The Martian Contingency

The Lady Astronaut, Elma York, has landed on Mars. As Earth continues to deal with the catastrophic global warming from an asteroid hit years ago, the ability for humanity to live off-planet is an increasingly important goal. Elma knows that not only is she helping to finish the habitat, but she’s also assisting in finding ways to support and preserve the varied cultures that exist on Earth. Yet along with culture comes opposition, and Elma finds signs that the first Mars expedition did not reveal the full extent of everything that happened. Attempting to discern the truth brings stonewalling, and Elma fears the silence will cause more harm than good. More challenges are coming for the Mars team, and leaving questions unanswered could harm the future of those already on Mars—and those who hope to come.