Chapter Five
"You've been pacing for thirty minutes," Proto Zoa said from his position on the couch, watching Zenon cross his living room back and forth far too many times for him to count. "You're going to wear a groove in my floor."
"Zoa, I don't have a choice," Zenon replied. "We're running out of time, and somehow my dreams fit into this crazy major nonsense."
"You know, this reminds me of Selena's assault on Earth. Riots are violent, but they're a thing of the past, or they were. Assuming Mars is causing them, they're bound to break out in other places, not necessarily bound to Earth."
She stopped pacing almost immediately. "You don't think...do you?" Proto Zoa nodded. "How is that possibly possible?"
"You'd be surprised. I've seen hysterical fans trample each other for front row seats."
"But still. That's different. Riots are..."
"Usually fairly uncivilized political protests utilized by various groups of people in order to have an issue addressed. Contrary to popular opinion, I paid attention in school, for however short a time I was there. I paid enough attention to know that I never really wanted to go to school in the first place."
"Okay, so, is war the next step?"
He shrugged. "Who knows?"
"But now we have a gigundus major problem on our hands."
"It's not on our hands. It's on Numbar's."
"You know he's going to pass the buck."
"Yes, but it's still his problem, and if you ask me, I say he's the one that has to deal with it, no matter what excuse he makes to avoid it."
"But how?"
"I don't know yet, love, but I'm certain we'll think of something."
Zenon's zap-pad rang, and she answered almost immediately to a clearly panicked Dasha. "Vega omega," she managed, though her voice was strained. She held up a small chip and added, "He's serious about me moving to Mars."
"You got invited?" Proto Zoa asked. Zenon sat on the couch so that Dasha could see him better.
Dasha nodded, and Zenon said, "Well, so did Zoa. Numbar wants him to do a gig, and we're pretty sure it's on Mars. Zoa thinks it could be the key to stopping this whole mess, but we only have five weeks."
"That's a lot of time."
"Not in construction time," Zoa said. "In a contractor's mind, five weeks is the home stretch, the light at the end of the tunnel. The project is almost complete and he can get paid."
"So...what do we do?"
"We're working on it."
"So I guess I should work on it, too. What do you want me to do?"
Zenon glanced at Proto Zoa and said, "Watch Numbar. If he does anything suspicious extreme, let us know."
"How do I get that close?"
"That's easy," Zenon replied. "Tell him you want to know more about his project, but don't sound too eager, or he'll know we're onto him."
"Okay." Dasha hung up, and Zenon handed her zap-pad to Proto Zoa.
"Thanks," he said, and he proceeded to zap his manager.
ZZZ
Lester chewed his lip and tapped his pen against his desk. Numbar's antsiness was becoming contagious, and he certainly didn't want a lawsuit. Proto Zoa was probably still thinking about this decision he had to make, and if what he said was true, he could use the gig, or arrangements for it, to stop Numbar's colonization of Mars.
Lester had to admit, though, that Numbar was a new kind of ambitious, to the point of earning himself a picture in the dictionary next to the word. Some of his talents didn't even have that kind of ambition, and he'd been supplying it for a long, long time. It'd become a drain on him, dealing with these types of clients.
And then there was Proto Zoa. The kid didn't seem to be able to shut his mind off, except when Zenon wasn't around. It took a long time coming for him to admit his love for her, of that he was certain. "Godspeed, kid," he'd said to himself when he'd first heard the news.
His transmitter beeped, so he pressed the button and said, "Lester."
"Oh, good, you're still there," Proto Zoa said.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"It's Saturday."
"Well, I've got a few hours left still. You thought about that gig?"
"Yes, I have. I want you to put me in touch with Numbar."
ZZZ
Numbar's zap-pad went off, and as soon as he checked the ID, he said, "I've gotta take this." He stepped out into the hall and answered the zap-to the face of Proto Zoa. "What do you want?"
"I want to talk to you about this gig you're offering me," Proto Zoa replied. "It is on Mars, correct?"
"Yeah."
"Do you have any plans in the near future of stopping at Space Station 015741?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I know you know where Space Station 015741 is. Now tell me, do you plan to stop there for any reason?"
Numbar sighed. "Yes," he said indignantly. "I plan to stop at Space Station 015741. Why are you asking?"
"Because I want to meet you there so that we can discuss this concert you want me to do."
"Fine. I'll set a date and get back to you."
"Make it soon, because you're not the only one with the schedule."
"Fine." Numbar hung up, put his zap-pad back in his pocket, and walked back into the room.
ZZZ
Dasha filled her glass of water and took a sip just as the doorbell rang. She set the glass on the counter and walked over to the front door. She checked the screen next to the door to see Numbar's face. She pressed the button and asked, "What do you want?"
"I'm just making sure you got your invitation, and personally I'm curious about what you decide," Numbar replied.
Okay, Dasha, focus. Remember what you're supposed to do. "Can I check out the project first?"
Numbar laughed, and Dasha found herself with a horrible feeling in her stomach. "I thought you'd never ask," he said.
Oh, god, what have I done? she wondered as she, according to plan, opened the door.