Greenies

wouldn't be all that fun, that it would take away from what sex with Xenia is supposed to be like for me. I think maybe that sex between people in love is better than just the normal sex we all have and I don't want to fuck that up by doing it too soon.'

'Wow,' Drogan said, beaming now. 'That's some romantic-ass shit you're spouting there.'

'So you see where I'm coming from now?'

She nodded. 'I do. And you know what?'

'What?'

'I think I kind of like the idea.'

Mars Capitol Building, New Pittsburgh

As soon as Laura Whiting entered her outer office Cyndee — her secretary — glared at her in a most unfriendly way. It was understandable. She had been worried about her, just like always.

'Where have you been, Governor?' Cyndee demanded. 'You were gone for three hours!'

'Sorry, Cyndee,' she said, actually feeling bad. 'I had some business to take care of. Everything is under control.'

'You left your security detail behind!' Cyndee said. 'Governor, this is the fourth time in the past week you've done this. We were all frantic!'

'I apologize for disconcerting everyone but I'm back now. No harm no foul. How's the planet been holding up while I was gone?'

'General Jackson is requesting to talk to you immediately,' she said. 'He's called six times.'

'Oh really?' she said. 'Did my so-called secret service rat me out to him again?'

'Well... you ran off without telling anyone where you were going, Governor. What did you expect them to do? It's their job!'

She nodded amicably. 'Yes, it is, and I'll never come down on anyone for doing his or her job. Anything else I need to know about?'

'Jack Strough called twice just after you left,' she told her. 'He said something about you needn't bother trying to interfere this time. His people are committed.'

'Uh huh,' she said, smiling in amusement. Jack Strough was the head of the cargo handlers union — a virulent, anti-revolutionary, self-interested asshole who had been a thorn in her side ever since her inauguration day speech. 'I've already taken care of that particular problem. That is, in fact, where I was all morning. Anything else?'

'Nothing terribly pressing,' she said. 'You're getting the usual emails from the citizenry who are concerned about the upcoming bombing raids and why General Jackson is not moving reinforcements towards Eden yet. There are also several com requests from the various plant managers who are concerned about the same thing. David Reed over at the Alexander Industries plant is the most prominent of them.'

'Ah yes, Mr. Reed,' she said. 'He and I had a most interesting conversation once. I can certainly see the source of his concern since the WestHems are intending to wipe his plant off the map. Did he leave a detailed message?'

'He did,' she said. 'He wants to evacuate his plant immediately. He says he's sorry about the loss of production this would entail but that he refuses to risk his employees' lives in the event of a WestHem bomber strike. He has given you five hours to reply with a coherent plan for strike forewarning or he will shut the plant down and move all of his workers to safety. And that was two hours ago, Governor.'

'That's about what I would expect from him,' Laura said. 'He's proving to be much more of a Martian than his background would dictate.'

'His background?' Cyndee asked.

'Never mind,' Laura said. 'I'll talk with General Jackson and then have a little chat with Mr. Reed when I'm done. Hopefully I'll be able to ease his mind and keep that plant in operation as long as possible.'

'Very good, Governor,' she said. Her face softened. 'And, Governor?'

'Yes, Cyndee?'

'I'm glad you're safe. I was worried sick about you being out there all by yourself. Anything could happen to you out there. You've made a lot of enemies.'

'I know,' she said. 'I appreciate your concern, Cyndee but I'm a big girl. I know what I'm doing.'

'Yes, Governor.'

Laura turned and entered her office, letting the door slide shut behind her. She sat down at her desk and leaned back for a minute, looking at the ceiling. Finally she pulled out a pack of Earth cigarettes — one of the workers at the train yards had laid them on her after the speech she'd given them today — and pulled one out. She sparked up, taking a deep drag and slowly exhaling the smoke into the room.

'Heaven,' she said as she savored the rush of nicotine to her head. This was the first smoke she'd had in days.

She turned and looked at her computer screen, which was showing a screen savor that consisted of various views of Mars, Phobos, Demos, and the skylines of each Martian city. 'Computer,' she said. 'Com General Jackson.'

'Comming General Jackson,' it dutifully replied.

He answered less than five seconds later. 'Where in the name of ass-fucking and clit licking have you been?' he demanded.

'That would be ass-fucking and muff-munching,' she replied dryly. 'Let's not start using offensive terms in our communications now. Remember, all of this is being recorded for posterity.'

He was not amused. 'Laura, haven't I asked you, begged you not to sneak out without your security detail? This is the fourth time you've done this! It's an ass-tapping miracle that some disgruntled Earthling or Martian hasn't shot you on the MarsTrans just to say they did it!'

'I can take care of myself,' she said, giving her standard answer to such ass-chewings.

'Why are you doing this to me, Laura?' he asked. 'You used to take the entire security detail with you wherever you went. You used to realize how vulnerable you were and how much we need you. What the hell happened?'

'Back then there was a very real possibility that WestHem agents would try to assassinate me,' she said. 'And back then, if they would have succeeded in killing me, the revolution would have fallen apart before it could get started. Things have changed now. We've gone too far to stop now and the revolution would go forward with or without me at this point.'

'That's no reason to invite death,' he said. 'I agreed to let your security detail wither down to only two men — very much against my will I might add — but now you're shunning even that. You can't simply go walking around outside like you're a normal person!'

'I am a normal person,' she said. 'That's one of the reasons I do it. I'm safe and sound in my office now, General, so why don't we drop the subject? Let's talk about more pressing matters.'

He sighed, obviously wanting to say more on the subject but he didn't. 'Fine,' he said. 'What do you want to talk about?'

'Let's start with Jack Strough, shall we? I just came from the rail yards and a meeting with the cargo handlers. Strough had them whipped into a frenzy about this WestHem bombing of their facilities. I mean, the WestHems aren't even planning to bomb the NP yards and he had them ready to walk off the job. You can imagine how upset the Eden cargo handlers were.'

'Yes, I've been receiving reports about that,' Jackson said. 'Strough has them riled up all right. They're threatening to strike if we don't do something about the bombing threat — as if there was anything I could do. What did you say to him?'

'I didn't say anything to Strough — not directly anyway. I did address the New Pittsburgh cargo handlers personally in their union hall and had my speech to them beamed to all of the other cargo handlers union halls throughout the planet, including Eden. I thanked them for their loyal service to this point and told them the war will be lost without their assistance. I then gave them my personal guarantee that the moment we detect a flight of bombers leaving the WestHem armada we will immediately inform all vulnerable targets so they can evacuate. Since it takes forty-five minutes from the time an AA-71 launches to the time it can make its attack, this seemed a reasonable promise.'