In reply to Abrogado's questions, I chatted lightly about the new shops and homes, and the population figures as shown in the latest census of Marsport.
Abrogado asked: "Have you seen the new interstellar ship?"
"The Stellar Missile?" I nodded; "Yes, I've seen it. They're still putting the finishing touches on it—painting, insulating, and so on."
The existence of the great ship, long under secret construction, had just been revealed to the populaces of the Inner Worlds. It was being constructed on Mars as it would be easier to lift from the red planet than from Earth. The nose of The Stellar Missile was pointed outward in the general, but specifically unknown, direction of the home planet of the Nobles.
"What star is it investigating first?" asked Abrogado.
"Oh, a very likely star," I said, "considering the evidence. Sirius."
"So it is Mira?" mused the other. "I know little of astronomy, but it doesn't seem a likely star to me."
I touched the open face of my watch, feeling the hands. I knew that in a few minutes it would be—not dawn, but daylight. Because of its light atmospheric envelope there is no true twilight, or dawn on Mars. The sun just suddenly waxes into brightness in about the same length of time as it takes the glow in a television tube to wane into darkness. And so, in a few minutes, I would see my companion for the first time.
"I have an idea," I said, "as to how we can deal with the Nobles when we find them."
"Yes?" asked Abrogado.