Rory was surprised by the statement and showed it in his face.

"We are basically from the same race, but we are a lot more advanced in many ways. For a long time we have monitored your planet and are surprised you haven’t wiped yourselves out with the continuous wars you have. Your Nuclear technology is dangerously basic and we have tried to help in our own way but all help has been refused. We couldn’t tell your leaders that we are from an advanced civilisation as that would put us in danger and they preferred to listen to they’re so called top scientists" said Wilfred

Alarms were sounding everywhere and the two men ran from the building

"Another war has started in Asia, a country called North Korea has started fighting with South Korea and the Americans have become involved" said a man who ran from another building

"That’s our watch station and Karl here is in charge of planetary surveillance" said Wilfred

"A war between North and South Korea could mean the end of life on Earth if it escalates " said Rory

"How do you mean? asked Wilfred

"North Korea now has a Nuclear capability and the last time Korea fought China sided with the North Koreans" stated Rory

"True but haven’t a lot of the Western Nations got Nuclear Weapons and the last we heard China was trying to get North Korea under control again" said Wilfred

"Maybe so, but Kim Jung-il is a mad bastard and would use his missiles and that would lead to an all out planet wide war" said Rory

"If any off your people wish to return to earth, they must do it now. We are going to close the portal until we get a clearer view of the situation" said Wilfred

The newcomers were asked if they wanted to return or to stay after the situation had been explained to them and none wished to return, all the men and a few of women had fought in combat and were tired of it, if Earth was to destroy itself, it could do it with out them. They handed over all their weapons and all the vehicles and weaponry were placed on the other side of Portal and then it was sealed.

A further meeting was held the next day and the newcomers were given permanent housing, jobs would have to wait but they offered to help were they could, the children were given school placements and as the days passed everyone got to know each other.

Life was far from easy for the newcomers, there were protocols that had to be observed, new customs and ceremonies to be learned but at least the language was what we call English, oh there were a few differences in the language but they were picked up pretty quick. A police force as the newcomers knew then didn’t exist they had what they call enforcers who’s main job was to mediate between the conflicting parties and find a peaceful solution that suited all sides. There were no Military but they did have a Space Defence which was mainly used to survey the regions of space looking for rogue comets or meteors that might come close enough to impact on the planet. Money didn’t exist and everyone was equal, standard of living were very high and each home was equipped with the latest high etch gadgetry which the children loved.

Time passed and as Rory predicted the war on earth did escalate into an all out Nuclear War, China again sided with North Korea and life on Earth was harder that the occupants anticipated, famine and nuclear radiation was killing people by the millions and whether life would survive on Earth, well only time would tell although they would have lost most if their technology.

Although the newcomers were kept up to date and felt sad that their home planet was in the process of destroying itself they were quickly adapting to their new life, they found out that the planet was called "Mother" as it was the seed for all life it held or at least most of it. Rory and his group were happy to help were they could, although it was mainly manual work they usually did, the children at least would have the same education as the native children and would find the correct niche in life for that the adults in the party were grateful.

Rory and party had been on the world for about six months and the adults among them had been summoned to the Planet’s Capital City for a meeting with the planetary authorities. There had been some speculation what the meeting was about but as Rory told them it was useless to guess and they would just have to wait and see what was going to happen. The children had as children do, made friends in the community and would be staying at their friends homes while the adults were away, Wilfred who was to go with the adults told everyone that it would only be for a day or two, three at the most but the children were happy enough.

The journey to Capital City only took a couple of hours and they were quickly settled into transit accommodation, after a meal Wilfred told them that the meeting would start at Nine the next morning and took them to see the major places in the city.

What the Adults hadn’t been told was that while they were away the trangendered children would have their procedures to correct their sexual anomalies, a procedure that due to the technology of this world wouldn’t take long and was relatively painless. It had all been organised this way so that the adults were put under any undue stress, while waiting for their respective child to recover.

The meeting started on time the next day and the party were all handed large plastic folders, the folders held new Identity papers for everyone in the party along with details of the Planet, town cities, resources etc. they were told a new community was being built some miles form where they were at present living and that with some of their new friends they would be moving there permanently, Wilfred would be going with them as community leader and that three of them would be on the township committee and they had to select the three committee members, the other committee members would be selected from another that group of younger citizens that were also joining the new township.

It was explained that when a township reached a certain size, a group of younger citizens would be selected to move to a new township with at least one older family to oversee everything, this helped keep continuity in the towns and also help with overpopulation of areas. Every township was built to the same specifications and standards, and all worked for a common goal, if young people wished to leave and for example join the Space Corps then they could apply when old enough.

Later that afternoon it was revealed to the Rory and his Party that the children had been surgically corrected and were now back with their friends, at first the party were outraged that they hadn’t been told been told about any surgery but after the reason was explained they calmed down, oh they were still upset that they hadn’t been there for their children put after thinking about it realised accepted that they would have distracted during the procedure and useless to anyone.

The rest of meeting when quite well but Rory was instructed that he would be required the next day for another meeting that concerned only him personally so Wilfred took the rest back to their homes and children, on their way out Steve and Mary Ellen told Rory that they would look after Amanda till he returned.

That evening I was shown round city and was surprised that there was no crime, no poverty and everyone seemed reasonably happy, although like every civilisation there were the usual malcontent s. It was late when we got back to our room and I slept until breakfast.

"We have some bad news for you Rory" said the chairman " The radiation levels are too high to sustain life, within weeks all life be extinct"

"They knew what a nuclear would mean the end of life but they still build bigger more powerful nukes" said Rory " well at least were out of it"

After a few minutes the meeting started for the second day Rory was the sole representative for his people and hoped he would OK by them, they’d trusted him so far and he wouldn’t abuse that trust.

The chairman reminded Rory that he was the subject of the meeting and that he would have to make a big decision.

An official entered the room who Rory recognised as one of doctors that had examined them on their arrival on the planet, the doctor seated himself and opened a folder that he carried.

"Rory, when we examined your party we found an anomaly with one of the adults, unfortunately that adult is you, oh its nothing life threatening but you should think about having corrected as soon as its convenient" said the doctor

"So what’s the problem? " asked Rory

"Your reproductive organs are degenerating, its not life threatening as I said, well not yet as far we know, and I’m sorry to say we don’t have cure for you, there is another another option we can offer you, but it is really a life changing option and you may not like it. If you take it you will have be able to have a sex life, but the choice is yours, we can continue monitoring you as you are but if it does become a danger to you , you wont have the option." said the doctor

"OK what is the option? asked Rory , he had a feeling he knew what the answer would be

"A change in gender, we would remove the male reproductive organs and replace them with a full set of female organs." stated the doctor

The chairman of meeting attracted Rory’s attention

"That brings us to another point "He started "Annabel is getting to an age were she needs a mother who can help her and give her the advice she needs, now I’m not going to take your daughter from you but if you had the change you would be in fact the mother figure she will need. It will be difficult for you to adjust we know given your background but you will receive all the help and support you need" he continued "Just think about it"

One of the committee members said
"I don’t know if you have noticed that our society is Matriarchal by nature, the women are the real leaders, we are just their messengers and voice, when you reach your knew home you if you accept the doctors choice will become the Matriarch and Wilfred your voice at meetings like this, if you stay as you are you will be the voice of Matriarch. Were not trying to put any pressure on you but your people and it appears ours as well trust you, you can think logically and fast and make the right decision most of the time on your own. You have the right temperament and skills to be a Matriarch.

Rory’s mind was in turmoil, finally he asked "Can I have a few days to think about it, I need to talk to my Daughter and friends before I decide anything?."

"Well the new settlement wont be finished for another 4 or 5 months but you need to decide in the next month what you want to do" said the chairman

The rest of people with the exception of the Chairman left the room, once they were alone the chairman started

"Rory I want you to meet with someone, will you follow me please" he asked

Rory followed him along a maze of corridors until they at last came to a door on the top floor of the building, the door opened and both men were ushered inside by a young woman. At the end of a room Rory could see a figure sitting by a fire as they approach the figure stood up and stepped towards them.

"Welcome Rory, I understand you have a serious decision to make that will affect many lives, I will not influence your decision in anyway the decision is your to make and your alone. I am the Grand Matriarch who is responsible for a planet of people, I am the one who makes the final decisions that affect billions of lives but I have advisers and I do get around the settlement, townships and cities on our world to see what is happening. We are not a perfect civilisation, there is no such thing. you will always find those that don’t like whatever system is in place, but let me tell how our civilisation started and became Matriarchal" she started

They all sat and refreshments were brought and the Grand Matriarch began

"About 5000 years a group landed on this world to start a new live, at the time it was the men who ran things, they did the hardest work , the building the farming, hunting etc. while the women stayed at home as mothers and wives. We first landed in this very area and after a couple of years some moved to start in another area, they met the indigenous population and unwittingly broke some of local taboos, this started a war or sorts and very few survivors returned to us. Of course the men in their wisdom decided to take the war to the enemy and with the weapons we had compared to theirs fared well, the men gloried in death and destruction but the women saw the otherside, couldn’t we live in peace and learn from these people after all they know the planet, its flora and other life forms while we are finding out the hard way. After a few months of continuous fighting a couple of the women met with their women and even with the difference in language found a common ground, both groups of women agreed to end the fighting and make peace. On returning to their various villages they told the other women what was said and agreed on, that night the men’s food in both camps was drugged and while they unconscious all the weapons were taken away and hidden, the men were locked and confined in secure compounds and the women took over, they were sick of the death and destruction and just wanted to get on with their lives.

For a couple of years there was a peace of sorts, both our peoples worked together and helped each other, unfortunately the men escaped and war started once more, it took a lot of time and energy to finally to subdue the men but in the end it was done. The main problem came when a decision had to made to pacify the men and it was decided that castration was the only option and so both sides castrated all males over the age of 11, and that ended the war. The younger male children were brought up to respect everyone, colour, religion, sex etc. were no longer frowned upon as the male children grew they respected everyone on both sides they had seen that we could work together in harmony and were content to leave things as they were. Over the centuries we had our problems with wars, bigotry etc. but we always found a way to end those wars quickly. The men once again became the leaders and Royally screwed thing up so the people decide to go back to the Matriarchal Society we have today. I’m not in this position for life, but elected to it every 10 years, in two years time there may be another Matriarch or I may still here, that depends on the people.

As you can see we are a highly advanced people and a peaceful people, there is the Space Corps which is our fighting and exploration side of life, they are to explore the system and sometimes we send those who want to settle a planet we can use. The main use of the Space Corps is to ensure the safety of the planet by other lifeforms that might be hostile but so far we haven’t encountered another species yet. So you see we have our problems just like on your planet, but we found a way round those problems and now there is no war or serious crime in our civilisation."

"Oh don’t get me wrong were far from perfect but were still trying to solve those problems that still plague us,but in a peaceable way. It was unfortunate that the nations on your planet decided to destroy themselves, we offered our help but it was refused. Your people could have had a great future. Its a shame that so many find minds were lost because of sheer stupidity by boneheaded egotistic males." she finished

"I have to agree with you on that, time and again they were told that a nuclear war would destroy everything, yet they still did it and the as usual the innocents paid for the crass stupidity of the so called leaders of our nations," said Rory

"Well we did manage to safe as many women and children as we could through a number of portal devices but they only number a few thousand, they will be kept as family units and like your group friends will stay together, but while I don’t want to put any pressure on you, Its been suggested that we forgo placing you in a settlement but rather a township be build to accommodate everyone from your planet together, and if you make the decision I think and hope you will, you will be the Matriarch responsible for them."

After chatting a while longer Rory was at last taken back to his room to get a good nights rest before returning to the settlement the next day.