Brent and Edward Go to Mars

By Richard Jeffery Wagner

This novel is a sequel to The Zombie Philosopher. Edward and his valet, Brent, take a space liner tour on the SS Brizo from the Lunar Gateway to New Troy at Earth-Sun L4, on to Mars, and back to Earth. Brent's less-than-masterfully-coordinated enemies take a new tack in their efforts to destroy him but are foiled once again. Edward's new friend Cindy investigates an archaeological find of artifacts on Mars and interrupts a plot to perpetrate fraud on unsuspecting buyers. Their experiences include a tour of a space shipyard, wine tasting, zero-gee flying and swimming, an observatory on Olympus Mons, and a tour of a Martian museum. Brent enters into philosophical debates and lectures and proves the question of free will beyond doubt. The three friends have many novel experiences in their nine-month space tour and share in both setbacks and triumphs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 8, 2023
• ISBN: 9798887939780

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Brent and Edward Go to Mars

Richard Jeffery Wagner

Copyright © 2023 Richard Jeffery Wagner

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2023

It is not legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited.

Cover: Approaching Mars, Painting by Paul Forney.

ISBN 979-8-88793-966-7 (pbk)

ISBN 979-8-88793-978-0 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

To my wife, the ever-helpful and always amazing Andrea

Introduction

Chapter 1

Plans

Chapter 2

Na Hoku Spaceport

Chapter 3

Hotel Leo

Chapter 4

Diana Hotel

Chapter 5

Hotel Hina

Chapter 6

SS Brizo

Flying

Air Race

Space Tennis

The Lecture

Huli

Chapter 7

New Troy

Thetis Thrusters

Johnson Jetpacks

Sarpedon Spaceships

Wine Tasting

Zero-Gee Swimming

Chapter 8

On to Mars

Kidnapped

Phobos

Chapter 9

Mars

Valles Marineris

Mars Museum

Capri Chasma

Terraforming Project

The Comet Pub

Olympus Mons

Chapter 10

Return to Earth

Phobos

SS Brizo

Huli

Lunar Gateway

Hotel Leo

Down to Earth

Afterword

Acknowledgments

Appendix A

Appendix A: Report on the Rescue of Passenger Edward Collier

Brent Collier

Appendix B

Appendix B: Report on the Forensic Audit at Capri Chasma

Cinthia Fairfax

About the Author

To my wife, the ever-helpful and always amazing Andrea

Introduction

The future interests me—I'm going to spend the rest of my life there.

—Mark Twain

This book is the sequel to my science fiction novella The Zombie Philosopher , in which Edward purchased a robotic valet he named Brent. Edward's philosophy professor friend and tennis partner, Angela, introduced Brent to philosophy in which Brent displayed interest and ability. Not sure he was conscious, Brent called himself a zombie philosopher. Brent saved Edward's life one night by shooting an armed burglar. He then gave a well-attended lecture on ethics at which he was gunned down by a radical in the Humans First movement. Fortunately, Brent was fully backed up to the cloud and Edward was able to purchase a new body for him. The attendant publicity made Brent a celebrity and the two of them went on a lecture tour. When they returned from the tour, they began planning for an excursion into space.

This novel is a work of science fiction, and the science part is true. In this book, I wanted to explore some ideas about what a future economy in the solar system might be like while following Brent and Edward¹ on their space tourism adventure. Such a space civilization appears to be quite possible, but it won't be easy, and it will take considerable time.

The future depicted here is no utopia but is an extrapolation of the incremental improvements that civilization has undergone historically. While a few authoritarian states, some large and powerful, still exist, we have abolished slavery, for the most part, worldwide. Democracies are succeeding. Civilized nations have women's suffrage. Environmental protections are gaining momentum, and nations are cooperating on global strategies on climate change. The optimistic projection is that progressive incrementalism will continue. Certainly, a thriving space economy and culture will be an expansion of human opportunity.

This book describes a water economy in space. That is, trade routes among water producers and consumers drive manufacturing for habitats and space vehicles and agricultural specialization to feed the growing population of space colonizers. It is also a tribute to the human spirit, which, when confronted with a problem, finds a solution.

In describing passenger travel on a space liner, three major problems had to be overcome. The first is radiation exposure of the passengers from both solar protons and cosmic rays. Surrounding the passenger module with cylindrical arrays of superconducting loops of alternating polarity provides sufficient magnetic shielding. Strong magnetic fields can be a problem for living things; hence, the counterpoised magnetic fields cancel out within the passenger compartment, conducting the charged particles harmlessly into and out of the solenoids. Secondly, living in zero gravity for extended periods presents problems of health for humans, so the ship must be large enough to contain a gravity-simulating centrifuge for daily workouts for all passengers and crew at full gee. The third problem is the least of the three, and it is the time it takes to get to Mars. Fusion power² for high-specific impulse electric thrusters can cut the time to fly to Mars down to ninety days. Footnotes in the story describe many of the specifications.

Footnotes are not the usual practice in fiction,³ but I wanted to improve the reading experience for those who do not regularly read science or science fiction books. Some of the footnotes were added in response to questions from early reviewers.

As with The Zombie Philosopher, paintings in this book were contributed by noted Hawaii surf artist Paul Forney. Making art for science fiction books is a departure from his usual subjects, but I know he enjoyed the challenge.

This is hard science fiction. Nothing described here is supernatural or violates known physics. There are no time machines, no faster-than-light spaceships, and no paranormal phenomena, but only real engineering and social possibilities for the future.

Chapter 1

Plans

Adventure is just bad planning.

—Roald Amundsen

Edward went downstairs from his bedroom after oversleeping only slightly. Brent, his valet robot, said, Good morning, sir. Your coffee is ready.

Edward said, Thank you, Brent, and sat down at the kitchen table, helping himself to one of the breakfast pastries that Brent had set out.

After finishing his coffee and roll, Edward looked up from the news he was perusing and gazed out the kitchen window. Looks like a fine spring day outside, Brent. I think I will go outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine for a while.

Indeed, sir. I think I will get my solar umbrella and join you after I have cleaned up from breakfast. Brent's umbrella could generate up to a hundred watts of power that could be inductively coupled into him through the handle. While Brent cleaned up the breakfast things, Edward got up from the table, went into the living room, and walked to the French doors at the rear of the house.

As Edward stepped outside, he experienced the fragrance of pear blossoms, once again in the air, signifying the decline of winter and the advance of spring. Edward inhaled deeply as he walked under his trees, looking out at the distant mountains and the blue sky above. I hear the mail-bot, he thought. Edward walked around the side of the house to the front yard and the mailbox on a post by the country road. The mail-bot truck was receding in the distance.

A tree squirrel began chattering at a blue jay on the ground, and the jay jeered back. Edward brought the morning mail into the house through the front door and put it on the sideboard in the entranceway. There were just two pieces of mail. The postal service had long since increased the rates for commercial and bulk mail, which had cut down the junk mail enormously.

Brent came from the kitchen and joined Edward as he came in the front door. Brent was a free robot, having purchased his freedom from Edward several months prior, but he continued in the role of valet as Edward's employee. There was not yet a legal precedent for a robot asking for his freedom. The two had handled the issue privately, and Edward paid Brent a salary.

Brent had made a name for himself as a philosopher, and Edward had accompanied him on his book signing and speaking engagements, giving him some cover for his status as a free person. It's not that a free robot was illegal per se, but that the nebulous legal situation made it a lot simpler to continue as if the two of them were an ordinary person accompanied by a robotic servant. There was less explaining to do that way, and the law could catch up with reality in its own good time. Edward did not feel like forcing the issue.

Edward picked up an envelope from the sideboard, looked up at Brent, and said, Would you like to open this invitation? It's addressed to both of us.

One minute, sir. Brent went to his cupboard in the laundry room off the front hallway and returned with his small round silver salver. "A formal invitation deserves to be handled properly. Please put it on the tray, and I will present it to you."

Edward put the engraved envelope on the tray. Brent picked up a letter opener from the sideboard and put it on the tray, too, and offered both to Edward. Opening the invitation, Edward said, We are invited to a dinner party, Brent, in two weeks at Victoria's house.

Victoria could have just walked over here and asked us, opined Brent. She lives right across the road.

Victoria likes to do things right, and when she throws a soiree, it's a special event. An engraved invitation is a nice touch, Edward replied.

Yes, sir, and it's nice of her to invite me too, even though I don't eat.

She knows you're a good conversationalist and will enhance any social gathering.

They ambled into the living room, and Edward looked out the glass of the rear French doors toward the mountains in the distance, relaxing his mind.

Brent said, I appreciate her thinking of me, sir. Shall I reply in the affirmative for both of us by return mail?

Please do, Brent. We'll have to go shopping in town later and get some new clothes for you. It wouldn't do for a guest of Victoria's to arrive dressed as my valet.

Thank you, sir. I look forward to shopping with you.

Still gazing out the window, Edward said, You know, it seems Victoria is seeing much more of her friend that she brought to our own dinner party a few months ago. I have seen his car parked there in front of her house in the morning on several occasions, and I saw it just now when I retrieved the mail. They're obviously not making a secret of it, or he would have sent the car off to park elsewhere. It's not really my business, I suppose.

Yes, sir, that is undoubtedly the proper conclusion.

It's a beautiful day, though, isn't it, Brent?

Indeed, sir, it is.

I think I will take some sun by the pool this morning.

Edward changed into his swimming trunks and went for a swim in his pool, then dried himself off with a towel and lay in the sun on his chaise longue. After a while, Brent came out to the pool with his solar umbrella and shaded Edward as he read a book while sitting in his poolside chair.

Brent spoke, his argent face unreadable, Sir, do you remember that time when we first met, and you asked me what you should call me, and you added, ‘Don't say Jeeves'?

I do remember that.

"Well, sir, what if my name had been Jeeves? It would have been a conflicting order."

That sounds like a philosophical question. Have you been ruminating in the garden?

Yes, and I am reminded of the story of Socrates, who was once found standing motionless in his garden. He had resolved not to move from the spot until he had solved a problem he had been pondering.

You are digressing, just like some college professors I know.

Yes, sir, back to the reminiscence. I was thinking about how I would have answered in that case.

And how would you have responded to that conflict of orders?

I think I would have said, ‘I am sorry to disappoint you, sir, but my name really is Jeeves.'

Edward said to his valet, That would have been nicely handled.

*****

The time for Victoria's soiree came. After getting ready, Brent and Edward walked across the road to her house, where Victoria greeted them at the front door, saying, Come in, come in. Welcome, Brent and Edward. I want to introduce you to some of my friends.

Cocktails were served. They already knew many of the people there, but Victoria introduced them to several others and reintroduced them to her friend, a fellow lawyer. Edward diplomatically didn't mention that he had seen his car outside Victoria's house on some mornings.

Edward pointed out the place cards on the dining table to Brent. Those are nice, allowing the hostess to control the dinner seating. It prevents a group of people of one sex from congregating at one end of the table, as sometimes happens at less formal dinners. When the sexes are interleaved, it leads to more interesting or novel conversations.

A form of social engineering, I assume, sir, remarked Brent.

Edward wanted to catch up with some old friends he saw across the room. Brent, I'm going to talk to those people over there. Why don't you mill around yourself and see if you can strike up an acquaintance with someone?

Yes, sir, that is an interesting prospect. I will do that.

Edward went over and said hello to some people he hadn't seen in a while. Brent moved around and listened to a few conversations, but nobody seemed to pay much attention to him. Eventually, Edward returned to his side, and they stood watching the assembled guests.

Brent asked, May I get you a fresh drink, sir?

Yes, thank you, Brent. That will be nice.

Brent walked over to the barman and returned with a full glass. After a while, the caterer announced dinner, and the guests took their places at the long dining table which was set with filled water glasses and full place settings for the guests. Brent was seated between two women he hadn't seen before. The woman on his right had gray hair, while the one on his left looked younger. He said hello to each and put his napkin on his lap. To the older woman, he said, I don't eat, but I hope we can have some conversation.

She replied, I've never talked with a robot before, but I am glad to meet you. I am Mrs. Reynolds.

I am Brent, and I am pleased to meet you, Mrs. Reynolds. I live across the road with Mr. Collier.

I came with my husband, who is seated over there, third from the left. We live on the other side of town.

The waiters, a mix of humans and robots, then served the salad course, but they had been instructed not to serve food to the only robot in attendance as a guest.

The young woman to Brent's left asked him, Aren't you the robot who saved his master's life by shooting an armed intruder? I heard about it in the news.

Indeed, madam, I am that robot. Our hostess, Victoria, successfully defended me in a wrongful death lawsuit.

My name is Eileen. I'm pleased to meet you, Brent.

And I am pleased to meet you, Eileen.

A four-course meal was served. After dessert and coffee and much enjoyable conversation, Brent and Edward bid their hostess farewell and walked back to their home.

*****

The next morning, Edward was having his breakfast with coffee. Brent had cleaned up the kitchen and was just about to go out into the garden to stand in the sun with his solar umbrella and enjoy the scenery when Edward asked him to pour him some more coffee. Brent put down his umbrella and did so. Edward thanked him and said, Brent, I'm getting the travel bug again. A change of scenery is in order. After all, variety is the spice of life!

And again, you speak in cliches, sir.

"Which statement, Brent? The spice of life one?"

All of them, sir.

I could see the validity of your objection, Brent, if this were a creative writing contest, but the object of conversation is rapid and sure communication. Cliches are often of valuable assistance to achieving that.

I see your point, sir. Indeed, we are not living in a novel. This is real life, so let us have effective discourse.

Edward asked, Shall we take a package tour to Mars or tailor our own itinerary? That is the question!

Brent walked to the pantry where he kept his things on the shelf Edward had provided for him and put away his bowler hat and solar umbrella. Returning, he then replied, Self-guided touring offers flexibility but may cost more overall and will certainly add difficulty in planning. For example, most package tours start with a brief stay on the moon. We may want to bypass the moon and go straight to Mars and stop at the moon on the way home.

Edward sipped at his second cup of coffee and then said, I would like to see a colony at one of the two Earth-Sun Trojan Lagrange points. I understand that it takes little energy to get there because they're the same distance from the sun as the Earth, but they're not always offered in canned tour packages.

Brent's metallic face was as impassive as ever. Robot manufacturers had long ago quit trying to mimic human appearance in their products. Most humans found it creepy. Package tours are likely to be significantly cheaper and should allow you to visit all the popular places to go in space.

Edward said, We may want to go beyond Mars and visit some of the asteroid belt colonies, such as Psyche, Vesta, and Ceres. I think we should have a try at composing a sequence of space trips and compare the cost with an equivalent package tour.

I will undertake to do that, sir, using my built-in interface to the internet. I shall examine some typical package tours and then construct a few custom tours with which to compare them.

Edward said, Okay, give it a shot! Then he began to check his messages from friends and coworkers.

Brent went to the living room wall and stood at his charging station. He returned a short time later and sent the proposed itinerary table he had constructed to Edward's personal device.

Thanks, Brent. I'll look at this.

Figure 1. The proposed itinerary Brent sent to Edward's personal device.

When Edward had digested this information, he said, That's well under a year altogether.

"I have developed a Pugh Matrix⁴ and sent it to your personal device as well, where you will see listed the decision criteria I used. Going beyond Mars to the asteroid belt will take considerably more time, so I think we should go no further out than Mars on this trip."

Very good, said Edward. Your proposed itinerary will take quite long enough!

The space liner has high-specific impulse engines and uses fast, continuously thrusting trajectories, said Brent. This is a package tour by Welkin Tours. There are several deciding factors. First, that space liner has superior radiation protection for its passengers. Second, we will have a human tour guide to handle connections, show us around, and so on. Third, in a tour group with familiar human companionship and with coordinated recreational activities available, you are much less likely to get bored on the longer transit portions of the tour. Fourth, the package tours are cheaper than any similar tour I could cobble together.

Well, I guess that pretty much settles it, said Edward. Package tour it is. When does it leave?

"In just over four months, sir. The departure from Na Hoku⁵ Spaceport is on the tenth of July, so we have plenty of time to get ready," Brent replied.

Na Hoku Spaceport was located outside the nearby big city. It was given its Hawaiian name because a substantial portion of the early space colonization effort was driven by a group of Polynesians and Micronesians who had developed a solar system voyaging culture that paralleled the historic star-navigated migrations that populated the Pacific Ocean.

I see that this package by Welkin Tours is for physically active people only, and a physical examination and doctor certification are required, so I will schedule that right away if we decide to go, said Edward. Let me think about it overnight. In the morning, if it still seems like it's a good idea, you can book the tour.

Yes, sir.

In the morning, Brent booked the tour with Welkin Tours, a well-known space tourism company.

*****

A week later, Edward contacted his friend Victoria to let her know that he and Brent had booked a space tour and would be away from home for nearly ten months. Victoria then invited Edward over for lunch to discuss the planned tour.

I'll be having lunch with Victoria today, Edward told Brent, I want to let her know about our household arrangements while we're away on our space trip.

Very good, sir, said Brent, Thank her again for her help in that legal affair.

I will, said Edward.

Putting on his shoes and a light jacket, Edward walked out the front door and headed across the road. Traffic was light as usual on the country road as he sauntered across, thinking about the upcoming interplanetary journey. He noticed new green shoots on some of Victoria's trees and saw that she had some newly planted pots on her porch as he made his way to her front door.

Victoria opened the door as he approached and greeted him. She was dressed in a conservative gray suit with a peach-colored blouse.

Come in, Edward. Hang up your jacket and have a seat. Lunch is almost ready. How are you?

Thank you. I'm fine, Victoria. Last week's dinner party was excellently enjoyable. Brent and I had a good time. Thank you again. Brent sends his thanks for your legal help.

That was lots of fun. I'm so glad you both could come.

Then Edward got down to business. I have good news. I passed my physical and have been medically certified for space travel.

"That is good news. I think getting up there exposes you to at least three gees⁶ static acceleration and up to five gees of vibration⁷ on top of that."

That's what I've heard. It will be quite an exciting ride! But I hear it's all smooth riding after that initial leap upward from the gravity of Earth.

Edward sat in Victoria's living room and admired some reproductions of old masters on the wall while waiting. Victoria had gone to the kitchen to get the food for lunch. As she began to set out the food on the table, Edward said, Let me set the table.

That will be nice, thanks.

Edward got the table items and set them out. When the food was ready and some iced tea poured, they sat down to eat. Victoria asked, You know that old saying about free advice being worth what you pay for it?

Oh yes, there are lots of popular witticisms that just aren't true, Edward replied.

Victoria said, Yes, often free advice is by far the best kind. Here's some for you. On your space tour, don't claim to own Brent because it's not true. Let people assume you own him if they are so inclined. If anyone asks, just say, ‘He's my valet,' and leave it at that.

Thank you, said Edward, I had been wondering exactly how to handle his free status. There's no way I could obtain a passport for him in the current indefinite state of the possible legality of artificial personhood. As my valet, he would be just another device I own for my convenience on the space trip.

Yes, I don't think the world is ready yet for a coherent approach to the legalities of artificial personhood. But that day is coming. It's just a matter of time.

I agree. We seem to be living ahead of our time, waiting for the world to catch up with the reality of robot personhood.

Victoria said, When Brent is ready to take that step, I will be ready to help him.

Edward took a bite of his sandwich and a sip of tea and said, These are good sandwiches, Victoria. Just delightful. Synthetic meats are getting better all the time.

Thank you. It's from the grocery store in town. The conversation then turned to details of the upcoming trip.

That sounds like an amazing adventure, Victoria said after Edward had described the itinerary.

I was wondering, said Edward, if you could check on the house for us from time to time while we're gone. I will stop some of the services, and I will have a crew come by every two weeks to do the yardwork. If anything goes wrong, I will feel better if you could manage it for me. I will pay you a reasonable fee and any expenses incurred.

I will be happy to help an old friend and neighbor. Don't worry about any fee, but thanks for offering. I am sure you'll be good for any out-of-pocket expenses should I need to perform any extraordinary actions.

Thank you, said Edward, that's a load off my mind. I have contracted with an agency to keep Davy, my ground car, in running order while I'm gone, and Maxine, my air car, will be stored at a facility near the spaceport, so you won't have to worry about them.

The conversation turned to small talk of a few mutual friends. After a while, Edward thanked her again, said goodbye, and got his jacket. Leaving through the front door, he walked through the trees to the road and, seeing no cars, crossed over to his house, enjoying the quiet and peace of the country.

*****

Later that afternoon, Brent told Edward, "I have taken the liberty of ordering jetpacks for us. We will need them in our microgravity accommodations in space. They're only useful in zero-gee.⁸ Consider it to be my treat."

Thank you, Brent, but you don't have to do that, you know.

Yes, I know, sir, but I wanted to make sure you had a deluxe model. Basic units can be rented, but the better models have more power and a wider range of useful features. They will be delivered to us when we get to the hotel in lunar orbit, where we will first need them.

Sounds good, Brent. Thanks again. What kind of jetpacks did you order, anyway?

"The best intelligent jetpacks in the solar system are made at New Troy, the colony and manufacturing center at Earth-Sun L4, by Johnson Jetpacks Inc. They're not even made on Earth anymore because it's so difficult to test them in the one-gee field. They can only exert about twenty milli-gees at most, except in emergency mode. I got their latest models for us. They're said to be easy to use with a voice interface. You just tell it where you want to go, and the jetpack computes a trajectory. There's a manual mode available, too, and some other automated modes such as follow the leader."

How do these jetpacks work?

"The flying technique they use is kind of like a miniature flying car that's strapped to your back. Instead of gas turbines, as in a flying car, a battery powers a compressor that keeps a small plenum full of pressurized air which is ducted to various steerable throttled jets to turn and propel you where you want to go.

There are handholds placed strategically on the walls for the use of guests in the space liner and in the microgravity hotels, but you won't need them if you have a jetpack. The better jetpacks, like ours, also have control moment gyros for smooth and stable turning and direction holding.

Way cool, said Edward, it's going to be fun!

The jetpacks are the only special items we need to purchase ahead of time, said Brent. You won't need any specific clothing or anything like that. Space or environmental suits can be rented if you want to go outdoors on the moon or Mars. The hotels and the space liner have shops if you need to buy clothes or any personal items.

Edward said, I'm thinking of traveling light, with only a carry-on bag. We can buy clothes as we need them. I'm sure the hotels and cruise ship have laundry services.

Yes, sir, there will be laundry services, and it seems an eminently reasonable idea to travel light. We may decide to buy clothes in a style more suited to space travel.

Edward said, "I have heard that the residents of the habitats in space and on