Other Planet BBQ
Jellia stood out in the yard nervously, eyeing the grill. The grain was cooked, the sauce was simmering quietly, and it was the best she'd ever made. She had all of the meat and vegetables skewers spiced and marinating. But she had never used the grill before and so even though Skadrak Ilho had told her it was very very easy she was still nervous.
She had invited several daughters… kesh-u-i… over to her house for this little party, and they all had accepted easily enough, and ska-drek had been OK with it, but she was still nervous…
"Jellia!?” she heard and turned and kissed Leah.”Is there anything I can do?" Leah asked.
"I don't think so," Jellia responded."I've gone over the list a dozen times and I think I have everything. I fed Mother and Ska-drek already and they have promised to stay in the house and not bother us."
"Oh, I love your ska-drek,” Leah insisted.” I don't find him at all a bother."
“Well, it's not his kind of party anyway. Did you come alone?"
"No.. Julia, Dana, and her brother all had to use the toilet. They should be out in a minute."
Jellia frowned. She hadn't invited any sons… “Oh, her little brother?"
"Yes. Her ska-drek-a and ska-drek said she had to take him. I'm not sure why."
A couple of minutes later the daughters and a very cute toddler were out on the yard, the kesh-u all chatting busily and soon the rest of the kesh-u arrived.
“Well, here goes nothing," Jellia said. “I've never used one of these before"
She started laying the skewers out on the grill, but Dana said," What do you mean?"
"I've never used a grill before." Jellia explained, staring at the controls. "I wasn't allowed on my previous planet."
"But! You just got here! You would have been ever so old."
“Kesh-u weren't allowed to do any cooking," Jellia said and tentatively pressed a button. She jumped back as flames left out all underneath the cover. She diffidently lowered the cover, and turned to the girls, intending to ask what they would like to do while dinner cooked. But they were all staring at her open mouthed.
“They didn't let you cook?! How… humiliating!? What did you get to do?" Dana said.
Jellia flushed." It was very different there. Kesh-u were hardly people on ephemera. We went to school, and helped clean house and all. But pretty much everything else we had to do with our ska-drek-u-a.”
“And ska-drek-u?”
“They didn't have ska-drek-u!”
“Well, progenitors or whatever you call them. Didn’t you do things with them?"
"Not progenitors. Not hardly ever." She thought through code and custom. "I can't really talk about the other relationships but, no, we would only be with them with our ska-drek-u.”
There was a few moments silence and then Leah said, "How is the meat doing?" And Jellia gratefully turned back to the grill.
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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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.
Pastels and Colic // Podcast Version
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.