Jena of Atlantis, Legions of Overstar

Chapter 1   Jena meets Princess Sumatra Alexi of Ana

     Out at the new school at the ancient ruins. It was night time, lamps were lit.

     "Look, I'll tell you what," said Jena, stopping to wash off at the fountain, "If this is really a princess, I should wash off some of the bat guano before I go in."

     Iana shook her head no, "We don't have time! Her fleet leaves the capital city in the morning. You have to hear what she has to say about the legions of Overstar or something like that. Oh! There are the templar guards of her province now! Jena, this is too important to worry about guano."

     "Believe me Iana, after what I have been through, a little wash down won't hurt the world," said Jena, slapping the dust off her ceramic armor plate. "I'm nineteen now, old enough to care."

     "Jena, do you have any idea how far these people came to see you?" asked Iana excitedly.

     "Uh…no," said Jena, thinking it out, "Why would they want to see me anyway? I am just a captain in the army of the province of Ibu. And a new one at that. This last campaign was not exactly a stellar performance, it's not like anyone would want me for that. And I just came in from it, so this princess couldn't have heard anything about it. Look! The templar guards just walked right past us. I am just another lizard whomping tumbler to them. I haven't had a bath since the civil war, and you would all be happier if I did. Now let go of me, and let me find a puddle of water bigger than my foot to fall into."

     "Jena!" cried out an older man of some bearing, "You have returned! What a fine thing! We should talk, you and I. And soon, but now there are a lot of things going on, and the most important at the moment is that you meet this ambassador from Ana, as soon as you can. Now let's all find her right away!"

     "Valerian, I can't yet," groaned Jena, still trying to get her field gear off, "You can't believe what I have come through, to get here. Really, just let me wash this awful stuff off."

     Her old friend and mentor looked at her closely, "Well, maybe a little splashdown wouldn't hurt much. Iana, can you get the students over here with a bucket of water?"

     Now Jena looked at this retired magistrate, and current agent of internal affairs of the provincial government. "I never did find out what you do now, Valerian, and why you wouldn't just sit around eating chocolate monkeys and sesame seeds. This must be pretty important for you to be this far outside the fortified city walls. I guess this also means there is a large army escort around in here somewhere."

     "Oh, yes," he said with some excitement, "But not just for me. We have the Grand Councilors of the Temple itself with us. And we have the Princess of Ana."

     "Whoa, wait," said Jena, pausing in the armor removal, "The Grand Councilors themselves came out here? In the flesh? Out to this new school amongst the ruins? In this old valley on school road 552? How many of them are there, for real? All four?"

     Valerian reddened, "All four. Of course. This is an issue that threatens the very core of the nation, Jena. We must address it at every level, and there was every prayer and hope devoted to your safe return. This is a most wondrous and dark moment for us all."