Chapter Four

Numbar could feel the deadline approaching as if it were his own death, and the numerous dust storms on Mars, right in the middle of construction, weren't helping matters any, even though he'd given the order that everything was to continue as planned. If he'd been given a little more time-

But he'd had enough time. Enough to plan, organize, figure things out, get the ball rolling, even giving it a push here and there along the way. The time was at hand where the colony buildings themselves would be complete, and it would be time to act, and act quickly.

He glanced at the piles of invitations that needed sending out, and he thought on the opening day. He still needed a main act.

"Of course," he whispered to himself, placing the invitations in a bag and grabbing his zap-pad. He zapped Proto Zoa's manager on the way down the stairs.

"Lester."

"Lester, it's Pat Numbar. I've got an opening for a show I'm hosting, and I think I know just the star for it."

"Who?"

"Proto Zoa."

Lester cringed. "Oh, I don't think he's going to agree to that, what with everything that happened last month. It's a wonder he hasn't sued your ass for pain and suffering by now."

"That doesn't matter right now. Can he do the gig or not?"

"Well, I'll run it by him, see what he says, and let you know."

"For the record, I only have five weeks."

"I'll see what he says and get back to you." Lester hung up, and Numbar caught the next taxi pod to the facility.

ZZZ

Proto Zoa stirred into consciousness to his zap-pad going off, and he answered with a groggy, "Hello?"

"Zoa, I don't know if you're gonna like this, but I got you an offer for a gig," Lester replied.

"A gig?"

Lester swallowed and wet his upper lip. "It's on Mars."

"Vega omega, he's seriously going through with it."

"Look, the guy that offered this gig, Numbar, he's getting antsy, and it's bad. Says he's got five weeks left, and that I'd better get him your decision, soon."

"Am I at least allowed a little time to think about it?"

"Well, yeah, I mean, this is your career and I'm just the manager, but still. I knew you weren't gonna jump on it right away."

"Well, for one I'm half-asleep, but you never know, this could work. We could work this into a plan to get the colony off of Mars the planet and get Mars the god to leave us alone." Proto Zoa remembered the dream Zenon had described to him, but he wasn't willing to share that with Lester of all people, even if his manager did happen to have some insight.

"Well, zap me when you make up your mind or anything else happens."

Proto Zoa nodded, climbing out of bed. He was about to turn off his zap-pad, but for some reason, he couldn't. Instead, he walked out of his room and into the living room, Lester still on the line and ranting about the high fees Zoa was racking up in this strange stunt, whatever it was. Zoa looked over at the television Zenon was fixated on, and he soon realized why.

The headline read: 'Riots break out in Rio', and the zap-pad almost fell from Proto Zoa's hands. "Are you watching the news?" he asked.

"What, of course I'm watching the news," Lester replied.

"What's the story you're watching right now?"

"Are you okay?"

"Which story are they telling you right now?"

"Something about riots in Brazil. Happy now?"

"Lester, don't try to kill me. I can't afford that right now, and I think the 'dark days' I've heard so much about are coming faster than we expected."

"Dark days? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Don't worry. We'll figure this out."

"I'm afraid you don't have time to figure things out," a voice said from behind him, miraculously attracting both his and Zenon's attention.

Selena walked over to them, and Lester asked, "Who's the chick?"

"We'll be zapping you back," Selena said, flicking her wrist at Proto Zoa's zap-pad, which flew out of his hand and landed on the floor, small amounts of smoke drifting up from what was left of it.

"You...you..." Zenon began.

"Fried his zap-pad. I know. Now listen. Whatever you thought was going to happen in the midst of all this colonial nonsense, it's worse, much worse. You two need a plan, now. Do you have one?"

Proto Zoa and Zenon exchanged a glance before looking at Selena, and they said, "No," in unison.

"Then get busy," she snapped, before taking a deep breath. "We only have a few weeks, and Numbar's acting quickly. We need to do the same thing, before this gets any-"

A crack of thunder shook Nova Linda.

"Worse," Selena finished, wincing a little.

Zenon got to her feet and walked around the couch, her eyes on Selena. "Vega omega," she whispered, listening to the rain falling hard against the roof and windows. "Dark days could be literal."

"Aye. A storm is comin'."

"So, what do we do?" Proto Zoa asked, looking from Zenon to Selena and back again.

Zenon and Selena exchanged a glance, and the latter asked, "What about the gig?"

"What gig?" Zenon asked, looking at Proto Zoa.

"Lester told me Numbar was looking for an act for a concert he was hosting, most likely the colony's opening day, and Lester knew I wouldn't jump on it right away," he said. "It might be the key to thwarting this crazy plan of his."

Selena looked at Zenon again, and she knew what Selena was thinking. Zenon looked over at Proto Zoa, and by the look in his eyes, she knew he knew what she was thinking. "Just remember," Selena said, "there are always casualties in war."