"The Culture"
From the Book, "Three to Get Ready.."
The Culture
Chapter 1
Jevon Stemson was the first elected to make the trip. He and three others were exclusively selected once a new planet holding sentient life forms had been discovered and communicated with. The new “hyperdrive,” once a legendary entertainment lexicon, was put into practice in 2115 with spectacular results. Vast distances of space could now be traversed, making a light-year’s trip a matter of months.
The four selected were trained, suited and lifted off the surface of Earth to begin a tremendous voyage of discovery and the meeting of two confirmed races of people light-years distant from one another.
Jevon Stemson, age 39, a flight commander with a background in anthropology, was the natural choice for mission commander. DeWayne Albright, age 26, a child prodigy earning his degree at age 18, was a chemist and biologist. Dorn Almadi, age 41, was one of the leading male scientists studying physiology. Barbara Lynn, age 42 and still a marathon runner, was a neurologist in high standing. Each was chosen for their scientific skills and superior physical conditioning.
It had started three years earlier when a message arrived from another planet within the Milky Way galaxy. Distance wise, the planet was nearly next door when considering hyperdrive’s capabilities.
A full year of messaging back and forth, with pictures arriving within the messages, revealed those of planet Jendr Prime being spitting images of humans on earth. The people of earth were agog, with a bursting forth of planet-wide religious fervor when people began to believe that only an all-knowing God would have made two species separated by light-years so similar.
The people of Jendr Prime were able to help earth scientists decipher two languages for communication. One language was Jendr Primen, the only language spoken there. The universality of English was chosen as the language imparted to Jendr Primens. After a full year of building a ship for traversing the distance between the two species, it was completed in record time. Those on earth were anxious and eager to meet their heavenly neighbors.
With beings nearly identical to earth humans, what could go wrong?
Dropping out of hyperdrive within ten thousand miles of Jendr, all four in the spaceship were buckled in and preparing for a gliding landing on the planet. A long airstrip had been hastily constructed to accommodate the landing style of the earth spacecraft.
The landing was done perfectly and the craft released a chute to slow its run down the improvised air strip. The ship came to a stop and the crew waited the necessary thirty minutes to exit. It was seen from their viewports that a large crowd stood waiting to greet them with the appropriate leaders and dignitaries front and center.
Finally, the ship’s door opened and the four walked into the sunlight and fresh air that seemed so identical to earth. The crowd pressed forward; the ones officially assigned to meet the travelers made arm gestures that were appropriate on Jendr. The crew leader, Jevon Stemson, extended his hand and as best he could in the Jendr language, explained this was a common greeting on his home planet.
“Welcome to Jendr.” came from the mouth of the leading representative, in perfectly spoken English.
Some of the delegates there spoke English along with the leading rep and it became somewhat confusing as the people pressing forward peppered the group with questions.
“All in due time,” said Jevon. “First, we’d like to be assigned quarters, get ourselves refreshed and then have a formal meeting.”
It was agreed.
The representatives from earth did not let it go by without notice that a great deal of attention was being shown Mission Specialists, DeWayne Albright and Barbara Lynn. It seemed a great many eyes followed every move of those two.
A box-like vehicle transported the earthers, along with three of the representatives meeting them, to a large building. They were ushered in and given rooms in which to stay. Again, it was noticed how the eyes of the reps dwelled on the two afore-mentioned scientists.
Days of dinners, testimonials and media gatherings followed. Those who spoke English queried the group about their trip and what life was like on earth.
On the fourth day the group was left alone in their quarters and met in Commander Stemson’s room to compare notes.
“They seem just like us people on earth, don’t they?” said Barbara Lynn.
“Pretty much.” agreed the Commander.
“Something funny, though,” said Dorn Almadi, “unless I’m mistaken, it seems that all the children are girls. I don’t see any young boys or young men among the Jendrs.”
“Yes, now that you mention it,” added Barbara, “I too notice that all the men are older, say from thirty-something and up. And all the females appear to be young, around that age or younger.”
“That is curious,” said DeWayne, “it seems we have a lot to learn about this culture.”
The four were taken on short tours of the planet’s scientific facilities. In each instance, upon returning to their quarters at day’s end, the same observations about males all being above a certain age and all females being below a certain age were expressed. The same propensity for the planet’s natives to stare at Dr. Albright and Dr. Lynn was displayed. It was decided they would meet with Chancellor Mollock the next day to make some innocuous inquiries.
The next morning, Chancellor Mollock, a man looking to be in his fifties by earth standards, his Assistant Chancellor was Morma, a female the earth group guessed at about thirty years of age; and a man named Gullin, Secretary. The trio came to discuss the alien visitor’s itinerary for the day. Some tours of facilities and greeting of dignitaries were detailed.
The group sat in a circle on furniture very much like earth furniture. Commander Stemson addressed the three Jendr officials.
“I’m hoping my questions are not found offensive by your people.” he began. “We couldn’t help noticing your people’s fascination with two of our party, namely Doctors Albright and Almadi.
It is also peculiar to us that all females on your planet appear to be younger in years than their male counterparts; they seemingly appear to be all older than the females. We wonder why we have seen no “boys” among the young and yet see no females as having aged beyond certain years?”
Chancellor Mollock turned to his associates with a quizzical look, then turned to the four visitors, asking, “What is a boy?”
A stunned look came over the earth folks.
“A boy is a young male. A young man, a child of male gender.”
The three Jendr officials seemed to collectively understand.
“Let me explain,” Chancellor Mollock said, “Unlike earth, on Jendr, all children are born female. After roughly fifteen years of age, and each of our years is 420 days as compared to your 365 days on earth, the female engages in a contractual relationship with a male counterpart to produce offspring.”
“But,” interjected Jevon, “there appears to be no older females. We are seeing all men to be, as we estimate, some thirty-five or so years old. We see no older females.”
Assistant Chancellor, Morma took up the mantle of response.
“The difference in our culture, and the reason for our fascination with the young Doctor Albright is, he is so young. And, Doctor Lynn is so much older than any females living here.”
The puzzled expression on the faces of the earth people compelled her to explain further.
“All children on Jendr are born female.”
Only silence came from the earth people.
“Then were do the males come from?” asked Doctor Almadi.
“Around thirty-five years of age, all females begin morphing into males. It is the natural order on Jendr. It takes approximately two of our years for the metamorphosis to take place. The females of that age begin to become males. This is the way it’s always been.”
The visitors could only look at one another in amazement.
“So,” said Doctor Albright, “if I was a person born on Jendr, I would be a female, and Doctor Almadi would have already changed into being a male?”
“There you have it.” said Secretary Gullin with a smile.
“Yet,” said Doctor Lynn, “we have not witnessed any people on Jendr, thus far anyway, of those going through this change.”
“When the first signs of the change begin,” explained the Chancellor, “the females are sent to the farms and distribution centers. They work there for the harvesting of crops to package food for us Jendr people. They also perform the manufacturing for the people that have yet to change from female and those having fully changed to male.”
Again, the silence from the four earthers people spoke volumes.
“Would we be able to meet some of your people going through the transgenderism occurring?” asked Doctor Lynn.
“We would have to contact them to see,” replied the Chancellor. “Often times those transitioning are very uncomfortable with others seeing the change. You understand, it makes them very uncomfortable.”
“We’ll see what we can arrange for you,” said the Secretary.
"The Culture" Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Two more days on Jendr passed. The earth visitors were taken to see many elements of the life of the planet’s inhabitants. As usual, the young Dr. Albright and the more aged Dr. Lynn drew stares of fascination everywhere they went.
It was then announced to the earthers that they would be taken to a facility where a small group of those females morphing into males agreed to meet with them.
The Jendr equivalent of a large helicopter took the group some distance from the Capital. The four earth scientists spoke sotto voce to each other in pointing out the windows on the craft were blacked out.
The craft landed and the group was ushered into a large building, then into a large room. The hum of machinery could be heard in the distance.
Another shock greeted them, along with the half-dozen Jendr-Prime citizens awaiting them.
The six people in the room all bore some signs of being female but it was quite evident that facial hair was appearing on some of them. The dignitaries accompanying them introduced each of the transgenders, explaining how far along the metamorphosis had gone.
One of the females was almost entirely male in appearance, nearing the end of her/his transition. They explained that the female breasts had nearly disappeared and the musculature had become more pronounced. The earth scientists were not shown, but had explained to them, the female genitalia would become male genitalia over time.
The transgenders displayed the same attention to Dr. Albright and Dr. Lynn as had everyone else. It was obvious to the scientists that the six elected to be on display for them were highly embarrassed throughout.
Just as the session was to end, the earth scientists thanked the transgenders and wished them well during their change. It was then, one of the transgenders rushed to the side of Dr. Lynn, saying in a desperate voice, “Please help me! I don’t want to change. I don’t’ want to be a man. I want to stay a woman!”
The three dignitaries, along with some male attendants, immediately corralled the transgender, hustling her away and out of the room.
“Well, that was something” declared Dr. Almadi. “Is there something you can do for her, that is, to let her remain being a she?”
“We offer them counseling, Doctor.” said the Assistant Chancellor. “Some come around, but some…”
“What about the ‘some’?” asked Dr Lynn.
“Some attempt to get to a place where they attempt surgery to remain a female. This is against the law on Jendr and there are harsh penalties.”
“So, they are forced to transition even if they oppose it?” asked Dr. Albright.
“We cannot force them,” said the Chancellor hastily. “But, to be honest, some do not accept the change. They run away to an area far distant from the cities. They live there. We don’t bother them and they don’t bother us.”
At days end, the four earth scientists gathered in the common area of their quarters. The discussion naturally was about the events of the day.
“This is about the strangest culture and system of nature I could ever imagine.” said Dr. Almadi.
Each of the earth scientists expressed varying opinions on the culture of Jendr-Prime.
“I remember about two hundred years ago in the old United States, and in other countries on earth, how some people insisted on using drugs and surgeries to change their sex. Despite surgery making empirical changes, inside the female attempting to be male, she retained her female physiology and the males wanting to transition to female could not change their physiology either except via cosmetic surgery.”
“That fad lasted about thirty years, as I recall from history books.” commented Commander Stemson.
“Then, it was a manipulation. Here, it is their Mother Nature.” added Dr. Almadi.
The rest of their time on the planet was spent exchanging as much information as possible about the two world’s similarities and differences in government, medicine, science and culture. To the four from earth, the most salient difference was of course the transitioning of a population born all female, to a population of aging males.
Just three days before their planned return to earth, Commander Stemson awoke to a bright sunny Jendr-Prime day. He dressed and went to the common area shared by all his fellow space travelers, where his hosts had prepared the planet’s equivalent of a cup of coffee.
A short time later Dr. Almadi entered the living area. The two greeted each other with the customary morning salutations. They spent a few moments discussing the need to get to their spaceship and begin running the pre-launch procedures.
They finished their stimulant beverages and Dr. Almadi commented, “What has become of our two colleagues?”
“I’ll go rouse Dr. Albright,” said the Mission Commander. “You go wake Dr. Lynn.”
Within moments the two had raced back to the common area, each with a look of surprise on their faces.
“Dr. Albright is not in his room.” stated the Commander.
“And Dr. Lynn is not in hers!” came from Dr. Almadi.
The Commander immediately hit the button that would summon attendants. The news of the missing two scientists caused a flurry of activity and an eventual visit from Chancellor Mollock.
A search was launched and all the officials of Jendr-Prime appeared to be in a frenzy.
At the end of the day, Chancellor Mollock again came to see Commander Stemson and Dr. Almadi.
“I’m sorry to give you disappointing news. It seems we cannot locate your two friends. In our considered opinion, they have been abducted by the Transgenders.”
The two earthmen expressed grief and dissatisfaction with the news. Knowing their launch date was now a short time away, the two men agreed to go to their craft and do the pre-launch procedures, hoping that their two missing friends would have been returned by launch time.
“Why them?” asked the Commander of his colleague.
“My guess is they want to extract and study their DNA,” he said. “If the transgenders must use drugs and surgeries to achieve their aims, they might want to locate the human gene that makes humans remain the gender into which they were born.”
“I can see that,” agreed the Commander. “Let’s get this buggy ready to roll and hope for the best.”
The launch day came, however, without hide nor hair of the two missing scientists.
Chancellor Mollock once again came to assuage the fears of their visitors.
“We have found evidence the Transgenders have your Doctors Lynn and Albright.” he confessed. “We will continue our efforts to get them back as soon as possible.”
“When they get back, is when we will depart for earth and not sooner.” said the Commander sternly.
“I am so sorry and disappointed, Sir.” replied the Chancellor meekly.
The day of the launch came and still the two scientists were not available for the trip home.
The Commander again summoned the Chancellor. He was accompanied by his Assistant.
“We cannot go home without our friends.” he insisted.
“We find this all very distressing but we think it best you depart Jendr as planned. It seems your visit here has torn at the fabric of our culture and we will continue our attempts to retrieve the doctors. We would send them home to you as soon as our own spaceship is readied for travel to earth.” he added hastily.
“I’m sorry, we cannot go along with that,” replied the Commander. “Give us transport vehicles and the two of us will go to the Transgender land, or whatever you call it, and get out two friends back ourselves!”
The Chancellor and his Assistant looked at one another. Then the Chancellor face the two earthmen, saying, “I’m sorry, we cannot allow that.”
He then quickly raised his hand, palm facing the two earth visitors, a ring-like piece on one of his fingers showing. In an instant, before the earthmen could react, a small hum issued forth from the ring.
The two earthmen fainted dead away.
_________
Commander Stemson awoke. He was extremely groggy. Within seconds he determined he was on the earth spacecraft. Attempting to extricate himself from his harness, his attempt to stand launched him upward. He was weightless.
He used his hands to halt the motion that would have had his head collide with the craft’s bulkhead. Gently he pushed himself downward, hitting the floor and grabbing a handhold to remain in place.
Spotting Dr. Almadi in his seat, his eyes just beginning to open, he called out.
“Dr. Almadi!”
The Doctor opened his eyes, turned his head to the Commander, saying, “What the hell?”
He glanced around and noticed the feeling of weightlessness.
“We are on the ship!” he cried out.
“And, we are in space!” responded the Commander.
After a little time of adjusting to the sudden gravity-free environment, the pair determined they were indeed back on their interplanetary vessel, and on course back to earth.
“If that don’t beat all!” declared Almadi.
Dr. Almadi then rubbed the area of his one arm, feeling through the space suit’s fabric.
“I’ve been poked with a needle!” he exclaimed.
The Commander rubbed his arm on the inside crook of the elbow.
“Same here.” he said.
A message was immediately sent to the planet, Jendr-Prime. No response came from the planet’s government.
“Now what?” asked Almadi of the Mission Commander.
“Let’s get a message to earth. We would expect our people to prepare a rescue mission to Jendr-Prime. And this time, we will be armed!”
The message to earth was sent and the response was the same as what the Commander suggested. Knowing they were headed back to earth and fuel supplies would not allow them to reverse course, enact a rescue, and still have fuel to again reach earth – they resigned themselves to the fate administered by the Jendr-Prime government.
After all mission procedures for a return to earth were completed, they resorted to the normal mission routines for a trip home.
After several more hours passed, Dr. Almadi shouted to the Commander.
“Sir, we’re receiving a visual from planet Jendr.”
“Put it on the big screen.” said Jevon Stemson.
An fuzzy image flickered onto the screen
On the screen appeared a person from Jendr-Prime. The facial structure appeared to be that of a man but with hair and adornments inherent in females.
“We are from Femalia, a place on Jendr that allows the desire of females not to transition to being male. We apologize for having abducted your Doctors Albright and Lynn.
We are studying their DNA, as you call it, hoping that in this part of humans might be some way we too can remain the sex into which we were born.
Again, we are sorry but the hope given us now is too much to let us pass this by. We thank you. No harm will come to your friends. We only wish to study them and learn.”
The face on the screen disappeared. Appearing in its stead was a picture of a flag. It was a rainbow flag, known in earth history to represent when some folks on earth also attempted to defy nature.
Then, the screen went blank.
Throughout the remainder of their voyage, those on earth plotted and planned. The desire by humans to change the results of nature had passed many generations before. During those times there was disharmony, acrimony and sometimes violence.
Now, a planet had been wronged and another incident involving gender identity took away the prospects of a new world being in harmony with earth. Now, it was a plan of military action to combat what earth people saw as another form of gender hysteria.
Two peoples, so distant and so alike, were indeed too different. It all boiled down to Culture and it would follow as had many conflicts in earth history – warring over differences, forced circumstances and a repudiation of Nature.
