"2570-16" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jerome Bigge - Warlady 8 - The Queen Of Time)THE QUEEN OF TIME 2570 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Sixteen "Where did they get `her' from?" someone yelled there in the stands as I stood there in the hot sun, naked but for a bit of leather covering my sex, a sword gleaming there in my right hand. The "thought" going through my mind that again two centuries from now a couple would stand in this same arena, face a "crowd" much like this one, and put on a display of swordsmanship that would awe those watching. I hoped I'd do as "good" here in this time! "Bet she's well over a `hundred'!" someone else joined in. Amethysta had secretly wagered heavily on me, well aware of the "level" of my skills with a sword after the "match" I'd had with her. I'd been "warned" too by the Queen here "to put on a good show if I knew what was good for me"... Otherwise after my first match it would be "obvious" to everyone but the blind that they were seeing the greatest swordswoman of all time in action! I suppose I take too much "pride" in my skills, although I do have to work hard to keep myself in the peak of fighting trim. It is, I suppose, much like being an Olympic "champion". I never ever got to fence in the Olympics, but I've got no doubts that I would have won the "gold" back then, Lorraine Duclare having been felt by everyone in the world of fencing to truly be the "best"! My incredibly swift reaction times and footwork leaving no doubt! I looked up at the Queen of Trelandar sitting there in her ornately decorated section of the stands, a great striped awning protecting her fair skin from the rays of the hot sun overhead, a slave girl there at her side waiting to be of service to her now. Amethysta nodding, giving me a wave of her hand as I raised the sword in my hand, the blade not the usual "arena sword", but my own long slim rapier like blade that Darlanis had once given me. That same blade I'd worn at my hip, later held in my hand when I took the Huntress up against the North Star. That legendary bat- tle that men still yet spoke of even yet some four years later.* * See "2566", part two for further details of this battle. (JBB) "The old woman is Lorraine Richards, an outlaw Warrioress," the announcer spoke through his speaking trumpet as I bowed to the crowd, a grim smile curving my thin lips as I thought of the sort of "exhibition" they'd get to see this very afternoon here! "While it is unlikely that she will live much longer, we are told by her majesty Queen Amethysta that she is skilled with a blade." "Send her back to the kitchens where she belongs!" someone in the crowd jeered, a series of answering comments leaving no doubts that most people thought I wouldn't last the first "bout"! It was a pleasant day, a bit "hot", the sky clear blue overhead. I pushed back my coal black hair, shook my head to settle it now. Almost naked as I was, I supposed those with better eye sight had noted by now that I was hard muscled, and in excellent condition. My scarred body a proof too that I was no "stranger" to battle... "Lorraine's `opponent' is Jarl Dan, a well known `outlaw'," the announcer continued on her, a heavy set nearly naked man now stumbling out on to the hot sands of the arena to face me. The sword he now held in his fist the usual arena sword, a blade much like the common short sword often carried by those of my caste. Aware of Amethysta's "instructions" and their "implications" here, I allowed the man to approach me, his skill little better with a sword than the Blacks I'd faced back in the 21st Century. My blade meeting, parrying his thrust, pushing it aside. At such a point I normally would have brought up my blade in a swift slash across his throat, putting an "end" to this silly "match". On the other hand had I done so it would have been quite obvious that I was not what I appeared to be here, and that wouldn't do! I scampered back, letting the man chase me around the arena to the loud jeers and hisses from the crowd, once again meeting his incompetent attack, parrying it, and then half stumbling as I made a quick thrust upwards, piercing his throat, my keen point driving right up into the man's brain stem! The "stumble" was of course deliberate, making it seem that I was merely very "lucky"! "Look at that! That old woman did kill him!" the announcer told the crowd, who could of course see for themselves here too! Said "old woman" standing there smiling to herself, wondering how much longer this "farce" was to go on here as she stood there ba- refooted in the hot tan sand, much disgusted by all of this here! The next man they sent out against me was a Dularnian, and more skilled with the sword than his processor. Once again I put on a "show" for the people there in the stands and their Queen, letting the Warrior chase me around for a while before we crossed swords in serious "play", the man suddenly staggering back, clutching at his chest, my blade having slipped between his ribs! "What do you know, that old woman knows `how' to fight!" the announcer carried on, the crowd now becoming aware that the "old woman" they saw there before them was actually a skilled fighter! "She's a Dularnian Warrioress!" someone ventured then. The words making me smile as I stood there now baking in the hot sun. The thought going through my mind that many people in my own era would have paid a good price to see me fight in the arena here... It should be noted here that in 26th Century I do not as a rule "allow" fights to the death in the arena, whereas in earlier times these sorts of "fights" were extremely popular with the people, much like the Roman "Games" of the Classical Era were. I am of the opinion here that our "blood sports" are only a further proof that we are truly a "race of barbarians" as both the Lorr and the Women consider us. Neither allowing such things on Mars. On the other hand Mankind is more "adventuresome", more willing to take risks, explore the unknown than the Lorr or the Women. I feel that sometimes perhaps it is best not to be too "civilized". On the other hand I am perhaps not too "civilized" myself either. They next sent out a woman against me, a blonde haired woman who was no doubt from some northern clime due to her "coloring". She gave me a good fight, although I never had any doubts about what the "outcome" of the "fight" would be. I tried to make her death as swift and painless as I could, becoming sickened by this senseless killing to "amuse" the "rabble" of 24th Century Trella. The yells of the crowd like the baying of dogs in my ears now as my last opponent fell, her sword dropping from her hand to the sand as I stood there, sickened by what I'd been forced to "do"!! As a Warrioress I am no "stranger" to death, but to KILL just to amuse a crowd who had nothing better to do than to watch me kill was something "else" entirely. The thought going through my mind of when they'd had "public hangings", and everyone had turned out to see some poor soul choking out his last at the end of a rope! I think Amethysta was a bit "annoyed" at me here, since then I was pitted against two men at the same time, forcing me to dis- play a good part of my own awesome abilities as I now killed them in a few seconds, sick and disgusted at what she was doing here! The crowd too I think now "aware" of just "what" I actually was. That they were seeing swordsmanship practiced at a "level" they'd never seen it practiced before, by a mysterious woman none knew!! I wondered what Amethysta would "do" now, the crowd no doubt well aware that I was a "ringer", and not just an "old woman" as they'd first thought. True, my appearance, especially without any makeup did give that "impression", but as I'm actually only forty five, I wouldn't consider myself to be an "old woman" yet!! Then to my horror I saw them shove Hope out into the arena! The young brownette, nude but for of bit a leather, a sword there in her hand standing blinking in the bright sunlight as she heard the yells of the crowd. Hope, so much like Carol Simmons herself long ago, her young slim body an "erotic promise" few men would have been able to resist, standing there terrified before me now! "Let's give them a good `show'," I spoke softly to Hope, my friend nodding, taking a better grip of the sword she held ready. I then made an easy thrust towards Hope, letting her parry it as I suddenly came in a swift slash that just "missed", Hope jumping back, a look of "awe" in her eyes as she realized how superior my own skills were to hers. She was "good", but I don't think she would have won the "gold" at the Olympics. Better than her own mother had been, but not yet quite the same class as I am now... "This has to look `real'," I warned, Hope nodding back, aware that while I might not kill her, I would inflict on her mi- nor flesh wounds just to keep the crowd aware of what I could do! "You're really `good'," Hope breathed, giving me a good fight as we put on a quick display of swordsmanship that left no doubts of the sort of skills that we both possessed. While Hope was not a "match" for me, she was doing a creditable job of it! "`Better' than your mother was," I said, parrying a swift thrust that Hope had made. Unlike me she didn't have the control I had, and some of her thrusts could have very well been "lethal" had I not parried them properly. On the other hand I had enough "control" over my own that there was no danger of this for Hope! "Ow!" Hope yipped, jumping back, a red stain of blood just over her left breast from my last swift slash she hadn't parried! "Don't get `careless'!" I warned, well aware of things here. "Wonder how `good' Amethysta is?" Hope ventured then as she tried one of those fancy "tricks" in fencing against me just now. Finding that it didn't "work" against me, as I've seen in my life just about every sort of "trick" that anyone can dream up here. The crowd almost totally silent now as they watched us fighting. "A bit `better' than you are," I answered, chasing Hope back across the hot sands, my mouth dry, my body coated now with sweat as the sun burned down upon us from a nearly cloudless blue sky. Bloodstains here and there on the sands where people had died... "What...?" Hope gasped, a silvery triangle now above us! I felt a sudden "disorientation", AND THEN I STOOD UPON A METAL DECK, WITH QUEEN AMETHYSTA PICKING HERSELF UP OFF THAT SAME DECK! FIRST PRIESTESS TAIS STANDING THERE WATCHING GRINNING TO HERSELF! THE QUEEN OF TIME 2570 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Sixteen "Where did they get `her' from?" someone yelled there in the stands as I stood there in the hot sun, naked but for a bit of leather covering my sex, a sword gleaming there in my right hand. The "thought" going through my mind that again two centuries from now a couple would stand in this same arena, face a "crowd" much like this one, and put on a display of swordsmanship that would awe those watching. I hoped I'd do as "good" here in this time! "Bet she's well over a `hundred'!" someone else joined in. Amethysta had secretly wagered heavily on me, well aware of the "level" of my skills with a sword after the "match" I'd had with her. I'd been "warned" too by the Queen here "to put on a good show if I knew what was good for me"... Otherwise after my first match it would be "obvious" to everyone but the blind that they were seeing the greatest swordswoman of all time in action! I suppose I take too much "pride" in my skills, although I do have to work hard to keep myself in the peak of fighting trim. It is, I suppose, much like being an Olympic "champion". I never ever got to fence in the Olympics, but I've got no doubts that I would have won the "gold" back then, Lorraine Duclare having been felt by everyone in the world of fencing to truly be the "best"! My incredibly swift reaction times and footwork leaving no doubt! I looked up at the Queen of Trelandar sitting there in her ornately decorated section of the stands, a great striped awning protecting her fair skin from the rays of the hot sun overhead, a slave girl there at her side waiting to be of service to her now. Amethysta nodding, giving me a wave of her hand as I raised the sword in my hand, the blade not the usual "arena sword", but my own long slim rapier like blade that Darlanis had once given me. That same blade I'd worn at my hip, later held in my hand when I took the Huntress up against the North Star. That legendary bat- tle that men still yet spoke of even yet some four years later.* * See "2566", part two for further details of this battle. (JBB) "The old woman is Lorraine Richards, an outlaw Warrioress," the announcer spoke through his speaking trumpet as I bowed to the crowd, a grim smile curving my thin lips as I thought of the sort of "exhibition" they'd get to see this very afternoon here! "While it is unlikely that she will live much longer, we are told by her majesty Queen Amethysta that she is skilled with a blade." "Send her back to the kitchens where she belongs!" someone in the crowd jeered, a series of answering comments leaving no doubts that most people thought I wouldn't last the first "bout"! It was a pleasant day, a bit "hot", the sky clear blue overhead. I pushed back my coal black hair, shook my head to settle it now. Almost naked as I was, I supposed those with better eye sight had noted by now that I was hard muscled, and in excellent condition. My scarred body a proof too that I was no "stranger" to battle... "Lorraine's `opponent' is Jarl Dan, a well known `outlaw'," the announcer continued on her, a heavy set nearly naked man now stumbling out on to the hot sands of the arena to face me. The sword he now held in his fist the usual arena sword, a blade much like the common short sword often carried by those of my caste. Aware of Amethysta's "instructions" and their "implications" here, I allowed the man to approach me, his skill little better with a sword than the Blacks I'd faced back in the 21st Century. My blade meeting, parrying his thrust, pushing it aside. At such a point I normally would have brought up my blade in a swift slash across his throat, putting an "end" to this silly "match". On the other hand had I done so it would have been quite obvious that I was not what I appeared to be here, and that wouldn't do! I scampered back, letting the man chase me around the arena to the loud jeers and hisses from the crowd, once again meeting his incompetent attack, parrying it, and then half stumbling as I made a quick thrust upwards, piercing his throat, my keen point driving right up into the man's brain stem! The "stumble" was of course deliberate, making it seem that I was merely very "lucky"! "Look at that! That old woman did kill him!" the announcer told the crowd, who could of course see for themselves here too! Said "old woman" standing there smiling to herself, wondering how much longer this "farce" was to go on here as she stood there ba- refooted in the hot tan sand, much disgusted by all of this here! The next man they sent out against me was a Dularnian, and more skilled with the sword than his processor. Once again I put on a "show" for the people there in the stands and their Queen, letting the Warrior chase me around for a while before we crossed swords in serious "play", the man suddenly staggering back, clutching at his chest, my blade having slipped between his ribs! "What do you know, that old woman knows `how' to fight!" the announcer carried on, the crowd now becoming aware that the "old woman" they saw there before them was actually a skilled fighter! "She's a Dularnian Warrioress!" someone ventured then. The words making me smile as I stood there now baking in the hot sun. The thought going through my mind that many people in my own era would have paid a good price to see me fight in the arena here... It should be noted here that in 26th Century I do not as a rule "allow" fights to the death in the arena, whereas in earlier times these sorts of "fights" were extremely popular with the people, much like the Roman "Games" of the Classical Era were. I am of the opinion here that our "blood sports" are only a further proof that we are truly a "race of barbarians" as both the Lorr and the Women consider us. Neither allowing such things on Mars. On the other hand Mankind is more "adventuresome", more willing to take risks, explore the unknown than the Lorr or the Women. I feel that sometimes perhaps it is best not to be too "civilized". On the other hand I am perhaps not too "civilized" myself either. They next sent out a woman against me, a blonde haired woman who was no doubt from some northern clime due to her "coloring". She gave me a good fight, although I never had any doubts about what the "outcome" of the "fight" would be. I tried to make her death as swift and painless as I could, becoming sickened by this senseless killing to "amuse" the "rabble" of 24th Century Trella. The yells of the crowd like the baying of dogs in my ears now as my last opponent fell, her sword dropping from her hand to the sand as I stood there, sickened by what I'd been forced to "do"!! As a Warrioress I am no "stranger" to death, but to KILL just to amuse a crowd who had nothing better to do than to watch me kill was something "else" entirely. The thought going through my mind of when they'd had "public hangings", and everyone had turned out to see some poor soul choking out his last at the end of a rope! I think Amethysta was a bit "annoyed" at me here, since then I was pitted against two men at the same time, forcing me to dis- play a good part of my own awesome abilities as I now killed them in a few seconds, sick and disgusted at what she was doing here! The crowd too I think now "aware" of just "what" I actually was. That they were seeing swordsmanship practiced at a "level" they'd never seen it practiced before, by a mysterious woman none knew!! I wondered what Amethysta would "do" now, the crowd no doubt well aware that I was a "ringer", and not just an "old woman" as they'd first thought. True, my appearance, especially without any makeup did give that "impression", but as I'm actually only forty five, I wouldn't consider myself to be an "old woman" yet!! Then to my horror I saw them shove Hope out into the arena! The young brownette, nude but for of bit a leather, a sword there in her hand standing blinking in the bright sunlight as she heard the yells of the crowd. Hope, so much like Carol Simmons herself long ago, her young slim body an "erotic promise" few men would have been able to resist, standing there terrified before me now! "Let's give them a good `show'," I spoke softly to Hope, my friend nodding, taking a better grip of the sword she held ready. I then made an easy thrust towards Hope, letting her parry it as I suddenly came in a swift slash that just "missed", Hope jumping back, a look of "awe" in her eyes as she realized how superior my own skills were to hers. She was "good", but I don't think she would have won the "gold" at the Olympics. Better than her own mother had been, but not yet quite the same class as I am now... "This has to look `real'," I warned, Hope nodding back, aware that while I might not kill her, I would inflict on her mi- nor flesh wounds just to keep the crowd aware of what I could do! "You're really `good'," Hope breathed, giving me a good fight as we put on a quick display of swordsmanship that left no doubts of the sort of skills that we both possessed. While Hope was not a "match" for me, she was doing a creditable job of it! "`Better' than your mother was," I said, parrying a swift thrust that Hope had made. Unlike me she didn't have the control I had, and some of her thrusts could have very well been "lethal" had I not parried them properly. On the other hand I had enough "control" over my own that there was no danger of this for Hope! "Ow!" Hope yipped, jumping back, a red stain of blood just over her left breast from my last swift slash she hadn't parried! "Don't get `careless'!" I warned, well aware of things here. "Wonder how `good' Amethysta is?" Hope ventured then as she tried one of those fancy "tricks" in fencing against me just now. Finding that it didn't "work" against me, as I've seen in my life just about every sort of "trick" that anyone can dream up here. The crowd almost totally silent now as they watched us fighting. "A bit `better' than you are," I answered, chasing Hope back across the hot sands, my mouth dry, my body coated now with sweat as the sun burned down upon us from a nearly cloudless blue sky. Bloodstains here and there on the sands where people had died... "What...?" Hope gasped, a silvery triangle now above us! I felt a sudden "disorientation", AND THEN I STOOD UPON A METAL DECK, WITH QUEEN AMETHYSTA PICKING HERSELF UP OFF THAT SAME DECK! FIRST PRIESTESS TAIS STANDING THERE WATCHING GRINNING TO HERSELF! |
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