SHAKANAR APOCALYPSE: ATTACK ON PARADISE ISLAND

by David Schock, Atana, and Slightlyaskew

Introduction

The late great Superman/Wonder Woman fanfic author David Schock and I wrote this story, our magnum opus, some years ago. It has been kept safe by me since his death, and it recently occurred to me that very few people (other than those of us who used to read our friend Eddy's Project A-ko message board) have ever read it.

As with the rest of our collaborations, we have merged the Supe/Wondy universe with the Japanese animation series Project A-ko (starring their super-powered daughter). Also included are characters and storylines authored by our friend slightlyaskew.

This story is about Diana's (Wonder Woman) and Clark Kent's (Superman) journey to Themiscyra. They have been living in Japan under assumed names to enjoy some peace. They bring their eldest daughter, A-ko Magami and their little twins, Lois and Jonathan. Accompanying them are the Alpha Cygnan Ambassador and former starship captain Aysheia Napolipolita-Daitokuji, three of her daughters and her only son, and her aide Deesha Dakina (Spy D).

Deesha Dakina had been wrongly mustered into the most vicious and unprincipled branch of the Cygnan Space Navy known as the Shakanar [See our fanfic "Deesha"]. These women have no conscience and have been genetically and chemically enhanced to give them brute strength and a frightening appearance. To prevent these women from reproducing, the Alpha Cygnan Throne implemented a sterilization program for them – a state secret that Deesha only learns about as she is about to be married and no longer a Shakanar. Shakanar were routinely injected with nanobots that not only ensured their sterility, but also allowed them to instantly heal from all but the gravest wounds. Diana and Clark suggest that she try the Purple Healing Ray on Themiscyra Island. This story tells the brutal and technically advanced attack by the Shakanar to regain "that which was lost" – their ability to have children and create more of their own kind. Directly in the line of fire is the Temple of Apollo on Themyscira Island.

I hope that our dear friend David is glad that this work will be reaching a new audience even after his passing. We had a wonderful time writing it. Even though we never met face-to-face, we were good friends as well as co-writers. He knew my fanfic characters better than I did, and much of this story about the Cygnans and especially the fearsome Shakanar were his ideas and expressions.

I hope that you enjoy it.

Sincerely,

Atana

Chapter 1 - Finding Paradise Island

Both Ambassador Aysha Napolipolita-Daitokuji and her aide Deesha Dakina recalled very well the first time that they had landed on Paradise Island to submit their appointments from Queen Zazen'lda of the Cygnan Empire to the Court of Hippolyta of Themiscyra. Both had thought they'd gotten themselves lost. In fact, Aysha had chided her friend Dee about getting the first Cygnan Ambassador TO the Amazon Court!

This was because at the time, the two Cygnans had found themselves flying around and around and back and forth over the exact spot where they'd been told to report. All they had seen was the endless blue ocean of the Bermuda Triangle and the South Atlantic. Their instruments and sensors - examples of the finest Cygnan technology - had only confirmed what their eyes had told them - the only thing below them had been ocean.

Finally trusting in her son's godmother Princess Diana, and with a final prayer to the Great Mother, Aysha Napolipolita-Daitokuji had ordered Deesha to descend in the Ambassador's private spacecraft, a gift from the Cygnan Queen Zazen'lda herself. After a violent shudder of their craft and a strange mist that seemed to envelop them, Deesha and her former Captain had suddenly found themselves flying not over the blue of the ocean - but instead over the lush forests and rolling green hills of Paradise Island!

Today Napolipolita and Dee now found themselves as passengers in the back of Diana's own ship. But they were not there alone. Along with them and little Hikiri (over the strenuous objection of the boy's father, Hikaru Daitokuji) were three of the Captain's younger daughters – Akana (born on Alpha Cygni and a junior-grade Amazon without any doubt), Shiiko, and Mitsuko (both pampered little zaibatsu princesses, born in Japan). All had been promised by their mother that they would be able both to further their education and to be formally introduced to their Terran Amazon Sisters.

Also on board - in the back in the passenger compartment, in fact - was Diana herself, her husband also known as Clark Kent (who was more than happy to keep himself busy playing with the three little ones!), Cygnan Princess C-ko (who was even more excited than usual), and Biko (who was up front in the pilot compartment with her friend A-ko, also known as Martha Kent or A-ko Magami as the family was now known). Rounding out the passenger list was Dr. Almah Stellamaris, who - despite her usual serenity - was quite nervous about trusting Dee to anything other than Leptonian medical technology, let alone this mythical Amazon "purple healing ray".

"So - Aysha - why isn't Hikaru accompanying you?" said Clark, not realizing that, in so inquiring, he had in fact "stepped in it."

Captain growled, and then waved her hand. "Oh. I'm sorry. Sore point. My lifemate didn't want Hikiri to come with me and he pitched a fit. Threatened to launch a hostile takeover of my new business, Victoria's Cyber-Secret. So I threatened to nuke the Sirius IV asteroid he'd purchased for iridium mining. Then he threatened to move into a guest room. Well, that tore it. I said if he wanted to sleep by himself, that was fine as paint with me. In fact, I scruffed him and kicked his sorry Terran butt right off the balcony outside one of our bedroom windows. It was sort of embarrassing since the security guards were out there, and I was wearing one of my business' - uh - latest creations."

The Man of Steel, now more than flustered, waved his hands in front of his handsome face. "Oh, forgive me! I had no intention of prying into your private matters! I only wondered -"

The green-headed Cygnan raised a hand in return. "Don't worry about it. I don't trust couples who say they never argue. Fights are good for a marriage, once in a while. And what's a little toss off a balcony, anyway? I purposely had all those hydrangea bushes planted right below ours, to cushion any falls." At this, the ex-Captain's three daughters howled with laughter.

"Good thing I didn't build the storage vault for my tactical nukes there instead," Akana shrieked, giving her two half-sisters high-fives.

"You stop being fresh, Aki," her mother admonished. "Now why don't you and your sisters haul butt to another part of the ship, hmm?" All three girls rolled their eyes at one another, and began to saunter out at what could best be described as a snail's pace.

"SCOOT!" Captain shouted, loud enough to shatter glass. As if smacked on their fannies, the three girls shot out the door.

Their mother shook her head. "As you Terrans say - 'Little pitchers have big ears'. No, it seems my Hikaru is having a fit of the sulks. I love him dearly, but by Cybele, I won't be told what to do by a male!"

"Are we being just a teeny bit sexist, my friend?" Diana admonished.

Napolipolita sighed. "Oh yes. I'm sorry. Old habits die hard. Now I'm the one doing the apologizing." She nodded at Clark with a rueful smile.

"Of course," Diana volunteered. "There WAS that time when Clark and I argued about-"

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The little group of adults was so busy trading tales of domestic combat that none of them overheard Biko and A-ko yet again having one more of their own never-ending arguments.

"Come on, Bubble Butt! Let me take the controls! You know what a great pilot I am," begged Biko.

"Mama barely trusts me enough to fly her toy. What makes you think she'd trust you enough to fly the thing?" A-ko tried her best to keep from grinning.

"First of all, I'm smarter than you, better looking, and can fly rings around you. Second of all, your mother knows I can out-fly you with one hand tied behind my back and one eye closed!"

A-ko smiled and asked, "Is that with or without using your dumb Akagiyama biosuit, you spoiled rich girl?"

"Never mind, you$%#!&*"0/o#," swore Biko, then pulling her cap over her face and pretending to go to sleep. If it hadn't been for the muffled giggles coming from behind her, the heiress wouldn't have noticed her stepsister and two half-sisters standing behind them.

"Biko said a swear!" Mitsuko crowed.

"I'm telling Ma!" Shiiko shouted between giggle fits.

"Go right ahead and tattle on me," Biko shouted back, unable to hide her own grin. "Remember that I can sabotage your school book bags!"

Still laughing, both girls whirled around and sprinted back to the rear of the ship.

Biko then looked at Akana, who still stood behind her. "And what about you, Munchkin Commando?" she said.

Akana playfully gave her stepsister a hand gesture best imagined than described. "No way am I going back there," Aki said. "They're talking grownup stuff. Ma would yell at me for sure." The Cygnette then craned over Biko's shoulder to observe what A-ko was doing with the control panel. "Hey A-ko - " she said, with her customary sly grin. "Want to kick it to Warp Nine and alter time and space?"

The Amazon-Krypton hybrid playfully whipped around and swatted at the alien girl, who'd fortunately leaped back through the cockpit door, and just in the nick of time.

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Two hours later, the small group was met by an Amazon Honor Guard even before the engines were fully shut down. Even as the family and their guests were climbing out of the craft, Diana rushed forward as she spotted an old and very dear friend.

Standing between two lines of palace guards, their commanding officer, Philippus - General of the Amazon Army and her first teacher - knelt on one knee, head bowed and right fist crossed over her heart. Rushing towards her, Diana lifted her up and hugged her warmly. Both large women kissed one another, with tears in their eyes.

Looking over her former student's shoulder, Philippus spotted A-ko's father. "I see you still are keeping that man of yours around."

"He has his uses," Diana answered with a laugh.

Standing on her toes to kiss her Princess' consort on his cheek, Philippus asked him, "Still keeping a smile on Diana's face, Big Boy?"

"I try my best," he answered with a embarrassed grin. The two Cygnans, of course, guffawed loudly, and in their deep whispers speculated between themselves as to what the Man of Steel's "best" might be. Dr. Stellamaris, who was of a delicate and modest disposition, thought she heard the name "Atola" spoken by one of them and blushed crimson.

Spotting A-ko, who was holding her twin brother and sister in her arms, Philippus greeted her with equal warmth and affection. Taking Jonathan and Lois in her arms, she exclaimed, "My! How the two of you have grown!"

The two four-year-olds then focused their attention on the tall black woman's shiny armor. After she had handed the two siblings over to their big sister, Philippus was introduced in turn to Doctor Stellamaris, to Biko, and finally to the three Napolipolita-Daitokuji daughters.

Standing behind her three girls, Ambassador Napolipolita solemnly told them, "Akana - Shiiko - Mitsuko - I want you to meet Philippus, General of the Amazon Army, Captain of the Royal Guard, trusted advisor to Her Majesty Queen Hippolyta, and friend and teacher to our hostess Princess Diana."

The three young girls did their mother proud as they stood at attention and gave their best tiger-claw salutes to this important and honorable person. Akana, however, then edged towards Philippus, her head cocked.

"And what is it, Young Warrior?" the imperial guard inquired with a smile.

"I wouldn't mind taking a look at that sword of yours," Aki replied.

"AKANA!" her mother shrieked, horrified at this breach of diplomatic decorum.

"No problem," the tall black woman laughed. Squatting down, she put her arm around the Cygnette's shoulders and gave her a hug. "ln fact, I would love to learn more about your own people's armaments. Perhaps, young Akana of Alpha Cygni, you can teach us."

Every member of the group smiled at the girl's obvious delight. Nearly hyperventilating, Akana gasped "I would be honored! In fact, just last week I had my first try at a AK-1600 portable pulse cannon - "

Still holding the green-haired girl around the shoulders, Philippus nodded to the little boy whose hair matched his half-sister's. "And I see you've brought your baby brother along for me to meet!"

Akana, now self-conscious, shrugged. "Well. Hikiri's okay - for a male. Except you have to learn all his names. A lot of the people here have a whole bunch of names and you can get really confused."

The Ambassador then walked over to Philippus, who took the little fellow in her arms. "Akana is right. My only son's Terran name is Hikaru Ataru Napolipolita-Daitokuji. His Cygnan name is Kir Azenath of the House of Napolipolita."

"Ah," the Amazon warrior said quietly, gently tapping the child on his little nose with an armored finger. "And so 'Hikiri' is the compromise!" Philippus laughed with delight as the little fellow reached for the shiny armor before him. "Ambassador, you are much blessed to have such a beautiful little man-child."

At this - and unnoticed by anyone in the happy group - Deesha's tears began to flow. It was perhaps at this moment when Dee – sterilized as part of her Shakanar indoctrination when she had only been fourteen years old – truly began to believe that these Amazons might be able to restore her ability to have a little one of her own.