STIFF AS STATUES

A FEM-FANTASTIQUE INC., ADVENTURE

BY CMQ 8-97

What has gone before: The female superheroine team of Fem-Fantastique, Inc. (Susan-Transparency Girl, Wanda-Crimson Sorceress, Angelica-Flamestar, Darlene-Cosmic Girl and Deidre-Shadow Lady) was frozen and kidnapped by aliens. They escaped from their captors and are now heading home to planet Earth.

In the depths of space, a tiny, captured Mok'tn shuttle was rapidly descending to the surface of an unknown world. The ship carried the members of the super-heroine team Fem-Fantastique, Inc., recently released from their captivity, who were excited at the prospects of exploring an alien world.

"Okay, we're coming in for a landing." Shadow Lady adjusted the controls, which responded to her delicate fingers. "It's funny, I feel like I've known how to fly this thing for years rather than minutes and, if I'm reading this right, there's a breathable atmosphere down there."

"That's amazing, Dee," said Sue, the team leader. "You're going to have to teach us all how to fly this craft when we get back to Earth." She brushed her blond hair off her bare shoulders and looked at the foliage in the window as the ship gently touched down in a grassy field.

"Hey!" said Flame star, calling from the back of the ship. "Look what I found in this closet!" The four heroines turned to look at Angie's discovery. She was holding a bunch of clothing in her arms and began to pass it around. "No more running around au-naturel for us!"

The clothes were somewhat loose-fitting due to the fact that they were intended for use by six-foot tall reptilian aliens, and there was only one complete uniform. Thus, Sue wore one top which was more like a short dress on her and Wanda, the Crimson Sorceress, wore one of the metallic belts as an impromptu brassiere, going bottomless. Cosmic Girl tore the trousers apart and fashioned a top and bottom to wear. Flamestar decided not to wear anything due to the fact that it would have burned up as soon as she activated her heat powers.

Dee, still clad in the flimsy transparent silken dancing wear created by the Mok'tn, found a more important discovery in the closet. A molecular transformer, just like the one which turned her into a platinum statue, was in a hidden compartment. "Karg must have kept it here, on his private shuttle," she mused as her teammates began to disembark the shuttle. She followed them outside and admired the forested landscape around the grassing clearing they landed in. "Wow..." she gasped. "It's so much like home..."

"All right," said Sue. "Angie, I want you to fly over those trees and see if you can..." She was interrupted by a piercing howling as dozens of what looked like human women began to charge out of the brush firing purple beams from long flagpole-like staffs. As she turned to see what was happening, the beams struck Sue's body and began to totally immobilize her. "Oh! I can't...move..." her voice trailed off as it too, as the rest of her fit and fabulous form, was paralyzed into total rigidity.

Each of the five heroines was struck multiple times by the stiffening rays. Wanda was was frozen with her legs bent at the knees, her buttocks pushing backward with her back arched so that her breasts were thrust forward provocatively and her head half turned, trying to look behind her but frozen, unable to move further. Dee was held motionless in mid-turn, her arms out at waist level and legs slightly parted. Her silken loincloth waved lazily in the breeze, while her statue-still form stayed rooted where it had been upon being hit by the paralyzing weapons. Cosmic Girl, looking like a video image on pause, was caught trying to twist and run around her immobile friends. A look of surprise and shock captured on her rigid face as she too fell victim to the powerful beams emanating from the alien women's staffs. Flame star, in trying to fly above her attackers, only got a couple of feet off the ground before tumbling into the grass. She looked like a toppled nude sculpture, with arms and legs stretched out into the air as she lay on the grass unmoving.

The alien women began to cautiously approach the motionless heroines. Sue was astonished to see that they looked exactly like human women! Some of them wore nothing but jewelry and painted designs on their bodies. Some wore revealing garments which exposed their breasts or pubic regions. All of them were in fantastic shape and all were as gorgeous as any actress or super model from Earth. One approached Sue, looking over her rigid form. I've got to stop them, Sue thought, trying to move a muscle but not even succeeding in twitching a toe. Ugh. It's useless. I'm completely frozen. Then the woman said something in an unintelligible language and the other women rushed forward, lifting Sue up and carrying her off on their shoulders. No! Where are you taking me? The heroines, supported by four amazon women each, were toted off into the forest like they were mannequins being transported to a department store.

Soon the stiffened heroines were brought to gates of a great city, and carried inside to face a throng of more amazon women greeting the returning warriors. The five frozen women were then taken into a great indoor hall and stood like statuary before a fancy throne. On the marble-looking chair sat a regal looking woman dressed in red flowing robes which exposed her midriff and long legs. She wore fantastically elaborate jewels and bracelets and a sparkling crown on her reddish-brown hair. She stood and stepped down to face Sue, looking into her frozen features as if trying to discern Sue's inner nature. Then she nodded to another woman who came forward and stood directly in front of Susan's immobilized body. This woman had dark, curly hair and a gown which exposed one of her firm breasts. She looked directly into Sue's unblinking eyes and then tilted her head back slightly and closed her eyes as if she were concentrating. What is she doing? thought Sue. If only I could use my powers but they're paralyzed just like the rest of me! Then Sue felt another presence in her own mind. It was the woman in front of her! She's trying to communicate with me telepathically! Sue heard the amazon woman's thoughts:

Who are you? Why have you come here? Why have you kidnapped our people? Why do you steal our friends? Where are you keeping them?

I don't know what you're talking about, pleaded Sue. We're strangers here, we don't know anything about the whereabouts of your fellow women. We ourselves were kidnapped from our own home world and taken far away. We are here only by accident. Please, if you can sense my thoughts you know I am telling the truth.

I can sense the truth behind your words, the telepath responded in Sue's mind. I can feel your strong desires for truth and justice, honor and courage. I will tell Queen Aleeta of your true nature.

The telepathic amazon Shana opened her eyes and stepped away from the frozen women and addressed her queen. "I have peered into her soul and have found these women are not to be blamed for the disappearance of our sisters," she proclaimed. "They are themselves, abductees, transported here against their own will and only seek to return to their home."

Queen Aleeta rose from her throne and said, "Release them from their paralysis, immediately! Let them be honored guests and afforded our every luxury for as long as they stay with us!" At her command, several amazons aimed their paralysis poles at the stiffened quintet of heroines and proceeded to bathe the immobile bodies in green rays which restored mobility to each member in turn.

"Ohhh...I can move again!" exclaimed Sue as her body lost its rigidity and she flexed her arms and legs. "Thank you for releasing us, your majesty. We really don't want to intrude..."

"Nonsense," replied Aleeta. "We are a peaceful people, and...over-reacted to your arrival. Our telepath, Shana, has allowed you to understand us. It would be a great honor for us if you would stay with us for a while. We can learn much from each other."

The Fem-Fantastique team were given the royal tour of the palace and the surrounding city by a skimpily clad woman called Tala. Wanda and Angelica waited patiently for Darlene to come out of the dressing chamber. Each now wore a replica of their uniforms which the amazons had re-created based on descriptions supplied by the heroines. Dee admired the view of the plaza below the open-air window, still wearing her slave-girl outfit which actually blended in with the amazon's attire. "Tala tells me there are no men on this world!" said Dee. "That's so unbelievable. I mean, how do they...you know..."

"All the amazons here are hundreds of years old," replied Angie. "They don't look any older than a twenty-year old. They don't...Hey! Take a look at Sue!"

Sue stepped out from behind the curtains to her dressing room. She wore an abbreviated version of her old uniform. She now had a blue halter top which retained the white collar which bared her shoulders, arms, and middriff. The bikini bottom had a slim white belt-like trim and her bare legs were revealed down to her white boots. "Well, how do you like it?" she grinned. "I thought it would be nice to see if the amazons could redesign my costume and they came up with this!"

"It's awesome!" replied Wanda. "I wish I had that idea!"

"Yeah, nothing like a showing a little more skin to distract the enemy!" teased Dee.

"Ha, hah," Sue replied drolly. "Actually, I think I was in for a change..."

"If you think hers is great, what do you think of my outfit?" said Darlene's voice as she stepped out from behind a curtain dressed in a very revealing pink chiffon mini-dress with extravagent jewelry on her arms. She pirouetted in a manner like a runway model.

"Darlene!" exclaimed Angie. "You must be wearing a king's ransom in gold and jewels!"

"There is no value on those things here," said Sue adjusting her top. "There's also no crime or violence. This is really an ideal paradise."

"Wow..." Dee murmurred, "We would be out of a job if we lived here."

Queen Aleeta entered the chamber, complimenting Susan's new outfit and led her downstairs to the gardens for a private discussion. Meanwhile, the other four heroines followed Tala around the palace until they got to a room with what looked like a large circular marble wading pool filled with a gelatinous fluid. Around the pool were women in various stages of attire, some spreading the gel over their bodies with ladles placed around the perimiter of the smooth boundary stones. "This is one of our relaxation centers, " Tala explained. "We stimulate ourselves here by contact with the electrolytic solution in the pool." She motioned to a couple of amazons spreading the fluid on their exposed skin as if they were applying some sort of erotic suntan lotion. The women seemed to be in a mild state of ecstasy.

"Gosh, that sure looks interesting..." Darlene whispered, licking the edges of her lips.

"You may try it, of course." Tala said. She led Darlene over to the edge of the pool and dipped the tiny ladle into the thick solution. "You may apply it with your hands, or pour it onto your body." Darlene dipped her fingertips into the pool and began to spread some of the gel onto her arm as Tala continued to discuss the amazon society and accomplishments to her three teammates. "This structure is over three hundred years old," motioning to the high vaulted dome-celing. "It is one of our most sacred and revered sites in the palace. Everyone comes here at least once..." She was interrupted by the sounds of giggling. She and the three heroines turned to look back at the pool. Many of the amazons were whispering and trying to stifle their laughter as they pointed at the source of their amusement.

In the middle of the gelatinous pool sat a completely naked Darlene. Her knees were both bent and her legs spread wide. She was scooping handfuls of gel over her breasts and appeared to be in the midst of an orgasm of pleasure. She was writhing in the waist-deep pool, eyes closed and beginning to audibly groan as her breathing became stronger and more rhythmic.

"Darlene!" blurted Wanda, blushing. Dee and Angelica watched, slack-jawed, not knowing whether to turn away or keep staring.

"I have never seen anyone so...taken with the electrolytic solution," Tala finally said. She appeared to be both bemused and intrigued by Cosmic Girl's total mental immersion into the experience.

"I always knew Darlene was a nymphomaniac at heart...oww!" grinned Dee, as Angie elbowed her in the stomach.

Meanwhile, Aleeta and Susan toured the vast botanical gardens which surrounded the perimiter of the city. The foliage was lush and colorful and wonderfully similar to plants found on Earth thought Sue. They turned down a path to a statuary garden. Dozens of female statues on three foot tall pedestals flanked the path. Each was masterfully sculpted and exquisitely detailed. "Oh my," said Sue. "These are beautiful!" She touched the long, ivory white leg of a nude figure to her right, admiring the flawless perfect beauty of the ultra-realistic sculpture.

"This is our monument to our missing sisters," explained Queen Aleeta. Her head bowed and she appeared to be quite troubled at discussing the subject. "These statues remind us of those who are no longer with us. We have immortalized their images in stone so that we may never forget them." She clasped Susan's hand. "Now that we know of what happened to you, one part of their fates is known, but until they return to us, this monument will remain in place."

"It's...a touching memorial," Sue said softly, still admiring the craftsmanship of each unique statue. The statuary looked so real it was uncanny. "How do your artisans achieve such...lifelikeness?" she inquired, unable to take her eyes off of the perfect figures.

"We owe all of this to our sculptress, Mina," Aleeta said. "It was her idea to preserve their images for all of us to remember." She sighed heavily, "I just wish we had not need of her services like this." She gestured down the path past more statues to a sandy-blonde woman with curled hair who wore a cloth halter-top brassiere, various bracelets and jewelry and nothing below her waist except exquisite body-paint designs. "Mina, I would like you to meet Susan, one of..."

"The strangers!" Mina excitedly greeted Susan. "I had heard of you and your friends. I see you are as beautiful as one of us!"

Susan blushed. "I was telling Queen Aleeta how impressed I was with your work. On Earth, your statues would be the envy of sculptors worldwide!"

An amazon guard approached Queen Aleeta as Susan and Mina continued their discussion. "Majesty, your presence is required." she explained.

"Of course," Aleeta nodded. "Susan, I would be honored if you and your team would join me tonight for a royal feast."

"It would be my utmost honor to dine with you," Sue bowed her head. "I will tell my friends."

"Then we shall meet again. In the meantime, please, enjoy your stay and our hospitality." Aleeta then turned and strode off with the amazon guard.

Mina motioned towards one of the statues. "Would you like to see my studio?" she asked. "I have a work in progress, one of..." a tear trickled down her cheek. She composed her emotions and continued, "...our own, Hyla, who disappeared shortly before you arrived."

"I would love to see your studio," said Sue.

Mina led Sue through the garden to an isolated corner of a building. She touched the wall and a panel slid open, revealing a dark corridor. "Please, enter..." Mina offered, motioning towards Sue.

Sue stepped into the dark corridor and took a few steps forward as Mina followed behind. Sue's eyes began to adjust to the darkness and she continued down the interior until she saw a light coming from around the bend of the tunnel. Sue stepped into the large lighted room which was filled with strange mechanical devices completely unknown to her. She took in the sight, a little confused that there was nothing artistically related that she could recognize and began to question, "I don't understand, Mina, I thought we were going to your stu-" Sue suddenly felt a quick tingling in her spine as she reflexively arched her back she suddenly felt stiff as a board! "Wha-? I can't move!" she shouted. "What have you done to me?" she questioned, alarmed that her body, with the exception of her mouth and eyes, was suddenly immobile.

Mina stepped around Sue's immobilized body to reveal a paralysis pole in her hands. "Don't worry, Susan." she said in a suddenly more menacing tone. "I have merely paralyzed you so that you can experience first-hand how I create my work!" She walked around Sue's stilled body, admiring it's shape and form as if it was on display in a museum. Mina stroked Sue's shoulder and teased, "You should be honored to be chosen to stand among our lost sisters." She said that slyly and began to laugh.

"I don't understand!" Sue exclaimed. "Are you saying that all the statues in the garden are--"

"Alive?" Mina finished, and stared directly in Sue's face. "Yes! Each has been permanently paralyzed by my machines and coated with a hardening liquid to resemble a statue!" Ranting, Mina began to gloat, "I was tired of spending long hours sculpting from stone when I realized that our paralyzing technology could be put to another use!" She snickered, "By experimenting with the basic paralyzing device, I have discovered how to place someone into an immobile state forever!" "The end result, as you have seen, is most impressive..." She motioned to a statue, but it wasn't just a statue. It was the missing amazon, Hyla, looking for all the world as if she was a stone sculpture.

Sue tried to activate her powers but found she was just as helpless as when she was first paralyzed by the amazon warriors at the landing site. Somehow, the paralyzing effect scrambled her mental pathways enough that it was impossible to erect one of her transparent force-fields. She began to run through options in her head and came up with none. If only she could contact the others. If only she could use her powers. If only she could move. If only... Mina came up behind Sue and began to remove the frozen woman's clothing. "Wha-! What are you doing?" Sue exclaimed in a panicked tone. "Stop! Please don't..."

"Come now, my dear, you should be proud of your figure," she said as she slid the top off of Susan's body, revealing two perfect breasts. "I only 'sculpt' the very best in female forms, and yours certainly qualifies!" She moved down to Sue's waist and undid the belt, finally sliding the costume past Sue's shapely buttocks and down her slender legs.

This can't be happening...Sue thought. She felt Mina remove her gloves and boots. There must be some way out of this...think! Mina was now maneuvering Sue's rigid body as if it was a mannequin. "You won't get away with this!" Sue said defiantly.

Mina smiled, "Of course I will." She stroked Sue's right arm lightly. "First I will arrange your limbs like a statue..." Mina aimed the paralysis pole at Sue again, bathing the heroine in its emerald light. "This lower reverse setting will allow me to choose an appropriate pose for you but you will still be unable to move." She moved Sue's left arm up, bending it at the elbow so that Sue's left hand rested behind her head.

Sue strained to move, but couldn't budge an inch as her right hand was placed on her right hip. "The others will search for me! You'll be found out eventually!" she said in false bravado.

"Your friends will only think you have been recaptured by your alien captors! I am most grateful for your timely appearance here!" Mina knelt and grasped Sue's right thigh, bending the knee so that the leg was slightly tucked. "I was wondering how long I could continue 'sculpting' without anyone becoming suspicious. Now I have the perfect cover story, thanks to you!" She stood back and admired Sue's now glamorous pose. "That's much better! Now I shall paralyze your voice..." "No! St-" Sue began before Mina engulfed her again in the violet paralyzing beam. This time the setting was increased so that Sue was completely and utterly motionless. Unable to move, unable to speak, Sue could only stare forward and hope for a miracle. She felt Mina lift her by the waist and place her before a nozzled machine mounted from the celing. This is it...she thought. I'll be even more like a statue than I am now. She tried to be brave as Mina activated the machine and aimed the nozzle at her.

"And now for the finishing touch," she said as she began to spray a white liquid back and forth over Sue's nude immobile form. She moved up the legs, making sure every inch of Sue's body was being coated. The spray tickled Sue, but she was unable to mutter a sound as Mina continued spraying. First, over Sue's derriere, then between the legs and over the pubic hairs.

Sue mentally groaned as the spray covered her genitals, momentarily losing herself. Then, as Mina continued spraying upward, began to feel the liquid dusting her stomach, her breasts and her arms. It's hardening...Sue thought. I can feel it...hardening on my skin. I'll look completely like a statue soon, undistinguishable from all the others in the garden.

"Don't worry, Susan," Mina said mockingly as she began to coat Sue's blonde locks. "I'll make sure your friends are present for your...unveiling!" She manuevered the spray to cover her new statue's ears, lips and nose. The last thing Sue saw was the grin on Mina's face as her eyes were coated. Mina stepped back and admired the alabaster-white coated statue which stood before her. "I must say, I have outdone myself this time! That coating makes you look exactly like a statue! No one will know what you really are!"

Late the next day, the other heroines began gathering in the garden. The banquet the night before had been canceled when Sue never showed up. The queen had ordered all the amazons to search for the missing woman but there had been no sign of her. Dejected at the loss of their leader, the heroines were speaking to Queen Aleeta and Shana, while a few feet away Mina and another amazon were wheeling Sue's statued form to an unoccupied pedestal. "I don't understand how they could have taken her without anyone seeing them," Queen Aleeta said in a comforting tone. "We have had sentries posted ever since you arrived and told us of these Mok'tn abductors."

Sue could hear, but not see, her comrades nearby. If I could somehow contact them...she thought. But I'm completely helpless in this frozen state.

"Thank you for your concern," said Wanda. "We have searched the entire area and have found no trace of them. They must have taken her back to their homeworld."

No! I'm here, Wanda! Look at me! It's Sue! Help me! Her salvation was so close, and yet, so very far.

"We've got to get going," Dee said in a slightly rushed tone. "They've already got a good head start."

No! I'm right here! Don't leave me like this! Immobilized for all eternity! Sue was panicking, desperate to be rescued from her statue state.

"Don't worry, your highness," Wanda swore, "They will not get away with this."

I've got to move somehow! Signal them! The real culprit is Mina! Look at me! Help me! Sue strained to move but remained a monument in sight as well as form.

"Right," chimed Angie. "Those ugly freaks are gonna be sorry they ever saw us."

Mina was eavesdropping on their conversation, keeping one eye on the group and the other on her newest statue being tipped up onto its pedestal by the other amazon on a stepladder. "Be careful with that statue," she snapped, concentrating more on the queen and the heroines than on frozen form of Sue being mounted. This is perfect! she thought. Hidden in plain sight, right under their noses!

"It's time to go," Darlene said softly. No! Sue screamed internally.

"All our hopes go with you," Queen Aleeta gently grasped each of the heroine's hands in turn. "You will always be welcome here."

Wait! Come back! I don't want to be like this...Sue's hopes were fading.

Then, the amazon tilting Sue onto the pedestal began to lose control of the sculptured body. Mina was so engrossed with the farewells being said that she was completely unaware that the statued Sue was tipping off the pedestal. "No! Clumsy fool!" she screamed, turning just in time to see the motionless figure topple over.

Sue could feel her stiffened body begin to fall and thought, I bet I'll shatter, just like a real statue.

Queen Aleeta, her guards, Shana and the four heroines all turned at the sound of the crashing statue.

The amazon helper gasped as she saw that the pristine white coating had cracked and broken away, revealing the flesh colored form beneath. Dee glanced over and saw the face of Sue staring upward to infinity, unblinking, unmoving. "T-that's no statue...that's Sue!" she exclaimed. The queen gasped and looked directly at Mina, who began to step backward. "Stop!" she commanded.

Mina turned and began to run. Idiot! I had to do this in front of the queen and the others! she thought. Now all my plans will be ruined! She suddenly felt a paralyzing beam strike her, immobilizing every inch of her body. "Nooo!" she cried, awash in its purple light.

Wanda and Dee helped their statue-like teammate to her feet. Sue remained completely motionless as they brushed away fragments of the shattered coating from their immobile leader. "Sue! Can you hear me? What can we do to help her?" Wanda asked the queen.

"Guard, use your paralysis pole to release Susan from her paralyzed state," commanded Queen Aleeta.

Finally, Sue thought. I'll be able to move again!

The amazon sentry adjusted the settings on her paralysis pole and bathed Sue in a pure green glow. Sue remained in the same pose, still as a statue. What happened? I still can't move!

"It's not working!" shouted Dee. "What's wrong?"

"I do not know," Queen Aleeta was dumbfounded. "The green ray should have restored her mobility." She motioned for some guards to carry the mannequin-like form of Mina to her. "What have you done to her?" she questioned, angrily.

"I have ensured that she will remain beautiful, like the others, forever!" Mina replied defiantly. The guards held her arms tightly even though she was stiff from the neck down. "She looks quite lovely, don't you think?" Mina began to laugh uncontrollably.

No! It can't be true! thought the frozen heroine.

"This is impossible to believe! Shana, open her thoughts. Tell me the truth," Queen Aleeta declared.

Shana stepped towards the paralyzed Mina and began to probe the rogue amazon's mind. She remained silent for a few moments, and then faced the queen. "This is..." she said, hesitating, "most difficult for me, majesty, but what Mina has done to our guest, our...sisters, is true. She is the one responsible for the disappearance of everyone!"

"Can you find out what she did to Sue?" asked Wanda. "How we can release her and your sisters?"

"She used some sort of modified paralysis device," Shana replied. "She is quite confidant that there is no way to reverse its effects!"

"Oh no!" gasped Angie. She reached out to touch the statue-Sue on the shoulder, "You mean she's gonna stay this way forever?"

Dee grabbed the frozen Mina by the shoulders and shook her motionless body, "This is your fault! Tell us how to free her now!" she yelled.

"I can do nothing!" Mina grinned. "She and the others will remain frozen for all eternity, thanks to me!" She laughed proudly at their predicament.

"Take her away!" Queen Aleeta ordered. The two amazons lifted the rogue amazon up and toted her off.

Wanda continued to look at her frozen friend, "There must be something we can do..."

Yes! Please help me! pleaded Sue.

"Wait a minute," offered Darlene. "I have an idea...that electolytic solution I was sitting in stimulated me..."

"That's one word for it," said Angie.

"No, wait! Think about it! If just a little bit could stimulate me to do that, what if we completely covered Sue with the stuff?" Darlene said, excitedly.

"Queen Aleeta, do you think it could work?" asked Wanda.

"I do not know, but we shall try," the queen replied.

Moments later, a six-foot tall transparent cylinder had been filled to the rim with electrolytic solution. Monitoring devices scanned Sue's rigid form as it was lowered into the viscous solution on a platform. Soon, she was standing on the bottom of the cylinder, completely enveloped, but remaining locked in her stationary pose. This has got to work, Sue thought. I can't stand the thought of being trapped as a statue forever!

A few minutes passed. "I don't think its working," said a worried Angelica.

"We have to give it a little more time," said Darlene.

Ten minutes had gone by with no movement detected. Twenty minutes ticked off. Thirty. "It...appears that the solution is not..." said a disappointed amazon.

"Wait!" shouted Dee. "Look!" She pointed at Sue's still motionless form, but everyone could see bubbles coming from her nose. "She's breathing!" Sue's body twitched, slowly, beginning to move as if in slow motion.

"Get her out of there!" Wanda yelled. Sue was beginning to move more naturally as the amazons raised the platform she was standing on out of the cylinder. She emerged from the solution, gasping for air and began to fondle herself, moaning and breathing hard.

"Gee, I think she needs a cold shower," smiled Darlene. One day later, all of the "statues" in the garden had been restored to their natural states. Sue had recuperated over the night, shaking off the effects of a prolonged immersion in the electrolytic solution. Wanda welcomed Sue back first thing in the morning, while Dee good-naturedly complained how difficult it had been to sleep that night with Sue moaning next door. Later that afternoon, Queen Aleeta, Shana, Tala and more of the heroines' new friends assembled in the clearing where the Mok'tn shuttle had landed. "We cannot thank you enough for helping us in this...unpleasant...situation," Queen Aleeta said softly to Sue.

"It wasn't your fault," Sue said reassuringly. "I guess even in paradise, there is the seed of evil."

"Take care of yourselves, have a safe journey home," Queen Aleeta smiled, "and know you are forever welcome here."

"Thank you, your majesty," Sue bowed her head as the other heroines said their goodbyes.

The amazons stepped back, forming a circle around the shuttle. After the five heroines had boarded, the tiny craft engaged its lifting thursters, hovering over the throng of amazon well-wishers, and turning to fly off into the sky.

As Dee piloted the ship over the amazons, she wondered aloud, "I wonder what they're going to do with Mina."

Angelica, seated next to her, added, "Yeah, that's right. They have known no crime or any sort of anti-social behavior at all. It's not like they have a prison they can throw her into, or something."

Sue glanced up from the bench she was seated upon and spoke, "Queen Aleeta assured me that the would deal with Mina justly."

"Did she say how?" asked Wanda from the bench on the opposite side of the shuttle.

"She isn't going to kill her, is she?," queried Darlene who looked out the window at the amazon city passing below.

"No," Sue smiled slightly. "Lets just say her punishment will be...appropriate." She stretched out on the bench, "Now then, I'm really getting homesick. Dee, you can get us back to Earth in one piece, right?"

"Have I ever let you down, oh fearless leader?" Dee replied in a light, mocking tone.

"And no more rest stops!" giggled Darlene.

Below them, in the garden courtyard of the amazon courtyard stood one sole, lonely statue. Mina stood there, frozen, sentenced to become one of her "sculptures" and contemplate her misdeeds for one thousand years and serve as a reminder for all the others of the evil which once rested within them.

High above, the tiny shuttle accelerated out of the atmosphere and shot into space.

TO BE CONTINUED IN "PLASTERED!"

author's note: a portion of this story is based on a 1930's-ish Buck Rogers newspaper comic strip in which a jealous suitor for Buck's devotion turned Wilma into a statue and hid her in plain view. The author wistfully wishes the producers of the 1980's-ish Buck Rogers television show could have found some way to adapt that story...sigh.