The Diaries of Ayesha

Well I wasn’t exactly a jolly swagman but I was sitting by a billabong under a kookaburra tree as the song ran through my mind.

I was on foot having had to abandon my rental car after a slight run in with the police over my unwillingness to come along quietly on the charge of doping a kangaroo. Actually it was more along the lines of them finding my rental car while I was at a gas station and my having to leg it for the hills with only my backpack in hand.

For those of you who came in late, I was wanted by the animal authorities in Melbourne Australia for allegedly doping a kangaroo which I later wrestled on stage as part of a number with an all girl rock band.

Now if that sounds improbable, remember that Dan Quayle was once the vice president of the United States.

I haste to point out that for the most part I’m a law-abiding citizen and while I’m used to running from the forces of evil and nastiness, avoiding the cops wasn’t exactly my usual practice. The problem was it was I didn’t exactly want to sit in jail until they found out I was innocent. I only had a limited amount of time to locate Dr. Urania Ironbender and try and convince her to tell me where to find her sister Erato. I could only hope that eventually Ace would persuade Val to admit she ordered the doping, or failing that break Val’s neck for me.

I wasn’t so much pissed off at Val, as I was the woman who had started the whole problem to begin with a lady, and I use the term loosely, named Tandia.

She was already on my list for starting a fight with Ace, and while I try and stay out of personal issues, the woman had also screamed death threats at me and was obviously out for revenge because I accidentally covered her in kangaroo poopies.

I swear it was an accident. The Goddess moves in mysterious ways.

In any case, there I was still about a hundred miles short of my destination and my car in the hands of the police.

At least my feet still worked, so I set out on a route that paralleled the railroad tracks on my map and that’s when I found myself where you found me; Sitting under a tree by a small spring watching a train go by while I rested from my forced march away from town.

It was late afternoon and the sun was starting to dip down when I decided I’d rested long enough and started walking again, always following the tracks Northward towards Parkes.

Why Parkes, I hear you cry? Well during my research I had learned that a woman who was a relative of Dominique’s (Or Erato, if you prefer) was a radio astronomer working at Parkes on a study of radio sources in the Southern Hemisphere of the sky.

In simple terms she was looking for noisy stars like pulsars, quasars, and the occasional Little Green Man by listening for radio signals from space.

I was familiar with this sort of work being a bit of a space cadet myself

I’d covered about twenty miles more or less when I decided enough was enough and stopped following the track and switched back to the highway. I wasn’t sure about the highway patrol if there was such a thing in Australia, but I was pretty sure that nobody would be looking for me where I was.

Especially as I wasn’t totally sure where I was myself by that time.

I had walked for about another hour when a truck approached me from behind, passed me and then slowed to a stop a few yards ahead of me.

"You need a ride mate?" a young woman called sticking her head out of the window of the truck.

"I could use one, thanks, " I called back and hurried to where she was waiting.

I climbed in alongside her as she put the truck back in gear and started up the highway again.

"Name’s Brianna, but call me Brain," she said shaking hands with me.

"Michael," I said. "Where are you heading?"

"My Uncle Alexander’s. It’s another dozen kilometers or so and then into the hills. I can drop you at the crossroads if you like.

"How far is it to town from there?" I asked.

"Well that depends on what town. Where were you headed?" She replied. " I can drop you off in Forbes if you like. Won’t take more than another twenty minutes more, then I can head back to my uncle's house."

"I’d appreciate that. I’ve been walking most of the afternoon."

In the dashboard light I could see that she was redheaded with a sprinkling of freckles and as she occasionally turned towards me I saw a glint of green in her eyes.

We drove along silently for as few minutes and then she asked if I was an American.

"Yes. I’m on my way to Parkes to see a friend who works at the observatory," I explained.

"Walking to Parkes? From where?"

"Well I started in Melbourne, but I wasn’t walking when I started. I lost my car," I explained.

"Accident? Are you all right?" she asked concerned.

"I’m fine, but the car, well the police are taking care of it all, but I couldn’t wait. I only have a limited amount of time here and I need to see my friend before I go home. It’s about her sister."

"Is something wrong with her?" Brianna asked slowing down to let a kangaroo jump across the road ahead of us.

"She’s missing and I’m worried about her," I admitted.

"And you came all the way to Australia to tell her sister she was missing. Why not call her?"

"Well she and I weren’t on the best of terms when she came down here. I’m not very popular with her family."

"You don’t seem like an ax murder or I wouldn’t have picked you up."

"Oh I wouldn’t harm a fly. But anything bigger…" I grinned.

She laughed and pulled to a stop at a crossroad.

"Do you have a place to stay in Parkes?"

"No, I was originally going to just drop in and talk to her and then head back to Sydney to meet my friends."

"Well if you like you can spend the night at my uncles and then tomorrow I can drive you to the observatory. You can catch a train back to Sydney from there," she offered.

I was actually very surprised by her offer. You generally don’t find anybody in the day and age offering a weary traveler a place to rest.

"If you don’t think your uncle would object, I’d certainly appreciate it, thank you," I agreed.

She turned right onto the crossing road and we drove on until the pavement ended and the dirt road climbed up into the hills, the headlights of the truck washed out by the rising moon that turned the surroundings into a surreal painting of jagged shapes.

A few minutes later we crested a small hill and looked down upon a small farmhouse and barn with a few pens silhouetted by the moonlight and a light burning in the window of the house.

"That’s the place," Brianna said. "Uncle Alex’s little spread."

"Nice place," I said and we bounced down the rutted road towards the house.

"It’s his home away from home. He usually lives in Canberra but takes some time here now and again to rest."

"What kind of work does he do?" I asked as she stopped in the yard.

"He’s a police inspector," she explained.

Oh shit. Busted. Then again, if he’s been out here, he probably doesn’t know anything about the bloody kangaroo incident I thought.

Brianna got out of the truck and I followed her hoping that my luck hadn’t turned all bad.

She opened the door and called "Uncle Alex! I’ve brought a guest with me!"

A distinguished looking old man, not quite elderly though, came from a direction I suspected was the kitchen, considering he was wearing an apron and holding a spoon in one hand.

"Brianna you do seem to find strays no matter where you go," he scolded playfully in a gravely voice as he accepted a kiss on the cheek from her.

"Well if you found an American tourist walking along the road you’d pick him up too Uncle," she replied.

"I’d pick him up … as a vagrant," he replied with a twinkle in his eye.

I held out my hand and introduced myself.

"Michael Forbin, Mister…?"

He took my hand and shook it firmly

"Alexander Waverly, nice to meet you. So, my niece picked you up along the road. Car trouble was it?" he asked.

"He said he had an accident but the police were taking care of it. He’s on his way to Parkes and I thought I could take him there in the morning when I take you to the station for the trip back to town," Brianna explained.

"Accident. Well the local police will see that everything is taken care of, you can be sure," he said reassuringly. "I was just finishing making the stew for dinner tonight. Come into the kitchen and sit down Mr. Forbin. Brianna, take his backpack upstairs and put it in your mothers room. He can sleep there tonight, much more comfortable than the couch." he instructed.

I gave Brianna the pack and followed Mr. Waverly into the warm kitchen where he continued making dinner, firing an occasional question in my direction as I sat at the table with a cup of coffee.

"So, visiting Parkes Mr. Forbin. Not much there to see, unless you’re an astronomer," he commented.

"I’m actually calling on a friend who works there. A Doctor Urania Ironbender. She’s from the States as well," I said.

"Ah, well I hope you have all your papers in order. They’re very fussy about that, being a government installation and all. Have to have your passport and visa to even get in if you’re not on the staff or visitor lists."

My passport. Oh shit. My passport was still at the hotel. Ace had rented the car using hers. Actually, I had to hand it to the police; they had done a very efficient job at finding the rented car. I just hoped Ace wasn’t in jail for helping me escape.

"That might be a bit of a problem. I left it in my hotel room in Melbourne."

He shook his head as Brianna came back into the room.

"Well then you’ll not be able to see your friend at the site. They’ll have to come into town or arrange for a pass for you," he said.

"What was that you were saying Uncle?" she asked sitting down next to me.

"Your uncle was telling me that I might not be able to get in. I forgot my passport," I explained.

She shook her head in annoyance.

"Can’t you call and talk to somebody Uncle? After all you’re a Chief Inspector," she suggested.

"Retired Chief Inspector. I only consult with the department now and again Brianna dear. Still, let me think about it," he muttered and turned back to the cooking.

Dinner was a wonderful lamb stew and fresh baked bread and was enhanced even more by the warmth of Uncle Alexander and Brianna’s hospitality. It had been a long time since I had felt as much a part of a family as I did that evening.

After dinner I helped Brianna wash and dry the dishes, bearing in mind Minx’s ongoing critique of my cleaning skills as Uncle Alexander sat in a chair and smoked his pipe, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Mr. Forbin, excuse me if I’m intruding but what kind of work do you do for a living?" he asked around the pipe stem.

"I normally work as a assistant to a CFO in a bank, but right now I’m on a leave of absence," I said as I dried the baking pans and handed them to Brianna.

"I see. Ever do anything else?"

I turned and looked at him with a quizzical smile.

"I’ve been a jack of all trades and master of none," I replied then decided to tell him the truth." Right now I’m on the run from the Melbourne police for drugging a kangaroo, but I was framed."

He stared at me for a moment and then laughed loudly.

"I see you’ve worked as a comedian as well," he chortled although I noticed Brianna wasn’t laughing quite as much.

"Not professionally, but there are times when all you can do is laugh," I admitted.

"Uncle, I’m going to take Mr. Forbin for a walk around the place if you don’t mind," Brianna interrupted.

He looked at her with surprise and then nodded.

"If you like dear, but be careful," he warned. "Wouldn’t want him falling in the hog wallow."

"It wouldn’t be my first time," I commented as Brianna led the way out the back door.

We hadn’t gone very far when she turned and slapped me solidly.

"What was that for?" I yelped.

"Mr. Forbin, how could you make a joke about doing that to a kangaroo?" she snapped.

"Well it wasn’t exactly a joke," I replied rubbing my face.

"If I’d had any idea you had that sick a sense of humor I would have driven over you with the truck."

"Brianna, would you please let me tell you a story? It’s a bit complicated but try and listen anyway, " I pleaded.

She sat down on a bale of hay and lit a cigarette before replying.

"Tell me," she finally said.

So I told her the story, the whole story from Dominique to her sister in Ithica to the Harmonica Virgins to the previous night on stage and the kangaroo.

She listened to the whole story without saying a word one way or the other.

"So yes I told your uncle the truth, but not the whole truth, " I finished. "Now if you want to tell your uncle I really am wanted by the authorities, you can and I won’t try and stop you. But if you do, I may never get the chance to find Dominique again," I finished.

"Has anybody ever called you obsessive?" she said putting out her cigarette.

"I can be. But it’s who and what I am Brianna. I just gave you the short version of the last few months. If I told you any more about my life, you’d have me locked up as a wacko. So I’m going to leave it in your hands; do you turn me in, or will you help me?"

She got up and walked away and stood staring at the moon silently.

I waited quietly, knowing that there was nothing more I could say that would change the situation. I had to trust that in her heart she knew I was telling the truth.

"You know there isn’t any reason I should believe you," she said finally.

I got up and joined her as she stood gazing in space.

"There is only one reason you should. That’s because I’m telling the truth," I said softly.

"I’ll help you on one condition; that after you talk to Dominique or Erato’s or whoever’s sister she is, that you’ll turn yourself in to the police in Parkes."

"Once I’ve met with Dr. Ironbender it won’t matter at all. I’ll have the information I need or I won’t," I agreed. "You can turn me in yourself. That’s fair."

"Tell me something; what is it like to love someone that much where you’d go anywhere and do anything even risk jail to find them?" she asked as we walked back towards the house.

I stopped her with a touch on the arm and looked into her eyes glittering greenly in the moonlight.

"The only example I can give you is the quest for the Holy Grail or perhaps Don Quixote’s love for Dulcenia . I have to find her if I can and when I do, tell her how I feel about her."

"And if she laughs at you?"

I shrugged.

"Unrequited love is a big part of my life. You see the woman I loved died many years ago. And the only other woman besides Erato that made me feel that way is unobtainable for a number of reasons. She loves me, but not in that way."

"You must be very lonely," she said, her voice softening in tone.

"At times. But I try and remember the good times have always outweighed the bad ones."

I slept reasonably well that night having put the prospect of jail out of my mind for the moment, but I couldn’t put the thoughts of Brianna’s eyes out of my mind. I had wanted to kiss her but was sure it wasn’t even a vaguely good idea.

The next morning I went downstairs to find Brianna making breakfast as her Uncle Alexander busied himself packing documents into his briefcase.

"Ah Mr. Forbin, good morning," he greeted warmly. "I did manage to call in an old favor or two this morning and arranged for you to be admitted into the observatory."

"I appreciate that very much Mr. Waverly. It would have been a great disappointment to have come all this way and then not be able to see Urania," I said.

"I did try and contact your friend as well to let her know you’re coming, but she wasn’t available for the telephone," he continued.

And thank the Goddess for that! I thought.

"That’s all right. I’m sure she’ll be very surprised to see me."

Brianna turned away from the stove with a wry grin as she set the platter of bacon on the table

"Of that I’m sure," she said with a glint in her eye.

After breakfast, I rode in the bed of the truck to town while Mr. Waverly sat in the cab with Brianna who had very carefully placed my backpack in the cab.

"It’s not that I don’t trust you to keep you word, but I think keeping your things with me is a pretty good guarantee that you won’t jump out of the truck on the way to town," she had said to me quietly.

"I promised I’d turn myself in and I meant it. But if it makes you feel better, go ahead," I grumbled.

"It makes me feel better," was all she said.

The ride into town was a bumpy one but a fast one, as she was apparently taking no chances I’d change my mind and bail out on the way anyhow.

"Brianna, if you drive that way normally, I’m very surprised you still have a license," Mr. Waverly complained after we arrived at the railway station.

"I’m sorry Uncle, but I didn’t want you to miss your train, and of course I still need to drive Mr. Forbin out to the observatory. I’m sure he’s anxious to see his friend," she said with a raised eyebrow in my direction.

Her uncle grumbled under his breath about careless females and then reached out and shook my hand.

"It’s been very nice meeting you Mr. Forbin. If you’re ever around this way again call on me please," he said and handed me a card.

"I can’t thank you and Brianna enough sir," I said slipping the card into a pocket. "If she hadn’t picked me up, well I have no idea where I’d be now."

He laughed and stepped onto the waiting train with a last kiss on the cheek to Brianna and a reminded to take good care of the farm while he was gone.

We waited until the train pulled out and then she slipped her arm inside of mine possessively and led me back to the truck where she pulled out a set of handcuffs and attached me to the door handle. "What’s this all about then?" I protested pulling on the cuffs.

"I’m going to call the observatory and talk to Dr. Ironbender and I don’t want you trying to leave. I suspect you could be pretty dangerous if you chose to be," she replied.

"If the circumstances were a bit different, I’d laugh, but frankly I’m a bit pissed off," I snapped.

"Mind your temper. I’ll be back in a few minutes," she said and left me.

I sat there seething at the injustice of it all until I calmed down enough to remember what I had been taught about handcuffs and how to use them. If she hadn’t closed them properly, I would be able to slip out of them.

Nice idea, but impractical. They were good police issue cuffs she must have gotten from her uncle and not something I could get out of easily. So it goes.

She returned and handed me a cup of coffee.

"Hope you like it black," she said starting the truck.

"I do, thank you very much. Now are we going to the observatory or am I going to jail?" I asked sarcastically.

She just smiled and put the truck in gear and headed North.

I just sat there sipping my coffee and trying to stay calm as we passed the city limits sign and was more or less obviously headed away from the police station

"I talked to Doctor Ironbender and told her that you wanted to see her about a family issue. She was a bit confused but she agreed to meet you anyway at the visitor center."

It took about half an hour to get to the site and the guard was a little reluctant to let me in until Brianna explained her uncle had contacted the security office earlier for clearance.

I managed to keep the handcuffs out of sight while she and the guard argued because I’m dead certain that if he’d seen them there wouldn’t be any way in hell he was going to let me in.

We finally parked next to a low concrete building marked as the visitor center and Brianna unlocked the cuffs and put them away.

"I’m not going to embarrass you with Erato’s sister. I suspect you’ll have enough to deal with anyway," she said.

One of the people from the staff pointed out Dr. Ironbender to us when we went in as we found her standing next to a display explaining pulsars.

"Dr. Ironbender? I’m Michael Forbin and this is Brain, I mean Brianna. I’d like to talk to you about your sister Erato," I said.

She turned from the display with a polite smile and shook hands with us.

"I’ve only got a few minutes before I’m due in the control room. I’m hoping to add a few more pulsars to the map with my work here," she said leading us outside to a bench.

"I’ve been doing some research on you and you’ve already done quite a bit," I assured her.

"Thank you. I understand you have some questions about my sister Erato? Is she all right?" she replied easily.

"Doctor, have you read any of the emails I sent you from California?" I asked.

She shook her head.

"I have to admit that I generally don’t bother to check my email at all. What’s this all about?"

"Doctor, I’ve fallen in love with your sister and I’m trying to find out where she is. I asked your sister Clio and got nothing except a restraining order and the impression that your family is very protective of its privacy," I explained.

She sat for a moment, the warm morning breeze stirring her blond hair and then shook her head sorrowfully.

"Erato is very much the black sheep of the family and to a certain degree an embarrassment to our parents. My parents are very proper people and her writings are less than suitable in their eyes for her talents."

She suddenly smiled.

"Of course he doesn’t care for how I’ve spent my life either," she continued cheerfully." He expected me to make my name in classical astronomy rather than this type of work. I prefer to sleep at night rather than sit in a cold observatory waiting for my turn to use the equipment."

"Do you know where she is?" I asked again.

She shook her head.

"No, if you couldn’t find her on Mount Olympus, then I’m not sure where she is. She does have a tendency to drop out of sight for months at a time."

Again the reference to Mount Olympus.

"Would you mind putting me out of my misery and telling me where Mount Olympus is? Assuming you don’t mean the one in Greece." I asked.

"Oh no. There is a Mount Olympus in Los Angeles near Griffith Park. She has a house up there."

I felt like Bugs Bunny after taking the penguin all the way to the South Pole and then finding out it belonged in Hoboken; Ooh I’m dyin’!!!

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"Oh sure," I replied weakly. "I was in Los Angeles looking for her but found the wrong girl instead. I thought the Mount Olympus address was one of her jokes. There was no street number or anything else with it."

"She’s a bit forgetful of numbers at times. How long have you been looking for her?" she said taking out a note pad and scribbling an address on it.

"Too long I suppose. I can’t believe I was that close," I swore.

Before I could take the page from her, Brianna intercepted it.

"I’ll take care of that. You’re always losing things," she said.

She looked at her watch and then back at the two of us.

"Would you like to have dinner with me tonight? I’d like to know more about how you and Erato met," she asked.

I nodded towards Brianna.

"That would depend on my keeper. She may have other plans tonight," I said.

Brianna looked at me and at Urania

"Well you do have that appointment with the police, but I’m sure you can do that later," she replied.

"Excellent. Why don’t you pick me up here about 1700 and we can go into town for dinner?"

"We’ll meet you at the main gate then about 1700," Brianna said.

"Yes," I said stumbling over the words. "I’d like that as well."

Urania shook hands with us again and then walked over to a bicycle parked nearby and rode away leaving me with Brianna.

"So I take it I’m not going to jail right away?" I asked as we walked back to the truck.

"Are you in a hurry to go?" she retorted.

"I’m just suspicious about your change of heart. Seeing as how you’ve gone out of your way to make sure I won’t leave."

" I’d like to know more about you and this woman as well. She must be very special," she replied.

"She is. She’s not quite human, but she’s special."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You’ll find out," I warned.

Urania was waiting for us when we returned a few hours later dressed in jeans and a sweater against the wind that had started to come up. The dark clouds on the horizon threatened rain and Brianna had loaned me a jacket of her uncles.

She actually hadn’t bothered with the handcuffs on the trip back to her uncle’s house and had even permitted me to take a shower in semi privacy. I say semi privacy as she insisted in sitting in the bathroom while I did and handed me a towel when I was ready to get out.

"You really think I’m going to bugger off at this point? Give it a rest," I complained.

"As long as I’ve got the address, I feel better. I know you’re not going anywhere without it," she replied smugly.

I didn’t bother to explain that I’d already memorized it as Urania was writing it down; why ruin her illusions?

As I didn’t know the town at all I let Urania and Brianna decide where to have dinner and we wound up in a little pub near the town square.

Brianna and Urania both ordered beer and I had ginger ale to the amusement of them both.

"Not a drinking man Mr. Forbin?" Urania asked.

"Not one of my habits, no. I do have other interesting ones however," I replied.

"I’m sure if you know my sister," she laughed.

"I’m in the dark here. What does your sister do that would be considered a disgrace to your family?" Brianna pressed.

I started to reply and then deferred to Urania.

"She’s a very good writer. The problem is, she writes erotica rather than serious works," Urania said raising her glass.

"I met her when she was doing research on the adult entertainment industry. My employer suggested I could be of use to her as I, well I do a little of that type of writing as well,’ I said somewhat embarrassed.

Brianna eyebrows raised sharply while Urania’s expression turned thoughtful.

"Do you now?" Brianna asked. "And what type of research were the two of you doing?"

I was a bit surprised at the sharpness of the tone in her voice.

"I happen to know a number of the clubs in my area and have good contacts in what we call the Scene. It was strictly business, until I got to know her and by then it was too late."

"She inspired you didn’t she?" Urania asked.

"If you’re asking if she lived up to her reputation, yes. She broke my writers block and a few other peoples as well."

"What did you write?" she asked.

"I have been writing a series called the Diaries of Ay’esha based on some things that have happened in my life as well a few fictional ones," I explained.

"She Who Must Be Obeyed. I can see why you and my sister got along so well. But you know that’s what she does. It’s not something to be taken personally," Urania warned.

"Are you telling me I can’t have my very own muse?" I asked.

Brianna looked at the both of us in annoyance.

"Do you mind telling me what you’re talking about so I can play too?" she said angrily

"Her sister is a muse. Like in the Greek myths. Or Olivia Newton-John in the movie Xanadu ," I explained looking Urania in the eye.

"My sister is a very talented writer in her own way and she has a tendency to bring out the best in others. There’s nothing magical about that," Urania objected.

"Okay, now I know you’re crazy," Brianna exploded. "There are no such things as muses. Or fairies or anything else like that."

The other people in the pub turned to stare at that statement and she quickly lowered her voice again.

"I should have had you locked up earlier," she hissed.

"Locked up?" Urania asked in alarm.

"It’s not what you think. I’m wanted for drugging a kangaroo. But he hit me first," I said quietly.

Urania fell off her chair laughing helplessly as the other customers in the pub stared at us.

"Here now, none of that. I’ll be calling the police if you don’t settle down over there," The barman said loudly.

"You what?" she said to me when she regained control and got back up again.

"It’s a long story," I said and explained the whole thing again while Brianna frowned.

The food was getting well cold before I wrapped up the tale to the amusement of Urania and the annoyance of Brianna.

"So that’s why she’s here and that’s why I’m here. I was coming anyway, but due to circumstances beyond my control, I got caught," I finished.

"If I’d heard that from anyone else in the world, I’d not only be calling the police, the men in the white coats as well," Urania said.

"Well, I’ve dealt with the men in black before," I said idly.

"What?"

"Nothing," I dismissed.

"And that is why he’s going to jail as soon as this meal is over," Brianna finished.

"I may not get a chance to finish," I said as I saw a police officer enter the pub and speak to the barman who pointed in our direction.

The officer came to our table and nodded politely.

"The barman says you’ve been making a bit of a disturbance," he said.

I stood up and faced him.

"That’s because I’m a dangerous man officer. I drugged a kangaroo in Melbourne last night and I’m off to poison wallabies tonight," I said sincerely.

He looked at me and then smiled.

"You’re an American aren’t you? You do have a strange sense of humor. But keep it down all right?"

"He’s telling the truth," Urania said.

"And you’re helping him are you?" the officer said.

"Well no. This young lady was going to turn him in later," she replied indicating Brianna

"For drugging a kangaroo. You’re an American as well. Well joking with the police about things like that may be acceptable in the States, but we take them seriously here."

And with that he walked out leaving us to our meal and Brianna speechless.

"The Goddess protects fools, small children and ships named Enterprise," I quoted.

"I think fool covers it very well," Urania said with a slight smile.

"And thank you for your support. Well Brianna," I said turning towards her," did you want to chase him down and turn me in?"

She threw her hands up in defeat.

"I surrender," she said and handing me the address and throwing the handcuffs on the table with a clatter.

"Teaching her a few things?" Urania said picking up the cuffs.

"She was afraid I’d leave without saying good bye," I winked.

"I think you’re both annoyingly smug," Brianna sniffed disdainfully.

It was raining heavily when we left the pub and started back towards the observatory only to be stopped by a police roadblock a few miles from town.

"Sorry Miss, " he said to Brianna, "but the road is washed out. Probably won’t be open till morning."

"I’m Doctor Ironbender. Is there any other way to the observatory? It’s very important I get there," Urania asked.

"No Miss. Sorry."

Brianna turned the truck around and started back towards town.

"Well I guess you can drop me off at the police station and drop Urania at a motel," I commented as we drove slowly through the pouring rain.

"If the rain is that bad, I won’t be able to make it home either so I guess I’ll be staying at a motel as well," Brianna replied.

"We can share the room," Urania offered.

"I hope I don’t have to share mine with anybody. I doubt the jail will be that full in a town like this but you never know," I said.

"You aren’t really going to turn yourself in to the police are you?" Urania said.

"I promised a certain young lady that if she helped me I would. And a promise is a promise."

Brianna didn’t say anything until we reached a motel near the center of town.

"Look, one more night okay? In the morning you turn yourself in," she said finally.

"Fair enough," I said.

The room was large with a set of double beds and even had a fireplace that I started to take the chill off the room.

"We’ll take the bed nearest the door and you can have the other one," Brianna said as I sat before the fire.

"Suits me. I’ll probably go to sleep right here. A fire in the fireplace reminds me of happier days," I agreed.

"Aren’t the two of you sleeping together?" Urania asked in surprise.

"We only met a couple of days ago. I’m not that kind of girl. Besides he’s not really my type," Brianna said loftily.

"Methinks she doth protest too much," Urania chortled.

"Excuse me. I have been known to sleep with young ladies, sleep being the operative term," I protested.

"Virtuous too. It’s nice to see that in a man."

The lights flickered and the noise of the rain increased sharply as the storm got worse outside

"Looks like we’re going to lose the lights at this rate. I hope you two can get ready for bed in the dark," I said.

"Nothing to get ready for. I sleep in the nude," Urania said as Brianna giggled and blushed.

"I can see why you and your sister got along. You’re both closet sluts," I joked.

"Oh, she left the closet a long time ago. I’ve been somewhat more discreet with my passions," Urania said.

"If Brianna blushes any more though she’ll pass out. I think we’d better be a little less graphic in our conversation," I suggested.

"I am not a child thank you very much," Brianna said insulted. "I’m a woman as well."

"Yes you are," Urania assured her. "And you do have an interest in him, I can tell. But he’s also interesting to me. My sister has excellent taste in men."

The room plunged into darkness as the lights failed, leaving only the fireplace to light the scene.

She down sat beside me in the firelight and then kissed me passionately to my surprise. "If the little girl doesn’t want you tonight, I’ll take you myself."

"Excuse me, but I was here first," Brianna said and sat on the other side of me.

"Then kiss him," Urania said her white teeth glowing in the firelight." Show him your passion, the fire within you."

"Now hold on there. She can make her own choices. Just because you’re a little older and wiser doesn’t give you the right to coerce her into doing something she doesn’t want to do," I objected.

"Oh shut up," Brianna snapped and kissed me. "There damn you! You got what you wanted."

"What I wanted?" I said panting after the kiss. "From that, I’d say you weren’t exactly disinterested."

The two women each wrapped their arms around me and pulled me to the floor, one beautiful woman on each side of me holding me tightly as the storm raged outside.

"I think your father is upset," I told Urania after one clap of thunder.

"Her father?" Brianna said nuzzling against my neck.

"Family joke little one," Urania said reaching over to stroke Brianna’s head.

I could almost hear the purr as Urania stroked her and marveled at how quickly the two women had discarded their rivalry in the passion of the moment.

"The question now ladies is do we sleep together here or in the bed?" I said yawning.

"The better question is are we staying dressed or being comfortable?" Urania said." I vote for naked."

She cast her vote by casting her sweater and bra across the room one handed.

Brianna only hesitated for a moment and followed suit, or birthday suit as it were and stripped completely.

I didn’t have to undress myself as Urania wasted no time in stripping my clothes off of me and then wrapped herself around me again as Brianna wrapped herself after a moment of thought around Urania.

"I’ve never slept with another woman before," she admitted shyly.

"It’s the same as sleeping with a man of course. Except you have a pillow to sleep on," she said stroking her breasts.

I nuzzled against them and relaxed, breathing in her scent as Brianna held us both, the warmth of the fire and the loving warmth of the women lulling me to sleep.

I awoke the next morning to the feeling of two warm mouths on my body and opened my eyes slightly to find Urania and Brianna running their tongues across my chest and teasing my nipples.

"You see how they react?" I heard Urania whisper. "They get very hard and aroused just like ours do."

Brianna just nodded and I felt a hand start teasing my cock.

Well that’s enough of that, I thought and opened my eyes and started to sit up only to discover that I was cuffed and tied to a table leg.

"Good morning Michael. I was showing Brianna what you can do to a man when he can’t object," Urania said with a wicked grin that reminded me of both Minx and Erato’s.

"Oh I can object all right, I just can’t stop you," I said.

"Exactly," she replied as Brianna started licking my cock startling me." I can even stop your objections."

With that she squatted on my face, covering my nose and mouth with her perfumed mound, the sweet wetness trickling into my mouth.

We had a late breakfast that felt more like the Last Supper with Brianna being very quiet.

"Would you please cheer up? It’s not like I’m going to jail forever," I finally said.

Brianna looked up from playing with her eggs in surprise.

"It’s not that at all. It’s just, well I had fun last night," she said. "I didn’t know I could enjoy being with another woman and a man."

Urania smiled and patted her hand.

"With the right two people it can be fun. But finding them is very hard. It’s been a long time since I have been with anybody as well. Men like Michael are more the exception than the rule," she said looking at me.

"Hey, all I wanted to do was sleep," I said with a wave of the hand.

"And most men wouldn’t. They’d force the issue instead of letting the woman make the choice. You are a very interesting man."

"Some people would call me stupid for passing up a chance," I replied.

"I’d call you a gentleman."

"And so would I," Brianna added.

"I’ll remember that," I said. "Can I use the bathroom before we go?"

"If you promise," Brianna started to say.

"Not to escape, I know," I finished.

"Right. Besides, your bag is still in the truck."

I stood up and leaned over her shoulder.

"Dear, there are times when a man needs to abandon his baggage to save his skin. Remember that," I said and walked away with a thoughtful Brianna staring after me.

I expected to find the both of them guarding the door when I came out of the bathroom, and was slightly disappointed when they weren’t there.

When I returned to the table Urania was scowling at Brianna.

"Problem?" I asked.

"Tell him," Urania said firmly.

Brianna hung her head and muttered something.

"Tell him, or I will," Urania said.

Brianna looked at me and then turned away.

"I called the police while you were in the bathroom. They’re on the way to get you," she said.

"Good. That saves me a walk," I said opening the newspaper I’d picked up on the way.

"You aren’t angry?" she said in surprise.

"Why? I told you I’d turn myself in. A deal is a deal," I said a police officer came into the café and walked up to our table.

"Is this the man?" he asked Brianna.

She looked at me and then nodded.

"I understand you are wanted in Melbourne on an animal cruelty charge sir. Would you come with me please?" he asked.

"Certainly, " I said standing up." Ladies, I hope to see you again sometime. Doctor thanks for your assistance. I’ll give your sister my regards when I see her."

"I won’t tell my family you’ve been here. Blessed be Michael," Urania said with a touch on my cheek

"Good luck Michael. I hope you find what you’re looking for," Brianna said and kissed me.

"What was that all about?" The policeman asked as we drove to the jail. He’d declined to put the handcuffs on me, but did lock me in the back of the car for the trip.

"Oh that. It’s a long story and I don’t think you want to hear it," I declined.

The cell I was put in was at least clean although it smelled like Lysol and I was permitted to call the American Embassy in Sydney.

Not that it did much good; the wheels of government turn slowly. Very slowly.

It was well into the next day that I had a visitor from the Embassy and she was not a happy camper at all.

"I’m Cynthia Cartwright-Jones, the legal affairs officer with the Embassy. You are aware of the charges against you Mr. Forbin?" she said briskly.

"As a matter of fact yes. I’m also innocent of the charges as well in case you’re interested," I replied.

"Your denial has been entered into the record as well as your side of the story. The information was forwarded to us from Melbourne yesterday when you were arrested," she replied opening a file folder of papers.

"I was not arrested. I turned myself in," I pointed out.

"Semantics. You were placed in custody by the authorities yesterday," she continued." The Melbourne police have offered a plea bargain. You plead guilty to the animal abuse charge and pay the fine and they will drop the flight to avoid prosecution charge."

I almost laughed at her.

"So if I plead guilty to a crime I didn’t commit, they’ll drop the charge resulting from the crime I didn’t commit. If I don’t plead guilty, how long do I have to wait before I get a trial?" I asked.

She shook her head.

"I don’t have any idea. Please remember that the English system of law applies here. You are guilty until proven innocent. I’ve asked about bail in this case but so far the magistrate is refusing to set it. You are considered a flight risk for obvious reasons.

"I’ve contacted your employers," she continued looking in the file again," the Harmonica Virgins. Ace Lightning, interesting name by the way, sent you a message. Pay the two dollars, she’ll get it back from Val later, what ever that means."

I knew what she meant. Plead guilty, pay the fine, and trust that Val would pay for it one way or the other.

The other way sounded so good after all I’d been through so far.

"All right. Set it up. I didn’t do it, but I’ll pay the fine anyway," I grumbled.

"Actually I had already made those arrangements before you agreed to them. It makes things so much tidier," she explained.

"Then why did you bother to ask?"

"Policy."

The next morning after spending another night in jail and paying the fine I got off the train in Sydney and found Ace waiting for me.

"Before you say anything I’m going to find some way to get Val to admit her responsibility in this mess," she said.

"In the mean time I have a criminal record. I swear I’m going to kick her ass when I see her," I said.

"That might be a bit of a problem," Ace advised.

"And why is that?" I said sharply.

"She went back to the States already. They canceled this leg of the tour after the kangaroo incident. I stayed behind to spend more time with Nicky."

"How’s that working out?" I asked as we walked into the station lobby

"Fine after they arrested Tandia. Remember that girl that was with Val. Her personal assistant?"

"That little oriental girl? So what?"

Ace grinned.

"Seems that Val’s little pet was sitting in the bar the next night and Tandia hit on her. The two of them went up to Val’s room and got it on. Val walked in and flipped out. Tried to tear Tandia’s tits off with her nails. To top it off when the cops got there it turns out the girl was underage. "

"And Val didn’t know?" I exploded.

"She probably did but there wasn’t any proof that Val and the chick were fucking, just Tandia and the girl. The cops busted Tandia and Val decided that enough was enough."

"And she was going to leave my ass in jail down here. You know she’s dog food when Minx hears about this."

"Maybe. Anyway, I’ve got your stuff and your ticket with me. Oh I also hit Val for about a thousand bucks for you. Combat pay," Ace explained.

"I earned it for sure this time," I said. "Anyway I got the information I needed about Erato. Turns out she lives in Los Angeles."

"So you’re going to hurry home then?" Ace asked.

I shook my head.

"I’m going to take some time to see this part of the world. Somehow knowing where to look for her makes it seem less urgent."

Ace handed me a key to a locker and shook my hand.

"Good luck," she said and walked away.

I watched her go and considered that wish. I didn’t always have good luck, some times I had bad luck or what I called sloppy luck.

But the Goddess watches over me as well as fools, small children and ships named Enterprise.

Chapter 25 Sections 1 to 6

Xanadu
Don Quixote de La Mancha
Far Above Cayuga's Waters
Garden Party
Tie Me Kangaroo Down
Waltzing Matilda