by C. M. Lance
"Bipolar wasn′t a common diagnosis then, but I think psychiatrists of today would have had a field day with him. He doesn′t seem manic now. Amazing what they can do with meds."
"I reviewed some of his publications and they aren′t exactly cutting edge."
"Oh yes, yet another area of strangeness. He was infatuated with the idea of multiple dimensions. Not whether there are multiple dimensions, theory has already postulated that, but in how we could travel between them."
"String Multiverse Theory?"
"Not the theory itself, the application of String Mulitverse Theory. It obsessed him, to the exclusion of the rest of his studies. When I left NU for my graduate work, I assumed he would flunk out, but obviously I guessed wrong or his focus changed. He′s now Dean John Heathcoat, Sc.D."
"Sc.D.? Isn′t that the designation for a post-doctorate from Europe?"
"I recall from the announcement when he took the position that he studied in England and Germany. Ahh, yes, that reminds me of another unusual situation associated with Dean Heathcoat. He was the third candidate to assume his position in less than a year."
"The others didn′t work out?"
"No, they died. Lightning struck the first on a golf course. The next died in a house fire. A fire started by lightning. Remarkable coincidence."
"Lightning?" Growing up in the Midwestern plains, lightning was common, even enjoyable. He remembered sitting on the covered porch with his Dad, watching thunderstorms race across the prairies, marveling at the lightning displays. Now the word gave him chills.
"Dear boy are you all right? You grew very pale."
"No, I′m fine, except for an allergy problem."
"I hope it′s not asthma. My father died of asthma."
"My father died from a lightning strike."
"Oh my."
"Coincidence. You graduated two years ahead of the Dean?"
"Ah yes, you′ve noticed the age difference seems more pronounced than two years? So have I. I′d kill to have skin like he does. I asked him once what he used. He told me Oil of Olay. She raised a hand to her face. "This is what you get with Oil of Olay. His must be genetic."
"Or something. Well thank you so much for making time for me in your busy schedule."
"I think the world of Arthur Herman, I′m glad to help one of his students."
"I appreciate it and I know he does. On his behalf, I′d like to ask for your discretion about this inquiry. You know how vicious academic politics can be. He′d prefer that his boss wasn′t disturbed by my inquiries."
"Mum′s the word."
"Professor Herman said you could be counted on."
She had a pleased smile as he departed.
Arianna called Sig to inform him that Mary Beth, the Training Master, cleared him to workout with the Amazon′s again. "She convinced the Commander that you helped improve the fitness and skill level of the girls above expectations."
"How did the Commander′s react?"
"She didn′t describe the Commander′s reaction, and I didn′t ask."
They scheduled a workout for the following day.
He missed and needed the training. His training with the Amazons, helped him fare better against Andras the second time. The first time he lucked out when he had support from Rick and the Professor along with a nearby safe-place. The water witches and the Professor lent aid the second time. He needed to improve more if he ever met Andras by himself. Getting his ass handed to him by Andras would be much worse than by the Commander. It would be fatal.
When Sig arrived at the Training Center, a blonde Amazon he′d noticed, but hadn′t sparred with before, waited for him. "Hi, I′m Roxanne. Arianna traded off training sessions with me. The Training Master told me that my hand-to-hand needs work. Arianna agreed. I′m hoping you can do something for me." She inhaled deeply.
Even in the baggy gi she wore, Sig′s eyes were attracted to her expanding chest. He wrenched his eyes upward and smiled at her. "I′ll do what I can. Let me stretch first."
She joined him while he stretched. She was very flexible and did intriguing things with her body.
They finished stretching and met on the mats. Sig folded his hands, bowed deeply, and looked toward Roxanne. She bowed low and her top gaped. She wasn′t wearing a sport bra, or any thing else, under her top. He estimated he had a view of eighty percent of her chest. The swaying mesmerized him. He held his bow, hopeful for the other twenty percent.
Concentrating on the wrong thing made him miss a block on her first kick into his ribcage. After that, he didn′t have any problem blocking her kicks and punches. She really needed to work on her technique. He anticipated her kicks and strikes well before they landed. He functioned as a punching bag, blocking her strikes while he studied her technique.
Just before the timer went off, she tried a leg sweep. He easily dodged it, spun, and dropped into a sweep that upended her. She landed on her back, knocking her breath out with a whoosh. He followed her down and drove the heel of his palm into her rib cage. If he′d followed through it would have broken ribs, instead, he ended up with a handful of breast.
Embarrassed, he snatched his hand back and leapt to his feet.
She smiled up at him. "You′re so masterful."
His already flushed face turned crimson.
From her prone position, she raised her legs over her head and kicked into a kip up. She stood next to him and asked, "Will you show me what I′m doing wrong on the leg sweep? I missed you, but you got me."
"You′re telegraphing your moves. You need to work on combinations that come more automatically. You′re thinking instead of reacting."
"Can you show me what you did?"
"OK, you use the leg sweep after forcing your opponent to move their feet in a way that makes the leg sweep work. Here′s what I did." He kicked, spun into another kick, dropped into a leg sweep, and jumped back up again. "Get back up into an attack position so you can take advantage of your opponent′s landing."
"Please show me again."
Sig went through the combination three more times. "Now you try it."
Sig corrected technique errors as Roxanne went through the combination a half dozen more times. He saw Giselle across the gym while they practiced and he waved and turned back to Roxanne.
"OK, let′s see how you do with an opponent. Try it on me."
She went through the motions competently. Even though Sig saw it coming and could have prevented it, he allowed her to sweep his legs, landing on his back. Instead of landing a disabling blow, she straddled his chest and bent to pin his shoulders. A breast swung out of her top, towards his face.
This time he saw one hundred percent of one. His eyes followed it. He liked the fifty percent he saw in this case was better than the previous eighty percent.
"Oops", she grasped it, and tucked it back in, pulling her gi closed. Still sitting on his chest she asked, "How did I do?"
Before he could answer he heard, "Nice move. You missed the part where after you trip him you beat him to the ground, but your technique seemed effective."
Giselle tapped Roxanne on the head. "Unless you′re training for sleeping, you can let him up now."
Roxanne languidly rolled off and rose.
Sig kipped up to his feet without using his hands.
"Good move. You′re obviously too masterful for Roxanne alone. Why don′t you spar both of us?" Giselle had changed into her gi.
He placed his palms together and bowed toward her. "I obey your command, mighty hunter", and dropped into a defensive stance. Giselle was one of the best and would provide the kind of practice he needed. He usually sparred two of lesser competence, but Roxanne′s lesser skill set would balance the match.
He felt himself entering the zone as they sparred. His combinations flashed and kept both Amazons off balance. As expected, Giselle occupied most of his attention. She landed several hard blows, but for the most part, he blocked what they threw at him and fought back with strikes that, i
f he landed them full strength, would have been crippling.
In one sequence, he managed to throw Giselle and then leg swept Roxanne. He dropped toward her, stabbing toward her throat with a rigid hand. As he held his hand at her throat to demonstrate mastery, a kick in his butt knocked him over Roxanne. He rolled, rose to his feet, and looked back at Giselle.
She bared her teeth in an almost smile. "Take it as a reminder not to dawdle over your victories."
They continued sparring and Sig held his own, except when Giselle planted one more swift kick in his butt, just before the timer went off again.
They bowed to each other and Sig limped over to his bag. "Can anyone give me a ride? I think my gluteus is broken."
Roxanne licked her lips and smiled, "I will."
Giselle said, "I think we′re going to the same place. I′ll take you. It′ll be out of your way Roxanne, maybe some other time." She smiled at Roxanne.
After a quick frown, Roxanne beamed at Sig. "Thank you for helping me with my forms today. I look forward to falling with you again." She turned and walked away with a swaying strut.
They both watched before Giselle swatted his arm and said, "Get dressed and meet me outside."
Giselle′s Jeep pulled up out front when Sig jogged out. She had put the canvas top up. Low gray clouds suggested that the weather forecast might be true.
"Hop in. I′ll bring you back here to your Jeep after work."
He hopped in, but instead of pulling away as she usually did, Giselle turned to him. "It looks like you were presented with the mating ritual today."
Sig′s eyes widened.
"I need for you to be aware of something. Since your other self has been on display, several of the girls seem like they′ve gone into heat and will try to bed you. It′s OK with me if you do, but I want you to understand what it involves."
Sig′s face felt flushed. He didn′t talk with women about mating, especially not a woman about whom he harbored similar thoughts.
"Unlike gibbons, Amazons don′t mate for life. Men have one purpose, to help make new Amazon babies. After we′re done, we cast them aside. There aren′t any male Amazons. An Amazon will expend a lot of effort identifying and attracting prime beef-on-the-hoof to father a child. But once done, the relationship is over."
"That sounds pretty cold."
"We have centuries of practice at being cold. It′s the way we are. Your Great-grandmother was an exception, but apparently not that much. I understand she ended up leaving your Great-grandfather. Even her love for your Grampa couldn′t overcome her wanting an Amazon baby – not a boy baby."
"Especially not a male child lacking magic," Sig replied.
"Hmmm. Roxanne started on you today. Others will try. You can do what you want, but I want to make sure you go in with your eyes open."
"Thank you, but why are you telling me?"
"I like you. You′ve helped us without asking for anything in return. And besides, how do you know I don′t have designs on you someday." She pulled out of the parking lot with a wry smile.
His mind froze. She had provided him with way too much information to process now.
Sig′s emancipation to workout with the Amazons included re-admittance to the equestrian facility they kept outside of town. Giselle told him that the Training Master delivered a new horse, more highly trained than the rest of the stable. Knowing of his skill, she thought Sig should check it out, before the rest of the girls had a chance to ruin its schooling.
The Amazons had discovered that Sig rode at a higher level than they did and asked for pointers from him at the barn. It made for a good trade. Sig got to ride, working on the horses′ training, and the girls learned new skills. Mary Beth asked Sig to benchmark the new mare′s abilities so he could retrain her when necessary.
He met Merriam, the horse keeper, at the stable. She showed him their new red roan mare. Smaller than Bjørn, at seventeen hands, and less heavily built, the Hanoverian warmblood moved as if she had springs in her legs.
Sig saddled her and took her around the three-and-a-half-foot jump-training course. She handled like a dream, collecting well, with no sign of refusal. In fact, she showed an eagerness to be airborne.
As he took her around, several Amazons gathered on the edges of the course, leaning against the fences to watch. Most were riders he had schooled before.
She performed splendidly when he put her through some dressage paces, until he tried her in a piaffe. She broke down slightly, recovered, and then faltered. With a little work, he felt he could have her performing well. Realizing that a call home was overdue; he decided to reach out to his Mom for training tips.
Several Amazons along the fence line applauded when he finished.
Slightly embarrassed, he smiled at them and saluted after he dismounted. He walked the mare to cool her. Two of the girls fell in with him, one on each side. "You really rode her well. I watched Merriam and she didn′t do nearly as well."
"I didn′t do anything except give the horse the correct cues. Someone has trained her well; the real work will be in keeping her trained and improving her. That′s the fun part."
"Merriam knocked down a jump and you didn′t knock any down."
Sig flashed a crooked grin at her. "You don′t need to tattle to me. Merriam is in charge out here, I just help out."
"I′m not tattling. I′m just saying you′re better in comparison."
"Oh, OK, but I think that′s the point in me helping out. I′ve had good training from an excellent coach, my Mom, and the Training Master wants me to pass it on to you guys."
When he unsaddled the horse, one Amazon took the saddle from him, and the other handed him the curry brush before she wiped the mare down with rags. The unaccustomed assistance made him wary. Perhaps they were helpful because of the new mare.
He led the big roan into her stall, closed the door, and turned to get oats for her. One of the Amazons held out a can.
"Thanks." He poured the oats into the feed bin. She grabbed him around the waist, pressed her chest against his back, and whispered, "Do you give remedial lessons?"
Sig stiffened. "What kind of remedial lessons?"
She moved her hands up to his chest. "You can tell me what I need."
He groaned inwardly, reluctantly reached up to remove her hands, and stepped back as he turned. "I′ll have to see you up on a horse, before I know what you need to work on." He exhaled deeply as he looked into her coal colored eyes. They seemed to be smoldering. "I have to get to work right now. Why don′t you set something up with Merriam? I′d like to have her at any lessons. She said she′d like to learn what I teach you guys."
The Amazon wet her lips and took a step forward. Sig stared at the pink tongue running across her lips and forced himself to step back. He exhaled. "I have to go. I′ll see you later uh…"
"Isabella." The sibilant way she said it drew his eyes back to her lips.
"Right, Isabella. I′ll see you later. Set something up with Merriam." He turned and jogged to his Jeep.
Sig started the Jeep but sat for a minute to let things settle. He′d been thinking about what Giselle told him. The emotions he felt confused him. The Amazons were attractive and made his hormones steam, but he didn′t think that he wanted to be a boy-toy to an Amazon tribe. He wanted more of a relationship—at least he thought so. Age-old taboos also played at his consciousness. Some were from other tribes. Were any related to him through his great grandmother? He remembered a saying "incest is always relative but not necessarily a parent."
After Dad died, Sig had been withdrawn and focused, when other guys were looking to score. The Amazons said he was masterful. He wasn′t.
But, when she grabbed him and pressed her front to his back, she felt so nice.
Crap. He jammed the Jeep in gear, spun it around in front of the barn, and sped off.
Sig drove to the library. His meeting with Giselle wasn′t scheduled for an hour, but he didn′t feel like he stretched the truth to I
sabella since he needed to organize his research before they met.
Giselle arrived for their review. His research didn′t have color-coded tabs like hers, but he prided himself on his organization.
After a few preliminaries, he described his conversations with the Dean′s former classmates, beginning with Nancy Riley′s observations about wide emotional swings and potential bipolar symptoms. He had one confirmation, but no new information, from another acquaintance from college days, four 'do not recalls′, and he waited for a response from the seventh.
He noted that Professor Riley remembered the Dean′s white streak from college. "Every time I think of his white streak, something tickles my brain, but never rises to the surface. She also said that she recalled he studied in Europe$mdash;England or Germany. He has an Sc.D., not a Ph.D."
"He did study in Europe. One of his degrees is from a school in Brasov. It′s in Romania, in an area called Transylvania."
"Transylvania, isn′t that where Bram Stoker wrote about the legend of Dracula? The source of Gypsy magic?" Sig asked. It would be appropriate if scary music played now.
"Yup, that Transylvania."
"Spooky, but after all this time, if there are vampires in the world, they haven′t come out of the magic closet yet."
"Perhaps there are no vampires, but legends tie Transylvania to Black Magic in many more ways than that. The vampire legend is only one. An old cliché states 'where there′s smoke there′s fire′." Giselle looked grim.
"There′s another that says 'all generalizations are wrong — including this one′."
"How eloquent."
"I′d rather be erudite. I believe the saying can be tracked back to Dumas." Sig grinned at her.
"Hmm, let′s get back to our research."
"OK, I′ve given you everything I have. Do you have anything else?"
She nodded. "He finished his studies in England. I called up his thesis and found it very… unimpressive. I called the university to talk to his advisor but he′s dead. The department administrator admitted the Dean produced a weak thesis according to today′s standards, but that 'the times were different then′ and some more bull puckey. I could tell he wasn′t comfortable with its quality."
