Moving Mars (21 page)

Its important?

Bithras smiled. Earth wont get Charles Franklin, or any of the Olympians. Majumdar will work with Cailetet to finance three QL thinkers for their purposes.

Oh, I said. Charles had done the right thing, and he had gotten what he wanted by doing it. Admirable.

I am sorry your affair went no further, Bithras said. Why did you break with him?

The transition into personal prying was accomplished with so little change in tone that I was almost lulled into answering. Instead, I smiled and turned one hand over, raised my eyebrows, and shrugged: Cest la vie.

Have you had much experience with brilliant men?

No, I said.

Much experience with men at all?

I continued smiling and said nothing. Bithras watched me intently. I have observed that young women acquire most of their knowledge of men in the first five years of their romantic lives. It is a crucial time. I would guess that you are within that five-year period. To neglect your education would be a pity. A spaceship offers such limited opportunities.

Here it comes.

If you remember anything more about Charles Franklin, please tell me. I am reluctantly forced to catch up on physics, and I am not so skilled at mathematics. I hope Alice is a good tutor.

He thanked me and opened the cabin door. In the hallway, I passed Acre on some errand, murmured hello, and went to the exercise room. There, accompanied by four sweating men, all about Bithrass age, I worked off my anger and dismay for about an hour.

Charles had married. He had the anchor he wanted. He was well on his way to being significant, to Earth and Mars, if not to me.

Good for him.

Orianna burned like an intense flame blown by swift winds. I never could predict the direction of those winds, what her moods would be preciselybut I never knew her to be morose, or discouraged, or even overtly judgmental. When she fixed her attention on melistening to me or just watching meI knew what a cat must feel like, scrutinized by a human

Orianna was not effectively more wise than I was, but her instant access to information, her blithe show of skills not learned or earned but bought, were marvelous. What she lacked was what I lackedwhat all Earths glory could not give her or me: experience that sat deep in the mind and in the flesh. Her enhancements and all her advanced education could not give her passionate conviction or a true sense of direction.

Talking, letting the telescope fill our rooms with projected images, sharing LitVids, playing games in the lounge, watching the stars pass from the observation deck Orianna showed me a mirror to my own immediate pastshe taught me a lot about Earth, and perhaps even more about myself. Through her, I saw more clearly how far I had to go.

But I was still reluctant to join Orianna in a sim. She persisted in her efforts to convince.

I smuggled some real outer sims past Earth douane. I havent told my parents, she said to me on Jills Day, December 30. We were in the fifth month of our crossing and had just emerged from the most strenuous regimen of exercises yetthree hours in the gym with magnet suits, running in place in fields that simulated full Earth gravity. You wont tell?

Is that illegal?

Well, no, but the companies that make them are pretty protective. They could cut me off a customer list if they found out. They dont want dupes made off Earth.

Sims arent very popular off Earth, I said.

Orianna shrugged that off. Theres one I think youll really like. Its gradual. Puts you in touch with all the cultural differences between you and me. Set on present-day Earth, but its not an education piece. Its fantasy and very romantic. Since you have access to Alice Alice would be perfect for screening our sims. Much better than slates We could go full-depth with Alice.

Im not sure shed agree.

Ive never met a thinker that wasnt eager to build up more data on human nature. Besides, its Jills Day. Time to celebrate. Alice needs relaxation, too.

Jill, the first thinker on Earth to achieve self-awarenesson December 30, 2047had served as template for the next generation of thinkers, and so in a very real way was a direct ancestor of Alice. Jill was still active on Earth. Alice wanted to visit her broadband on the nets when we got to Earth, if we had time.

We took turns in my room with the vapor bag and toweled off, then sat. You are fixed on sims, I said. What about real life?

Orianna said, When Im eighteen, real life will mean something. When Im on my own, and my parents arent responsible for my actions, I can take risks and be dangerous. Until then, Im a cutlet.

Cutlet?

Slice off the parental loin. Sims are exercise for the rest of my life.

Even fantasy?

She smiled. Well not to stretch a point. Theyre fun.

I gently declined the offer, but hinted there might be time later.

The routine of each day in space became hypnotic. After four or five hours sleepgrowing less each monthI would wake up to pleasant music and a projection of the ships schedule for the day, along with a menu from which I could choose my meals and activities. I exercised, ate breakfast, spent a few hours with Orianna or Alice, or sat in the main lounge, chatting with other passengers. Space chat was congenial, seldom stimulating or controversial. I exercised again before lunch, more strenuously, and joined Orianna and her parents to eat.

Allen and I met in with Bithras every two or three days. His Earth agenda was shaping up and afternoons were devoted to deep training. He gave us LitVids and documents to study, some proprietary to Majumdar. I was careful not to reveal anything I learned from these sessions in conversation with Orianna, or anybody else.

At dinner, I joined Allen and Bithras and several of Bithrass acquaintances from Earth. After dinner, I spent time in my cabin with LitVidshungry for an outside existence and then exercised lightly and had a snack with Orianna or Allen.

It didnt take me long to pick holes in some of the statements made by Terries aboard ship, general assumptions about Earths future, GEWAs or GSHAs plans; I was close to a center now, and what I was learning both disturbed and impressed me.

One conversation sticks in my memory, because it was so atypically blunt. It took place at the end of the fifth month. After an hour poring over Earth economics and its relation to the Triplea relation of very large dog wagging a tiny but growing tailI dropped down to dinner and made my choice. Minutes later, trays of excellent nano foodbetter than anything available on Marswere ferried to me by the dining room arbeiter from the brightly lit mouth of the dispenser.

Orianna was in her cabin, lost in a sim; we had a date for later in the day. I sat beside Allen at the outside of a curved table. Across from us sat Oriannas parents. Renna Iskandera, her mother, a tall, stately Ethiopian woman, wore a loose jumpsuit in brilliant orange, dark purple, and brown block prints. Her husband, Paul Frontiere, French by birth and a citizen of Eurocon, dressed in trim gray and forest-green spacewear, loose at waist and joints, slimming around wrist and ankles.

Allen was already talking with Renna and Paul. I sat beside him, listening attentively.

I think were a little daunted by Earth and Earth customs, Allen said. So many people, so many cultures and fashions The more I learn, the more confused I get.

Martians dont study the homeworld in school? asked Renna. To prepare, I mean, for such trips as this.

We study, Allen said, but Martians are pretty self-absorbed. He glanced at me, the skin around his eyes crinkling in private humor.

On Earth, were proud of our acceptance of change, and of our unity within diversity, Paul said. Martians seem proud of common heritage.

I decided to ramp up the provocation, in the interests of understanding Terries, of course, and not because of the slight sting of the veiled accusation of being provincial. Weve all been taught that Earth is politically more calm and more stable than its ever been

That is true, Paul said, nodding.

But theres so much argument! So much disagreement!

Renna laughed, a high, wonderful melody of mirth. She was twice my age, yet appeared much younger, might have been sister to her own daughter. We revel in it, she said. We take pride in shouting at each other.

You mean, its all a front? Allen asked.

No, we genuinely disagree about many things, Renna said. But we do not kill each other when we disagree. You are of course taught about the twentieth century?

Yes, I said. Of course.

The bloodiest in human history. A nightmareone long war from almost the beginning to almost the end, a hothouse for every imaginable tyranny. Even at its conclusion, passions between peoples of different heritage, different religions, even simple geographic differences, led to murder and reprisal on a hideous scale. But it was the century in which more people than ever broke from traditional power structures, expressed skepticism, found disillusionment and despairand grew.

I frowned. Grew out of despair?

Grew out of necessity. No turning back to old waysno one could afford to. There was no longer profit in destruction. The great god Mammon became a god of peace. And that is when we looked outwardand made the beginnings of the settled Moon and Mars and the outer small worlds. People were able to see more clearly.

But youre still arguing, I said, and bit my lip gently, hoping to give the impression that my naivete now lay naked on the table before them. Bithras was teaching me the art of lapwingfaking confusion or weakness for advantage.

I hope not to speak for everyone on Earth, of course! Paul said, laughing. To argue is not to hate, not for healthy minds. Our opponents are prized. They goad us to greater accomplishment. If we are defeated, we know that there are other wars to be fought, wars without blood, wars of intellect and of many possible outcomes, not just defeat or victory.

And if you argue with Mars? I asked, putting on a mask of provincial anxiety. If we disagree?

We are fearful opponents, Paul admitted. Renna seemed less happy with that answer.

What is good for all, is good for Earth, she said. She touched my hand. On Earth, there is so much variety, so much possibility for growth and change, so much, as you say, argument, but if you track the politics, the responses of peoples wherever they may live, there are astonishing agreements on major goals.

Goals. The word rang like a bell. Alice, you are so right.

Such as?

Well, Renna said, we cannot afford to lack discipline. The universe is not so friendly. Weaknesses and weak links

Such as Mars, I said.

Rennas eyes narrowed. Perhaps I was laying it on too thick. We must act together for the common goals of all the human worlds.

What are we to unite against?

Not against, but for. For the next pushto migrate to the stars. There are worlds enough for all who disagree to try great experiments, make great strides But we will not achieve them if we are separate now, and lacking discipline.

What if our goals dont coincide? I asked.

All things change, Renna said.

Whose goals should change?

Thats what the debate is about.

And if debate isnt enough? Debate can grind on forever, I said.

True, there isnt always the luxury of unlimited time.

If debate has to be cut off, I said, who does the cutting?

Renna looked at me shrewdly. She was enjoying herself, but I had to ask, despite all their obvious sophistication, despite their time on Mars, did they truly understand how a Martian felt? When a society cant do the good drive, as Orianna might saywhen it refuses its responsibilitiesthen other means must be tried.

Force? I asked.

Renna dearly loves to debate, Paul said confidentially to Allen. This ship has been too quiet, too polite.

Where Mars and Earth cannot agree, there is always room for growth and discussion, Renna concluded, staring at me in an entirely friendly and expectant way. Force is an old habit I do not approve of. She obviously wanted me to counter, but something had cut deep and I did not wish to oblige her. I gave a cool smile, inclined, and tapped my plate to signal the arbeiter I was finished.

We sometimes forget the sensibilities of others, in our enthusiasm Paul said warily.

Its nothing, Allen said. Well pick up the discussion later.

Bithras had a lot on his mind. His behavior was exemplary. He seemed more a concerned blood uncle than a boss; sometimes a teacher, sometimes a fellow student working with Allen and me to riddle the puzzles of Earth. Never the sacred monster my mother had described.

His transition, in the middle of our sixth month, came abruptly enough to catch me completely off guard. Bithras called me to his cabin for consultation. He had taken to wearing tennis togs again, and as I came in, he sat in his white cotton shirt and shorts, legs pushed against the opposite wall, slate on his lap.

A lot of tension on Mars this week, he said.

I havent seen anything in the LitVids, I said casually.

Of course not, he said with a twitch of his mouth. I wouldnt expect it to get that far. Not yet. Two BMs have decided to make their own proposals for unification.

Who? I asked.

Mukhtiar and Pong.

Not top five I asked.

And not likely to attract any attention on Earth. But I made a lot of concessions and forced a lot of favors to carry our proposal to Earth. Some people who are nervous are much more nervous now. If I am undercut, if someone decides to mount a strong campaign across Mars before we arrive concessions to Earth, sellouts He lifted his hand and squinted at me. Not fun. I worry about Cailetet. They seem to believe they have extra cards in the game.

I shook my head in sympathy. He leaned back a few more centimeters and looked me over. What have you learned from the Terries?

A lot, I think.

Do you know that Terries have been increasing the average age for first sexual experience for the last thirty years, and that more and more of them never have physical sex at all, up to ten percent now? He squinted skeptically, as if mounting a speculation.