This is a Test

Ch. 1 - Part II - This is a Test

No acknowledgments were forthcoming as everyone else worked to undress. Unfazed by the lack of response, he shed his suit top the quickest and extended his hand to the closest person, a woman with straggly hair that couldn't be blamed on the helmet. "Dante Dumont, doctor of biochemistry."

She accepted his hand. "Dr. Karina Sabitini, agriculturist."

The big guy had parted ways with his suit, letting it drop to the floor as he swung his pink paw to catch Dante's hand, a loud slap created as their palms collided. "Dr. Roger Borschman. Doctor of geology from Gornthrop University," he said with emphasis as if this meant something. The bearded guy had neck folds like bleached bacon and a stain on his new shirt.

"Nice to meet you, Rog."

Cashe knew he would be the next victim of jovial familiarity. He pulled the suit top from over his head but kept his right arm in the sleeve, using his left hand to work the Velcro free from his right wrist. Pretending to be absorbed in undressing, he timed his move perfectly so just as Dante reached out to shake, Cashe pulled his arm from the sleeve, leaving the man to grasp an empty glove.

"Whoa," Dante said with some shock, quickly transitioning to a smile as he chose to jostle the sleeve in greeting. "Tricky one, aren't ya?"

"Sorry," Cashe said, feigning some difficulty before placing his left hand on his chest. "Randall Cashe, doctorates in mechanical and electrical engineering."

Dante beamed, pointing Cashe's gloved finger at him before letting the sleeve drop. "Good to meet you, Randy."

"It's Randall, not Randy,"

The man had moved on, oblivious to Cashe's words as he greeted the next person, a tall, older Indian woman who stated, "Dr. Miranda Patel. I'm a trained surgeon as well as a practicing psychiatrist."

The last of their group was a shorter Asian lady who spoke her native tongue into a smartphone-sized device in her hand. The machine said, "My name is Lia Xhian. I am a computer scientist specializing in software and networking." She extended her own hand.

"Well, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Dante said as he put his palms together, bowing slightly to her. Cashe assumed that this Dante guy thought was the appropriate way to greet someone from China based on movies and the like.

A minute was wasted exchanging handshakes and introductions. Cashe judged their personalities from their grips. Karina didn't like physical contact, Miranda was warm, Lia was hesitant and unsure, and Roger's obnoxious shake felt as if he was trying to rattle the bones out of Cashe's fingers.

After they placed their suits and helmets in the empty lockers, Dante waved a hand down towards the hallway. "Let's check out our new home. Come on," and he headed towards the lounge. Everyone walked behind him, as it was the only direction they could go, and Cashe resented the fact that in order to leave the room, it would look like he was following that Dante guy's lead.

Their only option was a conference room that could serve as a lounge as well. It had cushioned seats along all the curved walls and a round table in the center surrounded by twelve chairs affixed to the floor. Most free wall space in the building had chest-high video screens that displayed data or moving images or Martian vistas or sunsets. Straight ahead was a corridor to the hydroponics lab, the giant centerpiece of the building. The corridor to the left led to the workshop and server rooms while the corridor to the right led to the three-person bathroom and the living quarters. They had been shown schematics and video of the building beforehand, and Cashe had entered with that knowledge and a plan. While the rest wandered like cooing, chattering zombies towards the hydroponics lab, Cashe went to the right to choose his bunk.

At the start of the hall that led to their rooms, Cashe found his bag in a pile with the others' belongings. One thing that was not shown in the schematics was that the first rooms on either side were twice as large as the four-by-five-meter rooms advertised, and he checked the others to confirm. Twelve rooms, ten being the standard size, two twice as large. These would obviously go to the most important people, or else to whomever grabbed them first. If the most coveted rooms were in the front, then Cashe would move to the back, away from the disruptions of others.

Cashe entered the furthest door with his bag, filled with nothing but Anoptica clothing. Company representatives explained that every pound of weight brought to Mars would cost a million dollars in fuel for a seven-month trip, and they were asked to pack accordingly. He brought nothing, as he was sentimental about nothing, and he wanted to show that he placed saving them money over his own personal wants. Perhaps displaying such cost-efficiencies would earn him a bigger bonus.