Johns and Zed entered a small conference room with a long table in the middle that had been extruded out of the floor, like almost every other piece of furniture in Naug. Commanders Thabisa Jones and Bolin Bao sat across from each other, discussing something Zed couldn’t quite hear and interacting with something in their CIGs that he couldn’t see.

  Zed let Johns do the talking. In truth, he really didn’t know anything beyond the fact that Johns thought he could be useful in assembling whatever data the drones sent back.

  It was Zed’s first time meeting Bolin Bao. He seemed a perfect counterpart to Thabisa Jones. He was every bit as serious, but when it came to exploring the crater cave, his obvious passion was second only to that of Johns.

  The drone plan was quickly approved, but now Zed found himself faced with a new and more terrifying problem.

  Johns’s plan was to head out the next day and drop off the drones and their charging station at the hole in the crater. There was no need to rappel down into it since the drones could simply fly in. If Zed wanted to be a part of this little expedition—which he very much did—then he was going to need to suit up.

  He didn’t relish the thought, but he also wasn’t about to miss out on something potentially historic. The thrill of adventure and his own curiosity were apparently more powerful than his mild claustrophobia.

  Before taking one small step for teenkind, however, there was one final hurdle: his parents. Zed had a great deal of freedom when moving about the colony, but an extended Martian day trip was another matter entirely. The commanders had made it clear: no permission, no excursion.

  Johns had surprised Zed by offering to come with him. He thought the presence of an adult might help the conversation along.

  ***

  “And you think Zed can actually be some kind of help with this?” Ana Marsh asked, her obvious doubt not going unnoticed by Zed or anyone else in earshot.

  The four of them sat in the mess eating an early breakfast. It was one of the few meals Zed had eaten with his parents since they’d arrived. Zed had hoped the long trip here might have changed the family rhythms and dynamics, but apparently, it was going to take more than a new planet to change things up.

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  “Absolutely,” Johns was saying. “More than a help. He’s simply the most qualified person for the job, no question. No question. You’ve got a very gifted boy here. The data I get back from the drones would be practically useless without his skills to make it accessible.”

  Zed knew that this wasn’t entirely true but said nothing. His part in this would help with speed and convenience, but he realized that Johns was more than capable of doing this without him if he had to.

  “And if he’s going to be putting in all that work to sort through the data, well, it just wouldn’t be right to deny him the chance to see my marvelous little drones off on their maiden voyage, now would it?”

  “Oh, of course not,” Ed Marsh said, perhaps a little too quickly. He glanced at Ana for confirmation.

  Zed looked to his mother and could see that even she was getting at least somewhat swept up in Johns's sheer enthusiasm and charisma.

  “Well, just so long as he’s no trouble to you.”

  “We’ll be back before you even have a chance to miss him,” Johns said.

  That’s not a high bar to clear, Zed thought.

  “Safe and sound, you have my word.” Johns placed a palm over his heart and nodded sincerely.

  Ana took a deep breath. “Alright, he can go, but no goofing off out there, Zed. I don’t want to have to deal with a broken arm because you decided to try and do donuts with a Chariot, got it?”

  “I would be too scared to even try,” Zed said, holding up his open hands in submission.

  “Let’s keep it that way, hmm?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  And that was that.

  Before they had finished their meal, Baat passed by, and introductions with Johns were made. Zed felt a little awkward. He hadn’t talked to Baat since the incident with Andy Foster. His initial anger had cooled, but fairly or not, he still blamed Baat for that humiliating moment. He’d have to talk to him at some point, but not right now. There were bigger things happening, and Zed was glad for the excuse to bury his head in something new for a while.

  Ana and Ed Marsh excused themselves from the table and headed to work. Johns was about to leave as well.

  Zed cleared his throat. “So, I super appreciate what you just did, but could I ask one more little favor?”

  Johns shrugged. “In for a penny, in for a pound. What’s on your mind?”

  “So there’s this girl an—”

  Johns held up one of his huge hands.

  “Say no more, young Zed. If there’s a girl on the line, the answer is always yes.”

  Zed blushed and shook his head. “No—it’s just—nothing like that—it’s just Miranda and George. I’m sure they’d love to come along; would that be alright? I don’t think their dad would be any trouble; he’s already taken them out before.”

  Johns smiled, clearly unconvinced.

  “Why not? The more the merrier, but let’s make it quick. Bel and Nebo are thirsty for adventure!”