The general barked at his troops, ordering to drive themselves harder as the burning sun beat down on them. They trained more vigorously than ever, though the general pushed them beyond each limit.

A sudden coolness swept over the fatigued soldiers. Several looked up to see a mass of thick, black clouds swarm over the sun. The wind began to pick up, and a white-hot bolt of lightning cut across the darkening sky.

"Whoa! Where'd this come from?" a soldier cried out.

"The forecast for today claimed it would be sunny!" the general growled as he looked irately at the ominous skies.

Suddenly, a gust of wind struck the soldiers, shoving several to the ground. A shape descended from the sky. It was no taller than six feet, but nearly twelve feet in width. It seemed shaped like a manta ray, minus the tail.

"Hey! That must be what's causing all this!" a soldier cried.

A brilliant flash of lightning tore across the sky, revealing the creature to be an exotically beautiful African woman clad in a sort of zebra-skin bathing suit and a large cape, which was tied to her wrists to keep her aloft, similar to a parachute. Her long white hair was tossed about her head and her eyes were an electrical white.

It was the last the soldiers would see before their world hit the fan. Walls of wind tossed grown men about like petals from a rose and toppled several vehicles. Rain and hail themselves upon the helpless soldiers as another jagged bolt of lightning struck the center of a row of jeeps, starting a chain reaction of violent explosions.

A tank was pushed across the ground into a building, caving the wall in. Prayers and cries and pleads were blown to oblivion by the howling winds as the woman floated high above, observing the carnage.

The winds soon ceased as the rain and hail slowed. The clouds began to dissipate as the sun's rays once again beat down.

The woman narrowed her eyes at her victims before turning in midair to move away, propelled by the mighty winds.

Callista Domaine stretched out on her long leather couch, running her hands through her short blonde hair. A large Persian cat lay sprawled on her stomach; lazily sweeping is fluffy gray tail back and forth.

Nearby, Princess Diana of Themyscira was curled up in a plush armchair, clad in a Greek gown. Achilles, her cat, curled up in her lap, purring contently.

Callista's big screen television blared in front of the two women. A petite woman clad in an expensive looking suit was featured on the screen, ranting passionately. Around her arm was tied a bright blue band, a golden cross in the center.

"Wonder Woman is no savior to mankind! She comes, showing off her body like a prostitute, wearing the colors of our great nation, from a hidden island, claiming to be thousands of years old . . . and an Amazon nonetheless! She claims to be preaching love and peace, but she is truly a scheming pawn of the devil, sent by her 'Amazon sisters' and false gods to preach heresy and paganism!"

Callista looked towards Diana. "You aren't bothered by this bimbo, are you? She's just one of those halfwit preachers who're using the Bible to get money!"

The princess shook her head. "Of course not. Not all the sisters of Paradise Island believe in the Gods of Olympus. We all know the folly in disrespecting each other's beliefs. It's unfortunate that this woman sees me as a threat to her religion, but I can't let it trouble me."

The television switched from the ranting woman to a man wearing an equally expensive suit, the light from above shining off the gallons of gel in his hair.

"That was a segment of Rebecca Chandler's most recent speech. In other news, reports of attacks on US military bases stationed in Africa continue. All attacks seem like strange weather-related natural disasters. Reports of a flying woman at the scene of every attack coincide with local legends of a powerful weather goddess that protects and nurtures the native tribes. On a lighter note . . . "

"A goddess, huh? Sounds right up your alley, Princess!"

Normally, Callista would have been skeptical, but her recent encounters with the Hellhounds led her to believe in such tales.

Diana, far used to dealing with the divine, was unsure.

"I highly doubt this goddess is truly what the local superstitions claim her to be! I have dealt with the gods of Greek, Norse, Hindu, and many other faiths for three thousand years, and I've found that they rarely intercede directly on mortals' behalf. They may blow sand in an opponent's face, or grant a favored worshipper the strength and spirit to overcome an enemy, but they wouldn't directly attack someone like that."

Callista considered this. "Yeah. She's probably some stupid mutant villain or something like that."

"However, control over the weather does grant this 'goddess' considerable power. I shall confront this self-styled goddess, and see if a peaceful solution can be reached."

"Ooohhh! We're going to Africa!" Callista cheered.

A stiff wall of wind collided with the two planes, crashing them together like a child would to emulate fighting between his toys.

The two machines tumbled earthbound like twin comets to a fiery end.

Wonder Woman willed her plane into invisibility and guided it carefully to the ground. The roof melted away and she and Callista hopped out. Wonder Woman compacted her plane into a portable shape.

"Aren't you coming with me?" Callista asked.

"As fun as a 'shopping spree' with you might be, sister, I must decline. I saw a military camp over there. It seems to be one of the remaining here."

"Well . . . alright! Meet ya at a hotel or something . . . you'll be able to find me!"

Callista ran towards the town as Diana launched herself high into the air, twisting herself to ride the air currents.

Like a goddess descending from the heavens, the Amazon Princess floated gently downward into the midst of a group of conversing soldiers. Her sandals raised tiny clouds of dust as she landed.

"Hola!" she called out, her hand raised in greeting.

"Holy-"

"Who's that?"

"It's Wonder Woman! She's kinda a new heroine, but my wife back home told me all about her!"

"You're correct. I am Wonder Woman."

A man, decorated by medals, walked forward, head held high and chest thrust out, strutting like a proud cat. He eyed the Amazon with clear distaste.

"Greetings, General!"

"What do you want here, Wonder Woman?" he demanded. Diana ignored his arrogant attitude, and told him her reasons for being there.

"I'm here about the recent disasters and to confront the self-proclaimed goddess behind them, General."

The general scoffed. "Hodgepodge! There are simply some enemy troops around here who are decimating the other bases, but they're too ashamed to admit it, so they make up this cockamamie story about a goddess-"

"It is a goddess! She's pissed about something!" a soldier protested.

"No! It's aliens trying to destroy our military defenses!"

"Yeah right! It's some crazy metahuman!"

"No, that woman is a form of God's vengeance! The end is upon us!"

"QUIET!" the general barked. The troops were instantly silent. "Now lady, you listen here. You can't come barging in on my men like this! Go off and fight a bunch of aliens, but leave what affects the armed forces to the armed forces! Back to wo-"

"Wait." Diana's voice was calm, but commanding. The general fell silent instantly. Wonder Woman paused as a warm breeze caused her raven hair to dance. She looked into the sky, where white clouds tumbled across a cerulean blanket at an alarming rate.

"What is it?"

"I'm sensing a disturbance in the skies . . . "

Dark clouds began to swarm over the sky as the wind began to pick up, blowing dust upon the soldiers. A loud peel of thunder roared in the distance, and lightning flashed vividly across the horizon.

Silhouetted against the flashing lightning and supporting by the gale force winds, the goddess descended from the skies, eyes glowing white with silent fury.

Wonder Woman faced into the stiff wind easily as the soldiers were thrown back like dolls. She hopped, twisting her body to shoot up into the winds. The woman, surprised, held out her hands, a jagged streak of lightning bursting towards Diana.

Diana's silver bracelet imposed itself between the Amazon and the raw electricity. The attack bounced away in a harmless shower of sparks.

She probably does not understand my native tongue nor that which is spoken in America . . . Perhaps . . .

Before the Amazons' migration to Themyscira, they had learned all the languages of their native world. Queen Hippolyta had brought back a great deal of texts on languages from Man's World, and Diana was interested in learning how the languages she had learned before changed . . . including Egyptian.

<"Sister! Please listen to me!">* Diana cried, as she floated not ten feet from the woman. <"I do not know what vexes you, but I am sure we can come to a reasonable solution!">

(*-Translated from Egyptian-Kevin)

If the "goddess" was surprised Diana spoke a tongue she understood, she didn't show it.

<"You dare to call me sister, while you parade about in the colors of that loathsome nation?"> she responded, elegant African features twisted into a look of pure hatred. <"I'll show you what I think of your disgusting nation, 'sister'!">

The woman waved her hands at Wonder Woman and the winds whipped into a violent frenzy. Diana turned with all her speed and agility to stay aloft. She arced her front upward, and shot toward the sky, high above the woman. With a flick of her wrist, she sent the Magic Lasso twisting around the woman. Flipping gracefully, the Amazon cast her Transparent Craft beneath her and the "goddess," forming a floating platform upon which she and the woman alighted.

Diana began to talk to the woman.

<"Calm the tempest!">

The woman struggled, but something gently forced her to reach out with her mind. The winds slowed and the rains ceased.

<"My lasso forces you into loving submission, mighty one. Now; who are you?">

<"M-my name is Ororo the Windrider. I command the elements, and use them to nurture and protect the villages and tribes here. They worship me as a goddess, but I am not.">

Diana questioned further. <"Why were you attacking these bases?">

<"Those who bear the spiral skulls told me they planned to exterminate the villages I protect!">

Spiral skulls? Great Hera! Could she mean . . .

Ororo suddenly summoned a bolt of lightning from the sky, which struck Wonder Woman. The Amazon cried out in pain, letting go of the lasso.

<"Several of the huntsmen use this knot to tie their nets! I know how to loosen it!"> Ororo cried as she untied the lasso.

The winds whisked Ororo off the platform, and she summoned a mighty gale to blast the craft and Wonder Woman from the air.

"Gaea!" Diana cried as Ororo flew away full speed.

The princess landed roughly but leapt up as the craft contorted about her, transforming into a plane. She gave chase to Ororo.

"Mmmm . . . God that smells so good!"

Callista began to walk over to a nearby stand where an odd sort of dish was displayed. A short African man was walking by her holding a plate heaped high with that cuisine. There was a sudden barking, and a large dog leapt at the man, who screamed. Callista, without a thought, darted in, slamming full force into the wild beast. It yelped, and then turned to attack again. Callista rolled with its leap and used her legs to flip it away. It then sprinted off, barking hysterically.

"You save me!" the small man said, bowing before Callista, who nervously laughed.

"Oh, it's no big deal . . . "

"No! A thousand thanks are not enough for this! I give you present!"

Callista waved her arms. "Oh please, you don't need to-"

The man produced a glittering golden chain, from which hung a golden pendant, crafted carefully to resemble a regal woman with a head like a cat's.

"On second thought . . . " Callista murmured. She took the pendant in her hands, fingers lightly running over it. "It's so . . . so . . . real! I mean, you'd expect this kinda thing to be cheaper than a bracelet from the dollar store . . . but it's heavy and there's no 'made in Taiwan' on it!"

"Is yours!"

"I couldn't!" Callista shook her head. "Wait a sec . . . what am I saying? Of course I could!"

Callista unclasped the necklace and hooked it around her neck. The metal was cool against her hot skin.

Ororo twisted and hurled a lightning bolt towards the princess.

The craft shook as the lightning bolt connected. Diana grumbled under her breath.

"Suffering Sappho! I can't chase her like this! It looks like it's time for a change of plans!"

Diana concentrated and the plane slipped from Ororo's view. The pseudo-goddess turned, confused as she hovered on the air.

Wonder Woman appeared silently behind Ororo, the craft's roof sliding away, and tossed her lasso towards her. The goddess, unfortunately, sensed it coming and summoned a vortex. The lasso was pulled in as Ororo fired bolts of lightning towards the Amazon, which were deflected easily. The winds suddenly whipped into a wild tornado, which caught Diana off guard, and sent the craft spinning out of control.

"Great Hera!"

Wonder Woman lost her grip on the lasso, which spiraled out of sight. The winds twirled about, flinging Diana to the ground.

"Unh!"

The ever-unexhausted Amazon felt renewed by her contact with the earth and leapt up to once again engage the ruthless goddess in combat. Wonder Woman's power leap carried her through Ororo's winds, as she struck the weather goddess with a powerful kick. Ororo was enraged and Diana was shocked. Her kick should have sent Ororo into unconsciousness.

Maybe she truly is a goddess . . . at least a demi-goddess! She certainly is not mortal . . . but no one dares accuse an Amazon of being a mortal, either!

Ororo waved her hand in Diana's direction, and the winds tossed her about. Diana twisted in midair and hurled her tiara. It's blunt side slammed into Ororo's forehead in a streak of gold.

The weather goddess plummeted to the ground, but Diana swooped like a falcon, catching her and the tiara easily.

The Magic Lasso tumbled out of the sky, and Diana caught it, looping it about Ororo. She summoned the Transparent Craft, and pulled her in. A small while later, Ororo awoke. She immediately tried to punch Diana in the face. The Amazon Princess caught her fist, and invoked the power of the Magic Lasso.

<"I command you to cease your struggling and listen peacefully to me!"> Diana demanded.

Ororo complied.

<"The 'spiral skull' is a swastika, the symbol of a Nazi organization. The Nazis are horrid people! They committed unspeakable evils against their fellow humans, and are only manipulating you into attacking the United States military!">

<"Unspeakable evils? Like what?">

Diana sighed. <"I wish I had brought Mother's Magic Sphere . . . How can I . . . that's it!">

Wonder Woman reached into the back of the plane and pulled forth her Mental Radio.

<"Look into this, sister! My mother fought the Nazis years ago, and using magic she shared her memories with us. I can use this to show you . . . ">

Diana concentrated as the images appeared on the screen. Terrible images . . . concentration camps . . . wars . . .

<"Bright Lady preserve me . . ."> Ororo murmured. Her smooth features hardened. <"Those . . . monsters! I shall kill them!">

<"Violence isn't the answer, sister. I shall speak with them, if you show me where to find them!">

<"We meet in a certain place each time . . . I shall lead you there . . . sister.">