Cockiest Red Planet Trilogy Box Set

By A.S. McGowan

The Complete Trilogy

 

Book 1: Resistance

 

What would you do if the laws allowed anyone with money to Trademark an everyday word? Or the copyrighting of a name, so no one could ever use that name again? Over a hundred years ago, Earth was dying. A few rich men and women banned together to create a kingdom on Mars. They hand picked the people who would join them in this new kingdom. Then they brought their arrogant beliefs and made them laws. The Trademark Commission was established to allow anyone who could afford it, the ability to trademark any common word. The laws stated that once a word was trademarked no one could speak that word again. The Naming Commission ensures that all names are copyrighted and no one uses another person's copyrighted name. Fines and even prison time are given to those who violate the trademark and copyright laws. Kathryn 5.0 was pregnant with her first child when the word 'baby' is trademarked. Forced to refer to her baby as "little human" she is tired of the 100 year old laws.  Reaching out to friends, she works to create a resistance. Together they fight against the trademark and copyright laws. Battle lines are drawn and it is family against family. Those who resist the laws are branded "Bullies" while those who support the ancient laws wave the "Victim" banner.

 

Book 2: Imprisoned

Kathryn 5.0 is behind the Resistance and willing to stand up for those who cannot do so themselves. Being an Upper, she understands that she was born into more opportunities, though it does not make it right. But when things take a turn for the worst and Kathryn 5.0 is faced with losing everything she was born into, will she still stand with the Resistance, or will she fight against them?

 

Book 3: Uprising

 

The Resistance is still fighting against the injustices that plague the Kingdom. With their leader Kathryn 5.0, in prison, and more words being trademarked daily, there is little hope for change. That is, until an unsuspecting ally comes to Kathryn 5.0 with a plan for escape. Can Kathryn 5.0 finish what she started, or will she be the reason thousands of people will perish?

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: A.S. McGowan
• Release date: Aug 8, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201334406

Book preview

Chapter 1

Kathryn 5.0 walked down the hard-packed, red dirt streets. The heat wave sucked the air from her lungs. With her hands under her swollen belly, she tried to elevate some of the strain on her back. Only three weeks to go and her baby would be born. She should be excited, but she was worried. The Naming Commission told her today that the name she wanted has already registered. Sadly, Luna was registered last month to someone else’s baby girl. The only option they offered her was to name her baby Luna 2.0. She did not want her child to be a point anything, she wanted her child to have a unique name. To be the first registered.

When she reached her house, she darted inside. The cool air was a blessed relief from the outside heat. The sweat on her body practically froze on her skin. Plopping down on the bright teal wooden bench, she removed her shoes. She slid them under the bench then stood and shook the red dust from the bottom of her long blue skirt. It was a daily struggle to keep the dust out of the home, especially when it clung to everything. It seemed all the women in the kingdom sported the red stains upon the hem of their skirts. She hated it. Not long ago she had petitioned the Fashion Commission to allow shorter lengths to prevent this. They shot her down instantly. The women who sat on the Commission were the fashion superiors and their word was law.

Inside the living room, she sat on the bright yellow sofa. Her feet propped up on the white wooden coffee table. She put her earphones in and clicked the button on the sound system remote. She was that way when her husband came home. She noted that he had removed his shoes but still wore his cream-colored cotton pants and matching tunic work suit. He joined her on the sofa, placed his hand on her stomach, and smiled. She took the earphones out and turned off the sound system.

How did it go at the Naming Commission? His voice held a hint of anticipation. His smile lit his face up.

Not good. The name we wanted was already registered. I want a unique name for our baby. She looked at him, her eyes pleaded with him to offer up a unique name.

Well you need to stop referring to the child as ‘baby.’ I heard on the city speakers that the word baby is now a registered trademark. We can’t afford to be sued for using the word. He shook his head.

Surely the use in our home if acceptable. Turning she faced him, her eyebrow lifted.

There are eyes and ears everywhere, Kathryn 5.0, we can’t risk it. Use the term little human from now on. He lovingly patted her stomach again. So, what’s for dinner?

I thought we would have cucumber soup. With this heat, a chilled dish would be most welcomed. She hated the way he deflected from the subject at hand. She knew he was looking forward to the name Luna just as much as she was. Instead, he focused on a trademarked word and violations.

Kathryn 5.0! You know that James 3.0 registered a trademark for the word soup a couple of months ago. Remember, it is liquid puree now. He looked at her the way a parent would look at an errant child.

I am sorry, Matthew 7.0, of course. Dinner is cucumber liquid puree. She smiled at her husband. He was more concerned with the Trademark Commission and all the trademarked words than she was. Then again, in his line of work as a lawyer, she could see how such things would affect him more than her.

They ate their dinner in silence at the small table in the kitchen. Finishing his dinner, Matthew 7.0 disappeared into his private office. She remained in the kitchen to clean up. There were nights like this where she wished she was one of the Elite. The Elite were allowed various servants to take care of daily chores. Uppers such as herself were denied these luxuries.

She was placing the dishes into the dish cleaning machine when her husband came in. He had changed out of his work suit and now wore a sage green tunic with matching pants. He was smiling the smile that always meant he had big news to share. She couldn’t help but smile back at his infectious smile.

He grabbed her and spun her around. Laughing and squealing, she begged to be put down. When he put her down, he kissed her. Breathless, she smiled up at him. His sparkling blue eyes mesmerized her, pulling her in.

I have the perfect name for our little human. He was giddy. Minka!

Minka? She scrunched up her nose. What kind of name was that?

You wanted her to have her own unique name. I think Minka would be just that kind of name. What do you say? He gave her those puppy dog eyes and smiled at her. His dimple gave him a boyish look that reminded her of when they were young.

He was right, it was very unique. What would be the odds of someone already registering that name? Okay, I will go to the Naming Commission tomorrow and register her name as Minka.

Good. Good. Now our little girl will have a name. He smiled again and left the kitchen to prepare for bed.

She finished loading the dish cleaning machine. With that chore done, she grabbed the floor sweeper and swept up the light traces of red dust. She looked at the floor washer and sighed. She remembered when it was called a mop and one simply mopped their floors. But about ten years ago someone decided to trademark the word mop. Some people get use to the words being trademarked and forbidden to be used by anyone other than the trademark holder. Kathryn 5.0 was not one of those people. She hated the practice and wished people would put a stop to it.

She wondered what life was like before the practice as she slowly made her way upstairs. It seemed that each step was a struggle. She wished someone would have told her how difficult simple tasks were when one was at the end of their pregnancy. When she finally made her way to bed, she settled in and made plans to go speak with her grandmother in the morning.

Chapter 2

Kathryn 5.0 dressed in a long green silk dress. The air conditioner was on full blast and still the humidity penetrated her bedroom. Twisting her long blond hair up, she fashioned it into an approved updo. She slid the rhinestone-clad comb into her hair to finish off the look. With her hair done, she grabbed her face paint—the word makeup had been trademarked when her grandmother was a child. After makeup had been trademarked, everyone referred to the individual items such as eye shadow, blush, foundation, and powder until one by one each item was trademarked. The word lipstick was the last of any form of face paint to finally be trademarked a couple of years ago. Kathryn 5.0 found the disappearance of these words to be troublesome. Maybe today Grandmother could shed some light on what happened. How such things could happen.

Once she was presentable for public, she headed out the front door and began the walk to the Naming Commission. The day was hotter than the day before. The dome over the kingdom protected them from the planet’s harmful atmosphere but didn’t prevent horrible heat waves. Outside the dome was an ugly red cloud, which created an ugly red glow within the dome. The red dust created red stains on the buildings. To combat the constant red, people decorated inside their homes and business with bright cheery colors.

She stepped inside the Naming Commission and welcomed the frigid air. Goosebumps raised on her arms. Wall-to-wall white greeted her. The simple furnishings were also the same shade of white. A sterile government building, devoid of personality.

She noted that today there was no line and inwardly cheered. Yesterday she had stood in line for over three hours just to be told the name was already registered. She moved quickly to reach the desk before anyone showed up.

How may I help you? the small blond behind the desk greeted her.

I need to register a name for my baby, she stated. I mean, my little human. She quickly corrected herself when she realized she had just used a trademarked word. Oh shoot, what if the woman reported her? The fine would be huge.

––––––––

You look frightened. Relax, the letters are just arriving today about the new trademark. We are all still within the two-day grace period, the woman assured her.

Of course, I forgot about the two-day grace period. She took a deep breath. Her husband’s constant fear of trademark violations had her on edge. So, I need to register the name Minka for my daughter.

Okay, let me look that name up. The woman began typing on her keyboard. I don’t see that name registered. Congratulations, the name is yours.

Oh, thank you. I was so worried that I would not be able to get a unique name. She placed her hand on the small of her back. She couldn’t wait for this pregnancy to be over. It seemed each day, her back hurt more and more.

I understand. I will need your name and the father’s name. Her fingers rested on the keyboard.

My name is Kathryn 5.0, and the father is Matthew 7.0. She shifted her weight to her leg.

The woman began to type on her keyboard again. Within a few minutes she turned her electronic screen toward her. Look everything over and verify it is correct.

After Kathryn 5.0 looked at the electronic screen and assured all information was correct and that the spelling matched perfectly, she nodded. Yes, everything is accurate.

Good, just give me a second to print your certificate.

Within five minutes she was holding the certificate that registered her unborn daughter’s name, Minka. She was so thrilled even the scorching heat didn’t affect her. Turning down the street, she headed toward her grandmother’s house. It was Friday morning, so she knew her mother would be there. She couldn't wait to show them that their granddaughter would have a unique name.

She sat at a small wooden table inside her grandmother’s kitchen. So many intimate meals were shared here. So much love flowed in and out of this room. As a child, this was her favorite place to be. It was here she could ask any question without censor. In a world of constant censorship, it was refreshing to have this safe haven, which was so important to an inquisitive child.

She held the certificate up. She has a name. Minka. She beamed at her grandmother and mother.

What happened to Luna? her mother asked.

It was already registered. The only option was Luna 2.0. I don’t want my daughter to be a 2.0 or 3.0 or any other number. I want her to have an original name. She waved the certificate around in the air. Now she will be unique. She will be the first to be named Minka, the original name holder.

Of course, darlin’. Well, Minka sure is original, her grandmother commented.

Grandmother, may I ask you something? Since she had never heard the history of the kingdom in all her twenty-two years, she was unsure how the question about the history would be received.

Of course, you can. You can always ask me anything. What is troubling you, child? She reached her wrinkled hand across the table and grabbed Kathryn 5.0’s hand.

Why do we allow the trademarking of words? The registering of names? Her voice held the same confusion it had when she was a small child. She turned her hand over and squeezed her grandmother’s hand.

Kathryn 5.0, surely you remember your history from school, her grandmother chastised.

"Mother, if you remember, the word history is trademarked. It was trademarked when I was graduating school. They no longer teach it at the schools anymore," Kathryn 4.0 said.

I remember it was trademarked. But why stop teaching it just because the word was trademarked? Surely, they could still teach it and just call it something else, her grandmother replied.

I am not sure what happened back then, but something happened that stopped the teaching of it at all, her mother said.

What is this world coming to? To not teach the children things that are much needed so that they understand the society they live in, her grandmother replied.

So, will you tell me, Grandmother? She smiled at her the same way she had when she was a child trying to get her way. It worked then, but she wasn’t so sure it would work now. The silence held the three of them captive as it engulfed the kitchen. After what felt like an eternity, her grandmother spoke.

"Back on Earth, there was an author that trademarked a word. It created a legal battle that lasted several years. Some believed what she did was wrong, while some very rich people supported such a concept. Anyway, the courts ruled that she could not trademark a word. Fast forward a couple of years and the world was dying. Rich men and women came to Mars and colonized the planet. Then they handpicked people to come