Communications
Jellia was taking a short break by the pool, watching an absolute riot of kesh having a free for all fight in about thigh high water… on them. It was amazing how they were allowed to fight so violently here on Libertas. One kesh had a nose that was spraying blood and everyone just continued to fight while he ran off and his sister was pinching it.
Her wrist comp dinged and, thinking it might be one of her regulars snipping her she looked down… and saw her snip pile was absolutely full! All snips from Ephemera.
She looked up. A ship must have come with a message queue. She had sent messages back a couple of decas ago when Mother had told her they had a ship going, but this was the first time that she had gotten any.
Creia:
So, you like your new ‘ska-drek’? I can’t imagine myself. My mother had a man stay over… he had been over a lot before that… for a whole deca and by the end of the deca I think the novelty was wearing off for me. Altho I must say he seemed to be getting more and more comfortable the whole time. They didn’t actually break up for a year, but the other times they spent time at his place. I don’t think he liked me much.
And Sussanna… her mother is practically en-drek-a, to use your word. There has been a man that comes over to their place routinely since she was in diapers! And they spend time at his place and go on vacations together and all.
School has been going really well…
Charlie:
/Bow to lover/
My Darling, I so want to thank you for the wonderful gift (or is it gifts?) you gave me before you left. I was in heaven for days. Which Mother says was bad, I should have been all depressed because you were gone, but it didn’t hit me that way… I just remembered our marvellous time.
And I guess I can admit that you taught me a lot. We sons try to pretend we know everything, but you were really neat and taught me a whole lot while not really acting all superior and everything the way I hear some daughters do.
Anyway, miss you and hope you are having an absolute zippy time on your new planet. I don’t want you to sit and be depressed because you are without me, I think that would ruin the whole thing. I was happy to be part of your ‘last fling’, even tho it was really a ‘first fling’ mostly for both of us.
Love,
Charlie
Lydia:
Hello Jellia. I suppose you already know but in case you don’t… Creia and Charlie are an item! They had several heavy dates and they have now had three weekends! Twice at her house and once at his. We are all teasing them, calling them ‘en-drek’ and ‘en-drek-a’. They don’t mind though.
Creia talks about him all the time. She says he is handsy but sweet, and a good kisser. I suppose you would know. I think the whole thing is your fault… your best friend and your lover getting together to console each other.
Oh, he talked about that bow for at least a deca! And apparently his mother grilled him all the way home and he had the hardest time convincing her you were just kidding or whatever. He says it would have been easier just to say you had gone all the way… his mother would have shut up then.
Anyway, I thought you should know. I hope you are happy for them, they are delirious. Two other daughters (one of them being me) want to try him when she is done. There must be some fire with all of that smoke!
“Waitress!” she heard and looked up. Oh. A ska-drek was waving at her. Good grief, she should have opened these later. She ran over, “Order, Ska?”
“A funny order,” he said. “It is time for us to go and one of my kesh is missing. Can you help us find him? I don’t want to emer-alert his wrist comp and have everyone panic…”
“Certainly, ska. What does he look like?”
“Oh, about waist high, bright red hair, runs flat out all the time.”
Well, the red hair should help, the thought, and ran off.
“Little nipper, red hair?” Bryan asked. “Yup. Over on the whirly gig.”
She soon had him found and brought him back, getting a nice tip snipped to her account, but she swore that she would never read personal snips again at work. That ska-drek could have been mad!
She arrived home a bit early and went up to freshen. She was just about to get in when Mother burst in her room. “Oh, Darling!” she said, coming over and hugging her. (Thankfully not tossing her.) “Oh, I got back my first report.”
“Well, tell me while I’m in the Fresher,” Jellia said, “I don’t have much time to get dinner on.”
“Oh, Darling, I got back my first report, and of those seven shipments of fruit I sent back, five came back breaking even.”
“Ummm, sorry Mother, I don’t understand.That doesn’t sound good.”
“Oh, yes, I suppose it doesn’t. But, you see, any first shipment why, the majority of it is given away free. In this case restaurants, speciality stores… they carry it or use it in their recipes or whatever for free. In hopes, you understand, that they will make orders.”
“Well,” she said, as Jellia quickly dried herself, “They did! The rest of the shipment sold out almost immediately, making enough money so it wasn’t a loss. And, of course, that means that the next shipment…”
“Oh, I see. So the next shipment will have people all ready to buy it.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Well, I’m glad you succeeded.”
“Oh, this is such a marvellous day. I can’t wait to tell your ska-drek.”
“Tell me what?”
“Oh…” Mother went over and hugged ska-drek, which seemed to surprise him. “My first shipment went well.”
“Congratulations. Perhaps at dinner you will be able to tell us all of the details.”
“Which I have to get on,” Jellia said, dashing past the hugging couple and racing downstairs. She hoped she had enough time to warm up the soup. She liked sandwiches so much better with soup.
Thank you for reading Von’s Substack. I would love it if you commented! I love hearing from readers, especially critical comments. I would love to start more letter exchanges, so if there’s a subject you’re interested in, get writing and tag me!
Being ‘restacked’ and mentioned in ‘notes’ is very important for lesser-known stacks so… feel free! I’m semi-retired and write as a ministry (and for fun) so you don’t need to feel guilty you aren’t paying for anything, but if you enjoy my writing (even if you dramatically disagree with it), then restack, please! Or mention me in one of your own posts.
If I don’t write you back it is almost certain that I didn’t see it, so please feel free to comment and link to your post. Or if you just think I would be interested in your post!
If you get lost, check out my ‘Table of Contents’ which I try to keep up to date.
Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,
Von
Links
Contract Marriage
Contract marriage is an adult dystopia examining the issues of marriage. Like 1984 and Brave New World, Contract Marriage treats the relations between the sexes as a fundamental aspect of how a society is formed and, thus, how a society can go wrong.
Unlike those dystopias, Contract Marriage isn’t all horrible all of the time. The characters for the most part have a good time and get along in their society. But the issues of sexuality, of marriage or not, monogamy or not, faithfulness or not, and gender roles… keep coming up and causing tension and conflict and joy and pain.
My desire is that my readers would be thinking along with my characters about these issues and perhaps even arrive at the same place (minus the flying cars).
Introduction // Podcast Version
In which I lay out the themes that I intend to explore in this light Dystopia, and ask others to participate.
Trade Master: First Chapter // Podcast Version
In which Fenestra, our heroine’s mother, puts in her application for the job of 'Trade Master’ on the planet Libertas, and finds out that it isn’t that easy.
En-Drek Contract // Podcast Version
In which Fenestra finds out that, on Libertas, everyone must be in an ‘En-drek’ contract… a long-term, live-in, heavy date between a man and a woman for the purpose of producing one child after the other with one date after the other.
Disappointment and Meditation // Podcast Version
In which Jellia, the daughter and our heroine, finds out about her mother’s job opportunity, including its difficulties, and commits herself to meditating on the situation. (And internally commits herself to encouraging her mother to take the job.)
Decision Reached // Podcast Version
Jellia tells her mother that she thinks she should take the job, and so her mother puts in her application… and gets the job!
First School // Podcast Version
Jellia goes to school and gets to tell everyone about her new adventure.
First Work // Podcast Version
Fenestra goes to work, and tells her coworker about her new opportunity.
Writing Class: Podcast Version
Jellia writes a poem (a limerick) and tells her classmates more about her new adventure.
Trader Galloway: Podcast Version
In which a man comes over for a ‘date’ (Ie to sleep over with her mother) and to tell them all about his time as Trade Master for their company on Libertas. And as how he was almost executed for asking a woman out on a date.
Shopping: Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother go shopping for the last time, and we explore some of the nature of the planet she is leaving.
Language: Podcast Version
In which Jellia starts using some new words at school, and everyone gathers round to find out what they mean.
Kesh-i Cooking Class: Podcast Version
In which Jellia finds out that children (Kesh-i) on Libertas are expected to cook.
Trade Master Training: Podcast Version
In which Fenestra begins her training for her new role, with an old enemy.
Two Week Date: Podcast Version
In which Fenestra and Alex decide to date for the next two weeks.
The Facts of Life: Podcast Version
In which Fenestra brings Alex home, and Jellia isn’t impressed. Although she is interested in how dating works for boys.
Snips: Podcast Version
In which Jellia spends time snipping with a boy, and brings him home.
Kissing: Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother both have a sexual ‘last fling’ before they leave, and Jellia practices the new kisses she will need for her new planet.
Off Ephemera // Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother arrive at the shuttle port, go through some annoying formalities, and take off!
And Fly! // Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother board their spaceship, and Jellia starts doing her homework.
Abstinate // Podcast Version
In which Jellia gets bored, rejects an older gentleman, and rejects her mother’s idea of dating.
Older Kesh-u // Podcast Version
In which Jellia learns more about what Kesh-u (children) are allowed to do on Libertas.
Fertility // Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother are taken off birth control by an odd doctor.
New Girl // Podcast Version
-Added out of order- Jellia meets a new girl on the shuttle, from a strange culture!
Decon // Podcast Version
Jellia and her mother arrive on their new planet, go through an awful decontamination, get sent to a briefing, and receive their first kiss/greeting!
Briefing // Podcast Version
Jellia and her mother are warned that the laws on Libertas can be very serious.
En-drek File
Fenestra reads up on her new ‘en-drek’.
Justicia // Podcast Version
Jellia rejoices in the new planet!
The House // Podcast Version
Jellia explores her new house.
Shopping and Greeting // Podcast Version
Jellia uses her new ‘kesh liberty’ and runs off to do some shopping. And has to kiss everyone all the way home.
Ska Illoh Kiladi // Podcast Version
Jellia meets her new Ska, who has business with her mother.
Ooops // Podcast Version
Jellia makes a mistake, gets chastised, and hates it here!
Neighbours // Podcast Version
In which Jellia goes off the cry, and meets neighbours.
Breakfast // Podcast Version
Jellia wakes up, makes breakfast, and runs off for a new day!
Kesh Liberty // Podcast Version
Jellia takes off for town with two younger kesh in tow, and has a fun time shopping!
Dinner // Podcast Version
Jellia comes home from her day in town, raced to unpack her new noodle machine, and cooks dinner!
Testing // Podcast Version
Jellia shows up at her new school, has to check herself it, gets tested for math, art, engineering… and whether she’s mature enough for a live in date.
Great Room // Podcast Version
Fenestra was finally Trade Master, and finally by herself, and finally got to start her new work! Sitting in her new living room in her PJs!
Great Hopes // Podcast Version
Iloh Kiladi shows up at work and gets grilled on how his new relationship is going.
Physio // Podcast Version
Jellia has to do ‘Physio’ at school… which involves running and climbing and getting sweaty.
Engineering // Podcast Version
Jellia finds out that what her engineering teacher cares about is that she learn, not that she come to class.
Basic Bio // Podcast Version
Can there be anything more embarrassing than being at a new school and having all the other girls discuss where you are in puberty?
Pastels and Colic // Podcast Version
Jellia’s next was with pastels, and they had a nursing mother and her baby for a study! Until the baby started crying.
Physio // Podcast Version
PE by any other name would be as annoying.
Report // Podcast Version
School is done for the day, and Ska-drek picks her up… and quizzes her on how it went!
Second Day // Podcast Version
Jellia begins her second day in school all excited, and much less nervous.