Martians Abroad

“Have to admit he’s a bit spooky. The way he looks at you like he’s peeling back your skin.”

“Don’t ever let him hear you say that,” I said. “He’ll think he’s won.”

“Won what?”

“That’s just it—we’ll never know until it’s too late.” I pushed against the sofa back, sighing again as I stared at featureless space outside the window. Like it was my life stretching before me, a big blank nothing. “I don’t think anything about Mars is like Earth. Sure, it’s a planet, but no breathable atmosphere. It makes a difference.”

“And gravity?”

“Earth has three times the gravity. I’m not even going to be able to walk right.”

“Yeah, tell me about it. I got all these exercises I’m meant to be doing.”

“Yeah, me, too. It’s ratty.” My frown felt even more surly at the thought.

He nodded back to the gym. “Jogging’s more fun if you have someone to do it with. You game? Next day shift we can start.”

“I don’t know—”

“Come on. We’re both more likely to get it done if we push each other to it.”

Charles would have tried to blackmail me into doing something I didn’t want. Ethan just looked at me with his big brown eyes beaming with enthusiasm bright as hand torches.

Voices traveled past us, tickling my attention, and I looked up in time to see the captain and his lieutenant exiting the observation lounge and heading back into the restricted corridor. I missed my chance again.

3

Hey Beau. I’ve only been gone a couple of weeks but it seems like months. There isn’t a whole lot to do on the ship. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to get on the bridge, to at least get a look at the bridge, but it’s pretty well separated from the rest of the ship, and the crew isn’t around much. Still working on it.

Send b

ack as soon as you can. I know you can’t send messages all the time, but every little bit will help.

Miss you.

Polly

The ship was accelerated to half-Earth gravity, which was apparently seen as a good compromise among Earth gravity, Mars gravity, and gravity on the outer stations, which varied anywhere from near-Earth to zero g. I didn’t notice the difference until I moved. Walking wasn’t too bad if I took it slow. Jogging sucked. I felt like someone had slung weights over my shoulders, and my heart pounded hard as soon as I started. I leaned on the treadmill’s arms, huffing with every step. I had only another two weeks to get into some kind of shape.

Earth gravity was going to hurt.

Ethan didn’t complain. He stood tall and his steps pounded in an easy jog. He was smiling like this was easy, but sweat covered his dark skin and he huffed just as hard as I did.

“What’s … what’s Zeus Four … spun up to?” I panted at him.

“One … one-third … same as … as Mars.”

So we were in exactly the same fix. At least I wouldn’t suffer alone.

That morning, waking up in our cabin, I’d asked Charles if he was keeping up with the exercise routine and nutritional supplements we’d been assigned.

“Of course I am,” he’d said.

“But I never see you in the gym.”

“I go during the night shift,” he said, in a tone that suggested it should be obvious. “I don’t have to let everyone see me sweating buckets. What do you think I’ve been doing every night when I get back here an hour after lights-out?”

I shrugged, defensive. “How am I supposed to know? Rifling through everyone’s cupboards?”