Thursday, March 11, 2010

Living on Mars.


I can see the future. One day (after the flags have been planted, and after the Readymix lorries have departed and the property developers have set up shop) we will live on Mars. I see a future version of me trudging out across the Martian peneplain for a first look at my new home, whereupon, out from behind a boulder, will step a man clad in improbable shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. “Neal Asher?” he’ll enquire whilst consulting a clipboard. “Yes…” I’ll reply, worried that my instinct for avoiding time-share salesmen has deserted me. “So can I sign you up for the darts night, or the karaoke?” You’ll hear my screams long before I reach and tumble over the cliff edge of Coprates Chasma.

5 comments:

Grim's Reality said...

Cynicism on a galactic scale is all I have to say.

Horrible typo on previous post.

LarryS said...

Thats a cool picture Neal! Unfortunately I think it will remain science fiction! To terraform Mars is one major operation,that could take decades or even centuries. Its not impossible, just not very likely. The other side of it is, oh we messed up Earth but hey, we can go to Mars instead!

(previous post deleted cos I was signed in on my other half's profile)

Neal Asher said...

Unless it's one I'm just not seeing, I think I fixed it Graeme.

That's an enclosed base, Larry, and they're in spacesuits, so no terraforming involved. Anyway, checking out my Tardis window I note they started by glassing over the Valles Marineris.

vaudeviewgalor raandisisraisins said...

this artist rendering of Crete looks kinda cool. meet any egg raising monotreme red women there? always wondered if they have bras like the platypus.

LarryS said...

I watched a program about this last night on Discovery channel. They suggest inducing global warming by pumping out tons of CO2 into the atmosphere, such as it is, and in 100 years the first phase of terraforming would be complete, with the first plants and river beds in place. Question is, should we?