© Copyright 1996-1999 by Clayton J. Powers

The situation wasn't good. Enceladous and the other giants had successfully fought their way off of their massive platform onto the firmament of heaven itself. All the gods and several of the Goddesses resisted fiercely, but they were slowly, grudgingly giving ground.

"If this keeps up we'll be pushed back to the Acropolis of Olympus! All will be lost!" Apollo shouted at his comrades. For our sakes where is Zeus!?"

Athena was too busy to care; she was engaged with two of the Giants by herself. She found the fighting extremely frustrating. Although she was much quicker, much stronger, and much more skilled than the Giants, she could not defeat them for long. She would systematically dismember them with her borrowed weapons, but since her enemies were immortal, they would just coalesce into their healthy selves again and attack. The best she could do was to use her shield Aegis to push them back off of the firmament onto the great platform they had built. Only Zeus' thunderbolts would help her ease the pressure, but not for long. A mighty blow from a giant wielding a whole tree unexpectedly came from her left hand opponent. She did see it and ducked. Then she stepped in and brought Aegis up under the giant's chin and sent him flying over the brink back to earth. The giant landed with an earth shaking crash yielding an earthquake that could be felt for miles.

The other giant she was fighting took the opportunity to rush by her deeply into heaven. Hiding behind a mountain top were the Goddesses Aphrodite and Hera. Their eyes went wide in panic as the charging monster ran right at them. Athena saw the danger and in a tremendous leap that flew over the rampaging monster she landed in front of her sister and step mother and blocked his path with Aegis. She stabbed the Giant in the eyes with her spear blinding him temporarily. Picking him up she heaved him back over the edge of heaven, sure in the knowledge that he would nearly instantly heal and come back again.

"Are you all right ladies?" Athena asked turning to her godly relatives.

"Yes!" Exclaimed Hera. "You must get away and find the mortal who can kill the Giants, or we will be at war for eternity!"

"EEUU! Don't those 'people' ever take baths?" Exclaimed Aphrodite.

"I suspect they're too busy sister" Athena said.

"HERE THEY COME AGAIN!" Poseidon shouted. while mighty and hairy hands appeared at the brink of heaven as the recently defeated pulled themselves back up for another attack.

Athena heard a buzzing noise behind her and there stood Hermes. "Sis--SIS! I found him! He's on his way!"

"Thank the Fates!" Athena exclaimed. Almost immediately, she heard a roar and one of Hephaestus' Golden Automobiles appeared and in the bed, lying on his back lay the King of Heaven himself--apparently unconscious. Athena immediately flagged down the car and thanked the Golden Woman who was its chauffeur. Then she manhandled her divine father onto the ground. Apollo rushed the brink of Heaven and stomped on the climbing hands of the Giants and sent them back down onto Earth.

"Apollo! Come here brother!" Athena shouted. Apollo was the God of Healing and surely would know what ailed his father. "Zeus is unconscious!" With the pressure off for the moment, he did so. Apollo examined the King of Heaven carefully, looked up and said,

"He's only drunk. He'll be back around in a while."

"We'll have to hold then! No choice!" Athena said.

"HERE THEY COME AGAIN!"

Now they were paying the piper. Kotamuwa had arranged for them to make a short stop at a safe house thirty miles north of the capital. There reports waited that the party was being pursued by five companies of the Third Battalion of the Imperial Guard, reportedly one of the best outfits in the entire Corps. At this intelligence, Xena became harder, and pushed them all to the point of human and equine endurance. The coast was her objective. She did not tell them why.

It was getting on to dusk when Ephiny, who was riding trail, galloped her jaded horse up to the party. "Xena! XENA!" she cried.

Xena reined Argo around sharply and rode up to the scout.

"What is it, Ephiny?"

"Imperial Guard! About a platoon! Chariots! They're closing fast!" Ephiny panted, out of breath with excitement and fright.

"Damn!" Xena swore. "PY! GET OVER HERE!"

The others of the party had stopped and were straining to hear what was happening. Py heard Xena's order and spurred her horse to her leader. Gabrielle followed on the gigantic gray horse that she had been riding the last day and a half. When they arrived at the Warrior Princess' side Py asked, "Whassup, Xena?"

"We got company. You got any of our little bombs left?"

"'Bout twenty."

"Powder?"

"Nope."

Xena grimaced.

"What's the plan, Xena?" Gabrielle asked.

"Whatever it is, Gabrielle, you're staying with Demodocus and the Hittites."

To everyone's surprise, Gabrielle turned red as a beet. Her eyes flashed in anger.

"NO! No more, Xena! I'm not going to stand by and see you three take all the chances. Xena, you're making me feel like dead weight!" Gabrielle pointed over her shoulder at the men of the party. "They're all highly trained warriors. They can take care of themselves. I'm not going to be no damn diversion either! If you won't let me fight with you now, I'm going to find a way to fight without you! That's IT!"

The Amazons looked on plainly incredulous. Gabrielle's anger was rare and always flashed fleetingly. She almost never swore. This time, her anger was very intense. Xena's habitual protectiveness towards her had created deep resentment which was now bubbling over. The women looked at Xena and tried to read her face. It proved to be easy. Xena's mouth was in a gentle smile, yet her eyes were showing regret, sadness, and pride.

"Gabrielle, you know I don't want you to kill anyone."

"Or get killed myself! I'll be responsible for that, and don't give me any guff about the light in my eyes going out, either! They're my eyes, and I'll let it go out if I want to! Now what's the damn plan?"

Xena turned on her saddle towards the men of the party, put her fingers to her lips and whistled calling them over. Then she turned back to her friend, her internal struggle very evident. "OK, Gabrielle," She said slowly at first. "We just passed through a defile with rocks and trees on either side of it. We got to get the pursuit off our backs, so here's what were gonna do.."

Lieutenant Liloumsia looked up at the surroundings that his naive charioteer thought so beautiful. It made him uneasy. The walls of the valley were steep and the bottom was narrow. Either side of the road was flanked by huge trees. A gorgeous place for a bushwhack, but he wasn't chasing a huge unit. He was chasing only seven people on horseback. His platoon had thirty three men in it, in eleven powerful chariots. No force of six men, let alone three men and four women could make a dent on him. So maybe he could take the time to listen to the birds.

POP! POP! POP! POP! POP! POP! POP! POP! POP! POP! POP!

"WHAT?" Liloumsia exclaimed as he swiveled his head around. The odd noises came from right ahead of him and from some distance behind. Behind his trailing chariot he thought. Then the popping was followed by a loud groan and the sharp cracking of huge tree limbs. Shocked, he turned his head again and yelled "HALT BOY!" as two huge trees fell from opposite sides of the road directly across the path of his chariot.

As the charioteer reined in so hard that the horses reared, Liloumsia heard the same terrifying sounds from behind and turned just as two more trees fell with grinding crashes behind his trailing chariot. Again he heard an odd sound. It was a sizzling sound like a beefsteak hitting a grill. Following the sound he saw a small object flying from one side of the road trailing a thin rope of white smoke. It landed in his fifth chariot. He saw several more flying through the air when he heard another POP! That sound was followed by terrified screams, for the crew of his fifth chariot went soaring out of the bucket as if blown away by a strong wind. Finally these sounds were followed by something familiar, the whistle of arrows in flight. There were a lot of arrows and they hit the crews of several of the chariots taking them out. Again he heard another odd noise. This time it was a quiet whine, as what appeared to be a flying ring of metal appeared out of the trees neatly beheading two more of his troops. He heard more pops and many more of his men went flying.

"BUSHWHACK! BUSHWHACK! DISMOUNT! BUSHWHACK!" He yelled frantically, panic starting to close his throat.

"ALALALALALALALALALALALA!!"

Following that tearing sound came havoc! Figures, heavily armed figures, emerged from the trees on either side of the road and they waded into his shocked men swords cracking the air. The lieutenant was disgusted with himself. He had soiled his pants and his shock had rooted him to his vehicle. Still immobile, he saw a big woman with black hair and glittering blue eyes dive down from a tree into his third chariot knocking all of the crew out of the bucket onto the ground. She straddled them in turn and eliminated them with swift strikes of her sword. She turned her back to him and ran back up the column where two more figures emerged. One, a short woman with curly blonde hair was loading and firing a bow as fast as she could. Her arrows were striking home with terrifying accuracy. The other was another woman, far larger, who was swinging a gigantic ax bellowing a word he didn't understand--HIPPOLYTA. Even farther back he saw two men, one of whom had dropped from a tree, tearing into his defenseless men like buzz saws. One of them was wearing the very same uniform he did!

He began to hear the terrified screams of his own men. Some were beginning to run "NOOO!" He bellowed. He heard the black haired harpy yell, "CUT THE TRACES! CUT THE TRACES!!" This was done and horses began to bolt out of the ravine hurdling the downed trees. Finally, his panic began to break and his head began to clear, when suddenly behind him he heard a high piping voice

"EEYAAH!"

And a very hard blow indeed struck Liloumsia. There was another demon here! He turned and another staff blow struck his jaw sending him sending him flying--unconscious. His charioteer tried to avenge him but before he could get his spear out of its storage loop the staff nailed him in the groin doubling him over. The third man in the chariot had long run away. Another ax like blow fell and the young private was down on his back. When his vision cleared, he saw that straddling him was a small young woman with green eyes, a cute nose, and strawberry blonde hair. She was holding the end of a war staff at his throat. Terror took the private away and he soiled himself "Please! Please don't kill me!" He begged.

The woman's face changed from one of implacable fierceness to one of soft concern. "You're only a baby!" she exclaimed. The woman dropped the end of the staff to the ground, knelt and looked the young soldier over. "I won't kill you. You're all right. Go on. Go back home to your parents. Take care of yourself!" The private got unsteadily to his feet "Go on!" She urged pointing her thumb over her shoulder. The wretched boy did as he was told.

Gabrielle turned and saw Xena running up to her. "You all right, Gabrielle?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Fine. Fight's over" Xena turned and saw the rest of the Hittites running like mad back up the road whence they came. The Lieutenant at her feet also came around and Xena picked him up, kicked him on the behind and sent him on his way back too.

"Xena they're recruiting babies!"

"Yeah, I know There were a couple of fourteen year olds farther back. Remember though, these people volunteered.'

"Yeah, but really." Gabrielle looked very upset. She turned because she felt Xena's big hand on her shoulder.

"It's gonna get a lot worse, Gabrielle. C'mon."

"Xena?"

"Yeah?"

"Did it hurt when you first started doing this for a living?"

Xena looked at Gabrielle with a distant look in her eye, and simply nodded. Both of the women turned and ran back to check on the rest of the party and the wounded Hittites.

The platoon had taken ten dead. No wounded. Ephiny's arrows, the chakram and the bombs had done their work very well. The rest had abandoned their posts and fled.

Hattusilis walked up to Xena with his hand outstretched. Xena, a quizzical look on her face, took it.

"Brilliant action! Just brilliant. Most effective ambush I ever saw, let alone fought in. I see your reputation for ruthless efficiency is well deserved." Xena answered with a dismissive sneer.

"Demodocus, Py, Ephiny, Kotamuwa! You all right?" Xena shouted.

"Everybody's OK--I think! Ephiny yelled.

"You THINK?" Gabrielle bleated and she ran back to her Amazon friends as fast as she could. She discovered that Py was hurt. "Oh NO!"

The tall Amazon looked over at Gabrielle. The whole front of her tunic was bloody. There was a long slash in it just above where her breasts began to swell. Xena looked Pyronia in the eye, saw that her eyes were still shining and that there was a modest smile on her face.

"Tch" Pyronia said spitting out her fire stick. "It's nothing. Guy got a dagger out and slashed me. Something to talk about with the girls when I get home. He's over there." She said pointing. Gabrielle looked and nearly wretched. The man who had cut Pyronia was hacked cleanly in half from right shoulder to left hip, the two halves of his body on top of each other like some gruesome sandwich.

"Demodocus get your kit will ya?" Xena asked and the priest nodded and ran off. Come on now Py, before this blood dries. Xena helped her out of her tunic and girdle. The two Hittite men turned their eyes away.

Pyronia saw this and became mildly disgusted. "GEESH ain't you guys seen breasts before? They ain't gonna kill ya y'know!" The two men looked at each other shocked and shook their heads. Amazons were totally beyond their experience. Xena smiled at her friend's bravado, and she finished the job of pulling off the suede garment. Ephiny returned with a wet rag and Xena cleansed the wound which ran from Py's breast bone to over the center of her left breast. It was bloody, but superficial.

"It won't be much of a story Py, it's clean and shallow. I'm not even sure its gonna leave a scar." Xena commented with a smile. Demodocus arrived with catgut, healing herbs, a needle, spirits of wine and a vial of opium. "Thanks, Priest." Xena added.

"Sure." Demodocus replied.

"You OK, Py?" Demodocus asked, a look of deep concern on his craggy face.

"WILL YOU GUYS QUIT ASKING ME THAT!" Pyronia yelled. She was unused to all the attention.

Gabrielle laughed outright and nodded.

"ARRRGH!" The Amazon bellowed as Xena poured the sprits of wine over the wound. Xena offered the opium to her friend while saying it was for the pain, but the tart reply was, "Are you kidding, Xena?"

Xena half grinned, led her charge underneath a nearby tree, laid her down and began to stitch her up. All through the procedure, Py kept up a line of snappy patter including wise cracks, put downs, and snotty asides. She even pinched Kotamuwa on the behind when he wasn't looking. Xena knew that Py's playfulness was sham. She was trying to prove just how strong she was. This kind of wound was very painful, and she saw a small tear come to the Amazon's eye, but Pyronia refused to let it fall. She also knew that Pyronia's pride would never, ever let her admit it hurt.

"Worst thing's my favorite tunic's ruined! Did I ever tell anyone I got it from Penthesilea herself when I was a kid?"

"Big kid!" Kotamuwa chided. Everyone could see he was taking a strong liking to the Amazon.

Pyronia grinned and kicked him in the shin gently. He made a big show of being hurt.

"Millions of times." Ephiny pointed out rolling her eyes.

Xena was soon finished. "Well, Py, we better get you a tunic or something or we'll be drawing a crowd," Xena commented.

"Yeah. No cheap thrills for the enemy. Right guys?"

Just then Hattusilis himself came up. He was carrying one of the soldier's tunics--the Lieutenant's no less. "Looks like their officer tore it off when he bugged out. I think it'll fit you, Amazon. From your conduct today you deserve to wear it more than he did. Bastard wasn't even wounded."

Py reached up and grimaced. Xena finished binding up the wound and helped Py to her feet. Kotamuwa helped her put on the tunic and tie up the silver bullion fasteners. Then Pyronia reached up to her shoulders crossing her chest with her arms and ripped the epaulettes from them. "I'm not the boss here," she said. Xena raised an eyebrow.

"Anyone need a fresh horse? These don't look too bad. Gabrielle? You want a horse that's easier to ride?" Demodocus asked stroking the nose of a fine Arab filly.

"No, no. Aphrodite and I have come to an agreement." Gabrielle said referring to the draft horse she was riding. The two Hittites switched their saddles to some of the trace horses and all gathered what rations that they could from the abandoned chariots. They pulled their horses and Maude the mule out of their hiding places in the woods and then they mounted and rode off.

At last Tudhalias stopped in front of the two crosses that were the symbols of his power. The tallest was the very one that the Bitch Xena (as he habitually called her now) used to escape his city. Hanging from the cross was Uhhamuwa, a friend of nearly thirty years. One cross down was the cross on which Lordamulis now hanged The Emperor walked past the condemned former secret policeman to Lordamilis. He looked up into the now pale face of his former chief of foreign policy but had to pull back to see past his now sagging, naked belly. Tudhalias patted him on his impaled feet.

"Sorry old fellow. Nothing personal. There really wasn't anything you could do, but someone must pay the price."

Lordamulis had already begged loud and long for his life He looked down and glared at his Emperor who had abandoned him, as if he were nothing, to a hideous fate. He sighed and hoped that the end would come soon. Sadly, it didn't.

Tudhalias walked back to Uhhamuwa who looked down upon him with a look of intense pain and regret on his face. Uhhamuwa somehow loved Tudhalias and would have done anything for him. Now his friend expected him to die like a slaughtered bull dishonored for all he had done. "Sire?' He called down questioning. Tudhalias looked up, spit on him, and walked away. Uhhamuwa started to cry, desolate. The Emperor walked the entire length of the execution line The last three victims he passed were, the Commander of the Citadel guard, the Sergeant of the Guard that rang the tocsin, and Salli, the poor private that Gabrielle had hit. He stopped, looked out on the vast, and now disassembling camp of his First Army which was headed towards Halikarnassus ahead of schedule, took a deep breath, and resolutely walked down a nearby stairwell.

"Your Imperial Majesty, have you decided what you're going to do?" Demodocus asked Hattusilis.

The Hittite Crown Prince looked over at Xena who was seated on a large rock, running a sharpening stone along the edges of her sword. Hattusilis could see that the Warrior Princess's every sense was on alert. He turned back to his questioner and shook his head.

Kotamuwa looked at his sovereign. "Sire, the resistance needs you. With you at our head, we can head for the hills. Form a guerrilla army. Drive Tudhalias nuts."

"Don't call me by big titles my friends. Not yet. I have to get Tudhalias out of Hattusas first. Frankly, Kotamuwa I don't know. You make an excellent suggestion, but we have no money, weapons, horses, MEN. Things look awfully bleak...."

Gabrielle chanced to look over at Xena, and listened to the quiet, shimmering sound of the whetstone on the iron blade. She realized something. Sharpening that sword was a way for Xena to rest while she was awake and alert--a kind of meditation. She sharpened that sword every time she was on night watch. The rhythm of the motion was almost like the rocking of a baby in a cradle. Another realization struck her. Gabrielle first remembered Xena sharpening that blade one night after they'd just met and she couldn't sleep. Xena told her to go back to bed, and then she'd gotten out the sword and stone. She remembered falling asleep not long after that gentle song started. Gabrielle suppressed a warm laugh and smiled. It was a quiet warrior's lullaby for her benefit too "For someone who's supposed to be an awful bitch she can be really sweet and considerate sometimes," she thought.

Gabrielle saw Xena suppress a shiver. It was a cold, damp fall night and fog was slowly drifting past the little fire. Xena was still dressed in her leathers with her legs and shoulders nearly bare. Gabrielle, still tightly rolled up in her blanket, went over to Xena's bedroll, found and unrolled her friend's black cloak and walked over to her. Before Xena could protest, Gabrielle put it over her shoulders and sat down on the cold ground next to her friend while fleetingly touching her hand.

"Thanks, Gabrielle. Can't sleep, huh? I can get you some valerian from Demodocus if you want."

"Nah, it's just the usual thing. Everywhere we make camp there's a boulder with my name on it," Gabrielle said smiling. "You know, I'm sorry I jumped on you earlier. Maybe I was tired and scared."

Xena replied shaking her head, "You were right, Gabrielle. I guess my need to protect you is very strong. You keep bitching when I do it. Maybe I'll learn to stop sometime."

Gabrielle snorted in amusement. "And you keep telling me I'm stubborn."

"I keep thinking about what happened to you after Callisto killed Perdicus. I don't think I was more scared in my life. I thought I'd lose my best friend forever, even if you lived."

Gabrielle nodded. She was deeply moved but didn't want to show it. This kind of confession was very rare from Xena, so they were very powerful, but it just wouldn't do to be sappy and sentimental about their friendship. It had taken a few days for Xena to get over the incident between them in the Amazon village just before they'd left. "You know Xena, I realized something really important that day I had Callisto helpless at sword point."

"Yeah?"

"If I'd have killed her, she'd have won. What everyone else would have seen as justice, she'd have seen as vindication. It's so sick, but I'm sure I'm right. It was real justice when you killed her. You'd already been where she was, and saved yourself."

"As if the bitch would stay dead."

Gabrielle shuddered. "Don't even think about it!"

Xena grinned. "Well the first night we shared a camp together I told you my life was very hard and dangerous."

"Yeah, and the next morning I told you friends go where friends are in trouble too."

"Why do you put up with it? We've been traveling together for nearly two years now. I still don't get it. You keep giving me so much. I mean you know what's right all the time. I still get lost sometimes. I turn around, and there you are, showing me where I should have gone in the first place. You've put your neck on the block for me over and over. You never give up on me. What do you get out of being my friend?"

Gabrielle twisted around to face Xena directly, took her hand in both of hers and looked into her friend's shining blue eyes. "I'll tell you. The Bards say that a true friend is a mirror, a mirror that reflects back all the good in the person standing in front of it. What they don't say is that it feels wonderful to be that mirror. They also don't say that if the image in the mirror is one of greatness, the pleasure is indescribable."

"Oh, come on." Xena looked away embarrassed.

"No, you come on. You're far more than a good person. You're a GREAT person--a real gift of the gods to all of us. One of the things I most like about you is that you refuse to believe it. I'm not going to give you a laundry list of your strengths; I'd be up all night. I do know that you realize you do great things, but you gotta learn that you're not great by what you do, you're great because of who you are. Xena of Amphipolis the Mighty Warrior Princess! Hercules knows that, Demodocus knows that, I know that. So many others know that. But you, thick head, don't. I'm gonna keep sticking around until you do know it, then whoosh! I'm outta here."

Xena's expression became very pained.

"That's a joke!"

Xena rolled her eyes. "Well, really!"

"Other than that, you do give me a lot back Besides saving my life countless times, I know you care about me--and you like my stories! They used to drive Lilla CRAZY!"

Xena chuckled, wrapped her arm around Gabrielle's head, pulled it to her and squeezed. "What am I gonna do with you?" she said pushing her away playfully.

"Dunno, keep getting me into trouble?"

"I suppose." Xena changed the subject. She pointed her sword at the men who were earnestly talking around the fire. "What are they talking about?"

"Hattusilis is trying to make up his mind about what to do next."

"What do you think of him?"

"He seems to be a really good guy despite being high born and all. Down to earth. Smart too. Wish I had more time to talk to him."

"What do you think he should do?"

"No, Xena what do you think he should do?"

"I'm serious, Gabrielle. I wanna know what you think."

"Well, I think he should come home with us."

"Why?"

"When we get back we've got to convince a lot of very powerful people, mostly men, that they're gonna have a major war on their hands no matter what they do."

"Yeah."

"So, many of the Kings and leaders I've met, with certain exceptions, are really pig headed."

Xena chuckled softly. "Yeah."

"A lot of them are really prejudiced too. I'd bet that they won't believe that the Hittites mean war because they've been so peaceful for so long?" Gabrielle looked quizzically towards Xena whom she knew to be far more experienced in these matters than herself.

"Go on." Xena said simply. Gabrielle charged ahead.

"Well, when we get back, all we'll have is the word of two Amazons, whom they'll mistrust, and you, whom they'll REALLY mistrust. Demodocus, who's only a priest. Me, I'm just a silly girl. And the tablets, those I'm sure someone will claim to be forgeries. I know that orders to discredit those tablets are on the way to Tudhalias' spies in Greece right now. The only two leaders I'm sure we'll convince are Melosa and Tyldus. I'd bet they won't get much of a hearing either. So we got a problem."

Xena nodded. She was VERY impressed. "You got more?"

"Yeah." Gabrielle was getting excited now. "There has to be someone in somebody's court back home that knows Hattusilis by sight. Someone in the really big cities. Maybe Athens. What could be more convincing than an argument from the Crown Prince of the Hittites himself?

Xena pointed to the fire smiling. "Well, why are you telling me? Go tell him." Gabrielle had hit on exactly her line of reasoning. She could be very persuasive, and most importantly, persistent.

Gabrielle's face lit up like a bonfire. "Yeah! I think I will! But wait a minute. What would HE get out of it?"

"How about a big Greek army to help him get his job back?"

"Right, but could he trust the army to give his country back to him?"

"Does he have a choice?"

"NO!" Gabrielle got up and headed for the men by the fire muttering to herself as she thought out her presentation.

Just then, there came a groan from a little nook in some rocks where Ephiny and Pyronia were sleeping. Pyronia was awake and had on a slightly pained expression. Xena put her sword back in its scabbard and went over to the Amazon.

"You, OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Ephiny's snoring woke me up." Xena looked over at her. She was snoring but not all that loudly. It was probably the cut that was bothering Py.

"Gee ain't anyone sleeping yet?" Pyronia asked. She fumbled through the pockets of her new tunic, found a fire stick and put it between her teeth.

"Nope." Xena was satisfied so she walked back to her post, restarted her sharpening ritual, and again the quiet singing of the blade added an odd tranquillity to the scene.

Gabrielle had accosted Hattusilis and pulled him away from the fire. She was talking very quietly but earnestly to the Crown Prince. Demodocus had gone over to his bedroll and was just laying down after saying his evening prayers. Kotamuwa was still sitting while feeding, and staring at, the little fire. He was eating a lump of hard tack, Imperial Guard hard tack, and slowly pulling drinks from a water skin. Pyronia, whose urge to stare at fires was incredibly intense, got up, still wrapped in her wolf hide blanket, walked over to the fire, and sat down next to the rebel Imperial Guardsman. She pulled her long legs up to her chest, rested her elbows on her knees, rearranged her blanket, cupped her long hands and rested her solid chin within them and stared. The orange and blue glitter of the flames played off the feathers in her hair creating a strange but sweet atmosphere.

The rebel sergeant looked over at the tall Amazon. He didn't know what to think. So much awesome courage and power from a woman was totally foreign to him, yet now he had to deal with four such women. Xena was lionine, smooth, silky, decisive and incredibly powerful. She acted like a man and was tougher than many of the men he knew, but somehow she was very different. "Maybe its her distance from the rest of us." He thought "She seems very used to high responsibility. A lot of the generals I once worked for acted the same way. I can't put my finger on it. Gabrielle's more familiar. She has great power too, but her power is in how she is with other people. People do what she wants them to do because she takes care of them and won't spare herself. Ephiny's like a mountain wind, strong, but she changes a lot. And this one over here..." He took the time to look over Pyronia's strong, beautiful profile. "She's like a big school girl, wild or silly at one moment, shy or brave the next. By Hebat can she fight! I dunno." "I'm just a sergeant. I don't get paid to think."

"How ya doin', Pyronia?" He asked.

"Fine. I wanna go home though. I miss my sisters and my critters."

"Critters?"

"Yeah, I'm kinda like a game keeper at home. I make sure that the wolves on our lands are well."

"Wolves?" Kotamuwa was mildly horrified.

"Sure. Our patron Goddess, Artemis, demands that we share our land with all her animals. When we want meat to eat we have to ask her for permission, and then ask the animal for forgiveness before we kill it. If we kill too many deer, we hurt the wolves and Artemis will be mad at us."

"Oh. You mentioned Artemis when you left me in Yozgat. I had no clue what that was. Our Sun Goddess Teshub does that job." He looked back into the fire, then he returned to looking at Pyronia. "I still cannot believe women can fight so well. I saw you kill that man. He had you dead to rights, but you only got a scratch and he ended up in two big pieces. Women are NOT supposed to do that!"

"Says who?" Pyronia answered with a slightly dangerous look in her eye.

"Nobody I know. You people goddesses or something?"

"huh no. Well, maybe Xena. Not me and Ephiny. We're just women--Amazon women."

"Xena that good?"

Pyronia looked at Kotamuwa. "Ach! She is AMAZING! Fought her. She challenged me to a duel just before we came out here. Came this close to killing me." Pyronia held her thumb and index finger up and so close you could barely see between them.

"No crap?"

"No crap."

"Why?"

"Made the mistake of knocking down Gabrielle in a drill. Xena was all over me like ugly on a ape. Kinda proud of myself though. I gave her a tussle believe you me, but she did get me on my back. Thought I was dead. Instead of killing me, she gave me this job. Go figure."

"Gee. Hothead huh?"

"Nah. Xena made a mistake. That's why she let me live. Gabrielle's very important to her."

"She, uh well, in love with her?' Kotamuwa raised an eyebrow. "They touch each other a lot."

Py looked at him and grimaced. "Dunno. Ain't my place to inquire."

"I'll tell ya something 'bout Xena though. She's smart and she's got...."

Pyronia chuckled. "Ovaries?"

The Hittite's eyes went wide and he nearly fell over laughing. "Yeah ovaries! That was BAD, Amazon!"

Pyronia put on her crooked smile.

"Y'know Pyronia, I liked you the minute I met you in that dive in Yozgat."

Pyronia looked at him then looked down shyly, finally she again looked him in his bright brown eyes. "No Crap?"

"No Crap. You married?" Kotamuwa grimaced. He realized his mistake.

Pyronia answered him straight. "Can't. We don't live with men. I killed my third one on this trip though. I can have a man now.'

"Who?" Kotamuwa asked taken aback.

"That lieutenant of yours. In Yozgat."

"Best thing that stupid bastard ever did! You can have a man? Don't get it."

"After an Amazon's killed three men in battle, she can make love and bear children. The others stay virgin. There's usually a village of men near an Amazon village. Used to be that once a year there'd be a festival and the Amazon veterans would go over anonymously, choose a partner and have sex. We changed things. Our tribeswomen can have male lovers now, but we can't live with them and they can't live with us."

"What happens if you fall in love with a man and want to be with him?"

"Gotta leave the Sisterhood."

"Why would anyone wanna stay IN the Sisterhood then?"

"Hard to explain to a man. The Sisterhood is beautiful. We worship Artemis and each other as a nation. The Sisterhood gives us great power and more love than you can ever imagine. Much more than one man could give each of us. I love it. I'll never leave it. Never. It's my life. I'll die to save it. So will Ephiny. All us Amazons'll die to protect it."

Kotamuwa nodded clearly impressed, even moved. "Tell you one thing. If all you Amazons fight like you, that son of a bitch Tudhalias is in a world of hurt!" He reached out and put a hand on the Amazon's shoulder.

"That doesn't mean that I can't look at a cute male butt now and then though. he! he! he!"

"Pyronia!"

"What about you Kotamuwa. You married?"

"Widower. Got three boys. All of 'em in the Army. Two in the Imperial Guard, just like their Old Man." The veteran looked into the fire with a wistful look in his eye.

"You loved army life dinja?"

"Yeah. I did. I DO. I was so proud when my boys all went in. When that guy over there commanded," Kotamuwa nodded towards Hattusilis "things were great! We were respected at home by the people and abroad by our neighbors. Then the changes came, and I got so ashamed of what happened to my Army. Some of the people hate us now. I think my wife died of a broken heart because of the "New Thinking." I mean her sons, our sons, were beating and spying on our own people. So was I. It's bloody tyranny, that's what it is; and the Imperial Guard is what's doing it! I was really stupid. I should have gone over the fence a long time ago. But all my mates are still in there. I feel like I let 'em down somehow. I'm ashamed any way I look at my career."

"I think you did the right thing by deserting, Kotamuwa. Took a lot of guts to do what you did. Maybe we can help you get your country back."

"Think so?"

"Dunno, but those tablets we stole say that Tudhalias wants war really bad. Thinks it will improve the Hittite race, and get more slaves for them. Worse, they want to exterminate us Amazons and the Centaurs."

"Bastards! I liked every Centaur I ever met!"

The Greeks can't let that happen. I'm positive that my Queen Melosa won't let it happen. But right now its up to your boss and my boss. Xena and Hattusilis have got to come up with something. By the look of it, Gabrielle is working on Hattusilis now." They both looked over at Gabrielle and the Crown Prince. The little woman was animatedly making some strong point. She was pointing into an upraised palm very forcefully with her other hand. Hattusilis, stroking his beard, was listening carefully.

"She can sure talk a blue streak can't she?"

"Yeah she can. Funny thing is it all makes sense. She's so smart. She can tell you a story that just takes you away. Gabrielle can be a pain in the butt, but its awful hard not to like her. She's really, really nice. Wanna bet she convinces Hattusilis about whatever they were talking about?"

"Uh uh. No bet. By the way, you ain't so bad in the nice department yourself, Amazon." Kotamuwa said smiling.

"You too--for a guy that is." Pyronia elbowed the Hittite in the ribs gently, but she winced in pain slightly. She'd pulled the cut.

Kotamuwa smiled at the jab then looked at the Amazon with anxiety. This concern dissolved quickly because Pyronia pulled a face then smiled. Then they both looked into the fire. Gabrielle got up and returned to her bed roll for the Crown Prince had turned in. After a while of quiet companionship, Pyronia and Kotamuwa returned to their places as well. Soon all were asleep save Xena. The only sounds heard were the crackling of the fire, and the singing of Xena's whetstone on her sword.

"By the Maiden what a beautiful sight!" Demodocus yelled. Before Xena could react, he swept her into his arms and kissed her, to the utter shock of everyone--including Xena. "How did you know to have your ship come here? I thought you told us that you'd never been to Asia Minor before!" He continued when he broke off the kiss.

"I've never been in the interior of Asia Minor before. There are a lot of pirates on this coast, Hittite government or no. I did a lot of recruiting and trading with them. I remembered this little village. When I saw Erginus' maps in Halikarnassus, it seemed like a good place to be picked up if we ever got into a jam. So I left Julia with orders to come here if we weren't back in a month. I was lucky because I had no idea that we'd run into such a big force at Hattusas. Breaking out to the north fit right into the plan. I think Julia must have found out something because I wasn't expecting her here so soon."

"Three days on the lam is a lot better than three weeks!" Pyronia excitedly added.

Hattusilis shook his head while grinning from ear to ear. "I had my doubts about deciding to go along with you, Gabrielle and Demodocus, even though it didn't look like I had any choice. Thank Hebat I'm wrong!"

Ephiny held up her hand. "What's that?" She questioned shocked.

"What Ephiny?" Xena asked, then her face set. She heard the noise too. It was a peculiar humming roar coming along the ridge to their right. Everyone in the party turned to look as their horses began to shy. Ephiny's began to rear. Even Aphrodite, Gabrielle's gentle old draft horse became skittish and Gabrielle frantically began to talk to her, reestablishing their "agreement". Xena reached down and patted Argo's neck, and the big palomino began to calm as if the noise was familiar. Xena held up her hand. "Hold on people I know what that is!" Amazingly, all along the top of the ridge line to the north an infinitely long strip of a hard, black stone like material appeared. Studded down the center of that strip was a broken line of white stripes that retreated off into the distance. Just coming up the hill there was what appeared to be a wagon from which the sound emanated. It was closing fast and everyone but Gabrielle and Xena became alarmed. "Take it EASY will ya? She's a friend!"

"Friend?" Demodocus asked flummoxed.

Gabrielle piped up. "When you follow Xena around, you find out she knows a lot of interesting 'people'. She was flexing her index and middle fingers close to each ear. Everyone but Xena looked at her VERY strangely.

The roaring became ever louder and the wagon came clearly into view. There were no horses of any kind drawing it. It had four wheels made out of a black substance that was unfamiliar. At the back was a box covered in grill work. The vehicle had four seats and seated in the left front one, behind a stanchion with another wheel on top of it, was what appeared to be the statue of a woman which, like the rest of the vehicle itself, appeared to be made out of solid gold! The statue was moving as if it were alive!'

Demodocus struck his forehead with the heel of his hand. "Hephaestus! That's one of the 'Golden Women' of the God of Blacksmiths, Hephaestus! That's one of the horseless chariots that the gods use to travel the Universe! The Maiden told me about them, but this is the first time I've ever seen one!" The priest leaped down off of his horse and made to supplicate himself in front of the mystical vehicle, but Xena stopped him with a shout.

"That's not necessary Priest! They're just appliances. Their only jobs are to be Hephaestus' helpers and to drive the chariots. She'll just tell you to stand up. C'mon everyone, dismount. You'll like her. Every one I've ever met's been great." The party dismounted.

Kotamuwa tugged on Pyronia's sleeve. "You Greeks have a blacksmith god?"

"Yeah! He puts ideas in the heads of inventors and makes cool stuff for the gods. mostly weapons and jewelry. Ain't that something?"

Hattusilis looked on in awe. "A country that had vehicles like this could rule the world!"

The shimmering vehicle stopped with a quiet squeal and the roaring ceased. The "Golden Woman" stepped down from her seat and approached Xena. She offered one of her hands in friendship. In her other hand she carried a simple black case which was made out of gorgeously tooled leather and had a single long leather strap attached to its short sides.

"Xena of Thrace it is good to see you!" The Golden Woman's voice was incredible. Its sounded just like the tinkling of glass wind chimes.

"Hi! Which one are you?" Xena turned to the party. "I got to ask her that because there's a lot of them and they are completely identical."

Taking Xena's hand the Golden Woman replied. "I am Epsilon, Xena of Thrace. Everyone looked in wonder at this apparition. She WAS made out of solid gold. The top of her head was covered with extremely fine silver wire that looked, felt, and behaved like hair. The irises of the woman's eyes were made out of precious stones. She moved, and spoke, and even smelled like a beautiful woman.

"How is Hephaestus?" Xena asked. Everyone gathered around the Golden Woman touching her hair and arms fleetingly. She didn't seem to mind.

"She's warm!" Demodocus exclaimed.

She turned her head, in the precise manner of her kind, toward Demodocus and said, "Of course. I am alive."

Xena half smiled then said. "OK folks, back off will ya? She's got business."

"Father is well, but very, very busy. There are wars breaking out all over the Universe, and worse, there is a war on Olympus itself."

Demodocus slumped and a distraught look came to is face. He had been warned of this possibility. "Oh no." He said quietly in a tone of great grief. Gabrielle reached an arm around his waist and squeezed.

The Hittites had heard of the great mountain on which the Greek gods lived and they, like the rest of the party, especially Xena, looked grim.

"Does Hephaestus want something of me?" Xena asked.

"Only to give you a gift." Epsilon said.

Xena's eyebrows shot up in alarm. Gabrielle's too.

"What's wrong?" Ephiny asked.

"Last time Hephaestus gave Xena a gift we got in really big trouble." Gabrielle said flatly.

"Father assures me that no such difficulty will follow this object. It is a device to magnify things at which you look in daytime."

"Oh!" Xena nodded. She'd encountered a tool of that kind the last time she had visited her son Solon. It was a series of clear stones arranged along a rod.

The Golden Woman handed the case to Xena who opened it and pulled the tool out, while setting the case on the ground beside her. It was four brass tubes, two of which, with smaller diameters, lay inside of the others. The implements were joined together by a brass frame so that the tubes were rigidly fixed side by side. There was a knob attached to a screw which, when turned, moved the small diameter tubes in and out of the large diameter tubes. The end of each tube had a piece of totally clear glass mounted in it. There was also a ring around the right hand small tube with little white painted marks on its edges. The whole piece of equipment was enameled in a dull black save for Xena's name, somehow in her own handwriting, painted in silver, which was on a small plaque in between the smaller tubes.

"Inside the case are four caps to protect the glass and a small kit to clean the inside which may have to be done from time to time. Allow me to demonstrate it." The Golden Woman said. She took the device from Xena and held the end with the small tubes to her eyes, her index finger on the center knob. She adjusted the big and small knobs and handed it to Xena saying, "When adjusted properly it magnifies distant objects fifteen times and preserves depth perception."

Xena took the "Far Seeing Thing", held it to her eyes, pointed it towards her ship and whistled between her teeth.

"You sharpen the image by turning the big knob first and then the small knob."

Xena whistled again and handed the device to Gabrielle without comment. Gabrielle moved the tool around. "This is just great!" she said. Eventually everyone got a chance to look.

"Does it have a name?" Xena asked.

"No." Epsilon replied.

"We got to think about coming up with names for this kind of stuff" Gabrielle complained. "I'm getting tired of calling everything a 'Something, Something Thingie'."

Demodocus had his mood improved a bit by this little wonder. He looked through it again and returned it to Xena. He stroked his beard for a minute. "Two eyes." he muttered. "You use two eyes...Bi-ocular... Binoculars! Call them binoculars!"

"Guess that'll do in a pinch, Priest. Thanks!"

Suddenly all heard a loud beeping. Epsilon reached down and pushed her hand into her body where one might have expected a belt and pulled out a small black box. She looked at the box quizzically then looked up saying, "I must go. Father is calling me. I only stopped for a moment because you were on my way to Olympus. Father asked me to drop off the binoculars if I had a chance. I need to make a rush delivery. Farewell friends." Epsilon jumped back onto her horseless chariot, started it, and drove off. In a couple of seconds the vehicle, and the road on which it traveled, disappeared in a flash of light.

"Wow! That was really something!" Ephiny exclaimed. All the others looked at each other in amazement.

"Xena? Maybe I should start telling the story about how we first met Hephaestus? Xena?" Gabrielle looked at her friend who was already using the binoculars! She was carefully scanning the entire coast from north to south, obviously looking for traffic on the coast road. Suddenly, she stopped and stared to the south.

"Don't you ever stop working?" Gabrielle asked huffily.

"Ephiny?" Xena asked while pointing to the south with one hand while the other held the binoculars to her eyes. "What do you see?"

"Not much. Maybe a dust header?" Ephiny took the binoculars and peered through them. "Artemis!" She exclaimed in total disbelief. "DAMN! Hittites! LOTS of them!"

"I make it at least a battalion."

Hattusilis walked over and asked for the binoculars. He looked carefully. "Seventh Battalion, I.G.. A really good outfit. Lots of old timers. One of the combined arms battalions, both chariots and cavalry. CO's name is Pattonawa. A real driver...and smart. Ladies and gentlemen, I recommend getting to that ship RIGHT now. They're about a half hour way!"

Xena snatched the glasses away from the Crown Prince, stared through them again and then scanned back to the ship. She then put the glasses away, slung the case over her shoulder and ordered, "Mount up!'

Everyone did, and they galloped down the ridge.

"You saw the report, Sir. Xena must be headed for the north coast! She was last seen fifty miles south of Inoblu. She's got to be on this road!"

"All right then! Its your neck, Cod."

Suddenly, the charioteer shifted his reins to one hand and pointed. "Sir! A Ship's mast!"

Cod looked then scanned up the ridge to his right "Colonel! Up the ridge! Riders!"

The Colonel looked up, saw what Cod had seen and then vigorously slapped Cod on the back. "WOMEN! We got her!"

Julia was more than sharp. She had taken what remained of the black powder she had and put it in small boxes with wicks attached. She ordered the women warriors to abandon the ship and shouting, "Hippolyta!" they charged ashore to set up a defensive position. Several of the women stayed behind and crewed a small onager that the Amazons had built and installed on the fore deck of the ship.

Gabrielle stopped, turned on her horse and shouted back for her friend. "XENA! XENA!"

"Gabrielle! I'm right behind you! Get moving! GO! GO!" Before Gabrielle even turned around, Xena had leaned off the wildly galloping Argo, swept Gabrielle off Aphrodite and slung her on the back of the palomino.

"Xena the gold!"

"Forget it!"

"CHARGE!!" Colonel Pattonawa bellowed and the bugler in the adjoining chariot began his terrible tune.

There was a small rise that ran from the beach inland and straddled the road. It was so gradual that 'rise' would barely describe it. On the inland flank of the road there was a rather heavy wood. Seventeen of the Amazons kneeled behind shields in the road, the butts of their long spears planted in the right of way. They hoped that this puny roadblock would force the Chariot men to abandon their vehicles and begin to deploy, hopefully providing enough time for Xena and her party to get aboard the ship. They all knew that the situation was utterly hopeless. The Amazons didn't care. They would all die for each other, and Xena.

Behind this little hedgehog of spears, Julia paced back and forth. "Steady Ladies! Steady! They'll be here soon enough!" She shouted. She let the lead chariot get closer, closer, ever closer, then she shot the hand in which she held her spear into the air and brought it down sharply again to her side. "FIRE!!" She screeched. Behind her, the onager let go sending two of the charges, wicks hissing and trailing white smoke, on their flight towards the enemy.

The charges flew over the leading chariots, landed and went off with two huge WHOOMPF'!s! They destroyed five chariots and sent their crews flying. All along the column horses bucked and reared. Pattonawa's chariot wasn't immune. His chariot's horses went mad tossing the crew out. But unlike the other times the Imperial Guard met the Priest's black powder, Pattonawa's men didn't break. Shouting orders like a madman the Colonel raced back and restored order. He knew that the horses were too unused to the explosives to be much use. He'd been briefed on the black powder before he set off on his mission. His men were disciplined razors, extensions of his will. They wouldn't run, or Hebat help them. More of the charges went off throwing more of the men into the air or to their deaths, but the others abandoned their chariots with their weapons, slapped the animals on their rumps sending them away and began to assemble in the huge battalion block of the Hittite heavy infantry. In what seemed to just moments to Xena's command the phalanx was assembled and began to march. From somewhere came the hellish hammering of kettledrums which kept the Hittites in step.

The party finally arrived at the ship and dismounted. Demodocus gathered the reins of the remaining horses and hurriedly led them up the gang way to the ship. Ephiny, Pyronia, Kotamuwa, and Hattusilis grabbed spears and shields from a nearby stock pile and joined the battle line. Xena and Gabrielle joined Julia behind the line.

"Nice to see you Julia! You're early!" Xena shouted as the first flights of javelins began to rain down upon their position. Xena caught a couple and threw them right back, so did Julia. The line ducked behind their shields. Gabrielle hid behind a shield too. "What happened?"

"And you're LATE Xena! Its great to see you though! Erginus got a carrier pigeon from your first contact, relayed the news to me. Looked like a good idea!"

Xena kissed the Amazon on the cheek. "Thanks! Warm work huh?"

"It's gonna get a lot hotter real soon! Here they come!" Despite the powder charges blowing gaps in the column, on they came, Pattonawa in the lead on the left of the formation, their spears on their right shoulders. shields interlocked.

"Xena? XENA?"

"What Gabrielle?"

"You gotta show me how to deal with those Javelin things!"

"Maybe later!"

One hundred and fifty yards. One hundred yards. Seventy yards. The Hittites advanced; the relentless pounding of the drums made Gabrielle feel like the ground was going to open up and swallow her. The formation hit the gap between the woods and the beach and split. Dismounted cavalry joined up behind the split off group and headed up the embankment around the left flank. Xena knew that there was nothing to be done. She looked behind her and called, "Gabrielle come here!" Turning back to the battle line, she shouted, "Gods bless you all!"

The line turned, teeth gritted, many with tears in their eyes. "Artemis be with you, Xena!" They said.

Pyronia threw away her shield and spear, pulled her ax off her back, stood with the weapon held up over her right shoulder and shouted, "COME ON YOU STINKING BASTARDS!"

Hattusilis held out a hand to Kotamuwa who took it. "See you in Paradise Sergeant!"

"You too, Sire!"

Demodocus was on his knees behind the line praying earnestly for Athena's intervention.

Gabrielle abandoned her spear and shield, the javelins had stopped coming, grabbed her staff and ran up to Xena who pulled her into a hug. Gabrielle looked up and saw that there were tears in Xena's eyes. "Thank you, Gabrielle, Thank you very much for everything!"

Gabrielle's eyes were teary too. She'd made her decision long ago in Potidaea. If she must die, she'd die by the side of Xena, Warrior Princess. And so it appeared to be fated. "So be it!" She thought. "No Xena, Thank you! I wouldn't have missed it for the world!"

Twenty five yards. Pattonawa bellowed, "Chaaarrrrgge SPEARS!"--

The shout returned "HAH!" from nearly a thousand throats and the spears presented at once.

"I'll see you in the fields, Xena!" Gabrielle shouted as she put her staff at the port position.

"I hope so, Gabrielle!" Xena shouted. She knew that decision was up to Hades and she had little hope of gaining paradise.

Ten yards. More of the charges landed in the column. Bodies went flying, men screamed, but they kept coming. The sound of marching curly toed, hob nailed, boots came towards Xena's command like rolling thunder.

"Looks like you have a bit of a problem, Xena."

"WHAT?" Xena snapped her head around to stare into the black eyes of Ares.

"Now's your chance, Xena. One word from me and this is all over."

Xena looked around and it appeared that around this little battle time had stopped. The Hittites were halted in mid stride, and birds were stopped in mid flight. A powder charge hovered in mid air about ready to land and explode, yet everyone on the battle line could move and see what was happening.

"Ares you already know my answer. I'd let the Hittites kill me first! And YOU are becoming a huge pain in the ass!"

Ares roared with laughter then he made a gesture and time began to run again. Another gesture and faster than anyone could see the onager on Lyceus threw ten charges that all landed about ten ranks away from the first line of deadly spears. All went off at once. They took out a huge number of men and sent the formation into confusion, but the first three ranks continued on and hit the Amazons.

Chaos broke out! Xena took out about ten with her chakram. Pyronia was yelling like a monster, her ax rising and falling like some great scythe. The others, and their Hittite allies as well, took their spears and waded into the ranks of shocked Guardsman. Xena herself got locked in hand to hand combat with Pattonawa himself. He was a great warrior, smart and very quick. His sword moved in a blur. Xena's war smile was on her face; her love of battle consumed her. Ephiny was thrusting and parrying the Hittite spears like the fencing master she was. It was a confused, merciless, murderous struggle.

Somehow Xena was able to shout "Why are you taunting us! Kill us and be done with it!"

The two Hittites in Xena's party was able to see Ares and they shouted "WARUNKATTE!" Ares bowed.

Gabrielle, who had just taken out two Hittites with expert staff blows, yelled "WHAT?"

"That's me to the Hittites. By the way, only Xena and your group can see me. To them," He shouted pointing at the enemy "you're doing all the damage." Ares smiled then said. "I can't stand it any more. I'm gonna have some FUN!" He stripped off his cloak, pulled his sword, the symbol of his god hood, from its scabbard, grew to about ten feet tall, and joined Xena in the fighting--on HER side!"

Xena, still in mortal combat, couldn't suppress a laugh. "You cynic!" She shouted.

"Ah well! What did you expect?'

Julia shouted "XENA! THE FLANK!"

The flanking column hastened to advance--with the majority of the Hittite troops.

Xena finally got the best of Pattonawa, she stepped inside a sweeping slash, blocked it with a gauntlet and nailed the Colonel flush on the nose with the hilt of her sword, knocking him out cold.

"Ares! They get behind us we're finished!"

"I know that!" After sending about twenty Hittites flying in little pieces He sighed and made a little gesture. "Look up there, Xena!" He shouted pointing to the ridge to the left.

Out of nowhere, the top of the nearby ridge was full of horsemen! Thousands of them. Their drawn swords glittered in the sun.

"Those are Caucasian tribesmen." Ares shouted. "They've been raiding here for centuries. They HATE the Hittites. They were hanging around about ten miles from here. I gave them a target." Another gesture from Ares, and with a gut wrenching scream, the Caucasians came charging down the ridge right into the Hittite flank.

It was Tartarus on earth. The tribesmen hit the Imperial Guardsmen like a runaway boulder and scattered the formation like ten pins. The slaughter was indescribable Xena and the Amazons, who were shouting "Hippolyta" at the top of their lungs, accompanied by the chuckling Ares, drove ahead exploiting the terrible confusion. Heads, arms, legs flew everywhere, blood sprayed as if from a high pressure hose.

Gabrielle retreated. She had never seen anything like this before. She'd seen one or two die at once but not hundreds. Yet she didn't lose her nerve. Every Hittite that filtered through Xena and the rest she deftly rendered helpless.

"They're running!" Hattusilis bellowed. He was right. The Hittites had no other choice but to flee, but great soldiers, they didn't abandon their weapons.

Pattonawa had regained consciousness. Xena saw this and ran back to him. She kneeled and examined him swiftly. He opened his eyes to see the lovely face of his assailant before him. "Are you an angel or the devil?" He asked.

"Neither. You're a brave man, now get out of here and save your command." Xena helped the Colonel to his feet and showed him the carnage. Tears in his eyes, he raced to the rear.

The fight was over. Xena and her party all now turned on Ares whose leather tunic and sword dripped with blood.

"Go away, Ares! We don't need you now!" Xena shouted.

"ZEUS I enjoyed that! We make a magnificent team, Xena! Reconsider your decision. It's such a waste. I couldn't see you die--yet. Well I better be going! Ciao!" Ares evaporated.

All the Amazons collapsed in exhaustion. So did Xena's party. Gabrielle had to shift parts of a body to find a place to sit down. Amazingly, nobody was even scratched.

Demodocus shuffled over to Xena who was now sitting with her back against a tree. Covered in grime and blood, he sat down next to her. "I didn't think we'd survive. I thought the feelings I felt would kill me before someone cut me to pieces." Xena nodded. There was a disturbance and a horseman dressed in homespun wool and furs approached. He said something that neither Demodocus nor Xena could understand. Xena kidded her lover, "I thought you spoke every language there is?"

"Apparently not. Pyronia? Could you come here?"

Pyronia achingly got up. She had torn the stitches in her wound and it hurt. She was also drenched with blood, her ax had done its job very well. "What'cha want?"

"Py can you make heads or tails of this guy?" Xena asked.

Py wearily turned towards the scruffy looking but powerfully built young man who started yammering in his strange tongue. Pyronia's eyes perked up. "He! He! He! He's a Saromatian!' She started yammering right back at him in her native language. "He says he's Red Buffalo, a mercenary working for a tribe of Caucasians. He says thanks for setting up the Hittites. They've been looking for a way to take this coast for years!"

Xena got slowly to her feet and walked over to him, offering her hand.

He said something. Pyronia translated. "He asked if we're Amazons. I told him yes."

"Tell him he saved our lives and thank him for it..."

The business with the Caucasians was soon over. There were far too many dead and wounded to tend. The Caucasians, at Xena's request, did the best they could to care for the wounded and bury the dead. Soon all of Xena's command returned to the ship. Nobody, not even Xena had any energy left, but they had to put to sea. More Hittites were sure to come. The women wearily put their backs to the oars and Lyceus backed out of her little cove. Xena ordered the sail set. They traveled a short distance out to sea and found a deserted but tree covered island. Xena beached her ship in a protected cove, ordered everyone to their bunks, and she trudged below as well.

When Xena arrived at her bunk, Hattusilis and Kotamuwa were waiting for her. Gabrielle came in with a terribly tired and horrified look on her face. Although she was grateful to be alive, the sheer squalor of what she had seen was affecting her. Xena sat down and looked at the Hittites who had performed magnificently. "Yeah?" She asked.

"Thank you for saving us, Xena. We owe you our lives."

"No Problem. Pleasure to serve with you."

"You are a very powerful lady to have Warunkatte, our God of War, on your side. We will do anything you say." Hattusilis said.

"Good. Thank you. Could you let me get some sleep now? I'd appreciate it."

Both men turned and were about to leave when Gabrielle said, "Let me tell you something my friends. Don't ever depend on Ares. The God of War knows only one side--his own." The Hittites both pulled weary faces and went up forward to their bunks.