Марсианские хроники

           Butwhatifnewformswereintroduced?Earthtrees,greatmimosasandweepingwillowsandmagnoliasandmagnificenteucalyptus.Whatthen?Therewasnoguessingwhatmineralwealthhidinthesoil,untappedbecausetheoldferns,flowers,bushes,andtreeshadtiredthemselvestodeath.

           "Letmeup!"heshouted."I’vegottoseetheCo-ordinator!"

           HeandtheCo-ordinatorhadtalkedanentiremorningaboutthingsthatgrewandweregreen.Itwouldbemonths,ifnotyears,beforeorganizedplantingbegan.Sofar,frostedfoodwasbroughtfromEarthinflyingicicles;afewcommunitygardensweregreeningupinhydroponicplants.

           "Meanwhile,"saidtheCo-ordinator,"it’syourjob.We’llgetwhatseedwecanforyou,alittleequipment.Spaceontherocketsismightypreciousnow.I’mafraid,sincethesefirsttownsareminingcommunities,therewon’tbemuchsympathyforyourtreeplanting—"

           "Butyou’llletmedoit?"

           Theylethimdoit.Providedwithasinglemotorcycle,itsbinfullofrichseedsandsprouts,hehadparkedhisvehicleinthevalleywildernessandstruckoutonfootovertheland.

           Thathadbeenthirtydaysago,andhehadneverglancedback.Forlookingbackwouldhavebeensickeningtotheheart.Theweatherwasexcessivelydry;itwasdoubtfulifanyseedshadsproutedyet.Perhapshisentirecampaign,hisfourweeksofbendingandscoopingwerelost.Hekepthiseyesonlyaheadofhim,goingondownthiswideshallowvalleyunderthesun,awayfromFirstTown,waitingfortherainstocome.