Two Week Date

“Well, put in your lunch snip, and we will work on the next sim,” Alex said.

“We’re not even going to take lunch off?” Fenestera asked, gasping. They were sitting on a simulated park bench and she had just been running away from some son. Apparently, daughters on Libertas were required to put up a good deal of resistance in the case of violent behaviour. It kind of ruined her view of how they treated females like weak creatures. Well, except for one of the things that she was supposed to do was to try to run to the nearest son. Even a young son!

“No. I have no desire for you to come back in disgrace, costing the company its bond.”

Fenestera opened her comp and, after a quick glance at the menu and a quick chuckle, put in lamb with mixed rice and gravy, light greens on the side. Her daughter was no doubt right; she hated adventure in her meals.

“Do you think it would help if we spent some time out of class going over things?” she asked. It really would be easier.

“Shall we say a two-week exclusive date, my place?” he asked.

“Well, two weeks and exclusive is certainly fine. I have a feeling I am going to be far too busy to arrange any other dates during this training. But I think it would be good to do first and last night at my place. Perhaps you will even have some words of wisdom for my daughter.”

“Dependants adapt quickly, usually. But that is fine. I bring a pack to work.” So saying he kissed her and, mid-kiss, must have triggered his comp because her world flickered and changed, and she was now on the beach, and a son was running up to her. She gasped and started running away… and it flickered, and she was back on the beach, alone except for Alex. 

“You can’t just assume they are going to attack you!” he said. “It is actually a very safe place. Didn’t you see the dozens of other males and families nearby?”

“I… I was surprised,” she said, and he kissed her again. Which she didn’t think exactly proper but… but she had agreed to a two-week date.

“Let’s try again,” he said, and she was back in the sim, that same male running up to her. And this time a quick glance showed that he had a very relaxed face. He was no doubt jogging. And then she saw, beyond him, a son flailing in the water. Her brain immediately shifted to her comp, but her conscious mind overruled it and she leapt to her feet, screamed, pointed, and began running toward the son.

The male who had just jogged past her whirled around, looked at her, looked where she was pointing, and, racing past her, was soon knifing through the water toward the flailing son. As were four other males, including a rather young son! Several females looked ready to dive in as well, but they all seemed to realise at about the same time that there were a few too many rescuers.

“My skimmer or yours?" Alex asked her, as they walked out that evening, hand in hand. It has been an incredibly stressful day for Finestra. Alex knew everything there was to know about the work of Ephemera Lines on Libertas, and the legal issues, and many of the practical issues.

"Oh, I don't have a skimmer," she said. She had to stop talking for a minute as he was busy kissing her, but when he was done she added, "My daughter is forever after me to get one, but I just don't see the need. They are so expensive."

“So, do you think you are still going to want this nomination?” he asked her, as they walked toward his skimmer. “You seemed to find today very hard.”

“I did find it hard. I suppose it is easier for males.”

“In some ways. But, as you heard from Galloway, there are other ways where it is harder on us.”

“Yes. I suppose males find it hard to be chosen by the woman.”

“As if we aren’t now?” he asked.

“I don’t think that is fair,” she said. “You certainly started this relationship!”

“Did I? I didn’t hear that anyone forced you to take this nomination.”

“That hardly meant that I chose you!”

He laughed, “Perhaps not in one sense. But it wasn’t like I… overtly… asked you for a date when you came to class.”

“Well… that’s true. But, still, it seems different than what the males are forced to do on Libertas.”

“Oh, it is that. It is that.”

Fenestra was a bit nervous as Alex set the skimmer down and they walked, hand in hand, into the kitchen. She was committed to dating Alex for the next two weeks, but she didn’t think Jellia would exactly approve. And since he wanted them to be at his house for most of the time Jellia would also be alone a good bit. She was a very responsible daughter, but this was an awkward time for Fenestra to be gone for almost two weeks.

“And who is this lovely daughter?" Alex asked as they walked into the kitchen, where Jellia was filling an iced cup with water. Jellia had snipped her asking to cook dinner, but Fenestra hadn’t thought this was the best time, given that Alex would be around. Besides she would have most of the next two weeks to cook. For herself or, if she was careful, for a daughter. Or even a son, she supposed, if she asked carefully. Charlie, perhaps. If his mother would permit it.

Jellia turned and bowed, "Confronted by a Stranger," and Alex laughed."I think I like this one. She isn't going too? Well, yes, I remember you said you were travelling with a dependent. What a loss for Ephemera!”

Jellia flushed and hurried upstairs, and Alex laughed as he groped Fenestra. ”She's precious!"

“She has just begun kissing, really, although I am trying to get her to go farther. You can't blame her for not being ready to accept comments from older men. Although I've noticed it doesn't tend to stop you older men.”

“And besides," Fenestra added as she started getting things out in the kitchen, "She has started studying for Libertas. And I think, in some strange way, she is beginning to accept their dating system. She certainly has been frustrated when I bring home a date.

“And don’t tell me you didn’t know that she was leaving with me, I”m sure I told you. When she comes back I hope you are going to be able to do some training with her.”

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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

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Links

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 discovers that girls (daughters, Kesh-u-i) are expected to cook on Libertas!

Trade Master Training

In which Fenestra goes to get trained for her new post and finds out is that annoying man, Alex, who will be doing the training.

Appendix

A glossary of many of the terms used in this book, along with a discussion of the calender and cultural issues. It is a work in progress, and I’m hoping for comments and discussion there.