Return to Terra Nova: Conquering Fear

By Thelma Ritchie

A planet of intrigue, Mars beckons. Would you go if you had the chance? Return to Terra Nova—Conquering Fear presents compelling reasons to make the trip, convincing the reader that living and working on an alien planet is a future reality. Mars is humanity’s next frontier. This first volume of Thelma Ritchie’s new trilogy about the Martian settlement Terra Nova gives her readers a glimpse into the bravery and sacrifice required for participating in this grand adventure.

Tackling the theme of overcoming fear with faith, Ritchie weaves together a story guaranteed to push the limits of the imagination. As always, she writes an exciting and educational book of fiction with realistic characters to emulate. Christian principles and accurate science are combined in an adventure that all ages will enjoy. The sky isn’t the limit as the Newton prepares to liftoff from Nicholson’s Earth orbiter and blast through space, faster than a racing bullet.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9781636304090

Book preview

Chapter 1

A Proposition

Five years later

Dieffenbachia Jamison’s father sighed as he watched his only child respond to his ultimatum. It’s time for you to return to Earth, Dieffenbachia. I’d prefer that you come willingly, but if you won’t, my people have been instructed to get you here no matter what.

His intelligent, normally piercing hazel eyes clouded over with the regret present in his mind and heart. Rush Nicholson had to admit to himself that his plan to abduct Diff from Mars and transport her back to Earth to help publicize the Martian hotel he was constructing at the base of Ascraeus Mons had not been one of his best ideas. In fact, the whole operation had been a disaster. Those sent to kidnap Diff had failed miserably, defeated by his son-in-law, Scott Jamison, along with a team of Terra Novans. Even worse, Rush admitted that the plan had been solely concocted to benefit him—not to bring his daughter home out of love and concern for her. The world’s wealthiest person shook his head, causing his thatch of graying reddish-brown hair to flop in disarray. Nicholson ran his fingers through his straight thick locks, unsuccessfully attempting to bring them under control.

Surprisingly the entire event had made Rush question his desire for money and had made him yearn to have his daughter near for the right reason—because he loved her. What a mess he had made of things. How could he possibly make things right now? Dieffenbachia had never known her father, and her sudden unexpected introduction to him showed him to be what he truly was—a ruthless and selfish trillionaire.

Rush clicked on the movie of Diff displayed on his computer and watched again as his stunningly beautiful daughter shook her shoulder-length flaming red hair and sat up straight and as tall as she could. With a voice of steel, she focused her piercing green eyes right at him and vowed, I want you to know that I’m not returning to Earth at this point in time. My home is here on Mars with my husband. Together we may decide to head back to our home planet at some later date, but right now, that’s impossible. And I have to add that I don’t really care what you want. Rush sat, amazed that someone so tiny could appear so strong, especially when being held by her captors.

Rush Nicholson, the world’s richest man, known for his insensitivity, felt a tear roll down his right cheek. How can I redeem myself and restore a long-lost relationship with my daughter after this mess? he asked himself for the hundredth time. Some seven long years had passed since the fiasco, and he still had not managed to prove to Diff that he had changed. Diff and her husband, Scott, now had a six-year-old child with unique special needs: a debilitating heart problem and an inability to talk. Could I help my grandchild if he was here on Earth? Nicholson asked himself. Rush wanted to meet his son-in-law and hold his grandchild in his arms. He feared he would never get the chance. The man’s heart ached, as he knew that he had wasted his life by deserting his family and amassing an unbelievable fortune at the expense of everything else. How he wished he could start over.

Thoughts of his grandchild, Scoter, made Rush long to see him, so he switched to a recent movie that Diff had sent him. The trillionaire’s heart melted as he was greeted with what Rush imagined was the most beautiful smile in the entire solar system. The six-year-old, except for his lighter skin, was a small carbon copy of his huge dad, with bright ebony eyes and dark-brown curls. Scoter had never talked, but at Diff’s bidding, he waved. Surprised, Rush Nicholson realized his mouth had become a huge grin, automatically responding to Scoter’s smile.

Rush was trying so hard to redeem himself in Diff’s eyes. And while she said she forgave him and did communicate now and then, she did so coldly and efficiently. It was evident that Diff was not proud to be his daughter. Who could blame her? Rush had left Diff and her mom when Diff was just a baby. When Diff’s mother had complained about Rush’s business practices, Rush had chosen to leave, and his wife had told him he could never be part of their lives again. Further, he could never tell Diff that he was her father. A few years after Diff’s mom had died, Rush decided he would make himself known because he thought it would benefit his Martian hotel plans. Now he was truly sorry for his actions and longed for Diff’s love.

During the past five years, many friends of Diff’s had returned to Earth from Mars. Unbeknownst to either them or Diff, Rush had been keeping an eye out for all of them and making sure they had good jobs. He had business and leadership contacts everywhere and exercised his influence on decisions involving former Terra Novans. Two of his favorites were Larraine Temple and Rory Galveston. The two had been back to Earth for the past five years and had married soon after their arrival. From the very start, he had been impressed with Larraine and Rory, and he had used his influence to see that their skills were being used to benefit science and fulfill their professional aspirations.

Though never going to the Red Planet himself, Rush Nicholson had certainly made his presence known there. After gaining help from UNSEF’s personnel at Terra Nova and Red City, the entrepreneur had constructed an amazing project on Mars, a universe-class hotel to house future space tourists. In bringing the project to life, he had used the plans of NASA scientists who had put forth the idea of utilizing the largest Martian moon, Phobos, as a satellite to serve his missions to Mars. A small base of operations now existed in Stickney Crater where Nicholson spacecraft bringing personnel would land and drop them off to be shuttled to Mars. The craft would remain in a protected hangar at Stickney until the next Earth return window opened and allowed transportation of people back to Earth. As spacecraft size continued to grow larger, being able to land and take off from the low lunar gravity of Phobos required much less fuel than would be required to liftoff from the planet. Rush had long ago also determined that it was cost effective to utilize a natural satellite rather than constructing an orbiting structure like UNSEF’s satellite, Hope.

Rush was presently working on the plans for another trip to the Red Planet. His scientists and engineers were constructing the largest spaceship ever made to traverse the millions of kilometers to Mars. Named the Newton and propelled by fusion, it would hold new personnel, including professionals and workers for his nearly finished hotel at Nicholson Narrows, two tourists, and, he hoped, even four goats. Included in the professional group was a highly skilled world-renowned heart surgeon to perform the third overdue heart surgery for his grandson.

Rush was keeping the information about the goats under wraps, as his scientists determined how to safely transport the creatures and provide for their needs en route and after arrival. Until he was certain that he could get the goats to Mars, he didn’t want the news media second-guessing him. He could just imagine the types of headlines reporters might come up with: Is Rush Nicholson Kidding? How to get Nicholson’s Goat, and A Living Trash Compactor on the Newton were just a few that came to mind.

Rush’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. Excuse me sir, said his administrative assistant, Judith Michaels, your meeting with the president of Universal Nations is ready to begin in the conference room.

Rush, in all of his reminiscing, had forgotten that he had this meeting and realized he hadn’t prepared for it. Well, that couldn’t be helped now. Standing, blowing a deep breath out, Rush spewed a litany of directions, Put all my calls on hold. Find someone to watch your desk. Bring your computer. Come with me. Take notes.

Judith grumbled to herself, as this response was totally out of character for her boss. He was never flustered. Yet lately, he seemed to be disconnected most of the time. This will definitely cut into my time, she complained to herself. I’m already tasked for the entire day. What does the man expect? She closed her blue-gray eyes, ran her fingers through her salt-and-pepper brown hair, counted to five, and began to feel calmness descend. In her fifties, the slender, attractive woman always presented a put-together look, dressing in designer clothes that complemented her prestigious position. Using her handheld computer, Judith followed through on Nicholson’s instructions, then called the secretary pool, and arranged for her favorite sub. She shook her graying brown curls and took off, following Rush Nicholson on the run, barely catching the closing conference room door after he hurried in.

Rush caught his breath, made eye contact with Wilbur Dorn, Universal Nations’ president and representative of the United Kingdom, and welcomed him. I’ve asked my administrative assistant, Judith Michaels, to take notes for me today, he explained. I hope you don’t mind.

Though small in stature, the business magnate exuded power that couldn’t be denied. His piercing eyes connected with Dorn’s as if daring him to disagree. On the contrary, protested Dorn, I requested a private meeting with you.

Rush was unapologetic. My employees can be trusted to keep matters confidential. I guarantee Ms. Michaels’ discretion. Anyway, I didn’t call this meeting, you did. Therefore, I will include anyone I deem necessary.

Dorn gritted his teeth and held his tongue. Be patient, and we’ll soon have this man under our collective thumb. He motioned for Nicholson and Judith to be seated. Then he cleared his throat and began, Mr. Nicholson, the Universal Nations appreciates all you have done for us in the past.

Rush frowned, wondering what the request would be now. He had given billions to support Universal Nations activities, albeit not from any admirable motives. He had given when it suited him and benefitted his position and wealth. Still, the amounts given had never been enough, and he was sick of it all.

Let’s not beat around the proverbial bush, commanded Rush impatiently. Why don’t you just come out with it and tell me what you want?

Dorn took a deep breath. Very well, he agreed. A very important confidential vote was taken two days ago at the Universal Nations. I don’t know why it has taken so long, but be that as it may, we are now poised to start a new chapter in space exploration.

Rush sat up straight. His hazel eyes burned with intensity. I’m listening, he declared. With constant cost overruns and poor management in everything that’s been tried, I find it hard to believe that any idea your august body has created will work.

Dorn smiled smugly. We have voted to enlist private enterprise in developing and funding many of our space endeavors. We recognize that there has been lots of waste, and we want to consolidate some of what we’re doing and let private people like yourself help us out more.

Rush shouldn’t have been surprised. The idea had been discussed many times in the past. He himself believed that individuals could run things better than a conglomerate of nations. However, in the past, the Universal Nations had blocked the idea in a variety of ways, citing rules that no one could own property in space, and a world body of nations working together would help ensure peace and more effectively guide the development of extraterrestrial endeavors.

Rush smoldered as he took in the news. He ran a hand through his graying, reddish brown mop of hair and shook his head. So now you come to me asking for more money to help run something that is failing. Is that what you’re proposing? Do you really think that I would jump at the chance to dig you out of the hole of insolvency that you’ve dug?

I suppose you could put it that way, agreed Dorn, but please hear me out. What I have to suggest, on behalf of the Universal Nations, may appeal to you.

I think we’re finished here, growled Rush as he stood to leave. In his mind, he resolved, I’ve given billions to the Universal Nations Space Exploration Federation with no say in anything, and I’m not giving them one more penny. Over his shoulder, he threw out, "If it has something to do with more money for UNSEF, forget it. There’s a good reason why people joke that the acronym is just a letter short of unsafe. They mean the joke as a reference to operations, but I mean it in relationship to investing."

However, as Nicholson reached the door to leave the conference room, Dorn asked, Don’t you want to know how this might impact you in a positive way personally?

What do you mean? demanded Rush. Though small in stature, he appeared formidable as he turned to face Dorn.

Dorn smiled, recognizing that he had snagged Nicholson’s attention. Sit down, and I’ll explain the new plan for space exploration more completely.

I’ll give you five additional minutes, and then I have more important matters to attend to.

I appreciate your willingness to listen. Dorn’s voice oozed with false deference.

As Rush sat down at the table again, he instructed Judith to make sure everything Dorn said was carefully recorded. I’m listening, Nicholson said. Give me a reason to continue listening.

Dorn chose his words carefully. The Universal Nations had tasked him with selling this plan to Rush Nicholson, and he was determined to not fail. The man cleared his throat and tried to put a spin on things in a way that he knew would appeal to Nicholson. First of all, he admitted, appealing to Nicholson’s pride, UNSEF, our organization within the Universal Nations that oversees space exploration, has reported that what you’ve been saying is correct. Cost overruns have plagued us since the beginning of our endeavors. There has been poor management and waste everywhere, in spite of our many successes.

Rush was surprised to hear Dorn admit the veracity of what he had been claiming for years. So how will you fix it? he challenged.

That’s what I want to tell you, explained Dorn, as his eyes bored into Nicholson’s. He paused, forcing Rush to really focus on what he had to say. He could tell that he had hooked Rush’s interest, and it was time to start reeling him in. Here is what we propose. While we won’t give away our bases, we are prepared to find a way for private business to manage them and fund them.

So basically, you want to use my money to run your enterprises without giving me any concrete material benefit for doing so?

Not exactly, protested Dorn. There could be great benefit to you in what we have planned.

Well, you’d better give me a lot more detail because right now, it doesn’t sound like a very beneficial proposal to me, argued Rush.

What if to begin with, we stopped charging you rent for the property you are using near Ascraeus Mons for hotel development? Seeing Nicholson’s eyes light up, Dorn continued, We are also proposing that you would keep a percentage of profits from lunar and asteroid mining. We would give you the rights to develop more tourism opportunities on Mars and the Moon. We know you’ve been exploring the possibility of growing that industry on the Red Planet and other extraterrestrial locations.

Dorn continued with, In addition, we would give you complete control of Mars, including managing the three established bases, determining exploration, and the rights to open up more bases and hotels. And you will be given any assistance you need from UNSEF in planning and traveling between Earth and Mars.

What about the Moon and the asteroids? asked Rush.

Wilbur Dorn shook his head. Not yet. We’re keeping control of those, but if your control of Mars works out like we think it will, we may reconsider.

Rush was more than intrigued. I want to see all of this in writing.

I’m prepared to give you a document right now, Dorn asserted as he handed a large stack of papers to Nicholson from his briefcase.

Rush blew out a big breath. Okay. I’ll admit that I’m interested. However, I will need time for my lawyers to go over this carefully. I’ll tell you right now that if I don’t see a monetary benefit for Nth Degree Networks, I’m not going to consider it.

Dorn smiled. Well, don’t take too long. There are others who are interested, and we will be making the offer public and awarding the rights to the private business that we feel has the best chance of being successful. Right now, we think it’s Nth Degree, but we could be persuaded to consider others.

Rush collected the papers and stood. Dismissing Dorn, he instructed Judith, Set up a meeting with my attorneys for tomorrow morning.

Chapter 2

Growing a Hotel

Six-year-old Scoter Jamison opened his bright ebony eyes in his dimly lighted bedroom, a small enclosed alcove in the underground house where he lived with his mom and dad. The unique Martian dwelling had been designed and constructed by his dad, Scott Jamison, with the help of other scientists, when Scott and Dieffenbachia Bateman were planning to wed. After Scoter was born, the home’s guest room became his bedroom.

As he lay there, Scoter’s first thought was, G’morning, God. A tiny nightlight provided just enough illumination to allow Scoter to look at his toys, which had been created by Andrew Temple and Chang Lee. The boy’s favorite, a small model of the rover Ned, sat on his Martian brick shelf right next to his bed. Scoter smiled, sat up, grabbed the rover in one hand, and climbed from his bunk. He could tell it was early because his mom wasn’t up yet. At least, he didn’t think she was because he couldn’t hear any noise at all in the habitat.

Scoter’s dad had been gone for a week, and the boy missed him tons. When would he be back? Scoter could picture his dad, so big he couldn’t stand without bending in their underground home. The boy loved his dad’s ebony-colored eyes that always spoke love when the man looked at him. Scoter wondered why his dad’s skin was so much darker than his when everyone always said Scoter looked just like his dad.

Scoter, dressed in pajamas sewn by Terra Nova’s dietician and cook, Sachiko, out of stored parachute fabric, silently padded out of his bedroom and headed for his parents’ room, walking right up to where his mom lay, still sound asleep. Her flaming red hair and white skin was so different from his dad and his. Everyone said Scoter’s mom was beautiful, and the boy was sure they were right. She was really beautiful to him anyway.

Scoter turned to leave the bedroom, but he dropped the toy Ned, and it clattered across the floor. Diff sat straight up in bed, startled out of her sound sleep, and her bright, green eyes popped open. Scoter looked at her sheepishly, but his mom smiled really big and opened her arms to him. As he leaned into those welcoming arms, Scoter felt his heart beat strong with love. The boy knew he had the best parents there could ever be.

Scoter, you frightened me, admonished his mom but with a happy voice. Scoter nestled next to her and just smiled, as always, not saying a word.

*****

At the same time at Nicholson Narrows, the dim disk of Sun climbed from the fractured red surface east of the dormant volcanoes between which the Narrows was situated. The rising orb highlighted the far-off cracks in the mound of Pavonis Mons, the volcano that loomed southwest of Ascraeus Mons, where Nth Degree’s hotel had been constructed. From the orbiter, the two volcanoes formed a diagonal line with their triplet, Arsia Mons. They, along with the famed Olympus Mons, made up the most enormous collection of volcanic mountains in the solar system.

An elite team made up of scientists and engineers from both Red City and Nicholson Narrows was meandering downhill along a recently cleared pathway, roped together for safety. A rover filled with tools and life support supplies followed the men and women. An underground reservoir of fresh water had been found just one kilometer away from the hotel, and this group was working to pipe that water from the reservoir to the hotel.

Engineer Evan Allison, Nth Degree’s man in charge of development and construction of Nicholson’s hotel, had put together the team, borrowing some of UNSEF’s highly trained personnel. Allison was monitoring them from inside the newly finished hotel in a room that had become his center of operations. He was able to visually see what they were doing because of a camera worn by engineer Phil Eastman, another Nth Degree employee. Both Allison and Eastman had been transported to Mars on Nicholson’s spacecraft Nautilus, piloted by Brian Delaney, some seven years ago, along with geologist Stormy Watson and the two men tasked to abduct Diff Jamison.

The ruthless trillionaire businessman had sent a crew supposedly to begin exploration and construction of his luxury hotel. But two of this crew had been secretly tasked by Nicholson to bring his daughter, Diff Jamison, back to Earth to help him sell his hotel as an adventurous vacation spot for those with wanderlust and money. The men involved in the plot, Lance Mason and Mitch Trent, had failed in their attempt to abduct Diff and were now paying for their interplanetary crime—Lance was in a prison on Earth, and Mitch was serving out a sentence of hard labor at Terra Nova.

The recently finished hotel now consisted of thirty modular rooms arranged in five rows of six rooms each that stairstepped the lower southwest slope of the volcano. The modular units had been constructed in Earth orbit from a port attached to Nth Degree’s orbiting hotel, Netropolis, and they bore no similarity to the primitive canisters UNSEF had used for habitats at Terra Nova and Red City. Each module consisted of a huge picture window, comfortable beds and furniture, and an entire wall of screen for entertainment and communication. The rooms owned an incredible view to the southwest, giving expansive scenes of sunrise and sunset that featured part of the distant Pavonis Mons, set beside waves of red Martian regolith dunes. The prefabricated rooms, completely furnished and wired, had been interconnected by hallways into a plush airtight hotel, environmentally secure for the comfort of its future guests.

Attempting to anticipate every need of those future guests, a sports complex was attached to the west end of the first row of modular rooms, and it held a twenty-five-meter pool for swimming laps as well as a hot tub for soaking in to rejuvenate tired muscles at the end of the sol.

As he observed the water team, Evan’s brown eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, anticipating being able to pull off piping water into the hotel and having it ready for the arrival of the hotel’s first guests, who were slated to arrive in nine months. Allison wished he could have a Martian year, which was nearly twice as long as Earth’s, but he was still optimistic about having the water system ready.

Evan’s mind wandered, and he frowned, thinking of his recent directive from Rush Nicholson to build a large enclosure attached to the hotel, for four goats. The enclosure should be large enough to be comfortable for the goats, plus any hoped-for offspring. Was the man crazy? Goats? Why not cattle? Evan sighed, recognizing that animals were destined to get to the Red Planet, and he supposed goats made sense at this point. If they did well, then other livestock might be transported on future flights.

Evan’s attention turned back to the water team, now heading to the nearby discovery site of underground liquid water that would sustain Nicholson’s hotel.

Water for the hotel was presently being transported in ice blocks from the site of the discovered water, one kilometer away. Using Terra Nova developed technology as well as Red City personnel, the recovery of underground water was working, but the process was too cumbersome to effectively provide water for an operational hotel of any size.

Since the Martian atmospheric pressure would turn liquid water to vapor, the entire process had to be airtight. Therefore, an airtight rectangular polymer box was being dropped into the subsurface water, filled, and lifted to the surface to immediately freeze. Once frozen, the precious liquid was removed from the box and set aside for transport. Robotic rovers were programmed to bring the frozen blocks of ice to the thermal-protected pressurized holding tank located next to the hotel site. The ice was robotically deposited into the tank where it was melted, filtered, and piped into the hotel.

While this process was working to provide enough water for present needs, a more effective method of piping liquid water had been ordered completed by Rush Nicholson before the first tourists would arrive. The finished twenty-five-meter swimming pool had been laboriously filled using the tedious time-consuming method. Knowing the hotel needed a more effective way to transport water, Allison, with Nicholson’s agreement, had brought in UNSEF veteran engineers and scientists from Red City, the thriving outpost some forty kilometers north of Terra Nova, Mars’s first settlement, to assist in the endeavor.

A greenhouse dome had also been erected, and Safa Ibrahim, Terra Nova’s botanist, had been enlisted to start a small garden inside the dome. A growing, thriving garden required running water. Rush Nicholson had hired a man famous for research in space gardening to travel to Mars on his next spaceflight. The expert would definitely help, but water was critical.

The Red City crew was attempting to help Nicholson’s people construct the most efficient way to pipe liquid water directly from the discovery site to the hotel, based on the data they had collected from digging test sites the entire distance from Red City to Terra Nova. While UNSEF wasn’t willing to spend the capital to pipe water forty kilometers, Rush Nicholson was glad to use their findings to access a site a mere kilometer from his hotel. Piping within the hotel was ready and standing by for a connection with the underground reservoir.

Anna Van Vleck of Red City, who everyone called Vanna, squared her shoulders and stretched as much as she could in her