isn’t it?”
“I am observing it through the main telescope.”
“Looks like we are on our own,” Robert says.
“I think we both know that this must be down to the occupants of the Emerald City. What should we do?”
“It’s a game, Lucy. And what we are going to do is keep on playing.”
* * *
Robert pulls himself along the central corridor toward the flight deck, this time its door opening for him as he approaches. A large panoramic window dominates a space crammed with control systems. He maneuvers himself into the navigator’s flight seat, a wide display before him.
“Live from our telescope,” Lucy says.
It is an oblique view of the extinct Martian super-volcano, Olympus Mons. Over five hundred kilometers across, twenty-seven kilometers high. Within its vast caldera is an asymmetrical domed structure of luminescent green—it hadn’t taken long for it to be dubbed The Emerald City .
“Any response to our messages?” Robert asks.
“It remains completely inert.”
“I suspect that it is anything but that.”
“The Emerald City,” Lucy muses. “Sixty kilometers across at its largest dimension, and to a height of three. A curvilinear surface perfect to the tolerance of our instruments.”
“Bring up the most recent Mars Observer images.”
Lucy displays an orbital view from Observer Seven alongside the telescope feed. It presents Olympus Mons as one might expect it to be—without the dome.
“Why do you suppose they are still manipulating the feed?” Lucy asks.
“They mean for us not to have a clear view until we are upon it.”
“Why would they do that?”
“So that we cannot plan, Lucy.”
FRIENDS
But they could prepare, with eight days before their arrival, both having duties to perform. Lucy’s primary concern was a series of breaking maneuvers to take them into Mars orbit, while Robert got in as many flight simulation hours as he could on the Nairobi. A shared effort was needed to prep the Mombasa—it had already been stripped down to a minimum weight, now it needed to be fueled and every aspect of its flight systems checked and rechecked.
All work and no play? As far as Robert was concerned—no chance.
* * *
A scruffy Robert stares at a holographic game of Go, but clearly lost in some other thought. Lucy breaks the salience.
“What is the difficulty between you and Commander Toor?”
This serves only to surface Robert back to focusing on the game. He makes a play. But the question has burrowed its way in.
“Why do you ask?”
“It’s just that at Lagrange Two her behavior toward you seemed odd.”
“Odd in what way?”
“Angry. Aggressive.”
Lucy makes her play for Robert to ponder.
“Is this a tactic to distract me?” he says.
“Not at all. Are you uncomfortable with the question?”
Robert puts the game first, making his next move.
“A little.”
Lucy takes a moment to consider Robert’s play, before making her own move.
“Is she a spurned lover?”
“Lucy, for heaven’s sake. No.”
A sadness besieges Robert, memories welling up from deep within, the mistakes he had made and the price paid by those close to him. He keeps his gaze on the game.
“She was a friend at a time when I had few and needed them most,” he says. “That friendship cost her more than she was prepared to forgive, and I can’t say I blame her.”
“Do you miss her?”
“ Lucy …”
“Your move.”
Robert slips a sly look at the nearest wall camera overlooking the game, before returning his attention to the Go board. A moment’s consideration and he makes a decisive play.
“A good move,” Lucy declares. “I concede.”
“You’re letting me win.”
“Not at all.”
“Oh, come on. You could easily—”
“I choose not to,” Lucy says tersely, forgetting herself, and now needing a lighter tone, “It’s more fun that way. Would you like another game?”
Robert makes a play of relaxing back into his sofa, arms outstretched, his eyes fixed on
“I am observing it through the main telescope.”
“Looks like we are on our own,” Robert says.
“I think we both know that this must be down to the occupants of the Emerald City. What should we do?”
“It’s a game, Lucy. And what we are going to do is keep on playing.”
* * *
Robert pulls himself along the central corridor toward the flight deck, this time its door opening for him as he approaches. A large panoramic window dominates a space crammed with control systems. He maneuvers himself into the navigator’s flight seat, a wide display before him.
“Live from our telescope,” Lucy says.
It is an oblique view of the extinct Martian super-volcano, Olympus Mons. Over five hundred kilometers across, twenty-seven kilometers high. Within its vast caldera is an asymmetrical domed structure of luminescent green—it hadn’t taken long for it to be dubbed The Emerald City .
“Any response to our messages?” Robert asks.
“It remains completely inert.”
“I suspect that it is anything but that.”
“The Emerald City,” Lucy muses. “Sixty kilometers across at its largest dimension, and to a height of three. A curvilinear surface perfect to the tolerance of our instruments.”
“Bring up the most recent Mars Observer images.”
Lucy displays an orbital view from Observer Seven alongside the telescope feed. It presents Olympus Mons as one might expect it to be—without the dome.
“Why do you suppose they are still manipulating the feed?” Lucy asks.
“They mean for us not to have a clear view until we are upon it.”
“Why would they do that?”
“So that we cannot plan, Lucy.”
FRIENDS
But they could prepare, with eight days before their arrival, both having duties to perform. Lucy’s primary concern was a series of breaking maneuvers to take them into Mars orbit, while Robert got in as many flight simulation hours as he could on the Nairobi. A shared effort was needed to prep the Mombasa—it had already been stripped down to a minimum weight, now it needed to be fueled and every aspect of its flight systems checked and rechecked.
All work and no play? As far as Robert was concerned—no chance.
* * *
A scruffy Robert stares at a holographic game of Go, but clearly lost in some other thought. Lucy breaks the salience.
“What is the difficulty between you and Commander Toor?”
This serves only to surface Robert back to focusing on the game. He makes a play. But the question has burrowed its way in.
“Why do you ask?”
“It’s just that at Lagrange Two her behavior toward you seemed odd.”
“Odd in what way?”
“Angry. Aggressive.”
Lucy makes her play for Robert to ponder.
“Is this a tactic to distract me?” he says.
“Not at all. Are you uncomfortable with the question?”
Robert puts the game first, making his next move.
“A little.”
Lucy takes a moment to consider Robert’s play, before making her own move.
“Is she a spurned lover?”
“Lucy, for heaven’s sake. No.”
A sadness besieges Robert, memories welling up from deep within, the mistakes he had made and the price paid by those close to him. He keeps his gaze on the game.
“She was a friend at a time when I had few and needed them most,” he says. “That friendship cost her more than she was prepared to forgive, and I can’t say I blame her.”
“Do you miss her?”
“ Lucy …”
“Your move.”
Robert slips a sly look at the nearest wall camera overlooking the game, before returning his attention to the Go board. A moment’s consideration and he makes a decisive play.
“A good move,” Lucy declares. “I concede.”
“You’re letting me win.”
“Not at all.”
“Oh, come on. You could easily—”
“I choose not to,” Lucy says tersely, forgetting herself, and now needing a lighter tone, “It’s more fun that way. Would you like another game?”
Robert makes a play of relaxing back into his sofa, arms outstretched, his eyes fixed on
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