The Scapegoat: a Capricorn Adventure

Mars Part 2

Peyton was a tall woman of Latino background, with brown hair cut into a cute, blunt style that ended before it touched her shoulders, and fringe pulled back into a band on the crown of her head. She wore a discrete grey and black jump-suit, and presented a neat attractive figure as she headed towards the colonists' quarters, hoping to find find a suitable room-mate. 

She ran her finger down the list, before selecting a vacancy beside the name of a girl that she thought sounded like a real Pisces. It would seem natural that two Pisces wanted to room together. She tapped the code for her credit account into the touch screen and the room was hers, at least for the next week or two.

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Hurrying to the room, Peyton introduced herself casually. "Hey, I'm Peyton!" 

She began to unpack her small travel bag. 

"I'm Linnet," the other girl residing in the room replied. 

Peyton would have to be careful around Linnet, because Linnet was a true Pisces. Capricorns and Pisces were not unalike, except that Capricorns were naturally playful and adventurous, while Pieces were slightly more serious and a great deal more polite.

"Are you coming to dinner?" Linnet asked.

"Yeah, sure," Peyton was almost ready.

It was compulsory for female colonists to change into formal wear for the evening meal, although male colonists sometimes got away with wearing their uniforms. Peyton drew a kimono-like garment with a white yoke, green tie and long purple skirt out of her carry bag. The Asian styling was a tribute to the fact that the colony was largely funded by the Japanese and Chinese governments back on Earth.

"Pretty but impractical," Linnet giggled. "I don't know why they do it to us!"

"Because they can," Peyton allowed herself a grin. 

Linnet changed into a similar kimono with a blue bodice and orange-brown skirt. Peyton envied the other girl her tan outfit, which suited her light colouring perfectly. Unfortunately the bright and appealing colour would have represented too much of a risk for Peyton to wear, because it was well known that Capricorns were attracted to red.

"Daring", she remarked conversationally.

Linnet shrugged. "My other one is jade. I like a change sometimes." 

****

The girls exited their room and stepped onto the travelator to journey towards the dining area. Once in the servery, they collected their uninspiring meals of protein rations and hydro-vegies. The death of the goats had represented a serious blow to the resources of the colony, and the subsequent rationing triggered an unreasoning emotional response among many of the settlers. Hit people where their most basic needs lie and you arouse primitive responses.  

"No meat," Linnet sighed.

"Did you ever hear what triggered the goat virus?" Peyton asked. 

Linnet shook her head. "No one knows exactly how the Capricorns are responsible for the 'goat virus'," she admitted.

"I thought there would have been an investigation?"

"No resources to spare out here for such things," Linnet admitted.  "But someone suggested the Capricorns were jealous of any creature sharing their star sign."

"Any proof?"

"The goats all died." 

"That's not proof!"

"How so?" Linnet shrugged.  The suggestion had stuck, and the unsupported theory had become accepted as fact. 

Peyton decided to let the subject lapse. It was risky for her to pursue. 

Truth to tell, 'Capricornism' was one of those unreasoning prejudices - like racism, but not about colour, or sexism, but not about gender, or even homophobia, but it had nothing to do with romantic preference. The prejudice was all about the day, month and hour a baby happened to be born. 

As a science, 'Capricornism' once would have been considered ridiculous, even by people who followed astrology. There was a lot of variation within star signs, and nobody born under any one sign inherited all the weaknesses or strengths of their sign. A lot of people could not even identify with their star sign. However, in the isolation of the Martian colony, surrounded by the coolness of space and the reflections of the constellations, morbid imaginations had run wild.

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