Return to Earth

Chapter 35

Everything was in place as they all waited for the next communication from the scientists. The temptation to reach out was strong, but couldn't let their emotions get the best of them. Mistakes could cost them the future of their people.

Letting the scientists contact them ensured they wouldn't be on the defensive until Lita and Petrovitch took them there. The scientists needed to focus on the Commanders to keep them from noticing Kasun and Win hacking their system. Once they were in, there would be no getting them out.

Kierst's body remained weak from his bout, but his mind remained certain it was the best course of action. The scientists were content to let everyone die unless they were forced to accept there was no other alternative than to bring everyone to Earth. They may have sent them on a mission believed to result in failure to later make the claim they tried everything, but the scientists had greatly underestimated those they sent.

The arrogance of disbelief was the only thing Kierst could come up with to justify their reasoning.

It wasn't quite true that the scientists all believed the mission would fail. Kierst knew at least one of them must've come up with the idea. There was no other way they'd utilize the resources to send them to Earth without someone making a convincing argument.

No matter how persuasive the argument once was, it was clear the option was no longer believable to the scientists running Mars. Despite everything they'd done on Earth, the mission was going to fail if left to the hands of people who were millions of miles away.

The time was approaching with Kasun and Win at the ready. Their special hack was in place as they waited for contact to be made. Contact would open everything on Mars, including the visuals that reached every domed city. All they needed was time.

Two faces, a man and woman, appeared on the screen both looking arrogant. The man had a narrow face with brown hair and brown eyes. His nose and chin came to points as he glowered at all of them. The woman had black hair and green eyes with sagging cheeks. Impatience was the only thing he could come up with to describe the way she looked at all of them.

Petrovitch introduced them with a voice that barely hid contempt. "These are the scientists who have been running things from Mars. Scientist Jasmine and Scientist Martin."

They both focused only on the Commanders as the Martin spoke with a nasally wine to his voice, which Kierst had a hard time bearing. "What are they doing there, Commander Lita and Commander Petrovitch."

Jasmine shook her head and spoke with a raspy voice as, which was preferable to the wine. "These briefings are classified."

Lita cut her off before she had a chance to say anything further. "Scientists Jasmine and Martin. Classified no longer concerns us. Our mission is complete. It's time to bring everyone to Earth."

Jasmine's eyes widened as Martin snapped out with an even higher pitch. "How dare you talk to us like that?"

Kierst almost laughed at what he saw. He knew just how important it was to look serious. They all did.