When we got into orbit they slid open the shutters and let us look at our new home, slightly closer to the new sun than Earth was to the old one. Everything was orange-tinged red or ocher-tinted gray. It looked dry. It looked hot. It gave me a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was going to be making a go at agriculture in a place that looked like Death Valley.
"Doesn't look friendly, does it?" Brick was leaning next to me, nose pressed almost up against the window, both of us pale ghosts in the reflection.
"Scorched, with a hint of desiccation." I agreed. "Looks dry as hell."
"But warmer."
Didn't matter. That was going to be home. I leaned away, arms crossed, still looking. Fascinated in spite of the worry in my guts.
"Just goes to show. Never trust the marketing brochures."