Author: oolonroosevelt

Counseling (2/2) [Fantasy] [F mast, MF]

In a hotel ballroom, a banner says, “Good Luck Gillian — Happy Retirement After Thirty Years!” Men in suits and women in cocktail dresses gather around the bar, drinking sparkling wine as a DJ spins oldies.

Nicola brings Lisa up to meet Gillian. “Hello, Gillian, congratulations. This is my girlfriend, Lisa. Lisa, this is Gillian.”

Lisa says, “It’s so nice to meet you, Dr. Smith, Nicola tells me you’re a whiz.”

Gillian laughs “Well, maybe. I’ve learned a few tricks. Now it’s time for somebody else to use them. And call me Gillian, please.”

“Are you going to relax, now that you’ve retired?” asks Lisa.

“Well, I’m retired from the Service Office. I’m not old enough to retire for real. I’m starting a small private practice, part-time, helping women in commercial service work through their issues. So, it’s related, but different. And I’m working on my art — I have a show at a gallery in Jenkins next month.”

Nicola asks, “Jenkins? Why Jenk– oh, you’re going to the wedding.”

“Ha. It’s just a coincidence, actually. But in thirty years I’ve never had a client invite me to her wedding, so I thought I’d go, and meet the man who singlehandedly forced a session of the Joint Lords-Representatives Conference on State Service.” Read more »

Counseling [Fantasy] [F mast, MF] (1/2)

(One of a series of stories of Sexual Equity.)

In the small back office, Renee shuts the door and lowers the blinds, closing herself off from the shop. Sitting at the computer, she closes Quickbooks, and opens up her email. She finds the one labeled “VIDEO CONSULTATION with NICOLA MIRZA, MSW, LCSW” and clicks on the link to open the videoconferencing program.

After a few beeps, the call is answered. The video starts, and shows a view looking down a narrow room. In the picture, Renee sees unoccupied sofas on either side of the room; in the center, a woman in her late twenties, sits on a chair, nude, holding a tablet computer in her hands. “Hello, this is Nicola Mirza. Is this Renee Allen?”

“Um, yeah.” Renee hesitates. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting… You know you don’t have any clothes on?“

Nicola smiles. “Yes, it often takes people by surprise their first time. There are good reasons, which I’ll explain in a bit. First of all, I just want to verify a few things.” She looks down at her tablet. “It says you’re on the town council of Kelham Mill, Helenia, and that after your one-year check-in, Jessica recommended you see a counselor.” Read more »

Royal Briefing [MF] [Fantasy]

His Majesty Michael, King of New Dorset, sits at his desk, fidgeting with a foam basketball, spinning it on his fingers.

Something buzzes on the desk, and he doesn’t realize what it is until he hears the voice over the intercom. “The prime minister is here, Your Majesty,” it says.

“Send her in, please,” says the king.

A few moments pass, and then the intercom buzzes again. “Your Majesty, are you there? The prime minister is here.”

Frustrated, the king puts the ball down, stands up ad looks around the very large desk, stacked with papers. Finally, he finds the intercom, and holds down a button. “Send her in, please,” he says again.

This time the voice on the intercom says, “Yes, Your Majesty,” and a moment later Judy comes in. She’s wearing a very fitted knee-length red dress, a short black jacket over it, and black heels over hose. She approaches the king, and curtseys deeply. “Your Majesty,” she says.

The king looks at her. “Madam Prime Minister.”

They stare at each other for a moment.

“Your Majesty, do I have your leave to speak freely?” Read more »

Seraglio [Fantasy] [MF]

King Kevin is reading the news — Chinese authorities have just cracked down on dissidents demonstrating in Tiananmen Square — when a voice comes over the intercom: “Ms. Hopkins is here to see you, Your Majesty.”

The king holds down the button on his desk and says, “Send her in, please.”

Lisa Hopkins, mid-thirties, is dressed in a pink wide-shouldered blazer, short plaid pleated skirt and white pussycat-bow blouse. She comes in the door and curtsies in front of him. “Your Majesty, you wanted to see me?”

“Yes, Ms. Hopkins, thank you for coming. I know you have a motion before the House this afternoon so I’ll try not to take too much of your time. Please have a seat.” He motions to a chair across the desk from him. “I wanted to talk to you about some thoughts I’d had regarding my residential apartments here in the palace. As someone who has visited several times, I thought you might have some insights.”

Lisa gives a sly smile. “Your Majesty, considering the activities we’ve undertaken during those visits, I think you should feel free to use my first name.” Read more »

The New Minister [Fantasy] [MFF]

Lauren sits at her desk, pretending to herself that she’s being productive. She’s going through old email — sifting through seemingly endless newsletters and event announcements sent from citizens’ groups in her constituency. She deletes most of them unread. She’s really just killing time waiting for a call, and when it does come she picks up the phone after the first ring.

“Hello, this is Lauren McKelvie.”

“Hello, Lauren, it’s Judy Thompson. I have a lot of calls to make, so let me get to it: will you join my cabinet as Minister of Transport and Infrastructure?”

“Yes, of course, Prime Minister. Thank you, I won’t let you down.”

“Great. I’m sure you won’t. Olivia is on the line and will make arrangements. Thanks, Lauren, I’m looking forward to having you on the team.”

Lauren hears a click, and then another voice. “Hello, Ms. McKelvie, I’m Olivia Seymour. I’m an assistant here in the Privy Council Office, and I’ll guide you through the ministerial appointment process.”

“Thank you, Olivia.” Read more »

The New Duke [MF] [Fantasy]

Emma had heard that the audience chamber had changed since she was here last, but the furniture in the anteroom looks the same. She takes off her clothes and puts them and her purse in the closet. She has time to take a quick shower; the washroom hasn’t changed either. Coming back to the closet, she finally sees one change, one she’d been warned about: the standard service robes are nowhere to be found. Instead, there are square scarves, intended to be tied at the side of the neck in the mode of a flight attendant. They have the province’s coat of arms printed on them. She puts one on, checks her appearance in a mirror, and wearing nothing else, enters the audience chamber.

The room has been redecorated in a forest theme, with muted green tones and dark wood furniture, and landscape photos of forests and lakes. But there are still the same elements: bed, nightstands, sofa, coffee table, kneeling stool. There are still curtains in front of a wall of windows on one side. Emma kneels upon the stool and waits for the duke to enter.

The duke arrives shortly, and says “Declare yourself.” Read more »

Lady-Provincial [MF] [Fantasy]

The small silver envelope reads “The Honorable Hayley Swarbrick, SS, JD, MLA.” Hayley picks it up from her desk in the legislature’s wing of Wilmot-Horton Palace, the sprawling building that houses the provincial government. It is from the Office of the Chamberlain of Duke Peter of Wilmot-Horton, and contains a summons to the Duke’s Chambers, at nineteen the following evening.

—-

“Always call him ‘Your Highness,’ and remember that when you’re with the Duke, you should answer any questions he might have. When you’re performing citizen service, it’s easy to see how confidential information could get out, or how inappropriate rumors could be started. As I’m sure you realize, those concerns don’t apply to the Duke.”

“Yes, Ms. Marcroft,” says Hayley.

“Well, Ms. Swarbrick, I think you’re ready for your audience. Thank you for coming early. If you’d like to wait here for a little while, you could catch up on reading or correspondence before going in. Once in the audience chamber, that’s not appropriate.”

“Thank you, Ms. Marcroft. Do you mind if I ask — what’s it like, being in the Duke’s household? Do you often work directly with the duke?” Read more »

Minister for Youth and Sport [MF] [Fantasy]

Kyle McQuary, newest research fellow at the John Burfitt Institute, and the Very Honorable May H. Van, MLA, CSS, Minister for Youth and Sport for the Province of Deltaland, drink tea in a café across from the provincial capitol.

“So, Mr. McQuary, now you’ve seen the centers in person. What did you think?

“Minister, I was very impressed. Back in the capital, we weren’t able to find funding to open youth centers more than three days a week. But here, you have care five days, plus classes and activities, even on weekends. The centers themselves are very nice, but it’s the level of funding that I can hardly believe.”

“Well, much as I’d like to, I can’t take credit for that. The last government worked out a grand bargain between all the cities and the provincial youth and senior citizens ministries to share staff and resources: all the ancillary support staff like cleaning, procurement, and personnel, and even things like using the same music instructors for youth and senior programs. Reducing redundant functions allowed us to redirect what funding we had toward front-line staff. We disagreed in a lot of other ways, but the last senior and youth ministers made a great accomplishment here.” Read more »

New Officeholder Orientation [MMFF+] [Str8] (2/2)

(continued…)

The crib is similar to the one in E2, but like the waiting room, is much larger. Here the bed is king-sized, with a nightstand on both sides. Some undulating couches line the walls. Several of the very low stools are stacked against one wall. Rebecca enters, picks up a stool and puts it in the middle of the floor. “This is a kneeling stool. You sit down with most of your weight on the seat, but it’s angled so your knees rest on the ground. Then you swing your legs underneath he stool again.” She demonstrates, kneeling, facing them. ”See how I don’t sit on the robe, but directly on the seat. The seat pads are changed out after each appointment, with the other linen.

“Take a stool, and kneel, lining up in front of me.” The other women take stools and kneel on them, facing Rebecca. “You will sometimes end up kneeling on the floor, but for long periods, most women find that the stools are more comfortable. The rest of the orientation will be in this room and you’ll be kneeling for most of it. Kneeling helps remind us to be humble before the men we serve. Read more »

New Officeholder Orientation [MMFF] [Str8] (1/2)

Twelve women in the their twenties and thirties, dressed in pantsuits or blazers and skirts, file in to the conference room and sit around the table. At first, they talk of their journeys here to the capital; soon he discussion turns to constituency office staffing and committee assignments. Finally an older woman, about fifty, comes in, wearing a “State Service Office” badge on a lanyard.

“Hello. Welcome to State Service Orientation. I’m Rebecca Upston, the Parliamentary Commissioner for State Service. Angela, who usually does new officeholder orientation, is off today, so you get me; I’m the head of the program. Thanks for coming on time. I know this seems uncomfortable and frightful for some of you, but don’t worry, for almost everyone orientation, and service generally, turns out to be a good experience. Can you introduce yourselves? Just first names here. You can call me Rebecca.”

They go around the room, and each says her name. Rebecca makes a point of repeating them back. “Georgia.” “Eva.” “Lucy.” “Holly.” “Bella.” “Brooke.” “Samantha.” “Jasmine.” “Sophie.” “Madison.” “Summer.” “Elizabeth.” Read more »