Robert Silverberg - Lost Race of Mars

This one is for Scott

Do you think theyve forgotten? Jim Chambers whispered.

His sister Sally, who was almost eleven, shrugged and shook her red head. Theyve never forgotten before, have they?

Theres always a first time, Jim said gloomily. He was twelve, old enough to know that grownups sometimes forgot the most important things. But would they forget Surprise Day?

That was like forgetting Christmas. Still, here it was, eight oclock, and soon it would be bedtime, and Surprise Day would be overwithout any surprise. It was hard to believe they had forgotten.

Surprise Day was a private custom of the Chambers family. Dr. Roy Chambers, the father of Sally and Jim, had always felt it was a pity Christmas came only once a year, so he had set up a special day, exactly midway between one Christmas and the next, for the giving of gifts.

Surprise day fell on the twenty-fifth of June.

And that was what today was: the twenty-fifth of June, 2017. But the whole day had gone by, and now it was long after dinner, and still no surprises had appeared. Jim and Sally had their gifts all ready. Jim had bought a pair of magnetic cuff links for his father and a collapsing purse-sized umbrella for his mother. Sallys gifts were a new billfold for Dr. Chambers and, for her mother, a bottle of imported perfume to replace a bottle that had accidentally been spilled. For weeks, Jim and Sally had gone snooping around the house to find out what gifts would be most appreciated.

But the family custom said that Jim and Sally could not give their gifts until last. Also, it was against the rules to remind anyone that it was Surprise Day. It had to be a complete surprise all around.

Maybe we ought to hint? Sally suggested.

Jim wrinkled up his face. Dont be silly. Thats against the rules.

Its against the rules for them to forget, you know.

The day isnt over yet, Jim said. Lets not talk about it any more. He walked over to the video set and turned it on. The Chambers family had one of the new video sets that gave the picture in three dimensions. The screen showed a girl playing an electronic piano and singing.

As her voice filled the room Chipper, the family cat, woke up and padded out of his corner to sit down in front of the set. Chipper was a big black-and-white tomcat that spent most of his time snoozing, but woke up every time the video was turned on. Jim insisted that Chipper could understand the programs, but nobody else would believe that.

A moment later Dr. Chambers walked into the room. He was a very tall man, and Jim had inherited his lean body, easy smile, and dark brown hair. Sallys red hair came entirely from her mother.

Dr. Chambers was not smiling now. He looked very solemn, in fact. He glanced at the video set and said, I hope you two are finished with your homework. You know the rules around here.

Dont you remember, Dad? Jim said. The term is over in two days. We dont have any homework to do!

Dr. Chambers nodded. His mind seemed to be millions of miles away. Uh-huh. I guess I forgot about that.

That isnt all hes forgotten, Sally murmured, just loud enough for Jim to hear.

Jim nudged her in the ribs. Youre not supposed to talk about it!

Jim and Sally turned their attention to the screen. The singing had ended and the commentator was covering the days news.

Congress votes Debate at the United Nations video star returns from visit to Mars Colony weather bureau prevents heat wave

They found their minds kept wandering away from the newscast. Jim and Sally told themselves over and over again that it wasnt so. Surprise Day couldnt have been forgotten, couldnt!

When the newscast was over, Dr. Chambers said quietly, Would you mind turning the set off? Your mother and I want to talk to you.

Sally reached forward and switched the video off. Disappointed, Chipped ambled back to his corner and curled up to go to sleep.

Their mother entered the room, taking a seat next to Dr. Chambers. Both of them looked very, very serious. Sally and Jim leaned forward, wondering what was going to happen. Whatever it was, it couldnt be good news.

Dr. Chambers said, I waited until after dinner to tell you this, kids. Im going to have to go away for quite a long time.

Go away, Dad? Jim asked. What do you mean?

I mean that I have to leave here and travel a great distance, and I wont be coming back home for at least a year.

Jim and Sally exchanged puzzled glances. Was it something bad? An operation, maybe? Or just a teaching appointment? Their father was a professor of biology at Columbia University. Maybe he had lost his job and had to go far away to teach. Whatever it was, it was probably serious.

Otherwise they wouldnt both look so grim. Otherwise they wouldnt have forgotten Surprise Day.

Is itsomething you can tell us about, Dad? Sally asked.

What do you say, Ethel? Dr. Chambers said to his wife. Do you think we can tell them?

Mrs Chambers shrugged. Youll have to tell them sooner or later, Roy, she said with a somber voice. You might as well get it over with now.

Jim moistened his lips. Tell us, Dad. Were old enough to take bad news.

For the first time, the shadow of a smile appeared on Dr. Chambers face. All right, I suppose I ought to tell you. You know the research Ive been carrying on, dont you? Ive been making biological studies of Mars. Ive been examining the reports sent back by the colonists up there, and Ive been trying to draw some conclusions. Well, I wont be using secondhand information any more. Im being sent to Mars for a year to carry out some research up there.

There was a long silence in the Chambers living room, broken only by the loud sleepy purring of Chipper. The Jim said, Youre going to Mars, Dad? Whythats swell, I guess.

A whole year? Sally asked. Well miss you!

But youll send us letters, Jim put in. With Mars Colony stamps on them.

And a year isnt really so long, after all, Sally added. It isnt forever, anyway

Whoa! Hold it! Slow down! Dr. Chambers cried. He was grinning, now. Whatever gives you the idea that Im going to Mars all alone?

Jim gasped. Butyou looked so serious.

We thought Sally blurted.

I know what you thought, their father said, chuckling. I wanted you to think I was going by myself. That way this qualifies as a genuine surprise. You see, were all going to Mars for a yearboth of you, Mother, and me. The government gave me a family-sized research grant.

Well be leaving next week.

Jim and Sally turned to look at each other. Jim saw that his sisters face was wide-eyed with amazement, and knew that he probably looked just as astonished. Of all the possible surprises there might have been, this was the most flabbergasting. A year on Mars!

It was one of those things too fantastic to even waste time daydreaming about. It cost a great deal of money to go to Mars. The journey would take three weeks by the fastest spaceship. There was a city up there, founded in 1991a city of three thousand people living under an enormous plastic dome. When you went out of the dome, you had to wear a breathing suit because the air on Mars was too thin for human beings to breathe. Jim and Sally knew all about Mars; they had studied it in geography class, of course. But actually to go there

And we thought you had forgotten, Jim said. Because it was past eight oclock and you hadnt said anything about Surprise Day.

We were saving it, Mrs. Chambers explained. It was such a big surprise we wanted to hold it off until nighttime

Its the only surprise we have, too, Dr. Chambers added. Itll have to dofrom both of us to both of you.

Have to do? Jim echoed. Why, its worth five years of surprises!