Chapter 3: The nuclear reactor

Just as the screen popped up...

The cryochamber opened with a fwoosh as a humanoid figure walked out. Strand was alarmed by the sudden sound causing him to take a defensive stance.

"Hello, my name is Airy, the central artificial intelligence of Organic Research Site-02. What can I do for you?"

"Oh my word, I thought you were a dust worm!" Strand took a breath and regained his composure in relief.

The reason for his reflex was because...

Mars was not without certain dangers.

Along with the ferocious dust storms were the dangerous Martian dust worms. They were like the Mongolian death worms, but with orifices near their hole of sharp fangs that would shoot out a string like body part which could puncture a normal space suit and stun their victims.

Oddly enough, they also had retractable legs that enabled them to crawl rather fast on the surface.

Fortunately, Strand wore a heavy armored space suit on the venture out today so even if he did meet a dust worm he would still have a chance.

He also had plenty of weapons stowed away in his Behemoth. Everyone also had a pistol and other emergency tools by their sides at all times outside.

The synth human simply stood by like a statue staring at Strand.

Strand who had already returned his attention to the command console couldn't help but feel a little creeped out with the synth creeping in the corner of his vision.

"Hey you, just stand somewhere else or something ok?" Strand waved his hand to gesture the synth human away.

"Yes sir." Said with a bland voice, Airy stopped staring at Strand and walked to a corner facing the wall.

That works too I guess

Strand returned to figuring out the command console.

Although Strand had the schematics of the mining facility, it wasn't the schematic for any particular mine, but rather a general one as sites aren't copied and pasted. Different sites required different facilities with some things in common.

Strand naturally didn't know the password, username and didn't have the biometrics of the person(s) in charge of this place, so he brought out a chip and inserted it into one of the compact underneath the solid desk.

The chip would hack into the system and grant him full authority of the system and a.i.

In no time, the firewall was broken and he gained complete access to the compound both below and above ground. This also included tid-bits like logs and miscellaneous information about the site.

In fact, Airy would've been able to help out, but Strand wasn't the owner of it.

There were too many files for Strand to read through so he key worded utilities and quickly found where the damages are, as well as the condition of the nuclear reactor.

Strand quickly downloaded the necessary information so he could spend time at home finding the tools and supplies to fix up the place.

He decided to first check out what Brad wanted to show him before going to the nuclear generator. It was probably best they stick together.

As Strand was walking out of the control room, the synth

"So what do you think of this place?" Brad asked as he put his hands on his hip. The cavern they were in was actually the nearest to the entrance/exit of the underground compound. Hence, it stood to reason was also the safest and most decorated of all the caverns.

"It's not bad, I like it!" Strand immediately became a big fan of the cavern with its set up. The ceiling was supported by sturdy metal beams with lights hanging down. The cavern was also filled with furniture and workshops.

There was also a decontamination room that connected deeper into the mines.

In the corner of his eye, Strand caught something in an inconspicuous area. He lumbered over in his heavy armored space suit and grabbed a strange chest. Brad followed.

"What did you find?"

The chest was below a picture frame filled with unknown people smiling at the camera.

Probably the mining crew or something

For some reason it felt a little eerie as it was only the two of them. The smiles seemed off but he couldn't think of anything at the moment.

Focusing back to the chest, Strand showed it to Brad, "Just a small chest, but it doesn't seem like we can open it."

"It looks so weird! Why does the lock look so needlessly complicated and ancient?"

"It's probably some trinket from Earth decades ago, but if there's a keyhole, there must be something inside," Strand didn't either way, he thought it was a novelty to keep. He safely strapped the mysterious chest away on his built-in utility belt.

He was inspired by an ancient hero from Earth, Baitman.

"Probably. Anyways, I've checked out the caves, couldn't find the nuclear generator or anything else strange."

Brad didn't look concerned at all.

"That's alright, I already found where it is," Strand beckoned Brad to follow.

"So what do you think about my hang-out idea right now?" Brad looked excited for the approval.

"En, it's a good idea but how would that work exactly?"

Strand haven't the faintest idea of how a hang-out, pub, bar or whatever it was going to be was going to work.

People wouldn't want to waste their time venturing out the unfriendly environment just to meet up with other people for no good reason.

It just doesn't make much sense or feasible for a task.

"..."

Brad was silent for a while. Now he thought it was a silly idea.

"Hmm, maybe… well," Brad paused, "I don't know anymore, how about you think of a different idea?"

Brad had put on a long face.

They both knew a site like this in such good condition was hard to pass.

"Err, I can't think of anything good right now. How about we get home and talk more later?"

"Sounds good I guess."

Brad's previous optimistic goal was shattered by Strand who had a more realistic and pragmatic view on things.

Soon after they reached the nuclear generator. It was located a fair distance into the caverns and housed in a large metal container inside of a dome made of triangles.

There was a single metal door which could only be accessed remotely from the control room. Strand had already unlocked it.

Brad took no precautions and stepped forward opening the thick metal door. It creaked as Brad pulled hard on the handle.

The two entered a somewhat tight space that would've given some the feeling of claustrophobia.

At the center was a rusty mantle holding a glowing gemstone. Or rather, a portable mini nuclear-fission reactor. The mantle was the machine responsible for safely and precisely drawing energy from the reactor as well as activating it.

By itself, the portable mini nuclear-fission reactor only glowed with radiation, but the mantle made it thousands of times safer.

"Wow, it's rare to see one of these again!" Brad remembered in school learning and seeing one of these on a hologram.

Actually the present day reactors aren't much different except they use Helium Azonade from Mars or Halcion-3 from the moon.

Those elements produced little radiation compared to uranium and far safer. Although they were a bit more tedious in production, it was worth it.