A soft breeze blew off Aphrodite lake across the terrace of the restaurant where Amanda was currently enjoying a calamari salad and a glass of wine. Elysium was a beautiful little town with a lakeside street lined with shops, cafes, arcades, restaurants and more. From up here, she could see the slow rhythm of the town under the mid-afternoon sun. There were some residential units on one end of the street, and a large honeycomb hotel in the other. The key attraction lay beyond the artificial lake, beyond the transparent dome, where the aquamarine shadows of the water gave way to the rusty red haze of the atmosphere, revealing the frosty copper hues of Mar’s highest peak- Olympus Mons.
The only other patrons in the "Greek" restaurant were a man and a woman, who were currently having a heated conversation. An odd couple. Not that it was any of her business, but to Amanda, the woman seemed older than her male counterpart, who sported a long set of locks, glistening skin, and a light beige outfit with the top two buttons of his shirt undone.
The lady leaned forward as she spoke, knife and fork in hand.
The man shook his head and poked at his meal with the fork. He then raised his arm in a sweeping gesture towards the lake.
She put down her utensils, then grabbing the glass of wine, she leaned over the table and poured its contents on his head.
“Hey!” the man exclaimed looking down at his wine-soaked shirt.
She stood up and bounded across the terrace.
Amanda nibbled on her salad, trying to hide her amusement. At least Martians are not so different from earthlings, she thought. She knew they were locals because of the ease with which they navigated the weaker Martian gravity.
She sipped her wine and looked at the hoverjets racing across the crystalline blue waters of the lake, sparkling so beautiful under the Martian sun.
Amanda had been married once, so she was all too familiar with the trials and tribulations of a relationship.
The man wiped his face with a cloth. To her surprise, he continued eating his meal and drinking the wine, as if nothing had happened. This is a man who knows his priorities, she mused.
“It seems you’re having quite the day,” she said a little too boldly. She adjusted her broad brimmed hat to get a better look at him.
“Women!” he said and raised his glass. “You can’t live with them…”
He left the sentiment hanging.
“We’re not all bad,” she said and raised her own glass.
He sat back as if pondering something, then smiling, he said, “mind if I join you?”
“Be my guest,” she said, clearing some space for him on the table.
He grabbed the glass decanter full of wine, and with it under his arm, he came over to her table.
He said his name was Neal then added, “enchanté.”
She smiled. Who even says that anymore?
“Amanda,” she replied. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
He took the decanter and filled their glasses, which had a tear-shaped design to prevent the wine from floating out. The artificial gravity was strong but not as strong as back home.
“You’re from Earth!” he said surprised.
“I arrived six months ago,” she said. “I’m doing the inner tour after a messy divorce.”
It was too much information by Earth’s social standards, but she knew that Martians did not beat around the bush and liked to get to the point.
He nodded. “Very impressive.”
“What about you? What’s your story, Neal?”
He pulled out his wallet and handed her a card.
“Professional gigolo,” he said proudly. “Women are my specialty.”
It was now her turn to show surprise. The card in her hand depicted an image of Neal (without his shirt on) and a scrolling list of “romance services”, including escort, tantric massages, and cuddle talk.
“Very professional,” she said, unable to hide her smile.
He laughed. “I suppose so. I know this is not common back on your planet, but out here every man has to fund his hobbies somehow.”
She was intrigued by this professional ladies man.
“So what hobbies are your clients ‘funding’ for your... ah... services?” she asked him.
Neal swept his hand towards the lake the way he had done earlier with the other woman.
“An expedition to Olympus Mons!” he said grandly.
She followed his gaze towards the fabled volcano that loomed so majestically in the hazy air beyond the dome.
“Now, that’s an unexpected twist,” Amanda said.
“You think I’m kidding?”
“Oh no, I believe you. It’s just so… focused. But it looks like your latest client is no longer on board with your plans.”
“Rosalia is a beautiful lady,” he said, looking down with a slight air of regret. “Some clients become attached. She wanted more than I could give, you know. She wanted me to abandon my plans and fly off to Earth with her in matrimonial bliss.”
He shook his head and drank his wine.
“So, you prefer the volcano instead of a beautiful woman?”
Frankly, she was beginning to sympathize with Rosalia.
“It’s not like that," he corrected. "I mean, women are the loveliest creatures, but Olympus Mons is something else. Its charm and mystery beckons me, and my heart won’t settle until I’m on top of it.”
He spoke poetically about conquering the summit. His eyes lit up as if with inner fire. Many had tried and many had failed, Neal explained, sometimes tragically. Olympus Mons had taken its fair share of lives, yes, but how can one not be in awe of that godly place?
“But enough about me,” he said, though clearly he was very eager to talk about it some more. “Tell me, Amanda, what’s your story?”
“I have to admit, it’s not as exciting as yours. I divorced my husband a year and a half ago, and I thought it was now a good time to see other worlds.”
“And do you like what you see?” said Neal spreading his arms out.
She smiled.
“Very much. It’s gorgeous.”
The service drone came and cleared the dishes.
Neal ordered more wine.
They talked about the intricacies of settling the red planet. It had been nearly a century and a half since the first ships arrived, and now the landscape was dotted with biospheres and artificial bodies of water. Even trees and vegetation had been successfully engineered to withstand the harsh Martian environment.
They also talked about Earth, and all the mayhem that had resulted in the relocation of entire groups of people across the inner solar system.
Neal sighed, his cheerful demeanor becoming more somber.
“So where does your next adventure take you?” He asked her.
“That depends,” she said. “I’ll be visiting my daughter and her husband in New Venice, but after that my options are open. I’m certainly in no hurry to get back to Earth.”
“There is so much to explore here,” he said. “Ursa, Solara, Epsilon city…”
She smiled and remained silent for a moment. Her brow furrowed. Then she took a deep breath and sat up straight.
“I want to make you a proposition.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What’s on your mind?”
“I would like to fund your expedition.”
He laughed. It was a beautiful deep laugh.
She knew it was all a carefully crafted act on his part, but there was an aura of fiery mystery about him that drew her like a magnet.
“You, my lady, are mischief incarnate,” he said. “I’ve been warned about terrestrial girls and their wily ways.”
“Don’t tell me you’re Mars exclusive.”
“I have to admit that I’ve never had a client from Earth. As one put it, the whole gigolo thing is rather ‘unsavory’. But to answer your question, I’m not terraphobic, if that’s what you’re thinking. I’m just a little surprised, that’s all.”
“There is more,” she told him.
He feigned shock. “What might that be?”
“I’ll fund an expedition for two.”
He shook his head and laughed.
“Ah! You had me there for a moment.”
“I’m not joking,” she said. “I want you to get me on top of that mountain you love so much.”
Again, he shook his head.
“Nearly seventy percent of casualties have been newcomers from the blue planet,” he said. “You look fit, and I can see the fierceness of an eagle in those eyes. But Olympus Mons is a different beast altogether. Not a walk in the park, as you say on Earth. You must want it with all your being.”
“Fair enough, but I disagree,” she said. “The mountain is there, and the mountain like anything else can be conquered with a well thought out plan. And to be honest, I don't think you have a plan. Only dreams. Would you believe me if I told you that I have some experience mountain climbing?”
“I wouldn't!”
She unrolled her bracelet and placed it on the table. Images of her college trip to Yellowstone were projected onto the surface.
He clapped his hands. “I see I have a lot to learn about women from the blue planet. You're so full of surprises.”
He perused the images, marveling at the grand vistas afforded by that far away place.
“Incredible beauty!” he said looking at her with genuine admiration. “But still, like I said, Olympus is different. There’s the exosuits, jet-packs, oxygen pods, drones, and-“
“So do we have a deal then?” she said.
He searched her eyes then his gaze moved over her body.
“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather explore other mysteries of Mars?”
“You’re not playing hard to get, are you?”
“I’m a Martian!” he said. “I don’t play hard to get.”
“Then it’s settled,” she said raising her glass.
Chuckling, he raised his own.
“I will think about it,” he replied with a wink.
The clinking sound of crystal rang clear and beautiful across the breezy air.
The conversation flowed easily between them the rest of the afternoon, and for a moment they even forgot all about the expedition. There was clarity about where they stood. Neither had any expectations of the other outside the confines of a business transaction. Yet they each had something the other needed. Yearned for. Still, Neal was right; it was best to take it slow. Olympus Mons had been there for millions of years and could wait a little longer for two fools to rush up where the wiser feared to tread.
Epilogue
Thank you for reading my entry to the The Ink Well Fiction Prompt #160: Toast.
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