Chapter 2

           ItwasaquarterofanEarthcenturybeforeMarswasagainvisitedbyhumans.SixyearsaftertheEnvoywassilent,thedroneprobeZombie,sponsoredjointlybytheGeographicSocietyandLaSocitAstronautiqueInternationale,bridgedthevoidandtookupanorbitforthewaitingperiod,thenreturned.Thephotographstakenbytherobotvehicleshowedalandunattractivebyhumanstandards;herrecordinginstrumentsconfirmedthethinnessandunsuitabilityoftheAreanatmospheretohumanlife.

           ButtheZombie’spicturesshowedclearlythatthe"canals"wereengineeringworksofsomesortandtherewereotherdetailswhichcouldonlybeinterpretedasruinsofcities.AmannedexpeditiononamajorscaleandwithoutdelaysurelywouldhavebeenmountedhadnotWorldWarIIIintervened.

           Butthewarandthedelayresultedeventuallyinamuchstronger,saferexpeditionthanthatofthelostEnmy.TheFederationShipChampion,mannedbyanall-malecrewofeighteenexperiencedspacemenandcarryingmorethanthatnumberofmalepioneers,madethecrossingunderLyleDriveinonlynineteendays.TheChampionlandedjustsouthofLacusSoli,asCaptainvanTrompintendedtosearchfortheEnvoy.ThesecondexpeditionreportedtoEarthbyradiodaily,butthreedespatcheswereofmorethanscientificinterest.Thefirstwas:

           "RocketShipEnvoylocated.Nosurvivors."

           Thesecondworldshakerwas:"Marsisinhabited."

           Thethirdwas:"Correctiontodespatch23-105:OnesurvivorofEnvoylocated."

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