"2566-22" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bigge Jerome - Warlady 4 - 2566 Ad)2566 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Twenty Two "It's probably just as well that we won't be serving on the same ship," Sela Dai said as Mark held her close, the wake be- neath the stern cabin's windows just visible now in the darkness. "I didn't expect our `professional relationship' to change," Mark said, tucking the blanket about Sela's nakedness just a bit. Loving the "little spit-fire" more than ever after all this now! Sela being a fantastic little lover there beneath the bedcovers! "Once a man `knows' a woman, they can never look upon each other the same," Sela spoke softly, her eyes looking up into his. "Because the `mystery' is `gone'?" Mark smiled back at her. "And because the `reality' is different from the `fantasy'," Sela smiled up at him, well aware that she might not have been "quite" what he had "expected". She was no "Lara Warsan", her own love-making skills, while "adequate", were not the equal of a woman "trained" in the "art of making love". That had been the situation she felt with Jers, and because the older, and much more experienced Lara also "understood" things that she had not!! "You're `hot and squirmy', the way a woman should be," Mark smiled back, kissing her, that delightful tongue quick to tease! So far as "he" was "concerned", she was "another Lara Warsan"!!! ***************************************************************** "You have `visitors'," the new first officer of the Huntress said to me as he opened the door and admitted two women, one a tall golden haired beauty in provocative golden mesh, the other in a silvery form fitting jumpsuit that was almost the "trade- mark" of a world now only a glowing point of light in the sky! "You are escorting the North Star?" Darlanis said to me, An'na there at her side. The true daughter of the regal Empress. "Maris survived the battle," I answered in level tones, get- ting painfully out of the bunk with a hand from Yvette, my leg stiff, painful. Pulling a robe about myself as Yvette turned up the lamp. My only attire like Yvette's a warm woolen nightshift. "I've gotten her to agree to a cease fire and negotiations too." "She's exploited my friendship for far too long," Darlanis snapped, much to my surprise just then. I wondered if there had been another attack by some Dularnian raider somewhere. One that had finally "taught" Darlanis the "folly" of not "fighting back"! "I see someone `knocked a little sense' into that thick skull of yours," I smiled back, Darlanis settling herself on the padded bench beneath the stern windows. She was tall enough that she had to keep her head bowed to avoid the deck beams overhead when she stood. In her high heeled boots she stands about 6'2". She is incredibly beautiful, a woman who is truly awe-inspiring. "Let's just `say' that I've finally discovered what's `im- portant' and what's `not'," Darlanis smiled back, giving An'na an affectionate hug as she then sat down there beside her mother. I suspected that there had been a strong "change" in relationships. "You are hurt," An'na observed, her eyes now meeting mine. The cane, the limp now a dead giveaway that I had been injured. "In the `line of duty'," I smiled back, An'na now nodding. "The Senate and the Assembly have agreed to a declaration of `self defense' against all Dularnian `activities' south of '48," Darlanis smiled, her eyes glowing into mine. I nodded, stunned a bit by this new surprising sudden "change of heart" by Darlanis. "Maris isn't going to `go along' with that," I smiled back. "Everything `south' of '48 is ours," Darlanis answered me. Such was once true, I knew, recalling the original border between the United States of America and Canada along the 49th parallel further to the east. The issue here is "involved", and not easy to explain. Darlanis however feels that everything up to "'48" is part of the original United States of America, "her country"! The Empire had made claims as to its own historical foundations. "The Dularnians claim everything down to '46 is theirs," I smiled back. That was nearly down to Tarth, as I recalled then. "What they `claim', and what is `theirs' are two different things," Darlanis answered with a smile. "I am not going to hand them over part of what once was the United States of America." I knew that Darlanis considered the Empire to be the successor to the old USA of the 21st Century. She looked upon herself as be- ing an "American". She even flew the old American flag upon oc- casions along with the newer Imperial flag of Imperial Califor- nia. She had a map of the old forty eight states, and she did claim that "all" of it properly belonged to her. No one ever had paid any "attention" to these claims, but I knew they did exist!* * The reader will no doubt point out here that the area in ques- tion is not "exactly" on the 48th parallel, but for the purposes of this story I have assumed here that it would probably be re- ferred to as "'48" by our characters. Just how much "territory" Darlanis "claimed" as hers is also something I don't wish to get into here, as it has little bearing on the story as such. (JBB) "It could be a long war," I pointed out. Maris was never going to agree to Darlanis' claims of everything below '48 being hers. Especially as nearly everything down to '46 had once been under the control of Dularn before Darlanis took it from them! "Sarn" having run from just below the ruins of San Francisco to what is now Orgon. The area north of it being claimed by Dularn. "Perhaps the people living in the area from '48 to '46 could vote upon the issue of to `whom' they'd like to `belong'," An'na suggested brightly. Darlanis giving her a "look", shaking her lovely golden head. Personally I thought it was a good idea too! Darlanis, I knew, differed on this. I suspected I knew why too!! "`America' in 1861 fought a bloody civil war on that issue," Darlanis answered. She obviously did know her American history! Darlanis thinks of herself as being another Lincoln, FDR, etc. I consider her in a somewhat "different" light than that, however. She is to me what Janet Rogers "might have been" had I been there to "guide" her, to help. Darlanis "means well". She is in my own considered opinion one of the "nicest" monarchs of any era. Probably the most beautiful, I suspect too, compared to the past. Janet Rogers was an "attractive" woman, but not a great "beauty". "We don't need to repeat the mistakes of the past," I said. An'na's idea made a lot of sense. I suppose that the ghost of old "Abe" wouldn't have gone along with it, but the American Civil War was a sorry waste of life over "something" that could have been resolved much better by other means. Naturally I did- n't expect Darlanis to go along with anything like An'na's idea.* * She eventually did only after a long drawn out "winless" war. See also "2567" for additional further details of this. (JB) "You allowed the people of Trelandar to `vote' on a similar issue," An'na pointed out to her mother, giving her another hug. Darlanis is an excellent public speaker, far better than I am. I had no doubts however that many in the area would "vote" for Du- larn as they were culturally more "Dularnian" than "Californian". "I didn't have a `choice' in the matter," Darlanis answered, regarding me. We had come very close then to a bloody civil war. Darlanis had been "wise" enough to "bow" to the "reality" of the situation and allow the people of Trelandar the "choice" of their relationship within the Empire of California. It had worked well then. I saw no reason why it couldn't be done again with those who lived in the now disputed area from '48 down to '46, although it was likely that they would vote to belong to Dularn, not the Empire of California. Especially with Maris as Queen of Dularn! On the other hand we might just convince Maris to join our side!* * I had "suggested" this to Maris, pointing out the "advantages" of being "allied" with the Empire of California. She did not at the time feel that such would be a "good idea" just then. (LR) "You couldn't `win' the last war you fought with Dularn," I pointed out. That had been fought between Darlanis and her own "mother"! There had been considerable "hostility" between the two that had finally only been resolved in the last days of Queen Tulis' life before she finally committed suicide, dying there in Darlanis' arms miles about Dularn while flying in my Black Lady. "I have a better `Warlady' this time," Darlanis smiled back. Princess Tara had not been "successful", but she wasn't really all that "competent" at such either. I was and Darlanis knew it. "You promised Queen Tulis you would never attack Dularn," I pointed out, well aware of what Darlanis' own emotional condition had been then. To a woman like Darlanis, such a promise would carry an awesome emotional "burden" should she ever "break" it. And I personally didn't consider Darlanis too "stable" either! "I don't plan to `attack' Dularn," Darlanis answered me. "You plan to have me do it for you?" I smiled back at her. "I recall that your Prime Minister once pointed out to me with considerable `pleasure' that Trelandar had the `legal right' to act against `pirates' in `self defense'," Darlanis smiled. I was the Queen of Trelandar. I was also familiar with our Consti- tution. And with the "treaty" that we had with Darlanis' Empire. Sanda had once taunted Darlanis with such "legal technicalities", considering Darlanis just some "beautiful dumb blonde". I have a higher opinion of Darlanis than that. She is blonde, beautiful, but she is also a lot "more" than just a "barbarian swordswoman"! Much "more" than just another "Lana Clarkson", whom she somewhat reminds me of, Ms. Clarkson having been in "THE BARBARIAN QUEEN". One of the few such that I ever enjoyed back in the 20th Century. "I am presently `serving' under a 'commission' from Baja," I smiled. That was the "legal technicality" I was now "using" so that I might "act" against Maris without "involving" the Empire. "My 'promise' to Tulis was that I would never `start' a war with Dularn," Darlanis spoke. "I did not promise her that I would not act to defend the Empire against Dularnian aggression." 2566 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Twenty Two "It's probably just as well that we won't be serving on the same ship," Sela Dai said as Mark held her close, the wake be- neath the stern cabin's windows just visible now in the darkness. "I didn't expect our `professional relationship' to change," Mark said, tucking the blanket about Sela's nakedness just a bit. Loving the "little spit-fire" more than ever after all this now! Sela being a fantastic little lover there beneath the bedcovers! "Once a man `knows' a woman, they can never look upon each other the same," Sela spoke softly, her eyes looking up into his. "Because the `mystery' is `gone'?" Mark smiled back at her. "And because the `reality' is different from the `fantasy'," Sela smiled up at him, well aware that she might not have been "quite" what he had "expected". She was no "Lara Warsan", her own love-making skills, while "adequate", were not the equal of a woman "trained" in the "art of making love". That had been the situation she felt with Jers, and because the older, and much more experienced Lara also "understood" things that she had not!! "You're `hot and squirmy', the way a woman should be," Mark smiled back, kissing her, that delightful tongue quick to tease! So far as "he" was "concerned", she was "another Lara Warsan"!!! ***************************************************************** "You have `visitors'," the new first officer of the Huntress said to me as he opened the door and admitted two women, one a tall golden haired beauty in provocative golden mesh, the other in a silvery form fitting jumpsuit that was almost the "trade- mark" of a world now only a glowing point of light in the sky! "You are escorting the North Star?" Darlanis said to me, An'na there at her side. The true daughter of the regal Empress. "Maris survived the battle," I answered in level tones, get- ting painfully out of the bunk with a hand from Yvette, my leg stiff, painful. Pulling a robe about myself as Yvette turned up the lamp. My only attire like Yvette's a warm woolen nightshift. "I've gotten her to agree to a cease fire and negotiations too." "She's exploited my friendship for far too long," Darlanis snapped, much to my surprise just then. I wondered if there had been another attack by some Dularnian raider somewhere. One that had finally "taught" Darlanis the "folly" of not "fighting back"! "I see someone `knocked a little sense' into that thick skull of yours," I smiled back, Darlanis settling herself on the padded bench beneath the stern windows. She was tall enough that she had to keep her head bowed to avoid the deck beams overhead when she stood. In her high heeled boots she stands about 6'2". She is incredibly beautiful, a woman who is truly awe-inspiring. "Let's just `say' that I've finally discovered what's `im- portant' and what's `not'," Darlanis smiled back, giving An'na an affectionate hug as she then sat down there beside her mother. I suspected that there had been a strong "change" in relationships. "You are hurt," An'na observed, her eyes now meeting mine. The cane, the limp now a dead giveaway that I had been injured. "In the `line of duty'," I smiled back, An'na now nodding. "The Senate and the Assembly have agreed to a declaration of `self defense' against all Dularnian `activities' south of '48," Darlanis smiled, her eyes glowing into mine. I nodded, stunned a bit by this new surprising sudden "change of heart" by Darlanis. "Maris isn't going to `go along' with that," I smiled back. "Everything `south' of '48 is ours," Darlanis answered me. Such was once true, I knew, recalling the original border between the United States of America and Canada along the 49th parallel further to the east. The issue here is "involved", and not easy to explain. Darlanis however feels that everything up to "'48" is part of the original United States of America, "her country"! The Empire had made claims as to its own historical foundations. "The Dularnians claim everything down to '46 is theirs," I smiled back. That was nearly down to Tarth, as I recalled then. "What they `claim', and what is `theirs' are two different things," Darlanis answered with a smile. "I am not going to hand them over part of what once was the United States of America." I knew that Darlanis considered the Empire to be the successor to the old USA of the 21st Century. She looked upon herself as be- ing an "American". She even flew the old American flag upon oc- casions along with the newer Imperial flag of Imperial Califor- nia. She had a map of the old forty eight states, and she did claim that "all" of it properly belonged to her. No one ever had paid any "attention" to these claims, but I knew they did exist!* * The reader will no doubt point out here that the area in ques- tion is not "exactly" on the 48th parallel, but for the purposes of this story I have assumed here that it would probably be re- ferred to as "'48" by our characters. Just how much "territory" Darlanis "claimed" as hers is also something I don't wish to get into here, as it has little bearing on the story as such. (JBB) "It could be a long war," I pointed out. Maris was never going to agree to Darlanis' claims of everything below '48 being hers. Especially as nearly everything down to '46 had once been under the control of Dularn before Darlanis took it from them! "Sarn" having run from just below the ruins of San Francisco to what is now Orgon. The area north of it being claimed by Dularn. "Perhaps the people living in the area from '48 to '46 could vote upon the issue of to `whom' they'd like to `belong'," An'na suggested brightly. Darlanis giving her a "look", shaking her lovely golden head. Personally I thought it was a good idea too! Darlanis, I knew, differed on this. I suspected I knew why too!! "`America' in 1861 fought a bloody civil war on that issue," Darlanis answered. She obviously did know her American history! Darlanis thinks of herself as being another Lincoln, FDR, etc. I consider her in a somewhat "different" light than that, however. She is to me what Janet Rogers "might have been" had I been there to "guide" her, to help. Darlanis "means well". She is in my own considered opinion one of the "nicest" monarchs of any era. Probably the most beautiful, I suspect too, compared to the past. Janet Rogers was an "attractive" woman, but not a great "beauty". "We don't need to repeat the mistakes of the past," I said. An'na's idea made a lot of sense. I suppose that the ghost of old "Abe" wouldn't have gone along with it, but the American Civil War was a sorry waste of life over "something" that could have been resolved much better by other means. Naturally I did- n't expect Darlanis to go along with anything like An'na's idea.* * She eventually did only after a long drawn out "winless" war. See also "2567" for additional further details of this. (JB) "You allowed the people of Trelandar to `vote' on a similar issue," An'na pointed out to her mother, giving her another hug. Darlanis is an excellent public speaker, far better than I am. I had no doubts however that many in the area would "vote" for Du- larn as they were culturally more "Dularnian" than "Californian". "I didn't have a `choice' in the matter," Darlanis answered, regarding me. We had come very close then to a bloody civil war. Darlanis had been "wise" enough to "bow" to the "reality" of the situation and allow the people of Trelandar the "choice" of their relationship within the Empire of California. It had worked well then. I saw no reason why it couldn't be done again with those who lived in the now disputed area from '48 down to '46, although it was likely that they would vote to belong to Dularn, not the Empire of California. Especially with Maris as Queen of Dularn! On the other hand we might just convince Maris to join our side!* * I had "suggested" this to Maris, pointing out the "advantages" of being "allied" with the Empire of California. She did not at the time feel that such would be a "good idea" just then. (LR) "You couldn't `win' the last war you fought with Dularn," I pointed out. That had been fought between Darlanis and her own "mother"! There had been considerable "hostility" between the two that had finally only been resolved in the last days of Queen Tulis' life before she finally committed suicide, dying there in Darlanis' arms miles about Dularn while flying in my Black Lady. "I have a better `Warlady' this time," Darlanis smiled back. Princess Tara had not been "successful", but she wasn't really all that "competent" at such either. I was and Darlanis knew it. "You promised Queen Tulis you would never attack Dularn," I pointed out, well aware of what Darlanis' own emotional condition had been then. To a woman like Darlanis, such a promise would carry an awesome emotional "burden" should she ever "break" it. And I personally didn't consider Darlanis too "stable" either! "I don't plan to `attack' Dularn," Darlanis answered me. "You plan to have me do it for you?" I smiled back at her. "I recall that your Prime Minister once pointed out to me with considerable `pleasure' that Trelandar had the `legal right' to act against `pirates' in `self defense'," Darlanis smiled. I was the Queen of Trelandar. I was also familiar with our Consti- tution. And with the "treaty" that we had with Darlanis' Empire. Sanda had once taunted Darlanis with such "legal technicalities", considering Darlanis just some "beautiful dumb blonde". I have a higher opinion of Darlanis than that. She is blonde, beautiful, but she is also a lot "more" than just a "barbarian swordswoman"! Much "more" than just another "Lana Clarkson", whom she somewhat reminds me of, Ms. Clarkson having been in "THE BARBARIAN QUEEN". One of the few such that I ever enjoyed back in the 20th Century. "I am presently `serving' under a 'commission' from Baja," I smiled. That was the "legal technicality" I was now "using" so that I might "act" against Maris without "involving" the Empire. "My 'promise' to Tulis was that I would never `start' a war with Dularn," Darlanis spoke. "I did not promise her that I would not act to defend the Empire against Dularnian aggression." |
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