Welcome to this new series of Stories,

Which revolve around Murphy

And his rules.

Where what can go wrong,

Will go wrong,

At the worst possible time.

And under the most worst-case scenario.

Murphy at his best!

Of course some have stated

That Murphy was an Optimist!

So welcome to the world of

Mister Murphy!

"Mars Probe Twelve-B"

By

Rugrat60

The entire NASA Mars Flight Team was tasked with monitoring the long and un-eventual and boringly routine flight of the planetary probe named: Mars Probe Twelve-B, to avoid any bad luck, and to keep Mr. Murphy firmly grounded. So no one ever called it Mars Probe 13, not from conception to design to construction to launch and then on to Mars orbital insertion.

Now was the hardest part of the mission; deployment of the Mars Probe 12-B to the surface. But the mission had been a textbook example of how a mission plan was supposed to go. By the book. The book being the Mars Probe 12-B Mission Plan. The book with all of the answers to all of the conceived of problems.

The Plan as it was referred to: had been written by the mission experts, all with proven experience with the other successful previous Mars missions in their resumes. Every contingency and emergency and in-flight problem had been thought of and planned for. From solar flares to computer failure, from a micro-meteoroid strike, to a complete communications failure. There were contingency plans for everything. Up to and including failure of one of the power reactors. And there were back up plans in place for the long list of contingency plans.

There were no Emergency Plans as that also was a sign of bad luck.

Now the Mission Team had all gathered at the command center located at California Southern University s new multi-million dollar Mars Planetary Research Center. The large and comfortable glassed in gallery at the rear of the command center was packed with high-level guests and a few NASA friendly reporters.

All of the Mars Probe 12-B systems had been built by many different, top notch companies and its parts had been developed, designed, tested and retested until they were unworkable and all parts were constructed from the best equipment from the best high tech manufacturing companies from across the planet.

The word Failure was not acceptable term anywhere in any documentation, memo, email or news release or briefing concerning Mars Probe 12-B. It was not an option.

After landing, the team of specialists on the floor below would take over with the deployment of the new rover called Conestoga after the covered wagons that had carried settlers across the American West. This remote controlled explorer, unlike previous ones, was nuclear powered by two small reactors and packed with more scientific instruments than all of the preceding probes combined. With the addition of the high capacity solar panels and batteries, the Conestoga was designed to function for a minimum of twenty-five years. Or so the design engineers proudly claimed.

In orbit above the planet Mars was Intrepid, the carrier that had shuttled Conestoga to Mars along with the latest in orbital satellites, the Mars Four Satellite, which was out fitted with high resolution cameras that could isolate objects on the surface as small as an inch. Its initial duties would be to monitor the landing of the Conestoga and its first few days on the surface. With the satellite s radar tracking system and on board computer system, the main camera would remain fixed upon the Conestoga as it descended.

Meanwhile the lesser powered secondary camera system would be trained on the landing site, so the engineers could actually watch the landing live minus of course the signal delay of seven minutes ten seconds.

At least that was the initial plan. Until someone high up in the NASA managerial food chain had changed their mind and had decided that it would be better to task the more powerful primary camera on the landing spot and have the secondary camera follow the decent.

It ruffled many a feather among some of the team members in the control center. But the tasks were readily switched. It was after all documented in The Mission Plan.

It had also been mentioned by some of the managers that everyone should bring in a lucky charm for good luck.

Beverly Hanson and Ken Roberts exchanged glances and did their very best to keep their elation subdued as they still had to work with their colleagues. As their primary responsibility was to task the main camera and to hunt for objects of interest. But during the descent of the Conestoga they were out of the loop as it was controlled remotely at Mars. Beverly began the control command sequence to retrain the main camera on the landing zone, while Ken set the data feed so it came directly to them first then to the main screens at the front of the room.

Behind them Harry Franks and Sandy Chin, the secondary camera team, were doing the reverse. With both Sandy and Harry throwing small crumpled up wads of paper at them. Just to show their irritation.

The high definition monitors in front of Ken and Beverly displayed commands and the delayed status of the Orbiter s camera system while the single larger screen between them displayed the current image just received from Mars. Both of the Orbiter s camera systems were capable of transmitting a continual stream of images at a rate of one every one tenth of a second. While not quite at television speed it was a moving image. This took a lot of power, but the pair of small nuclear reactors aboard the Orbiter supplied more than enough electrical power for the on board computer s processing requirements, and the communications link back to Earth and the heaters and coolers to keep all the sensitive equipment happy in the cold harsh environment of space.

On the main wall at the front of the command center were four very large screens. The outer two displayed the data readouts from the Conestoga and the Orbital camera systems, while the two inner screens displayed the current images from those camera systems. After Probe 12-B landed and its dual cameras came on line there would be active visuals on all four of the large screens.

Ken muttered softly, "If they had waited any longer."

Beverly, replied, "There would not be enough time. I know."

First the data stream from the orbiter was picked up by one of the number of deep space satellite antennas around the world where it would begin to be received. Then that data stream would be transmitted around the world to the room where they sat and to their consoles.

The images would be assembled bit by bit by the pair of super computers in the basement taking about the same one tenth of a second to display the image on their screen. Moments later the image would reach the controllers here in the control room, scientists around the planet, and NASA Executives at Houston, and various offices in Washington DC, and then the rest of the population of the planet, as almost everyone would be tuned in for the landing.

Beverly and Ken had finished re-tasking the primary camera about thirty minutes local time, nineteen minutes fifty seconds Mars Mission Time, before the Conestoga was due to be deployed with its protective shell that would see it safely through the initial stages of entry into Mars thin atmosphere.

The engineering teams were using the same system of heat shield, parachutes and then the heavy balloons that had successfully landed the other probes on the surface. Only scaled up to use a large para-sail due to the increased size and weight of the Conestoga. And of course this time; with a good percentage of the world watching in almost real time.

Beverly had just settled back in her chair having finished the last of the re-tasking requirements.

Beside her Ken muttered, "What the ..."

She turned to look at him. "What?"

Ken had his finger on the big screen between them. He continued to stare at the image. "There! Watch!"

Beverly rolled her chair closer and looked where he was touching. Then she saw it. A shadow moved. "Can you get a closer image?"

Ken glanced at his control screen. He turned back to the main screen as he answered. "No. At full power."

And the shadow kept on moving.

"Could it be wind?" asked Ken.

"Keep watching," Beverly directed. She turned away and quickly got a split screen. On the top image she began to increase the magnification. She did not even think of asking about recording the image. That was being done at least a couple of hundred different places already in NASA and elsewhere within the Federal Government, never mind on the internet.

Using the computer imaging software she quickly enhanced the top image.

Both of them gasped at what they now saw.

A small worm like creature was slowly moving across the dusty surface of Mars. It was long and thin at about three inches and had what appeared to be a pair of antenna on its head. And the dark brown creature almost blended in with lighter brown and tan colored cracked and broken stones that filled the image.

"What are you two doing?" demanded a stern voice from behind them.

Ken ignored the voice keeping his eyes focused on the monitor and his finger on the screen just below the slow moving worm.

Beverly quickly looked up at him and stated. "It's moving!" Then she turned back to the screen.

John Tanner was the section chief for the Orbiter and he was pissed that these two were goofing off when they should be getting the camera ready for the Conestoga s landing. He stepped down and stood behind Ken Roberts ready to blast him out to the unemployment line. "Moving!" he snorted. "What the hell are you doing?" he demanded.

Ken never turned around. He just tapped the screen.

John Tanner leaned closer and was suddenly looking at the moving worm like creature.

Tanner s jaw fell open.

Then from beside them Beverly muttered softly. "There's another."

Just at the edge of the image there appeared another of the brown colored worm creatures coming out from beneath a tan colored rock.

Tanner could not contain himself and yelled, "We got movement!"

"Main screen," directed Tanner.

Beverly touched a switch and the split image they were watching was suddenly on every screen in the complex and unedited it was also being displayed to much of the planet.

At that moment a third worm creature appeared out from beneath the same rock closely following the second one.

There was stunned silence in the control room.

"Ready to deploy the parachutes," called out someone who was still monitoring the descending probe.

"We have visual," called the Sandy from the secondary camera team.

Then there was a return to the still silence as most of the Mars team continued to watch the screen as a fourth and fifth of the brown worm creatures slowly moved out from beneath the rock.

One of the three main screens changed to display the image of the Conestoga s canister falling through the thin atmosphere of Mars.

There was a countdown displayed in the lower right of the screen.

But few were watching the count down. Most were watching the brown worm creatures slowly moving across the tan and brown rocks.

"Coming up on para-sail deployment," stated someone. "Five ... four ... three ..."

There were a few more technicians still paying attention to the probe now.

"Two ... one. Deployment."

The right screen showed the top of the reentry canister was ejected then fell away as the canister with Mars Probe 12-B continued its rapid descent.

Now there were what looked like ten of the worm creatures moving steadily across the screen. Some appeared to be smaller than the first ones.

"Para-sails in five ... four ... three ... two ... one."

All they were watching now is what had already happened a long seven minutes ten seconds ago. In real time on Mars the probe was already on the ground. The balloons would actually be deflating now and the Conestoga would be readying itself for its excursion onto the surface.

And the herd of brown worm creatures continued their slow trek across the light tan stones.

There were now eleven.

There were only a few in the command center who were watching the time delayed images of Mars Probe 12-B rapidly dropping through Mars thin atmosphere. It was something they all knew. It had all been done before. In every mission all had gone well.

The few that were watching were the ones responsible for the landing.

There was one engineer watching the decent of Mars Probe 12-B. Dave Thurston. The para-sail was his baby. He wanted to watch the worms. But the para-sail system was his baby. The para-sail was the only thing capable of slowing the much larger Conestoga. It was his part of getting the Probe safely to Mars. He had to be sure everything worked as designed.

The image from the secondary camera system on the orbital platform stayed focused on the descent canister. And the view from above was just what he wanted.

The first pair of bright orange and red parachutes deployed and slowly filled with air. They were tethered to the leading and trailing edges of the central support of the thirty-foot long fifteen-foot wide para-sail. Dave watched the images intently as the twin parachutes filled with air in the time he had expected. He smiled waiting. When the drag was enough the latches holding the para-sail released.

The two red and yellow chutes pulled the bright orange para-sail from the canister. The rush of the Martian atmosphere inflated the para-sail and it quickly expanded to its full width.

Then the bottom of the canister fell away as the packaged Mars Probe 12-B slipped up and out. And the para-sail with its passenger began to glide toward the surface.

Someone said, "We have Probe separation."

Dave Thurston leaned back in his chair and ran both of his hands through his graying hair. "Yes!" he stated softly. His part was done. Yes! And it had worked. He sighed with relief. Then his thoughts quickly changed direction. The worms on Mars!

Now that demanded his attention. And he too focused on the Martian worm creatures.

Up on the two center screens at the front of the control center were images from the two camera systems, which were being displayed side by side. The left screen was showing the split screen, which displayed the slow movement of the near dozen of the Martian worm creatures. While the right screen showed the continued descent of the Conestoga hanging beneath the para-sail still wrapped in the package of balloons that would soon be inflating.

The Conestoga was well centered in the image on the right screen. The automated radar tracking system was working as planned.

A voice called out, "Balloon inflation in ... Five ... Four ... Three ... Two ... One."

The rugged balloons surrounding Mars Probe 12-B began to inflate. Soon there was a giant grayish colored bubble hanging beneath the para-sail. It continued to descend towards the reddish surface.

"Look," said someone. "There's more of them! "

On the left screen three more of the brown worm creatures came into view.

Another voice was calling out numbers. "1,000 meters ... 800 ... 600 ... 400 ... 200 ... 100. We have release."

On the right screen the gray bubble dropped from the para-sail.

"Speed: 120," called out another engineer.

The para-sail drifted out of view.

The tumbling gray bubble dropped steadily remaining centered in the screen..

"100 meters."

"Speed 115."

The gray bubble continued to drop.

"50 meters."

"Speed 115."

The gray bubble hit the surface as it tumbled. It bounced and continued its tumbling.

"Speed 105."

On the right screen the gray bubble hit the surface again. It bounced and continued its tumble through the thin Martian air. Only this time two of the balloons were in tatters. There were pieces of shiny metal spinning away in an arc.

"Speed 100."

The gray bubble hit the surface of Mars again. It bounced continuing onward in its tumbling. Two more of the gray balloons had ruptured. More silvery specks could be seen being tossed into the air in a great arc. And as the Conestoga tumbled parts of it could be seen where there had been bubbles.

"Speed 75."

The right screen showed the remaining gray bubble surrounding the Conestoga hit the ground hard. Dust swirled up as the remaining bags exploded into tatters.

On the left hand screen there was a great shadow and a flash of color then dust.

There were several alarms going off around the control center.

"I have a radiation spike," called out someone.

"Electrical power is lost from reactor two."

"Warning! The sensors have gone off line."

Beverly could only see as dust obscured image.

The dust settled rather quickly in the thin atmosphere of Mars.

Color began to show on both the left and right screens.

The left screen showed a crushed and bent Mars Probe 12-B. On the side there was a bent and crumpled sheet of metal with the red white and blue of the flag of the United States.

The right screen gave larger picture of the crumpled Conestoga and the tatters of the grayish balloons lying in the dust.

The room was filled with many alarms.

Ken slowly turned to Beverly. In a hushed, choked voice he said, "It landed on them."

Epilog

It would later be determined after much delaying, putting off, threatening, procrastinating, out right denial and finally after 12 years of legal battling in ever higher levels of the United States court system, it was finally revealed that Western Electric, who was in the middle of constructing several nuclear power plants across the United States and who had won the contract for the nuclear generators for Mars Probe 12-B, and who was stretching its resources to the limit, which in turn sub-contracted them out to Western Power, Inc, whose main product was high end electric car batteries, who in turn sub-contracted them out to a small start-up company, Solar Sun Power, which was doing research on solar panels via a Eight Hundred Million Dollar Federal Stimulus Grant, and which was owned by a Charles Bishop, the husband of a second cousin of Nancy Kreggs a top NASA official who in turn farmed out the reactor development to China Nuclear Power located in China. Who delivered the small nuclear generators for thirty times the cost and three times the delivery time with a legal loophole as is clause in their contract. All of the cost over runs were passed back up to NASA which is why it took an extra three years to get Mars Probe 12-B launched due to missing the first two launch windows.

Mars Probe 12-B Final Mission Note:

The twin nuclear power reactors on the Orbital Camera Platform malfunctioned within three hours of each other and the systems on the platform rapidly shut down. This occurred three weeks after Mars Probe 12-B made a well observed hard impact on the surface of Mars and all of its on board systems stopped functioning at the moment of impact. The impact site is expected to be too radioactive to examine for the next ten to fifteen years.

There were no further signs of the brown colored worm creatures. And it was concluded that if any had survived the impact, with the amount of released radiation from the damaged reactor, the levels would have killed them within hours to a few days at most.

It would later be determined after the first manned mission to Mars when the Conestoga was examined, that the company, which manufactured the impact balloons, had substituted nylon fiber for the called for kevlar material used in the manufacturing of the balloons. The company has since closed.

Personal Note:

Beverly Hanson and Ken Roberts were instant celebrities and made a fortune on the speaking tour and as the co-owners of the newly formed Roberts-Hanson Space Delivery Systems are currently building Mars Flight One for its planned manned mission after their company had successfully landed on Mars with Probes 14, 15 and 16. Mars Flight One, which, is expected to be launched with a crew of 15 from the newly constructed orbital space dock in orbit over Clarke City on the moon.
Also working at Roberts-Hanson are Dave Thurston, Harry Franks and Sandy Chin. Sandy Chin has already been accepted for the manned Mars mission. She will be one of the three astronauts who will remain in orbit while the other twelve will make the first Mars landing. Sandy is very pleased to be making the voyage. Her task is to see if she can get the cameras on the orbital platform working again after replacing the reactors with ones brought with them. That is if it is safe to go near the platform. If not they will be deploying another orbital observation platform.

The expected launch date for Mars Flight One is scheduled for an April 1, 2018 launch window. And yes they selected that specific date deliberately.

Mars Support Three is already one month into its voyage carrying supplies and equipment that will be waiting in orbit with One and Two when Mars Flight One arrives. Four through Ten will follow along with Mars Flight Two.

On Going Federal Investigative Probes:

China Nuclear Power:

The head of research at China Nuclear Power is currently unavailable for comment. And all inquiries about China Nuclear Power are being rejected with great indignant and political anger.

NASA Management:

NASA Management is currently under review for their failure to adhere to the Federal Government s directive that all NASA funded programs be fully Made In The USA. Which NASA Administrators seem to have forgotten. NASA funding is now currently under severe and close financial and managerial review.

Solar Sun Power:

Charles Bishop of Solar Sun Power has left the country and his assets have vanished. The company is insolvent and went belly up. There is still a remaining Federal Government payment to the company of Fifty Million dollars still pending. Charles Bishop s Second Cousin former NASA executive, Nancy Kreggs, has filed a lawsuit in Federal Court that full payment should be paid. Public outcry over her demands has put great political pressure on the government. So far Kreggs is being ignored by everyone.

Western Power, Inc.:

The five Western Electric Executives who elected to pass the NASA Reactor Program to another company were tragically and lethally radiated until they were turned into puddles of glowing gelatinous goop during a full power test at the Western Electric's Hollywood Nuclear Power Facility. The NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) is currently investigating why the staff at the plant failed to follow posted safety procedures. The only public comment came from an unnamed company spokesperson who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to make public comments about the on going Federal Investigation, stated through a interpreter who spoke only English and North Korean, No one here knew they were actually in the reactor core at the time of the test. The unnamed company spokesperson has since been transferred to another unknown company facility, as has the unnamed interpreter.

Questions about why: a technician at a nuclear facility in the United States only spoke North Korean has been ignored by Federal officials.

NASA Employee: Nancy Kreggs

Former NASA employee Nancy Kreggs is currently serving 72 years for fraud at the almost harsh Federal Prison known as Country Club West. She has stated that she expects that she will receive an early release in six months. She has already petitioned for a full pardon. Her transfer to Leavenworth Military Prison will be next week.

Mars Probe 12-B

The End