The Improbable Choice

Like all nearly 12 year-olds on Eganatia Jatob faces going to the Graining; a six-week time of experiencing each of the five genders on Eganatia to prepare it to make its choice of what gender it wants to be on its 12th birthday. But Jatob fears it will be unable to make a gender choice when the time comes to make one, and worries about what will happen if it changes its mind later in life and wants a different gender. Will it be sent away from the Natia to live with the outcasts of Eganatia; those lost souls who never fit in? And what will its parents say about Jatob’s choice, or lack of choice? Will they cast it from their family forever? At the Graining Jatob discovers special abilities to play in and learn from “the lights”, which help to make its gender choice more clear, but also teaches it about its role in re-uniting the people of Eganatia.