Threat to Mars orbitals, cities over
Ransom gang caught taking the credit bait
MARS CAROUSEL, March 1 - The threat to crash a drone survey ship into the Mars Carousel orbital ended a day short of disaster when the ransom gang was rolled up by security personnel on Mars, in orbit and millions of kilometers out in space.
“We’ve ended the danger to Mars and our orbitals and we’ve caught the criminals who threatened us,” Martius Endeavours Planetary Manager Elric Balvcar told the Chaos Courier on Saturday.
Eight drones returning from the Asteroid Belt were due to arrive in Mars orbit on Sunday, and the gang had threatened to crash one of them into the Mars Carousel orbital unless they were paid a 1-gigacredit (billion) ransom.
The gang had also demanded a 100-megacredit ransom for a another drone returning from the Asteroid Belt with precious metal ore that they hijacked remotely and sent on a trajectory behind Mars.
The news sparked celebrations all over Mars’ largest city, Tithonia, and the other Valley cities.
Orbital officials said Saturday that they regained control of all eight drones returning to Mars with samples from the Asteroid Belt.
Those drones followed updated instructions and coasted into a wider orbit that poses no threat to the orbitals or Martian cities in the Valles Marineris, Mission Control Chief Ceres Piazzi said.
“They changed course as directed by us, powered off and coasted into orbit,” Piazzi said. “We have crewed shuttles on the way to meet them.”
The ninth drone, carrying precious metal samples, was hijacked remotely and was recovered tens of millions of kilometers behind Mars near its orbital path.
“We’re still investigating, but it looks like we got everyone involved,” Balvicar said.
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.
“We paired the credits with a tracker and they were so anxious to get the money, they walked right into the trap,” Balvicar said.
With the help of Luna financial investigators, Carousel security arrested three orbital workers, two of whom had been moved to Ares Port because of their own threat to the Mars Carousel, which floats in areostationary orbit above Ares Port and Mars’ largest city, Tithonia at the western end of the Valles Marineris.
Officials also took control of a rebuilt scout ship in an orbital shipyard and two crew members who had been prepping to leave Mars for an unreported destination.
The other four gang members surrendered aboard their ship, the Doughty, which was waiting for the hijacked drone tens of millions of kilometers in space.
Facing trial instead of spacing
All of the plotters will stand trial in Tithonia Superior Court, though it wasn’t immediately clear what penalties they might face.
“Those in orbit and in deep space were engaged in piracy and were liable to being spaced upon capture,” Piazzi said. “It was decided with the councils of the Valley cities that all of them should face trial in the city that they threatened.”
Once the drones are ascertained to be safe, they’ll be towed into the cargo yard for further investigation and unloading of the samples they collected from various asteroids in their three-annos survey mission, Piazzi said.
The remaining drone, which was carrying precious metal ore samples and was hijacked remotely, will be brought back to Mars by the three private explorer scout ships sent to intercept it along with the ship carrying the hijackers.
The gang’s ship, Doughty, was boarded by Space Rescue and security personnel tens of millions of kilometers behind Mars on its orbital path, where it was waiting for the hijacked drone. (See story below)
All the drones stopped sending or responding to messages about seven weeks ago as they were nearing Mars on their return from the Asteroid Belt.
The hijacked drone carrying precious metal ore samples was rerouted by the gang with an early course correction on Feb. 45, putting it on a trajectory that had it crossing Mars’ orbit about 50 million kilometers behind the planet.
The other eight drones made a scheduled deceleration burn on Saturday, Feb. 60 and a pervious trajectory adjustment on time 10 sols earlier.
A collision with the Carousel could have led to the break up of the massive wheel-shaped orbital and cause serious damage to orbital installations and possibly to Tithonia and other Valley cities.
The Carousel, with a circumference of 25 km, was built out of standard half-kilometer cargo and spaceliner sections that could cause significant damage on the ground.
Many orbital workers and residents were sent to surface or other orbital quarters.
Some 873 staff now call the orbital home, up from 250 last annos, and 187 temporary workers were staying on board while they work on expanding living quarters and fabrication facilities on station.
The threat forced Ares Port, Tithonia and other Valley cities to dust off long-standing emergency plans that would have as many residents as possible stay in emergency and storage shelters built into the mountain behind WestHill or underground.
“It would have been very tight quarters, but we were fairly certain we could get everyone into safer spaces,” Tithonia City Council President Luca Matteo said. “Our first concern is always for all of our people, our families, friends and children.”
How the hijackers were hijacked
Fortune favors the Beansí, Boudicca and Fortuna
MARS CAROUSEL, Feb. 65 - The rogue ship that hijacked a survey drone carrying precious metal ore from the Asteroid Belt was “hijacked” itself on Thursday by a trio of Martian scout ships.
The explorer scouts Beansí, Boudicca and Fortuna caught the gang’s ship Doughty waiting for the drone near Mars’ orbital path on Monday about 50 million km away.
The mission, put together by Space Rescue, depended on the explorer scouts’ speed, stealth and luck.
“Those scouts are the fastest ships in space, and that was crucial to the mission’s success,” Mission Control Chief Ceres Piazzi said, adding that the ships’ captains had volunteered to undertake the mission and had an essential part in the planning.
“They’re private ships and under no obligation, but they stepped up and got underway quickly,” Piazzi said. “We were planning and tweaking this mission on the fly.”
The Beansí and Boudicca are owned by Mars-based explorers and entrepreneurs Electra and Attracta O’Ceileachair (O’Kelleher), who redesigned their fusion engines for increased speed that they have kept a closely guarded secret.
The Fortuna, captained by explorer Bartolomeo Vasco and recently refitted with two O’Ceileachair engines, got in front of the wayward drone and intercepted a tight-beam laser message to the Doughty.
That ship and its four-member crew were waiting to take control of the drone, though it remains unclear what they intended to do with its cargo.
That intercepted message pinpointed the Doughty’s location for the Beansí which had flown a bit inside of the orbital path and then closed with the ship.
“We messaged them to prepare for boarding, and they tried to evade,” Beansí Capt. Electra O’Ceileachair messaged. “That was what we were hoping for. They saw us, but they didn’t see the Boudicca.”
Boarded in flight
The Doughty was trying to change course, when the Boudicca came alongside and managed a forced pairing.
“We bumped them pretty hard, and that got their attention,” said Boudicca Capt. Attracta O’Ceileachair.
The Boudicca used its novel, self-welding pairing lattice to attach to the ship, enabling Space Rescue personnel to board it and arrest the four-member crew.
“They were still threatening to blow both ships up when the Rescue guards got onto their bridge, and that was that,” Electra O’Cealeachair radioed.
A squad of four Rescue spacers entered through an airlock equipped with standard emergency switches and forced the hatch to the bridge,
“They were very surprised, but surrendered when they saw us carrying hand lasers,”Space Rescue Squad leader Nico Virtus messaged.
The four crew members have been confined aboard the Beansí, with Virtus taking over as pilot of the Doughty.
Finding the Doughty involved some investigation and a lot of luck, Space Rescue Chief Delmer Hastings said.
Investigators, with the help of the O’Ceileachair orbital shipyard, screened ships that had been retired and refurbished and matched those with registered departures as well as ships that had changed trajectories en route.
“The Doughty had an interesting history. Its crew had had some problems at work in the shipyard, the orbital and in Ares Port; two had completed their labor contracts and one was absent without leave,” Hastings said.
The ship had left orbit more than an annos earlier with a filed route to Luna, but went off course soon after leaving the Carousel
One orbital worker who had been approached by the gang about the scheme, notified officials after they threatened to crash a drone into the Carousel.
“That information proved essential,” Hastings said.
Finding the Doughty came down to a lucky guess.
“It made sense that it would be along the trajectory of drone nine in the vicinity of Mars orbit, but if we hadn’t intercepted the laser message, we wouldn’t have been able to find it,” Fortuna Captain Vasco said. “Space is a very, very big place.”
City celebrates end of threat
Residents exhale, then dance
TITHONIA, March 2 - Everybody exhaled when they heard the news Saturday evening.
Residents, who had been waiting nervously inside their habs, or in designated shelter areas, poured out onto the terraces from WestHill through all three sections of the the Habitational Tube.
“It was like a city-wide sigh,” Zara Flora said as she walked with friends along an upper level terrace in the HabTube’s second section. “It’s great to look up at the sky without worrying that a half-kilometer ship is going to come through the sandglass.”
Musicians came out for impromptu sessions, with Samba Marte drawing a crowd outside the Cubbies, or contract worker dormitories, on Level 3 in Hab 1
“Well, we’re having fun playing, and we want everyone to have fun and let the tension go,” Samba Marte singer Nia Lara said as she encouraged residents to join in the dancing.
Cubby resident Jameson Tessera didn’t have to be convinced.
“We need to have a lot of fun after this last week,” said Tessara, an industrial process engineer who arrived with the November Earth fleet. “It was worse than the space ship. That was a moving target for space rocks and here we were sitting ducks.”
On the Sky Terrace in the WestHill section, City Strings harpist Belinda Patel soothed residents’ jangled nerves with a variety of soothing pieces.
“I can feel the tension slipping away,” WestHill resident Anita Paraiso said as she shared a carafe of cofee with friends on the terrace.
In Hab 1, City Strings played a variety of upbeat selections and were later joined by City Singers mezzo soprano Lydia Tenerife and baritone John Belmonte, who performed selections from the opera Carmen. Saturday evening’s celebration turned into a late night party over in Hab 3, where a couple hundred residents, and a couple City councillors, danced to the Rosetta’s Marsbeat tunes on Terrace 2.
The nearby City Speakeasy offered snacks and non-alcoholic drinks into the early morning, when they broke out the coffee.
“With all the people here, we didn’t want to close down, and my staff wouldn’t let me,” Speakeasy manager Alfonso Terrabuena. “They’re taking turns dancing.”
Like many others, Hab 3 resident Eli Lota and his friends weren’t ready to go back to their habs.
“We feel like we’ve been locked up and just got out,” Lota said. “ We started out at the brew pub on Terrace 1, and when they ran out of beer, we moved up here.”
Arrivals and Departures
Crater Crawler, Ares Port
Crater Crawler cargo train departs Ares Port Wednesday March 3, accepting cargo placements and three passenger berths. Message Crater Crawler
Hotel Itinérant, Melas
The Hotel Itinérant overland passenger train is scheduled to arrive in Coprates March 12 after a two-week trip from Melas. Message ‘Itinerant’ for bookings and information.
Air Mars
Friday - Orson Welles, Coprates, Melas, Ius.
Monday - Ius, Candor, Coprates.
Tuesday Coprates, Wells, Orbit. No passengers to orbit. Message Air Mars.
Calendar
Local councils review emergency measures
City Councils across the Valles Marineris plan to review emergency procedures and response after the capture of the ransom gang. Please check with your local councils.
Surfsuit Safety
Can’t get into your surfsuit in 90 seconds? Try it at home, and it you need practice, come to the demonstration at the Industrial Tube Terminal meeting room. Saturday 8:00, 12:00 and 16:00.
“Sail Away”
Fun cinematic escape fare. Solar-powered ships sail the future far heavens.
Rosettas at the Pub Seventeen
Keep dancing. The Rosettas perform at the Hab 3 brew pub near the Terrace One Arena. Friday, Saturday from 21:00
Cubby Samba
City Residence hosts the weekly Cubby part with the City Samba. Friday, Cubby Terrace at 20:00 Friday. Hab 1 Terrace 3. All resident are welcome.
Las Panteras de Marte
Singer Monique Solis, guitarist Hernando Senatobia and accordionist Ignacio Beck, play Mars style Norteño music. You’ll dance. 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 0900-1500
Geryon Stuff Swap.
Find your stuff a new home. Find new stuff for your home. Two items per person. Geryon Agora. Saturday, 13:00-15:00.
Spike
Ready for some beach volley ball? Jump as high as you can off the sand. Learn to play volleyball at the new Hab3 beach. Saturday, Sunday sessions. 08:00, 10:00, 12:00. North Beach Hab 3 Terrace 1. Just show up dressed to play.
Marsball Semifinal
The Hab 1 Rockets (4-1) face the Hab 2 Dust Devils (2-3) in the Marsball tournament semifinal March 6 The winner faces the unbeaten WestHill Pulsars March 13.
Coprates Caravansary, March 22
Coprates Caravansary Family overland cargo train meet up March 22-30, managed by Tractor Swap organizer and Corpates Councillor Marcia Charettier. Early meet up at the not-quite finished Ophir Labes Inn. Message Tractor Swap
- Merry Grace, lifestyle correspondent
Classified Ads
SHIP REFITTING, BREAKING All craft, parts and refurb. PONTUS 100 751
BORING HEADS Diamond durable. Get the job done. CANDOR 286 49762
JUMP START. Tractor Repair. Mobile unit available. If we can reach it, we can fix it. NOCTIS 260-22098
DUST BUNNIES. Turn dust into dirt. Best for plants. MELAS 285-78329
SURFSUIT Refurbishing. Fabric and boot repair, seal replacement, visor refurbishing, comms upgrades. COPRATES 297-14210
CARGO HANDS, For overland cargo train. Ex-contract only ARES PORT 268 31211
SHUTTLE AGENTS, MECHANICS for Air Mars InterChasma terminals. PONTUS 100 763
CARGO HANDLERS. Space experience required. Contract exemptions considered. PONTUS 100 419
WELDERS. Experienced welders seeking space yard qualification. Ex-contract only. PONTUS 100 639
CONSTRUCTION All specialties. Some outside. Ex-contract only. GERYON 278 68034
APPRENTICES Recycling systems. 8 annos and up. IUS 278 98559
APPRENTICES Metal smith, forging, casting, 8 annos (14 years) and up. URBS 269-37728
APPRENTICES Fabrics production, design. 8 annos and up. URBS 269-98523
APPRENTICES Ceramics. 8 annos and up. URBS 269-98523
APPRENTICES Environmental systems. URBS 269 81447
SPACE CAMP. Get ready for orbital work. All ages. ARES PORT 268 00910
BALLROOM DANCING Let's Rumba! URBS 269 49144
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