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
and I’m sorry, but a number of them got deleted from the blog – 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 (40,000
words as of now), drop me a line and I’ll send you the unedited version. ? z Z
“Mayor Turin sent us, that much is what we
remember. But who made him send us? It’s not like this was a usual request,”
DaneelAH held up a finger as vat-brother, HanAH opened his mouth. HanAH closed
his mouth with an irritated snap as DaneelAH said, “He must have known the ‘bug
would come for us. He could have stopped us at any time. If you say that Paolo
suborned the system and kidnapped us, then you’re giving him exactly the kind
of authority and skill that you’re trying to deny him having.” DaneelAH
grinned, adding, “You can’t have it both ways. Either Turin is in collusion
with this Paolo or Paolo’s smarter than Turin and has kidnapped us for his own
nefarious purposes. In which case, we are exactly what MishAH proposes: we’re
being directed by Paolo to someplace to do something.” He nodded in his
vat-sister, MishAH’s direction. “We’re on a predetermined path – no matter how
random our stops seem to have been. Where do you think we’re headed?”
“Cydonia. This trail we’ve been on
obviously terminates in the Cydonian Basin,” she said.
HanAH rolled his eyes, “No doubt at the
Face On Mars?”
Abruptly, the marsbug jerked and
started to roll forward again. DaneelAH said, “Either that was coincidence or
you spoke some sort of activating phrase.” He shook his head, “We’re a long way
from Cydonia.”
As the ‘bug picked up speed MishAH
said, “This Paolo character programmed us to head straight north. We’re not
going to Outpost Holden or Eberswalde.” She shook her head. “It looks like we’re
on a beeline course for Cydonia with no stops along the way.”
HanAH turned forward and said, “We’ll
see about that.” He hunched over, manipulating the ‘bug’s controls. The vehicle
didn’t deviate from its path. Finally he sank back and said, “We’re headed for
Cydonia – but I managed to tease out our itinerary.” He crossed his arms over
his chest, glaring through the port.
AzAH said, “Are you going to sulk or
are you going to share your wisdom with us?”
“My behavior is the only thing I have
control of right now, so I’m going to sulk a bit longer, if you don’t mind.”
“I mind!” MishAH exclaimed.
HanAH ignored her until she stepped
forward. Then he said, “It’s pretty clear the course Paolo has charted for us
misses most of the settlements on Mars now that we got the Dalai Lama’s data
chip.” He turned around. “My guess is that this Paolo intended for us to take
the time to study the religious book collection. He said that the Koran was
there along with the Analects, the Aqdas, the Kojiki, the Tao Te Ching, the
Torah, the Tripiṭaka, and the Vedas.”
MishAH said, “They’d all been tampered
with he said.”
“Not the ones on the chip,” said AzAH. “The
ones we’re familiar with.”
MishAH nodded, “Then I think he laid
the job out for us...”
DaneelAH interrupted , “Since when did
you decide to do what Paolo wants us to do?”
He bristled, hands curling into fists,
then relaxed, saying, “Since he gave us no choice.”
“No choice?”
“Yes. He’s set us up for something. The
only way we’re going to take back control is to do has he directs – fully aware
that he’s manipulating events.” He leaned back, crossing his arms over his
chest. “It may be that we’re not the only ones he’s manipulating. He may have
far larger plans in mind and we might be simple pawns in his bigger game.”
DaneelAH pursed his lips, took a deep
breath, and said, “I agree.” The other three startled, stared at him. He
shrugged. “As you say, there’s nothing else we can do – and I’m interested now
in what these supposed differences are between the hold books we know and the
ones the Dalai Lama gave us.” He nodded to his vat-sister, “I think the one who
should be in charge is AzAH.”
Startled again, HanAH nodded decisively.
“I don’t usually agree with you, brother, but this time I think that’s the
ideal structure for the investigation.” He looked at AzAH and said, “We’re
under your direction now, sis.”
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