2566 A.D.!

A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN

By Jerome B. Bigge

Chapter One

      "You must be feeling pretty `confident' of yourself today," I, Queen Lorraine of Trelandar grinned as Darlanis, the Empress of California tossed me a foil from those on the rack and then took another for herself. Both of us had stripped down to golden nipple clips and silken crotch straps, the universal "underwear" of upper class women of North American societies of the 26th Cen- tury. Our throats closely encircled by lovely silver chains that marked us both as being married women of less than three years. Darlanis was like some erotic vision of mythical golden beauty, too beautiful to be "real", while I looked more the "part" of what I actually am, the awesome "Warlady" of Imperial California. A woman from the now mythical 20th Century who had once flown with her stepdaughter through a mysterious "Gateway" from her own era into this one. A one time member of the French Olympic Fenc- ing Team who found her skills extremely useful in this new world! My body now scarred from the numerous battles I had fought in. A newly healed third degree laser burn there on my left thigh yet a reminder of what had transpired on Mars only the month before. The "Revolution" of the "Women" in which I had myself played a "minor role" as Raspa's "defender" during that climactic battle a mile beneath the arid airless surface of that cold desert world. A "revolution" that had "altered" little now that the Priestesses of Lys had suddenly "asserted" their own terrifying powers, power so great that they were almost as "gods" from some old mythology! Both the Lorr and the Women having learned that there were THOSE who possessed "powers" so beyond their own that they were just as "helpless" now against them as we'd been against those of Mars...

      The other three persons there in the Imperial Palace's wal- nut paneled exercise room with us were Yvette, my French slave girl and Lynn, Darlanis' personal confidant. Both were in their own ways "studies" in feminine sexuality. As was beautiful gold- en haired Serena Novak of Muskegon, a barbarian "Princess" from a ruined city in what had once been the State of Michigan back in my own time. Yvette a lovely slim bodied wench, while Lynn is "riper", and more sensual in her appearance. Her unswerving loy- alty to Darlanis earlier is a good part of the reason that she occupies the position here in the Empire that she now does. Serena in silk and leather that much became her young trim body. She had gotten into a bit of "action" recently when Queen Darla- nis mounted an expedition against a group of runaway slave girls that had become a general nuisance to the south and west of Sarn. The wenches now safely back in their slave collars as was proper!

      "I've been `practicing' a bit," Darlanis laughed, going to the "guard position". Her bare feet securely gripping the wooden floor as she took position, her knees slightly bent to give her a better agility in such a contest of physical skills. Doubtlessly with someone else than her Nevada husband, who had learned pretty quick that his wife was "better". Jon Richards, my own husband was very willing to "pass" on such "opportunities" with me too for much the same reason. The little Princess of Talon, Sela Dai, being my latest "sparring partner". She was "quick" on her feet, and reminded me much of my late friend the lovely Nevada maiden Sa-she-ra who died while taking the bullet meant for me!* * The "Nevadas" are a racially mixed group much like the American Indians of the American Southwest in the Nineteenth Century. (JB)

      It was well into spring now, the birds singing sweetly in the trees, the Peasants out in their fields tending their shoots. There had been a few minor clashes between the forces of the Em- pire and those of Dularn. Darlanis' pursuit of the war had been rather "half-hearted" to date, which had irritated a considerable number of people. I also suspected that Darlanis didn't yet see the reason to expand the war, to carry "war" back to Dularn! To teach Queen Maris the "folly" of attacking the Empire of Califor- nia. Her swift raiders having been quite "successful" in showing the people of California how "helpless" they were against Dularn. Our long almost undefended coastline being extremely "vulnerable" to such craft, especially in an era without "modern weapons".* * The "EDICT" prohibited the development of any weapon much past that of perhaps the Twelfth Century. Firearms were "known", but were forbidden by the Edict, which had been enforced by the Lorr, the gigantic ant-like aliens who lived beneath the surface of Mars. At the present time such "enforcement" was the responsi- bility of the Priestesses of Lys, whose "mind technology" was truly awesome, effectively exceeding the "technology" of the Lorr which was based of course upon more "ordinary" physical sciences. It may be noted here for those curious that the Priestesses of Lys also possessed the "secret" of time travel and had made at least one "visit" back to our own era for "reasons" perhaps they best understood. The next book of this series introducing a mar- ried couple from our own 20th Century that I am sure you'll like. They will also be fighting on the "Dularnian side" and we'll get to see just what the Dularnians thought of Lorraine and all! (JB)

      "Your `talents' lie in other `fields'," I teased the beauty, feinting, trying to see if I could "draw her out". My own repu- tation with a sword is awesome. Legendary as a matter of fact. I am not "invincible", but I do rank as the "best" in California! I usually "win" these "matches", but Darlanis is getting "good"!

      "I've fenced too much with you for `that' to work," Darlanis laughed, not responding to my "challenge". She was getting "wise" to my style now, which made our matches more interesting! I had once been offered by a wealthy man the promise of a dona- tion of a thousand gold crowns if I would fence with Darlanis in a public match. I had refused, feeling such would be "improper".

      "But on the other hand you make the mistake of thinking that what I've done in the past I will do in the future," I pointed out, suddenly whirling, my point flashing out. She parried it, but just barely! I tend to "hold back" a bit in these matches, perhaps because I fear that I might hurt her with a thrust. She is more than a friend to me. We are more like "mother and daugh- ter" in some respects despite the fact she is actually "older" than I am. There is an "innocence" about Darlanis that has been exploited by persons of evil intent before. She is easily hurt. Her teen years were unhappy. She suffered the "rejection" of her own "mother" when she charged her "brother" with rape. It was only a couple months ago that Darlanis learned she is actually the daughter of Aurora, Leaderess of the Women of Mars! That she was born there on Mars, not here on Earth as everyone believed!* * Her father Prince Paul, fell in love with Aurora, who was the Lorr's ambassador to Dularn in 2520 AD. Apparently Aurora, know- ing little about "s-e-x" at the time (Mars is a "lesbian" society with reproduction based upon "cloning"), allowed herself to be- come impregnated. Bearing the child while on Mars and then re- turning with the baby to Earth where she presented the Prince- Consort of Dularn with this doubtlessly rather quite "embarassing evidence" of their relationship. His wife, Queen Tulis, at the time this was all going on giving birth to a stillborn baby girl, thus allowing the "substitution" of Aurora's baby for Tulis' without anyone being the "wiser" but for those actually involved.

      "You've been doing more than just sitting on your throne," Darlanis smiled back, suddenly thrusting straight at me with a blinding swiftness. I parried the thrust, jumped to one side. I had sensed the muscle tension there in her body before she made her move. It is like a sixth sense. Part of what makes one Queen Lorraine of Trelandar the "living legend" that she is. Our foils for a moment clashing as we "tested" each other, looking for a "weakness" that we might "exploit" against the other one. I am a tall brunette, 5'9", slim and muscular, the Queen of a country that back in my own era was known as southern California. Trelandar having the name that it does due to the great redwoods.

      "I've been `working out' with Sela Dai," I smiled back. She was "small", but "quick". No match for a woman like Darlanis, or myself for that matter, but she was willing to "learn", and that was the most important thing. My husband Jon, like Darlanis' own Serak has a bit of a "problem" that way. I suppose it is "hard" for a man to be married to a woman who is "better" with a sword than they are. Although Jon takes considerable pride in the fact that I am, as he says, "The toughest bitch that there ever was!"

      "And how is Gayle getting along with Sela's brother?" Darla- nis asked with a smile, trying to "distract" me, and then sudden- ly spinning about and thrusting at me. I parried her thrust and swiftly answered it with one of my own. Darlanis is a strong woman. There is a lot of muscle in that 5'10" frame of hers. She is a big blonde "Amazon" who draws a 75# compound bow! Gayle is my lovely golden haired foster daughter, my own "Princess"!

      "He's pretty `infatuated' with her," I answered, watching her eyes, taking a chance, feinting, Darlanis leaving an "open- ing". I took it, but wisely "held back", the Empress having been as she had said "practicing a bit". I didn't fall for her trick! Our foils ringing together as I parried that sudden quick thrust! That blonde was getting pretty damm good! And fast too, I noted! I wouldn't care to have to face her in a "real fight" either now!

      "You're `good'," Darlanis breathed, giving me a smile, step- ping back, her azure eyes glowing into mine. I nodded, watched. Kept my "guard up". I suspected that the sixteen year old Prince was a bit too much "in love" with Gayle for his own good. Girls, even a "nice" girl like Gayle, will "exploit" a boy like that given time. I suspected if things continued as they were she would be tempted to sexually exploit him for her own "pleasures"! Gayle was "sexually experienced", a former slave I had "freed" last year. The story is quite "involved", I might mention here.

      "I don't have a beautiful face, blonde hair, blue eyes, or a `figure' like yours," I smiled back, "But I do have one thing," I told her, Darlanis being very much aware of what that thing was! She drove me back with a series of thrusts and slashes that I was barely able to fend from myself. Darlanis was getting damm good! Obviously she had been getting some "instructions" somewhere too! She is a "proud" woman, and I suspected she was "serious" about trying to regain her "title" as California's finest swordswoman!

      "Your legendary skill with a sword," the Empress smiled. I saw Lynn whisper something to Yvette as the two stood side by side watching us. Yvette in her golden slave collar, wearing a brief green shift slit on both sides up all the way, and tied at the waist. The "Lady Lynn" in a clinging bright red silken dress that showed off that ripe sensual figure of hers to perfection. Both were dark haired, Yvette's straight, while Lynn's was set in one of the attractive modern styles of 26th Century California. Serena in more barbaric garb, such being fitting for her. She is quite good in a fight, especially at close quarters with a dagger or hand to hand. A true blonde, blue eyed, and "beautiful".

      "I am pretty good," I answered, meeting her sudden thrust. I answered it with one of my own, meeting her feint, parrying her thrust. The two of us leaping apart, the tips of our foils now just touching each other's as we circled. I learned a long time ago to "pace" myself when I fenced with Darlanis. That her own strength exceeds mine, and that I must "husband" my strength if I am to win these little "matches" that we now so much both enjoy!

      "And me?" Darlanis asked, leaping back. She had not been foolish enough to take her attention off me. She was a true mis- tress of the blade. California's "best" before I came around!!!

      "A unique combination of beauty, brains, and skill," I smiled back. Darlanis nodded, but didn't let herself get care- less. She is "wiser" now than she used to be when we first did this together. No longer will she "rise" to "bait" like a trout!

      "If you were a man Serak would still be `playing' with his Pussycat," Darlanis smiled back. I suspected the comment had been made to distract me just a bit. I didn't allow it to do it! I don't like to think about things like that. What could happen! I've been fighting those sort of "urges" all my life, it seems!* * I came very "close" to "giving in" with the Lady Lana however.

      "I'm glad I was born a woman," I answered, driving Darlanis back with a sudden flurry of thrusts and slashes that she had a hard time meeting. I was aware of the dampness there on my skin. Of the fact that Darlanis' own lovely tanned figure now gleamed there in the light from the candles and the lamps set above us.

      "There are a lot of women who would argue that point," Dar- lanis pointed out. I suppose that there were. I parried her thrust. Met it with one of my own. Leaped back from the next. I thrust, but she was too "quick", leaping to one side just then!

      "I don't," I answered, driving her back a bit. I was quite happy to be the sex that I was. I met her return attack, danced to one side. Good swordsmanship is often a matter of "footwork". You let the "enemy" expend themselves making "attacks", which you in turn dodge and parry until an "opening" is presented for your own "attack". It is a lot like a battle between two armies. One must be able to think and act at the same time to be successful.

      "I wonder if being `turned over' to the Priestesses is such a good idea," Darlanis suddenly ventured, changing the subject. The Priestesses of Lys had suddenly to everyone's surprise but mine shown their true "power" only a few weeks before. A "power" I had suspected for some time considering my own earlier experi- ments with hypnosis back in the 20th Century. The Priestesses apparently possessing the "power" of electronic hypnosis, which I had "suggested" to Janet Rogers back before Sharon and I flew through that strange mysterious "Gateway" into this era over five hundred years into the future! It now appeared from what Aurora had told me that the Priestesses had been in "communication" with beings on other worlds with similar powers, such "beings" having become "The Guardians" who now controlled the activities of tech- nologically advanced worlds throughout the entire Universe. The result of all this had been that the Priestesses now "controlled" things, not the Lorr or their now former "servants", the Women.* * I am in a way "responsible" for the Priestesses as I suggested to Janet Rogers back in the 20th Century such might a good idea as a means of insuring "social stability" in a changing society. Unlike the religions of the past, the Priestesses are not "bound" by "dogma", and they are quite able to adjust to changing condi- tions. Unlike "Christianity" of the past, they are not anti-sex although the Priestesses are themselves I now believe "de-sexed". I suspect this is done to avoid "embarrassing incidents" of the sort that the Catholic Church used to experience back in my era. The only thing the Priestesses seem to "oppose" is other reli- gions, which they will not "tolerate". Nor do they "tolerate" what commonly now is called "witchcraft". I know from my person- al experience what can "happen" if you "meddle" in things consid- ered "improper". I got into "trouble" last year for attempting to "hypnotize" Gayle, and was "warned" not to ever try it again! There was no "doubt" either that the Priestesses did have the "power" to carry through with their "threat" if they so wished!!!

      "Saves the Lorr the `trouble' of watching over us," I an- swered, jumping back from her feint. Darlanis following through, but just a fraction of a second too slow. While the popular re- action had been one of "joy", I didn't think that the people knew how little actual "difference" it would make in their lives now.

      "At least certain `mysteries' have finally been `solved'," Darlanis observed, carefully watching for any chance to exploit a weakness in my skill. She was fighting on the "defensive" right now, playing a "waiting game". I've seen her do that with oth- ers. I would not care to face her in an actual duel to the death. I am not all that "sure" either that I would survive the fight! I did not let myself "dwell" upon what she had said. Such would be too "distracting" from the "task" here "at hand". I parried her sudden thrust, feinted, and slipped my "point" be- neath her guard! Touching her there on the upper right shoulder!

      "`Touche'!" Darlanis laughed, stepping back, her azure eyes glowing into mine. The honest sweat of exercise gleaming there on her tanned skin as Lynn came forward to slip a robe about her. The golden haired beauty handing me her foil to put away as Yvette came forward with a robe to slip over my own sweaty body.

      "You are still the `best'," Yvette said to me in French. Serena nodding, giving me a smile as she took the foils from me.

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