Xiang rematerialized within the king's chamber and found his way through the tunnels to the Sphinx. Very few knew the secret way and Xiang easily made his reappearance to Egypt unnoticed by anyone. As "high priest to Isis" no one would obstruct Xiang as he walked amongst the nobility. Cloaked, no one took much notice of him, and if they challenged him, then they would immediately retreat excusing themselves for disturbing him. All knew him as Senmut, the consort of the Pharoah Hatshepsut, and he was the chief priest who kept her in power. Little Thutmoses detested Xiang. His frequent plots to assasinate Xiang were always thwarted, and Xiang always laughed at the feeble attempts mocking Thutmoses in the process. "Someday, little one, perhaps you may rule, but I would pity your subjects."

Jim's child by Hatshepsut had birthed in Egypt. She was a good hearted child and Hatshepsut would have intended her to rule Egypt instead of her Thutmoses, but the men resented the rule of women and were eager to have a male Pharoah and the old false gods once again. She had taken a fondness for a child which she had fished out of the river. Hatshepsut would never discover the child was Hebrew. Thutmoses hated Moses as well. After Moses had killed one of his servants, Thutmoses convinced Hatshepsut to convict Moses even though it broke her daughter's heart by doing so. Xiang had liked Moses and befriended him, but at the time he was visiting Greece with his sister, and thus unable to plea for his friend..

Moses was gone now and Xiang felt so alone He had wondered what had happened to his friend and if he would ever amount to anything. Jim had told him that Moses was alive and would play an important role in Egypt's future. He wasn't specific. Beside Moses, the other members of the court were simple minded fools with not an ounce of integrity amongst the lot of them. They all feared him because of his power. None of them knew that he, Xiang, was the son of their beloved Isis.

He knew himself not to be a god, and he knew his mother not to be a goddess. They were simply beings from another space and time.

Finding his way back to the palace he found Hatshepsut who was ready to have him in her chambers once again. "Where have you been off too, my dear Xiang? I've missed you."

"I saw my father."

Hatshepsut raised her eyebrow a wee bit. "Your father? Now that's impossible, but perhaps we need to discuss this in private." She put an immediate end to court business in spite of the nobles' objections and retired to her chambers.

Alone, she turned to him. "Now what is this about you seeing your father. Are you suggesting he is here now. Does Isis know?"

"Isis is gone. Father returned her to Artemis. We are alone now."

"Alone! How are we to control the masses without the Pegasus? They'll massacre us when they discover we no longer have our power."

"It seems that I can see you safely to Artemis, and leave the throne to Thutmoses."

"That irreverent and conceited squirt? I'd just as soon kill him off, and leave Egypt to another."

"Father suggests that is not our concern and he is offering you a way home. He suggested very strongly that you accept his offer. This way you can serve Isis again. He will not guarantee our survival for long."

"Do you mean that he is here now?"

Xiang demonstrated a power link with Genie as he drew a hologrammed model of the Gizah complex. "Yes, I'm on-line with the Box for now and we have a little time before we must depart."

Hatshepsut reflected on her affair with Qblh and her blood rushed with anticipation of seeing him again.. Certainly he would forgive her for involving herself with his son, in spite of the fact she had promised to love no other. For Hatshepsut thought nothing of having affairs with both father and son. Such behavior was not that uncommon in either royal Egyptian or Amazon culture. Qblh had involvements with many mother daughter combinations. Sophia was a prime example. Jim did not have affairs with his own daughters however; it went against Amazon tradition..

"With us gone who will keep Thutmoses under control?"

"Moses will deal with him."

"Moses has long since fled Egypt. He killed one of Thutmoses' favorite brothers. I could not spare the death penalty that the law would demand. Perhaps if you would have been here, you could have done something. He was as a son to me. My daughter loved him, Jim's daughter, and she wanted Moses to rule Egypt with him and free the slaves. She was a little like Jim, impractical. Free the slaves, such hogwash!"

"That might not be such a bad idea."

"Xiang, what is wrong with you. Who will do the work?"

"Perhaps we'll think of something. It is what father wants."

"Qblh wants us to free the slaves? That is impossible."

"You won't have to do it. Thutmoses will."

Hatshepsut laughed. "You are crazy Xiang. If I know Thutmoses, and I know him well, you will never get him to free the slaves. That would be completely out of his character."

"Nevertheless, I repeat, father has assured me that such will happen and it would be best if we were not around when it does. He did not say what will happen nor when it will happen. He is very secretive about it, but he did say Egypt will begin its decline from power when you leave."

"It is an event of great importance, is it?"

"Apparently so."

"And Moses is involved, ahh me. It wouldn't have something to do with revenge for slaying of those children by Thut's father would it?"

"I really don't know Hattie dear, father would not tell me, and he assures me that Isis knows nothing about it either."

"The great queen has no knowledge? I find that difficult to believe."

"There is no use quizzing me any further Hattie, I don't know what you wish to find out. Are you willing to give up Egypt?"

"That is difficult Xiang, Isis charged me with this office and it would be treason for me to abdicate without her consent."

Xiang kissed Hatshepsut tenderly. "Lover, irregardless of the fate of Egypt, we will be together again on Artemis and you can be my favorite. Father loves Antiope and Helen as well as Isis. I love you Hattie, and I don't want to remember you as a corpse rotting in Earths past when I am before the golden throne once again."

Hatshepsut thought of Qblh again. He loved her. She could have both Xiang and Jim on Artemis. Yet she didn't want to appear easy. "I'll consider it Xiang. Is there a time limit?"

"I'm sure there is a grace period. He mentioned we might need a little time to make good our disappearance."

"I do have an image to maintain Xiang. I do not want to go down in history as betraying Isis."

"I don't think you will have to worry about that. Father was not too concerned, and he is going through some rather extreme efforts to save you Hattie."

"Well whatever Qblh does, I doubt that the event will eradicate the slavery which you are so concerned about. It is too deeply rooted in Earth culture to eliminate."

"Just consider this, Hattie. Father is fighting on behalf of the earth people to prevent us from enslaving them. That much he has told me, and heaven help anyone who stands in his way."

"Let me tell you a secret Xiang." Hatshepsut smiled seductively at Xiang and began an attempt to arouse him. "Isis is wise to all of your father's tricks. I know better than to fight him. We all do, yet he will not win against Isis. She is his equal if not his superior. Look how she managed to use Qblh to conquer Earth. His future star wars battle will mean nothing now that we have conquered earth's past."

"Father assures me that history is not changed, and the efforts of Isis to conquer Earth are doomed to failure."

"Xiang, you are just as pig-headed as your father. Sometimes I can't tell you two apart. It is no use in arguing. I'll go along with this little game of yours and see how you two pull off your next miracle."

Xiang grew silent. He understood that Hatshepsut would follow his wishes. It was now up to him to effect a retreat. The Queen Pharoah, for indeed she was Pharoah at the time, returned pensively to her throne. Xiang followed behind her and stood at her side displaying his staff of power.

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