Pyres in Jezero
Humanities first Mars colony searches for answers after a string of unexplainable homicides.
Ancient scholars said Gods lived among the stars; we found only demons. I think the pile of mutilated bodies we left on Mars bore witness to that.
We stuffed those colonists so full of hypno-depressing fear hormones they would have been able to face hard vacuum with cold logic. But day after day, while the pool of researchers willing to work dwindled, and habs tightened their occupancy to the strict minimum, fear began to choke the life out of Jezero as surely as any air leak.
The Jezero colony didn't have a designated police force, but it didn't take long for MIP to rule the first death a suicide. Why an argricultural scientist lecturing a virtual class on interplanetary growing mechanisms had decided to throw himself a foaming slurry of protein acid never made it into the official report. The only clue, twelve seconds of frenzied whispered audio picked up his lapel mic, vanished in a routine data scrub before it could be analyzed. A week after that, a trauma nurse sealing a plasma burn stabbed her patient in the neck. Two days later, four teamsters were killed when an overseer on one of Mother's supply runs vented a cargo bay to hard vacuum.
With no leads and no answers, Horley, the site lead for the Jezero, announced an emergency meeting. He stood in the center of circular communal hab and waited while the remaining colonists crammed inside. They arrived in groups of five, pod-mates scrunched together against the ivory curved shell that formed the walls. None of the pods came closer than strictly necessary to avoid potential infections from each other. Technically gatherings of this many in a single ventable space were strictly against regulations, but Horely's safety czar had killed her husband with a hammer earlier that morning. There didn't seem much point in following the rules any longer.
"We're down to four cell packs a person," One of the battery techs said from his pod’s seat on a cafeteria table. He'd gotten married to a researcher last year, and they’d already filed the progeny procurement paperwork. "We should take another round of volunteers for a supply mission to the farm. If we bring back enough cells we could hunker down and wait for help."
Horley laughed, his stomach embracing the strange sensation. "Forget the cell packs. Mother's sent down an ultimatum. No more drop ships. Not until we get this under control."
One of the research physicists, a slender man with a patchy beard the same rusted color as the martian sand outside, stood up next. "We've tested for chemical agents, radiation, light, sound--anyone here from viral that wants to jump in?"
Another scientist called out. "This definitely isn't viral. Maybe some type of heavy metal poisoning? Where is Psych?"
"None of them had any spikes on their most recent profiles," the calming voice of the colony medical director said. "No changes in meds or other deviant behavior that would indicate aggression."
A rumble ran through the crowd as colleagues and friends whispered wild theories to each other. Horley started to speak, but held back as the meeting ease into momentary chaos. Maya had always known what to say to redirect the nerds before they got too far afield. She had the gift of always knowing the right thing to do, and he hated her for it more and more with every morning spent next to her cold pillow.
"It's the Pyres," a voice rang out over the crowd.
"It's not the fucking Pyres you conspiracy nut," another said. "What were you saying about solar radiation? Have we considered--"
"The Pyres are doing this!" A few voices echoed the call.
Horley's cane cracked against the cafeteria table. He spun around in a slow circle, sighting down the length of polished titanium at anyone who would look him in the eye. "Who said that?" No one in the crowd wanted to take ownership of the statement, but he could see in their faces they agreed. The stupid sheep. "Fine. You want to waste air, then we can do it right now. Anyone ever met a Pyre? Seen a chanting figure in a dark robe? Do they come around with pamphlets, or was I just not in my quarters that afternoon? The Pyres are involved. Great. Give me a lead that isn't wild conjecture and I'll investigate. Speak up, or shut up and help us solve whatever the hell is making our friends murder each other."
The crowd slipped each other sidelong glances. A few closer to him turned around to survey the others. If Horley didn't already know the entire colony had shown up for the meeting, he would have thought they were looking for someone in particular.
Jason leapt to his feet, his broad shoulders nearly bursting through the jumpsuit he wore. Gravity on Mars might have been lower, but that only meant Jason could bench more weight. Footage from an exterior camera had once caught him freeing a rover stuck in shifting sand by hand. "I'm not scared of the Pyres, or any of you for that matter. Gimme the keys to one of them thumpers and I'll bring back enough cell packs to last everyone the week. Hell, gimme one other person with their head on straight and we'll bring back enough to make it to the end of the month."
"We can't risk any more lives--" Horley started.
"At least out there I don't have to worry about a Pyre sneaking up on me. Besides what are you going to do, call Mother?” The crowd gave a quiet murmur. “I'll mic up with a suit so you can all watch how boring it's going to be."
A hand from a pod-mate clapped Jason on the back. By the time he stepped off of the table a group had formed to pound his chest and offer their respect. "We can fit extra sensors to your eva suit!" one of them called out. Back slaps transitioned into sensor measurements while the shipboard AI chirped helpful wiring solutions. The group orbited around Jason as he strode off to be fitted through the far side of the room.
Horley watched them leave. He stabbed the door control panel with the rubber tip of his cane with a little more force than necessary. Some of the other colonists followed him into the maze of hab corridors. Their whispers crackled with Jason's electric decision, filling the ample buffer between tight pod groups with a level of hope that seemed pathological given the circumstances. Maybe Jason made it back, maybe he didn't. Neither option would protect the pods from another murder tonight. But destroying their hope wouldn't protect them either, so Horley kept his mouth shut and let them all scatter back to their hiding holes.
Four antacids this morning hadn't slowed the eruption of lava burning up Horley's throat. Mother hadn't outright admitted it, but Horley could read between the lines well enough to understand their unsaid ultimatum. Whatever was killing them wouldn't be allowed to spread back up station, regardless of how many of Jezero's colonists had to die to contain it. He needed to stop this now. But what would make the smartest and strongest earth had to offer start to kill each other?
The Pyres couldn't be responsible. He and David, his second in command, had buried any knowledge of them under a geothermal heat vent before the first wave of colonists even arrived. It wasn't like David could have told anyone else since then. But Horley didn't talk in his sleep and still somehow the colonists had learned the name--
He couldn't leave this to chance. Not after all the sacrifices they'd made to get Jezero up and running.
Horley started a slow shamble towards the medical hab where he knew David would be.