Moving Mars (13 page)

Yeah. And on Earth, everybody does it. But Charles has applied to be hooked to a Quantum Logic thinker.

I fell silent for a moment. Where d-did you learn that?

Open records, medically oriented research applications, UMS. He put in the request early last summer, before the trench domes.

My insides sank. Oh, God, I said.

Hey, we dont know much about such a link.

Nobody can even talk to a QL thinker! I said.

I didnt want to puddle your dust, Casseia, but I thought youd want to know.

Oh.

When will you be back?

I mumbled an answer and cut the vid. My head seemed filled with foam. I didnt know whether to be angry or to cry.

On Mars, we had escaped most of the ferment of enhancements and transforms and nanomorphing commonplace on Earth. We were used to low-level enhancements, genetic correction, and therapy for serious mental disorders, but most Martians eschewed the extreme possibilities. Some werent available off Earth; some just didnt suit our pragmatic, pioneer tastes. I think the cultural consensus was that Mars would let Earth and, to a lesser extent, the Moon try the radical treatments, and Mars would sit the revolution out for a decade or two and await the results.

If what Diane had learned was trueand I couldnt think of any reason to doubt herCharles seemed ready to zip right to the cutting edge.

What had been youthful ambivalence before ramped to near-panic now. How could I maintain any kind of normal relationship with Charles when he would spend much of his mental life listening to the vagaries of Quantum Logic? Why would he want that in the first place?

The answer was clearto make him a better physicist. Quantum Logic reflected the way the universe operated at a deep level. Human logicand the mathematical neural logic of most thinkersworked best on the slippery surface of reality.

What I knew of these topics, I had picked from school studies and mass LitVid, where physically and mentally enhanced heroes dominated Terrie youth programming. But in truth, I understood very little about Quantum Logic or QL thinkers.

One last question chased me through the rest of the day, through dinner with my parents and brother, through the BM social hour and tea dance later in the evening, into a sleepless bed: Why didnt Charles tell me?

He hadnt given me everything, after all.

Early the next morning, my mother and I planned my education through the next few years. I wasnt in the mood, but it had to be done, so I put on as brave and cheerful a face as I could manage. Father and Stan had gone to an inter-BM conference on off-Mars asset control; our branch of the family had traditionally served the Majumdar BM by directing the familys involvement in Triple finances, and Stan was following that road. I was still interested in management and political theory, even more now that I had spend a few months away from such courses. The UMS action, and my time with Charles, had sharpened my resolve.

Mother was a patient woman, too patient I thought, but I was grateful to have her sympathy now. She had never approved of political process; my grandmother had left the Moon in protest when it had reshaped its constitution, and her daughter had retained a typical Lunar sense of rugged individualism.

Both Mother and I knew what I owed to the family: that beginning in another year or so, I would become useful to the BM, or get lawbonded, transfer, and become useful to another BM. Political studies did not seem particularly useful to anybody at this time.

Still, if I wanted to study state theory and large-scale govmanagement, she would go along after voicing a quiet, polite protest.

That took about five minutes, and I sat stolidly, hearing her through. She discussed the difficulties of politics in BM-centered economies; she told me that the best and most lasting contributions could be made within ones own BM, or as a BM-elected representative to the Council, and even that was something of a chore and not a privilege.

She made her points, a restrained but heartfelt version of Grandmothers Lunar cry of Cut the politics! and I said in reply, Its the only thing that really interests me, Mother. Somebody has to study the process; the BMs have to interact with each other and with the Triple. Thats just common sense.

She leaned her head to one side and gave me what Father called her enigma look, which I had seen many times before, and never been able to describe. A loving, suffering, patiently expectant expression, I can say now after decades of thought, but that still doesnt do it justice. This time, it might have meant, Yes, and its the worlds third-oldest profession, but I wouldnt want my daughter doing it.

Youre not going to change your mind, are you?

I dont think so.

Then lets do it right, she said.

We sat in the dining room, poring over prospectuses as they flitted around us in stylish picts and texts, symbols and previews of various curriculums vying to draw us in deeper. Mother sighed and shook her head. None of these are very enticing, she said. All entry-level stuff.

A few look interesting.

You say youre serious about this?

Yes.

Then Martian political theory wont be enough. Its small grit compared to Terrie boulders.

But Terrie eds are expensive

And probably biased toward Earth history and practices, God forbid, she added. But theyre still the best for what you seem to want.

I dont want to ask for something nobody else in the family has gotten.

Why not? she asked brightly, enjoying the chance to seem perverse.

It doesnt seem right.

Nobody in our branch of Majumdar has gone out for govmanagement. Finance, economics, but never system-wide politics.

Im a freak, I said.

She shook her head. Recognizably my daughter, however. Ill clear for it if you really want it.

Mother, we couldnt afford more than a year

Im not talking about autocourse eds, she said. If you aim for the stars, pick the bright ones. The least you should settle for is a Majumdar scholarship and apprenticeship.

I hadnt even dreamed of such a thing. Apprenticed to whom?

She made a wry face. Who in our family knows the most about politics, particularly Earth politics? Your third uncle.

Bithras?

If your father and the BM pedagogues approve. I couldnt get that for you by myself; Im still a bit of an outsider at that level. Im not sure your father could pull enough strings and call in enough favors. Weve only met Bithras three times since you were bornand hes never met you

What would I do?

Inter-BM affairs, and of course Triple affairs. Attend the Council meetings, I assume, and study the Charter and the business law books.

It would be perfect, I mused.

Next best thing to a real government to study. We tend to neglect that kind of management at the station level, and for that Im thankful.

But Id still need Terrie autocourses to fill out my currie.

She smiled cagily. Of course. She touched my nose lightly with her finger. But they wouldnt go on our tab. All educational costs for apprenticeship are billed to the high family budget.

Youve been giving this some thought behind my back, I accused.

Ive put up with your eccentricities, she said with a lift of her chin and stretch of her neck, because we try to encourage independent thinking in our young folks. We hope theyll experiment. But I honestly never thought Id see a daughter of mine go into politics

Govmanagement, I amended.

For a career, she said. Im put off by it, of course, and Im also intrigued. After a few years studying the Council, what can you teach me when we argue?

We never argue, I said, hugging her.

Never, she affirmed. But your father thinks we do.

I let her go and stood back. With this much resolved, I needed to solve another problem. Mother, Id like to ask somebody to visit Ylla. Somebody from Durrey. He needs a vacationhes had some pretty bad news

Charles Franklin from Klein, my mother said.

I hadnt mentioned him.

She smiled and gave me another enigma looL His mother called to see if you were worthy of her son.

My shock must have showed. How could she? And behind that question, How could he talk about me with his parents?

Her only child is very important to her.

But were adults!

She seemed nice and she didnt ask any leading questions. She thinks Charles is a wonderful young man, of course, and from what she tells me, I dont disagree. I assume you think hes wonderful. Is he?

I sputtered, trying to express my indignation. She put a finger to my lips. Its traditional for us to drive you crazy, she said. Think of it as revenge for when you were two years old. Charles is welcome any time.

Mars supported four million citizens and about half a million prospective citizens, a little less the population of the old United States in 1800.

Some prospective citizens were Eloi emigrating from Earth, starting fresh on Mars, where going for Ten Cubeda life span of at least one thousand Earth yearswas not just accepted, but ignored. Earth forbade life spans artificially extended much over two hundred years, forcing the Eloi to emigrate elsewhere or reverse their treatments. Mars accepted a hefty fee from Earth for taking in each and every Eloi though it was not widely advertised.

Some immigrating to Mars were pioneers pure and simple, heading out from Earth or Moon to find a simpler and more basic existence. They must have found Mars a disappointmentwe had long since spun beyond the era of foamed rock insulation and narrow tunnels between trench domes.

I met Charles at the Kowloon depot, ten kilometers from our home warrens at Ylla. As Charles took his bag from the arbeiter, I spotted Sean Dickinson in a train window. Even with less than five million humans (and perhaps three hundred legally recognized thinkers) spread out over a land area equal to Earths, Mars was positively cozy. You couldnt help running into people you knew, wherever you went. Sean and I exchanged cordial nods. I pointedly embraced Charles. Sean watched us impassively as the train slid out of the depot.

I am incredibly glad to see you, Charles said.

I made a warm sound and squeezed his hand. That was Sean, I said. Did you see him?

Sat with him, Charles said. He seems more cheerful than when we last met. He told me to apologize for making stupid accusations against you. Hes going south. I didnt ask where.

Thats nice, I said, and my face warmed. Welcome to Jiddah Planum. Accountants, investment analysts, small engineering firms. No fossils to speak of, even Glass Sea.

Youre here, and thats enough, Charles said. We crossed the walkways to the lounge and booked tickets for the return. Ylla dug into the northern outskirts of Jiddah Planum. Smaller, slower trains fanned from Kowloon to Jiddah and Ylla and even smaller stations east.

Charless face seemed thinner. We had been apart for just over a week, yet he had changed drastically in both feature and mood. He held me close as we boarded our train, and fell back into his seat with a sigh. God, it is good to see you, he said. Tell me what youve been doing.

I told you in my letters, I said.

Tell me in person. I worried, just getting letters.

Letters require much more effort, I said.

Tell me.

I told him about applying for a Majumdar apprenticeship. He approved without reservation. Brave and noble Casseia, he said. Go right to the top in the face of tradition.

Just my father, I said. My mothers actually pretty neutral about politics.

Were none of us going to be neutral for long, Charles said. Klein is wounded. Others are going to be hit next.

By Earth? By GEWA?

He shrugged and looked out the window at the dull ochre prairies and shallow, kilometer-wide valleys and ditches called fossas. Were some sort of threat. Nobody seems to know what sort, but theyre using obvious muscle on us. Were going to the Charter Council next week to ask for solidarity and relief.

Relief? I was incredulous; Martian BMs rarely asked for relief. So much had to be conceded with competing BMs to get inter-family guarantees.

Were in big trouble, as I said. I hope Majumdar misses all this.

What will you do if you get the Council to call for solidarity? Thats the step before appealing for unified action by all the BMs

Shh, he said, holding up a finger. Dont use that word, united. He smiled, but the smile was not convincing.

How did you get time off to come here?

Ive done my share and more in the planning phase. I have three days before I return.

The next eighth at Durrey starts in four days, I said.

Ill have to miss it.

Youre quitting school?

Family emergency sabbatical, he said. Ill be on call until the crisis passes.

That could put you a year behind

Martian year, Charles said, patting my arm. Ill make it. Just my luck to be in a vulnerable BM. If youre going into high-level govmanagement, maybe we can transfer your contract

Suddenly that wasnt funny. I turned away, unable to hide my irritation, and Charles was dismayed. Im sorry, he said. Im not being disrespectful. I really wanted to come here and persuade you to and you said I know, Casseia, Im sorry.

Never mind. He was missing the cause of my anger, couldnt possibly understandnot yet. We have a lot to talk about, Charles.

So serious, he said. He closed his eyes and leaned against the headrest. This isnt going to be a vacation?

Of course it is, I said. That wasnt quite a lie.

Charles arrived in the middle of a most unusual paucity most of my blood relations and relations by marriage, who normally trooped through Ylla and our warrens like a herd of friendly cats, had trooped elsewhere, spreading out across Mars on errands or vacations. We would have a rare time of privacy, and neither Charles nor I would have to suffer the staring eyes of curious urchins, impolite questions from my aunts, hints of liaisons from my elder cousins. Even my brother was away. Ylla Station would be empty and quiet, and for this I was supremely grateful.

Ylla occupied sixty hectares of an almost featureless prairie of little interest but for aquifers and solid ice lenses. Prospectors had mapped out a chain of stations along the Athene Aquifer in the first decade of the Mars expansion, thirty years ago; three of a possible six had been built, Ylla the first. It had originally been known as Wheres Ylla.