TEASER PART 4: Abigail experiences the ramifications of the simple kiss as a burgeoning yet confused sexuality takes hold. Meanwhile, the divide between husband and wife widens as their roles within the slowly crumbling union are irrevocably altered. Yet, as all hope seems lost, and the first day of high school looms, a potential cure to Darren’s unique condition surfaces.
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In this 2002 sequel/finale to Winner Takes All: http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/51324/winner-takes-all, an enslaved Earth seeks the cure to The Change & the will to fight back. Within her own fractured group, Colonel Trish Stevenson must fight a war on two fronts; against the Machiavellian First Lady, Madeline Bradley, & the ever present Norwin threat at their doorstep. Join the rebellion, in this gender bent Science Fiction adventure of Loyalty, Betrayal, and Love most unexpected.

Things are coming to a head. There are decisions to make, secrets to reveal and fences to mend, and one or two more challenges to overcome. This is the penultimate chapter, with one more to go. Barbie and I want to thank all of you who have followed, commented on, and kudoed the story. We both appreciate it very much. The final chapter will be posted on Friday, this week.

Things are heading toward some kind of conclusion/decision. What will Buddy/Barbara do and what will she/he decide? Will anyone guess who Barbara really is?

From the frying pan into the fire? How much more can our hero(ine) take? Stay tuned. All will become clear soon enough. Chapter 8 follows Thursday or Friday this week.

Not all tags are relevant to every chapter.

Barbara is drawn or maybe forced into further confusion. Will she regain her male persona, or succumb to the temptations of the femme side? Only the author knows for sure, and she ain't telling.

A Quiet Strength - Trial and Tribulation
by Anon Allsop

-Part Three-

-Twelve-

There was an earthy smell of Spring in the air, snow was melting and Aponi had noticed two birds of the like she had never seen before. There was a bird that she seemed enamored by, bright blue with a dusty orange upon its chest. Another was a bright yellow and had black feathers in its wings, a smattering of white downey feathers covering it's neck. Both birds were occupying upper and lower branches of the same tree, but each seemingly ignored the other.

A Quiet Strength - Trial and Tribulation
by Anon Allsop

-Part Three-

-Nine-

Max sat in the quiet solitude of his study sipping on a dark colored liquor from Ariellian IV, when a noise caused him to glance up. It was Elise, she was wrapped in her robe and holding a cup of tea, the string swinging just outside. Max smiled and sat his drink down, "Come in Elise, sit with me awhile."

She slipped inside the room, and settled into a chair opposite her fathers. "What brings you up on such an early hour?

In the not too distant future, evolution has taken humanity down a different path. In a society where gender is controlled with numbers, one young man finds that being evolved might not be such a good thing.

A Quiet Strength - Trial and Tribulation
by Anon Allsop

-Part Three-

-Six-

As morning dawned, the storm and fierce wind had abated and a clear blue sky was overhead. Etu pushed through the drift that had sealed them inside the boughs, and stepped out into a strange but beautiful landscape. Aponi passed the papoose with little Machk through the opening to Etu, as she stepped through to the outside she was forced to shield her eyes from the brilliant sun.

She quickly glanced toward Machk, making sure that the covering over his face had remained. Her breath hung in front of her like a fog, within moments a negligible breeze seemed to push it away.

Etu wore the papoose and was aiding Aponi as they walked, both being very careful to avoid falling with little Machk. "The snow is very deep in spots, but showing ground in others." Aponi commented as they picked their way through the trees.

"Such is the way with the great white death. In one area may be a drift only knee high to a child, in another it could be well above a brave's head." He replied, assisting her to a clear area where no snow was lying.

Aponi cringed as snow dropped into the moccasins that Etu's mother provided, leaning against her husband she dug out the offending snow with her finger. "I am still amazed that I was able to survive being out in that storm."

Humanity has become the corrupted tool of the Earthen Interstellar Federation. One captain will soon find out just how much the corruption has spread. Just how does a once-human communicate with her once own xenophobic species?

A Quiet Strength - Trial and Tribulation
by Anon Allsop

-Part Three-

-Four-

His hands stinging from the cold, Etu continued to smack it against the bole of the tree, its impact scarring the bark deeply. To have come so close to his beloved and to lose her in this snowstorm would seem almost unfathomable to the young warrior. Always before his eyes, the swirling snow blowing in his face, seemed merge everything into one ferocious gray fog.

Desperately wanting to strike out in search of Aponi, yet he knew that once he left Machk, he might not find him again. So, the young brave did the only thing he could and continued to strike the limb against the trunk of the tree.