Song of Mars

Rise to Mars! Men and women

Dare to dream! Dare to strive!

Build a home for our children

Make this desert come alive!

Roberta Draper didn't want to admit it, but the lyrics to Rise to Mars weren't that bad. In fact, they were pretty good. So good in fact, that if she was bereft of understanding of Martian culture, she might have said it was better than Mars For All. Because not only were the lyrics much better, but truer as well. Truth of Mars was that the red planet wasn't for all. And even as a student studying at Primary Education Facility 38, she understood that.

"This is such bullshit."

Noviae might have understood that as well. Or, more likely, as her classmate slapped her EDU-T down on the desk, more likely she was referring to the assignment they'd been given.

"So some guy on Earth centuries ago writes a song about a planet he knows he's never going to go to," Noviae continued. She picked out her hand terminal and began typing. "Why the hell should we care?"

Roberta, having unplugged the earphones connected to her educational terminal, glanced at Ahmed - the third member of the trio this assignment had grouped together within the facility's library, and the most quiet. He was busy typing away on his EDU-T, not rising like Oscar Castellino's song demanded. Not doing anything in fact, except be quiet, studious, and the type of person who kept his head down, lest his gaze wander beyond Mars's skies.

"Miss Devons never said we had to care," Roberta murmured. "Just said we had to do it." She looked at her chrono. "Which, by my reckoning, means we have to finish the assignment in about fourteen hours."

Noviae grunted.

"Or rather thirteen hours and forty-five minutes."

Noviae smiled as she kept typing.

"Which means that some of us might want to re-examine our priorities."

"Cool your tits Bobbie, we've got time."

Bobbie. The name ran over her like dust did in the world beyond the habitation dome. The teachers at school didn't call her Bobbie. As most of them were ex-military (a fact her father had hinted wasn't coincidence), she would be called by the name of "Roberta," "Miss Draper," or in some cases, "young lady." At ten years of age, she didn't feel young. Granted, she doubted many did – on Mars, childhood was fleating, and it wasn't long before the facts of life were drilled into your head, among them being that Mars was a harsh world, and Earthers were assholes. But still…

"Come on," Bobbie murmured. "You know that by studying Rise to Mars, we're getting the easy assignment, right? Tavay had to study the junior version of The Martian.

Noviae grunted. "Every kid knows the story of Mark Watney. How's that hard?"

"Because it's a biography. This is just music." Ahmed, breaking his silence, looked up at them. "Universal language and all that?"

Noviae gave him a look as if he'd just said Mars was flat. Bobbie wasn't sure what look she was giving him, what with not having a mirror or anything, but she hoped it conveyed the acknowledgement that he had a point...even if she hadn't actually acknowledged anything. Ahmed however, his silence having been broken, had the look that told the world that he was returning to that silence. That he knew his place in the world. Or rather, this world.

Noviae took a sip of water from her flask, and handed it over to her fellow student. "Refill this, would you?"

"But it's still got..." Ahmed trailed off, got up, and picked up the flask. "Sure." He gave Bobbie a look, before leaving. She tried to smile, but her lips wouldn't oblige. She wasn't used to smiling, and when boys smiled at her, it was usually followed by some idiotic statement that had led to a broken nose on more than one occasion. But she sure as Hell knew how to frown, and that was what was on her lips as she looked at Noviae.

"You shouldn't treat him like that."

Her friend grunted as she took out her EDU-T again "Like what?"

"You know what."

"No, Bobbie, I don't."

"Like an outsider."

Noviae looked up at her from the terminal, an eyebrow raised. "He is an outsider."

"So?"

"So, as in, his parents turn up to Mars seven years ago and foist some Earther on us, and he acts like he's all chummy, and we're all friends, and that he can just sit here and wax on about music being a universal language and all that bullshit." She returned her gaze to the EDU-T. "Just saying it like it is Bobbie."

Bobbie didn't say anything. She just returned to her own EDU-T. On its screen was the assignment question of Earth Perceptions of Mars in the 21st Century: Discuss How Rise to Mars Encapsulates These Perceptions, and How They Differ from Our Lived Reality. Basically, it was shorthand for "discuss a song, and don't you dare suggest it's better than Martian music." Which was fine with her. What wasn't fine, however, was how her friend was treating Ahmed.

"Here's your water."

Or that she was just standing by and letting it happen. She watched Noviae take the flask and take a sip. It was pink, and two stickers were on it; one of Mary Martian, and another Captain Deimos. It was the type of thing that K'neer and his group might have liked, since they'd been assigned to study perceptions of Mars in Earthen pop culture before the red planet had been colonized. Apparently, they really liked War of the Worlds because it involved Earthers getting what they deserved or something.

"You need anything?" Ahmed asked.

"Hmm?"

"You need anything?" Ahmed asked. "Water, protein bar...more water..."

"Oh." She blinked, not used to be asked what she needed, let alone wanted. "Oh, no. I'm fine."

Ahmed looked like he wanted to say something, but instead thought better of it, sat down, and returned to his EDU-T. Out of the corner of her eye, Bobbie saw Noviae roll hers.

A silence fell over the group, and for awhile, the assignment progressed at a brisk pace. As part of the presentation they'd give tomorrow, Ahmed would present the biography of Oscar Castellino. Bobbie would explain the cultural context in which Rise to Mars had been composed, and Noviae would explain the whole "lived reality" part of the presentation. Swift, efficient, and in keeping with the Martian ideal, not to mention the Martian curriculum. Because on this planet, history could be divided into two segments - Mars History, and Earth History. The former emphasized how said history would lead to a better future. A better humanity with a better ethic. The latter emphasized how Earth's people had squandered their world, and that whatever Earth had done, Mars shouldn't do. And considering that Earth now had 20 billion people, half of whom were drugged up and wasting their lives while their planet remained on life support, Bobbie couldn't really disagree with that assessment.

"So," Noviae murmured, breaking the silence. She looked at Bobbie. "Think you'll stay in the cadets next year?"

Bobbie raised an eyebrow. "Didn't think I had a choice."

"Talk of not making it compulsory anymore." Noviae glanced at Ahmed, whose head was still down. "Hear that buddy? Might not have to get into the dirt like the rest of us."

Bobbie frowned. On the one hand, she didn't like the idea of cadetship no longer being compulsory for children up to sixteen. This was Mars. Mars needed to defend itself in case Earth decided it wanted to go all colonial on them again. Mars couldn't do that if its people didn't know how to fight, which meant at the very least, students needed to know how to use vac suits for things other than just walking around.

"Well?" Noviae asked. She clicked her fingers before Ahmed. "Asked if you heard that?"

On the other hand, Noviae wasn't embodying the Martian ethos of society first and Mars For All. What she was doing, was being the type of person who Bobbie Draper couldn't help but get into fights with. The type of person who'd end up with a broken nose.

"Might be nice," Ahmed murmured, still not looking up from the EDU-T. "Cadets aren't really my thing."

Noviae scoffed, getting to her feet. "Yeah. I bet." She began to pace around, her hands on her hips. "The hell we even doing this for anyway?"

"Noviae, sit down," Bobbie murmured.

"No, seriously, why?" Noviae snapped. She picked up her EDU-T and shook it in front of Bobbie. "Why the heck should I care about what some dead guy wrote about Mars centuries ago, huh?"

Bobbie shrugged. "History?"

"History," Noviae sneered. She gestured around the library. "You know places like this used to have books in them, right? All we do is study this, study that, and do assignments for ex-marines who can't cut it anymore. Why...why the heck am I wasting my weekend like this?"

"We're all here," Bobbie said in a low voice. "Get it done, sooner you can get back to watching Miss Martian pine for Captain Deimos while fighting Galactacons."

"Okay, first of all, Miss Martian isn't pining for Captain Deimos, that's just what shippers think. Second of all, they aren't Galactacons, they're Galaxons. Third of all..." She trailed off, and gave Ahmed a withering glare. He was quietly sniggering, but seeing the glare, he fell silent.

"Something funny, Earther?"

Bobbie felt a chill run down her spine. She'd seen this before. Not from Noviae, granted, but...

"Well?" Noviae asked. Ahmed tried to get back to writing, but she flicked him over the ear. "This even work, Earther?"

Ahmed got to his feet. "Stop it," he whispered.

Noviae grinned, and Bobbie felt a pang of despair in her heart. Ahmed had come to Mars when he was three, and it was three years that had made all the difference. He was short - far shorter than most Martian children who'd been born in Mars gravity, and grown up in it. Like Mars itself, Noviae stood proud and tall. And while Bobbie was happy for Mars to take the place of Earth as the Sol system's superpower...this wasn't Earth. Ahmed wasn't Earth. And Noviae was the one going "all colonial."

"Stop it?" Noviae sneered. She patted him on the head. "Can I get a please, Earther?"

Bobbie got to her feet. "That's enough," she said.

"Hair's funny," Noviae said, still patting him. "Must be weird, not to have proper air on it. Still, that air's all polluted and shit, so-"

"I said that's enough."

Four eyes turned to Bobbie, and she felt a stab of anxiety. Ahmed was short. Noviae was tall. Her body didn't seem to be able to make up its mind. Her father had claimed it was because of her Pacific island heritage, but whatever the case, her body often wanted to grow sideways rather than upwards. It was a body that was toned with muscle, thanks to cadets and the stuff she did with dad, but still, it was a body that had its roots on Earth. Not on Mars, where humans were living in a low-g environment that had never been meant for them.

"Hell," Noviae said. "You like him."

"I don't like him." She gave Ahmed a look, before continuing. "I mean...don't not like him, but..."

"But?" Noviae clicked her fingers in front of Bobbie's face. "Come on, say it. Say it..."

"Say what? That you're being a bitch?"

Ahmed backed away. Noviae looked ready to explode. Bobbie, having seen this before, stood her ground. She knew what was coming.

When Noviae swung a punch, she was ready for her. Enough so that without much effort, she grabbed her classmate's arm, slammed Noviae's body on the table, and twisted the arm back. Not enough to break it, but enough to make Noviae squeal like a duck.

"The hell?!"

Or was it a pig? She wasn't sure. She hadn't seen many animals on Mars outside pets and insects.

"Stop it!" Noviae tried to break free, but Bobbie was too strong. "You're hurting me!"

"Cry me a river," Bobbie murmured. "I mean, might help the whole terraforming thing, but..." She trailed off, and a moment afterwards, let Noviae go. Embarrassing as it was, she couldn't think of a snappy way to end that sentence. But seeing the look on Noviae's face? That was worth it.

"So," Bobbie asked. "Want to get back to the whole assignment thing or-"

Noviae splashed the water from her flask on Bobbie's face before storming off.

"…or that, I suppose." She looked at Ahmed, who had a small smile. "What?"

"Didn't think you could waste water here."

Bobbie grunted. "Noviae's a walking waste of water. She still gets to strut around because her daddy's in the MCRN." She wiped the water away and gave Ahmed a look that wasn't quite sympathetic, but was as close as she felt comfortable with. "Might guess as to why she's...y'know..."

"Your dad's a marine. You're not 'y'know.'"

Bobbie smiled. "No. Guess I'm not y'know...y'know?"

"Yeah. I know."

The two of them sat down again. Bobbie, for her part, was happy to just get her part of the assignment done, Noviae be dammed. Ahmed however, had to speak up.

"Bobbie?"

She grunted, hoping he got the hint that she wasn't into the whole saviour thing any more than...well, anything else right now.

"You are staying in the cadets, right?"

She looked up at him. "What?"

"The cadets. Even if they might no longer be compulsory, you're staying in them?"

"Maybe." She leant back in her chair and folded her arms. "Why?"

"Just thinking you might be good at it."

"Why? Because I can beat people up?"

"No." Ahmed cleared his throat. "Well, I mean, yes, but..."

"But?"

"Just thinking you're good at the whole leader thing. Harsh, fair...good at beating people up...and...other...things..."

"Keep talking like that Earther, and you'll see how good I really am." Ahmed fell silent, and her gaze softening a little, Bobbie added, "but thanks."

He didn't say anything, but she knew that he'd heard it.

But if he said anything else, she knew that she wouldn't hear it, as she put the earphones back in.

Not necessary for the assignment, but at times, she just wanted to listen to music.

Come along, altogether

For our future

Rise to Mars!

Even if it was from Earth.

A/N

So, fun fact, Rise to Mars is an actual song, composed in anticipation of the day when (or if) Mars is colonized. You can track it down on YouTube if you want - honestly, it's pretty decent as anthems go. But in the meantime, drabbled this up.