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 (90,000+ words as of
now), drop me a line and I’ll send you the unedited version.
From the darkness of the underground station, vo’Maddux finally spoke, “I
won’t do so any more. Your career in the Mayor’s office…”
Aster cut her off, “…was not anything I ever cared for. You would have it
if I could give it away.” She paused, waiting for the other woman opened her
mouth before she cut her off, “But I’m the one who has it and you won’t get rid
of me as easily as you got rid of the other Consorts.”
There was a long pause, then vo’Maddux said, “A free bit of advice,
sister,” she paused, “Don’t make the mistake I just made.”
Aster hummed and waited for the sound of receding footsteps, then followed
after her, turning down the path suddenly lit by a faintly glowing, stylized
letter, “I”. She smiled. Clearly the network of underground Artificial Humans
was better organized than “natural born” Humans suspected. FardusAH had
probably been monitoring her; and she likely had connections not only within
the Mayor’s office, but…
The letter vanished then appeared in a side tunnel, flashing red once then vanishing.
Clearly whoever was watching her was trying to tell her something. Or keeping
her out of an ambush. Who would try and ambush her down here – aside from the
obvious? Aster turned and started to move faster. She had no idea really where
she was going. Were there underground Christians as well as Underground Inti?
Who else maintained underground operations. For that matter, Mars was vast and
most of it was uninhabited – at least that was the opinion of those living in
the Domes. But while there were only Five Domes, there were another two dozen Stations
and uncounted Outposts. Many were scientific in nature, doing the job of
exploring Mars.
There were rumors of underground – literally – conclaves as well, those who
lived off the grid, out from under the control of the Domes and the Mayors, and
even out of view of the satellites that ringed the planet. She’d heard stories
of Nomads, clans of Humans who had banded together with Artificial Humans and wandered
the surface, pitching tents as the mood struck them.
There were lots of others on Mars, many who had no love for the Mayors or
the Domes they ruled. She stopped. Who knew what she might be getting herself
into by coming down here, openly declaring herself against vo’Maddux and with Artificials?
Would her father be in danger because of her alliance – or was he already in
danger because of his beliefs?
Aster continued to walk, flashing “I”s guiding her until she reached the
sub-Dome elevator. She got in, rode ten levels up and stepped out – into the bright
concentrated sunshine of midday. For a moment she stood blinking, then several
blue Artificial Humans stepped up to her. One, an elderly male she’d never seen
before, said, “Excuse me, Madame Consort, but the Mayor, his Excellency Etaraxis
Ginunga-Gap has sent me, BondAH to collect you.”
Aster snorted. “And how did his Excellency know I would be exiting here?”
He lifted his chin and said, “His Excellency has his ways. Perhaps the best
known is that he is always listening.” BondAH managed to keep his smile to a
twitch of one corner of his lips.
Aster couldn’t control hers as she replied, “Message received.” She nodded,
“I would be delighted to travel with you, Master BondAH.”
“Simply ‘BondAH’, if it please your Grace.”
She lifted and eyebrow and said, “It no longer pleases me, Master BondAH.
It no longer pleases me.”
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