Jezero

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. The shriek could be heard by only one person—the person herself. Bali Herra walked around the crater. She had skin the color of tar.

“I’m Bali. They sent me here…too,” she admitted.

“I’m Knoxton. I’ve been here for twelve years. I was supposed to look for life and actually found some. Back on Earth, they never show all of this crater. Inside are little critters that slither and large ones that possess gills that transform the atmosphere into breathable air,” Knoxton Donovan replied. His skin looked like black sand.

“Like sea creatures…but on land?” she asked.

“Precisely,” he answered.

The blackness overhead and the red underfoot produced a wondrous portrait for the two explorers to consider.

“How did you survive for so long?” Bali questioned.

“I have a small base on the other side of this ridge. Come with me,” Donovan commanded. She took her hand in his. At first.

“I don’t know about this,” she said. “I’m just a scientist. My module is in need of service.”

“I have food, water, tools and other equipment that will last us at least fifty Earth years. They’re more the reason why you should come with me.”

“Excuse my apprehension, but we’ve known each other all of five minutes. I don’t know you like that. What will stop you from assaulting me and leaving on this barren planet?”

“Have I suggested that I would do anything malicious?” Donovan asked.

Bali looked down at her space boots. She felt like bits of electricity surged through her bloodstream. The excitement pushed her to respond.

“I do have a heat gun and am an expert in firing a pistol,” she pointed out. Then, she complied with Donovan's suggestion.

He laughed. “I'm an expert in pistol and heat rifle. You’re going to need them both up here,” he remarked gravely.

During their trek, no beasts showed themselves…yet. A deer like creature with two heads and eighty eyes came across their path. Huge teeth like Ginsu knives greeted Bali and Donovan. They withdrew their weapons and fired upon the alien life form. The beast sustained third degree burns from the heat pistol and rifle and succumbed to its injuries.

“Let’s drag the poor bastard to the base,” Donovan instructed.

“Looks like you’ve encountered plenty of these,” Bali observed.

“A few,” Donovan grinned. They walked just about ten kilometers, towing the carcass to the place where they would have dinner.

Bali didn’t struggle. She kept her end of the weight because of her built up biceps and deltoids. Donovan flexed his own muscles as he physically trained every day on the nearly desolate red rock. She could finally see the American flag painted on the side of the module and the mini modules that surrounded the main one.

“You’re not tired are you?” Donovan asked.

“Not in the slightest,” beads of sweat gathered like tiny puddles on her forehead.

“You know, there’s enough of this to last us for a week. We’ve got plenty of vegetables and starch to go along with it. Fresh, too.”

“That’s great. I’m famished,” Bali admitted.

The two of them accessed the gate which was just an opening in a chain link fence.

They ventured into the central part of the base.

“You know with the dust storms, the bombardment of asteroids, and visits from organisms like our friend here, it’s no wonder that everyone on Earth expects us to have already found life. What we have to show is that there’s a chance for us to transmit our findings. My comms died months ago.”

“I have mine! At least the battery. The transmitter’s broken,” Bali said.

“I don’t, and don’t take offense to this, but I just rely on my own comms.”

“Oh, you’re too good for my comms?”

“I’m just saying I would feel more comfortable using my own.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding,” she said.

“No.” He took out a large knife and began the process of skinning the deerlike thing.

Bali smiled. “You know if I just use the transmitter from your comms and hook it up to my—”

“Say less. After we devour this delicious Mars venison, we’ll be alright with communicating with our base back on the blue orb.”

They sat down for the meal with the seared Mars deer. Fresh tomatoes and zucchini adorned their plates. Small pouches of red wine helped wash down the food.

“This is nice,” Bali said.

“I think you’re a good cook. Do you clean, too,” Donovan chuckled.

“Haha. Just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean I clean. I’m a Leatherneck. That means every Marine is a janitor. So, yes, I can tidy up, just not for you, sir,” she declared.

“Noted. I think we can deal with the bedding situation.”

“Let me guess, there’s only one cot, no?” she asked.

“There’s two, actually.”

Bali sipped her last bit of wine from her pouch.

“I think I’ll just sleep in yours.” Then, the module rocked and a bearish creature with four arms roared outside the module.

The two of them exhibited no fear. They put on their spacesuits and grabbed their weapons. Upon exiting, they found the large beast and trained their heat guns on it. The bear-thing thrashed about and charged after them. Their beams focused on the animal’s head and it shifted from side to side. With a giant paw, it swiped Donovan out of the way. Bali continued to burn a hole into the bear until its brain boiled. The animal fell like points in a crashing market.

Bali rushed to Donovan’s side. His suit had a small cut in it but not too severe. He breathed heavily. Bali firefighter carried him into the module. She slipped a bit but regained her strength and continued to get the man to safety. She returned to the module and removed Donovan’s spacesuit.

Some blood trickled from the bear-thing claw wound.

Bali quickly addressed Donovan’s wounds on his arm. She went over the site of the hurt with a beam that cleaned, strengthened, and healed. She then placed some gauze on his forearm.

“Goddamn, woman. You sure know how to patch up a man. Tomorrow’s dinner is outside. Let’s hope we don’t have to make a buffet. You know back there I never said thanks—-”

“Save it. You can express gratitude on that rack back there,” Bali suggested.

They laughed and moved to the rear to the living quarters.