Sisterhood of Suns: Daughters of Eve Read online

  Sisterhood of Suns

  Daughters of Eve

  by

  Martin Schiller

  Pantari Press, Seattle Washington, USA

  Copyright © 2014, 2016 Martin Schiller

  All rights reserved.

  Cover Illustration Copyright © 2016 by Martin Schiller

  Photo Model: Sebastian Michaelis

  ISBN-13: 978-0692754146

  ISBN-10:069275414

  DEDICATION

  For “Mad Anne” Baily and Sybil Ludington

  Table of Contents

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  EPILOGUE

  The Elants of the Sisterhood and Planets of Interest

  PROLOGUE

  Downtown Business District, Nuvo Bolivar, Magdala Provensa, Esteral Terrana Rapabla, 1046.05|02|05.25:77

  It was the roar of the engines that caused Reesy Hernan to look up into the painful glare of the afternoon sun. Most of the people around her didn’t pay any attention to the spaceship passing overhead. They had become accustomed to the sound of Sisterhood vessels, but she never would be. It had been a Sisterhood ship that had heralded the end of her own little world, and later, her involuntary relocation to Nuvo Bolivar.

  The stubby wings of the vessel bore military markings; a five pointed star surrounded by the Mirror of Venus, and as its shadow fell over the downtown lunch crowds, she tried to calculate how long it had been since she had been brought to the Capitol.

  Six months? A year? More? It seemed as if it had been a lifetime since she had last ridden her bicycle through the lush green fields of the School.

  Life on her homeworld had ended without any warning. Captain n’Kyla, the leader of the Sisterhood Intelligence gathering mission, had had them all herded into the Gathering Hall and announced the news. With the war between their two nations over, the Sisterhood no longer needed to maintain its intelligence operation on La Escaul, and it had decided to turn their entire world into a forward naval base instead. There was no room in these grand plans for the presence of a native population however, and Reesy’s people had been given 48 hours to pack their things, and prepare themselves for a new life.

  Her mother had wept as they had tried to sort out what they would take, and what they would leave behind, and so had she. But their tears had not prevented them from being herded aboard the transport ships like so much cattle. Or being taken to the Republic’s capitol and being left there to fend for themselves.

  Being younger, her sisters had adapted well enough to the change, but she hadn’t. For Reesy, Nuvo Bolivar was an alien place, and at night, when the light pollution wasn’t too severe, she still tried to find the star that had shone over her former home.

  Locating it was becoming harder all the time though, and her memories of the School were starting to blur. The only thing that remained sharp was her hatred for the Sisterhood, and the intense desire to strike back.

  Actually doing so was a far different proposition. She was only one young woman, living in a society that had surrendered completely. Only the brave Loyalistas were the exception to this collective apathy. They shared the same passion that she did, and despite astronomical odds, they carried on and resisted the Sisterhood and its puppet government in every way that they could. Had she been given the chance, she would have gladly joined them and given up her life for their noble cause.

  That opportunity hadn’t arrived though. No one had come forwards and identified themselves as a revolutionary. Until they did, she was on her own, fighting for the revolution as best she could.

  This was why, in addition to the sandwiches that she was delivering, she had brought along a few homemade tracts, and a handful of subversive stickers. She knew that by themselves, they wouldn’t bring down the regime that was oppressing her people, but there was always the slim chance that they might make some of her countrymen start to think, and even motivate them to join the struggle against tyranny. It was better than doing nothing, and conceding victory to their oppressors.

  By this point, the starship passed out of view, and Reesy looked around the crowded plaza to see if anyone in the noontime throng was paying her any special attention. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she took out one of her little homemade pamphlets from her pocket, and furtively jammed it into a space between the doors of a public Com booth.

  “Resist!” it urged. “Death to the Sisterhood Invaders!”

  She added one of her stickers and moved on, feeling a little better. She didn’t look over her shoulder though, but had she done so, Reesy would have spotted the non-descript man walking up to the booth, finding her tract, and reading it carefully. She might have even noticed that after this, he had begun to follow her.

  Returning to the sandwich shop, her supervisor set her to work helping out in the kitchen. Reesy didn’t enjoy making sandwiches as much as she did going out on deliveries, but it was work, and for someone like herself, with no employment history beyond what she had done at the School, it was better than starving.

  Things soon began backing up at the order counter and her supervisor gave her a new task; to go out on the floor and help get the food out to the customers. Waiting tables was even less palatable than working in the kitchen, but Reesy grabbed a pair of trays without complaint and waded out into the throng.

  One table was occupied by a pair of policemen. Reesy knew this because their guns were visible, and they had their badges on display on their belts. She set down their meals with a professional smile, all the while thinking about how much she hated them and what they stood for. The police had cozied up with the Sisterhood and the Ernan government almost immediately. To her, they were nothing better than putaya with pistols.

  The nearer of them smiled at her. He was a thin figure with the dark skin of a southerner, and his reedy black moustache only accentuated the pockmarks that dotted his face. He looked more like a rata than a man to her. Yes. Senyor Rata—that’s what I’ll call you, she decided.

  “Gracyaa,” Rata said, taking the sandwich from her, and reaching into his back pocket. Rat or not, he seemed to be intent on tipping her, and she paused expectantly.

  A piece of paper came out, but it wasn’t a Paysoli. It was her homemade pamphlet. Grinning, he pushed it across the table towards her.

  To her credit, Reesy maintained her composure as she retreated from the table. Then, without warning, she threw her serving tray in his face and bolted for the back exit.

  Coming out into the tiny alley behind the shop, she ran right into the arms of another policeman. Before she could offer him any resistance, the man had spun her around and slammed her into the nearest wall. Senyor Rata and his partner came out just as he snapped a pair of handcuffs onto her wrists. Rata had even brought his sandwich with him and he took a bite from it with obvious delight.

  “So, now we get a little something to read with our sandwiches?” he asked.

  Reesy was terrified, all the way down to her core, but she glared at him with the same defiance that she had shown to the Sisterhood Marines when they had captured her trying to send messages from her homeworld. Even if she was headed for prison, she wasn’t about to give this putaya the satisfaction of seeing her tremble.

  Senyor Rata was unimpressed by her show of bravado however. He took an
other bite of his lunch and nodded casually to the uniformed officer, who hustled her down the alley and out to a waiting ‘lectri. It was unmarked, but it had Policiya Nuvo Bolivar Municapaal plates. Rata joined them there a moment later, making a point of blotting his lips with her pamphlet before crumpling it up and throwing it into a nearby gutter.

  “Are you ready to rot in jail for the Cause, my little revolutionary?” he sneered as she was pushed into the back. “Maybe we can just have a little talk instead?” At that moment, his features seemed more like a rat’s than ever.

  Reesy didn’t respond.

  He got in the passenger seat and turned around to face her. She could smell the onions from the sandwich on his breath.

  “One chance, chica; who are you working with? Who helped you print those tracts? Tell me their names.”

  Reesy remained silent, partly out of defiance, and partly because there really wasn’t anyone to tell him about. She had done it all herself, but she wasn’t going to give him anything.

  “The brave little Loyalista, eh?” Senyor Rata challenged. “We’ll just see how brave you are in jail.” He honked the horn and his partners joined him.

  The trip to the police station only took a few minutes, and once they were there, Reesy experienced the humiliation of having all of her belongings taken away from her, and then being booked. This was nothing compared to being questioned though. Senyor Rata and another man that she quickly nicknamed the ‘Peurcaa’, the Pig, took her to an interview room and tried to force her to give them information that she didn’t have.

  When they finally grew tired of this, she was shown to a holding cell to await arraignment. Once inside, she found herself sharing the space with every imaginable type of criminal; from common street putayas to a tough-looking group of Dann thugs who eyed her with undisguised hostility.

  ***

  Her appointment with justice arrived the next day. A female policewoman escorted her out to a waiting ‘van, and after another brief journey across town, she was taken to stand before a judge. It was only on the way to the courtroom that her Public Defender even introduced himself. He was a harried, unkempt man, who kept forgetting her name as they walked along.

  “I’ve reviewed your charges,” he told her, “and the prosecution has a solid case against you. I strongly suggest that you consider pleading guilty, Miss—um—Hernan, and throw yourself upon the mercy of the court.’

  “I’ve already spoken with the District Attorney, and if you plead out, he’s agreed to drop ten of the charges against you, and only ask for the court to consider two. I know this Judge, and if you’re contrite, and willing to work with the DA, he’ll be lenient, especially with your lack of prior offenses.”

  Reesy was too overwhelmed, and too inexperienced, to do more than nod dumbly and mutter her agreement as they were admitted to the courtroom.

  The Judge proved to be an imposing figure, with snow white hair and a severe expression that reminded her of her late grandfather. As she was led to stand before him, he leaned over the bench and regarded her sternly.

  “Ms. Hernan, you are charged with twelve counts of possession and distribution of seditious material. How do you plead?”

  The Public Defender spoke. “Your honor, my client has agreed to plead guilty to two of the charges, and waves her right to a trial. She also understands that this will result in an immediate verdict and she throws herself on the mercy of the court.”

  The Judge turned to the District Attorney. “Are the People willing to agree to this?”

  “We are,” the woman said.

  At that moment, Reesy changed her mind and began to mouth an objection, but the hope that the Judge would be as fair to her as her Public Defender had promised, made her hesitate. The last thing that she wanted to do was make anyone in the courtroom any angrier with her than they already were. After the long night in jail, she didn’t feel quite as brave as she had in the police car. She just wanted to go home.

  The Judge made a great show of considering her attorney’s words and the DA’s position on the matter. Finally, he gathered himself up, and addressed Reesy.

  “Young lady, in the light of your record,” he declared, “the court will be merciful in its sentencing. Reesy Hernan, I hereby remand you to the custody of the Lorenya Gaarza Adult Corrections Center for Women, to serve a sentence of two years, with time off for good behavior after 6 months.”

  He leaned in closer and his scowl deepened. “In that time, I hope that you will reexamine your politics and learn to appreciate what our government and our allies in the Sisterhood are trying to do for women like you. Next case.” Down came the gavel.

  It wasn’t until she was back in the transport van that it all hit her. She was going to prison. For two years. Not caring who saw, she broke down and cried. All this earned her was the laughter and scorn of her fellow prisoners.

  Lorenya Gaarza Adult Corrections Center for Women, Sentos Jyon de Baptistiya Cia, Magdalla Provensa, Esteral Terrana Rapabla 1046.05|09|05.51:67

  Although she didn’t realize it, Reesy hadn’t really faced the worst yet. That occurred a week later, and just after lunch in the prison cafeteria. She had been assigned to a group of ten inmates, and they had finished their meal and were on their way back to their dormitory to get ready for work details.

  Halfway there, they passed another group going in the opposite direction, and Reesy felt someone’s gaze fall upon her. She looked up to see a Dann woman—a big one—regarding her with utter malice. She quickly looked away, and kept walking with her group, but it was already far too late.

  Without any warning, the Dann woman left her formation, stepped across the small space, and began to savagely pummel her with her meaty fists. Reesy was no fighter, and the only defense that she could offer was to cover her head and cower against the wall as the blows rained down on her like flaming meteors.

  People were yelling and screaming, but most of the commotion was drowned out by the sound of the impacts landing against her head and arms. That, and her own cries of pain.

  Suddenly, she felt someone pulling her away and realized that one of the guards had come to her rescue. Her attacker was down on the floor now, with two male guards sitting on top of her. Another pair was pelting towards them with a gleaming set of shackles. Through all of this, the Dann woman was laughing out loud, and giving Reesy an evil smile that promised her that their business wasn’t over by any means.

  While the guards applied the restraints, everyone was ordered to turn around and face the walls. A few of them, who were Dann like her assailant, called out something to the woman as she was dragged away. Reesy didn’t speak their language, but to her battered ears it sounded like words of encouragement, and enthusiastic support.

  Her translation proved accurate. After being seen by the nurse on duty, she was returned to her dorm and spent a miserable night trying and failing to sleep around her pain. The next morning, when they were taken out for breakfast, one of the women from her group, whispered in her ear, “When we go out for Rec, you make sure to sit right next to me.”

  Reesy decided right away to accept the offer. Thanks to her beating, she had realized that she needed friends, and she was more than willing to welcome anyone who even seemed like one.

  The prison recreation yard was a large area, with grass, and courts set up for Hoops and Foosball, and there were benches scattered around its perimeter. The entire area was ringed with high fencing, and barbed wire, and the guards walked among the prisoners in pairs. Others, augmented by robots, patrolled along the fence line.

  Despite these grim touches, it was still an open space and sunny, and offered a welcome relief from the confined life that everyone lived within the Center’s buildings. The tension that generally filled the air inside the dorms and hallways, seemed to be absent, and the groups of prisoners sitting at the benches, or playing in the ball courts, appeared as relaxed as anyone could have been inside a penitentiary.

  Her group-mate was
waiting for her on one of the benches and acknowledged her as she came outside. She wasn’t alone. There were several other women from other parts of the Center seated there as well. Reesy hesitated, but she found her courage, and walked up to them. To her relief, one of the strangers smiled and moved aside to make a place for her.

  “You need to learn some things if you’re going to make it here, chica,” the inmate said. She inclined her head towards another bench that was across the yard. It was filled by a half a dozen Dann women. They were smiling and looking right back at Reesy and her companions, but there was no friendliness in their eyes.

  “First, you stay away from the Dann girls,” the woman advised her. “They’ll kill you. They hate everyone, especially Loyalistas.”

  Reesy gaped at her, and the woman grinned. “Most of the guards love the Dann ‘cause the Dann love the Sisterhood. There’s a few that are down with the Movement though. One of them told us about a new arrival coming in, and when that Dann girl beat you down, I knew right away who they were talking about.”

  “I’m Gabi and this is Silviya, Maaria and Alba,” she continued, “I’m in for hiding weapons, and so is Silviya and Maaria, Alba’s in for stabbing a policeman. ‘Course we’re all innocent. We were framed.”

  Everyone laughed at this except Reesy, and their mirth earned them more evil looks from the Dann girls. Nothing more came of it though; and everyone stayed where they were.

  “So, you stick with us—“, Gabi added. “You don’t go anywhere without one of us there to cover your back, chica and you stay out of the Dann territory. Got that?”

  “Yeah, sure,” Reesy agreed.

  “Here in the Rec yard, we own this side. The Dann own that side, and everyone who doesn’t have any protection stays in the middle. It’s the same in the cafeteria.”

  That was when Reesy noticed the small tattoos on Gabi’s right hand. They had been crudely rendered, and consisted only of the letters “AG” and the number “14”. The other women, she saw, bore the same markings.