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fandomweekly2026-05-01 08:46 pm
badly_knitted) wrote in fandomweekly2026-05-01 08:46 pm
Entry tags:
[#299] Revolution (The Fantastic Journey)
Theme Prompt: #299 – Uprising
Title: Revolution
Fandom: The Fantastic Journey
Rating/Warnings: PG
Bonus: No.
Word Count: 1000
Summary: The women of Coriel are staging a revolution, but the unexpected arrival of travellers is complicating matters.
The way the men of Coriel treated their women was intolerable, and had been so for as long as Halyana could remember. She was Queen in name only; her husband, Morgan, ruled completely and absolutely, although he would never have stooped to calling himself King.
Halyana, despite her title, had no more power than any woman, which was to say none at all. She was expected, as were all her women, to be decorative, and to serve the men without question or complaint. In reality, they were no more than well-dressed slaves, serving wenches, concubines…
Such treatment could be endured no longer. The women of Coriel outnumbered the men, and it was long past time their superior numbers took back what was theirs, their lives, their autonomy, and their freedom. That was what they’d been working towards for months now, making their plans, making discreet and careful adjustments to the Complex, the computer that controlled all of Coriel’s automated systems and defences. And now, just as they were ready to act, strangers had arrived, three men and a boy.
The timing could not possibly have been any worse. Halyana and her women could not afford to delay their uprising even by a few hours; they needed to make their move right away, but because these visiting men would not be recognised by the Complex’s sensors, they could not be dealt with in the same way as Coriel’s menfolk. They were a wildcard, an unwanted complication; they could not be trusted but at the same time, they differed from Morgan and his louts. Their manners were better, their behaviour, for the most part, more refined… After their own men were dealt with, perhaps these newcomers could serve as breeding stock. They were not unattractive.
The decision needed to be made quickly. There had been a woman with the party of travellers originally, but she had been captured by Morgan and his cohorts, and was now languishing in the cells. She would be freed once the uprising was underway, and offered the opportunity to join the women’s revolt. As for the men… Well, Halyana would decide how to deal with them once she was in control.
Sending Adrea to make the final adjustments to the Complex, Halyana waited patiently, just outside the dining hall, where Morgan and his closest friends were entertaining their visitors.
Halyana didn’t exactly know what she’d been expecting to happen. She’d wanted Coriel’s menfolk contained, so they couldn’t interfere, or retaliate in any way, but… Whatever it was Adrea had done, the men simply… vanished, a few at a time, seeming to wink out of existence, until only Morgan himself was left, and then even he was gone. What the Complex had done with them, Adrea couldn’t say. She wasn’t sure even the computer itself knew where they’d been sent, but for the moment, it hardly mattered. The women were victorious, and the strangers…
With victory theirs, Halyana could afford to be magnanimous. She ordered the strangers left unharmed, not confined, but allowed their freedom, to an extent, so long as they behaved and accepted the authority of the women. The woman who had been travelling with them accepted Halyana’s offer to join her; was there ever any doubt she would? She seemed a bright girl, perhaps a little naïve, but spirited. She would do well, freed from the arrogance of her travelling companions.
Coriel was at last under Halyana’s control; its women were finally free to govern themselves as they saw fit, and the new men… Precautions needed to be taken; Willaway seemed excitable, and the one named Fred could be trouble, he was clearly the strongest. Varian was difficult to read; he was their leader, the others looked to him for guidance. An intelligent, resourceful man, in his way. No, Halyana couldn’t afford to trust any of them, not even the boy, and so…
The poison she had her women add to the men’s food would do them no harm, as long as they received regular doses. It would remain in their bodies, inert, and they would be completely unaware of it, unless their food was withheld. Then they would know, and the experience would not be pleasant for them, but as long as they behaved, there would be no reason for them to suffer. They would be treated well, and kept healthy. Then, if and when their services were required, hopefully they would cooperate.
In the meantime, the Complex needed to be brought completely under the women’s control. It had been built by men, would respond only to men, and although Adrea had managed to make some alterations, she did not have control of it. Indeed, the machine appeared to have gained considerable control over itself, which was a serious problem. It had already attacked and injured Adra. With none of their own menfolk accessible, Halyana would have to gain assistance from the men they DID have access to, and according to the Complex, Willaway was a scientist, a mechanical engineer, a computer expert. He, and perhaps Varian, the man from earth’s future, might be persuaded to help.
Unfortunately, they proved less than willing. Varian, having refused to demonstrate the medical device he carried, Halyana consigned to the cells. Master Willaway seemed cooperative at first, but then would not help her by repairing the Complex. Such insubordination could not be allowed to go unpunished, so he too was put in a cell.
Then the boy stole a sample of the poison, and the physician, Fred, escaped from Coriel… Perhaps it had been a mistake to be so lenient with these strangers. Halyana had the boy locked up with Varian. Those two would have no more food; perhaps when the poison began to affect them, witnessing their suffering would encourage Willaway to repair the Complex. Were all men so untrustworthy? Maybe it was simply the nature of their gender.
The revolution had succeeded, but now Halyana and her women faced a whole new set of difficulties.
The End
Halyana, despite her title, had no more power than any woman, which was to say none at all. She was expected, as were all her women, to be decorative, and to serve the men without question or complaint. In reality, they were no more than well-dressed slaves, serving wenches, concubines…
Such treatment could be endured no longer. The women of Coriel outnumbered the men, and it was long past time their superior numbers took back what was theirs, their lives, their autonomy, and their freedom. That was what they’d been working towards for months now, making their plans, making discreet and careful adjustments to the Complex, the computer that controlled all of Coriel’s automated systems and defences. And now, just as they were ready to act, strangers had arrived, three men and a boy.
The timing could not possibly have been any worse. Halyana and her women could not afford to delay their uprising even by a few hours; they needed to make their move right away, but because these visiting men would not be recognised by the Complex’s sensors, they could not be dealt with in the same way as Coriel’s menfolk. They were a wildcard, an unwanted complication; they could not be trusted but at the same time, they differed from Morgan and his louts. Their manners were better, their behaviour, for the most part, more refined… After their own men were dealt with, perhaps these newcomers could serve as breeding stock. They were not unattractive.
The decision needed to be made quickly. There had been a woman with the party of travellers originally, but she had been captured by Morgan and his cohorts, and was now languishing in the cells. She would be freed once the uprising was underway, and offered the opportunity to join the women’s revolt. As for the men… Well, Halyana would decide how to deal with them once she was in control.
Sending Adrea to make the final adjustments to the Complex, Halyana waited patiently, just outside the dining hall, where Morgan and his closest friends were entertaining their visitors.
Halyana didn’t exactly know what she’d been expecting to happen. She’d wanted Coriel’s menfolk contained, so they couldn’t interfere, or retaliate in any way, but… Whatever it was Adrea had done, the men simply… vanished, a few at a time, seeming to wink out of existence, until only Morgan himself was left, and then even he was gone. What the Complex had done with them, Adrea couldn’t say. She wasn’t sure even the computer itself knew where they’d been sent, but for the moment, it hardly mattered. The women were victorious, and the strangers…
With victory theirs, Halyana could afford to be magnanimous. She ordered the strangers left unharmed, not confined, but allowed their freedom, to an extent, so long as they behaved and accepted the authority of the women. The woman who had been travelling with them accepted Halyana’s offer to join her; was there ever any doubt she would? She seemed a bright girl, perhaps a little naïve, but spirited. She would do well, freed from the arrogance of her travelling companions.
Coriel was at last under Halyana’s control; its women were finally free to govern themselves as they saw fit, and the new men… Precautions needed to be taken; Willaway seemed excitable, and the one named Fred could be trouble, he was clearly the strongest. Varian was difficult to read; he was their leader, the others looked to him for guidance. An intelligent, resourceful man, in his way. No, Halyana couldn’t afford to trust any of them, not even the boy, and so…
The poison she had her women add to the men’s food would do them no harm, as long as they received regular doses. It would remain in their bodies, inert, and they would be completely unaware of it, unless their food was withheld. Then they would know, and the experience would not be pleasant for them, but as long as they behaved, there would be no reason for them to suffer. They would be treated well, and kept healthy. Then, if and when their services were required, hopefully they would cooperate.
In the meantime, the Complex needed to be brought completely under the women’s control. It had been built by men, would respond only to men, and although Adrea had managed to make some alterations, she did not have control of it. Indeed, the machine appeared to have gained considerable control over itself, which was a serious problem. It had already attacked and injured Adra. With none of their own menfolk accessible, Halyana would have to gain assistance from the men they DID have access to, and according to the Complex, Willaway was a scientist, a mechanical engineer, a computer expert. He, and perhaps Varian, the man from earth’s future, might be persuaded to help.
Unfortunately, they proved less than willing. Varian, having refused to demonstrate the medical device he carried, Halyana consigned to the cells. Master Willaway seemed cooperative at first, but then would not help her by repairing the Complex. Such insubordination could not be allowed to go unpunished, so he too was put in a cell.
Then the boy stole a sample of the poison, and the physician, Fred, escaped from Coriel… Perhaps it had been a mistake to be so lenient with these strangers. Halyana had the boy locked up with Varian. Those two would have no more food; perhaps when the poison began to affect them, witnessing their suffering would encourage Willaway to repair the Complex. Were all men so untrustworthy? Maybe it was simply the nature of their gender.
The revolution had succeeded, but now Halyana and her women faced a whole new set of difficulties.
The End