This story is set after the events that happened in the final Chapter of Beverly Taff's The Feminine Queendom 90
She kindly gave her permission for me to continue with this storyline.

The Queen is pondering how they can use Peter's new found fame to help with the coming election, when she gets a call from Charlie Sage. Charlie wants to meet Peter.

The results of the latest poll came in. The UCEP would get 22% of the female vote, and 10% of the male vote. The feminist parties 28% of the female vote. The problem was 40% said they wouldn’t vote. Years of feminist rule had made many of the older women disinterested in politics. Very little changed for women, it just got worse for men.

The problem with the UCEP, was that all the candidates were women, and the men just couldn’t bring themselves to vote for a woman. Years of distrust meant that even though Em’s UCEP was promising to make things even better for them, they just wouldn’t vote for her.

It would be a close run thing. The Queen asked Em to come to see her at the palace to discuss ways to engage with the men.

“It’s so frustrating, Sophia. They won’t vote to keep themselves free."

“If you think about it Em. All their lives a woman could accuse them of anything and their word would be taken above a man’s. Men just stayed out of the way, they avoided us like we were poison. “

“I forget about the cities and the towns. The way you treated your men. All the ones that work for me were treated well. One of the reasons I left the army was because of the way the few men we had were treated. Girls can make good soldiers, but there’s only so much kit they can carry. “

“It’s a shame more women weren’t like you. What can we do though?”

“What about this Sage chap and his space ship. Can’t we make a big thing out of it? The future if you vote UCEP.”

“Well we can’t broadcast live because he still thinks his life is in danger, but we can probably have some press there when he returns. They could get some pictures of him on the front page, so the men can see true freedom is possible. He is currently the most important person in the world.”

“I know he’s a genuine genius Sophie, but sure not about the most important person in the world? Someone must be able to copy his design.”

“No, when he rescued me he told me it’s all in his head. The gravity engines are booby trapped. If you try to open one, it goes up. I am glad in a way. Can you imagine if China had this technology? Thousands of fighters and space ships. They would rule the world within a week.”

“I’ll clear it with Charlie. I shouldn’t think he’d mind.”

Later that day Charlie told her he did mind, but as it was in the cause of freedom for men, he would do it.

The cold stung Peter’s face as he waited alone on the roof of the hospital. He would be dropped off at a location in London to be disclosed to the FBC and one of the more liberal newspapers an hour before landing. Charlie thought that would be too soon to organize a proper assault.
Dawn 1 didn’t actually land. To Peter’s amazement, it simply dropped down and hovered above the roof. A ramp dropped down and he heard a voice say;

“Welcome aboard Dawn 1 Peter.”

Peter headed up the ramp to meet his hero. They shook hands and Peter was dumbstruck. He never thought that anything like this would ever happen. He had resigned himself to a life of dull drudgery and frustration. Now he was going into space.

“Oh wow, you really did cop it didn’ja.”

Peter turned to face a smiling, well built, well-armed, woman.

“This is Laura, Peter. As I’m doing a photo op. I felt I may need a little personal protection.”

Peter could see she was a calm, confident woman. He was glad she was on Charlie’s side.

“Laura do you mind doing the tea? It is your turn. You do want some don’t you Peter.”

It seemed unreal the Peter. On a real life spaceship being asked if he wanted a cup of tea.

“Yes please Laura. Milk, one sugar. If that’s OK?”

Laura beamed a smile and patted his shoulder.

“Yeah, your good mate, normal for you captain Sage Sir!”

She stood to attention, did a smart about turn and marched off.

“She great ain’t she? Come up front with me. I show you how I pilot her. “

Within a few moments the blue faded away into the black of space. Peter looked down on the earth awestruck.

“It looks so fragile from up here Charlie. It puts all the silly arguments we have in the UQ into perspective.”

“Yes I suppose it does. Never really thought about it. I spend so much time up here, the moon and the asteroid belt. I don’t think about it as profound.”

Laura sat down and nodded towards Charlie.

“He bit too practical to think like you Peter. Our Charlie see’s life as series of problems and solves them. You’re a bit of a philosopher aren’t you.”

“I just don’t understand why people don’t see it’s just us on this fragile ball of mud. There’s all this up here. We can do so much. We could be living on other planets. Spreading out into space. “

“Yeah mate, you’re definitely a philosopher.”

Charlie and Peter chatted while they headed to the moon. Charlie told Peter his story, about how he avoided feminization. Charlie was growing fond of Peter. He allowed him to take manual control of Dawn 1 as they orbited the moon.

“If the UCEP win, how would you like to captain one of the ships.”

“I would love to, but it’s not up to me.”

“No, it’s up to me. If they don’t like it, they don’t get the ships. I’m insisting that the crew is at least 50% male. If I see any back sliding in the treatment of men, the ships get disabled. “

“You like keeping control, don’t you Charlie. “

“It’s necessary Peter. Anyone that gets control of this technology could take over the world. Imagine if the feminista’s had it. The whole world would be under their heel.”

“Em told me the last government had plans to stop males being born. They wanted a female only country.”

“Complete morons. Who do they think kept the country running doing all the dirty, physically demanding jobs? Were they going to do them themselves? My friend Ronnie is a car mechanic. I intend to bring him to Australia as soon as I can. Do you know how many women work as mechanics? None. At least not civilians. “

“Em told me the whole system was built on hate. All they could do was make it worse for men. Did you know they planned to castrate every man that had a job that involved driving? I was due to be operated on, just after the government was ousted. “

“I heard. We follow the UQ news in Australia. I’m glad I could help. “

“You boys, always so concerned about you balls. I don’t see the fascination myself.”

“No Laura, and you never will.” Said Charlie.

They all laughed and Charlie showed Peter how to set the course back to earth. Charlie told the Queen they were going to set down on the roof of the old BBC television center. It had been turned into a feminist movement museum and was currently closed.

The ship landed and the crew of three disembarked. There were people from the FBC to video the event, and a few reporters.

“Mr Sage do you have anything to say to your mother country?”

“Yes, as a mother country UQ was the worse mother in the world. Raising a child in the knowledge he was inferior just because he was born male. Shame on you women that voted them in, and shame on you women that stood by and did nothing. These boys were your children. You have a chance now to put things right. Learn the lessons from the past. Look to Australia. Now the women and the men are starting to work together. If you do this a bright future is in front of you. You will be a space fairing nation.”

Peter smiled at him and nodded.

“What do you have to say Peter?”

“I have seen our planet from space today. Seen how fragile and lonely we are. All we have is each other. We can make it heaven or hell. Vote for UCEP, for a better fairer future. Men please trust me. Vote or go back to things as they were. This is your only chance. Vote to keep your future safe.”

“Can we get a picture of you shaking hands please?”

Laura moved to the edge of the roof out of the shot. She looked over the edge. There was around an 80ft drop to the ground. She saw a woman reach into an equipment bag. She drew out a pistol aimed and fired at Charlie.

Charlie had just leant forward to hear a question from a reporter. The bullet ricocheted off the Dawn 1’s hull and hit the reporter in the arm. Charlie looked across to where the sound of the gunshot came from.

He saw a woman in an FBC uniform aiming at him. She seemed to be concentrating, not wanting to miss a second time. Above the screams of the reporters he heard Laura.

“No you fucking don’t you bitch.”

Laura’s shout caused the shooter to half turned as she shot. The bullet went harmlessly over the ship.

The shooter turned to face Laura, but was too late. Laura punched her straight on the nose. Blood almost instantly started to flow. Her eyes blurred and her hands went up to protect her face. Laura grasped the wrist of the hand holding the pistol, and twisted.

“Ow, what’s wrong with you, you stupid cow. He’s a man. He deserves to die they all fucking do.”

The pistol fell to the floor, and Laura landed another blow to her jaw. Laura drew her pistol, cocked it and aimed for the fallen woman’s head.

“Laura don’t shoot her.” Peter said.

Laura looked at Charlie, who shook his head.

The woman looked up. Her face was a mess; her eyes were wild. As she sat up her wig fell off. One of the reporters said that it was the deputy prime minister from the previous government. Cynthia Brown.

“What’s wrong with all of you? That man is a menace to all women. Kill them both now. We can take over and get rid of that man loving bitch of a Queen.”

Peter moved towards her and she glowered at him.

“Cynthia, why do you hate men so much. What did they ever do to you?”

“You’re all just scum, not fit to breath. I’d like to strangle you all as babies. When we get back into power, there will never be another male born. They will all be aborted. The rest of the male filth will be rounded up and shot.”

She was almost frothing at the mouth as she said this. Laura hit her on the side of the head with her pistol and Cynthia collapsed back onto the ground.

Laura spotted the camera’s were still recording and decided to have some fun.

“G'day to all you sisters and brothers in the UQ. You just heard from the candidate from the feminist party. If that’s the bat shit crazy buggers you want ruling you? Well your welcome. I'm buggering off back to Oz. Coming Charlie?”

Charlie smiled and laughed at that.

“You do remember Laura, she’s my ship. I’m the Captain.”

“You owe me now mate. Just you wait and see what I want for saving your life.”

“Hey, I had drawn my side arm Laura, I’m a big boy you know.”

“Yeah, so Chloe says.”

"Did she? What's she say?"

They climbed the ramp into Dawn 1. As he passed Peter, Charlie patted his back.

“Good luck with the election, if it all goes wrong I’ll come get you. I don’t think it will after they show that little show on the telly.“

As the ramp closed Peter heard Charlie say;

“What did Chole say about me Laura?”

He was sure he heard her laugh as it sealed. The ship silently rose from the roof and accelerated into space.

All Characters © Beverly Taff