‘THANK THE LORD that’s over!’ Beryl Snowhill breathed, watching the four surviving Gruziaks galloping down the kopje. Then she turned her gaze to the maid, who was approaching, and staring fixedly to where the motionless figure lay impaled by the arrow. ‘Are you all right, Jill?’
‘Yes, ma’am,’ the redhead answered after a moment. Sucking in a deep breath, she forced herself to remove her attention from the young woman she had killed. ‘I only wish there’d been some other way I—’
‘There weren’t under the circumstances,’ the beautiful platinum blonde asserted, firmly yet gently. Having done what she could to reassure her companion, she looked at the little woman who had been saved by their intervention. Remembering how she had understood the comments made by the departing female warriors, she went on and, even though unable to decide whether the language she used was the same as theirs had been or another, sensed she was not speaking English. ‘Are you injured in any way?’
Still sprawling, where she had landed on the ground, realizing the second sentence had been directed at her, Kit Fox took her gaze from the departing Gruziaks. Being aware that members or the other nations with whom she had made contact possessed a common language through which they could communicate, although having no idea why or from whom the ability had come, she experienced no surprise whatsoever at finding herself able to understand the question. For all that, she could not restrain a slight startled gasp as she looked at the rescuers converging upon her.
The trio might have the facial and hirsute appearance of Amazons, but their attire was not of her race!
As was the case with the Gruziaks and every other nation on Zillikian, to the little Apex, the entire population of the world in which she lived was comprised of her own people and mortal enemies!
The three woman coming towards her were not Amazons.
Therefore, the Apex concluded, they had interceded and driven off her other would be captors merely to take her prisoner themselves!
With that assumption in mind, despite the friendly was in which it had been uttered, Kit Fox did not reply to the question.
Noticing the smallest of the trio was not covering her with her bow, the Apex made a rolling dive and her right hand reached for the sword she had dropped. To make this possible, she was forced to let the already partially dislodged should slip from her left arm. The limb was still somewhat numbed by the blow from the war club and she realized that, under the circumstances, the protective device would be more of a liability than an asset while she was fighting to try to regain her freedom, or die in the attempt.
‘What the h…!’ Jill ejaculated, staring with indignation at the little woman who she and her companions had risked life and limb to rescue, but was now making a grab for the weapon lying a short distance in front of her.
Although the redhead was startled by the unexpected and—to her way of thinking—ungrateful behaviour of Kit Fox, she found herself responding without the need to supply her limbs with conscious guidance. Restraining an impulse to draw and use the bow, to which an arrow was still nocked, she jumped forward. Her right foot descended, far from gently in her annoyance, to pin the outstretched wrist of the little Apex to the ground an instant before its hand could close upon the hilt of the sword.
Finding herself attempt to regain possession of the weapon was being thwarted, a squeal of frustrated fury burst from Kit Fox. The pitch of the sound would have warned anybody who knew her that she did not intend to restrict her response to mere vocal protest. Instead, reacting with the kind of speed which had helped to create her sobriquet, she took the offensive in a most effective fashion. Twisting her torso, the urgency of the situation and indignation over being treated in such a fashion causing, her to ignore the increased throbbing doing so created in the limb, she lashed around her left fist to strike Jill behind the left knee. As the leg began to buckle under the unexpected and powerful impact, the little Apex heaved upwards with all the strength she could muster against the foot which was pinning her wrist to the ground.
Caught totally unprepared by the sudden and violent counter measure, Jill was toppled backwards. The bow and nocked arrow fell from her grasp. Despite her belated attempt to break the full, she was momentarily dazed by landing on her quiver alongside her assailant. Still moving with great rapidity and offering her no opportunity to regain her wits, Kit Fox rolled to straddle and kneel aside her torso. Two very strong, if diminutive, hands closed about her throat and began to tighten determinedly.
Even as the Apex was raising the maid’s head with the intention of banging it upon the ground, she realized she was making an error in tactics for the second time that day.
Nor was Kit Fox allowed to rectify the mistake!
Striding forward, hard put to restrain a smile of admiration, Charlotte Topper sheathed her sword. Catching the little Amazon by the biceps from behind, the statuesque brunette beauty jerked her from the recumbent redhead. Feeling what was happening, Kit Fox began to struggle. It was to no avail. Surprised and impressed by the wiry strength of the diminutive woman though she was, Cha retained her grasp. Swinging her captive upwards until clear of the ground, she started to back away from the supine Jill.
!,:
For her part, despite all she was trying to the contrary, Kit Fox found it one of the rare occasions when was unable to break away from the restraint being placed upon her by another woman. Elevated at arms’ length and with both feet in the air, she could only writhe impotently and flail with her legs in an unproductive attempt to kick her captress. While doing so, she was bitterly aware that—even if she could escape the clutches of the brunette—the blonde foreigner had moved to confront her and was grasping weapons capable of ending any further resistance permanently. Neither the battle axe nor shield were raised in a threatening fashion, but she did not doubt they could be quickly enough should the need for them to rise.
‘Are you all right, Jill?’ Beryl inquired, satisfied her cousin could keep the little woman under restraint and looking to where the redhead was starting to sit up.
‘Y … yes, ma’am.’ Jill replied, shaking her head a couple of times to clear it. Then, as her gaze came to rest upon the captive of the brunette, she glared furiously and forced herself erect. Swaying slightly upon her spread apart feet, her face flushed and angry, she clenched her fist and hissed, ‘Put her down, Cha, and let me get at her!’
‘All right,’ the brunette assented, grinning broadly and lowering the little woman to the ground, but without releasing her arms or allowing her to come any closer.
‘Wait, Cha!’ Beryl commanded and, as the redhead head started to move forward, went on in the same tone, ‘Stay where you are, Jill!’
‘Yes, ma’am!’ the redhead replied, but with reluctance, rubbing her thinly covered rump and glowering at the cause of the throbbing ache it was emitting.
‘What’ s wrong with you?’ the blonde demanded, turning her gaze to the Amazon. ‘We you from those people—!’
‘To make me your prisoner!’ the little Apex interrupted, ceasing her attempts to get free in the hope of taking the larger woman by surprise and, having attained her liberty by doing so, resume fighting.
‘That wasn’t our intention and it still isn’t,’ Beryl corrected. ‘We helped because we want to become your friends.’
‘Friends?’ Kit Fox snorted. ‘Only other Amazons are my friends!’
‘You ungrateful little bitch!’ Jill yelped indignantly, clenching her fists again and starting to move forward. ‘Just let me get my hands on her!’
The redhead was still shaken by the traumatic effect of knowing she had taken the life of another human being. It was something the mental conditioning of the Suppliers could not counteract. Until that morning, even during her service with Group Thirteen, she had never been compelled to do so. However, having her feelings aroused in such a fashion was beneficial. The resentment she felt over what she regarded as ingratitude on the part of the woman for whom she had committed the act was helping her to throw off the feeling of remorse.
‘I said, “no”!’ the blonde denied her and Jill’s angry advance cane to an immediate halt. Having brought this about, laying down the battle axe and shield, she stepped away from them. Holding, her hands well clear of the weapons sheathed on her metal disc waistbelt, she continued in a les authoritative fashion, ‘Release her and step away, Cha.’
‘Yes, ma’am!’ the brunette affirmed, employing the honorific as she had during the days when her cousin had been her superior officer in Group Thirteen and obeying with the same alacrity Jill had displayed.
‘Your sword is there,’ Beryl informed the liberated Apex, standing motionless except for placing her hands behind her back. ‘Take it and your shield. You’re free to go.’
‘You mean you’re willing to let me leave?’ Kit Fox asked, sounding as if she could not believe her ears, such behaviour being far beyond anything in her experience.
‘If that’s what you want to do,’ the blonde confirmed, employing a tone of indifference which she considered the most likely attitude to produce the response she was seeking. ‘But we would rather you stayed until after we’ve talked together. That will let us explain who we are and, perhaps convince you we’ve come here to meet and make friends with your people.’
‘Such a thing isn’t done!’ Kit Fox protested but there was just a trace of indecision and interest in her voice which Beryl—suspecting the Suppliers had caused the meeting so the acquaintance of the Amazons could be made for some reason—found most satisfying.
‘We have a saying amongst our people,’ the blonde claimed, in a matter of fact manner. ‘There is always a first time for everything.’
Wondering what would happen, Kit Fox went to and picked up her sword instead of replying immediately. Hefting it pensively and a trifle defensively, she let her gaze go from one woman to another. Studying them for a moment, she drew conclusions from what she saw and deduced. The smallest was eyeing her with indignation, clearly resenting the treatment suffered at her hands, but she considered this was understandable by her own standards. However, none of them were exhibiting the slightest concern over her having retrieve and remained holding the bared weapon. Nor were they taking any noticeable precautions in case she should use it for an attack. Yet, she felt sure this attitude did not stem from ignorance of the possibility. Going by everything she had seen and her instincts further suggested, they were all experienced warriors. Therefore, in addition to appreciating the possible danger, they would be capable of protecting themselves if the need arose.
An intelligent and discerning person, with a shrewd judgement of human nature, the little Apex was puzzled and intrigued by what she was deducing.
In addition to having the same kind of hair colouration and skin pigmentation, each of the foreigners was as well-muscled and strong looking as any member of Kit Fox’s race. They also had a bearing similar to that of an Amazon active, a warrior rather than one who preferred to carry out the pacific—yet necessary—duties of the nation. What was more, each wore the kind of necklace and bracelets by which rank was indicated among her people. If the symbols were equivalent, the blonde and the brunette had a status higher than her own. Recollecting the way in which the other two had shown instant obedience to the commands of the former, the Apex assumed she held a similar rank to a captain commanding one of the Amazons’ five regiments. Furthermore, if her demeanour was an accurate indication, the statuesque brunette would be equal to a Regiment’s ‘Second’ and, almost certainly, the ‘Junior’ who was responsible for the discipline and training of the actives.
Having formed her conclusions where Beryl and Cha were concerned, the Apex turned her attention to Jill. Even without the evidence of the bracelets, the fact that her upper garment was made of a different material implied she was of a subordinate rating to her companions. However, she was not an ordinary rank and file warrior. The bracelets suggested she had attained promotion to the equivalent of an Amazon ‘Fist’, who led one of the five Fingers which made up a ‘Hand’. Nevertheless, that still gave her an inferior status to Kit Fox who—as an Apex—had a ‘Triangle’ of three Hands under her command.
‘Perhaps he people are afraid to talk to strangers, ma’am,’ Jill suggested, suspecting something of the conclusions being drawn by the little woman with regards to herself and not feeling any better disposed to the other as a result.
Catching the somewhat brittle quality in the redhead’s voice, Cha threw a perturbed glance at her.
Knowing Jill had never killed anybody before, the brunette wondered whether her nerves might be unable to cope with the traumatic effect now she had been compelled to do so.
Cha hoped the adjustment could be made.
All too well, the brunette could remember the first time she had had to take the life of another human being. It had been during 1940, while Russia and Germany wore still enjoying the mutual benefit of their non-aggression pact. Assigned to investigate what could on have been a deliberate act of sabotage to the building of submarines for the Royal Navy, she was working in a North Country shipyard. Her efforts had successfully exposed the main culprit, a Communist trade union official who had served as a mercenary on the losing side in the Spanish Civil War, but was willing to put aside his opposition to Fascism at the request of the U.S.S.R. Attacking her with an iron bar when he discovered the extent of her knowledge, only her speed, agility and knowledge of unarmed combat had saved her at the cost of his life. Justified though her actions undoubtedly were, she had never forgotten how mentally disturbing the incident had been. However, she had never allowed memories of this to delay her responses on those later occasions when killing was her only hope of survival.
Every instinct Cha possessed warned her that to stay alive upon Zillikian might depend upon an ability to fight and readiness to kill when necessary!
Therefore, the brunette knew Jill must make a similar adjustment.
In one respect, nevertheless, Cha was doing the redhead an injustice.
While Jill’s nerves had been badly shaken by the sight of the young Gruziak being hit and killed by the arrow she discharged, she was sensible enough to realize the incident could only have been avoided by allowing the little Amazon to die instead. Nor did she doubt that her victim would have been even more willing to strike her down if their positions were reversed.
The tone which had come into the redhead’s voice was caused chiefly by an adverse reaction to what by her standards was a lack of gratitude on the part of Kit Fox. It had been intensified by being dumped so unceremoniously on her back by a smaller person and her present deductions over how the one responsible for her humiliation was now regarding her. Nor was enmity what was arousing her response. In fact, she found herself developing a liking for the women they had rescued.
Jill’s sole objection to Kit Fox was similar to that which had produced most of her brushes with authority whilst serving in the A.T.S. She had always resented anybody who she had not seen proven to be her superior acting as if this was the case. While being subjected to the scrutiny of the little Amazon, she had experienced a sensation identical to when a non-commissioned officer had looked her over and clearly dismissed her as of lesser importance. Unless she considered it was valid, such was not a point of view with which she had ever been willing, to subscribe.
‘We Amazons aren’t afraid of anything—or anybody!’ the little Apex snapped back, thinking how the attitude of the redhead was that of a subordinate who considered issuing a challenge. She needed only such an inducement to make her reach the decision she was contemplating. Curiosity and a feeling, that to do so would prove interesting—perhaps even beneficial to her people—had already started to tilt her away from the prejudices of a lifetime. Stiffening proudly and looking from Jill to Beryl, she went on more politely and as if addressing one of high rank belonging to her own nation, ‘And, as an Apex of the Black Panther Regiment, I can speak in the absence of my Captain for Her Highness, Queen Hippolyta—ma’am. But I don’t think we should do it while standing out here in the open.’
‘Nor do I,’ the blonde agreed, nodding to where the Gruziaks could still be seen galloping away across the savannah. She knew Hippolyta was one name history ascribed to a ruler of the Grecian Amazons on Earth, but was equally aware it was not, at that moment, propitious to go into the matter. She had also noticed how the little woman had hesitated for a moment before employing the honorific, “ma’am”, as if it was strange and copied hearing Cha and Jill address her by it. ‘In fact, I mis just about to suggest we went into the bushes where we will be less conspicuous.’
‘Do you think they’ll be back?’ Jill inquired.
‘They might, if they can bring reinforcements,’ Kit Fox considered, her manner that of a superior giving information to a subordinate and doing nothing to improve the redhead’s annoyed feelings towards her. ‘But not until they’ve made sure the girl with the arrow in her side is safe and cared for. Like we Amazons, they’re good warriors and look after their wounded.’ Then, turning her gaze to Beryl, she continued in a tone which had changed to being respectful yet deliberately casual, ‘Are there many more of your people nearby, ma’am?’
‘None at all,’ the blonde replied without hesitation and, she felt sure, truthfully. Deducing why the question was put, she was wondering how to explain the obviously alien aspects of the appearance presented by her party and their presence.
Instinct warned that the facts, especially in reference to the meeting with the Suppliers, might be beyond the comprehension of the little Amazon and could even be construed as a clumsy attempt to conceal the “real” truth. However, the way in which she and her companions were dressed and the jewellery adorning them suggested what might prove a more acceptable answer. ‘The ship we were travelling in was sunk and only the three of us survived to reach this land.’
‘Then your people can cross the “Lake With Only One Shore”?’ the Apex asked, realizing this could explain why she had not previously been in conflict against—or even heard mentioned—other members of whatever nation to which the trio belonged. ‘I thought only the Cara-Bunte could do that and you aren’t Cara-Bunte.’
‘Our nation has been doing it for centuries,’ Beryl replied, following the train of thought she had set into motion for the little Amazon. ‘But I believe we may be the first ever to have landed here.’
‘I certainly haven’t heard if any more like you had come,’ Kit Fox admitted, surmising her new acquaintances were even more unusual and interesting that she had at first envisaged. While the Amazons used rowing boats and improvised rafts on the rivers around their city, or for fishing in the shallows of the “Lake With Only One Shore” they never ventured out of sight of land. If the foreigners could do so—which seemed the most acceptable explanation for their presence—and could be persuaded to part with their knowledge, it could prove useful for her people. ‘Is yours a large nation?
‘Large, powerful and skilled at making war,’ the blonde declared, considering it might be advisable to establish a little respect. She salved her conscience, which did not take kindly to lying, by thinking that what she claimed was true of Britain until the advent of the “Welfare State” and nationalization, after World War II.
‘Will any of your people be coming to look for you?’ the Apex inquired, once more trying to sound as if making a casual enquiry and without any concern over what the reply might be.
‘Not in this direction,’ Beryl confessed, again with complete truth. ‘Our ship was sailing alone and we had not told anybody in which direction we’d be headed. Nor did we intend to come this way, but were driven here as the result of a bad storm. So there isn’t any way our people could find us.’
‘Then why not come with me, instead of going to hide in the bushes?’ Kit Fox suggested, making what for any person on Zillikian was a momentous decision. ‘I’ll take you to where I have arranged to meet with my hunting party. That way, we will have help on hand in case the Gruziak come back in force. Later, if you wish, you can accompany me to meet Queen Hippolyta. You will travel as my friends and, on my oath to Hera, Queen of the Gods, I swear no harm will come to you at Amazon hands.’
‘Very well,’ the blonde assented, having glanced at and received nods of concurrence from her companions. Like herself, they had been impressed by the sincerity with which the offer was made and were just as sure the accompanying oath would be regarded as binding by its maker. ‘That’s what we will do!’