Red Mars Part 5, Chapter 3 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • John takes to the road, eventually coming across a team of Swiss road builders.
  • He stays with them for the night, talking and admiring the Swiss's rational outlook on all things Martian, especially terraforming.
  • He drives north the next day, reading up on the Swiss form of government. He also remembers their kindness to him, something he doesn't see often in the Israeli or Arab communities. He wagers that's more Frank's fault than anything—a wager he should totally double-down on.
  • He heads for Echus Overlook, Sax's terraforming headquarters, built into the wall of one of the narrowest, deepest canyons on Mars. Underground with a view, we love it.
  • In the lab, he tells Sax he thinks Ann may know who performed the vandalism, mentioning the Coyote. Sax mentions that the Coyote was supposedly aboard the Ares, apparently having been snuck on by Hiroko.
  • John remembers the story Maya told him about the stranger she saw in the farm.
  • They discuss increasing security, not just for terraforming projects but other potential terrorist sites, too, like nuclear reactors and biolabs.
  • Sax mentions Phyllis has come up with an orbital elevator concept. John wonders who's going to foot the bill, and Sax tells him the Sun. Then the Sun calls the shots, John says.