Convergence
Convergence
By
K. R. King
The city of Tharsis Prime gleamed dimly in the perpetual twilight of Mars, nestled in the vast network of lava tube caves that riddled the planet’s volcanic region. At sunrise, filtered sunlight slipped through thin gaps in the natural rock ceiling, casting faint, ruddy beams across the crystalline surfaces of the settlement. Alice Nguyen stood by the massive observation window of her apartment, gazing out at the alien yet oddly beautiful landscape, where the Martian dust swirled in faint plumes outside the sealed cave. The air, recycled through airtight filtration systems, was slightly stale but surprisingly breathable. Here, humanity had carved a refuge from the harshness of the planet’s surface, transforming ancient tunnels into a labyrinthine city alive with bioluminescent fungi, sealed airlocks, and the hum of machinery.
