Glory on Mars Read Online Free

closed the chart display.
    "I am a determined woman. All the women in my family
are willful. When we choose to accomplish something, we succeed,
and that is the attitude needed to colonize Mars. Technology may
keep you alive, but attitude will allow you to thrive."
    "Perhaps you understand the situation," Mlle Lambert
said. "Once you join Kamp Kans on Mars, perhaps you will favor the
video feeds."
    Liz and James nodded and Claude frowned. The little
speech reminded Emma of her father, but she didn't need more
inspiration.
    "I don't think the first thing I want to do is start
an argument with the other settlers," Emma said.
    "Very wise. Keep in mind the colony is not yet
self-sustaining. We will launch ships through mission seven, one
every twenty-five months - then we must skip a few years, so ships
don't arrive at the height of Mars' storm season. After that... we
shall see. By then, perhaps there will be enough resources on Mars
for the colony to survive without us."
    "Mission seven. We'll have twenty-eight settlers on
Mars by then," Claude said.
    "Twenty-seven." Liz corrected him quietly.
    Mlle Lambert sipped her champagne for a moment.
"Twenty-seven are not enough settlers to satisfy the experts, as
you know. But, with luck, perhaps enough for humanity to have a
permanent home on Mars."
    She rose from her chair.
    "Of course you must do what you feel is right. But it
would be a very sad thing to be both the first and the last humans
on Mars."
    Jason appeared and opened the door behind her.
    "Please enjoy your breakfast," she said. "A human
foothold on Mars has been my lifelong dream, and you are making it
come true. You have my gratitude."
    She gave them each a nod, turning to Emma last.
    "Your father never mentioned me, did he?"
    "I'm afraid I don't remember..."
    "Quite right. Good luck Doctor Winters." Mlle Lambert
stepped through the door and Jason followed her. There was the soft
click of a lock turning.
    "Well, I'll be..." Claude continued to stare at the
closed door.
    "She seems to like you," James said to Emma. "What do
you think of this business with the vid feeds?"
    "It's close to eight months before we enter Mars
orbit. Maybe things will sort themselves out," Emma said. She
walked back to the buffet and picked up a wedge of watermelon.
    "It's seedless, Liz."
    "Too bad. We don't have any watermelon seeds with
us."
    They were leaving so much behind.
    I'll have to request that watermelon seeds be added
to the next mission, Emma thought.
     
     
     

Chapter Four:
Farewell

    That evening, Emma dressed for the farewell event in
a standard settler's uniform: a rust and blue striped rugby shirt
over khaki cargo pants. The versions she'd wear on the spaceship
and at Kamp Kans were stain-free, self-cleaning fabrics knit from
fibers infused with a slippery film.
    At least I won't be doing laundry for years to come,
she thought, and sadly rubbed the soft cotton shirt between her
fingers.
    Emma didn't usually worry about how she looked. In
robotics labs, fashion consisted of colorful frames on safety
glasses. Outside the lab, Colony Mars had been dressing her for a
couple years. But for the journey to Mars, she'd cropped her hair
short and the severe cut didn't enhance her square, pale face.
Tonight was a party, so she tried to fluff her hair out around her
ears but didn't bother with makeup - there'd be none on Mars.
    There was just one last duty before the farewell
party, a final media conference in the convention wing of the
hotel.
    She was walking down the hall with the rest of the
crew when her link beeped.
    "Huh, it's Dad," she said to Liz. "I'll be along in a
minute."
    Her father's face appeared over the link. He usually
wore a solemn expression, but tonight he looked grim.
    "I'm starting a new line of asteroid mining bots, and
I need a group leader. I'd like that leader to be you. Your own
lab, and of course you'll pick your own team. We'll start with a
research-oriented budget..."
    "What? Dad." She interrupted him.