“I’ve had the wind up properly after that earthquake.... Did you see a doctor as you promised?”
“Uh-huh, and I think I must have been his last patient. I’m not sure whether or not he died in the earthquake. I only just escaped in time.”
“Oh.... Well, what did he say?”
“Nothing the matter with me,” Mona answered tiredly. “Nerves like cast iron, normal blood pressure, tough heart—I’m one hell of a woman in fact! But gosh, right now I’m worn out!” She sank down on the bed edge and looked at Bob with drowsy eyes. “I’ve been flying like a scalded hen ever since I left you last night—and talking of earthquakes, this is our home until we rebuild or everything drops to bits. Our suburb in Los Angeles collapsed last night and our ancestral pile with it. I flew across the region to make sure. So there it is.”
“One home less to bother about,” Bob growled, commencing to shave vigorously.
Mona was silent for a moment; then she asked:
“Anything fresh with you?”
“Not really—’cept that we’re not looking for neutronium anymore. The geologists now believe an internal trouble is the cause of the quakes—same as you said. Our job at the Observatory is to find out everything we can about Mars, to which the high-ups are planning to evacuate some remnants of humanity. Tall order! You realize what it means, Mona? The Earth is considered doomed.”
“Yes, I know.” Mona’s voice was listless. “The flying I’ve done recently has shown me that there are crack-ups everywhere. It’s only a matter of time before these quakes bring civilization down round our ears....” A thought seemed to strike her. “Evacuation to Mars? When we haven’t even set foot on the planet yet—except for robots!”
“The President doesn’t give a thought to a trifle like that. The scientists and engineers will just have to devise something. Most people can think of something when their lives depend on it. What the World Council doesn’t understand is that it takes time to develop a massive undertaking like that.” Bob wiped his face decisively.
“To blazes with shop talk! You grab some sleep and I’ll fix up a meal. Okay?”
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