Sarah smiled when she learned his name.<em>Richard.</em>As bad as she was with names, she did not think she would forget this one.<br/><br/>As her initial apprehension about being on the dance floor faded slightly, she became more conscious of the intimacy of the setting. He was actually holding her, and she could see her own sudden infatuation with him reflected in his eyes. She felt giddy and fearful at the same time, and very conscious of every little touch. “It’s still hard to believe, the idea that twenty years will pass without experiencing a moment of it. My parents told me I should send a message to them as soon as I can after we arrive, but even that will take still more years just to cross the distance from the new colony to home.<br/><br/>“Although I guess pretty soon I’ll have to stop thinking of Mars as home—even if everything goes exactly to plan, this is a one-way trip.” The young tech worried she was sounding a bit too grim. “But all that aside, this has sort of turned into a date if I’m not mistaken. Maybe you could tell me more about yourself?”