Author's note: I am a man who considers myself a feminist. This story is meant to be respectful to women in general and feminists in particular. Feminism means many things to many people and there are plenty of feminists who would argue that the story I am writing does not coincide with their beliefs -- and they would be right. I just wanted to write a story and I thought women fleeing Earth's patriarchy to set up an all-female feminist utopia on Alpha Centauri, only to find they are not the only humans on the new planet would be fun.

Prologue
Catherine B. Anthony, descendant of famous suffragist Susan B. Anthony and leader of the feminist exiles from planet Earth, is alone in her quarters when Liz Stanton, 12, barges in.
Liz: "Ms. Anthony, we're here we're here!"
Catherine: "Calm down, little one. First, as I told you before, please call me Catherine. We left that stupid practice of using titles with the men back on Earth."
Liz: "I know, but it's different with you because you're the leader."
Catherine: "No, it's not different. In fact it's even more important to not show deference to people like me or else we'll start to think all our responsibilities mean that our opinions are more important. Now I believe that you were telling me that we have arrived at our destination..."
Liz: "Oh! Yeah, Ms. Curie -- I mean Mary -- asked me to tell you that 'we have come out of hyperspace and entered the orbit of Alpha Centauri A II.' What does that mean, Ms. An- Catherine?"
Catherine: "Liz! Do you ever pay attention in Becky's classes? OK, I'll tell you. You do know that when we left Earth to form our feminist utopia that we headed for Alpha Centauri, the closest star to Sol, the one that Earth orbited?"
Liz: "Of course I know that. Everyone knows that."
Catherine: "Well I just wanted to make sure. I thought everyone knew what Alpha Centauri A II meant. Anyway, Alpha Centauri is actually not just one star but two that rotate around each other-"
Becky Friedan, Domestic Advisor and teacher to the ship's children, enters: "Actually Liz, Alpha Centauri is three stars, don't forget about Proxima Centauri."
Catherine: "Becky, I didn't see you come in. I was just trying to tell Liz here the basics since it seems that now that we're here she actually cares about this stuff."
Becky: "Yeah, I sort of figured out that you weren't paying attention in my classes by the glazed look in your eyes."
Liz: "I'm sorry Becky. But I'm paying attention now."
Catherine: "You want to take over this explanation?"
Becky: "No, it seems Liz would rather listen to you explain it anyway. Go ahead and I won't interrupt again."
Catherine: "Where was I? Right, as Becky said Alpha Centauri is actually three stars, but only two are the right kind to have planets. We call them Alpha Centauri A and B. The readings we were able to take from Earth before we left indicated that both A and B had planets, but only the second planet in orbit around Alpha Centauri A was the right distance from it's star to be enough like Earth to sustain human life. The way we refer to planets is by their order from the star, so the second planet from Alpha Centauri A is Alpha Centauri A II. Does that make sense?"
Liz: "I think so. But it doesn't sound very homey: Alpha Centauri A II. Jeesh, that's a mouthful."
Catherine: "Well, Alpha Centauri A II, or ACA2 for short, is just the official name of the planet, like Earth was Sol III. I'm sure we will give it a more personal name once we know it better."
Mary Curie, Science Advisor, enters: "Actually, the girls in my department have been calling it Hestia, you know after the Greek goddess of the hearth. I kind of like it -- the image of a hearth fire invokes home like almost nothing else, and it just sounds like a planet name -- Hestia."
Catherine: "Mary, hi! Well my quarters are getting pretty crowded. Maybe we should all go to the observation deck and take a look at our new home. 'Hestia.' Yeah, that is nice."

Later, on the observation deck.
Liz: "Wow! So that's it, huh? It's so big!"
Mary: "Actually, Liz, it's about the same size as Earth [Size: Standard] -- about 14,000 kilometers in diameter, just a bit bigger than Earth."
Catherine: "What else have we learned about Hestia?"
Mary: "Well, as we expected, it's pretty mountainous [Climate: Rocky] and the oceans are smaller than they were on Earth [Sealevel: Low]."
Becky: "Anything else?"
Mary: "Actually, this is really interesting, the axis of rotation is parallel to a tangent to the orbital path."
Liz: "The what is parallel to the what!?"
Mary: "Sorry, it's like North and South have been switched with East and West [Map: Tilted Axis]."
Catherine: "What are the implications of that?"
Mary: "Nothing really, it just means that the poles are at what we would think of as East and West on Earth -- it's really just an orientation thing."
Becky: "The landmasses look similar to Earth's continents [Landmass Size: Normal Continents]."
Mary: "They're prtty close, but because the seas are lower, there is more land."
Becky: "Catherine, when are we going to send down the first landing party?"
Liz: "Can I be on it?! Please! Please!"
Catherine: "Pretty soon, Becky. Liz, sorry but no. The first landing party is for the experts, so we can check it out and make sure it's safe. But you can come on the second landing party, I promise."
Liz: "Awww. But I want to go down with you three and the others. Can't I please? I'll be really quiet."
Catherine: "No dear, it could be too dangerous."
Liz: "Fine! I didn't really want to go anyway!" Storms off.
Becky: "Should I get the others and head to the cargo bay?"
Catherine, watching Liz go: "Please do."

A reminder of the settings:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/eotinb/feminists/shot_001.jpg
Opponents will be a surprise to you and personalities will be a surprise to all of us...

*eagerly awaiting next installment*

Liz: "Wow! So that's it, huh? It's so big!"
Mary: "Actually, Liz, it's about the same size as Earth [Size: Standard] -- about 14,000 kilometers in diameter, just a bit bigger than Earth."

See, size DOES matter. Leaving Earth for a few more inches...... (ducks flying objects)

Dawn of Woman
During the landing party's descent to planet Hestia, they lost contact with the mother ship and with it the coordinates of the pre-selected landing location. On thier own for the time being, they land the ship in the first safe spot they find -- in a clearing next to a river. After verifying that the atmosphere is breathable, Catherine cautiously exists the craft and looks into the sky for any sign of the mother ship.

Catherine: "Oh no. God, no."
Nancy Mace, first female graduate of the Citadel and now senior Military Advisor, approaches Catherine and follows her gaze to the heavens: "Cathy, what is it? Oh my God, is that...?"
Catherine: "It has to be. The ship... is... gone. How could this have happened?" She feels like somone has kicked her in the chest, robbing her of the ability to breathe. Tears stream from her eyes.
Nancy, fighting back tears of her own: "I don't know. Must have been some kind of accident, maybe with the engines. Oh God, I just realized that this means we are all alone on this planet."
Liz emerges from her hiding place: "What's wrong? Why is everybody crying? Hey, what's that in the sky? It looks like some kind of fireworks."

Many hours later, the landing party has gathered the supplies from their ship and discovered that they don't have enough fuel to scout for a more suitable place to camp.
Liz: "I can look around. I want to. Please let me."
Catherine: "Liz, we know almost nothing about this planet. We don't know what kind of animals are out there, or even if there are human-like creatures around. Absolutely not."
Liz: "But I heard Mary tell you there were no signs of advanced civilization when we were in the observation deck."
Catherine: "That's true, but there may be non-advanced sentient beings out there. I have already lost thousands of friends and colleagues today. I am not losing you too."
Liz: "But there are so few of us left, it doesn't make sense for me to just sit around while the grown-ups do all the work. I'll be careful and I know how to take care of myself."
Becky, having overheard most of the conversation, comes over: "Catherine, you can't protect her forever, and she's right that we need everyone doing their part to make sure we survive. Maybe she should look around."
Catherine: "I hope I don't regret this. OK, Liz but please be careful. Hide behind trees whenever you can and hills are pretty safe too because if anything attacks you it will have to run uphill."
Liz: "Nothing's going to attack me. I'll be fine. See you later!" She starts to run off.
Mary: "Liz, hold on. Take this communicator with you. It will allow you to keep in touch with us and let us know what you find."
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/eotinb/feminists/shot_002.jpg

Liz begins exploring, and right away she finds a strange clearing with an odd glowing light. Ever fearless, she approaches the light and sees a familiar shape begin to emerge. She jumps back as a figure appears in front of her.
Liz: "What, how, who are you?"
Liz2: "What do you mean who am I? Who are you?"
Liz1: "Hey! You look just like me! Where did you come from?"
Liz2: "I don't know, exactly."
Liz1: "Well, do you want to help me look around?"
Liz2: "OK."
Tribal village results: scout
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/eotinb/feminists/shot_003.jpg

Back at the camp.
Mary: "That's odd. Liz said she ran into another girl out there -- one who looks like her. This planet is odd."
Catherine: "I knew I should have never let her go out there. Anything could happen to her. What if that doppleganger is dangerous! We know nothing about this planet!"
Becky: "Catherine, calm down. You couldn't have stopped her anyway, just like you couldn't keep her off this ship -- which you have to admit turned out for the best. Anyway, she's a smart girl, even if she didn't always pay attention in my classes. She can take care of herself. Besides we have other problems to consider, like where are we going to set up camp?"
Mary: "So far, Liz and her 'friend' have found desert and mountains to the west, so I don't think we should head that way. And to the north is some kind of plant that looks like it could be a decent source of food and some local stone that we may be able to work with."
Catherine: "That sounds good. How far away?"
Mary: "Well that's a problem -- it would take us quite a while to get there and the only fresh water is not very close to the plant."
Catherine: "Well, what do you two think we should do? Mary?"
Mary: "There is some local fauna near here that we may be able to domesticate. I can't be sure but they seem have all the necessary characteristics. And this river would provide plenty of fresh water for irrigation once we figure out how exactly to do that. That reminds me, I have some bad news."
Catherine: "Can the bad news wait? Becky, what do you think about where we should set up camp?"
Becky: "I'd just as soon stay here. We're all tired and Mary's right about the river providing a good source of water."
Catherine: "OK, here it is then. Becky, please let everyone know."
Hestia City founded
Becky: "One more thing. Once we get the tents set up, what should the women start working on?"
Catherine: "This place scares me. Please have Nancy see if she can train some people in basic combat so we can defend ourselves from whatever is out there."
Hestia City begins: Warrior
Becky walks off.
Catherine: "Now what was this bad news, Mary?"
Mary: "I hate to burden you at a time like this, but you have to know. When the ship was, um, lost, we also lost access to the tools and library it carried. This landing party was not supposed to be autonomous, we didn't bring anyone who knows anything about farming or handling animals or working with metals. We'll have to learn all that over again."
Catherine: "Yes, I already considered that. But didn't we bring anyone with some kind of expertise?"
Mary: "Actually, I think Margaret is a pretty good hunter. And Susan had lots of family back on Earth who had worked in mines. And of course, we can still life-give -- that was a genetic change and doesn't require any technology."
Catherine: "I guess that's a start. I want you to be in charge of research -- that's our top priority, after staying alive of course. What do you plan to start working on first?"
Mary: "Well, those creatures I mentioned earlier intrigue me. They kind of remind me of sheep, and I'd like to examine them a little more closely and see if we can in fact domesticate them."
Catherine: "That sounds fine with me. Let me know if you learn anything useful."
Research begun: Animal Husbandry
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/eotinb/feminists/shot_004.jpg

The days passed and the inhabitants began to call their settlement Hestia City. The women soon learned that they were near the nothern tip of their landmass. For a while, everyone called the adjacent to Hestia City "the river" but one day in a rare moment of levity, someone called it Hope, "because hope sprigs eternal right? And I sure hope this river springs eternal or we'll be thirsty if it ever runs dry." And so it came to be know as Hope River. Four days after their arrival, Liz called back to Hestia City.
Liz: "Mary, can you hear me?"
Mary: "Yes Liz, is evertything OK?"
Liz: "It's more than OK. I found another one of those weird light things like I told you about before. Only this time when I looked into it instead of seeing a person, I got a weird feeling."
Mary: "What do you mean?"
Liz: "Well, I don't know but it kind of felt like all of a sudden I knew something I didn't know before, something about wheels. Let me explain..."
Mary: "Liz, dear, I know how to make a wheel."
Liz: "Well then, why haven't you made any yet?"
Mary: "We didn't need any, I mean, well... OK, thanks for calling in Liz."
Liz: "One more thing, I found some smooth rocks over here. They remind me of that stuff on fancy buildings back home."
Mary: "Marble? Excellent! That could be really helpful. Thanks Liz."
Tribal village results: technology
Tech learned: The Wheel

The next day, the Liz doppleganger called in.
Liz2: "Anyone there?"
Becky: "This is Becky. Is that you Liz?"
Liz2: "Uh, sure. Listen I found something I think you should know about."
Becky: "What is it?"
Liz2: "It's a few small pieces of shiny metal. I'm not sure, but it looks like money."
Becky: "Hold on, Liz, I'm going to get Lucy."
Lucy Mott, Financial Advisor, gets on the communicator: "Lizzy, how much money did you find?"
Liz2: "About forty pieces of this metal. Can you use it?"
Lucy: "Not now, but it may be handy later. Send it back, hon, and I'll find a place to keep it."
Tribal village results: a little gold

Eventually, life in Hestia City fell into a kind of pattern and the women of Hestia City found time to rediscover the pleasures of life, including the process of asexual reproduction they called life-giving. By Day 8, the city had grown significantly larger.
Catherine: "Nancy, I know I told you to train some women as defenders, but it's getting so crowded around here that I think I want you to put that training on hold for the time being."
Nancy: "Sure thing, Cathy. Do you want me to do something else?"
Catherine: "Actually, yes. Mary tells me that she thinks she is making lots of progress with those creatures she's been working with, and I'd like you to find some women who don't mind getting their hands dirty -- well, even dirtier than normal. I'd like a team standing by to do odd jobs as they come up."
Nancy: "Right away."
Hestia City grows: 2
Hestia City begins: Worker

Good story so far, keep it goin

Erm... the idea of a 'feminist utopia'... sounds like a sort of matriachal oligarchy to me. Not exactly 'utopian'.
Besides, fleeing earth because of feminism makes no sense- feminism is about equality between men and women, not women fleeing because they are too weak to stand up for themselves. Essentially, by running away to set up this feminist space colony thing, they're surrendering.
[/moronic whining]

Hmm, a civilization based on asexual reproduction would turn out to be extremely alien, I suspect.
But the story is noce.

@traitorfish- He wrote "women fleeing Earth's patriarchy"
and your "not women fleeing because they are too weak to stand up for themselves" is WHY they left :rolleyes:

@oynaz- I think it's not asexual all, but a combining of two female parents genes not through sex (or maybe through sex o.O) Atleast that would keep it less alien while still being realistic. note he use "life-giving" so he wouldn't have to fully explain it >.< use your imagination or something...

@eotinb- Awesome storyness, specailly working around those tribal villages... now if only we could make custom skins of all the units turned female for you. (atleast the swordsmen look like swordwomen)


Are we going to have to call all the units with "men" at the end persons....
spearpersons just doesn't sound scarry ::ducks flying brick:: ::hides::

Strange,but I like to read a lot more of the girls there on A.C. Sound familiar Alpha Centauri, isn't it that another Sid Meier game of a few years ago??

Nice story looking forward to moere. :)

Don't tell me this one's dead already? Come on you feminists.