Older Kesh-u
Jellia scrolled through her list of screenies. She was getting rather sick of this immigration packet. She was required to read through and sign, even all of the stuff that only applied to sons.
‘First Date’. That was a nice, light, fun series. A situation comedy about all sorts of daughters and how they picked who they wanted for their first date and how they managed to get the sons to ask them. She opened it up and clicked the ‘Mother May I’ auto-snip, choosing ‘till my eyes bubble’ for the length. And stared at her comp. Bother. Mother must be asleep or with some man.
She turned back to the briefing packet…
The role of older brothers and sisters on Libertas.
The goal of the household, thus the en-drek, en-drek-a, and all the kesh-u in the house, is to maximise the earning potential of the highest earners while simultaneously developing the rest of the family. This means that the culture surrounding older kesh-u and keshi-u insists that they do as much care and discipline of the younger members as is consistent with their education and work development.
The implication of this is that younger kesh-u, from a very young age, become accustomed to obeying their older siblings. This holds an obvious tension with the idea of Kesh liberty, but is a common theme of household struggles…
Jellia’s thoughts flew away to the new planet and a new brother, and imagined sitting there and saying ‘no, don’t do that.” And then, if he didn’t, having to physically chastise him. And he would cry and… oh, it was terrible but, at the same time… it was wonderful. She would feel so much like a mother! And, no, Mother couldn’t come in and yell at her. Mother would have to support her! That’s what the culture said. If she had done the wrong thing, then the ska-drek, no doubt informed by Mother, would take her aside, in private, and teach her what she should have done…
Her wrist beeped,
Mother: That screeny is fine, dear, but no more than an hour. You need to keep up your studies.”
Argh. She could eat what she wanted, freshen whenever she wanted, sleep whenever she wanted… but she could only watch an hour of screenies before getting back to her ‘study’. Argh.
Whatever. She turned the screeny on, laying back in her bed. The acting was excellent, and the daughters had her laughing, but after only about half an hour, she turned it off. She was too distracted with her briefing packet. Too distracted looking at these daughters and thinking how they didn’t have younger sons and daughters in the house. They weren’t responsible for them. They seemed so… so littlie! With their worry about dates and all.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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
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.
War Torn
Kidnapped, force to fight, forbidden to marry… a brand new story by a brand new author. Check it out.