Chapter 70 The End Chapter 69. Epilogue
The world was soft and warm and smelled of Silver. I woke curled around the gentle curve of her back, my body spooning hers in the nest of blankets we’d made. And I knew, right away. The change had come. A deep, familiar ache pulsed in my bones, and the soft weight of my breasts pressed against her spine. A pins-and-needles sensation, like static from a dying star, crackled over my entire skin.
But that wasn't what woke me. Oh, no.
It was the splintering CRACK of the door being kicked off its hinges. The violent crash was followed by the thunder of five heavy, armoured, and masked soldiers storming into the small room. The dim light glinted off their black body armour and the barrels of the machine guns now levelled directly at us.
Silver, the ever-brave, ever-bright Polli, didn't scream. She just flinched, then immediately pulled my arm tighter around her, anchoring me to her. “I think you have guests,” she forced out, the words a shaky, gallows-humour laugh against the pillow.
My mind, still fogged with sleep and the aftermath of passion, snapped into a cold, sharp clarity. Moving slowly, deliberately, I crawled from under the blanket, carefully arranging it to preserve Silver's modesty, a courtesy I did not extend to myself. I rose and stood there, naked as a newborn, my Polli form my only armour. The cool air raised goosebumps on my skin as I stared directly down the barrel of the largest rifle.
“Nanda Stone!” a soldier barked, his voice distorted by his helmet's modulator. His head, and those of his squadmates, bobbed awkwardly, their disciplined postures breaking as they tried and mostly failed not to stare at the very naked, very Polli figure confronting them.
“I am Nanda Stone,” I said, my voice defensive and laced with a sharp edge.
“We were sent to take you to your debriefing,” the lead soldier stated, his voice betraying a flicker of confusion. “You… are not what we were expecting.”
From the bed, Silver broke out in a loud, rich, genuinely sexy laugh that seemed to disarm the tension in the room for a split second. “No,” she said, her voice dripping with wry amusement. “See, she never is. She is never what people are expecting.” She propped herself up on an elbow, the blanket held to her chest, a proud, defiant smirk on her face. “That’s Nanda.”
Glossary
Biology & Gender
Anther: The male sexual organ (penis). Becomes fully formed upon a Changeling's transformation into a Nate.
Bliss: A state of profound self-awareness and euphoria that is theorized to be key to controlling one's own Trembling. Difficult to achieve and master.
Changeling: An individual who has not yet undergone their Trembling and solidified their permanent gender. They possess the potential to become either a Nate or a Polli. The state is typically resolved in late adolescence/early adulthood.
Clam: A derogatory term for an individual who has no sexual genital, they are without a defined gender (no anther or stigma). They are often marginalized in society.
Maker: The partner with whom a Changeling has the intimate act (pollination) that triggers their Trembling and final gender form.
Nate: The male gender role in society. Assertive, penetrative. Associated with being a "breeder."
Polli : The female gender role in society. Receptive, nurturing. Possesses a "stigma."
Pollination: The act of sexual intercourse that acts as a catalyst for a Changeling's Trembling.
Salt of Life: Semen.
Stigma: The female sexual organ (vagina/vulva). Often described in floral terms ("a fresh, eager flower").
Trembling: The transformative, euphoric physiological event where a Changeling's body settles into its permanent gender (Nate or Polli). It is a moment of ultimate self-revelation and completion.
Culture & Ritual
Acceptance of the Nate/Polli: The sacred rituals within the Dance of the Flowers where each partner accepts and venerates the other's gender form.
Dance of the Flowers: The most traditional and sacred courtship ritual for a Changeling and their intended Maker. It involves specific, formalized steps and acts leading to pollination.
The Mother: A deity or spiritual figure referenced in the culture, seemingly associated with creation and life.
Technology & Transportation
Com: A personal communication and computing device (smartphone).
Hopper: A public transit vehicle, like a bus or a tram.
Porty: A private, self-driving car pod.
Reflector: A mirror.
Food & Drink
Bro-she: A sweet, golden, sugar-dusted pastry (like a brioche or a doughnut).
Cher: A Cherry like bandy
Jo: a mixed fruit soda drink
Leaf: Tea.
Mack: Likely beer or ale ("pint of mack").
Meeka and jo: A cheap alcoholic drink; the name suggests something like a cocktail (perhaps akin to a cheap whiskey and cola).
Poyon: a type of /sort of lamb.
Nec-car: A honey-like substance.
Van-in: A vanilla-like.
Vin- wine
Von-jar: A whiskey-like alcoholic spirit.
Bubble-vin- Champane
Animals
Ponya: Large four-legged wing creature, that you can milk
Tetra: Feline
Warndar: Canine
Society & Other
Dieball: A popular sport in this society, seemingly a source of scholarships and local pride.
Dwellings: A home or apartment.
Gists: currency or money
Grind-bins: Large garbage bins.
Rushém: A strategic board game similar to chess but focused on fluid alliances and concessions. Associated with political strategy.
Warrior Service: The mandatory national service, which appears to be only required for (or only open to) Nates.
Waterdrop: A shower.