Synopsis:

Back home in Virginia, and there are some tasks to be done before boot camp.

Story:

Amazon - Part 10a: Home Stretch
By Itinerant
Edited by Amelia R

Biographer's Note: This is Nicole's story. It covers those events and people she finds notable in her life and chooses to share. If you have problems with it, take it up with her. I'm just a glorified stenographer.

Author's Note: The menu is, of course, courtesy of the incomparable Amelia R.

**********
Sunday, February 25, 2001
6:12AM EST

The alarm hadn't even wakened her this morning, and she was disoriented for a moment as she tried to recall where this bed was located. Two months of travel -- more if you include the side trips to and from Michael's retreat -- had left Nicole without a solid sense of place. It was the same feeling she'd had as Tom the previous year as he'd spent so much time traveling back and forth to L.A. She wasn't feeling that bad, but it was unsettling. Given that her body had decided not to wake up, it was apparent that it had been more taxing than Nicole had realized.

A quick visit to the connected bathroom to take care of urgent necessities was followed by a quick change from nightwear to sweats. She might not visit the exercise room this morning, but the clothes were comfortable and warm for loitering around the apartment. She'd change before heading to church, if she found some suitable place; for now they would be appropriate for being around her still-new roommate.

The main room was still dark; Nicole wondered briefly about why there wasn't more light from outside, until she heard the faint whistle and patter of wind-driven rain as she padded her way through the dark warmth of the apartment to the kitchen.

The coffee pot was still where she expected, and the can of ground coffee was retrieved from its perch in the 'fridge. A few minutes later, and a couple of shakes of salt, the first pot of the morning was on its way. She waited while the device hissed and gurgled its way through the cycle, savoring the aroma of hot, fresh coffee as it permeated the room.

Before the machine even finished the last few drips, she poured her first cup, turned on a lamp, and curled into a chair to plan out her day. ~First, I want to find a local church to attend for the next four weeks, preferably one of the Presbyterian congregations, so I have a place to come home to.~ The thought of the long familiar liturgy had a powerful draw right now; she could at least hold onto that part of her old life without running a risk to herself or her new 'family.'

The train of thought triggered a question in her mind about the future Amazons that she filed away for a future conversation with Michael and Artemis. ~Perhaps later today,~ she thought, ~so far only Kate has accepted. Given what Michael has said, how much do I worry about the different religions some of the new Amazons will have?~

~I also need to allow time to get to know Angela; we'll be in each other's pockets for the next month; I want to make sure things go as smoothly as possible for that time. We need to sort out the housekeeping chores at the very least.~ She thought for another moment. ~Having a non-Amazon roommate will be challenging. I wonder if I can approach people who don't give the tickle?~

Nicole also considered her cooking skills and wished one of the classes of the last two months had been cooking. ~Note to self: get to the bookstore and find some cookbooks. I need to expand my skills in the kitchen.~

~I should touch base with Kate and Judith at some point. Kate will want to know I'm in okay, and I want to see if Judith has any questions.~ She stood up, refilled her coffee cup, and went to her bedroom. The alarm clock showed six-fifty, so the time in England would be ... a little before noon, London time. ~It shouldn't be too inconvenient.~

She dialed Judith's number from memory.

"Epps Residence." Nicole's mind recalled the voice; ~Emily.~

"Yes, Emily, this is Ms. Nicole Harrison. Is Mrs. Epps available to speak with me for a few minutes?"

"One moment, please, Ms. Harrison; I'll see if she's available."

There was a 'click'; the phone was apparently placed on hold. Less than a minute later, the line came alive again.

"Hello? Nicole? This is Judith."

Nicole quickly checked the clock. "Hello, Judith. I'm not interrupting your lunch, am I?"

"Not at all. It will be a while yet before we sit down. What can I do for you?"

"Actually, Judith, I'm calling to see if there's anything I can do for you." They spent the next several minutes talking, as Nicole sounded Judith out for questions she had regarding the Amazons.

Judith and her husband had been talking regularly during the intervening weeks about the offer Nicole had extended, and what their response should be. David had continued to be unenthusiastic; he was of the opinion that to accept would place the family at risk, with no significant reward. Judith, in contrast, felt a pull on her heart -- a still, small voice that coaxed her to accept. She had spent much of the intervening three weeks trying to explain what she felt. She had decided not to call early on, as there weren't any questions that needed answering yet.

Nicole nodded to herself. "Judith, I'll be in the Washington, DC, area for the next four weeks. If you have any questions feel free to call, or have David call if you think I can be of assistance."

"I will do that, Nicole, and I'll endeavor to keep you a little better informed; forgive me for not at least getting in contact."

"I appreciate your problem, Judith, and, if it's needed, you have my forgiveness. You and David both need to be comfortable with the decision, so take what time you need."

*****

~Still early,~ she thought as she ended the call and checked her clock. Barely fifteen minutes had been consumed by the conversation, and there was plenty of time to get dressed before any likely service. She paged through the phone book, scanning for addresses that sounded close to her current location, finding three in the same Zip code as her apartment. She picked the one with the earliest service time and scrambled off to get ready.

Angela hadn't yet emerged from her room as Nicole quietly departed.

*****

The service had been a comfort; the sermon in particular had soothed some raw emotional nerve endings. The scripture was Matthew 14:25-33, and described Peter's wavering faith as he stepped out from the boat. ~I wonder if that water felt as unsteady to him as my life does to me at the moment? It sure feels like I'm trying to walk on water at times. At least I have Michael to be a hand that I can hold onto when I start to sink.~

The hymns, too, were so achingly familiar that she just closed her eyes and let the music pour out of her heart and soul, not even trying to sing harmony. The final hymn, "When Peace, Like A River," left her heart soaring as she grabbed onto the hope that rang through even the first verse:

When peace like a river, attendeth my way;
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Her clear, strong soprano had attracted some comments from people in the pews nearby, and she found herself promising to return, though she declined the offer to attend the choir practice. It would take most of the month she had to become familiar with the music, not to mention the fact her voice would need practice to cover the entirety of its potential range.

The hour had turned out to be a brief return to a comfort zone she'd thought was left far behind; it had been steadying, as if she'd found a storm anchor. She had even allowed herself to be led to the lounge after the service, where coffee and cookies were made available in the fifteen minutes before Sunday School. There were several people who made a point to introduce themselves and offer a welcome; the pastor, too, stopped by with his coffee to greet the tall newcomer. As the crowd dispersed to their classes, or other responsibilities, Nicole was at last able to continue on with the rest of her morning. The time spent was well worthwhile in her estimation; she felt more refreshed than at any time since she'd begun this adventure.

A memory seemed to percolate up from that corner of her mind where the self-defense advice had resided. ~I have a membership that can be transferred from that Presbyterian Church near the Syracuse campus when I'm ready.~ Another anchor ready to be put to use. ~Thank you, Michael!~

The mall was the next stop on her list, as there was still the issue of her cooking skills, or lack thereof. She cased the bookstore for something basic enough to do her some good. ~I wonder if there's a 'Cooking For Dummies' book? Hmmmm. 'Betty Crocker' -- I recall my mother using some of that series. 'Joy of Cooking' -- that one I don't recall.~ She flipped through several of the options, finally settling on two that seemed to target the grievous weakness of her food shopping and preparation skills.

She really hoped Angela was a better cook than she was; the alternative didn't bear contemplating.

*****

It was shortly after eleven when Nicole and her packages arrived in the apartment to find Angela up and sitting in the living room with a cup of coffee and a book.

"Morning, Nicole. You were up and around early this morning."

"I'm an incorrigible early bird, Angela. Getting up early has always been easy for me." Nicole paused. "Though I must admit that of late, keeping early and late straight has been a challenge with all the traveling."

Angela chuckled before replying. "Oh, great, it's bad enough that I have to deal with early hours in the field. Now I have a roomie who actually enjoys them! So what's in the bag? You're stocking up on reading material?"

"Not really. My cooking had the attention of the EPA, so I thought I'd see what I could do to change that. I picked up a couple of cookbooks on my way home from church this morning." She pulled them out and handed them to Angela. "Have you used either of them?"

Angela quickly scanned the two volumes. "I recall one like this," she held up the Betty Crocker book, "on a shelf at my Mamaw's. I haven't used it though. I have a copy of the other one."

Nicole gave her a puzzled look. "Mamaw?"

"Sorry. It's a name we use for my grandmother. I was born and raised in East Tennessee, near Gatlinburg."

"Ah! How did you end up here, then?"

"There are a lot of old Cherokee sites in the mountains and valleys around where I grew up, and the local university had people out in the field doing archaeological digs. I was working at a tourist site in Pigeon Forge when one of the teams was called in during construction of a new hotel. I got curious and hung around some when I wasn't working, and decided I wanted to do that kind of thing. I couldn't afford college, so I signed up for a hitch in the Army. With the college benefits, and a letter from the professor who'd led the team, I was able to get into the program." She directed a puzzled look at the redhead. "I have to admit, I'm curious about you, too. You've stirred the pot a bit around the office."

"I was afraid of that. Dr. Wing approached me with a job offer late last year, and I guess he kind of sprung it on everyone around the office." Nicole grimaced. "I'm afraid tomorrow morning will be way too interesting."

Angela shrugged a little. "It won't be as bad as you may think. The colonel had a meeting with Mike, and they seem to have come to an understanding. I know Joanne is looking forward to meeting you, and so is the rest of my team. I think you'll be working with us as we get our data entered into the databases. Amelia seems to have her nets out for you, too."

"Amelia wanting my time doesn't surprise me. She was making threatening noises before I left, and it makes a lot of sense with my background, too."

"I have to admit I don't understand it all. It's way out of the norm for Dr. Wing to interfere at all with Dave's hiring, and the way he brought you in for a team lead position without the normal background in the military is hard to understand."

"I understand your problem; I don't understand why I was chosen either." Her ironic tone was muted enough that Angela didn't pick up on it. "I can say that I trust Dr. Wing. Even if he doesn't share all his reasons, I know they're there." ~Or that he's following orders from HIS boss.~

The conversation shifted away to the question of division of labor. Nicole offered to rotate the evening cooking duties, as long as Angela was willing to sign a waiver. "I haven't done much in the way of cooking; my selection of recipes is pretty much the basics of meat, potatoes, and veggies. I'm hoping that I'll be able to learn enough to have some more interesting choices, without causing food poisoning."

Angela laughed gently. "I recall being in the same situation when I was just out of school. Tell you what, we can split the cooking duties evenly, and whoever doesn't cook can handle the cleanup. I'll also let you cook more often if you wish -- at least as long as I don't wind up in the Emergency Room too often. Seriously, I have some family recipes that I'm willing to share, and they'll give you a chance to get some practice. I'd also talk to Amelia if I were you. She's far-and-away the best cook in the company; her soups are to die for." She paused and grinned. "You still have to do the clean-up those days I teach you, though!"

Nicole returned the grin. "I'll consider it payment for the lessons. I was also thinking we'd split the bills that the company doesn't pick up and swap off the shopping and cleaning duties."

"That's what most everyone does, unless someone just dearly loves to clean bathrooms." Angela shuddered a little. "I'm not one of those."

Nicole giggled quietly. "I don't like it either, but I'll do my turn." ~I think we're going to get along just fine.~ "Before I forget, how many cups of coffee do you make for yourself?"

"Good thought! I usually make six cups for myself. That holds me until I get into work."

Nicole nodded, "Okay, it sounds like we'll need to make the whole twelve cups between us. I usually get up by five o'clock, so I'll make sure the coffee's ready for you."

"Bless you!"

*****
3:00PM EST/12:00PM PST

The phone hardly finished its first ring when a familiar voice answered it, "Hello?"

"Hey Kate! I thought I'd let you know I got back here safely, and I'm settling in with my new roommate. How're things in La-la land?"

"Nicole! I'm glad to hear you made it okay. Mom and Dad said to say 'Hi'. We're doing fine, other than some of us missing you a lot."

The redhead grinned. "I can hear the pout through the phone, sis. Tell your folks I said 'Hi', and give them a hug for me. I'm not sure I'll hurry back, though, after that stunt of yours at the Key Club. ABBA? *Dancing Queen*?! You're lucky we weren't run out of the club! I owe you for that one."

"You don't either! I was just trying to keep the score close after that crack of yours with my mom. I figure we're just about even."

"Humph! I might give you that. How the heck did you get the DJ to play that relic, anyway? I didn't see you over there long enough to talk with him at all."

"Ha! Your sister is devious beyond measure! When you and Rich hit the dance floor, I took a minute to write a note with the request. Wrapping a twenty-dollar bill inside it got me priority. I just had to make sure you were still out on the floor when Alex and I sat down again."

"Brat!"

"Yup!"

The giggles turned into peals of laughter from both ends of the line.

*****

As the gray of the day turned to an early dark, Nicole had finished working through one of the language lessons and was sitting with her latest purchase in the Vorkosigan series, Cordelia's Honor. Tom had collected each of the series as individual books; this time she'd pick up the omnibus versions just to save time. Her exploration of Barrayar's society was interrupted by an incoming local audio transmission.

"Nicole, are you getting hungry?"

The growling of her stomach was sufficient answer. "I think my tummy is telling me it's time for something. Did you have anything in mind?"

"From the sound I heard maybe some raw meat is in order!" Angela giggled at the glare she received. "I was thinking a salad with some diced chicken or tuna on top. How does that sound?"

Another growl emanated from Nicole's middle. "I think that's supposed to be agreement; shall I tear up the lettuce, or do you want to do that while I slice up some carrots and such?"

"I'll do the lettuce; you can do the slicing."

As they worked on the preparations, Nicole inquired more about the Ogle family after having related the story of her own family -- at least the cover story. Angela's family wasn't large as families go in that area. "I have two older brothers and a younger brother, John, who's engaged. If I recall correctly, he'll be married this summer."

Another carrot gave its life for the salad as the quizzing continued. "They let you know this ahead of time?"

"Yeah, they know my work can take me out of the country, and they set the schedule so I could be there."

"You and your brothers seem to be close."

She chuckled. "You'd never convince my parents that that was the case at times, but," she smiled, "that was all in-the-family tiffs. We always -- *always* -- closed ranks when an outsider came after one of the family."

"So who's the lucky one to survive the initiation into the family?"

"She's a girl who went to the same high school as John, just a couple of years behind, name of Beulah Smeltzer. Her family's been living in that area for a long time, too. She's a sweet thing, but more mature than John in a lot of ways."

The salads, finally done, were topped with some diced chicken and a vinaigrette that Angela had prepared a few days before.

~Another recipe to wheedle.~

*****
Monday, February 26, 2001
5:00AM EST

"beepbeepbeep-beepbeepbeep!"

The familiar and irritating sound of the alarm clock roused Nicole from the remnants of her doze. She'd actually started to awaken some time earlier, but saw no point in stirring; Angela would drive today, and didn't want to leave much before seven-thirty.

The tall redhead stretched and reveled in the sensation of waking muscles as she writhed sinuously between the sheets. Relaxing from the stretch, she felt her limbs tingle slightly as the heightened blood flow provided the energy to wrest herself from the warm clutches of the bedding and head for the bathroom.

~At least my traveling is done for a little while. I need a break,~ she thought as she dressed for her morning workout.

Nicole finally left the confines of the building and made her way to where the exercise room was located. The room was relatively crowded, with a number of men and women from the complex trying to get a workout before heading for work. Nicole forced herself to constrain her workout to something at the upper end of the normal, non-Olympic athlete range, which meant she was practically idling.

~I need to find a way to really give myself a workout,~ she thought. ~There are too many people here to really push myself, but I can't forget that the opposition is likely to still be keeping an eye on me.~

As she hopped on a treadmill, she started thinking over what she needed to do for the next few weeks.

~I should at least write a thank-you note to Rich and his grandmother for the jewelry.~

She loped along as her mind analyzed the current situation. ~I think I'll get along fine with Angela, but I wonder if I still have watchers around. The situation with the colonel will settle, I hope; he knows a lot that could be helpful.~ Her thoughts ranged widely as she continued the long, loping strides that carried her at a pace far faster than the others in the room would have believed. After forty-five minutes of steady running, she finally slowed to a stop, heading back to the apartment for a quick shower.

Angela had straggled out of her room as Nicole was coming in through the apartment door, returning from the fitness room. The other woman's hair was in disarray, and she looked like a poster child for the newly, and very reluctantly, wakened as she tottered into the kitchen for some of the freshly brewed coffee. "Morning, Angela." As the newcomer, she carefully restrained the cheery smugness of the morning person for the travails of the early-awakened night owl.

Angela started at the still unfamiliar voice, blinked, and muttered a quiet "Morning" in response. She continued her trek to the kitchen without further response. She stopped at the coffeepot, taking a moment to realize it was already full. She pulled a cup from the cabinet and poured it not-quite-full of the mystery brew. She frowned a little as she took a tentative sip of the unadulterated liquid. The frown disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. A second sip, and a pleased smile crept to her face and remained.

"This is really good! You'll have to tell me how you made it this strong without it getting bitter."

"I'd be happy to. I'll set it all up this evening, and you can watch."

"Done!" Angela sipped happily at her cup as she returned to her room to get ready for the day. "I usually have toast for breakfast; would you like some, too?"

"No, thanks; I picked up some bagels for myself yesterday. Feel free to have one if you'd like. I'll be out in a little while."

The walk to the fitness room reinforced the fact that the weather had warmed substantially and, coupled with the availability of her entire wardrobe, Nicole had selected a tasteful, feminine, forest green dress that complemented her hair, which was loosely controlled by a silver barrette. Low-heeled black shoes completed her outfit, and gave her feet a break from three weeks of high heels. She paused for a moment as she looked over her jewelry selection; the earrings and necklace from Rich and his grandmother were pressed into service for the first day of her return to the office.

The roommates returned to the main room and shared the table as they consumed their light meal. Angela looked intently at the jewelry.

"That's a lovely necklace, Nicole."

Nicole fussed with the pendant, a small smile on her face from the memories evoked. "Thank you. It was a gift from a friend."

"Quite a gift, and quite a friend, I'd say. Do you know where they got it?"

Nicole flushed slightly at the implied question, which she otherwise ignored. "I have no idea where it came from, really. I could ask the next time I get in touch."

"Only if the topic comes up. It's just a style that's somehow familiar, but I can't place it." She looked intently at the pendant's design for a moment then glanced at the clock. "We need to get rolling soon if we're going to beat the traffic."

The two scrambled a little to get the last odds and ends together and themselves out the door.

*****
WGSS Offices
7:45AM EST

Angela had led the way through the lobby this morning, and had had to wait briefly at the door to the offices as Nicole returned Jennie's greeting. It had taken a moment for the receptionist to recall the tall redhead from nearly two months ago, but then she'd only been there for a day.

The walk through the main office area had been punctuated by various people greeting Angela and nodding a greeting to Nicole, who was grateful for the memory boost. Names and faces came quickly to her mind as she trailed along behind her companion. Angela headed off to her cube with a promise to swing by and get Nicole before leaving at about five o'clock.

Nicole turned into her little corner of the office and hung her coat on the hanger. The cubicle hadn't changed other than collecting a thin layer of dust since she'd left. She pulled her laptop out of its case and locked it into the docking station; the IT staff had replaced the computer that had been in the office during her absence. A tiny swirl of dust poofed away as Nicole dropped her purse on the desktop and switched on the task light.

It took a couple of minutes to sort through the collection of e-mail that had accumulated yet again. There were only three items of real interest: the CEO, Joanne Bankhead, had 'requested' a meeting this morning at eleven o'clock, she had a 'command performance' for David Stirling at eight, and a lunch invitation from Doctor Wing, with the comment that he'd be in early if she wanted to stop by his office.

The last, at least, brought a smile. It had been over a month since she'd seen him, and there was a comfort in knowing that she'd have a chance to sit and talk with him about the last few weeks.

Three clicks of the mouse, and she had the meetings accepted for her schedule. She glanced at her watch, grabbed a pad of paper and pencil, plus her completion certificates, and headed off to check in with Michael.

*****

"Oooof! Goodness, daughter, you should be gentle with a poor old man!"

Her laugh pealed through the office at his absurdity, and she squeezed him in another warm hug.

"Ha! You love it, and we both know it!"

"Let me look at you, anyway." The tall man chuckled as he stepped back and looked her over. "You look a lot more comfortable than you did the last time, Nicole. How are you doing?"

She snickered a little before she answered. "I'm doing better in a lot of ways, Michael. I’ve learned a lot since the first of the year, and I'm a lot more settled in just what I am now." She pursed her lips as she pondered her last few weeks. "Not that I haven't had some challenges added along the way."

"Your new friend and dance partner, Rich?" He gave a pointed look at the earrings and pendant.

"Oh yeah. And Kim, too, to be perfectly honest." Shaking her head she continued, "I'm still struggling to get my head around the fact I'm attracted to both of them. I'm gradually adapting to it, but I still have a long way to go. There's just so much to learn."

"We'll talk more at lunch. It will be just the two of us, and I'll make sure we can speak freely." He made a show of checking his watch. "You'd best be off to David's office now, or you'll be late."

"Okay, Michael, I'll see you later." She gave him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek as she swept from the room.

*****
David Sterling's Office
7:59AM EST

The sharp rap of knuckles on the door frame drew David's attention. His newest employee had finally returned. A flicker of his eye verified his estimate; she was just a little early. ~Good.~

"Good morning, Ms. Harrison. Please come in, close the door, and have a seat."

He watched her closely as she made her way from the door to the chair. She was far more poised and confident than the last time he'd seen her; she moved smoothly and gracefully as she took her place. He nodded as she flipped a pad of paper open to take notes.

"First, welcome back to Virginia. I trust your trip was productive?"

Nicole nodded. "I found it very instructive and tremendously helpful. Do you want me to take time to write up a trip report, or will this verbal debriefing be sufficient?"

He quirked an eyebrow. "I think we'll just rely on this meeting as a sufficient report. Why don't you tell me about your trip."

She outlined the major stages of the entire seven weeks, then delved into a more detailed description of each week. Once or twice, at the beginning, the colonel had to head off more detail than he really wanted; Nicole seemed to calibrate the remainder of her report to stop at an appropriate level thereafter. Finally, she summarized the time away and proffered the certificates.

"I brought the certificates if you want to have copies for your files, or you may keep the originals; in that case, I'd appreciate copies for my records."

He took the paperwork. "I'll have copies made and give the originals back to you, thank you." Sitting back in his chair, he relaxed a little. "Ms Harrison, I had a long talk with Doctor Wing during your absence and have his explanation of why he wanted to hire you. It is very clear to me that there is still much more than he's willing to explain. Looking at your résumé, I can understand his interest from a technical standpoint. Can you tell me, at least in brief, why this position interested you?"

The expression on her face was nearly indecipherable; it had wonder, hurt, determination, and more, all blended together. The one certainty was her eyes. They were like granite, showing far more maturity than the face around them. "Colonel, I took this position because Doctor Wing approached me for the position. He said I had a set of skills that were ideal for a long-term project he had in mind. Since then, I have come to trust him completely. I accepted his offer, and I will do whatever is necessary to do the job I've been called to take on."

He didn't smile, but his eyes showed his approval. "That is an admirable attitude. I hope you will find yourself able to sustain the determination needed to carry through on it. He is, clearly, quite fond of you; I admit to being concerned about his motives at one point. On the other hand, your verbal report was well done, and quite frankly, you've benefited from the classes. As a substitute for the interview you'd normally have gone through, I intend to spend some of this morning going through a similar process. I'm not in a position to override Doctor Wing's decision, but," he paused to consider how to phrase the remainder of his thought.

"The interview would have given you information on what my particular strengths and weaknesses are, and time to consider how best to make use of my talents had the decision to hire been made as part of your normal process," she interjected.

His eyebrows rose toward his hairline. "Precisely, and very succinctly stated. I'm curious how someone of your age came to understand that."

It was Nicole's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Colonel, despite my focus on the technical aspects of engineering, I'm sure you noticed that my transcript includes courses the university offers for interview preparation. I'm happy to explain the course material, and I'm at your disposal for however long you wish. My only limitations, today at least, are an eleven o'clock meeting I must attend with Ms. Bankhead, and Doctor Wing has asked me to join him for lunch."

"I'll keep your meetings in mind. In any case, a class on a transcript is one thing, acquiring useful information and understanding it enough to apply it is quite another. If the rest of your classes left you as well informed, I admit I'll be much happier. In any case, even after we finish our talk this morning, I still face the question of just how to make best use of your time between now and your departure for Boot Camp."

He stood for a moment and carried his mug to a coffee maker in a corner. He held up the half-full pot. "May I offer you a cup?"

"I'd appreciate it, thank you." She could sense the more relaxed attitude he had this time. There was still an undercurrent of resentment, despite the improvement. He concealed it well, but still seemed unhappy with having been cut out of the loop in her hiring.

He handed her a cup of coffee, nodded to acknowledge her thanks, and sat back down. "Your résumé indicates an extensive education in software in general, and databases in particular. Amelia has already made a request for your assistance, and I think it would be well for you to spend perhaps half your time with her. Understanding how our systems are set up here will be helpful in understanding why the field teams collect the data they do, and why the formats are what they are."

Nicole nodded and grinned. "To tell you the truth, that actually sounds like fun."

A flicker of a smile was returned. "Quite. That will make good use of your existing skills; the next matter is how best to introduce you to field team operations. You have noticed, no doubt, the return of Ms. Ogle."

"She's my roommate."

He nodded and continued. "They returned last week from an expedition to a building site in Rome, Italy. I think the balance of your time will be well spent working with her as she and her team work through the tasks that normally follow a return from the field." He paused for a moment. "I'd also like to work with you to help you prepare for boot camp. Quite aside from the physical demands, there are skills you would find helpful to know when you get there. Some of the preparations will need to be accomplished outside of normal working hours, but the extra work will make your training easier."

"I'd be happy to do the extra work. If you'll tell me what I need to do, we can work out a schedule."

"Very good. I'll e-mail you a proposed schedule later. Now, as far as what you'll do with the returned team..." He outlined the basic process for all returning field teams, then focused on the particulars for an archaeological expedition such as the one Angela's team had made.

"That process is typical for all our teams." He finished the last of his coffee and put the mug down. He looked at his clock. "It seems we've consumed the time available, Ms. Harrison. Amelia is expecting you in her office at one o'clock this afternoon to begin your work with her. Tomorrow morning you should report to Ms. Ogle for your work assignments; I will send an e-mail with my training recommendations."

"Thank you, Colonel. I intend to prove that my presence will be an asset worth the," she paused and tilted her head, "challenge I seem to present."

David stood and extended a hand. "I hope you do, Ms. Harrison. Again, welcome back, and I'll see you in the future."

*****
Joanne Bankhead's Office
11:00AM EST

"You may go in now, Ms. Harrison."

"Thank you."

Nicole nodded to the young man who served as Joanne's assistant -- secretary, to her mind -- and walked into the comfortable, but not ostentatious, office.

The desk was large and appeared to be wood, stained to a rich, dark color. Several plants perched on the sills of large windows opening onto a wooded area between buildings in the office park. The still-bare branches were waving a little as gusts of wind came through, and brown, renegade leaves scurried from place to place on the lawn. Light glittered off car windows on occasion as glimmers of the sun shone pale through the swift, gray clouds.

Behind the desk, just rising to her feet, was a woman who was nearly as tall as Nicole herself. She wore a very light blue blouse with medium blue slacks, and a matching jacket hung from a coat rack nearby. Her hair, cut in a short shag style, was a pale brown with only isolated threads of silver. Her eyes were an almost indeterminate color, a gray/green/brown mix, set in a face that was strong and feminine. That face showed faint laugh lines around the eyes as her skin bore the traces of long days in the field. She greeted the new arrival with a smile that was warm and sincere; there was an undertone of amusement and mischief, though. She extended her hand to the new arrival.

"Welcome again, Nicole. I see the pot stirrer has returned."

Nicole took the offered hand and gave it a careful shake. "Good morning, Ms. Bankhead. My apologies for my inadvertent churning of the waters."

"Please call me Joanne; this company is far too small for that much formality." Joanne's smile turned to a grin. "You're saying your inadvertent churning is different from what I should expect for a deliberate churning, I take it?" She chuckled and waved off a response from Nicole. "It doesn't matter at the moment. Your mentor, Michael, is the one I've been spending my time chastising for violating the company process; I've had a chance to learn his side of why he did what he did. Please have a seat; I don't intend to keep you terribly long, but I like to spend some time getting to know the new employees. Since I had no time when you first arrived," the grin returned, "you have to put up with your torture now."

The next hour was yet another recitation of Nicole's past, her education, friends, her expectations for the job, and where she expected to be in twenty years. The redhead stopped for a moment at the last question. ~Another reminder of just how far ahead I *have* to be looking. Twenty years is the barest beginning.~

"Earth to Nicole!"

"I'm here; I was just considering the idea of thinking twenty years ahead. It's hard to make some types of longer range plans. Some things are easy, such as making sure financial plans are set for retirement. I expect the next four to ten years will be in the Marines, and after that, I've agreed to a year-for-year commitment to this company." She shrugged a little. "In twenty years I'll be reaching the end of that commitment under my longest range expectations. I'll have to see what evil plans Michael has for the interim, I guess. I'll only be in my mid-forties at that point, so I suppose that's a good time to schedule a mid-life evaluation."

Joanne sat back in her chair. "It's interesting that you haven't said anything about a family, or personal relationships of any sort. Most women your age would at least make that a consideration. Whatever plans Michael may have, you shouldn't forget to consider yourself. You may choose not to have a family, but you have only so much time if it's something you want." She sounded like an older sister, and Nicole sensed the honesty of her concern.

~She's younger by one calendar year, but she's lived her life as a woman and knows what she's talking about. At least for most women.~ "I appreciate the warning, Joanne. I *will* take that into consideration."

A quiet chime sounded from the computer, forestalling any further discussion. "It seems our time for today is up, Nicole." Joanne stood and walked around the desk as the tall redhead also stood; the two shook hands again. "I hope we'll have more time to talk, but I'll let you go get some lunch. It has been a pleasure meeting you."

Nicole smiled at her. "It's been a pleasure for me, too. I'm sure we'll have some chances for more talks, but I'd best get going or Michael will leave me to the vending machines."

*****

Michael led the way out to his car, a white Lexus, as Nicole outlined the morning's events. "It's awkward. I know that everyone and their sister can't be told, but trying to work around Angela, Joanne, the Colonel, and who knows who else will be hard." She looked worried as she continued. "The colonel has offered to help me prepare for boot camp. I have NO idea how I'm going to hide what I can really do from him. If he's as good as I expect, he'll push as hard as he can and is almost sure to realize I'm a lot stronger than any human should be."

Michael drove on in silence for a few moments. "Are you saying he should be told the whole story?"

She shook her head. "Not yet; not unless I have to. The fewer people who know, the fewer people who can blow my cover."

They stopped at a small Italian restaurant where they were lead to a booth in the rear. Michael recommended the tortellini from the lunch menu, and the waiter soon disappeared after taking their orders.

"Now then, Nicole, we can speak freely. The waiter won't notice anything out of the ordinary. It has been a while since we've had a chance to talk, so how are you doing?"

She shrugged a little. "It depends; I'm doing a lot better at dealing with how I look." A grin grew. "To be perfectly honest, I'm getting to the point where I'm enjoying the idea of being one of those pretty girls I grew up -- appreciating. I was never one of the beautiful people, and I still don't see myself that way, but I know that I look good now. I have learned enough the last few weeks to make it a lot less work remembering how to act."

Her companion's expression remained concerned. "Your stress level is rather high for someone who's enjoying life, though. We do keep an eye on you, you know, and you haven't been to the cabin for weeks. Elizabeth is pouting and irritable."

"Michael, there's so much that needs to be done! I'm trying to catch up on all the things a woman learns as she grows up, plus all the aspects of this job. On top of that, there are the issues of how to deal with the Amazons." She huffed. "It feels like there needs to be two of me."

The angel shook his head as he responded, "Daughter, you're pushing yourself too hard. Yes, you have a lot to do. Yes, you have a lot of responsibility. Just remember to save some time for yourself; you're spending so much time working at learning to be the queen that you're not taking time to learn to be Nicole." He raised a hand to stay her protest. "I know that right now you don't seem to have enough time for it all, but remember you have *time*; of all the people on this planet, you can take twenty, or fifty, or a hundred years if you need to. Don't let Joanne's comments cause you to rush when you don't need to."

"But ..."

"Have you taken Kate's advice?"

"Huh??" Her train of thought was utterly disrupted by the apparent non-sequitur.

"Remember when she suggested you should go somewhere to purchase a vibrator to help take some of the edge off? You haven't, have you?"

Her face reddened as she responded, "You know perfectly well I haven't."

The expression on his face could only be described as loving exasperation. "I know you've always kept yourself under emotional control, not letting anyone see how you feel. Even when you lost your parents, you kept your feelings locked up. Now you're trying to live the way you always lived, as best you can. That's not good."

Nicole's eyes misted a little at the admonition. "Michael, I'm trying to adjust as best I can. There's just so much to adjust to all at once, and I just...." She sniffed as she dived into her purse to retrieve a tissue. "The one time I -- indulged...."

He chuckled at her euphemism. "You can say masturbated, or 'gave myself an orgasm.' I think I'm old enough to cope with straight talk."

"Michael!!" He just grinned at her until she continued. "Anyway, the one time I *indulged*," she stuck a tongue out at him, "it felt so amazingly good that it was almost addictive. It made me afraid I'd lose *me*. It was so very different from anything I'd ever felt before."

"But that *is* part of you, now. You'll have an easier time when you accept the sexual part of yourself."

He reached out and put his hand over hers, squeezing it gently. "I know it has been terribly hard for you, and the next month will be as busy as the last two. I just want you to at least *think* about yourself more. Take time to let Angela teach you about cooking. Or better yet, get together with Amelia; you'll find that she's an even better choice for learning a lot about cooking. She's the best in the company.

"In any case, take time to just relax and enjoy. Take walks, or go shopping, or even give me a call and go riding at some point."

She gave him a wan smile. "I guess I'm not showing much gratitude, am I? I'm hanging onto the burden and ignoring the wonderful gift I was given. I should be thankful that I have a chance to enjoy this young, strong, healthy body -- even with the adjustment to being a woman." She squirmed a little. "I'd have called, but I don't want to impose or get too dependent on you to wave your hand and make problems go away. Even with the possibility that the bad guys are following me, I want to do what I can. I have to learn how to handle things, and the only way to do that is to tackle problems myself."

"That's fine; just remember that I won't be noticed unless I allow it, and I can and will help you spend a little time at the cabin without anyone being the wiser."

"Even if they're bugging my room?"

"Even if they're standing in the room when you leave, daughter. The only one who can override me is my boss, and He's solidly on our side."

She scooted around and gave Michael a grateful hug. "Thank you, Daddy. There is one other item that's worrying me a little. So far, Kate is the only one who's accepted the call, and she's Christian. Judith hasn't accepted, and she's Jewish. How worried do I need to be about religion? I'm inclined to just try to set an example, focusing on showing God's love to anyone who becomes an Amazon. I can't force anyone to convert, and I wouldn't want to. Do I need to be concerned?"

Michael shook his head. "No one is every truly converted by force. You're thinking along the right path, though. You work at setting a good example and making it attractive; let God do the heavy lifting of changing hearts. Besides, He gets to select those who are His, and there will be some rather surprised people when it's all sorted out." His smile was warm with approval, then it turned mischievous. "Before we head back, there's one more thing." He pulled a wrapped package from somewhere and handed it to her.

It was about ten inches long, and three inches square, rattling only a little as she shook it. She looked at him, baffled. "What is it?"

"As busy as you are, I was concerned you might not have -- or take -- time to do a little specialized shopping."

"You DIDN'T!" Her face, as she went from turning pale with shock to blushing in embarrassment, was quite the study in contrasts.

"I understand it will help you feel just heavenly, and it's something you really seem to need."

"AGGGGH!"

Michael's unrepentant grin hadn't helped at all. Neither had the sudden moistening she felt as her body anticipated the use of the new appliance.

~You're not helping,~ she told her body.

It didn't listen either.

*****

Nicole left the 'gift' tucked into her coat pocket as she returned the coat to its hook, and checked her watch. Amelia had requested she come to her office after lunch so they could review the task list for the next few weeks without the overly dry air and roaring air conditioners of the server room distracting them.

She had managed to subdue her annoyance with Michael by the end of the lunch hour; the warmth of his affection left her unable to sustain any resentment. He cared, and was willing to do what needed to be done to ensure she stayed mentally and physically healthy. Her musings continued as she approached 'Mahogany Row', such as it was.

~Now if I can just figure out how to get things set straight with Artemis ...~

Her thoughts were disrupted by a tickle in the back of her head as she got to the door of Amelia's office. She shook her head in resignation.

~Well, Michael, what was that you said about taking time to relax?~

She knocked on the door, walking in when she heard a slightly puzzled tone in the "Come in!" that came from within. Amelia had a puzzled expression as she looked away from the documents on her desk and opened a drawer.

"Hang on a minute, Nicole. I seem to be getting a weird headache for some reason, and I want to grab an aspirin before it becomes a problem."

Closing the door behind her as she entered, the redhead moved toward a chair. "It really feels more like a tickle in the back of your head, rather than an ache, right?"

The blonde's head rotated back in the redhead's direction, and Nicole could sense the shifting of mental gears as Amelia processed the new data.

Finally, after a few achingly quiet minutes, she spoke. "You're the cause of the 'tickle' -- that's obvious. Doctor Wing brought you in, so I'm guessing he knows what you're about and is using the company as a source of training for you -- particularly as a cover for your military training." She sat, focused and erect in her chair. "So just who and what are you, and how do I fit in? And why didn't I get this odd headache, or tickle, last time?"

"I'll answer your last question first, since it's easier: I have no idea. As to the rest of it...," Nicole quickly outlined the history, and current situation, of the Amazons. She also touched on how she received the scepter, leaving out who she was at the time.

"So as the situation stands," Amelia summarized, "you and one other woman have accepted the invitation to become Amazons. There is one other who has been called, but has yet to decide."

"Correct."

"Some group out there, the opposition, as you call them, know you're around, and want to keep you from rebuilding the Amazons. All the net-pounding we've gotten over the last month is likely due to this company being identified by this opposition as -- at the very least -- a possible link to the new queen."

Nicole nodded in agreement. "That sounds like a very reasonable conclusion to me. I suspect they're trying to figure out who has the scepter, and from their actions there aren't any women who're good candidates."

"So how does Doctor Wing figure into all this?"

"He's my boss, and more. What kind of religious background do you have?"

"I was raised as a Presbyterian, but I don't have a church here I attend on a regular basis. What does that have to do with Mike?"

"I told you that I was called by God. Michael works for Him, and Artemis, the Amazon patroness, works for Michael. Doctor Michael Wing is the Archangel Michael, and Doctor Artemis Dianapopolis is the Amazon patroness."

The blonde hissed a little with an abrupt intake of breath before she sat still and quiet for a moment. She fiddled with one of her earrings as she pondered the situation and revelations.

Nicole scanned the room. Her attention locked on a picture of Amelia with another, younger woman. She nodded at the picture. "A friend of yours?"

Amelia glanced in the direction of the nod, and her eyes softened. "Her name is Trish, and she's much more than just a friend." Her look turned grim. "And her existence is probably a good enough reason to decline your call. I won't give her up; she's far too much a part of my life."

Nicole's eyebrows quirked up at the response. "Who said it was *my* call? God called you, not me. Equally to the point, who said you'd have to give her up?"

"I just assumed that there would be a problem with mixing angels and lesbians."

"You know what they say about 'assume'."

With a slight flush that caused her freckles to fade briefly, Amelia nodded to concede the point. "I admit I jumped to a conclusion. I'll need to talk this all over with Trish anyway. We're partners, and I won't make a decision this important without having her involved."

"That's fine; I would be disappointed if you did otherwise. Take your time and talk it over with Trish. If you need to, and I expect you will, we'll get together, and you and she can ask questions. I won't answer anything and everything, but I'll tell you what I can." She made a wry face. "Besides, it's a chance to avoid my own cooking."

Snickers greeted the obvious distaste on the redhead's face. "Good enough. Do you have any other surprises for me before we get started?"

"No surprises, but I do have a question. If you could point me to a good doctor, I'd be grateful. I just moved into town, and I should get a checkup before I head for boot camp. I'll need a new birth control prescription, too."

Amelia blinked at the sudden switch of topic from the divine to the utterly mundane. It took a moment to gather her thoughts sufficiently to pull up the number for her own physician.

The next transition, from doctors to databases, was a bit less abrupt, but Nicole noticed her companion directing an intense, analytical look in her direction from time to time.

In between looks, Nicole was treated to a detailed description of the architecture of the hardware and software that formed the company database system. The walk-through took the remainder of the afternoon.

At the end of the day, Nicole felt something nagging in the back of her head as she rejoined Angela for the ride home.

*****
5:45PM EST

The smell of somewhat overcooked chicken permeated the apartment as the novice cook looked mournfully at the skillet full of her culinary victim.

~I wonder if it's too late to order pizza?~

Her roommate wasn't helping, as she leaned against the refrigerator and allowed Nicole to try to figure out how to recover on her own. She tried -- really! -- to still the snickers, but the redhead's ears must have been exceptional.

Angela was relieved that the look that came her way couldn't really kill. "Okay, let's see if we can recover here, and I'll try to explain just what happened." The snickers returned as the death glare changed to a look of gratitude.

*****
Amelia's Apartment
6:00PM EST

Amelia's Siamese cats, Yin and Yang, sprawled over their customary perch atop the back of the couch as they observed the human's activity with regal detachment.

Trish had spent the afternoon quietly working on the numbers she'd chosen for her next gig, running over each number and adding little embellishments to the interludes to freshen the songs for her audience. The sound of the acoustical guitar reverberated from the apartment walls as the musician's alto voice wove itself with the guitar in the colorful variety of contemporary folk sounds that formed her compositions.

Her practice routine complete, she turned to the critics for a review. Her hazel eyes sparkled with the sheer joy she found in her craft. "Well? Do you think I'm ready for my next performance?"

The critics were, as usual, unimpressed with her efforts. They blinked at the rude disturbance, gave a wide, sharp-fanged yawn, and curled up with each other to resume their nap.

Trish carefully stowed her instrument in its case and placed it in the appointed corner. A year and a half had wrought a marked change in her organizational skills, as Amelia had steadily -- and lovingly -- inculcated a basic level of discipline in the young musician's habits. Not that she trusted herself with managing the bookings, contracts, taxes, and the myriad other details required for a road musician. Those performance details were less demanding of late, now that Trish had settled into the local music scene and taken up her college studies. Amelia even made sure there were plenty of CDs in stock.

A year and a half -- and Trish knew that her love for her partner, and lover, had grown as they had built their lives together.

Her reverie was interrupted as a key slid into the lock of the entry door.

Amelia never liked Mondays. The weekends tended to be late nights as she accompanied Trish to whatever engagement was scheduled, and it took a while to readjust from getting to bed at three o'clock to getting up at six-thirty. Her expression was odd, even for a Monday, as the blonde parked her briefcase in its place beside the door -- joined quickly by her sandals.

The swirl of thoughts and emotions on Amelia's face were worrying, and the brunette gave her a reassuring hug as she asked, "What's wrong, Mela?"

"Come on into the kitchen, and I'll tell you about my visit to the Twilight Zoneá” at work while we finish fixing supper."

The meal that followed was consumed in, and by, silence. The strangeness of the events of the day left too many questions for even a semblance of decision.

"Trish, what Nicole said seemed to make all the weirdness of the last couple of months make a kind of sense. If you agree, I'll invite her over, and we can quiz her more tomorrow night."

Trish thought for a couple of minutes. She didn't have anything booked until Thursday, and the sooner they dealt with this, the sooner Amelia would settle back down. It was disturbing to see someone she loved so much in an emotional and mental dither.

"It sounds like a very good idea to me, too. Do you believe she's sane and telling you the truth?"

"I gave it a lot of thought when she first stepped into my office, love. The sensation was real, and it made everything that's happened at work since the first of the year make sense. It even explains Doctor Wing's bringing Nicole in without going through normal channels. It's strange, but as best I can tell it's the truth." Her voice trailed off. The two finally settled in on the couch, snuggled together like the cats behind them, and quietly traded thoughts on the mysterious events of the day.

*****
Nicole's Apartment
9:30PM EST

The torpedo-shaped object sat on the bedside table; Nicole had opened Michael's gift after she'd returned to her room, intending to make good on her promise to Michael and herself.

~He even made sure there were batteries.~

The vibrator wasn't huge, really, but the prospect of putting that inside her vagina was taking some mental adjustments. Her mind was far behind her body, as she felt her nipples begin to harden, and she felt herself beginning to lubricate in anticipation. She turned the bed down, and scurried to the bathroom to grab a towel. ~As wet as I was just dancing with Rich, I hate to think what my bed would look like.~ She undressed herself quickly, taking only a little time to notice the slight flush above her breasts as her body reacted in anticipation of the pleasure to come.

The quiet buzz and gentle vibration of the device filled her awareness as she lay back and began to experiment. The stimulation was pleasant at any point of contact, as her skin seemed to be one huge erogenous zone. Her nipples shot jolts of pleasure through her torso and down to her vagina as she slid the device across them. She gasped at the intensity of the feeling, and kept one hand busy at her breasts as the other hand took the vibrator toward the next target.

She had no clue how much noise she made, and really didn't care. After the third time her body exploded in ecstasy, trivia like noise were irrelevant. Whatever the final orgasm count, she finally quit only when she was too limp to continue. She just managed to switch off the delightful device as she sank back to enjoy the splendid afterglow of her entirely sated body.

Somehow, she managed to wipe down the vibrator with the towel and drop them off the bed before she dropped off to sleep -- utterly relaxed and content.

*****
Tuesday, February 27, 2001 (59/28; Sunny)
WGSS Offices
7:30AM EST

She had awakened on time, but far more rested and refreshed than she'd ever felt before. Angela grinned a little and commented about how well rested her redheaded roommate seemed that morning. Nicole felt far too good to be too bothered, but she still had flushed a little.

"I didn't disturb you too much, I hope."

"No, not at all. A couple of pillows dampened the noise reasonably well." Her grin got bigger as the flush deepened.

This morning it had been Nicole's turn to drive; the weather was cool, clear, and promised to be delightfully warm later. As she navigated the traffic, Nicole had considered the discussion yesterday with Amelia regarding the Amazons. ~That lady is *scary* smart.~

Angela wanted to get in a little early to allow time for Nicole's introduction to team operations. After dropping off her purse and a quick check of e-mail, Nicole joined Angela in her office. On the way, she spotted Michael near his office. He nodded at her, grinning as she blushed. She silently mouthed a 'Thank you' as she continued to her destination.

"Okay, Nicole. I'm sure the colonel gave you an introduction to what we do after a trip to the field, but I'll quick sketch it out again as a refresher. We ordinarily contract to produce a site report for our customers to outline the area we investigated, what we found, and what we believe it means.

"For example, this trip we were tasked to analyze a site in Rome where a new building is planned. Our responsibility was to probe the area below the surface, identify any site of archaeological interest, and mark them for the experts to unearth. The customer gets a preliminary site report before we leave, a formal report within two months, including the database for the site.

"The last item for the team to produce is an after-action report. We review what we did, and how, in a fair level of detail; the most important part, as far as the company is concerned, is the lessons learned portion where we identify what we did right and wrong and how to improve."

"The data we collect, and electronic copies of all our reports, get stored on the servers, either in a document repository or in a database, so they can be backed up off-site.

"You'll be working with me, and the rest of the team, for the rest of the month to get all that work done. I wish you could be around for the writing of the after-action report, since that's where we look at everything we've done and not just the data."

Nicole found herself mentally reviewing the myriad of projects Tom had been involved in, and the number of times he had been sitting in Angela's seat. ~The names change, and the storage media change, but somehow the end products always seem to be the same.~ The internal chuckle was suppressed and, as the rest of the team arrived, she began her introduction to her co-workers for the next month.

*****
Washington, D.C.
4:00PM Central Complex Time / 9:00AM EST

The second display blinked from the test pattern to the video feed. The faces of the Chairman and his staff were front and center in the remote room, and all those in the DC office tensed. That couldn't be good news; that group NEVER sat in on a conference like this, not unless the situation was dire for someone on the other end.

"Mister Sinclair, we are ready for your report."

Carson swallowed; his mouth was suddenly dry. The tone of the command held only impatience, and he sensed his situation was far more precarious than he had realized.

He outlined the analysis of the data from the LA team and the report from the staff psychologist and profiler that buttressed the conclusion that the redhead was not the sought-for queen. He then outlined the steps taken to monitor the offices of the bitch-goddess, and the re-analysis of the available data to try to identify missed leads. "We're identifying assets to determine who's available to keep an eye on the redhead during her time in the Marines. She may not be the queen, but she might be a lead."

The silence that followed his report stretched out for what seemed like hours, and the video from the central complex blanked for a time.

Everyone started as the screen went live again. The faces on the other end were even more stern than before, almost strained.

"Mister Sinclair, it is the opinion of the committee that the proposed course of action is insufficient, and there is a lack of urgency on the part of the field offices in pursuing this critical investigation. The lack of adequate surveillance of Miss Harrison is also a concern, even given the understanding that she is not our target.

"The decision has been made to rectify those matters and -- encourage those in the field to act more energetically. Mister Sinclair is being detached to closely monitor Miss Harrison during her training and subsequent Marine career."

Carson stared at the screen, bewildered. "Sir, I'm happy to do so. I don't meet the entry criteria for that service though, nor do I see how I can keep close watch on her as they have separate training for men and women."

A momentary look of pity crossed the Security officer's face; the Chairman's visage was impassive as he replied, "That matter will be taken care of shortly."

*****

Carson was puzzling over the statement when it struck. He found his every muscle locked, immobilized as if he were struck by lightning. That was all that kept him from screaming as he felt his whole body explode in pain. A wave front of agony swept from his skin to his core while his mind was held frozen and unable to respond, or even faint. An instant later, he felt nothing, as if his mind was disconnected from his body.

Then, as abruptly as it began, it was over. The pain was gone, and he was again able to move and breathe. He had a moment to notice a strangeness in how he felt. It was only a moment, though. As suddenly as the physical pain had struck, he felt his mind collapse as his very self was flooded with a whole new lifetime of memories. He heard a woman's voice scream, whether from pain or panic, he couldn't tell, and he soon lost interest as she began to once again feel the torrent of power ebb away, its work complete.

*****

Michael looked up from the document he had been reading, and his eyes narrowed as he felt the wave of altering reality pass through.

*****

In the instant between two thoughts, Carson Sinclair ceased to be, replaced by Constance Sinclair.

She opened her eyes to the darkened room, focusing on the display on the far wall. "Miss Constance Sinclair," said the Chairman, "you have an appointment scheduled for this weekend with your local Marine recruiter. Appropriate records will be in place by that time. Should you succeed in following Miss Harrison to the Amazon Queen, we will consider restoring you to your former position.

"We will review the efforts made in the next three months, before deciding whether further reassignments are desirable. Mister Graham is assigned to fill the organizational vacancy created. This meeting is adjourned."

Constance, still in shock, sat quietly at the table as the pale, drawn faces around her turned away and left.

Rodney Graham, a black man of average height, gently urged the young woman, once his supervisor and friend and now an intern in his group, to her feet. She was now a good four inches shorter than his own five foot, eight inch height. "Come on, Connie. You won't be in any condition to work today. Go home, rest, and come back tomorrow."

She nodded, responding as an automaton as he led her to her cubicle. Grabbing her coat and purse, she returned to her small apartment and went to bed. Her dreams were troubled by strange images of what it might be like to be an important man in this organization that had, for some reason, hired her out of college.

As she left, Rod turned to the cluster of men around him.

"There is a meeting at ten o'clock. Everyone, and I mean *everyone* will attend. No arguments; no excuses. Am I clear?"

*****
Conference Room
10:00AM EST

The room was utterly silent as Rodney stalked to the lectern. Word of what had happened circulated almost instantly through the facility. The man at the front looked somber as he began.

"Everyone here has heard what happened to Connie, I'm sure." He winced a little, realizing he was unable to speak of his old friend by her original name. "We've lost someone who was a good, methodical, efficient investigator; unfortunately, it seems we're not allowed the time for being methodical. We still can't afford to call too much attention to ourselves, but we must take more risks to get the information we need.

"That said, if we get a good lead we WILL make sure Connie is in position to take credit for it. In the meantime, you will ALL treat her with respect. If I hear of anyone trying to take advantage of her, they will be the next volunteer for 'reassignment'. Is everyone completely clear on all of this?"

The faces in the room went pale, and all nodded their assent as Rod focused his attention on each man..

"Good. Get back to work. We have a three month timetable, and I sure as hell don't plan on being replaced."

*****
WGSS Offices
12:10PM EST

Nicole pulled the doctor's phone number from her purse and checked the name and number before dialing. This wasn't something she was looking forward to at all. The prospect of getting poked, and prodded in her new female parts was intimidating.

~It has to happen at some point, though, and better now with a doctor I choose.~

She dialed, and was impressed by the efficiency of the office staff. They set up a late afternoon appointment for March fourteenth, and recommended she allow twenty minutes for the new patient paperwork.

As she hung up the phone, she sat and stared at the lunch that now held no attraction as the butterflies in her stomach filled the available space. She was tempted to just hide out in her cubicle and web surf, but resisted the temptation.

~I shouldn't become a recluse. I need to socialize with the people here.~

She picked up her lunch bag and water bottle and walked to the break room where a number of the employees sat. There was at least one bridge game underway, with Amelia in one of the seats, a chess match, and several tables crowded with men and women just chatting.

Amelia looked up as Nicole walked into range and waved her over.

"Do you play? We could use someone to fill in on occasion."

Nicole nodded with a smile. "It's been a while, but I do remember how to play the game. I'm willing as long as you're not too serious about it. I quit last time when everyone started getting too cutthroat about the games."

The strawberry blonde grinned. "No problem; this has to be the friendliest game in town. Besides, that one," she pointed to a woman, "is named Marissa, and that young man is named Tejas. They both work for me. Our fourth varies a little."

"I recognize Vanessa; she's on Angela's field team."

Nicole pulled a chair over and perched near Amelia's shoulder as she watched the action. Informal groups tended to have their own bidding quirks, and if she was going to sit in, she'd best learn. It surprised her to realize that, by the end of the lunch hour, she'd finished her food.

~Good company can be a real help.~

Time ran out before either team could win the rubber, so Vanessa and Tejas were awarded the win based on points. The IT wizards headed off to their sanctum sanctorum, and Vanessa scurried off to the next team meeting, as Nicole followed Amelia to the latter's office for the afternoon's work assignment.

Amelia parked at a table in her office as her companion pulled up a side chair.

"So, do you think you're ready to get to some real work today?"

The redhead's brow was furrowed as she nodded. "Your systems seem to be pretty straightforward. You don't have the processing demands that larger installations do, but you've taken logical steps to protect your data. There's something that's been niggling me since yesterday about it all, but," she shook her head and smiled, "I'll pull it up when it's ready."

"Is it something you don't understand?"

Nicole shook her head with a smile. "As I said, there's nothing that strikes me as weird. I'll think of it eventually."

The blonde nodded. "Okay, don't hesitate to ask any questions though. It's the only way to really learn and understand. You're also invited over for supper at six o'clock, unless you have other plans. Trish doesn't have any plans until later in the week, so tonight works well for us."

~Amelia has the right attitude for a supervisor. I just hope I can break some of my cover with her; there's something funny about the database architecture, but I can't quite put a finger on it.~ She broke off that train of thought as she replied, "I'll tell Angela that she'll be on her own for dinner tonight when I drop her off after work. I'd be happy to join you. Is there anything I can bring?"

"Just yourself and a lot of answers, I think. Now let's get down to work here."

*****
Amelia's Apartment
5:50PM EST

Amelia and Trish had managed to get the bulk of the preparations completed for supper, but the main dish wouldn't be ready much before six-thirty. Trish had also managed to unclutter the living and dining room despite the helpful intervention of the cats, who had decided that it was playtime.

Amelia glared at the four-footed, furry obstacles to progress. "You two know perfectly well that we're having company. You aren't supposed to get in the way."

Their response was to switch from chasing moving pillows to head-butting and stropping the legs of their two-legged staff, with occasional forays into chasing bare toes. While her partner served as a distraction, Trish took a couple of her CDs and started the stereo. ~We'll see if my music is to her taste, if nothing else.~

A knock at the door indicated that their guest had arrived, and Trish made her way past the cats to the door. Despite the warning from her partner, the little brown-haired woman was taken slightly aback at the tall redhead's form. Somehow, the description hadn't quite done justice to the slim elegance of the visitor, nor the self-assurance she projected. Still, the sanity of this person was in question in her mind. She didn't like potential threats to the happiness of people she loved.

"Welcome, Nicole; come on in. I'm Trish." She extended her hand in greeting. "I hope you're not allergic to cats; Mela has a pair of Siamese running around the house." She took the visitor's coat, noting its remarkable weight. "This is heavy!"

"It's good to meet you, Trish, and thank you both for inviting me into your home. I'm not allergic to cats, physically or mentally; I actually like them. I'm sorry about the weight of my coat; it has a couple of things I'll need later."

Nicole took a moment, as she shook the offered hand, to look over Amelia's partner. Outwardly, she wasn't particularly remarkable, other than the bright, hazel eyes that glittered in the pretty face. ~Interesting, she's not wearing make-up.~ She was, perhaps, a little shorter than Amelia, and short, brown hair as opposed to her partner's long strawberry-blonde braid. She was quite young, not much, if any, older than twenty. She was built more solidly than Amelia as well, and wore a t-shirt and jeans. Her lovely, rich, alto voice bore evidence of some sort of voice training. ~I wonder if she's a singer, or a speaker?~ Nicole spotted the guitar case nearby, and gave a mental nod.

It didn't show outwardly, but Nicole also sensed Trish's intense love for her partner, and the protective streak she felt. Her hazel eyes almost sparked with the intensity of her feelings. She was suspicious toward this stranger who'd unsettled her family.

~Amelia is more blessed by this woman than even she realizes,~ Nicole thought. In a bid to ease some of Trish's concern, she spoke up quietly. "I know you're upset because Amelia is disturbed, but I will never force her to do something against her will. I also want the two of you to understand that you need to make any decision as a team. If she decides to accept the call, she'll need your support as well."

The young musician nodded in acknowledgment, but her suspicion hardly wavered.

The meal was splendid, as the rumors didn't come close to doing Amelia's cooking justice. The chicken in a mushroom wine sauce with a fluffy pilaf was filling, but not overly so. The green salad with a piquant vinaigrette was deliberately served after the main course, and delightfully cleared her palate, so there was room for a wonderfully light lemon chiffon dessert that topped the meal off perfectly.

During the meal, Nicole was intrigued by the music playing in the background. "Amelia, who's that playing and singing? She sounds a little like Joan Baez, but I've never heard that number before."

Amelia grinned at Trish's blush, and the blonde explained with some pride. "Trish is a professional musician, and the CD is the first she ever produced."

Their guest's expression turned mildly surprised. She sensed the pride her hosts felt at the comparison. "That's impressive. I'd like to buy a copy of at least this disc."

*****

"Okay," Nicole opened the after dinner inquisition, "the meal was wonderful, but now it's time for me to pay the price. What questions do you two have about the call Amelia has received?"

Amelia responded first. "I covered things quickly with Trish, but maybe it would be well if you told her directly." Her partner nodded in agreement and focused her attention on their guest.

Nicole ran through what was becoming her standard recruiting spiel. First, she outlined how the first Amazon nation arose and developed, then the way it declined and was finally destroyed. The continued existence of the ancient opposition group was underlined. She walked to her coat and removed the scepter and a piece of rebar.

"Artemis was promised that the Amazons would be reborn when she started working for Michael. It wasn't until last November that the scepter was sent to me." She handed the scepter to Amelia, whose eyes lit up in fascination. "Since then, I've been preparing myself for my new responsibilities. Because of our opposition, I'm forced to start out preparing for what amounts to a war. That includes my spending time in the military learning how to build and run a combat organization."

Amelia carefully examined the scepter and noted the engravings, as well as the otherwise pristine surface. "It's hard to believe this is really 3500 years old. There's no visible wear on it at all."

Nicole started to respond, but was interrupted by the rough tongue of one of the cats as it preened her hair from the back of the chair. She grinned, and looked up at her feline greeter. "Thank you, little one, but I already washed my hair." She stroked the cat's chin with a fingernail and watched the eyes close and neck stretch out in appreciation.

She continued her interrupted comment. "The scepter is old, but it was made by Artemis. I'm not sure it's made of any material we're familiar with. I suspect you could drop an A-bomb on it and not make a mark."

The musician's face reflected her discomfort. "Does that mean that everyone who accepts your call will be forced to become a soldier?"

"Not at all. Everyone, without exception, will get basic training in self-defense. That is just common sense these days, and will also help you to control the new physical abilities you will have. All the Amazons are empowered with greater strength and agility, better sight, hearing, sense of smell, and generally better health.

"While all Amazon's receive a physical boost, they won't be able to quite do what I can do. Let me show you something. Try to bend this if you can, please."

She held up the rebar and handed it to Amelia, who handed the scepter to Trish.

"Okay, it's a chunk of steel." Amelia looked puzzled as she failed to even flex the rod. "So what?" She handed the bar to Trish, who passed the scepter back to Nicole.

Trish looked briefly at the rebar, and made a half-hearted attempt to bend it, before handing it to their guest.

Nicole tucked the scepter beside her as she took the steel. "Now, you're satisfied the rebar is real?"

Her hostesses nodded.

"Watch." She effortlessly turned the rod into a hoop as the other women watched in astonishment. "Even an Amazon would be hard-pressed to do that, but you are made much stronger. Try to unbend it, now." She handed the steel hoop to Amelia and Trish, who made a serious, but unsuccessful, attempt to unbend the rod. As it was returned to her, the redhead straightened it as effortlessly as she'd originally bent it.

"Even though we are all empowered, not everyone will be suited for war. Another objective I have is the creation of a new and distinct culture for us. We won't be just a women's club, or a war band -- I'm determined to make a new nation by building on what the Amazons were, and what we are now as we add women, and men, from across the world. We'll need all sorts of skills to accomplish that; just think of all the things a government needs to do, and how few of those involve fighting."

Nicole made one more demonstration; she waited in the kitchen as Trish waited by the door to the bedroom. Amelia went in and closed the door behind her. While behind the door, she whispered a quiet commentary. Nicole wrote it down, verbatim, and presented the transcript to Amelia when she came back out. There had been short periods of silence on Amelia's part, and the redhead had made notations to that effect to underline the precision of her enhanced hearing.

"Our gifts are not necessarily destructive," the queen commented as they returned to the couch. "We could also use them, as an example, for rescue work. Hearing as sensitive as ours could help locate buried victims after an earthquake. I hope to use our talents for much more than just battle. I want the Amazons to be a force for good, of all kinds, in the world."

Nicole tilted her head as she considered her objectives, and while her hostesses pondered her statements. "I've never tried this before," the redhead began. "Trish?" The younger woman looked at her. "You have talent, and you will be involved if Amelia accepts this call. Your talent, too, could be very helpful. You're a musician, and someone like you could start creating a new musical heritage for us. I'm sure that, somewhere in the world, are the remnants of the original Amazon music that you could find and use. I'd like to make the offer to you to become an Amazon as well."

The brown-haired woman looked a bit startled at the offer, but her face turned puzzled. "Amelia, you remember when Nicole walked into your office yesterday. Did you say it felt like a weird tickle in the back of your head?"

Amelia nodded in affirmation. Nicole smiled as she felt a subtly different sensation rise in the back of her head. There was a second candidate present, now.

"Does that feeling mean that I'm called, too?" Trish took her partner's hand, seeking reassurance. The blonde gave it a squeeze and gave her a smile and a nod.

"I'm not asking either of you for an answer right now." Nicole continued. "This is a big step, and I want you to take time to think it over carefully. If you decide to decline, all I ask is that you keep what I've said a secret. Whether you accept or not, once you decide, the 'tickle' will go away. If you have more questions, I'll answer what I can.

"If you accept, I'll ask Artemis to join us and empower you. If you accept, you must also accept me as your Queen. The responsibility will be mine to make a final decision, but you will be helping make the right choices as well. I can't do it all myself, I need the help you can give me."

Amelia cocked her head. "Just how will the government work? You say you're the Queen, but you haven't said anything about anyone else in power, or how someone is chosen to take your place after you're gone."

Nicole grinned a little. "I feel like the Red Queen from 'Through the Looking Glass'; I'm running as fast as I can to stay in place.

"More seriously, I have thought about it. The ancient Amazons had the Queen as the head of their council, which was formed from the heads of the clans and families. She handled the day-to-day work of governing -- rather like the President, or a Prime Minister. I don't see us working quite the same way. It will be ... perhaps a “consultative monarchy” is the best term. I can't know enough about everything to make the best decisions, and different viewpoints will bring ideas to light that would never be thought of otherwise.

"I'm intending to find the best women to fill my cabinet, for lack of a better term -- those who have proven to have the skills and the character to cope with the power and responsibilities of running their departments. Men will be welcome, but women will hold all the reins of power.

"If you haven't read Thomas Jefferson’s 'On Education', then you should. His 'aristocracy of talent and virtue' is an almost perfect example of what I want to achieve. I'm very much a small-d democrat, and a small-l libertarian. I want my sisters to be free to live their lives as they choose."

Amelia frowned a bit. "Helping people in need is important to us,; just how libertarian do you expect the Amazons to be?"

The redhead thought for a few moments before replying. "My first responsibility is to my sister Amazons. I have the charge to lead them, and care for them first of all; they're my *family*. We will take time, and devote resources, to help those in need who aren't Amazons. I just won't let my sisters go hungry to do it."

"What about your successor, and how will the next queen be selected? Will you appoint someone, or what?"

Nicole sighed quietly. "When I die, the scepter will be given to the next queen by God, or perhaps by Artemis. We won't have to rely on politics for that, nor will it be a family dynasty. Should I have a daughter in the future, she will not be guaranteed to succeed me." ~I'll most likely outlive her anyway.~

The three continued their conversation until late in the evening, ending only as the new day began at midnight.

Nicole finally said her farewell and left for a short night's sleep, as Trish and Mela picked up and made their own way to bed.

"What do you think, dear?" Amelia asked. "Do you have a better feel for Nicole now?"

The brunette snuggled in before responding. "I have to admit that she wasn't quite what I'd expected. When I heard Amazon, I was expecting a female body-builder type with an attitude -- a little like Xena, I guess. I certainly didn't expect someone built more like a fashion model." She shivered a little. "She has the air I'd expect of a real queen; she's so self-assured. She's frighteningly strong, though. I also got the feeling that there's an awful lot we don't know yet about her, but I guess I think she's real, and telling the truth." She lay quietly for another moment. "I believe her, love, and we have a very important choice to make."

"I agree, sweetheart, on all those points. We'll get through it together, though."

She squeezed her companion in a hug, and the two snuggled down to catch what rest they could as their minds whirled.

*****

Nicole closed the door to the apartment as silently as she could. The room was dark, but a nightlight gave enough illumination to hang up her coat and navigate to her room.

She settled into her bed, and reviewed the events of the evening.

~That's a lovely couple,~ she thought. ~Trish is a cutie, and a good match for Amelia. It was a wonderful evening, too; I just hope they'll be willing to accept me as a friend, even if they choose not to take the Call.~

She thought of the CD she'd brought home. ~I wonder if I'll have a chance to sit in on one of Trish's engagements? I like her music.~

~I hope Judith makes her decision soon. She -- and David, too -- would be good to have as friends, even if she says no.~ She giggled quietly. ~And that little Miriam is a joy!~
She smiled to herself as she turned on her side and faded off to sleep.

*****
Wednesday, February 28, 2001
Epps Mansion
6:00AM GMT/ 1:00AM EST

Judith had risen somewhat earlier than was her norm. Of late, her sleep was disrupted by the decision she faced -- whether to accept Nicole's call -- and David's hesitance. Since the strange American had left, the couple had spent odd moments talking about the situation. They were close to the decision, though. David had been convinced from the first that the call was real; he was just concerned for his family and the risk posed by stepping out into the unknown.

~He loves us too much to expose us without careful thought.~ Judith smiled at the warmth that knowledge brought.

The patter of little bare feet pulled her from her reverie just in time to set the coffee cup down and catch the child that bounded into her lap.

"Ahhhh! What a hug this morning! How are you, Miri?"

"Good, Mummy! I had a good sleep last night. I had a dream that we saw the lady with the stick again, and you became her sister! Even Daddy was there!"

The mother's eyes widened. "Was it a dream like the last one you had, where she rescued us?"

The child nodded happily and snuggled into her mother's embrace.

Notes:

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