Authors Note: Just as a warning I'm giving this issue an M (Mature) rating, for elements light sexual content, intense/dsiturbing situations, elements of violence, and slight language. So Read at your own discretion. You have been warned. Hope you enjoy,

The Shooting Star

Fire, blood, and stone. The putrid stink of burning flesh. Clumps of hair in clenched fists. Vacant eyes and open mouths. Screams and tears. Then at the middle of it all, a warrior. A devil. A woman. Amazon.

Hippolyta shot up from her bed, her breathing ragged her blonde hair and body drenched in sweat. She looked around her chambers frantically, all her senses alerted to their highest point. The night air was stuffy and it made feel sticky all over. It had been the nightmare again, the same nightmare that had been plaguing her for weeks and depriving her of a decent night’s rest. She took a deep breath, but the confines of her bedchamber made it impossible for her nerves to ease themselves. She needed to go outside.

As she threw the covers off of her and set her feet on the floor, a hand grabbed hold of her wrist. Hippolyta flinched slightly; she had feared that she had woken her, but when her partner had not moved upon her own violent wakening from the dream, she had been thankful for she had a tendency to worry more than was necessary.

“My Queen, are you alright?” Philipus asked, as Hippolyta turned and gazed at the dark skinned beauty before her.

“I’m fine,” she replied, “I’m just stepping outside for a moment.” Philipus set up in the bed, and looked directly into the queen’s eyes.

“You had the dream again.” Philipus stated. Hippolyta did not retort for her sister had known her for so long that attempting to do so would prove pointless. “You’re thinking too much about what the oracle said. The oracle was a servant of Heracles, and a fraud at that. Surely the blasphemous ramblings of a treacherous whore could not prove true.”

“You never knew the truth of the sin I committed against Hera, Philipus, and that will have to forever remain my secret. I have my reasons to be fearful. I fear most of all for Diana.”

“Whatever sin you committed my Queen, your daughter is one of the strongest and brightest pupils I have ever tutored,” Philipus declared. “I have watched her grow, and I know that more than one of the Gods on Olympus has shinned their favor on her. Diana is meant for great things; surely Hera would not be so quick as to harm her for fear of bringing the wrath of Olympus down on herself. You have not slept in a many a night, and seeing the strain it places on you concerns me greatly. Please, if you just tell me what I need to do to quiet your mind, I would gladly do so.”

Hippolyta turned to face her lover, and reached up touching the scared face of the most beautiful woman she had ever known, and then leaned forward and lightly kissed her. “I am blessed to have someone such as you care so much about me, but don’t worry this night. I will return shortly.”

“As you wish my Queen.” Philipus sighed, “I will eagerly await your return.” Hippolyta smiled, turned around, and stood up from the bed. On the way, from her chambers she grabbed her gown and wrapped it around her shoulders as she strolled from the room. She followed the torch lit halls of the palace till it led her out into the open night air. It was summer night, and though the night air was warm the sea that surrounded Themyscira gave the night air a sweet and soothing aroma. The insects that inhabited the island had come out to begin their nocturnal symphonies. The sounds of Artemis realm were a sensational and calmed her nerves, but it was not enough. There was only one place on the island she could go, that she knew she may finally find some peace from the dreams that haunted her.

She began to follow the path that led down to the shoreline of Themyscira. Thinking along the way, about the path that she had walked through her life. They had been slaves of the mighty Heracles. The Amazon’s a once proud and civilized race of strong women had been tricked by the man Greece had called hero. He had come to her and wooed her with sweet words and strong resolve, and from her he took her people and placed them in chains. They had become the spoils of Heracles, the fruit of his nine labors. For years, they lived in humiliation and servitude, herself and her sisters lived only to serve the appetites of the demi-god. Those who resisted were met with the wrath of a brutish man, and few survived. Poor Philipus, whose physical beauty once rivaled her own, was one of those who survived the drunken stupor of the disgrace of Olympus.

Night after night they were ravaged, and the days held no rest, and she had been forced to watch her sisters be whored to the lusts of men. They were beaten, spat on, and scoffed at. She had wondered what great offense she had committed to bring down such a fate on herself and her sisters. Then one fateful day, her cries were answered by Hera, who was disgusted with Heracles. The chains around their necks and feet were broken, and the Amazon’s slaughtered the men who had defiled them, and those Amazons who had chosen to cast their lot with the side with the men. Heracles himself choked on the very chain that had been wrapped around Hippolyta’s neck, before she severed his head with his own sword, and placed his head on a pike for all to see. The last to fall was Heracles sorceress and oracle, who declared, before Hippolyta ran her through with the same sword that had slain Heracles, that one day the wrath of Olympus would fall on Hippolyta and all her people and it would come in the form of a fruit bared as the result of Hippolyta’s own sowing.

The Amazon’s were now free, but they were still broken, so the Goddess Hera had given them the Paradise of Themyscira where they would live forever as immortals free from the wanton world of man. For a time, their wounded souls began to heal, but the world of man had corrupted some of them, and they began to succumb to old desires. Some wished to leave the island to rejoin the world of men, and others sought companionship in their sisters. Even Hippolyta herself, struggled to fight her own earthly desires, had it not been for the love of Philipus as well as her wise counsel, perhaps she too may have abandoned Themyscira. The only ones that had been spared from this curse were the youngest of them, who were but mere babes upon the liberation.

Then began the true struggle. The young babes grew into young women, and Hippolyta felt envious of her sisters who experienced motherhood. She could not bring herself to take from her sisters, so many nights she ran down to the shore of Themyscira where she wept. Then one night she had fell asleep on the shoreline, and she was awakened by what she thought at first was a man, but no man could step foot on Themyscira. This had been Zeus, here to take his vengeance for the death of his son. Hippolyta had feared for her life, but instead the god took her. She tried to resist, for knowing what such a thing meant, and how it would incur the wrath of Hera who had saved them, but she couldn’t, and to betray her Goddess even further she found herself taking pleasure in the King of the Gods. When it was over the deed was done, and Zeus declared that she would have a child and that the child would one day be taken from her, as she had taken his son from him.

For many months, she had been afraid as she watched her belly grow, and felt the first stirrings of life, but on the day Diana was born. All that fear and dread suddenly disappeared. It was replaced with love, and she could not bring herself to slay the child. She swore that she would do everything in her power to assure that Diana would be brought up as a brave, strong, and noble Amazon that could not be taken from her.

Hippolyta’s reminiscence was suddenly interrupted when she felt the cool waters of the ocean rise up around her ankles. She looked around, surprised that she had walked so far, like she had not been the one guiding her own feet. She took a deep breath as she let Poseidon’s touch caress her feet. It had been right here, right on the edge of the water, where Zeus had taken her nearly seven years ago. Seven years since her daughter had been born. As she thought of the beautiful raven haired child that more than likely lay asleep in a her own bed at the moment, Hippolyta boldly looked towards the sky, while remaining on the borders of the God of the Seas.

“I know you can hear me!” Hippolyta called out, “I do not regret killing your son, and I never will, but Diana is mine and she will break your curse. She will stand proud one day before Olympus,” she paused before screaming out the last words reducing the boom of her voice to that of a soft and smooth tone and said, “and so will I.”

She had done it now. She had cried out a call to war against the King of Olympus. She knew she was done for, but even if she had to watch her daughter grow into a beautiful woman from the depths of the pits of Tartarus, then that would be enough.

Hippolyta looked to the sky once again, looking for any sign that the Gods had heard her. For a moment, all that answered her was the twinkling of the stars. Then suddenly out of nowhere the stars began to fall and shoot across the night sky.

“Shooting stars!” Hippolyta muttered, “How beautiful.” As she gazed at the spectacle before her, thoughts of her dreams and other such fears fled her being, and for a brief moments, Hippolyta began to feel some semblance of peace, but that peace was short lived, as one of the shooting stars veered off course from the others, and shifted color from the brilliant white to that of burning read. A deafening roar filled Hippolyta’s ears, and the earth began to vibrate. The star was falling, and it was going to fall on Themyscira. She fell to the ground as the star grew closer and closer. The shore was illuminated by the fire burning on the star and it flew directly over Hippolyta’s head. There was a loud explosion of earth, as the star crashed onto the ground, and Hippolyta looked back at the crash site in horror for the star had fell on their village. Leaping to her feet, Hippolyta raced down the path back to the village as fast as she could.

When she reached the village she was greeted by frantic yelling, and fire. The Amazon’s had quickly risen to combat this disaster, and were preforming to the best of their ability to mend the situation. What she saw next though, made her blood run cold. The star had crashed into the palace.

Her mind instantly went to Diana. The gods had already taken her daughter away from her. Oh how foolish she was for daring to speak out against the gods. Tears in her eyes she ran to the palace screaming the entire time:

“DIANA! DIANA!” She cried, “DIANA PLEASE ANSWER ME!” Tears were streaming down her face as she pushed through the debris of the palace. A sinking feeling rose in her gut, and she fell to her knees, and wept violently. Her daughter was lost, and it was her fault. She wanted to remain where she fell, and did not care if fire took her. Her hope was gone. Then suddenly,

“Mommy!” a small voice cried out through the darkness.

“Diana!?” Hippolyta turned, her eyes still filled with tears as a young seven year old girl with hair as dark as night, and brilliant blue eyes ran into her mother’s arms, and following close behind was Philipus, who grabbed the both of them up and pulled them away from the palace. Once outside, Hippolyta held her daughter, and hugged her tightly the both of them were crying. One because she was terrified, the other was crying tears of joy that something truly precious had not been lost.

“I grabbed her quickly as I could my Queen,” Philipus said, “I was still awake after you left, and I saw the star as it approached.”

“Thank you, Philipus.” Hippolyta cried, “Had it not been for you, Diana and I both would have been truly lost. Thank you so much.”

“It’s my duty your majesty, but I must ask are you alright. You were gone for some time. Are you hurt?”

“Right now, I’m fine, Philipus.” She said, “Right now let’s get those fires put out, and see what the damage is.” Philipus nodded and ran off to join her sisters. Hippolyta remained with Diana until she was certain she was safe, and then too went to help with putting out the fires. After a few hours the fires were out, and the sun was just beginning to peek up over the horizon. Hippolyta, Philipus, and a few others made their way over to where the star fell, but when they arrived they were surprised at what they saw. What lay in the crater where the star fell, was a strange craft. It reminded Hippolyta of the boats they used to fish, but it was made of some sort of metal.

Hippolyta was the first to approach despite Philipus shouts of caution. It was indeed a curious thing, and it was evident to Hippolyta that this was no star, but what it was she had no idea. It was long and angular, shaped like the tip of a sword. On the surface was a strange symbol of some kind: a diamond with a single wave that rose and fell once between the top and bottom of the inner side of the diamond.

“Philipus!” Hippolyta called, “Give me your sword.” Philipus drew her sword, and handed it to her Queen, who took the sword and quickly struck the craft, but when she did the sword broke in two. Hippolyta’s eyes went wide. Whatever this craft was made of it was harder than Amazonian steel. All of a suddenly the craft whirred, and light began to emit from the cracks. It was blinding and they had to shield their eyes. Most began to back away, but Hippolyta heard one thing that the others did not. She heard the cries of a child, and it was coming from inside the machine! She leapt forward and plunged her hands into the cracks, and pulled with all her might while doing her best not to look directly into the light.

Finally the craft burst open, the light died down, and the whirring stopped, and for a brief moment all was quiet on the Island Paradise of Themyscira. Hippolyta looked down at what lay before her, unsure of what to feel, but then all of a sudden it was as if her hands moved on their own. She reached into the opening, and when she pulled them out resting in her arms was a blonde haired little girl. She was a toddler, not much younger than Diana. The little girl’s eyes opened revealing eyes as blue the sky.

The little girl began to mumble in some strange language that Hippolyta had never heard before. In fact she wasn’t sure if even was a language or just some kind of gibberish. The little girl started to cry, and grabbed hold of Hippolyta’s hair, and wept into it. Maternal instincts took over, and she held the toddler and began to easily bounce the child all the while trying speaking softly to her in an attempt to sooth the distressed little one, and shortly the child stopped crying, but still clung tightly to Hippolyta.

“Who is she, Mother?” Diana asked as she walked up to her mother.

“I don’t know Diana?” Hippolyta replied,

“She fell from the sky right, like a shooting star!?”

“Well, yes child, I suppose she did.”

“Then I know, We should call her Galatea, since she came from the stars!” Diana cried out, and suddenly Hippolyta began to laugh. It was so strange how moments ago they were fearing for their lives, and now they were trying to think of a name for a wayward child. The energy and mind of child amazed her.

“That’s a beautiful name, Diana. I suppose that settles it then,” Hippolyta smiled and looked down at the little girl in her arms, “welcome to Themyscira, Galatea.”

From that moment own the Blonde haired little girl that fell from the sky was known as, Galatea: The Amazon Princess.