Atmosphere Generator on Mars Explodes!

Jason Argon opened his eyes to take a peek at the damage.  He had shut them suddenly, to protect them, from the gigantic explosion of one of the new Mars Atmosphere Generators. 

He blinked several times.  When graviton generators explode, a lot of light is released, along with many other deadly high energy particles. 

It was a good thing he was in orbit, doing a story on the success and great progress being made in the terra-forming of Mars. 

“I got it.” Said Sally Kirkland, Jason’s camera operator.  She was one of the best from Fleet News - The private contractors who supplied most of the infrastructure and equipment and technicians for SSN. Solar System News Corporation. 

She hadn’t moved when the blast came.  Most of the people looking down on the planet from the glass bottomed observation deck had flinched, including Jason, but not Sally. 

 “That’s why we call you, Sally-Sure-Shot.”  Jason said, tilting his head to listen to instructions via his embedded com-link with Control.  “Let’s go live in 3, 2, 1.”

Sally was looking at him.  Her eyes were her cameras.  Her natural eyes had been replaced with sophisticated devices comprised of a myriad of filters, including night-vision, infra-red, ultraviolet and had a 10 x 10,000 zoom, and the same ratio in the microscopic scale.

She was also solar powered. Her clothes were all made from special material that absorbs sunlight and converts it to energy.  These clothes plugged directly into her side where there were several input/output jacks, and powered all of her “extras”, as she liked to call them.

Only the hardest of the hard-core made the Conversion, but Sally was hard-core.  She was a martial artist and acrobat, so she could get fantastic shots solely on the way she moved her body. 

As if by an expanding ripple, millions of miles in diameter, screens across the solar system cut to Jason Argon, Live in orbit over Mars. . . . 

“This is Jason Argon.  I’m coming to you live from onboard the Mars Ritz Hotel in orbit around the planet.  Just when we were getting set to do a story on the seventh Atmosphere Generator to go online this month, it exploded.” 

Cut to the explosion as caught by Sally.  Glare filters had automatically dampened the effect and adjusted for contrast. Plus, it was presented in slow motion. 

“As you can see,” said Jason. “There was a small explosion to one side, which took the rest of the facility up with it. The footage is being analyzed for additional information.  Fortunately, the factory was not fully staffed for this grand opening.  The Generator was scheduled to open officially this Saturday (Mars-Base1 time). 

SSN! will bring you continuing updates on this terrible event.  Stay Tuned.  This is Jason Argon signing off.” 

Jason turned to see Walter Shaw, his producer, heading his way from the lounge above.  

“Nice going, you too Sally.”  He said as he peered down at the Rusty Martian surface below his expensive shoes.  “I’ve made reservations for both of you on the next shuttle down.  I want you ‘Live From’ by noon.”  Shaw always referred to United States eastern time no matter where he was.  Jason did the math, and he had less that three hours to get down and over and set in that amount of time. 

“We’re on our way.  What about you?” 

Shaw shook his head.  “I’m going back to headquarters,” he meant earth’s moon. “If you need anything - ask Control.” He turned as was gone. 

Sally traveled light.  She always carried a small metalcine backpack filled with the various devices and gadgets of her trade.  It would also provide oxygen from the compressed nano-cells that coated the metalcine fabric. 

Jason could buy anything he needed in Mars City, and charge it to SSN!, so they hurried to the hotel’s spaceport.  

The Shuttle Docking Bay was jammed packed.  There were rumors of possible explosives somewhere in the hotel.

The evacuation looked to have ended before it had begun.  “Well?”  Asked Sally, raising an eyebrow.

“You heard the boss,” said Jason. “We go live in three hours.  Follow me.”  Jason left the docking bay area, and navigated a series of hallways.  He walked through several areas that Sally had never seen.  They took catwalks and strange staircases headed down to the very bottom of the orbiting Hotel.

Finally, Jason lead the way through a doorway and Sally was suddenly stopped short in her tracks and pinched her nose shut.  The Garbage Dump.  All of the hotels refuse ended up in this part of the station.  There were people working in there, in special space suits.  God knew what they were doing, but they barely noticed the two as they quickly made there way past the giant centrifuge that sorted the garbage by size and composition as it spun wildly.

Jason kicked the next door open, his right sleeve doing double time as a nose filter.  There was a rush of air at the threshold, and they were free of the stink. 

Sally sniffed and noticed that her clothes had been adversely affected. They stunk.  “Good one, Jason.”

“It’ll be okay, come on, we’re almost there.”  They rounded a corner in a section of the hotel that seemed to be offices for some of the staff.  There was a line at one of the doors, and voices were being raised.

"Damn it," said Jason under his breath.

Part II

Check out the SSN "World Parameters"

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