Page 61 of The Red Woman on Mars

“Melt it down for parts.”

The cufflinks disappeared into Yvonne’s palm. She looked to the side and scratched her head. Vivian bit the inside of her cheek to keep from begging. Finally, Yvonne said, “Silas is well-liked by the separatist militia here. They maintain a barracks on the northern outskirts of the dome near the terraforming facility.” Yvonne crouched behind the bar and pulled out a hand-drawn map from a folio. She pointed. “Take the rail here and walkstraight north the rest of the way. If Silas is in Catena, that’ll be where you’ll find him.”

Xavier took Yvonne’s hand and bowed over it. “My thanks.”

“None of that.” Yvonne snatched her hand away. “Remember where you are.”

As they turned to go, Yvonne called after him, “You should know—the Catena militia is not like that absurd soldier caste in Arcadia.”

“What do you mean?” Xavier asked warily.

“Don’t be daft. You know exactly what I mean. Everyone knows in Arcadia that soldiering is a way to occupy the many Martians unable to find an Earther partner willing to procreate.” Yvonne nodded at Vivian’s confused expression. “That’s right. The soldiers burn off their energy with drills and low-stakes skirmishes and are convinced that their lives have meaning even without children. But they have seen no true action.” She raised a finger at Xavier. “Catena is different. They’re building an army here, X. A real army. And I’ve heard the pace is accelerating since the election.”

Xavier crossed his arms and frowned at her. “To what end?”

“Hell if I know.” Yvonne turned back to the bar and placed a stack of glasses on a high shelf. “But I would think twice about crossing the Catena militia.”

“I appreciate the warning.” Xavier opened the door and held it for Vivian. “Thank you, Yvonne.”

In the street, Vivian hurried in Xavier’s wake as he walked unerringly toward the nearest train station. On the side of the station, an enormous mural of River Hawk’s face stared down at her, their elegant cheekbones drawn in slashes of dark blue. Xavier handled the transaction with his credit chit, and they were soon seated on a swaying caterpillar train that hung from an elevated track.

Vivian vibrated with tension, afraid to speak and give herself away. They were in real danger, Yvonne had made that clear enough. She thought of Delilah held in a separatist soldiers’ barracks, pregnant, with only Silas for protection. Vivian took a deep breath and stole a glance at Xavier’s calm profile. She could be strong, for her sister.

Finally, they came to the right stop and rose together without a word.

Outside, the area felt different than the bustling neighborhood near the shuttleport. The empty, narrow streets were lined with tall storage facilities with no shops, restaurants, or bars to be seen. After walking a few moments, the few other passengers had fallen away, and they were alone among the plain multi-story buildings.

“You’re different here,” Vivian remarked in a soft voice.

“How so?”

“Not so proper. Less focused on projecting the act of a gentleman.” Vivian rather liked this side of him.

Xavier rubbed the back of his neck. “It is not an act, Vivian. Not for me.”

“Ivey told me it was a game.” Vivian laughed. “You must admit it’s a little ridiculous—this fantasy of elaborate costumes and balls.” She touched her shiny black pants and missed, for a moment, the luxurious fabric of her Arcadian dresses.

“It’s how I was raised,” Xavier said. “I understand what you mean, of course. We are one of the oldest Martian families. But the women who marry into the Dorsey line were all born on Earth and see our culture as feigned, at least in part.” He shifted the duffel bag to his other shoulder. “Perhaps, for some, it’s playacting. Not for my father. And not for me. Even if he abandoned me, I cannot unlearn what he taught me. Emulating a time of refined manners, poetry, art, and progress gives our lives here on Mars a deeper purpose. We aren’t simply scrambling to survive on a harsh world. We’re elevating our culture to a higher standard.”

“What do you mean, he abandoned you?”

“He took his own life.” Xavier’s voice dropped. “After my mother …”

“Oh.” Vivian reached out a hand and touched his arm. “Xavier, that’s terrible.”

“My parents loved each other once. I do believe that. But my father was a difficult man. Controlling.”

“You said she signed a prenup?”

“Yes. I found it in my father’s office after he died. If she ever left him, she would be giving us up, too. So, she stayed. Even though she was unhappy. And one day … One day she drank a bottle of wine, climbed on top of the roof of Dorsey Estate, and … fell. Hit her head and died.” He blew out a breath. “And my father … He followed her into death.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“The whole thing made me a bit wild. Nihilistic. I did some things I’m not proud of.” He looked away from her. “My father left the majority of his holdings in my aunt’s safekeeping, until she deemed me ready to inherit. After the way I behaved after his death, she decided to hold the purse strings a little longer. And then … she never gave them up.” He looked down at her and grimaced. “What must I sound like to you? Complaining about an inheritance.”

“You lost so much. How old were you when all this happened?”

“Eighteen. Zuri was only nine.” He passed a hand over his face.