Even Earth was out of luck, since eighty
percent of her population ate synthetics. There were ways to synthesize
Earth-normal food, but they were still hopelessly inefficient.
Jake had ordered one of the villages to rebuild their plant for such a
purpose, while another was producing the enzyme that would permit
switching. But it looked hopeless for more than a few of the most
valuable men.
"No progress?" Jake asked for the hundredth time.
Doc grinned wryly. "A lot, but no help. We've found a fine accelerator
for the bug. We can speed up its incubation or even make someone already
infected catch it all over again. But we can't slow it down or stop it."
The new laboratory was still being fitted when they arrived. It had been
dug into one of the few real cliffs in this section of Mars. The power
plant had been installed, complete with a steam plant that would operate
off sunlight in the daytime through a series of heat valves that took in
a lot of warm air and produced smaller amounts hot enough to boil water.
"I'll see you whenever I can," Jake said. "But mostly, you're going to
be somewhat isolated so they won't trace you. Let them think they goofed
with the shuttles and hit you and Chris. Anything you need?"
"Guinea pigs," Doc told him sarcastically. It was meant as a joke,
though a highly bitter one. Jake nodded and left them.
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