April 20, 2018

MARTIAN HOLIDAY 124: Paolo Exiting Burroughs


On a well-settled Mars, the five major city Council regimes struggle to meld into a stable, working government. Embracing an official Unified Faith In Humanity, the Councils are teetering on the verge of pogrom directed against Christians, Molesters, Jews, Rapists, Buddhists, Murderers, Muslims, Thieves, Hindu, Embezzlers and Artificial Humans – anyone who threatens the official Faith and the consolidating power of the Councils. It makes good sense, right – get rid of religion and Human divisiveness on a societal level will disappear? An instrument of such a pogrom might just be a Roman holiday...To see the rest of the chapters, go to SCIENCE FICTION: Martian Holiday on the right and scroll to the bottom for the first story. If you’d like to read it from beginning to end (80,000+ words as of now), drop me a line and I’ll send you the unedited version.

The young Lotharian – a flame-haired Martian of some sort of mutated stock – had passed Paolo his message. After knocking him over while he was supposedly jogging.

Judas pulled Paolo to his feet and said, “You have to get moving. The regular police are satisfied, but I’m pretty sure that there are mind police still skulking nearby.”

“Did you say ‘skulk’?”

Judas clearly couldn’t keep himself from a faint smile. “Yes. Yes, I did.” He bumped Paolo with a shoulder. “I like to practice ancient vocabulary.” They started walking. “You said you needed a new marsbug?”

“It would help. I’m not sure how much more surface time this one can take.”

Judas nodded, then with a jerk of his chin, directed Paolo to a spiraling stairs. “Let’s walk.”

“How far?”

“Four down and then a kilometer to the ‘bug garages. You can exit then connect with Via Cydonia just north of Burroughs.”

“Do I need to be anyone else while I’m driving the ‘bug?”

Judas looked up at him, surprised, then shrugged. “Yeah. You’ll be me.”

Paolo lifted his chin. “Purely accidental that we have some similar facial characteristics?”

Judas shrugged, then said as they passed a level exit. The steps were wide enough for three to walk comfortably. A ‘steppie’, someone who used the vertical spiral stairways as an exercise tool, huffed past them going up. They gave her clear berth by stepping aside. They were both acutely aware of the three-meter surveillance camera dots pressed to the wall. Once she was gone, Judas said, “Entirely coincidental.” He started moving down again. Though, your spiel did catch the ear of several of my associates.”

“My spiel?”

“You were pretty eloquent, but I think the gist of your philosophy was that if we come forward with evidence that Humans aren’t alone in the universe – and our faith doesn’t go to pieces – was a pretty powerful persuader. It dovetails with our Martian mythologies neatly, and UniFiH hasn’t ever squashed it. If God is, in fact, leading you to gather the evidence and other Christians have other pieces of evidence pointing to the same thing, even if we don’t end up leading Mars, it may be that we’ll at least gain some legal footing again.” He held up a hand as they passed another level, then said, “Not that I believe your wild-assed theory.” Paolo’s eyes widened. Judas sniffed, “Yeah, I used a vulgar word.” They pounded down the stairs a while in silence until Judas said, “You know the root word of ‘vulgar’?” Paolo shrugged. “It was just a word that meant ‘ordinary’ or ‘common’ in Latin. I’m pretty sure that Jesus and his disciples, who were mostly common men, used vulgar language on occasion. As it fit the situation.”

Paolo grunted then said, “Here?”

“Yes.” They exited the stairwell and joined the heavier flow of traffic picking up the slidewalks heading slowly to the edge of Burroughs Dome. Judas leaned closer, “Just because I don’t believe in your marooned aliens theory doesn’t mean I don’t think your mission won’t work. It’s time for our Church to come out of hiding. There are people who aren’t Christians who would just as soon see Martian society return to civilized discourse.”

Paolo snorted, saying, “More like the middle of the 21st Century?”

Judas lifted his chin, “Most people don’t know their Earth history that well.”

“The early half of the last century was a blot on the face of all Humanity. We’re lucky we learned to shut up and listen and then talk after we thought.” The slidewalk let out into a huge cavern. “I didn’t come in here.”

“Nope. This is Breachport. Common Law – about the closest thing we have to a free port on Mars – is enforced here by squads of police from all of the major Domes and a few of the minor ones. Makes certain everyone gets a fair shake if things go sideways. All the Domes are supposed to have one.” Paolo followed Judas until they reached a parked marsbug. “This is mine. Touch your com to mine.” Paolo pulled his out and did. “All right. You have all my passcodes and IDs. They’ll get you out of Burroughs lands. After that you’re on your own.”

“Thanks,” Paolo said. The two men faced each other awkwardly. “I think in better circumstances we might have been good friends.”

“Agreed.” He stepped forward abruptly, hugged Paolo and whispered, “We’re being followed. Get moving.”

Paolo hugged him back, nodded and got into the ‘bug. He was rolling a few moments later after using the IDs on his com to check out. He lifted his hand as he passed Judas and said a brief prayer. Then he was on his way.


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