by Steve Korte
It took Diana’s eyes a few moments to adjust to the moonlit darkness of the deserted armory. There she saw a shining silver sword hung majestically inside an intricate golden spiral dome. The sword glittered in the dark room, and she was awed by its sheer power.
Diana moved quickly through the room, grabbing a shield from a suit of ancient armor. The golden Lasso of Hestia was hanging on a nearby hook, and Diana carefully removed it. Next was an Amazonian battle suit, glowing in the dark room with its gold, red, and blue colors. Diana smiled as she slipped it on. She’d never felt a clearer purpose.
Back in the infirmary, Steve looked up in surprise as Diana entered.
“Nice outfit,” he said as he admired her new armor.
“Thank you,” said Diana. “Now I will show you the way off the island. And you will take me to the war.”
Steve reached for his leather bag and his watch.
“Deal,” he replied.
Soon, Diana and Steve were riding on horseback through the forest, heading toward the harbor. When they arrived at the shore, Steve was dismayed to see the ancient wooden sailing vessel that was moored in the water.
“I’m leaving in that?” he asked skeptically.
“We are,” said Diana.
“We’re leaving in that?” asked Steve.
Diana looked at him with scorn and asked, “Do you not know how to sail?”
“Of course I know how to sail,” Steve protested. “Why wouldn’t I be able to sail? I just haven’t done it since I was a kid.”
“Then there’s nothing to be afraid of,” Diana said matter-of-factly.
Suddenly, the thundering sound of approaching horses filled the air. Hippolyta was the first to arrive, followed by her Queen’s Guard. She raised her hand, ordering the guards to halt. She dismounted and approached Diana alone.
Diana took a deep breath and moved toward her mother. She stared directly into Hippolyta’s eyes and then spoke in a loud and clear voice.
“I can’t stand by while innocent lives are lost,” she said. “If no one else will defend the world from this war, I must. I have to go. . . .”
“I know,” said Hippolyta, as a look of sadness filled her face. “Or at least, I know that I cannot stop you. There is so much . . . so much you do not understand.”
Diana reached out to touch her mother’s shoulder.
“I understand enough,” said Diana. “That I’m willing to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. Like you once did . . .”
Hippolyta stared at her daughter and said, “You know that if you choose to leave us, you may never return.”
Diana nodded slowly. Hippolyta raised her hands and placed a glittering gold headband on her daughter’s forehead. A shining star was located in the center of the headband.
“This belonged to one of the greatest warriors in our history,” said Hippolyta. “Make sure that you are worthy of it.”
“I will,” said Diana.
As Diana and Steve stepped into the small wooden boat, Hippolyta called out, “Be careful in the world of men, Diana. They do not deserve you.”
Hippolyta watched as the boat sailed from the harbor. Soon, it was a small speck on the horizon. The queen continued to gaze at the water.
“You have been my greatest love,” Hippolyta said softly. “Today, you are my greatest sorrow.” She stood on the shore until the boat and its wake were no longer in sight.
NINE
A cold wind swept over Diana and Steve as they sailed across the Aegean Sea. Diana brushed the hair from her eyes and took a deep breath as her island home of Themyscira disappeared in the distance. She watched as it was swallowed up by the gray fog that surrounded it. Behind her, Steve struggled with the tiller. He was doing his best, but it was clear that he wasn’t an expert sailor.
“How long until we reach the war?” she asked.
“The war?” Steve said with surprise. “Well, which part? The Western Front in France alone is four hundred miles long. Then there is the Eastern Front and Italian Front, and of course all the fighting happening at sea and in the air.”
Diana sighed with impatience and said, “Where the fighting is the most intense then. If you take me there, I am sure I can end this war.”
“Look, princess, I like your spirit, and maybe you know something I don’t, but this war is so sprawling there’s nothing the two of us can do about it. But we can try to get to the men who can.”
“You’re looking at the person who can end this war,” Diana said with confidence.
Steve raised an eyebrow and said, “I’m starting to understand why your mother didn’t want you to leave. How much do you really know about the rest of the world?”
“The world of men?” Diana replied. “I know all that there is to know from the great books.”
“The great books,” Steve repeated slowly. “Do those books explain why there are no men on your island? Or kids?”
“I was raised on the island,” Diana said.
“Just you?” Steve asked. “Must have been a sheltered upbringing.”
“My mother sculpted me from clay,” Diana explained. “I was brought to life by Zeus.”
“Oh. Well, that’s not how babies are made where I come from,” said Steve.
Diana turned away to stare at the gray sky. She believed she was doing the right thing, but still, the farther she got from her home, the more she hoped she could really bring peace to mankind. It was her one great mission—what she’d given up her family and her home for. And she still wanted to make her mother proud.
The sailing was slow and arduous. Steve constantly scanned the horizon, searching for a ship that might help speed their journey. Eventually, they encountered a British steam ship that was headed to England. Steve and Diana happily climbed on board, and less than a week later they pulled into the port of London.
“We made good time,” said Steve, as the ship docked. “Welcome to jolly old London.”
Diana frowned as she viewed the sprawling, noisy city. Decaying buildings lined the wharf. In the distance, tall dark towers belched dark, sulfurous smoke into the air.
“It’s hideous,” she declared.
“Well, it’s not for everyone,” admitted Steve.
He quickly led Diana from the harbor to the heart of the city. Her eyes grew wider as she watched the horse-drawn carriages, the people wearing layers of fancy clothing, the cobblestone streets, and the newsstand vendors shouting out headlines about the war and voting rights for women. The smell of fresh bread and pastries from a bakery brought a smile to her face. The sour stench of freshly slaughtered meat from a butcher shop caused her to hold her nose. As Diana stopped to marvel at each distraction, Steve was constantly forced to grab her arm and propel her along.
Suddenly, she stopped in the middle of a busy road and was almost run over by an automobile. The driver of the car honked his horn and swerved around Diana.
“Diana!” yelled Steve.
Diana pointed to a woman and man who were holding hands. Diana looked confused. Steve pulled her onto the sidewalk.
“Why are they holding hands?” she asked.
Steve looked at the couple and said, “Well, because they’re . . . together.”
Diana nodded in comprehension, and reached over to grasp Steve’s hand.
“No, we’re not together,” said Steve, as he quickly pulled his hand away. “I mean, not like that . . . I mean . . .”
Steve pointed down the street and said, “Look, we need to go this way.”
Diana walked beside him and asked, “Because this is the way to the war?”
Steve reluctantly pointed in the other direction and said, “Technically, that is the way to the war.”
“Then where are we going?” asked Diana.
“I have to get this notebook to my superiors.”
Diana frowned and said, “I let you go, you take me to the war. We made a deal, Steve Trevor. A promise is unbreakable.”
Steve sighed and
said, “Oh boy. Okay. Come with me to deliver this. Then we’ll talk about getting you a train ticket.”
As they continued to walk down the busy street, men and women openly stared at both Steve and Diana. Steve realized that although Diana was wearing a cloak that mostly covered her Amazon armor, the sight of her bare legs was quite shocking, even in a sophisticated city like London.
Steve said, “We need to cover your legs. I mean, we need to get you some clothes.”
“Why?” asked Diana with surprise.
“Because you aren’t wearing enough clothes,” explained Steve.
Diana pointed to the women all around her. They were all wearing long skirts that reached the ground, and blouses that covered them from neck to wrist.
“What do these women wear into battle?” she asked.
Steve shrugged and said, “Well, women don’t exactly . . .”
Before he could finish his sentence, Diana turned around to admire a woman carrying a baby.
“A baby,” she said with wonder.
“And that one wasn’t made out of clay,” Steve said, as he gently took Diana by the arm and nudged her down the street toward the Selfridges and Company department store.
Just outside the store’s entrance, a woman’s voice called out. “It’s true! You are alive!” she said.
Steve smiled as the woman approached them and reached out her arms to hug him. She was a short but strong woman, with curly brown hair, bright eyes, and a wide smile. Steve winced for a moment as she squeezed him tightly.
“Well, thank goodness for that!” she said happily. “I thought you were dead this time, I really did. And then I got your call.”
The woman turned to Diana and said with exasperation, “He was gone for weeks! Not a word. Very unlike him.”
She reached to clasp Diana’s hand and said, “Hello, I’m Etta Candy. Captain Trevor’s secretary.”
Diana smiled and asked, “What is a secretary?”
Etta pondered the question for a moment and then said, “Well, it means I do everything. I go wherever he goes. Do whatever he tells me to do.”
“Where I’m from, that’s called slavery,” Diana replied.
“Ooh, I like this one,” Etta said with a smile. “It does rather feel like that sometimes. But the pay is good, and he’s almost never here.”
A breeze momentarily stirred Diana’s cloak, exposing her bare legs and Amazon armor. Etta’s eyes widened.
“Captain Trevor mentioned something about getting you a new outfit,” she said, as she led Diana into the store. “We’ve got our work cut out for us.”
As they walked through the store, Diana’s mouth dropped open as she saw a heavy corset that had been draped around a mannequin. She reached out her hand to touch the stiff ribs that had been sewn inside the undergarment.
“Is that what passes for armor in your country?” she asked.
Etta smiled and said, “Of a sort. It’s a fashion. Keeps our tummies in.”
“Why must you keep them in?” asked Diana, puzzled.
“Only a woman with no tummy would ask that question!” replied Etta, as she hurried Diana through the store. “Let’s go, dear.”
When they reached the women’s clothing department, Etta held up a heavy, dark-blue cloth dress.
“Conservative, but not entirely . . . unfun,” offered Etta.
Diana viewed the thick fabric, long sleeves, and flowing skirt with dismay. She turned to Steve with a puzzled look on her face.
“At least try it on,” Steve suggested.
Diana sighed and reached up to remove her cloak. It fell to the floor. Customers in the shop turned to stare at Diana’s bare arms and legs. Etta quickly moved to place the cloak back on Diana’s shoulders.
“Oh my,” said Etta nervously. “Aren’t you terribly cold out here where everyone can see . . . everything? Let’s get you into a nice, warm, private dressing room, shall we?”
An hour later, with eight discarded dresses piled on the floor, Etta watched wearily as Diana modeled another outfit. She stood in front of a mirror, dressed from neck to toe in a bright-pink dress. Lacy white ruffles extended from the sleeves and collar to cover her neck and wrists. Diana glared at her reflection in a mirror.
“How can a woman possibly fight in this?” she asked.
“We fight with our principles,” said Etta with a smile. “It’s how we are going to get the right to the vote. Not that I’m opposed to engaging in a bit of fisticuffs when the situation calls for it, mind you!”
Etta handed Diana another dress and said, “Here we are. Very nice.”
“So itchy,” said Diana, when she emerged from the dressing room. “And it’s choking me.”
Under her breath, Etta said, “I can’t say that I blame it.”
Steve soon rejoined them. He was now wearing a handsome gray suit. His leather bag hung from his shoulder.
“How’s it going?” he asked Etta.
“She’s trying on outfit number two hundred and twenty-six,” replied Etta.
Diana emerged from the dressing room, this time wearing a simple gray suit. Although the outfit was not showy, it suited Diana perfectly. Other customers looked up, struck by her beauty.
“Why is everyone staring?” asked Diana. “Is it because I can barely breathe in this suit?”
Steve could not stop looking at Diana.
“Etta, the whole point was to make her less conspicuous,” he whispered.
Etta sighed and grabbed a pair of glasses from a nearby display. She gently placed the glasses on Diana’s face.
“Really, Steve? All it takes is a pair of specs, and suddenly she’s not the most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen?” Etta asked skeptically.
Diana studied her reflection. Against her better judgment, she decided that she would wear this new outfit. She even smiled a bit as she adjusted her new glasses.
“Here, dear, you’re going to need this winter coat,” said Etta, as she offered Diana a heavy wool coat.
Diana followed Etta and Steve to the front of the store. When no one was looking, Diana quickly tucked her golden lasso inside her coat.
Outside the store, Etta turned to Diana and reached for her sword.
“Right, then. Good luck,” she said. “I’ll take this sword back to the office and meet you both later.”
Diana frowned and yanked the sword from Etta’s hands.
“It really doesn’t go with the outfit,” said Etta.
“It’ll be safe,” Steve reassured Diana. “You can trust her, I promise.”
Reluctantly, Diana let Etta take the sword.
“Please,” pleaded Diana. “Protect it with your life.”
Etta raised an eyebrow and muttered quietly as she walked away, “Who wouldn’t?”
Just then, Steve grabbed Diana’s wrist and pulled her away from the front of the store and into a deserted alley.
“Come on,” he said, quickening his pace.
Diana looked around in confusion and asked, “What is it?”
“Hopefully nothing,” said Steve.
When they reached the end of the alley, five men suddenly appeared, blocking Steve and Diana from going anywhere. One of the men pointed a gun directly at Steve.
“Captain Trevor,” he said. “I believe that you have something that is the property of General Ludendorff.”
The other four men removed guns from their coats.
“Quite a reception,” said Steve.
“Give us Doctor Maru’s notebook . . . now!” said the man.
Steve stepped in front of Diana and patted the pockets of his coat as well.
“Where did I put that thing?” he said.
Steve lunged forward to kick his leg in the air. He knocked a gun out of the first man’s hand. The man toppled against the other four men, who were still pointing their guns directly at Steve and Diana. Steve raised his arm to protect Diana.
“Stay behind me!” he ordered.
The four men fired thei
r guns at the same time. The sound of the explosions echoed down the alley. Steve watched with dismay as Diana jumped in front of him.
“No . . . Diana!” he yelled.
Diana raised her arms, exposing the silver bracelets on her wrists. The bullets bounced off the bracelets and ricocheted against a brick wall. The astonished men paused for a moment, and then they resumed firing. Diana continued to deflect the bullets with her bracelets.
Steve reached out to punch the first man and knocked him to the ground. The other four men charged toward Diana and Steve. Diana grabbed one of the men and swung him through the air. She then sent him crashing against two of the men. At the same time, Steve knocked the fourth man unconscious with a blow to the head.
Steve turned to Diana with a stunned look on his face and asked, “How did you do that?”
Diana looked behind her to see one of the men escaping down the alley. He darted around the corner and ran onto the main road.
“He’s getting away . . . ,” began Diana.
CLANG!
Diana and Steve ran to the corner. There they saw the man sprawled on the street, groaning in pain. Etta Candy stood over him. She held Diana’s sword in her hands.
“I thought he looked suspicious,” Etta said, with a satisfied smile.
TEN
Steve breathed a sigh of relief when he and Diana arrived at the British War Office without any more incidents. Together, they entered a large, wood-paneled room where several dozen men stood in small groups, each talking louder than the other. Among them were military leaders and members of Parliament. Steve escorted Diana to one corner of the room.
“Stay here . . . please,” he said. “I need to meet with Colonel Darnell over there.”
Steve walked past a tall, distinguished-looking man with gray hair and a kind face. He was impeccably dressed in a dark three-piece business suit and carried a cane. As Steve made his way over to speak with Colonel Darnell, Diana studied the room with fascination.
Steve leaned over to whisper in Colonel Darnell’s ear. A surprised expression filled the man’s face as Steve spoke with him.