"Don't think that we're going to let you live after we've had our way with you; but you are a fine looking bitch and I'd like to have you once alive before we f... you dead while you're still warm."
"You twerps are gutless wonders. Your little thingies can't possibly be truly man- sized, so I probably won't feel anything."
"You'll die regretting those words, bitch."
"No, you'll all die trying to get yourselves hard enough."
John had a very hard time keeping quiet listening to this, but he sensed that Antiope was ready for these four fellows.
She made rather quick work of them all. She managed to grab each man's private parts and detach them from his body. She would then show it to that individual, and say, "Not very stiff is it. How can you satisfy me with something like that? She would then tear the man's heart out of the body and bite into it as the unbelieving men watched. After this happened to the first two, the other two attempted to flee, but Antiope was faster than they. Catching them both, she repeated the torture as they watched each other and their own hearts as they breathed their last. None ever even managed to get the pleasure of the scent of ambrosia.
Many other Amazon executions were reported as the Amazons loyal to Isis began to acquire control of scattered communities. Ambrosia was reserved for sacrifices, but not used for executions. It was a customary execution for the Amazon to rip out the heart, and bite into it as the victim was still conscious.
Only a very small percentage of the time did John and Antiope deal with such unpleasantness. Most of the time Antiope enjoyed the sights and the people that she encountered, and learned an appreciation for them all. Still at the end of each day, she was glad that there was the Dutchman to go back to. She still liked her Venetian luxuries, which were made available on the yacht.
The day came when Idiot finished its routine. John's box notified John that it was ready to make the shift. John signaled to load the bootstrap program and spent the last half-hour saying good-bye to Antiope. He noticed tears from her eyes as he prepared to enter the Box for departure. John could not think about it. He had no choice as he commenced his leap through time.
No sooner had John left, when Jim and Helen arrived. Both were a little dazed and disorientated as they gradually came to their senses and realized what had happened. Antiope's tears compounded. She was very happy to see them both.
Jim looked at them both and realized that he had traveled backward in time. Indeed time travel was like dreaming. Jim remembered his dreams and as usual tried to make sense out of all that he had just experienced. Helen on the other hand dismissed her dreams as insignificant and was glad to be awake, alive, and well back on the Flying Dutchman where she wanted to be. He also was aware that currently, no one but himself was aware where Isis really was. Jim asked about John, and Antiope said that he had gone to rescue them. Jim then revealed to Antiope that he didn't need rescuing. Genie had simply carried out the rescue with preprogrammed instructions. Antiope said that was odd since John had told her that He had coordinated his shift with Genie, and that he had gone to the Pegasus.
"Do you know anything about this, Genie?"
"I know a lot about this, Jim."
"We need to have a talk, you stupid, idiot computer, and alone. Excuse me ladies. I need to give Genie a few new instructions."
Antiope and Helen went to the recreation room and pulled out some virtual reality disk adventures, while they allowed Jim to have some time with his computer.
"OK, Idiot. Where's John?"
"John is with Isis back in earth's past where you programmed the Pegasus to go in case of emergency. I am awaiting your next command." "Idiot, I don't know what to think. I suppose that I did want these events to happen. Now, I don't know what I should do."
"I was under the impression that you wanted to stop the Amazon fleet, and allow earth to develop on its own. John has left us with information that should allow us to immediately find and retrieve 90% of the Amazons on this planet. There is a good possibility that the remnant will surrender so as to return to Artemis. Currently they are holding out for Isis to return, and for the fleet to arrive."
"I intend to offer Artemis a deal. They can have their queen back, if they all surrender and have the fleet return to Artemis."
"Oddly enough, that will work, but we will have to retrieve Isis from the past."
"So what do I do with her, if I do bring her back."
"I don't know, you tell me."
"Well perhaps, I should leave her there a few thousand years to let her think about it."
"You may need to retrieve the Pegasus before that."
"I need to program you with a new routine in case someone tries to steal you again."
"Suppose I just simply automatically construct myself a path to find you physically so that you can't lose me, because I shall always find you."
"All right, Idiot, I suppose that will do for now until I can think of a better idea."
"Now tell me this, Idiot. What if?...."
VENETIA
Chapter Forty-Part II
The Switch