Sometime later Xena, Gabrielle, Aphrodite, and Calypso retreated to the bard’s office. Gabrielle sat behind her desk while Xena and Aphrodite took the couch. The evidence bag containing the ceramic shard sat on her desk, the small round pin next to it. All the other samples had accompanied the doctor to sick bay, the only place onboard the ship with a microscope. “Let’s start with dead ambrosia,” Xena suggested. “How can a plant that grants immortality die?”

“When Hades fucks around with it,” Aphrodite replied coldly. “If there were ever two people who didn’t get each other, it’s me and Hades,” she continued. “He was always dicking around with something, usually not for the better. Like everything he touched got infused with depression, decay, and death. There was his stupid invisibility helmet, and he made all kinds of other weird shit. The man was toxic. He took some of the ambrosia from Mount Olympus and experimented on it. I’ve no idea why. But he ended up killing it. If someone who is immortal breathes in those fumes…it’s a bad scene. Luckily the fumes themselves dissipate almost immediately. But that…thing… with Caligula all those years ago, he had some of it. It’s like a drug that saps your life force. The white amber incense is what transfers your life force to another. It sustains the dead ambrosia. Clearly that’s how she’s able to do it. Poseidon breathes in those fumes and over time he exhales his chi and power.”

“Just how much dead ambrosia is out there?” Xena asked, concerned.

“I only knew of him killing it the one time. A small plant, maybe a dozen leaves or so.” Aphrodite explained. “Everyone freaked and shit hit the fan. Zeus was furious. Hera went ballistic. We all recognized the danger of having something out in the wild that could kill us. The Hind’s Blood Dagger was bad enough, ya know? I know Hades had a few leaves in a clay pot in Tartarus, and there was a leaf or two at the temple of Asclepius because he was the patron of healers. I think Strife or Discord stole some, they were assholes. I’ve no idea where Caligula got the stash that he used on me, one of those places I’d guess. I told Hades to just dump it in a lava river, but no one listened to me of course.”

“Is this shard from one of those pots?” Calypso asked, picking up the evidence bag and examining it closely. “As your doctor said, it’s Greek.”

Gabrielle did some typing on her computer while Aphrodite carefully accepted the evidence bag and examined the pottery. She closed her eyes for a moment. “This is from the temple at Asclepius,” she said.”

“Sure enough, the museum that was robbed – it was a Greek exhibit,” Gabrielle commented looking at her screen. “Two small ceramic urns.”

“The ambrosia and the white amber incense,” Xena said. “What about the ‘black brittle tea?” she asked.

Aphrodite shrugged, “I’ve no idea,” she said.

“It is another herb of the sea,” Calypso said matter-of-factly. “Almost as rare as your ambrosia. It only grows on shipwrecks, or places of death, when the conditions are just right. It is a restorative plant, bringing life into harmony, but does not bestow immortality. My people have used it to cure dementia, for example, returning the mind to vigor. Or if someone is poisoned, it would serve as an antidote to nearly anything. It’s a robust plant as it grows, but brittle and fragile when it hits air. Even harder to harvest than it is to find, which is why it’s so valuable and rare. And the tea from its leaves has to be consumed immediately. You can’t stockpile it. Another reason it is so rarely used. There is a shipwreck not far from here that may have it.” She cocked her head as if listening to something. “Conditions may be right.”

“So why did Poseidon mention it?” Xena asked. “Why not just get ahold of some mature ambrosia?”

“Because you need to take the thorn out of your hand before you don a bandage, child.” Calypso said gently. “If you just bandage your hand with the thorn it, it could turn septic. Black brittle tea can undo the damage that has been done to him by the incense and if I follow your uncle’s meaning, it can also be a weapon against this foe that is sapping his life force. It is not her natural state of being. If she ingested it…”

“She’d lose whatever powers she’s stolen from Poseidon?” Gabrielle surmised.

“That is what I think, I would like to know for sure,” Calypso replied.

“Would his power then be returned?” Aphrodite asked.

Calypso was thoughtful for a moment before answering. “I don’t think so. While the tea could take from this woman what she had no right to steal, I think he would need other means to be restored to full health, but maybe?” She shrugged helplessly. “I know of no other god that has been in this predicament. It is an unknown to us all.”

Xena frowned. “I don’t think we can call him,” she said, her frustration evident.

“I think we can,” Calypso disagreed with a smile. “He said ‘I could use some. And a mythic refuge, with an army perhaps?’ I think he was talking to you two more than he was talking to that Alti woman. A mythic refuge – that is the key. I think the mention of an army was wishful thinking, but a mythic refuge. What does that mean to you, Aphrodite?”

The Goddess of Love shrugged her shoulders. “Mount Olympus I’d expect. Except my uncle never ventured there because he was confined to the sea which he had massive issues with,” she said, still not following the Goddess of the Deep Sea.

“And how would you get there?” Calypso pressed.

“In the old days I’d blink. Pop in, pop out.” Aphrodite shrugged.

“I’m not following,” Gabrielle said voicing everyone’s confusion. “Poseidon knew that the link between earth and Olympus was severed when the anvil of Hephaestus was destroyed. Why is he talking about going there?”

“Because he thinks he’s going to die,” Xena said quietly.

“What would you think about, focus your mind’s eye on if you felt you were at the place to jump off? The end of your life’s tether?” Calypso asked her voice barely a whisper.

“I’d think about someone I loved,” Xena said softly, looking at her wife. “That is what I thought of at the end.”

“I would too,” Gabrielle agreed, smiling at Xena.

“I would picture home,” Aphrodite said. “A place of safety, where I could revisit my memories.”

“Exactly,” Calypso said. “The two of you were mortal, you had an end point. Our kind does not. He is thinking about going somewhere he’s never been, that he’s always wanted to see. A place that exists outside of time. A place of memory. A safe haven. You can meet him there.”

Gabrielle rubbed her eyes, trying to digest what she’d just heard. “When we start talking about places outside time, I have a hard time following. How would we get there?”

“You’ve battled Alti before, no? On another plane?” Calypso asked.

Xena shrugged unhappily. “After I killed her? Yes. Alti is strongest using her shamanic spells. The dreamscape, the place between life and death. After she died, I had to travel to this place, like the space between worlds. It had an involved ritual – the moon had to be just right, we needed to hunt a deer, other amazons were involved. Another time was in India, that one involved reincarnation stuff and mehndi.”

The Goddess of the Deep Sea frowned. “That sounds needlessly complicated. I have a compound, a root, from my home. I can make a tincture. You saw Black Panther with Shen? The purple flowers? It’s like that.”

“We drink something that puts us on the same mythic plane as Poseidon?” Gabrielle asked dubiously. “Where he is away from his captors?”

“Is that so different from the dreamscape of the Mystics of Morpheus?” Xena asked.

Gabrielle didn’t have to answer because there was a soft knock at the closed door. She tapped her computer to see who it was. She frowned. “It’s Dr. Kate and Shen, with Argo.” After touching a switch to the side of her computer, the soft blue light that illuminated the room was gone, indicating it was no longer sealed. “Come in,” she called.

Dr. Kate Sprucehill opened the door for Gabrielle’s son who looked ashamed and uncomfortable. The bard wasn’t worried because the look on the doctor’s face was one of motherly indulgence. She knew that the doctor had two sons of her own. Argo padded past the two of them and hopped up on the couch curling up next to Aphrodite. “Shen,” the doctor said in a tone that brokered no argument.

“What’s going on?” Xena asked, concerned.

“Nothing,” Shen said automatically, only to wince at Argo’s sharp bark.

Xena’s eyes narrowed.

“I…um…” he looked around the room as if somehow a meteor might strike the yacht, sink it, and solve his problem. “Dr. Kate says I need my parent’s permission before she can prescribe antibiotics for me.”

Aphrodite stifled a knowing chuckle and winked at the doctor. Xena and Gabrielle glanced at each other. “This is true,” Gabrielle replied. “Why might you need antibiotics?”

“Are you sick?” Xena asked clearly worried.

“Um…no…” he replied sheepishly.

“Out with it,” Calypso said firmly.

He looked around the room one more time and gave up any hope of a shipwreck sized rescue. “I got a tattoo before leaving school to come to the wedding and it got infected,” he said flatly.

“You what?!” Gabrielle exclaimed.

“So that’s why you didn’t want to go swimming!” Xena added, clearly amused. Gabrielle shot her a disapproving glance which the warrior ignored.

“Okay tiger, let’s see it,” Aphrodite said, obviously joining in Xena’s amusement.

With a heavy sigh, he pulled up the sleeve of his t-shirt and peeled away a bandage, revealing a small tattoo on the inside of his bicep. It was red, inflamed, and looked painful.

“What is it?” Xena asked, with a frown. The boy’s expression dropped further.

“It’s the memorial tattoo that Vox and Wolfgang got to honor Bo,” he said, his voice dejected.

“That tattoo was a wave circling the moon,” Aphrodite replied. “Vox showed me. This doesn’t look like that.”

“Who did the…ah…work?” Gabrielle asked, her anger relenting, aware that the fifteen-year-old was mortified.

“Riki’s cousin is a tattoo artist,” he said looking down. “He did it.”

“He hasn’t been at it for very long,” Xena muttered which elicited a chuckle from Aphrodite.

“Dr. Kate,” Gabrielle said, taking the attention from the boy for the moment. “You have our permission for the antibiotics. I take it that you came on board after the wedding to make a house call?”

The doctor nodded in the affirmative. “Wolfgang asked me to look at Shen’s arm, to keep it on the down low. I told him we could observe it for a day or two but it’s getting worse not better.”

“Am I in trouble?” the boy asked quietly.

“Oh yeah, you’re in trouble,” Gabrielle replied.

Shen frowned. “Why does Dr. Kate need your permission to give me medicine anyway when you think teenage girls should be able to get abortions without a parent’s permission,” he asked, some defiance creeping into his voice.

“Tone,” Xena said warningly.

Aphrodite and Calypso exchanged glances but said nothing.

Gabrielle studied the boy for a moment before answering. “Dr. Kate is not your doctor who knows your medical history. Did you tell her you’re allergic to penicillin?” The slump of Shen’s shoulders made it clear he had not. “If you’d made an appointment to see your regular doctor and come to the decision with your doctor to treat this without our awareness, I’d be okay with that. And, of course, if Dr. Kate felt it was in your best interest to keep this from us, she would have that conversation with you.”

“We’re not asshole parents, Shen,” Xena said. “I’d hope you know that.”

He stared resolutely at the floor. “I know that. I just don’t want to be punished. I know you don’t think I’m old enough to get a tattoo.”

“Because you aren’t old enough to get a tattoo,” Gabrielle affirmed.

“You’ve got the biggest tattoo I’ve ever seen!” he shot back, forgetting himself. “I’ll bet you didn’t plan that for years and years before you did it. How old were you?”

“Shen,” Xena said, the warning in her voice stronger this time.

He was on thin ice and he knew it. “I’m sorry, Gabrielle,” he muttered on the verge of tears.

Gabrielle studied the boy. His emotions were getting the better of him; developing parts of his brain at war with the child-like patterns that were not happy to have to give way to maturity. “I was in my twenties when I got my tattoo,” she said knowing that by speaking and taking some of the focus from him, he would have an opportunity to compose himself. “You are right, it was a spur of the moment thing. I hadn’t been planning to do it. But if was for a very important event involving someone I love very much. It has a lot of meaning for me.” Unconsciously, her eyes moved to Xena who gave a small smile. The warrior’s eyes reflected a memory of the solemn intimacy of that moment, when she’d been at the bard’s side for the hours it took to pierce her skin over and over with the ink. She’d not forgotten it any more than Gabrielle had.

“Did it hurt?” Shen asked. “Mine hurt.”

Gabrielle nodded. “Yes, it hurt. Very much in fact.” she added. “But I’d do it all over again, in a heartbeat.”

“What was the event?” he asked.

Gabrielle shook her head gently. “It’s personal, Shen.”

“Is it one of those things we can talk about when I’m older?” he asked, a little hurt.

“Maybe,” the bard replied. “When you’re a lot older. Tattoos can be very personal things. You carry them with you your whole life. Sometimes they’re undertaken lightly, sometimes after a lot of soul searching. Some stories people will share with you, others are private. I’ve told very few people about the how and why of my tattoo. It’s a very private and personal thing for me even though the tattoo itself can be seen from orbit.” The boy chuckled, his mood lifting a little. “Shen, obviously, I don’t object to you having a tattoo. They can be powerful mementos that are daily reminders about the important memories or events. My issue is you making decisions before your brain has developed enough to really handle that kind of decision making.”

He was silent a moment before responding, his mood once again shifting from light to heavy. He blinked as his eyes began to well with tears, “I really loved Bo, ya know? He was always so awesome with me, he didn’t treat me like a kid…” he whispered, more to himself than anyone else.

“Waiting would not mean you loved him any less,” Aphrodite said comfortingly. “And I know that you meant the world to him. You mean the world to a lot of people, everyone in this room included.”

Sniffling, he looked up sheepishly, any fight in him at his predicament having dissipated. “So, what happens now?” he asked, his composure regained.

Gabrielle sighed. “You have an hour to get your affairs in order. Let your friends know you’re grounded. Then, no technology.” She typed something onto her computer, alerting the crew to pull the plug on his access.

“What?” He said, shocked at the severity of the punishment.

“None,” Xena affirmed. “You want entertainment, read a book.”

“But you guys are on some kind of mission, you’re looking for Uncle Ariel, everyone is busy,” he pressed, certain that the inhumanity of the punishment couldn’t stand. He looked to Aphrodite and Calypso for help.

“There is still a ton to do,” Aphrodite chimed in gently. “You can still practice on your own even if you can’t with your band.”

“I play bass. I sound so much better with the guys. Come on, you’ve got to let me watch movies,” he pleaded.

“Documentaries perhaps?” Calypso asked sympathetically.

Gabrielle shrugged her consent and Xena nodded in agreement, forcing herself not to smile at the boy’s distress. Again, the bard typed at her computer, clarifying the restrictions.

“For how long?” he finally asked, realizing that his fate was sealed.

“Until the infection is gone?” Xena suggested, and received an affirming nod from her wife.

“Time’s a wasting,” Gabrielle suggested. He excused himself and left.

The pathologist was about to follow him when she was stopped by her boss. “Kate, a moment please,” Gabrielle asked. She glanced at her companions before continuing. “Have you found anything, from the samples?”

The tall woman took in the scene in front of her before answering. While it was clear that the quartet had been discussing the crime scene and how it pertained to the missing God of the Sea, she also knew that she did not know the whole story. The toughest part of working in Gabrielle’s organization was that while she was privy to an enormous amount of truly remarkable information, she also had to be comfortable with things kept from her, often only receiving part of extraordinary stories. That she could excel under the circumstances saw her rise very quickly in the ranks of the company. “I looked at everything,” she answered. “The fine white powder is just ash, inert ash, and as we don’t have a mass spectrometer onboard, I can’t tell you it’s chemical makeup. The skin samples from the bodies seems very much like that of desiccated mummies. Dehydrated, I can’t explain how it happened. But something…intense…dried out the bodies. All of them. Maybe heat or chemical or a combination of the two. Perhaps there was something weaponized in the smoke that made the ash, but it seems to have dissipated.”

Something in the doctor’s explanation struck a chord with Xena, “Is it possible to ah…synthesize…a more potent kind of…tea for example? To weaponize it?”

“I don’t follow,” the doctor said, looking baffled. “Are we talking about insomnia?”

Undeterred, the warrior tried again, “No, it’s just an example. Let’s say I’m…allergic…to a kind of tea, could you make that a weapon to use against me?”

“Like a blow dart?” Dr. Kate asked. Memories flashed in Xena’s mind of being hit in the neck with a blow dart from Callisto. How the poison had coursed through her veins, leaving her weak and helpless. “Or an injectable,” the doctor continued. “Like an EpiPen, or hypodermic needle. Unless it’s something you want in powder form to mix into a drink or to slip into someone’s food, or blow in their face. If it’s really a tea that you want to concentrate, that could be done with the steeping, water ratios and all, it could be quite potent. I suppose you have to make sure you’re not susceptible to the same compound, so the delivery method matters.”

Gabrielle nodded, pleased that at least one avenue of attack had opened up.

“I have a question, doctor,” Calypso asked. “We need a quiet space for the four of us to take a little trip. A guided meditation if you will. We will need you on hand…for emergencies.”

“We could use the den, the recliners for the movie theatre, there are six of them,” Gabrielle suggested.

“I could move some first aid supplies and equipment to the den to have on hand just in case,” the doctor offered.

“Meet us there in an hour,” Calypso said, smiling as the doctor excused herself and left the office. “You two have an hour to get your affairs in order,” she added with a lighthearted chuckle.

Chapter 8: Kindred Spirits

“Gabrielle on the bridge,” Nicolai said as she and Xena entered the command center.

“Report,” she replied her eyes taking in the various readouts on the assorted instrumentation.

“We are moving away from the bay,” he said. “The authorities have been alerted and we do not want to be too close for comfort. We have reached out to our associates in Japan and are lining up a helicopter and ground transportation should you need to go ashore at some point. The cover story is that Suzanne Vincent is representing Gabrielle Evans for the purchase of a tech company. The company in question is one of your off-book subsidiaries in Japan. Heather Martin has been looped in and coordinating with them for appearances. Wolfgang and Prisha are working on tracking down the tattoo artist’s sister-in-law, using facial recognition software, and keeping tabs on what the police are doing. If it comes to it, Brian Glass owes us a favor or two if we need satellite imagery if our drones are insufficient. Rain is forecast, sea is choppy, doubtful any curious eyes will venture out to look at yacht.”

Gabrielle nodded, pleased with what she heard. “When they can, please have them look into this,” said handing the big Russian a small evidence bag with the tiny circular lapel pin.

He brought the bag to his face and peered at it closely. “Looks like a crest of some sort,” he grumbled. “Fraternal perhaps. This is a Sakura flower is it not?” He asked, pointing to the center of the design.

“Indeed,” Gabrielle replied. “It means that all the beautiful things in life are temporary. I don’t know who it belonged to or what organization it represents, but I would like to find out.”

“Where was it found?” he asked.

“Would you believe a seagull delivered it to me?” Xena replied, shifting uncomfortably.

He looked at her and chuckled. “From you, yes. I would believe that.”

Xena looked meaningfully at Gabrielle with a “move it along” expression.

“What is it?” Nicolai asked, his tone guarded.

Gabrielle sighed. “So, we – Xena, Aphrodite, Calypso, and I – need to do this thing. It’s like an astral plane, vision walk kind of thing. We will be in the den. Dr. Kate has been read in; she will monitor our vitals. I want that deck sealed to people coming and going, just so there aren’t distractions. I don’t know how long we’ll be out. Shen…”

Nicolai held up a hand. “You do not need to worry about boy,” he assured them. “When teenagers are grounded, they sulk. He will want to stay in the cargo bay for that noise he calls music, or he will sulk in the barracks with us. He knows movie theatre is off limits. I will let everyone know to keep him busy if needed. Argo,” he added in greeting.

“I don’t know if she should…” Gabrielle started to protest as Xena tapped her shoulder. The Russian was addressing the dog who had just wandered onto the bridge. He opened a cookie jar on the console and took out two small cookies.

“Cookie time,” he said, leaning down to hand them to the pit bull.

“If she follows us, she might as well join us,” Gabrielle decided. The large man shrugged.

“Take extra cookie,” he suggested.

Argo did follow Xena and Gabrielle through the hallways of the ship down to the lower decks and into one of the cargo holds. As clean and immaculate as the rest of the newly renovated mega yacht, a serviceable space had been cleared for recording. A spare rug had been placed in the center of the area to serve as a stage with amplifiers placed on either side of the drum kit; secured against potential movement of the ship. Microphones were appropriately placed, and a small recording unit was set up off to the side with a laptop computer. The driving thrum of drums, bass, and guitar could be heard long before the cargo area was reached. There was also a clear vocal that cut through the din, at once growling and strong.

Stone age love and strange sounds too,

Come on baby, let me get into you.

Bad nights causing teenage blues.

Get down ladies, you’ve got nothin’ to lose.

Hello, daddy, hello, mom,

I’m your ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb.

Hello world I’m your wild girl.

I’m your ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb.

Shen was playing bass, Blake on drums and Aphrodite playing guitar and singing; as they entered the hold the musicians stopped.

“You guys said I could do music,” Shen said somewhat defensively while lowering his instrument.

“It sounded good,” Gabrielle replied, choosing to ignore the tone.

“Is it time for us to get going?” Aphrodite asked. Xena nodded and the Goddess of Love put down her guitar and turned to Shen, giving him a hug and kiss on his forehead. “Duty calls, tiger. We can get back after it when these meetings are done.” He nodded a bit unhappily, looking down. “I’ll see you two at the meeting,” she said, leaving the hold and giving Xena and Gabrielle privacy with their son.

“I’ll look into that song by Mary’s Danish,” he called after her. “Thanks Aphrodite!” She turned and gave him a smile then left the cargo hold.

“You want to keep going?” Blake asked Shen, uncertainly. “I need to get going on dinner soon and could use the help?”

The boy shrugged sullenly. “Yeah, Blake, I’ll be there – meet you in the kitchen. We’ll get back to the music after dinner.”

The chef smiled winningly at his boss as he too left the hold, “Boss, Mrs. Boss,” he said, passing them.

“We’re wrecking all your fun, aren’t we?” Xena asked, quietly.

He sighed, “I got in trouble on my own, I get it,” he replied. “Aphrodite said you three have a big meeting?”

Gabrielle nodded. “We do. We’re multitasking, trying to track down Uncle Ariel and the usual work.”

“I asked if her uncle was okay and she also said he had gone off grid again and you guys were trying to find him. That’s kind of scary, like just going to Japan and not saying anything to anyone.” As he spoke, he carefully put his bass into its case before doing the same for the guitar.

Gabrielle glanced at Xena before replying. “He’s kind of a free spirit, we just want to find him to be sure. He does this from time to time.”

The boy nodded in agreement. “He’s kind of weird, but in a good way. He’s got that non-conformist vibe that Bo had. But, like something could also be wrong, so tracking him down makes sense. He’s kinda old and all. Aphrodite said she doesn’t have many living relatives.”

“That is true,” Xena replied. “So, we’re doing our meeting and also checking in with some people to help us look for Uncle Ariel. No one on the main deck until we’re done. Is that okay?”

“I know that if there is an emergency to let someone know and they’ll get a message to you. You’ve always taken time for me, even when you two are busy,” he said. “How long will the meeting be?”

“That’s hard to say,” Gabrielle admitted. “Several hours at least I expect, there is a lot of information that will need to be covered.”

“Like those marathon meetings when you’re buying a company?”

Xena nodded. “Kind of like that. You doing okay with the antibiotics?”

“No side effects, and Wolfgang and Vox are making sure I clean it properly – they both have enough tattoos to know. Vox even told me about a guy she knows in Garden Grove who could fix this.” The last bit was said with an uncertain hopefulness.

“I think that is doable,” Gabrielle said after a glance to Xena. “We don’t want you walking around with a…a…”

He looked down. “You can say ‘shitty tattoo’.” he mumbled.

“Shitty tattoo,” Xena finished for Gabrielle. “When this heals, we’ll see about Vox’s guy fixing it up right. You did this to impress Riki, didn’t you?”

His cheeks flushed crimson. “I don’t know if it was to impress her, I just didn’t want to look like a wuss. Now I just look like a dork with a shitty tattoo.”

Gabrielle chuckled affectionately, “Only for a few months or so hon. Talk to Vox, see how soon it’s safe to redo it, tell her we’re onboard. Okay, give us a hug – we will check in with you when we’re done with our meeting.”

He hugged each of his parents and accepted their forehead kisses, “I’ll hang with the guys,” he said as they left. “Have a good meeting.”

To their surprise, Aphrodite was waiting in the narrow hallway off the cargo hold, out of sight, “Sorry loves, I couldn’t resist eavesdropping. You know Riki is going to be his first, right?” She said as they walked the corridor back to the main area of the ship, then up the stairs to the den.

A little of the color drained from Gabrielle’s cheeks, “The stomach-churning part of parenting,” the bard quipped, “is hoping all those talks about consent and ethical adult communication took.”

Xena chuckled. “As long as he’s safe and sex positive. Do you know when?” she asked Aphrodite. The goddess nodded and the warrior quickly changed her mind, “Never mind, we don’t want to know.”

Now it was Aphrodite’s turn to chuckle, “Don’t worry loves, he’s going to talk to you two beforehand. And it won’t be until after he gets his driver’s license. By the way, my mustang is off limits to him,” she added.

“Noted. I can’t believe he’s going to be driving soon,” Gabrielle replied as the trio entered the den with Dr. Kate and Calypso already working on preparations. What surprised the bard was the additional presence of Nicolai Burns.

“Was not expecting to see you here, XO,” Gabrielle offered by way of greeting.

He shook his head, “Michelle is filling in as XO; today I am bodyguard. Ed is watching over Shen, and others are at watch posts for safety of ship. I will watch over this room. Just to be on safe side. You have…interesting…enemies.” He moved his jacket revealing a holstered automatic weapon.

“Thank you, Nicolai,” Gabrielle replied with Xena nodding her agreement. “Hopefully it won’t come to that.” The large Russian nodded respectfully and turned his back to the room stepping just outside the door like an impassable bouncer.

Along with the rest of the ship, the den area had been renovated from a space of couches with a large flat tv screen to small movie theatre with a larger screen and six reclining chairs. Additional oversized pillows in the room could accommodate more tv watchers on the floor, but the space as it was ideal for the family of three and some guests. The upscale mid-century fixtures and appointments had been maintained throughout the rest of the yacht giving everything a more retro-future design than the art deco motif of old. The room was dark browns and burgundies, with accents of blue and gold. A walnut coffee table was just below the movie screen, round spindly legs holding up the gleaning polished surface.

There was a noticeable sway to the ship which had Argo darting around the women and hopping onto one of the recliners, her ears cocked in attention. Gabrielle glanced at her companions, a concerned expression furrowing her brow. “The water is getting choppy,” she said. “I know it’s the season, but could it be something else?”

“Alti could be getting stronger?” Xena wondered aloud. “Maybe suspects we’re in the area?”

Aphrodite closed her eyes in concentration. “My uncle is weak,” she said softly. “Maybe she’s testing new found powers, maybe not. Either way we should probably get a move on.” “Preparation is simple,” Calypso said in response, nodding to the seating area. “These recliners will do nicely. But before we start, should we know more about this Alti person? We may encounter her where we are going.”

Xena nodded and faced the others as Gabrielle and Aphrodite took their places in the overstuffed reclining chairs.

 A battered travel kit was opened, something that to Gabrielle’s mind looked to be well over one hundred years old. Well-worn leather handles were on either side of a small case that had different compartments, like an apothecaries’ case or that of a perfumer. Calypso pulled out several vials while she waited for Xena to speak.

With a sigh, the warrior gathered her thoughts, never happy to revisit memories from that part of her life. “What I know of Alti,” she began as Calypso organized her ingredients and began work, “is based on stories Alti told me herself and what the northern Amazons had to say about her. She was born in the mountains near the territory of the Northern Tribe. Her father was a skilled hunter and she’d accompany him on hunting trips, learning at his side from the time she could first walk. Her mother was a gifted craftswoman until she was crippled in an attack by a bear. Her mother lost the use of one side, both her arm and her leg, and had to be cared for completely by her father. That didn’t stop them from having a second child, a boy. When the son came along, I think Alti’s father got distracted; disinterested perhaps in his young daughter when there was a boy to raise. As a result, Alti spent her days at the hut of the old village shaman. A tall, thin, spry man who taught her about herbs, plants, and the world around them.

“She described him as reserved but not unkind. He was self-sufficient, even as old as he was, he had no trouble traipsing through the forest, cutting wood, foraging. Rarely did he eat meat, but when he did, he was happy to let Alti do the hunting. From him she learned divination, how to read signs from the remnants in a tea cup, entrails, bones. He had a book of knowledge, and taught Alti to read and write so that she might learn from it as well. She was probably ten years old when she decided to take the book for her own and killed the shaman. Poisoned him with the very herbs he’d taught her about. She hid the book in her home with her family until it was discovered. Her father, ready to turn her in for what she’d done to the village healer, was no match for her determination. She took the book, set fire to the family home killing her mother, father and younger brother.

“She wandered the mountains, quite capable of taking care of herself, but was discovered by the Northern Amazons. Seeing a child on her own, they took in the ten-year old, not realizing just how self-sufficient she was. They didn’t care about a book written in a language that they neither spoke nor wrote, and at first felt that she was a positive addition to their tribe. They taught her Amazon ways, fighting, tracking, their magic and rituals. Alti stayed with them until she was sixteen. She learned from their mystics how to walk in the dream world, how to travel the planes parallel to our own. She learned strategy, politics, persuasion, manipulation, unlike Amarice who desperately wanted to fit in, Alti cared little for how others saw her. Always greedy for power, she tried to move into the line of succession in the tribe and was rebuffed. She’d planned to take her revenge like she had on her own family and set the hut where she’d been staying with the mystics on fire after an Artemis festival. What she didn’t realize is that amazons have sentries who stay sober to keep watch over the revelers and ward off opportunistic attacks. The fire was quickly put out and Alti was banished from the tribe.”

Xena looked over at Gabrielle before continuing. Her wife sat, her face in rapt attention with an expression of profound understanding. Aphrodite’s expression was calm, as was Calypso. Even Dr. Kate smiled kindly at her that she might continue. Deep down the warrior knew that she deserved more judgement for what came next than anyone in this room would give her. With a deep breath she continued. “When I met Alti, I was with a warrior named Borias. I’d been a pirate and warlord, and we had joined our armies together. Alti and I had much in common. We both sought power; me for what had befallen my home of Amphipolis, and I think Alti’s thirst for it came from the helplessness she saw in her mother. We had both been driven from places we considered home at the same age and we both held grudges and took revenge. In my company she found a refuge where she didn’t have to worry about villagers coming for her with torches and pitch forks. She found a willing student in me, eager to learn her dark ways if it could be one more weapon in my arsenal. And what warlord doesn’t appreciate a bit of divination, some idea as to how the battle may go and weaknesses can be exploited. Borias was immediately suspicious. Back then I felt that since I knew Alti was using me, that it didn’t matter because I was using her right back. I think I took more than I gave. I learned the rituals for walking in the dreamscape, how to stay safe, to stay sane. I learned about herbs, medicinal and otherwise.

While she spoke Goddess of the Sea ground some herbs and roots in a well-worn mortar with a pestle. Mesmerized by the rhythmic calmness of the African’s movements, Xena finished her tale, eager to move on to their mission. “My legs had been damaged by Caesar some time before and I was crippled. I could move more easily on horseback than by walking. I think Alti saw reflections of her mother in me. Perhaps she realized much too late that her mother was not as helpless as she thought. That maybe killing her family had been hasty, I don’t know. I do know that I made her uncomfortable and in time we parted ways. When she reappeared in my life after I’d decided to change it for the better, we fought and I killed her. Gabrielle and I have battled her several times with each encounter taking a toll. She is a toxic woman who lacks empathy and is driven by an unquenchable thirst for power. She is a powerful shaman and not to be taken lightly.”

“Certainly, I’m taking you at your word,” Dr. Kate said, clearly struggling with a sense of disbelief, “but every time I think I’ve heard the most fantastic, unimaginable tale from you two…”

“Xena has stories I’d struggle with had I not been there,” Aphrodite said supportively to the doctor. “But she is absolutely right that Alti is not to be taken lightly, besides coming back from the dead.”

“To capture the God of the Sea, I think not,” Calypso said in agreement. “We shall try to move quickly, carefully, not linger in the land of dreams but seek our good Aphrodite’s uncle and leave. We are almost ready.” She added the ground pulp to a clay cup and covered it with heated oil, making the contents sizzle, then carefully sliced four segments of orange rind, popping the fruit in her mouth and scoring the outside of the peel lightly with a sharp knife. When this was done, she added each peel the mix and stirred. “The tincture will send you on your trip,” she explained as she strained the oil from the solids. “you’ll put just a sip under your tongue, and the slice of orange rind which is now impregnated with the oil, will sustain the journey. Put the rind between your back teeth on one side and hold it there.”

Dr. Kate frowned uncomfortably, “As a medical professional I have to caution against putting anything in your body that you don’t know what it is,” she said. “This concern is of course tempered by the fact that none of you can be poisoned.”

“Your concern is duly noted,” Gabrielle replied with a smile, giving her dog a scratch behind the ears and kiss on the top of her head. “I know you don’t like rough seas, girl,” she said encouragingly to her dog. “Hopefully we won’t be too long and the storm will pass.”

“And Xena, when you return, please can we share a bottle of wine some time and talk about Caesar?” the doctor added with a wry grin. “I keep forgetting you two have had a front row seat to history, and I’d like to learn more.”

“He was a dick, but okay,” Xena agreed, taking her seat in one of the recliners.

Each of the women took a slice of the orange rind and made themselves comfortable. When they were settled, Dr. Kate gave each of them a small cup with a sip of the oil in it and put a thin blanket over their legs to keep their lower extremities warm.

“As you set sail,” Calypso instructed, “think about Aphrodite, let her energy, her chi guide you. Once we are at our destination we will have more independence, but her chi is what will bring us there. Her energy is the key that will unlock the door.” When the others nodded in understanding, she put the orange rind in her mouth then brought the small clay cup to her lips. “Chi ya ekwe,” she toasted them, then downed the contents.

As instructed, Gabrielle let the oil slide under her tongue and bit down on the piece of orange rind, deciding that the taste wasn’t unpleasant. She let her mind wander and think of Aphrodite which she had to admit was probably easier for her to do than Xena. She blinked a couple of times afraid that the tincture didn’t work. But as soon as her eyes opened, she realized it had. Instinctively she shut her eyes again to the intense bright white that flooded her senses.

“My old bedroom!” she heard Aphrodite exclaim. The bard opened her eyes again, wishing she had her sunglasses but grateful she was adjusting to the bright light.

“Wonder why her chi led us here,” Xena grumbled from behind. Gabrielle felt her cheeks flush, grateful her wife wasn’t facing her.

“Gabrielle!” the warrior exclaimed in surprise.

“What?” the bard asked turning around, surprised at what she saw, then looking down, even more surprised. “Woah!” she said suddenly feeling out of place and disoriented.

Once again, she was back in her brown skirt and green top, her hand holding a familiar quarterstaff. Her hair was long and strawberry blonde. Gone were the jeans, light sweaters and shoes they’d been wearing. Xena was wearing the same leather armor and breastplate she’d worn when they met. Her short sword on her back, dark chakram at her hip. Behind Xena stood Aphrodite in her pink lingerie with strappy sandals and behind her was Calypso dressed in a simple shimmering blue garment, off of one shoulder, a magnificent, ornate necklace gracing her neck.

“It is stunning,” Calypso said, appreciatively looking around the room.

Suddenly unsteady on her feet, Gabrielle faltered only to be steadied by Xena and Aphrodite on either side. The goddess quickly released her arm in deference to Xena. After two millennia she felt like an imposter in these clothes; they belonged to someone she scarcely recognized. The quarterstaff felt rough in her hands, the callouses from the hours of training having given way when she changed weapons.

“Are you alright?” Xena asked quietly. Gabrielle nodded, noting the ease and confidence of her wife’s posture. She suspected Xena did not feel out of place or time.

Unable to help herself, Gabrielle touched Xena’s midriff, fingertips encountering warm leather. Her hand then touched the warrior’s breast plate, fingers lightly trailing over hard metal. Abruptly she stopped when she realized that everyone was watching her. “This seems so real,” she said. Taking a breath, she stepped away from Xena but had a hard time looking anywhere else.

Aside from materializing in The Goddess of Love’s boudoir, Xena had a hard time keeping a smile off her face. Back in the second skin of her armor she felt more at home and confident than she had at any time in the five years since her resurrection. As much as Gabrielle assured her that she was learning so much so fast, it was impossible not to feel out of place and out of sorts much of the time. Sure, she’d learned how to use a gun, drive a car, and any number of other tasks necessary for her new life, but back in her armor, with weapons that were an extension of her body, she truly felt formidable. There was also no denying the blatant attraction in Gabrielle’s expression. While she had no doubt that the bard felt uncomfortable in her clothing of old, she very much enjoyed seeing her in her armor.

There was something in the scene that Aphrodite found equal parts nurturing and distasteful. She’d missed her home, plain and simple. Being honest with herself, she missed her family, even though most of the time she felt apart and different from them. She missed the palace, this bedroom, the way sound echoed and traveled through the immense space. At the same time however, she did not miss what she was wearing. She did not miss who she was back then. Aphrodite was a firm believer in growth and evolution, each new day providing a chance to change and develop. Being flung back into the garb of an earlier incarnation of herself felt like going backwards, and she was not one for looking back. But at the same time, she couldn’t help but appreciate seeing Xena and Gabrielle as she had met them. Xena’s taciturn warrior and Gabrielle’s… Gabrielle. Aphrodite realized she could not envision a Gabrielle other than the one she had come to know. Seeing her like this, in the brown skirt and bilious green top made her regret not getting to know the bard better so long ago.

For Calypso’s part, she found the whole scene amusing. She could sense the thrum of danger in the air but seeing how other gods lived, one couldn’t help but be interested. She wondered if this palace was itself a physical manifestation of where the Greek gods went wrong. Staying apart and aloof, dabbling in the lives of mortals yet not living among them or being an intrinsic part of their daily lives. This had to be where Poseidon got it right and the others got it wrong.

With eyes adjusted to the gleaming light, and her wife’s supportive arm, Gabrielle took a moment to take in their surroundings. Everything was white; gleaming ivory with accents of glacial blue and dusky pink. And unlike marble that looked cold to the touch, the surfaces here seemed to shimmer at the sound of their voices and movement. In fact, the ‘bedroom’ as Aphrodite put it was a great palace that seemed to thrum and vibrate in pleasant counterpoint to their presence.

“Not crazy about my ensemble,” Aphrodite muttered with disappointment. “I guess this is a time warp or something. You three look hot.”

Calypso bowed her head in gratitude while Xena ignored the compliment. Gabrielle was furious with herself for blushing again.

“The flowers,” Xena breathed. Gabrielle’s attention was gratefully drawn from Aphrodite to the planters with blooms of every color imaginable spilling down vines that reached the floor. Vast columns with Ionic caps lined the hall rising to the ceiling with delicate vines climbing on them. Ornate mosaics in pale hues decorated the floors. Immaculate gardens bursting with life could be seen beyond the palace. The air was lush and fragrant, but not overpowering. While it seemed impossible this high up on the mountain, Gabrielle was sure she could detect the freshness of a sea-breeze as well.

The room was replete with overstuffed furniture – couches, settees, and beds that all looked warm and inviting. There was a dining area and a large sunken pool. Gabrielle was surprised that the bedroom was decorated with more sophistication than the temples to Aphrodite that she known. As she walked across the glacial blue mosaic floor, glowing white footprints followed briefly in her wake. She immediately felt comfortable here and wished she could spend hours here.

“Everyone has a bedroom like this?” the bard heard herself asking.

Aphrodite shrugged. “Most of us. I got the short shrift with one of the smaller ones. You should see Zeus’ bedroom – that thing is over the top. Totally ostentatious. Athena’s is pretty nice though, very tasteful.”

“How do we find Poseidon?” Xena asked, feeling herself fall into role of leader once again. On the one hand, there was much the warrior appreciated about her new life. She enjoyed the challenges she faced in learning to adapt and fit in, she appreciated the conveniences and relative safety they enjoyed. She was happy to leave her days of battling supernatural monsters behind her. But now, back in her armor, she realized there were some things that she truly missed. This felt like ‘her world’ and where she lived was ‘Gabrielle’s world’. Even though she could feel herself adjust and adapt, she missed the feeling of knowing the ropes, being the one in charge, the one with experience. With a small degree of guilt, she realized that how she spent most of her time now was how Gabrielle must have felt in those first years traveling together. Nevertheless, she was happy for the respite Mount Olympus provided.

“Let’s check the main hall,” Aphrodite suggested. “He doesn’t have a room up here, he’s probably in one of the common areas.” Recovered from her initial disappointment in wardrobe, The Goddess of Love confidently strode out into the hallway. Leading the group down the cavernous hall, oblivious to the stares of wonderment of her companions, she chatted proudly about the features as they passed. “This mural is one of my favorites. And I love the babbling fountains.” While the ceilings of the bedroom were a little higher than a normal room, they still gave a sense of coziness and intimacy to the space. The hallways on the other hand had vaulted ceilings that seemed to rise up forever. A few shades of gray seemed to enter the color palate as they moved through the long hall, the visual overload given the occasional respite from the sound of a fountain, or chirp of various birds outside the open-air windows. Rows of Doric columns lined the hall. “Off that way was Athena’s room, down this hall was Artemis, and Apollo had a room on the other side of her. Sun and Moon, yin and yang, you get the idea.” They did not hear anyone in the hall, but as they reached an anteroom before two giant golden doors decorated with meticulous relief, the sound of boisterous disagreement could be heard from the room beyond.

“Are there people here?” Gabrielle asked, all eyes turning to Calypso.

“This is a memory,” she assured the other three. “Poseidon will be the only one who is more than that. And Alti of course if she’s here.”

With a shrug, Aphrodite pushed on one of the massive gold doors. It moved easily inward, allowing the group to go inside.

Xena instantly felt very small inside the vast throne room. Much larger than the main hall of Asgard, this space was as large as The Parthenon. Rows of Corinthian Columns led down the immense space to a gleaming black marble throne which dominated one end of the room. At the other end was an enormous fire place with a blazing blue and turquoise fire.

Zeus sat upon his throne with Hera at his side in a smaller throne on a dais as they watched the other figures below arguing. They were gathered around a lavish feast table made from the same gleaming back marble with gold accents. Predictable and unsurprising, the assembled gods were arguing about who was more powerful, more cunning, better looking, more ruthless. Apollo and Hermes were squabbling between themselves, as were Ares and Athena, with Artemis occasionally offering her opinion. Hades threw up his arms in disgust and stormed out, leaving a smug looking Demeter. With a self-satisfied smirk she plucked some Ambrosia from a bowl and popped it into her mouth. Every delicacy imaginable was present on the table as well as great bowls of Ambrosia and pitchers of wine and nectar. On cue, Gabrielle’s stomach rumbled.

“Looks about how I remember it,” Aphrodite said.

Xena hesitated a moment before following because she almost felt like Ares had paused in his conversation with Athena to look at her, a puzzled look crossed his face, then he returned to his argument.

“Look over there,” Gabrielle said, peering out one of the window openings to the majestic gardens beyond. “There you are.”

Wearing her recognizable pink, Aphrodite was in the garden watching some birds overhead then stooping to smell one of the nearby blooms. The quartet watched as Ares looked around at his brethren, then excused himself to go out to the garden as well. He approached the Aphrodite in the garden and the two of them could be seen talking.

“What are you guys arguing about?” Xena asked.

The Goddess of Love glanced from Xena to Gabrielle before replying, “I don’t really remember.” The bard sensed she was hiding something. “Let’s try this way,” Aphrodite added before leading the group away from the window and her memory.

As they walked, the movement of the gleaming white surfaces was almost mesmerizing in their display. They left the high vaulted ceilings and vast halls of the palace. The next hallway was more akin to Westminster Abby or Notre Dame, which while magnificent, seemed almost mundane in comparison to what they’d already seen. They reached a wide stairway leading down. “This way goes to Hephaestus’ cave, and below that, down quite a bit further is Hades and Tartarus.”

“I thought there was a river, Styx, isn’t it?” Calypso asked, confused. “Charon? A boat?”

Aphrodite smiled, pleased the goddess knew her family. “Yes, but there are a couple of back entrances to Tartarus as well. Employees only, a ‘family entrance’ if you will.”

“Ahh,” the black woman said understandingly.

They continued down until an unexpected voice made them freeze on the stairs.

“You can’t be here!” an angry voice shouted a short distance below and around the bend. “There is no place for you here.”

“Please,” another voice replied, “just let me rest here a moment.”

“You have to go!” The first voice shouted back.

“Uncle…” Aphrodite breathed.

The four women looked at each other, then quickly headed down the stairs towards the sound of the voices. They reached a landing, a vast cave-like area to one side of the stairs, and a deep chasm on the other. On the cave side, stalagmites and stalactites glowed in greens and blues from phosphorescent lichens and mosses growing on their surfaces, the marbling and colors continuing down the stairs beyond. Wearing tattered robes, Poseidon was huddled at the base of one of the rock formations, being yelled at by a short, unattractive, muscle-bound man.

“Ladies, my ex-husband Hephaestus” Aphrodite said distastefully.

Xena looked at the god of blacksmiths and puzzled at what an odd match he seemed for her friend. Beyond the differences in appearance, the small man seemed to lack the empathy or humor she felt a mate to the goddess of love would require. She wondered what Aphrodite saw in Hephaestus versus Gabrielle and how different people must seem through love’s eyes.

“You need to leave,” he said again, towering over the old man on the ground and threatening him with a hammer. A hammer that Gabrielle now possessed in a safe on her ship.

“Can he see us?” Gabrielle asked and immediately had Poseidon’s attention.

Poseidon turned his head to look at them. “Finally!” he said gratefully. Hephaestus ignored them.

“Why can they see him and not us?” Xena asked no one in particular.

“It’s Alti,” Poseidon said. He stood, heading towards the stairs, making it clear he was going to leave which seemed to appease the God of Blacksmiths who retreated into his cave.

“I’ve been trying to hide, but she keeps finding me. My brethren sound the alarm every time they come across me. They make a ruckus and Alti shows up. You know her, right? She sure seems to know you, and hates you enough to take over some young woman’s body to pull this shit.” He spoke hurriedly, as if he were running out of time. His voice was labored and breathy, not at all the man Gabrielle had come to know in the last two thousand years. Certainly not the healthy, fit god Aphrodite had known her whole life.

Poseidon spoke impatiently, his words rushing to get out. “Niko Saito’s sister-in-law, Kana. That’s who she’s using. We don’t have much time. Onozuka – the man or organization she’s partnered with – is where she got the dead ambrosia and white amber incense. Alti has found someone else to help her too, a witch I think, or spirits, I’m not sure. There are these…monsters at the edge of my consciousness. I’ve no clue who or what they are. Something having to do with your business with Yodoshi back in the day. I can’t keep coming back, I’m doing my best to stay out of her grasp but…when she finds me, I wake up and get dosed again. The incense carries the dead ambrosia – insidious. I don’t have much gas left in the tank. You need to get to my physical body, soon.”

“How is this place protecting you?” Xena asked, gesturing around to indicate the dreamscape.

“If I’m unconscious I breathe more slowly, my body heals, I have more stamina. She doesn’t want me fortifying myself.”

“We need to make sure she doesn’t find you here then,” Xena said.

“How did this happen in the first place?” Gabrielle asked imploringly. “Why were you here and not in Hawai’i?”

“I got played,” he said, embarrassed. “Text message from you telling me to meet you in Karatsu and that it was urgent.”

“It must be after she took over the sister-in-law’s body?” Xena suggested. “She’s done her research, obviously. She spoofed Gabrielle’s number to place a fake text.”

“You couldn’t call to verify?” the bard asked dismayed. “The wedding…”

The God of the Sea’s eyes narrowed, “I’ve always just shown up when you’ve asked me to before,” he said defensively.

“No one is blaming you,” Aphrodite jumped in, coming to the bard’s defense. “We’re all just worried and obviously want to get you out of this.”

“Which is exactly what we’re going to do,” Xena added.

A short distance up the stairs, they heard the slow clapping of hands and turned to see a silhouette. The posture and presence of the imposing figure was instantly recognizable. She took a couple of steps down the stairs until the glow from the cave area illuminated the familiar face. “Nicely done, Xena,” Alti said, a wide smirk across her face. “Use the right bait and you are wonderfully predictable.”

Xena took in the scene, backing herself down the stairs with her companions in a unhurried manner. She tried to maintain the same distance between themselves and Alti, hoping that if they reached Tartarus they’d come across something useful.

“What do you want with Poseidon anyway?” Xena called up the stairs, “or any of us for that matter? You found your way back, isn’t that enough?”

“Xena, you know there is never enough.” She laughed, a sound that was more dangerous than humorous. Xena wasn’t surprised that she looked the same. As their clothing indicated, anything was possible in the realm of dreams.

“Poseidon was the one who stepped in it with the gods of Japan for bringing you back, I’m just taking advantage of the situation.” She continued slinking down the stairs like a cat. “Acquiring the power of the four of you is just icing on the cake.” The air shimmered, and Alti appeared a split-second later in front of Xena, laughing.

The warrior princess instantly drew her sword, the blade reflecting the glow of the lichens around them. “Keep moving,” she urged under her breath to Aphrodite and Calypso as they assisted Poseidon.

“Not so fast,” Alti warned, throwing out her hand, catching Aphrodite and Calypso off-guard. The stairs seemed to vanish, replaced by more chasm. “You know that I’m strongest in the dream world, Xena. You wanted to meet me here, that’s either hubris or idiocy. Exactly where do you think you’re taking the old man of the sea?” she taunted. “You don’t have any idea where his body is, not that you could get to it if you did.”

“Maybe this isn’t about Poseidon,” the warrior offered, hoping to stall for time.

“Aphrodite,” Poseidon said, looking at Calypso and seemingly unconcerned about his predicament, “who is your stunning friend?”

Xena and Gabrielle focused on Alti, ignoring Calypso’s response if there was any. “I think that chasm is our best bet,” the warrior muttered to Gabrielle who nodded in agreement, wishing she had her sais instead of her quarterstaff.

“To the side,” Gabrielle agreed. “The rest is illusion,” she added suspecting that the stairs were still there, it was just a trick of Alti’s to keep them hidden. “I mean, it’s all illusion but you get my drift.”

“Xena and her puppy,” the shaman taunted, “how sweet. The thing about illusion is that it’s real enough in a place like this until you can prove it isn’t. Stupid little girl.” With that, the quarter staff flew from Gabrielle’s hands into the chasm beyond. Momentarily the faint clatter of wood meeting rock drifted up the dark abyss.

Warrior and bard exchanged knowing glances. Alti not realizing how formidable Gabrielle had become could work to their advantage.

“Besting you three times wasn’t enough Alti?” Xena asked affably. “I really thought the last time with the amber would hold.”

“Funny thing about amber,” Alti mused, “you never know who is going to mine for it. Crack open the wrong stone and…”

“Hell literally breaks loose,” Gabrielle groused.

“It wasn’t hard to find a god pissed off at the resurrection loophole,” she said with a wicked smile.

“Are you about to tell me that people who are dead should stay dead?” Xena quipped. “Because, pot, kettle.” She shrugged.

“Nice,” Alti replied. “Hachiman might not have been interested in your little stunt, but some demons were. Yodoshi had friends in the Shinigami. He served them faithfully.” She flicked her fingers and Xena was launched up in the air and then slammed down on the stairs, hard.

Undeterred, Xena got up and advanced on Alti with her sword, taking a couple of swings at her old foe. Alti shimmered each time, reappearing after the sword passed through smoky air.

“Let’s up the ante,” Alti said, glancing at the bard. As they watched, she morphed into Gabrielle. A Gabrielle decked out in yellow with short blond hair, and mehndi tattoos. A Gabrielle from her time as a pacifist. “Can you stab your puppy?” Alti taunted, but with Gabrielle’s voice and cadence. “Your unarmed, pacifist, puppy?”

Xena lowered her sword, her eyes darting in between the two Gabrielles. Even as she hesitated, Gabrielle did not, and in one smooth motion she grabbed the chakram from Xena’s waist and threw it at Alti. The weapon left a nasty gash across the shaman’s midsection before hitting a rock and returning to Xena who expertly caught it. Aphrodite rushed forward towards Xena, adding another barrier between the shaman and Poseidon. “Who’s the whore?” Alti asked, as the wound across her middle knit itself back together.

“Ohhh slut-shaming, how original,” Aphrodite shot back, unimpressed. “A dream scape is what you make it,” she added under her breath for her companion’s ears only.

“I’m going to enjoy devouring you next,” she taunted the goddess. “I’ll bet you taste delicious.”

“If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard that,” Aphrodite quipped.

With a humorless grin Alti pulled something from the waist of her sari. Recognizing what it was, Gabrielle launched herself in front of Xena and Aphrodite, taking the full brunt of the powder that Alti blew from the small compact.

“Aghhhh,” Gabrielle howled in pain. Coughing and choking, she shook her head violently against the blindness caused by the powder.

“Gabrielle!” Xena yelled, equal parts surprise and anguish.

Be my eyes, Aphrodite staggered backward with the force of Gabrielle’s silent request manifesting in her mind. With clarity and intention, Aphrodite took in the whole scene. Where Alti, Xena, Gabrielle, and she stood, the last of the powder falling was to the ground, leaving warrior and goddess unharmed. Just as Xena tightened her grip on her sword once more, she was surprised by the movement in front of her.

“Save Poseidon,” Gabrielle urged, turning her head towards Xena and launching herself at Alti. As she had hoped, the fact that she was blinded and not looking at the shaman meant that Alti was not expecting an attack from her. Aphrodite had indeed served as the bard’s eyes, giving her information she needed to catch her doppelganger in the mid-section and run off the side of the chasm with her.

To Xena it was a horrible history repeating itself as Gabrielle launched herself at her twin and vanished from sight. Only instead of Hope, it was her pacifist twin.

“Gabrielle!” Xena screamed and ran to the side of the chasm to look down into rocky blackness, but as soon as Alti went over the side the illusion broke and the stairs downward reappeared.

“This is a dreamscape,” Aphrodite reminded her, “a memory. I think Gabrielle will be okay. She should recover in our world.”

“You think?” Xena demanded hotly. “Should?” The warrior’s eyes blazed with frustration and worry. “Damage in the dream realm costs you in the waking realm. You know that.”

“I know,” Aphrodite replied, trying to project calm even though her own panic was threatening to overwhelm her. “But Gabrielle is strong, and she knows we have one shot at this.”

“We need to keep moving,” Calypso urged, helping Poseidon move down the stairs. “That won’t stop Alti for long.”

Their peril made real; Xena hesitated for just a moment deciding what to do. Save Poseidon, Gabrielle’s words tore into the warrior with heightened anguish. While she felt the déjà vu of her bard and Hope, she also couldn’t help but remember what Gabrielle believed she had said at that fountain – not to save her, to go on alone, that she must go on alone. Only now did she realize truly what strength that must have taken.

“Alti isn’t dead, she’s going to come back,” Poseidon warned, echoing Calypso.

Decision made, Xena turned to Aphrodite and saw the fear etched on the goddess’ timeless face. While she may have said words of encouragement about the bard’s chances, she was clearly scared. Concern and love for Gabrielle was etched on her face like a map, feelings possibly as strong as her own. Her mind made up; Xena would trust the wellbeing of her bard to no one else.

“Aphrodite, go take care of Gabrielle,” she said.

“Wait a minute,” Poseidon interjected, not happy with this development. “I’m the one who needs rescuing here.”

Xena ignored him. She spoke quickly as they hurried down the stairs, “Can we stay here if you aren’t?”

“I don’t see why not,” Aphrodite answered.

“Yes,” Calypso agreed, “Aphrodite showed us the way. Now that we are here, we can stay and she can go back for Gabrielle.”

Xena stopped abruptly, putting her hands on Aphrodite’s shoulders to look her in the eyes. The worry on the goddess’s face told her all she needed to know. “Go to her,” she urged.

Aphrodite nodded, knowing Xena needed no other confirmation. Briefly her eyes met Poseidon’s, and she smiled at him; a loving, concerned smile. “Hang in there, Uncle Ariel,” she said. “We will get you out of this.”

He nodded in unhappy acknowledgement and in an instant, she was gone.

Chapter 9: Altered States

Aphrodite woke with a gasp to the sound of chaos in the den. She could hear Argo barking and Dr. Kate working on Gabrielle, concern threading through the doctor’s calm voice. Nicolai was assisting her, and the large man was soaking wet, a fact that barely registered with the goddess. “Let’s get her to sickbay,” the doctor instructed her crewmate. “She’s bleeding out of her ears and nose, BP is high…”

“NO,” Aphrodite said firmly, startling the other two as she sat up. “Nicolai,” she continued with a calmness she did not entirely feel, “take Gabrielle to the pool. It’s salt-water, right? I will take care of her there.” A quick glance to Calypso and Xena the goddess was reassured that they were still in the dreamscape, sleeping soundly in their recliners, unbothered by the noise in the den.

The large Russian was clearly torn between whose directions to follow and he hesitated a moment before the doctor shrugged. “Gabrielle would tell you to listen to Aphrodite over me,” she admitted. “Argo has stopped barking, so I think she’s reassured by Aphrodite too.” He nodded and gently picked up his boss. Aphrodite couldn’t help but notice how small and frail Gabrielle appeared in the large man’s arms. With the upmost care, he gently moved outside to the deck and the saltwater pool.

The rain was coming down in sheets, making it clear why the Russian was soaking wet. The yacht pitched side to side. Kate Sprucehill moved to follow the others outside, equally unconcerned about the rain as the deck shifted.

“Stay here,” Aphrodite instructed the doctor. “Keep watch over the others – I’ve got Gabrielle.” The doctor acknowledged with an affirmative nod, returning to the den and the remaining pair of unconscious women.

Moving quickly and carefully across the slick deck, Aphrodite pushed ahead of the Russian, pulling the cover from a section of the pool. Water splashed out with each rock of the yacht, further soaking the teak deck. Nicolai arrived seconds later, followed by Argo. “I’ll take Gabrielle,” Aphrodite said, standing on the top step in the water.

Without hesitation he did as he was asked, noticing that Aphrodite held Gabrielle as if she weighed nothing. He nodded his approval. Moving quickly, she descended the stairs, lowering herself into the water. Not needing to be asked. Nicolai moved to the pool cover control, hitting the switch that retracted the cover into its housing.

“Go back to the den, little one,” she said to the dog who cocked her head uncertainly. “I know you don’t like rain. Stay with Xena. It’s okay.” With a grateful chuff, the pit bull padded away. Swiftly and efficiently, Aphrodite removed Gabrielle’s clothing as well as her own, tossing it all onto the deck. Treading water, she held Gabrielle, the bard’s head resting on her shoulder clear of the water. Out of the darkness, the pool water began to glow a faint blue and became increasingly opaque.

“How long can you tread water?” Nicolai asked, mesmerized by Aphrodite’s glacial blue eyes that began to glow faintly, pulsating in tandem with the water in the pool.

She smiled at him, a smile that conveyed hopefulness as well as worry. “As long as it takes,” she said. He nodded a crisp nod of respect and turned his back to give her privacy. With approval she noticed his balanced stance, unconcerned about the rocking of the yacht or the rain. He stood watch with one hand on his gun, looking out at the night beyond.

Aphrodite turned her attention inward. She could feel Gabrielle’s confusion, her pain and fear, but for now she did not seem to be in mortal danger. The bard was panicked, but here in seawater where the Goddess of Love had been born, she was in as safe a place as she could be. Gently, she opened the bard’s mouth and removed the slice of orange rind, tossing it onto the teak deck. She then began to wash Gabrielle’s face, removing the blood from her ears and nose. The bleeding had stopped, and though she could wake the bard up from her dream state, she knew allowing her to wake her own would make her stronger in the end. Reaching out with her senses, she provided comfort and strength to Gabrielle, hoping that her friend could feel it. She pushed the hair from Gabrielle’s face and held her once again with the bard’s head resting on her shoulder.

“Nicolai,” she said softly. The large man turned around, giving the goddess his undivided attention. He moved his hand from the gun under his jacket, knowing that if danger approached from the darkness beyond, Aphrodite would know before he did. “Two requests,” she began. “First, please text Blake – he’s in the kitchen. I will need a pitcher of cucumber puree mixed with some agave, lime juice, muddled mint leaves, electrolytes, vitamin b-12 and soda water. I’ll need a pitcher every two hours.” He took out his phone and texted his request. “Ask for two glasses,” she added. She could tell he was about to protest but thought better of it.

“The second thing?” he asked.

“Gabrielle is going to be okay,” she assured him. “I won’t say she isn’t badly hurt, she is, but I feel hopeful it will just take time. Tell me how you two met.” The last was said with a gentleness and compassion that told the Russian she already knew the answer. She knew from where his devotion to Gabrielle came and that articulating it, here and now between the two of them and the night sky was somehow important. He studied her for long moments before speaking. Two bodies entwined in a pool of shimmering iridescent water, the raindrops creating a mesmerizing pattern on the surface. They were beautiful. The faint illumination made Gabrielle’s dragon tattoo stand out in stark contrast to her light skin and milky glacial blue water. Aphrodite moved with grace and power, supporting his boss as if it were effortless. While a stunning sight, it wasn’t sexual. If anything, these days he thought of Gabrielle Evans as a little sister, although she was old enough to be his mother of many, many generations past. He loved her with all his heart. Telling a story would be a distraction from the rain and the cold. And telling it to this woman would be an honor.

“When I was young man, early twenties,” he began, his deep voice gravely and unhurried, “I worked for government, in Moscow. I’d been trained since childhood. You saw ‘Black Widow’ movie? We had that for boys too. KGB, FSB meet new boss same as old boss. I was on mission. Team of three, Ivan was leader. He was one of the best, Ivan. Very experienced; very decorated. Mission was simple, move scientist to new lab. He was working on a new bio-weapon. Who knows? Maybe like COVID or Ebola. Very secret, had it all up here.” He tapped his temple and shook his head sadly. Gabrielle’s organization had not been spared from the pandemic. Everyone had lost friends and colleagues to COVID-19.

“We knew CIA would try to take out scientist, but we spotted CIA early on. Three-man team, nimble, flexible – what we did not expect was a two-woman team, not CIA. They were on motorcycles, amazing shots those two. We knew they were women because they were small. Either women or jockeys. Both dressed in black, hard to hit. One woman shoots Ivan, kills him, I killed her. The other one killed Dmitriy. I kept scientist alive as long as I could but…” he shrugged. “Once scientist was dead, last woman on motorcycle left. I thought for sure I was dead, but no.

“That night, I made my way to bar. Sat down with bottle and rattled nerves. Never before had death walked so close to me. I felt trapped. I’d been drinking for two hours maybe, when this woman walks in,” he nodded in Gabrielle’s direction. “Beautiful woman, long blond hair, classy dress. She looks like million bucks. She sits down at bar not far from me, asks for vodka in fluent Russian. I assume she is Russian. But bartender is distracted, so I grab glass and give her some from my bottle. She says I look like man trying to get lost in bottle and I said I was. Rough night. She explained that she, too had rough night. Said one of her friends had been shot and killed. I tell you; my blood went cold. I knew, I knew that this was the woman who had spared me. I cut to chase, ask if she is going to kill me in bar. She laughs sadly at me and says no, she came to offer me job. Said I handled myself well, was good shot, tough guy.” Stopping for a moment, it was clear that the memories were bringing up feelings. He was about to continue when a raised eyebrow from Aphrodite made him pause.

Kate Sprucehill joined them on deck with a tray laden with the requested pitcher and two glasses. “Blake said he was instructed to deliver this to the den, that it was for you. I’ve got Prisha with Xena and Calypso,” she added, answering the unasked question. “They are still unconscious, but fine; blood pressure normal; dreaming. Argo is curled up at Xena’s feet.”

The doctor handed the tray to Nicolai, who held it so she could add several ice cubes to one of the glasses. She filled it with the concoction and leaned down to hand it to Aphrodite, careful to keep her balance. She then did the same for Nicolai. The large man thanked her, suddenly bashful. “Do you need anything else?” she asked, accepting the tray and turning her attention to Aphrodite once again.

After a thoughtful sip of the drink, Aphrodite replied, “I will need Michelle to get a fragment of Xena’s chakram out of the safe and bring it to me. I don’t need it right away, but I would like it nearby.”

“How is she doing?” she asked with a nod to Gabrielle.

“Stable,” the goddess replied. “Time will tell us more.”

“The water is beautiful,” she added unable to keep herself from commenting on the unusual appearance of the swimming pool. “And your eyes…”

“Thank you,” Aphrodite replied with smile.

The doctor nodded and smiled once more at Nicolai before leaving. “No one would ask you to leave your post,” she said to him, “but you need to hydrate to keep sharp. This rain isn’t going to work by osmosis.” He smiled and thanked her again, watching as she turned and left.

“I think she likes you,” Aphrodite said warmly.

He chuckled, his grey eyes surprisingly open and vulnerable. “It is nice to feel things even when you know nothing will come of it. As I tell Boss, I am married to work.”

Aphrodite nodded in understanding. “So, what happened in the bar when Gabrielle asked you to work for her?”

“I laughed in her face,” Nicolai replied with a chuckle. “I said I belonged to Moscow. Not even oligarch could take me from organization. Then she laughed at me! Said she was oligarch that other oligarchs feared. Up to this point, I had no idea if she was Russian, American, English, French, she sounded as Russian as me. I wondered if this was test. I told her I had family to look out for and would do nothing to put them in danger. That Russia was my mother. She is thoughtful a moment, then downs her vodka and asks if she took every bit of my blood out of Russia, would I work for her?

“I knew that was an impossible task. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, cousins, nieces, nephews. I tell her that there are twenty-six people in my family. She takes a list from her purse and puts it in front of me and tells me it’s twenty-eight. She had the names of everyone – including the two cousins I don’t like who I’d forgotten. She said that she would move all twenty-eight – including pets – out of Russia if I could give her two days. I told her that no man had blood so precious. She said that maybe she was a better judge of character than I. I tell you Aphrodite, she managed it in a day and a half. Found places to live, found jobs similar to what my family already did or better. I did not know then that she had this vast team of people that she could direct to solve a problem like how to save one unworthy man’s entire family. I had one brother and one sister who refused to move, worked for Moscow and stayed there, and she was able to protect them anyway as oligarch.”

“Where did your family settle?” Aphrodite asked, intrigued by the story.

“Initially family moved to Finland, some to Estonia, Latvia but now they live all over. Some in Europe, even America, Canada and Mexico. Beautiful beaches in Mexico.” He chuckled to himself, “I have brother in Florida, I call him ‘Florida Man’ and he hates that, but he loves Miami. When father died mother wanted to move to Italy. I visit every Christmas and birthday.”

Nicolai had stopped talking and seemed lost in thought. “What else?” Aphrodite asked softly.

He looked at her; a goddess he had once been suspicious of, because of fear and assumption. In her gaze he felt exposed, yet stronger for the willingness to be open. He noticed she’d finished her drink so he refilled it, leaning over the water to do so. He had to acknowledge that the doctor was right. There was something mesmerizingly beautiful about the strange look of the pool water. Aphrodite nodded pointedly at his untouched glass so he downed all of it, deciding that the taste was refreshing and he did feel better for having consumed it.

“I was different man all those years ago,” he said at last. “Coming up on forty years. I am a much different man at sixty-two than I was at twenty-two. I had prejudices. I had judgments. But my word is my word and my job is my job. Suddenly, I was working with people from the world over. Susan Yin set me straight more than once. We were both kids then.

“I taught Susan to speak Russian and she taught me Chinese. Once a month we would trade a dish our grandmothers made. I was learning. I learned to accept differences, to respect and value diversity. No one else was ex Russian spy. German, yes. Scottish demolitions expert, sure. French sharpshooter, da.

“Gabrielle tested me. Pushed me to see if there were limits to my loyalty. I would accompany her on trips. She left me unguarded with people who wanted to buy my loyalty away from her, yet she never seemed concerned. I saw how she interacted with people, how she conducted business. She could be ruthless, she could be generous, she was smart, had humor. She made mistakes on occasion and had flaws like anyone else. First time I found her in bed with three other women from an all-night bender I was disgusted. She was unapologetic and unashamed. Here too I had to relearn what I thought I knew. The only man on this boat that could last five minutes in the ring with me is Ed. He is black. He likes men, what do I care? If I need help in a fight and Xena or Gabrielle are busy, I call Ed. If I told my uncle Mischa how many lesbians I have met in this job, he would not believe me. He says lesbians are myth, like sasquatch. Uncle Mischa is an idiot who drinks too much.”

“I won’t argue with you there,” Aphrodite agreed. Nicolai chuckled, a sound that reminded the goddess of joyful boulders grinding together.

“She is citizen of the world now,” he continued, “no more American than Russian, European or any of it. Her birthplace may have been Greece, but she lives everywhere. It took a while for this dim soul to understand and appreciate it, but I do. I’ve seen her foil American schemes, Saudi plans and so on. Boarders are just lines on a map. We all bleed red, yes?”

Quiet once more, he knelt down on one knee so he could look more directly at Aphrodite. “The woman you hold saved twenty-nine lives in my family including me. She could tell you the name of every person on earth that I share blood with. And she can do that for every one on this boat. Everyone in Special Projects or Transportation as well. Probably most people in her company. Whatever you need from any one of us, you save her.” He stood and was about to return to his post to keep watch when a question occurred to him. “If I may ask, how did you meet Gabrielle?”

~~~~~

Her heart aching and torn, Xena continued down the stairs with Calypso and Poseidon. “I don’t know how long we have,” the warrior pressed, all business. “What do we need to know? Where are they keeping you?”

Poseidon struggled for breath as he fought to keep pace with his companions. “I was in a stone room, an abandoned temple, I think. Mountains. But I’ve been moved. I’m closer to sea level but inland a bit. Fancy house. Lots of security forces, guys with guns, tattoos. Onozuka is the one supplying the muscle, I think. She killed one of his henchmen that I saw, maybe she’s killed more, I don’t know.”

“Onozuka,” Calypso repeated, making sure she remembered the name.

In spite of his condition and predicament he attempted what he hoped was a winning smile at the African goddess. “The man she killed, Mr. Tam, mentioned a robbery – two urns from a museum – and he mentioned the Shinigami. I think they are waging revenge on Yodoshi’s behalf. They work through avatars and don’t like to do the dirty work themselves. I think they are the dark forces backing Onozuka. You found Niko Saito?” Xena nodded and he continued, “Her brother was adjacent to some shady characters. Maybe it was his wife’s family? I got that vibe when I met them a couple of years ago. Niko was lovely and the world is less for her passing.”

The glowing light was gone from the cave-like environment and now they descended into darkness, meager torches on the walls lighting the way on the walls as the staircase wound down. The stones were rough but assembled with precision. They were getting closer to the underworld, to Tartarus.

“Brittle black tea, what do you want us to do with it?” Xena asked, catching the God of the Sea as he stumbled and almost fell.

“Do you have some?” he asked his voice laden with hope.

“I think I can find it,” Calypso said encouragingly.

“Use the white amber incense, it’s a medium, a stabilizer. Distill it with the tea and shoot that bitch with a tranquilizer dart from a helicopter if you have to,” he said. “The weaker I get, the stronger she gets, and I don’t have more than another session or two left in me. She’s going to start hunting the rest of you. She wants our power. Keep my niece away from her at all costs. Aphrodite can bend anyone to her will. You don’t want Alti to have that power.”

“Understood. Where are we supposed to get the white amber incense?” Xena asked, frustrated that there was yet one more problem to solve.

“Alti got it from the museum heist with the dead ambrosia. There has to be someone in Japan who has it, but it’s rare. Aphrodite might know or know someone who knows. I can’t believe she left me to help, Gabrielle.” The last was said as an afterthought but as soon as the words were out, Xena stopped, abruptly.

“Look, old man,” she said, turning him roughly by the shoulder so he had to look at her. “Gabrielle is hurt, and I’d much rather be seeing to her care than yours. But she said to save you, and that’s what I’m trying to do. If I were you, I’d remember that. She likes you better than I do.”

He looked down, unhappy with his treatment and his predicament. “I don’t think you want to live in a world where Alti is collecting the powers of every immortal she finds, diminished as we may be. She is an agent of chaos. We are only two years past that hell-scape that was 2020, do you want more years like that? She may wake more deities of Japan or elsewhere to build an army to fight you. You have an army handy to fight back? A supernatural one? Bad things happen when you upset the balance of power. I’m in this mess because of resurrecting you.”

Xena didn’t answer but frowned and continued down the stairs. They reached the bottom, which opened into a vast chamber with various hallways branching off of it. Some had doors that were barred with giant rough-hewn beams, one was closed with a variety of silver locks and grillwork, and several had open doors that extended into unseen hallways beyond. There was no sign of Hades. One of the chambers opened to an outside grassy field, replete with blue skies and verdant foliage.

“What is this?” Calypso asked curiously. “We’re underground, who knows how many stories and this opens up to outside? That makes no sense.”

“The Elysian Fields,” Xena whispered, instinctively knowing not to step onto the lush grass as much as her heart ached with the desire to enter. She’d seen this place once or twice before, most recently when she was in Illusia. From the stand of trees beyond the doorway, she saw several figures walking towards them. A broad smile spread across her face as she recognized the four women approaching. “Ephiny, Solari, Amarice, Eve – how?”

The quartet stepped out of the field into the stone chamber and exchanged warm hugs and greetings with Xena who made the introductions of Calypso and Poseidon.

“We are memories,” Eve explained. “Down here, the rules work a little differently than up there. There are memories, echoes… I probably exist as Livia behind one of these doors. The afterlife behind each one is different, some more pleasant than others.”

To Xena, the sight of the quartet was bittersweet. Her friends and daughter looked as she had last seen them, flush with youth and vigor in the prime of their lives. It was a painful reminder of how much of her old life the twenty-first century lacked; the sight of Eve, the daughter she did not get to raise, while in the midst of her do-over with Shen. Calypso smiled warmly at the warrior princess, giving her the moment she needed to take it all in.

“Can you keep Mr. Poseidon safe?” the Goddess of the Deep Sea asked.

The God of the Sea blushed bashfully. “My friends call me Ariel.”

“We can keep Alti from finding him,” Eve assured them. “At least for a while. There are a lot of us in there.”

“I don’t know if we’ll be able to communicate with you again, is there anything else you can tell us?” Xena spoke with calm urgency to Poseidon. She didn’t need to say that she thought the chances of saving the God of the Sea were slim, it was evident in her expression.

Poseidon smiled knowingly, gently patting her cheek. “I could not pass my torch to a more-worthy successor” he said. “Keep my niece and your wife safe. I am sorry I missed your wedding. I sent a gift; it should arrive soon Take care of Shen and your family.”

“Alti isn’t far,” Solari warned the others. “We need to go now.”

“Okay then,” Xena said, shifting Poseidon to the support of her Amazon friends. “You’re not out of this yet, old man. Hang in there, we’re coming to get you.”

“This way uncle,” Amarice said, extending a hand to steady Poseidon.

Ephiny nodded and said, “it’s good to see you Xena, I’m sorry we don’t have more time, but I know of your life and I’m proud to have known you. Give my best to Gabrielle.”

“We all are proud,” Solari added as she and Ephiny took Poseidon into the Elysian Fields with Amarice following behind them. The younger Amazon turned to wave once and then they were gone.

“Eve,” Xena said helplessly. “How? I have so many questions…”

“I’m sorry mother,” she said after another hug, “another time perhaps.”

“But how can you even be there? You’re Elisian, Eli…”

Eve smiled warmly at her mother. “You need me here, so I am here with the others. Just know that the adage is true, when you think of the dead... I know of you, your life with Gabrielle and I couldn’t be happier for the two of you. We can hide Poseidon, but throwing Alti off our trail would be helpful.”

Xena nodded and embraced her daughter one last time, kissing her on the cheek. Eve nodded with respect to Calypso and headed back into the field after the others. Xena spared but a moment to watch her leave then turned her attention to the chamber where they stood. Again, her eyes landed on the great doors with the intricate locking system. One look at Calypso and the shorter woman nodded, her smile gleeful. “If we can get in, that may keep her busy,” Calypso said.

“I think you’re right. There are some challenging events in my past,” Xena agreed.

As they walked over to that set of doors, Calypso asked, “what did she mean, when you think of the dead?”

“The dead can hear your thoughts,” the warrior replied.

~~~~~

Alti and Gabrielle grappled with each other as they fell down and down into the chasm. Gabrielle had visions of Alice’s tumble into the rabbit hole. Alti was just angry. After what felt to the bard like an overly long sky dive, they landed hard with a thud on a cold cave floor, knocking the wind out of her. Instinctively she rolled, silently moving away from the shaman. No light, surrounded by blackness, Gabrielle had no idea if she was simply blind from the powder or if there was absolutely no light. She listened intently, and heard the sound of Alti scrambling around, cursing as she bumped into stalagmites. At least she wasn’t the only one hindered. Silently, carefully she moved further away from the shaman, feeling her way with her hands, and hid behind a formation.

“Where the hell are you, brat?” Alti called, furious with her current predicament. “Ow,” she added as she stumbled into another mound of rock. “I’m going to find you, cunt. And when I do, it’s going to hurt. Even if I don’t find you, I can make it hurt. The dream world is my domain.”

Gabrielle raced through her predicament. She’d been falling down. Tartarus was down. Logically she must be in a part of Tartarus. What she needed was to wake up, become conscious on her yacht, and let Xena and Aphrodite know she was okay. But to do that, she needed to get out of here first. Instinctively she knew that. She was trapped in a labyrinth of her own mind and there had to be a way out. If she descended in the dreamscape, there must be a way back up in the dreamscape as well.

“I can use your memories against you, Gabrielle,” Alti taunted. “Let’s see if we can find some people to help; memories from your past of people who enjoy your company less than I do.”

Unsure of what that meant, Gabrielle listened intently. Far in the distance she saw the faintest of lights which illuminated nearby blurry rock formations as it drew closer and brighter. One question answered, she wasn’t blind. Then she heard the tell-tale sound of boots walking on a hard surface. Beyond that first light were others, for the moment tiny pin pricks of light slowly approaching. Before long the area where she hid would be bathed in light.

“Oh Gabrielle…” she heard a voice call from a distance. Her heart went cold at the sound. Velaska, she thought. Fuck. Peeking out from her hiding place she could see the Amazon nearby, holding a torch.

She felt around for a small rock and was about to throw it, stopping only when she realized that without being able to see where it was going it could hit a stalactite and bounce right back at her. A dream scape is what you make it, Aphrodite’s words came back to Gabrielle like a beacon. She was in a memory. A shared memory. Perhaps a place where information that she knew that Alti did not, could help her.

Concentrating on every detail, Gabrielle filled her mind with visions of someone who hated her more than anyone. Someone who would certainly be here in Alti’s memory, but someone she knew wasn’t here because she had been reincarnated into someone else. When she opened her eyes, she staggered a little at the new, taller perspective, wearing Callisto’s armor and holding a torch. “Over here, pumpkin,” she called as if taunting Gabrielle; moving away from the rock and walking towards Alti as if she’d just stepped out of the darkness.

“Oh great, her,” Velaska noted, lacking enthusiasm. “Haven’t seen you here until now.”

“I’m not a people person,” Gabrielle shot back in Callisto’s voice. “I’m only here because she asked nicely.” She nodded in Alti’s direction who smiled with satisfaction.

More figures entered the search, warlords she and Xena had bested, villains they had fought. Moving at the same pace as the others she helped with the search. The terrain was not unlike many of the caves they’d encountered all over Greece. Typical places where Xena had stashed weapons, rested with her army or where they’d discovered various hot springs. Rock formations of glistening limestone rose from the floor or dripped from the ceiling, in some places forming giant columns. There were pools, mostly shallow and inky black in the darkness, illuminated only by torchlight. The presence of steam indicated heat, but unlike in the area near Hephaestus, there were no colorful lichens. Here everything was dark and drab.

She continued to call and taunt as the old Callisto would have done and Alti seemed none the wiser. It was only when she spotted Theodorus that Gabrielle grew wary. He might notice the ruse. Not far from the place she searched she saw an opening, an arch in the stone with stairs beyond. Without seeming hurried, she headed in that direction.

“Callisto!” he called. Pretending not to hear, she dropped her torch in a nearby puddle taking advantage of the moment’s darkness around her to head up the stairs. She heard yelling behind her which made her sprint all the faster. Finding a row of doors, she took the first one.

With a hearty yank, she opened the door and charged inside stopping short when she realized where she was. Turning around in a panic that the door behind her seemed to have vanished becoming a wall in Dahak’s temple. She looked down aghast at her blood covered hands, the knife she held clattering to the floor. Her eyes were drawn from the knife to Meridian’s dead body, the life blood having seeped from it onto the stone altar.

“No, no, no, not again,” Gabrielle sobbed as flame began to lick and dance in a sinister display around her. Both taunting and suggestive, she felt the heat from the fire although it did not blister her skin. She could also feel the proximity of something vile, something that wanted to possess her, bend her to its will, use her for its own pleasure and purpose. She screamed as a rope of fire wrapped around her ankle drawing her over the rough stone towards the center of the altar. Additional ropes of fire extended, wrapping around her wrists, moving her, lifting her. She felt the ancient violation anew.

Gabrielle screamed and struggled, even more so now than in the original experience. She knew what was to come. She knew the demon seed that would be planted inside of her, she knew the pain and torment this degradation would bring. How many nights over the centuries had she awoke with a start, her brain remembering the horror of that fateful violation. Shutting her eyes to the fear and pain she felt it all over again, the fire moving around her, through her, inside of her, carelessly disregarding her person, oblivious to her feelings, unconcerned with her pain and agony. The more she struggled, the tighter the fire ropes bound her. When she opened her eyes and turned her head against a tendril of fire moving across her breast to her cheek, it was then she spotted a door on the far side of the temple.

The dreamscape is what you make it, she told herself as if repeating that mantra were enough. While she might not be the only author here, she was an author and therefore her will had to be valid too. She imagined a fresh water spring running underneath the temple, molecules of water being drawn up by her will through the stone and mortar to quiet Dahak’s fire. She heard the sizzle of steam as flames and rushing torrents battled. When the tendrils of flame were weak enough, she broke free, tumbled from the stone altar and sprinted for the door, opening it without reservation and running inside.

Chapter 10: Dream Worker

Xena abruptly jolted to consciousness, similar to what happens when one dreams of falling. Calypso awoke as well, albeit much more gracefully. Sitting up, the warrior looked around, seeing no signs of Gabrielle or Aphrodite. Argo barked once in greeting. Only Dr. Kate and Prisha were with them in the den. She spat out the piece of orange rind in her mouth, tore off the blood pressure cuff and leapt from the recliner. “How is Gabrielle?” she asked. The somber expression of the two women sent a chill down her spine.

“She’s with Aphrodite in the pool,” the doctor explained as she followed Xena as she rushed out of the den with Calypso and Prisha followed behind, ignoring the cold sheets of rain.

Xena stopped abruptly at the sight on deck. The cloudy night sky was giving way to dawn. Nicolai Burns was standing guard, his clothes completely drenched, his eyes watching the sea for any signs of approaching danger. Aphrodite was in the pool, treading water as she held Gabrielle; the pool glowing with opaque colors shifting from glacial blue to turquoise. Her eyes were still glowed unnaturally, stopping the warrior in her tracks. Xena moved towards the water and Argo barked in warning, moving to stand in front of the warrior.

“Stay out of the water, please,” Aphrodite gently warned at the warrior, who was ready to jump in. “I’ve got Gabrielle. She’s trying to find her way back. I don’t want to pull her out of the dreamscape sooner than I have to. It’s too risky for her to not wake up on her own.”

Taking in the scene, Xena struggled with conflicting emotions. There wasn’t anything overtly sexual about the two naked women entwined in the water, but there was an intimacy to the way Gabrielle was draped over the goddess who tenderly held her. Xena was jealous, a jealousy that gave way to fear and concern. Above all she was worried about her love, would do anything necessary to see her cared for, even if that care had to come from someone else. That was a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that in this moment, she was not what Gabrielle needed, and Aphrodite was. “What are you doing?” Xena asked, confused as she was mesmerized by the shifting hue of the saltwater pool.

“She is sustaining her,” Calypso supplied quietly.

“Is Nicolai alright?” Prisha asked, noting that the Russian had not even turned to acknowledge them. “He’s been standing guard for hours.”

“She is sustaining them both,” Calypso added.

“Don’t ask him to leave Gabrielle’s side,” Aphrodite said looking at the doctor. “He won’t go, I’ve got him.” The doctor nodded in agreement when Vox rushed up the stairs to the deck joining the group. “Boss, we’ve got an issue,” she said before realizing that her boss was unconscious in a glowing pool being held by a water-treading goddess. “Fuck,” she added. At the sound of the captain’s voice Nicolai turned around, his expression somber. “Michelle has the bridge,” Vox said in a rush before he could scold her. “I would not leave my post, but customs agents are demanding to board the ship for an inspection. They are on their way over right now. Rebekah Luna stalled them as much as she could by phone but they want to see the ship for themselves. We’ve got maybe fifteen minutes. They refuse to approve our request of a helicopter charter until they’ve had a look. They are in no mood to reschedule. We’ve heard from our people in Japan, clearly, we’re on someone else’s radar. Someone with juice. And what is up with the pool water?”

Xena frowned as all eyes turned to her and she exchanged a knowing glance with the two goddesses. The warrior felt uncharacteristically scrutinized; while not captain of the ship or even executive officer, she was Gabrielle’s partner. Michelle might be the bard’s right hand when it came to running her company, but in matters such as this – dealing with gods, goddesses, forces of darkness, metaphysical battles – it was her leadership they looked to.

“Shen?” Xena asked, ignoring her question about the pool.

“Watching documentaries in his bunk,” Vox supplied. “Steve is keeping an unobtrusive eye on him.”

Xena nodded. “Prisha, Kate, please get the den straightened up. Any signs of our recent…trip would prompt questions we don’t want to answer.” The pair nodded in acknowledgment and headed back inside. “Aphrodite, what do you need?”

“I don’t want to take her out of the water yet. Nicolai, if you could close the pool cover?”

“You don’t need to breathe, but what about Gabrielle?” Xena asked, the worry evident in her voice.

“She’ll be okay,” the goddess assured her. “I can breathe for us both.”

Xena nodded in acknowledgment and turned her attention to Vox. “Get anything illegal out of sight. No guns, weapons of any sort. Stow everything. We’re here on business. I’m handling negations for Susan Vincent, who was otherwise detained. Nicolai?” With a grumble, the large man took off his jacket so he could remove the holster and automatic weapon. He handed both to Vox. As the lanky captain texted instructions to the bridge, the orange signal lights illuminated all decks. Until the lights were turned off, Gabrielle would be referred to as Susan Vincent, she would be addressed as Natasha Romonov. “Have Hatsuo escort the customs team and put anyone else who speaks fluent Japanese front and center.”

“Yes, Boss,” Vox replied. The captain returned to the bridge and moments later addressed all crew on the intercom system. “This is your captain; all personnel please check your comm units. We have guests boarding, please see comm units for instructions. Arrival time, ten-minutes.”

Satisfied with the instructions, Calypso readied to return to quarters. “Shall I send Wolfgang to you when I go below decks?” she asked.

Xena nodded absently, finding it hard to tear her attention from Gabrielle. When she departed, the warrior looked from Nicolai to Aphrodite feeling hopelessly torn. Coming to a decision, she nodded at the large man to hit the control to close the pool cover. As the dark cover moved, she saw Aphrodite hold Gabrielle tighter and gracefully sink below the surface of the pool. “The second those lights go off,” she said, indicating the orange signal lights, “you retract that cover.”

“Yes, Boss,” he said, then added, “She will be alright. I’ve known her nearly forty years. Stronger than ox; she will survive. Don’t worry, Xena.”

Xena smiled up at the Russian in spite of herself. Rarely did Nicolai use her name, use anyone’s name for that matter. It was “Boss” or “Mrs. Boss,” so much so that the rest of the crew adopted the practice. It was also not lost on the warrior how many people had known her longer and spent more time with Gabrielle than she had.

Any further rumination was interrupted by Wolfgang arriving at a sprint. “Calypso said to report ASAP,” he said with a pant. “Where is Gabrielle?”

“Otherwise occupied,” Nicolai answered in a tone that forbade any further questions.

“My apologies,” the young man stammered uncomfortably.

“Don’t worry about it,” Xena assured him. “I need you to research the name Onozuka, in conjunction with the museum robbery or any shady deals. He might be behind our visitors from customs. Tam is also a name that has come up in our investigation. We need addresses if there are any in connection with these names. We need to look for safe houses. When Gabrielle is…available, we may have some more search parameters.”

“On it, Mrs. Boss,” he said automatically before taking his leave.

Hatsuo Eko and Ingrid Kamaka, holding umbrellas and chatting with their guests in flawless Japanese rounded the deck. Xena welcomed the customs crew, grateful that her resurrection had left her with the ability to speak and understand any language used to express love. Clearly impressed by the respect and deference their hosts had demonstrated, the four-person team nonetheless insisted on a full tour of the ship. Xena chatted with them, explaining their presence in Japanese waters, and deferring to legal matters via video conference with Rebekah Luna, the company’s expert on maritime law. It was then Nicolai noticed a glint of metal on the teak deck. It was the shard of chakram that Aphrodite had asked Michelle to retrieve from the safe that had been delivered hours ago. One of the custom’s officers walked up to Nicolai and nodded respectfully.

“And who, sir, are you?” he asked in Japanese.

Taking a step forward, to close the distance between them, the large man extended a hand in greeting As he did, he carefully stepped on the shard to hide it. “I apologize,” he said in English, “my Japanese is nearly as bad as my English and it is too lovely a language for me to mangle. I am Nicolai Burns; I assist Captain Vox Wandre.”

“You speak Russian?” the official asked enthusiastically upon hearing his accent

“Da!” he said warmly, happy to engage the young man in Russian. As he shook hands, he shifted his weight letting the chakram shard slide across the teak onto the pool cover where it easily sliced through and dropped out of sight.

“Why is the pool glowing?” the customs agent asked, noting the glow from the new slice in the cover and around the edges where there was clearance between the pool edge and cover.

“Broken light,” Nicolai explained with Xena looking at him approvingly. “That’s why I’m soaked, I’ve been working on it; can’t get it to turn off, I was about to head to electrical junction and look for short.” He was grateful that the limited view of the water hid its unusual appearance.

“Why don’t we all head that way,” Xena suggested, “if you’d like to see below decks?”

~~~~~

Holding onto Gabrielle, Aphrodite let herself sink to the bottom of the pool. It was not as deep as a typical in-ground pool, but deep enough to completely submerged them both. She could hear the muffled sounds of voices above and moved into the deep end for better clarity. She saw the shard of chakram slice through the cover and slowly descend through the water. It was easy enough to reach out and catch it, grasping it between her thumb and forefinger as to not cut herself with the edge. While it might be needed, it wasn’t yet time. As the footfalls of the customs party wandered away, The Goddess of Love took note of the bubbles escaping Gabrielle’s mouth. With care, she covered the bard’s mouth with her own and breathed out, filling the unconscious woman’s lungs with oxygen once more. Where are you Sweet Pea? she thought before closing her eyes to concentrate on finding her way back into the dreamscape.

Aphrodite found herself in a long hallway extending as far as she could see. Numerous doors of every size and description lined the hallway. She felt drawn to the first door on her right and opened it, stepping inside. Quite unexpectedly she found herself back in ancient Greece in what she suspected must be the childhood home of Gabrielle, in Potidaea. Dressed once again in pink lingerie, she had opened a door to the modest home to find Gabrielle sitting on her bed, still dressed in her brown skirt and green top. “Hey you,” she said gently, noting how bereft and forlorn the bard appeared.

Gabrielle looked up, her cheeks tear stained, but her eyes immediately focused, indicating the blindness powder had worn off. “Every door I opened was awful,” Gabrielle explained. “The first one was when I was raped by Dahak. Another from the time Xena dragged me behind a horse. Another was getting shot in a gunfight. The Spanish Inquisition, Hope, my crucifixion; every brutal, painful thing I’ve endured in the last two thousand years was behind those doors. Finally, I ended up here and I just don’t know how to find my way back. I know you said our dreamscape is what we make it, but I didn’t make all of that.”

Aphrodite nodded sympathetically. “A lot of bad things can happen to a person in two thousand years,” she said, “especially a woman. I’m sure there were times where you could have fought back but chose not to because it would have exposed skills you weren’t supposed to have, or would have put someone else in danger.” Gabrielle nodded. “People can be endlessly cruel to each other. And this is Alti being a dick bitch. Yes, you control the dreamscape, but so does she. And she’s a monster.”

“Did Xena and Calypso make it back okay?” Gabrielle asked. “Is Poseidon safe?”

Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, Aphrodite noticed Gabrielle’s bag with some scrolls poking out of it. “Xena and Calypso returned safely, I don’t think Alti found Uncle Ariel yet or we wouldn’t still be here. But he was able to get some intel out and that helps us. You can’t stay much longer, it isn’t safe. You need to confront her, or find your way out. You have to get out before she ends the dream.”

“I’m still unconscious, obviously,” Gabrielle said, a little defiantly. “I think I’m ok.”

Aphrodite shook her head. “Honey, your blood pressure went crazy, you were bleeding from your ears and nose. You most likely would have had a heart attack or stroke if we hadn’t gotten you in the pool as quickly as we did.”

“We?” Gabrielle asked.

“Nicolai carried you. Dr. Kate was about to rush you to sick bay or get the defibrillator ready, but that isn’t what you need. What you need is to do this yourself, to find your own way out of this maze. I don’t care if this is Alti’s power turf – my home girl is more of a badass than she can possibly imagine.”

Green eyes glanced up bashful at the compliment. “Or you can just get me out of here, yeah?”

“I can get you out, but it’s dangerous. Sweet Pea, getting thrown from a dreamscape or pulled from a dreamscape is disorienting. Gabrielle, it could kill you. It’s unlikely, but I’d like to take zero risks with your wellbeing. You’ll be safest if you leave it on your own.” At Gabrielle’s panicked expression, the goddess handed her a scroll, knowing the familiar feel and texture of the parchment would soothe and ground her friend. “Why don’t you tell me what this scroll is about,” she said, changing the subject.

Tentatively, Gabrielle opened the scroll and read for a moment before chuckling. “This is the one about our first solstice together, when we met Senticles.” With a knowing smile, Aphrodite handed her another. Gabrielle opened it and read silently a moment, a smile forming on her lips. “This one is about a lovely sister and brother, Zoe and Rastmus, that we met not long after our journey in Illusia.” Gabrielle put the scroll down and looked at her friend. She studied her timeless face and calm blue eyes. “You’re trying to remind me that I have had two-thousand years of good experiences too.”

Aphrodite chuckled. “Sweet Pea, I’m not saying it’s a one-for-one proposition. I’m not saying that a beautiful sunset balances the vileness of a demon attack. But I am saying that you have lived every color, every shade of the spectrum. You’ve enjoyed the highest of the highs and endured the depths of despair. And you’re still standing. You, my love, are a badass. I had a hunch.”

Pushing the scrolls to the side Gabrielle turned, tucking herself into Aphrodite’s embrace as the goddess stroked her head. “When?” she asked.

Aphrodite adjusted herself on the small bed so she could stretch out her legs and better hold and comfort her friend. “I admit I’m not huge into the oracle game,” she began, feeling the bard relax as she realized she was being treated to a story. “I had oracles, sure. We all did. Artemis and Athena were way into that scene, and Apollo? Ugh. So all about him.” Gabrielle smiled as she felt the overly dramatic eye roll. “But on this occasion, something happened that caught my attention. You see, my asshole brother Ares had made this bet with me; that he would bring the world under the rule of a warrior of his choosing. He was certain I could not stop him. I saw who he was grooming, she was just a child at the time, but I knew. Anyway, I knew that this girl was not the world-conquering type – not deep in her bones. I knew she was going to have it rough, but that on her own she would pick her path. Picking a path is all well and good, but staying on a path is hard. Carrying a burden is hard. Living life is hard, especially if you don’t have someone to share the journey. So, I started looking around. I was looking for bravery, kindness, intellect, compassion, humor and love.

“It just so happened that in this very non-descript, backwater, nothing-to-write-home-about town there was a five-year-old little girl, that ran into the road to return a flower that my oracle had dropped during a procession – breaking away from her parents, and dodging adults left and right to pick up a bloom so it wouldn’t be crushed. She handed it to my oracle, Rhea, and I was so captivated by that smile and those green eyes that I gave Rhea a vision and she gave that to you. That you would have the gift of sight. To see the potential of someone’s love, use your humor and empathy, and develop the gift of communication. I knew I had my avatar and I knew that someday you and Xena would meet and however your relationship worked out, that you would be the one to teach her all of the things she needed to know to stay on her proper path.” Aphrodite was quiet a moment, then chuckled. “And then, of course, I promptly forgot the whole thing because being The Goddess of Love is a big-ass job with a shit-ton of responsibility and I’m not a details-oriented kind of gal. That’s why I didn’t recognize who you were when we met in person that first time. Later, I was of course, like ‘duh’, but it took a sec.”

Gabrielle let go of her friend and sat up, so she could look at her. “Is it wrong that I just want Xena to find her way here and then the three of us could just hide here and forget all of our responsibilities forever?”

“Not wrong at all, Sweet Pea,” Aphrodite replied. “But you and I both know that in two minutes you’re gonna wonder how Shen is, and that Russian Bear you’ve tamed, and all the people in your life, and climate change, and voting rights, offshore drilling, and women’s autonomy and protecting refugees, and endangered animals and efficient plastics recycling...” Gabrielle looked down sheepishly, the goddess having nailed it. “Besides, the three of us in a bedroom…” Red-tinged cheeks joined the bard’s sheepish expression.

“About that,” Gabrielle said. Aphrodite beamed at her, the dimples making the goddess all the more irresistible. “Xena is concerned about the space between us. You staying away, me making it weird when you’re around. Even Shen worries that we’ve had a falling out.”

“Chemistry is a powerful thing,” Aphrodite replied. “I can’t help that we have it. I mean I guess I could, I’m a god after all, but I won’t. I don’t mess with the minds of people I care about, and you know that. Are you wanting me to take those memories away?” Even as she said it, she felt the briefest pangs of remorse that the bard might take her up on the offer.

“Absolutely not!” Gabrielle replied, surprised at her own voracity, which obviously pleased Aphrodite. “I mean,” she amended, trying for a more neutral tone, “you are very much a part of my life, and caring about you and…what we’ve been to each other doesn’t diminish my feelings for Xena at all. In fact, Xena is talking about things…moving further,” unsure as she was, Gabrielle held Aphrodite’s eyes as she said it. “She says that if something happens between you and me, she’s onboard.”

“I see,” the goddess replied making almost no attempt to hide her delight. “She wants to be included? Or you want her to be? Xena doesn’t strike me as a ‘have fun storming the castle’ type. She’s a full contact participant.”

Overwhelmed and feeling a little embarrassed, Gabrielle let her eyes drift around the bedroom she shared with Lila so many lifetimes ago. The furnishings were simple, but well made, the space clean. She wouldn’t say her parents were proud people, but they had unwavering faith in the order of things. They did not question or evolve. And here she was, a woman who it seemed never stopped evolving. But here in this space, back before it all started, her problems seemed so simple. At the time they seemed insurmountable; wanting adventure out of a life where every step was pre-ordained.

“Aphrodite, I worry about fucking things up with Xena,” she said. “She has been my world as long as I can remember. Not my only world, of course, but my first world. The place where I’d found a home that sings to me like no other. I want to include her, absolutely, but then I worry about it at the same time.” She sighed, “You know this stuff can complicate relationships, even with the best of intentions: I’ve had some relationships turn into disaster movies. And I know that not including her is a bad idea, for her and for me. I’d feel guilty and she’d feel slighted.”

Aphrodite shrugged in understating. “I get it Sweet Pea. Love is the most powerful force on Earth and at times it’s both deceptively easy and deceptively hard. There are not many couples who can say they’ve literally gone to hell and back for each other, that they have died for each other, and that they’ve dragged their partners back from the ashes. You, me, Xena, we are going to be in each other’s lives for thousands of years, there is time to figure everything out. One thing I know for certain is you and Xena – that’s solid. Not a brittle, unyielding solid; the two of you bring out each other’s best, sometimes your worst, but mostly your better natures and ability to grow. Love is a verb, it is action, it is not static. It is a dedication we do all around us daily to all of the people we are passionate about. You and warrior babe get it.”

Gabrielle smiled; the pep talk having hit its mark. “So, I guess it’s possible that at some point I’m gonna throw the moves at you,” she said with a shrug.

Aphrodite chuckled, “Then let’s get this shit with Alti handled, yeah?”

Gabrielle nodded and stood up, surveying her old bedroom to see if there was anything she could use as a weapon. She felt exposed by the frankness of her conversation. “Since this is all a dream, neither of us are going to remember any of it when we wake up, right?”

“Sure, hon. Whatever you say,” the goddess replied with a wink. “When you’re ready to meet Alti, I’ll have your back.”

~~~~~

The rain had stopped. Xena and Nicolai could not have moved faster to return to the pool once the customs agents departed. Satisfied that all was in order onboard The Hippolyta, the customs agents signed off on the requisite forms and politely thanked the crew for their cooperation. Without being asked, Nicolai engaged the control to withdraw the pool cover. As soon as there was clearance, Aphrodite rose up from the bottom of the pool to hold Gabrielle’s head above the surface, treading water once again.

“Everything okay?” the goddess asked, after making sure that Gabrielle was breathing comfortably on her own.

The warrior nodded, needing a moment to find her voice. There was something a about the glow of the water and the women entwined therein that she found mesmerizing. Aphrodite exuded a power in the water, a confidence that was both gentle and commanding. The warrior blinked, concern for her wife reasserting itself. “Why hasn’t she woken up yet?” she asked.

Aphrodite noted the uncharacteristic fear in her friend’s voice. Xena was more comfortable being the one with the injury. “Alti did some vile shit to her in the dreamscape,” she explained as gently as she could. “Made her relive some really unpleasant memories. I was hoping she’d come out of it on her own, but I think she’s going to need some help.” As she spoke, she gracefully swam to the steps where she could stand on the bottom of the pool and better support the bard. “Nicolai, if you please,” she said with a glance to the railing.

With a respectful nod, he turned his back to them, providing the trio of women privacy. At Xena’s questioning look, Aphrodite held up the shard of chakram she had brought to the pool. She leaned close and touched her forehead to the bard’s, a move that made Xena tense reflexively. “She’s confronting Alti right now. Let’s give her some help. Here, sit on the edge and hold her.” As she spoke, Xena sat cross-legged on the edge of the pool and cradled Gabrielle’s body while Aphrodite sliced her fingertip with the shard’s edge. She let a drop or two of her honey-colored blood surface, then touched her finger to the bard’s lips. Nothing happened for several moments, but Xena found the lack of concern in Aphrodite’s demeanor reassuring. Finally, there was a momentary flush of pink that colored Gabrielle’s cheeks then she was still.

“She isn’t awake,” Xena said, concerned.

Once again, Aphrodite touched her forehead to the bard’s. “No, but she is no longer in the dreamscape. She is asleep, and she is safe. She will wake up when she’s ready.” As if to highlight her assessment, the goddess closed her eyes briefly and the opaque shimmering of the water ceased. Gradually it became clear pool water once again. Xena looked from Aphrodite to Gabrielle, clearly not happy with the goddess’ explanation or encouraged by the water’s transformation. It wasn’t just that she wanted Gabrielle to be awake, to be alright. She needed her bard to wake, to be restored and healthy. The goddess sighed as if she could read the warrior’s thoughts. “Xena, there isn’t a thing on this ship that Gabrielle would not trust you to handle in her stead. Time to earn your keep.”

The warrior nodded, acknowledging the truth of her friend’s words. “I’ll get her settled in our stateroom,” she said, only stepping into the pool when the glowing of the water stopped. “Nicolai,” she called and the Russian turned back, joining them once again. Xena shifted Gabrielle into her arms, nodding in thanks as Nicolai stepped up to drape a bathrobe over the bard’s naked wet body. With a nod of resignation, she turned to Aphrodite once again. “Will you stay with her while I meet with the others? I don’t want her to wake up alone.”

Aphrodite nodded and smiled reassuringly at Xena. “Of course, I will. Your first official act needs to be to send this one to bed,” she added with a nod to the large Russian. “He’s been up over thirty hours between his work shift and watching over us. In the pouring rain. She’s going to be okay Nicolai, we’ve got this.”

Xena looked at the executive officer, took note of his wet clothes, bloodshot eyes and day-old beard. He carried himself with calm professionalism. Without a doubt she knew he’d be as effective in a fight now as he would have been twenty-four hours ago. But he still had the limitations of a human and their troubles were far from over. “You heard the goddess,” she said gently. “Take twelve hours, I will update you then. If there is an emergency, you will be my first call.”

With resignation he nodded to Xena and turned to acknowledge Aphrodite. “Thank you, my friend, for saving Gabrielle. I am in your debt.” He looked at the goddess questioningly and she smiled, nodding her acquiescence and leaned forward so he could gently kiss her forehead.

When he was done, Xena frowned in mock gruffness, nodding to the other robe the large man still held in his hand. She turned to the goddess, “We get it, you’re hot. Jeez, put a robe on.”

“Flirt,” Aphrodite replied with a wink.

~~~~~

When Alti found Gabrielle’s hall of doors, she was very much alone. She didn’t need the others from Gabrielle’s past. They had served her purpose. Unable to find any sign of Poseidon in the myriad of doors from Xena’s memory, she decided that the bard might be a suitable hostage after all. What she did not expect was to find Gabrielle, also quite alone, standing outside a door, leaning against it, twirling a broom handle like a staff, completely unconcerned and at ease. Still in her brown skirt and green top, her strawberry blonde hair swayed with her movement.

“Nice trip down memory lane?” Alti taunted with a laugh.

“No. Not really,” the bard replied honestly. “While this dreamscape is yours, it’s also mine. A friend recently reminded me of that.”

With a shrug, Alti moved her hand abruptly from left to right in front of her and Gabrielle was quickly slammed into the stone wall of the other side of the hallway. Undeterred, the bard got up, dusted herself off and flipped Alti the bird.

Just then, the door across from Gabrielle opened and another Gabrielle joined them in the hallway, this time wearing a long skirt, blouse and blue sweater that she’d worn when she’d first met Xena. “Two for the price of one,” the shaman taunted as another door opened and a Gabrielle dressed in armor, with short hair and a pair of sais joined the other two, then a trio of naked Gabrielles. With each door that opened a Gabrielle from a different part of the bard’s life joined her sisters in the hallway. Even beyond her time with Xena there were incarnations of the bard; a noblewoman, heretic, pirate, gunslinger, magistrate, punk rocker, business woman, healer, warrior, diplomat, adventurer… on and on until the hallway was filled with an army of Gabrielles.

Making her way to the front was Gabrielle, casually dressed in jeans, chucks and a sweatshirt. A billionaire who ran a thriving global enterprise, who helped best Ares, and had the love of her life resurrected. “You know that saying, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger? Times that by two-thousand years, bitch.” The hallway was overwhelmed with a warm bright light, and the horde of bards moved on the shaman, grabbing her arms, immobilizing them. Modern Gabrielle grabbed Alti and shoved her behind the first door, opened on cue by the Gabrielle swinging her broom handle. “Have fun walking two thousand miles in my shoes. Give my regards to Dahak,” she said to the cheers and congratulations of the others. 

~~~~~

Alti awoke, rattled and angry in the solitude of her meditation room. She took several deep breaths, focusing on her breathing and steadying her racing heart. She dabbed at her nose, her finger coming away bloody. Only discipline kept her from vomiting from the vertigo. She had not enjoyed her time in Gabrielle’s worst memories, any more than she’d enjoyed touring Xena’s. The dreamscape could be a hostile place indeed, and it was a smart move by her prisoner to hide there. She looked at her reflection in the shallow silver dish, scarcely seeing herself in the face of the Japanese woman looking back at her. Out of an abundance of caution, she tipped the water from the shallow scrying bowl, letting it spill onto the floor.

As she suspected, her prisoner, a god in the guise of an elderly surfer, sat strapped and unmoving to a wheelchair across from her, unconscious and safe from her grasp, for the moment anyway. Fuming, she went to the door, shouting “Get the car!” at the large tattooed man on the other side. After slamming the door shut, she turned her attention to the low table in the room where she’d been sitting and opened a small case revealing a collection of precious stones – cut diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies. She considered her options. The witch had told her how to get to Poseidon in the dream scape, maybe she would tell her more. “If Onozuka won’t play ball, the witch might,” she growled to herself as she put several of the stones into a smaller box, stuffing it into the pocket of her jeans when she was done.

~~~~~

Xena stood on the deck at the bow of The Hippolyta, gazing at the rough seas beyond. She closed her eyes, trying to feel the mood of the ocean the way that Poseidon had instructed her. The sea was wary. She was not surprised to sense her mentor; his distress and fear were palpable. She was however dismayed and disappointed to sense Alti as well. Familiar with her mentor of another place and time, her toxic quest for power at all costs carried a signature all its own. Alti was feeling empowered but also frustrated. The shaman had smug sense of satisfaction and achievement but anger at not having completed her desired task. For the first time it occurred to the warrior that should Poseidon perish, the mantle of the sea, at least from Poseidon’s perspective, would pass to her. While there was little doubt that Calypso would fill in as teacher, it would still be on her to assume the duties that Uncle Ariel selflessly carried out. Was she worthy?

The question of worthiness also made her think of Gabrielle. Was she worthy of her? Inwardly, she grimaced. The Gabrielle she knew would not be pleased with such dark thoughts entering her mind. Not at this point in time; they were past such insecurities now. Old habits break hard, she told herself. Still, she was here pondering a future that didn’t necessarily include her wife while her wife was asleep in the company of someone nearly as precious to Gabrielle as she was. Dark thoughts indeed. Unable to stop herself, her thoughts then drifted to Aphrodite.

She tried to think of anyone in her life who had changed more. Or rather it was her opinion and perception of the goddess that had changed. Where once she saw someone flighty, she now realized that the Goddess of Love’s curated persona was carefully crafted to disguise her immense power and responsibility.

More than once, Xena had felt a calm serenity, an indulgent self-confidence, when encountering an adversary that was not up to her mark. Aphrodite treated everyone that way. With love and respect but also an awareness that in nearly every situation she had the upper-hand. Gabrielle was the exception. Xena had noticed more than once Aphrodite’s eyes linger on the bard when she thought no one was looking. Not necessarily in a lustful way, but a gaze of devotion. The kind of adoration you show someone who truly makes you happy and you want the very best for them, even at your own expense. The Goddess would be the first to say that love had many facets and she seemed content to experience many of those around a certain bard from Potidaea.

“Bro! What’re you doing out here?” Vox called out as she approached the warrior.

“Wha…” A startled Xena frowned at herself that she’d been so preoccupied with her thoughts that she’d been caught off guard.

“Ohhhh, dude! I got the jump on you!” Vox crowed merrily. “That definitely makes my day better, thank you. Didn’t you schedule a meeting?” The captain asked, seriously.

“Yeah, in a few,” Xena replied after checking her watch. “I came out here to clear my head first.”

Vox joined her friend at the bow railing. Several dolphins satisfied their curiosity by swimming under the hull of the ship, unphased by the choppy sea. “Those dolphins would be having a better time if the ship were moving,” she commented. “Frankly, so would I.”

“Being captain not all it’s cracked up to be?” Xena asked with a wry grin.

Vox shrugged non-committedly. “At the moment I feel like a babysitter. We’re just sitting here, dead in the water, waiting for the pieces to fall into place. My responsibility is the crew and ship, which is a lot of watching and waiting. I’ll admit I’m jealous not to be part of the away team. You guys will probably take Ed. I’m feeling kinda unworthy.”

Xena’s eyes darted to those of her friend. Vox was not quite as tall as she was, younger certainly, less experienced in some ways, but in others had been the warrior’s tour guide to the twenty-first century. As unlikely as it might have seemed at first blush, with the lanky blond woman crushing hard on Gabrielle, the two women had become fast friends. “For a moment, I wondered if you’d been reading my mind,” Xena admitted.

“The Warrior Princess unworthy?” Vox said with a chuckle. “Bullshit. See, not very long ago I was at this wedding that was so sickly romantic I barfed for three days. It’s the Aphrodite thing, yeah?”

“Why aren’t you on the bridge doing captain things?” Xena asked with a frown. Sometimes the downside of friendship was someone who could read you too well.

“I am doing captain things,” the lanky woman shot back with a grin. “Nicolai is sleeping and Michelle told me to get some air and survey the deck before we review some security stuff. I’m captain, but part of that job is listening to Admiral Michelle. You think I’m going to argue with Aphrodite’s ex?” She turned to face the warrior, leaning against the railing. “I admit, if I were involved with someone like Gabrielle I wouldn’t want to share, even if it’s just emotionally, ya know? But I also get that there is no way Gabrielle can think about relationships the way I can. I mean she must have slept with hundreds of people, right? Many hundreds. Maybe a thousand?” The warrior’s frown deepened. “Man, that would make me insecure,” she added with a wink.

“Did I ever tell you I slept with Helen of Troy?” Xena asked with a smirk, the realized that her friend was goading her.

The captain chuckled approvingly, “There, that’s my mate!” She said triumphantly. “Dude, you have game. All these years, all those conquests including the fucking Goddess of Love and Gabrielle still picks you! I mean I don’t know why, but whatever.” She was quiet a moment then added seriously, “I’m as gay and liberated as the next girl but the whole poly thing isn’t for me, but I’ve got faith in you bro.” She shook her head in disbelief. “Here we are, the God of the Sea holding onto this mortal coil by the thinnest of tethers and look at us talking about your girl problems. Life is surreal, man.”

Xena nodded, “It is at that. Also, fuck you.”

“Do you think he has a shot?” Vox asked, dropping any pretense of playfulness.

“I hope so,” the warrior replied with a shrug. “Alti is shrewd, calculating. She isn’t like Ares. She’s more predator than that, if that makes any sense. There are dynamics at work we probably aren’t seeing yet. Where Ares will show you the whole game board and try and beat you with brute force, she’s a constrictor and you don’t often know what’s happening until it’s too late.”

The captain nodded in understanding. “Poseidon has always been decent to me. Kind, grandfatherly, but like, gives you your space. We’re all fond of him. I know Aphrodite says he’s a tool, but that’s their baggage. We’re all rooting for you and anything we can do…”

Xena nodded in the direction of the den. “Let’s head to the meeting. And look, I know it feels like babysitting duty, but those security sweeps are essential. If Alti or whoever is going to make a move on the ship…”

The captain rolled her eyes dramatically. “Yeah, I know. We’re sitting ducks. I just wanted to sound like a doofus so you’d feel like less of a dumbshit. Let’s get you to your meeting, Mrs. Boss.”

“Sometimes you’re alright, Vox,” the warrior replied with a playful punch to the shoulder as she opened the door for her friend. The captain winked as she walked by and led the way into the interior of the ship.

~~~~~

“We have a lot to do and time is of the essence,” Xena explained to the group assembled in the den. The requested crew had gathered around the low table at the front of the room, sitting on pillows strewn around the floor. Wolfgang took notes on his tablet while Prisha and Calypso poured over several maps unfurled on the table. Dr. Kate sat between Vox and Michelle while Ed and Hatsuo observed from the other side of the table. Xena sat alone on her side of the table, very much feeling the absence of Gabrielle and Aphrodite. While the Goddess of Love was observing the proceedings via video conference, her priorities were elsewhere. “Wolfgang, what do you have?” Xena asked the lanky, tattooed navigator.

He briefly consulted his notes. “We did a deep dive on the name Onozuka and cross-referenced Niko Saito’s sister-in-law, Kana. She’s a martial arts expert, took home the gold in Karate at the last Olympics. She’s been married to Niko’s brother, Daiki for three years. Kana’s is Titan Onozuka’s niece and her family is part of the business. We suspect Onozuka is the head of that snake. He has a number of safe houses all over Japan and never spends more than a day or two in the same place. He has any number of fortresses to stash someone and keep Uncle Ariel prisoner. He also has his own security force. He’s a big-time bad guy, total mobster. All the usual; human trafficking, drugs, racketeering, arms dealing, gambling, some politics. Naturally, he’s got lots of underworld contacts within unsavory organizations. He’s also got a few legit business, like real estate, a media company, boutique spirits, bank holdings like commodities and shit, which he uses to funnel his dirty cash through, but we haven’t figured out all of the details of how he does it. We know it’s a mix of crypto and other funds, very convoluted dark web stuff.”

Wolfgang indicated a building on one of the maps. “This is the headquarters of Titan Onozuka’s empire. Main offices of the legit business side where they launder the dirty money, then move the funds to the Cayman Islands, or other off-shore havens. One floor is the media group, another floor is the real estate group and such. His offices are probably on the top floor the penthouse.”

The warrior nodded and turned to Dr. Kate. “I want a Special Projects breakdown of every holding. Have SP comb through his life like Gabrielle would. What did she call it? Hostile takeover?” Various heads nodded. “Like that. Every vulnerable business, stock holding, property, asset – she will want to see where he’s exposed. Put Heather Martin and her team on it. Have the team in the Caymans crack open his account if they can find it.”

Xena paused briefly, indicating a change in topic. “To add to your plate, Calypso and I are going to do some diving.” She nodded to Calypso to continue.

“There is a shipwreck not far from here,” the African woman pointed at a spot on the map. “Vox, if you could take us here, Xena and I will move into position via zodiac. We’re picking something up.”

“Noted,” Vox said, taking note of the location on the map.

“What about the Shinagami?” the warrior asked the team at large. “What have you found?”

“The Shinagami are death spirits or monsters, creatures of darkness in Japanese culture and some religions. Mara is one in Buddhism - a demon that makes humans want to die. There are others as well,” Hatsuo answered, and Aphrodite nodded in agreement on the phone screen. Legend has it they can work through people as opposed to taking matters into their own hands.”

Calypso nodded in agreement. “That is my experience, yes.”

“This Onozuka fellow is a likely candidate,” Hatsuo continued. “Probably an exchange of service for power, that kind of thing.”

“Typical power-hungry bullshit,” Aphrodite chimed in.

“If we aren’t encountering them directly, we may have to deal with people in league with them. Everyone be careful,” Xena urged. “Where are we on transportation?”

“Now that Japanese customs is happy with us, they’ve cleared our charter of a helicopter and anything else we need,” Dr. Kate replied.

“Gabrielle’s money spends here like anywhere else.” Michelle added. “Ed has touched base with our people in Japan. We have a couple of reinforced SUVs should you need them, and a helicopter is on standby.”

“Can I ask a stupid question?” All eyes turned to Wolfgang, who continued, “If we find the person who has Uncle Ariel, why don’t we just take them out with a sniper rifle? We’ve got facial recognition software searching for Kana Onozuka, if she is Alti or whatever, she’s already killed a bunch of people including Niko…”

“We don’t know if Kana Onozuka is still in there,” Xena replied. “She may be…possessed, for lack of a better word by Alti, but she might still herself under it all. Just because she’s born into a crime family doesn’t mean she’s necessarily guilty of anything besides being in the wrong place at the wrong time. We need more information before we move ahead with murder. If it’s just Alti, then that’s on the table. Let’s focus on next step – Calypso and I finding that shipwreck.”

“Good plan,” Aphrodite chimed in on Xena’s phone. “When Xena gets back from her trip with Calypso, she and I need to drop in on a colleague of mine. So, we will need a helicopter and a car.”

“Wait, what?” the warrior asked in surprise, picking up her phone to better see the goddess.

“Gabrielle is going to do her billionaire thing when she wakes up, and you and I are going on a short road trip, I’ll fill you in later,” Aphrodite replied.

Xena shrugged and regarded the faces in the room. In a way it wasn’t so very different from planning something with Autolycus or Ephiny. “Alright, we’ve got our plan. If anyone makes headway, alert the team. Otherwise, we’ll meet up again tonight.”

Chapter 11: Lost Mariners

Xena marveled at the expanse of open sea as Michelle guided the inflatable zodiac through the water. The rain had stopped but the sea was still choppy. None of the passengers however, seemed to mind. Ed sat in the middle of the boat keeping a watchful eye in all directions while she and Calypso sat at the front. “The sea is the only thing that on occasion looks the same, when it’s just open water like this, no ships, oil rigs, buildings on coastlines…” she commented to her companion. “I could be back home.”

Calypso looked at her sympathetically, “I can only imagine the jolt at waking up two thousand years in the future.”

“It was bad enough when it was just twenty-five years,” the warrior remarked. She was silent a moment before asking, “Is this going to be an ongoing thing, gods of Japan seeking retribution for Gabrielle not leaving it alone?”

The African goddess chuckled at the warrior’s choice of words. “Not leaving it alone is a nice euphemism,” she said quietly, glancing towards the large man in the middle of the boat. He continued to scan the sea for danger, ignoring their conversation. “And who can say,” she continued only loud enough to be heard by her companion, “no one can hold a grudge like an immortal. But honestly, I think this is more about the manipulation of your friend Alti finding a willing partner in the Shinigami than anyone really caring that Yodoshi got played.” She looked out at the sea, trying to imagine waking up to a world where she did not watch the centuries unfold. “What has been the most challenging part?” she asked more loudly this time, to include Michelle and Ed in their conversation.

Xena looked at her companion while she considered her answer. She had known the tutor for several years, never suspecting she was anything more. She’d observed the woman’s caring discipline when keeping Shen on track with his studies. She’d seen the jovial sense of humor when the staff gathered at their home for a celebration. As she thought about it, it didn’t really seem so different from any other immortal she had encountered in her previous life so long ago. She thought about the challenges she and Gabrielle faced daily both then and now. Instead of warlords and monsters, they battled the corrupt and powerful in boardrooms and courtrooms. Was it all that different? There was a twinkle in the stout woman’s eye indicating that she already knew what Xena was going to say.

“I think reconciling where I fit in Gabrielle’s life is the most challenging,” the warrior replied. “When we first met, I think I’d heard most of the stories of her life within our first few months. It’s been five years now and there is still so much of what she’s experienced in the last two-thousand years that I don’t know. She is simultaneously someone I know very well, and also hardly know at all.”

Calypso nodded understandingly. The warrior’s tone of voice brokered no resentment or bitterness about the situation. It was a challenge, and overcoming challenges were something Xena was adept at. “It is hard to catch a stream that is ever in motion,” she said encouragingly to her companion. “Even as you discover who Gabrielle has been, she evolves still, no?”

Xena nodded in agreement. “But now I am along for the ride,” she said with a smile.

“And what of you two?” the sea goddess asked, looking over at Ed and Michelle. “What has been the most challenging part of reconciling Gabrielle’s strange new world?”

Ed chuckled, his dark eyes twinkling at being included in the conversation. “I can say it’s been an absolute delight.” He turned as he spoke to include Michelle and caught the brunette’s frown of disapproval. “I’m not being sarcastic,” he assured her. “Growing up, I was the kid who believed in everything,” he explained. “My dad was transferred to Hong Kong for work when I was little and I was not only the only black kid in school, I was the most gullible. Every crazy myth and story I heard, I took at face value,” he said, shaking his head at the memory. “I believed in Santa until I was probably twelve. I started working out when I was nine to stop getting picked on. “When you look like you could bench press a Buick, your peers leave you alone. I also realized I was gay, which didn’t help with feeling like and outsider, so I worked on becoming open, friendly. We had to move back to the States, Mississippi of all places, and my dad encouraged me to join the military. He was right. Not only did it get me out of Tupelo, I learned the self-discipline I’d need to survive as a giant black man in a world of intimidated white men. I joined Special Forces and did tours all over the place, which was a good foundation for joining Gabrielle’s team. These last five years it’s been really validating to know that the world is indeed as magical and unexpected as I’ve always believed it to be. There are so many people out there who desperately want you to see the world as they do, and if you hold on to your own vision long enough, you realize you were right all along.”

“Santa, really?” Michelle gently teased.

“Is that really so weird after hearing tales of actual Hercules?” Ed replied good naturedly.

“Point taken,” the brunette replied, maneuvering the zodiac through a change in the current.

“What about you?” he asked Michelle.

Xena watched Michelle as she prepared to answer. Aside from Vox, the once captain of The Hippolyta was probably the member of the crew she knew best. Certainly, the three years she spent as Aphrodite’s companion brought her into much closer proximity to her and Gabrielle even though the pair were traveling most of that time. Michelle didn’t answer immediately, rather, she scanned the ocean, watching the wave patterns to make the minute adjustments to their trajectory to minimize the bounce in the boat. “I think it’s hard,” she finally said, “to think you know someone, but realize how little you know them. To think you understand their life and what brought them to the choices they make and realize that like an iceberg, you’ve only seen a fraction of what is there.” Ed nodded in understanding.

“You are speaking of more than just Gabrielle?” Calypso asked.

“Absolutely,” Michelle affirmed. “I mean it was weird to realize that this person I had a crush on was over two-thousand years old. That was kind of a mind-fuck. But I also mean that the world itself isn’t at all what I thought it was. Sure, people have free-will, sort of, but it’s within the parameters laid out by all sorts of unseen forces. Some of that I knew just from working on the inside of Gabrielle’s company for so long. In a world with institutionalized racism and poverty, some people intrinsically have less free will than others, but then you find out that that there are all of these supernatural people running around, and things can happen that you never thought possible, which makes you wonder just how much free will you actually have.”

The last was said with a cautiousness, and unconscious glance to Xena that told the warrior that she was talking about her own resurrection specifically. She tried to imagine what it must have been like to suddenly learn that things like death were not necessarily final. As she studied her two companions, Xena realized that Ed and Michelle were like two sides of a coin. The large body builder was grateful to see a world with magic that he always suspected was there, and Michelle was unnerved by a world where there was an entirely new dimension she had not anticipated.

Calypso grinned affectionately at them both, then cocked her head to listen to something. “Can you feel it, Xena? The ship wreck as we get near?”

The warrior closed her eyes in concentration, leaving her mind open to imagine what the water looked like under the surface past the choppiness of the waves. She could see sharks, fish and crabs that had made the wreck their home. She signaled to Michelle, who slowed down. Ed was all the more alert for anyone approaching who might take issue with their presence here.

“This is it,” Xena announced.

“I can circle this area,” Michelle replied. “Water is too choppy to stay in one spot.”

“That will be fine,” the warrior confirmed.

“When we dive,” Calypso instructed, “keep your mind open. Try to visualize what we need. Black brittle seaweed. Dark as a moonless night. Leaves alternating on the stalk, thin like eucalyptus, but smaller; soft and delicate. Perhaps we will see it, perhaps it will be brought to us. It is very rare.” The sea goddess looked over to Michelle, “when we surface, please toss us the container,” she nodded to a glass cylinder at the woman’s feet. “We need to keep the seaweed in seawater until the good doctor is ready to use it.” With that the black woman tipped backwards out of the boat.

“Good hunting,” Michelle said to Xena before the warrior followed suit.

As Xena felt the cold splash of seawater against her face, she felt the now-customary sensation of homecoming. She felt fortunate that they lived on the yacht, as she had ample opportunity to spend time in the water becoming acquainted with the various denizens of the deep. In fact, the last several years of living on land while The Hippolyta was getting refitted was a time of longing for ocean visits.

Dressed in nothing but a swim suit, she calmly descended. Neither she nor Calypso had need of a wet suit or SCUBA gear. The warrior’s ears adjusted to the pressure with no effort, her eyesight unhindered by the salt water. She marveled once again at the beauty of light streaming in through the waves above.

In the distance she saw a large shark. She recognized it as a great white, easily twelve feet; it was female and hungry. It approached, clearly drawn by the splash in the water. Hungry as she was, she could also tell that the two women in front of her were not viable food.

Xena pointed to her left. Perhaps this way, she transmitted her thought to the beast, touching her hand to the shark’s sandpapery skin as it swam past. When it moved on, only then did she see the dim outline of the shipwreck as she descended and got closer. While very old, the dilapidated vessel was still impressive. It reminded the warrior of the Titanic movie she’d seen with Shen. There was a mast and metal bracings and debris strewn around the wreck site, much of it unidentifiable. Unlike the White Star Liner sitting at the bottom of the Atlantic two miles down, this ship was not nearly as deep. As such, there was a lot more life in and around the wreckage. Some coral formations had grown, nearly disguising several breaks in the hull that led to the interior of the ship. There were also various seaweeds growing from the ocean floor around the remnants of the great ship. An image flashed in her mind of a fire breaking out onboard, an explosion dooming the ship and the men who served as its crew. She saw the vessel sink, hearing the cries of the helpless men desperate to survive as long as they could before the sea claimed them. As instructed, the warrior tried to relax, determined to let her mind paint a picture of what she came to find. She moved closer to the wreck. At one of the openings, she poked her head inside the break in the hull. Almost overwhelmed with sadness for the plight of the Japanese crew, she was relieved when Calypso tapped her shoulder and shook her head. The interior of this watery grave would not have what she sought. Instead, she drifted down, sitting cross-legged on the sandy floor next to the wreck, the great hull at her back. There were several plants of broadleaf seaweed, greenish-brown in color. To her left, a crab scuttled sideways as several fish darted across her line of vision. The sand seemed unusually soft and fine, and the scene around her strangely illuminated by the sun above, in spite of the rain and the clouds. It was then she realized how white the sand was here, every bit of light was reflected and refracted, creating the unusual conditions that the Goddess of the Sea had mentioned. A place where black brittle seaweed could grow.

She closed her eyes, simply feeling the movement of water around her, the sounds of the ocean filling her ears. She felt the pressure and temperature of the sea, the movement of the current, and the peacefulness of the oceanic quiet. With intention, she drew her thoughts back to what she came to find. A rare plant, soft, thin alternating leaves, black as a moonless night. She felt an odd sensation on her leg and looked down to see an octopus approaching, making its way onto her lap. She noticed Calypso a few feet away observing the scene intently. The octopus was large, it’s mantle bigger than a watermelon. Its long strong tentacles reached out to touch her hands and arms curiously. Again, Xena focused her thoughts, painting a picture of the plant in her mind. The importance and urgency of her need made the details as sharp as she could imagine them. With a surface skin color flashing from brown to red to orange, the creature darted off. The warrior was about to stand, disappointed in her failure, when Calypso signaled for her to stay.

While she could hold her breath much longer than she used to be able to, she could not do it indefinitely. She forced herself to relax, picturing her body saving precious oxygen, not needing to surface. Several minutes later, she was about to give up when the octopus reappeared. Moving carefully over the shipwreck, avoiding the debris, two tentacles wrapped around the stem of a plant with thin black alternating leaves. Unable to help herself, Xena flashed a grin to her companion who nodded with approval. Carefully the warrior extracted the stalk from the creature’s grasp and gently touched several tentacles and mantle in appreciation. Reaching up, the octopus touched the side of her face turning its head to look at her eye to eye. Quite unexpectedly, Xena saw curiosity and appreciation in the expression and felt a sense of hopefulness. Her heart and mind filled with gratitude, she nodded to the creature, wishing it good hunting as it silently glided away.

Carefully holding onto her prize, Xena swam upwards with Calypso. Not wanting to take any chances, she handed the plant to her companion before they reached the surface. The black woman nodded and stopped her ascent as Xena continued upwards.

Breaking the surface, Xena looked around. Spotting the zodiac with Michelle and Ed nearby, she called out. “Over here,” she shouted with a wave of her arm. “Michelle, I need the canister,” she said swimming over to the inflatable boat and accepting the glass receptacle.

Michelle leaned over to hand her the cylinder, knowing that if she were to drop it, it’d become transparent in the water and hard to find. Timing her movements against the sway of the boat, she let go only when she was certain that Xena had a good grip. “Back in a moment,” the warrior added before ducking under the surface once again.

After unscrewing the lid, Xena held the cylinder while Calypso carefully deposited the brittle black seaweed, filling the container with salt water as well. The piece wasn’t long, maybe eight inches in length with a half dozen leaves. She hoped it would be enough. After screwing the lid back on, both women swam to the boat. Making sure there were no air bubbles in the container, she handed her prize to Michelle. They climbed back into the inflatable with Ed’s assistance. He handed them each a towel with a big grin on his face.

“Nice to feel like we’re making some progress,” he said before turning the zodiac back towards the gleaming white hull of The Hippolyta.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Xena replied.

~~~~~

A moment before Gabrielle’s eyes fluttered open, Aphrodite put her book down and looked intently at her friend. She could feel the shift as the bard surfaced towards consciousness. Radiating care and safety, the goddess’s blue eyes glowed faintly until the bard was fully awake. At first confused, green eyes roamed around her bedroom, settling on her friend.

“Hey you,” Aphrodite said gently.

“I made it out?” Gabrielle asked, her voice a hoarse whisper.

“Not unscathed, it seems,” Aphrodite replied. Leaning forward in her chair, she touched Gabrielle’s hand, reading her pulse to determine the extent of the bard’s injuries.

Taking a few deep breaths in an effort to get her bearings, Gabrielle continued, “I feel exhausted. Weak, like…like…I don’t know that I’ve anything to compare this to. It’s been so many centuries since I’ve even had a sniffle.”

“It’s probably not unlike how Xena felt that time you brought her back from the dead – the first time,” Aphrodite replied as she picked up the glass she’d been sipping on and held it for her friend. “You’re dehydrated,” the goddess explained. “Alti kind of kicked your ass. I’m not saying you didn’t give as good as you got, but when you’re hit by surprise like that – all the emotional baggage to wade through- it’s gonna take it out of you.”

“I need help to sit,” the bard croaked.

“Hold on,” Aphrodite urged and stood, quickly making her way to the bathroom suite. She ran water bringing back a washcloth and a soft towel. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, she wiped her friends face and hands, the coolness of the cloth helping Gabrielle focus on the present. Carefully she pushed the bard’s hair back away from her face, then brought her arms up, so Gabrielle could hold onto her neck as she helped lift her to a sitting position. “Yep, still hot,” she said with a grin after surveying her disheveled companion.

“I can barely feel my arms, and I can’t feel my legs at all,” Gabrielle said, concern threading her voice.

Aphrodite shook her head, dismissing her friend’s fear. “Hon, you just woke up. And not entirely on your own. It’s going to take a bit for your body and mind to reconnect the dots. Be patient, love.”

At the endearment, Gabrielle’s cheeks flushed and she looked around the room guiltily. “Where’s Xena?” she asked, ashamed that her wife’s whereabouts hadn’t been the first thing she thought of.

Helping her take a few more sips of the cucumber concoction, Aphrodite chuckled. “Warrior babe is on a mission with Calypso or she’d absolutely be here. She wasn’t happy leaving you, probably also unhappy that she needed to leave you in my care, but she puts your wellbeing above all else. As I know you’d do the same for her, as you did for her and me. Which brings me to my question: why, Sweet Pea? Why take on Alti like that?”

Gabrielle shrugged, although the gesture took some effort. She thought of making up a reason, something just about the mission, strategy, anything that left her heart out of it. But Argo, resting on the bed with her, lazily chewing on a toy, would highlight any dishonesty. “Because I love you both and I wanted to buy you some time to save Poseidon. Is he safe?”

With a wry smile, Aphrodite let her friend change the subject, knowing full well the status of their relationship would be discussed down the road. “I can sense that he’s safe for now. He’s weak, very weak, and I worry that he doesn’t have enough time for us to figure this out. Right at this second, he feels secure to me – safe, but at the brink.”

Gabrielle sighed, relieved that for the moment at least, their journey to the dreamscape had borne fruit: They’d contacted Poseidon, gathered useful information, and (for the moment) it seemed he was okay. Unbidden, memories surfaced from five years ago, when their roles in this room had been reversed. Aphrodite had been injured in their battle with Ares, and Gabrielle had sat with her while she recovered. Then, as now, an undercurrent of tenderness and devotion flowed between them as did a level of intimacy that was comforting but also something more. Aphrodite had been returned to health in this room thanks to a mature, and plump morsel of ambrosia. The things that happened after that made Gabrielle blush still, all these years after.

“What did I miss while I was out?” Gabrielle asked, determined to change the subject and direct her thoughts to a more appropriate path. She tried to hold the glass on her own for another sip and nearly dropped it. With lightning reflexes Aphrodite caught it, steadying the bard’s hands with her own. Argo raised her head curiously and chuffed.

“Shush,” Aphrodite gently admonished. “We had a visit from customs and that’s all been sorted out,” she said, turning her attention to Gabrielle. “Xena has, of course, been fantastic. She has stepped into your role as general for the time being. Your team respects her because they respect you. Helicopter and vehicles will be at your disposal when needed. Special Projects is conducting colonoscopy on Onozuka’s finances. I need to take Xena around to meet a colleague when she’s back from her field trip with Calypso, hopefully bringing back some of that freaky seaweed.”

“And everyone’s okay? Shen?” Gabrielle asked, taking another sip with Aphrodite’s help. “This is really tasty.”

“An ex turned me on to it a very long time ago,” Aphrodite replied with a smile. “I’ve improved it, naturally. And yes, everyone is fine. Your son is sulking like any other grounded fifteen-year-old. Everyone is worried about you, of course. You need to send a proof of life message so they can relax. And Nicolai – that man has the heart of a lion. You’ve surrounded yourself with good people, Sweet Pea.” The boat rocked, as if hit by an errant wave and Gabrielle looked up in alarm. “Right, about that,” Aphrodite added. “We think Alti might be testing out some powers. Or the weather just turned really shitty as soon as we got here, one or the other.”

“But you said Xena was out in that?” Gabrielle asked, alarmed.

“Honey, it’s fine. Calypso, Poseidon, Me, warrior babe, we are all creatures of the sea – her maybe not as much, but she’s got some of Poseidon in her bad ass veins now. She’s as much at home in the water as I am I’d expect. Like me, she can now say she was born of the sea. There is nothing a stormy sea is going to do to throw her off her game, I promise you that.”

Gabrielle gave her a look that clearly transmitted ‘I have to take your word for it but I’m not sure I want to’ and the goddess playfully rolled her eyes. Instead, she asked, “how long have I been out of it.”

“A long-time hon, nearly a day in the dreamscape, nearly another here in bed.” Aphrodite replied, then broke into a broad grin. “Good news! Your girl returns.” She was about to stand but Gabrielle did not let go of the hand casually resting on her own. The goddess regarded her curiously.

“Thank you, Aphrodite,” she said, her voice still weak but losing its coarseness. “You had my back in the dreamscape, I could feel your presence. That last confrontation with Alti, I felt this surge of…of…like before…did you?”

Aphrodite smiled but broke eye contact, glancing down. “If Alti had ended that dream before you got out…Sweet Pea, you’d have been fucked. Alti doesn’t play fair and neither do I.”

“Well, I thank you for it.”

The Goddess of Love leaned in and kissed the bard’s forehead. The warmth and tenderness in the gesture spoke volumes that mere words could not. “I’ll always have your back, love,” she whispered before standing and heading to the door.

If Gabrielle was going to say more, she didn’t. As if on cue, Aphrodite opened the door just as Xena approached; soaked, barefoot, wearing sweatpants and sweatshirt over a bathing suit. “You’re awake!” the warrior exclaimed rushing into the room.

“She’s weak,” Aphrodite warned. “She’ll be okay, but make her take it slow. I’ll give you a couple of hours before meeting me on deck. I’ll have a helicopter brought over. You need to shower and dress, informal, but look nice. You can wear jeans if you want.”

“I’ll meet you in an hour,” Xena replied knowing the urgency of the moment and the precarious nature of Poseidon’s predicament. “Thank you for taking care of Gabrielle,” she added. Then, quite uncharacteristically, she turned and hugged the goddess.

“I owe you one.”

“I’ll remember that,” the goddess winked. With a final gaze to her patient, she added, “Rest up Sweet Pea,” and was gone.

The moment the door closed, Xena rushed to the bed, joyfulness and concern warring for dominance in her features. “Are you alright? What can I do?”

“I’m okay Xena, just weak. Disoriented. Like I have a foot in the dream world and this world at the same time.”

“Alti…” the warrior asked tentatively, “do you want to tell me what she did? When you went over the side…”

With a heavy sigh, green eyes met blue. “We fell down, to Tartarus I expect. Alti called up all these people from our past to help her search for me so I disguised myself as Callisto. I found some stairs and made my way to this hallway of doors. Behind each one was some horrible thing I’ve lived through. Dahak, that thing with Hope, Solon’s death, when I was poisoned, shot, burned at the stake, drowned, betrayed, raped… every terrible thing I’ve ever done, when I’ve lied to you, or took advantage of someone, or betrayed a confidence. A lot of shitty things can happen in two thousand years.”

Xena nodded understandingly. “I found similar doors myself, but from our part of Tartarus I also saw a doorway to the Elysian Fields – I saw Eve, Ephiny, Solari and Amarice; they’re hiding Poseidon. Hopefully for as long as we need.”

“I’m so glad you got to see them,” Gabrielle replied. “I guess it’s silly to ask how everyone was?”

“Everyone was good, we didn’t get to spend long enough – but more than the living can expect of the dead. How did you get away?”

Here, Gabrielle paused, not sure how much of Aphrodite’s part in her story she wanted to include. “After the horrible hallway I found my old bedroom back home. I was hiding there. I probably would have stayed there, but Aphrodite showed up and basically told me to get my shit together.”

“That was probably when she had you in the swimming pool,” Xena replied, putting the pieces together. “I guess when you went over the ledge your blood pressure went up, you started bleeding out of your nose and ears – Dr. Kate filled us in. Aphrodite left the dreamscape to look after you. Nicolai watched over the pair of you when she had you in the pool. It was strange and beautiful. She was holding you, treading water and it got cloudy and glowed blue and turquoise. Almost as it the water was vibrating and pulsing. How did you find your way back?”

“I realized that I had agency in the dreamscape too. By the time Alti found me I’d invited everyone I’d ever been and everyone from every miserable room to join me in making Alti experience those events. I guess it gave me a closure of sorts, or a way to leave. When we shut Alti behind a door, I thanked everyone and opened the door on the other side of the hall which led to darkness, but it was a welcoming darkness, like sleep. I think I’ve been out of the dreamscape for a while. I’m still not sure how all of this works.”

Xena sat down on the edge of the bed and took Gabrielle’s hands in her own, grateful that all was well. “I guess we don’t have to know how it all works. I’ve gotten the hang of microwave ovens even though I’ve no idea how they work.”

“And now that you know you absolutely, positively, can’t put metal in them,” Gabrielle replied with a wry smile.

Xena chuckled, “I can’t help that it sounded like a weird made-up rule at the time. Doing her best to sound matter of fact, she asked, “How did Aphrodite wake you up?”

Gabrielle studied her companion’s expression before responding. She saw the love in her wife’s eyes, as well as the guilt at not being present when she awoke and perhaps something akin to envy for the goddess who was. “Xena, she didn’t wake me up,” she said gently. “I just woke up. I guess she was reading that journal, she was sitting over there.” Xena picked up the leather-bound book that had been left in the chair. By now she was familiar with the bard’s script, a jumble of different languages that kept her musings hidden from anyone who didn’t know the variety of languages, many of them dead. “What year is it from?” Gabrielle asked.

Flipping to the section where the ribbon book mark had been placed, she looked at the date and location. “Italy, 1600s. This entry is about Galileo,” she said.

Gabrielle chuckled, remembering something fondly. “He was quite a character. Loved my stories. Although when he named one of his daughters ‘Livia’ I wondered if he was following the wrong plot lines. I remember at the end, the house arrest. There were some vile men who wanted a different fate for my friend. It took some doing to make the punishment house arrest instead.

“You owned a shipping company then, right?” Xena asked, skimming the journal entry.

Gabrielle nodded, and since she could now hold a glass on her own, sipped the cucumber drink. “Ostensibly, it belonged to my husband who had died, but I made enough men obscenely rich that they let me continue on my own. It was an easy way for me to move things here and there, made my ownership of warehouses commonplace, and gave me a place in society. Irony of ironies – Galileo discovered Jupiter’s four largest moons, then named them after the Medici family. Later, they were renamed by Simon Marius, around 1610 as I recall. He’d also heard some of my stories and again I think took away the wrong message. He renamed them Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.”

Xena chuckled. “I guess I’m relieved I don’t have a moon or something named after me.”

“I only told ‘Xena stories’ to my most trusted and dear friends,” the bard replied. “Can you help me stand? I need to use the bathroom.”

With help, Gabrielle stood and made her way to the bathroom suite. After getting her situated, Xena disrobed and reached for the shower. “If you wait a sec, you can help me shower with you. I’d like to get cleaned up too, but don’t think I can manage on my own.”

“What was he like?” Xena asked while the bard finished. “Galileo?”

Gabrielle leaned against her wife, grateful for the strong arms that held her effortlessly. “He was endlessly curious,” she recalled fondly. “Everything made him wonder ‘why’? He saw such majesty and beauty in the heavens and we’d stay up long into the wee hours of the morning debating the differences between looking outward and looking inward.” After a chuckle, she continued. “He had a fearlessness in his faith that the religious leaders of the time lacked. He did not believe that the sun being the center of the solar system lessened the majesty of his Christian god in the slightest. Quite the contrary, in his view, his god was all the more magnificent with a firmament that was so much bigger than the religious hierarchy at the time could fathom.”

Xena helped Gabrielle wash her hair and quickly cleaned herself before grabbing a couple of thick towels to dry off.

“What is this mission you’re doing with Aphrodite?” Gabrielle asked.

“I’ve no idea,” the warrior admitted. “She said ‘colleague’ and I’ve no idea what that means. She’d probably be taking you if you were feeling better.”

Gabrielle frowned, and settled herself back in bed. “She’s taking you because she needs you. Don’t be silly. What are you going to wear?”

Xena stood in front of the large walk-in closet in the usual fashion; as if she was sizing up a formidable foe. Life had been much simpler when she wore the same leathers and armor day after day. “A sweater?” the warrior asked.

“The blue,” Gabrielle suggested, helpfully.

“This cashmere one?” the warrior asked, pointing picking up the garment and holding it up against her.

“Perfect!”

“I don’t feel great about leaving you,” Xena protested as she dressed.

Gabrielle shrugged, already the movement taking less effort than before. “I’ll be fine. I’ll check in with Shen via video chat, like any other time meetings run long. Then, I’ll check in with everyone else. Aphrodite said that we were doing a deep dive into Onozuka’s finances, I’ll have Heather Martin fill me in and see if she’s found anything. I don’t want to keep you, Xena. Really, I’ll be okay.”

“Can I send Calypso to check on you?”

“Only if you kiss me first.”

Xena grinned broadly as she made her way back to the bed. “That I can do.”

Part 3

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