Their disappointment had been greater because Mars had been the last hope of discovering life in the Solar System besides that of Earth.
No fossil life had been reported on the moon. The Reeves' expedition to Venus two years ago had found that the Venusian clouds were composed of dust swirling about a desiccated and lifeless world. Mercury had not yet been reached, nor any of the outer planets, but there was little expectation that life could have lodged in such inhospitable environments.
No, in all the Solar System, Earth apparently was the only planet where septic conditions prevailed—and life could germinate....
They reached the observation deck in the bullet-shaped nose of the vessel. Here the hull was built up of many small plates of quartzite like the facets of a fly's eye. They had an unobstructed view of the ebony arch of the heavens with Sol flaming like a beacon a point to starboard.
"Where's Earth?" Lynn asked. "I never can find it."
He pointed it out, a bright greenish star on the port side of the ship. It was just assuming a disk-shape with its tiny moon barely visible beside it.
"It looks so far away," said the girl with a shiver. "I'm homesick, I guess. We've been gone almost three years."
Matt said, "It's a long time." He slipped his arm about her waist.
Lynn let her yellow head rest on his shoulder. "I'm tired of being tough. I'm scared. I want somebody to baby me and tell me everything's all right.