Fēmálè

Introduction

A

pproximately twenty billion or so light- years away from Earth, near the center of the universe, lies a solar system that defies our laws of physics. Some believe it to be the pinnacle of creation. The exact point where light separated from darkness and expanded throughout the cosmos. The largest and oldest galaxy in this dimension. Unmeasured by time, it was the first to take form and support various forms of life. Within this galaxy is a solar system that has nine planets and three suns, with a few artificial moons, and each of them is able to sustain life of its own. At first glance one would notice that a few of those planets are similar to Earth, the only real difference being that these planets are teeming with females of different genera.

While some were born to this unique part of the heavens, some of the inhabitants were rescued from different areas of the universe. A small number of them escaped persecution by learning of their origins and connection to an ancient stream of energy, which forged their unbreakable bond with other females.

These planets have no governments or ruling classes or hierarchies to speak of. Poverty, prejudice, and cultural conflict are unknown. The planets’ natural way of life serves all inhabitants and gives them a naturally safe environment in which to thrive, and these inhabitants’ scientific and technological achievements are a blessing that has benefited everyone, including the planet itself, making it a vibrant world full of life and natural wonders—a utopia for all intents and purposes.

However, it is a completely matriarchal society that no man has ever seen and lived to tell the tale. This is truly NO MAN’S LAND.

Chapter 1

Day of Birth

Matching spirits

T

his was sure to be an exciting day for Oriyah. This day marked her two thousandth birthday. She had come of age and was now ready to join the ranks of official matriarchs. As the daughter of one of the most recognized warriors on the planet, she had looked forward to this since she started training. Oriyah could now travel the universe and do what her mother and others before her had done: bring light to the darkest corners of the cosmos and rescue females who were forcibly controlled in male-dominated civilizations. They did this by taking it upon themselves to fight fire with all other elements combined.

In their society, not every female was a warrior, but if you chose to become a matriarch, you had to undergo intense mental, spiritual, and physical training for approximately a thousand years. Only then could you be strong enough to take on the chaos the void created, but a thousand years was a little more than a blink of an eye to the females that lived here. Time was a concept that had little to no meaning on this planet.

During training, as well when trainees personally observed missions off planet to observe their enemy, a variety of subjects were studied, including, but not limited to, combat techniques, weapons training, biology, and quantum physics, along with different varieties of science that only enhanced their ability to manipulate the energy that surrounded all things. This was a process that created the fiercest warriors, warriors who were feared by monstrous creatures that would give anyone nightmares.

They believed without any doubt that male kind came from the deepest depths of the void and was made in the image of the celestial father of chaos, created to be a more robust copy of the original form of life, as a counter to the separation of light that had resulted in the creation of the female. Their truth was that females were the light that illuminated the void. An intense connection with the natural flow of life, partnered with the ability to create life on their own, had them believe they were made in the image of light itself, the celestial mother. The one who had freed herself from darkness and given life to them all.

That being said, all the inhabitants had seen that male kind’s plan was to infect nature and control all life. To shroud the light in darkness and pass itself off as authentic while raping the light of the essence and ability to shine. Male kind continued to be a plague that must be dealt with. The experienced had seen that compassion did not work. Words were unheard. Pain was ignored, and to male kind love meant obedience. Males were chaotic beings who had no sympathy for anything outside their own agenda. Male kind’s reason for being was to kill, and males seemed to comprehend only pain. So a warrior that was trained to kill the killers was a miracle to the females who prayed to a man to save them from another man.

During her training she became one of the most skilled, fierce, intelligent, self-aware warriors the planet had ever seen. None of her teachers or instructors could understand where her power originated, and no amount of scientific studying could explain the phenomenon. She was without a doubt her mother’s daughter.

While still asleep, she dreamt of a planet that held some resemblance to Earth. She heard a bloodcurdling scream and the sounds of a whip as people’s cheers and applause reverberated in and out. At the same time, repeated strikes were felt all over her body, and with each strike she saw a different image of a badly beaten pregnant woman, the identity obscured because the face was distorted and covered in blood. Another vision showed the silhouettes of nine figures surrounded by darkness, while the last image, of a dagger in the stomach of said woman, was enough to put a sudden stop to her slumber.

Drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, she slowly caressed the scar above her heart as if she had felt the dagger in the dream pierce her chest. She was clearly irritated with a recurring dream whose meaning she had yet to understand. She flopped back down and stared at the ceiling. As the images repeated over and over in her mind, she whispered to herself, What does it mean? A question that directly motivated her training to become a warrior like her mother.

Moments later she got up and walked over to her bedroom window. As she gazed into the sky, out of the corner of her eye Oriyah caught a glimpse of her reflection but noticed it was not her own. However, when she looked at it directly, it was identical. She moved away slowly, feeling a little shaken, and noticed that the distance changed the way the face appeared. The revelation was seemingly always just out of reach.

She was taken aback by something that was becoming a part of reality outside dreams. Plus the fact that it was happening on her birthday, which was the same day as her official graduation. She took a deep breath, gathered her emotions, exhaled, and then opened the window. She closed her eyes as the cool breeze flowed into her room and smiled as she opened her eyes and looked upon the beautiful scenery on their planet: the sparkling light of the yellow star, the variety of creatures that soared the skies, the gorgeous mountains covered by colorful, lush vegetation, and the pristine waterfalls that flowed without end. She lingered in the moment, taking it all in, because she felt like she would not see it for a long time. Suddenly a wave of sadness overwhelmed her spirit, causing her heart to beat ten times faster than usual. She took a few more deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself, during which she heard a chirp coming from the multiuse wrist gauntlet on a chair, tucked under her hooded cloak.

Seconds later, she heard her mother’s voice saying, My precious stardust. My only child. The light that gives me life. I am so proud of you. I’ve heard nothing but good things. Please come and see me before the gathering for your graduation—I have something for you. The message cut off. A second later, it came back on, and her mother said, Oh, and grab some Niribu fruit and wine on your way here…Fēmálè!

She was overjoyed, as her mother’s words brought with them a feeling of warmth and excitement. She quickly grabbed a golden disk a little larger than a quarter and placed it on the opposite side of the scar on her chest. The disk started to spread as it replicated itself to become a layer of nanites that conformed to her body.

As a mood ring changes colors based on emotion, her biosuit performed in the same manner, plus adapted to any environment. Soon after, she grabbed her customary white hooded cloak and multiuse wrist gauntlet, also known as an MUG, and stood in front of the window.

She smiled and basked in the glow of the yellow star and dove out the tenth floor of the twelve-story building while yelling with joy on the way down. She hit the ground with enough force to create a small crater and a considerable gust of wind that made a big mess.

ORIYAH! Yoruba yelled. Yoruba was her instructor and her mother’s esteemed colleague. She was also one of the oldest females on the planet, one of the original matriarchs who had purged the planet from patriarch rule. She was known for her knowledge and brutality in battle. As she was a female who had seen and felt the pain that male kind had caused, her lack of mercy was justified.

Oriyah looked back and saw her teacher covered in dust and debris from her tricolored flower garden. Ooops, I’m sorry, she said as she darted toward the forest, barely missing another one of Yoruba’s gardens while yelling, Fēmálè!

As Oriyah ran across the surface of a nearby lake, barely making a ripple, Yoruba shook her head and smiled, then whispered to herself, And I am you. She then glanced down at the small crater and noticed a flower slowly growing from the base of Oriyah’s footprint. She looked on at Oriyah proudly as she watched her vanish into the forest. She felt the kind of pride a teacher feels when her student succeeds.

While speeding joyfully throughout the forest, carefully dodging trees and a diverse lot of woodland creatures, Oriyah then leapt into the air and grabbed hold of a nearby tree branch and swung from branch to branch with the agility of a lemur, enjoying every moment like a child at play. In the act of swinging, she approached the end of the forest, which gave way to a large grassy field. When she reached the last branch, she grabbed hold with both hands, then swung herself into the air and completed a quadruple backflip with a twist that would have left a lifelong gymnast in awe.

She then gazed upon the grass-covered field and suddenly took off sprinting across the field, creating small shock waves with every step. A few moments later, she clumsily tripped over her own foot, falling to the ground. She tumbled across the open field, kicking up dirt and grass. She immediately stood up and looked around to see if anyone had seen her embarrassing fall. She couldn’t help but laugh at herself as she wiped away the debris from her clothing. She glanced around once more to be absolutely sure nobody saw her. Right before she took off running again, she heard a giggle from the tree line behind her.

Who’s there? Oriyah shouted. She got no response, but she could still hear the soft, stifled giggle.

I said, who’s there?! she shouted even louder. She then heard a loud laugh coming from behind a tree. Her longtime friend peeked her head from behind the tree and fell to the ground holding her mouth before bursting with laughter.

Imajin! Oriyah exclaimed in shock. Why are you hiding?

Still laughing, Imajin replied, Isn’t it obvious? I was waiting on you. She gasped for air and then added, I was going to try and scare you, but that fall did enough damage. Are you okay? she added, teasing Oriyah. I’ve never seen someone fall that hard in my life! She then stood up and walked over to Oriyah and pulled a piece of grass from her hair. You missed a spot.

And fell back to the ground laughing.

Oriyah smiled and shook her head. That is so wrong! And here I was thinking we were the best of friends.

I’m sorry, my light. I just couldn’t help it. I saw you laughing at yourself after you stood up. So you already know how embarrassingly funny it was. That’s why you looked around to see if anyone saw you, Imajin replied. She then jogged over to where Oriyah initially fell. She looked at the ground, at the same time waving her hand around the area. How does one trip over air?

They both laughed. Oriyah ran over and playfully jumped on Imajin’s back, causing the both of them to fall to the ground. While straddling her back, Oriyah started to tickle Imajin. No, no, no, don’t do that. I’m going to mess myself! Imajin responded.

Hmm, I wonder how funny that would be, Oriyah replied.

They rolled around in the grass laughing. Oriyah wrapped her legs around Imajin’s waist and continued to tickle her. Imajin tried her best to get out of Oriyah’s hold, to no avail.

It’s not fair, Imajin responded. You’re trained and I’m not. This is easy for you.

Oriyah said with a smirk on her face, Yes…yes, I am.

Please, I beg of you. I’m going to tell your mother, Imajin replied as she struggled to get free.

Oriyah suddenly stopped and said, Why do you have to bring my mother into this?

That moment was all Imajin needed. She turned around and grabbed Oriyah’s cloak and pulled it down toward her. Ha! I got you, said Imajin. They wrestled around playfully until they were both out of breath. They lay in the grass to catch their breath. Oriyah turned to her and said, You called me your light.

Did I? Hmm…I don’t remember that. I did say it’s bright out here. I see how you could confuse the two, Imajin replied.

Oriyah smiled and said sarcastically, Yeah, it sure is bright. So bright it pains my eyes.

Imajin giggled, grabbed her hand, kissed it, and said, Yes, I did say my light. Shen then added, Is that okay?

Oriyah smiled, then answered, I have no issues with it.

Imajin gently caressed Oriyah’s face and said, I’ve waited so long to see you again. At times, I wanted to bust down the doors of the matriarchs’ hive and demand that they let me see you. I’ve thought of nothing else but to be with you once again.

Oriyah replied bashfully, I didn’t know you felt that way about me. Just so you know, I feel the exact same way about you.

I was hoping you’d say that, Imajin replied.

Oriyah stood up, held out her hand. Walk with me.

Imajin smiled, grabbing her hand. I’d be delighted. I’d follow you anywhere. Holding back laughter, she added, As long as we’re not running. I’d hate to see you fall again.

Oriyah looked at her and gestured as if she were about to tickle her again.

Imajin quickly said, Okay, okay, okay…no more mentions of that very embarrassing tumble.

Oriyah laughed. Thank you.

Moments later, as they walked toward town, Oriyah gently pulled her hand away from Imajin. Imajin turned and asked, Did I do something wrong?

No! Oriyah replied. It’s just that my hands are sweaty and sticky. I never thought I’d hear those words coming from you. I thought that you only saw me as a friend. I’m shocked and weirdly nervous. I’m sorry.

You don’t have to apologize, Imajin replied. She then grabbed Oriyah’s hand and added, I don’t mind the sweat or the stickiness. It is you, and I adore everything about you. I can only wish to be more like you.

More like me? What do you mean? Oriyah asked.

Well, you’re a strong, courageous, intelligent, all-around driven female. Me, on the other hand…I’m none of that. I’ve tried to change, but in my mind, I’m still stuck on Ramus—my home world, Imajin answered. When you’re born a prisoner deep underground, it’s hard to change.

I’ve seen some footage of your world, but the information on its entire history isn’t complete, Oriyah replied.

Imajin reluctantly added, They made female-like androids to replace us, and those were programmed with an obedience code. However, when they wanted the real thing, they would come to us. I hate to remember them raping my mother in front of me. They laughed and stared at me while it happened. When finished, they strangled her for fun and left the body there for me to watch it rot. I was but a child when it happened. Like so many others on my planet. Imajin closed her eyes and said with a tremble in her voice, The things they did to us…we were helpless. We didn’t know how to fight back. We never questioned ‘Why us?’ because it was all we knew. We were made to believe they had created us and our purpose was to serve and comply with whatever they had in mind. Pausing briefly, she added joyfully, Until I arrived here.

Oriyah pulled her in close and looked deeply into her eyes. You don’t have to change anything for anyone. I adore the female you were, the female you are, and the female you will become. You are perfect in every way. I cannot imagine the things you’ve seen and been through. You’ve seen the callousness of the male up close. I’ve only seen holographic simulations during training and observed them during training. I do know they have no pity or remorse.

She held up her fist, grinned, and continued, And I am more than ready to seek them out and steal their life while crushing their ideas. I can’t wait to begin. After kissing Imajin’s cheek, she added, You just be you, and I will take care of everything else. I will be whatever you need me to be whenever you need me to be. No male will ever harm you again. She gently moved Imajin’s hair from in front of her face and then asked, Do you understand, my light?

With watery eyes, Imajin bashfully answered, Yes, I understand, and thank you.

It’s the truth. You don’t have to thank me, Oriyah said. "You’re stronger than you know. If you stay in the dark, that means you live in the dark, and if you live in the dark, you can’t see or feel the warm embrace of