Elektra - Chapter two By KK Story of young prof and his beautiful Velorian superheroine sidekick. * * * * Constantinople: Evening, October 9th, 1015 AD The Entrance to Emperor Basil II's Palace Moments after we had begun walking two more guards, having heard the commotion, rounded a corner and confronted us. They froze at the spectacle of a sparsely clad, ravishing blond easily carrying the overweight guard. With one hand and little effort, Elektra hoisted our tour guide off of her strong shoulder and laid him gently on the ground. Then, in what I recognized as her "come and get me" pose, the scantily clad Velorian put her hands on her hips - which had the effect of thrusting out her breasts even further - and smiled wryly. As if on cue, the two guards excitedly ran up and grabbed her. She stood perfectly still with an almost detached silence while they grasped and pulled futilely at her unyielding arms and torso. (Author's note: all conversations between Elektra and the locals occurred in some Byzantinian dialect. I bring them to you translated as Elektra, employing her spectacular memory, filled me in later as to what was actually said - though much of it was fairly obvious. While I speak several languages and have learned many more in my travels, somehow, I don't speak Byzantinian.) "Okay guys, what dance is this?" asked Elektra . "Don't ask questions wench. We shall ask the questions." "Sure. If you find the time" she laughed. She reached her arms out wide and swept them up off their feet in a sort of double bear hug. She then began to constrict her mighty arms, squeezing them gently (gently for her that is) causing various bones in their torsos to bend. Groaning in obvious agony, both guards still took turns staring into her mesmerizing emerald eyes and then down at her libidinous breasts. Elektra was quickly mastering the skill of delivering simultaneous megadoses of both pain and pleasure (Fortunately, she always spared me the former) and despite their suffering and labored breathing the two guards were clearly growing giddy with arousal. Convinced that they now knew how helpless they were, Elektra flashed a mischievous smirk and relaxed her grip. The sight of her holding them like puppets, her beautiful body swaying sexily without evidence of effort, certainly was working on me. As I gazed fixedly, I cold only marvel once again at this stunning model of Velorian genetics. Smugly aware of the erotic attention she was commanding Elektra began lifting the two hapless soldiers ever-so-slowly up and down so that their now erect manhood (or is the plural 'menhood'?) rubbed against her taught and exposed abdomen. With a seductive smile she began speaking to them in her soft, sexy voice. She explained to them in no uncertain terms that they could choose between two distinct, disparate options. The first would involve their bones being ground to dust against her beautiful yet quite lethal body. The second would gain us an audience with Basil II. As the guards excitement reached a feverish pitch, Elektra sped her rhythmic lifting efforts, her hands on each guards buttocks, alternatingly sliding them up and down against her warm skin. She shook back her hair away from her face, and gave them a look that could melt icebergs. Moments later each went off like a teenager at boarding school. Elektra smiled naughtily at them then dropped them roughly to the ground. They collapsed off their feet breathing heavily, staring up at our gorgeous Velorian like children fawning over their first crush. She laughed aloud at their expressions and then looked at me. [English]"Will you just look at them? They're so cute, aren't they?!" she said giggling. "Yes Elektra, they seem very pleased" I said with more than a little annoyance in my voice. I mean, hell! *I* hadn't even had an orgasm today and these two oafs were smiling like clowns at a carnival! "Oh come on Professor, you'll get yours. We really needed to win them over." "Yes O' Lovely and Mighty One, but there has to be some way short of *that* to win them over." As was typical when I griped, Elektra ignored me. She looked adoringly back down at her latest fan club. [Continuing in English, obviously for my benefit] "Okay my little darlings, let's get back to work." She reached down and grasped each guard by the arm and then hoisted them to their feet. She told them to lead and then retrieved the other, injured guard, once again effortlessly lifting him on to her shoulder. I half expected him - despite his condition - to also start moaning with pleasure any second now just to rub it in. I have to admit that she certainly has her way with men. We entered the palace as the guards led us through the cavernous foyer. Other guards stopped and stared at this improbable entourage. By this point however, we had enough credibility - what with three guards under our control and three others probably still ascending into the outer atmosphere - that none approached or even asked questions. Much to the chagrin of her passenger, Elektra lowered the injured guard and explained to the others that he was bleeding and should receive quick medical attention. I later shuddered to think what that could mean in AD1015. The palace was indeed worthy of an Emperor of Basil's repute. Rich tapestries adorned the great stone walls and ceilings, while the light from thousands of torches cast a warm glow. The guards motioned us up a colossal staircase that apparently led to the Emperor's living chambers. And thus we entered Basil's enormous receiving room and immediately went to work. The Great Emperor Basil II sat in an outsized throne seemingly cast from pure glistening gold. I mentioned this to Elektra lest she get an idea to sit in it and plunge us into a real crisis. Just like in the movies, a richly red carpet led the way from the entrance of this great room to the throne. At least forty guards were lined up in neat rows on either side of this carpet and, as we entered, all eyes quickly fell upon us. "What is the meaning of this interruption" shouted Basil angrily. "Your highness" said one of our guard's pleadingly, "we have two visitors and we believe them to be gods." "Gods!? Really!? You two are even greater fools than I was told, no gods would appear as such!" He motioned his more competent guards to deal with us and, in retrospect, I can understand why Elektra took this as her cue. While the guards drew weapons and approached, Elektra waited a few moments and then with numbing swiftness, she grabbed the end of the red carpet and gave it a firm up-and-down yank. Like in a future Popeye cartoon, at least half of Basil's guards were violently flung about the chamber in all directions. Indeed those that were unlucky enough to have had both feet centered on the carpet hit the thirty foot ceiling with such force that I could actually hear their bones crunch upon impact. With perhaps one or two groaning exceptions, virtually all of the guards that had been near Elektra's makeshift weapon now lay strewn about the room, silent and motionless. [Author's note #2: The foregoing events clearly illustrate the difference between Elektra and Earth's famous 20th and 21st century Protectors, Aurora and SuperFemme. Elektra is convinced that, with the exception of our Arion encounters, all of our events will be undone when we undergo our next intradimensional hop. Thus, while she is not prone or favorably disposed to mindless violence, Elektra is not overly concerned with protecting Terran life.] Though the remaining guards now stood frozen in their tracks, horrified into shocked silence from the speed and deadly effectiveness of her attack, Elektra nevertheless grabbed me and leapt up to the balcony which lined the room, and planted me there. I'm always so touched by the way she watches out for me. She next landed directly in front of Basil himself and grabbed him by his groin and tunic collar. Although the Emperor was a large and exceedingly obese Monarch, she easily thrust him overhead and then turned to face the stunned guards and other court members. "As you can plainly see," she spoke in a clear and even cadence, "I hold the life of your Emperor in my capable hands." To add emphasis to this she tossed old Basil up more than ten feet - eliciting a royal 'yelp' - before catching him in her cradled arms. Immediately returning him overhead she said, "My compatriot and I have come with only peaceful intentions but you have chosen to assault us. Be warned that attacking us is a futile gesture that will only lead to the death of your Emperor and the annihilation of his Empire." She waited a few moments for this to sink in. Basil needed no further convincing however as he barked out commands to his guards to leave the intruders alone and to treat us as welcome guests of his Kingdom. The much relieved guards immediately resheathed their weapons and reorganized their lines - albeit in greatly reduced numbers. The two that had initially escorted us in had that smug "I told you so" expression that I would bet even money they would pay for later. "Ah" I thought to myself, "I just love when a plan comes together like this." I knew, or... at least I was pretty sure that Elektra wouldn't have killed big Basil. But in light of very recent events and from his precarious position, could Basil really have taken the chance? I sure didn't think so. Elektra returned Basil to a cradle hold and kissed him affectionately on the forehead before plopping him back down on his throne. I imagined that the throne might have held a little less significance to Basil at this moment, but of course that's the price for butting heads with a Velorian. * * * * We slept like royalty in Basil's finest guest chambers that night - or at least I did. Elektra doesn't sleep much. I know she wanted me to crank up the "dreadnought" but I just have such trouble staying awake on time-travel days. After heating up our fresh bath water with her heat vision, she awoke me from a nap to dunk and scrub me in it. She then blew dry me with a few blasts from her lungs and returned me to the soft fresh down mattress. Oh how I love being pampered by a Velorian! The last thing I remember before returning to my slumber was her reheating the water to near boiling for her own bath. Phew! I wouldn't even think about jumping into a Velorian's bath water. * * * * Constantinople: Mid-day, October 10th, 1015 AD Emperor Basil II's Palace The next day I awoke alone. This was certainly not unusual as Elektra was prone to explore on her own for a while after she felt that our 'situation' was stabilized. I was pretty certain that Elektra's performance of last night had more than guaranteed our status among the denizens. Any lingering doubt's were usually put to rest as soon as she took to the air the next day. There was a pile of fresh clothes at the foot of the bed and I could only assume that they were for me. I put them on and was amazed at the quality and tailoring of the fabric. It was soft silk, and such could only have come from China. Basil II was obviously enjoying the fruits of this great capital which separated East from West. I was dying to know what Elektra was wearing. That would have to wait though as she was nowhere to be found. I changed and stepped out of my chambers and immediately encountered two guards who were eyeing me wearily if not unfriendly. By employing the sophomoric prank of quickly moving my hand up to ply my hair, I could usually denote my intimidation factor in strange cultures. These two jumped back quickly enough which led me to believe that Elektra's exploits were already common news - thank God! I wonder whether they thought that I possessed the same power? I'm sure they weren't willing to test their hypotheses under any circumstances, so I embarked upon my own journey. As I wandered the great halls of the palace, I noticed that my two guards were following me, though they were taking great care to maintain a healthy distance. I also noticed, with more than a little amusement, that most of the guards seemed to move hurriedly off the rugs and floor coverings as I approached. Perhaps they thought that we really loathed carpeting. I began to feel my stomach grumbling and I realized that the last meal I had was over one hundred years ago. I wondered if I should press my luck with the sign language after my last debacle, I mean how hard could it be to make a request for food? As it turns out, plenty hard. I looked around for an amiable face but there were none so I tried gesturing to my two guards. I began by rubbing my stomach and then moved my hand toward my mouth and pretended to chew something, all the while maintaining a stupid questioning grin. I think that they might have misinterpreted my gestures however for the two guards jaws slackened and they looked at each other with barely concealed horror. Suddenly they began screaming and waving their arms while they ran at full tilt down the hallway away from me. I looked around and saw that all the guards were screaming and running away. I figured that mealtime must be pretty scary around this place. [I later found out that I closely resembled an ancient deity that fed on the corpses of human sacrifices. Of course by that point I was hungry enough that I might have considered living up to the part. Medium-rare I guess.] * * * * Basil II's palace was situated in the center of the ancient, historic city of Constantinople (known today as Istanbul, Turkey). Thus, a walk into town was no great achievement, I simply stepped beyond the gates and soon became enveloped by the shanty houses, mosques, churches and a plethora of open markets. These markets were undoubtedly the best the 11th century world had to offer for Constantinople would prove to be perhaps the greatest trading center in the entire history of mankind. The city was alive with sound and color. There were elements of three great cultures that had fought - and indeed would continue to fight - for control of its borders for almost a thousand years. Excited as I was to walk these streets, my stomach was in near revolt and I began searching the sky for signs of my Protector. Although I had procured several meals on my own throughout the centuries, everything - and I mean everything - was so much easier with Elektra around. Between her strength and heat vision, a wonderful hot meal was never more than moments away (I'll spare you the gruesome details). As I turned down a main thoroughfare I heard a boisterous crowd wailing and shouting in what looked to be a crudely fashioned 'pub' or gathering house. The building was the largest structure for many blocks and my curiosity drew me to it despite my stomach's objections. As I entered the well lit establishment, I could see it was indeed the site where most of the local revelry occurred. Inside was a crowd of at least a hundred men, most of them huddled in one part of the room screaming and shouting at what I assumed must be a contest of some sort. As I pushed further into the action, I thought I could hear a high pitched wailing that originated from the back of the large room. To get a better glimpse I moved through the crowd and suddenly froze in complete panic at what I saw. There, underneath two behemoth men, and being held by at least four more was Elektra trying unsuccessfully to stave off her own rape! I swallowed hard, frantically trying to make sense of the horrific scene I was witnessing. I mean, how on Earth could this be?! Elektra couldn't be held down by a thousand men. She should be using these guys for bar soap! And then I spied it! It wasn't obvious at first but there among the torn and tattered remains of her new silk tunic was a thick gold belt. Somehow, some way, someone had placed it on her and now her powers were drastically reduced! Her screams and cries continued unabated as I tried to move to her. I was immediately thrust back by several men who screamed at me in words I couldn't understand. By the look on their faces though I assumed they were referring to a pecking order and they made it appallingly clear that I was nowhere near being next on line to sexually assault my own Velorian Protector! I could only wonder how long this had been going on. I tried to slow my mind down and come up with a plan that could free her. But her screams echoed through me, piercing every nerve I possessed. My God! Could she die!? I couldn't even rationally fathom the consequences. I felt a great rage welling up within me yet I had never felt more helpless in my entire life. Suddenly I was pushed back by the surge of the crowd - even more men were pouring in from another direction. As I reeled backward I fell under a table and struck my head on a hard metallic object. As I rolled to avoid others who had also been shoved I saw the object that I had struck - it was a sheathed sword! Without hesitation I grasped it and found my feet. Regaining my orientation I saw the entrance and dashed back out to the street. My heart racing, I looked back up at the structure and instinctively knew what I was going to do. Thrusting the weapon into my tunic, I climbed up a stone outcrop and from there, leapt up to an empty view window, just barely reaching it with my hands. Somehow, I summoned the strength to pull myself up and in and almost immediately I was attacked by a large, smelly, drunken brute. I was hit hard across the mouth with a weapon and then I was hurled into a pitch black room. It was very dark on the upper floor and my assailant, his eyes already well adjusted to the conditions had no trouble locating me. Grabbing me from behind he began to drag me back toward the window. I reached inside my tunic and unsheathed the sword, cutting myself along a large expanse of my torso in the process. With a leap I pushed myself away from the drunk and spun around onto my back before crashing back down to the floor. He growled angrily and charged me. Leaping the last five feet he literally flew at me! Without a moment to spare I raised the sword haphazardly and he managed to land perfectly, impaling his upper torso on the weapon! In the sparse light, I could see his eyes bulging widely as he stared down at me, blood running from the corner of his mouth. Without even a shred of concern, I kicked him off of me, turning him over in the process. I withdrew the sword and swiftly made my way down the dimly lit hall. Again I could again hear Elektra's screams from below, sounding ghostly in the empty, dark, and dank attic. The hallway ceiling lowered and I had to crawl toward her voice. I only hoped that I could somehow split open the rafters when I reached the proper position. Something crawled against me, its soft fur rubbing against my wrist as it shot past. I shuddered involuntarily, knowing precisely what it was. At last I was above Elektra, her wails sounding less and less human. I began to despair that I was too late or that this desperate bid would somehow fall hopelessly short. The noise from below was overwhelming as all the hordes of men were screaming in exhortation to the current round of miscreants. I was certain that this noise was all I had going for me. I felt along the floor with my fingernails, looking for hole, or an opening in the rafters. There was nothing! I crawled a little further, carefully probing for anything that might be forced, pounded or wedged open. After an interminable delay, I found a crack and immediately thrust the sword into it. The blade went in less than a foot and I feared that any leverage I used to pry would only snap the weapon in half, ending my bid to rescue her. But what choice did I have? I removed my tunic and wrapped it around the blade about a foot above the exposure line. I began to pry the weapon back and forth and, as if in response to my own yells, the rafters began to move! The sword thrust deeper and I knew that the bottom of it must now be visible from beneath but I could only hope that all eyes were peeled to the floor and Elektra. With one great effort, I pulled with all the strength I could muster. Unprepared for my own success, when the rafters gave way I tumbled through the now open floor completely off balance. It didn't matter though. So complete was my surprise that when I landed upon one of the men that was holding Elektra down, the others only looked at me in bizarre silence before looking up to see where I had come from. I had lost the sword, but with opportunity so close at hand I couldn't of cared less. I dove at Elektra's waist and desperately grabbed hold of the belt. "Elektra!" I yelled "It's me! I'm here!" "D-Doc!" she screamed "Who?!... How?!" She calls me Doc when she's busy or doesn't have time to say 'Professor'. She was busy now. I couldn't release the belt and by now others were grabbing me trying to haul me off. "Elektra! It's your belt!! It's made of gold!!" I screamed, hoping she still had a modicum of rational thought left to help me release it. As the others grabbed me and I felt my grip loosening, I could see Elektra's hands slowly reaching behind her. Suddenly, I was jerked free of her and tossed back into the crowd whereupon I was immediately set upon by a mob. I was being pummeled and pushed and couldn't even fall to the floor so thick was the angry crowd around me. I somehow forced my head down and was then hit with a heavy blow that all but knocked me senseless. As I managed to fall to the floor, I looked down at my hands. There, impossibly! Was the golden belt! She must have somehow unclasped it and that was what enabled them to pry me off so quickly! Indeed, as I strained to hear, I began to notice a different sort of screaming. It was no longer Elektra, but rather the cries of many men in abject panic. I suddenly could hear screaming men flying through the air and I had a pretty good idea as to what was going on. Despite my bleeding and my terrific pain, I managed a smile and somehow got to my feet. I stood up just in time to duck back down as a large man went hurtling past me at such speed that the wind rush alone knocked several others over. The body slammed into the far wall and easily went through it, his momentum unabated. At that point, only I knew what was about to happen and I could only hope that Elektra remembered that I was somewhere in the room less she decided to simply kill everyone - with her current level of anger and emotion, this was a feat of which she was surely capable. I moved away toward a group of tables that were sparsely occupied and began yelling her name repeatedly, hoping against hope that her super-hearing would distinguish me. As I turned around I saw that she was holding at least four men aloft and I could hear the sickening sound of their bones snapping and grinding as she literally crushed them between her outstretched arms. She looked over and acknowledged me with a feint smile and for the first time in what seemed like forever, I began to relax. Relaxing, of course, amidst a scene which I thought was destined to be perhaps the worst slaughter that Constantinople would witness for a long time. I found a half-filled mug of something and I sat upon a table and drank it. It actually tasted pretty good. It was then that I noticed the amount of blood that now covered my lower torso and legs. Despite this, I sat back - my smile erased - and cringed at the scene as it unfolded. Her four victims were dead and Elektra had tossed them casually behind her with a backhanded flick of her wrists. Then, with furious speed, she had grabbed two others - one in each hand. She held them aloft for a moment, allowing them to behold their own terror, she then violently smashed them together. The bodies practically exploded in a red and white horror. Then, as if someone had yelled fire, the crowd quickly realized that this now naked, blood-smeared, yet still ravishing woman was going to mercilessly - and easily - take all of their lives. There was only one exit however, and Elektra quickly flew across the room to block it. She was breathing hard and her beautiful green eyes glared malevolently. Her strong jaw was clenched tight and her nostrils flared slightly with each breath. She stood at the door letting many of the onlookers out. Occasionally she would recognize one of her antagonists and she would simply hurl him back into the room - leaving him very much alive. I shuddered to think what she had in store for them, and indeed many of them broke down and wept as the realization dawned upon them that they were being kept for a reason. Soon, a group of about twenty or more brutish looking thugs were left. She jumped immediately into action and with her star-borne speed, she grabbed a large tapestry that ran the length of the wall and tore it in a single strand back and forth until she had something resembling a long length of rope. With equal speed she set upon the cowering group and began tying them together along the length of the 'rope'. Many of them were weeping as she slowed down her movements, realizing that they were too frightened to even consider fleeing. So wrought with rage was she that she would only glance at me occasionally, barely acknowledging my presence. I dared not speak, as for perhaps the first time in as long as I could remember, she was actually frightening *me*. Her victims cowered at this rage and many of them were so overcome with fear that they had emptied their bowels. Others had feinted, some prayed, while still others were whimpering and pleading for mercy. She merely continued on her business with a steady and grim demeanor. She had literally bundled and tied them all together in what amounted to a large ball-like shape of humanity. I wondered for a moment how she could be certain that she had the right perpetrators but then of course I remembered her photographic memory and there was no way she would mistake *these* men. Of course I was the only spectator who was foolish enough to stay and at this point she walked over to me and looked at my wounds carefully. "Oh Ancient Ones!" she exclaimed "What have you done to yourself!?" "Apparently, I'm not real handy with a sword." I said sheepishly. "Uh-huh." Was all she could reply as she lifted me up in cradled arms and flew me outside. She lay me down on some soft grass and told me to lie still, she would be right back. I saw her return to the pub and with a few sudden blows of her legs and fists she widened the entrance dramatically, literally kicking out the walls around the door frame. She stepped inside and a moment later she emerged carrying her tightly bound attackers overhead. I sat up erect, trying to fathom this sight. The many remaining spectators all grew silent at this awesome display of Velorian strength. Amazingly, she only exhibited the slightest muscular expansion in her spectacular naked physique. Even this feat was of no great consequence to her. She didn't linger in this pose though. Keeping a steady grip on the many parts of 'rope' she held, Elektra began to wind her arms overhead in a circular fashion, rapidly whipping up the centrifugal forces on her bundle. Everyone knew what was coming as did her victims who were all screaming hysterically. Their screams were made all-the-more eerie by the strange Doppler effect inherent in their rotation. Elektra's shoulder and arm muscles began to tighten and stir as she applied more force. Soon, the hapless men were being hurled around at such speed that they were barely visible. Some screams could still be heard as, without fanfare, she released her cargo and, as if shot from a canon, the doomed men were catapulted into the air. Their airspeed was so great however that they immediately caught fire in the atmosphere and disintegrated in a blindingly bright flash just mere moments later. In all, it was the perhaps the most horrifically violent act I had ever witnessed and I noticed that I was shaking in fear and shock at what My Protector had just done. For her part, she simply stared silently at the point in space where they had disappeared. Then, as if awakening from a bad dream, she shrugged her shoulders and walked up to me - smiling almost as if nothing had happened! "I think I need another bath" she said casually, almost cheerfully. "And you need a doctor!" I looked up at her magnificent form. Her body was smeared with dried blood and other less identifiable stains. Despite this, her statuesque beauty was simply unmistakable. The crowd that had gathered around had swelled in numbers, all maintaining a healthy distance from this beautiful super-woman. She kneeled down to examine me more closely and my heart skipped a beat as I gazed into those deep sea-green eyes. I grew feint as the loss of blood was now beginning to take its toll. As consciousness slipped away, I was dimly aware of her arms slipping under me. As she gathered me in her arms, I felt her proud breasts rubbing against my torso. I suddenly was gripped by a terrible chill. The last vision I had was of her gorgeous face frozen in dismay and concern, a tear forming in the corner of her eye. "Alas, I will see you in better times my Goddess" I gasped faintly. Then all went black as I began to experience a familiar falling sensation, the pain from my bruised and bloodied body giving way to a void. End over end I tumbled in non-consciousness as I reentered the wormhole. "Indeed, on to better times" was all I heard. To be continued...