A Cats Tale III Apollo

A Cats Tale

The Nine Lives of Isabelle Book Three: Apollo

Published By Robert Dixon at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 Robert Dixon

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

A Cats Tail

The Nine Lives of Isabelle Book Three: Apollo

By Robert Dixon

Introduction

This is the continuing story for our heroic cat that has been cursed by the Goddess Bast for speaking to humans during his first life in early Egypt. His curse is that he live nine lives doing missions for the Goddess that will have some impact on human civilization. She has very strict rules, as Amun has found out, and tries his best to accomplish his missions in an effort to return to the animal version of Heaven, the Garden. What follows is his third life and mission.

Chapter One

I was once again surrounded in blackness. Man! I thought, Here we go again!

This darkness was different than the last time I was born, and I got a little scared. Hoping that a refresher visit back to hell wasn’t the first stop.

Umm… Bast? I stammered, but really wanted to scream. Are you here?

Yes, dear. came her reply from somewhere in the dark, I am here. Before your next life begins there is something that I need you to see.

Is that why it is so dark? I asked.

Bast explained that this was a place between time and space and was literally, nothingness.

From here we can move forward or backward through time and events. Once I show you these past events you will have a better understanding of your next mission.

Ok… I guess. I thought as the veil of darkness was lifted and I peered into the dimness of a… barn?

My senses slowly returned as I felt the familiar warmth of a newborn.

Bast? I thought, forgoing even the attempt to speak. I frankly didn’t want to hear the kind of mew that might come out of my mouth this time. The darkness was different here as well, not as dark, just blurry. But the biggest give away that I had returned to the living was the sounds and smells!

Yes dear? she replied.

What you showed me was so sad… I cried, How could man’s inhumanity to man in the past effect the future? That Joshua guy seemed really good.

That was just the tip, Amun. In this life you will encounter more of this. You will need to be strong to effect change and seek justice.

Ok… but I’m still confused. I thought, and then just snuggled in the warmth that surrounded me. I knew that this wouldn’t last and I would soon be performing whatever mission she wanted.

Bast began to explain the circumstances and events in which I had been reborn. I was in Rome of all places, and Mom was a palace cat that belonged to the Empress Poppaea Sabina. She was wife to Emperor Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus. Apparently she had been the cause of the former Empress Octavia to be banished then murdered earlier in the year of my birth, 62 AD. I had indeed been born into troubling times and this was accented by my placement at the heart of decadence and debauchery!

Rome, she explained had changed quite a bit in the short time that I had been away. After the death of Augustus, his son Tiberius became emperor and essentially let the empire run itself. This caused numerous revolts to occur as he alienated himself from the people. His rule was just the beginning of the decadence that was to become Rome. Tiberius was quick to punish the leaders of revolts and quite mercilessly. He created a law that he used to rid himself of senators that spoke out against him. Although the people hated him, he ruled for 23 years and died at the age of 81.

He was followed by a 25 year old nephew named Gaius who some say became infamous for his wild parties and excesses. If the saying that absolute power corrupts absolutely is true, then this is surely where it began. Gaius ruled for less than four years and had the dubious honor of being the first emperor to be murdered openly, by his own guards! Whether it was ordered by his successor or simply because he was stark raving mad, no one knows for sure. One thing that is a certainty is that Gaius, better known as Caligula, knew how to throw a party!

Emperor Claudius (no relation to a certain former general) stepped in rather unwillingly at the request of the army. He was 55 years old and was only too content to leave politics to the Senate. Unfortunately he made some poor marriage decisions and these wives tried to exert their will on the running of Rome. He had his first wife murdered for this attempt at control and his second wife, Agrippina, managed to poison him with mushrooms to make way for her son, Nero. He became emperor at age 13 and due to his age, she became the real power behind the throne. Her influence came to an end when she became enraged at his promiscuity with a slave and was banished from the palace.

Agrippina still was influential with the senate because of her status as a former empress and the mother of the current emperor, but when she backed the youngest son of Claudius to gain the throne, she doomed him and herself. Many attempts were made upon her life that included a rigged bed canopy that was to collapse on her as she slept, and a boat that was made to sink in the harbor