Chapter 35
Chapter 36
PART V: MARS CITY
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Acknowledgments
PART I
IN THE HALL OF THE MARTIAN ENTREPRENEURS
It seemed…that if he or some other lord did not endeavor to gain that knowledge, no mariners or merchants would ever dare to attempt it, for it is clear that none of them ever trouble themselves to sail to a place where there is not a sure and certain hope of profit.
Prince Henry the Navigator,
assessing the motivations for sea exploration,
circa 1480
1
JANUARY 11, 2018
“WELCOME BACK TO MARS!”
She always opened these public broadcasts in the same way. Firm, friendly, positive.
“Viktor and I are here near the northern rim of Gusev Crater, doing some final surveying work.”
Actually, we had to get out of the hab one last time. Take a last look around, have some time together before we’re all crammed into that tiny Earth Return Vehicle, the size of a New York apartment.
“I expect most of you know the view pretty well by now.”
I hope you’re not already bored and out getting a sandwich.
“Still, those high ramparts to the east catching the afternoon sun, they’re beautiful. A kilometer high, too.”
Hope they don’t recall that I covered nearly this same territory over a year ago. Completing a search grid isn’t exciting, but maybe we shouldn’t coddle the audience so much. And then, Axelrod’s media types would just cut this part out anyway.
“The theme here is looking for unusual volcanic activity, whether fossil evidence or even current emissions. And biological clues, too—after all, I’m still hopeful. We have to keep a sharp eye out. Mars covers a lot of its secrets in dust! Nothing so far, but some of you may remember that over there—Viktor, pan across to the east, will you?—we located some lava tubes so big that we could walk into them. That was exciting! Marc later worked out from his radioactive dating equipment that the lava had flowed in them nearly a billion years ago.”
Yeah, and not a sign of any activity since. I’ll bet Axelrod’s media managers cut this whole segment.
Not that I give a damn. I must’ve made over three hundred of these bright-eyed little talks by now. At least on this one there’s something to look at. Going home, it’ll be worse than those loooong six months getting here. Nothing to report but scientific details. No big cliff-hanger suspense about the landing, or about what we’d find, like on the way out. Maybe some about the dangers of aerobraking, but that’s minor. I’ll bet Las Vegas doesn’t even give odds on us making it.
“So we’ll just keep pushing. One more night out here, then back to base for the prelaunch trials. Should be exciting!”
This smile must be frozen on by now…
“So good-bye for now. Julia, from Mars to you.”
She stuck out her tongue. “Auggghh! Doing this for two years and still I can never think of anything to say.”
Viktor lowered the camera. “Spontaneous. Is better that way.”
“God, if this wasn’t in the contract—”
“Would not have made even a dozen, I know. You said maybe one thousand times now.”
“Marc is so much better at this.”
“Marc is not here. Want to make quick squirt for your parents?”
This brightened her. “Sure, roll ’em.”
Julia struck a pose a little less heroic and shifted her feet. She was in her pressure suit, which bulked impressively but also, when Viktor went to a wide shot, showed its scrapes and blotchy color. It had started out a pretty royal blue, the best color choice of the four, but the UV and peroxides here had hammered it pretty hard. Now Viktor’s yellow stood out better.
Viktor waved, and she said, “Hi, Mums and Dad. Here I am, back on survey. Had a good time on Kangaroo Island? Hard to keep the old eagle eyes peeled when I know we’re headed back in just a few weeks. Man, am I getting worn down! Viktor’s taking a break with me, the getaway special for the newlyweds.”
