Jellia ran down the steps out of the school, glorying in her life. Today had gone wonderfully! She hadn’t gotten lost, or gotten chastised, and had met oh so many people!
She stopped at the bottom of the steps, looking around, and then looked back at her comp. Ska-drek’s auto snip said he was two minutes out. Good, she was on time and had time to look around. This school was in a very nice neighborhood and, unless she missed her guess, the water was just a block or two behind it. She had seen the water but not the beach from her pastel class.
Kesh-u were coming and going past her, most of them getting on skimmers in groups of four or five. Most of them without any ska! And some with some random ska already in the skimmer. Oh, this was going to take some much getting used to!
And the breeze! Obviously coming off of the ocean and filled with water and salt and delightful smells.
She was still looking around when she saw, out of the corner of her eye, Ska-drek coming up in his skimmer. She couldn’t imagine that he just let it fly around by itself during the day taking passenger.
It settled down on the ground in front of her and she hurried on.
“How did your day in school go, Daughter?” Ska-drek asked.
“I didn’t break any commands,” she said.
He laughed. “That is a good start, surely, but I would like more details.”
Realizing that that probably counted as a ‘command’ she began to relate her day. When she mentioned her med exam, he nodded his head.
“Yes, I recieved a snip, as did your ska-drek-a, that you were now officially an en-kesh. Having reviewed the record I think they will shave a few months off that classification within a few days or decas, alho I doubt en-e-kesh just yet.”
She gulped. “Well, good. I’m not sure I’m ready for that,” she said.
“No kesh ever is,” he replied. “But your ska-drek-a told me that you had already begun sexual exploration on Ephemera?”
“Well, yes, but that was different,” she said. “That was just… fooling around. It wasn’t so serious!”
“True. I don’t think that changes the readiness needed, however. What do you have planned for dinner?”
She thought very quickly. “Did you like last nights dinner?”
“I did. But I think you should try something different tonight.”
Her brain kicked into super high gear and she rememberd… “do you like sausage?”
“I do indeed.”
“Well, then, if you’ll drop me at the store I will pick some up, perhaps with boiled root? And Mother snipped me a list of fruits I am to purchase for her business.”
“Add in a vegetable to your meal plan and we have an agreement. However I will not drop you at the store. You will come to the house with me and we will greet your ska-drek-a. Then, while she and I are occupied you can run to the store and purchase your materials.”
She gulped and then decided to risk a chastisement, “Am I in trouble for not already having bought it?”
“By no means. A walk to the store is a wonderful thing, and we do not need dinner so early as all that. You may decide from day to day, and even on the way home, or even at the store itself, what you will make for dinner.”
“Is Mother never going to be cooking dinner?”
“Not at first, no. She has other duties… as will you when you become en-drek-a.”
“Yes, ska-drek.”
They pulled up to the house and ska-drek took her hand. Which he had done several times now and she found very awkward.
When they opened the door Mother was there. She was wearing a new skirt, floor length, done up in formal blues, and a stiff white shirt. Jellia looked at her face which looked kind of serious but not really nervous, and ska-drek went forward and kissed her, Jellia following as soon as their kissing was done.
“How was your day, My Love?” ska-drek asked, closing the door.
“Fine,” Mother said, and Jellia, her eyes wide, frantically signalled ‘more’ with her hands.
“Indeed, My Love, as this our Daughter suggests, that answer does not answer. “What did you do today?”
“Well, there was rather a backlog of business, since we have had no Trade Desk here for quite a while. But I did manage to find one new deal and put in an initial proposal.
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 // 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.