Off Ephemera
Their wrist-comps confirming their identity, the two were ushered back and subjected to a rigorous physical exam, super annoying decontamination, given those hideous-looking jumpsuits, and a rather brief but terrifying psych exam… which involved a helmet of some type and a series of sims where she fell off things from higher and higher. She had been rather terrified but had evidently passed as, a minute later, she stood waiting for Mother in the departure lounge. She felt totally stupid in her jumpsuit but, luckily, everyone but the staff was also in them so at least she didn’t stand out.
Mother came out a couple of minutes later looking white… and headed straight for the bar and downed a rather large drink. “That was awful!” she said a couple of minutes later when she came back to Jellia, who had waited outside of the red line on the ground that was all the farther that sons and daughters were allowed to go. “Just awful. Did you get a soft?” she asked.
“I don’t have any money, Mother,” she said, and Mother flushed. “Oh, Darling, I’m so sorry. Come, let us get you something, and I will share out our travel allowance. It is quite generous.”
Jellia waved over a shop son. “Can I have an orange-mango fizzy, please?” she asked and waved her wrist at him. He hurried off and brought it back. “Thank you,” Jellia said.
Jellia felt quite a bit better herself after the orange-mango and then half of a raspberry soft, and making headway through a packet of biscuits. Her wristcomp dinged, and she looked, wondering which of her girlfriends were sending her a last-minute snip.
But it wasn’t one of her friends. It was a simply enormous snip file from “Libertas Immigration” but before she could even open it, her snip pile simply filled up with daughter after daughter snipping her congratulations, and good trip, and good new life, and the like. She was busy answering these when a loud bell dinged and a door opened.
“Come, Dear, we need to get on the shuttle,” Mother said. “You should still have signal for the next hour or so. You will be able to answer your friends.”
They walked on the shuttle and all stood around and held on to these poles and straps they had all over the compartment. Then the door closed, and the walls all lit up, with the screeny making it look like they could look right out the sides, right at the shuttle station. A few seconds later, there was the briefest of lurches, and the shuttle started upwards. “Well, Daughter, we have started our journey. I hope we aren’t making a mistake.”
“I’m sure we’re not, Mother,” she replied and, with one eye on the marvellous view she opened her comp and finished replying to her friends.
Our Story so far…
I’m going to try to have routine updates on the story…
Characters
Jellia: The heroine of the book! Or, at least, the protagonist. A girl old enough for ‘advanced classes’, but who, on her planet of Ephemera, is given very little responsibility.
Fenestra: Jellia’s mother, who has just taken the job of ‘Trade Master’ for a planet called ‘Libertas’ and who is on her way (along with Jellia) to the new planet.
Alex: Fenestras trainer and second to last date.
Creia: Jellia’s friend on Ephemera.
Charlie: Jellia’s last date.
Bartin: Another of Jellia’s dates.
Plot
Jellia and her mother are on their way to a new planet for her mother’s new job… and the planet has a very different culture than their old one. Especially when it comes to ‘dating’. They have made their decision, done their planning, said their goodbyes… and are getting on the shuttle to go to the new planet.
Issues
This story is a light dystopia, so the real questions are ‘issues’. What was life like for our characters on their old planet, and what will it be like on their new? What issues is the story exploring?
Marriage and sex: As the name implies, the story examines the way sex and marriage work out in these cultures, and contrasts them with ours. On Ephemera no one gets married, they just sleep around. The woman is responsible for the children she bears. On Libertas, they have marriages, but only short ones, but everyone must get married.
Age of responsibility: On Ephemera even very old ‘children’ are not allowed to make decisions. Libertas will be the opposite.
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
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
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
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.