Karena's Second Child (Part Two)

Guest Poster: Karena

Having arrived safely on my home planet of Wondawowman in time for the birth of my second daughter, I am greeeted by Captain Picard, my mother in law Bev Crusheer, my sister Nexa and my mother Queen Diana.



"Thank the stars you are here, daughter." the queen tells me, "Your sister and I shall carry you on a stretcher to the Birthing Chamber."

"Actually, it might be a good idea if Karena had the baby right here." suggests Dr Ted.

A bad mistake. A male, even a holographic one, does not question the will of an Amazonian Queen.

My mother looks in rage at him.

"You will be SILENT!" she shouts, "Only women may be in the sacred Birthing Chamber."



"In that case, can I come along?" Beverly suggest, "My medical knowledge will be important should any complications arise."

Reluctantly, my mother agrees, seeing the sense of having a doctor present, even though amazons usually have babies without any problems. A few minutes later, they are throwing spears again.

Lying on a litter, I am carried up a steep, turbulant volcanic mountain and enter the Birthing Chamber. A huge hot, bubbling pool is in front of me.

My mother changes into white robes, while Nexa and I remove our clothes to sit in the Birthing Pool.



Nexa holds me as my mother steps into the pool. I feel my daughter coming.

"AHHHHH" I call out, as Nexa pins me down. My mother bends down and lifts my young amazonian daughter up. Bev looks in amazement at home smoothly it was all done.

"What say you name this child?" asks the Queen.

"Monica." I decide.

"Very well." she says, "By the authority vested me as Queen of Wondawowman, I name this daughter Monica, and declare her to be a Princess of this Realm."

I get out of the Birthing Pool. Nexa and I put our clothes back on.

We all go down the cliff face. I'm feeling a lot better now I have a heavy weight out of me. All the others are waiting below.

"How did it go?" asks an anxious Wes.

"Meet Monica." Nexa laughs, as she presents the baby girl to him.



Everybody cheers.

I take hold of Monica and grab my spear.

"I'll just be an hour." I tell everybody, as I walk into the nearby woods, "I've just going to show my new daughter how I kill and skin a bear."

Bev's mouth, for some reason, drops open in amazement.

Karena's Second Child (Part One)

Guest Poster: Karena

With the imminent arrival of my second daughter, my ship, the USS Rhode Island and also the USS Enterprise, where my mother in law Bev Crusher is are both travelling to my home planet of Wondawowman.

I indent to have my child on home soil. This will bring me more luck than when I had my first daughter Sheena. After a few months, she grew into a seventeen year old when she crawled into a monolith.

You can be sure that this new sprog will not be allowed to crawl into any alien structures!



I hope we get to the planet on time. My baby bump looks huge. I'm getting the odd pain or two. Lately, I haven't been able to throw my spear as accurately as possible. Occasionaly, it's been a challenge fighting monsters in the holodeck simulation.

Wesley Crusher, my Life Servant and husband comes in, and looks alarmed.



"Karena, what are you doing by taking on all these strenuous events? You are on maternity leave!" he says.

"Nonsense." I tell him sharply, "I'm an amazon. We can hunt bears, fight, drink heavily and then just have our daughters right afterwards. We are far more stronger and physical that you are...OWWWW!!!

I feel the pain. My daughter is coming soon.

"Beam her to SickBay!" Wes tells the computer.

"Belay that and beam me to the transporter room. Get Doctor Ted to come." I tell him, "We are just coming into orbit around Wondawowman.

A few moments later, We are all ready to beam down. Doctor Ted joins us.



"How is our patent?" he says with an overenthusiastic laugh, and tapping my baby bump, "We'll soon have you out of there!"

"DO NOT DO THAT!" I warn him, "Otherwise I'll reprogram you to have less memory than a 20th century Atari."

In a few seconds, we are on the surface of my home planet.

To be continued....

Secont Time Lucky? (Part Two)

Guest Poster: Karena

I'm being plagued by many, not least my own mother, who is Queen Diana, to get pregnant again, as my earlier daughter grew up overnight to a seventeen year old on Tarsus II in a device built by the Doolittles. As a result, she can now talk to animals and is Queen of the Jungle there. My mother, therefore needs another daughter that will eventally sit on her throne.

Wes and I are on our way to the USS Rhode Island SickBay to see Doctor Ted. He can be a bit annoying. Instead of having a liking for opera, such as other EMHs, this one has a bad sense of humour.




"Come in, come in, come in!" he cheerily says, "This is gonna be fun!"

"I would hardly say so!" I retort, giving him a prod with my spear, "Let's get this over."

"All right." Doctor Ted continues, "Lets go into separate rooms and take our clothes off. That doesn't include me of course!"

"Can't we change his programming, pumpkin?" I ask Wesley, "His sense of humour is already driving me spare."



"Just try and put up with him a little while longer, honeybunch." he replies, "All this will be over soon."

"Now then, Wesley." he says, as Wes goes into the other room, "We just need a sample from you. You know what that means? Nudge. Nudge"

Wesley reddens and closes the door, while I remove my clothes behind the screen. "Any leering and you'll find yourself deprogrammed for two months and adquatly replaced by a pop-up toaster! I warn Ted.

I come from behind and lay on the table, Ted managing to keep a straight face.

"Ahh......ummm......interesting." I muses to himself as he prods and takes scans all over.

---------

A few minutes later, Wesley has returned and he and I are ready for his verdict.

Ted turns to Wesley, "The Crusher genes are as strong as ever. You're certainly not firing any blank cartridges down there!"

"Then why aren't I....?." I jump in.

"Who says you're not?" laughs Ted as he smiles at me, "You, Karena, are pregnant again with your second daughter. I know it's a girl because you amazons can only have them."

"But how far....?" I stutter, like someone who has been told something impossible."

"Oh, the date of conception is very recent." Ted answers, "Have you two being 'trying' a lot lately?"

"Yes." Wesley answers, "As soon as every shift ends, we go straight to our quarters and..."

"Wes!" I shout, "I'm sure Doctor Ted doesn't need to know every facet of our love life."

"Of course not." Ted answers, "But it's fun listening!"

I get up and take Wes out. "What's the hurry?" he asks.

"I've got something to tell that mother of mine!" I beam back with a smile.

Second Time Lucky? (Part One)

Guest Poster: Karena

It's been a little lonely on the USS Rhode Island, where my husband Wesley Crusher and I both serve.  Ever since our baby daughter Sheena grew up overnight from a tiny infant to a seventeen year old overnight who can talk to the animals as well as normally. As she elected to stay on the jungle planet, I've missed her over the last few months.

After all, diapers to seventeen, bypassing puberty isn't what I wanted. Some mothers might welcome it. Although my Wesley comforts me, I feel more at home sharpening my spear and winning at target practice.

Wesley enters the room, looking as cheery as ever.



"Hi sweetie." he says with his cheeriness, "Why are you looking so glum?"

"You know why." I say, "I miss my Sheena."

"We both are." he counters, "Well he HAVE been trying for another....and the trying IS fun, isn't it?"

"Yes." I admit, ""But so far, we haven't been successful. Maybe we should get you looked at?"

"There's nothing wrong with me!" exclaims Wesley, "The Crusher family are known for having..."

Before this continues, the sound goes to tell us there is a video signal coming in.



It's my mother, Queen Diana of the planet Wondawowman, planet of the Amazons.

"Greetings, daughter." she says with a smile, "It is so good to see you again, if only on a video screen. I'm calling on a matter of great importance."

"What is it?" I ask, thinking there must be a revolution at the palace there.

"You must have a baby!" my mother ueges, "Darling daughter, though Sheena was chosen to be future Queen of the Amazons, we can no longer be certain that she will she to be so. Right now, she is Queen of the Jungle on Tarsus II and will wish to remain so. You and Wesley must try for another so that Wondawowman has a leader in years to come. There could be a crisis otherwise."



"Mother." I say, reddening slightly, "Wes and I have err....being doing as you asked, but err.....so far no results."

"Well he'll have to do better!" my mother snaps, and switches off the viewer.

"I think we are going to have to see the Doctor." I tell Wes. We get up, and I grab my spear.

To be continued.....

Sheena, Queen Of The Jungle (Part Five)

Guest Poster: Sheena

As a one-year old, I accidentally hit some buttons and crawled into an obelisk on the jungle planet of Tarsus VI. Lights in there aged me to seventeen, and also gave me the ability to talk with animals. They told me that the obelisk was put there generations ago by a mysterious race known as the Doolittles. The crew of the Enterprise and Rhode Island have been out searching for me, but are now returning...

----------------

"Here they come!" Sky the giraffe tells us all. He's the equivilant of a long range sensor system on a starship.

I see my mother, weeping away, being held by my father. I step forward.

"Mom, Dad? It's me!" I yell out.



"Who are you?." shouts my Mom angrily, "Have you kidnapped my daughter? If you have, your life won't be worth living!"

"I'm Sheena." I explain, although I know this won't be easy, "I went in that obelisk and it changed me into a seventeen year old."

"My daughter is one year old!!" screams my mother, about to throw a spear in my direction.

"Wait, Karena!" urges my grandmother Beverly, "I've scanned her DNA body make up. This is 95% identical to your baby Sheena."

"It's only 95% because I now have the ability to talk to all jungle creatures." I tell them, "My bodily composition has altered slightly."



"She's nearly as old as we are, Karena." whispers my Dad in a groaning voice, "I suddenly feel quite ancient. Still, it's useful to be able to bypass puberty like that. I wish I could have done that."

"Well, it's good to find you, Sheena." Captain Hernandez remarks to me. "Now we can all beam up."



"Err...I'm not sure if I'm ready to go back yet." I tell them, "The animals tell me that they need organising, and that there have been a lot of alien predators visiting. They need me to defend them."

"But you're my daughter!" my mom cries out, "You're a Princess and will eventually be Queen of my own planet."

"Yes, mother." I answer, "When my time here is over, I'll join you on the Rhode Island again, and eventually be Queen of our planet, but right now, I'm Queen of the Jungle here on Tarsus VI."

I show her the spears, plus the bows and arrows I have made.

"I'm proud of you, my daughter." she says with a sniffle, "You are a true amazon warrior. We'll leave you an emergency beacon. Activate it when you need us."

"Thank you, mother." I say, although I knew she is upset at leaving her daughter here.

"I know how hard it is for you, Karena." Beverly tells Karena, "But she is a grown woman now, ready to make her own destiny."

After enough tears to fill a dozen boxes of tissues, everyone beams off, leaving me with the animals.



"Pass me a tissue." says Mac the monkey, "I always get upset at this sort of thing."

Sheena, Queen Of The Jungle (Part Two)

Editors Note:


One year old Sheena has pressed a few buttons and found her way into a mysterious obelisk on Tarsus VI, which has closed behind her. No one knows she is there. While inside, she has pressed more buttons and a light has started to shine on her.

---------------



Guest Poster: Karena

"So where's she gone??" I yell at Wesley, while standing next to the obelisk, "She can't just have crawled off into the jungle. We were only gone a couple of moments!"

"Maybe she went into the obelisk?" he suggests.

"Oh yeah?" I sneer, "None of the crew could get inside. How do you suppose a tiny one year old girl happened to do so and just walk in?"



"Well, I must admit, the chances of that are slim." he concedes.

Captain Erika Hernandez approaches, shaking her head in disappointment.



"Now Karena, Wes." she says, "Don't worry. We are doing everything we can to find Sheena. The Enterprise is nearby and will be joining in the search. There doesn't seem to be an energy signature that took her off the planet, no other ships are nearby. It looks like an abduction. She is somewhere on this planet."

"And when I find her." I say angrily, "I'm gonna ventilate the kidnapper so much with my spear, there won't be any left afterwards!"

--------------

A few hours later, the Enterprise is here. My mother in law Bev, who is crying, holds me tight.



"Take it easy." she says through the sniffles, "We're going to find Sheena.. I won't let anyone take my granddaughter."

"This obelisk is impervious to all sensors." Captain Picard observes, "Most remarkable. Still, we can observe this after we have found little Sheena."

--------------

Several hours later, the area is declared viewed, and Sheena is not judged to be here. I let out a massive tribal wail that mothers do on our planet when their offspring has vanished. It also tends to give others nearby large headaches.

"She might be another part of Tarsus VI." Beverly tells me, "We'll comb every inch of this planet until we do."

The search party, plus the weeping figures of Bev and me depart from the area, leaving the mysterious obelisk behind.

To be continued after the TWQ.....

Sheena, Queen Of The Jungle (Part One)

Guest Poster: Sheena

The USS Rhode Island is taking a look at a jungle-like planet named Tarsus VI. It has onkly just been named. No Federation perople have set foot on it before.

As an extra extra special treat, mommy and daddy are taking me down there.



"Now you're going to behave yourself down there,. aren't you, sweetie?" mommyu asks me.

"Of course I am!" daddy repliers, "Don't I always?"

The two of them laugh, and then press their lips against each other for some reason. I can never understand why they do that.

We all assemble, ready to beam down.

"There is an energy signature from some sort of building down there." Captain Erika Hernandez tells my parents, "We'll be beaming down there."



A pretty buiding stands there amongst the trees. Many animals are watching what happens. Many of the crew shoo them away. I cry, as I like animals.

"There, there, Sheena." mommy tells me, "They would have just been in the way."

"The obelisk is blocking all our sensors, Captain." one of the crewmen tells Hernandez, "We can't get in. It's impervious to phasers, and no buttons will open the door."

"Karena, Wes." the Captain orders, "You do a sweep of the area."

"What about Sheena?" mommy asks.

"She'll be fine in her chair sitting by the obelisk."

A few minutes later, I get bored; I climb out of my chair. No one is around. They are on the other side of it.

I bang a few buttons with my rattle.

The door opens! I crawl in, and the door slides behind me. No matter, I'll use the rattle again to get out..

There are millions and millions of buttons inside, all waiting to be pressed. Something a curious one year old like me can't resist!

Bash! Bash! Bash! I go with my rattle.



Suddenly there are pretty lights everywhere. It's like The Weekly Raveathon that mommy and daddy like to watch on TV. The ligfht centres on me. It's horrible and blinding...

Something is happening......

To be continued......

Sheena's First Birthday Party (Part Two)

Guest Poster: Sheena

"Mommy and Daddy have got a big surprise for you!" is the sound I hear from my noisy parents. The sheer volume nearly sends me up in the air.

Don't they realise that I'm a baby trying to sleep peacefully? There is always some noise going on, but this takes the cake.



Mommy scoops me up, which leaves me hanging on to the crib for dear life. My little hand doesn't succeed, and I am in her arms.

"Mommy and Daddy are going to take you to somewhere VERY special." she beams, "You don't know what day it is, do you?"

She is talking in riddles. I know that she has often told Daddy that he doesn't know what day it is when he has done something wrong. It looks like I'm in the soup this time, although my amazonian parent seems rather cheerful about it all."

Grown ups. I can never understand them.

They take me through the Enterprise corridors. Everyone who approaches looks cheerful. Mommy asks if they have bought a present. When one woman says "Yes", Mommy replies, "Well you can come, then."

Come where.

We go through the doors and there is a huge cheer, and a sign saying 'HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY TO SHEENA'.

What? Am I one year old. Time does fly. I am getting old.

Captain Picard and Daddy's Mommy come forward with a big box.



"Happy first birthday, Sheena." the redheaded woman says to me, "May you have many more." She bends down and drowns me in kisses.

"My turn, Bev." the Captain informs her, then proceeds to do the same. I hope this isn't going to go on all night. It's a lot to take to ensure I get some pressies.

A woman in a red, white and blue outfit pushes them aside. I see that it is Mommy's Mommy, Queen Diana, plus my aunt Nexa.



"I've bought you a lovely new spear." she tells me, "You've outgrown your first one and need another. Your mommy and I want to ensure that you grow up to be a powerful amazonian Princess and eventually head our people."

What if I want to be a pop star?

Eventually, Aunt Nexa scoops me up and gives me the kissing treatment.



"Who's the best looking baby there is?" she asks as she gives me the kisses.

Right. That's that. Let's have some fun at this party.

"Wes." Mommy comments, "You can take Sheena to the sitter now. Time for the adults to enjoy the party."

Hey! What's all this? It's my party!

I'm taken away, and in the background I see the adults jiving on the dancefloor as the music plays away.

You can be sure I'm going to make trouble for that sitter!

Sheena's First Birthday Party (Part One)

Guest Poster: Karena

With the first birthday party of my daughter, Karena, I'm making sure the the crew of the Rhode Island are in a celebratory mood. Every so often, I give a crew member a poke with my spear and ask them if they've bought something nice was a pressy.




"Honey!" whispers my husband Wesley Crusher, "You can't go around giving hints for people to buy presents. It's up to them to choose whether to do so."

"Well, they'd better." I reply sharply, "If they don't, they'll be off my Christmas card list and be ventilated by my spear. Hears the Captain."

Wes pleads with me not to ask Captain Hernandez to bring a present.



"Hello Karena and Wesley." Erika says with a smile, "I hope things are going well with the preparations, "Commander Hathaway and I will be looking forward to coming."

"Wes and I will be glad to see you both." I say as calmly as possible, although without my husband's restraint, I probably would have said, "Just because you and Commander Mark Hathaway are living together, don't expect one present to count."

The two of us make our way to hall where everything is being assembled. The band are practising. Right now they sound very out of tune. The catering is being laid out.

"Sheena is going to enjoy all this." Wes comments cheerily.



"We all are, Wes." I reply, "When opening timne comes, you stand by the door and make a note of all those who haven't come with a present. We'll put them on the blacklist afterwards."

Wes rolls his eyes, then goes back to our quarters to get Sheena. She is the honoured guest. One year old!

To be continued.......

Sheena's First Christmas

Guest Poster: Sheena

Everyone on the USS Rhode Island is acting very strangely.

They are being very friendly towards each other. Some are exchanging gifts. I've even seen some holding a small berry-like plant above another's head and kissing them passionately.

Whatever is this strange ritual?

Daddy comes in, looking excited.



"Hello, sweetie." he says, "Are you ready for Santa Claus?"

Santa Claus? Who is he then? Mommy walks up to us.



"Wes!" says mommy sharply, "This is Sheena's first Christmas. She iusn't going to know who Santa Claus is. Incidentally, on my home planet of Wondawowman, Santa is a superstrong amazon dressed in red who drives in a sleigh pulled by men."

"I kniow that." sighs daddy, "But we had agreed to teach Sheena what the rest of the galaxy knows about Santa instead"

"Very well, pumpkin." mommy says, and the two of them sit to face me.

"Now then, Sheena." daddy begins, "On the 25th of December, you're due for a big surprise."

Is the President of Starfleet visiting, I wonder to myself?

"A person known as Santa Claus will be visiting you." mommy continues, "He will be going to all the boys and girls in the galaxy and delivering toys and presents to those children who have been good this year."

That counts me out straight away. There have been times I've feigned crying just to get attention in the middle of the night. I'm a bad girl.

"You'll be getting some beautiful things, sweetie." daddy tells me, "I've arranged it with Santa that you get the best."

Oh really? Santa couldn't have noticed. I'll keep quiet about that, which is pretty easy really, as I can only say a few vital words that mommy taught me, like 'spear', 'woman' and 'amazon'.

"All the children will be getting presents on Christmas Day" daddy tells me, "Just keep your eyes closed at night while he arrives on his sleigh carrying toys and deposits them in your nursery."

This is a bit puzzling to me, as Captain Hernandez will not allow aliens on board the USS Rhode Island without good reason. I suppose Santa has special dispensation. I hope so, as I wouldn't like Santa to be blown to pieces out in space by a couple of photon torpedoes.

I'm also baffled as to how Santa gets around the galaxy so fast. Perhaps his sleigh has warp speed capability?

Anyway, I'm, mgoing to be a good little girl from now on...until I get the presents, anyway.

Sheena's Viewpoint (Part Two)

Guest Poster: Sheena

Mommy and daddy are all excited due to the impending visit of daddy's mommy and Captain Picard, who are coming to the Rhode Island to see them, and also to see how I've grown.



"Now Sheeena." Mommy says to me, "You are going to behave yourself aren't you? I want Beverly and the Captain to know what a well-behaved little girl I have. If you misbehave, I may have to consficate your spear, and I don't want to do that."

As I like playing with my baby amazon spear, it looks like I'll have to agree. Mommy drives a hard bargain!

---------

A few hours later, daddy comes into the room with two much, much older people. One is a redheaded woman, the other is a bald man who must be ancient...at least 5o years old.

The redhead is all smiles and runs over to my cot.



"How's my darling granddaughter!" she exclaims, as if I am going to reply in a long sentence. She grabs me out of my cot and throws me up in the air so high, I almost crash into the ceiling and go into the floor above.

"WEEEEEW!" the redhead says as she catches me on the way down, "Wasn't that fun?"

Actually, no it wasn't.

"I'm your grandmother Beverly." says the redhead to me, "But you can call me Bev when you learn to speak. I'm the mother of your daddy, Wesley."

She then turns to this very old man.

"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard." Bev tells me, "He is responsible for the USS Enterprise. He's a very important man."

"You flatter me, Bev." the Captain says to her, while mommy and daddy are in the other room preparing food and drinks. he squeezes her and and the two quickly kiss.

"Jean-Luc!" Bev whispers, "What about Sheena?"

"She won't give us away." he replies, and they just manage another kiss before mommy and daddy walk back in.

"Enjoying it?" Mommy asks, and both Bev and the Captain quickly answer "Oh yes!"

I'm confused. If Bev is my grandmother, does that make Captain Picard my grandfather if they are romantically involved? I hope this is all explained to me.

----------

After drinks, the Captain comes over, and lifts up my spear.

"This is a fine baby spear, Karena." he says to mommy, "She'll be a real amazonian warrior princess in a few yeats time."

I want my spear back!

"SPEAR!" I call out in annoyance.

The four adults look at me an amazement.

"Sheena's said her first word!" mommy exclaims happily, "How appropriate that it was spear. What a young amazon we have here!"

The four of the celebrate with another drink, leaving me in my cot.

Personally, I don't see what the fuss was about!

Sheena's Viewpoint (Part One)

Guest Poster: Sheena

It's very relaxing being a baby.

My parents will come to me whenever I scream out. However, when it's night time, daddy is sent to tend to me, change my diaper, or just generally keeps me quiet. Mommy doesn't come, as she stays in bed and kicks daddy out.

"Look after Sheena, Wes." she will say, "I've got an early shirft tomorrow morning."



"So have I, honeybunch." he protests, but mommy ignores this, and daddy comes to help, although he has dark rings under his eyes and bags under the bags .

"What is it, Sheena?" he asks in a half dazed manner. He picks me up, sings a song, then shuffles off back to the bedroom like one of the living dead.

One thing that does bug me is that the amount of time I get picked up out of my cot. I mean no one ever asks if I want this to happen. Sometimes it seems like the crew of the Rhode Island is queuing up outside yo take a look at me as if I am an exhibit it a zoo. Mommy and daddy ought to be charging an entrance fee.

The next morning I am up. Daddy is eating his breakfast and I am playing my amazonian baby spear. I throw it at daddy and it hits him on the cheek.

"OW!!" daddy exclaims.

"Good shot, darling Sheena!" Mommy says.

"What do you mean 'good shot?', Karena?" daddy asks, "I could have been blinded by that spear."

"Well you wern't." mammy retorts, "Our daughter is already showing her prowess as an amazon warrior princess. I predict she'll be the most famous of all amazons."

Daddy rolls his eyes and manages stops the blood on his cheek. A buzzer is heard, and Captain Hernandez and Commander Hathaway come in. Both of them come right to my cot.

"Isn't she growing up, Mark?" the Captain says, "It looks like we'll have another young ensign soon!" Both of them pick me up, and I get passed around as if I am the feature in a 'pass the parcel' game.



"Good morning Ensign Karena and Wesley." the Captain says to mommy and daddy, "I was just talking to Captain Picard, and he says the Enterprise will be in our sector in a couple of days, so we'll meet up then. Both him and Doctor Crusher are keen to see you both, plus little Sheena."

With that, the two of them put me down, and they head out. I notice that while mommy and daddy are not looking, Commander Mark Hathaway squeezes the bottom of Captain Hernandez. She manages to suppress a playful giggle, and they hold hands as they leave.

Is this they way Captains and Commanders behave? I'm only a baby, so it's all very confusing.

Still, it looks like I'm going to picked up and passed around again in a couple of days!

To be continued...

Sheena's Naming Day (Part Three)

Guest Poster: Beverly Crusher

With the help of some potent Elborian Brandy, I've managed to persuade the amazon Queen Diana to let her son-in-law Wesley and Captain Picard attend my granddaughter's Naming Day on the planet Wondawowman, an occasion which is usually an all-female event.

-----------------

The Ceremony is about to take place.

Queen Diana staggers up to me, holding her head.



"Beverly." she starts, "I agreed for Wesley and Captain Picard to come while under a state of err... severe inebriation. However, an amazon does not go back on her word. They may attend, but keep them out of the way."

That's the best we can hope for, I suppose.

Everyone looks at little Sheena. Even Karena's sister Nexa is playing aunt.



Sheena throws a little spear that manages to hit Wes.

"Isn't she clever!" Nexa coos, "She'll be a real amazon princess."

Eventually, we are all led up to a cave where hot bubbling springs are in a giant pool.

"Let the Ceremony begin." declares Queen Diana, who is now dressed in flowing white robes.

"What's going on, Bev?" whispers Jean-Luc.

"I have no idea." I answer quietly, "The Ceremony is very secret. We three are the only humans to see it."

Karena and her sister Nexa both step forward; they are each dressed in full amazon battle armour. Queen Diana holds Sheena.

Suddenly both sisters start to unbuckle their armour, gradually removing all their clothes. Wesley looks totally bemused and Jean-Luc has a mild cough, and starts to look around the cave..anywhere but what is right in front.

The naked sisters step into the bubbling pool, and look towards their mother.



Diana hands Sheena to Nexa.

"Do you declare yourself to be aunt of the Princess Sheena?" the Queen asks.

"I do." Nexa answers, and places the child lightly in the water, then hands Sheena to Karena.

"Do you declare yourself to be the mother of the Princess Sheena?" the Queen asks.

"I do." Karena answers, "I name her Princess Sheena, and will defend her to my utmost capabilities."

Karena takes her child, and they both briefly submerge. When she comes up, all of them emerge from the pool, still naked and dripping wet. Jean-Luc starts coughing again.

"Errr...very unusual." he remarks.

Nexa and Karena put their armour on.

"Did you enjoy the Ceremony, pumpkin?" Karena asks Wesley.

"Err...sure, honeybunch." he replies, "It had one or two things I wasn't expecting."

We all make our way out from the cave. Queen Diana catches up with me.

"Now you know why the Ceremony was an all-female event, Beverly." she says with a smile.

The Queen walks off, talking to Karena and cooing Sheena at the same time.

"What did you think of the whole thing, Jean-Luc? I ask.

"It was most interesting, Bev." he answers, "It is fascinating to see different events from other cultures, although I think I saw more than I anticipated!"

At this, the two of us laugh, and carry on walking.