Read Defying Mars (Saving Mars Series-2) for Free Online Page B

rushed into the arms of her mom and dad, she found herself being pushed, pulled, and tugged into half-an-hour’s worth of staged photographs, punctuated by Crusty’s salient grousing.
    During this time, Mei Lo spoke a few brief words to the crowd in praise of the raiders and then encouraged everyone to return home, as the crew of the Galleon would be entering Mars Colonial Command for debriefing and a health check.
    “And as much as I’d love to invite all of you inside,” said Mei Lo, “I’m afraid the building would explode. We’ll have announcements for the week’s festivities on the evening news brief.”
    Jessamyn, still craning her head for any sign of her parents, heard the Secretary’s quiet sigh as she switched to communicate to the raiders in private. “I think that went well. We certainly didn’t anticipate this kind of turnout, though. A harbinger for the days to come, I suppose. If you’ll both follow me.”
    “Madam Secretary,” said Jessamyn, “I was hoping to—that is, um …” She felt her face coloring. How did a Mars Raider tell the planet’s CEO that she just wanted a minute with her mom and dad? “Do you know where I can find my parents?”
    Mei Lo’s brow creased, but the expression was replaced almost instantly by a strained smile. “They chose to, ah, watch your arrival from home.”
    “Oh,” said Jess. Her voice sounded hollow in her helmet. She felt a tug in the space where her heart lay, a skip of its beat, a moment of lost as if she were a child whose parents had forgotten to pick her up after school. “Okay.”
    Crusty and the others had removed their helmets, and Jess realized they’d passed through the building airlock without her having noticed. Hastily, she unlatched her own helmet and took a deep breath.
    Home at last, she told herself.
    Her nose twitched. The air didn’t smell right. It smelled … stale. And too dry. And breathing felt … odd, as well. Inhaling itched , somehow. It made her feel strangely protective of her lungs, too aware of each arid breath.
    Breathing wasn’t something you should have to think about.
    “ Get over it, Jaarda, ” she murmured to herself. Of course things smelled different here than they had aboard the ship. Ship air was notoriously poor after a couple of weeks. This air was good for her, was normal. Get over it .
    During the minutes walking through MCC to the briefing room, Nessa Niedermaier kept up a steady stream of talking, addressed to Crusty and Jess. Fortunately, she seemed to require no response.
    “We’ll be taking formal portraits following the briefing with the Mars Colonial Board of Directors. Then you’ll have a ten-minute rations break followed by a brief appearance on the evening news. Tomorrow’s schedule has already been sent to your homes, but I’ll just mention the highlights …”
    Jessamyn found herself unable to entirely ignore Nessa’s chatter. The events coordinator had a full five days of activities planned for them, including their appearance at a memorial to honor the lost crew members, multiple photo sessions at locations around the planet, and concluding with a special worldwide festival day.
    Jess felt a tightening in her chest. She hadn’t considered the possibility that her time would not be her own during the following week. She had plans. Plans that definitely didn’t involve flying around the world posing for hero-portraits. One thing at a time , she told herself.
    Mars Colonial Command Headquarters, which had previously seemed a sprawling complex, now struck Jessamyn as squat and small. And drab , she added to herself, remembering the statuary and baskets of flowers which had adorned the edifices of Budapest. She shook her head to clear the unwelcome judgments. This is home , she told herself as she slipped into the War Room.
    Inside, Crusty and Jessamyn found themselves subjected to a standing ovation which the gruff mechanic put an end to with a rather loud, “That’s enough of