2569 A.D.!

THE DULARNIAN QUEEN

AN ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN

By Jerome B. Bigge

Chapter Fifty One

      "Good sailing weather," my husband grinned to me as I stood on the North Star's quarterdeck, the off duty watch skylarking on deck, many of them no doubt thinking of their families in Dularn.

      "We have `proved' that this ocean can be `crossed'," I said.

      "Hope Darlanis made it back O.K.," he then answered in turn.

      "She seems to lead a `charmed life'," I smiled as he nodded.

      "I am also quite `impressed' by my wife," Paul then "added".

      "`This' is what I `do' best," I smiled back in reply to him, believing that he was referring to my abilities at "seamanship". I am not the "beauty" that Darlanis is, nor the "swordswoman" like Lorraine, but on a quarterdeck I have few equals. My step- mother did teach me well, even if I "resented" her doing so back then... The fact that she died a "Warrioress' Death" in battle right there on the North Star's quarterdeck pleases me. I know she would have preferred it that way to dying in bed of old age. We of the "caste" prefer to die with cold steel in our hands. It is common to bury a Warrioress with her weapons, so that she may greet LYS properly outfitted. It is noteworthy here too that the Simmons both were buried with swords at their hips, as "fitting".

      "You `do' many things well," he smiled back at me as I stood there, the sun shining down from a clear blue sky, its warmth just then "comforting" as the gentle sea breeze filled our sails.

      "We have made `history'," I grinned, well aware that we had. There would be those in Arsana who would say that I should have gone on, met with the Japanese government, and opened trade rela- tions. Yet, I did not doubt that I had done the "right thing"...

      "Others will `follow'," he smiled, putting his arm over my shoulders, "But the history books will say that you were first." *****************************************************************

      "If I ever decide to cross the ocean again, I think I will `borrow' this," Darlanis smiled as she stepped up on to the quar- terdeck of the Astarte, the trim swift vessel a true "sister" to the famous North Star. The craft being Sharon's own "flagship", and one as Darlanis knew well from previous "experience" that could easily outrun any Imperial steam frigate in a good breeze.

      "What you are to `beauty', and my stepmother is to `swords- manship', so is Maris Marn to `ship design'," Sharon smiled back.

      "The Queen of Dularn is a `crafty wench' many have `underes- timated'," Darlanis smiled back. Both she and Lorraine had done so in the past years, Maris' abilities at command at sea being something that any naval commander of any past era in Mankind's long history could honestly respect. Not even the awesome Lor- raine herself, the greatest fighting woman of all time, could surpass the lovely blonde haired Queen of Dularn at seamanship...

      "She is also a quite delightful person too," Sharon added.

      "One `wonders' what `history' would have been like if she'd never escaped Lorraine," Darlanis grinned back at the young Queen as Sharon nodded, well aware of the "truth" the Empress spoke.

      "I don't think there would be an independent Dularn now," the young Queen answered, well aware of the "realities" in this matter, of the fact that only Maris' leadership had "saved" Du- larn from the Empire, from Darlanis' own "ambition" and Lor- raine's too, she felt, "knowing" the Imperial Warlady as she did. It being Sharon's opinion that her stepmother was a woman who saw the world in dire need of "overhaul", and herself best fitted to see to it. Her efforts in the 20th Century in "teaching" Janet Rogers had resulted in the World Federation of the 21st Century. In a social order that hardly could have been considered to be "democratic". Much like the Empire of California was yet still. A social order many still yet "worshiped", not "understanding".

      "Assuming that Lorraine and I didn't have a `falling out'," Darlanis smiled back, her azure eyes meeting those of Sharon's...

      "I think Lorraine is one person that you can `trust'," the young golden haired Queen of Orgon grinned back, the two standing there on the quarterdeck of the Astarte, ignoring both its offi- cers and crew as they awaited their orders to put the ship under sail, it being well known now that their destination was Trella.

      "In some ways she is the `mother' I never had," Darlanis an- swered in a low voice that others might not overhear this now.

      "We'd better get going here," Sharon smiled, Darlanis nod- ding as the young Queen gave her orders then to her own captain. *****************************************************************

      "Lorraine should have had her baby by the time we get back," Diane said to me as I walked the deck for exercise, the lack of such being a reason why the Queen of Dularn weighs what she does. The voyage back home had been so far quite "uneventful", which was just the way that I preferred it! The sky was a clear blue, and the sun shone down brightly upon us just as if we were back home right now sailing off the coast of Dularn. There was a cool pleasant breeze, one that filled out our sails nicely, and this voyage, one that so many had feared would end in our deaths, had been little more difficult than sailing down the coast line of North America. We had seen no other sign of life save for sea life from time to time, and a gentle rain the night before had allowed to replenish now to a certain extent our water reserves.

      "Maybe it'll give her something to `do'," I smiled back.

      "I keep thinking of Bob and Carol," she suddenly said.

      "The `mysteries of time'?" I ventured, smiling back.

      "And the `power' of the Priestesses," she nodded.

      "I'm glad they're `here'," I said, "remembering".

      "Did you actually see the `Evil One'," she asked.

      "As `much' of Him as I ever want to see," I smiled. *****************************************************************

      "I'd like to stop at Sarn if its satisfactory with you," the tall regal golden haired Empress of California said to her "daughter", Sharon being her "heir" to the throne of the Empire.

      "Perhaps there is `hope' for you yet," Sharon smiled back, the wind gently mussing her rich golden hair in the bright sun- light. The ship's officers careful to give them both "space".

      "What do you `mean' by that?" Darlanis immediately asked.

      "The girl is your true daughter," Sharon "grinned" back.

      "If the `prediction' is `right'..," Darlanis mused then.

      "Live for `today', not for a `tomorrow' you may never see," the young golden haired Queen answered as she stood there on the ship's quarterdeck. "Take her in your arms, love her as yours."

      "I fear her, knowing the `truth'," Darlanis answered back.

      "Or is it that you fear for `yourself'?" Sharon challenged, aware that perhaps the "prediction" called for Darlanis' death...

      "I am of the Warrioresses," Darlanis answered, holding her eyes with her own. "I will not let my fears `rule' my life," she then added, standing there, so tall and golden in the sunlight.

      "Janet Rogers `trusted' her," Sharon added softly then. *****************************************************************

      "Weather's getting up," the "first" said, seeing me nod.

      "The barometer's dropping too," Paul added just then too.

      "I think we may be in for another `typhoon'," I mused back.

      "I'll get the crew organized," my husband grinned in reply.

      "Going to be `bad'," I said, lowering the telescope, the wind already ruffling my hair as the North Star laid hove to now. The top masts down, even the yards now taken down. I had the sea anchors out, the men and women of the crew mostly below now fin- ishing up fastening everything down. It was a big ocean, and we were all alone, a couple of thousand miles at least from land...

      "We have `Maris Marn'," my husband smiled, seeing me grin.

      "I want to show just a wisp of sail astern," I spoke then, seeing the first officer nod. Such would help keep the ship bows on into the wind along with the twin sea anchors I had out now...

      "Sure can blow hard out here," Paul yelled at me as I stood there swaying with the ship clinging to the quarterdeck railing, the raindrops striking my face like hail while the North Star fought the waves like the well designed ship she is. The "North" class of vessel is perhaps the most "seaworthy" design ever built here in this era, the Dularnian practice of a double layer hull with a layer of pitch between the hulls making for a water tight ship, a ship that can withstand almost "anything" that nature can produce. I was also aware, however, of the fact that should we ever swing about broadside to such a wind and sea as this one that doubtlessly we'd be thrown right on our side, with a good chance of losing our masts in such a case, leaving us somewhat in the same "situation" as the junk... While I did have spare spars and sails, it would be make our trip back home far longer than usual, and drinking water was always a concern out here where one could not put into shore when they wished for a fresh supply. I had little concern now, as we still had ample supplies of water, although our supply of food was only adequate for another couple months, the few fish we'd caught having served only to give us a little "variety" in our otherwise monotonous diet of ship's fare.

      "You're a woman who's `more' than a wife," he suddenly said to me over the noise of the wind and waves, the crash of thunder. His eyes looking into mine as I nodded, understanding his words!! I recalled how Bob had always "felt" about Carol, that fantasti- cally provocative brownette, and how I had always "envied" such a "love" as that, a "love" that had transcended even time and space. I reached out to him, my eyes moist with emotion, caring nothing for the storm that raged about us, the ship leaping and heaving beneath us as he held me and our lips met in a hot kiss!

Next Chapter