WARNING, I will be using the events of 09/11/01 as a part of this story. If this could possibly offend you, don't read this story. This story will contain little sex. Some may be necessary for the plot of the story.

Relic is an avenger. A crime fighter.This story approaches 9/11 in that context.

Leslie Josette Gill

RELIC

Started 9/22/01 By LJG

Chapter 7
What Now?

(Hey what can I say, I have to setup the next part of the adventure and there are details, which might be boring to some of you readers.  Just be patient.)

I lay in my little mobile home and watched the news.  There was no record of my actions and battles with Angelique.  There were rumors that Relic had killed Angelique and that she was mortally wounded.  Everyone was looking for Relic. 

I received email from the TG groups, all over the country.  They wanted to know if Relic was OK.  I did respond that Relic had suffered injuries and was recovering.  But She was ok.  The news was greatly appreciated.  I knew that I had to tell this particular group.  I did ask that they not talk to the news media.  I wanted some peace and quiet.  I needed to think. 

The Feds had my email address and I got a few quiet inquiries from them also.  I told them much the same.  I told them that we were going to be off line for a while.  For a group who considered me a vigilante, their concern for Relic and me were touching.  I requested that they keep quiet about what had gone on, and I would give them more once I returned to service.  The Atlanta city police were really going to miss me.

The day finally came when I received a knock on the door of the mobile home.  The knock surprised me.  I had alarm systems, which could detect a rat on the floor 1000 paces away.  There were no alarms.  I had my suspicions as to who it was. 

There standing in the traditional robes, were 2 monks.  They were obviously Chinese.  When I appeared at the door, in all my glory, they didn’t know how to act.  It was if they didn’t know that I was a woman, or that my personal style was as shocking as they expected.  There I stood in my black lingerie and 8” heels.  (3” platforms of course.)  They didn’t understand the lack of modesty.  They looked at each other and tried to communicate with me.  I didn’t understand Chinese, but Relic did.  In my mind, I understood that they wanted to take me to china.  They wanted to take me to the monastery where I was to receive the many gifts that Relic had told me of.  I tried in broken Chinese to ask them how we were to travel?  The Chinese had a plan to take me to china.  I asked them how they were planning to get me there? 

They mentioned that they had secured passage on a boat.  I immediately told them that I could get them there much quicker.  I had to go and disconnect some things, but I could be ready to go in an hour. 

I invited the monks into my little home, and introduced them to a “motor- home”.  They had never seen one and were poking around in things.  The kitchen and the bath fascinated them.  They were truly monks from a sequestered order and were in awe. 

It suddenly occurred to me that I needed a satellite link if I was going to china.  It would be necessary for me to have some kind of link.  If I was going to be in my mobile home and have any kind of Internet, this was necessary.  I quickly made a phone call to one of my suppliers.

“I need a wide band satellite system, and quickly.”

“Who is this?”  I had forgotten that they didn’t know Relic, just Joe.

 

“Oh, I work for Joe.  I need this delivered to Joe’s mobile home at the warehouse, quickly.  Joe told me to offer to pay anything extra to rush the order.” 

What I got within an hour was a Harris Wide band sat transceiver/Link.  I also had done some thinking and ordered a critical piece of test equipment.  It cost me 30,000 dollars, but if I was going to have reliable service, I would need the uplink analyzer.  Of course, the mini-dish and transceiver was 22,000.  (Hey, this stuff isn’t cheap.  Why do you think the services cost what they do?)

I made the other call.

“I have a Harris uplink and downlink.  I need to subscribe to your sat service to have at least T3 speeds.  How much?” 

The answer was of course, “3500 a month and the question was where?” 

“For now, the mountains of China.  There might be some moving around.  But for now, a month or two at a time.” 

The line went silent for a minute, then the nice man on the other end asked for billing info and when he heard the name, he quickly put the order through.  I had, or rather Joe had good credit.  I would receive the uplink and downlink codes.  I would receive a static IP address at that price and of course, they wanted to know the nature of the up and down link.  My response was a couple of FTP servers and a mail server.  All low level, but I did need a good bit of bandwidth because of files being transferred.  They approved the link and I gave them my bank codes.  That was enough. 

I would have to install the link myself, which was no big deal.  I would have to have the codes emailed to me.  I could get them by phone line link if I needed to.  I was set up.

Now, I had to check my systems.  I shut them all down, and prepared them for travel.  I went out back to the generator and checked the systems.  I had an onboard 25 KW diesel generator and a power regulator.  I knew that I might need this, so I wisely had it installed.  With the money from the Anti-grav systems I had patented, I was easily, one of the richest men (or was) in the world.

I needed to ask one more question of the monks, as I had not thought of this before.  You see, as a geek, my equipment and systems were my life.  I was more concerned with my stuff instead of what other people would be concerned with.  So it was no surprise that I came up with this after I thought about the rest of the stuff……

“Where is Joe’s body?” 

The monks were shy, but in so many words, they had recovered the body before anyone knew I was dead.  They had quietly cremated it so that there would be no trace of Joe’s death.  I didn’t understand why at the time, but it sounded reasonable. 

“So no one knows that Joe is dead?”

“Yes, No one knows except us.”

“So as long as I know the account numbers and my access codes, I can administer my accounts remotely and the world will not know any better?”

“Yes”

I was ok with all this.  I knew that I would need money to operate and while I wasn’t a greedy sort, I did know that with no money, I was dead.  My original body was dead and it didn’t seem to bother me.  Anyone in a normal situation would go freaky over this.  I seemed to be calm and understanding.

“OK, I am now ready to go.”

I went out back and activated the anti-grav device on the little ford pickup and attached the remote cable to the motor home.  I then activated the controller system in the cab of the motor home and opened the garage doors of the warehouse.  We drove out onto the street.  I knew that I needed to be out of town before I lifted off.  I also knew that I had to contact air traffic control and let them know I was getting ready to lift off.

The Atlanta ATC knew a few of the Experimental hover vehicles were out there and they had special designations.  I was registered as the first.  So my call was the special X270-N.  As a special experimental device, they tended to treat me like a novice.  But I had a full flight IFR setup and guidance.  They asked for a squawk of 4400 and got it.  I was directed to go to 10,000 and I made my way to china. 

Chinese air space was a bit tricky.  I ended up with a military escort and when the two monks told the military jets where we were going and who we were, they left us the hell alone.  The mountains were 18,000 feet high and my anti-grav was capable of handling it.  The military jets were concerned with my flight and speed abilities when they saw a motor home, traveling at 10,000 feet and running at 600 mph.  The secret was out about the Anti-grav unit.  The Chinese were going to want it.  The military stayed just out of radar range, but were following me.  My device was patented, so it was public record.  But they wanted to confiscate one of the devices.  We would see.

Lets say that the motor home attracted much attention.  The Chinese village where the monastery was located had never seen such a site.  When I landed and walked out of the machine, there was even more of a to do.  The monks had known that Relic was not your normal, run of the mill person.  They had no idea that I was the “lingerie super hero” and that I was wearing nothing but lingerie and heels.  Lets say they were surprised and shocked.   

Out of respect for these quiet types, I went in and covered myself with a long robe.  My black hair and fair skin was very unusual for these monks.  I didn’t need the robe for the cold or the weather, but only for decency.  The monks had never seen anything like me before.  In their ancient books, the description of me as the current owner of the Sword of the ancients was one of “This one will be the most unusual of all the other owners of the sword.”

They knew I would be special, but they had no idea just how much so.

So I was here.  The gates of the old monastery opened and I drove in.  I was surprised to find that the monks did have a generator, diesel, and a television and a radio.  They also had a special satellite cell phone just for emergencies.  They were well equipped for being such a remote location in the mountains.

I did note that they didn’t have a computer.  Hmmmmm….. I had to do something about that….

I found a place to park and setup.  I found that the monks were eager to help me with the setups and positioning of my satellite uplink and downlink.  I found one monk that understood English and he did most of the translating.  I understood most of the Chinese that they spoke due to Relic doing the translating. 

Finally, after a few days and all the introductions and all the goings on, I was called to a general meeting of all the monks.  There, all the secrets of Relic were to be opened to me. 

I entered the little chamber and there, in the middle of the room, a very old book.  This book was as old as Relic.  13,000 years old to be exact.  There in this book, was the complete history of the sword.  From its beginnings to the legendary spell cast on the sword, and the relationship of the monks to the sword. 

Secrets.

Relic began as a wonderful Chinese sword and stolen by the horde. The Sword was used for evil and killed entire populations.  The owner and creator of the sword got it back 30 years after it was stolen.  It was a sword covered in the blood of innocents.  The sword had to be cleansed.  It was brought to the monastery, which I now stood, to be cleansed. 

Here in this monastery, the spell, which gave Relic a soul, was cast.  These monks were charged with knowing where the sword was, at all times, and not interfering with The Sword of the Ancients choosing of its owner.  Their mission was to chronicle the adventures of the owners and what they did for the people it protected.  There were 49 owners and 49 stories.  Each story was an adventure to behold.  Their lives had been lengthened in the service of the sword.  They were immortal.

There had been 49 owners of the sword in 13,000 years.  I was the 50th and the special chosen one.  Everything about my selection was special.  Everything about my possessing the sword was special.  I found all the text in the book about why.  You see I was the one who would be killed, but not be killed.  My soul would be preserved in Relic so that until I gave up the possession of the sword, I would be whole.  I didn’t understand that at all.  I asked many questions of the monks for me to understand. 

Here was what they told me. 

As I was still here and could wield the sword of the Ancients, my soul continued to live.  My body was now Relic, or the form of Relic, which was most common.  In so many words, the form I used as Relic and the Sword of the ancients had been joined.  Joe was gone. 

“Does that mean that Joe continues to live?”

“Yes, and so does Relic.  You have been joined with the Sword of the Ancients and now, you and Relic are one.”

I knew I was still alive, but I was deeply confused.  I asked to sit and read the Cronicle of the Sword of the Ancients.

There in the book of the ancients, I found descriptions of the 49 previous owners of the sword.  I was looking for the reasons why each of them lost the sword.  My discovery was amazing.  They had all been corrupted by the power, which they possessed.  I admit that there was a level of power, which I wielded, but I didn’t understand why it could have corrupted them.  There had to be more.

I continued to read the accounts.  I soon discovered that each of the previous owners was given different powers.  The powers were chosen for them, as the power was needed.  Relic made the decision as to when to give the power.  Now I understood about being able to move through walls and the power to fly and the power to shift forms. 

There I saw that some of the owners had the power to transform objects into money or gold or jewels, and that they had been greedy.  This was the downfall of many of them.  But I also saw that many were corrupted by the power they held.  My mind set didn’t let me think that I was all-powerful.  I was just another geek with a few special abilities, and a female body, which stirred fantasies in every man who saw me. 

I never could allow myself to be consumed with greed or power.  So why the emphasis on being corrupted?  What was the big sin, which would take Relic from me?

The answer I got for me was not surprising.  I had to remain a virgin of my own free will.  The moment I had sex with a man voluntarily, I was to be relieved of the sword.  There were special conditions.  And there were other limitations.  In so many words, I had to remain pure.  I was allowed my diversions and my hobbies, but I couldn’t have the relationships which most humans craved.  This meant that I couldn’t have a normal life.  OK, so what else?

That was it.  That was the big limitation.  That was the big taboo.  Everything else was normal.  I didn’t crave power.  I didn’t seek riches.  I only sought to maintain my comfort.  I just needed what money I possessed to do my work and play with my toys. 

I didn’t need to buy clothing as Relic let me shift into anything I wished.  This was why the monks were so concerned when they first saw me.  They thought I was a tease and a whore.  After they got to know me better, they knew that it was a personal style and not a seeking of sex from men.  I was just the “Lingerie superhero.”  Nothing else.  I sought my own comfort, not from others.  I became curious.  I looked in the book.  Sex with a man…… That was it. 

But what about masturbation?  You know, I had never done that, even in all the fury and trials.  It hadn’t occurred to me.  Although I do admit that I had flashes of it.  I had no need of such things as Relic.  But, Joe, well, I will let the reader figure it out. 

As a woman, I had never even thought about it.  So did this violate any of the rules?  The answer was consistently no.  But it did lead me down the path of wanting men or sex with them.  I looked at each of the monks in the room. 

“You all fear something about me doing the dirty with some guy.  Let me explain something to you.  Deep inside me, I am still Joe.  My soul is a man’s soul.  I only look as I do now because Relic saw my deep desire to look this way.  That was all.  Nothing more.  So when a man wanted to have sex with this body, my mind and spirit are repulsed.  As long as I have that, you have nothing to fear.  Now, how many of my possible enemies know this?”

The answer was, “None, unless you tell them.”

I continued looking in the book.  I saw that the powers given and the limits of each of the previous owners changed with the owner.  I wanted to know why.

The lead monk spoke, in broken English and some Chinese.  “We are of God.  We don’t know the current moral codes of the world.  We live by the ancient texts.  To us, this is our code.  Now the winds of morality change and The Sword of the Ancients decides what are the relevant moral codes, which it allows.  You came to us and we were afraid when we first saw you.  But you have convinced us that your appearance does not match your moral code.  That confusion has protected you from some of the more evil spirits you have encountered.  Your love of the feminine form and its veiling has confused your enemies.  You did this and never knew it.  You are indeed the special one.  It took many prayers for our brothers to not be tempted by your appearance.  That is why we asked you in the beginning to cover yourself.  But now, we are used to you and understand why you chose this appearance.  IF it confused us in this manner, then your enemies were surly confused.”

Now for the real kick, my special powers were finally granted, so I went over the list I had so far.

I could change form and shape.  I could control what I wore and change that at will.  That included what ever lingerie or shoes I wished.  That also included the makeup and hair I wanted to have.  I had no limits on appearance.

 

I could look into the minds of my enemies and see their thoughts.

 

I could shift into the worst fears of my enemies to frighten them and get them to do what I wished.

 

Human weapons could not kill me.

 

I could walk through walls and fly into space.  I didn’t need any special atmosphere equipment.  I was automatically protected.

 

I could hide the sword in the band on my right wrist.

 

I could temporary create an image of someone else so to confuse my enemy.

 

No evil person could hold the Sword of the Ancients.  And no person could hold the sword unless I let them.  Otherwise, the sword was capable of creating fear and loathing. 

 

I was very strong.  I didn’t know the limits of my strength.  I was capable of flying with huge amounts of weight in the air. 

 

And I wielded the most powerful weapon in history.  The Sword of the Ancients.  Now known as Relic.  A sword, which could destroy anyone or anything.  Nothing was outside its power.

 

I thought that those powers were great and I didn’t understand why I could have wanted more powers. 

The monks quietly approached me and explained that this was exactly why I was to be given more powers.  I was so humble with the powers I had.  I had not been corrupted by the powers.  So they were giving me more.

I didn’t wish it.  But they insisted. 

Then they asked a question, which I didn’t know the answer to.

“If you had a choice of any power which you could have, what would it be?”

I thought about it and there were two. 

“I wish I could restore life to those stricken by evil back to life.  And I want to be able to cure serious illness and disease.  I also wish to be able to restore the broken bodies of those injured.  I do need some limitations on it, but a freshly killed person, I wish to be able to restore to life.  I don’t want to be able to restore life for a person who has been dead a while as it would disrupt the lives of the living.”

The monks nodded in approval.  They could see the logic in it.

“I would also like to be able to instantly materialize anywhere in the world by thinking about it.  I could then work faster if the world was being threatened by more than one force.”

The monks saw that I was being quite reasonable about the powers I was asking for. 

“We will let you know about this.  But continue reading the book and let us know soon when you have more to ask.”

I stayed with the book of the ancients for the next two days.  I had coffee and food in my motor home and I would walk back and forth between the home and the book.  I knew the monks didn’t want it on the outside as the conditions where it was kept, preserved it.  I continued to be a disruption every time I went outside and forgot my robe.  The locals who were allowed in the monetary could not believe that a woman with little modesty such as I was an instrument of God.  (Hell, I didn’t believe it at times, either.)

When I was done, I saw the prophecy and what I was about to face.  I was indeed fearful.  I would need the powers I asked for and a few I didn’t ask for.  Relic finally spoke to me.

“Joe?”

“Yes Relic?”

“Do you now understand why I have done the things I have done?”

“In most cases, yes.  But I do have to admit that I would never have presumed that I would be in this position and would have never accepted the responsibility for this, on my own.”

“I know.  I had to slowly build up your abilities and your self-confidence.  You literally have to be able to do anything, to fight what else is coming.”

“Just what is coming?  I know you have some idea.  But, what is so evil that it requires all this preparation?”

“I sometimes don’t know the answer either.  I do know that it will be the worst cataclysm in the history of the world.  It will be hell on earth.”

“I need to know something.  Why me?”

“You are the chosen one.  You were the one whose spirit was that of a female and body and mind of a man.  Those merging of genders and spirits gave you the unique ability to wield me.  You are the chosen one.”

I was indeed confused.  “What about the ones in the past?  They were not like me.  They remained men.” 

“Yes, I know, but in each case, they were chosen due to the need and the nature of the enemy.  In your case, if you were not who you are, Angelique would have destroyed humanity.  You were able to stop it due to your gender confusion.”

I let that one go.  So it was confusion, huh?  I would have to straighten Relic out later.  This was too serious a conversation to digress.

I knew there was no escape.  I didn’t want the job.  I didn’t want the responsibility of saving the human race from whatever devils were out there.  I sat in my little motor home and fired up the computers.  I just wanted a diversion.  I wanted to escape the responsibility.  I needed to just relax.

The Server was alive with messages.  I had several from the FBI.  They wanted to know what actually happened with Angelique.

I let them know that I regretted killing the FBI agents.  That I had to because they were infested with the mind control of Angelique.  They were zombie shells, whose souls were gone.  They were already dead.  I was exempted from prosecution and in so many words, immune to any further legal actions.

My loyal irregulars were communicating with me on a regular basis.  All giving me reports of what the news media was saying.  I posted on the list server that I was out of the country.  Sure enough, one of the TG groups had a real FBI agent in it and he quietly reported where I was to his boss.  I didn’t mind.  I was beginning to be trusted by the governments of the world.  Especially after the run in with Angelique. 

My fears were that my existing was spawning the creation of super villains who were directly opposed to my existence.  My fears were soon smoothed.  I was not the cause of these attacks, just the defense. 

I had calls for help all the time.  I had requests for help on finding missing people.  I had requests for help with lost children.  I had requests for freeing imprisoned people in other countries.  I had requests for all kinds of help.  I could only do so much.  But with the new power, I could be everywhere instantly, if I got it.  I didn’t want to be treated as the rescuer.  I didn’t want to be a god.  I didn’t want it to turn into that.  I had ways of stopping that. 

I would always ask a minister or a priest to take over a situation when I could.  I made it very clear that I was the tool.  I was not anything but the tool.  That seemed to be what they wanted to hear.  It was true, but these days, people seek hope in their surroundings.  My appearance did help.  It was one of the wisest decisions I had made when taking this job.  I was the hero slut. 

I did have a laugh though.  Everywhere, I had copies.  Women were beginning to appear in public, covered, but in their lingerie.  Who was I to object?  It would be a continuing fad which when the weather changed, would end.  It’s cold in the winter.  A normal woman was going to suffer if they did what I did naturally. 

It was another week before the monks wanted to talk to me as a group again.

“You are to be granted all that you asked for.  And you will be granted more as you need them.  Your life will be that of helping others.  But we are still concerned with your appearance.  Will you consider changing it?”

“I must be allowed to look as I wish.  Hey, it’s my fantasy, not yours.  I must be allowed to look as I wish.  To be directed as to how you want me to look is unacceptable to me.”

“So be it, but please, don’t do anything which makes you seem the slut you look.”

“Ah, the honesty.  I thank you for being honest.  I know the way I appear.  I am seeking something in mankind.  I seek acceptance for what people do, not what they look like.  This is my message to the world.”

“Then we ask only one minor change to your appearance.  We think you will not object.”

“Ok, what is it?”

I was brought a mirror.  I still had my Jet-black hair.  I still had my lingerie, my shape.  But I was now brilliant white.  My skin was so white that any light shown would reflect against my skin.

“This is a symbol of your purity.  It at least, tells the world that you are good.”

I looked at the change.  The Black lingerie I wore stood out against my skin.  I was so white that I glowed.  I stepped back and changed to the white lingerie, which I used occasionally.  It also stood out against my skin. 

“I will accept the change.  But I still have the ability to change form and shape?”

“Yes”

“Then this will be my base form.  This is the form I will now use for the one known as Relic.”

I stood in the full-length mirror, and starred at myself.  I had to get to know every line, every crease, and every fold of skin in my body.  I even went so far as removing the clothing and looked at the naked body, which I now possessed.  I was fantastic.  I stood over 6 and a half feet tall on my bare feet.  My body was muscular and toned.  My breasts were a perfect 38 E. 

I was a wet dream. 

Continued in Part 8 " It Looks Like the End of the World is Coming" of Relic