Chapter Text
2026 - Carol
The old adobe walls kept the California summer heat out remarkably well. They worked so effectively that there was hardly any need for air conditioning. This was a lucky thing because the remote mission was not connected to the power grid. The low buildings sat at the end of a jagged valley. Sharp rocks and plains full of rubble surrounded the site. It wasn't even marked on most maps. The original builders had cared about not being found and the current residents liked it that way too.
In the center of the courtyard, a group of children played in a pool. They were under the watchful eye of mothers resting in the shade of the surrounding walkway.
"You have a nice place here," said the woman who, unlike most others, wore long clothes made of light linen. Her skin looked pale where it showed. It was almost white. She had pinned up her reddish-blonde curls in a simple knot so they wouldn't fall on her neck in the heat.
"It is true, Erin. You should have seen this place when we took it over a few years ago. The nuns laid a solid foundation, but it was a lot of work," Carol replied. She stood in a quiet corner of the walkway and watched the activity in the courtyard with the other woman.
"How did you actually discover this?" Erin asked. "Even my GPS only had coordinates. No map shows a habitable settlement here."
"It was chance. And old stories," Carol explained. "Women talk a lot when they come to our clinics and feel comfortable there. Besides, we were looking for a quiet retreat. Someone eventually had a map with a handwritten note. It sounded interesting enough to check out. The owner of this land had never been here himself. To him, it was just a huge piece of desert he had inherited. That is how we got the property quite cheaply."
"Bad luck for him. If he had known there was water here, the price probably would have gone up. Where does it actually come from? I mean the pool in here and the gardens outside," Erin said while making a wide gesture. "There must be a spring here somewhere."
"Yes, you are right," Carol said. "It is a creek that surfaces in a jagged corner of the valley. It disappears again a bit further down. But on our part of the land, it is enough to make plants thrive. When it gets cooler in winter and occasionally rains, it carries a surprising amount of water. Even in summer, it has never dried up. The old mission had large cisterns which we expanded. This ensures the water supply all year round."
"It is even enough for horses. What is the deal with them? I have seen them in every FemCom facility I have visited so far."
"Oh, you better ask someone else about that. I don't care much for them. To me, it seems like sentimentality. But I admit there are always a few women who take care of the animals with great enthusiasm. As long as they enjoy it, it's fine. I am more interested in the herd behavior of the women here."
Erin smiled and let her gaze wander across the yard. Cheerful laughter echoed across the courtyard where once prayerful silence had ruled. Here and there, pieces of clothing could be seen. They were used for protection against the sun, which not everyone tolerated equally well. Others used them to cover the monthly curse that women were still subject to here. But no one wore clothes because of gravity. That was perhaps the first real miracle these once holy halls had experienced. There were plenty of skin and curves of all shapes and sizes to admire. Yet everything seemed to defy physics and age.
"I wonder how the nuns would have reacted to the sight of so many naked people. How is the project going? Nastya asked me for an update."
Carol took a deep breath. After the small talk, things were now getting serious. She had already suspected that her boss's newest recruit had not shown up here without a reason.
"It's going great," she began her explanation. "What did Nastya tell you about it?"
"Not much," Erin replied. "Only that it is about how a community of only women functions over a longer period. That is also why she didn't come here personally. She recently got a male assistant. Would that really have been a problem?"
"Quite possibly." Carol thought about it for a moment. "You have to understand that the women here are all volunteers. They knew the conditions from the start. For many, this very self-restriction is exactly what makes it attractive. Especially if they want to leave unpleasant experiences with men behind. But in the long run, some find they don't want to do without guys. If they can't stand it here, they have to leave. Over time, other women have joined. So there is a certain amount of fluctuation. Changed constellations and changed needs naturally have an impact on the community."
"What do you mean by that?" Erin asked.
"On the one hand, there are no men here who could abuse their authority based on traditional roles. We also try to be as consistent as possible with the FemCom philosophy of not letting fashion or other trends dictate beauty ideals. Of course, everyone here wants to look good. We create a solid base for that with our medical care and the Greens. Furthermore, we encourage everyone to accept their natural traits and make the most of them. The result is a remarkably open attitude. There is less shame and more self-confidence and joy in diversity."
"So there is something to the rumor that FemCom promotes lesbianism!"
Carol shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't put it that way. The goal is to put sexuality back completely into the hands of women. It is more like... how should I say it. When girls discover themselves and their sexuality, some go through a phase where they like to do that with other girls. They do this without committing to an orientation or even a relationship. It is just curiosity and fun. We live that out openly for longer, regardless of age. This results in a lot of interesting interactions and even a few more serious relationships. It is completely free from the pressure and constraints of society. Don't you find that appealing too?"
Erin thought for a moment. "Maybe I haven't been involved long enough. Nastya only picked me up last year. I haven't had many close contacts except for her. And you know her. She is not the type to allow personal closeness."
"True." Carol smiled. "But if you are curious, there are ways to signal interest and openness. Shall I show you?"
This was more serious than Erin might have realized. Carol found her quite attractive. The conversation with her had been stimulating throughout the visit.
"I know the jewelry you wear has some meaning. Maybe later. Right now, I am not in the mood for relationships. It would be too complicated."
"You are right. Of course, some drama has happened over time. Jealousy and broken hearts exist even in an all-female settlement. At least we have ensured clear conditions with our rules for open communication about relationship status. There has not been a single incident of non-consent. We are not a women's prison, but a study project. It has been running long enough now to provide the first results for the investors."
"Investors? I thought this was a secret FemCom facility."
"Yes, it is. But there are certainly institutions interested in the results. Imagine a moon base or a trip to Mars. People living together in a tight space for a long time. Our data is very interesting for such plans."
"I see." Erin nodded in approval. Then her gaze fell on the playing children and she raised a questioning eyebrow. "But how do you explain the boy over there? How does he fit into the all-female concept?"
Carol followed her gaze. One of the naked children in the pool was clearly a boy. "Yes, he has lived here with his mother since he was born. They were among the first in this project. At that time, we just viewed children as children. It was never planned for them to stay here until his masculinity became an issue."
They watched the activity in the pool in silence for a while. There, children were simply children. "It is nice when they are so small and innocent," Erin finally said. "But eventually, biology opens their eyes."
"There is still enough time for me to take care of that before then," Carol replied. She tried to use a casual tone. Erin did not need to know that she had already noticed the first signs that would require her intervention soon.
"Regarding the other matter," Erin said. "Please look at the documents and let Nastya know soon if the project is interesting for you. As you said, this place is already running by itself. Nastya said she would rather see a creative mind like yours somewhere else. She said you also have other medical interests that you cannot pursue here. What does she mean by that?"
"Oh, that. Besides psychology, I have a degree in gynecology. Pregnancy and associated trauma are fields that have fascinated me since the beginning of my studies. There are a few theoretical concepts that won't let me go. But so far, the technical implementation is missing."
"Nastya made a hint in that direction. My knowledge of complex computer systems is supposed to be quite useful there too. Who knows, maybe we will see each other again soon in the forests of Oregon."
Carol looked at Erin questioningly. Did she have more interest in her after all?
"Yes. Maybe. In any case, I could well imagine working with you. It is nice that you found your way here."
She accompanied Erin to her vehicle. As the dust cloud settled at the end of the valley, she turned her attention back to one of her most urgent problems. The boy at the pool. Perhaps Nastya's offer was the key to setting everything in motion in a gentle way.