This is a Test

Ch. 1 - Part I - This is a Test

"...And you are aware this is a test of your physical, psychological, and emotional well-being, and you will be placed under stressors that may occur on a real interplanetary mission, and success here in no way grants you a place in our Mars program?"

"I am aware." Cashe had heard this a dozen times already.

"And you have kept your recruitment into the Anoptica Exoplanet Program a secret from your family and friends?"

"Yes." That part had been easy. He had none of those annoyances.

"If you have any reservations, please state them now."

"I'm fine."

The interviewer's glasses reflected the light as well as did his bald head. "And to ensure that you understand, could you reiterate in your own words the essence of how you will be compensated for your time?"

"There is no guarantee of any compensation, only metric-based bonuses, and I will not be informed of the criteria by which I am being judged. The longer I stay, the better I do, then, theoretically, the bigger the bonus."

"That is correct." The interviewer smiled. "Do you have any questions before we begin?"

"No," Cashe said, but this wasn't true. His only question concerned the bonus, being, How much?

***

Anoptica did not become the largest search engine conglomerate without knowing how to monetize everything, and their Mars simulation was no exception. Cashe and other scientists would live in a prototype of the facility meant for the Red Planet, creating and recycling their own air, food, and water in a hermetically-sealed building inside a glacier. While they worked, ate, and interacted, their actions would be broadcast live on an Anoptica website that could be accessed with certain computer hardware specifications and a valid credit card. The colonists, as they were to be called, would not know where they were so they could not inadvertently reveal the project's location.

Two weeks later, Cashe surrendered his wallet and his passport to an Anoptica representative. Several charter flights over frozen lands ended at a large unmarked hangar. Cashe was escorted from the plane to a room with a chair and a table bearing his suit, helmet, and clothing. He removed his current attire in place of the provided Anoptica-brand cotton t-shirt, pants, and socks.

Unlike the three-hundred-pound suits used for moonwalks, the Mars protective gear was designed to be sleek and photogenic. The sunset orange suit with black boots and gloves was in designed as two parts. He picked up the top piece and worked it over his head. The cooling and respiration systems attached to the sewn-in backpiece contributed to its hundred-pound weight, but Cashe had practiced enough times to put it on without issue. The suit was tailored for him with gloves adhered to the ends of the sleeves. The pants had boots attached to the cuffs. Connecting the top and bottom pieces was easy; ensuring a hardened airtight seal took time. Having finished, he picked up the helmet from the table and locked it in to place. A monitor on his arm confirmed that all systems were sealed properly.

He sat in the chair. There were no clocks or distractions, so he waited to perform the pre-arranged script of walking to the rover and riding cross-country to the facility. He estimated thirty minutes passed before the voice of his unnamed interviewer crackled in the helmet's speakers. "Dr. Cashe, please lower your tint visor, exit the room, and head to your right." He did as instructed, reducing the brightness to the visibility provided by ultra-dark sunglasses.

Cashe left the room and entered the hallway to find five other similarly dressed individuals, their faces also obscured. Anoptica had mentioned they wanted everyone to meet for the first time in the facility. They were ordered to walk through the building to a pair of double doors, which two guards opened before stepping out of the way.

The colonists exited in line to find a group of men in lab coats or overalls waiting. One seemed surprised at their arrival and he turned from a conversation to join the others in applause and smiles. The scientists clapped but the workers were more vibrant, fist-pumping and whooping it up, though Cashe couldn't hear them through the helmet. One gave the colonists a hearty thumbs-up while another approached with his phone to record history as it happened. Cashe and the others walked to a door leading to the Mars rover that would take them to their new home.

The door shuddered and stayed closed.

A new voice yelled for them to stop, and as they did, the jubilance and enthusiasm evaporated from the others in the room. Soon, their mouths became homes for scowls or cigarettes as the colonists were ignored. Whatever problem they had, Larry was apparently to blame, as he received a bulk of the orders and admonishments.

From the complaints Cashe could hear through his headgear's speakers, Larry wasn't getting this fixed any time soon. They were ordered to wait back in the hallway, so the six of them stood there like numbnuts looking at one another. The tint visor had been designed to shield from the sun's rays, and their mirrored finish prevented Cashe from learning anything about his future cohabitants. All he could discern was that he was the third tallest amongst the lot and that one person was excessively rotund. He surmised that due to the international search, he would most likely be the only black person in the group.

At some point, Larry must have gotten his shit together, and they were ready to go anew. Once it was verified that they were in position, the two guards pushed the doors open and stepped out of the way.

The colonists exited in line to find a group of men in lab coats or overalls waiting. One seemed surprised at their arrival and he turned from a conversation to join the others in applause and smiles. The scientists clapped but the workers were more vibrant, fist-pumping and whooping it up. One gave the colonists a hearty thumbs-up while another approached with his phone to record history as it happened. They walked to a door leading to the Mars rover that would take them to their new home.

The door shuddered and slid to the side.

The rover lay ahead, its back portion lowered down to produce a ramp for the six to walk up. Once they had seated and secured themselves inside, the door raised up and shut them in. There were no views of the outside. The rover's design was to shield from the radiation on the Martian landscape, and they could not see the front of the cab for the same reason. The rover's AI initiated a start-up and they were off.

They rode for at least an hour, being jostled on their trek across uneven ground. The big one seemed to have no control of their limbs, for their arms flew in the air with every major bump. They seemed the most animated and were most likely cursing, based on their gesturing.

At some point, the rover slowed, the ride turning smooth before stopping. A minute passed and the ramp opened once more to reveal they were in the large garage that served as the entrance to their new home. They unbuckled and exited to head to an open door leading to a four-by-four-meter room. They entered and allowed the door to shut behind them.

All six stood apart from one another and extended their arms as ordered for a simulated decontamination process. The lights flickered to purple as gas exploded down on them from nozzles in the ceiling. On Mars, this would kill any foreign organisms that might have latched onto their clothing.

The decontamination stopped, the doors opened, and they walked into the octagonal alcove equipped with open lockers for their suits. Each space held portable air canisters as well as two air tanks with a hose and a mask to cover one's face. Pre-determined spots existed for their suits and helmets. Benches sat a foot away to allow them to change. One of the habitants removed his helmet sideways off his tanned head, allowing him to toss his auburn hair to the right.

A bright movie star smile preceded his announcement of, "Who's ready for a bold new adventure?"