Charlie Sage Maths and electronic genius.
Shirley Sage Charlies elderly mother
Chloe Charlie’s one time early school friend.
Josephine Flint Surgeon and associate of Chloe’s.
Mrs Anston Director of Anston Aerospace.
Ronnie Garage mechanic at top of lane
Pauline Garage owner, Ronnie’s sister

Thanks and acknowledgements toTorrey Grover for sowing the seed of this story based on Feminist Republics

Caution! This story is 45000 words long

Chapter 1 Not Coming out.

By the time Charlie had reached fifth grade he had already concluded that the feminista world as it was presented to him, was a world he wanted no part of.

His country, like it’s sister country the Feminist Republic of Pacifica had long ago separated boys from girls for the essential purpose of ensuring that boys, -who of course became men – would no longer have control of government and the ensuing violence and chaos this wrought.

Charlie was bright, exceedingly bright so when he reached seventh grade and found further studies blocked to him; he became angry at first, then resentful, then bitter and finally devious.

His lifetime childhood friendship with Chloe had, at aged seven first been discouraged at school, then outright forbidden when he had been caught still associating with her while walking home from school. The class teacher had hauled him up before the class and made a cruel example of him by suggesting that if he wanted to continue associating with girls then perhaps he might consider becoming one.

Already resentful that his curiosity had been suddenly and severely curtailed when he discovered that the library was now off limits to him and he was being given learning material of a far lower grade than the girls. On several occasions he had tried to see what books the girls were being given but on almost every occasion he had received a severe reprimand and a warning that if he persisted in trying to study material that was not meant for boys, he would be expelled from school.

This meant that he would be denied even the most basic standard of academic education and condemned to a life of drudgery and labour until his aged body wore out. Any thought of some sort of comfortable retirement would be unavailable because such low-paid laborours would never make enough wages to invest in a pension scheme save for the meagre state pension that would barely keep body and soul together.

Even at the tender age of eleven, Charlie remained convinced that this was a society he wanted no part of. However he was bereft of finding any solution to escape it short of suicide; and he was determined to avoid that. His only hope was to hang on in at school in the hope that he could qualify for an apprenticeship in one of the more technical trades like electrician.

This was about as far as the Feminist Queendom of Atlantica would allow him to progress. As a man, all entry to any of the advanced professions was blocked for these positions were available only to girls. At aged thirteen or fourteen, Charlie would be forced to leave school and if lucky, gain an apprenticeship amongst the semiliterate and seemingly ignorant society of men.

This was how society was now structured almost worldwide and if any boys tried to kick against it they soon found themselves being referred to ‘counsellors’ who would one way or another, ensure that troublesome boys were down-tracked to the most menial, low paid jobs and /or worse castrated to ensure their 'troublesome genes' would never be passed on as ‘sperm-donors’.

Years of such un-natural selection had reduced men essentially to low or moderately intelligent beasts of burden. It was only but rarely that a male exception sprang up like a rose amongst the weeds. – Charlie was an exception who was endowed with high intelligence.

Usually such boys were recognised at an early age because it usually meant that the parental genes had jointly contributed to endow the boy intellectually. When recognised, these boys were invariably feminised in early childhood, almost invariably with their mother’s consent or even enthusiastic promotion.

Charlie’s case was the unique ‘one in billion’ instance where his mother was seemingly of low to moderate intelligence and had failed to notice her son’s gifts. From early childhood Charlie had attended school as a loner who was bullied because his clothes were shabby and he was not interested in sport or practical activities that would ordinarily prepare him for a life of labour, or at best a foremanship if he attained a sufficient level of numeracy and literacy.

The only reason he had briefly enjoyed a friendship with Chloe was because they travelled the same way to school and only separated when Chloe arrived home where Charlie’s mum Shirley would be finishing up as Chloe’s mum’s char-lady, cum cleaner, cum maid.

When Chloe arrived at her driveway, Charlie would wait on the pavement until his mother emerged from the house and they would take the town bus home together. That precious hour when Chloe and Charlie shared the school bus then walked the last few blocks was the only time that Charlie ever found it worthwhile to talk. Even then, he rarely if ever broached the subject of studying or the ban on books for boys. He had soon learned that to reveal any interest in all things academic would invite unwanted interest in him.

All these cruel lessons that Charlie had learned at a very early age of nine was an indicator of Charlie’s extreme intelligence. Then the day came as the next school year started that Chloe approached Charlie with tears in her eyes.

“The bus driver has reported us to the school and I’ve been told to avoid seeing you anymore.”

“Yeah. Same for me. The school counsellor had me in for the same thing. We’re not allowed to share a seat on the bus anymore, or walk home together for the last couple of blocks.”

“I don’t see how they can enforce that.” Chloe stamped her foot angrily. “We’re not in school and it’s just a public street.”

“Yeah, well it may be for you but I’m a boy so I’m not going to risk stuff. I’ve already fallen foul of school enough. So this is it Chlo’. I won’t be seeing much of you anymore. I’ve been told to take the other bus home directly to my neighbourhood and become a latch-key kid.”

“That’s just shit. I liked talking to you.”

“Well. No more it seems, see you around.”

And with these brief words that told so cruelly of Charlie’s loneliness, he turned and trudged to the back of the queue of the ‘ghetto-bus’ full of low achievers and misfits that took them to the seedier part of town. Even before he joined the queue, Chloe could hear the cat-calls and intimidation. Chloe just knew that on the bus, Charlie was out of sight and out of the minds of the teachers. Bullying would follow him for the rest of his journeys to school.

Tearfully, she boarded her own bus and sat hunched up in her usual seat that she could no longer share with Charlie. She reflected on Charlie’s parting words, -‘see you around’-.

This had become a hackneyed expression for a permanent ‘goodbye’ and she cursed silently.

‘Would she ever see or, more importantly, talk to Charlie again?’

Chapter 2.

The very next morning as Chloe settled into her desk, Charlie entered the classroom sporting a badly cut and bruised ‘black eye’ and bleeding knuckles. The teacher eyed him angrily before demanding.

“What happened to you?”

“Somebody tried to bully me Miss.” He answered.

“Bully you?” Her voice raised, thus expressing doubt.

“Yes.”

“Yes Miss.” The teacher tried to correct him.

“Why should I say Miss. Your response implied you didn’t believe me. You questioned my answer and therefore implied I was a liar.

“How dare you be rude to me. Go and see the counsellor.”

Charlie promptly turned to leave just as his antagonist crept into the classroom. It was Dewi Evans, the class bully and hated by everybody. His arm was in a sling and his hand was heavily bandaged. Not to mention a huge cut over his right eye that sported several stiches.

Charlie just pointed his finger into Dewi’s face as he was exiting the classroom.

“And if you try to lay a finger on me again Evans; I’ll break your neck not your arm!”

A deathly silence fell on the class as Evans hobbled painfully to his desk.

The teacher stared at the battered, limping bully.

“Evans? Are you prepared to say what happened?”

“He hit me miss.”

The teacher at least knew her class well. Charlie had for years simply sat, silent and introspective, never saying ‘boo’ to a goose or inviting conflict. Conversely, Dewi had from the very first year one, been the class bully. Dewi however, was reasonably bright and showed some promise to make it as a foreman on some work site.

As to Charlie’s abilities, she had no real idea save that the boy kept himself to himself and had never been in trouble for fighting before. If the boy had any academic abilities, he certainly hid his light under a bushel.

Eventually the rest of the boys from the bus arrived sporting assorted bruises and cuts while some were even limping. Sheepishly, they took their seats. After they had settled the teacher asked the general question.

“Does anybody know what happened to Dewi?”

The deafening silence told her everything. Boys were boys and they’d never tell. They’d sort it out one way or the other, like the gorillas they were.

ooo000ooo

Charlie arrived at the counsellor’s office and knocked firmly on the door. It was a deliberately forceful knock to let the counsellor know that the visitor was not some timid pupil arriving in fear. Underneath his seemingly calm demeanour, Charlie was blazing.

The nature of the knock misled the counsellor into thinking there was a member of staff calling and instead of just shouting ‘come’, she actually got out of her seat and opened the door. When she confronted an eleven-year-old boy she frowned.

“What do you want.”

“I was sent by Miss Jenkins ma-am.”

“Why?”

“She implied I was lying so I refused to address her as miss. She said I was rude and sent me here.”

“Well you are rude if you do not call her Miss.”

“What! After she’s implied I’m lying. She just said Bullying!. Like it was a question.”

“Simply repeating your reply is not calling you a liar.”

“It wasn’t her words; it was the tone of her words.”

“What exactly was said, and don’t forget I’ll be speaking to Miss Jenkins.”

“She asked me what had happened to my eye; I told I was bullied and she said ‘bullying’ while raising the tone of her voice like that woman in the play. She implied that Bullying doesn’t happen in this school.”

“You know very well that Bullying in this school, like every school, is strictly forbidden.”

“Is it? How do you think I got this eye?”

“I don’t know but I’m going to find out.”

“It happened on the school bus. It was my first time going home on that bus and they tried to bully me.”

“Who did?”

“Dewi Evans – and his cronies but they backed off.”

“Why?”

“Go and speak to Dewi Evans. I don’t know. The school said I had to take that particular bus home so I did. It’s a bus-load of bullies and dummies, - bound for the ghetto. They tried to bully me so I stood my ground.”

“A typical man response.”

Charlie looked at his bleeding knuckles then leaned towards a mirror to check his blackened eye. As he held up his hands he shrugged his shoulders and pursed his lips somewhat resentfully.

“I am a man, or apparently will eventually become one. What else can I do?”

“You don’t resort to fists.”

“So if they decide to kick me to death, what will you do?”

“Don’t be silly. They wouldn’t kick you to death.”

For an answer, Charlie tugged his shirt out and displayed some huge bruises on his ribs, then he unbuckled his trousers to reveal more multicoloured bruises to his thighs.

“Am I supposed to just let this happen?”

The counsellor gasped then spluttered.

“Good God boy! Have you had a doctor look at that?”

Charlie wagged his head vigorously to show his disgust.

“Why not?” The counsellor demanded.

“Doctors treat us like animals. I’m not an animal.”

“No. But you’re a man. Men are more resistant to physical pain.”

“Are they?”

“You’d better go and see the nurse.”

Charlie deliberately hesitated just to evoke a clear response and it came exactly as he had expected.

“Go on then! Go and see the nurse!”

Having got a clear instruction he decided to give the bitches a fright. Instead of going directly to the nurse he detoured slightly to the boys lavatories to play his trick. There he picked the scab around his eye, banged his eyebrow against the sink then smeared blood against the edge of a wash basin. Finally he lay down as though he had feinted and gashed his cut eyebrow open again. He lay there for ten minutes or more before a teacher happened by and by that time quite a pool of blood had dripped from his eye-brow.

On seeing the ‘unconscious’ form lying in blood, the teacher panicked and raised an alarm.

Pandemonium quickly ensued as staff concluded he must have been unconscious. He made a pretence of coming around just as he heard the nurse ordering people to stand back. As he stirred, she flashed a light into his eye but he was already conscious again and there was no way of knowing if he had been unconscious for long. His ruse had worked and when he finally appeared in the hospital more questions were asked about the multiple bruises than his cut eye.

The school had some questions to answer, for despite the societal prejudice against men, if a child was injured at school, somebody had to be blamed especially when the circumstances were unclear.
Even as the ambulance ‘two-toned- away, steps were being made in the school to cover tracks.

Once in the hospital Charlie faced a barrage of questions and one of the final ones was why he hadn’t gone to hospital the previous night. Once again, Charlie seized the chance to score a point, albeit a small one.

“Doctors only treat us like untermunchen.” He replied.

The doctor started with surprise then asked him where he’d heard that word.

“Television. That big war they had. The second one or something.”

“Do you know what it means?”

“Yeah.” He replied dreamily as he turned to avoid any more questions.

The doctor was not to be dissuaded though and persisted.

“Tell me where did you learn that word? What do you think it means?”

“It means you treat us like shit.” He almost spat before whispering, “sub-human.”

The doctor gasped and quickly endorsed the bed notes with the letters ‘I.Q.-?

“When she left, Charlie took a quick look at the notes and contemplated the Letters I.Q.

‘Had he given too much away?’ he wondered.

The following morning they sent him down for X-rays and confirmed that he had a broken rib and a cracked knuckle. He had spent a day and a half without medical attention.

“Aren’t you in pain,” the casualty surgeon asked.

Charlie was weary with all the palaver and just shrugged before replying.

“What does it matter?”

“That’s no attitude to take. We’ll give you something for it.”

“Why not, or should I ask why?” She muttered just loud enough for the surgeon to hear.

“You’ve got a productive life ahead of you.” The surgeon challenged.

“Huh! Going nowhere.” He mumbled before deciding to close up and say nothing more.

He feigned sleep and the doctors got the hint. The sedatives they had given him soon took effect and he fell into genuine sleep.

He woke the next morning to find his agitated mother sitting by the bed with two police women. Even before he had his breakfast, there came a barrage of questions which he answered honestly then his mother demanded to know why he had not shown her the bruises. He told her he was hurting badly when he had disembarked from the new bus and he consequently limped home and gone straight to bed. He had concluded nobody cared about him and that this was going to be his life until he left school. After that he had gone to bed straight away to sleep off the pain.

His mother now felt guilty that she had not checked him while sleeping. She did however ask the two police to help her lodge a complaint to the school.

They kept him in hospital for three days because he had presumably been unconscious and it was the Friday before he returned to class. There he had to face more punishment for injuring the other boys because he had handed out a lot more than he had received.

Apart from Dewi Evans’s broken arm and dislocated jaw, several other boys had received broken ribs and missing teeth as Charlie had fought ferociously. It was to be the following week before Charlie finally returned to school and Miss Jenkins’s inquisition.

“Are you prepared to apologise.”

Charlie nodded surlily and simply said “I’m sorry Miss Jenkins, it won’t happen again.”

“Good. Now if you want to make it into ninth grade. You’d better start studying properly.”

Charlie didn’t bother trying to argue for it was brutally apparent that his schooldays would terminate at thirteen and he would be dumped into the manual male work force. All he could hope to do was complete the course and get away from school immediately. Nothing irked him more than to see the girls separated from the boys and then allowed to take much more interesting, high-powered lessons, while he was forced to linger in the boy’s classrooms.

To this end, he completed his schoolwork religiously and emerged top of his class to thus obtain an apprenticeship as an electrician. At thirteen Charlie was placed into an electrical firm that manufactured various components for the aerospace industry. There he was taught to assemble and repair equipment designed by female engineers and scientists.

The only consolation for him was that he now had access to tools and equipment plus any components that had been discarded through failure. He also had unscrutinised access to technical notes and data when newly designed components were found to be flawed.

Often, he would discover a flaw or mistake in a new design and at first he had taken them back to the laboratories. There, the female engineers and scientists would resentfully accept his comments and conclude that he, a mere boy (he was still only fourteen) should not have the temerity to suggest repairs and improvements. Let alone identify design flaws.

After several abusive treatments at the hands of the female professionals, Charlie decided not to attempt to discuss the flaws or problems, he simply returned the component back to the labs with a crude ‘one-word’ label attached; -FAILED-. This was in fact, the accepted procedure. Only women engineers and scientists were deemed capable of initiating sophisticated repairs or improvements.

Needless to say, many components crossed his desk and many components were not returned. They were simply dumped into large collective scrap bin at the end of the design shop and hauled away whenever it was full.

As the long years his apprenticeship progressed, Charlie found himself being handed more sophisticated equipment and components until one day, he recognised an unusual component by its manufacturer's label. It was an aerospace component. To effect any sort of simple repair he would need the manufacturers manual, but of course, being a boy, this level of technology was denied to him. Instead, he put it aside then hid it in his work bag and took it home.

To disguise his theft he placed a large similar looking component into the scrap bin and when the technicians came looking for the missing part he simply showed them the mangled remains of something that looked very similar. There was a bit of a fuss at first because the component was a piece of expensive high tech but it was finally accepted by the company because all the usual stuff Charlie handled was very low tech. A simple but expensive mistake and he was only fined for the loss he caused.

Once he got the component home, he took it up to his bedroom and started probing it with his assorted ragbag of specialist tools. After years of constantly repairing and testing hundreds of components, Charlie had assembled for himself a repair shop in his bedroom that could hold its own with the best repair labs of the company. As has already been revealed, Charlie was an engineering genius.

Eventually his engineering hobby began to outgrow his bedroom and he approached his mother for permission to extend her gardening shed.

His mother’s hobby had always been gardening but she was growing frail and she was more than willing to allow her son to take over the gardening provided he took on the heavy drudgery of digging while she enjoyed the creative aspect of planting, cross breeding and harvesting food from her garden.

What puzzled Charlie was how his mother was so capable in the garden but deemed to be incapable of doing a high tech job. She still cleaned house for Chloe’s mother but now she started taking fresh vegetables around to Chloe’s house because Charlie’s efforts were producing a surplus. When the strange hybrid vegetables started appearing, Chloe, now a first-year university student studying plant nutrition and genetics, became curious about the vegetables. She decided to call on Charlie’s mother just to see the garden.

On a dull, damp Sunday morning she arrived un-announced to find Charlie turning over a long trench of rich black earth while his mother was busy setting out seedlings. As Chloe pulled up in her car, Charlie looked up curiously to see who the visitor was. As a mere man, he did not earn enough to afford a car nor did he know anybody that did. He resumed digging his trench and charging it with animal manure ready for the next year’s crop and he did not recognise Chloe until she crept up behind him..

“Hello!”

Charlie paused cautiously then secretly set his mobile phone to record for he did not recognise the young woman’s voice. He turned slowly then recognised Chloe but he did not smile. He knew as well as any man that smiling at a woman could invite all sorts of accusations. Instead, he just grunted ‘Hello’ back quite loudly to attract his mother’s attention. As Chloe started speaking Charlie’s mother rushed closer, prepared to intercept.

“I would have thought you would be living in a man’s camp - one of the Rookeries by now.” Chloe observed.

Charlie said nothing as he saw his mother rushing to explain. Finally she arrived looking flustered and wheezing for effect.

“He looks after me. I can’t do the heavy digging. He’s got a carer’s concession for me.”

“I’d have thought he would be living with the men, him being a toughie and all.” Chloe observed.

“He’s not a toughie. He looks after me and avoids trouble.”

“He had a reputation for trouble in school.”

“He did not. He was only in that one fight and you know that. Why have you come around making trouble?”

“I’m not, I would simply like to see how you grow your own hybrid versions and compare them scientifically with the vegetables we test at the university.”

“Then be my guest. Charlie show her around the garden.”

Silently, Charlie shrugged then nodded his head to indicate the garden. Chloe followed him and studied the well-proportioned young man that she had once known as her school friend from what seemed like a lifetime ago. She couldn’t help but admire his well-muscled body as he stepped easily across the humped trenches and well raked tilths.

She even wondered if it was worth putting him down for sperm donation for she knew him of old to have been a very bright boy in the junior school. Now his taciturn nature perplexed her. The Charlie she had known had always been a smiling laughing chatterbox, this dumb brute had hardly said two words.

As he led her around the garden he answered monosyllabically to her questions and it began to annoy her.

“What’s happened to the happy laughing boy I used to know?” She finally asked out of frustration.

“He grew up.” Charlie almost sighed.

It was the first almost human response she had evinced from him and she bit her lip to prevent herself from scolding him.

“Why won’t you talk to me?”

“Talk’s trouble. Best avoided,” he added as an afterthought.

For an answer, he took his mobile from his work-shirt pocket and showed her that it was recording.

“You don’t have to record me. I’m not likely to accuse you of anything.”

“Even so, best I keep it recording,” he enunciated clearly for the benefit of the phone. “Then nobody can be accused.”

Chloe huffed angrily but Charlie did not respond. Instead he simply asked.

“Have you seen enough of the garden?”

“I suppose so. What’s in there?”

“Mum’s potting shed and my hobby room.”

“What! You’ve got a hobby?”

Charlie shrugged yet again. It was a gesture that was beginning to anger Chloe.

“What is it?”

He motioned to the well-tended and productive garden then shrugged irritatingly again.

“Isn’t it obvious?” We keep the tools and stuff in there. I dig and spread muck; mum plants”.

“Can I see?”

Charlie was extremely reluctant to show Chloe what he was actually doing but he had one last ploy and he called across to his mother who was transplanting more seedlings.

“Mu-um! Have you got the key to the shed?”

Charlie never had to ask for the key, indeed he used the shed a lot more than his mother but his mother knew that Charlie played with technical stuff in his shed alone. It kept him out of the men’s camps and out of trouble. She was not as dumb as everybody believed, but only Charlie knew that. She knew full well that if Charlie asked for the key to the shed he was up to something and there was a girl in the garden. Girls had reported Charlie before at school and they were trouble. As Charlie expected, his mother came up with a ploy.

“It’s in the house. I’m not going in there, I’m all muddy, and don’t you go tramping mud through either. I’ll clean up when I’ve finished here. Have you finished the potato trenching yet?”

“No!” Charlie replied, quickly catching on that his mother had twigged.

“Well finish that trench then you can clean up, I don’t want horse-manure carried through the house!”

Chloe looked at the trench and concluded there was a good hours digging and manuring left. She did not have an hour to waste so she let it drop. Instead, she asked for some vegetable samples for her college research and Charlie duly obliged. Anything to keep her out of the shed. Chloe explained that she would get her paper sample bags from her car and they could collect what she required.

“Uh-huh.” Charlie almost grunted as he reverted to his streetwise simian disguise and soon the pair were collecting samples of various vegetables.
As they scrabbled around she turned to him and remarked.

“I bet you wish you knew why I’m doing this.”

“Why?” He replied while reverting to monosyllabism.

Chloe silently congratulated herself that she had evinced some tiny seed of curiosity from him. She secretly wondered what it must be like to be uneducated and ignorant but innately clever. Then she quickly recovered herself.

‘If men had knowledge, they’d have power and every woman knew were that led. Men were only good for two things work and sperm.’

Having gathered her samples, she paid her respects to Charlie’s mother and left.

Chapter 3.

Over dinner that night, Charlie’s mum asked him.

“What did Chloe want?”

“Vegetables. She’s doing some nutrition project in college.”

“What else did she want?”

“Nothing.”

“What about the shed, why did she want to look in there?”

“I told her we had tools in there and because she was short of time, she let it drop. It wasn’t important to her.”

“So she didn’t see your latest gadget.”

“No.”

“You make damned sure she never sees it.”

“I’m not daft mum.”

“No neither am I. Just keep shtum right.”

“Mum’s the word mummy. No pun intended.” He chuckled provocatively.

His mother Shirley, smiled at his reply. It wounded her that her only child had been born male and yet secretly brilliant. Because she had always pretended to be backward the authorities had told her no more children as her offspring would lower the IQ of the country’s registered breeding gene pool. They never found out that Charlie was a genius and she, Shirley, wanted to keep it that way.

If Charlie’s intelligence had been exposed, her only son would have been feminised and made sterile. She wanted grandchildren but not by license. Shirley Sage, Charlie’s mum was a member of an extremely secret underground movement of intelligent women who found the new feminista politics abhorrent. Her plant breeding and gardening was what kept her stimulated and her son’s secret genius gave her a visceral thrill; a reason to fight on.

After their meal, his mother Shirley asked him.

“How’s that wheel-barrow of yours coming along?”

“It won’t be a wheel-barrow much longer mummy. I think I’ve got it cracked.”

“Meaning?”

“Come and see.”

She followed her son into his bedroom and smiled indulgently at the total mess of wires and what seemed to be magnets and some odd looking white stuff that she utterly failed to identify.

“What’s this?” She asked, picking up a ring of soft white material.

“It’s just stuff mummy. Stuff I made here and at work from scrap bin pickings.”

“What is it?” She asked again as she gently squeezed the soft spongy compound.”

“Uh don’t do that mummy. It’s fragile and precious.”

“What does it do?””

“Promise you’ll never say!”

“Of course I’ll promise. I’ve never revealed our secrets before, - and my god, you and I have plenty.”

“Okay.” Charlie agreed. “Watch this.”

She watched as her son located some tiny magnets into a wooden disc and connected them together with a long strand of the same spongy stretchy material that comprised the disc.
Next, Charlie placed the white disc on top of the ring and switched on a battery. The disc immediately started to levitate as Charlie adjusted the current from the battery. Eventually, Charlie stopped the disc’s ascent and he smiled at his mother. The disc was hovering about a foot above the table. His mother smiled indulgently and remarked.

“Magnetic levitation. Very clever darling but we’ve had that for years.

Uuh, there’s a bit more to it than that, Charlie added.

“Go on darling.”

Charlie then placed the battery between the ring of magnets and the soft white disc, then he simply inverted the whole arrangement. To Shirley’s shock and amazement the white disc just continued to levitate at exactly the same height above the table while the battery remained sitting on the disc and the inverted wooden ring of tiny magnets just rested on the battery. Shirley carefully swept her hand between the white disc and table but nothing moved. The disc remained firmly one foot above the table.

“How does that work? She whispered softly.”

“My secret mummy.”

“How did you work that out?”

Charlie tapped his temple and smiled.

“I can’t say Mummy. I daren’t say Mummy. Please don’t ask. It’s my precious secret!”

Shirley kept staring at the arrangement and ended up simply shaking her head. Then she fixed her gaze on her only son, the ‘the big, seemingly oafish gardener’. If the authorities discovered this invention, which was clearly some sort of antigravity device; her son was – well, she had no idea what would happen to her son - and eventually her.

“Where did you discover all this?” She asked as her throat tightened with fear. “If you’ve been reading books and stuff, where did you get hold of them. They’ll crucify you.”

“None of this is in any books mummy. It’s only in here.” (Charlie tapped his head yet again.)

“But the science, the physics – I mean how did you-“

Charlie shrugged again but that seemingly dismissive gesture hid a seething resentment, a lifetime of hurt. Shirley could sense the anger and she desperately tried to compensate it with an intense motherly hug. Tearfully she croaked.

“Don’t condemn all women darling. Some of us are on your side.”

“Are they?” Charlie almost choked as he replied. “Are they mummy. How many are there like you and that secret circle of yours?”

“Not many son, but we’re trying.”

“Yeah, trying that’s the word, - trying-! I just want out. Somewhere to be free of these shackles, these chains of ignorance; this is my way out.”

Shirley’s blood ran cold. ‘Could her only son be considering suicide?”

Her expression told Charlie everything for he was sensitive as well as smart.

“No Mummy. Not suicide; escape. Escape from this planet. Freedom to go anywhere else but this place, anywhere from this world. Every woman’s hand is against me, I see it every time I am waiting for a bus or eating alone in a café; everywhere I go, they’re watching.”

“What! You’re dreaming of go- going into space? What! Living on Mars or something?”

“Whatever it takes. Just out of this straight-jacket away from this earth.”

“But, but you’d be forever lonely.”

“I’m lonely now. What’s the difference?”

“But I’m here; then there’s Chloe, she’s your friend.”

“Now you’re clutching at straws Mummy. I haven’t seen Chloe since ninth grade and even then not to speak to her. Remember, it wasn't allowed.”

“But she came around only today.”

“Only to collect vegetables for her own research. We hardly spoke; and I could hear her thoughts. Poor dumb oaf -, that’s what she was thinking. Na-ah, there’s nothing there for me from that quarter, she’s a thoroughly modern, feminine miss is Chloe. Good riddance is what I say. I could marry an alien and be happier.”

“Is that your final word?”
\
Charlie nodded violently and got up out of his dressing table chair.

“I’m going to the garden shed. Don’t wait up for me.”

ooo000ooo

Chapter 4

Once locked in his beloved sanctuary, Charlie slipped behind the thick canvas curtain and started popping more materials into the gas fired crucible that was quickly heating up. As the temperature rose to incredible heat, he put on his leather coat and welders helmet then started to rearrange the various magnetic induction coils. Slowly, the coils rotated around the crucible and Charlie watched the convection currents spiralling into a carefully constructed vortex of laminated amalgams.

This time the end result would not be a much larger, thicker stiffer disc capable of withstanding a few hundred kilograms of pressure and weight; and yet it still should only require a modest, wider ring of magnets to provide the levitation flux inside the disc. That was if his ideas were right. That would mean just the same battery capacity as before.

Once the brew seemed right, Charlie switched off the heat and left the mix to cool down and solidify, hopefully in a sufficiently precise coil of amalgams to produce a stable disc. Then he had to go to bed. The amalgam would take most of the night to cool and he had to be in work in the morning. He wouldn’t know until he got home on Monday evening if his endeavour was going to work.

ooo000ooo

All through the Monday, Charlie was edgy. This was compounded when he spotted a large sheet of alloy that comprised a substantial percentage of the even larger disc he was contemplating. The sheet was lying crumpled and folded. Searching desperately for an excuse, he approached the repair shop manager.

“Excuse me Ma-am, there’s a large sheet of metal lying folded up in the scrap bin. Is it possible for me to take it to use as a waterproof cover for my seedling box in the garden?”

“How will you get it home? They won’t allow that on the bus.”

“I’ll walk home.”

“But you’re four miles from here, you’ll be out after curfew.”

“I’ve phoned my mother. She’s slightly disabled but if she’s with me, I’m okay for the curfew, I’m her registered live-in carer. We often go out after curfew, especially in these summer months. She’ll meet me in her wheel chair off the bus at the factory gates.”

“Very well, here’s your chitty. Can you read?”

“Of course I can read. I’m a repair fitter supervisor.” He replied whilst suppressing the hurt from the insulting question.

On receiving the chitty, Charlie extracted the sheet of metal and left it beside his work bench ready for the end of shift. His mum met him at the gates and he wheeled her home through the sunlit evening for the full four miles. Once in the shed, he cut the sheet into suitable ‘crucible-sized’ chunks ready for the next smelting which would not occur until he had scrounged some other alloys and carefully weighed them out. The amalgam that comprised the discs was not humongously important but the more accurate the compound the more efficient the disc. In the meantime he had wheel-barrow to test so he started fashioning the wooden wheel to match the previously moulded amalgam disc. As the night approached at ten-pm (2200) he had shaped the wood to match the disc when Shirley tapped on the shed window.

“Supper darling. Time for bed I think.”

Satisfied with his days efforts, Charlie secured the shed and joined his mother at the kitchen breakfast bar. They chatted happily then retired to bed. Charlie adored his mum and the feelings were mutual.

By the end of the week, Charlie was ready to test out his antigravity disc under the wheel-barrow. After assembling the components to provide a stable platform he cautiously adjusted the current in the battery and felt a deep thrill of excitement as the disc levitated under the wheel barrow then stopped at the hoped for height. Charlie secured the battery to the wheelbarrow and smiled with a deep sense of satisfaction. He had invented a hover-barrow.

He found his mother preparing dinner and simultaneously browsing through a seed catalogue.

“D’ you want to come and see mummy?”

“Not now darling. I’m cooking. If you shower now you’ll be just right to eat.”

He smiled inwardly as he contemplated the situation that might one day become famous words of history.

“Mummy, mummy! I’ve built a spaceship.”

“Yes darling have you had your shower.?”

Taking his mother’s words to heart, he trudged upstairs and did as suggested. Once they had eaten and settled back around the kitchen breakfast bar, he tried breaking the news again.

“Your wheel-barrow’s ready, if you want to try it.”

“Oooh. You mean it hovers!”

“He smiled and nodded as Shirley hurriedly put her gardening shoes on.”

Once in the shed he invited his mother to sit in the barrow then carefully, the barrow ascended to Charlies waist height and remained their absolutely firm. Shirley smiled to reciprocate the intensely stupid grin frozen to her son’s face.

“It works mummy. You’re the first human to have ridden on an anti-gravity device.”

Shirley gave a snort of delighted pride as she observed prosaically.

“Yes, in a garden wheel-barrow. Could it be any better? I’m just so proud of you and glad for you.”

After a couple of excited trips around the shed, Charlie brought the wheel barrow down to earth and Shirley stepped out with all the pride and pomp of a queen getting down from a coronation coach. She truly understood the significance of the event and the dangers that now faced her son. How could she protect him? She worried.

With the wheel barrow project completed both he and his mother knew never to expose it to the possibility of discovery. Even though their little house was way out on the edge of the ghetto, close to the derelict factories there was always the chance that some idle walker or vagrant might happen by and see him or his mother using it. The wheel-barrow had been an excellent project but they could never use it unless both of them where in the garden. Charlie would use the barrow while his mum kept watch.

“With the wheel-barrow project completed Charlie mused whether it would be safe to buy a beat-up old jalopy and stick four or even six discs under the car.

Having determined that the idea was feasible, Charlie put a sketch together and left it on his bedroom table. In the morning because of the amount of work he was putting in to every aspect of his life, he left early and forgot to put the drawing away. Fortunately, Charlie was the world’s worst artist and the sketch resembled the infantile imaginings of a ten-year-old sci-fi fan. Shirley found it and smiled tearfully as she studied the crude pencil strokes and two-dimensional scribbles. Her beloved child had never once had an art lesson or music lesson. Then she looked a little closer and noticed some unusual squiggles that looked like some bizarre formulae but they resembled nothing like conventional numbers. Shirley decided to ask her son when he came home from work.

“Oh they’re just numbers mum. Stuff I did when working out the maths. They won’t make sense to you, it’s my own crazy stuff.”

“You’re hiding stuff Charlie. I can tell when you’re lying.”

“Okay, I’m lying. What if I am. I’m never going to tell anybody anyway.”

“But you don’t have to lie to me darling. I’m your mother and I’m on your side.”

“I’m sorry mummy. That’s not exactly true. I can’t let you find out how I worked it out. If ever they came looking, they’d put you on the rack and rip it out of you. By not telling you, I’m protecting you.”

“They’re not that bad Charlie.”

Charlie fell silent. He did not want to fall out with his mother but he was quite convinced that they were ‘that bad’. He’d been on the receiving end as a male child too many times.

Shirley could see the distress tormenting her son so she let it drop.

For the rest of that summer, Charlie kept himself to himself. Apart from his immediate associates at work he only spoke to his mum. He had become seriously fixated on his idea of placing some antigravity discs under a car and creating a hover car. This of course necessitated his building a garage to accommodate the project so that occupied his time as well. Fortunately, as a son looking after his mother and registered as a carer he had a licence to do house improvements and the permissions for improving his mother’s circumstances were readily forthcoming.

By the winter, Charlie had built a smart garage extension that extended between the garden shed and the main house. When the government inspector of building arrived he concluded rightly that tha garage was designed for maintenance and gardening activity. To the planning inspectors it appeared exactly as it was, a caring son doing right by his mother within the parameters of his ability. They found a well-constructed building suitable for a car and gardening hobbies. The building was passed and the inspector actually congratulated him on his skills. Good craftsmen were about the only men to be given any respect by the feminista government.

Then Charlie had to wait until he was twenty five and old enough to obtain a driving licence. Another two years of patient waiting but at least he could buy the car in his mother’s name and tinker about with it in his mother’s garage.

For six months he accompanied his mother on frequent weekend shopping trips. He had always helped his mother shopping so it was an easy wrinkle to cover his search for a suitable car and he soon found what he was looking for. A modest, low mileage electric ‘runabout’ that his supervisor’s wages could afford. In the spring of his twenty fourth year, the car was delivered by the dealer to his mother’s garage and Shirley signed for it while Charlie paid by card.

Once inside the garage Charlie wasted little time dismantling the car and modifying the body to accommodate six discs for lift and two discs each end for forward and reverse motion. Finally as he completed making the discs, he placed two discs inside the front doors to thrust the car sideways or turn it conventionally. None of the discs were apparent to a cursory inspection and ordinarily, the car would function as the modest low-performance battery driven car that men were allowed to drive. Another year of patient waiting and Charlie prepared to take his licence test.

When the examiner saw the unusual controls, Charlie managed to pass them of as special controls to accommodate his mother’s disability. For the test, he unplugged the ‘joy-stick and the interior looked like a normal car. The examiner smiled when she saw the disconnected joy-stick of the back seat.

“I’m glad to see that you’ve made provision for your disabled mother.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Charlie declared. “I look after her, she looks after me. We both get to share the benefit of our little car.”

“She looked at him slightly askance. It was unusual for a twenty five year old man to be living with his mother and be so content to do so.”

“Are you gay?” She asked bluntly.

“No. I’m an electrical fitter and sometime carpenter. Cabinet making and gardening are my hobbies.”

“Yes, I’ve checked your resume, -(as I’m required to do)-, you’ve never had any offences or police charges listed against your name. That’s unusual for a man.”

“Is it?” Charlie responded with his usual taciturn demeanour.

“Yes. It is. How come?”

“I dunno. I live with my mum and keep myself to myself.”

“Don’t you ever go down to the man-spaces; you know, get drunk have sex with the sex-bots?”

“No.”

The examiner shook her head and finally instructed him to drive.

ooo000ooo

Two hours later after an exhaustive examination, Shirley met him outside the testing station to sign as a witness to Charlie’s licence. A Man’s signature was legal but it always paid to have a female endorsement added, better still if the female was the man’s mother.

“You’ve got a good son and a good chauffer, madam.”

“I know that young lady, Better perhaps than you, at least for the son part. As to the driving, that’s your department.”

“You don’t seem unduly disabled to require a Posi centric joystick.”

“We’ve had it installed to future-proof the car. My hands are getting stiff and arthritic. In a few years, my doctor tells me I’ll probably need one. We had it installed when we bought the car.”

The examiner smiled as she handed Charlie’s new license to his mother Shirley.

“Make sure he keeps a clean license; you know how stupid men are with their cars. I don’t want to see him down here in two years’ time resitting his exam.”

“I doubt it young lady. My boy’s never been a reckless fool. You’ll have his legal record there anyway.”

“Yes completely clean. Quite remarkable and quite laudable.”

Shirley rather objected to some twenty-year-old graduate passing comment of her son of twenty five who had never crossed paths with the law except for one incident in junior school when he had defended himself from attack. Even then he had been exonerated when video footage of the bus had been presented. In a fit of mild pique Shirley asked the examiner.

“Have you ever been in trouble with the law young lady?”

The examiner crimsoned slightly before admitting.

“Well yes, actually; a few minor transgressions whilst at university. Typical girl stuff, drunk and disorderly you know how it is in youth.”

“Well no actually. I don’t. In my day, girls didn’t get drunk. And I never crossed paths with the law. Neither has my son for that matter; as you can, and I presume already have, checked. So bear that in mind next time you make insinuations!”

Shirley then turned to her son who had finished folding up Shirley’s wheel chair and loading their little car.

“Come on Charlie, take me home please.”

Without a word. Charlie carefully pulled out and savoured his first solo driving journey at the ripe old age of 25. The examiner was left staring perplexedly at the little car as it very correctly completed its turn and disappeared. Her thoughts were not kindly ones.

A twenty-five-year-old man without a blemish on his record and living with his mother, was somebody who needed watching.

When Charlie reached home, he put her car away and joined Shirley in a celebratory dinner washed down with a single glass of wine that was an exceptionally rare event. Neither Shirley nor Charlie ordinarily drank but they considered Charlie passing her test to be a very special event. With their precious little car securely locked away they settled down to a typical evening’s pleasure. Shirley listened to some classical music while Charlie worked away upstairs tinkering with another idea to enhance his now successful antigravity engine.

Now life at least for mother and son, seemed to have turned the corner. Charlie still took the bus to work and continued keeping a low profile in the repair shop he now supervised. Most of the time he responded to trouble shooting requests from his colleagues then attending to the jobs that were regularly deposited on his desk.

His inordinate skill at solving problems had come to the attention of the female managers for often those managers had encountered seemingly insolvable problems that, when sent to the repair shops in a last desperate endeavour, had been returned good as new.

Whenever one of the female managers had deigned to find the brain who had fixed things, the men invariably nodded towards Charlie’s bench; the most cluttered and untidy workspace in the whole factory..

‘Speak to grumpy Ma-am,’ or ‘see the silent one Miss’, he’s your man.

It had become painfully obvious to the whole management team that there was an exceptionally intelligent being working in their midst and yet who held virtually no higher educational qualifications at all. The Manging director and head of human resources were eventually duty bound to call Charlie in and learn more about him.

“Now Mr Sage, have you asked yourself why we’ve invited you in here?”

“No.”

“Are you not curious.

“No.”

“Well the fact is that we have realised you have an exceptional aptitude with electronic components.”

“Go on.”

“Would you consider a promotion to the professional, managerial section.”

“No.”

“Oh! Why not?” There are considerable material benefits.”

“And considerable losses as well.”

“Such as?”

“Castration for one thing.”

“That’s not serious loss if you are not indulging in any sexual activity, is it.”

“And who says I’m not indulging in ‘sexual activities’, as you call it.”

“We know for a fact you never enter the man spaces; in fact, you sleep every night at home.”

“I look after my mum. She’s getting frailer and frailer every year.”

“Have you ever thought of becoming a sperm donor?” The director asked.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“You spend the rest of your life wondering where your kids are. -Which kids are yours.- Well I would, I’m that sort of person.”

“What! You mean you’d worry about your kids?”

“Not all men are bastards!” Charlie snapped.

“You’re an unusual case aren’t you?”

“Is that why you brought me in here; to tell me I’m unusual?”

“It’s an awful waste to not include your genes in the gene pool. How far did you go at school?”

“Ninth grade, like all the other supervisors.”

The HR woman dug out a paper with some questions and showed it to Charlie.

“Do you know what that is?”

“It looks like maths. Your higher maths”

“Do you understand it?”

“No.”

“Then how do you mend those assorted units, determining the right capacitance and stuff and locating short circuits inside copper windings and stuff.?”

“I get by with experience mostly.”

The HR lady frowned then took out another rather complex component and placed it in front of Charlie.

“How would your repair that?”

Charlie looked at it thoughtfully.

“I’d need an Avo-meter and if that can’t do it, an oscilloscope.”

She took out an Avo-meter and handed it to Charlie expectantly. He promptly switched it on and started testing various terminals. After five minutes he tapped the component knowledgeably.

One of the capacitors is down and the secondary rectifier is shaky. Can’t say if it needs repair or replacement without an oscilloscope.

“How did you work that out?”

Charlie shrugged then admitted.

“Did it in my head.”

“How. That would need Calculus.

Charlie shrugged once again and once again, this fatalistic tell started to offend the women.

“Where did you learn Calculus. It’s forbidden to boys in school.”

“As I said, I never learned Calculus.”

“So how did you work out the problem?”

The managing director was a fully qualified electrical engineer, so she set Charlie a complex problem describing resistance decay in a high voltage circuit and asked Charlie to calculate where the low voltage leakage was likely to be.

Charlie took the paper wrote some strange squiggles accompanying some values that the director recognised then Charlie transposed the values with the squiggles and produced an accurate result. He handed his answer to the director who gasped.

“What are these squiggles?”

They tell me how to adjust for a rate of change or the expansion or contraction. Those little numbers I use to work out how far or how fast. When to stop and stuff.

“Like limits.” The director frowned.

Charlie paused thoughtfully then frowned.

“Well yes, sort of I suppose. They can go on forever, as far as I can see but they change when you get past zero, or start to go on forever.”

“Like infinity.”

“What’s that Charlie stumbled.”

“That’s when an answer can go on forever.

“I don’t get you.” Charlie confessed.

“What have you never divided one number by another and the remainder just keeps going on and on and on.”

“Oh that! I call those forever numbers. They’re no good for science and electricity. You need real value for those numbers or you just get lost.”

“Do you think of zero as a number?”

“Well it’s there sort of as a defining edge between front numbers and behind numbers.

“You mean positive and negative numbers.”

“Is that what you call them?”

That’s what everybody calls them.

“I’ve never heard them but then they stopped me.”

“Who stopped you?”

“The teachers. You know what they do to boys after year seven and year nine. It all stops.”

The director stared at Charlie as it dawned on her that Charlie had evolved his own branch of maths with his own complex tools. Worse still, his obscure little squiggles meant nothing to other mathematicians, yet they were powerful and incisive tools within the context of Charlies own isolated brain.

‘No wonder this guy, this common supervisor, was loner, a recluse. He lived in some sad, remote but incredibly high powered world of his own.’

To make certain she pulled out a sheet of electrical circuitry problems that demanded several intuitive and complex solutions and asked Charlie to try and solve them.

The result was a lot of pen-chewing and squiggling but within twenty minutes Charlie had -in his own way-, with his own brand of maths, solved a three hour bachelor’s degree final paper in electronics. And the answers were a hundred percent right!!!!!

As to any workings well the director concluded the squiggles might just as well have been Egyptian Hieroglyphs. But the answers were full on correct!

Her jaw sagged as she began to realise that this common or garden supervisor must have a brain as astute as any of the famous mathematicians, Newton, Gauss, Einstein and so on.

The huge question now facing her was what to do with him. They could not have a man, of all people, exposing their shortcomings in the most complex of engineering science.

As she sat ruminating uncomfortably, Charlie remained silently staring at the window behind her. After a long, long silence, Charlie finally interrupted her thoughts.

“Can I go now please? It’s gone five and I’m due to meet my mummy, she’ll be getting worried.”

These words suddenly brought the director out of her introspections and she hurriedly released him.

“Oh! Yes! Yes go. I’d like to come down and meet your mother.”

“We haven’t got much time. Mummy’s got an appointment with the doctor.”

His use of the somewhat infantile word ‘Mummy’ suddenly rang a bell in the director’s brain.

‘Could this guy possibly have feminist tendencies?’ She wondered. ‘Yes, she must meet his mother!’

They hurried as fast as her executive heels allowed though Charlie was still forced to pause anxiously for her to occasionally catch up. Soon, they arrived at the factory gates and Charlie introduced his mother.

“Hello Mummy, this lady is Mrs Anson, the managing director.”

“He’s not in trouble is he?” Shirley asked.

“No, not at all Mrs Sage. Do you know your son is a scientific genius.”

“I’ve suspected it for a long time but; well- such are the times we live in.“

“Did he never show signs at school?”

“All he did was get into trouble, usually by curiosity. You know how it is; trying to read the wrong books, banned from the library; all the usual childhood misdemeanours. And he once got suspended for fighting, but that wasn’t his fault. The camera’s proved it once the video was located.”

“Are you saying he can be violent.”

“Listen Mrs Anston. I don’t know if you’ve got children, especially any boys. But any man can be violent – if – he’s – provoked - enough! My boy has never been in trouble with the law, or drunk, or in any way violent except for one incident at school in year seven. He – is – not – violent!”

“Yes, yes. I see, yes I understand.”

“Very well Mrs Anston, it’s been interesting to meet you. Now I am late for an appointment with my doctor so if you’ll please excuse me.”

“Yes, quite. Drive carefully.”

The director watched the little car slide silently away then returned to her office. She now had a couple of hours’ worth of extra work that evening to find out more about this freak she had in her company.

ooo000ooo

In the hospital waiting room Charlie sat in deep contemplation while his mother attended the doctor. When she emerged her face told it all.

“I’ve got cancer.” She told him as tears started to flow.

Inevitably, despite his determined efforts to stem them, Charlie’s tears eventually leaked out and by the time they reached home, he could hardly see to drive the car into the garage.

Over dinner, they struggled through their food as Shirley explained everything to her son.

“Only months you say!” Charlie choked.

Shirley nodded as she explained.

“It’s extremely aggressive. Towards the end I’ll just be a vegetable.”

“I’ll nurse you through to the end Mummy. You know that.”

“They’ve offered me euthanasia when it becomes too painful.”

“Do you want that?”

“I’m not superstitious darling. When my time comes I’ll take the offer. It will be far less painful and much more dignified.”

She studied her son and could not help but admire his stoicism. As she explained her wishes Charlie’s eyes glittered with bitterness.

“All their bloody wonderful medicine but the still haven’t solved this type of cancer.!”

“Try not to worry Charlie, at least it won’t be a slow lingering death. I’m accepting the euthanasia offer so we might as well start making preparations. Firstly of course, you’ll be inheriting the house. There is nobody else.”

“Oh don’t talk about stuff like that Mummy. When you go, I’ll tidy up the loose ends then sell up and leave. I’ll buy a remote little place and live on my own with my thoughts and ideas.”

“What about the garden.”

“A garden can be created anywhere. Now I can drive, I can live wherever my needs dictate.”

“What about your secret antigravity engine?”

“That remains a secret until I’m good and ready.”

“Don’t let the feminist authorities try and steal it from you. It’s your idea; your lifeline to a better life.”

“Yes. But not on this planet. Not living like some sort of lower order.”

“Are you serious?”

“If it doesn’t change I’m not staying to be insulted or worse castrated or whatever they do.”

“Good boy Charlie. Go to my bureau and bring down the blue book in the secret drawer.”

Charlie knew all about his mother’s bureau and the secret drawer it contained so he went upstairs and collected the book. His mother opened it on the kitchen table and showed him how she had listed her friends in their secret society.

“You know who my friends are and what we believe about this misanthropist world. If you are serious about leaving this earth give them a chance to help you. Some might even offer to come with you.”

“I don’t think anybody can help me mummy. My invention can only take me to the solar system planets and there’s nowhere suitable to live. If I make a public spectacle of leaving it will only be a token demonstration of my discontent. A suicide trip to mars or something.”

Shirley nodded sadly. She knew her son Charlie was right. The nearest star with planets that even offered the remotest possibility of colonisation was hundreds of light years away. Still that was Charlie’s problem, she’d be long dead and buried.

Chapter 5.

The remaining months of Shirley’s life were spent finalising her end-of-life arrangements and visiting her friends in the secret society. When at home she helped her son to complete his plan and secretly marvelled at the genius her womb had wrought. With all his endeavours now directed towards building a larger craft that would enable him to escape the feminist totality of Earth.

Eventually the time came for Shirley to end the pain. Arrangements had long been set in place and Shirley’s friends were united in her decision to finish the pain. They gathered in a quiet hall not far from Shirley’s home and sat around her comfortable chair to offer their last farewells. They finally offered Shirley her last rites as they all toasted her departure in their own chosen wines or spirits or even plain pure water; while Shirley drank down her suicide draught.

Peacefully her eyes closed for the last time while Charlie’s tears fell copiously onto the white linen gown she had chosen to die in.

Finally one of Shirley’s doctor friends confirmed her death and signed the death certificate. With all the legal formalities properly completed, her friends and Charlie followed the hearse to the crematorium and she was burned with no fuss. Shirley’s ashes were spread by Charlie and Shirley’s friends in a mutual festival of remembrance onto the soil of her beloved garden. That evening, after the wake was over, several of Shirley’s friends offered to sit with Charlie as he prepared to spend his first ever night alone in the house that had been his lifetime home. Tears flowed freely.

“What are your plans now Charlie?” One of Shirley’s longest friends asked.

“For the moment, nothing.” Charlie replied.

“I’ve thought of many things but I have to clear my head first.”

“Will you be staying here in your old home?”

“I haven’t decided anything yet. I’m taking things slowly.”

“The authorities might take unkindly to a man living alone in such a large house. There’s a lot of pressure for housing space.”

“Knowing the way the political climate is going, they’ probably try to get me to sell and take some tiny flat in the man spaces.”

“Would you do that?” One of Shirley’s lawyer friends asked.

“Uugh no. I’d kill myself first. They can’t force me to live in the Rookeries.”

“What is your preferred option?” The lawyer pressed.

“Well, this place might be deemed too large for a single man, but I could buy a tiny cottage buried away in the country. Too small for a family so the authorities can’t hound me out. Then I’d still have a place of my own and some money to put by.”

“You intend to carry on working at the Anson factory I suppose.” The lawyer asked.

“Not much choice there have I. They’re reluctant to let me go and they’ve reported me to the authorities as sperm donor potential. That limits my life style options.”

“Oh. Shirley never mentioned that.”

“Mummy kept a lot of stuff under her hat. I don’t really want to discuss it. Being a sperm donor would require me to register where I live.”

“D’ you want to be one?”

“Oh come on!” Charlie sighed frustratedly. “You’re a member of the Anthrophile society here, would you want to father a child into this world, this feminist gulag?”

“Well you may not have noticed Charlie, I’m a woman; I can’t father a child.”

“Even worse then, would you want to bear children into this world.”

“Well no. That’s what were about changing.”

“Good luck with that.” Charlie replied as he added another brandy to his efforts to get determinedly drunk. “Me, I’m for a quiet life as far away from the feministas as I can get.”

The lawyer realised she would not get much more sense out of Charlie and she quietly suggested to her friends that they put him to bed. This done, two of them elected to keep a vigil and the rest started making their ways home or to the hotels they had booked to attend the funeral.

Dawn found Charlie nursing a brutal hangover but the two society members appeared in his bedroom as they heard the first groans.

“Glass of orange juice I think.” The older woman suggested.

“And a couple of aspirin;” the younger woman added, “nothing stronger mind, the alcohol is still sloshing around.”

Charlie’s response was to simply groan again as his headache hammered into his skull. After having established that their ward was alive and kicking, the anthrophiles set about making breakfasts. Eventually Charlie emerged in a tee-shirt, jeans and sandals.

“That smells good.”

“It’s for you. Once we’re happy you’re okay, we’ll be making tracks.”

“Yeah, that’ll be best. Doesn’t do for a single man to be seen with women in his house.”

Having established they were singing from the same song sheet about feminism and the feministas, they agreed to leave ASAP. By noon, Charlie was at long last alone to deal with his loss as he wanted to. The way he needed to.

Early afternoon found him tinkering with his latest endeavour, namely a small ‘motor-home that he had plans to turn into a space ship. His little car now sat innocently outside the garage for it was his legitimate possession and even as a man, he was entitled to own vehicles now he was over the age of consent. Inside the garage however was Charlie’s pride and joy.

ooo000ooo

It was to be several months before a large envelope dropped on his doormat. The wheels of the feminist authority turned slowly but the letter was essentially an eviction notice advising him that he wasn’t entitled to occupy such a large and valuable house.

Charlie had of course been expecting it so he had already been making preparations. Even before his mother’s passing they had made plans to ‘downsize’.

Using Charlie’s savings and her own life insurance policies, Shirley had already provided for Charlie to find and purchase the much hoped for isolated cottage. In those months before the eviction letter, Charlie had already put steps in place and when the authorities came to survey his erstwhile childhood home he was able to show that he was already preparing to move.

As he sat listening to their supercilious observations about a selfish male taking up so much valuable space, Charlie, long inured to such abuse, simply pulled his horns in and weathered the feminist storm.

“When will you be able to leave?” Asked the fat one.”

“Saturday. My weekend off.”

“Oh! As quickly as that?”

“Why. D’ you want me to move faster?”

“Oh no, we normally expect them to take a couple of months unless they’re moving to the man-spaces, - the Rookeries.”

“Well this one isn’t moving to the ‘man-spaces’. This one has made its own provisions.”

The fat one flashed an angry glance as she clearly sensed the suppressed anger in the man facing her. However, the man had not said anything that could be clearly described as a verbal assault or threat so she was forced to let the matter drop.

“Very well then Mr Sage. Saturday it is.”

Charlie was out by the Friday for he and his mother Shirley had been carefully preparing ever since Shirley had been diagnosed. When the authorities arrived on the Saturday morning, all they found was an empty house with the keys taped to an envelope on the front door. They did not even know where Charlie had moved to because he had put the remote country cottage into a trust organised by the Anthrophile society. Charlie owned a part share in the trust and paid rent to that share-holding which of course, the trust dispensed to Charlie’s bank account.

Wheels within wheels to hide the identity of the occupant of the cottage from the authorities. It worked for many female lawyers in the property business, so Charlie arranged for it to work for him. The arrangement was his first ever attempt to get even with the authorities while circumventing any breaches of law. The Anthrophile society had enabled him and he had cause to be thankful for his departed mother’s peaceful protest activities.

When he and his mother had first viewed the cottage, it had been almost derelict. One of the consequences of the Feminist Authoritarianism was that men had lost interest in building things when they could then be readily confiscated if the authorities deemed them necessary to serve some needy mother. Property rights for men had all but vanished except where it could be proved that the facility was a minimalist structure that served as little more than a bedroom and bathroom. Even dining facilities could be denied if it was proven that communal facilities were readily available.

Consequently men were reluctant to invest their effort in living spaces for women while they were virtually expected to live in human rookeries. It took the authorities an inordinate effort to attract men into the building trade and the shortage of skilled builders had rapidly snow-balled. The dereliction that faced Charlie and his mother when they had first happened upon the cottage, had been heart-breaking.

Even on that final Friday when Charlie had turned up alone at the cottage which was to become his new home, the sight was still depressing. The waterproof tarpaulin was the only thing that kept the rain out; and it was raining fit for the flood.

“Maybe I had better check with Noah.’ He smiled ruefully as he unlocked the heavy cottage door and sniffed the invasive evidence of decay.
The tiny cottage was a disaster zone for although the huge tarpaulin had served to keep the rain out, it had not prevented birds and rats. Thankfully, Charlie could live on-site in his mobile home while driving to work in his beloved little ‘run-about’.

Another very useful feature was that the approach to the cottage crossed a ford in the nearby stream and this was very susceptible to flooding. The stream actually ran through the meadow that belonged to the cottage so the lane and the ford that approached his cottage all belonged to the trust. Only Charlie had authority to alter the ford or even build a bridge over the stream.

Charlie had already decided to leave the ford in place and indeed deepen it slightly to deter visitors. It would be no difficulty for his little car to slip into antigrav mode whenever the ford was too deep to wade. The trick would not be noticed because the ford was surrounded by trees and undergrowth that made the crossing invisible from any public spaces.

As he sat in his mobile home listening to the rainstorm hammering on the roof, he reflected peacefully as the little gas cooker heated his ready meal. Finally, while the Autumn sun set, he contentedly turned into his bunk and slept the sleep of the damned.

ooo000ooo

Monday found Charlie busy at his desk when he once more received a summons from the management.

“I see you’ve changed your home address to a post-box number.” Mrs Anson observed. “Any reason why?”

“I was evicted under the usable space regulations. My lifetime childhood home was deemed better suited to a mother with children. I was made homeless so I had to rent a post-box number.”

“Where are you living now then?”

“In a mobile home on a piece of land I’ve bought. It’s a postage stamp to avoid the usable space regulations. When I get settled, I’ll register the address and give you my new home. For the moment I’m technically homeless but I’m afraid to live in the rookeries because they’re dangerous. People don’t trust you if you don’t drink with them. I don’t drink alcohol so for my own safety I live alone.”

“We’ve had a young lady in here asking after you. We couldn’t give her your new address, that’s why we wanted to know your circumstances.”

“Might I ask what her name was?”

The manager checked through her desk diary.

“Yes. It was a Miss Carpenter; Chloe Carpenter. Do you know her?”

“Yes.”

“She seemed a nice young lady, I suspected she was perhaps seeking a sperm donation.”

“No thanks, I’d rather not.”

“Oh! Why not, she was very attractive.”

“What? Paternity obligations without fatherhood rights; no thanks.”

“Well it’s your choice but I suspect she’ll be around again. She seemed keen. Can you think why?”

“Yes. She’s one of the few people who know I’m clever. She was at school with me and we used to walk home together until the school stopped it.”

“Why?”

“We talked – a lot. I learned stuff from her orally without books and when the school learned of it, I was made to take a different bus home. That was the bus where I had trouble with bullies. I’ve made it clear I don’t want paternity responsibilities if I can’t have parental rights.”

“She sounded to me as though she was prepared to enter into a legal agreement with you about that.”

“No way. Those agreements are not worth a tinker’s cuss. The femininity laws make that quite clear.”

“Do you realise Mr Sage that if men like you don’t add your genes to the pool; the stayer genes that is; the stable caring men; then society could break down.”

“Hasn’t it already broken down. Have you ever been down the Rookeries?”

“I care not to.”

“Exactly! Half the human population exists as violent, drunken aggressive irresponsible animals. No thanks neither do I care to go there.”

“Yes, I note from your driving application, you’ve never had any convictions; - for anything. How have you managed that?”

“I lived as a recluse with my mummy. Now I live alone as an isolated recluse.”

“Isolated?”

Charlie realised he might have given too much away so he simply nodded acknowledgement.

“I avoid people. I come to work, do my job, eat my lunch and talk as little as possible. Above all the men respect me, I know this because they continually come to me for advice, - about work that is. Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got jobs waiting on my bench.”

“Very well Mr Sage but I think you’re wrong to ignore Miss Carpenter. She seems like good mothering material.”

“Well sadly I’m not good fathering material. I can’t be can I. It’s the law, isn’t it?”

“You’re beginning to sound like a revisionist.”

“Revise, advise, despise, demise; what difference does it make. I’m a man and that puts me below the law.”

His words faded as the office door closed slowly on its anti-smoke closer. Mrs Anson was left to reflect on those words.

Back at his desk there was the inevitable queue of staff looking for help or advice to fix something. Charlie was eager to help for it took his mind off the conversation with the manager. It was lunch time before he got to his own jobs just as the heavens opened and a torrential storm forced everybody to work inside.

Sometimes the jobs were too big for a bench and required attention on the shop floor. If the weather was dry enough some of the men would take the job into the yard and work on it in the bright daylight that was better than the factory lighting. Charlie was one who preferred to work in sunlight but this storm had completely stymied his intentions.

‘Wonder what my bottom water meadow will be like in this’, He pondered as he picked away at the problem on his desk.

During the weekend, he had hired a mini-digger and deepened the ford just to discourage callers. He’d already tested the secret antigrav on both car and mobile home that Sunday afternoon. When he went home that Monday night, he was curious to see what the ford would be like. Already the streets around the factory had deep pools of low-lying water.

As he drove home, the rain persisted and when it finally got dark he had to slow down to pick his way along the still unfamiliar lane. Eventually he made recourse to his antigrav discs and he grinned happily as they performed perfectly by lifting him a few inches above the ground to avoid any bumps or, more importantly, flooded potholes. He smiled to himself because in his own, private high-sided lane with the rain hiding everything, the discs could be used with impunity, nobody could see how the car was travelling along his lane.

The rain however, also served to mask the large luxury saloon car that had cautiously followed Charlie all the way from the factory.

ooo000ooo

As Charlies cheeky little run-a-bout splashed into the lane, Chloe Carpenter almost missed the turning. The rain had masked Charlie’s turn and Chloe had swept past it before she realised Charlie was no longer in front. Quickly, she backed up and just managed to catch a flicker of Charlie’s tail lights through the stair-rods pounding out of the heavens.

She dipped her lights and dashed through the muddy puddles in her effort to catch up. Then when she saw the loom of Charlie’s headlights, she slowed down and kept back at least two bends behind so that Charlie would not notice her dimmed lights, especially with the rain so heavy.

Chloe was glad there were no turn-offs and following Charlie was straightforward.

When Charlie came to the water-meadows, his eyes widened at the extent of the flooding. The flood that rushed across the ford was obviously dangerous but of course, with the antigrav discs, Charlie’s faithful little car simply hovered across a mere two inches above the torrent and easily arrived on the other side. Then he finished the final few yards to the house and sat momentarily contemplating the house as it endured the down-pour. He was deciding what things he needed to rush to his mobile home before returning to collect the less vulnerable items. Charlie often took work home.

Back in the trees where the ford crossed the stream, Chloe had watched Charlie's little car, approach the ford, cross it with ease and happily climb the little lane up to the house. Of course, in the pouring rain and driving on dipped side-lights to avoid being noticed, Chloe had not assessed the state of the ford properly.

Where Charlie’s little electric car had seemingly splashed across a couple of inches of water, Chloe naturally assumed her larger and more powerful saloon car would easily drive across. Unfortunately, after Charlie’s having deepened the ford, the dark swirling waters were nearly two feet deep. As Chloe eased down the darkened lane and into the ford, her sidelights utterly failed to illuminate the water. The car dipped into the deepened ford and immediately the engine cut out.

Worse still the powerful current swept the car off the ford and into the slightly deeper waters of the stream. Suddenly, Chloe found her car in three feet of water and rapidly filling. She tried blowing the horn but that didn’t work underwater and naturally she could not open the doors because of the water pressure. She tried winding down the windows but of course the electric window motors were shorted.

She was now starting to panic as the cold waters started seeping over her feet. Finally she tried opening the ‘sun-roof’ but it only opened about a nine inches before that motor failed as well. Then as she struggled to climb out of the roof she saw Charlie coming out of his mobile home and walking to his car. She screamed as loud as she could and almost feinted with relief as she saw him stop and look wonderingly around.

“Chaa-aarlie!!” She screamed again as she watched him looking around in bemusement..

“Who’s there?” He bellowed nervously.

“It’s meee! Chloe! My car’s in the river!!”

“Baffled by this information, Charlie started picking his way down the path towards the river until, behind the bushes, on the bank he saw Chloe struggling to squeeze out of the gap in the sun-roof. The car was submerged up to the windows and Chloe was in a right fix. She was not in any danger because Charlie knew the stream did not get any deeper further down and armed with this information he started to laugh.

Chloe immediately flew into rage and screamed at him.

“Don’t just bloody stand there! Help me!”

“Why? Don’t you know you’re trespassing?”

At this, Chloe lost it.

“You fucking bastard. I’m going to fucking report you!”

“For what? Finding some dumb bitch who’s driven her car into my stream. I could charge you for the pollution and damage you’ve caused.”

For a moment, Chloe hesitated then calmed down as she realised her attitude would get her nowhere.

“Look. Can you just help me get out of this roof and I’ll sort this out with my garage.”

“At this time of night, in this weather? Dream on lady.”

Charlie was careful not to use any abusive or patronising expressions. The new feminista regulations made that desperately dangerous for men.

“Well then, just get me bloody out of here.”

“Wait there, I’ll go and get a rope and plank.”

Chloe was about to shout, ‘Don’t bloody leave me!’ when she realised he was at last being constructive.

“Please hurry up. I’m freezing!”

A few minutes later, Charlie returned with two planks and a crow-bar.

“What’s that for?” She asked.

Charlie almost replied, ‘To shut you up!” but he kept his counsel and laid the first plank from the bank to the car’s bonnet. He then laid the next plank onto the car roof and nimbly hopped on.

Firstly he tried to simply force the sun-roof but it only budged an extra inch. Chloe managed to squeeze her breast through but her hips and bum were too big.

“I’m going to have to use the crow-bar. Cover your face in case the glass sunshade shatters.”

Chloe did as advised and Charlie deftly eased the sunroof back another couple of inches. With a gasp of relief, Chloe managed to squeeze free and she grabbed at Charlie to hoist herself out of the car.

“Thank you! I could have drowned!”

“No you wouldn’t. This is the deepest part of the stream. It fans out into the water meadow from here down to that bottom corner.”

“Are you living here now?”

“Why are you here?” He countered.

“I wanted to find you.”

“Why?”

“My mother wanted to know why she wasn’t invited to Shirley’s funeral.”

“My Mummy’s funeral was a very private, special affair. Only a few, very special friends were invited.”

“Didn’t Shirley consider my mother a friend?”

“She cleaned for her. What d’ you think? Now let’s get out of this stream in case it flashes.”

“What’s that?”

“You should know, you’re the woman. I only went to junior school.”

“Oh! So that’s it, you still resent the status quo.”

“Are you getting off this car or not?”

Chloe paused to watch him rearranging the planks to get her back to the far side.

“I thought we’d be going to your house to dry out.”

The house has no roof, I live in that mobile home and there’s no privacy.

“I’m still cold and wet.”

“So. I’ll take you back down the lane and call a taxi to the main road.”

“Are serious. Im bloody soaking and cold. I’ll catch my death!”

“And I’ll cop a charge for assault or something if I take you to my own personal space.”

“I’d never do that!”

“They all say that. The boys at work have got a thousand stories. I’ll tell you what. I’ll get you a coat and a pair of my jeans. They’ll be big, but you’ll be warm. Wait here.”

Chloe fumed impotently as she watched him easily leap to the bank then trot up the lane to the house and disappear into the mobile home. He emerged moments later with the clothes and trotted back to the accident. Chloe was beginning to get seriously cold.

“Do you want me to lift you across?” He asked.

“That would the right thing to do.” She claimed as she extended her arms.

After re-arranging the planks to the far shore he first tested them by carrying the clothes then returning to collect Chloe.

“I’ll carry you piggy-back. It’s best for balance.”

She reached around his neck as he lowered himself and immediately she felt herself being lifted with ease as he stood up again. Her legs were threaded through his arms and all she had to do was cling to his neck.

“Here we go, hold on!”

Chloe had little intention of ‘holding on’ her quick-thinking mind had found a perfect opportunity to find a way into his personal space. From there it was deemed to be a simple process to use the simple male mind and libido for her own ends.

As Charlie picked his way onto the extended planks it was obvious the arrangement to the far side was less secure. As the planks first sagged then wobbled slightly, Charlie teetered precariously to recover his balance. His effort failed as Chloe ‘accidentally’ slipped down to Charlie’s less stable side and the next instant, both of them were in the stream.

Charlie let out a curse while Chloe let out a squeal then the splash drowned out all voices. They emerged a few feet down the stream, coughing and spluttering as they clambered to their feet and waded to the bank next to the house.

“We’ll have to get changed now. I’m saturated!”

Charlie said nothing. He was convinced Chloe had deliberately unbalanced him. Angrily he stormed up to the house and unlocked his mobile home. Chloe had to literally run to keep up. As he fiddled with the tricky lock, she was standing behind him shivering. She literally stepped on his heels as she desperately sought some warmth.

“I’ll turn the generator on to get some heat. Wait here.”

Chloe heard the generator rumble to life outside and Charlie returned.

“Can I get warm?” She asked.

“The shower’s hot. Use that. There’s a towel on the rail, only use one, I’ll need the other.”

“Have you only got two towels?”

“The third one’s on the far bank and soaking by now. Besides, as you women have it, I’m a man and men stink!”

“You don’t have to be so angry you know.”

Charlie just looked at her.

“You’d better phone your mother. Here use my phone, it’s in a waterproof bag.”

“Mine’s ruined, it was in my handbag and that was in the footwell of the passenger seat.”

“Hope it was insured.”

“Yes it was.”

“Lucky you. There, use mine.”

“I’ll shower first, I don’t suppose you’ve got a dressing gown.”

“You’ll have to use the spare duvet, it’s in the luton.”

He reached in and pulled it down.

“Go on. You shower first.”

Chloe needed no further encouragement and while she showered, Charlie rinsed out her underwear and put them in his little tumble drier. As she heard him moving around she shouted.

“Is the water limited?”

“No there’s a main supply. I just tap it in when the van’s parked up.”

“You’ve got girly shampoo in here. Can I use it?” She begged.

“Yes, and thank you for asking. I’ve more under the kitchen sink.”

Thus liberated about how much water was available, Chloe luxuriated under the telephone nozzle until she heard the chink of china and she peeped out to see him busy preparing a meal. He was wearing sandals and a pair of khaki shorts but no tee-shirt and Cloe began to feel damp where it mattered.

Eventually she emerged with the biggest towel covering her girly style and she savoured the delicious smell of spaghetti bolognaise.

“That smells good.”

“You’d best eat it while it’s hot.”

“Where are my clothes?”

“In the drier. Give them another five minutes.”

“Oh. Thank you.”

Charlie turned his back to her to make some coffee and while he was busy he accused her.

“That was quite deliberate what you did.”

“What?”

“On the plank. You deliberately pulled me sideways.”

“No I didn’t!”

“Oh yes you did. I’m not stupid.”

Chloe fell silent but she didn’t feel guilty. It was a girl’s right if she wanted a man, to make a play for him. Charlie spoke softly.

“You’re not having me. I won’t be a father to a bastard.”

“So by your criterion, that makes every child a bastard.”

“Yeah. That’s about right. All men are bastards and all women are bastards, so all children would necessarily be.”

“Do you really hate people that much?”

“Why? Don’t you?”

“Not like you.”

“Yeah, you’re just selective – boys only. At least I’m even-handed.”

“You must get very lonely.” Chloe hazarded.

“Why?”

“Well who’s left to talk to if you hate men and women?”

“I get by.”

“What, talking to yourself.”

“Thinking my own thoughts, thinking to myself.”

“Yeah, that’s what your boss said. You must think a lot. She said you were good at maths.”

Charlie shrugged with his annoying little mannerism as he stood up to wash his plate. Chloe copied him and stood beside him at the small camping sink and drainer. He shifted away slightly; not far, but enough to make his feelings clear. His action wounded her. When they used to walk home from school he used to carry her books and once tried to kiss her. He got a scolding for that tiny boyish transgression and now she bitterly regretted her long forgotten single childish but feminist reaction. She knew now for certain that Charlie sage was a wounded animal. Like a dog that had been whipped into a cringeing cur but Charlie’s wound wasn’t a cowering fear, it was a deep abiding resolve.

“D’ you think you’ll ever like anybody?” She asked him.

“Doubt it.” He replied as he stretched over her head to store the dishes in the overhead locker.

Suddenly she found his armpit over her head and she smelt his sweat; not stale and sticky for he had been immersed in the stream but sort of musty and salty. Unable to resist the temptation she reached up and kissed his armpit.

“Hey! Stop that! Don’t do it.”

He almost bellowed as he whipped his arm away and squeezed it to his side.

“You won’t die you know if a woman kisses you.”

“No. You get hung out to dry six months later. Don’t do it – pleease!” he begged.

“Who tells you these things?”

“I don’t have to be told. I see and hear it every day at work.”

“That can’t be true.”

“Can’t it. Just go and listen to men when they’re simply working to make an honest buck, when they’re just eating their lunch in work. When they’re free and grasping at a moment of sanity and yes, companionship. They’re not on the defensive like those poor bastards in the Rookeries.

Your female teachers may teach kids what the Rookeries are but the rookeries isn’t men, - it’s fear, anger, hate, desperation, frustration and death. Yeah death – suicide usually. It may look lie murder to women when a man in the rookeries chooses to fight but as often as not it’s a last desperate suicidal gamble to get off this earth and hopefully find something better on the other side.

His outburst left her stunned and she stared transfixed at the pulse in his neck as he stared intently through the window.

As the pulse slowed he relaxed then shook his head. And waved towards the window.

“Out there! Out there is where I’m free. Free air, free sky and above all, free space. No men, no women, no distractions. A free brain, that’s all I have that’s truly free – my brain.”

He suddenly realised he had been ranting and he almost folded as he slumped onto the bed-settee.

“Sorry. I must be frightening you. I’ll not do it anymore. Where do you want to sleep. On the rear settees or the fold-me-up under the centre \table.”

“Are those your bed things folded up on the rear settees?”

He nodded almost wearily so she declared.

“If you help me fix it up, I’ll sleep where the table goes. Have you got some sheets?”

He pulled out a large drawer only half way and very carefully slid out a pair of smooth crisp linen sheets. From her lower height, under his arm, Chloe saw a pink frill. At first she thought it might have been a decorative pillow-case but a closer look showed it to be a delicately frilly nighty.

“What’s that?”

“What’s what?”

“That.” She pulled gently on the frill and dislodged the silky shoulder strap.

“This,” she declared boldly as the ‘baby-doll’ shorty top hung down her arm.”

He stared at it and Chloe thought she caught a glint of fear but he recovered quickly.

“It was my mothers. I haven’t cleared out all her things yet.”

“Can I sleep in it tonight. It’s clean.” (she sniffed it to make certain.)

“If you want. Dead woman’s clothing but I suppose it’s better than nothing.”

“Is there anything else of hers in there?”

She asked to see if he was hiding something.

“I dunno, can’t remember. Have a look.”

Those words settled it for Chloe. Had Charlie been a transvestite or hiding something he would definitely had been tense.

With the linen issue sorted, Charlie dismantled the table and rearranged the cushions to make a bed. Finally he pulled out the double-divider doors that separated the two compartments but allowed joint flip-door access to the toilet. By ten o’clock Chloe was comfortably abed while she heard him taking a quick shower. When he switched off the shower and turned off his lights, the generator died and a perfect peace settled.

Chloe savoured the silence for some minutes then quietly sat up. There was somebody or something trying to get into the van. She whispered hoarsely to Charlie.

“What’s that trying to get into the van?”

“It’s the badgers. If you want to watch them, there’s an infra-red flashlight in the glove compartment. Move slowly so you don’t frighten them and you’ll see them eating some stuff I put out earlier.”

Chloe got excited and carefully slid into the passenger seat. On switching the infra-red she was enchanted to see a whole family.

“Whoo-ah! That’s fantastic!” She whispered eagerly. “Mum dad and the babies.”

“Yeah! Like it should be,” he whispered, “and a couple of older sisters or aunties I think.”

Chloe stared excitedly as the babies crawled all over the adults and squabbled amongst themselves for titbits that the old boar dug up.

“Oh come and look! Come and look! It’s fantastic!”

“I can’t come there. The divider’s locked, - both sides.”

“Oh shit!” Chloe cursed. Then she stepped back and slipped the bolt.

When she settled in the passenger seat again, the badgers were still arguing over scraps but just as the las piece of greasy bacon disappeared, Charlie slid into the driver’s seat.

“You’ve missed it all, look they’re going.”

“Hold on.” Charlie chuckled. And with that he wound down the window and through down some chicken meat. As one the badgers span around and returned. Charlie even reached out and the old boar reared up to nibble a delightful tit-bit of fresh chicken breast. Chloe stretched across eagerly and squeaked.

“Can I see, Can I see!”

“Here, you can feed him. Watch your fingers though.”

Chloe stretched right across Charlie’s lap until he chuckled.

“Not over me girl, do it through your window. Tap the side of the door and one of them will come.”

Following Charlie’s instructions she was immediately rewarded with the sow clumbering around and doing exactly the same as the boar. She took a piece from Chloe’s fingers and bit it into halves. She ate one half and let her cubs fight over the other. Chloe was absolutely mesmerised with delight. After they had closed the windows and returned to their sleep sections Chloe wanted to talk but Charlie was obviously distracted.

“Thank you Charlie that was a brilliant show. Mum, dad all the babies and the older females. The whole family!” She ended excitedly.

“Yeah; aren’t families fun.” Charlie mumbled softly before going silent.

Chloe suddenly heard the irony in Charlies remark and she silently cursed herself for having been so stupid.

‘Throughout the whole evening, Charlie had spoken of nothing but fatherhood and families. How could she have been so damned insensitive?’

She could have bitten her own tongue for having been so thoughtless and cruel!

ooo000ooo

Later that same night, Chloe was woken again by the scream of what seemed like a woman being attacked.

She sat bolt upright and called again for Charlie.

“Did you hear that?”

“Yes.”

“She needs help.”

“No she doesn’t.”

“She was screaming!” Chloe cried in her own distress.

“Yes. She was screaming but she wasn’t being attacked.”

“What woman would scream like that and not be needing help?”

“That’s not a woman. That’s a vixen calling for a mate.”

“A what?”

“A vixen, a female fox! She’s letting the dog foxes know she’s on heat. She’ll call each night until Mr Right turns up then Bob’s your uncle, foxy families; - mum with the cubs and dad turning up with the goodies. Like it usually is; - proper families. Now please go to sleep, I’ve got to be up early in the morning.”

“What about my car?”

“Shit! I forgot. We’ll sort something in the morning, It’s three o’clock, please!! Now I need some sleep.”

There were a few more unearthly shrieks that left Chloe still wondering if they’d find a body in the morning, but eventually even she drifted off. It was early dawn when she heard the generator starting as Charlie started shaving.

“What’s the plan?” She called as she struggled out of bed.

“Your clothes are clean. I’ve laid them out on my bed. You’d best collect them while I’m scrubbing up.”

“I need a shower.”

“You had one last night. I’m in a hurry.” Charlie protested.

“I’ve got no make-up and no documents.”

“I’ll take you to my regular garage where I buy all my bits and bobs. They’ve got a repair place. I sometimes charge my batteries there if I’ve overused my car. They know me and trust me. They’ve also got phones and stuff as well as a tow-truck.”

“Okay, right. Can I phone my mum?”

“Be my guest.”

Gratefully, Chloe started organising her needs and explained to the laboratory that she’d had an accident with her car and that she’d not be in.”

With her day organised, she finished dressing and decided to make some coffee. Charlie emerged just as she was buttering the toast and he nodded approvingly with a soft smile.
“Thank you. As soon as we’ve eaten I have to get the car ready.”

She nodded and reached almost automatically for a handbag that wasn’t there.

“Dammit! Even my cards are in the bag.”

“You should get those when Ronnie the mechanic pulls your car out.”

So saying, he wolfed down his last round of toast and grinned as he held the door for Chloe.

In the little car, Chloe felt like some poor pleb who could only afford the cheapest possible model and she almost cringed as Charlie had to bend and twist to squeeze in.

“You should get a bigger car.” She opined.

“Can’t afford it. Besides this’ll do me. Doesn’t do to try and show off as a man, it attracts too much attention.”

Chloe was forced to admit to herself that his words were probably true.

Charlie turned his car around with amazing speed and her eyes widened as he sped down the lane to the ford.

“It still looks deep.” She observed.

“It’s gone down enough so as not to short my batteries. This little baby can go through just about anything. I’ve proofed the bottom cos I cross the ford almost every day, - Twice.”

As he approached the ford with seeming impunity, Charlie operated the secret button on the steering wheel and the disc’s silently did their job. The settings were such as to allow the car to sink so far into the water before the pads came into play and the car virtually glided across the ford whilst throwing out vast amounts of spray both sides enough to hide the tell-tale six inch gap between the stream bed and the car wheels. Chloe saw nothing unusual except to feel the unusually smooth crossing.

“She’s amazing in floods isn’t she.”

“Yeah. It’s the water-proofed body and chassis, plus the battery case.”

“But the ford is so smooth. No bumps.

“Horses for courses. It’s the raised suspension discs.” Charlie shrugged again then closed up to become his inimitable taciturn self.

Chloe tried getting him to talk again but it seemed once he re-joined the main world again, Charlie just clammed up. It set her wondering again as to what sort of existence had changed the chattering lively boy of their happy shared childhood into the mute brute of adulthood.

When they arrived at Ronnie’s Garage he quickly explained the situation in a few brief sentences then turned To Chloe.

“I’m off, Ronnie will sort you. He’ll be borrowing my hired digger.”

Chloe watched the little car travel silently down the road then she turned to the garage staff.

“We’d best get started then.”

When they returned to the crossing, Ronnie studied the situation and frowned.

“It still a bit deep but we’ll do it. I’ll get the digger first.”

The ford proved to be no obstacle to Ronnie and the digger but he ruefully grinned as he measured the water up to his long rubberised thigh-boots.

“Three feet deep. I’ll never work out how he gets that little car across.”

The things waterproofed and it just seems to float across.” Chloe offered.

“That I’d like to see, but he doesn’t pass this way all that often.”

“Well I saw it this morning, He enters the stream quite quickly then he sort of glides through the wave.

Ronnie nodded thoughtfully and put Chloe’s description down to woman’s ideas. Eventually, Ronnie got the car back to his garage and arranged for a replacement battery. Chloe was given the repair bill and she gasped.

“Eight hundred for a New Battery!! That’s extortion.”

Ronnie had expected such a reaction and he guided Chloe to the maintenance manual.

“There it is miss. The car will only accept the dealership battery and we have to pay the dealer price.”

By the time Chloe’s car was sorted Charlie was getting ready to go home. He was just about to leave the factory gates when the Manager Mrs Anson called out to him to come up to her office. Carlie sighed and turned about back into the yard. In her office she questioned him.

“Yes Ma-am.” Charlie replied respectfully.

“That young lady Miss Carpenter has asked me to pass on her thanks for the help you afforded her last night. She would like to ask you out to a meal by way of saying thank you.”

“Thank you Ma-am, she’s got my number but her phone was dunked. I suppose she’ll call when she got a new phone and all her affairs in order.”

“What exactly happened? She says she had to overnight at your new house.”

“It’s not a new house, it’s my mobile home. She followed me home to find out where I lived. She tried to ford a stream during that horrendous storm last night and she got swept off the lane.”

“Was she in danger?”

“No Ma-am. The stream is very strong but shallow. It’s only a foot or so deep normally but the storm made it three feet deep. I suppose the ford was too deep for her car.”

“That concurs with what you said but your car handles floods well.”

“I’ve waterproofed it Ma-am. The battery is protected. I have to cross the ford every day.”

“I see and you say she stayed overnight.”

“She had to mam. We fell into the stream as I was getting her out both of us got very cold and totally immersed.”

“I see. Well let me give you some advice Mr Sage. That young lady seems to be after you. She seems to know about your uhmm, intellectual abilities, from your schooldays apparently and she works in a plant breeding laboratory so she’ll have access to lots of science. I’m pretty sure she after your DNA.”

“She’s definitely after my DNA Ma-am. I’m frightened.”

“You surprise me Mr Sage. Most men would jump at the chance to spread their genes especially with a lady as pretty and intelligent as her.”

“I’m not most men Ma-am.”

“Ain’t that the truth!” She nodded firmly. “You puzzle me. If you want a peaceful life, I suggest you donate your sperm then disassociate.”

“Unless she invokes the compulsory Paternity act, I want nothing to do with parenthood, - fatherhood that is.”

“You won’t endear yourself to her and it will reflect badly if there are any future disputes.”

“I’ll take my chances. For now, I’m just staying away. If she comes to the factory, can I not get a stalking order taken out.”

“That usually applies to women being stalked. You’d have to prove that you’re in danger.”

“She put me in danger last night Ma-am. I nearly froze to death in that stream while getting her out.”

“Make a note of it and place on the company log-book file. I don’t want a valuable reserved worker being put at risk.”

“When did I become a VRW Ma-am. I’m a man, only women can be classed as VRW’s can’t they.”

“There can be exceptions. I showed your exam paper to the authorities today and they allowed me to retain you on RSW Status.

“Like a slave?”

“No! Certainly not! You’re valuable asset to the company.”

“But I can’t leave and I’m still on the Supervisory grade.”

“If you allowed your sperm to be donated and accepted a castrated feminised procedure. You could rise up in the ranks. Plenty have.”

“No thank you Ma-am. You know my feelings about parenting.”

“Yes, that worries me. I hope you don’t become politicised, that could seriously affect your liberty. You’re too valuable.”

“Advice noted Ma-am. May I leave now?”

“Yes, but heed my advice, take care.”

Charlie had to bite his lip to avoid making some sarcastic remark and he left work late. On the way home he stocked up on groceries and some extra materials and equipment to work on the air-tight innards he intended to install inside his mobile home. He also had some stuff to pick up from Ronnie the garage owner.

Ronnie was just closing down his garage/shop when Charlie turned up but he made an allowance for his friend.

“You’re a bit late Charlie.”

“Oooh I know! That woman who was around last night has caused questions to be asked about me. I think she’s looking to subpoena some of my DNA; my sperm!”

“Fuck me Charlie, you’re a lucky bastard, she’s fucking stunning. Grab it mate. Action like, is every guy’s dream. You’re saying she actually want’s you.”

“Yeah,” Charlie sighed.

“Bloody hell! Are you gay or something?”

“No! I’m bloody not!”

“Well I think you’re fool, especially if she wants to do it the old way, the natural way. Won’t she need a dispensation for that?”

“Yes, but they’re not hard to get. She’s in the trade, genetics and all that.”

Ronnie just wagged his head in disbelief.

“I don’t gerr’it Charlie. I just don’t gerr’it. A chance to sleep with a real broad and a stunner like her. You’re daft!”

“Well each to his own Ronnie. How much is this lot?” He asked as he leaned his elbows on the car roof.

“Hundred and seventy to you. Doin some more weldin’ are you.”

“Yeah, Putting some beams up in the big barn.”

“Will you need a hand.”

“Not yet. Later, maybe. Got some plate-work to do this winter.”

“Well, I’m yer man Charlie. Time served Welder I am.”

“I know, I’ll be using you later Ronnie, I promise you.”

“Hey-up. That girl’s here again. She must love you Charlie.”

“Oh shit! Just wharr’I don’t need.”

Chloe’s car pulled up and she waved a smile. Ronnie waved and smiled back which caused her to grimace. She made it perfectly obvious who she was waving to. Charlie leant on the roof of his little car and cupped his head forehead in his hands.

“What does she want now? Are your forecourt cameras on?”

“To shag you probably.” Ronnie grinned, “and yes, the cameras are on, Jeeze! Charlie!”

Charlie pushed back from his car, gripped the roof edge and stared up into the heavens as he mouthed a prayer. Chloe bit her lip for she instantly recognised his body language. Realising he wasn’t about to come to her, Chloe got out of her car and walked nervously across.

When she got close to him she spoke softly.

“Can we talk Charlie? Somewhere more private.”

“Wharrabout Chloe?” You know my take on this.

“No, not here. I said somewhere private.”

“Oooo-kay then. There’s a café down the road. Is Charlotte’s Tea-house open Ronnie?”

“Til seven Charlie.”

“No" Chloe objected, "somewhere totally private. Like your mobile home thing.”

“What? D’ you want to try another dip in the stream?”

“I’ll cross in your little mermaid if the stream’s still swollen.”

“Oooo-kay then. I don’t suppose you’ll be happy until I surrender. Ronnie!”

“What.”

“Send a search party if I don’t return here by ten.”

“You’d best not be late mate. Winter curfew times start tomorrow. And you treat ‘im right lady!”

She walked angrily with Charlie to his car and scolded him.

“D’ you have to discuss all our business in public!”

“We don’t have any business to discuss Chloe. I’ve told you I’m NOT up for paternity duties.”

“I’m revising my offer. Can we go to your van to discuss it.”

“Revising your offer? How?”

“In the van. This is far too public!”

“I can’t offer you any food. All the stuff I’ve bought is single, ready-meals. I’ve got a lot of work planned.”

“I’ve been shopping too. There’s plenty of food in my boot (trunk)!”

“So you’ve thought of everything. Whassort-of-trap are you setting?”

“It’s NOT a trap. I’m offering you a fair deal”.

Charlie snorted derisively.

“Ha! Listen Chloe, in the Royal Queendom of feminism, there’s no such thing as a fair deal, - for men that is. I’ve heard enough. I’m going home.”

“Wait. You haven’t even heard my offer!”

“I don’t want to. I’ve heard enough. If I refuse after your offer, you’ll only subpoena my sperm anyway. God! This is a fuck-awful world. Who’d want to bring kids into this?”

“You still haven’t heard my offer.” Chloe pleaded.

Resigning himself to the inevitable subpoena scenario, Charlie resigned himself to having to listen. He could always commit suicide anyway.

“Okay then. I’ll hear what you’ve got to say back in my van. If I don’t like it – and I won’t. I can set about preparing for my suicide. A simple killer draught of Euthanasia medicine and it’s good night Vienna. By the time you’ve served your subpoena, Charlie will be out of it.”

Chloe’s jaw sagged.

“You’re serious aren’t you?”

“Yesss!” He hissed. “You’d better come in my car. Your car will get stuck again.”
Chloe smirked somewhat philosophically then took a bag of shopping out of her car.

“What’s that for?” Charlie asked.

“Maybe it’s the last supper if you’re serious and my offer doesn’t cut the mustard.”

“Oh just get in. Let’s get this over with then it can end once and for all.”

As they pulled out of the garage forecourt Charlie called to Ronnie.

“Ron! Here are the keys to Chloe’s car. Park it somewhere safe please.”

“What time ‘re you back.” He replied.

“Bout’ Tennish, irrespective.”

“You watch that bloody stream then. The digger nearly got stuck this morning.”

Charlie drove steadily down the lane for he never had been a speed merchant and Chloe asked.

“Can this thing go any faster?”

“Yes – but I don’t.”

“Thought it was something like that.” Chloe surmised fatalistically.

Chloe was so pre-occupied with her thoughts and hopes, she remained silent until they came to the stream.

“It’s still as flooded as last night.”

“Don’t worry,” Charlie reassured her. we’ll get across.”

Once again, Chloe failed to notice the surreptitious button and the very soft hum as the antigrav pads kicked in. The little car almost glided through the water while once again, huge gouts of spray spouted from around the wheels to hide the antigrav disc’s forceful effect.

“There’s three feet of water here. Why doesn’t your car sink?”

“As I said. It’s water-proof and it floats. There we are, safe across and all dry!”

When they reached the house, Chloe got out to look around the car but Charlie had been true to his word, there was a virtually intact hull woven into the little car’s body.

“Gosh! You’ve done a lot of work on this,” Chloe admired.

“Yes. It’s my spare time hobby. Now, shall we go into my mobile home and you can tell me your idea.”

Chloe’s happy mood faded as she contemplated her next few minutes. As Charlie unlocked the door to his van she almost felt like running away but she stiffened her resolve and stepped inside to sit nervously on the edge of the table seat. Charlie put the kettle on and asked her.

“Tea or coffee? The coffee’s only instant, and the tea’s only bags.”

“Nothing fancy then. You don’t pamper yourself.” She tried to smile.

“I can’t afford such luxuries. Most of my money goes on renovating the house.

“I see. Yes of course. Can I have coffee please?”

She sat silently as he made the coffee and served it in two fancy porcelain mugs. Finally he put some biscuits on a delicate porcelain tea-plate then he settled to face her.

“Now what’s this idea of years?”

“I’ve been thinking.”

“Full marks,” Charlie gave a lop-sided grin. “Go on.”

“Seeing those badgers last night and then that vixen.”

“Where’s this going?” He frowned.

“No! Hear me out!”

“Hhhmmmmmm.” Charlie gave long soft sigh.

“No please. Those badgers. They were a family. They all hung together, played together.”

“Yeeeess” Charlie conceded slowly.

“Well, have you ever heard of the word marriage?”

“Nooo. I’ve heard of ‘married’, like when two metal plates are welded together – joined together; forever. Married together. Is it like marriage?”

“Yes! She replied enthusiastically. “That’s exactly what it is. When two humans are married together it’s called a marriage.”

“Uugh! How would they do that?”

Chloe let an explosive laugh escape as she realised what Charlie was thinking.

“Not like that you dummy; not welded together. No, , not conjoined, Joined together as a pair like those badgers.”

“Is that what they used to do? Humans I mean.”

“Yes, that’s exactly what they used to do.”

“But that’s like, illegal – today isn’t it? Human’s don’t join together. They live separately; like leopards and tigers. Men supply the sperm then are booted out. Well they don’t even see the babies.”

“Do you think that’s wrong?” Chloe asked him.

“What I think is immaterial, what I say could get me into awful trouble. Is this some sort of trap. I warn you my camera is on.”

“Can you switch it off?”

“I’d rather not, a man’s word and all that. Doesn’t count in law.”

“It used to.” Chloe told him.

“Oh I know lots of things used to, - but this is the age of feminism. Women rule and things are peaceful, - well for women and children.”

“Well that’s how it should be. Women must be kept safe or society would fail.”

“If you say so.”

“Don’t you agree.”

“I’ll take the fifth.”

“Where did you learn that?”

“Mummy told me, - and she explained it to me. She was a rebel.”

“Did you agree with her.”

“If I had agreed with her, I’d have been listed as a suspected terrorist. Mummy told me that as well. So I’m saying nothing.”

“God you’re a coward aren’t you?”

“I don’t know. I just want to get through life intact and leave in one piece. Ipso-facto I keep shtum. That I DID learn – in junior school no less!”

“Do you think the world is a safer place, with women in charge?”

“I don’t know. I’ve known no other world.”

“Well it certainly is. I can walk anywhere in safety, you can as well.”

“Walk in safety; yeah maybe. Talk in safety. – well. Make what you will.”

“You were safe as a child.”

“Was I? I never thought so.”

“You didn’t get bullied.”

“Didn’t I? Don’t you remember when they changed my bus and the trouble I got into?”

“That was a one off and quickly stopped.”

“So what about the bullying over books and being stopped from going to the library?”

“You were breaking the law.”

“Yeah. Legalised bullying. Oops! Perhaps I shouldn’t have said that. As an eleven-year old I was physically stopped from doing a harmless cerebral thing. Yes! Actually physically held and prevented from reading. Was that not bullying, using force?”

Chloe fell momentarily silent. She had not realised what bullying really meant, especially to a child as cerebral as Charlie. She was losing her way. She had come with what she thought was a fair offer and yet, somehow she hadn’t even got past first base. She changed course.

“D’ you want to listen to my offer?”

“Well that’s why you’re here, - isn’t it? Go on.”

“Marriage.”

“What? Between two people? Can’t happen, it’s illegal.”

“It’s not actually.”

“Isn’t it. How would I know I only have your word for it.”

“Didn’t your ‘Mummy’ tell you that as well.”

“I never asked.”

“She told you about the fifth amendment.”

“I asked. She explained after I heard her say it to a friend.”

Okay, I take your point. Anyway, Marriage is not actually illegal.

“So who’ve you checked with?”

“I asked a lawyer friend. When she told me, I checked with the courts. It’s true, marriage is still legal but it’s frowned upon. There’s a lot of hoops to jump through.”

“Well there would be wouldn’t there.”

“Don’t be so cynical! Work with me here!”

Charlie rolled his eyes and took a deep breath.

“What’s in it for me?”

“Fatherhood.”

“You mean paternity don’t you.”

“And the difference?” She let her question hang.

Charlie didn’t bother answering at first. There were so many elements to fatherhood as he saw it but paternity, that was just law – and science.

“I’m waiting.” Chloe challenged.

“For what?”

“An answer. Paternity and fatherhood; the difference please.

“You should know the difference, you’re a woman, women are supposed to understand these things.”

“I don’t know what a man thinks.”

“The law says you do, or more correctly, the law-makers say they do.”

“All they see is the Rookeries.” Chloe replied dismissively.

“That’s all there is to see.”

“What about you? There are others like you. What do you say when you meet.”

“I’ve never ever met. Well not knowingly. If I did, I’d keep Shtum. Conspiracists and all that. My feet wouldn’t touch.”
Chloe realised they were off track again so she returned to marriage.

“If we got married, you get to have father’s right’s.”

“As allowed and determined by law, your law. Feminist law. If you unmarried me, I’d lose all father’s rights and it’d be down to paternity again.”

“Why would I unmarry you?”

“People change, with age and familiarity. Mrs Anson has probably told you, I’m a mathematician, albeit one with my own ways and methods. We would almost certainly change. What into. – I don’t know. I’m a mathematician not a seer.”

“If people really love each other, they grow older and closer together. That’s what I’ve read in some old history books.”

“What’s love?” Charlie riposted.

“Well, your mummy loved you. That’s a good example.”

“And now she’s dead, so no love there anymore. No growing old together there.”

“What about the love of one adult for another.”

“What’s that?” Charlie almost squeaked with derision. “You mean like in the Rookeries? They just love to kill, and by killing each other, they’re doing each other a kindness. I told you that last night, the suicide thing.”

“No! No! That’s not it at all. Love is tenderness and caring, looking after each other, sharing lives.”

Charlie looked askance.

“Well find yourself another woman. I know that’s what you women do; Mummy told me that as well. But men, - I dunno. The lucky ones are the gay ones. They find love. All ordinary men get is sexbots, violence and eventually suicide, - in the Rookeries.”

“You’re not an ordinary man.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re intelligent; very intelligent. You could break the mould.”

“How!”

“I don’t know, but marriage might be somewhere to start. Somehow demonstrate that some men, - men like you; don’t have to live in Rookeries, Ghettos, Charnel houses.

“I’m doing that here, and now. I’m not married. I avoid all that Rookery mess by living in isolation and living alone. How does marriage add to it?”

“A trouble shared is a trouble halved, a joy shared is a joy doubled.”
Chloe countered.

“I’ve never heard that. Where did you read that?”

“It’s an old saying, a proverb.”

“Yeeah. That works, the maths is right.”

Chloe felt a visceral twist of pleasure in her guts. It was the first argument to have gained her any traction.

“Well that’s how marriage works or ought to work.”

“But it still needs to be equal sided.”

“Well shall we try it, sharing our spaces.”

“We can’t. I’m a man and you live in a femicondo. Men aren’t allowed.”

“Who told you I lived in a femicon?”

Charlie paused uncertainly.

“I, uuhm. Well nobody actually, I just sort of assumed. All young women lived in femicons unless they went slumming.”

“I still live with my mother and I am certainly not slumming. You don’t know anything outside your own little world do you?”
“Yeah. Well I keep it that way, I keep myself safe.”

“Try reaching out. You’ve got nobody since your mum died.”

“I’m not sure I’ve got time. This house takes up my time. There’s a year’s work using every hour of daylight.”

“I could help you. A pleasure shared and all that.”

“It’s heavy work. Man’s work as the rules say.”

“Your mother kept that huge garden, that was heavy work right up to the last year of her life. And she cleaned my mother’s house, moving furniture and all sorts.”

Charlie almost told Chloe that His mother was a lot more but he decided to respect his mother and her memory.

They continued chatting until Charlie’s curfew alarm warned him and Chloe was forced to take her leave. He drove her back to Ronnie’s garage and she drove herself home. Charlie made it home with minutes to spare before the man-curfew tolled. The rest of the week, he ploughed his normal furrow. Work, house repair and sleep with the occasional hour or so working on his secret project in the barn. A steel replica of his mobile home.

On the Friday evening, he was food shopping at his regular store when Chloe phoned him.

“Can you talk?”

“Yes, I’m in the supermarket.”

“Good. I’ve got some more stuff on marriages. You have to satisfy the authorities that you’re not a risk to women and that you’re disease free.”

“Oh great. And how do I do the first one. Stand up before a judge or something.”

“I’ve already done it, well at least an informal background search. You really have been a little ‘goodie-two-shoes’ haven’t you.”

“I keep my nose clean if that’s what you mean,” but I thought you already knew that.

“The search bureau were really impressed almost suspicious in fact. They ran cross reference checks with other departments and your record raised quite some comment. Squeaky clean. No curfew breaches, no litter offences, no abuse claims, no traffic offences, no STD’s, no public order offences, no drunkenness, absolutely nothing.

Only your school report concerning trying to access forbidden material but every half intelligent boy does that. If it’s not serious, it gets written off when you’re an adult.

Since you were fourteen there’s been nothing. They wanted to know where you’ve been hiding. (Figuratively I mean.)”

“I’ve been hiding in my head, in plain sight as it were. Why didn’t you tell me you were going to search me?”

“I don’t have to, ladies’ privileges.”

“Which shows you still don’t trust me.” Charlie charged.

“Which shows I’m serious. Do you know how much flak I’m getting from my peers. Even my mom has tried to dissuade me.”

“I can’t do much about that.” Charlie observed. “Are you coming over tomorrow, Saturday?”

“I’d like to come over tonight. How’s the crossing, is the stream deep?”

“The ford has been re-instated. Ronnie had to bring some stuff in and he point-blank refused until I put it back as it was. You can drive over it easily now.”

“Why did you deepen it in the first place?”

“Privacy, to keep out unwanted callers.”

“So you only did it for Ronnie.”

“No, I did it for both reasons. You’ve only just started coming here and Ronnie needs to bring in materials with his flat-bed. I’ve been sorting it out with the digger each evening and Ronnie helped me cap it off with concrete last night. The ford is now hard-topped and easy to cross. Most of the time it’s dry and runs through the under-pipes. It’s only wet when it rains and even then it’s usually just a splash through a couple of inches. You’ll have no difficulty crossing.”

“I’d like to see this. Can I come around tonight?”

“I’ve got nowhere for you to stay except the van. Same arrangements as last weekend. I’ve done nothing to the house what with re-fixing the crossing and all.”

“That’ll suite me. I’ll be there about sevenish.”

“Okay. Can you stop in at Ronnie’s garage and get some extra milk. I’m okay for everything else.”

Chloe closed her mobile and gave herself a little hug. She had actually evinced a human response but more importantly a positive response. From Charlie’s tone of voice he sounded happy to receive her. Barely able to contain her anticipation she scrubbed up, then chose some suitable out-door country clothes with strong walking shoes plus a pair of wellies (gum-boots) in case she found him knee deep in some project.

Chapter 6

When Chloe came to the crossing, she stopped first just to look ar his handiwork. There was water pouring through the pipes below the roadway but a slight trickle was trickling across the concrete pave. She was about to get back into her car when he called to her from the terrace he was creating with the digger.

“Are you happy to cross?”

“Yes. It looks really good. What are you doing.”

“Come up and see.”

She drove up the path across the field and stopped by the digger.

“Are you terracing all the way down to the stream?”

He slid out of the seat and stood looking thoughtfully down to the stream.

“I’m not sure. I hadn’t thought of that, but now you mention it.”

She was a bit disappointed that he hadn’t taken her in his arms and kissed her but it was very early days yet. So far, he had clearly demonstrated that he was as reluctant as all hell to cross or even approach any boundaries of intimacy.

She reached into her passenger side and leaned over to recover the supersized carton of milk while giving him a splendid view of her tightly contained but deliciously curvy bum. There seemed to be no response, and he just continued studying the stream. As she held out the carton of milk, he turned to say.

“Yeah. It could look nice with a series of terraces, I – oh! You got the milk, thank you. Coffee or tea?”

“Coffee again please.”

“It’s instant again, I haven’t risen to any sophisticated heights yet.”

“Instant will do. I brought some biscuits as well.”

“Oh that was kind. Thank you.”

She was impressed that he had the good manners to show real appreciation and thanks but still there was not the slightest inkling of a hug or a kiss. Despite this, she somehow felt totally at ease whilst being alone with him in a remote, derelict cottage. His aura was one of paternalistic caring and it made her feel warm, - and safe.

‘Why weren’t all men like this’, she wondered, and if there were others, where did they hang out?’ She wondered as they stepped into the van.

She had very occasionally visited one of the large London Rookeries on an escorted field trip during college research but the predatory stares and smirks had left her and all her class-mates with feelings of revulsion and loathing. While in town near the genetics laboratory where she now worked, the men on the streets would occasionally glance then walk on by avoiding any potential situation that might invite censure.

Even so when they had passed her, she would sense the innate predation coupled with suppressed resentment; an aura of potential threat.

“Shall we drink it on my new terrace?” He asked turning from the little galley stove.

“That’s a good idea, the view is quite nice.”

They settled on the first abutments of the low stone wall he had started and faced each other as they sipped the coffee. Chloe wondered if she dared try a simple attempt at intimacy then the biscuits gave her inspiration. She picked up a biscuit and smiled.

“Open wide!”

“Wha, -?”

“Open wide,” she repeated as she held the biscuit up to his lips.

He got the message and opened his mouth as she popped the tit-bit between his teeth. A nervous grin crossed his face as he crunched the chocolate coated whole-meal.

“Mmm. Thank you. I won’t reciprocate, I’ve washed my hands but my nails are still a bit, - you know.”

“That’s okay. Another?” She offered.

“You’ll make me fat at this rate.”

“Just this one then.” She ordered.

After the second biscuit he finished drinking his coffee then Chloe suddenly remembered.

“Oh! That guy Ronnie at the garage. He’s got some plates for you or something. He said he’d bring them over about eightish and to have your digger boom ready to lift them off the flat-bed.”

“Okay. Thanks, Ill set things up in the morning.”

“I wonder why he didn’t phone you.”

“Was his sister there?”

“Yes. She served me the milk.”

“That’ll be it then. He fancies you like mad. It was simply an excuse to talk; - in front of his sister mind so no abuse charges or anything untoward.. All he probably hoped for were a few kind words.”

“I told him I’d give you the message.”

“And then he went back to his repair shop I suppose.”

“Yes. How did you know that.”

“He’s lonely, shy and cautious. He just saw a brief opportunity to say a few words to a beautiful woman. Those chances don’t come around here very often. Electric cars don’t break down very often, he mostly repairs tractors and agricultural stuff. A few kind words, - from a woman that is, would put Ronnie in seventh heaven.”

“I’m surprised some woman hasn’t asked for his sperm. He’s quite handsome.”

“I’ve no idea what handsome is. What do women look for?”

“You Charlie; someone like you.”

“Careful Chlo’, my head will start growing. I’m no beauty,”

‘That’s the first time he’s shortened my name.’ she thought, god this going to be slow.’

She softened her voice in a typical feminine ploy then spoke quietly.

“You are Charlie. Don’t let this go to your head, but you’re not bad looking.”

“And that can be a death sentence down the Rookeries. It’s even dangerous on the ordinary streets.”

“How.”

“Oh come oo-on. Give me a break Chloe.”

“I don’t get you.”

Charlie shook his head irritably and struggled to keep his cool.

“Look! “ He started to list the scenarios.

“One.

Ugly man sees beautiful woman but daren’t raise a finger or even a glance without risking punishment. Especially if woman is not attracted to him. He goes on his way and bites his tongue. No problem, peace reigns – for the woman that is.

Ugly man is frustrated and angry, goes down the rookeries hires a sexbot and finds physical relief. No emotional satisfaction but he’s not entitle to any anyway. Walks around angry and eventually ends up in a fight and eventually he loses a fight. He’s dead, peace reigns.

Two.
Handsome man sees beautiful woman maybe glances at her but steers a careful course to avoid confrontation. Why, because he’s heard from his brothers that women only want one thing, his sperm. Handsome man therefore goes out of his way to avoid women and avoid any entanglement that leads to trouble.

When an entanglement finally does erupt, his sperm is subpoenaed then he ends up angry and goes down the Rookeries to find a sexbot. They’re beautiful, sympathetic and disease free. It’s his only recourse to some sort of sexual relief but of course no emotional relief. He ends up angry and disfigured or dead. Eventually he most definitely ends up dead, peace reigns.

Three.

“Ugly woman sees any man walking down street and decides she wants to subpoena his sperm.

He has no choice save suicide so he delivers the goods. What difference is it to him. He has no rights, he’s lost all feelings, he’s even lost his emotions except perhaps hate. The sexbot does its job then’ if he’s still frustrated’ he ends up in a fight down the Rookeries. After multiple instances, he eventually finds final peace in death. Peace reigns.

Four.

Finally, pretty woman sees any man walking down the street. He, knowing the law and what his older brothers have told him, does not stare or even glance. He avoids her eyes at all costs and walks on by, as fast as he can without appearing to show contempt, or lust or any other emotion that can be misinterpreted. – Or even interpreted for that matter.

Pretty woman tries to catch his attention, usually she’s seeking re-affirmation of her beauty or some such thing, otherwise she wants his sperm. Either way, it’s a ‘man-trap’. Man uses any desperate ploy to avoid confrontation or association. Ducking into a shop door way, crossing the road, bending down to tie his shoe, staring into a shop window; just about anything. If his endeavours cause her offence she’s got him right where she wants him. Do you follow?”

“I’m following you,” Chloe nods.

Charlie took a sip of his cooling coffee before continuing.

“Now it’s inevitable that every man, if he walks in public, will encounter a pretty woman, just passing on the pavement or crossing the road. So going out in public is a minefield chock full of femibombs ready to blow their minds to hell and gone.

When you women ask; ‘where are all the decent men?’

They’re either down the Rookeries avoiding Femibombs and getting drunk or fighting amongst the not-so-decent men.

If not there, they are picking their way carefully through the aforementioned public minefield, or they are hiding in dark, dingy, dirty bars where women don’t normally go.

Or, if they are lucky, like I was. Mummy leaves them a legacy and they can buy some isolation. I was stripped of my old home but the compensation enabled me to buy this tiny rural, isolated slum and funds enough to fix it..

Isolation is my way to avoid the femibomb trap. That and living entirely up here.”

He tapped his temple significantly. Chloe frowned.

“I’ve never heard all this stuff.”

“When did you last speak to a man? Socially that is; just chat to him about life in general. I’ll bet even in work, it’s just to tell him to fetch a tray of samples or carry some instrument or some menial task You don’t even share the same canteens.”

Chloe knew this to be true indeed she had to admit it to herself that she preferred it that way. Whenever she had overheard ‘man-speak’ in any circumstance, it was banal and raucus. When she had stopped to listen, the men instantly clammed up or changed the subject so she had never really communicated with men at any but the very lowest level since high-school. Listening to Charlie had been an eye-opener.

“Do the men talk like you just did amongst yourselves?” Chloe asked.

Charlie sagged and reflected dejectedly.

“No. That’s the whole point. They don’t Most are too dumb anyway. They’re not allowed to learn, so they won’t learn. It’s eventually imprinted in their genes; feministic law is driving a race to the bottom and people are getting dumber.”

“Where did you learn that?” Chloe gasped. “It’s a huge point of discussion in medicine. Social politics and stuff.”

“Yeah. The sky’s blue and rain’s wet.” Charlie mocked. “The whole thing is self-evident.”

“You should be in our discussions at work Charlie Sage.”

Charlie let out an explosion of laughter that left him lying flat on the wall and gasping for breath. As the convulsions shook his frame he accidentally knocked his coffee mug over and it smashed to the floor. Chloe looked on aghast. She never seen Charlie react in such a typically loud, male, oafish way before. And she was not amused at his attitude to her endeavour to project sympathetic inclusivity. She glared at him as two angry red spots formed on her cheeks.

Then she noted he was actually crying; genuine tears. His response had not been some form of male macho putdown. Her suggestion had genuinely disturbed and distressed him. She sat there stunned by the extent of his despair and concluded she had better wait until he had recovered his composure. Eventually, he uncoiled from his tortuous foetal rigour and slowly started to weep softly, genuine tears of despair.

Chloe actually reached over him and gently rubbed his back and shoulders in an effort to ease his torment. By far the most intimate contact she had ever shared with a man - - - ever!.

Eventually he recovered and ruefully gathered the broken pieces of his mug as though it was an expression of remorse.

“What’s upset you so much?” Chloe asked.

Charlie wiped his eyes and dumped the mug chippings into a dry concrete mix he had set aside for the next mix.

“They’ll make good chippings and the concrete’s not load-bearing.” He explained with a self-conscious grin.”

“Never mind the bloody concrete.” Chloe cursed. “What’s got you so upset?”

“Oh it doesn’t matter. You’d only say I had no knowledge or that I was ‘mansplaining’.

“Try me.” Chloe charged him.

“Naah. It’s not for me to cause bother. Your sisters will learn soon enough. Ask them.”

“What are you saying.”

“What I said just now, it’s race to the bottom. Intelligent men get despondent, decide they don’t want to have anything to do with the feministic Gulag, find whatever relief they can with sexbots and close up their reproductive shop. Eventually they choose a suicidal fight in the Rookeries because they are dreading old age. They’ve nothing to live for short of a quick itch occasionally, so they scratch it and die.

Tell me Chloe, how many old men d’you see?” Out on the streets in public that is.

“Plenty, why?”

“What do the population curves show, especially men, - - - average ages, median ages and so on.”

“I can get you the figures.”

“Fine, I don’t need the figures. Your sister’s do. Then they can measure average IQ’s for each male percentile.”

“We’ve done that. Well we’ve done it with general male population. Rookery figures are skewed.”

“Rookery figures are where it matters. Those violent deaths are the tells, - once you realise that those supposed murders are suicides. Men choosing to die quickly, violently for want of a quick, painless way out.
You should be measuring their IQ’s.”

“We can’t do that. We can’t forecast and then identify the suicidal deaths. How do you know all this anyway?”

“Anecdotal stories from survivors who exit the rookeries. They talk, I listen. Anecdotes are all I’ve got so I can’t make accurate predictions. The feminista have got the figures, ask them.”

“We’ve got the figures, well some of them anyway.”

“Well you pick the bones out of them. “ Charlie suggested.

“Could you pick the bones, as you call it?”

“I don’t know what you’ve got.”

“I’ve got a mountain of figures and tables. I had to run them off again today because the originals got sodden when my car got flooded.

“Can you get onto your works computer from here?”

“I can but I’ll have to get my desktop from the car.”

“Right, if you plug your computer through to your mainframe, I’ll piggy back my laptop to yours, while I do my calculations separately on my Tablet . Don’t worry about the funny squiggles scratched onto some of the tablet keys. I’ve got my own language and maths going on as well as conventional stuff.”

“What!. You’ve written your own language?” She squeaked.

“Yeah sort of.”

“Are you sure you won’t crash the data?”

“No, I won’t lose any data or information, but - - -, I might leave footprints in the butter.”

Chloe couldn’t help giggling at his expression.

“Will they recognise the elephant?” She asked.

“No, but they’ll know a whole herd has trampled through your departmental data banks.”

“What about security.”

“Security will be breached but the data will only be available to the Elephants.”

“You’ve got a certain way with words, haven’t you.”

“I can do it in such a way that if you claim responsibility for the activity, you’ll get the credit when they realise the facts, and implications. If you argue your corner well enough, they’ll have to concede and admit you are right.”

“You mean, you’re right.”

“I don’t exist on the internet, at least, not as a British address. I want to keep it that way.”

“Right, show me. You’ve got all night.”

“I won’t need all night. Ten o’ clock and I’ll be in bed. You’ll be at home as well.”

‘Not if I can help it Charlie boy. You’re just too good a catch!’ She thought.

To aid her in her plans, it had started to rain again, not heavily but enough for her to cry off attempting the lane by pretending to be a wimp.

Having decided she would definitely like to stay the night and possibly even advance things in what she hoped would become a relationship she stepped out to her car and collected her laptop off the front passenger seat. She brought Charlie her computer and they signed in.

She watched as he piggy-backed his own computer then his fingers skipped across the key board. Strangely, he squiggled some undecipherable hieroglyphs down in a note book then she watched fascinated as he kept transposing stuff then punching it into his own separated tablet.

“It seems a bit long-handed why not just piggyback your tablet to your lap-top?” .

“My Tablet is incompatible with any standard circuits and keyboard. It works only with my notations. The whole thing is upside-down and back to front. It only handles complex maths equations that I’ve developed for my sort of maths. For example I vary the logarithms to various bases depending on how many unknowns I’m looking for. My maths leaves them floundering.

“Is that why Mrs Anson was so cock-a-snook to the wide boys who came down from Cheltenham.”

“How did you know about that?”

“Women talk Charlie. We c-o-m-m-u-n-i-c-a-t-e.”

“Hah. I shouldn’t have asked. Yeah. She’s got me down as an irreplaceable asset. It means I can’t hand in my notice or leave the company unless she and the government say so. It pissed the spooks off in Cheltenham. It also pissed me but who am I?”

He finished despondently as he turned to study the screens.

“Ahh! Here we are. The data’s starting to roll. I don’t need the endless numbers but I’ll know what I want when I see it scroll down. This is going to take a few hours. There’s millions and millions of names and ages in there. You’d better go and get your shower or knock up a couple of one-pounds in my micro.”

“I’ll do the Micro. I haven’t eaten since eleven.” She agreed.

“Thanks love.”

Chloe flushed with pleasure at the word ‘love’, but Charlie did not see it, so engrossed as he was in the computers.

They shared their ‘one-pound-meals’ over the computer then Chloe chose to shower. When she came out she decided to test the mathematical enigma she had fallen for. She emerged from the shower naked but he was far too engrossed to realise and she had nearly finished dressing when he leaned back and yawned before he realised she was there.

“Ah! You’re out of the shower.” He observed then declared. “I’ll be in there myself then I’ll drive you home. We will have analysed the data by then. These last set of figures will take about five minutes to run then I can put them on a memory stick for you. The solutions will be the last lines of figures and I’ll tidy them up for you with headings and explanations. Finally, a cup of coffee and I’ll see you safely home, I don’t like the look of that sky. The rain’s getting worse again.”

“You don’t have to drive me home.” She replied suggestively, as she delayed buttoning up her blouse.

His response completely threw her.

“Oh sorry, yes, you came in your own car. Silly me.”

Chloe simply rolled her eyes in despair.

“What does it take to get your engine running?”

Charlie’s eyes widened with uncertain fear as he finally realised she was offering herself to him. Her blouse was still undone and he had a clear view of the soft creamy mounds spilling out of her pretty ‘date bra’.

“I knew it! I knew it! I trusted you but it was all a ploy.”

“Oh for god’s sake Charlie! All I’ve done is ask. I haven’t stripped off naked and attacked you. I haven’t pulled you onto the bed. I simply suggested that you don’t have to drive me home. Just let me stay the night, like you did last Saturday.”

“But why?” He wondered. “You’ve got your friends back at your femicon; lots of friends. Besides, I only let you stay last time because your car was stuck.”

“Do you like me Charlie?”

“That’s a loaded question, - and for me a dangerous one. Don’t forget, my security camera is running.”

“I know, I checked it.”

She stepped across the narrow space and hitched her pencil skirt right up her thigh to get her knees up on the dining table. Once positioned, she reached up to the camera bracket and smiled into the camera then pretended to kiss it before sliding down and simultaneously causing the hem of her skirt to slide further up to her panties. Even through the sheer tights, Charlie could see they matched the lace on her bra.

“There. Is that proof enough that I’ve instigated my offer?”

Charlie was struggling to keep his eyes off her thighs.

“It’s still too dangerous for me; you know what the laws are, - I’m a man. Please, please, button up your blouse and straighten your skirt.”

Chloe smiled to herself as she realised that even under extreme provocation, Charlie still chose his words carefully. He hadn’t asked her to ‘pull down her skirt’ as that could be misinterpreted;- no, he’d asked her to ‘straighten her skirt’. She had total control and she felt perfectly safe.

“Did you say that because you’re genuinely not interested or to protect yourself via the camera.”

“The camera.” He answered then corrected himself as he realised that could be twisted. “I still wouldn’t attack you ever! Pleease; you’re not being kind or fair. Either way, I’m gutted.”

Chloe suddenly had an epiphany and it drove a spike of guilt through her very core. Charlie was pleading, nay almost crying and he’d done nothing wrong.

‘Fuck me!’ she cursed inwardly, ‘he’s terrified. I don’t want a relationship based on fear. That’s the whole raison d’etre for my getting him alone. To create trust, not destroy it.”

Having realised she had let her own feeling get the better of her, she pulled back from the abyss of her own making.

“Shit! I’m sorry Charlie, truly sorry.”

She watched him virtually collapse with relief onto his bed and momentarily lie deathly still. Then he curled into a ball and pulled the duvet tightly around himself in what was obviously a gesture of defence. The act caused Chloe to wonder if it was also an act of rejection as well.

Fearful of how much she’d obviously hurt him she feared for his life. Their afternoon’s discussion about the connectivity between male suicide and high intelligence only served to reinforce her fears and she concluded she would have to keep a vigil beside him all night. She looked across to find him asleep or feigning sleep so she quietly prepared the ‘put-you-up’ bed from the table fittings then lay down to wait.

She decided to leave the ‘separator doors’ unlocked and realised just how confident and safe she had felt in Charlie’s presence.

Throughout the evening the rain and wind increased and she was grateful that the mobile home was tethered and parked in a sheltered spot. The cold however proved a problem so she quietly took down the extra duvet stored in the Luton and snuggled up in that. Sleep inevitably overtook her.
ooo000ooo

Sometime during the night the wind eased but the rain still persisted. The van had stopped rocking and the lack of motion caused Chloe to stir. She glanced towards the rear of the van and realised that Charlie wasn’t lying on the large, wrap-around couchette.

A nervous spasm gripped her chest as she sat up while a dozen scenarios flashed through her mind. Not finding him in the van she flung the door open in a rush to check around the house.

“Ow!” Charlie squawked as the van door slammed his head.

Chloe looked down just in time to see the boar badger wheel around off Charlies knees and trundle of towards the house, Charlie had been sitting on the step, handing the badger some meat scraps.

“You’ve frightened him!” Charlie accused.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t see you. Your head’s bleeding.”

“Never!” Charlie riposted ironically as the blood trickled behind his ear.

Chloe snatched a clean tea-towel and immediately applied it to the cut on Charlie’s scalp.

“This’ll need stitches.” She observed as Charlie took over the compression duties with the tea-towel.”

“No it won’t.” He argued It’s hidden in the hair. I’ll just compress the flap.”

“Don’t try being the hero. If you don’t close the wound properly, it ‘ll leave a nasty scar.”

“And?”

“It’ ll look terrible.”

“Why does that bother you?”

“I don’t want you looking like a rookery escapee. If we’re going to live a proper life you’ll have to be able to show that wounds and scars are not part of marriage.”

“You’ve just smacked me with a door.” He sniggered.

“That was an accident!” She thumped him affectionately.

“Ow. Now you’ve hit an injured man!”

“Oh stoppit. I didn’t hurt you, well not that much. Sorry about the door.”

“What possessed you to come bursting out like that?”

“I was worried. You weren’t in your bed.”

“You should have been sleeping. I was feeding the old boar badger. Trying to gain his trust.”

Those words struck home for that’s exactly what Chloe was trying to do. – gain a man’s trust.”

“Snap,” She countered.

“What d’ you mean?” Charlie frowned.

“I’ve been trying to gain your trust.”

“Oh yeah. Fat chance! First you try to entice me with sexy clothes, then you whack me over the head with a door.”

He almost smiled but she noticed it and struggled to suppress her giggle as she replied.

“I’m not doing very well am I?”

“I’ve encountered better tactics.” He almost spluttered and the convulsion dislodged the tea-towel.

She quickly recognised his failed attempts to suppress his amusement and let her own giggle finally escape. This caused Charlie to laugh and there was a brief moment of rapport that sent waves of joy crashing through Chloe’s heart. Scared to destroy the moment, she gently lifted his hair and quickly re-applied the tea-towel.

“You are going to need stitches. Let me drive you to the hospital, pleeease.”

“I’m not going near the Rookeries, They’re just butchers. They don’t even use anaesthetics and their bloody knives are blunt, not to mention the antibiotics are usually out of date! Hand-me-downs from your lot.”

“I’ll take you to my hospital. They’ll treat you if I explain.”

“I’ve never heard of them doing that.”

“Who told you that?” Chloe bristled slightly.

“We men talk as well you know; we can c-m-m-u-n-i
-c-a-t-e as well you know.”

“You spelt it wrong. What does that tell you.”

“Everything.” Charlie replied softly in a tone thick with irony.

Chloe cursed inwardly. How did he always manage to make a point?’

“Get in!” She demanded, “never mind the seats it’s got to be sorted after the flood.”

Charlie slipped in beside her and looked down the path.

“Take care, it’s a bit slippy up here as well until I concrete the yard.”

She took his advice and they arrived safely at the end of the lane. It was not long before they arrived at the gates of what was officially called ‘The General Hospital’, but most men regarded it as, ‘The Women’s Hospital.’ Chloe stopped at the gates and showed her laboratory pass. It showed that she was connected medically to the university hospital and that satisfied the guard.

When they presented at the emergency room the receptionist eyed Charlie with an expression of mistrust and revulsion but could not help noticing his handsome features. It was only because Chloe had brought him in that she was prepared to accept him.

“What happened?” She directed her questions to Chloe.

“I hit him accidentally with the door.”

“At this time of night. Shouldn’t he be under curfew?”

“He was on his own property. Look just have the surgeon stitch his scalp, it was my fault and it was an accident.”

“Okay. Name?”

Chloe answered all the questions until it came to ‘time of accident’.

“Two forty-five.”

“What, this morning?”

“Yes. This morning.”

“What were you doing associating with this man at two forty-five in the morning?”

“Feeding badgers. That’s nothing to do with you! Now I can see that the waiting room is empty and I know that Josephine Flint is the surgeon on duty. Let her know that Chloe Carpenter is here with a male.”

Within minutes Josephine Flint emerged from the surgical cubicles and walked straight to Chloe.

“Helloo! She enthused.

“Hi Jo’ He’s cut his scalp, well actually, I cut his scalp. Bit of a funny story but all good.”

Josephine eyed the superb specimen of manhood appreciatively and bluntly declared.

“Nice genes Chlo’.”

“Don’t even go there Jo’ He’ll eat you alive, - intellectually I mean.”

“Don’t tell me, a one woman man.”

“More a case of ‘Willy can you fight a bear.’ Chloe melodied.

“Oh; strong silent type is he?”

“I’ve warned you Jo’, don’t go there, he’s got a mind like a bear-trap and brain better than a computer.”

“I won’t ask how he escaped feminisation then.”

“Good,” Chloe answered.

As Josephine introduced the local anaesthetic to Charlie’s scalp she spoke to him for the first time.

“Don’t you mind us talking over your head about you.”

“It’s women’s chatter. I don’t waste my time.”

“Don’t you try putting me down matey.”

“You put yourself down by being so bad-mannered.”

“How dare you be so presumptuous!” She snapped as she pulled at the suture angrily.

Charlie didn’t flinch and she looked at him thoughtfully.

“Didn’t you feel that?”

“Was I meant to?”

Josephine suddenly realised he had caught her in a trap. If she said yes it exposed her as a bad bully, if she said no it exposed her as a bad surgeon. To escape her embarrassment she turned again to Chloe.

“I see what you mean. How do you manage him?”

“Not like that Josephine, and that’s a fact.”

“Do you feel safe with him? I mean bringing him in here.”

“I’ve never felt safer.” Chloe replied as she caught the briefest of knowing smiles from Charlie.

“I saw that!” Josephine charged.

“I think you were meant to.” Chloe replied softly before continuing. “As I said Jo; mind like a bear trap.”

“Can I speak to you some other time?” Josephine asked. “We’re finished here.”

“I’ll be at the genetics labs all week. Researching connectivity between animal and viral genes with ‘x’ and ‘y’ chromosomes.”

“I’ll speak to you on Monday; bye for now.” Josephine advised as she watched the pair leave. She never had Chloe down as a man-lover.

Chapter 7

When they arrived back at Charlie’s cottage they found Ronnie just preparing the digger to unload the plates Charlie, still in his work jeans from the previous day, immediately pitched in and by nine o’clock the job was completed. Chloe emerged with two large breakfasts and both men smiled appreciatively as they sat on the terrace wall and tucked into the food.

“They, say they’ll have the cutter set on Tuesday plus the gas bottles, shall I bring them up?”

“Please, and there’s a couple of other jobs.”

“That’s okay Charlie and by the way, my sister’s girl Briony, she’d like a hand with some maths, are you able to help her?”

“Fine. Same time Tuesday evening. Bring her and her text books with you on Tuesday when you bring the kit. Nobody will see us up here.”

Chloe came out looking concerned as she asked Charlie

“Are you teaching Ronnie’s niece?”

Ronnie went grey.

“Please Mrs Carpenter. Charlie only helps if she’s really stuck on something. I can’t help her nor can her mum and her teacher’s useless. Well that’s what Briony tells us. I can’t judge.”

Chloe stared hard at Charlie.

“You know that’s illegal. By right’s I should report you. How old is she?”

Ronnie answered. “Seventeen. She’s legal to talk to men now.”

“Well that’s something. I’m going to say nothing.” Chloe conceded.

She caught Charlie staring down to the stream with a look of disgust and anger. Fortunately, Ronnie couldn’t see Charlie’s face. After Ronnie had left, Chloe asked Charlie.

“What was the dark face about?”

“You know Ronnie won’t bring Briony now don’t you?”

“Why not. I won’t talk.”

“He’s very shy and nervous. Like lots of ‘ordinary’ men he goes in dread of the Feminista and he’s terrified of ending up in the Rookeries. He’ll never bring the kid up here now and I’ve seen the quality of maths teaching Briony’s getting. It’s all by rote and book learning. She doesn’t get an insight into the higher aspects of problem solving with Calculus.”

“Well how would you help her with your so-called own special mathematical tools?”

“When she brings her text-books with her, I go through the chapter with her and pick up the conventional thinking. It’s not bloody rocket science. Then we go through the chapter word by word and when she needs explanations I show her.”

“And do you show her your hi-falutin’ tricks.”

“Im not a circus dog or something, performing tricks for the ringmaster. For me it’s simplicity itself to ‘back-engineer’ the maths then show her the conventional way. Briony’s not stupid, she’s just got a bad teacher. The whole of her year is suffering. Lots of the kids in her class are getting external tutoring, it’s just that Ronnie can’t afford it.”
I won’t see my mate’s children fail when I can help. So thanks for the damage you’ve done.”

Chloe paled as she contemplated her mistake. It had become clear to her that Charlie and Ronnie were good friends. It was true they didn’t go down the pub together or watch football together or share other ‘man-stuff, but when it came to helping each other, quietly, sharing their own company, they were really good caring friends.

It was the first time Chloe had ever seen real male bonding operating below the parapet, away from the spotlight of the feminista surveillance. She reflected ruefully that even though they lifted things and did things together they only seemed to talk about ‘the job’ or fetching and carrying. They never seemed to talk about mutual acquaintances or shared experiences or family, or even their childhoods and they must have shared the same hardships that she had now come to recognise.

As Charlie was washing the breakfast things she asked him.

“Do you ever talk politics with Ronnie?”

“Never.”

“Not ever?”

“He’s too, - how shall I say; shy, cautious, withdrawn, risk averse.”

“Do you talk politics to the men at work?”

“I refer the honourable member to the answer I gave a moment ago.”

This long established Parliamentary riposte told Chloe all she needed to know. Charlie made a religion of ‘keeping shtum’. Keeping things that mattered to himself. Whatever Charlies political thoughts were, he kept pretty much to himself.
It made her feel privileged that he had occasionally opened up to her. It also burdened her with a heavy responsibility.

With the breakfast things cleared Charlie made his excuses and explained he had work to do in the barn.

“What are you doing in there?”

“Oh some fabrication work. Modifications that fit the van. I work mostly on essential work on the house during the evenings. If I need help Ronnie comes up on Saturdays. Then Sunday’s my own time, my day off as it were. If Ronnie needs help, I go down to his garage.

“D’ you fancy a ride into the country this afternoon?”

He grinned.

“I’ve got news for you lady. We are in the country.”

“No! You know what I mean.”

“Well I want to get these plates under cover and start erecting them. I should be free by mid-afternoon. Say three.”

“What am I supposed to do until then?”

Charlie was stumped. Chloe had arrived unexpectedly and his whole weekend had been thrown into disarray. He had nearly missed Ronnie’s delivery. Then he had an Idea.

“You could go down to Charlie’s petrol station and chat to his sister. Reassure them that you have no intentions of harming Briony’s tutorials and ask them to come up on the Tuesday as we had planned. Ask Ronnie and his sister and her three children to come up for a Tuesday dinner. It would be the neighbourly thing to do. His sister will be Ronnie’s Chaperone so he’d probably jump at the chance.”

“What are his nephews and nieces like.?

“They’re good kids and bright as well. Briony’s certainly college material and the boy is as well. He’s another example of wasted talent; maybe not intelligent enough to be feminised but a bright kid, nevertheless.
The little girl I have nothing to do with of course, feminista laws.”

“What do you think of old fashioned families?! Chloe tested him.

“Ha.” Charlie exclaimed. “I’m not allowed to think about ----old-fashioned-families-----, am I?”

“But you must wonder. I know I do.”

“Well. Just look at those badgers; that’s all I can say.”

“So you do have thoughts about it.”

“I look at Ronnie and think he’s found just about the best reasonable family solution a man can hope for He lives with his sister just like I lived with my mother but he’s got three lovely kids to share the pleasure with his sister. They treat him like a dad and they love him; I’ve seen it.”

“What does he do for, - you know – sex?”

“Same as all the rest I suppose. I haven’t asked him and I don’t intend to. If he uses sexbots, they’re clinically clean and he doesn’t get diseased so I don’t judge him. Ronnie and I are just buddies, neither of us are each other’s confessors.”

“You men operate at a very banal level don’t you? No emotional stuff in case it degenerates to violence.”

Charlie gave one of his inimitable shrugs.

“Precisely. Banality is safe. Well I find it so, I think Ronnie does too, that’s why our friendship works.”

“I think I will go and visit his sister. Reassure her about Briony’s tutorials and re-secure your friendship with Ronnie as well.”

“That would be a nice thing, I’ll be in the barn until four then I’ll make a meal for you for about six-ish.”

“That would be wonderful. Can I ask you if I can stay again tonight?”

“Why? I’m thinking you’ve got a lovely apartment in the femicons. Why on earth d’ you choose a draughty old mobile home out in the sticks.”

By this point, she had sidled close to him and he was surprised when she slid an arm into the arm he had the tea-towel draped over.

“Because I like the company. That’s why.”

Charlie hesitated but she was pleased that he did not tense up or extricate his arm.

“Are you really serious?”

“Marriage is still legal Charlie. “I’ve checked and double checked. It may be frowned upon by almost the whole professional female population but it’s legal. It’s like the old idea of first cousins getting married. That was frowned upon because of inbreeding dangers but it was legal

“But it’s now illegal, the genetic arguments made it so.”

“Yes. But there are no genetic arguments against old fashioned ‘girl-meets-boy’ marriages.

“But won’t your friends condemn you, shun you. They say it’s the Neanderthal way whatever that means.”

“What do you think?”

“I’m just a man.”

“Yes, but what upset you with those figures you analysed.”

“We’re heading for a genetic retardation. He almost whispered it, as though he did not even want to hear it for himself. The dumb genes are breeding faster than the clever genes, or more correctly, they’re surviving longer. Male suicides are driving this equation.”

“But if we allow old fashioned marriages again it will balance up again.”

“Not if the clever genes on the Y chromosomes are still driven to the same rates of suicide. No matter which chromosomes they’re on.
Old fashioned marriages won’t solve that because the probabilities are too random and the gender birth rates aren’t changing.. The genetic pool is approaching a tipping point, he corrected her.”

“So what will?”

“You’ll have to change the system.”

“What system. What d’ you mean?”

“The system that drives the suicides. The feminista superiority imposition.”

“But that’s what keeps the system stable, makes life safer for women, and children for that matter.”

“Well the maths seems to say otherwise.”

“Meaning.”

“The IQ of the species. I can’t give you the exact figures because I wasn’t able to determine all the data. Your feminist society has not been gathering all the pertinent data, only about ninety percent. But on the present intelligent IQ scales zero point oh three percentage points advancement per century and zero point oh five percentage points retardation per century. I can’t be any more accurate than that. Put simply, the odds are that the human race will start to go backwards within fifty years and then the descent will be irreversible or at least harder and harder to stop.
Suicide rates in the Rookeries show that the IQ progression is teetering between zero point oh and and minus point oh, two."

“Are you serious?” Chloe pressed.

“Here I stand. I can say no other. The science won’t let me, or more importantly, the maths!”

“You can choose whatever system of selective breeding you think best suites, but it will have to be some sort of selective breeding, eugenics and all that shit. That’s your field isn’t it.

“No. I’m a geneticist.”

“Well from where I’m standing,” Charlie opined, “if feminista don’t move soon to correct the trend, you’ll be forced to used selective breeding and if you haven’t isolated the intelligence genes on the genome, you’ll have to employ some rigorous eugenics. Infanticide, or worse to weed out the low IQ’s. That’s why I weep for humanity.”

“How so?”

“Think of all the Beethoven’s you’ll kill. Yours is not an exact science is it?”

“No,” Chloe confessed as she contemplated his observations.

“Mine is.” Charlie replied brittlely.

Chapter 8.

The rest of the day went as they had planned, Charlie busied himself cutting and shaping the steel plates and clamping them together ready for Ronnie to deliver the Welder machine and assorted tools as they’d arranged. Chloe came back buzzing with news about the joyous time she’d had with Ronnie’s family. The three children had lifted her spirits as they walked the back woods on the opposite side of the valley to Charlie’s house. She returned as arranged at six to find a delicious meal ready and Charlie in a clean dress shirt and jeans for once.

“He’s made an effort,” she told herself happily.

After eating they chatted about many things and Chloe silently thanked Charlie for not dwelling upon the prognosis he’d arrived at. Mostly they talked about children and the chances of carrying off an ‘old-fashioned’ girl-meets-boy type of marriage.

Chloe stayed decidedly clear of advancing the sleeping arrangements and the procedures remained as before. The last act they shared was to spread the dinner scraps much further from the mobile home. Neither of them wanted to be disturbed because both knew there would be inquisitions come the morrow.

The next morning it was raining hard but Chloe was now familiar with the mud but she got some funny looks when she arrived at work with her car virtually covered in mud. She had expected to find her boss waiting for her but instead the whole department was buzzing with alarm as the tech department was urgently checking every terminal.

“What’s happening?” Chloe asked.

“Oh, somebody was using the computer on Saturday night. They went right through all the data files and they’ve produced some rather alarming projections.”

“That was me.” She openly declared. “The department was having an argument last Wednesday so I thought I’d check some stuff out.”

“You’d better come and explain. The bosses are going tonto.”

With a thrill of visceral tension she knocked on the professor’s door.

“Come in.” A worried voice called.

“Morning Proff. I’ve heard you’re worried about some work I took home over the weekend.”

“Oh! It was you was it?” He responded as he was already reaching for his phone.

“Yes. They’re okay aren’t they?”

“Apparently they think they are but they’re still trying to determine how whoever did the analysis, did it so quickly. The analyst department has been working one them since Wednesday and they still have some way to go.”

“The figures are accurate to half a percentile either side of the projections.” Chloe pronounced matter-of-factly.

“The chief analyst is on his way. Can you explain it to her.”

“Not really. I had some help but no security was breached. My assistant has already signed the official secrets act.”

“Thank heavens for that. Ah here comes Brenda now. She looks upset.”

“Morning Prof. Any further along.”

“Yes Brenda. Miss Carpenter here has a hand in it apparently. She was seemingly so intrigued by the session we had on Wednesday, that she took some homework home. She believes her figures and projections are reliable.”

“If they are, and it looks as though they might be. The Feminista is up against a wall.”

“How’s that?”

“Come down to the mainframe and I’ll show you.”

The three of them returned to the mainframe set up were a dozen analysts and mathematicians were bent over several long sheets of print-out. Furthermore, several other machines were humming away furiously and periodically churning out more.

“What’s upset your little babies Brenda.”

“They’re getting overloaded. The girls here keep getting requests for specific instructions that they cannot supply or if they do, they fragment them and have to wait for this mainframe here to re-iterate them over and over. It’s slow but it’s going to take days.”

“So where are those figures that landed on my desk first thing.”

“Every departmental head has a copy. By reverse programming, we can see that the results are probably right but until we can crack the coding that started this, we might as well be monkeys. There’s a programme out there that puts our stuff in the shade. Whoever wrote it, should be working here or somewhere very high in the computing field.”

“Is this what you were alluding to Miss Carpenter.”

“Yes professor.”

“Do you know this lady.”

“That’s the first issue prof. It’s a man not a lady.”

“A trans-lady you mean.”

“No professor. A real, full blown, stand up – knock me down man.”

“That’s a bad choice of words Miss Carpenter so who is she - uuhmm he and where does uuhmm he - live?”

It was obvious that the professor was having trouble with pronouns. After years of never dealing with men in any managerial or professional level she was having to consciously correct herself.

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you where he lives, that’s apparently restricted information but I can refer you to the director of Anston Electronics, here’s her private number.”

“Anston? D ‘you mean the Aerospace company?”

The same, Chloe confirmed.

“But they’re the top aircraft company.”

“Yes. They Keep our Feminist Queendom at the top of the aviation tree.”

“Does he have full security clearance, I mean, - he’s a man.

“He does. When I mentioned our problems, he asked to see my computer and within a few hours, voila! He wrote his own programming that cut through your analysis in a couple of hours on Saturday. Our computers as Brenda says, may take days. He’s clever. Very, very clever.”

“How come he missed being feminised?”

“I don’t know professor. He does not talk much but Anston are adamant he’s vital to their success staying ahead in the race. If you go trying to probe around him, as I stupidly did, you’ll have Whitehall stomping all over you. The day I made that blunder, I got a call from a very, very high ranking member of the government. Cabinet level.”

“Good gracious.”

“Exactly professor, and I’m just some meagre minion at the lowest level here in the labs.”

“If he’s that high up, how come you got tangled with him? Where you seeking a sperm doner?”

“He’s not that high up, he’s just a factory floor supervisor. I only knew him from our school days. His mother and mine were well acquainted and when his mother died, I went to her funeral.. The old childhood friendship which of course became illegal under the feminista educational laws was re-kindled when we met at the funeral in our twenties. It was legal then to meet each other as adults. One thing led to another and now we are friends.”

“Good gracious. You’re not thinking of some sort of relationship are you? - With a man!”

“It’s not illegal Professor!”

“Maybe not but you be very careful young lady. You’d be going against some very deeply entrenched conventions. You could even lose your job.”

“I’ve already been to the lawyers Professor. He cannot lose his job; in fact, he’s been put under a retention order by the government to Anston Aerospace. If he cannot lose his job then, under the equality laws, I as a female associate, cannot be treated worse than him, I cannot be held lower than him. I cannot lose my job.”

The professor looked at Brenda and they both shook their heads. For a woman to actually choose to be associated with a male was deemed to be a deliberate plunge into the abyss of disadvantage. A step back into the dark ages. After all the education that Chloe had received it was considered an insult to and a betrayal of the establishment to take a step backwards and downwards on the social scale. The professor spoke carefully and slowly to Chloe.

“You do realise that a lot of the staff here will be offended by your actions. You will most likely be shunned and ignored at every turn.”

“Provided they don’t actually abuse me, I think I can survive.”

“How?” Brenda added.

“I’ll be able to use his input, pick his brains as it were, when we hit our next problem like the one we’ve been having all last week. You have to admit, he’s pulled off an incredible trick to have done in a few hours what Brenda predicted would take several days. And he did it on his lap-top and tablet. No access to the main-frame at all except through my laptop and a single domestic remote portal.”

“Is our data safe?” Brenda asked. “I mean personal laptops and tablets are notoriously leaky.”

“Having seen his tablet, and the geeky keyboard, I’d challenge anybody to find their way around his stuff. For starter’s he uses a different sort of maths and keyboard hieroglyphs that are gobbledygook.”

“A different sort of maths? What d’ you mean?” The professor pressed.

“Think about it. He was turfed out of school at fourteen with only the most rudimentary maths and science and stuck into an apprenticeship with Anston Aerospace. It was Anston Electric when he joined as a snotty-nosed kid now it’s one of the most advanced industries on the planet. The government is falling over itself to contract them into problem solving and design improvement. It’s all because of a geeky nerd and his untidy work bench on the lowest factory floor. . . .”

Chloe suddenly corrected herself as she realised she had been a bit unkind about Charlie.

“Well he’s not that geeky actually. He’s a bit of a looker.”

“But he’s still a man.” The professor pointed out.

“Yes, and just think about it. He avoided being feminised and he’s avoided all the feminista snares since leaving boy-school. Check his record, - not a single misdemeanour, or offence on his record.”

“How’s he done that? Avoided sperm donation that is?”

“He’s untidy, well frankly he’s scruffy and dirty, mainly because he’s so engrossed in his work. In his normal garb, I’d almost call it camouflage, a woman wouldn’t look twice at him. When he shambles down the street he looks like a walking trash dump.”

“But when he scrubs up?” The professor responded.

“He’s a woman’s wet dream.” Chloe replied unashamedly.

“I think I’d like to meet this Charlie.” Brenda added.

“Good luck with that,” Chloe explained, “reclusive doesn’t begin to describe it…. And don’t hold out hopes for a sperm donation. He’s got old fashioned views about that as well. Trouble is that the government retention clause at Anston Aerospace protects him from sperm-predation. They don’t want to endanger his sanity.

Speak to Mrs Anston, the main shareholder of Anston Aerospace, but beware. If she thinks you might put Charlie at risk, the full weight of the government will be knocking on your door same day. Anyway, was there anything else you want to talk to me about. I’ve got some sample work on my lab bench and it’s decaying as we speak.”

“It’s not his sperm is it? Your relationship and all.”

“God forbid.” Chloe wagged her head despondently. “If only.”

ooo000ooo

Back in her office Chloe tried to get stuck into her work but her mind was fizzing like a firework. The weekend with Charlie and his badgers had set her thinking. All the lessons of her life had directed her towards a life devoid of men, a safe, clean, uncomplicated life that encouraged her academic research. Now her emotions were in turmoil and she could not get the reclusive oaf out of her brain. She could not wait for Tuesday evening and the anticipated evening meal with Charlie and his Friend Ronnie’s family.

‘Should she call it a family?’ She wondered. ‘Was it legal?’

In the women’s canteen she was chewing disinterestedly on a salad when Josephine appeared at her table.

“How’s the oaf?”

“Oh! Hello to you as well. The oaf, as you put it, is okay I suppose. He was this morning anyway.”

“Are you saying you slept with him, can’t blame you if you did.”

“No. I stayed the night with him, but sleeping with him ….. I can only wish.”

“Give him to me for a night.”

“No hope, on both counts.”

“Is he gay?”

“No – caring!”

“Ooooh. Somebody’s got the hotties for him!”

“Are you eating or talking?”

“No, but I’m listening – if you want.”

“Then sit and drink your coffee – silently.”

“Go on then, dish the dirt.”

“There is no dirt but there’s a nuclear explosion coming our way.”

Josephine frowned uncomprehendingly.

“I’m listening.”

“If I told you something really crazy would you still be my friend?”

“How crazy is crazy?”

“It’s about him.”

“And?”

“I like him.”

“Go – oon.”

“No, listen, I really like him. We talked all day and half the night last weekend. He’s really interesting and – and – well – I felt safe with him. Two nights up in his mobile home and nary a whisper of a threat. I was safe-safe.”
“This sounds interesting. Is he just afraid of the feminista.”

“He’s no reason to be, he’s got a record as clean as a whistle.”

“How clean? Suspiciously clean? You know, secret axeman or something.”

“I doubt it Jo’ he feeds badgers.”

“Aaah. The great yardstick of decency. Proof positive.”

“Be serious Jo’”

“It was your yardstick. Does he have any normal pets? You know, cats, dogs, rabbits!”

“No. He’s a working man and he works very long hours. He obviously knows he couldn’t give a domestic pet the attention it needs.”

“Is he giving you attention?”

“Well sort of. He’s happy having me around and I’m happy to be around but the attention you’re alluding to, well no – not yet anyway.”

“Sperm donation?”

“Big no-no. He’s made that clear.”

“So what then; a platonic thing.”

“No, not as far as I can discern. Can you keep this a secret?”

“Nothing illegal is it?”

“No. It’s just, well it’s just that I think he’s a sort of old fashioned geek in a way.”

“This sounds sinister.”

“He’s not sinister. When I’m around him, we come alive.”

“It’s not him, it’s you isn’t it?”

“No! You don’t get it. It’s both of us. We both care for each other, but he cares just that bit more, he cares for the relationship.”

“Relationship!” “You want a relationship! ….. With a man. Good luck with that Chloe.”

Chloe clenched her fists in frustration. It seemed that nobody but nobody could or would understand. She thumped the table and got up to stalk away but Josephine was too quick. Although she was a surgeon, she had enough medical sensitivity to see her friend was in turmoil. She caught Chloe at the door and whispered.

“My office now.”

ooo000ooo

“So! Chloe; what’s this really about? It’s okay, these offices are sound-proofed.”

Chloe looked at the surgeon and Josephine noted the glistening tear.

“Come on, out with it.”

“This is confidential. No recording.”

“Of course, doctor patient.”

“I’m not your patient. This is friend to friend.”

“Go on.”

In a tiny nervous squeak Chloe revealed.

“I want to marry him.”

There was a stunned silence before Josephine recovered her composure.

“Good God!”

“Is it so bad?” Chloe cried. “Do you really think it’s so bad?”

“It’s a backward step. You have to share your rights and once a man has equal rights, well, there’s no knowing.”

“They don’t share equal rights. Even when they’re married. They’re still subject to curfews, albeit less onerous ones; and there’s a whole host of other stuff – obstacles, - prejudices. I’ve already encountered them even in your A&E the other night. You were rude to him. D’ you know he preferred to take the risk of going to the male A&E down the rookeries, than face the women’s hospital.

“It’s the general hospital.” Josephine countered. “We treat everybody.”

“Do me a favour Jo’ Don’t lie. I saw you; I was there with him; remember. There were evils everywhere he turned, even I got them and the receptionist was an absolute pig!”

“It was in the middle of the night outside the curfew. There was blood everywhere. A typical man injury, an assault. What do you expect people to think?”

“It – was – an – emergency – Jo’! An a – c – c –i - d – e – n – t! Three weeks ago, I would have been casting those evils. Now, after being with a man for two weekends I’ve changed my mind. I look beyond the apparent; or at least I try to.”

“Okay. Point taken. So what about this marriage thing. Are you truly serious?”

“Yes! And I’d like someone to be there from my side as a witness. I’ve looked up the law and we need two witnesses. Usually, they are parents or close friends. His mother is dead but he’s got a long-time friend who’s loyal and honest. I can ask my mother and she might do it under duress but I’d prefer a friend. One who I could then call a true friend.”

“I’m not sure I could – I mean I -.”

“Okay. That’s fine. I’m learning who my true friends are. Forget I ever asked.”

“Whoa! Hold on there! Give me a chance to get my head around this.”

Chloe hesitated by the door.
“It’s not much to ask. Five minutes down the town hall. It used to be a clear sign of best friends. Best man was the man’s best friend and bride’s maid was the woman’s best friend. I’ve looked it up down in the historical archives. If you are interested, let me know soon. I’ve not fixed a date yet but I think it will be weeks rather than months; well I hope so.”

“Have you not agreed a date yet?” Josephine asked.

“I haven’t even asked him yet.” Chloe grinned as she left.

Josephine simply sat at her desk stunned until her alarm call reminded her she was assisting at another operation in an hour. She at least proved she could keep her promise and told nobody.

Across town, Mrs Anston had asked her favourite repair-man to step into her office

“Hello Mr Sage.”

“Morning Ma-am.”

“I’ll come straight to the point. I’ve had a strange telephone call from the medical director of the National Institute of genetic research.”

“Really Ma-am.”

“You don’t seem untowardly surprised.”

“No Ma-am. I was half expecting it.”

“Would you like to explain?”

“There’s not much for me to tell Ma-am. I simply assisted a member of staff; a Miss Chloe Carpenter with some number-crunching.”

“The director tells me that you crossed a line and entered into the realms of the official secrets act.”

“I have signed the official secrets Ma-am. Or more correctly you assigned my name and signature to the act when I was put on retention by the government. I am allowed access to the official secrets act; I’ve broken no law.”

“Hrr-mph! I see. Let me just check that.”

Charlie sat there quietly as Mrs Anston fetched up the act on one of her screens and read through it. Charlie offered some information.

“Sections, four eight and nine are the pertinent bits Ma-am.”

“Oh! I see you’ve actually read the thing then.”

“End to end Ma-am, and inwardly digested.” Charlie sat there ‘po-faced’.

She smiled slightly then it spread to a grin as she read the first pertinent sections. Eventually she wagged her head and chuckled.

“Charlie! May I call you Charlie?”

“You’re privilege Ma-am.”

“Good. Charlie, this is just the sort of thing I would have expected from you. You have indeed broken no law but my god, you’ve got the bug boffins all a-flutter.”

“Bug Boffin’s Ma-am?”

“You know what I mean,” she chuckled. “What exactly did you do?”

“I gave their analysis section a lesson in sums and computer science Ma-am.”

“Like you did to us with the new multi-target traffic control radar.”

“Same sort of thing Ma-am. The new radar takes up less than a quarter of the old radars and creates more free space in the cockpit.”

“I, well that is we, at Anston Aerospace know perfectly well what it does Charlie. It puts our planes ten years ahead of the Yanks and the Chinese.”

“Passenger planes I hasten to add Ma-am. I don’t do war planes.”

“Yes that’s a good thing, by the way. Have you had any secret offers from our transatlantic cousins or anybody else for that matter?”
“Yes. But who’d want to live over there. It’s worse still for men over there. I did report the offers Ma-am, they’re there buried deep in my file I suppose.”

“Well let’s not be getting into the politics. So what did you do that’s got the Bug Boffins flapping like wet hens.

Over his years at Anston Aerospace, Charlie had gradually grown to like Mrs Anston. Once she had been forced to recognise and acknowledge his Genius she had started to behave more like a human being towards him. So much so that the younger female executives were growing jealous, especially when his ideas took the company’s technology forward another order of science. However, as long as Charlie came up with the goods, he was bomb-proof. Sadly, he could not patent his ideas; men could not hold patent rights. He explained in simple terms what his analysis had predicted. Mrs Anston paled slightly when she grasped the reality.

“So if we don’t do something about High IQ male murders, we get stupider.”

“They’re not really murders ma-am, they’re suicides but they get listed as murders in the records because those high IQ’s despair and there’s no easy way to end their lives by their own hand in the Rookeries. Too much surveillance. Picking a fight then getting killed is the fastest way to do it.

If a suicide is reported then there has to be an inquiry about stuff like conditions in the community. Murders are simply ascribed to testosterone and male brutality. I for one know it’s all hypocrisy but who am I?”

Anyway, as you said, enough of the politics. The fact is, any high I Q genes carried on the ‘Y’ chromosome get to disappear from the human genome. Ipso-facto, dummies begin to rule. Mitochondrial genetic stability is not the way forward but the factors associated with the ‘Y’ chromosome are so small as to be indefinable because the ‘Y’ chromosome is so vulnerable to variations until you deal with billions of samples.

It’s only then that the trends can be a) detected and b) tracked. My maths and programming did that going through Mis Chloe Carpenter’s computer portal.
When the trends were shown to be quite definable by my figures, the ‘Bug Boffins’ as you call them – I like that, - bug boffins.” He chuckled.

“Well the bug boffins threw a wobbly.” He couldn’t help chuckling some more and Mrs Anston became infected momentarily.

“All right Charlie. Joke over, I don’t know why we’re amused, this is quite serious isn’t it?”

“Only if the ‘Y’ Chromosome suicides continue if the high IQ strata’s.”

“And as a mathematician, where do you see the solutions Mr Sage?”

“As I told my companion Mrs Carpenter, the solution is in the politics. I feel like Martin Luther.

“Here I stand, it is all I can do. The truth is in the maths.”

“Where did you learn about the reformation?”

“I’m signatory to your official secrets act Ma-am. I have the same access to the internet as women.”

“Dammit! Of course.”

“And I don’t just do maths Ma-am. I need relaxation as well. Reading is one of my relaxations. I can’t always just mindlessly cement bricks or lay roof-tiles. Truly I’d go bonkers.”

“Well I can’t condemn you for that. It’s a pity you weren’t feminised in childhood.”

“I’m not an enemy Ma-am. If you’ve got an enemy; if women have got an enemy that is - …. It’s in the maths, the maths of your feminista culture. I can do nothing but stand there and point at it. Who am I?””

“Very well Charlie. You’ve been perfectly honest with me. I’ll let you go back to your precious work-bench. By the way, the young lady, Miss Chloe Carpenter. What about her? Is she in trouble with the Genetics Institute?”

“I don’t think so, she would have called me I think if she was. All she did was help me access the figures. As a signatory, albeit an unusual male signatory, I have authorised access to all government statistics that are in the authorised domains. Their figures are authorised and I checked with her that my authorisation was legal. It was, you put me on a very high grade, thank you for that.”

“Was that irony I think I detected,”

“No Ma-am, I just want to make sure that we don’t destroy the human race, slowly and inevitably, if my maths can do that, my job is done.”

“Confidentially, Charlie. Do you disapprove of the feminista.”

“I disapprove of genocide Ma-am, intentional or accidental.”

“Clever answer Charlie. You can be very slippery sometimes.”

“I wasn’t being disingenuous Ma-am. It’s like Galileo and the old Catholic church. Maths is as true as the earth orbiting the sun.”

“If another mathematician were to prove you wrong what would you say.”

“Thank the stars Ma-am, thank the stars I’m wrong.”

“I admire your transparency Charlie. If anybody calls about this, I’ll ask you to come to my private office to discuss it. How do you feel?”

“Talk is cheap Ma-am but if it’s starts some action, I can only hope they choose the right path.”

“And that is?”

“Where the maths takes us, that will lead the science.”

“I’m thinking you may be right Charlie. Thank you for your thoughts and information. You’d better get back to your bench, I’m betting there’s a queue of wannabe’s lining up to solve somethings.”

“Nothing changes Ma-am.”

“Well not in maths it doesn’t Charlie. You’re a lucky fellow to live in such a certain universe. Thank you for your time.”
“Thank-you Ma-am.”

ooo000ooo

By the time Charlie had returned to his bench it was close to lunch but there was a queue waiting with problems.

“After lunch please guys. I need to eat and talk with somebody.”

A knowing smirk rippled through the queue before the first man spoke.

“Is that the girl who met you at the gates last Friday?”

“Well it was actually, but what’s it to you?”

“You’re brave phoning a woman. It’s usually their prerogative to pester us.”

“I’m not pestering her as you put it. It’s work.”

“Ooo-ooh Charlie boy’s working with the women. Who’s a clever boy then?”

“Who’s a silly parrot then?” Charlie mimicked a Brazilian Macaw.

“There’s no need to take the mick.” The queuer protested.

“Then don’t do it. It’s genuinely about work. Now please, after lunch.”

“When he reached the end of the queue the canteen manager was sitting at the till doing a meal relief.”

“Don’t take any nonsense from them Charlie. We all know about your work keeping this company ahead.”

“Thanks Tilly.”

“Good luck with the young lady.”

Charlie frowned,

“Does everybody know my business?”

“She was waiting for you outside the gates nearly an hour before came out. You chatted briefly then she followed you home. What do you expect.”

“Oooh, I suppose so. I suppose I’ll have to arrange a more secret rendezvous.”

“Don’t Charlie. The men secretly envy you and the machinists are all rooting for you. They all watched you at the gate, their shop looks right down on you. Don’t hide it Charlie, we all know what you’re doing for everybody.”

“I’m not doing anything for anybody. We’re just friends that’s all.”

Tilley gave him a slow, knowing look but said no more. She had given him what support she could. The machinist behind him in the queue joined him at the condiments servery and spoke quietly before she diverged into the girl’s canteen to eat her food.

“You may think you’re doing nothing Charlie but your young lady is certainly stretching the boundaries. Look after her. It’s for all of us.”

Charlie rolled his eyes anxiously then made for an empty table. The moment he sat he noticed a delegation sidling towards him. Cautiously, he set his Mobile to record for his own protection. As they casually took seats around him he took the initiative.

“What’s this about?”

“The girls in the machinists shop.”

“What about them?”

“They hear things.”

“Like what?”

“Well two of the supervisors sometimes sit with the female managers, the junior managers. They say you’ve been in and out of old turbo-knicker’s office all morning.”

“Surprise, surprise. You all know I do clever stuff for her. It’s no secret, we have to talk, long and often.”
“Are you seeing to her Charlie,” One wag cackled.

“Fuck off.” Charlie replied, “If I dobbed you for that your feet wouldn’t touch.

“All-right Charlie, calm down,” an older man spoke softly, “but there have been rumours.”

“What about?”

“Well apparently, you’ve been doing some moonlighting, with that young lady of yours.”

Charlie thought quickly. News travels fast on the grape-vine, he concluded.

“Well, I’ve been helping her, so what? That’s why she followed me home.”

“That’s risky isn’t it.”

“She followed me. I didn’t follow her, more than my job’s worth.”

“But seemingly when you helped her, you caused a stir.”

“My work often causes a stir. Look at the new high density traffic radar. It put us years ahead and made your jobs more secure.”

“Yeah, we appreciate that but this girl, she works for the gender labs or something doesn’t she?”

“No she doesn’t but I’m not prepared to discuss my friends and my private lives with the likes of you guys. What I tell you would be all round the FQ in hours and what I don’t tell you would be made up for the rag-tops. Now, it you please, I’m eating my lunch.”

The men finished their food and left in dribs and drabs like any normal table. Charlie was about the fifth to leave out of a table of twelve. As he looked back, he could see problems brewing. He knew the time was coming when he would have to break first with the factory floor then possibly even with Anston itself. He was NOT going to get involved with politics for then every man’s hand would be against him.

He thought back to his childhood times with his mother. She had kept him out of the feminisation trap and any accusations of being a terrorist. What he’d just encountered at the dining table had all the markings of a terrorist cell or some such illegality. Suppressing his anger at their presumptions he stalked back to his beloved bench only to find the inevitable queue.

“Hey-up lads. Grumpy’s back.”

“Less of the shit, you guys. I’m not up for it. If you want a hand, shut up and join the queue. If you’re here to stir shit then fuck off! The only questions I’ll answer are work related.”

“The first man in the queue was an old acquaintance of Charlie’s but his first words found him in trouble.”

“Back to the old grumpy we all know is it Charlie?”

“Right! That’s it. Take your job and go to the back of the queue. Maybe you can talk to one of the others and sort it while you’re waiting.”

“Aah. Come on Charlie I was only joking.”

“I’ve had enough of joking and bloody politics all morning and all through lunch. Strictly engineering now and NOTHING else.”

A mutter of concern rippled through the queue and several men left. It was obvious that they had joined to just chat to Charlie about the gorgeous girl at the gate. The so-called problem they had with some component was simply a ploy. As the queue shortened appreciably Charlie looked down it and saw several components that looked as though they had the same failure or problem. Charlie called them to the front and made them stand around to follow his instructions.

This was a regular procedure and it told the men that Charlie was back to normal in technical mode. The queue moved relatively quickly and by four o’clock, Charlie was doing his own work which was a complex problem with a newly introduced very high temperature sensor for Jet exhausts. Charlie quickly established the problem and shook his head at what he considered somewhat crude science.

Back home in his barn contained the next big step, as did his little car; antigravity.
That Monday he drove home alone but stopped at Ronnie’s to discuss the Tuesday evening meal they were organising. Briony dashed out to hug him and they shared one of her mother’s scones as a treat.

“Tomorrow then kids. This time.”

They waved as he disappeared down the lane.

At the house he noted a car parked below the first terrace and he drove straight up to it as two drivers emerged. He recognised them both as the professor and the chief analyst from Chloe’s institute.

“Hello.” He offered cheerfully.

“Hello Mr Sage, we were wondering if you could help us or at least demonstrate how you performed those miracles with your computer.”

“Sure. It won’t help you much because you won’t understand my maths but I’ll show you what I did. Understanding HOW I did it will depend on your innate intelligence.”

He unlocked his mobile home and the women looked inside with some distaste.

“Is this where you live?”

“Til’ I’ve finished the cottage; yes.”

“And how long will that take?”

“’Bout two years I’m calculating. Here put your lap-tops on the table while I make a drink; tea or coffee.”

The women located the wandering lead and plugged in their computers. A small portable generator rattled into life and they looked somewhat askance.

“It’s on a trip-demand switch,” He explained. “If I need hot water and stuff for showers or laundry, the bigger genny starts up. The wi-fi password is on the router, there’s a satellite connection.”

“Thank you. Miss Carpenter mentioned you had a laptop and a tablet.”

“They’re in the drawer. My second laptop is by my bed. I like to relax when I’m surfing.”

“Quite. Is this where Miss Carpenter stays when she comes.”

“Yes. The table and the seats fold down to make the second bed. The divide pulls out and unfolds from the side of the wardrobe. I sleep here, she sleeps there.”

“And that’s it.”

“Yes. Are you here to snoop on our sleeping arrangements or to see what I did with the computers.”

“Oh the computers Mr Sage, the computers,” the professor hurried to reassure him.”

“Okay. Connect your laptops to your mainframe and we’ll get started.”

This was quickly done and very quickly the data that Charlie had analysed started to roll. Soon the information was reciprocating back and forth so Charlie ‘piggy-backed’ his tablet and punched in his password. The scrolling numbers stopped scrolling and some strange hieroglyphics popped up on both his tablet and his bedside lap-top.

“Oh. Naughty, naughty’ naughty, ladies. Who’s trying to get into Charlie’s second laptop and tablet by the back door.”

The lady’s faces reddened with embarrassment as their ruse was exposed.

“Now that’s really sneaky. How can I be expected to trust you if you’re hoping to steal my maths?”

“We were hoping you would explain this stuff. The stuff on your tablet and your bedside laptop.”

“Well asking would have been nice, though I’d have to tell you that it wouldn’t work. Even the engineers and Anston Aerospace give up.”

“Why is that?”

“The function’s I’ve formulated go a long way past calculus and to tell the truth, I’ve tried to explain it to Anston but they’ve given up. They just let me do my own calculations then I design the circuitry based on my equations; then comes the hard part, turning the designs into functioning
Components that can be produced on a factory floor. It’s what makes Anston rich and keeps FQ ahead of the technical game. That’s where I enjoy tinkering and fiddling.”

“And the maths?” Brenda the chief analyst asked.

“I’ve tried explaining it but making the connection between maths, science and analysis for problem solving with my tools, seems to escape people. There was a Hindu girl who asked me to explain it once and she actually seemed to grasp it. I had high hopes but apparently her study grant was stopped by the Pakistani government.

She had no other funds so she went back to Pakistan and was married to some muslim guy. I didn’t know they could do that. anyway, I got a couple of emails then she sent the last one asking me to try and help her get the FQ government to help with a grant. Of course, being a man, I had no access to academia in any shape or form.

The next message came from her new husband saying he was closing down her email account and there would be no more communication with infidels. I’ve never heard from her again. Sad that cos she really showed promise.”

“Do you have her email address?”

Yes but it’s no longer active, or at least I’ve been blocked.”

“I’m sure Whitehall has got ways of locating people.”

“Well. That’s not for me to try is it; being a man and all.”

“But if you’ve got official secrets clearance. You’ll have your coded authority.”

“Doesn’t work like that. If they want to contact me about anything, they check if my authority is still valid and contact Anston Aerospace. If I try to do anything they see a male name and block me. Men aren’t allowed high level access to gov.uk.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Tell the feminista, not me.”

“If we managed to get this girl out of Pakistan, would you be prepared to teach her?”

“Good luck with that, Pakistan is almost at war with the Feminista.”

“Can you give us a copy of your Tablet’s hard-drive?”

“I literally disassembled it and rebuilt it. It took me several years in my teens to put it back the way I wanted it. Partly because I was inventing my maths at the same time. I’m not sure I could find the right parts now. These newer chips have consolidated the conventional maths and binary system. I invented my own quadrenary code and altered some very old fashioned chips from some computers that were donkey’s years old. Anston Aerospace were throwing them in the skip.

The old chips are easier to tamper with. They make my tablet’s CPU exceeding slow, but the quadrenary code and my maths tools get much faster results. D’you want to see?”

“Please!!”

When the exercise they were running had completed, Charlie took his care-worn tablet with crude alternative cyphers scratched on the function buttons and he literally popped open the back. He unslotted the CPU and the two scientists were astounded to see the ancient chips rearranged in no system that made sense to them.

“There’s no logic to it.” Brenda remarked.

“Oh there is,” Charlie declared with a hint of pride. It’s my logic.”

“Can we photograph this?”

“Be my guest but don’t break any chips or terminals. They are buggers to repair . See those tii-nyeee little soldered pins. They took me a week to refashion and restore.”

“It looks bloody clunky,” Brenda sniggered.

“It is, but it works, - for me that is.”

“And thereby hangs a tale I presume.” The professor remarked.

“Yeah. A very long and painful one.” Charlie replied softly.

They finally finished their investigations and shared a bottle of wine before returning home. The professor drank most of it because Brenda was driving and Charlie hardly ever imbibed. He watched both women driving down the lane then settled down to a pound-meal with a few extra vegetables. He had little to fear from their examination of his little tablet, they would need his maths to write programmes to suite it.

As he was turning in, Chloe phoned.

“They’ve been to snoop on you haven’t they?”

“Don’t worry darling, all they saw was the antediluvian contents of my altered tablet. They’d need my maths to make sense of the CPU. Technically, they won’t have advanced an inch.”

“But obviously, they suspected you and that can’t be good.”

“I’ve just texted Mrs Anston, she’ll be letting Whitehall no tomorrow.”

“They’re having a big meeting tomorrow about your findings.”

“Well I can’t do anything about that unless the government becomes involved and orders me to lay out the facts, - as I see them, that is.”

“They’ve got all the facts. I was running through another part of the figures on our main-frame. The more I break your calculations down, piece by painful piece. The more your seem to be right. It’s a worry.”

“It’s a worry for the feministas, as they stand; but it’s not a worry if they take the right biological steps.”

“And?” She challenged.

“Not my pigeon. We’ve been through this.”

“You’re going to have to tell them and prove it.”

“Best if we let your friends work it out for themselves. It might take a few weeks, but time’s not the issue, honesty is. It’s really not my problem, secretly I think I’m glad I can’t be involved, - just a simple supervisor me.”

“Stoppit! Are you set for tomorrow evening?”

“I Can’t wait. Ronnie’s kids are buzzing. It’s not often they get to sit with two men at the same table.”

“Yeah, signs of the times. I’m turning in now darling. Sleep safe, sleep tight.”

“Thank you, that’s nice. Goodnight darling. Tsk.”

“Tsk, tsk.” He responded and she went to feel warm all over while turning the word ‘darling’ over and over in her mind. Very soon she was asleep.

ooo000ooo

Chapter 9

“The next day’s work proved to be pretty much ‘hum-drum’. He wasn’t called up to the board room and he wasn’t bothered much by requests for help. By three o’clock, his work was finished and he filled the last hours checking through the skips to find anything useful. Mrs Anston watched him through her large corner window and smiled. Charlie was well known for his regular forays into the scrap bins and she knew for a fact that a couple of his successful modifications had been born of recycled components, deemed broken beyond repair.

He took some recognisable parts out of the none ferrous bin then scooped up some white spongy material that did not seem to have any useful value at all. It was a de-compressed composite absorbent that was used mostly as a coolant and lubricant at very high temperatures.

Even as a professional engineer, she could not think of a single alternative use for the spongy, expanded waste. Once the liquid coolant had been expended from the spongy forms, the residual material was useless. As far as she could see, the spongy bits were useful only as shock absorbers if they were compressed into discs or balls. As alternatives to coiled shock absorbers or something.

Charlie however, obviously had other ideas as he bagged up several kilograms of the greasy stuff and threw it into the boot (trunk) of his car. She kept watching as he was finishing, when a colleague arrived with two large thick discs and exchanged a few ribald comments about Charlie’s scrounging habits. Then Charlie asked him for the metal discs and without a pause, he put them also in the boot. Mrs Anston made a note to check what the discs were made of for they looked like a rust resistant alloy. Then she smiled and turned to resume her work.

‘Charlie would no doubt be using them to some useful purpose,’ she concluded. His idea’s seemed endless and the Shop floor manager openly declared that she had given Charlie carte-blanche out of the various scrap bins.

A year previously, Mrs Anston and the chief accountant had tallied up how much Charlie had earned the company with his inventions, innovations and modifications. They were shocked to find it amounted to tens, if not hundreds of millions of pounds in the ten years he had been working there. Yet, nary a penny had been paid to him for patent rights.

Because – he - was - a - man, - and - Men - couldn’t – hold - patents !

The situation had caused her concern on numerous occasions.

‘A few pieces of valuable scrap metal could hardly be denied to him then; especially if it would likely bring in a few more millions to her company.’ She mused.

As she was turning away from the window, she noticed the Carpenter girl Chloe, reputedly the girl who wanted to actually marry the eccentric junk collector. Chloe had parked her car and had approached the main gates where she had attracted Charlie’s attention. They exchanged a few words then she returned to her car and took station to await his finishing. Mrs Anston called the main gate security office.

“Security. Yes Ma-am.”

“The young lady in the car opposite your office.”

“Yes Ma-am.”

“Her name is Chloe Carpenter. Could you invite her up to my office please.”

“Certainly, Ma-am.”

She watched as the guard secured the gates then spoke to the girl who accepted the invitation. A few minutes later, Chloe was tapping respectfully on the managing director’s door.

“Come in Miss Carpenter.”

Chloe stepped in and paused.

“You know my name!”

“Of course I do Chloe. I’m Mrs Anston, the owner of Anston Aerospace. You of course are acquainted with Charlie Sage I believe.”

“Well, - yes. But, - “

“No but’s Miss. You’ve certainly affected the feelings of my star engineer.”

“I thought he was just a production floor supervisor.”

“Well technically he is but unfortunately, the poor guy is a man and if he wants to advance into management, -“

“He has to undergo feminisation!” Chloe finished the sentence.”

“Yes.”

“Well that’s not going to happen Mrs Anton. I’ve got other ideas for Charlie.”

“Which are?”

“Marriage!” Chloe stated very bluntly.

“Marriage!, - !” Mrs Anston exclaimed. “Are you serious?”

“Quite serious. It’s still legal, I’ve asked him, and he’s willing. He’s a single man with no female relatives to account to, so we are getting married.”

“But, think of the consequences. He gets to share some of your rights not to mention the – the stigma. Won’t it affect your position at work?”

“I’ve had the law checked by a good lawyer and examined by a judge for a legal opinion. We can marry and we are going to.”

“Are you aware that you’ll have to share common property rights?”

“Ye-ess. Charlie actually owns a remote derelict cottage and we intend to do it up together. It’s unfit for habitation as yet so the feminista can’t confiscate it, and by the time it’s habitable, we’ll be married so they can’t confiscate my half. I might even be pregnant by then and then they can’t touch the house at all, I’ll be a pregnant mother.”

“A married, pregnant mother! How extraordinary!” Mrs Anston exclaimed.

“Quaint even, - but we’ll get by.” Chloe grinned slightly pugnaciously. “I can’t lose my job; I’ve checked the law and I know for certain that you’ll not want to lose Charlie. In fact you can’t lose him can you. Government retention order I believe.”

“Retention order or not, we certainly don’t want to lose Charlie!”

“Well that’s settled then. I’ve got all my ducks in a row; Charlie and I will be getting married at the end of this academic semester. I’m attached to the Institute anyway so the holidays will be an excellent chance for a honeymoon.”

“A what?”

“A honeymoon. It’s like a long holiday after the wedding for a man and a woman to grow to understand each other.”

“Really; how unusual. So you’ll not be using a sperm bank.”

“Certainly not. I think you’ll agree that Charlie is possibly one the best sperm banks a lady could own. He’s got looks, and brains; plenty of brains!”

“Indeed he has. Have you considered tha fact that your starving the gene pool of his genes?”

“He refuses to donate sperm anyway, he’s old fashioned insofar as he believes a man should know his children.”

“I think that’s a bit selfish, don’t you. Other women I’m sure would want his sperm.”

“Oh. That’s not a problem, he’s only got one stipulation.”

“And that is?”

“Women must agree that he donates his sperm to them in person, that is, he knows where his sperm is going. He’ll know his children, and they will be able to find him and know him in later life.”

“By conventional artificial insemination I hope.”

“Of course, only my babies, that is OUR babies will be conceived by the old fashioned route; the natural route!”

“How delightful. You’ll be the talk of the town, the country no less. It won’t be nice talk though.”

“We know that. Fortunately, his little cottage is fairly isolated so the rag-tops won’t be able invade our privacy.”

“It all sounds very primitive.”

“It probably is, but it’s our primitive. – And our privacy.”

“Well, all I can say is good luck and stay safe. I’m worried that there might be feminista mobs ready to hound you at every turn.”

“We’ll cross that bridge . . . . .”

“When you come to it I suppose.” Mrs Anston finished.

“Got it in one. Ah, I see Charlie’s car is waiting outside the gate. I’ve got to go; we’ve got an important dinner tonight.”

“Well go on then. Don’t let me stop you.”

Chloe paused and squinted perspicaciously.

“Am I getting vibes. You don’t entirely disapprove do you?”

“Now, now Chloe. Let’s not be getting political.”

Chloe left with a tight knowing smile pinching her cheeks.

At the main gate she met Charlie and several knowing smirks from other workers.

“Just follow my car darling. We can chat when we’re out of here.”

She did just that and they drove until they were at Ronnie’s garage. There, he paused and stepped into the garage shop. Ronnie’s sister Pauline was sitting behind the counter while her son was leaning on the counter writing into an exercise book. He nervously slipped it under the counter until he realised it was his ‘uncle Charlie’. Pauline reddened slightly as she realised Charlie had caught her red handed giving her son some sort of extra lesson.

“Can you do me a favour Pauline?”

“Sure. What is it?”

“Can we hide Chloe’s car in your garage for tonight.”

“Oooh. Do I hear wedding bells.”

Charlie simply blushed and smiled as Pauline told her son.

“Tell uncle Ronnie that Charlie and Chloe are here.”

The boy trotted around the back to his uncle’s workshop while Charlie reassured Pauline.

“I’m glad to see your giving him extra lessons. If he ever needs help you know Chloe or I will help. Where’s Briony.”

“Oh getting ready for tonight.”

“No she’s not,” Ronnie corrected as he craned is neck, “she’s sitting in the car with Chloe.”

Both Pauline and Charlie simply smiled then Ronnie appeared with his nephew.

“You want to hide the car?”

“Please just for the night.”

“Bring it round the back and I’ll put it inside the workshop.”

“Thanks see you later. I see Briony’s made a new friend and she’s already dressed for tonight. Shall we take her up to the house. She can help prepare the food.”

“She’d like that.”

The cars were quickly sorted and Briony chatted away eagerly to Chloe as Charlie drove. Once at the house, preparations were quickly completed and by seven, Ronnie and the rest of his ‘family’ arrived. By pre-arrangement, he left his car blocking the crossing and they walked up to the house.”

“I saw a couple of nosey ‘drive-by’s’ already. It’s already causing a stir.” Pauline observed as they reached the cottage.

“I’m sure it’ll get worse. News travels fast.” Chloe sighed.

“I could make you an iron gate for the crossing. It’ll keep people away from the house. Can’t block the lane though.”

“We could if we bought the woods and water meadow on the other side. Then vehicular access would only be required by us.” People could walk of course but cars would have to wait by Ronnie’s fore-court.” Chloe opined.

“We could charge for parking, Pauline laughed.

“I refuse to be a specimen in a zoo. Charlie declared. Come on, it’ll be a tight squeeze in the van but this won’t happen again until there’s a roof on the house and we’re married.”

They gathered in the mobile home and the pre-prepared food was quickly served with wine which Charlie’s kids delighted in. The evening was a complete success and in front of Charlie and Pauline, Charlie and Chloe exchanged rings.

“Is that all there is? Are you married now, Pauline’s youngest daughter Gemma asked.
“No, we’re engaged,” Chloe explained. “You can come to the wedding when we do get married.”

Then the rest of the diners took their drinks outside while Charlie gave Bryony her maths lesson. By ten p.m., the party was over and the guests well-wished the newly engaged couple a happy night. By eleven Charlie was surprised and yet delighted when a soft curvy form slid into his bed and spooned into him.

“This is nice. I’ve been wanting to do this since I first saw you. Shall we do it tonight, - you know?” Chloe whispered

“Wait til we’re properly married. Let’s not make any complications that might stymie things. We’ve got this far without any foul ups.” Charlie replied.

ooo000ooo.

The smell of bacon and eggs disturbed Chloe from her slumbers as she stretched luxuriously and peeked out through the curtain to see the morning mist gathered in the little valley of the stream.

“Mmmm. You know how to waken a girl. Tasty breakfast and a gorgeous view.”

“I’ve got a better view,” he chuckled and she quickly tugged her nighty over her pantied bum.

She blushed as she smiled and he expanded.

“Now an even better view, - a beautiful smile.”

“Stoppit.” She protested as she saw her breakfast already served.”

“Mmmm. Well if we start as we mean to go on, I can live with this.”

“Who’s showering first. I’m afraid it’s too small to share.”

“You go first, I need to put my face on as well.”

He did as suggested and they left for work on schedule. Pauline had already put Chloe’s car out on the forecourt so there was no delay and Chloe arrived unusually early for work. She decided to do some more analysis and her boss the professor was surprised when she arrived at eight.

“What brings you out so early Chloe?”

Chloe smiled enigmatically.

“Oh! I see. So you’re going ahead then. You stayed over I presume. Did he hurt you? Was he rough?”

“I stayed over and he didn’t hurt me. In fact we didn’t do it. He says he want’s to wait until we’re properly married.”

“What! Are you trying to tell me that, -“

“Exactly that! He didn’t pester me or bully me or anything. I even suggested it but that’s what he said, - - - ‘wait until we’ve tied the knot.”

“You’ve got an odd one there girl.”

“No! I’ve got a rare one. Did you ever sleep with a man?”

“Good gracious no!”

“Have you ever woken up in the arms of a man, or even a woman?”

“Don’t be rude!”

“Well when you’ve curled up and felt an arm just lightly draped around you and a hard muscular belly pressing against your bum, don’t you try to tell me what’s good or bad about sharing a bed.”

“What? You spooned together?”

“Yes!”

“Did you not feel - - - you know, his penis, you know; trying to . . . ugh!”

“I felt it, but it certainly wasn’t attacking. It felt quite nice; through my panties that is. Just pressed gently against my bum. I’m going to ask him to show me what it looks like, when next we sleep together.”

“But you’ll have seen the pictures during you hygiene lessons. It’s not a pretty site is it.”

“It may look ugly, but it didn’t feel ugly. I’ve never ever felt one, to handle I mean. I certainly felt one with my bum last night and it felt good. I can’t wait to go the whole way but he’s for waiting.”

“He’s just tantalising you. Playing with you.”

“Well if that was playing last night, then … play up, … play up …and play the game, is what I say.”

The professor looked stunned.

“You’re saying he wasn’t rough or ‘urgent’!”

“No, he was as gentle as a lamb. Like a lion, playing with a lioness . . . and I liked it! I can’t wait!”

“I think I’d like to meet this man.”

“But does he want to meet you?”

“I’m a geneticist Chloe, I’d like to see what makes him tick.”

“Oh for God’s sake! It was his mother that moulded him, not his genome. He’s got his father’s genes as well but what do we know of his father, - or his father’s genes. He will never know and you will never know. Just another sperm donor – from the bank!”

“You’re letting emotions run away with you.”

“And which emotions would those be, love, hate, fear, joy, anger, resolve, happiness, sadness? D’ you know, last night, I was truly happy. The happiest I have been since the day the school forced us to separate and follow different paths.

Yes; we were at junior school together, happy, happy children, until! Until! Now please professor, I’d like to do some worthwhile work. Sorting the stuff he slammed us with over the weekend. Stuff that’s left us all floundering; - and afraid I’ll wager.”

“Well, yes. It is a worry,” the professor agreed, glad to change the subject. “Carry on with what your doing. Have you spoken to him any more about it?”

“No. He says, - rightly I believe – that he’s done his bit. Only the feminista can carry the baton now.”

“So what’s he doing now? Wasting his time repairing aeroplanes I suppose.”

“Don’t let Mrs Anston hear you say that, and she’s got the ear of the prime-minister.”
An attitude like that could wreck our funding and my job.”

The professor stalked away. The girl had spoken the truth and it was very hard to swallow.

ooo000ooo

That evening, Chloe went home alone and didn’t see Charlie until the weekend. When she drove up in the mid-afternoon of Friday, she was excited to see Charlie and Ronnie and a gang of builders finally re-roofing the cottage. Charlie made her welcome and when she took a tray of tea, coffee and biscuits out to the builders they showed their appreciation in the typical builder’s fashion. Chloe began to see what her professor boss meant about ‘men’.

The builders were not rude to her but their constant ribald chit-chat and banter did not endear them to her. There was a constant undertone of soft judgement even though they were not talking about her. The innuendoes and asides somehow crept up to the threshold of discomfort but never crossed it. Eventually after the second tray of teas and coffees Chloe mentioned it privately to Charlie.

To her horror, Charlie promptly climbed up the ladder and collectively addressed the team. Chloe had plainly heard his words addressed to them and the men fell silent as they got the message. When he returned down the ladder the men resumed working but with far less banter.

“I could never had said that to them.”

“It’s not what you say darling, it’s the way that you say it.”
When she emerged with the third round of tea and coffee, instead of calling them down, she boldly climbed the ladder with the full mugs in a domestic hand crate and deposited them on the wall plate as the only level place.

“Oh thank you Mrs Sage, you’re an angel.”

“I’m neither Mrs Sage nor am I an angel and thanks for toning it down gentlemen.”

The mood immediately lightened as several of the builders who where re-pointing the chimney-breasts, tipped their hats to her with the points of their trowels. Chloe was shocked by how much the whole atmosphere had been discharged of tension. When she reached ground level again, Charlie was loading tiles in a hod and he paused to observe.

“You seem happier, I’m glad.”

“Your chat worked wonders.”

“And your meeting them half-way (up the ladder that is,) impressed them. It meant they didn’t have to stop work and waste time. They’re on piece-work so they appreciate little things like that. They probably thought you were a ‘stuck-up bitch’ bitch at first, what with turning up in a posh car and all. Your ladder thing impressed them, but please, don’t take risks.”

Chloe felt a warm thrill of satisfaction. By dint of one simple action, she had got them eating out of her hand. Men were so easy to please.

“Are they working tomorrow?”

Yes and Sunday morning but it looks bad for Sunday afternoon. We’ll suck it and see. We’re trying to get the roof finished this weekend. Once the house has got it’s hat on, things will start to move.”

“I’ll make sure I’ve got plenty of biscuits in.”

“That’ll always work, and take note, builders are hungry bastards.”

She grinned at his advice and promptly set off down the lane to buy a large tin of assorted biscuits. In the shop, she chatted with Pauline.

“More rubber-necks been around I’m afraid. It looked like the feminista warriors.
“Well, we’ve got a load of builders in so they’ should stay away.”

“Oh I don’t think they’ll be violent; it’ll be mostly flags and shouting if they do.”

“Well, if they step onto our land, they’ll be guilty of trespass.”

“Why so many biscuits?” Pauline asked.

“A tip from Charlie. Armies march on their stomachs. It’s like feeding time at the zoo up there.”
“It’ll pay off tenfold,” Pauline advised. “If there’s one thing builders like, it’s women being generous with treats.”

“As I’m finding out.” Chloe grinned.

“Just make sure they know where your preferences lie.”

“No problem there. See you Saturday evening, probably another box of biccies.”

When she got back the builders were packing up and she gave them a wave as the first van left before she entered the mobile home. Immediately, she put two TV dinners in the microwave and took out three mugs of tea for Charlie, Ronnie and the foreman as they were examining the drawings. Then she left them to their ‘man’s stuff’ as she opened her laptop.

As darkness finally arrived, she savoured the thought of the shared bed and cuddles. There they chatted and planned until midnight.

Saturday caught the both of them completely unawares. They awoke to find their lane completely blocked with Feminista protesters with banners condemning ‘backward steps’ and a whole swathe of assorted slogans ranging from women’s rights and primitive ceremonies to gender terrorism. The protesters had even spilled over Charlie’s ford and taken station on his side of the stream.
Naturally, the two of them called the police and eventually a pair of police officers managed to struggle through the chanting, screaming crowds and reach the crossing. There they found it impossible to cross to Charlie’s side and Chloe refused to let Charlie risk some sort of incident with the screaming mob of feminista warriors. The police had even failed to prevent the mob encroaching further up to the house almost to the bottom slope of Charlie’s newly sculpted terrace.

It took another four hours until fourteen hundred, before the police managed to provide an effective cordon.

“So”. Chloe demanded of the senior inspector. How are you going to protect this man’s property and even his life.”

“Well he’s rather brought it upon himself.” She observed somewhat irately.

Chloe clearly felt the Inspector’s antagonism and replied somewhat more forcefully.

“How? He has not broken any laws. Nor have I for that matter.”

“He’s transgressed rather a lot of well-established taboos.”

“But broken no laws.” Chloe repeated. “And you’re not prepared to uphold the law.”

“There is a dangerous situation developing here, somebody could easily get hurt.”

“So what do you intend to do about it.”

“We might have to evacuate you two by helicopter.”

“To where? This mob can spring up anywhere in Britain.”

“Well, away from here for starters.”

“And who’s going to protect our property, my soon to be home?”

“You’ll have to hire security.”

“Against this mob.”

“I’m afraid so.”

“It would dozen’s of security staff. A hundred even.”

“My job is to get you to safety.”

At this juncture, Charlie who had been respectfully keeping a low profile by the house, approached Chloe and invited her into their mobile home.

“What is it darling?”

“I’ve got a way that can get us out of here, but I’ve got to have your promise.”

“You’ve already got my promise, just as I’ve got yours. We’re engaged to be married.”

“Right. Ask the inspector to give us a couple of days to find a place of refuge, and we can promise her we’ll be out of here by Sunday night.”

“How. We’ll never get the cars or the Mobile home through that lot. They’ve blocked the lane with cars all the way to Ronnie’s garage.”

“Trust me darling. We can do it. Just ask the inspector to give us two days’ notice and we hope to find a safe refuge by Sunday night. They can send the helicopter for us on Monday morning.”

“How?”

“Trust me darling. Just try to get the inspector to agree.”

“Ooooh-kay!” Chloe agreed. “I’ll try.

The inspector listened to Chloe’s plea then demanded to speak ‘that man’!”
“So, Sage! Miss Carpenter tells me you have some sort of plan.”

Charlie rankled at the bald use of his name without any respectful title but, as he had done all his life. He swallowed his pride and explained.

“Inspector. I’ve spoken to a friend who’s prepared to offer me a safe place until this business is sorted - through the court.”

“I don’t think you’ll have much success there Sage. You and Miss Carpenter have trampled over some deeply rooted customs and conventions.”
“We have not broken any laws inspector.” Charlie repeated.

“I’ll concede that. The public prosecutor has confirmed that. I can arrange for the helicopter to be here by Monday.”

“All I want to do, is secure the site and try and protect my property from vandalism. I need to move my building equipment and cars into the barn. If any of these protesters break into my barn, they’ll be guilty of breaking and entry. If they steal anything. It’ll be burglary.”

“Very well. You’ll have to show your insurance company that you have taken reasonable steps to protect your property.”

“Yes indeed inspector. I will.” Can your secure my cottage? I’ll accept trespass onto my little field and the water meadow. But can you protect my house until Monday.”

“Yes. The helicopter can be here to collect you and Miss Carpenter at noon on Monday.”

“Thank you. I’ll start putting my stuff in the barn and then I’ll fortify it and secure it as much as I can.”

“Be my guest.”

“No inspector. You are my guest; this is my home.”

“Not for much longer it Seems.”
“Indeed inspector. I’m going to secure my stuff now.”

As the inspector started explaining the situation into his radio Charlie gave Chloe’s sleeve a gentle tug to get her to follow him into the mobile home or ‘van’ as he often referred to it.

Chloe’s eyebrows wrinkled in puzzlement.

“What’s going on.”

Charlie just motioned with his eyes to the mobile home.

Inside the van, Charlie sat her down, took a deep breath and explained.

“Now darling, you know that everybody seems to think I’m some sort of wierdo whizz kid who’s a genius with electronics.”

“Ye-ees,” Chloe agreed. “I tend to agree with them, sometimes.”

“Yeah, well that’s as may be. No offence taken. Come into the barn with me.”

Chloe trudged after Charlie while giving the inspector a passing smile then she entered the barn. Charlie switched on a wandering lead and the generator chugged into life but even in the dark shadow she could see what looked like an armoured shape like the mobile home.”

“What’s this?”

“It’s an outer coat for Doris my mobile home.”

“Doris!” Chloe spluttered.”

“Don’t laugh. I’ve been working on this each night since we had Ronnie’s kid here on Tuesday.”

“So what’s it supposed to do?”

“I’ll show you. Firstly, I’ll bring your car into the barn to protect it. Then I’ll reverse Doris into position onto this shell. Next I use my digger to lift that shaped plate on top and secure the shell in place like an outer skin for Doris.”

“D’ you mean like making some sort of Tank?” Chloe hazarded as she fingered the 15mm thick shaped metal carapace. Don’t tell me you’re thinking of smashing your way down the lane. There’s about a hundred cars there. You’ll never do it! Besides, this thing must way a ton!”

“About five tons altogether but that’s not a problem.”

“Go on. I’m intrigued.”

“Good, I like that in a person. Let’s put you car in first then Doris then my little beloved baby, the car that wades through floods.”

“You’re telling me something here aren’t you?”

“Watch and listen, Go and get your car and reverse into that spot at the back of the barn. I’ll follow you in with Doris. Tell the inspector your just putting your car safe until stuff blows over.”

Chloe did as requested and Charlie started the mobile home after disconnecting the mains drainage and power cable. Once Chloe was parked as he asked, he carefully reversed Doris so that she sat between the sides and backed right up to the end plate of the carapace. Chloe did a double take as she recognised that Doris now sported a thick outer skin of heavy steel plate.

“Bloody Hell. She IS like a tank. I see the cut-outs for the wheels.

“Waite and see.” Charlie grinned. I’ve got to lift that top plate with the boom of the digger. You’d better get your work gloves and jeans out of Doris and get changed. You’re going to be a steel erector.”

“Ooooh! Can’t wait,” she smirked irreligiously.”

“Just get ready with that little step ladder and this podger.”

“What’s this for?”

“When I suspend the roof plate over Doris. You use the podger to stick into a suitable bolt hole and we use it to locate the roof to match the long corner bolts sticking up from the sides.”

“Why are they so long?”

“I have to then lift the main carapace off the ground to fit tight to Doris’s under side.

“Will the digger lift it.

“Yes, just, I’ve tried it.”

“Okay, I follow you.”

It proved easier than Charlie had anticipated and he had good cause to thank Ronnie and his excellent steel fabrication skills, not to mention his discretion and probity. Chloe had a huge grin on her face when she scrambled down the step ladder and reported with a mock ‘Benny Hill salute.

“Arrll, ship shape an’ Brizzle Fashion cap’n. Roof fastened securely!”

“Very good, admiral” Now let me show you the secrets of this magical craft.”

“I’m fascinated.” She remarked.

“Have a look under there, what do you see.”
“Chloe bent down and peered between the spaces between the chassis and the heavy bottom pates. While Chloe had been tightening down the roof plate, Charlie had been underneath bolting the belly plate and side plates securely to the chassis and some outriggers that had clearly been pre-installed on Doris. Chloe realised that Charlie had been working on Doris the mobile home for months but it was all under the skin and initially in visible. Only now was the final thick outer plate apparent. Doris was firmly encased in the massive, armoured shell.

As Chloe bent down to look at the strange discs set like a series of large white barnacles under a ship’s hull, Charlies eyes drifted covetously to her shapely bum.

“God forgive me!” He sighed, “Just a week or two and she’ll put it on my finger.” His silent prayer however gained volume and she got up to ask him.

“What about your finger.” She asked.

“Oh damn!” He chuckled.

“Well? What about it?”

“I was offering up a private prayer, a very private prayer.”

“To whom? I thought you were pretty much an atheist.”

“I am. It was a very private prayer.”

“Am I allowed to hear it.”

“It cant do any harm I suppose.”

“Go on then. No secrets now. We’re getting married in two months.”

“I was praying to the goddess of love.”

“Why?”

“Just then; when you bent under Doris. Your bum looked delicious. I was praying for the day when you put your ring on my finger – and I put mine on yours for that matter.”

“That’s nice. I’m finding it hard to wait as well.”

“Yeah, it’s a bummer. By the way, have you spoken to your mum?”

“Never mind that. What are those barnacle things under Doris?”

“They’re anti-gravity disks. Doris can fly.”

“Your joking!!!”

“Give me an hour in the meantime can you bring my little ‘go-anywhere’ mini machine into the barn. Then I’ll show you.”

She did as requested after explaining to the police inspector that all their property was going to be secured in the barn and they were going to fasten a substantial steel strap to lock the door.

“Good Idea Miss Carpenter. Have you secured everything yet.”

“A couple of hours, he’s putting our most treasured items in the middle of the pile and covering them with a heavy tarpaulin. Then we’ll lock the barn. You can only get in if you smash the locks or break into the house and enter via the connecting door.”

“So where will you be hiding out?” The inspector asked.

“He hasn’t said yet. His friend Ronnie from the garage is organising it. He’ll give the police the location in the morning, meanwhile, we sleep in the Mobile Home inside the barn”

“Very well. I’ll leave a couple of officers to guard the perimeter. I don’t anticipate any trouble. They’re already beginning to lose interest and I’ve seen lots of cars leaving. There’s heavy rain tonight so lots more will probably leave in dribs and drabs.”

“All through the night I suppose, when their tents begin to leak or get flooded.” Chloe grinned.

“Flooded?” The inspector asked nervously.”

“Yes. Those idiots who’ve pitched their tents down in that corner, it’s a water meadow and invariably floods to about a couple of feet when it rains. They’ll be washed out but not drowned. Silly buggers.” They deserve it anyway, for driving me and my future husband from our future home.”

The inspector smirked. She had better places to be than a soaking farm yard on a Saturday night.
“I’ won’t tell them then, until I see the field flooding. Roust everybody out just as the water pours in. Three in the morning should be just about nice. Pandemonium when everybody’s sleeping their deepest.”
And they say worse is to follow tomorrow afternoon.”

“Thank you inspector. I couldn’t agree more. See you in the morning then.

Inside the huge barn, Charlie was just completing the conversion of Doris and Chloe had just cooked some tasty ready-meals. He settled on a straw bale to eat as he explained.

Both my car and Doris have got joy sticks that control the antigravity pads. Move the joystick in any direction and both the car and the mobile home move in that direction. After this food I’ll show you in the car. It’s really easy.”

“What about Doris?”

“I’ll move her. She’s a bit bigger and clumsier and this is your first time. Once we’re outside, the sky’s the limit. You can have a go with Doris. They’re both easier than a car, honestly.

ooo000ooo

Chapter 10.

After finishing the pound-meals they cleaned up all signs of food to deter rats in the barn then Charlie smiled at Chloe and asked.

“Are you ready to take your first lesson in anti-gravity levitation and control.”

“You are serious aren’t you?”

“Never more serious. It’s so easy you can do it here inside the barn.”

Chloe felt a vicarious thrill as she realised the importance of this event. She was about to be inducted as the second ever pilot of an antigravity device that, if her reckoning was right, could very soon be adapted to take her to the moon.

‘Early days yet, Chloe my girl’. She pinched herself to make sure she was not dreaming ‘but this has got to be the most stupendous event in the ascent of woman. Reach for the stars girl! Reach for the stars.’

She reached out to her intended companion and hugged him tightly as he opened the driver’s door and invited her to sit in the cheap, canvas seat that reflected the minimalist, frugality associated with all products designed for men. Their low wages allowed for only the cheapest, and simply built, utilitarian goods. Her own expensive car was a far cry from Charlie’s run-about.

Once she was seated, Charlie reached into the trunk and produced a joy-stick’ As he settled into the passenger seat, he peeled back a small square of tired and worn out carpet and inserted the base of the joystick into the exposed socket. Then he produced a long, complicate key and pushed it into a lock at the base of the stick. This done he looked into her eyes and smiled.

“Right beloved. Get ready for the ride of your life. There’s a button down the side of your seat. I hid it down there so nobody would see it. Nobody would steal a shabby old wreck like this anyway, but it pays to be cautious. Have you found it.?”

“Not yet, hold on. Aah. This is it I think. It’s well hidden.”

There was the slightest of clicks and the battery-driven little car quietly hummed into life.

“It’s very quiet. She observed.”

“Yes, it’s very low powered. Now take the joystick and gently squeeze the little trigger on the pistol grip. This will cause her to Rise. Do it very gently with slow easy movements. We don’t want to burst through the barn roof.”

Chloe took hold of the pistol grip and cautiously squeezed the trigger. To her delight the little car started to rise very slowly until she eased the trigger then it stopped as solid as a rock about a meter off the floor.

“Now if you see the button for your thumb. Gently press that and she’ll lower again.”
Chloe did so and it was easy. The car descended until it touched the ground with a gentle bump.

“The joystick can be operated from either side; the only difference is that you have to flick the button over to use the other hand. It suites left or right handed people.”

Chloe carefully repeated the procedure several times until she was happy. Charlie watched her then explained.

“You’ve got two ways to change direction. Push the stick forward to go ahead, pull it back to go astern push it sideways to go sideways. The moment you take pressure off she stops moving. Try that.”

Chloe carefully did as instructed and watched with satisfaction as the car did exactly as she expected.

“This is simplicity itself she giggled.”

“Finally, to turn the car just twist the joystick left or right.” Charlie finished.

As the hovered two metres above the ground, she did as instructed and the car promptly turned. If she held the stick in the twist position, the car simply kept rotating.

“Oh my Gaawd! This is incredible, and so light to touch. A child could do this!”

“Our children I hope.”

She released the joystick and leant across to kiss him. He responded in kind and their lips met for the first time over the centre console. As she pressed to keep kissing he suddenly released his embrace.

“Careful love, your leg is pushing the joystick forward and sideways.

“Oops!” She giggled as the joystick flicked back to dead centre and the car stopped moving towards the side of the barn.

“You’d better do a few circuits inside the barn to get really familiar. I’m going to do some final checks to Doris.”

“Shouldn’t you give this dear little car a name as well.”

“You think of a name. I’m going to run final checks on Doris, I’ve never flown her with heavy armour. I think she’ll be slow and clumsy.”

They each did their stuff and by one in the morning, they were ready for bed. Chloe once again savoured the tender delight of a protective embrace while never once having to fend off Charlies penis, even though she could feel the hardness through her panties and nighty

At four they were suddenly woken by a monstrous crash of thunder and within seconds Charlie was peering out of the door.”
“This is exactly what I hoped for. It’s raining stair rods and it’s pitch black and nobody will see us leaving. I’ll open the doors; you take the car out and wait just below the cloud base. That little screen is a proximity detector. If we lose each other in the clouds these babies will enable us to rendezvous. I’ll follow you up with Doris but I’m going to secure the Barn and make it look as though we crept away on foot. Give me a few minutes.”

Chloe did as advised and took station below the cloud base to look down as Charlie eased Doris out of the barn. Then he parked Chloe’s smart saloon immediately behind the doors of the barn to make it look as though all the vehicles were still in the barn. Finally she watched him lock the barn securely and then ascend silently to take station behind her. Through the front windscreen he waved is mobile phone at her and she dialled him.

“We can use these like radios just to get away from here, then we’ll find a safe place to land and hide Doris. I’m thinking Ronnie’s workshop eventually. He knows what I’ve been doing to Doris, but he’s no idea Doris can fly. Do you want to lead or follow?”

“I’ll follow. Where are we going?”

“I know a place where we can his Doris, then we can return here with the care as though nothing has happened.”

“Poppy”

“What? Charlie wondered.
“The car. I’ve called your car Poppy.”

“Oh the car. Poppy. Yes that suites, sounds like a little girl’s name. Poppy. Yes Poppy’s nice. Okay follow me using the proximity locater. The red ‘X’ on the screen should remain within the blue circle. That puts us about twenty metres apart. It doesn’t matter if we’re in thick cloud provided we remain low. The heavy rain will hide us from any radar. We’ll go slowly about fifty knots and we’ll be well clear by dawn.”

Chloe remained fixated on the proximity indicator and Charlie grinned as he watched his screen. Chloe was stuck to him like glue. At dawn, Charlie landed in a remote piece of dense woodland and Chloe followed him down. As she joined him for a simple breakfast he frowned as he studied Doris.

“She should be okay here until this afternoon. Eventually, I’m going to have to paint her the same colour as she is underneath then she’ll be roughly approximate to her log book. We’ll leave her here until this afternoon. Finish your breakfast and we’ll return to Ronnie’s”

“I wish this rain would stop?”

“I don’t. It makes us invisible and people don’t usually look up much. Heavy rain blinds radar and we can hide in a thick cloud with rain.

Helicopters and aeroplanes avoid thunder clouds like the plague. Come on, back to Ronnie’s. If this rain keeps up, the water-meadows will have flooded and hopefully the rent-a-mob will have packed up and gone home.”
Chloe grinned.

“Can I fly Poppy to Ronnie’s?”

“Sure. We land somewhere un-noticed in this rain then drive the rest of the way. We turn up at Ronnie’s, check out the situation and if it’s okay we drive up to the house. If the police ask where we’ve been, we simply say we escaped in the mayhem of the storm. It was pitch black and pissing down. It would have been pandemonium with those mothers and kids in the water meadow. The police will have to take our word for it. You might also recover your car from the barn.”

As they flew through dense low clouds alternating between high and low stratocumulus, Chloe was growing more and more confident and excited with Poppy’s amazing ability.

“I’m getting to like Poppy. She’s got character.”

“You mean she’s got antigrav!” Charlie chuckled.

“Well yes. That as well.”

Charlie looked down then pointed.

“That’s a good place to land. Drop through the forest canopy, thread between the trees then land on that lane where the trees hide the road. There’s no houses here.”
“This going to be fun,” Chloe grinned. “I Hope nobody’s about.”
“In this rain.” Charlie shrugged. “I hope so too. If they’re sensible they should be indoors.”

And they were.

Chloe landed without any incident through the trees and she gave herself a ‘pat on the back’ as Charlie smiled.

“You’re getting the hang of this.”

“What now, straight to Ronnie’s?” she asked.

“Yes. You’re an ordinary car now, albeit a bit of an old banger.”

“Some banger!” Chloe chuckled. “Eye teeth an ‘all!”

“Don’t worry partner of mine. I’ll modify your car next.”

“You’d better,” Chloe giggled and they drove to Ronnie’s garage in rare good humour.

ooo000ooo

“The police are looking for you.”

“We got out early this morning in that storm.” Chloe told half the truth.

“Oh yeah. The great skid-addle! It was pandemonium here at four o’clock and the silly buggers had the cheek to come looking for Pauline to open the shop. Drowned rats, dozens of em.” We told them to bugger off after the trouble they caused you, - and us for that matter; they broke our ice-cream spinner sign and damaged Billy’s bike. Some bastard tried to break the lock on it.”

“Thanks Ronnie.” Chloe replied. “Tell Billy I’ll sort his bike out for all the shit you guys had to take.”

“It’s all done. I am a car and tractor mechanic you know.”

“Even so.” Chloe insisted. “We owe you for the trouble, and the help.”

“We’re going up to the house to collect Chloe’s car. We couldn’t risk trying to get that through the mob. You know how jealous and vindictive those bastards can be.”

“You should be okay. That inspector left as soon as the stampeding herds had gone. She asked if we’d seen you, we hadn’t, but we weren’t looking. I think there’s a copper or two still up there.”

“Okay. We’re going up there now. See you later no doubt.”

“Not if that rain storm comes back, that’s the forecast. Beaks under blankets and all that.”

Charlie and Chloe went to the house and met two police looking pretty miserable with their duty.
“Hello officers, have the rent-a-mob gone?”

They assured Chloe that the place was clear and called the inspector on their radios. After a brief chat, Charlie thanked the inspector for their work and she stood her two officers down, After the police had shared some hot drinks and biscuits they left. Charlie waited until the forecasted storm broke and once again they recovered Doris to park her up, back in the barn.

“So! “ Chloe expostulated as she finally slumped onto the ‘wrap-around-couchette in the rear of Doris, and let out a long, relieved sigh.

“D’you want a nap?” Charlie asked, “cos I do.”

“Yeah. I could sleep for a week!” Chloe responded. “Why won’t these busy-bodies just leave us alone.”

“I think we’re getting there. So far, only you and I know about the anti-gravity engines. Let’s try and keep it that way”

“What happens when we fly. It’s pointless going out only when it’s pissing down with rain and besides, somebody’s bound to see us eventually.”

“I don’t know,” Charlie confided. This is the only practical form of escape I can find that works. All other endeavours keep bringing me full circle to meet and have to face my situation.”

“But your situation has never changed since school days. You’ve been virtually chained to your bench on the workshop floor at Anston Aerospace from the day you left school.”

“Well today things have changed. Not sure how much, not sure how far but this is the first small step.”

Chloe sensed a distinct mood change in Charlie as she spooned tight into his embrace.

“Let’s fly this change together.” She whispered.

For an answer, Charlie gave her a quick soft squeeze before he drifted off to sleep.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 2

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

Mature / Thirty+

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

2nd Part of Feminist Queendom of Atlantica.

List of Characters.

Charlie’s War.

During the night, the predicted storm arrived and Chloe was grateful to be snuggled up and warm in Charlie’s embrace as the rain and hail rattled furiously on the steel roof of their barn. They could hear if even within the armoured skin of the mobile home

During the break of dawn there was a brief lull but when Chloe went outside the barn to check the state of the crossing. She frowned as she studied the several inches of water rushing across the ford.

“I should get my car across that shouldn’t I?” She asked Charlie.

“Can’t say,” Charlie replied, “you’d be surprised at how strong a few inches of water can be. Your car’s a light luxury sporty model.”

“But faithful little ‘Poppy’ can I suppose.”

“Anti-grav.” Charlie responded almost apologetically.

“How long before you can retrofit my car?”

“It depends on how quickly stuff turns up in the scrap bins at work. Usually I’ve got enough assorted materials within four to six weeks but that’s not guaranteed.”
“Can’t wait,” she sighed as she turned to go back into the barn, “I suppose you’ll have to run me in with Poppy.”

“Only until the effects of the storm are dried out. Tonight, you should be able to get your car across and then return to your feminista condominium. Until I’ve fitted some anti-grav discs to your car, we’re at the mercy of the weather and flooding if you choose to live here.”

“I could park the other side of the stream if the weather’s bad.”

“Yeah. I suppose that could work. Nobody ever comes up the lane, normally.”

“Let’s do that then.” Chloe decided as she joined Charlie in ‘Poppy’.

“I don’t suppose you’d ever fly to work.” Chloe wondered.

“Not in day-light. Could you imagine the riots it’d cause?”

“Yeah. It seems such a waste though. Able to fly and yet bound to earth by your obsession with secrecy.” Chloe lamented.

“I’m not ready to reveal stuff just yet. You know what would happen if the Feminista learned about Poppy, and as the for Doris, well it doesn’t bear thinking about.”

“Yeah, they’d try to weaponise her I suppose.”

“Exactly!” Charlie sighed. “More killing, more brutality.”

“But you know perfectly well, if the Eastern patriarchal countries ever gained the upper hand we’d be back to a patriarchy here with everything that entails. What’s worse it could end up as an eastern style patriarchy.”

“Yeah, well for now, the nuclear stalemate suit’s me. Provided anti-grave remains a secret until I am fully ready to protect myself and my inventions I can’t risk exposure,”

“Protect yourself! What about me?”

“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking. You’re included obviously. Sorry.”

“When you do get all your ducks in a row, where do you intend to live with your big secret?”

“That’s my biggest head-ache. Truth to tell I’ve even considered waiting until I’ve got Doris capable of going into space then going to live on Mars.”

“Mars!! Don’t be daft! You can’t live on Mars. You’d be condemned to permanently living in a space suit.”

“Yes. But I’d be free and living in a space suit.”

“If you seriously think I’d even think of living on Mars, you’ve got another thing coming. You’ve got to be off your trolley!”

“Well can you see an alternative? Do you think the Feminista will change their ways.”

Chloe let out a derisive snort.

“Of course, they’re going to have to change their ways. Your predictions have made that quite obvious.”

“Yes, but change into what. There are lots of options and from where I’m standing, very few of them involve male liberation. Most seem to point to some form of oppressive, compulsory eugenics.”

“They’re going to have to employ some sort of breeding programme anyway. Your maths has already established that.”

“A breeding programme organised by the feminista for the feminista, - no-oo thanks!” Charlie declared vehemently.

Chloe fell silent. She could not see a way forward. Charlie turned to speak after having stared thoughtfully across the valley.

“I’m as stumped as you are. For now, well, until I’ve modified your car, are you prepared to live in your femicondo?”

“Okay. We’ll just have to keep our relationship on the down-low and not draw attention to ourselves. D’ you think rent-a-mob will be back?”

“Well, winter’s coming and at least the water-meadows in front of the house and the stream crossing will be pretty wet. They can’t get around the back of the house without climbing down the quarry cliffs. We’re pretty safe at the back.”

“Yeah, you picked this place well didn’t you?” Chloe nodded.

“Forewarned is forearmed. Mum and I searched for months before we found this place. What I can do is fence off the gap between the base of the cliffs and the sides of the garden and possibly dig a moat with the digger.”

“Jeeze! Shades of Edward the first!”

“Who?” Charlie asked.

“Oh he was a king who built castles all over Wales as a defence against troublesome Welsh princes.”

Charlie shrugged; he’d never had a history lesson. Instead he made a move to leave.

“Come on, we’ll be late for work at this rate.”

Chloe joined him in Poppy and they left for work. After dropping Chloe off, Charlie just made it in time for his own work and he was just getting started when Mrs Anston appeared.

“Some sort of demonstration at your house over the weekend, I understand.”

Charlie nodded ruefully.

“Yes Ma-am, ‘rent-a-mob turned up protesting our relationship.”

“Is the house safe?”

“The builders are finishing off the roof and access is difficult because of the regular flooding. The water-meadows around my house discourage casual visitors.”

“Well, good luck with that. I suppose there’ll be more protests.”

“I’ll be securing my homestead during the next few nights.”

“Homestead!” Mrs Anston raised her eyebrow.

“Yes. I’ve got a small garden and the lower area floods in winter. We call it the water-meadow. It acts to prevent an overwhelming invasion.”

Mrs Anston grinned.

“Like Fort Apache, you mean?”

“I don’t know what fort Apache is Ma-am.” Charlie lied by playing dumb.

He never missed an opportunity to reveal his educational shortcomings especially when Mrs Anston knew that he was extremely intelligent, even if un-educated. The lady sighed as she reflected what a terrible waste Charlie’s life had been.

‘If only he’d been feminised as a child!’ She thought.

Charlie gloated silently as he noted Mrs Anston’s discomfort at the sense of loss. As the Manager stood there pondering, Charlie turned to start work by taking a faulty component off the conveyor belt and setting about checking it. Mrs Anston watched somewhat guiltily as she reflected on the problem of Charlie’s under-utilisation. She left engrossed in thought as she tried to find some way to solve the conundrum that was her most intelligent and most productive member of staff.

In the Genetics lab meanwhile, Chloe was getting the expected pressure from her boss to drop her relationship. All the regular arguments were wheeled out but Chloe had seen through them for the flawed logic they were. Instead, she engrossed herself in her work and ignored the bullying and uncalled for remarks. Charlie’s antigravity engine had given her the will and wherewithal to see it through.

‘One day Professor, you’ll live to regret your remarks!’ Chloe reflected.

In the evening as she was going home, the professor saw Chloe waiting by the college refectory and talking to the surgeon Josephine Flint. They were stood talking for long minutes until the professor recognised Charlie’s somewhat tired looking car arrive to collect Chloe. On arriving Charlie and the car waited until Chloe and Josephine had finished talking then eventually, the girls parted and Cloe joined Charlie. The professor wondered why Chloe should expose herself to yet more criticism by allowing herself to be seen being driven home by a man in what was obviously a shabby little ‘man’s car’.

The professor knew that Chloe owned a stylish, luxury, performance car, and she watched as the little ‘run-about’ slowly faded into the evening gloom.

As Josephine walked across the carpark to her own car, the professor intercepted her.

“Is she still determined to actually marry that man?” She asked Jo.

“Seemingly yes.” Jo answered, for by now, it had become common knowledge across the campus.

“I don’t understand the girl. She had such excellent prospects.”

“Her choice,” Josephine observed, “I don’t approve of course, like just about all the staff, but I can understand whet she sees in him.”

“And what would that be?” The professor wondered.

“The boy is remarkably intelligent.” Joe replied. “I crossed intellectual swords with him while treating his head-wound and I came off second best. He’s a very insightful person; far brighter than the average simian dullard.”

“Interesting. I’ve heard that from several sources now and he certainly exposed the flaws in the laws concerning sperm donation and collection. Do you know where she has gone with him now?”

“He’s taken her to his little cottage out in the sticks. She’s helping him renovate it but at the moment apparently, it’s still awaiting completion of its roof.” They’re living in a mobile home inside a barn.”
“Do you know where it is?”

“Yes, you take the main road north out of town for about fifteen miles until you come to a shop-cum-repair garage, with a lot of agricultural machinery outside. There’s a narrow lane by the garage where the stream exits under the bridge. The lane has high hedges and it is poorly maintained with deep potholes. Then there’s a ford across a stream at the boundary to his land.

His land backs onto a quarry face but the cottage is a very small, decrepit affair. Apparently, Chloe and her man Charlie hole up there, close their doors and discourage callers. ‘Us-against-the-world’ seems to be their view. Can’t say I blame them.”

“Good gracious. Do you approve?”

“I’m ambivalent towards the current climate of oppressive censure. If Chloe finds happiness, who am I to condemn her?”

“But it’s such a backward step, possibly back towards a patriarchy.”

“I’m not sure about a patriarchy, back to Neanderthal apes possibly.”

“That’s ridiculous. All we’ve got to do is tweak the laws surrounding breeding.”

“Like a zoo or farm-yard do you mean?” Josephine suggested ironically.

The professor stared at Josephine.

“Are you a rebel also?”

“I’m not sure what I am, but since that man’s mathematical predictions became common knowledge, I think lots of people are concerned.”

“There are lots of ways around the problem,” the professor challenged.

“Yes, but we have to ask ourselves why nobody discovered the flaws that he discovered. He’s exposed too many scientific weaknesses in the Feminista philosophy and as Chloe was just saying to me; his maths doesn’t lie.”

“Are you implying you might support her in this marriage thing?”

“I’ve been Chloe’s friend since college so I’d be a rotten friend if I refused to continue our friendship. If getting married makes her happy then I’ll at least witness her marriage. It’s best if she has a female witness present anyway, it reinforces the legality of their decision.”

“You’re showing all the flawed romanticism of the old days, when women entered into a contract that reduced or even destroyed what few rights and privileges they had.”

“Then so be it,” Josephine conceded dismissively. “If I’m being romantic about my friendship with Chloe, then call me a flawed romanticist.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, - or her!” The professor harrumphed irritably and Josephine took that as a que to take her leave.

Ooo000ooo.

The Feminine Queendom 3

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

College / Twenties

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 3.

List of Characters.

Chapter 3

When Charlie and Chloe arrived at the entrance to their high-hedged lane Charlie stopped at Ronnie and Pauline’s garage to purchase some essential groceries as well as checking with Ronnie to find out if any more Feminista ‘rent-a-mob’ protesters had been in evidence.

As they arrived in their little car young Billy came dashing out of the workshop to greet them. He followed them into the shop where Pauline greeted them with a reassuring smile as she confirmed.

“We haven’t seen a soul. The lane’s been quiet all day. Have you thought about putting a strong gate across the lane?”

“Well; no actually. Wouldn’t the farmer who owns the woods and pastures on the other side object?”

“Funny you should think that. He’s often mentioned making the lane and his land more secure but while your cottage was lying empty he had nobody to ask. D’ you want me to chat to him when next he comes in for supplies?”

“That would be brilliant.” Chloe interceded. “If he agrees, ask Ronnie to erect a strong gate; I’ll pay for it, money’s a bit tight for Charlie.”
Charlie turned to object but Chloe caught his eye and he stayed silent. Pauline explained as she added up the grocery bill.

“His name is Cutler and he only checks the land about once a week. Sometimes he runs a few store cattle on the paddocks but otherwise he pretty much leaves the land to its own. If you hear any gunshots, it’ll be him shooting over his woods. You’ll know when he’s there, he drives a beat up old Shogun.”

“Thanks for the head’s up. Is Ronnie in his workshop?”

“Here he is now,” Pauline nodded towards the yard as Ronnie crossed to the shop.

Charlie fell to chatting with Ronnie while Chloe chatted with Pauline about Briony’s progress with her maths. When all arrangements had been sorted, the pair returned to Poppy and Charlie suggested Chloe drive. Her eyebrows raised slightly in curiosity so Charlie explained.

“It’s easy simply flying through the open sky but keeping Poppy close to the ground so it looks as though she’s a normal car can be tricky. The best place to practice is in the lane. High hedges and lots of bends prevent people seeing what you’re doing. The trick is to hover with the wheels only an inch clear of the ground while appearing to be an ordinary car. Then you’ll never get stuck in mud.”

Chloe agreed and they quickly reached their cottage. There they parked Poppy inside the barn beside Doris the mobile home and very soon they were enjoying their dinner. Chloe stayed the night again but drove her own car to work at the university in the morning because the ford was easily passable. Charlie stopped off at Ronnie’s to finalise the new gate.

ooo000ooo

For the next couple of months, Chloe and Charlie only met at weekends to avoid causing too much contention. In particular, they avoided being seen driving together. So much so that Chloe’s boss the department professor actually pressed her.

“Are you still seeing that Charlie guy?”

Chloe nodded as she chewed her roll.

“Oh. I just hadn’t seen him around much these past few months.”

“We’re keeping it on the ‘down-low’,” Chloe explained, “when all the furore dies down, we’ll be getting married eventually. He wants to have a proper home ready so he can carry me over the threshold.”

“Huh! How quaint,” the professor riposted somewhat censoriously, “any other primitive customs you intend to re-invent?”

“Some,” Chloe replied defensively, “like my children knowing who their father is.”

The professor fell silent. The questions surrounding children and fathers were still contentious in some higher academic circles. Next she ventured.

“Has he got you labouring for him?”

“No, he’s got builder friends helping him. I help him with decorating and stuff but I enjoy that and consider it a labour of love. It's mental relaxation and gives me a break from my researches in genetics. Sometimes the brainwork can become a drudge.Z”

The deafening silence from the professor served to curtail the conversation and Chloe made her excuses. The professor’s intransigent bigotry was beginning to irk her.

‘Still,’ she reflected, ‘it was nice to think that by that weekend, Charlie had estimated he’d have her car fixed and she’d have ‘anti-grav’.

Her mood improved no end when Charlie texted her later that same day to confirm the fix and told her he’d meet her by the university hospital gates.

“So it’s ready!” She hugged herself as she reached over to kiss him.

“Careful love. Isn’t that your professor boss lady giving us the evil eye?”

“No matter!” Chloe replied. “Everybody can see that I kissed you. They can’t fake a male assault charge. Come on, I’m dying to see my car.”

They slipped away and then stopped at a large supermarket to buy a cheap bottle of champagne. Once at the cottage , Chloe hurried into the barn to test drive her car. Charlie followed her in with the champagne and two glasses then watched as Chloe carefully experimented. A wide grin split her face as she finally clambered out and took the proffered glass of bubbly.

“What are you going to name her?” Charlie asked.

“I’m calling her Lady. What d’ you think?”

“Sound’s good to me,” Charlie concurred, “are you going to christen her with some champagne?”

“Why not?” Chloe grinned. “They do it to ships.”

“Yeah, well let’s not be breaking the bottle over her, you’ll dent the bodywork.”

For an answer, Chloe simply refilled their glasses and had them both tip some champagne over the wind-screen before making another toast to ‘Lady’.

“Are we taking her out after dark?”

“Why not. It’s cloudy and dark enough and her midnight-blue colour suits.”

Glad that Charlie had proven not to be over-cautious about secrecy, Chloe cooked a celebratory supper, while Charlie did a bit more work on the house.

When they had finished supper it was dark enough to sally forth and Chloe eagerly took her beloved ‘Lady’ through her paces. Charlie settled comfortably in the passenger seat and enjoyed their sojourn high into the clouds until he noticed the cunningly disguised little altimeter showing seven thousand metres.

“You’re going to run out of oxygen if you go any higher darling.”

Chloe cursed softly as she opined.

“We’re going to have to get oxygen bottles.”

“Nah, it’ll have to be full-on space suits if you really want to do the space thing.”

“Are you able to make space-suits.” Chloe asked him

“I’ve never tried. I’ve been busy with the anti-grav. Come on, let’s descend to some anonymous forest or something and land secretly before we give Air Traffic Control a fit.”

“Will they have detected us?”

“I don’t know,” Charlie confessed. “Once or twice they might just put it down to anomalies, but if we keep appearing in the same skies regularly, they’re bound to come looking.”

“Bummer!” Chloe cursed. “Is there any way around it?”

“Well in the old days, aircraft used to fly very low to get underneath the radar. Then they tried using special coatings that absorbed the radar waves but that stuff’s expensive and hard to find. Our best bet for now is to fly low at night. Antigrav doesn’t make a noise so people will only notice us if they are looking up or we are reflecting light. Lady is painted matt-midnight-blue so she won’t show. Poppy is vivid yellow so there’s a bigger chance of being seen.

“What about these coatings.”

“They’re like an absorbent rubber coating. I’ve no idea where we could get hold of such stuff. If we can get some and if it actually works, we’d be on a winner.”

“How would you obtain some of this; what-‘you-ma-call-it’?” She pressed.

“I’ve heard it described as ‘RAM’ meaning; radiation-absorbent-material, but it seems that the manufacturers only deal with people who can demonstrate a legitimate need or use of the stuff. I wouldn’t get past first post as a man. They’d want to know what a man needed Radiation-Absorbent-Material for; him being just a ‘jumped-up labourer’ and all.”

Chloe fell silent and Charlie caught her mood.

“Are you thinking something -?” He looked at her with concern. “Don’t go getting yourself into trouble on my account. I’m sailing damned close to the wind as it is. If the feminista got wind of what I’m trying to do, I’d have a shit-load of trouble trying to describe my anti-grav as ‘just a hobby’.”

“Oh! Ain’t that the truth!” Chloe grinned. “And I’d be in trouble as well for being involved without declaring it.”

“You could plead ignorance.” Charlie hazarded.

“Ha!!” Chloe snorted ironically. “While driving around in an anti-gravity car. Yeah, that’ll work.”

Charlie turned his head aside to study Chloe’s car ‘Lady’ then nodded pessimistically.

“Yeah; you’re right. So what’s your idea.”

“Let me have a think about this and I’ll come back to you by the week-end.”

Having become the proud but secret owner of a ‘hover-car; or more correctly, an anti-gravity car; Chloe thoroughly enjoyed Charlie’s tight embrace that night. In the morning she decided to give him a treat by getting up first and making breakfast. The smell of bacon and eggs eventually woke Charlie and he appeared guiltily beside her.

“I’m the host here still. I should be cooking your breakfast.” He protested sleepily.

“I can see you’re tired. You’ve worked non-stop on the house and my ‘Lady’. You need to take a break.

“How? I have to show just cause or need to Mrs Anston.”

Chloe slammed the spatula down on the cooker irritably.

“How many days off have you had since you started working for Anston Aerospace?” She demanded.

Charlie paused then replied.

“I had a week off compassionate leave when Mummy died.”

“Is that all!!!”

“Ye-eess. Just about.” Charlie conceded.

“So!! You’ve worked there man and boy from age fourteen to now and your aged twenty six. That’s twelve years and you’ve had a week off.”

“And every weekend.” Charlie tried to argue. “Oh and Christmas day, but I don’t need that; I’m single and I’m an atheist anyway.”

“Do you know how many days holiday I get every year? Statutory holidays that is. Days I’m legally entitled to!!”

Charlie shrugged again with that defeated air that was beginning to really anger Chloe.

“I’ve no idea. But you’re a woman and that’s the law. I couldn’t take all that time off anyway; I’m not entitled to it and I couldn’t afford it anyway.”

‘Another brutal inequality induced by the feminista laws!’ Chloe silently fumed to herself.

‘It was no good trying to get Charlie to kick against such evil misanthropy. He was too engrossed in his ‘so-called-hobby’ anyway. Charlie simply wasn’t rebel material!’

After she had calmed herself inwardly she spoke softly.

“I’ll get you that RAM as you call it, if it’s the last thing I do.”

Charlie frowned.

“Firstly I beg you not to get into trouble and secondly; how?”

“Give me until the weekend. I’ll have a plan and if it works, you’ll acquire the stuff legally!”

“Good luck with that. Come on, we’ll be late for work. You can practice driving Lady through the flooded stream and down the bumpy lane but please, please. No flying where people will see you! I beg you.”

“I promise.” She reassured him; for Chloe could fully understand the danger they were both in if discovered.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 4

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Non-Transgender

Character Age:

College / Twenties

TG Themes:

Femdom / Humiliation

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminine Queendom. © Copyright to Beverly Taff June 2021
Charlie’s War 4

List of Characters.

Chapter 4

That morning when Chloe turned up in her classy grand tourer saloon, car the Professor smiled at her as she entered the faculty laboratories.

“Glad to see you’ve got your own car back; it didn’t look right with one of our top readers in Genetics turning up in her boy-friend’s old banger.”

“That’s not his fault, it’s all he’s allowed and all he can afford. You know the Feminista regulations.”

“It still looked bad, you slumming it in that yellow monstrosity. Creeping about like some sort of giant beetle.”

“He creeps because man-cars are restricted to fifty miles per hour.”

“Quite right. It stops the danger of road rage and crazy police chases.”

“Charlie doesn’t get road rages and he never exceeds fifty anyway. I’ve never hear his governor kick in.”

“Yes, we’ll he’s the exception and – he’s an odd-ball anyway.”

Chloe bit her tongue and went to her laboratory. She wanted to discuss with a couple of her colleagues the potential for irradiating genes to split and splice.

After gathering a lot of information and pointers, Chloe spent two days putting together a plausible hypothesis concerning the irradiation of Y chromosomes to reshape the human genome. She knew that several of the senior faculty members were up for anything that might disadvantage possessors of the Y Chromosome and, if microwave radiation could be used with a sufficiently accurate precision to effect such an alteration, those bigoted, antediluvian bigots would elect to try it without too much conscionable criticism.

Such was Chloe’s reputation with other genetic breakthroughs that had brought the faculty some international plaudits, she soon had permission to initially explore the idea.

Within a fortnight, Chloe had provisional permission to explore the initial idea and this of course entailed making the designated research facility microwave proof. To this end, Chloe was allotted a disused brick building on a remote corner of the campus. Naturally, the building had to be blanketed with Radiation-Absorbent-Material. (RAM).

Three weeks later, the professor was reviewing the materials bill.

“This RAM stuff. It’s quite expensive. Do we have to have it?”

“I’ve located a source of second-hand used material at a military depot on Salisbury plain. It’s less than one twentieth of the price your contractors are asking.”

“Oh, that sounds better, go and sound them out.”

“It’s ex-military grade material, I’ll need a special end-user license.”

“Where d’ you get that from?” The professor asked.

“We could write a letter to the ministry of defence but the Dean of faculty would have to sign it. I’m just a reader. I could endorse the argument though. My work with irradiating plant genes will carry enough kudos to give it weight.”

“Very well, write your letter and I’ll see the Dean.”
Within a month with Chloe working behind the scenes and the Dean always looking to enhance the university’s reputation, the requisite permissions were obtained. The following week, Charlie and Chloe found themselves entering a large military complex with all sorts of armoured vehicles clattering and roaring around.

Eventually they found the requisite offices and met an officious major who was actually glad to see a substantial portion of the RAM taken out of her sheds.

“Bloody stuff’s been lying there for years, just eating up valuable dry-storage!”

“Does it break-down?” Chloe asked, “you know, like rubber and stuff.”

“No, it’s very durable polymer comprising micro-balls of assorted materials. They tried it on aircraft at first, but it proved too heavy then they tried it on tanks but that was a total waste of time. Tanks only have to lay low in forests or ditches or behind sand dunes and radar can’t find-em anyway. Its weight didn’t bother tanks but it was an un-necessary [complication and they dropped this particular material, It’s quite heavy. I’ll get a squad of oiks to load it for you. How much d’ you want.

“We have to line out a large laboratory; does the stuff work?”

“Oh it definitely works, excellent stuff for aircraft but it’s so bloody heavy the aircraft takes twice as much distance to take off; - and it ruins manoeuvrability. That makes it useless for ‘air-superiority’ combat aircraft. As far as we’re concerned, you can take it bloody all!”

And that is exactly what Charlie and Chloe did!

ooo000ooo

When Chloe and Charlie finally got the RAM back to their barn they were exhausted with the manhandling of the heavy rolls to unload their hired van.

“You were right to hire the bigger van,” Chloe panted, “It’s not the amount of stuff it’s the weight.”

“Can you follow me back to the hire company please and drive me home? That’ll be you and I finished for this weekend. I could sleep for a week.”

“Same goes for me,” Chloe croaked. “This stuff is all over me, I’ll need to shower for a week.”

They were forced to wash out the van to avoid cleaning penalties by the hire company and it was nearly five o’ clock before they got back to the hire firm just before closing. It was an exhausted couple that had hurried showers in the mobile-home before collapsing onto Charlie’s bed. Sleep came instantly by eight that Sunday evening.

During breakfast, the next morning they talked at length about their horde of RAM.

“There’s more than enough to cover Doris.” Chloe observed as Charlie loaded her plate with a ‘full English’.

“Am I reading you right? Are you thinking of covering Poppy or Lady?” Charlie hazarded.

“Could it be done?” Chloe wondered.

“I don’t know.” Charlie confessed. People might wonder at the paint job on your classy car. It would probably lose its smooth matt finish, plus I don’t know what the joins would look like. I think the best solution would be to cover Doris first and then apply a typical white or cream paint job to see how well the RAM coating is disguised. If it works, I’ll do Poppy next because I can change Poppy’s colour without many questions being asked at work. She needs a respray anyway.”

“What about Lady?”

“Will your colleagues at work start to wonder, - you know; ask questions?”

“A girl can change her mind you know. I’ll just say I was bored with Matt-midnight-blue.”

“We’ll just have to wait and see. Let’s test Doris out first.”

Charlie’s caution made perfect sense so Chloe agreed and they made their separate ways to work.

For the rest of that week, Chloe chose to stay at Charlies because the builders were finishing off the cottage. On the Thursday, the pair had their first bath in the cottage and Chloe savoured the luxury of Charlie’s supersized bath that Chloe had helped pay for.

During the evenings, the pair had been carefully cutting and shaping the panels of RAM to attach to Doris’s flat steel sides and they soon realised that the panels actually disguised the boiler-plate armouring that would protect Doris from missiles or shell fire.

“She’ll be like a flying tank.” Chloe giggled as she smoothed yet another shaped panel of RAM onto Doris’s front end. “What weight is she?”

“Weight doesn’t matter,” Charlie explained, “the anti-grave technology actually reverses the effect of gravity through the pads and whatever weight the vehicle is, gets complemented by the support offered through the anti-grave discs. Doris can be any weight within the bounds of reason. Judging by her original register weight and the weight of heavy steel plate and RAM I’ve added, Doris is about thirty tons.”

“Will she be airtight?” Chloe asked; “you know, I was thinking about going high into space.”

“It depends how good my welding is.”

“Why don’t you get Ronnie to check the welds?”

“It’s just another risk to my secrecy. Ronnie’s a mate but you’d be surprised how jealousy or greed can quickly erupt into treachery.”

Chloe wagged her head despondently.

“Gosh Charlie don’t you trust anybody? Ronnie’s been a good friend.”

“It’s the way I am love,” Charlie admitted. “Hardly surprising really is it? Being treated like some sort of dumb, low-life vermin all my life.”

“Do you trust me?” Chloe asked bluntly.

“Of course, I’ve trusted you with anti-grav haven’t I?”

“Well, yes;” Chloe conceded, “but will you be good to Ronnie if your secret brings you success?”

“Yes; I will, and to Pauline and the kids. I appreciate kindness and support. Like a pet dog responds to kindness.”

Chloe nodded and smiled.

“I’m pleased to hear it. So when are we taking Doris out for a test flight?”

“I’ve got to test her for airtightness first.”

“How?”

“Ronnie and I are going to dig a ‘swimming pool’ down by the water-meadow. Ostensibly, it’s for us and Ronnie’s kids to swim in but I’ll simply fly Doris secretly into the pool very slowly one evening and check for leaks. No bubbles escaping out of her steel shell and no water entering into her interior means we’ve got ourselves a functioning space-ship.”

“How fast will she go?” Chloe asked.

“I’ve no idea. I won’t be speeding in the Earth’s atmosphere; the friction heat might damage the Radiation Absorbent Material.”

“And what about in space?”

“We’ll just have to suck it and see. I certainly won’t be taking any risks.”

“Glad to hear it!” Chloe riposted. “Space travel is known to be dangerous.”

“Only if you’re perched on the end of a thumping great firework then light the blue touch-paper. My anti-grav is infinitely safer.”

“What about fuel?”

“Same as cars down here; batteries and what’s more, we’ll be able to use solar cells to recharge them. Plenty of sunshine in space!”

Chloe nodded appreciatively. She couldn’t wait to fly, but she couldn’t help but smile at the image of a mobile-home silently whispering around the earth’s immediate space while she and Charlie learned how to pilot a space ship.

‘The authorities would be going ‘ape-shit’ if they ever detected it!’

“Can you imagine waving to the international space station as we fly-by?” She giggled.

“That’s something I intend to avoid like the plague.” Charlie declared vehemently. “The less the feminista know about Doris, the happier I’ll be.”

The Feminine Queendom 5

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Non-Transgender

Character Age:

College / Twenties

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

Feminist Queendom 5 © Copyright to Beverly Taff

Chapter 5

List of Characters.

Chapter 5

The following week, the cottage was deemed ready for living and a small group of close friends were invited to the cottage that weekend for a small house-warming party. Ronnie, his sister Pauline and her children, Josephine, two of Charlie’s builder friends who had done the vast bulk of renovation and finally Chloe’s mother.

Doris, being now able to fly, was discreetly hidden in the woods the night before on the opposite side of the lane; while Poppy and Lady were garaged in the barn where the darkness served to conceal their secret RAM (Radiation Absorbent Material) coatings.

The house warming went well and even Doctor Josephine (Jo) congratulated the pair on their work. Chloe’s mother, despite her reservations about her daughter’s unconventional and antiquated thoughts about marriage and child rearing, was still forced to agree with Jo that Chloe and Charlie had done a good job.

By nightfall, the friends departed and while it was dark, Charlie returned Doris to her regular hideout in the barn.
On the Monday, Chloe returned to her apartment in the Femi-condominium and set about organising a quiet, secret marriage. When it was fixed, she left it to the last minute and only told her school-friend Josephine on the Friday evening before the service.

Even so, it was impossible to keep her hoped for quiet marriage a secret and sadly a substantial ‘rent-a-mob’ of feminista protesters turned up outside the registry office to chant their hate. The only people to attend the service were Charlie, Chloe, Ronnie, Pauline and Josephine.

Fortunately, the registrar had endured a couple of unfortunate experiences in her earlier days before marriage had finally become a seriously contentious issue and she had ways of avoiding such chaotic events if she was ever asked to perform a marriage again.

After marrying Charlie and Chloe, she led them down into the basement of the civic offices and enable the pair to escape via a back door where a taxi had been pr-arranged. Simultaneously, Ronnie, Pauline and Jo emerged from the main front entrance to a barrage of chants and curses. They took the hit for Chloe and Charlie.

There was to be no honeymoon because their wedding had hit the national press and it was all the pair could do to escape to their cottage and depend upon the law to prevent protesters from invading their home. This was enabled by Charlie and Ronnie having dug the medieval style moat around the front and sides of their home right up to the cliff.

They arrived back at the cottage to find a couple of desultory protesters standing in the pouring rain at the end of the lane. When the taxi set them down the protesters surged forward but there was no potential for a mob assault. Chloe unlocked the gate to the lane while Charlie confronted the pair of protesters and what looked like a nasty argument quickly de-escalated into an apologetic discussion when Charlie asked the pair to point out what harm Chloe and he were actually doing while tucked away from society in their own remote cottage.

When he asked the pair what made them think he was some sort of abusive bully, they were forced to concede his point. Neither he nor Chloe were hurting anybody.
Then, as if by prearrangement, Bryony came out of Ronnie’s garage-shop with her younger siblings to ask if there was a problem.

The intended demonstration became instead, a neighbourly discussion as the children wondered why it was wrong to have a man around when they could affirm that their Uncle Ronnie was like a good friend to their mother and their best adult friend. As they were talking by the gate, Ronnie and Pauline returned with Jo following in her car.

“Is there a problem here?” Pauline asked as she stepped out of her car.

“No mummy,” Briony replied before either Charlie or Chloe could respond.

“Good,” Pauline observed. “Are you two okay?” She asked Chloe and Charlie.

“Never better,” Charlie responded. “These two ladies thought we needed a welcoming committee.”

“Oh, did they, well don’t just stand there Ronnie. Go and put the kettle on.”

This instruction completely disarmed the pair of protesters who now found themselves completely surrounded by hospitality. They tried to excuse themselves but Pauline was having none of it.

“You’ll have a cup of tea before you leave, it would be rude of me to let you go without the proper conventions being followed.”

At a loss to escape Pauline’s offer, they were forced to accept and, once in Pauline’s house they could not help but notice how the children were fully at ease with both Charlie and Ronnie. Indeed, Abby, the youngest girl had immediately plonked herself on Charlie’s knee before he had even accepted a cup.
It was obvious that all three children adored both the men and Chloe had to explain that Only Ronnie was connected to the children by blood.

“He’s their uncle. They don’t know their fathers of course.”

As the tea was served, Abby was full of questions that neither of the protesters could answer and on getting no answers from them the girl turned to Charlie.

“Can we swim in your pond this afternoon Uncle Charlie?”

“If your mum says yes; then yes you can.”

Abby turned to her mother Pauline with big pleading eyes and it was impossible to deny the child. Very quickly, everybody decided the afternoon was warm enough to go bathing and when the protesters left they were slightly disappointed not to have been invited. As the protesters walked the short distance to their car Chloe turned to Pauline.

“Did you see their expressions? They were definitely hoping to be invited to a pool party.”

“Yeah, well when they decide that pool parties and picnics are family affairs, they might be welcome here. My kids are happy to have an uncle around, but I’m convinced it’d be better if they had a dad.”

Ronnie smiled sympathetically to his sister.

“I do my best sis.”

“Yeah, that’s the truth bro but you know I’m right.”

“Well, Jo opined. If all families were like yours Pauline I’d say yes. D’you think those two got the message?”

“I don’t know,” Pauline confessed. “They looked pretty thoughtful when they left but it’s a touchy subject these days and I for one am not going to rock the boat. You two are very brave.” She added, turning to Charlie and Chloe.

With a fairly general consensus reached, the plans for a pool-party were quickly advanced and by mid-afternoon, happy squeals and laughter were erupting from the half dug pond in Charlie’s water meadow. Eventually, as the evening cooled, the party ended. Charlie and Chloe bid their friends goodnight and went to shower. As he stepped out of the shower he was surprised to see Chloe standing naked by their bed. For a moment he just stood slack-jawed before suggesting she put something on.

“You’re forgetting what night it is Charlie.” She scolded him softly.

“What d’you mean?”

“Don’t you remember what happened this morning?”

He looked askance at her then the blinding revelation crashed into his brain.

“Oh hell! Yes!! We got married.”

“Don’t you know anything about the old traditions?”

He fell silent at first before confessing.

“Oh shit! I’m supposed to carry you through the door.”

“I did tell you,” Chloe suppressed a sob before pressing forward. “Is there anything else you’ve forgotten?”

Charlie stood looking vacant before he realised the reason Chloe was standing naked.

“Oh! Yes!! It’s, - it’s your honeymoon night! I’m supposed to, -“

“Charlie! She almost screamed at him. “It’s OUR honeymoon night and there’s no ‘supposed’ about it. I have a right to your body! Now get on that bed immediately.”

He paled slightly as he suddenly realised she was angry. Guiltily he kneeled on the bed and Chloe couldn’t resist the inadvertent target he presented. She smacked him hard on the arse and this released her anger as he lurched forward with surprise. Then she flopped down beside him and stared at him in disbelief.

“How the hell could you forget you got married this morning!!”

“I dunno’ “ he confessed, “things have just been piling up. There’s just so much on my mind.”

“Are you frightened?” Chloe asked as she sensed his uncertainty.

“A bit.” He confessed reluctantly.

“What are you afraid of?”

“Lots of things. Those two women who were here when we came home, how many more of those are there? My marriage to you, what if they make it illegal and I’m sent down. Doris and the Antigrav engine, what will the Feminista say when they find out and will they try to steal my secrets. This cottage, will you and I get to keep it if they decide it’s too big now I’ve added the extensions?

Everywhere I turn I see trouble looming and now, finally, I’ve even forgotten I got married today. I’m just a dick-head!”

“Is there anything else you’ve forgotten?” Chloe asked.

“I’ve no idea,” he confessed.

“What night is this?”

“I dunno; is there something else I’ve forgotten?”

“Something, yes. Do you want me to spell it out?”

He bit his lip as he tried to recall then slowly the dawning realisation slid into his brain. He let out another muffled curse as he wondered how he should apologise for not realising. Softly he reached out to touch her then croaked nervously.

“It’s your special night isn’t it? When I’m supposed to; to – I’m sorry. I just, I just! Do you still want me to do it?”

“Of course I want you to do it you big oaf! Bloody hell Charlie, for a supposed maths and science genius you can be really dumb sometimes. Of course I want you to do it!”

“You’re angry with me aren’t you?”

“Oooh Charlie!” She wagged her head. “I’m not angry, I’m just exasperated with you. Did your mother teach you nothing about how to treat a girl in bed?”

“No.” He confessed. “Nobody’s ever – you know, told me.”

Chloe let out an exasperated giggle.

“Well I suppose I can’t complain, at least I can mould you into the lover I want. Come here!”

She reached towards him and pulled his face to hers before whispering.

“Just put your arms around me and let me do the rest.”

As he reached out cautiously she took his arm and put it around her back before she slid up on top of him and lay on top of his chest. Her breasts pressed against his chest and within moments she felt his response. She sighed with no small relief.

“Well at least he knows what to do, even if you don’t.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.” He croaked.

“You won’t hurt me. Just let me control things okay!”

Having finally arrived at her long awaited moment, Chloe started slowly at first as her own body responded, then finally, she indulged her need and impaled herself gently and slowly.

“That’s nice,” he gasped as Chloe gently squeezed and pumped her hips to her own rhythms until she found she needed more.

“Fuck me!” She urged, “just take me.”

Charlie responded nervously with small gentle thrusts and Chloe growled with frustration.

“Harder than that, you can’t hurt me, I’m on top.”

Charlie responded as ordered and slowly increased his efforts until Chloe gripped her thighs tight around his buttocks and slowly manoeuvred herself under him before making him take his weight on his elbows.

Charlie quickly got the message and supported himself so that Chloe had to almost hang by her arms from his shoulders.

“Strong back!” She whispered gratefully.

“What’s that my love?” Charlie wondered as he instinctively slowed down for fear of hurting her.
“Don’t slow down! I said strong back. It’s good for a girl when the boy has a strong back and does not need to rest his belly onto her. Just keep going like that.”

Charlie quickly realised what Chloe was about and supported himself easily while Chloe just wrapped her arms and legs around him while only his hips pinned her to the bed. Now she was free to twist and turn with abandon whilst her core still remained firmly embedded and she was free to drive herself to satisfaction.

Her freedom to twist and turn and yet remain locked to her lover was exactly as she always fantasised her honeymoon night would be and she soon arrived at that perfect plateaux of ecstasy as orgasm after orgasm ripped through her core until she released her arms from his neck and collapsed back into the mattress.

Eventually, Chloe recovered from her excesses and her eyes opened to find Charlie’s soft smile still looking down at her. More importantly, she could still feel his hardness inside her and a slight panic gripped her.

“Did you come?” She gasped nervously.

“Yes.” He replied as concern tightened his voice. “I thought you were having a fit.”

Chloe started to giggle as she realised just how naïve and uninformed her new husband was.

“No darling,” she smiled as she reached up to pull his lips to hers, “that was just me, having the happiest moment of my life.”

“But you’re alright now?” He wondered nervously.

“Of course I’m alright! Now, can you let me go, I need to go to the bathroom before I wet the bed.”

Charlie immediately withdrew his hips from Chloe’s ‘love-lock’ and Chloe groped urgently for the tissue box. For a brief instant, Charlie wondered what she was up to then it dawned and he quickly reached over to hand her a fistful of tissues. By now, Charlie had removed his weight off Chloe’s hips and she snatched the tissues to plug her intimacy.

“I’ll get a bath-towel,” Charlie offered.

“Yes, you’d better, I don’t want to stain the sheets.”

He returned to find Chloe sitting on the polished bedroom floor as a tiny stain of blood mixed with her love-juices was starting to dribble on the floor.

“R’ you alright?” He whispered solicitously as he handed her the towel.

“Yes,” she sighed blissfully.

“But you’re bleeding; or you were.”

“I’m okay I tell you. Keep that towel and don’t wash it yet.”

“Why?”

She eyed him.

“You don’t know much about sex do you?”

“How can I? I’ve never had a single instruction or been allowed to read a single book.”

“Well let me explain; this towel proves beyond doubt that I practice what I preach. This blood stain, tiny though it is, can prove I was never with another man before I met you, - because it's not menstrual blood. Do you know what menstrual blood is Charlie?"

"No." Charlie confessed.

"Well never mind it doesn't really concern you but if the Feminista ever try to claim that my marriage to you is immoral or flawed or somehow primitive, this towel, and the blood upon it, plus all the other fluids, will go some way to destroy their efforts to somehow nullify our marriage.”

“But,-“ Charlie tried to protest, “they don’t need any primitive biological stuff. They just make accusations through their courts and we’d be hard put to defend ourselves, especially me; I’m a man don’t forget. Men have got no protection under the Feminista laws. They’d probably use the towel to prove I’ve raped you”

“Not quite Charlie. Only I can lay a claim of rape against you, it’s always been that way even before the great revisions. The only people the courts can bring charges on behalf of, are children and the mentally infirm.”

“That won’t last,” Charlie reflected as he sat up. “I’ need a shower.”

“We both do, - and a change of sheets,” Chloe added.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 6

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

College / Twenties

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom 6 © Copyright to Beverly Guinevere Taff

List of Characters.
Charlie Sage Maths and electronics genius.
Shirley Sage Charlies elderly mother
Chloe Charlie’s one time early school friend.
Josephine Flint Surgeon and associate of Chloe’s.
Mrs Anston Director of Anston Aerospace.
Ronnie Garage mechanic at top of lane
Pauline Garage owner, Ronnie’s sister.
Briony Pauline’s teenaged daughter.
Billy Pauline’s middle son.
Abigail (Abby) Pauline’s youngest daughter.
‘Poppy’ Charlie’s little micro-runabout.
‘Doris’ The armoured mobile home.
‘Lady’ Chloe’s Sports Car.

Chapter 6

After changing the bed, the pair shared a bath and luxuriated in the fruits of Charlie’s labour. After a long relaxing soak, they shared a shower then towelled themselves off and returned to savour the crisp clean sheets. As Chloe spooned into her new husband she felt his response and giggled.

“No more tonight darling, I’m a teeny bit sore.”

“I’m sorry! Have I hurt you badly?”

“Not at all,” she reassured him, “I just over-exerted myself. Morning would be good though.”

“We’ll have to do it early then; I’ve got work tomorrow.”

“No you haven’t. I sorted that out with Mrs Anston. I told her I was having a honeymoon and that I required my husband to accompany me.”

“And she agreed?” Charlie wondered.

“Of course, as a woman I have mating rights irrespective of the status of the sperm donor. My sperm donor just so happens to also be my husband and if a woman can use somebody from the rookeries to serve her ends then I can have anybody I choose. You’re my choice.”

“Very reassuring,” Charlie gulped uncertainly.

“Why do you look so nervous.”

“Well by that reasoning, you can dispose of your sperm donor anyway you please. I could lose my home or worse, end up in the rookeries.”

“Do you think I would go through all the censure I’ve endured by marrying you just to throw it all away.”

“I’ve heard women talk. I’m not deaf and they talk as though men are invisible as well as deaf.”

Well I’m not like ‘other women’ and I know you’re not deaf. Charlie, I’m serious about our marriage. I want it to work and endure! I just said those arguments to force your boss to treat you decently and give you time off so that we can BOTH enjoy OUR holiday.”

“Did she agree?”

“Yes, here’s her text. Phone her yourself if you want to confirm.”

“I’ll text her later. If I’ve got a day off, to spend with you, I’m not going to waste it texting my boss.”

“Well said, now give me a cuddle.”

He lifted his arm and invited Chloe to spoon into his embrace and they lay happily for an hour as the sun rose to its zenith. Close to noon, Chloe’s tummy rumbled and she giggled contentedly.

“Hungry?” Charlie murmured.

“Mmm, but I don’t want to get up.”

“I’ve never slept the whole morning through,” he whispered guiltily.

“It’s your honeymoon, carpe-diem.” Chloe replied as she pressed her bum harder against Charlie’s wash-board ab’s.

His penis stiffened and he backed away guiltily but Chloe was having none of that. She was horny again and the thought that she could arouse Charlie’s body so easily gave her a sense of power. She pushed back again and told him not to avoid her. Having been given a veritable ‘green light’ he stayed put and smiled to himself as Chloe adjusted her hips and bum to pinpoint her target.

“Mmm!” She sighed as first, her labia, then her very core, all slippery with her need, slid gently over Charlie’s organ and he rumbled softly deep in his throat.

“That’s nice,” he croaked.

“It’s meant to be, she whispered. Fuck me again, softly please, and make it last.”

He rewarded her beseechments and after they had indulged their needs he lay on his side tracing his calloused forefinger gently over her breast. She growled with pleasure as she savoured the erotic sensation then twitched coquettishly as he let his finger trace ever so lightly over her engorged nipple.

“A-ah!” she squeaked then gasped, “that’s too much. Kiss it better.”

Ever obedient, he bent slowly and gently gripped her turgid femininity between his lips. She gasped again but did not draw back and he took that as permission to gently trace his tongue over her ensnared nipple.

“Oo-oh, that’s good; now! Down there as well, with your finger!”

Cautiously, he drifted his hand over the curve of her belly then snaked his finger into her most intimate core. There he let it rest tantalisingly close as though asking for her final permission. She mewed hungrily and pressed his finger hard against her bud. There was no more doubt in Charlie’s mind and he obediently crooked his finger then worked it to match her thrusting pubis. It did not take long for her gasps and squeaks to crescendo into a wail of satisfaction before she collapsed exhausted.

Slowly, Charlie removed his hand then let it rest on her tummy as he waited for her next demand/request/instruction. It never came, Chloe had fallen into an exhausted, satisfied sleep. Her soft contented breathing brought a calmness to Charlie’s uncertainty and eventually he too drifted off.

ooo000ooo

“What time is it?”

Charlie woke to find Chloe poking him in the chest.

“Mmm! Wha’ Oh, uuhm, - ten, it’s half-past ten.”

“It’s dark.”

“Yes darling, it usually is at this time of year.”

“I need a wee.” She declared ignoring his gentle sarcasm.

“Well that’s one thing I can’t do for you.” He smiled apologetically as he turned on the lights.

As she slewed around to sit up, she grabbed some tissues from her bedside table and protected herself even for the couple of steps to the loo. The next thing Charlie heard was the shower and he quickly joined her after relieving himself.

“I feel quite decadent,” she giggled as Charlie gently gelled her curves and cupped her breasts from behind.

“Mmm, that’s nice but I’m hungry.” She confessed.

“Me too.” He chuckled. “Hungry work this sex business.”

She turned and pressed her head into his shoulder before they finally completed washing. Lastly they shampooed their hair then Charlie started cooking some food while Chloe dried her hair. It was midnight when they finally ate.

With stomachs full and too awake to sleep they decided to sneak away for a brief flight in Lady, Chloe’s car.

“It’s dark enough and cloudy enough,” Chloe opined and Charlie agreed so moments later they were skirting low across the countryside.
Very quickly, they found themselves over the south coast where they also broke out from under the cloud cover. Chloe had her first ever view of the shimmering sea viewed from above in the moonlight.

“It’s beautiful,” she sighed as she leaned across and pressed her head into Charlie’s shoulder. “Shall we land on that beach?”

“Your choice babe’s, your car and you’re driving. Pick somewhere private though. We wouldn’t want any police sniffing around, I’m out after curfew as it is.”

Chloe descended to ground level and landed in a quiet country lane before choosing to drive to the small seaside town and park in a deserted sea-front car park. Soon the moon re-appeared from behind a cloud and the aura caught their mood. They were embraced and kissing when a sharp knock on the windscreen interrupted their passion.
"What's going on?"

“What does it look like?” Chloe answered somewhat angrily.”

“Is that man breaking the curfew?” The belligerent officer demanded.

“No he’s not. He’s my husband and I’m his curfew chaperone. We are not breaking any laws.”

“Can you prove he’s your husband?”

“The wedding certificate is in our house. We don’t carry it around like an identity card.”

“You are supposed to have a plastic i.d. replica.”

“It hasn’t been issued yet. We only got married on Thursday and this is Saturday morning. Early Saturday morning; “ Chloe added pointedly.

“Why hasn’t it been issued?” The officer demanded.

“Ask the authorities. They are the ones who prevaricate. I’ll be receiving our replicas sometime next week according to the Registry office.”

“It’s very unusual for a girl to get married these days.”

“Yes; very. But sometimes a girl does, and I am one of those girls. That's why our wedding certified i.ds. have not arrived. They've never certified a marriage in our district!”

“Have you got your regular i.ds?”

“Yes.”

The officer inspected the plastic photocards and frowned.

“What’s this big red ‘R’ across his i.d.?”

“You’ll have to ask him.”

This remark raised the officer’s hackles as she peered across Chloe’s shoulder.

“Well?”

“Well what?” Charlie replied.

“The big red ‘R’, what’s it for?”

“You’re a police officer. You should know.”

“I know it mean’s reserved occupation, but what occupation are you involved in? You're clearly not a woman and therefore not a professional!”

“Aero-space; that’s all I can tell you. If you want any more information, you must telephone this number.”

She almost snatched the second plastic card from Charlie’s fingers and examined it with her flashlight. Within seconds, her colleague was dialling her phone. Charlie waited patiently as he watched the second officer stiffen slightly. Then she spoke briefly to the first officer who quickly returned both of Charlie’s cards.

“How does a man come to have your grade of reservation?”

“I can’t tell you that,” Charlie replied just to wind the officers up. “Just to say the company I work for does a lot of aerospace research and construction. That company hold the permit number respondent to my Reserved card. While I work for them, I work for the government, indirectly. They need my brains.”

“How does that work if you’re not educated?”

“I educated myself.”

“Is this true?” The officer turned to Chloe again.

“Yes. He’s an extremely clever boy.”

“Why wasn’t he feminised when young?”

“We’d have to ask his mother that but unfortunately she’s passed. He’s too mature now to respond to feminisation and over aged twenty five he has the right to refuse. Legally he’s an adult even though still a man.”

Having realised the couple in the car were not therefore breaking any law just by being out on the seaside promenade after midnight, the officers pulled their horns in. In truth, the big red ‘R’ on Charlie’s i.d had taken them out of their comfort zone. They backed off and Chloe watched them making their way back into town.

After hugging Charlie tight to her and kissing him passionately, she sat back and sighed.

“Well, that’s a turn-up for the books. The first time your ‘reserved’ status has done us any good.”

“Don’t spread it around too much,” Charlie cautioned; “they might get curious as to why we were here. Part of the protection I am supposed to enjoy from the ‘R’ status is derived from telling the company if I’m travelling far, especially if travelling abroad.”

"But it's not far to here, we're only seventy miles from home."

"I've never had cause to ask how far 'far' is.

“Oh. Would you be able to give a reason for being down on the coast?”

“It would be a very flimsy one though they could not contradict it cos they often don’t know what I’m about.”

“Would they get suspicious?”

“Hard to say. Some of the work about corrosion and sea-water I’ve done, leaves them at a bit of a loss and they wouldn’t understand what other stuff I’d done or said anyway.”

“Like anti-grav!” Chloe grinned in the dark.

“They don’t know anything about antigrav darling, and I’d like to keep it that way,” he cautioned her with a kiss.

She pressed her lips hard against his to emphasise her agreement. Chloe knew full well that if push came to shove, Charlie’s knowledge about his ‘anti-grav’ engine would be his ace in the hole; his back-stop. Furthermore, his secrets would protect her as well.

Having had her romantic moment so effectively ruined by rough-shod police interference, Chloe started the car and started driving home. As soon as they were away from the resort, Chloe found a quiet lane and turned on the anti-grav.

‘She’s learning,’ Charlie reflected as Lady silently rose and then Chloe set a course for their cottage.

When they arrived home safely and sipped their cocoa, Charlie was delighted that their first serious cross country run had gone without any technical hitches. Sadly, the incident with the police was a slightly sobering experience. Both of them resolved in future to keep all paper-work upon them at all times when driving.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 7

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

College / Twenties

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom 7 © Copyright to Beverly Taff

Chapter 7

Several times during their honeymoon, Chloe and Charlie took Doris their mobile home or Lady, Chloe’s performance car and savoured the delight of travelling long distances and indeed even travelling overseas during dark cloudy nights when they could avail themselves of the cloud cover. Then, in some convenient remote unpopulated location, they could silently alight, drive a few kilometres and find a camping site for the night.

Thus in the fortnight they had been allotted for their honeymoon, they stealthily visited locations in Spain, Portugal, France and Belgium before slipping undetected back to their home in England.

For Chloe it was simply a delight to revisit some places she had enjoyed vacationing as a girl child of a prosperous and successful mother, whilst other visits had been expensive educational school trips during high school and college. At other times she was visiting other places for the first time as part of her ‘bucket list’.

For Charlie of course, as a boy child of an eccentric rebellious mother, there had never been enough money to travel so everything was a novelty to him. Having finished all formal schooling in year seven, he had never enjoyed an educational trip in his life.

Sadly,
the honeymoon, whilst being thoroughly enjoyable in terms of sharing the pleasures with Chloe, it also cast in him a resentment at the thought of all the opportunities to travel that had been denied to him because of his being firstly poor and secondly, a boy. The honeymoon had wetted his appetite for travel and he could not wait for the weekends or any statutory holidays that Chloe’s femininity entitled her to.

Slowly, he began to resent the idea that he was being exploited and his skills were not being fairly rewarded.

Some months later, as Charlie was handed a complex aerospace component that enabled rapid computerised responses to safely guide an aircraft through avoidance manoeuvres that would not inflict crippling injuries on a human pilot, he asked for the maintenance manual and the medical directives concerning ‘G’ forces and survivability conditions vis-à-vis the female skeleton.

Such a complex request was immediately ‘booted upstairs’ and several days later Charlie was invited to an interview with a military-medical panel concerning his request.

“Good morning Charlie,” Mrs Anston smiled enigmatically.

“Morning Ma-am.”

“The panel here would like to ask you some questions concerning your unusual request.”
Charlie twitched a wry smile and nodded his comprehension.

“Go ahead.”

A high-ranking military doctor leaned forward with suspicion writ large behind her crocodilian smile.

“We wonder why you need to have comparative figures for male and female bodies and as a follow up, where would you get the idea that men would be suitably equipped mentally these days to operate a very sophisticated fighter.”

Charlie sat silent for long moments as he searched the military doctors question for any hidden traps. Eventually he ventured a cautious reply.

“The first part of your question is simple to answer; there is no doubt that nowadays male skeletons are heavier and stronger than female skeletons simply because your sperm-doner parameters favour heavier built males to handle manual tasks. If a woman was subjected to the manoeuvring ‘g-forces’ that a man could survive, she could suffer skeletal damage, especially to the neck and spine. Their neck muscles simply cannot withstand the forces.

The second part of my answer is this. You are breeding apelike men who are much stronger but – and it’s a big but; they are generally far less intelligent than their sisters. I say generally, but there are exceptions. Such men as you rightly say, would generally be ill equipped to operate a military plane with the same intellectual skill and manual dexterity as your latter day ladies. The issues arise when the ‘G-forces’ are applied to the female long bones and spinal column with less muscle and ligature strength.

They, the men that is, can resist the greater ‘G-forces’ pressing down on their arms; necks and spines, women are less able. Despite your technology embedded in your Gee-suits, neck supports and breathing gas mixes, planes are once again beginning to outstrip the human limits.

Unless I have access to those parameters, I cannot integrate all the factors that would optimise the cockpit design and location when conjoined to the new enablement conditions supplied by the gee-suit and the unstable geometry that enhances manoeuvrability.

If I am unable to access your ergonomic ‘G-force’ limits for women pilots, I cannot programme the manoeuvring parameters and accelerations to accommodate a woman’s average physical limits. There’s a lot of sensory engineering to be connected to the control surfaces and engine controls.”

“How come you know all this?”

“Twenty years of intense repair, modification and design work on Anston military components that are then re-installed in your equipment.” Charlie replied bluntly. “It’s impossible not to learn for somebody with half a brain!”

Even as he said it, Charlie knew he had overstepped a very thick red line. He cursed himself inwardly and waited for the vituperative response.

The medical officer, who had field rank, glared at him poisonously as she demanded an apologetic explanation.

“Are you saying that you know more than our own experts?”

Charlie, having realised he had crossed the line, realised there was no going back but he still tried to moderate his reply to avoid further offence.

“Sometimes; yes.”

“Without a proper scientific education!” A four-star general scoffed.

“Definitely!” Charlie declared.

“If you’ve not had the education, how would you know about the education?” The doctor persisted, little realising she was digging a hole for herself.

“It’s simple.” Charlie replied and left his answer at that; thus forcing the medical officer to keep digging.

“Explain.”

“The explanation is in the work I do for Anston Aerospace and Avionics. – For very low pay I might add!”

“You haven’t answered my question.”

“I just did. Ask her!” (Charlie indicated Mrs Anston the owner of Anston Aerospace.)

All the military panel turned expectantly to the lady engineer and physicist. Who glared at Charlie as she rushed to gather her thoughts. Finally she revealed.

“He does seem to have a particular knack for analysing the flaws in components and developing more elegant solutions; and not just our components either – we are often forced to hand him captured components from the Asiatic block because he seems to have an insightful knack for determining what the component does – and, more importantly; how it does it.”

“Are you saying you allow him access to our most valuable military hardware?” The four-star general gasped.

“I’m saying he’s actually designed and improved much of your – that is our military hardware. He has actually enabled us to take the lead again in the electro-magnetic spectrum. Not to mention electronic counter-measures. Do you remember the Hindu Kush incident when we deliberately let their new fighters intrude into our air-space then disabled them electronically so that they could continue flying but could not return to their own bases.

When they started to run out of fuel they were forced to either crash-out or look for an airfield. The braver, fanatical pilots simply crashed their planes into the mountains whilst the less fanatical ones decided to land into captivity on our airstrips. One of them even claimed we had somehow taken control of his aircraft; electronically that is.”

“Yes. That was something of a feather in our air-force’s cap.”

“That would be his cap then!” Mrs Anston indicated Charlie, the only male in the room. “He re-designed their magnetronic dessicator that enabled our forces to interrupt, then control, then kidnap their aircraft even with their pilots still sitting in the cockpit. I believe they are still trying to work out how we did it, the engineering that is.”

“We? Ma-am?” Charlie interrupted. “Don’t you mean me?”

Mrs Anston glanced uncertainly at what had always been her tame problem solver. This was a new Charlie Sage and she was unsure of where the conversation was going.

Having sensed that his boss was beginning to crumble, Charlie took the electronic bull by its avionic horns as he described bluntly how much input he had into the magnetronic dessicator.

“I recall that you plonked the captured component onto my work bench because you could not determine exactly what it did and more importantly; how it did it. I also know you had been studying it for months before you deigned to allow me to inspect it because I heard the engineers talking and arguing about it every time I passed one of their groups. Apparently, you could not get clearance from these ladies to allow me to even look at it. Because I am a man I suppose. Would I be right?”

The managing director nodded somewhat sheepishly and Charlie slowly nodded his confirmation before continuing by addressing the generals..

“So eventually, this wholly inexplicable piece of alien, partially-disassembled electronics appears on my work bench with Mrs Anston’s note asking me to ‘have-a-look-at-it’! See-what-I-can-make-of-it is what she wrote.”

He turned to the Managing director again.

“Obviously, your own so-called boffins had been looking at it for months and given up; am I right?”

She nodded; too embarrassed to say a plain ‘yes’, so Charlie continued embarrassing both Mrs Anston and the military panel.

“So, your own pet, supposedly, dumb-arse, under-paid, uneducated, bench-grunt sets to work; - reverse-engineering it, analysing it and finally rebuilding a better and counter-intuitive device that desiccates their impulsed, cockpit, digitalisation.

What’s more, I know for a fact that your own boffins are still not confident with its secrets because every time you seem to have a problem with this particular device, it always somehow, lands on my bench!”

A resentful silence settled around the table as Charlie finally lost patience and stepped away to turn his back on the assembled group and stare out of the window. This dismissive gesture only served to irritate the panel further. Eventually the medical officer spoke plainly to Charlie’s back.

“Do you seriously think you are intellectually superior to your colleagues.”

“The facts speak for themselves; it’s got nothing to do with what I think.”

“So what do you think?”

“As far as you are concerned, I think about nothing. My thoughts are private; they always have been and they always will be.”

“But you do obviously think about stuff, it’s hard not to if you’re as intelligent as you say you are.” The medical officer pressed.

“She had more than a passing interest in psychiatry and the male in the room now intrigued her.

‘No person with that level of mental capacity could get through life ignoring his circumstances and any unfairness he might deem to affect them.’

She had become convinced he was a seriously potential subversive but the elephant in the room had already been made clearly apparent; he was too damned important to Anston Aerospace. As the silenced endured, Mrs Anston became uncomfortable so she decided to break up for Lunch. Her actions served to relieve the tensions in the room but the next event only served to drive home the issues. All the military and managerial staff went into the executive dining room while Charlie returned downstairs to his bench and the labourer’s canteen.

Having realised the blunder, the medical officer hurriedly questioned the situation. For she had clearly sensed the problem.

“Where’s he gone?” She asked Mrs Anston.

“Oh dammit,” the managing director cursed, “he’ll be eating down with the labourers in their canteen.”

“It’s too bloody late now. I suppose he’ll be spreading sedition down there.”

“Unlikely; knowing Charlie, he’ll be sat at his bench eating and tinkering simultaneously.”

“Is it worth going to get him and invite him up here.”

“Are you prepared to face any comment he might have about that?”

“He wouldn’t dare, it could land him on a gender assault charge.”

“Don’t you believe it,” Mrs Anston cautioned the doctor, “he’s far to subtle for that. You’ll get the message alright but there’ll be nothing that could stand up in court. As you’ve already learned; he’s clever.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 8

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

College / Twenties

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

Feminist Queendom 8 © Copyright to Beverly Guinevere Taff,

Chapter 8

Back at his workbench, Charlie was chewing on his baguette while reflecting that he had no windows illuminating his work-space, indeed the whole factory floor had no windows, it being lit only with high luminosity lights. His was a dark secluded corner but for the intense light illuminating his work-top. It irked him slightly that those executive women upstairs enjoyed wide panoramic windows with bright daylight and excellent views across the city while he worked away down in the poorly lit ‘boon-docks’.

To take his mind off the glaring inequalities surrounding his life and his job, he returned to the component he had been repairing before he had been ordered upstairs to meet the military. He had been testing some high voltage circuitry and as a precaution he had now slipped on his fine-meshed metal ‘ground suit’ under his overalls to protect himself from any electrical or static shocks. Before resuming the repair work he had ‘earthed’ the component preparatory to taking any high voltage or high amperage readings.

His ‘ground-suit was thus ‘earthed’ to both his work-bench and the workshop floor for protection and served as a faraday-cage to protect his person.

Beside him the maintenance manual lay open and he was engrossed in reading the relevant page when he sensed the presence behind him.
He did not react but simply continued chewing his baguette while reading the manual and examining the component.

Still ignoring the presence behind him, he marked two items on the manual page then turned the broken component around and secured it in the jig. He knew the visitor was waiting for him to acknowledge her presence but he deliberately ignored her as he carefully inserted the isolation key in the inspection panel mechanism. The panel cover plate became free and Charlie lifted it clear to set it aside before carefully inspecting the unit.

As he leant in with the screwdriver poised to insert into the dedicated release-screw, the medical officer could contain her impatience no longer.

“Are you going to acknowledge my presence Page?”

“I didn’t know you were there; and it’s Mister Page to you.”

His seeming total lack of subservience infuriated her and she seethed with anger.

“You are talking to a military officer with field rank and you’ll show respect! Who the hell do you think you are?”

“I am a civilian and I’m not bound by any military regulations. What d’ you want?”

“Firstly, you can turn and face me when you talk to me.”

He still refused to look away from his work as he explained.

“There will shortly be several thousand volts kicking through this breaker system and I don’t want to be short circuiting anything in this component by not looking at what I’m doing or giving it my full attention. If you want my attention, go back to Mrs Anston and get her permission. Meanwhile I have work to get on with, so – if you don’t mind.”

His persistent lack of subservience or respect finally got under the impatient medical officer’s skin and she resorted to the feminista last resort. She decided she needed to teach him some respect so, from her hand-bag she took out her military obedience-taser and set it to stun. Without warning him she aimed at his back and fired the two-pronged needle at his spine.

The results were totally unexpected and also spectacular. Instead of the needles plunging into Charlie’s back they struck the fine mesh of his ‘ground-suite’ and the ensuing short-circuit immediately caused a high voltage arcing envelope of ionised air around Charlie that resembled the ‘St Elmo’s fire’ effect of a lightning strike.

For a moment, the whole factory floor was lit up by the brilliant glow and the other men who were working nearest to Charlie were similarly bathed in the same eerie green envelope. Fortunately, they were not injured but they were frightened momentarily by the sudden and wholly unexpected event.

Not so for the medical officer who’s short-circuited taser had immediately incinerated as the feed-back along the wires had caused it to ignite and burn her fingers. She let out a squeal of pain and dropped the taser on the floor where it crackled and fizzed momentarily before melting at her feet.

“Aaah!” She cursed as she shook her scorched fingers and glared at a totally unaffected Charlie.

“What the hell did you do?”

“Me? I’ve done nothing! What did you think you were doing?”

“You’ll hear more of this you bloody ape!” She cursed as she dashed to the first aid station by the main doors.

Typically, the first-aid station, - designed for men – by women, proved to be a rudimentary wall box with a few bandages and plasters but nothing to treat burns.

Furthermore, the designated first-aider was apprehensive about treating a woman and it was several moments before he stepped forward to treat her. His hesitancy caused her further irritation as she cursed him.

“Don’t just stand there like an ape. Don’t you have any antiseptic ointments or washes?”

“Uuhm, no ma-am. Just bandages and plasters. We mostly deal in cuts and other wounds. We’ve got a defibrillator for electric shocks and chest injuries.”

She cursed and reached for the doors but her scorched fingers were too painful to tug at the heavy handles and she stood momentarily helpless until Charlie had disconnected his ground-suit and produced his own tube of antiseptic ointment from his overall pocket. After quickly removing his fine-mesh gloves, he washed his hands before carefully taking her fingers and spreading them wide to apply his own personal supply of ointment.

The pain soon subsided as the ointment both sterilised and anesthetised her fingers. Finally Charlie left the first-aider to carefully bandage her individual fingers and she could finally begin to function. Eventually she calmed down for she had been forced to realise it had been her own fault. She not even warned Charlie that she intended tasering him.

“You’d better take me back to the board-room. It’s hard to open doors like this.”

Charlie remained silent but knew there would be accusations flying around so he took the pre-emptive step of accompanying the medical officer back to the top floor.

Back in the board room heads turned questioningly when they saw the medical officer’s bandaged hands. Charlie remained silent and waited for the inevitable recriminations. The feminista culture had long ago degenerated into the same previously ‘male-macho-blame-culture’ as latter-day female executives moved to stab or climb over each-others backs.

Few knew better than Charlie that the rat-race still prevailed, the only difference being that the rats were no longer physically violent He reflected to himself that ‘Hell had no fury like a woman scorned.’ The results were the same so he waited for the blame game to start.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 9

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

College / Twenties

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom 9 © Beverly Taff June 2021

Chapter 9

Ms Anston Squinted knowingly at Charlie but her pet engineer appeared to be gazing passively out through the large window. She knew it would fall to her to sort out whatever trouble had occurred and she knew she would have to address the female military doctor’s case first. Feminista rules demanded this.

Sighing inwardly she asked the Military doctor.

“What happened to your hands?”

“They got burnt.”

“How?”

“Down in your repair and development workshop, where he works.”

“Go on,” the director pressed for she already sensed that the doctor was hiding something; “what were you doing down in the workshops unescorted.”

“Are you implying that I’m not qualified to enter that area?”

“Seemingly not,” the director replied whilst nodding pointedly towards the doctor’s injured hands.

“It was an accident.” The doctor replied defensively.

“Obviously; people don’t ordinarily come out of there every day with injured hands – burnt hands that is. What exactly happened?”

“I was forced to take action to make him obey me.”

“I see, he was being violent was he?”

“Well – not exactly but he was being uncooperative and incommunicative.”

“Go on.”

“I had to take my taser out because he was being disobedient.”

“What? You mean physically resisting you, assaulting you?”

“Not exactly.”

“Well what exactly. We can check on the CCTV. There are several in that workshop and at least two of them cover the work benches where Mr Sage works.”

“What! Two cameras?”

“Indeed, they are there because Mr Sage does some extremely sensitive work. They also have audio input; top level security you understand. Several of his colleagues work alongside him so they enjoy the same level of surveillance – for their own protection you understand.

The medical officer went pale as she realised she was in trouble.

“I, - I rather think it would be better if we let the matter drop.”

“I can’t do that I’m afraid. The first-aider who dressed your hand will have put a report in the accident book already. We have an excellent industrial accident record here at Anston’s and we like to keep it that way. Every accident has to be reported and investigated. What exactly happened.”

Realising she had better come clean, the medical officer did so.

“Mt Sage was proving somewhat reluctant to communicate and I became annoyed.”

By now the incident was being replayed on a video screen for everybody to see and the medical officer realised she was bang-to-rights. She was forced to describe it exactly as it was.

“He was refusing to face me as he spoke to me and he was being generally discourteous. I had to teach him not to be so rude.”

“By tasering him while he had his back to you.” Mrs Anston’s tone clearly demonstrated her dissatisfaction with the medical officer’s narrative.

“All he had to do was turn around and face me as he spoke.”

The director wagged her head resignedly.

“Do you work much with men General. You must meet thousands of them in the military.”

“No, I deal with the ergonomic and physiological aspects of operating specialist weapons.”

“So you’ll no-doubt understand the effects of the magnetronic dessicator on aircraft controls and the neutralisation of the attendant Gee forces the dessicator can effect.”

“Yes, that’s what we’re here to discuss.”

“Exactly, and do you understand what forces are involved.”

“I understand what effects the magnetronic dessicator can achieve to out-perform enemy aircraft.”

“Do you know exactly how the dessicator achieves those effects, how it rapidly interrupts the accelerative forces to neutralise the lateral pressures in a fighter’s tight turn?”

“Well no, - not exactly, that’s the secret of our science.”

“Well actually Colonel, it’s not precisely our science, it is in fact Mr Sage’s science. Without his insight and intuition, your planes would never be able to out-perform the Asian block’s aircraft. Furthermore, we here at Anston Aerospace will privately admit to your committee that while we share the benefits of the magnetronic desiccators with your airmen, we still don’t exactly understand precisely how the damned things work. Only one person has that depth of intuition and he’s standing by that window.

Now whilst I’ll admit I might not fully understand it’s secrets I can assure you that I know this much. When Mr Sage or one of his work colleagues opens up one of those gizmos, there are some very high voltage capacitors and desiccation repeaters which, if they shocked a man or woman, would most likely kill them or burn them very severely. The capacitors in particular can store their charge for a considerable period after de-activation.

That is why he and his work mates take great care when testing them on the bench. They don’t want to die.

Incidentally, that is also why they wear the copper-mesh ground suits to act as a faraday cage and immediately conduct any stray short circuit to earth. Just like sitting in a car during a lightning strike.

Now after watching the CTT of Mr Sage’s workshop bench I can only thank God that he was wearing his ground suit when you tasered him without warning! For if he had collapsed unprotected onto the dessicator with its opened safety panel and live connections to the test bed, Mr Sage would be dead. Those terminals are rated for five thousand volts with not inconsiderable amperage.

Would you like to see a raw arc shorting to earth from those testing terminals. It’s a display that Mr Sage arranges for every newcomer to his bench team and it is a very sobering lesson. If you look at every work-stall, you’ll see each individual has his own copper-mesh, ground-suit hanging on its own peg. Now many of Mr Sage’s team wear them as a matter of course because they believe they have accidentally discovered some other benefits to do with rheumatism and other joint pains.

That’s something my ladies are even now researching but it was Mr Sage’s team who first reported the unexpected bonus. A medical spin-off from military research.

I’m telling you this Colonel because of Mr Sage and his work, - and please remember, I’m not allowed to describe it as research because of the Feminista 'job description laws that ensure he remains on a lower pay grade. Mr Sage's work is what keeps this company and even your armed forces ahead of the technology game. Only the magnetronic dessicator enables our aircraft to dodge hypersonic missiles at virtually point-blank range! - And, more importantly, out-accelerate them when fired upon from behind.

In an ordinary fighter-plane’s cockpit, those gee forces would crush a human being; man or woman! That’s the brutal truth!”

The medical officer wanted to glare at Ms Anston but the director was far too high up the defence-industry’s pecking order for a mere colonel to invoke her wrath. Instead, she tried giving Charlie a malignant stare but Ms Anston spotted it immediately and a single knowing glance put paid to the colonel’s thoughts of revenge.

Even as the medical officer glanced around the gathered generals, she could feel their censure boring into her. Now was not the time or place to get even with this damnable man!

The rest of the afternoon was taken up by Ms Anston the director escorting the generals around the plant to describe what exciting new researches were taking place. This went down very well with the military except for the fact that almost everywhere they stopped to examine some military innovation; Charlie’s name kept popping up when the technology was being discussed.

By the end of the day, the generals were more than concerned to learn just how much of their technology was attributable to one person and a male person at that.

Charlie’s very existence threw their whole concept of the Feminista order into disorder and the military were never comfortable with disorder.

At the end of the tour, several of the generals asked Ms Anston if they could interview Charlie again before the visit ended. She regretted that it was gone seventeen hundred hours and Charlie, as a supervisor level, kept regulated hours and was paid at an hourly rate. If they had wanted to speak to him after five o’clock they should have put their request in before he had left. Then the man would have been paid a direct overtime hourly rate.

“Are you saying he’s not even enjoying an executive salary?” One of the senior generals observed disbelievingly.

“Feminista rules I’m afraid general. Men cannot hold executive positions unless they’ve been feminised. I’m sure your aware of that.”

“How come he wasn’t feminised when a child, his intelligence must have alerted the educators.”

“His mother was a bit of a rebel who did not hold with the feminista agenda. She worked on her son and after a troublesome year at school where he tried to study to a higher level, the boy appeared to give up. Our company has researched his childhood and it does not cast the Feminista principles in a good light.

“Explain!” The general requested

“The boy grew up tight lipped and deeply introspective.”

“So how on earth does he understand the science? Or the maths even! He must have somehow gained access to illegal textbooks.”

“Really general, that’s an extremely naive perception. Who’s text-books did Newton consult when he discovered calculus.”

“Are you saying he has discovered it himself and then taken it forward.”

“Worse than that general, he’s discovered his own mathematical tools with his own symbols and functions and they are considerably more powerful than our conventional maths. It’s no use trying to get him to explain it. When my staff fail to comprehend he just looks at our mathematical researchers then shakes his head and walks away.

However, I can assure you now, he breaks NO laws; - unless there are some new kind of 'thought regulations' that I have not heard of. The only other assurance I can offer you is to be thankful he is on our side, or at least he is for now.”

“Yeah! But for how long if he keeps getting treated like an ape – and paid like one?” One of the generals wondered.

“I leave that question to be answered by higher powers than me.”

“Couldn’t he be forcibly feminised under emergency powers?”

“He’s married. That would put you in clear breach of his wife’s human rights!”

The word ‘married’ dropped on the assembled military like a nuclear bomb.

“Married!? That’s a bit primitive isn’t it. I would have thought that somebody of that level of intelligence would have avoided such a backward, primitive step like the plague.”

“Seemingly not,” the director riposted, “his wife is adamant that he is a thoughtful, kind, careful and gentle sperm donor.”

“You mean they -!”

“Yes general, they conjugate the old-fashioned way. It may seem unhygienic to you but they seem to delight in the private anticience it lends them.”

“Isn’t that illegal?”

“Hardly General. Wasn’t that one of the pillars of the Feminista arguments, liberating women both in the bedroom and in the bed. What a woman does with her sperm donor or donors, is entirely outside the remit of government or religious intervention, provided she does not injure him or them.”

“Hmm,” the General mused, “so he’s breaking no laws.”

Ms Anston smiled beguilingly.

“I’ve already told you that General. Just be glad he’s on our side.”

“But in truth, he’s out of control, - well our control that is.”

“In my view general, he’s very much in control, - self-control that is. My advice is to avoid poking him.”

“I doesn’t make me feel safe though. What’s the relationship with his minder?”

“Do you mean his wife?”

“Sorry, yes, his wife. It’s a word I’m not used to. It seems primitive to me.”

“Get used to it general, she’s the prickly one and he dotes on her. - Typically old fashioned infatuation, as I understand it.”

“So if we can get her on our side, -“ The general hazarded.

“General, I’m warning you now, DO NOT POKE THAT RELATIONSHIP! I’ll say this one more time! Neither I, nor Anston Aerospace nor this country can afford to lose that brain, - that MAN’S brain!”

ooo000ooo

The general somewhat resented Ms Anston’s blunt warning but she was the director and owner of one of the Feminine Queendom’s largest and most advanced aerospace companies. He already knew that she had a lot of clout with the defence ministry and Downing Street. It galled her to know that Ms Anston’s clout was almost entirely owed to Charlie Sage, who was nothing more than a shop floor supervisor.

That evening, the generals and the colonel doctor had a long discussion about Charlie. Some argued that the best solution was to feminise him but others, including the doctor, pointed out that his potential to improve the intellectual gene pool was too important to be destroyed.

“Just remember sisters, science tells us that the ‘Y’ chromosome is a vital component to the principle of sentient, mongrel vigour. The potential for throwing up the occasional genius like Mr Sage is a brutal statistical truth. We cannot allow male intelligence to be retrograded genetically and we are forced to acknowledge the laws of genetics. You cannot inbreed intelligence through the mitochondrial DNA.”

The generals and particularly the medical officer, fully understood the realities of medical and genetic science and knew the director was right; though it galled them.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 10

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

College / Twenties

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

Feminist Kingdom 10 © Beverly Taff

Chapter 10.

It was Charlie’s turn to pick Chloe up from work and she was waiting for him outside their regular café when he arrived.

“Had a good day darling?” He asked her.

“Not really, how was yours?”

“Pretty good. We managed to splice a gene into a child’s genome and if it works, we might retroactively be able to move one step closer to eliminating ‘Down’s syndrome’ retroactively. So what went wrong with yours?”

“Oooh, all the usual suspects; visiting big-wigs, stupid questions, invasive personal questions; the usual stuff.”

“Asking why your weren’t feminised I suppose.”

“Got it in one.” Charlie confirmed as he leaned across to kiss her.

“Any particularly idiotic questions?”

“Well there was this military doctor, she asked stupid questions and tried to bully me. Sometimes I’m glad Ms Anston secured my reserved status. It protects me from the likes of that idiot colonel.”

As they drove home, Charlie related the events of the day to Chloe who seethed with anger when everything was revealed. Over their light supper Chloe commiserated with Charlie before he went to do some work in the spare bedroom that was being planned as a nursery. Later that night they resumed the second part of their plan to fill the nursery.

The following morning, Charlie had more-or-less put the events of the previous day behind him. It was Chloe’s turn to drive them to work and she watched as he walked with a slight spring to his step.
‘He seems to get over his troubles so easily,’ she reflected. ‘One day down in the dumps; the next day happy as a lark’.

He went to his bench whistling softly which was a well-known sign recognised by his workmates that Charlie was open to answer queries. Before he had changed into his work clothes, three of his colleagues were queueing up for advice. The day consequently went well for Charlie, there no executive interruptions and he even got to eat his lunch in peace outside. Several broken or problematical components were returned as new to the factory’s list of reconditioned artifacts.

Things were not the same for Chloe, however.

During her mid-morning coffee-break, her professor appeared with two ‘suits’.

“Ah. Mrs Sage, glad I caught you here. Can we talk?”

“What about.”

“Uuuhm, these two ladies are from the Genetics Council.”

“I’ll speak to them in my lab after coffee.”

“Well no Mrs Sage, it’s something of a more personal nature.”

“Go – oon,” Chloe prompted cautiously.

“It’s a bit tricky I’m afraid.”

“Genetics is my business, nothings personal.”

“No but your marriage is.”

“My marriage is legal and of course it’s personal. What’s this really about?”

“Well these two ladies wish to explain.”

“They’ll have to be quick. I’ve got a test running in my lab and the result is time critical.”

“We can wait until after lunch if you prefer.” One of the suits replied.
“That would be better. You may come to my lab and watch if you want. See how real science done, not just attending committees and shuffling paper around.”

“We have a job to do,” the second suit replied defensively.

Chloe shrugged, tipped her coffee mug back them motioned to the suits to follow.

“You might as well come as well Prof. You’ll have to sanction the next stages anyway.”

In the lab Chloe firstly attended to some readings and calibrations then turned to the suits.

“It’s not all test-tubes and pipets. This expensive gismo analyses the atomic structures of the genes with gas chromatography through an electron scanning microscope.”

“Indeed, very interesting. Is this the kit you’re using to do your genetic splicing.”

“It’s the first step, first catch your hare.”

The suit looked askance so Chloe let the reference to Mrs Beaton’s Recipe book drop and decided she had enough time between reading and adjustments to answer the suits’ questions.

“So ladies, what do you want to know that’s personal.”

“It’s a bit sensitive I’m afraid.”

“You’re talking to a scientist about human genes. Everything’s sensitive, especially when it comes to a mother and her babies.”

“This is more about fathers and their sperm.”

“Go-oon;” Chloe responded cautiously for a second time.”

The first suit explained.

“Your sperm donor met with a military medical committee yesterday.”

“You mean my husband met them; yes he mentioned it to me last night. Go on.”

“He should not have done that; the meeting was sensitive.”

“He did not reveal any secrets military or medical, he just mentioned his annoyance at the way he was treated by one of the committee. Besides, my husband is not signatory to any official secrets acts. He cannot do so because he’s a man and men are not allowed access to sensitive information. That sort of material is held by executives and my husband cannot hold an executive position because of your feminista laws.”

The ‘suit’ twitched uncomfortably. She had been fully versed in the circumstances of the meeting at Anston Aerospace but of course she had heard nothing of Charlies version.

“Nevertheless, your sperm- sorry, your husband; is counted very highly by Anston Aero, and my principals feel it only right to approach you.”

“About?” Chloe responded to force the suits to be direct and honest.

“Ahem, well, uuuhm, depositing his sperm in the national sperm bank. We were hoping you would allow it. We’ve studied the Feminista, legal corrections to marital conjugation and it’s entirely your prerogative.”

“I should think it’s my husband’s decision, it’s his body and his sperm.”

“Well technically it’s your body and your sperm, according to the feminista marital code. It was enacted during the Great Cultural Transformation. You could order him to donate.”
“And if he refuses?”

“He can’t refuse if you order him.”

“And if I refuse?”

The suit’s jaws dropped as one and it was several seconds before the spokeswoman recovered.

“You! Refuse?”

“Yes; if I refuse, what then?”

“But you; - why would you refuse?”

“How about respect for my husband’s, that is my partner’s feelings and beliefs.”

“He cannot even vote so how can he usefully express beliefs, religious or political?”

“He never expresses them; he chooses not to. It would have been unsafe and unwise for him to have done so all through his life. Silence is golden, - that’s his motto and his mantra.”

“Has he expressed such beliefs to you?”

“He doesn’t have to. We talk enough for me to understand him. Besides, what’s said in my bedroom, stays in my bedroom.”

The ‘suits’ quickly realised that they had a very tricky situation on their hands. Feminista laws had almost set women’s rights in stone but the unforeseen side effects were that if an eccentric or rogue female chose to indirectly protect a man by maintaining her inalienable rights it put the suits at a serious disadvantage.

They realised that for the moment, they would have to step back and reconsider a legitimate tactic to somehow obtain Charlie’s sperm without recourse to a breach of the feminista laws that were rigidly enforced and fiercely protected.

Their next clumsy step was to approach Chloe’s work-place and hopefully bring some pressure to bear through threatening her job. For once, her boss the professor of the genetics institute was forced to protect her researcher Chloe much along the same lines as Ms Anston the owner and director of Anston Aerospace.

“Ladies, I have to caution you now, I will help you all I can and I will certainly have a chat with Mrs Sage but you must tread very cautiously. From what I’ve seen of Mis Sage’s relationship with that man, you could not get a wafer between them. She is devoted, he is infatuated.

They have even chosen to live almost in isolation in their remote country cottage. Mrs Sage does not engage with anybody else in the faculty except for one of the Surgeons, Dr Flint and that is pretty much entirely at the social level. Even that relationship is fairly loose.”

“Do you think that doctor might be a lever to work our way in?”

“I doubt it.” The professor opined. “She was purely a witness at Mrs Sage’s wedding. She was only slightly supportive of her friend’s decision to marry Mr Sage. Chloe only invited her because she wanted a professional female colleague to bring gravity and legitimacy to the registration process.

I believe she attended the meal afterwards but only a few close friends attended, possibly eight or nine altogether; a dozen at most. I wasn’t invited.”

“Nor anybody from Anston Aerospace it seems.”

“Exactly.” The professor finished. “Now I can’t wish you good luck with your endeavours because, despite all my reservations and predictions, it seems that their marriage is working in spite of the establishment conventions and censures. I will not penalise the lady because of her personal convictions. Besides, she’s too useful to this institute and I would be a fool to let her go. She’s very intelligent and it seems that intelligent people are attracted to intelligent people. So good day ladies.”

That afternoon the suits returned to London with little to show for their efforts.

ooo000ooo

Colonel Wilson, the air-force doctor who had been a member of the military committee who had visited Anston Aerospace, still harboured a grudge concerning the slights she felt she had received at the hands of the mere shop supervisor at Anston Aerospace. Colonel Wilson was a fully paid up member of the ‘feminista brigade’ and she now deemed it her veritable military duty to cut the arrogant bastard down to size. Her problem was how, where and when.

Even after several generations of female supremacy, there were some who felt an abiding detestation for the ancient patriarchy that had subjugated women since the dawn of human history. This mentality had also been imbued in women by the re-aligned education system that literally embedded a culture of misanthropy that now perpetuated a fundamental hatred for all things masculine.

This perspective was sadly reinforced by the genetic endeavours to somehow breed more intelligent women while simultaneously breeding less intelligent men. The consequent societal structures where women enjoyed all the fruits of the technological advances while men continued to labour in mostly menial tasks was an engine that powered the slow deterioration of the human I.Q., especially in the feminine societies.

Sadly, an impartial scientific awareness of this glacially slow deterioration was too unpalatable for the Feminista politicians to swallow immediately.
Even for the feminine scientific community, the fact that it was an uneducated, self-taught, male mathematician who had determined the statistical truth was a culturally difficult fact to swallow, yet no amount of statistical ‘jiggery-pokery’ could alter the brutal fact.

Destroy any intelligence genes to be found on the ‘Y’ chromosome and you would inevitably drag down the whole societal I.Q. in both genders.

For Doctor Wilson and her fundamentalist Feministas, the only solution seemed to be that all intelligent males should be rounded up and corralled strictly for breeding. She wanted simple solutions, no matter how barbaric or extreme they might be. The truth was that misanthropy had become such a pivotal, fundamental component of their Feminista mind-sets, that they were incapable of seeing past the inhumanity and subsequent self-destruction it would wrought in any male community.

Intelligent men lived by more than sex alone.

Sadly, blinkered, feminista women refused to see it. They had become fanatical in their misanthropy and almost religious in their beliefs.

Doctor Wilson had become a core element of the feminista fundamentalists who saw intelligent men as a paradoxically, necessary evil that would have to be controlled and. Just like ancient patriarchal priests had once controlled access to god and heaven, so would the new matriarchal elite have to control access to any intelligent male genes.
An inhumane science would have to become a substitute for once inhumane religions.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 11

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

College / Twenties

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom 11 © Copyright to Beverly Taff.

Chapter 11

That evening, because of work commitments at Anston Aerospace, Charlie missed his lift home with Chloe and thus chose to take the bus home. The bus stop was over a mile from Ronnie’s garage and so he walked the last mile home. He did not mind this for he had telephoned Chloe that he would be late. Like most country roads, this road was not lit and Charlie walked steadily but cautiously in the pitch dark as he made his way home.

When walking however without the deafening noise of traffic, the silence of the countryside at night exaggerates every little sound. Charlie’s boots were necessarily rubber soled for insulation at his work bench so he was silent as he picked his way along the grassy verge. The occasional scream of a vixen seeking a mate or hoot of an owl out hunting were familiar to him and gave him no cause for concern, the sound of a car door closing however was unusual.
He knew there were no houses between the bus-stop and Ronnie’s garage for the little village was further along the road past Ronnie’s shop and the entrance to Charlies’ lane.
He also knew that there were only two places where a car could park off the road and both locations were small, wooded lay-bys that mostly served to allow ramblers access to the woods that lined the road. At first he presumed them to be a couple making out in the privacy of the woods but as he continued walking, he became suspicious of a car set back at an angle to the road as though prepared for a ‘Le-man’s’ start. Fortunately, he saw the car long before the occupants saw him and he stopped to take stock.

The car had London number plates and the occupants were obviously not lovers. One was seemingly sleeping while the other was clearly looking at her phone and checking each passing car. They were obviously waiting for somebody to pass and Charlie was pretty sure that ‘somebody’ was him. Cautiously, he backed away then turned deeper into the woods which was laced with dozens of recreational paths. The only orientation he had was the ground with pitched up to the ridge that formed the edge of the wide river valley.

Cautiously, he picked his way to the top of the ridge then turned to walk along the well-trodden ridgeway path towards Ronnie and Pauline’s garage. Once above that familiar set of buildings, it was an easy task for Charlie to trek the last mile by gradually descending off the ridge which was steepening into a cliff, and approach his cottage across the field. On arrival, he scrubbed up, made himself a large mug of tea then joined Chloe in bed.

“Why so late darling?” Chloe asked sleepily

Charlie explained everything and Chloe cursed.

“Do you think they’re out to kidnap you or something?”

“That’s what I suspect.”

“Are you going to tell Anston Aerospace?”

“Of course but I’ll take precautions as well.”

“Such as?”

“I’ll start wearing my ground suit to and from work under my overalls. If they try to taser me again, they’ll get a shock or worse burns.”

“I don’t understand why they should want to kidnap you. You’re working for the government indirectly anyway.”

“That military doctor Wilson, -Colonel Wilson is a vindictive bitch. I showed her up and embarrassed her when she tried to taser me and burned her own hands. I think she’s just a hateful misanthropist.”

“Well, there are plenty of those sorts around these days. You’re going to have to be very careful.”

Charlie didn’t answer but simply continued thoughtfully sipping his tea. Chloe could sense that Charlie was plotting something but decided to let sleeping dogs lie. The following morning he explained to Chloe.

“If you run me in to work again please, I’ll be working late again so I’ll get the bus home. Walking through the woods helps me think. It’s quiet and dark.”

“Okay, but I want to know what you’re planning.”

“I just want to avoid any incident with Wilson’s lot. I’m convinced she’s
plotting something but I don’t know what.”

“But with you being a reserved asset with Anston’s; she can’t touch you.”

“Oh this is personal. She’s just a bully and bullies hate being bested. She’ll be back, mark my words.” By the way, there should be a large parcel arriving at Ronnie’s garage within a week.”

“What’s in it?”

“A space-suit. I’ve ordered two but one is still being completed.”

“How the hell did you organise that.”

“Anston’s are developing very high altitude aircraft, - edge of space stuff and the cockpit ergonomics require a gee-suit that’s virtually a space suit. Their cockpit designers will require ‘crash-test dummies’ to make sure the pilots can operate all the controls properly. They ordered twenty suits for testing so I slipped in an extra two to the list for bench-testing. Most importantly, they will be for you, if you and I ever have to go into space. Once I’ve examined the suits closely, and seen how they’re made, I’ll make a couple of my own to fit me.

“How?”

“My plan is to modify our ground suits. The flexible fine metal mesh will serve as the basis to withstand the space-suit’s internal pressure and there are several air-tight materials that will serve when glued to the inside of the ground suit to make a close fitting, stretchable, flexible and air-tight suit.”

“What about helmets and oxygen supply?”

“I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. Anyway, escaping into space will be a last resort for me. Probably a precursor to suicide.”

“And what about me?” Chloe demanded angrily.

“I just don’t know darling. I want us to stay together for the rest of our lives but if this bitch Wilson makes life impossible for me, then I simply don’t know. What I don’t want is some sort of mutual suicide pact.

Our children will need at least one parent if the feminista make my life intolerable.”

Chloe’s anger spilled over as she spelled out her argument.

“Listen you dummy! There’s going to be no talk of suicide and there’s going to be no talk of our marriage being separated. We’re going to have to fight this battle together.”

“What is it that this bitch Wilson wants? We’re all working for the same side aren’t we?”

“She’s a dysfunctional misanthropist that sees no value in masculinity or male contribution to humanity’s advance. She doesn’t see any use for males in her army ever since warfare became nothing more than weaponised, technological slaughter. All killing is done remotely and the combatants never see the consequences of their actions, until that is, those consequences reach their own front doors and they suddenly see their own homes being destroyed.”

“I think you’re exaggerating.” Chloe protested.

“Really, when did you ever see children maimed or mutilated?”

“Never!” Chloe argued. “The east would never get through our protections’”

“And neither can we punch through theirs; so everything ends up in proxy-wars. Smaller, weaker countries being blasted by the cross-fire with populations living permanently under fire and kids never knowing a day’s peace.”

“That’s the price of peace.”

“Peace for whom?” Charlie snarled.

His response caused Chloe to hesitate. She knew his anger wasn’t directed towards her but if Charlie let such anger subsume his humanity, there was no knowing what could happen.

One thing she did know was that Charlie’s anti-gravity engine was a device that could give him immeasurable power and it behoved her to do everything possible to stop Charlie losing his pacific nature. The problem was how?

They shared Chloe’s car to work, then that evening, Charlie followed a similar routine but chose different bus-stop to alight. This time instead of walking home down the road, he entered the woods early and picked his way cautiously along the ridgeway path. From above he saw the same car again and this confirmed his suspicions. The next day he drove in to work in his own little banger then informed his boss.

“Definitely Ma-am. They were waiting for somebody and it was a military car with military style London registration plates. I don’t feel safe.”

They talked at length about the whys and where’s then Ms Anston tried to reassure him with a promise to drag the colonel off his back. Charlie returned to his bench completed the jobs allotted to him then used his morning break to search through the waste bins for any useful odds and ends. As was usual, he found some stuff he was looking for and put it in his car with an official works pass for scrap materials.

That evening, he chose to take a long, convoluted route home whilst looking for a second-hand car outlet where he could buy a cheap, dark-coloured utility truck that he intended painting in camouflage colours for woodland use. His reason for buying it, if asked by the feminista police, was to landscape the paddock and water-pasture in front of his cottage.

The journey also served to let Charlie check if he was being followed. To his chagrin he learned that he was, so he decided to stop for a coffee on the way home and wait for the winter night to descend. When it did, he drove home by another winding route he knew well. Then, at an opportune moment he deftly activated his anti-grav around a blind bend and ascended high into the forest canopy.
From his high point amidst the branches, he watched the pursuing car sweep around the bend then speed up as it realised it had lost sight of Charlie’s modest little yellow runabout. Once the pursuing car had passed, Charlie silently rotated his car then descended onto the road and returned via the way he’d come. By the time the pursuers had finally reached Ronnie’s garage, Charlie’s lane was closed to visitors and the pursuers were denied access.

The following morning Pauline described the events to both Charlie and Chloe as they recharged their batteries.

“Yes, a right bossy bitch, and she was as rude as hell to Ronnie. Fortunately, he returned to his workshop and I had the row with her. She demanded to know if I had a key to your gates and I told her bluntly no.”

Chloe smiled gratefully for she knew perfectly well that Pauline did have a key and used it every time she stopped at the cottage when she fancied a chat and some company of an evening. Chloe also learned that Colonel Wilson’s companion was a powerfully built woman; probably one of a new experimental species of military women being bred to replace men for any tasks requiring muscle. Not very bright but almost as strong as a normal man. Certainly, two of such women could take down a normal man.

After exchanging as much information as they could Pauline resolved to make sure that no vehicle could enter Charlie’s lane without her or Ronnie learning of it. Pauline’s daughter Bryony had just done extremely well in her maths and science exams, courtesy of Charlie’s generous help and both Bryony’s parents were more than grateful. The girl was headed for one of the best universities.

ooo000ooo

A few days later Ms Anston requested Charlie’s presence in her office and when Charlie arrived he was confronted with a panel of suits; one of whom he recognised as a cabinet minister. He hesitated suspiciously for he was still wearing his ‘ground suit’ and stained with assorted chemicals associated with his work.

“Yes Ma-am, you wanted me?”

“Yes Charlie. These ladies have a technical problem and they were wondering if you could look it over.”

Charlie glanced at the object and immediately recognised that it was a primitive attempt at a ‘gravity engine’. Naturally, he did not reveal his thoughts but simply asked what it was supposed to do. One of the suits connected the device to a high voltage supply that had been led in through a thick copper cable. Then she closed the breaker and the object levitated momentarily before dropping back to the table with a thump that would have chipped the highly polished surface but for the metal tray it sat in.

“What d’you think of that Mr Sage?” Ms Manston asked.

Charlie stepped forward to examine the object but two of the ladies stepped to intercept him.

“Sorry Charlie, they’re not happy for you to touch it.”

“Well, if I can’t check it out, I can’t give an opinion. What do they think it is?”

“They think it’s some sort of anti-gravity device, or at least the first steps towards one.”

“Well, they’ve got a heck of a long way to go if all it does is rise and fall within a couple of seconds. I mean that cable alone implies that it needs a lot of power. How much is running through it?”

“Four-forty, three-phase A.C.”

“Which implies a hefty genny to produce enough power simply to lift a few kilograms of gadgetry a few centimetres in the air. It’ll never become a flying saucer with that power to weight ratio, will it. Where did you get it?”

“It was smuggled out of the east-Asiatic block.”

“Well, they’re very clever these Chinese. But they’ll need to develop a featherweight genny that produces humongous amounts of juice. Batteries won’t do it.”

“Do you think you could find out how it works?”

“If I can’t touch it or disassemble it; no.”

Ms Anston turned to the assembled suits and spread her hands.

“Well there you have it ladies. Either Mr Sage has to look at it; disassemble it even or we get nowhere with it. Unless of course, you know of some other genius elsewhere.”

Charlie frowned and spoke to the cabinet minister.

“How long have you had this gadget?”

The minister turned and whispered to a senior looking suite then turned back sheepishly.

“About a year apparently.”

Charlie just wagged his head despairingly.

“A year! A whole bloody year? How much further do you think they’ll be down the road where this thing takes them?”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 12

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

College / Twenties

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminine Queendom 12 © Copyright to Beverly Taff

Chapter 12

The visitation was shocked at Charlie’s outburst. Men had no right to show such offence or aggression towards women and several of the ‘suits’ reached discreetly to feel for their tasers in anticipation of some sort of violence.

All of the visiting committee had been reared and educated in the feminista realms of modern education and their only experience of adult men had been via documentaries about male behaviour in the rookeries. If any of them had wished to have a child, the sum total of their experience had been a visit to the sperm banks and personally choosing a sperm sample deemed to best suit them. Their only experience of the donor had been a short video recording of the male followed by a bio-log of that male’s measured capabilities, mostly associated with his IQ and any personality traits that had been discerned by the feminista authorities.

Each of the male donors had been vetted by the sperm-banks as to suitability for breeding on a crude psycho- biological basis.
Fatherhood had never been a societal consideration. Invariably, because of historical criteria, the male donor’s IQ’s had invariably been lower than the female IQ’s as a consequence of the feminista flawed reasoning that Charlie had recently exposed. This last fact, however, was not yet generally known because the feminista were still reeling from the exposure and thus they were struggling to remedy the situation without revealing the truth universally.

As a consequence of this social malady, the visiting panel in Ms Anston’s office that morning had never actually met an intelligent sperm donor in the flesh and the only yard-stick they each had was the flawed learning from their university educations.

When Charlie had expressed shock at their disclosure of a year’s delay before coming to him, they had automatically assumed that Charlie was about to explode into a violent rampage. His unexpected reaction of flopping down into the large arm-chair that Ms Anston kept in her office, was something they had never expected.

Ms Anston quickly recognised the collective uncertainty of the un-nerved visitors and she moved swiftly to defuse ant misunderstanding. She spoke forcefully and somewhat annoyedly.

“That’s enough ladies!! Settle down and put your bloody tasers away. There’ll be no harm done to Mr Sage in my office!”

The reference to the ‘sperm-donor’ by its proper name and title was enough to convince most of the visitors that this was an exceptional situation and they quickly complied by removing their hands from their taser pouches and sighing with relief. One visitor however was encumbered of a more stubborn, prejudiced streak and Ms Anston had to step from behind her desk to physically force the woman to re-holster her weapon while scolding her.

“I said, PUT YOUR TASERS AWAY! There will be NO assaults in my office!”

She then turned to her factory floor supervisor and stupefied the group be calling him by his given name.

“I’m sorry about that Charlie, I would never have knowingly exposed you to such danger. It seems these ladies have not been fully briefed about you.”

“Thanks Ma-am, apologies accepted. Now, about this gadget?”

He stood up again then reached out to lift the component and inspect it visually. The suits watched uncertainly as he asked.

“Can you switch on the current please?”

The woman holding the switch-box advised.

“It’s four-forty volts, three phase are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

Charlie gave her a censorious, sideways look that said volumes so she shrugged and switched on. The component promptly rose to about twenty centimetres off the table and hovered rigidly without wobbling or swaying at all. Charlie surprised everybody by stepping on a chair then standing on the board-room table and grabbing a hard writing pad. He rested it on top of the component then proceeded to sit on the writing pad that did not displace at all. When he found his balance, he lifted both feet of the table and the only thing connecting Charlie to the ground was the heavy duty cable that supplied the component with energy.

From his unfathomable perch he smiled enigmatically.

“Yes! Definitely anti-grav. So what have you ladies done with it so far?”

A row of uncertain stares told him that every-one of the panel had left the component virtually untouched, except to activate it and ponder the science. Nobody had even been certain enough to touch it while hovering. Charlie wagged his head judgementally.

“So ladies. Have you had it apart; you know, to find out what makes it tick?”

A collective mumbled ‘no’ rippled through the group and once again Charlie made his feelings obvious. He muttered softly to himself, - ‘If an infinite number of monkeys –‘ then he left the rest of the universally known hypothesis hang in the air as he stood up and nodded to the switch holder to switch it off.

Once the gadget had settled back on the table Charlie picked it up and frowned.

“Whoever made this has done their damnedest to keep its secrets, there’s no obvious way in.”

“Exactly!” The senior suit responded, “That’s why we’ve been unwilling to try and break our way in. For all we know, it might be booby-trapped.”

“So, if you can’t resolve its construction why didn’t you try and determine its effects.”

“How?” The suit demanded with the contempt running thick in her words. “Do you know anything about gravity?”

“Not as you know it.” Charlie replied, but I wouldn’t have just let it lie idle for a year without trying every option.”

“And where would you even start?”

“To quote the red-king; begin at the beginning and go forw-.”

“All right Mr Sage. That’s enough sarcasm. Do you think you can do anything?” Ms Anston scolded him, though her suppressed smile gave her away.

“Not without some proper facilities. My work-bench is a bit too primitive for the likes of this. Let me have a think about it.”

Ms Anston cast a querying glance at the assembled suits who gave a collective shrug for not one of them had even dared to touch it while it was switched on. She turned again to Charlie.

“Very well Mr Sage. You can work on the damned thing for a week but you’ll be chaperoned all the time. Two of these ladies will be attending that component at all time but you have carte-blanche to work on it.”

The arrangement was not exactly what Charlie had wanted but he was sure he could determine what principles of gravity the gadget exploited. By Charlie’s standards it was a fairly primitive achievement but to the assembled suits the science might as well have been magic.

Ms Anston declared that the main Anston science laboratory was to be made available and the suits looked askance with disbelief. They deemed it almost a sin to allow a man loose in any workplace reserved for women but their views were counteracted by the small group of Anston executives who seemingly were accustomed to such unconventional work-practices. Oft-times they had been down to Charlie’s seemingly chaotic workbench to see some ingenious modification outperform their own original devices.

The Anston research executives simply nodded agreeably and their
obvious co-operation disabled any protests that might have been growing in the suit’s thoughts.

ooo000ooo

Charlie left the boardroom with the two government chaperones and several of Anston’s own research executives who led the group to the spotlessly clean labs. As he walked through the double doors, Charlie could not help but envy the excellent facilities and pristine circumstances. He contrasted this with the ill-lit, dirty, noisy chaos of his own dedicated work-bench and pursed his lips irritably.

‘Still’, he reasoned, ‘it was not the metal-bashing that counted; it was the reasoning behind it that mattered. One idea was worth a million factories.’

Charlie immediately took the component to a large oscilloscopic magnatrometer and asked one of the Anston staff to activate it. The lady hesitated uncertainly because the penetrative capabilities were severe.

“Don’t worry Miss,” Charlie assured her. “I’m pretty sure I know what they’ve built here and there’s nothing radioactive or explosive inside.”

The researcher’s reluctance was palpable and the uncertainty spread through the assembled scientists like the plague as they inched away nervously. Charlie sighed resignedly and asked the operator to show him how it was activated. Her willingness to let Charlie expose himself to any unknown dangers was painfully obvious as she hurriedly explained the procedures.

Once the magnatrometer was activated, a fuzzy image appeared on the screen. The image remained there and upon seeing that Charlie was neither concerned nor disabled, the operator became emboldened and stepped up beside Charlie to improve the focus. She failed and turned to Charlie apologetically.

“I can’t get it any clearer.”

Charlie stood back as he made some notes before doing a calculation that nobody could decipher because he was using his own special functionary symbols. Eventually he nodded his head and explained.

“There’s a dense metal lining inside the thing and it’s partially shielding the internal image. This is going to take a bit of time.”

“What metal d’ you think it might be?” The operator asked.

“It looks like Osmium, that’s probably what’s making it so heavy and so difficult for the magnatrometer to penetrate accurately. The Osmium diffuses the image. I can recognise some sort of gravitational capacitor in there and it looks like it’s attached to a large coil that neutralises the immediate gravity effect but only for a limited distance.
They can use this to make some sort of hovering tank but it cannot extend the antigrav effect further than the few centimetres. It would not support an air-craft or propel a craft into space.”

A deafening silence settled on the group as Charlie recommenced some more calculations. Necks craned to try and see what he was writing but nobody could decipher the symbols, eventually Charlie sat back.

“From what I can discern from that image (he tapped the oscilloscope screen), they could build a tank that hovers about twenty centimetres above whatever source of gravity is affecting it.”

“That would be the Earth then.” One of the suits ventured.

“Full marks for deduction miss,” Charlie replied. “You’ve got yourself a hovering tank that leaves no footprint at all and will not affect land-mines, nor get stuck in the mud.”

“How about over water?” The researcher pressed.

“Water’s matter, it’ll hover over water but probably not so high. Density affects the performance. For instance it fails completely to react to air; if it did, it would have to be tethered down – like a balloon.”

“Can you describe how to reproduce one?” The senior suit asked Charlie. “You know, like reverse engineering.”

“I’m guessing that the circumferential ring can be split by unscrewing two laminated plates.”

Charlie took the component to a microscope on another bench and focused the edge of the circumferential ring under the lens to locate an exquisitely machined line that indicated where the two laminated rings were joined. The line was invisible to the naked eye and that presaged an extremely high quality of precision engineering. Having discovered the ‘join’ Charlie asked wryly.

“Did nobody think to look at this from any angle but above?”
“We’re going to somehow have to separate the two halves at the ring.”

“Once again there was an embarrassed silence that Charlie left hanging as he turned to Ms Anston.

How?” Ms Anston asked.

“We’ll have to get it down to the machine shop.”

It was the director’s turn to smile. After fifteen years of repairing and modifying thousands of artefacts, Charlie’s workstation now comprised a cabin with a large, dirty and very untidy bench that was notorious throughout Anston Aerospace as a place to be avoided if you wanted to remain clean. Even his desk and chair were unsavoury locations that were heavily stained with assorted greases and metal filings. Simply tapping his desktop keyboard could invite metal splinters into manicured female fingers.

Across the workshop from the line of similar cabin work stations stood the heavy machine tools, presses, lathes and all the paraphernalia of a typical multifunctional, heavy engineering shop. The noises and smells were deafening, Ms Anston relished explaining to the suits that heavy industrial overalls and safety boots were de rigueur.

“Very well then ladies, Mr Sage, we’ll meet in your workshops after lunch and ladies, please collect your protective clothing at the store before entering the heavy machine shop. I suggest you do that now to save time after lunch. There is a separate working canteen for executives when they are involved in practical applications. I suggest ladies that you get kitted up now, then eat before meeting in the main workshops at one. We’ll meet down at your work-station Mr Sage.”

“My treat Ma-am,” Charlie replied cryptically.

Ms Anston gave him another sharp glance, she was never sure with Charlie but whatever the implication, there always seemed to be a thread of irreverent humour laced through his observations. She could never be sure if he had ‘crossed a line’ or not.
ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 13

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

College / Twenties

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 13 © Copyright Beverly Taff

List of Characters.
Charlie Sage Maths and electronics genius.
Shirley Sage Charlies elderly mother
Chloe Charlie’s one time early school friend.
Josephine Flint Surgeon and associate of Chloe’s.
Mrs Jane Anston Director of Anston Aerospace.
Ronnie Garage mechanic at top of lane
Pauline Garage owner, Ronnie’s sister.
Briony Pauline’s teenaged daughter.
Billy Pauline’s middle son.
Abigail (Abby) Pauline’s youngest daughter.
‘Poppy’ Charlie’s little micro-runabout.
‘Doris’ The armoured mobile home.
‘Lady’ Chloe’s Sports Car.
Colonel Wilson Vindictive misanthropist doctor.

Chapter 13

When Jane Anston, the owner and managing director of Anston Aerospace, led the panel of government inspectors and Anston executives down to the repair and renovation workshops, she was literally taking them down to the veritable nadir of the company’s functionality both literally and metaphorically.

Even though the women were dressed in protective overalls, safety shoe’s, safety hats and ear protectors, Jane could see that the bulk of the women were uncomfortable with the noise and confinement that was worlds apart from their familiar working environs.

Jane smiled inwardly as she watched some of them almost recoil in fear when the huge automatic door swung open and the women were assaulted by a wave of noise associated with the many repair and restitution processes taking place through the whole length of the workshop.

The workshop was necessarily well lit however and she spotted Charlie gathered with a group of his workmates sharing some amusing anecdote. They did not of course hear the executive women approach because of the noise and it was some moments before the men became aware. However, by the time the group had arrived outside Charlie’s cabinised work station, the men had simply melted away with a skill born of long years of necessary invisibility.

Charlie met the delegation and promptly invited them into his unofficial sanctum. Twelve women squeezed into a dirty, greasy workshop is not conducive to their comfort and Charlie felt a secretive visceral sense of satisfaction to note their obvious discomfort. The two delegated chaperones placed the artefact on a clean plastic tray to protect it from the clutter and detritus of Charlie’s many investigations then they shrank back as though the bench was somehow infectious.

“We’re going to have to knock up a jig the hold it securely first.” Charlie observed as he motioned to a pair of men standing nearby. After a few brief instructions, the men had relocated the device to a contraption that resembled an inebriated octopus where they promptly commenced arranging the clamps to secure the device to the bed of the turn-table. Once it was totally secured Charlie gave it a gentle flick with his finger and the assembly span freely. Then he clamped the brakes tight and brought a powerful lens to focus.

As the women watched, he produced a series of instruments from his work-locker and took a series of readings while the device was de-activated.

“What are those?” Once of the chaperones asked.

“Measuring instruments miss.”

“And what do they do?”

“They detect environmental anomalies in different fields.”

“What sort of fields?”

“Magnetism, static electricity, temperature, air-pressure, radioactivity, sound, light, whatever. You name it and somehow or another, these little beauties will give me handle on it or at least, the basis for further examination.”

“Can they detect gravity?”

“Eventually yes. Look are you going to allow me to check this thing or not. There’s going to be a hell of a lot of maths to get through.”

“This I’ve got to see,” the nosey chaperone scoffed.

“Well then shut up and watch, then you might learn something, - as might I.” Charlie added as he zeroed the instruments.

“Did you just hear that?” The chaperone almost shrieked.

“Yes!” Several of the Anston executives chorused before suggesting to the chaperone that she do exactly that, namely ‘shut up’!

“He’s brighter than any of you lot!” One of the Anston girls continued, “believe us we’ve seen him at work, so if you don’t want to learn, we sure as hell do!”

The chaperone fell silent as Charlie silently reflected that he might actually be getting through to some of his Anston work colleagues even though he might never associate with them on any social level.

By now several of Charlie’s work-mates had switched off whatever machinery they had been operating and gradually gravitated to the investigation. Jane Anston deliberately ignored it for she had long ago learned that in her scientific and engineering experiences, raw intelligence and imagination often counted more than technical education. Her repair and restitution team had long ago proven that to her and she valued her men as few other women would or could.

The workshop fell silent as the tests began.
ooo000ooo
Firstly, Charlie set up several sensors in close proximity to the device then he activated a low current and moved cautiously around the bench to gather readings. One of the two chaperones was required to progressively increase the voltages and amperages in stages while Charlie continued taking readings and measuring the extent of each increased levitation.

By slow painstaking increments Charlie began to recognise a pattern that gave him a tangible insight into the most likely route that the Asiatic scientists had employed to effect a tangible gravitational resistance.

Eventually, after Charlie had run the readings backwards through a series different equations he ‘reverse-derived’ the most likely technique they had employed. The next step was to study the previous oscilloscopic magnatrometer images and try to discern which were the most likely components from the fuzzy images.

The executive researcher now had a chance to scan the device and she manoeuvred projector precisely as Charlie requested. From a couple of angles they managed to get some less fuzzy images because there was possibly less Osmium or even no Osmium at all in that small section that gave them a rare chance to discern a tiny sector of the interior. Charlie tried to extrapolate some images or more correctly, - his ideas of some likely images of some components he suspected might be inside.

As he and the lady researched worked their way patiently around the device the lady suddenly squeaked excitedly.

“Does that look like some sort of fine thread?”

Charlie squinted thoughtfully then nodded.

“D’ you know, I think you may be right. That could be where the two halves separate.”

Jane Anson took a close look and felt the young researcher and Charlie we right. It definitely looked like a threaded edge to the circumferential disk.

“So how to separate it, I wonder?” Charlie mused.

“If we can apply opposite torques to each side of the disk, we might achieve something.” The excited young researcher suggested.

“Is it worth heating one side of the disk to get differential expansions to loosen it.” Jane Anston offered.

“Well, I can’t think of an alternative method and I can’t identify anything that looks like a booby-trap.” Charlie hazarded.

“In for penny, in for pound!” Jane Anston grinned.

“Okay then,” Charlie agreed. “Let’s make sure the thing is completely de-activated. We don’t want any short circuits and sparks or whatever.”

The device was transferred to another bench with a soft-jawed vice and, ever so slowly, two magnetic pads were attached magnetically to the opposite flats of the ring. The electro magnetic current was turned on and soon, they had an unbreakable grip on either side of the flat circumferential ring without compressing the two halves. Once he was satisfied he had sufficient tenacity running through the magnetic pads, Charlie took a heavy ball-pein hammer and gave one of the magnets a gentle tap.

He smiled inwardly as he noticed the donut of watchers around him expand significantly.

“You needn’t worry ladies. If this was booby-trapped, I think we’d have been blown to kingdom-come by now.”

Despite his assurances, the donut did not shrink; indeed it actually expanded as he gave the magnet a second sharper tap.

“I think it moved then,” Charlie remarked as he took out a fine-tip marker pen and marked the disc.

A third tap definitely moved the discs and Charlie nodded with satisfaction as he inspected the displaced line.

“Yep, that’s certainly moved,” he confirmed as a series of gentle taps loosened the discs enough to use his fingers until the device could finally be separated.

However, instead of just separating them, Charlie carefully slid some plastic feeler gauges between the discs until he felt some resistive force like two like-poled magnets. He turned to the young researcher.

“There feel that. You’ll notice a resistance similar to that when two like poles of a magnet are pushed together, but as you can see, this feeler gauge is plastic. That proves the force is not magnetism for that only affects iron.”

The lady did as Charlie instructed and her eyes widened as she felt the force. She then turned to Charlie.

“How did you know what to expect, how did you know to use plastic?”

“I’ve had thoughts about this before but never had the facilities to do any experiments because I’m a man. If you take it apart now, you’ll find four coils of gold wire and several things that resemble capacitors but they store negative gravity. I’d like to check one of the capacitors just to see how the Asians have done it. If they’ve done it the way I think they might have done it, there could be a way to make this thing twice as effective.”

At this juncture, Jane Aston elbowed her way through the donut and challenged Charlie.

“Are you trying to say, you’ve understood about gravity since you came here?”

“No. I said I’ve been thinking about it. I’ve never actually been able to test my ideas because of the Feminista rules. -Your loss, not mine.”

Several female jaws, including Jane Anston’s, sagged at Charlie’s declaration and it was long seconds before anybody found their voice. Charlie filled those seconds by finally separating the device’s halves to confirm his expectations. He picked one of the spherical capacitors and eased it out of its moulding to reveal a connecting wire that seemingly fed the sphere.

“To determine exactly what happens inside this sphere ladies, you’ll have to determine exactly what gravity is. This object is a spherical capacitor that stores an antigravity charge that acts similarly to a magnet field around a magnet. This particular one converts large amounts of electricity into anti-gravity. I can show you how it does this by reverse-engineering the whole device.”

The stunned silence continued as Charlie finally completed disassembling the device before laying the separated components out for inspection. Then to add insult to injury, he went around the donut asking each woman what a particular item did. There were no answers. Then his most injurious act was to describe and explain the nature of each piece. This was the worst form of humiliation any of the women had ever experienced for it exposed their ignorance and intellectual limitations.

When he had finished, Charlie stepped outside his work-space and made himself a cup of tea from the workshop dispenser. The women grimaced as they watched him pour the tea into a heavily tea-stained mug then add milk and sugar to suit from a carton and packet that lent no finesse of style. With mug in hand he returned to the chattering circle and suggested.

I think you had better get yourselves some tea and biscuits, you’ve got a long lesson ahead of you.

Jane Anston stared balefully at her shop-floor supervisor and quickly ushered the women to their own operational canteen. Only the two chaperones remained with a promise that a tray of tea pot and makings would be delivered to Charlie’s workstation for them to drink without losing sight of the disassembled device.

To avoid embarrassment, Charlie took out a thick notebook and started taking measurements and readings of each of the separate parts then he started running the figures through a set of equations denoted by his own hieroglyphics that made no sense at all to the two chaperones who craned their necks to try and read then make sense of his notes. Charlie simply pushed his notebook across his bench and offered the greasy, well-thumbed pages for their inspection.

“They’ll not make much sense to you ladies. Those symbols are my own derivatives; you could look at them all day and be no wiser.”

The younger, and very pretty chaperone bit her lip thoughtfully before asking.

“Is this the maths you used to understand gravity?”

“Yes.” Charlie replied.

“I was reckoned to be damned good at maths at university, could you show me what these signs and symbols mean?”

“Sorry Ma-am, that would make me a pedagogue and that would be breaking the law.”

“Oh that’s ridiculous, if your not being paid they cannot charge you with professionalism.”

“If I’m not being paid, I’d be a victim of slavery. I refuse to be a slave.”

“You can be paid in kind, you know – there are other ways,” She smiled invitingly.

Charlie was by now highly attuned to such feminine wiles and he recoiled backwards in his chair.

“No, no, NO! I’m happily married and I’m monogamous!”

She stopped short, astounded by his declaration.

“Married?!”

“Yes,” Charlie replied defensively, “and there’s cameras all around the workshop. There are two focused on my work-station right now!”

“Good god! Don’t they trust you?”

“It’s to protect me! -From just such things as this! In fact I asked for them to be installed and the other men were keen for them as well. It protects us from any accusations, – and uninvited approaches as well; - just like yours.”

“But what woman would want to come slumming for sex down here?”

“You’d be surprised. The men down here are all intelligent or they wouldn’t be here. Women are always demanding our sperm. Now I’m married and my wife’s matrimonial rights protect me. So please; no more approaches. I am not a sex slave and my sperm is not available for public dispensation.”

She stared silently, trying to make sense of a sperm donor who was quite obviously a genius and yet had somehow managed to circumvent the breeding rules. Sperm such as his was desperately needed by the sperm banks now that the new genetic awareness was trickling down from the halls of academia. She shook her head partly in anger and partly in frustration then took to browsing through Charlie’s notebook as a way of displacing her embarrassment.
ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 14

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminine Queendom 14 © Beverly Taff

List of Characters.
Charlie Sage Maths and electronics genius.
Shirley Sage Charlies elderly mother
Chloe Charlie’s one time early school friend.
Josephine Flint Surgeon and associate of Chloe’s.
Mrs Jane Anston Director of Anston Aerospace.
Ronnie Garage mechanic at top of lane
Pauline Garage owner, Ronnie’s sister.
Briony Pauline’s teenaged daughter.
Billy Pauline’s middle son.
Abigail (Abby) Pauline’s youngest daughter.
‘Poppy’ Charlie’s little micro-runabout.
‘Doris’ The armoured mobile home.
‘Lady’ Chloe’s Sports Car.
Colonel Wilson Vindictive misanthropist doctor.

Chapter 14

After completing his measurements and running the readings through his coded equations, Charlie reassembled the device then paused to ask the feminista researcher;

“Find anything that interests you?”

“You’ve deliberately encrypted everything. Nothing makes sense.”

“It makes perfect sense to me; how do you think I got to understand how this gizmo works?” (He tapped the antigravity device that he had reassembled.)

“Why do you keep your maths a secret? It’s as though you’re trying to hide some big secret from the government.”

“I work for the government, that sort of remark is typical of the insults I receive every day at the hand of you and your sisters.”

“Then why don’t you explain these symbols?”

“Because they’re not just maths symbols, they’re also physics symbols, for example;

(He pointed to a strange symbol that resembled ‘lambda’ with a cusp capping two bars through the stem of the original Greek letter.)

that symbol is my own representation of the gravitational constant for the hydrogen atom at one representative diameter separation from the next hydrogen atom at one electron resonance above absolute zero.

“Sorry, I only partially understood that, I’m a mathematician not a physicist.”

“Exactly; you don’t understand it even after I explained one simple fundamental gravitational value. Imagine trying to explain the whole damned science. Firstly the maths, then the pure physics then the testing by experimentation to check if I’m right and finally the engineering to exploit the science. There, try that!”

“What, you’ve got it working again!”

“Yes. I’ve just modified the gravitational capacitance coils while you had your nose buried in my notebook. Go on. Test it.”

She was reluctant to hold the switch-box.

“Go on, I’ve reassembled it and modified it slightly. It’s all wired up again, switch it on!”

She searched his expression wondering if there was some sort of trick he was playing and Charlie huffed impatiently.

“Come here! Give me the switch box!”

She handed it to him and he checked the switch was reading zero before increasing the power. The antigravity device immediately started to rise but this time it travelled much higher than before and only stopped when the control switch had reached the maximum setting. It had nearly reached the workshop roof some ten metres above.
“There!” Charlie observed somewhat curtly. “You can take that up to your mistresses and point out that good-ole’ Charlie has improved another of their wonderful gadgets.”

The woman stared aghast as she raised and lowered the device simply by turning the switch.

“Can you make it go higher?”

“No. Not with that technology, it’s an inverse function of the ratio of densities between hydrogen and gold which is what those coils comprise. This a crude device that tells me your friends in Asia have not quite cracked it yet. Find me a lighter superconductive filament that functions superconductively at an ambient temperature and I’ll build you an antigrav coil that can escape any star’s gravity, let alone a planet’s!”

“What sort of material are you talking about?”

“Anything; it doesn’t have to be metal, just superconductive. Your biggest headache will be carrying it’s fuel supply for however far you want to go. Just find some sort of material that can make a superconductive wire. – At room temperature. Otherwise your pilots will freeze their tits off.”

“It’s materials engineering from this point on. Cho-chop girl, go and please your bosses. I won’t be allowed to claim the credit!”

“Doesn’t that annoy you?”

“What d’ you think?” Charlie almost snarled as he turned to re-enter his cabinised workspace; -and hide the single tear.

He thought he had managed to mask his despair but the woman had sensed it and suddenly reversed her steps to follow him into his inner sanctum; his refuge of despair. Her voice surprised him for he thought he was alone.

“Are you crying?”

He let out a curse and stumbled past her to find air and space outside the workshop.

ooo000ooo

In the boardroom, the young researcher chaperone returned breathless with the device clutched to her breast. The other suits looked up somewhat askance as Jane Anston span around to confront the researcher.

“What’s wrong?”

“I think we have a problem!” She gasped.

“He’s escaped!”

“If you’re talking about Charlie Sage, he was never a prisoner. Now take your time, from the beginning.”

The young lady described everything she’d seen and talked to Charlie about then finished by describing how he had left.

“He seemed in some distress and he snatched his notebook off his bench. I’m sure he’s concealing stuff in that book.”

“Well I’m quite sure he’s not. Here look, this is my photocopy of that book except perhaps for the stuff you two discussed just now. He’s never denied me access to his notes. Do you know where he’s gone?”

“No. I thought it best to secure this device, he’s modified it to perform better but his explanation left me floundering.”

“Hah! You and a few thousand others young lady!” Jane riposted as she called the security at the gates. “Ah good, so his car’s still there.”

She turned to face the committee.

“Well he doesn’t appear to have done a runner and the security staff are checking to see if he’s okay. You said you thought he was distressed.”

“There definitely tears in his eyes and he just lurched out of the workshop.”

Jane’s phone rang again as the security guards reported they had found Charlie sitting by the factory reservoir.

“Good. Leave him sitting there but keep out of sight in case he does.”

“Is he suicidal?” The young chaperone asked with concern etched in her voice.

“They’re security guards, not psychiatrists. They’ll just watch out for him until he makes a move. If he hasn’t moved by three, I’ll pay him a visit. Meanwhile Miss, please demonstrate this modification he’s done.

The chaperone placed the antigrav on the table and cautiously increased the current until it reached the ceiling then she brought it down again while explaining.

“It rises to about ten metres according to Mr Sage then he tried to explain why it couldn’t go higher. The gold wire in the coils limit the capacitors or something. He described some complex pure physics which left me floundering. He made some notes in that book about the modifications but they’re in the book.”

“I’m sure we’ll get to see the notes, but it won’t help much. Did he explain to you why he uses those hieroglyphs?

“Not exactly, but it seems they are his own secret code.”

“Not quite young lady. Charlie Sage never went to school after aged fourteen courtesy of the feminista laws. He devised his own maths with it’s own rules and functions then he used that maths to research his own theories. Seemingly, he’s been researching gravity in his spare time, does that not tell you something about the man?”

“But that would put him; - I’m a mathematician, if he understands gravity, that will put him; -“

“Way, way, way out there!” Jane Anston finished. “Now young lady; - indeed all you ladies; might now begin to understand why we hold Charlie in great affection and respect here at Anston Aerospace. I’m taking it upon myself to invite his wife over from the university hospital to check if he’s okay. And you people will see what one of those so-called ‘old-fashioned’ relationships amount to.

Meanwhile I think it best if we dis-assemble this little beauty for a second time to try and see exactly how Charlie improved it; - and you can reflect on this young lady, if you had been paying attention to his dis-assembly instead of trying to decipher his notes, we might have a better insight as to what he actually did.”

“Sorry Ms Anston, but his notes;- well I became intrigued.”

“Well that’s to be expected. I’m sure he’ll explain it to us once his wife’s here. If there’s one thin we’ve learned with Charlie it’s to treat him with respect and consideration. It’s all we can do.”

“But surely he can be promoted to executive, I mean he’s.”

“No can do!” Jane Anston explained somewhat peevishly. “The law prevents it.”

“But he’s in charge of the repair and modification shop surely, that would make him the manager.”

“He’s the supervisor, we don’t have a manager.

“But the law says, if you have a facility where industrial processes are taking place, the factories act require they be properly managed and supervised, that requires a manager.”

“For the purposes of the law I’m the manager and Mr Sage is the supervisor.”

“You’re the managing director, for a machine shop, the law would probably require a properly established manager present at all times.”

“And that same law requires the manager to be fully competent and familiar with the production processes.”

“So Miss. Who do you know that has a total understanding of the activities that Charlie Sage pursues? Who do you know that understands gravity sufficiently to supervise, or guide, or mentor Mr Sage?””

“Well; I uuhm, I uuuhm; nobody really.”

Jane Anston let the question lie like a ticking time bomb and yet, for long moments no reply came.

“Well. - - - I’m waiting; - gravity, who can explain precisely what Charlie Sage is about?”

“So, no takers, well ladies, I’m quite prepared to take this question right up to the highest levels of the government. Shall we let the lawyers sort it out and wait several years while the Asians move on. Any takers?
Who amongst you is prepared to advocate a major change in the law to enable Mr Sage to become an executive in this company and then who is prepared to provide protection for him and his wife from the fundamentalist feminista brigades?”
The silence that descended on the boardroom was deafening. It reigned until the toot of Chloe’s car at the main gate confirmed that Charlie’s wife had arrived to provide succour to her overwrought spouse.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 15

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom 15 © Copyright To Beverly Taff

List of Characters.
Charlie Sage Maths and electronics genius.
Shirley Sage Charlies elderly mother
Chloe Charlie’s one time early school friend.
Josephine Flint Surgeon and associate of Chloe’s.
Mrs Jane Anston Director of Anston Aerospace.
Ronnie Garage mechanic at top of lane
Pauline Garage owner, Ronnie’s sister.
Briony Pauline’s teenaged daughter.
Billy Pauline’s middle son.
Abigail (Abby) Pauline’s youngest daughter.
‘Poppy’ Charlie’s little micro-runabout.
‘Doris’ The armoured mobile home.
‘Lady’ Chloe’s Sports Car.
Colonel Wilson Vindictive misanthropist doctor.

Chapter 15

As Chloe parked her car, one of the security guards immediately approached her.

“He’s sitting on the bench overlooking the reservoir. Mr Anston is coming down to meet you.”

“Tell her to meet both of us where Charlie’s sitting. I’d like to chat privately to him first.”

Chloe full knew where the bench overlooked the reservoir, it provided a pleasing view between two hills that allowed a glimpse of the older part of the city that had survived the brief battle that had marked the end of any further resistance in the Feminista ‘Time of troubles’. During the ‘Great Cultural Transition’ the feminist forces had managed to disable or redirect and misogynist attacks and preserve the ancient, cultural aspects of the city.
It was this view of the preserved ancient spires and domes that provided such a relaxing and restorative view for observers who were looking for peace or solitude; and it was to this view that Charlie had retreated in his search for answers.

The bench was normally reserved for female executives of Anston Aerospace but such was Charlie’s well known and well like reputation amongst all Anston staff that no objections had been raised when he had started to retreat there in his searches for peace and inspiration.

Chloe trod silently on the grass instead of the gravel path as she approached her husband for she could tell by his posture that something was troubling him deeply. Seeing this, she spoke softly when she was certain she was in earshot.

“Hi Darling; what’s wrong?”

“Wha-! Oh hi darling. What ’choo doin here?”

“Mis Anston called me. She’s worried about you.”

Charlie wagged his head slowly.

“No love, they’re only worried about losing me.”

“How come.”

Charlie described the day’s events and finished off confirming.

“So as you see; they know now that I’ve got some sort of lever on gravity or rather, antigravity. They’re never going to let go now.”

“Well how did they find out?”

“Some government spies managed to capture a crude anti-gravity device from the Asians and they brought it to Anston aerospace because of my reputation. I was stupid and indicated that I knew what it was.
I even fiddled with it and gave it a slightly improved performance. After I realised my blunder I tried to back-track a bit and told them the device couldn’t be improved any further. Then a tried to bamboozle them with a bit of bullshit about none metallic filaments operating as superconductors at absolute zero. I pretended I couldn’t take the science further unless they came up with such material.

“And is that true?”

“Not quite. That’s how our device works on Poppy, Doris and Lady but it’s not the only material to work. There’s plenty of materials that can be carbonised and supercooled. That’s what all that gunk I was using in the furnace at home was doing, turning the carbonised residue into a crystalline superconductor and enabling it to be spun into fibres then coiled.

Once you understand what’s going on, it’s easy to make the string. Then, once you have made the fibres, you have to – oh never mind, the less people who know, the better.

“Did they understand what you told them.”

“When I started ‘making smoke’ and talked about materials science, I think I’ve threw them off the scent. If they come to me asking questions I’ll tell them that I don’t know anything about material science; - which is pretty much the truth. I only know about superconductors. I’ve been such a twat. Mr Conceited, that’s my bloody name.”

“Can I see this thing.”

“Not a good idea darling,” Charlie cautioned, “you could end up being judged guilty by association. The best thing I can do is go into hiding.”

“Where?” Chloe challenged.”

“That’s the problem. Frying-pans and fires. They say Australia’s not too bad a place. The feminista culture has not taken root too deeply there and the outback has plenty of trees and stuff. Plenty of space to hide Doris, Poppy or your Lady.”

“What about the Asiatic cultures, our supposed enemies?”

“Once they find out about me and gravity it’ll be the same as here and I’m told their culture is even more oppressive. In most places there’s still a sub-islamic misogyny and in others it’s still the old oriental patriarchy. They never had much consideration for human rights even before ‘The Great Cultural Revolution’ and it hasn’t improved any since then.

Hey-up. Here comes the queen herself. Be courteous and don’t mention gravity.”

Chloe stood up to meet Jane Anston while Charlie sat morosely staring across the reservoir, still slightly red eyed from crying. The director paused to stare at the unusual picture of a distressed Charlie Sage before asking Chloe.

“Is he alright?”

“He can speak for himself Ms Anston, why don’t you ask him?”

“The chaperone said he was angry and shoved her.”

“What did the video cameras show?”

“I haven’t checked yet; I came straight here when we knew you had arrived.”

“So, you left him alone out here for fully what – fifteen minutes.”

“We weren’t sure if he was dangerous and he’s wearing a ground suit so it could be difficult to restrain him. Tasering wouldn’t work so there might have been more violent methods.”
“Like killing him you mean, or more accurately shooting him?”

“We couldn’t do that, he’s too valuable.”

“Not him Ms Anston, his brain. It’s only his brain that’s valuable to you.”

“Please call me Jane, it doesn’t have to be this formal.”

“I’m not ordinarily worried about formalities but in this case, I’m worried about Charlie’s life, liberty and sanity. If Charlie suffers from this business, I’ll hold Anston Aerospace responsible.”

Jane Anston did a double take for under the Feminista laws, Charlie was legally Chloe’s property now that they were married; - and that made Charlie’s knowledge her property as well.

“You do realise that what he must know about anti-gravity is necessarily a state secret.”

“Don’t try and frighten me with your law. You and I both know that men are not technically qualified or deemed legally competent to sign the official secrets act. Whatever is locked up in Charlie’s head is my property.”

“That’s absurd!”

“That’s the law Ms Anston. You have your own feminista culture to thank for that.”

The director frowned thoughtfully. While Charlie had been declared a reserved asset, Anston Aerospace had control of his services and skills so that nobody could poach his abilities and knowledge. When he had been married to Chloe nobody had foreseen the issue of intellectual property rights becoming so vital. Anti-gravity had changed everything. Anston Aerospace had failed to raise objections when the marriage bands had been declared and that had now become a serious issue.

The male staff at Anston had chided Charlie good humouredly for allowing himself to be married in such a quaint, old-fashioned custom but now, that legal union had suddenly grown teeth.

For Chloe’s part the female executive colleagues at the University hospital had ridiculed her for tying herself down to a single man but now, that legal attachment to Charlie had inadvertently become Charlie’s shield. Chloe’s constitutional protections had become Charlie’s protections provided they remained married.

When Chloe declared that she was taking her distressed spouse home to recover, there was little that the authorities or Anston Aerospace could do.

“Are you sure he’ll be alright?” Jane Anston asked.

“I think the best place for him right now is where he feels safe. – And that is in my bed.”
She finished by exploiting a common feminista misapprehension about men and sex.

“I suppose you’re right; you seem to know his needs best. All we can do is make sure he’s safe from unfriendly intervention. Will you want protection?”

“From whom?” Chloe riposted. “Colonel Wilson’s gang, or the Asian sector?”

Jane Anston could fully recognise Chloe’s concerns but she had to act to protect Anston Aerospace and any important state security secrets surrounding anti-gravity.

“Well, to tell the truth, - both!” She conceded to Chloe. “I don’t want to see Charlie harmed in any way.”

“Very well. I’ll take Charlie home in my car being as he came in by bus this morning to throw off the people who are stalking him. You could start protecting him by warning off those people who are trying to stalk him each time he drives home.”

“He never told us about that!”

“He only told me because I was worried when he came home late after the last issues with that damned colonel. Tell those goons at least to back off. Kindness works infinitely better than bullying with my Charlie.”

At this juncture, Charlie appeared to have recovered somewhat and he stood up to take one last look across the reservoir.

“We’d better go now. I need a break from all this.” He declared.

“Yes, I think you’d better Mr Sage,” Jane agreed.

“Take a couple of weeks off and look after yourself.”

“It will be a month at least,” Chloe countered. “You’re forgetting the work he’s been putting in at home while thinking about gravity. We’ve got pages and pages of hieroglyphics at home that make absolutely no sense to me but they are stuff he’s worked on at home. As his wife, under your feminista laws, that research is his and that makes the intellectual property rights mine because he did it at home while I nurtured him and supported him.”

“You nurtured him?!”

“That’s right, I’m his wife aren’t I? Come on Charlie. If you want, you can drive.”

Jane Anston walked with them to the factory gates and stared thoughtfully at the car as Charlie drove his wife home . She had never seen him do that before.

Once clear of the factory gates, Chloe suggested they go shopping for groceries then go for a meal before going home.

“It will be dark by then and we can avoid those goons by taking a different route home, then levitating to the cottage under darkness.”

“Okay,” Charlie agreed and he chose one of the several alternative routes that Chloe and he had reconnoitred in preparation for these circumstances.

In the restaurant they chatted at length about the future they faced and what steps they would have to take.

“If we are going to do a runner, we’re going to have to disguise me and not leave any trace of the cars.”

“Are you thinking of a foreign country?” Chloe asked.

“Well, yes,” Charlie replied, “but for the life of me, I can’t think of one.”

“Australia. Australia or New Zealand; Australia’s probably the best,” Chloe continued. “there’s millions of square miles of remote outback where we can hide Doris easily for the short term while you get your head straight. “

“And when do we go?”

“As soon as possible. We’ve got a month to prepare. They won’t even come looking for those first thirty days; except for those goons of Wilson’s.”

“Is this to be permanent?” Charlie asked.

“Don’t know,” Chloe replied, “We’ll just have to suck it and see.

He shrugged as they left the restaurant and chose a remote woodland to commence their flight home. Once more, the darkness served to cover their tracks and back at their cottage, they recommenced that other part of their modest ambitions, parenthood.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 16. Charlie's War.

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminine Queendom 16 ©Copyright to Beverly Taff.

List of Characters.
Charlie Sage Maths and electronics genius.
Shirley Sage Charlies elderly mother
Chloe Charlie’s one time early school friend.
Josephine Flint Surgeon and associate of Chloe’s.
Mrs Jane Anston Director of Anston Aerospace.
Ronnie Garage mechanic at top of lane
Pauline Garage owner, Ronnie’s sister.
Briony Pauline’s teenaged daughter.
Billy Pauline’s middle son.
Abigail (Abby) Pauline’s youngest daughter.
‘Poppy’ Charlie’s little micro-runabout.
‘Doris’ The armoured mobile home.
‘Lady’ Chloe’s Sports Car.
Colonel Wilson Vindictive misanthropist doctor.

Chapter16.

As always when arriving by anti-grav, Charlie and Chloe landed at a preferred secretive spot in the necessary cloudy night to ensure virtual invisibility. No moon or stars and no street-lighting in the dense woodland lane where they silently descended.

By now they had acquired infra-red cameras that enabled them to determine if anybody was below them when they landed and it was a simple exercise to silently float to an uninhabited location to complete their descent. Thus they continued to avoid detection, especially when flying in Chloe’s modified luxury sports car.

Having finished their meal at the restaurant they arrived home in a lighter mood than usual and indulged their pleasures with abandon. The following morning though, their plans began in earnest. While Chloe continued to work, Charlie set about preparations to make their ‘great escape’.

From the reservoir of materials in his barn he converted ‘Poppy’ his micro-car, to a simple flatbed trailer and reinforced it to carry the mini-digger. Little modification was required to carry such a weight but Charlie necessarily designed it with many more solar cells to recharge the batteries whenever daylight allowed. To casual observer, both Doris the Mobile home and Poppy the flatbed looked just like a jobbing contract builder hiring out his equipment to building sites.

After three weeks, the conversion and camouflage were complete and one night Charlie demonstrated his project to Chloe. They landed both van and trailer in a dense bit of woodland and by covering the arrangement with a carefully prepared camouflage netting, both van and trailer were virtually invisible from the air.
ooo000ooo

One morning as she watched Charlie making final preparations, Chloe studied the van and trailer with the digger .

“Do you intend to haul that digger behind you through the skies all the way to Australia?”

“By stages, yes.” Charlie replied. “Once we reach the Australian outback, the digger can dig a trench in a wholly uninhabited part of the outback and Doris will be virtually buried under the camouflage netting. We’ll also dig a trench for Lady and no matter where we stay, we’ll be invisible from the air.”

“Is that your intention? That we hole up for eternity?”

“There’s no need. By day, Lady is a normal car while by night we leave and enter our camp by anti-grav, so nobody can trace us.”

“What if some copper asks for our identity?”

“Once I’ve sounded out the culture in Australia; if it’s better than the crazy lunacy in the UQ., I check out living there legally.”

“And if it’s not?” Chloe persisted.
“Frankly, I don’t know.”

“Well at least you’re honest,” Chloe shrugged, “but I’ve got an ace in the hole to play.”

“What’s that?” Charlie’s brow wrinkled.

“I’m pregnant. If we have our baby in Australia, he or she automatically gains Australian citizenship. He or she will have dual nationality.”

For moment Charlie just gaped at his wife before letting off a squeal of delight. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight until she giggled.

“You’ll squeeze him to death if you keep doing that.”

“How long have you known?”

“I’m not certain yet, I’ll have to see the clinic but this gives us an extra arrow to our bow.”

“How?” Charlie wondered.

“I get twelve months maternity leave from my job. One of the perks of being a health worker. That will give me plenty of time to prepare to hide.”

“I don’t get any maternity leave. I don’t get pregnant do I! So I’m stuck here in the Queendom while you tour around Australia looking for a place to make a home.”

“What you’ll have to do is return to work and stall any progress on Anti-grav. Oh and the other thing is to make a few modifications to Doris so that she becomes fully airtight and capable of going into space. That way she can travel to Australia in less than half an hour.”

“I’m not sure about reaching orbital velocity but what we will be able to do is manoeuvre out in space. The earth’s gravity can be utilised as a deflection force to move Doris up, down, forward, back and sideways. She’ll be able to do what no other space-craft can do, at least no earth-built ones.”

“Do you think there are alien craft out there?”

“I dunno, and frankly I’m not interested, - provided they don’t interfere with Doris.”

“That’s a remarkably pragmatic view for somebody who’s invented anti-grav and is about to become a spaceman.”

“Needs must I suppose. If you consider all the dangers out there including getting there; pragmatism comes next to resignation. Anyway, first build your airtight, radiation proof, space-ship.”

“Can you do it?”

“Best way is to build a smaller air-tight, control capsule, inside Doris. Not in the driver’s seat but behind where it’s not so obvious. The best way would be to replace the shower and lavatory cubicle or remove the wardrobe space. A heavy thick steel box with a lead lining should suffice. It’s a good job that weight is not an issue with anti-grav.

The armoured, airtight box would be the main control centre and the normal driving seat would simply be a slave terminal for driving like a car on earth.”

Chloe grinned.

“I can just see the faces on the international space station as they watch a mobile home lazily slip by; - with nobody at the wheel.”

“I would go nowhere near the orbital, equatorial, traffic jam! There’s too much junk up there already.” Charlie protested. “There’s no need anyway, with anti-grav. Junk-yard rocketry is for Guy Fawkes.
Come to think of it, there’s an awful lot of scrap metal up there that would serve very well to make a proper spaceship; later on I mean, once we’re settled somewhere safe.”

“So, what’s your plan then?” Chloe asked.

“You carry on working as normal until your time comes so that you can take most of your maternal leave after the baby’s born. If you choose to hop across to Australia and have our baby there, the Queendom will be hard put to demand you back. Meanwhile, I carry on seemingly working as normal; provided Colonel Wilson’s goons are warned off by the government.

I drip feed Anston Aerospace a few technological crumbs to make it look as though I’m working hard on gravity but I don’t give them the crown jewels. I can do a lot of that supposed paperwork at home because it’s mostly brainstorming.

Any stuff I reveal to Anston Aerospace gets patented in your name so we get the benefit of it. Then when the time comes to do a moonlit-flit, we’re belted and braced, - spurred and saddled.”

“Chloe leant across the bed and gave him a hug as she, at last, began to see light at the end of the tunnel.”

ooo000ooo

Six whole weeks later, Charlie returned to work after having feigned a mild mental breakdown. Considering the innate feminista view of men as a mentally inferior gender this view easily prevailed and Charlie was consequently allowed special licence to sometimes work from home if he needed peace to think.

During those unsupervised intervals, Charlie continued cautiously modifying Doris with material ‘borrowed’ from his workshop waste bins until eventually he took his beloved Doris for a week-end trial flight to the edge of space over Antarctica where there would be less ‘eyes’ likely to spot them. When he returned safely Chloe let out a huge gasp of relief and they hugged intensely.
“So, you don’t need a space suit then if you remain in your control pod.” Chloe observed.

“That’s about the size of it,” Charlie agreed, “and when the wardrobe pod is completed there’ll be one each for us while we travel into space.”

“So how long where you flying and how long where you in Antarctica?”

“I was an hour flying down there, then I spent a few hours snooping around before looking for a suitable alternative site if Aussie turns out unsuitable.”

“Have you got doubt about Aussie?” Chloe asked.

“Not really but it pays to hedge our bets. I found several locations where we could excavate a cave in the central Antarctic desert where there’s very little snow or ice. That’s definitely a last resort. All we have to do now is get ready to go to Aussie.”

“How do you plan on doing that? – Without being detected that is?”

“We take the southern route. Fly south through space down the Atlantic ocean, over the south pole and come towards Aussie via the great Australian bight. We drop down to sea level a few hundred miles south of the Nullabar Plain then slip north at ground level until we find a totally deserted place in a rocky valley and dig a discreet cave far away from any civilisation.

We can do it at weekends by flying there on Friday nights and returning on Sunday nights. A few week ends with the digger and some tunnelling kit and I’ll have soon excavated a deep cave; - enough to hide Doris, Lady and the trailer remains of Poppy.”

“So you want me and our baby to live in cave?” Chloe expostulated.

“Uuhm, have you seen some of the so-called ‘caves’ that the opal miners live in?”

“No.” Chloe replied uncertainly.

“Well Google it darling, you’ll see they can be very spacious and luxurious. It’s a matter of picking the right spot in the right rock.”

“We’ll see,” Chloe replied still not completely convinced. “So what Can I do in the meantime?”

“Start applying for emigration papers to Australia, - in your maiden name. As a qualified geneticist, you’ll have no difficulty being accepted.”

“Hmm. Good thinking Batman!” Chloe grinned.

ooo000ooo

Their plans went ahead with little problem, so much so that Chloe had her residency papers three months before their pregnancy was due and after finally handing in her notice at her UQ university hospital, she applied for a job in Australia and got it with little complication. Her genetics research work had been partially involved with Charlie’s statistical analysis so she had a published paper that boosted her employment prospects. She was resident in Australia and in full employment, one month before the twins were born. Both babies had dual nationality.

In the hospital under her maiden name no questions arose about the baby’s fatherhood; the feminista culture still prevailed in Australia but by no means as rigidly as in the UQ. Chloe was soon discharged after the twins were found to be healthy and indeed, she found herself being made most welcome in her new situation.

Australian work colleagues welcomed her into their community while she was living as a single mother with two healthy children and nobody even dreamed to ask about their father. Her work colleagues simply presumed she had chosen some sperm from the government sperm banks. She lived in a suburb of a modest town in northern territories near some large iron deposits were the economy was based on ore mining. If anybody appeared with rock dust on their clothes or cars, it was naturally presumed to be from exposure to wind-born ore dust.

Each weekend, Chloe would drive into the outback during the evening then quietly switch on Lady’s antigravity discs and fly thorough the outback bush at night without leaving tracks. There on Friday nights, she would rendezvous with her beloved Charlie who had arrived in Doris with whatever equipment and stores they needed from the UQ.

There first task had been to excavate a remote unknown cave after Chloe had checked that there were no ancient remains or paintings. It had been too small to offer shelter to early indigenous aboriginals because there was no water and mostly rock formations. This terrain however suited the couple as they feverishly burrowed away under a rocky ridge to quickly create a hollow deep enough to hide the digger from airborne eyes.

The rocky tailings were carefully deposited to resemble natural rock formations from the air while also forming blockages to either ends of the canyon that resembled ancient rock-falls. They would prevent easy access to any inadvertent vehicular explorers and casual visitors. It was not a perfect camouflage but it was the best they could manage and with a few carefully located motion cameras they hoped there endeavours would suffice.

Charlie would return to the UQ, (United Queendom) each Sunday night and resume working for Anston Aerospace during week-days Monday to Friday. Chloe worked Monday to Friday at local university hospital then slipped away to their rock-home come Friday night.
For a year or more the system worked and eventually, Chloe and Charlie had to make decisions about their lives going forward toward a permanent solution.

ooo000ooo.

The Feminine Queendom 17

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Other Keywords:

Slavery

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

Feminine Queendom 17. © Beverly Taff

List of Characters.
Charlie Sage Maths and electronics genius.
Shirley Sage Charlies elderly mother
Chloe Charlie’s one time early school friend.
Josephine Flint Surgeon and associate of Chloe’s.
Mrs Jane Anston Director of Anston Aerospace.
Ronnie Garage mechanic at top of lane
Pauline Garage owner, Ronnie’s sister.
Briony Pauline’s teenaged daughter.
Billy Pauline’s middle son.
Abigail (Abby) Pauline’s youngest daughter.
‘Poppy’ Charlie’s little micro-runabout.
‘Doris’ The armoured mobile home.
‘Lady’ Chloe’s Sports Car.
Colonel Wilson Vindictive misanthropist doctor.

Chapter 17

It was the middle of June; the summer solstice and Charlie was preparing to fly to Australia. The past week of high temperatures had brought people out in droves and naturally all the open spaces like beaches, forests and mountains, were packed with people seeking respite from the long interminable heat. Charlie was hard pressed to find an isolated spot from which to launch upwards without being spotted. He usually chose a remote location on the coast of Devon or Cornwall where forests still occasionally ran down to the sea, and from there he could launch at midnight during the brief hours of darkness.

Knowing the problems, he had phoned Chloe that week and suggested that he did not fly that weekend. Chloe was missing him badly however so consequently he had been persuaded to fly on the Thursday to avoid the week-end summer crowds.

Having decided a strategy he had chosen a well tried and tested, remote glade of trees near the coast, and prepared to fly an hour after midnight, when the sky was at its darkest.
To his chagrin, when he emerged from out of the trees, he spotted a naval task force several miles off the Lizard Peninsular and he concluded he would have to drop down to sea-level to avoid being seen against the still feeble summer twilight of the northern sky.

As soon as he was airborne, he skimmed the treetops, then literally ‘slithered’ like a snake over the edge of the cliff and skimmed along the rocky coast to keep the Cornish cliffs as a backdrop and reduce any radar target that could be easily discerned over the flat-calm mirrorlike sea. Finally he determined himself to be far enough away to escape from any aircraft by ascending quickly into space.

To do this meant transferring from the conventional front driver’s seat to the air-tight command capsule preparatory to entering the vacuum of space. It was always dangerous to try to step from driver’s seat to command module while moving, so he momentarily stopped Doris while he evacuated the driver’s seat and ensconced himself safely in the module.

By sheer bad luck, to naval petrol helicopters were flying out to rendezvous with the naval task force and spotted the stationary Doris during the few seconds that Charlie was changing positions. Firstly they buzzed closer then quickly radioed the task force to report an unidentified flying object that resembled a box-like object. Then they managed to get some indistinct infra-red pictures of Doris before Charlie realised he had been seen.

On finally realising that he had been detected visually, Charlie threw caution to the winds and immediately ascended into space. However, Doris was not built for high speed while travelling through an atmosphere because she only had a crude plain, thickened windscreen in place of a standard car windscreen. Any speed in excess of two hundred knots through the atmosphere could implode Doris’s windscreen. However that speed could be maintained in any direction so Charlie simply ascended straight up into space.

Four of the task-force’s newest fighters were despatched to investigate the UFO reported by the helicopters and at speeds in excess of Mach three they eventually reached Doris while she was still atmospheric. They tried contacting the UFO and after zero response they eventually tried firing missiles at it. One of the missiles definitely struck the UFO but because of Doris’s thick, heavy, steel, internal shell, no serious damage was done before Doris finally reached the vacuum of space where wings, flaps, ailerons and jet engines could not effectively go. Once above the earth’s effective atmosphere, Charlie had free reign to increase the speed to twenty thousand knots and the naval jets could only watch in disbelief as the strange box-like craft streaked out of sight.

They never got close enough to get detailed pictures and the helicopter images were grainy infra-red so all they got was a seemingly clumsy box that only became fast and agile upon entering space.

ooo000ooo

Half an hour later, Doris descended into the remote cave in the Australian outback and he examined the damage with Chloe at his side.

“It’s nothing that can’t be easily fixed but it means I’m going to have to work on her for a couple of weeks, I’ll also try to replace that windscreen for some sort of super-strong glass like on aircraft. Until we strengthen that, Doris is restricted to two hundred knots in air.”

“Shall I come back with you?” I’ve got a month’s leave coming to me, and People are bound to be asking questions about us.”

“Yeah, that’ll be nice. When do you get full Australian citizenship?”

“It’s another year to go then I have full rights, and you can come out as my spouse.”

“Did you have to pretend to be single to apply.”

“They never asked. Nor do their forms ask if a woman is married. They simply presume every woman is single and the new feminista forms don’t even have a box for ‘spouse’. Legally, men lose most of their rights if they marry a woman. They almost become the woman’s property except for the right to life and liberty. When men are single they have more rights than in the UQ but not much. Marriage is even rarer than in the UQ.

“Is marriage legal down under?”

“They’re like the UQ. It’s so rare, nobody’s bothered to change the laws surrounding marriage, they just presume every woman is single. Most women choose to have daughters so the male gene pool is small but high quality. Biologically, they’ve handled the genetics problem better than the UQ. Ethically it’s worse.”

“Will they be testing our baby’s genome?”

“Only if I ask. Otherwise they only test a boy’s genome when he arrives at puberty. If he’s the right material, that is high IQ and physically healthy, no genetic flaws from inbreeding or something; then he gets a fatherhood permit.”

“And if he isn’t?” Charlie pressed.

“He doesn’t get a license to father children. The vast majority of Australian women who decide to have a baby, demand to see the man’s fatherhood license and IQ levels before they’ll accept his sperm.

Men who don’t make the cut, usually choose to go for the cut, - vasectomy that is. With that, there are plenty of women prepared to enjoy sex with sterile jocks, just for the pleasure.”

“Will I have to get a fatherhood certificate if we want more children.”

“That should be easy. As my husband they’ll be curious about you; then, but when they find out who you are, all hell will break out.”

“Ye-ess.” Charlie mused. “I’d like to see the UQ feminista faces when Australia declares that Charlie page has emigrated.”

For the rest of that auspicious weekend, Charlie and Chloe resumed expanding their subterranean home while nursing their baby. Then when the time came, Chloe joined Charlie in Doris’s other airtight capsule and returned to the UQ just to spend a month reacquainting herself with old friends. Few people except her colleagues at the university hospital had realised she had emigrated to Australia. They just presumed she had been out of circulation while pre-occupied with motherhood.
ooo000ooo

Back on the task-force, aircraft carrier the UFO debriefings served more to confuse than to clarify. Eventually the reports were filed under ‘top-secret’ as the Feminista authorities started to panic. That secrecy served Charlie and Doris well. It was to be several months later before Charlie was finally invited to give his thoughts about the ‘flying-boxes’.

By that time, Charlie had repaired the outer aluminium skin and Doris looked normal again. Only a closer inspection would have revealed the armoured, inner secrets.

Eventually, when the feminista government finally decided to admit to a possible extra-terrestrial visitation, Charlie was summoned to Jane Anston’s board room to face another clutch of suits with lots of questions.

“Box-shaped you say.” Charlie queried after they had ‘enlightened’ him. “So that implies they’re not worried about streamlining their ships. They’re not worried about speed in the lower atmosphere.”

The senior suit nodded slowly as she was forced to agree. Charlie extrapolated further.

“That implies that whatever this thing was, it was not concerned with speed and was not concerned with aggression. Did it fire back?”

“Not to our knowledge.” The suit replied.

“And yet you say you hit it with a missile, which you believe did not seriously harm it.”

“The fighter pilot believes she saw some pieces come off the target but so far we haven’t recovered anything from the sea-bed. Her gun-cameras support her observations.”

Charlie shrugged.

“You haven’t got much have you. Are you sure they are aliens and not some invention from the Asian confederations?”

“We’ve obviously considered that, but our sources have reported that they are no further than us with the antigravity science. In fact, you put us ahead with the ten-metre engine but neither side have progressed much beyond that. Have you any more ideas.”

Charlie knew better than to give point-blank ‘NO’ so he messed a bit with their minds.

“I don’t have anything concrete but I’m still exploring the materials science. I still think it’s to do with the materials that form the inducted fluxes in the coils. I just don’t seem to yet have hit on the right formula for any likely materials.”

“Do you have any other ideas.”

“Not as such,” he lied, “I’m still experimenting with numerous different compounds. There’s literally millions of different compounds though I think I’ve narrowed it down to a few thousand. Its currently a case of suck it and see. I usually run a formula through my number-crunching and if it shows promise we try some experiments. That’s all I’ve got.”

“Yes we know about your private mathematical tools, have you ever thought of learning about advanced conventional maths?” The suit suggested.

“Perhaps it would have been better if you’d said that when I was thirteen.” Charlie retorted. “And then perhaps better still if you'd taught me.”

He did not have to say anymore, the bile was there for all to see and understand. Jane Anston decided to intervene before the conversation degenerated into an unproductive row.

“Yes, well I think Mr Sage’s observations may be accurate but they take us no further. I think we are done with his help here at present.
Perhaps when you recover the bits from the sea-bed, you might have some better ideas about the construction and propulsion this craft enjoyed.”

“I don’t think it would help you much,” Charlie offered ungraciously, “if the thing carried on ascending into space, the damage can’t have been serious.”

His thoughts gave them much food for thought and they made their farewells as Jane Aston ushered Charlie into her office.

“Yes Ma-am,” Charlie inquired, once they were alone.

“You seem to have reached some sort of a log jam with your endeavours,” she observed as he stood respectfully by her desk.

“There’s a lot of stuff to get through,” he countered. “You’ve seen my notes, I bring them in several times a week.”

“Have you tried any different approaches?”

“Some. You’ve seen my notes, I’ve always explained what I’m trying to explore. The more I research the engineering the bigger the whole field seems to get.”

“Do you think you’ve got a handle on gravity.”

“Yes. Definitely; I’m sure I’ve got the theory right, it’s the bloody engineering. Carbon isn’t quite the right element but it’s the nearest crystalline string-form I can manufacture that super-conducts at ambient temperatures yet remains flexible enough to manipulate and make coils that wind in mega-fibrous helix’s.”

“That doesn’t sound that complicated, do you need more resources, more assistants?”

“Assistants? Who can I trust as assistants? The day I break through into the right solution will be the day that any and every assistants who might be a party to the knowledge will immediately be tempted to steal the idea the idea from a mere man.”

“You’re saying you don’t trust anybody.”

“I’m a man; who’s there to trust?”

“What are you implying?”

“I’m asking who is there to trust. As a man, I cannot sign any legally binding contract, at least to a woman that is. Any woman can invoke the Feminista code and have any agreement I sign in my own name, revoked in just about any court in the land. As I said, who is there for me to trust, save for my wife Chloe?”

“Your wife?”

“Yes my wife. She at least has demonstrated that she’s prepared to stand by me and invoke her female rights and thus protect what few rights I have as a man through our marital union. Her rights become my rights but I have no inalienable rights of my own. Every time I want to patent some idea or some breakthrough, my wife Chloe has to do it in her name. Even then, she invokes ridicule and condemnation from the fundamentalist feminista, what’s more, they are constantly looking for loopholes to try and disestablish her patent rights. Chloe’s been to hell and back for me. So, I say again; who can I trust save she whom I already trust?”

“So you’re telling me you don’t trust anybody, even me.”

“You’re forgetting that until I married Chloe, I never had a single day off except to bury my mother. Three days in twelve years. You exploited me all those years and your company claimed the patent rights to hundreds of my modifications. You were quite prepared to exploit me then so why wouldn’t I believe you’d exploit me again if it wasn’t for Chloe. If Chloe hadn't invited me to marry her, I would still be held as a reserve element of Anston Aerospace, in effect, a slave.”

"You cannot say that, you are paid wages."

"Yes, a pittance for what I have done for Anston. All I can say is that I thank all that is good for Chloe marrying me."

This was the first time that Jane Anston could ever remember Charlie being frank with her and it wasn’t a comfortable feeling. She was beginning to wonder where Charlie’s feelings and loyalties really lay.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 18 Charlie's war.

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminine Queendom 18 © Copyright Beverly Taff
Charlie’s war.

List of Characters.
Charlie Sage Maths and electronics genius.
Shirley Sage Charlies elderly mother
Chloe Charlie’s one time early school friend.
Josephine Flint Surgeon and associate of Chloe’s.
Mrs Jane Anston Director of Anston Aerospace.
Ronnie Garage mechanic at top of lane
Pauline Garage owner, Ronnie’s sister.
Briony Pauline’s teenaged daughter.
Billy Pauline’s middle son.
Abigail (Abby) Pauline’s youngest daughter.
‘Poppy’ Charlie’s little micro-runabout.
‘Doris’ The armoured mobile home.
‘Lady’ Chloe’s Sports Car.
Colonel Wilson Vindictive misanthropist doctor.

Chapter 18

After his conversation with Jane Anston, Charlie knew that they would have marked his card at Anston Aerospace. When he left that evening, he took an alternative bus to another part of town, then changed buses and finally met his regular bus route in the suburbs. Lastly he disembarked several stops past Ronnie’s garage and phoned Chloe to collect him.

From where he stood waiting for Chloe, he was well hidden yet he had a clear view on all sides and there was little chance of anybody surprising him. His ground-suit would protect him from any taser assault and he would have time to hide if he spotted any vehicle coming down the road. He was not surprised to see one of the first functional ‘hover-cars’ sweep by at ten metres above the road and he ruefully reflected that it was his own invention that had enabled such craft to become fact.

Naturally, he presumed it to be a police car or otherwise the property of some well-paid senior executive.
Cautiously, he shrank back under the ivy covered wall to make himself invisible and he remained thus until he recognised Chloe driving Lady. As arranged, she stopped by the wall and Charlie quickly slid into the passenger seat.

“Nobody’s followed me and it’s safe to talk.”

“Go on, Chloe encouraged.”

“I think we’re just about done here. It’s time I joined you in Australia.”

“At long bloody last!” Chloe sighed as she turned to their daughter. “What d’you think of that Charlotte? Daddy’s coming home for good.”

Charlotte simply gurgled contentedly, glad to see her daddy again, while Charlie’s heart flipped as he turned to meet his daughter’s smile. That smile was incentive enough for Charlie and when they arrived back at their cottage he and Chloe started seriously planning their future.

“I don’t think we’ve got much time, the director called me in today and gave me the third degree. She definitely suspects something after I voiced some discontent about my situation.”

“Oh damn! What did you say?”

“Enough, well; more than enough. I’m just sick and tired of being taken for granted, - being abused. No matter what I do for them, I can never be promoted.”

“That’s the feminista law love,” Chloe replied, “Jan Anston can’t do much about that. I’m sure she’d promote you right to the top if the law allowed.”

“If the law allowed, I’d form my own company then we’d both be the beneficiaries. This Feminista business denies you your entitlement while I’m tied to reserved status to Anston Aerospace. We could, and should be partners in our own company.”

“It’s not that much better in Australia,” Chloe cautioned, “the only big difference is that Aussie men are free to roam the outback and they don’t suffer a curfew unless they come to town. They don’t need a pass.”

“Yeah, that’s another thing; having to carry my curfew pass wherever I go.”

“Well, shall we go for it?” Chloe asked, “bid goodbye to this feminist shithole.”

“Yeah, I’m game. Your bank account is looking healthy with all our patent royalties.”

“Yes, I get a lot of bowing and scraping whenever I venture into town. Fortunately, that’s a good few hundred miles from the mining hospital where I work so people don’t make any connections. Commuting betwixt and between is easy with Lady and her antigrav.”

“Our patent rights should more than support me then,” Charlie explained. “I can work at home and build a proper spaceship that doesn’t have to be disguised as a camper-van or mobile home.”

“To what end?” Chloe wondered.

“If a UFO suddenly starts appearing in the skies all over the Earth, people are going to get scared, especially if their governments can’t explain.”

“Is that your plan? To scare them shitless.”

“It’s the first part of my plan. Loiter menacingly over their cities then if they try to shoot me down I retaliate.”

“What if they manage to hit you with one of their missiles, or even a shell? If you’re just hovering, you’re a sitting duck.”

I can dodge their missiles; don’t forget we have anti inertia pads that ameliorate the effects of sudden accelerations. That’s part of the same science as antigrav. I can move sideways as fast as I can rise or sink without any effect on my body.”

“You be bloody careful !” Chloe demanded. “I don’t want Charlotte growing up an orphan. Giving Charlotte a daddy she could know and recognise, was one of the reasons I married you.”

“Don’t worry darling.” It’ll be at least a year before I’ve built a sufficiently bomb-proof space-craft. It’ll take me six months to locate, purchase and bring the heavy steel plate to the cave and then fabricate the shell.”

“Please don’t call our outback home a cave.” Chloe begged him. “It makes us sound like cave-dwellers or troglodytes.”

“So what do you want to call it?”

“Try calling it a grotto.” Chloe suggested. “Chacho Grotto sounds good.”

Charlie grinned, “Okay, Chacho Grotto it is, or Chacho for short; - come to think of it the word Coach might be better, people won’t associate Coach with two parts of our names combined.”
“Yeah, that’s a good idea, ‘Coach’, if people come looking they’ll probably be thinking bus or something.”
“It won’t matter what they are looking for. Everything is underground now anyway. If we simply speak of our coach, it will serve to confuse.”

ooo000ooo
Having decided a strategy, the pair spent the following month carefully transferring every usable commodity from the UQ cottage to Coach. Chloe then put their cottage on the market and as soon as it was sold, Chloe returned to Australia to resume her job.

Charlie, meanwhile, lived for nearly a year in his mobile-home/camper van to allow Chloe to finalise her immigration status and acquire Australian citizenship. When, the authorities came looking for Charlie,, nobody would have any idea where he had disappeared to.

Living for those remaining months as a single person in a mobile-home in the UQ, Charlie received no ‘snail-mail’ and all communication with Anston Aerospace had always been done by phone, or email. He travelled by bus to and from work and parked his camper-van in a different location every night.

And so it came to be that Charlie Sage, one time innovative supervisor at Anston Aerospace suddenly disappeared from the face of the earth.
What was worse was that nobody knew where to contact his wife and daughter because Chloe had emigrated to Australia under her own maiden name.

Yes, strange as it may seem, there had been another hic-up in the feminista wars. Some of the old customs concerning old-fashioned marriage had not been formally and legally updated. A woman could still take her ‘husband’s’ family name if she chose.
Chloe had done so to leave less ‘footprints’ around when the authorities started looking, - as she knew they would when they had lost Charlie.
ooo000ooo
By further pre-arrangement, Charlie silently delivered Chloe, Charlotte and Lady to Coach then he stocked up on supplies and left to overwinter in Antarctica and thus disappear completely for three months.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Chloe fretted.

“Don’t worry petal,” Charlie reassured her. “I’ll be overwintering in the dry desert valleys around the McMurdo Mountains. It never snows there but it’s bitterly cold. The winds are so strong, no choppers can fly and it’s too cold to go out for more than an hour. Doris, however, is designed for exactly this sort of caper.”

“But if something goes wrong, you’re so remote.”

“I’ve done everything I can, Doris carries duplicate equipment in just about every area there could be a failure. I won’t say it’s fool-proof, but there’s back-ups backing the back-ups. I’ve installed four modest but very robust wind turbines that can be extended when Doris is stationary on the ground to charge the batteries. They operate in winds up to two hundred knots.

“Well I want you to return every weekend, and we’ll rendezvous somewhere different every time.”

“Or, you and Charlotte could visit me. The antigravs are not affected by wind or frost, and with Sat-nav it’s easy.”

“I’m not happy with that,” Chloe protested, “Lady hasn’t been cold-proofed like Doris. Apart from the antigravity discs, Lady is still a standard car.”

“Okay then, stop fretting, I’ll call home to Coach once a weekend but it will have to be at night.”

After sorting out a comprehensive list of ‘do’s and don’ts, Charlie eventually took his leave and once more, Chloe found herself staring at the empty horizon as Charlie first skimmed at low level before ascending into space. This was to avoid being detected on any radars whilst in the vicinity of Coach. Once he was several hundred miles from the excavated grotto called Coach, Charlie quickly ascended into space then set course for Antarctica. If any military radars might have detected Doris, it would have been over the great Australian bight as she headed towards the McMurdo mountain ranges and the frozen desert valleys.

ooo000ooo

After first getting well away from Coach, Charlie took Doris straight up into space then paused over the McMurdo mountains after a brief flight through space. It was not hard to locate the area because the land showed up darkly through the permanently cloudless peaks where the mountains squeezed all the moisture from the katabatic winds.

Having checked out the intended landing position several times during his many transits over the south pole from Australia to the UQ, Charlie was soon able to locate his favoured spot and he descended confidently to ground level before skimming into a sheltered snow-free coll where the steep ridge forced the ever present katabatic wind to sheer over the ridge whilst forming a permanent pennant of cloud that would hide Doris from any spy satellites.

Hidden from view, but ice free, Doris settled comfortably beside a large greyish rock that resembled Doris’s charcoal camouflage. The rock also served to break up the screaming wind so as to reduce the impact to his wind-generators. Charlie had been extremely careful in his choice of campsite but even so, the occasional gusting eddy of wind caused Doris to rock unexpectedly.

Once Doris was settled, Charlie emerged from the small escape door at the rear of Doris who was orientated facing the prevailing winds. The small door was controllable in the lee of Doris’s bulk and Charlie stepped out into the mind-numbing, freezing hurricane. He quickly realised why exploration all but ceased in the Antarctic winter. One had to experience the appalling conditions to believe them.

After getting over the shock, Charlie cautiously checked around Doris and found nothing damaged. The wind turbines were operating successfully and the courtesy lights cast a loom of light some fifty yards around Doris. It being winter in the Antarctic, the permanent winter night obviated further exploration but Charlie determined that he could slowly set about building a better wind-break of stones to surround Doris at a suitable distance. If nothing else it would alleviate the sudden lurches that Doris made when the gusts hammered at her slab-sides.

It would be lethal to be cooking with hot oils or water during a sudden lurch. Any injury in these conditions carried far higher risks than in normal circumstances. He resolved to bring some stabilising guy ropes when next he visited Chloe, and these, combined with a growing stone wind-break would soon stop the juddering and shaking. After eating a substantial supper, Charlie went to bed.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 19 Charlie's war.

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 19 © Beverly Taff.

List of Characters.
Charlie Sage Maths and electronics genius.
Shirley Sage Charlies elderly mother
Chloe Charlie’s one time early school friend.
Josephine Flint Surgeon and associate of Chloe’s.
Mrs Jane Anston Director of Anston Aerospace.
Ronnie Garage mechanic at top of lane
Pauline Garage owner, Ronnie’s sister.
Briony Pauline’s teenaged daughter.
Billy Pauline’s middle son.
Abigail (Abby) Pauline’s youngest daughter.
‘Poppy’ Charlie’s little micro-runabout.
‘Doris’ The armoured mobile home.
‘Lady’ Chloe’s Sports Car.
Colonel Wilson Vindictive misanthropist doctor.

Chapter 19.

A furious rocking tore Charlie from his comfortable sleep and for a long moment he thought his home was being attacked. – It was, but it was no man-made or zoological enemy, it was meteorological. His sleep-befuddled brain eventually realised that the screaming banshee outside was the wind. It was dark of course and that further confused him until he remembered there was no dawn. The Antarctic winter comprised five to six months of total darkness depending on how far south you’re were located. The darkness combined with the weather served to make the darkness utterly inhospitable and it was only with reluctance that Charlie pulled back the curtain to look outside.

There was no visual evidence of wind, no driving snow or hail or rain. He was in a desertified hollow in the shadow of the McMurdo mountains where no rain or snow ever fell. It was eerie to hear the wind screaming and his van shaking and yet hear no rain or hail hammering outside.
His first act was to check his wind generators and a small wave of relief confirmed that they were withstanding the onslaught whilst faithfully producing electricity. His batteries were fully charged and the van was warm. Grateful for the essential home comforts, he showered and breakfasted then settled down for the storm to abate. It took three days before his anemometer told him the wind had reduced to a civilised seventy knots. It was safe to go outside.

He mused philosophically that it was all well and good reading about such extreme climes but one had to experience them to really come to terms with the reality. Outside the van the wind almost cut him to the bone and he very quickly retreated inside.

As he sat reflecting in the van he concluded that overwintering in Antarctica looked like being a very tedious four or five months.

‘Sometimes I wish I was a penguin,’ he mused, ‘then I’d have company’.

The thought of company persuaded him to break camp early and return to Australia and by late evening, he was northbound. Coach of course was empty when he arrived that night, but he contacted Chloe and told her he was home and why.

“I need some better cold weather kit and the trailer to carry a few odds and ends back to McMurdo glades.”

“McMurdo Glades?” Is that what you’re calling it?

“It’s as good a name as any. Apart from the facts there are no trees or grass, the little cwtch I’ve found is just perfect. Nobody saw me in and nobody saw me out.”

“If you’re going to build some sort of shelter, why Don’t you take the digger on the trailer to move some bigger stones?”

“It’s too much bother protecting it from the cold, besides humping stones around gives me some exercise. There’s not much one can do when it’s minus thirty centigrade and blowing a hurricane. To tell the truth, I can’t see me sticking it out much past three of four months even with coming to see you each weekend.

“Well there’s been no mention of your disappearance in the news and I’m surprised they haven’t even traced me.”

“It’s early days yet. Give it a couple of weeks. The big clue is when they realise we no longer live at the cottage.”

“Have a look at your email. They’re bound to be wondering why you haven’t reported in.”

“Oh, talking of emails, have they delivered any steel yet to the suppliers near the mine. I ordered most of the boiler plate at the stockists there.”

“I’ve had nothing, you’d better go through yours. I don’t suppose your online down there.”

“Nah, I’m not allowed any satellite connection anyway, well not in the UQ. Those connections have been reserved for corporate and managerial use. No men allowed.”

“Oh it’s different here. In the outback, satellite connections are universal, every cattle herder and shepherd uses them. You might as well piggy-back off my wi-fi. Australia couldn’t function without satellite wi-fi.”

After supper and entertaining Charlotte, Charlie connected through Chloe’s computer and was pleased to learn that the first consignment of boiler plate had arrived at the stockists. It was the heaviest gauge and Charlie had already pre-arranged for a heavy machine shop to cut and fabricate the lozenge shaped plates to form a faceted ellipsoid hull. He showed Chloe what he had designed and she stared at it wonderingly on his laptop screen.

“It looks like a multifaceted flying cigar.” She grinned.
“That’s the easiest shape I could come up with that looks alien enough to bamboozle any observers.”

“How thick are those lozenge-shaped plates?”

“About seventy five mil. Ordinary bullets or an air-to-air missile won’t penetrate it’s skin; once it’s put together. The welding is going to take the longest part of the construction.

“So it’s really a flying tank, because weight is no problem.”

“Except there’s no gun. The anti-grav discs are mounted internally and the whole of the lower section will contain batteries inside their own armoured hemicylinder. The exterior will be totally covered in light-absorbent, solar panels so the thing will resemble a faceted silver cigar.”

“Fascinating!” Chloe grinned. “So how big will it be?”

“’Bout twenty metres long and five metres diameter. Plenty of room to live in, just like Doris only more so and bigger.”

“And how long will it take?”

“Bout four to five months. We brought all the necessary down from the cottage except for the steel.”

“And finally, where will you build it?”

“Inside the grotto. There’s room enough if I cut out the wall to Charlotte’s bedroom.”

“Where will Charlotte sleep.

“With you in our bed or with me in the van.”

Chloe sucked her teeth thoughtfully.

“Yeah. I suppose that’ll work.”

“Okay, I might as well give up the idea of my hiding in Antarctica and concentrate on expanding coach to hide the space-craft. When we collect the steel, I will pretend to be your humble contractor. It will have to be one lozenge at a time so the load doesn’t look suspicious. Once we’re out of sight of the steel stockists, we can find some remote bit of bush and fly each piece to Coach without leaving tell-tale tracks.”

Chloe nodded uncertainly and the following Monday afternoon, the family visited the stockists to collect the first steel plate. The despatcher in the yard wondered why the plate was so thick and peculiarly shaped but Charlie just shrugged and nodded towards the female who was paying for the piece.

“I dunno’ mate. She’s some sort of artist and I think this is some sort of symbolic statue she’s making.”

“Doesn’t she work up at the hospital?”

“I dunno’ mate I just fetch and carry. She pays straight up and I just move the stuff for her.”

“So why is the steel so thick?”

“Jeeze mate, I dunno, I haven’t asked. I overheard her talking about some sort of symbolic meaning about thick-skinned insensitive men but what do I know. Sculpture is her hobby, as I said, I just fetch and carry.”

Both men knew enough to avoid poking around in a woman’s private affairs and the matter was dropped. Charlie towed the plate away and Chloe went to work on her night shift at the hospital. Once clear of the mining town, Charlie drove a few miles into the bush checked carefully to make sure nobody had noticed, then he waited until nightfall.

To pass the time, Charlie had Charlotte with him and they played ‘digging for gold’ until nightfall. Then they flew to Coach and unloaded the plate with the hydraulic boom of the digger. Once Charlotte was put to bed, Charlie moved to the other part of their home and excavated a couple more cubic metres of rock to create space for the new space-craft to hide underground. Out of curiosity, he ran the metal detector over the spoil heap and was silently pleased to find a tiny ‘finger-nail’ sized nugget of gold.

“Hmm”! He mused silently as he hid the gold. ‘Chloe had better apply for an extraction licence, or they wouldn’t be able to sell the gold.’

‘The area around Coach had never been considered a likely area for gold so they had best apply for an extraction licence in an area hundreds of miles east and south where gold was known to be present. That would put off any claim poachers who might try to follow them back.’

Fully contented at such an unexpected find, Charlie slept well and Chloe found both her husband and daughter preparing breakfast when she arrived home from the hospital the following morning.

“I see you’ve dug out a bit more.” She nodded with satisfaction.

“More than that,” Charlie grinned slightly stupidly. “Look at this.”

Chloe held the tiny nugget and frowned at its weight.

“Is this gold?”

“Yes. I did the Archimedes test.”

Chloe’s jaw sagged with surprise then she followed Charlie to the newly excavated space. Charlie reached into a small crack and picked a small, brittle piece of quartz off the newly exposed face.

“This looks like a vein, I don’t think there’s much gold but every time I dig out more space, it’ll be worth running the metal detector over the spoil. It’ll pay towards stuff. But to make it legal, you’ll have to apply for an extraction licence. As a man, I don’t think I’m allowed.”

“Surprise, surprise Charlie. This is Australia, one of the last rights left to men is their right to roam the outback and prospect for minerals. It’s hard, dirty, back-breaking work so prospecting rights were left available to men.”

“Yes, but until I become legal I’m stuck in a jam. When do your citizenship papers become valid.”

“Two months, then I can legally register you as my spouse. The problem is they’ll know who you are and by that time, I’m sure the UQ feminista brigade will be looking for you.”

“So, I just lie low until the space-craft is finished.”

“F’raid so,” Chloe sympathised. “I’ve been thinking of getting a Ute and modifying it with Antigrav. Have we enough material.”

“Yes. It’s easy to come by once you know what to look for.”

“Well I’ll sort it on Saturday. Doris is a bit conspicuous and technically illegal because she is not registered here in Aus’.”

“How do you register a space-craft?” He grinned.

“And who issues you with your space-craft licence?” She grinned back.

Having joked for long enough, Chloe went to bed while Charlie entertained Charlotte by settling her in the baby seat attached to the digger safety frame while he carefully excavated another couple of metres of rock. By noon, he had removed the spoil to the dump at the end of the canyon but he found no more gold. In the afternoon, he played with Charlotte until Chloe woke up, then they dined before returning to the steel stockists.

Chloe paid for the second lozenge shaped plate while Charlie loaded it and bantered with the yard workers. Before Chloe went to work in the hospital, she and Charlie purchased some welding equipment that Charlie took home to Coach. The remains of the day followed in the same pattern and Charlie had excavated another couple of metres of rock. Once again no more gold was discovered. After completing the first successful weld, Charlie and Charlotte slept well.

The routine they had established served them well and within four months, Charlie had fabricated an immensely strong shell that encased a robust set of frames. To the uninitiated eye, it looked like a miniature submarine without a conning tower, - a wholly incongruous object to find in a cave in the Australian the out-back. Two further months of fitting out brought their plan to fruition and on Charlotte’s second birthday, they celebrated the inaugural flight.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 20

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom 20 Charlie’s War © Copyright Beverly Taff

List of Characters.
Charlie Sage Maths and electronics genius.
Shirley Sage Charlies elderly mother
Chloe Charlie’s one time early school friend.
Josephine Flint Surgeon and associate of Chloe’s.
Mrs Jane Anston Director of Anston Aerospace.
Ronnie Garage mechanic at top of lane
Pauline Garage owner, Ronnie’s sister.
Briony Pauline’s teenaged daughter.
Billy Pauline’s middle son.
Abigail (Abby) Pauline’s youngest daughter.
‘Poppy’ Charlie’s little micro-runabout.
‘Doris’ The armoured mobile home.
‘Lady’ Chloe’s Sports Car.
Colonel Wilson Vindictive misanthropist doctor.

Chapter 20.

“So what’s it to be?” Chloe asked. “A fully blown ascent into space or a low-level flight check.”

“Low level I think. I’m no hero, The only thing I can be certain of is that hull doesn’t leak at one atmosphere. This is the first lift off using all the pads.”

“Well, it’s dark enough, you’d best get on. It can’t be much different to Doris.”

“I’ll just take her up a few metres, stand back.”

Chloe stepped back with Charlotte in her arms and soon the armoured cigar started to rise soundlessly. To Chloe it was eerie watching the craft ascending without any audible tell-tale signs until it stopped at about a metre above the ground. The door opened and Charlie stood looking down.

“Well, she’s stable, not a wobble, not a judder; nothing.”

“Are you going any higher.”

“Of course; do you want to come.”

“Give it a longer test first.”

“Oh come Chlo’. You and Charlotte fly around in Lady all the time. There’s no difference.”

“I’ll let you be the judge of that.” Chloe grinned. “Do your flight test first.”

“Okay,” Charlie shrugged, “Never let it be said that you weren’t offered a chance at history, first woman to go to Mars or something.”

“You’re not taking it that far are you?!”

Charlie grinned.

“Course not. Time enough for that, I was kidding.” I’ll just take her for a circuit around the hill. The defence radars won’t detect her at these ranges.”

“Okay, I’ll make a cup of tea ready for when you come back.”

Charlie smiled to himself as Chloe’s offer rang in his ears and he cautiously ascended to a height equal to that of the modest mountain where their outback home lay. Never rising above the peak, he conducted manoeuvrability trials and after half an hour he returned contentedly to the grotto and parked the craft next to the ‘Ute’.
Chloe had purchased the utility truck for Charlie’s outback activities, then Charlie had modified it to fly using anti-grav.

The grotto at Coach had by now been excavated sufficiently to accommodate, all five craft, namely,
Lady, Chloe’s high performance saloon car;
Doris, Charlie’s Mobile Home;
Poppy, now a cut-down flatbed trailer:
Ute, the shared standard pickup mostly used by Charlie ;
and finally, the flying cigar that Chloe and Charlie had yet to name.

Chloe watched Charlie manoeuvre the space-ship into the grotto then met him as he emerged and handed him the promised cup of tea. They settled contentedly on the outside seat as Charlotte toddled contentedly at their feet.

“Well; she works,” Charlie observed. “Tomorrow’s the big test, threshold of space, then space proper.”

“Aren’t you going to name her?” Chloe asked, knowing Charlie’s penchant for anthropomorphising his craft.”

“What would you call her?” Charlie asked.

Chloe paused thoughtfully.

“You could call her Dawn, she’s a precursor of the new day.”

“What day’s that?” Charlie wondered.

“The end of the feminista regime.” Chloe almost whispered.

“That’s a bit ambitious,” Charlie cautioned. “Let’s put her through her paces properly first and see what she can do. – Mind you,” he added, “Dawn seems to fit, - - - - yeah, Dawn it’ll be.”

Having finalised the name, they put to bed and slept deeply until Charlotte’s cry demanded food at dawn.

“How synonymous”, Charlie thought as he rose and padded to Charlotte’s cot. “Come and meet the dawn” he whispered as he sniffed her nappy before stepping into the grotto to check his latest creation.

Happy that the space-craft had not run away in the night, he ‘pottied’ charlotte, relieved his own bladder then carried his daughter back to their bed.

“She was dry,” he informed Chloe as father and daughter re-joined mother between the sheets. “

Chloe smiled sleepily as she welcomed her precious family back into the bed. While Charlotte squirmed contentedly between her parents, Chloe and Charlie prepared for their day. It was Saturday and some ‘home-building’ was required to furnish Dawn with the essentials before taking their first flight together as a family.

“I thought a trip down to the McMurdo Range so you could see what it’s like.” Charlie offered.

“I’d prefer a trip into town, we need supplies.”

She saw the disappointment whisper across Charlie’s features so she relented.

“I think you like it down there. What makes it so attractive, - I mean- you’ve told me it’s a freezing desert with no snow or ice.”

“I dunno’,” he confessed slightly defensively, “I suppose it’s the remoteness and pristine, frozen condition. It won’t stay like that if everybody has antigrav and can just whizz down there like we can. The place will become littered with tourists and rubber-necks.”
“And all the junk and litter.” Chloe finished.
“Well, I must confess, I left some planks and stones down there.” Charlie admitted.
“Come on then, We can tow Doris behind us and collect our rubbish. If nothing else, we can become tidy spacemen.”
Charlie spluttered.
“Have you seen the junk left up there?” He pointed skywards.
“Yes we all know about it.” Chloe observed. “Space junk is not our problem, the junk around McMurdo is.”

“Ha! Just wait until you become ‘space-girl one’ and you have to pick your way back to earth. You’ll curse every piece of metal that’s orbiting around up there. Come on, we’ll clear up our mess and then you’ve got Carte-blanche to visit anywhere on earth.”

“Is there anybody manning the international space station at the moment?” Chloe asked.

“I’ve no idea,” Charlie grinned knowingly, “you fancying that ‘fly-bye’ you mentioned? Give them the alien finger.”
“It would be fun.” Chloe grinned. “Just put the visor down over the pilot screen so they can’t recognise us, then do a few gymnastics to emphasise our manoeuvrability.”

“If that’s what gives you a buzz, lead on McDuff.” Charlie nodded. “Though if we just dimmed the visor so we are just vague shapes, I’d have thought seeing human shapes inside a craft they don’t recognise, would reeeally stir up a hornet’s nest.”

“Somebody down at Anston Aerospace is bound to realised it’s Charlie Sage and Chloe,” Chloe observed. You’re the only person they know for certain has cracked gravity.”

“Like I care anymore?” Charlie shrugged.

They both chuckled as they prepared to fly.

ooo000ooo

For practice, Charlie let Chloe operate the controls and he smiled at the idiot grin wrapped around Chloe’s features as she easily ascended into orbit while increasing speed as the atmosphere thinned to almost pure vacuum. Once they were at an altitude that Chloe had learned to be considered space proper, she turned to Charlie.

“Now what?”

“Well, you head north until we reach the main orbital belt where the vast majority of satellites are circling in orbit then we check the satellite almanac and find out where and when the international space station next passes. Alternatively you can speed up and head straight towards it.”

“And shout Boo! When we surprise them.” Chloe giggled.

“What speed can we do up here?” She asked.

“Depends how long you push the drive. Best practice is to set the sol-stat drive ratio to fractionally less than one so that the energy accumulated by the solar panels slightly exceeds the amount of thrust generated by the antigrav.”

“A sort of energy equilibrium but with a bit to spare for emergencies.”

“You gorr’it girl. It’s a three dimensional dodgem-car.”
“Oh this is going to be fun!” Chloe squealed as she accelerated to a respectable twenty-five thousand knots.”
“Won’t we fly out of orbit at this speed?”
“No. We’re independent of gravity. If you set the radar altimeter to the same altitude as the international space station the drive will keep you at the same height by constantly correcting your trajectory. Thirty-five minutes and you’ll be in sight of the station. It’s always best to chase the satellites otherwise the velocity differentials following different tracks will almost certainly cause collisions.”

“Chloe nodded her comprehension.” Flying lady on occasional night-time forays down on earth had already taught her of the dangers of collision at high speed. In space the speeds were infinitely higher and collisions invariable totally fatal; - utter destruction.
As Chloe experimented with the space flight controls, Charlie simply looked out of the downward visor and memorised various images of the earth to create a mental map in his head. Eventually, Chloe’s squeak alerted him.

“Isn’t that it?”

“The very one,” Charlie agreed. Now do you want to make your and Charlotte’s profile visible while I do the twiddly bits.”

“This is going to be fun!” Chloe chuckled as Charlie grinned.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” He observed.

“You bet!” Chloe almost growled through tight lips and clenched jaws,

“They owe you this Charlie for all the crap you have had to endure. For all the education you were denied. For all the insults and put-downs you’ve had to swallow.”
Charlie shrugged resignedly. Having been raised from childhood in a climate and culture of aggressive femininity, where even the slightest display of protest or non-co-operation would have brought down excessive censure or punishment, it was difficult to envisage righteous solution without recourse to violence. He was struggling to shake off a ‘slave mentality’ that had been instilled in him since infancy.

The irony was that his extraordinary problem-solving capacity in the fields of maths, science and engineering did not extend to problem solving in societal structure or social engineering. Never having ever had a history lesson left Charlie devoid of insight or direction towards social solutions.

As they approached the space station Charlie first matched their speeds to allow the occupants to get a prolonged look at Dawn then he quickly rotated her and did a barrel roll around the space station as shocked faces followed through their viewing ports until Dawn was on the opposite side and blocking out the sun. There they stayed for fully an hour while he and Chloe discussed their next step.

“We should reduce the visor shading so our images are slightly clearer.” Chloe pressed.

“Naah, there’s no point,” Charlie countered, “they already know we’re human, look at the messages they’re writing on their message pads. Look, they’re asking what frequency we use.”

“We could write a message saying we don’t have radio; we wish to avoid voice recognition. That would convey that we’re somehow outside the law.” Chloe suggested. “Some sort of rebel group.”

“We’re not outside the law though,” Charlie argued. “As far as I know, building your own space ship is not illegal. Nobody owns space, just like nobody owns Antarctica. Just write ‘No radio’, - the more cryptic the message, the more they’ll fret. Finish it off with ‘See you around’.”
“Why -‘see you around’?” Chloe asked.

“It implies we’re going somewhere else, we’ve something better to do than hanging around, wasting time talking to passive flotsam locked in a fixed orbit. It emphasises our superior mobility and manoeuvrability. “

“Action speaks louder than words,” Chloe finished as she wrote the message and carefully stuck it in the corner of the ‘windshield’.

“Step back from the window,” Charlie cautioned as he reduced the visor shading until the message was clearly visible against the armoured glass.

The occupants of the space station got a brief glimpse of the written pad and the interior of Dawn’s cockpit then she accelerated ferociously and in seconds she was out of sight. Already the video pictures where being sent to the mission control.

“So now where?” Chloe asked.

“Let’s do the same to the Asian space station. That’s antipodean to this one.” Charlie suggested.

“Yeah,” Chloe smiled, “we might as well be even handed.”

Fifteen minutes later, they played the same trick on the Asian space station then decided to return home to Coach.

By their return, the internet was alive with traffic but the family were too hungry and tired to take much notice.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 21 Charlie's war

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 21 ©Beverly Taff.

List of Characters.

Chapter 21 (Looking for Charlie.)

“You What!! A year!” The Prime Minister almost shrieked. “A whole bloody year!”

Jane Anston swallowed fearfully as she prepared to break the rest of the alarming news.

“Well, - - - yes. We thought he was buried deep in his theory about gravity and we; uuuhm, - we thought it best not to disturb him.”

“But didn’t you bloody-well go and check his house?”

“Well we were getting regular progress reports by email and regular video links.”
“But you never thought to check that he was actually there, in the cottage where you can keep an eye on him.”

“I’ve said this before to your military people Prime Minister, Mr Sage was NOT a prisoner.”

“But you have not seen him for nearly a year!”

“We have, by video link, on-line. Several times per week.”

“By encrypted messaging I suppose.”

“Naturally, it was very sensitive material.”

“Do the Asians know we’ve lost him?”

“I doubt it Prime Minister. He’s been communicating several times a week and some of the information has proven to be useful.”

“Does it concern gravity.”

“It’s hard for us to tell. Indirectly it might, we’ve managed to get the height up to one hundred metres. That’s a huge increase.”

“I’d have thought he’d have put the theory part to bed by now. If he understands the principles, surely it would be just a matter of engineering; and if he can make it work up to one hundred metres, what’s the difference between that and eternity?”

“A lot Prime Minister; a hell of a lot. We think he might have cracked the theory long ago and he’s just been toying with us. The experiences of the International Space Station visit seems to prove that. The crew reckoned they were definitely human shapes behind the blurred visor. They seemed to be playing a game to tantalise the crew and, by derivation, the rest of us! The rest of humanity in fact!”

“Yes,” the prime minister responded thoughtfully, - “the rest of humanity, - you might be right. Our sources tell us that the Asian station was paid a visit as well. Nothing threatening, just a few stunts to demonstrate that their invention can manoeuvre in space with consummate ease.”

“Are you certain it was your man?”

“Yes. There’s nobody else that we know of who’s advanced so far with gravity; and if the Asian’s had solved it, they’d be all over us by now. I know we would be all over them.”

“So seriously, your telling me we had the secret of anti-gravity in our hands and we let it go.”

“No. We had the man who had the secret but we did not ‘let-him-go’, as you put it. He was never a prisoner and he chose to leave.”

“So why d’you think he left?”

“Oh come on Prime Minister! Be real! What planet are you living on?”

“Don’t take that attitude with me Miss Anston, you’re in a lot of trouble.”

“Not half as much as you Prime Minister.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No! He is. – Well, he’s sent you a very loud and clear message. I suggest you heed it.”

“Meaning?”

“There’s an election in a year. How do you think the government that lost anti-gravity will fare?”
Jane Anston could sense the shocked silence as the P.M., considered her political future, after a deafening silence she responded.

“There’s nothing that the government can do unless he’s prepared to talk and negotiate.”

“I’m not sure he’s prepared to negotiate, at least not with the Feminine Queendom. - Nor indeed any matriarchal government.”

“What! You mean he’s prepared to do a deal with an Asian government?”

“In all truth Prime Minister, I don’t know. He kept his feelings and thus also his political leanings very much to himself.”

“What sort of company did he keep?”

“Very much his own company, at least until he met his wife.”

“And then -?”

“Not much, in fact very little at all. They went through infant and junior school together then of course became separated via the feminista educational rules. They happened to meet again when he was problem solving and proving that he was a very smart cookie. She became rather enamoured of his intellect and very slowly a relationship evolved. She eventually popped the question and he agreed

She’s a geneticist by profession and she happened to learn of him through his work at Anston. Initially, she was looking to get a sperm donation from him but he cleverly avoided her and never registered as a sperm donor. She eventually realised that the only way she would ever get a sperm donation was if she could persuade him to marry her.

Once she got him to agree to marry, she told me the whole story. Charlie page is a very straightlaced, puritan personality.
she became rather enamoured of his intellect and very slowly a relationship evolved. She eventually popped the question.”

“Are you telling me, she asked him to marry her!” The P.M. gasped.

“Yes, all her friends and we at Anston were shocked to learn the truth but Miss Chloe Sage is not your normal product of the Feminista academia. She’s also very bright and it was Mr Sage’s remarkable intellect that initially attracted her. When they realised they were somewhat of like minds, the relationship blossomed.”

“Relationship?”

“Yes. They are tight a pair as you could ever find. They proved that all through their courting days when every woman’s hand tried to turn her away.”

“So we’re definitely looking for two people.”

“I’m not Prime Minister; - you are. You and whatever forces you can muster.”

“Are you prepared to help if we need you? You know, old friends and stuff.”

“If you ever find him, or if he turns up, I’ll need to see what he wants before committing myself to taking sides.”

“I see.” The prime Minister huffed slightly. “Let’s not be forgetting that your company is dependent on government contracts to prosper.”

“And your government depends upon our patented equipment and devices to function militarily. We’re in the same boat Prime Minister but you’re the one at the helm. Be assured we’re looking for him every-which-way we can.”

“Well obviously, that’s all for now. I’ll be in touch and if you do hear of anything, you are bound by the official secrets act, - don’t forget.”

Jane put the phone down somewhat forcefully as she contemplated the implied threat.

“Damn you Charlie Sage! Where the hell are you?”

ooo000ooo

Charlie and Chloe’s spaceship ‘Dawn’ was neatly garaged in their remote cave alongside their other craft while the couple considered their options. They had listened to numerous news items but as yet nobody had revealed their visit to the two space stations. It was obvious that governments world-wide were keeping their options close to their chests.

“So they still haven’t come clean yet,” Chloe remarked as she continued nursing Charlotte and watching the news.

“Seemingly not,” Charlie replied from the kitchen, “but I’ll bet my bottom dollar they’re looking for us.”

“That’s for sure,” Chloe agreed, “though I haven’t seen any pictures of you or me being posted anywhere.”

“Yeah, - Wanted alive! Ten thousand dollars reward.”

“It’ll be a bit more than that if they choose to offer a reward. There’ll be a bidding war.” Chloe opined.

“All the more reason for my lying low. Especially with this facial recognition technology. They’ll have all my i.d. info on the Anston company files.”

“Aussie doesn’t have much of that recognition stuff. They tended to object to it when it was suggested in their government. Seems Aussie girls are just as free spirited as the men.”

“Jeeze, it’s on just about every lamp post in the Queendom. Protecting the women was the excuse. Then it just grew from there.”

“Yeah, it’s too invasive now but the culture has grown with it and we’re stuck with it.” Chloe lamented.

“Glad I live in the outback,” Charlie added, “oh, and McMurdo as well.”

“You speak of it like a town.” Chloe grinned.

“I suppose it’ll become one if everybody gets antigrav.”

“Nah, nobody would ever want to live there, far too cold.”

“We’ll see,” Charlie replied thoughtfully, “some men might well choose fifty below as preferable to being forced to live as second class citizens. Can I nurse Charlotte for a while?”

“You like doing it don’t you?” Chloe wondered.

Charlie nodded.

“Yeah, it’s nice being a proper dad.”

“D’ you think we should go for another baby?”

“Are you up for it?” Charlie asked her.

“Why not. With the patent rights fees transferring via the offshore bank, they’ll have difficulty tracing the money or us.”

“Are you going to keep your job at the hospital?”

“Why not. It looks more normal if I earn a salary, especially under my maiden name.”
“So, apart from ferrying water and Ice from Antarctica, what will I do for a living?”

“Charlie, I’m not asking you to work, the patent rights should be yours by rights so the income is rightfully yours. Besides, you’ve got work to do here, excavating extra bedrooms plus a bigger cistern for a bigger family.”

“Yeah. I suppose you’re right and eventually they’re bound to find me, they won’t stop looking.”

“You have not broken any laws in Australia Charlie. You’re legally married to me and the immigration papers never mentioned marital status. They automatically allow immediate family members to enter and they presumed I only had Charlotte as a daughter and Charlie as a son. I was never asked about a spouse and the forms don’t even provide a box to enter a spouse or a spouse's name. Besides, if they discover they’ve got the creator of Antigravity, they’ll be loath to send you back. The links with the old mother country have been well and truly cut since the great transition and the feminista wars. Aussie chooses to remain neutral though anti-grav will put them on a new footing with the rest of the planet if you eventually choose to let it.”

“We’ll see,” Charlie replied, “we’ll just have to wait and see.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 22

Author:

Beverly Taff

Caution:

CAUTION: Physical or Emotional Abuse

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 22 © Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Chapter 22.
“Good Morning Doctor Evans. Usual order?”

“Yes please, but I’ll be adding an extra half litre of milk permanently to the list.”

Chloe Sage was known by her maiden name of Evans in the mining camp. The subterfuge was not illegal. A woman did not have to change her name upon marriage. At the mention of ordering extra milk, the store lady glanced at Charlotte who was outside on the store-front porch.

“Oh, is little Charlotte growing that quickly.”

The store owner asked as she watched Charlotte admiring a kindle of kittens.

“Not exactly, it’s mainly for me, Charlotte’s going to have a sibling.”

“Oh! That’s wonderful news. Not many children here in the mining camp They’re mostly at the town.”

“I don’t live in the mining camp; I live outside of town so shopping here is convenient when I’m coming from work.”

“Who looks after Charlotte?”

“There’s a creche at the mining hospital. Half a dozen doctors have infants there.”

“So you’ll be on your way home now?”

“Yes, Friday’s always a good day. Weekends and all that.”

“See you Monday then.”

“More likely Tuesday, I’ve got meetings all next week.”

As part of their subterfuge, Chloe was always quite open about her daily life in the hospital and her activities around the town. The shutters only descended when it came to ‘going home’ but this was quite normal if a woman lived out of town. In the town, people presumed she lived alone because Charlie had never visited the town. He only visited the materials stockists and engineering shops at the mine when he and Chloe bought materials and equipment. Chloe handled all domestic purchases either in the town or at the mining camp store.

As long as governments didn’t publicise their secret searches for the inventor of ‘Anti-grav’, Charlie was relatively safe. Their arrangements worked for Charlie only purchased stuff about once a month and always under the auspices of a common ‘handyman’ doing building work or repair work for Doctor Evans.

Sadly however, these arrangements were to become compromised when complications occurred with Chloe’s second pregnancy.

ooo000ooo

“Aah!. Doctor Evans, I’m glad I caught you, the tests for your pregnancy came back this morning, have you got a moment?”

“Sure,” Chloe replied, - “everything okay?”

“Uhm, well I believe congratulations are in order.”

“Oh! How come?”

“It seems you’re going to have triplets.”

“Oh my god!” Chloe almost squealed. “Triplets! And that’ll mean? _”

“Extra prenatal care. Do multiple births run in your family?”

“Uuuhm, - not to my knowledge.”

“What about the sperm donor’s family?”

Chloe had to do some quick thinking.

“Oh come on doc! I can’t remember who the sperm donor was. It was a couple of months ago during a somewhat drunken night out in Sydney.”

“What? You can’t remember?”

“Oh I can remember all right and a thoroughly enjoyable night it was. He was handsome, tall, - you name it. I presumed he was just another anonymous vasectomy.”

“Well, as you know, multiple births are always a concern to the government what with so many girls choosing not to have families.”

“I’m a geneticist Doctor I know all about the eugenics policies and the flaws therein.”

“Flaws?”

“Yes. Flaws. That’s why I went slumming for my kicks, I just wasn’t expecting to meet a fertile stud. Most are invariably elective freemartins.”

“Would you be prepared to have your triplet’s genome samples examined after they are born, just to help with the researches regarding population expansion and economic stabilisation.”

“No, I wouldn’t. I disapprove of endeavours to turn the human population into a multiple birth species like cats or dogs, just to satisfy bankers and economists. If you want to encourage intelligent women to breed, make motherhood more attractive.”

“You seem to have found it attractive. Do you want a big family?”

“Unless I choose to selectively abort one or two of my foetuses, I’ve no choice but to accept a big family. I have no wish or intentions to become an infanticidal idealist, so it looks like I’m going to have triplets.”

“Can you afford it?”

“That’s no business of yours doctor, I’ve got a good and reasonably secure job.”

“Have you got any support network around you? – You know, family, mother, sisters and stuff?”

“There’s support enough provided for our Creche at work. I’ll simply have to pay extra funding but not triple the amount. There’s a tapered sliding scale of fees. It works out better for multiple births than twins.”

“Well nevertheless, I will have to request that you provide genetic DNA samples of your triplets purely for the government research.”

“If the sperm donor isn’t registered, then that won’t help the research programme except to isolate fertility genes. Anyway, I’ll certainly provide DNA samples of my babies after they arrive. Then you can go around testing all the known studs in Sydney. I’m not sure I would even recognise him; I was that drunk that afternoon. He was pretty handsome though, fair got me going he did.”

“The GP grinned

“Really Doctor Evans, I’d never have had you down for a good time girl.”

“Hey! There’s no law against it or having babies. I’d have thought Australia would be glad for me to have four children what with the falling population rates.”
ooo000ooo

That evening when she arrived home slightly earlier after having broken the news to Charlie on a scrambler call earlier; she was confronted by a distraught husband.

“You promised them our children’s DNA?!”

“Well, yes. But it won’t be traced to the sperm donor’s register… nobody knows you’re the donor.”

“Oh! Do you think so? You do realise of course that my genome and my DNA is on Anston Aerospace’s Computers. Even though I refused to become a donor, they took my DNA and Genome by force of law. I could not refuse because in that fucking shitty queendom, men have less rights than fucking laboratory rats! I was registered as a reserved asset that could not be plundered or removed from Anston’s legal authority. I was virtually a slave in all but name! Do you honestly think that any digital connection to my DNA and Genome won’t find it’s way back to Anston’s computers within days if not hours of your handing it over?”

Chloe fell silent as the truth ripped into her mind. She simply had not known that being registered involuntarily as a reserved asset had turned Charlie into just that, an asset, a piece of legal property, or, as Charlie had put it; - a slave in all but name. She swallowed hard as her mind struggled to find a solution but she was grasping at straws. Tears began to blur her vision as she realised the seriousness of their situation.

“There’s got to be a way out of this.”

“Oh there several ways out of this but none of them are easy.” Charlie cursed.

“Go on,” Chloe prompted.

“Well; the first way is that I fuck off to McMurdo and stay there for eternity. Trouble is, they’ll try blackmailing me by threatening you and / or our kids.

Second way is for me to top myself. That’s the easiest way out but earth loses the secret of Anti-grav. Should I care about that, I wonder? My kids also grow up fatherless but then, every child in femidom endures that.

The third way is that I go to war. Dawn is a veritable flying tank and she would do enormous damage before anybody ever got to her. No plane could shoot her down and I could literally ram any plane that tries to knock me out of the air. Anti-aircraft missiles are not armour piercing and guns are too small a calibre to penetrate ten centimetres of hardened steel. On top of that, Dawn is capable of tens of thousands of knots, you saw that when we chased the space station, they’d never catch her. In truth I don’t know what her maximum speed is but it’s got to be over a hundred thousand knots. – In space that is. No air friction.”

The fourth way is for you to renege on your promise and refuse to give up our children’s DNA. That means you’ll always be watching them to make sure nobody steals their DNA. That’ll be almost impossible to stop. All it takes is a swab or a blood smear.”

As she recovered her wits Chloe suggested a fifth option, namely Charlie’s coming out and going public.

“I could go to the Australian authorities and bargain your freedom for your antigrav; - not the secret mind; just the enjoyment of the benefits.”

Charlie paused thoughtfully,

“You could try, but not before I’m well and truly out of reach. I could loiter around the International Space Stations while you’re bargaining so they can see where I am but they cannot reach me.”

“And if they agree?”

“We dip our toe very carefully into the water. – Very, very carefully!”

Chloe gave long sigh.

“Yeeah! You’re right to be cautious. There’s no law to cover this.”

Charlie snorted derisively.

“Ha! There’s plenty of law, - trouble is, there’s no justice.”

Chloe had no answer but she was relieved that they were not going to bed on an argument.

ooo000ooo

By now Chloe was nearly two months pregnant and that gave Charlie over seven months to prepare. Coach, their subterranean home in the remote outback range of nondescript hills, was now very spacious and invisible from space. The spoil heap had blended into the ground and a few judiciously planted saplings had given the area a typical outback appearance of recently having endured a brief, heavy localised rain shower.

On several occasions Charlie had slipped away by night and collected a few thousand gallons of water in Dawn’s tanks to sprinkle on the surrounding area and very slightly increase the patch of flora that masked the entrance to Coach. Additionally, the excavated cisterns that supplied Coach with water had been expanded for a third time on their learning of Chloe’s second pregnancy.

It now remained for Charlie to ensure that the secrets of his anti-gravity devices remained secret. To this end, he now expanded his subterranean workshops but used Dawn to carry the spoil hundreds of miles away to dump in an equally remote area of similar geology.

By cautiously dribbling and scattering several cubic metres of rock every night at widespread locations, including the oceans; Charlie soon had enough space to set up the equipment that he had brought with him from the Queendom when he had absconded.

With a well-equipped workshop, he then set about manufacturing a secure device that could be fitted to any form of transport and lift it into space. For this he created a spherical containment vessel that once assembled, could not be disassembled without constraining it in a very powerful and directional gravitational field. The ‘ball’ would have to be supported and yet similarly ‘suspended’ in the specialised disassembly jig before any attempt to split the ball could commence.

If anybody tried to disassemble it with a view to stealing and ‘reverse engineering’ the secrets, the sphere would explode violently and kill the thief or thieves with a scatter of white-hot molten particles leaving no evidence of the contents of the ball.

The antigravity spheres that took Dawn and any subsequent craft into space was a different force from the simple ‘energy-discs’ that reacted directly with the Earth’s gravity to provide the limited lift of the now ubiquitous hover-cars.
These low-skimming craft were now available to anybody wealthy enough to afford them, and Anston aerospace had made a killing from Charlie’s earlier, primitive invention. Chloe had at least benefited from the patent rights and she shared these fees willingly with her beloved Charlie.

The problem with the ‘antigravity discs’ was that they were ‘one-dimensional’ and only provided thrust in direct reaction to the earth’s gravitational field. ‘Flat-earthers’ as Charlie had once humorously described them to Chloe in happier times.

The drive that enabled Dawn to flip and twist and accelerate in space was an infinitely more sophisticated force that could harness the ‘dark-matter’ elements of antigravity in space and concentrate them. This liberated immensely powerful and far-reaching sources of energy. Dawn might not be able to exceed the speed of light but she could certainly get close in the total vacuum of space. The ball shaped drives clearly demonstrated that Charlie’s new inventions were multi-directional as opposed to the older ‘gravity-discs’ being linear.

“Things move on darling,” he grinned disarmingly at Chloe one afternoon when she scolded him about the mess of different sized spheres in his workshop.

“What’s this Archimedes?” She scolded him affectionately, “Do not disturb my circles?” She continued by alluding to Archimedes’ last words before his violent death during the siege of Syracuse.

“I don’t get you,” Charlie confessed. “What’s Archimedes?”

“Archimedes was a ‘he’ not an ‘it’. He was butchered by a Roman soldier during the Roman siege of Syracuse in Sicily.”

“And?” Charlie just gaped askance.”
“He was a famous mathematician who determined how to calculate the surface area of a sphere. These spheres on your bench just remined me of him, - oh forget it.” She finished lamely as Charlie’s incomprehension remained painfully apparent in his puzzled frown.

It hurt her to realise yet again how brutally inhumane was the denial of even the most basic elements of any education to boys after aged thirteen. Charlie knew almost nothing of classical Greek history; nor indeed any other histories. There were thousands and thousands of amusing anecdotes, historical references and famous sayings that could have added infinite enjoyment to a boy’s early life before they became men destined for the drudgery of the Feminista.

Watching her genius husband even yet exploring a science far beyond the wit of anybody else on the planet served only to compound the bile that burned in Chloe’s viscera. The unfairness became physically painful in her gut.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 23

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Other Keywords:

Feminista.

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom 23 Charlie’s War © Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Chapter 23.

After zeroing the sniper’s rifle that Chloe had bought under the pretence of protecting herself because she lived alone, Charlie motioned to Chloe to take cover behind the earth embankment while he took aim at one of his anti-gravity spheres some five hundred metres away.

“Is it really that dangerous?” Chloe asked.

“I just want to demonstrate to you what sort of power is tied up in these things darling.”

“That’s a huge bullet, where did you get it?”

“One of the guys in the mine workshops culls wild camels as a side-line. You need something like this to make sure of stopping the beasts without endangering yourself. He’s shown me what sort of damage ensues from a clear hit. This thing can break a two metre long slab of rock a foot thick. Cover your ears please darling.”

Chloe did as requested and secured the ear protectors over her ears as she lay down on the earth embankment and peeped at the target through her binoculars. Even though Charlie had painted the sphere bright orange, Chloe could only just make it out set into a small cave in the rockface.

There was a deafening crash and an instant later the orange dot erupted into a tremendous explosion that actually knocked several thick branches off a nearby tree. Chloe shook her head after the percussion from the exploding sphere thumped over her head then she finally stood up. Charlie was already stepping towards the smoke filled cave.

“Come on, we need to see if any identifiable fragments remain that might give a scientist any clues about anti-grav.”

Chloe understood Charlie’s genuine concerns so she followed him across the firing range until they stood at the entrance of the cave.

“We need to look for any part larger than your little fingernail.” Charlie explained.

“The search took the remainder of the morning and into the afternoon until Chloe had to collect Charlotte from the weekend creche that they used very occasionally if they wanted Charlotte out of harm’s way. As Chloe left to collect their daughter, Charlie continued searching but eventually he had to concede that his endeavours had proven successful. Not a single, identifiable, functional part bigger than five millimetres had been found. He was so pleased that he prepared a little treat for Chloe and Charlotte when they returned.

“Oh this is lovely!” Chloe exclaimed as Charlotte’s grin encompassed the treats on the table. “What’s this for?”

“To celebrate the success of my self-destruction device. Any thief or cheat who tries to open up an anti-gravity sphere will receive a very painful and quite probably fatal surprise. While all evidence of the contents will have been virtually atomised. Even if they break one open in a bomb-proof cupboard, all they’ll have left will be a couple of handfuls of metal filings.”

“Seems like a bit of overkill to me.” Chloe mused.

“No way darling. Those bastards owe me for what they’ve taken from me already, they’ll take no more!”

Chloe could sense the determined malice in Charlie’s words but she felt forced to go some way towards agreeing with him. Charlie sensed that Chloe was not entirely happy with the ‘booby-trap’ scenario so he explained.

“Don’t worry, each ball will be engraved with clear warnings in several pertinent languages so if anybody tries to tamper with them, they’ll know that they’re risking certain suicide.”

After having proved the ‘antitampering’ protections worked on his spheres, Charlie now had to consider his future. The biggest problem was working out how to ‘come out’ to the Australian authorities without inviting incarceration. To do this he was forced to go through - Reluctantly a third party; the only problem being ‘whom to trust’., the only one he felt able to trust was his beloved Chloe but he was afraid to involve her too deeply, especially when she was carrying their unborn children.

Events would have to be put off until after the birth but in the meantime he would occupy the time upgrading Dawn the spacecraft by installing a couple of radios suitable for commercial transport communications. It might also suit both his and Chloe’s purposes to apply for a radio licence. That night he put the idea to her.

“Well I was wondering when my overly taciturn and somewhat insular husband was thinking of reaching out to other people.” Chloe chuckled.

“Are you sure it’s a sound idea?” Charlie sought reassurance. “Radio communications are very public and open to tracing.”

“Well; if and when we start bargaining, how else do you intend to keep track of negotiations? It’s all very well being out of reach up in space, but it’s no good being out of touch.”

Charlie nodded agreement, thankful that he and Chloe were of one mind. A month later, while she visited the hospital for her prenatal checks, Chloe also purchased a suite of suitable two-way radios for Coach, Dawn, Doris and Lady. The supplier also suggested voice scramblers when she learned that Chloe lived alone a few miles out of town.

“It’s best if anybody eves-dropping cannot recognise a female voice.” She advised as Chloe made the purchase. “These beauties also distort the sound to disguise the gender of the voice. How far out are you living?”

“Just a few miles out past the bluffs on the Macintyre road towards the mine.” Chloe described her official home and official address.

Coach; their secret homestead, hundreds of miles deep in the outback, was known to nobody and now very well hidden as no wheel tracks or footpaths led to it. All access being made by night with antigravity flights.

“Yes, you’re sensible to get a radio living out there, there’s a lot of men using that mining road.” She gave a shudder as she continued. “Uugh! Horrible creatures, living like pigs amongst all that mineral ore and dust.”

Chloe kept her counsel and smiled neutrally as she gathered her purchases and left. She found the vast bulk of miners who turned up at the casualty department of the mining hospital with injuries were just ordinary guys. All they wanted was treatment for their breaks and cuts and glad for few brief hours of female tenderness while they were mended.

Yes; they were dusty and dirty and covered in sweat but that was the nature of mining. None of them ever exuded any aura of threat!

When she returned to Coach with her purchases, Charlie wasted no time installing each radio set and the following day Chloe had her first opportunity to use hers. There had been an accident out in the diggings and when she ‘ear-wigged’ the radio chatter, she was able to attend quickly on site before they moved the injured men to the casualty unit. The gratitude on the filthy faces of the men gathered around was palpable as she treated and despatched each case. Her timely intervention had saved the men’s lives.

Normally a work-mate would have driven the injured man the several miles from workings to the casualty unit with all the inevitable delay, distress and danger. Chloe got to see first-hand how bad the men’s working conditions were. Unskilled labourers were a ‘dime-a-dozen’ and their lives were counted cheap.

ooo000ooo

Eventually, as Chloe’s pregnancy developed, Charlie had turned his space-craft Dawn into an exceptionally sophisticated and stealthy device. Chloe had purchased, at Charlie’s request, a sophisticated yacht radar that Charlie had promptly modified and extended to detect target hundreds of miles distant. For Charlie, the science and engineering had been easy, obtaining the components was the hard part. Chloe got some strange looks when she visited the local electronics shop to collect some sophisticated apparatus or components that Charlie had ordered on-line.

Despite these hurdles, Charlie eventually upgraded Dawn’s detection and defence hardware to equal any craft belonging to the planet Earth. By the eighth month of Chloe’s pregnancy the space-craft Dawn had become almost impregnable. A month before Chloe’s full term delivery date Charlie completed his final test flight and returned to Coach. Dawn was ‘garaged’ safely for the night and Charlotte played eagerly with her father while Chloe rested on the settee. Eventually Charlotte fell asleep and Charlie chatted at length with Chloe about strategy.

“Dawn is stored and equipped for a veritable siege so the day the authorities learn of our new born children’s parentage via their DNA; I’ll already be loitering in space and inaccessible.”

“That means you’ll be absent when I need the most help.” Chloe observed.

“I’m sorry darling. You know the moment you reveal the facts, you’re going to be hard pressed with negotiations and stonewalling. Unless we can get a rock-solid agreement from the Australian government, I’ll never be free to live with you again. We can only negotiate from a position of strength while I am free, inaccessible and the secrets of antigravity remain with me; here, - safe in my skull.”

Chloe nodded despondently. Right when she would be at her most emotionally vulnerable, she would have to take up her cudgels to fight on Charlie’s behalf. Charlie reached out and carefully hugged her as they contemplated the weeks ahead.

ooo000ooo

Chloe’s parturition of her three babies proved to be a safe, and relatively painless delivery compared to her previous delivery of Charlotte. The triplets proved to be a pair of identical twin daughters plus a single son and they caused a considerable stir locally because no fertility treatments had been used. The whole pregnancy had been a completely natural procedure.

Inevitably, a couple of days after the births, the paediatric department arrived with the government fertility researchers to collect the DNA samples that Chloe had innocently promised. After the samples were collected, they left and Chloe hoped that would be the end of it. The samples had been taken simply for genetic research into ‘multiple births’ not to directly identify the father.

Chloe however knew with a sickening certainty that the information, once logged onto any electronic information bank, would very quickly find its way onto other medical records.

The computers at Anston Aerospace were as advanced and sophisticated as any other world-wide organisations and naturally as well protected against hacking. During the triplet’s pregnancy, Charlie had tried several times to hack the Anston computers and delete his medical genome but he had failed. It was only a matter of time before the feminista sharks working for the Feminist Queendom would learn of Chloe’s children’s genome, connect them to Charlie’s genome and come sniffing around for blood.

Colonel Wilson, the leader of the feminista military intelligence unit in the UQ (United Queendom,) was one of the first to detect the similarities; primarily because she had been searching for Charlie ever since his disappearance and Anston Aerospace was the only organisation that held Charlie’s DNA and full genome. Jane Anston had readily shared their genome information with the Queendom’s government because she was angry that Charlie had deserted Anston Aerospace.

So entrenched was the feminista mentality within Anston Aerospace that nobody could comprehend the idea of a man wanting to be free of the feminista shackles. This view was reinforced because the vast majority of intelligent boys had been feminised in childhood and subsequently, the adult male population was too dumbed down to ever organise itself to seek, and find freedom.

Provided the male dummies had access to sex and food they operated as a functionally co-operative support arm of the feminista oppression.

The few intelligent males like Charlie, who by one accidental event or another, had escaped childhood feminisation, were deemed in the queendom to be subversives. The same feminista view prevailed in the majority of the matriarchal societies but different feminista governments employed different tactics to circumvent the seemingly insoluble genetic conundrum. How to preserve intelligence on the Y chromosome and yet control the testosterone forces associated with that intelligence.

Of all the feminista societies that had emerged from the great transition, Australia had kept the most liberal of governments and this was mainly because Australia had the space for men to pursue their ambitions.
If an intelligent man wanted to find peace and liberty to follow his own dreams, Australia could at least provide the space. As a consequence, Australia had the highest ration of independent intelligent men and consequently, the best sperm-banks containing intelligent testosterone. Indeed, since Chloe’s researches and Charlie’s analysis of the flawed breeding policy in the UQ, (United Queendom,) Australia had a successful export industry in ‘intelligent sperm’.

The process was simple, if any woman wanted an intelligent father for her child, the cheapest and most reliable source was the Australian national sperm bank because Australia had access to the most contented society of intelligent men indulging their chosen lifestyles in the outback. These men lived contented lives simply by turning up at sperm donation centres and selling their sperm to make enough money to return to the bush and continue their lives. Some of these men even had long-term female partners.

Charlie and Chloe had inadvertently become members of this widespread community but such was the looseness of it’s structure, such men rarely bothered to meet up or more importantly, bother get organised.

Inevitable, once Charlie’s genome appeared on the Australian donor list it immediately matched Charlie’s ‘Anston Aerospace genome’. On spotting it Jane Anston and Colonel Wilson immediately signed up to purchase some sperm. To their shock and chagrin the reply came back that the sperm pertinent to the genome was not currently available.

Their first attempt to buy sperm told them immediately that Charlie was hiding. The sperm donor on the genome list was the man they bad been seeking for several years. Colonel Wilson rightly concluded that the best way to locate Charlie was to find him through the woman he had impregnated.

“Bingo! Got you! You cunning bastard!” Colonel Wilson congratulated herself. 'So you chose to hide in Australia, well that’s to be expected.'

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 24

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 24 © Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Chapter 24.

“Good morning Colonel, good morning Lady Anston. Welcome to Canberra, Australia.”

The immigration officer was an expert at her game of making important ‘first-class’ passengers feel comfortable when confronted with the rigorous checks by the Australian border control.

“Good morning,” the pair responded as they presented their baggage for inspection.

The inevitable formalities were adhered to meticulously and Jane Anston thought somewhat officiously considering she still thought that Australia was an ally of the Feminine Queendom.

‘Still,’ she told herself. ‘These Australians were probably right to make sure that no ‘riff-raff’ or terrorists managed to get in.’

“So what is the purpose of your visit to Australia ladies?” The border guard asked as she flicked through their passports before scanning the chips.

“We’re here on government business, here is our letter of invitation from the Australian federal police.” Colonel Wilson almost barked as though she was addressing common military ‘rankers’.

“Thank you ladies,” the guard replied without flinching or showing any other signs of subservience. “I’ll just check these through the automated identity graphic.”

She took the letter and placed it under a scanner while typing in the reference number, date and Colonel Wilson’s full name. After a brief pause she looked up and smiled blandly.

“That’s in order ladies. Through that door is the government reception suite. If you’re being met, your host will be behind that door.”

Colonel Wilson almost snatched the letter back without even a ‘thank you’ but Jane Anston at least paused and smiled an audible thank you before turning and following the colonel. She deliberately walked slowly thus forcing the colonel to stop and pause at the indicated doors so that the pair could enter together. The border guard smiled as she watched the discreet pantomime. Then she closed her immigration gate as there were no more first-class passengers.

In the reception lounge an Australian colonel and Jane Anston’s personal representative for Anston Aerospace-Australia met them and led them to the waiting limousine. In the car, the Australian Colonel immediately got down to business.

“So you’re certain your fugitive is living in Australia?”

“We know he’s been living here Colonel. The DNA in your sperm donor banks matches our fugitive’s DNA. He could have left Australia but we have to start somewhere. This is the first decent lead we’ve had.”

“What crime did he commit? Can I see the warrant please?”

“He absconded from my company whilst registered as a reserved asset. We did not officially release him.”

“Release him? So he was under detention.”

“Not exactly.”

“What does the warrant say?” The Australian colonel frowned.

“Well; - there isn’t actually a warrant.” Jane Anston conceded. “It’s a letter requesting co-operation from the Australian government to assist in recovering our asset. It’s signed by our Prime minister and addressed to your Prime Minister.”

“Really! I’ve received no official notice of this, I was simply ordered to meet you and take you to whichever pertinent government officer you requested. Frankly, I was expecting a full inter-pol warrant for his arrest.”

“The pertinent government officer is your Prime Minister!” Colonel Wilson declared officiously.

“Her attitude did not impress her Australian counterpart but she nodded acknowledgement and ordered the driver to an address in the Canberra Capitol. The journey of a few kilometres soon passed and the pair found themselves inside the Federal Parliament Building. After a series of checks and searches, the pair found they were to be separated later.

“Ladies, the Australian Minister of Defence will see you both in about fifteen minutes. Lady Jane; the Prime Minister will see you later in the Lodge this afternoon at three pm, - alone.”

“Alone?” Why alone?” Jane asked.

“Apparently, our Australian Cabinet were discussing this very case earlier this morning. Seemingly, there are military issues to address and political ones; not to mention some legal ones. When you meet the Prime-minister she will have the attorney general and home secretary with her.”

As Colonel Wilson and Jane Anston took seats to wait, they frowned at each other.

“I see problems.” The Colonel opined.

“So do I.” Jane Anston replied. “I don’t like the thought of legal issues.”

“How so?”

“Well I know that the United Queendom and the Oceanic Federation have diverged quite a bit legally since the great upheaval. Men have more rights down here. For example there’s no curfew in the outback and the nocturnal constraints for urban men are appreciably less onerous.”

Colonel Wilson pursed her lips angrily as she began to realise she might not get ‘carte-blanche’ unrestricted rights to go searching for Charlie. She had come to Australia expecting a high degree of co-operation but the moment they had cleared border control she had sensed some reluctance amongst the Australians to reveal the whole truth.

Eventually, the door opened and the Australian defence minister entered in company with the colonel who had greeted the UQ duo. Colonel Wilson immediately recognised the minister as a transitioned female, and probably a forcibly transitioned one at that. Her broad shoulders and heavy facial features betrayed her masculine origins coupled with a partial male puberty before her intellect had been realised.
'Another intellectual 'late-developer', Colonel Wilson surmised.

'Her mother had probably decided for the child that it was better to transition late and enjoy the benefits of a decent education than be dumped into the universal, feminista cesspit of male brutism'.

Sometime between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, the minister was probably forcibly transitioned and surgically altered, most likely against her or his will. She was therefore quite probably still resentful about what had been denied to her through the detested castration. Colonel Wilson realised she had to tread carefully.

The pair stood up immediately as the minister entered and extended their hands in a guarded display of respectful pleasure that masked their true feelings.

“Minister! It’s pleasure to meet you.” Lady Jane Anston enthused.”

“Likewise I’m sure ladies. I haven’t got much time I’m afraid so to business.”

“Yes Minister. Have you been fully briefed why we are here?”

“I’ve been briefed, yes. But I don’t know how fully until we’ve talked. Now this fugitive your seeking. What’s his name and what’s his crime and, more importantly, why are you sending your own personal team to find him instead of leaving it to us?”

Jane Anston spoke first to close Colonel Wilson down. She had realised that Colonel Wilson might be a liability if the negotiations became sensitive.

“We’re looking for a man named Charlie Sage. He left our employment at Anston Aerospace whilst still in possession of some valuable commercial secrets and we’d like him to hand those secrets back.”

“Anston Aerospace? You’re the antigravity people aren’t you?”

“Yes.” Jane replied softly in a subconscious endeavour to play down the vital importance surround Charlie and his work.

But the Defence minister was a very sharp cookie. Not for nothing had she been forcibly transitioned as a late bloomer.

“So will I be right in thinking that your mission possibly concerns the individual who gave Anston Aerospace that technological lead. Is that the man your looking for?”

Colonel Wilson gave a pained look as she felt forced to concede ‘Yes’.

“So, can you describe his crimes for me.”

Jane Anston took out a carefully pre-prepared list of facts presented to look as serious and heinous as possible. The minister listened in careful, concentrated silence as she briefly jotted them down. When Jane had finished, the minister re-iterated them in the same order whilst commenting in depth about each supposed crime.

“One, he started working from home whilst still employing disused company equipment and tools, computers, machine tools etcetera.”

“Yes.”

“Did he hand over his researches to the company, and did Anston Aerospace benefit from those hand-overs?”

“Well; uuhm, yes, mainly.”

“The antigravity hover discs.” The minister asked.

“Yes.” Jane conceded again.

“Anston Aerospace have done extremely well out of that invention – discovery – call it what you will - - - haven’t they? Every hover-car in existence uses them, do they not?”

“Well, - yes minister, but - - -.”

“How was he rewarded?” The minister interrupted.

“Well, - his wife benefited, - - - from the patent rights you understand.”

“His wife! You mean he’s married.”

“Yes Minister, and we believe his wife emigrated to Australia some three or four years ago.”

“I seee,” the defence minister hummed and hawed. “Well, if you can give me her name and the approximate date she arrived in Australia, I’m sure we’ll locate her in the immigration records.”

Jane Anston was able to give most of Chloe’s details but of course she gave the minister Chloe’s married name - Sage. This initially caused problems with the search until Colonel Wilson suggested Chloe’s maiden name from her own researches.

“If she emigrated to escape our laws, it’s as likely she changed her name to hide her true identity. Try Chloe Evans not Chloe Sage.”

“Why would she want to escape your laws, - as you put it?” The minister asked .

“She struck me as a bit of a subversive." Colonel Wilson opined. "Getting married is deemed a somewhat bizarre and retrograde step in the United Queendom.”

Even as the colonel suggested subversion, the defence ministers hackles started to rise however, at that very moment she discovered Chloe Evans’s immigration file on her computer.

“Here we are Colonel, Doctor Chloe Evans, clinician with speciality skills in genetics. She came here nearly four years ago.”

“Brilliant! Where’s she living?”

“Hold on Colonel,” the minister replied as she studied further down Chloe’s file. “She taken out Australian citizenship. If she hasn’t committed any crimes, I’ve got neither cause nor authority to reveal her details. Let me study your extradition request again, I don’t recall there being any serious breaches of law.”

Colonel Wilson struggled to hide her frustration while Jane Anston reluctantly passed the list. After examining it the minister frowned.

“I doubt whether any of these activities would be called crimes under our laws. Everything seems to be legal. The name on the immigration application even matches her birth certificate and her old UQ passport.”

“But she didn’t declare that she was married.” Colonel Wilson exclaimed.

“She didn’t have to. Each immigrant is treated strictly as an individual, indeed, since the great upheavals a woman does not even have to declare if she’s married.
Besides, she arrived with all the appearances of being a healthy, single, professional woman. Just the sort of immigrant Australia is looking for.”

The defence minister flashed up Chloe’s immigration application and pointed out that there wasn’t even a box to declare any marital status because marriage had virtually ceased to exist. In Australia what few marriages that existed were invariably to be found deep in the outback where participants avoided societal pressures.

“Even if there was cause to go looking for Doctor Evans, we would be hard pressed to find her outback.” The Minister conceded.

“But if she didn’t declare her married status, isn’t that tantamount to deception.” Colonel Wilson whined.

“It seems she wasn’t asked and didn’t answer. Therefore she never lied. As I said, each immigrant is treated as an individual. If you want any further rulings on this, you’d best ask the Prime Minister, Home Secretary and the Attorney General when you meet them this afternoon.

Now as to the man in question. If he has entered Australia, and we’ve no proof that he has. He certainly wasn't present at the birth, because multiple births are carefully documented. We’d be very interested in meeting him. A man with the brains to understand gravity would be very useful to any country. Illegal immigrant or not. If I were you, I would avoid antagonising him at all costs, - if you want to get him back voluntarily.”

“But we do have proof he’s at least been to Australia. His DNA proves he’s the father of Doctor Evans’s triplets, - multiple births no less.”

“Those children could have been conceived anywhere if you say Charlie Sage is the owner and operator of the space ship that buzzes the International Space Station, - - - and the Asian Station for that matter. They might even have been conceived in space. – Now there’s a thought.”

The pair realised that they would get little more out of the minister and their quarter of an hour was nearly up. They asked the minister a couple more questions then they separated with little extra information except to confirm that Chloe Evans and her children were definitely in Australia and probably living in the outback.

The outback was a huge place comprising nearly two million square miles.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 25

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 25 © Copyright Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Chapter 25.

“So where do I even start looking?” Colonel Wilson asked Lady Jane Anston.

The owner of Anston Aerospace shrugged her shoulders and spread her hands before offering her suggestion.

“Well she’s apparently working as a doctor but doubling up as a geneticist. I suggest we try and run checks on all hospital staff in hospitals that provide a genome / inherited disorders clinic. Australia has not been slow to pick up on the feminista conundrum vis-à-vis the dumbing down of males mistakes the feminists have made and the genetic consequences.”

“Well if they’ve acted as fast as we have in the UQ, they’ll have a clinic in every state.” Colonel Wilson offered.

“Or every large regional hospital,” Lady Jane finished.

“There can’t be that many then there’s only seven states in this country plus a few towns big enough to support specialist clinics.”

“So how do we research them without leaving footprints in the butter?”

“I suggest we disguise our searches by just generating some innocuous traffic between our UQ hospitals and theirs down here.” The colonel replied. “I’ve had plenty of experience in undercover searches and the best way is to hide in plain sight. You’d be surprised what turns up just sending a ‘round-robin missive requesting information about some common-or-garden genetic disorder. At least the medical professions are talking to each other.”

“Yeah,” Lady Jane nodded. “Our UQ national reputation gained quite a few kudos when the obscure statistical genetic flaws were exposed statistically by the very man we’re trying to find. How ironic is that?”

“I’m only concerned with catching him,” the colonel replied.

“Uuhm, recovering him, you mean. He was never a prisoner and we dare not forget that. You saw how their Defence Minister reacted to our views about him. We’re on thin ice here.”

As the pair dined in the parliamentary restaurant they discussed plans at length and then contacted their respective authorities back in the UQ.
Eventually, Lady Jane Anston was invited to meet the Australian Prime Minister and her two legal colleagues. They wasted no time getting down to the nitty gritty.

“The fact still remains Lady Anston, that Doctor Chloe Evans chose to emigrate to Australia entirely of her own volition. She has broken no laws in Australia. Her being married might be considered something of a conflict with UQ customs and practice but our legal advisors tell us that no actual laws were broken. The woman has won every right to live peacefully in our country and she’s also won the right to live harassment free.” The Prime Minister continued.

“Now, the matter concerning Charlie Sage is altogether more complex. By your own revelation, Charlie Sage was – and indeed still is married to Doctor Evans. That state goes a long way to legalising his status in this country, if indeed, he is actually in Australia. We, like you and several other feminist republics are unaware of his location.”

“But with all respects Prime Minister, if he is in Australia, he has not entered legally. He has not entered via any legal avenue through a border control point. Technically, he is surely an illegal alien.”

“His marriage to Doctor Chloe Evans somewhat mitigates that offence. His not registering with immigration only becomes a misdemeanour if he has a legal right to live with his Australian Wife. The highest penalty he faces tis a hefty fine or up to one year in prison. He cannot be deported because his wife has the human right to a proper family life under our human rights laws.”.

“And that includes his right to marry does it?” Ms Anston challenged.

“It doesn’t matter whether he’s got a right or not. If he had a female partner then that partner has the right. If the female deems that her right to a proper family life shall include a male partner then that’s her right. As I’ve said Ms Anston, our laws are somewhat more liberal than the UQ when it comes to individuals.”

“You’re lucky you’ve got the space in your outback to indulge those rights. The UQ doesn’t.”

“That’s Australia’s fortune or misfortune howsoever you view it. Now, all I am prepared to concede is that if or when we find this fugitive of yours, his case will be tested in our courts under our laws.”

Jane Anston tried one last tactic.

“Very well Prime Minister, will we be allowed to search for him under diplomatic immunity?”

“Provided you are accompanied by a federal police officer and you follow our laws. The Federal officer will be the only one to have power of arrest if you find him.”

Jane Anston wasn’t very pleased with the constraints but at least she was free to search and that was a major step. She left the Prime Minister’s office with that single crumb of comfort for Colonel Wilson.

ooo000ooo

“A federal escort! They obviously don’t trust us!”

“Are you surprised Colonel. Let’s be honest, our list of so called offences was pretty fragile evidence. It fell at the first hurdle under their laws. Australia’s feminista laws are light years behind ours.”

‘Or is that light years ahead?’ Jane asked herself.

“All we can do is keep looking.” Colonel Wilson suggested. “I’ve managed to compile a list of all the general hospitals with genetics departments, but searching for individual names of staff members will require some circumspection.”

“Well, let’s begin then,” Jane sighed as she turned her lap-top on.

Colonel Wilson restrained her hand.

“Best let me do the searching Jane, mine’s a military computer and much more stealthy.”

Glad to be relieved of the wearisome duty, Jane sat back as Colonel Wilson set to.

“So what do I do? Sit here watching you?”

“Best you go to bed. If I find her, we’ll be travelling in the morning and you can do the driving while I sleep.”
“What!! All over Australia? She could be right across the continent in Darwin or Perth.”

Jane sighed and turned over to sleep while the Colonel trudged diligently through the records all night.

Sunrise found a frustrated colonel Wilson nursing a strong cup of coffee and a bad mood. After showering, Jane Anston stepped across the hotel corridor to knock on the colonel’s door.

“Any luck?”

“None at all. She’s not in any of the government state hospitals nor in any of the larger private hospitals. There’s only local doctor’s surgeries and the smaller private clinics left, - and there’s hundreds, if not thousands of those. It looks as though I’m stuck for the long haul.”

“Perhaps if your just typed in the name and did a sweep?”

“That would alert anybody keeping tabs, including our enemies. The name Jane Evans is all over the internet but if you typed in Charlie Sage, the search engines would go into melt-down. If you googled either name, you’d have half the Australian security forces smashing our door down in minutes.”

“So it’s just footwork, good old coppering drudge.”

“Seems so, and even that’s risky if I do it for too long.”

“Let’s go for breakfast, then I’ll continue the search while you get some sleep.”

“Suites me,” the colonel yawned.

They continued searching for two more days before Colonel Wilson finally hit pay-dirt. She burst into Jane Anston’s room almost shrieking with delight.

“I’ve got her I think!”

“Where?” Jane asked.

“Western Australia. One of the bigger Iron Ore mines has a small clinic attached to the work camp. She works as the casualty and general practice clinician amongst the men who mine the ore. No wonder we couldn’t find her. It’s simply a clinic, I only found it because there’s a lot of computer traffic between the clinic and the University of Melbourne. It’s medical stuff but the messages are encrypted for personal medical privacy reasons. I only twigged because the messages were being answered by the genetics department of Melbourne university hospital.

I decided to try other universities and bingo, similar traffic. It was all emanating from the mining village for the Western Mining group. It’s a new ore deposit a couple of hundred miles south of the Hammersley group of mines.

The little bitch is supplementing her clinicians salary with research work on the immigrant males who work on the mines.”

“Why would she do that?” Jane asked.

“I’ve no idea, I’m not a geneticist. It’s definitely her because there’s even some contact with her old hospital back in the UQ. She obviously spotted something in the work force but that’s not our concern. The main thing is she can lead us to her husband.”

Jane Anston gave a long sigh of relief.

“At long bloody last. Okay then, tomorrow morning we depart. I’ll inform the federal police.”

ooo000ooo
In the hotel foyer, the federal police inspector joined the pair and invited them to travel in her more sophisticated hover cruiser. It was faster, higher and had more endurance than a standard hover car.

“It has those new fangled batteries that those Brits invented in the UQ.” She explained. “Hours of endless fun.” She added for amusement.

“We know!” Jane Anston replied curtly. “It was Anston Aerospace that developed them. I’m lady Jane Anston.”

The inspector fell silent with surprise before apologising.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t realise your were that lady. So what takes you to the wilds of the Hammersley ranges?”

“We’re looking for certain types of ore to develop better alloys for better anti-gravity engines,” Jane Anston lied.

“So you’re not searching for that Mad Professor.”

Colonel Wilson was about to have a rant but Jane just managed to restrain him.

“Mad Professor?” She frowned with amused puzzlement. “Certainly not. We’re involved in our searches to improve our Anti-gravity researches.”

When the cruiser reached the Hammersley ranges the police inspector pointed to the mining township.

“That’s the mining township. Whereabouts are we to put down?”

“Why the main mining offices please, or perhaps a hotel so that we can clean up first. Hell it’s dirty around here!”

“It’s an iron ore mine! What d’ you expect? That’s the hotel. It’s got the best air filtration system in the district and the best air conditioning.”

“We’ll stop there first then. It’s getting dark anyway and I need a bath. I think we’ll put off the office visit until tomorrow morning.”

After Landing, the police inspector made herself known to the local police while Jane Anston and Colonel Wilson booked into their hotel.
The moment they entered their shared two-bed hotel suite, the colonel grinned.

“I liked the way you worked your beautiful lie. Researching improvements to your antigravity engine and not looking for Charlie Sage.”

“I didn’t say we were not looking for Charlie Sage; I said we were not looking for ‘The Mad Professor’. Charlie is neither mad nor a professor.”

“Exactly, very disingenuous and of course perfectly true. Now, before the hire firm closes, I’ll collect the hover-cruiser we ordered. I intend to follow up a couple of leads while you’re getting cleaned up. Phone me if the Inspector comes snooping around.”

“Right. Now remember, our priority is locating Charlie's wife Chloe Evans or more correctly, Chloe Sage.”

“I’ll pay the mine clinic a call and then the township hospital if we don’t find her. I’ll see you back here about eightish for dinner.”

Having agreed a strategy, Colonel Wilson collected their transport while Jane showered. Then they stayed in close touch be phone until the three met up for dinner at eight. The colonel had taken a navy-shower and scrubbed up in minutes before dinner.

After eating Lady Jane and Colonel Wilson discussed what they’d discovered.

“I got the low-down on Doctor Chloe Evans.” Colonel Wilson gloated. “She doubles up as GP and casualty doctor at the mine clinic and she has a house along ‘Mineral Road’ on the way out of town. She’s got four children now, so she must be Australia’s favourite immigrant!”

As they were finishing their meal the federal Police inspector rang to arrange a rendezvous. They arranged for Jane Anston to meet her at the mining company offices where Lady Anston was to collect pre-arranged ore samples and run some chemical tests in the mine’s laboratory.

“And will Colonel Wilson be accompanying you?” The inspector asked.

“Later, when we go on the other field trips.”

“What d’ you need this particular field trip for if your just testing samples?”

Jane Anston was not the owner and manager of Anston Aerospace for nothing and she had her answer prepared.

“I need to look at the extraction and transport equations to help the mining company make economies. Colonel Wilson is going to look at the mine and bring back some figures while I talk chemistry with the mine. Then when we know what the extraction logistics entail, we can design a more efficient hover-truck to get the stuff up out of that huge bloody hole they are constantly expanding and deepening.”

“Oh. I’ll stay with the colonel then.”
"Fine by me," Jane agreed.

This was exactly what the pair had been plotting. They needed to separate and thus force the inspector to follow one while the other could mooch around unsupervised. As she put the phone down, she explained to the colonel.

“I need you to keep the inspector busy all morning. Now I know where Doctor Evans works, I can arrange a meeting and possibly negotiate with her.”

“It’s not her we need to meet, it’s Sage.”

“I know that perfectly well Colonel but can you find him? Or more importantly, reach him? So far, I have had no luck, nor have you. Whatever we do, it’s going to be ‘softly – softly.”

”So what are your arrangements for tomorrow?”

“I go to the mine’s offices tomorrow morning then I can mooch around the township later in the morning. We can meet up again at one for lunch. You just keep the inspector busy until one.”

“She’s bound to get suspicious.”

“Well that’s a given. You can bet your bottom dollar that she knows we’re looking for Charlie Sage. She’s just not told us yet. Now it’s bed for me. That journey took it out of me today.”

The colonel yawned agreement and they turned in, - separately.
ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 26

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 21 © Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Chapter 26.

Lady Anston met the inspector at the hotel where she found a very discontented inspector.

“I’m supposed to escort the two of you.”

“What to meet with mine officials while Colonel Wilson does the field work. We have to know what issues we’re dealing with if we’re considering bidding to supply new transport for the mine.”

“My sources tell me that your seeking to meet a Doctor called Chloe Evans and we all know she’s married to your mad professor.”

“Let’s get this right once and for all Inspector. Chloe Evans is not married to any mad professor. Her husband is a previous employee of ours and we’re looking to speak to Doctor Evans with a view to negotiating a new contract with her husband.

There is no suggestion of meeting face to face with Mr Charlie Sage nor have we any desire to somehow find him and kidnap him. So far we have not even been able to contact him.”

“I’m perfectly familiar with the employment laws in the UQ. Men cannot even sign a binding legal contract with a woman. The woman can void the contract with a single visit to your courts. Chloe Evans is now an Australian citizen and as such she enjoys our protection. By extrapolation, her husband has that right as well.

If you wish to meet with Doctor Evans, you do it with me present and if there is any agreement by Doctor Evans to contact her husband, that contact must be done in the presence of the Australian government. If this employee of yours has come to Australia seeking some sort of Asylum, Australia wants to know about it.”

The inspector pulled out an envelope before continuing.

“This case is no longer a personal issue between Anston Aerospace and Mr Sage. The fact that you have chosen to invoke diplomatic immunity on behalf of the UQ as well as Anston Aerospace now elevates the issue into the realms of diplomacy and United Nations laws of Asylum as interpreted by Australian Courts. If you locate Mr Sage on Australian territory, you must surrender him to the Australian authorities.”

To reinforce her words, the inspector handed the letter to Lady Anston with the warning.

“This is a court notice to the effect of what I have just said. I’ll not have to repeat myself, it’s all in the notice and it’s addressed to the two of you. Now I believe you have business to conduct with the mining company. I’ll be escorting Colonel Wilson to the mine while you meet with the company executives.”

While the inspector and Colonel Wilson flew off, Lady Jane fumed as she tore open the envelope and started to read. To her surprise if gave her a lot more license than she had expected and reading between the lines she realised the Australian government was as eager to locate Charlie as Anston Aerospace. Indeed the last paragraph left her whooping with relief.

She was allowed to find and talk to Doctor Chloe Evans freely, provided the aim was to find Charles Sage and persuade him to the negotiating table.

It was signed by the Prime Minister and countersigned by the Defence minister, the feminised intellectual who Lady Jane had already sensed; carried some resentment concerning her enforced, teenaged feminisation. There was even a private telephone number for Jane to ring the defence minister. Reading between the lines, she sensed something auspicious was afoot.

Uncertain how to proceed, she drove to her appointment at the mining company labs and met with their scientific management. After the usual hospitality palaver, she got right down to business.

“I’m looking for a reliable source of Magnesium,” Jane declared.

“Any particular reasons.”

“Well that’s a commercial confidentiality issue. Basically, I’m looking to buy magnesium metal as pure as possible.”

“We don’t mine it in the Hammersley ranges. We have a sister company that mines the ore in South Australia but they don’t do the smelting. That’s shipped abroad out of Port Pirie.”

Jane Anston knew all this but it was just an excuse to stay around the mining town and approach Doctor Chloe Evans when the opportunity arose. Researching the logistics of ore retrieval and transport was however of interest to Alston Aerospace so Colonel Wilsons researches in the ore deposits was of legitimate commercial interest.

Having completed her brief visit to the mining company’s offices, Lady Anston made her way to the Mining town’s casualty clinic. It was necessarily a ‘walk-in’ facility and Jane surreptitiously injured her finger by ‘slamming the car door on it. The pain was bearable but the bleeding was sufficient to justify the ‘walk-in’.

To her supreme delight, Jane Aston spotted Chloe attending to a patient who was sporting a head injury. She was carefully suturing the nasty scalp wound and chuckling with the giant, simian-like patient who’s build told of a life of heavy manual work. Watching the amusing interplay between doctor and chuckling, muscle-bound patient, it was obvious to Jane that Chloe enjoyed a very easy, informal relationship with her mostly male patients.

From where she sat, Jane could not see the next treatment but eventually the surgery door opened and the man emerged with a broad smile as Jane jokingly cautioned him.

“So don’t go head-butting any more bull-dozers you big lummox and you’d better take the rest of the week off until the wound at least scabs sufficiently. I’ll write you the sick note for work.”

“Thanks Doc. The lads ‘r spot on about you: yer’ a real gamer.”

“Get off with you Eddie and make sure you finish the whole course of those anti-biotics. I don’t want MRSA bugs messing up my clinic.”

As the giant, smiling, labourer lumbered towards his beat-up ute’, Chloe was just about to close her surgery door when Jane stood up and approached her.

It was very unusual to get a woman walking into the mining casualty unit for they invariably went to the town's modest, general - but more ‘female friendly’ hospital, with its better-equipped casualty unit. She was about to advise the newcomer to try the hospital before she turned and recognised Lady Jane Anston.”

“If you’re walking wounded love you’d be best, - good God! Lady Jane Anston!! What on earth d’ you want? Don’t tell me, I can guess.”

“You’re right,” Lady Anston conceded, “do you know where I can find him?”

“I know perfectly well where to find him, the problem is, he doesn’t want to find you.”

“Would you be prepared to give him a message?”

“Oooh; he’s past messages love. I don’t think he’ll ever truck again with anything from your hemisphere for a long, long time, - if ever.”

“Is he really that far gone?”

“Why would you think otherwise?”

“Well, - he never seemed to show discontent or rancour. It was difficult to read his feelings or his moods.”

“No it wasn’t. You can read Charlie like a book; it’s just a different language.

“Well I never picked up on them; his anger or his moods that is. He kept them bloody well hidden!”

“He’s a man; Lady Anston. It’s what men do; or at least those that have the ability and reason to feel wounded as well as angry! The intelligent ones, - that is. The ones you mutilate. The ones who can't find solace in sex alone. They bottle their feelings up.

The ones who are left just become angry and present as violent while the feminista attitude just compounds the issue. Eventually the only solution is to contain those men as best you can by more violence and incarceration until the war becomes a standoff. That’s where the UQ is right now, they castrate the intelligent ones because they can become truly dangerous if made angry then the remaining dumb ones are too dumb to organise effectively.

The day Charlie sage produced his societal equations of genetics to prove you were dumbing down your people through the ‘Y’ chromosome; was the day Charlie Sage ripped away the feminista foundations. Unless you change back to some sort of a natural, Darwinist norm that's worked for hundreds of millions of years, you are bladdered Lady Jane.”

“Yes, we know that now, we just need time to find a suitable route, one that’s safe for women.”

“Hah! Good luck with that love.”

“What do you mean by that.”

“It takes at least a generation or even two generations to change a culture peacefully. The feminista hasn’t got that long.”

“Is that some sort of threat?”

“No, it’s scientific fact. Now; if you don’t mind, I need to get home, I’ve got my children to collect from the creche.”

“What ever happened to the Chloe Evans the kindly geneticist we used to know in the UQ?”

“She grew up, she had children and now she has a son to protect – from feminista interventions. She’s also become much more connected to men in restorative conditions, the men working here in the mines.”

“Meaning?” Jane Anston frowned.

“These aren’t men forced to exist living in the ‘rookeries’ like the UQ. They’re pretty much free men. They all live out-back and about a quarter of them have partners, female partners. Oh they’re not married of course, but they have property they can call their own and the various work/play/home-life separation equations seem to work for each couple.

I see family groups occasionally here in the town, may only be three or four during a whole weekend, but that’s infinitely more often than it was back in the UQ.”

“Yes. That’s got to change back home.”

“Chloe shrugged and smiled ironically as she spread her hands.”

“Hallelujah! Don’t expect me or Charlie to act as your messiah.”

“Yes. I see that now but could you get a message to him, a sort of peace offering.”

“Any terms you offer, would have to go through the Australian defence ministry. They see a considerable military risk to anybody having the advantage of a full anti-gravity capability. Such an advantage enables easy access to Australian shores with overwhelming numbers of troops.”

“What? Even the UQ? Can you see the UQ attacking Australia.”

“Australia doesn’t see the UQ as much of a democracy these days. In fact we don’t see much democracy anywhere. Feminista culture may be bad enough here, but elsewhere, it’s on the verge of catastrophic We like to keep all the seriously feminista countries at arm’s length. I suggest you speak again to the Australian government.”

Jane Anston had already surmised that the Australian Defence minister having suffered an enforced teenaged feminisation was going to be an impossible hurdle to clear. The minister had already intimated that the only reason she was allowing Lady Jane to look for – and hopefully contact Charlie Sage, was to try and open up some line of communication.

Jane had no intentions of enabling that to happen so she was already considering some strategy to entice Charlie Sage back to within contact. Then somehow through any endeavour to perhaps persuade him to reconsider his decision. Ruefully, she concluded that those endeavours might just include illegal actions.

ooo000ooo

That afternoon she met again with Colonel Wilson then advised the Federal inspector that their searches were complete and they were returning to Canberra. This done they went to ground in Canberra because their six month visa gave them considerable leeway. The only trace they had on Charlie Sage was the occasional encrypted messages between Chloe and Charlie when the wanted to see each other.

Unless they could somehow break the encryptions, there was no way they could determine where and when Chloe and Charlie met.

Besides Jane Anston, the Australian and several other governments were trying to de-crypt the same messages.

For two months Charlie had sufficient supplies onboard his beloved spaceship Dawn and he simply cruised around in space while even occasionally visiting the moon. Not for him the necessity of being tied in orbits and timing gravitational ‘sling-shots to reach various ‘near-earth’ neighbours it was simply ‘point-and-shoot’ then accelerate to a suitable velocity to effect an accurate ‘slide-by’ rendezvous.

Once alongside, he simply matched velocities and if that rendezvous was one of the orbiting bracelet of now several ‘space-stations’, he would tantalise the occupants before turning away and heading off to another destination.

Whilst his unscheduled and uninvited meetings soon proved to be harmless and non-threatening, they consequently became ‘old-hat’ to the various organisations who had launched the different space stations. The manoeuvrability and endurance of the spaceship Dawn was another matter.

Once, Just for devilment he asked Chloe to send him the Arabic writing for a cryptic message advising Muslims to beware of the false prophet. Then he simply scraped out the words on the surface of the moon using the super strong hull of Dawn as a gigantic pen nib. The letters were over a mile long and clearly visible to anybody with a modest astronomy telescope.

Bearing in mind that all news of Dawn’s antics had been suppressed by mutual agreement from all the agencies with interests in space, the sudden revelations writ large on the surface of the moon, soon caused pandemonium. Religious authorities tried desperately to make sense of the words and pacify the more religious fanatics. Identifying the false prophet caused endless speculation.

Eventually, the secular authorities had to come clean about the situation as further messages in other languages followed suit. Sales in astronomy telescopes boomed as trust in governments evaporated.

Charlie had never expected the seeds of his insurrection to grow so rapidly into a forest of discord and fear amongst the less educated. Soon that fear conflagrated into revolution. It had proved unbelievably easy so Charlie left the messages clearly visible as he waited to hear from Chloe about government reactions.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 27

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom. Charlie’s War 27 © to Beverly Taff.

List of Characters.

Chapter 27.

“He’s a clever bastard!” Colonel Wilson cursed as he read the latest intelligence reports.

“Could have told you that fifteen years ago Colonel!” Lady Jane Anston concurred. “But these moon-writing stunts have shown him to be a really cunning bastard as well.”

“Yeah! He’s tapped into a deep vein of paranoia, “you should read what this psychiatrist reports.”

“I have, did you mean the piece where she explains the collective insecurities of nations when their political situations are based upon ignorance and collective impotence.”

“The less they know, the more they panic.”

“Worse than that; - the less they’re educated, the more reactionary and uncontrollable they become.” Jane finished with a curse. “There’s bloody riots all over the world and nobody believes a word any government says. If there’s writing on the moon, then millions are convinced it’s God or aliens or some such lunacy and everybody’s expecting little green fucking men to pop up at any bloody moment. It’s a shambles and civil government is utterly impossible. Fuck me he’s been clever.”

“Yeah, and here we are stuck in the only country not under martial law. Ironic, isn’t it?”

“Well, it means we’re free to travel with few restrictions, but I’ve learned from the Prime Minister that Chloe Evans is now under an armed protection squad at all times, - as are her kids. She can work and move about freely, but woe betide anybody who tries to kidnap her for ransom or harm her kids.

“Is she still in touch with Charlie?”

“Certainly. The moon messages confirm that.”

“That was a bloody evil stunt, fucking brilliant and perfectly timed.” The Colonel cursed.

“Amen to that, so tell me colonel; how do we reach Chloe Sage now?”

“The only way I can see is to infiltrate her guards with some of our own.”

“Go on,” Jane pressed, “have we got a squad of girls with Aussie accents?”

“Well, a submarine perhaps; with a squad of SBS then lay an ambush for when she’s at home or out shopping or something. Her house is well back from the mining road. A well organised attack on the house then we take her somewhere so that we can bargain. Back to the submarine even, then back to the UQ.”

“You’re crazy,” Jane Anston gasped. “Can you imagine the kick-back. Can you imagine what Charlie Sage might do if you endanger their children. Both of them have made it abundantly obvious that caring for their children is the whole reason for their having married. Damage that link, or just endanger it and there’s no knowing what the man might do.”

“To do anything, he’s got to come back to earth.”

“And do what? Are you prepared to face a space-craft that is strong enough to rip up rocks and write in the rubble?”

“It only takes an anti-tank missile, to penetrate the skin.”

“While the ‘skin’ – as you call it, is travelling faster than the missile!”

“Can you think of anything better?” Colonel Wilson demanded.

Jane smiled disarmingly.

“We could try talking, - you know; negotiating.”

“Good luck with that.”

“Yeah, well jaw-jaw is better than war-war. Let’s approach the Australian government. Australia seems to be Charlie’s favoured option.”

Colonel Wilson rankled slightly when Lady Jane still referred to the enemy by his first name. She began to wonder if Jane was wholly on the side of the UQ. Charlie Sage had unintentionally succeeded in one of the most primary objectives of any combatant; - divide and rule; - and that at an unknown distance. Reluctantly, Colonel Wilson accompanied Lady Jane to a second meeting with the Australian defence minister.

ooo000ooo

“I’m sorry, the answer to that is a very definite no! If he’s apprehended on these shores he will definitely not be extradited to a foreign country.”

“But he’s still a UQ citizen, and he’s still contracted to Anston Aerospace.”

“Yes. Now about that contract. His wife Chloe has managed to locate an electronic copy of that so-called contract from way back when Mr Sage was first noticed as something of a maverick genius in your own workshops back in the UQ.

When our lawyers got to look at it, they drove a coach and horses through it.

We accept that UQ laws are somewhat less liberal than our own but this, (The minister snatched the first page off her desk printer as it dropped into the tray.) this is downright disgraceful! It goes in clear breach of human rights.”

“Well can we at least continue to try and persuade Chloe Sage to contact him on our behalf?”

“We have never prevented you but just remember he can write his answers on the biggest noticeboard of all, and NOBODY can erase them. You’ve seen the damage he’s caused already.”

“Just so long as we can talk to her, I think we might reach some sort of agreement,” Jane Anston offered.

“No agreement that you or Anston Aerospace reach, will be accepted by the Australian cabinet unless firstly we are present during discussions and signatory to the agreement.”

“That’s too harsh.” Jane protested.

“That’s reality,” the defence minister replied bluntly, “the feminista culture is losing ground in Australia and I for one, thoroughly support that trend.”

Jane Anston squinted suspiciously as she cautioned the minister.

“That’s a view that could cause you a lot of grief politically.”

“Somehow Lady Anston, I’m beginning to think it won’t. Like all politicians, I keep my ear to the ground and your words are beginning to sound hollow. Even in the parliament I’m beginning to hear rumblings of discontent.”

“How so?” Colonel Wilson asked.

“It’s well known that I am a feminised individual so, whether I like it or not, I end up being a touchstone for many conductors of discontent because I’m a high-ranking government minister. Seemingly, there are a growing number of female malcontents who are beginning to understand the Sage equations concerning inbreeding and dumbing down. These are the intelligent women mind; the ones who are the doers, makers and shakers.”

Both Lady Jane and Colonel Wilson suddenly realised that the defence minister was talking serious ‘turkey’, so Colonel Wilson double checked.

“Does your Prime Minister know about this?”

The defence minister grinned disarmingly as she sensed the barely concealed menace in the colonel’s question.

“You bet she does colonel! She’s got three sons and the oldest one is coming up to the feminista separation age this very year. She’s not too happy about it. I’ve never met the boy but apparently, he’s very bright and neither he nor his mother are happy about his forthcoming feminisation; - that is if the child is to enjoy some sort of decent standard of living.”

“How would you know that?” Lady Anston demanded.

The defence minister stared stupidly at her.

“I’m a feminised man myself, who else would the Prime Minister ask except a close confidant who has walked the bloody walk. Thanks to feminisation; I can’t have children!!! She at least, has the nouse to grasp that! She’s got three sons and if the feminista juggernaut keeps smashing through people’s hopes, she will not have any grandchildren, let alone intelligent ones! Here in Australia, we need population growth and that means families; intelligent families!”

“So why don’t you lower the immigration criteria.”

“Australia learned it’s lessons from the last waves of immigration just before the great transition. Too many religious fanatics brought in huge problems, and it was only after the gender wars that we managed to create a safe society for women. We had to do the same as other countries, but the shortage of men meant they had a nominally higher value than more populated countries. Consequently, they were allowed to live curfew free in the outback and only enter urban areas during daylight hours. We managed to hold onto some semblance of sanity.”

Jane Anston ventured a question.

“Tell me Minister, does Australia plan to go back to Darwinism?”

“You make that sound like some sort of medieval regression.”

“If you let men take control again, all that women have accomplished will be for nothing.”

“Now you’re just spouting feminista cant and propaganda. There’s education enough to create a more balanced and harmonious society, at least enough to get us back to a fairer society. Well, in Australia at least.

Anyway, let’s get back to your reasons for meeting with Doctor Chloe Evans and hopefully making contact with Mr Sage.”

Lady Jane Anston’s patience was wearing thin. She knew that whoever persuaded Charlie Sage to release his secrets, would become the superpower of the future. That was the elephant-in-the-room. The defence minister also knew this as did every government on Earth. The Minister put it bluntly as she re-iterated the Australian argument.

“If we are to try and use Doctor Evans to persuade her husband to come to the negotiating table then we will be prepared to offer you terms of access. In no circumstances will we allow you to take Mr Sage back to the UQ, against his will.”

“We’ve no choice but to accept those terms, have we?”

“Frankly, no.” The defence minister finished. “Now, it’s matter of contacting Doctor Evans again and we’ll thank you to leave this to us.”

Jane Anston bit her tongue while Colonel Wilson fumed yet again as the defence minister dialled her phone. Minutes later Chloe was discussing options with both the Prime Minister and the defence minister while simultaneously talking to her husband via a communal radio call from an unknown location that could not have been the moon.

Lady Aston had realised this because there was no time lag between questions and answers. She confirmed this during her very first question by asking.

“Where are you now Mr Sage?”

“I’m loitering in a geostationary position about twenty thousand miles above the south pole.”

“So, you’re not on the moon at the moment?”

“No.”

“Do you intend returning to Earth?”

“If my conditions concerning my family and me are met; I’ll consider it.”

“And what are those conditions?”

“I would have thought that to be pretty obvious by now. Simply put; it’s equality for all; meaningful equality.”

“We can only speak for Australia Mr Sage,” the Prime Minister replied.

“That’s a start Prime Minister. Do I have your government’s permission to return and land in Australia; and do you promise not to arrest me?”

“Of course, your wife Doctor Evans has presented your immigration application and it has been provisionally accepted. You’ve obviously been in physical contact with your wife to have signed the forms.”

“Yes. We met over the Antarctic Ocean two hundred miles off the Great Australian Bight, her car landed inside my ship, and we then landed jointly in Antarctica.”

“Have you ever been to Australia?”

“Yes, several times, just as a visiting yachtsman would.”

“But you did not register with immigration at a port of entry’”

“There was no port of entry in the middle of the outback. I landed in a virtual desert.”

“Nevertheless, you should have registered with immigration.”

“I am a man! I didn’t deem it safe. Will it be safe if I accept your invitation?”

“Yes!”

“Very well, give my wife a written promise of your parole and I’ll be prepared to meet.”

“Would you be prepared to meet anybody else.” The defence minister asked.

“Like whom?” Charlie asked suspiciously.”

“Lady Jane Anston of Anston Aerospace and Colonel Wilson; both are from the UQ.

“Lady Jane, possibly, Colonel Wilson; definitely not!”

The Prime minister and her cabinet colleague sagged back in their chairs with relief. It had all been so easy and it demonstrated that Charlie Sage was prepared, at last, to discuss terms. The defence minister in company with the Prime Minister, was relieved to have made their first direct contact since Charlie had revealed himself to be on the moon. Before that they had never even known about him.

As Chloe closed down her radio, she turned to Lady Anston and the ministers.

“So; ladies. If my husband is to meet with you, I of course will be there to give him support and it will definitely be on neutral territory. That will have to be somewhere in Antarctica. Charlie goes there a lot. Now these are my conditions.
We all four travel in my car to rendezvous with Charlie over the Southern Ocean. He and I have met this way many times to keep our liaisons secret and it’s perfectly safe. I hover out over the waves with the antigrav in my car, and we rendezvous at a pre-arranged location.

Charlie’s spaceship can just about accommodate my car in the non- pressurised cargo bay and then we join him in the pressurised cabin. He then flies to any secret location or alternatively, we do the deal in the cabin of his ship; - or more correctly, our ship. We are after all, husband and wife.

During the time we are negotiating, you will provide a safe, armed guard for our children. Will you agree to those terms?”

Both ministers and Lady Jane nodded fervently, for apart from the enormous political portent to be gained from such a coupe; there was the added visceral thrill of being offered a ride in a genuine interplanetary spaceship. Chloe smiled inwardly as she recognised the almost childish excitement shared by three adult women.

The following Saturday morning, the Prime Minister and her defence minister joined the managing director of Anston Aerospace apparently dressed to play golf. Instead, they disappeared into the outback
Some hours later they met Doctor Chloe Evans in her modified car with its superior antigrav drive and in a couple more hours the foursome connected up with a UFO, somewhere over the Antarctic seas.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 28

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminine Queendom. Charlie’s War 28 ©Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Chapter 28

Lady Jane stared down at the almost pure white spray lashed ocean below them and shuddered.

“I hope to God this car of yours is reliable.”

The Southern Ocean was living up to its reputation as seventy knot katabatic winds shrieked across the ocean surface causing unimaginably high seas to rear up and loose long fingers of spray that resembled claws reaching to drag Chloe’s antigrav down into the lethal cauldron.

“Can’t you go a bit higher?” The defence minister wondered as a hefty ‘cat’s-paw’ swiped across the windscreen.

“This is better than any other conventional ‘anti-grav’.” Chloe confirmed. “Fifty metres above the surface is about as high as she can go and when that surface is thrashing around like those waves, it’s difficult to smooth the ride out. Don’t worry, Charlie’s close by with Dawn.”

Chloe tapped her headphones to indicate.

“He’s got us on his sensors and closing with us now.”

“Who’s Dawn?” The prime Minister asked.

“Oh, don’t worry, that’s the name of his spaceship. Ah! Here he is right on schedule.”

The three passengers peered through the driving snow to make out the vague grey ‘Cornish-pasty’ shaped ship slowly closing with them. Chloe became silent as she cautiously manoeuvred her car ‘Lady’ towards Dawn’s open, rear-facing maw and carefully threaded her into the cargo landing ramp. The passengers stared slack-jawed with incredulity as the ‘clam-shell,’ cargo door gently closed like the jaws of a baleen whale.

“You can get out now ladies, welcome to Charlie’s pride and joy.”

They emerged into the freezing space and shivered briefly in their golfing Jackets before Chloe punched a numbered code into the connecting doors and the locking pins released. She pushed the well-balanced door gently and it opened to reveal Charlie sitting with his back to them as he piloted the ship.

“Take your seats ladies, Chloe will be your hostess until we reach our destination.”

“Where is that destination?” Jady Jane asked as she was the first to recover from the experience.

“Anywhere that’s safe for me, space, the moon Antarctica but you’re not clothed properly for that. Mars is too far at the moment.
I’ll even offer Australia, but I must have your assurances that neither I nor Chloe nor our children will be harmed or detained in any way.”

“You can take that as a given,” the Prime Minister promised as her imagination ran riot at the thought of Australia becoming the world’s leading technological power.

“Uuhm, I’d prefer to take it as a signed affidavit if you don’t mind Prime Minister. I’m a man, and men have suffered under feminista laws for long enough.”

He handed the defence minister a pre-prepared letter.

“Point taken,” the defence minister concurred as she opened the envelope then pushed the pre-prepared document across the table whilst nodding significantly to her cabinet boss.

“I’d like to read it first, I -oh! It’s blank!” She exclaimed.

“Exactly Prime Minister. You write your own affidavit and I’ll check it. By the way, you have not mentioned where you want to go.”

The three visitors exchanged questioning glances.

“The moon would be interesting,” Lady Jane opined.

“Okay.” Charlie agreed and the passengers quickly found themselves above the clouds as the horizon started to curve. Lady Jane was scientist enough to realise they were accelerating incredibly fast, and her eyes widened as the moon soon re-appeared from behind the Earth and stabilised dead ahead.”

“That was quick!”

“Half an orbit in what – five minutes?” Charlie observed. “That’s approximately fifty thousand knots at this distance from earth. However, we’re heading straight for the moon, eta about two hours.”
“Bloody hell, that’s about a hundred and twenty thousand knots!” Jane gasped.

“Something like that.” Charlie confirmed easily. “If you care to look back through those blister ports, you’ll get an excellent view of your receding home. After that, it’s to business I’m afraid,”

The cabin fell briefly silent as the three newcomers savoured the rear view and occasionally pointed out identifiable places. Eventually, Chloe emerged from the tiny galley with tea, coffee and biscuits.

“See ladies, all the comforts of home.”

After studying the receding planet, they turned to the tea and biscuits as Charlie evacuated the pilot seat.

“There you are Chloe; can you take over the con while we chat?”

More than keen to demonstrate that she was a functional member of Dawn’s crew; Chloe almost leapt into the vacated command seat and deftly adjusted some controls simply to demonstrate her competence. Charlie joined the visitors at the table.

“Now ladies. This is where we talk real turkey!”

All three visitors leaned forward as Charlie handed them each a preprepared list his conditions.

“The four highlighted, red items are not negotiable, the rest are so. To business ladies.”

As the visitors read the list, Charlie made himself some coffee while Chloe spun the command seat around to face the table and join the negotiations. Once the course for the moon was set there was little to do but respond to any electronic warnings. Soon the visitors finished their lists and looked towards Charlie. The Prime Minister naturally spoke first.

“The top of the list Mr Sage; ‘True equality for all. That’s all very noble but Australia can’t enforce it in other countries.”

“Yet.” Charlie responded monosyllabically.

“Are you implying that once we enjoy the benefits of your science, we move to enforce equality?”

“Exactly that.”

“How are we to do that Mr Sage?” The defence minister pressed. “I don’t know of any precedent.”

“Read your history! The true history that is; not the propaganda shit that sits on library shelves today. The archived material that’s locked away.”

“What would we be looking for?” Lady Jane asked.

“Read how slavery was forcibly abolished in the eighteenth century. Consider the irony that it was your cesspit the UQ, that was actually instrumental in abolishing slavery by blockading Africa and stopping slave ships trading anywhere. Then consider just what retrograde steps your cesspit has taken to reintroduce those iniquities. Read it and weep Lady Anston!”

“I’ve never heard about this!” Lady Anston protested.

“No! You’ve never read your own history. What’s that saying so beloved of historians? - Those who don’t study history are bound to repeat the mistakes of history. So, I say here and now, item one is not negotiable. Australia must use its space-ships and the technology they offer to promote and if necessary, enforce equality for all; - and I mean ALL!”

“That’s going to be a huge ask.” The Prime Minister conjectured.

“Think of it as your route to universal, world-wide fame.” Charlie grinned wolfishly. “A route like that is bound to be difficult. Did you seriously think it would be easy?”

“Well, no – of course not but I – “

“Just do it, or at least try to do it. William Wilberforce and Hannah More never found it easy.”

“Who were they?” Lady Jane asked.

“As I said, read your real history not the populist, misanthropic drivel they spew out today. It’s still to be found, - locked up in warehouses all over. Now shall we go to item two? …., Freedom of conscience and thought.”

ooo000ooo

Thus, for a solid two hours they thrashed through the list and added more as the women contributed to the argument. Charlie was surprised that the defence minister proved to be his best ally until Chloe informed him privately that the minister was actually a feminised man and a very bitter one.

“If you want things to move and shake in Aussie darling, she’s your original mover and shaker. She’s also very bitter about never having children and she’s a sharp cookie!”

“The poor bitch!” Charlie sighed, “no wonder she’s bitter!”

“Yeah, well there’s a lot like her in Aussie, well in truth, there’s a lot like her all over the world. They’re our best allies.”

“We will have to cross those bridges when we come to them,” Charlie replied as they approached the moon. “Do you want to land her?”

“Please!” Chloe grinned as she saw another opportunity to demonstrate her skills.

The guests watched fascinated as Chloe landed next to the last messaged that Charlie had previously ploughed into the undisturbed dust. Charlie leaned to look down through the docking window then grinned.

“Nice one Chloe. Spot on the full stop of the last message.” He then turned to guests. “We don’t have space suits, so we can’t walk on the moon. That will have to wait until Australia learns how to make space suits. I was never any good at sowing.”

None of the guests even smiled and Charlie frowned uncertainly.

“It was meant to be a joke ladies, Space suits are supposed to be airtight!”

A nervous grin flickered briefly amongst the guests and Charlie suddenly realised how tense they were. To ease the tension, he made an offer.

“Would you like to write a moon message?”

“What! You mean like those?” The Prime Minister motioned to the huge expanse of previous writing scored into the dust.

“Yes. Like those. Tell me what you’d like to write, and I’ll programme the landing computer. Just say something to identify yourselves but keep it short.”

Being politicians, both Australians jumped at the chance, but Lady Jane had little to say as she protested.

“I’d look as though I was advertising, and this is too auspicious an occasion for commercialism.”

Charlie paused thoughtfully. He had written so many messages that the issue had become prosaic to him; but for his guests, the unique opportunity was historic. He added a cautionary rider.

“Don’t forget ladies. These messages will become a monument to space travel, and they’ll endure as long as Stone Henge or the Pyramids, unless a meteorite obliterates them, or future generations choose to erase them. There’s no air or wind here to disturb the dust. Think on.”

The cabin fell silent as the guests grasped the portent of the occasion.

ooo000ooo

So, readers, what do you think the three messages should be? Suggestions are welcome.

Beverly.

The Feminine Queendom 29

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 29

©Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Chapter 29.

“So, ladies,” Charlie ventured after the tea and biscuits we’re finished. “Sorry I can’t offer you a moon-walk or a picnic. It’s a bit inclement out there. Have you considered what you’d like to be written? Your parting words to the moon as it were?”

“More like the opening shots in the next big gender war.” The defence minister observed.

Charlie grinned.

“I applaud your perspicacity. Yes, that’s my biggest fear as well.”

“I was thinking of something along the lines of the preamble to the declaration of independence.” The prime minister offered. “You know; ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: - “

Charlie frowned before observing.

“I applaud your sentiments Prime Minister, and I certainly concur with them save for a couple of words. The founding fathers suggested those inalienable rights to have been endowed by a ‘maker;’ that is some supreme being, with religious origins. I’m a bit wary of involving religion. Historically religion has invariably proven to be divisive and destructive usually because of its patriarchal origins. Besides, writing that across the moon with my spaceship as the pen would take forever and we haven’t got much time. We’ve only got about six hours of air left.”

“How about some hieroglyphics?” Jane Anston suggested. “You know a picture of a man and a woman being equal and balanced on a set of scales.”

“The graphics would take too long to load into the navigation computer though you’ve given me an excellent idea.” Charlie grinned.

“Go on.” Jane pressed.

“The easiest thing to enter into the computer are numbers, letters and symbols, - mostly maths symbols. How about a simple equation of equality expressed mathematically so as to avoid the language issue? You know; arguments about which language should be used.”

“Can you think of one?” Jane asked.

Charlie paused thoughtfully then had a lightbulb moment.

“Yes, I think I can.”

“Go on,” the Prime Minister cajoled him.

“How about this?”

Charlie enlarged the font on his computer screen and tapped in the following simple equation.
XX-greater than or less than XY = 0

The politicians looked at it and just frowned as they shook their heads, but Jane Anston and Chloe looked at it thoughtfully as they cautiously interpreted their thoughts. Chloe spoke slowly.

“I’m guessing it means female greater than, or less than, male equals the end.”

“Got it in one darling!” Charlie hugged his wife.

“And in the universal language of science!” Jane Anston added; “Maths.”

“Precisely,” Charlie finished.

“I can go with that,” the defence minister offered, and the Prime Minister agreed.”

“Okay then Mr Sage. Go ahead and plough your field. Are you happy Lady Jane?”

“More than. I’m fascinated to see how this ship writes in the dust.”

Charlie set about programming the docking computer, while Chloe went over to a secondary console and released a small antigravity drone that promptly sent images back to the little screen. The guests were split between watching Charlie preparing the docking computer and watching Cloe as she navigated the drone to a spot some hundreds of metres above the Spaceship ‘Dawn.’

Soon they were watching the drone image as they saw their spaceship Dawn lift just fifty centimetres above the billiard-table smooth crater floor. Then Charlie lowered a robust steel skeg and the ship manoeuvred delicately to scribe out the agreed equation. Within an hour the message was clear from the drone but from the spaceship it looked like a badly ploughed field as the guests peered across the newly turned furrows. When it stopped, Charlie settled back in the command seat and gave a little sigh of satisfaction.

“Well! I think we’re done here ladies. Chloe, d’ you want to do the honours and bring us home? We need to discuss where you ladies want to be delivered.”

The three guests exchanged knowing glances before suggesting Canberra. Charlie pulled a wry smile.

“Fancy making an entrance, do you ladies?”

The Prime Minister smiled ruefully.

“I’ve been missing for several hours so there might be a state of emergency in the Parliament Building. I think it best we give the security forces an obvious explanation or they’re bound to be in a blue funk!”

“Yeah. I suppose you’re right, but you must warn them by radio first, or have you got your mobile phone?”

She pulled her phone from her handbag as she nodded.

“Good,” said Charlie. “Okay then, Canberra it is. Chloe, can you take us home please.”

ooo000ooo

Lady Jane watched slightly enviously as Chloe deftly landed the ship precisely on the ‘H’ of the Canberra parliament helipad. Charlie noticed Jane’s envious gaze and smiled patronizingly.

“It’s all right Jane; Chloe’s fully licensed to operate a spaceship.”

“Who issued her license?” Jane asked provocatively.

“I did. D’ you know of anybody else qualified to train and test her?”

Charlie’s ‘put down’ rankled the managing director of one of the most successful aero-space companies on the planet but she was forced to bite her tongue. The Spaceship Dawn had landed amidst a crowd of Australian government officials and the Prime Minister was still busy on her phone as Charlie set about opening the airtight doors.

As the door swung back the defence minister stepped forward.

“I’d better go first. There’s no knowing if some crazy idiot might still think we’re bloody aliens and take a shot at us.”

“Be my guest,” Charlie agreed as he next opened the rear ‘clam-shell’ doors.

This revealed the doughnut of politicians who had been advised by the Prime Minister that they would be disembarking from the rear. Fortunately, the press had been held well back and there was no clamour of photographers or reporters, just a group of relieved yet sombre officials. Being the skilled politician that she was, the Prime Minister spoke first.

“Good morning ladies. It’s good to be back. As I discussed with the speaker of the house on my phone once we were close enough, we must get down to business immediately.”

The speaker, who had stepped forward, acknowledged the Prime Minister and defence minister as they walked down the rear ramp.

“Good morning Prime Minister. It’s a relief to have you back.”

“It’s a pleasure to be back Madam Speaker, now as we discussed on my phone, we must get straight down to business.”
The speaker studied Charlie and Chloe who had slipped masks and sunglasses on to avoid universal recognition.

“Is it really necessary to wear disguises?”

Chloe replied for both of them.

“For now, yes, until we are certain of our safety.”

“Very well, let’s go to the cabinet room, there’s a lot to get done.” The speaker advised.

“You bet your bottom dollar there is!” The defence minister exclaimed. “There will have to be a full sitting of the house, - tonight!”

“Is this right Prime Minister?” The Speaker demanded. “It’s normally my prerogative to call the house unless there’s a state of emergency.”

“When you hear what’s afoot, you’ll be calling a sitting Madam Speaker; and that’s for sure. Shall we go in?”

“Is anybody else attending.”

“Not yet. Just we astronauts and you.”

Astronauts?”

“Yes, we’ve just returned from the moon and if you look through a sufficiently strong telescope, you’ll see another message. That message is the agenda for a full sitting of the house.”

Once around the cabinet office table, the Prime Minister laid out Charlie’s conditions. The speaker read them, and the accompanying endorsements attached by the Prime Minister. When she had completed reading, she took a deep breath and turned to Charlie.

“You’re not asking for much are you?”

“What? A universal franchise, a functioning democracy and equality for all! No, I don’t believe it is much.”

“For the whole damned planet?”

“Eventually, yes.”

“You’re mad!” The Speaker exclaimed.

“I suggest you let your full parliament decide that.” Charlie countered.

“Very well. We’ll debate this in the house, but it will take a day or two to recall parliament. Are you agreeable Prime Minister?”

“More than.” The Prime Minister replied.

Charlie stood up slowly so as not to alarm anybody.

“Well, that seems to have settled it ladies. When I see some progress, I promise to supply you with a spaceship enjoying the same technology as my own ship. It will be slightly larger and will require an input from your own industries. It will be a demonstrator craft for you to negotiate with other countries from a position of strength.”

“Will you be releasing the secrets of your science or just allowing us the benefits of your antigravity drive?” Lady Anston pressed.

“For now, just the benefits; so, I must caution you, that any attempt to learn the secrets by reverse engineering or dismantling the engines could lead to injury or death. The engines will be encased in substantial containers that will protect them from interference. I’ll listen to any more questions after you’ve decided in Parliament what you intend to do.”

ooo000ooo

After laying his cards on the table, Charlie prepared to leave. He glanced questioningly towards Chloe who nodded agreement. Both of them wanted to see their children so they left without further ado.

The grounds outside the Parliament were crowded with women who were still arriving to see if the story was true. When it had proven to be so, there was an excited chatter of expectation. Inevitably, the hastily assembled cordon of federal police struggled to hold the restless crowd as the parliament doors opened and two ordinarily dressed people simply emerged from the parliament doors and started to walk to the ship.

The crowd surged forward simply to get a better look but inevitably, the cordon broke and a few dashed forward in some insane hope of somehow boarding the craft. Charlie and Chloe were forced to sprint the last few yards then only just closed the clamshell cargo door before several hopefuls snatched to try and gain a handhold.

As they heard the shouting and the odd pebble being thrown against the hull to try to somehow attract the attention of the occupants, the pair shuddered and quickly steered for the secret place where their children were hidden. In less than thirty minutes they had crossed Australia and were hovering above Chloe’s home on the access road to the Hammersley mines.

“I don’t see any life down there.” She remarked as they descended.

“They’ll be inside,” Charlie replied. It’s bloody hot down there at this time of day. They’ll be taking advantage of the A.C.”

“I still don’t like it, at least one of the guards should have noticed us!”

Charlie concentrated on landing the spaceship in the limited space provided by the space behind the house that was open to the outback. By the time they had touched down, Chloe was adamant there was something wrong.

“There should be at least one guard coming out to greet us. I’ve got a bad feeling about this!”
By now Charlie was also worried. The government had promised to keep the children safe but there was no sign of anybody. Chloe was growing frantic.

Nervously Charlie emerged from the rear of the ship that was pointing away from the house, then he approached very cautiously only to find the door unlocked.

“Hello-oo! Is there anybody inside?” He called several times.

There was no reply until he entered the kitchen and a muffled groan confirmed the worst. The guard had been overpowered and the children were gone.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 30

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Other Keywords:

Sci Fi. Space Travel

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Kingdom 30 Charlie’s War.

©Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Chapter 30.

Chloe could tell as Charlie left the house that her worst fears were confirmed. Without waiting for any confirmation, she burst out of the clamshell and ran screaming towards the woman that Charlie was supporting.

“Where are they you bitch!” She screamed. “What have you fucking done with them!”

The woman greyed momentarily until she realised the demented creature screaming towards her was just a woman and not some armed alien. Charlie stepped between them as Chloe hurtled towards them.

“Whoa! Whoa! Chloeee! This silly bitch is a victim so cool it!”

In her blind rage Chloe still collided with Charlie’s arm before she saw the cuts and bruises around the woman’s face and arms. Charlie still had to hold his arm up to protect the guard as he explained.

“She says they attacked this morning. They can’t be far!”

“What happened you bitch? Can’t you even protect my kids?!”

“There was a whole platoon of them. They overpowered me.”

“Overpowered you?” Chloe screeched. “Where were the rest of you? Fucking sleeping I suppose!”

“There was just me with my pistol and they were all fully armed with machine pistols and assault rifles. I couldn’t let the bullets start flying or the kids might have been shot.”

Chloe’s eyes blazed with rage, and she slipped under Charlies extended arm to land a vicious swipe on the officer’s face that drew blood. The officer cursed and grabbed Chloe’s arm then twisted it to throw her violently to the ground. Chloe let out a scream of pain and Charlie heard the shoulder joint give as the officer continued manhandling the injured mother and trying to force the dislocated shoulder into handcuffs.

For a desperate moment Charlie stood frozen with an uncertainty born of years of ingrained restraint through a lifetime under feminista rules. Then as Chloe screamed in pain and stared up at her husband beseechingly, he finally acted. He seized the officer’s arm in a vicelike grip and snatched both pistol and taser from her belt before she even realised what was happening.

“Stop hurting my wife!”

“Let go of me you know the penalty for a male assault!”

“I was defending my wife. You’ve dislocated her shoulder!”

“I was restraining her, you’re in real trouble big-boy!”

Charlie had by now thrown caution to the wind as he set the officer straight.

“No officer. You’re in trouble. You failed to defend the children thus putting your government in breach of a written undertaking to my wife. Your government promised to protect them, and it hasn’t.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’ll find out soon enough, but first we’re taking Chloe to the hospital and on the way, you’ll tell me every detail about your attackers. You can start by calling your own police station on your radio and asking them to call this number, - on a secure land-line!”

“What is it?”

“The Prime Minister’s office in Canberra.”

“The officer paused uncertainly before arguing. You’re bull-shitting!”

“Just try me miss. Those kids have been kidnapped and I’m in no mood to be fucked with! - And I don’t think your Prime Minister will be either, -when she learns about it.”

Charlie tucked the officer’s gun and taser through his belt then helped Chloe towards Dawn as the officer hurriedly called her police station. Her first shock was boarding the spaceship to find a car parked in the cargo hold then by the time they arrived at the hospital she had received confirmations from her superiors at the police station.

It was a very subdued officer who next spoke to Charlie.

“I’m to put myself completely at your disposal and there is a back-up team coming here as we speak.”

“Good!” Charlie replied brusquely as he handed Chloe over to the triage team. “’Bout time we had some sense around here. Do you know how to drive a hover car?”

“Of course, all our police cruisers are hovercars.”

“Good, then get yourself to the airport and find out if any private or charter planes have left since you were attacked. What’s your police frequency? My ship’s got a frequency synthesiser so we can stay in touch. I’m going to do a high-level sweep of western Australia from thirty thousand metres altitude. I’ve got a ‘look-down’ radar on my spaceship that’s better than any military stuff.”

“How the hell! –“

“Don’t ask. You’ll find out one day soon.”

The police officer wagged her head for she felt way out of her depth. Instead, she followed Charlie back to the Dawn and listened intently as Charlie unloaded the car then gave simple instructions.

“It’s pretty much the same as an ordinary hover car except it can go much higher and much faster. You can use it until my wife is discharged from hospital and by then you’ll have your own cruiser back.”

“Talking of giving things back, can I have my pistol and taser please.”

“Oops! Sorry I forgot.”

He handed the pistol and taser across then handed a small white handkerchief.

“What’s this?”

“The bullets and the taser battery. Sorry but apart from my wife Chloe, I don’t know who to trust. See you later, byee!”

So, saying, Charlie dashed into his ship and closed the doors before the officer had loaded gun or taser.

‘Jeeze! He’s a cagey bastard.’ She concluded as she started Chloe’s super hover.

ooo000ooo

As the police officer privately marvelled that the super-hover casually ascended to a hundred metres before levelling off, she searched the sky for the spaceship that the man had flown away in. There was no sign of it and for such a large object to disappear so quickly was proof that said spaceship obviously had a far superior technology.

Having realised that the ship was beyond her reach and authority, she drove Chloe’s super-hover to the airport to find out what traffic had passed through the remote local airfield.

“Yes,” The local air traffic controller confirmed. “It was a twenty-seater, super-stream, twin jet engines with extended range.”

“What was the flight plan?” She asked.

“It was a private flight posted to destination Diego Garcia.”

“Passenger list?”

The controller rifled through the departure forms and the officer thumped the desk.

“Come on! I haven’t got all day!”

“You’re too late anyway. The flight departed twenty minutes ago.”

“Let me be the judge of that,” she scolded the controller as she called the spaceship Dawn on her radio.

“Hello Charlie. Yes. It departed about twenty minutes ago for Diego Garcia. It lists twelve mining executives and four minors on the passenger manifest; no names for the children though.”

“Is there a Wilson on the adult list?” Charlie asked.

“Yes.”

“That’s got to be them. Diego Garcia is nearly three thousand miles and even in their jet it’ll take six hours or more. We’ve got them. Join me outside the airport, I don’t want to be inundated with paperwork by landing on their tarmac.”

“Seriously? Can you catch them?”

“Watch me!” Charlie warned bluntly. “Outside by the main gate, now.”

The officer needed no further encouragement. If she were to see what flying in a spaceship was like, this was likely to be her first and only opportunity. She dashed out of the little terminal to see the now familiar shape descending a couple of hundred metres from the main gate. Already, a security guard was shouting to her to stop but her police uniform prevented any shots as she ran towards the ship/

Breathless from her sprint, she staggered through the clamshell cargo door and hesitated in the cargo bay. The connecting airtight door opened to reveal the cabin quarters and she almost leapt into the sanctuary as the clamshell clunked shut. Once inside she paused uncertainly as the airtight door closed behind her.

“Take the seat behind mine.” Charlie advised as the officer already noticed the ground falling away.

As she recovered her breath she gasped.

“So, this is the UFO that’s been bugging our defence force!”

“The same,” Charlie riposted, “but it’s no longer unidentified. Your own prime Minister and her Defence colleague have travelled in it.”

“Bloody hell! Are you going to chase that jet?”

“Yes, so fasten yourself in. Atmospheric flights can get bumpy but first we’ll be doing the chasing from space.”

She settled back behind Charlie, yet she strained to peer over his shoulder. The horizon started to curve while Charlie buried his face in the screened scope.

“That looks like it.”

“How can you tell?”

“She’s not following any regular commercial flight paths, she’s on a perfect great circle going maximum speed.”

“What’s that?”

“She’s doing about four hundred and eighty-five knots.”

“Can you catch her?”

“Behave kid! Dawn does one hundred and fifty thousand knots; in space that is; that’s why we’re up here. Down there we’re restricted to about three thousand knots, friction you see.”

“Bloody hell! You’re serious, aren’t you?”

Charlie twisted around to face her.

“Missy; I’m always serious, there’s no frivolity in my life; I’m a man!”
She glanced at her wrist which was now beginning to show the bruise from Charlie’s earlier vice-like grip.

“Yes. So, I’ve noticed; and you don’t take prisoners either.”

She showed the Charlie the bruise, but Charlie just shrugged.

“I was protecting my wife, who’s shoulder you dislocated by the way; and I was worried for my children. I still am!”

“Worried for your children? Are you their father?”

“Of course. That’s the whole issue. Those bastards kidnapped the children to blackmail me; - and Chloe of course.”

“So, what are they after you for?”

“Who do you think built this ship, who do you think is writing messages on the moon?”

Her jaw sagged as the truth dawned.

“You?! Of course! How did you do that?”

“I’ve got a big skeg that drops out of Dawn’s belly. There are a couple of plough shares that rip furrows in the ground and then I use my ship like writer’s pen.”

“So, she rips up the earth.”

“Yes.”

“This thing must be built like a tank or a bloody bull-dozer.”

“Precisely! Charles Sage, farmer, miner and astronaut extraordinaire, at your service!”

ooo000ooo

She continued gaping as her mind tried to consider the hundreds of consequences that would arise if Australia’s enemies got hold of either the spaceship or the man. Eventually she found her voice.

“You’re a valuable man and obviously a clever one!”

“Duuh!” Charlie riposted. “Point taken, now we have to get my kids back.”

“And punish that gang of kidnappers.”

“That’s for you and Australia to worry about. I’ll just worry about my kids and my wife, though at least she’s safe.”

“So, what do you plan to do. You can’t shoot the plane down, you’re kids are on it!”

“D’ you think I don’t know that! I’m wracking my brains here. I wish I had some sort of weapon so that I could force the bastards back to Australia.”

The police officer fell to thinking while Charlie scanned his ‘look-down’ radar and confirmed that he was now directly over the jet but several thousand metres above it.

After nearly an hour of silence the officer finally collated her thoughts.

“I think I might have a plan.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 31

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 31

©Beverly Taff,

List of Characters.

Chapter 31.

“A plan?” Charlie queried. “Go on.”

“How strong is this ship?”

“She’s virtually a flying tank. Her skin is ten to fifteen centimetres of steel. It would take an antitank missile to penetrate her skin. An air-to-air missile would never cut it, they’re designed to knock down thin-skinned jets and stuff. Besides, she can out accelerate and out-manoeuvre a missile.”

“Really?!”

“Really!” Charlie confirmed. “I’ve always anticipated being attacked at some time so I made her as tough as I could.”

“How big is that Skeg thing you use to plough a furrow.”

“It’s about nine metres long.”

“Does it have some sort of plough-share on the end?”

“Yes. There’s a sharp blade that pierces the ground and makes a furrow.”

“Could it pierce an aircraft fuselage skin.”

Charlie stared at her as his mind moved ahead.

“Yes, easily. The fuselage of that plane is just an aluminium alloy. Are you suggesting we somehow hook onto that plane and tow it back to Australia?”

“Could you, do it?”

“Not at the altitude she’s flying. She’s at ten thousand metres, the plane would decompress the moment you pierced the fuselage, and you’d kill the occupants. It would be a very sudden decompression and almost certainly kill my kids.”

“What about at a lower altitude; say when she’s landing?”

Charlie frowned uncertainly.

“The impact of the hook could knock the plane out of balance and send her into the ground or the sea without time to recover.”

“What do you think?”

“It could not be done on the ground, the plough-share would simply rip out of the section of skin. The plane needs to be flying so there is no effective deadweight on the skeg. If we can plunge the skeg through the fuselage while the plane is at about three thousand metres, then accelerate forward so that the plough-share snags under the main wing spar we should be able to effectively tow the plane back to Aussie.

If we tow it at the same speed, it does normally then we should take about six hours to haul it back to Australia. We’d have to hook on just as she starts her decent down to Diego Garcia at about three or four thousand metres.”

“Diego’s a major military base. What happens if they send pursuit planes?” She asked.

“There’s not much we can do save accelerate to about eight hundred knots.”

“Their fighters can go faster than that.”

“Yes, but not for long and not at the lower altitudes. They need afterburners to go faster. If we latch on at about two hundred miles out then turn around for Oz, it will be fully thirty minutes before they are able to reach us, more probably an hour if we increase our speed. Once we’re five hundred miles from Diego, they won’t have the endurance to pursue us. Especially if we up to six or seven hundred knots.

And of course, they’ll have hell’s own delight trying to shoot Dawn down. As I said, she’s an armoured, supersonic tank even at sea-level!”

“What if they shoot into the jet and injure your children.”

“That’s wholly self-defeating, they’ll have no bargaining chips, and they’ll simply give me a legitimate excuse to go hunting for bear. They’re the ones who’ve broken the law, kidnapping Australian children from Australia!? Come o-on! That could be construed as an act of war.”

“Would you seriously go to war?”

“Yes.” Replied Charlie with a finality that sent a shudder down the police officer’s spine.

‘I believe he would,’ she told herself.

ooo000ooo

For the next two hours Charlie kept Dawn directly behind the rogue jet as it flew a direct great circle to Diego Garcia then, as they approached to within three hundred miles of the mid ocean atoll, the plane commenced its descent towards the military base. By this time after an hour of casual chat, Charlie had learned that the officer’s name was Margaret, and they were now on first name terms.

“For now, we just plod along just a few metres above and behind their jet where they can’t see us, and Diego Garcia’s radars cannot separate our radar blips. When they descend to three thousand metres, we position ourselves precisely over their plane then drop like a falcon and plunge our skeg through the centre-line of their fuselage immediately behind the wing then accelerate forward until the plough-share lodges under their main wing spar.”

“That still sounds dangerous,” Margaret opined, “I can’t believe I thought of it.”

“It is dangerous; - bloody dangerous, but I can’t see any other option if we’re to get my children safely back to Oz. We cannot pursue their plane into Diego Garcia airspace cos that Island is a United Queendom military base, and the fighters could swarm us in minutes. We need to be at least two hundred miles away when we hook into their plane.

That gets us out of range before they can respond. If they do find us, I just accelerate Dawn to seven or even eight hundred knots and they will have to use afterburners to catch us.

Whatever we do, we must keep the plane attached to our skeg by driving forward to provide lift from her wings. Even if her engines are dead. The good news is that if we hook under the main spar, we’ve got the plane balanced near her centre of gravity and the tow will be stable.”

To demonstrate the plan, Charlie drew a sketch of the skeg protruding from Dawn’s underbelly. Then he illustrated how and where he intended to plunge the skeg into and through the fuselage just behind the wing, then rake it forward to hook under the main spar.

Margaret the police officer readily understood the plan and Charlie took her to the sighting port where she could visually guide the skeg into the plane’s fuselage.

“If I do it with sufficient force, the skeg will drive right through the fuselage like a knife through butter. If you want to make yourself really useful, you can open the viewing port inwards and put a couple of bullets into the plane’s engines. Then they cannot use their engines to try and slip off the hook.”

The police officer familiarised herself with the observation position and grinned.

Eventually the plane started its approach descent and Charlie warned Margaret.

“This is it, get into your position please, I’m lowering the skeg.”

She settled into the observation space and watched fascinated as the seven-metre long skeg extended out and down. The ‘plough-share’ blade reminded Margaret of the lower talon of an eagle’s claw as it stopped and locked while Charlie manoeuvred both ship and claw directly over the tailfin.

“What’s it looking like?” Charlie asked Margaret.

“You’re directly over the tailfin so you will need to go forward about fifteen metres to align with the rear of the wing. Then you need to drop about three metres to touch the fuselage.”

“Thanks Marge. Just keep me informed okay.”

Margaret had already started measuring off the distances.

“You’re ten metres from the wing, eight metres, six metres, four, two, one, you’re in position. Now start to drop!”

Margaret’s belly did a flip as the Dawn dropped like a stone and the ‘talon-like, plough-share sliced through the top of the fuselage then plunged through the body of the aircraft to erupt out of the bottom.

“You’re through!” Margret shouted. “Now you need to do the ripping to connect with the main spar.”

Margaret had hardly finished speaking before she felt the tremendous acceleration as Dawn surged forward and embedded her skeg blade into the back of the main spar. The jet was well and truly hooked like a fish on a line.

“You’ve got it!” Margaret squealed. “Let’s turn for home. D’you want me to shoot the engines?”

“No, let’s wait and see. If she keeps using her engines but cannot escape the hook, I can play her like a fish on a line. Just watch the skeg it as I turn for home then increase the speed slowly.”

Margaret twisted to get more comfortable then watched the skeg where it had entered the fuselage.

“It’s holding firm!” She called to Charlie, “what speed are we doing?”

“We’re on course for Australia and doing five hundred knots. Keep checking, I’m upping to six hundred.”

ooo000ooo

Margaret kept her eyes locked on the view through the inspection port and noted that the plane’s engines were still whining away at top speed. She felt a thrill of relief that the plane could not escape from the ploughshare point and that she was able to be a part in the recovery of the children. She gave Charlie her situation report.

“The skeg has not moved. There is a small scrape or red paint deposited on the skeg and it has not moved in relation the plane’s hull. The plane’s engines are still running, so they should have power light and heat in the cabin. Have you heard any response on their radio frequency?”

“They’ve put out a mayday call and there’s been a response from Diego Garcia. They’ve despatched a pair of fighters and a special search and rescue plane to try and escort the kidnappers. The fighters might get here but the search and rescue plane is far too slow. So far, I’ve not picked anything up on my normal radar and my ‘look-down’ radar is pretty much useless at this altitude. We’re only at two thousand metres altitude.”

“Will the fighters reach us?”

“I don’t think so. I’ve calculated that they’d have to maintain a thousand knots if they want to reach us within an hour. I’ve still got the option to increase our speed to eight hundred knots without there being any serious friction damage.”

“Why don’t you do it? Increase our speed that is?”

“I am, very slowly. Don’t forget, we’re putting a lot of stress through their airframe. Check if you can see any distortion along the fuselage occasionally.”

“I am, but it’s getting uncomfortable down here and a bit cold. How long before we reach Australia?”

“If I can up the speed to eight hundred, we’ll be back in Hammersley ranges in just about three hours. I’ll switch to automatic pilot and make us a cup of tea, or would you prefer coffee?”

“Coffee please; hot with plenty of milk and sugar and some food would be nice.”

Charlie set about the makings and within five minutes Margaret was savouring her hot, sweet, milky coffee and ham sandwiches.

“Quite the little home from home isn’t she.”

“She’s designed to make passages to Mars at least. I’ve got two months food packed away here and the cupboards are only half full.

“That would be a wind up, if you took them to Mars.” Margaret chuckled.

“Would that I could but their plane is not airtight.”

“Not with bloody great hook in it, no.” Margaret reflected pensively.

As Charlie returned to his command seat to check the console he frowned.

“Looks like we’ve got company. They’re about four hundred miles behind us and doing about a thousand knots.”

Margaret emerged from the viewing space to study the radar display.

“Will they catch us?”

“Not if we up speed to eight hundred immediately. Keep a check on the hook please.”

It irked Margaret slightly to take instructions from a man but she swallowed her self-respect and returned to her uncomfortable hidey-hole.

“No change down here but some of the paint is peeling off the fuselage.”

“That will be the friction, let me know if it starts smoking.”

Margaret felt a noticeable surge, but the hook held firm and no smoke appeared. Then the plane’s engines died.”

“They must have run out of fuel,” Margaret declared, “will that slow us down?”

“No,” Charlie explained, “I’ll just up the power to play ‘catch-up’ and their wings will still provide lift. Don’t worry; so far we’re on schedule.”

Margaret resumed her cramped position in her observation space but noticed she wasn’t so cold.

“It’s the friction on the hull Marge; same thing that’s blistering the airliner’s paint.”

“Will it get much hotter?”

“I don’t know. Dawn’s okay but I’m not sure about the jet liner, her skin’s aluminium.”

“Is there anything you can do?”

“Yes. Find some Cumulonimbus and use the rain to damp the airliner down. If we enter the raincloud, the jets won’t find us anyway but -.”

“Go on, there’s always a but with you Charlie.”

“Yes, the turbulence could dislodge the plane off the hook.”
“Jeeze! If it’s not one thing, it’s another.” Margaret sighed.

“It should work,” Charlie opined. “Those planes can’t hang around searching for long, they’ll be running short of fuel soon.”

“Let’s hope so,” Margaret added.

“It looks like our prayers might be answered. I’ve just located a line squall right across our path. I can see the clouds and they’re not towering thunderheads, but the radar indicates lots of rain. Here we go.”

Margaret looked down and blinked.

“You’re getting awfully low Charlie.”

“Yeah. We’ll pass under the cloud base, cool off in the rain then carry on behind the clouds. Going close to the water also messes with their radars as the ‘sea-clutter’ throws up interference.

“How much further do we have to go?”

“B’ out fifteen hundred miles. Or two hours in space-ship speak.”

“Will they catch us.”

“I doubt it, they’re already getting desperate, they’ve just fired an air to air missile.”

“A missile!” Margaret almost screeched.”

“Don’t worry, we’ve just entered the rain and we’re only one metre above the sea; well, the jet is one metre above the sea. She’ll be lost in the clutter without a heat profile and if it picks us up, well Dawn can take a pretty hard knock. She’s got a ten centimetre thick steel skin.”

Margaret’s stomach churned with fear.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 32

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 32
©Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Chapter 32.

As the spaceship ‘Dawn’ raced to keep distance between her and the approaching missile Margaret stared transfixed through her viewing port at the private jet. Every ten seconds, she gave a situation report to Charlie as he hunched over the control console whilst simultaneously monitoring the sea state.

He intended to use the heavy rain of the line squall as a sanctuary to hide from the missile’s radar and to make their defence more effective, he had to keep as close to the sea surface as possible.

“You’re getting very close to the water now!” Margaret advised. “I can’t tell if the trail we’re leaving is just the slipstream, or the tail of the jet skimming the water.”

Charlie sighed and adjusted Dawn’s altitude slightly.

“How’s that?”

“Better,” Margaret replied, “there’s definitely some light between the tail and the water.

“Okay, we’re entering the squall now, keep a good lookout, and check the engine nacelles as well, I don’t want to end up scooping water and ripping the wings off.”

“Not much chance of that,” Margaret replied. “She’s tail low and nose high. The engines are well clear of the water.”

“Good. The passengers will just have to love it or lump it.”

At that, there was an all-encompassing rattle as they entered the rain. The view ahead became almost impenetrable, and the sea started boiling beneath them. Charlie observed to Margaret.

“It’s rain and hail, so much the better. Hail is even better than rain for reflecting radar signals and it will atrophy any heat profiles better.”

Margaret pulled a rueful smile. ‘Charlie wasn’t sat down where she was with hail bouncing up from the fuselage and wings towards her open viewing port.’ Within seconds there were small deposits of hail caught in crannies around her coat as they swirled through the viewing port.

“How much longer in this hail?” She asked. “I’m getting covered in hailstones.”

The hail and rain were so dense that Charlie’s own radar was affected. As a precaution, he had altered course to go south and stay out of detection for a while longer but now he realised he had compromised Margaret who only had her police jacket on. Swiftly, he resumed his original course again for Oz and they emerged from the line squall very quickly. Charlie could only hope his ‘side-swipe’ had blinded the missile.
It hadn’t.
ooo000ooo

“You’ll have to close your viewing port!” He called back.

“The missile has still got us locked and it’s still flying.” I don’t know what range it has but I can’t take the risk of there being a chink in Dawn’s armour if the damned thing manages to reach us.”

Reluctantly Margaret cranked down the steel cover then dogged it down tight as Charlie increased the speed again. Being of no further use in the observation bay, she extricated herself and stretched with relief as she felt the spaceship start to surge forward.

“They’ll be having a bloody rough ride in the jet. I hope the kids are okay.”

“There’s not much else I can do. Keep a check on the radar. That blinking blob is the missile. The blinks are its radar signature.”

“It’s approaching quickly.”

“D’ you think I don’t know? You’d better secure yourself in a seat and hope it doesn’t penetrate the armour. Provided we stay this low it will miss the plane as it flies to avoid interference from sea clutter. It will hit us and not the plane, but I know Dawn can take it.”

“For a few moments, Margaret stared fascinated at the approaching blob before deciding she had best do as told and take a seat. She strapped herself in and waited as she watched Charlie’s knuckles whiten.”

Then the cabin darkened.

Charlie had closed an armoured visor over the navigating screen. Margaret realised they were sealed in like a tank.

“Hold on!” He cried just before there was a terrific clang as Dawn shuddered before the flash became evident through Charlie’s navigating slot.

“There followed a shriek of wind, but Margaret realised they were still intact.”

“What’s that screaming?”

“The hull is intact but some of the solar panels have been dislodged from their fixings. Hull integrity is not compromised but I’m going to slow down anyway. Check the radar to see what the planes are doing.”

Margaret left her seat to study the radar screens and reported.

“There’s two blobs astern of us but they’re not gaining as fast as the missile.”

“Any more missiles?”

“Not that I can see. Wonder why they haven’t fired more.” Margaret observed.

“I’ve no idea,” Charlie replied, “but let’s be thankful for small mercies.”

“I think the planes are slowing down; no, they’re falling back!”

Charlie turned his seat around and pressed a couple of buttons. A small screen revealed relative numbers and courses causing Charlie to sigh with relief.

“They’ve turned back. Short of fuel most likely.”

As he reopened the protective visor, he suggested Margaret go and check the plane.

“There’s a heavy anorak in those lockers that I use when I go to Antarctica. It’ll be too big for you but it’s better than nothing.”

She did put it on and savoured the warmth it lent. It was a bit trickier getting into the observation space, but the benefits of the coat were immediate when she undogged the inspection panel then wound it back. When she looked down, she gasped at what she saw.

“The missile hit us alright but on the after lower part. I can see where the solar panels have been blown off. The explosion must have damaged the jet’s tail plane, that’s what the screaming is. It’s not us, it’s the jet’s vertical fin.”

“How bad is it?”

“The whole of the upper tip is gone, and some torn plates are fluttering like mad. That’s what’s making the noise.”

“Is their fuselage perforated?”

“Not that I can see. The hook still seems secure, and the plane isn’t slipping off the hook.”

“Okay, I’ll very slowly increase to five hundred knots and see how things pan out. Are you warm down there?”

“Deliciously so. This coat is fabulous. What’s the fur?”

“Canadian arctic fox.”

“Naughty, naughty; they’re a protected species.”

“Yeah, well nobody’s perfect. It’d be nice if I had a protection order on me. It seems foxes are more valuable than men. How d’ you think that makes me feel?”

“That’s a ridiculous point of view!”
“Is it? I’m not allowed to shoot a fox or trap one, but they can shoot missiles at me and take my children into captivity. Yeah, ridiculous is as ridiculous does!”

“They shot at me as well; and a whole planeload of women.”

“They were gunning for me, and you know it.”

Margaret realised it was pointless arguing. The man had been experiencing such slights since seventh grade in school and he’d had years to perfect his arguments. She changed the subject.

“D’you want a cup of tea?” She asked him.

“I’d better make it. You’re more important down there.”

“How’s that.”

“You’re watching over my children. Nothing’s more important to me.”

Margaret took a double take as the insight rattled her opinions about men. The man was obviously prepared to risk his life and everything else to save four kids. She had always been taught that men weren’t interested in looking after children and the statistics she had been shown in police college supported that view.

Her flight on the Dawn was proving to be a painful, Damascus voyage of discovery. Then her introspections were interrupted by Charlie appearing with another tray of tea and biscuits. Not only was the tea welcome but so was his face, despite its concerned expression. He settled on the floor of the cabin and carefully handed down the tea. It was just how she liked it. Obviously, the man had been watching her making the previous cups.

Somewhat lost for words she smiled her thanks then added superfluously,

“It’s still secure on the hook; no movement.”

“Thanks,” he smiled; and she was glad to see that smile chase away the concerned frown on his face.

She was also relieved to sense that the smile was one of gratitude not predation and Charlie’s next words reinforced that.

“Chloe will be glad to see them safe as well.”

ooo000ooo

Once both of them were certain, the plane was still lodged firmly on the hook, they decided it was safe for Margaret to evacuate the inspection chamber and crawl out to sit comfortably on one of the cabin seats.

There they sat with Charlie sprawled easily across the command seat keeping half an eye on the instruments while Margaret occasionally checked through the inspection port to make sure the aircraft wasn’t working loose. For three hours they chatted at length and Margaret learned another truth about men.

They were not all taciturn, morose bullies.

Admittedly, Charlie did not talk much about himself and Margaret found she had to ask all the questions, but when he did answer her, it was often with an amusing anecdote or some hilarious insight. More importantly, he asked her questions and seemed to show a genuine spark of interest even when she found herself going off on one.

His pacifism intrigued her.

“You never seem to lose your temper or get angry.” She observed.

“There’s no point.” He shrugged. “It doesn’t achieve anything.”

“But I can sense your bile.”

Charlie grinned ironically.

“Women’s intuition, is it?”

“Hardly, it’s showing in your lips, the way they sit tight and slightly pursed. Your eyes are rarely fully open. The way you clench for fists, frequently. The muscles in your jaw show at the side where they bulge ever so slightly as though you’re grinding your teeth.”

“Why are you surprised? You’ve only seen me since my kids were snatched. Hardly a happy occasion, is it?”

“Will it get better if you return your kids safely to their mother?”

“You have to ask?” Charlie looked askance.

“I don’t know. My college course taught me that men were usually violent, greedy and selfish. You’re much more complex than that.”

“I can’t answer for what your course taught you, nor can I judge myself. I leave that to others.”

She was about to ask him about previous relationships before marriage, but their conversation was interrupted by the ARPA warning on the radar. Charlie turned to the screen and activated the identifier. Immediately the radio came to life.

“It’s the Australian air traffic.” He explained to Margaret.

She knew perfectly well what it was but bit her tongue. Normally his remark would have been deemed patronising or even insulting to a woman; and it could have landed him a fine under the feminista misogyny codes, but she let it ride. He had, after all, just pulled off a remarkable capture of twenty armed criminals with a remarkable craft.

He replied to the challenge as any layperson would.

“Hello to Australian air traffic. This is the spacecraft Dawn.”

“Hello Dawn. What’s your call sign.”

Charlie hesitated. He did not have a call sign for he had never needed one He turned to Margaret.

“What do I say. I don’t have a call sign, I’ve never had one.”

“Give them your position, course and speed. That will at least identify you on their radars.”

He promptly did as advised and waited for a response.

“Aircraft Dawn. What is your altitude?”

“One thousand metres and I’m manoeuvring with difficulty.”

“We have an EPIRB transmitting a distress signal from that position. It’s from a private UQ jet. Can you explain?”

Margaret became impatient and held out her hand for the mike.

“Let me explain. I’ve at least got an official identity.”

“Be my guest.” Charlie conceded. “I’ll bet they’re already doing back-flips over a man’s voice.”

“That and god knows what else!” Margaret Conceded as she started to give chapter and verse.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 33

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 33

List of Characters.

Chapter 33

Margaret took a deep breath before speaking into the mike.

“Hello Australian air traffic control this is Police Sergeant Margaret Thomas. Which Air Traffic control station are you?”

“This is Perth, Western Australia. We’re the main regional traffic control. What is your destination?”

“The nearest airport where we can meet an armed reception committee.”

“Why?”

“Don’t ask stupid questions. I’m a federal police officer and I have arrested over twenty armed criminals who have kidnapped four Australian minors. I need a secure place to land, preferably a military base somewhere near Port Hedland. That is my present federal secondment.”

“We would recommend, Perth Airport.”

Margaret turned to Charlie who shook his head.

“It could be a bloodbath. They’ll be worrying about collateral damage and all bloody sorts. Besides, the sooner we get to land this plane, the better. Tell them Hedland’s a better bet and to have plenty of armed troops on hand. Explain to them that while we’re flying above stall speed, we’re safe, but once we lose lift from the plane’s wings, there’s no knowing what the fuselage will do. While they’re at it, ask if they’ve got any bloody military aircraft to hand. They can explain the situation and possibly transmit some video from their cameras to reveal the situation.”

“Good idea,” Margaret agreed, and she promptly relayed the information.

The message was answered immediately by a different voice for now things were moving rapidly.

“Spaceship Dawn, this RAAF station Learmonth. What is your position and situation?”

Charlie felt a wave of relief wash over him as Margaret answered the military interrogation immediately while Charlie passed her their exact position and situation.

The response gave Charlie hope when they learned that top priority had been accorded to any information pertaining to a craft called ‘Dawn’

After confirming their identity and location Charlie felt a surge of relief as he recognised Chloe’s voice. Dawn had been patched into a military network and Chloe had been given priority to speak to her husband.

“Charlie is that you?”

“Yes.”

“Can I speak to the kids?”

“No. At the moment I have them in my control, but I cannot speak to them.”

“Are they safe?”

“No. They were kidnapped, definitely by that lunatic Doctor/Colonel Wilson. She smuggled them onto a private jet and was trying to get them to Diego Garcia. We stopped them by capturing the plane they were on but they’re still inside the plane.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You’ll see when those planes arrive from Learmonth. Apparently, they’ve got cameras and you’ll see how we captured Colonel Wilson ‘s plane; and his squad of gangsters.”

Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by another voice as the two fighters despatched to escort them broke in on the same frequency. By now they had been fully briefed and used the now accepted moniker, ‘Dawn’.

“Spaceship Dawn! Spaceship Dawn, are your receiving me?”

Charlie debated returning the mike to Margaret in case the people calling deemed a male voice to be an antagonist. In the end, he felt that whoever was calling would at least realise they were not belligerents. He replied instead of Margaret.
“Station calling Spaceship Dawn, identify yourself.”

“This is RAAF jet number zero, two, eight accompanied by zero, two, nine. How do you read me?”

“Loud and clear. Where are you?”

“We have you on radar and we’re approaching from your southeast. We’ll have you on visual in about five minutes. What is your condition?”

“My condition is safe and satisfactory, the damage I have sustained is slight and does not affect my performance. I am still ‘spaceworthy’, however, the aircraft I have attached in tow may not even be airworthy!”

There was an exchange between the pilots as they digested Charlie’s words. On hearing them, Margaret interrupted somewhat irritably.

“Listen ladies, this is Sergeant Margaret Thomas here and you can quit making remarks about dumb men. Just you wait until you can see the situation, then you can perhaps, say something sensible.”

The air fell silent as the pilots realised they had been overheard and no more was heard until the Australian fighter jets had visual. Then there was a crude expletive as the pilots realised the truth. There really was a small airliner caught by the hook of what appeared to be a flying Cornish Pastie.

“Jesus Christ! Look at that Debbie!”

“Fuck me, it looks like two insects mating in flight.”

Margaret and Charlie exchanged smiles as they listened to the incredulous pilots. Then Margaret revelled in the delight of the put-down as Charlie stifled a silent chuckle.

“As I told you ladies, we’ve got an airliner hooked up to us, and it’s under arrest. Now let’s have less of the theatrical language while you direct me to Learmonth airbase and promise me there are sufficient soldiers to detain these terrorists.”

The fighter pilot’s answer was still laced with disbelief as she stared at the conjoined craft.

“How the hell did you do that?”

“Don’t ask.” Margaret replied. “Just give us a course for Learmonth and confirm you’ve got sufficient troops for the reception committee. The troops in this plane are crack special forces.”

“Your course is one, oh, seven degrees true, and your distance is one hundred and ten miles.”

“That’s better,” Margaret scolded them, “now let’s try and keep this professional when we deliver these criminals!”

Having been suitably censured, the two sky jockettes fell in either side of the Dawn and kept their counsel until Charlie re-opened the dialogue.

ooo000ooo

“Now ladies, are you able to make out anything of the condition inside the plane?”

“We can see two people in the cockpit.”

“Is anybody moving around in the cabin space?” Charlie asked.

“There are faces in the cabin windows, but they all seem to be seated.”

“Yes, that’s the sensible thing to do. If the move around they might upset the balance and slip off the hook. Can you not contact them by radio?”

“They’ve just signalled their radios are out because their engines are dead. That hook thing you’ve got apparently damaged the batteries. Their emergency EPIRB is working, that’s what alerted us. Firstly, Diego Garcia told us they were investigating, and we assumed they had it under control.”

“They lied.” Charlie replied.

“We know that now, after the federal government advised us.”

“You’ve been too bloody slow all around!” Margaret complained. “There’ll be questions about this when it’s all sorted. Nobody told the Hammersley Police about the seriousness of the danger; we were totally unprepared.”

“Well, that’s water under the bridge for now, the question is how are you going to land that mess?”

“Can you instruct their pilot to lower his wheels. They should be able to crank them down manually on a small plane like that.”

Charlie and Margaret watched the fighter pilot make a sign for undercarriage then waited as both jets flew underneath to check. Seconds later one of them advised Charlie.

“Their undercarriage is extending. It’s very slow but they’re managing it.”

“Good; that’s a step. I hope to land the plane like a normal landing, but you’ll have to reduce your speed to stay back with us. I want you to give me some idea of approach height of their wheels. I can’t judge from above them.”

“Got that. You’ve fifty miles to go, that’s the Australian coast ahead. Learmonth Airbase is the other side of the peninsular. They are monitoring our communications. You can check with them what preparations they have in place.”

“Thank you, stay with me to touch down.”

“You’ve got our promise on that.”

“Thank you. My intention is to make a few low-level circuits of the field to judge my approach height and speed. The slower I can go, the better but I cannot risk a ‘dead-weight’ landing. Ideally, I should approach just exactly as the plane would normally land to avoid as much load on the hook as possible. I’ll talk to the tower now.”

“Go ahead Dawn, we’re both listening. Your wheels are almost down.”

“Hello Learmonth tower, this is Spaceship Dawn; come in.”

“Dawn, this is Learmonth.”

“I need the landing specifications for this plane. Mainly the ideal landing speed.”

“Already ahead of you pilot. The touchdown speed is one fifty knots. And line up the orange lights for approach. The green lights are for high performance jets, too steep for that plane but I don’t have any figures for your spaceship.”

“I don’t need any. Ordinarily, my ship does a vertical landing.

My biggest problem is the amount of wing-lift I can sustain on the approach. If my speed is too low, there is insufficient wing-lift, and the main spar of this craft might become too stressed over my hook. Then it might buckle.

If my speed is too high, when the wheels touch, the plane might be too light and bounce off the hook. I have no idea how well the hook is embedded into the main spar. So, wish me luck.

Thanks for the figures. I’ll try a dummy run first and you can tell me if it’s within limits.”

“Hello Dawn, this is fighter-pilot just to confirm, the plane’s landing wheels appear to be down and locked, the pilot has just given me a thumbs-up on that.”

“Thanks missy. Stay with me for the inspection circuit, I’ll take it wide and steady.”

“That’s a promise Dawn. We’ll stay with you.”

Once Charlie had a good visual on the airbase he made two circuits of the field at a five-mile radius then a two-mile radius. This was as tight and as slow as the fighters could go without adopting vertical landing mode, which they intended to do during the final approach. Finally, he went out to ten miles and started his approach. As he lined up on the orange lights, one of the fighters followed directly behind the jetliner and reported an important message.

“Your jet-liner is too low Charlie she’s seeing orange and red. Come up a bit.”

“Thanks,” Charlie replied as he increased altitude and started to notice a second line of orange.”

“How’s that jet-pilot?”

“She’s right on the correct glide path and seeing single orange. I’m directly behind her at the same altitude. How does that fit with your view?”

“I see the lower orange and a half disc of the second orange, I’ll keep that unless you tell me otherwise. Five miles to touch-down and about ten metres high above the glide path. That’s the distance between my cockpit and the prisoner.”

“Good, keep it at that.”

Charlie kept focusing tight on the light arrangement then blinked momentarily as the green lights appeared then disappeared.

“Those were green lights! What was that? He panicked slightly.”

“Ignore them! Stay with the orange! One mile to go! You’re right on the button!”

Charlie’s knuckles were white with tension as the ground seemed to be approaching frighteningly fast,. The jet pilot’s voice reassured him.

“Your approach is good, your touching - - - now!”

Even through the skeg-hook, felt the sudden rumble of rubber on tarmac. It was now a matter of keeping the hook embedded whilst pulling back gently on the hook. Margaret was already pre-positioned in the viewpoint watching the hook like a hawk while calling up the situation.

“Hook is still secure, it’s embedded.”

“With this information, Charlie eased back but increased the lift. The hook ripped up into the main wing-spar whilst sawing further down the back of the fuselage.”

“Careful Charlie!!” You’re ripping the fuselage like a can-opener!”

Charlie was worried. The compromise between reducing the ground speed while yet sawing farther into the hull of the fuselage was proving trickier than she anticipated.

He eased off on the lift and felt the plane begin to shake violently as the wheels began to imprint heavily and the tarmac. Margaret let out a squeal of concern as she watched the plough-share hook emerge from the front of the main spar so that only a few feet of aluminium box girder bridged the hook to keep the main-spar intact; and that box section was buckling as she watched. Her only relief was that the plane had definitely reduced speed. She had no idea by how much, but she reported what she could see to Charlie.

“The speed is down a lot Charlie, but the girder thing is looking badly bent. The skin is beginning to split along the spine of the fuselage ahead of the wing as well. It gets wider with every bump of the wheels.”

“I’m down to ninety knots, - no eighty, now. How’s that spilt?”

“It’s still opening up. Can you slow it down a bit faster?

“No chance!” Charlie replied. “If we snap the main spar then there’s no knowing where the wings will break nor how they’ll dig the engines into the ground. “We’re down to sixty knots.”

Before Margaret could respond with a sit-rep, there was a tearing grinding sound and Margaret watched in fascinated horror as the plane gave a violent lurch and the main spar box girder gave a grinding groan. Margaret watched the broken spar start to separate and the hook ripped free as Dawn, now freed of the weight, leapt upwards before Charlie could haul back on the speed.

Over the radio, Charlie heard the escorting jet pilot report.

“The starboard landing wheels have collapsed.”

“Thank god there’s no fuel!” Was Charlie’s abiding thought as he saw the plane’s upward tilting nose swerve violently to starboard before disappearing from view.

Now free of the burden, Dawn responded as precisely as a humming bird when Charlie yanked back hard to turn short around and inspect the wreck. Poor Margaret was jammed hard against the front of the inspection chamber and bruised her shoulder badly.

“Oow! Dammit Charlie! That hurt.”

“Sorry Marge!”

“Oh, it’s okay. I don’t think anything’s broken. But next time, warn me!”

“Can you close the viewing port, I’m going to land?”

Margaret struggled with the crank and dogs then emerged wincing from the bay. She found Charlie closing down the engines and preparing to open the airtight door to the cargo bay.

“Bugger me!” Margaret cursed more with relief than anger. “Thank you for flying with Humpty-Dumpty airlines. Every landing a walk-away!”

“Never mind us, we are walking!” Charlie frowned, “let’s see what our prisoner is like.”

“Well, I don’t see any smoke, that’s always a good sign!” Margaret opined.

They emerged shakily from the Spaceship and on realising that there was no sign of fire, Charlie was set to dash into the plane and find his kids. It took Margaret all her strength to restrain him.

“Not yet Charlie. There’s still a platoon of bloody armed troops in there. There’s no knowing what’s going on.”

Her words proved prophetic.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 34

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 34
© Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Chapter 34.

As they studied the plane Charlie observed.

“It’s not that badly broken up, there should be soldiers revealing themselves even if only to negotiate.”

“If they’re coherent, a well-trained troop, they will be considering their choices and chances.”

“They’ve got no choice but to surrender, surely. They’d be crazy not to.”

“They’re well-armed Charlie. Twenty-four troopers all armed with automatic weapons. This is going to take some negotiating.”
“Just give me a fifty-calibre rifle then we’ll see how their automatic weapons fare.”

Margaret despaired.

“Leave it to the professionals Charlie, besides, I doubt there’s a fifty-calibre rifle in the whole of Western Australia. That’s a heavy machine gun calibre.”

“There are sniper’s rifles with point five oh calibre. Surely your special forces use them.”

“That’s a bloody heavy gun to be lugging around single handed. Our girls prefer lighter weapons. They’ve got the sufficient power to kill.”

“Yeah, but nothing like the same punch. A few soft-tip point five oh rounds into that plane and there’ll be a few minds being changed.”

“Well, it’s immaterial anyway. Here come the cavalry and I don’t see anything resembling a point five oh. Now I’m ordering you to keep out of this. Go and sit in your spaceship.”

“Why. They’re my children in that plane.”

“Don’t make me use my gun Charlie. Hostage situations need specialist negotiators and combatants. Especially if those people in there are special forces.”

“If those kids are hurt, I won’t be responsible for what I do.”

Margaret drew her pistol as she warned him.

“Don’t make threats you can’t carry out. Get in that spaceship and you won’t get hurt.”

As he reluctantly stepped up the ‘Dawn’s’ loading ramp he studied the group moving cautiously towards the crumpled plane. For want of anything useful to do or say he shouted to them. “Give them hell girls!”

“Not until we know what we’re dealing with.” Their commanding lieutenant replied.

“You’re dealing with a bunch of terrorists and kidnappers who are holding
a kid and three babies’ hostage. Show no mercy!”

The commanding officer ignored him as she arranged her men so that they were invisible to people in the plane. Then, once she had them positioned, she bull-horned to the plane.

“If you surrender now, nobody will get hurt!”

On hearing the officer’s amplified challenge, Charlie wagged his head as he realised it would most probably come to killing. With fatal resignation, he went to make a cup of coffee in Dawn’s galley to steady his nerves. However, with the airtight door between the cabin and the cargo-bay not fully closed, Charlie could still hear the sound of the bull horn as it repeated its effort to persuade the plane occupants to surrender the babies.

Then, as the blaring horn began to irritate him, he slammed the door shut and finished his coffee, only to make another to keep him occupied.

Before starting to drink the second mug he went to his Antarctic clothing locker and from behind the quilted all-in-one overall he took out the only weapon he had acquired since building Dawn. A point five oh sniper’s rifle that he had acquired in case he ever needed to hunt meat.

He had stolen it from a gun shop in Arizona during a civil disturbance and looting was endemic. In the pandemonium, he had sneaked down by night, landed silently and simply stolen a ‘pick-up’ and grabbed the gun amongst the rioting looters. He still recalled the grin on a fellow looter’s face as he recommended that Charlie would be better off stealing a pistol.

After extracting the gun from his Antarctic Locker, he checked it over then slotted it into a secret recess down the side of the ship’s control panel. Next he placed a box of the heavy calibre bullets under the console. They were in a grease-proof cardboard carton and unlabelled so nobody would recognise them if they came into the Dawn’s cabin.

Having done enough to protect himself he settled down expecting to hear gunfire, but none came.

About two hours later, as he was pouring his umpteenth mug of coffee, there was a knock on the airtight door. Charlie checked the cargo camera and recognised Margaret accompanied by two Australian soldiers with his infant triplets in their arms. His heart gave a whoop as he cracked the door open a fraction to double check there was no trap.

Margaret’s grinning face pushed up to the narrow gap.

“These three are safe Charlie. Chloe’s on her way by light aircraft from Port Hedland hospital. She’ll be here in an hour.”

“Where’s Charlotte, my older girl?”

“I’m afraid that Colonel Wilson is using her as a bargaining chip.”

“How the hell!”

“The bulk of the Brits agreed to surrender, they could see it was a no-win situation. There was some sort of vote, and the majority came out with the babies.”

“So, who’s got Charlotte?”

“Colonel Wilson and a couple of die-hards.”

“So, they’re still in the plane?” Charlie hazarded.

“No. There was a bit of a fuck-up.”

“Oooh shit! Go on!”

“Apparently, one of the troopers escaped from the plane immediately after it came to rest. In all the dust as the plane swung into the red dust, she managed to get to a gulley and crawled on her belly to the motor pool right across the airfield.”

“Go on.” Charlie prompted as Margaret hesitated. “you’re telling me she crawled on her belly for what? A mile, - a mile and a half!”

“They are special forces Charlie. These girls are tough!”

“Go on, tell me the worst.”

“Well, she had an encrypted radio, and she was in touch with the gang in the plane. Wilson, asked for water and the negotiators agreed. So, when a gravi-truck with water bottles was prepared, this clever bitch hijacked the truck, disabled the driver, changed uniforms and drove out to the plane as arranged. When she got to the truck, she boldly started unloading the water bottles as the voluntary surrenderers came out. They gathered around the truck to slake their thirst then walked towards the captors with the three babies in their arms.

In the melee around the water truck, Wilson and the other diehard took the Charlotte in the gravi-truck and simply drove towards the base. Observers lost count of where all the kidnap gang were because they deliberately milled about to confuse the count while loading the water into the plane.

The plane was now empty, we had twenty-one captives plus the triplets, so we presumed the last two were still in the plane with Charlotte while the driver was the twenty fourth. Instead of returning to the vehicle pool, they drove the pickup to the gate, flashed the genuine driver’s id while Wilson and his crony hid under some carboard wrappings, and they escaped out of the base.”

Charlie let out a long sigh.

“Jeeze! These numpties are sloppy bastards.”

“There’s a lot of traffic on the base at the moment, not least being the buzz that your space-ship has caused. The security staff on the gate are being overwhelmed and already, there’s a posse of pressmen gathered.”

“What! Out here? It’s a bloody desert, where’ve they come from?”
“News travels fast Charlie and everybody and his dog has a light plane. Perth’s only six hundred miles away. Exmouth’s only forty klicks. By now the sky will be black with bloody planes between here, Perth and or Darwin.”

Charlie cursed inwardly as Margaret motioned to him to open the door.

“These girls are medics and they’ve checked the babies out. They’re fine, can we come in?”

“How long before Chloe arrives?”

“She’s just landed. Give it five minutes.”

ooo000ooo

Those minutes were some of the longest in Charlie’s life. He fretted anxiously and kept checking his children constantly until he heard Chloe’s voice coming up the ramp.

“Charlie! Are you okay?” Chloe cried.

“Definitely love, and the triplets are here,” he finished as he swung the airtight door open wide.”

“Where’s Charlotte?”

“That bitch Wilson has kidnapped her. They’ve stolen an RAAF pickup and taken off into the bush.”

“Which way?” Chloe asked as she checked each of her precious trio.

“I’ll check with the gate,” Margaret replied, “and I’m sorry about your shoulder.”

Chloe tugged at the sling and frowned.

“It could be worse, but no permanent damage, the doctors tell me. Who are these two?”

“They’re medics designated to look after the babies.”

“We’re under orders to make damned sure this time. No mistakes.”
Chloe nodded menacingly.

“Make bloody sure this time.” Then she turned to Margaret.” So, Miss Police sergeant. How do you intend to recover Charlotte?”

“It’s in the hands of the armed forces. We have to locate them first.”

Chloe stared ruefully at Charlie.

“We should have had them chipped to the mobile phone network.”

“That won’t work out here Miss,” Margaret explained. “There’s no mobile network out here; it’s all satellite phones.”

“So, what’s to be done?” Chloe fretted.

“We could go searching ourselves in Dawn. Leave the Clamshell doors open, and several pairs of eyes can scan a fair patch of bush.”

“Pity the Ute is Airforce grey. Too much like camouflage.”

“Don’t forget to strap yourselves to the cargo rings. Don’t want you falling out.”

The nursemaids smirked, they were special forces first and nursemaids second.

“Do you want us to fetch our guns?”

“Where are they?” Margaret asked.

“Locked in the gun-rack of the truck. We can unlock them if you want us to.”

“You’d better check with your C.O.” Margaret advised.

“She’s already ‘gone-a-huntin’.”

“Is there no-one else up the command chain?”

“Not locally, this was a rush job. Anyway, as the local lawman, aren’t you the boss? Arresting people and all that?”

Margaret sighed.

“I bloody suppose so. Charlie can you ask at the gate which way they went?”

“South. I’ve already asked.”

“Go and get your guns girls. No not trudging over there. Charlie, show these troopers what Dawn can do. Hold on to something girls.”

They instinctively grabbed at the cargo rings as Dawn rose a few metres and silently crossed the couple of hundred metres to the trooper’s gravi-truck.

“Jeeze! Stealth or what?” One of the troopers observed as they stopped right alongside the troopers truck. “Our kit makes a humming noise. Not much, but enough to reveal our presence within a few metres. This bloody thing is silent!”

“My science; my secret.” Charlie declared as the two nursemaids unlocked their guns.

“Bloody hell! Bring it on boy.”

The second trooper snorted with amusement.

“I never thought I’d ever hear you say that Sally!”

“I’d let him fuck me for one of these.”

“Oy! That’s my husband you’re talking about!” Chloe objected.

“Don’t worry Mummy. Sally’s a lesbian, your boy’s safe.”

“You’d better believe it girls,” Margaret cautioned them. “Now; shall we do the job we’re paid to do and find this little girl?”

After Margaret and the two troopers had strapped themselves to the cargo rings, Chloe retired to the cabin and closed the airtight door.”

“Hardly any need for that Darling.” Charlie observed.
“Just to keep the dust out, my kids have been through enough.”

“As you will. Can you keep tabs on the ‘look-down’ radar?”

“What? And feed the kids?”

“Oh! Sorry love. Are you comfortable?”

“I’ve been on the pump for the last few days. I’m glad to get a proper chance.”

“Well, I’ll bet it’s a real relief, I wonder how you can feed three babies. I mean, have you got enough milk and all that?”

“You worry about finding Charlotte and I’ll worry about these three.”

“Okay. I’ll watch the radar.”

So saying, Charlie sat sideways to attend to both consoles.

They spent an hour quartering the whole peninsular but had little success, so Charlie invited the girls into the cabin again to have a brainstorm. He relied Mainly on Margaret’s local knowledge but even that was sketchy. Her main area was Hammersley ranges and the mining towns thereabouts.

“D’ you think they might have just headed due south towards Perth and gone to ground in the city?” Sally offered. “I mean, there’s very few places she can hide out around here without being noticed. Apart from Exmouth, they’re all very small towns and an air-force antigrav would stick out like a sore thumb.”

“Yeah.” Margaret agreed. “But the outback is a vast place, and he can go anywhere with anti-grav. We’re going to have to think this one through, not just search blindly.”

Charlie sighed. He was thinking how successful his own hideaway at Coach had proven to be and he was hiding a several bloody craft out there. Every idea for hiding a vehicle or an anti-grav was plausible and with every hour, Wilson could be another hundred miles further out in an ever-expanding circle. The worst part with anti-grav was – ‘no tracks’!

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 35

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 35

List of Characters.

Chapter 35

Margaret was the first to concede that the task was hopeless at that stage. Colonel Wilson and her remaining loyal gang had too much of a start and simply continuing to quarter the area was allowing her to put too much distance between them. She proposed that the colonel would need to find supplies, especially food. They probably had sufficient water from the debacle at the plane.

“They will also have to charge their batteries because there were no solar panels on the Ute.” Sally opined.

“Well, that will mean using a public charging point because she certainly won’t have her own connection out here.” Charlie agreed. “She’s a visitor to Oz, not a home-owner.

“I’ll get and ‘all-persons - broadcast’ out now on the police network.” Margaret Declared as she picked up the ship’s mike and tuned it to the police frequency.

Charlie did not restrain her. Broadcasting the alert could do no harm and the authorities at Learmont would have certainly done so anyway. There would be no hiding a crashed commercial jet no matter how small. Everybody listened to Margaret’s conversation and there was a collective sigh of relief when it was confirmed that the antigrav Ute had been seen heading for Perth.

“What speed do your trucks do?” Margaret asked the trooper nursing one of the triplets.

“‘Bout two hundred klicks.,” she replied in her best Australian accent.

“And how fast does your ship go?” She asked Charlie.

“You don’t need to ask. I’m heading for Perth as we speak. If that bunch are going direct, we’ll have them. Chloe, can you show the sergeant how to operate the ‘look-down’ radar? Mostly it’s a matter of recognising moving targets. Unfortunately, we don’t have a powerful telescopic camera, would that we did, things would be better.

I’ve got a pair of binoculars, but somebody will have to get ensconced into the viewing port. Don’t try to open the port, we’ll be doing about eight hundred knots that’s about fourteen hundred and fifty klicks! When we pick something on the ‘look-down’ we’ll slow down to investigate.
We’ll travel at about one hundred metres altitude with the look-down on side-scan.”

Chloe nodded her comprehension then took Margaret to the ‘look-down’ to explain.

“I’ll set it up for side-scan and that will pick up moving targets in a ten-mile-wide path along our route. The computer will probably do most of the detection, but it pays to have human eyes watching the screen.”

Margaret nodded as Chloe explained further.

“That’s the range finder; you can move that around, and that’s the bearing cursor; you can move that as well. Don’t touch this, it’s the gain button and seriously affects the ground clutter adjustments.”

“Got it,” Margaret exclaimed, “that’s like the sea clutter when we were chasing the jet-liner.”

“Exactly,” Chloe confirmed as Margaret peered intently into the hooded visor.

“We should be in Perth in less than fifty minutes.” Charlie declared, “the city sky-scrapers will show up at about fifty miles. If they’ve steered straight towards Perth, we should pick them up long before Perth.”

After setting up Margaret as a radar observer, Chloe chose the smaller of the troopers to squat into the observation space and peer through the little observation porthole.

Thus prepared, the Dawn raced towards Perth while checking intermittent targets that proved mostly to be anti-gravs travelling innocently towards Perth. The journey proved useful insofar as Margaret got some practice with the look-down radar while Sally, the smaller nursemaid got a better idea of what to be looking for as every radar target was located and she could finally spot it visually, then identify it.

They were over a hundred miles north of Perth when a promising target appeared slightly on their starboard bow. Margaret gave Sally the co-ordinates and the trooper soon spotted it.

“It’s Ute and it’s grey. Looks like the target.”

Sally had to bend awkwardly to bring the binoculars into focus and she had to ask Charlie to increase altitude so that she had a better ‘look-down’ view.

“I’m cricking my neck down here and I can’t hold the binoculars firmly.”

Charlie understood her problem so he increased altitude until Sally could hold the binoculars hard against the toughened glass of the viewing port. Eventually she spotted the white lettering on the door and confirmed it was definitely a RAAF Ute.

“I can’t read the lettering yet, but it’s too much of a coincidence for there to be two.”

“Not necessarily,” the other trooper Jacky opined. “If we’re only a hundred miles north of Perth, we’re not far from Pearce airbase, and that’s a big base. There’ll be dozens of grey Utes around here soon. She might be looking to get lost in the herd, as it were.”

Charlie nodded.

“You could well be right Jacky! Thanks. We’re less than fifty miles from Perth now. I’m going down to take a look!”

“Watch they don’t take a shot at you.” Jacky cautioned. “They’ve got automatic rifles with them.”

Charlie smiled at the girl and inclined his head towards Margaret.

“Tell her sergeant.”

Margaret took considerable delight in relating the story of the missile attack by the UQ jet out of Diego Garcia. She ended with the words now familiar to her.

“This thing's a flying tank Jacky. When we land I’ll show you where we were hit.”

“Seriously? Jacky asked, turning to Chloe who nodded affirmation.

“Well Sally and I have both got assault rifles, so they can piss off!”

“You won’t need those if they start to get trigger happy. Show them Chloe.” Charlie advised.

Chloe unclipped what seemed to look like a maintenance panel from the side of the control console and carefully pulled out a 'point five oh' sniper’s rifle. Jacky’s eyes widened with appreciation as the long barrel emerged and Chloe placed it thoughtfully on the table. Even Margaret did a double take as she looked up from the now redundant look-down radar.

“Jesus Christ! That’s bloody illegal!” Margaret declared.

“Not on my Spaceship Sergeant,” Charlie argued. “This ship is not registered in Australia or anywhere else for that Matter. Technically I have not registered my arrival in Australia, - - - yet! So, the gun is still technically in bond!”

“Well. I’m not happy!” Margaret objected.

“Oooh! I am.” Jacky whispered enthusiastically as she stroked the gun and ran her fingers up and down the barrel.”

“Can you handle that?” Charlie asked.

“Try me!” Jacky grinned as she called to Sally in the viewing bay.

“You wann’a see what I’ve got Sally. Big girl’s toys. Come and see!”

“Fuck off Jacky. I cant let go sight of this bloody ute. Charlie, can you come down lower?”

Charlie did as asked then suddenly illuminated the fleeing ute with a sun-lamp.

“Ouch!” Sally exclaimed. “Warn me when you’re gonna do something like that!”

“Sorry, it’s pointing away from you towards the pick-up.”

“Even so Captain, It’s still bloody bright! Oh goody, they’re slowing down.”

“Keep us informed trooper. They won’t be able to see your viewing port, the sun-lamp will blind them.”

“Ain’t that the truth!” Sally riposted. “So, what’s your plan Skipper?”

“When they stop or slow down enough, I’ll bring Dawn down to ground level and pin their truck to the ground. To them it’ll look like a battle tank descending on them.”

“Can’t you use the hook thing again?” Margaret asked.

“I don’t know,” Charlie replied. “If I tried to snag the back of the cab there’s no knowing what the truck’ ll do. The force required to pierce the cab might topple the truck. It’s not like the plane, the ute is quite light and the steel cab is relatively stronger than a plane’s aluminium skin. I could roll the ute over and my daughter Charlotte is still inside, - I think!”

Jacky called to her buddy Sally.

“Can you see the child Sally?”

“I think so. Sitting on the middle seat, typically aussie, kid; sun-bleached blond hair.”

“That’s her Margaret confirmed.”

“Well, you can’t hook through the back panel window, you could kill her.”

“That’s what I bloody feared,” Charlie cursed. “Somehow, we’re gonn’a have to stop them without damaging the cab.”

“Hello-ooow!” Jacky cooed expectantly as she cradled the sniping rifle in her arms. “This thing could put a bullet straight through the engine block!”

“Are you confident to do that?” Charlie asked.

“Can you open those clam-shell doors singularly.” Jacky asked.

“Yes, but you have to do it in the cargo bay.” Charlie explained. From here I can only open them simultaneously.

“I’ll show you,” Chloe volunteered as she started to open the airtight connecting door.

“You’ll need the head-phones!” Charlie called back. “With only one door, the slipstream is deafening.”

“Already ahead of you,” Chloe grinned. As she, Margaret and Jacky entered the cargo bay.

Jacky explained her plan to everybody via the earphones.

“Charlie if you bring the stern of the ship to the right of the ute, Chloe can crack open the starboard clamshell sufficient for me duck behind the still closed port door while pointing the gun at the ute. I’ll be fastening myself and the gun to the partially opened starboard door.”

“It would be easier if we did it the other way around,” Charlie observed. “I’m right-handed and it’s easier to look and work to my right.”

“Sorry Skipper. I’m left handed, it’s easier for me to shoot from around the port clamshell.”

“Got it.” Charlie agreed without hesitation as Margaret silently marvelled.

‘A man who could take advice from a woman without argument.’

‘One more nail in the coffin of the misanthropic education she had received all her life.’

‘Are there lots of men like this?’ She wondered.

While Chloe and Jacky tied safety lines to both Jacky and the sniper’s rifle, Margaret lifted one of the ‘dead-lights’ in the cargo bay and gained an excellent view of the ute directly alongside and slightly below the dawn. She turned to see Jacky wrapping the shoulder strap around her upper arm while motioning to Chloe to keep the barrel securely snared to the edge of the clamshell door.

“This must be the best mobile gun platform I’ve ever fired from. Steady as bloody rock!” Jacky chuckled as she called to Charlie to bring the Dawn slightly ahead of the racing ute.

Margaret could now see how Jacky was setting up the hit and she could see into the cab.

“They’ve seen us,” Margaret called out, “but they haven’t noticed you Jacky.”

“They will when we get slightly ahead. I won’t have much time once they realise. I’ll only get one shot, two if I’m extremely lucky.”

“The passenger’s got an assault rifle but that bitch Wilson has got an Uzi machine pistol. The good news is that the sun-lamp is still dazzling them!”

“If you let me open my viewing post,” Sally suggested, “I could take out the passenger with my assault rifle.”

“Not with Charlotte sat right beside him you won’t” Charlie bellowed. “We’ll do it Jacky’s way and just disable the engine. If you want to do anything useful Sally. Put a few bullets through the cargo bed and hit the battery underneath. That way, they’ll have no reserve charge to drive the gravs.”

“Can’t we just shoot out the gravi-drive spheres?” Sally asked.

“No! Certainly not, the sudden release of energy could toss the truck up into the air. They could even explode and kill the occupants of the ute. Besides, I don’t think an assault rifle could penetrate the spheres. But I can’t speak for the sniper’s rifle so; d’ you hear me Jacky? Strictly the engine block! DO NOT SHOOT AT ANYTHING ELSE!”

“Gotcha boss! About to fire at the engine block now, keep her steady.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 36

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminine Queendom Charlie’s War 36

© Beverly Taff August 2021

List of Characters.

Chapter 36.

After checking her makeshift rope sling, Jacky swung out from behind the door while Chloe kept a tight hold of the clove hitch that secured the end of the point five oh barrel to the catch on the door. As soon she was sure of a shot, (which took a second or two) Sally pumped the heavy calibre bullet into the bonnet (hood) of the ute and swung back immediately.

A second later a stream of point seven six bullets rattled against the clamshell door while a couple ricocheted into the cargo bay. The first one rattled harmlessly against the inner cargo bulkhead but the second one just nicked Chloe’s ear.
A girl not normally given to cursing; Chloe let forth a stream of curses that brought a smile to Sally’s lips. After she had finished, Margaret quietly reported that there was some smoke coming from the engine.

It soon turned to a lot of smoke and Sally reported that she could hardly make out the ute.

“I can’t see the flat bed enough to be sure. They definitely can’t see us now; can you come down lower so I can get a sure shot through the battery bay under the flat bed?

Charlie duly obliged and immediately, Sally let rip with her assault rifle shooting through the now opened observation port. Within seconds the rear bed of the ute was torn to shreds and flames were erupting from the shattered battery cells underneath.

“That’ll fucking stop her!” Sally cursed contentedly.

And it did.

ooo000ooo

As the colonel’s ute started to loose what little height it had, the Dawn inadvertently overshot it and exposed its half-opened cargo bay. Immediately, a very rapid ‘birrrp’ of small calibre bullets from the colonel’s machine pistol rattled against the closed door while at least half of the bullets sprayed past the other half open clam-shell cargo door. As the fragments rang against the solid boiler plate the three girls dived to the floor but even so, Margaret received a fragmented bullet in the cheek of her arse.

“Ouch! Fuck it, I’m closing the door, this is too bloody dangerous.

Fortunately, Sally had spotted the danger from her observation port and screamed to Charlie to swing the ship around.

As the Dawn turned, Charlie was able to see the damage to the ute but, more importantly, he spotted Colonel Wilson dragging Charlotte from the ute and dashing for the cover of some rocks. A few seconds behind her, the other UQ trooper was lugging several ammunition magazines plus her assault rifle. Charlie warned all the girls.

“I’m going to put her down with all doors closed so we’re like a battened down tank. How is everybody?”

Sally answered first to confirm she was okay then Jacky gave a sit rep from the cargo bay.

“Chloe’s had her ear nicked. Margaret has shrapnel in her bum but I’m okay. What’s the plan?”

“We’ll discuss tactics once we’re grounded.”

The manoeuvre took seconds and by the time Dawn was landed everybody was around the cabin table. Charlie explained.

“They went to ground amongst those rocks. Sally, Jacky, you’re the military brains. Give us a plan.

“Well, the first thing I’d do is call for back-up." Jacky advised. "You need a three to one advantage to winkle out a bush-whacker.”

Charlie hesitated and Margaret sensed his uncertainty, so she pitched in.

“Jacky’s right Charlie. We’ve got them cornered but we’ve already got two wounded. We should do as she asks, call in reinforcements.”

“Is everybody agreed on that?” Charlie asked.

The collective nod was enough to convince him. He would have loved to go at it ‘gung-ho’, but he already knew that if anything went wrong, he would be accused of ‘acting like a man’. - And he would have no defence; he was a man!

He was also secretly relieved that the decision had been taken out of his hands. Nobody could accuse him of undue aggression

He shrugged and nodded towards Margaret.

“You’re the law. You can call them up on the Dawn’s radio. It’s already on the police frequency.”

Once again Margaret had cause to envy Chloe. 'She had married a man who took advice when offerd.'e Within seconds Margaret was in contact with her colleagues from Perth and a plan rapidly unfolded.

As Charlie saw it, the plan was simply lots of words backed up by lots of firepower, but he kept his counsel; (not so different from the old macho days of the patriarchy).

He summated it as ‘threats and violence and had concluded he was best left out of it. He looked at Chloe and motioned to the little bedroom where their infant triplets were safely tucked up in Charlie’s bunk.

“Where are you going?” Margaret asked.

“To have a lie-down.” Charlie replied. “I haven’t slept for two days since I left Canberra, and it’s out of my hands now.”

“We might need you to pilot this ship if need-be.” Margaret warned.

“Chloe’s perfectly capable of that. Besides, we’re in the safest place here if the bullets start to fly. If Chloe needs me, she’ll know where I am; protecting what’s left of my family.”

With those words, Charlie lay down on his bunk and curled around his triplets, like a cat nursing its kittens. Chloe had to smile for he had not disturbed the children, so she left him to get some sleep.

“You’d better turn the radio down,” she advised Margaret, “he’s already out.”

Two hours later, (it took that long to organise the details,) a large squad of police and military turned up loaded for bear. Margaret watched the convoy approaching and nodded with satisfaction as it dispersed and positioned each unit strategically around the rocky outcrop.

Chloe decided it would be a good idea to alert Charlie and she slipped into the little bedroom.

“Wake up, daddy,” she whispered, as she gently pinched his ear with her nails.

He murmured irritably but her effort had roused him without disturbing the babies. Seeing his eyes open Chloe explained.

“They’re here, so if you want to watch you’d better get up.”

“Where’s Margaret?”

“Outside with the two troopers speaking to the negotiators. They want to confiscate your gun.”

“Let them. I’ve got others but don’t tell them.”

“Where are they?”

“Antarctica.” Charlie grinned.

“Oh! Of course, stupid of me to ask.”

“Hedging my bets Chloe,” Charlie smiled wanly, “I still don't fully trust them; once bitten, twice shy and all that.”

They watched through the front visor until Margaret and some of the negotiating team returned back aboard.

“We’d like to use your spaceship as an observation platform,” the chief negotiator asked. “The sergeant has explained what it can do.”

“Has she now?” Charlie expressed surprise. “Why can’t you use one of your special negotiating vans.

“They don’t have armour plating.”

“You surprise me, considering you’ve come armed for a full-scale war! Anyway, what about drones and the like. Those two have only got an assault rifle and an Uzi machine pistol.”

“Plus a hostage; your three-year-old daughter.” The negotiator cautioned.

“I don't need to be reminded of that! So you need to get close enough to be certain of hitting the madwoman without hitting Charlotte. It’s not observers you need, it’s stealth.” Charlie argued.

“We know that perfectly well, but a bird’s-eye view of the situation would certainly help.”

“Dawn has only got one downward facing viewing port," Charlie warned, "you’ d better have a small crew woman to fit in the space.”

“Can I see it?”

Charlie wondered why Sally hadn’t described the viewing space, so she lifted the floor panel to reveal it. The negotiator nodded and declared it usable.

“Is that the only one you’ve got?”

“I didn’t build this thing for sight-seeing.” Charlie retorted. “Or laying siege to strongholds or castles. Nor was it built for combat. It’s simply a very strong defensive ship to take me into space. It’s not, and never was a warship.”

“Nevertheless, it’s the best bit of kit for hovering low over the assailants. Can I use it?”

“I suppose so, if you must; - but my wife and triplets had better be well away from here.” Charlie conceded before demanding; “I want my gun back as well. It’s not illegal when it’s aboard my ship.”

“Is it registered?”

“To whom? My ship isn’t even registered.”

“What do you mean, not registered?”

“You show me a space-ship registry and a space-port to register her; and I’ll do the deed. Better still, I’ll build an office on the moon and register her there. –

Name, - S.S. Dawn.

Port of Registry, the Moon.

Registration number Sol one!

I won’t say just ‘One’, because other star-systems might have their own unconnected registries. I can’t say! I’ve ever met any alien ships or aliens, because I’ve only been to the moon and back!

Don’t you see how fatuous your remarks are? Dawn is just a simple, little, bloody, space craft! And a primitive one at that! It’s not some super high-falutin, intergalactic, alien, fucking, battleship with a thousand alien invaders aboard. Give me a fucking break!”

“There’s no need to be offensive Mr Sage, I understand your concerns for your daughter, and we are here to help.”

Charlie was still suffering from lack of sleep, so he agreed to provide the Dawn for surveillance.

“Okay then, I’ll place her close above the rocks and put her in stasis until you’re done. Don’t ask too much of me by way of manoeuvring, I’m almost asleep on my feet.”

Seeing her partner show signs of irrationality through fatigue; Chloe stepped in.

“It would be better if I stayed with Charlie and the triplets were moved farther away. My husband is obviously fatigued! The triplets are not under stress, but Charlotte will be terrified. If we get her back, she’ll need her mother; her poor dad has been absent too many times to be closely connected, - thanks to feminista oppression.”

Charlie winced at Chloe’s brazen declaration concerning ‘feminista oppression’ and he half expected her to be arrested on the spot, but neither the negotiator nor her sidekicks raised any objection.

‘Things might actually be changing’. He mused.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 37

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminine Queendom Charlie’s War 37

List of Characters.

Chapter 37.

With the rescue plan agreed, Charlie manoeuvred the Spaceship Dawn to hover completely silently above the highest point of the rocky outcrop. When Margaret and the negotiator looked down, they were pleased to see they were only ten metres above the rock.

“It’ll be a doddle if we have to abseil down from here,” Jacky opined.

“Yes, well let’s hope we don’t have to,” Margaret riposted, “hopefully we can get that woman to see sense and surrender the child.”

Secretly, Charlie had little hope of that. If the woman had been mad enough to kidnap his children, she was crazy enough for anything. The chief negotiator had opened her lap-top and was studying a psychiatric analysis of the colonel and she was frowning.

“Problems?” Charlie asked.

“We don’t have much to go on. Your UQ government won’t release any information about Colonel Wilson.”

“I’m not surprised.” Chloe observed. “They never were a nice bunch, especially the feminista bunch that got elected the year before I emigrated. Misanthropic to the extreme.”

“How on earth did they get themselves elected?” Margaret asked.

“Oh they had a populist leader who promised them the earth, yet it was all based on the benefits that Charlie’s science promised.”

“Is this true Mr Sage?” The chief negotiator asked.

“Pretty much,” Charlie nodded as he was retiring to the bedroom. “Those hover-trucks you guys ponce about in were my invention, - well the antigravity discs were.”

“And this ship, all yours as well?”

“Yes. Every bit of it.” Chloe retorted as pride and anger laced her voice.

“No wonder they’re trying to drag you back.”

Charlie shrugged philosophically as Chloe snapped angrily.

“No bloody way. He was virtually a bloody slave back there.” Chloe finished.

“Yeah. Seems like the old country’s really gone down the pan.” The Negotiator confirmed. “So, Mr Sage tells me you’ll be doing the pilotage manoeuvres if push comes to shove.”

Chloe nodded as she scanned the positional settings.

“I will. We are all set here now, so might I suggest you communicate with that crazy bitch.”

“Just checking that all units are properly prepared and positioned.”

The negotiator finally checked her last item on her commitment list then turned to Charlie.

“I’m ready in all but name; how ‘b’ out you?”

“All I’m doing is whatever you ask me to do. Then once everything is cleaned, I reclaim my Charlotte. Or rather, WE, reclaim Charlotte.

Within seconds the blare of the bullhorn was rebounding around the rocks as the negotiator called out Colonel Wilson’s name. Inside the Dawn the sound was slightly muted but still painfully audible, however, inside the little bedroom of the Dawn, all was peaceful. The exhausted Charlie was ‘dead to the world’.

It was several hours, and night had fallen before contact was made. Taking advantage of the darkness and utter silence of the Dawn’s antigravity ability, the negotiating team had collected, then added some infra-red camera drones to the Dawn’s equipment list. Chloe and Margaret were studying the images when Charlie awoke. The wails of the waking triplets invaded the cabin as Charlie emerged.

“They need feeding and changing,” Charlie declared unnecessarily as he went to study the screen.

Chloe went to the bedroom while Charlie checked with Margaret.

“So?” Charlie asked. “What’s the situation?”

“She’s not prepared to release the child until she’s spoken to you.”

“I’ve nothing to say to her. I’m not prepared to return to the UQ until the political climate changes and universal rights are restored.”

“Universal rights?” Margaret queried.

“Yeah. There was once a declaration made listing a thing called universal rights. I remember my Mummy reading them to me when I was an angry, frustrated teenager.”

“Your Mummy? Is that what you called your mother?” Margaret struggled to stifle a snort of amusement.

“What! What’s so funny?” Charlie asked.

“Oh nothing, nothing I suppose. It’s just that ‘Mummy’ is the sort of word a young daughter might use to address her mother. It’s a bit infantile for an adult.”

“Yeah. Well at least she stayed by me during the shitty years and didn’t just dump me in the Rookeries. So, she read to me and helped me get past the hurdles surrounding the UQ, schools; - - - including the emotional shit! Sadly, she was a biologist so she couldn’t help me much with maths and that’s why I ended up inventing my own!

I’ll not have her name besmirched by the likes of you or anybody else so leave it there. Any more aspersions about Mummy and I’ll walk out on the deal about gravity. Okay?”

“Oooh! Very touchy aren’t we!”

“Yes! She didn’t have it easy, but I didn’t realise that as a kid. I do now but it’s too late, she’s gone, so shut it.”

Margaret quickly realised that Charlie’s problems were very much tied up with his mother’s battles with the Feminista and probably arose from her traditional views about biology and family. She promptly did as asked and fell silent until Charlie had finished scanning the screen.

Finally he asked her.

“Any progress with the negotiations?”

“None at all,” Margaret advised. “She’s a tough cookie and she’s familiar with all the tricks of the negotiating trade.”

“Which one of the blobs is Colonel Wilson?” Charlie asked.

“None of them. She’s obviously gone back into a cave. The outcrop seems to have several where she can hide. The moment she emerges again, we’ll spot her.”

Charlie turned from the screen and sighed as he poured himself a coffee. He caught Margaret looking at her.

“D’ you fancy a coffee as well?”

“I thought you’d never ask?”

As he took Chloe’s mug from the rack Margaret asked.

“Is that instant?”

“Yes,” he confirmed, “common or garden, cheap, supermarket instant. I don’t have fancy tastes. It’s this or nothing except cheap tea bags.”

“Don’t you have expresso or a percolator or something?”

“This is a spaceship not a fancy restaurant. Think of it like a truck. Just drive and sleep.”
Margaret bit her lip, there was hardly anything she could say without putting her foot in it for it was obvious that Charlie was on tenterhooks. She accepted the coffee as it came while Charlie returned to the bedroom. She heard him talking softly to Chloe and eventually, they emerged with the triplets. Chloe explained.

“The negotiating team said they had nappies available because of the triplets. We need to wash them and change them.”

“Are you both going?”

“Of course.” Chloe riposted. “Charlie’s a super dad. If he had tits he’d feed them as well!”

“Ugh.” Margaret pulled a face. “That’s weird.”

“No weirder than denying a child a father altogether.” Chloe retaliated.

“D’ you think so?” Margaret challenged.

“Just look at bitches like Colonel Wilson. Kidnapping three-year-olds and holding them hostage. Unbalanced family background obviously. No decent woman would do that.”

“Hey-up!” Charlie warned. “There’s another blob appeared on the screen. Is that her?”

Margaret span around and stared at it.

“It could be, ah! There’s the second blob, where’s the kid?”

“One of them could be carrying her, the first blob looks bigger.” Charlie replied as he studied the infra-red images.

“You may be right,” Margaret agreed as she alerted the marksmen.

“Everybody, don’t shoot until we know where the kid is!”

Outside, they heard the negotiator on the bull horn and recognised a cluster of blobs slowly approach the target. Obviously a deal had been struck but the three inside the spaceship were not a party to it. As Charlie and Chloe watched fearfully, Margaret’s earpiece crackled almost inaudibly.

“Is she carrying the child?”

A weak reply came back. - - - “We think so, it’s pitch black, but it looks like the outline of the child in the adult’s arms.”

“Which adult?”

“Not sure.”

“Then make sure!”

As Charlie, Chloe and Margaret watched, the two blobs separated slightly but they still could not identify them except that one looked to be carrying the child. There was now about fifty metres separating the fugitives from the four pursuing blobs.
Suddenly the fugitive blobs disappeared into what was probably another cave. Margaret’s voice asked urgently.

“Can you still see them?”

“No but we can hear them splashing in water and that’s affecting their infra-red images on the girl’s night-sights.”

“You’re not going to lose them are you?”

“Don’t think so but there’s a noise of running water. We can’t make them out very well nor can we follow their splashing. The running water is too noisy.”

With both pursuers and fugitives now inside the cave, the screen on the Dawn offered no information to Charlie and he fretted anxiously until three blobs reappeared followed by the report on Margaret’s radio.

“They’ve got the child and the trooper in custody; she surrendered, but the colonel’s gone deeper into the cave.”

“Is Charlotte safe?” Chloe begged.

Margaret checked back and smiled

“Yes. One of our troopers is carrying her. That’s the lumpy blob on the infra-red scan.”

“Well thank fuck for that!” Charlie cursed. “Bring her aboard, now! It’s the only place she’s safe.”

“They want to check her for injuries first.”

“They can do that here. I doubt she’s got physical injuries, but she’ll be terrified and wanting Chloe. Bring her to us. This is the only safe place until that lunatic colonel is caught.”

Margaret could see the sense in Charlie’s argument and explained to the chief negotiator who declared that the child would be re-united with her mother after the checks. Charlie conceded the argument and suggested that they removed Dawn to hover over the medical truck which was parked next to an ambulance. She had no useful function hovering over the rocky outcrop now that Charlotte was safe.

“They want you to remain on station over the cave entrance.” Margaret conveyed the message.

“Why? The further from the rocks we are, the safer my family is. I don’t have any weapons and the sun-lamp is pointless when every trooper searching for Wilson has got night-sight on their helmets.”

There was no answer forthcoming from the search team and Charlie became suspicious. The drones were still functioning satisfactorily so Charlie could see no justifiable reason. Without declaring his intentions, Charlie simply swung his command seat around and tapped in some instructions to the console. With un-nerving silence the Dawn covered the half mile from the rocks to the ambulance and took station behind it just as Charlotte was being delivered.

Chloe did not wait for the rear cargo ramp to lower, she simply jumped down before it touched the ground. She was waiting at the ambulance door as her screaming daughter was delivered.

“What are those scratches on her face?” She demanded of the handcuffed trooper.

“There was a struggle. I had decided to surrender; the situation was ridiculous I had to fight to get the child off Colonel Wilson.”

That was all the information Chloe got as the trooper was taken for questioning. They tried to prevent Chloe from taking Charlotte in her arms, but the child recognised her own mother and fought desperately to reach her. The doctor nodded to the police officer who was glad to release the screaming, kicking child, and the moment Charlotte was in Chloe’s arms, peace returned.

Once the situation concerning Chloe and her family had ‘normalised’, Charlie approached her quietly while the pursuers were preoccupied with rooting out Colonel Wilson from the labyrinth of rocks and shallow but interconnected caves.

“I want us to get out of here, we need to get to a safe place well away from here.”

“I’m with you,” Chloe agreed. “I don’t think our home at Coach has been compromised. They were swarming all over my house on the mineral road near Hammersley, but I never went near Coach, so they won’t have a clue about its existence.”

“Well we’d best sneak off while it’s still dark and put some distance between us before they miss us. Look around you, everybody is pre-occupied with the hunt or treating that trooper in the ambulance. Let’s collect the triplets. I’ll cause a slight distraction about Charlotte’s scratches and bruises while you sneak the other three into Dawn. Look, there’s nobody watching that ambulance and you’ve every right to visit your kids. I’ll join you when you’re ready to snatch them.”

The plan worked well because it was helped inadvertently by Colonel Wilsons desperation. In the stygian darkness of the caves, she had fired at a sound and hit one of the pursuers. This put further demands upon the first aiders, and the ensuing commotion enabled Charlie and Chloe to snatch their children and take refuge in their spaceship Dawn.

When they slipped silently into the clouds it was fully twenty minutes before the Dawn was missed.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 38

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 38

List of Characters.

Chapter 38

“So?” Charlie suggested. “I think we return to Coach first and stock up with supplies; then wait to see what news they’ve released about us.”

“Can’t fault the first bit; stocking up at Coach. Not sure about staying put though.” Chloe replied as she sat Charlotte on her knee and combed her hair.

Having agreed the first move, Charlie arrived at Coach before the rescue cum negotiating team had realised Dawn was no longer in the sky above them. It had been a routine task to ascend above the atmosphere then streak across Western Australia at several thousands of knots in the frictionless vacuum of near space. Charlie was ‘garaging’ Dawn before Margaret Thomas; the police sergeant had missed her.

Chloe was feeding the triplets while Charlie was bathing Charlotte when Chloe’s satellite phone rang. It was Margaret.

“Where’ve you gone?”

“To a place of safety.” Chloe replied.

“Are you still in Australia?”

“We can’t say until we’re certain that Colonel Wilson is in custody. Have you caught her yet?”

“No.”

“Well when you do, please inform us.”

“You’re not fugitives, why are you hiding?” Margaret pressed.

“Purely for our own safety. Until we are certain of being treated fairly and Charlie’s rightful title to the science and knowledge that enables his ship is acknowledged.
We are not exposing ourselves to any risks of arrest or detention. By the way, this call is being recorded and directionally shielded to the satellite. You won’t be able to trace it.”

“Can I speak to Charlie please?” Margaret asked.

“He’s busy just now, washing the babies and putting them down.”

“What! He does that?”
“Of course. He’s their father. That’s what fathers do; when they’re allowed to.”

“Point taken. I’ll not argue with you there. When can I speak to him?”

“Call at noon today, after he’s had some proper sleep.”

“Okay, by then the Prime Minister will probably want to speak to him.”

“Bring it on,” Chloe agreed, “we’ll make it a party video-call from the ship, and we’ll be loitering in space so don’t try to attack us. You couldn’t anyway, your missiles don’t work in space, there’s no air for them to be guided.”

“Noon it is then, unless we have some news about Wilson’s capture.”

“Fine. Speak to you at noon.”

Chloe replaced the sat phone and resumed feeding the babies as Charlie busied himself with bathing and changing them. Charlotte sat as close to her mother as possible, still traumatised by the kidnapping. She only relaxed when Charlie appeared with their breakfasts and the recognisably normal routine of breakfast in her highchair. By the time breakfast was over, Charlotte was smiling again and that helped Chloe to relax.

As peace descended on the Sage home, Charlie snatched a few hours of welcome sleep.

ooo000ooo

“Wake up sleepy, it’s three o’ clock.”

“Wha-!” Charlie yawned before realising what Chloe had just said.

“Why didn’t you wake me. Has the Prime Minister called?”

“She did, and Margaret also called but you were dead to the world, so we all decided to let you carry on sleeping. Here’s your tea and biscuits. The P.M. will call at three thirty.”

“How are the kids?”

“They’re fine. The babies are having their afternoon nap and Charlotte’s playing ‘fly-baby’ in the cargo-bay. Don’t worry, I checked and double sealed the clamshells.”

Charlie grinned as he watched through the open airtight door as Charlotte squealed ‘wheeeee’! while bouncing from bulkhead to bulkhead with the cargo bay gravity switched off. He waved to her, and she waved back but did not come to him for she was having too much fun being a ‘birdie-baby’ in the zero gravity.

“I’ll bet she’s enjoying that.” He smiled at Chloe.

“So was I until I had to wake you.” Chloe grinned before motioning to the video screen.

Chloe had rotated it so when the Prime Minister called, she would see Charlotte playing ‘fly baby’ or ‘birdie-baby’ in the background while she talked to Charlie. This would be evidence enough that they were in space.

The call duly arrived at exactly three thirty and the P.M. appeared with the defence minister at her side.

“Afternoon Mr Sage, Mrs Sage; Oh! And Miss Sage, I see behind you.”

“Yes, she’s being a birdie baby in the cargo bay with the gravity switched off.”

Both ministers could not suppress an envious smile as they watched Charlotte enjoying the best ‘theme-park ride that any child could have. Reluctantly, they returned to the matters in hand. Charlie asked about Colonel Wilson but received little reassurance about their security.
“How can an alien disappear from sight inside a ring of Australian special forces?”

“It’s the question I am asking of my generals Mr Sage.” The defence minister replied apologetically.”

“Well, without answers, everything else is on hold. My family will not be put in jeopardy again.”

“We are doing all we can Mr Sage.”

“Good. This time, try not to be so sloppy and slip shod. If we return we will want proper protection, not just some ill-informed copper who had no idea what she was up against!”

“That was down to the Western Australian Government.”

“Oh no Prime Minister. The instruction to protect us came from Canberra, it was Canberra’s responsibility; - your responsibility; - to make sure the proper protection was supplied. I want no more mistakes.”

“So will you be returning to Australia?”

“You catch that lunatic colonel first then we’ll talk turkey.”

“Very well Mr Sage. I’m a bit disappointed by your response.”

“As I was disappointed by my children’s kidnap.” Charlie responded with a finality that brooked no further discussion.

The Prime Minister, however, was no mean politician and quickly changed the subject.

“Before you go Mr Sage, I have some important news about human rights.”

Charlie’s interest was piqued as the Prime Minister thought it would.

“Go on.”

“There is a bill being proposed as we speak, to discuss male rights in Australia. I know it’s one small step but, - great oaks and all that.”

“If that’s true, I’d like to see the green paper.”

“Oh! Where did you learn about green papers?”

“Not in any school or college, I can assure you of that!” Charlie responded venomously.

“But you have obviously heard of them, how and where did you study politics?”

“At my mummy’s knee. Email it to me, I’ve got satellite communications up here.”

The two ministers exchanged surprised glances then frowned guiltily as Charlie persisted.

“Have any men contributed to the debate; the green paper discussions that is?”

“Uuuhm, no.”

“I thought so, the feminista are so entrenched nobody even thought to meet with any men. You’ve got a very long row to hoe ladies. I think the green paper should at least contain fifty percent of content to be subscribed by men. That would reflect at least a nod towards the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

“What do you know about that?”

“I would refer you to my previous answer; My Mummy!”

Charlie overheard the shared whispered exchange between the two ministers.

“That bloody woman’s got a lot to answer for.”

“I heard that ladies. And yes, you’re right, she has got a lot to answer for, not least being the progenitor of anti-gravity. By the way, you can’t get back at her, she died a long time ago when I was in my twenties.”

“What! She told you the secrets?”

“Of course not! Her womb sourced the discoverer who did the spadework; namely me! She also taught me to think for myself while she protected me from the destructive depredations of the feminista! You’re quite right though, she has got a lot to answer for; and to be proud of; at least, I think she has.”

The ministers fell silent, partly through embarrassment. The silence told Charlie that the meeting was over, so he finished off.

“When do you next want to talk? I think it should be after you’ve caught that terrorist Wilson. In the meantime, I’ll study the green paper and add my thoughts; backed up by a record of the insults, slights, wounds and thefts I believe I have endured these past twenty years since I was fourteen. Think on.”

With that, Charlie closed the link abruptly and Chloe bent over his shoulder to give him a hug.

“That’s right darling, you give it to them – with both barrels!”

“We’ll see love,” he reflected ruefully, “the poor bitches are so ingrained with years of Feminista indoctrination they might not even get what I’m about.”

“Oh they’ll get it babes!” Chloe grinned. “Just thinking about spaceships will concentrate their minds exquisitely!”

“It shouldn’t have to come to that. My Mummy warned me about that when I first told her of my discovery.”

“What! You told your mum?”

“Oh yes, Mummy could keep secrets though. I’d learned that much by the time I was in my twenties. She kept my insights a secret to her dying day. She also managed to comfort my hurts and help me stay on the straight and narrow, at least until I knew where I was going. That way, nobody really got to know about me until I became a supervisor working at Anston Aerospace.”

“So. Quo tenetur Charlie?” Chloe asked.

Charlie shrugged somewhat dispiritedly.

“Dunno love. It’s in their hands mostly.”

ooo000ooo

“But you will stay by me and the kids, won’t you?”

“Like shit to a blanket love.” Charlie replied softly as his hands snaked around her back and head.

Chloe giggled as she pressed into his embrace

“You have the nicest way of putting things.”

Their ardour was suddenly interrupted by a thump followed by a wail and Chloe cursed softly as she turned to find Charlotte rubbing her elbows.

“What did you do darling?” She asked as she kissed the bruised joints.
“You kissed daddy, I wanted to kiss but I fell.”

Charlie also giggled as they both realised Charlotte had tried to ‘fly’ from the gravity free cargo hold into the cabin where the gravity still prevailed. He took her from Chloe’s arms and hugged her gently before repeating what Chloe had done, namely kissing the bruised elbows then gently rubbing them as Charlotte forgot they were ‘hurting’ and wrapped her arms around her daddy’s neck. She tried to kiss him on the lips like mummy did but recoiled when she felt his rough stubble.

“Ow! Scratchy!” She objected as she fingered his jaw.

“Daddy’s beard,” he explained as she tentatively felt it again.

Chloe’s heart melted as she watched the interaction of her daughter finally enjoying a genuinely intimate exchange with her father.

“She’ll be flirting with you next.” Chloe warned with a smile.

“She’s too young for that surely!” Charlie hesitated.

“Huh! Don’t you believe it big-boy. No don’t hold her away like that, keep hugging her. It’s perfectly natural.”

“But the fem-!”

“Never mind the bloody feminista shit! She’s your daughter and she is entitled to fatherly hugs. Hold her properly.”

Thus encouraged, Charlie wrapped one arm under her butt and Charlotte curled into the crook of his arm feeling safe and secure. The moment was not to last though for their came the threadlike infantile wail from the bedroom. The triplets were awake.

“Ayye,” Charlie sighed, “no peace for the wicked,” he remarked as he made to put Charlotte down.

Chloe intervened with a grin.

“You look after her, this is woman’s work.”

“Oh. Of course. I’ll play birds in the cargo hold.”

“No, come in and share if you want. Charlotte knows all about breast feeding and it’s about time you knew what happens.”

“I know what happens darling.”

“That you might, but not all the preparation and bottle-boosting I have to do to stretch my milk between the three.

“Ah! Daddy lesson number one hundred and one,” Charlie grinned.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 39

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 39

List of Characters.

Chapter 39

Initially, Charlie settled in one of the conference chairs but quickly realised that his time would be infinitely better spent getting things for Chloe and making sure there was stuff immediately to hand as she juggled triplets and breasts and bottles. He smiled as Chloe occasionally rolled her eyes when the procedures failed, or a bottle dropped.

As he recovered a dummy after rinsing it in the steriliser bucket he grinned.
“You need four boobs love, like a dairy cow.”

“Just watch it you, or I’ll slip prolactin into your food, and you can grow a pair of boobs to help.”

“I’ll manage just fine with the bottle thanks. Interesting idea though.”

“What! Chloe squeaked. “You’d like to grow boobs?”

“No.” He replied softly. “Don’t make jokes about it. If Mummy hadn’t risked her life and limb, I’d be like those poor feminised wretches you see around, like the defence minister. Mummy lost her job through protecting me. She survived by selling herbal medicines she made herself.”

Chloe quickly sobered up as she finished feeding the last triplet and handed him to Charlie for a top up from the formulae bottle.

After everybody was fed Charlotte resumed ‘flying’ in the cargo bay while Charlie and Chloe discussed their plans.

“We can’t stay up here just drifting around in space. The ship’s
too small for starters.” Chloe reflected.

“Well Antarctica’s too cold except for brief visits to exercise our legs, and Charlotte hasn’t got suitable clothes anyway.”

“We could find an uninhabited island.”

“Seems like the best option or we could return by night to Coach and lie low in the outback.”

“The island sounds like the best option.” Chloe reflected. “There’s always the chance that Mad Colonel Wilson might find us in Oz before he’s caught.”

“Okay. Tonight we go island hunting but for now, we return to Coach to give Charlotte some space.”

As Chloe took her place alongside Charlie at the command console she found time to reflect and gazed in wonderment at the stars around her before turning to Charlie.

“All this and yet down there, they’re more concerned with squabbling over who’s entitled to what.”

Charlie turned apologetically and pulled a wry, thoughtful expression.

“I ain’t responsible for the human race, nor for its foibles like greed, envy, violence and selfishness. Remember what Ghandi said.”

“The world has enough for, - - -.”

“That’s the one,” Charlie responded before Chloe could finish.

“Where did you learn all this stuff?” She asked. “I mean you could not possibly have learned it at seventh grade in school, and you never went to college.”

“I get around,” Charlie fondled the control column and smiled before finishing, “with this. And of course; my dear Mummy helped.”

ooo000ooo

Once the Dawn was settled a hundred miles above an isolated island Chloe made a pot of tea while Charlie entertained Charlotte until she settled down to her nap. Then they chatted as they shared the coffee.

“Your mum; how did she educate you; I mean once she was bounced from the university for not having you feminised, how did she access all the history books that you’ve obviously read?”

“She had contacts.”
“Where?”

“I’m not prepared to say except to say that I used to sit on her knees when they had meetings at our house. I suppose most of those women are gone now, but they used to bring a book each when they came to the meetings, and I devoured them voraciously. Every week they changed the books.”

“So you chatted about history?”

“Oh a lot more than that, - history, law, philosophy, everything. The only time I got bored was when they talked about science. I used to go into the kitchen and make the tea then. The women all thought I was one of those typically lazy, clever boys that weren’t interested in STEM subjects because they were too hard.

The truth was, I found them too easy and their discussions backward, but Mummy warned me not to reveal my insights, so I kept shtum about STEM. Good job I did as well.”

“Why?” Chloe pressed.

Charlie gaped askance at her.

“I’d have been forcibly feminized! That’s bloody what! Read your bloody history or have you forgotten already? Have a chat with that poor bloody defence minister and ask how she feels about losing her boy bits and never fathering kids!”

“I don’t think she’d ever reveal her true feelings.”

“No. I don’t suppose she would.” Charlie concurred. “She’d lose her security clearances and her job immediately.”

They continued chatting until the sun disappeared behind the earth’s curved horizon and the babies wanted feeding. After sorting their family duties out, Chloe navigated their descent to their chosen island.
It technically belonged to one of the South American republics, but it was remote and uninhabited except by birds, fish and other assorted animals. It would suit their purposes for the occasional brief visit.

As they hovered less than a metre above the sand, Charlie jumped down and hacked at a cluster of palms. He threw the decapitated fronds into the sea and guided Chloe into the void he had created beneath the palms.

They both knew it would make them harder to spot as Charlie dug out some green and cream paints and daubed a simple image onto Dawn’s skin. Soon the ship was crudely camouflaged, and Chloe eyed it ruefully.

“Don’t worry darling. It won’t affect the solar panels too much, and it washes off easily.”

“How long are we staying here?” Chloe asked.

“I don’t know. It’s essentially a wild-life reserve. If they’ve got permanent rangers on duty we might have to up sticks and skedaddle at a moment’s notice.”

“Otherwise we live on fish, coconuts and albatross eggs.” Chloe smirked.

ooo000ooo

Eventually, they stayed for a month, and it was resupplying that compelled them to leave. They had not been spotted by rangers or from space. Spy satellites are all well and good, but they have to know roughly where to look. Additionally Chloe and Charlie kept mainly amongst the trees and thy did not venture much to the beach. Very occasionally, Charlotte strayed onto the beach, but it was a risk that Chloe and Charlie were prepared to allow.

When the time came to leave, they departed at night and contacted the Australian authorities by video link from space because it was early evening in Canberra.
“Hello Prime Minister. Have you any news on Colonel Wilson?”

“She’s not been caught yet. We have reason to believe she’s back in the UQ. They had a back-up plan involving a submarine based in Diego Garcia. The sub picked her up off the coast near It was a well-planned kidnap and only your spaceship foiled it.”

“Ain’t that the truth!” Charlie muttered to himself before asking.

“So have you lodged a protest with the UQ.”

“Yes, but typically, they’re denying all knowledge of it, and they claim that the sub might have delivered her to the Feminist Republic of Pacifica, that was old California to you.”

“Bastards!” Charlie cursed again under his breath. “So you don’t know whether she’s in UQ or FRP, nor do you know where or when she might strike again.”

“That’s the crux of it Mr Sage.”

“Fuck!”

Chloe’s curse alarmed the Prime Minister and her defence minister, so they quickly moved to reassure Charlie’s wife.

“If they come near Australia, we’ll catch them Mrs Sage. Though having your spaceship on hand would truly strengthen our suit.”

Chloe turned to Charlie who was deep in thought.

“Penny for them darling?”

He looked at her and sucked his lip.
“It’s the old terrorist equation all over again, isn’t it.”

“Meaning?” Asked the PM but the defence minister explained.

“Colonel Wilson only has to get it right once; we have to get it right every time.”

“Exactly!” Charlie concurred as he added.

“I think I’ve got an idea to help you without compromising my offer about antigrav.”

“Oh! Do tell Mr Sage.” The defence minister begged eagerly.

“Right. How good are you guys at building spy satellites?”

“We can hold our own; - just. The one’s we’ve got up there are okay, but they could do with upgrading.”

“How do you put them up into space.”

“We hire capacity on the space shuttle and put them into orbit, just like everybody else; if they don’t have their own shuttle that is.”

“I thought so. How would you like to have several located directly over Australia but geo-stationary and NOT in orbit?”

“Could your antigravity do that?”

“Yes. Charlie confirmed. If you use the solar panels to replenish the energy packs during daylight, the antigrav will sustain position even during the night. The satellites can be such low altitude that they will see a sunset and sunrise every rotation of the earth. Nor is the size of the satellite a problem. You can employ any size or type of lens or camera you want. My spaceship Dawn, can emplace them for you.”

“Good god!” The PM gasped.

The politicians were so enamoured of the idea that they failed to see Charlies ulterior motive. If he was to assemble and position the satellites, he would need to ‘spacewalk’ - - - and that would mean spacesuits for himself, Chloe and any technicians who were to assist.

The deal was struck a month later when Charlie next took a space trip and made himself easily accessible by satellite to the Australian PM. The Australians had examined all the issues and not spotted Charlie’s weak point. Charlie still had not made a space suit capable of operating in the vacuum of space.

The question of supplying space suits had been so fundamental to any satellite location procedures, that nobody had thought of the enormous consequential potential that they offered Charlie. With a space suit enabling him to step outside his ship, Charlie could space walk or moonwalk and therefore visit any satellite anywhere. He could interfere with it or even disable it at leisure.

The question of Charlie and his family’s safety had still not been properly resolved but now the powers that be in Oz were taking the question very seriously while simultaneously addressing a genuinely bipartite green paper concerning the re-establishment of equal human rights. Charlie found himself moving in very rarefied circles at the highest echelons of government.

Strangely, he found he did not enjoy the experience. He found himself constantly wondering if any person he was dealing with was genuine or just another sycophantic hopeful looking to the main chance. Worse still he was constantly being approached about the secrets of his ship and the antigravity drive that enabled it to reach beyond Earth. He came to rely a lot upon Chloe for judgement calls when meeting new people.

Despite the hang-ups he encountered while the Australians were preparing their super intensive spy cameras, Charlie and the science team finally fabricated and located their devices at strategic locations over Australia. These devices made it extremely difficult for any individual to cross Australian coasts and enter the continent undetected.

For Charlie, it was now a simple matter of sitting back and waiting to see if the UQ were planning any more kidnap attempts.

By this time, Margaret the Police sergeant had become a trusted friend of Charlie’s family, and she commanded of the protection detachment seconded to Charlie’s safety. Under these conditions, the Sage family at last felt their circumstances were approaching normality. Chloe had engaged a trusted ‘nanny’ to help with her babies because Charlie had once again found himself much in demand as the Australian government encountered increasing threats from various feminista governments, while even the Asian patriarchies were getting nervous about the news and politics coming out of Oz.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 40

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 40 © Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Chapter 40

Margaret, the newly promoted police inspector in charge of Chloe and her children’s security, checked the redirected mail for any potential threats then delivered them unopened to Chloe’s house set back from the mineral road near Hammersley. Normally an ordinary officer delivered them, but Margaret had some other business to discuss, and she knew from previous visits that Charlie was often present during the earlier part of the month.

Charlie’s home visits were always unpredictable and never discussed with the authorities, but that was a deliberate arrangement necessitated by the constant threats that were coming from countries all over the planet.

When those countries that thought they had the monopoly on launching satellites, learned of Australia’s coupe they inevitably became suspicious. Firstly they wanted to find out how and where Australia was launching its rockets, but of course access to the old Woomera rocket range was now a tightly controlled privilege.

Woomera had quickly expanded into vast, experimental, manufacturing establishment.

That particular morning, Margaret cleared through the security cordon around Chloe’s house and on meeting Chloe she noticed Charlie’s spaceship Dawn in the garage set aside from the house.

“He’s here then?” Margaret confirmed.

“Yes, he’s entertaining Charlotte in the nursery.”

“Oh good. Here’s your mail, unopened but checked. The big package has been doubly checked but nothing suspicious. D’ you want me to open it?”

Before she had finished the question, Chloe had snipped off a corner as recommended then started scissoring cautiously through the side of the envelope. Margaret watched and grinned.

“Always cautious I see.”

“Yeah. It’s not just explosives, there’s the possibility of poisoning.”

“We check for that,” Margaret explained but Chloe shrugged.

“I know, but they’re always inventing new stuff; it’s a good job Charlie’s spaceship has every sort of eves-dropping kit imaginable.”

“Can I speak to Charlie?”

“When he’s finished playing with the children. We’ve only just finished breakfast, but you’re welcome to stay and have lunch.”

It had been several months since Margaret had met Charlie and not since the government had built the new spaceship at Woomera.

Using his old ship Dawn to collect and secure materials, Charlie had turned her into a mobile workshop where he made the new engines and then installed them in the new spaceship at the new factory built at the old Woomera rocket range.

The new engines were not much bigger than the Dawn’s but, like technology everywhere, Charlie had managed to make them more efficient and thus less bulky. He smiled inwardly as he recalled the old laws of computer chips where functionality increased logarithmically with time.

When he secretly tested his new engine in the engineering laboratory at Woomera he was immensely pleased to find that each engine could lift one hundred tons while being no more than half a metre in diameter. A vast improvement on Dawn’s six small engines which were each the size of a soccer ball and only lifted five tons apiece

‘Even that will improve when I find some higher-grade materials’. He reflected.

He temporarily named his second successful iteration ‘The Second Dawn’ and when he hovered it unexpectedly, out of the machine shop and landed it on the newly prepared outdoor testing station, the load meter revealed a dead lift exceeding five hundred tons for the new ship with six engines synchronised in harness.

At first, nobody realised that the ‘half-completed’ structure resting on the testing pad was the bare bones of their achievement but very quickly the word exploded through every office and lab.

Within minutes, there were huge cheers all around the building sheds as staff rushed out to watch the unpublicised test. The unfinished hull ascended silently to a satisfactory altitude, took several circuits of the range then returned to settle back on the launch pad.

For long moments, Charlie and his assistant, (a feminised mal,) were blinded by the photography and the pair were blinking when they repositioned 2nd Dawn back on the test pad.

“Are you taking her into space?” One of the senior military research officers asked as Charlie stepped out of the ship.

“Not yet. We have to test her for hull integrity, airtightness and various other proofing’s.”

“But it shouldn’t be long surely. I mean those sort of factors are just basic fabrication issues, it’s the engines that are the main issue and those seem to be proved.”

“Yes.” Charlie replied. “They work. Now I’m taking a well-earned rest. My assistant can supervise hull integrity tests and I’ll be back in a week. Meanwhile, I’ve secured the engines so they can’t be tampered with or operated until I get back. Make sure nobody but Juliet, my assistant, gets near the controls, or even into the cabin. She knows what tests are to be completed.”

The military officer was slightly taken aback that Charlie still had total control over access to the ship. Security clearances counted for little where antigravity engines were concerned. Charlie’s word was law and that had come down from the Prime Minister’s offices.

Later that evening Charlie and his original Dawn took off from the parking pad beside the building shed and arrived at his home just as Chloe was returning from collecting Charlotte from school. After the usual excited reaction from Charlotte, Charlie had a chance to talk to Chloe.

“Well; she works!”

“The new spaceship you mean?” Chloe confirmed.

“The very one. I’ve provisionally named her Dawn Two or the Second Dawn after we chatted about it last week. What do you think?”

“The Second Dawn, I think.” Chloe opined, “it conveys the history of development and all that.”

“What? And then the Third Dawn and so on?

“Oh no. I think after mark three, we should name the ships individually. I mean by then; you’ll be building a fleet of them, and each will have to have its own commander or captain.”

“I suppose you’re right. I’ve got a week off before they want me back, there’s talk of trouble from other countries that are looking to exploit Antigravity.”

“Yes, I’ve noticed that the security has been stepped up around here. More police and now some military anti-gravs. Is it the same at Woomera?”

“Security’s always been ridiculously tight at Woomera, I honestly wouldn’t notice if another fifty military ags, were to suddenly pop up.”

“Is that your latest shorthand for antigravity craft?”

Charlie smiled ruefully.

“Yeah. The Aussies are even worse than the Yanks for shortening words. The Anti-Gravs; meaning the surface skimmer craft, have been abbreviated to A.G., or ags. Makes sense I suppose. I can work with it, just like car became short for carriage.”

“Well Charlie Sage, just think, you’ve caused a new word to enter English.”

“Yeah; I’ve heard tell hundreds of new words are incorporated every year into the OED., so it’s no big deal.”

“Yeah; but ‘ag’ has a known root as an abbreviation for anti-gravity and you are directly responsible for that!”

“Yeah okay, but I want a break from all that. Let’s go to the beach.”

“Okay, now the sun has eased off I’ll alert the security.”

“Half an hour later, the Sage family and about a hundred security staff were visiting a remote beach in Western Australia.

ooo000ooo

As Charlie and Chloe sat on the beach about four soldiers and Margaret played with the children at the water’s edge until the sun finally went down. The evening chill alerted Chloe to the time and she suggested to Charlie that it was time to make steps for home.

“Oh not yet it isn’t,” Margaret declared as she approached the pair.

For a moment Charlie tensed as he sensed some sort of trap and he immediately stepped in front of Chloe.

“What’s going on?” He confronted Margaret.

Margaret immediately realised just how much ‘on edge’ Charlie was, and she quickly moved to calm things.

“Nothing’s up! Nothing’s going - - -on! As you put it.”

“She indicated with her thumb over her shoulder.

“The girls have just secretly organised a barbecue for you, look there by the only bloody tree for miles.”

Charlie let out a sigh as his shoulders slumped.

“Sorry Marge, I’m just wound up. Sorry!”

“Bloody hell; wound you say! And then some! Cool it big boy. Nobody’s going to get to you here. Come and look, in our security control ag.”

Charlie ambled self consciously behind Margaret while Chloe and the protection detail rounded up Charlotte and her three infant siblings. Inside Charlie was studying the screen and nodding somewhat guiltily.

“And that’s the West Oz lens?” He confirmed.

“Yes. Infra-red very high definition and we can see every life form for about five miles in every direction.”

“Jeeze! You have been busy little girls haven’t you.”

“They ground the telescope lenses locally in Sydney, to suite the need of the viewfinder and that means a wide arc of view around the target. Your family is the target, the field of view reflects the security perimeter. There are several other lenses to secure close in shots and other medium range views. It’s probably the best spy in the sky currently up there in space. And of course, thanks to your gravity science, the thing is relatively close without having to whizz round in an orbit.”

To emphasise her words, Margaret realigned the viewfinder to locate a nondescript tiny white blob about ten miles outside their five-mile perimeter ring. She then refocused the lens of the telescope to expose two wombats busy with reproduction. Charlie and Chloe started grinning.

“Give the poor buggers some privacy.” Chloe laughed then added. “I hope you don’t bloody focus that close on us two.”

“Only to confirm your identities then it’s just a matter of tracking for your own security. My bosses are paranoid after the last debacle.”

Chloe let out a loud guffaw as she thumped Charlie in the shoulder.

“No more ‘al fresco’ sex for you Charlie Boy.”

“Nor you, cheeky girl!” He riposted. “Though Charlotte’s going to think you’re a witch if you use this to spy on her if she’s bullying the babies.”

“She won’t be bullying her siblings.” Chloe objected but Charlie surmised.

“All big sisters bully their younger siblings, especially younger brothers. It’s an innate, tribal thing to do with natural mothering. Provided it’s motivated by caring, then everything balances out come maturity, but if it stems from jealousy’ that’s when it becomes a problem.”

Chloe stared at her husband with disbelief.

“That’s a very deep insight, oh husband of mine, explain further.” Chloe pressed in a slightly mocking tone.

“There’s not much to tell. If daughters are treated as equals and protected from physical violence from their brothers by their fathers, then the whole gender balance thing works out. Brothers grow up respecting their sisters because their fathers respect the daughters. Daughters then grow up respecting and caring for the family when they are mothers.

It all starts with the family and equality within."

"That's very insightful Charlie," Margaret observed as she sat beside them with her barbecue plate full.

“What’s that old saying?" Charlie added. "Educate a mother, you educate a family, - educate a family, you educate a clan; - educate a clan, - you educate a tribe:- and if you educate a tribe, you educate a nation!

Chloe stared at him gobsmacked.

“Where did you learn stuff like that?”

“From my mu-therrr”, Charlie retorted,” who else?”

Margaret had overheard the exchange and she stared thoughtfully at Chloe who returned the look.

“He’s not just a cold-blooded number cruncher is he?” Margaret remarked.

“Anything but,” Chloe agreed. "Every day it's something new."

"It's not new Petal," Charlie pointed out, "It's just re-learnt."

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 41

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 41

List of Characters.

Chapter 41.

With the barbecue over, the whole assemblage decamped back to Chloe’s homestead where Margaret indulged herself by helping Charlie and Chloe put the children to bed. The first night of Charlie’s return always involved some high jinks and bedtime games mostly concerning charlotte as the triplets were still too small. Nevertheless, the three of them all joined Charlotte riding ‘The-old-grey-mare’ along the bedroom corridor while Chloe taught them the song.

Then came endless bouts of ‘whoopsies or plopsies’ when each child would perch on top of Charlie’s bent knees and squeal with delight as he suddenly spread his knees and they would fall into the cradle formed by the duvet. Often these bedroom games would last an hour and as Margaret watched this particular night she turned enviously to Chloe.

“I think he’ll get tired before they do.”

“I don’t think so,” Chloe replied as she nodded towards her youngest daughters, (the identical twins in the triplet group) “those two are pretty much out of it and Chip won’t last much longer.”

Chloe’s words turned true as the triplets fell asleep and a final rumbunctious episode with the older Charlotte soon had her fast asleep in her daddy’s arms.

While the children played their pre-bed games, Margaret chatted confidentially with Chloe.

“You’re a lucky woman! Any other mother would be exhausted by that caper just before bed. I know my sister is just glad to slump off after her children are asleep. She just collapses on the sofa.”

“That’s another benefit to my being married to their father. They can bounce around as wildly as they like and exhaust themselves, but Charlie’s got the strength and endurance to handle them. “You ought to try it sometime.”

“Try what?”

“Finding the right sort of guy. There’s plenty of them spread around the outback who would treat a wife well, I know, because I meet them a lot; they often come by my mining clinic knowing they’ll get fair treatment for any injuries.”

“I know your reputation with the men in the mines but how does it spread to those outbackers?”

“Men do talk Marge sometimes the outbackers even bring their wives if it’s before curfew.”

“And after curfew, if they’re badly injured?”

“I meet them at a secret location’ or I issue them a medical pass and our ambulance moves them legally through any check-points.”

“Secret location?” Margaret wondered aloud.

“Yeah. By prearrangement. It’s one of the issues Charlie put into the green paper, fair and proper treatment for single male outbackers. These guys might have to travel hundreds of miles to get to a doctor and invariably it’s some grumpy, junior doctor; - always female of course and resenting the night shift. If they can make it to my clinic they know they’ll get proper treatment.

Consequently they prefer to endure the pain, treat themselves with painkillers and travel in their ags halfway across Oz. You should see some of the injuries I have to treat, compound multiple fractures, snake-bites; horrendous accidental lacerations; - all the joys of remote, outback survival.”

“So why do they choose to live so far out?” Margaret asked.

“Oh come on Marge! You know as well as I do! They value their freedom and they’ll stay isolated for years just to keep it.
Then they’ll travel huge distances if they need proper medical treatment.”

“What just to enjoy your tender care?”

“Well, it’s the clinic mainly. I’ve got two other doctors who think the same way I do, everybody’s treated equally in clinical terms. The only unfairness is that these outback men have to pay for the treatments while miners get it free, courtesy of the mining companies. Do you call that fair? Women don’t have to pay, do they? They all get free medical treatment.”

“Well that’s not my fault.” Margaret protested.

“Oh? Who’s is it then? Who did you vote for in the last election?”

“I uuhm; - I didn’t vote.”

“’Nuff said!” Chloe snapped. “I’m all right Jack; pull up the bloody ladder!”

“Men can look after themselves,” Margaret protested feebly, “They’ve been doing it for thousands of years.”

“Oh yeah! Say’s you and the feminista army. Men probably can look after themselves, but anybody can have an accident. The feminista attitude is that if an outbacker gets hurt, that’s his own lookout. He can rot out there if he’s so keen on his freedom.

Well I don’t see it like that,” Chloe continued, “that’s why I changed from genetic science and moved over to trauma surgery.

You wouldn’t know any better after having been indoctrinated for years by the feminista culture and education. And I’ll tell you something else, I don’t see hate or resentment in outbacker’s eyes when I fix them up, I see gratitude and kindness!

Anyway, why am I telling you this? Charlie’s written it all down in his contributions to the green paper. That’s what that big envelope was about. This week he’ll be going through it word by word even though it’s the first week he’s had off from building spaceships for months. No holidays for Charlie, no breaks just work, work, work!”

“Has he said anything about his patent rights and intellectual property and stuff?” Margaret wondered.

“We talked about it a lot and he’s devoted about twenty pages to it in his deposition, but he’s still got his trump card,” Chloe replied.

“Which is?” Margaret replied before answering her own question in synch with Chloe.

“He still keeps Antigravity a secret, - in his own head.” The chorused.

“That’s about the size of it. He says he’s never committed the science or the maths to paper; - inasmuch as anybody else can understand it; and truthfully; I believe him,” Chloe confessed.”

“Brain the size of a planet; - figuratively I mean!” Margaret agreed.

“That’s just about the nub of it,” Chloe chuckled mischievously before adding, “and d’ you want to know something!”

“Go on,” Margaret encouraged her.

“It seriously fucks with their minds. Not just the Feminista mind you, but all the others, - - - the patriarchies, the theocracies, the oligarchies, the monarchies; everybody. A week ago our Aussie defence minister confessed to me that their computer records were being attacked hundreds of times a minute and they’d even been hacked once or twice but – nothing, - nada, - diddley squat!

In fact the Defence Secretary of the Feminist Republic of Pacifica actually telephoned her about it. Oh she pussy-footed around it and danced on a pin but the guts of it was, she was trying to find out how Charlie was managing to protect his secret. The poor saps just don’t get it!

Charlie’s got it locked up in his head and his head alone.”

“So if dies or has a stroke or something; we lose the science of antigravity for good.”

“Seemingly,” Chloe revealed.”

“Has he ever intimated to you that there might be a record somewhere, you know a paper record with all his work encrypted in that secret maths you described.”

“Well he’s never mentioned it to me and don’t forget, I sleep with him, every night he’s home.”

“But he makes the engines. How does he keep that a secret?”

“He buggers off into space in Dawn, then assembles the engines in their metal spheres in the cargo hold of Dawn; alone mind you! Finally, he sets the booby traps to prevent anybody opening the hemispheres then delivers the engines to Woomera base where the dummies install them. The truth is, our best scientists and engineers are nothing more than spanner-monkeys.”

“And piloting them,” Margaret confessed, “is bloody easy, you and I have both done that.”

“And also the PM and the defence minister” Chloe emphasised. “He let them play with the controls when he took them for their jaunt. Piloting the bloody things is too easy.

In fact, that’s something they are discussing with the mark three. Anti-theft devices to stop the ships being hijacked or stolen.”

“Hey-up,” Chloe cautioned, “he’s coming back, the children must be asleep.”

Charlie entered breezily and made his way to the kitchen.

“Tea or coffee anybody?”

“Let me make it,” Margaret stood up to serve.

“Nah, I’m here now. Rest your butt lady.

Margaret watched him sort out tea and biscuits with an easy familiarity that demonstrated he was totally at ease in the kitchen. She decided to do a bit of probing as Charlie selected some biscuits from the tin.

“They tell me you and the researchers at Woomera are concerned about these new spaceships being stolen or hijacked.”

“Mmmph,” he replied with a mouthful of biscuit.

He took a deep draught of his sweet milky coffee and cleared his mouth.

“Yes. They’re vulnerable to theft so we’re beginning at the beginning. Even Dawn and Second dawn are being retrofitted with security devices and self-destruct buttons. Additionally, every antigravity engine is designed to explode with considerable force if anybody tries to tamper with them. I intend to keep my secret safe Marge. It’s my only bargaining counter.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Chloe finished.

“So you’re saying if somebody, - anybody tries to look inside your magic balls they get blown to kingdom-come.” Margaret shuddered at the thought.

“They and everybody else for a couple of hundred metres.” Charlie emphasised. “As I said Marge, I’m playing for big stakes and I’m determined to keep my science a secret. I’m playing for keeps!”

“Well on that note, I think I’ll go to bed,” Chloe yawned.

Charlie turned to Margaret.

“Are you staying over or heading home? You’re welcome to one of the bedrooms.”

“I’d like to stay over if you’re okay with it.”

Chloe chuckled as she observed.

“You’d never have dreamed of doing that two years ago, - sleeping under the same roof as an unsecured male.”

“It’s been a learning curve for me as well Chloe,” Marge confessed.

“Or is that an un-learning curve?” Charlie posed. “Shedding the lies fed to you at school and college?”

“Point taken Charlie.” Margaret conceded. “Well, it’s bed for me, is it the usual room overlooking the only apple tree for miles?”

Chloe nodded before making her way upstairs.

“Will you be here in the morning?” Margaret asked Charlie.

“Hopefully. This is a rare chance to be with the kids for more than a short weekend. Goodnight.”

They separated at the top of the landing as Charlie joined Chloe while Margaret went to the end of the corridor to ‘the apple-tree room’ as Charlotte called it.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 42

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 41

List of Characters.

Chapter 42

Margaret awoke the following morning to hear noises in the garden so she opened her bedroom window to look. Chloe was picking apples with Charlotte while two ‘nannies were attending to the triplets.

As Chloe heard the window being opened, she looked up and grinned.

“Morning sleepy-head, what time d’you call this?”

“It’s only seven o’clock for god’s sake. Where’s Charlie?”
“In his study checking out the green paper. He’s been up since four.”

“Jeeze!” Margaret muttered to herself as she rushed to shower and dress.

Eventually, she appeared in the kitchen as Chloe was returning with some ripe, fresh apples. Being familiar with the house layout, Margaret offered Chloe some coffee.

“Yes please, and Charlotte would like some fruit juice.”

They settled around the table while Charlotte rooted through the apples to select a particularly ripe specimen. Soon the sound of crunching apple matched the sound of Margaret’s toast. Chloe just sipped what was her third coffee since getting up at six.

“How long will he be in his study?” Margaret asked.

“Go and ask him, he doesn’t mind people interrupting him. Charlotte does it all the time. I’ll get on with these apples.”

“She finished her toast then did as advised and tapped softly on Charlie’s open study door.”

“Come in Marge.” Charlie responded.

“How did you know it was me?” Margaret asked Charlie’s back.

He turned to face her and chuckled.

“None of the family knock and all the nannies are either out with the triplets at this time so unless we’ve had a visitor I don’t know about, you’re the only one left.”

“Most people I know who’ve got studies, use them as some sort of sanctuary.”

“If I needed sanctuary Marge, I’d bugger off to Antarctica in Dawn. At home, I’m husband and father first then scientist very much second. This is not a sanctuary, look at that shelf.”

Margaret turned to see an untidy bottom shelf stuffed full of old and tattered but well used children’s books.

“That’s Charlotte’s shelf. I’m sure it will spill over as she grows, but that will be when we build the extension.”

“You still use books!” Margaret frowned.

“Yes, those are old books of mine from childhood. Mummy got them for me from various nefarious sources before the great suppression.

Hundreds of books; - no, thousands of books were banned or denied to little boys, but my mummy managed to obtain and hide some old stuff. Charlotte’s books are tantamount to museum pieces. Charlotte learned to read from them on my knee or Chloe’s. It’s called parenting.”

“But doesn’t she use a tablet?”

“She does now. We’re saving those for when the triplets start to read. Nothing nicer for a child than sitting on their parent’s knee curled up with a pretty picture book.”

“They look pretty tattered to me.”

“We call that ‘dog-eared’; those books have been well read and they’re very old. Most of the stuff in them has disappeared from feminista history. Anything with princes in the plot, or damsels in distress. All gone.”

“Can I look at one?”

“Be my guest. Treat them gently though, they’re pretty battered and old.”

“These must be worth a fortune. A museum would pay thousands to have these.”

“Yes. Stuck in some display cabinet with some obscene note about abusive, historical, patriarchal exploitation. No, these particular books are for reading, children’s enjoyment and education. My children’s enjoyment! Well, Chloe’s and mine.”

“What’s this book?” Margaret asked as she tried to read the title.

“That’s Struwwelpeter, or Straw Peter in English. It’s a very old book designed to try and teach children to be good. It came from what used to be Germany in Europe but all that’s changed.”

“It’s gruesome!” Margaret gasped as she flicked through the pages.

“Yes, a nineteenth century horror book look at the fly!”

Margaret had already glanced through the book and noted the horrific fates of children presumed to have been naughty. Thumbs cut off, starved to death, burned to cinders, drowned, dipped in black ink dye, and several more gruesome endings, all accompanied by ‘pen and ink’ sketches of such events.

Then she read the introductory fly sheet and gasped.

“Pretty picture book! Is that what it calls itself?! A pretty picture book.”

“Yeah, those eighteenth-century Victorian moralists had a weird sense of order and righteousness. Talk about cruel and unusual punishments! The crazy thing is that kids love it. My mother read it to me and I loved it. Today Charlotte loves it and constantly asks me to read one of the poems. That’s a first edition mind. You’ll note though that the majority of the gruesome fates are more consequential than remedial.”

“Yes, that’s a good point actually.” Margaret concurred. Anyway; -
“You didn’t come to discuss nineteenth century children’s books.” Charlie finished for her.

“No I was about to ask you about the green paper.”

“Here it is.” Charlie offered. “I’m just annotating a couple of points. Not sure if they’ll consider them but, well; - it’s a carrot and stick process. If they want to have functional spaceships, they’ll have to negotiate with me.”

“Can I look?”

“Sure! It’s a public document as far as I’m concerned. The pages are numbered, please don’t mix them up.”

For the rest of the morning, Margaret studied the annotated papers while Charlie ploughed on with the document. Occasionally, Chloe popped in with coffee and exchanged a few words before getting on with the tribulations of motherhood. By late afternoon, Charlie had completed about a quarter of the green paper and he slumped back in his chair.

“Eeeh! That’s enough, I think. Time for a spot of lunch.”

“It’s five p.m., Charlie, don’t you eat? Proper meals’ that is?”

“Well, dinner then.” Charlie conceded. “That’s the time when we sit with the kids, around the table; family hour.”

ooo000ooo

Margaret ended up spending the week with Charlie and his family. As commanded of the security squad, it was part of her duty so nothing untoward was interpreted from her decision. Each day she reported the situation and received any messages concerning potential threats.
Every member of the security squad was well vetted and fully acquainted with the family so there was little scope to infiltrate the tight knit community.
Finally, Charlie got a message from Juliet, his mal assistant engineer in Woomera, stating that Second Dawn was ready for travelling into space. He showed Chloe the message and shrugged apologetically.

“Duty calls darling. I’ll be back by Saturday if the trials are satisfactory.”

“What’s this Juliet like?” Chloe asked as Charlie prepared to leave. “You work with her a lot so I’d like to meet her.”

“He’s a typical mal. Badly treated by the Feminista academia but a brilliant practical engineer. Not allowed to use female pronouns of course. He would have been destined for the cesspit of feminista exploitation had I not spotted his potential. He was working as a night shift, canteen cleaner in the executive canteen when they had a problem with some equipment in the kitchens.

The feminista maintenance engineer couldn’t sort it and Juliet fixed it during her night shift.

I was working late one night, as I often do, and as I entered the canteen with my special pass, late at night and alone, I found this pretty pair of legs under the giant microwave cooker.

There were some grunts and curses coming from under the cooker, then a sigh of satisfaction as the legs scrabbled out from under the cooker and emerged as the compulsory skirt rode up his thighs to expose the prettiest panties I’d ever seen. He suddenly realised I was there and let out a squeak of fear.

His hair was filthy and there was dirty grease all the way up the back of his tights to his panties then up the back of his pretty dress. I couldn’t resist making a joke as he emerged filthy from the job. Because his panties were up into his crotch, I couldn’t help but notice he still had his penis but no testicles.

He was a typical mal, a victim of the evil feminista process that does not completed feminisation until the special boys have graduated. They remove the testicles and administer female hormones during puberty so the poor bastards grow up totally feminised except for the penis. Pretty little girlies who only get the final surgery if they graduate.

If they fail their final exams they are relegated to domestic drudgery and servitude or worse, slaves to some viciously exploitative dominatrix.

I never knew anything about this until I met the defence minister one evening and she revealed all. I soon realised there were dozens of mals suffering for their academic failures. Juliet was one of them.”

“You said he was pretty.” Chloe pressed.

“He was, under all the filthy grease that had spilled onto him as he worked under the cooker. As his head finally emerged he wiped his eyes and finally realised I was standing there. His tight-fitting uniform dress had ridden up over his curvy hips and he was exposed for all to see. I could not help noticing he was a mal. His little penis was evident under his panties and he quickly tugged his dress down as fear filled his eyes.”

“Fear?” Chloe asked.

“Yeah. Mals, especially pretty ones, go in dread of males. All too often they are treated as nothing more that sex toys because they have even less rights than fully male men. The feminista reasoning is that if they failed academically, they were too lazy to make the effort to go the whole hog. Consequently they get dumped from the professional career paths and left to do the drudgery. Juliet was training to be an electrical engineer but he just failed to pass his maths exams.

When he saw me standing there, he had no idea who I was. He was the canteen assistant for the night shift at Woomera, and he’d never seen me before. He was frozen with fear because he was alone with a male, at night. I’m afraid I did a bad thing then.”

“What!!” demanded Chloe. “You didn’t. –“
“Good god no! Nooo! Nothing like that. I just smiled and asked him if he’d lost something.”

“Meaning?” Chloe frowned.

“Well Poor Juliet’s a mal, don’t you understand? He lost his balls at thirteen or fourteen.”

Chloe let out an involuntary snort of amusement before recovering her sense of propriety.

“Oh you cruel bugger! What did he do?”

“He burst into tears and rushed to the locker room. I realised then that he was obviously a wounded, sensitive mal so I made some coffee and waited for him to emerge.”

“And?” Chloe glared.

“When he came out, I apologised then offered him the coffee and biscuits. He was very tense and guarded at first but relaxed when I explained I was only there to grab a coffee and a sandwich as I was working late.”

“Then what?”

“He asked who I was because all the scientific executive staff were women and he didn’t know of any men who had access the managerial canteen. He knew of me but he had never met me and genuinely thought that the infamous Charlie Sage was some sort of ‘high-up’ who obviously dined in the rarefied realms of the board room restaurant.”

“But you do; - dine in the board room restaurant that is.” Chloe observed.

“Not at two or three in the morning love; it’s closed.” Charlie replied. “I was hungry, I’d missed dinner and supper, so I just popped in for a snack. That’s why poor Juliet was doubly shocked to see a man, and an executive to boot, gain access to his modest night-shift canteen.”

“So what was the outcome?”

“Well after I’d apologised and helped him dry his tears, I asked him why he was crying. Then I got the whole story. He was a bright boy but he never really wanted to be a girl. His teachers told him a pack of feminista bullshit about once a boy was feminised he would not miss being a boy. Well, I for one know that’s complete tosh! The defence minister put me right on that one. She misses not being able to be a parent every day of her life and she resents it.

The problem was, for Juliet that his castration was the cruellest cut of all. He had a penis that was sensitive but could not get erect or ejaculate. Every day and night, he was reminded of his loss and failure; then I turn up one night and make some cruel joke asking him if he’d lost something.”

“It’s no wonder he burst into tears!”

“Exactly. After I’d actually helped him dry his tears and we shared our coffees he was shocked to learn who I was. I asked him about the maths and he told me he’d only just missed the mark, but you know how vicious feminista rules can be.”

“So how did he end up as your personal assistant?”

“I looked at the broken component he’d extracted from under the cooker and I asked him what was wrong with it. He gave me chapter and verse so I told him to come and see me after his shift and I took the component with me. I wasn’t expecting him to turn up after seven o’clock when he’d locked up the night canteen but fair play, there he was in a smart clean lady’s overall and keen as all hell to show me he could repair it.

“Well it’s a very complex microwave magnetron generator with assorted automatic controls but fair play; he mended it in front of my eyes on my own bench. He even did the check readings and put them through the equations. When I ran through them to check his figures, he was spot on.

After that eye-opener, I had him do some jobs that were outstanding on my schedule and he did each one correctly. I know that the executive, female, spanner monkeys who work at Woomera could not do those repairs and that’s why they had brought them to me.

After a long reassuring chat, I told him that I would tell the HR people I wanted him transferred to my lab as my personal assistant.

The rest, as they say is history. Juliet is my assistant engineer and a very good one.

“Do the female execs resent her?” Chloe asked.

“Some do, some are sympathetic. They had their noses put out of joint when he retook his maths exams and passed them while working with me.”

“With your help I suppose.”

“Nope. You know better than anybody that my maths is nothing but hieroglyphs and gobbledygook to others; and long it shall remain so.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 43

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 43

List of Characters.

Chapter 43

“Look after yourself darling” Chloe hugged Charlie as he stepped into Dawn.

“I promise darling, byee kids!” He waved at his precious family. “See you possibly Friday or maybe a week Friday.”

“How many sleeps is that?” Charlotte asked from Margaret’s arms.

“Five or possibly twelve darling.”

“I want another kiss,” Charlotte demanded. Charlie rolled his eyes affectionately then held out his arms for Margaret to bring her across to the spaceship.

Having got her way and won ‘the last kiss’, Charlotte was happy for Margaret to step back with Charlotte in her arms, and everybody watched as Dawn silently levitated off the pad then rapidly ascended through the thin veil of clouds.

“Well! Back to normality for a few days,” Chloe grinned as they returned to the house.

Within fifteen minutes Charlie was gazing down from thirty miles up as he zeroed in on Woomera missile base and research station. He slowed down for the descent through the denser atmosphere and landed on his own personal landing pad where he saw Juliet and several other staff waiting beside the larger Second Dawn. He quickly stepped across the concrete to the Second Dawn.

“Hiya Juliet, she’s ready then is she?”

“Yes boss.”

“Right, let’s see the flight plan and we’ll make a start.

After a brief visit to the control room beneath the control tower, Charlie grinned at Juliet and motioned towards the larger ship.

“Who else is coming for the ride?”

“There are about six girls, each testing some part of the venture, engines, navigation, radiation levels and so on.”

Charlie chuckled. “It’s going to be like a schoolgirl outing.”

Juliet shrugged. He had pride and dignity enough as the co-pilot. He motioned to the girls to get prepared then nodded to Charlie.

“Come on, you too. We’ve all got to wear space suits.”

Charlie snorted involuntarily.

“What brought this on?”

“H.F.S.E!” Juliet snorted back. “You know what the government’s like for bullshit and red tape.”

Charlie wagged his head in disbelief. “A bloody space suit! I suppose they’ll want us to space-walk next!”

“It’s been mooted,” Juliet confessed. “While you were away last week. There's also talk of a moon landing, but don't tell the girls just yet. They'll wet their knickers with excitement.”

“We-ell, I suppose it had to come. I always wanted a space suit. Come on, let’s get togged up.”

The pair followed the six girls who were just entering the preparation area and two hours later eight suited astronauts emerged each carrying their own service pack. Charlie sighed to Juliet as they were surrounded by a score of various assistants and engineers.

“It wasn’t like this the first time I went up,” Charlie grumbled.”

“Do tell,” Juliet pressed as the girls gathered to listen.

“I just climbed into Dawn, started the engines and simply ascended into the night sky. No fuss, no witnesses, no trouble. Not like this bloody palaver.”

“You did it at night!” Juliet squeaked incredulously.

“Yeah. I didn’t want to be seen so I waited for a cloudy, rainy night and the rain would blind any radars. I did it that way pretty much every time in the UQ. Ask Chloe, the first time I took her up it was pouring down with rain and a pitch-black night.”

“How many times have you been into space?” One of the girls asked.

“Oh hell, I’ve lost count. I go to the edge of space every time I travel from here to anywhere in Oz. Avoiding air friction and stuff. I suppose it’s hundreds of times by now.”

“Don’t you keep a log, a voyage log?”

“Good god no. All that pen-pushing and stuff? Come on, let’s get aboard before you girls snatch our seats.”

“They couldn’t do that?” Juliet objected.

“Why not. She’s incredibly easy to fly. Just push’ n go. If you want, I’ll let you take her up.”

“I’ve had no training!”

“Neither did I, - the first time. You’ll soon catch on. It’s really that easy.”

“Is it true you let the prime minister take the controls with your own ship?”

“Yes. I’m also secretly betting that those girls will want a go. If there’s to be a space navy, there’s going to have to be pilots.”

“D’ you think men will be allowed to fly them?”

“Why not? I do. That’s what this ship is all about. Giving everybody equal rights.”

“If that happens, there’s going to be an awful lot of angry mals; like me.”

“Sorry, I can’t do anything about that, omelettes and eggs I’m afraid.”

ooo000ooo

By now, everybody was seated but several technicians were faffing around, double checking and triple checking various fixtures. Eventually, Charlie had to persuade them to leave.

“Come on ladies, all ashore now, it doesn’t need checking every five seconds.”

Reluctantly the ground crew left and order was very quickly restored.

“Okay Juliet,” Charlie instructed his very new and uncertain co-pilot. “Take her away.”

Juliet tentatively grasped the control column and pressed the ascend button. He was relieved and reassured as Second Dawn started to leave the ground without any juddering or yawing. The movement seemed almost unreal as the ship ascended without the slightest pitch or yaw or side slip.

Despite there being a modest breeze on the base, Second Dawn rose as if it was a lift travelling up a wire and Juliet quickly gained confidence as he realised the sheer ability and capacity of the spaceship under his control. He turned to Charlie almost tearfully.

“She’s amazing! The wind doesn’t affect her at all.”

“Carry on then,” Charlie encouraged him. “Keep going until the Earth is just a ball. Once you’re clear of the atmosphere you’ll see what she can really do.”

Thus reassured, Juliet steadily increased the ascent speed and very quickly, Charlie’s words came true. Their home planet was soon little more than a beautiful blue and white globe floating in space astern. Juliet checked the distance travelled and realised they were already twenty thousand miles from Earth and they had only been travelling for what seemed like a few minutes.

His fascination with the dimensional panel told Charlie that Juliet was struggling to get to grips with the figures so he remarked softly.

“Fast isn’t she?”

“I can’t believe it. What shall we do now?”

“I believe conventional astronauts usually commence an orbit of the planet, just to prove their planet is round.”

“How do I do that?”

“Just tap in the name of the planet, and your distance from it. The computer will give you the speed and course to commence an orbit. Then switch off the gravity and listen to the girls back in the cabin.”

Juliet did as instructed then glanced over to Charlie to confirm permission to switch off the ships internal gravity as well as the engines.

“We’d better warn them,” Charlie cautioned him, “and we’d better tell Woomera what we’re doing.”

“Shall we make it a polar orbit?” Juliet asked.

“Be my guest.” Charlie allowed as he stepped back to warn the six passengers to prepare for zero gravity.

As Juliet did the necessary, there were squeaks of delight from the cabin and once the geocentric orbit was established, Juliet joined the passengers.

“Who’s driving this thing?” One of the girls asked as they each unfastened their belts and started to float.

“Gravity of course!” Juliet riposted as Charlie cautioned everybody.

“Take care now, and remember the gravity is still active elsewhere in the ship. That applies particularly to the cockpit and the galley.”

“How do you do that, control the gravity so precisely?” One of the girls asked.

“Sorry Miss. That’s my secret, how to create gravity, how to concentrate it into a fixed space and how to direct it. It’s all part of my science.”

The girls fell momentarily silent as they realised there would always be that unresolved issue between Charlie and the rest of society; best described so many years ago, - ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of - ‘.

ooo000ooo

The ensuing silence emphasised the gap between Charlie and the feminista culture but the following chatter also revealed the fracture lines appearing in that culture. Charlie smiled inwardly as he noted that his arguments backed by his quiet intransigence concerning his gravity secrets were beginning to open those fracture lines.

In the cabin, he let the girls’ arguments continue for fully twenty minutes before he decided to lighten the mood.

“Well ladies and mals, I think a small celebration is in order. How about opening a bottle of champagne, in the cockpit mind you. Gravity makes it easier to pour.”

This was immediately agreed by all and Charlie was glad to note a mood of genuine consensus as the passengers eventually remembered the auspiciousness of the occasion.
With the Second Dawn’s cockpit or flight deck being appreciably larger than her forebearer’s Charlie took the opportunity for a chat to the gathered girls.

“Right ladies, now that we’re gathered at the centre of things, I think a few lessons in piloting these new ships that Australia will be benefiting from if your government can see fit to bring back liberty for all. I’m taking the Second Dawn to the moon and each of you will be able to do a moon walk. When we get there, you will find two ‘moon buggies’ as the yanks termed them. They are currently in the cargo hold along with some basic equipment to start a moon base.

So ladies. You can have a few hours playing at birdies by flying around in the cabin area then it’s helmets on, air bottles on then start work at Moon-base Alpha.”

“You never mentioned this, but I’m game for it!” The most outspoken girl declared.

A general babble of consensus quickly reflected the girl’s excitement as Charlie opened a channel back to Canberra where, by prearrangement, the Prime Minister appeared on the screen.

“Hello Mr Sage, are you receiving?”

“Loud and clear Prime Minister. Go ahead.”

The older lady congratulated their auspicious participation then briefly listed the agenda to start the first phase of a space station. Firstly emplace the solar panels at one of the lunar poles to gather solar energy constantly, then start the first chamber of what was to become a large base, mostly located underground.

“You will find the tools as Mr Sage told you, in the Cargo hold behind your passenger cabin. Mal Juliet will be showing you how to assemble and erect the first frame for the solar panels then he will guide and assist, along with Mr Sage in erecting the first chamber. The location has been pre-determined in a shallow crater, right at the Austral pole, to provide ease of future construction and excavating subterranean chambers during future enlargements.
At the pole, you will experience long periods of shadow that protects you from heat and solar radiation.

You should expect to be on the moon for up to six hours. Good luck ladies.”

“There was a stunned silence as the girls digested the information before one of them finally found her voice.”

“I don’t know whether to be angry or excited.”

“Nor me.” Another girl concurred.

“What do you think Mr Sage? Did you know about this?”

“Yes, and I can tell you now, you have the right to refuse, but I for one, am determined to at least walk on the moon. If any of you don’t wish to participate, you can sit it out in your space suits back on board. Does anybody have reservations?”

Charlie waited for fully a minute of silence before continuing.

“I take it then that everybody is mostly okay with the visit. As to setting up the base, I think you should think of it as ‘big girl’s guide camp’.

There was a subdued chuckle then Juliet spoke.

“Captain Sage will show two of you how to operate this ship while I’ll show anybody the equipment in the cargo hold. You’ll need your space suits fully helmeted of course, there is an air-lock between the living space and the cargo hold.”

“Charlie smiled self-consciously.”

“Hold on Julie, less of the ‘Captain Sage’, It’s just Charlie; it always was and always will be.”

The self-appointed spokeswoman then piped up again.

“That won’t work Captain Sage, you are the experienced spaceman so we’ll call you ‘Boss’ like our special forces troopers use to their commanders.”

Charlie frowned but shrugged his shoulders.

“Okay then, if you must. Don’t forget though, I’ve never been in a space suit before. This is also my first time to walk on the moon. Now can you sort yourselves out into pairs? We’ve got work to do.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 44

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 44 ©Beverly Taff

Chapter 44

List of Characters.

Chapter 44

As the Second Dawn approached the moon, Charlie kept a seasoned eye on Juliet’s landing and nodded approvingly as he landed her without the feintest whisper of a bump. The two girls appointed to first learn the controls after Juliet gave a supportive clap and a cheer as she stood up from the command console.

“Well done Julie.” Charlie applauded somewhat less enthusiastically than the over-excited girls but still with a kind supportive nod.

‘After all the shit Julie's had to endure as a canteen skivvy, he deserves some genuine applause.’ Charlie mused privately before stepping up to the next task.

“Right everybody, helmets on and check each other’s suits for airtight integrity.”

Because this was the first ‘real deal’ of going out into the vacuum on the moon, everybody checked and double checked each-others while Juliet checked each one independently.

“They all seem okay boss. Who goes into the airlock first?”

Charlie shrugged philosophically.

“Suppose I’d better, leader of the expedition, untested danger and all that.”

There was a chorus of protest from Juliet and the girls.

“Not bloody likely Boss. We need you to get back if things don’t work out!”

“Is that a unanimous thing?” Charlie asked, “if it is, you’d better pick straws.”

This was accepted and one of the girls got picked. Five minutes later she was ‘spring stepping’ through the fine layer of dust, just as the earlier astronauts from Apollo missions had done so many years before.

“It’s definitely the easiest way to move around,” she confirmed through her mouthpiece. Who’s next?”

“Your chosen partner and she’s feeding out a tie-line to climb back up the ramp.

After her, Juliet is bringing one of the buggies down the ramp.”

Through the viewing windows, the rest watched as the procedures went mostly as planned except the the buggy wheels skidded on the ramp an it slewed perilously close to falling off the side of the ramp. A note was made about traction on the ramps. Finally after double checking everything and having Juliet return to keep post in the cockpit, Charlie descended the ramp.

For the rest of the stay each team member kept up their own private recorded commentaries inside their helmets describing any problems they encountered while simultaneously pressing the ‘chest mounted speaker pad’ to talk to each other.

After the regulated six hours, Charlie called everybody back on board even though the base unit was not totally complete.

“We could have finished it boss, just a couple more sections.” The girls protested.

“No. We’ve got the solar panels up and running and there was a problem with sections aitch four and aitch five. There are to be no un-necessary risks, at least, not until we’ve got a functioning, habitable base unit. The buggies are protected from direct sunlight and I’m sure we’ll be back before the end of the month. Let’s prepare for take-off. Once we’re launched, we can do the initial de-brief on route back to earth. Which one of you girls want's to do the take off.”

The huge enthusiasm indicated ‘straws’ again and the winning girl joyfully took the command stick while Charlie stood back to appraise her work.

Once they were clear of the moon, and the earth loomed invitingly in the control platform window, they settled down to debrief.

The first and most obvious problem was the gloves. Everybody unanimously agreed that better, less cumbersome gloves were needed as the fingerless, airtight, mittens had proved hopelessly inadequate.

“I felt as though I had elephants feet at the ends of my arms.” Juliet complained to a chorus of agreement, that included Charlie’s voice.

“Yes, that caused our biggest fail as I see it, we failed to complete the first structure for Moon-base Alpha.” The female leader lamented.

“Well at least it serves to protect the two lunar buggies. We can complete it next time.” Juliet replied.

“When will next time be?” Another girl asked.

“I should think as soon as we have the upgraded space suits.” The acting team quartermaster opined. “The ship is pretty much available all the time. -Just like a truck or a bus.”

“How long will it be before Dawn Three is ready?” Juliet asked Charlie.

“I will take about a month to complete the engines for her. She’s half as big again.”

“But she’s mostly cargo hold. She only carries a construction crew of four plus two flight crew.” Juliet explained. “Basically, she just ferries crew and materials to Base Alpha. In the meantime, we simply use Second Dawn to continue the programme.”

By this time the earth was filling the windows of Second Dawn and the team took their seats for the landing back on earth. As the girls filed back to the cabin Charlie turned to the trainee pilot.

“I have to ask, why do they all take seats like in an old-fashioned airliner? It’s not as though Second Dawn has to land at speed on a runway. She settles down as softly as a feather. You could have at least two other observers here on the flight-deck watching and learning.”

The trainees eyes widened with realisation. The science of anti-gravity had taken flying into a completely new realm. People could be working or eating or sleeping while a spaceship docked or landed.

She landed the ship without mishap and the team wasted little time on formalities as they removed their recorders from their helmets and took them to the debriefing section. Then they got scrubbed up and savoured a fine meal before retiring. They would have a full debriefing the following morning.

ooo000ooo

“Where’s Captain Sage?”

The now officially appointed second officer asked Juliet, who had been acknowledged and accepted as first officer, - or ‘mate’ as used in the old parlance of merchant shipping days.

“He took off in his own ship Dawn. It’s being retrofitted with security devices to prevent theft and he’s gone to sort out the security settings for him and his wife. He’ll be back before noon. That’s when they’re having the debriefing after they analysed each of our helmet tapes.”

“Jeeze, he’s a lucky bugger just whizzing right across Oz and back in a few minutes. I’ll be glad when we all have antigravity ships for personal use.”

“Amen to that,” Juliet concurred as he unlocked Second Dawn’s flight recorder and electronic journey log ready for the debriefing.

“Don’t suppose there’ll be much of interest on that except technical recordings and instrument readings. I mean, for much of the passage she was on automatic pilot.”

“No, I suppose not,” Juliet surmised. “Shall we go and see how Dawn three is coming along?”

“She’s just an empty hull in the fabrication shed at present but apparently, she’ll be the blueprint for the class of space cargo ships Australia hopes to have.”

“The class threes; yeah, that has a good ring to it. We might as well call the whole team together and make it a collective visit.”

The visit was quickly organised and the team would actually find it useful as they had spotted issues on the plans that would certainly be difficult to sort later on in the construction. The loading ramp being too steep was a considerable issue because low gravity gave dis-proportionately less traction. Two of the ten engines that Charlie had described to the girls would obstruct the ramp lever hinges because they would need bigger recesses.

The strangest and most humorous issue was the provision of sufficient laundry facilities to clean the crews diapers. Boy or girl, - once a crew member was in their spacesuit and working outside, it took at least one or even two people to assist a companion in a lavatorial visit. - Removing and then donning a space suit took upwards of an hour so it was expensive on the moon and lavatorial visits were consequently frowned upon.

Diapers, and adult water-proof pants were supplied for use under space suits. Nobody much liked it, but logistics necessitated it and, if later crews were to spend a week working on the moon, there had to be laundry facilities.

“Water’s going to be a problem, isn’t it?” One of the team wondered.”

Juliet smiled as he revealed some thoughts that he and Charlie had been sharing.

“Charlie reckons we could build a large tanker type spaceship on the moon once the supply chain is established; then it could travel to the moons of Jupiter. Europa’s got more ice and water than the Earth so there’s no shortage of the stuff. Ganymede and Callista also have huge water surfaces so the potential to extract it and deliver it to Earth, Mars and the moon is very promising.

“We might need to build a huge evaporation plant in orbit around the earth then send the fresh water to Earth and Mars in smaller ships. The operation would be entirely an Australian venture and we would become a major supplier of yet another valuable raw material, - cheap, fresh water!”

“And all this depends on the Oz government reversing the Feminista laws, giving back equality to men.”

“Basically yes.” Juliet replied but did not smile.

“It puts a lot of power in one man’s hands.” One of the team cautioned.

Juliet wagged her head slowly.

“You’ve all met and worked with Charlie; does he strike you as some sort of megalomaniac?”

There was surprising degree of consensus in the girls’ responses that gave Juliet hope.
Having informed all the girls of the day's plans: he approached the fabrication shop manager to confirm the permission for the team to visit the half built 'Dawn Three' but the yard manager was of the Feminista old school.

“Where’s your boss?” She demanded officiously as though determined to belittle him in front of the girls.

Inevitably, her attitude raised the hackles of the girls who had grown very fond of Juliet. He was a reasonably effeminate mal who the girls all knew well, he therefore posed little or no physical threat whilst his knowledge, accumulated under Charlie was second only to Charlie’s.

Indeed some of the girls believed Juliet’s practical abilities possibly surpassed Charlies, who himself tended to go around with his head in the air thinking about strange maths equations and then eventually transposing the theories to technology and product.

The pair, - that is Charlie and Juliet, - worked well together but the girls found Juliet the easier to get along with and they were now highly protective of their particular mal.

This scenario now surfaced amongst the girls who were literally standing behind Juliet while he had been insulted. All six of them had had metaphorically ‘got Juliet's back’. The ‘second mate’ - herself a fairly high-ranking executive; who now owned additional kudos as an operational space crew; - stepped from behind Juliet.

“Lady, be careful. I’m a grade four exec myself and I consider this mal to be my team leader. He’s also Captain Sage’s executive officer so I suggest you let us examine the class three spaceships that we will be commanding as they come from the yard!”

The yard manager visibly shrank as she realised she was confronting the core operational crew that would lead Australia into space and well ahead of any other countries.

“Oh I’m sorry!” She smarmed. “I’ll get one of the official guides to show you. I’m presuming you’ve got official clearance.”

There was a distinct feeling amongst the female team of; - “Who is this silly bitch?” But strangely it was Juliet who smoothed the ruffled feathers.

“These ladies and I are the team that yesterday landed on the moon, I believe that demonstrates we have maximum security clearance. Oh! And I believe if you look up there, you’ll see the now famous Dawn approaching her own secure, private, landing pad probably with Captain Sage and maybe his wife.”

Everybody looked up to see Dawn reducing speed and alighting with all the precision of an insect on a flower.

“Shall we wait for him?” One of the team asked.

“I think he’s going into a board meeting before the full debriefing. We’d better be getting on with the visit.” Juliet observed as she turned to meet the approaching guide.

Having now been pre-warned, the guide was all courtesy and solicitation.

“If you ladies would like to follow me please,” She offered, “I believe you’ve got some suggestions to add.”

“Yes,” Juliet replied with a respectful and courteous smile. “Lead on please miss.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 45

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 45 © Beverly Taff

Chapter 45

List of Characters.

Charlie Sage Maths and electronics genius.
Shirley Sage Charlies elderly mother
Chloe Charlie’s one time early school friend.
Josephine Flint Surgeon and associate of Chloe’s.
Mrs Jane Anston Director of Anston Aerospace.
Ronnie Garage mechanic at top of lane
Pauline Garage owner, Ronnie’s sister.
Briony Pauline’s teenaged daughter.
Billy Pauline’s middle son.
Abigail (Abby) Pauline’s youngest daughter.
‘Poppy’ Charlie’s little micro-runabout.
‘Doris’ The armoured mobile home.
‘Lady’ Chloe’s Sports Car.
Dawn Charlie’s armoured spaceship.
Colonel Wilson Vindictive misanthropist doctor.
Margaret Thomas ‘Failed’ police security guard.
Sally. 1st Oz Special forces trooper
Jacky 2nd Oz Special forces trooper.
Juliet Charlie’s Mal engineering assistant.
Laura The second mate of the Second Dawn
Kate The castrated Australian defence minister.

Chapter 45

“She what?” Charlie looked askance.

“It’s alright Boss. We soon put her right. She knows for damn certain now that Juliet is one of the team.” Laura the second mate reassured Charlie.

“I’m glad to hear it. Did you get to see much of the new hull?”

“It’s pretty much bare bones but from what we could see she’ll have ten engines.”

“Yes. That’s right. I can’t make much bigger engines at the moment, it’s a matter of space in Dawn’s little cargo hold.”

“Couldn’t we build you a bigger ship to build bigger engines then the process grows like Topsy?”

“I’m not decided yet how we go about building bigger engines. Dawn’s cargo hold is simply a security stopgap to avoid spying or thefts. After the debriefing I’ve been asked to go to Canberra with Juliet and Chloe to discuss the politics for the finalisation of the green paper to reverse the feminista laws.

If they really are serious about universal rights being restored I’ll enter discussions about where I build the engines. The most likely scenario will be a large mobile manufacturing shop based on the moon but able to move into space. Mainly for its own security. The manufacturing process will be as automated as possible to reduce security risks.”

“That makes sense,” Laura opined, “can the manufacturing process be fully automated?”

“Pretty much,” Charlie confirmed. “Where’s Juliet?”

“Inside with the rest of the team; we’re waiting for you.”

As the two entered the de-briefing room there was a short-lived bout of applause from the debriefing panel but it died very quickly when the panel realised that none of Charlie’s team were clapping. The team were fully cognisant of Charlie’s aversion to sycophancy.

He and Laura took their seats and the bulk of the afternoon was devoted to an intensive debriefing session with constant referrals to the helmet tape comments. By five p.m., the meeting was over.

Charlie and Juliet joined Chloe in Dawn and the trio sped towards Canberra through the ‘edge of space’. As they approached the federal territory boundary and slowed to re-enter the atmosphere proper, they were quietly amused to be met by two of Australia’s most advanced jet fighters.

“Reception committee or escort?” Charlie chuckled.

“I think the local RAAF base commander is just curious to see what Dawn is all about,” Laura replied, “shall we give them a show?”

“Naah; they’ll find out soon enough.” Charlie replied as Chloe checked the communications screen.

Moments later the Prime Minister was hailing them.

“Hello Spaceship Dawn, the Prime Minister’s office is on the line.”

“Hello Canberra, put her through.” Charlie responded with an easy familiarity that caused Juliet’s eyebrows to rise.

The Prime Ministers smile appeared and friendly exchanges preceded a rapid progression to business even as the Dawn landed. They met the Prime Minister and the defence minister with a small entourage at the edge of the helipad and went straight into the parliamentary committee rooms.

“They don’t mess about do they?” Juliet remarked as they took their seats before a horse-shoe of officials and M.P.’s.

“There must be a flap about something.” Charlie observed as the Prime Minister took her seat in the horseshoe.

On sitting, the Prime Minister carried on with the conversation they’d had while walking from the Helipad.

“Charlie, there have been several intrusions of our air space near Capentaria and Darwin. We believe another country is probing our defences before they deem us capable of defending ourselves.”

“I’ll discuss those issues once I’m assured of the universal rights bill.”

“That’s pretty much a given Mr Sage,” the defence minister admitted, “parliament has accepted just about every one of the points in the green paper.”

“That was quick.” Chloe observed.

“I think the events up north in Darwin have exercised a few minds. There’s to be a vote in the house tomorrow morning. I might add that your team’s exploits on the moon have also worked to concentrate the minds of a few die-hard feminista. The human rights bill has unanimously passed the white paper this very afternoon.”

“I’d like to read that before I commit. You know I’m a suspicious cove.”

The defence minister wagged her head partly in sympathy and partly with resignation.

“I thought you would. Here’s some bed-time reading for tonight.”

Charlie accepted the offered document then returned to the pressing issue of foreign fighter jets invading Australia’s air space.

“Have you identified the nationality of the planes yet?” Charlie asked.

“That’s the problem; no. They’re very sophisticated advanced aircraft and they don’t carry any markings. We believe that whoever is doing it, is probing our defences while preventing us from identifying them. We can’t yet protest against another country until we confirm who the planes belong to. We can’t catch them, they’re too fast, too high and too sophisticated. They can dodge our missiles.”

“Sounds serious,” Charlie concurred. “I suppose you want us to investigate with spaceship Dawn?”

“Please.”

ooo000ooo

After the meeting, Charlie Chloe and Juliet retired for a meal. They were dining privately when there was a knock on the door and Juliet went to answer it.

“Oh! Come in ma-am, I thought we’d discussed everything.”

“No, this is just a private matter.” The defence minister confessed.

Go o-on.” Charlie replied cautiously.

“Well, it’s a bit sensitive.”

“What’s it about,” Charlie wondered aloud.

“It concerns Mrs Sage directly but you Mr Sage, are also involved.

“Is this about fatherhood and rights?” Chloe asked.

“Frankly Mrs Sage, yes.”

“That’s pretty much been addressed in the green paper,” Charlie observed.

“Yes, but it tends to formalise the circumstances through the new laws.”

Juliet leaned forward interestedly and Charlie sensed her concern. She pressed the defence minister.

“Can you explain.”

“Well, it’s a personal matter. My partner and I want children and I of course can’t supply them, so I was wondering if you would, you know.”

“You would have to speak to Chloe,” Charlie replied as he turned to his wife. “What are your thoughts love?”

Chloe glared angrily but thoughtfully at the defence minister.

“You are part of a government that supports Feminista laws, that supports the oppression and incarceration of men in the rookeries. If you want sperm from an intelligent male go and find it in the rookeries or wandering in the outback.”

“I thought you’d be supportive. I’m one of the worst victims of the feminista. I was castrated without consent or knowledge at aged thirteen. They told me I needed a colonoscopy for possible bowel cancer and when I finally recovered, they told me that they had had to remove the affected parts. My testicles!

It was all a complete lie of course but it was too late for me to protest; job done. Thanks to a mother more concerned with keeping her dear little boy on the career path than letting him live and grow as a male. Do you seriously think I want to live as a woman even though I look like one and piss like one? My prick is too small to point and they stole my balls!”

It was Chloe’s turn to now fall silent. She fully understood and detested the consequences of the feminista laws; and she was as determined as Charlie to destroy them. The cruel irony was that the most useful and powerful weapons in their war were the very victims of the feminista, namely mals like Juliet and ‘girls’ like the defence minister. Chloe had much food for thought.

She turned uncertainly to Charlie.

“I don’t know what to do Charlie.”

“It’s your call Chloe. You’ve always maintained that children should know and have their fathers close to hand in a marriage; - and I fully support that. But this throws everything into a cocked hat.”

“Yes but Kate is the defence minister! She will be a powerful ally in the battles to come. The green paper is okay in itself but the white paper has only just been put before the Aussie parliament. Yeah, I know it’s pretty certain of passing in the chamber but there’s still a long row to hoe.”

Kate, the defence minister shifted uncomfortably as she considered her next words.

“I’m putting my career and my neck on the block by telling you what I’m going to say but it’s got to be said.”

Charlie, Chloe and Juliet exchanged cautious glances. The universal rights restitution bill was at a very critical juncture. If they put a foot wrong at this delicate stage, the diehard feministas might cry havoc and slip the dogs of the feminista war. Charlie pressed Kate the defence minister to elaborate.

“What’s got to be said minister?”

“There’s a movement; - a movement to do what you are attempting to do but by revolution and insurrection.”

Charlie let out an ironic guffaw.

“Ha! You mean you’re telling me there are some men with balls enough to try and put things right the old-fashioned way?”

“They haven’t all got balls Charlie. And I resent you’re implication that it takes balls to start a revolution. Some of us victims are in the fight as well. We’re affectionately referred to by our masculine brothers as the ‘Castrato brigade’.”

“Oh sweet. Sweet irony!” Charlie hooted. “You’ll be telling us you’re a brigadier in a minute.”

“I’m telling you NOW! Not in a minute Charlie. Things are pressing in on me even as we speak. The feminista police are getting suspicious and I’m dangerously exposed.”

“Oh shit!” Juliet cursed, “and just when I was hoping to contact the revolutionaries. Only to find them in disarray.”

Katie stared at Juliet as the light dawned in her eyes.

“You! You as well.”

Charlie interceded with a nod.

“Julie’s never made any secret of his anti-feminista’ convictions. That’s why he could only find work as a domestic drudge until he and I met. He’s graduated now and is my executive chief officer in the lunar team.”

“Yes. I knew all about that,” Katie confirmed. “I am the defence minister you know.”

“For how much longer?” Chloe demanded.

“I’ve no idea, but if can be shown to have stopped these invasions of our air-space, it will stymie the feminista police investigations.”

“Will they be watching you now?”

“Only when I leave this room. I’ve got a spy detector on my person that picks up on any cameras. They know I’m in here but they don’t know what’s being said.”

“Good!” Charlie replied. “So what will you say about this meeting?”

“I’ll simply tell them we had a confidential chat about driving off the invading planes up north.”

“Which is exactly the truth.” Chloe grinned. “Cos that’s exactly what we will discuss now.”

Katie’s eyes lit up and her back straightened as an obvious burden was lifted from her shoulders.

“So are you agreeing to help us fight off these invading planes?”

“Yes, if you’re prepared to help us in the fight to reinstate universal human rights.”

“You know I am! Do you want me to go on record?”

“That won’t be necessary,” Chloe conceded, “your request for Charlie’s sperm is proof enough of your desperation and consequential loyalty. It’s you who is vulnerable, not us.”

“Are we all agreed then?” Charlie asked loudly for the benefit of any listening devices in the walls.”

“Yes. We go tomorrow before daybreak.”

“Can I come with you?” Katie pleaded.

“It’s a bit cramped.” Charlie cautioned. Dawn wasn’t built for a crew, just me.”

“You’ve had four in there before,” Katie protested.

“Yeah, but we weren’t hunting for bear. It’ll be bloody rough and violent.”

“How do you shoot them down?” Katie asked.
“I don’t,” Charlie explained soberly, “I will ram them like the old Greek galleys but at infinitesimally higher speeds.”

“But that will smash your own ship!” Katie protested.

“You may have been up into space with Dawn Minister, but you’ve no idea how she’s built. Dawns front plate may look crude and unfinished but that front plate is a six inches thick glacis made of tungsten-titanium alloy. Dawn is a flying tank, - a bloody battering ram capable of more than five thousand knots at sea level. Any plane trying to catch her would melt with air friction. The rest of her hull is built of heavy steel alloy plate. There isn’t an air-to-air missile on this planet than can harm her or even catch her.

The ride will be rough because she weighs well in excess of thirty tons but she’s more manoeuvrable than stunt plane, let alone a fighter jet. She has a virtually infinite range and she can chase any invaders all around the planet. The only thing that could disable her would be a one-twenty tank shell or, a one fifty-millimetre artillery shell and bearing in mind she can out fly such a shell, I doubt that any gun could hit her unless it was an extremely lucky, freak shot.”

“Why doesn’t she carry guns or missiles?” Katie asked.

“That would make her war-plane. Without weapons she is indisputably a peaceful, non-combatant craft, until angered that is. Then I wouldn’t like to be the pilot who opens the shooting.”

“I’d love to come.” Katie enthused. “I was in the military before politics.”

“Well bring yourself a substantial safety harness and we’ll find somewhere to lash you securely in the cabin.”

“So you’re saying I can come?”

“Yes. Four a.m., out there, on the Federal, parliament lawn. Bring your lunch but it’ll be no picnic!”
ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 46

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 46 © Beverly Taff

Chapter 46
List of Characters.

Chapter 46.

It was raining as per the forecast when the group gathered at the parliament building.

The Prime Minister was and the defence minister were waiting as Charlie arrived late with Chloe in tow.

“You’re late Mr Sage,” Kate the defence minister charged as Charlie arrived with his copy of the white paper in hand.

“Late night reading I’m afraid.” Charlie waved the white paper. “It seems okay; I only had to endorse a couple of items but It seems okay to me.”

“What! You’ve read it all?” The surprised Prime Minister looked askance.

“Of course. You don’t think I’d commit to an act of war without first checking that document do you. By the way, why are there cameras here?”

“That’s my fault I’m afraid Charlie.” Katie confessed. “We’ll need evidence; - firstly that our government has at last taken action against the intruders and secondly, I need evidence to show I was a party to that action. Proving my loyalty to the government so the feminista can’t stab me in the back.”

It was Charlie’s turn to look askance at the Prime Minister.

“Were you aware of the accusations laid against Kate?”

“By the feminista wing of our party? Yes.” The P.M. admitted. “But she knows her stuff when it comes to defence and her knowledge is invaluable to me. It’s called political infighting Mr Sage. We’ve got plenty of extreme feminista takers for my job. I’m deemed to be the liberal wing. I only cling on to my job by dint of a diverse assembly of opposition that keeps my personal majority intact.

Charlie caught Juliet wagging her head slowly.

“What are your thoughts Julie?”

“I’m beginning to wonder if this is a trap, an inside job. Are those incursions really foreign planes or a gang of feminista militants just aiming to unseat the P.M.?”

“Their planes are better than anything Australia’s got.” The P.M. protested. “I don’t think any government with ambitions to attack us would let such sophisticated weapons fall into the hands of a militant bunch of rebels. Afghanistan taught everybody the folly of that.”

“I suppose so,” Juliet conceded. “Anyway whoever they are they’ll get short shrift from us.”

“You bet!” Charlie assured the whole assembly on the lawn as she added. “Anybody trying to stymie the universal human rights bill will have me and Dawn to contend with.”

There was a clear rumble of agreement throughout the group so Charlie stepped up to his spaceship Dawn.

“Let’s be getting on with this. Where were the last reported incursions?”

“Around Darwin.” The PM confirmed as she passed some reports to Kate. “You’ll have seen most of these, but the top one only arrived about fifteen minutes ago.”
ooo000ooo

“We can read those en-route, let’s get going.” Charlie urged.

The four needed no further encouragement and moments later the Spaceship Dawn was sky-bound.

“Are your harnesses secure?” Charlie asked everybody.

“The chorus of yesses came back so he reached into a locker and produced four tight-fitting helmets with special ear plugs that fitted somewhat uncomfortably into each crew-member’s ears.

“Are all your helmets and ear-plugs tight?” He checked again and a second chorus of slightly impatient ‘Yesses’ erupted.

“Come on Charlie, what’s this about?” Katie demanded.

“Just watch and hold on!” Charlie replied as he switched off the gravity.

A moment later, Dawn immediately produced a series of violent rolls followed by flips, dives, turns, climbs and bone-crushing slews before finishing with a rapid series of spins that left Charlie’s crew stunned, but unharmed and above all still balanced. Only Katie, who had occasionally flown fast jets during her military career, realised that something special had just happened.

“How the hell did that just happen!? After those spins, we should be as dizzy as hell!”

“Just a little by-product of my gravity research.” Charlie confessed.

“How did you stabilise our inner ear tubes?”

“Don’t ask.” Charlie warned, “it’s another gravity by-product I discovered.
The induced extra gravity in the tips of the earplugs helps stabilise the fluid in the vestibular labyrinth much faster. You recover your balance and orientation almost immediately after any violent or rapid series of perturbations. It means fighter pilots can withstand much greater centrifugal, and gee forces yet stay functional. Welcome to superman world.” Charlie grinned.

“Bloody hell!” Katie squawked as she tested her hand-eye-foot, co-ordination.”

“That’s bloody amazing!”

“Right, let’s get to it then. Chloe can you do the usual honours with the radar and scanners?”

“Right with you darling.” Chloe agreed.

“Julie, up beside me in the co-pilot seat please and monitor the radios.”

“Right away boss,” Juliet complied; - ecstatic to be a vital part of the team. “And Katie, because your not fully au-fait with Dawns equipment, can I ask you to stand by at the navigation table. “When we knock these arseholes out of the sky, we’ll need to know the positions of any pilots that have bailed out. If they are alive, I wanna' catch them.”

“Gotcha’ Charlie.

With no more to be said the Dawn streaked through sub space then started loitering initially around Darwin. With Chloe peering into the ‘lookdown’ radar, it wasn’t long before they detected some suspicious activity over Nhulunbuy in the Gulf of Capentaria.

“Within minutes they had their target and started to investigate.”

“There’s four unidentified targets, speed four hundred knots, course one seven five degrees just approaching the coast.” Chloe reported.

Charlie immediately accelerated to a rendezvous point approximately ten thousand metres above the targets. Then advised Katie.

“Make sure your harness seat is securely fastened to the floor then just note the positions where we ram the target. Julie, keep tabs on any radio calls from Darwin control hailing the targets to identify themselves. If they don’t identify themselves I ram them.”

After a brief confirmation from Darwin, the targets were identified as unidentified bogies and Dawn was instructed to identify them. If they didn’t respond to instructions to land, Dawn had authority to intercept them.

“You all heard that team.” Charlie confirmed. “Licence to kill, - if necessary.”

As each of the team paid strict attention to their tasks, Charlie asked Katie to reveal when the targets crossed over the Australian coast.

“Why wait until then Boss? Katie wondered.

“I'd like to force at least one or even two of those bastards to bail out over land, but
I don't think they'll consider a peaceful surrender. So, when they try to skedaddle for wherever their home is, I hit them over the land first then the sea as they run for home - wherever that is. They’ll possibly have epirbs and we’ll soon locate them dead or alive.”

“You’re going to knock all of them down?” Juliet asked.

“Why not? They might be able to get a distress signal back to their base, but they’ll have no idea how or where they got hit. Our impact speed will exceed two hundred knots as I match speed to ram from behind.”

“One of them is bound to see you.”

“Once we see them from up here, I descend to their level without any radars, then I approach from below their sterns at very high speed and shove that sharp tungsten-titanium point up their engine nozzles and rip their engine to pieces. At first, he or she’ll think it’s engine trouble but I’ll have backed well off by then, probably several miles astern. They’ll be more concerned with their crony’s engine. While they mill around offering what support they can while focusing on their crony bailing out, I ram another one up the arse. Don’t forget, rear view in a high-speed fighter, is quite limited and I can travel much faster than them.

By then they’ll know they are the targets; - the prey as it were, but they still won’t know how the first or second one was hit and they’ll be looking for a missile attack. Once again, we will have ascended to a height above the atmosphere, where their missiles can’t fly.

“They’ll start to panic by then I hope and as they will have turned for home, they’ll be over the water. We strike from above and behind so we’re bound to get a third. Even if they see us, he or she cannot escape for they cannot out manoeuvre us.

“What if the fourth and last plane get’s a missile off down on the deck?”

“Even if it hit’s us, it’s unlikely to penetrate our hull. Air to air missiles are designed to knock down thin-skinned jets and finely tuned jet turbines, not armour-plated flying tanks.” Even our anti-grav spheres are located inside the armour.”

“And that last plane?” Katie asked.

“We order him or her to land, if he or she doesn’t we ram him or her out of the sky. That sharp point at the front of the glacis is not just streamlining.

“This, I’ve got to see.” Katie grinned.

“Here goes,” Charlie called as Chloe gave ranges and speeds.

“Ah! I can see them!” Chloe declared, “four of them, large as life and just as deadly.”

“Good, switch all radars off love. We wouldn’t want them to know we’re here would we.”

Chloe understood that their own radars would alert the intruder’s detection equipment so she did as requested. Dawn was now electronically silent as she started to descend rapidly to ground level behind the intruding jets. Once in such a seemingly impossible, disadvantaged position, Charlie accelerated to an extreme speed and brought the Dawn’s hardened nose into violent contact with the engine turbine blade up inside the fuselage.

Just as the nose entered the flame stream, the forward visor came over the screen to protect the super toughened glass then there was a deafening crash as the screaming jet turbine blades smashed themselves to destruction and the engine bay simply burst apart as thousands of dislodged, shattered turbine blades erupted out through the engine bay walls.

For an instant the noise was deafening as screaming, rending, turbine blades and heavier, engine pieces hammered themselves to destruction on the Dawn’s hardened nose. Then there was total silence as Charlie reversed the Dawn’s nose out of the engines of the jet and the plane immediately tipped into the tropical forest below.

“There you are ladies,” Charlie smiled with evil satisfaction, “just a nudge is all it takes at this level. He dived straight into the trees. No time even to alert his or her mates.”

“He got a shout off before he went down. It was some foreign Asian language and it was a man’s voice.” Juliet remarked.

“Did anybody see a parachute or ejector seat?”

A chorus of noes’ confirmed the kill as Charlie declared.

“One down, three to go; hold tight again.”

The three remaining targets were still just in sight and beginning to separate so Charlie accelerated again and the spaceship Dawn swiftly embedded her long sharp nose into the ‘tail-pipe’ of the hindermost fugitive. The results were identical and the Dawn’s crew watched the plane slam into the coastal salt flats as they overshot the flaming wreck.

“Did you tag their locations Katie?” Charlie asked the defence minister.

“Yes. Just a simple GPS, label.”

“That’s all the authorities will need. Can you still see the other two Chloe?”

“I’ve still got one but they separated. The other one seemed to head north. The one I’m watching is literally skimming the waves.”

“They know we’re here now. You might as well turn your radars back on, otherwise we might lose the last one. Make sure your harnesses are tight, it becomes a fairground ride from here.”

“They’re screaming blue murder over their intercoms.” Juliet turned to Charlie and held out his headphones.

“Great,” Charlie grinned wolfishly, “just make sure your recording.”

“Of course.” Juliet concurred, “every bloody word.”

“Do you know what language it is?”

“I’ve no idea.” Juliet returned the predatory smile as he replaced his headphones. “It sounds like a central Himalayan dialect to me.”

“No matter,” Charlie replied, “we can leave it to the authorities to sort all that out.”

“Just look at him trying to dodge and turn, I believe he’s fired a missile.” Chloe warned. “No! He’s fired two.”

“Hang on tight,” Charlie called out as he accelerated towards the missiles then side-slipped violently as they approached.

Their combined approach speed was too fast and too close for the missiles to respond with aerodynamic control and they watched with relief when the two missiles streaked past and exploded simultaneously exactly where the Dawn would have been had she not side-slipped so agilely. For a moment the three team members stared at the smoke from the explosion then Charlie had to call their attention.

“Ahem! Ladies we’ve still got some shopping to do. Lets get to it.”

They needed no further encouragement and turned their attentions to the fugitive dodging and twisting all over the sky.
ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 47

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 47 © Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Chapter 47.

“What are you doing?” Chloe asked Charlie “I thought you intended to ram him up the arse.”

“I’m going to try and hail him first. See if we can get any pointers.”

“Okay. Your call,” Chloe conceded, “but the fourth one is getting away.”
The spaceship dawn caught up with the third fighter and Juliet opened the international civil aviation channel on one, two, one point five megs.

“This is the aircraft Dawn calling the fighter on my starboard side, respond please.”

There was no response at first but both Charlie and Juliet could see the pilot spin his head in surprise as he realised Dawn was right beside him.
Juliet called again.

“We repeat, this is the aircraft Dawn on your port side. We are ordering you to proceed immediately to Darwin airport. You are within the territorial airspace of Australia. If you do not obey our order, we will disable your aircraft.”

In all truth, nobody expected a reply and everybody was surprised when a female Australian accent replied.

“Who are you?!”

For long moments, the crew of the dawn were lost for words as they tried to make sense of the situation. Then Juliet found his voice again.

“Lady, this is the aircraft Dawn and you are in Australian airspace. You have not identified yourself so we are entitled to act on behalf of the Australian Commonwealth and if necessary knock your aircraft out of the sky.”

The unidentified intruder still didn’t heed the warning and actually tried to accelerate but Dawn was far too fast and agile. Charlie simply relocated Dawn directly above the jet then descended violently and quickly to crumple the jet’s vertical stabilizers. The pilot’s curse left no uncertainty of their identity as she struggled to escape from under the dawn.

“You fucking bastards!”

“Prepare to ditch lady! You’re going down!” Juliet replied in no uncertain terms.

Charlie sensed Juliet’s pent-up anger and he gently reached across to tap his arm.

“We’ve got another weapon up our sleeve, just watch.”

So saying, Charlie activated the skeg and the hooked ‘ploughshare’ descended to snag the jet’s fuselage between the jets’ twin exhaust pipes. Juliet gaped through the tiny inspection port in the floor between their seats and gasped.

“Good god. You’ve gaffed her like a salmon!”

“Now we need to find the nearest Australian war ship and deliver this thing.”

“Already on it!” Chloe interrupted. “I’ve got a target that’s identifying itself on the radar as one.”

“Good work darling,” Charlie replied. “We can either drop it in the sea beside the ship or, if it’s got a helicopter platform, we’ll deliver it all nicely wrapped. Where is the ship.”

“Seventy miles bearing three four oh. She’s the picket ship for the Timor Sea.”

“That’ll do, call the ship then call Darwin flight centre. Ask if they’ve got any info on the last intruder.”

Minutes later Dawn streaked over the horizon to appear directly above the picket ship. After confirming with Darwin flight control, Charlie was given permission to deposit the captured jet on the helipad of the warship and the shocked pilot was handed over to the ships’ crew.

With the briefest of farewells, Spaceship Dawn was up and searching again for the fourth intruder.

ooo000ooo

As Charlie piloted Dawn and Chloe Studied the radars, Katie decided to monitor the airwaves between the warship holding the third pilot prisoner and Canberra. Juliet meanwhile was in touch with Darwin regional traffic control as they scanned for the fourth intruder.

Katie was monitoring the warships traffic and interrupted when she considered there was something worthwhile that Dawn had to add to the speculations running rampant over the air. The first time Katie interrupted, the captain of the warship had the shock of her life, for during the transfer of the jetfighter and prisoner, Katie had kept shtum.

As the spacecraft Dawn searched for the fourth intruder Katie eves-dropped the conversation between the warship and the chief of northern operations. There seemed to be some sort of argument as to what to do with the prisoner. When the captain of the warship was talking directly to her admiral, neither realised that Katie, the Australian defence minister no less, was eves dropping.

“Ma-am, captain of that spacecraft that deposited her on my ship stated the prisoner had to be taken to a secure cell at the Woomera rocket range.”

“Well I’m saying she’s to be delivered to the Naval HQ at Sydney. Did this space-ship guy give her identity or name, rank and number?”

“No,” the captain conceded, it was a man but he was pretty adamant about the prisoner being taken to Woomera rocket testing base.”

“Well I’m in command here Captain, the admiral blustered, “we’ll take her into our custody in Sydney HQ.”

As she eves-dropped, Katie tapped Charlie’s shoulder and pressed an earphone to Charlie’s ear.

“Listen to this. That admiral’s going in clear contradiction of the orders the P.M. gave. I’d better intervene. I suspect somebody want’s that jet pilot dead.”

“You’d better sort it Katie. I’m concerned with catching the fourth intruder. You and Juliet sort it out, while Chloe and I find the escaped intruder.”

The division of duties was immediately agreed without argument by the girls and Charlie was amused by the ensuing three-way conversation between Katie, the warship’s captain and the commander of the Australian fleet.

“Hello Admiral.”

“Who’s that?” The admiral demanded for she thought her channel to the warship was a closed line.

“I’m the defence minister, Katherine Bergson, you of course know me as Katie.”

“Where are you Minister?”

“I’m aboard the space craft that delivered the crippled jet fighter and it’s unharmed pilot to your warship Diamond.”

“What are you doing there Katie?”

“I’m doing my job admiral; that is protecting Australia from attack. Do you understand me?”

“Of course.”

“Good! Well I’m ordering that the prisoner is delivered to the Woomera rocket research base and I’m also suggesting you speak to the PM., she’s currently in the cabinet office in Canberra.”

There was a pregnant pause as the admiral digested Katie’s message before he reluctantly agreed.

“Very well Ma-am. Can you give me a reason?”

“One moment admiral, I need to advise the captain of the warship Diamond. Are you there Captain?”

“Yes Ma-am.”

“Then please listen to my instructions and contact the PM in Canberra. She will ratify my instructions.”

“Yes Ma-am.”

Katie turned to Charlie to confirm his intentions.

“If we catch the fourth intruder, are you taking both jet fighter and pilot to Darwin.”

“If we catch them; yes. But she’s alert to us now and she’s seen what Dawn can do. It might be a high-speed ramming with us chasing her like a falcon chasing a duck. First we have to find the duck. I’m hoping Darwin’s radars can locate it between Oz and Indonesia.”

“Quite,” Katie agreed. “Did you hear that Diamond?”

“Yes Ma-am. Can I confirm though, that you’re actually aboard that space-craft thing?”

“Yes, I am indeed Captain and I’m instructing you to deliver that prisoner to Darwin, where she will thence be escorted to Woomera rocket research base. We MIGHT be in Darwin to meet you because this little space craft is fast; bloody fast!”

“How fast Ma-am?” The captain of the Diamond asked.

Katie turned to Charlie and grinned. “Shall we tell her?”

Charlie wagged his head. “Naah; the less people know the better.”

Katie resumed talking to the warship Diamond’s captain.

“Her speed is a secret Captain but be assured, she’s fast! Did you copy that Admiral.”

“Yes Ma-am. Shall I take a plane north and meet you in Darwin?”

“That might be a good idea. Discuss it with the PM. I’m sure she’ll want to be there.”

“Very good Ma-am.”

“Thank you ladies, now I’m shutting down as we’re going to be very busy and I’ve got a dedicated task aboard here during search operations. If you want to contact me, call me through Darwin Air Traffic.”

“Yes Ma-am,” The admiral and the captain chorused.

Katie sighed as Charlie, Juliet and Chloe grinned.

“What it is to have power,” Juliet spoke for the three of them.

“Yeah, but heavy lies the crown.” Katie replied. “Time for tea I think.”

“I’ll make it,” Charlie offered, “Juliet can do the honours piloting here until we, or Darwin find our duck. He needs the experience anyway.”

“What! Ramming d’ you mean?” Juliet frowned.

“Precisely.” Charlie affirmed. “Are you up to it?”

“I’ll try it, but I’ll want you alongside me in the co-pilot seat.”

“Good. Change seats and I’ll make the tea.” Charlie affirmed. “Take her up to thirty thousand metres, the look-down radar gets a better view.”

As the team re-organised themselves, Charlie slipped into the little galley to do the honours with the tea.

“Coffee for me please,” Chloe called.

“And me please,” Katie joined.

“Jeeze! Is my tea that bad?” Charlie giggled.

“Suits me boss.” Juliet declared.

ooo000ooo

After an hour searching with the lookdown radar, it was Katie who eventually located the fourth intruder. Chloe was resting her eyes at Charlie’s insistence.

“Where’s it going?” Juliet asked because he was still in the command seat.

“It looks like Timor though she seems to be skirting south of the island.”

Charlie joined Chloe at the electronic chart-table as Katie transferred the radar images from the look down radar to be displayed on the chart.

“How much fuel d’ you think she has?” Charlie wondered aloud.

Everybody shrugged. The intruders where a new type of plane, much rumoured about amongst the Australian military but little was known about them and worse still, they had no markings.

Juliet intoned as he offered a rendezvous.

“Twenty minutes to contact at current speed and descent.”

“Plan of getting behind her and below it.” Charlie advised

“Same tactic as before?” Juliet asked.

“Not sure yet. If the pilot knows about us, he might formulate some other tactics.”

The four were now determinedly tracking their foe but five minutes later Katie looked up from her radar.

“There’s a larger target west of ours it looks as though they intend to rendezvous. I’ve added it to the plot.”

The three studied the main electronic chart while Juliet focused on her own attack display on the control panel. Katie offered her opinion.

“That could be a refuelling tanker, if our target refuels there’s no knowing where she’s bound.”

Charlie wasted no time.

“Okay Juliet, take her down and ram the son of a bitch, - now.”

“It’ll crash into the sea.”

“I don’t want it rendezvousing with that bigger target. We don’t know what it is.”

As he instructed Juliet, Charlie re-occupied the co-pilot seat.

“Are you happy to do a ram?”

“Gorra’ learn sometime boss.”

“Okay, don’t worry about any finesse like poking her up the arse. Just ram her. We can travel sideways or up and down faster than she can fly going forward.”

“Won’t that overheat our hull; - down here in the atmosphere?”

“It would take a couple of hours to overheat to destruction. This should be done and dusted before then. Where’s that bigger target now?”

“She’s six hundred miles to the west of our baby and travelling at four hundred knots.”

“Forty-five minutes away at their combined speeds. We’ll be away before then, unless we stop to pick up.”

“We’ve already got a sample of their planes.” Juliet observed.

“I was thinking of the pilot.” Charlie countered.

“Yes,” Katie interrupted, “prisoner interrogations always go better if there’re more than one prisoner.”

Charlie wagged his head in some disbelief.

“I was thinking of the humanitarian aspect, not asset exploitation.”

“Oh!” Katie exclaimed with surprise. “I thought it was supposed to be men who were the thoughtless murderous ones.”

“Ask your colleague, Inspector Margaret Thomas of Western Australia. She’ll give you some pointers. Not right now though, we’re going to be busy.”

Katie smiled to herself then to Chloe as she muttered.

“Your husband’s a master of understatement.”

“Ain’t he just!” Chloe remarked as she finished her coffee.

Any further conversation was interrupted by warnings to secure safety harnesses.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 48

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 48

Chapter 48

List of Characters.

Chapter 48.

The four slipped into their allotted seats and fastened their safety harnesses as Juliet synchronised her attack radar with the navigational plot.

“You should be seeing your duck any moment now, Katie declared.

“Got it! Fine on the port bow, d’ you want me to go straight in?” Juliet asked Charlie.

“Straight away, maximum impact speed not to exceed forty knots,” Charlie confirmed. Come up from slightly below and astern with a left hook and try to pierce the rear port engine with your tungsten-titanium nose.”

“She’s spotted us, look; she’s ignited her afterburners.”

“Match her!” Charlie replied, “and how do we know she’s a girl?”

“I don’t,” Juliet confessed, “I just presumed so, because the last one was. Two male pilots and two female pilots.”

“We’ll find out soon enough.”

The fleeing jet ejected a string of defensive flares that only caused Juliet to snort derisively.

“That’s pathetic, she thinks I’m going to use missiles.”

“Sign of the military mind,” Charlie chuckled; “no offence Katie.”

“None taken,” Katie agreed. “Military minds tend to think inside the box when making quick desperate decisions. Staying with what they know and understand. It takes very brave person to be innovative when thinking on their feet.”

“Or a very smart one,” Charlie finished.

Charlie now turned to watch Juliet’s approach and softly offered reassurance as the screen filled with fighter. At the last instant the fighter peeled away and up to port with afterburners pouring out flame. Juliet was fractionally slow to turn but the consequences for the jet were doubly destructive. Instead of a clean piercing strike like an epee, Dawn’s nose ripped into the side of the fuselage like a cavalry sabre slash.

Instantly, engine parts burst out of the fuselage and clattered explosively against the solid armoured hull of Dawn. The noise both shocked and deafened Charlie and Juliet but fortunately the shattered pieces rattled down the side of Dawn instead of striking the screen.

“She’s going down,” Juliet remarked, and as both she and Charlie twisted to peer through the underside viewing port, they bumped heads.

“Ouch!” They cursed simultaneously then laughed together as they caught Chloe and Katie trying to keep straight faces.

“You fly, I’ll look.” Charlie managed to choke out between giggles.

“I’ll have to cant hard to port to circle and search simultaneously,” Juliet protested. “You should have put more bloody windows in this thing.”

“No, keep her level then just turn nice and easy. Chloe can look through the ploughshare viewing port while Katie keeps the plot on that bigger target she was rendezvousing with.”

Chloe grumbled as she considered squeezing into the little compartmented blister on the underside behind the ploughshare.

“Sorry, Chloe, you’re the smallest I’m afraid.” Charlie apologised.

As she grudgingly squeezed into the viewing blister, Chloe spotted an orange parachute rocket free from the tumbling jet and she shouted out her news.

“She’s parachuted out and the jet’s splashed down! It’s an ejector seat and there’s orange smoke.”

“Has she escaped the seat?” Katie called.

“Yeah, it’s a textbook escape, even her little dinghy has inflated. She’s clambering into it now.”

Charlie nodded to Juliet.

“The Dawn can float. We’ll just land on the water beside her and ask if she wants a lift?”

“She’s pointing a flare-gun at us!” Chloe shouted up.

“Fat lot of good that’ll do. The glass in the blister is bullet proof and I’ve just shielded our viewing port with the safety visor. Just keep her in sight as we land on the water then we’ll talk to her.”

“Where from.” Juliet asked.

“Through the after-cargo doors, there’s nothing to be damaged in the cargo hold and we can hide behind the half open door.”

“Who’s going to do the talking?” Katie asked.

“One of you girls. She’ll be seriously stressed at seeing a spaceship landing and if she’s got a pistol, there’s no knowing what she’ll do if she hears a man’s voice on top of everything else.”

“Short straws again,” Chloe sighed.

“I’ll go,” Juliet offered. Mine’s the same voice that tried to make her divert to Darwin airport, and I sound female thanks to the bastards when I was thirteen.”

Charlie studied his friend thoughtfully.

“Are you sure? Is it a genuine token of your friendship and not some dark suicidal death-wish because of what was done to you at thirteen?”

“It’s friendship Charlie. I owe you that much for getting me out of that dead-end, fucking canteen.”

“Okay mate. I call you mate as a genuine token of our friendship. You know we have no weapons on here don’t you?”

“I’ve always known that Charlie, but I’m still volunteering.”

“Okay then, let’s swop seats and I’ll bring her down to the water. Thank god it’s a calm tropical evening.”

Soon Dawn was sitting on the water, not entirely floating because that would have enabled the downed pilot to simply step onto the submerged ramp. Charlie kept Dawn hovering but partially immersed so that the ramp was about three feet above the water. If the pilot wanted to board from her rescue dinghy, she would have to use both hands to climb up. With this safety precaution, Juliet stepped through the airtight cabin door and cracked the cargo doors open with the remote control in the cargo bay.

With the clamshell cargo doors parted only six inches, Juliet threw a rope through the gap then called to the downed pilot.

“Are you armed?”

The woman did not answer but instead grabbed the line and pulled herself to the ramp. Juliet called again.

“If you don’t answer, I’ll close these doors again.”

“Who are you?” The pilot shouted back.

“I told you earlier. We work for the Australian government. Who are you working for?”

“Who’s ‘we’?”

“That’s enough of the questions love, we’re asking the questions, not you.” Juliet bluntly declared. “Now who are you working for?”

“I’m not saying until I’m certain you’re a bona fida military vessel.”

“In that case love, you can stay in the water until an alternative authority recues you, goodbye.”

So saying, Juliet released his end of the rope and flicked it through the gap. Then he closed the clamshell cargo-doors and spoke to Charlie over the intercom.

“We can pretend we’re leaving her here and fly away at high speed just to demonstrate Dawn’s abilities.”

“It might work.” Charlie opined as he opened the cabin airlock.

“I closed it in case she had a gun, don’t want any stray bullets in the cabin.”

“Yeah. That’d be a bitch!” Juliet confirmed. “So girls, what to do with her?”

“We haven’t got her yet.” Katie observed.

“Night will be here soon and we’re the only obvious rescue facility unless she knows of a ship with a helicopter. We're three hundred miles from the nearest air base."

“She’ll have a radio beacon on that life-raft.”

“She’ll still need a chopper or a fast rescue launch and we can keep close tabs on any interfering rescue craft. Come morning, she’ll be a little more amenable I think.”

Charlie grinned. “Well, if that’s how you’re going to play it, I’m gonna’ get my head down. We’ll just put Dawn into stationary hover and wait.”

“Hey! Dear husband!” Chloe protested. “If you’re going to sleep, then I’m joining you. Matrimonial rights and all that.”

“What about us?” Katie protested.

“You’re keeping watches,” Charlie chuckled. Eight to twelve and twelve to four. Wake me up at four, for the four to eight morning watch."

ooo000ooo

“Oy, boss! It’s quarter to four and here’s your tea.”

Charlie cracked one eye open to see Juliet looming over him with a mug of tea.

“It’s as you like it, sweet and milky.”

"Thanks love," Charlie responded as he carefully extricated himself from Chloe’s embrace and sat up. Chloe simply murmured in her sleep but did not wake so Charlie risked not waking her and slid carefully out of the cot.

“These were never designed for two,” he observed ruefully to Juliet. “Have there been any developments?”

“Katie said there was some brief radio traffic but then it went quiet. Apparently the signal from her EPIRB died before anybody could get a proper fix. Only we have any idea where she is.”

“Who was looking for her?”

“Our people in Darwin heard her signal before it died and there was some traffic that sounded like that large target she was aiming to meet. I think you were right; it was a refuelling tanker but they have gone back to base. Her attitude might have changed if we revisit her at dawn.”

“What’s the weather like?” Charlie checked.

“There’s a slight breeze causing a slight chop but nothing serious. She’ll have just had to endure an uncomfortable night bobbing about on the oggin instead of a calm glassy tropical night..”

“Good. Might bring her to her senses,” Charlie reflected as he gratefully sipped his tea.

After Charlie was fully awake, Juliet carefully slipped into the other cot already occupied by Katie. Charlie grinned to himself as he contemplated Katie waking up to find Juliet cuddled up to her.

‘Well Dawn was never designed for more than two people,’ Charlie mused, ‘but nothing can happen; poor buggers,’ he mused sympathetically.

Once back in the command seat, Charlie decided to returned to where they’d left the pilot and her survival raft. Once he had returned to the exact location he waited until daylight. The life-raft hadn’t drifted far but the choppy sea made it a bit more difficult to spot and it was fully eight o’clock before he spotted it several miles downwind.

As he prepared to wake Katie she appeared at his side with a knowing smirk.

“What woke you up?” Charlie asked.

“You know perfectly well what woke me up you licentious bugger.”

“Well there’s only two cots, what was Juliet to do?”

“It was a bit of a surprise though, when I woke up.”

“Sorry about that, it was you or Chloe and he chose you. Consider yourself flattered.”

“Well truthfully, it was a nice surprise. I’ve never cuddled up to anybody since I was cut. I should do it more often.”

“Well not just now,” Charlie remarked, “we’ve got an angry fish to land. Look, she’s waving her arms!”

“Perhaps she’s changed her mind now that her EPIRB is broken. It must have been damaged when she parachuted out.”

Charlie brought Dawn to a hover directly over the jet-pilot then Katie called over the loud-hailer.

“If you’re prepared to surrender your gun, you can come aboard.”

“How do I know you won’t shoot me?”

“We are not armed. If we had wanted to kill you, we would have deliberately rammed your aircraft hard enough to make it explode. All we did was disable it.”

Katie's words began to make sense to the woman. That, and a night on waves had concentrated her thoughts exquisitely. Katie pressed her suite.

“Throw your gun in the water and we’ll take you aboard.”

After some hesitation, the pilot did as asked and Katie notified Charlie who then brought Dawn right down to the water. It was a simple matter for the pilot to step with wobbly legs, straight onto the cargo ramp. By now both Chloe and Juliet had joined proceedings and they combined to drag the life-raft up the ramp. It was always right to recover any life-raft if possible to avoid further alarms later on.

Once the clam-shell doors and ramp were closed again, the three crewmembers led the pilot into the control cabin. The pilot’s first words on seeing Charlie were, “You’re a man!!”

“Last time I looked, - yes.” Charlie affirmed. "Your eyesight's good."

ooo000ooo

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

The Feminine Queendom 49

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 49

List of Characters.

Chapter 49

“Who’s in command of this thing – er this craft?”

“The gentleman who’s addressing you missy,” Katie replied with an edge to her voice, “and you’d better be respectful to him.”

“You sir! Seriously, you’re the commander?”
Charlie stood up from the command seat to his full height. It was only one metre ninety, but to a girl he seemed to tower over her. She did not flinch or pale and Charlie had to admire her pluckiness.

“Yes missy, as the good lady says, I am the captain and commander of this spaceship, so perhaps a salute and some respect might be forthcoming.”

The girl, (for girl was all she seemed,) stiffened slightly and snapped a smart salute. Charlie returned it courteously then sat down again and invited her to sit around the plotting table, while Juliet took the helm.

Charlie spoke softly as Chloe and Katie joined them.

“Now young lady. I believe I’m entitled to ask for name rank and number.”

“Sir! Lieutenant Engadine Asi. Identity number F847366. That’s all I’m required to give you.

“It would help if you declared which army or air force you belong to. Your plane had no markings and your flight-suit has no markings of rank or identity!”

She fell silent as she contemplated her options and Charlie simply waited silently. At this juncture, Juliet reported everything ready for passage and asked Charlie for instructions.

“We’ll do the same as we did with the other girl, take her to Darwin. The proper authorities can do what they wish with her there.” Charlie declared before turning again to Lieutenant Engadine Asi.

“Well, I’m still waiting lieutenant. Who are you fighting for and why?”

“I don’t believe you’re a bona-fida military operation. None of you are wearing any ranks, nor does your aircraft have any markings.”

“Who we are is not your concern lieutenant. You are our prisoner and we’re taking you to Oz; Darwin to be exact. What’s our ETA Julie?”

“About ten minutes boss.” Juliet replied.

Lieutenant Asi’s eyes flashed with disbelief.

“That’s not possible, we’re at least four hundred miles from Darwin!”

“Four hundred and fifty-seven to be exact,” Julie revealed as Charlie flashed him a warning glance.

“Let’s not be giving too much information away Julie.”

“So it wasn’t a missile that hit me, it was you!” Lieutenant Asi gaped.”

Charlie just shrugged and added. “Our ship is fast.”

“Fast! My radar had you overtaking me at over three thousand knots and yet I was getting no missile lock alarms. It was you; it was this thing!”

“We didn’t hit you at three kilo-knots, you’d have been smashed to smithereens. We slowed down before we hit you.”

“But I couldn’t dodge you. We know our planes are the most manoeuvrable on earth!”

“Which brings us back to my earlier question. Which air-force do you belong to?”

“The planes were made in China. I’m sure the Australian government knows about their performance.”

“Are you fighting for the Chinese then?” Charlie pressed. “Because if you are, then your intrusion into Aussie airspace is technically an act of war. You’ve not revealed your nationality or whom you’re fighting for, so technically, that makes you a spy, and spies can be shot!”

“I’m not fighting for the Chinese!”

“It’s no matter now,” Charlie declared, “you’ll be in Australian hands soon and out of my hair.”

With these words, Charlie gave up his interrogation and ate the coffee and toast that Chloe had prepared for everybody.

As he was eating his toast, Juliet declared.

“We’ve got company boss, looks like four jet-fighters coming out of Darwin to meet us.”

“We’d better slow down then; we don’t want to embarrass them.” Charlie grinned.

Lieutenant Asi squinted disbelievingly as she watched the Australian coast appear on the electronic navigation chart. Being a fighter pilot herself, she was fully au fait with charts, speeds and ranges, and her eyes were telling her impossible things. She was standing in an armour-plated craft that was capable of impossible speeds and yet commanded by a MAN!.

And that meant that much of what she had been told by her teachers about Australia and it’s feminista misanthropy was a lie. It was too late now however to seek remedies and truths. She was a prisoner and headed for an uncomfortable fate.

ooo000ooo

Dawn landed without a whisper or shudder and Lieutenant Asi stared out of the pilot window at the scene surrounding the ship. Next she heard the rear clamshell doors opening and four armed soldiers appeared to escort her to a military building set aside from the commercial airport. They slammed to attention as Charlie stood to face them.

“Right ladies, I want my prisoner to be unharmed when I come to attend the interrogation. I’m handing her over to you entirely for security and care while I and my crew get cleaned up before we meet the Prime Minister. See that she gets fed and checked medically.”

With the prisoner issue sorted, Charlie and her team were driven to the regional military headquarters where preparations were being rushed to receive the prime minister. The local commander had been hurriedly briefed about the arrival of a spaceship carrying the defence minister and she was still collecting her wits as Katherine Bergson (AKA Katie) arrived with Mr Charlie Sage no less, the inventor of the gravity engine and the rumoured spaceship.

She stood up with an information folder in her hand as Katie entered.

“Good morning Minister. So it’s all true!” She remarked as she tapped the folder. “I received this from the Prime Minister’s office less than an hour ago and she’s due here at eleven.”

“Good morning General. You’ll not have met Mr Sage I presume but I’ve no doubt his reputation precedes him.”

“Yes indeed Minister, welcome to Darwin Mr Sage, or should I say Captain Sage, as I am advised in this folder.”

Charlie frowned slightly.

“Ahem,” he cleared his throat modestly, “I’ve never taken any oath of allegiance, nor formally joined your armed forces. It can only be an honorary rank general. Would I be right in thinking it’s a naval captaincy?”

“It is and it enables you to have the free run of the base. What do you think you’ll need of us?”

“Security for my prisoner first of all, the Minister will explain why.”

With that, Katie took over the explanations while a quick breakfast was served to all four of the Dawn’s crew. As they ate, Katie explained that there were a lot of unanswered questions surrounding the airborne incursion.

“You’ll be fully aware that a second prisoner of Mr Sage’s will be arriving by one of our warships HMAS Diamond. She is also to be treated properly and brought straight to our interrogation process when she is landed. We have reason to believe that somebody want’s these two prisoners dead. The problem is we have no idea who.”

“Who’ll be conducting the interrogations?” The general asked.

“The PM has got some trusted specialists flying with her. The interrogators will be Mr Sage, myself, you, the PM and the two trusted specialists from Canberra federal police.”

The general nodded with satisfaction and glad that she was being included in the loop. After the ‘working breakfast’ was finished, she took the four on a tour of the base but it was interrupted by the arrival of the HMAS Diamond and they drove to the dock to supervise the landing of the prisoner. When she stepped ashore she immediately recognised Charlie and Katie and searched their faces for answers. Charlie realised what she was concerned about and immediately set her mind at rest.

“If you are wondering about your wing-man; - or should I say wing-woman; she is unharmed, and alive and well in our custody.”

Both he and Katie noted the wave of relief wash across the pilot’s features and realised the pair were probably in a relationship.

On realising this Katie made sure of their security as she instructed the four naval ratings and their petty officer to make absolutely sure the pair of prisoners were kept separated and unharmed. For his own peace of mind, Charlie asked Juliet to accompany the second prisoner and escort party to the security suite in the headquarters building. The base commander could not help commenting.

“What the hell is going on Minister?”

“Frankly General, we don’t know yet. It might just be a plot to embarrass the PM and oust her from the premiership or, it might be something a lot more serious.”

“Like what?”

“A military coup organised by an Asian power. The plane that Mr Sage brought back is definitely of a very advanced Chinese design but we don’t think the Chinese are directly in volved.”

“But those two ladies are not Chinese!”

“Exactly General, wheels within wheels, and we need to get to the bottom of it.”

“So what do you personally think?” The general asked Katie.

“I think they’re after learning Mr Sage’s secrets or capturing Mr Sage himself.”

“Yeah. That would figure,” the general concurred as she turned to Charlie.

“Is the technology in your ship so very different from the energy used by your new hover cars?”

“Yes.” Charlie confirmed. “Chalk and cheese.”

“Is it totally secure? I mean, the people on my base, are they safe? I’ve heard that a few people have been injured and even killed trying to reverse engineer the hover car engines.”

“Well every hover car carry’s a clear warning and it’s the same with my spaceship. Provided they don’t try to tamper with her or steal her, - yes, she’s safe!”

“General,” Katie interrupted, “I’ve travelled a couple of times in Mr Sage’s spaceship Dawn; indeed I’ve actually been in what could be described as combat these past twenty-four hours with the Dawn. She’s as safe as anything I’ve ever seen and as you will know, I was in the SAS before I went into politics.”

“Yes, Minister, your reputation in Afghanistan was well known. Oh excuse me.”

She picked up the phone and nodded before explaining to Katie.

“The Prime Minister’s plane is on its final approach, duty requires me to meet her on the tarmac.”

“I’ll join you General, are you coming Charlie?”

“I’d like to check on those two prisoners first Katie, I’ve got a bad feeling about stuff.”

“God! You’re a suspicious tyke Charlie. Okay, you go to the interrogation suite while I meet the PM. It’s not an official visit anyway.”

They separated as a young army captain led Charlie across the square to the interrogation suite while Katie and the general drove to the runway to receive the PM on the tarmac.

The army captain naturally was curious about Charlie Sage and his spaceship and as they crossed the square she struck up a conversation.

“Is it true that you are the one who invented the anti-gravity engines.”

“Yes,” Charlie replied monosyllabically for he was concerned about his prisoners.

“And then you built the engines?”

“Yes.”

“But where did you go to school, the feminista culture is reputed to be strong in the UQ?”

“It is, and violently so as well.”

“Who taught you the science?”

“Nobody, I taught myself. What’s that noise?”

Charlie didn’t wait for an answer, he could recognise the sound of a woman screaming.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 50

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Lesbians

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 50

List of Characters.

Chapter 50.

Being a man, Charlie easily outpaced his female escort to the interrogation suite and he arrived at the entrance several seconds before her. The security guard stepped across his path to obstruct him but Charlie was in no mood to be delayed.
He stuck his arm out at the last second and shoved the guard off her feet as he sprinted through the doors. The guard cursed and went to fire her taser but the escorting captain screeched out an order.

“Don’t you dare bloody touch him! What was that screaming?”

“They’ve got an uncooperative prisoner down there.” The guard advised as though such screams were the norm.

“Damn you!” She cursed the guard. “You’d better hope that his prisoners have not been hurt. D’ you know who that is?”

“No Ma-am.”

“Well you’d better get onto the general with that radio of yours, she’s meeting the prime Minister at this very moment. Tell them they’re needed here immediately.”

“Yes Ma-am.”

The captain continued running into the detention wing only to find Charlie bent over a heavily built woman who was sitting dazed on the floor of the corridor with blood pouring from a cut over her eye.

“What happened?” She demanded.

Charlie just nodded towards the detention cell where his second prisoner was sitting tied to a strong chair that was bolted to the floor. The young lieutenant’s face was covered in bruises and blood was coming from her nose.

“Oh shit! Did she do that?”

Charlie nodded as he confirmed.

“I caught her doing it. I don’t know what’s going on, but you’d better get some safe people down here, fast!”
The captain dashed back up to the administration room and yelled at the lieutenant who was talking to the security guard.

“Has the general been called?” She asked the guard.

“Yes Ma-am,” the guard confirmed.

“Good! Lieutenant, you’d better pray that the other prisoner is unharmed and where is she by the way?”

“What’s happened?”

“You should know, it’s your business to know what’s happening in your department. Who authorised the assault?”

“What assault?”

“Just get your arse down there lieutenant and make sure that thug of a guard does not invite any more injury to herself. And DO NOT touch the man or the prisoner, there’s been enough fucking damage done here this morning. Now where’s the other prisoner?”

“In interview room Jay for Juliette. It’s the tenth room along.”

“I can count lieutenant. Go and get her and bring her to me, up here.”

“I can’t leave my post Ma-am. I’ll send my clerk.”

The captain suddenly realised that any evidence leading to the source of what now seemed like some sort of conspiracy was probably sitting on the lieutenant’s computers. She sat herself down and ordered the lieutenant to stay away from the computers as she barked an order to the clerk.

“Go and bring both prisoners here, where I can see them and watch them. Also check on the state of that bruiser who was beating the first prisoner!”
“But there’s a man down there!”

“I know perfectly well there’s a man down there! He’s the only safe bastard in the building!”

“Who is he Ma-am?”

“He’s the man the Prime Minister has arranged to meet, so there had better be no more fuck-ups.”

The captain started tapping her fingers impatiently and glaring at the lieutenant until eventually the clerk returned with both prisoners, Charlie and the abusive female guard.

“Are you alright Charlie?”

“Don’t worry about me, it’s my prisoner I’m worried about and this guard will need attention, I hit her rather hard I’m afraid.”

The captain stared at the guard’s face and shuddered. She was well known as something of a butch bruiser who had bested everybody on the base during combat practice but she now looked as though she’d run into a truck.

“Did he do that?” She asked the bully.

“You bet he did!” The injured prisoner interjected. “She fucking deserved it’”

“You’ll speak when your spoken to.” She warned the prisoner before turning to Charlie.

“What happened captain Sage, Sir?”

Her addressing Charlie as ‘Sir’ immediately warned all present that Charlie’s captaincy was a naval rank and equivalent to a colonel. A nervous silence settled on the office as they realised this was the same officer whom the Prime Minister wished to see.

“I entered Lieutenant Asi’s detention cell to find this guard beating her around the face and skull while she was tied down to a chair. That, Captain; is torture in my book so I stopped it immediately. The guard refused to obey my order to stop, so I intervened physically.”

“Very physically, it seems.”

“It was a very violent beating. I think my prisoner’s skull might require an X-ray. She was almost unconscious when I intervened. I’m not a happy bunny Captain. My promise to the lieutenant was broken, but not by me! That guard,” (Charlie nodded cursorily towards the bully.), got what she deserved for breaking my promise. I don’t normally hold with violence.”

“No but you’re obviously capable of it.”

“It was only one punch Captain and I’m not proud of having been forced to use it to stop her beating my prisoner. Lieutenant Asi is a witness to my restraint. The guard tried to pull her taser on me.”

Charlie pulled the offending taser from his pocket and placed it on the desk.

“She can reflect that she tried to disable an officer with four rings on his sleeve. Now I’m glad to report that they had not got around to assaulting my second prisoner. Nevertheless, I’m taking both prisoners with me now, under a proper protective guard to wherever your medical facility is. Lieutenant Asi needs to have her skull checked and that guard might need checking too.”

Charlie turned to the duty lieutenant.
“The captain will remain here to ensure no computer messages are deleted while you order an ambulance for both these parties.”

The duty lieutenant bristled slightly at Charlie’s implication.

“I won’t be deleting any messages sir. They prove I was following orders.”

“Really Lieutenant, orders passed over the internet; orders from whom?”

“Well that remains to be seen doesn’t it Charlie?”

Charlie span around to meet the PM, Katie and the general entering the little duty office while their entourage stood crowding the corridor outside. He grinned at her as he stepped forward to shake her hand.

“Well am I glad to meet you again. Had a decent flight I hope?”

“Yes. But a worrisome one. Have these prisoners shed any light?”

“I haven’t had a chance to speak properly with them yet but I’d like to speak with you and Katie privately, - very privately. We can perhaps do so while Lieutenant Asi gets her skull X-rayed. Yes prime Minister, whoever they are, they nearly got to Lieutenant Asi to shut her up. I want her properly protected by reliable trusted soldiers.”

“Don’t we all?” The Prime Minister sighed. “Custodiens Custodes?”

“Yeah, that an’ all!” Charlie agreed. “That’s why I’m escorting the two prisoners myself to the hospital.”

ooo000ooo

While Lieutenant Asi was being checked out, Charlie and the two ministers had chosen a safe place to talk after one of the PM’s staff had swept the room for bugs.

“What! Even here, in the hospital?” Charlie watched incredulously.

“Especially in the hospital,” Katie replied, “that’s where people are at their most vulnerable and let their guards down.”

“Ah well, I suppose so. Now that we’re presumably safe, what is it that’s so important.”

“We were hoping you had something for us. Did you get anything out of your prisoners.” The PM. Wondered.

“Not the first one, she went straight from her plane that was hanging off my hook, to the helideck of HMAS Diamond. I’ve had no chance to speak to her at all. I got the feeling that the navy were keen to keep her from me and by extension, your people.”

“Interesting Charlie. Now what about your second prisoner, Lieutenant Azi or something?”

“Lieutenant Asi.” Charlie corrected her. “I got the distinct feeling that when she realised I was in command of Dawn she realised that not everything she’s heard about Australia and the feminista was entirely true but she keeps things very tight to her chest. I’m having the devil’s own job to work out why.

There was another thing as well. She just didn’t seem to project the same degree of misanthropy that I usually get from known feministas. Something doesn’t sit right and I’d like the chance to speak to her again BEFORE your specialist interrogators get their claws into her. Will you allow me that privilege?”

“What about the other prisoner?”

“I never met her. I was only in the captain’s cabin on the HMAS Diamond with her for a few minutes and all she gave to the navy was name, rank and number. After that, I was back to Dawn then up and away to find Lieutenant Asi the last intruder.”

“So have you any thoughts about a way forward?”
“It might be a good idea to let her see her wing mate Lieutenant Asi, to see that she’s in good hands and being treated properly. I’ll be with them both and ask them to speak only in English. Strange thing is, Asi speaks good English with a pronounced Aussie accent. I think she’s lived in Oz or possibly even born here. I think I might be able to get her to trust me, it’s just that something just doesn’t add up and for the life of me, I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Hmm. That’s interesting Charlie. What are your thoughts?”

“Do you trust me prime Minister?”

“I have to Charlie. Since we’ve met, you haven’t put a foot wrong.”

“Well, you flatter me a bit but you’re pretty much right; after all I don’t want to be deported.”

Katie and the PM chuckled.

“That’s not going to happen Charlie; antigravity and all that.”

They chatted at length about many issues and ideas until the radiologist and trauma surgeon emerged with the Scans and X-rays of Lieutenant Asi’s skull.

“Well fortunately Prime Minister, we cant find any evidence of fractures but there is some internal bruising to soft tissue under her cranium. Somebody has been hitting her with a soft, heavy cosh or heavy hands causing encephalitic trauma. We don’t envisage any cerebral swelling so she should be good to go in a couple of days. We usually keep them in for observation after being unconscious anyway.”

“Very well, doctor. I need to stay with the girl while she’s in hospital. I’ll need a proper observation facility and a guard on the door.” Charlie advised.

The doctor looked askance at Charlie. Here was a man -no less-, giving instructions in front of the prime Minister. It entirely conflicted with her perceptions of the feminista world so she glanced at the PM.

“Give him what he wants doctor, and when the young Lieutenant is discharged, she is to be discharged to Captain Sage’s custody, is that clearly understood.”

Both doctor and radiologist nodded and promptly wrote up instructions over Asi’s ICU bed. The PM, Katie and Charlie read them to make sure there was no ambiguity and Charlie settled down to supervise his prisoner. The PM stood up with Katie and bid him farewell.

“We’ll be going back to Canberra with the other prisoner and they can keep in touch by video link daily. Let me know if you get anything useful from your ward.”

“Okay,” Charlie affirmed. “I presume my wife Chloe and my first officer Juliet, are free to come and go as they require. I believe Juliet wishes to return to Woomera and keep tabs on progress with Dawn two while I’m sure my wife Chloe wants to see our children.”

“Be our guests,” The PM assured him. “You have full board here at the base until this business is sorted.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 51

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 51

List of Characters.

Chapter 51

From the intensive care unit window, Charlie watched the PM’s plane depart with the PM and the defence minister returning to Canberra.
Lieutenant Engadine Asi stood beside him with her drips and sensors still attached then as the plane gradually disappeared into the skies, Charlie turned to her.

“You’d better get back into bed. I know your skull isn’t cracked but you’ve had a brief concussion and there’s bruising inside your cranium.”

“Are you staying here Sir?” She asked Charlie.

“Yes. I’ll be sleeping in that cot and I’ve collected a gun from the armoury. It’s chained to my body belt so I can’t be easily disarmed.”

“Who wants me dead?” She demanded.

“I – don’t – know!” he replied slowly and firmly to emphasise his concerns. “I was hoping you’d be able to tell me. There’s something you’re not telling me.”

“I don’t feel safe here.”

“Neither do I,” Charlie replied. “I want you out of here ASAP!”

“The doctor said three days observation.”

“Yes. He’s right. My wife Chloe is a trauma surgeon and those were her rules in the mining clinic and emergency room. I’m afraid your stuck with me until then.”

“Is she really your wife? As in the old-fashioned way?”

“Yes.”

“She told me she has children.”

“That’s right, I’m their father. We have a single older daughter then triplets.”
“Where are they when you and your wife are galivanting around in that ship of yours?”

“They’re safe, that’s all you need to know.”

“What did the judge say when you got married?”

“We weren’t married by a judge or a minister. The registrar did it.”

“What’s a registrar?”

“It’s the way they still do it in the UQ. The position still exists back there.”

“What!! You got married in the UQ. I thought it was illegal over there men are virtually treated like slaves or animals.”

“Tell me about it.”

“No! You tell me about it, how did you even escape the UQ?”

“It’s a long story, go back to sleep.”

“No, I want to know?”

“Lieutenant; you are my prisoner. I should be asking the questions but it’s too early yet. Get some rest, I know I need some.”

“It’s the middle of the afternoon.”

“Then good afternoon, I’m going to sleep. Don’t worry or get any ideas of escaping, I’m an exceptionally light sleeper.”

“When you wake up, I want to hear your story.”

“There’ll be time enough for that. We’re here for three days. Perhaps you might give a true version of your origins. So far you’ve told me nothing.”

Charlie slept intermittently as the routines of the ICU pierced noisily through his sleep. Eventually Chloe and Juliet came calling and quietly asked him what the plan was. Charlie took them out of earshot from the lieutenant and explained.

“Firstly, I’m worried for this lieutenant’s safety so I’m staying here until it’s safe to move her. What do you two want to do?”

“I want to get back to Woomera to see how Dawn Two is progressing,” Juliet revealed.

“And I want to see the children, Charlotte will be wondering where I am.”

“Okay. Chloe, take Dawn and deliver Juliet to Woomera, then go to Western Australia, collect the kids from Margaret. Stay with them then bring them back here when this Lieutenant Asi is ready to leave. That will be in three days or so.”

“Are you just going to stay here doing nothing?” Chloe asked.

“I’m guarding her. Something’s not right and I’m trying to get to the bottom of it.”

“You be careful Charlie. The news is all round the base that you put that bully down with one punch. The feminista faction are after your blood.”

“And the other faction?” Charlie grinned.

“Well she wasn’t very popular but she was still a woman. No woman likes to see a woman beaten up by a man.”

“Yeah. Who nearly beat that young lieutenant prisoner to death. I’m forced to wonder why she tried to kill her, being as we’re desperate for information. Is that bully in custody?”

“No. I saw her coming out of the security block as we were coming here.”

“Jesus Christ! Something’s not right. You two stay here While I get hold of the general.”

“He’s gone down to HMAS Diamond to look at the remains of the jet you captured. They’re taking it to Woomera to assess it.”

“That’s a total waste of bloody time.” Charlie cursed. “They’ve already got my permission down in Woomera to build fighters using my anti-gravity engines. I’ll be onto supplying them with engines as soon as this Lieutenant Asi business is cleared up.”

“How long before we’ve got planes that can match those intruder aircraft.?” Juliet asked.

“Pretty much as soon as I’ve built the engines. We can even retrofit the anti-gravs to a normal jet and give it much higher performance if we’re that desperate. It won’t go into space though. The planes are not airtight. For now, that’s my realm. Manoeuvrability in space stays with me until I’ve got what I want.”

“Which is?” Juliet asked.

“Equality!” Chloe answered for Charlie. “They’ve debated the Bill in Canberra, it’s soon to become law after the Senate is forced to ratify it.”

“Forced to?” Juliet asked.

“They’ve little choice now.” Charlie opined. “Oz is definitely under threat and the prize of antigravity is too big to forego. It means they’ll have infinitely better kit to defend themselves and access to space.”

“Yeah. I can’t wait to get command of Dawn Two,” Juliet grinned.

“Yes. It’s yours for the taking.” Charlie allowed. “But for now, I need your help. Stay with Lieutenant Asi until I get back. I might be a few hours.”

“I’ll stay as well,” Chloe added. “She’ll feel safer with two familiar faces.”

“Okay, but you be careful darling. I don’t want our kids to end up motherless.”

“Are you serious?” Chloe gasped.

“I just don’t know. If I’m not happy, I’m getting Lieutenant Engadine Asi out of this hospital and off this base. Wish me luck!”

“Be quick,” Chloe urged.

“And take care.” Juliet added.

ooo000ooo

“Send him in,” the general ordered.”

“Good evening general, do I address you as Ma-am.”

“That’s not necessary in the privacy of my office Captain. What can I do for you?”

“Straight to the point General. I’m concerned about the safety and security of my prisoner, Lieutenant Engadine Asi.”

“Why is that?”

“There is no security on the ISU ward she’s occupying, in fact I’m actually protecting her myself. With this no less!”

Charlie revealed the large calibre pistol secured to the metal belt around his waist.

“Good God! There’s no need for that! You'd better give it to me.”

“Sorry General; no can do. I cleared it with the PM and her defence minister. They also have expressed their fears. That is why the other captured pilot has been taken to Canberra.”

“So what do you think the danger to your prisoner is?”

“That’s just it General. I keep coming up with the same answer to lots of troubling questions and that answer is, I – don’t – know.”

“Well, I think your fears are unfounded. We’ve increased the security.”

Charlie was unconvinced for he had seen no sign of any increased activity nor had he seen any increase in guards patrolling the base. He made a pretence of accepting the General’s word and asked for a letter of permission for him to carry his side-arm.

“I think that’s a bit backward,” the general observed, “you’re already carrying it.”

“Nevertheless, I don’t think a lot of your ordinary soldiers would recognise my hand-written permit letter from the PM. I’d like a pass signed by you.”

“Oh very well. I think you’re making an un-necessary fuss.”

“Ma-am!” Charlie became a bit more formal. “There has already been an attempt to kill the prisoner without leaving too much evidence unless the body had a sub cranial exam. The thug who tried to beat my prisoner to death knew what she was doing! Furthermore, that thug is still roaming freely around the base! My gun pass please!”

The general was not much enamoured with Charlie’s demeanour but his top-level connections to Canberra were too much of an obstacle to circumvent. Reluctantly she signed out a gun pass and Charlie immediately re-belted his side arm to make it clearly visible.

It was no longer a concealed weapon and that served to demonstrate that there were now security issues on the base. An officer carrying a visible side arm was not a common sight; especially when entering the hospital wing.

Having failed to ease his own suspicions and uncertainty, Charlie hot-footed it back to the ICU to re-join Chloe and Juliet.

“That sergeant is still moving freely around the base. I’m going to contact the PM. I want lieutenant Asi out of here immediately.”

Chloe nodded and passed Charlie her mobile phone. This was because the feminista laws were still in force and men were not allowed personal communications. They could use institutional equipment associated with any job they held. but private mobile phones were forbidden. This meant that the PM could not knowingly answer a call from Charlie unless it was from an official radio or phone. Ipso facto Charlie used Chloe’s mobile.

He got permission to move Lieutenant Asi upon confirming to the PM that Chloe herself was indeed a trauma surgeon who worked at the Hammersley Mining complex hospital that regularly dealt with serious head injuries.

“Very well Charlie. I’ll contact the base and order that the prisoner be transferred to – where is it you are taking her?”

“To Chloe’s trauma unit at the mine. It’s one of the best equipped in Western Oz. Above all, it’s safe. All the staff know and trust Chloe.”

“Very well, I’ll send the order countersigned by Katie the defence minister/”

“Thanks prime Minister.”

ooo000ooo

Two hours later, the chief medical officer for the base met Charlie at the door to the ICU.

“This is very unusual, but the letter tells me you’ve got legitimate concerns about the patient’s safety. I’m a bit disappointed with that.”

“So are we doctor,” Chloe interrupted but the evidence is clear to us that proper precautions are not being taken. Our prisoner does not even enjoy a properly posted guard at the door. Hence my husband feels forced to bear arms for which he has never been trained.”

“Will the lieutenant be getting proper care?”

“Of course she will. You can check with Canberra to confirm my medical credentials and also contact Hammersley Mining trauma clinic where I am the chief trauma consultant.”

“I’ve checked those already and spoken to one of your colleagues, very impressive doctor. How do you propose to move the patient?”

“By spaceship.” Charlie answered for his wife.

"A spaceship!" The doctor gasped.

"Yes. A spaceship; my spaceship."

Dawn’s arrival at the base had already generated huge interest and the surprised doctor was forced to accede to Chloe’s permissions.

“Very well Doctor Sage. The patient may travel.”

“Thank you.” Chloe responded. “We’ll leave immediately.”

“Very well Doctor Sage. I’ll get the ambulance.”

“That’s not necessary,” Charlie interjected, “I’ll get my spaceship.”

The surgeon frowned before asking, “Can I check what emergency facilities you have in your ‘space-ship’ please. I mean it’s several hours to Western Australia, even by jet.”

Charlie grinned.

“No doctor, I said spaceship. Do you understand what a spaceship is, and what a spaceship does.”

“Don’t try and be facetious with me Captain Sage.”

“I’m not being facetious Doctor. I am not some sort of uneducated male as perceived by your feminista friends and colleagues. That notorious spaceship parked on this base’s flight apron is mine. I researched the basic science that enables it to travel, very, very fast.

I also developed the maths and physics to explore the engineering that exploits that science and then I built the engines that utilises that engineering. I am not some sort of ignorant, un-educated animal that labours in the dirt and the dark, though; to tell the truth, I’ve often been there and I carry both the emotional and physical scars.

Now doctor. Put away your arrogant, over-achieving, academic persona and behave like a normal, courteous human being. If you can do that, I will invite you to see what the inside of a spaceship looks like. Would you like that?”

“Yes. Very much so.”

“Good, and if you’ve got the time, I could, if you’re prepared to travel, and after delivering my prisoner to a safe place in Western Australia, take you and my chief officer Juliet, to Woomera research station where I will be delivering him to inspect the next generational derivative of my science. Then, finally, I could deliver you back here, in time for a late tea or early supper.”

The medical officer’s jaw sagged as he did a quick sum in his head.

“You’d have to travel at several thousands of miles per hour to do that!”

“Between seven and ten kiloknots, to be exact. Depending on how long it takes to check my prisoner into my wife’s clinic and how long it takes to clear Juliet to return to Woomera. They tend to be a bit paranoid who they let in.”

“What’s a kiloknot?”

“A thousand knots, simple S.I. nomenclature.”

“That’s a new one.”

“Pretty obvious after it’s explained though. Now, if you’re up for a brief flight, you’d best come now.”

“I'm not sure the patient is fit to walk to the flight apron?”

“I'll bring my ship to her. It’s extremely versatile and manoeuvrable. I’ll land it by the casualty doors and Lieutenant Asi can enter via the clamshells. A simple case of a wheel chair and portable drip-feed.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 52

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminine Queendom Charlie’s War 52

List of Characters.

Chapter 52

Charlie almost trotted across the base parade ground in his haste to get to his spaceship Dawn and the surgeon was struggling to keep up.

“You take huge strides!” She protested, “slow down.”
“Sorry, I forget my height. Well we’re almost there now. Look there’s still a drizzle of doughnuts around her.”

“That looks like a security ring,” the surgeon offered.

“Marvellous!” Charlie snorted. “They slap a cordon around her but my prisoner can’t even have one guard.”

“I suppose they have their priorities.” She hazarded.

“Yeah. And I’ve got mine,” Charlie remarked as he unconcernedly went to step past the cordon.

“Sorry! You can’t go through the cordon Ma-am!” A guard explained to the surgeon.

“Oh! And why not?” Charlie asked.

“I was talking to the officer not you.” The guard replied pugnaciously.

“Well now you’re talking to the captain and commander of this ship. Explanation – now! - Soldier!”

“My orders, she’s to be detained for inspection.”

“You address me as Sir soldier!” Charlie fumed as his irritation mounted.

He was coming to the end of his tether with the blind, feminista attitude to his masculinity.

“They are my orders, - sir!”

“Who gave you those orders?”

“My Sergeant, - Sir.”

“Well I’m giving you fresh orders. Step aside while I board my ship!”

“I can’t sir. Orders are orders.”

The surgeon could see Charlie getting slowly angrier and she tugged at his sleeve.

“Come on Captain Sage, we’ll speak to the general about this.”

“We damned well won’t,” Charlie cursed. “I’ll sort this here and now!”

“Don’t do anything stupid, the doctor urged. They’re armed.”

“Oh nothing stupid doctor. More demonstrable than stupid. Let’s step back a couple of hundred metres and return to the parade ground while I get hold of my beloved wife.”

“What are you going to do now?” She pressed nervously.

“You’ll see. There’s more than one way to navigate a ship.”

“Oh, oh. Go on, surprise me.”

They returned to the parade ground where Charlie advised the doctor to wait by the saluting rostrum while he re-entered the ICU. There he met Chloe and Juliet who had ensconced Lieutenant Asi in her wheelchair with drips directly attached.

“Hello darling. Where’s Dawn?” Chloe wondered.

“Small change of plan we’re leaving from the parade ground square.”

“Why?” Chloe asked.

“Pass me your phone again please, darling. I'll show you.”

Chloe dug it out and handed it to her husband who immediately dialled in a long string of numbers and letters.

“What ‘choo doing babes?” She asked.

“Watch.” Charlie replied as he worked the arrows. “The bastards are trying to deny me access to Dawn; well – somebody is.”

“And?” Chloe frowned.

“Just watch, - look over the hangar roof towards the flight parking apron.”

Chloe and Juliet turned to look through the window and were amazed to see Dawn slowly rise from behind the hangars then turn and head for the parade ground.

“How d’ you do that?” Chloe squealed.

“It’s a little programme I installed in Dawn’s nav-pack some time ago. Nobody would think to look on your phone once they know she’s my ship. Macho-feminista psychology in reverse. If the bitches ever went looking for a remote-control device they would invariably think I had one hidden away on me. They could never conceive of me trusting my wife to remain utterly loyal and carry the remote.”

He handed Chloe the phone and showed her the arrow keys.

“It’s easy, it works just like the video games. Dial in the forty digit and letter pass code, then you operate her just like a video game. She’s all set up; so go on, land her on the parade ground.”

Chloe took the mobile phone, cautiously tested the controls and within moments, she was landing Dawn as delicately as a bee on a flower. A huge grin spread across her face.

“That’s fantastic Charlie!”

“Bloody brilliant Boss!” Juliet added as he watched with equal delight.

“Right! Come on, toot sweet! Let’s get out of here!” Charlie urged.

Within moments, Charlie had grabbed Lieutenant Asi’s wheelchair and presented at the rear clamshell doors of Dawn. Then he took the mobile off Chloe and pressed another code to open the doors and within seconds, the three crew plus Lieutenant Asi, followed by the base surgeon were scrambling aboard Dawn. Charlie was ascending even before the rear clamshell doors were still closed.

Once well clear of the ground, he paused to study the pandemonium on the ground as the clamshells shut with their familiar armoured ‘clunk.’ It was in the nick of time as all five inside the ship heard the staccato rattle of a hail of automatic fire, as bullets bounced uselessly off the armoured hull.

“Somebody definitely doesn’t like us. I think we’d better skedaddle!” Charlie grinned as he motioned to the others to fasten themselves securely.

“You’d better secure the lieutenant Juliet. Strap her wheelchair to the heavy handrail on the airlock door.

“Okay boss.”

Charlie smiled inwardly, Juliet’s cheery ‘Okay Boss,’ had already become a sort of talisman for the Dawn.

With this done, Charlie accelerated steadily away towards the west and south. Even so, there was a parting shot as a heavier shell exploded from the barrel of a more alert tank commander. Fortunately, the shell exploded just below the ship as Dawn accelerated far faster than the gunner could adjust his range and elevation. The thump of the explosion had rattled them though.

Once clear of the turmoil, Charlie settled into his seat and pursed his lips thoughtfully. It was obvious that somebody had prepared to stop the Dawn departing from the base, and it was only by good luck that they had inadvertently bypassed the trap. Charlie turned to his chief officer.

“Juliet. Get on to Canberra and describe what just happened. Somebody not only want’s Lieutenant Asi dead, they appear to want us dead as well. Curiouser and curiouser, it seems.”

This time, Juliet did not respond with a light-hearted ‘okay boss.’ The shell had been too close for that!
ooo000ooo

“Well, everybody. I think it’s full speed towards Hammersley,” Charlie offered.

The mutual chorus of agreement left no doubt, everybody wanted to get clear of Darwin.
They chatted openly on passage and Lieutenant Asi was ears all agog as she began to realise that the crew of Charlie might be like minded souls about the Feminista. Nevertheless, she kept her thoughts to herself, ‘the doctor didn’t seem to be entirely of like mind.’

When Charlie announced they had arrived at Hammersley, Lieutenant Asi confirmed for certain that Charlie’s ship the Dawn, was definitely a craft capable of at least seven thousand knots as she did the geography and mental arithmetic in her head.

Nor indeed did the thing use jet propulsion and that was considerable food for thought. Despite being confined to her wheelchair, she had readily recognised the black sky and tightly curved horizon. On passage, she noted the Dawn had easily entered space and gone considerably higher than the normal atmosphere.

When they arrived at Hammersley, there was already a reception committee at the Sage homestead off the main mining road. After hugging her children, Chloe, as the hostess, made the introductions while Charlie and Juliet examined the hull for bullet marks and shrapnel. When Lieutenant Asi was wheeled down the stern ramp, Charlie and Juliet took her aside and wheeled her around the hull to show her the damage.

“Somebody definitely wanted you; and us dead!” Charlie intoned somewhat angrily. “It’s a good job that Dawn is a flying tank! I want answers from you Lieutenant, and soon!”

Lieutenant Asi cringed slightly. Although he had not laid a finger on the lieutenant; Charlie could cut a menacing figure with his one point nine five metres. Especially when he spoke softly. However, the more she was amongst these three crewmembers the more certain of their true leanings she was becoming. She still doubted that Army surgeon though.

ooo000ooo

After the homecoming celebration was finished, Charlie and Juliet reluctantly bid Chloe a quick goodbye.

Inspector Margaret Thomas agreed to keep an eye on Lieutenant Asi and she was offered a bedroom in Chloe’s home. There were still a trio of federal police officers guarding the babies and Charlotte Sage as per what had become a long-standing agreement.

As the afternoon shadows lengthened, Chloe stood on the land behind their house with her four children, Inspector Margaret Thomas and lieutenant Asi. They watched the spaceship Dawn lift silently into the sky until she became invisible, then they returned to the house and prepared to put the children to bed. Two of the federal police constables volunteered to help with the children’s bathing while Inspector Margaret showed Lieutenant Asi her en-suite bedroom.

“They’ve got a big house,” Lieutenant Asi observed.

“Yes. Chloe managed to screw the British company Anston Aerospace, for Charlie’s patent rights when she married him. His intellectual property was denied to him as a single man but when Chloe married him, in the UK technically she owned everything he was entitled to. It was an interesting law case in London but she won. The feminista gangsters could not have it both ways.”

“So how did it work?” Engadine Asi pressed.

“May I call you Engadine? It’s a nice name that, where did it come from?”

“I don’t know. I was a foundling. Somebody found me in a box wrapped in Blankets in the Engadine Valley in Switzerland. The coppers called me after the Valley but I could not claim Swiss citizenship because I was illegitimate. Consequently I was emigrated to Australia and adopted by a woman with the family name Asi. She was half Samoan and Half Finn, so go figure.

Call me a mongrel, I’ve no idea whatsoever who my egg doner or sperm doner were. So tell me more about this Charlie. What happened in the UQ that enable him to get to Oz? How did they get to own a place like this?”

“Well, according to that court case, if a man was virtually a wife’s property then those property rights extended to all that the man is and the man owns. It was a complete reversal of the old Victorian marriage laws. The end result was that all the technical developments and improvements that Charlie had enabled and created while working for Anston Aerospace, were now accredited to Chloe.

Chloe’s a very shrewd girl so she claimed all the Patent rights and intellectual rights that Anston Aerospace owned due to Charlie’s endeavour. While Anston where employing him, they could hold the patents indefinitely because Charlie, as a man, could not own intellectual rights. They simply held the patent rights in trust, but they could not claim title to them. Slavery is illegal in the narrowest legal sense in the UQ so Anston Aerospace could not own Charlie or his intellectual property.

That slavery and property law still stands but when the marriage laws were virtually reversed after the great upheaval; men could become female property and did. Usually to escape from the rookeries or work camps.”

“Yeah. We were taught all about the UQ rookeries and work camps. Many said they were death camps.”

“Yes, it is still true over there,” Margaret revealed, “many of the less cerebral ones are still worked to death through hard labour. Especially if they’ve broken any laws.”

“How did Charlie manage to get out of the UQ?”

“He built an antigravity truck and flew to Oz via Antarctica to avoid all the air traffic radars. He’s a very clever boy and that’s why Oz wants to keep him; even though he entered illegally.”

“How did Chloe get in.”

“She’s geneticist who transferred to surgery and she’s very good at it, especially trauma surgery. Physical injuries and such like. Australia still needs people like that. She was welcomed with open arms and Charlie gained acceptance through her. Now we’ve found out just who Charlie sage is and what he does, well; would you deport such an asset?”

The lieutenant was forced to agree.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 53

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 53

List of Characters.

Chapter 53.

Had Lieutenant Asi continued with the flight of the Dawn, she would have learned that the little spaceship Dawn was capable of more than seven kiloknots.
But there were only three remaining travellers for that second leg of the journey; and two of them were fully aware of Dawn’s true potential. They were Charlie and his chief mate Juliet.

The reception committee at Woomera research station gladly welcomed the pair but they looked askance at their third companion. Rumours about Charlie’s experience at Darwin had already filtered down from the Prime Minister’s office in Canberra to the high security research station, so a new and unexpected face, especially one closely connected to Darwin, was cause for concern.

“The chief medical officer of the Darwin base you say.” The head of security observed to Charlie.

“Yes.”

“Is she safe? We’ve already heard about the attempt to separate you from your ship. How true is it?”

“I’m not sure if they tried to permanently separate me from Dawn but they were certainly very obstructive. Worse still, shots were fired at us as we were taking off.”

“Was she implicated?”

“I don’t know. The truth is I sometimes felt the whole base was implicated. It wasn’t of course but I certainly didn’t feel safe.”

“So what is the security situation as you read it up in Darwin?”

“All questions and no answers.” Charlie explained. “I had no idea who I could trust. Truthfully, I was glad to be out of there.”

“Well, I believe your chief mate Juliet will be safe here. You’ve arrived at an opportune time for we have to plan the ergonomics of the Dawn Two’s flight deck. Then we await your delivery of the engines. Have you made much progress since your left here with the PM.?”

“No, I got tied up with those four intruders and the chase in the Timor Sea. Then the situation up in the Darwin defence base messed us about. Once I’ve returned their chief medical officer to that Darwin security establishment, I’ll do my usual disappearing act with Dawn and build the engines in secret.”

“Okay. Would you like me to supply one of our security personnel to accompany you up to Darwin?”

Charlie had become so paranoid about the whole security situation that he courteously refused the offer. Instead, he arranged for Woomera security to handcuff the Darwin surgeon so that he could deliver her outside the gates of the Darwin base then leave.

The arrangement to handcuff the medical officer infuriated her but Charlie could see no quick, safe alternative. He wanted to return to Coach, his secret base in the Western Australian outback where he could start build the engines for Dawn Two.

He stayed less than an hour at Woomera and the sun had just set as he prepared to leave Juliet with Dawn Two in the construction shed. When he returned to board Dawn he was met with an incandescently furious but handcuffed doctor.

“How dare you do this! I demand you remove these now.”

“Sorry doctor. We are returning to your military base in Darwin and I don’t know who to trust up there. For all I know, you might be connected to the plot to kill Lieutenant Engadine Asi and by extension; me.

My plan is to deliver you to the roadside a few miles from the gates of the Darwin base then leave you to walk home. I’ll be long gone by the time you reach your colleagues. You shouldn’t come to any harm.”

She glared at him but decided he meant her no physical harm and that at least was something for which she could be grateful.

“I hope you’re going to allow me the comfort of a seat while we travel?”
“We won’t be more than ten minutes, but I’ll let you sit at the navigation table. Sorry I’ll have to handcuff you to the table and that’s firmly fixed to the deck.”

“How do you expect me to attack and overcome a man your size? I saw what you did to that security guard!”

“Who nearly killed Lieutenant Asi, as I remember.” Charlie countered.

“That was not my doing!” The surgeon protested.

“Exactly. That’s my whole problem. I have never found out yet who ordered the beating. You will understand my circumspection I’m sure. Now sit tight, this won’t take long.”

The surgeon slumped into her seat and Charlie cleared his departure with the tower at Woomera.

“You’re cleared to depart Dawn. Have a good journey.”

“Thank you Woomera. I anticipate being back with the engines in about a month.”

And with these words, Charlie departed.

ooo000ooo

Once en-route, Charlie called the PM’s office in Canberra,

“Hello Charlie; good to see you’re still safe, have you got any information out of your prisoner yet?”

“I’m getting through to her I think but it’s a slow process. Has your prisoner said anything yet?”

“No, but she’s just shared a video link with your prisoner. Don’t worry, it was well supervised, I witnessed the exchange myself. Your prisoner seems much more amenable.”

“She was the senior officer and in truth Prime Minister; I would offer that my more considerate approach works better than an oppressive technique. I expect to be back with my prisoner later tonight. Now, have you shed any light on the conspiracy to unseat you?”

“There are some leads that Katie the defence minister is pursuing as we speak.”

“Good. I’ll catch you later after I’ve returned my guest to the Darwin military base. Then we can talk in private.”

“Who’s your guest?”

“The chief surgeon from the Darwin military base. She wanted to see what a spaceship was like.”

“You’re not giving any secrets away I hope.”

“None at all prime Minister, catch you later.”

He closed the connection to the Cabinet office and turned to the business of landing the Dawn as close to Darwin military base as possible. It was pitch black by the time he touched down in a grove of trees fifty metres from the road so he handed the surgeon a torch.

“You’ll need this to get to the road, then It’s about a mile to the gates of the base. Take care.”

“Aren’t you going to uncuff me?”

“What for? You can see the floodlights of the gates. Just walk towards them.”

“There could be snakes or spiders. This is bush right here.”

“Oh don’t be such a bloody wimp! The road is just through that grove of trees! The sooner you start walking, the sooner you reach the base. Goodnight!”

She hesitated briefly before the feintest whisper of air told her that Dawn was already departing, then silence returned followed by the inevitable cacophony of bush noises as the fauna realised the seeming danger from the sky had passed. The surgeon had no option but to set out for the base and she arrived none the worse save for the assault on her dignity.

With his obligation to the surgeon fulfilled, Charlie decided to pay a brief visit to Coach, the outback hideaway known only to Chloe and him. Neither he nor Chloe had visited the rocky outcrop for nearly a month and the tailings from their excavations to expand their lair had already started to disappear under the vegetation that had started to cover the rocks and earth. Without Dawn’s pin-point location system, Charlie realised he could easily have missed the site.

He landed Dawn beneath the trees then carefully guided her across the tailings to enter the main grotto of the hideaway. He was satisfied that nobody had visited the site for there were no human tracks or footprints, no aboriginal signs and almost no animal tracks.

Cautiously, he stepped into the cavernous interior and checked every item to confirm there had been no interference until finally he entered the living quarters. Everything was as he and Chloe had left it and seemingly the hideaway was still a secret. He decided to stay the night before returning to their main house.

Satisfied with the situation, he started up his mobile home Doris the following early morning and was soon hovering across the trackless outback to re-join the main Perth-Hammersley Road at a remote location some fifty miles south of Chloe’s home.

He did not need to follow the road because Doris had a sat-nav, but it suited his purpose to appear as some sort of low-cost tourist ‘doing Australia.’
A couple of faster hover cars swept past but that only added to the anonymity and Charlie arrived in the early morning, virtually un-noticed at Chloe’s house.

A short ‘toot’ on Doris’s horn brought everybody out into the orchard to greet Charlie’s return and this resulted in an al-fresco breakfast before Charlie gathered some items of equipment. Chloe recognised the preparations and quietly confirmed with Charlie.

“Coach?”

“For about a month or so. I’ve got some work to complete.”

“Engines?” Chloe confirmed.

Charlie nodded imperceptibly.

“Last ones I make at coach and alone. My secure production facility will soon be completed at Woomera. Totally automated and secure.”

“Will I have you to my self at long last then?”

“Well; more of me but, - “

“There’s always a but isn’t there?”

“Well, we’ve still got a lot of fish to fry; human rights and stuff.”

That night was the first for several weeks that Charlie and Chloe shared their bed. The as night follows day, their morning peace was shattered by Charlotte leaping onto their bed with shrieks of delight as the three younger ones tried to follow suite. Charlie had to reach down and hall them onto the bed and it was this way that Margaret and Lieutenant Asi found the family as the delighted noises caught their attention.

Margaret put her head around the door.

“So; this is what it’s all about is it?”

Charlie paused with his son in his arms as he replied.

“Partly, yes.”

“Mainly actually;” Chloe corrected him and they chuckled as children slithered over the duvet.

As Lieutenant Asi followed Margaret’s lead and peered around the bedroom door, Chloe instantly recognised the glint of envy in her eyes.

“Kids, Engadine. As we were talking about yesterday; family, - mum, dad and kids. –“

“Yeah. I’m getting it and seeing it now. It’s what I always thought.”

Charlie paused as Charlotte clambered over his shoulders.

“Am I missing something here?”

“Na-ah.” Chloe smiled at the ridiculous image of her three-year-old daughter crawling over her husband’s head and shoulders while levering one foot in his mouth. “Engadine and I were chatting about your early days in the UQ.”

“Oh let’s not go there,” Charlie almost croaked. “We’re free of that now.”

“But not entirely,” the lieutenant replied thus partially revealing her views.”

Charlie fell silent. He still had not figured out the lieutenant’s politics.

“It’s okay to talk Charlie, she’s one of us.”

“Oh,” Charlie replied softly and cautiously, “how do you know?”

Chloe sighed as she reflected on Charlie’s defensive secrecy then she turned to Lieutenant Asi.

“Tell him Engadine.”

The lieutenant bit her lip then finally revealed.

“We four intruders were on a mission.”

“Oh. Go on,” Charlie paused.

“The thing is it was a double sting.”

“The two male pilots were intent on finding and destroying your spaceship down at Woomera. Getting the first punch in before Australia had accumulated the power to defeat their hi-tech planes. Their plan was just a straight, blunt act of war. They had detected activity in space, by your visit to their space station; and they knew they were at a serious disadvantage. They genuinely thought that a Feminista regime like Oz would have a devastating first strike capability. They were motivated by fear and confused when their spies learned that the inventor of Dawn was actually a male UQ citizen.”

“Go on.” Charlie encouraged.

“Well my wing buddy and I have managed to convince the same people that we would be better able to infiltrate Australia’s defences because we are girls.

We suggested they include us in their attack and we would bail out somewhere near Woomera. Let our plane’s crash and you Australians would assume all four pilots were men.
They would waste time looking for men while we women could infiltrate into the Australian defence system and somehow sabotage your spaceship or even kill you.”

“That’s a bit primitive and hair-brained wasn’t it?”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures, both our organisation and the Asian country were convinced that Australia had a massive technological advantage.”

“Your organisation?” Charlie wondered. “What organisation is that?”

“It’s loose collection of anti-feminista societies and organisations.”

“I don’t like the idea of ‘loose’.” Charlie opined. “It sounds insecure and unfocused.”

“Oh you can believe me,” Lieutenant Asi spoke softly, “We are truly focused; and we are secure! Have you ever heard of us?”

“No.”

“And yet you find us infiltrated into another country’s air-force, even to the point of flying their jets. – With their permission and encouragement.”

Charlie paused thoughtfully.

“I take your point. So you genuinely are trying to take down the feminista lunacy.”

“Lunacy! That’s a good word for it.”

“Words is as words does,” Charlie reflected, “but I think you’re taking a hell of a risk.”

“Can you think of a better plan?” She asked.
“The best way to break up the feminista stranglehold, without bloodshed that is, would be to discredit it.”

“That’s our intention.” Lieutenant Asi argued. “Defeat them in battle and show that they cannot defend the country.”

“If you declare war on them, as a foreign power that is. You’ll only unite them. They’ll see you as an external threat and then they’ll stand firmly behind their government. That will lead to enormous bloodshed. Especially as Australia is close to conquering space, properly conquering it, travelling to other planets and stuff.

You saw what my home-made primitive ship did to your best jet fighters and that was without firing a single bullet or missile. Think how many Asian soldiers would be killed before those patriarchs accept they cannot win.”

Lieutenant Asi was forced to consider the costs and ruefully concluded that Charlie was right. If the Feminista oppression was to be destroyed, it had to be destroyed from within. Reluctantly, she concluded that whatever tactic Charlie and his tiny band was employing, it would have to spread like a contagion and quickly.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 54

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 54

List of Characters.

Chapter 54

After the children’s early morning bedroom games were finished, the Sage family and guests had another ‘al-fresco breakfast in the orchard. After the meal and some long chats over copious cups of coffee, Chloe arose to return to work at the miner’s hospital while Charlie simply declared he had ‘business elsewhere.’
Lieutenant Asi realised she would be at another loose end for the rest of the day and she asked Charlie exactly where he was going. Charlie simply replied that he had work to do for the Woomera research company and that he would be gone for some time.

Lieutenant Asi had to be content with that vague answer and after Charlie had left she turned to Inspector Margaret Thomas for a more informed answer.

“How long will he actually be when he say’s ‘some time’?”

“I don’t know and I don’t ask. My job is to make sure the children are safe and their home is not attacked.”

“Attacked?” Lieutenant Asi wondered.

“Oh yes. Your principals are not the only people looking to capture, kill or exploit Charlie.”

“Who are the others?”

“Well, the United Queendom of Britain have tried once to kidnap his children to try and blackmail him to return to Britain. They nearly achieved it as well, except for the remarkable properties of his spaceship Dawn. They eventually found out about the abilities of that mobile home he calls Doris, and it’s capacity to travel long distances over land and sea but they, like us, had no idea he was developing a better engine for his spaceship Dawn.”

“Where did he build Dawn?”

“Chloe said she thinks it’s somewhere in Antarctica but we’ve only got her word for that.”

“D’ you believe her?”

“No, but she has not lied because she said she only THINKS Charlie goes down to Antarctica. Anyway, we don’t go snooping, because if we do, he’ll refuse to let us use the technology. It’s enough that we have access to the engines, without needing to understand the secrets.”

“So that’s his deal. Australia returns to a full, universally franchised democracy and he allows you to utilise his engines.” Lieutenant Asi re-iterated.

“You’ve got it missy.”

“So who do you think is behind the plot to obstruct the new liberty bill they’re debating in Canberra?”

“It’s obviously some dysfunctional, misanthropist, extreme faction of the feminista order.”

“Yes. That’s what I’ve come to realise. I hate to say this, but I think Charlie and I have the same aims.”

“He told me that yesterday, that’s why he’s not locking you up under a secure guard,”

“Am I free to come and go?”

“With an escort for your OWN protection, yes. But remember, we have no idea who is and who isn’t a feminista extremist.”

“Are you a member of the feminista party,” the lieutenant asked bluntly.

“No. And Charlie knows that.”

“How?”

“We shared the dangers of the UQ kidnap attempt. Partners in arms. When you’ve shared those dangers, you learn who your friends are.”

“I would like to be on his side.”

Margaret let out an explosive laugh.

“Ha! It’ll take a lot more than some feeble declaration of intent to win Charlie’s trust. He’s walked the walk.”

“So you’ve no idea when he’s coming back?”

“Chloe will know. They don’t keep secrets from each other.”

“I’ll ask her tonight.”

“I doubt that she’ll tell you. She’s every bit as aware as Charlie about protecting the secret.”

“Has anybody tried to hack into his computers?”

“Forget that Lieutenant. He doesn’t keep anything on his computers, or should I say, Chloe’s computers. Legally speaking, he cannot own a computer until the equality bill is passed into law.

“How the hell did he keep track of his science?”

Margaret smiled condescendingly as she explained softly.

“Lieutenant, as far as we know and the UQ people seem to confirm this. Charlie worked it all out in his head, and what’s more impressive is that he keeps it in his head.”

Lieutenant fell silent. The very idea of storing that much information in a human brain was hard to grasp. The additional idea that it was a male brain, was difficult to accept in a mind that had been raised from infancy to believe that females were more intelligent and harder working.

Margaret could almost hear Engadin’s’ mind clunking reluctantly and she smiled knowingly.

“Yeah. Get over it love; we have.”

“Are you on his side?” Engadine asked bluntly. “You know, fully prepared to accept men back as equals. – With all the dangers that implies.”

“I can’t say I’ve ever felt endangered around Charlie. Quite the contrary, he listens to what people say and more often than not agrees with their ideas. Many’s the times I’ve had to change my view after watching him respond to a problem or an issue. I’ve rarely seen him argue or shout. He seems to avoid conflict like the plague. Chloe says that when she met his mother she was surprised that there never seemed to be any parent-child conflict. He never argued with his mother except when it came to maths and science, - and she gave up on that when he was in his early teens..”

Engadine nodded her head resignedly.

“That figures, his maths is way, way out there. I don’t suppose even his mother could understand his maths. I don’t and I was top of my class at uni for maths.”

“And in all else?” Margaret pointed out, “he seems to leave it to Chloe. Politics, humanities, societal issues. He just doesn’t seem to bother his head except to support Chloe. It’s Chloe that drives the marriage and equal rights issues in that relationship. It’s Chloe you should be talking to if you want to drive the equality issues here and elsewhere.”

“That was our plan when we invaded. It’s a pity we didn’t know about Charlie before we blundered in.”

“You do now, so Carpe’ diem. Speak to Chloe tonight.” Margaret finished then added.

“Now, we’re taking the children to the beach today. We never declare which beach just to protect them from any potential kidnapping. There’ll be about twenty discreet but well-armed soldiers covering the picnic. D’ you want to come?”

“I’ve got nothing else to do until tonight. Okay, I’ll get my stuff.”

Lieutenant Asi enjoyed a rare day of restful pleasure at the beach playing with the children while never having to look over her shoulder or worry where the children might have got to. In the evening she met again with Chloe who had returned from work at her casualty clinic.

“Busy day?” Engadine asked.

“A bit,” Chloe replied, “An accident with one of the drag-line excavators, man with a crushed foot. Plus the usual hotch-potch of minor stuff. What have you done?”

“Played on the beach with your kids,” Engadine confessed.

“With Margaret?”

“Yeah, her and half the aussie special forces.”

“Yes, I’ve no doubt you’ve learned why. The danger to our children is still considered to be real.”

“That’s sad, having to worry about your kids all the time.”

“Until Charlie gets things up and running and we’ve got the whip hand with military hardware, Oz is vulnerable.”

” Yeah. I get that. Talking of getting up and running, when will Charlie be back?”

“I don’t know, I’m guessing weeks rather than months but there’s no knowing.”
“Is it true he builds his engines down in Antarctica?”

“You should know better than to ask that.” Chloe censured her mildly.

“Sorry. I wasn’t spying, honestly. After chatting to him, I genuinely want to help.”

“Well, there’s nothing you can do at present. He’s got his trusted helpers and they don’t even know how or where he builds his engines.”

“Yes. He’s right to be cautious, the business up in Darwin told me that. The problem is, I’m bored just hanging around here all day.”

“Ahem.” Chloe cleared her throat diplomatically. “You are technically a prisoner of war; you do realised that don’t you?”

“Yes. It’s hard to remember that, playing on a beach all day.”

“Have you spoken to your wing-mate today?”

“No, if there’s any news, she calls me. I don’t have much to tell her down here in Sleepy hollow.”

“Just be glad it stays that way. Charlie will probably be speaking to me after dinner. If you want to offer your services, speak to him then. Though, to be honest, he’s very cagey about new faces.”

“Can you call him any time?”

“No. He always calls me, usually on the Dawns’ comms, and invariably from space to avoid being traced.”

“Later that evening, later than Engadine expected, the call came through. Chloe explained that Lieutenant Asi wanted to speak to him but her offer to assist was politely refused. Chloe smiled ruefully.

“As I said, Charlie’s very cagey.”

“I’ll just have to be patient.”

“Prepare for a long wait.” Chloe gave a wry smile.

ooo000ooo

It was to be a week before Charlie returned with two large spheres in the Back of his spaceship Dawn. Lieutenant Asi was intrigued to see them strapped down but she did not have time to study them closely. Charlie only stopped by at the house before taking his engines to the research base at Woomera. Lieutenant Engadine Asi would have loved to ask a load of questions but Charlie made it abundantly obvious that questions were not welcome. Indeed the lieutenant was not even invited to accompany Charlie to Woomera.

She watched resentfully as Inspector Margaret was invited instead and that was only because the inspector had reports to file in Canberra after dropping the engines off in Woomera.

Chloe sensed the young lieutenant’s disappointment.

“Don’t get too down-hearted. He’s paranoid about keeping the secrets of his engines just that; secret.”

The engine delivery was quickly completed and when the research scientists asked Charlie how long for the remaining engines he shrugged confessionally.

“Could be a month, could be two. I’m having to search farther afield for certain materials.”

“Materials as in what?”

“Oh come now, you don’t think I’m going to tell what materials or where I get them, do you.”

The researchers shrugged disappointedly and Charlie felt sorry for them.

“Think rare-earth metals from the Palladium group, the asteroids and the moons of the gas giants!”

“WHAT!”

“That’s right, way out there. I’ve spent more time prospecting than actually digging it out then smelting it.”

“Did you find much?”

“Enough.”

“And are you prepared to reveal your sources.”

“It’s pointless. You’ll not be ready to go there for years yet.”

“Yet you seem to get out there.”

“Amongst the asteroids and gas giants, yes.”

“Are you going back there?”

“Of course. Happen I’ve found a rich source, way out past Mars.

“And all that in a month?”

“Yeah. Once you’ve cracked the science; the technology and engineering is not that difficult. Mining the minerals is summat’ else though! Space walks and zero gravity, tell me about it.
We are going to have to make better space suits by the way, but I’ve already discussed this with Woomera. If you want a useful job, you can get involved in designing, testing and producing better space suits.”

“Will that involve me doing space walks.”

“Of course it bloody will. What are space suits for? Operating spaceships, prospecting for minerals and recovering rare metals. Proper jobs; not some bloody arty-farty, bureaucratic sinecure!”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 55

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 55

List of Characters.

Chapter 55

When Charlie returned from Canberra he made for Chloe’s house and explained what he had discussed with the researchers at Woomera.

“We need to develop specialist mining equipment and specialist heavy-duty space suits to find and recover more rare earth ores for the larger engines. This will involve exploration and extraction, way out there in deeper space. If you want to be useful Lieutenant Asi, we are going to need prospectors prepared to ‘space-walk’ and miners prepared to run the mines and machinery. Would you like to join the team?”

Lieutenant Asi considered the offer.

The idea ‘getting in on the ground floor’ of what would become the primary new industry of ‘interplanetary mining’ was a very attractive offer. There would not only be space suits and spaceships to develop and build, but a whole new field of solar powered excavating equipment to install on those ships. On the other hand however, there were enormous risks to life.

She questioned Charlie at length about the dangers during dinner that evening then decided to accept the offer provisionally.

“Who gets to decide if something is too dangerous?”

“The individual or individuals involved in the venture; naturally.” Charlie confirmed.

“I don’t have any geology training,” Engadine revealed, “I’m just a sky jockey, - a fighter pilot.”

“Everybody has to begin somewhere,” Chloe encouraged her as Charlie chewed thoughtfully on his meat.

Finally Charlie looked at Engadine and explained.

“One of the first things you’ll have to learn is welding. After the first antigravity shuttles are built down here at Woomera, much of the big ‘ore-carrier’ spaceships will be assembled in space.
I’m also going to build the engine factory in space. Initially I was going to build the engines at Woomera but I’m getting more and more concerned about security.

In space, it’ll be easier to weed out spies and saboteurs because all conversations are by radio and recordable. People can only plot in the private living areas which will be communal bubbles.

I’m thinking of putting the factory in a geostationary orbit directly above Woomera. A virtual city out there; another moon if you like, but always visible from Australia.”

“Sounds exciting.” Engadine replied. “I’d like to take up your offer provisionally. Where do I sign up to a contract of work?”

“A contract! God knows.” Charlie openly admitted. “As far as I know, there are no laws in deep space. I suppose people would have to sign an Australian style contract AFTER the feminista laws are repealed.

Just look at my particular position! My ownership of my ship Dawn is not registered to me or anybody else. Nor is it registered to a port or country, and I don’t know of any country that keeps a spaceship register.”

“It sounds like the wild west.” Engadine giggled, but Charlie did not reciprocate the humour.

“I think it could get wilder than that if greed is given free reign. There have been two serious attempts to manipulate me or ensnare me plus an attempt to separate me from my ship in Darwin. Only a few weeks ago, you were trying to kill me.”

“Yes,” Engadine reflected remorsefully, “sorry about that.”

“I don’t need your apologies,” Charlie snapped back, “I need your explanations, who hired you, what organisation do you seemingly still belong to, and how did you get the Chinese to lend you their most advanced jets?”

Charlie’s sudden change of demeanour alarmed Lieutenant Asi, as she realised that Charlie still had not forgotten the security issues affecting Australia. She realised there and then that Charlie was employing the – iron fist in the velvet glove – tactic.

“I’m going to have to tell you aren’t I

“You’re still, technically a prisoner of war.” Charlie answered flatly.

His words sent a shiver through the lieutenant’s frame but she still tried to advance her argument.

“Australia is not at war with China.”

“Listen Lieutenant, there are two crashed Chinese jets being recovered right now from the Queensland rain forest. Both of the dead pilot’s rotting remains are being checked out right now by an army forensics team. Both of the corpses are men, but not Chinese men!”

“Why has it taken them so long?” Engadine asked.

“For some reason, their emergency crash beacons were de-activated, as where yours. I don’t know why, but there was obviously some secret and potentially suicidal aspect to your intrusion. Like the old Kamikaze attacks of World War Two.”

“You must have known where they crashed. There was no need to have left them to die.”

“I didn’t ‘leave them to die’ as you put it. They were flying so low that they couldn’t bail out. I watched both planes crash at high speed and nobody could have survived the fireballs I saw. That was evidenced by finding the scorched corpses both sitting in the cockpits of their planes. According to what the search teams found; the ejector seats were not working either. So somebody was happy to see them dead.
Strangely, your ejector seat worked and that tells me that you might have had some additional objective or task to fulfil and I think that might have involved me or my Spaceship Dawn.

How do I know you still aren’t planning to kill me, after you’ve learned the secrets of Dawn?

I might warn you though, there are no electronic or dead tree records of my Anti-gravity engines anywhere! The only record is in my head.”

“Yes, I’ve been told that,” Lieutenant Asi confessed, “but after I was brought to Chloe’s home. That is your talisman, your ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ card. You refuse to tell anybody.”

“Can you blame me? At least it protects me peaceably, no guns, bullets or violence.”

“You were violent towards my jet,”

Charlie let out a squawk of derision.

“What! After you and all the other three intruders had fired missiles at me? Dawn doesn’t even carry missiles or guns. I think that’s called self-defence. And don’t accuse me of murdering your two companions. Whosoever sabotaged their ejector seats killed them.”

“But you knew where they had crashed!”

“Of course I did but there were too many unanswered questions like why didn’t they eject. Consequently, I didn’t reveal the crash co-ordinates until the Australian equality bill was passed and ratified.” Charlie revealed with a soft menace to his voice.

“Before that, I might have been charged with attempted murder under some obscene feminista law for attacking you and your wing companion. Don’t forget, I was born and raised under the most abusive and oppressive feminista regime outside of America.
I had no idea how unfair Australian Feminista laws might have been towards a man defending himself against female attack.”

“So you told nobody where they crashed. If they had been alive, they would have died a slow death.” Lieutenant Asi Charged.

“I’ve got agendas too!” Charlie argued. “And those agendas are justified. I was intrigued to learn only yesterday, that the two male pilots were genetic Europeans. So what’s going on Lieutenant? Who or what is this organisation you belong to?”

Lieutenant Asi shrugged. It was getting harder and harder to deny to herself that Charlie’s objectives were the same objectives as her secret organisation. Her mind was in turmoil as she wrestled with her conscience.

‘Dare she reveal it to this man who had demonstrated beyond doubt that he was a libertarian?’ The most galling thing was that Charlie was achieving those liberal objectives without recourse to violence while she and her companions had effectively declared war by invading Australia with foreign assistance. The worst truth was that the foreign assistance carried a price, for the suppliers of those four jets were not exactly humanitarian liberators themselves. They would be coming for their pound of flesh if they thought that she and her wing-companion had somehow double-crossed them.’

Lieutenant Engadine Asi had got herself into a jam and the ironic part was that only Charlie could get her out of it. For Charlie had demonstrated beyond doubt that his spaceship had totally defeated her jet by dint of massive and insurmountable technical superiority. She had not betrayed her organisation’s cause she had simply been defeated and caught.

To protect her own life and the life of her wing-companion, Engadine was going to have to reveal the existence, identity and location of her organisation.

ooo000ooo

The evening Lieutenant Asi was given permission by Charlie to talk to her wing companion still being detained in Canberra. After some delicate negotiations between Charlie and the Defence minister Katie, the two pilots were allowed to talk with only Charlie as a witness at Engadine’s end and her wing mate with Katie in Canberra. Engadine’s wing-mate was curious.

“What’s this about Engee?” She asked her lover.

“Listen Angee, what are your feelings about this new Aussie liberty business?”

“It seems to be going ahead. The repeal of the feminista acts. The corridors here are full of it.”

“What, in the Parliament building! Where are they holding you?”

“In a secure block not far from the PM’s private residence. Apparently they’re still concerned about my safety. There’s guards everywhere and the defence minister is here several times a week. When she comes, she brings me a couple of newspapers. Fair play, it’s big news around here.”

“Are they treating you well?”

“Well as a prisoner of war, I can’t complain. How are they treating you?”

“Pretty good. I’ve got the run of Captain Sage’s house and occasionally, he takes me places with his wife. She’s a surgeon and technically. I’m her guest. Charlie isn’t around much.”

“Charlie? So you’re on first name terms with him are you?”

“That’s just it, yes. Do you know he’s the inventor of the antigrav.”

“Of course I do, his ship took me down and dumped me on that destroyer. I didn’t get to see him after that. He went hunting you I’m told.”

“That’s exactly right. He crunched my plane out of the sky then swept down and picked me out of my life raft. He’s here with me now.”

“So he can’t be all bad then.”

“No, definitely the opposite. You’re not going to believe this but he’s something of a pacifist.”

“Come off it, he took down four jets.” Angee poo-hooed.

“Yeah; without firing a single shot or missile.”

Angela the second pilot paused thoughtfully.

“Come to think of it; I think it was us that fired first.”

“It was us Angee,” Engadine confirmed. “I’ve been aboard his spaceship and it carries no weapons at all. He took us out by ramming us or gaffing us with some sort of plough-share thing.”

“Yeah. That’s how he caught me. Once I was hooked I couldn’t escape. Then he dumped me very ignominiously on that bloody destroyer.”

“I’m told you were deposited very gently, so much so that there was enough left of your plane to tell the Aussies all about your jet.”

“Yeah, they can now reverse engineer the Chinese technology and produce a jet of their own.”

Engadine let out an involuntary snort of derision before explaining.

“Angee! You’re not getting it. With the anti-gravity spaceships, they are so far ahead of China they’re over the horizon. China doesn’t stand a chance in hell of defeating Oz, nor would I want them to now that this crazy feminista business has been put to rest.”

“Well, provided the Aussies come on board with us and liberate everybody, I can rub along with that.”

“And that’s exactly why I’m calling you Angee. This repeal bill does pretty much that. What do you think?”

“It looks good on paper but I haven’t read the whole bill yet.”

Lieutenant Engadine Asi cursed under her breath and turned to Charlie.

“They should let her see it, then I think I can persuade her to come to your side.”

“What d’you mean, his side?” Angela asked.

“Can I speak to Katie please?”

“You mean the Defence Minister.”

“Yeah, well she’s Katie to me. We’ve been crew-mates on Charlie’s spaceship.”

Katherine Bergeson stepped into view and Lieutenant Asi nodded acknowledgement.

“Hi again Katie. Can you give Angee a copy of the Repeal Bill? Then I’ll speak to her tomorrow evening about a proposition I have.

“No problem. It’s a public document now.

“Thanks Minister. That’s all I’ve got to say for now, hope to speak to both of you tomorrow. Speak tomorrow Angee, Byee.”

As the video images faded, Lieutenant Asi slumped back in her seat and turned to Charlie.

“If I can bring Angee on board, I’ll feel happier about revealing who and what our organisation’s about.”

“And where it’s about,” Charlie suggested.

“Once she and I are agreed, we’ll see.”

“Well, you’ve got until about ten p.m., tomorrow cos I’ve got engines to build and Woomera are waiting.

“Does it hinge that much on you?”

“The engines do. That’s my protection.”

“Bit of a knife-edge really isn’t it?” Lieutenant Asi observed.”

“Yeah, but don’t go getting any ideas. Kill me and the world falls backwards a thousand years.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 56

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 56

List of Characters.

Chapter 56

Charlie and Lieutenant Asi talked at length until Chloe appeared in the doorway.

“Are you coming to bed or not?”

Charlie glanced at his watch and cursed softly.

“Damn! Is that the time?”

Chloe exchanged a glance with the young lieutenant then rolled her eyes and explained as Charlie made for the bedroom.

“He usually charges up his sleep batteries before returning to space.”

“Where does he go?”

“I don’t know. As far as I can discern he spends some of the time gathering the minerals he needs, then he builds the engines. God alone knows where he builds them but it’s impossible to follow him. How do you track a container sized object in the vastness of space.”

“So he must have some sort of workshop somewhere.”

“Obviously,” Chloe agreed, “but where.”

“Well he either builds them somewhere on earth, or he’s got an airtight factory where he can work without a space-suite.”

“He built the first, smaller ones in the cargo hold of the Dawn, but as for the bigger – second-generation engines, well, your guess is as good as mine. He could have some sort of small airtight blister on the far side of the moon.”

“Well wherever it is, it’s all supposition, I suppose he’ll reveal all when he’s good and ready.”

“If at all,” Chloe concluded. “Well, I’m ready to join him in our bed. I suggest you go to your bed as well.”

Lieutenant Asi agreed and retired to her bedroom. In the morning, she knew she would have to reveal all to Charlie about her organisation. Otherwise, her hopes of going into space were zero.
ooo000ooo

The next morning, as Charlie was standing over the stove preparing breakfast for all his family and guests, he spotted Lieutenant Engadine Asi busy on her phone while sitting on the garden seat under the shade of the fruit tree.

“I’ll bet she’s checking with her wing buddy.” He remarked.

“I’m surprised you allow her a phone; she’s supposed to be a prisoner isn’t she?” Chloe remarked.

“It’s okay, her phone is monitored, Inspector Margaret made sure of that.”

He continued cooking while Chloe and a couple of the guards attended to the four children. Soon the smell of bacon enticed Lieutenant Asi from the garden to the breakfast table.

“My wing buddy agrees. She’s going to tell your friend Katie and I’ll tell you about our organisation.”

“About time.” Charlie opined. “You’ve been here nearly a month. Let’s talk in the garden.”

“It’s not easy,” Engadine protested as they sat under the fruit tree, “they’re a pretty blood-thirsty lot in the organisation. Murder comes easily to them cos most of the members have suffered some sort of injury or loss at the hands of the feminista.”

“Have you?”

“My twin brother died in a labour camp.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know but his ashes were sent to my adoptive mother with a note saying he had died.”

“I thought you said you were a foundling!” Charlie accused her.

“I was. We both were. He and I were found together in the Engadine Valley in Switzerland. My stepmother adopted us both, but he eventually fell afoul of their shitty laws and he ended up in prison.

To protect myself as I grew up. I never admitted to having lost my brother to the feminista penal system because that would have always thrown a shadow of suspicion on me.

Throughout my whole adult life, I kept his existence a secret then, when I was at university, my stepmother received the letter and a cheap metal tin of ashes. He’d been killed trying to escape from the penal system.

That is why I joined the organisation.”

Charlie spotted the tiny glisten of a tear in Lieutenant Asi’s eye but he said nothing. As a hard-bitten cynic he well understood crocodile tears. Nevertheless, he adopted a sympathetic demeanour to hide his own thoughts. ‘She could after all, be telling the truth.’

“So tell me please how you came to join ‘The organisation’ as you put it and what is the organisation about?”

“As I told you before, it appears to be a very loose organisation at first, a few cells of maybe five or ten people. Often these tiny groups are friends who have grown up together and know of each other’s personal tragedies and losses. Their shared tragedies cement their loyalties.

Later, the more seriously wounded members are sussed out then invited to go a little further along the path. As they travel up the line, they become more determined to try and destroy the feminista dictatorships. Eventually, the hard-core resistance become real warriors, determined to destroy the feminista wherever and whenever we can.”

“From what you say, I’m deducing that you’re quite high in the pecking order then. A fighter pilot working for them, would be a real feather in the organisation’s cap.”

“We are, that is both me and Angee. The trouble is, the organisation knew nothing about you and your spaceship. Talk about a rude awakening.
Just imagine what we could do with a spaceship like Dawn.”

“I can imagine it only too well,” Charlie replied, “but I don’t hold with terrorism.”

“You say that” Lieutenant Asi observed, “but nothing ever progresses against dictatorships unless there is ‘back-up’ to encourage change. Our organisation uses the open threat of violence, but you also use the implied threat of Dawn’s benefits being traded to an enemy.”

“Yes, but I’m not trading in violence.” Charlie countered. “Look at what’s been achieved in Canberra. Simply by offering the technological benefits of space-travel, I’ve traded technology for peaceful political change. The feminista repeal bill was enabled by argument not bloodshed.”

“Yeah. They received an offer they couldn’t refuse.” Engadine riposted. “The implied threat was there. If ever there was a ‘carrot-and-stick’ scenario, anti-gravity was it.”

“Their politicians had to be ready to accept the deal, the idea; anti-gravity for universal rights.” Charlie explained.

“Yeah,” Lieutenant Asi conceded, “you were clever the way you manipulated their minds.”

“I didn’t manipulate their minds,” Charlie protested, “their thoughts of universal rights were already growing; or more correctly, re-growing amongst them. I simply exploited the opportunity those ideas offered. Just remember this Lieutenant. No power on earth can resist an idea whose time has come.”

“Oh very clever, quoting Victor Hugo now are we?”

“Who’s Victor Hugo?” Charlie asked.

“He was a famous philosopher.”

“You’re forgetting something Lieutenant. I never went to high-school past thirteen and I’ve certainly never been to college! I’ve always had to think my own thoughts cos I never had legal access to books and other people’s ideas.”

“And that’s exactly the sort of thing our organisation is fighting to change.”

“Okay!” Charlie agreed. “But let’s do it without bloodshed.”

“I and Angee my wing-mate, would need to meet with our organisation leaders to accomplish that.” Lieutenant Asi explained.

“Before you go anywhere or meet anybody, I need to know who, where, what, why, when and how.

Engadine swallowed nervously and nodded.

“Can I speak to Angee and the two ministers, the PM and the defence minister while I reveal this? I want video proof to protect myself and Angee.”

“That can be easily arranged. We can call them from Dawn. I’ll fetch Chloe to be my witness.”

ooo000ooo

With the arrangements completed, Lieutenant Asi revealed her part of the story.

“I joined Algebra when I was in university studying maths.”

“Algebra?” Charlie asked.”

“Yeah, x and y,” Engadine explained, “the organisation’s very reason d’etre is because of the x and y chromosomes. Algebra is all about x and y so the organisation is known as Algebra.”

Charlie grinned as did Katie the defence minister who remarked.

“Very neat. Hiding in plain sight, especially if you were studying maths.”

“Needs must,” Engadine continued. “At uni, our tiny cell was mostly concerned with discovering potential new members then staying in touch after graduating. The network spread and as the more successful members got jobs abroad, thus Algebra grew.”

“So where did you end up?”

“Teaching maths in the air-force officer cadet college in Singapore. That’s where Angee and I met.”

“I taught physics,” Angela interjected.

“So that’s where you accessed the aircraft.” Charlie reasoned. “Did you steal them?”

“Not at all.” Engadine revealed. “We applied to join the flight training and we were very successful. The Singaporeans don’t have much in the way of human resources so it was useful to have lecturers who doubled up as flight crew. Angee and I flew many training missions as wing-buddies.”

“And bed buddies,” Charlie ventured.

“Yes. We’re partners but that’s neither a secret nor a crime.”

“Lucky old you,” Chloe remarked. “I had to fight tooth and nail to have and keep my husband.”

“Yes, well that’s changed, at least, here in Oz,” The Prime Minister interrupted, “now can you get back to Algebra.”

Lieutenant Asi continued.

“Through the Algebra network in Singapore, our agents learned that the Chinese were looking at ways to destabilise the feminista regime in Australia. They weren’t ‘pro men’ or anything, they were just looking at ways to expand their sphere of influence, extend their hegemony and then, in the longer term, occupy commercially or even attack militarily. Believe me prime minister, China is friend to no man, - or woman!”

“So how did you end up using their most advanced jets to intrude upon Australian airspace?” Charlie pressed.

“Algebra runs deep - and wide. We’ve got cells all over Asia, including China but Singapore is a multinational trading hub and we’ve got legitimate lines of trade extending all over the planet.”

“Tentacles,” Charlie offered.

“If you will,” Engadine conceded. “But those tentacles all centre upon Singapore which is a hive of intrigue and dealing. After a few favours and bribes, - big bribes; a secret deal was set up to sell Chinese fighters to a country that China was supposed to consider an enemy. Sex and corruption works just as effectively in China as any other land; Muslim, Hindu, or Christian, - or Jewish.

It was a Muslim country using a phoney end-user certificate; so when the Chinese government discovered they had been duped they were furious and immediately stopped the deal. Some jets, however, were already en-route and somehow, they went missing.

We in Algebra laid a false trail directly back to the corrupt Chinese
Officials and they were promptly hanged; mainly because the bigger fish were looking to protect their own arses higher up the chain.
The trouble is, those senior communist party politburo officials cannot destroy the evidence we hold, so we’ve got them by the short and curlies.”

Lieutenant Asi finished with a somewhat satisfied smirk but she hadn’t answered all Charlie’s questions. The PM and defence minister were satisfied but Charlie still had questions.

“So how many planes went missing?” He asked before adding, “I can find out.”

“Uuhm eight.” Engadine answered.

“Of which four were destroyed by us; so where are the remaining four?”

“Uuhm, I’d rather not say.”

“Which tells me they’re either in Singapore or Algebra has traded them on for some other benefits. So I’m not convinced you’re being entirely honest with us.”

“Algebra has always had to find its allies where it can.” Angela the second captive prisoner argued.

“I accept that,” Charlie conceded, so do you think you’ve found a useful ally in Oz?”

“Well, - yes.” She answered hesitantly.

“Good!” Charlie closed. “So tell us who’s got the other jets. Then tell us how we can contact your bosses in Singapore.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 57

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 57

List of Characters.

Chapter 57

“The other four jets are currently held by the Singaporean Air-force.” Lieutenant Asi confided.

“Oh!” Charlie exclaimed. “How did they come by them?”
“It was a consequence of the original deal coming apart. The guy who set the deal up is being hunted by the Chinese who sold the damned jets and also by the Saudi’s who paid for them and never got them. Both sides are looking to kill him and he’s hiding in Singapore.” Engadine revealed.

“Or at least he was when we last heard.” Angela added.

Engadine affirmed this by explaining.

“He used the remaining jets as bargaining chips to secure his safety by being allowed to stay in Singapore.”

“The secret won’t last long,” Katie added. “Singapore is swarming with Chinese.”

“That’s not really our problem,” Charlie observed. “In a few months, we’ll have the material to defend ourselves.”

“The spaceships;” Engadine confirmed.

Charlie nodded before continuing.

“Our best course of action is to find out everything about your Algebra organisation and somehow use it to reverse the feminista agenda, - peacefully.” Charlie surmised.

“You’ll need us then,” both pilots opined.

“Right then ladies and gentlemen. My god it’s been a long time since I heard that expression, - ‘ladies-and-gentlemen.’ I want you all in my office tomorrow,” the PM demanded.

“Sorry Ma-am, No can do.” Charlie apologised.

“Indeed Captain Sage! And might I ask why not?”

“Some of my mineral sources are not locked in one location. They move around and consequently if I lose track of them, I might not find them again, or at least I would have to go hunting again.”

“Angee, the second pilot and physicist squinted at Charlie thoughtfully before remarking.”

“The only two places I can think of out there where things move around unpredictably are the Asteroid Belt and the rings of Saturn.”

“’Appen,” Charlie replied, but other planets have rings as well.”

Angee stared hard at Charlie.

“Are you trying to tell me you can travel to Saturn and back in a week or so!”

“There’s a lot of gravity out there Angee and I don’t just harness the earths’ gravity. Anyway Prime Minister, it’s an interplanetary case of time and tide waiting for no one. If I don’t get back to my mineral source and plant a beacon on it, I’ll lose track of it, and I was very lucky to find it.”

“How long will you be gone?” The PM asked.

“This time I should think about six weeks. Two weeks quarrying the materials and about four weeks manufacturing six engines.

Those six, plus the two I’ve already delivered to Woomera, should give us a useful space-craft capable of supporting a bigger expedition while exploring and prospecting for other rare minerals as far out as Saturn.”

“My people tell me that you’ve decided not to build the engines at Woomera but to Create a manufacturing facility off-world.”

“Yes.” Charlie replied. “After my experiences at Darwin Military base, I’m still not convinced the security situation is recovered yet. Have you located any ring-leaders?”
“Sadly, no.” The PM admitted, “but you will be building the spaceships at Woomera I hope.”

“Yes,” Charlie nodded, “you’ve shown good faith by building a shipyard at Woomera and it would be dishonest of me to renege on that promise.”

A look of relief swept across the two ministers and Charlie smiled.

“You’ve been fair by me Prime Minister so I’ll play fair with you. Now, I’m sorry to have to tell you I’m bound for the Asteroids and Saturn’s rings tonight. The longer I leave those rocks orbiting and colliding the more likely that my original co-ordinates will have been degraded. There’s quite a traffic jam out there.”

“I’d love to come with you,” Lieutenant Asi lamented.

Charlie smiled sympathetically.

“There are a dozen people who would love to accompany me but Sadly, Dawn does not carry sufficient life support for more than one person to travel for six weeks. Once Dawn Two is completed, she’ll be a much bigger ship with capacity for up to twenty people depending on how much equipment accompanies the expedition.
Once she is up and running, the whole project should grow.”

“Like Topsy.” Engadine finished.

Charlie’s blank look once more demonstrated to the educated women how lacking Charlie’s feminista, ‘boy’s education’ had been. None of them had the heart to compound Charlie’s hurt by describing who or what Topsy was.

Telling him would have just put one more brick in the wall of Charlie’s silent, suppressed resentment.

With arrangements completed, Charlie, Chloe and Engadine left Canberra and returned to Hammersley ready for the late evening departure of Dawn and Charlie for the asteroids and the gas giants.
In their bedroom that afternoon, Charlie and Chloe shared one last intimacy and chat before ‘zero-hour’ arrived. As they lay post-coitally beside each other Charlie whispered one last request.

“Just Check that Lieutenant Asi is standing beside you as I leave. I don’t want to be half-way to Mars and find I’ve got a stowaway.”

Chloe released an involuntary chuckle.

“She wouldn’t, would she?”

“I dunno’ Charlie confessed. She was giving Dawn some very envious looks as we were coming back. Just check.”

“Shall I have Margaret keep an eye on her?”

“That should work.”

With these words, Charlie’s arm snaked around Chloe’s waist and they slept until eight PM.
ooo000ooo

Come departure time, Charlie slipped quietly into the bedrooms and kissed his sleeping children farewell before completing the final checks to Dawn.

As he climbed up the clamshell ramp, Chloe went to alert Margaret and Engadine that Charlie was leaving. Margaret duly came to the front porch and gave Charlie a wave through the cockpit window but Lieutenant Asi complained as she stood beside Chloe and the inspector.

“Why didn’t you wake me earlier, I wanted to wish him goodbye?”

“He doesn’t like to make a fuss.” Chloe replied, glad she was actually speaking to Engadine Asi even as the Dawn was silently ascending into the night sky.

The hopeful lieutenant had not sneaked aboard and Chloe knew she had fulfilled her part. As Dawn finally disappeared into the glittering star-speckled sky, the three of them turned to sharing some supper. Several of the guards who were off duty joined them while the remainder continued with their guard duties.

“It’s pity you still need guards,” Engadine observed.

“Charlie might need them for the rest of his life, or until the feminista regimes end.” Margaret opined.

“Well, we’re safe; or at least safer, now the reformation bill has been written into law.”

After discussing the pros and cons of men no longer being curfewed, they retired and silence returned to the house.

Far above the earth and now free of any atmospheric constraints, the spaceship Dawn was streaking towards the asteroid belt. She had her destination pinpointed and Charlie paid little heed to Mars now showing as a tiny globe to his left as he sped onwards and outwards.

Soon Charlie spotted his marker, the dwarf planet Ceres silently orbiting the sun in the company of the countless millions of asteroids in the asteroid belt. From this relatively certain position in the belt, Charlie carefully matched his speed to that of the belts’ until he had relocated the huge cluster of platinum-based rocks glittering in the weaker sunlight as they slowly rotated within the orbiting rock fields.

Very, very slowly, he eased his ship in amongst the rocks until the Dawn and the orbiting docks were in virtual stasis. Thus ensconced amongst the glittering ore-field, Charlie was able to study each rock and decide if it was suitably rich enough to load into the cargo hold of the dawn.

This was only Charlie’s second attempt at space walking amongst the rocks but already he had developed techniques to collect suitably sized rocks and then reel himself back inboard with his oversized security line.
For ten days he located the most suitable rocks then secured the treasured metallic ores in the cargo hold until he had a large enough load and it was time to return home.

He called his technique ‘soft excavation’ because he created a cavity in the surrounding rocks just as a metal excavator created cavities in earth or solid rock; but he did it with thick, heavily gloved hands. Dawn had not yet been modified enough to replace the simple ploughshare with a dextrous hydraulic claw. That would be for Dawn Two and a veritable team of miners, minerologists and chemists.

Finally, before departing what he come to think of as ‘his claim,’ Charlie attached a small, very weak radio beacon to the dwarf planet Ceres just as an insurance to facilitate speedy relocation. On the journey to his secret workshop, Charlie reflected on what future laws would be enacted concerning space prospecting and mining rights.

After two weeks of harvesting the precious minerals, Charlie arrived at the far side of the Earth’s moon and waited for nightfall in Western Australia. As darkness enveloped the continent, Charlie first swept down from the moon to Antarctica then travelled at wave-top height to the great Australian bight.

At a remote and totally isolated location below some high Cretaceous sea cliffs, the Dawn ‘slip-profiled’ close to the cliffs and slithered snakelike up and over the cliffs into Australia without detection. A fast ‘tree-top’ crossing of the Nullabar Plain and Western Australia soon found Charlie undetected at the grotto where his and Chloe’s original desert hideout ‘Coach’ had lain undisturbed by anybody else except Charlie and Chloe.

A swift, silent arrival soon had Dawn docked in the isolated, hidden grotto where Charlie had his workshop. It was a place invisible from the air and virtually impossible to find from the ground because of the shrubs and rocks that lay undisturbed by wheels. Antigravity precluded wheels and tracks.
Once the large bush had been carefully eased back across the entrance to the grotto, the hideout known as Coach was invisible.

There in privacy and secrecy, Charlie busied himself away with his machine tools making the contracted remaining engines for Dawn two.
Eight weeks later the remaining engines were delivered to Woomera.

ooo000ooo

“I thought she was only going to have eight engines,” Juliet remarked curiously. “Are we going to have to modify her?”

“Not really, Charlie explained. The extra two are to create better lateral stability. I spotted some larger rocks of platinum and palladium ore and they were big enough to displace Dawn while we were parked in the spaces between the rocks.
Better to have sufficient power to hold Dawn Two stable when the bigger rocks bump up against her. Especially when we are hauling the bigger rocks into the cargo holds.”

“I thought we were using mechanical grabs for that.”

“That’s okay when the rocks are close to the ship, but it’s more cost efficient to secure a line to the bigger rocks when further away, then winch-haul them close enough for the grabs to take hold. It’s more efficient than constantly re-locating the ship every time we want to expand the work-face.”

“How big is this deposit?” Juliet asked.

“It’s an egg-shaped cluster of rocks about three kilometres long and a kilometre across and it contains very high grades of all of the platinum family of ores. I think it might have been a piece from the very core of whatever it was that formed the asteroid belt.” Charlie replied.

“Will there be more of them?”

“Possibly,” Charlie opined. “We’ll find out when you and I command the exploration.”

“And when will that be? Juliet pressed.

“When the Dawn Two is good and ready. How’s the rest of the project going.”

“Very good. It’ll be a damned sight less cramped than Dawn! If you compared her to a typical ocean-going cargo ship, she’d displace about twenty thousand tons. A two-hundred-metre-long cylinder about twenty metres diameter. Each crewmember has his or her own cabin and she’ll carry her own gravity of course.”

“All the comforts of home.” Charlie grinned.

“That’s what you asked for.” Juliet remarked. “Will you be staying for the final fitting out?”

“Nah. I’ve got business elsewhere.”

“Is this to do with the intruder business.” Juliet frowned.

“Got it in one.” Charlie confirmed.

“You be bloody careful!” Juliet warned. “That whole business stinks.”

“Don’t worry. Katie the defence minister is adamant we go loaded for bear.”

“Is she going with you?”

“She’s the delegation leader to Singapore. I’m just happening along for the ride. – As a guest as it were.”

“Yeah! Pull the other leg Charlie.”

Juliet wagged her head despairingly as they separated to their different duties.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 58

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminine Queendom Charlie’s War 58

List of Characters.

Chapter 58.

“Have you got the completed agenda for the negotiations?” The Australian Prime Minister asked her Defence Minister Katherine Bergson.

“For the twentieth time of asking Ma-am, yes.” Katie replied. “And I am fully conversant with which parts are none negotiable.”
“You know the world’s press will be there so remember, NO loose talk!”

“Ye-ess Boss,” Katie smiled and wagged her head affectionately as she added. “Don’t forget boss, thanks to Charlie we’ve got something of a whip hand here.”

“Well Charlie will be arriving with me on the Sunday next week, after you’ve thrashed things out. Especially these attempted incursions!”

“I’m pretty sure they’ll stop when they learn what happened to their first attempt and when they’re forced to reveal who the instigators were.”

“It’s pretty obvious the deal was an opportunist plot when the Middle Eastern Deal went pear shaped.”

“Yes, but this internal plot to try and create mayhem in Oz then turn the feminista out could have gone awfully wrong. It’s a good job we discovered the Algebra organisation and then realised that they and we had the same aims.”

“Once again, we’ve got Charlie Sage to thank for that.” Katie replied.

“Well he and I will be arriving Sunday with the ‘big stick.”

“Meaning you and he will turn up in that home-made spaceship of his.”

“The Dawn, that’s right.”

“It’s going to open a few eyes.” Katie grinned.

“And make them water,” the PM, chuckled back.

“See you Sunday then, wish me luck.” Katie finished as she stepped aboard the diplomatic flight.

The PM stood beside Charlie as they watched the plane clear the airport, then they turned to share a tea.

“Right Charlie. Who do you want in your party in Singapore?”

“We will need the two female Pilots Engadine and Angela. They are the hard evidence that we intercepted their incursion.”

“Of course, that’s a given. Will we be handing them back to their Algebra organisation?”

“That’s a last recourse, I hope we can negotiate an inclusivity agreement if we can persuade the Algebra organisation to accept a peaceful path to further reformation. I’m hoping my two prisoners will sway their minds.”

“I will need at least three security guards to protect me then,” the PM, observed, “in case those pilots have another plan.”

“Of course,” Charlie agreed, “That will just about fill the Dawn if we are to space hop. Seven people in her cockpit will just about fill her to bursting.
If we stayed down at troposphere level and travelled at three thousand knots, we could carry more in the none pressurised cargo hold but that would not demonstrate the Dawn’s capabilities.”

“I thought when we got there, we could possibly offer their Prime Minister a ride into space so that they would get the message.”

“It’s an option,” Charlie concurred, “but it might be better to keep an air of mystery about her first, then use it if the negotiations get stuck.”

“It would concentrate their minds nicely,” the PM, grinned.

The pair finished their afternoon tea and went their separate ways. They had six days before the Sunday summit meeting and Charlie needed a family break.
He stopped over at Woomera on his flight back to Hammersley and Invited Juliet to take Dawn into space for a few days to get him familiar and more confident with operating a spaceship on his own.

“It’ll be your first solo flight into space,” Charlie offered.

“Thanks boss. Much appreciated. I’ll give Mars a go.”

“Yeah. The astronomers tell me their polar ice cap is currently expanding
in the southern hemisphere. Might be a good Idea to collect a sample of the ice. Be back by Friday though, the PM and I are travelling to Singapore on Sunday.”

Juliet wagged her head with a disbelieving smile.

“Hell boss! Here I am off to Mars and you make it sound like a bloody family jaunt in the car!”

“Anti-gravity Julie, anti-gravity.”

“Ain’t that the truth!” Juliet agreed as he lifted silently into space.

ooo000ooo

Charlie turned to Chloe and Engadine.

“I think few days break will suite me just about fine. What about you two?” He asked Chloe and Lieutenant Asi.

“Are you happy to let that Juliet free to go to mars with your spaceship?” The lieutenant asked.

“He’s one of the few I can trust,” Charlie replied. Him and Chloe, that’s about all.”

“What about me?” Lieutenant Asi objected.

“After Singapore, I’ll have a better idea,” Charlie observed.

“Jeeze! What does a girl have to do?” She whined to Chloe.

“I warned you, he’s slow to trust anybody unless he’s got good cause.”

Charlie smiled and nodded affirmation to Chloe’s words.”

ooo000ooo

On the Friday, Juliet returned from Mars complete with several containers of the polar ice plus a large and varied collection of rocks. Each was carefully labelled and Charlie looked approvingly as he and Engadine joined the first mate for the short passage to Woomera.

“Plenty of material to keep your minerologists happy,” Charlie observed as they presented Juliet’s collection to the Woomera labs.

“Yeah. I’m going to do some reading up on geology and minerology before I next go to Mars.” Juliet reflected.

“Or the asteroid belt,” Lieutenant Asi observed. “There seems to be better pickings amongst all those orbiting rocks.”

“Ca-ching!” Juliet imitated a cash machine as she smiled.”

“Let’s not be getting ahead of ourselves,” Charlie cautioned. “The ‘Wild West’ scenario can only prevail in space until colonisation and civilisation, - proper civilisation that is – is established throughout our solar system.”

“Who’s going to do that?” Juliet asked. “They haven’t been very successful on Earth have they?”

“Oh I don’t know.” Engadine opined. “The Antarctic treaty is still holding together.”
They chatted at length until all of Juliet’s samples had been registered and accounted for, then Charlie and Lieutenant Asi resumed their Flight to Canberra where the PM, the first captured pilot Angela, and three specialist assistants were waiting. Unknown to Engadine and Angela these assistants were not only diplomatic staff but also trained in armed protection.

After overnighting in Canberra, the diplomatic mission arrived in Singapore to meet a very surprised reception committee. Outside of Australia, little or nothing was known about Charlie’s type two gravity engines that enabled space flight.

As Charlie watched the reception committee start to expand as various interested parties appeared from the woodwork, he turned to the PM.

“I think I’ll sleep aboard the Dawn tonight and she can hover in stasis where nobody can sneak aboard.”

“That might be a good idea,” the PM concurred, “I don’t recognise a lot of those faces gathered behind their official reception committee.”

“D’ you think it’s a trap?” One of the diplomatic guards asked.”

“It’s crossed my mind,” Charlie replied, “perhaps it’ll be a good idea to keep a guard aboard Dawn at all times.”

As the PM security men nodded, Charlie turned and whispered to the PM.”

“I’ll keep my anti-hijack device with me at all times.”

“By that, I presume you mean your remote controller that enabled you to escape from the Darwin military base.”

“The very same Ma-am. They look as though they’re getting impatient. I suggest you step off the Dawn and commence your diplomatic endeavours.”

“That’s easy Charlie,” the PM smiled, “no negotiation without liberation.”

“And no sharing without caring,” Charlie finished.

The PM grinned.

“That’s a good slogan; you’re becoming a right little politician aren’t you?”

“I’ve spent my whole adult life keeping a diplomatic silence,” Charlie replied then added. “Least said; soonest mended.”

“Ah well,” the PM sighed, “here we go, wish me luck.”

“Dawn is your perpetual ace of trumps Prime Minister, never forget that.”

“Indeed I won’t Charlie. See you later this afternoon.”

Once everybody was disembarked, Charlie silently ascended to the edge of space and all communications were then relayed via the PM’s encrypted diplomatic laptop.

ooo000ooo

By the mid-afternoon, when the tropical heat was at its highest, the first round of preliminary discussions were completed and Charlie got his first call.

“They’d like to see what your spaceship can do.” The PM explained.

“Who, and how many?” Charlie checked.

“Their PM and the defence minister, my and Katie’s opposite numbers.”

“Okay. Just those two plus you and Katie. No armed guards though except your personal guard who’s here with me now.”
“That’s been agreed.”

“Okay. I’ll take them on a jaunt to the moon. That should give them some idea. It’ll take about two hours there and back but no moon walks.”

“Oh that’s a pity.” The defence minister injected.

“Sorry Katie. None of you have had any training with spacesuits. Despite the seeming ease that Dawn demonstrates, space walks and moon walks are still dangerous. I cannot and will not risk the lives of senior ministers. At the moment, you and the PM are the only politicians I trust, I don’t want to lose you.”

His words gave the two Australian ministers some cause for satisfaction and they turned to their Singaporean counterparts.

“That’s the best offer you’ll get. Take it or leave it.”

“We’ll take it.”
ooo000ooo

Twenty minutes later, Dawn was moon-bound with a very important cargo.

During the flight, the Singaporeans were left in no doubt about Charlie’s terms and conditions. Equal and universal rights for both sexes. When the Dawn returned, two very sober Singaporean ministers stepped off the ramp. As they departed to prepare for the formal reception dinner Charlie chatted at length with the Australians.

“Well, d’ you think they’re persuaded?”

“And then some,” Katie replied euphemistically.

The PM nodded. “We’ll get through this Charlie, but I’d dearly like you and Chloe to attend the dinner tonight.”
“What time is it on?”

“Eight o’clock.”

“You haven’t left me or Chloe much time. I’d also have to collect Juliet, my Chief officer to crew the Dawn while I’m at the dinner. I can’t be there until nine. I’ve got to collect Chloe in Hammersley, then find and collect Juliet, wherever he is.”

“Woomera surely?”

“Yes. But where in Woomera. He could be anywhere on the base.”

“Phone him.” The PM riposted.

“You’re forgetting prime Minister, Juliet is a Mal. He never made it academically as a female and he was no longer male thanks to a forced castration at thirteen. He’s one of the truly fucked up detritus of your previous feminista regime. Male in his head, still got a winkie but no balls. The cruellest cut of all. And then condemned to be a female skivvy because he failed one single maths exam during his forced academisation.

He doesn’t have a phone yet Prime Minister, the wheels of your government grind exceeding slow. It’s got to go through all the bloody rig-ma-roll of changing bureaucratic processes in countless government departments plus of course the innate misanthropic mindsets of countless female managers in thousands of petty little government offices all over the country.

It’s not just me who has cause for resentment!”

“That doesn’t explain why you trust him.”

“He’s just the same as me but more on the engineering side. When I accidentally encountered him one late night as I was looking for a small-hour-supper. He was scrubbing floors and there was no food in the men’s canteen because the equipment had crashed.
I was starving after a twelve-hour stint of intensive thinking and when I turned up at the only canteen available at three o’clock in the morning, the equipment was down. As I stood cursing and wondering where I could get something to eat, he came slopping around the corner with his mop bucket and asked me what I was doing in the canteen at this unearthly hour.

There was a bloody great handmade sign saying out of order and there was no food until the maintenance crew arrived at nine.

I was about to walk away with my stomach stuck to my backbone when he secretly offered to fix the equipment, but he begged me not to tell anybody.

I knew why of course, the feminista rules; but I was famished. So he took some tools out of his overall locker and promptly fixed it. I watched him do it and I was impressed with his work. Then I asked him how he knew what he was doing while working as a Skivvy. He told me his story so I told him to see me by my work bench after he’d finished his shift.

I tested him with a few tricky repair tasks and concluded he was a bright mal who’d been unfairly treated by the examiners. I’m sure Katie can give you chapter and verse what it’s like.

Katie, the defence minister, and another wholly feminised man, nodded vigorously.

“Yes. Shitty days, thank god they’re over.”

“Yes,” Charlie agreed, “well anyway; I offered Charlie a job as my assistant and after some help with his maths, he passed some professional exams and now he’s my right-hand-man. He’s unsurpassed when it comes to the spaceship construction and general maintenance.

He can command the Dawn in Stasis while I attend your dinner.”

“I’ll explain why you’ll be late then but I sincerely want you there.”

“Why. To show me off like some trophy?”

“No. More like the colours on a wasp. To tell any potential enemies; look out, we are dangerous.”

“I’ll not be party to violence, unless it’s directed straight towards me.”

“You say that now Charlie but you’ve already retaliated against some that threatened your children.”

Charlie fell into a thoughtful silence as the PM repeated the old adage.

“To find peace, prepare for war.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 59

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 59

List of Characters.

Chapter 59

Charlie’s rushed preparations worked. He and Chloe arrived late after the food had been served and apologies were made as the couple tried to slip un-noticed to the banqueting table. It was a forlorn effort with two of the Prime Minister’s guards trying to masquerade as waiters while Charlie stood out in his dinner jacket and black tie. Juliet took the Dawn up into space for the duration of the reception to avoid unwarranted attentions.

Amidst the spectacular gathering of stunning ball gowns, Charlie felt painfully conspicuous as the only male present in his plain black dinner jacket. The Australian PM finally managed to introduce Charlie and Chloe to the Singaporeans where Chloe received admiring glances, while many curious faces turned to study the weird phenomenon who had turned latter-day physics inside out. Charlie felt extremely uncomfortable as the only entire man in the whole reception in his obvious male dinner-jacket and consequently found himself sticking to Chloe like glue.

His discomfort eventually became too obvious to the Australian PM and she tried to calm him.

“Why are you so nervous Charlie?” She asked him.

“I thought this was just to be a reception, it looks as though every ambassador in Singapore is here and some I recognise who are not ambassadors.”

“It would be extremely impolite to hold a ball for a visiting Prime Minister and not invite all the ambassadors who have delegations here.” She explained. “Diplomatic protocol demands it.”

“I’m only here to meet the Singaporeans. I’ll not be circulating and making small talk.”

“It would help your cause if you did.”

“How? There are ambassadors here of countries who are my sworn enemies. I don’t see the point of talking.”

“You are at least expected to stand in the reception line and meet them. It’s being held after the meal because of your late arrival. The security staff are going hairless managing the suddenly revised arrangements.”

“Never mind all that,” Charlie dismissed the PM’s observations, “I want to know if Singapore is with us, agin us or neutral. Have they admitted to the incursions?” He asked bluntly.

The PM glared at him and whispered angrily.

“Not so loud Charlie. We’ve got them to admit privately that the planes took off from their bases but they were under pressure from larger, more powerful interests.”

“Who are no longer a threat.” Charlie whispered back.

“That’s what this reception is for. To let those countries know that Singapore has a powerful new ally. Now, Katie has laid out the groundwork, all you have to do is smile and answer the occasional question. Katie will squeeze your hand discreetly if the ambassador is someone of consequence.”

Charlie sighed.

“I’d rather be dancing with Chloe.”

“Later Charlie,” Katie replied as she joined him in the reception group.

“I thought I was here just to talk business.” He complained.

“Hush now, here comes the Chinese ambassador. Try and show him some respect.”

Charlie watched the ambassador strut into the hall and walk straight up to the Singaporean Prime Minister. A few words were exchanged without smiles then the ambassador turned to look at Charlie, the only other man in the room.
Instead of walking respectfully down the line to meet the Australian prime minister, he marched straight up to Charlie. Without even exchanging a ‘hello’ or a ‘good-evening’ he went straight to business.

“So you are the man who invented this new gravity drive?”

“And good evening to you as well.” Charlie riposted without extending his hand.

The ambassador squinted angrily at Charlie’s total lack of fear or respect. Then he realised from Charlie’s easy posture and relaxed demeanour, that here was a man who did not fear the Chinese vast military superiority over the other Asian countries.

“Oh. Sorry. Good evening.”

“That’s better,” Charlie scolded him mildly, “good manners cost nothing. And in answer to your first question; yes, I am the person who invented and built my spaceship then visited the moon.”

Charlie did not elaborate by declaring he’d also been to the Asteroid belt and even landed on Mars. There was no point. Just getting anything to the moon by conventional rockets was still a major and dangerous logistical undertaking. The Chinese had only just achieved a landing for the second time that same year after two fatal earlier attempts.

Despite their being decades behind the first American moon shots, they had never signed up to any legal conventions concerning claims to the moon and they were at that very moment discussing a claim to the moon as Chinese territory. Technically and militarily, by dint of America having fractured itself politically into smaller feminista republics, the Americans were in no technical position to contest that claim either legally or militarily.

However, Charlie’s unexpected appearance with a vastly superior spaceship had wrecked the Chinese ambitions. The Chinese ambassador was acutely aware of this for the revelation of Charlie’s several visits to the moon had caused ructions in the Chinese politburo. He was under considerable pressure to try and somehow get rid of Charlie or kidnap him and try to force the secrets of Anti-gravity.

Having now come face to face with China’s nemesis, the ambassador realised that it would be no easy task to kidnap the six-foot three scientist: a giant by oriental standards. He was tempted to strike with a small calibre poison dart there and then but he hesitated when he noted that both guards poised beside the scientist.

It was quite obvious that the Singaporeans, emboldened by having discovered that Charlie was sympathetic to their own political endeavours to bring back equality for all, that they were now more than determined to protect their ally. The ambassador also ruefully noted the distinct bulkiness of a bullet-proof, stab-proof unitard under Charlie’s tuxedo.

There was no way he could extinguish the scientist in full view of the world’s press and politicians as China had previously done before when they felt sufficiently powerful to ignore the protests of a weaker country.

Having exchanged no more than a brief sentence, the Ambassador was forced to move down the line while Charlie exchanged a knowing glance with the Australian PM.

The diplomatic introductions were soon completed and Charlie was excused from the secondary formalities as assorted celebrities and notables savoured the occasion. From there he quickly slipped into an antechamber to chat to Katie and the Singaporean Defence Minister.

“That bastard was carrying a pistol did you see it?”

“Yes. He was abusing his diplomatic immunity but we were on to him. There were about a dozen marksmen aimed at him from the moment he entered the room and he was told this. We also told him we were no longer to be considered servile attendants upon Chinese ambitions.”

“Seems a bit steep,” Charlie grinned.

“Needs must when the Devil cracks his whip,” the Singaporean defence minister replied. “Your appearance with your spaceship has been a very timely opportunity for us. Apparently, the Chinese once spotted your spaceship approaching the moon. They saw it casually land at several different locations near the Lunar pole and they almost wet themselves. They are still perforce to land within the Moon’s equatorial parameters which means they are seriously constrained by the suns midday lunar heat.”

“Yeah, Charlie nodded. You’ll remember Katie that we dipped down into a deep polar crater where the sun rarely shines.”

“Yes, I understand now. When we returned to earth, I asked one of our astronomers about it and he explained that the best place to get protection from asteroid or meteor strikes plus avoiding the sun’s direct heat, was to build bases in deep polar craters.”

Charlie nodded affirmation.

“Got it in one Katie. I see the dancing has started. Can I have a couple of spins around the floor with my wife?”

“Watch out for the Chinese ambassador and his wife.

Charlie stepped into the hall where the girls were dancing as couples of in groups. He stalked across the floor while Chloe was swaying trancelike with her eyes closed to a slow beat. Gently he took her waist and span towards him as her eyes opened wide with surprise.

“What the – oh it’s you. I thought you’d be talking all night with those politicians.”

“No,” he whispered in her ear, “I’ve got nothing to say to them. They know who I am and they know I’ve got nothing to say to them. I’m just the ‘big stick’ that the Ozzy PM and the Singaporean are holding discreetly in their metaphorical fists.”

Chloe grinned and pushed herself into Charlie’s arms as the soft slow music rolled on.

After a few minutes Chloe squeezed Charlie’s arm and caught his attention.

“Just look at them all, jealous as hell!”

Charlie frowned uncertainly. “I don’t get you.”

Chloe giggled softly as she realised just how inured Charlie was to social tensions and female mores.

“Don’t you see it you big dumb ape.”

“What!” Charlie furrowed his brow.

“The women, you big lummox, they’re staring, nearly all with jealousy.”

“Can’t say as I noticed,” Charlie confessed as the music picked up a much faster beat.

Chloe became alive with excitement for she and Charlie recognised the music to which they had often practised their favourite dance.

“Come on she enthused, let’s Jitterbug.”

Charlie needed no encouragement as he took Chloe’s hand and span her round while their feet picked up the rhythm.

Having a partner who can at the same time hold the rapid rhythms, while simultaneously providing a stable dynamo off which a girl can spin and fly whilst preventing her from spinning uncontrollably into oblivion, is every girls dream in a dance partner and the pair had often practiced it in the privacy of their home.

Now they had a whole dancefloor and it wasn’t long before the other dancers had pulled back to watch the show. Chloe grinned as she savoured the jealous looks and flashed her eyes at Charlies to tell him to go for it.

Having been given a licence to let rip, Charlie seized Chloe by the waist and span her around his shoulders before sliding her between his long legs and hauling her upright again whilst constantly foot-tapping to the frenzied beat. There then followed a series of routines with Chloe almost flying at times as they deliberately and provocatively demonstrated what a couple could do with a man’s strength and a girl’s fluidity. Soon there where whoops and yells as the other dancers felt compelled to admire the show, and more importantly, envy the girl in the man’s arms.

They did not stop until the little orchestra called a halt and a breathless, smiling Chloe finally collapsed into Charlie’s arms. They staggered back to Chloe’s table and slumped into the chairs where Engadine and Angela had been staring mesmerised at the show.

“Where the hell did you two learn to dance like that?” They chorused.

Neither of the breathless couple could answer for long moments as Chloe waved her fingers to signal she was still out of breath. Finally she gasped to Charlie.

“I need some air.”

Charlie nodded towards a pair of French windows and the pair stepped out onto a large veranda.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 60

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 60

List of Characters.

Chapter 60

“This table looks good right by the doors,” Charlie observed.

“What about that one overlooking the sea?” Chloe countered. “This one has all the traffic to-ing and fro-ing.”

“But it’s safer,” Charlie warned before adding, “we’re not a hundred percent safe anywhere and this is foreign territory. Anyway, the top of that Magnolia tree spoils the view.”

“Spoil-sport!” Chloe pouted. “But I suppose you’ve got a point.”

Charlie courteously pulled out a chair for Chloe and was about to offer her the seat when a waiter hurried up.

“I’ll do that sir! But wouldn’t you prefer the table over there by the magnolia tree.”

“No this is fi-,”

“The magnolia tree; now!” The waiter hissed softly.

Charlie spotted the gun and silencer the waiter was drawing from his bulky cummerbund and he realised he had but a microsecond to act. His hands were still resting on the back of the chair so he snatched it and swung it furiously into the waiter’s stomach. He was not aiming deliberately for any vulnerable spot but the corner of the chair came level with the waiter’s bent arm because of Charlie’s greater height.

It struck the waiter’s elbow with sufficient force to upset his intent and knock his hand away from the gun. The gun slipped out of the cummerbund and fell to the floor as Chloe screamed.

Realising that the chair was his best and only weapon, Charlie continued shoving the chair against the waiter. Taking advantage of his greater weight and strength, Charlie continued pushing the corner of the chair violently into the waiter thus forcing him backwards as he yelled to Chloe.

“Get the bloody gun!”

Chloe had the wit to reach down for the gun just as the waiter lost his balance and fell backwards with Charlie and the chair atop him.

By now Chloe had seized the gun and she was hiding under the table as Charlie was separating the chair from between himself and the waiter.
As he seized the gasping waiter’s throat he remembered that the danger was coming from the magnolia tree and he whispered hoarsely to Chloe.

“Check the Magnolia tree, there’s got to be somebody there!”

“I can’t see anybody!”

“Well just bloody shoot at the tree.”

Chloe took aim at the tree but nothing happened.

“It must have a bloody safety thing!” Charlie cursed as he slid across the floor while dragging the would-be assassin beside him.

This single act save his life as a shot rang out from somewhere inside the magnolia tree and a bullet slammed into the table leg right beside Charlie’s head. A splinter shattered off the broken leg and embedded itself in Charlie’s scalp causing blood to pour down over his face, while the table toppled on its side thus providing Charlie and Chloe with a temporary barricade

The sound of the shot caused pandemonium to erupt and within seconds the veranda was alive with security.

As the guards erupted through the doors Chloe was screaming. “The Magnolia tree!! The Magnolia tree!”

Her shouts did not immediately help Charlie who was now blinded by his own blood and struggling to hold the writhing waiter. The man nearly escaped had not one of the Australian Prime Ministers personal guards immediately recognised Charlie bleeding on the floor. Realising there had just been an assassination attempt, she had the presence of mind to fall on the struggling waiter and quickly snap a pair of handcuffs onto his wrists.

“You can let go of him now Charlie, I’ve got him!” she advised before shouting over her shoulder.

“Medic!! Over here man down!!”

Instead, Charlie lay spread-eagled over the hand-cuffed waiter and urged both Chloe and the guard to stay down behind the table.

“This won’t provide much protection,” the guard advised.

“I know,” Charlie agreed, “but it blinds him to a precise target. He can’t see us to shoot at us if we’re not visible.”

By now, a commotion had started amongst the guards gathering at the balustrade overlooking the magnolia tree. Then there was a shout followed by a shot.

“Did they get him?” Charlie asked without looking up.

“I don’t know,” the guard replied, “but there certainly won’t be anybody firing from the tree now, there’s guards swarming everywhere. Where’s that bloody medic?”

Chloe was now examining Charlie’s head wound and expressed satisfaction that it was simply a scalp wound.

“I’ll extract the splinter then you can hold the flap of skin against your skull. That’ll reduce the bleeding.”

“You’d better wait for the medic,” the guard urged, “they’re trained for this.”

“My wife is a medic,” Charlie replied, “she’s a casualty surgeon at the Hammersley Ore Mines.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“No problem,” Chloe replied, “the medics will have bandages anyway, so we will need them.”

Very quickly, the veranda was secured and Charlie returned to the ballroom with Chloe and the handcuffed assassin. By then, the VIP’s had been herded into a secure area but when the Australians learned that Charlie had been shot, Katie, the Australian defence minister quickly removed herself from the security grouping and just managed to catch up with Charlie and Chloe as they were transferring to the ambulance.

She used her authority to blag a ride in the police escort car to the hospital then made sure that he was treated very quickly. Within thirty minutes, with Chloe attending at the surgery, Charlie’s scalp was flushed clean, checked for smaller wood splinters, then sown back with a neat line of sutures.

When he emerged, Katie was waiting fretfully and a huge sigh of relief swept her worried frown away as Charlie walked up to her.

“Everything’s okay. No concussion, no bone trauma just a scalp wound where the splinter sliced under the skin. Lots of blood but little harm.”

“Thank God for that. I’ve spoken to your first Mate Juliet and he’s loitering just above the hospital in your spaceship.”

“Did they catch the shooter.” Charlie asked. “I’d like to know who they were, especially the assassin masquerading as a waiter.”

“The waiter is in custody; I haven’t heard about the marksman. By the way, nice suturing job on your scalp.”

“I did those,” Chloe declared. The guards were too afraid to let anybody near him but me because they knew me.”

ooo000ooo

As they were debating where to take Charlie, the Australian PM arrived.

“Aah good!” She exclaimed as she met them. “We are checking out a safe location for you guys.”

Charlie grimaced and pointed skywards.

“Best if Chloe and I take refuge in Dawn; at least until they’ve located the sniper.” Charlie opined.

“Yes. You’re probably right,” the PM agreed, “meanwhile I’m back to raise some questions about security with the Singaporeans.”

“I’m not sure it was the Singaporeans fault,” Charlie offered magnanimously. “That waiter seemed to be more Chinese than Malayan.”

“There are plenty of Chinese in Singapore Charlie,” the PM intoned, “and lots of them have got long tails.”

“Blackmail?” Charlie raised a questioning eyebrow. “I thought they’ve been living here for over two hundred years, surely they’re still not vulnerable?”

“Some of the later migrants are; - the second-generation immigrants.”

“So we’ll have to wait until the Singaporean security people get something out of him.”

“I think we’ll be back in Oz by then.”

“Well they won’t be getting much change out of me until I get some answers.”

“That might prove difficult, Singaporeans are not entirely masters in their own house.”

“China?” Charlie suggested.

“Got it in one. Unless we offer them some genuine military assistance they could go the way of Hong Kong and Taiwan.”

“Catch twenty-two then,” Charlie sighed.

The PM nodded slightly as the Singaporean delegation entered the recovery room. Their expressions did not bode well. Charlie asked them.

“Did you catch the sniper?”

“Sorry, no we didn’t. He had a hover-scooter ready to make his escape. Those things are very nimble in traffic.”

“And have you had any luck with the waiter.”

“He’s a Singaporean with family connections living in China. The CCP were threatening to harm some family members. He was afraid to talk at first.”

“At first? So he has talked then?” Charlie pressed hopefully.

“Yes but he only confirms the originators of the plan were a Chinese Triad gang.”

“That will be working for the Chinese government.” Katie finished. “And don’t try to deny it.”

“We are not denying it but we cannot prove it.”

“Triads do not own advanced, Chinese fighter jets.” Charlie argued. “Who supplied those Jets?”

“They were part of a stolen shipment that was destined for a muslim country in the Persian Gulf. We, the Singapore government had impounded them pending further investigation. We believe a gang of terrorists acting within our defence forces stole the four planes that invaded your country. We still have the remaining four planes but the Chinese want them back.”

“Are you going to return them?” Katie asked.

“Originally we were,” the Singaporean Prime Minister revealed, “after we had identified the hijackers. But once we realised there might be connections to China we had second thoughts. Then your people turn up with the full story. What’s worse is the fact that you somehow destroyed all four jets without revealing your hand until now.”

“That’s our secret.” Katie claimed. “But it gives us a strong hand in accusing the Chinese of facilitating an act of war against Australia. The wrecked planes in the Queensland jungle, are Prima-facia evidence of China’s aggression.”

“The Chinese are claiming we sent the planes. They took off from our military airfield and there was a lot of insider Triad connected corruption involved. We are having a hard time disproving Singapore was involved.”

“You mean you were until they tried to assassinate me.” Charlie observed.

“The waiter says they were trying to kidnap you, not kill you.”

“By trying to shoot me in the head.” Charlie scoffed. “Either way the Chinese will now have hell’s own delight denying their involvement.”

“They always deny stuff when they try to assassinate their enemies.”

“Firstly, I am not an enemy,” Charlie argued, “I’ve never fired a shot in anger at China; and secondly; there were hundreds of foreign diplomats who witnessed the shooting.”
All that works in Singapore’s favour plus the sight of me being rushed to hospital with a seemingly serious headwound.” Charlie opined. “Your best strategy is to state the truth, that your guest was attacked by a Chinese plot to kidnap or assassinate your Australian guest.”

“That will infuriate the CCP and we are vulnerable to a military style attack.”

“Not any more you’re not. I don’t take kindly to being shot at.” Charlie riposted. “Where would they attack from if they decided?”

“They’ve got a base on the island of Riau. It’s one of the Belt and Road debt traps from the twenty, twenties.”

Charlie smiled wryly.

“Another one of those deals again. A ninety-nine-year lease from Indonesia.”

The Singaporean Prime Minister nodded despondently.

“The Base is like the sword of Damocles hanging over the south Asian countries.”

“Well, for the time being, there’s little that can be done but tarry awhile,” Charlie smiled ever so slightly.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 61

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 61

List of Characters.

Chapter 61

The Singaporean Prime Minister departed with her entourage from Charlie’s hospital bed in the early hours of the morning after apologising to Charlie for the incident. She was deeply relieved that Charlie and the Australians accepted her apology. She was also very surprised to learn that Charlie was an Australian immigrant with origins In the United Queendom of Atlantica.
As the Singaporean entourage departed, Charlie whispered to the Australian PM and Katie.

“I need to speak to you and Chloe privately.”

The private ward was hastily evacuated except for those three and Charlie explained in a low whisper.

“The bleeding has stopped. I wish to return to Australia now. Aske Juliet to land Dawn on the hospital emergency helipad.”

“Weather’s a bit rough. It’s raining cats and dogs and there’s quite a squall blowing. I can just about see the helipad is closed at the moment; the landing signals are red.” The PM cautioned him.

“That’s how Dawn likes it,” Charlie grinned, “the stormier, the darker, and the rainier the better. Less people will see less details. I want to go back to Oz immediately, before the sun rises,”

“You’re planning something aren’t you Charlie?” Katie queried.

“I need to get back to Woomera with Juliet. Things to do, places to go.” He replied cryptically.

Chloe interrupted.

“D’you want me with you?”

“Your choice darling. It’s just boring stuff, checking to find out when Dawn Two will be ready. I don’t really need you for that.”

Chloe got Charlie’s sublimal message and stepped back.

“Okay. I’ll stay with the Australian delegation then if you want. I’d like to take a look around Singapore.”

“You’ll need an escorting guard to do that darling. The Singaporeans won’t be letting you out of their sight.” Katie advised.

“That’ll be a good thing,” Charlie observed as he stepped out of the huddle. “Now, I’m leaving immediately, cheerio.”

The remaining trio of Chloe, Katie and the Australian PM peered through the deteriorating squall and just managed to see the Dawn descend silently as Charlie, bent double to fight the wind, struggled to cross the helipad and scramble up the Dawn’s cargo ramp. Then the curtain of rain increased and the helipad became invisible as Dawn ascended silently while Charlie lurched thankfully into the warm cosy cabin.

Juliet looked up and grinned at the ‘drowned-rat’ standing by the airtight door.

“You’d better get changed boss.”

“No time for that Julie, we’ve got a job to do. I’ll strip down as your steer for the Island of Riau.”

“Riau?” Juliet exclaimed as she tapped in the name to the navigation computer.

“Yeah. The Chinese have got a military airfield there apparently. It’s like a knife held to the throats of Indonesia, Malaya, Thailand and of course Singapore.”

“Oh-oh, are we on a -?”

“Yes Julie, to be a farmer’s boy!”

Juliet smiled as he grasped the poetic connection and promptly set his co-ordinates while Charlie towelled himself down. Once dry, he slipped on a pair of jeans and a tee-shirt than checked the meteorological chart.

“Oh good,” Charlie whooped softly, “I suspected as much.”
“Explain boss,” Juliet inquired as she peered over her shoulder to squint at the display.

“These line squalls, lie along the weather front that snakes from Sumatra into the South China sea. They stretch across Singapore to Borneo and right over Riau.”

Juliet smiled evilly.

“And we are going to hide in one of those thunder cells that’s sitting over Riau.”

“You’re getting the hang of this aren’t you Julie?” Charlie chuckled.

“It adds a new meaning to the term ‘Tropical Warfare’ boss. I’ll just fly along the front from thunderhead to thunderhead where radar can’t find us and turbulence would rip a conventional plane to pieces.”

“They cant find us and they can’t chase us,” Charlie added unnecessarily, “and it’s going to be a bumpy ride. I’d better make some tea now cos it will get spilt later on.”

As Charlie brewed the tea Juliet superimposed the meteorological chart onto her attack radar and arranged a convenient rendezvous where a particularly dense storm cell full of hailstones promised an excellent radar blanket. Charlie watched while casually resting his butt against the plotting table and sipping his tea.

“What a way to go to war,” he joked as Juliet reached for his own mug from the cup-holder in his console.

“The cup that cheers,” Juliet responded as they savoured the anticipation.

Very quickly they finished their mugs and the mood darkened to one of resolve as the first heavy hailstones rattled furiously against the Dawn’s eight-centimetre top and sides of the armoured hull. Juliet lowered the visor while Charlie strapped himself into the co-pilot seat.
“It’s gonna’ be a bumpy ride.” He mused as he aligned his display to match Juliet’s.

“The next cell looks worse,” Juliet observed, “it’s above the mountains with ground effect, multiple draughting and intensified, topographical lateral wind-shears.”

“If you have to, slow down a bit. It’s not the ship I’m worried about, it’s us being jerked around inside her.”

Juliet smiled again and Charlie thought it looked evil in the reddish glow of the console. He shuddered as he interpreted Juliet’s pent-up hatred behind the mask. He tried to soothe Juliet’s pain.

“Go easy Julie. Your time will come.”

“It’s come now boss. My first ever chance to hit back.”

“Yeah. Well I want to come out of this alive. And it wasn’t these bastards who castrated you.”

“Maybe not, but they tried to kill you, and that’s the most heinous crime in my book.”

“Point taken Julie and thank you for your undying loyalty but let’s just leave it at that! No dying! I wanna’ live, so slow down!”

ooo000ooo

Reluctantly, Juliet eased back and the crashing roar of Hailstones on armour plating eased to a tolerable rattle. Charlie eased back the inspection hatch that overlooked the ploughshare blade and soon spotted the runway lights of the Chinese base directly below.

“We’d best retreat up into the storm cell until we locate the planes.” Charlie ordered.”

“After creeping around inside the heavy hailstorm, they found the camouflaged hangars randomly located along two sides of the field close to the tropical jungle.

“How are we going to get at the planes?” Juliet asked. “Those are concrete bunkers.

“We smash through the doors and fly through the hangars to come out through the other doors. Any planes in the way will be smashed and crushed.”

“She’s a flying tank Julie. The Glacis on the forward bow is twelve centimetres thick. I added some extra plate a few weeks ago.”

“It’s like a giant cannon ball then. “Juliet added.

“Precisely,” Charlie replied, “but a very precise one if you’ll excuse the pun. It’s a self-steering wrecking ball that flies.”

“So that’s why Dawn Two has such a thick, armoured hull. The girls in Woomera all reckoned it was defensive over-kill.”

“Well now you know different. The first target is that radar scanner on the mountain top. Just descend out of the storm cell and smash into it then they’ll be blind.”

“Right-you-are boss.” Juliet obeyed as he amazed himself when the scanner and mast toppled to the ground.

“Now the hangars; any order you like.” Charlie ordered.

“They’ve numbered the hangars for us boss,” Juliet chuckled, “so I won’t lose count.”

“Get on with it.” Charlie grinned. “The sooner we’re out of here, the sooner we get back to Oz.
The following thirty minutes brought chaos and darkness to the Chinese airbase as they attacked the power-plant after the first Hangar. Soon all thirty hangar doors and, more importantly, the planes inside were trashed. It was still dark when Dawn and her crew returned to the storm clouds and disappeared into the high atmosphere.

Once free and clear of the troposphere Charlie checked the cabin pressure for leaks and found none. Dawn had proved herself and the pair joked with some relief as they ascended into the edge of space then sped south to Woomera.

As the first tendrils of the outback dawn reached into the sky, the Spaceship dawn descended quickly to her familiar Woomera parking pad and the pair emerged to an almost deserted research base. A surprised lieutenant of the guard hurried to the landing pad in her four by four and looked askance at the scratched hull of the now familiar little spaceship.

“You should have contacted control and warned us. Have you been through customs?”

“The customs office is closed and we wanted to maintain radio silence.” Charlie lied. “We’ve just flown from Singapore because of the assassination attempt on me.

“We heard something about that on the midnight news, so it was true then?”

“Yes, the Chinese tried to assassinate me with a rifle at a formal diplomatic assembly.”

“They denied it.”

“They deny everything. Watch the early morning news.”

“Is that how you got that head-wound?”

Charlie nodded.

“Yes, now how about some food. Juliet and I are famished.”

“Coming up immediately!” She confirmed as she motioned to one of the troopers.

“Full breakfast for Captain Sage and his first officer, and some coffee for me.”

She motioned to a suite of armchairs and they settled to wait for their breakfasts as they talked.

“So tell me all that happened.”

Charlie described the events at the reception and the decision to return Charlie back to Oz for his own protection.

“You were bloody lucky. That bullet could only have been inches from your head. Weren’t you angry?”

“Yes, but revenge is a dessert best served cold.”

“The officer nodded as she admitted.

“I’d be baying for blood if that had happened to me.”

“Well you’ve got a licence to be violent, you’re a woman.”

“No, that’s not fair Captain Sage. The new laws protecting everybody’s rights equally have been enacted. Men are free to compete with women at every level.”

“But without the skills and qualifications. It’s going to take a whole generation to put things right and that generation will grow up in a world of turmoil and violence.
I wouldn’t like to be copper trying to keep the peace during the next twenty-five years. Plus there will be serious external threats of war.”

“Yes but your space-ships will serve to keep things at bay.”

It was Juliet’s turn to stick his oar in.

“You have to realise Lieutenant, that Oz will be making enemies of every country.

China and the other communist, patriarchal dictatorships have no love for democracy. The Islamic patriarchies will not like having their misogynistic lifestyle threatened while the remaining feminista matriarchies will be after Oz’s blood for betraying the feminista cause.

Australia is going to be seriously outnumbered.

As the Chinese say, ‘you’ll be living in interesting times.’”

As Juliet finished his words, the breakfasts arrived and silence briefly reigned. The lieutenant’s phone rang and she motioned to Charlie.

“It’s the base commander. She want’s to speak to you.”

Charlie took the phone, put it on ‘speaker’ and made a few explanations before agreeing to meet the commander in her office.

“I’ll send a car.” The commander offered.

“I’ve got reports to file, the lieutenant of the guard declared, I’ll run you over there in mine.”

“Okay,” Charlie agreed before turning to Juliet. “Can you secure Dawn then go and get some sleep? I’m betting they’ll be wanting us both before the day is out.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 62

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 62

List of Characters.

Chapter 62

“Have you seen these pictures Captain Sage?”

The base commander swivelled his screen to face Charlie who studied the images.

“No colonel, truth to tell, we haven’t looked at any news items since leaving Singapore.”

“That is you covered in blood I presume?”

“Yes. Superficial scalp wounds that look far worse than they are.”

“Technically, that could be interpreted as an act of war if they ever find the gunman.”

“Not my problem Colonel. As soon as I was patched up, we evacuated to Australia.”

“Have you heard anything about the air-attack on the Island of Riau.”

“No,” Charlie lied disingenuously.

Technically, Charlie had had not heard from any ‘third party’ about the attack. He had enacted the attack, certainly; but he had not actually heard any reports about it.

“Well, the base is a mess and the Chinese are incandescent about it.”

“Have they identified the attackers?” Charlie asked feigning innocence.

“Not yet, they haven’t identified any missile remains or spent weapons anywhere near the base.”

“I’m sure their military forensics teams will find something! If or when they do, they’ll have evidence enough to bring the perpetrators to book.”

“I suppose you’re right,” the colonel conceded. “Now to other business.”

“Go on,” Charlie encouraged the colonel.

“Have you seen Dawn two since you arrived?”

“No, is she ready?”

“Pretty much,” the Colonel smiled, “come and have a look.”

They crossed the base to the newly built covered building slips and Charlie smiled with satisfaction.

“She looks a lot more purposeful than my little ship.”

“Oh yes, thanks for letting our own designers choose the shape and form. The super-smooth finish and streamlining ensures a better transition from high atmosphere to low-space velocities.”

“Are those blisters what I think they are?”

“Yes; gun turrets.”

“Mmmm.” Charlie intoned softly.

The colonel sensed Charlie's mood and asked.

“You disapprove I suspect.”

Charlie nodded more with disappointment than anger.

“Privately, yes. But I have to accept that cruel necessity dictates she will have to defend herself at some stage if events turn out as we are anticipating.”

“Sadly, yes.” The colonel agreed. “When will we be getting more antigrav engines?”

“When I can get back to my workshops and that will be this afternoon I hope.”

“You’d best get some sleep then.”

“I’ll sleep aboard the Dawn; I need to have a long chat with my first mate.”

“That will be Juliet, the Mal.”

“The very same. He’s a brilliant engineer, a catastrophic loss to the gene-pool.”

“Amen to that. Let me know when you’ve got some more engines and we can decide what sort of spacecraft we’ll need.”

“From what I’ve seen and heard about the Chinese air-force, we’ll need fast, nimble and well-armed fighters.”

These somewhat vague but suspiciously cryptic words alerted the colonel.

“Is there something you’re not telling me Captain?”

“Nothing we don’t already know! That is, that the Chinese are prepared to supply aircraft to unknown organisations that have tried to breach Australian airspace. I refer you to the four jets destroyed and captured in Queensland.”

The colonel fell into a thoughtful silence. She was certain that Charlie was not telling her everything but then, everybody knew that the famous physicist was notorious for keeping things close to his chest. The colonel was just thankful that Charlie Sage was now firmly on their side; and she saw it as her job to keep him there.

Her best option was to protect Charlie and his precious anti-gravity secrets.

“Very well captain, I suggest you get on with making some more engines and enabling us at Woomera to build a squadron of spacecraft if only to defend our airspace.”

“Seems like a plan,” Charlie conceded, “all I ask is that Oz doesn’t attack any approaching UFO’s without first identifying them and then checking with your PM and or your defence minister whether it’s okay to attack.

I do not accept that belligerence is the way forward for now.” Charlie finished.

“Yes, you’ve made that abundantly clear. The fact that you persuaded Parliament to reverse the Feminista laws is evidence of that.”

“Do you agree with those reversals Colonel?”

“In the main, yes; but your ‘carrot and stick’ approach using antigrav was a tad forceful.”

“Need’s must colonel, though I would argue I was pushing at a half-opened door.”

The colonel shrugged for she knew Charlie was partly right; but she privately wondered if the new legislation would ‘once-and-for-all’ resolve the previously age-old battles of the sexes.

Having established the way forward for her immediate concerns, namely the construction of a modest but powerful ‘space-force;’ the colonel felt their business was concluded. Charlie also sensed the meeting was over and he motioned towards the door.

“I’ll contact you when I’ve built a dozen engines, that’ll give you an initial force of six space fighters.”

“Thank you, and I’ll let you know when Dawn Two will be ready for her test flight.”

“I think it might be a good idea to let Juliet enjoy that privilege, he’s been a loyal side-kick since I asked him to join me.”

“Are you sure you can trust him? He’s not only a Mal, he’s a malcontent!”

“That's hardly surprising is it? What with the shit he went through! When you next meet him, I’m hoping he’ll be over all that.”

“What does that mean?” The colonel stared uncertainly.

“Trust me,” Charlie replied as he departed for his bed.

ooo000ooo

In the early afternoon, Charlie awoke to find Juliet quietly checking over Dawn two on the assembly slip.

“Pleased with her?” Charlie asked as he crept up behind his first mate.

“Eeek! Bloody hell you startled me! Don’t do that!”

“Gosh you’re jumpy. Calm down mate.” She observed before whispering softly. “Nobody knows and the Chinese are going ape-shit.”

“I hope you’re bloody right,” Juliet replied in a similar whisper. “We’re gonna’ need thousands like this if they ever do find out. You saw how they swarmed a technically superior force when they invaded Taiwan.”

“No, that was Feminista propaganda." Charlie explained. "The Taiwan forces were not much technically superior to the Chinese despite all the feminista republics combining their forces. With the feminista republics fractured and disorganised, the Chinese defeated them simply with a bigger force and better organisation.”

“How do you know that?” Juliet asked while still whispering.

“Just remember I dropped out of society after they stopped my education. Charlie Sage had to choose his own rows to hoe, and those rows bypassed feminista history books. My Mummy told me a lot of unpalatable truths and I learned very early on, not to trust Feminista history.”

“Okay,” Juliet agreed, “but we’re still going to need a few thousands of these to meet them head on.”

“You’re forgetting just how far anti-gravity puts us ahead of their aircraft.”

“How?” Juliet wondered.

“Simple,” Charlie explained, “their air-to-air missiles are only designed to explode in or around an aircraft. They depend on heat sensors or radar tracking and even then they mostly explode within a few feet of the target. That sort of strike does not contain sufficient kinetic energy to penetrate or damage a tank’s armour and these ships are as well armoured as a main battle tank.

The difference is, they travel thousands of knots faster than a battle tank and they can dodge a missile with terrific agility. They don’t depend upon air effect to change direction like a missile’s fins, or an aircraft’s ailerons. They can step aside with remarkable agility as the missile streaks past; just like a toreador playing with a charging bull.

An anti-tank missile has to score a direct hit on it’s target to squash, punch, burn or slice through the armour. That’s bloody difficult when your target is actually faster than your missile. These space craft are going to be bloody difficult to knock out while we only have to touch their jets and their skins break apart.

Their troops are very soon going to lose heart when they see their weapons just bouncing off or simply failing to damage our ships.”

Juliet smiled then conceded the argument but raised other points about the vast size of the Chinese Communist army. Something that Charlie had to agree with, but she pointed out that no country had ever gone to war with absolute certainty on their side.

The pair sat on some crated components and continued drinking tea as they chatted at length about several issues. Eventually, Charlie asked Juliet what he most wanted out of the new liberated government.

“I’d like some compensation for my enforced castration. And then compensation for denying me a chance to make a decent living.”

“You and a thousand million others,” Charlie sympathised.

"I that respect, I can only speak for myself." Juliet sighed.

“You’re making a living now,” Charlie contested.

“Yeah, but no thanks to those feminista bastards. You enabled me to get a decent job with plenty of money to spend but I’m still faced with a life of enforced celibacy until I die. I owe you my loyalty and my life but I owe the Feministas absolutely fuck all!

Score Oz nil Charlie Sage two; at least in my scorebook of life,” Juliet finished.

Charlie let out an involuntary chuckle but it was irony not mockery.

“Sorry Julie, I cant help you with the castration thing. All I can offer you is the privilege to test-fly Dawn Two. How does that grab?”

“You’ve done enough for me already Charlie. You owe me nothing; but thanks for the privilege and I’ll exercise it with your agreement.”

“By all means! Now I want to go back to Singapore to pick up Chloe. Are you game to come.”

“Sure. Are you doing it right away?”

“Yes.”

“Lead on MacDuff.” Juliet grinned.

There was nothing he liked more than whizzing about in Spaceships.

ooo000ooo

Charlie never normally filed flight plans when he flew in Dawn but, because of the unidentified attack on the Island of Riau, he calmed the Oz traffic controllers nerves and declared simply Singapore as his destination, though he did no post an ETA.

Thirty minutes later by prior arrangement with Chloe, he was meeting her at a discreet private Helipad attached to the Raffles Hotel. Once again, a heavy afternoon shower shrouded their arrival and departure, so only a few people noted the incident.

As expected, when Charlie and Juliet arrived, they found Singapore agog with the stories of the attack on Riau. Postulations and theories abounded though nobody seemed to connect the humongously destructive catastrophe at the airfield with the sedate, calm, and secretive arrival of Dawn. The only factor that people noticed with Dawn’s landings and take-offs was the eerie silence that seemed to indicate peace and tranquillity.

By prearrangement on his new mobile phone, Charlie had made a coded arrangement for an early meal at the Raffles hotel and Chloe met them in the restaurant with a pair of security guards at her back.

“Welcome back darling, you too Julie. Dinner is ready to serve.”

They ate quickly and within the hour the trio were embarked on Dawn and heading back to Woomera. Once in space and after agreement with Juliet, they changed their minds and diverted to Hammersley.

As Charlie piloted for a change, Juliet fell to chatting with Chloe about life as a Mal. At first, Juliet was quite reticent about his hardships but Chloe was a well-practiced surgeon with a particularly effective technique to extract people’s real feelings. As they chatted quietly, Chloe had soon determined Juliet’s issues with his enforced teenaged castration.

She realised that eventually, Juliet’s suppressed rage could lead to a breakdown and, if Juliet were piloting a spaceship at the time, there could be a serious incident. Chloe sensed that Juliet was not far off attempting Suicide.

When they arrived in Hammersley, the first couple of hours were spent in a maelstrom of parental delight as they indulged their children while Inspector Margaret Thomas and one of the guards made dinner. Since the spaceship had landed, Juliet had chosen to sit out on the porch with a cool beer as he listened to the children’s shrieks of delight,
Sadly, the longer he sat the more his sense of sadness and loss was reinforced by the sounds of the children.

The greatest loss that Juliet felt was never having become a father nor ever having the chance to become one. Eventually the sounds of ‘family’ from within the house became too much to bear. He retreated to the little cabin in the spaceship Dawn and closed off the heavy steel doors to block out the sounds. There, as tears flowed, he eventually fell asleep.

When dinner was ready, Chloe asked Charlie to fetch Juliet off the porch but of course when he looked he could not find him. A quick check soon located Juliet sleeping in the Dawn’s little cot with his back to the cockpit door and his face turned to the hull. Gently Charlie leaned over to wake his friend but he immediately noticed the tear-stained cheeks so he silently retreated and returned to the house to simply report that Juliet was sleeping.

“He must have been really tired then.” Chloe opined.

“Can’t think why,” Charlie replied. He slept all morning and I shared the piloting from Woomera to Singapore whilst I did all of it from Singapore to here. He’s had a pretty easy day.”

They commenced eating but Chloe could not help noticing Charlie’s subdued mood and when they went to bed she tackled him.

“Okay husband, out with it.”

“Uh. What?” Charlie wondered as she caught him on the hop.

“What’s bugging you? You hardly spoke all through dinner.

“I’m worried about Juliet.”

“What’s wrong?”

Reluctantly, Charlie related his earlier chats with Juliet and the issue of Juliet’s forced castration.

“It really hurts him; emotionally - I mean.”

“Well that must be true for lots of Mals. To have a penis that does not function sexually must be the unkindest cut of all. I mean girls like Katie are much better off, at least they can live, function and orgasm as a woman.”

“Your not getting me Chlo.’ When I found him sleeping in Dawn, he had been crying. Both his cheeks and the pillow were stained with tears.”

“Is that serious?”

“Maybe not for most people darling but for a spaceman, - well, I wouldn’t like to be sharing a spaceship with a mentally disturbed crewmate. I mean there’s so much to go wrong.”

“D’ you want me to chat to him or recommend a therapist?”

“I’m not sure about the therapist. You know how little problems can become major issues if doctors get involved. People can get black-listed or marked down for the silliest of things. I don’t want that to happen to Juliet. He’s been a loyal and proven buddy.”

“D’ you want me to speak to him?”

“Please.” Charlie pleaded, “he trusts you.”

“Okay then, tomorrow after breakfast. He should be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed by then.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 63

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 63

List of Characters.

Chapter 63.

Juliet finally awakened after Charlie and the Children had gone to the beach with their usual entourage of guards and Inspector Margaret Thomas.

When he eventually emerged, bleary eyed and unrefreshed, he was met by Chloe holding out a mug of coffee.
“Bad night love?” Chloe asked. “You look like shit!”

“What time is it?”

“Half ten, Charlie’s taken the kids swimming.”

“What’s he planning to do later.”

“Well he has to return you to Woomera then he buggers off to make engines.”

“What time’s he back from the swimming?”

“’Bout twelve so we’ve time for coffee before I go to the clinic.”

“D’you get many accidents?”

“Not really considering the nature of the work; mining and stuff. Today, I’ve got a paediatric clinic for the families at the mine.”

The mention of paediatrics caused more tears to sneak their way past Juliet’s defences and he turned to stare out of the window to try and hide them. Too late, Chloe noticed them and she touched his arm lightly.

“What’s wrong Julie?”

“Oh nothing.”

“Oh yes there is. Charlie found you with tears on the pillow last night. That’s why he didn’t wake you for Dinner. What’s wrong?”

“Has he been talking about me.”

“Yes; because he’s worried about you.”

“Huh, now there’s a rare bird. A man who worries about another man, sound’s like he’s got his own problems, sexuality problems.”

“Not at all Julie! Yes; Charlie’s a rare bird indeed, but you’ve got the plumage mixed up. He’s not got his sexuality mixed up, he’s just a man who’s walked the walk. Charlie’s straight, too straight at times. That’s why he doesn’t make friends easily.”

“So why did he choose to befriend me; a bloody Mal, a halfling, a castrated freak!”

“Oh come off it Julie, you more than most must know by now that Charlie judges what’s between the ears; not what’s between the legs.”

“That doesn’t reassure me Chloe. I’m still a castrated freak. All the friendship in the world can’t give me what I want.”

“Children?” Chloe softly answered for him.

Juliet nodded as he placed his coffee mug on the windowsill then clenched his fists impotently.

Chloe gently clutched his balled fists and took them to her lips.

“There is a way you know.”

“A way for what?” Julie croaked.

“A way for you to become a father.”

“What! Adoption? How would a Mal be allowed to adopt? What do these new laws say about us, the last of the freaks to benefit from the new legislation.”

“There is another way you know.”

“How?”

“Charlie and I were talking about it last night. It’s not a perfect solution but it’s slightly better than adoption.”

“You were talking about me!”

“Yes!” Chloe answered forcefully. “Of course we were talking about you, Charlie found you had been crying and he was naturally worried.”

“Worried?”

“Yes worried! And not just about your despair but your long-term future. If you are to become a spaceship captain, you shouldn’t have any lifestyle or existential issues.”

“What did he say about me, he’s no cause to worry about my sanity; - or my loyalty!”

“Oh but he has Julie. He has every cause to worry about you but; - and it’s a big but! He thinks he might have worked out a way to help you. He and I talked long into the night last night and we were talking about you!”

Julie turned to stare out of the window again as he took another sip from his cooling coffee mug. The emotional lump in his throat made it difficult to swallow but after swirling the chilled liquid around his mouth he eventually forced it down.

Finally he found his voice again.

“Does Charlie know you’re talking to me now.”

“He suggested it. The subject’s a bit too delicate for him to attempt. He thought a doctor would be better equipped to broach it; a doctor who’s also a family friend; - me.”

“Is that why he buggered off swimming?”
“Not entirely, the kids more or less badgered him to take them. He is their dad after all.”

“That’s bloody cruel you bitch!”

“Oh shit!” Chloe cursed as she realised what she had just said. “I’m sorry! Please! It came out wrong! Just wait! Give me a chance Julie!”

She grabbed him by the arm and squeezed hard to emphasise her intent.

“Just listen, please! I chose a totally wrong word then, I’m sorry. But listen to what I have to say! Pleease!”

“This had better be good!” Julie almost hissed as he paused tensely.”

“It might be good, but I can’t make a promise. I can’t guarantee this’ll work.”

Curiosity piqued Juliet’s interest and he turned to rest his butt against the worktop whilst folding his arms somewhat defensively.

“What? What might not work?”

“Have you ever heard of something called a testicular transplant.”

Juliet paused as she contemplated the expression.

“What? You mean like transplanting somebody else’s balls; into my scrotum?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I mean.”

“Can that be done? I mean there’s donor compatibility and stuff isn’t there? And I still wouldn’t be the father would I? The donor would be the father, biologically I mean.”

“Yes. There’s no denying that; but!”

“But what? There’s always a but!”

“Well; if you knew the father and counted him as a friend would that situation meet you halfway?”

Juliet stared hard at Chloe.

“Are you thinking of Charlie?”

“Frankly, yes.”

“Charlie! Seriously, he’d castrate himself just for me.”

“No, no! Not castrate himself; no, he’d donate one testicle.”

“Could just one ball work?”

“If it takes, yes. They’re just like kidneys, one of nature’s back-up systems. One testicle makes sufficient testosterone. There’s just one question.”

“Oh, oh; go on.”

“Before you were castrated did you get erections.”

“Did I ever! And orgasms!”

“That’s good, it means your body won’t need to mature as it were. You engine already works, we just need to put fuel in your tank.”

“You put it so delicately. And you say Charlie told you last night; you know, he’s prepared to donate one of his balls.”

“Yes.”

“Jeeze” That’s what I call true friendship.”

“That’s the best he can do though biologically, any children will still have his genes but legally, they will be your children. Do you like our children?”

“Heck yes, they’re all smart kids, and pretty.”

“Well, that’s pretty much what you’ll father plus whoever the mother is.”

Once again, Juliet started to tear up but this time Chloe knew they were tears of happiness and gratitude. She reached out to hug him and once again cautioned him about the chances of failure.

When Charlie returned from the beach with the children he immediately sensed the happier atmosphere and only had to raise his eyebrows questioningly.

“I take it it’s a yes then?”

Juliet’s eyes were still sticky with tears as he lurched forward to embrace Charlie. There was no need for words. Chloe watched the unusual exhibition for she had never seen Charlie actually touch a man before; leastways not in an emotional context. Careful not to destroy the moment, she took the usual conversational route.

“Tea then? Or something stronger.”

Charlie mouthed ‘Tea’ over Julie’s shoulder as his chief officer and friend continued squeezing him. For want of not impinging too much on the intensity of the moment, Chloe busied herself with the tea and biscuits and it was only when she started pouring that the friends separated.

“So,” she exclaimed, “to business. I can answer most of your questions but we’ll need a urologist for the surgery. I’ll have to hunt around for one that does such transplants, there’s been very little call for it since the feminista laws were enacted.

ooo000ooo

Having drawn some comfort from Chloe and Charlie’s offer, Juliet accompanied Charlie back to Woomera research station and the pair completed their final inspection of the ‘Dawn Two’

“What d’ you think?” Charlie asked Juliet.

“I can’t wait to take her up. I see the control system is pretty much identical to Dawn’s.”

“Ergonomics Julie,” Charlie observed. “The simpler the system, the more interchangeable the crews.”

“It’s pretty much self-explanatory,” Julie replied as they completed their inspection. “So shall we do a tethered lift test?”

“Why not?” Charlie concurred. “I’ll ask the yard to roll back the roof so we’ve got a clear shot at the sky. If she’s well behaved, they can lengthen the tether.”

“Will she be that lively?”

“She’s got a hell of a lot more power than Dawn. Think show-jumping stallion to a Falabella gelding.”

Juliet chuckled. “If you’d mentioned geldings this morning I'd have thrown a wobbly.”

“We’re not out of the woods yet, Chloe’s got to find a competent urologist. Anyway let’s get back to this business. I’ll do the communication you take the stick.”

“After clearing for the test, the building shed roof and sides were rolled back and Dawn Two stood ready on the pad.

“Okay,” Charlie called. “Inch the stick up very slowly.”

Juliet obliged and Dawn Two ascended without a sound. When he released the ascend button, the ship stopped rock steady above the pad and Charlie checked through the landing viewer.

“She hasn’t deviated a millimetre. She’s directly above the spot. Bring her down back to the pad.”

Juliet obliged and both of them double checked the landing position. Dawn Two was exactly in position.

“Spot on. That means the antigravs are perfectly balanced for lift and vertical. Lock the docking co-ordinates in then we’ll see about lateral movement.”

“They asked the ground crew to remove the tether then, ever so slowly, Juliet eased her into the sky.”

“We’re away boss.”

“Good, try a circuit of the base perimeter. Slowly mind; dead easy on the stick.”

For the remainder of the afternoon, the pair ran single trials with Dawn Two then Charlie transferred to Dawn and they ran comparison trials.

As the sun set, there was cause for celebration all around the base. Dawn Two had been entirely Woomera’s baby except for Charlie’s six larger engines. Before the pair retired to the accommodation block, Charlie and Juliet made sure their precious charges were secure.

As they supped that evening a grinning Juliet turned to Charlie.

“So tomorrow?”

“You can try going into space. Wear a spacesuit mind, while you check for leaks. I’ll tag along as backup.”

“Do I take her to the moon.”

“If she’s airtight, yes, why not?”

Juliet’s smile widened into a ‘shit-faced’ grin as he contemplated a landing.

“I could transport the first part of Moon base Alpha.

Dawn Two’s big enough to deliver it. We place it in the most suitable part of the station in the Shackleton Crater at the south pole, perpetually shaded from the blistering solar radiation while the rim of the crater is in perpetual sunlight. If we get there first, and we will, Moon-base Alpha will have all the benefits of permanent shade and protection from the solar rays while solar ovens placed at the top of the crater’s rim will provide permanent sources of heat and therefore electricity.”

“Nice and cosy,” Charlie joshed. “Well, I’m ready for bed, are you taking anybody with you tomorrow?”

“I was thinking, Laura, Chloe’s favourite guard. She's stationed here at Woomera for pilot training purposes. She’s already done a couple of flights with you in Dawn.”

“Yeah, she’s a good choice and she’s pretty level-headed in a fight.”

“Why? Are you expecting trouble?”

“No, but everybody knows we’re flying regularly to the moon. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a Chinese or Pacifica republic flag stuck into the Shackleton crater as some sort of desperate attempt to lay an early claim to the site. It’s by far the best location for a moon-base. I don’t expect to see any signs of a station though.”

“Maybe a lunar hiking tent or something.” Juliet chuckled.

“No way. When I was last a’ moon, I checked the crater, nothing, Nahda.”

“That’s a new one, a Charlieism is it?”

“It’s good shorthand to describe when one is on the moon.”

“You’ll kill me one day with your expressions. Oh; are you taking a co-pilot?”

“I’ll find out if Lieutenant Asi is available.”

“Is she safe?”

“Don’t worry, Dawns one and two are both locked into me and you for security. Nobody else can hijack them. They’re programmed to return to Woomera if there’s any untoward activity.”

“I’d still watch my back though.”

“I don’t think so Julie. She’s as keen to become a space miner as everybody else. Rich pickings for the first few years until there’s a glut of what where once rare-earth metals. And remember; to be a space-miner you first have to be a spacer.”

“Another one of your euphemisms?” Juliet grinned.

“There’s a whole new universe out there now Julie and a whole new language.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 64

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 64

List of Characters.

Chapter 64

In their accommodation block that evening, Charlie and Juliet chatted quietly at length about preparations for the flight and the testicular transplant. Eventually, they slept soundly and woke refreshed the next morning to resume preparations.
They had decided to invite Laura to be Juliet’s first mate on Dawn 2 while Charlie had decided to give Lieutenant Engadine Asi (Engie) a chance to redeem herself by joining him as first mate on Dawn 1.

Laura was currently training at Woomera with view to becoming a spacer but Engadine, or Engie as she had become known, was currently under district arrest in Canberra with her wing-buddy Angela while the parliamentary inquiry was being organised to investigate their incursion and determine the intentions of the organisation the pair of lovers belonged to. The Australian investigations in Singapore had not proved complete because of the rush to get Charlie out of danger from assassination.

With the arrangements finalised Charlie went to Canberra to collect Lieutenant Asi, while Juliet and Laura supervised the secret loading of the prefabricated components of Moon-base Alpha. This was done inside a large shed and invisible to satellites. In Canberra, Charlie was able to use her influence to get Lieutenant Engadine Asi released from her citywide detention while her partner Angie was still detained.

“You’re using me as a political hostage,” Angie protested, “while Engie is free to go into space!”

“Yes.” Charlie told her bluntly. “Technically you are both still prisoners of war and you have not been tried for your crime of attacking Australia. When we return, you will both be expected to answer what ever questions the court martial asks. Just remember, we could have handed you over to the Chinese for stealing their fighter jets. Which would you prefer. A Chinese court or an Australian one?”

Angela fell silent as both she and her partner Engadine (Engie) contemplated the reality. Then Katie, the Australian Defence Minister emerged from the Parliament building to authorise Engie’s release and Charlie promptly arranged for Engie to board the dawn. He took Katie aside and explained secretly.

“Officially it’s a test flight for our bigger version and most people think we’re just doing a few orbital test flights of Dawn 2 but we are going to the moon to start building Moon-base Alpha in Shackleton Crater.”

“That’s the best site on the whole moon isn’t it?” Katie confirmed, thus demonstrating her astronomical awareness.

“Yes, it’s right at the southern Lunar pole but deep in perpetual shadow, while the crater rim is in perpetual sunlight. The base is thus protected from lethal solar radiation while just a few thousand metres away on the crater rim, the sun is fully and permanently visible. Perfect for generating electricity and heat.”

“I’m surprised that other nations have not landed there and claimed the location for their own bases.”

“It’s a difficult place to land while using crude rocket propulsion. If they damaged their craft they might not be able to relaunch and return to earth. That’s the beauty of Antigrav. Full control at all times and endless sources of propulsive power from whatever gravity is present.”

“Does Engadine know you’re going a’ moon?” Katie checked, thus demonstrating that Charlie’s expression for being moon bound was already gaining currency.

“No. I’ll enlighten her once we’re on our way back to Woomera.”

“Well good luck. I can’t wait to inform the house of Australia’s first Lunar landing.”

With these words, Charlie boarded Dawn 1 and returned to Woomera; a voyage of some twenty minutes made at the edge of space.

ooo000ooo

“Right missy,” Charlie ordered Engie once the Dawn 1 was air-born. “Lift your right leg up please.”

“What for?”

“I’m removing your electronic tag.”

“Are you authorised to do that. I don’t want to get into further trouble.”

“For an answer, Charlie held up the key to the ankle tag and grinned.”

“This is my authority; Katie issued it to me just now. I have to remove your tag.”

“Why?” Engie asked.

“The ankle cuff ring of your spacesuit is too narrow and it won’t fit over the tag.”

“Spacesuit!!” Engie squeaked.

“Yes, you don’t think you’re just going for a trip in Dawn 1 do you?”

“I don’t know what to think.”

“You’re coming with me as my first mate on a trip to the moon.”

“The Moon!!?” Engie almost shrieked.

“Don’t get that excited It’s not that big a deal.”

“It is for me. - My dream come true.”

“Believe me,” Charlie cautioned her. “It won’t be a dream; working in a spacesuit for six hours at a time, is not a walk in the park.”

“Working, doing what?”

“We will be assembling the first stage of the moon base. The parts are already prefabricated and if everything goes to plan, Juliet and Laura will have them loaded aboard Dawn 2. We have got other stuff to load on Dawn 1 when we get to Woomera.”

“Like what?”

“Solar panels, Lots of them. The frames to support them and cables to tap the energy down from the crater rim to the moon base.”

“It sounds like a work-up.”

“It is and it’s no walk in the park. Especially inside a hot, sweaty spacesuit where you cant urinate or defaceate for six hours.”

Engie pulled a face as Charlie laughed.

“Don’t worry. There will be pills to stop you going.”

“And then pills to make you go after you’ve finished.”

“Not necessary;” Charlie explained. “Once you’ve finished work you’ll be desperate to go. The pills keep you regular.”

“So we’ll be like bloody robots, slaves to the clock; – and our bladders.”

“Yes. Until the base is finished; and that will take several voyages.”

“Why am I beginning to feel like a laboratory rat?” Engie grinned.

“We all are, leastways, until the moon base is up and running.” Charlie returned the grin. “Now some driving lessons; here take hold of the control column.”

Engie’s eyes widened with appreciation as Charlie evacuated the command seat and offered it to her. She settled into it and grasped the ‘stick.’

“It’s simple; Dawn moves wherever you move the stick. Ascend and descend are the two buttons by your thumbs. Right thumb is ascend, left thumb is descend. When you release the column, all forces are stopped and Newton’s laws prevail. You carry on as you were going just like the old-fashioned rockets do.”

Engie smirked again, “old-fashioned; you’re calling rocket science old-fashioned.”

Charlie raised his eyebrows and looked askance. His silence said it all. Engie took the hint and tried the stick. As Dawn 1 suddenly surged and swerved, Charlie placed a warning hand on the stick and warned her.

“You’ll have to slow down before descending at this speed or you’ll burn her up in the atmosphere; just like the primitive orbiters that the other countries use.
That ginormous dial stuck right in front of you is your safe, ground speed indicator. It’s calibrated so far for Earth, Mars, the moon, the asteroids and some of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. As you see the current setting is obviously Earth.

It’s best to leave the settings on automatic, Dawn’s computers are infinitely better at entering a planet’s atmosphere than we are.”

“The moon doesn’t have an atmosphere.”

“We know that” Charlie sighed somewhat impatiently, “but we still don’t want to try and land on the moon at several hundred thousand knots, do we?”

“Point taken,” Engie conceded as she tested the column with considerably more circumspection.

Charlie watched and nodded with satisfaction. Engie’s jet-fighter training had endowed her with innate skills well matched to handling Dawn 1. He turned to make some coffee for he knew that was Engie’s preferred drink. When he handed it to her he explained.

“When we approach Woomera, the base will interrogate Dawn and I’ll tap in my private code. Then the base will allow you to dock yourself or let their ground control bring you in on auto.”

“Nice and simple,” Engie nodded. “No stress then.”

“Don’t worry girl, you’ll have plenty of stress between now and returning from the moon.”

Engie nodded then released the column and sipped her coffee while Dawn 1 continued on a stable orbital course headed for Woomera.

A few minutes later the interrogation light flashed as the buzzer demanded attention. Charlie responded by tapping some numbers and letters into the control panel and Engie felt the column move of its own volition.

“She’s on auto now all the way down to the landing pad. We’ll be touching down in front of the shed, then you’ll manoeuvre her into the shed next to our big sister Dawn 2. Juliet and Laura should be waiting.”

“I’d like to try docking her myself.”

“Don’t worry you’ll have plenty of other dockings to do until you get bored stiff with them. Today, we’re in a bit of a hurry and auto-landings are usually faster than manned landings.

When we go a’ moon you’ll have all the pleasures of landing without an auto pilot cos it’ll be a virgin location. Once the moon base is up and running, it’ll have an auto landing system.”

As soon as Dawn 1 touched down and ‘housed’ alongside her ‘big sister Dawn 2, Juliet and Laura were outside with the loading team. Charlie showed Engie how to open the rear cargo ‘clam-shell’ doors and soon a load of equipment was being placed aboard. Engie looked at it and Charlie explained.

“This is the first solar energy pack. We’ll be erecting this somewhere on the crater rim to organise solar electricity for the base. While you and I are doing this, Juliet and Laura will be assembling the first phase of moon-base Alpha.

“Will we be able to live in it?” Engie asked.

“Probably after a couple of shifts. Depends how well they get on with it.”

“How long will it take us to erect the solar package.”

“Gosh, you’re full of questions Engie. Frankly I can’t say. It depends what sort of location we find on the rim of the crater. It looked quite rugged when I last flew over it.” I’m hoping we’ll get the solar part sorted in a couple of shifts. Then we join with Juliet and Laura to complete assembling the base. All in all we should remain a’ moon for six to eight earth days then we go prospecting in the belt.”

“The asteroid belt?” Engie confirmed.

“The very same. We have to bring back sufficient valuable metals and ores to pay for the trip.”

“So we could end up rich.”

“I’m already rich Engie. The rest of you should be after this trip.”

“Do we split it four ways?”

“Absolutely, the last thing we want is cause for acrimony.”

“That makes sense. Thanks.”

“Thanks for what?” Charlie asked.

“Well this whole deal, going into space, going to the moon, collecting nuggets from the asteroid belt, everything; - thank you.”

“By the time you’ve spent sweating your tits off and busting a gut, you won’t be thanking me. This is a work trip, not a bloody Cooks Tour. Come on, look sharp, Dawn 2 is moving.”

Engie looked to see the bigger ship already moving forwards towards the shed doors and she quickly slid into the command seat while Charlie chose his usual position wedged standing against the large plotting table and looking over Engie’s shoulder.

“Just follow her out, then accompany her to the moon. That’s the big yellow thing coming up over there.”

Dawn 1 shuddered slightly and Charlie glanced to see Engie silently struggling to suppress her laughter. Her ‘belly-laugh’ had caused her shoulders to shake and her hands had shaken the control column.

“What’s wrong now?” Charlie chuckled.

“It’s you. -The big yellow thing indeed! When I think of all the maths and physics palaver surrounding rocket launches back then. This is so bloody easy.”

“Sign of the times girl, sign of the times. Just keep sight of Dawn 2, think of yourself as her wing man.”

“It’s like driving to the supermarket.”

“You’ve anti-grav to thank for that. Maintain contact with Juliet while I do some paperwork then go and put my spacesuit on. Then you can put yours on before we land.”

“Am I allowed to speak with Dawn 2?”

“You’re expected to speak to Dawn 2. I’ll relieve you in about forty minutes.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 65

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 65

List of Characters.

Chapter 65

Lieutenant Engadine Asi or Engie for short, sat enthralled in the command seat of Dawn 1 as the little ship streaked towards the moon. To add to her delight, the companion ship Dawn 2 was travelling alongside not one kilometre away and also bound for the moon.

‘A pleasure shared, is a pleasure doubled.’ She mused as she opened the coms to Dawn 2.

The two crews of course knew each other thoroughly and there was little formality in their conversations. It was friends, chatting to friends,

“Hi Julie, I can make out Shackleton crater now but can’t ascertain a good landing spot.”

“Well you have to determine where you’ll land and locate the solar panels so we know where to locate Moon-base one.”

Engie knew this and she was expanding the image of the crater to get a better look when Charlie emerged from the cabin with his space suit sans’ helmet.

“Your turn to don your suit, what’s the crater rim looking like?”

“It’s hard to make out anywhere suitable yet. We’re on course, speed two hundred kilo-knots. Dawn two is on our port bow and there’s the big yellow thing.”

She pointed towards the approaching moon and Charlie grinned. He could see that Dawn 1 was exactly on course for Shackleton crater. As Engie removed to the cabin to don her spacesuit, Charlie spoke to his friend Juliet who was commanding the Dawn 2.

“Hi Julie. Can you see a suitable spot with that bigger screen of yours?”

Virtually every piece of equipment on Dawn 2 was a larger, more advance and better version than Dawn 1’s, for the larger ship had been built by professional ship builders. By comparison, Dawn one was crude and her only advantaged over Dawn 2 was her armour plated, super-strong hull.

Juliet replied by giving the lunar latitude and longitude co-ordinates and Charlie transposed them to Dawn 1’s smaller screen.

“Will you be loitering while we choose the spot? No point in landing then re-locating.”

“Well Laura wants to get some Landing practice in so we’ll enter the crater and do a couple of practice landings, once you’re landed on the rim. I’m reducing speed now, how about you?”

“Like-wise. We’ll stick together.”

Charlie corrected his speed to match that of the decelerating Dawn 2 and soon they were loitering twenty metres above the rim of the crater.

“I think your right Julie, this looks as good as anywhere. I’ll touchdown as soon as Engie is dressed.”

Engie emerged right on time from the cabin and gave a twirl as Charlie turned to look.

“Does my bum look big in this?” She joked.

“You’ll do,” Charlie opined, “d’ you want to do the landing? That place by the ovoid rock looks nice and flat.”

Engie waddled over to the command seat that Charlie had vacated and eased herself into it. Charlie relocated to the co-pilot seat and soon they had touched down satisfactorily.

“Nice one Engie, now to work.” Charlie congratulated her as he switched to talk to Dawn 2.

“We’re down safely, You’d better go and find yourselves a suitable spot in the crater.”

“On our way,” Laura replied. “my boss is making me practice.”

“Quite right too,” Charlie replied, “we’ll be down as soon as the solar panels are arrayed.”
Charlie and Engie watched Dawn 2 disappear below the rim of the crater even as they secured their helmets. Next they opened the clamshells then evacuated the cockpit of air before releasing the airtight door to the cargo hold. At this early stage, air was exceptionally precious even though Dawn 2 had huge, compressed reserves in her cavernous hold.

Once in the cargo hold, they immediately set about erecting the solar panels in the shade of their ship to avoid overheating and within four hours, they had the frames aligned preparatory to mounting the panels.

After six hours they were exhausted, but they were able to look down on their efforts with satisfaction. All the mounting frames were firmly set into the rock and half the panels were mounted. Before retiring into Dawn 1 the pair took a moon walk further afield.

“There’s room enough for a hundred arrays,” Engie estimated.

“And we’ll need it all by the time the whole base is built. Come on, I’m getting warm, these suits are good but even so.”

Once back aboard Dawn 1, Engie had more practice as She eased their little ship over the rim of the crater and down past the inner wall to land next to Dawn 2. Already they noted that Juliet and Laura had erected several sections of the moon-base. Once aboard Dawn 2 with it’s much more commodious accommodation, they sat around the table and ate while discussing problems. Julie explained.

“The little digger is using battery power faster than we expected. We’re going to have to speed up the solar panels and get power into the crater earlier than planned.”

“Okay then,” Charlie nodded, “we can all four concentrate on the panels next shift and hopefully have electricity down here by hour twenty.”

For convenience, time was measured in counted hours since touchdown because there was no ‘night and day’ at the lunar south pole. The solar panel plan was unanimously agreed and the four retired to bed.

The following day, the plan worked and by hour twenty-four, the cable feed from the panels on the rim to the floor of the crater was alive. They immediately plugged in the battery-operated digger.

“I’m famished!” Charlie declared. “Food I think.”

There was no argument as four exhausted spacers trudged into Dawn 2 grateful for the respite.

“One sixth gravity or not!” Engie declared. “I’m shattered, hungry and I need a wee!”

“Told you it wasn’t going to be a picnic.” Charlie grinned as he took out some pre-prepared meals. “What are you eating?”

They each declared their preferences and soon the cabin was silent except for the click of plastic cutlery on plastic plates.

ooo000ooo

With a routine established, the following eighty hours saw the first phase of Moonbase Alpha erected and charged with air. This was the final task for the four and they left the site as they would like to find it, tidy.

“Well; bye, bye Moonbase; see you next time,” Engie bode as she settled in the command seat of Dawn 1. “So; is it the asteroid belt now and loads of filthy lucre?” She asked Charlie with a wide grin splitting her face.

“Got it in one,” Charlie replied as he spoke to Juliet and Laura in Dawn 2.

“Just stick with us guys and we’ll be there within forty hours.”

“Can’t wait,” Laura enthused, “I’ve never travelled at millions of miles per hour.”

“You’ve the sun to thank for that,” Charlie replied, “his gravity is infinitely greater than earths.”

“Yes; but how do your engines exploit it, how do they concentrate it into such a powerful force.” Engie asked.

“My secret Engie,” Charlie replied, “and I keep it up here; -(he tapped his temple)- no paper, no digitals, no recordings; just memory. This way, nobody can weaponise the science.”

“You weaponised it when you took Angie and my jets out.”

“I seem to remember that you both fired missiles at me; as did your two male companions. Anyway, I used a ploughshare not a gun or a sword. Biblically, your religious friends could not call a ploughshare a weapon. How does it go? – ‘and their swords shall be beat into ploughshares!’

“Oh very ingenious!” Engie snorted,” semantic, bloody polemics if ever I heard it!”

“Tell that to the lawyers who swear under all sorts of religious oaths and god knows what else. It’s there in their books, quite literally.”

“For someone who supposedly never went to school after thirteen you’re a slippery cove.”

“And then some,” Charlie chuckled, “remember I’ve been hiding intellectually under metaphorical rocks over half my life. Isn’t that were creepie-crawly, anti-feministas lie?”

“I’d never call you creepy Charlie. God knows you’re out there in spades. Hey up! Laura’s hailing us.”

Engie answered the call as Charlie went to make tea and when he returned Engie was checking the chart.

“Where exactly is it, this quarry of yours?”
For an answer, Charlie just wrote down the co-ordinates and Engie plotted them.

“It’s not far from the dwarf planet Ceres.”

“Happen,” Charlie concurred.

“Can I go and have a look at it?”

“What? Ceres?”

“Yes,”

“Why?” Charlie wondered.

“It’s a very unusual dwarf planet. There’s even volcanic activity on it and it’s only a thousand klics diameter. I’m surprised you didn’t know that. Scientists have been hypothesising about it for decades.”

“Not me darling,” Charlie confessed. “I’ve been too busy looking for minerals, - and wealth.”

“You sound like a philistine; don’t you have any academic interests?”

Charlie gave her an old look; a very old look. “Try gravity,” he almost whispered.

Engie crumpled as she realised what a stupid thing she had said.

“Sorry boss. I just wasn’t thinking. I’ve always been fascinated by the planets. I just didn’t connect. Sorry.”

“No offence taken,” Charlie allowed. “Sometimes it’s difficult to see the wood for the trees.”

“Or in this case, the trees for the wood; -the gravity that is. It’s just so fundamental, I just didn’t realise.” Engie confessed like some religious penitent. “Sorry again.”

“Oh, don’t take on so, and yes; we’ll pay your favourite dwarf a visit. You never know, now you’ve mentioned brine volcanoes, there might actually be something worthwhile there.”

As Charlie retreated to the bedroom Engie could hear him singing softly to himself.

‘Money, money, money! It’s a rich man’s game!’

Relieved that Charlie had not taken umbrage, she returned to her sheep.

The voyage was routing for nearly two days until the pair of ships reached the asteroid belt. Once they had likened their course and speed to the orbiting rocks, Charlie explained.

“We’ll steer Dawn 1 into the rock-field and gently enlarge the entrance void by slowly shouldering the rocks aside until Dawn 2 can feel her way into the void I’ve previously quarried out. Once we’re relatively stationary amidst the rocks we simply spacewalk amongst them and tow the rocks aboard. On Dawn 1 we’ll winch the rocks aboard through the rear clamshell doors. On Dawn 2 we simply open the cargo hatches and gently manoeuvre the rocks into each hold.”

As he explained, he handed each of them a testing device that resembled a Geiger counter.

“These gadgets will help identify the rocks and also tell you what quality they are. I had them made at Woomera to help us save time prospecting.

This area is rich in high grade ores and sometimes actual nuggets of the Palladian metals. If you find any, - and you probably will. Keep them separate and place them in hold number one. They are more valuable than gold nuggets.
Finally. Put theses thick mittens on over your gloves. Some of the rocks are sharp. And try to avoid rubbing up against the rocks. Your space suits, as you know, are tough but some of these crystalline rocks are as sharp as glass.”

Armed with Charlie’s equipment, advice and their own common sense, the spacers ventured out into the rock field. After ninety-six hours of sleep and work they settled back to consider their cargo.”

“A pretty penny I dare say,” Charlie opined.

“A bloody fortune! I’d say.” Juliet squawked.

“And then some.” Laura finished as Engie emerged from the hold and started to close the hatches.

“Back to earth then?” Juliet suggested.

“Uuhm, Engie and I are going to stop briefly by the dwarf planet Ceres.” Charlie revealed.

“Something interesting?” Juliet inquired.

“Just evidence there might be vulcanism, which conventional science refutes based on the smallness of the planet.” Engie explained.

“What sort of vulcanism?” Laura wondered. “It’s far too small to have a hot, metallic core.”

“They’re talking cold vulcanism, possibly recent or even still active. Maybe brine geysers or small volcanoes. I just to want to see and confirm for the astronomers. Possibly collect some samples.”

“Well we’ll stay by you just off-world” Juliet offered, but you’ll have to walk alone on the surface, or Charlie can stay by you down there. I’m not sure if Dawn 2 could withstand a powerful geyser strike. Dawn 1 of course, is a bloody tank.”
Engie turned hopefully towards Charlie.

“Okay then. You can you touch down briefly to let me gather some samples and then straight back aboard. Tell me, is there any sort of warning when a brine geyser erupts?”

“I’ve no idea!” Charlie openly confessed. “You’re at the threshold of science here Lieutenant. It’s entirely your choice.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 66

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 66.

List of Characters.

Chapter 66

“Well that doesn’t bode well for a start!” Charlie observed as he cautiously lowered Dawn 1 to the surface of Ceres. “There must be at least half a metre of dust and debris before we landed on anything solid.”

“You should have landed on that sloping rocky bit over there,” Engie argued. “That’s obviously some sort of rock.”

“There’s no knowing what’s going on under the rock. Anyway, I’m more interested in what causes the geysers. I mean look at that white lagoon over there! Is it water ice, brine ice or frozen carbon dioxide? It’s obviously got a liquid element or it’ wouldn’t be so smooth at the edge.”
“I suppose you’re right. Shall I try to get a sample?”

“I’m not allowing you to walk over there. The surface might not be stable and if you dislodge a lump of rock under the debris it could break off to start another geyser. I’m not happy Engie. Just get some samples from under the rear ramp and we’ll hover over to the lagoon to sample the white ice. Certainly, you must not step into that slushie shit until we know what’s underneath.”

“Okay boss.” Engie replied as she cautiously prodded into the debris under the stern ramp.

“Make sure that sampling rod doesn’t freeze to your glove kid. Just get your samples and let’s get out of here.”

Charlie nervously watched his lieutenant dipping her sampling cup into a small puddle of Brine she had spotted within reach from the tail of the ramp. Then she prodded the sampling claw amongst the smaller debris to collect some solid samples. Finally, she started to reach down to tug out a larger rock about fifty centimetres diameter. Charlie screeched a warning.

“No! No. “Don’t do that come away, come away!

Fortunately Engie was not some wilful youth and she immediately pulled back obediently as Charlie desperately ascended to get clear of the surface. Her safety line held her tight as the acceleration left her suspended from the ramp but quickly being towed upwards by Dawn 1.

“What the f—k!” She squealed. “Boss! Pull me in!”

“For a few more seconds, Engie continued to be stuck at the end of the safety line until Dawn 1 was at least a couple of hundred metres from the surface. Then he gently eased off the speed and Engie continued to drift back towards the ramp. Through the rear docking cameras, Charlie adjusted Dawn 1’s speed to gently catch Engie like a baseball in a catcher’s glove and Engie squealed with a combination of anger and relief.”

“What the hell was that for?” She demanded.

“Look behind you.” Charlie ordered.

On turning to look, Lieutenant Asi was shocked and frightened to see a huge geyser of what appeared to be ice crystals and water erupting from the place where she had tugged the rock free. The force could have easily smashed the visor of her space helmet for amongst the ice and water, there were smaller darker pieces of rock.”

“Shit!” She exclaimed. “Thanks boss.”

“You’d better come into the cabin and we’ll try another ploy.” Charlie suggested.

“How?” Engie asked.

“Are you prepared to try again, with a much longer pole?!” Charlie asked.

“Firstly, will it be safer, and secondly; where will we find a longer pole?” Engie wondered.

“Dawn 2 has got several.” Charlie explained. “We can collect one from her.”

After an unexpected spacewalk that both Engie and Laura counted as extra experience, a pole was transferred and Dawn 1 returned to hover half a meter above Ceres’ Surface.

After her second attempt, Engie was really pleased to collect several samples including the original ‘rock’ she had endeavoured to gather the first time where there was now a distinct plume of vapour escaping from the tiny fissure she had accidentally created.

Throughout Engie’s labours, Charlie watched like a hawk for any more mishaps but Engie completed her work without any more problems. Once she was happy with her sampling she rapped on the airtight door and Charlie closed the clamshell doors of the cargo hold. After equalising the airlock at the airtight door, Engie finally struggled wearily into the cockpit with her sterile case of samples and slumped down on the couch beside the navigation table.

“Done now?” Charlie asked with an indulgent smile.

She nodded as Charlie double checked the cabin for any leaks then helped Engie remove her helmet. Engie then returned the courtesy until they were sitting in their suits without their helmets.

“Phew! That was hairy, - well the first bit was anyway.”

“Yeah. Let that be a lesson girl. That’s how easily things can go pear-shaped. Is there any damage to your suit?”

“You tell me,” Engie replied, “you can check it out better than I can.”

Charlie checked it out and frowned slightly.

“The protective outer gloves are freeze-scorched. The asbestos fibres must have become brittle in the brine. Look they’ve almost crumbled away where you tugged at that rock.”

“Good job the suite’s gloves held up.” Engie replied somewhat ruefully.

“Yeah! You were lucky. What’s in that ice-brine anyway?” Charlie wondered.

“Well Brine usually contains various salts and stuff. We’ll have to analyse it back at Woomera.”

“Which is exactly where we’re returning to now.” Charlie replied as he released the last fastening on Lieutenant Engadine’s space suit.

“You can take that off while Juliet and I set our courses back to earth.”

ooo000ooo

Two days later both ships arrived to a jubilant reception which included the Australian PM and her defence minister Katie.

“So what’s this news about this dwarf planet?”

“We will have to analyse the vapour plume first, but it’s definitely got some water in it.”

“That should be useful shouldn’t it?” Katie asked.

“Well actually; not really. There are moons orbiting the gas giants where water might be easier to obtain. Europa is the best example. It orbits Jupiter which is not much further than the asteroid belt in ‘anti-grav’ terms. We had a few hairy experiences with geyser plumes on Ceres, nearly wiping out my lieutenant.

Europa is more stable and predictable while Ceres is a rather hyperactive little sod. She’ll kill you as soon as look at you.”

“I’ll leave that to your greater knowledge,” the PM conceded. “So what’s your next step.”

“My three colleagues go back to the moon in Dawn 2 and continue extending Moon-base Alpha. I need to build another dozen engines or so. I’ve got plenty of materials now.”

Katie the defence minister frowned with no small disappointment.

“So, you’re still not prepared to reveal your secrets of the gravity drive?”

“Nope!” Charlie declared quite bluntly. “Not until I’m certain that my science won’t be leaked to other governments or weaponised; - leastways, not in my lifetime or my children’s’.”

“I had hoped you would enable us to build some defensive craft suitable to prevent any attacks on Australia. We are not a big population and we’ve got a huge territory to protect.”

“Frankly, that’s my plan, but I’ll be the decider if and / or when they need to be armed A dozen anti-gravs for six armoured defence craft. That will give you ariel superiority. If a shooting war ever starts I’ll move on building more; however, I’d prefer not to have to.”

Having declared her intentions, the Australian government were forced to accept Charlie’s conditions and Charlie left to meet his wife Chloe.

ooo000ooo

Chloe Sage was driving home from the school and the kindergarten with her children when Dawn 1 swooped down to the road about two hundred metres ahead and settled on the side of the road.

“Daddyee! Daddyee! “ Her oldest daughter squealed as she recognised her father’s spaceship. “Can I go mummy?”

“Of course you can darling.” Chloe allowed as she pulled over and released the passenger door. Charlotte immediately scampered across the verge and clambered up the open stern ramp where her father was waiting to hoist her into his arms.

“I’ll meet you at the house love!” He called to Chloe.

She waved her agreement and resumed driving whilst trying to ignore the strange ‘pastie-shaped’ craft loitering above the side of the road while matching her moderate speed.
Chloe risked a single glance up through Dawn 1’s visor and noted their daughter Charlotte sat on her father’s lap and eagerly gripping the column. She smiled as affection almost overwhelmed her and nearly caused her to miss her turning. Her swerve caused the sleeping triplets to stir and she pulled up beside the already landed spaceship.

“Welcome back.” Chloe squealed as she flung her arms around his neck.”

“Sorry I couldn’t warn you, The hospital said you were in theatre.”

“I was,” Chloe explained, “so how long are you home for and when are you going back?”

“Oh that’s nice; trying to get rid of me already.”

“Stoppit!” She protested, “you know I didn’t mean it like that. Help me get the triplets in.”

“Where’s the nanny?”

“She stopped to get some essentials. She’ll be here in a few minutes.”

“You know you’re never supposed to be alone. Get into Dawn now. The guards have strict instructions.”

“Oh for heaven’s sake Charlie, we haven’t had the slightest whiff of anybody!”

“Has your guard ever left you alone before?”

“No.”

“But suddenly, on the very same day that I come home, the guard chooses to buy some essentials. Something stinks! Quickly grab the triplets, Charlotte, come here now please.”

Having already experienced a determined attempt on Charlie’s life at the hotel in Singapore, Chloe needed no extra encouragement. She dashed to the hover-car to collect her triplets while Charlie sprinted to round up Charlotte from the garden. Within minutes the family were secure inside Dawn and airborne even as Chloe spotted the unidentified hover-van racing across the outback.

From the armour-plated ship Chloe frowned angrily as she recognised the occupants emerge and point some heavy fifty-calibre rifles at the Dawn 1. She then heard the shells clattering noisily against the hull before ricocheting away, and she had cause to be thankful for Dawn 1’s armoured hull.

Very quickly, Charlie ascended out of range and once safe they set a course for Woomera research base where they were sure of protection. On route, he checked with Chloe.

“Did you recognise any of them?”

“Only the guard I left to buy essentials. The other two wore masks.”

“I wonder why they thought they’d get away with it.” Chloe wondered.

“They damned near did.” Charlie cursed. “If we hadn’t already been in or near Dawn 1, they would have caught us.

“That guard was one of the new recruits to replace Laura, Sally and Jacky when they transferred to Woomera.”

“Right, phone Inspector Margaret Thomas and warn her. Now they have lost their cover, they might kill her as well. In any event, they won’t stay in Hammersley.”

“Already on to it,” Chloe affirmed, “d’ you think they know about Coach?”

“I hope not,” Charlie replied, “or I’ll have to remove all my workshop equipment to a new location. Coach is the best place unless it’s been compromised.”
“Well I’ve never mentioned it to anybody,” Chloe declared, “and I know how tight-lipped you are, so unless somebody’s stumbled across it by accident, it should still be safe.”

“Well, I’m not going there now, that would be inviting discovery. For now, we can stay in Woomera until they root out the enemies at Hammersley.

“They flew in silence for a few minutes then Chloe suddenly exclaimed.

“Shit! In all the excitement I clean forgot. Two things; firstly I’ve got a surgeon who’s agreed to do the testicular transplant for Juliet and secondly; the Singapore authorities have requested your attendance at the trial of your would-be assassin.”

“We’d best run that second one by Katie and the PM, especially after this latest mess.

“For the rest of the flight, Chloe was busy with the triplets while Charlotte sat on her daddy’s lap as they continued to Woomera.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 67

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 67

List of Characters.

Chapter 67

When Charlie and his family landed at Woomera the first people to meet them were of course his fellow spacers Juliet, Engie ad Laura plus the security officer and the base commander.

After the cryptic message they had received from Dawn 1 the reception party were desperate to ensure everybody was safe.

“Is everybody safe back at Hammersley?”

“We don’t know. The attack was very amateurish but well-armed by civilian standards. Has inspector Margaret Thomas been in touch?”

“Yes she and the security team were inside the house. By the time they heard the firing, it was over. They came out to find your ship already flying away and those assassins racing across the bush trying to escape.”

“So how did the assassins know I was going to Hammersley? The only people who knew were in your control tower. I didn’t decide until after the spaceships were discharged and I just departed without even telling my fellow spacers. I told the PM, the defence minister and my own spacers that I was off to build some more antigravity engines. I never mentioned that I was visiting my family first.

The only people who knew I was going to Hammersley were the traffic controllers in the tower.”

The base commander frowned as he concluded.

“It seems we have a spy in the tower, one of the air-traffic control team.”

Charlie nodded agreement before observing.

“I suspect it may be a diehard feminista fanatic. There are bound to be plenty around. They’ve been teaching kids feminista propaganda ever since the great upheaval. Feministas are not going to change overnight.”

“There are probably more than one in the tower.” The base commander opined. “I mean virtually every woman was a feminista with a small ‘eff’ until your appearance. I can’t sack all of them.”

“There’s no need to fire any of them. Just don’t reveal my flight-plans or arrivals when I come and go. We can simply devise a coded electronic signal that only Woomera will know.”

“But the assassins. They have to be punished.”

“If you identify them, I’d like to meet them. You go through all the legal processes by all means but I’d like to ask them why they want to kill me; - and my children. I won’t show anger or make threats cos that’s what most of them have been taught from their first days at school. Lots of them have hardly met a boy older than thirteen, not even their brothers.

If they actually meet a grown man in calm, peaceful circumstances, who behaves respectfully and thoughtfully, they might just begin to have second thoughts; especially if that man is somebody they have tried to kill and yet is prepared to forgive them.”

“Would you actually do that?” The base commander wondered.

“If it advances my efforts to rid the world of misanthropy and it means I don’t have to live out my days, looking over my shoulder; yes.” Charlie replied. “There’s enough hate around, why add to it?”

The colonel nodded her head thoughtfully.

“I think you should meet the whole air-traffic team for Woomera. I can organise a meeting tomorrow. Tell them that someone tried to murder your wife and children, then tell them you’re prepared to forgive and forget.”

“I’ll forgive them Colonel; I can never forget. It would be folly to forget.

ooo000ooo

The following morning, Charlie and his family climbed the stairs to find a score of air traffic controllers plus assorted administrators waiting nervously in the control room.
The base commander explained to them why they had been assembled then Charlie quietly told them that somebody amongst them had arranged for Charlie and his family to be executed. This caused a fearful hush to descend as he explained further.

“If you don’t believe me, we can show you the bullet marks and gouges on the hull of Dawn 1. I might further add that the phones of the would-be assassins have been traced but not yet recovered. They were burner phones and security are about the business of finding them.

Finally, and this might come as a surprise to some amongst you. I am prepared to forgive any who might have had a part in this murder attempt because nobody knows better than such as me how badly girls have been taught about the ways and manners of men. Believe me, I hail from a country where the feminista propaganda is infinitely more insidious than Australia.

Sadly, I have to add, that while I might forgive, there are those whose laws demand some element of retribution for attempted murder, and I can’t speak for them.

That’s all ladies. I am now off to make the antigravity engines I have contracted to build for your country and your government. Good day.”

There was a stunned silence while Beverly gathered Chloe and the children into the control tower lift, then an eruption of chatter exploded in the tower before fading as the lift descended to the ground.

As they emerged from the flight administration block Chloe turned to look up at the tower. The huge windows were lined with faces staring down at them but Chloe could not discern the expressions. She tapped Charlie’s shoulder and he glanced up momentarily before speaking to his wife.

“They’re not my concern now. It’s in the hands of the law. Come on, I need to get back.”

“Are you going where I think you’ll be going?”

“Yes.” Charlie revealed.

“Do you know if it’s safe?”

“If it’s been compromised, I’ll have to start all over again elsewhere. It seemed to be undiscovered the last time I was there.”

“You be careful.”

“Semper cautus darling. Semper cautus!”

This time Dawn 1’s departure message to the Woomera tower was terse and brief.

“Woomera tower. This is Dawn 1 departing, farewell.”

The reply was equally brief but softly apologetic.

“Copy that Dawn 1. Thank you.”

Less than thirty minutes later, Dawn 1 was landing and the guards came out to meet them. Lessons had been learned.

The following morning, a refreshed Charlie departed as dawn was breaking and soon arrived at Coach. On landing, he was doubly careful to leave no landing marks and Dawn 1 manoeuvred delicately into the hidden cave. Within minutes, Charlie had checked out the cave and satisfied himself that nobody had been there in his absence. Relieved to find everything intact and untouched, Charlie commenced making the promised engines. He had much to thank for Australia’s vast emptiness.

Long inured to loneliness, he soon had the engines made and six weeks later the researchers at Woomera were pleased to discover a familiar little ship parked on their landing pad. It had seemingly arrived from space with the promised engines. They received the engines gratefully and Charlie returned to his family in Hammersley.

“Welcome back stranger,” Chloe exclaimed, “I thought you were never coming home again.”

They fell into an embrace that soon migrated to the bedroom where a proper welcome was partaken until Charlotte’s voice declared the arrival of the school taxi.

“Damn, is it that time already!?” Charlie cursed as they heard Charlotte calling for her mum and they hurriedly dressed

Too late, their oldest daughter exploded into the bedroom squealing with delight after realising her Daddy was home again. Fortunately, Charlie was only just decent while Chloe called from the bathroom.

ooo000ooo

“I presume you’ll be staying this time, at least until your operation?”

Charlie nodded as he served the vegetables prior to eating.

“Juliet will be here next week. They’ll have completed phase three of Moonbase Alpha. How long does your tame urologist need to come here?”

“She is disguising her visit as a holiday and she needs a week’s notice”

“Ah serendipity; you’d best let her know then. Is there anything Juliet and I need to do to prepare for the op. You know; special immunosuppressant drugs to prevent tissue rejection.”

“I’ve got all that in hand in my clinic at the mine. Juliet needs a couple of days preparation but you just turn up.”

Charlie nodded and smiled wanly. “Can’t wait,” he joked.

“I think you’re being incredibly philanthropic.” Chloe praised him.

At the dinner table, they did not mention the operation in front of the nanny-guards and the conversation revolved around the other issue facing Charlie, namely the Singaporean court case surrounding the assassination attempt. This held the guards’ attention for they knew they would be Charlie’s protection squad in Singapore.

The following week Juliet contacted Charlie to confirm that he was ready to visit Chloe and start the immunosuppressant medication. He arranged to meet Charlie at the house where Chloe had left his course of treatment while she worked that day in the hospital. That afternoon, Charlie and Juliet went for a walk in the outback and chatted at length about the forthcoming transplant.

Juliet was already fully enlightened that any forthcoming children would be biologically Charlie’s but Juliet was more than happy just to be granted the delight of becoming a societal and legal father.

“Just to marry a girl and have kids by her will be enough for me Charlie. I can love your kids just as though they are mine. I owe you enough to guarantee and confirm that. My kids will have a proper father and know him.”

“That’s all I want Julie, to know the kids are in a decent family structure. By the way, what are you going to call yourself when you have a functioning penis again.”

“I’m going to stick with the name Juliet.”

“Gosh! That’s brave mate.”

“It’s just a reminder to the feminista brigade of the iniquities people like me suffered with enforced castration. Just let the bastards remember what evils they were perpetrating.”

“What about any kids you have? Should they have to live with a dad with a girl’s name?”

“It’s no shame. I didn’t commit the crime. Besides, I reckon any kid with a dad who’s got Spaceship Captain Licence no 2, will be proud to tell their school mates that their dad’s a spaceship captain. A proper spaceship that is, not one of those uncontrolled orbiting projectiles that just whizzes around on a predetermined orbit.”

“Good point Julie. Good for you mate. Have they started issuing spaceship licences then?”

“Yes! Yours is waiting for you to collect it in Canberra.”

“Jeeze! They don’t waste any time do they?” Charlie expostulated.

“Typical lawyers,” Juliet agreed, “And, wait for this! You have to pay a bloody fee.”

“Ooh! I don’t fucking believe it!”

“It’s true. Just make sure you don’t get caught navigating and piloting in space without a licence.”

“Oh, so they’ve got traffic police have they?” Charlie jested.

“Give them time,” Julie surmised thoughtfully. “Politicians are always looking for ways to make a buck.”

“Ha!” Charlie scorned. “I’ll go to Mars and issue myself a Martian Licence.”

Juliet chuckled as he replied. “Don’t complicate things Charlie. Where will you take your Martian exam and who’d be your Martian examiner? Anyway, I believe they want to make some sort of ceremony when you collect Earth Licence number one.”

“Well, they’ll have to wait until your transplant and my assassination investigation in Singapore.”

They continued chatting and chuckling about space until the evening chill persuaded them to return back to the house.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 68

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 68

List of Characters.

Chapter 68

Juliet and Charlie had been staying at Charlie’s Hammersley home for a couple of days when Chloe came home the third night to find the pair playing on the porch with the children. They had not noticed Chloe’s arrival via the back lane that emerged out of the bush and consequently, Chloe had a unique opportunity to surreptitiously study Juliet as he interreacted with her children.
Chloe did not recognise the game and she frowned as she watched a typically fatherly physicality having been somehow integrated into a score system with penalty points and multipliers that involved some complex paperwork. Eventually, Chloe became so intrigued by the activities that she revealed herself.

Juliet immediately stopped and turned red with some embarrassment at being ‘caught’ with a triplet daughter riding on his back while he was on all fours being ‘horsey.’

Charlie, also a ‘horsey,’ however just paused as his only son slid down off his back grabbed a hidden token out of a bag being shaken by the third triplet sister and re-mounted his father to complete a circuit to the end of the porch. There Charlotte his older sister kept tally and entered the token values into her book. The whole exercise was accompanied by shrieks and squeals of childish delight.

“What game is this?” Chloe grinned.

“Handicap horsey!” Charlotte declared excitedly, “Jessica is winning!” She added while waving the scorebook.

Chloe looked at the two men, still on their knees, and wagged her head in amusement.

“I won’t even ask.”

“Charlotte invented it.” Charlie explained slightly self-consciously’ “They have some sort of game in school with the kids running around the field and she brought it home. The triplets love playing horsey and things just grew when Juliet arrived and they had two horseys to ride; - him and me.”

“I don’t know who’s the dafter, you two or the kids.”

“They’re enjoying themselves, leave them alone.”

“I’ll bet your knees aren’t.”

“Point taken,” Juliet grimaced as he plucked at the worn rent in the knee of his trousers.

“Well that’s your good deed for the day. You’ve rescued two abused horses.” Charlie finished.

“Well I’ve got another good deed, or more correctly; good news.”

Both ‘horses’ looked up expectantly.

“Your surgeon has booked time off. She’s arriving in two months on Sunday the first of November and operating sometime in mid-November.”

Both ‘horses’ reared up on their knees to imitate two stallions pawing the air and the squealing, laughing children clung on for dear life. When they had finished whinnying and neighing, Charlie and Juliet stood up normally with the children now carried ‘piggy-back.’

“Drinks all around I think!” Charlie proposed.

“Bring it on,” Juliet enthused with a gasp that screamed gratitude.

ooo000ooo

As the adults settled on the porch seats the children argued about the ‘horsey handicap scores until Charlotte and her younger brother Michael brought the scorebook to Charlie for arbitration. Michaels’ twin sisters Jessica and Lucy had disagreed with their triplet brother but when Charlie declared that Charlotte and Michael were right, peace was restored.

As the children scarpered off into the bush, Charlie grinned at Juliet.

“When you have kids, you’ll end up being the arbitrator all too often. Teach them maths early and lots of the arguments, like Horsey Handicaps will resolve in numbers. It’s much easier that way. Just look at them now. Five minutes ago they were at each other’s throats.”

The conversation then turned to the forthcoming testicular transplant and it was Cloe’s turn to shine as she explained the procedures and preparations.

On Sunday I have to expand your atrophied scrotum with an artificial testicle so that there’s room for the real one when she operates. Come with me to the clinic at the mine, it’s usually pretty quiet on a Sunday. It’ll be a bit painful for a week or so as your scrotal sac gradually expands but in the long term it means the new testicle will be loose in the bag when it’s transplanted.

Juliet smiled wanly and even Charlie paused.

“You’re gonna be out of it for a while, Matey. No more horsey.”

“How long before I make sperm and stuff; you know, erections.” Juliet asked Chloe

“I don’t know. She says she doesn’t want you to take hormones before the op because she doesn’t want you having erections before or after the op until the testicle transplant is secure. The important thing is expanding your scrotum.”

“Alright you two;” Charlie squirmed. “That’s enough. I won’t be able to get erections if you talk about it anymore.”

Chloe looked slightly askance at her husband.

“I never had you down for squeamish.”

“Well you carry on discussing it; I’ll check the dinner.”

So saying, Charlie disappeared into the kitchen to find Margaret and one of the guard nannies crossing the yard in anticipation of dinner.

“How many eating tonight?” Charlie asked.

“I’ve cooked for twelve,” the guard nanny replied, “but there’s spare.”

Charlie smiled in anticipation as he laid up the table while Margaret and the nanny portioned out the food. Once the tureens were full Charlie called the adults from the porch before releasing a yell into the bush to recover the children. They appeared with one of the guards in tow and Margaret commented.

“There’s always a couple of guards around in the bush while the children or family are home. Once bitten; and all that.”

Charlie nodded his satisfaction as people started trooping into the large dining room and soon the only sound was that of cutlery on china. After the meal, the children were put to bed and the household settled for the evening.

ooo000ooo

For the next couple of days, the children relished having Charlie and Juliet around until the Sunday when Juliet had her surgery. Chloe drove him in to the clinic and by noon the preliminary work was done. A small inflatable sphere was placed under the atrophied scrotum and the stitches were allowed to heal before the ball could be expanded.

The following two months were truly needed and the time was sometimes painful when the sphere was incrementally inflated. However, for Juliet the pain was well worth it and eventually, when November arrived, the surgeon arrived from Thailand. She was satisfied with Chloe’s preparatory work and on the Tuesday, as agreed, the testicular transplant was performed.

Charlie and Juliet shared the first few days together in a recovery ward then Charlie was discharged and ordered to take things easy for a few days. Never one for being idle, Charlie had a few quiet words with Chloe before slipping away to Coach, their mutually secret hideaway cave in the outback. There he built several small antigravity engines that would suit a pair of private ‘space-yachts’ that were to be presents for Chloe and Juliet.

Now that they were rich it was no problem getting the craft built by the techs in Woomera and as Christmas rolled around, Charlie had Lieutenant Engadine Asi, deliver the yachts to Chloe’s house at Hammersley inside the cargo hold of Dawn 2.

A large Christmas celebration had been organised at the house and Charlie’s spacers plus their guests had been invited. Chloe and Juliet were shocked and delighted when the space yachts appeared on their front lot on Christmas morning.

“For me!” Chloe squeaked.

Lieutenant Asi nodded as she produced the title document.

Chloe read hers while Juliet examined his then they both turned towards Charlie who had a stupid grin on his face.

“They’re fully spaceworthy and will easily reach the moons of Jupiter and Saturn,” He explained,” but you Chloe, will apparently have to get your space licence after passing some sort of test.”

“Ha! Who’s going to be my examiner?” She snorted derisively.

“Well it can’t be me because I haven’t got my own licence yet. Apparently it’s being presented to me ceremonially when next we go to Canberra. I suppose the only persons eligible to examine you are Juliet, Engie or Laura. They are the only other people who have been to Mars, the asteroids and Saturn’s moons. Have you collected your licence Engie?” Charlie asked the lieutenant.

She nodded affirmatively and added that Laura was licensed as well.

“I’m bloody glad to hear it!” Charlie observed loudly enough for everybody to be sure that Charlie didn’t think much of the idea of space licences

Chloe however made a point.

“It may seem stupid now, but what happens when everybody wants a spaceship?”

“I’ll be long dead before that comes to be.” Charlie opined. “This bloody license thing is nothing to do with competency, it’s a security check.”

“And is that a bad thing considering you, me and the children are always looking over our shoulders?”

Charlie didn’t have an answer and fell silent. He had already mused privately that Feministas and other oppressive organisations would not be eligible to share his science. All Chloe had done was expose the realities of addressing his own tightly held secret abhorrence of oppression.

‘If a democratic and truly liberated Oz were to keep itself safe and remain technologically advanced ahead of its neighbours; there would have to be some sort of vigilance and security system in place. He hated the idea for it truly flew in the face of his own liberality; but the reality was inescapable.’

“Chloe had already sensed her pyrrhic victory and it gave her no satisfaction. The idea of licensing and restrictions also offended her free spirit, especially as they had so far entered and travelled through space without let or hindrance. The idea of having to be licensed to operate or command a spaceship somehow implied that Space was no longer the boundless entity she had enjoyed to date.

Presently, space was not the danger, it was the criminals and fanatics who might come after that depressed Charlie.

He resolved to make a strong statement about it, as and when he was ceremoniously presented with a space-licence 1 and he knew with utter certainty that it would upset or enrage a lot of people. For once, Charlie felt he had platform to express his feelings and that gave him peace enough to be good company at the Christmas dinner table.

Having settled the issue in his mind he cleared his head.

“It’s Christmas day!’ He scolded himself, ‘I shouldn’t be spoiling the kids fun!”

Then he chuckled softly to himself as he entered the tumult that was the kitchen as everybody assisted Chloe in the preparation.

“What are you smirking about Charlie Sage?” Chloe challenged him.

“Oh nothing to worry about love. Now what do you want me to do field Marshall?”

“Just get out of the way, I’ve got an army enough of helpers thank you. Go and entertain the kids.”

Charlie chuckled to himself and escaped the mayhem in the kitchen hoping to find calm in the drawing room. His hopes were dashed when he saw the utter shambles of wrapping paper and presents under which he presumed there to be children. Eventually he located Juliet struggling to tidy the mess and he joined him on his knees.

“This is a losing battle,” Juliet confessed, “as fast as I fill one waste bag with paper, more keeps coming. Who bought all these presents?”

“The nanny guards and friends. There’s twenty nannies and guards, each bought something so there’s sixty presents before we talk of family.”

“It’s bloody lunacy!” Juliet grinned as he and Charlie finally made headway on the torn wrappings.

“When this is tidy, lets escape to Dawn 2 and share a bloody drink.” Charlie suggested.

“Best idea yet,” Juliet agreed. “Come on, that’s about it. The kids are outside with Margaret and some of the guards. If we sneak behind the two space yachts, nobody’ll see us.”

The tactic worked and the pair eventually gained the sanctuary of Dawn 2 where they found comfortable seats and peace.

As they savoured their brandies and chatted, Charlie noticed Juliet fidgeting.

“Have you got what I think you’ve got?” Charlie asked bluntly.

A huge grin split Juliet’s countenance as he adjusted his jeans.

“Yeah!” He confessed. “Best Christmas present ever! A stiffy!”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 69

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 69

List of Characters.

Chapter 69

“Well, that’s Christmas over,” Charlie chirped as he stood staring out of the bedroom window.
“Why are you so bright and chirpy?” Chloe asked.

“We-ell. Tomorrow’s New Year’s Eve and a new phase of our life begins. Didn’t you say the assassination inquiry in Singapore starts on January thirteenth.”

“That’s nothing to look forward to,” Chloe cautioned, “I can think of at least three organisations that might think it a good opportunity to repeat their endeavour. The problem is, everybody knows where you’ll be for the whole inquiry. You can’t hide.”

“There’s probably more organisations after my blood,” Charlie hazarded, “we’re going to have to come up with a plan.”

“And a hell of a lot of co-operation from the Singapore authorities.” Chloe replied.

“I’m sure we’ll get that. They were truly grateful when we destroyed the Chinese air-force base. The Chinese are still not exactly sure as to how it was done. Nor who did it, but they’re pretty sure it’s connected to some sort of very sophisticated craft.”

“That’ll make them more determined than ever to find out if you’re connected. Their communist party is encumbered of a dysfunctional degree of hubris ever since the disjointed, American, feminista republics made such a poor showing over Taiwan. I suspect they’ll turn up in Singapore loaded for bear.”

“Yes, but I don’t think they’ll throw their weight around in Singapore,” Charlie surmised, “although they eventually occupied Taiwan, it took them months to secure the Island and it cost them nearly a million soldiers. What’s more, almost the entire population escaped from the island.

The People’s Liberation Army made a very poor showing and they’ve got to be afraid of what happened on Riau.”

“Well tomorrow, I’m going to Canberra to get the conditions of my attendance hammered out with the Singapore Authorities. I want a safe, protected witness box.”

“And then?” Chloe pressed.

“Then, I go back to the cave at Coach and make another four antigrav engines, - or six if I’ve got the time.”

“What for?” Chloe wondered.

“I think the Singaporeans might be more amenable to supporting Oz if we offered them a couple of space fighters, albeit with strings attached.”

“Strings?”

“Yeah; you know. They can rent them from us and use them in their own defence forces but if the craft ever get abused, captured or stolen, or used for unjust causes, we reserve the right to remotely disable them.

That sort of support should also persuade the Singaporeans to fully come on board with Oz viz-a-viz the human equality act.”

“I think you’re being too much of an idealist darling,” Chloe smiled.

“I can’t be sure love,” Charlie confessed, “Singapore is sort of half-way between feminista and patriarchy. Their politics is like their geopolitical trading position, betwixt and between. I don’t think it would take much to tip them back to democratic liberalism.”

“And if they don’t; as you say, tip our way what then?”

“Hence the strings, if they end up feminista we remotely disable their spacecraft” Charlie finished. “Now; are we going to the beach or not? The kids have been pestering me all morning.”

Chloe was glad to seize the distraction and soon the family and friends were enjoying New Year on the beach.

ooo000ooo

Katie the defence minister almost ran to the large Parliamentary landing pad as Dawn 1 settled silently at the very edge.

“So glad to see you Charlie, the PM’s waiting for you.”

“Has she got the list of conditions finalised? I saw the draft last night.”

“Yes, it’s pretty much as the one we sent you.”

“Oh good then, it’s pretty much a formality then.” Charlie concluded.

“She’s got some problems at the moment; the Chinese are trying to use their muscle to influence and even intimidate the Singapore government and court. The base at Riau is already fully operational again. Or at least the runway is and there’s twice the number of planes stationed there.”

“Is the court date still the thirteenth?”

“Yes, why?”

“I’ll tell you when I speak to the PM. For now I’ll check the list of conditions to protect my person when I give evidence. See you in an hour.”

“You’re not supposed to keep the PM waiting.”

“Sorry about that, I need to speak to my team after I’ve read the conditions. I’ll see the PM about eleven. Give her my sincerest apologies.”

“What’s the problem?” Katie pressed.

“Riau is the problem. If the Chinese are re-equipping the base, we need to move quickly.”

“Don’t you go doing anything to cause problems. We’re dealing with it.”

“The problem already exists, Riau!”

“You can’t just attack the base, it’s on Indonesian territory.”

“Did the Indonesians complain last time?” Charlie retorted.

“Well, no; but you can’t just attack a sovereign state’s territory.”

“Why not? Chinese manufactured jets invaded Oz when I took them down with Dawn 1.”

“They weren’t Chinese though; the planes were unidentified.”

“So will mine be – ‘unidentified’.” Charlie retorted darkly as he re-entered Dawn 1.

In the cockpit, using Dawn’s encrypted communications, he advised Juliet to prepare for trouble.

“What sort of trouble?” Juliet asked.

“Big trouble, war trouble; the whole bang-shoot. Wipe out the Markings on Dawn 2 and the two space fighters that Engie and Laura are flying. Dawn 1 has never carried markings.”

“What’s going on?” Juliet demanded.

“I’ll tell you when I get back, let’s just say the trouble we anticipated with China looks as though it’s already starting. I’ve got to speak with the PM now, so I’ll catch you back this afternoon. Meet me back in Woomera about fourish. I’ve got some work to do to modify Dawn 1.”

Juliet shrugged and turned to Engie and Laura.

“Did you hear that.”

“Part of it,” Laura replied, “has the balloon already gone up?”

“Not quite, but something’s got to be nipped in the bud. We meet Charlie back in Woomera this afternoon at four.”

“Time for a cup of tea then,” Engie joked.

“No,” Juliet informed them, “you’ve got to make your ships anonymous. This operation is not an Ozzie deal. Charlie’s taking his own actions to retaliate for the attempted assassination.”

“But that hasn’t been legally established yet,” Engie protested, “we could be charged as criminals if we don’t declare war officially.”

“Bloody hell Engie!” Juliet almost growled, “did that stop you when you made your previous incursion into Queensland?”

“Well I -.” Engie stuttered as she realised she had no reply.”

“Exactly!” Juliet declared. “What’s good enough for China is good enough for Oz! We’ve got two excellent reasons to be belligerent; your earlier incursion into Queensland and the assassination attempt on Charlie. Somewhere, sometime; the line has to be drawn. Now let’s get the markings off our spacecraft.”

ooo000ooo

The three spacers worked like trojans to remove the heat resistant identification marks baked onto their craft and it was a very sweaty, dirty trio that eventually sat back to admire their handiwork.

“Are we just going to leave the metal shiny and bare?” Engie wondered.

“No,” Juliet affirmed, “now we paint them but that’s the easy part.”

“Black I suppose.” Laura remarked.

“Yes; matt black, that’s what Charlie said. ‘Black as sin’ were his exact words.”

“I never had Charlie down as religious,” Engie chuckled, “though I can’t see us getting these painted by three if he want’s us in Woomera at four.”

“It’s all been sorted, look.”

Engie and Laura turned to see a mining company van arrive and promptly unload some paint-spraying equipment along with some large twenty litre cans of black paint. Juliet thanked the deliverymen, paid them and then turned to Engie and Laura.

“Have a smoko then cover everything but the cockpit window with paint. Each craft has to be matt black with no reflective surfaces. Then lower the armoured visor over the cockpit window and paint that.”

“This is funny paint,” Laura observed as she remover the lid.

“Yeah, it’s very tacky and all importantly, radar absorbent. Don’t ask!” Juliet warned.

The girls shrugged and were soon spraying their fighter craft plus Dawn 2

“Easier than painting,” Laura grinned as they completed the job and scrubbed up in Dawn 2’s bathroom.

By four o’clock that afternoon, They rendezvoused in Woomera. There Charlie described the plan.

“Right everybody here’s the situation. The Chinese have upped the ante by repairing the hard standings at Riau. The Indonesians had not realised that they had surreptitiously extended the aprons overnight with quick setting concrete! Then they used artificial lawn to disguise their handiwork.
The whole operation was a fait-accompli by the time the Indonesians discovered the subterfuge.

Ordinary satellites did not discover the trick until an infra-red satellite made a pass and the temperature difference revealed the concrete under the artificial grass. The Indonesians sent inspectors then made a protest
But of course the Chinese invited their hosts to try and ‘do something about it.’

The Indonesians are in much the same position as the Singaporeans, Malayans and Thais. United they can resist to some extent but alone they are too weak to resist. China is slicing up the resistance Salami style, just as they stole territories during the twenty-twenties and thirties.

That’s the situation in ‘the shell of a nut’” Charlie finished.

“So somebody has to give them a bloody nose.” Juliet observed.

“More than a bloody nose this time. It’s got to be a knock-out punch.”

“But they’ve still got a treaty to have a base on Riau. How do we get around that?” Engie asked.

“Fortunately, the treaty conditions are quite clearly written and cannot be disputed! Legally China is clearly in the wrong by expanding the base and the Indonesians have got a legal right to evict them.
The trouble is, Indonesia does not have the muscle. The Chinese have also moored a fleet just outside territorial waters but well within striking range. They are in an irresistible position by the mores of their conventional weaponry.”

“And of course, they haven’t yet made an aggressive act; legally and technically that is?” Laura observed.

“Well the apron expansions are in breach of treaty but they have not yet actually fired any shots.” Charlie explained. “They’ve also upgraded the defences but so far, the radar mast has not been repaired, or at least it’s not transmitting yet. Now is the best chance we’ve got to keep the base blind, - tonight!”
“And there’s no moon,” Charlie continued. “Hence the black paint.”

“What about their satellite? The geostationary one that they’ve just located over the South China sea. That telescope is huge, they can spot a person reading a paper from twenty-four thousand miles out.”

“Yeess, Charlie agreed slowly, “but it’s extremely vulnerable and let’s not forget, we now have control of space if we choose to. We can disable it very, very easily.”

“How would you do it?” Juliet asked, “without leaving footprints in the butter.”

“Simple,” Charlie explained. Either Dawn 1 or Dawn 2 pays a visit to the telescope and point a sandblaster at the lens. The lens gets abraded by ‘meteorite particles’ and their telescope is blinded, - totally.”

“Have we got some ‘meteorite particles’?” Engie wondered with a twisted grin.

“Behave girl!” Charlie grinned back. “I believe there’s some meteorite detritus lying around in the cargo bay of Dawn 2. Can you confirm Juliet?”

“I haven’t cleaned the holds recently boss, I believe I saw some muck in the first bay.”

“Tsk, Tsk, Commander, bad house-keeping indeed.” Charlie chuckled.

“Has anybody got a sand-blaster?” Laura wondered disingenuously.

“Well it just so happens, I was using one to wipe the markings off Dawn 2, Juliet smirked. I can get away with using one on her solid armoured hull. Your space fighters have more delicate skins.”

“Very well then; Juliet are you up for paying their spy satellite a visit.?”

“Suits me boss, I can throw out the detritus from my cargo holds.”

“Better if you blast it clear of your ship, perhaps with that sand-blaster.”

“Yes boss. I’ll just put my space-suit on and point the blaster out through the cargo inspection port from the cargo bay.”

“Be careful where you point the blaster.”

“Of course boss.”

After exchanging malicious smirks Charlie bid Juliet ‘bon-voyage’ then turned to attend to Dawn 1 and the two space fighters.

“Are your ships armed yet?”

“Uuhm, yes boss,” the girls confirmed.

“They carry a shed-load more than conventional jets,” Engie observed.

“You can thank gravity for that.” Charlie riposted flippantly. “And if they really want to play hard-ball, Dawn 1 can carry over thirty tons of assorted ammunition. The launching racks are located in her cargo hold and they are launched out through the rear clamshell doors.”

“When did you get that done!” Laura squawked.

“This morning at the air force base in Canberra. “While I was meeting the PM and Katie.”

“So you just fly over them then shit all over them.”

“Something like that but only as a last resort. I anticipate that you two will do the main damage with your missiles hitting their aircraft. I can use bombs to destroy the airstrip or even bigger missiles to hit a ship or two if they get really belligerent.”

“Thirty tons of ammo!” Engie sighed. “What I could do with that!”

“You might yet.” Charlie replied.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 70

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 70

List of Characters.

Chapter 70.

As the sun was setting over Woomera, Dawn 1 and the two space-fighters entered space then streaked silently north to loiter several hundred kilometres over Singapore. There in the blackness of space, they waited until a cryptic, coded message came over Dawn 1’s radio.
Charlie smiled as he heard the word ‘Sandy’ crackle softly from the radio as the computer de-crypted the single word. The giant Chinese satellite was blinded, for the lens had become permanently ‘smoked’ and abraded by meteoric sand, dust and rock granules.

Dawn 2’s sand-blaster attack had worked to perfection.

After successfully completing her task, Dawn 2 continued to the Moon to discharge a load of prefabricated building parts before returning to Earth. This voyage was to serve as a cover for her first task and she maintained complete radio silence after that first single encrypted word ‘Sandy.’

Elsewhere in the moonless skies of South Asia, a second devastating attack was being prepared by descending from space to hide from radar in the top of a tropical thunderhead at about twenty thousand metres altitude. Then without warning, Engie and Laura erupted from the cloud and commenced shooting up the aircraft parked on the aprons of the Riau airbase. The aircraft were defenceless because the radar station was still not repaired and the armoured hangars were not yet rebuilt.

The final insult was the total destruction of the thousands of hectares of concrete hardstanding and runways by a devastating bomb attack.

The attack was so sudden and overwhelming that all forms of communication were disabled except for private mobile phones in the pockets of the survivors. The Chinese government in Beijing knew nothing of the attack until daybreak when private phone calls filtered through to the families of the survivors, who then bombarded the authorities for news of their relatives.

Unlike the first attack, where there had been no casualties, this second assault had included the deaths of hundreds of base staff and the message was now loud and clear.

‘DO NOT MESS WITH US’!

For the first time in several decades, an ambitious and aggressive Chinese communist party found itself confronted by an unknown, but equally aggressive and more advanced but anonymous foe.

In Beijing, the smell of fear started to seep through the corridors.

After their attack, the three spacers separated. Charlie slipped back to his private workshop hidden in his hideout called Coach. There he started making more antigrav engines while Engie and Laura flew to Lunar base Alpha and started assembling section three from the prefabricated parts left there by Dawn 2.

Back at the Woomera research base and building yard, Juliet continued with the training of pilots to convert to the new antigravity space-fighters.

When the date of the inquiry came around Charlie had delivered only four engines to Woomera so that meant only two space-fighters were available to be leased the Singaporean air-force. These, however, were more than enough for Oz to demonstrate support for the Singaporeans in the face of a very angry but noticeably subdued Chinese delegation.

Gone was the arrogant and hectoring attitude, for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) had yet to discover the identity of the attackers who had wiped out Riau.
ooo000ooo

The government inquiry in Singapore, commenced on schedule on January 13th and Charlie and Chloe where, of course the key witnesses. His evidence and Chloe’s, coupled with the security staff who had fought back was deemed proof enough that China had been the instigators of the attempt. The guards had captured the armed waiter who had tried to force the couple into the sniper’s killing zone but they had failed to capture the sniper.

Fortunately, the sniper had been forced to abandon his rifle at the bottom of the tree and forensics had confirmed it as the gun that fired the bullets into the injured guards.
The gun was also traced to a batch of Chinese rifles destined to be air-freighted via Singapore to a Muslim country in the Persian Gulf that was notorious for supplying weapons to terrorists.

This information had seriously embarrassed the Singapore government for it was prima-facia evidence that a lot of shady, illegal deals were transacted through Singapore’s trading houses.

To that date Oz had not been troubled with terrorism. The indigenous aboriginal peoples of Australia had won substantive compensation and land returns that enabled a peaceful settlement across the negotiating tables and without recourse to violence. Singapore’s position as a crossroads of illegal trading had not seriously impacted Australia except for drugs trafficking.

Drugs however were endemic to the whole planet for they were used by the feminista as part of the control mechanism to subdue the men trapped in the ‘rookeries.’

Singapore was by no means the worst supplier of drugs to Oz.

However since the political changes in Oz, the Australian government was now moving to crack down again on drugs trafficking in their endeavours to try and recover the male population from an almost universal dependency of various drugs. The road to recovery was going to be a hard one.

Fortunately, there were now many more sophisticated therapies and medicines to alleviate the addictions. The most successful treatment being a deep, long-term abdominal implant that caused extreme reaction to narcotics and left the drug user feeling violently sick for days while suffering from extensive, excruciating joint and muscle pains for the same prolonged period. Fortunately, the same treatment also alleviated the periodic cravings.

ooo000ooo

After the assassination hearings, the Singaporean government felt empowered enough to go ahead with the trial and on the first morning of the trial, Charlie and Chloe were escorted to their separated bullet-proof booths erected next to the normal witness box.

Naturally, the trial caused a huge international interest not least because the rest of the world wanted to see the reputed inventor of the antigravity engine. The secretive individual who tended to shun publicity and avoided all media platforms like the plague. Charlie had never given a televised public interview. Even though politicians and company executives had met him in private meetings.

Suffice to say that the public gallery and press gallery in the courtroom were virtual ‘no-go’ areas to all but the luckiest few. Public television cameras were banned; there had been too many instances of high-profile cases being crashed by cameras being used to disguise guns aimed at witnesses. The only single camera being used to record the trial was a carefully guarded one placed to the side of the judges and focused only on the accused waiter and the witnesses.

The trial was quick. The evidence against the waiter was overwhelming and eventually he crumpled under cross examination. Chinese interests were also implicated by the rifle the sniper had abandoned and the waiter’s eventual confession. He and his family were promptly moved to a witness protection scheme.

The conviction of the ‘waiter’ via his exposed connections to the CCP government was then used as evidence enough for Singapore to curtail much of the illicit trading that enabled the CCP to hide so much of it’s trafficking with terrorist groups in Asia and Africa.

The CCP and particularly its politburo membership, was beginning to feel the pain, for much of this traffic provided secret and illicit revenue to fill the pockets of corrupt CCP politicians.

Naturally, the CCP was pulling out all the stops to discover who attacked Riau, but because only a very few people knew for certain the exact who, how. and when concerning the attack, nobody could offer the Chinese any certainty. The most satisfactory outcome of the attack was that Indonesia became emboldened enough to cancel the treaty legally.
China had been proven to have exceeded the stipulated forces on the island and was thus forced to abandon Riau and pull back to it’s artificial bases in the south China sea.

All the countries encircling the South China Sea had cause to find relief in the outcome of the attack and most extended tentative feelers to Australia. For despite the lack of hard evidence, most countries were convinced that either Australia, or Singapore, or both countries were somehow involved.

Two months after the assassination trial was wrapped up, four unusual craft were delivered to the Singapore air-force. Like many Asian people, the Singaporeans like to give their own names and identities to their possessions and they called the new acquisitions ‘Black-craft.’

A name that the Australians were rather enamoured of and who consequently followed suit.

“When communicating during joint exercises, the eavesdropping Chinese were bemused to hear messages such as ;-

“Blacraft 6’ this is Blacraft 1’ I’m angels two hundred kay.’

A vernacular hung over from their old jet-pilot days, to mean a Singaporean spacefighter was hailing an Australian spacefighter and advising her that she was two hundred kilometres above her.

The numbering served to perhaps illustrate that the Singaporean aircraft was an earlier marque and that Singapore must have somehow been the inventors of these undetectable aircraft. This left the Chinese even more confused.

Even after months of searching the tiny island, their spies had never located any factory capable of manufacturing such creations.

During those months, Charlie had been busy. After supplying forty-eight antigrav engines sufficient for a couple of squadrons of spacefighters, Charlie had next contracted to supply engines for several high-altitude Australian detection stations that could fix their position at any altitude and any location indefinitely, above and beyond Australia.

After having shared the benefits of Charlie’s science with the Singaporeans, Australia was also in a position to offer a similar sophisticated monitoring station to Singapore.

Using antigravity engines, the station could be legitimately located directly above Singapore at any distance from the Earth that the Singaporeans wished, then used to detect any undeclared attack coming from any direction.

The attacks were not to be long in coming for the CCP spies on the ground in Singapore had not been idle. After diligently searching, they had determining that the four ‘Black-craft’ were definitely Singaporean; so the CCP decided they would have to launch a hypersonic missile attack by ‘swarming’ the air-force base with dozens of missiles.

Any civilian targets damaged by inaccurate missiles, were to be counted as ‘collateral damage.’

In line with well-defined strategy, the hypersonic missiles were to be subsequently launched into a ‘sub-space’ high altitude orbit around the earth and then attack the Singapore airbase from any direction at hypersonic speeds.

The strategy would have been supremely successful had but the CCP not been faced with spacecraft that were more than capable of catching a hypersonic missile lumbering along at five thousand knots. Furthermore, the Australian detection stations were now well established in a huge radius girdle covering most of the east Indian Ocean, southeast Asia, the southwest Pacific and of course Antarctica. The final addition of a station directly above Singapore also brought extra protection from attack while providing eyes deep into China.

“Belt and braces,” as Katie explained to the Singaporean prime minister when they met to jointly activate the Singaporean shield.

“Well I must admit Miss Bergson, we in Singapore certainly have a lot to thank you for. We can feel safe again after decades of intimidation.”

“Oh call me Katie, Prime Minister, everybody in Oz does including our best weapon Charlie Sage.”

“Yes indeed, we have a lot to thank him for as well.”

“You don’t need to tell us in Australia.”

“Is he still building those gravity engines?”

“Only as and when he deems it necessary. He’s not really happy to see antigravity weaponised but reality dictates.”

“Is it true he can reach the outer planets with those craft.”

“Yes.”

“Even with those little space fighters? I mean they are just one seater things.”

“Well the spacefighters have the range to reach Pluto because they get their gravity energy from the sun; but the human occupants need to eat, sleep, breathe and defaceate. I wouldn’t like to have to sit in the same cockpit seat for a month,” Katie grinned vicariously, “but technically the spacefighter can make Pluto and back.”

“That’s frightening. So Dawn 1, the ‘flying pastie’ as our people call it; that can reach Pluto?”

“Easily. It’s even got a cabin and a bed.”

“I’ve heard talk of quarrying the solar system. Is that true.”

“Yes. That’s Charlie’s main ambition now. His political aims are pretty much completed on Oz. People have equal rights. Men will obviously take time to play ‘catch-up’ but a generation or two should do it.”

“Is that why he was quite happy to help us Singaporeans face down China?”

“Yes. He noticed that you in Singapore have always been fairly liberal and equal;- you know, universal franchise and all that.

Then, when the CCP tried to assassinate him, that was the last straw.”

“Well, when you next see him, give him my sincere thanks and the thanks of everybody in Singapore.”

“He knows that already and takes it as a given.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 71

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 71

List of Characters.

Chapter 71

It was the detector station located above Singapore that first detected the massed hypersonic missile attack originating out of China.

On being alerted, the ever-watchful Singapore Blacraft squadron of four spacecraft launched within minutes and moved to block missiles that were obviously aimed directly for Singapore. The alert was instantaneously relayed to all the Australian squadrons and within minutes all twenty-four Blacraft space fighters were space-bound.

The massed attack had comprised seventy missiles in all but only twenty were destined directly to hit the Singapore air-force base. The remaining fifty were despatched into numerous sub-space orbits that enabled the missiles to reach their maximum speed without overheating in the rarefied air whilst yet being able to manoeuvre and change direction.

Using conventional anti-missile missiles these ‘controllable’ missiles were almost impossible to shoot down as they streaked through high-altitude, subspace. Especially as they could receive in-flight instructions from strategically placed warships scattered worldwide. China now had a genuine blue-water navy and amongst those seemingly innocuous ships there were telecommunication vessels that could connect with the hypersonic missiles passing overhead.

Whilst still in low orbit and ‘over-the-horizon,’ the missiles could alter course anywhere in their sub-orbital flightpaths and thus attack Singapore from virtually any direction at very short notice.

As the attack was being mounted Juliet was returning from the moon in Dawn 2 when a hypersonic missile passed beneath her. It had been programmed to pass over the north pole then circumnavigate the earth to pass over the south pole and approach Singapore from the south. To do this meant the missile would have to pass over Australia while flying north towards Sumatra.

At that moment, the whole Australian Blacraft force was furiously busy chasing down other missiles as they approached Singapore from the south, East and West, The Singaporean Blacraft were similarly busy destroying the first early missiles arriving directly from China.

This particular missile having gone ‘the-long-way-around’ via the north and south poles, was much later arriving to strike but circumstances had meant that the Ozzie Blacraft were indisposed to reach the ‘Jonny-cum-lately.’
Juliet suddenly received an unexpected request from Woomera.

“Dawn 2, Dawn 2, this is Woomera, come in.”

Normally, Dawn 1 and 2 would normally arrive at Woomera in complete radio silence to keep their activities secret so a plain-speech message meant some sort of emergency. Juliet cautiously answered the encrypted sub-message.

“Go ahead Woomera?”

“Dawn 2, this is Woomera; Singapore is under a massed missile attack and one missile is currently passing over Antarctica. What is your position?”

“Seventy-five south and a hundred and fifty-five east; travelling north, why?”

“Can you intercept a hypersonic missile?”

“Give me its position, course and speed.”

Woomera promptly gave the dead reckoning for the missile and Juliet checked his figures.

“Yes. I can easily intercept it but I daren’t ram it. This is not Dawn 1. I’m not armour plated.?”

“What about your hydraulic construction arm?”

“If you think I’m gonna’ try and grab an armed missile packed with explosives, then think again. Anyway, what would I do with it once I’ve got it? I can’t land it on earth, it would probably detonate or something.”

“Can you give it a nudge and point it off into space proper. It will have no control then, no air to affect its ailerons.”

“I suppose I could try. Is there any update on its position?”

“When if comes within range of our southern detector station we’ll call you. For now continue your intercept course.”

Juliet shrugged and sucked his bottom lip thoughtfully as he alternately searched his port side and checked his ARPAR collision radar.

Almost simultaneously Woomera advised him of the missile’s exact location just as Juliet picked it up with his own radar. Quickly, he readjusted his approach to place the missile on his starboard side where the construction arm was located. In under a minute, Juliet had the missile where he wanted it, five metres off his starboard side and in easy reach of his construction arm.

Satisfied with his positioning and matched speeds, Juliet turned to the construction arm control and cautiously extended the pincer jaws. At first he intended to do only what Woomera had requested but then he decided to try and gather the evidence. Cautiously he manipulated the pincer to pinch the dorsal aileron then slowly turn the missile around to face the moon.

At five thousand knots he could easily place the missile in a low orbit around the moon once its fuel was exhausted. There it could remain until an Ozzie bomb expert could defuse it. After a quick calculation he obtained a solution and returned whence he’d come back to the moon.

ooo000ooo

“Don’t you fucking dare bring a loaded bloody missile near Moonbase Alpha!” Charlie nearly choked with alarm. Put it in a fucking equatorial, lunar orbit as high as possible!”

“I had no intentions to bring it to the base,” Juliet protested.

“Thank fuck for that. What’s going on anyway?”

“Well if you guys came out of that crater occasionally you’d know that China has attacked Singapore.”

Charlie, Engie and Laura stared dumbfounded at each other before a collective curse erupted.

“Shit!

“Do they need us?” Engie asked.

“I don’t know, the last I heard was that the attack had been repulsed but some missiles landed. Don’t know where, or how much damage has occurred.”

“You’d better put that missile in a northern polar crater, where the sun can’t set it off. Best not to leave it in orbit, there’s no knowing when we’ll next be back. Then join us back to Earth.” Charlie ordered.

Juliet had no hesitation obeying Charlie’s instruction for it absolved him of responsibility. He proceeded directly to the moon’s north pole, found a very small but deep crater and carefully placed the fuel-exhausted missile on the ground. Two hours later, he re-joined the other three as they were finishing up at the base. Three hours later, they were arriving at Woomera amidst pandemonium.

“Well thank god you’re back!” The base commander sighed with relief.

“Why? Their attack was pretty well stymied wasn’t it.” Charlie wondered.

“We could have done with your help.”

“But you managed it without my help. That proves you’re up to scratch.”

“There’s one missile unaccounted for. That’s the one we asked your first officer to destroy.”

“He’s not my first officer, he’s captain in his own right, the commander of Dawn 2.”

“Sorry Captain. We never found out what happened to the missile he went after.”

“It’s safely stored on the moon. Evidence that the attackers were the CCP.”

“You definitely saw it.”

“Yes. Juliet brought it to Moonbase Alpha and we asked him to put it somewhere safe and far away, so he took it to the north Lunar pole where it is not affected by the sun.”

“Or visible from Earth.”

“Exactly,” Charlie confirmed, “and when we next go a’ moon, we’ll take a bomb disposal expert with us, then bring it back as proof that China launched the attack. Have they admitted it by the way?”

“They are still denying it but everybody believes it was them, trouble is all the other missiles got destroyed; shot down or flipped over and crashed.”

“Well mine is safe and sound on the moon unless it has self-detonated,” Juliet interjected. “Have you got anybody with knowledge enough to disable it.”

“We don’t know, we’ve never had access to one. They were top secret.”

“Well they ain’t secret now. Mine is intact except where I pinched its dorsal aileron and punctured it’s skin. The skin looked like some sort of ceramic compound to resist heat, though I never took the missile atmospheric, not with a great big rip in the dorsal aileron. It should still be there when we next take a load up. Have a couple of your bomb disposal guys ready go a’ moon. They should like that.”

“Not with bloody great space suit gloves on. Bomb disposal is delicate work. The only practical solution is to sling it under the belly of a spaceship and bring it to earth then land it gently before we can look at it.”

Charlie released a derisive snort.

“If that thing is to be carried to earth, it’ll have to be hanging off a bloody long wire! I’ve just been looking at the crater one of those bloody missiles makes. The one that reached Singapore blew out half a bloody city block!”

“Can Dawn one do it?”

“D’ you mean ‘can Charlie Sage do it?”

“We can’t afford to risk you; - anti-gravity and all that.”

“No matter who brings it back, you’re gonna’ need two miles of wire and an armoured under-belly for the spaceship. Plus there might be a problem with static affecting the missile trigger mechanism. There might just be a crude barometric air-pressure switch and the thing could detonate above ground. The blast could smash a spaceship out of the sky. You’ll need a much bigger ship with an armour-plated hull; or at least, an armour-plated under-belly.”

“We might be onto that. We are already building a small ore-carrier. It’s not massive, only about thirty thousand tons tare weight. We could modify the bottom to receive a suitable winch and cable. You could lower the missile with five miles of wire if there’s no wind.”

Charlie did a quick calculation then nodded thoughtfully.

“You’d need about sixty of the engines that power the space-fighters. That would take about six months unless I can employ a safe, loyal partner to help me build the engines. Somebody who’s not likely to reveal the secrets.”

“And you’ll not be prepared to do that I presume,” the base commander opined.

“I dunno,’ I knew one day it would have to happen, just not as soon as this. There’s too many enemies keen to exploit the science. If the world were a more peaceful place; -“

“And a happier one,” Juliet added.

“Yeah, that as well.” Charlie sighed. “This is a bummer; it’s all happening too soon!”

“Well six months is not too long to wait, unless the CCP gets belligerent again.” The base commander concluded. “It’s best that you sleep on it Captain Sage, I’ve got other matters to attend to.”

“With these words, he left Charlie and his fellow spacers staring at each other across the table. It was Lieutenant Engadine who broke the silence.

“Thirty thousand tons! That’s a bloody battleship.”

“Not really,” Juliet responded, ”for an ore-carrier it’s tiny.”

“Well, we’d best go and look at what they’re building, Laura suggested.”

ooo000ooo

“It doesn’t look anything like the ships at Port Hedland.” Laura observed.

“Why should it?” Juliet asked. It’s not going to be floating in rough seas so there are virtually no dynamical forces like pitching and rolling. It won’t even need waterproof hatches, there’s no seawater in space and nowhere to sink.”

“It’s just a large box!” Laura lamented, “no style or finesse at all. It’s as crudely built as Dawn 1!”

“OY!!” Charlie almost screeched. “Don’t you be knocking her; she’s never let us down yet! And she’s taken a few knocks! I love her, warts and all.”

Laura chuckled as they walked amongst the prefabricated sections on the slip.

“I never had you down for a romantic Charlie.”

“You just wait until your space-fighter saves your life one day, then see!”

For several minute all three spacemen teased Charlie about his giant Cornish Pastie as they mooched about between the sections until a yell warned them to watch out for the giant crane. Eventually a somewhat irate supervisor approached them until she recognised the spacers.

“Oh it’s you four. You’ll have to step aside for the moment, we’re going to position the first prefabricated section and it’s critical.”

“Where d’ you want us to stand?” Juliet asked for she was the most frequent visitor to the building yards.

“Stand by me, we’ll be inching this section onto the corner marks, it’s critical to a millimetre.”

They stood back behind the supervisor who was talking to the driver of the goliath crane as the huge rectangular centrepiece edged forward. Eventually it settled into position and the supervisor nodded with satisfaction as she turned to the four.

“He’s a new crane-driver, not bad for a man.” She smirked provocatively.

“Watch-it.” Charlie grinned as he realised she was just on a wind-up.

“Come on guys, lets get a coffee. Nothing we can do here, - yet.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 72

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 72

List of Characters.

Chapter 72

After examining the proposed new interplanetary ore-carrier the four spacers discussed their next moves.

Charlie explained that he would need at least ten tons of the rare palladium family metals from the quarry they had located (and claimed) near Ceres in the asteroid belt. Juliet, Laura and Engie agreed to return to their claim and recover the quantities that Charlie had listed.

“Do we take both ships boss? That is Dawn I and Dawn 2.”

“You might as well,” Charlie agreed, I can use a modified space fighter to get about and carry my stuff to and from Woomera or Canberra. Otherwise, I’ll be getting on with building and delivering engines.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay on your own?” They all asked him. “We’re guessing that every bloody Feminista regime plus all the Patriarchies will be baying for your blood. Especially since they learned about your antigrav engines and you?”

“So far my workshop remains a secret, they don’t even know what continent it’s on.”

On this basis the four separated and Charlie was not much seen except when he emerged from his secret workshop with more engines.

Eventually the ore-carrier was built and it pretty-much resembled a ‘Great-laker’ insofar as it was a long and narrow box with no hatch-lids. There being no need for streamlining in the vacuum of space, the only incongruency was the lifting apparatus at the mid-line.

Once again, Charlie perpetuated his invisibility by inviting Juliet to take command of the flying leviathan while he, Charlie, did not even attend the launch. The first time Charlie actually went aboard ‘Dawn 3’ was after it had delivered the captured CCP Hypersonic missile from the moon to Woomera.
Juliet and Laura were supervising the first large loading of rare-earth palladium ore when Charlie eventually showed up at the Ceres quarry.

“Well hello stranger!” Juliet grinned after Charlie had docked Dawn 1 in the capacious docking bay built into Dawn 3 to receive smaller visiting craft. “Long time, no see Boss. Watch’a been doing?”
“Oh, busy, busy, busy Julie. You know how it is. You look pretty busy yourself. How many of those little rock tractors have you got?”

“Twelve; each with its own operative.”

“Yeah, I see you’ve excavated a bloody great void in the belt. When will you be loaded?”

“About another two days”

“I see Engie there supervising the loading; where’s Laura?”

“She’s taken Dawn 2 and gone checking further around the asteroid belt for any other promising deposits. She’s taken Angie with her.”

“Oh; so another one joins the team.”

“Almost inevitable really, Angie and Engie are an item and they were both jet fighter pilot buddies as you well know. It was a no brainer to train her up, besides, she’s paid her dues during the CCP attack, she apparently shot down six hypersonic missiles. Something of an ‘ace’ according to the Oz air force.”

Charlie nodded then Juliet continued.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course, no secrets between us, - except the antigrav.”

“Nah. It’s nothing to do with that. It’s a bit more personal.”

Charlie smiled knowingly before replying.

“Let me guess. Is it one of the girls?”

Juliet’s face clouded slightly.
“It’s a bit more complicated than that.”

“Oh no. Don’t tell me; is it Engie and Angie? They’re pretty girls.”

“How did you guess?”

“I’m not blind Julie.”

“It wasn’t me, honestly. They approached me.”

“Oh, what prompted them?”

“They overheard me chatting to Laura. We were discussing your family views and my recent positive sperm test.”

“Oh well, I suppose I’ve got no right to object. By now I expect half of Oz are talking about me.”

“Laura reckoned you are a bit ‘old fashioned’ and we were just chatting about it when those two overheard us.”

“Yeah, it’s hard to stop the scuttlebutt on any ship, go on.”

“Well truth to tell, Laura is interested but not ready to start a family yet and we were just chatting.”

“Just chatting?” Charlie smiled knowingly. “Un-married girls never ‘just chat’ about babies and stuff with unmarried men Julie. She was sounding you out and those two eavesdroppers knew it.”

Juliet pulled a wry face as he nodded agreement.

“So those two decided to put their offer in first.” Charlie finished with a chuckle.

“Yeah. It’s put me in a bit of a jam. I don’t want to betray your beliefs; you know family and stuff; fatherhood. I know you’re pretty stuck on that.”

“It’s not for me to dictate what you do about your children, that’s up to the law.”

“But that’s just it, biologically, they’d be your children still. I don’t want to offend you, especially after the good turn you’ve done me.”

“They’ll be your kids Julie, your name on the birth certificates, you’ll be their father. If you promise to be there for them, as a dad, always around. Even if you live across the street or around the block, provided they know they’ve got a caring, loving dad close to hand, he doesn’t necessarily have to be sharing their mothers’ bed.”

“Well;- that’s just it.” Juliet faltered.

Charlie’s eyes widened with amusement as he grasped the nuance.

“You’re kidding me! A menage et triose! Are you serious?”

“They offered it Charlie; I didn’t ask.”

“What! The whole bang-shoot, sharing their bed and all? Till death us do part and stuff?”

“Ye-ess!”

Charlie let go a howl of laughter as he considered the irony.

“That’s hilarious!” He choked. “Feminista to polygamy in one stroke. You’d better not let the reactionaries learn about it. Perhaps if you got married on Mars!
Have you mentioned this to Laura, considering she might be monogamously interested in you?”

“Don’t!” Juliet protested. “I’m in enough shit.”

“Well I can’t help you, except to say that you choose your own bed so you have to lie on it. Oops; that’s perhaps the wrong choice of words in your case!
Listen Julie, all I ask is that you are always there for your children. As to the law and multiple marriages, well;- good luck with that.”

“There might be one loophole.” Juliet pressed.

“What are you trying to suck me into?” Charlie paused.

“Can a captain of a ship marry people?”

“In some countries, yes. In others he just acts as a registrar on the ship and some person who is licensed to perform marriages does the actual nuptials. It depends on which country the ship is registered to.”

“So if you were the captain of a ship registered on Mars and Martian law allowed polygamy, -“

“And polyandry!” Charlie interjected. “Let’s be fair if we’re talking about a new country, - and planet!”

“No matter,” Juliet continued, “if we were the first settlers on Mars and Mars allowed dual nationality, we could technically get married.”

“Who’d write the laws?” Charlie asked while already knowing Juliet’s answer.”

“The first settlers.”

“I knew that was coming.” Charlie smirked.

“Call it enlightened self-interest.” Juliet suggested.”

“You’ll need two witnesses.” Charlie observed. “We won’t have enough with us five and that includes Laura, even if she agrees.”

“Who says we need witnesses?” Juliet grinned. “What does Martian law say?”

“Okay! Yeah.” Charlie was forced to concede. “Touché.”

“You’re right though,” Juliet concurred. “You have to have witnesses to protect from kidnap and abduction and forced marriages. So that’s it; we’ve got all the ingredients then, we can form a colony on Mars and get married there.”

“You make it sound like a recipe,” Charlie argued, “but remember Mrs Beaton’s recipe advice for jugged hare. ‘First catch your hare.’

First we have to colonise Mars or even claim it! There will be howls of protest from every country on earth. Then we have to build our own ship; enough to carry people and building materials all the way to Mars and then register it on Mars.”

“That bit’s easy. We just build a bigger Cornish Pasty.”

“Will you stop with the Cornish Pasty jokes?” Charlie objected. “She serves and serves well. It was the best I could do back then. You try building a spaceship in a bloody cave.”

Anyway, back to our sheep Let’s get Dawn 3 loaded and back to Earth. By the way, I’ve brought the first months wages with me. It’s cash in Ozzie dollars, they’re jumping through the roof because everybody wants a piece of the action. Those tugboat operators are gonna’ be rich.”

“So will we be,” Juliet grinned. “Are we paying Martian income tax?”

“You’re not on Mars, this is the asteroid belt. The taxes are double those of Mars’.”

“Yeah, two times zero equals - ?” Juliet smirked.

“Your maths is flawless Julie, don’t forget to enter that into the payroll accounts.”

“Does that make you the first interplanetary tax inspector?”

“God forbid!” Charlie laughed. “I Hate paperwork.”

Having delivered sufficient cash and blank paperwork to please any interested exchequer. Charlie chose to make some dinner from the pre-prepared ready meals then he settled at the table.

“Are you going back tonight?” Juliet asked.

“Nah. I’ll sleep here for now then return when I wake up. Have you got anything that needs sorting?”

“No, the tug operators are more than happy with conditions

“Good. I’ll get some shut-eye.”

“Oh! I knew there was something I wanted to ask you.” Juliet remembered.

“Go on.” Charlie allowed.

“The tug operators were asking. After Dawn 3 is loaded, can they had a day prospecting beyond the markers of your claim? The quarry limits that is.”

“Sure, provided they’re honest and stay outside our claim. It’s well marked with beacons. Give them their heads. Are they co-operating as a group or doing loners?”

“The girls are doing a group thing but the boys haven’t decided yet.”
“Groups are more efficient; they cover more of the belt.” Charlie explained then shrugged philosophically. “Still that’s their choice and it explains some of the differences between boys and girls. Goodnight.”

“Good night,” Juliet replied as she smiled inwardly. ‘It was hard to get out of the habits of ‘night’ and ‘day’ even though the sun was always burning brightly.

ooo000ooo

When Charlie woke up there was a ‘shift’ change-over and the Dawn 3 was alive with activity. Many of the tug crew had never met or even seen Charlie and curious eyes turned to study their ‘boss’ as Charlie slipped into the messroom to collect a breakfast. For them it was something of and event to find the ‘high and mighty’ boss casually join the chow queue and pick his food from the heated trays.

‘Just like an ordinary guy,’ He heard whispered in the queue.

“Yeah. That’s right,” Charlie riposted softly to the anonymous voice in the queue, “just like any other guy,” then he strolled to the tables and took his place amidst the somewhat nervous crews.

He had only chosen some cereal with coffee and toast so his food was quickly finished. Finally he stood up and made an announcement to break the tension.

“If you’re wondering why I’m here it’s because I’ve brought your wages. Captain Julie will be paying out either tonight or tomorrow. Your pay will reflect the quantity and quality of the ores you have loaded.”

The mood in the messroom quickly relaxed and a babble of voices soon began to spread around the tables. Payday meant they were coming to the end of their one-month stint and would soon be going home quite wealthy.

That ‘afternoon’ Charlie took his leave of Juliet and Dawn 3 and spiralled inwards to visit the moon before landing finally on Earth.
He arrived a couple of days later on Earth just as Dawn 3 was touching down from Celeres with a full load of precious ores. On learning that the first full scale quarrying voyage had laid the foundations of what would become a very successful venture The Australian PM and the defence minister invited Charlie to accompany them on a fact finding and trading treaty summit that had been organised in the United Nations in New York.

“D’ you really want me there Prime Minister?” Charlie wondered. “You know my conditions by now. You’ll be far better equipped to handle the negotiations than me. I’d be far too forthright and insensitive.”

“Nevertheless Charlie, we need you there. Your presence will add much gravitas, not to mention clout.”

“What about my safety?”

“It’s become pretty obvious to everybody after the disastrous hypersonic missile attack that attempting to kill you is akin to signing one’s own death warrant.” Katie smirked.

“We’ll see about that. I’ve been told that security at the UN is little better than the six oh one debacle. If I go, I’ll have my own security team and they’ll be loaded for bear.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 73

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 73

List of Characters.

Chapter 73

Not for the first time, Charlie found himself in the PM’s Canberra office discussing the advent of antigravity and it’s socio-political consequences. The Prime Minister was trying to explain.

“But Charlie, you can’t take your own security personnel into the United Nations Building.”

“Then I cannot go.” Charlie replied without rancour or threat.

“Cannot or will not.” The PM challenged.

“That’s immaterial; you cannot expect me to put my life in danger again.”

“But if you refuse to attend there can be no negotiations.”

“You are not going to negotiate Prime Minister., you are going there to expose acts of war and aggression and somehow get compensation. The missile that Dawn 3 recovered is clear evidence of Chinese aggression against Singapore and Australia. The missiles were obviously made in China and fired from China.”

“But China was attacked first on the island of Riau. That’s the claim China is making.”

“Riau is Indonesian not Chinese; It’s Indonesia who should be protesting the attack. Besides, China has no evidence of the aggressors who attacked that Island. There are no planes, no wrecks, nothing to identify those attackers, conversely, Oz has got two wrecked planes recovered from the Queensland rainforest and both are clearly of Chinese origin even if they have no markings. The hypersonic missile by the way, is also clearly marked. China supported a terrorist attack in Queensland by supplying unmarked jets. Then they launched their own missile attack on a country that they had no evidence against.
Oz should be laying charges against China not answering charges.”

“Those are our intentions.” The PM explained. “But you are evidence that China attacked one of our envoys in Singapore. That scar running from your cheek to you ear is evidence of a Chinese assassination attempt. We want you there to show that evidence.”

This last observation was something that Charlie was angry about, namely the determined assassination attempt on his life. Reluctantly, he acceded to the PM’s request. The prime Minister almost slumped in her chair with relief.

“Well thank god for that! You do realise Charlie that we need all the ammunition we can get.”

“Yes; but I still demand protection. The UN is no longer the place it was intended to be.”

“Amen to that!” Katie the defence minister added.

ooo000ooo

“So we’re going in a bloody ore carrier!” Katie scorned.

“Do you know of any other craft that can get you from Canberra to New York in under an hour, complete with your own personal en-suite dayrooms and bedrooms.” Juliet challenged. “Plus a luxury saloon, a first-class restaurant and several suites of large executive offices. Not to mention several separate lounges for private or communal discussions?”

“We-ell, noo,” Katie conceded reluctantly, “it’s just all those grey and white ore residues clinging to the frames in the cargo holds. I mean it hardly smacks of luxury, executive transport does it?”

“This is a working ship Katie. We’re here to work; and anyway, this thing is impressive enough to turn a few jealous heads when we arrive and then take our station hovering over New York. It’s all been agreed and authorised by the Feministas of Eastern American Republic.”

“Were they agreeable or did you have to knock a few heads together?” Katie pressed.

“What do you think?” The PM interjected as she entered the Dawn 3’s public foyer.

“I’d like to have been a fly on the wall, trouble is I’ve been up to my neck with Charlie and the second order for space fighters. Jeeze’ he’s a grafter.”

“Yes, well be thankful for small mercies. Anyway, I can assure you, the foreign minister gave them a good diplomatic kicking. They were like a bunch of sulking schoolgirls by the time she’d finished. When I finally sat down at the negotiating table they treated me like some sort of draconian head mistress!”

‘You are like a draconian head mistress1’ Katie thought but kept her thoughts to herself.

However the PM caught her introspective expression and grinned knowingly at her friend.

“I heard that Katie!”

“Well hear this,” Juliet commanded as she appeared at the top of the central stair. “This ship is shortly leaving for New York and the ETA is thirty-nine minutes. I suggest you ladies go and get yourselves prepared for your arrival.”

“Is Charlie not with us?” Katie inquired.

“He’ll join us en-route with his wife and children,-“ The PM explained.

“And half a regiment of guards I’ll wager.” Katie opined.

“He wouldn’t come without them. D’ you blame him?”

“Yeah, point taken. How many space fighters am I seeing out there?”

“You’re not seeing all of them, there are another twenty accompanying Dawn 1 and 2.” The PM explained. “Plus Dawn 1 is carrying the disabled hypersonic missile as the evidence.”

“I suppose everybody loves a parade!” Katie chuckled.

“I can’t take any chances, the PM lamented. It may look pretentious but it’s essential. Charlie is the ONLY repository of the knowledge for Anti-grav.”

“Yeah, he’s cunning bastard,” Katie added.

“And a bloody clever on let’s not forget,” the foreign minister finished as they retired to their committee room.”

As they sat around the table they peered out of the windows and digested their own thoughts as the huge leviathan that had so impressed them on the apron of the parliament building, started to rise vertically and silently into space.

ooo000ooo

As they watched the horizon start to curve and grow a thin, illuminated corona, Katie spotted Dawn 2 drawing level with her porthole while the PM noted Dawn 1 pulling level on her side. Beyond the two larger escorts, the Australian delegation could make out at least six smaller, more agile space fighters jostling and jockeying for positions thereby demonstrating their agility.

After a few minutes, Juliet’s voice came over the comm’s.

“Ladies and gentlemen, you’ll see we’ve got company. They will escort us all the time now until we return to Australia.”

“Indeed!” The PM agreed, “And they will be stationed above the UN building as part of our negotiated security arrangements to protect Captain Sage.”

“That makes me feel a hell of a lot safer!” Katie confirmed.

“Indeed!” The PM agreed, “And they will be stationed above the UN building as part of our negotiated security arrangements to protect Captain Sage.”

“Well I feel safer for that,” Katie added.

“It’s for Charlie and the antigrav; let’s not be getting puffed up with our own importance,” the PM intoned softly.”

“I suppose he negotiated that.” Katie opined.”

“Yes,” the foreign secretary confirmed; “the UN security council wanted Captain Sage present to try and negotiate some sort of treaty akin to the Antarctic treaty but Captain Sage has something of a whip hand here. Consequently, the security council was adamant he should attend.”

“If he doesn’t see eye-to-eye with the Security
council, what then?” Katie asked.

“Then the UN will be forced to use diplomacy for once. No bullying or two-faced hypocrisy like the human rights council. As I said, Charlie’s got the whip hand and for once that hand is guided by honesty and humanity.”

“What if he doesn’t get a deal?” Katie pressed.

“Then Charlie wins. Who’s to stop him from quarrying the solar system?”

“Jeeze what it is to have power.” The foreign secretary sighed.

“Let’s not forget, that power is on our side.” The PM reminded them softly. “Iron fists and velvet gloves seem to spring to mind.”

“Well to be honest,” Katie continued, “on past records and performances of the security council; Charlie will have quarried the asteroid belt out by the time they reach agreement.”

“Their loss,” the foreign secretary explained,” Australia can continue to trade in rare-earth metals and run a moon-base for however long it takes.”

“Not quite,” the PM explained, “Australia is signatory to several international conventions concerning exploitation of space and colonisations of the planets.”

Katie gave a snort of derision.

“Ha! Australia may be bound by those agreements but is a single individual bound by them. Who actually has jurisdiction in space.”

“I have no idea.” The PM conceded. “The UN’s lamentable record on human rights and arbitration does not give me confidence. My gut feeling is that Charlie’s going to rub their noses in it and force them to come up with a fair and enforceable treaty.”

“That can’t be a bad thing,” the foreign secretary Observed as she craned to look through her window. “I think that’s Manhattan Island if I’m not mistaken.”

“I still can’t adjust to the speed these things go, and Dawn 3 is just an Ore Carrier.” The PM exclaimed as the comms announced.

“Landing in five minutes, we’ve been given diplomatic clearance to hover over the river just outside the main UN building.”

“That’ll put a few noses out of joint,” Katie grinned.

ooo000ooo

“So how do we get down?” The PM wondered.

Her answer was not long coming. There was a low rumble from behind their accommodation; then that was followed by two soft bumps. Dawns 1 and 2 had landed in the service dock.

As the PM’s party watched, the Airtight doors that separated Dawn 3’s accommodation from the cargo-handling area opened and Charlie appeared, accompanied by his wife Chloe and their four children. Behind the family, Charlie’s fellow spacers Engadine, Angela and Laura stood armed, alert and watchful. They were taking no chances with Charlie’s safety.

It was the first time the PM or anybody in the delegation had met Charlie’s full family, so introductions were swiftly completed as Juliet came down from the bridge to join the party.

“Time to go everybody, they are waiting for us at reception he advised.”

“Who is waiting for us?” Chloe demanded. “I’ll not put our children at risk.”

“There is a standard meet-and-greet procedure apparently,” Juliet replied.

“Well, let’s get it over with. The kids can have the grand tour while we get straight to business. Who’s driving Dawn 2? I presume she’s our taxi.”

“I am,” Juliet explained. “The girls are our guards inside her while the space fighters will patrol close by.”

The delegation entered the service dock and settled into Dawn 2 before emerging from the huge ore carrier and flying around the UN headquarters to land at the main entrance.

“Did you see all the faces in the windows Mummy?” Charlotte observed.

“Do they think we’re Martians?”

This raised a roar of laughter amongst the whole delegation and that laughter spilled over as the Australians entered the building. The formalities were mercifully brief and Charlie quickly found himself with the PM and her ministers seated opposite the UN security council.

Copies of the proposed treaty were being handed out for discussion. Without further ado Charlie opened his and started reading before the PM gently reminded him.

“Introductions and courtesies are usually exchanged Charlie,” She whispered.

“I don’t have time!” Charlie replied. “I’ve read the drafts; I’m just checking the fine print.”

His brusque manner quickly enlightened the council and they stared askance as he silently annotated the pages. Annoyed glances were exchanged across the table but Charlie was impervious to them. As he continued reading, it had been made abundantly obvious to the council that they were dealing with one person; Charlie.

Eventually, after long minutes, Charlie turned to his companion, the Australian PM.

“There’s six items I want to query.”

“The document’s been finalised, we can’t change it now,” she protested.

“If this document is to take humanity forward in perpetuity, there are six items that need correcting. They may not seem important now but centuries from now they could lead to interplanetary wars.”

“Such as?” The PM frowned.

“Well to begin with, you have referenced all positions and times to Earth when they should be referenced to the sun. Nothing is static between the planets. All references to weights should be referenced to a solar constant. A ton of Palladium on Earth is very different to a ton of Palladium on Mars or any of the gas-giant’s moons.

In fact,” Charlie continued, “all references to weight are pretty meaningless when gravity can be altered or even negated by my science. All amounts of all commodities will have to be referenced and measured to a universal constant of volume referenced to a universal constant of gravity. Gravity bends space so if you change the gravity, you change the space.”

“You’re giving me a headache Charlie.” The PM sighed. “And our colleagues across the table don’t look very happy.”

“They’re no colleagues of mine,” Charlie replied bluntly, “some of those people have tried to kill me or deny me my intellectual rights.

Still; no matter.” Charlie shrugged. “Here are my notes, I’ve annotated where the treaty figures need to be adjusted for my science. Both sides of this table will just have to take my word for it unless you’ve got a scientist who can dispute them. I’ve listed correction factors for Space itself, then Mars then Jupiter’s and Saturn’s moons. Then if we ever get around to ‘Terra-forming’ Venus I’ve put those figures last. The maths isn’t hard if you understand the science. You can attach those figures to the treaty as an addendum.

The rest of the treaty suites me, it doesn’t affect my human or property rights, or anybody else’s for that matter. I won’t be signing the treaty of course because I don’t represent any country.”

“But you’ll be the only power that can enforce it,” the PM observed.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” Charlie finished.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 74

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 74.

List of Characters.

Chapter 74

As Charlie and the Australian delegation rose from the table for a tea/coffee break the UN contingent quickly moved to accompany them to the restaurant. Charlie looked askance at this move until the Aussie Foreign Minister explained.

“Most of the detail and negotiations are hammered out over working lunches Charlie.”

“So what is left to be hammered out.” He asked.

“Several countries are seeking your co-operation with spaceship and antigravity engine construction.”

“There is no co-operation; well not from me personally.” Charlie declared. “If there’s going to be strife during my meal, I’ll eat alone onboard Dawn 2 or even Dawn 1.”

“Oh come on now Charlie,” Katie added. “Surely we can talk while eating. You can enlighten them as you chew. Several countries have approached us concerning what we’ve done in Oz.”

“They don’t need my help in that quarter. Besides, if I stuck my oar in, I’d be accused of meddling and old-style colonialism. The feminista would even charge me with *mangineering * a new patriarchy. That’s not me.”

“You did it for us Charlie; well maybe not a patriarchy but a functioning democracy.”

“All I did was place a deal on the table and say ‘take-it-or-leave-it.’ Oz was ready to pop anyway, mainly because so many men had chosen to live in isolation in the outback. There wasn’t enough available male muscle to do the slave work, the unpleasant stuff, the shitty stuff!”

“There are quite a few other countries in that situation Charlie. We’ve had several approaches; - well more than several. Twenty-seven to be precise.”

“Well, if they’re in that position why should it take antigrav to return them to some sort of functioning, liberal democracy. If it takes some sort of perceived threat to their current political systems, to make them see sense, they’re not ready.

Besides, making anti-gravity engines for all those hopefuls would mean me having to go into some sort of mass-production and I’m not prepared to turn myself into some sort of robot. The moment production becomes automated, it becomes reproducible and others will steal the secret very quickly.

Intellectual property theft has been China’s way ever since they industrialised before the great upheaval. They and other countries have never respected patent rights.
It won’t work.” Charlie concluded. “I have to keep the operation small and very selective; at least until the whole planet has some form of functioning liberal democracy.”

ooo000ooo

Having made his observations plain, Charlie signalled to Juliet that he needed to go to the lavatory. Juliet approached and explained.

“There’s only you and me here plus the male members of the security council and we cannot trust them. I’ll have to watch your back.”

“Yeah. I just realised that. Have my spacers guard the door please, let Engie and Angie and Laura come in with me if needs be. It’s an ideal place for an ambush.”

Juliet smirked and wagged his head in mock despair.

“Do you remember when it was girls who moved in gangs when going to the lavatories?”

“Yeah, ironic isn’t it. Still, I’ve gorra’ pee.”

Juliet stepped boldly through the lavatory doorway and checked each stall before clearing it for Charlie.

“There’s nobody here. You’re good to enter, girls can you watch the door and perhaps a couple come in as well?”
“Engie and Angie could not suppress a grin as they joined Charlie and Juliet in the men’s room.”

“Never been in one of these places before, bugger me it smells!” Angie observed as she sniffed and wrinkled her nose.”

“Yeah, men are dirty bastards especially some from third world countries. Look at the permanent stains on the floor, they just don’t aim straight into the urinals!” Charlie observed.

“What are the cubicles like.? Engie asked.

“Don’t even go there unless you like wading in piss.” Juliet cautioned.

“What’s that smell?” Charlie asked.

“Shit!! Everybody out!” Engie shrieked, “Hold your breaths. Gas, Gas!”

Even as she spoke, Laura fired a burst of automatic fire into the exit door and kicked the smashed lock open with all her force.

As she and Engie exploded into the corridor they found half a dozen black uniformed assailants outside wearing gas masks.

Without using breath to ask questions, Laura just opened fire as she noticed her own security team coughing on their knees and choking painfully. Being a well-trained special forces protection specialist, Laura had held her breath and killed or injured all six of the gas masks before the gas overwhelmed her and sent her coughing painfully to the floor. However, before succumbing to Laura’s bullets, one of the assassins had managed to release a stun grenade.

The gas masked attackers had also been carrying guns and stun-grenades as ‘back-up’ for they had hoped to silently knock Charlie out and kidnap him precisely when he was vulnerable going to urinate. They had not calculated on Laura’s quick-wittedness and total commitment.

The gunfire, explosion and screams brought guards running from every direction but the ambush was over before it had begun. All the security guards found were eleven people spread out on the corridor floor around the lavatory door. Some dead, some unconscious, and some coughing and retching.

The gas however had not finished its work and several of the first responders were forced to stumble back as the gas still burned throats and irritated eyes. It was fully five minutes before the corridor was cleared of gas and first-aiders could attend while the UN security guards nervously pointed their weapons in every direction and at everybody.
ooo000ooo

“So who were they and how did they get clearance to enter such a heavily restricted area?” The Australian PM demanded to know.

“We haven’t got answers yet, just questions.” The head of security admitted.

“We’ve all got questions!” Charlie snapped angrily. “It’s a good job the treaty hasn’t been signed yet.”

“But it was due to be signed today, the UN Secretary General protested.”

“That was before the attempt to kill me or kidnap me. The deal’s off!” Charlie stated flatly.

There was a soft curse of despair from the UN contingent but they could not raise a protest. The attack had clearly been some sort of attempt to derail the negotiations and it had.

Katie took Charlie’s arm and tugged it gently.

“If whoever it was, was trying to put a spanner in the works, your refusal plays straight into their hands.”

“No.” Charlie observed. “Whoever made that attack was trying to demonstrate that the agreement arose out of discord and dispute. There will always be grounds to claim the treaty was invalid due to the violence and deaths surrounding the signing. Before I move a single millimetre, I want the perpetrators brought to book.”

A still half-stunned Charlie continued as he wiped the chemically induced tears from his burning eyes.

“Somebody in this building knew about the ambush, six black-uniformed assassins cannot just walk into the UN, loaded with guns, knock-out gas and stun grenades. One of the security council delegations knows more than they’re letting on. Have they traced where their security passes came from?”

“They’re on it right now.” The Secretary General declared though she could not be certain.

Charlie declared loudly to the PM, Katie and the Secretary General..

“Bring Dawn 1 to the garden promenade, she’s my personal transport. Hereafter I’ll repossess my ship and await events aboard Dawn 3. If the UN has not identified the source of the attack by tonight, - midnight; I leave and I’ll treat the Solar system as my own bloody backyard.”

With these arrangements fixed Charlie turned to his dazed but recovering companions.

“Anybody wishing to accompany me can do so aboard Dawn 3. The other ship, Dawn 2 will ferry you there. I’m going to get my wife and children.”

As he stalked away, Charlie threw one last remark to the UN Secretary General.

“I suggest you relocate the UN to a safer country. This place is obviously not secure!”

ooo000ooo

After contacting Chloe and his Children on the ferry taking them to the Statue of Liberty, Charlie brought Dawn 1 to the island. Then he had his family and their security guards quickly cross the pier and dash up the cargo ramp.

Thousands of tourists were shocked but excited to see the much talked about ‘flying pastie’ collect the inventor’s family and disappear again to re-join the now famous giant ore-carrier spaceship that was hovering by the UN building. Within seconds, the event went viral worldwide.

That evening, as the Australian delegation were dining aboard Dawn 3, the information came through from the UN Headquarters security. The assassination attempt had been orchestrated by the Feminist Queendom of Atlantica!

Charlie's own ‘mother country’ had attempted to kidnap him in a supposedly legitimate endeavour to recover what they claimed was their commercial property. Namely the gravity engine that they claimed he been researched in the workshop and Laboratories of Anston Aerospace before he had emigrated to Australia.

They claimed that the work had been enabled by the materials Charlie had ‘stolen’ from the rubbish bins of the repair shops at their factory in Bristol during the years that Charlie had worked for Anston Aerospace.

The attempted kidnap had been simply a mechanism to extradite Charlie back to The Feminist Queendom of Atlantica, to charge him in the British Courts with theft of commercial secrets before he had married Chloe. Unfortunately, their plan had failed and violence had ensued un-necessarily.

Charlie and Chloe were incensed when they heard the claim but all their paperwork was lying at home in Hammersley WA.

“Do you need to collect the paperwork?” The Australian MP and the UN Secretary General asked Charlie.

“It’s only our paperwork concerning our marriage and eventual legitimisation of our entrance to Australia.” Chloe explained.

“That’s all in order,” the PM confirmed, “I remember signing your papers myself when we learned about your work with gravity. You were exactly the sort of Migrants that Australia wanted and needed.”

“So what about your research work?” The Secretary General pressed. “I mean there must be some scientific papers somewhere.”

Charlie gave a tight little victorious smile as he replied.

“No. It’s a well-known fact that all the knowledge, all the research work, all the painstaking experiments were conducted in my head. There is NO paperwork!, No research papers, no notes, no drawings, no models; - nothing save for Poppy, Doris and Lady.”

“What are they?” The SG (secretary general) asked.

“They were our pet names for the primitive little hovering cars that we modified and experimented with.” Chloe explained. “We’ve still got them hidden away in Australia. They were our ordinary cars originally and we have the registration documents to prove they are owned and paid for by us.

Those three little babies will be exhibits one day in Charlie’s museum of gravity. They were the very first primitive hover cars that are now commonplace today and they work by reacting with close proximity ground gravity

The gravity engine proper; the later invention, exploits the environmental gravity that’s all around us, even the sun’s gravity, the gravity that holds space and time together. That’s the big, biiig secret!

Anston Aerospace in Bristol had no part in that science. Dawn one was built in Australia.

Doris the converted mobile home was just a crude precursor that could never go into space, all she could do was fly higher than the hover engine; a sort of halfway-hybrid as Charlie developed the science.

If science ever learns of Charlie’s secrets, Doris would be referred to as ‘The-missing-link’ of gravity engines.” The step twixt ground effect gravity and the universal gravity field, you know, that stuff that holds space and time together.

“Good god!” The SG exclaimed. “I’d love to see her one day.”

“Maybe; one day; perhaps.” Chloe replied. “When Charlie’s dead and gone.”

ooo000ooo

*Mangineered* = Engineered by men for men with pure functionality in
mind and without regard to style, form or fashion.

The Feminine Queendom 75

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 75

List of Characters.

Chapter 75.

The Australian Delegation still had to remain in New York to counter the Chinese claims about having committed an act of war against the CCP. This of course naturally required Charlie to remain with the delegation because his evidence was crucial.
When the charges were laid by the CCP, they had done so long before anybody had full knowledge of the Spaceships Dawn 1 and Dawn 2. Like many instances before, the CCP had firmly believed they would be in the driver’s seat ever since their successful adventurisms and attacks after the great upheaval.

The CCP quite naturally thought it could bully it’s case through the Security Council hearings because there was nobody with enough military muscle to withstand their threats.

The case against Australia had already been brought by the CCP and now it had to be heard.

China had laid a claim that unknown forces had attacked their military base at Riau and that they believed those forces to have been Australian. When asked to show evidence of the first attack, all the CCP could do was present photographs of the huge rips through the hangars and the deep furrows ripped into all the concrete aprons but there was no hard evidence of any Australian involvement.

When the claim concerning the second attack was raised China had plenty of evidence again but no evidence of the identity of the attackers. All they could show was the occasional fragment of some ordinance with some roman script proving the bomb or shell must have come from a western source.

Again, with the second attack having been premeditated and launched at night, there was little or no hard evidence to show who or what fired the ordinance. The night had been pitch black with heavy storm clouds and monsoon rains while all illumination around the base had been knocked out with the first bomb placed thoughtfully in the power station.

Desperate attempts to photograph the attack by CCP soldiers with their mobile phones, had simply shown shadowy black shapes blurred by the intense monsoon rain that would ordinarily have curtailed any flying.

There was nothing solid to implicate Australia.

On the other side however, Australia’s counterclaim had mountains of hard undeniable evidence.

Firstly the recordings of the first incursion into Queensland showed the voice recordings and radar recordings of four aircraft that refused to respond to calls from the Australian regional traffic control.

Secondly the Australians were able to show that two planes had been brought down over the Timor Sea while the other pair had been brought down in the Queensland rain forest. The crashed airframes had been recovered and shown to have been of Chinese manufacture. This showed that China was at least supplying sophisticated weaponry to enemies of Oz even if they had not attacked themselves.

The dates and times clearly showed that four, Chinese made, unmarked aircraft had invaded Australian territory long before the attacks on Riau.

The third Australian claim was that Chinese agents had attacked and injured Charlie, now a senior Australian diplomat, in a third country, namely Singapore.
The Singaporean investigation had proven beyond doubt that the attackers were Chinese but this time the Chinese could not brow-beat or bully Singapore with threats military or commercial. Charlie’s space fighters with their anti-gravity had ensured that.

Finally, when Dawn 2 had captured a Chinese hypersonic missile in space directly over Australia while further hypersonic missiles had exploded in the remote Australian outback after being ‘nudged’ in flight by Australian space fighters in space, Australia was able to show that a massed, multidirectional missile attack by China against Singapore had only just been deflected and averted by Australian intervention.

The two missile explosions that had reached Singapore were further proof of Chinese aggression towards Singapore.

The oppressive Chinese hegemony over Eastern Asia and the China seas was soon broken as Asian countries recognised that Australia, through some very advanced yet flexible technology, had removed the militarised yoke from their collective necks.
ooo000ooo

“Well! I’m glad that bloody mess is over!” Katie sighed as the Australians emerged from the security council chamber.

“We can sleep peacefully in our beds now,” the PM smiled with some relief, “what do you think Charlie?”

“Your war might be over Prime Minister, mine’s just beginning.”

His words and demeanour quickly brought a halt to the celebratory mood.

“Oh come on Charlie! You cannot deny, we won a stunning victory in there.”

“No Prime Minister, for me it was one small battle won in my war against the Feminista. And make no bones about it, I for one, am at war with them!”

“I think you’re over-egging the pudding Charlie. The mood in many countries is changing. We can all agree that things went too far.”

“If you think that an attempt to kidnap me and somehow drag me back to the Feminist Queendom of Atlantica is somehow a precursor to a change of mood; then I must beg to differ.” Charlie argued. “For years I simply kept my mouth shut and my head down, while those harpies and their laws denied me my due rewards for all that I did, while working all the hours the devil sent.”

“I will willingly help to set Australia on the road to security and fairness but no way will I ever truck with such as the UQ Feminista. When is the UN inquiry to be held upon the lavatory attack on me and Juliet? Two UN Delegates no less, attacked in broad daylight in the UN headquarters!!”

The PM fell silent, she had no answers nor even a date set for the hearing. Charlie just compressed his lips angrily before observing.

“Your silence shouts volumes Prime Minister. What’s holding things up?”

“I can’t say Charlie because I don’t know. Our Lawyers are looking into it.”

“They’ll be Feminista trained lawyers I suppose, encumbered with years of Feminista law and training. After all there are no male lawyers are there? Leastways not in any proper, democratic, liberal sense. The only male lawyers are to be found in patriarchal dictatorships or monotheist theocracies and they are not what I consider allies. Bit of a bum rap really, isn’t it Prime Minister? Where does a fair-minded, liberal man turn?”

“I don’t have a simple answer Charlie.”

“I do Prime Minister; he turns away!”

“Turns away from what?” The nervous PM gasped.

“Everything.” Charlie finished.

ooo000ooo

Somewhat lost for words, the PM, Katie and almost the whole Australian delegation fell silent as they watched Charlie step out of the large foyer of Dawn 3, through the cargo access door and into Dawn 1. Moments later a shadow passed by Dawn 3’s main access door and the delegation craned their necks to see Dawn 1 silently accelerating upwards and southwards away from the UN headquarters and New York.

“Where’s he going d’ you think?” Katie asked the PM.

“I’ve no idea, it could be anywhere on this planet or the next; how should I know?”

Once in space, Charlie put Dawn 1 into a geostatic orbit above the UQ and switched off her engines. Utter silence descended on the little ship as Charlie turned the environmental gravity down to a sufficient minimum, enough to keep him just resting lightly on the single bunk; enough to avoid drifting around the cabin. With the lights turned off and the visor closing out the harsh sunlight Charlie came closer to sensory deprivation than any other known condition short of floating about gravity free.

This condition had recently become his preferred circumstance when ruminating on his thoughts.

His problem was dealing with his anger towards those who had tried to either end his life or capture it for their own ends. Lying perfectly still in total darkness usually helped him gather and sort his thoughts but this time it was emotions that were troubling him, not rational thoughts.

It was impossible for him to find a reasonable course of action against a government who had come armed to do him mischief or worse, physical harm. The UQ agents had come armed and they had gassed Charlie and Juliet plus their companions Engie, Angie and Laura. Fortunately, Laura had been armed along with her team but bullets had flown and six people killed in the attack, one of whom had been one of Charlie’s guards.

“There but for the grace of god go I!” Charlie reflected.

In the deathly stillness of Dawn 1’s isolated cabin, Charlie struggled to find a fair solution. It was no good going to law because technically, Anston Aerospace had not broken any Feminista Laws. Only the UQ had broken the law by trying to kidnap him or worse, kill him in the UN headquarters.
Charlie had no faith in UN law, it had demonstrably failed to act on too many occasions down through the years.

As he lay thinking, Charlie’s mind kept returning to the second assassination attempt by the Feminist United Queendom of Atlantica; the UQ. This act had been as bad as, if not worse than the first assassination attempt by the CCP.

The retribution that he and his Australian allies had wrought upon the CCP had been exonerated by the UN Security Council and there had been no censure. Surely then, he concluded, the UQ could, and should be punished to the same degree. Unless the UQ was stopped in it’s tracks, Charlie was convinced yet more assassination attempts would follow.

As he had previously described to his wife Chloe; he would be forever ‘looking-over-his-shoulder’

There was nothing for it but to punish the UQ, however; for his actions to be deemed legal, he would first have to declare war upon the UQ. The next problem lay in his nationality. As an Australian citizen he could not unilaterally declare war on another sovereign country as that would implicate Australia.

He therefore had to ask Australia to declare him stateless.

ooo000ooo

Two days later, after having slept upon his idea, Charlie reappeared in New York where the huge Dawn 3 ore-carrier was still loitering over the river opposite the UN Headquarters. After docking Dawn 1 inside the bigger Dawn 3 Charlie presented his request to the Australian Prime Minister.

“What! After all the trouble you went to, to get an Ozzy passport, you now want to revoke it?”

Charlie nodded.

“Might I ask why?”

“It’s nothing personal Prime Minister but I have a very personal axe to grind with the UQ. They have twice now assaulted me and or my family. They also denied me my intellectual and patent rights for many years to the ground effect gravity engine; the hovercars.

Any retribution I bring must be attributed to me and me alone; and I do not want Oz to be implicated. My war is personal but no less justified.

“But is an individual entitled to declare war on a sovereign country?”

“Why not. All I have to do is make a public declaration and there is no better place than the UN Security Council.”

“You don’t have to revoke your Ozzy citizenship for that.”

“Maybe not, but it removes any source for future enmity between you and any ancient ties you used to have with the old country.”

“Well, it’s your choice I suppose.”

“Don’t worry Prime Minister, I’ll not be taking my gravity secrets elsewhere. I’ll ask for my citizenship back after the war.”

“Very well, by the power invested in me as Prime Minister of Australia I hereby revoke your passport. Your citizenship was on five years’ probation anyway, so it’s a formality. I’ll get the government and the home secretary to endorse it and by this afternoon, you’ll be stateless.”

With this wrinkle smoothed out, Charlie prepared his own personal declaration of war ready to be presented to the UQ delegation in the Security Council chamber.

The Feminine Queendom 76

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 76

List of Characters.

Chapter 76

“You’re quite serious about this aren’t you?” The Australian Prime Minister (PM) stared intently at Charlie a week later when the date for the UN hearings about the UQ’s assassination attempt had been set.

“Yes. I’ve played Patsy and tippy toed around these feminist bullies for long enough. Crunch time has arrived.”

“Well. I’ve fulfilled Australia’s part of the bargain. Formal recognition of your stateless condition has arrived from Oz but you still have to attend the assassination hearings. Your right to life is a universally recognised human right and of course you are an important material witness. I’m sorry it’s come to this. You’ve still got right of abode though, cos your married to Chloe.”

“The stateless condition is only temporary,” Charlie reassured her, “once this business is settled, I’ll re-apply.”

“Have you got all your ducks in a row, you know lists of incidents, times and dates; all that sort of stuff.”

“Yes, I’ve printed out extracts from Dawn 1’s log and my diaries back when I was working for Anston Aerospace.”

“I didn’t know you kept a diary.”

“I don’t these days. Dawn’s log pretty much records all the events surrounding her but all my life working for Anston Aerospace I kept one. My mummy instilled the habit in me and I’ve still got it.”

“Well, tomorrow morning then, ten o’ clock, see you there.”

With arrangements fixed, Charlie left to return to Western Australia and his family in Hammersley. He needed a brief break from the intense scrutiny at the UN headquarters and that night, he and Chloe shared their marital bed for the first time in weeks.

The following morning found the whole Sage family once more in New York; mother and father in the UN building while the children under a heavy guard visited some more tourist sites.

Charlie and Chloe met with the rest of the Australian delegation outside the Security Council Chamber. Then they were directed to one of the committee rooms where they were invited to sit at one part of a ‘horse-shoe table while UN lawyers and committee members took their seats at the closed end while across the horseshoe, Charlie recognised several old acquaintances amongst the United Queendom delegation.

By prearrangement with his Australian colleagues, Charlie took a seat one space removed from the rest of the delegation so that he appeared as though sitting alone and obviously so. He received some interested and concerned looks from both UN councillors and lawyers plus members United Queendom representatives from across the horseshoe.

Once the endless formalities and introductions were completed, the Australians laid accusations and charges of assault and murder against the UQ feminista for the attack and killing of one Australian guard.

The UQ Feministas counterclaimed that the Australian guard Laura had opened fire first and killed five Queendom police. This was technically true but the Australians were able to demonstrate that the Feminista had attacked the lavatory first with their gas attack; and Charlie had no way of knowing if the gas was lethal or not.

The arguments and questions flowed back and forth until eventually the investigating committee came to Charlie. Finally, he stood up alone and presented his evidence backed up by CCTV and Juliet’s body-camera. He concluded his statement by declaring.

“Members of the council, there can be no doubt that those six UQ feminista attackers were there to either kidnap me or kill me or why else were they armed? It was a premeditated attack against my fellow delegates and my person organised by a recognised government agency and I therefore hold that attack to have been tantamount to an act of war!”

The UQ feministas firstly tried to claim that it was an attempt to arrest Charlie for thefts of secret information committed against Anston Aerospace in his previous employment in his mother country. Then they tried to point out that an act of war against Australia would have to have been a physical attack against the sovereign territory of Australia.
Charlie then confounded the argument by declaring that he had been a stateless person and any act against him by a recognised agency of a UN member country was tantamount to an act of war against him alone. Even as a stateless person however, he still had human rights and the UQ attack had been an attack on those rights; an attempt to destroy them by destroying him.

The UQ feminista tried to rubbish his argument and even mock it until Charlie hit them with his next bombshell.

“Members of the council, as a stateless human being I still claim the right to life and if that right is attacked or endangered by any agency then I have the right to defend my right. I had every reason to believe that the agency who attacked me in the men’s Lavatories were trying to destroy my rights to life and liberty by force, so I reserve the right to defend myself with force.

My attempt to defend myself against a sovereign state becomes effectively, either an act of terrorism or an act of war! I do not believe I am a terrorist and I’m determined to avoid such a charge, consequently, I have to formally declare now that, as of midnight tonight, a state of war exists between stateless Charlie Sage and the Feminist United Queendom of Atlantica!”

A deafening Silence suddenly descended on the murmured conversations around the table.

ooo000ooo

The silence did not last long as a babble of arguments started to rise to a crescendo amongst all parties. Lawyers tried to determine whether a single person could legitimately declare war while others argued for an individual’s right to defend himself either with force or litigation.

I previous similar situations, the individual was usually deemed to be an eccentric or mentally unstable usually by dint of their not having the wherewithal to realistically wage a full war against a country; and or – the individual’s claim usually involved a questionable territorial claim that would get quashed in a recognised international court.

Charlie’s declaration was altogether different and all importantly, realistic!

By now the utter destruction of the large CCP Military base at Riau was well known to the world. The world well knew that the occupation of the Island of Riau had been more or less forced upon a reluctant Indonesia by the CCP’s aggressive ‘adventurism.’

When the dust had settled, the Indonesians let it be known they had investigated the attack on ‘their’ territory and declared that they had not discovered the identity of the attackers. This paralleled the CCP’s more intensive investigations and the results had infuriated the CCP whilst delighting the relieved Indonesians.

These developments had become widespread knowledge and although the ‘official’ results were technically ‘inconclusive,’ just about every country bordering the South China sea and the Yellow sea had learned unofficially that Australia and her Antigravity’ technology had almost certainly been involved somehow.

The later prevention and nullification of the massed CCP hypersonic missile attack had added further strength to Australia’s political elbow. For that attack had been legitimately prevented as the hypersonic, sub-space missiles circumnavigated the globe and crossed Australian territory in the CCP’s endeavour to attack Singapore from the south.

Australia’s well documented and public revelation of their part in protecting Singapore was also publicly attributable to their Antigravity technology; and everybody and his dog knew where that technology originated; - Charlie!

As the pandemonic hubbub subsided in the chamber, Charlie took out blank piece of ‘A4’ paper, then wrote out his declaration. Finally he signed it with a flourish then stepped sideways into the aisle and bent down to whisper to the Australian PM, and Katie the Australian Defence Minister.

After a brief exchange of whispers and some significant glances towards the UQ delegation across the horseshoe, Charlie slipped the letter into an envelope then straightened up and made to depart the chamber. The President of the council called out.

“Where are you going Mr Sage?”

“To prepare for war Madam President!”

“This hearing isn’t over yet!”

“It is for me.” He replied as he stepped out of the rows of seats and passed the letter to the UN Secretary General.

“Please pass this to the UQ delegation. The address is quite clear.” He requested before he paused by the wide double doors.

“I’m not sure this is legal. I don’t think there is a precedent for this.” The UN secretary general protested.

“Then make a precedent,” Charlie replied, “there’s always a first time for everything!”

And with those words, Charlie left.

ooo000ooo

“Somebody go after him!” The Australian PM pleaded loudly to her own delegation.

“I think you’re chasing a lost cause Prime Minister,” a voice called across from the United Queendom benches, “he was always a somewhat unstable character.”

“I hope to god you’re wrong!” Katie snapped back, “he’s got the wherewithal to wipe you out.”

“He’s based somewhere in Australia or Antarctica and he’s more your problem than ours,” a voice Chloe instantly recognised, argued back.

“Well, well. Doctor Wilson I presume,” Chloe grinned wolfishly, “Charlie’s worst and most detested enemy. Welcome to where the big boys play hardball.”

“Don’t try and patronise me Mrs Sage! He’ll get a damned sight more than a bloody nose if he tries to tangle with us.”

“Might I suggest you climb down off your arrogant, high horse and have a few quiet words with the oriental gentlemen sitting on the security council right here with us in this chamber. Ask them what sort of attack they launched, how many hypersonic missiles they launched against tiny little Singapore and what the result was.

I see you’re a General now, so you’ll readily realise the scope of Mr Sage’s resources. If you can’t, just have a quiet chat with your oriental colleagues on the council.”

“We’ve got more than enough missiles to swarm him and knock him down.”

“Oh, and how will you do that in space with no atmosphere? Without air, your preciously exotic missiles cannot even turn to alter course.

They only operate with a modest degree of accuracy in sub space and even then with poor agility. He’ll rip your missiles out of the sky and send them back to you. Pointy end first!”

“He can’t stay up there forever.”

“Excuse me general, for all practical purposes, he can. At least long enough to exhaust your resources.”

“It only remains to find his lair and we knock that out.”

“Would that be on the moon or Mars, - or perhaps one of Jupiter’s moons? Anyway, if you attack any base he has on Earth, you’ll be attacking a third country and that would be another undeclared act of war, which makes you the aggressor and the criminal. Good luck General.”

Chloe watched with visceral satisfaction as she watched General Wilson seethe with impotence. Then she felt Juliet’s fingers on her wrist as he whispered.

“Go easy on her and don’t give too much away. We can only help if she tries to attack Australia, or if her missiles overfly our territory.”

“We mustn’t paint the UQ into a corner they cannot back out of.” Katie whispered to Chloe. “They’re a notoriously stubborn race so hopefully, a few painful lessons should bring them around.

You never know, it might even set them to thinking about feministan flaws and I believe that’s yours and Charlie’s main long-term objective isn’t it?”

“Nah;” Chloe lamented. “Military violence usually only serves to frighten it doesn’t much serve to enlighten.”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 77

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminine Queendom Charlie’s War 77

List of Characters.

Chapter 77

The Feminist Queendom of Atlantica made a fundamental strategic error when they presumed that ‘Charlie’s War’ would comprise a ‘hi-tech’ operation fought mostly in sub-space just as the repulsion of the Chinese assault on Singapore had been fought.
Hastily they had prepared for just such an operation by locating several geo-stationary satellites at various locations to give intense, high-resolution total coverage of the United Queendom. Charlie smiled to himself when he detected the first satellite being carefully located. It mattered not to him how many detection stations the UQ stationed in space for Charlie had no intention at all of dashing about sub-space or space proper; his was a subtler strategy.

When Charlie had built Dawn 1 with its armoured airtight hull, he had in effect; created a craft as equally capable of functioning under water as in the vacuum of space. All the vitals including the anti-gravity engines, were located inside the hull and immune to water. Dawn 1 could travel underwater without a drop of water penetrating her skin.

The first evidence of this submarine capacity was the sudden and inexplicable sinking of a United Queendom destroyer just as it was departing from Diego Garcia naval base in the Indian Ocean. The ship had just cleared the main entrance to the atoll when it had experience some sort of violent collision with a submerged object and the amidships hull section had suddenly developed a huge, longitudinal, fatal leak.

Charlie had simply waited on the seabed outside Diego Garcia, then inverted Dawn 1 so that the ploughshare now extended upwards. When the destroyer had passed over his spaceship, Charlie had simply ascended rapidly and thrust the blade into the belly of the ship then accelerated slowly along the hull to slice all the way along the keel. It was like opening a tin of sardines compartment by compartment.

Fortunately, there had been no violent explosion or fire and every crewmember had safely evacuated from the ship as it slowly settled ignominiously to the seabed. Every transverse bulkhead from bow to stern had been ruptured from below as the hull had been slowly split like a kipper.

For a week, the facts were suppressed while the UQ authorities struggled to determine what had happened but eventually the facts forced themselves into the limelight as the surviving crew contacted their families via personal mobile phones. By then the UQ navy had searched the wreck which was only down at fifty fathoms depth in the approaches to the atoll. The shocking details soon found their way to the media and in the London headquarters, admirals shook their heads. The destroyer had indeed been split open from stern to bow like a giant kipper.

“It looks as though a giant tin opener has ripped right along the hull. She must have struck a pinnacle of rock at speed.”

“What! Going backwards?” Another admiral objected. “Look at the rip! It runs from aft to forward! Something has simply ripped it’s way along the full length of the underwater section. Besides, there are no pinnacles of rock in the approach channel. Aircraft carriers have been entering and leaving for decades plus the place has had a full, modern survey. I tell you that ship was attacked!”

The Naval findings were passed immediately to Ten Downing Street who ruefully concluded that the seemingly hysterical and impotent declarations of a mentally disturbed individual in the United nations Headquarters were indeed a very real and present threat the UQ’s security.

The newly installed UQ prime minister, who had just won a substantial feminista majority in Parliament, felt forced to summon Ms Jane Anston the proprietor and Managing Director of Anston Aerospace to her cabinet office at ‘number ten.’

“I want a complete history of this lunatic’s time spent working at Anston Aerospace and a factual list of all the improvements he supposedly wrought for your company. In the meantime, I’ll be having my attorney general looking into what breaches of law your company and this lunatic have committed.
Finally; I want your honest opinion, is the man a serious danger?”

Jane Anston had come well prepared for this inevitable confrontation. She had never been comfortable with the circumstances surrounding Charlie’s time at Anston Aerospace nor the Feminista employment laws that had forced her to deny Charlie (and she still thought of him with some affection as Charlie) all the benefits and promotions he had deserved. She gave it to this new feminista harridan with both barrels!

“Well; firstly Prime Minister, Charlie Sage is certainly no Lunatic!”

“That’s not what our intelligence sources tell me.”

“Your intelligence sources!” Jane Anston inquired with a soft ring of irony.

“Yes.” The PM snapped.

“Hmmm.” Jane Aston sighed. “And your intelligence sources obviously understand how anti-gravity works; and that would put them on a par with Charlie Sage.”

“Well no :- we –“

“Exactly!” Jane Anston shut the prime minister down. “Your so-called intelligence services have no idea how Charlie Sage’s mind operates; in fact, I doubt if there’s another person on the planet who can get inside that man’s mind. Who suggested to you that Charlie is a lunatic?”

“The intelligence report is here.” The PM tapped a bound paper file at her elbow.

Jane extended her hand and flicked her fingers impatiently.

“It’s strictly confidential,” the PM advised. “I can’t let you see it.”

“Very well then, let me guess the signature at the bottom of the medical assessment. Would it be a certain Doctor Wilson? Now ranked as a General in your intelligence branch.”

The PM opened the file and double checked before looking up.

“Uuhm, yes; it is as a matter of fact. She’s a fully qualified psychiatrist.”

“Oh I know what she is Prime Minister, I’ve met her several times and I’m one of the few people who might have witnessed her sparring matches with Carlie Sage.”

“Meaning?”

“She invariably came off second best. In fact her whole team came off second best every time we at Anston Aerospace found ourselves trying to justify our position or argue a moral issue with Charlie Sage.

Doctor Wilson, like many a psychiatrist, has an ego bigger than a barrage balloon and Charlie always managed to burst it. Doctor Wilson, or to give her, her full rank, Lieutenant General Wilson, absolutely detests Charlie Sage! Asking Doctor/General Wilson to assess Charlie Sage is akin to inviting Lucrecia Borgia to assess the drinks!”

“So you’re saying he’s some sort of amateur philosopher.”

“I wouldn’t so bold as to say what Charlie Sage is, all I can say is that he certainly knows right from wrong.”

“Do you think he’s a danger?”

“Yes! As the Feminista republics across the pond would say; he’s an existential threat!”

“Are there any weapons you can think of that might stop him?”

“Yes, reason and remorse.”

This riposte left the new PM stunned to silence for she had only been in office for a day and morning and she still was not au fait with everything that had gone before. She had come to power on a feminista ticket promising stricter penalties for male transgressions and now here was one of the most powerful executives in the Queendom advising tolerance and compassion.

“Are you serious? Compassion? Towards men!”

“That’s my advice Prime Minister. You can take it or leave it. Charlie Sage worked for me for fifteen years. I even met his mother a couple of times and I know his wife very well.”

“What’s his mother like?”

“You won’t be able to blackmail him, his mother is long dead!”

“What about his wife?”

“Forget that as well. She’s now an Australian citizen and a dedicated supporter of her husband. She’s a surgeon and a geneticist and she’s even more anti-feminista than Charlie.”

“What caused her to become that? She must have had all the advantages to have become a surgeon.”

“She explained it to me once. She and Charlie were at school together then one day she was not allowed to speak to him anymore and he was dumped out of her class via the Feminista rules. She met him again, years later, labouring for his mother who was a plant geneticist. She thought he was just digging the soil and assisting his mother and it made her angry to see such a splendid mind going to waste.”

“Go on.” The Prime Minister pressed.

“Well, one thing led to another and her work as a genetics specialist brought her into contact with him at his main place of work in my Aerospace Factory. He had been denied access to advanced mathematics of course so he had developed his own maths and he was using it to solve some complex engineering problems that my best engineering managers couldn't

Our company was lamenting the seeming degradation of intellectual standards throughout the population and the difficulty finding engineers and scientists capable of keeping up with the Chinese. The feminista societies were falling behind technologically.

This geneticist Chloe Hawkins was brought in to test the intelligence of the whole executive workforce. While she was at the factory she saw Charlie and recognised him of course. She asked the Human resources department if she could test this messy male supervisor who did some complex problem solving for us but the human resources manager had to say no. Feminista rules and laws wouldn’t allow it. Charlie was only a supervisor and the Feminista law prevented any promotion.

Chloe was made of sterner stuff so she secretly tested him at his mothers home, with his mothers permission of course; and Charlie’s results stunned her. His IQ was off the clock. She tried several other recognised testing systems and they all came up with the same results.

His IQ was so high it could not be accurately assessed.

Then she tried him with some really complex maths problems. He smashed them in minutes where our executives took hours. That’s where she and I learned about his personal mathematics. He had devised his own maths because he had never been taught higher maths. It’s a form of maths we still don’t understand.

It was that maths that solved gravity and that is the reason nobody’s managed to emulate his work.

Having discovered Charlie’s freakish IQ, Chloe now faced an impossible conundrum. If she publicised his IQ, Charlie might be forced to undergo forcible feminisation, or he might be imprisoned to be forcibly milked of his sperm to try and improve the deteriorating collective intelligence of the feminista societies.

She explained this to Charlie’s mother who had laboured for years to hide Charlies genius because she was fully aware of the Feminista dangers to her son. They decided to discuss it with Charlie and it was Charlie who eventually found a workable solution.

Charlie’s maths was able to provide Chloe with irrefutable proof of the IQ degeneration.

Oh the figures were already known of course but it took Charlie’s maths to make the biological connection to the genetic conundrum to the societal reality. That really frightened the feministas and Chloe had to pretend that she had come up with the scientific proof to protect Charlie.

This really exercised Chloe’s sense of fair play and she had to admit her dissatisfaction to him. That was the first time, apart from his mother, that Charlie had knowingly met a girl who was demonstrably anti feminista.

Once that bond of trust was forged, coupled with the ‘childhood sweetheart’ dimension, Charlie and Chloe became an item. The rest is history of course and the United Queendom consequently lost one of its greatest assets; Charlie!”

“Well I must admit, I heard a slightly different version.” The Prime Minister replied.

“From General Wilson I suppose.”

“Uuhm, yes.”

“Well you can be assured Prime Minister, I was present throughout the whole of Charlie’s working life in the UQ, plus; I was closely associated with Chloe, - until they decided to make a break. That’s when the real veil of secrecy began to descend over Charlie Sage’s life. Once his mother died, Charlie slowly cut all ties with the UQ, and I for one, think it was done reluctantly.

Be assured Prime Minister, Charlie is NOT a violent lunatic unless seriously provoked.

Oh and one last thing. Just remember, not a single person died when that destroyer was sunk! It sank slowly and everybody got off close to shore. He could have blown it out of the water and killed everybody aboard instantly.

He didn't! He sent you a clear message!

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 78

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 78

List of Characters.

Chapter 78

Lady Jane continued the discussion with the UQ Prime Minister for a further hour as she explained what Charlie had achieved whilst working at Anston Aerospace and then described the degree of loss.
According to UQ Feminista law there was no doubt that Charlie had broken their laws whilst living as a UQ Subject in the UQ. Lady Jane Aston was forced to agree with the Prime Minister that Legally, Charlie was an outlaw but it left the Managing director of Anston Aerospace feeling somewhat un-easy.

After taking her leave, Lady Jane took a long walk down the Thames Embankment until she found a small restaurant and ordered a large pot of tea. There she sat and reflected on events as she debated she might have made her feelings too obvious.

The Australian great reforms concerning men’s liberation had not gone un-noticed in the UQ and it was much in the news, but the electorate had not shown any enthusiasm for such changes. In the recent election this had been reflected in the new Prime Minister and the make up of her cabinet. Lady Jane silently pondered the widening cultural gulf between the UQ and an Australia that had traditionally considered itself a ‘daughter nation.’

‘No longer a daughter now!’ She concluded as she read a column in the paper discussing the loss of the destroyer down in the Diego Garcia naval base. The author of the column declared that even if Australia might not be harbouring the terrorist organisation, they must definitely be providing some sort of logistical support. Even if it was only food.

Jane Anston was certainly no fool and she certainly didn’t consider the Charlie Sage she had known to be any sort of terrorist. It exercised her greatly to realise how things had gone so badly wrong. The quiet, co-operative, highly intelligent, and sometimes amusing works supervisor had somehow become the UQ’s implacable foe.

She would love to meet the reportedly insanely evil terrorist who had sunk a UQ warship without warning and yet with no loss of life. What worried her was that the attack followed the same pattern as the attacks against China. The first attack against the Riau military base had caused no deaths whilst the second attack had been lethal to hundreds of Chinese military. It certainly did not pay to become an enemy of Australia or Charlie Sage.

Following her own logic, Jane Anston quietly instructed her lawyers to drop the anti-gravity patents claims against Charlie Sage and to make sure Charlie knew. Unlike the modern and perniciously hide-bound, young feminista lawyers of today; Jane Anston was old enough to remember when everybody had rights.

Her inexplicable decision certainly irked the young feministas on Anston’s legal team but they were forced to concede that Jane Anston had always proven to be a very wise old bird. Not for nothing had she steered her company through countless economic storms. Even when they had approached her en-masse to try and dissuade her, she simply brushed them off with a clear warning.

“Ladies, - girls; if you want Anston Aerospace and your jobs to be here in a year’s time. Just stay with me on this one, I assure you.”

ooo000ooo

The mail arrived at Charlie’s small Woomera office where Chloe and Juliet were going over the launch plans for Dawn 4. Chloe was opening the bulky letter addressed to ‘Mr Charles Sage’ and she frowned as she read it.

“Look at this Julie.” She remarked as she handed him the letter.

“What is it?”

“Well take a look for yourself. It doesn’t make sense.”

Juliet read the proffered missive and his eyebrows arched in mild surprise.

“So why would Anston Aerospace suddenly drop all claims?”

“I don’t know, but the UQ government aren’t going to like it. The Anston Aerospace claim is the backbone of their case before the United Nations.”

“You’d better let Charlie know. This has got huge ramifications.”

Chloe pressed her speed dial and Charlie responded from the building yard where he was supervising the installation of one of the new, supersized antigravity engines into the number twelve engine bay of the new super ore-carrier Dawn 4.

“Hi darling?”

“Come to the office darling, there’s an interesting letter just arrived.”

“What’s it about?”

“Anston Aerospace have dropped all patent rights claims against you concerning the antigravity engines.”

“Really!” He squawked in surprise, before turning to Laura and Engie.

“You carry on here girls, there’s a letter arrived.”

Chloe smiled as she watched Charlie sprinting across from the yards. Most staff used the hover-scooters for ease and convenience but Charlie insisted on keeping fit.

He arrived gasping from the effort and Chloe handed him the opened letter. She and Charlie had a fully trusting relationship and Chloe opened all Charlie’s mail if he was absent. Charlie read it and smiled knowingly.

“She’s distancing herself and Anston Aerospace from the UQ government.”

“Why?” Chloe asked.

“She’s a survivor and her company is everything to her. Now the dogs of war are slipped, she’s protecting her baby.”

“But nobody knows how that destroyer was sunk. They only know you were somehow involved because you made a public declaration of war at the United nations.”

Charlie wagged his head sagely.

“Jane Anston’s a very shrewd operator and she can see the writing on the wall. She’s also NOT a great lover of the Feminista. When I worked for Anston, she resolutely refrained from joining the Feminista party; even though her company Anston Aerospace was one of the biggest beneficiaries of government contracts.”

“Is this some sort of Olive Branch?”

“I don’t know. She may just be dipping her toe back into the water or even acting as some sort of peace ambassador for the UQ. There’s a dozen different scenarios.”

“Are you going to respond?” Chloe asked.

“There’s no need. She’s dropped the claim, that’s closed the case. There’s no other business between us.”

“But there’s a hell-of-a-lot-of business between you and the UQ. There’s this election result for a start.”

“Yeah. How did that thing go?”

“You should really listen up occasionally Charlie. They’ve got a new Prime Minister and she’s a perfect product of their Feminista Education system. Misanthropy is an understatement and apparently, she’s loaded for bear.”

“Come of it Chloe!” Charlie protested. “I’ve been up to my neck in it making supersized engines for that!” (He jabbed his finger towards the leviathan sized ‘Dawn 4’ brooding on the extended slipway.) “I build spaceship engines. I leave the politics to Katie and the Oz PM.
I have no country, remember! So I have no politics and if anybody wants to trade blows with me, they trade blows face to face and fist to fist. The last time I went the diplomatic route, the bastards tried to kill me or perhaps kidnap me. And that was on the most public diplomatic stage of all!”

Chloe fell silent. Charlie was right. The legal claim by Anston Aerospace had been extrapolated by the UQ government to a full-scale political fight. She tried another tack.

“D’ you know. I think you may be right; Jane Anston is waving an Olive branch.”

“I’m bloody sure she is,” Charlie concurred, “but d’ you think I’m going to step into the bear’s den?”

“D’you think if we could get her to come to Oz, we might talk face to face?”

“You could try, technically, Oz is not at war with the UQ. Jaw, jaw is better than war, war! If you’re gonn’a try, you’d best chat with Katie and your Ozzy PM.”

“I think I’ve got a better way.”

“Oh, do tell,” Charlie’s ears pricked up.

“What d’ you think of this? Dawn 4 is scheduled to be finished next week right?”

“Ye-ess!” Charlie allowed cautiously.

“And she’s scheduled to load a shed load of iron ore from Hammersley to UK right?”

“Ye-ess.”

“What is the UQ desperately short of?”

“Palladium type ores and Magnesium for aluminium alloys.”

“So?”

“Well everybody’s short of Magnesium. That’s why China can bully countries. They’ve had a monopoly for decades.”

“That’s the operative word Charlie; - ‘had’! They don’t anymore.”

“Oh. Has Angie been successful then?”

Chloe wagged her head as Juliet grinned and interrupted.

“You’ve been too far up your own arse with the new engines boss!”

“Really? Do tell captain.”

“Angie’s just struck ‘gold’! Well magnesium actually; - along with another cache of rare ores and exotic minerals.”

“Where? Out in the belt?”

“Yes. Out in the Capricorn sector.”

“The what sector?!”

“Capricorn. The girls were looking for a way of identifying parts of the asteroid belt so they divided it up into twelve sectors and named each one after the zodiac based on the first point of Aries as it transfers from the earth to the sun where it crosses the plane of the earths ecliptic. It’s the nearest thing we’ll get to a fixed reference system in our own solar system.”
Charlie chuckled as he observed.

Trust the girls to choose a romantic, ancient, astrological system."

"It may be quaint, but it's effective." Chloe argued.

“That still makes it a movable feast.” Charlie objected.

“Well until you can find a way of fixing a prime meridian on to the sun and a fixed declination for the first point of Aries when its universal hour angle is zero, everything will continue to be a moveable feast. Juliet chuckled.”

“Point taken,” Charlie conceded, “so tell me about Angie’s find.”

“Well, she located it about two weeks ago when out prospecting with Dawn 2. She took some samples to Moonbase Alpha and they were very rich. So much so that she returned with Dawn 3 and a mining crew immediately! They recovered about ten thousand tons of almost pure Magnesium. Even the impurities were mostly other Palladian ores.

Anyway, she’ll be back on earth in three days and we will have ten thousand tons of Magnesium to trade plus another source of rare earth ores. She’s also ‘beaconed’ the location and registered the claim for our consortium.

“She loves exploration doesn’t she,” Charlie observed.

“No hometown girl is our Angie.” Juliet smiled. “Engie’s more of a hometown kid but for Angie, give her the wide-open spaces.”

“How’s their relationship going with you?”

“Engie’s pregnant, Angie’s not; I don’t think she want’s to be; - well not yet anyway.”

“Oh so you’re going to be a daddy. Congratulations.”

“Charlie, she’s three months gone!” Chloe scolded her husband gently.

”If you and Laura took your heads out of your gravity engines. You might have even attended the first baby shower.”

“Sorryee!” Charlie apologised in a soft’ high-pitched, melodious voice. “I just get carried away.”

Chloe just chuckled to herself then wagged her head resignedly. She knew her husband better than anybody.

‘At least he’s loyal and doesn’t stray.’ She told herself; 'and in these times of Australia’s immense social re-adjustment to universal equality, she had that to be thankful for; - plus a fabulously happy lifestyle.'

ooo000ooo

The following fortnight proved to be extremely hectic for all of Charlie’s circle.

Juliet and Laura took Dawn 4 up on her trial flights to the moon and Mars.

Charlie spent time secretly in Canberra with the Pregnant Engie as his assistant while the PM and Katie helped hammer out a protocol for Jane Aston to secretly visit Australia. They hoped to discuss a possible solution to the political impasse concerning Australia’s liberation and the UQ’s apparent tightening down of their feminista laws.

Finally, Angie returned with Dawn 3 from the asteroid belt with her cargo holds full of various ores including the politically exciting, almost pure, Magnesium samples.

As Dawn 3 slowly settled on the newly reinforced landing area at the Hammersley main ore handling depot, Angie gave an enthusiastic wave from her command bridge. Charlie and Engie looked across from the silo gangway and waved back while an operator extended the companion way.

“It’s really good stuff Boss!” Angie enthused, “come and see for yourself. You can wave goodbye to the CCP hegemony.”

“Can’t wait!” Charlie replied as Engie claimed marital rights to the gangway.

She dashed across without regard to her pregnancy and the pair embraced desperately while Charlie followed at a tactful distance to give the pair a few moments of privacy. By the time Charlie had reached the Dawn 3’s bridge, the girls had recovered their composure and Angie showed Charlie the cargo samples stored in the Cargo office.

All parties were fully cognoscente of the commercial and political value of the cargo and within an hour the Ozzy PM had joined with Katie the defence minister to congratulate Angie on the lucky strike. The later, celebratory supper at Woomera space station was more a declaration of relief, than jubilations of victory. Australia for one, was now entirely free of any political yoke relating to rare earth mineral supplies.

The celebrations were extended the following morning when Juliet and Laura returned to Hammersley from a very successful testing run with Dawn 4. As she landed feather light beside Dawn 3, everybody finally got a true sense of Dawn 4’s massive size. She truly was a leviathan. Over half a million tons capacity for Cargo and passenger capacity for five hundred.

Truly a ship that held huge promise for the future.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 79

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 79

List of Characters.

Chapter 79

Nearly a year had passed since the warship had been sunk but Charlie had not heard or seen anything from the UQ. Despite the apparent inaction, he was still on his guard and his family were still deemed to be at risk. Their home in Western Australia was still run like a fortress with Australian police still posting a permanent guard.

Chloe and Charlie were enjoying a long relaxing weekend on the West Australian beach while watching their little family playing in the surf with Angie and Engie. Laura and Juliet were snorkelling around the small, peninsular-like rocky outcrop that protruded into the Indian Ocean and protected the beach from the large, long period, north-westerly oceanic swells that created the dangerous surf to the north of the rocks.

Chloe put down her novel and turned to study her companion.

“What ’choo doing darling?”

“Thinking,” Charlie murmured sleepily from under his shady, wide-brimmed hat.

Chloe supressed a smile. In most ‘husband-wife’ relationships, such an answer might have invited some ribald comment alluding to sloth or laziness; but that affectionate luxury was denied the wife of possibly one of the deepest thinkers in the world of physics. Instead she burrowed into the ‘ice-box’ and cracked a ‘tinny’ of cold, fruit juice.

“Here, you’ll need the brain sugar.”

She was forced to smile again when a hand reached out blindly from under the hat and wiggled expectant fingers. She pressed the can into Charlie’s hand then took one for herself.

As she was settling back into her beach chair she spotted a figure approaching whom she recognised as Margaret Thomas, the Police Inspector in charge of their household security.

“Hello Marge; didn’t expect you to come calling on a Saturday.”

“Hi Chloe, is his lordship awake?”

“Not really,” Charlie reluctantly replied from under his hat.

“Sorry to spoil your beauty sleep, message from the PM. Can you meet her in Canberra?”

Charlie sighed as he sat up.

“I suppose I’ll have to. Is it urgent?”

“It was just two words, code three.”

“Oh, I know what that means. Not urgent then, I can go tomorrow.”

“So that means you can stay for dinner.” Chloe offered the police inspector.

“Thanks Chloe. I’d better stay over tonight at the security suite and travel with you tomorrow Charlie.” He added.

With the arrangements quickly fixed, they resumed their idle Sunday afternoon at the beach until the evening became cool.

The next morning, Charlie and Engie went to Canberra while Juliet, Angie and Laura took the Dawn 3 and 4 to the Asteroid belt to load some newly found iron and copper ores. They were evaluating the viability of a regular ore trade to earth.

ooo000ooo

The Ozzy PM and Katie were waiting at the regular landing apron as Dawn 1 settled silently like a feather. The event had become so commonplace that the rhythm of the PM’s working day was hardly affected as they greeted each other and stepped into the Cabinet office.

“So what’s this about Ma-am?” Charlie asked the PM. “And why the secrecy.”

“I didn’t want to send any signal electronically Charlie; satellites have ears.”

“Isn’t that the truth!” Charlie concurred.

“Well that’s as maybe Charlie but the fact is I’ve had a private dead-tree- communication in our diplomatic bag from Ms Jane Anston, your previous employer in the UQ.”

Charlie’s eyebrows briefly arched inquisitively, then his brow furrowed.

“Do tell.”

“She passed Charlie the note.”

“I don’t owe her any obligations,” he declared after reading the note, “after dropping her patents to antigravity claim there’s nothing for us to discuss.”

“I know that Charlie, I’m not interested in your previous feud with Anston, what I am interested in is preventing an escalation of your personal battle with the UQ.”

“It hasn’t escalated. Nothing has happened since that destroyer was sunk, and as far as I know, nobody has died. That was nearly a year ago.”

“Well apparently, Jane Anston has fallen out with the new regime in the UQ. She wants to emigrate to Oz. She offers to bring money for investment and a considerable chunk of her operation, namely Anston Aerospace.”

“Well that’s between Oz and Anston. How does that involve me?”

“The UQ government are refusing her the right to emigrate. Her assets have been declared to be property of the state.”

“Her assets aren’t worth a wank!” Charlie scoffed. “They’re yesterday’s weapons fit only for yesterday’s war. That’s why the UQ, like China, have not retaliated for the damage they suffered;- they can’t; they daren’t!”

“She wants to apologise personally for the injustices you suffered at the Hands of Anston Aerospace. Is that not worth anything?”

“What! Apologise for stealing fifteen years of my life; the most valuable years. How can anybody apologise for that? How can anybody repay it?

Anyway, how do I know this isn’t some sort of trick, to lure me into a trap?”

“We don’t but I have a gut feeling about this. I think it might be the first flowering of a female reaction to the excesses of the new regime. Apparently, there’s been talk amongst the feminista that castration might become a form of control or punishment for some lesser crimes. Even motoring offences.

Males won’t be allowed to drive unless castrated. This is purported to anticipate testosterone driven road-rage. Any male involved in work that requires driving like delivery work or garbage collection will have to be castrated. Apparently, there was a serious accident somewhere in the UQ and a male driver was involved. He reportedly over-reacted violently to the situation and he was killed by a surfeit of taser strikes by police who deemed it a hover-rage incident on the spot.

Apparently there were some protests about the incident by concerned females who had learned that the male had not been violent. He was killed on the spot by the police because the woman was badly injured and she had two children in her car. But the CCTV cameras showed that the accident had definitely been caused by the woman.

“That’s not my problem Prime Minister. I don’t live there. I invited enough danger to myself simply by emigrating. I could see this coming you know. I’m only surprised that the protests have not started earlier. As far as I’m concerned, the UQ can self-destruct from within. My only worry is how many innocent male lives will be destroyed in the bloodletting.”

“But you have the means to dissuade it.” The PM argued.

“What? With violence? Are you prepared to interfere in another country’s internal affairs.”

“You did with Singapore.”

“No, I helped a small country defend itself against a powerful external aggressor. That country, Singapore, is still there and functioning exactly as it did before. You’re suggesting I physically somehow interfere in the UQ’s internal affairs.”

“All we’re asking is that you somehow assist Jane Anston in escaping from the UQ. She has become something of a rallying point for the protests. The head of the movement you might say.”

“What’s that? Male lives matter!” Charlie suggested ironically.”

The Prime Minister almost smiled at his allusion to history but she persisted hopefully.

“I’m not just suggesting you help Jane Anston escape. There’s a large percentage of the staff at Anston Aerospace who want out of the violent mess. Many of them are your fellow workers in the Bristol workshops.”

Despite the Prime Minister’s beseechments, Charlie was still reluctant to get involved. He put off deciding until he’d spoken to his wife Chloe.

“I’ll have a think about this Prime Minister. I need to speak with my wife. This would be a dangerous enterprise and I’ve got responsibilities to my wife and young family.”

“Well, we’ve replied to Jane Anston and informed her secretly, that we’re prepared to offer her asylum if she can demonstrate some material advantage to Australia.”

“That’s your concern Ma-am; my concern is my family. Good day for now.”

ooo000ooo

As Charlie left, the PM turned to Katie, her tried and trusted friend.

“D’ you think he’ll help?”

“Yes, I think so. He’s always declared that he believes in equality and human rights. Look what he did for his friend Juliet, the space captain. I mean that took philanthropy to a new level. I think your suggestion that his old male friends from Anston Aerospace want to escape. Might tip the scales and bring him over.”

“We’ll just have to wait and see.”

When Charlie returned to Hammersley, he found Chloe watching the news of the aftermath surrounding the protests in London.

“They used live ammunition Charlie!” She cried as she compared the news-reel pictures with the images one of her friends was sending her on her mobile. “Look at this! There’s dozens of bodies! The television report is only telling a fraction of the truth! Look they’re stacking the bodies up in Little Sanctuary behind the Supreme Court of all places. How obscenely ironic is that?”

Charlie studied Chloe’s tablet as she transferred the pictures from her phone. There was no doubt the television cameras were focussed on Parliament green and Parliament Square while black uniformed operatives were tossing the bodies into vans and dumping them in the gated, narrow street behind the Supreme Court.
Because of the high gates at each end of Little Sanctuary street, little of this was obvious to the public or the news camera’s except to Chloe’s friend, who had a grandstand view from the rear windows of her own office in the supreme court.

Charlie froze an image on the tablet then counted the bodies that had not yet been covered or bagged up. The murderous violence of the Feminista police had even caught the medical standby services by surprise and insufficient body bags were readily available. He counted over a hundred uncovered bodies and several body bags; -and the bodies were still arriving! There had been a massacre and Charlie was physically sickened.

“Is this last night, there’s ten hours difference.”

“Yes.” Chloe showed Charlie the accompanying text. “She held back until she had the full picture, nobody saw her high up in her own private office. She’s just posted them in the middle of the night so people wake up to see this on their phones. It’s terrible.”

As they spoke, another text beeped onto Chloe’s phone.

“There’s pandemonium. I’m in danger. Got to go!”

Within seconds, Charlie was on his mobile to the PM’s office.

“Never mind any coded bloody messages, just tell her ‘the answer is yes’!”

“Anything else sir?”

“No! That’s all! She’ll understand!” Charlie finished as he struggled to keep calm.”

Having done all he could on his mobile, Charlie went to prepare for a rapid dash to the UQ. Chloe caught up with him and asked if he wanted her to accompany him.

“No, stay here with Margaret and alert her if you get any messages from me. Who was that girl in the Supreme court building.”

“She was with me at Medical school. then she qualified as a paediatrician, then she returned to law school to study medical jurisprudence when I opted for surgery after genetics.”

“Can you trust her?”

“I don’t know. She must have some issues though, because she definitely must have known those pictures would cause ructions. The UQ government said only two people were killed in the crowd crush yesterday but her pictures of all those bodies laid out and uncovered exposed the lie. Here’s the most recent post and it says over a hundred killed. They’re still counting the injured because lots escaped from the ‘kettle’ and are laid up all over London.”

“Well the pictures have gone viral and it’s all over the internet.” Charlie observed. “This will put the final lie to the UQ being the land of hope and bloody glory.”

“If you are going to rescue anybody, shouldn’t you be taking Dawn 2?” Chloe asked concernedly.

“I don’t know what I’m getting myself into. It’s nightfall in the UQ soon so I’m hoping I can reach Jane Anston without revealing myself.” If the shooting starts, only Dawn 1 is built to take a bullet.”

“Before you go, let’s mutually encrypt our spare phones, the chips are in the safe.”

“Shit I forgot about that!” Charlie cursed as Chloe dashed into the house. She returned with the encrypted pair of phones and they checked them before Chloe gave her man a passionate and emotional hug,”

“Don’t put yourself in Danger, she’s not worth your life.”

“I’m just going to sound things out with her.”
“Make sure your spy camera is working and don’t go into anything blind.”

Finally there was one passionate kiss and Chloe stepped back as Dawn 1 whisked silently away.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 80

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 80

©Beverly Taff

List of Characters.

Chapter 80.

Once safely up in sub-space and clear of all traces of an aerodynamically effective atmospheric density, Charlie slowed down and checked his high-powered cameras. Having assured himself that they were fully operational, he ascended to the geostatic orbital zone and started disabling the UQ’s spy cameras plus any other cameras whose view field might stray into the UQ spy zone.

Then he sat back and listened to the resultant radio traffic. Finally he was satisfied to hear a string of angry curses as various UQ organisations declared themselves to be effectively blind. There was also some angry backchat between the UQ and other countries who’s spy satellites had been collaterally disabled so there was effectively no security cover for the whole of the UQ security zone.

He now had a couple of hours before the UQ dawn arrived over the Eastern hemisphere so he set his alarm and took a nap. His night vision cameras whilst good, did not give sufficient precise detail to ascertain and identify any human target’s at night. All that appeared was an intensely white infra-red image that located a target and indicated what he or she was doing. Charlie needed identities and certainty.

As Dawn approached, Charlie aligned his cameras over Jane Anston’s home and waited. Sure enough, he recognised her top model gravi-car appear from her garage and proceed to the Anston Aerospace works in Bristol. There it stopped at her personal parking bay and she stepped out. Charlie noted that a police gravi-car had paused in line of sight a city block away and nobody emerged.

‘Surveillance,’ Charlie rightly concluded. An act that told him that the authorities either had no clear proof of Jane Anston’s association with the protests, or they were hoping to catch any possible associates who might be communicating with her.

There was little he could do to help her while she was working at the factory. She had a high profile and many people would meet with her throughout the day. He set his camera to a four-way split viewing the car, the main gate, the main factory entrance and the trade delivery warehouse. Each time the camera detected movement, it bleeped an alarm though Charlie was mildly concerned at the paucity of activity. He had expected it to be buzzing.

It appeared the Anston Aerospace was not the hive of activity it once was but that did not concern him. It was more than Probable that the UQ government had essentially disassociated itself from Anston Aerospace once it stopped producing innovative electronics and components. (Artifacts that had been essentially Charlie’s handiwork.)

The UQ was known to be falling behind China technologically speaking and Charlie fully knew the reason why; - the XY-IQ factor as it come to be known, and the United Queendom was having a hard time remedying it. They knew the reasons for the dumbing down of their nation but the solution was sociologically disruptive. Short of forcible tests and compulsory breeding there was nothing for it but extreme eugenics akin to a fascist state and these conditions were just one more straw to break the Camel’s back. Intelligent men and even more particularly, intelligent women, resented being told how to breed and when.

Those who had eagerly voted for the feminist crackdown on male ‘criminality’ were quickly beginning to realise where the road led.

ooo000ooo

As the afternoon shadows lengthened, Charlie noted two more ‘unmarked cars’ arrive unobtrusively within the city blocks close to Anston Aerospace’s factory gates. He only realised they were some sort of surveillance cars when he noticed that neither drivers nor passengers emerged after the cars had parked up.

He carefully focused the powerful single camera on the third arrival, and his stomach flipped as he recognised the passenger when the car had turned into a narrow cul-de-sac. As it manoeuvred a ‘three-point-turn’ to face outwards for a quick reaction, Charlie had got an excellent sight of (and photographs of) General Wilson who sat waiting for any unusual or inexplicable events to unfold.

From the edge of space at about one hundred miles altitude, Charlie marvelled at the quality of the images he was receiving from his super-powerful telescope. He even recognised the brand of chocolate bar that his worst enemy was munching.
Five o’clock came and went but still Jane Anston remained in her factory and Charlie noted the lights burning still in her office.

‘She always was a grafter,’ he reflected and indeed, it was just gone eight pm when she finally emerged and passed the cul-de-sac. When the General’s car emerged to follow, Charlie decided to descend to surface level. The night was by now fully dark but there was no cloud so Charlie had to pick that critical altitude where ground and streetlights would not expose him, or car headlights would not flash him up. The clear bright moon was no comfort either.

This situation left him visible to air-traffic radar but he had to take that chance. Risking being discovered and shot at, was the whole reason for using the armoured Dawn 1.

Having picked his height, Charlie then tailed General Wilson’s car about three hundred feet above her. Lady Jane Anston led them all directly to her palatial country home and Charlie was secretly glad that Wilson and her cronies had not ambushed her on the way home. They did, however, follow her all the way to her house and accosted her as she emerged from her hover-car.

Charlie only heard snippets of conversation through his amplifier earphones but it was clear that they were going to interview Jane Anston at home and also search her house. Fortunately, Charlie had been to her house a couple of times when being asked to give field trials of one of his inventions so he knew where her bedroom, dining room and living rooms were.

It was a very simple matter to loiter above the house and position Dawn 1 to get a clear view of each room; provided the lady did not draw her curtains. He debated somehow getting a note to her advising her not to draw her curtains but decided it was too risky. For the moment, secrecy was all, and he was already pushing his luck. Air traffic radar could pick him up at any moment for his antireflection coating was beginning to date.

By eleven pm, Wilson and his cronies had finished with Lady Jane and Charlie followed their cars to make sure nobody had been left behind to spy on the house.

Once he saw all four intelligence officers settle into their hotel, he returned to Lady Jane’s palatial house. His heart lightened when he noted that her bedroom lights and bathroom lights were still on. She was obviously getting ready for bed.

“With the grounds now in total darkness, Charlie descended to the ground and collected a container of gravel before approaching to within a foot of Lady Jane’s bedroom window. Fortunately, antigravity enabled Dawn 1 to manoeuvre with such finesse.

With Dawn 1’s after clamshell cargo doors open and hovering rigidly within a foot of Jane Anston’s bedroom window, Charlie took a handful of fine gravel and flung it gently at the glass.

ooo000ooo

Jane Anston was angry, it was bad enough her having been followed all the way home from her factory to her country home. Then to have those so-called ‘security police’ demand to enter and interrogate was just about the last straw.

“What d’ you mean –‘possible terrorist affiliations’? How dare you accuse me of such activity!”

“We believe you might have developed links to the ‘Male Lives Matter’ organisation. You were seen attending one of their events in Bristol City Centre last week.”

“Listen Colonel Wilson, ‘”

“General!”

“What?”

“It’s General Wilson Mis Anston. Things have moved on since you allowed that mad scientist of yours to escape.”

“Oh! So it’s General Wilson now. Well no matter, you’re still the ignorant bully you always were when you tried to arrest my so-called mad scientist before. For your information, I did NOT allow Sage to escape as you put it. He was NEVER under arrest.”

“He was under your care.”

“No, he was under my supervision purely from a technical and commercial basis. I simply guided him in his work and planned his workload. I was never responsible for any security issues to do with his personal life. That was the responsibility of his mother until she died; then his wife became responsible as per your Feminista regulations and laws.”

“So why did he leave when he was registered at Anston Aerospace as a legal asset?”

“He left when his wife Emigrated to Australia. Wherever she went, he was obliged to follow as per the Feminista laws of the time.”

“But he was a registered asset belonging to your company.”

“That didn’t make him Anston’s property. We only had proprietal rights to his services and his creations. I don’t believe slavery was legal at that time. He was free to come and go as a free person between his mother dying and his getting married. The only things Anston owned where his skills and his patent rights. Even they were transferred to his wife when they married!”

“Did you know they were getting married?” The General persisted.

“Of course I didn’t. Nobody did. That cunning woman discovered that the laws concerning marriage had only been reversed to give the wife property rights over her husband. When she married, she gained all rights to all of Sage’s patents and property.
It took us completely by surprise, then as a veritable chattel, she was entitled to take him with her to Australia. I didn’t see your government trying to stop her.”

“Yes, well that legal loophole has been blocked, along with several others. Everybody needs exit visas to leave the country now.”

“How liberating!” Jane Anston retorted sarcastically. “And would this have anything with the protests and massacres in London?”

“There were no massacres.”

“Really General, when did you last consult your mobile phone?”

“Those are digitally faked images, false news.”

“Of course General.” She ‘conceded.’ “And I’m a hologram.”

General Wilson lost he patience and she snapped.

“You are required to surrender your passport while we search your house.”

Jane had been expecting this but she was still concerned. Without a passport, escape would be doubly difficult. She put on a brave face but underneath, she felt the first twist of fear tighten her viscera.

“Very well General. Everything in the house is recorded and photographed for insurance purposes. Some things are valuable so if anything goes missing or get’s damaged; your department will of course receive the bill.”

“Your passport please,” the general snorted.

“It’s in my bedroom; in my jewellery safe.”

“I’ll need the code.”

“Sorry,” Jane smirked with secret satisfaction, “it’s a finger-print and iris recognition. I have to stand and look into the eyepiece while extending my five fingers onto the recognition pad. It’s to stop thieves .” She added with malicious pleasure.

Suspicion glittered in General Wilson’s eyes but she had to concede Jane her one small victory. In the bedroom, She tried to peer past Jane’s shoulder to recognise the other contents of the safe but she only saw some old envelopes; reminders of the ‘dead tree’ era.

Having got what she came for, General Wilson left in the same sour mood she came with.

“We’ll be coming to your office tomorrow, to check your activities. The Prime Minister was not assured by your recent meeting with her.”

“Nor I her.” Jane replied. “Good night General, I’m sure you know your way out.”

As they left, Jane fumed somewhat impotently. It was incredible how quickly one’s perceived status could be changed. She made herself some chocolate and took it to bed to consider her situation.

After preparing for bed, she lay on the bed when suddenly she heard a strange noise. She frowned as she tried to recognise it then eventually, after the noise had repeated itself several times; she recognised it and smiled uncertainly.

It was that age-old sound of a secret boyfriend trying to contact his forbidden girlfriend in the tower. It was pebbles being thrown against her bedroom window. More curious than nervous she switched off the bedroom lights than cautiously peeped through the gap in the curtains.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 81

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

Mature / Thirty+

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 81

List of Characters.

Chapter 81.

As Jane Anston carefully parted the chink in the curtains, she squinted uncertainly at the indistinct shape immediately outside her window; indeed. Impossibly close to her window.

The dark faded ‘matt grey’ surface reflected no light and offered no clue as to it’s true shape or identity so she let the curtains fall together again as she stepped back to grab the bedside reading lamp. Then she pointed the lamp towards the window whilst simultaneously clicking the base of the lamp and spreading the curtains.

“Put that bloody light out you fool!”

She immediately recognised the voice but could not believe it.

“Charlie! Is that you?”

“Put what yonder light out you fool.”

She knew he always had a propensity for Shakespeare and a nervous wave of relief rippled through her tummy as she fumbled with her bedside reading light, curtains and the window catch.

“What are you doing here, they’ll kill you if they catch you?”

His tall angular frame emerged from the stygian blackness behind the clam-shell doors of Dawn 1 and she suddenly realised she was only in her sleeping teddy. She wrapped the curtain around her as he answered.

“You sent a note in the Australian diplomatic pouch and the Ozzy PM agrees to help you escape from the UQ if you’re up for it.”

“What! Here? Now?”

“There’s no better time. Is there anybody else in the house?”

“No the gardener lives in the cottage around the back and the maid goes home on Tuesdays.”

“Right, I can’t wait upon your tarry. Do you want to go or not?”

“What! Right now?”

“Immediately, I can hear traffic coming from the road. At this time of night, I’d bet my bottom dollar its Wilson’s mob. Has he been around?”

“Ooh yes. He was around here tonight. He’s got my bloody passport!”

Charlie couldn’t supress a snort of ridicule.

“Bugger your bloody passport, are you coming or not?”

“I need to get dressed!”

“You can get dressed onboard. Hurry woman. It’s now or never.”

“Turn away.”

“Tsk!” Charlie wagged his head as he demanded. “D’ you want modesty or freedom. I’ve read your Missive to our PM!”

Nevertheless, he turned away and just offered an extended arm to help her slip through the narrow, half height windowpane.

Throwing caution to the wind, she grabbed the arm and crawled crouching through the antique leaded window frame as Charlie forced it all the way back on its hinges. She reached out with her foot to step onto the rear cargo threshold but Charlie just reached around her and yanked her easily in board. As she stumbled forward, Charlie pointed out the open door and followed closely behind her. In the low red nightlight she realised now she was virtually naked except for the flimsy whisp of her sleeping teddy.

She moved to put the chart table between her and Charlie but quickly realised he had no predatory or sexual interest in her. As he slid quickly into the control seat he spoke over his shoulder.

“In the lockers on the bulkhead, there are labelled spacesuits for each of my spacemen. Take the one labelled Laura, she’s about your size. Put the teddy-bear onsie on first then fix up the urine pipe. Have you ever inserted your own catheter?”

“Good god no!” She squeaked.

“Welcome to space travel and space suits then, If you don’t feel comfortable with the catheter; just put the onesie on, that’ll make you respectable.”

As he was saying this; Charlie was busy adjusting controls and closing remote cargo doors while Dawn 1 was already ascending. Jane hurriedly opened Laura’s locker and found the onsie. She sniffed it and realised it had been used by Laura but the smell was not sour or objectionable. She was just glad of the modesty the onsie gave her.

Once she had struggled into it she was about to turn and ask Charlie the usual silly question about her bum looking big but instead, there was a tremendous bang and she was flung against the cabinets

“Aaaargh! Fuck! What was that?” She screamed in terror.

“Aak,aak.” Charlie replied. “Don’t worry, they didn’t hit us. It was just dammed close.”

“Are we damaged? The famous engineer asked nervously.”

“I Don’t think so,” Charlie opined. “If we’d been hit there would have been a bloody great clang, like the inside of a bell.”

Jane Anston stepped to look out of the forward visor but saw nothing but clouds. She turned again nervously to Charlie.

“Who could have fired at us?”

“I don’t know, but it was obviously some agency of the government. That was a large calibre anti-aircraft ordinance.”

“But how would they have known?”

“They’ve obviously been watching you for some time. Maybe even monitoring your correspondence.”

“Well that’s possible I suppose but that murderous bitch in number ten has only been prime minister for a few days.”

“And already, hundreds have been killed for protesting quietly on the streets.” Charlie finished for her.”

Jane Anston fell into a thoughtful silence. Then there was another flash followed by a distant crump. Dawn 1 felt the shock but it was too far away to cause any discomfort.

“We’re out of range now.” Charlie advised her. “They might not know you’re aboard so what do you want to do?”

“What choices do I have?”

“The whole planet; anywhere you like.”

“I’d like to protect my niece. She was the one who videoed all the corpses in Little Sanctuary Street behind the Supreme Court.”

“That’s tricky, d’ you know where she might be. The text accompanying the video she sent to Oz stated she was in danger.”

“That video went viral, it’s all over. There’ll be plenty of people offering her safety now.”

“But where,” Charlie asked, “if she’s with a lot of supporters, it’s likely they’ll want to escape and my ship only normally carries one. There’s standing space for five or six at a squeeze but I can’t rescue more.”

“What about that space behind that door we came through?”

“That’s the cargo hold. It’s not airtight, we’d have to stay low so that they could breath and at low altitude we’d be vulnerable to anti-tank missiles. They’d have very little chance of hitting us even way down low because my ship is really fast. But it’s still a risk.”

“How fast does she go?”

“That’s a secret Miss Anston, at least, her maximum speed is a secret. At ground level her speed is restricted by air-friction. At three thousand knots, her anti-reflective coating would begin to melt, at five thousand knots, her tungsten tipped leading edges start to get red hot and melt. She can briefly do five thousand knots at sea level then it graduates upwards as altitude increases and air density reduces.”

“Good god!” Jane gasped. “So at ground speed, a missile can’t catch her.”

“Not if the missile sends out any form of radio tracking or heat detection transmissions. Anyway, missiles can’t harm her. They’re designed to knock down thin-skinned aircraft not a flying tank. That explosion just now was an artillery shell. It only got close because we were ascending slowly. It would take a direct hit by an anti-tank missile to hurt my ship.”

“So you could rescue my niece. She’s an important witness because she took the ‘Little Sanctuary’ massacre video on her mobile.”
“Yeah but who else would want to climb aboard? Think of the panic, it would be Saigon all over again.”

“I could get her alone if she’s still got her phone.”

“What, arrange a rendezvous?” Charlie wondered.

“Yes. I have the perfect spot. I took her and her sister on a picnic once and we were chased by a red deer stag. She knows exactly where it was.”

“No can do” Charlie cautioned her. “It has to be a place that ONLY your niece knows. Otherwise they can torture her sister.”

“Shit!”

“Look,” Charlie offered, “you’re safe now. Let’s take you to Oz and I can get my ship kitted out with some extra equipment to check for ambushes and defence.”

“But my niece!”

“Sorry; it’s too risky. Besides, they might be using you as bait to trap me.” Charlie finished.

“Or as bait to find my niece.” She pleaded. “She’s the one who’s really fucked them up. She’s their worst enemy at the moment.”

“Not any more she isn’t.” Charlie argued. “She’s done her bit for the cause. The damage is done.”

“But if they find her, they’ll punish her simply for showing the truth, they’ll kill her! They’ve killed plenty of others!”

“So? She dies for the cause, she’s a martyr!”

“How can you be so cynical; so uncaring?”

Charlie was testing Jane Anston by presenting himself as a cold, uncaring opportunist. He continued in a combative vein.

“How do I know you’re not setting a trap for me, and or your niece? You invite me to help you rescue her then capture me and her at the rendezvous. You worked willingly for the Feminista for decades, you’ve made lot of money out of their government contracts. How do I know you’re not still working for them?”

“That’s just bloody evil!” She cursed.

“Am I. I just rescued you from your own bedroom, how’s that evil?”

“You didn’t know I needed helping.”

Charlie gave a short Ironic laugh.

“Ha! Anybody who’s just received an evening call from Wilson, is pretty sure to be in a jam or have some sort of problem! Let’s not forget, you chose to escape from your own bedroom window.”

“Yeah but I ask myself now, if I jumped from the frying pan into the fire.”

“That’s as maybe.” Charlie countered, “but I’ll take you to Oz and introduce you to our PM cos’ that’s the last letter you wrote to her. While you sort out any issues with her, I’ll run my own security checks while Dawn 1 is being fitted out with some defences. I can’t ever see myself or Dawn needing them but you never know.”

If the Aussies are happy, I’ll look at rescuing your niece, and a few others while we’re at it. I’ve also got a few friends who might want to get out of that Feminista cesspit.

“How do you propose to do that?” She demanded.

“We’ve moved on quite a bit in Oz. Provided I can organise internal help, I can bypass UQ’s internal defences. Note I said bypass, not overwhelm or destroy!”

ooo000ooo

Jane Anston fell silent as she watched the earth pass silently by underneath her. Eventually she recognised a salient feature.

“Is that Antarctica with all that white?”

“Yes; we’re passing over the Antarctic Peninsular and King George Island. That’s Ross Island to our left.”

“But why d’you come this way, it’s a hell of a long way around?”

“I stick mainly to passing over the Oceans, that’s still neutral territory despite the belligerent endeavours of some. The safest way to reach Oz from the UQ is go south over the Atlantic, then over Antarctica which is neutral territory and finally go north to reach Australia over the Antarctic Ocean then into the great Ozzy bight. That way nobody can accuse us of overflying their patch or spying on them.”

“Then why don’t you go north over the arctic and down the date line?”

“Try threading a spaceship between Alaska and Siberia. They’re still at each other’s throats. The missiles wouldn’t touch us; but the fall out would be catastrophic. Missiles flying up from Alaska and Siberia!? It doesn’t bear thinking about, so I take the long way around.”

Jane couldn’t fault the Logic as she watched the last traces of Antarctica disappear astern.

“Where will we land in Australia?” She asked.

“Canberra. Right by the parliament buildings. Katie will receive us and we go straight into the PM’s office.”

“Who’s Katie?”

“One of my best friends in Oz. She’s the defence minister and the PM’s righthand girl. She was close to me when the Chinese tried to assassinate me. She had a beautiful white silk suit and the hem got splashed with the blood from my splintered face”

“Is that what gave you that horrible scar?”

“Yes.”

“Doesn’t it frighten your children?”

“Yes.

“What’s she like; this Katie?”

“She’s a very sharp cookie, a feminised victim of the Feminista laws and a very resentful one. She’s bitterly angry she can’t father kids. If you want to see the consequences of Feminista, teenaged castrations, speak to her!”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 82

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 82

List of Characters.

Chapter 82

Lady Jane Anston stood transfixed as Dawn 1 started to descend into the atmosphere proper and a flat featureless land appeared below.
Lady Jane turned accusingly.
“That’s not New South Wales!” It’s semi desert and totally flat. Canberra is green with trees and hills.

“Oh! You’ve learned your geography then; well done. Quite right, that’s the Nullabar Plain. I have my reasons for entering Oz this way and the Aussies know why.”

“What are they?”

“You don’t need to know. All you need to know is that it’s for security reasons.”

As he answered her, Charlie reached across to the comms panel and tapped in a code. There was a brief pause and then three green lights flickered as a screen illuminated. A young woman’s face appeared.

“Hi Charlie, did it work?”

“Hi Engie. Yes but I didn’t get everything; time and logistics you understand.”

“That’s a pity, we hoped you’d rescue the witness to the little sanctuary massacres.”

“She’s still in hiding at the moment. Nobody knows where she is.”

As he spoke, Charlie turned to Jane and put his fingers to his lips to signal silence before he resumed speaking.

“Okay Engie, I’m dog-legging for Canberra, I’ll be back with you once I’ve spoken to the PM. How’s the fecundity going?”

“Thanks for asking. Everything’s on course. Bye-e for now.”

“What was that about fecundity?”

“She’s pregnant.” Charlie replied as he adjusted course.

Jane watched the suns’ shadow sweep around into the cockpit and realised that Dawn 1 had turned east for Canberra.

“How long?”

“Twenty minutes, we’re ascending back to sub-space to make the speed.” Charlie explained as he deepened the shade in windscreen glass to filter the sunlight.

Soon they arrived and settled silently on the apron where Katie was waiting with a couple of security guards.

“Welcome back Charlie. This is Jane Anston I presume.

Jane nodded, smiled and extended her hand. Surprisingly, Katie did not shake it. She just clutched her thick file and motioned to Jane to follow.

“Welcome to Oz Ms Anston, we go straight in, they’re waiting.”

Jane was slightly surprised at the total lack of formality and brusqueness but she hurried along as Katie strode purposefully into prime ministerial office. More brief formalities were exchanged and agreements made as per the earlier communications. Finally, Jane Anston emerged to find Charlie bantering with the receptionist while he sipped a large mug of coffee. She explained to him.

“Apparently your PM is reluctant to risk you again; something about you’re being too valuable.”

“Yeah. My secrets are still locked up in here.” (He tapped his temple.) My ace in the hole!”

“You still don’t trust people then?” She sighed.

“What d’ you expect?” Charlie countered. “Look what you and your cronies did.”

“I’ve apologised as best I can for that.”

“And your apologies are accepted but it’s still a case of forgive, though never forget.”

Before the discussion went further, Katie emerged and asked both Charlie and Jane to return to the PM’s office.

Jane’s expression clearly said. ‘what now?’ Charlie just shrugged and stepped past Katie. Once again there was little ceremony and Jane Anston found herself pitching straight into negotiations again.

The issue was getting information and intelligence sufficient to locate and assist the people Jane Anston had listed in her earlier request for asylum.

“Are you sure nobody else has seen this list?” The Prime Minister pressed.

“I compiled it at home in my bedroom .” Jane revealed.

“What do you feel Charlie?”

“The same as Katie. We need good intelligence and a cunning plan.”

“Any ideas.”

“How are the new trade talks progressing, the new ore sources and rare earths exports?” Charlie asked.

“Well, lots of people are interested; the UQ amongst them.” The PM explained. “Everybody wants to escape the Chinese hegemony.”

“Right, the first time Dawn 4 delivers a cargo of precious ores to UQ, it means we’ve got a means of getting people out. The hard part might be getting people out of their hidey holes and secreting them aboard Dawn 4.”

“Any ideas about that?” Katie asked Charlie

“We could make a big deal about the first visit of an Australian ore carrier delivering celestial supplies of ore to the UQ. Open the ship to the UQ public for an educational visit.” Charlie continued. “We issue invites to colleges and stuff. Employment opportunities in space and so on. Oz being short of people to work on the other planets and all that sort of thing. People will flock to see the ship and if we make it publicly available for a special ‘open day’ even men will be allowed to look at it.”

“I don’t think the UQ would allow men to visit a spaceship.” Jane remarked.

“Tell them we need men for doing manual work in space. Mining the ores and stuff. If the UQ wishes to share in the celestial bonanza, they have to go by Oz rules. No supply of labour, no ore.”

“The UQ has never liked being bullied.” Jane continued.

“Who said anything about bullying,” Charlie argued, “it’s simply a ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ offer. Just make sure the offer is well publicised. There’ll be millions of Brits wanting to see a green industrial renaissance in the UQ. The same would go for the ‘rust-belt’ regions of the Feminista republics in America.”

The prime minister grinned.

“That’s same deal you gave us Charlie, take it or leave it.”

“And it seems to have worked.” Charlie concluded.

On that phlegmatic note Charlie stepped disinterestedly out of the office. It was up to the politicians and wheeler dealers to come to terms with his terms.

‘They can sort out their own issues,’ he concluded as he wandered into the canteen and bought himself a coffee.

ooo000ooo

Charlie was on his second large mug of coffee when Jane Anston and Katie re-joined him in the canteen. He looked up as they approached and sensed all was not well.

“Go on,” Charlie ‘encouraged’ them, “you want me to go back don’t you?”

“We haven’t much option Charlie.” Katie confessed. “Your idea of using that huge ore carrier as some sort of reverse trojan horse, seems to be the most viable option.”

“Why did I think this was coming?” Charlie chided the pair.

“Cos, short of using unwarranted violence,” Katie continued, “it’s the only option available.”

“It’s a sneaky option,” Jane opined “but needs must.”

“Yeah, like Katie’s old military unit’s motto,” Charlie chuckled, “what was it again; not by strength but guile; - or something wasn’t it.”

Katie nodded and confessed. “Yeah the only time I felt I had dignity and worth.”

“Well,” Charlie stood up and frowned, “we might as well get on with it. You’d better let old iron-knickers know I’ll play ball. But I want my team on board and some space-fighters if it turns to rat-shit.”
“Who are your team?” Jane Anston asked.

“You ask too many questions Jane. That’s not for you to know .”

“You still don’t trust me then!” Jane whinged.

“He’s right not to trust anybody,” Katie intervened on Charlie’s behalf. “You’ll be playing a very minimal part in this;- nothing more than a few cryptic messages on your mobile phone.
You’ll go In with Charlie, then text two or three words to your niece, then out again, and straight back to Oz. We’ll have the comms centre on Dawn 4 kitted out to monitor identified mobile numbers; plus of course we’ll have Dawn 2 working as a catch-all ariel high up in space. Any suspicious phone traffic and we call the op off, or - plunge in loaded for bear.

“If you are trying to double cross us,” Charlie cautioned her, “then your niece might be the first to suffer. This isn’t a bloody game!”

“Damn you to hell!” Jane cursed. “What does it take to convince you?”

“Success!” Charlie replied. “Success, pure and simple!”

“I suppose I deserve that,” Jane sulked, “in truth, you’ve got just cause.”

“Right!” Katie surmised, “time to put together a plan. Get your gang together Charlie and sort the ops out. I’ll work with the PM to get this good-will, cum educational visit sorted for Dawn 4. It’s been on the table anyway, ever since we made it known we were building a Dawn 4.”

“And me?” Jane demanded. “Do I get any chance to assist?”

“Sorry Miss Anston,” Katie declared. “We have to hold you incommunicado until the operation’s set to go. You might as well enjoy what there is of Canberra but frankly it’s a bit of a sterile place compared with the more vibrant cities like Sydney and Melbourne. Sorry we can’t offer you much hospitality and you’ll have to suffer a twenty-four-hour escort for the duration.
I know Charlie confiscated your phone for now but you’ll get it back after the op. The only time you will use it is when you contact your niece.”

Jane Anston shrugged irritably, there was nothing she could except wait with the Defence minister while they watched Charlie disappear into the clear blue cloudless sky. After he had disappeared she turned to Katie questioningly.

“He get’s carte-blanche for the whole of Australian airspace?”

Katie grinned before riposting.

“Why not? He’s got carte-blanche for the whole of the bloody solar system!

Now let’s get you organised with a secure suite of rooms. You won’t be under house arrest, but you’ll be escorted everywhere you go and absolutely no phones.

ooo000ooo

“Several days later, the supposedly ‘educational visit’ by Dawn 4 to deliver half a million tons of assorted ores to the UQ was organised. The spaceship would arrive at Port Talbot steelworks and deliver the assorted ores to whatever locations the steelworks wished, then clean up prior to inviting school parties and assorted dignitaries to tour the ship as it loitered effortlessly above the local pleasure beach and promenade.

The wide flat beach with its numerous extensive promenade and parking spaces was an ideal visiting venue. The high fronted promenade also provided an excellent public viewing platform for visitors to simply ‘rubber-neck’ the ship. More importantly, the exceptionally high range of tides meant that the Dawn 4 would regularly be hovering over water nine to fourteen metres deep at high water, then alternatively be hovering over sandy beach at low water.

This would enable Dawn 1 approach underwater then slip aboard Dawn 4 un-noticed at high tide when the cargo bottom discharging flaps were left open ostensibly for the sea to slop out the hold.

Once all the dates and arrangements had been fixed; Dawn 4 arrived in space directly above Port Talbot; firstly to be met and greeted by the UQ Feminista Prime Minister,

After she had ‘touched down’ as light as a feather, she welcomed the reception committee aboard.

As the now permanent Captain in command, Juliet welcomed the UK Feministas aboard. The virulently feminista PM eyed Juliet distastefully as she failed to disguise her prejudice.

Juliet ignored her bad manners for she was just pleased to be a part of a plot that would quite probably destroy the Feminista usurpers.

Apart from the undisguised hatred to Juliet shown by the UK feminista PM. the initial reception ceremony went reasonably well; but only because Captain Juliet showed remarkable restraint.

The next organised stunt involved moving Dawn 4 to the stockyards and lowering the cargo flaps to ‘dump’ the bulkiest cargoes of very high-grade iron ore and meteoric iron. As the ores tumbled out of the holds with a thunderous roar onto the stockyards below, huge clouds of fine dust erupted upwards in a spectacle that resembled an active volcano. Fortunately, the hermetically sealed accommodation area protected the governmental party; but the filthy brown cloud quickly spread over the town for several miles.

Juliet grinned at the UQ Prime Minister before allowing.

“Methinks you’d best find a way of enclosing your stackyards before we next bring another load, We can’t have another debacle like that polluting the town, can we.”

“That would be a considerable investment!” The UQ PM opined.
“I’m sure for a modest stake in a modernised steel-making operation, the Australian government might show a willingness to invest in shares for the new company. It’s in our interest to be making steel with our own ores as and where it’s needed worldwide.” Katie offered. “We could readily build stock sheds that could enclose your whole stock yard area!”

After the years of monopolistic exploitation by China, the UQ government was ready to tear the Australians’ hand off. A day later after assorted ores had been deposited in their dedicated bays, a new deal was signed betwixt the UQ and Oz.

Two days later Dawn 4 was cleaned up and ready to receive school and college parties for educational visits. The second stage of the Aussie plan was set.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 83

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlies War 83

List of Characters.

Chapter 83

The first trip, delivering ore and inviting school parties aboard Dawn 4 had been a trial run. It had worked successfully because no attempts to rescue any anti-feminist had been tried. Dawn 4 and her escorting space fighters had returned to Oz without incident.

Keen to accumulate wealth and knowledge, Juliet forsook a work break and took Dawn 4 back to the asteroid belt to commence selecting assorted precious ores and rare earths for the second delivery.

After harvesting her second load of assorted ores, Juliet was loitering in space some several hundred miles above Woomera, when he learned that his ship Dawn 4 was to serve as the basis for a top-level diplomatic trade mission when next she returned to the UQ to deliver her second precious cargo. He re-read the government orders and sighed.

‘I suppose I’ll have to dance attendance on all sorts of flunkies and hanger’s on. So now I’ve got to land this monster somewhere near the Canberra parliament buildings in order to collect the Ozzy prime-minister and god knows who else. Hope I don’t crash into the building.’

As he set course for Canberra, Laura’s voice broke through his reverie.

“Hi Julie. I’ve got to park Dawn 3 at Woomera and join you on that big lump of iron. Apparently, Chloe is bringing Dawn 2 to the party and then we’ve got to take her ship on board your ship to be used as some sort of visitor ferry after we’ve discharged the cargo.”

The rest of Charlie’s spacemen assembled at Woomera then flew to Canberra in Dawn 2. Once there, everybody digested the plan and equipped themselves accordingly. Dawn 2 and 4 were to be the diplomatic convoy proper while Charlie would operate hopefully undetected in Dawn 1, finding and gathering the many friends and families who were known to be at risk and hiding from the Feminista authorities in the UQ.

For the purposes of the secret rescue, everybody was given diplomatic status and listed accordingly on the visitation list, This was mainly to give Charlie some small extra protection. As topping on the cake, six space-fighters were to again accompany the mission.

There was little doubt that the UQ military and security interest would almost certainly be concentrated on the Australian space fighters which were known to have taken out the Chinese hypersonic missiles.

Nobody outside Oz knew that Dawn one and Dawn 2 had also captured or destroyed some of the Chinese weapons actually in flight.
The crumpled sample presented at the Singapore and United Nations inquiries had been the crashed missile from the outback recovery. The one caught in actual flight was captured in space and intact. This would be a powerful inducement to the UQ government to show co-operation in exchange for a study of the Chinese advance technology.

The attendance of the ‘space fighters’ as escorts to the mission were the cause of much discussion and debate within the UQ government. They, and their antigravity propulsion, were the ‘elephant-in-the-room.’

ooo000ooo

The diplomatic convoy arrived to find the UQ stockyards had now been partially roofed and this time the cargo discharge went smoothly without much dust escaping The UQ minister for trade and their Chancellor of their exchequer had boarded Dawn 4 on arrival.

Buying cheaper ore from space would hugely assist the UQ’s balance of trade exchange and the supply train security was an immensely reassuring bonus. There would be no more Chinese extortionate blackmail.

As the ore poured noisily into the designated capture bays, the diplomats were first taken on a tour of the passenger section of the huge ship while avoiding the dust and dirt of the busy cargo holds.

“How do you clean her after discharge?” The UQ trade minister asked.

“If it’s a repeat cargo there’s no need;” Juliet explained. If we have to wash down to change cargo, we take water from Europa, that’s one of the moons of Jupiter and return the tailings back to the asteroid belt. The water we keep. It’s a very valuable resource. Especially in Oz and on the Moonbase Alpha.

I’ve drunk the water from Europa and it hasn’t made me sick yet.

“Is it safe to import it? I mean alien life forms in the water and stuff.”

“Yes. If any life forms have evolved to survive on Europa the heat on earth would be lethal. Captain Sage has been occasionally drinking Europa’s water for nearly two years, without any apparent side effects. Anyway, you accept the assorted ores don’t you? They come from space.”

The minister nodded then asked again, “But you do keep check don’t you?”

“To the best of our knowledge, yes. ”

It was the best reassurance Juliet had to offer and by the time they had completed a tour of the safer parts of the ship, the discharging was early complete. Juliet explained as they returned to the command bridge.

“We’ll be moving to the same place on the beach after lunch. Then this afternoon, the school educational trips begin to arrive. Tomorrow we open up the application office for any people willing to work in space. We need more miners. The pay is high but the work is hard.”

“There’s some contention about that in our government, there’s talk of you employing men.” She almost spat the word as she pursed her lips.

Juliet simply shrugged and smiled disarmingly.

“I’m not involved in the politics. The plain fact is, men are more cost effective, they’re stronger and they give more bang for the buck after all the costs of equipping them with space suits and life support systems. Hauling bloody great rocks of ore around in zero gravity still takes muscle. The rocks may not have weight but they have mass and inertia which makes them difficult to control once they are moving. Miners can get easily crushed but men have stronger, denser bones and withstand heavier knocks. As I said, the work is dangerous!”

“Have you done it?” The minister asked.

Juliet nodded,

“Charlie Sage and I were the very first to go prospecting through the asteroid belt. Moving about between tumbling rocks several metres across is bloody frightening.”

“But surely; you use machines!”

“Of course we do; now, - but occasionally some very valuable stuff might have to be prised from a pile of dross. To do that takes hands, strong hands.”

“Machines can also be dangerous working around men in space suits. People have to be trained and men are more spatially aware when moving between large rocks spinning and tumbling in zero gravity.”

“Our experiments show that women have better balance.” The minister argued as they re-entered the accommodation area.

“In gravity, yes, probably. We, however, are working in zero gravity.”

Before going to eat, they removed the protective work suits and joined several people at Juliet’s captain’s table.

The mood amongst the UQ politicians was clearly one of envy and expectation.
ooo000ooo

As the captain of Dawn 4, Juliet took her seat at the head of the table and the seats started to fill. People did not all sit down simultaneously because it was a working lunch not a diplomatic lunch. Eventually a group arrived and Juliet recognised them as the UQ security team responsible for ensuring the Australian visitors were safe. Juliet recognised the head of the team from descriptions Charlie had shared with Juliet during their early shared exploration voyages.

“Ah! General Wilson I believe.” Juliet smiled. “Everything to your satisfaction I hope?”

The General squinted at Captain Juliet and recognised all the tell-tale signs of a feminised mal but she was baffled by the report that the attractive young lady who had escorted her around the ship was noticeably pregnant by this same captain.

“Oh good afternoon Captain. Yes, everything appears to be in order; you have a remarkable ship here.”

“Thank you General. Will you be staying aboard during our visit? We have plenty of spare accommodation.”

“Yes. I believe that is the arrangement. Particularly as both Prime Ministers will be paying a visit tomorrow.”

Juliet nodded and smiled as Lieutenant Engadine leant down and kissed him before taking her place at his side. It was a deliberate and provocative move to shake a few embedded UQ, Feminista mores. As Engie took her seat, heads turned to see that she was noticeably pregnant. General Wilson seized the opportunity to express her surprise.

“Lieutenant Engadine tells me she is carrying your child.”

“Yes, that’s quite right General. Engie and her partner requested my services so I obliged. And we all three are very excited with the outcome. I expect to be a father by March.”

“A menage a triose!” General Wilson struggled to contain her feminista disapproval.

“My choice General!” Engie retorted. “I can’t think of a better father for our children.”

“Do you live as a threesome?” The General asked; the disapproval dripping off her tongue.

“Sometimes,” Engie replied provocatively. “When our duties coincide.”

“And sleep together; as a threesome?” The General’s voice rose an octave.”

“I think that’s a somewhat personal and invasive question General.” Juliet objected.”

Engie however, was not encumbered of Juliet’s sense of privacy and propriety. She answered the General in no uncertain terms.

“How we share our lives and our beds is not your concern General. Every one of us is free to choose and, if we choose occasionally to indulge our three shared intimacies, then that is our right.”

“But what about military discipline and good order?”

“This is a merchant ship, not a warship General. We carry cargoes and passengers. My rank is purely a professional award, not a government commission. Discipline aboard Dawn 4 is maintained through respect, loyalty, honesty and – dare I say it; affection.”

“But Lieutenant Engadine, hers would be a military commission!” General Wilson argued.

“Not when applied to her position on this ship. Here, Engie is an officer aboard my merchant ship. Her own command is occasionally a spacefighter or one of the smaller antigravity research and exploration craft. Our younger officers often move smoothly between commands as and where circumstances require. Engie uses her commissioned rank when commanding one of the space fighters which is quite definitely a warship. When operating one of our ships she has the professional status of officer or captain depending on what she is doing.

For example today, Engie is captain of Dawn 2 and second mate of Dawn 4 simultaneously. You no doubt saw Dawn 2 in the docking area abaft the Passenger boarding foyer.

“Yes. I did, quite a useful looking craft if I might say. How many people does she carry?”

“At a maximum about fifty without full equipment, and about twenty-five if all are wearing space-suits. In space, when ferrying miners around, she carries perhaps a dozen with all their rock handling kit. As you can see it varies.” Engie finished talking as she started her meal.

“Where is Dawn 1 then?” General Wilson asked. “The diplomatic Itinerary stated that Dawn 1 will be here.”

“She arrives tomorrow I believe, with our Australian Prime Minister.” Juliet replied. “Then she returns to space and resumes her other duties.”

“Will Charles Sage be aboard her?”

“Yes. He delivers our PM then retires to space again. Captain Sage is a busy individual.”

“Too busy to attend our prime minister or even the queen, it seems.”

“Is the queen coming? I wasn’t told!” Juliet retorted.

“It’s being discussed right now. The queen has expressed a wish to see this ship.”

The whole table fell silent at this unexpected turn of events.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 84

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 84

List of Characters.

Chapter 84.

“The queen!” Charlie exclaimed “That’s a bit previous isn’t it?”

“The request came through an hour ago.” The Oz PM elaborated. “She and the young princess royal will be visiting Dawn 4 today.”

“I thought royal visits and stuff took months to arrange. You know, protocols, security, guest lists and all that palaver.”

“Not with the new young queen. She’s not such a stickler for protocol. Apparently the visit will be somewhat low key; just her and her young daughter. I’ll have to attend on her. Technically, she’s still our head of state.”

“Yeah!” Charlie mused. “I still have trouble getting my head around that. Does our schedule change?”

“Not much. I was scheduled to formally meet the UQ PM, invite her to take a flight either in Dawn 4 or Dawn 2 then have trade talks.”

“They still have not formally apologised for their attempt to kidnap my wife Chloe and our Children.”

The PM reached into her desk drawer and handed Charlie a letter sealed with wax and a blue ribbon around it.

“What’s this?”

“I don’t know but it’s from the Palace and addressed to you. Obviously, I haven’t read it.”

“It’s not a letter-bomb is it?”

“I doubt it. It arrived in the diplomatic pouch earlier. I had my forensics examine it and it’s not been opened as far as they can discern.”

“You’d better open it,” Charlie suggested, ”I don’t want to be accused of secrecy or intrigue.”

“That would be a serious breach of protocol Charlie. The letter is definitely from the Palace and it’s addressed to you.”

Charlie paused thoughtfully then exclaimed.

“Hold on. If this letter came by snail mail in the diplomatic pouch, she must have written it at least two days ago!”

“Yes.” The PM replied flatly.

“Do you think somebody put her up to this? I mean it’s no secret that the UQ and I are not best friends. What do you think they want?”

The PM smiled but visibly sagged with frustration.

“I’ve no bloody idea Charlie! Open the bloody letter!”

Charlie picked it up from the desk and pinched it gently as he examined it closely. The letter was very flimsy, almost as flimsy as an old-fashioned airmail letter. The PM watched sympathetically; Charlie had every right to be paranoid. As a last check Charlie sniffed the letter and the PM smiled indulgently then handed him a letter knife.

“If you’re going to do this with proper pomp and circumstance, you’d better use this to cut the ribbon.”

Charlie frowned, refused the knife and yanked hard at the ribbon. As it snapped the flimsy envelope dropped only to be suspended where the sealing wax adhered to the flap. Charlie ripped the flap, opened the envelope and removed the pages of the letter. As he unfolded the pages he remarked.

“She seems to have a lot to say, there’s three, four, - five pages here oh! – and another closed envelope.”

“Well read it out;” the PM begged, “what’s she got to say?”

Charlie first scanned the pages then laid them flat with his arm hiding the writing. The first few words had caught his eye and he decided he had better read them privately first.

After reading the first paragraph, Charlie stood up and held the letter close to his chest with his back to the wall.

“This is definitely a private letter Prime Minister. I’ll read it all the way through, then decide if anybody else is to see it.”

“Seriously!” The PM almost screeched.

Charlie just nodded as he read the letter from end to end. Finally he spoke.

“Is there a safe place to talk? Is this place bugged?”

“It’s swept every morning.” The PM confirmed.

“And re-bugged by coffee time I’ll warrant,” Charlie opined. “Come on, I’ll show you this while we’re aboard Dawn 1.”

Just before leaving the PM’s office, Charlie turned to her and asked.

“Have you got any hand-written correspondence between her and you?”

“Only her official invitation requiring me to form a government. It’s just a formality after my winning the election. Usually a copy is faxed immediately and the actual original arrives like this one, by diplomatic pouch.”

“Can you get it please; I’d like to compare handwriting.”

She stepped to her private chambers across the corridor and produced the framed original. After Charlie had compared the writing he nodded.

“Well it seems like her handwriting. I’ll show you the main letter on board Dawn 1, but the private envelope remains private to me only. Come on, are you ready for the UQ?”

“Yes. I’ve only got my briefcase; my luggage went ahead on Dawn 4.”

They stepped outside and Charlie fingered his wrist control. Out of the thin blue cirrus clouds, Dawn 1 descended silently and automatically. The PM grinned.

“That’s a really useful bit of kit Charlie, your own private Pegasus who only comes to your call.”

“Well, - mine and a couple of tried and well trusted companions.

“Of course.” She nodded as Dawn 1’s shadow darkened the landing apron.

ooo000ooo

Once aboard, the PM sat in the co-pilot seat and read the queen’s letter while Charlie set course for Woomera. Once they were in subspace she handed the letter back.

“I don’t like the tone of the letter. D’ you think she’s in danger?”

“If she doesn’t do exactly as she’s told; I think she is, yes.”

“Who’s pulling the strings?”

“Their new Prime Minister and their head of security.”

“Is that the one who’s got it in for you?”

“Yeah. Wilson! – General Wilson. - Doctor General Wilson to be exact.”

“Is she dangerous?”

“I think so; I think she’s mad; seriously misanthropic. She’s tried to have me killed twice and locked up way, way back. When I came to their notice at Anston Aerospace she turned up as a colonel with the Feminista security squad and tried to have me forcibly feminised. My mummy fought tooth and nail but it cost her her job, and eventually her life. That’s how Chloe and I met. That’s why my maths is beyond their ken!”

“So you don’t much like her then.”

Charlie’s voice dropped a tone with menace.

“Frankly, Prime Minister; if I met that bitch alone, I would probably cast aside all pretence of probity and kill her with my bare hands. She and her cronies once tried to permanently paralyze me with their tasers. That was after my mummy refused to have me feminised! I firmly believe the stress that caused my mum was the reason she died in her fifties, long before her time.”

The PM glanced sideways at the six-foot, four-inch giant in the pilot seat and shuddered slightly. Charlie had always, without exception presented as a passive, co-operative, gentle and intelligent acquaintance but for an instant, his Achilles heel had revealed itself. As she surveyed what to her womanly eyes, was a ‘man-mountain;’ she concluded the danger to General Wilson was very, very real.”

By then, Dawn 1 had reached Woomera and Charlie picked up Angie who had been supervising the continuing construction of the next batch of anti-gravity space-fighters. She grabbed a bag of clothes and her suit carrier then joined them on the next leg to Hammersley.

“What-choo going there for?” Angie asked.

“Oh just some extra clothes,” Charlie replied. If I’m going to meet the queen I’d better wear a suit and not my overalls.”

Both Angie and the PM smiled as Angie riposted.

“You’ve actually got a suit!”

“Yeah, I’ve got a spacesuit.” Charlie grinned. “Plus a ‘go-to-church-on-Sundays-jobby.”

“You’ve never been to church in your bloody life Charlie Sage!” Angie cackled.

Her laughter improved the mood in the ship and the PM arrived at Hammersley in a far better frame of mind. She and Angie waited downstairs sipping coffee while Charlie rummaged around upstairs and in the garage. The were puzzled when he returned with a large suit-holder and plonked it down in Dawn 1’s tiny sleeping cabin.

“What’ve you got in there, something to kill General Wilson with?” Angie joked.

“Just clothes but I won’t be poncing about at any big’ formal ‘cake-and-arse’ parties. These are just everyday suits.” Charlie lied easily. “And I’ll stay away from Wilson if nobody objects.”
“You might be forced together at any formal affairs,” The PM warned
“I’ll cross that bridge if I get to it.” Charlie replied as Angie took the pilot seat and set course south about Antarctica for the UQ.
“You fly this thing often do you?” The PM wondered.
“Second nature Ma-am.” She replied easily. All of us can fly any of the Dawns.
The pair chatted easily while they heard Charlie showering in his tiny cabin then grunting as he seemed to be struggling to do something. Eventually, he emerged in his ‘Sunday-best’ bib-and-tucker.

“Bloody hell.” Angie chuckled. “You don’t scrub up too badly Charlie Sage. Can I have your baby?”

“Oy!” Charlie motioned his head to caution Angie. ”Think about that girl!”

“Oh shit! Of course!” She suddenly remembered. Her own menage-a-trois relationship with Engie and Juliet, shared one of Charlie’s testicles.”

The prime minister picked up on the nuance and frowned curiously.

“Am I missing something?”

“Nah. Nothing to see here,” Charlie chuckled. “Strictly a private joke.”

“There’s a lorra’ that around here.” The PM complained mildly.

“Well we spacers have been together a long time now Prime Minister.” Charlie finished. “Who’s for coffee?”

By the time the coffee and biscuits were sipped and nibbled, Angie had also changed into a three-piece business suit with the skirt finishing a few inches above the knee. It fitted her perfectly and Charlie silently reflected it was a good outfit to meet the recently crowned young queen.
The PM glanced down out of her starboard window and asked.

“Are those the Cape Verde Islands?”

Charlie peered over and confirmed.

“Not long now. We’d better warn those paranoid buggers who we are.

Even as he spoke, the comms burst into life and confirmed their mutual identities causing Charlie to relax. There was too much scope for blunders when streaking through sub-space at fifteen thousand knots. Within seconds, one of the Australian space fighters appeared ahead and closing slowly until they could recognise the pilot.

“It’s Nancy.” Angie declared as they swopped waves.

The two ships chatted amicably until the UQ regional traffic centre hailed them and identities were confirmed.

“That’s how I like it,” Charlie remarked as they headed straight in.”

“I am the prime minister Charlie, I’ve a right to expect a modicum of priority.” The PM grinned.

Having won pratique, the two spaceships descended rapidly and soon Dawn 1 sat beside the protective bulk of Dawn 4 while Dawn 2 sat parked a few metres ahead of her. Nancy’s spacefighter loitered silently protective overhead.

As the Oz PM emerged, The UQ PM and General Wilson emerged from Dawn 4. Formalities were quickly exchanged as the UQ PM explained.

“Her majesty is expected in ten minutes. You cut it rather fine. Everybody else is lined up.”

“I was only informed late last night Australian time. It’s still two a.m. back home.”

“Oh. Have you slept?”

“No.”

“Are you happy to meet her?”

“Always. I haven’t seen her since the coronation.”

“Well, we’d better line up on the tarmac by the red carpet. There’s her helicopter.”

The Oz PM motioned to Charlie and Angie to stand beside her but General Wilson intervened and demanded that Charlie stand beside Juliet at the very end of the line. The Oz PM turned to the UK PM and whispered angrily.

“Just this once lady, just this once. You insult my personal staff one more time and you’ll have serious diplomatic incident right here on the bloody carpet.” She turned to Charlie and whispered.

“Are you prepared to co-operate with these idiots just this once for the sake of good order?”

“You know me ma-am,” Charlie replied, “I’ll step aside if you want and leave the reception all together.”

“No! I don’t want it Charlie. It’s a bloody insult and I’ll be telling her majesty as soon as I have my private audience. She’s our queen as much as the UQ’s!”

“She’s not my queen Ma-am. Don’t forget, I’m stateless.”

“But you’ll show respect I hope.”

“When have I ever not shown respect to a woman Ma-am?” He replied as he walked down the line to take his place alongside Juliet.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 85

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminine Queendom Charlie’s War 85

List of Characters.

Chapter 85

Charlie Joined Juliet as ordered by General Wilson at the end of the guest line.

“Have you noticed something Julie.” Charlie asked, for there was no need to whisper as the Royal Helicopter roared in to land.

“Yeah. We’re the only men here.” Juliet replied. “Is that Wilson nutter deliberately trying to insult us?”

“Or perhaps separate us by sticking us out here on the end.”

Juliet was quick to spot Charlie’s nuance and she grinned.

“If they want to try any tricks, I’ve got machine pistol under my overalls and jacket; plus a couple of mags.”

“You’re learning,” Charlie smiled. “I’ve only got a pistol but I’ve also got my chainmail ground suite on under this suit. I’ve met these feminista bitches before. Have you noticed they’re all carrying tasers.”

“I hadn’t but now you mention it. D’you think they’re planning something? Surely not with the Queen here!”

“I wouldn’t put anything past that general, she’s a misanthropic psychopath and she’s tried to either kill me or have me kidnapped three times now.”

“Hey-up! All smiles boss, here comes Queenie.”

The young Queen was slowly walking down the line exchanging brief words with everybody while both prime ministers accompanied her. General Wilson was slowly parading behind the trio with his sword at attention but there was no real need. There was neither a military escort nor a band. There had been no time to organise one.

Charlie wagged his head at the General’s pretentious display.

Eventually, the inspection party arrived at Juliet and Charlie. The young Queen smiled then asked.

“Which one of you is Captain Sage?”

“I am Ma-am.”

The Queen flinched momentarily at Charlie’s familiarity. On first introductions everybody addressed her formally as ‘Your Majesty.’ Charlie sensed his diplomatic blunder and quickly corrected himself.

“Sorry; your Majesty.”

“No matter Captain Sage. So you are the scientist that invented these remarkable craft.”

“Yes Ma-am; well the engines at least, my good friend Captain Juliet here supervises the construction of the ships.”

“Yes, I see. Will we be able to enjoy a test flight in one later.”

For a long moment there was a pregnant silence as Charlie digested the Queen’s request. Having read her previous private note Charlie was aware that the young Queen genuinely felt she might be in danger. Before he answered another voice intervened.
,
“Majesty," The UQ PM interrupted, "there’s a busy itinerary set for the rest of the day, I’m afraid the trade talks will occupy our day.

Charlie quickly noted that the young Queen was distinctly irritated and, knowing already that she might be in danger; he now knew her to be frightened as well. Quickly he looked for some sort of diversion.

”Perhaps Ma-am if there isn’t time today then maybe tomorrow, or alternatively, I could offer the young princess a trip into space, properly protected of course. A couple of your guards could accompany Captain Juliet on the Dawn 2 perhaps.

If the talks are to take all day, there would be time for your daughter to visit the moon even and be back in time for tea, say four or five PM.”

He noticed the brief flicker of hope, flash across the young Queen's face and realised she was trying either say something or organise something. Her private note had warned Charlie of her desperate situation.

She immediately agreed to Charlie’s offer and her face lit up with hope.

“I think that would be a splendid idea Captain Sage!”

She turned to her entourage and spoke loudly enough for everybody to hear.

“General Wilson, could you organise that please. Two of your guards to accompany my daughter aboard one of these two smaller ships and travel into space.
Which would be best Captain Sage?”

“Oh if four or five are going then Dawn 2 is definitely the best choice, there’s much more room than my little ship. Julie can you do the honours please?
He’s my most experienced space captain Ma-am.”

Juliet was by now also aware that something untoward was afoot, so he agreed immediately with Charlie’s suggestion.

“Sure thing boss; to the moon and back it is then.”

Charlie realised that the Queen was trying to get daughter to safety and he could see General Wilson almost bouncing with rage. Her plans seemed to be encountering all sorts of unexpected developments, but she could not refuse the Queen in the face of the full diplomatic entourage.

As the Queen and her entourage went to board the Dawn 4 Charlie watched the young princess emerge from the royal helicopter with two escorting sergeants. Sulkily she approached Juliet who smiled reassuringly and gave her the exciting news. Charlie grinned as he saw the girl’s face light up with delight and give Juliet a desperate hug.

‘He’s got an excellent way with kids.’ Charlie thought as he watched them board Dawn 2.

For a moment, the whole royal party stopped to watch the Dawn 2 ascend in total silence, then as it disappeared into the heavens, they resumed boarding the Dawn 4.

Once they were all safely aboard, Charlie made to join them but found his way blocked at the bottom of the gangway. He also found himself alone except for the two guards and General Wilson blocking his way.

“Excuse me. I need to get aboard.”

“Have you got your royal pass?”

“Of course I don’t have a pass. I’m the owner and second Captain of this ship. Now let me pass!”

He noticed the general give a brief nod to his guards and they stepped aside as Charlie moved towards the gangway.

‘Here it comes!’ He realised as the guards and General Wilson reached for their tasers.

By now, Charlie was self-taught in some simple self-defence moves but more importantly, he was quick to spot a trap. He stepped back off the gangway and started to move towards Dawn 1 which was only a few metres to the side of the gangway. General Wilson quickly realised that Charlie was considering an escape.

“Arrest him!” She shouted as she stepped forward with her taser pointing directly at Charlie’s chest.

The guards drew their own tasers and fired but of course Charlie had anticipated this. When he had stopped earlier at his Hammersley home he had recovered his old industrial ground suit of fine chain mail. This was the ‘underwear’ he had been struggling to don when changing suits in the little cabin of Dawn 1.

The guards were shocked to realise that their tasers, despite being both set to maximum stun, had no effect on the six-foot four-inch giant walking away from them. Instead the shock was shorted out by the chain mail and their tasers melted in their hands. They both shrieked with pain as their fingers were scorched by the sticky, molten plastic.

Seeing this, General Wilson realised her taser would be useless so she reached for her side-arm that was buckled into it’s holster by her side. By the time she had unbuckled the polished ceremonial holster, Charlie had rushed the couple of steps to Dawn 1’s ramp and ducked behind the thick steel ‘clamshell’ doors.

General Wilson had to dash down the Dawn 4's gangway, get past the two injured guards then cross the same couple of meters to get a shot at the disappearing giant. When she finally had a clear view, all she could see was the interconnecting airtight door swinging shut with Charlie behind it. She fired of a burst of automatic fire but most of the bullets smashed harmlessly against the thick metal airtight door.

One bullet ricocheted off the door frame and sliced into the cabin where it grazed Charlie’s ear before spending itself in the cushioning of the co-pilot’s seat.

“You Bitch!” He cursed as he realised Wilson hade made yet another genuine attempt to kill him.

‘The woman’s obviously mad!’ He concluded as he took off as fast as he could into space.

ooo000ooo

Once safe in space Charlie quickly re-assembled his forces. His first move was to alert Laura in Dawn 3.

“Where are you Laura?”

“Working on Moonbase Alpha with the rest of the team.”

“I think I’m gonna’ need you and Dawn 3.”

“Oh! Trouble?”

“A bit. That crazy bitch who tried to kidnap my kids is back and she’s wearing a general’s uniform now.”

“You mean the mad Wilson bitch. Go on.” Laura encouraged.

“She’s still in the kidnap game but now she’s trying to kidnap the queen.”

“Who? Queen Sophia!”

“Is there any other?”

“Shit. D’ you have any plan?”

“I’ve managed to get the Princess Victoria separated from the queen and she’s coming to the moon in Dawn 2. I want you to somehow separate her from her personal bodyguards, they’re actually her gaolers. Juliet is piloting Dawn 2 and she’s on our side, - that’s Queen Sophia’s side. Juliet is armed with a machine -pistol, so she’ll be able to help. Do not harm Juliet or the Princess, I know how rough you can play.”

“Leave it to me boss.” Laura enthused.

And Charlie knew he could.

With the Princess Victoria safe, Charlie felt free to address the main issue, somehow freeing the Queen from General Wilson’s clutches.

Firstly, he keyed into Dawn 1’s computer and located the coded string to take remote control of Dawn 4. After that, he simply had to wait a few hours for the tide to flow to its maximum height while Dawn 4 automatically kept adjusting her height relative to sea level.

During these hours, everything seemed strained to everybody aboard Dawn 4. The trade talks progressed slowly for everybody sensed that with Charlie being absent things had stalled. With the Queen's entourage having boarded before the incident with General Wilson and the gun, nobody realised Charlie had become a fugitive despite his diplomatic status.

Now safe aboard Dawn 1, Charlie watched his navigation table to keep a track of the huge tides on Aberavon beach until there was water enough for Dawn 1 to play her submariner role and sneak underneath the paralyzed leviathan.

Once sure he had total control of Dawn 4, via his super-smart phone, he submerged in Dawn 1 near Lundy Island and travelled underwater right into Swansea bay. The silt laden waters disguised his approach and very quickly he was located exactly under the ballast dump doors of the outer water ballast tanks. Now having total remote control of Dawn 4 while the diplomats and royal party were blissfully ignorant, Charlie opened the ballast dump doors.

Cautiously he waited for the inner tank and outer sea-water levels to equalise then Dawn 1 carefully eased herself upwards into the cavernous water ballast tank. Once inside, Charlie closed the dump-doors and sealed the hull again to make it water-tight.

He was in!

With the ballast tanks now half empty he brought Dawn 1 to the access ladder inside the tank and remotely opened the tank lid at the top of the ladder with his connected mobile phone. This done, he stepped out, still in his ‘go-to-church’ suit and climbed up the ladder to emerge from the ballast tank lid like some creature of the black lagoon. A Bit muddy and slimy but recognisably human. His best suit was utterly ruined but the hidden chain-mail ground suit underneath was still perfectly intact.

This time however he now proceeded with his pistol in one hand and his mobile phone in the other.

Cautiously he ascended from the pump-room and repeatedly checked Dawn 4’s schematic on the phone to ascertain his exact position.

He had a very good idea from frequently attending Dawn 4’s construction but his intimate knowledge was never as comprehensive as Juliet’s. Very soon he found himself at the airtight and watertight door that separated the unmanned automatic pump-room from the un-manned main engine control room. It was a relief to see a couple of the amidships antigravity spheres quietly doing their jobs.

At the top control platform he tapped his mobile phone and sealed every airtight door in the entire machinery and cargo spaces. Now there was no way anybody could sneak up on him from the rear. In truth, he had not expected to find anybody in the bowels of the ship; for Dawn 4 operated normally with only four crew unless she was carrying passengers.

In 'ore-carrier' mode; Dawn 4 was a fully automated giant.

Nobody had cause to enter the machinery spaces except for very occasional maintenance or inspections.

Beyond the engine-room access door however, Charlie knew it was a very different situation for he had no idea how many cronies General Wilson had placed aboard Dawn 4 preparatory to her act of treason. They would be crawling all over the luxurious passenger accommodation.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 86

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 86

List of Characters.

Chapter 86.

For several nervous moments Charlie stood pondering on his side of the main machinery space door. He was not nervous for himself but he was worried about the whereabouts of the young queen and what sort of detention she was under. As he debated with himself, he placed his mobile in a charging unit as he looked around to seek inspiration.

Then he found it.

“Aahh!” He sighed victoriously. “You dopey bastard Charlie!” He scolded himself as he noticed the security camera set into the deck-head above and behind the door.

“Now why didn’t you think of that before, Charlie stupid Sage?”

He left his mobile plugged into the charger while he took a pencil from the security station beside the machinery door and jotted down a series of Passenger accommodation stations where security cameras gave him a clear view of situations around the Ship.

Cautiously he scanned at least fifty locations until he was satisfied he had a good idea of where the delegations and meetings were located throughout the corridors, cabins and communal areas. He smiled contentedly as he recognised friends and foes then quietly started closing essential fire doors and locking them down.

Normally, these safety operations would only be done during fire and escape drills to the large ‘space-lifeboats’ if Dawn 4 had found herself in danger while carrying passengers. Indeed Charlie and Juliet had practised several such drills during trials after building. Now her preoccupations with safety were bearing fruit.

What pleased Charlie was the seeming lack of concern or panic amongst the passengers when they discovered that a fire-door to a certain section was closed and they could not access certain areas.

He wondered if the UQ citizenry had become so conditioned to oppressive security controls by the Feminista authorities that it had become commonplace to be denied access to what had previously been public areas. His suspicions were in fact correct though he did not know it. Throughout the UQ many common spaces had been separated under the pretence of providing safe places for women and containing men in smaller, secure areas.

Men were not allowed into ‘women’s areas unless accompanied by a woman or unless they were castrated.

Content now that he had secured a closed path to Dawn 4’s bridge, Charlie opened the machinery access door with his mobile then locked it behind him and cautiously proceeded down the path he had prepared. At each juncture he would carefully scan the next spaces then lock and unlock assorted doors to secure his front and rear

It was only after about twenty minutes of his cunning manipulations of the fire doors that he noticed from his hacked cameras that people were beginning to show concern. Several Feminista security guards had clearly realised they could not go where they had previously walked freely. Charlie still needed time to find Queen Sophia so at the closed fire doors he posted messaged on the electronic information boards at each closed door.

‘Please be patient. This is a fire drill. This door will re-open in ten minutes.’

His ploy worked and eventually, he located Queen Sophia in the main dining room accompanied by several ‘assistants’ whom Charlie could not decide were friend or foe. He did however conclude that the four Feminista ‘guards’ were most likely gaolers.

By now he was behind the access door to the Bridge and his camera hacker told him that there were only two armed guards casually sitting on the command chairs with their feet up on the bridge window ledge.

‘Typical sloppy discipline!’ He told himself. ‘Just the sort of lazy natures born of having total control with no need for diligence.

He left all the bridge doors locked and all communications to the bridge turned off. The two guards were now isolated but did not yet know it.

He was now only one skin away from the open air and suddenly his mobile beeped. He opened it to find a text from Juliet.

It simply read. –

‘Kill Wilson first! Imperative!’ 8246!

Charlie knew the number code. Any combination of those four even numbers was confirmation that the message was genuine and Juliet was safe. That meant it was essential to locate General Wilson.

He decided to start his search from the top deck down and BINGO!

He found the megalomaniacal bitch sitting in the captain’s cabin at the captain’s desk. Her uniformed Jacket hung on the nearby coat-stand and she had obviously made herself at home.

‘Probably fantasising at being captain of the most powerful ship in the world’! Charlie smiled to himself. ‘Well you’ll soon realise what being in command entails bitch!.’

“Without further ado Charlie tapped her mobile phone to put the whole of Dawn 4’s passenger accommodation in ‘lock-down’, then he stole quietly down the Captain’s alleyway and knocked respectfully on the captain’s door while simultaneously un-holstering his pistol.

“Come!” General Wilson commanded.

Charlie was never one to stand on ceremony so he eased the door open until he saw enough of the General’s back just as she was turning meet her visitor. While her body still provided enough of her back to make a decent target, Charlie shot her low in the spine.

Her screams went unheard for all the fire-doors were firmly shut, but as she lay paralyzed from the waist down she was clutching the desk and desperately trying to reach for her uniform jacket.

As she slid out of the chair, her useless legs crumpled under her and she scrabbled with her arms to drag herself to the coat stand.

Her efforts were so obvious that Charlie quickly realised there was something of enormous importance in her jacket. He stepped over her then grabbed the jacket as she tried to make grab for his testicles. Charlie was too tall and she could not sit up. Because the bullet had smashed her spine right through her sacrum.

“This what you’re looking for bitch?” Charlie snarled as he removed some sort of ‘zapper’ from the General’s pocket.

She cursed him but he showed no sympathy. Instead he lifted the little flap and removed the nine-volt battery before pocketing the device. Then he threw the battery down the captain’s lavatory. Finally he ripped the jacket to shreds and made sure there was nothing else in it. She watched with eyes blazing.

“You’ll die for that you animal!”

“No you’re the one who’s going to die bitch. You’ve tried to kill me one time too many!”

“You’ll never escape.”

“Do I fucking care?” Charlie cursed back. “What is this device for?”

“Fuck off!” She cursed.

Without saying anything, he brought the pistol close to her left hand and shot it. She screamed again as blood spurted across the deck but still she refused to say. Charlie had to admire her courage, but it was the courage of a mad woman.

Instead, he patched into Dawn 4’s comm's and called Juliet who was by now on the moon with Laura and Princess Victoria. He texted his message.

‘Can we talk?'

Juliet came back four seconds later with speech.

“Yes. Have you killed her?”

“No but I’ve disarmed her, there was also a zapper but I’ve disabled her and disabled the device.”

“Thank god. Is Queen Sophia safe?”

“Not yet.”

“I’ll put Princess Victoria on. She’ll explain.”

“Hello Princess. What’s all this about?“ Charlie asked.

“They’ve planted an explosive device in my and my mother’s necks. General Wilson has the trigger thing.”

“What did it look like.”

“A giant key fob.”

“What like this?” He took the disabled device and Victoria gave a wail of relief.

“That’s it. Have you disarmed it?”

“Of course. Do you know if there are any others.”

Princess Victoria shook her head uncertainly.

“I think so. If there are, that prime Minister bitch might have one.”

“Okay, I’m coming to that. Stay on the moon with Captain Julie for now. If there is another zapper it won’t have the range.”

He watched princess Victoria visibly relax so he asked for Juliet.

“Look after the kid Julie. Ask the base surgeon if he can find and remove the device from the girls neck.”

“Oh we know where it is. There’s a tiny scar under the back of her skull. The device is located by the Axis and Atlas vertebrate.”

“What about the two guards?”

“For an answer, Juliet panned the phone camera around the passenger cabin of Dawn 2. There was blood everywhere and two spacers were busy cleaning up. In the corner the two perforated bodies lay awaiting disposal.

“You or Laura?” Charlie asked.

“You have to ask? Just remind me never to cross her!”

Charlie smiled as he closed his mobile. Now he had to save Sophia.

ooo000ooo

By now tensions were beginning to mount throughout the ship. As people discovered that they were separated into discreet sections of the accommodation and unable to contact each other. Charlie used his phone to ‘dial-up’ different security cameras until he was certain he had a clear picture of where all the important people were. All importantly he could now keep a constant watch on Queen Sophia and her captors.

There had to be a way of creating a diversion and Charlie reckoned he might have found it. The fire extinguisher system.

Normally, the fire detector system detected a hot spot in a specific location and the extinguisher system would inundate the area with whatever suitable flame retardant was deemed correct for that space. For instance in oil spaces, foam was usually exuded into the area so that the area was finally full of foam and no air could get to the oil. This was usually reserved for oily places and lower engine room platforms. Higher up either foam or retardant liquids were sprayed out of fine nozzles.

In electrical areas, CO2 was injected into the space while all the fire doors were kept shut. The important factor was to make sure all personnel had evacuated the space.

In passenger spaces water was sprinkled from ceiling outlets while galleys had dry-powder or foam. The passenger saloon where Queen Sophia was being detained was obviously under a sprinkler system but Charlie had to somehow get the system to activate while bypassing the detector activators.

Back down to the machinery spaces did Charlie have to go. Once there, he located the bank of dining saloon sprinkler feed pipes and quickly set about forcing the feed pressure to the sprinklers. He did this easily with a pump injector bleed off the emergency fire pump.

The high pressure quickly burst the rated glass pressure heads on several of the nozzles and within seconds, the dining saloon was awash with hundreds of streaming sprinkler jets akin to Monsoon rain. The spray and ensuing mist was so dense it was difficult to see across the saloon and that perfectly suited Charlie’s plan.

As he emerged from the fire prevention and CO2 room, he dashed up to the dining saloon and checked his mobile camera. It was impossible to clearly see any figures from the ground, but the security cameras were set up above the sprinklers and one could just see and identify distinctive figures above the mist. A scan of the room through different cameras identified Queen Sophia sitting on a ’top-table’ dais, struggling to keep her head above the choking mist of spray. Charlie duly noted the position and diverted to the Kitchens while unlocking the main servery door.

Through the mist, the four security Feministas located by each of the passenger doors, could not properly see the relevant galley doors and when Charlie bent low, he could not be seen across the thirty metres of spray and mist. From memory he quickly located the back of the dais and suddenly snatched Queen Sophia backwards while covering her mouth.

In shock, she bit down hard on her abductor’s hand and Charlie let out a curse. In the hissing mayhem she did not recognise his hoarse voice and she continued struggling but his powerful hand prevented her from either turning to identify her kidnapper or scream. She did however keep biting hard until blood began to flow copiously from Charlie’s fingers.

“For fuck’s sake girl. It’s me Charlie Sage!” He whispered hoarsely as he finally dragged her into the calm of the galley

“Charlie!” she finally gasped whilst keeping enough wits to not scream.”

“Yes! Come on!” He cursed again. “We haven’t got much time, just stay close to me!”

“Thanks,” She gasped as he yanked her painfully out of the galley and down towards the machinery spaces.

“Where are we going?” She asked as she recovered her wits and kicked off her stylish heels.

“Down the engine room, deep down into the engine room, you’ll see, just stay close to me.”

“But Charlie, my neck, my neck!”

“Don’t worry about that!” He reassured her as he took General Wilson’s Zapper out of her pocket and showed it to her.”

As he unlocked the Main engine room door he turned nervously towards the Queen.

“Princess Victoria told me there might be two Zappers. D’ you know who might have the other?”

“Yes.”

“Well don’t play games. Tell me quickly!”

“Me!”

“You! Why the fuck would you have it?”

“I stole it.”

“Stole it!! Who from?”
"The new Prime Minister!"

“The Prime Minister? Charlie wondered. "What you mean this current feminista bitch?”

“Yes. When she came for her first audience, my security camera’s spotted her fingering it before she slipped it into her winter coat last January. She knew that anybody attending upon me, had to go through the detectors, so she left her coat in the antechamber.

The next time she attended I had one of my last faithful retainers steal it for me while I kept her longer than usual with a lot of questions.”

I was expecting the shit to hit the fan, but she never mentioned it. That made me think that there may be more than two; but a few weeks later, when that Bitch Wilson was threatening me, she let slip that she and the new PM were together in this. She told me that the PM had the other one so it was pointless me trying to get hold of one without the other.

Well, for some reason the PM must have been too afraid to tell her that she'd lost it; while I had the spare zapper all the time. When I learned that you were bringing the Australian Prime Minister for the trade talks, I thought there might be hope that a tough cookie like you might help me. You have thank god; and once again, thank you.”

“Okay, but I’ve still got one last question for later. Down here now,” Charlie indicated the ballast tank lid.

“What down there? It’s filthy.”

“It’s safe!”

“How. We’ll be trapped like rats.

“You’ll see now hurry up.” He ordered her while tapping his phone.

As the Queen peered down into the stygian darkness she suddenly noticed some lights come on and she immediately recognised Dawn 1.

“How the hell did your ship get in here.”

“Don’t ask just go down the ladder and ignore the mud and stuff. I’ll explain once were away.”

Queen Sophia did as instructed and soon found herself in the cockpit of Dawn 1. Charlie followed her while busily tapping his mobile phone. Finally there was a whooshing, gurgling sound then Dawn 1 was carefully exiting through the huge de-ballasting doors the same way she had entered.

“We’re out and free,” Charlie reassured her. I won’t give her back to those bitches until I can get Juliet back on the bridge.”

“Does your little phone control that whole ship?”

“Yes.” Charlie revealed. “But more importantly, I want to know how Wilson or whoever, managed to implant those explosives against your spine; and can they be removed?”

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 87

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 87

List of Characters.

Chapter 87

Once clear of Dawn 4, Charlie emerged from the sea and immediately started his ascent for the moon.

Queen Sophia watched fascinated as the ground fell away and very soon she found herself staring at the spectacular sphere that was her world. She let out a small gasp of incredulity as she countenanced the seeming fragility of the planet then her attention was drawn by Charlie to their destination.

“There she is; the moon.”

“Why are you going there?”

“It’s the only place I can be reasonably sure that you’re safe. Everybody working at Moon-base Alpha is an Ozzy citizen. Once I’ve got you and Princess Victoria safe I can discuss ideas with my deputy, Juliet.”

“How are we going forward with this business?”

“First I need to assess the depth of the feminista mood in the UQ. It’s useless me jumping back into the frying pan if the new UQ government is still avidly behind the new Prime Minister. For example, I’ve no idea how you feel about the ultra-feminista mood that swept your new Prime Minister into power.”

“Mister Sage! Really!” The Queen protested vehemently. “Do you seriously think I have any time for a monster who’s booby trapped my body?”

“Well no, - but; well I’ve no idea how feminist you might be. You’ve been on your throne for nearly a year and as far as I can see, you’ve never intimated any anti-feminista sentiments. I’m in the dark love. I’m alone, seemingly without allies back down in the UQ while my companions are in the Hands of that Feminist bitch, the British PM.”

“Well you know constitutionally that the queen is supposed to be neutral; so all I can offer is my support for you. After all you’ve removed me and my daughter from danger.”

“I want your honest opinion.” Charlie declared.

“What about?” Queen Sophia wondered.

“How popular are you; - with your own British subjects that is?”

“I think they’re okay with me Sophia replied. Nobody’s tried to harm me, except for the Prime Minister and General Wilson.”

“If you were to broadcast to the nation. What d’ you think?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never broadcast to the nation yet. That usually happens at Christmas.”

“What about your daughter; is Victoria popular?”

“Oh come on Charlie. She’s only just turned fourteen.”

Charlie shrugged philosophically. Until he reached the moon and had access to Juliet with Dawn 3’s communications, there was little that could be done. He advised the queen to take a nap in the cot in Dawn 1’s little side cabin while he snoozed in the command seat. They had another couple of hours before they reached the moon.

ooo000ooo

Captain Juliet was uncertain what to expect when Dawn 1 arrived to Join Dawn 2 and 3 at Moonbase Alpha. He had called the building team together and prepared them for a premature return to Australia and he had advised the Ozzy government to expect them. Then he had to confront the issue with Princess Victoria’s booby-trapped neck.

‘Was it safe to remove the implant or not?” He asked himself as he wished Charlie would hurry.

Eventually, Juliet saw a tiny dot silhouetted against the Earth’s bright orb and she sighed with relief as it quickly grew to reveal itself as Dawn 1. He tried raising her but for uncomfortable moments there was no response. Dawn 1 was on automatic pilot and Charlie was snoozing. It was Queen Sophia that woke him up after hearing Juliet's call.

“I understand that your ship can reach your moon-base automatically, Captain Sage, but they are hailing you on the radio.”

“Wha! – Oh I see!” Charlie woke from his fractious sleep. “Thanks your majesty.” He offered as he responded to Juliet’s familiar voice.

“Hello Julie. Yes that’s me. We’ll be there in a couple of minutes.”

“We? “Who’s we?”

“I’ve got a special passenger I’m not disclosing who just yet.”

“I’ve got a bloody good idea who it is boss. There’s pandemonium back on earth, well in the UQ anyway.”

“Yeah. Okay, I’m landing now. Can you bring a space suite for my guest, I'm guessing she’s a size medium, female.”

“We’ve got the terminal arrival connection operational. We can connect you straight to the terminal and she can just step a’ moon.”

“Oh good!” Charlie chirped. That makes it easier.”

Moments later, Dawn 1 had settled on the indicated landing marker and two spacers were attaching the giant tube to her access hatch. Sophia grinned as she ‘bunny-hopped’ along the tube ahead of Charlie.

“So much for the royal progress!” She giggled. “Very dignified I’m sure.”

“Needs must Ma-am,” Charlie chuckled back. “It becomes a little more decorous when you see everybody walking like this. It’s the most comfortable way to get around. It will be easier when they’ve got the gravity panels fixed to the floor and we’ll have normal gravity inside the base.”

At the end of tube, Charlie informed the operator and the safety door swung back to reveal the sanctuary of the secondary airlock.

“Suddenly, the Queen staggered back from the impact of a young Princess Victoria who had flung herself tearfully to embrace her mother.”

“Aah! Mummy, you’re okay then.”

“Oooff!” Sophia staggered from the impact. “Steady darling! Yes I’m safe now. Is that a space suit you’re wearing?”

Victoria grinned and did a little twirl.

“Yes, d’ you like it? It’s all the fashion a’ moon. My helmet is the poshest accessory a girl could ever wish for and I’ve been outside helping to build the base; we’ve just finished another habitation pod. The guys said we can use it until things are sorted down there.”

“You’ve been working!” Sophia wondered.

“Yes mum. Nobody get’s a free ride up here. They’ve got a motto. ‘If you wanna’ share the air, you gorra’ share the care!’

“Well that makes sense. Can’t say I approve of your accent though. What do you think Captain Sage?”

Charlie grinned as he sensed the nuance of Queen Sophia’s observation.

“As long as she’s pulling her weight your majesty, she earns her corn. And now Ma-am we’re going to have to ask you to earn your corn. Here comes Captain Juliet with the Base Commander.”

ooo000ooo

“Sorry we couldn’t attend immediately your Majesty,” Juliet explained. We’ve been preparing Dawn 3 to return to earth. We’ve had to discharge all the prefabricated parts for the base. She’s ready immediately if required to assist you.”

“What’s the situation down there?” Queen Sophia asked.

“Well everybody seems to think you’re locked up with everybody else aboard Dawn 4. They’ve placed guards all around the ship but they’re afraid to attack the ship until they know the situation on board her.”

Sophia nodded sagaciously then turned to Charlie and smiled.

“What exactly have you done Charlie?”

“The ship’s exactly as we left it. Everybody is locked down in their own particular, discreet section; just like a high-class prison.”

“What about General Wilson?”

“I should think she’s bled out by now, probably dead.”

“Good riddance!” The queen opined.

“If we step aboard Dawn 3 we can use her comms to speak to Earth and Dawn 4.”

“She’s in lockdown Charlie,” Juliet tried to explain.

“And I’ve got the key to unlock,” Charlie replied as he pulled his mobile out of his pocket. “We just patch my mobile into Dawn 3’s comms and I can easily reach earth.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Sophia pressed. But they were already crossing the moon-base to board Dawn 3.

At the boarding tube Laura exchanged relieved greetings with Charlie before asking the identity of his female accompaniment. For a moment there was an embarrassed silence before Princess Victoria broke the impasse.

“This is my mum Laura, she's Queen Sophia, the new queen.”

Laura’s eyes widened with surprise. Having been raised as a tough outback girl she’d never paid heed to formality. Her recollections of royalty had pretty-much ended with images of the old queen and pictures on the wall in the various colleges she had attended.

During her last year working for Charlie, Laura had been wholly immersed in spaceships and mining. She had paid no heed to political affairs; especially in that ‘far-away’ country where her presumed head of state still reigned. She gave an involuntary expression as she recovered her composure.

“Shit!” She squeaked. “Sorry your uhm, your Majesty. Welcome aboard.”

Sophia grinned with some sympathy for the girl before her.

“Did nobody tell you I was coming?”

“Yes Ma-am, but I wasn’t expecting you here. I thought you’d have been talking to the base commander in his conference room.”

“Well I’m here now Lieutenant. Have you never seen my picture?”

“No Ma-am, I don’t frequent high places or corridors of power Ma-am, I drive spaceships.”

“That’s not what my daughter tells me. You executed her gaolers or more correctly, her kidnappers.”

“That was an emergency Ma-am. When your daughter got the chance to tell me and Juliet confirmed it with Charlie I had to act.”

“Well I must thank you for your bravery and fortitude. It seems I’m thanking everybody today. Now can you please direct me to your communications desk?”

Laura duly did so and Charlie stepped up to patch his mobile into Dawn 3’s communication system. He then explained to Queen Sophia.

“Firstly, we can speak to Dawn 4 and explain to all the captives, what’s going on.”

Everybody gathered around the Video screen as Charlie made the connection. Within a minute all the internal cameras recording on Dawn 4 ,lit up as multiple images on Dawn 3’s main screen. Then dozens of captive faces turned as one when Queen Sophia’s image appeared on screens all over Dawn 4.

Charlie sat back and explained to Queen Sophia.

“You’ve got their undivided attention Sophia. Give it to them with both barrels!”
ooo000ooo

The young queen took Charlie’s vacated seat and invited Victoria to join her on the screen. Laura hurriedly produced another seat then stood back beside Charlie, the base commander and Juliet to watch.

As Sophia ad-libbed and related the recent events, Charlie was quietly impressed by her presentation and resilience.

Eventually the difficult part arrived. Sophia had to try and persuade her people to support her and start to change things in her queendom.

Charlie could clearly sense Sophia’s nervousness as she described her fears and expressed her hopes for support. Cautiously, she finally came to the nub of her presentation. She declared that she had to reluctantly disband the current UQ parliament on the basis that her own life and body had been put in serious danger.

She briefly alluded to the 'treason-against-the-state' act and then named the UQ Prime Minister and Her Chief of state security as the main perpetrators of violence against her person.

Finally, and very, very bravely, in Charlie’s opinion, she flipped her hair up to display the nasty red scar where the explosive device in her spine had been inserted.

While Juliet, Laura and the Base Commander stared in surprise at Sophia’s brave revelation, Charlie had turned to the other screen and was carefully assessing the reactions of the captive audience aboard Dawn 4.

As he stared thoughtfully at the faces he was trying to gauge their reactions but it was hard to get a handle. Charlie had always maintained a phlegmatic, undemonstrative disposition and this had in no small way, after long years of hiding under this disguise, affected his ability to judge others.
As he stared at the multiple images on the main screen, Victoria had left her mother’s side and come over to see what so interested Charlie.

While Queen Sophia continued talking, Victoria whispered to Charlie.

“What are you looking at?”

“How do you think they’re taking it?” He asked the fourteen-year-old princess. “D’ you think they’re angry enough to support a rebellion against the Feminista state? They don’t look too angry. I’d have thought they’d be lynching your Prime Minister by now!”

“Hold on a minute,” Victoria encouraged Charlie, “Look at my scar, it’s much more recent and angrier than mum’s. I’ll show them my scar.”

“Are you sure?” Charlie cautioned her.

“Well if it doesn’t get them to act, it means my mum’s reign is over. Nobody cares about us.”

“Okay then, give it a try. We’ve nothing more to lose that we aren’t already in danger of losing.”

Princess Victoria resumed her seat alongside Queen Sophia and intimated that she would reveal her much angrier and more recent scar. The queens eyes flickered momentarily and uncertainly towards Charlie who mouthed, ‘yes’.

After finishing her last endeavour to persuade her audience, Queen Sophia referred to the atrocity afflicted on her own daughter and Victoria duly co-operated by lifting her long beautiful hair and revealing the nasty scar at the base of her skull.

At long last there seemed to be some reaction from the various groups then somebody cursed and made a grab for the extremist, Feminista, UQ Prime Minister.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 88

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 88

List of Characters.

Chapter 88

Charlie sat glued to the screen with a profound mixture of relief and satisfaction as he watched the mayhem erupt in the conference room of Dawn 4 where both Prime Ministers had been jointly incarcerated.

As Charlie and his companions watched in stunned silence, the UQ prime Minister was surrounded by several of her own security and it was hard to tell whether it was a defensive encirclement or an arrest. Of one thing there could be little doubt and that was the vehemence of the accusations flying back and forth.

The most prevalent charge being loudly and vociferously made was the demand to know how or why they had endangered the Princess, a mere child. The irony was that many of the UQ feminista delegation were mothers with children and the very thought of setting a child up to be murdered if necessary, for political purposes made them incandescent with rage.

Charlie reflected with silent satisfaction at this sudden turn-around. It seemed that the Princess Victoria was a skilled judge and motivator of crowds despite her tender years.

Queen Sophia was in a conundrum as to what to do. She turned uncertainly to Charlie and the Moonbase Commander.

“Should we go down there and intervene?” She asked.

“We don’t want to endanger your person your majesty,” Charlie observed, “but we do need somebody to negotiate or arbitrate.”

“What should I say?” Queen Sophia wondered.

Once again, the Princess Victoria demonstrated a wisdom beyond her years.

“Take me with you Captain Sage.”

Both Charlie and the Queen turned to stare at the Princess.

“How would that help?” Queen Sophia asked.

“You’re too important to be risked Mum if things get violent down there. If I go with Captain Sage, they will at least realise that we are safe and accessible to negotiations and discussions. They’ve already demonstrated that they care for me as a fourteen-year-old girl even if they don’t care about royalty. There must be some sort of negotiating lever we can pull from that aspect; even if it’s only to buy time.”

Queen Sophie looked uncertainly towards Charlie.

“I leave it to you Charlie, d’ you think Victoria can pull it off.”

“Well from what I made of the reaction amongst the people on Dawn 4 I think she might. What we can do though, is use Dawn 1 to take Victoria and I down to Dawn 4. It might be a good idea to take Laura as well, she can be a guard and chaperone. I can open the main service door and actually enter Dawn 4 into the main docking bay. There are currently only two guards in there at present. And they only have assault rifles so they cannot harm Dawn 1. We can talk to those two guards before we open our access door. If they are agreeable, Victoria can disembark into the Dawn 4’s docking bay.

Hopefully, we can gauge the mood of the UQ feministas from those two guards. After all, technically when they joined the force, I presume they swore allegiance to the crown and not the Prime Minister.”

“Are you okay with that Vicky?” Sophie asked.

“I can’t see a better way and Laura and Captain Sage can at least cover my back with guns. Apart from Laura’s gun, I don’t know what guns we’ve got.”

Captain Juliet then described their defence equipment.

“I’ve got several weapons in my locker and Dawn 2 is an armed merchant spaceship. We gave her that option after the Singapore affair and the assault on Riau. The trouble is, Dawn 2 is not a flying tank so we’ll have to send the princess down in Dawn 1 in case those idiots take a shot at her while she’s entering Dawn 4.

Angie is currently my second in command so she can pilot Dawn 2 while I accompany her Majesty in Dawn 3 because that’s the main communication centre for us. Engie is down with our Ozzy PM, I saw her on the cameras.

Charlie turned again to Sophia.

“That’s the best we can offer, plus of course we’ve got six Space fighters loitering overhead for protection. They’ve all got Australian pilots so I’ve little cause to think any of them have changed sides and they’ve all definitely sworn allegiance to you.”

“Very well then ladies, - oh and gentlemen! Sorry I’m not used to having men beside me. Let’s get to work.”

Soon a flotilla of three spaceships were speeding back to Earth.

ooo000ooo

Inside Dawn 1, the Princess Victoria was checking out the modest control room and compact accommodation. Then having quickly exhausted those points of interest she took the co-pilot seat beside Charlie and resumed chatting.

“She’s just like a private yacht.”

“Well I built her with that sort of thing in mind. A way of escaping the turpitudes of the whole feminista thing.”

“What stopped you?”

“My wife Chloe.”

“What was she like?”

Charlie smiled curiously.

“You mean what is she like?”

“Is she still alive then?”

“Of course she’s alive, she’s actually down there stuck aboard Dawn 4.”

“Oh my god! So she’s a hostage.”

“I’m not sure,” Charlie conceded. “Juliet might be able to tell you better than me, he’s the one commanding Dawn 3 with all the screens and information. Call him up if you want and get a sit-rep.”

“How? This console’s just packed with stuff. I wouldn’t know where to start!” Victoria confessed.

Charlie reached back to activate the communication console then reached across the bring the comms screen to life on Victoria’s dash.

Juliet’s profile appeared as he was talking to Queen Sophia. He turned to face the screen and smiled at Victoria’s image as she asked.

“Captain Juliet, Can you see Mrs Sage on any of your screens?”

“Who’s, - oh! You mean Doctor Sage, Charlie’s wife.”

“Oh, sorry I didn’t know she was a doctor, but can you see her.”

“Yes, she talking to Katie and the PM.”

“Katie who?”

“Katherine Bergson, our defence minister; they’re talking to the UQ delegation.”

“Are they safe?”

“Well they’re not in handcuffs but your PM is. She’s sat at the table with hands visible and in cuffs. Two of her own guards are beside her.”

“What’s the mood like?”

“Well, nobody’s giving much away. They’re waiting for Queen Sophia to make a show I think and we’re waiting for you to test the waters.”

Victoria exchanged glances with Charlie and Laura before finishing.

“Well, here goes nothing. What are the odds?”

“Pretty good if that Prime Minister is genuinely under arrest.”

Victoria turned to study the surface view as Dawn 1 decelerated then Charlie turned on the approach camera for docking.

“Well, there she, still on the beach and locked down. I’ll hover right up to the docking doors then open them with my mobile and we’ll enter before exposing ourselves to any bullets.”

Victoria heard the distinct ‘clack’ of Laura’s rifle being cocked and she turned to see her already wearing a heavy-duty bullet proof coat down to her thighs.

“You’d better put one on as well,” Laura cautioned as she held out the coat. “Nothing is for certain down there and a lot will depend on you.”

“Oh. No stress then,” Victoria swallowed nervously.

“Stoppit Laura, the kid’s nervous enough. She’ll need a cool head.” Charlie scolded the hard-bitten guard.

Laura grinned and as Dawn 1 finally settled in the docking bay of the huge Dawn 4, she cautiously cracked the access door open just enough to peer out.

“I can only see the two guards that the cameras showed, they’ve got their guns raised. “

“Show them a white flag,” Charlie suggested as he donned his protection.

No bullets struck Laura’s excuse for a flag so she exposed her arm while opening the access door wider. Eventually, she revealed herself and stepped out. After making a show of ‘un-cocking’ her gun she called to the two guards.

“We are here to meet the diplomatic team. The Princess Victoria is here to meet both Prime Ministers.”

“Where is Queen Sophia?” The guards demanded.

“She is aboard the other large ship, The Dawn 3. She will not present herself until she is certain of her own safety. The Princess Victoria has plenipotentiary powers to negotiate until Queen Sophia is content to appear.”

By now the Princess Victoria had concluded that if the guards were talking and they had un-cocked their own rifles, it was safe to show her face. Rashly, she pocked her head around the access door and shouted.

“Why have you not got your screen switched on?”

“Orders!”

“Who’s orders?”

“The security officer.”

“Would that be General Wilson?”

The guards exchanged concerned looks before replying, “yes.”

Victoria turned to Charlie and asked. “Can you get the ship to show the Captain’s cabin on their screen, without showing it to the rest of the ship?”

“I can try, Charlie replied as he tapped cautiously into his phone.”

As the Captain’s cabin appeared on the screen, the image of General Wilson lying still on the floor with blood everywhere, was enough to make the guards sit up and take notice.

Victoria seized her chance and bent her head down as she lifted her hair again to reveal the angry read scar at the top of her neck.

“That bitch up there did this to me. I’ve got tiny IED implanted under my skull and that bitch had it placed there. Is that the sort of butcher you work for.”

“Who are we to believe?”

“We are going to let you see what everybody else is seeing, so keep looking at your screen.”

Charlie promptly displayed the whole contents of the main screen on Dawn 3 and the guards now had a comprehensive view of the whole situation aboard their own Dawn 4. Vicky quickly seized the initiative again.

“You can clearly see that the both Prime Ministers are in the conference room. I need to speak at that conference table. Once I am safely there, my mother will land in the Spaceship called Dawn 3 and present herself to enter discussions.”

“Why is our UQ Prime Minister in handcuffs?” The senior guard demanded.

“I don’t know, except to say she had this thing implanted under my skull. It’s likely that some of the security forces felt it was improper for a Prime Minister to have assaulted a royal princess. So please; let me go to that conference room.”

The guards nodded consent and Victoria emerged fully to follow Laura and one guard through the open door that Charlie had released with the remote control on his phone. He still had total control of Dawn 4 and he was not going to relinquish it.

Minutes later Laura and the Princess Victoria entered the Conference room accompanied by several guards who had attached themselves to the couple en-passant for want of certainty.

A deathly silence dropped onto the room like a stone as the delegations recognised the royal Princess, so Victoria seized the opportunity to speak as concerned eyes settled on her.

“I’m here firstly to confirm that my mother is safe and secondly to confirm that it was the Prime Minister of the United Queendom, no less, who ordered that an explosive device be implanted in my mother’s spine and mine to try and ensure our compliance to their treasonous endeavours.

I can also confirm that it was the man Charles Sage who circumvented their actions by successfully finding, recovering and disabling the trigger mechanisms to these devices.

Thirdly, I need to meet a Doctor Chloe Sage, whom Captain Sage advises, has the surgical skill to relieve my mother and I of these vicious devices.

Finally, on behalf of my mother Queen Sophia I am Charging the Prime Minister of the United Queendom of Britain with treason against the Queen, inasmuch as she has been constrained against her free will by threat of death.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 89

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 89

List of Characters.

Charlie Sage Maths and electronics genius.
Shirley Sage Charlies elderly mother
Chloe Charlie’s early school friend become wife
Josephine Flint Surgeon and associate of Chloe’s.
Mrs Jane Anston Director of Anston Aerospace.
Ronnie Garage mechanic at top of lane
Pauline Garage owner, Ronnie’s sister.
Briony Pauline’s teenaged daughter.
Billy Pauline’s middle son.
Abigail (Abby) Pauline’s youngest daughter.
‘Poppy’ Charlie’s little micro-runabout.
‘Doris’ The armoured mobile home.
‘Lady’ Chloe’s Sports Car.
Dawn Charlie’s armoured spaceship.
Colonel Wilson Vindictive misanthropist doctor.
Margaret Thomas ‘Failed’ police security guard.
Sally. 1st Oz Special forces trooper
Jacky 2nd Oz Special forces trooper.
Juliet Charlie’s Mal engineering assistant.
Laura The second mate of the Second Dawn
Katie (Katherine Bergson) The Australian defence minister.
Lieutenant Engadine Asi Charlie’s second prisoner.
Charlotte Charlie and Chloe’s older daughter
Michael, Jessica & Lucy Charlie and Chloe’s younger triplets
Queen Sophia 35-year-old monarch of the UQ, recently
crowned
Princess Victoria Her fourteen-year-old daughter

Chapter 89.

For a long moment silence reigned and nobody moved. Laura began to get twitchy as Victoria scanned the faces.

“Is Doctor Chloe Sage here please?”

“Yes, that’s me,” Chloe declared as she rose beside the Australian Prime Minister, “I’m Captain Sage’s wife. Is he safe?”

“Yes, but I think he would like you to go to the Captain’s Cabin and confirm that General Wilson is dead. You’d better take one of the Ozzy security guards with you.”

Chloe nodded and having been given a task that extended the unique privilege of neutrality to all doctors; she left without hinderance with her guard in tow. Princess Victoria then turned to the Australian Prime Minister.

“I Believe that if the UQ PM is being held pending investigations, then you Prime Minister, are the senior officer of state. That being so, might I suggest to go to the main gangway to receive my mother. “

The Ozzy PM could hardly contain her enthusiasm and Victoria silently congratulated herself on a skilful diplomatic move. She knew her mother would need all the friends she could get.”

As the situation slowly unravelled itself, Victoria was becoming more reassured. After having despatched the Queendom Prime Minister to a secure room under guard, she spoke to Charlie.

“It’s safe for you to come out of your ship no Captain Sage.”

“I’m on my way,” Charlie confirmed, “I’ve been re-adjusting the control systems to connect my phone directly to Dawn 4’s controls. I’ve nearly finished.”

He emerged as Angie and Dawn 2 were berthing in the giant docking bay and twenty Ozzy Miners emerged all armed. They were all trusted men and Victoria at last felt safe. Despite this, she was glad that Laura still stuck to her like glue.

“As they grouped in the landing dock Princess Victoria suggested, “I suppose we’d better go and meet my mother with all the flunkies.”

“You lot go,” Charlie observed. “I want to see what the situation is with Wilson.”
ooo000ooo

They separated and Charlie made his way up to the Captain’s cabin. When he got there, he found his wife Chloe bent over the crumpled form of General Wilson while the accompanying Guard was applying mouth to mouth resuscitation.

“You can’t be serious!” He yelled. “It’s been over twelve hours since I shot the bitch!”

“She’s still alive Charlie, I’ve called the ambulance.”

“Oh fuck! Here, let me finish the job!”

“No Charlie!!” She shrieked. “I’m a doctor! Besides, she needs to face a trial.”

“Well yeah; I suppose the publicity might change a few feministas minds.”

“No, she goes to trial for what was done to those two women!”

“Wharrabout the treason thing; assaulting the royal person and all that?”

“Well yes, maybe that as well, but whatever goes down, I’m determined to get her to trial.”

“Jeeze!” Charlie cursed. “What a waste of time and money. She’s a killer!”

With that a commotion presaged the arrival of the paramedics and Charlie stepped back as Chloe diagnosed the injuries to the crew.

“Bullet entry to the sacrum at a fine angle and penetrated to the head of the femur. The Sacrum is split while the ball and socket joint is shattered but no intestinal perforation and no signs of peritonitis. She was very lucky. The hand has stopped bleeding but she’s lost a lot of blood, have you got any plasma in your van?”

“Yes doctor, it’s a woman’s ambulance.”

“Oh yes, of course! I forgot, feminista medicine. Good for girls, bad for boys. Okay, I’ll come down and fix up a drip for her so you can take your time driving, I don’t want that split sacrum to twist or distort anymore.

Charlie followed Chloe and the stretchered General Wilson down the main access where they encountered Queen Sophia and her reception. The queen on seeing the stretcher and Charlie, immediately stepped out of the reception and walked over the Charlie.

“What happened to her.”

“I had to shoot her.”

“Good god, why?”

“To dispossess her of the hand trigger that was designed to blow your spine apart if you ever tried to disagree with her or that bitch in handcuffs over there.”

(Charlie pointed to the now arrested former UQ Prime Minister.)

Queen Sophia visibly brightened at the certainty of definitely having both criminals and both trigger mechanisms safe in custody.

“Who actually has the triggers at the moment?” She asked.

“Me;” Charlie confirmed as he took them from his pocket to show her, “both of them have been disarmed, look.”

He flipped back the battery lids to show the empty battery spaces and the relief was evident in the queen’s eyes.

“It remains now to get those evil devices out of your necks, My wife Doctor Chloe Sage is a specialist casualty surgeon and she is well qualified to proceed or simply assist the royal surgeon in removing them. Can you trust your royal surgeon because so far, neither Wilson nor your Prime Minister have revealed who performed the original procedure?”

Queen Sophia could not resist fingering the fearsome little lump at the base of her skull while looking concernedly at her Daughter Vicky.

“I think I’d prefer to have your wife do it. I don’t know who to trust in my own government, and that includes my royal surgeon.”

Charlie signalled to the ambulance team where Chloe was setting up the drip in the general’s arm. As she had just finished doing this she acknowledged Charlie’s behest and dispatched the ambulance with an Australian ex-military moon-base constructor as an escort. She came over to Charlie and the queen promptly lifted her hair to expose the scar.

“When can you remove this?”

“As soon as I can get you into the surgical theatre aboard her.” (Chloe pointed to Dawn 4.) “I’ll ex-ray you first to check there are no booby traps.”

“The queen’s eyes widened uncertainly.”

“Have you had experience of this?”

“Funnily enough, yes your majesty. Some of the underground miners at Hammersley choose to have location chips inserted in their bodies. If there is a subterranean fall, we can activate the chips to locate them and monitor their body functions if they are still alive.

The chips are by no means compulsory but most of the guys have chosen to have them after we located a group who’d been cut off by a roof-fall. We drilled down to them to supply air, water and essentials until we could get them out. Everybody was saved and now most of the subterranean teams elect to have them. I insert the chips and always check that it’s voluntary.”

Chloe grinned as she continued.

“The really funny thing is that many of the guys chose to keep their chips in after they’d finished their subterranean stint. They say it enabled them to prove who they were and where they’d been when the old feminista police in Oz came searching for suspects. The guys couldn’t be unfairly accused if their chip proves they weren’t there.

Of course the feminista abuse has ended in Oz now we’ve defeminated, but the convenience suits the guys and they like to think of themselves as a club. – ‘The where the hell have you been club?’ They’ve even got their own bar in Hammersley, complete with a tracker. Even their wives approve.”

Queen Sophia couldn’t help smiling and asked Chloe to accompany her as she completed the reception. Then with no more ado, she invited Chloe to check out the spine-bomb. Naturally, Princess Victoria followed closely.

“I’ll wait outside,” Charlie declared, “no point in invading a lady’s privacy,” he grinned.

An hour later, the Dawn 4’s regular nurse emerged from the theatre and handed Charlie the two tiny bombs.

“You can add these to your collection Captain Sage.”

“I don’t want them.” Charlie protested.

“No, but the courts will and you’re the only person her majesty trusts with their safekeeping.”

“Is she awake?"

"Yes but her daughter’s still recovering. The queen says you can go in.”

Charlie popped his head around the door to see the queen sharing a glass of water with Chloe.

“Everything okay?”

Chloe nodded. “Yes, it was a simple procedure. Ah now Vicky’s coming around. You go and do what you have to do.”

Firstly, Charlie met Juliet, Laura, Engie and now Angie on the command bridge and each debriefed each other as they sketched out a way forward.

“Well frankly,” Laura opined, “I think you’re pushing at an open-door Charlie. The whole rotten façade is about to come crashing down.”

“Perhaps,” Charlie cautioned, but it’s not like OZ. The mood through the whole country was pretty much anti-feminista. Here the mood is still undetermined, I mean people are only beginning to learn about the threat to the Queen. So far I haven’t seen any crowds or demonstrations screaming around the Dawn 4.”

“We’re hovering above two metres of water Charlie; they’d get pretty wet.” Juliet chuckled.

“You know what I mean Julie! What are your thoughts anyway?”

“Get the queen to commandeer the media and put it about. If we can get the media on our side the job’s a long way to being done.”

At that, Engie and Angie’s phones pinged simultaneously. Angie read the text and handed her phone to Charlie.

“It seems the Princess is ahead of you. She’s posted pictures of the op to remove her spinal bomb. Chloe must have given them to her from the main surgery cameras.”

“Then the queen must have authorised it.” Charlie concluded.

“Sophia’s been very clever here,” Engie added, “she hasn’t shown her own surgery what with respect for the crown’s dignity and all that; but she’s allowed Victoria’s Surgery to go viral. That’ll win the support of all the young things.”

“Does that help us much?” Laura asked. “I don’t follow this queen and royalty thing much, though she comes across as a decent sort of person. I mean she struck me as not too keen on the feminista when I chatted to her on Dawn 1 while Charlie was driving.”

“She told me the same,” Charlie confirmed, “I’ve no reason to believe she’s got any sympathy after the abuse with the spine bomb. Their PM is simply an extreme extension of where hateful feminista logic can take a person. Anybody who stood in her way was fair game and nobody understands that better than Queen Sophia. I’m pretty certain she’s very much a convert to the realms of reason.”

“They must have somehow knocked her out and anaesthetised her to do the implant,” Engie observed, “that’s a bloody serious assault.”

“I think we’d better go down and join the conference crowd and gauge the mood.” Charlie concluded.

ooo000ooo

The Feminine Queendom 90

Author:

Beverly Taff

Audience Rating:

General Audience (pg)

Publication:

Novel Chapter

Genre:

Science Fiction

Character Age:

TG Themes:

Disguises / On the Run / In Hiding

TG Elements:

Castration / Male Chastity Devices

Permission:

Posted by author(s)

The Feminist Queendom Charlie’s War 90

List of Characters.

Chapter 90

As the five friends entered the conference chamber all eyes turned.

The five hesitated as though trying to gauge the mood in the room but the tension evaporated when Queen Sophia actually stood and greeted them. This was a very unusual breech of royal protocol and by her very action, Queen Sophia had set the mood for informality and transparency.

“Come and sit here Captain Sage,” she indicated the vacant seat to her right. “There is a lot to get through and your party will necessarily have much to contribute. The rest of you can choose your seats, there’s no formal arrangements.”

“Thank you your majesty. Where are we to start?”

“Well firstly, you can explain how you got here and what circumstances propelled you into this cauldron of intrigue.”

Charlie swallowed nervously as he searched the faces around the conference table.

“Do you want me to start from first base Ma-am?”

“Yes. Begin at the beginning please. How you fell foul of the feminista laws and how you escaped feminisation.”

Charlie took a long deep breath as his mind raced to try and precis his life from early teens to the present.

“This going to take some time Ma-am; I mean we’re talking seventeen to eighteen years.”

“Time is the one thing we now have Captain Sage, thanks to you and your crew’s endeavours.”

“Very well Ma-am, stop me if it gets too long-winded or boring.” He sighed.

“Every word, Captain Sage.” Queen Sophia demanded as she sat poised with her laptop. “If I want clarification or dates etc, I’ll stop you.”

And so Charlie plunged in.

ooo000ooo

It took over four hours of occasionally painful recollection as Charlie described his life. Oft-times he had recourse to Dawn 1’s logbooks and frequently, Chloe his wife, was able to more accurately recall dates before the antigravity discoveries when Charlie worked in the workshops of Anston Aerospace.

In those years between separating during high school and meeting again after college, Chloe had sometimes encountered Charlie’s academic work and on several important instances, was able to affirm a date that some important discovery or development attributable to Charlie, had appeared in Anston Aerospace’s catalogue as their invention.

At the end of the hearing Charlie let out a long slow sigh and fiddled with his lap-top computer as the Queen and council muttered amongst themselves. It was embarrassingly obvious that the Feminist Queendom while abusing Charlie, had squandered a valuable intellectual asset through its feminista agenda and half-baked laws.

Ridden with guilt, Queen Sophia released Charlie from the inquiry but asked him to remain in the United Queendom until the several serious issues had been resolved.

Somewhat, reluctantly, Charlie agreed but demanded a safe house and his own trusted coterie of friends and guards.

The royal council had no option but to agree though it caused no small consternation when two MEN (Charlie and Juliet) were to be frequently seen in London and elsewhere enjoying all the privileges of women.

Now that the extremist feminista government had been exposed and discredited, the Queen’s emergency power councillors were entitled to research all the work that Charlie had contributed to enable the UQ’s advancement as a leading aerospace manufacturer.

More importantly Queen Sophia was required to call an election but a universal franchise had to be returned to the whole population before Charlie perceived things as fair. The previous parliament had been prorogued by royal command and then disbanded but these legal processes were slow. Charlie and even Juliet became frustrated with the delays.

The five original spacers became more concerned with growing and developing their Celestial endeavours and eventually they felt forced to return to Australia while leaving the United Queendom to sort out its own affairs. Charlie was disappointed that he had not had the success with the United Queendom as he had had with Australia, but he felt he just had to recognise and accept his lack of total success.

It was to be a full year before Charlie became involved again with developments in the UQ.

By that time General Wilson was fit to face a trial despite her now being a paraplegic. Additionally, her left hand was virtually a frozen claw where the bullet had smashed into the back of her hand and destroyed most of the motor nerves, while smashing several carpels and metacarpals out through the palm of her hand. The disfigurement was severe.

At the trial, Charlie was ‘put through the mill’ by the lawyers as they charged him with attempted murder and grievous bodily harm.

For a defence, Charlie’s Australian lawyers produced scores of instances of theft, abuse, assault, kidnap and even attempted murder by agencies of the UQ crown against Charlie and his family. Almost all of these crimes had been instigated by General Wilson including the attack in the United Nations headquarters for which there was abundant video evidence.

Even when Charlie had been in a position to invoke the law to protect himself and his family it was proved that his chances of receiving protection or justice were nil; save for his own endeavours. It was those endeavours listed over the whole seventeen years in UQ and Australia and the United Nations Building that summated to Charlies plea of self defence having to be accepted.

It was further demonstrated that when Charlie discovered General Wilson lounging in the captain’s cabin of Dawn 4 and trying to issue orders whilst somehow gaining command of the spaceship; it was tantamount to an attempted act of Piracy, especially when none of the rightful crew were even on the bridge. Only Lieutenant Engadine Asi had been present on Dawn 4 and she was stuck in the conference rooms with the Australian Prime Minister.

Piracy was one of the crimes that had been re-apportioned the death penalty in the UQ to prevent MEN from trying to steal ships to escape from the UQ. Suddenly, General Wilson found herself potentially facing a possible piracy charge on top of a treason Charge that definitely carried the death penalty.

The next part of the trial that involved Charlie was the lethal implants in Queen Sophia’s and Princess Victoria’s neck.

When requested to produce the murderous devices, he duly placed them before the tribunal complete with a description of their lethality followed by a demonstration of identical devices on a crash-test dummy.

The results left the court shocked while Queen Sophia was physically sickened when she was shown video of the results. The thought of having been forced to host such vicious little bombs under her own skull left her determined to clean out the feminista virus in her country.

The longer she held off the elections, the more thoroughly could she prepare for an overwhelming feminista electoral defeat and the treason hearings were daily adding more power to her elbow.

The last legal process was the trial of the previous extreme feminista UQ Prime Minister. This was a much more delicate political issue because originally she had won the election be a fairly large margin; however this was without a universal franchise because men had not been allowed to vote. The feminista argument being that men were not sufficiently educated to vote intelligently. In the Feminista lexicon, intelligence and education had become subsumed under one meaning.

Charlie had of course encountered these Feminista arguments for years, so much so that he had wearied of ever getting women to acknowledge the difference even if they understood.

Now the argument had become a material instrument in confronting the feminista prejudices, Charlie thought he could see some light.

“Whilst Queen Sophia had been fairly popular during her first year’s reign, her daughter Princess Victoria had been adored by the younger women. After the princess’s testimony and the demonstration of the explosive device, the female electorate had certainly ‘volt faced’.

The most common argument was that it was men who instigated violence against women and that was why the feminista wars had been fought. The UQ’s prime minister’s ghastly attempt to frighten the princess into always acceding to their extreme feminista agenda had finally been the straw that broke the camel’s back.

The royal order in council had been presented to parliament and after much debate, both lords and commons had eventually acknowledged that the lack of universal franchise was a breach of men’s rights.

Charlie was dismayed that the Feminista culture had become so embedded in the country’s female psyche but relieved when the new reform bill finally passed.

This law however was only part of the new process. It meant that males now had to be registered on the electoral registers and that was a process that would take months, even with computerised lists and information.

Throughout the interim Charlie’s friends the OZ PM and her defence minister made a big play of Australia’s huge military and commercial power based upon antigravity and spaceships enabling OZ to reach for the stars.

The Brits in the UQ, with their innate predisposition to a sense of superiority over everybody else were now having ‘their noses rubbed in it’. And to make it worse, the antigravity engine could have benefited them had they not become a feminista queendom.

Every time an antigravity leviathan delivered hundreds of thousands of tons of all types of ore from space to a UQ smelting works, the Brits were reminded of their inhuman, feminista blunder and their catastrophic, economic loss. Nor was the lesson lost, that the UQ was now essentially dependent on OZ for protection from Chinese aggression.

On a more personal level, it also galled many a woman that Charlie’s science was available to nobody. Several generations of women had been brought up and taught to believe that men were dumb brutes. For these women, Charlie’s fame and obvious intelligence had become a painful ego-buster.

It would be at least a generational span of twenty to thirty years after genuine equality had returned to the UQ, before friendly relationships were restored between the two once historic allies.

THE END