"I am in the last phase of my life. This is also true of the
planet Earth. She needs me to be around to care for her, like I cared for your
Grandma when she couldn't do things for herself anymore.
"You see, it's going to be my responsibility to maintain the Shield in this area and to
look after the robots and machines that grow and harvest our food, collect and purify our water
and recycle our waste products. As you know from your lessons, technology has made
our part in this maintenance very small, since the micromachines within the larger machines
pretty much find and repair problems on their own. I'll have lots of time to simply enjoy this world, to give
her thanks for sustaining us all for so long.
You and your mother, on the other hand, and most everyone else
in the town, must go to Mars to continue the human race. The Pulse Wars and the
GOH period of the great ozone holes took so many lives that our global population is now but a
small group of people. Our reduced population is the right size for a smaller planet like Mars and
hopefully it will always remain free of the terrible overcrowding once experienced here on Earth.
You must go to Mars, John, as one of the Protectors of all that is noble and good
in our nature. You love the Earth and you will come to love Mars in the same way.
Besides, my boy, I'll only be as far away from you as the nearest comlink. You can call me every
day and tell me about all the wonderful happenings on your world."
Tears returned to John's eyes as his grandfather spoke. When George had finished,
John wiped his eyes with the back of his hands and got up from his grandfather's lap to stand before him.
After wrapping his arms around George's neck and pressing his forehead against the scratchy
stubble of his face, John spoke.
"OK, Grandpa," was all he said.