"The God Wars" - Chapter Fourteen: Cultural Exchange

The God Wars

Chapter Fourteen:

Cultural Exchange

By Dwayne MacInnes

General Crist was thankful that the soldiers and sailors that ended up trapped in this world with him were mostly draftees and volunteers with a wide range of backgrounds. It was like bringing almost every little piece of knowledge from the 20th century with him. There were machinists, carpenters, farmers, electricians, miners, bankers, etc. all making up the army and naval forces. Not to mention that there were several technical manuals and science books on the ships.

His diverse group was already making sweeping changes to Atlantis. A month ago, these people did not know anything about steel, now they were producing it. A banking system was also established, but the idea was still hard for the natives to grasp. The Americans and British built several churches and a Jewish synagogue. The Zakrostians were flocking to the services. Many of the natives were converting as well. It was not hard to believe seeing as how the gods they worshiped tended to kill and enslave them.

One of the biggest changes was the sense of democracy Crist introduced. The Atlanteans remembered their wars long ago with Athens and their democratic government. There, every man could vote on every issue. Further, the government tended to be large with an enormous ruling body. However, the system of a representative democracy or the republic seemed more manageable and acceptable to them. Therefore, the new country granted them by Podaistas was named the Republic of Atlantis.

One thing that Crist did not have to introduce was women's liberation. On Atlantis and as part of the Minoan civilization, women held the same rights as men. In fact, on this world, women could even participate in combat. This was something Crist had to acknowledge and respect for fear of alienating the locals.

That was not the only issue the Otherworlders had to accept. One of the most shocking was that women, on special ceremonial occasions, would wear robes that were open to the navel. This left the women's breasts exposed causing many a G.I. to blush, stare, or both.

The anthropologists argued with many of the more offended military personnel to keep an open mind. This was not their world and culture. They had to respect the Atlantean's customs.

Also on the education front, many of the locals were speaking passable English. In addition, many of the Otherworlders were speaking passable Minoan, which was a base of Greek. The language and trade schools were still very popular with everyone.

The general was also thankful that he had been able to establish a trade agreement with King Podaistas. With the fields burned outside Zakrostas's city wall, the people would be starving. Even the supplies on the cargo vessels would not be able to feed all the people until the next harvest.

General Crist had been musing on all of the above when an aide rushed into his office.

"General, sir," the soldier saluted.

"What is it son?" the general asked.

"There are refugees headed for the city sir," the youth said excitedly.

"Yes, we have been taking in the citizens ever since we drove out..."

"No, sir," the young soldier interrupted. "They are coming from the villages to the north. Some have traveled hundreds of miles. The northern outposts have reported thousands on foot, horse, or in wagons driving livestock."

General Crist instantly became alert. "What is driving them south?" the general asked.

"There is another army on the march, sir," the lad responded. "They say it is being led by Ares himself."

* * * * *

Theena figured she had about two hundred militia with her. They were destroying every bridge, blocking every mountain pass, and burning anything that Ares might use. She figured that their efforts must have slowed the army down significantly. The foragers would have to move further a field to find anything. This would mean that the army had to wait for their return often only to find that the foragers were empty-handed.

Ares's army was hungry and therefore, was now moving much slower. Even though Ares in his bloodlust drove the army hard, the men could only move so fast or so far on empty stomachs. The bodies of those who fell out of line and died in Ares horde littered the roads heading south.

Regardless, Ares still commanded an enormous army. It was also a desperate and merciless army. However, the few skirmishes that the various scouting units had with the militia learned to respect and fear the Amazon of Knopso.

The ragtag band of militia, exhausted from endless marching and destruction staggered to the first of the northern outposts set up by General Crist. Many of the militia was surprised to see the new army the prophecy foretold. They did not wear any armor save a strange looking helmet. The only blade they carried was smaller than even their bronze short swords.

The men all wore green shirts and pants and strange black boots with laces. They also carried a strange club with a metal tube over their shoulders. Theena did not know how effective a weapon that would be against the spears and arrows of the horde bearing down on them.

They also spoke a strange language that she could not understand. However, some men could speak a passable form of Theena's language. Theena was also amazed to see that many in the Zakrostian army carried the strange clubs, like these foreign men, instead of the heavy spears.

In front of the outpost were long lines of trenches where the men ran from one underground structure to another. Theena did not know how effective the trenches would be once Ares bore down on them. But, she concluded they were well constructed. There were sharpened wooden spikes pointing outward from the mounds in front of the trenches. Strung in parallel lines along the mounds were long lines of wire with spikes protruding from them. Many a foe would wind up entangled in the wires if they tried to storm the trenches.

Theena led her band of militia up to the man she assumed to be in charge. "We are a band of militia from the various villages to the north. We have been hampering the efforts of Ares drive south," she reported.

"Must talk slower," the man said in Theena's tongue, his accent was thick and she could hardly understand what he said.

Theena spoke again this time slower and using simple words. Eventually the man understood what she said and yelled something to another man. That man then ran off to one of the buildings in the outpost. The first man then waved over one of the soldiers from Zakrostas and said something to him.

"The major says you have done very well," the Zakrostian said. "You may head south to Zakrostas where you may join up with the army if you choose."

"My men may want to head south, but I would rather stay here and lend my services," Theena said. The Zakrostian turned to the man he called major and spoke to him. The soldier then turned back to Theena.

"The major says that will be fine. But, you will need to learn how to fight like one of them. He said he would like to ask you some more questions."

Theena nodded her assent.