Free Red Mars Love by Stephanie Owens Page B

memory, since we’d both been pretty inebriated at the time and I had spent over an hour attempting to master the sounds in her name.
     
    Sid was something like royalty on her planet.  The planet used a monarchy system yet still maintained a series of elected offices to balance the power on the planet.  Her family had been in power for generations and the planet itself was very peaceful, rather like the role model for interplanetary governance.
     
    Sid herself was one of three children of the current king and queen, she was the youngest of the three so she had resigned herself that she would not be ruling and taken to her role of planetary liaison with dedication. 
     
    She was tall, lithe and quite athletic.  She had long, brown hair that reached almost to her waist and she was wearing quite functional clothing like she was ready to get to work.  

 
    She had earned degrees at some of the best universities and regularly traveled to other planets to negotiate trade agreements, gather information and study their cultures.  I had met Sid while we were at the university and while we studied different subjects we spent considerable time together discussing planetary politics and the exploration of new worlds in the universe. 
     
    I could sit for days talking with Sid and her intuitive understanding of different cultures and extensive knowledge of how the universe worked.  I envied the brilliant woman and how she could travel just about anywhere in the universe and almost instantly adapt to the cultures, language and customs of the local people.  If not for her dark glasses and phosphorescent skin no one would ever recognize her for where she was truly from.
     
    “How was the family reunion?”
     
    “Well, I got to see the next three sets of triplets that were born to the family.  By time I go home for the next one there will be more people than I can name!”
     
    She laughed, everyone knew the weird phenomena on Mars and the propensity for multiple births, it made one not want to risk having sex on the planet as one ill-conceived night could end up costing you triple!
     
    “Come let’s go see my father.”
     
    I followed her down the path away from my ship onto a dense plank walkway over a small flowing stream.  The sun was high overhead indicating it was mid-day but it was dark as if the sun was setting on most planets.  Tall trees with black umbrella-like leaves reached towards the sun taking in as much light as their dark leaves could absorb but making the path difficult to follow.

 
    I tripped in the darkness falling into Sid’s back.
     
    “Oh, I’m sorry I forgot”
     
    Embarrassed she reached for a remote in her pocket and the path suddenly lit up for me to see.
     
    “Thanks” I said, feeling just a bit awkward that I forgot the lights myself but knowing they were only there for visitors like me.  When Sid was at the university she would wear dark glasses during most of the daylight hours to protect her overly sensitive eyes but here she could go without them.
     
    I continued following her down the path watching her lithe body easily navigate the red darkness and began to wonder if she had been promised yet.  Obviously, there were some type of pairs and couplings on this planet, after all, she was the daughter of the king and queen, but I began to wonder how they found a partner and whether it was socially acceptable to ask her out for a drink on her home planet.
     
    “We’re here, watch your step.”
     
    The glow of her skin had faded with the lighting provided by the path but as she turned and looked at me I couldn’t help but see her soft deep eyes hesitate for a moment as they looked into mine.
     
    “They are waiting for us to arrive in the main room, I think they may have the noon meal waiting for you.”
     
    She walked through an arched doorway and into another dimly lit room while I followed close behind her wanting to touch her translucent skin; but I forced myself to