Prelude to the Amazons, by ImpurestCheese

Prelude to the Amazons picks up from a few different titles:

• Danika Sedova: Bounty Hunter Babe.
• Drakaina.
• Five Star (I).
• Onca: Warrior of Xibalba.
• Penance (Patron Saint of Crime)

Imp' posted Prelude to the Amazons #1-6 to the 15 Minute Writing Challenge (Just Write) thread, and #7 was an entry in Character Creation Contest #48. Honestly, I'm collecting them all together so that I have somewhere to put a few of the Patronverse Wikia entries that relate to Prelude. It doesn't hurt though to be able to read this all in one spot. Imp's "introduce the team" stories are always fun. Enjoy. -cbishop/FicOPeida

The pale skinned woman dressed in a snake skin crop top and skirt edged with adder teeth sat down on the ground, her blonde hair gleaming under the moonlight, as did the sword she held point down in her right hand. With a snarl something large and predatory ran at her, claws outstretched ready to rip her throat out, its intended victim raising her head, bright yellow eyes gleaming in the darkness meeting the predator’s amber orbs. Coming to a stop just before reaching the woman, the predator let out a ground shaking roar, before fading into fog. Getting to her feet, the woman closed her eyes again, her body exploding in a shower of gleaming light.

“Dr Cartwright, your hypothesis is correct.” The woman told the tanned woman dressed in jeans and a t-shirt emblazoned with the words ‘Project Onca’ over her expansive breasts. “The Jaguar spirit that inhabits your body is indeed sensing something coming.” She added, as she helped Cartwright up off the field surrounding the rustic Tuscan cottage overlooking the yellow fields of sunflowers running down the hill to the road. “I sense that Onca will have some great part to play in either this world’s salvation or destruction.”

“Destruction, I may have become a Mayan Demi-goddess and a bit of hedonist but I don’t believe I’d ever be the cause of the world’s destruction Lady Menrva.” Cartwright gasped as he body shifted, her eyes going from hazel to gleaming amber, as her ears elongated and a rosette pattern formed across her skin. “Is it known what this threat is?”

“No, only that should the Sixth Great Extinction occur, this world will never recover.” Menrva replied as she and Cartwright headed towards the cottage. “Over the last four years I have had many visitors, many who were worried about the future. And over the years each has passed under the seal of Hippolyta hung over my door.” She continued, before gesturing to a crest featuring a pair of adders wrapped around a shield, their heads kissing at the top of the ward, carved into the stone of her cottage.

“I don’t understand?” Cartwright purred, as the stone heads of the adders turned to face the pair of deities before they dropped to the floor, their rocky bodies forming into cream scales as they slithered up Menrva’s leg up to her shoulders, their forked tongues licking her eyes.

“The seal has recorded those who would be best suited to save this world of men, just as Hippolyta designed it to.” Menrva stated, her own forked tongue flicking out and planting a delicate kiss on Cartwright’s forehead. “As goddess of the mind I was the logical choice to pass on the names of the worthy. Time is short as you already know, find Hippolyta’s chosen ‘Amazons’ and stand against the Sixth Extinction, the fate of the world is now yours Dr Cartwright, may your path be blessed indeed.” She added, as she bowed her head, her body turning to stone until only a badly weathered statue remained where she had once stood.

“Sure no pressure.” Cartwright sighed as she headed towards the road at the bottom of the hill. “Not like it’s the end of the world.”

"Sir drop the fuel hose and put your hands in the air!" A commanding voice ordered from the perimeter of parked Landrovers marked with the letters 'EISSR' on their flanks. The figure dressed in military fatigues standing in the petrol station casually removed the hose from his mouth and held his hands out, a high energy laser lancing out and burning the armour plating off the vehicles.

"Sir what do we do?" One of the agents cowering behind the command Landrover asked, just as a red streak soared over the vehicle and landed between the vehicles and the petrol station.

"We back her up!" His commanding officer ordered, as a woman clad in red biological armour, complete with a helmet with insect eye lenses sprinted into the petrol station, just as plasma cannons jutted out of her targets shoulders. Clashing, the figure in red slammed the gunmen into a fuel tank before being kicked across the forecourt into an abandoned car.

"It's definitely a Model 72 Recon Droid." The figure in red announced as she peeled herself off the car, only for the droid to rip one of the fuel tanks out of the concrete and fling it at her. "I'll keep it busy while you ready the EM-Field Captain."

"Received Five Star, it shouldn't take more than ninety seconds." A voice replied, as the Recon Droid's hand elongated to form a long scythe blade as it advanced on Five Star.

"Your termination is scheduled for the next five seconds." The Recon Droid buzzed, only for Five Star's hands to glow with an eerie silver light, her punch melting the synthetic flesh off the droid to reveal the now exposed ceramic endo-skeleton. Getting to her feet Five Star ripped the scythe blade off the droid's hand and slammed it into the thoratic cavity. Buzzing in anger, the Recon Droid threw its own punch, tiny studs rising out the metal of the remaining hand, the blow cracking Five Star's helmet.

"EM field firing!" The commander behind the Landrover confirmed. Seconds later the Recon Droid convulsed, before thick blue smoke started to rise from the robot's chassis.

"It's using the fuel it siphoned off to keep running!" Five Star yelled, as she pushed the droid back, claw like blades sprouting on the feet minimising the distance it travelled. "Stay back, it smells like it's running on 'Blue Diesel'." She added, as a thick chocking fog spread across the forecourt.

"Primary Objective failed!" The Droid crackled as it disengaged its talons, just as Five Star darted forward and slammed into the scythe, the velocity and impact slicing the robot in two. "Engaging second..."

"Director we have confirmation that the target is down!" The captain announced, as agents rushed to secure the droid's remains. "We have a problem however, it was running on illegal fuel. Yes Sir, I'll tell her."

"What are orders Captain Bishop?" Five Star asked. "What do we do about the presence of Blue Diesel in the pumps?"

"Nothing," Bishop sighed, "the European Interstellar Strategic Scientific Research Initiative doesn't have immediately investigate this, fortunately we know someone who does..."

The Jeep Cherokee stopped in the tunnel carved from salt, with a woman dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt over her cotton trousers and blouse, slipping out of the passenger seat.

"I won't be long Francesco." She told the miner who had driven her into the tunnel, before slipping into the side chamber, religious icons carved from the salt, as were the chains binding the figure in blue and silver robes standing in the centre of the room.

"So you come again Maya Grady, Patron Saint of Criminals." The figure hissed, as he looked up, voids of darkness shining through the eye holes of his masked face. "What fresh injustice have you come to exact on me?"

"You deserve everything you get Wishing Demon." Maya replied as she removed three wafer thin pages crisscrossed with Chinese characters, from her hoody pocket. "We transcribed three more references to you in the Celestial Record," She added, as she removed a lighter from her pocket and flicked the flint, sparks engulfing the pages with a puff of silver smoke. "That's three less references to you, and I'm not going to rest until all trace of you is burnt from reality. It's not like I don't have the time."

"Yes, I imagine that you'd like to see me wither away, but I also image that you wish to live a real life rather than the half-life of a soul forced into a corpse by that filthy Ukrainian." The Demon hissed seductively. "It wouldn't take much, only a few lines written in silver ink on the pages of an old book."

"Danika freed me from eternal damnation when she altered the record." Maya replied as she removed her hood to reveal pale skin marred by a thick purple bruise to the left side of her face. "But you know that, you were there at my rebirth trying to claim the record but we stopped you, never to be free again."

"I wouldn’t bet on that." The Wishing Demon purred, as he shifted slightly, the chains of salt rattling slightly. "Death comes from the stars and in the moment salvation and damnation of this world balances on a knife edge, I'll be freed."

"And should that happen Danika and I will stop you and drag you right back here." Maya answered as she turned to leave the cathedral. "No one is coming for you. This place will be your cage as every connection you have to this world is severed and then...well this place becomes your tomb."

Stepping into the main tunnel terrible laughter rolled through the mine before a whispering voice sounder, the words causing Maya to involuntary shudder in fear. "No Maya Grady, it will be yours and the rest of your Amazons. Time is not your ally, it's your greatest enemy."

Staring out of the attic window, the dark skinned woman dressed in a scarlet leather bustier and black trousers watched the paramedics load the old man into the ambulance before closing the doors and driving towards the hospital. Stepping away from the window the woman turned as an older blonde haired woman poked her head through the loft hatch.

"Father's on his way to hospital, I'm going to follow them, make sure he's treated well. I know he'd appreciate it if you came to see him Drakaina." The woman in the hatch stated, tears rolling down her face.

"I cannot Hilda, not while those responsible for his attack remain free." Drakaina replied as she turned back to the window. "I am the guardian of this home, and those that desecrate it forfeit their liberty. Go attend to Karl, as soon as I track down the man who tried to rob us I will join you." She added, a look of pain spread across her features.

Wordlessly Hilda retreated down the ladder, as Drakaina ran her hands along the scared skin on her arms, the blemishes spreading across her body, followed by the transformation of her mammalian features into harsher more reptilian counterparts. Finally long bat like wings spread from her arms completing the transformation from woman to wyvern. Opening the window, the newly transformed dragon took to the air, her unblinking eyes scanning the forest path below her for the fleeing thief. As she suspected, he hadn't got far.

Swooping down she blocked his path, the thief reacting with fear as he drew a pistol from his holster, despite the shaking of his hands. Unusually he was dressed in what seemed like military fatigues dyed matte black, and while his nerves screamed amateur, his gear said something else entirely.

"Why?" Drakaina hissed, as plumes of dark smoke rose from the sides of her reptilian snout. "You're not a mere robber are you?"

"It wasn't personal it was just a job, I was paid a lot to kill Professor Karl Elise." The thief yammered, as he covertly looked up and down the dragon-lady, his eyes searching for a weak spot.

"Then who hired you?" Drakaina asked, her ire rising with equal speed to the smoke leaking from her mouth.

"Didn't get a name, just an alias, you let me go and I'll give it to you!" He yelled as he lined up his shot. "Do we have a deal?"

"If you give me a name of merit."

"Okay his guys called him Boc..." As he spoke he fired, his bullets engulfed by a jet of foul smelling smoke, the brass and lead melting followed by the handgun and his hand leaving only a charred stump again. Walking over to him Drakaina pushed him to the floor before transforming into her human form, her small foot pinning him down.

"So what was that name again?" Drakaina asked, a hint of reptilian cruelty spread across her face. "And while you're at it, tell me where I can find them!"

Danika Sedova reclined on the swivel chair before stretching her arms out, seemingly oblivious to the raised voices yelling in Flemish from the other side of the barricaded door. Looking out across the open caste mind she took in the burning mining camp, the armed guards running down the catwalks towards her and the burnt out husks of the AA vehicles that had been guarding the pit.

"Sorry about the wait Danika." Her partner's voice stated over the radio head set. "I've just visited our 'friend' in Sicily, you know how bad reception is down there."

"How'd he take it Maya?" Danika asked, as the file transfer link opened up on the computers around her.

"It was different this time, he seemed certain that his liberation was at hand." Maya answered, just as the door to the observation tower thudded as something heavy was slammed into it. "It made me shudder and I'm technically dead, it took a lot to beat him last time, more than we could probably muster."

"One thing at a time Maya. Right now I'm trying to keep from being murdered by the Congolese Army. By the way their acting you'd think they resent me starting a slave uprising, hijacking several pieces of hardware not to mention stealing their plans for a chemical weapon being developed here." Danika replied, a sarcastic tone to her voice as she spun round and fired three shots at the reinforced door, the 'clunk' of the armoured slugs joined by the sound of screaming bodies.

"I can't imagine why the loss of approximately eight million euros worth of equipment would bother them." Maya replied as the computers chimed to indicate that the contents of their collective hard-drives had been transferred elsewhere. "And you're good for exfil assuming you don't get shot on the way down." She added, as Danika got off the chair and threw it through the observation platforms window.

"I have a way out." Danika purred before picking up a modified RPG, the warhead replace with a magnetic tipped harpoon connected to a reel of cable, off the floor. Aiming for one of the AA trucks she fired, the projectile stabbing into the vehicle as Danika removed the end of the reel and tied it to the door before clipping on and zip lining to the edge of the mine. The few soldiers who spotted her escape were too stunned with surprise to fire more than a few wild shots, none coming close to hitting her.

"I'm out and I have the incendiary bombs synched ready for thermite detonation." Danika announced as she thumbed a palm sized detonator, sparks arching off the catwalks as the thermite ate through the metal super structure sending many of the guards plummeting to their doom.

"Danni we have another job and another problem, I'm picking up a rocket launch ten miles away." Maya stated as a projectile rose from behind the treeline before heading south towards the Congo River, the trajectory fast and low as it vanished from Danika's Line of Sight. "Huh it seems to be malfunctioning, altitude and range suggest termination somewhere in the Congo Delta away from populated areas."

"Keep an eye on it even if it was a misfire." Danika ordered, as she walked away from the mine, just as the observation tower shuddered and fell on its side. "Now what can you tell me about our new clients?"

"You want me to be honest Vic," The bespectacled hipster dressed in a striped shirt, chinos and a neck scarf snorted, "the artwork is fantastic but the story is...well it's not very original is it."

"But I created all the characters and plot lines myself." The dark skinned slightly overweight young woman gulped. "How is it unoriginal?"

"This issue features Southern Cross fight Doctor Thermidor in Circular Quay, but that same fight occurred two weeks ago in real life." The Hipster sneered. "Why would anyone pay four dollars for something they can see on the news? Up to now I've let it slide but now with the store finally getting off the ground, I can't have it associated with lazy writing."

"You're saying you won't stock my work?" The woman gulped, as she dropped the stack of Southern Cross comics on the floor.

"Unless you find something original to write about then yes. This..." He said, pointing to the image of the dark skinned heroine dressed in a leotard decorated with the Southern Cross constellation, as she was frozen into an ice block by a humanoid lobster, "is pathetic fan worship at best, and plagiarism at worst."

Walking out of the comic book store Victoria Queen turned off the main street into an alleyway, before removing a gleaming silver necklace from the bag slung across her back. Placing it round her neck her body glimmered with star light as Victoria's body slimmed down. Next her clothes melted away, only leaving a leotard that was almost identical to the one worn by the heroine on the comic book cover, as beaten up trainers turned into delicate pointe shoes.

"If this is to be the last issue I write, I'd better make it a good one." The transformed Victoria mused to herself as she took to the air, a gleaming contrail of light following in her wake. "Maybe I should fight someone big like Land Shark or the City Slicker. Or possibly work on that Super Villain team-up I'd been hinting at ever since the Robber Baron made his last appearance. Or..." She smiled as a gleaming spark flew off and embedded into the pavement.

For a few seconds nothing happened, and then suddenly the spark exploded outwards as a man dressed in military fatigues appeared, his skin covered with thick red burns running across his body. Blinking twice, he looked down before switching the safety off of the chain gun he was holding, the normal members of the public finally seeing the man and, quite rapidly, retreated from where he stood.

"Run cowards, I the Soldier Beetle will punish you for turning your backs to those who fought and died for you!" The newly formed villain boomed, as he spun up his chain gun and blasted a nearby abandoned car. "War has come to the homeland, and all will be punished!"

"Not today Soldier!" Victoria yelled as she swooped down on the villain, a hail of bullets bouncing off her skin. "It's time to give peace a chance." She added, as one of the nearby billboards rippled and for a split second the face of the Wishing Demon appeared, just as Southern Cross ripped the Chain Gun away from the Soldier Beetle.

"Not long now hero, soon you'll turn to me and free me from my shackles." The Demon hissed, "Only then will you have your Final Issue." It added, as his face vanished, replaced by that of the cartoon stingray advertising insurance that had been there before her transformation.

The elegant Caucasian man dressed in a top of the line business suit looked out the view port of the ship he was standing on, the blue glow of Earth shining as the only living beacon in the dead waste of space. Turning his back on his former home, the man strode over to a massive tank covered with an electrical field to prevent its contents, a massive jellyfish with a hideous sphincter of blades and teeth under the main bell, from escaping.

“High Navigator Morra, or former High Navigator, how the mighty fall to the many hands of the meek.” The man sneered as he tapped on the tank, the vibrations causing the beat inside to shudder with pain. “Three years ago your invasion force was quelled by a hybrid drone and a rag-tag bunch of ex-soldiers and college dropouts. How ashamed you must feel.”

“The Ai recognise Earth as a free world, as per the designation of the Congress of Lugh. Your actions would start war between Earth and Velia, something the Confederation of the Ai condone.” Morra stated, the voice sounding telekinetically in the man’s head rather than as physical words travelling through the air. “The prize we offered you long ago is no longer ours to give, cease these actions and we will return you to your world Mr. Hotchkiss.”

“Why would you think I’d ever return? Earth is filthy, ruled by the cruel and panders to the indifferent. It’s a cesspit, one I plan to cleanse when I decide to return!” Hotchkiss snarled, as he walked over to one of the myriad of consoles arranged around the room. “I may have been your agent once, but now you, your crew of parasites and this very vessel serve me. Very soon my plan will come to fruition you fetid jellyfish, soon poison will rain down across the Earth sparing the innocent and killing the wicked.” He added, as he tapped a button on the console summoning a gleaming map of the galaxy, small clusters of light centred on certain solar systems representing defensive fleets and commerce traders waiting to enter the planetary ports orbiting certain suns. “There are steps to be taken of course, but being telepathic you know what these are.”

“I do, you will drag innocents from Earth and from the colonies into a war that will set the celestial ocean alight.” Morra hissed as a segment of the floor opened up and six humanoid figures emerged, all wearing ceramic armour save for the jellyfish like head ornaments over their faces, hands clenched on weapons. “I may not be in full control of my network I have enough synaptic contacts on board my ship to free a few drones to fight against you.” She added as the drones opened fire on Hotchkiss, the man dodging the sonic blasts fired at him as he ran along the computer panel, his hand running along the surface with each touch bringing a system online.

“Your brief mutiny is at an end Morra.” Hotchkiss stated as a sentry turret dropped out of the command deck’s ceiling, its barrels spinning up in less than a second before taking a series of quick shots, each one hitting a rebel drone, their bodies exploding into clouds of thick blue smoke. “You are lucky that I need you alive ‘High Navigator’ or you would be joining them. Still I should punish you for trying to kill me.” He added, an evil sneer appearing on his face as he tapped something into the nearest computer network. With a buzzing crackling hiss, the electrical field over the tank descended into the water before discharging, lighting running across Morra’s body, a high pitched scream of pain racing around the ship and through the minds of every living thing on board

While the drone security force scattered across the ship bent over holding their heads in pain, the voice of their former master ripping through their craniums Hotchkiss simply laughed, his cackle bouncing round the control room until the electrical field was raised. Her body still convulsing Morra watched as Hotchkiss slumped down in the communication officer’s chair, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he contacted his associate on the planet below. As he did a holographic projection spread across the bridge, as location data from the first place Hotchkiss had met Morra’s former superior, the original High Navigator of the ship Ai Apaec, replaced the tank and computer banks of the recon ship.

“If I had known what kind of monster you would become I would have begged my father and master never to have brought you here.” Morra hissed, her words covering a second more secretive message, one that she hoped would reach her former enemies on the planet below. Hotchkiss had simply ignored the covering statement and even though she was still a prisoner she knew that the human race now had an inkling of the danger hovering above their world.

“Boccanegra, have you acquired the chemical compounds I demanded.” Hotchkiss stated as a hologram of a woman, her face covered in a black hooded cloak appeared before him. “Also what news do you have on the assassination of Professor Elise?”

“Mr Hotchkiss, as per your request we have secured a sample of the chemical from the mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo. My men in Port-au-Prince are already on site to take delivery of it tomorrow morning.” Boccanegra stated. “I’m afraid our other ventures haven’t been as fruitful.”

“Oh, and who do you blame for that?” Hotchkiss purred in a menacing tone. “I expected a ruthless cartel boss to be able to procure such things as simple diesel with ease. And you have men who boast about how many people they have killed, surely they can be counted on to kill an old man?”

“It’s a little more complicated than…” Boccanegra began to say, only for Hotchkiss to get to his feet, pure rage showing on his face.

“NO IT’S NOT. YOU WILL DO AS I COMMAND!!” He roared, his change in tone causing both Morra and Boccanegra to shudder slightly. “Kill the old man, get me the Blue Diesel and then when you have done both, well I’ll see what kind of mood I’m in. Pray I’m in a good one.” He warned as he turned off the communications device. “She failed, you know what that means.” He asked Morra, as he tapped the keyboard, the electrical field descending towards his captive, her screams beginning again in unrest.

Walking over to the back of the room, Hotchkiss clicked his fingers, the sound summoning a pair of drones, each with one hand over their head as they dragged in a crate each. “Careful you mindless idiots!” Hotchkiss snarled, as he swung at one of the drones as it put its case down a little too roughly, his fist breaking the alien slave’s head open, thick blue venom running down his arm, the noxious chemical running down grooves on his body to form a series of glowing tattoos shaped like tentacles leading to a round maw of teeth on his back, the eerie light glowing through his suit.

“My apologies my unnatural king.” The remaining drone whispered as he opened the case to reveal finned armour, a fanged helm complete with a visor between the jaws and a long black bladed knife. Taking the armour Hotchkiss placed the helmet over his head before equipping the rest of the suit and taking the knife from the drone.

“How many times have I told you not to call me that?” Hotchkiss asked, as he stalked to the computer console and raised the electrical field from the tank, before turning to see the drone staring up at the smoking body of Morra, her body thrashing from the discharge running through her gelatinous form. “ANSWER ME!”

“It is eight times I believe.” The Drone stated, as Hotchkiss glared at him, his eyes glowing blue from behind the visor, the same glow forming in the bell across his servant’s head. “It’s just the most beautiful majesty’s scream was hurting us. We couldn’t…” He stopped as his organs exploded within his body, thick blue fluid forming in his body, before flooding the parasitic bell, the gelatinous structure popping with an explosion.

“It’s the Decapitator to you and everyone else in the dark wasteland.” Hotchkiss sneered as the computer chimed a warning. “Hmm looks like the first of my fleet has arrived.” He murmured as a section of space was ripped open and a large bulbous, almost tick like ship arrived next to it. “There’s just one problem, it’s infested with people I need to kill!”