Jellia yawned again and opened the door to her compartment. She was prepared to just climb down, but her eyes were caught by the sight of a daughter, about her age, sitting against the wall, talking with mother. A quick glance around showed her several new people and new tags on the compartments. So these must be from the planet they had stopped at.
"Here she is," Mother said, as Jellia hurried down and over to the girl.
“Kiss or bow? She asked, stopping a few feet away as the girl rose.
“Umm, Kiss," the daughter said.
So Jellia said, “Kesh Jellia Drendin,” and kissed ‘stranger-to-stranger’.
"Oh!” The girl said, turning red."We don't… not that kind of kiss.”
"Show me, then,” Jellia said."I guess I will learn another form of greeting."
“Miss Hamanto Perman,” The girl said, and air kissed her just off her right cheek, then the left, and then the right again.
“And do you do that for everyone?" Jellia asked as she and the daughter sat down.
"Only women," she said. “ And for brothers… including cousins," she added hastily. "We use the same word."
One of the joys of putting a book up as you write it is you end up, sometimes, adding a scene in the middle of what you have already posted. This scene falls between the chapters ‘last med’ and ‘decon’. Sorry for any inconvenience :)
The other scenes deal with dating, marriage and sexuality in a dystopian way from a modern, western perspective. This scene brings in a foreign perspective.
“Not many of us have cousins," Jellia said. "So, why are you traveling?"
"I am going for en-drek-azi,” Hamanto said reddening slightly.
"What's that?" Jellia asked, and the daughter’s mouth dropped open.
“You don't… oh, do you use another word? It’s the celebration when you get an en-drek… When you become an en-drek-a.”
"Oh, you have a celebration for that?" Jellia asked, wondering whether she had missed something in her research.
"Oh, yes! Oh, my, yes! We… Not everyone does this, but we do a whole month. The first week apart, and then we come together, and then the family celebrate for another three weeks. Then we will emerge and have a final dinner together. And then your whole family leaves and you start your new life!"
"Oh my!"
"Not everyone does that. My family, we are well-off."
As the daughter went on about the celebration, Jellia try to subtly stare at her clothes. She was wearing a loose, beige shirt that was almost a dress… a very light fabric and very loose… Over pants she estimated to be the same material.
Hamanto must have noticed though, because she blushed, and pulling some at the fabric and looking at Jellia’s jumpsuit, she said, “We are not allowed to wear that, so, if you make arrangements the liner will provide these."
Not allowed? Jellia wondered who wouldn't allow her…"So how did you choose your en-drek?” She asked, hoping that was a safer question.
"Oh, I didn't choose him! My father did that."
Jellia was tempted to ask what a ‘father’ was, but the word seemed obvious. But she wouldn't phrase her next sentence carefully." But how was he chosen?"
"Oh, it took months. My father used an important matchmaking service. He had them search for a first en-drek-a position with a first-son of an important family."
“So you will be his gotdy en-drek-a?”
"Oh, yes. I will probably wait a couple of years before finding him some well-bred but lower-class daughters to be his second and third en-drek-a-u. Willing to be subservient for a good household, and to give honor to me and the en-drek.”
Jellia stared. They would all be en-drek-a-u at the same time to the same son? How would that even work?
“Are you still in school?" she asked, finally.
"Oh, I was tutored at home. I can speak five languages fluently and another four for greetings. I am rated as a master chef. And I am an advanced midwife. Oh, and I play the harpsichord."
"So… you… what kind of job will you have?"
"I will be First En-drek-a to the first son of a family! That is a very important position. I will be doing much correspondents by snip and screeny. I will be hostess for parties and meetings. And I will be in charge of all of the household servants!”
"Oh! And… how many children do you think you will have?"
"Am I in control of the womb? Even a first en-drek-a does not control such things. Now, tell me, for I have told you so much, why are you traveling?"
"My mother – ska-drek-a– will be Trade Master for Ephemera Lines on Libertas.”
“Oh, my. What an important position. Surely my en-drek will learn of her, for his family does much trading. And you?"
"I'll be studying. I'm thinking of becoming a soil engineer."
“Ah. Also an important position. And your siblings?" she asked, looking around.
“My what?”
“Your brothers and sisters.”
“Oh, Mother didn’t have any other sons or daughters on Ephemera. It’s not done. But she will on Libertas.”
Hamanto stared at her, and then recovered. “And you do not yet have an en-drek?”
“Not yet,” Jellia agreed. “I will be getting one after we get there.”
“That will surely be wonderful. Have you been traveling long?”
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
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
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
Jellia goes to school and gets to tell everyone about her new adventure.
First Work
Fenestra goes to work, and tells her coworker about her new opportunity.
Writing Class
Jellia writes a poem (a limerick) and tells her classmates more about her new adventure.
Trader Galloway
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
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
In which Jellia starts using some new words at school, and everyone gathers round to find out what they mean.
Kesh-i Cooking Class
In which Jellia finds out that children (Kesh-i) on Libertas are expected to cook.
Trade Master Training
In which Fenestra begins her training for her new role, with an old enemy.
Two Week Date
In which Fenestra and Alex decide to date for the next two weeks.
The Facts of Life
In which Fenestra brings Alex home, and Jellia isn’t impressed. Although she is interested in how dating works for boys.
Snips
In which Jellia spends time snipping with a boy, and brings him home.
Kissing
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
In which Jellia learns more about what Kesh-u (children) are allowed to do on Libertas.
Fertilit // Podcast Version
In which Jellia and her mother are taken off birth control by an odd doctor.
Decon
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
Jellia and her mother are warned that the laws on Libertas can be very serious.
Article 17
Intro // Podcast Version
She was pretty, popular, snobby, and a planetary governor’s daughter. He was the son of shopkeepers, a social misfit, and a decorated hero. She thought she was there to dance. He had other ideas.
A Dance // Podcast Version
As a governor’s daughter, Illoia usually avoided such events, but when the captain made the announcement that there was to be an Article 17 dance, she, too, was forced to attend. If only the scum hadn’t been there too.
The Unbridgeable Chasm // Podcast Version
Eukles and Meriones, brave military leaders, quail at cross the gulf between themselves and asking a lass to dance.
There He Is // Podcast Version
The young hero comes in, and Aleshia and Illoyia gossip about him.
Look at the Young Hero // Podcast Version
The young hero comes in, and greets Eukles and Meriones… and announces his intentions.
Target // Podcast Version
Tom, Leader Cladin Tomirosh, sets his sights on the governors daughter. She isn’t impressed.
Fuming // Podcast Version
Tom and Illoia dance, while she desperately tries to get him to go away!