Drone hijackers threaten orbital carousel, demand ransom
Ares Port, Valles Marineris cities get ready for possible impact
MARS CAROUSEL, Feb. 61 - Hijackers are threatening to crash at least one drone ship into the Mars Carousel orbital station unless they are paid a 10-gigacredit (10 billion) ransom, which the orbital’s corporate parent, Marius Endeavours, has rejected.
Attempts by Martius to regain control over the drones have failed, the hackers say, endangering the massive orbital station in areostationary orbit above the Valles Marineris and possibly the Ares Port industrial area and Mars’ largest ctiy..
“Still on collision course,” the hijackers messaged to orbital radio channels from a masked source. “Time is running out.”
Martius Endeavours, the renamed Mars DevCo, says it is taking unspecified defensive measures to prevent a collision, but has declined so far to provide details.
“We’re confident that we can avoid collisions with our orbital assets, and have put in place a multi-layered strategy to protect our people in orbit and all the residents on the surface,” Martius Mars Manager Elric Balvicar said in a statement.
Some 873 staff now call the orbital home, up from 250 last annos, and 187 temporary workers are on board, many working on expanding living quarters and fabrication facilities on the 25-km circumference station.
Orbital residents are being sent to the surface or to other orbital quarters that are easier to move, said Johannes Tycho, manager of the orbital whose official name is Pontus Caelestis, or heavenly bridge.
A breakup of the orbital could threaten all orbital installations as well as Ares Port and Tithonia, which has about 61,700 residents, at the western end of Tithonium Chasma, and possibly other Valley cities, Tycho acknowledged.
“That’s clear from Earth’s early orbital experience with that cascade of damage that wiped out a lot of installations,” Tycho said. “There are endless ‘ifs” associated with this speculation, but whatever happens, it’s my ship, and I’ll be on it.”
The Carousel's a big target
The wheel-shaped 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, depending on the size and number of sections that fall to the surface and where they land.
The difference is that Mars’ thin atmosphere won’t do much to slow falling debris headed to the surface, Tycho said.
The hijackers say they have total control over all nine drones returning from a 3-annos survey of the Asteroid Belt for mineral and other resources.
One of the drones, carrying precious metal ore samples, was rerouted by the hijackers with an early course correction on Feb. 45, putting it on a trajectory that would have it cross Mars’ orbit about 50 million kilometers behind the planet.
The other eight drones made a scheduled deceleration burn on Saturday, Feb. 60, putting them on a course for Mars orbit, after making a previous trajectory adjustment on time 10 sols earlier.
Mission Control has received no data and no response from the drones, which went silent about six weeks ago, Mission Control Chief Ceres Piazzi said.
“We’re still getting nothing from the drones,” Piazzi said. “We’ll have eyes on soon, and we can decide once we know where the drones are headed.”
Non-essential personnel are being evacuated from the Carousel to orbital cargo and industrial crew quarters, which can be more easily relocated, Piazzi said.
Any orbital cargo and industrial facilities that can be moved are poised to relocate, Piazzi said.
While the greater danger from a potential collision with the Carousel is to orbital assets, City residents should be prepared in case debris hits the surface, Tithonia Councillor Luca Matteo said.
“We’re all waiting anxiously but we can take precautions just in case,” Matteo said.
Keep your surfsuits where you can find them in the dark
Tithonia residents have been advised by to keep their emergency suits handy and in case of alert to head for shelter inside the mountain at WestHill Terrace, or to the underground shelter areas in the three habitational tubes.
Staff at Ares Port, about 50 km west of Tithonia are preparing for relocation to Tithonia, Ares Port Manager Ernesto Bosch said.
The hijackers issued their first ransom demand, for 100 megacredits for the wayward drone carrying previous metal samples, on Tuesday.
When Martius rejected the demand, the hijackers responded with the 10-gigacredit ransom to steer the drones away from the Mars Carousel.
“We don’t negotiate with criminals,” Martius’ Balvicar said in a statement.
Behind the scenes, however, some discussions between the hijackers and Martius senior management both on and off Mars are taking place, sources with knowledge of the contacts told the Chaos Courier on Saturday.
Mission Control declined to comment on whether it had received any information on the drones from the Space Rescue Cutter Jove and the fast packet Pilgrim, which were sent more than three weeks ago to monitor the drones approach to Mars.
Both ships are capable of reaching and following the drones on their current trajectory, Piazzi said.
At least three other fast ships have left Mars orbit recently, including the Beansí and Boudicca scouts owned by the O’Ceileachair (O’Kelleher) sisters Electra and Attracta, and the Fortuna, captained by Bartolomeo Vasco, which returned from the Belt in mid-January.
None of those three ships have responded to radio messages yet.
In Tithonia, residents are waiting anxiously for some reassuring news.
“I’d like to hear that they’ve got control of the drones or they’ve blown them up,” said WestHill resident Carlson Viognier. “I hope they built defenses for the Carousel, even for a random accident.”
Drone threat fuels anxiety in Mars’ largest city
Can’t run away on Mars
TITHONIA, Feb. 61 - Residents of Mars largest city realize the dangers that daily life on our home planet poses, but the threat of half-kilometer spaceship sections falling from the sky has everyone on edge.
“I’m used to living in space and I know all the dangers, but I keep having this dream of watching a massive spaceship coming toward us through the HabTube cover,” said Emilia Campanus, who arrived with the November 101 Earth fleet.
“It’s like debris hitting an orbital or a rock hitting a spaceship, you know there’s nothing you can do about it, but you still worry,” said the agricultural specialist who lives in the Hab 1 contract worker dormitories, or Cubbies. “It’s the flee response. You’d like to run somewhere but it’s not like you can run away on Mars.”
The worries are both heightened and lessened by the scientific aptitude of many residents
“There’s a lot of scientists here and we can all do the math for the impact of a collision, so that’s not a comfort,” said industrial process engineer Jameson Tessera, who also arrived with the November Earth fleet.
Mars thin atmosphere won’t do much to help slow down debris falling from space so it could hit the ground at speeds around 1,600 km per hour, Tessera said.
“If anything hits, it will definitely be a Mars-shattering kaboom,” Tessera said.
In the event of a collision, the Carousel would likely break up, Tessera said.
Pieces of the orbital could also remain in orbit, fly off in random directions and cause a cascade of collisions among orbital industrial and cargo facilities, crew quarters and ships in space dock, or fall to Mars.
Mars is mostly empty
That said, people and their habitations present a tiny target on the surface of Mars, said Ares Port structural engineer Thomas Ayr, who was walking with his wife and two toddlers in the Hab 1 redwood grove on the first terrace level.
“People don’t take up much room on Mars,” Ayr said.
The habitational and industrial footprint of Ares Port and Tihtonia combined is less than one-thousandth of the total area of a circle including both locations, Ayr noted.
Ayr has been considering moving to Ius, but says a change in location doesn’t alter the odds of an impact.
“I’m not sure we’d be better off at Ius or really anywhere else,” Ayr said.
“But we might feel better with a kilometer or two of rock above our heads,” said farmer Aurora Nabara, Ayr’s wife. “The sandglass stops the radiation, but it’s not going to stop a spaceship or pieces of it.”
City Council President Luca Matteo spent most of the day walking around Tithonia, talking to residents.
Matteo told a small group of people in Hab 3 that should the need arise, the City would shelter as many people as possible in the the storage tunnels behind WestHill, which climbs the 4 km tall north-south ridge that forms the western boundary of the City.
“If it comes to it, we can fit a lot of people there, and in the underground storage areas of the habtube sections,” Matteo said.
WestHill residents have built-in protection as many of their habs have been delved deeper into the mountainside, an option not available to HabTube residents.
“Will that matter if a half-kilometer spaceliner hits it?” asked one resident who declined to give his name.
“No, it won’t,” Matteo said. “We could also get hit by a meteor. A lot of things could happen, but we can only prepare and do what we can do.”
City Council gets grilled on hijackers, emergency plans
Is there a defense
ITHONIA, Feb. 58 - With the threat of a drone smashing into the Mars Carousel hanging over the City, councillors Council faced a grilling from residents as they reviewed emergency plans on Thursday.
Why doesn’t Martius just pay the ransom?” asked Chester Prater, a Cubby (contract worker dormitory) resident who arrived with the November Earth fleet. “They’ve got the money.”
“Because paying the ransom doesn’t guarantee they won’t crash a drone into the Carousel,” Council President Luca Matteo replied.
“Is there any reason we should trust these people? They could take the credits and run, if they can escape,” Matteo said. “They might not even have control over the other drones. We don’t know.”
The Council reiterated that, should the need arise, it officially recommends that the 61,700 residents take shelter either in the deeper storage tunnels in the 4 km tall ridge behind WestHil or the underground storage areas of the three sections of the 4.8 km Habitation Tube, which is essentially an 800 m diameter sandglass-covered tube.
If residents can reach those areas, they should shelter in air-tight areas as far as possible from the open areas of the habitation tubes.
“Essentially, you’re saying go hide in the closet,” said Irene Vedra, a Hab 1 mother of three.
“What if we can’t all fit in the closet?” Vedra said. “It’s not like we can go anywhere else.”
Chances are small that the Carousel will actually be hit by a drone, and far smaller that any debris will hit residential areas,” Matteo said.
“We are advising all of our people to take proper precautions,” Matteo said. “The includes keeping a surfsuit handy, and being aware of where the nearest shelter is. that would be true for any impact.”
Possible motives
Steering the discussion away from the possible danger, Councillor Tiberia Hernandez said the hijackers might just be trying to increase pressure on Martius to pay the 100 megacredits for the drone they do control.
“What are they going to do with it when they get it?”Hernandez said. “They’ll get a bunch of rocks. They hit could hit them with hammers and hope to pick up some flakes of platinum, but unless they take it to a refinery, they’re not getting any gold or platinum. And they’d have to take if about 400 million kilometers.”
The hijacked drone’s current trajectory only brings it to the vast emptiness sunwards of Mars, Councillor Joshua Asta said.
“Unless, they have a ship meeting it, they’re not getting anything from it,” Asta said. Other residents asked what kind of defenses Martius has to protect the Carousel and by extension Ares Port, Tithonia and the other cities of the valley.
“Given that there’s hundreds of meteors coming our way every year, surely they have some way of taking care of the bigger ones. Can you tell us anything about the defenses?” asked Ellison Jones, a resident of the second HabTube section and a production manager at the Fabrica industrial facility.
“Martius assures us very strongly that they had adequate provisions in place to handle orbital collisions as well as incoming objects,” Mayor Claude Paddingbury said. “They have not shared the details with us, but say we should look at the systems put in place around Earth and Luna to protect their massive orbital industries and habitations.”
“Well why won’t they tell us?” asked fusion scientist Shepparton Clark.
“Because they don’t want to give people like the hijackers any help in raising their chances of causing serious damage,” Paddingbury replied.
Hide inside
From Noctis Labyrinthus to Coprates, officials in other Valley cities say they are taking a similar shelter underground approach as Tithonia.
“We don’t know what if anything is going to happen. We don’t know how or if it might affect us,” Ius Councillor Brynn Gibby messaged. “The best we can do is to tell residents to shelter in more protected areas.”
On Geryon Montes, which stretches 5 km above the chasma floor in that area, much of the habitational and storage space is drilled into the mountain, Gibby said.
There is enough shelter space for all of the roughly 24,000 residents of Geryon and Montes and adequate provisions for a lengthy stay, Gibby said.
“Yes, the people on the chasma floor will have to go to the mountain, if they choose, but we have enough supplies on hand for everyone,” Gibby said.
Melas, with a population of about 13,000, is more exposed because most residents live in domes built on the chasma floor, but most of those structures have subsurface space as well.
“Everyone digs in a bit after they finish the dome. Everyone’s got a basement,” Melas Councillor and Supply Chief Vita Rivenhill messaged. “That’s to protect against any damage to the dome.”
Paddingbury noted that Mars is no stranger to collisions with objects falling from space.
A meteorite big enough to leave an 8 or 10 meter crater would punch a big hole through the habtube covering, Paddingbury said. “A few hundred meteorites hit Mars every annos,” Paddingbury said. “That’s why we have breach drills in the City.”
Learn about meteorites hitting Mars
Rockets escape Orbits in Marsball
TITHONIA, Feb. 58 - The Hab 2 Dust Devils left the the Hab 3 Quasars done and dusted with a 66-58 victory in Thursday’s Marsball knockout match here.
It was the first win for the Hab 2 side since their first round match against their Hab 3 neighbors on Jan. 28, and it followed the same script.
“It was really about consistency,” Dust Devils Guard Preston Quintana said. “Both our offense and defense did their jobs really well.”
The Devils’ tight defense forced the quasars into four craters, which cost the home team Quasars a total of 12 points and the match in front of a record crowd of 639 at the Terrace One arena in Hab 3.
“Our offense overall was very good, but our play could have been tighter,” Quasars Forward Shivam O’Brien said. “We had our second-highest score at 70, but the craters turned that into a loss
The Quasar face the 4-1 Hab 1 Rockets on Feb. 65. The Rockets knocked out the Ares Port Orbits on Feb. 51 to move into final play.
The winner faces the unbeaten WestHill Pulsars on March 6 for the championship.
- Deroy Duval, Sports Correspondent.
Arrivals and Departures
Hotel Itinérant, Melas
The Hotel Itinérant overland passenger train arrives in Melas today, Sunday Feb. 61, and departs for the two-week trip to Corprates Feb. 64. Message ‘Itinerant’ for bookings and information. Ares Port
Rego Ranger, Ares Port
The Rego Ranger overland cargo train arrived in Ares Port Thursday Feb. 58, and departs tomorrow Monday Feb. 62 on a 50-sol trip to Coprates. No cargo handler nor passenger berths remain. Message Rego Ranger
Crater Crawler, Ares Port
Crater Crawler cargo train is scheduled to arrive in Ares Port Wednesday Feb. 64, accepting cargo placements. Message Crater Crawler
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
The Tithonia Council will provide updates on the potential emergency as well as preparations ahead of the March 2 scheduled arrival of the Asteroid Belt survey drones. Outside Tithonia, 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. Monday-Friday 8:00, 12:00 and 16:00.
“High Seas”
Pirates plague the ancient northern sea of Mars. Adventure threedee with sea dragons, well really big plesiosaurs, at least, and pirates. Sail into Capri Chasma
Rosettas at the Pub Seventeen
The Rosettas will take your mind off your worries and leave you dancing. 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
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
Marsball Semifinal
The Hab 1 Rockets (4-1) face the Hab 2 Dust Devils (2-3) in the Marsball tournament semifinal Feb. 65. The winner faces the unbeaten WestHill Pulsars March 6
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. 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