How To Have Sex On Mars
Part 6 of 16
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Mars. For millennia, the Red Planet has fired humanity's imagination.
Scientists like Percival Lowell thought it was an "abode of life" with irrigation canals transporting water from the polar icecaps to farms in the warm equatorial region. Novelists like Edgar Rice Burroughs, Ray Bradbury, and Robert A. Heinlein imagined Martian civilizations.
NASA spacecraft revealed that Mars is a cold desert, but that vast amounts of frozen water can be found just below the dusty surface. Today, members of groups like The Mars Society are making plans to build a permanent colony there.
That work would be done by people like our protagonist, Mike Russell, an astronaut who spends years working and living on Mars. What would it be like to be one of the first people to call Mars home? For Mike, it includes the discovery that sex on Mars is very different from on Earth - and Vive la diffΓ©rence!
Here in Part 6, Mike has sex with a new woman.
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I didn't sleep well that night. Hearing the woman I love suggest that I have sex with her closest friend disturbed my equilibrium. I have always respected Adeline's judgment. I understood the reasons she asked me to sleep with Elke. But it seemed to contradict common sense in so many ways that it made me profoundly uncomfortable.
My first reaction was that Adeline is usually right about everything, so she was probably right about having sex with Elke. I gradually thought I should probably do it, but I wasn't able to bring myself to immediately agree. Before I did anything, I wanted to discuss it with Grace.
"You are not the only member of the crew considering unconventional romantic relationships," Grace said when I asked what she thought. "People are becoming very lonely. They are doing things they never considered doing while they were on Earth."
"What do you mean by 'things?' What 'things' are you talking about?"
"I believe I already mentioned that women who never had same-sex relationships are trying them now. That is becoming more common. More women are sharing their men - much like Adeline is suggesting with Elke."
"How's that going for them?" I asked.
"I don't know," Grace said. "I can't hear what people say in the privacy of their quarters. Even if I could, it would be unethical to share that without their permission. Still, I can tell you that my algorithms predict more of that kind of thing in the coming months.
"We are entering a stressful period on Mars, I fear. I am not surprised that Adeline is suggesting you have sex with Elke. She and Elke are very close."
"I guess what I want to know is whether it's a good idea," I said.
"I wish I had the answer," Grace said. "The way I'm programmed to think about this subject is to look at the data available on things like polygamy, polyamory, and other forms of non-monogamy.
"Some people make it work reasonably well. Most don't. There are many opportunities for jealousy and hurt feelings. That's particularly relevant in your case, Mike, because you, Adeline, and Elke are trapped in a very confined environment. If something troubling happens, you can't get away from each other. You can't give each other space. It could get ugly."
"It sounds as though you think it's a bad idea," I said.
"Not at all. I think it's a very good idea, Mike," Grace said.
"I'm having a hard time keeping up," I said. "This conversation is like a French movie. I need subtitles."
Grace laughed. "I love the little comments you make when you pretend to be dumb. Very droll. It's charming. Do you want to know why I like the idea?"
"That's affirmative," I said.
"You, Adeline, and Elke are remarkable people. You possess an unusual amount of emotional maturity. This is especially true of Elke. It would be hard to find three people who are better able to navigate the risks of such a relationship. You would be usually well qualified to resolve issues before they become problematic.
"This can not be quantified, but it's important that all three of you are so nice. Overall, the people chosen for this mission are nice, pleasant folks. They were chosen for their ability to get along with others. Mike, it's my observation that you are the nicest person on Mars at the moment."
"It's because I'm Canadian," I said. "Being nice is what we do."
"My feelings about you may not be objective because I love the way you treat me like a friend. Adeline and Elke also have enormous capacities for kindness, compassion, generosity - all the qualities needed to undertake tricky relationships.
"I have my own reason for hoping you'll try this, Mike," Grace said.
"I can't imagine what that might be," I said.
"Things are getting dire. The loneliness is wearing everyone down. If you three can make a relationship work, it might encourage others to try it. Maybe more men could start relationships with more women. Maybe you could get a third girlfriend. Or a fourth. Things like that have the potential to provide relief to people who need it."
Third girlfriend? Fourth? What the actual fuck!?
"Grace, I find it difficult to imagine juggling the needs of two women. More than that sounds impossible," I said.
"Lots of things sound impossible before you do them. People can do remarkable things when they have no alternative," Grace said.
"This reminds me of a story Adeline told me about World War 1," I said.
"Does it involve the way the French reacted after so many young men died in combat?"
"I see you've heard the story," I said.
"I've read the relevant histories, Mike. There were lots of problems caused by the gender imbalance in France. Adultery triggered turmoil," Grace said. "But one thing to remember is that France was a very religious nation during the early years of the 20th century. Adultery was a serious disruption of the social order.
"Mars is secular. It is very possible to experience jealousy and hurt feelings, but I don't think any of you are worried about going to hell."