The Planet’s Symbol

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. Rust colored canyons, mountains, hills, and valleys mostly overshadowed the tan, gray, and green mineral deposits on the planet. Captain Deslyn Curris looked out over the plain. In her vision, she could decipher the various rock formations and the city still in progress. As a private venture, the ship oversaw the might of the American mind applied to the exploration of Mars.

“Ma’am, they’re beginning to take all of the pictures now. They’re requesting your presence immediately,” her first mate Horville Wentz announced.

“Yes, of course,” She stepped down from the central panel and followed Wentz to the bay where workers laid down the first roads on the Martian surface.

She was stopped.

“I can’t take it anymore, Captain Curris. I’ve been seeing things and hearing things. I don’t see aliens or monsters but us tearing each other apart,” Commander Hassan Kot explained.

“Stabilize yourself, Commander. You’re in the safest environment outside of Earth and its Moon. If you are feeling a sense of psychosis, you can report to the flight surgeon,” she assured.

“No, no, no. It’s more than that. We’re going to be at each other’s throats. Before they lay down the last slab of concrete, we’re going to slash at each other with great force and contempt.”

“You do need to seek help. I want to ensure you’re fit to continue this mission. If you’re feeling any kind of way about proceeding with our plans, I am now instructing you to go see Captain Golden.”

Captain Curris called for guards to immobilize Kot with a sedative.

“You…don’t…understand….” Kot drifted into unconsciousness.

The captain and first mate started to reach for their spacesuits to go on the bridge where the new building had been completed.

“You know, I think Kot may have had a point,” Wentz admitted.

“What? He was clearly disturbed and is now getting mental aid. That’s proper.”

“No, I mean I’ve been gunning for your place at the top of the food chain. You know a woman shouldn’t be a leader of men,” Wentz continued.

“Commander, you are out of line! I want you to standby right here so I can find someone to replace you,” Deslyn fired back.

The red sands blew over the surface and made ghoulish looking dust clouds that appeared ominous in nature.

Wentz failed to continue with the standby command.

“That was an order, Horville. You stand at parade rest.” She signalled for the crew to report to the command center. She forgot that Wentz had controls to the panel. None of the transmissions reached the other personnel. Wentz slowly started to move towards his superior.

“You know, though, I always liked a woman in power. It’s provocative,” Wentz mentioned.

“Please. Be my guest Wentz,” Deslyn replied evenly.

Wentz charged towards her, knocking her to the deck. He covered her mouth. The sound of her shriek could not be heard in this room. Wentz began undoing his suit when Captain Curris flipped over and pinned Wentz.

This time, she didn’t wait for anyone on the comms. She continued to hold down Wentz.

“Guards!”

“You only wished for greater ease,” Wentz struggled to say.

Desyln formed an armbar against Wentz’s throat. She watched him fight for gasps of air. She never let up her grasp. He finally passed out.

She raised to her feet and straightened her uniform. She clicked on the comms by unlocking them and used her voice.

“I need constables to the central command immediately,” She said, trying to catch her own breath.

After this last dispatch, Deslyn found Wentz to be nowhere. Then, he jumped on her back and made a primal screech.

It was a desperate move, but she made it anyway.

“Open hatch!” She took a deep breath and held it. A whoosh ran through the space as yellow lights and vapor began to fill the room. She latched onto a panel while Wentz held onto Deslyn with all his might. His first four fingers held onto her and then slipped. Once his thumb loosed from her grip, he flew outside the hatch and out into the black void.

A button ilminated for her to close the hatch. she held her breath once more until the cover sealed. She breathed again. Deep breaths allowed her to regain some semblance of composure.

“Goddamn, Kot was right. I still will keep him under psychiatric care for at least twenty four hours, though,” she said to herself.

The constables reached where she stood.

“We noticed that the hatch opened. Is there a problem, Ma’am?” Griffith Delong asked.

“No.”

“Is First Mate Wentz still with us?”

“No,” Deslyn said. “He got carried away.”