ETA: 1400 hours. For the tenth time, Zoey checked the board. Outside, the red-orange sky seemed to stretch on forever. Her eyes were fixed on the horizon, where the shuttle was scheduled to arrive. Zoey had very little patience for waiting; she preferred action. Always the feisty redhead, full of energy and ideas, she injected life wherever she went. Her co-workers adored her. Zoey awaited Gregorio’s arrival with anticipation. She had heard he was handsome and personable. Even his name sounded exciting. “Gregorio,” she thought to herself. She caught her smile in the glass dome’s reflection.
The shuttle gently touched down on the red dust, kicking up large wisps that spun and twirled. Zoey watched as the five crew members disembarked. ATVs with helpers arrived to unload the shuttle, which was bringing supplies from the south side of Mars. The crew removed their suits with assistance from Nano 2 robots. Gregorio came in first, a radiant smile on his handsome face. His curly black hair was wild and unapologetic. Zoey held up her sign, “Gregorio,” and they locked eyes.
“Welcome to Mars.” “I hope you had a nice trip.”
Nano 5 robots loaded Gregorio’s luggage into the ATV. Zoey slipped into the driver’s seat.
“I like hands-on driving. I hope you don’t mind.”
Zoey took off as soon as Gregorios’ feet cleared the platform, causing him to say “Wooo.”
She wasn’t kidding; she liked to drive. She whipped from corridor to corridor, making her way to the main dome, which opened into a vast complex of apartments and stores. Hydroponic plants spilled over the balconies, and a forest of trees and a waterfall filled the central plaza. Zoey slipped the ATV into the galleries’ underground garage.
“Here we are, home sweet home,” she announced.
Gallery 21 was one of those places that made life on Mars tolerable and civilized, offering beautiful art and books for the senses. Real books, very rare indeed. Large, cushioned chairs welcomed them with open arms. Nano 3 busied themselves preparing a snack of imported cheeses and crackers from Earth. And aged wine, another rare commodity. Gregorio was the new Director of Fine Arts on Mars, and the welcome party included jazz music and a sit-down meal in the main hall. Outside, the wind began to pick up; another dust storm was coming. A strange sight indeed, a stark contrast between the controlled environment inside the dome and the rustic Martian landscape outside. The dome repelled the red dust, so it always remained clear. Zoey sipped her wine and watched the dust storm; it always fascinated her, the energy the colony could harness from the dust storms alone, which made this very dome possible and all the life it contained.
GrowingOlderHopeWiser 
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