“A Martian Minute” is the fifth story in Gleanings. It was written by Neal Shusterman.
Plot[]
A seventeen year old Carson Lusk seeks to escape the Mars colony by getting scholarships to attend college on Earth. News of a scythe visit to the colony presents him with a new opportunity. Second Undersycthe Xenocrates sees something "special" in Carson and offers him refuge on Earth in exchange for sabotage of the Mars colony. Carson worms his way into the inner workings of the colony's power source and causes a catastrophic failure. He manages to escape on the last shuttle off the planet, watching a blinding explosion decimate everyone he has ever known. Back on Earth his efforts are rewarded with a scythe apprenticeship under Honorable Scythe Xenocrates.
Characters[]
Appeared[]
- Carson Lusk
- Thunderhead
- Carson's mother
- Carson's father
- Devona
- Underscythe Xenocrates
- Acheron Yost
- Governor Vallerin
- Photographers and reporters
- Xenocrate's chief of staff
- Xenocrate's chef
- Two members of the scytheguard.
- Lisa Riojas
- Otto
- 97 survivors onboard the cargo ship that managed to escape the destruction of the colony.
- Captain Quarry
Mentioned[]
- Sakari Hernandez
- Acheron's parents
- Scythe Poe