Scientists had long guessed that the Martian poles contained frozen water. Back in 2007 a joint NASA-Italian Space Agency radar on board the European Space Agency Mars Express spacecraft determined that the deposits at the south pole were up to 3.7 kilometers in thickness. Found under polar caps of white frozen carbon dioxide and water, the deposits are ninety per cent frozen water with dust mixed in. It was later confirmed that similar deposits existed at the north pole.

As a natural consequence of these discoveries, the first colonies were founded at the poles. A mining industry grew up to provide the water the colonies needed. Since the first colonies were Chinese, the mining company was a subsidiary of a Shanghai holding company that also had interests all over Earth and beyond Mars into the asteroid belt. Like oil, precious metals were becoming scarce on the home planet.

"I'd like you to try it," said Jerry with a smile. "I only make it for very special friends."

"Am I special?"

"I think you are."

She hooked her arm into his.

"You know my family is very religious."

"So? We're only talking soup here."

"I'm not. And I came here to escape the pressures from my family to marry a nice Catholic man and settle down to produce little Catholics."

"Well, we'll see what the soup leads to, but never fear - we're a very open and liberated society up here. We're the new pioneers, Marie."