O P P O R T U N I T Y C O S T PA R T I I short story Theron Camp // 12 Meridiani Planum, 2036 Her ship had arrived less than three months ago, bringing the total number of colonists in the Robinson colony to over sixty. Today, she’d been repairing a troublesome habitation module on the far side of the settlement. After dinner, she had around seven hours to sleep before she’d be on duty again. Annie Zimmermann felt justified in wanting to go straight to bed tonight, but it was Sunday back on Earth, and her weekly video message from her parents would already be in her inbox. “Good afternoon, Annie, or, uh, whatever time it is for you. It’s afternoon here, and we went down by the river for a picnic after church today, me and your mother and Peter and his family because, um, Peter and Andrea just drove up from Billings, so they got up here last night. “Anyway, we’re back at the house now, and everyone else is outside in the yard, except Peter, he’s taking a look at the combine. It broke, you know, and I couldn’t fix it myself
‘cause of my back, and I guess you’ve heard the farm hasn’t had a good year overall ‘cause of the blight, but we’re doing the best we can, and Andrea’s got that new high-paying job in Billings, I don’t recall what ‘xactly, but they’ve been sending some money up regular like, so, um. Don’t you worry about us is what I’m saying. “Hello, Annie. How’re you doing?” (This was her mother’s voice) “We really miss you here, and I know that Peter does too, but he’s working right now, so I’ll say it for him. Take care of yourself now. We pray for you every day. Hope to hear from you soon.” (Her father again) “Yes, reply soon. See you later, Annie.” End of message. Annie stared at the screen for a while, mindlessly, and slowly realized that a great sorrow had descended upon her as she sat there. Why had she gone away to Mars? Mars, where she breathed tinned air and ate tinned food and fixed houses for a living. Mars, the endless rust-colored plain littered with rust-colored rocks beneath a rust-colored sky. Mars,
“Why had she gone away to Mars? Mars, where she breathed tinned air and fixed houses for a living.”
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