Matter of Resistance

By Raymond Vogel

The young adult science fiction imagining of a former rocket scientist, Matter of Resistance pushes technology and human nature to the limits as it chronicles our Mars settlement's struggle for independence from Earth. Get a glimpse of humanity's Vulcan-like future through the eyes of Mars' best hope for sustaining their way of life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raymond Vogel
• Release date: Jan 23, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310349072

Raymond Vogel

Raymond Vogel is the kind of writer that sneaks out of bed late at night to capture an idea he had, the kind that likes going to airports to create imaginary characters out of the interesting people he sees.His first book, "Matter of Resistance," was first written in 2007 while Raymond was working as a Systems Engineer on the NASA Orion Program. Taking part in the time-honored custom of daydreaming at his desk, he imagined a world in the long-distant future where humanity had not only settled on Mars but had become something different - something greater. The book was first published in 2011. However, although it was very well received, the book has been rewritten in its entirety (while keeping the plot virtually unaltered) to reflect several years of learning from great writers.Raymond has also published a number of short stories, most of which are available free through Smashwords (or for 99 cents on Amazon, if you're having a "treat yo self" kind of day).Today, Raymond spends his creative energy working on scripts for feature length films. He lives in Ohio, trying desperately to keep up with the active imaginations and hectic schedules of his kids.

Book preview

Marena surveyed the curved walls of her hospital room. The soothing light that emanated from them had intensified, erasing every shadow. It was almost time.

She looked at herself in the mirror at the foot of the bed. It was still fascinating how Earthican the pregnancy made her look. Her legs and arms had thickened, as if re-adapting to a higher gravity. Her clear blue eyes seemed less out of place in this version of herself.

A flicker of light and sound caught her attention. It was the news, repeating itself for the fourth time over her side table. She started to roll over to see when she noticed the silent nurse standing by the door. It was a comfort to have her near, even if she was not needed. She acknowledged the nurse and received a warm smile in return.

Marena recalled hearing about giving birth on Earth. The long hours of painful contractions. The agonizing birth itself. Things had changed so much in so few generations, as if humanity had been waiting to evolve out of those burdens all along. There would be no pain for her. Marena’s control over her body was absolute.

Nearly fifteen minutes after it had begun, she cradled her newborn son, Isaac. She watched him try to focus his eyes on the glow of the ceiling until he had to blink back small tears. He was so innocent, so vulnerable.

After they were released, Marena took Isaac outside, beyond the light of the hospital entrance. They were on the night side, and the stars shone as bright as they always did. She was more interested in the other, newer constellations, dancing along the outside of the shield. They moved over and across one another, their rippling wakes distorting the light of each other when they touched. It would have been a beautiful sight, in any other circumstance.

She looked down at her new son and wondered again, for the thousandth time, if his birth was really a good idea. It was her responsibility to the growth of the settlement, and she honored that commitment. But she wished she could have waited until after the war. His small face seemed to harbor the same concern as he squinted upward.

◊◊◊

Even though Isaac had a difficult time focusing his eyes, he guessed from his mother’s tense posture and rapid heart rate that the spots in the sky were not intended to be entertaining. His eyes welled up with tears at the thought, but that made it even more difficult to see. The tears were definitely uncomfortable and, as far as he could tell, unnecessary. He wiped his face in the blanket his mother held at his nose. When he looked up again, he was almost disappointed to see that the lights had stopped.

Isaac looked around at the people-shaped objects near him and his mother. They had apparently been watching the sky too. They moved around again, now that it was over. They walked purposefully in their own directions, interested but unconcerned. He knew without seeing their faces that the lights in the sky had been expected.

◊◊◊

Marena watched Jacob with amusement. She had tried to persuade him to wait on having a child until after the war. He would not be convinced. And he had been ecstatic about it since first finding out. So she was not surprised to find a group of their friends and coworkers waiting for her to get home.

… the way he looks around is incredible! Jacob said. He had positioned his face above Isaac’s since the moment they had arrived. He has been here less than a day, and I am sure he can already understand me!

It’s official, their friend Jules said. He was leaning back to catch Marena’s attention. We are obsolete. I give you about five years before you stop teaching him and he starts teaching you.

Marena sank into her lounger. The air cushions shifted to make her comfortable, and she twisted into position. Then, she allowed herself to relax while she watched the celebration. Jacob and his visitors huddled closely around Isaac’s small bundle. Jacob was more excitable than others she could have chosen from, but she was happy to have him. Isaac would need as much positive energy around him as they could muster.

The group’s conversation moved to the recent attack, but she continued to think about Isaac. She had noticed the intelligence too. She had studied the reports of rapid human adaptation outside of Earth’s thick atmosphere, and she only had to look at her own hands to believe them. Would Isaac really be that different? The thought made her anxious.

◊◊◊

Surrounded by strange new faces, Isaac considered attempting verbal communication. But the expressions around him were already so full of wonder that he thought it might frighten them. Instead, he tried to listen to their conversation. They were talking about the sky and what had happened. From what he could understand, there was an enemy who was not really an enemy, a weapon that would not really hurt, and a shield that would not last very long.

Confused, tired, and warmer than he felt was really necessary, he closed his eyes to rest.

II

Ah, Mr. Daniels. Glad you could make it.

Robert slid the door behind him and stepped into the darkness. From the sarcastic tone, he knew exactly who was speaking. He didn’t want to respond right away, so he brought his hand up to his eyes to show that he was still adjusting to the dark room. He had arrived early as usual, and didn’t appreciate being the brunt of another joke from Mr. Yakomito.

His eyes adjusted to the light as he walked in measured paces toward the group. He soon found himself next to a large metallic table. It was surrounded by people whose faces he knew by sight from their presence on the news and the nets. He wondered what was happening and, more importantly, what he could possibly be doing there.

Mr. Daniels. I need you to give me the latest on the Magnematter stores. How are we doing? Mr. Yakomito strode around the table toward him.

Doing? Robert asked. He replayed Mr. Yakomito’s question in his mind. Sorry, we reached the 30% mark before the embargo began, Robert said. We’ve already begun the rationing.

He guessed his time to speak had ended with this short testimony, but they hadn’t asked him to leave. So he stayed. This was obviously of great importance, and he wanted to be a part of it if he could.

To remain unobtrusive, Robert kept his distance and stayed silent. They discussed the failed attack on Mars, giving much more detail than Robert had gotten from the nets. He hadn’t realized before how expensive and dangerous it could be to attack another planet. But the Martians weren’t letting anyone in, and Magnematter couldn’t be made on Earth.

If I may, sir? Robert asked in a tenuous voice when a lull in the conversation gave him the chance to speak. Perhaps we could offer a fair trade system again?

Mr. Yakomito turned to regard Robert in the way a teacher would regard a favorite struggling student.

The purpose of the trade would be to obtain Magnematter. If they understood we wanted it only to sell it to research groups and for weapons creation, they wouldn’t even think about the deal. Either we take it by force, or we’d better find something else to invest in.

Weapons? His job in the Mars Natural Resources division of Red Planet, Inc. gave him a lot of information about the war from the perspective of Magnematter and other elements found only on Mars, but the research was out of his realm. Evidently, Mr. Yakomito didn’t know this or he would have removed him from the room already.

A gruff voice from the other side of the table broke into his thoughts.

And the public…? How long can we use the same spin?

Robert saw Mr. Yakomito stifle a grin. That grin was his boss’s tell, and Robert had learned it long ago. Mr. Yakomito was about to get what he wanted. Whatever that was.

When Mr. Yakomito answered, he sounded genuinely concerned.

Not for much longer, Mr. Grindon. As you’re well aware, our habitat technology has proven itself quite capable already. To their credit, Mars hasn’t ceased their transmittal of data on their life support and ecosystems. Nobody believes we need to be at war just to find out more about the planet. In fact, that’s the main reason I called the meeting. I need some fresh input. Any ideas?

Robert was amused by the shuffling and twisting of the group. They were like a bunch of peacock feathers trying to keep from getting plucked. Power and money didn’t always come with creativity.

Finally, a well-dressed young man with a look of ruthless ambition that was clearly the reason for his inclusion in this group, gestured for attention.

The government on Mars is still reliant on group leadership. They don’t have any external branches to keep them in check, and none are elected by popular vote. It’s a proven fact on Earth that a government like this can only effectively control a small population. As Mars grows, this colony will turn from peaceful, to disorderly, to a threat. I propose we begin to emphasize this kind of information in our briefings. What better reason than our own safety and security?

That sounds like a fair approach, Mr. Smelker, Mr. Yakomito said. He looked around the group for consent. Agreed?

Nods all around.

Great. On to other business. Mr. Yakomito had completed his circle of the table and sat down. Mr. Hanson, you’re here to represent the Other Worlds Foundation, is that correct?

Mr. Hanson bunched his thick eyebrows together in thought.

Yes.

Where does funding for the magnetic shield penetration research stand?

The eyebrows alone would have given them all an answer, but Mr. Hanson waved his hand in casual dismissal. There was no problem with funding.

Excellent. And the progress?

As you know, progress is slow. There are more ideas than failures, though, so the scientists are optimistic. They certainly can’t complain about a lack of resources.

◊◊◊

Robert activated his screen while his dinner was being generated. Nothing interested him in the headlines, so he flipped to the New Horizons page. He should have known that’s where the article would be. It said almost exactly what Mr. Hanson had described.

"Inter-Stellar Security – Saving Mars

By Janett Trantone

The struggle for control of a losing war continues. Earth’s leaders in the World Leadership Alliance met last night to discuss the latest failure of the Earth Space Fleet (ESF) to penetrate the shields of Mars. Once thought to be a hasty solution to an immediate problem…"

Robert skimmed ahead.

… that no checking / balancing branches have been established. As our historical studies have shown, this kind of government leads to only two results: disorder and rebellion. Accordingly, all possible resources are being expended…

Amazing what kind of lies they can broadcast as truth. A blinking at the corner of the screen caught his attention, and he checked to see who had sent him a message critical enough to reach his personal screen. He was not surprised to find it was a note of thanks from Mr. Yakomito to all the attendees of the meeting the night before. He had seen the article and was pleased with how it read.

◊◊◊

At work the next morning, Robert found himself struggling to stay focused. All he could think about was the mysterious meeting and the article. Kito had arrived late, forgotten to brief him on meetings for the day, and was chatting with his wife about whatever had occurred that morning to make him late. Robert probably could have said something reassuring, but he wasn’t feeling that great himself.

Luckily, Kito didn’t sit directly in his office, so Robert could pretend he was working on something important without much acting. Why he always felt the need to impress his assistant, he hadn’t quite figured out. He guessed it had something to do with the way he was treated by his own boss. Life’s just one great big circle of psychological abuse.

He jumped at the sound of his desk phone. Was I asleep? Suzie Fenderlow’s image appeared in the air before him, waiting patiently for him to acknowledge her.

I’ll call you back, Suzie, Robert said. He stood and walked from his office without another thought. Suzie rarely called about things that required his immediate attention.

Robert took the vertical transport down. He didn’t have a plan until the doors opened and the scent of flavored coffee filled his nostrils. He picked a hazelnut caramel variety from the gen and walked outside to get some much-needed sunlight. He took two steps out of the street-level door, then shut his eyes and aimed his head upward.

With his head still tilted toward the sun, he opened his eyes again. Reflections of white clouds stretched down the mirrored sides of tall skyscrapers. The network of transport rails broke through the cloud reflections, leaving a patchwork of dark rectangle cutouts. And at the top of each building, he could see the tufts of green that meant the garden-topped roofs were in full bloom.

Robert was still deciding which way to walk when he noticed he was not alone in his plan of escape. There was a relaxed-looking figure on a bench on the other side of the street. There was glare coming from the building behind them, but he thought it was probably a female. On an impulse, he wandered across to investigate.

She was an attractive woman, with straight dark hair and olive-colored skin. She looked to be in her early 30’s. She sat with her feet up in front of her, her arms wrapped around her knees and her head resting on the back of the bench. When he got closer, he realized that he recognized her from a meeting he had been in recently. The meeting’s purpose eluded him, but he remembered her.

May Gadeshi?

May lifted her head and squinted up at him. Her grin was forced and tired.

Out enjoying the day?

Escaping the office.

Ah. Same. He reached out his hand toward her. Robert Daniels.

She shook his hand lightly.

From the R&D meeting? she asked.

Yep. In fact, I think I was supposed to contact you about something work-related. I don’t know – I can’t seem to remember what it was. Any idea?

Work related? May asked. She raised a daring eyebrow. Out here during your break?

Robert chuckled. Sorry. I’ll wait till we’re back inside. I’ll stick to non-work related for now.

May looked at him with an interest that Robert hadn’t noticed before.

Well, this is a much more interesting break than I thought it’d be, she said. She sounded amused. What would you like to discuss with me that isn’t work related? Her smile was warm, even inviting. Is this going to be a ‘the weather is fine’ conversation, or a ‘free for dinner’ conversation?

Robert decided the day wasn’t going to be that bad, after all.

◊◊◊

May rushed to her desk, brought up a secure site on her screen, and began to enter a series of codes one after the other. Her heart beat furiously with the excitement. After a moment of tapping her fingers on the desk with impatience, the system scanned her facial features and allowed her into the meeting. It was already in progress, so her presence caused an abrupt pause in the conversation.

Miss Gadeshi. Welcome!

Thank you, Mr. Slidonet. I don’t have time to join you for the whole meeting, but I wanted to report a very successful rendezvous. Thank you for passing me that intel on such short notice.

No, thank you, Miss Gadeshi. This relationship may prove to be extremely valuable to our cause. Great work. We’ll look forward to hearing how it progresses.

Of course. May switched out the meeting and re-logged into her work platform.

◊◊◊

They’ll be a long way from home, but at least they’ll have Flashers.

Robert stopped in the hallway to listen. He stood awkwardly outside the door for a moment until realizing he would seem far less suspicious if he just joined them. He stepped quietly into the room and took a seat near the back. He didn’t recognize the man speaking, but his tone and upright tension reminded him of an ESF officer. He had noticed more and more of them in the offices lately.

When our forces arrive, they’ll need more than what we’ve got. The shields won’t let anything through and that includes the latest Flashers. The year that it takes to go round trip added to the time spent deployed in orbit is useless without the right supplies. The situation is unacceptable. We either send them with weapons that work or we don’t send them at all.

I can’t say I know how they work, a young man sitting beside Robert said, but can we get them working again?

I’ll see if I can answer that. The Flashers, or Flash Emitting Recoilers, are the same sonic weapons we used Earth-side before the WLA took over. Basically, they shoot a burst of energy on a sound wave. They cover a wide spread, and at a short distance they can be deadly. But, attacking a planet from orbit is tougher.

The man beside him watched in apparent understanding. Robert was surprised to find he was keeping up too.

The shields keep us from getting close enough for them to work, the speaker continued. So when the energy waves hit the ground, the Martians probably don’t even notice we’re shooting. These research projects are aimed at making sure they know we’re shooting.

Robert’s mind wandered as the discussion continued. He imagined the vast forces of the ESF arriving to take over the planet and the Martians not even knowing they were there. He almost laughed at the picture. That must have been pretty embarrassing for the ESF. They wouldn’t let that happen again.

III

Isaac waved as his parents headed back to the transport. Jacob, in particular, looked like he needed the gesture. But he had expected it to be difficult on them, and so he was prepared. As a three year-old, he knew how small he was and the effect it had on them. Then the transport finally sped them away, and he turned to enter the school building.

With a deep breath, he savored the first step in. It was just as he had imagined it. Children of all sizes moved up and down the polished hall. There was chatter about school assignments. Some were silent and seated against the wall, their hands flickering and dancing in the air as they manipulated screens only they could see. It was heaven.

It took him little time to find his classroom, and less to find an open desk since many of his classmates had not arrived yet. The front board displayed a screen with the name Mrs. Baskin written on it and a note for them to look at their own screens for an initial assessment.

At first, Isaac answered the series of questions honestly, giving his perspective and understanding of issues ranging from the alphabet to basic physics. He sped through the trick questions too. He could see they were designed to make him reconsider his previous answers or to lure him to the wrong solution. But he was more intrigued by the order in which the questions were asked. They were mapping out his thought patterns piece by piece, touching on each part of his mind and learning how well that part worked.

Then he realized the implications and slowed down. He did not want to be treated differently than the other students. Instead, he gave answers he knew would lead to his placement in the category of intelligent and capable of handling challenges. That was as far as he thought he should go.

A short while after he had finished, Isaac noticed that a woman had joined them, and she stood at the front of the room. Isaac connected her to the name on the screen. Mrs. Baskin. She looked like any normal Marsian – small and thin with large eyes and a steady disposition. She even wore the standard grey outfit all the other adults wore. But she had a distant curiosity about her that made him nervous.

Isaac stole a quick look around the room and saw he was not alone in his fears. His classmates stared back at Mrs. Baskin with undisguised emotions that switched from timidity to rebellion and back again. He mimicked their expressions to avoid being singled out.

As you may have guessed, my name is Mrs. Baskin. The exercise you just took will help us understand where you stand in your education and how best to teach new material. Her inquiring eyes scanned the room as she talked, but her expression indicated that their fears were lost on her. The class was well within her expectations.

Isaac pretended to listen while he took in the structure of the classroom. Smooth oval-shaped metallic beams two meters across stretched into, through, and out of the room. They had the appearance of flexibility, as if they would rather deflect than destruct. The window openings were enough for air, but not much more, and the door was similarly reinforced. He wondered what could cause a school to need this kind of protection. He wouldn’t have to wait long. Mrs. Baskin had finished introducing herself and had begun a history lesson.

"After years and years of Earthicans investigating the planet and installing the atmosphere production systems, the first human colony was sent here. You have probably heard of the Founding Twenty. They were mostly doctors, scientists, and horticulturalists – all ready to help build a society.

Now, these first settlers were still Earthican sizes. She used her finger to draw an imaginary outline of a larger person around herself in the air. "They brought with them the muscle and bone mass needed for life on Earth, which was useful for establishing the settlement. When they started to reproduce, however, the changes immediately began. It was not clear what was happening at first, and it took six generations of observation and testing to understand them.

Now, she continued, "the explanation is recorded as a part of the Adaptability Theory. The theory contends

Reviews for Matter of Resistance

[stellareader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Vogel has drawn from his experience as a rocket scientist to describe futuristic technologies in this high-tech sci-fi, and used his talents as a writer to do so clearly and easily. I didn't miss a beat and was entranced by the refreshing imagery. I can't help but feel like I've walked the surface of Mars after reading it. To top it off, the characters are rich and believable. The only thing I missed was a little more romance, simply because the characters clearly had the feelings but didn't really express them. But since the book was written mainly for young adults, I suppose that's okay in the end. A satisfying examination of human nature within a page-turning plot.