The Solution (2nd Edition)

Chapter 7 - Pulp Science Fiction - Mikey

I finished the DNR, and relaxed.

    "Mikey, is it alright?" Chon asked me.

    "Yeah, it's good," I said while yawnin'. "It covers all bases, so go ahead and s-send it. Now, before I get back to my slumber, is there anythin' else which needs lookin' at?"

    Chon pointed to a case study icon at the bottom of his holoscreen, stifled a grin, and nodded. He knew I was only bein' polite with the DNR and my face contorted until he explained what was needed. "It shouldn't be too painful, though. It's about Mars..."

    "...Well, shit," I boomed, realizin' we were about to 'bro down' and 'geek out'. "That's all you had to say!" As I sat up, Chon beamed the information in front of us.

    "Alright," he paused, "so, it talks about Earth first. It describes our world as a galactic oasis, and diverse with life, which includes us. More interestingly, that Earth is roughly 94 million miles away from the Sun. And comparatively, that Mars is 137 million miles away-"

    "-Dude, I get it. They're pretty far apart, right?"

    "Absolutely," Chon smiled, "and that's the study's point, I think. Despite Mars being sat in the Habitable Zone; and Earth-like once upon a time; I'm sure it's trying to downplay the possibility of sentient life on the red planet."

    "Based on the current evidence...it's still all controversial," I mused. "But, amuse me - what's the Habitable Zone?"

    "I know this," Chon claimed with a smile. "In a planetary Solar System, it's the area of space which is the perfect distance from a parent star. In Earth's case, if it was too close to Sol, water would evaporate like on Venus. Too far, and it would freeze like on Mars. And so, with other factors like our magnetic field and tilt, Earth's position in the zone has allowed the flow of liquid water, the emergence of life, and our planetary evolution."

    Another one of Chon's smiles emerged and he made no attempt to stifle it - but rightly so - his knowledge had gotten much broader. "'Impressive'," I hissed. "The Force is stronger with you than ever before!"

    "Mikey, if I'm honest, I know because of mùqīn and the astronomer tutorials she's given me.

    "Anyway, the study then mentions the Arctic Circle and Antarctica. Even though life survives at our poles, the ambient, sub-zero temperature of Mars is a completely different ball game."

    "Perhaps," I offered, "perhaps. So, tell me again, why've you been readin' this study?"

    "Because, Xen and mùqīn keep mentioning it," Chon frowned. "They tell me it's, important..."

    "Important, why?"

    "Mikey, I don't know," he reeled. "You're the geek, you tell me."

    "Chon, I haven't got a clue. Not when it comes to Xen."

    "Well, mùqīn goes on about it the most," Chon pressed. "She's convinced advanced life existed."

    "Chon, the world's been over this, a billion times. Aside from the fossilized microbiology and tardigrades VG left up there, the Valkyrie's found nothin' intelligent, nothin' sentient. As Elders, why can't they just let it go?"

    "Well, because of James Tayden Raythorpe; his theory; and the questions it asked..."

    Very impressed, I'd set my scrunched brow on Chon. "You've really done some homework," I said while noddin'. "And, I was wonderin' when the NASA Scientist would crop up!"

    Chon chuckled. "I know. Plus, Raythorpe's three questions are ones which Xen and mùqīn have now made their own."

    "I know them by heart," I smiled. "You?"

    "Just about," Chon shared. "One: 'If Martian organisms evolved on from single cells, how long did it take, and what was their natural habitat like in its golden age?'

    "Two: 'If organisms migrated, or became self-sufficient hunter-gatherers, where's the visible evidence of their land prints, or of the tools they used?'

    "Three: 'If they became sentient, perhaps civilized, even technologically advanced - and did leave Mars - then where did they go...?'"

    "Chon, great recital," I praised, "and they're three very interestin' questions. Sadly, I feel they're ones which might always remain unanswered.

    "While we're on the subject of Raythorpe, though, I watched a file of his not long ago."

    "What was the topic?" Chon had asked.

    "Oxygen," I said. Poised, my friend seemed ready to absorb the knowledge. "Despite their distances and temperature variance, Raythorpe suggested Mars and Earth could've spawned life at the same time."

    "Do tell," Chon pushed.

    "Sure," I said. "On our celestial planet Earth, carbon has always been a buildin' block for life. Water, too. The last element has always been oxygen. Before Sputtering stripped celestial Mars of its Earth-like atmosphere, we know it had similar elements. His hypothesis in the file was, over Earth's evolution, the increase in oxygen led to more advanced organisms from microscopic, to primitive, to us... In actual fact, he feels Mars could've become oxygen-enriched much faster than Earth, because it's a smaller planet - a theoretical time difference of Earth takin' roughly two billion years, with Mars maybe only takin' a few million. The mass methane store in the Gale Crater only adds to the speculation of life. If Raythorpe's right, it means Mars' natives may have been extremely intelligent. Maybe even more intelligent than us..."