"The totality of human progress has been made to hinge on a single mind that isn’t, itself, human."
Francis Carter guided the car back onto the road and, for thirty minutes, Lamont outlined the information he had uncovered during his assignment to Mars. He kept his voice even and confident, but he took risks, stating hints as facts and drawing out conclusions from tenuously connected speculations. For the most part, Carter looked straight ahead, listening intently with his wide mouth set grimly in a neutral expression.
“All one has to do is follow the money,” Lamont was saying. “Even with zero public accountability and complete impunity in regard to government regulations, it isn’t possible for the largest allocation of resources in history to be completely hidden. The fact is that while Schultzcorp is still legally the parent company of United Space, it has become little more than a shell for that corporation, and an increasingly thin one at that. And while the Western populations of Earth, Mars and the frontier colonies are almost entirely dependent on Schultzcorp’s services for daily life, only a fraction of its total resources goes toward maintaining those utilities. Overwhelmingly, the money is moved into United Space, for programs and initiatives that are focused on a single goal: Outward expansion. This effort has been accelerated by the quiet and methodical introduction of new technologies that, since the ‘70s, have been increasingly fantastic in nature, despite the Company’s efforts to play them down. The source of these breakthroughs is laughingly obvious—in fact, we’re sitting on it. Federal regulations that make private exploration of Mars nearly impossible were drafted and dictated by United Space itself, ensuring that the Company would hold a complete monopoly on this planet’s technological resources. For the last three decades, the Company has become increasingly adept at unlocking and exploiting those resources, thanks to the secret research laboratory known as NOD. Specifically, due to a single chief scientist within the New Opportunities Division. He’s never mentioned in official communications, but his name is mentioned in departmental memos, a few of which have seen the light of day. They call him…”
“Phobos,” Carter finished, as if unable to help himself.
Lamont inhaled deeply, feeling a profound sense of relief that his rather desperate recounting of facts had coalesced into a conclusion that Carter found recognizable. As the newspaperman laid out his findings for the first time in a clear verbal narrative, the cloud of suspicions took on a concrete and compelling reality, reinforced by Francis Carter’s conspicuous failure to scoff at them.
“Phobos,” Lamont agreed. “Mars is a library of knowledge that United Space needs to advance its ambitions, but it’s written in a language that only one...person...can read. The totality of human progress has been made to hinge on a single mind that isn’t, itself, human.”
Carter lifted both hands from the wheel to pinch the bridge of his nose between his eyes. It was then that Lamont realized that they were stopped, and had been for some time. They were in the center of a large circular chamber, something like a hangar, with large mechanical doors at 90-degree intervals. Behind them was one of those doors, open, leading to the tunnel from which they had emerged.
“That may be true,” Carter murmured, “But it isn’t new.”
“Where are we?” Lamont asked.
“Just outside Utopia Settlement,” Carter answered, leaning forward to manipulate a quick series of buttons and toggles on the complex dashboard.
Lamont whistled. “How fast were we going?”
“Astronomically speaking, we were practically at a standstill,” Carter quipped. The confident motion of his hands seemed to bring him back to himself.
“What’s the verdict, then? Am I staying with you?”
The astronaut smiled grimly at his ruffled passenger. “I had decided on that an hour ago. You’d better put on your shoulder straps now.”
Lamont noticed the presence of an additional safety belt on the back of his seat as Carter secured his own. “Where are we going?” He asked.
“Up,” Carter answered.
The vehicle’s engine rumbled to life as, with a hiss of air, a canopy opened far above them. Through the transparent top of the car, Lamont’s eyes met the cold, pure blue of the Martian sky.
Next: Memories of Mars
What do I think so far? Very good. Good pacing, good descriptions. It's quite good.