industrial) Tube Terminal Saturday 9:00-15:00
Spike
See how high you can jump off the sand, and learn to play volleyball Mars style. Saturday, Sunday sessions. 08:00, 10:00, 12:00. North Beach Hab 3 Terrace 1. Just show up dressed to play.
- Merry Grace, lifestyle correspondent
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WALL GARDENS. Custom seeded and sized. Illuminate, water, grow, eat. IUS 278-14275
JUMP START. Tractor Repair. Mobile unit available. If we can reach it, we can fix it. NOCTIS 260-22098
DRILL SLEDS Custom built and standard. Expand your space. COPRATES 295-43298
SURFSUIT Refurbishing. Fabric and boot repair, seal replacement, visor refurbishing, comms upgrades. COPRATES 297-14210
ROCKET ENGINEER Engine upgrade project, Ex-contract only. PONTUS 100 637
PLASMA SPINMASTER Compact fusion designs. CANDOR 286 25120
WELDERS. Experienced welders seeking space yard qualification. Ex-contract only. PONTUS 100 639
CARGO HANDS, For overland cargo train. Ex-contract only ARES PORT 268 31211
SHUTTLE AGENTS, MECHANICS for Air Mars InterChasma terminals. PONTUS 100 763
APPRENTICES Aquaculture. 8 annos and up. URBS 62128
APPRENTICES Construction. Interior. GERYON 278 65689
APPRENTICES Fabrics production, design. 8 annos and up. URBS 269-98523
APPRENTICES Recycling systems. 8 annos and up. IUS 278 98559
APPRENTICES Metal smith, forging, casting, 8 annos (14 years) and up. URBS 269-37728
RAAS / GARBA Dance performers for new troupe. COPRATES 295 45788
MARTIAL ARTS. Conditioning and confidence. Weighted and natural. GERYON 278 71435
YOGA. Get the kinks out. IUS 278-43256
DANCING. All styles for adults. Hab 3 Rec Center. URBS 269 10311
STRENGTH Training for trainers. COPRATES 295 04716
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The header photo is the iconic mosaic of the Valles Marineris hemisphere of Mars from 2,500 km above the surface taken by the Viking Orbiter. (NASA/JPL-Caltech)
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Photomosaic: Viking Orbiter: NASA/JPL-Caltech