Charlie pauses to smell the flowers

All Characters © Beverly Taff

Six months later. David Rodgers was living with Charlie and his family. He was a big hit with the children, who were now old enough to play football on the beach.

The Australian security guards were telling him that he was playing soccer, not football. David knew better though.

~o~O~o~

Charlie had accelerated his building program and spent a lot of time away building engines. He had been persuaded by Juliet to let other companies build all but the crucial components of the anti-grav engines. Although mistrustful at first, he had to admit if his plan was to work it was necessary.

The AAMC now had a fleet of thirty-five ships. Mostly this was due to Jane Anston. Charlie finished the last of the engines and flew them back to the large new AAMC’s production site. He now had six sites all over Australia. He was the biggest employer of men in the whole country.
The ship settled next to the loading bay and he went to see Jane.

“How do you like working for a man Jane? Am I too scary and rage filled? Am I toxic? Full of too much testosterone? Do you feel threatened?”

Jane laughed. She could see he was in a silly mood. She had some good news for him.

“Come now Charlie, you know I never believed all that. I just worked within the system that was in place. I only wanted to make money. “

“Yes I know, just teasing. Things are happening faster than I thought. Men’s sport is back on telly.”

“See Charlie, someone, probably a woman, I admit, has seen there is money in men’s sport. Greed will level things up.”

“Money makes the world go around. I never really thought about it much. Being a man in the UQ we were happy just to earn enough to stay out of the camps.”

“Well you’ll be pleased to hear that you are now the richest man on the planet. Thanks to that massive deposit of Jadeite you found, you're worth over three hundred billion.”

Charlie smiled at that. He knew he was very rich, but rarely looked. That amont was meaningless, it was so vast.

“So I can afford a chicken dinner then Jane?”

“You could afford to buy every chicken in the world and all the eggs if you want.”

“Can you give everyone in the company a $5000 bonus next month.”

“But Charlie that will cost...”

“Jane please. My company, my money. You have more money now than you had when you owned Anston Aerospace. You should have learned. It’s the workers who earn you the money. This worker says share it around.”

“Well, you’re the boss.”

“Yeah, don’t you forget it miss. Seriously though. It was one of my best decisions giving you the job. I couldn’t have done what you have, nor could Juliet.”

“True, but to be fair. Men never got to own companies under the feminist regimes did they. There are lot of new startups now though. The first men are graduating with degrees. Many are taking government loans to start their own companies.”

“Good news. I think I spend too much time in space you know. I miss a lot of what’s going on.”

How odd she thought. He doesn’t realize how important he really is. He changes the political landscape of three countries. Took human kind off planet, and he still seems like the practical engineer that worked for her six years before.

“Right, I’m off to see Chloe, the kids and dad. See you in a few weeks. Thanks again for your good work Jane. Bye”

~o~O~o~

Back in the UQ things were moving in the right direction. Em and Peter were having a meeting about changing the name of the country. A bill had been passed about succession already. The next ruler would be Vicki. If Vicki had children the first born, male or female, would be the next monarch.

“How about just going back to the old name.” Said Peter.

“What United Kingdom?” Said the Queen

“I don’t think that’s going to be popular with the women Peter.” said Em.

“No just Britain, not Great, just Britain.”

“Yes, nothing controversial there. Britain derives from the Roman word Britannia.”

“Thank ye most kindly your majesty, I didn’t know that on account of me being a poor uneducated male see. “

“Really Peter. I was only trying to be helpful. Keep up the sarcasm, and I’ll stop you from seeing my daughter. “

“Come on you two. This is serious business. Are we going to propose Britain then?”

“Sorry Em. That’s fine with me. I never thought UQ was right, we weren’t really that united were we.”

The queen turned to Peter.

“I understand there have been some more arrests. These were women accused of mistreatment and murder of men?”

“Yes. Now we have managed to resettle most of the men from the camps, many have come forward with horror stories about how they were run. Some of the crimes must be answered for. One camp commander personally killed over ten men. The men called her machine gun Kate.”

Em interrupted.

“The problem is. Some of what they are accused of wasn’t illegal under the last regime. They could just say they were following orders. I think we will have to concentrate on the ones accused of murder.”

Peter shook his head.

“Even the feminist government didn't actually allow men to be killed legally. Although it happened all the time. From what that demented Cynthia Brown said, it would have been open season on men if they won the election.”

The queen shuddered at the thought.

“Any other news Em?”

“Yes, the university intake this year is 50% boys. This is really down to positive discrimination. The first batch of metal and minerals are back from the asteroid belt. They found some gold and palladium amongst other rare minerals. It’s worth a fortune. With the government owning the company, it will help pay for some of the things we have been doing to help the men.”

“If I may?” said Peter.

“I spoke to Charlie. He plans to sell us ten more ships. All at cost.”

“Peter I’m prime minister, why didn’t you tell me?”

Em rolled her eyes.

“Sorry Em, I never got the chance. He called just before I came in.”

“Why is he being so generous. I thought he never really forgave us?” The queen said.

“He told me he wants to prove something. Some plan he’s working on. I’m clever, or so people keep telling me, but he’s way above my level. It will be fun to see what it is. “

“With that many ships looking for metals and minerals, this country will be rich in no time. Are there any conditions?”

“He wants us to help with the construction of the new Mars base. Mainly design and engineering. We need to assign one of the ten ships to that project.”

“Tell him yes! Yes please.”

“Did it already Em.”

“You do realize I’m your boss Peter? Do you? You know prime minister outranks deputy.”

“I knew you’d want to, because you’re not an idiot.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment, I think?”

~o~O~o~
Ronnie, Pauline and the children had just finished their dinner when they heard the knock on the door.

“Charlie is that you?”

“Can I come in?”

“Of course you can.”

The children went crazy and leapt all over their uncle Charlie.

“I’m sorry Ronnie. I’ve been a bad friend, but I’m here to make it up to you.”

“Charlie I understand why you left. I would have gone mad without Pauline and the family. It’s like having my own family living here together. I never got much hassle with the security services. Pauline saw them off. Now UQ is a much better place.”

Charlie opened the large bag of toys he was carrying. The children dived in and screamed with joy.

“I have the latest tablet computers for the Briony and Billy. How’s the business going?”

“A little slower now. A lot fewer normal cars, and a lot more hover cars, but we get by.”

“How would you feel about coming to Australia to work for me. I can offer you a ludicrous amount of money.”

“I’m not sure Charlie. We need the money, but didn’t the government stop people leaving.”

“That was after I got away. The new government stopped the criminals of the feminist government escaping the country, but that’s all finished now. I can get your emigration approved. I have friends in high places. I just want to put things right and look after my friends Ronnie. You’ll be building spaceships. I can even give your whole family a trip to the moon.”

“Charlie I’m not sure about uprooting the kids. We do need the money though. It’s a shame it’s so far away.” said Ronnie.

Charlie thought for a moment. He could just give Ronnie a huge amount of money, but he knew he wouldn't accept it.

“I have an idea. I’ll pay you six month’s salary in advance and you commute. Come to work on Monday, then go home at weekends.”

“That takes nearly a day Charlie! It wouldn’t be worth coming home.”

“Well it took me less than two hours Ronnie.”

“I don’t own a spaceship like you Charlie. It’s nearly ten thousand miles away.”

“I can loan you Doris. I would let you have her, but she has sentimental value. I trust you with her though. I’ve upgraded her with all the latest equipment. Anti-collision, navi-comp, the works. You just set the destination, then sit back and have a coffee. What do you think?”

“You owe us nothing Charlie, but yes thanks that would be wonderful.” Said Ronnie.

Pauline thought about it. Money had been a worry most of their life. It looked like the future was looking brighter.

“If Ronnie settles in and likes it. Can we visit, then perhaps move in with him?”

“You’ll love it Pauline. The weather, the beaches. I can offer you all jobs. Perhaps Ronnie can meet a nice ozzy girl. There are plenty of guys in my plants that would love to meet a good woman like you.”

Charlie flew away in a very good mood. It was nice to help people friends mattered. He just wished he had done it earlier.