The landscape in the outlays is much different than Roanoke. It is flat and dirty. Pockets of settlements are few and distant. They are like green splattered raindrops. We drove for miles of flat road. The sky was everywhere. It was heavy, suppressing the land. As if the martian earth was cowed and browbeaten by the horizon. I hunched over to look out the window at the clouds scraped across the sky.
"So boys. We're going to be housing you. I expect some honesty." David said.
"Yes sir." Honesty was something unequivocal.
"Tell me. Are you really hear just for the dogs?"
"David, perhaps this is not the best time." Said Elizabeth.
"No. They are going to be in our house. I want to know--from their own mouths--what they are here for. So, boys. What are you here for?"
"We are here to patrol the perimiter of the outlays to protect the citizens of Mars from dogs attacks and any threat to their safety." Simple answer. What else was there?
"Thank you boys." Said Elizabeth.
"And any threat to our safety. Do you expect any other threat than dogs, boys?"
"No sir."
"And dogs are such a menace that the Martian government needed to," David paused, "needed you?"
"Yes sir. It appears so, sir." Rudimentary questions. I had expected a little more intelligence from the outlay terrafarmers. I had heard the stereotypes, but I didn't believe that the outlay citizens were any less intelligent than the city citizens. I imagined that Balthasar was doing his best to be courteous here. I saw the suprised look on all of our faces.
"David, they are telling the truth that they know. Don't press them. They've travelled all day. We'll have plenty of time for this discussion. They will be with us for a long time. Thank you, boys. I hope your ride to the outlays was pleasant. I hear Roanoke is very pretty this time of year. I've only been in the winter."
"Yes Mrs." I did not know their last name. "Yes, Mrs. Elizabeth." She smiled.
"Eltsina. Elizabeth Eltsina."
"Thank you, Mrs. Eltsina. Though we didn't get out much into Roanoke. We were very busy at the orphanage. It was a very beautiful orphanage though. We had many parks to study in."
"I'm sure you did. There are not many parks at our settlement." Said David. "But it is very beautiful."
"Yes, David. We love it very much. We are happy that you boys are here to protect it."