"How Dare you!!", Sunni erupted more spectacularly than Olympus Mons ever could.

Julius jolted from the scathing attack, and spilt his coffee. "What did I do this time?" braving another sip.

"Drinking that in here", pointing at the cup, "you know I can't have any while I'm pregnant, you insensitive bastard!!"

"Okay, okay I will take my delicious coffee and leave you in peace", he teased with a sly look on his face.

"No no no please don't go, just let me smell it, just a little", she was pleading now.

"....okay you've been acting weird lately, if you want a coffee, drink a coffee. My mother drank a pot a day when she was pregnant with me, and I turned out okay", smugly taking another loud slurp.

"Debatable, gimme, gimme", she snatched the cup from him and breathed in deeply, sighing in ecstasy.

"I remember when you used to do that because of me."

She stuck her tongue in the cup and began to lap it up like a thirsty dog.

"You are so fucking adorable, I could watch this all day, but I need to meet with Jim." He kissed his wife on the forehead then kissed his gestating daughter before leaving the room.

Jim Lawson was the de facto leader of the colony, for the time being until a formal constitution could be drafted. Nova Maritus was essentially a NASA funded project, although it had participants from other agencies and aligned governments. So one of Jim's key duties was to act as a liaison between the colony and congress.

Julius was waved into the room, Jim was on a video link with a congressional committee set up to evaluate the possibility of  further funding. At present there was a 21 minute delay, so Julius was prepared for a long ordeal.

"Members of the committee,the chief engineer of dome construction Julius Pritchard is present and is ready to testify before you" Jim gestured to Julius to have a seat.

...

"Congresswoman Tamara Caplin representing Illinois' 12th congressional district. Thank you Mr. Pritchard for taking time out of your busy schedule to testify before congress today. Before we begin let me congratulate you on your marriage and impending fatherhood. All of America shares your joy with you. The question I pose to you is, regarding the safety of the dome construction. Is it your belief that the structural integrity will be maintained for a considerable amount of time?"

...

Julius responded, "Madam Congresswoman thank you on behalf of my wife for your kind wishes I will pass them along to her at my earliest convenience, she will be pleased. In regards to the structural integrity of the dome construction. In my professional opinion there has not been any major concerns. Even the micrometer impacts to date have not cause any damage other than cosmetic."

...

The questions and answers went back and forth for the next several hours.

The next day Julius received a message from Jim, {senate committee has approved further funding, they require work to begin at the Olympus Mons location. Second manufacturer unit already on route should arrive in a month}

Further proof that committee's were just for political clout, their decision was made months ago. Julius looked at the specs required for the new build. Odd it wasn't a habitation dome, more like an industrial complex. Oh well, better get things into motion.