Violence: I will try to make this as violent free for my readers as possible.

Sex/Subtext: No doubt, nothing but the best. Sex though? well we all will find out huh? Sex just happens sometimes eh? *laugh*

Copyright: And as we all know Universal and MCA always own Janice and Melinda as jealous as I am. There?s a "but" though. But I own the story line along with characters, Doctor Nathan Johnson, Starling, Emily, Cliona, Maired, Masika, and Ashley. They are mine and are very attached to me. *Laugh*

Note: To understand most of this story correctly you would have needed to read certain ones of my stories all the way back from Series One. This is a branching from the Janice and Mel stories from my first series. But that won?t mean you can?t understand what?s happening. I try to keep it clear as possible.

Started: June 29^th 2000 on Thursday

Series Five: The Rebirth Story: One

Section 1

~*Part 1*~

Janice flopped down in the small couch and brushed back some of her wet bangs from out of her eyes. She gave a long sigh and thought about her past few weeks. So much had happen to she and Melinda. It was enough to make her head spin.

"Congratulations Doctor Covington." Doctor Johnson held his hand out.

The small archeologist smiled warmly and took her dean?s hand with a hard grip. "Thank you but it wasn?t all my doing."

The dean smiled and vigorously shook the archeologist?s hand. "Yes, I am sure Miss Pappas had a big hand in it." He carefully released the small hand.

"Yes, a lot." Janice put her arms over her chest. "Couldn?t have done it without her."

The man still had his beaming smile. "Yes and I need to find Miss Pappas."

"I?m sure she?s around here." Janice took a long breath to relax her body after her long presentation. "Thank you for coming too Doctor Johnson."

"I wouldn?t have missed it for the world Doctor." Johnson?s right hand found his pant?s pocket. "I?ve been patiently waiting your over due lecture on this Xena."

The archeologist quietly laughed. "Yes, took long enough."

"Well? well worth the wait. Now please excuse me while I look for Miss Pappas."

"Of course." Janice watched the dean stroll away to mingle with the other doctors and people whom came for Janice and Melinda?s lecture. She continued to stand there in the crowd of people in the lecture auditorium

The presentation was long but proved worth wild. Both soulmates were able to convince their audience of the truth of Xena and Gabrielle with the help of their facts and artifacts. Early in the morning Janice had been a ball of nervousness thinking it wouldn?t fly. She was up all night checking over her notes over and over and over until Melinda came down the stairs and took her away. Mel wasn?t able to sleep without Janice nor was she about to let her small partner stay up all night.

The lecture by the end was a success and the room was filled with the audience currently milling over the protected artifacts. Janice and Melinda decided to split up and mingle with the people whom came, especially with certain powerful archeologists and deans from local universities. Some how word had gotten around about their lecture and only increased the size of the spectators. This also only increased the archeologist?s nervousness.

But two things did help settle her. One was Melinda?s presence and help. The second thing was her soulmate?s words, "Janice, none of those people in duh audience will have any idea what yo are talking about, they can?t be sure. So it iz jus? you and I that know everything ?bout Xena and Gabrielle. We could lie ?bout everything and they would believe us." How right Mel was, nobody knew anything about Xena and Gabrielle like they did. It was their territory.

After the Xena lecture Janice and Mel went directly home to rest and that was around late evening. To their surprise Starling called from Florida. Starling reported that things were settling in Florida about the rumors of Amazons and that the trip was becoming more of a vacation instead of a mission. Janice decided to act like a Queen and reprimanded her regent for not taking the mission serious. By the end of it Starling was stunned and Janice was falling over laughing at her joke. Starling didn?t know her Queen could joke or tease.

Now though, it was January fifth?. Nineteen forty-three. The soulmates rung in the New Year together in Columbia followed by the lecture two days later. The women then decided to head north to an apartment Mel bought as a get away. So now they vacationed in a small luxurious apartment in New York City. They were expecting Starling and Emily Leukos to join them this night. Starling had demanded the visit saying she had important things to go over with she and Mel. Janice had agreed. The archeologist suddenly was pulled from her thoughts as two warm hands came to her lap.

"Yo are thinking uh lot."

Janice smiled lovingly up to her partner. "Sorry."

"Notten tuh be sorry ?bout." Melinda bent down to her knees with her arms crossing on the other woman?s lap. She lowered her chin down to her arms. "What were yo thinking ?bout?"

The small woman still held her smile and reached forward to brush back her translator?s midnight hair. "Just about the lecture."

"It went well." Mel?s right thumb rubbed up and down against Janice?s white pants.

"Thank god too." The archeologist gave a grin and relaxed back into her chair. "You think we should go out to dinner tonight?"

The aristocrat shrugged her shoulders. "I reckon it depends on Starling and Emily considering they?ve been traveling all duh way from Florida."

"True." The small woman sighed faintly.

Mel slowly raised an eyebrow. "You?re itching tuh do something. I can tell Janice."

The small woman chuckled in response. "Yesss." She shook her head. "I feel a little? bored in New York. Don?t get me wrong, the city is great and old memories. I just?"

"Miss duh dirt huh?"

"Mel!" The archeologist faintly narrowed her eyes but her lips couldn?t hold back the grin. But she lost the playfulness. "I just miss digging."

The translator?s head moved in acknowledgment. "I know? so do I." Her eyes lifted to Janice. "Don?t fancy duh part ?bout proving tuh people ?bout my discoveries."

"Yeah." The archeologist nodded. "It?s a bunch of crock standing there in lectures trying to prove to people the truth." Her right hand came down to try and straightened out an imaginary wrinkle in her pants. "It?s just especially when it?s right there before their eyes. They can never take it for what it is, frustrating."

The aristocrat huffed. "Tuh say duh least." She squeezed her partner?s legs. "But we got them all dis time."

Janice gave an evil grin. "Hook, line, and sinker. They?re eating out of our hands for information about Xena and Gabrielle."

A snicker came from Mel. "We?re jus? to good."

Janice laughed and bent forward close to her partner. "We?re to good? Or are you to good for them?"

"Mmm, no it?z yo love." The aristocrat?s right hand came up so that her fingertips glided across Janice?s soft red lips.

Emerald eyes slowly shut and her right hand came up to grasp Mel?s hand on her lips. She laced her fingers with Melinda?s.

The tall woman slightly turned her head as she studied the archeologist, she loved studying Janice. Leaning forward she gently took the smaller woman?s lips.

"Mmm." Janice felt awkward sitting and kissing in this position. So she kept kissing her soulmate but stood up with Mel.

The aristocrat wrapped her arms around the archeologist. She then pulled back from the long gentle kiss with warm eyes.

Janice gradually opened her eyes and stared up into her partner?s eyes. "Mel?"

The southerner?s face contained a warm smile now. She lowered her head back down to make this kiss more loving but hiding the passion. When she lifted her head up she had a bit of a lopsided grin. "You know Janice, az soon az we get? involved Starling and Emily will be here."

The archeologist huffed and narrowed her eyes. "The Hell with them."

"Janice?" Mel gave a small snickered and continued. "Your Amazons."

Green eyes fell to the carpet floor. "Don?t remind me."

The tall woman inwardly sighed and lifted her friend?s chin. "I?m one of yo Amazons."

Janice?s lips were a devilishly grin. "Then? let me have you."

The translator?s face was faintly turning red but she lowered her head. "Tuhnight." A knock was heard and she sighed. Her eyes drifted to the door then back to Janice. "I promise."

The archeologist growled with sparkling eyes. "Better."

Melinda quietly laughed and released her soulmate. "Definitely." She came over to the door and opened it with a smile.

Starling lowered her head two seconds but gazed back up. "Mel."

The aristocrat chuckled in response.

"It?s good to see you." Stepping forward the regent hugged the tall woman.

The translator smiled and hugged back tightly. "Safe travel?" Was what she asked when Starling pulled away.

"Yes it was." The regent stepped into the apartment after the southerner backed out of the way. Her amber eyes shifted over to the small woman standing with a huge smile. "Well Doctor Covington, how are you?" A small grin.

Janice laughed and quickly stepped forward to take her Amazon into a hug. "Just been waiting for you."

"Ah, I feel quite honored." The regent quietly laughed after releasing her friend.

"So where?s Emily?"

Starling glanced to the door but back to her Queen. "She?s coming. She?s bringing up the luggage."

"You can?t bring yo own luggage up yonder Starling?"

The Amazon laughed and glimpsed up to Melinda. "No, that?s one of the benefits about being the regent."

Janice quickly snickered. "Thank god I am Queen then."

"Yes, you get even more benefits Queen Janice."

The archeologist wrinkled her nose not liking the taste of the title. "That has a bad ring."

The regent gave a small wink. "You?ll like it soon?. Trust me."

Janice laughed lightly and quickly picked up on the sound of somebody coming down the hall beating and banging articles. "That must be Emily." She peaked out the door and down the hall to see Emily almost dragging luggage down the hall. With a sigh, she stepped out of the apartment and power walked down to Emily to help her. "Doctor Leukos, glad you could make it." Janice reached down to grab a suitcase.

The good doctor smiled warmly. "I?m glad I made it." She saw her friend take some of the luggage. "Don?t worry, I got it Janice."

Hard emerald eyes lifted up to Emily. "Don?t start treating me like a Queen? because I am not."

The doctor was frozen in place for a moment. "Sorry my?" She stopped herself especially when she saw Janice raise an eyebrow daring her to call her Queen. Emily gave a small chuckle to ease the tension. "Sorry Janice."

The archeologist?s face rapidly went into a warm smile. "Thank you." She lifted the suitcase and found it heavy. "Jesus, is this Starling?s?"

"Yes."

"Christ. What she pack, all of Greece in here?" The small woman carried the suitcase down the hall to the open door of her apartment.

"I think so myself." Emily quietly laughed.

Janice shook her head. "My first act as Queen. Starling is not be allowed to travel with heavy luggage."

"I heard that!" The regent poked her head out the door and glared down to her Queen. "There?s important stuff in there."

"Like what?" The archeologist arched an eyebrow in question as she came to the door with Emily. "Your collection of rocks?"

"Oh that?s rich Janice." Starling rolled her eyes. "I didn?t know you were a comedian as well as an archeologist."

Janice quickly tried to swat her friend but missed.

Starling jumped back only to bump into a taller woman. She looked up to blue eyes.

Melinda grinned down to the regent. "She can be rather funny at times Starling."

"I?d? I?d believe you Mel." The Amazon sheepishly smiled and stepped off to her left out of the way of the luggage carriers.

The aristocrat turned her attention to her soulmate. "Here." She took the suitcase from Janice and easily lifted it. "Follow me Emily."

The doctor nodded and followed behind the southerner into the main part of the apartment. She quickly found it huge. "I thought you said this was a "little old" apartment Mel?"

"It iz."

Emily laughed as she became memorized by the size. "I fancy your idea of little."

Melinda laughed now and kept going through the little old apartment to the guests? wing.

Janice grinned and gazed over to Starling as they stood in the living room. Turning to the door she quietly closed it.

Starling shook her head from the earlier display. "I don?t understand how she did it."

"Did what?" The small woman turned to her regent.

"Lift the suitcase like it was a feather." The Amazon laughed with astonishment.

A smirk was over Janice?s lips. "It?s the bloodline."

The regent shook her head with her grin. "Right on."

The archeologist masked her lips with a grin. "Come on." She patted her Amazon?s back and started walking into the main part of the blue carpeted living room. "Sit down."

Starling nodded and shifted to sit on the huge couch. She gazed over to Janice whom sat in a leather chair.

"So I bet you and Emily are both tired from the trip eh?"

"Yes a little." Starling sighed and crossed her legs. She then straightened her skirt out. "It was a long drive."

"I know." Janice folded her hands into her lap. "Mel and I were tired just from Columbia to here."

The regent furrowed her eyebrows. "You both drove? I?d thought you would have flown."

"Nah." The archeologist shook her head. "To expensive and we wanted a car here for transportation."

"Well?" Starling suddenly had an evil smile. "I could have helped you and Mel get some real low rates on flying."

"Really?" Janice was intrigued. "How?"

"I have? connections Janice. Connections everywhere."

The archeologist?s head moved up and down and she relaxed in her chair. "Are they feathery connections?"

The regent closed her eyes and laughed a few times, her eyes opened slowly. "Yes, very feathery."

Janice quietly laughed. "Then that means I have the connections too."

"Oh yes you do." Starling grinned. "Just ask me for the names." She took a deep breath. "Remember Janice, the Amazons are everywhere with different jobs and talents. We?re diverse."

"I?m coming to find this out." Janice smiled warmly. She lifted her head to the left to see Emily and her soulmate enter in and sit down. Her emerald eyes rested on Mel. "Starling and I were just discussing the fact that she could have gotten us low airline tickets."

"Really?" The aristocrat gazed over to the regent. "Well low rates don?t matter wid how much money iz in my little old piggy bank."

The three other women all laughed at Melinda?s words. How true were her words? Melinda was the national bank herself. Much of her money was into stock, good stock that constantly brought in loads of money. And this is why America was in debt.

"Very true Mel." Starling settled down with a smile. "Well?" She glanced over to Emily sitting beside her. "We better cut to the chase about why we came crashing to your apartment." She seemed to almost be asking Leukos.

The doctor nodded in agreement and gazed to the soulmates sitting near each other.

Starling sighed faintly and focused her attention to Janice and Melinda. "We need to start thinking about the Amazons."

Janice nodded and posed a question. "And what do you have in mind?"

"That we bring back the Amazons."

A very long deep breath came from Janice as she considered the idea. "I agree but Starling? it is practically impossible."

"Why?" The regent bent forward. "It will not be impossible Janice." She paused. "Not now with you as our Queen. You?re the chosen and are the only one that can bring the Amazons back." She shook her head in sadness. "If it is not you that brings us back then we will die out. It has to be you Janice."

"Why Starling?" The archeologist furrowed her eyebrows. "What power could I possible hold?"

Emily decided to answer that. "Janice? it was believed that Gabrielle would come back one day to save the Amazons from the darkness again. She promised us she would one day and everybody knows it is you. All I have to do is look into your eyes and I see the promise of hope in them. Please don?t think the Amazons are an impossible feat." Emily paused. "Don?t give up on us when you have yet to try. Have yet to see what Amazons can do, we need your help. What is there to lose? Either you try and we come back or die or you don?t do anything and we die out." She shook her head with her sad eyes. "Give it a chance."

Janice shut her eyes slowly. "What I can not understand is what is the purpose of the Amazons today." She opened her eyes once more.

"The purpose?" Starling gave a confused look.

"Yes." Melinda decided to explain her partner. "What Janice iz saying iz duh Amazons were once uh tribe of women warriors fighting together. They can not do dat tuhday. So what would be duh purpose of duh Amazons tuhday?"

"Oh god." The regent shook her head in upset. "Then neither of you understand what Amazon means?" She sighed and leaned forward a little more. "Amazons were brought together not just as women warriors by no means. Yes maybe at first granted but not forever. During the Amazons? days and especially under Gabrielle?s reign Amazon meant equality and family, not about whom is the best female warrior. The height of the Nation was under Gabrielle?s reign when she brought us all together and forever changed the word Amazon. An Amazon became highly respected during Gabrielle?s time. To be an Amazon was a high honor." She paused while her voice came out with passion. "The Amazons were family, a family of sisters and mothers. We all protected each other and helped each other, which in turn gave women a good name. No Amazon in the Nation was more powerful then the other one no matter their rank. It was the most amazing thing to see in that day. The Amazons purpose during their time was love for each other, something very rare."

Neither soulmate said anything instantly, they both absorbed the information.

The archeologist slowly turned her head to her partner.

Melinda glanced over to Janice, studying her friend?s green eyes.

Bring the Amazons back? It repeated over and over in the soulmates? heads. Bring back the Amazons, bring back the Amazons? bring back. Amazons? women? the forties? World War II? impossible? or easy? grueling? exciting? powerful? full circle? yes full circle. Full circle is the key.

Janice turned her attention to Starling once again. "Any suggestions from my regent on how to bring back the Amazons?" Her lips spread into a grin, as did Melinda?s.

Starling?s face lit up with a huge smile. "Oh, lots of them."

Covington laughed and suddenly became excited. "Let?s hear them."

The regent sat back in her seat with a grin. "First I figured we need to take a role call more then anything."

"Well yo said there iz around five hundred Amazons? right?" Mel crossed her right leg over her left.

"Not? exactly Mel." Starling took a deep breath. "I was a little off on that figure."

Janice instantly leaned forward with an arched eyebrow. "What?s the new figure Starling?"

"Not much difference really Janice."

"Starling, what?s the real number of Amazons?" The archeologist?s eyes were narrowing.

"Well? it?s not bad." Starling rubbed her throat lightly. "Nine hundred."

"Nine hundred!" The Queen?s eyes were wide.

"Give or take twenty Amazons Janice."

"Give or take twenty Amazons? Starling, that?s a nation there."

"Exactly." The regent crossed her arms over her chest and gave a smirk.

The archeologist blinked, truth slapped her. "Hell." She fell back into her chair.

The aristocrat gazed over to her partner in semi-shock, she was having a hard time believing that too. But her attention went to Starling. "How can you be sure Starling?"

"It?s just a guess really Mel. I could be totally wrong and there might be two hundred Amazons. We can not be sure till we do a role call."

Janice slightly shook her head. "So basically you?re saying we don?t have a listing of all the Amazons?"

"No." The regent sighed sadly. "But there might be a way to get one." Her face quickly brightened up. "Hold on." She turned her head to Emily. "Go get our Amazon books."

Leukos nodded and stood up to stroll to the guests? wing.

Starling sighed. "Have either of you looked through your Amazon books?"

"Naw not really." Melinda glanced to her soulmate and back to Starling. "We?ve both been tuh busy."

The Amazon?s head moved up and down. "Okay, let me explain something to you both." She took a deep breath. "When Gabrielle took over all the Amazons and the Nations she created a new one and literally brought the nations together in Greece. She set up a new government, system, rituals, laws, and perspective. Overall they all stayed the same but Gabrielle enhanced them or changed small aspects of each to improve them. One thing she did do was prepare for the far future." Starling stopped when she saw Emily come back in with two old leather bound books.

The doctor handed her regent the books and sat down to her spot again at the end of the sofa.

"Thanks Emily." Starling looked at the two books and recognized her own. She reached forward to pulled the glass table closer. Carefully she settled the two old books down. "Gabrielle first of all setup clans in her Nation, each Amazon?s name became that clan."

Janice furrowed her eyebrows. "So you?re saying that everybody in my line that was an Amazon is part of Clan Gabrielle?"

"Yes exactly." Starling gave a small grin. "So your mother was part of Clan Gabrielle and your grandmother then your great grandmother." Her amber eyes drifted to Melinda. "And Mel?s Amazon line would be called Clan Xena."

Melinda had a small confused looked. "Why did Gabrielle do dis? I am sure there iz uh reason why."

"Oh there is, Gabrielle had a very good reason." Starling gave a small grin and started her long explanation. "Gabrielle wanted to keep rank and order in her Nation, she wanted to make sure that later in the future she knew who was her regent, second in command, princess and so on. Basically she didn?t want to redo her system when she came back."

Janice quickly cut in to finish the explanation. "So each clan was named after her Amazon during her Nation so she could decipher who was her officers in the future. Gabrielle believed when she came back so would her original Amazons." She quietly laughed. "So imaginary she was? and smart."

Starling gave a small smirk. "She was." She carefully now opened here leather bound book to the first page. "Now if you both come here, I?ll show you the rank." She lopsidedly grinned to her two friends.

Both soulmates quickly moved to sit on either side of Starling.

"Now I can?t be sure who is who." Starling read down the list on the first page, it was worn but the ink was still dark. "I can?t be sure since it?s in Greek."

Melinda scanned down the list. "Well dat?s Clan Gabrielle az Queen." The translator kept translating the list. "Next iz Clan Xena az? consort?" She glanced up to the regent for a conformation.

Starling nodded. "That?s right, Gabrielle?s consort."

Emily grinned and decided to do the definition. "A consort at that time is equal to a wife." The doctor leaned towards the group. "But a consort holds a lot more meaning compared to uh common wife."

Everybody quietly chuckled and went back to the list.

Melinda took a deep breath. "Next on duh list iz Clan? Ephiny." She lifted her eyes to Starling. "Why iz it in bold like dat?"

Starling gave a small grin. "That?s because this is my book. I am Clan Ephiny. If either of you look in your books your clan would be bolded out." Her eyes lowered to the list again. "Now I know who the modern day princess is today but I can?t figure out the clan and I?ve never asked Cliona her clan name."

Janice glimpsed down to translate. "Clan Amarice as Amazon Princess." Her eyes lifted to Mel for acknowledgment.

The aristocrat nodded lightly. "I?ll jus? read down duh list." She took a long breath. "Clan Solari as second in command, Clan Teresa as third in command, Clan Epinion as weapons and fighting master, Clan Masika is the head priestess, Clan Maired is the head priestess, and Clan Logos was the head chef."

"Wait." Janice started to laugh. "Clan Logos is the head chef?" She started to laugh. "Oh my god."

Melinda devilishly grinned over to her partner. "Looks like Gabrielle wasn?t planning to go hungry."

The archeologist shook her head with a chuckle. "She?s real smart. That?s the most important officer I think."

"Hey!" Starling narrowed her eyes slightly to her Queen. "You?re not going to have a regent soon if you keep those comments up."

Janice slightly snickered. "Well, I can?t rule on an empty belly. We need to find out who is Clan Logos right away."

The regent?s tongue ran across the back of her molars. "Watch it Queen."

Covington quietly laughed and looked back to the list. "So do we know who the modern day people are of each of these clans?"

"Yes." Starling took a long breath. "I know most of them."

"Who don?t you know?" The Queen gazed over to the regent.

"Let?s see?" Starling studied the list and ran down it. "I don?t know Clan Teresa, Clan Masika, and Clan Maired?. Oh and Clan Logos." She smirked to Janice.

The archeologist shot a grin to her friend and responded. "So three main people."

"Hold on, Starling you don?t know who Clan Teresa is?"

Starling gazed over at Leukos. "No, do you?"

Emily quietly laughed. "Yes, it?s Ashley."

"Ashley?" Starling?s eyes widen. "You mean our Ashely Teris that?s best friends with Cliona?"

"Yes." Emily was nodding. "I thought you knew?"

The regent shook her head. "No? she never told me." Her amber eyes narrowed a little. "Nobody?s told me? till now."

"Thank god I told you." A hidden grin took Emily?s lips.

The regent quietly laughed. "You?re lucky." She took a deep breath. "Well looks like that leaves us with two clans to figure out."

Janice crossed her arms against her chest and sat back. "Think we can figure out my head council member and priestess?"

Very slowly Starling lifted her eyes to her Queen. She used ?my? head council member and priestess. That only made her smile to Janice. "Yes, definitely? my Queen."

The archeologist narrowed her eyes. "Don?t start that? regent."

Starling laughed and sat back in her seat.

Janice turned her head to her quiet soulmate. "Dinner?"

Melinda quietly laughed and grinned. "What yo fancying for?"

The small woman?s eyes sparkled with excitement. "I can come up with something? I think."

~*~*~*~

The archeologist rested back into her set and crossed her legs at the ankles. She had her head low looking at the front cover of her Amazon book, her small hand gently grazed across the embossed cover. On the cover was the symbol of the Amazon bird and at the bottom in Greek was written ?Clan Gabrielle? with ?Amazon Queen? written below it and even below that was written ?The Chosen.? Janice carefully ran the tips of her fingers over the embossment of ?The Chosen.? Her heart skipped a beat.

"And you miss?"

Janice quickly looked up to the waitress. "A scotch would be great."

The waitress nodded and closed up her note pad to stroll away with her drink orders.

Melinda sat beside her soulmate in the booth. She shifted her right hand onto the smaller woman?s leg, she squeezed.

The archeologist gazed up to Mel and smiled.

"Going tuh open dat?" Her eyes moved to Janice?s Amazon book then back to her.

A little chuckle came from Janice and she lifted the leather book to the table. However she gave her attention to Starling sitting across from her. "You mentioned that we could get a listing of all the Amazons. What about that?"

The regent took a long breath and relaxed back into her seat. She sat beside Emily in the booth seat. "Well, it?s a bit... complicated."

"Oh god." Janice sighed and lifted her right hand to brush back some of her hair behind her ear. "How is it complicated?"

"Wellll? the list won?t be quite up to date? if there even is a list."

"What you mean ?if there even is a list??" The small woman leaned against the table closer to the Amazon. "Starling, either there?s a list or there isn?t. Is there or not?"

The regent sighed unhappily and shifted her eyes to Emily.

The doctor nodded and focused her sights on Janice. "You see Janice, there?s a story handed down saying that within the ancient Amazon Nation there is a hidden tomb."

Janice huffed and fell back into the booth. "Another story, god."

The southerner?s lips had a grin at her partner?s words. She went serious. "Emily, what?s in duh tomb?"

Emily smiled to Melinda. "It is not sure what but that the tomb will contain everything to help support the Amazons in their quest to be brought back."

"And why hasn?t anybody tried to find this tomb?" Janice looked between Starling and Leukos.

Starling crossed her arms in her lap. "Because no Amazon but the chosen may step into the tomb first. Otherwise the Amazons would be doomed to hell? or rather Hades."

The archeologist let her breath out in frustration. Out of the corner of her eye she saw their waitress coming with the drinks.

The tall waitress carefully placed the drinks down and pulled out her note pad again. "Ready to order?"

"Yes, I reckon we are." The aristocrat smiled warmly up to the waitress. "I reckon I?ll have duh turkey pot pie."

The waitress?s head bobbed up and down while she wrote the order, her eyes went to Janice in question. The waitress took her order along with the other two Amazons? orders. After collecting the menus, the waitress left.

The Queen looked over to her regent. "Do we know where this tomb is in the Amazon Nation?"

"We?re not quite sure Janice but it lies just outside where the old village once was." Starling stopped for a moment and continued on. "We were expecting you to figure that part out? since you?re the archeologist."

Janice quietly laughed and rested back into her seat. "Ssso, sounds like I?ll get my wish after all." Her emerald eyes raised up to her partner.

That small chuckled came from the translator. "Looks like we both will."

Emily Leukos had a confused look. "What is that?"

The archeologist grinned over to her Amazon. "To dig in the dirt."

Everybody around the table laughed together. The rest of the dinner went on in the restaurant and the group of women created their plans. Near the end of the late dinner the women had the plans pretty well settled.

"You reckon they?ll all won?t mind staying wid us?"

"Not at all." Starling shook her head at the southerner. "Cliona and Ashley will stay with us. They wouldn?t miss it for the world to see the opening of the Amazon tomb." She took a long breath. "Hopefully we?ll be able to find Clan Masika and Clan Maired."

The Queen?s head moved in agreement. "Definitely. I?d like to have them there with us when we discover the tomb. Then I?ll be able to sit down with my officers and we can figure out the plans for the Amazons."

The regent smiled warmly. "I agree." She took a long breath.

Janice sat back into her booth with her full stomach. "Okay, so lets run over the plans one more time. First we get a hold of Cliona and Ashley and have them fly here to New York." Her eyes rested on the Amazon book. "Then we?ll fly to Columbia so Mel and I can pick up our tools and an artifact."

"What artifact do you need Janice?"

The archeologist grinned at Emily. "I have Gabrielle?s diary. I?d like to have it for reference."

"Have you translated it all?"

"No." Janice shook her head at Starling. "Mel and I are in the process of it." Her eyes unfocused. "After Columbia we pick up whoever Clan Masika and Clan Maired are."

"Dat?s if we find out who they are Janice."

"Right." Covington nodded at her soulmate?s words. "Fourth thing is to fly to Greece and go directly to the Amazon Nation together."

"Then we do a little digging." Starling gave a small smirk.

"Definitely." Janice?s lips were in a grin. "Hopefully we?ll find that legendary tomb of Gabrielle?s and get the Amazons back on a roll again."

The regent took a very deep content breath. "It will be grand."

Emily nodded in agreement. "It will be." She gazed over to Janice and the aristocrat. "We?ve been waiting centuries for the chosen to return."

The tall southerner gave an evil grin. "Don?t start talken like dat Emily. You?re libel tuh scare Janice and I off."

The women chuckled around the table.

~*~*~*~

Following that wonderful dinner, the women migrated back to Melinda and Janice?s apartment in New York City. As soon as they arrived, Starling was in the guests? wing and out again leaping to the phone in the living room. The other Amazons all sat down on the huge sofa while listening to Starling making the phone call.

"Yesss." Starling gave a sigh as she shifted the phone a little in her hands. "I am not kidding Cliona." A quiet chuckle escaped her lips. "Yes, that even means I am lower in rank now." A grin spread across the regent?s lips. "I agree, took long enough."

The archeologist turned her head to Mel. "I don?t even have to ask what that was about."

The translator soon had a grin. "I know."

"Yes, first we head to Columbia to pick up some supplies." The regent sighed and shook her head. "No I am dead serious." Starling?s right hand went to her hips. "Cliona, would you like to talk to the Queen yourself?" She shook her head and glanced over to Janice. She removed the phone and held it towards the archeologist. "Your? princess wishes to speak to you."

Very slowly Janice stood up, took a step towards her regent, and received the phone. She glanced over to Starling as she lifted the receiver.

Starling gave a huge smirk.

Janice sighed and focused on Cliona on the phone. "Cliona?"

"So I heard Doctor Covington, you?re the Queen now?"

The archeologist smirked as she replied to Cliona on the phone. "No, I?ve always been the Queen, I?m just proclaiming it now. Isss that okay with you Cliona?"

Cliona laughed lightly over the phone. "Of course my Queen, took long enough." Her voice was now serious. "I hear you would like for Ashley and I to fly over to New York?"

"Yes, if that?s possible." Janice paused for a moment putting her thoughts together right. "We have a mission Cliona."

"So I?ve heard. I wouldn?t miss it for the world Janice." A sigh from Cliona over the phone. "When would you like us there?"

"As soon as possible Cliona." Janice shifted her weight to her other foot. "By the way, do you happen to know whom Clan Masika or Clan Maired are?"

There was a small silence over the phone briefly but Cliona responded. "Not that I know of but? I think Ashley might know whom Clan Maired is, hold on for a sec."

The archeologist heard the Amazon lower the phone and call off to somebody. She could hear somebody in the far background answer Cliona back.

Cliona lifted the phone once more. "Ashley says Clan Maired is one of her good friends. Her name is Constance O? Henry and lives in London."

Janice sighed sadly. "Christ, England is the worst place to go right now."

The princess snickered and replied. "Not compared to Germany."

"True." The Queen stopped speaking and thought for seconds, considering the options. "We better pick up this Constance O? Henry."

"Alright. Ashley and I will fly to New York to pick you four up." The Amazons paused. "I think Ashley and I will be able to find out if we can fly into the London airport. We use to have a friend their working at the airport."

"Amazon?"

"Yes. Well she?s more Ashley?s friend then mine but she?s real nice." Cliona took a long breath. "Is there anything else Janice?"

"Nope." Janice?s eyes studied the rug floor. "That covers it. Thanks Cliona."

"You owe me Covington."

The archeologist quietly laughed. "No, I?m the Queen. Now get over here fast. Bye Cliona."

"Bye Janice." Cliona carefully hung the phone up.

Janice did the same and turned to her friends. "They?re on their way." A smile took her lips. "Clan Maired is an English by the name of Constance O? Henry."

"English?" Melinda shook her head. "We?re gonna have uh hard time getten into England wid duh war."

"I know." Janice?s eyes shifted between Starling, her soulmate, and Emily. "But Cliona thinks there is an Amazon working in the London airport and will let us land there. We?ll see."

Starling smiled warmly. "Cliona seemed to think her and Ashley would be in the New York airport tomorrow afternoon."

Emily spoke up now. "Are we going to leave right away?" Her eyes settled on Janice.

Starling also was staring at her Queen in question.

Covington gazed over to her soulmate for agreement.

The southerner spoke the decision. "We?ll leave az soon az Cliona and Ashley comes."

Emily and the regent both moved their heads in understanding.

"Well?" A light smile from Janice. "I think we all better go to bed. It?s getting late."

The regent?s head moved up and down. "Agreed." She took a long breath. "I?m beat after the trip." Her eyes moved to Emily.

Leukos nodded and stood up. "Especially since I did all the driving."

Starling snickered quietly. "I told you before Emily. The benefits about being the regent."

A chuckle came from the doctor. "I?m noticing." She shifted pass Janice to the doorway that would go through a dinning hall and into another doorway that lead to the guests? wing. "Goodnight Janice and Mel. Thanks y?all for dinner."

The aristocrat smiled to her friend. "Goodnight Emily and it wuz our pleasure."

Leukos nodded and went through the doorway.

The regent took a long breath. "Well, it looks like it?s begun."

Both soulmates nodded in agreement.

Emerald eyes shifted up to Starling. "Finally."

That word made Starling grin. "Definitely." The grin slipped. "Well, I?m headed to bed. Goodnight you two and thank you for the lovely dinner. It was great."

Janice smiled and nodded. "Goodnight Starling. Thanks for coming."

"Of course." She ambled over to the doorway.

"Sleep well Starling."

"I will Mel, you too." The Amazon disappeared towards the guests? wing.

Janice crossed her arms over her chest while turning to her soulmate, an evil grin took control.

Sky eyes gradually lifted up to the smaller woman. "Come here."

The archeologist immediately shifted to crawl on Mel.

The translator carefully laid back while her partner crawled on top of her body. "How yo feelen?"

Janice nuzzled her friend?s neck. "Tired."

"I am too." Melinda had her arms tightly wrapped around the other female. She twined her legs with the short ones. Raising her head, she placed a gentle kiss to Janice?s head and lowered her head back to the sofa?s armrest

"Was a nice dinner."

"Yeah, itz good tuh see Emily and Starling."

Janice nodded and her eyes began to close. "Mel?"

"Mmm?"

"You ready to go back to Greece?" The archeologist lifted her head up to peer down into unfocused sapphires.

The southerner took in a mass of air while considering. "I reckon so." Her eyes focused onto the smaller form. "I need tuh sometime."

"You sure?" Janice was serious and with eyes locked. "I don?t want to go to Greece if you?re not ready. To Hell with the plan when it comes to you."

The tall woman faintly smiled but lost it. "I?m ready." Her right hand came up to brush back some of Janice?s hair. "I?m uh big girl now."

Janice let a light laugh go. "I know." She bent forward to take her soulmate?s lips in a gentle kiss. After she did her lips came to Mel?s forehead, placing a kiss there. Pulling away, her eyes locked with Mel again. "I love you Mel."

"Oh I know." The southerner pulled down Janice?s head and passionately kissed her while her body warmed.

~*Part 2*~

Starling sat up in the bed rapidly, she heard it again. It was a scream that echoed through the entire apartment if not the building. She knew it not to be a scream of pleasure but a scream of terror. Looking to her right she saw Emily getting up.

"What was that?"

"Mel screaming." The regent was out of the bed.

"Starling-"

"You coming Emily?" Starling was at the door opening it. "Something isn?t right."

The doctor sighed and leaped out of the bed to follow behind.

The regent jogged through the guests? wing to the other wing where she knew Janice and Melinda?s room was. She didn?t both to knock and busted into the room. "Janice? Mel?" She was given no response at first but a faint sobbing filled the air. "Mel? Janice?" Her eyes began to adjust to the darkness of the room.

"Hey." It was Janice?s voice in the dark room.

"What?s going on?" The Amazon was able to see now. Melinda was wrapped up in Janice?s arms, sobbing.

"Mel just had a bad dream."

Emily came up behind the regent now. "What happened?"

Starling turned her head to the Amazon. "It?s okay, Mel had a bad dream." She gazed back to the Queen in the room. "Is there anything we can do?" Her amber eyes took in the sight of Mel curled up in her soulmate?s arms crying as if she were a child scared by a monster.

"No, we?re fine. Thanks Starling and Emily." Janice?s emerald eyes slowly lifted up to her Amazons. She sadly smiled. "Thanks for coming by, get some sleep."

"Yeah." Starling took a step back to close the door slowly. "Goodnight." The door slipped shut.

Janice kept her eyes pinned to the door till she heard the door handle become released. Lowered her head down, she studied her soulmate. "Mel?"

The southerner buried her head more into her partner?s chest.

Lowering her head more, the small woman placed a gentle kiss to Mel?s head. "Come on, lay down." Slowly she reclined back onto the bed.

The translator went with Janice and curled up into her arms and twined her legs with Janice?s. Still a few tears escaped.

The archeologist held her friend tightly while she cried. When she heard the sobs settle, she spoke only in a whisper. "Hope?"

Melinda nodded faintly and lifted her head up. "Not even in my dreams I can escape duh past."

"There is no escaping the past Mel, you know that." Leaning towards the taller woman, Janice pressed her lips against Mel?s forehead. "What was the dream about?"

Cobalt eyes shut and the aristocrat spoke from memory in an usher. "Hope raping me again then killing you." Her eyes opened again. "I?ve never been filled wid such uh rage and sadness."

"I know." The archeologist held her partner with concern. "It was a dream, nothing more Mel."

The southerner furrowed her eyebrows. "But it holds truth Janice."

"It does." Janice faintly shrugged her shoulders. "Yet it was a dream and you didn?t go through that." Moving her right hand towards Mel, she brushed back midnight hair. "I wouldn?t let it happen to you."

The tall woman took the smaller hand and intertwined their fingers. "I know." She took a long breath. "I never did thank yo for coming after me."

Janice?s facial expression was a confused one. "Why wouldn?t I Mel?" A squeeze to the southerner?s hand. "I wasn?t about to let Hope have you let alone kidnap you to Greece."

Melinda smiled warmly and she curled back up into her soulmate?s arms. "Janice?" Her eyes slipped shut.

"Yeah?" The archeologist held her partner tightly while closing her eyes.

"I love you."

"I love you too Mel."

The soulmates soon found themselves in separate dreams again.

~*~*~*~

The archeologist stared down at her brown boots hitting the gray pavement. Slowly her green eyes lifted to the sight of the silver DC-3 plane resting inside of the hanger. Carefully Janice hefted the dark brown bag on her right shoulder. Her stomach filled with a thrill. Her gaze went up to her soulmate to her right.

Melinda turned her head down to her partner, she grinned. She knew what Janice was feeling since she was as well.

Both soulmates lifted their eyes to the plane again.

As soon as the group entered, Ashley came racing out of the DC-3 to the steps and down the steps. Her expression was that of ecstaticness. "Janice!" Without warning she engulfed her Queen with a huge hug.

The archeologist was surprised and smiled. She hugged her Amazon back tightly.

Ashley pulled back with her warm smile. "I?m so glad you took the caste."

Janice quietly laughed and reached up with her right hand to adjust her hat. "Well, Starling didn?t leave me with much choice."

There was a large huff from the regent. "Watch it Queen."

A snicker came from the Queen.

"Well, now that we?re all here. I think we should get going." Cliona put her hands on her hips. She?d left Ashley with the plane while she went to pick up Janice, Mel, Starling, and Emily in the city. Now they?d made it to the airport.

Starling turned her attention to Janice in question.

Everybody else did the same, seeming to wait for orders.

The archeologist?s shoulders dropped at this. "Jesus Christ, will y?all get on the plane." She cringed at one word she used.

The Amazons laughed together and quickly went about boarding the plane with their luggage. Now it was only the soulmates standing together in the hanger.

The southerner grinned devilishly. "Love, you?ve been around me to long."

The small woman?s tongue ran across the back of her molars. "I know." She had a smug look.

Mel laughed quietly and bent down to kiss her soulmate lovingly. "Soon I?ll have you usen other words then jus? y?all."

"Mmm, I?m counting on it." Janice returned the kiss while putting her hands around her partner?s waist.

"Will you two hurry it up!" It was Starling?s voice.

Janice sighed sadly and dropped her head against her friend?s chest. "I?ve gotta put that regent in her place."

The translator snickered but called back up to the regent. "We?re coming? y?all." A grin slipped across her lips.

The archeologist squeezed her soulmate for the jibe. "Funny."

Melinda laughed and lowered her head down on the smaller woman?s. "Ready tuh lose our privacy for uh few weeks?"

"Nope." Sea green eyes lifted up. "But what choice do we have?"

"Tuh say no." Melinda grinned. "You are duh Queen."

"Very true." Janice slipped out of her friend?s arms and started walking towards the steps. "But I could go for some digging."

"Yo jus? wanna play in duh dirt." The southerner started to climb the steps.

"Mel!" The archeologist suddenly stopped walking on the steps because of the joke.

The tall woman hadn?t caught the rapid stop and rammed into her soulmate. She only grinned and slipped her arms around Janice?s waist. "Yesss?"

"You like playing in the dirt as much as I do."

"Mmm but only wid you Janice."

Janice?s lips took on a smirk. "Good."

Melinda raised her right hand up to tilt Janice?s head back. Lowering her lips down she sealed them with Janice?s.

Starling peaked her head out of the door of the plane to gaze down the steps. She saw the soulmates kissing. "Will you two move it. You can?t even get up the steps. We?re gonna fly without you."

The southerner pulled back from the kiss with a low growl. Her dark eyes lifted to see the regent gone, her eyes narrowed. "Damn regent."

Janice?s eyes widen at hearing her partner cuss. "Oh boy, Starling is on your hit list."

"Got dat right." Mel winked down to her archeologist. "Let?s go."

Covington nodded and continued her climb to the plane. She entered in and there stood Cliona talking to Ashley.

"Now you did tell the Columbia airport that we?ll need to fuel up?"

Ashley quickly nodded. "Yes, they said no problem."

"Great." Cliona put her arms against her chest. "And you spoke to somebody about the London airport?"

Ashley shook her head faintly. "I tried to get a hold of my friend there. But she was busy at the moment."

"Ssso we?ll do it when we get to Columbia." Janice crossed her arms against her chest. She felt Melinda?s hands come to her shoulders.

Ashley moved her head in agreement. "That?s the only other choice we have."

"Good." Cliona gave a smile. "Let?s get this plane flying." She pilot uncrossed her arms.

Ashley laughed. "I?ll be back." The third in command turned towards the door and brushed passed her Queen and went down the steps in a rush.

The princess quietly laughed at her copilot. She turned to her Queen. "Starling and Emily are in the back. Welcome back aboard the Amazon Plane." She gave a smirk.

The soulmates laughed together.

"Thanks Cliona." Janice stepped passed her princess and headed down the main isle to the back of the plane.

"Thank you Cliona." Mel smiled and followed her partner.

The princess grinned and reached up to brush back her red hair behind her ear. "They?ve already changed since last time." A quietly laugh and Cliona headed to the cockpit.

Janice came to the back of the plane where all the seats were. She spotted Starling and Emily taking two seats on each side. "Well you two look? comfortable."

The regent smirked up to her Queen. "Of course. Amazons are always comfortable."

The archeologist rolled her eyes and turned to Mel, she held her hand out.

The southerner nodded and forked over her bag. She sat down in a seat closes to the window behind Emily?s row.

Janice soon came back after ridding herself of the two bags. She sat down in the seat next to her soulmate. Simply the archeologist removed her hat to place it into her lap.

They all heard Ashley come rushing back up into the plane. The third in command gazed down the isle to her Amazon friends. "We?re headed out of here. It?ll probably be a two hour flight or so."

All four women nodded.

Janice however spoke up. "Thanks Ashley."

The third in command nodded with a smile. She turned away and headed directly into the cockpit with Cliona.

~*~*~*~

They?d been flying for half an hour now and it was a comfortable flight. Emily and Starling both went to sleep, plane rides made them tired.

Janice on the other hand was sitting back reading her Amazon book. The first five pages were in Greek and written in Gabrielle?s handwriting. Then the following five pages were still in Gabrielle?s hand writing yet it was in English, old English of the British. This had quickly confused the archeologist. She lifted her right hand to run through her bangs.

Melinda casually opened her eyes to glimpse over at her partner. "What?s wrong?"

The archeologist shook her head. "Gabrielle wrote the first few pages in Greek and then another five in old English."

"Dat?s odd." The southerner leaned to her right to study the page Janice was on. The page to the left was in Greek and the page to the right was in English.

"It is." Janice flipped to the next page to see it all in English. Carefully she turned the pages till she noticed a different handwriting. "Then this is whoever?s handwriting that was next in line after Gabrielle."

The translator furrowed her eyebrows. "It makes yo wonder how Gabrielle and Xena had a child since they were both females."

Janice chuckled. "I was wondering the same thing myself."

"Maybe we?ll find out." Mel began to read what Gabrielle?s daughter wrote. "Looks like duh Amazons were still around during Gabrielle?s daughter?s time."

"Yeah." Janice turned the pages slowly and scanned what was written. It was mostly dates with a brief summary of what important advent happened that day. "Look here." She pointed to one spot.

The aristocrat read aloud where her soulmate pointed. "Tuhday, duh Amazons went into duh shadows. It wuz decided between myself and my regent dat duh Amazons can not survive in dis time till my mother, Gabrielle, and her soulmate, Xena, can return someday." She furrowed her eyebrows and gazed at Janice. "They really believed dat Gabrielle would come back."

"Yeah." Janice?s fingertips glided down the worn paper, feeling the impressions in the paper. "I wonder if she has?"

Sapphire eyes studied her soulmate and Mel?s words came out in a whisper. "Has she?"

Janice didn?t gaze up to her partner but studied one line in her Amazon book. ?the Amazons can not survive in this time till my mother, Gabrielle, and her soulmate, Xena, can return someday. She read that line three times, her eyes focused mostly on the can return someday. "Maybe? just maybe." A sad smile took over her lips.

That same smile was caught on Melinda?s lips. "Only if you want her tuh." She slipped an arm around Janice?s back and the other around her waist. "Come here."

Covington nodded and closed the book, it went back to its home inside of Janice?s leather jacket. She moved to let her head rest down in the other woman?s lap. She let her legs hang off her chair?s armrest. With ease her eyes shut.

Melinda smiled and kept her arms around Janice, her hands resting on the small woman?s stomach. Her eyes closed as well. And found herself asleep like Janice.

~*~*~*~

The translator gradually opened the door to her white mansion, it was rather cool inside despite the warmness of the day in Columbia. She stepped in to flick a switch and turn on the over head chandolear.

Janice came in second. "Home sweet home."

The southerner quietly laughed and came in. "Notten like home."

"A big one at that." Starling came in with Emily, Cliona, and Ashley directly behind.

The archeologist glanced over to her regent. "Jealous."

"I am." Starling devilishly grinned. "Living in that shack of a home in the Amazon Forest get?s tiring."

All the Amazons quietly laughed.

Janice went serious and peeked up to Mel. "How about you make that call. I?ll go get the stuff."

Melinda nodded. "Sounds good tuh me."

The archeologist nodded and glanced over to Ashley. "Ash, come help me." She went to the main stairwell and went up them.

The third in command nodded. "Right behind you." She followed.

Mel went to her right into the huge living room.

Cliona, Starling, and Emily came in afterwards and sat down, waiting.

The southerner however went over to Janice?s desk to where the phone rested. She lifted it to hear the phone pick up on the phone line and connect with the operator. "Yes can you ring up Doctor Johnson at duh South Carolina University?" She listened with a nod. "Yes, thank you."

Janice came into she and Mel?s room. She gazed side long to Ashley. "Go over to that closet." She ambled over to the dresser. "You?ll see a whip and my gun in a halter."

The third in command was at the closet but was hesitant, her hand caught in midair at hearing what she was to find. "A gun and whip?" Her voice was filled with concern while she opened the door.

"Yes." Janice opened the top drawer and pulled out a box of bullets for her gun. She slipped the box into her jacket?s pocket. Reaching back in she extracted three leather bound books.

Ashley saw the whip hanging inside with a gun in a halter. She pulled them both out and closed the door. Turning around she saw her Queen coming up to her. She furrowed her eyebrows at the three books. "What are those?"

The archeologist, with her freehand, took the whip first. "Two of the books are Mel?s and I?s notes on Xena and Gabrielle. The other one is Gabrielle?s diary." She received her old revolver next and walked over to the bed.

"Why you need the weapons?" Ashley came up behind her Queen.

"Safety." Janice turned away from the bed after depositing her stuff there. She strolled back to the closet and grasped a small worn leather pack on a shelf. Bringing it down, she came to the bed again. Placing the three books in carefully then the whip on top. Janice pulled out her box of bullets and placed them in the bag as well.

Ashley stood a bit amazed. "Nice? revolver though."

The archeologist quietly laughed. "Thanks." She took the revolver from its halter and opened the bullet chamber. It was loaded and she shut the chamber and spun it. The air filled with a clicking and she tucked the gun into the inside of her jacket. The halter however went into the bag and the pack was closed up. Janice hefted it onto her right shoulder and smiled to her Amazon. "Ready?"

"Yup." The third in command also added a nod.

The Queen walked over to the door and went downstairs and to the living room.

Melinda smiled as she responded to Doctor Johnson over the phone. "Yes sir, itz an emergency." She listened to the dean?s response. "Yes, Emily Leukos will be coming wid us. We probably ain?t gonna return til? uh week or so." A small sighed while her right hand leaned onto the desk. "New York wuz wonderful what little time we had." The southerner?s eyes lowered the floor. "Naw, itz jus? Janice, Emily and myself going tuh Greece. We heard? from an old friend of ours dat there may be more evidence on Xena and Gabrielle. But we can not be sure til? we look over duh artifacts." She paused. "Well I hope you don?t mind Doctor Leukos coming wid us. We could really use her expertise in ancient Greek history."

Janice studied her partner, listening to her.

Ashley on the other hand went to sit beside Cliona on the sofa.

"Yes, we?ll call you az soon az we come back Doctor Johnson. Thank you have uh good afternoon." The southerner smiled to herself. "Yes we will be careful. Goodbye." She hung the phone up and turned around to everybody. "Well, we?re set."

Janice grinned and crossed her arms against her chest. "And Doctor Johnson doesn?t mind us taking some supplies from the University?s warehouse?"

"Naw, he insisted actually." Melinda grinned.

"Perfect." The Queen smiled and turned to her Amazons. "Here?s the plan. We need to go over to the Unversity?s warehouse they own. In there they keep a large supply of archeological tools we?ll need for the dig. We?ll pick that stuff up and drive back to the airport to fly out of here. Sound good?"

The four Amazons nodded and quickly stood up.

Starling moved away from the couch closer to Covington. "Let?s get this show on a roll."

Janice laughed and turned around to head to the door. She opened it and went outside of the mansion.

Melinda was the last out and she came up to her soulmate?s side whom waited for her outside. "Duh truck?"

"Yeah." The small woman gazed up to her partner. "Hope it runs."

The translator laughed with a grin. "It should, itz uh Ford truck."

Janice quietly laughed. "True." She started walking towards the garage, on the other side was an old green truck. She went inside to find the keys in the visor where she always left them.

Mel came in on the passenger side.

The Amazons all climbed in to the back of the truck and sat down.

Cliona sighed. "This is great. We get stuck out here."

The regent smirked to the princess. "That?s the benefits about being the Queen."

The princess quietly laughed. "True." She drummed her fingers on the truck?s bed. "But Mel isn?t a Queen."

"No." Emily gave a smug looked to Cliona. "She?s jus? the Queen?s consort."

Cliona turned her head to the doctor. "Not officially."

Ashley quiet laughed at her copilot. "Mel is Clan Xena. That?s official enough."

The princess snickered and rested back as the truck drove off the mansion?s lane. "To official."

~*~*~*~

Janice bent down to one knee and read the box. It read Contents, ten picks. With a grin Janice stood up with a crowbar and wrenched open the box?s top. Inside were new picks. She turned to her Amazons. "Get these in the truck."

The Amazons all nodded and went about carrying the picks into the truck.

Melinda crossed her arms against her chest as she stood in the cool dark warehouse. "We have everything but duh tentz."

The archeologist nodded. "How many you think we?ll need?"

"I reckon three."

Janice considered that. "One for the artifacts, a second to hold our supplies? the third?" She gazed up to her soulmate for an answer.

The southerner had an evil smile. "For whatever."

That evil smile now was with the smaller woman. "Ohhh, I see." She tapped the crowbar against the box near her. "Let?s find those tents eh?"

"Definitely." Melinda began to walk down one of the many isles in the warehouse. She read over the boxes contents trying to find the one that held the tents.

Janice did the same and grinned when she saw it. She came up to the box and rammed her crowbar between the top and side. She tried jerking it open with little success. "Jesus. They nailed this shut good."

The translator grinned and wrapped her hands around Janice?s on the crowbar.

The archeologist raised an eyebrow up to her soulmate.

Mel gave a small smirk. "One? tuh? three."

Both soulmate?s gave a hard jerk and the top screeched with the nails and came off freely.

Janice removed the crowbar and lifted the lid off, pushing it to the ground.

The air filled with the fine scent of canvas.

"How many are in ?ere?" The tall woman peered in.

"Five I think." Janice reached in to feel the metal stakes and then the canvas. Lifting her head up she saw Starling coming. "We found the tents."

The regent nodded and came up to her Queen. "How many we need?"

"Three." Janice reached back in and pulled out a hand full of stakes. She counted out a dozen metal stakes. "Don?t forget the poles."

The regent put her hands on her hips as the other three Amazons came up behind. "We have a few brains here."

The archeologist grinned. "I didn?t say you didn?t. Just want to make sure you don?t forget."

Starling laughed and pushed her Queen out of the way so she could get to the box. "Excuse us my Queen."

Janice laughed and stepped back. She peered up to her soulmate. "Let?s go back to the truck while my? subjects take care of the tents."

Starling replied to that quickly as she bent forward into the box. "Very funny Covington!"

Melinda snickered and started walking out of the warehouse with her partner.

"Why don?t you go into the truck. I need to stay here and lock up the warehouse when they?re done."

The southerner nodded and held out her hands. "I?ll start duh truck up."

Janice nodded and pulled out the truck?s keys, she handed them over. She then leaned against the warehouse?s main door. "Thanks."

Mel winked. "No problem." She walked along the gravel parking lot to the old green truck. She hopped in to start the truck.

Covington looked through the door to see her Amazons coming out with the pieces of the tent. "Hurry up."

Cliona quickly answered to that. "You?re one annoying Queen!" She readjusted the canvas in her arms.

Janice laughed with a grin. "Couldn?t help it." But her grin went to a smile. "Anything we?re missing?"

"Yeah." Emily glanced back to the warehouse doors as she carried the poles. "We need that last canvas for the tent. That?s it."

Janice nodded. "Alright I got it. Hop into the truck you guys."

Everybody nodded and went to the back of the truck placing the tent fragments in carefully followed by themselves climbing in.

The archeologist dropped the tent canvas to the ground and closed the door and locked up the chains over the door. Picking up the tent and carried it to the back of her truck.

Ashley reached forward to help lift the brown canvas into the truck?s bed. She rested it down and glanced back to her Queen.

Covington smiled. "Take these." She held out the stakes.

The third in command nodded and took the stakes.

The Queen stepped back. "Thanks for getting everything in here."

The four Amazons nodded with smiles. The regent spoke up. "We didn?t have much choice my Queen."

"Right." Janice rolled her eyes. "With you Starling, I?m lucky to get you to hear my order let alone follow through with it."

Starling laughed and smirked to her Queen. "I do not know what you speak of my Queen."

"Whatever regent." The archeologist chuckled and started walking to the driver?s side. "We?re out of here." She hopped into the truck and started her up.

The green Ford truck rolled out onto the streets of Columbia and made its way to the local airport. Once there the Amazon group hopped out onto the airstrip near the DC-3 plane. The plane attendants from the Columbia airport had just finished up fueling the plane. The group after they were out of the truck went about loading the plane with the supplies well except for Ashley. Ashley however went inside of the terminal to call her friend in London about landing there.

By the time the Amazons had the plane loaded with the archeological tools, the third in command returned with good news. Ashley?s Amazon friend told them it was safe for them to land and that she could get permission for them to land. Ashley was left excited and thanking her friend for the help. The Amazon had only laughed and told her to fly safely. That?s when the third in command hung the phone up and raced back to her friends to tell the good news. So now the DC-3 plane was rolling down the northeastern strip, picking up speed.

Janice shut her eyes as she felt the plane lift up off the ground. She hated this part and landing.

Mel grinned and reached over to hold her partner?s hand, she squeezed.

The archeologist?s eyes opened carefully and she took a deep breath to calm. "I hate this."

"I know." The southerner grinned. "But duh landing iz safer."

"How you figure?" The small woman grinned up to her soulmate.

"Cause you can still crash and walk away."

The archeologist laughed and sat back in her seat comfortable. "True. Any landing you can walk away is a good one."

"Yup." Melinda smiled and leaned towards her partner, she kissed the small woman deeply.

Janice smiled into the kiss and placed her right hand to Melinda?s cheek.

Within five hours or so the plane would land in London. Soon the group of Amazons would discover who Clan Maired is and hopefully pick her up to continue on their quest. Their quest to finding the Amazon history.