A Colony on Mars by Cliff Roehr Page B

from a part of the country where it was stil common to set up a stil and produce their own liquor. You could even get a permit to do that if it was for your own consumption. Both of these gentlemen claimed to be experts so they were unofficially appointed to head up that project. They scoured the facility in search of copper tubing and the other materials they would need. They came up with everything they needed and constructed the first stil on Mars. There would stil be a lack of casks for aging but that would not be much of a problem. Nobody would want to wait for it to age anyway. The early batches would lacked that nice brown color that one associates with good whiskey but it would serve to make Saturday nights a lot more fun. One Sunday morning early in 2108 Tim and Carla were out for a walk when they came across Archy holding services for a dozen or so faithful. The service was about over so Tim and Carla listened to the conclusion of Archie's sermon. They didn't know much about religion but Archy sure seemed to know what he was talking about. He sounded very professional. When the service ended Archie approached them and asked Tim if he would help build a community church. “Sure Archy but we would have to clear it with Walter and Thelma. The next time he spoke with Thelma he brought the subject of a church up for discussion. “Oh, you know how the Government and The Company are about spending any money for the benefit of any particular religious group so we would have to call it a community chapel and claim that we needed it for weddings and funerals. I am not aware of any funerals coming up but I know of more than a dozen weddings that are being planned.” Tim said, I could request Rusty to ask for volunteers on the nightly news to have those interested volunteer their time next Sunday to help build the Church, er a I mean Community Chapel.” “Not necessary said Thelma, if The Company and the Government approve the Chapel we can build it on company time with company materials and even order a few items like pews sent up from Earth. By the way, Tim do we have a pastor?” “Wel sort of, one of our construction workers is a lay minister. I have heard one of his sermons and he sounds very professional. I don't know what religion he represents but maybe he could be persuaded to conduct his services interdenominational.”
    Thelma got her permission for the chapel all right but the Government representative that she talked to in Washington said Oh, my god, we forgot all about that. With the population that you have now you would be entitled to three chapels and three chaplains. Watch the next ship Thelma you may be getting a priest a minister and a rabbi.” Archy was not too pleased when he heard all this but just shrugged and said maybe the protestant minister wil let me preach one day a week, that would be fine with me.”
    The company had been speaking with Carter and Walter and Thelma and were assured that the colony was prepared to receive a new batch of workers. “We are a lot better prepared now to receive three hundred new workers than we were when you sent the last batch she said. Besides the assigned work is pretty well caught up with now and Carter wants to start sealing the big cavern as soon as possible after breakthrough. Maybe you could send three hundred new workers on each ship until further notice. When we start on the big cavern we will need all the help we can get, it is going to be a big job to seal and pressurize that baby.” A few minutes later another message was received from the Company “It's a good thing that you said that Thelma because on the ship that is due to arrive in January there are three hundred more employees. Most of them will be construction workers but there wil also be some surprises for you.
    CHAPTER - Mars Supply One Docks
    January 15, 2108: The first ship to arrive on Mars since the one that Tim had arrived docked at Mars orbiter. Tim kind of smiled when he saw 35