CHAPTER 3

I wasn't waiting a week to talk to her.  I made a note for my absence of leave, noting that I needed to console a friend in need.  The computer confirmed, and 15 minutes later, said that my leave can start in 2 day, and that I still needed to show up tomorrow.  I recommended that if possible and opportune, I should contact that friend immediately.  See? Big Brother at work.  Though, I am surprised, I couldn't get tomorrow off, too.

"No, no.  I meet a guy name Scott and we spent some time together.  And my FC chip failed."  My supposed guidance counselor and mentor, was a thirty-six year old women, who had long blonde hair,  pale skin, and milk chocolate eyes. She had a slim physique, as she had access to gravity rooms, some with exercise equipment. We are currently in a simulated environ room, it was simulated day time, the walls were plastered with organic light emitters that simulated a cafe with Spanish architecture, with an occasional air current that seemingly blows at unpredictable intervals. This place screamed 'BIG BUCKS.' And from the look of it, people who come here if they are on a date or if they are filthy rich.

"You spent time with a guy! Not a night, but nights?  Wait! Didn't he have a chip on too?"

"Shush!"  Said a waiter at me, but Gillian gave him an evil eye.

"No, Scott is Earthside, and his country doesn't have FC chip laws."

"What? You got knocked up by an Earthside and an NAmir at that? Tell me he's staying here on Mars."  I exclaimed at a quieter volume.

NAmir is what Lunans and Martians call the large country below Canada that flows down nearly midway to Central America.  It was formerly the United States of America and part of the country of Mexico.  (History:  With the influx of Mexican individuals, those of Latin decent slowly took over the United States politics over a few centuries.  Frustrated at the drug cartels, as well as the need for more land, United States invaded Mexico, blaming their government for not doing enough to stop the drug cartels.  The restructuring cause a whole mess, which ended up in a united states of north america.  A reaction to the restructure caused a group to break off of the lower part of the country, forming what is now "United North America" and "New Mexico (the country)."  On NAmir, FC chips were not only optional, but prohibited until an individual was 18.

"Well, it's not like we are domestic.  We were just dating and I missed Emily so...After hearing I was pregnant, he wanted to get married and he did proposed.  He even knelt down on one knee and proposed, no ring though."  Yes, we women still love precious metals.

"That sounds off to me."

"I know.  I told him, 'No.' He told me, he doesn't want his son to be born 'a bastard.'"

"No he didn't."  He said all the wrong things and his timing is terrible.

"Yes, he did. He also threatened child protective services, if I didn't marry him."  Really?  This sounds more and more suspicious, like it can blow up into a political incident.

"I told him: Despite my FC chip failure, now that I am pregnant, I will keep the baby, whether or not I marry him. " The government has allotted one child per person. Two per family. And this restriction is only for financial purposes. They won't take your kid away or anything, unless you cannot sufficiently raise them until they are 21, when they can help supplement your income until they are 25. But if you intentionally do an in vitro fertilization (IVF) and have more than 3 kids, AND is financially unable to support them, they might take your kids and put them up for adoption.  And there are a lot of couples out there who would be happy to receive a child.  Then, the parents have 5 years to become financially stable, to adopt their child back.  If they can't, then the child remain with their adoptive parents.  The system doesn't work that way on Earth though.  I hear people just do it get world records for most births in a single pregnancy.  Though I was later corrected by my brother, that they got paid by channel stations because it brought up ratings.  The practice stopped though, as channel started getting negative ratings, and government began restriction fertility clinics from depositing more than 2 eggs per treatment.  They got good enough that most couples only requested one egg.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"What are you going to do financially?"

"Oh, you.  Always thinking about finance, maybe you should go into the business sector."

"I'm not really a self-starter." I mumbled.

"You really need to stop self-deprecating attitude.  You go no where if you keep this up."  Says the woman who has been interning for 15 years, before settling on social services.

"Well, I never had an FC chip before.  So I had to pay into the Famiily Care insurance."

"OH MY GOD! You paid the Family Care insurance while for 15 years?"  She's insane, how much did her parents make to pay into the system rather than get a tax.

"19 years.  My parents started paying in early when I was 16, I think the mandatory age is still 21."  Though, it's starting to look like they are trying to push it down to 18, by starting the bartering at 16.  "My parents were concerned I didn't leave the chip in and my family line on my mother's side, tended to have twins."

"I got one when I was 16," Gillian continued, "but I didn't like how chemicals mess with my head, so I took it out. There was never a need for one with Emily.  When I starting seeing Scott, I got a newest chip the clinic had, and was going to keep it in since I didn't feel any side effects..."  She could file liability with FC chip maker, make a claim the government's Family Care insurance, and if her fucking trust fund can back her up, her parents would.

"I am not worried about financially care for the baby, but children should have at least 2 parents and a caretaker."

"I suppose your parents would be willing to help?  Have you told them?"

"Actually, you are the only one I told." I thought you were having a baby shower!

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Author's note:

[LOL! Susan's been had!]

.