Aurora (The Exodus Trilogy) Read Online Free Page B

new order of things, Dr. Oliver Reynolds had been largely forgotten. The history of the first men on Mars still held a place in the collective memory of the nation, but only as a warning and an example of the naiveté that had eventually led to the disaster.
    Every time Kenneth though about that, he shuddered. To think that the fatal disaster should be used as leverage to cripple the constitution and dismantle democracy was nauseating. And even worse, what if it hadn’t happened? What if the Mars settlement had been a success, and NASA and all the other agencies had been allowed to continue their work? Could the greatest disaster of all time have been averted? Could they have discovered the rogue planet earlier, possibly even saved Earth? Or at the least, saved more lives?
    When Kenneth was first summoned to join the Selection for the Exodus, he had found a purpose. He had decided early on that he would do whatever he could to prevent the star farers from making the same mistakes that had changed his country into something unrecognizable, something ugly. But here he was, with the Havelar administration tightening its reins and gaining more control with every day that passed, and still he had no idea what to do. He didn’t know of any sort of opposition, even though there had to be others like him. Some habits were hard to kill, and caution seemed second nature to him. It had served him well so far, but he knew that at some point he’d have to let go of some of that caution, and open up to someone. If everyone kept silent and played careful, Havelar would transform Aurora into the image of Andrews’ America unopposed. But who could he talk to, who could he trust?
    Kenneth looked at his watch and decided it was time to walk back, lest he be out here in the woods as darkness crept upon him. He had about an hour to cross the perimeter if he wanted to avoid the tighter security of the night shift. He got up and brushed a few crumbs from his lap. Then he stretched his back and picked up his small backpack before he turned east.
    It took him about fifty minutes to reach the perimeter. He approached carefully, watching for anything out of the ordinary. The patrols shouldn’t be here for another half hour, but you could never be too careful. When he decided it was safe, he leapt forward, crossing an open field as quickly as possible. His movement would alert the motion detectors, but by the time the guards got here, he’d be long gone. From observation, he knew that the guards were alerted by movement several times a week, and it would just as likely be contributed to a balder or a pack of rat monkeys moving a little too close to the perimeter. He chuckled to himself as he ducked down behind a pile of rocks and waited again. He loved it when he outsmarted the guards. When nothing happened, he decided his assumptions of the guards’ schedule still held. They would be on their way, but he knew the time it took them to reach this area, so he continued. Now he walked through an area where small streams wove between the low trees and brushes. He waded across the narrow river that people considered the border of human territory, but the water was low, and his high boots kept his feet dry. After a few minutes, he reached the trail used by the patrols. From here on in, it wouldn’t be too difficult to explain himself if anyone noticed him, as a lot of people would occasionally venture this far. Here, there were fewer restrictions on movement, and he would quickly blend in.
    Just as he reached the first buildings, tents actually, he noticed a familiar figure pass into a group of trees nearby. It was Thomas Dunn, the enigmatic figure he’d talked to from time to time. He wondered what he was doing out here, and why he seemed to be carrying a heavy pack on his back. But the younger man either hadn’t noticed him, or perhaps didn’t want to be noticed. Either way, Kenneth thought it odd that he was moving west at this time of day. He