A/N: Hello readers. This is a different route that I'm taking. I was hoping to get my main story done before posting this, but I'm having writer's block. Now that it's winter break, I can work on it.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. Only the story. Why do we need to write these disclaimers? It's fanfiction. Of course, we don't own it.
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Gods of Olympus Mons
Phase 1: Overview
Zeus gazed up at the shining constellations above. So many fallen heroes and legends memorialized for their acts. There was Ganymede in Aquarius. His gaze lingered for a second on the newest one Artemis created. The girl died honorably, he reminded himself. He then stared down into the fire of the hearth. Images of the mortals were displayed through the flames with the scenes changing. It changed from crowded, cramped streets, to landfills, to filthy gas clouds venting into the air by factories, and to third-world villages with children who were too thin.
He stroked his beard as he waited for the rest of the gods to come to the throne room. His wife, Hera, was already by his side as well as his brother, Poseidon. Athena was there before them as the punctual goddess she was. Dionysus was there on time. Unusual for him, but he was still being punished so he probably didn't want any more reason for his father to add to his sentence. Aphrodite was fashionably late as customary for her. Ares arrived and slumped into his seat. Zeus kept an eye on him, because he may have a problem with what they will discuss.
Hades materialized from a shadow. Zeus nodded to his brother as he sat down. Even though it was the winter solstice, the Lord of the Underworld doesn't always attend the council. Ironically, the darkest day of the year was his favorite. But Zeus requested that he attended. Plus, it was the best time the King of Olympus could choose other than the summer solstice. For this subject, all the gods were needed.
"All right," Zeus called to order as all thirteen were settled. "Listen carefully. We have a paramount matter to discuss."
"Anything different than the norm, brother?" Poseidon asked.
"Don't tell me it's another war to overthrow you again," Hades said irritated. "I can't take any more carnage. It's hard enough to document all the mortals filing in as we speak."
"If it's another war, sign me up," Ares said with a smirk.
"This time it is not about a war," Zeus settled. "It's something very different. Don't look like that, Ares. You'll need to hear this." He ordered his son who looked greatly disappointed while gripping his baseball bat.
Artemis then spoke, "What is the matter, father?"
Zeus gripped his lightning bolt more firmly. He directed their attention to the flames in the brazier. The images flashed to various unpleasant scenes. Scenes from what he was watching before but more enhanced for the others. Some of the gods had stony expressions. For it was nothing new to them. However, those who had softer hearts gazed with sorrowful eyes. Some of those were for the ones who cared more about the Earth. Such as Demeter and Artemis. Aphrodite looked with more disgust but not without compassion. Apollo was the one who felt the most grief for living as a mortal himself. Hestia, the most empathetic could hardly look at the horror.
"Why are we seeing this?" Hades asked bored.
"You have something in mind, do you father?" wise Athena surmised. "Something about the health of the Earth."
"Are you talking about Gaea?" Demeter asked.
Hephaestus groaned. "Oh, please not her again! I thought Typhon could cause an eruption before she stirred."
The others started to protest and make accusations before Zeus silenced them with thunder.
"If you all remain silent and watch, you'll understand! Now pay attention!" He then commanded the images to change. Most of them were mortals, only not like before. These were speeches. Quotes.
"Earth as an ecosystem stands out in all the of the universe. There's no place that we know about that can support life as we know it, not even our sister planet…"
"We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win, and the others, too."
"You need to live in a dome initially but over time you could terraform Mars to look like Earth and eventually walk around outside without anything on."
"Exploring and colonizing Mars can bring us new scientific understanding of climate change, of how planet-wide processes can make a warm and wet world into a barren landscape. By exploring and understanding Mars, we may gain key insights into the past and future of our world."
Following those words, images of a red planet appeared in the flames. And a scene of a piece of ice melting on the cold, desolate surface.
The gods shared a glance at each other. For all-powerful, all-knowing beings, even they were confused at first. Even Athena for a brief second, until her reckoning registered a sun-sized lightbulb over her head.
"Lord father, you're not saying that…."
"Yes, Athena. We are to terraform the planet Mars."
A/N: My first full story in the Percy Jackson universe. I have written a couple of poems for his fandom though. This is a highly sci-fi and fantasy mix. I'll try to make it as scientifically accurate as possible—with this batch of characters. I dream of the day we colonize the planet Mars and we will need it to make it Earth-like to be livable. As of now, it's impossible to do so. That's where the gods come in.
Quick survey! I'm also working on another, completely different, PJO/HoO story with the Seven Demigods all grown up, living their young adult lives. I already know where some of them are at this point, but where do Percy and Annabeth live? New York, New Rome, or a different city? Please write in your review where they would be, and if anyone has a bright idea, please share.
Please click on the favorites, follows, and leave a review. See you soon.
