Ma‘at

Chapter 8 - Divine Providence
By Itinerant

"This is fan fiction for the Whateley Academy series. It may or may not match the timeline, characters, and continuity, but since it's fan fiction, who cares? To see the canon Whateley Stories, check out Sapphire's Place (http://www.sapphireplace.com/stories/whateley.html), Whateley Academy (http://www.crystalhall.org), or the Big Closet (http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/taxonomy/term/117)."

Special thanks to John in Wauwatosa for his providing the Caernarfon report, another pair of eyes, and general silliness. Senator Williams, Sara, and some singer named Joanie Brown are his and used with permission. Thanks also to Karen J and Scott Ramsey for their inestimable help in reading and commenting.

**********
Monday, May 14, 2007
Cairo, Egypt
4:30AM EEST

Dawn was still more than an hour away, and a light west wind chilled her as she navigated her way inside. The humidity was high enough to make it uncomfortably damp -- a clammy morning for her departure.

Dani smiled in approval at Cairo's Terminal 1 as she walked toward the ticket counters. She remembered when this had all been an American Army Air Force base -- Bayn Field, if she recalled correctly -- back in the 1940's. It had changed so very much since then, and the Egyptian's latest renovation of this lovely building, completed only four years ago, had yet to lose its luster.

The terminal was mostly clean, despite ceaseless infiltration of wind-driven dust from outside, and she didn't have much dust to remove from her own gear as she retrieved her baggage from the X-ray machine's conveyor belt. She recalled how hard it had been to find a way to protect her gear from sand during travel; more than once, an important piece of equipment had been damaged in transit by fine grit blown by Egypt's desert winds. Old mechanically tuned radios didn't react well when sand -- quite literally -- got into the gears. Her true challenge lay ahead, however, at the emigration desks that stood between her and her flight.

Ticket and boarding pass in hand, she scanned the outbound security lanes for a clue as to where she should go. Dani winced as she caught sight of a red sign with white lettering in Arabic and English that read "MCO". With a sigh, she walked over.

"Your Mutant ID and ticket, please."

A young-looking woman wearing a uniform and khimār, or head scarf, gazed coldly at Dani as she held her hand out. ~Not just a mutant, but a bare-headed foreigner it seems.~

Dani handed over her MID and waited patiently for the agent to review its content on her terminal.

"Why is there no code from your arrival ...?" Her frown deepened, and she looked up sharply. She was severely tempted to call in one of her male colleagues, but procedures were quite firm for handling females, even female mutants, in Islamic lands.

"Step into the secure room, *Doctor* O'Neill."

Dani shifted her shoulders in a vain attempt to ease her inner tension as she stepped through an open doorway. Behind her she heard a solid thump as the door, heavy and thick with shielding, closed. A strange sensation of nausea passed over her then eased a little, but she still sensed Ma'at's calming presence. ~This room is designed to render mutants powerless, and it has suppressed your innate abilities. I am still with you despite their efforts.~

"Sit there," the MCO agent commanded, pointing to a lonely straight-backed chair next to a table. Cameras were clearly visible at each corner of the room. She pulled a laptop from a cabinet and connected it to a network port. Soft key clicks ricocheted from hard, bare walls for a few minutes until, at last, the MCO agent looked up.

"This room is shielded against your mutant abilities. You will answer my questions fully and truthfully. After I am satisfied with your interview, you will be searched. If you are cooperative, you will be permitted to leave this room."

Dani nodded. ~So that’s what I felt. It feels like I have a bad case of flu.~ She was resigned to enduring the MCO's entirely legal harassment -- she was hardly happy about it, though.

The avatar was pleasantly surprised when, a few minutes later, her interrogator pronounced herself satisfied. Dani had tried to be as clear and precise in answering all question put to her; the MCO agent sounded marginally less hostile as she closed her folder.

"That concludes your interview. You will now stand in those yellow footprints and place your hands against the wall while I frisk you."

The agent was thorough and efficient. She patted Dani down, pausing for a moment to examine Dani's necklace with its delicate gold feather.

"You declared this?"

The black-haired woman nodded. "It's on my paperwork. It was a gift from a friend while I was in Memphis."

Dani was soon on her way toward her gate. She wondered if she'd misjudged the MCO. Her interviewer had been stern and inflexible in following procedures -- nothing less than what regulations demanded, but nothing more; she'd not been nasty or cruel at any time. ~Oh well. There's still one more checkpoint to pass at New York; I hope it'll go as smoothly as Cairo.~

Her flight took off on schedule, despite Cairo's heavy air traffic. Dani had managed to get a window seat, and squinted into the rising sun as Alexandria slid below and was replaced by the Mediterranean Sea.

~That city has changed so much since I was there. I wonder if I'll ever find Hypatia's grave?~

Her mood spiraled down as she recalled her losses during her long life -- both before and after her transformation. She was finally distracted when the entertainment system began replaying a concert from Hawaii; something about a Late Show salute to the start of summer from about a week ago.

She began feeling better as she listened to Joanie, the mutant singer, open with “Burning Love” -- one of the rock-era songs she could tolerate, and even enjoy. Other songs and acts followed, including the University of Hawaii's cheerleaders.

Dani felt chills run down her spine, though, as Joanie verbally ripped into the MCO and sang an equally vicious song.

~I wonder what happened to provoke her?~

All was forgiven, and forgotten, as Joanie closed her concert with a heartbreakingly beautiful rendition of “Unchained Melody.” Dani had heard it before, but now it left her sobbing. Even seventeen years hadn't healed her feeling of loss after leaving Archippe.

~I'll never forget, you, my dear one, no matter how many years I live.~

*****

So far, her trip had been uneventful. Her flight had arrived on time -- miracles still happened, it seemed -- at Paris, and she'd found her way to her gate without difficulty. Dani's composure had been rattled, though, when a battered, middle-aged man dropped into a seat nearby. His face, partially obscured by mirrored sunglasses and covered with scales that turned the sunlight into faint rainbows, showed signs of bruising. He looked vaguely lizard-like, and he flinched as he rubbed his upper right arm.

Dani had watched as people walking by -- normal humans, as far as she could tell -- reacted to the bruised mutant. Most people glanced at him briefly then quickly looked away. Others gazed with visible, savage delight. Only a few seemed to show any compassion for the injured traveler.

~I should be thankful that my appearance is entirely normal,~ she mused. A memory rose, and she started digging into her travel pack. ~I know I have some ... Yes!~

He looked up as Dani walked toward him. She could see tension in his posture, as if he were preparing for a fight. "/What do you want?/" he asked suspiciously in what was clearly native French.

She stretched out her hand and opened it to reveal packets of aspirin. "/I have some non-aspirin, too, but I thought you might need something/," she replied with an equally pure accent.

She could see his frown despite his sunglasses heavy frames. "/Why? Why would a baseline do this? Aren't you afraid of the evil mutant?/"

"/Afraid? Not really. Not all mutants are evil, any more than all baseline humans are evil. And who says I'm not a mutant?/"

He glared at her and pulled his sunglasses off, revealing golden eyes with vertical pupils. "/Rule one is that mutants don't have normal eyes, and unless you have kick-ass contacts, your eyes are normal./"

Dani looked quickly around to ensure no one was watching, and then floated the pain relievers to his hand.

"/Some of us aren't normal, even for a mutant. And, from what I've been told, mutants experience a change of eye color; they don't necessarily have inhuman eyes/."

She turned away and resumed her seat, leaving him bewildered and gaping in her wake.

Her encounter had left her uneasy, though. The man had been abused -- that much was clear. She couldn't help but wonder if it was a few isolated MCO officials, or if a widespread, unwritten policy existed to keep the evil, dangerous mutants in line through fear and intimidation.

Dani couldn't help but wonder, as her flight approached JFK, if she had been more fortunate than she'd realized in her encounter in Cairo. Even when she was patted down by her inspector, she'd been treated with care, if not respect. Her musings were interrupted by the PA system.

"Good afternoon, folks. This is Captain Steadman. We're approaching the United States and will be beginning our descent into New York in about forty-five minutes. Your flight attendants will be distributing customs forms for you to fill out before we arrive."

~How many times have I heard variations on that announcement,~ Dani wondered. She'd made this trip for so many years, and far more frequently since trans-Atlantic air travel had become affordable. She recalled trips as a child on the great passenger liners that had once plied the seas, and other trips on smaller vessels that had taken them from Alexandria to Europe.

~For once, I'm not going to miss days of travel. I have far too much to do, and the sooner I can get my personal affairs in order, the sooner I can get to writing up my findings.~

*****
JFK International Airport
Terminal 1
3:15PM EDT (2015 Cairo Time(EEST))

She'd made it through Customs without incident; her years of experience had allowed her to give the agent all critical information immediately. Now that she'd cleared that hurdle, and unlike her experience at Cairo, Dani found herself joining a line leading to the MCO's checkpoint. A number of her fellow travelers had taken pains to obscure, as best they could, their obviously non-human characteristics. Some, though, had chosen a more brazen approach. They had made no attempt to conceal what they were, and they had earned an array of fearful looks -- and a respectful distance.

~Fucking freaks! They wander around like real people, like they belong somewhere other than a zoo!~

Sergeant Hiram Genadi, MCO Security, hated and loved his job. His skin crawled every day as he was forced to talk to, and even touch, mutant after mutant as they inched their way past his station. His training taught him that he was safe from infection by contact, but he was sure he hadn't gotten the whole story. Still, he had a chance to help keep the vermin in line. At the moment, though, he was just a backup for the other officers who were processing a growing line. His six-foot, two hundred pound frame made him intimidating enough to subdue most mutants with a look.

~We'll probably have to open more lanes, soon. The airlines and airport bitch if they have to hold a plane because the freaks aren't processed fast enough.~ His train of thought was derailed by a familiar voice.

"Hey, Hiram! How's your training going for the cancer charity 10K?" his supervisor, Lieutenant Al Destin, asked.

"I'm getting there. I just jumped from two to two and a half miles this week for my training run, so I'm in good shape to be ready. The run's in eight weeks, and I'll have a couple of weeks in hand to try a 10K or two on my own." Hiram looked pleased. "I've signed up half the family as sponsors. My Aunt's illness got all our attention."

"Good. Hey, we're opening another check lane for a bit. I want you to activate Lane Four and use Room Six for your interviews." Al's mouth lost its smile at Hiram's expression. "Hiram, you know your sessions in the secure room are recorded, now. You can't abuse the mutants or you'll be fired."

"Yes, Sir!" Hiram snapped off an academy-perfect salute, its precision undercut by the surly twist to his mouth. He marched off to his lane, leaving Al gritting his teeth in frustration at his friend's vicious paranoia when it came to mutants. Al had joined the MCO in the late seventies, and he was frustrated by his newer co-worker's increasing bigotry. ~We're turning into a branch of Humanity First. I know everyone was scared by the 'Fools Fight' -- it still gives me nightmares to think of what a mutant super can do if they're at all careless -- and I agree we need to keep tabs on mutants so we don't have a repeat. I still remember stories about Champion, Miss Champion, and so many like them -- they put their lives on the line for years to protect normal people. Being careful is smart; being abusive will only cause more problems. The world *doesn't need* more evil mutants.~

Hiram logged into his lane, acknowledging his assigned interview room, and looked up at the freak show. As the system processed his login, it reallocated the waiting mutants. A computer-generated voice made its announcement. "The following mutants shall move to lane four: Danielle O'Neill,..."

~What kind of weirdo will she be, I wonder?~

His eyes widened as a slender, entirely human-looking woman took her place at his station.

"I'm Danielle O'Neill."

~God! She could mix with humans and no one would have a clue!~ Hiram felt a chill run down his spine, and it only got worse when he saw the alert flag. ~A time traveler? The freaks can time travel, too?~ He stared at her, and decided that he could save everyone a lot of grief. ~It will be too bad when this freak goes crazy during her interview; I'll have to defend myself, and she won't survive her murderous rampage.~

Dani couldn't decipher the MCO agent's face as his expression flickered from state to state; her patroness, on the other hand, came to full alert and made her own plans to defend her chosen.

Hiram waved her into the interview room, closing and securing the door behind them. Dani felt, again, the room's power dampeners take hold. He strode to his control station and activated the audio and video recorders. He grinned as the cameras came on-line, then he hit a closely held series of keystrokes.

A countdown timer appeared in a corner of his display as he began her interview.

It was a standard interview, as far as Dani could tell. He asked essentially the same questions as her Cairo interview; Sergeant Genadi seemed to be fixated on something happening on his display, though. Every couple of minutes, he'd glance at it and smirk. He seemed to relax as something changed on his terminal; his expression turned feral. All the camera power lights went dark as he stood; Dani's face paled as she saw a camera's light go out.

Hiram noticed her expression; a thin, humorless smile appeared on his face. "Alright, mutant, your interview is done. Now it's time to search you for contraband or dangerous items. Stand on those footprints on the floor and place your hands on the wall in front of you."

"I'd prefer to have a woman conduct the search, if a frisking is required. I'm not comfortable…."

Genadi's face turned vicious. "Don't argue with me! You don't have any more rights than any other mutant, and I won't expose a human woman to you! Officer safety comes before regulations as far as I'm concerned. Get in place and shut up!"

She shivered at his look, but she couldn't afford to bring the wrath of the MCO down on herself -- that would start a war that couldn't be won -- and she'd forever lose her chance to take advantage of this new life she'd been granted. Dani took her place as ordered.

Latex gloves snapped into place as Hiram moved behind his prey after locking the door. ~She looks enough like a human for this to be fun, for once.~ He didn't notice the camera's power light blink back on.

Ma'at examined the room's shielding. She could easily force her way in, though there would be consequences she didn't care for -- not only allowing Set to take more direct action, but it would call attention to her daughter; cunning was called for to rescue her child. She examined the MCO monitoring system outside the room where Dani was trapped; she forced the recording system back into operation and routed the video to several stations; they would blame it on a computer glitch, the goddess mused. Ma'at waited impatiently for the MCO agents outside the room to act.

An agent flagged Lieutenant Destin over. "Al, take a look. I don't know how I got a feed, but it looks like Hiram's gone over the line."

Hiram began with the sort of frisking Dani had seen used by movie cops over the years, but the fact it was a man, and she wasn't, made the experience awkward at best. When the MCO agent started to maul her breasts, she couldn't keep her silence.

"Hey! Stop that!"

“Shut up, freak!”

Hiram threw his weight against her, and Dani's breath whuffed out of her lungs as she was crushed between her attacker and the wall. She couldn't even scream for help as she felt one of his hands slid down her front from her breast toward her groin.

~Nooooo!~ She couldn't believe what was happening, and shock froze her in place. This was getting worse than her 'evaluation' by Snefru.

Ma'at tickled another circuit, and a shrill alarm sounded inside and outside the interview room. Al had his team gather at Room Six's door as he punched in the lock's override code.

Hiram froze as the alarm wailed. “What'd you do, bitch? If you think you can overpower the dampers, I'll put you in the hospital!” He gathered a handful of her hair and slammed her head into the wall. "Hold still or I'll make it really hurt!"

“Stop it! Leave me *alone!*” Dani gasped in pain as she struggled, fruitlessly, against the man's far greater size and strength. He turned his attention back to her, fumbling with her belt and unable to hear the soft 'click' of the door's lock.

The ancient goddess was poised as the room's opening door breached its shielding. She reached out and carefully took advantage of her opportunity.

Dani felt the MCO thug's hands slide from her as he dropped to the floor. He was screaming in pain, clutching at his right calf. She collapsed onto the floor, quivering and crying in pain and fear; someone was shouting, but she couldn't understand what they were saying. She could hardly think; she'd gone into shock.

The ready squad slammed the now unlocked door aside, weapons drawn; Lieutenant Destin scanned the room, lighting at last on Hiram as he whimpered in pain. Another agent took a seat at the monitor controls. Two squad members dragged their colleague out of the room, ignoring his protests.

Al holstered his weapon and walked to the young woman huddled and weeping on the floor. "Miss? I'm Lieutenant Destin Are you hurt?" He examined her quickly and saw a bruise on her forehead. She looked in his direction, but saw only his uniform. She whimpered and tried to scuttle away.

"Please, Ms. O'Neill, you're safe now. Can you tell me what happened?"

"H-he said he was going to f-frisk me. They did that in Cairo, but he started m-mauling my breasts...." She couldn't continue; the thought of what almost happened overwhelmed her.

Destin swore under his breath. "Miss…," he began, but he was interrupted by an abrupt 'damn!' from the agent at the control system. “Lieutenant, you'd better look at this!”

Al strode to the display, and his face turned hard as the screen blanked just as the interview ended, then the recordings, according to their time-stamps, resumed seconds after their deactivation. They showed Dani being abused and mauled by her attempted rapist.

“How did the recorder get turned off then back on?” he asked his agent.

"The log shows a time-delay shutdown from Hiram, then a second start command from Lane Four's console, but no one was there at the time."

Al shrugged. "Whatever caused it, we have good video it seems. Make sure it's backed up and the evidence form is filled out. I'll sign off later." He turned to walk back to the mutant woman. ~I *warned* him. The Brass is gonna drop him in a hole and bury him for this one. Not only did he disable the cameras, but he violated protocol by not calling in a woman when requested. Damn it! What's wrong with our training program that people like Hiram get through the psych screening?~

Dani felt cold despite a blanket wrapped around her by a medic, though she was slowly warming. ~I've never felt that helpless before. I'm too small to fight someone like that.~

~That's another reason why you need to go to Whateley, Daughter. They have courses that will teach you how to deal effectively with people like your attacker.~

~Where *were* you?~ the avatar demanded angrily.

~I was restarting their cameras and setting off an alarm, Dani. I could have acted directly -- it would take far more than their shields to keep me out -- but this way they can deal with the rot in their organization. It also means they don't fear us more than they already do. I would have stopped him if you were in mortal danger, my daughter. To have acted overtly would only make trouble for you in the future. Did you think I enjoyed watching that *thing* abusing you? For now, dear, be at peace; I am here, and you are safe.~

Lieutenant Destin knelt down beside Dani. "Are you feeling better? Is there anything I can do for you?" Her red-rimmed eyes turned to him.

"I just want to go home."

He nodded. "Ms. O'Neill…," he began.

"Doctor. I'm Doctor O'Neill. I'm a professor at Brown University, in Providence." Dani's voice still shook.

~Oh, that's just wonderful. She's probably got connections in the press, too.~ "Doctor O'Neill, I'm sorry about what happened. Your attacker has been arrested and will be charged with assault, battery, and attempted rape. We may have to call you to testify or take a deposition, if our video evidence isn't sufficient. For now, you may continue on your trip. I'll have a couple of my people, a man and a woman, escort you to your gate. We'll also make sure your flight is held so you won't miss it." He helped her to her feet, and then he turned to his subordinates.

"I want you, Jack, and you, Sheryl, to escort Doctor O'Neill to her flight out. Make sure she gets there on time, and that no one hassles her. Clear?" The two officers saluted and took their places beside Dani.

She glanced, a bit uncertain, at her designated guardians. "Thank you, Lieutenant. That's very kind of you." she said. He nodded his acknowledgement, then she turned away to exit the room; her guards trailed along behind her. Al shook his head in despair and frustration as he returned to his remaining team.

~Now I get to report this to my bosses. They'll probably try to bury it all so it doesn't get out to the public.~

She found herself moving swiftly through the terminal on an electric cart, and she made it to her gate in Terminal 2 before boarding had completed. Her hand had shaken as she handed her boarding pass to the agent, but, at last, she sagged into her seat in the little commuter jet. Her reaction was inevitable, and it was all she could do to not bawl; her tears escaped again despite her best efforts.

~Why? What have I done to deserve that?~

~I'm sorry, daughter. Unfortunately, the MCO has many people that work for it who hate and fear any mutants. Your attacker is fortunate I only gave him a leg cramp. He deserved what Snefru received, though he'll only be dealt with by his own superiors. Now you can rest, Meri-Ma'at. You are safe and will be at your family's home before long.~

*****
Providence, Rhode Island
O'Neill family home (College Hill Historical District, not far from Prospect Terrace Park)
9:15PM (4:15AM Cairo Time)

Dani handed the cabbie a generous tip, grateful for his having carried her luggage to her door. She was weary from travel and lingering stress of her MCO encounter, but she was also home. She sagged from relief as she stood at her own doorway, but as a gust of wind swirled her hair into her face -- and Dani shivered and sputtered as she tried to clear her hair from her eyes and mouth -- she wondered about her wisdom in keeping a house here.

~It's cold and windy, at times,~ she mused. She unlocked her door and pushed her way into the entry. Her father had been one of the first to build in the area, shortly before College Hill Boulevard was finished. Despite the darkness, she could call to mind the trees that lined the roadway outside. It was her family's home, built with the unique artistry of the time. ~This is my home, though, whatever the weather outside.~

She had to pause for a moment to unlock the inner door; as with many houses of its day, there was an unheated space between the porch outside and the heated area inside. It was trimmed with age-darkened wood, and a French door gave access to the house proper. Dragging her luggage behind her, she stepped inside and was assaulted by a century of memories evoked by scents from her home.

She clicked on a light and glanced quickly around the room. ~It desperately needs a good dusting, and I have a bit of unpacking to do,~ she decided, ~but that can wait. I need some sleep!~

She paused on her way up as she passed a picture of her parents, Jonathan and Margaret, hanging on a wall near the bottom of the stairway. ~What would you think, I wonder, of what happened to me, and what I've seen? I wonder, too, what you'd think of having a daughter? I suspect I'd be parked in a chair and quizzed for hours on all the details I could remember.~ She dismissed the thought and tramped up the creaking stairs to her second-floor bedroom.

She finally snuggled down in her bed and reveled in the warmth of a quilt her mother had made during what Dan and his father had called her 'Craft Period'. They'd kept their teasing to a minimum, though, as Margaret was also their field nurse -- and she'd held up a quilting needle as she sent her boys a menacing glare.

She drifted off to sleep smiling at her memory, as her dreams, at first clear, turned muddled; her recollections turned hazy and memories of Dan's life faded into recollections of life as Dani.

*****
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Providence, RI
6:00AM EDT

~You *must* be joking, Dani! You don't really intend to wear that, do you?~

Dani snickered as she pulled an old, faded, but warm robe of Dan's out of her closet. It fell nearly to the floor, and was almost large enough to wrap around her twice. ~I'm perfectly serious. The house will take time to warm up, and this is big enough to keep me toasty-warm until it does.~ The avatar decided she'd teased her patroness enough for the moment. ~I don't intend to go outside with it on, and I'll shop for something more suitable when I have a chance, okay?~

Ma'at didn't reply, though Dani sensed a sigh of resignation from her.

~I hope I have something suitable for breakfast,~ Dani thought as she padded into her kitchen after turning the thermostat up to a comfortable daytime setting. ~Now, did I leave myself some coffee?~

She dug into her chest freezer and grinned as she extracted a can of ground coffee. She also found a plastic container that, according to the label, held instant oatmeal. She set her prizes aside and began scrounging for her cooking pot and her drip coffeemaker.

~A quick cleanup and I can get things cooking.~

A full stomach, a shower, and a change of clothing made her feel almost ready to tackle her busy day.

~I need to give the house a good looking over later and probably get a cleaning service in to deal with all the dust. I'll be here for a month or so, so food shopping is on my list. I should also give Linda Brush a call; she can get started on getting my paperwork updated. I hope I can get to the office yet this morning, too.~

She walked into her office and scrounged around for a note pad.

~Wouldn't it be easier to find it, if your office was organized?~

Dani smiled at a slightly plaintive tone in Ma'at's thought. ~It's not bad, at the moment; I know pretty much where everything is. I just wanted a smaller pad that would fit in my purse. I'm still getting used to *that* notion.~

~Humph!~

A few minutes of list-making were followed by a short call to her favorite cleaning service -- tomorrow they'd come by and give her house a good cleaning -- and a longer call to her lawyer's office. Linda was available at nine o'clock, and her receptionist reserved an hour for Dani's initial discussions.

Dani also took a moment to check in with her 'kids' in Egypt. Dom's relief was audible, and he chided her for not calling when she got in, despite her arrival time. He'd called Abby and Gunther into their office and turned on a speakerphone, as soon as he'd realized who had called.

They listened attentively to her latest travelogue, until she related her encounter at JFK.

"What did you say?" Gunther roared. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Gunther," Dani said, trying to soothe her friend.

"Bull!" Abby fired back. "You might fool these boys, but *I* know better, girl."

"Abby…," the avatar began, but she was interrupted.

"What do you mean, Abby?" asked Dominic.

"I was mugged on campus, when I was walking home after a late seminar. I was a wreck for days. Dani may be suppressing her reaction, but sooner or later she'll find she isn't as okay as she thinks."

"Abby, I'll be okay. I got bumped around a bit, but that thug is in jail, now."

"Look, Dani, I know you probably feel okay right now. What I'm trying to warn you about is that it *will* catch up with you. If you won't see someone fairly soon, at least make sure you find a counselor so that when it finally hits, you'll have help."

As their conversation concluded, all three promised to track her down, wherever her new school was, and make sure Dani was really okay. They also insisted that she press charges, offering their support as character witnesses. She smiled as she hung up.

~I really love those kids, but it's getting late. I need to scoot and get my shopping done before my visit with Linda. It'll take a while to get the car to start, I suspect.~

Dom hung up his speakerphone, and sat back. "You really think she's due for problems, Norm?"

Abby nodded, her face reflecting her worry. "She's had a shock and is trying to just ignore it. I remember how hard it hit when I finally broke down."

"We can't force her to get help, any more than we could have if Dan had needed it," Gunther fretted. "She's changed physically and mentally, to a degree, but not *that* much! I have a sudden urge to take a New Hampshire vacation, when we go home." He grinned at his companions. "Anyone else interested in joining in?"

Abby fumed. "I'd like to, but I have a commitment at the University of Memphis while we're stateside. If you go, give her a hug for me?"

Resurrecting her vehicle from storage was a well-honed routine. She'd topped off the gas tank, including an additive to stabilize the fuel, to keep moisture out when she'd parked it; she'd have no issues there. On the other hand, she'd pulled out her battery and set it on a bench, where it was kept connected to a trickle charger; she needed to reinstall it. ~ This thing is heavier than it seemed before,~ she grumbled. She removed the foil from the air intake while she was under the hood, and she found it a stretch to check some of the fluids. Even with having to remove the Forester from its perch on jack stands, the whole procedure took less time than she'd feared. The engine took several tries to catch, but she was soon tooling down familiar streets.

A few minutes before her nine o'clock appointment, Dani walked into Linda Brush's office suite. She'd chosen a woman's version of what she'd normally wear to her office at Brown -- slacks, a white blouse, and a khaki field jacket. ~I am who I am.~

"May I help you?" Linda's receptionist, Gail, asked. Her tone was polite, though she clearly didn't recognize Dani -- which was no surprise.

"I have an appointment with Linda at nine, Gail. I'm Danielle O'Neill."

Gail blinked and gaped. "My goodness! Linda said you'd changed after hearing your voice, but I had no idea how much. I'll let her know you're here."

A minute or two later, Linda waved Dani toward a comfortable chair in front of her desk as she returned to her own seat.

"Well, Dani, I must say that it was an understatement when you said you'd changed. I don't think you could look less like your old self!"

Dani shrugged. "I can't disagree, but I won't complain too much. I'm young again, healthy, and have a chance to revisit at least one poor decision I made." At Linda's questioning look, the avatar continued, "About seventy years ago, I turned away from a young lady, Agnes, who tried to catch my attention. That was a mistake, and I lived the remainder of my old life essentially alone. I've been told, in no uncertain terms, that there's a lot more to life than my work; I'm not to allow my work, or my ... service, I suppose, as Ma'at's avatar, to get in the way of having a family."

"Do you mean adoption, or ...?"

The black-haired woman's cheeks flushed. "She means that I should take time to have my own children. I was too busy to really think about that, but now that I'm home, it's a prospect I have to deal with. That's for later, though. For now, I'd also appreciate it if you'd help me through all the paperwork for getting my state ID changed -- you know my driver's license, birth certificate and such. I should get that done as soon as possible."

Linda nodded. "I'll have that ready by tomorrow. We get those for transsexuals, from time to time. What do you want to do about your birth date? You'll have a hard time passing as a ninety-seven year old. Do you have any idea what your physical age is?"

"My body's about twenty, now," Dani replied. She thought for a moment then giggled. "I spent about twenty years wandering around in the past, so I've lived for almost one hundred twenty years, and now I'm too young to buy alcohol? I think, if I use my Mutant ID, I can stick with my real age of ninety-seven. I'll be damned if I'll give up my beer! I have a couple of cases of my favorite import, Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock, in my cellar, and I don't want to have some overly enthusiastic cop arrest me for underage drinking."

Linda snickered. "You never were one to take the easy way. Do you want me to start working on updates to your will and other papers for a family?"

Dani chewed gently on her lower lip for a moment. "I suppose so. It makes sense for you to be ready when it happens."

"Okay, I'll get that underway. Are you going to go back to being a full time Professor?"

"No, not for a while, if ever. I plan on going back into the field, but I also have to get trained in how to safely use my new abilities. I've contacted a school for mutants where I can get that training and also work as a part time instructor. I'll need your expertise to settle the contract and have my teaching certification updated. I also intend to spend a bit of time writing about what I experienced, and I suspect I'll be traveling a bit, too, to give presentations on what I've learned." ~… not to mention whatever Ma'at needs me to do.~

"Tell me you're not taking your old Remington with you!" Linda had long teased Dan about his love of his old manual typewriter.

"No," Dani replied, sourly. "I need to find a computer I can tolerate and that won't take too much effort to keep running. There are too many people I need to stay in contact with, and, much as I detest the things, they're easier than trying to forward postal mail to wherever I happen to be."

Linda grinned at her client's reaction. "Have you seen the new Apple laptops?"

Dani turned slightly pale. "Ah, no. Apple computers have some bad associations for me."

The lawyer smiled and shrugged. "I'm sure you'll find something. In the meantime, why don't we go through your paperwork and I'll get my staff started this afternoon."

*****
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Providence, RI
6:30AM EDT

Gretchen Anderson had watched yesterday as the old professor's garage door had opened for the first time in months. It was surprising, but good news. He'd rarely returned home this early, but when he did it was almost always due to a discovery. She recalled one early return that was unmitigated bad news. The professor's mother had been ill, but had demanded her son follow through with his annual expedition. She had passed away about this time of year, and Professor O'Neill had grieved deeply and visibly as he'd laid her to rest beside her husband.

~He's a good man. I wonder why he's home?~

Gretchen was stunned at the child who'd driven off in O'Neill's car. She'd been busy later, but was determined to intercept whoever the stranger was.

Her opportunity had come, at last, when she'd seen downstairs lights come on; Gretchen stormed over and pounded on the back door.

Dani was startled, but not really surprised after a moment of reflection, at her visitor. The Anderson's had been his neighbors for more than forty years, and had watched the O'Neill's house whenever the archaeologists went overseas.

Gretchen's white, shoulder length hair waved with her angry gesturing. "Who are you? What are you doing in Professor O'Neill's house? Where is he?"

"Hello, Mrs. Anderson. Would you care for some coffee this morning?"

The elderly woman blinked in shock at the child's sheer effrontery. "Don't try to distract me, young lady!"

"I'm not. All I'm trying to do is get you to slow down so I *can* introduce myself. I *am* Doctor O'Neill, Gretchen. It seems I'm sort-of a mutant and ..."

Dani stopped at Gretchen's look of horror.

"You stay away! Keep away from me you ... you freak!" The old woman, filled with stories from daytime tabloid talk shows about viruses infecting humans and turning them into bizarre mutants, backed away. "Stay away from my house, or I'll call the police!"

Dani heard clattering footsteps, followed by her neighbor's back door slamming. She quietly latched her own back door and went back to her kitchen to mourn a friendship lost.

*****
8:45AM EDT

~I need to get my bike set up for my new body,~ she fumed as she walked to the Egyptology Department offices. She lived close to campus, and had often as not ridden her bike the few blocks rather than drive, but Dan's bike wasn't set up for her new size. She'd chosen to walk, and was wondering if it had been a wise choice.

She hadn't noticed them, at first. Dani had been lost in thought, as she'd considered what she wanted to talk to Rudy about. She'd stopped at a light where Prospect intersected Angell when she spotted a pair of young men across the street. One had been watching traffic, and gave her a double-take. He nudged his companion, and had nodded in her direction. Dani had tried hard to ignore their stares, but, as they'd passed in the crosswalk, she'd overheard one say, "... and she's just as gorgeous from this side. Damn, what an...."

Dani felt as if she were glowing as red as a traffic signal. ~I'm reacting like a small town freshman! I've got to learn to handle this with some grace. At least it's finals week; there won't be quite so many kids out.~

Her next encounter came as she waited at Waterman. This time, as another young man made a not-so-quiet comment to his friend, she forced herself to show a small smile and continued on her way. Her heart was racing, but she'd managed to avoid looking quite so much like she was embarrassed.

She finally arrived at the office door. It was a familiar, comfortable place after so many years. A thirty-something woman, phone in hand, sat at one of two desks outside Rudy's -- Rudolf Raaflaub's -- office. A second desk, with Claire Sokolva's nameplate, stood vacant.

~Claire's not at her desk, but Anna's here. Good!~

Dani rapped gently on Claire's desktop, earning a brief glare from Anna. Dani parked her satchel and purse -- an addition she'd be some time getting used to -- on Claire's desk and propped her hip against it. She folded her arms and just watched Anna.

Anna's phone clattered back onto its base, and she finally focused her attention on the young woman who'd violated her boss's desk.

"Young lady, please remove your belongings from the office manager's desk. You may be new to this university, but your behavior is hardly appropriate." She was irked when the young lady in question merely quirked an eyebrow.

"You're correct, Anna. On the other hand, it would have been more correct for you to at least take a moment to find out who I am, and why I'm here, when I walked in."

The older-looking woman wound up for her retort, but was too surprised by the young woman's continuation.

"My name is Doctor O'Neill, and I have an appointment with Rudy about," she looked pointedly at her watch, "five minutes ago." Dani's voice carried a stern edge that left Anna abashed.

"I-I'm sorry, Doctor O'Neill. I ..."

Dani raised a hand to quell her apology. "You were busy, and I know you didn't expect me to look this way. You're good at what you do, Anna, and I remember how well you performed during your interview with the hiring committee ten years ago. You've done well at your job since; just don't ignore people who come in, okay?"

"Yes, sir ... I mean ma'am. I think?" Her exasperated confusion led to giggles from Dani, and quickly to laughter from both women. Rudy, hearing the commotion, opened his door and poked his head out. He was fairly tall, an inch or so below six feet, and his head was nearly bald with a fringe of graying hair. His face was round, but his blue eyes betrayed a sharp mind behind them.

"What's up, Anna? Have you seen Doctor O'Neill, yet?"

"You might say that," she responded dryly. Her lips twitched as she fought her giggles. Dani coughed as she fought her own battle.

"It's about time you roused yourself from your mid-morning nap, Rudy. We've been considering calling for the marching band to get your attention," Dani commented. He swiveled his head in her direction.

"Dan? I mean Dani? My word! I expected you to look different, but this is truly remarkable!"

"You should try it from this side. I've had quite an interesting time, of late, because of it."

"I'm sure. Come in! Come in! You can catch me up on what's happened in a bit more detail, and I'll spot you lunch, today."

The avatar blinked. "You're picking up the lunch tab?" She gave him a narrow look. "Who are you, and what have you done with Rudy?"

Her old friend shook his head. "Your appearance has changed, but I suppose it was too much to hope for a humor transplant."

"Keep it up and I'll sing at you!"

"Ah-ah-ah!" He wagged a remonstrative finger at her. "You do that and I'll be incapacitated. You'll have to buy your own lunch! Besides, OSHA would cite us for an unsafe work environment due to damaging noise levels."

"I never sang that loudly!"

"It doesn't take much."

Rudy chuckled as he led his changed friend into his office; they settled into chairs which they'd used for conversations for decades -- even before Dan had relinquished his post as department head and this had been his office.

Rudy looked at the young woman and smiled. "Utterly remarkable, Dani. You could have stepped off the wall of a Pharaoh's tomb. You told me, but the reality is quite amazing! So how have things gone for you since we last spoke?"

"Mostly well, Rudy. I've had my moments, though, with the Mutant Commission Office. Some of their people are a bit harsh. I've survived, though."

He nodded. "So I've heard. Can you tell me a bit more about Ma'at and just what your relationship is with her? You touched on that topic, but now that you're not making an international call, I want all the juicy details. Who is she, and what is she? What about the rest of the pantheon? Do you know if other pantheons ..."

"Whoa, there!" Dani said, chuckling and holding up her hands in a stop gesture. "One or two questions at a time! I'll start with Ma'at, herself. I know there was speculation about whether the name was for a concept, or if it was for a person embodying the concept. She's real, and is an amazingly powerful being. The rest of the pantheon seems to exist, though I've only crossed paths with Set. He seems to be Ma'at's chief adversary."

She briefly outlined her experiences, touching briefly on her giving aid to the Greek goddess, Artemis. "... so I suspect that some, if not most, of the other pantheons are also real."

"Interesting. What sort of person have you found Ma'at to be? She did put you through an awful lot, including a physical transformation, without even a 'by-your-leave.'"

Dani shrugged. "I was dying, Rudy. I know the symptoms of a heart attack, and I wouldn't have survived, given how far away from a hospital I was. True, she didn't give me a choice; on the other hand, I don't think I'd have refused her offer.

"Over the last twenty years -- twenty years for me, at least -- she's taken me places I'd only imagined. She's also become a good friend. Ma'at is certainly inflexible on some things, as you'd expect a goddess of order to be. On the other hand, she's also been unfailingly kind and loving to me; calling her my second mother isn't at all out of place."

Rudy had studied his old friend closely as she related her story and observations. In so many ways, it had been exactly like listening to Dan in phrasing, humor, and occasional acerbic comments. Dan's unwavering integrity -- she'd freely admitted to several discoveries that overturned her own long-held hypotheses -- seemed another possible reason why he'd been chosen. There were also new facets to the person before him, though. Dani's insight into interpersonal relationships and sensitivity to other's feelings was vastly improved. She'd made a point of inquiring about Rudy's family, which was historically more of an afterthought. She also seemed to be more willing to express her own feelings, which was all to the good. Her gestures and facial expressions, though there was a lot of Dan in them, were unmistakably female. Dani appeared quite content with her new form and sex.

"So, Dani, what's on your agenda now?" Rudy asked as they strolled toward a nearby restaurant for lunch. "I agree that you have a great deal of information to prepare for publication."

She nodded. "As I'd said last time, I am required to undergo training to handle my powers. I expect that to take a significant part of my next four years. I'm hoping to get into the field now and again; I want to document things such as Ma'at's temple in Memphis. You'd mentioned that you arranged for a paid sabbatical?"

"That's correct. Why?"

"Two reasons. I expect to do quite a bit of traveling, and I'll need to pay for equipment and support personnel during my investigations. The school I'm considering for training isn't cheap; I'm not poor, but having someone else pay for part of my expenses will be helpful."

The two friends settled in with their lunch, and ate quietly for a while.

"You've seen a number of places, and you've clearly left behind people who've been close to you. Who do you miss most?"

Dani looked sharply at him. "I'm not sure there's a single answer to that. Tiy, Ma'at's High Priestess in Thebes, was like a daughter to me. Iri and Hypatia were sisters, in a way."

Rudy shook his head. "Suppose you have one more chance to see someone, or could bring one person here. Who would that one person be?"

Honesty forced her reply. "Archippe. I've had others, such as Dom and the kids, who've been sons and daughters to me. I've had people over the years who've been as close as brothers, too." She quirked a smile at Rudy. "I'd never had anyone like Archippe, before. She was someone who was an equal and partner; I would have been happy to share the rest of my life with her." Her eyes welled with tears. "And it still hurts that I had to leave her. I miss her so much...."

Rudy patted her hand, as she struggled to pull her emotions back under control. "Do you truly realize how much you've changed, my friend?"

"Not really. I've been so busy I haven't really had time to think about it." She sniffed a bit, and finally felt she'd mastered herself once again.

He nodded, quite unsurprised. "How long do you plan to be in town?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. It will take time to get all my paperwork back in order, and I really want some time at home. I was going to propose heading up to the mutant school around the end of June or first of July."

Rudy sat back for a moment, clearly thinking as he sipped his water. "Would you consider a series of interdisciplinary briefings while you're here? I'm thinking of gathering various representatives together and let you present them with your observations. You could limit it to one per week to allow preparation time."

Dani nodded. "That's a very good idea! I'm sure there will be a number of investigations started, based on what I've learned."

They discussed who should be invited as they returned to Rudy's office. The two parted company: Rudy to begin his end of the paperwork, e-mails, and phone calls for Dani's changes and seminars, and Dani to sort through what had accumulated in her office during her absence.

She walked up to her door and reminisced for a moment. ~Twenty-five years since I moved all my gear here. I wasn't really ready, then, to give up my post. It was what I needed to do, though. Rudy's done a splendid job since. And now,~ she smiled brightly, ~I get to go play in the field, while *HE* gets to deal with egomaniacal professors!~

There were definite advantages to being an old fart and being a young old fart was better yet.

She unlocked her door and fumbled for a minute at the wall. Reflexes honed over decades betrayed her as she had to reach up to find a light switch. Even worse, it was an old, old push-button switch that Dan hadn't had the heart to have replaced.

~It still works,~ she grumbled, ~just like me. I still work, and I'm good enough for what needs doing.~

Facilities had installed a drop ceiling years before, and so-called 'day-glow' fluorescents lit a room she remembered as having warm incandescent bulbs hanging from a high ceiling. Bookcases lined every inch of free wall space, and her desk sat engulfed in the detritus of mail and memorabilia.

Ma'at, however, wasn't quite ready for her avatar's work environment.

~Who ransacked your office?~

Dani was bewildered by her comment and looked more closely at her surroundings. Her books were precisely where they had been for twenty years -- ever since relinquishing her professorship to become a professor emeritus. ~I suppose that should be 'emerita' now.~ Papers were stacked in the systematic piles that had been left prior to Dan's departure.

~Ma'at? Everything is just as it was before I headed to Egypt, other than mail that's come since.~

The mental voice's tone reflected the speaker's horror. ~You *must* be joking!~

~Not at all! It's entirely organized, Mother. I need to deal with my mail, and no doubt have several books to read and review, but I can *find* things in here. Don't mess with a system that works, please.~

~Daughter, I'm the Goddess of Order. This ... this...,~ Ma'at's thought stumbled to a sputtering halt.

~Do you think I'm lying?~

~No, but....~

~I know it looks chaotic to you, but I've used this system for seventy years, My Lady. If I changed it, I wouldn't be able to find anything. It would be disorderly.~

Dani sensed Ma'at's reluctant acquiescence to an uncomfortable status-quo, though she suspected there would be quiet encouragement to get organized as time passed. For now, she had mail to filter.

She'd had to spend a little time sorting out obvious junk mail. ~Why do people persist in thinking the pyramids were built by aliens?~ Her wastebasket thunked as letters and thick envelopes hit bottom. A large envelope, postmarked Dunwich, New Hampshire, was opened, its contents quickly examined, and she stowed it carefully in her satchel for later review with Linda Bush. It contained information and forms for enrollment and employment at Whateley; an enclosed cover letter indicated that a complete set of forms, as she'd requested, had been sent to her lawyer. She was immersed in reading a book review request when she heard a shoe scuff from the direction of her office doorway.

Dani rocked back in her chair, her face impassive, as her visitor spent a long minute looking her over. His whippet-thin frame was propped against her door jamb. He was only an inch or so taller than her current height, and had a thick head of dark brown hair that was trimmed in silver at his temples. Ice-blue eyes returned her gaze.

"Well?" she asked.

Jim Bell, who'd spent his career researching ancient Crete and its Minoan culture, closed her door as he made his way to a chair. "The grapevine didn't really do you justice. You look about," he paused, "twenty, at most. I did hear some interesting rumors about your itinerary. Is there any truth to the word about your having visited Crete?"

~I knew this was coming. I just hope he's not as much of an ass as I expect.~ "Yes. I lived in Knossos for a bit more than a year, starting about 2600 B.C.E."

Bell frowned. "And I suppose you're about to tell me that you confirmed your stand that Egyptians were the primary players in their rise to commercial prominence, and that my understanding of their hieroglyphics and Eteocretan was completely wrong?"

Dani smiled at him. "I'd love to say that. In fact, at least one trading group I observed had an Egyptian as a senior partner." Jim scowled, but his expression turned to shock as she continued. "Unfortunately for me, I can't say that. You had their writing and language mostly correct, and Egyptians were, at best, of secondary importance in the Minoan's development. Even their music and dance were quite distinct from Egypt's."

Jim's shocked expression turned to suspicion. "Why? You were there and could probably slant what you can prove to your own theories."

She shook her head in disappointment. "Jim, however much I disagree with you, and however little we like each other, my objective is to find the truth. Right or wrong, I want to know what really happened. Do you truly believe I'd lie just to prove you wrong?" Her head cocked in question.

He grimaced. "No, not really. You might have been an old, arrogant, self-righteous, thick-skulled, obnoxious bastard with a stubborn streak a mile wide, but you wouldn't deliberately lie."

Dani snorted in amusement. "I can feel the love in the air. Thanks, I think; I'll admit I'm not a fan of yours either. I'm hoping to organize a series of short discussions touching on places I visited. I'd like you to pull together a list of people and questions, if you would, regarding Crete and the Minoans. Plan on it for a couple of weeks from today. I'll try to fill in what gaps I can, and point out places you might find useful for excavations."

"Why aren't you planning on running the digs?"

"Jim, don't be an ass," she snarled, sending him a disgusted look. "I'm going to be busy enough as it is. I'm required to take training for my new abilities," she floated a pencil for a moment in demonstration, "which will take probably four years. I'll be doing some teaching at that school, too. I have to capture my memories for future reference, and I have enough new material about First Dynasty Egypt to keep me busy for far more than this new lifetime I've been given. I'm not an expert on Minoan Crete, or several other times and places I visited. It would be stupid, frankly, to try to do more than help those who *are* experts."

~And that is all quite apart from whatever Ma'at has in store for me to do.~

"Now," she leaned on her desk top, "are you going to help or not?"

*****
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Providence, RI
Linda Bush's Office

"Come on in, Dani! I have all the forms filled out for you. All you need to do is sign on the dotted line. You said you have your new Social Security card?" Dani nodded. "Good! I have an affidavit for you to sign and have notarized a letter stating your name change, too. It's a bit 'belt-and-suspenders', but why take chances? The closest DMV branch is Pawtucket, I think, and they close around three o'clock. You can get your car registration changed at the same time."

"Okay, that's the car taken care of. Next?"

"I reviewed Whateley's packet. Their enrollment form is pretty standard for a private boarding school, though I noticed some rather odd liability disclaimer sections. Their employment contract is also a bit different from the norm; I haven't seen any others with security clearance requirements, other than for schools directly affiliated with the military -- certainly not a high school."

Linda spent considerable time walking Dani through all the forms, procedures, and costs of remaking Dan O'Neill into Danielle O'Neill, and her mark-ups on Whateley's forms and contracts. The young-looking woman cringed at the final bill.

"Ouch! And I see this doesn't include your time for your contract review. What's the tally for that?"

Linda shrugged. "You've paid me a retainer for years. I'll charge you for contract negotiation support, if you need me. If you approve, I'll fax our version to Whateley's office. The rest of this is unusual enough that I'm enjoying it."

Dani nodded. "For today, I'll get my state paperwork done and make another call to Whateley tomorrow. Go ahead and fax them. If we can come to an agreement, I'll call you about getting my teaching certification approved for New Hampshire. Thanks again, Linda." Dani smiled warmly at her long-time friend as she stood to leave.

"Not a problem. This is what I'm here for."

Dani's trip to Pawtucket went more swiftly and smoothly than anticipated; Linda's thorough preparations had proven her worth, yet again. Getting her deed and bank accounts corrected took longer than she'd hoped, and by day's end she felt as if she was dragging herself home.

~I think I'm going to try a nice, long, hot bath,~ she thought as she pulled into her driveway. ~I'll call Whateley, tomorrow.~

*****
Friday, May 18, 2007

Gretchen Anderson had glared again, as Dani retrieved her morning paper. Yesterday, as Dani had returned home, she'd noticed a van from a local fencing company pulling away. It seemed that her neighbor was preparing to emphasize their estrangement.

~Time to call Mrs. Carson,~ the avatar sighed. ~Perhaps, if I spend some time away, Gretchen will settle down.~

Minutes later, she was deep into her conversation with Whateley's Headmistress. The two worked slowly through each of Dani's contract markups then turned their attention to the school's student regulations.

"… I didn't have any major issues with Whateley's requirements, other than your uniform code for students. I'll be splitting my time between being a student and teaching, and I'm not sure it's wise for me to wear a student uniform. I found, over my years as a college instructor, that my students were far more attentive if I didn't dress as if I were 'one of them.' As it is, my new appearance will aggravate problems along those lines."

"I think we can allow you to follow the faculty dress code. That's not quite so restrictive, and I agree that you'll need to project a more mature image under the circumstances. I’m confident you will be a good influence on the students and the faculty. We’ve bent the rules to accommodate special cases before, so it’s not like this is something new for Whateley.” Ms Carson paused.

“I have one other item that isn't usually addressed with students until they arrive on campus. We have school dances that are mandatory for students. Our intent is to help students learn social graces in a reasonably safe, controlled setting. Life in the wider world is hard enough for our graduates; this helps them fit more easily into society. I think it would be wise for you to take part as you need to learn how to socialize as a young woman. We also encourage participation in the arts -- dance, instrumental music, vocal music, painting, and the like. Do you have any hobbies you could pursue?

“My dancing skills begin and end with the 'Lindy Hop' and 'Charleston.' As far as music is concerned, the less said about my singing the better.”

“Your dancing should work fine; the 'Lindy Hop' has become more popular in the last ten years or so.” Dani stifled a groan. “You are not the first combination instructor/student we’ve had. We'll work out a suitable compromise. Your contract markups are acceptable, Dani. I've already spoken to Whateley's board, and we're well within my negotiating authority. Consider yourself accepted for the Fall term as an instructor and as a student. I'll sign the documents for Whateley and fax them to your lawyer, if that's acceptable."

Dani relaxed a bit. "Excellent! That leaves my class schedule. You've selected Powers Theory 1 and its lab, Costume 1, Basic Martial Arts, Mutant History 1, and Mutant Legal Issues 1. You have me teaching Honors Arabic and Greek, I'm listed as a substitute for several other language and history classes, plus I see a mention of a Special Topics in History course?"

"Correct. You obviously don't need to take a regular high school course load, but you do need the mutant specific courses. I saw no reason not to use your linguistic skills, and the 'Special Topics' course is a placeholder for whatever you decide is appropriate for a monthly class."

Dani nodded -- uselessly, as it was a phone call. "I think I can agree to that. I can have a syllabus and preliminary handouts for your approval before mid-August."

"That will do nicely. I think our last topic is housing?" Elizabeth replied.

"Yes. Were you able to winnow the field for me?"

"We contacted those local realtors we've found competent and helpful. I'll fax the information they've provided on several possibilities. I'd recommend that you start by contacting one of our staff members.

"She rebuilt a nearby farmhouse as a rental property and a barn on the same property as her own home. It's within walking distance, weather permitting. The house has been super-insulated, has an insulated, attached garage that can be heated and a new heating and air conditioning plant; you should be very comfortable, no matter how cold our winter may be. She'll be out of town until July, but several people at Whateley are authorized to show you around. Ummmm…."

Elizabeth's tone had turned uncertain. "Is there a problem, Mrs. Carson?"

"No. Not really. I just had a thought. Do you like cats? You're not allergic or anything, are you?"

Dani sighed. ~Great. Another cryptic cat question.~ "No, I'm not allergic. Cats are fine. Why?"

"We can talk about it when you get here. It's just a …" Elizabeth paused again. "It's nothing bad, just unique. If you have any more questions, feel free to call."

"Thank you, Mrs. Carson, I will. Goodbye."

~NOW what?~ Dani fumed as she hung up her phone. ~What is this fixation everyone has with *cats*??~

Ma'at snickered in her mind.

~Oh *hush*!~

*****
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Providence, RI
Brown University
Wilbour Hall
8:25AM EDT

Rudy Raaflaub paused just outside the door. It appeared that this first presentation had garnered a decent cross-section of departments that dealt with Ancient Egypt. An even dozen professors from almost as many departments clogged the Wilbour Hall conference room. Some of the occupants, he knew, had known Dan O'Neill for their entire career. Others had come as word of Dan's extraordinary change, and supposed travels, had circulated through the university community. A soft buzz from quiet conversations faded as Rudy walked in.

"Rudy!" Sue Allen, from the Sociology Department, called. "What's with the kitchen gear?"

A slow cooker occupied a corner of a table to one side of the room. Beside it were a cooler and basket.

Rudy shrugged. "I really don't know. Professor O'Neill declined to answer when I asked. She said it was a surprise, and appropriate for her topic."

Before he could continue, Dani walked in with a double armload of handouts. Her appearance elicited a burst of whispering from the attendees who hadn't seen her before. She'd dressed very carefully, determined to look as adult as her body permitted. She'd chosen a navy skirt-suit and white blouse; her hair was confined by a clasp in back. She had, as usual, forgone more than minimal cosmetics. Abby's efforts had instilled a basic understanding of makeup, but Dani still wasn't in the habit of putting it on. She'd only been back for two months; it would take time to learn all she needed to know.

She took her place at the lectern, adjusted its microphone, and only then scanned her audience.

~About the number, and who, I'd expected.~

She smiled broadly as she began. "Good morning, everyone. I appreciate your coming. I was, before mid-March, Dan O'Neill. My name is now Danielle O'Neill; I will answer to Dani. This discussion group was arranged so I might share information gathered as a result of events following my physical change. Today, I will focus on my time in Ancient Memphis, though I won't dwell on how I arrived there. On that topic I will say only this: I was taken there by an entity who identified herself as Ma'at, the Egyptian goddess of truth, justice, and order. I must ask you to take that as a given. That discussion would consume more time than we have.

"That said, it's very good to see some of you again: Sue Allen," Dani nodded at the other woman, "Ev Kriz, and Engin. I think I have some information you'll find a useful starting point for more investigations, things even more interesting than I've dropped on you in the past.

"Now then, I'm going to start off by quickly describing my year and a half in Memphis; I ask you not to interrupt during that time. Once that's done, I'll try to cover people, places, and events in more detail; feel free to ask any questions you wish at that point. Does anyone have any quick questions before I start?" She waited for a few seconds. "Good enough, then.

"I'd blacked out just north of Tura, on the Nile's west bank. When I came to, I looked like this," she waved at herself, "though in clothing more suited to five thousand years in the past. I had no idea what had happened, so I began walking south…."

She related an abbreviated version of her first adventure -- Nebka's reaction to Dani's singing caused snickers from her audience -- until she came to her departure. She had prepared sketches and colored drawings of some buildings and people to provide more context.

"… and I've prepared a reasonable approximation of my final meal there, for those who're interested. Now then, who'd like to start on questions?"

Amy Olyan, who was a professor in Religious Studies, raised a hand.

"Professor O'Neill, you stated that you resided for a time in a 'Temple of Ma'at'. No one has found any trace of such a temple other than at Karnak; even that temple dates back to Amenhotep III and the fourteenth century BCE -- seventeen hundred years later than your claim. Do you have any evidence to back your assertion?"

Dani nodded. "Yes, I do. It's only preliminary data based on a ground penetrating RADAR survey, but it corroborates both my street and building layouts. I am pursuing grants to fund a project that will add physical evidence to my verbal and electronic data. I had Doctor Monaghan, Doctor Schuller, and Doctor DuMont review my methodology, equipment, and results. They agree that my GPR data corresponds to my earlier verbal description of Memphis' street pattern of 3000 B.C.E. and the temple's layout."

A series of slides followed, each carefully prepared to build Dani's case in a logical fashion. Arguments and counter-arguments were raised, beaten down, revised, and resurrected regarding long held, long unchallenged beliefs.

She finally called for a lunch break at noon. "Folks, I'm getting tired and hungry. I should have enough food for everyone to have a decent lunch. Let's take an hour break, then we can resume around one o'clock."

As expected, she spent quite a bit of time over lunch talking about her chosen menu. "I chose these foods deliberately, as it is a typical meal for Egyptians of that time. I didn't include beer, due to university rules; I haven't been able to find a source of anything close to the real stuff, either."

~It isn't Iri's stew; I'm going to reserve that for special occasions.~

As her afternoon session began, Dani called on Amy Olyan, again.

"Professor O'Neill, you mentioned you were transported to Memphis by Ma'at. You haven't mentioned any interactions with other 'entities' during your stay. Do you know if any other so-called Egyptian gods or goddesses were present?"

"I heard nothing during my time in Memphis, Amy. I know a Temple of Ptah was active within the city, but I had no contact with anyone calling themselves by that name."

Steve Hollos, an anthropologist, piped up. "I notice you said you 'heard nothing during your time in Memphis.' I take that to mean you heard something later in your travels?"

Dani shrugged. "Yes, I did. I plan to cover that in later meetings. There are too many side issues that will come up to cover it now. Suffice it to say I encountered evidence of another member of the Egyptian pantheon, and a member of a different pantheon as well." She grinned at her audience. "I have to have something to attract people to my later presentations."

By the end of her day, Dani had touched on what she'd seen of art, architecture, social organization, farming, fishing, religion … a myriad of topics that began to clarify a world long vanished.

"As I have time, I will be documenting my travels in somewhat more detail; if you have more questions, you have my contact information. For anyone who's interested, I'll be holding a similar briefing next week. My topic will be Knossos and the Minoans in 2600 B. C. E. Thank you all for coming."

Dani was tired after her long day, but she was reasonably close to the Ratty -- mundanely known as the Sharpe Refectory -- where she could get a decent cup of tea before heading home. She slid into a checkout line, considering how her presentation had gone and changes she should make, when a young male voice spoke from behind her.

“Excuse me, miss. Are you new on campus?”

She froze, then turned to see a young man who was perhaps half-a-head taller. His red hair was fairly short, and he had eyes that were the color of spring leaves.

“P-pardon?” She fought back against an urge to bolt; she didn't think she was in immediate danger. Her experiences with men had taught her to be very cautious.

He smiled. “I wondered if you're new on campus. Are you a foreign student?”

“No,” she replied, “I'm actually an American.” She slid her mug forward and dug into her purse to pay for her tea.

“Allow me,” he said, as he paid the cashier for both drinks.

Dani was too flustered to stop him, and stammered out her thanks.

“My pleasure. My name is Aiden, Aiden Collins.”

“I'm Dani ... D-danielle O'Neill,” she stuttered.

Aiden's eyes widened, and he tilted his head. “Um, your name sounds Irish, but you look Middle Eastern.”

Dani shook herself and managed a smile. “My mother is from Egypt, and I was born there.” She didn't know you could feel a smile, but Ma'at's pleasure at Dani's claim of kinship was plain. ~Thank you, my daughter.~

Aiden nodded. “Ah! That makes sense.” He started to say something else, but Dani interrupted.

“Aiden, I appreciate your generosity in paying for my tea. I do have a lot of work to do for a seminar next week, and need to get going; I don't want to be up 'til midnight every night for a week getting it finished.”

The redhead's face fell. ~I was hoping she'd have time to chat.~ “Well ... are you going to the campus dance Friday night?”

Dani felt her face warm, and she chewed at her lower lip. She felt a slight urge to take advantage of his invitation to get experience at socializing, but she had so much to do; she also didn't know him at all. He was a nice kid, though, so she smiled at him, reached out and patted his arm. “I'm sorry, Aiden, but I have seminars for the next several weeks that I have to be ready for. It was sweet of you to ask. Another time, perhaps?”

The boy was visibly disappointed, but he managed a slight smile. “I really hope so.”

The next seminar, on Tuesday, had only two more people show up for her presentation on Knossos. Jim Bell had had a long list of questions he wanted answered about the Minoans. She had promised to write down everything she could remember about their writing system and Eteocretan, their language, their voyages, cargos, navigation methods, diet, …

"Jim!" Dani chuckled. "I told you I'd document everything as best I can. I'll take your list of questions and answer them when I have a chance."

He'd given her a look akin to a starving man locked out of a banquet.

Dani's audience was tense, today. Dan O'Neill and Jim Bell had been clashing, often viciously, over the Minoan commercial empire's roots and rise. Dan's return from Egypt as a female mutant, and rumors of her time-traveling, had everyone waiting eagerly for her presentation.

Two professors whispered to each other as they awaited Dani's arrival.

"Did you notice that first aid kit?"

Her colleague nodded. "I saw Rudy put it there. I think he's anticipating a blood-letting when O'Neill crows about her new evidence proving her assertions. Bell's been fighting for thirty years to prove Dan wrong; he won't go quietly."

Both glanced at the object of their comments. Jim Bell sat, stone-faced, staring at the lectern.

"Ohhhh, boy! This is going to get ugly."

Dani, again dressed in business formal wear, took her place and shuffled her notes for a moment.

"Welcome to today's presentation on ancient Minoan Crete. As was done last week, I'll be taking time to describe my time in Knossos before taking any questions and opening up the floor for discussion …"

"… and, no doubt, gloating," Jim Bell injected with a growl. Several people chuckled, and a few frowned at his hostility.

Dani quirked an eyebrow. "We'll have to see, won't we? Now then, I arrived at Knossos in approximately 2600 B.C.E…."

As before, she quickly related the story of her time in Minoan Crete. She touched lightly on who she had met, and what life was like in that society.

"Now," Dani continued, "before I take any questions, I have one more thing to say before going into detail. I was, in general, wrong; Jim Bell was correct. Minoan society developed almost entirely apart from Egyptian influence, other than trade. Their language, music, and writing were uniquely their own." She turned to Jim Bell. "I was wrong, Doctor Bell."

Whispers filtered their way to her ears. "That can't be O'Neill, he'd never …" "She said she was there, though." "What if she's right?" "How…?"

Dani's amplified voice rode over their buzz of conversation. "Well, Professor Bell, is that sufficient?"

Everyone's eyes turned to O'Neill's long-time academic adversary; he wasn't quite smiling, but his frown had disappeared. "Yes, Doctor O'Neill. I couldn't quite believe you'd do it, but I underestimated you. For that, I beg your pardon."

The avatar inclined her head slightly. "Gladly granted." She looked over her half-stunned audience. "What? You didn't think I'd refuse to admit when I was wrong, did you! Let's get started on the rest of my presentation, shall we?"

Dani wasn't certain, but it seemed her audience was too stunned by what had happened between the two old foes to focus on her information -- for a time, at least.

Her third week's topic had drawn a larger group -- eighteen professors and instructors -- for her discussion of her time with the steppe nomads. A slightly different mix of departments was also present; her colleagues from Egyptology were replaced by Ancient Greek experts.

For once she didn't provoke a storm of re-evaluations. Dani's time with the steppe nomads served to confirm, rather than overturn, long held understandings. She'd been proud of herself, that day. She managed to get through everything without breaking down even once. She'd finally gotten her bike adjusted for her new form, and had spent time riding aimlessly around her neighborhood -- trying to wear herself out enough to sleep despite her painful memories. For all her years of time-travelling, she still shied away from thinking about her relationship with Archippe. She'd felt uncomfortable, at first, accepting she was attracted to another woman, despite her near-century as a man. It had been harder still to realize how dear Archippe had become in less than a year -- a part of Dani's heart and soul. It was far too painful, though she'd admitted her feelings to Rudy, to dwell on the Archippe-shaped wound in her heart. Filling that place would help, but how could she survive another loss like it?

Week four was even better attended. Twenty four attendees jammed every available seat, and some were left standing at the rear of the room; Hatshepsut was too well known, and Egypt's power had been too great during her time, for this opportunity to hear an eyewitness to pass without taking full advantage..

~I think I'd better find a larger room before next week!~

*****
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Providence, RI
Brown University
8:00AM EDT

Almost forty of her fellows packed her new, larger room. Word had spread about her final topic, Alexandria in the time of Hypatia, drawing Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and religion experts curious about the city, and most of all about its famous Library.

She could have spent a week on her topic, but she finally called a halt at six o'clock in the evening. She was, once again, emotionally drained after relating her last day in Alexandria … and Hypatia's gruesome end.

"Thank you, everyone, for your interest and questions. I promise to write down what I experienced, and I'm happy to answer questions you send. Have a good evening."

*****
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Providence, RI
Brown University
Dani's Office

"Hello? This is Doctor O'Neill."

"Doctor O'Neill? Doctor Danielle O'Neill? My name is Mark Bernstein at the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section. I'm calling to confirm the schedule for taking a deposition from you regarding the incident at JFK on May fourteenth. I mailed a subpoena to you with the time and place."

Dani frowned. "Yes, you scheduled it for next Wednesday, June twenty-seventh, at nine o'clock, if I recall correctly, at the Boston FBI office."

"That's correct, Doctor O'Neill. We'll see you then."

"I'll be there."

"Thank you, ma'am."

*****
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Boston, Massachusetts
FBI Boston Field Office

"… This deposition is being taken on June twenty-first, two thousand seven in the offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office, One Center Plaza, Suite six hundred, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108, before Special Agents James Gleeson and Noreen Trainor, and Mark Bernstein from the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section.

Agent Trainor looked at Dani. "Now, Doctor O'Neill, I have a few preliminary questions. For the record, please state your full name and address."

The agents and attorney quizzed Dani carefully about her assault at JFK Airport, though they began their questioning from her arrival at Cairo's airport.

"… and after your aircraft took off from Paris, what happened next?" Bernstien asked.

"Nothing, until we arrived at New York. My flight was about on time and uneventful. I didn't have any problems at Customs. Everything was fine until I got to the Mutant Commission Office checkpoint. They had three lanes open, and the lines were growing longer with all the mutants that had arrived. I was scanned in, and shortly after, a fourth lane was opened."

She told her tale, yet again, and couldn't manage to control her tears as she recounted her ordeal.

"Did you do anything to resist his frisking?"

"No!" she insisted. "I just asked for a woman instead of a man."

"Did you use, or attempt to use, your mutant abilities against Sergeant Genadi?" "No!"

"Did you have anything to do with the cameras being turned off or on?" "No!"

Finally, her interrogation was complete. She shook from emotional stress, and she started when Agent Gleeson put a cold glass of water on the table in front of her.

"I'm sorry, Doctor O'Neill. I know our questions seemed harsh, but it was essential to be as objective and thorough as possible. I have to warn you that you'll probably be required to testify, should this case go to trial."

Dani nodded. "I understand, Agent. Are we done?"

"Yes. Thank you again for your time."

*****
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Providence, RI
5:30AM EDT

Dani had awakened early, even by her standards; the sun was hidden behind rainclouds that had drenched her city last night, and the moon, just past full, was settling west between scudding clouds. She had had a restless night; about one-thirty she'd stirred to rain pounding on her roof.

~I'm excited about this,~ she decided. ~A new school, with new students, and so much work to look forward to!~

She had figured about five hours for her trip to Berlin, New Hampshire. She'd call Mrs. Carson from there so she'd be expected. ~I can have lunch before I go to Whateley, or I can have something there.~

Despite her excitement, she had prepared for her trip as carefully as for any expedition. This was all new to her. Dani had been a student, then a teacher for decades. Now her life had a new, at present unguessible, purpose as Ma'at's avatar.

~I wonder if I'll be doing something similar to what I did during my time-travelling, or if something utterly different is ahead.~

One day, too, she would have a child of her own body. Ma'at wouldn't permit her to repeat the mistakes she’d made as Dan. Someday she would be a spouse -- would she wed a man, or a woman? -- and mother, Ma’at had all but commanded it be so. That much Dani knew, but beyond that, her life was a mystery.

With no idea how long she'd be away, nor any idea when she'd be able to return home, she prepared as she would for a six-month excursion. Breakfast -- coffee and oatmeal, again -- was quickly consumed and her dishes dried and put away. She'd put a stop on her mail, and fortunately she had found her other neighbor, Bill Ritterhof, was still friendly. He'd volunteered to keep an eye on her house.

"I don't understand why Gretchen is so upset. You really haven't changed who you are, other than being far younger and delightfully female. I have to admit that if I were twenty, I'd be chasing you myself!"

Dani snickered. "Behave, Bill, or I'll tell Clarissa!"

“Spoil sport!” He grinned at her, unconcerned. Dan and the Ritterhofs had spent many quiet summer evenings enjoying steamed clams, or something off their barbeque grills. Bill and Clarissa had been surprised by Dan's new look, but had listened to her story and accepted their made-over neighbor. Dani was grateful for at least one person who exemplified what a neighbor should be.

She stirred from her reverie and walked into her study. There on her desk, near her radio, sat her newest burden in life. She glared sourly at the machine as she settled into her desk chair.

~All these years, and I wind up with another Apple computer -- a laptop this time. I'm not letting Dom and Gunther anywhere near it, this time!~

Finally she tuned her satellite radio to pick up the BBC channel. Dani had resented the demise of North American shortwave broadcasting, but at least she still had a means of following a less parochial news program. As she settled into her chair, she pondered the info shed received from the realtors and Ms Carson. They had been thorough and provided data on building type, square footage, cost and so on, photos included.

~The bungalow in Berlin sounds nice, though the commute is longer than I might wish. The Berlin apartments both sound too small. There is the storefront with its over head apartment in Dunwich. Lots of space, closer to Whateley than Berlin but it sounds expensive and the opportunities for shopping locally are limited. Most of the stores are in Berlin or Gorham. I can't help but wonder if the Dunwich flat is an old building. I might get into a place that needs too much rehab. The farmhouse near Whateley is definitely spacious and up to date. Ms Carson assures me I will get a sweetheart deal from the owner ‘Or else,’ according to her attached note. I wonder what Carson has on her? It could be fun to rent from a fellow mutant, I suppose, and I will need some help navigating Whateley at first. We’ll see; for all I know, she’s a raving lunatic that will pester me day and night and probably hates music. Well, I can always sing if I must.~

She'd been reviewing her notes when Dani's radio drew her full attention.

“This is the BBC World Service beginning live coverage of an attempted terrorist attack upon the opening ceremonies of the new independent Welsh Parliament.”

“What!” Dani exclaimed as she stood up, almost sending her chair into the wall behind her.

“We have official confirmation that the Prince of Wales, Crown Princes Harry and William, and the PM are all alive and uninjured. We do not have official word yet on any casualties among the many VIP guests though preliminary reports are favorable. The death toll among the civilian crowd and among the security forces is unknown at this time. We turn now to Peter Alderson, live from the scene at Caenarfon Castle.”

“Peter Alderson, here in Caenarfon. What started out as a fine, but cool day was nearly turned into a bloodbath by as yet unidentified terrorists. Only the actions of the Welsh police and elite members of the SAS prevented a major loss of lives. I repeat our earlier statement: The Prince of Wales, the Crown Princes and the PM are all safe and well. It is believed, though not confirmed, that most of the national and international VIPs present escaped uninjured. The commander of the SAS forces present is about to speak to the press; please standby.”

“I’m Colonel Michael Spence. I have a statement to make and then I will answer some questions. Keep in mind this is very early in the investigation of this attack and any release of privileged information could compromise inquires. First, I can say the situation is fully under control, and no further attacks are anticipated. The entire region is under a heavy security quarantine so you can all rest assured of your safety.

“At approximately twelve fifty-five PM local time, the opening ceremonies of the Welsh Parliament were interrupted by a coordinated attack by members of one or more terrorist organizations. Assembled security forces, comprised of the local constabulary, elite counter terrorism forces -- including two of the United Kingdom’s Special Mutant Unit -- and members of the SAS reacted immediately without regard to their personal safety.

“Those of you who were not present at the ceremony have seen the video of the attack, either live or in replay, so I will not go into detail at this time. The performance of these forces and of my fellow SAS under the extraordinary circumstances overwhelms my ability to give adequate praise. I regret to inform you that several of these brave men and women have died; others are in grave condition and being treated. As my final statement, I wish to commend Ms Joan Brown, a lieutenant in the United States Army National Guard, here not in a military capacity but in the role of an entertainer to sing for our pleasure. Though Ms Brown was not a member of the SAS, she proved herself the equal to our valiant men and women. Her condition at this time is unknown, but I assure you she is receiving the best of care as are the other brave men and women who fell saving lives.”

Dani listened intently as the SAS officer answered questions. ~~Her? … No!~~

“The Prime Minister and the members of the Royal Family are uninjured?”

“Other than scrapes and bruises from their harrowing evacuation, yes. We have confirmation from 10 Downing and Buckingham Palace. I am official informed the Emperor of Japan is alive and well as are the French and Russian Presidents and Lord Paramount of Wallachia. The full list of dead and injured will be posted after their families are notified but I can assure you none of the invited dignitaries died or was seriously injured. They owe their lives to the security forces present."

“What is the condition of Charlotte Church?”

“She is understandably distressed by what happened, but quick thinking by fellow singer, Ms Brown, resulted in her escaping uninjured. She and her unborn child are both fine.”

~Wait a minute!~ Dani thought. ~It must be her.~

“Is there evidence of inside help in the assault? We saw in the video an aide to the PM shooting at members of the SAS and Ms Brown moments before she collapsed near the end of the fighting.”

“I cannot comment at this time, other than to say that the individual you saw on camera was killed by the SAS. Who or what this person worked for, I cannot say.

“There will be no further questions at this time. Another briefing will be held later.”

A recap of the attack was given, and it was almost enough to make Dani turn off her radio; it reminded her too much of her recent assault. She was thankful she was not a fan of television; it was bad enough simply hearing about the carnage but to see it in high definition…. Next various political pundits, ranging from a political reporters, a former NATO commander, to an ex-PM gave their views on what had happened, what it might mean to the World situation and to Great Britain in particular. The consensus was the attack’s purpose was destabilizing the status quo, maybe even triggering a war. More details came out of the attack and Dani felt sickened by senselessness loss of life.

“This is the BBC World Service continuing our coverage of today’s terrorist attack in Wales. Buckingham Palace has announced the cancellation of all public appearances by members of the Royal family until future notice. The Palace’s normally ceremonially dressed Horse Guard are patrolling armed and in combat uniform. Armored vehicles, including tanks, have replaced the immaculately groomed horses the Guard is famous for. All possible access points to the Palace are barricaded as a precaution.

All airports in Great Britain are closed to commercial and civil aviation, both domestic and international, until the state of emergency is known. The only exceptions are diplomatic, emergency medical and the military. The government has further banned all flights over Wales including news helicopters.”

“We return to our BBC Cardiff Studios for a news bulletin. Unidentified sources announced moments ago that American singer Joanie died while in route to hospital, after being wounded during the terrorist attack at Caernarfon Castle. All attempts to revive her failed. We repeat this is an unconfirmed report, but American singer Joanie appears to have died from wounds suffered while saving lives during the terrorist attack at Caenarfon castle today. This is the BBC World Service.”

“Repeating the big headline of today, terrorists …”

Dani muted her radio; the news was too depressing.

~Abby will be terribly upset. She was fond of Joanie; I think as much for her heroism and caring as for her singing. At least Joanie died in spectacular fashion, saving lives; it’s like something out of a sci-fi novel or a spy thriller. I wish I had met her; there was clearly more to that young girl than the ditzy blonde she presented in public. I should call Abby and give her my condolences.~ She paused, as she heard a chuckle from the back of her mind.

~Ma’at, why are you laughing? I don't see anything funny about this.~

~Turn your radio back on, dear.~

~and be careful what you wish for,~ Ma’at thought to herself.

Dani gasped as she heard a somewhat familiar, angry voice. “… my wife, Sara, a prominent expert on mutants and Joanie’s personal physician, is attending to her as we speak. I am assured she will recover fully. Though she will be mad at me for saying it first, reports of Joanie’s death are greatly exaggerated -- sorry about paraphrasing Mark Twain before you could, my dear friend...

“I am … very disappointed that the press, in their rush to be first, announced her death without bothering to confirm it. I had to spend time moments ago assuring my family that their dear friend was alive and would recover fully. This irresponsible reporting caused people I love, and her many fans world-wide, great distress. Appropriate action will be taken to determine what happened and to punish those responsible; you have my word on it. Thank you.”

Peter Alderson resumed his commentary. “That was a live statement by American Senator Joseph Williams of Iowa, who was present with his wife at the Caenarfon Castle ceremony. He just announced that, contrary to earlier reports, American singer Joanie Brown is alive and expected to recover fully from injuries sustained aiding counter terrorist forces during the assault on the Welsh Parliament opening ceremony today. The Senator began his statement by reminding those present that his granddaughter, Melissa, was the child Ms Brown saved in the act of heroism that catapulted her into prominence last September…” Dani switched her radio off.

~Abby will be happy; I hope she only heard Senator William's report.~ She considered her time travels and asked, ~Was Set responsible for this attack, Mother? With so many dignitaries present from around the world, it would have been an ideal time to spread chaos.~

Dani felt warmth envelop her, like an otherworldly hug. ~Thank you, my daughter. Set was not involved directly, but I sense his machinations on the fringes of this tragedy. This is why you are needed, Dani. The forces of darkness are always pushing, and we need to be ready. For now, that is not your concern; enjoy your day and relax. You have busy days ahead.~

~Thank you. It’s time I was off on my errands. Oh look, the Ritterhof's cat is out hunting wild birds again. I’ll scoot it home for them, then get on my way.~

~Good, so you do like cats.~

~I told you before I do. Did your sister Bast ask you?~ Dani joked.

~No.~

~Care to talk about it?~

~No.~

Dani sighed in exasperation. She knew her patroness was up to something -- a practical joke, no doubt. She could only wait for it to be sprung, though, and take it with good grace.

She'd have been far more concerned, if she'd been able to overhear a conversation taking place on another plane of existence.

~Should I tell her, dear sister?~

~No, Dani will find out soon enough. Our daughters will be pleasantly surprised, I think.~

The two goddesses laughed softly at what lay ahead for the young woman.

Dani, with her Forester freshly serviced, washed, and fueled, loaded her gear. All that would remain for tomorrow was her laptop, toiletries, laundry bag, and satchel.

She had completed her preparations far earlier than she'd allowed for. Now she had little left to do, and much too much time to do it in. She wandered around for a few minutes before deciding to sit and work on ideas for her 'Special Topics' class at Whateley. She'd just settled in when she heard a knock at her door.

~Knocking? Not my doorbell?~

She walked to her front door and found Rudy, Anna, and Claire standing in her vestibule. She opened her door wide and waved her friends, burdened with bags and towel-covered boxes, into her home.

"Rudy? Anna? Claire? I'm pleased to see you all, but what brings you here?"

Anna responded for them. "We know you're leaving tomorrow, and we also figured you'd be sitting alone at home, working at something. We brought food, snacks, and drinks for a little going-away party. Where can we put this stuff?"

Dani led her friends into her kitchen and hugged each one as their arms were emptied.

"Thank you, all of you. I know I never told any of you how much you meant to me before, but I have a chance to rectify that omission. You're dear friends that I hope to learn to know even better, now."

Their impromptu party lasted late into the evening, as they enjoyed each other’s company one last time. They cleaned up before they left, even putting the trash out in the cart for pickup, then said their good-byes.

“It’s not that far from Brown to Whateley. Let us know when you’re up to visitors and we’ll come out. I’ll bring my homemade clam chowder -- Mama’s old recipe.” Anna smiled.

“So you’re not above bribery?”

“Not if it works.” Anna grinned as snickers and giggles bubbled from her friends.

“Dani," Claire said, her voice turning serious, "I know you and how focused you get when something excites you. We expect to hear from you regularly and you call when you arrive at that mysterious mutant school of yours.”

“As Claire said," Rudy said, "you call us. I’m not too old to put you over my lap, young lady! I expect to hear from you when you arrive, or I swear I’ll give you a sound spanking.”

“No! I’ll be good … Mommy and Daddy!” Dani just managed to finish before her laughter broke free.

“Dani!” Claire tried to sound admonishing, but her own snickers spoiled the effect.

Dani sat back, and smiled as happy tears welled. “I promise I will call and thanks for caring. Dan may have not been able to say it but *I* can -- I love you all, too.”

She went to bed happily exhausted, joyful in having such deep friendships and eager to start a new chapter in her life.