The next week was the most hectic Earth had been since news of the invasion officially broke following the Manhattan Tornado. Every telescope, whether owned by a world government, private company, or citizen, was aimed at the distant red planet night and day. The first photos of the surface of Mars and what the independent hosts were constructing started to surface mere hours after their appearance at the UN.

The photos showed a series of sleek chrome pyramids, domes, and towers sitting in a series of concentric rings of something like pale marble. The inner-most ring, which was judged to be 3 miles across, actually had visible water and plant life within it. The next ring, based on magnified pictures shot from the Hubble Telescope, had some water, but no plants, leaving the red dirt of Mars exposed. The next ring had only buildings: no water or plants. The final outer ring was unfinished, and had nothing but barren rock and dirt within it. All total, the series of rings encompassed an area roughly 30 miles in diameter.

There were photos of manta ray-like flying vehicles lazily hovering around the construction areas, spherical satellites larger than football stadiums being built in Mars orbit like tiny moons, and new canals and reservoirs being dug. The shots of the rapidly expanding Martian city were plastered on every magazine and newspaper in every country, graced the digital backdrops of every news channel. It had quickly been dubbed “New Olympus,” by the Western media, and a dozen other monikers.

“Like they think they’re gods or something,” MacDougal said with obvious disdain a week after the UN meeting. She was with Anya, Samaira, Chell, Pan, President Hanover, Senate Majority Leader Randall Norris from New York, and the Joint Chiefs. General Johnson had been replaced following his heroic demise at Antarctica by another stern, gruff-faced Marine in his sixties whose name-tag read “Carrol.” He was leaner than Johnson had been, a sharpened saber to Johnson’s blunt mace.

Anya had also brought Tori with her, and MacDougal had allowed it, telling the young USAIF agent to act as a type of general aide during the meeting in the Oval Office.

“To be fair, they didn’t come up with the name. They might be calling it Marsville,” Anya said.

“Marsville is a good name,” Hanover said and made a note on a yellow legal pad in front of him. MacDougal sighed.

“They’ve built the city on Olympus Mons. They’re being pretty obvious about it,” MacDougal said.

“Isn’t Olympus Mons a volcano? Is it active?” Chell asked.

“Yes and most likely, according to NASA,” Senator Norris said.

“I’m sure if they can build a small city within a few weeks, they can find a way around a volcano,” Samaira said. “They could be using it for energy, venting it elsewhere, something else equally clever.”

“Anything in these photos look like a weapons factory?” General Carrol asked.

“All of them and none of them. Those satellites could be anything from science observatories to their own Mori cannons pointed straight at us,” MacDougal said.

“That seem a little paranoid to you?” Anya asked.

“Not in the least. Especially after your unauthorized talk with them which could have provoked them or proved disastrous,” MacDougal said, obviously irritated. It wasn’t the first time she’d snapped at Anya for her hasty visit up to the roof of the UN. Anya sighed and shook her head.

“You’re going to make enemies of them before they even do anything,” she said.

“We can’t just wait for them to make the first move,” General Carrol said. “We need to be ready. Rebuild Lunar Base Prime, the Deluxe Mori Cannon, get the old man in Antarctica to rebuild those planetary defense satellites. When we’re in a better position, we can negotiate.”

“First of all, Gary has a name. Second, he doesn’t work for you,” Anya said.

“He’s an American citizen, he’s benefited from being a citizen his entire life,” Carrol said. Anya scoffed and shook her head and Carrol scowled at her. “Something to add, Miss?”

“Yeah, actually. Gary was homeless when I met him, living out of his truck. He’d lost his money and his house after going bankrupt paying for his wife’s cancer treatments and hospice care. He’d been laid off from his job at the car factory because all the jobs got shifted to other countries. And he more than earned whatever meager benefits he had by fighting for you and enduring an ugly fucking war. He doesn’t owe you a god damn thing.”

“You’re speaking to a superior officer,” Carrol said.

“I’m not in the Marines!” Anya said. “And I’m starting to wonder if I want to be in the USAIF anymore either, if this is how you’re going to act.”

“Stand down, Nowicki,” MacDougal said.

“This isn’t like the aliens. These aren’t monsters from the stars, these are people! And they haven’t done anything to anyone except stake out some land on a barren rock none of you cared about until now!” Anya continued, her voice rising.

“Anya, hey——” Tori said.

“Gary was right about you assholes,” Anya said.

“Enough,” MacDougal said. “You’re not being helpful. You’re dismissed from this meeting and suspended until further notice.”

“Fine. Don’t know why you even bother having us here if you’re not going to listen to us,” Anya stomped out of the Oval Office and down the hall before she heard two pairs of feet hurrying after her: Samaira and Tori.

“Anya, wait,” Samaira said. Anya stopped in the hall and regarded her friends.

“What?” she asked, a little too sharply. She took a deep breath. “Sorry. I’m not mad at you, just…irritated.”

“I get it. They’re being a bit paranoid, but…can you really blame them?” Samaira asked.

“A little, yeah!” Anya said.

“C’mon Anya, we’ve talked about this,” Tori said and Anya raised an eyebrow at her. “It’s easy for you and other hosts to give these new hosts the benefit of the doubt, or just ignore them since they’re on Mars. You can just fly away or go to Antarctica at the drop of a hat or blow up a continent. But for the rest of us…suddenly having a whole bunch more super-powered neighbors who want nothing to do with Earth feels like it could become a little threatening. I’m not saying they’re bad just that fixing our defenses before we throw out the welcome mat doesn’t sound so bad.”

“Look, I know they’re shady and I don’t fully trust them either after they just ditched Earth during the invasion, but acting like they’ve already pointed a gun at our heads isn’t exactly the most diplomatic approach either,” Anya said.

“Well damn, if it seems abrasive to you then yeah, fair point, maybe,” Tori said and laughed.

“So, what, you think I should go in there and apologize and make nice?” Anya asked.

“I don't think so,” Samaira said.

“Hell no,” Tori added.

“Wow, okay,” Anya replied.

“I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you leaving is the best thing right now,” Samaira said.

“Tell me how you really feel,” Anya said wryly.

“You know what I mean. MacDougal, the Joint Chiefs, Hanover, they’re all on edge. A brand new superpower just showed up basically overnight. I can’t imagine how other countries are reacting to this. What I mean is that they need time to process and calm down, and you jumping on them and just…being yourself isn’t going to make them less anxious. They’re just going to see another host resisting them and that’s going to paint their perspective on the Martian hosts,” Samaira said.

“She’s got a point,” Tori said. “You’re not exactly a calming influence. But I meant you shouldn't go in there because even if they are justifiably worried, they're still being dicks about it.”

“Yeah, I get it,” Anya said and rolled her eyes.

“We need to check in on Gary anyway. I was going to look for an excuse to duck out early and go see him since it’s been a while. Can you go and visit him?” Samaira asked. “Maybe take Pan.”

“Sure thing,” Anya said. She’d meant to go see Gary right after the UN meeting, get his perspective on things, but then MacDougal had demanded she report on her unauthorized talk with Corva. After that it had been more meetings, more talks, more questions about the menu, levels, what Corva could do if she also had a Sun’s Heart, and so on. What little free time Anya had had she had spent with Immonen or Tori.

“I’m worried about him,” Samaira said. “Even during the invasion, when he wasn’t sleeping and barely eating and working non-stop, he still found time to send me a message or check on Pan or Chell or something. But he’s been silent unless I talk to him and then he’s been pretty…monosyllabic.”

“Yeah, I haven’t talked to him much either but I’ve gotten that impression too,” Anya said.

“I’m sure seeing you and Pan will cheer him up,” Tori said and left to go get the pangolin.

“If you don’t mind, maybe stay in Antarctica a while,” Samaira said. “I think being alone in that huge factory might be affecting Gary.”

“Might as well since I’m suspended. Geez, it feels like being back in high school or some shit,” Anya said and Samaira giggled.

“Principal MacDougal got you for sassing her,” she said.

“Might as well smoke behind the gym and make out with my boyfriend,” Anya said and laughed. Samaira stopped chuckling and her smile became a little tighter. Anya only noticed it for a moment until Samaira turned away to face Pan and Tori as they emerged into the hallway.

“We’re gonna go see Gary?” Pan asked, his tiny mouth stretched as wide as it could go in a grin. “I haven’t seen him in one week…two weeks? Lots!”

“That’s why we’re going,” Anya said.

“Not cause you’re suspenders?” Pan asked and Anya laughed.

“Suspended. And, well, yes and no,” she sighed. “C’mon, I’ll explain on the way.”

Anya and Pan waved good-bye to Tori and Samaira, and left the muggy spring weather of Washington DC behind for the icy wastes of Antarctica.