Starship Legacy: A Novel by Not Elon Musk

Stepping back into the botany lab, Luke felt a familiar mix of frustration and resolve. The sight of damaged plants, the lingering smell of ozone from the storm-filtered air – it was a small blow, but one that underscored the fragility of their outpost. Sarah was already there, sleeves rolled up and a frown tugging at her mouth.

"We took a hit," she confirmed, her voice matter-of-fact. "The seedlings are the worst of it, looks like. But the tomatoes held their own." She gestured to the stubbornly green plant with its slightly singed leaves.

"Battle scars," Luke offered, managing a half-smile. "Adds to their charm, right?"

Sarah let out a soft huff of laughter. "Maybe. I'm running a full diagnostic sweep and recalibrating the nutrient mix. We can minimize the damage."

Luke nodded. Sarah's brand of quiet determination was more potent than any dramatic display. "And what's next on the 'make Mars bloom' agenda?"

"There's an extremophile algae strain I've been wanting to try. Radiation resistant, low-input needs..." Her eyes flickered to him, a hint of hesitation there.

"It's a gamble," Luke acknowledged. "But we didn't come all this way to play it safe, did we?"

A flicker of a smile touched Sarah's lips. "Didn't think so. It might be a long shot, but... wouldn't it be something to see even a speck of green take root outside the dome?"

That night, after the chores were done and the steady hum of the base lulled him, Luke found himself staring at the familiar image of Earth. The homesickness was a dull ache now, not the sharp pang of his early years on Mars. There was too much at stake here, too much potential unfolding before his eyes to simply yearn for a world that felt light-years away.

He glanced at the poster beside it. Elon Musk's grin still held that spark of ambition, a quality that had no doubt fueled his relentless pursuit of Mars colonization.