Humans and Pokémon are colonising Mars, but good people aren't the only ones with their eyes on this new world.
The first spaceflight of the Ares program launched 49 years ago. So far, the red planet hasn't been kind. Without spacesuits, few Pokémon...
Betty Birch and her small team only just arrived at their residence. With stops and detours to recharge their rover, eat in safety and refill their oxygen tanks, it was a 76-hour drive from Nickel Airport to the Birch Lab in the southern Fire Highlands.
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One colleague already came down with the bends. They only just reached a rescue station in time.
The Birch Lab was founded by Betty's great-uncle Landon Birch. He was one of the Ares 1 astronauts. Almost a thousand people lived and worked there, so it was a settlement as much as it was a research facility. It was also one of the most isolated and self-sufficient settlements on Mars, with its own water services, electricity grid and mini hospital. It had to be. No-one would reach it in time if something terrible happened.
Its isolated location was chosen so nothing from Earth interfered with their studies of Martian history and the search for past life. That was the official reason, but after all Betty heard about Ironville from Nyx, she wondered if Landon just wanted to get away from it all.
There was a distinctly western feel to Ironville. The Birch Lab was a colourful clash of eastern cultures where most people spoke Kantonian. Lanterns and bunting remained from a Hoennian holiday. The huge and vibrant spirit house outside was added by scientists from the tropical Seri region. Trinkets and plastic flower garlands, brought from Earth, were glued to it to stop the dust storms whisking them away. It was a long and painful journey for Betty and her colleagues, one that made the Seri lady who came down the bends question why she was there, but those familiar sights reassured them all.
Music often blared in the Seri quarters, but it was quiet that night. A friendly woman showed them to their dormitories. There was no-one there. Betty expected Landon to greet her. Where was he?
Almost everyone was crammed in to the lab. When the automatic doors opened for Betty's new key card, Landon finally waved to her over the heads of people glued to the giant screen. He was 89, tired and rarely got involved in research these days, so this had to be interesting.
'We got a message from your friend in Ironville. Well, she actually left the message for you, but I hope you don't mind that we opened it.'
Nyx's message was about the voice they heard. If anyone could verify its authenticity, it would be the scientists who lived in absolute isolation in search of life on Mars, though most people at the Birch Lab had long given up on that. Betty and the colleagues she travelled with were only accepted by the Ares program because they were still passionate about it when few others were.
Betty in particular was so passionate, in fact, that even the thought of finding bacteria or mould on Mars got her heart racing. She was the woman for the job. She was a little annoyed that these people weren't interested enough to continue the search with no results, but got involved again as soon as there was a potential sign of life. She wished Nyx contacted her directly, but she thought Betty would be at the lab by then. She pushed through to the control panel and snatched the headphones off a man's head.
