Pokémon Mars

Chapter 16: Puppets

The head of the Ares program, Dr. Ross Hornbeam, could usually be found in his office at the Quartz Space Center. He was the third head of the program, succeeding a Hoennian man, Professor Dosei Cozmo, who quit five years ago.

Others expected the office to be bare. It was a colourful space for such a quiet man, filled with photos of loved ones and souvenirs they sent to him from around the world. He rarely travelled himself. He wasn't like Dosei, who constantly travelled between the planets to keep up with the situation on the ground on Mars. As much as Ross liked seeing photos and hearing stories from places he would never visit, he didn't like the stress that came with travel on Earth, so he certainly didn't want to hang around a huge spaceship for a month.

Usually, only employees were allowed that far into the space center. Holly and Toru asked Ross' father if they could speak to him. He invited them to his office. A pair of security guards walked them down the perfectly clean, shiny silver corridors. The guards asked Ross if he wanted them to stay, but he shook his head.

'Of course not.'

The door slid shut behind Holly as Ross encouraged Toru to make himself comfortable on one of the planet-themed beanbags. Toru wasn't comfortable. At 81, he was too old for beanbags, especially when he was there to discuss his son's downward spiral into madness.

'So how can I help you?'

'To get right to the point... you know about the Mars madness, right?'

'Of course.'

'Damson's come down with it, bad. The guy's a danger to himself and everyone around him. He needs to come home. He hasn't really told us anything for months, but last time he did, he said the psychiatrists "have a degree in preserving the Ares program's image." But that image ain't gonna stay intact if he goes any crazier than he already is.'

'I see...'

Ross frowned. 'That's worrying about the psychiatrists. I'd be happy to reserve a seat for Damson when the Mega Wailord returns to Earth, though unfortunately, that will be at least three months from now. And if he really is a danger to others, he'll probably have to return in a straitjacket...'

'But...'

Toru glanced at Holly. She nodded to encourage him.

'It's not just that. We thought at first that he'd just lost it, but I don't think he's talking total nonsense. Why did Cozmo quit?'

'As far as I know, the disappearance of his only daughter left him too distraught to continue his work.'

Ross hesitated. 'That's the official line. Since you know all about Seiza's disappearance...'

Damson's loved ones did know all about it. His enthusiasm about life on Mars did seem doused within his first month there, but it was after the disappearance of Seiza, his fiancée, that he spiralled dramatically into depression, distrust, conspiracy theories and, eventually, alcoholism. Holly and Toru were already concerned for his wellbeing, but Courtney assured them that he was just a melodramatic artist. Seiza's disappearance was tragic, she said, but it wasn't unusual. People did die on Mars all the time. It could be her tomorrow. That was the nature of space exploration.

'I don't mind telling you what little I know, which isn't much, since he hasn't spoken to any of us since he quit... but I do know he was disgusted that although Seiza was the daughter of the head of the program, her disappearance never reached the news on Mars or Earth. He felt the astronauts were just numbers. "Inevitable deaths." And I suppose he must have felt there was nothing he could do to change that, or he wouldn't have quit... and... in hindsight, remembering some of the things he said and knowing what you've just told me... I think he felt guilty that he got Damson into the program.'