by Trisha Telep
Planet: Mars
Farming Tract: 782
Year: 2213
Mary stood alone in the middle of a vast golden field, only her little house in the distance to break up the view of her large tract. No signs of civilization, other than her well-ordered crops. She feathered a finger across the tip of the wheat stalk she held. Stiff, but not brittle. Soon the harvest would begin.
Loneliness nagged. She hadn’t thought it would bother her. The interminable days of chores and nightly reporting should have kept her too busy to notice she was alone, without another human being to talk to, other than the dispatcher who’d confirmed that this day her first shipment would arrive.
Tension rode her shoulders, boiled in her belly. Today, her life would change. Again.
Among the first who’d stepped outside the dome without a breathing device, she’d taken the chance the air was truly safe, that alien toxins wouldn’t accumulate in her blood or that the newly manufactured atmosphere wouldn’t smother her.
She’d had no fear. Only a sense of wonder and fierce pride that she, Mary Bledsoe from the Americas Sector, was among the first colonists of Mars.
Fifty years of terraforming the barren planet had at last produced a habitable world to replace the one they’d ruined. The Mars-Tech Company owned exclusive rights to the project, and had released oxygen trapped in the northern icecap to form an atmosphere that mimicked the former success of Earth’s natural greenhouse and normalized the temperatures. They introduced animals, insects, bacteria – everything necessary to ensure the soil would be ready for the first crops. They dug canals to deliver the water beginning to melt from the icecap to the plains, where crops were sown by huge industrial machines – all in preparation for the colonists who would assume responsibility for the first harvests, and thereafter all future plantings.
Mars would feed Earth. Animals bred from the first pairs shipped from the home planet had been raised in cramped stalls inside the domes, but now would be turned over to the farmers and ranchers, further nurturing the classic model of pastoral life that was almost extinct on their own overcrowded planet.
The environmental lessons learned from past mistakes, along with strict adherence to new social rules, and an ordered reclamation of Martian resources, became a roadmap for humanity’s survival.
In her own little way, Mary was part of this grand experiment, this last chance for humans to survive long enough before jumping out into the galaxy to find new worlds to populate.
Given her own plot of land as a dowry, she’d eagerly signed her acceptance of a mate, which the company would choose according to her preference profile and the attributes needed to complement her skill set. Guesswork, or messy natural selection, wasn’t permitted. This she’d known before making the long journey from Earth to her new home. Since she’d had few relationships, and all had been unsatisfying, she hadn’t thought twice about accepting a mate sight unseen. Better the AI matchmaker make the selection than her.
She had yet to meet her new mate, or even learn his name. However, she was notified days after she’d settled on her small homestead – with its prefab concrete cabin, fiberboard barn, canal-fed stream and pond – that he would be selected from among the new shipment of prisoners. Because intelligent, healthy men chose professions which required less physical labor, furloughed prisoners would be given a second chance to earn their freedom by becoming spouses to pioneer men and women – a fresh start for people healthy enough to adapt to the rigors of this life, and who harbored no hopes of ever returning home. A different kind of life sentence.
She hoped he’d be strong, and that he harbored no violent tendencies, but again, she trusted in the Company to choose well on her behalf. So far, all their promises had come true. She’d signed up for a new adventure, a chance to live a life outside the crowded mega-cities of Earth with their choked air and transits.
Here, she could breathe, watch a fiery sunset that had nothing to do with pollutants tainting the air, and the deed for the land was in her own name. Her crops for the next few rotations would be claimed by the Company – the hope being that after she’d returned their investment in her, she’d be allowed to sell her grains in a free market and reap the profits.
A true pioneer, she’d stepped onto an alien planet, full of hope for a new future for the human race.
For once, that thought didn’t comfort her. Returning inside her home, she glanced around. She noted the grayness surrounding her, and wondered why the Company, with all its psychological studies, hadn’t figured out that cheerfully colored walls could do wonders to lift a woman’s spirits. But then, it probably seemed like such a little thing, and they hadn’t bothered due to the expense.
She pushed back the sleeves of her shirt and set to cleaning her little home, ignoring the images from her childhood that the smells of lemon and pine pulled from her memories.
The transport arrived amid a whirl of dust kicked up from the barren yard beside the house. The gritty air nearly obscured the moon, Phobos, as it made the first of several orbits for the day. The aircraft hovered, framed by the uneven curves of the asteroid, and then set down with a thud that shuddered the planks of her front porch, vertical engines stalling then shutting off altogether. The dust slowly settled.
She’d been sweeping, preparing the cabin for the transport’s arrival. As with every element of the Company’s schedule, it arrived precisely on time. Although prepared, a flutter of anticipation tickled her belly. She set aside the broom, wiped her palms against the sides of her sturdy blue work pants, and descended the stairs, eager to meet the shipment.
A man dressed in a gray Company coverall climbed out of the cockpit and strode toward her. She pasted on a smile. “Welcome.”
His sharp gaze swept her little cabin, the golden fields beyond it, and then finally rested on her. “You Mary Bledsoe?”
He likely wondered how someone of her stature had managed to pass the physical tests to qualify for farming. She stiffened her spine to add a few centimeters to her small, wiry frame, and met his gaze with her usual calm, chilly stare. “I am.” She bit back a sarcastic Who else do you think I could be? Every one of the thousand colonists had been handpicked and transported by the Company – they had a monopoly on Martian transportation and industry.
His mouth twitched, but he kept his gaze steady. “I have your shipment, and I’ll need your signature on the bill of lading.”
She nodded. “I’ll need to inspect.” She’d received notice of the contents of the shipment via the comm-console situated in the cabin’s main room, shortly after claiming her homestead.
Although the fields had been pre-planted and her new home fully furnished, there were still some items, especially the perishables, that needed stocking: replacement blades for the combine sheltered in the barn, pallets of foodstuffs, clothing and fuel packs . . . and her mate.
Trying not to appear overeager to see him, she waited as the transport commander’s crew scurried to let down the rear ramp and roll out the pallets. With well-trained efficiency, they stacked them beside the porch. She counted the pallets with their quick-wrapped goods, signed for delivery, and then shoved her hands into her pockets to hide the fact they were beginning to shake.
The commander’s mouth firmed into a straight line. “Did you receive training in the use of the B-Mod collar?”
He knew she had. Otherwise she wouldn’t be here, already in possession of a land grant. She gave a curt nod. “Yes. I also signed saying I knew there were no guarantees for my safety or his willingness to work. If we don’t suit, if he proves stubborn, then I’ll return him.”
“Just don’t get too attached, ma’am. You have enough on your hands without coddling one of these rejects.”
The brusque quality of his voice surprised her. Was he truly worried? Should she be more concerned?
He handed her the chain with the controller for the prisoner’s behavior modification collar, a thin ID tag with a recessed button on one side, th
e B-Mod chip. She slipped it over her head and followed him to the side of the transport. The guard inside the vehicle opened the door. The prisoner scooted on the seat toward the edge, hands still in manacles, then slid to the ground beside her.
Heartbeat rising, she gazed up into a face set in grim lines. Blue eyes, cold as ice, sparked with some deep emotion as he stared back.
He was larger than she had expected. Surprisingly so. Prisoners built like this one were generally shipped to Company loading docks or to the arena. He was built like a gladiator, and she studied his broad chest and wide shoulders. His arms and thighs were deeply muscled. “You’re sure he’s mine?” she asked, turning toward the commander, who’d fished a key from his pocket to unlock the prisoner’s handcuffs.
The commander’s grunt and the flinty glare he gave the prisoner said he too had some reservations. “His collar matches the invoice. Guess they thought you might need the extra muscle.”
Anger flashed at his comment. She’d had enough of men thinking she wasn’t up to the rigors of Martian prairie life.
Her hand still gripped the B-Mod chip. She slipped it slowly away, remembering her training. Show no fear. As long as she had the chip, she had control. Lifting her chin, she cleared her expression. “Do you have a name?” An inane question. She winced inwardly.
One side of the prisoner’s mouth quirked, but it might have been her imagination because he gave her a stony stare. “Colm O’Riordan.”
The commander cleared his throat.
“Ma’am,” the prisoner amended with a drawl.
Heat crept up her neck, but she ignored the blush threatening to suffuse her face. Turning back to the commander, she offered her hand.
His grip was strong, the look he gave her doubtful. “Good luck to you, Mary.”
Not a professional salutation, but no one had said her first name, all on its own, for a very long time. She gave him a warm smile. “Thanks for everything. We’ll be fine here.”
A duffle was tossed from the transport by one of the guards. The bag was small. Likely only a couple changes of clothing for the prisoner. She jerked her chin toward it, knowing she was still being observed by the crew. “Bring it,” she said, making her tone curt. She turned, walking toward the cabin, wondering if the lock on her new mate’s door could actually hold him.
Colm followed the small woman inside the cabin. Everywhere he looked was gray. Bare concrete walls, fiber-composite cabinets. No curtains on the windows, just cheap solar-glass that turned a milky color when the sun hit it directly. Utilitarian. Ugly.
Ugly, everywhere he looked. Except the woman.
She was a surprise. Small and slender, she didn’t look capable of driving a combine, much less handling a man as large as himself. But for the chip she wore around her neck, he could overcome her inside a single heartbeat. And yet, she hadn’t hesitated to accept him.
Her clothing was the pioneer uniform – heavy denim trousers, a form-fitting, long-sleeved shirt, insulated to retain body heat or to wick away moisture if the air grew warm. Her small feet were encased inside clunky work boots. And yet she was lovely. And likely didn’t know it.
She wore no make-up. Her bluntly cut hair – held up with a single band at the back of her head – was a pretty brown with strands of blonde and red setting it afire. Her eyes, when she’d stared up at him, had been a soft green, like springtime blades of grass. Something he’d seen in domed parks back home. Vivid and fresh, those eyes. And so unaware.
The perfect product of the Company’s long assimilation program. Despite her slight stature, she’d survived the grueling testing and come to this place. But why? As pretty as she was, she needn’t struggle for her survival. She’d have made some Company scion a fine mistress. Or some gladiator a concubine. He’d have taken her on, for a full month’s use, just to see whether he could make that blush she’d betrayed deepen.
His loins stirred and he sighed, knowing he was concentrating on the puzzle she presented because it was better than sinking into a black hole of despair. This would be his life until he died.
In another time and place, he might have enjoyed the adventure: traveling years to reach this desolate planet, testing his mettle against the elements for his own satisfaction, overcoming obstacles that arose from living on another world. However, he’d left behind a mess. One he was fated never to repair. Everyone he knew and cared for left behind forever. Lost.
“Your room’s in here,” the woman said, her soft gaze lingering on him. She likely wondered if he was a halfwit, he’d stood there so long, staring at nothing. “Drop your bag beside the bed. You can put away your things later. We have work to do.”
Colm said nothing, but stepped past her, making sure to brush an arm against her, just to see how she reacted.
Her quick, indrawn breath and startled gaze told him a lot. She was every bit as aware of him as he was of her. Satisfaction warmed him. Here was something he could work with. Perhaps he could convince her to toss away the chip. And soon. The memory of the sharp pains it invoked, seeming to tap every single nerve with fire and agonizing cramping, was enough to nauseate him.
A prisoner now, and for the rest of his life, he determined in that moment that he wouldn’t be seen as one by at least one person on this wretched planet.
He dropped his bag beside the narrow cot. As stark as any prison cell, at least the room had a window, although the hardware surrounding it told him there would be no escape. Not that he had anywhere to go if he did manage to slip away.
However, just the thought of walking freely in the out of doors, of swimming in the stream he’d seen that perfectly divided fields of wheat from oats, was enough to keep him thinking about breaking out.
“We work until the sun sets,” she said, her voice oddly gruff. The sweet note it had held when she’d spoken with the commander was gone. But then, by the way the other man had eyed her up and down and had given her unsolicited advice, perhaps they knew each other.
The thought bothered him more than he wanted to admit. He was already feeling possessive of his new jailor.
“Tell me what needs to be done,” he said, dropping his voice to infer he was ready to do more than labor in the wheat fields. “I’m here to help.”
Her cheeks pinkened and she turned away, bending to pick up a pack and then striding toward the door. “Let’s just make sure water’s making it to the plantings. We’ll walk the fields.”
And walk they did. Colm was amazed at the size of the tract she’d been handed. On Earth, land this rich, this verdant, was so rare only the very wealthiest could afford it. And yet here, as far as he could see, stretched yellow-and-green fields filled with fragile bio-gold.
He and his new mistress carried all-service tools slung over their shoulders, which changed with a click from a shovel to a pick, depending on the need. At midday, she unearthed crusty protein wafers and bottles of fresh water from the bottom of her pack.
He grimaced at the stale taste of the wafers, but did have to admit the food satisfied his growling belly. Then back to work they went, with the woman walking between neat rows to inspect plants for wilt or disease, although every grain brought to Mars had been specially engineered to suit the soil and climate.
“That’s odd,” she whispered, bending closer to one wheat stalk. She tipped it with her finger and drew away with a small insect.
Peering over her shoulder, he noted the frown bisecting her brow. “A ladybug?”
“This insect’s not scheduled for release. It shouldn’t be here.”
Colm shrugged. “Perhaps it stowed away with the seeds when they were shipped.”
Still staring at the tiny round bug, she shook her head. “Makes me wonder what else we might have. I’ll have to report the sighting.” She tucked the insect into her pants pocket.
“Do you really think the Company can control every element of this world?”
“They have to try,” she said softly. “There’s a fine balance here, between all el
ements of the environment.”
“Is there no room in these plans for surprises? For a natural progression?”
Her head canted as she studied his face. “You’re an odd man, Colm. Everyone knows the dangers imminent when anything is given free will.”
Colm breathed deeply, pulling his gaze from her curious one. He knew she wondered about him, where his loyalties lay.
Phobos rose large on the horizon. She glanced toward it, shielding her eyes as the sun peeked around the edges of the asteroid. “That’s the last orbit for the day. We should head back before night falls.”
Colm’s body tightened. His own indoctrination had included training to please his new master. Farmers must be kept happy, after all. He wondered if she would avail herself of his training tonight or would opt to get to know him better first.
He tamped down his excitement, but already blood surged southward, thickening his cock. A chance to lie with her, to lose himself in lust, was too tempting a thought. Could he tempt her to forget her natural reticence? “I’m trained, you know. I could give you a massage. Draw your bath . . .”
Her head swung his way, green eyes narrowed. “Let’s get this straight. I don’t need a servant or a sex worker. I need a partner. You aren’t obligated to pleasure me. So long as you pull your own weight, I’ll be satisfied.”
He suppressed a grin at her terse tone. “And what if I have needs, ma’am?”
Her jaw clenched. “You’ve a hand. Use it.”
She stomped away, but he couldn’t help smiling. He’d noted her heightened color. He’d shocked her. Now she was thinking about the coming night and all the delightful possibilities.
Mary eyed Colm from beneath the sweep of her thick eyelashes as he bent over the bowl of stew she’d heated for their dinner. Ever since he’d offered to pleasure her, she hadn’t been able to get certain lusty images out of her head. It had been ages since she’d taken a sexual partner.
And what if I have needs, ma’am? She wished she could look at him as though he was just another machine she’d been provided with for convenience, because dammit, she had needs, too. Yet, even though she understood the necessity of physical release, somehow the thought of using a prisoner in that way felt sordid.
