Shelly Bryant

Launching Pad

"It's just a big rock."

"But not in the minds of the general public. The associations with that 'big rock' in the thought of the average citizen might be romantic, but it's something we can use to our advantage."

"But Mars is a much more practical option."

"Not in this current political climate."

"But, sir! Politics—"

"—determine economics. We won't have funding to do it any other way. Now get your terraforming team to work. I don't care how you do it, but I want a viable atmosphere there within a decade. We'll play politics, please the public, and then use it as our launching pad for further exploration."

"These are your orders, then?"

"Those are my orders."

"Well, then. Yes, sir."

disrupted crust
lunar surface shuffling
going tectonic