Page 11 of The Red Woman on Mars
Luz followed her and leaned against the counter. “A lot of the girls do. I guess it makes sense to dream of a Cinderella story after escaping our shit lives on Earth. But I don’t think real love is possible with such a power imbalance.”
“Have you ever been in love?” Vivian asked. There was so much about Luz’s past that she didn’t know, even after nine months of friendship.
“No,” Luz said bluntly. “I was once in love with the idea of a man, not the asshole he turned out to be. You can’t know what someone’s like until you’re behind closed doors.”
In the distance, Vivian could see Delilah’s shining face upturned to Caspian’s. His head bent attentively toward hers. “He seems kind. Or he puts on a good act.”
To Vivian’s surprise, Luz shivered. “Do you believe what Wim told us about the Intelligence? Could an AI be aware enough to know if a man was safe to be alone with?”
Vivian shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Wim told me the Intelligence tracks everyone on the dome.”
Vivian looked up at the ceiling uneasily. “Is it watching us? Right now?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Luz rubbed her arms. “I was doing okay, on the ship. But now that we’re here … Viv, I’m fucking terrified to pick someone. I’ve never—I’ve never known a man who was kind. Not their true face.” She touched her flawless, glowing skin, right below her left eye, and winced.
“I know.” Vivian leaned her head against Luz’s shoulder. “It’ll be different here. You’ll see.”
Perhaps if she said it often enough, she would start to believe it.
CHAPTER FOUR
57 Sols to Presentation Day
“Who’s first, ladies?” the doctor asked. Although she was clearly a Martian, she wore plain slacks, a T-shirt, and sneakers—so different from the formal old-fashioned clothing of the Martian oligarchs. A simple white lab coat didn’t fully hide the silver augmentations covering her body.
Silence greeted the question. From her corner spot next to Luz in the packed clinic waiting room, Vivian watched Camille and her cousin Felicia exchange a darting look. Delilah examined her fingernails.
Vivian pushed herself off the wall. “I’ll go.”
There’s nothing to be afraid of, Vivian told herself as she followed the doctor down the white-washed hallway.This is the reason we’re here.
The small exam room held gleaming machines and a medical bed. Vivian swallowed.
“Sit down and lift your dress above your waist,” the doctor instructed. Her eyes flicked, and a screen mounted to the wall flared to life. “Name?”
Face heating, Vivian pulled up her dress and leaned back against the bed. The vinyl stuck to her bare thighs. “Vivian Bowen.”
“From the Carolina Republic in the American Federation?” The doctor’s eyes moved rapidly as she stared into the middle of the room.
On the screen, Vivian saw her own name and vital statistics appear like magic. She shivered. “That’s right.”
“I’m Dr. Chavez.” Her eyes focused on Vivian. One orb was artificial, like Wim’s, although it seemed to do a better job staying in sync with her human one. “I trust that Reverend Adair explained what to expect today.”
Vivian licked her lips. “Not in so many words.” For all that he claimed to be their guide, Wim hadn’t done enough to prepare Vivian for anything so far.
The doctor let out a short impatient huff. “Nothing too serious on this initial visit. Bloodwork and an ultrasound. It’ll be less invasive than a pap smear.” She opened a built-in drawer.
“A what?” Vivian asked.
Dr. Chavez lifted a syringe and frowned down at her. “A pap smear. You know, the cell collection process your OBGYN uses to test for cervical cancer.”
Vivian clutched the edge of the medical bed, unable to look away from the needle. “What’s an OBGYN?”
Dr. Chavez stared at her blankly. “Are they using a different term now on Earth? Your doctor who specializes in female reproductive health.”
Vivian let out an involuntary snort of laughter. When had she ever had a doctor? Maybe a pediatrician, when her parents could still afford one. “Right, my doctor. Can we get this over with? I hate needles.”
