Birds of a Feather: Chapter 17
By Theodoric of York and Wardall Clark
Warning: NO PORTION of this work may be REPRODUCED FOR SALE for any purpose. DC Comics retains full copyright to Superman, Wonder woman and the other characters mentioned here and John Norman retains full copyright to the planet and society of Gor. Birds of a Feather contains explicit sex and violence**, including scenes of rape and torture. This story is not for anyone under the age of consent** in their jurisdiction to read such sexually explicit material. Authors Notes: This is the conclusion of an ongoing series melding John Norman's World of Gor with DC Comics heroes and heroines. At the end of Chapter Seven is a thorough glossary of terms, places and recurring characters. If you find yourself completely baffled by Gorean customs, terms, or politics you should try reading the series in order: (1) A Cat and a Fiddle [by Theodoric of York], (1a) The Cat and the Shackles. (1b) Under the Shadow of the Bat (2) Diana and the Ubar (3) The Princess and the Mercenary [all by Wardall Clark.] In these earlier works Catwoman, Batgirl, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, and Wonder Girl fall prey to Kurri interplanetary slavers. Selina Kyle escaped to become a legendary Gorean outlaw until Batman came to Gor to re-enslave her. Barbara Gordon wound up as Scully, the abject slave of Mulkar, an agent of the Priest Kings. Kara Zor-El endured years of traumatizing captivity before Batman and Selina freed her. Princess Diana escaped from degrading slavery to a power-mad Ubar only to be recaptured and brought to the Sardar where her memories were altered in a failed effort to make her a docile slave. She escaped by killing her lover/jailor and was at large when Birds of a Feather began. Troia wound up in the hands of the Ubar from whom Diana escaped and was tortured for her sister's crimes. Lois Lane, photographer Morgan Croft, and a teenage runaway nicknamed Pikachu were sent to Gor to become slave girls. Morgan became Cricket, a champion racer pony slave. Pikachu demonstrated a talent as a storyteller but acquired a deadly enemy in Martin, an ex-Nazi and a long time mentor of her owner, Arbus the master slaver. Lois learned that Martin has lured Superman to Gor in order to make it easier for him to take revenge on Wonder Woman for a defeat during WWII Determined to save Troia form the Ubar of Cos, Diana finds herself sold to Clark of Kent, who came to Gor planning to pose as scribe with his slave Kara while he looks for Lois and Wonder Woman. Shortly after that, Clark acquires a slave who her former-master says was once Morgan le Fay. At the witch Slave's suggestion, Diana is renamed Aganipe. Meanwhile, the Priest Kings send out a team to kill Diana and Clark. During the attack Wonder Woman regained her lost memories of Earth.
After a long search and a high stakes wager with her ambitious owner, Clark acquires Cricket and Lady Viveena(Bina) and gets his first solid clue as to Lois' whereabouts. As they proceed toward Ar, Clark becomes more Gorean in his treatment of his kajira and one by one they become his full and abject slave girls. Meanwhile Lois breaks completely and fully submits to Arbus. Pikachu tries unsuccessfully to run away. She is hamstrung as a penalty, and then freed by Arbus. Martin tries to re-enslave her. In the ensuing fight, Martin kills Arbus, but is killed by Pikachu's friend Rollo. After making a bet with Troia's owner, Superman arrives at the slaver's house too late to stop the fighting
Chapter Seventeen: On Any Given Sunday
Eventually a delegation from the city guard showed up to investigate what had happened, and determine what should be done about it. With them was a pot-bellied Initiate of the Priest Kings. He seemed very interested the object still in Martin's hand. At his instruction, Watson examined the Lugar.
Watson's original name had been Lt. Renee Montoya, one of Gotham City's finest. She had been investigating the abrupt disappearances of some young women from that city. She found out more than she wanted to know about the disappearances. Now she wore gray slave silks signifying that she belonged to Administrator's Council for the City-state of Ar.
Ar had no formal police force. They had a guard that attempted to enforce the laws and officials who investigated crimes for the magistrates of Ar. As a City-state-owned kajira, Watson's duties included aiding in those investigations. Naturally, she had proved extremely useful in this way, bringing police techniques and her own instincts and experience to the aid of her masters in their investigations. Now she was using a skill that could not be talked about openly, but which the Council knew she possessed, her experience with prohibited weapons.
She had quickly disassembled Martin's Lugar. She confessed that she had no idea as to why the bullets glowed with a bright green. But she had a ready explanation as to why the gun did not work. "The firing spring is missing. Without that piece the weapon will not hurl its darts. He probably forgot to put it back when he was cleaning the weapon. If you search his quarters, you will probably find it. Soto voiced, Rollo asked Mouse, "Will they?" She whispered back "Not a chance. I threw it in the canal separately, in case Martin got his pistol back." "So the weapon will not work without that piece. Are you sure, kajira?" "The Initiate seemed almost disappointed when the slave from Earth confirmed this," the investigating city magistrate noted silently. That attitude made him wonder again about the truth of the rumors that the Initiates had collections of forbidden weapons within their secretive temples. But then wild rumors were rampant about what went on in those temples: rumors about secret rites, huge stores of gold, and knowledge that would condemn others to unappealing death.
Tinmar tended to ignore those rumors, for he had visited temples and knew some Initiates. On the whole, they tended to be good people. All had assured him that nearly all that went on in those places was paperwork, prayer, and the search for nonbelievers.
The Initiate said, "You have a disturbing knowledge of such weapons, slave girl. Perhaps I should take you with me to the temple, to make certain it is not disseminated further." Watson lowered her head in fear and submission. She said, "I would never do such a thing. Ask my Masters!" The official said, "She speaks Truth, Pyntox. She would have not spoken this time had you not insisted that she do so. She knows the rules and abides by them, as do all we of High Caste." The initiate answered, **"Very well, but be warned, I will have my eye on her. It would be disappointing should she do so, for both of you." He looked down at the disassembled weapon and ordered, "**Gather up the pieces. I will be taking them with me to dispose of and let me know if that missing piece is found." He then turned his attention to Sylvia, who was still praying beside the body of Arbus. "I will be taking her also." Sylvia looked up in fear. Blood rushed from her face. " "Is this really necessary? She just lost her master. You can see she is distraught, Pyntox. She is probably not thinking straight." The official pointed out. The initiate's eyes grew cold. "She is praying and making lamentations and appeals to a god other than the Priest Kings. This is the Priest Kings' world. Such deluded creatures must be found and be made examples of, lest respect for the Priest Kings' commandments bring the blue fire of Flame Death to our whole city. Speak your words carefully, Tinmar, lest I expand my investigation to those who seem to show too much compassion for an obvious heretic." The official held his tongue at this bullying by the Inquisition, saying instead, "Praised be the Priest Kings!" Others in the crowd followed suit, including Silvia. Yet she felt her body being gripped and lifted by two guardsmen. She struggled in their grasp but could not get free. She began pleading, but the Initiate was unmoved. All others remained silent about her plight. Then Rollo put down Mouse. He exclaimed, "By Thor, I will not allow this to happen to my friend's favorite kajira!" The initiate turn his attention to Rollo. He smiled a cold smile. "Thor? I believe we have another heretic in our mist." he announced, then commanded the guardsmen: "Take him also. Be sure not to kill him. Their kind does not deserve a quick death." Growling "I will break you with my own hands," Rollo charged. He was met with a barrage of the butt ends of the guardsmen's spears. Some shoved into his thorax; others clubbed Rollo around the head and shoulders. Temporarily stunned, he collapsed to the ground with his hands just a foot away from the cowering Initiate's head. Rollo recovered quickly, but he found his wrists and ankles already in shackles. Guardsmen started to drag his struggling body away. Clark had been hugging Lois, attempting to comfort her. He looked up and asked, "What is going to happen to them?" He was warned, "It is best you not ask such questions. It is far better to go unnoticed by the Initiates." Visibly angry, Clark stood up. This time his question was a demand. "Tell me what is going to happen to them." Someone provided the information that standard practice in such instances is for the heretics to be boiled alive. Clark said, "Boiled alive? I don't think so!" That got the Initiate's attention: "What did you say?" he demanded of Clark. Clark said, "You heard me, I said nobody is going to boil anybody alive." The Initiate's face grew red; never had he been spoken to in such a fashion. So angry was he that at first he could not get words out of his mouth. At last, he sputtered, "WHAT? Do you know who I am?" Advancing on him, Clark said, "Yes I do. You are a pompous, arrogant, small- minded petty tyrant who gets his jollies out of torturing people. And you think your position entitles you to do it. Well, it stops now. " "ARREST HIM," The initiate screamed at the Guardsmen. When Tinmar wanted to know what the charge would be, Pyntox snapped that the Initiates would find something. Somewhat reluctantly, the city official signaled a couple of guards to take Clark into custody. "Make sure he is alive," the Initiate added. The first guard raised the butt of his spear to strike Clark. Clark caught the butt in his hand. He easily jerked it out of the amazed guard's hands and tossed it harmlessly a few feet away. Clark snapped the second spear in half. The initiate gulped in fear. He cried, "Shoot him! Kill him!"
Crossbows were aimed at Clark. He continued his advance. The first bolt hit him square in the chest. His body jerked slightly, but Clark continued to advance. More bolts hit him, but Clark continued. Swords were drawn but they proved to be no more effective."
Backing up, the frightened initiate screamed, "Who are you?" Sylvia gasped, "He is an avenging angel." Rollo looked at Clark in awe. He exclaimed, "No, he is Thor!" Watson had been studying this stranger's face quite closely. Then she said, "No, I believe he is Superman." "Who," whimpered the cowering Initiate? Clark said, "That is right, I AM SUPERMAN! I exist to bring justice to people like you. I am your worst nightmare." A yellow puddle formed between the Initiate's feet. He hid behind Watson and cried, "You have got to protect me!" He broke and started to run down the street. He was not very fast. After a few feet he was all ready huffing and puffing. Then he fell on his face as he tripped over Aganipe's outstretched leg. He looked up at her contemptuous face and started to crawl away, whimpering all the while and begging for somebody to protect him. Clark watched him disappear. The official asked, "Aren't you going to go after him?"
"Why should I? I have made my point."
"He will be back. If not, then somebody like him will be once he is allowed to tell his tale. I think it would be better for all if an assassin were to carry out his contract and kill him. That way no questions would be asked."
"I have no contract to kill him. I have a contract to find a certain slave girl. That I have done. My business here is finished."
Morganna walked up to him and said "Master, may I speak to you in private?" Clark consented and followed her to a corner of the room. "He speaks the truth, Master." She warned. "It would be much better for all concerned if that fool were to die." Clark looked her sternly, and informed her "I have never killed a man purposefully before and I am not going to do so now." Morganna replied, "I think for all concerned that he should no longer be part of the dance. He has seen too much."
"Superman does not use his powers to kill. I have an image to uphold. I stand for something."
"Not on Gor, you don't." she answered, and then pointed out, "If you do not do something, many of these people will die. There is only one thing you can do. You know it."
Clark started to trot after the blubbering, crying man. He soon picked up the frightened man who was begging for mercy and trotted away with him. Hours passed before he returned.
When Superman did return to the slaver's establishment Lois asked breathlessly, "Did you kill him?" "No." Clark assured her. At the disapproval on Morganna's face, he added, "I could not do that. But I did leave him naked at a deserted oasis in the middle of the Tahari." Rollo and Sylvia laughed, for the great sand dessert was several hundred miles to the south. "Did anybody see you?" Aganipe inquired.
"I don't think so. I generally followed the Voltai to get there and back."
"I believe it is time for us to leave." Morganna proclaimed to them. "Your job on this planet is finished and we are much needed on Earth, would you not agree?"
"How do you propose to get us off this planet?"
"I know someone." she pronounced, mysteriously. "He is a partner in the Dance" "You do? Why does that not surprise me?" Superman's tone was wry. "How long will this take?" "A day, two at the most," she replied after silent calculation. "We must move quickly. The longer we are here the greater danger there will be. The Priest Kings will not tolerate your presence here much longer, especially after they get reports of what happened here today."
"Is he trustworthy?"
"Beggars cannot be choosers." Morganna pointed out. "We have to take what we can get." "Aganipe and Cricket will appear in the race tomorrow. I will not leave without them or Troia," Clark declared. "I was afraid you would say that. I will make the arrangements." She hurried into the crowd and disappeared on her errand. Clark turned his attention to Lois, still kneeling and sobbing softly over the death of the master who had made himself her whole existence when they lay together. He knelt down beside her. He slipped his fingers inside her collar and tore it open. He said, "You are free now, Lois!" She looked up at him and said, "It is not a fate I desire or deserve. I was offered freedom earlier today and I was not willing to pay the price to take it. I am no longer Lois Lane, a foolish career woman of Earth. Nor do I desire to become her again. I am Kafka, and slave's desires now burn deeply through every inch of my body. Please do not call me free! Let me continue to serve men, Master. Just let me be the slave that I am. "
"I plan to return you to Earth. Could you be a slave on Earth?"
"I could be a slave anywhere. That is all that is left of me!"
When he asked if she could be a slave to him, she gave the matter serious consideration before responding, "I don't know, Master. I so fear for you because I so love you. I do not know if I could take seeing you die like my Master Arbus did." He scoffed, "I have no intention of dying like Arbus did. He threw his life away for a slave girl he did not love. He risked everything for her and he died. I am much harder to kill, after all."
"You act like you are truly invulnerable, but you are not, Superman. Not on Gor and not on Earth either. And yet you just risked everything to save slaver and a kajira. It is who you are. You could not help yourself but to save them. That is what I love about you and that is what I fear about you. Someday I will be crying over your body. I know it is selfish. But I want a Master who I can love without fear, one who will not unduly risk himself, one I can serve tomorrow after tomorrow after tomorrow and not worry about if he does not come home for me to serve that evening."
Clark started to say "Lois, I promise", but Kafka cut him off almost before he finished saying her old name. "Clark, do not make a promise that you cannot keep!" she admonished him. They spoke nothing more on the subject until later that day when two men presented a bill of sale for the slave who had once been Lois Lane. They carried a shipping box. She assured Superman that it was for the best this way. She had been sold before he arrived and Rollo was obligated to honor the sale, as was she. Distraught, he asked, "Lois, would you take an unknown master over me? Do you dislike me so much?" She replied that she was making her choice out of Love and reminded him that they had pledged never to try to make their marriage a prison rather than a union of independent souls. There were tears in her eyes, but she held herself proudly as she was loaded into the boxlike cage. When Morganna returned that evening she told the party that the arrangements for their departure from Ar had been made. "By this time tomorrow we should be returning home to Earth." "There will be time for the race, won't there, Mistress?" Aganipe wanted to know. Morganna said that there would be, but she still advised against the whole idea.
"Would you have advised against what I did this morning?"
"There was a great risk to what you did. You might have been blue-flashed right then and there. When the Priest Kings find out, and they will, they still might take action against you. That is why it is imperative that we leave as soon as possible while attracting as little attention to ourselves as possible."
"So you do disapprove of what I did?"
"I didn't say that! " She insisted. "Nor do I disapprove of the race tomorrow. I merely said that I would advise against it."
"I wish you to take Kara to the ship tomorrow. If we do not return, I want you to make sure that Kara is returned to Earth safely."
"It would be better if I was with you, Master!"
"If we win the race I do not expect Lurius to live up to his end of the deal. If so, I will rescue Wonder girl with my powers and join you as fast as I can.
"If Lady Florinda's team should win?"
"I will not let Aganipe or Cricket to fall into the hands of the likes of Lurius of Jad. I will turn them over to him and then more or less immediately somehow steal them back. In the meantime, somebody has to make sure that Kara is returned safely. Just tell me where to meet you. If things work out well, I should be joining you there shortly after the race."
"What if you are not there?"
"Than I am no longer part of your Dance Macabre. The Dance will go on without me. My son must be safe, if nothing else!"
"Even so, there should be time for me to deposit Kara and return to your side."
"No. I want someone I trust to make sure that Kara is taken care of. I do not want her to fall victim of those like her former master. It is up to make sure that she finds a good one. Bruce Wayne might prove helpful in that regard. Make sure she is delivered to him."
"And after that?"
"That is your master's final instruction, Morganna. I am tired of having my slave girls fight battles for me. Tomorrow, I plan to be Superman again."
Clark showed up at the Stadium of Tarns the next day dressed as if he were of the Leather Workers. He made no effort to see his girls. After they reached the track it would be their race they would run, not his. Perhaps he might have to use his powers to help them out in some covert way, but he did not want to draw attention to himself. Instead he would be just one of the throng enjoying the race.
Clark studied the competition as they trotted onto the track. He had to admit that there were some magnificent specimens of human pony flesh out there. They had come from all over Gor, it seemed to him. There was a blond pair of beauties that probably hailed from Torvaldsland. Their driver was a squat olive-skinned native of the extreme northern reaches. Another beautiful team was so dark-skinned they almost certainly came from the deep Equatorial jungles inland from Skendi. There was even a team of red ponies being driven by a female of the Red Warriors. He wondered if the three women had once been of different nations. In any case, they looked spectacular.
All of the teams were magnificent beasts, in top physical shape, with hard, muscular bodies. He had no doubt that these were some of the best racing teams of all of Gor. Lady Florinda drove her team to the inside lane of the track. She would have the pole position had this been an auto race. In a way it did resemble an auto race is that there were so many competitors that there were three rows of them. Aganipe, Cricket and Bina found themselves in the third row in the far outside position.
Clark knew that it had been Bina's hope that her team could go all out from the start, thus avoiding any of the other teams getting in their way or in any other way hindering their progress. Now it looked like they would have to work their way through a number of other pony teams before they could do that.
It had been announced before the race began that there had been a rules clarification because of a recent race which had gained great notoriety: the driver of the winning team would have to be in the chariot when it crossed the finish line.
As she took her position, Bina studied her competition. She had raced against most of these girls and drivers. There would no real challenges to her should her team remain healthy, her chariot remain viable, and she was not boxed up behind other teams. She noted which of the drivers were free. They would most likely be the ones in the pay of Lurius. She would have to keep a careful eye out for them. She checked her stash of dirty tricks. She was allowed no weapons longer than a small knife and any projectile weapons were strictly off limits. No amounts of bribes would allow a driver to have one of those. It was deemed too dangerous to the spectators. The knife itself was only to be used for situation such as if the driver had to cut her steed out of an entanglement or some such thing. But the blade had been known to be used for more sinister purposes.
Her team waited nervously for the race to begin. Then the first row was off. Lady Florinda's team started off to a commanding lead while Bina had to start at a more leisurely pace as each row had to wait for the earlier row to get going. But soon all the ponies were running. Yet she remained boxed in by other competitors as each driver whipped furiously at her own steeds and at her competitors. Yet as soon as any team made a mistake, Bina's team was quick to take advantage of it. They were weaving steadily through the crowded field.
And then they broke free. They were bruised and scarred from the beatings by the whips of competing drivers, but in spirit they were triumphant. Only a single team was left to pass. Bina kept to the outside as her Pony slave team started to lift their legs faster.
It quickly became apparent to the crowd and to Bina that this was a two-team race. Lady Florinda's team was also exceptionally fast. It might take a very long while for Bina and her team to catch up with them. After a while, the two leaders began to lap slower teams. This proved an opportunity and a problem. There was an opportunity in that Bina and both of her steeds noticed that Lady Florinda had to direct her team around the slower teams hugging the rail. Her team did not do so automatically. It was a problem in that some teams seemed to be going out of their way to slow Bina's team's progress.
Suddenly it occurred to Bina how she would win this race. She would use Florinda's own allies against her. She spurred her steeds forward. In a burst of speed they caught up with their opponents so that the two teams were running neck and neck. Now Bina's team started to press Florinda's team against the rail. Lady Florinda began to curse and slash madly at Bina.
As other teams gathered around Aganipe and Cricket, Lady Florinda found herself boxed in also, only her team did not have the tactical savvy to take advantage of opportunities as soon as they were offered. But Aganipe understood what was expected. It was she that was leading the team. Cricked would follow her lead while Bina would use her talents to keep attacks from her ponies. But mostly she concentrated her attacks on Lady Florinda, making the free women concentrate on Bina rather than on directing her steeds.
At last, Aganipe lead her team free while leaving Lady Florinda slashing hopelessly at a tangled group of other chariots in her way. She was shouting orders for them to get out of the way. It became apparent that at least some of them had been given instruction to slow or delay Bina but nothing about aiding Lady Florinda, whose steeds just did not have the grace and brains to take advantage of openings when they became apparent.
It was a long while before Lady Florinda was able to maneuver to the open space that would allow her team to run. By that time that happened her adversary had taken a big lead.
As the laps passed by, the crowd noted that whenever Lady Florinda came close to the lead team she found herself once more boxed in and in the same predicament. It was becoming apparent to all watching which team was going to win this race.
Meanwhile the shooter had a last located his prey in the crowd. It had taken him a very long time to spot Clark. But now he had the man in his gun sights. Slowly, he slipped a Kryptonite bullet into the chamber. He took very careful aim and let out his breath. He gently squeezed the delicate trigger and the bullet sped towards its target, the sound of its passing covered by the roar of thousands of racing fans. A split-second after the impact, Clark grasped his bleeding forehead and collapsed.
The shooter saw no reason to use another Kryptonite bullet on his next target. He reached into his pocket and this time retrieved a hollow-point explosive round. He drew a bead on the steed he knew as Wonder Woman. She was dodging and bouncing around so much that it took a while for him to get a clear shot at the pony girl. Then he squeezed the trigger and watched Diana/Aganipe fall as the mercury droplet inside the bullet caused the copper-jacketed slug to explode on impact and tear away massive chunks of her leg.
His job done, he decided that it was time to move before somebody noticed his position on the high cylinder. He doubted that anybody would look in that direction, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
Wonder Woman looked up, her expression showing both her pain and her determination. The bullet had entered through the thickest part of her thigh and had almost blown her leg off. It remained connected by some muscle and tissue. Yet she was alive and the finish line was tantalizing close. She looked up at Cricket offering her hand. She allowed Cricket to help her up. When Aganipe was erect once more, Cricket slid her hand around her partner's waist. Aganipe did likewise and they began to hobble toward the finish line. It looked like they might make it
Suddenly there was a sharp slash on Cricket's arm helping to hold Aganipe up as Lady Florinda's team rushed past them. In frustration Aganipe saw Lady Florinda cross the finish line. They had lost and she was beginning to feel faint.
With the same determination that had helped her prevail in dozens of desperate combats, the Amazon ponygirl stiffened her spine and forced her way toward the finish line. She was going to finish this race. The crowd was cheering her for her grit and courage in the face of great pain. They were unsure what had happened to her leg, but they were cheering her nevertheless.
The next team came running up behind them. They were the dark-skinned team from Ishindi. The rider pulled upon the reins of her mounts. She allowed her team a leisurely walk behind Aganipe, Cricket and Bina. Only after the other team crossed the finish line to a deafening roar of approval did she spur her ponies forward into third place. Already, Aganipe had slumped to the ground and stopped moving.
* * * *
Clark awoke with a splitting headache. He wondered immediately where he was, for he was lying on a bunk with a metallic frame of some sort. Kara was pressed against him, asleep. Sitting up on a bunk across from him was a young woman of Asian ancestry. She was wearing a tee-shirt and cut-offs. She looked up without smiling. She asked, "Are you awake?" He answered, "Yes. Who are you?" "My name is Mouse. I will get Mulkar." She hopped to one foot and supported herself on a pair of crutches. As she left the room, Clark noticed that she was dragging her left foot. Kara began to stir. She opened up her eyes drowsily. Then she exclaimed, "Oh Master! You are awake." She began to hug and kiss him. He asked, "Kara, where am I? How did I get here?" Mulkar stuck his head in the doorway of the room. He told Superman, "You are in my ship. As to how you got here, I brought you here myself."
"You were Morganna's contact?"
"I guess so."
"It figures." Superman muttered. This whole trip he had been receiving help and hindrance from unexpected quarters. Warily, Clark watched the man sit down on the other bunk. Mulkar told him, "I am glad you are awake. Morganna said that you would be, though. She is almost never wrong."
"Where is Morganna?"
"We slipped her into a stasis tube. We cannot have too many bodies running around. Even on ships of the Priest Kings you have to worry about things like life-support."
Clark managed to sit up.
Mulkar said, "Well I am impressed. You almost made it across the river but you had to sting someone." Clark asked, "Mulkar, what in the hell are you talking about?"
"Nothing important. What is important is that given what happed beforehand in Ar, you came closer than you realize to meeting the Flame Death after we sighted you flying over the Tahari to that oasis. Fortunately for you, the Priest Kings pretty much always thoroughly discuss things, and by the time they finished the discussion, . . .Well, here you are. But if you ever try to go back I can practically guarantee that they will do it to you."
Clark said, "We have to go back!"
"Didn't you hear what I said? It is no longer safe for you on Gor."
"I have to rescue Aganipe, Cricket and Troia"
"Rescue? What are you talking about?"
"I will not leave them in the hands of a man like Lurius of Jad."
"You honestly don't know?"
"Know what?"
"Clark, what is the last thing you remember before passing out?"
"Aganipe falling to ground, shot and Lady Florinda winning the race. Why?"
"Lady Florinda did not win the race, your team did."
"But I distinctly saw Lady Florinda's team cross the finish line!"
"They crossed the finish line first, but they did not win the race."
"But how?"
"Lurius of Jad himself insisted that your team be declared the winner!"
"What?"
"Diana, Talena, and the other girls have all been stuffed in stasis tubes. You now own them. They are yours to do with what you wish."
"Why would he do such a thing?"
"Honor."
"Honor? I do not understand."
Lurius of Jad is many different things. He might be a monster, a sadistic pervert and torturing tyrant, but as monsters go is he is a publicly a very honorable monster. Some might even say he is great!"
"Great!"
"Do you think ten thousand men would follow him into the jaws of death because of his hygiene?"
"What does Honor have to do with this?"
"Everything! Had that sniper just killed you, Lurius would have been satisfied. You would have been dead and he would have lost the bet but been relieved of the obligation of losing Troia and Talena. In fact he probably would have found a way to collect Morgan and Diana as well. But the sniper picked off Diana, also and it was obvious to everyone that Diana's team would have won had he not done so."
"He used every underhanded trick to win on the track."
Mulkar reminded Superman,
"But that was allowable. That came from the contestants. When an outside crossbowman struck Diana, that was cheating and Lurius's honor would not allow himself to win by cheating, at least not in such a public fashion.
Knowing Lurius' proclivities, I suspect that he assumed that he would have another crack at you to exact his vengeance. I doubt he expected you to literally vanish from the face of Gor! As things turned out, it was a win-win situation. You got your slave girls, and Lurius managed to look noble and heroic."
Superman could not help remarking, "I bet Lady Florinda wasn't happy with the outcome."
"I do not believe so. But it was widely suspected that she hired the crossbowman, so she wisely kept her mouth shut. I can now better understand why he picked her over her sister. In the end I think she was just relieved not to have been considered part of the bet."
"How so?"
"Lurius claimed that only the teams were involved, not the riders. I think he might be fond of his companion. We decided that it was not safe to press the point. After all, you have enough slaves already. You will have a devil of time keeping them all satisfied."
"Can I see them?"
"If you are up to it, I don't see why not." Clark followed him to another part of the ship. There he saw what looked like a wall with the ends of a number of stasis tubes sticking out of it. Mulkar said, "Display Diana. At his command one of the stasis tubes slid out. Inside it was Aganipe. She laid there, her eyes closed. It was hard to tell if she was asleep or dead. She still wore her collar. Her left leg was wrapped in a bandage but outside that she was nude. Clark asked, "How is she doing?"
"Morganna assures me that she will make a full recovery. The Goreans believed that she would lose the leg, but Morganna says that in a few weeks it will be as good as new. I would sure like to know how those Amazons manage to heal at such a rate. You have a remarkable slave girl there."
"I know!" Clark assured him Clark said "Display Cricket!"
Again another stasis tube slid out. Inside was his pony slave, so different than the Morgan Craft he once knew.
Clark checked all the girls. They all seemed to be at rest, though Bina still did not seem happy at her predicament.
But when he said, "Display Morganna" nothing happened. He did so again. Again nothing happened. He looked at Mul-Kar puzzled. Mul-Kar answered, "I think I know what the problem is. In the confusion of the moment I think she was mislabeled." He paused and said, "Display Morgan Croft." A stasis tube slid out. Inside was Morganna. "You must understand things were quite hectic when we left. It was an easy mistake to make, being that both girls were named Morgan and all. I doubt any harm is being done. I straighten it out later. Suddenly Clark saw Morganna wink at him. He said, "What the…." But the tube had slid back into its resting place by then.
Agent Bach was waiting for them when the ship had landed. So was Bruce Wayne. The only other person there was Harley. She wore a strapless mini-skirted version of a chauffeur's uniform, standing discretely behind her Master.
Agent Bach examined the small group of people emerging from the space ship. Clark was again Superman, wearing his famous red, yellow and blue costume. The girls had been given tiny dresses to wear. Mul-Kar and Scully were wearing familiar black dress wear and sunglasses. Agent Bach walked up to Superman and said, "It is an honor to meet you again, Sir. I am glad to have you back." Superman answered, "I am glad to be back."
"How did it go…on Gor Sir?"
"I am wiser for it."
Agent Bach turned his attention to one of the girls. He said, "Ms. Prince, you realize that you are dead? At least officially." She answered, "Diana Prince is dead in more ways than one, Mast… I mean Sir." "Are you sure you wish this new identity, Aganipe Ancilla?" He asked. "Ancella is Latin for slave girl."
"I know Master. It is what I am."
He shook his head, sighed, and walked off. Before he got in his car, Mouse called out to him. "Sir, what is my new identity?" He turned his attention to the young woman on crutches. He answered, "I suppose whatever your master wants." "I have no master. I am free!" she countered. "What?' asked Agent Bach, who was quite surprised by this turn of events.
"If I wished to be a slave girl I could have stayed on Gor!"
Bach slipped down his glasses, surprised. He asked, "Will wonders never cease? I read that you were coming; I just did not believe it. Every other woman I have met that came back from that planet declared themselves slave. Miss Suzuki is it?" "Yes!" Mouse paused and then asked, "What is my new identity?"
"Actually you don't need one. You were never declared dead?"
"I wasn't"
"You were never reported missing. I am sorry to say I do not know if anybody cared if you were alive." He paused and said, "I have something for you." He bent down and reached into his car. He brought out a large manila envelope and a clipboard. "These are your personal effects that we recovered at the warehouse where you were abducted. Please check to see they are all there and sign here." She opened up the envelope. Inside were a wallet and some well-used Pokemon cards. She smiled and said, "Welcome back my friends. I guess it is just you and I once more." She signed the document. "Well, thank you and goodbye." Agent Bach suddenly asked, "Do you have any place to stay? At her look of astonishment, he suggested "You could stay at our house until you get your feet on the ground. I am sure my wife would not mind?" She smiled slightly and answered, "No. I will be all right. I want some time alone with my friends." She started to hobble away. Then she tripped and fell to the ground. The first one to reach her was Harley. Harley asked**, "Are you all right, Pumpkin?" and held out a hand. She added the word** "Mistress." Mouse stared at her for a moment and asked, "You are a slave, aren't you?" Harley answered, "Yes. And you walk like a slave, Mistress." She pulled Mouse to her feet and gave her a big hug. Then she said, "Yes, you are right. You are free!" Again Mouse made her way down to a bus stop. Then she realized that it was a cold night and she had no change for the bus. Agent Bach walked up to her and asked, "Can I at least give you a drive to a shelter?" She answered, "Thank you." "I would like a ride too," another voice called out. "if you would give it." Agent Bach asked, "You would be?"
"I believe that I would appear on your list as Morgan Croft."
Agent Bach smiled and said, "I believe you are wrong. That woman over there is Morgan Croft!"
"Actually I believe her new name is Cricket Ancilla
, is it not?"
"You are right. Who are you then?"
"I have gone by many names. Today I am just Morgan Croft."
"Morgan Croft is dead."
She pointed at Cricket. "That Morgan Croft is dead. I am not her. For instance I believe that you will find that I am a British citizen. All the documentation is there. It is all legal. Do you wish to see my ID?"
"All so very convenient isn't it?"
"Agent Bach, do you know how to dance?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"If you are not careful you too will be part of the Dance."
"What dance?"
"That is what I am talking about!"
Superman spoke up; "I would like to have a little talk with Morgan, if it is alright." "It will just take a moment, Agent Bach. Don't go anywhere!" Morgan le Fay told the Federal agent. She walked up to Superman and asked, "What is it Uber-say An-may."
"Are you a disobedient slave?"
"I fear that I am. Our dance is ended for now. There are others that need your company far more than I. There are others that need my company far more than you!"
"But you are my first slave. I need you!"
"You do need a First Slave. In that small way, I seem to have miscalculated. I am truly sorry about that!"
"Then do not leave. I need you!"
"That girl over there might be an excellent First Slave. Why don't you go ask her?"
"I want you!"
"We all want things we cannot have. It is best that way, don't you think? I, for one, would like to have slave fires burning deeply in my belly. You might even be the one to ignite them. The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep: Miles to go before I sleep." She held up her hand, kissed her fingers, and then pressed them against Superman's forehead. She then walked back to Agent Bach. She said, "I am ready to leave now." Agent Bach answered, "Yes, you are! I have a lot of questions to ask you."
"Are you sure? You might not like the answers!"
Watching them drive away with Clark, Bruce remarked, "I am surprised that you are allowing her to get away. She seems to be a remarkable woman."
"She is, but she has promises to keep and miles to go before she sleeps. But then again, don't we all?"
"What does Robert Frost have to do with this?"
"I don't know, either. In fact, I don't know if I want to know!"
They walked to Bruce's limousine and opened the trunk. It had been modified to hold slave girls. The first to go in was the confused and frightened Bina. She was placed on the side of the trunk, in a kneeling position. A series of dildos protruded from the floor of the trunk. She was made to slide her mouth over the dildo in front of her and then her upper arms and lower legs were strapped to the floor of the trunk. Next to go into the trunk were Valkyrie and Talena. They did not struggle. Finally, Kara and Aganipe were strapped in. They looked like six very inviting sardines when Harley closed the lid on the trunk.
Harley opened a rear door to the limo and waited for Clark and Bruce to get in. Then she closed the door behind them. Then Harley slid in front, behind the steering wheel. She turned around and placed her elbows on top of the seat. She asked, "Where to, Master?" "That depends on Clark," Bruce answered her. Then he inquired of her, "Did you do it?"
"Of course, Master!"
"Do what?" Clark demanded to know.
* * * *
Even before Mouse realized how hungry she was, Agent Bach could see it in her eyes. "Would you like a bite to eat? My treat." he asked her. Mouse shook her head. Agent Bach said, **"It is alright. I have to get a bite anyway. I have to drive to Metropolis this evening and I might get hungry." Mouse insisted that she would be all right. To which Agent Bach answered, "**Suit yourself." But before she could do anything to stop him he shoved a twenty dollar bill in her hands and then denied knowing anything about it. He drove off in the middle of her protest.
She pulled her wallet out of her pocket to put away the bill. That was when she saw the colorful blue plastic card. She pulled it out. It was a debit and credit card from a well-known firm with her name on it. Later the next day, when Mouse found out how much was in her account, she was even more surprised.