“Maternal data is very valuable. It is a middle ground even.” Leo gave Anna a calculating look. “You’re more impressive than I thought.”
“But even you said infancy would be ideal.” Stella’s eyes bulged. “Don’t forget, that baby has half the genetic code of a violent man.”
Anna crossed her arms. “I am the first pregnant human you’ve had here on Mars for years. You haven’t had a chance to get anyreal-life data on pregnancy with this chip before. You’ll never get this data willingly again.”
“So what?” Stella snarled. “You’re almost ready to give birth. That’s hardly a few weeks of data.”
Atlas put a steadying hand on her shoulder. “Anna . . . you don’t—“
“No!” Anna whirled around, shaking off his arm. “I’m tired of other people speaking for me!” She balled her fists, turning back to Stella.“Then after. I’ll keep wearing it. You can get all my brain scans after.”
Silence stretched before Leo answered softly, “This is acceptable for me.”
“No!” Stella stamped her foot again. “This is not enough!”
“Actually, it is.” Leo tilted his head. “Listen over the connection; there is a consensus. Our colony is in agreement with this plan.”
“They decided already?” Stella took a step back, closing her eyes.
Anna didn’t dare look away. All the androids now had their eyes closed, listening to whatever internal signal they all shared, reminding her of the radio stations all synced up at home. Whatever. She straightened her back. It didn’t matter. If they all agreed, then whatever they decided as a unit or judged about her didn’t matter.
She wasn't budging.
“Fine,” Stella spat out a second later. “I can’t believe they agreed that easily.”
They agreed? Relief poured over Anna. Agreed. Accepted. They could stay. Leo looked pleased, Stella irate. All her sister clones turned their backs, talking with one another out of ear shot. Atlas hung back, shocked.
She won. A crappy contest, sure, but she still won. This could be their home. Slowly a grin crossed her face.
“Don’t be so pleased. We need to watch you,” Stella said. “The deal is not just for this data. You also need to come in for check-ins. Like the dinners.” She turned to Nora and Tilly. “All of you.”
The thought of more dinners made her stomach turn. “Not me.” Anna said softly. “I’ll come once the baby is here and everything is settled, but until then I want to stay here and rest.”
"Agreed," Leo said, before Stella could talk.
“We’ll go,” Nora snarled. “If Anna is making a deal, then we will too.”
Stella regarded her coolly. “That’s the least you can do.”
Anna put a hand on Nora, holding her back.
“Fine.” Stella reached out her hand. “On the condition that you do not tamper with any of the data, you have a deal.”
Anna reached out her hand and put it in Stella’s. She shivered at the contact, at the cool perfection.
“Deal.” Anna smiled at Nora. “In return, this is now our home.”
The silence around them was deafening. The androids didn’t say a word. Anna couldn’t twist her head to look at Nora. Not while her hands shook and she needed to stand and be brave. And that damn nausea was back . . .
Stella finally twisted her head. “Perfect. Now that it’s settled, Atlas? Can you come back with me? Get the supplies? It looks like we have a plan now.”
“No.” Atlas’s voice was feral. “I’m not taking any orders from you, Stella.”
But Anna held up her hand and looked at him dead in the eyes. “Atlas. Don’t fight this. Please. If you ever believed that I have a voice, then please . . . I am choosing this.”
Atlas fanned out his arms. He stepped in front of Anna forcefully. “This is medically unethical. Anna is eight months pregnant; everything is fragile.”
“Enough.” She touched his blue sweater. “You said not to sell myself short.”
