©2025 SammyC

I stepped out of the mechanical vehicle Dr. Princeton had informed me was called a van. The sun was at its zenith in the sky and a soft breeze came down from the mountains in the distance. It was cool in these climes but the coveralls the Underground People had given me before I started my mission kept me cozily warm.

Merlyn took my hand as I helped her step off the van. She was wearing her favorite green coveralls, an outfit she had adamantly refused to wear a year ago. Amos and Luna were looking through binoculars, surveying the mountain passages for signs of the emissaries from the tribe of sea-faring fishermen here on the farthest edge of the West Coast. We discovered that the tribe comprised almost a thousand individuals. They had splintered off the original colony after the turn of the first century. They seemed to have carved out a good life for themselves, even as they had ceased contact with every other group on the continent. In fact, without the aid of Percival Randall’s “eye in the sky,” we would never have even known this tribe existed.

It was the last of the twelve outlander tribes we had sought to join our new planet-wide nation. A year of travel, meetings, persuasion, and negotiation had finally knitted the various strands of humanity on Randall’s Planet into one coherent mosaic. It has been my mission, my reason for being, for the better part of a year, dating back to the day Percival Randall appeared above the dome of the Underground City.

The three major factions on our planet -- the Eastern and Western Kingdoms and the Underground City – formed a coalition government under the direction of Mr. Randall. He explained to them that he was not the flesh and blood Percival Randall. That Randall had died almost 500 years ago on our home planet. The spaceship, which we called The Dagger of Heaven in our ignorance, was now his physical body, in which his mind had been downloaded.

It was a concept nearly all of us had trouble reconciling. It was Dr. Princeton and his team of scientists who did a fair job of explaining it to the multitudes. I am not quite sure I grasp what Mr. Randall is now and how he is able to do the things he has done. Yet, I have enjoyed his confidence. Enough so that we often meet in a neural space where our minds can communicate. Many of our people think that I hear voices in my head. They don’t realize how close to the truth they are.

Mr. Randall, who insists that I am his 11th generation grandchild, says it will take several decades before our technology will reach the level of the 23rd century on Earth, the century our colony set out for the stars. When I tell him that I will certainly not live to see that achievement, his image smirks and tells me my mind will be uploaded to the ship to replace his. When I say that his uploaded mind is now eternal, he frowns and intones, “All things must die. It is the natural order.”

Mr. Randall dispensed with some matters at the very beginning, right after the night of his first appearance. As an impartial judge, having collected all the evidence from every source he could uncover, he placed Lydia (Miranda) under rehabilitative, psychiatric care and sentenced Senshi to a prison term of no less than 10 years and her brother Malcolm to a term of 5 years for their reign of terror on travelers along the trade routes.

On a personal note, I have only seen my parents, King Harold and Queen Hortense, twice in the past year. They are very proud of me but wish me to revert to being Prince Rani, their son. It was a difficult thing, trying to make them understand that I preferred being a girl.

As I have mentioned previously, I had accepted Alvin’s marriage proposal before that fateful night. In the weeks and months that followed Mr. Randall’s intervention in our planet’s fate, it became clear that Alvin was the right person to lead the new government. He has a vision of how an ideal society should develop. I have no talent for governing.

So, despite sentiment in some quarters to name me Queen of Randall’s Planet, I advocated for Alvin to be elected President of our new union. He’s done a very good job so far. At least those are the reports I get as I have been on the road throughout. As Mr. Randall sagely said, “It is for the best. Ultimately, you are incompatible.”

To which I replied with self-derision, “Yes, after all, I’m not a woman.”

“Have patience, Rani. First things, first,” was all Mr. Randall would offer.

With Alvin as the leader of an entire planet, Malcolm in prison, and Amos betrothed to Luna, all of my admirers have fallen by the wayside. But I have my work to fill up my days and nights. Perhaps one day…

The emissaries from the sea-faring tribe finally arrived. As they climbed into our van, I stood outside to take one last look at the peaceful, seaside landscape and breathe in the salt air wafting in from the ocean. In the blink of an eye, I found myself in that familiar room with Percival Randall, as he puffed on his briarwood pipe.

“How are you, Rani?”

“Tired, Mr. Randall. Otherwise, I’m fine.”

“We’ve known each other for a year now. You can call me Grandfather if you wish.”

“Grandfather.”

“I’ve noticed you seem out of sorts recently. It’s not boredom. And it’s not exhaustion.” He puffed on his pipe for a long count. “Remember I told you to be patient? That we would deal with your issues in time?”

“I was beginning to think it was an empty promise. I was losing hope that my…my problem would ever be resolved.”

“The time has come. You have done your duties splendidly. The planet is now as united as it was intended to be.”

“Yes, Alvin has done a marvelous job over the past year.”

“Not more marvelous than the job you’ve done, Rani. Tell your comrades that you’ll be remaining behind while they transport the tribal emissaries to the Underground City to meet with Alvin and his staff.”

“What do I tell them?”

“Nothing. Just tell them you’ll rejoin them in a few days.”

“…let’s go, Rani. Stop daydreaming,” Amos shouted to me from above my head. I was back beside our van, my hand moving to shut the door.

“I’m not coming with you. I’ll catch up with you in a couple of days. Go!”

“But, Rani, how?”

“It’s alright, Amos. I will see you all in a few days.”

I watched as the van moved faster and faster away toward the mountain passage and disappeared in the distance. A few minutes later, the giant form of Mr. Randall’s ship blocked the sun as it slowly settled onto the shoreline nearby. Impelled by an unknown force, I walked toward the metallic behemoth. An unseen door suddenly formed and I stepped inside.

I entered a tube that lifted me up several levels of the ship until it stopped and I saw the image of Mr. Randall standing beside a rather prosaic looking bed. He was wearing a strange white outfit that included a white face mask and a white skullcap.

“Come, Rani. Lie down. This is the day you’ve been waiting for.”

As I made myself comfortable in the bed, I looked up at Mr. Randall. He was holding a small metallic cylinder in his right hand.

“This won’t hurt a bit. In fact, you won’t feel a thing.”

“What is it?”

“It’s full of tiny machines that will change the DNA in your cells. Within 72 hours, you will become a woman, as complete as any natural born woman.”

“Truly?”

“You’ll see. Now, just rest. Sleep. I’ll wake you in three days, Rani.”

“But when are you going to use that thing on me?”

“I already have.”

Georgia looked up at me from behind the desk in her office. She had a puzzled expression on her face.

“We thought you had gone and done something unthinkable when a week passed and you hadn’t returned. Like everyone else, I’ve noticed you’ve seemed unhappy or at least very distracted for weeks.”

“Well, I’m here. Healthy and hearty.” I did a semi-twirl for her. “Never felt better.”

“What happened out there? Alvin tried contacting you on your communicator but there was no response. He left with a squad of men to look for you 3 days ago. Why didn’t you answer any of his calls?”

“I’ll tell you all about it…when the time comes. But, right now, let’s call Alvin and tell him I’ve returned safe and sound.”

“I’m doing that right now,” Georgia said, her communicator in her hand. “It’ll be at least two days before he’s back. If that sea-faring tribe weren’t located so far north, he could’ve taken the train and be back today.”

I spent the next two days keeping my little secret from Amos, Luna, and especially Merlyn. I wanted Alvin to be the first to know. The only thing I revealed was that I had spent the time on Mr. Randall’s ship, where he was giving me further instructions.

“Why has he chosen you to be his closest confidant and agent?” mused Merlyn. “You would think he’d choose someone with more…experience…more maturity…perhaps more wisdom—”

“Like you, Merlyn?” cracked Luna.

“Well, it’s a thought. Age before beauty goes the old bromide. I think Mr. Randall has a thing for you, Rani.” Merlyn playfully pinched my cheek.

“Nonsense,” I replied. “I’m just in the right place at the right time. He finds me…useful.”

“I’ll buy that for a dollar,” Merlyn snickered.

Alvin rushed into the unit I shared with Merlyn. Breathlessly, he took hold of my shoulders.

“Where did you go? I went looking for you! I was afraid you’d met some horrible fate—”

“Well, hello to you too. I spent some time on Mr. Randall’s ship and—”

“What did he want?”

“I know we’ve been mostly apart for the better part of a year. You’ve been busy. I’ve been crisscrossing the continent. Well, you proposed to me a year ago. Do you still feel the same…about me?”

“Yes, of course I do. What does this have to do with anything?”

“Remember, I accepted.”

“You didn’t want to be the wife of a farmer.”

“You’re not a farmer, you’re the president of the entire planet.”

“For the time being. I still want to be a gentleman farmer. Maybe after my term is over.”

“My nails will never forgive me but I’m willing to overlook that…in your case. Do you want a boy or girl as our first-born?”

“It doesn’t matter…what? What do you mean?”

“Mr. Randall transformed me into a real woman.”

“I don’t believe you. That’s impossible! Isn’t it?”

“Let’s find out…together.”