Ares' Anger

By James R. Womack

A short story of the world's first Mars colony. The central characters are a product of the ghetto, Dexter Arnold and a Japanese woman from a well-to-do family, Tamiko (Tandy) Yoshiro. They don't really like each other but endure the training regimen as team. In which they sabotage each others' efforts until advised to learn to cooperate or be dismissed from the program. So a team they become, especially after an in orbit disaster results in them being the only survivors. Then they end up with the first colony on Mars. Bio-habitat exterior venture policies notwithstanding, Dexter ends up doing duties alone. Which would have been fine if he hadn't had the mishap of wrecking his rover buggy and having to walk back home. Which really wasn't so bad in itself. Except an out of season giant Martian dervish took dead aim at him. And all his colleagues could do is just watch the monitors as the drama unfolded. Except for Tandy who had an absurd pigheaded, orders defying idea for saving her out time partner. Not that the giant either cared or stopped its persistent mission to squash everything in its path. Dexter was just unfortunately at ground zero. So you have a mindless unstoppable monster, a trapped African-American and an insane and outmatched Japanese woman going head to head. There could be only one outcome as the roar of the dervish intensified as it towered over them, bullied them, ready to deliver a final blow. You just don't quarrel with a Martian giant. Even when you're a team that has each others back. Sometimes the best thing to do is run if you can. And if you can't well. . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: JRW
• Release date: Nov 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9781622097647

James R. Womack

James Womack is a Deaf writer who writes mainly science fiction short stories. Sometimes he dives into contemporary shorts on touchy social issues. Mostly, he just likes telling stories that a bit off the beaten path.

Book preview

Ares' Anger

James R. Womack

Published by JRW, 2015.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

ARES' ANGER

First edition. November 19, 2015.

Copyright © 2015 James R. Womack.

ISBN: 978-1622097647

Written by James R. Womack.

Ares' Anger

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James R. Womack

Copyright ©2018 James R. Womack

No part of this document or the related files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Contents

Prologue

The Colonists

Mother Hen

A Martian Monster

Dexter and Tandy

Rescue

Prologue

Ahhhhhhhh! This isn't happening. This isn't . . .

A space-suited figure struggled to retain control of a vehicle that looked as if its assembly was incomplete.

Uh. Darn it, straighten out, straighten out!

Wire mesh, tubes, and a few cylinders seemed to be all that comprised the vehicle. It bounced out of control and threw up dust as its widely spaced serrated metal tires bit into the rocky and dusty surface. It spun around and became airborne. The driver, secured by an almost full-bodied safety net, uttered several expletives. Then he sighed as the vehicle came to a jarring rest on its side. The electric motor released a final whine before some loose part rattled inside it, then silence.

Rocks and dust, both the color of rust, covered the Martian plains. The dust-covered nearly everything and filled every crevice, like snowfall on a rock-strewn desert. It was so powdery in texture, it could be easily mistaken for snow were it white rather than red. Rocks littered the plains like toys in an eight-year old's bedroom. The driver climbed gingerly out of the overturned rover. He took extra care not to snag the all-important spacesuit on any jagged or protruding piece of the vehicle. A mistake that would spell instant death in the hostile, frigid, and thin carbon dioxide Martian atmosphere. The figure worked its way out of the wrecked buggy, checked his spacesuit for damage. Finding none, the driver stood fully upright. A name tag on the suit identified him as Dexter Arnold. Dexter Arnold threw his arms heavenward as if appealing to a higher power. He received no response so shook his head dejectedly. Dexter was

a geologist by training, but today he was just a stranded motorist a long way from home. He was one of a nine-person colony team. They were Earth's first attempt at colonizing another world. The colony lived in a structure of tubes and domes called a bio-habitat. Their stay on Mars began only seven Earth months ago.

Usually, Dexter would be just collecting soil and rock samples. Today, he was servicing and installing guideposts. Tandy was supposed to be with him, but she was assisting Rada regarding a glitch at the recycling facility. Dexter assured Henry he could do the job without a partner. Under normal circumstances, the always ultra-cautious Henry would never allow