2565 A.D.!
A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN
By Jerome B. Bigge
Book Two
Chapter Forty Eight

     
(Darlanis' version)


     
"Of all the hare-brained stunts that I've ever heard of!"
Lorraine gasped in shocked disbelief as I told her what I planned
to do. I gave her a smile. I thought it something that "She-Ra"
might do. The kind of a fantastically heroic "stunt" that only
Sharon would have approved of. The very type of an "exploit" for
which I had become justifiably famous over the last few months.
Something that would impress the people below like nothing else!
     
"Do you have a `better' suggestion?" I challenged her back,
having her take the controls while I climbed into the back of the
plane to change my clothing. I would wear my gold mesh outfit,
nothing more. There would be no doubt that way as to who I was!
     
"Darlanis, you big beautiful blonde, you are the bravest and
most courageous woman who's ever lived!" Lorraine said, her voice
starting to break now with emotion as I stripped off my clothing.
     
"If this fails," I said, now stripped to clips and strap,
"Tell Sharon that I loved her." My own eyes now glistening with
tears as I pulled on the cold golden mesh over my naked body. I
tried not to think what Tara might do to me this time if I fell
alive into her hands. I would wear my weapons, my bejeweled re-
gal trappings. I thrust my tiara through the front of my halter
between my breasts. I prayed that the parachute would work as it
should. I did not look forward to making the first parachute
jump of the 26th Century. But such a jump would be seen by ever-
yone in the city. There would be those with telescopes below who
would see that I was Darlanis Marden, the Empress of California!
     
It was exactly that now that I was gambling on. That such a
daring action might just cause men to "think", to "doubt". That
was all I had to go on. The rest would be up to Lys. I prayed I
would die swiftly when the time came. That this time I would not
live to fall into Tara's hands. I still recalled the time be-
fore. What it had been like there in her hands. The humilia-
tions, the tortures, that sadistic pleasure there in those eyes.
She had been like something out of a nightmare. Something awful!
     
"Tomorrow at noon I will circle the city and watch for your
signal," Lorraine said to me. I nodded, looking down. I am not
much bothered by heights, but the idea of jumping out of an air-
plane and descending by parachute wasn't really my idea of "fun"!
     
"Three fires, nothing else," I answered, strapping on the
parachute. Letting Lorraine check it. Praying that she didn't
sense the terror I felt in my voice. I knew what Tara could do
to me. It can take a long time to die when she is torturing you.
     
"We'll land and face them together," Lorraine said. "Side
by side." I smiled. I had thought of that too, but then Tara
might have us both and Sharon was no match for Tara's "evilness".
     
"This time I go alone," I answered, looking down out the
window past the wing to the ground below. Mentally adding to my-
self under my breath, "And may Lys have mercy upon my soul when I
stand there before Her for my final judgment." Lorraine nodded.
     
I pushed the door open, stood half inside, the cold wind
blowing at my hair. My rapidly beating heart now clutched by a
cold hand of terror. I would have much preferred to face armed
men than jump from an airplane a thousand feet above the ground!
     
"Now!" Lorraine snapped. I leaped into thin air, the wing
flashing by as I fell tumbling in the cold air, yanking at the
ripcord that would release the parachute! The flagstones of the
plaza swirling about below seemingly racing up to meet me as with
a sudden teeth jarring jolt the canopy suddenly opened above me!
     
"Thank Lys!" I breathed, looking up. That great white nylon
mushroom there above me. Beneath my high heeled boots the white
concrete of the plaza grew nearer. Men standing there, looking!
Others running about, pointing up into the sky. Warrioresses on
their unicorns, their beasts prancing about there beneath them!
     
"Oof!" I grunted, hitting the ground, just missing a tree!
Squatting, then straightening up, and now grabbing for my tiara.
The parachute pulling at me, making me stumble a bit as I tugged
off the straps. Lorraine circling back around, the buzz of the
engine loud. The plane low, perhaps a few hundred feet now up in
that cloud sprinkled azure blue sky. It was now mid-afternoon.
     
"It's Darlanis!" I heard one cry. "Our Empress Herself!" I
shook myself free of the parachute, the soles of my feet smarting
from the impact of the landing. Put on my tiara, and faced them!
The chilly breeze from the sea blowing over my briefly clad body!
Making the goose pimples start, my teeth already chattering now!
     
"For California! For the Empire!" I cried out, drawing my
sword, lifting it up high. I saw those who would oppose me being
overwhelmed by those who would support me. Around me men fought!
My men fighting Tara's! I knew I had done the right thing jump-
ing over the city by parachute despite the dangers. A warrioress
rode through the crowds, halted at my side, her lance in her
hand. I saw her eyes glisten. She was of dark complexion, one
of Tara's own fighting women. A Bajan. One who had decided to
stand upon the side of "good" against the forces of "evil". We
were then joined by others, both men and women. Those of the
military and those of the city. I suspected that many would die
this day. Many would stand before Lys for their final judgment.
     
"Join Me! Stand by your Empress!" I cried, drawing them to
me. Others facing us, drawn swords there in their hands. Tara's
men. Those loyal to her. A number of warrioresses among them.
Men and women of the Imperial Armed Forces. Even a few seamen!
     
"Darlanis!" I heard men cry. "All hail Darlanis!" I felt
myself now being lifted, held, their hands on my body (no doubt
they enjoyed that considering how little I was wearing) as I was
raised up and tossed into a unicorn's saddle. Hands touching me,
my ears deafened by the cheering as the mob swarmed out of the
plaza into the city around me. Men, women running to join us.
Housewives, women of low caste, mostly without weapons but for
brooms and garden tools. Men of all the different castes, some
with swords, but many armed with only what they could quickly
grab. I saw Lorraine circling in Black Lady. I waved to her,
although I do not think she saw me. Not from a thousand feet up.
     
Other warrioresses joined us. Women in armor, with lances.
They raised their weapons in salute, but I saw others who gal-
loped off in search of reinforcements, and I knew that they now
served Tara Bisan, that cruel Bajan. "The Princess of Darkness"!
     
"For California! For the Empire!" I cried, raising my sword
high. Standing in my stirrups. Well aware that it would take
but one crossbowman to put an end to my life. To insure victory
for Tara. I was a glittering, gleaming golden "target". "For
the `New Order'," I cried, turning in the saddle. "For us all!"
I wondered how many would die this day. For Tara. And for me?

*****************************************************************

     
"The city is now ours, your majesty!" my general cried, his
chain mail gleaming in the rays of the dying sun as it set in the
west. Porlan had been the "R&R" center for the Dularnian front.
A good part of my own military forces had been there on relief.
It had been a nasty fight. Much blood had been spilled. It had
been warrior against warrior, warrioress against warrioress,
sailor against sailor. We had fought on land and on the ships.
     
I was chilled, cold and miserable in nothing but my brief
halter and matching brief skirt of golden mesh. It was now in
late October. I shivered constantly now from the chill air. My
teeth chattered so badly that I could hardly talk. I could think
of nothing but a long hot bath. To be finally "warm" once again!
The cloak I'd put on earlier doing little now to "warm" me here.
     
"And Tara?" I asked. She had led her forces against mine.
     
"No one knows, your majesty," he answered. Like a bad cop-
per I had no doubt that she would turn up again to make trouble.

     
I walked among the stripped, shivering chained women as they
knelt there before me. They had been among those who had served
Princess Tara. I could hear their teeth chattering. I felt con-
siderable sympathy. Even with my cloak I was still cold. Over a
thousand had died. Brave men and women, fighting for me or for
Princess Tara. I wondered if it really mattered that much in the
long run. Here and there you could yet still see the blood where
a sword, a lance, an arrow, or a crossbow bolt had taken a life.
     
"One year as camp sluts," I ordered. My general nodded.
They would not be harmed by such servitude. Had Tara won my own
women would have probably all been sold into life-long slavery.
I saw the light of the torches reflected in their eyes. They had
made a bad choice in following Princess Tara. Believing in her.
     
"And the men?" the general asked. Male slaves are usually
of little value. Fit only to do the work free men refuse to do.
     
"A year of penal servitude," I answered in reply. It was
night now. The stars were bright there in the sky above. Orion
high in the south. My eyes picked out the dim glow of "M-42". A
name from a past now only legend. Of men and women now history.
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