Something bumped me in the belly, holding me off. It was a space helmet.

  “Hey, you,” she said. “Are you ready for an adventure?”

  I grinned. “Always.”

  Freya led me inside the airlock that was cut into the dome itself, and it began to cycle. The sound of air being pumped out filled the small space, and I felt the pressure in my ears change.

  The pressure in my helmet started to equalize as Freya opened the airlock door. She was wearing that sleek, black spacesuit, and it hugged her curves nicely. I couldn’t help but feel a little amazed at her ability to make a spacesuit look good. I, on the other hand, felt like a walking tin can.

  After a few minutes, the outer door opened, and we stepped out onto the surface of Mars. I was struck by the vast expanse of reddish-orange landscape stretching out before me. We were standing on the edge of the dome, looking out over the Martian desert. The skies were red, and the sun was dropping to the west. Eventually, it would set and cast an orange glow across the sky.

  Gawking and walking around in circles, I gasped at the sights. The alien world stretched out as far as the eye could see. The red rock formations contrasted sharply against the sky, which was speckled with two small moons.

  Freya led me on a hike, pointing out different landmarks and sharing interesting facts about the planet. As we walked, we came across a small hill that overlooked the dome. Freya gestured toward it.

  “Let’s climb up there,” she said.

  Following her up the hill, I reached the top without being out of breath. The view was worth the climb. We could see the entire dome city, and it was even more beautiful from above.

  Beyond the city itself a massive mountain loomed. I pointed at this hulking monster, gawking. “What the hell is that thing?”

  “That’s Olympus Mons, the biggest volcano in the Solar System.”

  I blinked in alarm. “It seems like a dumb idea to build a city near that monster!”

  She laughed. “Yes… but it’s been dormant for millions of years. We should be safe.”

  Squinting, I eyed the massive volcano doubtfully. It was both tall and wide—and it filled the horizon. “How big are we talking, exactly?”

  “It’s about thirteen miles tall, more than twice as high as Mount Everest back on Earth. The base of it is over three hundred and fifty miles wide, making it bigger than Arizona. But don’t worry, it’s farther away than it looks.”

  Staring, I studied the monster. I found I was fascinated by the massive volcano—but I didn’t like it. Sure, it was over a hundred miles away, but if that thing ever went off, I had the feeling it wouldn’t matter.

  We were really going to terraform a planet that had a super-volcano squatting in the middle of it? Really? I had my questions, but I wasn’t an engineer.

  After I was done gaping at the view, I turned to Freya and took her hand. “This is amazing.”

  Freya smiled at me. “I’m glad you like it. I thought it would be a nice change from the usual dinner and a movie.”

  “Definitely. You know, you’re not like any other girl I’ve met.”

  Freya raised an eyebrow. “Is that a good thing?”

  I grinned. “It’s a great thing.”

  “Good. I’ve got something else to show you.”

  She could have led me to the gates of Hell—but she didn’t. she led me into a very strange field instead. Here, the land had been artificially plowed and the rocks had been removed. In an instant, I knew what I had to be looking at.

  “Is this some kind of a farmer’s field?”

  “Sort of. We’re growing lichen out here.”

  “What the hell is lichen?”

  “A primitive kind of moss that doesn’t need much warmth or air to survive. Eventually, we’ll be able to grow more complex plants like Antarctic hairgrass. Someday, we’ll even have trees.”

  We started walking, our boots crunching on the thin layer of red dust that covered the ground. We passed by rows of terraforming equipment, each piece whirring and humming as it worked to change the Martian atmosphere. The lichen that was beginning to grow on its own was a hopeful sign that they were making progress.

  There were pathways between the rows of lichen so tenders could walk without damaging the fragile plants. We kept on those walkways, and I was alarmed to spot tiny crawling things on the moss. “Are those bugs?”

  “Yes. Our first animal life, genetically designed to take these kinds of extremes. We’re trying to build an ecosystem, thickening the atmosphere and raising the temperature levels.”

  We stood atop a mossy hill and looked out over the terraformed landscape.

  Freya turned to me. “I’m glad we came out here tonight. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

  I nodded, unable to take my eyes off of her. I felt a strong desire to lean in and kiss her, but I knew it was impossible with our helmets in the way.

  “Yeah, it’s amazing,” I said, my voice muffled by the helmet.

  Freya smiled. “You know, Devin, I’ve been wanting to do something all night.”

  “What’s that?”

  “This,” she said, and she pressed her faceplate against mine.

  I felt a jolt of electricity run through me as our faceplates met. I closed my eyes and savored the moment, wishing I could feel the warmth of her breath on my face.

  I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed as she pulled away. I wanted to feel her lips on mine, and I decided right then and there I’d manage it somehow.

  Freya smiled at me through our faceplates, sensing my disappointment. “We call that a Martian kiss. I know, it’s not quite the same,” she said, her voice muffled by the suit’s speaker. “But it’s better than nothing, right?”

  I nodded, trying to shake off the feeling of a letdown. I couldn’t deny that I was thrilled to be with Freya, even in the harsh environment of Mars.

  Freya pointed to a distant ridge, and I followed her gaze. “Want to go see what’s over there?” she asked.

  “Lead the way.”

  We started walking again, making our way across the rocky, mossy terrain. As we walked, Freya chatted about her work. She talked about the terraforming project, her excitement about the progress they were making, and her hopes for the future of Mars.

  I listened, fascinated by her passion and intelligence. I’d skipped or slept through most of my education as a kid, and I couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated by her, but I also found myself incredibly attracted at the same time.

  As we crested the ridge, the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting the Martian landscape in a reddish-orange glow. Freya turned to me, her face serious.

  “I know it’s a little weird, dating in space suits and all,” she said. “But I really like you, Devin. I think you’re different.”

  “I like you too, Freya,” he said, his voice low. “A lot.”

  We stood there for a moment, just looking at each other through our helmets. Then, without a word, we leaned in for another Martian kiss, savoring the limited closeness that our suits allowed us.

  We continued on—exploring humanity’s new frontiers on Mars. As the sun set, we turned back toward the dome, our helmets reflecting the last rays of light.

  Chapter 14: The Training Grounds

  “Where have you been, Starn?” a voice roared inside my helmet the moment the airlock had cycled through.

  It was Corporal Tench, and he seemed very upset about something. I glanced at Freya. She wasn’t able to hear my conversation, but she knew something was wrong. She took off her helmet as we stepped back inside the dome. She looked worried.

  “What’s wrong, Corporal?” I asked Tench.

  “What’s wrong is I’ve just run a trace on your ass. Did you actually exit the Mars dome? That’s a violation, marine. You’re a non-citizen—on both on Earth and Mars. You can’t just go off the grid and wander around.”

  “But… Commander Kaine put me on suspension. I’m on an unpaid vacation.”

  Tench laughed. It was an evil sound. “That’s not how it works. It’s supposed to be a punishment. You’re confined to quarters when on report and suspended. Don’t you know anything? You’re a walking, talking wad of failure, Starn!”

  “Sorry, Corporal. I’ll head back up to the ship right away.”

  “Next time, we’ll just lock you in the brig, so you don’t wander off like some kind of stray cat. I’m putting that into your files… hold on, what’s this? I see a note from Commander Kaine…” He laughed uproariously. “Did you know he renamed your file ‘shit-brains’? That’s really funny. Accurate, too…”

  He was gone, and I gritted my teeth. After explaining things to Freya, she was full of apologies. I tried to shrug it off, but the moment between us was gone.

  We raced back to the elevator station and, about ninety minutes later, I reported to my quarters.

  There was a lot of shouting and laughter at my expense after that. I tried not to let it get me down. I’d gotten pretty far with Freya, and it was hard to think about anything else.

  The next day, Red Company received the orders to attend a training camp on Mars. I’d been hoping to figure out a way to get a few more days of time with Freya, but orders were orders.

  Commander Kaine cancelled my last day of suspension, so I could be part of the training exercises. As he put it, I could use all the help I could get. I met up with the rest of Red Company, who were also preparing for the event. To my surprise, there were a lot of new people present.

  “Fresh recruits,” Private Ledbetter clued me in. “The bosses are hiring up more troops than we’ve ever had. It kind of worries me, to be honest. We’ve got thirty people assembled here today.”

  I did a little quiet counting, and I found he was right. Counting the officers like Commander Kaine, there were thirty-five helmets in sight.

  Sergeant Cox called us all into a huddle. He handed out carbines, to my surprise. “Won’t these punch a hole in this here dome, Sarge?” asked a concerned private.

  “Not if you keep the governor turned on. They’re in training mode. Don’t switch that off, or it’s your ass!”

  “No way, Sarge. I wouldn’t do it!”

  “Even if you did, these things only have about a three percent charge. Plenty to play laser-tag, but not enough to do any damage.”

  I was relieved. I didn’t relish the idea of practicing with our service rifles. Some of these boys had questionable safety instincts.

  We were inspected by our officers, and our noncoms. Everyone was kicked in the ass and thumped on the helmet for something. Lining up and jogging smartly, we made good time toward the airlocks. I thought about telling someone I’d been outside the dome just yesterday, but I didn’t have the guts. I’d already gotten into trouble over that.

  To my surprise, we jogged right past the public airlocks, which were built for foot traffic. Instead, we mounted up on two balloon-tired carryalls. These machines were rovers of a sort, very tough and built to last on the harsh exterior of Mars.

  Each vehicle had a wide, low-slung body with a series of large, round wheels equipped with air-filled tires. The body was covered in a durable, heat-resistant material to protect against the extreme conditions of the planet. The interior was spacious and open, with bench seating.

  But naturally, there wasn’t enough room for all of us and our gear, so some had to ride on the hood, the running boards—even the roof. It was kind of fun until we went through the big vehicles-only airlock and found ourselves bouncing all over the place out on the open Martian landscape. I was on a running board right behind the driver, and I found myself clinging to the oversized vehicle for dear life.

  Dipping my head down, I checked out the driver—it was Commander Kaine. I swore I could see a grin on his face as he drove right for various rock piles. The balloon tires provided stability and buoyancy on the uneven, rocky Martian terrain. The carryalls were able to traverse even the roughest ground, but there were limits. We were flying six feet up with our balls in the air when he went over something big.

  Once, a private lost his grip and almost got run over. Commander Kaine stopped and flew into a rage, kicking the man until he got to his feet. This only took two kicks, as in the low gravity the force of such blows tended to lift you right off the ground. The private staggered a little, but he was game. I hauled him back onto the running board behind me and told him to hold on.

  “Thanks, man,” he said.

  I glanced down at him. He was a fresh-faced recruit. His features were a youthful mix of confusion and fear.

  I have to admit, right then I felt the same urge all my more experienced comrades must have felt when they saw me screw up. I wanted to bash him one.

  The trouble was, a fuck-up on your team was worse than an enemy when you were fighting in space. Anything and everything was out to kill you. The wrong mix on your oxygen gauge, a slow leak you couldn’t find—all of it was deadly. You didn’t even have to have an enemy shooting at you to die on Mars or some spinning rock in the belt.

  Accordingly, I lifted my lip to snarl at him, but I controlled myself. “Hang on tighter,” I said. That was it. The sum total of my helpful advice.

  Still, the recruit seemed to appreciate it. At least I hadn’t knocked his teeth down his throat. Not yet.

  We rode aboard our two carryalls and went over a row of low hills. On the far side of that was a crater. We ran up and over the ridge of the crater—and nearly flipped over.

  Commander Kaine had crossed the ramp-like crater’s edge with too much speed. He’d nearly lost it. I had to wonder what the hurry was, but I could imagine. He was simulating a hard-charging ride into a combat zone. If we’d had anything firing on us—aircraft, for example—the carryall drivers would have been running for their lives.

  It was all part of the training, I told myself. It had to be.

  Once inside the crater, the two vehicles slowed down. Up ahead, I saw a jumble of buildings and lights.

  “This is Camp Sulci. Those hills all around us are called Gigas Sulci, a bunch of winding valleys that stretch for a thousand miles or more. And that hulking monster, off to the North, that’s called Olympus Mons.”

  “The biggest volcano in the Solar System,” I said.

  The recruit who was still clinging to the running board behind me, just in case the commander started rolling again, looked at me quizzically. “How did you know that?”

  “It’s a long story.”

  Commander Kaine pointed toward the middle region of the crater, which was surrounded by a twisted valley of sorts. “The camp is over there. It’s going to be your new home for a few weeks. Start loving it right now, that’s my advice.”

  Groans went up from some of the troops. Since they were men who’d been in Red Company longer than I had, I figured they knew what they were groaning about.

  The training camp was a massive complex of buildings and fields, with all sorts of obstacles and challenges for us marines to overcome. Sergeant Cox barked orders at us as we went through rigorous physical and combat training exercises.

  At first, I struggled to keep up, but I soon found my rhythm and began to excel. My muscles were sore, and my mind was exhausted, but I pushed through the pain and kept going. I knew that I needed to prove myself to the rest of the company and to Commander Kaine.

  As the days went on, the challenges grew more and more intense. We went through live-fire exercises, hand-to-hand combat drills, and even survival scenarios in the harsh Martian wilderness. But through it all, I never gave up. I pushed myself harder than I ever had before, driven by my desire to be the best.

  Then, on the eighth day, we were sent into the rugged hills in squads to hunt each other. It was a combat mission, and we were in it to win it.

  The rocky battleground was a desolate and barren landscape. Jagged rocks and boulders were scattered haphazardly across the terrain, creating an uneven and treacherous path for anyone trying to traverse it. The ground was red and dusty, with a fine layer of sand that coated everything in sight.

  The air was thin and dry, with little to no moisture or vegetation to be found. The sky was a deep shade of red, with a faint haze that hung in the air, as if the planet was permanently shrouded in a thick layer of dust and smoke.

  The rocks themselves were sharp and rugged, with sharp edges and rough surfaces that could easily cut through skin or fabric. The area was devoid of any vegetation or signs of life, and the only sounds were the occasional gusts of wind and the crunching of rocks underfoot.

  The battlefield was an unforgiving place, a true test of endurance and survival for anyone brave enough to venture out into it. And yet, for the brave and skilled marines of Red Company, it was just another obstacle for us to overcome.

  Sergeant Cox led 1st Squad of Red Company. A pack of marines followed him across the rocky Martian terrain. The other squad, led by Lt. Quinn, was already in position, crouched behind a large boulder. I could see their red laser beams firing in our direction, ricocheting off the rocks around us. The weapons had been configured to leave visible trails even in the thin air of Mars.

  “The enemy have the high ground,” Cox told us, “but they also have fewer men. Stay under cover and get closer before we engage.”

  We rushed from rock to rock, using overwatch techniques to cover one another—but it wasn’t good enough. Ledbetter bought the farm right off.

  “Dammit, Ledbetter,” Cox shouted, cursing at him. “You moron! You took it right in the helmet!”

  Ledbetter played dead, just like he was supposed to.

  Streaming out foul language and giving Ledbetter a punch as he went by, Cox kept talking to us. “Stay low and keep moving,” he yelled, gesturing for us to spread out. “We’ll never win if we let them pick us off one by one.”

  I took cover behind a smaller rock, peeking out to aim and fire my low wattage laser rifle in the direction of the other squad. I saw a flash of red light whiz past my head, and I knew that we were in for a tough fight.

  The rocks around us provided plenty of cover, but they also made it hard to move quickly. We had to crawl and scramble over the rough terrain to avoid getting hit, while also firing back at the other squad.