Mission Mars by Janet L. Cannon

smooth relations between nations, Li Yunhe had been chosen to be the negotiator between the nations, earning her nickname “The Diplomat.”
    As the poker game continued, Athanasius could be heard opening locker doors, rummaging for something. Calvin yelled at him. “You playing or not?”
    â€œGive me a minute!” Athanasius yelled in returned.
    As they waited for his return, Calvin idly stacked the candy bar stakes into a little pyramid and commented, “So much for the utopian, currency-free society we’re supposed to be founding.”
    â€œYeah, where were we when we abandoned the chips? Week three?” asked Anita.
    â€œIt’s not money; it’s just dessert,” protested Ranbir.
    â€œAnd chores and movies and shower time,” added Yunhe. “We did what your basic post-apocalyptic society does—get rid of the middle man and go straight for what the currency stood for in the first place.”
    Katenka bit into a slice of the sweet lime she had won fromAnita’s personal research project with exaggerated enjoyment. “Mmm, middle-man-free currency,” she purred.
    â€œExactly,” said Anita. “That is the point of all this, isn’t it? To cut out all the useless waste back on Earth and create something where everyone is making a positive contribution?
    For example, I’m the one who’s making sure you don’t all drop dead of scurvy,” she said, pointing at the lime in Katenka’s hand.
    â€œArghh, avast me harties,” growled the captain, “thar be fresh fruit off the port bow!”
    They all chuckled, and then Ranbir asked, “Who do you think is going to make the cut for the next crew?” It was an old speculation, but a common topic of conversation as they all wondered which of their colleagues back on Earth would get the chance to join them on Mars.
    â€œThat Kalnietis kid should make the cut, as soon as he’s legal,” said the captain.
    â€œNo way, Eric,” objected Calvin, “they’ll still want people to go through some sort of academic program, or at least have some expertise in a service career first to gain the necessary skill set.”
    Captain Eric pointed his finger to the group. “This is the kid who taught himself English by watching old episodes of Star Trek. He’s got that level of…” He glanced around the table, “dedication all Martian explorers should have.”
    â€œNo need to sugar coat it,” said Yunhe as she arranged a pile of chocolate candies by color. “You can call it what it is: obsession. And yeah, I agree, he’s got it.”
    â€œKalnietis may be young, but the Selection Committee would love to have someone like him, in order to check off some more boxes on their diversity list,” said Anita.
    â€œAnd provide good publicity to prove the crazies in the Middle East can’t control the world,” Katenka added.
    Yunhe gestured at the ship around her. “I still can’t believe that fatwa against Mars travel was issued before most of this was even invented. They clearly don’t have enough real work to do. Who has the time to sit around making laws against things that weren’t even possible?”
    â€œMore folks on Mars the merrier, I say,” said Calvin cheerfully.
    â€œAre we setting up a scientific base, or the Martian branch of the United Nations?” huffed Ranbir, an old compliant, as he unwrapped a caramel Galaxy bar. He’d worried loudly—and often—before the mission that too much focus on diversity would keep them from ever deciding on a final crew.
    â€œWhy not both?” sang out Anita and Katenka at the same time. Both women laughed.
    â€œIf they don’t pick Kalnietis by the second or third mission, he’ll just stowaway in one of the storage lockers,” said Calvin.
    â€œWhich, if the cargo master didn’t figure it out, it wouldn’t say much