A World Without Men

By Randall Moore

In a world where the incubation of men is banned, a brilliant, empathetic scientist rescues an illegal man from his sadistic owner, launching a power struggle between the status quo and the agents of change.

One hundred and fifty years after the incubation of men was banned, Eleanora Duncan stumbles on a shocking secret. A Colony of lower-caste women are incubating baby boys for sale. Owning a man is the ultimate secret status symbol for the rich and powerful but also against the law, a law the elites support for ordinary members of society while exempting themselves. The Colony now has fully grown men ready to be auctioned off to the highest bidder.

When Eleanora discovers that a man she bonded with at the Colony is suffering abuse by her owner, she comes to his aid, and spirits him to a journalist friend’s mountain home several states away. Her intent is to expose the hypocrisy of the elites. When their plan backfires, her journalist friend is arrested, and she and the man are pursued by the Federal Police, igniting a power struggle that could bring down the government, and launch a civil war.

Will men once again be permitted to live openly with women, or will they be relegated to the near oblivion and slavery that awaits them in the shadows?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Atmosphere Press
• Release date: Nov 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9781639887149

Randall Moore

The author recently relocated with his wife to Boise, Idaho. Fiction has become the mainstay of his current existence, yet he enjoys art, books, movies, music, cooking, wine, baseball, travel and the life of the imagination. Visit the author’s website: www.randallmoorefiction.com.

Book preview

— CHAPTER 1 —

Eleanora Duncan was relieved to be finally riding the elevator to her unit near the top of the Siren Tower in mid-city Victoria. It had been a particularly grueling day at work. Her boss, Marsha Benton, had spent the better part of a two-hour staff meeting browbeating all in attendance. She felt particularly bad for Constance Conner and Phaedra Flower. They’d been brought to tears by the vicious berating they’d suffered from Marsha’s unrelenting attacks. She’d been tempted to speak up in their defense but knew better than risk her career by openly confronting one of the company’s Vice Presidents.

Eleanora worked for Rainbow Industries, a multinational conglomerate involved in mining and manufacturing, specializing in steel and construction. They made weapons, flying vehicles, home and industrial appliances, as well as consumer goods like cameras, phones, miniaturized computers and home entertainment systems, among a host of other products. Her division at Rainbow was developing a geosynchronous orbiting solar array which, when fully operational, would transfer the captured energy of the sun to collectors on the Earth’s surface to be stored in the massive battery farms they were working to develop. Their cog in the operation was to invent a new form of battery that would provide a quantum leap in storage capacity, so energy needs could be met during the critical overnight hours throughout the Federation of Cycloma.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she walked through her front door. Her personal assistant, Cindy Shaw, smiled when she saw her.

How was your day, Eleanora? Could I get you something to drink? Dinner’s in the oven. It should be ready within the hour.

A drink sounds heavenly. I’ll take it in the entertainment room.

She hung her coat on the rack, walked into her domed entertainment room and sunk into the plush leather sofa. She picked up the remote and started it up. The display covering the curved walls and ceiling launched a simulation of the sky above and the horizon below as the sun began to set. The sounds of chirping birds and trilling crickets filled her ears as she was enveloped by the three hundred sixty-degree speaker system. Cindy walked in with a big glass of Chardonnay and set it next to her. She breathed deep and exhaled. She took a sip.

Wonderful, Cindy. Just what I need. Would you like to join me?

Not yet, ma’am. Dinner’s not ready yet. Maybe later.

Cindy left and Eleanora relaxed in her seat, drinking Chardonnay. Her display began to flash. INCOMING CALL it said. She saw who it was. Linda Chan.

Answer, she said, and Linda Chan appeared as though she were in the room.

That looks good, Linda said. I need a drink, too. She turned and said, Caroline? Could you please be a dear and bring me a glass of scotch? Then she turned back to face Eleanora and said, I can’t believe what a bitch Marsha was at the meeting today. The way she beat up on Connie and Phaedra, what could she possibly think that would accomplish?

Caroline brought a highball glass with scotch to Linda and left while Linda took a sip.

Marsha’s just trying to motivate us, inspire us to find the storage solution, said Eleanora.

The only thing she’s inspiring is hate. We’re all experts in our fields, and yet we’re supposed to invent a completely new system of power storage, she said in frustration and then took in Eleanora’s relaxed demeanor. You seem to be taking it in stride.

Anything but, Linda. I’m just as frustrated with the company’s unrealistic demands. But even though I don’t respect the way Marsha’s putting the screws to us, I know that her superiors are drilling it into her twice as hard. And considering that our executive sales staff sold the government on Rainbow being able to deliver this quantum leap in energy technology, somebody’s put their ass seriously on the line. A lot of heads will roll if we can’t deliver.

You really think it goes that far up the food chain?

All the way to CEO Debby Hunt, and from there… all the way to the head of state.

Premier Mary Carpenter. I voted for her based on her promise to open up access to the birth factories. They take my eggs but won’t let me have even one of my offspring.

I voted for her, too. But really, your maternal desires could be satisfied by a simulated child. I gave up mine long ago after the last of my eggs were harvested. I’m forty-one now, and I completely accept that new citizens are grown in the birth factories, not in a woman’s womb.

But haven’t you thought about it? Carrying a new life in your body, bringing it into the world? I can’t imagine anything more thrilling.

Trust me. You’ll grow out of it. I have.

I suppose you’re right, Linda said with a shrug. Politicians make promises, but they’re meant for the elites, not for the ordinary working person, like you and me. But I’m not ready to throw in the towel just yet.

Eleanora smiled and said, For now, we need to concentrate on inventing the new battery technology that will make Rainbow and the Federation a success. Then, who knows? Maybe then you’ll be given a chance at raising one of your own.

Linda sighed and said, Thanks for giving me a listen. I just needed to vent. My dinner’s nearly ready, so I need to go. Love you, girl. The call ended.

Eleanora launched the intercom. How long till dinner? she asked.

About forty minutes. I’ll let you know when I’m ready to serve it.

I’m going to seal the door for now. Just knock or give me a buzz when it’s ready.

Of course, ma’am, Cindy said.

During her conversation with Cindy, Eleanora’s mind turned to Rebecca Carson, one of the women who’d raised her and with whom she’d formed a special bond. Rebecca shared banned texts, videos, and images with her that had been clandestinely passed down to her from other secretive women with a fiercely independent streak. Eleanora secured the entrance to her entertainment room and loaded some of the bootleg videos she’d inherited from Rebecca into her system. The images filled her screen. She breathed heavily as she viewed them. They had arms and legs and heads like she had, but they were different. Leaner, more muscular, and their chests and faces had hair. They were men, something that didn’t exist any more. She’d learned why they’d been eliminated from the gene pool, but wondered if she’d been sold a bill of goods about them. She felt confused by her feelings. She found herself longing for a world with men but then reflected on what she’d been taught. She, herself, was a product of the birth factories and, just like everyone else, had her DNA taken at birth. She’d been raised in a group home, looked after by women who’d tested extremely high as nurturers. That was how everyone lived. It just happened that she tested high for science, and that track had been selected for her. Other girls would be assigned humbler tracks. They were encouraged to accept their status. Those who didn’t, the rebellious ones, would be put to sleep by the age of five. She thought of the mandatory tour of the birth factories she’d taken in high school after her initial batch of eggs had been harvested, the rows and rows of incubators, each with a baby girl inside. She found the science behind it fascinating. Scientists had developed synthetic sperm, the only thing men had to offer, she’d been taught. At one time, men had been important in the development of civilization, but once civilization had advanced sufficiently, men were no longer needed to protect women the way they had in ancient times. At heart, they were still the beasts they’d always been. Men were predatory. They hurt people like her and each other. They were violent and aggressive, and then she remembered that when she was a girl, the word woman had more potent meaning. She knew she was a woman, but it was drilled into her mind that there were no men and no women. There were only people. People like her. But still, the images captivated her, stirred her. She was becoming dangerously obsessed with them. She wondered what it would be like to live in a world with men, but knew that would never happen.

—

This duck is delicious, Cindy, but then it always is.

Would you care for some more Pinot Noir?

Please, Eleanora said with her glass held out. Cindy filled it, and they continued enjoying dinner.

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to live in a world with men? Eleanora asked. Cindy giggled briefly.

What’s funny? Eleanora asked.

Oh, nothing. It’s just that I have a cousin who works as a janitor in the birth factories. She told me they destroy nearly half of the embryos before they put them in the incubators.

That sounds a little far-fetched to me. People who work for cleaning services were pre-selected by testing and evaluation of their level of intellectual capacity and development. I hope you don’t mind me saying that your cousin has been placed in the position best suited to her.

Cindy frowned and said, I suppose you think I’m only good enough to be your butler.

Cindy, she said, reaching for and touching her hand. Being a butler is a time-honored profession that requires emotional intelligence and dedication to service. I certainly couldn’t do what you do. I value you more than you could possibly realize.

Cindy turned her head and looked out the window of their 75th floor unit to the lighted towers they were amidst.

Penny for your thoughts? Eleanora said.

Cindy turned back and said, You know I love you, Eleanora, but sometimes the things you say…

What? What did I say? If I offended you, please forgive me. Eleanora spoke warmly and sincerely.

It’s just what you said about my cousin. If you knew Carla like I do, you wouldn’t have said what you said.

Please forget whatever I said that troubled you. You’re too important to me to allow petty thoughts to come between us. Would you like to watch a movie with me tonight?

Thanks for the offer, ma’am, but I’d just like to read and listen to music tonight, and fall asleep.

Well, have some wine at least.

I will, ma’am. Thank you.

While Cindy took care of the dishes, Eleanora returned to her entertainment dome, locked the door and replayed her bootleg videos of men. She thought about what Cindy’s cousin had said about destroying half the embryos in the birth factories. Were any of those embryos male? It flew in the face of everything she’d been taught, but it set her mind ablaze. What if men weren’t extinct? What if she could be in the same room with one? How would she react? The whole idea was exhilarating, and she felt strangely aroused. Then she shook her head, turned off the display and walked out. She poured herself another glass of wine and surveyed the other towers nearby. Her mind turned to her dear friend, Susan Hammond, and smiled warmly at her erotic remembrances of their times together. Susan was kind, gentle and attentive as she hoped she’d been to her. Her mind then turned to the things they did for each other that were completely disconnected from her reality. She instinctively knew that the sex toys they occasionally used to pleasure each other were completely separated from anything resembling contemporary reality. Her mind turned to the videos of the men she’d been watching and found herself longing for one. She dismissed the thoughts as fruitless fantasy and retired for the night.

—

Eleanora Duncan and Linda Chan were testing one of their latest efforts. Together they had theorized that an increase in battery storage capacity might be possible if they could fuse mercury with a living sponge organism that could expand and seal once full and then expend the stored energy over a period of several months. The problem so far was that mercury was toxic to living sponges. Thus, they were engaged in gene splicing of sponges at the molecular level, attempting to change the nutrients a sponge needed to live from nutrients found in seawater to toxic mercury. To that end, they’d cloned eight different versions of the four classes of sponge: calcareous, glass, demosponge and homoscleromorpha. They’d successfully grown sponges that required infused mercury to survive. The goal was to determine which clone could be grown large enough to hold the hoped-for energy that would be required to power the electrical grid. They decided that clone number seven of the glass sponges had the requisite size and the greatest storage capacity and would hold the stored electricity the longest.

All that’s left is to give our recommendations to Marsha, Eleanora said.

I’d almost rather hold out for a few days, Linda said. I’d hate to have her think that bullshit meeting had anything to do with our breakthrough.

Let’s hold back then, Eleanora said. Our excuse will be to see how robust the clone is. And additionally, I’d like to see if any of the other clones develop further than they already have.

What about Constance and Phaedra? If Marsha gets it into her head she doesn’t need them, they might lose their jobs.

Our breakthrough wouldn’t have been possible without incorporating their theories about mercury. By all means, they deserve to be included. They may have additional input that’ll improve our work. Then we’re agreed?

Agreed, Linda said. Let’s just seal up the lab and call it a day.

After closing and locking the lab, they called Constance and Phaedra and asked them to join them in the morning for a meeting of the minds without the participation of Vice President Marsha Benton.

It was only a half-hour earlier than the previous day when Eleanora walked through the threshold of her 75th floor unit. There was someone with Cindy she’d never met before.

After hanging her jacket on the coat rack, she turned to Cindy and said, I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting your friend.

This is my cousin, Carla.

Eleanora smiled and offered her hand. Carla took it.

Cindy’s told me about you. Is it true you work at the birth factories?

Only as a janitor. They don’t call it that. I’m a sanitation engineer if you believe that bullshit. They think that by giving us an elevated title, we’ll be okay with the shit job we’ve been given. Don’t get me wrong, though. I’m grateful to have a job that puts food on the table and a roof over my head.

Cindy tells me that half the embryos are destroyed. How do you know that?

Who do you think they give the dirty work to, ma’am?

If it’s even true, I would think the doctors would do it.

Ha! Carla said. They got those advanced degrees so they wouldn’t have to get their hands dirty.

You don’t really expect me to believe that, do you?

Don’t believe me. That’s what Cindy said you’d say. Maybe you’d like to see something.

You didn’t bring any dead embryos with you, did you? How gruesome.

Carla walked to the backpack she’d brought and said, I’ve got something better.

She pulled out a cylinder with a flashing light and a video display on it. She brought it over. Eleanora looked at the display with astonishment.

Is that what I think it is?

Yes. It’s a baby boy, Carla said. Isn’t he cute?

Eleanora pointed between the baby’s legs and, with her mouth hanging open, said, Isn’t that…

Yes. It’s his penis. I’ll bet you’ve never seen one before, have you?

She shook her head. Never. I’ve seen pictures, but I thought men were extinct.

Hardly, Carla scoffed.

But this, this must be illegal.

Of course it’s illegal, but only if they find out.

Wouldn’t an incubator be missed?

Another example of the so-called smart people not being as smart as they think they are. There are thousands of incubators that have been declared broken, obsolete or worse. Sanitation engineers are given the task of disposing them along with the male embryos. About sixty years ago, sanitation engineers started incubating babies of their own, including boys.

Are there any fully grown men? Eleanora asked.

Carla smiled and nodded. Yes. Not very many, though.

Could I meet one?

The Federal Police would like to meet one as well.

I work for a company that executes contracts for the government. I’m under no obligation to inform the government or my company if someone has an illegal child. Your secret’s safe with me.

Carla caressed the incubator’s monitor and smiled. He has at least five months until he comes out of the test tube for good. Then he’s mine.

How will you feed him?

Formula mostly. I do know a few women who’ve gotten pregnant the old-fashioned way with men who’ve been raised in secret. Some of them offer their service as a wet nurse.

What about raising him? Aren’t you afraid you’ll be found out?

She shook her head. One of the advantages of living with sanitation engineers is our services are needed around the clock. There’s always someone with time off to help look after the little ones. We’re privileged. We get to live the way women were supposed to live, well, except for the childbearing.

But you said that some of the women have had sex with men and gave birth to children. You’re not going to keep that a secret forever.

Well. Not all women have been deprived the pleasure of men.

Who? How?

I’ve heard stories about politicians and CEOs. Let’s just say that being rich and powerful has more privileges than are available to ordinary people like you.

Yet they’re available to you.

Yeah. Isn’t it a kick?

Astonishing.

Well, I gotta go now, Ms. Duncan, Carla said as she prepared to put away the incubator.

Wait. Can I see him again?

Okay, Carla said. She held up the incubator so Eleanora could have another glance. Her face lit up with amazement as she looked at the incubating boy.

Have you decided on a name?

Not yet, but I guess I’m going to have to figure that out soon.

Carla started for the door.

Would it be possible to visit you, Eleanora said.

Carla turned and said, I’ll check with the others and let you know. Then she walked out the door and closed it.

Eleanora collapsed in a chair, astonished at what she’d learned.

See what I mean about Carla? Cindy said.

Eleanora nodded and said, This is a lot to process. I’ve been taught a lot of lies.

Would you like a drink?

Yes, please. A big glass of red, if you don’t mind.

Coming right up.

—

Eleanora’s slumber had been fitful. Her mind had been constantly filled with images of men she’d seen in her life. There were museum sculptures of naked men in antiquity and paintings of them from the Renaissance. The hyper-sexualized Indian sculptures were the most disturbing, yet she found herself wondering if she would welcome the embraces of men the way the Indian goddesses seemed to do so willingly and enthusiastically. She’d even viewed ancient pornography that had been passed down to her from her favorite group home mother, Rebecca Carson, and found awakened within herself the desire to experience what she’d seen. She got up an hour earlier than normal and made coffee. She sat next to the window and sipped it while contemplating Victoria’s skyline.

I thought I heard you were up, Cindy said as she walked into the kitchen.

Eleanora turned and said, Couldn’t sleep. Thought I’d get an early start on the day.

I’ll fix us some breakfast if you like.

I like, she replied.

Cindy whipped up a scramble of eggs, potatoes, onions, bacon and cheese and finished it under the oven’s broiler.

What’s your secret? she asked while devouring her serving.

If I told you, you wouldn’t need me.

Don’t you believe that for an instant, Cindy. If you didn’t take care of me, I don’t know what I’d do.

Cindy smiled warmly and said, Did you think about what Carla showed us?

I haven’t been able to think of anything else. If you talk to her, remind her about what I asked.

I will, ma’am. Would you like some more coffee?

Please. Cindy filled both their cups, and Eleanora read the news on her flat panel while they drank coffee together.

—

Eleanora, Linda, Constance, and Phaedra were sitting around a table in a conference room.

We asked you in today because we want to share what we believe is a breakthrough in our research. But before we present it to upper-level management, we want your input on how we can improve it, Eleanora said.

Constance and Phaedra were nodding their heads.

We want you to promise you’ll keep what we disclose to you a secret until we all agree to present it to Marsha, Linda said.

Why are you doing this? Constance asked. We’ve been banging our heads against a brick wall and have come up with nothing.

Marsha’s under a lot of pressure to produce, and she thinks by leaning on her staff that’s all that’s needed to get it done, Eleanora said.

We could have presented it to her yesterday, but neither of us wants her to believe her bullying had anything to do with our discovery, said Linda.

Plus, we need independent corroboration of our findings. We incorporated your theory that mercury, if controlled, would provide superior if unstable storage of electricity. We found a way to clone and mutate sponges so they could host and thrive on mercury. We believe we’ve accomplished that and want to share our innovation with the two of you. Our breakthrough wouldn’t have been possible without your work on mercury, said Eleanora.

I’m overwhelmed with your generosity, Phaedra said. I’ve always felt we were competitors, under pressure to outperform each other.

That’s what makes this perfect, said Linda. We stick it into that bitch, Marsha’s face, and give you the credit you deserve.

Both Constance and Phaedra were in enthusiastic agreement. It was agreed that they would review Eleanora and Linda’s findings for a couple of days and then report to Marsha, but that would put them into next week, as they were now headed into the weekend.

—

Carla called about you, ma’am, Cindy said.

What about?

What you asked. Her community has agreed to let you visit tomorrow. They gave specific instructions and asked that you bring no communicators with you.

What if something happens and I need to get in touch with someone?

Think of what you’re saying, Eleanora. If you need to call me, there will be plenty of ways to do it on the road.

All right. I’ll do as you say. Do I need to wear or bring anything?

Cindy smiled and shook her head. No, ma’am. Just come as you are, and you’ll learn what’s still possible.

— CHAPTER 2 —

Eleanora could barely sleep and was up and about early on Saturday morning. She tried her hand in the kitchen but burned the bacon, setting off the smoke alarm, bringing Cindy to the rescue. Cindy took over and finished making breakfast. They ate together, and while Eleanora was showering and dressing, Cindy made her a sandwich for the road.

After arriving at the train station, she took a high-speed train out of town and transferred to another that took her below the Stovepipe Mountain Range. From there she boarded an older and slower train that took her into the mountains, and when she arrived at the Manu Station, she exited and waited outside. After ten minutes, a panel truck drove up and Carla got out.

Get in the back, she said.

Eleanora looked in, saw that she would be sealed in without a view, and said, But I won’t be able to see where we’re going.

Carla smiled, shook her head and said, You’re just figuring that out?

Okay. I’ll do it.

Eleanora got in and the truck drove off, bounding over the rough road.

You okay back there? Carla said through the speakers.

It’s a little uncomfortable not being able to anticipate the bumps in the road, but I’m holding up okay.

Good. You might want to strap yourself in. It should smooth out some of the bumps.

She sat in the seat, fastened the seatbelt and said, Got any music?

Her request was answered by the playing of The Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner over the speaker system. After listening to it, the music changed to This is a Man’s World by James Brown.

The music ended, and Carla said over the speaker system, You okay back there? You want to hear anything else?

I’m good, Eleanora said. Carla responded by playing Bach’s Adagio in D Major for strings. She leaned back in her seat and allowed it to wash over her as she could only imagine what must have been beautiful scenery passing by