It's 2084. Princess Mirela is journeying to Earth from her home on Venus to meet the man her parents have arranged for her to marry. The Girl Who Fell To Earth follows a woman caught between two worlds, striving to live up to the expectations and re...
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Fan art by Kelsey Biersteker for Future Now
The ship's doors slide open. I'm surrounded by the Royal Guard, four protection bots that made the journey with me to ensure my safety. The harsh light makes me squint. My legs tremble.
I feel a weighty metal mitt on my shoulder. "You're not alone, Mirela," the protection bot says. Though its slick silver face holds no features, the bot speaks in my mother's voice. "You didn't really think I'd leave you to handle everything yourself, did you?"
Breath that's been bound up in my chest releases in a steady stream. "Thanks, Mom," I say to the bot. Though she's not physically with me, knowing my mother is watching and by my side—in a way—gives me the strength I need to step off the ship.
When I make my way down the stairs it feels like I'm moving through sand. Though it takes a lot of effort, true gravity isn't as oppressive as I had imagined—it's everything else. The bright sun blinding me, the sumptuous red carpet rolled out in front of me, the smells of food, dirt, and perfumed humans who are milling around what seems to be an opulent landing party in my honour, threaten to overwhelm my senses.
"You're doing great," the Mombot whispers.
I nod, clear my throat, and take a few shaky steps onto the red carpet. The landing pad is surrounded by towering buildings that make me feel infinitesimal. An underling swathed in bright fabrics scurries toward me from a curtained seating area, where the Wangs sit in plush chairs.
"Announcing the arrival of Princess Mirela, heir to the Sunside Colonies," the servant says. Part of his throat is replaced by translucent tech that allows him to amplify his voice across the space.
The Wangs rise. I draw closer. My future mother-in-law, Mei Zhen, is much more stunning in person than in the few images I've seen of her. The deep scarlet of her silk dress contrasts with her porcelain skin. Her glossy black hair is streaked with veins of silver and intricately braided into a large bun that sits atop her head. In her heeled shoes, she is at least a head taller than my future father-in-law, Qiang. Qiang; however, seems to have at least two decades on her. A prune of a man, his face is as cratered and marked as the moon, his head as bald, and he seems to drown in the gold robes he's wearing. Despite his stature, he carries himself with the energy of a man you don't want to disappoint.
And then there's Hao. His face is plastered with a grin that seems to say, 'Nice to meet me.' His eyes are entirely obscured by reflective glasses, though his cheekbones are just as sculpted as promised. He's dressed in all black leather finished off with combat boots that have thick stacked soles. But, even in the shoes, he's so much shorter than I imagined! Most Venusian teenagers would tower over him.
"It's not all about looks," Mombot whispers. She has the eerie ability to know my thoughts before I speak them.
The tech-throated servant steps forward. His voice returns to a normal speaking level now that we've arrived at the seating area. "Princess Mirela, you have the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Wang Qiang, chairman and CEO of the Wang Corporation; his esteemed wife, Wang Mei Zhen; and Wang Hao, future chairman and CEO of the Wang Corporation."
