Chapter 4: A Martian Miracle

Heather did not know she was selected to be reckoned. The person chosen does not find until it's time to die. She brushed her grey hair and went about her business. She was of the age that is normally chosen but of the 8,000 people on the planet, chances seemed unlikely. She had heard about being chosen. She had two friends last year who received the "honor" of the reckoning. They both worked in the greenhouses. The remembrance ceremony for both was amazing and the people who were chosen to end their lives were merciful. They went painlessly into their death and their bodies were entered into the compost which feeds the continuance flame.  This is the protocol for all who are reckoned. 

As she dressed and got ready to go to section 4 and work in her medical unit, the reckoning did not even cross her mind, why would it? Humans don't think of their own death every second of the day.

Her grown daughter, Silvia, joined her, for the last 4 years they both worked in the same unit. She trained her on how to treat small injuries and this was her daughter's life path. Silvia had been coming with her to the unit since she was small and loved it. She, like her mother, loved the smell of alcohol and bandages. Most of the things they treated were minor injuries, bruises, sprains, lacerations, colds and flus. It was all very simple but important in the colony to keep people healthy and the infrastructure moving. 

A surgeon or doctor has never been picked for the reckoning.  They are too important. The people picked are mostly from the mines, construction, or mechanical sector. All parts of the community are important, but some are more expendable than others. At least this is what the elders have decreed and this is what is written in the Book of Continuance. 

Heather entered her office and took a seat. She had her hot drink, made of a hybrid of Tea and Coffee grown only on the planet. It was a delicious blend only available in the medical areas because of the amount of caffeine in it.  Caffeine is a controlled substance on Mars.

She was looking at the chart of child with a smashed hand. Puzzled on how a child damages their hand during school recess so severely, Silvia approached. 

"Well, it's official mom. I'm going to be a mom." 

"That's wonderful honey! The adoption went through. When do you get the baby?" replied a stunned Siliva, an adoption is almost a miracle on Mars. 

"In about six months when it comes out of here" Sylvia laughed pointing at her stomach and watching her mother's reaction. 

"What? How?" Heather was aghast with no words and no sound could be uttered from her throat. Delighted yet concerned by this recent turn of events her mind churned with the possibility. 

This news was beyond shocking. Silvia was told she would be unable to have children. She was exposed to the radiation from outside the dome at a young age during an incident with an air lock. She was exposed to the surface for 8 seconds. More than any human ever has been and lived. It left her barren and also gave her a limp when her bones in the right leg didn't grow properly. She never was forced to have birth control; it was believed the radiation fried her ovaries and multiple ultrasounds seemed to have confirmed this theory. The unexpected pregnancy was a miracle beyond anyone's wildest dreams. Her life as a healthy adult was a revelation in general. Most exposed to that much radiation die or end up sickly or with cancer. They are never treated and are dedicated to the continuance flame upon death. Sylvia had a limp. A phenomenon which stunned the medical community on the planet. This sudden turn of events would probably make her a minor celebrity on Mars. 

"I don't know." she giggled, she still had the same adorable childish laugh and beautiful smile as always, "The doctor said the same thing mom. I must have had some left-over eggs, or my ovaries weren't as damaged as they thought. But there is a baby in there. I'm 3 months pregnant. I saw the baby on the ultrasound this morning. They can't tell the sex yet, but it looks healthy and is not showing any signs of damage."  

"I cannot wait to tell your father! He is going to explode with happiness! He is in surgery today in the clinic by the mines, but he should hear about this tonight!" 

Silvia and her husband were applying for a baby, but it is rare and difficult to find one because there aren't many unplanned pregnancies since the shots were introduced and people having them beyond the law of the quota try to keep them quiet and hide them. They do not exist according to the government.  Occasionally there are deaths or there is abuse, which Heather began questioning about her patient with the smashed hand, but IVF, surrogates, and other ways to make babies were unavailable. Martian Law was established by utilitarian principles. Survival was the key to Mars. Clearly Silvia's genes were part of the evolution. 

Heather looked into in daughter's bright blue eyes and smiled. This was a wonderful day!