"2568-27" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jerome Bigge - Warlady 6 - In Harms Way)"IN HARM'S WAY" AN ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Robert J. Simmons Chapter Twenty Seven Suddenly I felt a "touch" between my thighs, the caress of a woman's fingers, Kathi giving me a big grin through her breathing mask, letting in a bit of water, which she then had to blow out! "You've been learning from Carol!" I thought to myself, the blonde hovering there just out of reach now. I saw that the pro- pellers were in excellent shape, and still free from any nicks. "We could spend the night ashore," Kathi suggested, her gray eyes glowing into mine. Daris Adara giving me a big "smile" just then, while several of the crew turned their faces to hide their own grins at the "comment" that the admiral's slave girl had made to her master. As everyone who could was doing so, I saw no harm in it, the interior of the Diana not being all that comfortable due to the dampness we'd hadn't been able to get out of the ship. "It is pleasant to watch a wench at work," I said, watching Kathi cooking our dinner over the open fire there some yards from the beach, the Diana visible between the trees. Her own attire left little "doubt" that she was well worth the gold collar that she had locked about her throat. In a good market she'd probably bring something like fifty gold crowns, both due to her own sex- uality and that fantastically delightful full busty wide hipped figure of hers! Kathi being around 5'6" and 38-26-38 or so... "I think master enjoys looking at his wench," Kathi smiled. "That is why your skirt is so short and your halter is made the way that it is," I said, Kathi's attire leaving little to the imagination. She was at times even "mistaken" for a prostitute. "I am a woman `born' to the collar," Kathi said to me. "The `same' was once said of my wife," I smiled back. "She is a Warrioress, I am but a slave," Kathi said. "There is something to be said for both," I smiled. "I believe the meat is ready," Kathi informed me. "`Sit' before me, keep your legs open," I told Kathi. The light from the fire lighting the side of her face, her sexy body. Such of course allowed me an excellent "view" of her, which the slave girl was well "aware" of. Kathi had no "doubts" about her- self as a woman. She knew she was attractive, quite desirable. "I expect my strap does not cover `much'," Kathi smiled. "I trust you have not neglected to `shave'," I replied. "I am a girl kept under strict discipline," she said. "At least spanked when you misbehave," I noted then. "I think you `enjoy' spanking me," Kathi "retorted". "You do have the `bottom' for it," I observed in turn. "I notice that you enjoy looking at it," she answered me. "You object to your master looking at you?" I challenged. "It gives me `pleasure' that my master finds me beautiful," Kathi answered, running her fingers through her golden blonde mane. She was freshly bleached, and looked more a true blonde. "It is better than using my hand," I smiled back at her. "A girl would rather hope so," Kathi laughed in reply. "The ships are coming, sir," the Diana's first lieutenant said, her dark eyes meeting mine as Kathi slept beside me there beneath the blanket, the fire that had lit up our night now only ashes at our feet. She was brunette, a silver neck chained wife, her husband a Warrior back in Arsana. I remembered another such officer, a bit younger, who we'd buried at sea far to the north. I prayed that Carol was right, that Hope would grow up in a world that had renounced war as a means of settling national disputes.* * I am aware here that Shari Johnson died in a "rescue" mission, not in a "war", but I've seen enough others die in battle that it doesn't really matter any more to me if it is a "war" or not now. "I wasn't sure that you had survived," Darlanis said to me, Kathi careful to be of service as one would expect. Darlanis no doubt had high standards about such things, and I didn't want the Empress of California to think that Kathi was just a "sex slut". "I had the same concerns about you," I smiled back, the Di- ana's stern cabin hot here in the morning sun even with all the hatches open to draw in some fresh air. The sailing ships as I had suspected had been driven back to the strait where they had taken shelter until the storm blew over. It was obvious that the Empress was "impressed" with the Diana, and its "capabilities"... "The Empire is fighting a great war against Mexico, one that is straining our `resources' to the limit, and if Dularn was to render us `assistance', I for one would be extremely grateful," the Empress now spoke, her azure eye burning hotly into my own. I knew that her husband, Prince Serak of the Nevadas was leading the land forces, while Lorraine Richards, the Warlady of Califor- nia, was in command of the naval forces, using her force of steam frigates against the Mexicans. The "assistance" of the Diana would be no doubt "decisive" as Mexico had no defense against us! Lorraine's own battleship having sunk on its maiden voyage under conditions that were still under investigation from what Darlanis had said there earlier, leaving only the Diana yet in operation. "I'd think you'd be off the coast of Mexico with Lorraine, not here two thousand miles or more to the north," I smiled back. I suspected that Darlanis hoped that I'd put in a "good word" for her with Maris, who probably would be willing to render such "as- sistance" in return for certain "concessions" from the Imperials. "Like to come over to Sarnian Queen with me?" Darlanis asked then, her eyes like two precious azure jewels burning into mine. "There's something that I'd like to show you there," she smiled. "You might be `interested' in this," Darlanis said, setting a package there on the table before me. The fittings and fur- nishing of her cabin leaving no doubts that she liked her luxury. A cool breeze off the sea blowing into the cabin through the open stern windows, one of Darlanis' own slave girls waiting to be of service to us. A trim figured brunette wearing a red silk shift. "Looks like the papers off a ship," I said in passing, paus- ing then as I saw that they were papers off a DULARNIAN VESSEL!!! "One of my ships `took' this vessel while `engaged' in the stealing of women from a coastal village in Sarn," Darlanis said, her eyes burning down into mine with azure fire. "And these pa- pers say that the ship is Dularnian..." she added then, her eyes holding mine as I nodded in reply, the papers obviously as they seemed to be! Even to the "seals" and everything else necessary! "Someone turned `pirate'," I mused. I knew it had happened before. There were those greedy enough for gold to turn nations against each other just for the profits that could be made then!! "We captured an `Imperial' only a few days ago doing the same thing," I added, looking up at her. "Maris is `sitting on it' to keep the `hot heads' in the Senate from raising a big `fuss'." I saw her nod, her mind obviously hard at work digesting all this. "Maybe someone wants to start a war between us," she said. "And both of us know just `who' that might be," I "smiled". "She no doubt sees this as an `opportunity'," Darlanis said. If there was trouble to be made, Princess Tara would be the one!! She'd nearly caused the destruction of the whole world in 2579... "Why are you bringing this to me instead of Maris?" I asked. "I am to you `more' than just an `enemy ruler'," she smiled. "And just `what' are you planning to `do' now?" I asked her. "We need more `information', and I believe the place to ob- tain it will be among those to the `north'," the Empress smiled. "How much do you know of these areas?" I asked, Carl Cabot and his brown skinned wife both studying the map there before us. Darlanis looking on, her azure eyes missing little of things now. Maris had made him captain of the North Star, a wise move I felt. "It is an area with many `relics' from before The War," she spoke, her midnight dark eyes meeting mine. Tasha was an attrac- tive woman, intelligent, a surviving member of a race that was almost extinct here in North America. Luckily for us Carl had brought her with him on this voyage, perhaps feeling that her in- timate knowledge of the area we were going to might be of help in our perhaps hopeless attempt to wipe out the pirates that infest- ed these islands and coves hundreds of miles north of Dularn. I supposed too that there were the usual reasons for having one's wife aboard. Many naval captains of this era do such things now if there are no children involved that require a parent's care... Tasha was Carl's second wife, the first having died in the bitter warfare there between California and Dularn back in 2565. There had been a son, now old enough to take care of himself. I didn't think he cared too much for Darlanis, or "what" she represented. "We're `interested' in the people, not your ruins," Darlanis snapped. Tasha looking up at her, her thoughts in her dark eyes. Tasha Cabot was of the Scribes, while Darlanis was a Warrioress. I had no doubt that Tasha considered herself "civilized", while there might be some "doubt" in the case of Darlanis herself here! "Too bad Queen Tulis didn't raise you better," Carl snapped. "Easy!" I hissed, well aware of what "this" could lead to! "Perhaps I spoke out of turn," Darlanis now smiled in reply. "I have a question for you, Admiral," Tasha said to me, Dar- lanis having just left for the Sarnian Queen, the African woman's eyes dark pools that glowed up into mine. She was quite "differ- ent" from the Blacks of the 20th Century, although I suppose that was a matter of "culture", not "race" as such. In any case she considered herself a "Dularnian" as much as I did. Her birth- place had been in Trelandar, she had been a friend of Sanda Ta- len, and after Trelandar had been conquored by Darlanis Tasha had found it "wise" to leave the country, having ended up in Dularn. "She's a `barbarian'," I smiled back at the "black" woman. "I wasn't `referring' to Darlanis," Tasha said to me then. "O.K., what is it then?" I smiled, watching Darlanis' boat. "Why were my people nearly exterminated by yours?" she asked. "We know that just after The War of 2047 that nearly all males of my race were killed like wild beasts, and only the women allowed to live." Such is a matter of "history", I might note. "You know of the `BROWN VERUS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION' deci- sion of the United States Supreme Court in 1954?" I asked Tasha. "Yes," she answered, no doubt well "read" on such things. "One can `earn' their place in society or one can `manipu- late' the political system in an attempt to win a place in socie- ty that you can't otherwise qualify for," I replied, seeing her nod. "Blacks were the most `hated' group in America in the 20th Century, and I suspect that they weren't any better in the 21st." "Then when all `social controls' broke down..." Tasha said. This was a bit of history that most people didn't know about now. As a matter of fact in Lorraine's first novel she states that the few "Blacks" she saw was due to the effects of the Lorr bombings. This was no doubt "true" to some extent, although it is more the "truth" here to say that few Blacks survived the aftermath of The War when the surviving rural population took matters in their own hands. In any case it appears now that Black women were the first "slave girls", with white women soon afterwards in turn suffering the exact same fate in the almost constant struggle for survival that was "life" on an radioactive and freezing planet. "What is `past' is `history'," I said, seeing Tasha nod. "IN HARM'S WAY" AN ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Robert J. Simmons Chapter Twenty Seven Suddenly I felt a "touch" between my thighs, the caress of a woman's fingers, Kathi giving me a big grin through her breathing mask, letting in a bit of water, which she then had to blow out! "You've been learning from Carol!" I thought to myself, the blonde hovering there just out of reach now. I saw that the pro- pellers were in excellent shape, and still free from any nicks. "We could spend the night ashore," Kathi suggested, her gray eyes glowing into mine. Daris Adara giving me a big "smile" just then, while several of the crew turned their faces to hide their own grins at the "comment" that the admiral's slave girl had made to her master. As everyone who could was doing so, I saw no harm in it, the interior of the Diana not being all that comfortable due to the dampness we'd hadn't been able to get out of the ship. "It is pleasant to watch a wench at work," I said, watching Kathi cooking our dinner over the open fire there some yards from the beach, the Diana visible between the trees. Her own attire left little "doubt" that she was well worth the gold collar that she had locked about her throat. In a good market she'd probably bring something like fifty gold crowns, both due to her own sex- uality and that fantastically delightful full busty wide hipped figure of hers! Kathi being around 5'6" and 38-26-38 or so... "I think master enjoys looking at his wench," Kathi smiled. "That is why your skirt is so short and your halter is made the way that it is," I said, Kathi's attire leaving little to the imagination. She was at times even "mistaken" for a prostitute. "I am a woman `born' to the collar," Kathi said to me. "The `same' was once said of my wife," I smiled back. "She is a Warrioress, I am but a slave," Kathi said. "There is something to be said for both," I smiled. "I believe the meat is ready," Kathi informed me. "`Sit' before me, keep your legs open," I told Kathi. The light from the fire lighting the side of her face, her sexy body. Such of course allowed me an excellent "view" of her, which the slave girl was well "aware" of. Kathi had no "doubts" about her- self as a woman. She knew she was attractive, quite desirable. "I expect my strap does not cover `much'," Kathi smiled. "I trust you have not neglected to `shave'," I replied. "I am a girl kept under strict discipline," she said. "At least spanked when you misbehave," I noted then. "I think you `enjoy' spanking me," Kathi "retorted". "You do have the `bottom' for it," I observed in turn. "I notice that you enjoy looking at it," she answered me. "You object to your master looking at you?" I challenged. "It gives me `pleasure' that my master finds me beautiful," Kathi answered, running her fingers through her golden blonde mane. She was freshly bleached, and looked more a true blonde. "It is better than using my hand," I smiled back at her. "A girl would rather hope so," Kathi laughed in reply. "The ships are coming, sir," the Diana's first lieutenant said, her dark eyes meeting mine as Kathi slept beside me there beneath the blanket, the fire that had lit up our night now only ashes at our feet. She was brunette, a silver neck chained wife, her husband a Warrior back in Arsana. I remembered another such officer, a bit younger, who we'd buried at sea far to the north. I prayed that Carol was right, that Hope would grow up in a world that had renounced war as a means of settling national disputes.* * I am aware here that Shari Johnson died in a "rescue" mission, not in a "war", but I've seen enough others die in battle that it doesn't really matter any more to me if it is a "war" or not now. "I wasn't sure that you had survived," Darlanis said to me, Kathi careful to be of service as one would expect. Darlanis no doubt had high standards about such things, and I didn't want the Empress of California to think that Kathi was just a "sex slut". "I had the same concerns about you," I smiled back, the Di- ana's stern cabin hot here in the morning sun even with all the hatches open to draw in some fresh air. The sailing ships as I had suspected had been driven back to the strait where they had taken shelter until the storm blew over. It was obvious that the Empress was "impressed" with the Diana, and its "capabilities"... "The Empire is fighting a great war against Mexico, one that is straining our `resources' to the limit, and if Dularn was to render us `assistance', I for one would be extremely grateful," the Empress now spoke, her azure eye burning hotly into my own. I knew that her husband, Prince Serak of the Nevadas was leading the land forces, while Lorraine Richards, the Warlady of Califor- nia, was in command of the naval forces, using her force of steam frigates against the Mexicans. The "assistance" of the Diana would be no doubt "decisive" as Mexico had no defense against us! Lorraine's own battleship having sunk on its maiden voyage under conditions that were still under investigation from what Darlanis had said there earlier, leaving only the Diana yet in operation. "I'd think you'd be off the coast of Mexico with Lorraine, not here two thousand miles or more to the north," I smiled back. I suspected that Darlanis hoped that I'd put in a "good word" for her with Maris, who probably would be willing to render such "as- sistance" in return for certain "concessions" from the Imperials. "Like to come over to Sarnian Queen with me?" Darlanis asked then, her eyes like two precious azure jewels burning into mine. "There's something that I'd like to show you there," she smiled. "You might be `interested' in this," Darlanis said, setting a package there on the table before me. The fittings and fur- nishing of her cabin leaving no doubts that she liked her luxury. A cool breeze off the sea blowing into the cabin through the open stern windows, one of Darlanis' own slave girls waiting to be of service to us. A trim figured brunette wearing a red silk shift. "Looks like the papers off a ship," I said in passing, paus- ing then as I saw that they were papers off a DULARNIAN VESSEL!!! "One of my ships `took' this vessel while `engaged' in the stealing of women from a coastal village in Sarn," Darlanis said, her eyes burning down into mine with azure fire. "And these pa- pers say that the ship is Dularnian..." she added then, her eyes holding mine as I nodded in reply, the papers obviously as they seemed to be! Even to the "seals" and everything else necessary! "Someone turned `pirate'," I mused. I knew it had happened before. There were those greedy enough for gold to turn nations against each other just for the profits that could be made then!! "We captured an `Imperial' only a few days ago doing the same thing," I added, looking up at her. "Maris is `sitting on it' to keep the `hot heads' in the Senate from raising a big `fuss'." I saw her nod, her mind obviously hard at work digesting all this. "Maybe someone wants to start a war between us," she said. "And both of us know just `who' that might be," I "smiled". "She no doubt sees this as an `opportunity'," Darlanis said. If there was trouble to be made, Princess Tara would be the one!! She'd nearly caused the destruction of the whole world in 2579... "Why are you bringing this to me instead of Maris?" I asked. "I am to you `more' than just an `enemy ruler'," she smiled. "And just `what' are you planning to `do' now?" I asked her. "We need more `information', and I believe the place to ob- tain it will be among those to the `north'," the Empress smiled. "How much do you know of these areas?" I asked, Carl Cabot and his brown skinned wife both studying the map there before us. Darlanis looking on, her azure eyes missing little of things now. Maris had made him captain of the North Star, a wise move I felt. "It is an area with many `relics' from before The War," she spoke, her midnight dark eyes meeting mine. Tasha was an attrac- tive woman, intelligent, a surviving member of a race that was almost extinct here in North America. Luckily for us Carl had brought her with him on this voyage, perhaps feeling that her in- timate knowledge of the area we were going to might be of help in our perhaps hopeless attempt to wipe out the pirates that infest- ed these islands and coves hundreds of miles north of Dularn. I supposed too that there were the usual reasons for having one's wife aboard. Many naval captains of this era do such things now if there are no children involved that require a parent's care... Tasha was Carl's second wife, the first having died in the bitter warfare there between California and Dularn back in 2565. There had been a son, now old enough to take care of himself. I didn't think he cared too much for Darlanis, or "what" she represented. "We're `interested' in the people, not your ruins," Darlanis snapped. Tasha looking up at her, her thoughts in her dark eyes. Tasha Cabot was of the Scribes, while Darlanis was a Warrioress. I had no doubt that Tasha considered herself "civilized", while there might be some "doubt" in the case of Darlanis herself here! "Too bad Queen Tulis didn't raise you better," Carl snapped. "Easy!" I hissed, well aware of what "this" could lead to! "Perhaps I spoke out of turn," Darlanis now smiled in reply. "I have a question for you, Admiral," Tasha said to me, Dar- lanis having just left for the Sarnian Queen, the African woman's eyes dark pools that glowed up into mine. She was quite "differ- ent" from the Blacks of the 20th Century, although I suppose that was a matter of "culture", not "race" as such. In any case she considered herself a "Dularnian" as much as I did. Her birth- place had been in Trelandar, she had been a friend of Sanda Ta- len, and after Trelandar had been conquored by Darlanis Tasha had found it "wise" to leave the country, having ended up in Dularn. "She's a `barbarian'," I smiled back at the "black" woman. "I wasn't `referring' to Darlanis," Tasha said to me then. "O.K., what is it then?" I smiled, watching Darlanis' boat. "Why were my people nearly exterminated by yours?" she asked. "We know that just after The War of 2047 that nearly all males of my race were killed like wild beasts, and only the women allowed to live." Such is a matter of "history", I might note. "You know of the `BROWN VERUS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION' deci- sion of the United States Supreme Court in 1954?" I asked Tasha. "Yes," she answered, no doubt well "read" on such things. "One can `earn' their place in society or one can `manipu- late' the political system in an attempt to win a place in socie- ty that you can't otherwise qualify for," I replied, seeing her nod. "Blacks were the most `hated' group in America in the 20th Century, and I suspect that they weren't any better in the 21st." "Then when all `social controls' broke down..." Tasha said. This was a bit of history that most people didn't know about now. As a matter of fact in Lorraine's first novel she states that the few "Blacks" she saw was due to the effects of the Lorr bombings. This was no doubt "true" to some extent, although it is more the "truth" here to say that few Blacks survived the aftermath of The War when the surviving rural population took matters in their own hands. In any case it appears now that Black women were the first "slave girls", with white women soon afterwards in turn suffering the exact same fate in the almost constant struggle for survival that was "life" on an radioactive and freezing planet. "What is `past' is `history'," I said, seeing Tasha nod. |
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