Everyone’s wrist went off and Jellia, who had been in the middle of downloading a skewer onto her pile of grain and sauce, hadn’t manage to wipe her hands and open the snip before Iloh said, “Well, congratualations, Daughter.”
On seeing her look Mother said, “Your marks are in, Darling.”
“Oh,” Jellia said, and finished wiping her hands and took her first bite. She loved her food hot.
“Excellent Marks in your core subjects,” Iloh said. “I see nothing wrong with your art, but I’m sure it is a difficult subject.”
“Oh, yes. I love art, and it’s not like I do poorly but I’m not at all worried about my…
Advanced Drawing: Life and Landscape: 75%
Physio: 210%
Mechanical Engineering: 98%
Limits and Derivatives: 97%
Basic Pastels, Chalks, and other crumbly media: 80%
Chemical Engineering: 95%
Statistics for Engineers: 99%
Code, Custom, and Health: 56%
“Why, Darling, what is it?”
“Fifty-six!” Jellia almost shrieked. “I’ve never gotten a fifty-six before!”
“Daughter!” Iloh said, “Calm yourself. There is nothing wrong with that mark.”
She glared at him, “It’s a fifty-six!”
“In Code and Custom. And Health. You cannot expect yourself to land on a shuttle and suddenly become an expert on Code, Custom, and the intricacies of the sexual relationship between en-drek and en-dreka!”
“What?!”
“That mark comes from your med tech, as well as all of your teachers, myself, and ordinarily your ska-drek-a as well. And from your employer.”
“What?”
“Every person on the planet is constantly being graded by those in authority over them. This grade is used in your en-drek-a contracts and, as here, passed on to those in authority. No one that sees you still have your exo bracelet on will be at all surprised at such a mark. Why, tell me, what would be the appropriate thing for you to do if you saw a kesh snatch a young kesh and attempt to make off with him in a skimmer. Come, quickly, and in order…
“I, umm, call the safeties… no, you don’t have them… there has to be someone you can call…”
“En-drek-a?”
“If armed, shoot him. Scream. Pursue while screaming. Attack if possible. Activate your emo if not.”
Iloh looked at Jellia, who stared at Mother, open mouthed. “Oh…” she said.
“No one blames you, Darling. You are at school all day, and dealing with the whole en-drek-a issue as well, with the med tech. But I study an hour a day, as directed by Iloh, who quizzes me each night, and I am only at 75%. So, as Iloh says, Calm yourself.”
“I… Well, why don’t you quiz me, as well? That was embarrassing. This is embarrassing,” she said, holding up her wrist.
“If you wish it, I shall,” Iloh said. “Your ska-drek-a and I will quiz you each evening at dinner.”
Well, that would make dinner a misery, but… fifty-six!!
“Thank you,” she said. “Oh, since I’m off school, I’ve picked up some full time shifts at Garden Party. I should be rolling in the bits, soon.”
“That is ambitious of you, Daughter,” Iloh said.
“What I want to know,” Mother broke in, “is how you can get a 210% in physio. Does you teacher not know how to do math?”
Jellia giggled. “They explained that. There is a certain amount of physio I am required to do. If I do it, I get 100%. If I don’t I get sent out of some other class and have to do it anyway, so I get 100%. But my wrist comp, well, everyones wrist comp, keeps track of all of the exercise I get, and that is what gets recorded. With my Garden Party job I do a lot of running and a lot of walking. And when I go early or stay late I do a lot of swimming, and even some climbing. So that all adds up to 210%. I hardly ever have to actually go to physio.”
Iloh, and Jellia, smiled at the look on Mother’s face, and then he turned to Jellia. “Let us start our review. Tell me, what is the most likely cause of a kesh waiting for lo-kesh?”
“What? Oh… ummm… I read that…”
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.
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Thanks again, God Bless, Soli Deo gloria,
Von
Links
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.
56% I'd probably get lower marks. But then again, maybe not. Coming from Texas and knowing firearms and law, I'd probably know how to handle a kidnapping.
What got me was the 210% in physio. I'm guessing that athletics of a sort? That's some serious exercising.