Titans Resistance #19

The siege had gone on for years, the strength of Themyscria versus the war machine of Markovia. Ruthless determination versus communal strength. Bullets versus bracelets in its purest, most relentless form.

Since the Markovians had risen to power, they had hammered away at the island, but the warrior women of Themyscria, led by their champion, Wonder Woman, had held them at bay, over and over and over again.

Over the years it had developed into an unpleasant, brutal stalemate; the Markovians could not take the island, nor could the Themyscrians force them away.

Into this stalemate came the Titans, slowly but surely on Ravager’s flagship.



“They’re starting again,” Ravager said quietly, staring through her periscope at the island.

A moment later they could all hear the thump of Markovian heavy cannons. They were not close enough to hear the battle cries of the Themyscrians, but given how long and sustained the bombardment was, the Markovians were being held back, as usual.

“I wish we could’ve brought the entire fleet,” Ravager went on, “But it was hard enough getting this quartet of ships past the Markovian defenses as it was.”

The abnormally long silence puzzled Rose, so she finally turned and looked at the others. All of them were quiet, even Anarky, listening to the sounds of conflict.
Finally, Rose said to Terra, “Do you think your mom will come after us?”

“Not yet,” Terra answered distantly. “First she will watch us, to divine our strategy and plans. If she realizes we are attempting to break the blockade on Themyscria, then yes, she will act.” Terra paused and then a wry smile came to her lips. “That having been said, I wouldn’t be surprised if Brion and some Rocket Men weren’t on the way already.”

“If so, we’ll just have to face them,” Robin said simply.

There was another long, thoughtful silence. Ravager didn’t like it. Apparently the group had seen something unpleasant during their mission to Keystone City, but none of them was talking about it, not even Supergirl. Ravager wondered if maybe she should have gone with them. She shook it off; it was too late now.

“In any case,” Ravager said, “I’m not sure the Themyscrians will welcome us with open arms even if we help them. My father did several smuggling supply runs between battles in the old days, and he was treated with wary hostility.”

Terra nodded. “Even before the Empire arose, Themyscria was very wary of the outside world. They are a female dominated society, so the women should take the lead.”

Rose smirked. “No problem.”

Robin and Lantern shared a weary, long suffering look. But, such as their path was laid.

“How do they breed?” Argent asked.

Ravager laughed. “Oh, they have men. Just never in any position of authority. They’re scholars, mostly… a few mages.”

“And servitors?” Anarky asked dryly.

Ravager shrugged. “From what I understand, they don’t have a slave class of any kind. It’s just that the women are always in charge.”

“I mean,” Anarky explained, “To do the cleaning up and such.”

“Ah. From what I understand, the cleanup duties are not very hard for anybody. But then again my information is very limited.”

“Let’s go,” Terra said.



They plowed into the Markovian besiegers from behind; they literally didn’t know what had them until it was too late. The crack and thunder of cannon slammed into the Markovian ships; as their crews began to turn to face the enemy, the Titans rose from the flagship and flew to meet them.

Lantern provided transport for those that could not fly themselves. He dumped Robin, Ravager, and Anarky on the deck of a Markovian battleship not already devastated by pirate attacks. They tore into the crew, Robin in the lead.

Most of the troops were battling the Themyscrians, so it was just the sailors that they were fighting. Which was not to say the sailors weren’t armed; Terra knew that only too well, as did Ravager, from years of fighting them.

Terra used her powers of Earth and stone to punch holes in several of the ships (not the one that Robin and Anarky and Ravager were on, of course). Green Lantern smashed another ship apart while shielding himself from enemy fire.

Argent surfed on an arc of silver and hurled javelins of the same energy into yet another craft. The crew fired back at her with rifles and machine pistols, which she deflected (though less easily than Lantern did). For her there was some bitter satisfaction in this; and she felt perhaps she understood Terra and Ravager better than before.

It was at that moment that Argent saw her first Themyscrian.

The woman had red hair with silver highlights, and she wielded a blade in one hand and shield in the other. At her wrists gleamed golden bracelets. Periodically she would deflect bullets with one or the other. Obviously they were not real gold; Argent had spent enough time slaving away in a mine to recognize that. But they looked very close, while still having the tensile strength to deflect enemy fire without showing so much as a mark.

Beneath this she wore similarly golden chain mail and leather leggings. Argent didn’t argue the practicality of the outfit—her own skimpy black materiel left no room for such arguments—but she was amazed at the way the woman moved, fought, killed, the fire in her blue eyes.

Then came Wonder Woman, their champion. And compared to that amazing battle queen, the previous warrior was as nothing.

The champion of Themyscria also had golden bracelets, and wore a dashing, brilliant costume of gold, white, and pale blue. She bore no weapon but her bracelets and a lasso that hung at her belt. She needed no others.

“Come, Artemis!” she called to the redhead, “Let us take advantage of this outside action while we may!”

The redhead nodded, and without a word followed her champion as she flew into yet another Markovian ship and tore it apart.



“Wow,” Robin breathed as he kicked a sailor away. Perhaps not surprisingly, the fight had gone out of the Markovian sailors.

“Yeah,” Ravager agreed. “They’re like that.”

“Not that I’m complaining,” Anarky put in while electrifying a sailor with his quarterstaff, “But if they’re so effective, why haven’t they repulsed the invaders?”

“You know why,” Ravager snapped. “Sheer numbers; the Markovians keep coming and coming. And the Themyscrians, for all their strength, are neither immortal nor invulnerable. Now come on, we’ve got more asses to kick.”

So saying, she performed a cartwheel to dodge a sailor’s attack that left Anarky literally breathless to watch. So much so that he almost missed the fist coming for his face, He sidestepped, then lashed out with a kick into the other man’s solar plexus. Then he brought his electrified quarterstaff down on the man’s head.

Robin whirled and spun as the battle went on, taking down two more Markovian sailors with a single swipe. A third sneered at him, then lifted his pistol and fired. It struck him in the shoulder, impacting on the ballistic armor in his cloak. He grunted and staggered back a step, not seriously harmed but knowing his shoulder would bruise and feeling the pain all through his arm.

He lifted his quarterstaff with his other arm and threw it like a javelin, knocking the man cold.

Argent and Green Lantern were flying in tandem towards another ship, but the Themyscrians got to it first, slamming into it with power and fury. As they pulled up, another Themyscrian flew in, a large silver hammer in each hand.

“Halt!” this brunette shouted. “We note your actions but the situation is now under control. If you truly mean us well, wait here until we are ready to parlay!”

Green Lantern bit his tongue and said nothing; Argent merely bowed. The Theymyscrian gave her a curt nod in return and flew off.



Less than five minutes later, the battle was over. Wonder Woman had floated up in front of the Titans.

“It seems that you didn’t need our help,” Terra said.

Wonder Woman did not smile. “Only because this was a relatively light sortie on their part. Had you not intervened, the battle would have taken much longer. And it is possible that we might have lost one.” She blew out a sigh. “And the reason there are only three of us on this front of the battle is because there have never been many of us to begin with.” Her expression hardened. “But we do not trust you simply because you have helped us. You will be taken to Queen Hippolyta and questioned.”

“We will of course, obey,” Ravager said from the deck of the captured Markovian ship below. “But doesn’t the track record of my fleet count for anything?”

Wonder Woman’s expression was noncommittal. “Your motives are selfish and therefore even more suspect.”

Ravager scowled, but took out a communicator and ordered Wintergreen to hold their ships back. Wintergreen’s response was, typically, unhappy but resigned.



All of them were impressed with Themyscria as they were brought in.

Only Ravager had ever seen the island before, when she was very little, and she had only seen the outskirts.

It was like being in one of those fantasy movies; the graceful white columned domes, the leafy gardens, the scholars here and there in their shimmering robes (or were they mages?), the warrior women here and there, moving in small groups. But there was sadness and darkness in those eyes, and in a couple places there were smoking, smoldering buildings. In another place a man was using magic to set a column back upright. In another place two women were pushing a wall back up by brute strength.
And in another, a man and woman wept for another warrior, fallen, taken out by a long range cannon shell. Ravager’s words about not being invulnerable came back to them.

“This is one of the places in the world where the front lines of the war rage in obvious fashion,” Terra said softly. “Here, and in Japan, where mysterious figures in powered armor fight a similar battle. Places which are neither conquered nor untouched, but rather where the war rages on, live and in person.”

Wonder Woman and Artemis glanced back at her but said nothing.



The palace itself was almost a tower, tall and widen and ivory-white, inlaid with gold and silver. Queen Hippolyta was waiting for them in her throne room, regal and elegant with billowing black hair and shimmering blue and green robes that did not conceal the silver flash of armor beneath. Female guards surrounded them on all sides, and the walls were lined with tapestries and statues of women warriors throughout the island’s history.

All of the Titans bowed, the women in the lead.

“You will each be questioned under the Lasso of Truth,” Hippolyta said without preamble. “And I will be satisfied by your answers before I release you. But I will give you the chance to answer honestly first; why are you here?”

“To break the Markovian stronghold,” Terra answered.

“For what purpose?”

“To begin the ending of their dominion over the world.”

“Such altruism,” Artemis sneered.

“It is not in any way altruistic,” Terra said. “It is best for each of us as individuals that the reign of terror be ended.”

“The fact that the world as a whole benefits is a nice bonus,” Ravager put in.

Hippolyta nodded. “A promising start. But the lasso will tell.”



There were several lassos, but Wonder Woman was the one who stepped forward. Terra supposed it was because she was their champion.

They started with Ravager, because she was the one they already knew, at least vaguely.

“You wish to open our island for your pirate raiders,” Wonder Woman accused.
Ravager actually laughed. “I kinda think the Markovians have shown how unprofitable that is, don’t you? If I could buy some of your armor and weapons, I would; but we do not prey on the strong. Besides, I like the women being in charge. That’s cool.”

Next was Supergirl.

“An alien?” Hippolyta mused. “How fascinating. Were it not for the lasso I would swear that to be false, since you look so human.”

“Parallel development is not a new theory,” Supergirl said distantly.

“I don’t see how human freedom can matter to you,” Wonder Woman said. “You must view it as an abstract concept.”

“I come from a culture where everything is an abstract concept, except cold scientific fact. There are vital issues being decided here. That motivates me.”

“I do not trust that one,” Artemis said.

“I don’t know,” Wonder Woman answered thoughtfully, “I think she shows the most
promise.”

Argent earned the Themyscrian’s sympathy, if not respect. Hippolyta summed it up when she said, “You understand the evil of the Markovians better than most, but you have not yet fully unleashed the fury inside your heart. Only then will you become a true warrior.”

Argent shrugged, not arguing the point.

Then, of course, there was Terra.

“A Markovian turncoat,” Hippolyta marveled.

Artemis stared holes into Terra. Eyes of burning rage. “Were it not for the lasso I would swear you are a spy!” Around the audience chamber, other Themyscrians indicated their agreement with gasps, drawing of weapons, and clattering of shields.

“If I were a spy I would hardly have formed this group to begin with,” Terra responded wearily. This conversation was so common for her it was almost routine. Except, of course, for the part where her life was hanging in the balance.

Hippolyta was thoughtful. “I have often wondered if all Markovians were evil. Her story gives me hope, though I am more than somewhat cautious.”

“We shall proceed, then, with the men,” Artemis said distastefully. “Though I still think you should let me kill the Markovian brat.”

“Artemis,” Hippolyta sighed.

Artemis bowed stiffly to the Queen, gritting her teeth.

Anarky did nothing to improve Artemis’ mood. “You are too used to the rules and laws of men like yourself to have any perspective,” she spat.

Anarky, of course, would not be cowed. “Government is government is government,” he countered, “And let us not forget that the Markovian Empress is a woman, eh?”

“Their Empire was begun by man,” Artemis snapped.

“…And continued by a woman who could have stopped it…as opposed to her daughter,” he gestured to Terra, “Who is trying to stop it. Along with us helpless males.”

“That is enough,” Hippolyta sighed. “Next.”

Robin, at least, did not aggravate them further. “Prodigy of a vigilante, following his ways,” Wonder Woman nodded. “Not too bad, for a male.”

“If one may be permitted to ask a question?” Robin asked. When Wonder Woman nodded, he went on, “I trust your own men are given more clemency?”

“Of course,” Hippolyta answered as though it were obvious. “I am satisfied as to your reasoning; you may stand down.”

Robin stepped back, unsure exactly of what had just happened.

Green Lantern generated an uncertain, mixed reaction from the ladies. “Why has your mentor not been involved before this, then?”

“He has been,” Lantern explained patiently, “Through the Justice Society.” Seeing how much Terra and Anarky had provoked them, he did his best to curb his own formidable temper. “As for myself, I am acting directly, as you now know.”

“Women have wielded these rings of power before?” Hippolyta mused.

“Not human females, so far as I know,” Lantern said, “At least not yet. But certainly countless numbers of alien females down the centuries, not to mention creatures of indeterminate gender, additional alien gender unfamiliar to us, or no gender at all.”

“Nice textbook answer there, Greenie,” Ravager murmured.

“But a woman of our world could certainly wield one in future, yes?” Hippolyta pressed.

Lantern shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”

Hippolyta nodded thoughtfully. “Something to remember for the future.”



Some time after the last of the questions, the three Themyscrians gathered around Hippolya’s throne and murmured to each other in low-voiced conference.

“This is not going nearly as well as it should,” Argent murmured.

“You’d think they’d be a little more grateful,:” Anarky agreed, though even he was wise enough to keep his voice down.

“They have every reason to be suspicious and wary,” Ravager pointed out.

“I’m kind of surprised they didn’t execute me on the spot,” Terra sighed.

“Then why…” Lantern began.

“Because it was work the risk,” Anarky cut him off. Ravager nodded in agreement.

Argent could’ve said more at that point, but she settled back down and sighed. She still felt like the newbie here, the odd one out. They had accepted her, but still she felt like she should hang back. She had always been a quiet one, of course, despite her terrible past.

Finally, the three regal women turned to face them. “You will be escorted to quarters for the night. We accept your help, but it will be on our terms, not yours. You will hear our decision in the morning."

They all bowed and went quietly as the brawny women guards, grim eyed centurions to the last, led them away.

“Why do I get the feeling that if we don’t go along with their instructions in the morning, they’re likely to kill us?” Lantern sighed.

“Because you have a brain,” Anarky and Ravager replied in the exact same tone at the exact same moment, then stared at each other.

There was an amused chuckle from amongst the Themyscrian guards. “You show some wisdom, indeed,” one of them said, nothing but a flash of brown eyes and a grin inside her helmet. “You would do well to bow to the Queen’s wishes.”

They were sent to separate quarters, more luxurious for the women, more Spartan for the men. None of them were surprised, but Ravager was somewhat disappointed; she had hoped to continue working on loosening Anarky up.

All of them though, would spend the night thinking and planning as much as possible.
Their very lives might depend on it.



Continued….


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