“Right. That makes sense. It’s like training.”
Putting food on the table required quite a bit of effort around these parts. The process to grow and harvest the plant that hosts the Ukruum virus constantly depleted all nutrients in the soil.
Over one hundred years ago, before anyone understood the impact the Ukruum had on the planet, the reaping kickstarted an ecological disaster that killed most plants and animals. With Earth still recovering from it, and also still having to cultivate the Ukruum crops, the ocean was our main source for sustenance. From her words, Catita understood training but working was alien to her. The Martians had it so easy.
“How about you? Is that what you do? You…train?” I’d seen the Queen’s army do some respectable moves. Maneuvers that could only be achieved through intense training. Maneuvers that were also overkill with the townspeople who, for the most part, were too tired and weak to put up a fight.
“That’s literally all I do.” The vee between her eyebrows deepened. “It’s so peaceful here.”
“Are you going to tell me why you’re on the run?”
And to think it would be another two years before I saw her again. My body ached at the idea of not seeing her again. Why? It wasn’t as if I’d never been with a woman before.
“Ry and I got sort of separated.”
“I figured as much. But why are you out here, technically in the middle of nowhere with a stranger. I could be a serial killer for all you know.” I crossed my arms over my chest and cocked an eyebrow.
She laughed. “Are you?”
I dropped my arms to the side. “No, I’m not. I’m just your run-of-the-mill local who’s tired of the QEC commandos going on like they’re God’s gift to men.”
“I know what you mean.” She faced away from me and more strands of hair broke free from her ponytail.
Maybe it was wishful thinking, but something told me Catita did understand. What did the QEC take from her? Did they make her watch her mother die, as they had with me? I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed the memory away.
There was no point dwelling on things I couldn’t change. Mom’s killer was immortal. We’d never get justice or even a small semblance of revenge. I failed Mom that day. And if I were being honest, I’d been failing her ever since, doing a shitty job of taking care of my little sister, as I’d promised.
“There was a fire in the fields outside the Wharf District.” Her gaze surveyed my profile. “Do you know anything about that?”
“All I know is that the people here are done putting up with the Martians.”
“This planet belongs to Mars, to the Forever Queen.”
The way she said it so matter of fact made the usual lump in my stomach churn into a tight knot. “First of all—”
“Stardust, this is Genie. Come in.” The radio crackled to life on the secure channel and filled the air with my little sister’s voice.
“I gotta get that.” I climbed down the steps to my cabin, rushed to my desk on the far end, and grabbed the handheld. “This is Stardust. What’s going on, Ari?”
She wasn’t supposed to be out today. I tapped my finger on the side of my head and glared out my window. Static filled the air for a long while. I didn’t like this one bit.
“Hey there, Tek.” She exhaled heavily, and I imagined her passing out in the middle of who knew where.
“Ari?”
“Yeah, I’m here. So, remember how we were going to keep a low profile this week on account of the immortals being in town?”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Um, I kind of went out anyway. The net is full. It’s our biggest pull this season.”
“You took your shrimp boat out?”
“Yeah, but here’s the problem—”
“The Genie is the problem, Ari,” I said. “Your boat can’t handle a full load.”
“Okay, yes…here’s the other problem.” She hesitated, and I gripped the handheld tighter. “The beach is crawling with uniforms all of a sudden.”
“We’re not allowed past the bay, Ari. There are no exceptions.” I pinched the bridge of my nose.
“Well, you’ve done it before. I knew the catch would be good, and I didn’t want the bastards walking away with our loot. I —” For all her bravado, her voice cracked, and that did something to my insides.
“Did they see you?”
“I think so. But they haven’t come after me. I jumped ship when I spotted them.” Her voice sounded so small and defeated.
“What’s going on?” Catita appeared to my left.
“My sister needs a ride and…” I braced my hands on the table, meeting her gaze.
What was wrong with me? I shouldn’t be this comfortable with a uniform in my cabin. Catita and I were not friends. She was the enemy.
“Tek, you can tell me. It’s not like I’m gonna run out and ping the QEC on you.” She sat on my bed. When she ran her hands over the sheets, her cheeks turned red.
“Fine. We are not allowed past the bay when the QEC is in town.”
“Why not?” she asked.
“What exactly do you think you’re here for?” I was sure the Martian Service Academy included lessons on cruelty and the old-time tradition of taking from the poor to spoil the rich.
“To keep the peace.”
I let out a frustrated chuckle. “We have peace when you’re not here. When the QEC is in town, they mine the petrol and other raw materials found at the bottom of the ocean. They get especially pissy when the locals disrupt their schedule.”
“That makes sense.” She glanced down at her hand.
“What they do makes sense to you?”
“No, I didn’t mean it like that.”
“You know what? I don’t have time for this. Ari
