The Martian Wall

In the year 2234 CE—78 ME (Martian Era)—prior to being admitted to the ICE (Immigration Control and Enforcement) facility of the Martian Commune, visitors and others must pass through a lengthy decontamination corridor. They do so at their own risk as the decontamination technology can interfere with life support systems, such as pacemakers, insulin regulators, prostheses, 'smart' visual, auditory and olfactory aids, and a variety of microchip implants used for identification, monitoring, autonomic overrides, etc.

The man—and indeed he was a human otherwise he would have been denied entry as non-carbon-based humanoids were not permitted to pass between Novlando and the Martian Commune since they posed a high risk of sabotage given the history of 'infections' on Mars—was carrying a large hockey equipment bag filled with the imperial currency used in Novlando. The man failed to conceal his nervousness.

The exchange rate between the Commune and Novlando was always unfavourable as the Commune had erected a currency wall to restrict the movement of people. The entry fee to the Commune fluctuated as the need to tighten or loosen controls required, but at present it was at a 78-year record high.

Evgard, the man from Novlando, had grossly, perhaps fatally, miscalculated. He was short more than 200,000 currency units owing to the most recent exchange rate adjustment, and the Commune border agents—all humanoid robots—never negotiated. Except that today, a human was present—an ambassador on a routine visit to Novlando.

The ambassador overheard the exchange between Evgard and the robot border guard and approaching Evgard and the border guard, sought to intervene, thinking this might imbue his mission with feelings of mutual goodwill between the two Martian worlds.

However, before he could finish articulating his case to the robot, he received an urgent telepathic message from the Office of the Central Committee. "Ambassador, you must refrain from interfering. This man," the message continued, "must pay the fee in full. He is a capitalist. There are no exceptions for the capitalist exploiters of Novlanda." The message concluded with the Commune's benedictory sign-off, "From each according to his ability to each according to his needs."

The ambassador grew in fury as he received this message, and in his agitation and frustration cursed loudly, "Damn that 'from all to each according to his rank' bull—"

"Sir, I must remind you that you are audible to the visitor," responded the robot border guard who then turned to Evgard and said, "You shouldn't have heard that."

Evgard shook himself to attention, puzzled, and for no apparent reason, looked over at the ambassador and noted that the man hadn't spoken a word since he'd arrived, not that an ambassador would deign to speak to a capitalist ... and certainly not to an asylum seeker.