Chapter 20 - Rebuilding Themyscira

The next day, the ENDY landed beside the Palace entrance, the gull wing doors opening before it touched down. Alana Napolipolita-Daitokuji, Aysha's second daughter, sat behind the controls. Her dull green hair was disheveled, her face covered with the tracks of her tears. Fifty feet away, a limping Deesha supported Aysha on her feet as they slowly walked to the transport. Behind them, Sempra carried Stellamaris in her arms while the Queen held up the doctor's feet. Hippolyta brought up the rear, carrying a pair of folded blankets.

"Never thought I'd see you like this, Almah," blared Aysha. "After what we all went through recently, you act like a typical house cat and flop out. Getting silly on me now?"

"She ran out of energy, heart-sister, that's all," said Council Mother Sempra Vigilantia. "We can't all be like you, you know."

"So – many – need my – help," Almah murmured, her head resting against the Revenger's heart.

"Now none of that tish-tosh from you," said Zazen'lda. "Good heavens, I've never said that word so much in so short a time."

"Privilege of rank," Hippolyta said, brushing the top blanket. "No need to shame yourself."

"Get in here, Ma," said Alana, rubbing her face with a crumpled tissue. "Get in before I start bawling again."

"Talk to me, girl," ordered Aysha. "What are you doing piloting this thing? I thought somebody else was flying – "

"She was, but I insisted I take over. I'd get you all home on the quick. On the other hand, she – "

"Really? Who flew it yesterday?"

"I'll tell you in two words, Ma. Both proper names." She turned her head, locking eyes with Aysha. "Ola – Zhae."

Napolipolita-Daitokuji grinned. "Right. Point taken. I don't mind her piloting skills, not at all, but her Beneshandran peppiness and perkiness would grate on everyone's shattered nerves just now."

"Your Majesty, as soon as I get them to the trauma unit in Graviton City, I'll be back to pick up Daddy and my sisters." Alana laid a finger on her lips. "That is if it's okay with you, Lady Hippolyta. I mean I could get lost if you don't agree to that."

"I have no control over the magic protecting this island," said Hippolyta, smiling. "I'm not that powerful, Sister. All will be well returning here."

"Consider it done."

The Revenger spoke. "Dear Dr. Stellamaris, calm your fears. Other doctors have arrived to tend the wounded. You'll help no one by exhausting yourself."

"But – but – there are so many – "

Sempra shook her head. "As your spiritual superior, I'm asking you to go home, rest, and recover. Is it true that you haven't seen your mother in a long time?"

"Yes," she sighed, closing her eyes. "For many – a decade – in fact."

"Then go back home for now. Take your lifemate and son with you and their fellow Outsiders. Why not introduce them all to your family? Strengthen your ties with them again."

Hippolyta passed both blankets to Deesha and Sempra, who covered both invalids with them. Deesha sat on the floor between both as Sempra crawled out backwards. "Elevate that leg, Dee," Sempra ordered. "You're not out of the woods yet yourself!"

"I'll reinforce Her Clemency on this point," Queen Zazen'lda added, wiping her hands. "Dr. Stellamaris, don't make me give a Royal Command on this, young lady. Think of this as a vacation from Our Ambassador and vice versa. Let this stupid quarrel between you two end – at least for now. In fact, give Our greetings to your mother and kinfolk personally."

A wan smile dawned on Almah's face. "Oh – Mother of – the Swans – live thou – forever."

"Shut up, Almah," said Aysha, smirking and giving a thumbs-up sign as the ENDY's doors closed.

The transport lifted up into the air, twisting slowly as the hum of its faster-than-light drive powered up. Within thirty seconds, a flash of light and a loud boom mark the ENDY's disappearance.

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"Well," said Hippolyta, wiping her hands. "Shall we get the formal introductions out of the way for your amazing servant here?"

"Indeed," said Zazen'lda, clasping her hands before her. "We present Our Revenger, the Grand Admiral Sempra Vigilantia of the planet Beneshandra. It's located in what you Terrans call the Small Magellanic Cloud galaxy."

"O Mother of Amazons, live thou forever," Sempra said, hands covering her heart as she knelt on one knee.

Hippolyta folded her arms. "I've been walking and breathing now for three thousand years. It certainly feels like forever."

"Please rise, Your Clemency," said Zazen'lda, extending her hand to the Revenger. The Beneshandran kissed the Royal hand, gently holding it as she rose to her full height.

"So, monster slayer," the Queen of the Amazons went on. "The head of that Shakanar horde got what was coming to her indeed."

"She committed sacrilege against the dead with the blood of that slain warrior of yours." She covered her heart again. "That was an injustice against the fallen. On either side of the grave, it cannot go unpunished. I dread to think what awaits her soul in the afterlife over just this alone."

"The memory of your breath decapitating her forevermore would be punishment enough. Best left unthought, I'd say."

"What?' Sempra said. "Did no one see my unsheathed blade strike her before my breath did?"

"I don't think so," said the Cygnan Queen. "Or else their memories have blurred from shock. To be honest, it is said your very presence shakes people up, whether for good or ill. It certainly did for Us when you took the oath of Revenger long ago."

Sempra covered her face with both hands, shaking her head at the same time. "Oh no," she sighed. "Not another legend about me in the making."

"In the end, someone will have to pen your biography, like it or not. We must separate fact from fiction when it comes to you." Zazen'lda took the Beneshandran's hands into her own. "But come now, young lady. Let we three survey what progress Doctor Benedycina and her cohort has done for the wounded."

As they walked toward the battleground hospital, Hippolyta walked alongside the Cygnan queen. Once Sempra strode ahead to prepare the Leptonian medics to receive the Queen, she whispered in her ear.

"It was no sword that struck down the Shakanar chief. Both were sheathed when her head fell from her body. I saw that for myself."

Zazen'lda smiled, nodding, her eye on the Revenger. "I know. So does everyone who witnessed the event. The Revenger, however, is as self-effacing as she is powerful. I, for one, will play along to give her comfort. Your Amazon epic poems, however, will proclaim the truth and that is a great thing for which I thank you. Ah, there is Dr. Benedycina!"

The two queens clutched each others' hands, preparing to witness the results of the Shakanar attack.

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Sergeant Benya Benedycina, second in command of the Royal Cavalry Guard providing security for the Royal Family, sighed. She readjusted her green beret over her braided waist-length half-red, half-orange hair. Princess E-ko called her Half-and-Half for her hairstyle.

Buyabah's approach distracted her from her gloomy thoughts. She absentmindedly reached for her handmade version of the Parthian composite bow to comfort herself. She doted on archery, all types from all planets. She looked forward to conversing with General Philippus about the bows the Amazons carried.

"You look like a baby bingkwa who lost his herd," said Buyabah, sitting next to her subordinate. She referred, of course, to the six-legged Beneshandran cattle that now roamed every Cygnan world. "What's going on, Bennie? What's the trouble?"

Benedycina looked at her, her eyes swollen from crying. "I learned not too long ago that – " She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand – "my – mother is here. She's heading up the entire field hospital operation."

Buyabah nodded. "Did she come to see you? She knows we always accompany Her Majesty and her entourage."

Benedycina shook her head. "No. It troubles and embarrasses me to admit it, but – we are – estranged."

"We're off duty, Bennie. You don't have to talk in such a formal fashion with me."

"Thanks, Bubay," she groaned, calling her commander by her nickname. At this, her tears flowed in earnest while Buyabah draped an arm over her shoulders.

The trouble, she explained, was her father. Her mother always changed the subject when young Benya asked about him. Finally, three years ago, her daughter asked her again who her father was. Dr. Benedycina's refusal and the hurtful words they exchanged afterward was enough to shut down any demonstration of love between mother and daughter.

Benya had fixated on his identity in the same way that she fixated on archery and her efforts to master it. She had scrutinized her own lovely face in the mirror to see if she could discern any vestige of him that she might be able to recognize. She knew full well that Cygnan society had little interest in men, other than using them to perpetuate their race. She would have been so happy with any revelation of who he was – or who he had been - just the same.

"Time to put those thoughts away, Benya," she said to herself as she stood and approached the archery course, which wove its way through the remains of the Queen's forest.

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"As big as a division, she says," grumbled Eleos Benedycina. "Up to fifty thousand, she says. Might as well ask for a mansion as a birthday present."

She stretched her arms as she watched another medical tent rise up on metal stilts. The one behind it was now filled with air sterilizers and surgical equipment. Crazy Division soldiers assembled the mass of recovery beds assigned to the new tent. Others moved carts of bandages and ointments to the tent behind that one.

The doctor tapped her ear bud communicator. "This is Medical Command. Status report, all stations."

"This is Hakucho Station," said one, using the Japanese word for 'swan'. "We're up and running. So far we're treating mostly broken arms and legs. Signing off."

"This is Lebed Station," said another, speaking the Macedonian word for 'swan'. "Currently treating two cases of punctured lungs and several ruptured spleens. One head injury, possible concussion. Signing off."

"This is Goni Station," said a third, uttering the Korean word for 'swan'. "Just started blood donations here. One fractured tibia, several kidney failures. Both being handled well. Signing off."

"Good heavens," the doctor murmured. "How many languages do these Terrans have anyway? Name each station after a different way of saying 'swan', the Queen orders. That's not in regulations."

"This is Cisne Station," said a fourth speaking the Spanish word for 'swan'. "Treating several skin burns and blaster gashes. Will need assistance to heal a liver or two. Signing off."

"This is Hansa Station," said a fifth using the Hindi word for 'swan'. "Question, ma'am. We're running into a lot of patients missing a kidney. Yet they have no injuries there."

"Terrans have only two kidneys. We Cygnans have three. Have you done x-ray scans on them?"

"No, ma'am. The scanners haven't arrived yet."

"Then assume they are Terran Amazons until you find out otherwise. What else?"

"Deep body gashes in both legs and sides. Risk of running out of splints and bandages here."

"I'll inform Supply Central to fix that problem. Signing off."

"This is Hattyu Station," said a sixth voice using the Hungarian word for 'swan'. "We just finished mending two soldiers who were impaled. When Goni Station can spare any donated blood, we can sure use it here for them."

"Understood. I'll put it on Priority Alert. Anything else?"

"If we have any sashit poultices, send them over to seal up some open wounds that risk infection, if not gangrene itself, down the road."

"It will also go on Priority Alert. I'll inform you when it arrives. Signing off."

"This is Barbur Station," said a seventh voice using the Hebrew word for 'swan'. "I have two in heart surgery right now and a third will need hip surgery soon. Do we have any spare deep cellular re-generators on hand to help us out?"

"Good question," she murmured, holding her chin. "If not, I'll ask any Crazy Division engineers if they can jury-rig one up. We have the instructions on the how-to. They'll just have to scrounge the materials to build one. When will you need it?"

"As soon as possible, ma'am."

"Understood; stand by for updates. Signing off."

Dr. Benedycina exhaled deeply after concluding her communications, only to nearly jump out of her skin when she realized that two statuesque and very imposing queens had come behind her and had listened to the reports. She turned and immediately began to bow or genuflect; with both Nations represented, she didn't quite know which was appropriate.

"No no no no," Queen Zazen'lda said in her singsong voice. "Enough of that tish tosh. Where should we begin our visits to the injured?"

"Over there, Your Highnesses," she replied, gesturing at the nearest hospital tent. "You do know there are over five thousand of them. Do not overtire yourselves, if you please. And let me know how I can help you in any way."

"The deepest wish of our hearts is that you save as many as you can," Queen Hippolyta sighed. "I truly thought my warriors were immortal until now."

The Cygnan queen turned to her. "Our weapons are vicious only because our enemies are even more so – mindless thieves of Cygnan lives and for a thousand years or more. It is a matter of personal shame to me that members of your Amazon Nation ended up on the receiving end of some of our nastiest weapons."

"You mean there are those that are nastier?" replied Hippolyta with an ironic arch of her eyebrow.

"Antimatter bombs. We forbade them to the Shakanar Division, and it was a good thing that we did or we would not be having this conversation."

Hippolyta, tiring of the topic, scanned the horizon. "The marble that made up all these buildings was mined right here on the Island. I fear we have very little left. I would like the destroyed buildings replaced, especially the Palace and the Temple of Apollo."

Zazen'lda brightened. She got on her com and spoke with the head of her Corps of Geoengineers. Their Cygnan chatter went on for some time. Finally, she concluded the conversation and turned to the Amazon queen.

"Well, let me see if I can get all of this straight. Your marble on Earth was created when ancient sand was cooked with heat and pressure far below the surface. It is not a technique we can replicate."

Hippolyta sniffed.

"Now, what do you think of this? The Solara System has what you call an asteroid belt in between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Leftover bits of your system that did not become planets or moons. They are made of mostly silicates – not that I can tell you what silicates are – pressed together by gravity. What we commonly do when making planets habitable is create buildings from a combination of crushed asteroids and a special – well, glue, I suppose you'd call it – and I am told that these structures are impervious to most of what Nature and humanoids can throw at them. We call the amalgam Cygnite. How about that for your new buildings?"

Hippolyta smiled, her face softening just a bit. "Objects from Space here on Earth will be delightful to see."

Zazen'lda returned her smile. "I will set our geoengineers on it right away. Once we put the antigrav units on the asteroids, they will float to Earth rather than crash. I think you will find your new buildings very beautiful. I will also ask them if they can find a use for the broken marble."

The Amazon queen nodded. "I admire your wonderful technology, and appreciate your efforts. I will still miss the beauty of Themysciran marble. Well, it's over and done with and can't be helped."

Zazen'lda gave her a return nod. "That is decided, then. Shall we head over to that tent?"