Martian Time-Slip

by Philip K. Dick

Presently, Jack said, “It looks like the co-op apartment house I lived in years ago when I had my breakdown.” “Exactly. The co-op movement will be in with the UN on this. These F.D.R. Mountains were once fertile, as everybody knows; there was plenty of water here. The UN hydraulic engineers believe they can bring enormous quantities of water up to the surface from the table below. The water table is closer to the surface in these mountains than anywhere else on Mars; this is the original water source for the canal network, the UN engineers believe.” “The co-op,” Jack said in a strange voice, “here on Mars.” “They’ll be fine modern structures,” Leo said. “It’s quite an ambitious project. The UN will be transporting people here free, providing their passage right to their new homes, and the cost of buying each unit will be small. It will take quite a big slice of these mountains, as you might guess, and as I heard it, they expect it to be ten to fifteen years before the project is completed.” Jack said nothing. “Mass emigration,” Leo said. “This will ensure it.” “I guess so,” Jack said.