Sisterhood of Suns: Daughters of Eve Read online

  Another alteration was the bar itself, and Sam the pianist. “Ricky’s Café Americain” now catered to gay men and women, and Sam was a female. And when Sam played it, her re-mastered song “As Time Goes By” seemed like it had always been part of the production.

  The same held true for Victor Lazlo, now Victoria Lazlo. ReVision had chosen Marlene Dietrich to play this part. Not only did Dietrich’s character lend Lazlo the same charisma, but she also achieved something else that the male actor hadn’t managed. She made the relationship between Bergman and Ricky even more conflicted.

  Other modifications were much more subtle, but just as far-reaching in their effect. The Nazis were still portrayed as males, but their dialogue had been changed. Now, they gave the viewer the impression that their issues with the protagonists came more from their opposing sexual orientations than any political ideology. By doing this, ReVision had managed to re-mold the production’s villains into the quintessential male oppressors, threatened by this challenge to their sexuality. It played well to a modern audience largely unfamiliar with the Third Reich, or the first “Casablanca”, Lilith decided.

  The biggest surprise, which surpassed all of the others, came from the most unexpected quarter of all. It was the corrupt police captain, Louis Renault.

  Claude Rains still portrayed him, but like the Nazi’s, his dialogue had been altered just enough to totally transform him. That, and the changes in the gender of those who came to him seeking an exit visa.

  In the ReVision version, he now traded his influence for the sexual favors of young men, not women. It made Renault’s friendship with Ricky Blaine much more understandable, and gave him a logical reason to offer his assistance. Like her, he was now part of a despised sexual minority.

  This had to be why there was so much controversy about the holo, she concluded. Renault was, without any doubt, the ‘good male’ figure that some liberal factions believed in, and his appearance came at a time when the Sisterhood was struggling with the issues of male integration, and what policies to pursue with the male citizens of the ETR.

  When the holo ended, Lilith was left deep in thought.

  “Well, what did you think about it, Lily?” Mearinn asked. “I hope that you liked it.”

  “I enjoyed it,” Lilith replied carefully. “I was a bit surprised by some parts though. In fact, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to watch the original without thinking of Gardner as Blaine now. She makes Bogart seem…miscast. “

  She paused. “The police captain, though…”

  “Yes,” Mearinn said, “I thought that you would catch that. The Police Captain is exactly what all the fuss is about. If the director had simply exchanged him for a woman like she had with all the others, everyone would have cheered and that would have been that.”

  “But she didn’t,” Katrinn observed. “Clearly ReVision is trying to send a message.”

  “Indeed,” Mearinn agreed.

  “Yes,” Lilith answered darkly. “Interesting indeed.” In the Sisterhood, the concept of the ‘good male’ was only a topic for discussion and debate. Lilith, however, knew all about the ‘good male’. From personal experience. To her, he was a very real figure--and a bigger problem than anyone back home might have imagined. Alex Rodraga had been proof enough of that.

  Things were once so simple, she thought wearily. Before the war, before any contact with the ETR, she had known what was right, just like any other woman. Men were obsolete, and the Sisterhood didn’t need them. End of line. Log off.

  Now, everything was becoming one big, tangled mess. And her depression had returned, full force. Putting on the best face that she could, she rose. “Good night,” she said.” Thank you for the holo.”

  CHAPTER 2

  Jyon Vaargas National Spaceport, Nuvo Bolivar, Magdala Provensa, Esteral Terrana Rapabla, 1048.07|13|02:91:17

  Although the majority of the vessels lining the runways at Jyon Vaargas were from the Sisterhood, the port itself still seemed very much like Sarah remembered it before the war. She had heard stories about the fighting that had raged all around it, between the forces loyal to Magdalena and those of the Interim President, but despite this, the facility looked relatively pristine.

  What had his name been?

  She couldn’t recall. The man had abdicated his post the very instant that Sanda Ernan had been sworn-in aboard the USSNS Boudicca, and then promptly faded into obscurity. Which had been wise, she decided. He had been male, and the fortunes for his sex had definitely changed.

  A luxury stretch ‘lectri was waiting at the bottom of the shuttle’s stairs, and Sarah smiled pleasantly at their driver as she and Maya descended to it. As fine as it was, the car did not bear the embassy seal, nor any other distinguishing marks, and although she knew the driver was a Marine, the trooper had dressed herself in civilian clothing.

  There were also a pair of unmarked vans sitting nearby, and the women standing around them were in plainclothes like her driver, but armed with military weapons which they held with the easy familiarity of veterans. From all this, it was simply a given that the limousine itself had a formidable array of hidden weapons and thick, military grade armor.

  All of this pleased her. The Regila da Securité par Diploma wasn’t abbreviating its safety measures by any means. Given the current situation in the ETR, and what she had been sent to accomplish as the Senior Officer in charge of all RSE operations there, it was actually quite necessary. The Republic was already a dangerous place, and it would become even more so by the time she was finished.

  As they boarded and settled themselves in, Maya turned to Sarah. “So, tell me Sarah. What are we doing here?”

  Sarah smiled. “We are here to create a crisis, Maya. Thermadon has grown dissatisfied with Sanda Ernan and I was appointed Section Chief to see to it that we change the situation to something more favorable.”

  Maya’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Wait a nano! I thought we were the ones who set Ernan up to be President! Now we don’t like her anymore?”

  “Precisely,” Sarah replied. “She has served our purposes. Lately however, Ernan has become too…independent…too nationalistic. She has abandoned many of her ‘feminist ‘ideals and aligned herself with more centrist views.’

  “Did you know that she has even stopped wearing the comerci that she first appeared in, in favor of ETR business attire? Clearly, she is an impediment to progress.”

  Maya shook her head disparagingly. She had seen politics like this before. On Delgen. With street gangs.

  “It is also the same with nations,” Sarah explained, having read the young woman’s thoughts. “Leaders who cease to serve their sponsor’s interests are removed and others replace them. All of the great countries of Old Gaia knew this. The United States in particular, was infamous for this practice. They frequently supported leaders who forwarded their agenda, only to destabilize their government later, when the situation had changed.’

  “Sanda Ernan has made the same mistake that Manuel Noriega once did in Panama, or Saddam Hussein in Iraq; she has forgotten who her benefactors are, and what she owes them. You do know these historical names, do you not?”

  “Sure,” Maya said. In actuality, she had no idea who these figures were. She did however understand exactly what Sarah was driving at.

  “Who are we going to replace Ernan with?” she finally asked.

  Sarah closed her eyes, and a holo appeared in the cabin. “Meet Tereysa Rivarra, the female Rightist candidate.” The image depicted a mature woman, dressed in a traditional ETR-style business suit with a self-satisfied, almost condescending smile plastered on her face.

  “She looks like one of my primary teachers,” Maya observed sourly. “Is she another feminist?”

  Sarah chuckled dryly. “Hardly. She is what is commonly referred to as a ‘crossover’ candidate; someone who represents the middle ground between the political extremes. Rivarra herself is an arch conservative, and despite the fact that she is married to a male
, she is still a woman. More importantly, her party is friendlier to our goals, and more willing to do what needs to be done.”

  Maya had read all about the Rightists before their arrival. They were the Loyalista’s polar opposite, and according to the Agency file, they had a nasty tendency to ‘disappear’ anyone that they didn’t like. There were even unconfirmed rumors of mass graves, filled with their opposition. The file had labeled them as fascists, and they didn’t sound pretty. “So, what exactly are our goals?” she inquired.

  Sarah counted them off with her gloved fingers. “First, the absolute destruction of the Loyalistas and the establishment of domestic stability. Second, to sponsor expanded opportunities for our business interests. Third, an increase in the amount of raw materials that we are receiving, and lastly, to see to it that the Credit remains preeminent in the ETR’s economy.”

  “I thought that Ernan was doing all that for us,” Maya challenged.

  ”Not well enough,” Sarah replied. “She has secretly been in negotiations with the Loyalistas, and has been trying to shift their focus to us, and us alone.’

  “She has also been doing all that she could to impede our projects, and the flow of vital resources. We believe that if this trend is allowed to continue, Ernan will form an alliance with the Loyalistas, and eventually attempt to resist us. That is not an acceptable outcome.”

  “So we put the school teacher in charge instead?”

  “Yes, but only after the public has become disaffected by Ernan and is crying out for order,” Sarah answered. “The people behind Rivarra and the Rightists are military officers. When the time is right, they will step in to ‘restore peace’, and we will support them. Then we will have people in office that we can do business with.”

  Maya’s expression darkened. “It was never about women, was it?”

  “It was, but it was also about power,” Sarah told her. “As much as I despise the males here, the Sisterhood has learned that they can be used, and controlled, given the correct motivation. In the end, what matters is that we remain dominant. And later, and when the time is right, we will finally address the ‘male problem’ more conclusively. First though, we have to move things in the right direction”

  Maya didn’t bother to conceal her disquiet. Recently, she had begun to find the Agency’s machinations more and more disturbing, and by extension, Sarah herself. Even though she still thought of herself as a thief, there were some things that simply weren’t right, and lately, that list had been expanding.

  A moment later, Sarah added another item to it. “Maya, send a message on my behalf to Lady d’Ershala as soon as possible. We will need the latest information that she has for us. I am especially interested in any male ESN agents that she, or her associates, might have managed to compromise.”

  The ESN, or Enquesstia Surcasia Nacia was the Republic’s equivalent of the RSE, and their opposition in the cold war that Sarah was planning to wage. But as necessary as it was to ‘turn’ some of the ESN’s agents, the fact that the glass dealer was involved made Maya grimace.

  Sarah smiled understandingly. “Although you might despise her, Lady d’Ershala has made many valuable contacts here, and she will be able to help us identify key people for the operations that I plan to undertake.”

  Maya’s frown deepened, but she said nothing. Not that she needed to. Her thoughts spoke as loudly as her words would have, and Sarah patted her hand.

  “Do not fret, my young lioness,” she assured her. “D’Ershala’s day will surely come.”

  ***

  The Embassy of the United Sisterhood of Suns, Nuvo Bolivar, was located in the downtown section of the capitol, and not far from the Presidential Palace itself. It occupied a full city block.

  Originally, the building had been home to the Republican Department of the Treasury, and like many of the government edifices in the area, it emulated the Gaian federalist style, itself an evolution of the older Greco-Roman designs that had been so popular on the Motherworld.

  The Embassy was an imposing structure; all dark granite with understated gold accents, and surrounded by an ornamental fence and a heavy front gate. When the Ambassador had taken possession, there had been many changes made to it, but only a few of them were visible to the casual observer.

  For one, the blue and white Sisterhood flag now flew proudly over the building, and below it, the smaller Ambassadorial banner was in evidence, indicating that the Embassy’s Chief of Mission, the Ambassador herself, was currently in residence. The original sculptures of Abundantia, the goddess of abundance, who had stood with Eventus Bonus, the patroness of success in business, had also been replaced.

  Now, a non-denominational figure, representing the Goddess of All Women, stood in the pediment. She was flanked by the two goddesses of the State; the Grecian deity Demeter, signifying Abundance, and Athena, the goddess of technology and war.

  The fence around the building had also been made more secure. It was short enough that a determined individual could have climbed over it, but the invisible force fields that were so popular in Ashkele had found a home here. Anyone who might have been foolish enough to attempt a breach would have found out the hard way what the shimmering in the air really meant.

  In addition, sensors where everywhere, and the Embassy’s roof sported sophisticated communications arrays and a private helipad that was concealed from the street. It was also protected by hidden anti-vehicle/anti-air batteries and a warship quality shield.

  The basement levels, which had once housed the Treasury vaults, had been enlarged as well, and the best of Sisterhood technology ensured that no one could eavesdrop on anything that went on there. Even the decorative windows around the outside had been changed out; while they seemed to be original, they were actually blast- resistant, projectile-proof versions that had been designed for use on Isis class starships. The place was a fortress in the truest sense, and Sarah was proud to call it her local office.

  Reaching the main gate, she searched for any sign of damage to the building from the recent fighting, and saw none. This was a testament to the skills of the Marine Engineers and their civilian contractors. During the brief conflict between their two nations, the Embassy had been heavily vandalized, and once hostilities had ceased, a truly monumental effort had been expended to renovate the premises in time for the Ambassador’s return.

  The engineers had managed to do this in record time. Even the decorative gardens seemed as if they had never been disturbed, and although she tried, Sarah failed to find any indication of the projectile holes she had heard about, or evidence of the fires or explosive shells that had allegedly damaged the building. It was a truly remarkable restoration, and a message for everyone in the capitol to see. It told the populace that for the Sisterhood, the war had been negligible and that its resources were vast enough to erase every trace of it, almost overnight.

  How that fact must gall the Loyalistas, she thought wryly.

  When the limo pulled up at the entrance, a uniformed Marine opened their door and escorted them into the spacious lobby.

  The place was surprisingly crowded. She could tell by their attire that most of the people there were ETR citizens, and they formed two distinct groups. One of these stood in a line before a desk manned by a uniformed Customs Officer. The other, smaller group, sat in an area that had been cordoned off.

  Sarah realized immediately what was going on. Right before the war, and just after it, the Sisterhood had extended the offer of citizenship to any woman who chose to emigrate. There were qualifying factors of course, and every candidate had to pass a thorough background check. For lack of another agency better suited to the task, the Customs Department, and its police force, had been given the chore of handling the process.

  The people that she was seeing in the line, and in the cordoned area, were all applicants. Not all of them appeared to be women however. The most notable exception was the individual standing before the desk officer.

  The figure w
as dressed in a flowered dress and heels. Despite this, there was no possibility of mistaking his gender. The man was easily six feet tall, and except for a bald patch on the top of his head, completely covered with hair. He even had a beard—and a thick one at that.

  “Sir—uh—ma’am,” Sarah heard the Customs officer saying. “I understand that you want to become a citizen, and I’d love to help you. The thing is—“

  “I am here demanding my right as a woman to become a Sisterhood citizen!” the fellow insisted. His voice was just as unfeminine, and unattractive, as the rest of him.

  Goddess, she thought, it is as deep as an in-system engine with bad baffles. Thermadon had never counted on characters like this one crawling out from under the bulkheads, but crawl they had.

  “I understand,” the policewoman repeated with weary patience. “But to qualify for citizenship all applicants must be female. You are not female.”

  Sarah heard a chuckle and saw that the woman’s Troop Leader and a few other Customs Officers were standing off to one side, enjoying the situation mightily.

  “But I am a woman!” the ungainly creature insisted, “I was just born in a man’s body!”

  The officer waved him to silence. “Fine—ma’am. I’m not going to argue with you. Please go over there. “

  She indicated the waiting area and Sarah realized that it had been set aside for ‘special cases’ just like this fellow. “I’ll have one of my supervisors,” the officer added, glancing pointedly at her Troop leader, “come and speak with you about your application.”

  The man began to voice another objection, and the policewoman pointed at the waiting area with greater firmness. “Over there, ma’am. NEXT!”

  He obeyed, grudgingly.

  Now that the show was over, Maya was ready to leave, but Sarah stayed her. The next person in line actually looked like a woman, but there was something else about her that had captured Sarah’s attention. Something ‘off’. She paused, and listened.