It is written (because I wrote it) that on
the very next day, our two crews worked together shoulder to shoulder and side
by side for the first time. And what a difference it made. All the equipment
and supplies from the remotes and T-2 were
removed and stowed in the warehouses within five days. On the sixth day, Nick
and I fired up the remotes and flew them out to the edge of the plain, a
kilometer or more away from the city, parked them there, and drove the rovers
they carried back to the city. Nick flew the last remote out there with me
riding shotgun so I could return with the six-wheeled, pressurized rover and
park it in T-2’s cargo hold while he
drove the remaining buggy back.
In the course of those six days, the
separate crews of the Albatross and
the ISS merged together and became one—the ISS crew officially joined us as
Martians! It was on the seventh day, which we had unanimously declared a day of
rest, that most of us were sitting in the terminal having coffee when Nick
asked the question I was sure he had been dying to ask since we had returned.
“So what is Earth like now? Is there any chance that some people may have
survived? What did it look like when you were close to it?” Nick asked me.
I saw Grizzly drop his gaze to stare at the
table, and I was sure I saw tears in his eyes. I almost hated Nick at that
point for his insensitivity. Before I could answer, Vladimir spoke
passionately:
“There is nothing there! It is a burned and
blackened wasteland! I really hope that nothing has survived on it—it would be
a living hell for them,” He raised his head once more. “I will never forget,
for as long as I live, watching helplessly from above as mankind systematically
and efficiently destroyed itself and our planet Earth with all the fires from hell.
Then, of course, we came to the realization that we would all soon be dead
ourselves in a tin can in the coldness of space. Only thanks to the kindness
and humanity of you ‘Martians’ were we saved from that horrible fate, and we
will all be eternally grateful to you all for that.”
“I am terribly sorry, Vladimir. That was
extremely insensitive of me to bring it up. I can only imagine the fear and
sorrow, not to mention the horror, of what you have been through. Please
forgive me,” Nick said.
Maybe there was some hope for Nicholas as a
human being after all. I was shocked at the fact that he actually knew the word
insensitive. I couldn’t help
wondering, however, if he really knew what it meant.
“It’s all right, Nicholas; you are forgiven.
It still gets to me even after all these months, but as they say, ‘Time heals
all wounds.’ So what is next on the agenda?”
“Well, some of us will be helping out in the
labs with the birthing (thawing) and development of the remaining embryos,
nursing them to life, and then nurturing them to health and independence. We
will also be propagating seeds we have brought with us. Some of us will be
working in the terrarium planting seeds, caring for the animals and crops, and
so on. I will leave it to you, Grizzly, to choose which of your crew will be
assigned to which duties. You know them and what tasks they would be suited for
far better than I do. Dick and Courtney, and I assume Boris, will be working on
the computers as necessary to maintain the city and keep things running. I
think you’ll find that we will keep you busy and entertained for a very long
time,” I answered.
“Excellent. I already know how I will deploy
them. I would like to alternate between working in the labs and in the terrarium
depending upon where I am needed most at any given time—if that is agreeable to
you two.”
“Yes, of course. I am sure you will be most
useful wherever you happen to be. Tell me, Vladimir, did you ever happen to
meet a Colonel Holman McCallum?” Nick asked.
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