Foreword

In 2005 Lazlo Zalezac published a story titled The Portal: Doorway To Adventure and started the Damsels in Distress (DiD) Universe. It’s with his permission this story was developed using the DiD universe. Both The Scot and Ernest Bywater pay tribute and give thanks to the creator of this unique idea as well as his willingness for it to be used by other writers. It’s with his approval this book reveals some of the history and purpose of the universe as well as to further define and explain the rules which govern its existence. These refinements and explanations were never intended to diminish his original efforts, and we all feel they don’t.

DiD Background Information

The DiD universe consists of four planets: Cassandra, Crossroads, Earth, and Chaos. Some have speculated Crossroads is a space station in orbit around Cassandra or Chaos, but this is irrelevant to the story. The three planets of Earth, Chaos, and Cassandra are linked via portals and all of the people are supposed to pass through Crossroads to reach any other destination. At the start of this story no evidence had been found as to who had originally set up the system or built the first portal, but some Earth families had been using their portals for many generations.

The portals have some very special features unique to them. First, no matter how long you’re away from Earth only fifteen minutes passes at your point of origin. Second, only those healthy enough to suit the control system are allowed to use it. Third, weapons and most metals are unable to pass between the planets while approved humans, plants, seeds, and other animals can pass through the portals without a problem. Fourth, a ring with a sapphire stone is needed to activate the portal.

The key component in the DiD universe is the planet Cassandra. Their history wasn’t clear as to what happened, or when, but at a time in the planet’s past a war wiped out much of its population. Even worse, a side effect of the war caused the fertility and sex drive of the males to begin a steady decline. The situation soon reached the point where any male children produced are nearly always sterile. Without outside intervention the Cassandran people will soon be extinct, and it is the obvious purpose of the creators of the system to try to prevent this outcome happening.

Earth humans are sexually and genetically compatible with the women of Cassandra and they can impregnate them. The resulting child, male or female, is fertile and is without any of the genetic problems found in the Cassandran males. The females who want an opportunity to have a normal child by an Earth human enter a lottery. If they’re chosen they go to Crossroads for a basic education of the system and are then sent to the planet Chaos.

The people of Chaos are human in appearance but are stuck in a society like the European Middle Ages on Earth. It’s a dirty, smelly, and violent place with little law other than the rule of ’Might makes right.’ There seems to be something which draws the vilest of the local men to want to own the women from Cassandra. Whatever attracts these men to the women isn’t sex because any sex with the women results in a severe burning pain on the man’s penis which lingers for days.

Men from Earth are known as ’Heroes’ and their role is to rescue the Cassandran ’Damsels’ then return them to Crossroads. There the two stay together until she’s pregnant. When the pregnancy is verified both are quickly returned to their home worlds. Many Heroes not only rescue and impregnate the women as they also seek out others to become Heroes.

Chapter 1 »