"2568-35" - 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 Thirty Five "Any `excitement' while I was gone?" Carol asked the next morning as she came aboard after spending the night aboard Sarni- an Lady thanks to the storm that had nearly taken a young girl's life. The Imperial ships now leaving to sail back south, to re- turn to their home port in Sarn. The Diana had steam up now on all three boilers, the anchors drawn up short as we prepared to follow. The doctor had said that the midshipman would recover. "Midshipman Anders got struck by lightning," I said to her. "I see," Carol replied, the look on her face telling much. "She's alive, and the doc says she'll be able to resume her duties in another day or so," I smiled back. I didn't believe my wife would "understand" what Anders had told me. I had no doubts now that God, Lys, She, or whoever is the Supreme Being does ex- ist. The "description" was similar to that which Lorraine gave. "She was `lucky'," Carol smiled, giving me a quick kiss. "Sarn," Sandra said, giving me a smile. We had caught up with and passed the Imperials heading back down south. The supe- riority of a steam ship over sailing vessels was without doubt... "We'll dock at the Imperial palace dock," I smiled to her. "Hope those Imperials know `why' we are here," Sandra said. "If we'd had `this' last year..." Carol mused thoughtfully. "And what would we have done after we destroyed their navy?" I challenged her. Dularn could never have defeated the Empire. Nor did Dularn have the "resources" to match the Empire battle- ship to battleship. "Darlanis would have `won' the war anyway." I could hear the bollards creak as the ropes took up the strain, the Diana coming to rest alongside the dock that had once been "home" to another ship, one now only a memory. A ship that I had destroyed over a year before with my Twentieth Century knowledge of weapons. Sarnian Lady had been the pride of the Im- perial Navy, the flagship of its beautiful golden Empress. I had taken a fire pump, sprayed crudely refined oil on it, and set the ship afire. I recalled the "look" in Darlanis' eyes as she had climbed aboard the stolen cargo vessel of Lorraine's. Like those of Hiroshima she had "seen" the "future". She'd been like the native Americans who had suddenly faced Gatling guns. For the time being the Diana was the "ATOMIC BOMB" of this era, a weapon against which there was no defense. No nation anywhere in the world had a ship like the Diana. Less than a month before I had taught the Imperials the consequences of "facing" a "battleship". Of pitting their own Twelfth Century technology against that of the late Nineteenth. Had the Priestesses allowed it, the Diana would have mounted breech loading cannon firing explosive shells. Even the frigates and such of the Eighteenth Century would have been "helpless" against the Diana, whose armor would have turned cast iron shot, and whose ram would have pierced their hulls. I am reminded of Jules Verne's "20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA". The "design" of the Diana is much like that famous "submarine" in that it looks much like some strange "monster" from the "deep"... "There's Darlanis," Carol said, that big blonde coming now. "No doubt we'll have to get all dressed up," I smiled back. Darlanis would doubtlessly hold some sort of a "ball" for us now. The mere fact that Dularn's battleship was fighting on her "side" no doubt meant a lot to that tall beautiful regal Empress right now. Such a "victory" meant a great deal now to her politically. I could feel the "warmth" of Darlanis' body against mine through her thin silken gown as we danced, the big blonde as be- fore taking the "lead", her azure eyes glowing right into mine. Such gowns tend to be quite "revealing", and as Imperial women do not ever wear anything underneath them but just clips and a strap, one is also quite able to "see" quite a bit of the woman. This is probably why most Dularnians consider the Californian woman as being more "sexual" than the women of their own country. "I think my husband finds your wife quite fascinating," the Empress said to me. She'd flown Lorraine's airplane, Black Lady, all the way to the battlegrounds, stopping in Talon for fuel, and had returned shortly with her husband before the Diana arrived... "Carol is a woman of whom it may be said that she has no `doubts' about herself as a `woman'," I smiled back at Darlanis. "I am surprised that she was willing to leave your daughter in Dularn this early," Darlanis answered, pulling me around with her. I supposed she was a good dancer, but I'm not used to danc- ing with a woman who "leads", and I did have a bit of trouble. "Carol is `more' than just a `mother'," I pointed out. "I think Serak is `aware' of that fact," Darlanis smiled. "Aurora has a beautiful `daughter'," I said to her.* Her reaction much as if I had suddenly slapped her right in the face! * This is not public knowledge, I should note at this point. The novel of Darlanis' "adventures" that I read in the 20th Century was never published in the 26th, a more "abridged" version being known here where Aurora is just considered a good "friend" of the Empress. However, there are "rumors" that have existed for years that Darlanis was "not" actually Tulis' daughter, but the child of a mistress of Prince Paul, who is of course Darlanis' father. "I will deny it if you speak it," Darlanis warned me then. "Pay more `attention' to your husband then," I "suggested". "I am `enjoying' myself more than I thought," Carol said. There was a "brightness", a "sparkle" to her eyes that I hadn't ever seen before. She was wearing a gown in the Imperial style, and the sensual curves of her body were well displayed by it too! The dark green silk clinging to every curve like a second skin... "You might consider `behaving' yourself before you get all of us into trouble," I pointed out. Few women of this era will "tolerate" the sort of things that were so "commonplace" back in the late 20th and the 21st Centuries before The War of 2047 A.D. The women of this era tend to view their husbands as "property". "Are you `jealous'?" Carol giggled softly, obviously having had "more" to drink than she should have done under the circum- stances. She was wearing a new "style" of clips, shaped somewhat differently than those commonly worn, and a "strap" of silk. The "effect" was that of being completely "nude" underneath her gown. "Darlanis could get pretty `nasty' if you go too far," I warned. Many wives will "challenge" a mistress here in this era. And although Carol is a fantastic swordswoman, she is not really a "match" for Darlanis, who is almost on a "par" with Lorraine... "I suppose she `could', couldn't she," Carol answered a bit more soberly this time. I don't think my wife had intended to do anything "more" than just "tease" Darlanis a bit, but Darlanis is not the sort of a woman that you ever want to "tease". Neither is Lorraine for that matter, I might "note" here at this point. "I think I will keep you `company' for the rest of the night," I said, seeing Carol nod. She would doubtlessly be quite a "delight" in bed, especially after everything she'd done here. ***************************************************************** "Trella," I said, seeing Sandra and Carol nod. At a steady two hundred miles a day the Diana did cover a lot of "ground". I supposed we weren't as "fast" as a sailing ship in one sense, but on the other hand the strength or direction the wind blew made little difference to the Diana. It was noticeably warmer now, a "hint" of what it would be like when we reached the Gulf of Cali- fornia. As long as we could keep the hatches open it didn't make that much "difference", but "closed up" was something else yet... "A little `different' than last time," Sanda Talen smiled, her dark eyes having missed little about the Diana there at dock. The Prime Minister of Trelandar being Lorraine's "right hand" in more ways than one. She is a very "competent" woman, one who I have no doubt is fully competent to "rule" Trelandar if anything ever happens to Lorraine Richards, now the Queen of Trelandar and Warlady of the Empire of California. So far the Diana had been doing well, Daris Adara having told me that there were no prob- lems with the engines or anything else. We did keep a good guard while in port, being well aware from what Darlanis "believed" now that an agent of Princess Tara had been "responsible" for the sinking of the Imperial battleship on its maiden voyage. The Princess of course being well aware of what battleships could do. She was now "Warlady" of Mexico I'd heard, the Emperor of Mexico having wisely decided that his armed forces needed "leadership". The woman is extremely "competent", and quite "dangerous" too. "Sandra, see that everyone understands that `no one', and I repeat, `no one' is allowed aboard without my written orders," I said to the captain. Sandra nodding, well aware of my "orders". "Military secrets?" Sanda said, her dark eyes meeting mine. "Tara's agents," I smiled, seeing her nod in reply back. "We are barely `holding' our own," Sanda said as we ate din- ner. Unlike Darlanis Sanda had not made a big "fuss" about us... "I would think with Talon's help that you'd be able to at least `win' the war on the ground," my wife "ventured" in reply. Talon being the "home" of the great Tarls, a gigantic bird that is capable of carrying a small woman on its back into battle. In 2566 Lorraine "used" such birds against Dularn, and demonstrated the power of "air superiority" in a way that no one ever forgot too! Later on Queen Dala Dai of Talon had "second thoughts" about using her "air force" in such a way, but it was "proof" what the Warlady of the Empire was capable of. This "demonstra- tion" of her "air power" later led to her shooting by Prince Darl Jord, who we now know was a close "associate" of Princess Tara... "The birds are only `effective' against massed infantry," the Prime Minister of Trelandar answered. Queen Dala had used the birds up against Darlanis a number of years ago, putting a "halt" to the Empress' attempts to take over other countries by the use of her military power. Due to the marriage of Lorraine's foster daughter Gayle to the Prince of Talon, Queen Dala decided to throw in with the Empire, probably feeling that such a "move" would be to Talon's ultimate advantage later on as it has been. "Another war that got started over `female slavery'," Carol suddenly now snapped! Both the Imperials and the Mexicans having "raided" each other for women for years. Eventually things had reached a "boiling point" and war had broken out between the two countries. Much as it had between Dularn and California before. "Over men wanting to `own' women," Lady Sanda smiled back. "Queen Maris of Dularn has taken the first step against it," my wife replied. "Now if Darlanis and you could do the same..." I knew that Freydis had decided to "follow" in Maris' footsteps. Whether or not those who ruled the Empire of California could do the same was another "question". I recalled the "fate" of Queen Kathis, who had been "executed" by an enraged mob for her own ac- tions in behalf of women. The men of this time tend not to be the sort of "wimps" as was known in the 20th Century. As Lor- raine herself once pointed out, here men "have drawn a line", and no woman who values her life dares cross it, not even Queens... "Not even Lorraine dares...," Sanda answered her softly. "If women will stand together...," Carol snapped hotly. "IN HARM'S WAY" AN ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Robert J. Simmons Chapter Thirty Five "Any `excitement' while I was gone?" Carol asked the next morning as she came aboard after spending the night aboard Sarni- an Lady thanks to the storm that had nearly taken a young girl's life. The Imperial ships now leaving to sail back south, to re- turn to their home port in Sarn. The Diana had steam up now on all three boilers, the anchors drawn up short as we prepared to follow. The doctor had said that the midshipman would recover. "Midshipman Anders got struck by lightning," I said to her. "I see," Carol replied, the look on her face telling much. "She's alive, and the doc says she'll be able to resume her duties in another day or so," I smiled back. I didn't believe my wife would "understand" what Anders had told me. I had no doubts now that God, Lys, She, or whoever is the Supreme Being does ex- ist. The "description" was similar to that which Lorraine gave. "She was `lucky'," Carol smiled, giving me a quick kiss. "Sarn," Sandra said, giving me a smile. We had caught up with and passed the Imperials heading back down south. The supe- riority of a steam ship over sailing vessels was without doubt... "We'll dock at the Imperial palace dock," I smiled to her. "Hope those Imperials know `why' we are here," Sandra said. "If we'd had `this' last year..." Carol mused thoughtfully. "And what would we have done after we destroyed their navy?" I challenged her. Dularn could never have defeated the Empire. Nor did Dularn have the "resources" to match the Empire battle- ship to battleship. "Darlanis would have `won' the war anyway." I could hear the bollards creak as the ropes took up the strain, the Diana coming to rest alongside the dock that had once been "home" to another ship, one now only a memory. A ship that I had destroyed over a year before with my Twentieth Century knowledge of weapons. Sarnian Lady had been the pride of the Im- perial Navy, the flagship of its beautiful golden Empress. I had taken a fire pump, sprayed crudely refined oil on it, and set the ship afire. I recalled the "look" in Darlanis' eyes as she had climbed aboard the stolen cargo vessel of Lorraine's. Like those of Hiroshima she had "seen" the "future". She'd been like the native Americans who had suddenly faced Gatling guns. For the time being the Diana was the "ATOMIC BOMB" of this era, a weapon against which there was no defense. No nation anywhere in the world had a ship like the Diana. Less than a month before I had taught the Imperials the consequences of "facing" a "battleship". Of pitting their own Twelfth Century technology against that of the late Nineteenth. Had the Priestesses allowed it, the Diana would have mounted breech loading cannon firing explosive shells. Even the frigates and such of the Eighteenth Century would have been "helpless" against the Diana, whose armor would have turned cast iron shot, and whose ram would have pierced their hulls. I am reminded of Jules Verne's "20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA". The "design" of the Diana is much like that famous "submarine" in that it looks much like some strange "monster" from the "deep"... "There's Darlanis," Carol said, that big blonde coming now. "No doubt we'll have to get all dressed up," I smiled back. Darlanis would doubtlessly hold some sort of a "ball" for us now. The mere fact that Dularn's battleship was fighting on her "side" no doubt meant a lot to that tall beautiful regal Empress right now. Such a "victory" meant a great deal now to her politically. I could feel the "warmth" of Darlanis' body against mine through her thin silken gown as we danced, the big blonde as be- fore taking the "lead", her azure eyes glowing right into mine. Such gowns tend to be quite "revealing", and as Imperial women do not ever wear anything underneath them but just clips and a strap, one is also quite able to "see" quite a bit of the woman. This is probably why most Dularnians consider the Californian woman as being more "sexual" than the women of their own country. "I think my husband finds your wife quite fascinating," the Empress said to me. She'd flown Lorraine's airplane, Black Lady, all the way to the battlegrounds, stopping in Talon for fuel, and had returned shortly with her husband before the Diana arrived... "Carol is a woman of whom it may be said that she has no `doubts' about herself as a `woman'," I smiled back at Darlanis. "I am surprised that she was willing to leave your daughter in Dularn this early," Darlanis answered, pulling me around with her. I supposed she was a good dancer, but I'm not used to danc- ing with a woman who "leads", and I did have a bit of trouble. "Carol is `more' than just a `mother'," I pointed out. "I think Serak is `aware' of that fact," Darlanis smiled. "Aurora has a beautiful `daughter'," I said to her.* Her reaction much as if I had suddenly slapped her right in the face! * This is not public knowledge, I should note at this point. The novel of Darlanis' "adventures" that I read in the 20th Century was never published in the 26th, a more "abridged" version being known here where Aurora is just considered a good "friend" of the Empress. However, there are "rumors" that have existed for years that Darlanis was "not" actually Tulis' daughter, but the child of a mistress of Prince Paul, who is of course Darlanis' father. "I will deny it if you speak it," Darlanis warned me then. "Pay more `attention' to your husband then," I "suggested". "I am `enjoying' myself more than I thought," Carol said. There was a "brightness", a "sparkle" to her eyes that I hadn't ever seen before. She was wearing a gown in the Imperial style, and the sensual curves of her body were well displayed by it too! The dark green silk clinging to every curve like a second skin... "You might consider `behaving' yourself before you get all of us into trouble," I pointed out. Few women of this era will "tolerate" the sort of things that were so "commonplace" back in the late 20th and the 21st Centuries before The War of 2047 A.D. The women of this era tend to view their husbands as "property". "Are you `jealous'?" Carol giggled softly, obviously having had "more" to drink than she should have done under the circum- stances. She was wearing a new "style" of clips, shaped somewhat differently than those commonly worn, and a "strap" of silk. The "effect" was that of being completely "nude" underneath her gown. "Darlanis could get pretty `nasty' if you go too far," I warned. Many wives will "challenge" a mistress here in this era. And although Carol is a fantastic swordswoman, she is not really a "match" for Darlanis, who is almost on a "par" with Lorraine... "I suppose she `could', couldn't she," Carol answered a bit more soberly this time. I don't think my wife had intended to do anything "more" than just "tease" Darlanis a bit, but Darlanis is not the sort of a woman that you ever want to "tease". Neither is Lorraine for that matter, I might "note" here at this point. "I think I will keep you `company' for the rest of the night," I said, seeing Carol nod. She would doubtlessly be quite a "delight" in bed, especially after everything she'd done here. ***************************************************************** "Trella," I said, seeing Sandra and Carol nod. At a steady two hundred miles a day the Diana did cover a lot of "ground". I supposed we weren't as "fast" as a sailing ship in one sense, but on the other hand the strength or direction the wind blew made little difference to the Diana. It was noticeably warmer now, a "hint" of what it would be like when we reached the Gulf of Cali- fornia. As long as we could keep the hatches open it didn't make that much "difference", but "closed up" was something else yet... "A little `different' than last time," Sanda Talen smiled, her dark eyes having missed little about the Diana there at dock. The Prime Minister of Trelandar being Lorraine's "right hand" in more ways than one. She is a very "competent" woman, one who I have no doubt is fully competent to "rule" Trelandar if anything ever happens to Lorraine Richards, now the Queen of Trelandar and Warlady of the Empire of California. So far the Diana had been doing well, Daris Adara having told me that there were no prob- lems with the engines or anything else. We did keep a good guard while in port, being well aware from what Darlanis "believed" now that an agent of Princess Tara had been "responsible" for the sinking of the Imperial battleship on its maiden voyage. The Princess of course being well aware of what battleships could do. She was now "Warlady" of Mexico I'd heard, the Emperor of Mexico having wisely decided that his armed forces needed "leadership". The woman is extremely "competent", and quite "dangerous" too. "Sandra, see that everyone understands that `no one', and I repeat, `no one' is allowed aboard without my written orders," I said to the captain. Sandra nodding, well aware of my "orders". "Military secrets?" Sanda said, her dark eyes meeting mine. "Tara's agents," I smiled, seeing her nod in reply back. "We are barely `holding' our own," Sanda said as we ate din- ner. Unlike Darlanis Sanda had not made a big "fuss" about us... "I would think with Talon's help that you'd be able to at least `win' the war on the ground," my wife "ventured" in reply. Talon being the "home" of the great Tarls, a gigantic bird that is capable of carrying a small woman on its back into battle. In 2566 Lorraine "used" such birds against Dularn, and demonstrated the power of "air superiority" in a way that no one ever forgot too! Later on Queen Dala Dai of Talon had "second thoughts" about using her "air force" in such a way, but it was "proof" what the Warlady of the Empire was capable of. This "demonstra- tion" of her "air power" later led to her shooting by Prince Darl Jord, who we now know was a close "associate" of Princess Tara... "The birds are only `effective' against massed infantry," the Prime Minister of Trelandar answered. Queen Dala had used the birds up against Darlanis a number of years ago, putting a "halt" to the Empress' attempts to take over other countries by the use of her military power. Due to the marriage of Lorraine's foster daughter Gayle to the Prince of Talon, Queen Dala decided to throw in with the Empire, probably feeling that such a "move" would be to Talon's ultimate advantage later on as it has been. "Another war that got started over `female slavery'," Carol suddenly now snapped! Both the Imperials and the Mexicans having "raided" each other for women for years. Eventually things had reached a "boiling point" and war had broken out between the two countries. Much as it had between Dularn and California before. "Over men wanting to `own' women," Lady Sanda smiled back. "Queen Maris of Dularn has taken the first step against it," my wife replied. "Now if Darlanis and you could do the same..." I knew that Freydis had decided to "follow" in Maris' footsteps. Whether or not those who ruled the Empire of California could do the same was another "question". I recalled the "fate" of Queen Kathis, who had been "executed" by an enraged mob for her own ac- tions in behalf of women. The men of this time tend not to be the sort of "wimps" as was known in the 20th Century. As Lor- raine herself once pointed out, here men "have drawn a line", and no woman who values her life dares cross it, not even Queens... "Not even Lorraine dares...," Sanda answered her softly. "If women will stand together...," Carol snapped hotly. |
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