The spaceship entered the opening dome-shaped landing pad, which went underground through a pitch-black tunnel until the artificial lighting of the colonist city revealed a vast, beautiful, vibrant, sparkling, and bustling urban world.


    Jacqueline and her wife, Francesca, sat beside their young daughter, Christina, in a hover shuttle heading toward their new domicile.


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    “Mom?” asked Christina, looking at Jacqueline.


    “Yes?”


    “Will we ever return?”


    “To Earth?”


    Christina nodded.


    “Hm … it’ll take many years for our people to freely walk the planet again.”


    “Because of those men?”


    “Sadly, yes,” answered Francesca. “A contagious disease regressed them into hateful, brutish, and warlike savages, but fortunately, we got on the last transport to Mars just in time.”


    “We should be grateful,” said Christina.


    Her mothers hugged her, smiled, and subtly winked at each other.