“Wild Thing: going feral on Amazonia!”
The Ozmund Company was revered as the galaxy’s most reliable public transport service, even though it was a relative newcomer in the history of space exploration. The United Cosmic Military was one of its most frequent clients and sponsors, and most of the species recognized by the Alliance held the Company in high regard. Even the elf races and the Elshyrin respected Ozmund and trusted them to transport, protect, and escort everything from high-level officials to everyday supplies. Although they did not monopolize all space transports yet, Ozmund’s competition was so incidental that they were either looked upon as jokes, fools, or stubborn outlaws who had not yet been engulfed. Even with all their accolades, awards, and good reviews, though, the Ozmund Company remained quite humble about their work. Only those select few small business owners saw them as an “evil” company; the rest of the galaxy’s population eased into their speedy, punctual, and safe arms like children snuggling beneath warm blankets in the winter.
The heart, soul, and mind of the Ozmund Company was not credited to one person but two: Keiko and Kyle Ozmund, a brother and sister team whose hard work and exceptional business acumen had given rise to their quick and widespread success. Kyle, the eldest, was the boss behind the entire operation and the one who scouted the best pilots, mechanics, and general maintenance crews who kept his business running; Keiko, his twin sister, acted behind the scenes as a strategist, diplomat, and chief advisor. While Kyle’s natural leadership qualities, strict adherence to morals, and good public relations had built the company, Keiko’s wisdom, foresight, and negotiation skills supported the industry and made it what it was. What was most amazing was that the twin siblings came from very humble origins, and yet had achieved all this power just a few months shy of their thirtieth birthdays.
Right now they were in the process of speaking to another potential client. The man refused to reveal himself in person, instead choosing to interact with them over a real-time voice feed. Occasionally, several of the galaxy’s renowned powers would throw their lot in with the Ozmunds and expand their empire by a few more planets, and this is what their newest client was proposing. He was not so much interested in broadening their horizons as he was strengthening their security, and reminded them that with greater frontiers, their current protection services were being stretched thin.
“It comes as no surprise to hear of increased raids on smaller commercial vessels,” their client spoke. His voice was musty and professional, completely devoid of the slightest hint of interest or passion. “Studies show that criminal organizations thrive in these wild or unknown regions some of your other clients seem to favor. The United Military forces have performed admirably in their duties thus far, but in their pride lies their weakness; they cannot be all-encompassing. I will propose to lend several of my employees to monitor the uncivilized regions of the galaxy in order to cover up the gaps that the military misses. In exchange, I will ask for a small margin of profits obtained from the transports rendered safe by my actions. I will give you as much time as you need to think it over. End transmission.”
It was true that these so-called wild regions were unsafe, and any help in those areas was greatly appreciated. Keiko and Kyle naturally paid their sponsors back with their incredible profits, and had been hoping the military would be more generous with enforcement. Lately, though, it seemed they were stifled and short-handed, and even though the Ozmund Company was expanding its territory to include worlds that were once previously obscure and unknown, the UCM was hesitant to share in their bravery. A great fortune could be had if there could only be the assurance of safety in these regions—but Kyle and Keiko Ozmund never agreed to a deal without thinking it over first.
“So—ideas?” asked the brother. Keiko pursed her lips, carefully staring at their client’s message.
“I would like to speak with the military once more. If need be, I will arrange a meeting with the Director herself. I would like to find out why they’re so apprehensive.”
“Yeah. He didn’t sound like he was up to no good—that guy played things real cool and careful. And it was pretty slick of him talking to us over a computer. You think he knows about my ‘special ability’?”
“Unlikely,” she chortled. “If he did, he wouldn’t have contacted us.”
“Oh yeah. So while you’re busy playing with the army brats, what do you think I should be doing? I was gonna send a crew to scout the new territory and see what we’re up against, but if you have any ideas…”
“No, that sounds great. It looks like we have something to keep us busy now.”
“Yeah, no kidding.” They shook hands and set off on their new paths. More than likely, this would end up being nothing but politics on one end and mindless pirates on the other, but if the course of a river can be diverted by a single rock, there was no telling what might be in store for them.
……
Because of the damage caused by flying through a ring of asteroids twice, the Dauntless had no choice but to stop somewhere for external repairs. The Sek system didn’t have a single decent maintenance hanger to speak of, and the next closest was in a star system tightly controlled by the military. This would not normally pose a problem but for the number of outlaws, criminals, and rogues onboard. Kay and Tee had to move elsewhere for repairs, even though they knew that a system not under the watch of the military was probably a lawless, dangerous place to be in (then again, they had plenty of lawless, dangerous women there for protection!). Those with a knack for repairs chipped in while the others wandered out, gathering supplies and stretching their legs. Rebecca wanted to get started on the ship’s weapons, but Amy startled her by saying the Dauntless did not possess any offensive capabilities at all.
“You mean to say that you don’t even have one little cannon for defense?”
“No, not at all.”
“So what do you do if some scumbag decides to chase you down?”
“There are other ways out of a tight spot,” she answered with a smile. Rebecca figured she was referring to her genie friend, who was eagerly acting as a gofer for the mechanics. She looked up as the exotic creature floated in the air, trying to smooth out all the dents and scratches.
“I guess so. How’d you two meet, anyway?”
“I already told you, didn’t I? We found each other.”
“Oh, you mean like Aladdin and his genie?”
“Something like that.” Amy held up her right hand, which was bare except for a large ring circling her middle finger. The stone was made out of a material Rebecca didn’t recognize, and there were characters carved into it she couldn’t decipher. “I inherited the Dauntless from my parents, who received it from their parents. Before that, the ship…well, it found them. It simply arrived before them one day and swore to serve them. I know that makes no sense, but that’s what they told me. They certainly didn’t buy it or build it. When I attained ownership, my parents told me where to find…a certain item. It was hidden somewhere on the silent planet—I mean, on Earth. That item was the ring of Solomon, which he used to seal and bind the ifrits. By the time I discovered it, of course, most of the ifrits were gone, and Rachel was the only one left. We bound our destinies together and wound up on Strategos.” Rebecca just stood there in a daze.
“It’s over my head,” she sighed. Amy chuckled sweetly.
“It was a little big for me too. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around it, so don’t feel like you’re the only one. Rachel and the Dauntless are the only defenses I’ll need in this life, and my soul is prepared for what lies beyond that.” Rebecca nodded.
“I heard you were religious; I just never thought a Christian would be so open about all these…uh, questionable people. And…I’ve noticed…quite a lot have a fixation on…uh…you know. Each other.”
“You mean they’re lesbians,” she stated gently. Rebecca sighed and nodded her head. “It’s not my place to say anything about it. The only life I’m responsible for is my own. I just have to love them unconditionally. Say, I’d like to go for a walk. Care to join me?”
“Ah…are you sure you should be doing that?” She knew about Miracle’s handicap, but lately she had noticed the mousy young woman favoring her crutches over the cane she usually kept. Amy almost looked offended as she took her glasses off and polished them.
“I’ve got a tiny little cut on my foot that doesn’t heal, Rebecca—I’m not crippled. Come on, let’s go. Hey, Rachel!”
“Yo!” The genie whirled around, almost dropping the stack of tools she was ferrying around. She dove down to catch them and giggled nervously.
“Rebecca and I are going for a walk. Could you watch over the ship until it’s repaired?”
“Sure! I’ll call you as soon as it’s done.”
“Great, thanks! Well Miss Hill, we have the day to ourselves. What would you like to do? We won’t get another rest like this for quite some time.” To be honest, Rebecca was getting hungry, but her mind was still on the ship and the people imprisoned to its construction. She suggested that they go out and pick up something for the whole crew, and Amy brightened to the idea and led the way, wincing ever so slightly as her foot brushed against the ground.
With the surprise treat boosting their spirits, the mechanics finished their work on the Dauntless in record time, but part of the credit had to be given to the ship itself. Its alien designers obviously knew that it would be banged around a lot, and gave it measures to recover itself. Nobody had ever heard of self-regenerating armor before, but several women were already attracted to the idea and a few tried replicating the process long before liftoff (at least, that’s what Valti and Kyrie said they’d be doing when they scrambled into Professor Brignor’s room). Lillianne had been stealing glances at the Tome of Treasures while everyone else was working, and came across an entry she just couldn’t resist.
“The Medallion of Fate…” She sat up and studied the entry more closely. “Now where have I heard that before? …Ah, yes, it was one of the items my ancestors exchanged with the Amazonians. Let’s see…we traded the Bones of Fortune for it once. What else? Eh…I can’t remember. I know it was off-world when the planet was lost; I didn’t think the Amazonians would still have it. I wonder if that little pixie would mind if we investigated.”
Dr. Miracle was chatting with Alala when Lillianne interrupted with her proposition. Amy listened just long enough to understand her sales pitch, then resumed her conversation. Lil wasn’t used to being brushed aside or “put on hold”, but she wanted to find that medallion and so she could endure a little impertinence. She hovered over the babbling duo until Alala jerked around and shooed her away.
“What do you want? Amy already listened to your hackneyed story and she’s not interested! We’re having an intellectual discussion and we don’t need your childish rudeness interfering!”
“Actually, Amazonia is fairly close,” Miracle mentioned. “It wouldn’t hurt to at least have a look around.” Alala sputtered as her friend drew herself in to Lillianne’s world, and the exotic beauty from Mu grinned carnally. At first she only signed on with these losers to be with Aseria, but she never expected they’d actually be of any use to her!
“Ames, ya can’t be serious! Don’t listen to her! Amazonia is full of barbaric femmi-Nazis! They cut their boobs off and keep men as pets! They don’t even have schools, just…stupid rites of passage that puts poor young girls through Hell!”
“Sounds like my kind of place,” Lil said proudly. Amy managed to calm Alala down, using the very techniques the cat-girl so proudly flaunted.
“Listen, Alala, why do you hate people who jump to the wrong conclusion about you? Is it because it’s true, or are they merely ignorant? Didn’t you set out to prove everyone else wrong about your race? You’re thinking in stereotypes just like the people you claim to hate.”
“No I’m not! I took a class on planetary histories, the same as Riene! She’ll agree with me! I wouldn’t call them barbaric unless I knew it for a fact!”
“But have you been down there to look for yourself?” Alala’s mouth hung open in shock. The good friend who understood and respected her was suddenly turning on her.
“Are you trying to convince me to go there?”
“I’m just saying you should stop being hypocritical.”
“Fine,” she snorted, pouting adorably. “I’ll go down there and see for myself, but Yenae better not follow!”
“I think we should all go down there,” Lil said warily. “The Amazonians might not all be barbaric, but it’s a barbaric place. We’ll need strength in numbers if we want to survive.” Amy shook her head warily.
“I can ask everybody, but there’s no guarantee they’ll come along. Remember, it’s their choice whether to stay here or leave with you. I, on the other hand, will…happily accompany you.” She grunted as she stood to her feet, and reached out for her cane as she walked to the door. Despite looking so ordinary, unassuming, and mousy, Amy Miracle had a surprising fearlessness about her that stirred and inspired the hearts of others. She merely announced where the ship was going and who was coming along, but by leading through example, she alone convinced the entire crew to accompany her.
“That woman sure has balls,” Naja admitted as she looked at the PA. She leaned over to lash her forked tongue over her lover’s ear, whispering coldly, “We’re leaving now. Get dressed and follow me.”
Chandra moaned and sat up. “Aww, do we have to?”
……
Not since the days of Mu have outsiders set foot on the feral world of Amazonia. Its very first explorers bequeathed its name in honor of the Greek and South American tribes of warrior-women; it was a proper title for a civilization so primeval and fierce. Although the citizens of Mu had been regarded as equals and allies by the Amazonian women, no other culture has since earned their respect. The very last visitors retreated in such panic that not even the bravest or most daring adventurer will land there. Those unlucky enough to be stranded there are killed, kept as prisoners and studs, or else integrated into the matriarchal tribes. Despite all this, it’s a lush, vibrant, gorgeous planet, blooming with vegetation and animal life not seen since ancient times, when people worshipped the stars and did not fly to them.
Lillianne seemed to know Amazonian history and custom fairly well, and claimed to have visited the world once, during the last days of Mu. She described the women as powerful, independent, proud goddesses, each one born and bred into a separate territorial tribe. They spent their lives honing their skills, hunting, cultivating the land, waging war on their enemies, and making love to their sisters in arms. Yes, she said, the women formed bonds that were not unlike marriage with each other, only taking a man when it came time to bear children. Most of the male population were considered outcasts and were hunted for sport, but the strongest and most attractive were kept like pets for breeding purposes; they led a relatively good life compared to the others. Contrary to popular belief, very few of the Amazonians actually cut off their breasts: they had developed bows that cooperated with their curvaceous bodies, and the only ones who kept that practice were those who chose it as homage to their ancestors.
“My people voyaged here through crafts given to us by the gods; the Plateau of Far Reaches was designated as their landing space. It’s a level plane in a cleared area that’s large enough to keep a ship twice as large as our own. Since I know their culture the best, I’m going to go out first, but I might need Miss Latoli by my side in case their language has changed.”
“I don’t know the Amazonian speech,” she admitted fretfully.
“But you are a philologist, right? Don’t worry, you’ll pick it up quickly. The rest of you, stay here and wait for my signal. It goes without saying, but you’ll probably have to dress for very warm weather, unless they’re generous enough to lend you something.”
“Or we could just go naked,” Shana said. Chandra and a few others heartily agreed, even though Miss Suing had not been serious.
“That would not be a wise idea. They may be savage, but they still have modesty. Riene, you ready?”
“This is a little sudden,” she muttered, kneading her hands together nervously. Lil placed a firm hand on her shoulder and gave her a fairly encouraging look.
“You’ll just have to suck it up. I’d rather it be Aseria by my side, but there’s no telling how they’ll react to a woman with pointed ears and black skin. Come on—and get undressed.”
“Do I have to?” she murmured fearfully. Lillianne was already brazenly taking off her clothes and gave Riene an expectant look. The crew had been whisked away so they could have their privacy, and seeing as how she had already volunteered for this job, Riene complied. Lil’s mouth jerked and her teeth were bared in a smile as the woman revealed herself. Somehow, it was always the shyest women who managed to look the sexiest. Riene’s beautiful reddish-orange hair and her freckled skin made her look more enticing than most models Lillianne had known, and if it weren’t for her twisted devotion to Aseria…well…
“Let’s get moving,” she said, eyeing the redhead a bit longer. She made no subtleties about it and so Riene knew exactly what was going through the other woman’s mind.
The first thing they noticed, of course, was the sweltering heat, and how it made their clothes stick to the skin. Lillianne had nothing but a green toga on while Riene stood fanning herself in a T-shirt and shorts. She was told to stand as properly and proudly as she could so that the approaching envoy would not look down on her. There were very few cowardly Amazonians in that world and none of them led happy lives.
“Be bold,” she hissed, “or they’re liable to rape you. Watch out for warning shots, too. Stand perfectly still and don’t flinch. They won’t strike you, trust me. It’s just a test of fortitude.” Riene took a deep breath to settle her nerves. She had never been a particularly valiant woman and doubted she could fake it, even with her life on the line.
“How long ago did you say you were here last?”
“I don’t know,” she whispered. “It was several years. I was just a child, but I—“ Her voice was stopped as eleven arrows sailed out of the sky, striking the ground and bouncing off the ship’s hull. Riene was petrified as she felt her heart race, but clenched her fists and gnashed her teeth together. She just needed to pass this one trial…
“Ho!” Lil shouted, raising her hand. She announced something in a fast monosyllabic tone that was answered by three cries. In spite of her earlier fear, Riene’s mind was working quickly and she could already make out the beginnings of their speech. Three Amazon warriors approached them during this time, covered in furs, feathers, bones, war-paint, and rugged jewels. They set their weapons against the intruders and appeared to demand their identities. Lil answered them back in a firm voice; the women looked at each other, and slowly backed off to speak with each other.
“I told them you’re my handmaiden,” she murmured to Riene. “It was the only way I could justify your existence. You’re not my family and you’re not my lover, so that was the only option left. Anything else, and they’d take you into their tribe and make sweet Amazonian love to you. I’m sorry if I disappointed you,” she added sarcastically.
“Trust me, I’m grateful,” she whispered. “Did you tell them about the others?”
“Give me a minute.” Riene could already identify parts of Lil’s speech as she gestured to the ship, and the Amazons seemed to buy her story (which was made easier due to the unanimous female population onboard). She claimed to be the last Queen of Mu, which would account for her “heavenly chariot”, and she had arrived with a bevy of handmaidens, some of whom she openly promised to the eager warriors.
“You are not to lay a hand on the one with blue hair and black skin, for she is my mate, and we are bound by the red cord. There are others you may not love as well, but I will identify which are suitable for your desires. My handmaidens and I have traveled here from the Faraway Place; we escaped from our world just before our gods saw fit to end its life. I am here fulfilling my duties as Queen, and demand you return the Medallion of Fate to me.”
“Hang on, they can’t just have their way with the crew!” Riene sputtered suddenly. Lil grinned at her.
“You do learn fast. It’s standard Amazonian politics, Latoli, nothing more. We’ll get them back once they’ve had their fun.” The Amazons were huddled together in conversation in the meantime, debating whether or not they would return the medallion to this “Queen”. She certainly came from the Faraway Place, and opened her clothes to reveal the mark of royalty, but they had possessed their treasure for a long time and did not want to surrender it easily.
“We have conditions,” they said to her. Riene could almost fully understand their language now and followed along with little difficulty. “We ask three favors of you, Queen Lillianne, in exchange for your prize. Not even you may have something for nothing, so you must pay us with equal compensation.”
“Name your conditions.”
“First, you must hunt the saber-cat and lizard king, and bring us spoils of your victory.”
“I accept this.”
“Second, one of you must shame the Queen of our enemies, the Maidens of the Rippling Waters. You are free to do as you please, but you must leave her alive.”
“I might just do that myself,” Lil grinned wickedly. “And the third?”
“You must find Nalia, daughter of Nervasse of the guard, and cure her of the disease that draws her to the men.”
“We will be delighted to accompany you,” Lil swore. “And may I add once again that a great number of my handmaidens will be available for all your possible cravings.” She winked at Riene, who was too busy groaning and nursing a new headache. She’d certainly have a lot of explaining to do…
……
The Amazonians never expressed quite the same reaction twice as each of the women disembarked, robed in what they considered proper attire. Admittedly, most of them received lustful or approving stares, especially Kate, whom the Amazons welcomed with an awed silence. Not even their mightiest warrior could compare to this astounding goddess sent down from the Far Places, who in spite of her obvious strength, carried herself with caution and humility. The Amazonians know no jealousy when they meet someone stronger than them; there is instead a great joy and honor, and even the proudest bow their heads. Kate’s face turned red and she didn’t know whether to be flustered or flattered. Both Allegra and Sharyn ribbed her playfully (the latter receiving gasps from the warrior-women, who had never seen a girl with green skin).
“Is this a living emerald or some beautiful frog that honors our tribe?” they asked Lillianne. The “last Queen of Mu” had planned ahead for these questions and answered smoothly.
“She is the bodyguard for most of my handmaidens. She is from a world far from mine, and was attracted to my side by my beauty and strength.”
“It is good,” they said as they fawned over Sharyn. Chandra was, of course, having the time of her life, while Alala was in her own personal hell. Even though most of the Amazonians revere the great, wild cats and paid homage to the “intelligent snow-tiger who walks upright”, Alala feared that at any moment, she would be cornered and suffocated by their devotion. Aseria and Lyara were also victims of their own celebrity, even though one was seen as a curse on the world. Apparently her obsidian skin was an omen of doom.
“She is the Queen’s lover, so we shall let the accursed devil live,” the Amazons spoke to themselves. Lil admonished them harshly while Aseria suffered ignorance; Lyara was almost crimson from head to toe as the desires and hungers of the Amazons washed over her. She was nearly overcome with lust herself and staggered on her feet, creating quite a spectacle. Lillianne almost doomed her by identifying the blue-haired maiden as an oracle of love, but Riene saved her and helped her up.
“She has had too much to drink. My dear friend was so anxious to be here that she became intoxicated to dull the excitement. She must rest somewhere in private.”
“What did you say to them?” Lyara mumbled.
“I told them you shouldn’t try and gauge their emotions without feeling the consequences.”
“Screw you. So what’d you really tell them?”
“That you were drunk. I’m afraid our dear Queen was about to whore you.”
“But we don’t have a…oh crap, she didn’t! She couldn’t have sunk that low!”
“Her Majesty Miss Markus is very manipulative…but it might have saved us in the long run.” Lyara groaned and tried to restrain her powers as the Amazonians guided them to their enclave; others filed suit and received very different reactions. Kay and Tee were thought to be either a monster or a two-headed goddess, Vimmy was labeled a goblin (to Naja’s delight), Kyrie was almost killed for her resemblance to Amazonian demons, Valti and Naja were worshipped on the spot, and if it weren’t for Athena’s sword, she and Fuuka would’ve been hunted as animals.
“Are these handmaidens, or a menagerie?” grunted the Amazonians. Lil laughed nervously as she ran out of explanations.
“Oh—well—there are wonders in this life that give rise to intelligent beasts and call the gods to take human form. Her Royal Majesty has seen many of these in her travels.”
“So it seems she has. But that one woman, the one who limps…she will be a burden. Our shaman will attempt to cure her for your sake, Queen Lillianne, but if she’s incapable, we must cast her out until she heals.”
“Be mindful of her,” Lil warned; “she is protected by a higher spirit. No shaman will be able to remove it.”
“We have ways of warding off the strongest spirits.”
“I would like to see them work.” She smiled faintly but still had her doubts. She didn’t care one whit for Dr. Miracle, but that genie… She could be a great help or a great trouble. Lillianne and Aseria led the procession with the three Amazonians guiding them to their village. They obviously did not trust this secret to their guests, for even though they were not blindfolded, the group wound through long trails, traveled over hills and under arches, waded through streams and passed over bridges—basically taking the long way around. There was little time to admire the astonishing beauty of the world since even Lillianne and the “goddesses” were expected to keep marching. More than once, the barbarians considered leaving Amy behind, but her friends and her genie stood up for her and made sure she was always included. Everyone was becoming hot and stuffy before long, but the Amazonians led them through a rushing waterfall, which was more refreshing than a lover’s kiss. It led into a long, straight passage that cut through the mountain and ended up, at last, at their destination.
The village was a broad, closed-off neighborhood of brick huts, farms, training grounds, a river, and kennels where the men were kept. Unlike the women, the males roamed around naked, and did not speak to their masters or to each other, unless they were asked to. They were fed well twice a day and were given a primitive dormitory to sleep in when the weather was bad, and kept themselves busy by laboring in the fields and performing menial chores. None of the women were shy about their affection for each other, and more than once, the crew could hear banging and groaning coming from one of the huts as another couple whiled away the time expressing their devotions.
“This place rocks!” Chandra exclaimed. Valti and Kyrie sharply disagreed.
“I think it sucks. A lack of technology I can deal with, but a lack of science? They worship animals, for crying out loud!”
“I’m not complaining,” Naja chuckled. She raised an eyebrow as three drop-dead gorgeous young women walked by, all of them staring back with eyes glimmering. “I just might retire to this place.”
“Ugh, not me, there’s no sense of economy here, it’s all work and no business, although I’m sure they trade in things like flint and bone, or maybe…good gracious, do you think they exchange each other, I mean would they trade girls for other girls, or men, or…I don’t even want to think about it, let’s get out of here Mink, this medallion Lil wants isn’t worth the trouble.”
“I agree. Miss Markus, may we wait on the ship?”
“Vimmy can go by herself,” she waved dismissively, “but I’ll need you here with me, Mink. I’ve given you the task of being Aseria’s personal handmaiden.”
“But I only serve master Vimmy.”
“Yes, we’re together now, there’s really no dividing us, let’s leave my dear, it’s no place for us, although I’m sure YOU think it’s pretty, it does look like Joff a bit, but the clientele is so awful, there’s not a profit to be had—“
“So leave,” Lil sighed. Vimmy was starting to become unbearable, and if she really wanted to run off so badly, so be it. “I just hope you two don’t get lost along the way.”
“You don’t need to worry,” Mink assured them blankly. “I’m very skilled at directions. Shall we go?”
“Oh yes, it’s about time, and it’s so warm here…” Vimmy continued rambling long after she and Mink left the village. The Amazonians were sad to see the gray-skinned quiet girl leave (most of them naturally wanted to have sex with her), but she was not their prisoner or their subject, and the Queen had given her permission. As soon as everyone got settled in, Lil explained the conditions they would have to honor in order to obtain the Medallion of Fate, but with each task she described, more and more women were discouraged. Hunting was one thing, but humiliating a Queen they had no conflict with and steering a total stranger away from her deviant desires sounded just awful. In the end, only Chandra, Naja, and Aseria were left to accompany the self-proclaimed Queen, and Aseria only followed her out of a strange obligation and an unfamiliar love. Allegra sighed and loaded her guns.
“I don’t feel right about huntin’ animals, but if it’ll get us off this world faster, I may as well commit myself. But that’s as far as I’ll go.”
“Herut and I are going back to the ship,” Shana said. “We’ll probably just get in the way, and…I’m not comfortable with all these horny women around! If anybody else wants to come with us…”
“Sorry, can’t hear you: I’m too busy being pampered and worshipped!” Valti crowed. Kyrie was more than happy to leave and the Amazonians were more than happy to expel her from their homes. She was still a demon in their eyes, and out of sight, out of mind. The Acheron twins abandoned the village since they didn’t see a point in staying behind, and Eve went with them, since she was uncomfortable in large crowds. Riene only stayed behind because she didn’t trust Lillianne to translate the Amazonians accurately, Lyara stuck behind after being encouraged by her friends, and Alala stayed to protect Amy. The hunt would commence in the morning; Naja was already headed to the rival tribe, with a giddy Queen Lil and her accursed Aseria guided by two Amazonians; Chandra was on the lookout for Nalia, who she believed she could easily seduce and thus cure her of her bizarre heterosexuality. They were all, in short, kept quite busy.
……
The heavens as seen from the surface of Amazonia were nothing but stars and galaxies and great bodies put into motion by a celestial orchestrator, all lost in the everlasting blackness that engulfed the tiny little world like a massive blanket. Amazonia as seen from the void of space, however, was a magnificent, huge marble, glowing blue and green with a corona of shimmering golden-white light rippling around it as it circled around its sun. It was beautiful, yes, but not remarkable, unless you were looking for the Medallion of Fate as well. Two adventurers had learned of this remarkable artifact after long hours of study and a bit of persistence, and being the adventurous type, they each made way to this primitive world, though they did not cooperate nor did they even realize they had competition.
“I wonder who owns that colorful little rock,” Breathless muttered to herself. “Looks like it’s inhabited. I guess I’ll just have to take the medallion by force, if it’s even worth it.”
“Pretty,” the Jackal cooed as she caressed the image on her monitor. “It’s high time I take fate in my own hands…”
They had no idea what they were in for!
To be continued…
Preview of next chapter
Kate: Even though this is a strange place, I feel oddly…comfortable here. These women not only accept me for who I am, but it seems they love me, too. I think…I’ve finally found what I was looking for.
Allegra: Aww, ain’t that sweet? So’re ya stayin’ here, hon?
Kate: I haven’t…decided. I love it here, but…
Allegra: Well, whatever you decide to do, I want’cha to know I’ll be by your side the whole time.
Kate: Thanks, Allegra. You’re the best friend a Heavyworld girl could have.
Allegra: (sparklies) Kaaaaaaate!!
Kate: (sparklies) Allegraaaaa!!
Mink: This is indeed a disturbing universe.
Kate: (ahem!) In our next episode, we all go hunting, Naja humiliates a Queen, Chandra tries to seduce a heterosexual Amazon, and two familiar rivals might just show up in case we get bored!
Allegra: Tune in next time for “A Savage Battle: Jackal and Breathless are on Amazonia!” Hey, you’re pretty good at this preview thing, hon!
Kate: Aw shucks, t’weren’t nothin’.
Allegra: (sparklies) Kaaaaaaate!!
Kate: (sparklies) Allegraaaaa!!
Mink: The events of this preview were only fiction, folks. Too bad!
Kate: Spoil sport!
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