Page 136 of The Mars House

“I couldn’t believe what they’d made you agree to,” Aubrey said. “Helping to turn away your own people, I mean for fuck’s sake.” That last was aimed at River. “I shouldn’t have . . . I was angry.”

“You’re angry a lot,” January noted.

“So are you,” they said, sharp. “It only took you a week to yell at River for the first time, imagine how I feel.”

“That’s—so the riot,” he said, half to them and half to the Consul. “It was a way to kill us both and make the switch.”

“It was,” the Consul said heavily. “But you both got out too quickly.” They smiled, and it looked like an honest smile. “I’m glad it didn’t work. I’m glad we’re doing this instead. Though I wish we could have found an easier way to it.”

January honestly couldn’t think of a way it could have gone more easily. Whatever you thought about Earth, whatever decision you made about the coming fleet, that decision would cost thousands of lives.

But he did think he finally understood what We Are Mars meant. It wasn’t about Earth. It was nothing to do with wanting people to come here or not wanting them to. He knew River well enough now to know they would never mean that. What it meant was, it’s fucking dreadful here, and in these conditions, there are no good choices.

“What happens now?” he asked.

“You stay with House Gale. You’ve done such good things here,” the Consul said. “River will be safe. Not on a hulk.”

They didn’t say that those two things would be linked, but they didn’t need to.

“I meant immediately, now,” he said, a bit flat.

“Now you get on a podium with me and read your autocue,” Aubrey explained.

The Consul tapped him and gave him a chocolate bar. “Keep eating.”

It felt patronising, even though he did need it. “I’m not hungry.”

“Tough. I watched a thing about how to look after your alien,” they said solemnly.

He looked up at them, hanging over the edge of saying, How can you possibly think I’m going to laugh at a joke after everything you’ve done.

“January,” the Consul said, intense and quiet. “I’m sure you’re thinking of ways to screw me over, which is justified. I like you, of course I do, but I have to do what’s in the best interest of my state. We’re a city, which belongs to a country, and my country—China—wants me to take these refugees, because it is the bare minimum of humanity we can offer. I know it’s hard to keep thinking that big when what you’ve got in front of you is a few rooms in a house on Mars, but that’s what this is and I wouldn’t be doing it if the stakes weren’t so high. Do you—God, tell me you understand.”

It was astounding how difficult it was to pretend to agree to something like that even when your life depended on it. He’d spent his whole life thinking what bloody idiots martyrs were—was it really so difficult to cross your fingers behind your back and say, ah, no, changed my mind, actually—but just now he could see vividly why plenty of people preferred to burn at a stake than swear to something when it wasn’t true.

River tilted their head. Don’t be so stupid.

He smiled. “No, I do. It’s okay. Thanks for not just holding a gun at me. It’s just—you know, I’m a bit tumbled. I feel like I’ve got jet lag, just with—events, instead of times. Plot lag.”

They both laughed, and the Consul put one arm around him. “Okay. Let’s get this done.”

55

The praetorians set up lecterns in the foyer, in front of the main doors, between the two great weeping willow trees. People passing by noticed, and hesitated to see what was going to happen. Drones congregated too; and then more people when the House Song and House Gale seals went onto the lecterns. Nobody did that unless it was an important announcement.

All January could do was stand with Aubrey Gale, while River was still handcuffed beside a praetorian who, presumably, could see them. He found himself scanning the room for helpful things, as if there even existed a thing that would be helpful. Aubrey was bending a willow twig into quite a complicated pattern between their hands.

“Willow and leaving. Liu and liu,” they explained when they saw him looking. “So you give someone willow when they’re going away.” They swallowed. “For River.”

“Oh,” he said. It was a lovely thought.

“Right, that’s ready,” the Consul said. “We’ll do this live. All set?”

“Hang on,” said January.

“Where are you going?”

“I feel sick, wait.” He ran towards the bathrooms and, hoping to God they were out of the praetorians’ immediate sight line, took Dr Molotov’s arm and tugged them in gently but urgently after him. “Hi. Hi; sorry about this. Um. The Consul’s just—just switched River and Aubrey back, and—how possible is it to turn off the internet in the house?”