TOMBRAIDER

BY CHRISTOPHER TOILKIEN

[ part 1 ]

"Actually, you lot are part of the exhibit" Sister A instructed the twenty-six students standing in front of her in the main lobby just after dawn.

"The museum curator and I are old friends and I volunteered you to assist him with the Grand opening his most recent find when he inquired if I could help out." She continued. "And thought you’re dusky skinned bodies and black hair would do the trick.

Isis looked around at her charges. Each dressed in sleeveless, almost transparent ankle length, white cotton shifts finely wrought gold chain belts at hip with the one end hanging down between their legs. Black hair cut pageboy fronts, rest left to run free, down their backs. Henna and black eyeliner, with multi colored lapis lazu collars around their necks lying across their almost flat chests. Sturdy woven reed sandals and gold with cloured glass inlays at wrist and ankle completed their outfits.

Isis herself in an ankle length outfit, even more sheer, with a single filament woven wire gold diadem in her hair. Belt of gold and lapis inlay with gold bracelets and anklets. A staff with the head of a Falcon cast in gold completed her outfit and announced her leadership of the rest. Short leather quirt hanging from her hip, emphasized the point to the rest of them.

"Actually this is a private weekend opening for some very influential financial backers" Sister A informed Isis. "But an intelligent girl as you has probably figured that out by now"

"Yes Headmistress" Isis quietly replied.

"They are to play music, dance, any anything else they require, for his backers as they did for the Sheik" Sister A instructed. "As so far as I have observed, that is all they appear to be any good at so far"

"And in case you are wondering if my dressmakers and cosmaticians are accurate in your outfitting" Sister A remarked as she walked away. "My Master and I spent most of the two thousand years BC traveling in and out of Egypt on my masters business" She added. "When not running a school for concubines and Temple girls in Thebes"

"Then that will explain why our paths crossed so often, my mistress" Isis thought to herself. "For I too wandered the civilized world during that time for EarthMother"

The girls were then dressed in the schools waterproof ankle length hooded foul weather poncho’s and led out to one of the converted military artillery tractors that pretended to be school buses for this school. It was said among the students, Sister Monette, when she had to attempt to drive one after rescuing the girls from Barbie’s field trip adventure, had flattened half a dozen pine trees with it. Anyone viewing the Daimler Benz converted artillery tractor, prime movers from their formidable front, certainly had no doubt.

Once aboard, The tired girls easily dozed off. All except Isis, who had seen, as usual trip coolers full of food slid into the baggage holds under the bus and two coolers of water along the isle. Four guards, as usual, two sitting at either end of the buss also dozed Isis up front across from the driver read through the full color brochure expounding on the wonders of this exhibit.

A front picture showed the bust of Nefertiti that those German Archaeologists had purloined back in the thirties. Inside a late middle aged man, dressed in light weight colored summer suit, stood beside Egyptian columns of the later dynasties, going by their Nile papyrus shape and beside him, a little raven-haired girl in a white silk dress, knee high silk stockings and black paten leather shoes. The white bow in her hair, probably white leather, indicating to anyone in the know, and her status as the property of the male she stood just beside and behind of.

"I wonder if you are one of us, sweetcheeks" Isis thought to herself’ Sister A has a habit of rewarding some of her old friends with the gift of a promising student. Malibu Barbie, herself had been lent out that way for two years.

The remainders were of little interest, mostly everyday religious or funerary items until she turned the last page.

The picture was the interior of an Egyptian religious compound. Inside was a small multi column flat roof structure set up on a three step high stone platform. A reflective pool lay just outside it.

"O Shit" Thought Isis, I hope this is one of those photo manipulations"

Just before noon, the bus arrived at a very expansive structure on a rise at one end of Lake Geneva.

A large silk banner proclaimed " Exhibit of Newly Excavated Egyptian Religious Artifacts from the time of Nefertiti"

The bus drives around to the rear and pulls up before a loading dock, and a plain door labeled "Staff" "Well, I already surmised we are not honored guests, just unpaid staff" Isis said to herself.

The guards usher the girls out and had them lug the coolers up onto a four-wheeled trolley on the loading dock. One guard pushed the doorbell beside the man door and a few minutes later an elderly man in coveralls opens the door. After a few words, the guard produces a shipping form, which the man signs as the loading dock door rises. Then the guards then herd the girls inside along with their rations and the door slides down.

Isis then realizes the guards stayed outside as the man in coveralls walks up to her.

"You are their leader, Isis" He inquires.

"Yes Master" Isis replies, head down.

"We have no time to play, girl" He instructs. "Follow along to your quarters and practice area" He replied and walked off.

"Lets go you lot" Isis orders swishing her whip in their direction and literally herding them along a wide passageway after the man.

"In here" He pointed. And Isis followed them into a glass block windowed room about fifty feet square. "This is an empty staff lunchroom" He informed Isis. The door in the corner leads to a six stall washroom and two doors further down the hall it leads to is a staff locker room with a larger washroom, lockers and showers"

"Sleeping accommodation?" She inquired.

"You will be housed with mine, and they are already booked" He nonchalantly replied.

"Its probably is neither the first nor the last time a nubile female was used as a reward to supporter’s" Isis thought to herself.

"Have something to eat and I will be back in an hour to start your training" He ordered, closing the door n behind him as he left. Isis heard the loud click of a lock, and had seen the solid steel fire door notice on the doorjamb when he opened it. So even here, they were to be kept under lock and key.

"OK, lay the food coolers out in a row and I will dispense lunch" Isis instructed.

After the girls had eaten and drank, the cafeteria staff prepared food to ensure their med. were kept up. Isis arranged them in a teaching circle and sitting in the middle instructed.

"You and I are here, dressed this way because we look as the Ancient Egyptians did" She started. "Yes I know you four really are modern Egyptian"

"They want us to first entertain with music, and dance in the old style" Isis went on" And yes it will mean you are also the after dinner dessert"

Not one of them appeared to even lift a hennaed lined eyebrow at this. She observed. These backcountry entertainment girls took it as a mater of course that sex followed a performance.

Just then, he walked in followed by the girl in the picture. She two was a raven-haired beauty and dressed similar to Isis.

"Follow me to the stage area" He ordered and walked out and further down the plain concrete block corridor.

They walked through a set of double doors and memories flooded back into Isis’s mind.

A later dynasty, brick pillared hall at least two hundred feet square, with small windows along the roofline greeted her eyes again. Aswan red stone trimmed walls and floor. Great full color pictures of Pharaoh going to war in his chariot leading his armies in victory against his enemies filled the sky blue plastered walls.

Shallow braziers of hammered bronze on stands wrought in the imitation of the Nile’s reed illuminated the hall. Low tables in rows, with soft kneeling pads in front, filled the floor, except for a raised stone-floored stage at the front. Its rear wall painted as if it were the entrance pylons to her temple at Luxor. Even to a realistic looking doorway at the center.

"Leading the girls toward the stage, he stepped up and inquired. "I understand some are musicians and some dancers beside their other talents"

"I have assembled a collection of reproduction Egyptian musical instruments" He continued.

"Yes Master" Isis replied. "We were chosen because they were originally in a Sheiks harem for all those reasons"

"Can they understand you?" He asked. "And can you get them to perform me?"

"Just music and dance?" Isis replied. And received a slap across the face in reply, so hard it drove her to her knees. Isis saw hand signals flit from, first the Torreg, then spread through the other girls.

"I would not push these girls to far, Master,” She said to herself as she stood, wiping the blood from her lip. "They are not the meek village or city girls you are used too. These ones are quite capable of exacting revenge on those that do them and theirs wrong"

"Do not get cheeky with me girl" He threatened. "I have a life’s work at stake this weekend"

"No Master" Isis replied turning to her gaggle.

"Have the musicians try the instruments and my daughter will try to teach them a few dances.

"Musicians to the rear" She instructed. And the girls in question walked to the back of the stage.

"Choose something you think you may be able to play" Isis ordered.

They picked up one each, tried a few tones or strings. Kept it or tried something else. Half an hour later they had a reasonable selection. No coherent music yet, but Isis could see the musicians were relatively well talented and were trying hard.

Half an hour later as the new girl was attempting to show her dancers a step; they were going through their repertoire.

See if you can get them to play these" He instructed, placing down a large stereo and running the CD player.

"Leave them at it" Isis said and lets see how the dancers are making out.

Meanwhile the new girl was silently leading the majority of the students through a dance.

Here again, things had not really changed that much, and females dancing to please and entertain had not changed that much.

"Isis stopped one of the better dancers and had a short conversation with her.

"It would be easier if they were allowed to talk during the lessons Master" She begged.

"OK" He replied. "Isis pasted his order on, and a babble of Arabic languages ensued, but by mid afternoon the girls moved as one through all five new dances.

"Excellent" He beamed. "Let’s see if we can put it all together.

His smile grew broader as after a few false starts the girls and musicians moved through all, five dances without a hitch.

‘Take them back for food, water and showers" He ordered. "Then in two hours we can meet back here"

"Yes master" Isis replied. Indicating to the girls they put the instruments down and lead them back out the door. "He has reproduced an Egyptian late dynasty warriors feasting hall to a "T" Isis thought to herself as she followed her charges back down the hall. I wonder how much the diners will look like true warriors.

As they entered their rooms, Isis ordered the girls into the showers with the Egyptian clothes still on to wash the sweat off both, but strip off the jewelry. Then hang the clothes in the locker room to dry, Isis and the girls hanging the outfits on hangers from the doors and turning the forced air system in the locker room to its highest temperature.

"And me?" A voice came from beside her.

"Isis turned to see the dark eyes of a female her own size and age looking back at her. It was the Archeologists girl. "You may as well go off and join them" She instructed. And the girl smiled and ran off.

Isis was lifting the lids of the cooler when she realized they had conversed in a language not spoken since before that, arrogant pretend Greek had over run her beloved Egypt. Pure Egyptian of the religious and ruling classes.

When the laughing and nude girls returned they lined up silently for their food on paper plates and bottled water, the new girl among them.

Sitting knee to knee in the lotus position as trained the girls silently ate and drank their fill. Isis aware it might be tomorrow before they had a chance again. Transferred half the remaining water bottles into a single cooler and tasked four girls with getting it to the performance room.

Right on time, for there was a clock on the wall in the striped lunchroom, they trooped back into the dining hall.

"That will not do," He said pointing to the blue plastic cooler.

"They will need to drink a lot of water if you expect them to perform all night" Isis replied. Knowing she was risking punishment for speaking out.

"" He ordered. "Locate an appropriate wicker basket for that cooler and then some reproduction drinking bowls from the store"

The girl bowed low and sped off.

"It is now six and my guests will be arriving in attire already for my dinner party in one hour" He informed Isis. "The caterers are already here and have waiters dressed in proper period garb and trained how to serve it"

"We will begin re-applying our makeup and hair in order that we look the part Master" Isis said. The man patted Isis on the head and walked off.

"Just after he left, the girl came back pushing a large wicker chest on a buggy and they helped her lift o it on stage.

"It contains clay drinking bowls enough for all," She said.

They lifted the heavy modern cooler inside and piled the cups on top. One girl was sent to roll the modern buggy back out and Isis then sat all the rest down in a line on stage while she and the new girl applied correct makeup in the proper places on the girls.

‘And how do you know if this makeup and style is correct for these girls?" Isis inquired.

"I have had lots of practice over the years" The girl replied with a smile on her face. "Just as you have Isis dear"

Just then, the man returned, fully outfitted as a high court official of the eighteenth dynasty, complete with black wig, ornate collar, belt, armbands and sandals, complete with stiff cotton kilt.

"Have the musicians set up at the back near the doors leading to the Temple" He instructed. "And the dancers in two rows kneeling along the front of the stage"

He then walked over to a chest by the single man door, were he had entered, and returned holding small necklaces of gold chain with a single coin hanging from it. He then walked down the rows of girls, dropping one over each of their necks.

"The number on the coin around the neck, indicates which table of guests they are to service" He informed Isis. "I am sure they are used to at least that many at a time"

The callous regard for how being used by four adult males in one night might just wear and tear one little pre, or early teen female’s body, obviously was no concern of his.

Despite all her concerns, the party went off quite well, at the start.

Bare headed and nude to the waist, middle aged men, in stiff Egyptian military white cotton kilts, gold armbands and neck collars of colorful inlay gradually filled the hall.

Isis noted most could not probably jog across a soccer pitch, never mind a battlefield. Male servers in soft kilts moved among them filling and refilling their eating and carved alabaster drinking vessels. The musicians played, the girls danced, the partygoers clapped, cheered, and feasted. Isis whispered for the band to start running through their more modern Arabic pieces, as both the revelers and the one running the party were far to gone in their cups to notice.

The temperature dropped and the wind picked up, but the females were hot and sweaty from dancing and playing. While the partygoers were just too drunk, and busy feeling up the little preteens sprawled across their tables to notice.

But Isis and Ank were both lucid and getting worried about the weather.

Isis pushed through the revelers, suffering innumerable pinches to her bum cheeks and groupings up her thin legs, but managed to reach the table were the man dressed as a high court official sat with two rather portly, sniggered fellows.

"The storm in increasing Master" Isis pleaded. "Should we not call an end to the party?"

"The building is brand new" He slurred, or something similar. "It is a steel barn multifunction structure and the drywall interior has the imitation bricks just glued on"

"What about lighting arrestors?" Isis inquired, as she watched bright flashes illuminate the outside through the slit opening. "What do I need them for? Way to expensive" He slurred out.

"Your on a hilltop beside a lake, in a steel box, you idiot" Isis thought to herself as she made her way back to the stage.

"Play the gather together piece we practiced" Isis ordered. Similar to a cavalry regiments regroup call, for the same reason.

The band struck up the heavy rhythmic piece and a few males still able to stand jumped up and started doing the twist.

Just then, a brilliant flash struck the upper left-hand corner of the structure, furthest from the stage. False bricks and shattered drywall rained down everywhere and everyone screamed. The girls dashed for the stage and the men, shocked into semi- recovery clamored and crawled towards the double doors halfway down the right-hand side, effectively blocking it.

Isis saw the far rear and left-hand wall quiver as the high wind started working on those walls. The open web horizontal roofline rear and left-hand girder had been shattered where it was bolted to the corner vertical beam. The edge of the roof began to lift and separate further from the sidewalls as the storm continued to batter the now tottering structure.

"The building is going to collapse" Ank screamed." Out this way" And to a flabbergasted Isis shoved open what she had surmised were the large false doors between the two false pylons at the back of the stage.

The girls stampeded out this seemingly miraculous escape route, Isis coming up last to make sure everyone got out, shoving the wicker basket of water ahead of her. She noted the musicians were so panicked. They forgot to let go of their instruments. "Down the corridor" Ank yelled and the stream of white clad entertainers ran as if Sister A herself was after their hide.

"Help me close and bar these doors" Ank asked. And it took all her and Isis’s adrenaline powered bodies to complete the task against a storm trying to spread the range of its havoc.

When the pair of real wooden doors was secure and the two were lugging the water chest down the passage, a resounding crash and a great thud came from beyond the door.