Life as a New Hire Ch. 47

"Why?" Gale finally asked.

"Did our Queen not say 'the world is too small a place'?" I answered. "Why shouldn't the Amazons seek a future out among the stars? We have certainly headed out into the dangerous Unknown before and survived. Now we have access to the resources to help us do just that."

"Those are outsiders," Gale protested. House Bendis was part of the Conservative faction of the Council.

"I'm not making this up, Gale. Tadêfi is. Have you thought of a name?"

"Ah ... no."

"How about Hantezzi-pēda?" I suggested. It had two meanings. Long form: 'First Place'. Short form: 'Lucky'. I left her to digest that because the augur hadn't stopped.

"A large temple without a roof filled with people ... a son and daughter ... a white stallion rises up upon the graves of thirteen kings. A gift of two rivers steeped in blood. Ana-Călina," she stumbled over the names, "and Árpád." The last name I knew, which boiled back to the roofless temple ~ the Székesfehérvár Basilica in Hungary where I planned to marry Hana was a ruin - roofless. Two sets of twins? My family didn't have a history of twins. I'd check with Hana, but I strongly suspected my matron deity sticking it to me once again.

Maybe I should buy my own daycare center. Maybe Pamela looks like she wants to slap me upside my head too.

"A boy born in hatred with a heart which heals if he ..." the vision appeared to confuse Tadêfi ... which was ugly to contemplate. That would most likely mean others fucking with the Weave as well. "Borne in safety by a ghost and a name - Hana." A pause. That vision had been physically costly for the augur. So many women hated me ... a ghost?

"Áinfean [AWN f'yun] ... known by another name not her own ... Bansealgaire ... not our own ..." more painful, mystic discombobulation on her part. Fortunately, I didn't know the names, but I know the second name's ethnic point of origin - Irish. Aunt Imogen. Áinfean Bansealgaire meant ... stormy huntress - Sweet! Now if I only knew which side that daughter would end up on.

"The Trickster ... Shining Son of the Sun who jests and whose great heart remains untouched, no matter what the burden ... Ash ..." Tadêfi regained some of her focus. This one had to be Oneida and my offspring ~ a son. I stole a glance at her face. She was stunned, not heartbroken.

"We will name him Bruce," I expelled my worry, "in honor of the quintessential 'Ash' man."

"Who?" she looked up at me, teary-eyed.

"When I come back from the Great Hunt we'll spend a weekend watching all the Evil Dead films ..." I got out.

"And Bubba Ho-Tep," Pamela tacked on.

"And Sundown," I almost missed yet another Campbell Cult-Classic.

"Focus Ishara," huffed Krasimira maternally.

"I'm about to have a dozen children. I want to die," blurted forth from my lips.

"I thought this would be welcome news Cáel," Tadêfi wailed. She'd exerted so much effort on my behalf, only to have me act spasmodically infantile?

"It isn't you, Tadêfi," I soothed her with both words and a gentle hand along her jawline from earlobe to her lower lip. "I didn't come to Havenstone expecting Fatherhood; and I know for a fact every House Head present has 'okayed' the murder of at least one infant boy, so I don't trust a single one of them ... which means I have to take full responsibility for every male child."

"And you remain an 11th year in your heart," she reasoned.

"Yeah ... pretty much." '11th year', an Amazon 'pre-Test', thus free of any true duties. I let her slump into me. Her guardian deities had faded into the Aether, so it was safe for her to be human again. "Wait. How come you understand that when no one else does?"

"I have seen your spirit-self, Cáel Ishara," she reminded me. "The real you."

"We seem to be no closer to resolving our disputes," Jana interrupted my bonding moment.

"What do you want?" I slowly repositioned myself so I had Tadêfi in my lap, facing me. It was somewhat sexual, but it allowed her to regain some comfort from her ordeal. Sikia was very close by.

"Redress of Meenakshi insults," Jana derided me.

"Don't be a child," I spat back before Mahdi could get her own vicious licks in. Jana's face clouded, as did Marlene's and Elsa's.

"You know nothing of what you speak of, Ishara, yet you now feel free to insult us," she simmered.

"Don't know - don't care. It was all before my time. I care about the 'here-and-now' as well as what we do in the future. What I am asking you is what concrete item or 'thing' can be provided to House Zorja to put this blood feud behind you. Name it and House Ishara will endeavor to procure it for you."

"We are not merchants," Jana's eyes narrowed.

"No. I didn't imply you were. If you want new sandals for everyone in your House, I'll find you new sandals. If you want 100,000 acres of ranchland, I'll find you the land. Name it," I persisted.

"Our prestige cannot be bought," she 'explained'.

"No, but a blood feud with House Ishara can be avoided by making a request of us in the same way as expressing your desire to harm my daughter can be expressed by denying my offer," I hardened. "And 'fuck you very much' if you think I won't use EVERY son, daughter, mother, aunt ... and uncle of Ishara when I come gunning for House Zorja too."

"You wouldn't dare bring outsiders into this," Klavdiya interjected.

"Why not? The offices of Ishara handed House Zorja the coup of the century ~ the capture of the People's Liberation Army Navy nuclear carrier. A member of House Zorja commanded that task, yet they did so by leading forces marshalled by House Ishara - outsider forces. You may wish to keep playing by old rules concerning who is and isn't part of a House, but I am not so constrained ... SISTERS."

"So Klavdiya, if House Meenakshi pursues its blood feud with House Zorja, House Ishara will gleefully join them in the pummeling. And we have Isharans in the 9 Clans, the Khanate and the Illuminati who will gladly help us out in slapping them around like the old-fashion curmudgeons they are showing themselves to be ... or, House Zorja may request a gift from House Ishara and we will happily clear accounts between them and House Meenakshi in the name of our daughter, Parvati. Their choice."

"You are still on the mats," Elsa reminded me. Sikia coiled protectively next to us.

"And you said something about a lesson being long overdue," Pamela smirked, "Kitten."

"Cáel Ishara," Shawnee said in a soft voice, "perhaps it is germane to the argument: the fault of the blood feud rests with House Zorja, not House Meenakshi."

I fell on my back, carrying Tadêfi with me. She gasped out in surprise while remaining closely cuddled with me. Her right hand never left my lips.

"Why does no one tell me this shit?" I moaned.

"You are hard," Tadêfi announced. "Are you ready to have more sex?" She was sounding upbeat about our prospects. She was also ignorant of our surroundings being deaf and blind to the mortal realm.

"Gossamer Wing," I created a pet name for the augur, "we are lying on the sparring mats of a large combat arena in the central Full-blooded training center for Havenstone with roughly 500 sisters in attendance (the audience had grown). While I am enticed by your scent, words, proximity and sweet memories of what we've shared, I'm probably going to be badly beaten up really soon for a terrific diplomatic snafu."

"But then we can have sex?"

"Yeah. I'm totally up for having sex with you after they release me from Medical," I assured her. I looked around her to a very unhappy Mahdi.

"Can you find it in your heart to forgive House Zorja? Anything I can ..."

"Yes," she abruptly cut me off.

What the fuck?

"At this time, my hatred of House Ishara, and you in particular, make any grievance I have with House Zorja pale in comparison. You have bewitched my only daughter. She bares your child ... and it will be a wonderful child if the soiled augur you've stuck your dick in is to be believed," she ground out bitterly. "I want to go home. I want to find enemies to kill. And when I do, Cáel Ishara, know each and every one of them will carry your face in my mind."

She turned to Jana. "Do you agree that we both hate Ishara enough to put aside our current differences?"

Jana studied Mahdi, me, then Mahdi again and agreed. She stood. Mahdi stood. They clasped arms like Amazons, then hugged like sisters.

"Agreed. He is much worse."

My thoughts on the matter. Woot! I was having sex! Oh, and I was making Aya happy by ending a blood feud.

"My admiration of you continues to increase," Krasimira looked at me. "This diplomacy stuff is harder than it looks yet you pull it off so effortlessly."

"Yay me!" I muttered.

"Keeper, are we done?" Sikia asked Krasimira.

"I believe so," the older Amazon rose to her feet. Sikia was far faster in rising.

"Mahdi of Meenakshi, you have insulted me and my augur. Defend yourself," she snarled. If Tadêfi hadn't been immediately present, Mahdi wouldn't have even warranted a warning no doubt.

"Had you done your job," Mahdi flowed into her fighting stance, "you both wouldn't be pregnant."

"Whoa now," I struggled to rise while keeping Tadêfi close and my body between her and the Meenakshi/Zorja side of the mat. "Sikia, I can't let you fight. You're pregnant too."

"Don't be stupid, Cáel Ishara," Sikia retreated off the mat ... so she could shed her jacket and footwear. "Amazons have fought pregnant for thousands of years."

"Hold on now," NYPD Sgt. Larisa Kutuzov said in English as she moved forward. I was a millisecond too late. Larisa's foot touched down on the mat and Marlene Zorja popped her one - a hand chop to the larynx. The senior cop stumbled forward.

"Mom!" shouted Nikita. Marlene followed up with a leg sweep, putting Larisa face first on the mats, then a fist strike to the back of the head, knocking her out. Neat and tidy in less than two seconds.

Nikita was about to charge in when Chaz stopped her.

"Footwear," he advised in the tone of voice I had learned to associate with him and imminent violence. The moment he stopped her, he was quickly removing his own socks and shoes. Virginia and Pamela were doing the same. I was allowed freedom of movement because I was holding Tadêfi. Krasimira exited because of her unique status. The rest were already barefoot.

"Gale, could you please stay with Tadêfi," I tried to hand her off.

"No," Gale looked me over. "I will fight." No hint on whose side she would be fighting on. Krasimira came to my rescue.

"I'll take her."

"Tadêfi," I told the augur, "I have to go get beaten up now, but I promise I will be back for you directly."

"This is not your fight," Krasimira said. "The words and deeds are Sikia's."

"A - she carries my child and B - the deeds being called into question are my fault."

"You told me once they were the Will of Ishara," Krasimira mused.

"We are one in the same," I gave a lopsided grin.

"Be careful," Tadêfi pleaded. "Your future is a chaotic jumble ... I cannot see ..."

"Eh ... I've been very bad. We'll talk about it later. Gotta go," I headed onto the mats.

Pamela was giving the ground rules to the 'normals': No 'fair warnings'. No 'fair play'. No 'time outs'. You fought until unconscious, or you surrendered.

"This is going to suck," Virginia assessed our odds. Two Amazons had removed Larisa from the mats and were tending to her. Nikita was kneeling by her side until she heard Virginia, then came our way.

Besides Sikia, we had Pamela, Chaz, Virginia, myself and Nikita. Oneida stepping up was nice. She wasn't a great combatant, but we dearly needed the help. Gale joining us was ... unsettling. Amazons don't play fair, so this could be a ruse.

Against us were all three Zorja and both Meenakshi ~ I imagined Rhada felt she had something to prove to her mother. They'd picked up ten other Amazons and Rhonwenn Nemain. Klavdiya joined them to counterbalance her baby sister. Eight to seventeen ~ ouch.

"Damn," a familiar voice from my first days on the job spoke up from behind me, "we almost missed this." I didn't dare look over my shoulder. Desiree stepped between Chaz and Virginia. Rachel came up on my left and Tiger Lily on my right. At the tail end of our line was Mona, Meridian, Brielle and Wiesława. Fifteen to seventeen was looking much better, especially considering Desiree had brought five Security Detail warriors with her, all of whom were moving to further bolster our numbers.

"Rachel," Elsa looked to her underling, "you have no idea why you are fighting."

"It is for Cáel. So it must be for a better tomorrow," Rachel laughed.

"Very well," Elsa smirked.

"You!" Mahdi pointed at me ... and we both charged. It was a jumbled nightmare of clashing bodies, war cries and flashes of movement all around. Our side had two main advantages -

While Chaz was by no means the best hand-to-hand combatant present, he knew the basic Amazon style and most Amazons didn't know his. Added to his overall height and bulk advantages ... he bought us time.

Of greater importance, Rachel, Tiger Lily and Mona had extensive training working as a team, which none of the opponents had.

Elsa was the most dangerous individual on the mat. Pamela was the second most dangerous, so Elsa grabbed a couple of partners and ganged up on her to drive her off the mats. Chaz went next - out-Elsa'ed and beaten unconscious. The issue was - it took her too long to accomplish those two feats. By the time she rounded on me, Rachel and Tiger Lily, our half of the field had wiped out theirs. It was six of us (me, Rachel, Tiger Lily, Gale, Wiesława and Desiree) versus four of them (Elsa, Marlene, Klavdiya and Rhonwenn).

Still, I was facing Elsa, so a judicious bit of treachery was required.

"Gale," I huffed and puffed, "please retire. I don't want you to fight your sister."

"What?" Gale snapped. She'd taken a beating, yet remained feisty.

"No - fighting her sister is okay with me," Desiree scowled. "We are still facing fucking Elsa."

"All the other women you have mated with have failed. I remain," Gale trumpeted.

"Oh ... you are right," I half-turned. "All the reason you are more precious to me."

"Really?"

"Of course," I deepened my introspective appreciation of her.

"Oh," and Klavdiya punched Rhonwenn. That was an 'oh, Cáel Ishara must actually care for my baby sister and not be just a Playa' on Klavdiya's part. Yeah. I'm a horrible fucking person at times.

Rachel, Tiger Lily and I rushed Elsa. Marlene pivoted to ward against Klavdiya while Gale and Wiesława stormed in against her. Desiree helped Klavdiya finish drubbing Rhonwenn before they combined to force Marlene off the mats. Elsa chose to go down swinging in a dogpile of bodies. I took an ear-ringing blow to the head which allowed Rachel to apply a chokehold and it was lights out for the Head of SD.

After some water bottles went around and those concussed returned to wakefulness, the resolution of the brawl was decided. Mahdi apologized to Sikia. It was short, terse and sparing of any empathy, yet was within the bounds of Amazon etiquette. She departed with Rhada, which left me to pick up the pieces ... starting with Nikita's mom.

"Ooohhh ..." the older woman moaned then, "Ms. Fredrickson? What are you doing here?"

"Avenging you, Mother," Nikita fluffed up the truth. "She, Cáel and the others cleaned house on the woman who jumped you and her allies."

"Desk Sergeant," Desiree gave a curt nod.

"This isn't over," Larisa winced as she moved to a sitting position.

"Mrs. Kutuzov, it is over," I headed off a colossal waste of time. "This is my daily life and part of your daughter's life with JIKIT. You will find scant witnesses and no tape recordings of these events. This craziness is just another day in the life here at Havenstone. You stepped on the mat and thus became fair game to any physical confrontation an opponent cared to mete out. Consider this sovereign soil of an independent nation-state."

"We ..." she looked around. "You kicked their asses?"

"Definitely," Pamela gave a feral snarl.

"This is plain nuts," she shook her head, winced in cranial pain, then put her aching head in her hands.

"One of the reasons we've put our dating in hiatus," Nikita comforted her mother while looking at me ... and smiling affectionately.

Ah, for fuck sakes! I was engaged to someone else and having a dozen kids by ten different women. How could I still possibly be considered viable dating material? Oh yeah ... martial valor, laughing at death, I hung out with truly exceptional cool people and I would always be in need of saving - a plus for a crusader like Nikita.

I had so many allies to tend to, but only one who seemed to be making an exit. I swooped down on Tadêfi long enough to place her fingers to my lips.

"I'll be right back - friend of a friend in need," and off I went. I caught Tavi of House Stolgos just outside the door. She wasn't avoiding me. She'd been observing Chaz and he had been otherwise occupied.

[***]

My British companion had played a pivotal role in the combat and taken his beating like a man. He'd been rendered unconscious. So had many others, so no stigma was attached to his loss. Post-battle, he had chosen to sit on his haunches, knees up, talking to several of the Amazons - both kneeling and standing. A few had been bystanders and a few others foes.

He stayed on his ass to reduce his height advantage. Letting Amazons make eye contact while not having to look up at you created definite benefits. His good natured approach to his role in the fight and pummeling earned him positive vibes as well. He made it clear the tussle to him was not macho-personal. He was my 'brother / sister / sibling' spiritually-speaking via Pamela adopting us both as her 'grandsons', so my fights were his fights. Sikia had my (Cáel's) child, so that bond extended to her as well ~ family.

Pamela and I had schooled him on Amazon psychology and those lessons were now paying serious dividends. 'The Male' hadn't wanted to fight them ~ 'Amazons are tough' he'd confessed - he knew this because he worked with several every day on JIKIT~ but family was on the line, so he fought. Mahdi had apologized, so the matter was settled. The other Amazons he'd fought? They had fought for their reasons and he was okay with not questioning them about it.

Why? He was conscious of his conspicuous status as a 'guest', knew he was in no way an Amazon, and was not privy to what motivated them. He didn't want to be an Amazon. He had his own, much younger, martial tradition he was proud of, yet was eager to learn from the vastly greater Amazon war lore because 'winners' didn't have a gender-bias and no other tradition could compete with the Amazons' 3,000 years.

Under normal circumstances, the women around him wouldn't have given credence to his praise. He was a male after all. Through the tiny tear I'd created in their insulating social fabric, Chaz was building upon his own exploits. In the after-battle analysis, the Amazons reflected on the realization Elsa had concentrated on him as her number two objective - second only to Pamela who scared everyone who knew anything about her. That bolstered Chaz's appeal.

For the Amazons who thought a male would get all pouty and cry over being beaten up by a girl/girls, Chaz was breaking the mold. He wasn't angry. He was amused. The fight had been a learning experience and he'd felt honored to watch, no matter how briefly, a warrior of Elsa's caliber fight. He'd explained 'I' - Cáel Wakko Ishara - considered Elsa one of the top 5 combatants I'd ever seen ... which included Ajax the Unconquered. The others were Sakuniyas - reborn Amazon and former Queen of Assyria, St. Marie - the Golden Mare, and Pamela - the Cliff-walker.