Read Online Glory on Mars by Kate Rauner - Free Book Online Page A

Five,
the Kinderen mission.
    S-5 was the only all-female mission, a chance to
jump-start the settlement's first generation. Colony Mars never
used the term "breeders" in their PR - it was too harsh, too
clinical. They preferred to keep the public's attention focused on
the future children. That's why, they explained once when Emma
asked, S-5 was the Kinderen Mission and not the Mothers'
Mission.
    Colony Mars was scheduled to announce finalists for
the S-5 crew and, ironically, the cat would be neutered that same
afternoon. Liz used a specially prepared surgical kit and he
recovered quickly. James sagely observed that his behavior remained
as objectionable as ever.
     
    ***
     
    The ship's AI announced the engine burn an hour in
advance and, tracking his transponder, helped Liz and Emma find the
cat wedged between some pipes in a particularly warm spot in life
support. He protested as Emma pulled him out, stuffed him into the
carrier Liz held waiting, and sucked at the scratches on her
hand.
    They tipped the bunks into acceleration position and
strapped in. Emma's hair had grown long enough to put back and she
twisted on a stretch-tie. They were secure far enough in advance
for James to complain about the wait before the AI began the final
countdown.
    Despite being ready for acceleration, Emma could
hardly breathe through the burn. The cat meowed pitifully. Emma was
beginning to worry the ship would send them into the asteroid belt
when the pressure evaporated and she sucked in a deep, shaky
breath.
    "The course correction is completed," the AI
announced. "Engine performance was within parameters."
    Emma glanced at the Earth Scan sphere, which was a
soft orange. Apparently news of the successful burn hadn't
registered on Earth yet.
    "Yee ha!" James pulled his straps loose. "Next stop
Mars."
     
     
     

Chapter Eleven:
Arrival

    Shortly after the mid-course correction, a video
transmission arrived from Mars. The vid showed the seven settlers
watching a screen displaying an animation of the Settler Three
ship. Engines on the animation fired, the blast lasting much less
time than Emma remembered, and then cut off. An orbital diagram
superimposed over the image showing a curved path catching up to
the red dot indicating Mars. The settlers cheered, hugged, and spun
around to face the imager.
    "You are now closer to Mars than to Earth." A man in
the center of the group shouted and waved. "More Martian than
Earther."
    Daan von Berg would stand out even if he wasn't
waving. He was fairly tall like most Dutch men, with blue eyes and
a dirty blond mop of hair. He was a "builder", as the S-2 crew was
designated, and Emma had met him and his crewmates on Earth. She
also knew Luis, the dark wiry Belgian who piloted Jumpship Two,
Melina from Greece, and Sanni from Finland who stood in the
background. Settler One's crew, the Pioneers, she recognized from
messaging. Ingra had been a Pioneer and now three remained.
    "In a time-honored tradition of once before, we
declare a holiday for each settler mission's mid-course
correction," Daan said. He raised his cup.
    "To quote the poet - Where never lark or even eagle
flew,
    "With silent, lifting mind you tread
    "The high untrespassed sanctity of space."
    A little thrill ran through Emma.
    "It's a Christmas present eight days early for us,"
James said back to the screen. Emma and Liz passed out squeeze
bulbs of wine as the message was transmitted to Mars and a reply
came back.
    "Days!" The Belgian scoffed. "You sound like an
Earther. This is sol three thirty-two of jaar one hundred six.
Though why we use an old NASA numbering instead of starting over at
jaar zero, I'll never understand."
    "Jaar one! Starting over at jaar one," someone
called. People argued how to number the first year with passion.
Maybe that's good, Emma thought - we need something safe to argue
over, since we must cooperate to survive.
    "And that's why we stick with jaar one-oh-six," Daan
said with a laugh.
    "Forgive me," James