chapter 11
VULNERABLE
Jess had plenty of time to return to the Secretary’s office on foot for her meeting at 14:00. A simple walk across the plain between
the hangars and MCC. Something everyday. Something normal.
“Yeah,” she muttered to herself, exiting the hangar. “Normal.” She kicked a small rock outside, sending it soaring. “Well the ship
loaded with normal sailed, didn’t it?” She no longer knew what was normal. Her time was not her own. She couldn’t borrow a planet
-hopper and chase sunsets around the globe. She didn’t know to whom she would apply for a craft—Lobster was gone. Her mother
was moody, her father apologetic, her brother tens of millions of kilometers away. Her lips cracked no matter how diligently she
drained her wet ration packets. Feeling tears pricking the back of her eyes, Jessamyn crossed her arms and sat upon a large,
flattish rock halfway between the hangar and MCC’s offices.
Staring out at the tans, golds, and reds of her planet, she took in the fierce and deadly beauty that was Mars. The low rim of Prakash
Crater looked especially near today. While she’d been away, the northern hemisphere had crossed from spring into summer. Dust
storms, common in winter, often obscured Prakash entirely, but today she could see the shadowed creases of the rim which rose as
high as a kilometer above the planitia beside which New Houston had been founded.
Pulling her gaze closer, Jess saw the familiar pebbles and small rocks that broke up the flattened landscape. Ellipses formed to one
side of each small stone, reminding Jess of her granddad’s sundial. She’d never been able to tell time with it. Jess smiled to
herself, realizing her pirate granddad had probably not been able to either. Most likely he’d just been good at lying about it. He could
out-bluff a de-sulfurization salesman talking to first-time home buyers.
The sky had managed to herd a few wispy clouds to one side. Jess tried to remember Earth’s blue sky but couldn’t. Mars’s sky
glowed yellow midday, looking exactly like a proper sky ought to. She sighed, wishing she could sit there all day. Wishing she could
chase that sun around the planet.
But the Secretary was a very busy woman.
Jess murmured to her world, “You’re so very beautiful,” and rose to leave.
The Secretary kept her waiting several minutes before bursting out of her office and announcing a change in plans. “If I have to
spend another minute inside this room I swear I will break something. Grab your suit, pilot. We’re going out in a hopcraft.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” said Jessamyn, a small smile upon her lips. She felt certain that whatever the Secretary had to discuss with her, it
would sound a whole lot better from inside a cockpit.
Within ten minutes Jess and the CEO of Mars Colonial were heading toward Gale Crater, a lonely place if ever there was one on
Mars. The sun cast shadows long and crisp along the eastern slope of Aeolis Mons. A full third of the crater lay in deep shade as
well, due to the mountain-like rise of the crater’s rim. Mei Lo directed Jessamyn to bring the craft to rest along the western edge.
The two sat in silence for several minutes. Jessamyn thought of Kilimanjaro, one of Earth’s great mountains, and how it had seemed
immense to her as she’d flown past it mere weeks ago. Mars’s Aeolis Mons, or Mount Sharp, was the taller by several hundred
meters. She tried to imagine Gale Crater swimming with wildebeest and smiled at the images her mind returned. Someday, she
thought. Someday the embryos would be awakened from their long cryogenic rest. Someday wild creatures would roam free on
Mars as they did on Earth.
“I come here when I need to think,” said Mei Lo. “Did you realize this crater hosted one of the early Earth robotic missions?”
Jessamyn thought she remembered something about it from school.
“A rover landed here,” continued the Secretary. “It inspired a generation of children to yearn for the world we call home. Without
Curiosity and her predecessors, there would have been no Mars Colonial.”
“Harpreet inspired me,” said Jessamyn.
“Not your grandfather?” asked Mei Lo in surprise.
Jess thought about it. “No. Isn’t that funny? But I remember every one of Harpreet’s visits to my classroom. I wanted to be just like
her.”
The Secretary nodded. “You’re well on your way, Jessamyn.”
Another silent minute passed.
Jess noticed a transport craft circling overhead, perhaps bringing citizens of New Tokyo to her own settlement for the upcoming
week of gatherings.
“You must miss her very much,” murmured the Secretary.
Jessamyn nodded her agreement. Her throat felt swollen and she didn’t trust herself to speak.
“I miss her every hour of every day, myself,” said Mei Lo. She shook her head once, twice, and then took a deep breath. “I canceled
my afternoon meetings to come out here with you today. I wish to speak to you of something that you must never share with anyone
else on Mars.”
Jess’s heart beat faster. Was the Secretary going to give her blessing to a rescue mission?
“I became the recipient of a terrible secret when I became CEO of Mars Colonial. I now intend to share it with you.”
Jess turned to the Secretary, feeling confused.
Mei Lo continued. “During our years of conflict with the Terran government, members of MCC became aware of certain
irregularities in the Terran Re-body Initiative as it was practiced on Earth. My predecessors noticed other things—similarities in the
rhetoric and speech patterns of successive governing officials. Odd disappearances of elected officials which were always treated
as though they were deep and unsolvable mysteries. Or not investigated at all. After a decade of these and other observations, the
CEO of Mars Colonial came to the conclusion that some members of Earth’s population were using the re-body program to extend
their lives indefinitely.
“The deception seemed limited to government officials, but as there were hundreds of these, and as they re-bodied more frequently
than the prescribed eighteen-year period, we deduced that many thousands of Earth’s citizens met an untimely demise in order that
Earth’s governing officials might remain alive—and in power—for inordinate amounts of time.
“When the Terran Head of Global Consciousness Transfer voluntarily left her position due to ‘irreconcilable differences’ with her
government, agents from MCC questioned her privately. She confirmed our suspicions about the abuses of the system. Days later,
she disappeared with no trace. No real effort was launched to find her remains or the cause of her death.”
Jess murmured, “She knew too much.”
“It would appear so. The Terran program, while utterly repellant, had at least seemed fair-minded from a certain perspective until this
point. However, when the Secretary General of Mars Colonial at that time confronted the Terran Viceroy and Chancellor with this
information, they did not attempt to deny our accusations. Instead, they issued a simple warning: Tell the people of Earth what you
know, and we will destroy every man, woman, and child upon Mars.”
A sharp intake issued from Jessamyn’s lungs.
Mei Lo nodded grimly. “The No Contact Accords were signed with this understanding between the Viceroy and MCC. Mars’s CEO
made a deal with Earth’s Viceroy to keep this secret,” said the Secretary as she gazed out over the lengthening shadows. “We have
taken seriously the Viceroy’s promise to use deadly force if we did not keep our silence. Only Mars’s CEO and three members of
the MCC board of directors were privy to this information. Those four told only the incoming CEO, who told the next CEO, who told
me.”
“Why tell anyone?” asked Jess. It was Earth’s problem, wasn’t it? That much seemed clear to her.
“Why, indeed,” murmured the Secretary, watching as the Marsian sun seemed to hang over the horizon, resisting day’s end. “I have
wished, many times, that I did not carry this dreadful secret.” She turned to Jessamyn. “Don’t you see what it means for you? For
me? For every citizen of Mars Colonial?”
Jess frowned. “It doesn’t mean anything for us. I mean, for Terrans, it’s definitely a problem.”
The Secretary General shook her head softly. “No, Jessamyn, it’s not only a Terran problem. Do you not see that we live as free
Marsians today because we were silent when innocent blood was shed on Earth?” said Mei Lo. “I do not intend to pass this dark
secret to my successor.”
Jess shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “You just passed it to me, Ma’am. What am I supposed to do with it?”
“My intention,” said Mei Lo, “Is to let all of Mars Colonial know this secret. To bring it out into the light once and for all.”
“Why?” asked Jessamyn. It seemed to her like the kind of thing that ought to be buried and forgotten.
“I intend to allow Mars’s citizenry to debate whether the information ought to be made public on Earth,” said the Secretary.
“Oh,” said Jessamyn. “Oh, my.”
“Yes. Oh, my, indeed.”
“Begging your pardon, but are you sure that’s a good idea?” asked Jess. “I mean, I can see that from a certain perspective, it
sounds fair-minded, but what if the Terran government decides to retaliate?” In her mind’s eye, she saw the laser cutting the Red
Dawn into smaller and smaller pieces. She remembered Pavel’s heartless Aunt Lucca. “I have to say that if anyone’s capable of
blowing Mars Colonial to Hades, the current Terran Chancellor fits the bill.”
“Yes,” said Mei Lo. “She would do it. It’s my belief that she’s been in power for nearly three hundred Terran years.”
“She—what?” Jessamyn ran the math quickly in her head. “You’re saying Pavel’s aunt has been in power since before the war?”
The Secretary nodded. “In different bodies and with different identities. That is my belief as it was that of my predecessors.”
“That’s appalling,” Jess whispered. Then a long shudder ran from the top of Jess’s skull down to her toes. “We can’t tell Terrans this
secret. Lucca Brezhnaya would destroy us if we did.”
“It is a secret I cannot in good conscience keep,” replied the Secretary. “And I could be wrong. The current Chancellor may have
arrived in office through more conventional means. But I suspect our old enemy sits to one side of the throne still.”
Jess shivered again.
“In any event,” continued Mei Lo, “Since the day I came to office and learned of this, I’ve sworn to bring the Terran government’s
secret to light. However, I have no intention of leaving Mars Colonial vulnerable to destruction.”
“Oh,” sighed Jessamyn, finally understanding the urgency behind Ethan’s secret mission. “This is the real reason you want the laser
satellites under Marsian control.”
The Secretary nodded slowly.
Jess looked down. She saw her hands clenched into tight fists, whitening from the strain. “There’s something I should probably tell
you.” She took a slow breath. “I stabbed the Terran Chancellor. She’s one of Earth’s highest-ranking officials. She’ll be out for blood.
”
“She knows about Mars Colonial?” asked the Secretary, alarmed.
“No, no,” said Jess. “But I talked her nephew into helping me. So he knows about us.” She struggled as she described the decisions
that had seemed so clear on Earth when she’d made them. How she’d told Pavel (albeit under the influence of a truth-inducing drug)
about Mars. How he’d helped her escape. How he’d turned upon his aunt, the powerful Lucca Brezhnaya. How he’d rescued her re
-bodied brother and then lost him. How he’d promised to find and keep Ethan safe.
The Secretary glanced at a clock, grimacing. “We’ve got big problems, then, Jaarda. I’m not sure if I’m furious with you for
withholding this information yesterday or relieved that you chose to tell me today.”
“You’re welcome to go with furious, Ma’am. It was as good as lying.” Jessamyn swallowed thickly, recalling how the Secretary
despised lies.
“I think I am angry. Holy Ares, Jessamyn, what were you thinking—stabbing the Chancellor?”
Jess felt color rushing to her face. “I was thinking of my promise to bring food back to Mars, Madam Secretary.” Her eyes fixed upon
her boots. She’d tracked Mars-dirt into the Secretary’s hopcraft. It was far from her worst offense.
“Yes, yes, of course,” said Mei Lo, exasperation in her tone. “And honestly, it makes no difference to the course of action I’m
planning.” Her eyes narrowed. “I wonder if we could spin your encounter to further discourage those who want—” She broke off,
shaking her head. “What am I thinking? I’m getting as bad as the pro-trade faction.”
Jessamyn looked over to her planet’s leader just as the last of the sunlight sank behind the crater’s rim. The hopcraft felt colder
inside without the glow.
“Well,” said Jessamyn, sighing, “The one good thing in all of this is that you’ve got an excellent argument against the humanity of
Terrans.”
Mei Lo turned her gaze swiftly to meet Jess’s eyes. “This secret must not leave this hopcraft.”
“This secret’s your best chance to shut up the pro-trade faction, wouldn’t you say?”
“What do you think would happen if one of them decided to try to bargain with Brezhnaya using this information?” asked the
Secretary.
Jessamyn frowned. “What, you mean like, tell the Terran government, ‘Trade with us or else?’”
“Trade with us, supply us with technology,” replied the Secretary. “If Lucca Brezhnaya received such an offer, framed in friendship or
threat, how do you think she would respond?”
Jessamyn didn’t even have to consider her response. “She’d annihilate us.”
“This is the fear that keeps me up nights,” said Mei Lo.
It was awful, thought Jess. Mars’s leader had one foolproof reason to avoid contact with Earth, but she didn’t dare expose it. Not
until Mars Colonial could defend herself, at least.
“You must look very backward-minded and stubborn to a lot of Marsians right now,” said Jess.
The Secretary laughed. “I’ve been called far worse these past two weeks. This Terran fever is no new thing. Or not entirely new. A
smaller group has argued this way for the past decade. But no one really listened until word got out the lasers were down.”
“And we know they’re really down?” asked Jess.
“I’ve been putting off testing until after you returned. Arguing that only a test with a large vessel could be used as conclusive proof,
that sort of thing. And of course we don’t want to send the Galleon as test-material. I’ve got things tied up for the next half-annum at
least.”
Jess felt her heart sink. “You don’t want proof until after it’s too late for the Galleon to go this annum.”
“I need time, Jessamyn. I’ve got our brightest minds working on the problem of how to gain control of the lasers. I need that control
before I can tell Mars Colonial the truth about Earth.” She paused, sighing. “Your brother said it wouldn’t be possible to gain that
control anywhere but on Earth. Ares and Aphrodite, I hope he was wrong.”
Jess felt a knot twisting her stomach. “Me too,” she said. But it wasn’t the kind of thing her brother got wrong.
The Secretary placed one of her small hands upon one of Jessamyn’s. “I am so very, very sorry Jessamyn. But you can see what
this means—”
“I think so,” Jess replied, cutting her off. Staring out at the darkening sky, she formed her thoughts. “But spell it out for me. If you were
to authorize a mission for rescue without authorizing a mission for trade, what would happen?”
“In the current climate? I would face a vote of no confidence. Informal polling suggests I would lose.” The Secretary rested the base
of her palms upon her lap. She extended her fingers and stared at her outstretched hands. “The Rations Storage fire was the
beginning of a shift, Jess. People saw the truth more clearly: we are vulnerable. No one likes being vulnerable. Trade with Earth
seems like a good way to stop being vulnerable.”
“We’ve always been vulnerable,” said Jess.
“Well, now it’s on everyone’s mind. Thanks to a handful of very loud voices.”
“Then you must not send me.” Jessamyn heard the words coming out of her mouth as though they were formed by someone else.
“Mars Colonial won’t stand a chance without you at the helm.”
It was the end of Jessamyn’s hope for a return to “normal.”
“Thank you for understanding,” said the Secretary.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” asked Jessamyn.
“Speak honestly about the hostility you encountered. About the military strength of Earth.” The Secretary’s sober face softened into a
small smile. “But most of all, Jessamyn, you can inspire others to hope for the free and independent Mars we all want. You’re a hero.
Choose your words and actions wisely. The eyes of the world are upon you.”
Jess nodded. She would carry herself differently. She’d been sullen—peevish, even—at the earlier recording. She couldn’t afford to
indulge in such selfish behavior. The fate of her world mattered more than that.
“It’s time for us to return,” said Mei Lo.
“I won’t let you down this time, Madam Secretary.”
“You never have, Pilot Jaarda.”
They flew back to New Houston in the light of early evening. Jessamyn did her best in the studio to focus upon what was important,
to be sober and engaged, to speak honestly her concerns about the hostility of Terrans towards those who didn’t think like Terrans,
to speak with passion about her return to the world she loved, her eagerness for Mars Colonial to continue upon its path of self-
sustainability.
The news anchor seemed baffled but pleased at the appearance of this new Jessamyn and thanked her, saying it was an honor to
have spent the hour with one of Mars’s true heroes.
But Jessamyn didn’t feel like a hero. She felt like a sister who’d just agreed to let her brother wither upon a strange world.