Back on Mars for the first time in two years.<em>How did home become so alien?</em>Sarah Nakano wondered as the airlock into the celebration dome cycled. Mostly it was the knowledge that she would soon be leaving for good. There was also the distracting gravity difference. The young tech had grown up accustomed to Martian gravity, approximately 0.38<em>g</em>. But lately she had spent all her time aboard various space stations and<em>The Exodious</em>itself, where rotational gravity had been set to Earth-like levels.<br/><br/>There had been a week of nanite drug treatments before she had first left the surface of her home world, designed to strengthen bones and muscles. This had been followed by a grueling 1<em>g</em>exercise program where she had learned how to move under the new conditions. After so long she had grown accustomed, and now back on the surface of Mars her gait was ever-so-slightly awkward, and at each step she had to remind herself how she used to walk.<br/><br/>Still, at least she was less clumsy than all the off-worlders. Sarah was not one for the usual Martian-centric snobbery, but even she had to resist rolling her eyes when she got a first look at the dance floor. Some of the dancers were jumping around like a bunch of hick tourists, acting as if low gravity were the funniest thing they had ever seen. Still, at least they were enjoying themselves—she envied them for that.<br/><br/>Sarah put her micro-rebreather into her purse and left her heavy coat on a rack. She then nervously scanned the room, looking to see if there was anyone she knew. She was wearing a simple but elegant black dress, which had a plunging neckline and hemline just above her knees. She also wore sensible black heels, dark pantyhose, and a silver necklace. The truth was Sarah would have just as soon worn her tech jumpsuit in order to be more modest, but she would have stuck out like a sore thumb for dressing so stodgily.<br/><br/>She caught sight of the cute redhead from the hydroponics team, but as always did not have the nerve to introduce herself. While Sarah was bisexual, she did tend to go more for other women. Not that she had ever had sex, or even dated for that matter. The embarrassing part was that since she was reasonably pretty, one hundred percent of the blame for her loneliness rested on her defective personality.<br/><br/><em>I hate these things.</em>The best case scenario was that Sarah might find someone else in the robotics division interested in talking shop all night. Otherwise, she would probably end up spending most of the night sitting alone. A few guys might hit on her, but she would inevitably drive them off with her ineptitude at small talk and disinterest in casual sex. Probably most of them would creeps who came on way too strongly anyway.<br/><br/>Sarah went over to the bar and ordered a drink—maybe guys would be less inclined to buy her drinks if she already had one. She was then reminded that the drinking age on this part of Mars was twenty-one, and settled for some juice.<em>Now I just need to find some lonely spot to sulk in by myself, and this party can really get started,</em>she thought with bitter sarcasm. Still, it was best not to give up immediately—maybe she would have a good time for once. She sat at the bar and tried not to look as uncomfortable as she felt.