GALLERY OF FRANK R. PAUL's SCIENCE FICTION ARTWORK
artwork (c) Frank R. Paul estate
Cover art by Frank R. Paul for April 1930 Science Wonder Stories.
Summary of the story in Science-Fiction: The
Gernsback Years, by Everett F. Bleiler with the assistance of Richard J. Bleiler,
1998, Kent St. Univ. Press, Kent, Ohio; p.124.
Time: 1950 and A.D. 2999. Place: California. * In the 1950 frame, Bayers,
Professor of Physics at the university and a notorious controversalist, claims
that time travel is possible. Indeed, after an absence from the campus, he
returns looking somewhat bedraggled and claims he has been into the future. His
listeners scoff. * His story: Despite his earlier theorizing, matters really
began when a small time-sphere materialized in his lab, bearing a holographic
(my term) image of a beautiful woman named Editha. He studied the apparatus and
constructed a larger model, in which he set forth, hoping that since he
duplicated the previous machine, he would arrive at the era from which it was
dispatched. * Bayers, after some minor problems, finds himself in a strange
area: It is all wild and beautiful, but in the distance are white buildings.
Approaching him is a tall strangely clad man, walking on the air with peculiar
shoes. But then he sees that it is not a man, but a woman. She bids Bayer follow
her, and he is taken in an aero to the central intelligence division, where
women question him. When he says that he came from the past, the women do not
disbelieve him, but comment that experimentation in time travel has been
discontinued, since they want no disturbance from the males in the past. From
this, Bayers learns that the future society is a gynecocracy. * Background:
After a World War in 1938, there was a really terrible war in 1969, during which
about half the human race died. After the second war an international league was
set up with a governing body, prohibition of war, international support
measures, and a general socialist approach. By 1998 the members of the congress
were overwhelmingly women, who then established a feminist government. Over the
course of time genetic engineering increased the size and strength of women and
diminished the height of men to about five feet. Men now live as pampered pets
or tolerated second class citizens who have no say about anything. Fortunately,
Bayers's time machine is concealed, so that the women cannot destroy it. *
Bayers conforms externally to the new world, although, as later becomes obvious,
he does not know everything that is going on. Meeting some of the future males,
who are small, weak creatures, he becomes involved in an underground movement
and agrees to help them gain freedom. Since (because of his height) he can pass
as a woman if visibility is poor, he is chosen to disable the control center fro
the mechanical apparatus of the culture. With this control center in their
power, the men hope to win an equal share in the government. * Bayers intends to
do his part, but who is in charge of the control center but the beautiful Editha
of the time sphere, who scornfully tells him that his attempt would have been
useless because of safeguards. One word leads to another, whereupon Editha
attacks him. Bayers, who wrestled in previous life, has almost met his match in
the Amazon, but manages to overcome her with jujitsu pressure points. She is
humiliated, but when he kisses her, she responds, and they become lovers. Their
love is [by no] means smooth, however, for Edithaís feelings are ambivalent. On
the one hand she loves Bayers, but on the other she bitterly resents the fact
that a man has overcome her ñ and their wrestling bouts continue. * The end
comes when Editha is chosen to be one of the Mothers. Flagg is not entirely
clear as to what is involved, but the Mothers are immortal, or nearly so, and
are in charge, in some way, of the breeding programs. Judging from Editha's
initial response, however, the new status involves brainwashing or diminution of
personality. * Editha finally accepts the new status, whereupon the matrons
declare that Bayers will be her mate. Again, while details are not provided, he
will perhaps become a mindless stud, artificially maintained in life. * The
machines carry Bayers off, as he protests. But the measures that would have
restrained a future man are not enough for Bayers, who escapes and returns to
his own time. His listeners in 1950 scoff, but he displays on his chest an
enormous brand indicating his status in Editha's world.
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