Chapter 23: Win a Few Lose a Few

Remember when Two Voices told the Cheese that the only thing worse than 55 menstruating women would be 55 pregnant? She was right! Every viable female body over the age of 18 is knocked up, and they're not happy. Oh, they're happy to be pregnant, they're just not happy with the roosters strutting.

Jo, who is 3 months farther along than the rest of the Preggers-gang, called a town meeting.

"I foresee a problem. Pretty quick it's going to matter who is "daddy", unless we make a major change.

"I propose a new rule: Inheritance is through the female bloodline. I'm probably the only one here who knows who is my kids daddy. With the way all of us fuck everybody, I don't think anyone cares. So ... the women "own" everything except men's tools. Quit laughing! Well, we own those too, but that's not what I meant.

"The paraphernalia: the equipment, apparatus, or furnishing used doing mens activities ... hunting, fishing, saddlery, harvesting, planting ... stuff like that, belong to the male and he can designate who gets to keep it when he dies.

"Everything else belongs to, is owned by, the women: Houses, barns, lands, stock, victuals and children pass through the female to females. If we ever get to a "marrying" point, things might change, but I doubt it. It's not the women who want and need marriage. It's the men. It's an ownership issue.

"You people elected me, a woman, to be Chief. I'd like to hear some discussion on the subject of Inheritance."

20 minutes later:

"Well, that was close:70 to 45. Women run the show. You got to vote, you can complain. If it doesn't work we'll know."

"Second bone of contention: Winter Quarters.

"It's not going to get cold enough to snow here for about ten thousand years, like that will matter to me. Archaeology done in our old hometime tells us that this area is semi-tropical humid to semi-tropical dry with a rotation that lasts anywhere from a couple hundred years to one thousand years.

"This river does not go dry during the dry periods, but it does flood.

"I'm willing to tipi dwell but others are not, because of the use of animal hides for the cover. I want to let people know we will begin construction of dwellings on the flat places in the cliff wall. There's plenty of room for hundreds of people to live behind solid walls if that's your preference. The Cheese has a plan to cycle hot or cold water from the thermal springs to the buildings. I'll admit the cliffs are hard to get to but, if Two Voices will allow us to use her sled we can transfer timber and materials quickly. This project is going to happen but not everyone will want to help. Not helping will not mean you can't live here during the floods, you might not have good choices as to where you live.

"The Cheese has converted the tricycle and one bike wheel to spinning wheels. Joanne and the other spinners tell me they work great, good enough to need a ton more wool. The Cheese is attempting to build a loom or six, but he's having trouble finding good material to make the reeds. We have an idea but it'll take some help from Two Voices."

The Cheese stood. "Yes Cheese?"

"Another project of mine is to convert the rear wheel, frame and crankset of the donor bike to run the lathe. I want to build wood spinning wheels."

"Good one Cheese."

"I have a report to make about the "others" but that can wait. I need to get to the coast to find whale skeletons. There's an island up in the Bering Sea that has a huge boneyard. I think baleen will make great reeds for the looms. Thanks Jo." The Cheese sat down.

Jo continued, "I have couple more things to mention, the pot plants are growing but I don't know a damn thing about how to care for them. Jimmy, you got any idea? I thought you might take over cultivation. You will? They're yours. Have at it."

"The girls are getting ready to breed ... some of them haven't waited. I'd appreciate it if you horny old folks would leave the problem to the younger kids. That's a couple of horny boys, let them learn. Pregnancy in teens can be difficult but I've noticed ours are responsible girls. It's not fair for us to fuck like rabbits and tell them they can't ... so we won't.

"The laws of our hometime don't apply here, and if we're successful they won't exist in the future. Sex is pretty fun and the propagation of the species is the reason we're here. Let's have kids, let our kids have kids and spread this continent with the goddesses people."