Big Mother | Red Rover, Red Rover
by D. M. LeBlanc
2030-03-06 | 14:04 UET
Unit 7: Casen Silvers [US]
“Helloooo Earthlings!
This is Casen, your favorite Martian, hailing from the red planet.
It’s now Day Two of my quarantine. I’m being kept in my own unit for now. And it looks like—
Ehhh—
Xiao! Is now standing guard at the door. That’s okay. Yup. You know I love you, brother.
My team just fixed me lunch. Very cool of them. Thanks guys!
It’s kinda…
Hard to eat though.
I’m ahhh… still worried about Tom. They told me he was awake, but it doesn’t look too good. Yann’s working on him with Seema.
So, yeah, hopefully they’ll patch him up real nice.
I’m not sure when they’ll let me out of here. So, if you don’t see me in Living Room Three at Eighteen Hundred Earth Time I guess I’ll still be locked up in my unit.
Peace out, my Family and Followers.”
2030-03-06 | 21:33 UET
Unit 7: Casen Silvers [US]
“Hello, Baby Blue. Casen here.
I’m sorry I missed you guys at this evening’s livingroom broadcasting. As you probably heard, it has been decided that I will not be allowed to leave my unit. For now anyway. Until the teams have sat down with the co-founders and the UN. Looks like we’re making inter-galactic history here.
I also heard that Tom and I’s little… misunderstanding has gone viral.
Man, they don’t keep anything from you guys, do they? Shit has changed.
I’m sure you know Tom’s not doing so hot. He was stabilized by Yann, but one of his lungs collapsed and now he’s on respiratory support.
Yeahhh…
So…
…
If you get the chance to see this, Tom, I’m sorry.
But—
Hahahaha!
You’re ahhh… Haha!
Supposed to be dead.
I guess even some 300 years later, we Americans still aren’t too keen on the Motherland’s rule.
Sure, you’re the celebrity face of this little space troupe.
A charismatic —may I say, handsome man— and I’m certain that those little sperm ice cubes you’re selling back home are making plenty of Earth-mommas very, very happy, but…
I didn’t vote for you.
None of us here did.
Baby Blue, you voted him here, but you didn’t make Tom king of this red rock.
There are times when some dramaaaa is needed to stop a situation before it swings out of control.
We’re supposed to be making a new start over here. Not the same old mistakes.
…
At least with you out of the picture, I’ll get a fair trial.
…
Fuck you, Tom.”
2030-03-06 | 21:47 UET
Unit 13: Yann Dubois [FR]
“Ah! My Friends…
I have some grave news to report to you. Thomas Cook’s health is still deteriorating.
Immensely so.
I do not think that he will make it past the next few days.
The doctors, Seema, and I are doing our best to keep him living, but we are not confident that he will make the recovery. Our finest surgeon, Mr. Silvers, will obviously not be permitted to perform upon Mr. Cook.
We are in an unhappy state right now. Mr. Silvers is being held in his quarters, and we will be meeting with the Terre committee who will advise us upon Mr. Silver’s fate. This is all an unprecedented scene and careful choices will have to be made.
I do not wish to make trouble, but I feel it necessary to say—
I do love my Mother Earth, but I think it is best that this event be handled at the base and not put to an Earth-vote.
I’m sure my statement will displease our benefactors.
However, let me make this clear:
This is not your planet.
This is not your home.
Regardless of how thrilling something like a death sentence would be for Mr. Silvers, we do not wish to escalate the violence here. We are too small a crew for that.
…
I respect you, Mother Earth, but you have not always been kind.”
2030-03-07 | 06:20 UET
Unit 7: Casen Silvers [US]
“Hello, my Terra Brethren!
This is indeed, Casen Silvers of Unit Seven—
Formally known as my bedroom!
Now functioning as our very first prison cell!
This is all terribly exciting, isn’t it?
My comrades have officially met with the UN and our Earth-based teams regarding—
Well, me.
Mostly.
I guess Tom’s state of health was discussed. But it looks like he’s going to “succumb to his injuries.”
Finally.
I really tried to take him out humanely. I did. He just didn’t want to go.
And I’m sure you all have heard; the committee wanted to put my fate into your hands.
How nice, huh?
We’re just little puppets floating up here, following every string you guys pull.
Well, it’s not gonna play out that way this time.
There’s going to be an Earth-vote and without Tom’s ability to play “Commander and Chief”, the current base members—
Let’s see… that would be fourteen, minus Tom and I —are going to make the final call. My team is really looking out for me.
Xiao, Esther, Pietro —I love you guys! The Second-Landers really are the best.
And for you weirdoes out there plaguing our message forums, I have some good news and some bad news.
Bad news first:
I do not still have that dinner knife.
…
Awhhh… Boo… I know. I’m real sorry, guys.
The good news, how-eh-vaaa…
Pietro does!
And Pietro has scanned it, uploaded the schematic aaand made it available for you to download.
Yay! Right?
You guys should really get behind that dude. I know —believe me— I know, he’s a strange one, but he’s got some serious balls!
The schematic can be purchased from The Mission’s main webstore and you can print out your very own little Martian Murder Weapons! Yay!
Fucking psychos. You win.
But hey, I shouldn’t complain, it’s put bread —or the vacuumed-sealed, stale version of it— on my plate. I should thank you guys.
Really, I should.
Besides…
Who am I to judge? I’m sure you’ve seen the strange things we do when we pretend that the cameras aren’t rolling.
Human life. Without the edits.
Captain Casen, out!
…
And still, the camera keeps rolling…”
2030-03-07 | 07:02 UET
Unit 1: Thomas Cook [UK]
“Can they… h-hear me?”
“Yes, Mr. Cook. The microphones can pick you up quite well. Take your time. I’m sure our Friends have the patience to wait just a little longer to hear your voice. They can see that you are pained.”
“Friends…
I am so happy to hahhhhh —kaugh!
Hahhh —have the opportunity to speak to you all. I wanted to tell you myself that I…
I —haughhh!
I have listened to your votes and am allowing Yann Dubois and Miss… Hmn—
—Seema Lackman to assist me in my passing.”
“My Friends! You have voted to take the life of our best surge—“
“Shh! Let him speak, Yann.”
“…Haurgh! Tell Sarah… Tell my wife… I love h-h-herr —I love her very much!”
“She can see you. She knows. She knows.”
2030-03-07 | 07:58 UET
Unit 4: Seema Lackman [IN]
“I am sorry to inform you that—
That, umm…
Thomas Cook of Team One, Unit One is no longer with us.
He has passed with the assistance of my fellow medics and… and myself.
I’m so sorry, Friends.
We tried to save him.
We did the best we could.”
2030-03-21 | 10:18 UET
Unit 7: Casen Silvers [US]
“Hey guys.
Serving out Day Nineteen of my sentence. Seventy-one Days to go before the re-trial!
Whoop, whoop!
…
Ehhh…
You guys really outdid yourselves with designing Tom’s headstone.
Badass lions, roses, motorcycles —didn’t know he was a Harley rider— and crowns everywhere!
To top it off a big-ass British flag right in the middle.
…
You know what you guys have done, right?
You’ve erected the UK flag on this planet. Doesn’t that mean the Red Coats own this place now?
It’s colonialism —Part Deux!
And I thought you guys were the smart cookies. Bunch of trolls instead!
The lasers are out. You might be able to hear them in the background.
They’re busy carving out the damned thing. Using our precious red rock too.
And of course, it’s fucking gorgeous! Ugh!
Think you guys can design a new Miami for my family? You know, my bio-fam? I was told that Florida’s appendage is seeing some serious mutilation. My sisters and dad have been relocated along with the rest of The Tip.
I’m sure you realize, but it’s still your guys’ job to figure out that global warming shit.
There isn’t enough room over here. Trust me.
Anyhow…
Xiao finally let me see the poll results from our last Earth election.
You did know they’re censoring me, right? I can only see or hear what my team sends me.
Also I’m running off the assumption that my unit is still on live feed, you guys, and I’m not just talking to myself in here.
Might make for an awesome insanity plea though…
…
So, the results:
You guys, um, wanted to off me.
For real. A death sentence.
Guess you weren’t so keen on my handiwork.
Having the ability to see every drop of sweat and blood in HD, with crazy realistic 3D rendering —I still have a hard time believing they let all of that feed over to you guys.
But I guess it shouldn’t surprise me; this is playing right out into their hands, isn’t it?
Money can still make a lot of people happy.
I hope you guys know that I did what I had to.
Tom’s interest in our Mission was seriously compromised. Bringing the Old World disease right over into our fresh, new start.
And I couldn’t have that.
We tried to save him.
…
I’m not the monster.
And the others know it.
Otherwise, I’d already be out there. Floating with good ol’ Tommy.
Trust me.
Red Rover, Out.”