20 ARRIVAL
2295 A.D. IN THE SOLAR System
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WE COULD SEE EARTH on the monitor screen, encircled by a wide ring of habitats, cities, and facilities. Most of the population of the Solar system resided in the habitats orbiting the Earth. Earth itself was a preserve, one giant national park, but only necessary personnel lived on the planet itself.
On the monitor were the other two habitable planets in the Solar System, those being Venus and Mars. Mars was more nearly Earth-like, with the climate being similar to that of tundra. Mars had transplanted plants, and we could see the green from these terrestrial plants, from the orbital view that we had of the planet. More distinctive were the blue of the water in its wide oceans, and the profusion of clouds.
Venus was currently
