Transmigrant - Chapter 16
Copyright © 2024 Stephen B. Anthony
Each new planet is a blank canvas, where humanity can paint its future—where the dreams of our children can take root and grow. Our responsibility is to ensure that those dreams are worth the sacrifice.
—Sienna Cortez, Planetary Engineering
CHAPTER 16
Delicate strands of grass poked up from the soil, thicker in some places where the dirt looked richer. Kaylie realized that every step she took stood on tiny plants that needed to survive, future progenitors of billions of blades of grass. This thought caused her to pay attention to her steps.
She looked down at her sneakers, thankful she had packed some before leaving Mars. Her foot sank slightly into the soil, leaving a visible footprint. People had lived on the planet for decades, but she realized she was leaving a footprint in soil untouched by anyone before her.
In awe, she thought about all the unvisited, unseen places on this planet. So many firsts awaited so many people. This spot was her own private first. It didn’t matter if anyone else knew. She knew. Nobody could ever take that away from her.
Kneeling, she placed her hands on the soil, feeling a new planet for the first time. She ran her fingers over the blades of grass, silently wishing them good fortune and many offspring. How many years would it be before someone built a home nearby, and children ran barefoot through future blades of grass that existed only because this grass survived?
Her moment of reflection was brief when she noticed Ray was watching her. She liked that he was looking at her, but it also made her feel self-conscious. As she stood up, she had to check her balance and reached to grab his arm.
“Whoa!” she said. She steadied herself.
“Yeah,” Ray said. “The gravity is less here. You’ll be about ten percent lighter than on Earth. I should have said. Sorry.”
She tested walking again, feeling more spry on her feet. She turned to see that he was scanning the horizon.
Kaylie could just make out the top of some domes visible in the distance. The daylight was waning, and the uneven terrain partially obscured them, making it difficult to see any detail.
“How far away?” she asked, standing beside him.
“A couple of kilometers,” he said. “I can hear the hum of the air handlers.”
She stopped walking to listen, but heard nothing. “I can’t.”
“I want to move around to the south side where the aeroponics lab is,” Ray said.
“Why do we care about that?” Kaylie asked. “Bradford’s not a botanist.”
“No, but I am,” Ray said. “Which means I know the layout.”