Santa on Mars

He looked out from the habitat and saw the pink colored sand dusting the outcroppings outside the pressure dome’s panoramic window. It reminded him of the snow blowing in the canyons around his home in Utah. But here on Mars it was so much more desolate. The climate-controlled habitat sat in a lava tube, deep enough to shield them from radiation and small meteorites but too otherworldly to feel like home. It made him shiver at the realization that he was one of 42 people living 225 million km/ 139,808,518 miles on average from Earth. This fact was brought up by his youngest son, Max, this morning at breakfast. The commitment of bringing his whole family to another planet, really hit home. It was Dec 1st Earth time, and little Max asked him if Santa would be able to find them on Mars, not the kind of question a father usually has to answer.

The other kids in the colony were all older, most of them were teenagers with the exception of his best friend Tina who was seven, only one year older than him. Tina didn’t believe in Santa. She said her parents would get her presents on Christmas. But Max believed with all his heart that Santa, being magic would make it to Mars. His mom’s favorite saying was, “One idea can change the universe.” She usually said it to encourage him to study, but he believed it anyway.

Max’s school day was almost over as he fidgeted behind his keyboard. He had answered all the questions on his computer and was ready to head out to the recreation area in the cave that the exploration team had found a few months ago. It was a natural chamber with a high ceiling with space to run around in. The bacterial vats were quickly pumping out oxygen and the atmosphere had become breathable only a few days ago. It was so exciting to be able to run around in a large unrestricted space.

He ran into the huge cavern pretending he was part of the exploration team exploring the surface. He slipped behind a wall concealing a small alcove. This area was his very own fort. He placed most of his special possessions into the natural niches along the walls. The ball-bearings given to him by Dr. Santos, the old engineer were his favorites. He gave him all the old parts, scavenged from his repair projects.

His mom always gave him a snack after lessons so he could go off and explore. He sat on the cave floor worrying about Santa Claus, traveling all the way from Earth. There was only 24 days left and he knew the trip had taken their ship, six months. But Max knew that if anyone could do it it would be Santa.

Dr Santos was working on a solar panel coupling which had blown off during the previous day. It was wonderful to have the time and isolation to do his engineering duties without people interfering with his time. Truth be told, he liked being alone. Besides he had to maintain his reputation as a curmudgeon.

The boy came popping out from a small alcove only a few inches behind him. It startled him more then he wanted to admit.

“Hello, Dr. Santos, do you have any more ball-bearings?”

“No, Max. But I think I can scrounge up a magnet. You’ll have to be careful it’s very strong.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bar magnet attached to a U-shaped guard. Max’s eyes lit up. This little boy was the only person on Mars that he really liked. He always made sure he had a spare part or wire in his pocket when they crossed paths.

“Now run along. I have work to do.”

Max ran off to his hidden fort and placed the new magnet in a nook. The colony’s buzzer sounded which told the crew it was time for the daily debriefing. He wanted to hear what the expeditionary team had found on the surface.

Dr Santos did not approve of taking families to such a hostile environment. He knew there would be problems with having children around. Children can’t be contained. They are unpredictable and can be dangerous to themselves and others. But even he had to admit that children where the whole point of going to Mars. They were the future and would be the next explorers.

The Expeditionary team had been searching for 10 months having arrived before the families to set up the habitats. They found ground water which permeated a layer two foot deep in most of the valleys and craters. The meager life was restricted to those areas too. A simple lichen of an extraordinary lavender hue grew in every cave and crevice and moss-like, red mushrooms multiplied in every shadow. The scant animal life consisted of an annoying small rodent/insect type creature which burrowed under the sand and would get into everything. The genetics was the same as on Earth as if the tree of life sent off spores that pollinated both planets.

Max listened intently to all the information from the explorers. He especially wanted to get a hold of one of those mice things. Really, he wanted a dog more than anything but that was impossible.

Dr Santos’ watch woke him up at his usual 7:00, Christmas morning. He looked over at his cubicle’s shelf and had to put on his glasses. There a shining metallic, silver robot sat. He walked over and examined it. And then he remembered, it was the first robot he had constructed as a child. How in the world did it get here?

Max woke up Christmas morning with all the expectations of a five-year-old. He ran out to the cafeteria which was where the Christmas tree was located. Bright packages were placed under the tree just like at home. He looked for his name and found 5 presents. All the other children had presents too.

The tree was a cobbled together monstrosity of cast-off paper, aluminum shielding and Dr. Anna’s second attempt at glass blowing. The first attempt resulting in a minor fire and slight burns.

The feast consisted of canned turkey which someone at NASA decided would be festive for the holidays. Festive OK but not so tasty. The nutritionist/chef took some of the yeast that grew in the food vats and attempted to turn it into a faux stuffing. It was an experiment that failed. The food may have been questionable, but the holiday was a great success.

Max got a geology testing kit from his parents. Dr Santos had made him a small all-terrain vehicle which could carry things and travel with voice prompts…. then there was a large package which was hidden behind the tree. It said, to Max from Santa.

The box contained a wiggling curly haired dog. A real live dog, not an exceptional gift on Earth but this wasn’t Earth. It was exactly what he wanted. The dog was more rat than terrier, but he was the only dog on Mars. Everyone was astounded and the conversation quickly turned to possible ways the pup could have made it to Mars.

The dog could have wandered into the storage hold around lift off but why didn’t anyone see him or hear him for these past 5 months? And what did he eat?

Could the animal have survived 5 months in the cargo hole of the ship? Could he have stayed hidden during the offloading of the supplies? Did Santa bring him?

Christmas was wonderful that first time on Mars, some might say miraculous. The fact is it was the Christmas spirit of the colonists or perhaps Santa’s sleigh has faster-than-light reindeer.

It was windy the day after Christmas, so no one noticed the V shaped reindeer footprints outside the habitat’s main exhaust vent. They quickly blew away.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.