2184.01.16

 Mining Base 262 (aka New Belize) Ganymede

“So what’s the big news?” Kia asked impatiently. “I’ve got homework to do.”

Or, you know, “homework”.

“Yeah, what is it?” asked Uri.

Martin sat next to his siblings on the couch and crossed his arms. Whatever it was, it was not good. He knew by the way his parents smiled childishly. They were excited about something, and that was never a good sign.

“We’ve done a lot of praying,” said Mom, “and we’ve come to a decision.”

Uh-oh. Praying. Another bad sign.

“Decision about what?!” cried Uri.

“Uri, indoor voice,” Dad snapped. “You know about all the poverty and fighting in the Martian colonies.”

The siblings nodded. It was common knowledge that Mars was the dumpster of the solar system. They had all heard the stories about roaming street gangs, starvation, lawlessness, and anarchy. 

“What about it?” Kia asked.

“We were thinking about becoming missionaries there. We feel called to go.”

“Missionaries?” Uri asked.

“When are you going?” Kia asked.

“Actually,” said Mom, “we want to move there. Live there.”

“Okay,” said Kia, smirking. “See you, bye now.”

“And we want you to come with us.”

Martin could barely believe his ears. “What?!”

“I know how it sounds,” said Dad. “But this is something we’ve been thinking about for years. You know that. This isn’t something we decided on a whim.”

Kia grimaced. “What do you mean decided. We don’t have a say?”

“No not really,” said Dad, grimacing back.

“We’re…moving?” asked Uri, who had lived on the New Belize base his entire life.

“You’ve gotta be joking! You can’t just turn our lives upside like this!” Kia exclaimed.

Martin swore harshly. “It’s bad enough that you drag us to your church every week and that you sent us to that stupid new school. Now you want to go to a new planet? We have friends here. We have lives here! You can’t do this!”

Dad was on the verge of exploding now—years of pent up frustration. “We can and we have!”

“And look at the ‘friends’ you hang out with,” said Mom. “Thieves, dopeheads, jailbirds.”

“What?” Kia snarked. “You think it’ll be any better on Mars? I bet the kids there are ten times worse!”

“This isn’t up for debate. We’re going. End of discussion.”

“There are people there who really need our help!”

“You can’t do this to us!” Martin shouted. “I won’t go! You can’t make me!”

“Martin, just listen!”

“I hate you!” he screeched. “I can’t take it here anymore! I hate you!”

Martin ran off to his room.

Dad ground his teeth.

Why won’t he understand?

Kia shook her head, heading for her room. “This is low. Even for you two. You can’t decide something like this for us. We should have a say too.”

“We’re… moving?” Uri asked.