Goddesses and Gremlins... Part 1
By Beaten Man   Replies to humbled@abeatenman.com 
Part 1 -  What No Man May Possess 


I feel obligated to warn potential readers that Goddesses and Gremlins is a
Novella that will be told in more than 3 parts. Perhaps as many as 8. .Some of
the coming Parts, unlike part 1, are graphically sexual and violent. I do not
recommend the story for those under 18..

Chapter 1

Shatiluaan stood out alone amongst the herd of human misery that was the days
auction. The others hung their heads and looked at their feet, she held her
chin up and kept her back straight. Her breasts thrust proudly forward against
the rags they covered her in as she drew back her shoulders. The auctioneer
felt he would fetch a pretty penny for this creature.

As one by one the buyers each examind the days offerings all would stop and
pay particular attention to the beautiful six foot specimen of African
womanhood. Her lush body screamed of fertility. Her strong supple limbs of
strength. The bidding would be furious for this one. The looks of lust in the
potential slave owners eyes were unmistakable..

Shatiluaan had no interest in these matters. She could not understand their
language and would not allow herself to return their stares. She kept her eyes
forward and her mind closed to what was happening around her on the Charleston
Docks. She only knew that they would not break her and none would possess her.
She was Natulei and she was high born. This the slave traders and plantation
owners could not take from her. She would not surrender her dignity.

Her family, for generations, had been the Natulei royalty. Her father had been
senior on the council of elders, as had been her grandfather and his
grandfather before him. She herself was Nai Oben Sha, the grand shaman, so too
every second generation of her families first born females for over two
centuries. She was the spiritual heart of the Natulei nation. Hers was a
dignity born not of arrogance but of self awareness.

Once Shatiluaan had dressed in tribal robes and chains of silver with ivory
charms. Now she wore a burlap sack with a length of rope to cinch it. Her sole
possession a simple loin cloth.. Once she lived in her own hut and was
attented by virgins. She now slept in a cage, chained to the other
unfortunates who shared her plight.. Once food was brought to her by the
grateful worshippers to be shared by the grand Shaman and her court . But now
she was fed grit and given filthy water to drink twice a day. Once she was
revered and worshipred by an entire people. And now she was merchandise. . . .
Lot 6 from the slave ship Windfall being sold at auction on the Charleston
docks in the year of Abraham Lincolns birth.

But she was Natulei, the Nai Oben Sha, None could take her dignity and no man
would possess her.

When the raiders came they sacked her village and slaughtered, the young, the
weak and the elderly. They burned down her shrine and the worshippers inside.
Shatiluan was taken in chains along with the few surviing Natulei. They were
marched on shackled feet to the Nairobi Market 300 hundred miles from her
village. From there she was taken overland in a cart laden with human misery
to the slave docks on the west African coast. The cargo hold of the Windfall
was home for the six week crossing to Charleston. One hundred and twelve
pieces of human cargo were crammed into the airless, sweltering 16 by 42 foot
space. They were chained to one another and given 2 ounces of swill once a day
to sustain their wretrched lives. They lay naked in their own excrement and
endured their ever present sea sickness. The thirty one men and six women who
survived the journey now stood chained to the Charleston docks under the
blistering August sun awaiting the next sorry chapter in their journey.

She was Shatiluaan, the Nai Oben Sha, No man could possess her. It was
forbidden

Chapter 2.

Nathanial Ward carefully examined each of the days offerings. His was the
largest of the plantations in the area and required more labor to maintain
than was available in the still young country. He was the slave traders best
customer and was always offered the best of the lots.

The auctioneer shuddered in greedy anticipation as Ward stopped in front of
Shatiluaan. He cupped her chin in his hand and pulled back her lips so that
Nathanial might see the perfect teeth inside. He gestured to the roundly
seductive hips as he pulled up the burlap sack and spoke of good breeding
stock as though Shatiluaan were a quarter horse. He ran Wards hands over her
firm breasts and buttocks so that he might feel for himself the pleasures that
awaited.

Had this been the Natulei homeland their hands would have been forfeited for
this affront and Wards eyes would have been wrenched from their sockets for
gazing on her bare flesh. But this was Charleston in the year of our lord 1809
and Nathanial Ward was her leading citizen. The auctioneer her life line. They
had no understanding of the Natulei culture. They were ignorant of their
taboos and of Nai Oben Sha. They were businessmen and commerce was to be
conducted. Gold and silver would be traded for human flesh.

Nathanial allowed his 64 year old eyes the pleasure of a lengthy tour up and
down the ebony form that was Shatiluaan. They paused at contours and bumps for
just a trifle longer. The grey semi circle which formed the back of his head
nodded approvingly. She would bear strong and robust young if properly bred
with a suitably large and strong male. She looked powerfult and capable of
working as she bore the young.

She would be a reward paid in exchange for loyalty to those he employed or
wished to influence. She would be a treat for Martin. She would be an
adventure for his grandsons approaching manhood. Even Nathanial Ward himself
might attempt to raise the dead and explore her lush terrain. Stranger things
have happened he thought.

Nathanial gestured that Lot 6 was to be purchased and other bids discouraged
in favor of his. This he did by simply putting his hand on her head. He then
pointed to six additional males, poking each in the chest as he left the
platform. His slave master would now, either by outbidding or intimidating
other bidders, purchase Shatiluaan. The other six had been recommended, and he
was to use his best judgement, purchasing them or not, as he saw fit. Business
for Nathanial was completed. He had a plantation to run. His son and the slave
master, Foote, would attend to the rest of the days activities.

As Ward and the ever present hulking shadow of Lucas departed the Docks,
Shatiluaan's coal black eyes gazed passed them and the 4700 miles beyond to
the east. To Natulei. She wondered what retribution was now entered in the
ledgers of Rasha Shaluaan. She wondered how these ghastly pallid creatures
could be such foolish chidren How they could disregard the taboos of The
Mother of all Daughters? But she was Shati, the First, and taboo was the
province of destiny. The Nai Oben Sha was concerned only with mortal sins.
Only for those was she responsible.

She was Shaiti luaan, the First Daughter. Only she was mortal sin.

Chapter 3

The old bastard has great taste Niles Foote thought as he inspected her. He
had wasted no time getting to the platform and appraising Shatiluaan for
himself. Her magnificent body had more than met with his approval. Her
inspection had encompassed a half hour of his hands on expertise.

It had left him with a towering erection and the desire to more fully research
this newest acquisition.

Her earthen aroma lingered seductively in his nostrils while he made his
perfunctionary examination of the other six candidates.

They were males and had been strong enough to survive the jouney. He would buy
them. The need for labor was growing and the slaves that provided it died as
fast as they could be replaced. Who knew when the next auction would be. He
would have to scold the auctioneer for the poor quality of the other
offerings. And then praise him with a bit of extra silver, ... for Shatiluaan.

As Foote made his appraisals Martin Ward circulated amongst the other buyers
and made clear to each of them his fathers pending purchases. He informed them
that The Wards were prepared to be high bid on his fathers chosen seven lots
of humanity. He thanked them in advance for their cooperation in not driving
up the price with useless bids. The news was accepted grudgingly by the
assembled bidders. They were all disappointed that the fabulous black female
body displayed on the docks would be Ward property but knew the futility of
bidding. They could only drive up Wards final purchase price and anger him for
so doing. Each of them imagined a late night visit from Martin or perhapes
Foote, accompanied by Lucas, and silently trembled. Fear was even a greater
motivator than lust. They would not bid. They instead busied themselves
inspecting the remaining wares.

Martin, as were all the Wards, was used to getting his way. He didn't need to
wait around and see if his message had been understood. He knew it would be.
This was the South Carolina of 1809. Nathaniel Ward owned, or controlled
through mortgage, nearly 10% of it. The Ward plantation lands alone
encompassed 30,000 acres. The actual plantation compound, The Pines, in the
center sat on nearly 2000. His had been the easy task. Foote would take care
of the rest of his fathers business. His was always the easiest task. Martin's
sole function was to be the heir apparent to his fathers domain.

That he did well. As despised as Nathanial Ward was, and he was richly hated,
His tenants and debtors, his customers and suppliers and every one else
influenced by his empire, wished him continued long life. They dreaded his
eventual replacement by Martin. The thought of the spoiled Martin and his
violent temper controlling the local commerce made them fear for their future.
The thought of him controlling Lucas just made them fear..

Physically Martin was not at all like his father. Nathanial was barely a
portly 5 Ft 7" while his son was nearly 6' feet tall and was lean and
muscular. Martins darkly handsome face reflected arrogance and cruelty.
Nathanials round florid face reflected nothing save for greed. He was never
known to display any emotion at all. He was cold and calculating and consumed
by the acquisition of wealth. Martin, on the other hand, frequently displayed
anger and hatred and impatience. He shared his fathers greed but his was a
greed for what could be acquired with riches. Nathanial's was only for
acquiring the riches. The goal was simply more. Martins goal was pleasure.

With his days work done Martin could now spend an hour or so at one of the
dock side taverns drinking and contemplating the satisfaction of the lust that
had overcome him since watching his fathers examination of Shaitiluaan. He
imagined his hands on all the places his fathers had visited. He thought of
her powerful legs wrapped around his waist as her luscious hips rolled in
frenzied circles. He thouight of the the twin half moons of her ass and the
fullness of her brown breasts. He shared Footes appreciation of his father,
the old bastards, taste. He shared the discomfort of a raging hard on as well.
Foote could ready the days purchases for the journey back to The Pines. Martin
had plans to make..

And so did Foote. There were seven slaves to be paid for and then prepared for
the 50 mile trip to the Plantation. There were supplies to be bought and then
wagons to load. His five man crew had now shrunk to four as Martin ambled off
to the tavern. He would be busy doing Ward work while all the Wards were busy
doing something else. He thought perhaps he should examine the female just one
more time before packing her away for the trip. Niles Foote prided himself on
being a thorough man. He decided he would make the time.

She was Shatiluaan, the Nai Oben Sha, What all men want and no man may possess
.

Chapter 4

For the first time in seven months Shatiluaan was not shackled to another
human being She was grateful to The Mother of all Daughters for allowing her
to be uncoupled from the suffering souls that had been her constant
companions. She wondered what tasks Rasha Shaluaan would require of the limbs
she had caused to be freed. The sickly looking pale ghosts that inhabit this
strange land had removed the chains, certainly at her behest, and brought her
and the others to a plaza beyond the site of the slave ship and the docks.

They stood naked as the ghosts washed away the stench of the Windfall. They
were examined for lice and ticks and then fed a ration of thin porridge. The
men were given coveralls. The tattered dress the ghosts offered her was to
small for her body so her burlap tunic was returned.

The provisions were loaded on two wagons and the human cargo was stowed on the
other three, two to a wagon. Shatiluaan rode alone with some provisions in the
cart driven by the sharp faced pale man that displayed such a keen interest in
the lines of her body at the docks. The other ghost from the docks, the larger
angry one that the pale men called mar teen drove the other wagon of
provisions. In the front of the wagon train was a strange black covered cart
with drawn windows and a huge Black Man riding on top. Inside the strange cart
was the short, round, red faced old pale man who had risked the wrath of Rasha
Shaluaan and touched the forbidden place.

As the wagon train rumbled forward to its unknown destination Shatiluaan
thought of the sharp faced man's touch in the forbidden place. It had been
pleasurable in the way her mother had instructed it would be when the seed
stalk was inserted. Could that be a sign from the mother of all Daughters that
it was Shatiluaan's time to bear the the mother of the next Nai Oben Sha.

She had been trained in the ways of the flesh. How the stalk was to be
stimulated and inserted. How to hold it within the forbidden place and how to
extract the seed. The Nai Oben Sha must produce at least one female child.
That Female child in turn must produce the next Nai Oben Sha. the next
Shatiluaan. So it had always been. As long as there was Nai Oben Sha there
would be the Natulie and the Natulie were the favorites of Rasha Shaluaan

But the Nai Oben Sha must choose the bearer of the seed stalk and Shatiluaan
would certainly never choose any of these frail pale skinned men. And if the
seed stalk enters the forbidden place and does not produce the next mother of
the next Nai Oben Sha mortal sin has been committed by the bearer. The ledgers
of Rasha Shaluaan must be balanced immediately for mortal sin. Mortal sin
cannot await as does taboo for destiny to act. Mortal sin is the province of
the Nai Oben Sha and she must act. The bearer must die before his seed is dry.

She thought of the touches of all the men upon her body as they examined her.
She had felt only revulsion as they committed taboo. But the touch upon the
forbidden place was warm. And when her breast was touched during the warm time
there was no revulsion. The pleasure spread to her breast and the warm
increased in the forbidden place. It was her time. She must find a suitable
seed bearer.

Shatiluaan put aside thoughts of seed bearers and stalks and contemplated her
people. Thirty six others beside herself had survived the slave raiders
attack. During the march to Nairobi sixteen had died. 19 more had perished on
the Windlass. The lone survivor besides herself was frail and sickly. he had
not been purchased. The auctioneer had him beaten for his frailty. His corpse
was the last slave body removed from the auction platform. Shatiluaan was Nai
Oben Sha and was the Natulie. She would have to producre not only the mother
of the next Nai Oben Sha but also the mothers of the unborn Natulie. The
acquisition of seed occupied her mind for the next several hours.

Chapter 5

Its hard Nathanial Ward thought. My god it's hard. He had been contemplating
his purchase this morning and was remembering the feel of the black amazons
flesh on his hand. He had suddenly become aware of a familiar stirring he had
not felt in fifteen years. At first he thought he needed to relieve himself
and had the carriage driver stop. But urination was not the cause of
Nathanials stiffening. His bladder had been as dry as his personality. As he
continued to remember his examination of Shatiluaan the stiffening had slowly
continued. Now the pressure on his trousers was uncomfortable. He opened his
trousers and examined his member. A resurection had occured. Nathanial was
witnessing a miracle. He thought again of her breast and the feel of her
nipple on his finger. Now the erection was complete and his manhood stood on
its own. When he placed his hand upon it he felt its pulse. A pulse he had not
felt in 15 years. Nathanial made a mental note to re examine his purchase
immediately on arrival at The Pines.

On the roof of Nathanials carriage the half Nubian giant Lucas lay on his
stomach. His great arms were dangling along the sides of the carriage and he
held fast with his teeth to the railing by his head. He liked to pretend he
was flying when he rode atop the masters carriage. His drool splashed back in
his face as the carriage sliced through the wind. He was a huge man of nearly
seven feet and 380 pounds. He had the strength of three men and if requested
could drive his ham sized fist through a brick chimney or wall. He could crush
two men at once in his embrace.

He was huge of body and strength but not of mind. What passed for his brain
was adequate to keep his heart beating and his limbs moving and little else.
His thoughts originated in Nathanial Wards head where all of his thinking was
done. He knew not of love,hate, anger or joy. He felt no pity or envy. No
sadness or happiness. He could laugh if amused but the only thing that ever
amused him was pretending to fly atop the carriage. As his slobber blew back
on his shaven head he would roar hysterically.

Lucas's father was a Lebanese slave trader, his mother a Nubian slave from the
Sudan. He was born aboard the the slave ship his father mastered 28 years ago.
His father sold the child and its Nubian mother to Nathanial Ward 2 years
later. The mother was made a chambermaid in the Ward household. When Lucas was
six he was put to work in the fields. As he grew, and his physical strength
and weakness of mind became apparent, Nathanial brought him back from the
fields to groom him for other tasks he thought might better suit the growing
giants talents. He was obedient and always did whatever was asked of him. He
became a valuable tool to the Ward household. When his mother escaped it was
Lucas along with Foote that was dispatched to bring her back. Nathanial had
Lucas strangle her to death as an example to the other slaves. He only had to
tell him once.

The trail of slobber that missed Lucas's great dome flew behind the masters
carriage and fell as drops on the unfortunate Niles Foote. What next he
thought. I'm getting too old to be a wagon driver and too sensitive to deal
with a morons drool. His narrow face frowned as he pondered the indignities
bestowed upon him that humid August night. He had once been almost handsome
but as he aged and his formerly thick brown hair thinned his face had grown
more and more gaunt and sharp. His body was thin and wiry. He was leathery
tough and his wit was as sharp as his face. He was a master with a whip and
feared by all the slaves. He was fond of wide brimmed black hats pulled down
low on his head and always wore a black duster, even in the summer heat. Niles
fancied himself a modern day apparition of the angel of death and cultivated
the image. He looked far more fearsome than his 160 pounds and 5'10" of height
would otherwise lead one to believe. And he was. At 46 his sole stock in trade
was fear. His greatest talent, instilling it. His greatest flaw was that he
despised all men named Ward. Yet he had been in Nathanials employ for twenty
years serving him faithfully. His one sustaining thought was that some day
before he died Nathanial Ward would see Martin Ward for the worthless,lazy and
vain piece of manure that he was. See it and cast Martin out, turning to his
faithful Slave master Foote to manage the Ward holdings until Martins son
Gabriel came of age. Foote already knew the tragic accident that would claim
Gabriel before then.

Foote had always been the calm steady man in contrast to Martins outbursts and
tantrums He never showed anger or confusion and was the man Nathanial trusted
with the most delicate of situations. Who else could Ward turn to. And who
else could he trust manage Lucas's talents?

Asleep in the cart behind him Shatiluaan dreamed of Seed stalks and stalk
bearers. She dreamed of a thousand Natulie children climbing the green hills
to the shrine of Nai Oben Sha. each with an offering of fruit to be shared by
the virgins. She dreamed of mortal sin and taboo.

Chapter 6

As the Ward wagons neared The Pines the slave ship Windlass set sail for her
return trip to the west African slave markets. In the masters cabin the
auctioneer and the vessel master were bemoaning the scant profits from the
voyage.

Thanks to Martin Ward the bidding had been lack luster. The price paid for the
Lush female breeder had been less than 1/10 of what was expected. The six best
males had also gone for a song. The 30 remaining had been of inferior quality
and the bidding reflected it. One was not even bid on at all. Seventy five
that they had purchased ,fed and given precious water to had to be thrown
overboard. The trip had been a financial disaster

They decided to sail south into the warm Caribbean to Jamaica. There, with the
little profit they had, they would purchase rum if it was available to be sold
on the slave docks of west Africa,. From Jamaica they would sail home on the
calmer waters of the south atlantic

Perhaps destiny, in the form of rum, could intervene so they could yet profit
from their hardwork caring for their ungrateful cargo. Perhabs 76 souls had
not been lost in vain.

When the great storm of 1809 hit Jamaica twelve merchant ships were destroyed
or badly damaged. The slave ship Windlass was the first to go down. She
perished with all hands on board.

Sometimes destiny is not the patient reaper. Perhaps 76 souls were indeed not
lost in vain

..............................................................................
...

To be continued in Part 2

The ledgers of Rasha Shaluaan