The women´s planet E-Book

Gerald Straßer

• Herausgeber: novum publishing
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 107

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

In the year 2075, more than 15 billion people are vegetating on Earth, all other living beings are almost extinct - the end of humanity is inevitable. Georg and Li set off into space to find a place where their species can survive. On their journey, they not only find unknown worlds, but also new insights: How did their world come to be? Under what conditions does a civilized society function? Georg gradually realizes that, despite all the complexity, everything ultimately boils down to a single factor that ensures peaceful coexistence on all planets. Will Georg and Li find a new home? What will happen to life on Earth?

Leseprobe

The women's planet

The year is 2075, and the Humanus virus pandemic has spread across Earth to such an extent that humanity's end is inevitable. Over 15 billion people are struggling to survive on the planet, while most other living beings are on the brink of extinction.

My parents moved to Lake Baikal with me 25 years ago. Fortunately, we have ample drinking water here, and we can farm and raise a few animals. Compared to many others, we lead a relatively tolerable life.

My parents named me Georg, but everyone else calls me Gregor, which sounds more Russian.

I love my mother, my mom, more than anything. She always understands me and is a very intelligent and hard-working woman. Despite coming from the city, she's adapted to all kinds of tasks. She already knew how to knit and sew before moving here and taught herself how to spin wool, even Angora wool, which isn't easy. Thanks to her skills, we have warm clothing.

She learned bread baking from Russian women in the area.

Though fish are scarce in the lake now, we still fish occasionally, and a few still end up in our nets.

For us children, this place is paradise—a world of unlimited freedom in nature. We play soccer, learned to swim in the lake, and overcame our fear of drowning with our father's guidance. He taught us by finding a spot where we could hold onto the shore and said, "Now take a deep breath and try to go under." With our lungs full, we didn't sink, and from there, we learned to swim. "Breathe shallowly with full lungs and swim off. Once you're not afraid, you'll swim like a pro," he'd say.

My father has mastered farming to ensure we always have enough to eat. His strong build and muscular physique have always impressed me. I'm much slimmer, taking after my mother's side of the family.

Our home is always clean and tidy. As a child, I lacked nothing, except perhaps for the worries that burdened my parents.

According to Putin (Adolf Blutin), Russia has converted its former gas and oil pipelines to transport Baikal water to Europe. As a result, the lake's shoreline has receded by 150 meters. Our home lies on the eastern shore, surrounded by towering mountains.

So far, we've managed to keep invaders at bay, but it's becoming increasingly challenging. The masses of people migrating towards Siberia, now habitable due to global warming, are in desperate need of food and, most crucially, water. Conditions are also growing tighter in the north.

Li appears

Seven weeks ago, Mr. Shi and his daughter Li, arriving from China, breached our otherwise well-secured perimeter. Mr. Shi crafted biplane kites using bamboo poles instead of aluminum tubes, making them undetectable by our radar. They propelled these kites using physical strength through a propeller mechanism.

Their original intent was merely a stopover en route to Baikonur. Mr. Shi had heard of an unused space rocket there and aimed to send Li and a young man of her choice to the Chinese space station. From there, they'd launch into space to search for an Earth-like planet, hoping for a new beginning for humanity. With years of experience at the Chinese Space Agency, Mr. Shi felt confident in this endeavor.

Upon meeting, my father introduced me, saying, "This is my son Georg. He is my flesh and blood." Mr. Shi responded, "Isn't that a bit presumptuous? One needs a microscope to see the male contribution to conception. The flesh and blood come from their mothers over nine months."

Li quickly chose me as her partner. We felt an immediate connection. While our families envisioned us as a new Adam and Eve, my parents hoped we'd produce better offspring than Cain and Abel—preferably daughters first. My mother cautioned, "Remember, Cain killed Abel. The leniency shown to Cain allowed evil to overpower good, leading to today's disasters."

Li, a stunning Asian woman with captivating eyes, immediately caught my attention. Her black hair cascades over her shoulders, complementing her athletic yet feminine figure.

When my father questioned Mr. Shi's pessimism about humanity's future, he replied, "I view things realistically, not pessimistically.” While the fathers planned our space mission, Li and I explored my soon-to-be-abandoned home. We visited the receding lake, revealing caves that were once submerged.

Li surprised me, asking, "Don't you want to learn to fly?" Excitedly, I agreed. She taught me the basics using her glider and her father's. After several tries, we took to the skies together, soaring over the lake and experiencing the world from a new perspective.

As we flew, I pointed out a newly-formed waterfall due to the receding water levels. Li suggested landing nearby for some private time. After a playful landing and exploring a barn filled with hay, we shared our first kiss and learned more about each other's pasts.

Returning to our kites, we headed home, still in awe of our day. Back at home, a change was evident in us, though dinner conversation remained focused on future challenges. My mother and other women worked on sewing balloons for the kites to transport equipment. We needed to ensure we had enough food and water for our journey.

Our departure was set for July 25th, with uncertainty about the duration of our trip to Baikonur.

Departure

First, we'll take the boat across the lake to the southeast, heading towards Kultuk. We'll assess the area and see if it's suitable for landing. Our boat is powered by a wind turbine that turns a

propeller, allowing us to sail regardless of the wind direction. We can even sail against the wind.

The day of departure is drawing near, and the thought of leaving home feels strange. Li has been through this before and comforts me, which is incredibly reassuring. I've already fallen for her, and I hope she feels the same way about me. My intuition tells me she does.

On the morning of July 25th, we all wake up early, having slept little. Saying goodbye to my mother is the hardest part—it feels like a final farewell. My father and Mr. Shi will accompany us for a while longer.

Everything is packed into the boat. A gentle breeze blows, and the sun lifts our spirits. The sky is dotted with only a few fluffy clouds. I release the lines, and my mother stands on the shore, tears in her eyes. It's a heart-wrenching moment. As the boat moves farther away, the figures on the shore shrink until they're no longer visible.

Our boat makes good progress. We pass Olkhon Island, which today rises from the water like a massive rock. Taskaj village sits atop it like an abandoned fortress. Landing isn't an option, but we need to find a safe anchorage for the night, especially with an approaching thunderstorm making the sea rough. Eventually, we find a calm bay, steering clear of the rocky cliffs to avoid collisions.

After a restless night with everyone taking turns on watch, morning arrives as if nothing happened. Li and I are the first to dive into the refreshing water. We swim out a bit and I ask Li, "Do you think we'll manage this adventure?" She replies, "Don't you believe we will?" "With you by my side, I believe we can do anything." We swim back to the fathers, pull up anchor, and continue our journey.

The wind remains strong, and we make excellent progress. By late afternoon, we reach the lake's southernmost tip. Kultuk now sits 150 meters above the water level, bustling with activity.  

Where there's water, there's life. However, we decide to land a bit further away due to our fully loaded boat. A boat like ours attracts attention. We find a wider beach, perfect for unloading our equipment and preparing to disembark.

My father and Mr. Shi decide to explore Kultuk. With so many people around, there's always a risk of encountering unsavory characters eyeing others' belongings.

At the town's entrance, they meet a man on a large skateboard, his legs paralyzed. They strike up a conversation, discussing the city's situation and other topics. He invites them to his home to meet his wife, Olga. His name is Ivan, and they live in a small house at the street's beginning.  

They're warmly welcomed with tea and cookies. Ivan mentions that he worked as an engineer for the rockets at the Baikonur space station years ago.

When my father and Mr. Shi share our plans with him, Ivan immediately expresses interest in joining us. However, his wife strongly disagrees. It seems to be a typical reaction among women, fearing being left alone. They return to us that evening and recount their meeting.

The next day promises clear skies and sunshine, essential for our plans. Our balloons need solar heating to function properly. Their lower halves are made of mirrored foil, while the upper parts are transparent film, allowing the sun's rays to pass through. The mirrored lower halves concentrate sunlight onto a black ball at their focal point. Father or Mr. Shi adjust this using a rod.  

The concentrated heat warms the air inside the balloon, providing it with lift. We carry gas cylinders for takeoff, landing, and emergencies, but they won't last the entire journey.

The kites also need to be set up and prepared for takeoff. This process takes nearly twice as long because there are two kites stacked on top of each other. However, this double load-bearing design allows for a lower speed, enabling us to keep the kite airborne using physical strength. Once we gain sufficient altitude, we can glide quite swiftly. The balloons, on the other hand, depend on wind speed but carry the bulk of the load.

With everything prepared, Father and Mr. Shi head off to fetch Ivan. Li and I seize the opportunity to share some more intimate moments, knowing we'll have less time for this soon.

The trio soon returns, and we help lift Ivan into Father's balloon. It's already midday. Olga has prepared a hearty meal of borscht for them. It tastes as only a Russian woman could make it. However, it results in some flatulence. Li lets one slip and looks embarrassed. I reassure her, saying, "It's not a big deal. My grandma used to have a saying about that:

A ball of wind

From a leather flint

Aimed at the heels

Hit in the nose."

The sun is good. Father and Mr. Shi want to try to start using only solar energy. Li and I go to our kites. The balloon launch worked wonderfully. Now our launch has to be just as successful. Once in the air, not much can happen. Hooray, now after the balloons. We soon catch up with them and circle around them. Always stay together, father and Mr. Shi said.

The wind is not too strong, but it is strong. So we make quite a distance. Well, we still have about 2500 km to go. Today it could be just under 200 km. But we also have to expect that there will be days when we don't make any progress at all. Or where the wind is weaker.

We fly or drive, balloons do, over deserted towns where there is certainly no water. The climate has changed everywhere. It's getting drier and drier. That's an advantage for us. There's no one around who wants to pull us out of the sky to get at our supplies.

After the day's planned route, we land. We have chosen a spot where there is a small hill from which we can comfortably take off again. The kites are immediately put in the right position. Li and I are sent out to look for something flammable. There are a few withered bushes nearby. We sit comfortably by the fire, which also warmed us for our first meal on the first stage. As is the case when you sit together - deep conversations are held. My father says that we have the religions and their top leaders to thank for the fact that the humanus virus pandemic, i.e. overpopulation, is now hitting us so hard. "Yes," says Mr. Shi: "Every religion wanted to have the most sheep. They would have had it in their power to preach: 'don't be so fruitful and don't multiply so much'. But they were against family planning and birth control. What else would you expect from senile and now impotent old farts? If you're at the end of your life, you don't need to bear any more responsibility." Iwan says: "Who knows what they did in their youth. Did they also abuse children? In old age, they all act pious and hypocritical. They're all just parasites on society, living a glorious and happy life without any effort." Father says: "It's always just the little members who are supposed to live and act according to the teachings, the nuns and lay people."