Finches of Mars Read Online Free PDF Page B

special diet. Everyone was hoping for a successful birth.
    Tibbett was making a speech when the news that his distant sister was going into labour came through. The Terrier was immediately anxious for his sister’s well-being, but had to attend to the meeting.
    The delegates were at a regular committee. On this occasion the honoured guest, Barrin, was attending. Barrin appeared in a wheelchair. He had been on Mars and returned to Earth. The King of England had given him a medal especially coined for the occasion. Barrin vowed to go back to his colleagues on Mars, but his legs were unlikely to permit it. More significant, he was having problems with breathing. His lungs had already been equipped with a chemical pump.
    â€˜We of UU,’ said Tibbett, stroking his chin and frowning, ‘constantly worry about the expense of sustaining the Mars operation. Rightly so. We need better vehicles, more space planes, to carry larger cargoes. We might then be able to drastically reduce the present number of trips, thus keeping to a minimum the number of expensive rockets lying unused on Tharsis. If even a half of the investment spent on military matters—now that the morally unjustified, short-sighted invasion of Kazakhstan and the bombing of Alma Ata is over—was invested in the construction of better space vehicles with more effective propellant systems … Well, as you know, experiments are taking place in Chenggong. A prospectus to this effect is already being drawn up.
    â€˜We must noise it in the press and the squealers and shriekers, otherwise the news will be suppressed. We are already at the planning stage.’
    After a brief coffee break, the Principal of the University of South Africa rose to protest that volunteers for visits to Mars were forced as they would not be allowed to return to Earth. ‘This is a punitive feature­ of the deal. We would have many more volunteers if they could return after, say, a six month stay.’
    The delegate from Oxford University responded. ‘Those who make the decision to go to Mars must leave Earth as exiles. It would prove impossible to finance such comings and goings as proposed; the expense would defeat our objectives. Besides which, this restriction on movement simply excludes the faint-hearted. We need only the brave and wise to begin habitation. Soon, children, we hope, will be born on Tharsis. They will be the guarantors of our serious intentions.’
    A murmur of agreement went round the chamber. Of course—children! Without children, no future, no permanence …
    But therein lay a tragic history, so far suppressed.
    Other matters brought other disputes. Tibbett summed up one of them.
    â€˜We applaud the strong measures being taken by our colleagues in South China’s universities for their new decision to curb population growth. I know that when Miss Ban Mu Kai takes over my position as president in October, she will support and amplify our recent report on Sub-Saharan Africa, still the region with the most profligate birth rates and lowest average life-spans.’
    A woman from the University of Hawaii rose to her feet and protested that much more and not much less should be done to educate the women of Africa.
    Tibbett was unmoved. ‘Colonial incursions into Africa in the nineteenth century only made a bad situation worse.
    â€˜It is up to this region to solve its own problems. In the past, millions have been squandered on aid, almost always to zero effect. Throwing money at corruption is worse than useless. Intervention, interference, of any kind, whether criminal or benevolent, should be proscribed, subject to legal penalties.’
    At this point there was another word from the floor. Barrin himself raised his hand. ‘Sir, I am here from Mars to attend this and other world meetings. My name is Barrin. If I interpret your statement correctly, you encourage the UU to leave Africa to its ills unaided. Against such