Synopsis:

An expedition to an ancient Egyptian city becomes a life-changing experience for a retired professor. (Not Forced Fem. though)

Story:

Ma‘at

Chapter 1: Inbw-hdj
By Itinerant
Edited by Amelia R.

"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 either Sapphire's Place (http://www.sapphireplace.com/stories/whateley.html) or the Big Closet (http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/taxonomy/term/117)."

**********
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Southbound road from Cairo to Inbw-hdj (Memphis)

"On the road again
Just can't wait to get on the road again
The life I love is makin' music with my friends
And I can't wait to get on the road again"

Dan's voice wasn't anything like what it had been even a decade ago. Too many years digging in the desert, and too many long lectures, had turned his voice to a raspy tenor. Not that he'd ever been that good at carrying a tune; his reputation for singing off-key was legendary among his students and field workers.

It was early, and the car's windows were down, but the heat of the Egyptian day was rising rapidly. Despite that, he still enjoyed driving along, music blaring, while he chimed in with far more enthusiasm than ability; not surprisingly, he frequently found himself driving alone.

The road wound its way along the broad, ancient flood plains that bordered the western bank of the Nile. All this area was familiar to him; it should be, after seventy years of expeditions. He'd even been born near his destination. His parents, archaeologists themselves, had been on a dig in 1910 when he had come into the world. A smile crossed his face as he recalled his parents' skillful redirection of an overly enthusiastic excavator, their young toddler, as he got too close to the face of a newly revealed stele.

He'd grown up in the time between the great world wars, and had the quiet security of the university as the Great Depression sapped the economy. The languages he'd learned from his parents and their colleagues -- French, German, Italian, Latin, Arabic, and Egyptian -- had made light work of many university courses. He had had to take Classical Greek, but his rich background in languages made it a joy instead of a burden. He spent extra hours in the library, or in the museum, improving his ability to render accurate sketches of the relics.

He'd finally graduated in the mid-1930s. Again, he was drawn back to the ancient river that was more a home to him than anywhere else in the world; much of the time since had been spent delving into the ancient secrets buried under millennia of silt.

~Gods, this place has changed,~ he thought. ~And yet so much is the same even after thousands of years.~ He sighed. ~No more digs in my future, though.~ His doctor had warned him that his heart wasn't up to the stress of field work; it was time to stay closer to quality medical care and let younger bodies take up the task of unearthing new treasures. He'd nominally retired twenty-five years before, but his reputation had allowed him to continue to organize and lead expeditions even after his accession to 'Professor Emeritus of Egyptology' status at the university.

~I suppose she's right. I don't have the stamina anymore, and that damned twinge in my chest can't be a good sign.~

The melancholy train of thought damped his singing. He drove along and quietly listened to the music from his CD player.

~At least I've left a legacy behind. My students can carry on even when I retire from the field. Perhaps one of them will be able to confirm my theory on the Old Kingdom language.~ The thought cheered him a little as he negotiated the twisty roadway.

The road had just left another village, and rounded a bluff, when another twinge in his chest turned into crushing pain. His vision blurred, and he fought to stop his car before he crashed into another vehicle. His arms were almost too weak to steer, and it took his remaining strength to mash the brake as the machine came to a gentle stop by bumping up against a tree along the roadside.

There was the annoying blare of a car horn, and his vision went from red to white as the world faded away from Doctor Daniel Edward O'Neill.

*****

He coughed as he stirred. The chaos in his mind began to calm as his brain processed the sounds around him. The birdsongs ringing through the air puzzled him. ~Too many birds, and too little traffic for this road.~

The 'wrongness' he felt in his body was dismissed for the moment. ~That was a heart attack, or a hell of a case of angina.~ Struggling to a sitting position, he blinked his eyes open; the blinking quickly turned to a wide-eyed stare of wonder.

The roadway, the car, the tree -- all were gone.

~Where the hell am I?~

The scene before him was weirdly the same, yet not. The shapes of the bluffs, and the transparency of the air just weren't the same. Even the smells were different; the breeze was fresher than he ever recalled.

He started to get to his feet, but sat back down abruptly when he looked down to see where he was placing his feet.

~What the ...? I have TITS?!~

A few moments exploration of his body verified the initial observation; his body was, to the extent he could verify, entirely female. The academician's brain whirled as it tried to grasp what evidence demanded as a conclusion.

~How could this happen?~ He carefully examined what he could of his body without undressing. His hands, arms, legs, and feet had the look of youth -- late teens or early twenties perhaps? Certainly nowhere near his real ninety-seven years. His skin had been sun-browned and leathery; now it was the classic, dusky color of Egyptians, and was almost too smooth, soft, and perfect. His hair, once close-cropped and gray, was now long, black, and glowing with health.

His clothing was odd, certainly different from the tough, lightweight clothing he'd put on that morning. It was more primitive, and far more coarsely woven.

He thought back to ancient legends and myths -- Tiresias came quickly to mind -- as his logical mind tried to unearth a reasonable explanation. ~I don't recall whacking any snakes of late, twined or otherwise.~ The thought brought a quiet chuckle, though as he listened more carefully, the pitch was too high, and it sounded more like a giggle.

~Okay, I don't know where I am. I appear to be a young woman at the moment. I suppose I should call myself Danielle, now.~ She grimaced at a thought. ~I hate being called Danny, and Dani won't be any better.~

Looking around again, she took in her surroundings. The terrain was almost right to be where the car had come to a stop, except there was no road. The sun was still in about the same place, so either the time was the same, or she'd slept a day through. Her stomach still felt as if she'd eaten recently, though; so she'd assume no time had elapsed.

First, she needed to find out where she was and make her way back to the dig. She should be able to convince Dominic or Gunther of her identity. They'd been on enough digs that one or another of the near-blackmail stories they had on each other should overcome their disbelief.

She had no idea how it had happened, but first thing was to get to her friends and coworkers. Once with them, she could harness their brainpower to perhaps discern what to do next.

*****

The small village, not more than seventy people counting men, women, and squalling brats, watched as the band walked in with the alert, purposeful stride of the soldier, or successful bandit.

The procession stopped in the center of the little cluster of dusty, mud-brick houses and one of the men stepped forward and spoke loudly.

"We are here to claim this town for Iti, your rightful queen; you will gather your tribute for us to take."

*****

Gone.

Every work of man for as far as she could see was utterly absent. The only hint of habitation was a track in the dirt that traveled in approximately the same line as the road had gone.

~No food. No water, other than the river. I'll drink from the river if I must, but food will be a problem before too many days.~

Partway through her hike, she'd finally gotten too thirsty to wait for a village well. The walk to the river's edge took a few minutes, and she sipped carefully from a shallow pit dug a short distance from the broad waters of the Nile.

Her retreat was rather more rapid, as her motions caught the attention of the biggest crocodile she'd EVER seen.

~Whatever else, my new ticker works fine,~ she thought as the rush of adrenalin faded and her heart slowed down again.

The sun had risen to nearly overhead, and Danielle had finally reached a village, but it was smaller than anything she'd seen for years. Perhaps a dozen houses of typical construction, though the fields were laid out strangely. She walked with little concern, arriving just outside the center of the place in time to hear an impossible declaration in a language that had been dead for five thousand years.

By the time she recovered from the brief moment of shock, it was far too late. Several of the men in the center of the gathering were moving swiftly toward her, even as she turned to run.

*****

"STOP HER! She'll be a perfect addition to the tribute!"

Four of the men took off after the fleeing figure, and returned with a fighting, scratching captive who was, by her tone, cursing in at least two languages the leader didn't know.

He watched the guards struggle to hold her. ~A unique prize it seems -- strong and healthy. We'll have to make sure she isn't too spoiled when she arrives.~ He strode up to her and slammed an open palm across her face; her eyes glazed for a second. "You are my captive, and will be taken as part of this village's tribute to Iti. If you cause too much trouble, you will be killed." He placed a hand on the hilt of what had to be a hammered copper short sword.

*****

Dani's head was ringing from the force of the blow. The men weren't much taller than she, but their grip was unbreakable. She was sure that the leader wouldn't hesitate to do precisely as he said; there was little chance of anyone coming to her aid to stop him, either.

His next command was almost enough to make her lash out anyway.

"Let's make sure the merchandise is worth the taking. Strip her."

*****

They'd finally let her dress after an utterly humiliating examination of her *entire* body. Now she trudged along, bound as a captive, to an unknown destination. The academic's brain, subdued in the crisis, came again to the fore as she observed and cataloged the sights along the way.

~If I was still in the same place, we're headed for Inbw-hdj. The sun was just past noon, and we should make it before nightfall at this pace.~

Despite the heat of the sun, she shivered at the prospect of what might lie ahead. ~It was interesting studying this time, but living in the midst of the cruelties is another thing entirely.~

Coughing from the dust kicked up by the men ahead, Dani racked her brain for any tidbit of information on an ancient queen named Iti.

~If I only knew *when* this is.~

*****

"Dear God! The White Walls! Inbw-hdj! Memphis!"

The procession came to a brief halt as Dani caught sight of their destination and stopped. Her whole life had been spent excavating in the area; bearing the heat, thirst, and hard work as she and her fellows sought to wring clues from the pitiful remnants of the ancient capital.

Now she saw it, whole and untouched by time. The white plaster walls of the palace glowed in the light of the sunset, far more beautiful than any reconstruction could have imagined as it perched on its high hill, above the level of the flooding Nile. The mud brick walls of the city enclosed the citadel, and closed out the huddle of small, mean dwellings that clustered along the slopes of the hill.

A sharp tug on the rope binding her hands pulled her once again to current reality. There was an appraising look on the face of the leader of the 'tax collectors' as she stepped out again. He slowed and walked nearby.

"You know of the city, yet you haven't been here to see it?" he asked in that new, yet familiar tongue.

Dani looked up and saw the genuine curiosity in his eyes. She shook her head. "Where I came from, it was only legend. Stories of a great city with a white walled palace." She looked again as the light faded further and the walls shone redly. "I never thought," she almost whispered, "that I'd ever see it this way." Her eyes had gleamed with a hunger that only exploration would sate.

"Don't get your hopes up; this is likely to be the last time you see this side of the walls."

The statement had left her with a chill in the warm evening air. The rope pulled her into motion again as they walked up toward the city gate. The dirt track ran almost randomly through the clusters of houses as it wound its way toward the walls.

Her black hair swirled as she spun her head from side-to-side, frustrated at her inability to see and record everything at once. The realities of ancient Egyptian life were all around, and she focused so hard at committing it all to memory that the appearance of the palace gate startled her. The earlier exuberance she'd felt vanished in the oppressive reality of the gate. It was smaller than some she'd seen in her travels, but this one was real and signaled the new, grim reality.

The reality of being a piece of property.

A slave.

*****

The cell was small, dirt floored, and dark. She'd been given a little food and water, but after the long march it hardly sufficed; her stomach complained about the lack of nourishment, and the nagging thirst was almost worse. ~I should be grateful, I suppose, that they think me worth keeping alive. Otherwise I'd have been dead at that village. Tomorrow... we'll see what happens.~

A little straw was all the bedding provided, but her fatigue muted the hunger and thirst, and kept her from feeling the impaling ends as she slipped into sleep.

*****

The sound of the door opening startled her to wakefulness. There wasn't the familiar metal-on-metal rattle of a latch or doorknob; here it was the dull thumping of heavy wood. There was only a little light that snuck its way in past the monstrously thick door as it was shoved open to admit... a girl? ... a woman?

The events of the previous day pounded back into her mind -- the heart attack, waking as a woman, being captured, and then bound and taken as a captive to a city she'd known only as buried ruins. The replay took only moments, but Dani realized that she was being spoken to.

"I'm sorry; could you repeat what you just said?"

The girl gave Dani an odd look. "You sound a little odd. I said you are to follow me. You will be prepared for presentation to the queen."

The prisoner's pale face evoked a sympathetic smile. "It isn't so bad. Your current dress and," she sniffed distastefully, "state of cleanliness is unsuitable. You will be bathed and then dressed appropriately. We must make haste as we have only just enough time to prepare."

She was given food and water as she was prepared, but had precious little time to feed herself. There were no clocks, and her watch had disappeared with the car and her old life, but the bars of sunlight gave Danielle the idea that perhaps an hour passed as she was bathed, dried, primped, made up, and dressed.

It was embarrassing.

It might just have been normal fare for the team of women, maids, slaves, whatever that was working Dani over, but -- damn it! -- she'd only been a woman for a day, and it was almost too much to bear. Topping it all off, her body and mind were at odds over just how to react to the physical contact. Her mind (his mind?) was priming itself as if she were still male, but somehow her body wasn't reacting. ~At least, I don't *think* it is. Is it? How do I react now?~

The distraction of the internal debate kept her brain busy as the attendants completed their bathing and drying. Dani noticed that she was markedly taller than the tallest of the women. ~Come to think of it, I was as tall as any of the men, yesterday.~

The cosmetics were minimal, and her hair was combed and brushed to the luster of the previous morning. The head attendant was getting antsy as the last wisps of cloth were draped, pretending to cover the relatively tall, slender body beneath.

After a quick visual inspection, Dani found herself led to what she assumed was the throne room in the palace.

It was just as she'd envisioned with the tall, square pillars holding the roof at least three stories up, with lines of windows below the top to let light in and air to circulate.

And the COLORS! Reds, and whites, and -- the archaeologist was muttering a running translation of the hieroglyphics that covered portions of the walls. The attendants gave her looks that she ignored as her head twisted from side to side.

~Dominic would KILL for a picture of these!~

"Are you a scribe? Can you write as well as read?"

The interruption derailed Dani's train of thought, bringing her back to the room where her future, unwilling as it was, would be decided. ~Dominic will never know. Gunter, Abby, ...~ The utter loss of everyone, and everything she cared for swelled for a moment, and her eyes welled with tears. The young woman who'd asked the question put a hand on her arm.

"If you can read and write, you will likely be taken into the queen's service. It isn't so hard, even though we all miss our families." The sympathy in the small woman's face quelled the tears for the moment. "We're housed and fed well, and guarded from those that would abuse us." She cast a significant look at the man who'd led the team that captured Dani.

~Great. I must have caught him on a *good* day.~

The throne room was just off the central courtyard and fairly modest in comparison to its twenty-first century counterparts. For this time, it must seem splendid beyond measure.

At the other end of the room were two chairs on a platform. A woman and a young child occupied the thrones and were dressed in cool, white clothing. The child wore a hat, or crown, that Dani recognized immediately as the combined red and white crowns of upper and lower Egypt. She followed her guide as she continued to examine the child Pharaoh.

~There weren't that many children who were pharaohs during the Old Kingdom. Who's the lady, I wonder? Iti, perhaps?~

Dani stopped when her guide came to a halt at a point perhaps ten meters from the thrones. There was a slight, but perceptible lag between the young woman's prostration and Dani's reluctant emulation.

"Great Pharaoh, I bring you the remainder of the tribute. She is strong, healthy, and inviolate. She also seems to be a scribe."

The child, perhaps five or six years old, kicked his feet in boredom. The woman at his side stood and addressed the newcomer.

"Is this true? Are you able to read and write? What tongues do you know?"

~More languages than *you'll* ever find out about, lady.~ The surge of defiance ebbed quickly. Egyptian royalty held an absolute power of life and death. "I know how to speak this tongue as well as how to write, though this is not the language of my homeland."

"You may rise, and approach the throne."

Dani and her guide stood again and closed the remaining distance to the platform.

"I am the Queen Regent, Iti. I stand as guardian for my son Djer until he reaches an age to take up the full burden of his throne. I also hold the power of judgment in his place, and I will deal harshly with those who try to lie to us. You claim to be literate; if that is true, you should have no problem reading the story on that panel." She pointed toward the same wall Dani had been reading as she walked in.

The young woman smiled as she quickly scanned the hieroglyphics. She knew, now, when she was and who she was standing before. Djer and his mother lived approximately 3016 B.C.E. ~More than five thousand years in my past! No wonder the place is so empty.~

"The story, Your Majesty, is of Horus Narmer and his battle to unite the kingdom." She went on to relate the tale of his finally claiming the two crowns for himself.

"Enough for now." There was a ghost of a smile on the queen's face. "You not only read, but have some skill as a storyteller. We accept this one into our service as complete payment of the tribute. The rest shall be returned to the village that provided her as her skills make her very valuable. What is your name?"

No-one noticed the anger on the face of Snefru, who had led the collection party and siphoned off his 'commission' already.

"My name is Dani, Your Majesty."

"Dani? That is a strange name, and I suspect there is a story there worth hearing. You will follow your guide, Iri. She will begin your instruction in your duties here and show you to your quarters. I will call you again and hear your story."

*****

Iri led the way from the throne room to the women's quarters, where Dani was introduced to the small horde of females who served in the palace.

The next few weeks were a disorienting introduction to a mind-bogglingly primitive society. It was one thing to study ancient societies in the abstract; it was quite another to have to live in the reality of a city with no concept of sanitary sewers. The odors at times were almost unbearable.

The introduction to life as a woman was equally abrupt, but Iri was a patient teacher. Dani's story of being a visitor from a distant land gave her leeway, as her Egyptian peers expected little from the distant, barbarian lands.

It was vaguely disturbing to Dani that the abrupt change in gender was so easy to manage. After ninety-seven years as a man, she had expected it to be hard to adjust, even with the youth she now enjoyed. ~It's as if I found a set of clothing that fits me more perfectly than any I've worn before. Or that my whole life had been twisted out of shape before, and only now has been freed to what it should have been all along.~ The thoughts caused her to shake her head in confusion.

She quickly mastered the palace customs of bathing -- even with the small crowd of other women -- and the small amount of make-up demanded was far less of a challenge to learn than were the protocols of the palace. Not to mention the difficulty in coping with the aggressive arrogance of her original captor, whose name she now knew to be Snefru.

His reputation among the women of the staff made him sought after by the sexually active, and avoided by those put off by his arrogance. He was good in bed, but unfortunately he knew it and wanted everyone else to know, too. Dani quickly picked up on the man's attitude that women had no place running things.

~Dear heaven! I slip five millennia into the past and run into the Taliban!~

Her introduction to the joys of menstruation was mildly crampy, and quite messy, but she'd expected it and accepted it as an unavoidable aspect of her new existence. She'd noticed that most of the other women seemed to have their periods at about the same time, and took care to note how such things were handled.

*****

It had taken only a few days from their first introduction for Iti to call Dani into her private chambers. The atmosphere was much more relaxed, though the queen still had a distinctly reserved air about her. Djer, on the other hand, was a typical child with all the energy and inquisitiveness of his age when unconstrained by the oppressive hands of adults.

"Sit, child," the older looking woman began. "There is some time for you to tell us of yourself. You obviously came from another land, though you have the appearance of any of our subjects other than your height. I have heard you speaking to yourself in a language I have never heard before. Tell us of yourself, your land, and how you came to our kingdom."

The transformed woman took a moment to gather her thoughts. The truth would be incomprehensible to these people, but perhaps she could filter it sufficiently to make it understandable without making it an outright lie.

"Your Majesties, I come from a land far to the west. I was the child of scholars, and became a scholar myself as I grew. My parents studied other lands, Egypt in particular, and I made my choice to study as my parents had. I had come to this land, and was on my way to this city, when I was found by your tax collectors and brought here."

The queen frowned slightly; hospitality to travelers was a given in the kingdom. The trade and news they brought was far more valuable than their utility as slaves. "As a traveler, you have the right to appeal for your release. Your treatment was unjust and against our law."

Dani chewed her lip in thought. "What would happen to the village where I was taken?"

"They would be punished for their actions, and required to provide their just tribute."

"Your majesties, my treatment was none of their doing. It would be unjust in my mind for them to be punished for something they had no part in."

"Then what is your suggestion?"

"I was coming here to study when I was taken prisoner. You have given me a safe place to stay and food to eat." She paused and then plunged ahead, "I came to study this place. I am willing to remain in your service as a scribe for a period of seven years as just compensation for the tribute owed; I ask only that you will permit me time to study this city and palace during that time, so long as my studies do not interfere with the duties you assign."

The Regent focused her intense gaze on the young woman before her. "Dani, we accept your offer. Your service to us will be full payment for that village's tribute."

The child piped up, "Will you tell me stories of your land?"

Iti sighed as mothers had since the dawn of humanity. "Djer, you are Pharaoh. You must remember to act as your responsibilities demand. "

"But you said when we are in here...."

Dani took pity on the exasperated mother. "Your majesties, I would be honored to share stories of my homeland. I am at your command."

Iti's royal demeanor didn't quite slip, though the gratitude in her look was clear. The formality of Dani's speech reminded the child that there was an outsider in their quarters, and that he needed to act almost as formally as in the rest of the palace.

He spoke up again, but far more formally. "We would like to hear a story now. Mother, have refreshment brought that we may not be interrupted."

The women exchanged a smile at the child-king's attempt to act properly.

"If I may begin?" Dani asked. At the nod of the Queen Regent, she began.

"This story is from the very early days of my homeland, and the first man who led us, whose name was George. He is revered even to this day as someone whom we should all want to emulate. He was tall, and strong, and brave in battle. Yet while we respect him for all that, we revere him for his honesty and justice.

“There is a story from his childhood where he took a small axe and cut down a fruit tree that his father prized. His father asked him if he knew who had cut down the prized tree. George replied: ’I cannot tell a lie; I cut down your tree.’"

Djer gasped. "How badly was he punished?"

"He was not punished at all that the stories tell, as George's father prized honesty and justice. He wanted his son to do what was right and just above all, and he was willing to give up a favorite tree to teach him that lesson."

The story was interrupted briefly by one of the servants bringing refreshments. She took the time to translate the next part of the story she wanted to tell. A few sips of her drink refreshed the scholar, and she continued. "Later, after George led my people and freed us from invaders, some of his trusted servants wanted him to take land that was not ours. George faced them with courage, and led them back to the path of right."

"He was not perfect; his anger could be fierce as a fire, and he struggled with it all his life, but his good deeds far outweighed the wrongs he committed. Our people have set aside a day each year to celebrate him and his life."

"He is worshipped as a god?" asked the child, as his mother looked on with a calculating look at the scribe.

"That is not our way. We worship our god, but not our leaders; they would reject people saying that about them."

Another question was forestalled by the young Pharaoh's tutor appearing for the next set of lessons. He reluctantly left their quarters for the next round of agonizing boredom.

"There is much you left unsaid in your tale, Dani." Iti gave the scholar a steady look as she waited for a response.

"Your majesty, you are wise and insightful. There was indeed much that I left out, and some that I told in a way that the Pharaoh would understand. My homeland is so different from here that you would think it another world. We are not perfect, and have our good and bad men, too." The young looking woman gazed across the chasm of time and space separating her from her home. "It is my home, but it is beyond my ability to return. Only the gods can get me home, now." The grief and loss washed over her again as she thought of her friends and students.

*****

Dani had settled in after a surprisingly long and stressful day, but the settling of her status was worth it. She was an indentured servant, but the little village was safe, and there was an end to her servitude in sight.

She curled up on her mat and dropped quickly off to sleep. It seemed only moments, though, before her mind told her she was awake again.

~I must be dreaming; I have to be.~

She was back in her time, in the campus building that held the office she'd been assigned, but alone. She was also still female, or so said the gentle bounce of her breasts.

She found herself walking up to the Dean's office, aware of her actions, yet unable to control them. She had entered, and gasped as she saw what seemed to be her twin sitting at the large desk with a calm smile. The only difference was the crown worn by the woman at the desk that was topped by a huge feather. The crown and feather were unique in Egyptian mythology -- the woman could only be Ma'at.

Dani's mind retrieved the information she'd learned on the goddess. ~Ma'at was the goddess of the physical and moral law of Egypt, of order and truth. She was said to be the wife of Thoth and had eight children with him. The most important of her children was Amon. These eight were the chief gods of Hermopolis and according to the priests there, they created the earth and all that is in it. It was when the world was created and chaos was eliminated that the principles of Ma'at were set in place. The Egyptians believed that if the pharaoh ever failed to live by and maintain ma'at that chaos would return to Egypt and the world and all would be destroyed. Thus, the pharoahs of Egypt saw it as their cosmic role to uphold the principles of Ma'at, and it was due to Ma'at that the pharaohs had the authority to rule the land. She sounded like the keystone to their whole social order.~

Dani bolted awake, her heart slowly calming, as she worried at the meaning of the dream. ~What does Ma'at have to do with all this? And how? It's far too early for her to appear in this society.~

*****

Dani was indulging again. She'd quickly inhaled the noon meal and was studying the glyphs in an alcove off the throne room. They related a story about the Scorpion King that was not-so-subtly different from the patchwork that had survived to Daniel's time. She was perhaps halfway through, and had only half an ear tuned to the main room. The queen was sitting with her counselors, her son by her side, as they considered some situation arising in upper Egypt. The usual quiet murmur of voices set a backdrop for the meeting as men and women bustled in and out on their appointed tasks.

Dani had developed a reputation as an odd one; her proclivity for breaking out into quiet tirades in languages unknown to anyone in the palace as she studied the stories on the walls no longer drew more than an amused smile and head shake from the staff. She finished her reading for the day, and returned to her place in the throne room.

She had become a favorite visitor to the Pharaoh's quarters as well, as the child was fascinated by stories from Dani's strange and wonderful homeland.

Dani had told a story of another man from her land's early days, a 'Davy Crockett', whose skill as a hunter was legend. "He was born far from our cities, and lived his early life where he had to hunt to feed his family. He was such a good hunter, and so precise with his bow, that even the animals knew him. Just his grin was enough to capture his prey. One day he was out hunting, and he used his grin on a small bear in a tree. The bear was so afraid that it climbed out of its tree and gave up."

The image caused Djer to giggle, and Iti smiled at the absurd image.

The scholar's smile dimmed a little as she continued her story. "He was a man of integrity, too. The leader of my land decided to take land that was not ours, and Davy stood up in our capital and told our leader that it was wrong to take what we had said was not ours and break our oath. Davy did not succeed, and lost his place in our government. He returned to his farm, but he retained his integrity despite the price he paid. He retains his honor, even though he is long dead."

Iti, too, was intrigued by the filtered stories of that place. She was puzzled though by even the outlook of the rulers of that strange place as Dani spoke of how her land tried to keep peace between itself and its neighbors.

"So you bind others to you by trade? What do you do when another land sends an army to take what you have?"

"My homeland is large and strong, majesty. There is food to spare, and very few go truly hungry. When we are attacked, all our people rise up to defend our homeland. Our attacker may be a great wild bull, and that bull may be able to defeat a single lion, but my people are like a pride of lions that are able to defeat even the strongest bull."

~Such a strange, strange place it must be,~ thought the baffled queen.

They were continuing their quiet discussion as they waited for the arrival of the next delegation, but the peace of the throne room was broken by the clatter of metal on metal. Cries of anger and pain rang from the palace gate, and one of the guards ran up.

"Your majesties, we are betrayed by Snefru and his men. They have taken the gate."

Iti's face grew stern as her son looked confused. "Have you signaled the city guard?"

"Yes, majesty, but the betrayers are almost through the doorway to this room."

Iti stood and drew herself up to her full height, and Dani, too, stood as she took her position to the woman's left and slightly behind. "Let them in."

The guard's face blanked in shock. "But...."

The Queen Regent stood proudly, but gave the man a kind look. "I am not much of a Regent if I cannot control my own troops. Let them in."

A few minutes later Snefru stood just at the foot of the steps as his troops took position around the perimeter of the room.

Iti gazed with barely veiled contempt on the mutineer. "You have attacked the palace and offered harm to Pharaoh. Explain yourself, Snefru."

The man's face twisted in anger and contempt. "It is bad enough that Pharaoh is ruled by a woman, but now he is being corrupted by the bizarre stories of this pathetic foreigner as well.

"I will raise the Pharaoh, and teach him the ways of men. This foreigner will be put in her proper place again as a slave, and her tongue cut out to keep her from corrupting anyone else. Take those two and put them in the prison!"

Several of his men moved in and grabbed hold of Dani and Iti. Djer leapt to his mother's defense.

"Leave her alone!" The young king charged the nearest man holding his mother.

A guard idly swatted the child away with the back of a hand, sending the crown skittering across the platform until if fell off the edge and clattered on the floor. As the youngster fell, Dani felt something swelling within her. Her vision faded for a moment, then snapped back with inhuman clarity as she heard her voice speak.

"You have raised your hand to Pharaoh, Snefru! You have chosen to bring disorder and injustice to the land."

A glow rose from the foreigner's body, lighting the throne room with brilliance like the noonday sun. The guards found themselves flying across the room, coming to an abrupt halt as they collided with pillar or wall.

Snefru paled at the glowing form, unable to move or speak as she swung her gaze in his direction.

"If you want disorder, then disorder you shall have! I am Ma'at, the goddess of Truth, Justice, Balance, and Order!" She waved an arm, and the attacker's weapons fell to dust. "Disorder robs you of your weapons, and your helpers." The fearful groaning of the men who'd attacked turned for a moment to shrieks; the shrieks had hardly died out before they were replaced by the mindless babble of infants.

"Your rightful Pharaoh appointed Iti as Regent." Dani's body seemed to float to floor level as she approached the frozen mutineer. "You rejected his decision, and show contempt for the order that preserves this land and the world. You find women worthy only as servants and slaves; you will learn their real worth."

She waved her hand, and a brilliant flash concealed the spot where the man had stood. When it faded, and the vision of those around recovered, where Snefru had been there now stood a young woman just on the cusp of puberty.

"You will remember what you were as you learn the true worth of the women you scorned so casually. And you shall receive far more mercy and kindness than you were prepared to mete out."

The glow faded, and Dani felt her body come back under her control again. She heard the Queen Regent command Snefru be taken to the servant's quarters, and the infants be cared for, as the young woman's consciousness faded.

As her mind flickered, she felt a calm, comforting presence tell her, "Be at peace, daughter. Rest now and I will explain when you awake."

*****

Dani struggled a little as she awoke. She found she was lying on a mat that was somewhat softer than the one she occupied in the servant's quarters. Iri was sitting on the edge of the mattress.

"Shhh, my friend. You are in the Queen's quarters, and have been since you collapsed. How do you feel?"

"Tired, Iri, but fine other than that." She swung her legs off the edge of the mattress and stood, though unsteadily. "Are the Queen and Pharaoh safe? What about the men who attacked?"

Iri reached out a hand to brace her taller friend. "The queen and her son are well, and waiting for you to join them in the outer chamber. The attackers have been dispersed to families, other than Snefru. She is being trained in her new duties. Come, Pharaoh is waiting for you."

The two made their way out to where the Queen Regent and her son waited. Iti stood and waved her son to join her.

"Dani, you saved our throne and our lives. The debt we owe cannot be repaid. You are freed from your service obligation, and whatever we have is yours."

The tall scholar shook her head. "It wasn't me. Whatever happened, I was just a spectator."

As suddenly as before, Dani felt that strange pressure build. Those in the room saw a muted glow this time, but there seemed to be a crown with a large ostrich feather on her head.

"Well said, child," Dani heard her voice speak again. "Queen Regent, and Pharaoh Djer, I am Ma'at, and this woman is my chosen avatar. She was sent to teach you the way of justice and right, to set your feet on the path of Ma'at. She has other duties to perform for me, but you will do well to remember the stories she told. Teach them to your children, that your line may prosper.

"Dani is to go to my temple, and she will be told what her path is to be there."

The king spoke up, quietly and with fear in his voice. "Goddess, may she come back and share more stories?"

The glow faded, and Dani was again in control. She smiled at the young man and his mother, though the sadness in her eyes was clear. "I must be at the temple this evening, but Ma'at says that until the time comes for me to leave the city, I may return here with more stories when I have no other responsibilities. For now, with your permission, I should go and gather my belongings."

*****

The remainder of the day blurred a little, as the reappearance of Ma'at seemed to have sapped the scholar's energy, though not as much as before. Dani had felt a sense of loss as she collected her meager belongings from the servant's quarters; despite the situation, the women had accepted her and made her feel welcome. She wept gently as she embraced Iri, who was also crying at Dani'sthe impending departure. The woman had started out as Dani's guide and had become a dear friend.

The little king struggled to contain his emotions, too, as Dani took her formal leave in the throne room. The child had been far less dignified earlier; he had thrown his arms around the tall woman and hugged her as strongly as his size allowed.

His mother was far more controlled, but her voice carried the full weight of her gratitude. "Dani, you are welcome here as often as your duties to your Goddess permit. It would be good to hear more of your stories."

Dani stepped back from the platform, bowing in respect rather than prostrating herself.

"I will return when I am able, your majesties. I still have much of the palace to study, and would be happy to share more stories of my home."

She grinned a little. "In fact, I have a short story to tell you right now. Years ago, my homeland was attacked, and the general in a distant part of our country was leading his troops in defense of the area. Our enemy was too strong at the time and our leader wanted the general to leave, so he could build a new army and lead it. He protested, not wanting to abandon his men, but at last he obeyed.

"As he prepared to leave, he turned to the men he was leaving and told them 'I shall return.' After he left, his men fought hard before they were defeated. The general kept his promise, though it took over three years before he led his new army to final victory. He did return, as he'd promised.

"As long as I'm still in the city, and as long as I'm welcome and have time, I shall return with my stories for you."

*****

She walked along the disorderly streets of the city, guided only by an internal sense of where to go. Despite the opportunity to study the living society she'd worked to unearth, her thoughts were locked in more personal channels -- Why was she chosen? Why was she even a she? What now? And would she ever have a chance to go home?

A quiet voice inside her head spoke up as she continued on her way. ~Be at peace, daughter. I am here to answer some of your questions. You don't need to speak aloud, as I hear your thoughts.~

Ma'at's voice continued, ~I will start by answering your first two questions, as they are related. When you died from your heart attack, I chose you to serve as my avatar. You know, and love, my children who live here, and you had great knowledge of, and respect for, their ancient culture.

~You look as you do because your soul is that of a woman. You were blessed that your heart was strong enough, and your family kind enough, to allow you to thrive despite your soul and body being mismatched. There are many others far less fortunate.~

A picture flashed in Dani's mind of a tall, pale, red haired woman. ~Is that...?~

~Yes, daughter. Were your soul and body to match, that would be how you would look. That appearance would keep you from being able to fit in this place at this time. My children are not yet ready to accept strangers, and they need to accept you as one of their own.~

~That explains why I feel so comfortable in my body, I suppose.~ She stopped for a moment and looked around the dirty, dusty street. ~What now? What am I supposed to do as your avatar?~

There was a hint of a chuckle in the mental voice. ~Patience, Dani. First, go to my temple; the high priestess is waiting for you. Take the time to rest, and tomorrow you will find out more of your path.~

Notes:

Readers, Please Remember to Leave a Comment

Want to comment but don't want to open an account?
Anyone can log in as Guest Reader -- password topshelf to leave a comment.

Synopsis:

An expedition to an ancient Egyptian city becomes a life-changing experience for a retired professor. (Not Forced Fem. though)

Story:

Ma‘at

Chapter 2: Inbw-hdj at the temple
By Itinerant
Edited by Amelia R.

"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 either Sapphire's Place (http://www.sapphireplace.com/stories/whateley.html) or the Big Closet (http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/taxonomy/term/117)."

**********

From Chapter 1:

There was a hint of a chuckle in the mental voice. ~Patience, Dani. First, go to my temple; the high priestess is waiting for you. Take the time to rest, and tomorrow you will find out more of your path.~

*****

The building was quite small in comparison to the palace, or the main temple of Ptah, and the outside walls were plain and unadorned. She walked out of the bright sunlight into the shaded interior, and had to wait for her eyes to adjust to the relative darkness. The entry was a short corridor, perhaps five meters long, with carvings on either side. As her eyes adjusted, Dani's progress stopped. The carvings were the prototypes of the forty-two principles of Ma'at:

1. Thou shalt not kill, nor bid anyone kill.
2. Thou shalt not commit adultery or rape.
3. Thou shalt not avenge thyself nor burn with rage.
4. Thou shalt not cause terror.
5. Thou shalt not assault anyone nor cause anyone pain.
6. Thou shalt not cause misery.
7. Thou shalt not do any harm to man or to animals.
8. Thou shalt not cause the shedding of tears.
9. Thou shalt not wrong the people nor bear them any evil intent.
10. Thou shalt not steal nor take that which does not belong to you.
11. Thou shalt not take more than thy fair share of food.
12. Thou shalt not damage the crops, the fields, or the trees.
13. Thou shalt not deprive anyone of what is rightfully theirs.
14. Thou shalt not bear false witness, nor support false allegations.
15. Thou shalt not lie, nor speak falsely to the hurt of another.
16. Thou shalt not use fiery words nor stir up any strife.
17. Thou shalt not speak or act deceitfully to the hurt of another.
18. Thou shalt not speak scornfully against others.
19. Thou shalt not eavesdrop.
20. Thou shalt not ignore the truth or words of righteousness.
21. Thou shalt not judge anyone hastily or harshly.
22. Thou shalt not disrespect sacred places.
23. Thou shalt cause no wrong to be done to any workers or prisoners.
24. Thou shalt not be angry without good reason.
25. Thou shalt not hinder the flow of running water.
26. Thou shalt not waste the running water.
27. Thou shalt not pollute the water or the land.
28. Thou shalt not take the gods' names in vain.
29. Thou shalt not despise nor anger the gods.
30. Thou shalt not steal from the gods.
31. Thou shalt not give excessive offerings nor less than what is due.
32. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.
33. Thou shalt not steal from nor disrespect the dead.
34. Thou shalt remember and observe the appointed holy days.
35. Thou shalt not hold back the offerings due the gods.
36. Thou shalt not interfere with sacred rites.
37. Thou shalt not slaughter with evil intent any sacred animals.
38. Thou shalt not act with guile or insolence.
39. Thou shalt not be unduly proud nor act with arrogance.
40. Thou shalt not magnify your condition beyond what is appropriate.
41. Thou shalt do no less than your daily obligations require.
42. Thou shalt obey the law and commit no treason.

The academician's mind pulled a later version of the list from the collection of facts stored from her long studies, and wondered how much the ancient proscriptions had propagated across the historical landscape. ~Golden truths in a plain wrapping. I wonder if these are some of the roots of the Hebrew's Ten Commandments?~

She stood, frozen in deep thought, until a voice from further inside the temple interrupted.

"Welcome to the temple, Meri-Ma'at. Your place is prepared for you."

~Beloved of Ma'at?~ Dani shivered at the implication.

The voice of the goddess echoed in her mind, accompanied by a warm feeling of comfort. ~How can you doubt the truth of the name, dear one?~

~It just seems ... arrogant and presumptuous to me. The only records I've seen have been of Pharaohs being called that.~

~And how many of them do you think were chosen as my avatar?~ Ma'at's chuckle interrupted the thought. ~Being humble is good, if not taken to an extreme, and I know your upbringing makes you even more hesitant about those claiming divine appointments. I chose you, though; I hope you will learn to trust me and my judgment.~

~I'm getting there, My Lady. Between my physical changes, the move so far into my past, and trying to understand what being your avatar means, it's an awful lot to adjust to.~

~I know, and you'll have the time you need to make those adjustments. You'll find that my High Priestess, Nebka, can be a help to you; she knows some of your past existence, so you can generally speak freely to her. Now you'd best pay attention; she's waiting for you to respond.~

Dani turned her attention outside herself again and found a small, older woman standing at the end of the corridor into the temple. The light from the outside revealed an amused smile -- almost a grin -- on the weathered face as the Priestess spoke again.

"My name is Nebka. Were you lost in thought, or were you praying to the Goddess?"

The new arrival returned a wry smile. "Call me Dani, Nebka. I suppose you could call it praying; I'm just trying to understand all that's going on. I have a hard time dealing with the idea of being her avatar."

The older woman nodded. "I understand at least a little of what you're going through. I didn't quite believe I wasn't imagining her call either. Come, now, you need food and rest; there will be time to talk later."

They made their way into the temple and stopped in a small room that was simply furnished, though more comfortably than the shared space for the women in the palace. A cushioned mattress, small desk, and a stool gave it the feel of a medieval monk's quarters. Dani found herself mildly conflicted; the prospect of sleeping alone for the first time in months was less attractive than expected.

~I'll miss them, especially Iri.~

The taller woman's reverie was interrupted again. "I know it isn't quite what you were used to before coming here, but these are the same size quarters as mine. We have common meals morning and evening, and I'll show you the baths on the way to this evening's meal. The other priestesses are anxious to see you."

"Now I know how Maureen O'Hara felt," Dani muttered under her breath, drawing a quizzical look from the priestess. "Sorry, I'm ...."

"... talking about someone from your past. The Goddess told me that you are a scholar whom she brought here from far down the river of time. She also said you have spent much of your life studying this land, but warned me that you would say things I wouldn't understand from time to time." She shook her head, as if to clear it. "If you leave your belongings here, I'll take you to the common room, where we have our meals."

Dani's stomach growled. "That sounds good to me." She dropped her bag on the floor by the mattress and followed Nebka out.

*****

If she weren't so worn, Dani would have laughed. She walked into the common room and a ripple of silence propagated through as the priestesses and priests noticed her arrival. Her hostess guided her to a table, where a young woman brought the two their meals -- a simple dish of bread, vegetables, and a little fish. The cups were filled with a drink that proved to be beer. Dani made a point to thank the youngster, but only caused her to blush in embarrassment and skitter away.

"That reaction is never easy to accept; they stop treating you as a person," Nebka sighed.

"Well known people in my homeland have the same problem." She paused to consume some of her meal. "Perhaps I can at least help the situation here." She stood, drawing a puzzled look from her companion and the other occupants of the room.

Dani spent quite a while walking along the tables, pausing to introduce herself to each person in the room. Some were too shy to respond, other than a quiet statement of their name; others shook off the awe and began to converse freely. From time-to-time Dani glanced toward her seat, where the High Priestess watched the confusion spread with the avatar's movements; she grinned at the bewilderment left behind.

At last, her rounds through the room complete, Dani resumed her seat. "I hope that will break the ice," she commented as she took a sip from her cup. She noticed the blank look on Nebka's face. "Problem?"

"What's ice?"

*****

The next morning was a little better; there were a few of the women in the baths who were willing to speak up after the episode in the common room. The young woman who served her morning meal was a bit less shy than the youngster of the previous evening, though she still insisted on calling Dani, 'Meri-Ma'at'.

As they walked to their first task for the day, Nebka gently chided the newcomer. "You may as well give up, Dani. There are men and women here whom I've known all my life, and ever since I was called to be High Priestess, I cannot get them to call me by my name anymore."

Dani smirked a little. "I suspect you acted the same way, too."

"I didn't say I expected anything else. I'm more amused by your persistence in trying to change how we act toward you."

"I can't really explain without you knowing a lot more about my homeland, and I'm not sure how much I should say about that. We respect the responsibilities people have, but most of us still treat those in authority as people."

"Isn't that disrespectful to the gods who put them in their place?"

Dani hesitated, and felt a gentle discouragement from Ma'at. "I fear that I can't say more, Nebka; the goddess can't let me say something that will disturb the flow of time. I think we need to change the topic of conversation; what do you have planned for this morning?"

"Since you're new to the temple, you should learn our ceremonies. It wouldn't be right for the Goddess' chosen to be unprepared. I have a room set aside where we can work on the songs undisturbed."

A look of horror grew on Dani's face. "Songs?!"

*****

Before noon, the look of horror had replicated itself on the High Priestess. She shook her head in frustration.

"I'm sorry, Dani, but your singing is ..." She trailed off, unable to produce an adequate word.

"Horrible? An affront to man and the gods? Bad enough to chase starving rats from a granary?"

"Forgive me, Meri-Ma'at, but yes."

Dani turned to that inner presence again. ~My Lady? She's right that I should know this, but she's also right that my singing will be a problem. The songs are important to the ceremonies, and I just don't have that talent.~

There was amusement wound around the thought that responded. ~So what would you have me do? I could make you quite the singer, if you wish.~

Dani paused for a long time as she considered the offer. ~Ma'at, before I can answer that I need to know something. Are you ever going to let me go home again?~

There was the sensation of a warm embrace as the voice replied. ~Yes, daughter; you know, now, how much you were needed here. You will be needed just as much in your own time and place. For now, I thought you'd want to stay here for a little while and learn what you can.~

~I could stay here for a lifetime and study, you surely know that. If I'm to return to my home time, I suspect my singing will help prove my identity.~ The avatar made a wry face at the thought, which provoked a questioning look from the priestess.

~I will at least help with what's needed for the ceremonies. Nebka is right, it would be inappropriate for my avatar to be unprepared, or not participate.~

For a moment, Dani felt a strange twisting in her mind.

"I think I'm ready to try again, Nebka."

The remainder of the practice session went flawlessly, and there was a sense of intense relief on the part of both women as the last notes of Dani's part faded.

~Just don't expect the same outcome with Willie Nelson, Dani. Even miracles have limits.~

The unexpected comment started Dani giggling.

Nebka looked on for a moment before asking what the giggles were about. Shortly after getting her answer, Dani's giggles had turned to full-throated laughter from both women.

*****

The afternoon was far less exciting. Dani quickly committed each ceremony to memory, and by mid-afternoon she was wandering the temple, examining the engravings on the walls and studying the activities of the residents. There were no surprises, but when she got to the kitchen area, she stopped and just watched for a bit. The cooks were using the available tools, only some of which were even metal, and taking little care to keep the tools, or even the food, free of dirt.

~How many people are sick because of the germs they don't even know about? Or even the dirt they don't care about? My Lady....~

The young woman could feel the nod of the goddess. ~You should speak to the High Priestess first, but you may share your thought. In fact, you may also share it with the palace as well.~

The scampering form of the avatar drew the wondering gaze of the temple attendants. She careened around a corner and skidded to a stop outside the High Priestess' quarters. A chuckle from inside revealed the lack of stealth in her approach.

"Come in, Meri-Ma'at."

Dani walked in, mildly glaring at the priestess as the business in progress was completed. She kept her silence until the room was vacated. "You didn't have to laugh! And how did you know it was me?"

"If you insist on being so undignified, you must expect laughter, and you're the only person in the temple who would be carrying on that way. Now, what brought you here in such a hurry?" The older looking woman's eyes danced with a mirth that was barely contained.

Dani quickly sketched out what she'd seen in the kitchen. At that point, she paused; the people of this time and place had no way to understand bacteria. There was a long silence, unbroken by the priestess, as the scholar tried to bridge five thousand years of medical knowledge. "I can't tell all I know, but if your kitchen staff will listen to me, and change how they do their work just a little, you won't lose quite so many people to sickness."

She proceeded to outline the addition of a formal cleansing, using soap for the cooks, and boiled water to clean the dishes and utensils, to the existing preparations and blessings when the cooks were preparing a meal.

"How will that help?" came the expected question. "What difference could using boiled water make, or washing your hands?"

"I'm sorry, Nebka, the best I can do to explain is that there are ... demons, fester demons in the dirt on your hands and in your clothing, even if they seem clean. Soap can clean them off your hands, but water needs to be boiled to get the demons out."

Dani chewed on her lower lip for a moment as she racked her memory for a suitable illustration. "Nebka, demons are invisible, right?"

"Most of them are, yes."

"And the demons that cause illness work mostly at night, correct? They are demons of the dark."

Nebka's eyes held the first glimmerings of understanding. "And the dirt makes shadows for the demons to use?"

The scholar smiled and nodded. "Exactly! And when the dirt gets into the food, the demons can spread their poisons and make people sick. They can even hide in the little bits of dirt in water; boiling the water puts the warmth of the sun -- the power of Ra -- into the water to chase the demons out. If you use some bay leaves in the water as it is boiled, the water will have a special odor that tells you it's been properly treated and blessed.

"Even when we bathe ourselves, it washes away the dirt and shadow and makes us acceptable in the sight of Ra and Ma'at.”

"The demons also, sometimes, cause wounds to fester the same way they get into the food and make it spoil. Wounds should also be cleaned with water that has been boiled. My idea won't solve all the problems, but it will help. Is there anyone else who seems to have problems at times with sickness?"

The silence stretched out before the priestess spoke again. "The midwives sometimes have a new mother sicken after birth, and sometimes the children take ill and die, too."

The scholar nodded. "If they make some of the same kind of changes, I think we can also help them. The midwives will need to use the boiled water for cleaning themselves, the mothers, and the newborns. They should also boil the cloths they use to get the fester demons out."

"If the Goddess has allowed you tell us of this, I will make sure we begin to tell everyone in the city. I'll speak to the cooks in the temple, and the midwives." Nebka shook her head. "I still don't fully understand though."

The tall woman sighed in frustration. There was so much she could do, and so many lives that could be saved. ~I can't. Saying the wrong thing could screw up five millennia of history.~

She sat heavily on a stool, burdened by the weight of the silence she had to keep.

*****

Dani's morning had gone smoothly, despite being called on to participate in the morning's ceremonies in the temple. It was rather like being in a play, or a musical; she was grateful that she'd been enabled to perform her part in the rituals. She and some of her researchers had often wondered how the ancient Egyptians had lived out their religious lives; now she had had the chance to even be a part of it all! She was almost beside herself with excitement ~Some of what we thought was close; most of it wasn't very near the mark, though.~

The remainder of the day was hers, at least until the sunset ceremony, and she took advantage of the time to return to the palace. The morning audience time was just about over, and she should have a chance to talk with Iti and her advisers without too long a wait.

She finally arrived at the gate where Semerkhet, the guard captain who'd warned of the attack, was again stationed. He bowed low as Dani approached.

"Welcome, Lady."

Dani returned the bow, though not as deeply. "Thank you, Captain. Are their majesties receiving visitors this morning?"

"Our orders, Lady, are to welcome you whenever you arrive. Whoever is the guard captain is to accompany you to their majesties, if that is your wish."

With a nod from the avatar, the two walked up the ramp and into the palace. They walked in silence, Semerkhet just to her right, until they reached the throne room. He bowed again, and left to return to his post. Iri was in the room, attending to Iti and her son this morning.

As he retreated, Dani noticed Iri's wistful focus on the young man. The scholar grinned as her friend suddenly felt Dani's gaze and blushed. Iti noticed the grin, followed the looks from each woman, and nodded to herself as she discerned the root cause of the reaction. Refocusing on the new arrival, the Regent extended her welcome.

"Good morning, Lady Dani. What brings you here this morning?"

"Good morning, your majesties." Dani bowed respectfully to the Pharaoh and his mother. The child grinned and wriggled as he suppressed the urge to smother the new arrival in a hug. "I have," she glanced quickly at Iri, "a couple of items I would like to talk about. One will involve your cooks and midwives; if you could have the proper people contacted, I'd be grateful."

"And the other item?"

"The other matter is a bit more personal. If you'd be willing to deal with it in private, I'd be grateful for that as well."

"We were just finished with the morning's meetings; if it is convenient, why not join us for our noon refreshments in our quarters. The chief cook and the senior midwife can join us there."

"What is convenient for you will be fine with me, Majesty."

The Regent turned to Iri. "Iri, please find the chief cook and the senior midwife, and bring them to our quarters."

The young woman shot a suspicious look at her friend as she departed.

*****

The mother, son, and their guest retired to the royal quarters for privacy after Iri's departure. Once within the privacy of their rooms, the king's demeanor changed from dignified king to delighted child. There was a brief hug exchanged between Dani and the boy.

"Are you here to tell more stories?" he asked hopefully.

"We'll see; I have important business first." She grinned at his pout.

"What have you in mind for my servant and guard captain?" Iti asked as she doffed her headgear. "I've seen that calculating look often enough to recognize it."

"Your majesty is insightful, as always. I consider Iri a dear friend, and she seems quite taken with your young captain. He seems to be very intent on his job, though."

Taking her seat, and waving her guest to another, the queen nodded. "She has had an eye on him for a while, and until he was promoted, it seemed he returned her interest. Of late, he's taken his new position so seriously that he's been neglectful of that relationship."

"Would you object to interceding a little?"

The two co-conspirators began their planning while they waited for the return of their messenger and target of interest.

*****

"I don't understand," the old cook complained, "why should I boil the water, then put the laurel leaves in?"

"And why would anyone want to boil cloth?" the midwife chimed in.

Iri had returned with the cook, the senior palace midwife, and their most experienced aides, shortly after Dani had briefed Iti on what she intended to cover with the new arrivals and their initial matchmaking discussions were complete.

"The leaves have a soothing odor. If you have that smell from the water, you'll know the proper ritual has been followed and the water carries Ma'at's blessing." Dani desperately struggled to give the old woman -- though she was probably forty years younger than the time-traveler's real age -- something more than just 'Because I said so' to hold on to.

She turned to the midwives. "The leaves also will ease a little of the pain the mothers have, so I think that will be appreciated. The only way to properly gain Ma'at's blessing for the cloth is to boil it."

The faces of the women were thoughtful, as they considered the new ritual. They spoke quietly among themselves for a time, finally deciding that the strange, new ritual should do no harm -- though not without some muttering about new-fangled ideas. The idea of refusing guidance from the gods was unthinkable in the end. They left promising to begin instruction immediately, though there was a grudging look still on the eldest woman's face as they departed.

Dani relaxed as they left the room. "I was beginning to wonder if they'd ever say yes."

"They take their responsibility seriously; two lives are in the midwives’ hands every time they are called. I can understand their caution." The queen looked as grave as the midwives.

"I have one other item that I'd appreciate your help on, if you're willing." Dani shook off the somber mood of the room, realizing that the topic she was raising would dim the mood again.

Iti smiled in her direction. "You know that whatever we can do is yours for the asking. What do you need?"

"The goddess has said that I will eventually be returning to my homeland. If you have a stone carver available, I have a task that I'd like done."

"What sort of carving do you have in mind?"

Dani looked around the room, and pointed to an intricately carved panel of glyphs. "Something like that panel, though the carvings will be different from anything done before."

Iti looked at the panel and nodded. "I think I understand what you want, but you'll need an engraver, not just a stone carver." She thought quietly for a moment. "If you need something that special, I'll have to call the guild master."

The thoughts of just what she had in mind left a feral grin on Dani's face.

"Why do I have a feeling that what you have in mind bodes ill for the recipient?" Iti was intrigued by the look on her friend's face.

Dani's grin didn't waver. "What I have in mind isn't going to hurt anyone. It's more a way to prove I have been here, and to play a joke on some people I know. I'll need your help putting it in a safe place once it's done, though."

The regent's face hinted at her bewilderment as she agreed to help however she could.

*****

The avatar was feeling smug as she walked back to the temple. The meetings had gone better than she'd expected, though it was almost certain that there would be resistance from some of the more traditional women. She and the regent were also deep into planning how to shake Semerkhet out of his absurd focus on his job; if all worked out as planned, they'd remind him that there were other parts of life that were equally important.

She was startled by the mildly admonishing tone in Ma'at's thought. ~Don't you feel at least a little hypocritical?~

The archaeologist stopped dead, and her reply was eloquent. ~Huh?~

~You're criticizing Semerkhet. I find that hypocritical under the circumstances. How many children do you have?~

Dani's temper flared. ~You know perfectly well that I don't have any children! I never got married.~

The inner voice changed from admonishing to stern. ~I am the Goddess of Truth, child, and the first step is being truthful with yourself. Remember Agnes?~

The memories of Daniel's time as a doctoral candidate surged to the fore, as Dani recalled a young woman who, looking back, had done everything possible to encourage the young man to become more than a casual friend. He'd missed, or ignored, those hints as he focused on his studies. She'd finally drifted off, and he'd never even noticed.

She found herself wiping tears away as she resumed her walk toward the temple. ~Oh Goddess; I did the same thing. My students were my substitute children, but ... I see what you mean. Forgive me?~

The goddess' voice resumed its warm encouragement. ~Of course, daughter. You just needed a reminder that there's more to life than your work. That includes your status as my avatar, too, by the way. You have a second chance, child; don't deprive yourself again.~

Dani nodded absently. She stopped suddenly as the implications of that statement hit home. ~You mean ....~

~ALL of it, dear.~

~Eeep!~ As Dan, an intimate relationship and taking time to have a family had one meaning. She ran a hand over her stomach. Now, though, it would mean potentially having a child herself. ~I don't quite know how I feel about that. For once my years as a man are at war with my comfort level as a woman.~

*****

Time flowed by like the river below the city as Dani settled into the routines of the temple, and pursued her own projects. She continued to study the carvings inside the temple, and could be found in quiet corners silently watching the daily life of the inhabitants. The priests and priestesses had settled into a slightly less formal relationship with the Goddess' chosen avatar, but only the High Priestess came close to being the friend that she craved.

Only at the palace could she find anyone who would treat her as just a person; the royal family continued to make time for her, and Dani made a point to spin tales of a magical land where people flew on the magic mats with the wings of huge, silver birds, far away across mountains and deserts.

The engravers were less enthused by her visits; they had received careful sketches of exactly what Dani wanted engraved, and the utter nonsense had caused them to appeal to the Pharaoh. Dani watched with an amused look.

"Pharaoh, these names and words are meaningless! Who ever heard of anyone with such a strange name as Ozymandias? And then there are the other designs that no-one but she understands."

The young man on the throne nodded somberly. "At times the avatar's actions are hard to understand, but she saved our mother, and is Ma'at's chosen. She asked for this as a favor. We owe our kingdom to her, and if she wants stone tablets carved with nonsense, then we will give her what she asks and more." The youngster smiled at the guild master as the older man shook his head in despair. "Take heart, somehow I think someone will be gifted with a very unique story because of your work."

Dani spoke up as Djer finished. "I appreciate the difficulty you face, guild master. Please understand that the symbols and inscriptions I've drawn are trying to put my homeland's tongue into Egyptian glyphs. Our ways of writing are so different that putting my language in your glyphs makes it look like nonsense. The people for whom the tablets are being made will understand the message they bear."

Another moon waxed and waned before the tablets were complete; Djer and Iti sent word to their friend that a formal presentation had been scheduled for the next day. There was quite the crowd as the results of the work were presented to Dani, and the scholar was careful to maintain an air of formality as she accepted the gift from the still bewildered workmen.

After the presentation had been completed, and the room was cleared, Dani stood in the throne room and looked carefully around. Her actions, peculiar even for her, finally broke the patience of the Pharaoh.

"Dani? What are you looking for?"

She broke off her survey and turned her attention to the boy. She was smiling, but there was a sorrow in her eyes that was plain.

"Now that I have the tablets," she explained, "I need to put them where only the proper people will find them at the proper time. I was looking around to make sure I knew where that should be."

"Why does it make you so sad?"

"I'm just thinking, Pharaoh, of when I return to my homeland. I'll miss you, and all my friends here." ~And you'll all be dust and legend. Pictures on the wall, or names in a list.~ She took one last look around the room. ~There. I know we found that corner on Dominic's last dig; now if I can get Iti's permission to bury the tablets at that location, I'll know where to look.~

She joined Djer as they made their way to the royal quarters; there were a couple of backup locations she could use, but the sooner the work started, the sooner she could move on to 'Operation Yente'. Dani giggled as she recalled Iti's reaction to that latest example of peculiar behavior.

"I'm not sure which worries me more: not understanding you at all, at times, or the idea of actually knowing what you're talking about."

*****

"Alright, Dani; what are you up to?" Iri put her whole body into the most intimidating glare she could manage.

"What do you mean? What makes you think I'm up to anything?" ~Please forgive the shading of the truth, My Lady.~

~Just don't make a habit of it, Dani. Even white lies can be a problem. I'd prefer it if you just refuse to answer.~

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about!"

Dani smiled and took her irate friend into a warm hug. The smaller woman stiffened, then relaxed as she returned the embrace.

"I'm sorry, Iri. You're as dear as a sister to me, but I can't say anything. You'll just have to wait. I know you're in love with your young captain, and that he's so fixed on his new position that he's ignoring you."

"It's only gotten worse since Snefru led his mutiny. He feels as if he failed."

"I'm not surprised. He needs to realize that there is more to really living than just his job. I'm working with Her Majesty, and Ma'at has added her blessing to my idea." Dani winced. "The Goddess reminded me that I had made the same error as Semerkhet; I feel even more obligated to do something, now."

"You can't tell me anything?"

"I want you to be able to truthfully say you had nothing to do with it. I don't know if it will work, but we want to try." Dani's serious expression cracked as a nearly irresistible pout appeared. "And pouting won't help either."

*****

"Meri-Ma'at? The palace sent a messenger to ask for you to come right away." Huni, one of the newest temple attendants, stood nervously at the door to Dani's quarters, where the scholar sat at the desk examining a small statue.

"Huni, right?" The young woman nodded, as Dani placed the item back on the desk. "Let's go. The palace wouldn't have sent a runner if it weren't important."

A short time later she found herself in the middle of a near-screaming match between several of the cooks.

"It's a total waste of time! It does nothing but enrich the pockets of the herb sellers and the woodcutters." Dani walked into view of the antagonists. "And there she is! Have you come to get your share of the profits?"

The leader of the vocal opposition, Inyotef, was a somewhat shorter woman than the avatar, but heavy-set and muscular. She spun around and stalked in the direction of the newcomer. "I'll teach you to interfere in my kitchen!"

~Put out your hand, child, and feel yourself holding her back.~ The calm voice guided the heavily outnumbered scholar. She did as she was instructed, and felt a gentle surge flow through her arm as the voice continued. ~Now guide the power around her like the fingers of your hand. Just focus on control; I'll give you the strength you need.~

Inyotef's expression changed almost instantly from rage to fear. The tales of the avatar had circulated, but too often tales had proven to be lies. As she felt the soft restraint of the goddess' power, Inyotef felt her heart quail as she realized the truth of the stories she'd heard.

Dani, her face placid, walked toward the now-panicking woman. Everyone else in the kitchen fell back. "I heard you almost as soon as I walked into the palace. I understand that you don't like the changes I've suggested." She paused. "Do you have a son or daughter?"

Inyotef nodded carefully, still aware of the gossamer threads of power woven around her. "A ... a son, Lady."

"And what would you do to keep him healthy and strong? Would you boil some water if it meant he wouldn't get sick and die? I would; some of the people in this palace are as dear to me as family. If the Goddess permitted, I'd do more to keep them safe and well; this is the least I can do, and," she pulled the threads more tightly around her prisoner, "I won't let anyone put them back in danger." She abruptly released her captive.

Inyotef's eyes were wide with terror as the bindings, unyielding as stone, tightened. Suddenly, like the snuffing of a candle, the bindings holding her were gone. She fell to her knees and, sobbing, she begged for forgiveness from the avatar and her goddess.

Dani reached down and took the hands of the kneeling, sobbing woman, pulling her to her feet. She noted the rest of the staff, while not kneeling, were in a submissive pose; their hands were clasped before them and their heads were bowed.

"Listen to me, all of you." The heads of each person in the room came up. "I'm not really surprised that some of you are upset, but so long as I'm in the city you may come to me. I will listen, though I may not change my mind As far as the new cleansing rituals, I will listen to ideas for a better way; the cleansing must be done though. Now then, since you've decided to cause disorder within the palace, I must pronounce judgment."

Several faces went pale immediately, and their fear only increased as an evil-looking smile came to the tall woman's face. Dani felt a quiet giggle from the voice in her mind. Looking around to make sure Iri was not present, she held her finger to her lips. The staff's fear turned to shock at her next statement.

"Your penalty is to help me get Iri and Semerkhet back together. I have an idea about how, and you're ALL going to help."

Nervous titters came from the women as they swore themselves to secrecy.

That evening, as Dani lay in her quarters, Ma'at spoke up. ~Dani, you need training in how to properly use your new abilities. It will soon be time, I think, for you to begin your return to your own time and place. There is a school for mutants, called Whateley Academy, which has the facilities and teachers you'll need.~

~I'm a mutant?~

~No, but they're the only organization that can be trusted with your training at the moment. I could teach you, but the governments in your time will be less likely to interfere in our affairs if you have trained at a recognized school once you're back in your own time. Whateley could use an expert in historical mythology, too, with their collection of students.~

~Seventy-five years in college and you want me to teach TEENAGERS?~

~Among other things you will do in the future. I have work for you when you get home.~

*****

The tablets had been buried in the location that was Dani's first choice; the stone masons managed to remove several floor pavers and make a sufficiently large space under a non-load-bearing wall to slide the carvings into place. As the last stone was secured into place, sealing the messages to the future into their resting place, Dani sent a silent plea to Ma'at to put her blessing on the project, and protect them till the proper time.

She stood, and looked at Iti. "I think it's almost time for me to leave. You said you wanted me to have a banquet with you, the Pharaoh, and a few others?"

"I think three days from today will work best for our preparations, if that is suitable."

"As it pleases your majesties."

After Dani's departure, Iti called Iri into the throne room. "Iri, I want to have a last meal with Dani as the guest of honor. Does she have a favorite food?"

"Yes, Majesty. She said my stew was her favorite."

"Very good; make preparations for three days from now. You are her friend, and you will join us at the table as well. And remember, child, we have a surprise planned. Trust us."

*****

The kitchen staff poured their talents into the preparations, selecting the very best of the available ingredients for each dish. Iri found herself a central figure as she was handed only the best of those select goods for her stew. Inyotef, with the memory of Dani's power and mercy still fresh in her mind, was given the key role on the day of the banquet; she had a fresh bay leaf set aside and would be the one to serve the young guard captain.

*****

The hall was filled with laughter, as the royal wine cellars supplied copious quantities of their contents for the revelers. The various dishes were loudly praised, and Iri's stew had held its place of honor. Semerkhet had found the bay leaf in his stew and set it aside, noting he was the only one nearby that had one.

At the end of the main meal, Dani stood to begin the time for storytelling as the wine cups were topped off. "First, I want to give my thanks to Iri. Her stew has always been one of my favorite dishes, and she has done a magnificent job this evening. You have truly outdone yourself. Now, who was the lucky man who found the bay leaf in his portion of the stew? I may tell you that in other lands the bay leaf, also known as laurel, is used as a symbol of honor for heroes and champions. In my land, there is a very old and honored tradition that he who gets the bay leaf in his stew wins the privilege of kissing the cook."

Iri paled at the words, and gave a fearful look around the table.

Semerkhet stood silently, cocked an eyebrow at the slight smirk on the avatar's face, which was mirrored on the Queen Regent, and walked to Iri's place. The young woman trembled as she stood, but accepted the kiss without audible protest. He said a few quiet words in her ear as they parted. The two resumed their places, joined in a glare at the matchmakers at the head table.

Dani accepted the glare without visible reaction as she continued. "I have a story I'd like to share this evening; it is short, and a bit sad, but appropriate.

"A wise man had spent years with a group of his followers, living with them and teaching them each day. The time finally came for him to leave, and he sat down with them all in a final meal. As they ended their time together, he asked them, whenever they had that meal, to let it be a reminder of the years they'd spent together and the lessons he'd taught."

"I would ask that, when you have some of this stew, you'd remember me. Wherever the Goddess leads me from here, whenever I share this stew with new friends, I will share the stories of my friends here."

She nodded to Iti. "I'll tell the story about the Queen Regent who had the courage to stand proud against rebels." She turned to Djer. "I'll also tell a story about a young Pharaoh, who thirsted for knowledge and had the heart to try to protect his mother."

She looked further down the tables at Nebka. "I have a story about a Priestess and teacher, who was gracious enough to bear teaching someone who just could *not* sing." The High Priestess smiled and raised her cup.

"And last, but not least in my heart, a special story about a guide who became as dear as a sister to me." She nodded to Iri.

The remainder of the meal was slightly more subdued, though the stories continued from various people, some related to Dani and her antics. The evening wore on, and the guests left in small waves, until only Dani's closest friends, Iti, Djer, Nebka, Iri, and Semerkhet, were left.

As they made their way to the royal quarters, Dani took the captain aside. "Semerkhet, I know you're a little upset with what we did at the banquet. I have a special story that you need to hear, though. In my homeland, there was a man who was a scholar. He loved his studies so much that he ignored a young woman who did all she could to show her love for him. She finally gave up, and left. He lived for almost one hundred years, and was renowned for his work, but he never had a wife, a family, or children. He died alone, and there was no one to carry on with his family name." She paused for emphasis. "There is more to life than your work, young man. Your duty as a man is to more than just the Pharaoh and Queen Iti. Don't make the same mistake as that scholar."

*****

~It is time for you to say goodbye, child. Your journey needs to continue; you have other stops to make on your road home.~

Dani opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Nebka. "It's time for you to leave us?" At the avatar's bewildered look, she continued. "I saw your face. You became still as the Goddess spoke to you, then sad."

"I'm afraid so. I don't know where the next step will take me, but it's time to take it."

There were hugs, and tears, as Dani said her goodbyes. She noticed with some pleasure that Semerkhet was standing with an arm around Iri's waist. At her questioning look, he blushed and nodded. She whispered as she said her farewell to him, "Take good care of my sister, and enjoy all the blessings that love will bring."

Iti drew a small cloth from a corner and unfolded it as Dani approached. "I had a dream, some time ago, that I needed to have a special gift made for you." She held out a lightweight, gold chain that bore a pendant in the shape of a single ostrich feather.

~Lady? May I accept this and take it with me?~ Dani's mind called out as her hand reached for the glittering necklace.

~It was made for you as a remembrance. Wherever you go, you may take it with you.~

Dani's fingers fumbled a little as she straightened the chain and slipped it over her head. It took her another moment to gather her hair and get it out of the way, so the jewelry rested properly around her neck.

She looked down for a moment at the pendant, which was so finely made that it could have been plucked from a tiny, golden ostrich.

"I ... I'm overwhelmed," she stammered. "Thank you, Your Majesties, for such a wonderful gift. Ma'at says I may take it with me, and I'll keep it as a most precious treasure."

She stepped back from the royal pair, and fought to keep her tears at bay. "I guess this is it, then. I'll always love and remember you all, and I pray the Goddess will bless you as richly as you've blessed me."

There was a bright flash, and she was gone.

*****

The candle-lit room vanished, and Dani felt an instant of disorientation. Suddenly, she was outdoors again, with the warm sun on her back. She was on a ridge, facing down a long slope that ended in what appeared to be a large bay, flanked on her left by mountains; much closer to her, perhaps half a mile away down the slope, was a small city.

Notes:

Readers, Please Remember to Leave a Comment

Want to comment but don't want to open an account?
Anyone can log in as Guest Reader -- password topshelf to leave a comment.

Synopsis:

The Minoans get a small nudge.

Story:

Ma‘at

Chapter 3: Knossos
By Itinerant
Edited by Amelia R.

"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 either Sapphire's Place (http://www.sapphireplace.com/stories/whateley.html) or the Big Closet (http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/taxonomy/term/117)."

**********

From Chapter 2:

The candle-lit room vanished, and Dani felt an instant of disorientation. Suddenly, she was outdoors again, with the warm sun on her back. She was on a ridge, facing down a long slope that ended in what appeared to be a large bay, flanked on her left by mountains; much closer to her, perhaps half a mile away down the slope, was a small city.

*****

The humidity from the sea was strange, after the months in Egypt. The smell of sea-salt wafted up the slope as the sun's heat powered the sea breeze. There was an unexpected tug at her waist, and she looked to find a purse tied there that contained a number of gold, silver, and copper nuggets.

Dani stood still for a few minutes as she surveyed the landscape. The last time she'd 'traveled', she had just started moving. Her lack of caution had ended with her as a slave, and the memories of her capture left her shaking. She'd not make that mistake a second time. ~Fool me once, and all that. Ma'at?~

~Yes, dear one?~

~I don't want to get into the same fix as last time. I can see by the architecture that I'm somewhere in the Mediterranean, and the style could be almost any point in a three thousand year range. Will you tell me what's going on this time, before I get beaten up and enslaved?~ There was a distinctly bitter edge to the young woman's thought.

The goddess' voice was both patient and sympathetic. ~You're angry about what happened to you after you first appeared in Egypt. I understand, Meri-Ma'at, but what happened was utterly necessary, and I was truly watching over you, even then.~

~Why? Goddess, they nearly *raped* me!~ She dropped to the ground, wrapping her arms around her knees. ~They slapped me, and ... and fondled me.~ Dani shuddered as tears trailed slowly down her face. ~I still feel contaminated. How could that be necessary?~

~Oh, daughter,~ she felt strong arms around her, holding her close, ~if there had been a way to accomplish the task that would have spared you any or all of that abuse, I would have done it that way. Snefru had to be exposed and stopped, and I needed you in the throne room when he tried to take over. Do you know of any other way for you to accomplish all that?

~If you had just walked up to the city, you'd never have gotten into the palace. Snefru would have succeeded. If I had revealed you as my avatar earlier and gotten you into the palace, Snefru would have waited until you were away, or just had his bowmen kill everyone at the beginning.~

Dani was quiet; she knew she was getting 'the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth' -- the horror she felt from the memories was hardly assuaged, despite the reassurance. It hadn't been so bad while she had been in the comfort and security of the palace or the temple; she felt the memories of the last time overwhelm her, now that she was beginning a new stage of her travels.

A warm, loving thought cut through the fears. ~Dear child, you don't need to fear. I will be right here with you for the rest of your life. I don't promise perfect safety, but I do promise to walk along each step of your way, no matter what happens.~

Dani gathered her hair and pulled it back from her face, and then wiped her eyes. ~Okay. I can live with that, just don't be surprised if I have nightmares for a while.~

~And I'll be with you as you go through them.~ The statement was punctuated by another gentle hug.

It was a few minutes before the next question came. ~So, where am I now? Why have you brought me here?~

*****

She was standing again, and in a bit of a daze. Ma'at hadn't outlined everything that she was expected to accomplish, but she knew a little more, now.

She was close to the same era as when she'd left Memphis, 2600 B.C.E., but she was now on the north side of the island of Crete. ~Knossos, one of the three major centers of the Minoan civilization. They were far ahead of their time in so many ways.~ She thought for a moment, recalling the records and speculations about this mysterious culture. ~They were an awful lot like a Bronze Age British Empire in their focus on trade, or so everyone thinks. Now I have a chance to see it at the beginning.~

Dani didn't skip, but there was a definite spring in her step as she made her way down the slope.

~Head for the waterfront, dear. There's someone you need to meet there. You don't know the local language, and he does.~

A statue would show as much life as Dani at that moment. ~He? A man whom I've never MET?!~

~Peace, Dani! He's much like Semerkhet, and is a fine, honorable man. You are here, at a tipping point for this society, to ensure they take the proper path.~

*****

Khaba watched carefully as the sailors hauled another amphora out of the beached hull. ~The dates should fetch a good price at market; I was lucky to meet that merchant who was desperate to sell his wares. With any luck, the voyage should turn a tidy profit.~ His smile was brief; profitable voyages were less frequent of late. He'd done well, but some of the other captains in his trading group were having more difficulty. They could have more ships out, but someone had to stay home to manage the sale of cargo and purchase the cargos for the next voyage.

~I don't even want to think of what the taxes will do to us next season, if we don't fix the problem.~

The next jug was just appearing at the gunwale of the vessel, when he saw what had to be a goddess walking. ~Ptah, one of your daughters is abroad in the world!~ He kept only half his attention on the unloading, as the woman scanned the area. She finally seemed to spot him and began to walk in his direction. He hadn't missed the slight shudder before she moved, however.

~I suppose the appearance of a mere mortal would be distasteful to a goddess. I wonder why she's here?~ He gulped. ~And why she seems to be looking for me?~

*****

The walk had been pleasant, as the cool sea breeze countered the heat of the early afternoon sunshine. Her clothing seemed to be loose enough to let a little of the air circulate, while making sure she was covered. As she walked, she shook her head a little in wonder at the changes that had occurred. She had lived the first ninety-seven years of life as a man, five millennia in the future, and now found herself a young woman -- the avatar of the goddess Ma'at. The change was emphasized as she stepped down and felt that now-familiar bounce of flesh on her chest. Her breasts weren't large, but now and again they reminded her of their presence. Her necklace was low around her neck, and the feather pendant rested, safely hidden, between her breasts.

Dani finally made it to the beach, where a number of ships -- hardly larger than some modern-day cabin cruisers -- lay pulled up on the sand. Their masts were bare at the moment, and most were attended by small parties that were performing small repairs on their vessels. She moved quickly down the line, as a curve of a small stream carried odors that reminded her of the lack of sanitation and sewers.

~When I get home, I'm going to spend a week just soaking in a bathtub!~

She was nearing the end of the line of trading vessels, where what had to be a new arrival was being unloaded. She couldn't see into the hull, but large containers -- fired clay, she suspected -- were hauled up onto the edge of ship, where more sailors stood on the sand to take each container and carry it to its place by an array of similar cargo well up the beach.

One man, taller than most of the rest, was standing where he could watch the process.

~That's the man you should talk to, child,~ came Ma'at's voice.

He looked nothing like Semerkhet, and nothing like Snefru even before his attitude adjustment, but appearances could be deceiving. Ma'at vouched for him, though, so he had to be reasonably okay. He looked in her direction, and his eyes widened. Dani looked at him, and shuddered a little as she stepped out.

~I wonder what his reaction is all about?~ Dani wondered.

~His name is Khaba, and the gist of his thought is 'goddess walking.' You must remember that physically, you are as close to perfection as these people have ever seen.~

~Oh? How can that be?~

The goddess' mental voice bubbled with humor. ~Why daughter, you're my twin! Remember your dream? How could you be anything but divine?~

Dani giggled and shot back. ~I don't look anything like Bette Midler.~ Her thoughts skittered around for a bit before tripping over an odd bit of musical trivia. ~I suppose I'm working for *a* Divine Ms M, though.~

The young looking woman shifted into scholar mode, slowing her pace, as she considered the ramifications of that comment. Her appearance might help, if the overall attitude toward women wasn't too bad. On the other hand, she might find herself slamming up against social customs that would make it difficult to accomplish her mission here.

~I suppose it doesn't matter at the moment. It's time to get to meet my contact.~ She looked over the man appraisingly. ~He's a very fine looking specimen himself, I must say.~

It took a few seconds for the implications of that thought to sink in, but she was with Khaba now, and there wasn't time to freeze.

"Greetings, Khaba."

The look on the man's face was priceless.

*****

Dani had spent the remainder of the day largely observing the unloading of the cargo, and then she and Khaba had followed the small caravan of pack animals as the goods were carried into the city. She'd spent what time she could in conversation with her companion and learned something of his background.

Khaba had been born in the upper reaches of the Nile Delta region, the youngest child of a farmer. He'd spent his early life in the dull, repetitive, back-breaking efforts to plant, harvest, and replant the fields that fed his family. He'd seen, at times, what happened when injury or illness struck as whole families slowly perished. The loss of a neighbor to starvation -- a friend from his earliest days -- sparked a fury in him. He was determined that his family, whenever he finally had one, would never perish in that slow, painful way.

He'd mentioned it, once, to his father. That mistake had not been repeated, as the beating had been severe. He actually understood it, as the survival of the family depended on everyone working hard -- there was no margin for dreamers. The appearance of the trading ships as they appeared and departed from the port cities finally led him to his escape. He'd packed long before, and slipped away at night when he'd seen a ship head upstream. His family's farm was close enough to the city of Abydos, which was about a day's walk upstream, that it was not uncommon to see trading vessels. This time he'd take advantage of the opportunity to win a place on the crew while they were stopped, even if it meant hauling heavy cargo around to do so.

As dawn broke the next morning, Khaba walked up to the vessel as it sat waiting to be unloaded at the city, and asked where the ship's master was. By noon he was working at hauling cargo from the hold, and wondered briefly about the wisdom of his decision. His strength and hard work won grudging respect from the crew; he found himself selected to take an empty berth on the vessel as it was shoved off the beach and swung slowly toward the great sea.

He'd worked even harder as he'd hired on as a hand, but the clean smell of the salt air had bound him in a way that the odor of freshly tilled soil and growing plants never had. Now, after twenty years of working and saving, he found himself a partner in a trading business with several men of Knossos.

The business had seen their profits slowly decline of late; they were on the verge of losing money, and no-one seemed to know why their good cargos weren't bringing as much money as before. The prices for the outbound goods they bought here at home hadn't changed significantly, yet the number of jars of olive oil had diminished, the number of bales of wool grew smaller, and even the allocation of salt from the royal monopoly was less. All of that because of a slow bleeding away of the goods that they'd imported or exported.

The partnership was dying by inches.

Dani listened as he spoke. ~I suppose my first job is to try to learn enough about this time and place to do the job I was sent to do, even if it's just helping this man with his business.~ She sighed, and tried to recall the lessons she'd learned about accounting practices. The responsibility for tracking the outlays for an expedition was going to prove useful.

Dani followed along, and found herself explaining something of her own background; the extra information about being Ma'at's avatar had been withheld for the moment. Khaba didn't need to know, yet.

*****

The last of the donkeys was being unloaded, and the sun was dropping toward the mountains to the west, as the issue of housing crossed her mind. She was lost in thought on the topic for a moment, and was startled when her companion asked what she was thinking about.

"I'm sorry. I was just considering where I was going to stay while I'm here."

The man looked at her for a moment. She was tall and well-muscled for a woman, but her amazing beauty would attract the attention of slavers and other undesirables. None of the inns, he thought, would be appropriate, nor could he provide lodging himself. He'd put every extra penny into his business, and still had a small, one-room house.

"There are few safe places for a woman, I'm afraid," he began. "There are few who travel alone as you have. There is a widow who has a home near mine who has room, I believe. Her husband was one of my shipmates, and it would help her to have a lodger."

~That must be what the pouch is for,~ she decided.

"That would work well, and I can do someone else a good turn."

As he led her toward the widow's home, she made arrangements to meet with Khaba in the morning; it was time to start learning enough about this time and place to understand the objective of her mission.

*****

Malia looked again around the small house and sighed. It had been months, yet her heart still ached with the loss of her husband. They had both known the risks of the sea, and she'd known of his love for the broad waters when they'd met. She'd even learned a little of his native language over the years, though not quite enough to be fluent.

Still, she was left with the problem of providing for herself, now that his income was missing. Her parents had been odd, and they'd had their daughters taught to read and write along with their sons. The town of Knossos had no real place for such an outlandish concept, though they were tolerant of her occasional forays into the domains normally reserved for men. During those times when the trading fleet was away, Malia was one they turned to.

There were hungry weeks, though, during the winter. The fleet was in port, and there was little to do; the small amount she managed to set aside for those lean times was scarcely enough. Khaba helped as he could, but had only so much to share. She wasn't as old as she felt, but had seen thirty summers and felt every one of them twice over at times like this.

Despite the difficulties, she kept herself and her home neat. The last of her meager meal was finished, and she carefully cleaned and stored the utensils. There wasn't any extra money to replace even a broken dish.

The thud of a fist on the wooden door startled and frightened her. The sound of the familiar voice of her husband's captain was a joy and puzzle.

~He just returned, and it's too soon to have sold his cargo.~ He frequently left her with some of his spare funds to compensate her for watching over his home, but she'd no idea why he was stopping now.

The man's tall, lean form filled the doorway, and Malia was pulled into an affectionate hug. She was the wife of a good friend, and his heart broke when he saw how she struggled. She was proud and self-reliant. She'd refused on several occasions to allow him to provide for her; he'd been forced to invent stories of long-ago cargo that her husband had been allocated that had finally sold.

It was a useful fiction that allowed her to hold on to her dignity.

The man spoke in the local tongue, and waved a hand behind him at someone. "Malia, I have a favor to ask of you. Would you be willing to rent space to a traveling scholar?"

Malia gaped as the woman, as tall as Khaba, stepped around to greet her potential landlady. Even in the fading daylight, her bright, clear eyes sparkled with intelligence. She was lovely, yet had an air of uncertainty about her. The woman's voice was sweet, and her face was open and friendly as she came in and spoke to Khaba, who translated for her.

"Malia, my name is Dani. I was sent here to help Khaba, and I need a place to stay. He says you have space and might be willing to rent."

Khaba translated, and grinned at Malia as her eyes glittered in suspicion.

The negotiations took enough time that it was dark before the man left. Dani had insisted on paying for new dishes and utensils, extra furniture to accommodate her needs, and food to restock the larder; all that was in addition to payments for the space itself. Malia had protested, only to encounter a will as stubborn as her own.

~Might as well argue with the mountains,~ the older woman fumed.

"Malia, I don't know your language, or this city, and I'll be relying on you for help. My time here will be easier if we're both comfortable and well fed. I'm paying for your time and knowledge as well as the lodging."

The man left after the negotiations were complete. Being the intermediary between the two stone-willed women was like being grain in a grinding bowl.

~At least I wasn't trying to argue with either of them.~

*****

Khaba extinguished the lamp in his room and considered the events of the day as his mind whirled. She was an extraordinary beauty, and yet an awesomely quick mind lurked behind the face. Calling her a scholar was like calling the sun a lamp; he‘d seen her pause several times in her reply to a question, as she struggled to frame an answer.

~As if she knew so much that she was pressed to make her answer simple enough.~

His pride rose up, and he fought the resentment that came from feeling he was being treated as an ignorant child. Yet she was quick to respond to the queries that followed, and his most searching questions seemed to still touch only the surface of her understanding. He wondered what sort of place her homeland was, that such a woman could exist, and why she wanted to accompany him to his warehouse tomorrow.

~I pray to the gods that I don't have to try to trade against her people.~

*****

The next morning, as the sun just began to break above the horizon, the two women were on their way to the city marketplace. The arguments of the previous evening had only a brief reprise; it was hard for Malia to hold her ground when her stomach ached at the prospect of another empty day. The little Malia knew of the Egyptian's language provided little scope for a long argument anyway.

They returned with more food than the older woman had seen at one time since she'd been widowed, and the craftsmen had been engaged to completely re-outfit the house. The only odd additions were a chair and broad table that Dani insisted on calling a 'desk.' The strange Egyptian had also sought out places where the scribes plied their trade, and insisted on acquiring the implements for herself. All through the morning the two worked hard at teaching Dani the local language, and the old archaeologist's gift of learning languages was on full display.

"I don't see why you spent so much," Malia grumbled, switching awkwardly between Egyptian and Cretan. "You could have gotten usable things for a tenth of what you spent!"

Dani gave her a gentle smile, and paused to frame her next thought in the new language. "Malia, I don't know how long I'll be here, and I don't see the point in scrimping on something I'll need for a while." The smile turned into a grin. "Don't worry, though. I suspect we'll both be working hard enough that you'll think you've earned it, too."

*****

Khaba arrived about mid-morning to escort the strange visitor to the warehouse, where the shipment was being sorted out and readied for delivery or sale.

His curiosity quickly overcame his hesitance. "Dani, you said you were sent here to help me. Help me do what, and why?"

The lovely face was shaded with uncertainty. "In all honesty, I don't know yet. My ... patroness said I needed to be here, and now, because it was important. I want to watch you as you go about your normal business today. I'm hoping it will help me understand my purpose for being in Knossos."

Her thoughts turned to the immediate past. ~I just hope I don't have to deal with a coup, or assassins.~

The place was organized chaos, as the contingent of laborers loaded the pack animals for the final stage of each item's trip. Wheat, oil, and all manner of raw material for a Bronze Age city were sent off as they were ready. The activity seemed to have started early enough that day that some of the beasts were returning, showing signs of weariness from the morning’s labor. Some of the returning animals were loaded with goods for the inevitable outbound voyages, but the number was lower than she would have expected.

Despite the unique setting, there was enough resemblance to modern day warehouses that she was able to sort out just what was happening. She listened carefully to her guide's description in any case, just to ensure she'd not misinterpreted what she saw.

At last, they came to a corner, where a table stood with a small group of four men around it.

The first greetings were in the same language that Malia used, and which remained largely unknown to her, and Dani listened carefully to the intonations. ~What did that seminar call it? Eteocretan? Did that language even exist this long ago?~

Khaba spoke briefly in the same tongue, and then switched to Egyptian again. "She says she is a scholar from far to the west, and is here to learn our ways and be what help she can." His partners were obviously skeptical, yet Khaba was decidedly the leader of the group. He also saw an opportunity to slake his own thirst for understanding about this odd woman.

"Perhaps she can outline what she's seen of our business, and give us an idea of how it differs from that in her own land?"

*****

She felt nervous at the beginning, but slowly warmed to her narrative. She filtered little as she described the operations of the modern shipping organizations she'd encountered as compared to what she'd seen that morning. She was lost in her topic as she concentrated on recalling more precise details, and only became aware of her audience again as she completed her description.

"Two last points I think I'd emphasize are the lack of anyone here to record the flow of goods, and the fact that you have no women anywhere in your operations. With the first, you can begin to anticipate changes in trade by looking for the rise and fall in sales of your goods, and using women for those tasks will free your men to make more trade journeys."

She hesitated for a moment. "If you have any records, I can give you an idea of what I mean."

She was hardly surprised to find that no written records existed, save for those stored in the admittedly keen minds of the men around her -- not all of whom were convinced.

The language changed back to the local dialect, but the tone of their voices made their meaning clear as did the gestures in her direction. She looked at her host's face for clues to his attitude; he was holding his patience, but was exasperated with his colleagues.

The yammering wore on her own patience. ~They're as bad as department heads at budget time!~ Finally, she was tired of the noise, and taking advantage of a mug in front of what appeared to be the chief yammerhead, she gathered a thread of her power and flicked the mug into the man's lap as he gesticulated and his hand came very close.

It effectively ended the interminable argument, but the man -- Nebre, by name -- was still scowling as he slowly air-dried. The other three partners, Dewen, Andjib, and Weneg appeared to be mostly unsympathetic to his plight.

~That was petty, child,~ Ma'at's voice chided.

~I cannot argue that point, but it stopped the arguing for argument's sake. Besides, I could have picked on Andjib; those pretty pointy-toed sandals of his would look the worse for having wine on them.~

Nebre was unhappy; Dewen and Weneg were intrigued. Andjib appeared to be indifferent to the whole idea of precise record keeping. Dani shrugged mentally.

"I think," Khaba broke in, "that we're missing the opportunity here. She is offering to try to help us, and it will cost us *nothing* to gain her advice on how we can regain our lost profits."

They finally managed to reach a consensus: she would be given access to the warehouse and the five men who owned the business. Any recommendations would be considered and approved by the group before putting them into practice.

*****

The time seemed to evaporate, as Dani focused intently on learning every aspect of the business and culture after the meeting. She began at the very simplest level. The common trading tongue within the group turned out to be Egyptian, though Dani pestered Malia and Khaba for lessons in the local language, too. The spoken language was unfamiliar to her, but the written was so close to the Egyptian that she picked it up quickly; the written language was Cretan hieroglyphics that predated the linear scripts by at least three hundred years. It wasn't 'Linear A', unfortunately. She'd hoped to spend some of her time learning that untranslatable language; it would have been a real coup to return with that knowledge.

After educating herself in the local language and numbering system, Dani started to inventory the goods in the storehouse. They were pulling themselves up by their bootstraps -- or sandal straps, as the case may be. The term was meaningless to the men of the partnership, but the idea of starting from nothing and building up was well understood by all.

It took no time at all to decide that, as a recording medium, clay was her last choice. It was the only option at the moment, so she was getting experience in managing the stiff material. It was a challenge to keep it moist enough for use, yet not so moist that the sharp-edged characters would be lost as the material slumped.

The scholar found herself relying greatly on Malia, with her sharp mind, experience, and web of contacts throughout the city. She was also displaying a shrewd grasp of Dani's intent, and added her own observations and knowledge.

Malia had, at first, been hesitant and watchful of the tall, strange, black-haired woman. The warm wit, plentiful food, and intelligent conversations as the oil lamps lit the room had drawn the two into a growing friendship. Apart, at least, from the tiffs over Dani's insistence on paying more than what Malia considered her fair share of the food costs.

Arguing about it was as effective as sweeping back the sea with a broom; Dani kept plentiful food in the house despite her landlady's grumblings.

*****

"What's the foreign witch up to now? We've gotten less than a tenth of what we'd agreed to sell off, and she and that sailor's widow are buzzing around like flies on a carcass."

"We can't get at the goods, yet! Worse, that Egyptian is a scribe; she's written down everything that was brought in before we could get your part set aside." He swore under his breath. "And on top of it all, they're sealing the damned jars! If we try to skim any off, it'll show."

"We'll have to get them both out of the way. I'll give you time, but our ... customers won't wait indefinitely."

Andjib shrugged. "I don't want to kill if it can be avoided. The rest of my partners will be nervous if women start dying mysteriously, and I can't touch them, not yet. I intend to work around their records, if possible; we're working on duplicating the seals they used, and should be ready before too long."

*****

The new system Dani was working on was slowly growing. The men were mostly indifferent to the peculiar behavior of the Egyptian woman, even as she added other worker's wives to her team. They slowly spread their influence over the warehouse, and Dani's record collection grew to the point she had to have Khaba arrange for additional space and shelving.

Malia wasn't sneaky, not quite. She just took advantage of the presence of certain wives to nudge the workers into keeping an eye on what was shipped out to customers. Dani increasingly delegated the record updates to the widow, and worked on improving her language skills as she taught the wives the reading, writing, and arithmetic they'd need to be effective in the role that lay before them.

Quiet, generally submissive -- superficially, anyway -- and the true rulers of their households, the women were accustomed to managing their homes. Having handled the day-to-day care of children, husbands, livestock, and slaves, they were bemused by the relative simplicity of the business.

"*This* is what they do all day? If they'd work their brains half as hard as they worked their muscles, they'd have some energy at the end of the day."

When the winter storms closed in, and the trading season was done, the profits from the year's voyages were even higher than they had been prior to the slump. Khaba wrangled a portion of the increase for Dani, who portioned out the bulk of the funds to the women who'd worked with her. Malia was pleasantly surprised at the amount, but no-one could argue that she'd not earned every bit of it. For at least the coming winter, she'd have enough to eat regularly.

Dani took her own allotment and purchased a small house near the warehouse, furnishing it with the tables and shelving to function as a business office. Khaba took a look around the place in bewilderment.

"What's the point of this, Dani?" the man asked. "Are you setting up shop for taking over the city?"

Her laugh chimed in the room as the accumulated records were moved into the storage area. "Not at all, my friend. I don't care for politics; I'm just here to help you however I can. All this," she waved at their surroundings, "is to try to make sure that next year is as profitable as this year was."

He looked quizzically at her, his expression plainly wanting an explanation.

She continued, "As far as I can tell, your slump must have been caused by theft. You said that the prices you paid for the cargo, and the prices here when you sold it, were about the same as last year. Since you had about the same amount of goods as last year, someone had to be taking part of your cargo and selling it themselves. Between the records and the seals on the containers, they couldn't have had a chance to take anything this season. I can't think of any other reason why you'd have such a big change in profits otherwise."

"I suppose there's no way to know who, or when, or how." Khaba had a faintly hopeful look.

She shrugged. "I can't even tell you whose cargo was skimmed off last time, since there aren't any records. As long as you keep recording what comes in, and seal and mark each container, you'll at least be able to tell what comes up short."

"How am I supposed to do that? All the men working the warehouse are seamen, and we don't have anyone to handle the new work!"

She couldn't help it; the giggles bubbled out despite her best efforts. She had a highly amused grin as she managed to reply. "You do it the same way *I* did it; the women that did the work this time were working mostly under Malia, and they can do it from now on whether I'm here or not. And best of all, you can spend your time making trade trips and leave the record keeping part of the business to the women. Just make sure everything that comes into the warehouse is recorded, and everything that leaves is also written down; with that information, all you'll need to do is check every so often to make sure nothing has gone missing."

*****

The warehouse was brightly lit by an array on lamps against the gloom of the evening, and a long line of tables were loaded with food and drink. The profits had been sufficient to allow an end of the year celebration, and after the gloom of the last couple of years the partners had agreed that the morale boost was needed.

Much of the food was from local sources: Several chickpea dishes, wheat bread, grapes, and figs were supplemented by several platters of mutton, beef, and pork. Dani was intrigued, but not shocked by how different from Egypt the cuisine was. Here, the climate and terrain allowed for extensive herds, and a different variety of staples; the Nile valley was lacking in space to dedicate to grazing, and the availability of irrigation had a large impact on the selection of grains. There were one or two rice dishes included in the feast as the import stocks were tapped for a little additional variety.

Dani had been seated with Malia just a little down the table from Khaba and his partners, and observed the merriment further down the line of celebrants, where families, and single men, took advantage of the cornucopia of food.

A bowl of cooked vegetables -- a blend similar to that which she'd had in Memphis -- was placed near Dani, and she eagerly took a sample. Her eyes snapped wide as the sweet onion flavor and unique blend of mint with other spices rendered the dish a flavor that would have had Iti and the other Egyptian nobles demanding more.

The locals who knew her were bewildered as Dani hunted down the woman who'd prepared the dish. They were far less confused when she returned and explained.

"I come from another land, but I have spent time in Egypt. There's a market there for your onions and other herbs if you can get them there without them spoiling. They have a vegetable dish much like this one," she pointed to the new arrival, "but their onions have very different flavor. You'll make a huge profit on the onions, mint, oregano, and garlic once you can get the people there to taste them."

The logistics of preserving and transporting the perishables, and how they might get the local nobility in the Egyptian cities to try the imports, drew in the partners and some of their senior seamen as the prospect of a wholly new and potentially highly-profitable market drew them from the revelry.

A small group of the men had some musical talent, and with an array of cithara and flutes took a break to serenade the gathering with the, to the archaeologist's ears, eerie sounds of a musical heritage that had died thousands of years before -- and Dani wept with the joy of the experience and the knowledge that only a faint echo would survive through the descendants of the revelers. Small groups began to dance to the tunes in an uncluttered area of the building.

Malia extended a gentle hand to her tenant. "Dani? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong; nothing at all." Dani wiped her eyes and sniffed. "I'm just so thrilled to hear your music, and to see your dances. I've studied the lands in this part of the world all my life, but I never thought I'd see and hear any of this."

"Would you like to sit in and learn some of the songs? I'm sure with your voice they'd be happy to have you."

The avatar's face paled. "Malia, trust me, you don't want me to sing."

*****

A heavy fist hammered on the outside door.

Dani was trying to wake up after the late night of celebrations, and heard only the vague sounds of clattering as, she assumed, Malia went to find out who was making all the noise. It took a couple of minutes before she made it out of her room to find Khaba and Malia speaking excitedly. Despite the last few months of total immersion in Eteocretan, she was hard pressed to follow the conversation. She almost regretted it when she finally figured out what was being said.

The next morning found Dani, Malia and Khaba standing beside the burned out shell of the new office. Smoke still rose and twisted like the ghosts of gray snakes from the smoldering beams.

The man gritted his teeth. "Someone must have left a lamp lit; now all the records are gone."

The scholar quirked an eyebrow and walked toward where the shelves had been. "Khaba, I don't think that's necessarily true. I was the last person out of here last night, and I know I put the lamp out before I left." She paused for a moment. "Remember, too, that the records were all dried clay. We might have brittle, hard-baked records, but ..."

She stopped as she looked at the scattered shards on the floor. She cursed in a half-dozen languages as she surveyed the scene, taking in the toppled, burned shelving. ~Something's wrong here. The shard pattern ...~

She stepped back into the roadway, and began to look carefully at the floor of the room. She moved slowly, and examined each part the floor. She worked her way in from the door, checking for any sign of the perpetrator. Her eyes narrowed at the sight of a footprint on the floor. A charred box quickly covered the evidence.

Dani's voice was grim. "It wasn't accidental. Someone smashed the tablets before the fire."

Khaba looked intently at the stern face of the strange woman. "How can you possibly tell?"

Dani pointed to the floor. "Take a look there, and think about what you see. All the tablets were on those shelves. If the shelves had collapsed from the burning, all of the fragments would have been on one side or the other. If you look, you can see fragments right up against the wall on *both* sides." She smiled, grimly. "Fortunately, whoever did it left us a little hint as to who they were."

At the man's questioning look, she lifted the box.

Khaba's voice quivered with rage. "We need to have a meeting here with my partners, it seems."

*****

The five partners stood in the burned out house and sniffed distastefully at the acrid odor. Khaba's face was a bronze mask as he pointed out the losses incurred, and then showed them how he knew it wasn't accidental. Dani and Malia had remained in the doorway, watching the interactions.

Nebre was red-faced with anger as the implication became clear. "You mean that someone deliberately destroyed the records, and then burned the place to try to hide it?"

"Exactly," Khaba replied. "Someone seems to be upset that we did so well this season."

Andjib scanned the place, shrugging as he turned back to the group. "It seems unfortunate that there's no way to tell who did this."

"I wouldn't say that," Dani interjected. "Sometimes you can find the most interesting items if you just know what to look for." She walked with Malia to the box and lifted it out of the way.

A very distinct print from a pointed-toe sandal was revealed, and all the heads turned to stare at a suddenly pale Andjib, who started backing slowly toward the empty doorway. He suddenly held a knife in his hand, and waved it threateningly.

"Stay away! I'll kill anyone who comes close!" He slipped slowly toward the door.

"Why, Andjib? How could you steal from us like this?" Dewen had been his friend for years, and the betrayal cut deep.

"Don't be stupid! I own parts of two other partnerships, and used the money from you fools to take a bigger share. In another year or two, I'd have controlled most of the trade to this city, if not for that meddling Egyptian."

Before anyone could react, he abruptly threw the knife at Dani.

She felt a somewhat familiar sensation in that eternal instant of time as the knife flew toward her heart. There was a flicker in her mind as Ma'at asserted her power, but only enough to allow her to twist out of the way. The knife slipped by her and buried itself in the burned doorjamb.

Khaba tackled Andjib first, and was quickly joined by Dewen. The three men were heavily dusted by ash, but the knife-wielder was finally subdued. He glared sullenly at Dani -- the instigator of all his problems.

Malia was staring at Dani as well, but with wonder rather than hate. "How did that knife miss? No-one can move that fast!"

Dani chewed her lip for a moment. Ma'at was the Goddess of Truth, and as much as the avatar wished it was otherwise, right now a lie was out of the question.

"I don't want to answer that right now, my friend." The scholar patted her landlady on the shoulder. "The truth would complicate things more than I care for at the moment."

The older woman's face reflected her dissatisfaction, but she had accepted the answer for the moment.

The partners had badgered their captive while the two women conversed, trying to extract reason from the insane situation. None of them were quite shouting, but they had been talking loudly and energetically. They quieted as the women walked up.

"Tell me, Khaba, what's the penalty for starting a fire in the city? And what is the punishment for theft?" Dani focused her attention steadily on Andjib as she spoke; his face went white with fear and rage.

The man's voice was heavy with anger as he replied. "The penalty is impaling for setting a house on fire; theft, depending on the circumstances, can be anything from loss of a hand to beheading."

The captive was given a choice: If he'd tell his partners everything he'd done, and who his partners in the crimes were, they'd give him a chance to flee the island before telling anyone else what had happened, otherwise he'd be turned over to the city guard for trial.

It was hardly a real choice, and Andjib had agreed without hesitation.

*****

The winter was one of the most memorable the city of Knossos had had in decades. The commercial interests had been shaken by the revelation of theft, and two major trading groups implicated in the crime had been dismantled.

Khaba and the remaining partners had circulated the evidence gathered after their intense questioning of their former colleague and, after it had been verified, had just happened to leave a door unsecured.

The city guard found only a vacant space where the former partner's boat had been, and he'd disappeared into the wide seas.

The following trading season was utterly unique for the partners. The office space had been rebuilt, and readied for the new year. Malia, working under Dani's watchful eye, had coordinated the land based operations, and the partners spent the newly available time on voyages to new places they'd not had time for. The shore-based people had even arranged for food and water to re-supply the vessels when they had returned and unloaded. The new storage had been readied for the onions that would be taken aboard the fastest of the trading ships to the possible new markets in Egypt. Dani had made suggestions as to where the nobility's kitchen staff shopped; a few strategic samples produced an onslaught of demand. The oregano and mint were harder to market, but a few enterprising cooks had stepped up to try the new herbs.

The local farmers were warned that the demand for their onion crop would be much larger next season as the ships, laden with rice, cotton, and dates, returned from their voyages.

The partnership's profits were the target of much grumbling over the following winter, and the city took note of the new organization's efficiency. The king and his advisors had sent underlings to examine the changes that had catapulted a mid-sized group of traders to levels of commerce that much larger groups had fallen short of.

By the end of the season, the records had indicated several new, highly profitable opportunities for the next season.

The first pebbles had started down the slope, in advance of the avalanche of change for the island's communities and culture.

*****

The next summer was going at least as well as the previous year, and Dani had found herself with time to stretch her language skills as she circulated around the city. She was still an archaeologist, and the opportunity to study the ancient culture -- given how little hard evidence had survived -- was irresistible.

Malia was puzzled by her tenant's fascination with the commonplace activities, and was hardly mollified by the unhelpful response to her questions about why all the time was spent on unproductive observation of the daily struggle to remove the night-soil from the city streets.

They were walking toward an open marketplace in the city, and Malia was reminded of earlier events as they passed a stall where knives were sold.

"Dani, you never did answer my question about how you avoided Andjib's knife."

The tall scholar turned with a sad smile, as she once again prepared to fend off an awkward question. The reply was forestalled by the approach of a small band of men.

"There she is! She's disrupted our city enough; it's time to get rid of her!"

Several groups, within the government and trade groups, had viciously fought against the changes Dani had instigated. The economic pressures had forced the situation, and even if things could never be the same, they would vent their frustrations and anger on the source.

The women, surrounded by blank walls of stone-walled houses, were forced into a blind alley and trapped by the dozen men who'd herded them there and wielded knives and clubs.

Dani gathered her concentration and placed herself between Malia and the thugs. "Stay behind me, Malia."

"Why? How can you do anything against...."

She gaped as she received an answer to her unfinished question, and the unanswered question from the earlier incident.

Dani felt the now-familiar sensation of her Goddess as she asserted her power. The sun muted the effect, but everyone in the alley saw a bright, golden glow rise around the Egyptian woman.

The men found themselves held, like flies trapped in amber, as the shimmering figure stretched out a hand and stripped them of their weaponry.

Dani's voice took on an odd timbre as Ma'at spoke. "You will not harm my chosen, nor will you be allowed to disrupt what I have decreed will happen. Leave now, and if you try to harm anyone under my protection, you will lose more than just your weapons!"

The men scrambled away as they were released, too frightened to even scream.

Ma'at turned, and looked on Malia's kneeling figure; she also heard Dani's mental cry of dismay.

"Malia, child, you need not fear. I am Ma'at, and Dani is my chosen avatar. I brought her here to help you and your friends. She will be weary and will sleep shortly as she recovers; watch over her until she wakes."

From the back of her own mind, Dani felt a chasm opening; the people who'd become her friends would not -- could not -- see her as a mere traveling scholar. She was branded now, and would be set apart for the rest of her stay.

Ma'at's mental voice was warm with comfort, even as it warned. ~Meri-Ma'at, I promise you will not always be alone. Keep in mind that when you love, you also open yourself to pain, and there will be more than enough of that in your life as well.~

The quiet sadness in her heart echoed through Dani's reply. ~Ma'at, I've lived one life without love and insulated in my cocoon of academics. I won't make that mistake again. It just hurts to have people I consider friends treat me this way.~

Her thoughts were cut off by overwhelming fatigue as Ma'at withdrew; Dani's last waking sight was the fearful, awestruck eyes of her landlady.

*****

Dani struggled back to awareness, but had yet to open her eyes. She was still tired, but as before the rest allowed her to at least function again. A gentle hand stroked her forehead.

"Are you well, Lady?" The capital letter was clear in the familiar voice. "How may I serve the Chosen of the Goddess?"

Dani blinked her eyes and found herself back in her rented room. Malia sat beside her bed on a stool. The scholar carefully sat up on the edge of the bed.

"I'm fine, Malia." Her voice took on a pleading tone. "I'm still your friend, and still Dani to you -- at least I hope so." The look of awe and reverence chilled her hopes; the woman dropping to her knees crushed them entirely.

Dani knelt down and took the other woman's hands in one of her own. "Malia?" she said, as she used her free hand to raise the widow's face to her own.

"Lady, I ... Forgive me, please for arguing with you when you first came. I had no idea." Her eyes were almost tearing in her fear. Her body shook as Dani released her hands and embraced her.

"Oh, Malia, don't worry and don't be afraid. I'm not angry, and neither is the Goddess. She's pleased with you, and your stubborn determination. You'd never have survived without your strength of will."

It was dark by the time the avatar managed to reassure her landlady enough to turn their attention to a long-ignored supper.

*****

Malia was still subdued when morning came, but was at least responding again to the gentle humor they'd both enjoyed before. The scene at the warehouse was less pleasant; a ripple of silence spread as she and her companion walked in and most of the workers bowed or knelt. The story had spread through the city that the gods had marked the odd woman as their own.

She managed to get close to Khaba before he realized she'd arrived, and her sharp "Don't you dare!" was the only thing that kept him from kneeling.

~My Lady, I don't think I can handle this. Everyone's treating me like I'll drop the roof on their heads if they don't bow. It wasn't this bad in Memphis.~

~As I recall, daughter, it was equally bad in the temple.~

~They didn't kneel!~

~Only because Nebka didn't, and the only reason she didn't was because I'd told her not to.~

Dani sighed. ~What's left to be done here, My Lady? I think I'm ready to go before it gets any worse.~

~Soon, dear one. We just need to make sure they understand where to go from here, and it will be time to go. I know it's hard for you, but what you've done here is truly important.~

*****

She was standing up on the mountainside again, about where she'd been so many months before. She had left before sunrise to make the walk up the ridge. She didn't want anyone around for fear that it would further aggravate the situation; she'd left messages for Khaba and Malia, and had wished them both a long and healthy life, and success in the business. She'd strongly suggested that they should continue to use the women's skill to manage the business, and let the men do the big-muscle work of the voyages, but also gently hinted that the two of them seemed to have a lot in common.

~Who knows? Perhaps they'll take the hint and build a family.~

~Would it surprise you if they did, Dani?~ came the warm thought from her goddess.

~It would be a joy, Lady. This has been hard for me, and it would help to know that they’d both found someone to share their lives with.~

~Are you ready, my dear daughter?~ The sensation of a reassuring hug accompanied the thought.

~Yes, ma'am. I'm getting anxious to go home.~

~There are a few more tasks for you, dear child, before that time comes, but you will return to your own time.~

The rising sun concealed the flicker of light as the woman vanished.

*****

The world snapped back into existence around her. She found herself on a long, low rise that swept down in grassy waves to a bay. The sun was to her left, and high in the sky as a vessel, its bare mast swaying with the gentle waves, was rowed in toward a beach.

There was a cluster of tents, or so it seemed, near the shore and well above the line where storms could drive the water. She looked around, and the grass seemed to extend to the hazy horizon in every direction.

Notes:

Readers, Please Remember to Leave a Comment

Want to comment but don't want to open an account?
Anyone can log in as Guest Reader -- password topshelf to leave a comment.

Synopsis:

Dani's travels take a little side-trip to help out one of Ma'at's friends ...

Story:

Ma'at

Chapter 4: Nomads
By Itinerant
Edited by Amelia R.

"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 either Sapphire's Place (http://www.sapphireplace.com/stories/whateley.html) or the Big Closet (http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/taxonomy/term/117)."

**********

From Chapter 3:

The world snapped back into existence around her. She found herself on a long, low rise that swept down in grassy waves to a bay. The sun was to her left, and high in the sky as a vessel, its bare mast swaying with the gentle waves, was rowed in toward a beach.

There was a cluster of tents, or so it seemed, near the shore and well above the line where storms could drive the water. She looked around, and the grass seemed to extend to the hazy horizon in every direction..

*****

Dani sighed as she stood looking down the slope at the activity near the shoreline. This was quite obviously another ancient site. It was primitive -- even more so than Memphis or Crete. She combed her memory as she tried to place the combination of the ship and tents. The range of years and locations was far too broad to even begin to narrow down.

~Ma'at? I don't recognize this place, or time. Do you intend to tell me where, when, and why I'm here?~

~Of course, daughter. This time, though, is a bit different. This is the year 2000 BCE, as you reckon time. Another goddess, Artemis, has asked for your assistance. She has no avatar, and is constrained in what she's allowed to do on this plane.~

Dani nodded. ~The Greek gods aren't well known, as such, this early.~

~Precisely. As I said, she needs your assistance, but the choice will be yours. I believe it is a worthy cause, but I will not require you to take on this task.~

The goddess's quiet, mental voice proceeded to outline the situation. Dani's location was on the Crimean Peninsula, near the slender stretch of land that connected it to the mainland. The broad, grassy plains to the north were the summer grazing range of several nomadic tribes, and two of those wintered in the warmer lands of the Crimea.

Those two tribes had clashed over a spring of fresh water, and the last grazing space, at the end of the winter; the battles were normally short and sharp, but killed few -- there were enough deaths over the winter without war.

This time, however, something had gone wrong; the warriors had become enraged and kept fighting until there was no man left, on either side, unscathed. Those who survived the fighting were claimed by infection or cold.

Dani knew the implication of that statement. The physical demands of nomadic life were such that the two tribes were almost certainly doomed.

Ma'at continued the briefing, ~What Artemis wants to do is get the survivors together so they have a hope of surviving, so first you need to be a diplomat. Once that is done, you'll need to help them organize themselves to function without men around.~

The scholar was sympathetic to the tribes' plight, but the situation was far outside her experience.

~My Lady, I'd consider it if I knew *anything* about nomadic survival, but I don't.~

~You aren't being asked to make suggestions about how they should live, child. You will just need to help them blend their groups, and sort out the hostilities that are left. They'll also need some help with their trading, since none have ever dealt directly with the Minoans.~

Dani sighed in resignation, knowing that she'd not even be here if it weren't a critical point in history. The prospect of coping with even a sea-moderated Crimean winter left her shivering; she was a warm-weather girl! Her clothing, yet again, was time and place appropriate. Long, soft-leather trousers were tucked into knee-length boots that were amazingly comfortable on her feet, and a sleeveless leather shirt hung to her hips. Her hair was bound into a braid to keep it out of the way of the pack perched on her back, and her necklace hung safely under her shirt.

~A pack?~ she was distracted by the sudden awareness of weight on her shoulders.

~It's a bit different from anything they use, and has a few unique attributes you will find useful. I have provided suitable garments for you to keep reasonably warm during your time here, dear one. You will feel the cold, but you will be safe from harm.~

It was a huge advantage she hadn't expected, and it wouldn't be the first time she'd been uncomfortable.

~Thank you, My Lady. If it's important enough for you to bring me here, I'm willing to try my best. Is there someone in particular I should look for?~

~Yes. The leader of the group below is named Archippe. Find her first.~

~Yes, ma'am!~ Dani shook her shoulders to settle her pack, and stepped out toward her new task.

*****

Archippe flexed her shoulders in a futile attempt to ease the tension in them. The remnants of her tribe were settled, though it had taken far more time than in the past. The unloading of the small horses used to carry their equipment was quickly completed, as even before the idiocy of the battle the women were involved in that process. There were many fewer hands now, and some of the work assembling the tents required two women where before only one man had sufficed.

She wasn't the tallest in the tribe, nor the strongest, but she was strong and well-built -- perhaps five feet tall, and no more than ninety pounds of pure bone and muscle. She had held her position of leadership through the catastrophic spring by sheer force of will.

It would take time to work out the new situation, and more time yet for the tears of pain to be soothed. The loss was far too fresh, and wails of soul-wrenching hurt rang across the familiar campsite.

The traders were nearly to shore, the great ship urged along by the smooth white wings of the oars. Each year, for longer than Archippe had been alive, they had appeared from over the horizon with their well-crafted bronze goods, dyes to color the material the tribe wove into blankets and tapestries, and jewelry that was set with stones that flamed with colors that even rivaled the sunrise.

The bales of soft goat hair, shorn from the herds that were carefully nurtured by the nomads, would provide the bulk of their trade goods, apart from a few select tapestries that were now surplus.

~Oh, husband, how I wish you were here. You knew how to deal with these outlanders, and your bargaining brought us much wealth. Now ... now my love, I am left to bear the burden, and I have no idea how to even begin. I have begged that the gods would lend us their aid, yet they are silent. We are abandoned, alone, and doomed if I fail.~

*****

~Oh great,~ the archaeologist complained to herself, ~another day, another nest of unsanitary humanity.~ The odor of unwashed bodies, and improperly disposed of night soil, permeated the air downwind of the camp.

There had been no guard set to warn of travelers who might come in from the boundless plains, so her appearance had taken the women by surprise. The murmurs grew as she walked toward the center of the encampment. She knew she was taller than most women, and was probably taller than all but a very few men, but it only added to the otherness of her appearance. The quiet swish of feet brushing aside the stalks of untrampled grass came from behind her, and she wasn't sure whether she wanted to know what the murmurs meant.

The center of the camp was a swirl of activity, with women busy at the daily tasks of life.

~It's probably where Archippe is. Best to dive in and get it over with.~

*****

Archippe heard the quiet voices at last, and turned in the direction of the noise. Through a gap in the ring of women around her -- all widows of the clan council -- she saw a tall woman striding in her direction.

The stranger's features were unlike any seen before by any of the nomads, and her height was unnatural. The tallest of the locals was easily half-a-head shorter than the stranger, and the midnight-black hair that was bound into a long braid emphasized the appearance of an outsider against the shades of sun-bleached brown that surrounded her.

It was the other woman's eyes, however, that truly frightened Archippe. Those eyes glittered with an intelligence and age that dredged up memories of stories from her childhood. Those tales had spoken of ageless men, heroes sent by the gods to aid those in greatest need, and this seemed to be one of those heroes of legend cast in the mold of a woman to aid the shattered tribe.

A shiver of fear quivered up her arms at the power those heroes were reputed to have, and the price paid by those who failed to show respect or crossed their will.

"Quickly! Everyone on your knees! The gods have sent a hero from the old legends! Down!"

She knelt on the ground, and bowed her head.

*****

Dani watched as the woman at the center of the group she was approaching spotted her. It was depressing to see the confusion turn to shock, shock to wonder, and wonder to fear. It was like Malia all over again, without the interlude of friendship.

She sighed in resignation; their respect could make her life easier, or it could backfire badly. Fear, on the other hand, was not going to help. She needed their brains working, not slavish obedience.

~I hope the trade languages are still similar enough to get by.~

"Which of you is named Archippe?"

The bewildered look on most of the faces made Dani's heart sink, though her disappointment never reached her face. ~Don't tell me I have to learn the language before I can even find out who I need to talk to.~

Finally a slow, halting reply came from one of the women. "I am Archippe. We are at your service, hero." She wasn't fluent in the trading languages, but knew enough to answer -- she hoped.

~Hero?~ Dani's thoughts stuttered around for a moment as she tried to recall what she'd read about this time and place. It was a pitifully small data pool, as the nomads were always far north of her own, well-loved Egypt.

A long lifetime of learning wasn't entirely useless, however, and the threads of legend were woven tightly through human cultures throughout history. It wouldn't be easy, but it would suffice; it would have to.

The women before the stranger didn't have time to cringe at the instant of frustration that appeared in the hero's face. As quickly as it appeared, it was replaced by a look of kindness and determination.

"You are the only one who knows the trading tongue?"

Archippe hesitated. "Others know a little, but my mate ... husband dealt with the sea traders."

Dani nodded, and smiled; the sight brought visible relief to the kneeling group.

"I will need you to help me learn your own language, and I will teach you more of the trading language. For the moment, though, the ground must be hard on your knees, and your neck and mine will be hurting if you stay down there. Get up off your knees, and let us sit together while you tell me about your problems. My name is Dani, and I was sent here to help you all, I believe."

*****

The woman's story left Dani awed by the courage and perseverance of this people, and fighting tears at the pain of loss that rang clear in their tale. The council had gathered in Archippe's tent and the story had been told slowly over kumiss, a fermented drink that reminded Dani of shubat, a fermented camel's milk she'd had over the years in Egypt. The flavor was quite different, and she made a note to herself to find out whether the milk was from the goats or mares.

This tribe had roamed these lands for seasons beyond their oral memory, and had held them by wit as much as strength. They knew these lands, and used that understanding to maneuver the occasional raider into a position where hunger and thirst -- or simple frustration and fatigue -- forced them to return to their own tribal lands.

A new tribe had wandered into the area late in the year, chased by a lack of fodder -- or so the tale had said -- from their older lands further north and east. Unlike most of the nearby tribes in a similar position, the newcomers were more numerous and at the limits of their endurance. They had encamped around a large spring, and had chosen to exclude others from its perimeter.

None of the women knew what finally started the serious fighting. There had been the usual ritual posturing at first, but suddenly it seemed that a killing fury infected every man and boy strong enough to hold a club, sword, or knife.

The women had heard the screams, and had watched in horror as their outnumbered menfolk had desperately held the way to the camp. Even the old and infirm had rallied to brace their defense, grabbing even the odd flint knife as a weapon.

None had walked back; not one had returned at all, other than as they were borne by the women who had scoured the battlefield for any survivors.

The situation puzzled the archaeologist, as the ritual combat between tribes had developed to allow a show of superior strength without the sort of bloodletting that would threaten survival. Whatever insane hostility had been provoked, the two tribes had been reduced to women only. The men and boys that hadn't been killed outright had fallen to festering wounds.

The survivors had rallied around Archippe and the other widows of the clan leaders who'd fallen. Late winter had turned to a gratefully warm early spring, but the tribe was only beginning to think through the changes they had to make to survive. The trading season was beginning, too, and the stress of that additional pressure had pressed their fragile organization to the limits.

The tribe was finally where it needed to be, the camp was set up, and the goods were gathered for the traders that were now gliding toward shore on the sleek vessel. Archippe was the only one who had known any of the trading tongues, so she was forced to prepare herself for the bargaining. She'd only watched in the past as her husband had skillfully -- and joyfully, to be honest -- bartered with the Minoans.

She had held out little hope that she'd be able to deal so well, and the tribe needed tools to replace the losses from the battle.

Dani nodded as the story came to its end. ~My first task is fairly clear, I think, and having some inside knowledge of how the Minoans trade -- not to mention their costs and profit margins -- I can do some real good.~

The smile on the avatar's face was quickly echoed on Archippe's once Dani explained her willingness to handle the bargaining. The others in the tent showed their relief once the offer was translated.

The tribe leader's tent was the largest in the camp, to allow meetings like this one, and Dani found herself allocated a place inside, with as warm and comfortable bedding as were available.

The remainder of the afternoon was consumed by a mutual language lesson, as Dani began to learn the tribe's native tongue while teaching her hostess more of the trading language. The only interruption was for a simple meal of roasted goat, and the array of dairy foods that provided the only other readily available option, though the cheeses and yogurt were unique enough to hold her interest. No grains, though, and no fruits and vegetables that didn't grow wild.

~I suspect by the end of this sojourn I'll be slavering after a simple slice of bread.~

*****

Atanea topped the rise, and felt her heart sink as she came to a halt.

Below, spread out in a well-organized array, was the camp of the goat-stealing, murdering pack that had ruined her tribe. Not a clan had a healthy male that was more than six summers old after the infectious madness that had taken hold of them as they desperately defended their access to the water and fodder in the early spring.

The trials somehow -- inexplicably and insanely -- had flashed into a nightmare of bronze, and flint, and wood, and blood. Her grown son had been one of the last to fall, as he led the last charge to drive the attackers from the women, children, and livestock.

~Thank the Gods that they succeeded, but ...~

Her face quivered for a moment as the memory of burying her husband and son replaced the scene before her, and her ears rang again with the wails of pain from the throats of the women left behind.

They had to, HAD TO trade with the ship that was pulling toward the beach. The battered remnants of tools and weapons were useless, now. They still had their woven goods, but she was unlearned in the trading languages.

She didn't know how it could happen, and she prayed to the gods to help, but somehow they'd get what they needed.

Even if it meant using their fists and teeth to get access to the traders.

*****

A young girl swept into the circle of women standing around the council fire.

Dani understood few of the words, but the tone of the child's speech made it clear something bad was happening.

"Dani," Archippe began, "someone is coming toward our camp; it seems to be the same tribe that we fought last time."

The whole group rose and ran toward their own clan's tent clusters to organize themselves. If they were to fall, they would die in the defense of their remaining loved ones.

The encounter was wonderfully anti-climactic as far as Dani was concerned. Whether it was her own presence, or the obvious lack of males in the approaching tribe, both sides managed to contain their anger.

The newcomers had asked only for access to the traders on the ship, which was a common enough reason for a truce. Atanea's tribe was relegated to an area where they could have access to the beach, but could be easily watched.

Dani watched with interest as the new camp was set up, though the lack of interest in sanitation was making her skin crawl. Her nose had already given up on relief from the odors. She walked slowly back to the tent she shared with Archippe, and thought carefully about the situation, and how she needed to proceed.

~It seems all the players are here, now. The new group seems to be running on fumes, though; if they don't get some relief, they're going to get desperate.~

~Not quite, daughter,~ came a familiar voice. ~There is one more person who will be involved, and she is aboard the trader's vessel.~

~A Minoan woman? They're sending women out on trading voyages now?~

Laughter chimed like a carillon in Ma'at's reply.

~Oh, my dear one, you have no idea what havoc you wreaked on those poor islanders, do you? Between Khaba and Malia, anyone who was too backward to make use of women's talents was bankrupted in short order. The Minoans were predisposed to allowing women their freedom, but once they showed their abilities in managing the land side of business, it took only a generation or two and they were beginning to include women as part of their trading parties.

~The person you need to meet, though, is also a priestess of the Minoan Goddesses, and she will be a help to you in your task as well. Her name is Potina, and she will be on shore momentarily. You should introduce yourself.~

Dani considered what her patroness had said, and nodded to herself.

~Another neutral party could be a great help, and someone else I can talk to is better yet.~ The black haired woman paused. ~My Lady, were Khaba and Malia happy? Did ... ~

~Yes, my daughter, they were happy. They did finally admit to their feelings for each other, and lived their lives together enjoying that deep love. Their first daughter was named for you.~

Dani's eyes welled with tears -- damn the hormones! -- as her emotions swirled with joy and sorrow at the memories of her friends. A bitter taste, too, rose from the remembrance of her own self-imposed isolation for the best part of a century. ~Not this time,~ she vowed. ~I won't waste this second chance.~

She quickly wiped her eyes and strode toward the shore. She had a job to do, and the sooner it was done, the sooner she'd be home. She had promised herself that she would never put her work over love again; as soon as she got home, she would begin working on fulfilling that vow to herself.

*****

Potina had enjoyed this long, outbound leg of the voyage, as even the storms they'd encountered were brief. It had almost seemed that the weather had conspired to urge them along their way even more swiftly.

Her pleasure was tempered yet again as she felt a familiar twist in her middle. This was her first trip as a full priestess rather than an acolyte, and the weight of that responsibility was uncomfortable. The trading posts closer to home were long settled -- she served more as a messenger from the main temple for them.

Here, though, in the wild outlands, she was the direct, and only, representative of the Goddess. She had taken time during the slow approach to the landing beach to recall to her mind the list of names she needed for the trip. Pyrgos was the local tribe leader -- his wife was Archippe as of last year -- and he was well regarded for his courtesy and intelligence. He was a canny trader, but scrupulous in his dealings.

~This is one of the stops that the traders look forward to. The quality of the goods is high, and no one worries about second rate items hidden in a bale of good wool. They grumble until they're out of earshot, then brag about the prices they'll reap.~

She giggled quietly at the memories.

The ship was securely pulled up, and ropes tied to stakes kept it from being shifted should a storm sweep in from the surrounding grasslands. Potina dropped over the side of the vessel, and landed softly on the hard packed sand, then looked carefully at the array of tents.

The arrangement was different from her last trip; it seemed there were more tents overall, and they lay in two distinct groupings. She looked even more closely at the strangeness of the camp and as understanding of what she was seeing finally came, a touch of fear crawled up her spine and left a chill in its wake.

~Where are all the menfolk?~

This wasn't going to be a normal stop, it seemed. There were women who'd begun to learn the Goddess's ways, and it fell to the new priestess to continue their teaching. Before any of that, it was part of her responsibility to help meet their needs; if they'd lost so many men, the teaching would have to wait. The center of the camp was in about the same place as last year, and she began to walk in that direction.

The young woman continued to scan the area as she walked; it was important to identify whoever was in charge so she could use her talents most effectively. She stopped abruptly at an unexpected sight. A very tall woman stood just at the edge of the grass as it faded into sand, with her long, midnight-black hair ruffled by the sea-breeze. Her appearance was unmistakably Egyptian, yet her clothing was much the same as that of the nomads.

~Is she waiting for me, or someone else on the ship?~

As the priestess approached, and was close enough to clearly see the Egyptian's face and eyes, it was apparent that the Egyptian's attention was entirely focused on her; on a hunch, Potina redirected her path and stopped before the stranger. Standing close, she realized just how tall the other woman was as the Minoan's eyes came to no more than her chin height. The raven hair was only shades darker than the woman's eyes, yet those eyes seemed to glow and dance with intelligence.

Potina gathered herself to speak, but stopped in shock as the stranger spoke in clear, if somewhat archaic Minoan.

"Welcome! My name is Dani, and I assume you're the Minoan priestess I was told would be arriving?"

*****

Dani had watched the young woman hop down to the sand, and her clothing and jewelry -- what there was of it -- looked very similar, if not identical, to the priestesses from her time in Knossos. Her hair was a reddish-black, and wavy. Her face could have been taken from any of the mosaics that had survived to Dani's home time; her young, almost skinny body glowed with health. The young priestess appeared to be alert and observant; she'd looked across the campsites and had frowned at something there. The frown had been transfigured into a worried look by a visible shiver, which seemed to have been the impetus for the priestess to move.

The avatar watched as the youngster stepped out toward the tents, and she was amused when the priestess caught sight of Dani. The previous destination had been instantly replaced. The old professor in Dani just barely restrained a giggle as the Minoan stopped. She looked for all the world like a graduate student steeling herself before defending her dissertation, and the similarity moved Dani to pity. The scholar introduced herself before the priestess spoke her first word.

*****

The explanation of how the men were lost, and the presence of the second tribe, took some time. The ghosts of lost friends surrounded the newly arrived woman, as she'd known many of the men who'd fallen. The trading, though, would be far less fun for the merchants, even if it would be more profitable.

"I am pleased to meet you. My name is Potina, Dani." In the back of her mind, the name seemed familiar to the young priestess. "What brings an Egyptian to this wild, cold place? I'd expect you no further north than Crete, and hardly out here so far from any towns."

A moment of quiet had stretched out as Dani debated internally just how much to share. The help that would be gained from a fully informed co-worker seemed to be greater than the risks, though. "I may look like an Egyptian, Potina, but my homeland is far from there."

Dani was still unwilling to tell the whole truth of her past -- or was that, is that?, her future? -- but she gently explained that she'd been traveling to Egypt, as her parents had before her, to learn. She had been chosen by the Egyptian Goddess Ma'at to help those in special need.

She told a part of her journeys, and about how she had been brought to this place by her goddess to help these tribes -- ideally with the help of the newly arrived priestess.

"Both tribes have taken bitter losses, and I expect it will take a long time for the hatreds to die down. It may be some time before I can move on." She shrugged. "I still don't understand how the battle became so murderous. It's as if they all went mad at the same time."

"I agree. My people have traded all along these coasts, and I've never heard any tales of anything like this. Even when the nomads have attacked a village, they've always stopped well short of killing everyone. Whatever caused it, do you think they have a chance to survive?"

Dani looked uncertain. "I'm not sure, but my Goddess seems to think it's possible. I have to try, for the sake of these women and children, if nothing else. You know them, their lives, and their needs far better than I do, Potina, and your help will make my task much easier.

"I've already spoken to Archippe, and she has agreed to teach me their language as I teach her the trading language. I will see if she will include you in the lessons; if she's unwilling, I will teach you myself. I have also agreed to handle their trading negotiations."

The young priestess nodded. "I appreciate the offer. I was concerned about how to communicate with them since the only person fluent in the trading language had been killed. I had learned a little of the tribe's language, but we relied on the trading tongue most of the time."

*****

The council's leader was more than happy to include the priestess in the lessons; Potina was known as a friend, and the advice from her predecessor had frequently proven to be invaluable. The familiar face was a welcome reminder of a happier time, and a reassurance that her world hadn't been completely wrecked.

The stranger, tall and dusky skinned, was a complete mystery. She shrugged off the idea that she was a hero, yet her eyes held echoes of years beyond even the oldest of the tribeswomen. Archippe had been frightened at times by the speed with which the woman absorbed the new language. She was rapidly becoming conversant, to the point Dani was able to begin talks with the other tribe that had appeared -- the same one that had killed all her own tribe's men, while losing all their own.

Today was going to be awkward. Dani had insisted the two tribal councils sit down with her, the priestess, and each other, to coordinate the trading. Neither tribe was happy by the demand, but as neither had anyone else fluent enough to negotiate, there were no real alternatives.

Archippe settled herself, and stepped out of her tent to indicate her invitation to all who had arrived.

*****

The two councils sat on opposite sides of the fire; the tension between them crackled like summer lightning. Neither group was pleased with the insistence by Dani and Potina that all weapons be left in the hands of the two neutral parties; on the other hand, no one was willing to challenge the tall stranger.

Atanea had heard the ancient tales, too, about heroes sent from the gods; she'd not heard of any who were women. There was something about the tall woman that set her teeth on edge.

~She's a foreigner -- and something more. The little trader child, the so-called priestess, is only a little better. She seems to know some of the women of the other tribe, and I'm not sure she can be trusted to deal fairly with us.~

Dani spoke first, but had to rely on Archippe to translate.

"I know each of you is unhappy with this meeting, but I don't want to say any of this twice. Both of your tribes are in trouble, and neither of you are fluent enough in the trading language to really trade as you need to. You've both lost too many of your tools and weapons to survive unless you're able to trade for replacements..

"I know the trading language, and I've had some experience with the Minoan traders. I've offered my help to Archippe, and if Atanea and her people are willing, I will make sure they get at least as good a deal as I can get for Archippe."

She shrugged. "I cannot promise that I'll get as good a deal as your most experienced men would, but I think I'll make the trading worthwhile. Once we have the dealing done, I will teach the trading language to as many of you, from each tribe, as you wish."

Dani's smile left Potina wondering what sort of trouble her traders were facing,

Archippe reaffirmed her commitment to allow Dani to manage the negotiations. Atanea sat silently in her place as she considered, once again, the offer. The final approval was hers as the council head. The hostility she felt toward the stranger -- she knew it was unprovoked, but still as real as the blanket she sat on -- rose again in her heart. The idea of being dependent on this person was hardly to be tolerated, but the hard reality of the situation beat back the temptation to strike out.

"I don't see that we have any real choice. We accept your offer."

*****

The sun had risen into the bright, clear sky; it stood halfway to its zenith by the time the two tribes had gathered themselves and their trade goods for the beginning of the bartering. The traders had used the time to refresh their water casks, and the sailors were busily working at the routine maintenance required for any seagoing vessel as the traders worked to unload the items they'd brought.

Potina had warned the men of the changes in the tribe they'd come to meet; the senior trader was visibly disappointed at the loss of the man who'd proven an enjoyable adversary over the trading table. The reaction to the presence of the mysterious Egyptian was indifference, despite the priestess's cautioning.

"Pyrgos had been trading with us for tens of years. This stranger, as young as she is, can't have the knowledge of our previous exchanges. Even Pyrgos' mate wasn't around for the trading, so," he shrugged, "we'll be a little easy on them."

"But...."

The lead trader waved her off. "This is our specialty, priestess."

~Why do I think they'll regret not taking her seriously?~

*****

"Is everything here that you want to trade?" the archaeologist inquired.

The councilwomen nodded, and Dani began to look over the stacks of goods for each of the tribes and clans. Archippe's clans had gathered their goods into a large common pile organized by type and quality. The avatar had taken time to review the stacks of goods with the women. It was a rapid examination, and Dani was forced to extrapolate from her previous experience with Khaba, but she had at least a reasonable idea of what the raw material and the splendid tapestries were probably worth to the Minoans.

Potina was circulating around the campsite of the new tribe in an effort to find places she could be of help. She nodded to Dani and her companions as they walked into the camp.

Atanea's clans kept their goods under their own control, which consumed more time as Dani first had to locate the reluctant and inexplicably hostile leader. Atanea stalked along with Dani as the scholar looked over the second tribe's goods.

The quantity was greater, and one or two of the tapestries were magnificent, but the raw material was overall not quite up to the standards set by the other tribe.

"If I thought I could take them with me, I'd love one of these tapestries for myself. They'll fetch a very good price.

"As it is, your wool and goat hair isn't quite as good as the best from Archippe’s tribe. I think I can get you a good price for it, though."

The women were torn between pride at the enthusiastic reaction to their weaving, and irritation at Dani's reaction to their raw material. ~If these folks can bury the axe in something other than each other's bodies, they'll really have high value trade goods,~ Dani thought.

Dani, Archippe, and Atanea walked toward the Minoan's display of goods, as the traders made their way to examine the nomad's offerings.

*****

The trading began with the finished tapestries, and Dani asked that Archippe's wares come first. Atanea shot a suspicious glare at the avatar, and protested that her people were being slighted. She was even more irritated at the other woman's smile.

"You must understand, Atanea, that I'm paying you a compliment. Your tapestries must come second, because they're so very beautiful that Archippe's people won't get as much for their work otherwise. Your wool and hair will be first on the block for the same reason; I'm trying to ensure you both get as much as possible for your trades."

With a huff, the woman stalked off.

The remainder of the day was hard work for Dani, as she struggled to balance what she knew the tribes’ goods would bring in Minoan markets against the need to allow the traders to make enough profit to entice them to return the next year.

Potina watched the proceedings with interest at first, but her face paled as the strange woman bargained, wheedling and badgering the traders with an efficiency that made her wonder if someone had given the Egyptian information about the trader's margins.

~If she knows that much, where could she have learned it?~ The young priestess sifted through her memory as she tried to recall any stories of Egyptian traders who'd visited Crete.

The trading consumed several days, as the traders finally realized they had encountered someone as effective at dickering as Pyrgos had been. Their lackadaisical attitude vanished, and they seriously contested each bargain.

Dani found herself mentally worn by the time the trading had ended for each day.

Potina's days were occupied with the next stage of training for the women in Archippe's tribe who'd chosen to follow her Goddess. The most advanced of the group were ready for service as acolytes, and they could care for their sisters while Potina was away.

Atanea's tribe, on the other hand, had no prior experience with the Minoan traders; in the past, their trade had been with other tribes who interacted with the seafarers, but no one had ever had the need to learn the coastal trading languages. To a woman they were suspicious of the strangers that had insinuated themselves into the chaos surrounding the remnants of the clans. However cautious they might be, there was no denying the fact that the tall woman -- an Egyptian according to their adversaries -- had worked hard in the bargaining. The trading had gone more favorably than even the most optimistic had expected, and the tools were quickly circulated into the families that had greatest need.

Potina found that a little of the odd not-Egyptian's celebrity carried over, and she had some success at reaching out to those who were in greatest need of help. There was a lot of work remaining, though. She hoped that there might be a way of keeping the two tribes in friendly, or at least not actively hostile, contact. Her acolytes would be able to continue the help and training if they weren't in a constant state of war.

There was some other 'trading' going on, which the sailors and younger women of both tribes indulged in enthusiastically. The women had approached their clan leaders, and the councils had spent surprisingly little time debating the question.

Archippe's tribe had, at most, one hundred fifty families before the battle. Now there were only fifty or so young boys left. If the tribe was to survive, the women would have to find men to quicken the wombs of the widows and maidens. Atanea's tribe had the same problem, but the two hundred thirty families had almost one hundred boys -- the oldest of whom were nearly a decade from taking their place as men in the tribe.

Trusting outsiders was difficult for the women, but their survival was at stake -- and they were far more pragmatic about life's realities than their men had ever been.

Potina, the only person on the ship who spoke both languages, found herself acting as an intermediary between the long-deprived sailors and the women who were willing to accommodate them. Small trinkets -- mostly utilitarian items, though there were some small items of jewelry -- were the medium of exchange between the groups.

The councilwomen of each tribe stood apart from the interactions, but kept a close watch on the proceedings to ensure the safety of those they led. The men were pleasantly well behaved, though, and it seemed both parties in each instance were ... satisfied.

Dani, too, had some personal trading in mind, though of a less intimate sort. She had come to miss the varieties of foods available in the more urban settings of Memphis and Knossos, but gardening wasn't practical for the nomads. Growing grain wasn't possible, but perhaps she could make the menu a bit more interesting -- and even provide for the preparation of clean water.

"Potina, do your traders have anything in the way of bay leaves, onions, or garlic?"

The priestess looked at her and nodded. "We carry some on each voyage, and have for hundreds of years. What we don't trade is a good addition to the cooking pot. We'll be heading home from here, so there should be plenty to sell."

The brief appearance of a slightly smug, self-satisfied look on her tall companion's face puzzled her.

The traders were more than happy to trade for the vegetables; Dani's gold was more than sufficient to acquire them, some bread, bay leaves, and -- to the confusion of the nomads -- a sizeable bronze cauldron.

The purchase of soap puzzled the tribeswomen, but they were coming to understand that the foreigner had her own, inscrutable reasons for her actions. Once again, they shrugged, and muttered about the Egyptian's strange ways.

The last trading session, after the tribes had gleefully distributed the tools and weaponry from the Minoans, was to trade implements damaged in the battle for a few more new tools. The traders had looked dubiously at the scraps and shards of metal; the story of vicious fighting had been written plainly on the handles -- frequently in blood.

Dani's weariness had become apparent to both the tribeswomen and the Minoans, but her youthful body had sufficient reserves to permit her to hang on until the trading was complete.

The traders had finally cleared out their inventory for this stopover, and Dani allowed her amusement to bubble out in quiet giggles. The men were muttering among themselves as they tried to figure out how they'd been so thoroughly overmatched. They had developed a grudging respect for the woman who'd handled the bargaining -- it hadn't escaped their attention that she'd always ensured they'd retained enough profit to make the trip worthwhile. She'd even backed off on occasion when their margin had been cut too close for comfort, which meant she had a shrewd appreciation for the trader's costs at their home port.

It had proven to be a far too interesting stopover for their liking, and they hoped that the Egyptian would find another place to live by next season.

*****

~Oh, God, I don't want to see another bale of goat hair for a month!~

~Come now, dear one, they only shear their flocks once a year. You won't have to worry about any more bales for a long time.~

~I *know* that!~ She sighed. ~I can't even whine in my own mind. Nitpicky goddess!~

Dani lay quietly on her back on her bedding in Archippe's tent, as she tried to endure the headache from the release of stress. Over her life, she'd worked harder and for longer periods, but had always had to endure the inevitable reaction as the tense muscles in her neck and shoulders slowly eased. The trading had been as bad as anything she'd experienced before, and each day had ended with her neck and shoulders taut with the balancing act she'd been maintaining. Up until now, she hadn't even tried to relax; there hadn't been any point since the next day would be more of the same. The fatigue was constant, but manageable.

Now, though, with trading complete, she found her head pounding to the point she wasn't even hungry for the evening meal. The scholar had returned instead to the tent and stretched out. With no aspirin, her only choice was to ride out the pain until her muscles relaxed and recovered.

"Dani? Hero? Are you not well?"

The avatar cracked an eye open to see Archippe kneeling beside her.

"I just have a headache from all the bargaining, Archippe. I'll be fine in a while."

"Turn over; I think I can help."

Dani frowned, flinching at the pulse of pain the motion provoked, and flipped over to lie on her stomach.

The tribeswoman's strong hands began to knead the steel-tense muscles in Dani's shoulders; the initial gasp of pain the actions provoked turned quickly to a groan of relief.

"My husband had the same problem after the trading was done for the year. I learned to do this for him, too."

~This feels soooo good!~ Dani thought to herself as the pain in her head eased with the relaxation of her shoulders. "That feels wonderful; thank you."

The nomad struggled with her own reactions, as she massaged the bronze-hard muscles. There were no taboos against women pleasuring each other, and Dani was obviously enjoying it. She felt she owed much to this stranger who had given so much to her tribe, and had asked only for food and a place to sleep. One memory the massage evoked brought warmth and a twinge of sadness. ~She is a great and sweet soul, much like my husband -- and it has been so long....~

The strong fingers firmly, but gently, worked the tension from the neck of the prone woman, then worked their way down her spine. A gentle, pleasant tension rose in Dani's middle, and an unfamiliar warmth followed lower down. Her breathing quickened, and her eyes flashed open in confusion.

"What...?"

Archippe smiled and cut off any further questions with her own lips.

*****

Atanea had taken custody of her tribe's share of the trade goods, and had distributed each clan's portion as she toured the campsite. The quality of the goods was undeniable, and whatever reservations she might have had beforehand, the council head had to admit that the stranger had kept her promise, and more. The tribe had received even more than they'd hoped for their goods and had a few extra tools now.

~Have I misjudged them so badly?~ she wondered.

*****

~What did I do? Why?~

Dani couldn't say it had been unpleasant; she was seeing stars at one point as her mind was overwhelmed by ecstasy. It still left her conflicted about how to be an honest intermediary if she was the lover -- what else could she call it? -- of the leader of one side.

Her conscience was berating her for having crossed the line of impartiality as she cleaned herself up the next morning. Archippe had left for her own business of the morning; the warmth of her smile, and the kiss she'd bestowed on the still confused Dani, left no doubt about the nomad's attitude toward the night's activities.

~What is Ma'at going to think of this?~

~Nothing, daughter,~ came the slightly amused response. ~You might have to be more careful in the future, but you've done nothing wrong. I think it was a good thing for you, in truth.~

~But....~

~Did you force her, or did she force you?~

~No.~

~Was any part of what happened involuntary, other than your being unprepared?~

The avatar sighed. ~No, ma'am.~

~Then don't fret, daughter. It was a free gift, freely given. Whatever the absurd strictures of some cultures may say, *I* have no problem with your activities. Besides, it's about time you found out about some of the pleasant parts of your new form.~

Dani's breath caught at a particularly pleasant memory evoked by the comment, and her face flushed at the mental giggle from her goddess.

~Now then, my dear child, you *do* have work to do. I suggest you might bring up the fact that you are here on my business, and I have both tribes' interests in mind.~

*****

The two tribal councils had gathered outside, in a clear area between the camps. The tension between the two groups had eased since the worries of both groups had been lessened by the successful trading. The undamaged tools made it far easier to manage the daily work of the camps as well.

Dani stood again in the middle of the two half-circles as the groups settled in. Potina seated herself just beyond the outer circle of women and watched. The avatar looked over the groups and flipped her necklace out from under her shirt. The golden feather gleamed in the morning sun.

"Thank you all for coming and for your trust in allowing me to help you in the trading. As I said before, my name is Dani, and I was sent here to help you -- all of you. The goddess I serve, Ma'at, is the goddess of truth, justice, and order."

She paused for a moment. She had an idea of how she might convey her guidance to all of them, but she wondered if it would be as helpful as it needed to be. Would her knowledge of the local language be sufficient to the task set before her?

~Only one way to find out.~

"You have all suffered. Both your tribes have lost those you loved with all your hearts, and now the bitterness and anger is burning in you. You also know that your lives have been much harder since the spring."

She turned to Archippe. "How many were lost from your tribe? A hundred? Two hundred?"

"Perhaps two hundred men and older boys." The pain blazed in her eyes as Dani nodded.

"And you, Atanea. You lost perhaps three hundred?"

Atanea nodded.

"Years ago, in my homeland, we, too, had a war -- a horrible war that raged for four years amongst ourselves. Our land was large and rich, yet we fought. During one battle, in one day, nearly four thousand of our men were killed."

Some of the women gasped at the idea. Atanea's face was hard and unbelieving, and even Archippe was skeptical.

Dani shook her head and quelled the urge to send a look at Archippe that reflected the scholar's hurt at her hostess' disbelief. "My homeland is larger than Egypt, and we have many more people."

"How is it that none here have heard even a rumor of such a place? Why should we believe you?" Atanea's skepticism was easier to bear, but no less important to deal with.

The avatar sighed. ~My Lady? Would you mind?~ She was reluctant to call for this aid, but the disbelief in so many here would make it difficult, or impossible, to complete her task.

She felt a surge of power as the goddess took control of her body. The tribeswomen gasped as the stranger's body began to glow, and the voice of the tall stranger rang with divine power.

"I am Ma'at, the goddess who brought Dani here to aid you all. She has spoken only the truth to you. Her homeland is too distant from you for even a rumor to reach you. She speaks with my voice and will tell you only the truth to help you bring order back into your lives."

The glow faded, and Dani felt the familiar weariness from the stress of channeling the goddess's presence.

Atanea hadn't really believed, before. Certainly, the stranger was from a distant land, but she looked so similar to the Minoan woman that it was easy to believe she was from the same place. The idea of her being a hero of legend sent by the gods was foolish; the gods didn't care enough to pay attention to two tribes that were doomed to die.

Except it seemed they did, and this stranger was here at their command.

She shivered in fear, and her voice quaked as she spoke. "Forgive us, hero, for our unbelief. We meant no disrespect to the gods."

Dani nodded in return. "I understand, Atanea." She chuckled quietly, and the sound drew puzzled looks from the councils. "I didn't quite believe what was happening to me when I was called to my goddess's service either. I can hardly fault you for needing more than just my word."

Archippe didn't even look up as the Egyptian was speaking and was too lost in her thoughts to hear what was being said. She felt the shame of her failure of faith even more keenly as she recalled her easy willingness to believe that the stranger walking into their camp was a hero out of the legends. Now, after only a few days, she was unwilling to believe someone who'd done so much for her people -- someone she'd shared so much with just the night before.

The soft touch of a hand on her face jolted her back to the world around her. Dani was kneeling before her.

"Archippe, I understand how unbelievable things can be at times. I don't blame you for having trouble."

"After all you've done for us, for me," the nomad flushed in embarrassment, "I should be willing to hear you out."

"Just listen for now; we'll talk more, later, about it all." Dani stood again, returning to the center of the group.

"As I was saying, my homeland had fought a terrible war. Both sides had suffered great losses and were angry and hurt. The war was over, and each side had faced a choice.

"Those who had lost had suffered the burning of their ... tents, and their animals had been taken or killed. There were those who wanted to hide in the hills and forests to continue the fight.

"The side that won wanted to punish those they saw as responsible for starting the war.

"On each side, though, were leaders who looked ahead, not back. The leader of the side that won reached out and insisted that those who had fought against him should be brought back into the ... tribe. The tribe would be stronger with all the clans together again.

"The clans that had tried to break away had a great war leader, who was a man of such fame that even those who fought him respected him. He spoke to the clans he had lead into battle and said that they should lay their weapons aside, rebuild what had been destroyed, rejoin the tribe, and work to make it even greater."

"My homeland has prospered because those men chose to lead the people away from the hate that burned in their hearts. The pain, and even the hate, didn't go away quickly; even in my time there were those who still bore a grudge. Most of us turned away from the destruction and the hate, and we found great blessings came from that choice."

"You have the same choice, right now. Both your tribes have lost much, and you all know how hard it has been trying to survive. Each tribe has talents the other desperately needs, but you must be willing to let go of the hate and the vengeance you feel you deserve."

The faces around her reflected the struggles within, since neither tribe had a tradition of 'forgive and forget.' No one wanted to find out how the gods would react should they throw the advice back into their faces, however, and both sides resigned themselves to at least trying to follow the implicit command.

Dani looked at them with sympathy; their whole world had been scrambled, and they were struggling to cope with the changes without losing complete control. Some reassurance was probably in order.

"I also should tell you that I will be here as long as you really need me. If you need someone to mediate between you, I will be around -- if you choose to follow my advice.

"I also have another tale, not of my people's history, but from a man whose wise sayings are legend among my people. His name was Aesop, and he called this fable 'The Lion and the Boar.1'

"'On a summer day, when the great heat induced a general thirst, a Lion and a Boar came at the same moment to a small well to drink. They fiercely disputed which of them should drink first, and were soon engaged in the agonies of a mortal combat. On their stopping on a sudden to take breath for the fiercer renewal of the strife, they saw some Vultures waiting in the distance to feast on the one which should fall first. They at once made up their quarrel, saying: 'It is better for us to make friends, than to become the food of Crows or Vultures, as will certainly happen if we are disabled.'

"He always had a moral for his fables, and he ended with: 'Those who fight each other are often watched by others who will take advantage of their defeat to benefit themselves.’

"Your tribes have been terribly wounded; you are more vulnerable to those tribes around you that would take your lands for their own. Joining your strengths will benefit you all."

Dani looked around at the surrounding women, and noted that more than just the council was present. The confusion and uncertainty was clear, yet they were *thinking* about her words rather than rejecting them. ~Perhaps one more of Aesop's fables will be enough for now.~

"I have one more tale to share with you, and it is called 'The Fox and the Lion.2'

"A Fox who had never yet seen a Lion, when he fell in with him by a certain chance for the first time in the forest, was so frightened that he was near dying with fear. On his meeting with him for the second time, he was still much alarmed, but not to the same extent as at first. On seeing him the third time, he so increased in boldness that he went up to him, and commenced a familiar conversation with him.

"His moral for this tale is 'Acquaintance softens prejudices.' You have only painful memories of your first meeting, and there is good reason to be cautious about each other. If you give yourselves and each other time, you may find that your tribes have less to fear from each other than you think."

Atanea was the first to nod her agreement, but only by a fraction of a heartbeat. Archippe added her acceptance as well, and the two councils followed their leaders. If others could set revenge aside and prosper, then they, too, could try.

Potina stood as the agreement was made and walked away to memorize and consider the tales she had heard.

*****

The tension was almost painful as Dani and Archippe returned to the tent they shared.

"Archippe, what's wrong?"

The woman bowed her head, still struggling with the feeling she'd betrayed Dani.

"Hero? I...."

This time it was Dani's turn; she placed a finger across the nomad's lips.

"Hush now! I thought I'd made it clear that you all were forgiven." The finger moved away, and the other woman's self-criticism resumed.

"But after...."

"Enough. I have no idea how long I will be with you all, and I don't intend to spend any of the time on being angry at you for this." Dani's hand cupped Archippe's cheek for a moment before moving quickly away and down. "I *forgive* you," she poked at a ticklish spot she'd found the night before, "so just accept it and let's move on."

A mischievous gleam appeared in the tribeswoman's eyes as she giggled and backed away. "So that's your revenge for my unbelief, is it?" She staged a counterattack, using sensitive points she'd located, and that led to a gentler contest as the night passed.

*****

Atanea had retired with a relaxed outlook that was almost unnatural, given the tension she and her fellow tribeswomen had been under. The words of the stranger had rung with truth, and more. It was almost as if she'd experienced the war and its aftermath, though she'd implied it had been many years before.

The certainty that the gods cared enough to intercede, even if they required actions that stretched the tribe's ability to forgive, was a comfort beyond words. For the first time in moons, there was hope.

She settled into a restful sleep for the first time since the battle.

It was still hours before dawn when she stirred uneasily. The inside of the tent was dark, and only faint flickers of firelight penetrated from the outside. A tall form -- darker than the shadows around it -- coalesced into view, and Atanea whimpered in her sleep. She never woke up enough to see the silhouette, which was manlike from the shoulders down, but with a head that was a bizarre distortion of humanity. Where a face would be was only a long protuberance that had a vague resemblance to an elephant's trunk, or perhaps an aardvark.

It moved silently toward the sleeping woman, but froze after crossing less than half the distance as another figure blinked into the tent. The newcomer was not quite as tall as the first figure, but appeared entirely human. A sword-shaped object was in its hand as it moved to stand between the sleeper and the first intruder; the air around the two figures shimmered, and the noises made by the two figures faded from the rest of the tent.

"Your time with these women is over, evil one." The sword-bearer's voice sounded clear, soft, and definitely female. "They are under my care and protection, and you are beyond your boundaries. Leave, or I have permission to ensure that you will have to be reassembled before causing any further grief for anyone!"

"That hasn't stopped Ma'at from taking a hand, and if she's here, then I, too, am allowed to act."

"That would be true if she had come of her own accord, but I asked for her help, and she only brought her avatar here when the young one volunteered. That keeps you out, unless you care to argue your case with Re or Zeus?"

"You and the meddling Ma'at will both pay dearly for this!" the first figure hissed, gestured angrily, and vanished from view.

The second form relaxed, returned the sword to the sheath that hung at its waist, then moved silently toward the woman. It had knelt on the ground beside her, and a hand reached out in a gesture much like a mother soothing a sleeping child. The flickering firelight illuminated a strong, feminine face as it bent close to the now quiescent form. A faint smile touched Atanea's lips as she settled back into a deep, sound sleep.

"Sleep well, daughter. You and your sisters are under my care; you are safe, now."

*****

Potina rose the next morning after an abysmal night. The events of the previous day, and the strange revelations about Dani had left her mind spinning. The temple had trained her in mnemonic techniques, and it was annoying to find herself *knowing* that there was something relevant and being unable to recall what it was.

She made her way to the tent where the avatar was staying and spotted Dani as she stood by the fire. The mournful look she had directed at the cup in her hand was funny, but the quiet muttering about something called 'coffee' was just confusing.

~Another word from her homeland, I suppose.~

The youngster's face flickered between confusion, wonder, and deep thought. The odd sense of a memory in the back of her head had grown as she walked up to the other woman. The appearance of the goddess the day before was finally drawing out the memory she'd sought.

"Dani, have you ever been to Knossos?"

The black haired woman quirked an eyebrow at the question. "Yes, but not for a very long time. Why?"

The ghost of a smile appeared on the priestess' lips. "The temple tends to collect and keep all sorts of stories about our city's history. Our priestesses tend to be well educated, and we have time for listening and recording such things.

"There are stories -- old, old stories from six hundred years ago -- about a strange, very tall Egyptian woman who had been touched by the gods. She brought tremendous change -- a whole new order of things -- to the city. Are you her descendant?"

~You must be truthful, Dani,~ said the familiar voice in her mind.

Dani nodded. Ma'at would not permit lying, but would allow her avatar to refuse to answer. It would be possible to mislead the youngster while still being truthful, but that could cause problems.

~I'm not sure how much to say, but just telling the simple truth will be simpler overall.~

"I'm not her descendant -- the stories are about my time in Knossos."

Potina was nonplussed. "I told you the stories were from six hundred years ago; you're that old?"

"No," Dani grinned as she replied, "I was there at the time, but the goddess I serve brought me from there and then to here and now."

"How long ago?!"

Dani's head snapped around. Archippe had walked up about the time Potina mentioned the old stories, and her eyes grew wide at the revelation of the scholar's presence in the distant past.

"Six hundred years, I think. As I said, though, Ma'at brought me here and now from then and there. I haven't lived through all those years."

The Minoan and the nomad gave Dani a thoughtful look before Archippe spoke again.

"Dani, *when* and *where* is your home?"

Worry had been quietly simmering in her mind as the young priestess inquired about the avatar's previous stop. This question, though, had jolted her from worry to a full-blown panic. She'd come to *care* about the tribeswoman, but feared that revealing her home would devastate the growing relationship they shared. Dani had come to appreciate the presence of another person -- quite apart from the physical aspects -- and had no desire to lose the close companionship. It had come to be even more precious than the relationship she'd shared with Iri, whom she still thought of as a dearly loved sister.

A lack of trust, though, would be a slow poison that would wreck things just as effectively as the knowledge might.

She chewed on her bottom lip as she struggled with the decision.

~Archippe may know, daughter, but it would be best that Potina not know. She would be required to share the information with others in her temple, whereas your companion has no such problem.~

Dani nodded in silent acknowledgment before turning her attention to the young priestess.

"Potina, your allegiance is to *your* goddess and temple. What I'm going to tell Archippe must not go beyond those I tell myself. I'm sorry, but I can't let you hear what I have to say."

Potina's eyes gave lie to the small smile on her lips. "I understand, even if I'm disappointed. I'll come back when you're done." She stood and walked off toward where her acolytes had gathered.

Dani returned her attention to her remaining companion, who had reached out with a hand to reassure the time-traveler.

"Dani, if it will cause problems, I will understand; I have come to care about you, and I would like to know more."

"No, I'm allowed to tell you, but it won't be easy to understand."

She dived into the explanation and struggled to translate her world into terms her companion could even begin to grasp. There had been much left unsaid, and Dani was forced to backtrack several times to try explain concepts utterly foreign to the tribeswoman, but the outline of the land in the far future, Dani's true home, was sketched in.

Silence stretched out for long minutes as the nomad tried to assimilate the information. The tale of a traveler from far in the future, who had lived in a place that sounded strange beyond reckoning and was now here just to help the tribes, seemed impossible -- even after they had all seen the goddess herself speak. The tale explained a bit about some of Dani's odd behaviors.

It also underlined the fact that the woman would, at some point, be leaving. Forever.

~I care about her. I'm coming to care *for* her.~

*****

The sailors had worked steadily to complete the minor repairs on their vessel, and the traders had stowed the newly acquired goods in the hold. The larder had been replenished with smoked meat from the nomad's herds, and the water casks were clean and full.

The ship would push off at dawn to take advantage of the remnants of the land breeze.

Dani had carefully cleaned the large, bronze cauldron, and she had spent the day collecting various herbs, meats, and vegetables from the tribes and traders. The tribes's more typical fired-clay, tripod cooking pots were arrayed around the cauldron on additional fires, and the odor from the contents drew curious noses from everywhere the wind blew the scent.

Dani kept a careful eye on the area, and at times the 'smack' of a wooden spoon on a hand was required to discourage unauthorized sampling.

Archippe stood just out of reach, rubbing her hand, as she fumed at the scholar.

"Dani, what was that for? I just wanted a taste!"

"I warned everyone to keep their fingers out of my pots, and that includes you!" She poked the spoon in her tent mate's direction. "If everyone got a taste, there wouldn't be a surprise -- or even anything left to serve!" Her demeanor softened as she moved closer to the tribeswoman.

"What is in the pots is very special to me; it is a recipe given to me by someone I loved as a sister, and I want to share it with you all. Please?"

By evening, the camps were buzzing over the mouth-watering odor of the carefully tended contents of the multitude of pots. The two councils, Potina, the ship's master, and the lead trader had accepted Dani's invitation to be the first to sample the mysterious contents of the cauldron.

"This recipe is special to me. It was the last meal that I shared with the people I had come to care for just after I was called to Ma'at's service. This time, I'm not the one leaving, but it seems appropriate to share this meal anyway.

"The last time I had this, I shared it with friends who were a courageous Queen Regent, a Pharaoh, a Priestess who became a friend, and a guide who became as dear as a sister.

"Today I have a new group of friends to add to my story, and I hope that you will remember this as a good time as well -- other than the trading, perhaps."

Dani grinned at the traders, who returned a wry look and a nod. She took a ladle and scooped a small sample of Iri's stew into her bowl, blew on it to cool it a little, and took a careful taste. The flavor was a bit different, but it was close enough. She grinned, and began to serve the long line of hungry people.

She had prepared enough to ensure that everyone present would be allowed at least one serving, and a few, very lucky people were able to get back for a pot-scraping second helping.

There would be very little left to clean out.

*****

The food had given way to dancing and singing, as the celebration of the trading continued. The mood in the camp had been bleak as a Rhode Island winter day, but now was reflecting the resurgence of hope in the hearts of the women. They each knew that the next few years would be difficult, but their prospects had improved.

Dani sat back on the grass with Archippe, and watched as the young women assigned to clean-up duty scrubbed the various pots used for the meal. They were a bit tentative with the cauldron, as it was larger and heavier than their normal pots, but as it was also less prone to breaking, they soon relaxed to the task. The recipe for Dani's stew had become sought-after information, and Dani explained that she intended to plant some of the critical herbs, onions, and garlic to ensure they would be available next year. The stew recipe came at a modest price: Anyone who wanted it had to help prepare the ground where the planting would be done. Dani had more volunteers than she could possibly use, and the onions and garlic were left to grow untended. One day, they would provide both food and trade goods for the nomads.

"Dani? May I ask you a question?"

The young priestess had been intrigued by the story Dani had told, and with only a little time left, she wanted to try to add more to the bare bones of the tale.

"You may ask, Potina, but I can't promise to answer."

"The story you told as we gathered for the meal spoke of a Queen Regent and a Pharaoh. My people don't involve themselves in the politics of other lands, but we do try to know who we need to deal with. The temple doesn't have any record of a Queen Regent in Egypt for more than seven hundred years. Was that when you were there?"

Dani shook her head. "It was before that, Potina, but I don't think I should say more than that."

"Isn't there anything more you can say?" The young woman wasn't quite whining, but she was determined to wheedle something more of the stranger's past.

"Well, there is one part of my past that I can share. You might regret knowing it, though."

Both her companions insisted on hearing the story, and the avatar related the time she'd spent at the temple of her goddess, learning the ceremonies and songs -- or trying to.

"Oh come now!" Archippe scolded. "It can't be that bad!"

"You think so? If it wasn't for Ma'at, it would be *just* that bad. Listen."

Dani chose a hymn from her youth, and hardly a single bar had been 'sung' before the other women pleaded for her to quit.

"Now then, Ma'at knew how important it was for me to be able to take my place in the ceremony, so she enabled me to do my part properly." She sang the opening bars of her part in the morning service, and there was only silence as she stopped.

"Why didn't she allow you to sing everything like that, Dani?" Potina asked.

"I asked her not to, for a reason that is important to me, though I can't share it."

*****

The dawn was just beginning to color the eastern sky as the ship prepared to begin its homeward journey. They were a little short-handed, as a half-dozen newly-wedded men had chosen to remain behind with the tribes. Potina had presided over the ceremonies and gave the blessing of her Goddess to the couples. The men's skills lay more in the way of wood and metal working, as well as fishing and archery, but their youth and strength would be a precious asset even without those skills. Dani joined the small crowd that said farewell to the departing priestess, who had risen early to give final instructions to the old and new acolytes in the tribe.

~Ma'at, watch over them all. Bring them safely to their home port and their loved ones.~

She turned away from the sea and fetched her soap from the tent for her morning cleanup.

Dani's bizarre -- at least to the nomads -- obsession with cleanliness had come to be one of the running jokes around the two camps. She had wrestled with the complete lack of body modesty in the culture -- it had been hard enough in the servant's quarters in Memphis! -- but had finally reached the point where she could wash up without turning quite so dark a shade of red.

Archippe sat on the edge of the small stream, watching as her friend rinsed the last of the soap from her body. She understood wanting to splash water in your face to help wake up in the morning, but Dani's insistence on washing bordered on obsession.

The scholar finally finished drying herself and dressing; her long black hair was drying slowly in the fading land breeze. Dani sat next to the tribeswoman on the grass and waited for the question she could see was on the cusp of being asked.

"Dani, why do you spend so much time splashing around in the water with soap? I know you're cold when you get out -- that's obvious, but I know you have a reason. I also know you'll have a problem during the winter; you'll freeze if you try to go out undressed in the snow. Is this something Ma'at told you to do?"

It had been a couple of years since she'd first tried to explain the importance of cleanliness to Nebka, the High Priestess of Ma'at. The experience was helpful now as Dani used the same images to help her friend understand why being clean was important.

"So the Gods of Light can bless you and chase the demons of sickness away, if you keep yourself, your campsite, and your cooking gear clean. That's why I scrubbed the cauldron and pots before I cooked anything in them."

It was so far from reality that she felt as if she was lying, but the warmth of reassurance from Ma'at soothed her conscience.

~It is the only way they can understand it, daughter. You are doing the best that can be done for these people.~

~That may be true, ma'am, but it still feels too much like a lie. And I still have to try to convince Atanea and her tribe, too.~

Oddly, Atanea was more willing to accept guidance than Dani had expected. Ma'at's appearance, brief as it was, had left the woman with a sensitive conscience; she seemed even more prepared to follow Dani's suggestions than Archippe. She had been found wanting once, but had no intention of being caught again.

*****

The grazing of the flocks had been slowly spreading from the center of the camp as the grasses were consumed by the sheer number of animals. Now, with the trading complete and the traders having departed, it was time to begin the slow migration to the summer pastures.

Both camps had just completed loading the pack animals when the avatar called the two councils together. Her suggestion was simple: Since the two tribes had lost their menfolk, they would both benefit from traveling together. A small handful of the clan leaders were reluctant to place that much trust in the remnants of their enemies, but their concerns were allayed by ensuring their positions in the column were as far apart as physically possible.

Atanea and Archippe deployed layers of clans between the uneasy groups; if each stuck to their own place on the march, they should only come into contact when the tribes stopped for water or trading.

The masses of women, children, and their herds, stretching out in long, slow columns, vanished into the sea of empty grasslands to their summer grazing areas.

*****

The migration was slow, no more than ten miles a day, for which Dani was grateful. Her footwear fit perfectly, but her muscles weren't accustomed to walking, nor were her shoulders used to long periods of carrying her pack. The bronze cauldron had been placed on a pack animal and had been donated as a community resource.

It was interesting to watch the migration. The classic mental picture of nomads was that of a ravening horde that swept across the land like a wind-driven fire devouring everything in its path. Instead, it was a slow, methodical journey between ancient campsites that would provide the water and grazing needed to support humans and herds.

~Rather like the migration of the Hebrews in the desert -- without the pillars of cloud and fire, of course.~

The pace was geared to reach the next water source well before the supply they carried ran out and yet not strain the young of the herds. Dani's scholarly streak took charge during each new day, and she moved among the masses, watching and learning. There were songs and stories, some common to both tribes and others unique, that the mothers used to pass along the history of their people. The archaeologist in her spent hours walking along, listening to the ancient stories and trying to commit each one to memory against the time when she'd be able to return home and capture them for the study of her colleagues.

*****

The tribes’ slow march had reached the great river to the north, known in the distant future as the Dnieper, after about two weeks of slow, steady travel. Archippe's tribe had paused here for years beyond memory, resting and resupplying themselves before striking out across the southern steppes to the chain of water sources that would, come winter, lead them back to their wintering grounds on the warmer lands of the Crimea.

Atanea's people had also followed the river, though their wintering grounds had been north of the great sea; this land was reasonably familiar to them as well.

Dani had come to enjoy the time with these people; the long daily walk, punctuated by the mild mental stimulation of her study of the nomads’ culture, was rather like a long vacation. She would never set aside her love for Egypt and its grand culture, but she understood the attraction of the life. It was superficially simple, but demanded an intimate understanding of the natural workings of the world that no modern culture would ever know, or even care about.

~I don't think I'll be joining the Earth Liberation Front anytime soon, but when I think of how little wildlife is left in my own time....~

The sky-darkening blizzards of birds were a memory that would shame her for the rest of her life. Two hundred generations of choices lay between now and her home, and there was no possibility of repairing some of the damage, but she could, and would, try.

*****

The two tribes had joined in council at Dani's request. Each was restless with the need to move on, yet they had become comfortable in each other's company. The comfort level was anything but universal, but the hostility was slowly melting away like the last sheltered snow of winter.

Dani's presence in the council seemed to calm the residual discomfort within the group, as she had the explicit blessing of the gods. That status placed her outside either tribe, despite her overt involvement with Archippe. Her proposal, however, left the women gaping in shock.

The tribes should remain together and combine their strengths. Welding themselves into a single tribe would give protection to them all, and the children they still cherished might live long enough to grow up into adulthood. None were terribly pleased, and Archippe's tribe least of all. The clans voted in council to decide courses of action; if the tribes combined, they would be hostage to the larger tribe's desires. Added to that was the other question of who would lead the council, and how she would be chosen?

"A simple way to solve the problem for now is to require that out of every three who vote, at least two must vote in favor of any action for it to be agreed to. That ensures that neither tribe will be trampled in the choices made. Decisions will be made with almost all of you in agreement."

The idea seemed a sensible way to ease the inevitable concerns on both sides, and each tribe gave it’s assent.

"What about the council leader?" questioned a voice from the crowd. "Are you going to choose her?"

Dani shook her head. "I do not know Atanea as well as I know Archippe, and it would be unfair for me to make that choice. As far as I'm concerned, you could toss a coin and leave it to the gods.

"The other would become the vice-leader -- a second in command. As you come to know each other over time, I'd hope you would be able to select someone from among you to lead."

The statement led to an explanation of what a coin was, but once explained, the idea was seized on by the group. Dani dug into her purse and found a conveniently shaped and marked silver disk. The two tribeswomen agreed on who got what mark, and Dani flipped the coin, caught it, and brought it to the back of her hand with a slap.

Atanea's mark was revealed as the avatar's hand moved away.

*****

The three women -- Dani, Atanea, and Archippe -- spent much of the next several days in conversation as the scholar worked her diplomatic skills to their limit. The tribeswomen were key to uniting the groups, and they had to work together first.

A start had been made as early as during the trading, but familiarity had begun to wear away at the mistrust between the two as the weeks passed. They talked about the lands each tribe had claimed as their own, and their advantages. Dani asked about problems the tribes had faced, and the women began to exchange stories of the problems and joys of their journeys.

~It isn't an ending,~ Dani mused as she watched the two leaders swapping experiences, ~but it *is* a good beginning.~

A more practical concern was how the tribes could survive conflicts. They lacked the manpower for the typical battles, and the women knew that they hadn't the strength to wield the weaponry to take their place.

"You need to keep them away from your clans; that means you need to find them when they're a long way off. You should probably make sure all the women learn to use a bow. Who do you have who's good at riding a horse?" Dani struggled to recall when the steppe nomads first began to ride on horseback. The blank looks from her companions was a mild hint that it hadn't happened for them yet.

The scholar smiled wryly. ~This is another fine mess I've gotten myself into, Ollie! I wish *I* knew how to ride.~

*****

It quickly became clear that while the relatively small horses available weren't suitable for what Dani would consider cavalry, they would suffice for longer ranging scouts once a simple bridle was figured out. As the word of the plans for horse-borne scouts spread, many of the younger women competed for a chance to do something that no one else in the tribe had ever done. The numbers of women were high enough that only those who were best at archery would be allowed to become the tribe's new scouts. There were some extra mounts, but far too few to provide mounts for all the women who wanted to become riders; spare horses were a necessity against loss or injury, but they couldn't afford to support too many extra mouths. There were enough between the two tribes -- effectively welded, now, into a single tribe -- to have pairs of riders cover all sides of the line of march, or of the camp when they rested.

Atanea and Dani were watching the women practice their new skills, and Dani grinned as a thought crossed her mind. She turned to her companion and said, "You should name the combined tribe 'the women who ride horses.' Riding horses is, I think, very rare in the world. Being women who ride is unique."

The small, young women took to riding with joy -- at least after they became accustomed to being on horseback for long periods. Their size made it possible for the small horses to carry them for long distances at a pace that no man could match. Larger, stronger animals would be still better, but that was something that would take years to accomplish. They would have to find a way to trade for more mares and stallions to improve their herd; perhaps some of the area east of here would provide the new blood they needed.

Dani found she was frequently standing apart from the camp's activities as the long summer began to fade into fall. The morning air had the bite of the arctic blasts to come; fortunately the frosts had also killed off the irritating insects that swarmed over the humans and their animals. She also found that her relationship with Archippe had cooled a bit from the intensity of the first days, but that flaring heat had become a steady, comforting warmth for the two despite the shadow cast by the inevitability of Dani's departure.

The avatar's relationship with Atanea had changed, too, as the weeks of brainstorming to solve the problems of merging the tribes, as well as the challenges of creating a mounted scouting force, had forced the new council head to realize the sincerity of Dani's desire to help -- as well as the vast pool of knowledge that lurked behind her dark brown eyes.

*****

"Look, Atanea, an outrider is coming in!" Archippe pointed off to the northeast at a rapidly approaching horse and rider.

A chill rippled up her spine. Rarely did the riders return from their scouting before it was absolutely necessary; it was troublesome, at times, to have so many youngsters indulging in freedom they'd never experienced before. As Atanea watched, it was clear that something other than trouble brought Oreithya. Her expression of fond exasperation was all too familiar.

Atanea had borne it, herself, more than once, and she wasn't surprised when her young scout voiced her complaint.

"Atanea, you have to make her stop! I know she's not deliberately causing problems, but her singing scares our horses!"

Atanea bit her lip -- a grin would have insulted the child. "The Hero is out on your side again?"

Oreithya nodded and sighed. "I know she doesn't mean to cause problems, and I've heard her in the morning singing beautifully, but when she's just walking along ...."

"She starts trying to sing her other songs about 'on the road, again' -- whatever a road is -- and she doesn't do so well."

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'll speak to her, though I don't know if it will help. She truly doesn't realize what she's doing, I think."

"If you'd just try, Atanea. Please?"

"I will. Now you'd best get back to your post."

The nomad smiled fondly as her young outrider trotted back toward her position. She was from one of Archippe's clans, but now -- Atanea started at her sudden revelation -- was as dear as any of her own tribeswomen.

~She's a blessing I'd have missed, if not for Dani's intervention.~

*****

The blizzard had set in as the tribe had scrambled desperately to set up the camp. They had crossed onto the Crimea days earlier, and ordinarily the warm sea moderated the first rush of winter. This time, it seemed, the blizzard had only gained new strength. Banks of snow built quickly on the lee side of the tents, even before the people within had had time to gather dry firewood. Intense cold cut through the shelters, and the fires were dark. The stocks of firewood they'd carried with them had been soaked by a sudden, heavy rain before the snow, and the wood left at the campsite the previous year was in no better condition.

The marvelous backpack had provided sufficient warm clothing that Dani was at least in no danger of frostbite, but she racked her brain to help her friends deal with the blizzard.

She started as the soft voice of Ma'at intruded on her thoughts.

~Daughter, there is something you can do to help them. You know of your telekinesis and a little of how to control it. You have another ability that I have not shown you that will help here.~

~Ma'at, if there is anything that I can do that will help them, please tell me. There are too many children and pregnant women to just let die!~

~As you wish, dear one. Have your friend arrange wood for a fire, first.~

Archippe had noticed Dani's distracted look and wasn't entirely surprised at her urgent plea to prepare the tent's fire pit. The nomad quickly set up the wood as if it were dry enough to be useful.

~Now, Dani, reach out your hand and feel within your mind what I do.~

It was as if a new muscle was being twitched, as the goddess gently loosed her power. Dani could feel something flowing through her fingers, and she saw what seemed like water -- it was as close as her mind could come to interpreting the information -- slowly moving by them.

~Now, child, reach out to that flow within the wood and *gently* begin to squeeze down on it.~

It took a few moments, and a terrible mental effort, for Dani to extend her 'reach' as directed, but as she began to close the bands of her mental fingers, she saw the flow within the wood accelerate. Dani felt the approval from the watching goddess and carefully constricted the bands further.

~It's almost like a Venturi effect on whatever it is.~

Suddenly, from the center of the wood pile, a spark flared. It quickly spread into a blaze, as if she had set a match to wood that was dry and seasoned.

~What happened?~ Dani was no less startled than her companion, who stared at the visibly worn woman.

~You sped up the flow of time within the wood. It dried out, and then the faster oxidation caused it to catch fire. With training and practice, you will be able to stop, or even reverse that flow in a limited area. ~

~That's what you did with Snefru, right?~

~In part, daughter. There is more even to that, and it touches on abilities you have, but for now it might be well to get more fires started.~

Despite her weariness -- this new power seemed to drain her even more than her telekinesis -- the goddess was right. The avatar struggled to her feet and wrapped herself in her warmest garments; she bolted out of her lodging and fought her way, through the storm, to the next tent.

*****

Archippe watched for a moment, then looking at the blazing fire, she understood with painful clarity what her lover had in mind. She quickly gathered her own furs, but she was startled when Atanea pushed her way in.

"How did you get a fire started? I know you didn't have any dry wood, earlier."

Archippe's face showed her near panic. "Dani did ... something. She seemed to listen to someone then asked me to set up our fire pit. She reached out her hand and suddenly we had a fire!"

Atanea looked around. "Where...?"

"I don't know! She looked so tired, but she put her furs on and went out. I think she means to start fires in the other tents, but I don't know if she'll survive!"

Atanea nodded. "We'll have to do what we can to make sure she does survive. Did you see which way she went?"

"No."

"I'll go out and turn right; you head left when you're dressed. We'll make sure she has someone with her, at least."

A minute later, a warm, lonely fire flickered -- a beacon of silent hope.

*****

Cold.

Hippolyta had every fur in her tent wrapped around herself and her baby, but the blizzard's wind cut through every wrapping. Her extended family was huddled together in a desperate attempt to share body heat, but without a fire, morning would find them all frozen.

Wind blasted into her face, for a moment, and a shadow began moving near the dripping pile of wood in the fire pit. Cold-muddled thoughts came sluggishly.

~Death has come for us.~

Death crouched, still as ice; a dark limb stretched out toward the wood. Suddenly,in the middle of the wood, a spark flared; light blinded her as fire leapt from log to log. She felt warmth on her face.

Hippolyta blinked, her eyes adjusted to the sudden light, and she recognized the figure she'd thought was Death come for her family, as it staggered back out into the blizzard's fury.

*****

Dani leaned into the wind, trying to peer into the storm to spot another dark tent in the frigid night. Her eyes seemed better able to distinguish between snow-covered tents and piled up snow, for some reason. Her face was numb, despite her wrappings. She spotted another dark tent nearby and fought her way through rapidly accumulating snow.

Half-way there, her legs gave out. She found herself caught by her arms. A voice she should know spoke softy near her ear.

"Come, my love; take a moment to rest."

"Can't. They don't have time. Must try...."

Dani surged back to her own feet; struggling free of the restraining arms, she drove her way toward her destination.

Archippe growled in frustration and followed. She couldn't stop Dani, but she'd make sure her love would survive or die in the attempt.

She'd lost her husband. She wouldn't give her new love up without a fight.

*****

Dani didn't remember how she'd gotten back to her tent; sheer exhaustion had stripped her of anything more than the strength to stagger to the next shelter and light another fire. There was a vague memory of strong, soft arms that had caught her as she began to fall, but she'd had no energy to even turn her head to see who it was.

Dani opened her eyes and saw one of the young women settled on the floor nearby. There wasn't time to even open her mouth before the weary woman was propped up and drinking a warm broth. Grateful warmth flowed into her body as the liquid began to work its own brand of magic. A brief gust of chill air swirled into the tent, as Archippe and Atanea entered.

"You almost died, you know." Archippe's mild words belied the fear laced through her voice.

"I'm too tired to argue right now," Dani shrugged. "Is everyone safe? How long was I asleep?"

"Everyone," answered Atanea, "every man, woman, and child in the camp is safe and well -- thanks to you." The woman shook her head. "You slept for two days, Dani, and you'd not have made it if this one," she pointed at Archippe, "hadn't chased you down in the snow and practically carried you to the last few tents. The storm has broken, and we're back to normal for now."

Dani's tent-mate tried to glare, but her still intense relief softened her gaze. "We could have brought people into fewer tents to spare you, my dear one, but thank you for saving us all -- again." She knelt down beside her lover and brushed stray hair from Dani's face. Tears trailed down Archippe's face. "Please don't do that again. I couldn't bear it."

Blinking back a sudden rush of her own tears, Dani tried to lighten the atmosphere. "Suicidal rescues are one of my specialties." Her smile wavered despite her attempt to control her reaction to her lover's distress. "So what now?"

The twin glares were almost intimidating.

"You," Archippe said, sniffing, "are going to stay put, rest, and recover. There are no clouds on the horizon in any direction, and you don't need to start any more of your projects for a while."

"The scouts have been out for the last day in all directions," Atanea continued, "and there aren't any other tribes within two days’ journey. You *will* rest."

Dani relaxed back onto the furs and cushions, resigned to the inevitable. She didn't even notice when sleep again overtook her.

*****

The smell that greeted her when she woke again was familiar.

~Iri's stew?~

A quick glance around the tent revealed the absence of the large, bronze cauldron. Dani stretched and reached for her clothing. The tribe was up to something, and she had no doubt that she was to be the focus at some point.

Freshening up in the water that had been thoughtfully provided, she finally stepped out from the tent to see the aftermath of her efforts.

The women, and men, that circulated around the cooking fires at the center of the camp spotted her and, despite the residual air of weariness, swarmed to give their heartfelt thanks to the stranger who'd become a true heroine of their very own.

The tribal council was quickly summoned, and Dani found herself on the receiving end of the formal thanks of each clan. She was also informed that the tribe had delved into its supplies to prepare the stew that Dani had cooked before, and a feast was planned for that afternoon, in celebration of the tribe's survival.

The nomads were less than pleased when Dani refused the offer of a tent and the pick of the herds, and even more so when she explained her reason for refusing.

"I can't say how much it means to me that you made the offer, but I cannot stay with you for too long. My goddess has already said I have other tasks ahead of me. If you really want to give me a gift, then there is something you can do.

"First, keep the cauldron; I can't take it with me, and I gave it as a gift for all of you anyway. I'd ask you to remember me when you share this stew, and know that you will all be a memory I will carry in my heart wherever I go.

"The second gift I ask of you is that you would all let go of any grudge you hold against each other. I know there are those who still feel the pain of their loss, and their hurt is bitter and deep. The tribe will be stronger if you accept each other as your sisters. Look ahead, not back."

*****

By the time the first, faint breaths of the coming spring began to reach into the snow-covered lands where the nomads roamed, Dani was reconsidering her dedication to environmental correctness. Despite lavish provision of clothing in her nearly miraculous backpack, she felt as if she hadn't been warm for three months.

~Oil, gas, wood, peat ... I don't *care* as long as I thaw and stay thawed!~

Winter had been hard on man and beast, but their losses had been fairly light, though Dani felt each burial keenly -- especially those children who fell to disease, cold, or some undiagnosed weakness.

She felt a sense of satisfaction, though, as a number of tribeswomen had become fluent in the trading language over the long cold season. The scouts, too, were gaining in proficiency as they ranged widely over the plains. A few of the more enterprising riders were turning their efforts to archery on a moving horse, and their lively competition was beginning to turn them into an agile force that was to be feared by any attackers.

The tribe's council was settling into a working arrangement as well; there were those who still nursed their grudges, but their numbers were too small to impair the business and progress of the new, united tribe.

Overall, Dani decided, the situation was as good as she could have hoped. With any luck, there would be some additional men that would find their way into the clans over the spring and summer, and as the young boys grew up, the tribe should grow and thrive.

~I agree, dear daughter. You have done well, and I am very proud of you.~

Dani blushed at the silent praise. ~Thank you, My Lady.~

~I fear that it is time for the next step of your journey home, though. I know you have grown to love these people -- and one in particular -- but there are others who need your intervention.~

The avatar blushed at the reference to her affection for Archippe. The friendship had grown into a deep sharing that Dan had never known, and the thought of leaving her behind brought a mist of tears.

~May I say goodbye to her, and all of them, Ma'at?~

The warmth of her goddess's embrace was suddenly around her, and her tears escaped her best effort to contain them. She sobbed out her pain and loss, and Ma'at whispered words of comfort into her mind, as invisible hands gently stroked her hair..

~I will not deprive you, or them, of a chance to say goodbye to a loved one. Tomorrow evening, at sunset, is soon enough, my sweet child. Weep, Daughter; let your sorrow out. I will be here, with you, for all eternity. You will never be alone, whatever comes.~

*****

Cool air puffed across Archippe's back. It was her turn to prepare their evening meal; she loved her chance to sit and talk over her day with the woman she'd come to love so much. She felt a vague sense of loss; she'd never have a child with Dani. It was a price she'd joyfully pay.

"You're early! Are you still tired from last night?" Archippe turned to look at her tent-mate, and her teasing died in her throat at Dani's tear-stained face. "What's wrong?"

Dani swallowed hard. "It's time, my love. My goddess has called me to travel on."

"No! Can you not ask her to stay? Or take me with you?"

Dani's tears flowed again, but it was Ma'at who answered.

"I am sorry, child; I would spare you, and my daughter, if it were possible. She is my avatar, my eyes and hands in this world, and only she may do my work in the worlds that are to come -- if those worlds are to be at all. I wish it could be otherwise; I know how much you love each other."

"Must she leave now? May we have a little time to say goodbye?"

Dani's body stepped forward. "You have until tomorrow, at sunset. I will not take her away a moment before I must. I give you my firm promise of that."

"I must tell the others."

"My daughter will sleep for a time. Go now; do what you must."

*****

Their night had had an almost desperate quality to it, as the two women tried to compress years into hours. It surprised Dani that, rather than a sexual marathon, their white night passed in intimate sharing of hopes, dreams, expectations, and tears.

The packing was hard when the obnoxiously bright, clear morning finally came, and the feast held to say goodbye was hardly easier to tolerate. No one cared to dance, and the songs were more in the way of mournful farewells -- the sunshine itself seemed to be dimmed.

Dani finally made her way to a small hill that overlooked the camp and waved to a lonely figure that stood by the central campfire.

Even her thoughts were choked by tears that streamed from her eyes. ~I'm ready, My Lady.~

~I know you hurt, dear child, but I promise you will find a new love who will be even more dear to you.~

Archippe watched the tall figure at the top of the hill, and her eyes blurred as tears spilled down her face. She was distracted for a moment, as the soft voice of a woman whispered in her ear.

"Cherish her memory, daughter, but you will find new love, as will she."

The nomad looked quickly around to see who was speaking, but the area was empty.

She looked back to the hill to see Dani's form flare like a star and vanish.

*****

The heat was like a blow after the icy, northern plains. Dani looked around and smiled as she recognized her surroundings. She stood on a ridge above the broad, familiar river valley that was bordered with seemingly endless miles of ochre desert stretching to the horizon on each side.

Ma‘at

Chapter 5: Hatshepsut
By Itinerant
Edited by Amelia R.

"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 either Sapphire's Place (http://www.sapphireplace.com/stories/whateley.html) or the Big Closet (http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/taxonomy/term/117)."

Author's Note: My thanks to Andrea (AndiJF), and Darla (Darladonna) for pointing out the error in the name of the Pharoah's false beard (uraeus) and providing the right name (postiche).

**********
From Chapter 4:

The heat was like a blow after the icy, northern plains. Dani looked around, and smiled as she recognized her surroundings. She stood on a ridge above the broad, familiar river valley that was bordered with seemingly endless miles of ochre desert stretching to the horizon on each side.

*****

She looked down from the heights at the busy, ancient city in the fullness of its power. She was back in her beloved Egypt, and far south of her familiar haunts near Memphis, but no Egyptian archaeologist would mistake the location.

Below her, above the floods that brought life and death to the land, stood Thebes, the capital of Egypt for almost a thousand years. Her eyes soaked in what was one of the most beautiful sights imaginable to anyone of her profession. It was tempting to scurry down the hillside to the city, but she had learned the hard lesson of why that was ... inadvisable. First, before taking a single step, she would observe and determine as best she could when she was. That would give her an idea as to who ruled the land.

She gazed carefully at the dawn-touched city and picked out the major buildings and temples. Those were reasonably well dated by Dani's fellows, and she could at least determine which dynasty ruled -- though from first glance it was clear that it was no earlier than the Eighteenth Dynasty. The Karnak Temple was obviously present, and there was no sign of the construction of Amenhotep IV. That narrowed the time to before the 1300's. There was also no sign of the Luxor Temple, so the time range was pushed back further.

She looked more carefully at Karnak, and could see the work attributed to Thutmose I in the existence of five pylons, an enclosure wall, and his two obelisks. So she was definitely in the period of the Eighteenth Dynasty, likely no earlier than 1500BCE, and no later than 1388BCE.

~I can tell more precisely if I get a look at the Valley of the Kings, but the period from Thutmose II through Amenhotep III was a good one for the Egyptians. The Pharaohs were all strong, the country was united, and other than Kush there weren't any real military contenders around.~

~Did you enjoy your detective work, daughter?~

Ma'at's silent voice rippled with suppressed laughter in her mind, and Dani couldn't help but giggle in sheer happiness. She still felt the loss of Archippe's companionship keenly -- the nomad would be someone she'd remember and love for the rest of her life -- but even that couldn't dampen the joy she took in this land and its history.

~I could hardly say no! You know how I feel about this place and the work I have done here.~

~I know, dear child; your joy in this place, and its people, brings me joy as well.~

Dani felt the warm rush of affection from the goddess who'd plucked her from the edge of death and remade her into her eyes, ears, and hands in the world. Since the moment she'd awakened again, she had seen things that were beyond price to an archaeologist.

There would be a cost -- of that she was sure. Returning to her own time, and dealing with the Byzantine bureaucracy of the Mutant Commission Office, would almost certainly be only a tithe of the hassles ahead.

She shrugged the thought off. There was work to do here, and who knew how many more stops along the path home.

~This, and one other stop, dear one. There is much more you could do, but it's nearly time for you to go home to your time and place. This stop is doubly important,~ the goddess's voice took on a dark edge, ~as my temple in this city needs a good cleaning.~

With that warning, Ma'at began her outline of exactly where and when she'd brought her avatar and why she was needed here.

The year was 1480BCE, and the current Pharaoh, Thutmose II, was declining. His wife, Hatshepsut, was managing the kingdom as the man grew weaker; Thutmose III, the presumed heir to the throne, was far too young to rule, so Hatshepsut was expected to assume the Regency until the young man came of age.

Such a situation was unusual, but hardly unheard of. The centuries had seen many Queen Regents serve as custodians for underage Pharaohs. The problem in this case was that Hatshepsut had been chosen by her father, Thutmose I, to assume the throne. Her father had pronounced his will on the matter, though the records had been suppressed since his death:

Then his majesty said to them: "This daughter of mine, Khnumetamun Hatshepsut -- may she live! -- I have appointed as my successor upon my throne... she shall direct the people in every sphere of the palace; it is she indeed who shall lead you. Obey her words, unite yourselves at her command." The royal nobles, the dignitaries, and the leaders of the people heard this proclamation of the promotion of his daughter, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Maatkare -- may she live eternally.

Such a step was unheard of in the Kingdom's history, and the commanders of the army were the first to express their concern. No one doubted the young woman's ability as an administrator, but no woman had ever taken command of a field army. The fate of the kingdom had hinged on the ability of the Pharaoh to lead an army to turn back invaders. Women had neither the training, nor the temperament, to effectively manage the blood and chaos of battle. The priests in the Temple of Montu had listened carefully and made their preparations. Other temples were quietly contacted as the king slowly succumbed to the ravages of his fifty-five years of life. Reaching that advanced age was remarkable, even for royalty.

As the king's body was prepared for burial, the military advisors and priests met. Despite Hatshepsut's ability, they refused to countenance such a deviation from custom and tradition.

Rather than deprive the kingdom of her ability as they set her somewhat frail half-brother on the throne, and to cement the young man's hold on power, a marriage was 'arranged' between the royal siblings.

Hatshepsut was a far more capable administrator than the Pharaoh, and she ran the kingdom even as he ruled -- much as Thebes was the seat of power, while Memphis was where the work of administration got done.

She knew that she had ample justification for moving to seize full control, but she also knew that the civil war that would very probably follow would wound the kingdom. Kush was already stirring in rebellion, and there must be no question of who was in control of the army if that uprising was to be quashed. The Queen Consort's prayers went up daily from her private rooms that her just cause would be upheld, and that the prophecy from her birth would be fulfilled that had said:

Welcome my sweet daughter, my favorite, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Maatkare, Hatshepsut. Thou art the Pharaoh, taking possession of the Two Lands.

Ma'at had heard her prayers, but only now was it time for the young woman to assume her rightful place. At this point it could be done without bringing chaos to the land, and both justice and order would be served.

Dani's second task would be to help guide the soon-to-be-ruler through the transition of power, and help the Crown Prince to accept that his step-mother was truly the chosen of the gods. That would also mean that the priests and advisors would have to be dealt with.

There was time before she had to begin that task. First, and even more crucial, was to address the problems that had arisen in Ma'at's own temple over the centuries. The priesthood, man and woman alike, had been charged to carry out the commands of their goddess. The long years had sapped the temple of its piety and devotion, and now the priests of Ma'at were concerned only with their own power.

Dani felt the edge of anger in her goddess's voice -- that situation *would* change.

*****

Tiy woke, sweating with fear from the vision of fury that had raged in her dream.

The anger hadn't been directed her way -- the warm, comforting presence beside her had made that point abundantly clear -- but nonetheless, she knew that the goddess she had given her oath to serve was on the brink of action.

She had known her life's direction from her earliest youth and had set out for the Temple of Ma'at in Thebes as soon as she was old enough. It had been a shock to find herself working, not as a priestess or even an acolyte, but as a servant.

She woke at night, weeping in sorrow at the way the priests fouled her beloved goddess's honor, but she was determined to do her best -- to do what her heart said was right, and just.

Last night, though, she saw clearly that the goddess was ready to act, and that those who had spurned her ways for their own would pay dearly for their treason. Tiy felt an irresistible urge to try to warn them that they were out of time.

~One way or the other,~ she thought, ~things will change today.~

She quickly washed herself with the bit of blessed water she had hoarded, and dressed in the best of her clothing. If she was to bring warning from the goddess, she would be as ceremonially clean as her resources permitted. With a prayer on her lips, she walked out to find the High Priest and Priestess.

*****

"What in the name of Ammit do you think you're doing? How dare you come in here with your so-called visions?"

The harsh voice of Sat-jah, High Priestess of the temple, rang through the room as sharply as the slap that cracked across Tiy's face.

It had been well past the time for the morning ceremony, but the priests had only begun to gather when the young woman swept in with word of her warning vision. The disruption to the measured stages of the day drew the wrath of the priestess, and the split in the servant girl's lip would, perhaps, discourage any further attempts to exceed her station in the order of things.

Tiy was roughly 'escorted' from the room and found herself sprawled on the floor as the grand, ornate doors slammed against further intrusions. She leaned against the wall as she struggled back to her feet; the young woman staggered back to her shared quarters to clean up before beginning her day's tasks.

~Forgive me, goddess. I tried to tell them, but I failed you.~

*****

The long walk down the hillside had been invigorating, and the traffic on the river was steady as the sun finally broke over the eastern hills. Dani had found a boatman on the river's west bank as he prepared for the morning's fishing, and his initial reluctance to play taxi was washed away by the sparkle of gold that the absurdly tall woman put in his hand.

She relished the warmth of the sun as she stood on the east bank at last. The mighty Temple of Karnak, which was less a temple than a complex of temples, was divided into three main precincts: Amun-Re, Montu, and Mut. The first was dedicated to the chief god; the last to the mother goddess of the Theban triad. The Precinct of Montu, the War God, had a collection of smaller temples within, and, most importantly to Dani, the Temple of Ma'at.

A part of her mind was mulling the task ahead as she walked along the street, and her scholar's streak studied and catalogued the various deities represented. The columns and doorways almost glowed with the brilliant colors of paint used to decorate the carved sandstone, and Dani wished again that she'd had some sort of camera to capture the gorgeous sights.

She was almost too distracted, though. The avatar teetered on the edge of losing her balance as a small group of cats slithered across her path. They were held sacred by Bast -- or Bastet -- who was supposed to be Ma'at's sister. Dani had had to pass by the entry to Bast's temple in the Precinct of Mut on her way to her destination.

It would be a poor idea to injure one of the little critters; she didn't need to add a goddess to the list of priests and priestesses she'd be annoying today. Dani stood still as the felines wrapped themselves around her legs, stropping and purring. She wanted to reach down and stroke them, but if she violated protocol by treating the sacred animals as pets there might be repercussions that would best be avoided just now.

~You *do* like cats, don't you?~ Ma'at interrupted her thoughts.

~Yes, I do. I was never able to have a pet with all the traveling, but I particularly like cats.~ The archaeologist frowned a little at the question.

~Good!~ There was a tone in the goddess's mental voice that left Dani uneasy.

~Would you like to explain why you asked?~

~No.~

The tone in the mental voice was even more pronounced, and Dani caught an image of her twin smirking.

She shivered a little -- Ma'at would never harm her, or even allow her to come to serious harm. Of that she had no doubt anymore. -- but her goddess was definitely up to something. She finally extracted herself from the attentions of the cats, and crossed the last few dozen yards to her destination.

*****

The guard, Aset, stood before the gilded door of the temple and gazed indifferently at the clusters of supplicants that filtered along the roadway. He had been assigned by the council of priests that managed the precinct, and rather preferred duty at this door. Other temples were burdened with the masses of the poor and sickly; at least Ma'at and her priesthood had some semblance of dignity. The doors were held shut against all but the worthy, and the post was the most relaxing in the entire Temple of Karnak.

He frowned as a figure came toward the doorway. She was tall, lean, and yet well rounded -- a beautiful woman by any standard -- and carried herself with a poise that reminded the soldier of many of the captains he'd seen. Her clothing was of obviously good quality, and her hair was long, black, and well-kept.

~Some official's wife from down river?~ he wondered. Ordinarily, such a visitor would have warned the temple hierarchy before her arrival to avoid any delays in admission, but there had been no warning to admit anyone this day. He shrugged.

~She'll have to wait until she's been properly admitted.~

He was a bit less certain as he caught the glint of determination in the woman's eyes -- and realized that he had to look up a little to see them.

*****

~Gold plated doors?!~

The scholar looked in shock at the ornately carved, lavishly gilded portals that sealed the temple from the light, dust, and noise of the outside. The doors were flanked by gaudy, detailed pictures of priests as they sat in judgment.

Dani's incredulity at the utter waste was a pale echo of her goddess's anger. Her temple had always been well provisioned, as they served the kingdom as impartial judges of truth in the name of Ma'at. That provision had always been dedicated to the care of the priests and the occasional bit of charity when justice demanded it.

Now it seemed whoever the High Priest and Priestess were, they had decided that charity began at home, and who better to receive it than themselves.

The woman took time as she walked up to look over the guards that stood at either side of the double doors. The man to her left seemed to be staring off into the infinite, though she suspected he was more aware of her approach than it appeared. He seemed to be neatly dressed, and his gear appeared to be well-fit and cared for.

The man to the right looked as if he was on vacation, not on guard. He had been gazing up and down the street, glancing indifferently at her approaching figure. Only when it was apparent she was coming his way did he take a more active interest, and then more in the way of girl watching. She wasn't overly impressed by the loose straps and buckles on his armor, and he could have slept in his rumpled clothing.

Dani started toward the doors to go inside.

"Stop! Who are you, and what makes you think you are permitted within the Goddess's temple without the permission of the Priest or Priestess?"

The slacker to her right had finally bestirred himself and had his hand on his sword as he spoke. The other guard also pivoted, though he'd yet to place hand to any weapon, other than his spear.

"Who am I? I am named Dani, and I am the eyes and voice of Ma'at. I am her avatar, and she has sent me here to *her* temple!"

Her words were punctuated by the glare she sent his way, but the senior guard just laughed at her.

"Of course you are! And I'm the Pharaoh! Take yourself and your delusions to another place; the Goddess has no time to waste on such as you."

Aset reached out to grasp her arm, but found he was unable to move his arms as the woman raised her hand on his side. She looked toward the other guard, Horemheb, who was just beginning to move.

"Don't even try. I am here on Ma'at's business, and I'll deal with you first if I must."

Dani's steady glare, indifferent to the increasingly panicked struggles of the other guard, was a sufficient argument. He backed off, and laid his sword and spear on the temple steps. She was tall and lovely, but the woman's eyes held a warning he had no intention of ignoring.

"I serve the gods, and I will not hinder their messenger."

With a small smile and nod, Dani dismissed him and turned her attention back to the man in her immaterial grip.

"Will you behave, or must I be more convincing?"

She released him, and Aset ran, dropping his spear in his flight.

She turned back to the man on her left.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Horemheb, Lady," came the hesitant reply. ~The less I say, the less trouble I'll be in,~ he thought.

"Horemheb, you have work to do here as a guard," she gestured that he should retrieve his weapons. "Ma'at will not permit her temple's doors to be shut against those who need her. You will open the doors and ensure they remain open until after the evening ceremony. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Lady," he gulped. He quickly moved to open the doors. The sound echoed down the hall as the doors rebounded from the wall within, and the sunlight that reflected from the street bounced off the gold into the shadowed interior. The yellow light illuminated the walls within the entry and revealed that the areas that should have borne Ma'at's forty-two principles were adorned instead with pictures of priests and priestesses making offerings to an altar. Dani stalked through the portal into the temple itself.

~*I* want to have a talk with the High Priest and Priestess!~ came the iron-edged thought into Dani's mind. A milder suggestion urged the avatar to flip her necklace out, and the golden feather gleamed against the white of her clothing.

A chill came over her as the young-looking woman penetrated deeper into the temple, and she shivered.

*****

"My Lord! My Lady! The noise was someone -- a woman -- forcing her way into the temple!"

The High Priest and Priestess were lounging in their quarters after the late morning ceremony. The priests knew that they relaxed until the afternoon! The booming of the doors was an annoyance that should have been prevented by the guards.

Kamose, the High Priest, turned a furious look toward the man. "Send the duty priests to the hallway and throw her out! Then send for the guard captain; I want to know why his men didn't do their job."

The man turned to leave, but backed slowly into the room instead. The edge of fury on the face of the unnaturally tall woman walking swiftly toward him was more than he cared to face.

*****

The interior of the temple was lovely; murals, carvings, and statues -- each painted in bright, lifelike colors -- filled the walls and covered the pillars that supported the roof shading the rooms from the heat of the day.

That only emphasized the differences from the temple in Memphis. The clean, simple design of that earlier place was far more elegant than this ... ostentatious display of wealth.

~They either have far too much wealth and can afford the expense in addition to the duties they should be performing, or they have neglected those tasks that I have set for them,~ Ma'at spoke in a grim, silent voice. ~I have a new priestess to set in charge of my temple, daughter. Then we can start setting things to rights here, and my priests can start doing the job I intended for them. And I can deal with whatever is causing this ... darkness in here.~

~Pardon? Darkness?~

~That chill you felt when you walked in here, Dani. That wasn't due to the temperature; there is a source of evil that has contaminated my holy place. You cannot see it, but you felt it as that feeling of cold.~

*****

The luxuriously appointed room caught her eye as she strode down the hallway, and the lounging figures within that were only now beginning to bestir themselves. There was no need for even an exchange of thoughts -- Dani's mind was locked on precisely the track that Ma'at intended. She pivoted toward the door as the priest fell back and stopped in the doorway.

"Ma'at wants to have words with you, and commands you to call *all* the priests and priestesses to the sanctuary immediately and meet her there yourselves."

She blinked as the man reclining within the room, and the woman as well, slowly rose from their couches. As they did, an aura of darkness became plain around them.

~So that's the snake in the nest. I assume you know who they're really serving, My Lady.~

~I do, child. My old nemesis, Set, has managed to gain a small purchase in this temple. They are the latest in the line of those who have led my servants astray.~

"And why should we do that?" asked the man. "You come in here making claims that I'm sure you cannot prove. We are the chosen leaders of this temple, and it will take more than just a well-dressed strumpet to overturn Her will! That pretty little bangle around your neck is hardly a sign of the Goddess's authority."

His self-assured smirk turned to confusion at Dani's humorless smile and nod. "You are most certainly correct that this necklace is insufficient by itself. It will be to your advantage, or at least far less embarrassing to you, to do as I have said. I'm sure that Ma'at tried to give you warning, and I'm equally certain you refused to listen."

The remark was like a slap in the face to Sat-jah, who abruptly recalled the words of the servant earlier in the day. ~They must be conspiring to oust us and take over our place.~

"I think," interjected the woman, "that we've heard enough of your raving." She looked at the priest who still stood at the doorway. "Go! Call the duty priests to remove this madwoman, and bring me that little tart who intruded this morning. She needs to be reminded of her place."

There was a certain glee in the thought that Dani heard next. ~I think, Meri-Ma'at, that it is time to show these traitors, and their master, that their time is ended. I wish it could be otherwise, but this will be hard on you, dear one.~

The avatar gave a nearly-imperceptible nod. ~I know, Ma'at, but it's the only way to get the job done. I trust you to keep me safe.~

The time since she had been remade had given her ample evidence of the goddess's reliability; that evidence had turned any question away and replaced it with utter certainty. Dani relaxed, and felt the power flow into and though her as Ma'at took control.

The High Priest was puzzled as he saw the woman seemingly nod to the High Priestess's command to the priest at the door -- or perhaps to a voice only she heard.

His confusion turned to panic as he saw the tall figure begin to glow and a crown with a tall ostrich feather took shape. It was far too late to do more than gape as the woman's voice, now oddly resonant, spoke again.

"You *will* come with me, now."

She turned around and walked into the hallway as irresistible tethers dragged the struggling priest and priestess in her wake.

Ma'at didn't even turn her head as she walked past the man at the door. "You will fetch all the priests and meet me in my sanctuary."

*****

The last, fearful straggler had finally arrived. The word had spread swiftly through the temple about the incursion of the strange woman, and even more swiftly when the command was issued to gather in the sanctuary.

Other words were whispered, too. Rumors that Ma'at herself had come to the temple were passed from ear to ear. Some spoke of yet more honors for the High Priest and Priestess, but other, softer voices spoke of an angry goddess who was here to cleanse her priesthood.

The figure at the altar -- a tall, slender woman who appeared to be identical to the images of Ma'at carved and painted on many walls -- was flanked by the unhappy looking High Priest and Priestess. She seemed to glow even in the daylight that reflected from the high-set windows; as the crowd watched, her face turned from stern to angry.

Ma'at looked out over the crowd, her disappointment boiling over into a simmering fury. Several priests who should have come were absent -- no doubt they, too, carried the infection of darkness. Her anger was soothed a little as she saw the cluster of servants in the rear. There, in that most unlikely location, were the pure souls who would take up the task of cleansing this sacred place.

First, though, she would ensure that there was no question of her intent. Her imperceptible threads of power stretched out again, and a half-dozen struggling priests joined their fellows at the front of the assembly. They found themselves released at last, but only when they stood front and center before a visibly angry woman who glowed with power.

~Dani's going to be incapacitated for days at this rate, but I have no choice if these poisonous adders are to be dealt with. Forgive me, daughter.~

Her voice rang clearly through the room.

"You were called here, or brought here," her gaze rested for a moment on the men and women in the front, "to give account of your service to me. I am Ma'at, and the person before you is my chosen, my avatar; she speaks with my voice in all things.

"My temple was established to bring and keep order in the land; to lead all people -- both high and low born -- to speak the truth, because that will help keep order; to call all those in authority to be just in all their doings, and to provide a place where anyone could come and find an ear for their plea.

"You know, or certainly should have known, the principles I gave to lead you all in my way. I had commanded that they would be carved on the walls within my temple for anyone to come, read, and understand -- and have priests to explain to any who needed help understanding."

Her anger touched the fringe of her aura with flame.

"And when I come to my temple -- in the heart of the kingdom's capital -- what do I find? Pretty paintings of priests on the walls within and without, the doors covered in gold, and those same doors *SHUT* against those who need most to be allowed inside.

"I find those who call themselves *MY* priests spending more time worshipping themselves than me."

Ma'at's voice grew soft, but still its fury carried to every ear in the room. The priests and priestesses paled and tried to prostrate themselves, but were held up once again by those immaterial, unyielding bands of divine power. She continued in a voice that, though quiet, was even more terrifying in its content.

"It stops now -- all of it. No more hoarding of gold. No more using my blessed water to extort the last grain of wheat from the poor."

She flung her hands out in an angry gesture, and the temple shook. A blizzard of gold leaf flew into the room through the open doors and swirled before the crowd before coalescing into a clatter of gold disks. Several of the priests and priestesses found that much of their jewelry -- necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and all the rest -- vanished to join the tornado of reclaimed wealth that glittered with the thousand eyes of diverted gemstones.

A dozen men and women, as well as the High Priest and Priestess, found themselves clustered before the altar. They were no longer clad in jewelry and fine clothing; the luxurious cotton fabric of their clothing was now common linen, and the fine sandals were replaced by solid, but crude footwear.

All could now see the shroud of darkness that wound around them.

"These who called themselves my priests and priestesses betrayed me to my enemy -- they willingly served Set! They, including Kamose and Sat-jah, are banished from my priesthood and banned from my temple until they renounce him. It is done!"

The group vanished from the room, and found themselves in the street.

Ma'at looked again at the remaining group. This time her face held a softer expression.

"You who remain were faithful, but misled. Your errors were from ignorance, not malice, and that I can justly forgive." She stepped forward and walked to the center of the room. "My temple has need of a new High Priestess, and there is one who has been faithful to me even when she suffered for it. Come to me, Tiy."

The young woman, her face still bruised and swollen, shuffled hesitantly to her goddess. She tried to kneel, but found her hand caught.

"No child, you need not kneel." Ma'at's hand brushed the woman's face, and the injuries were gone. "You listened to my voice, when few here would do so. You were a faithful messenger, when no one else would carry my words. You honored me with your loyal service, and now I honor you. You are my new High Priestess, Tiy, and I charge you to serve me as faithfully in that office as you have as a temple servant."

The goddess reminded the crowd of the ceremonies and rituals they were expected to perform and their intended service to the kingdom as well. She also warned them that the troubles with the corrupted priests were not over; there would be problems within the precinct and from the palace.

For now there was time to reorganize, take the reclaimed ornamentation for its intended use in the temple, and begin to restore what had been lost.

The crowd began to disperse, and Tiy found herself in the center of a small crowd of remaining priests.

"There is one more thing that I command you to do, my priestess. When I speak and act through my avatar, it wearies her. She will be unconscious for a time and will need your care and guarding. Keep her safe. Her name is Dani, and she is my chosen and dearly loved. Guard her well until she wakes. She will help you learn what you need to know as my High Priestess."

The glow faded, and Dani's eyes rolled back in her head as she melted to the floor.

*****

"Your Majesty?"

Hatshepsut looked toward the door, where a guard waited to be recognized. She and her advisors had been discussing Pharaoh's health with his doctors as the news grew steadily worse. "Yes?"

She was of average height, about 160 centimeters tall, and had a well-deserved reputation for beauty. No one in the palace had any illusions about the keen mind that lay behind the face, however. Royal bloodlines had a tendency after a time to produce weak bodies or weak minds; the Queen was neither, even if she was nominally subservient to Pharaoh.

The Queen Consort was effectively the ruler of Egypt and had established rules for the guards in the cities. Any event that might disrupt the peace of the land was immediately reported up the chain of command. Sufficiently important happenings, or anything affecting the religious life of the capital, were to be relayed immediately to the queen.

The man made his report, and the occupants of the room were silent. The Temple of Ma'at had been the scene of either an uprising or a cleansing, depending on which report was believed. The High Priest and Priestess had been forcibly removed by someone and were working their contacts within the precinct of Montu to have their positions restored, or at least their possessions returned.

The prospect of disorder in the Temple of the goddess of order was frightening. Few people at any level of society were overly fond of the increasingly arrogant, grasping clergy within that temple. The idea of an uprising was little less worrisome than the content of the other report which spoke of an angry goddess who had forced a change of leadership in her temple.

Having a priesthood that followed the principles of Ma'at was attractive, so long as the transition wasn't too chaotic.

There was also a rumor, yet to be confirmed, that the ornamentation within the temple and its outside decorations had been removed.

Hatshepsut sat silently for a time as she considered the information and the implications for the city and kingdom. Her commands were simple for the moment; the situation was to be watched for signs of conflict. If the priests could handle what had happened, the palace would stand back and allow them to do so.

*****

Dani fought her way through the layers of cotton that filled her head. Muffled sounds had finally percolated through enough to catch her attention, and the gilt-edged memories of Ma'at's actions seared away the last bits of entangling sleep.

She stirred, and that stirring provoked more sounds that she wasn't quite up to processing.

~Welcome back, my dear child.~

Dani blinked and sent back a brief thought of thanks as she tried to place herself. She lay on something that was soft, and warm coverings swaddled her. As her vision finally cleared, she realized she was in the room where she'd first seen the former High Priest.

She stirred, and a wave of hunger and thirst rose. However long it had been, she was in desperate need of food and water. A young woman walked into the room, and memories of a battered face turned radiant overlaid the now clear, calm visage. Two other, younger women followed with cups and bowls in their hands. Tiy knelt beside the bed and, in an unknowing echo of a steppe nomad, raised Dani's head so she could sit up while propped against pillows.

~I'm making a habit of this, it seems,~ the scholar thought with some amusement. ~At least this time I wasn't running around in a blizzard.~

~I'm sure you'll come up with some interesting way to get yourself in trouble, dear, given a little time.~

The internal conversation was interrupted by the mouth-watering smell of broth. Dani croaked out a word of thanks as she began to slowly sip at it, despite her body's demand for a faster intake of the warm liquid. She worked at it slowly until the bowl was empty, feeling the energy slowly return to her limbs.

Dani's weariness was dragging her back into sleep, but she fought it off long enough to thank the woman. The young face was a mass of conflicting emotions, but Tiy was at last able to accept the thanks even as she dismissed the need for them.

"Ma'at commanded me to care for you, Lady Dani. I can do no less than what she asks."

Dani nodded her acknowledgement and smiled as she drifted off again.

*****

Her next awakening lasted longer; the broth had allowed her body to recover enough to stand -- however unsteadily -- and take care of cleaning herself of the dirt and sweat that had accumulated.

Tiy had come quickly at the news of the avatar's awakening, and the High Priestess and Dani spent much of the rest of the day in conversation. It had been only a day and a half since the scholar had walked into the temple, and there was a great deal of work ahead to reorder the temple. A priest from the Temple of Montu had arrived to call for an accounting of the disruptions within Ma'at's temple. The precinct council had agreed to wait until the supposed avatar had recovered sufficiently to accompany the new High Priestess, but there was no doubt in anyone's mind that no further delay was permissible.

Tiy, now that she had a chance to see her awake, found herself fascinated and frightened by the woman Ma'at had claimed as her avatar. Dani's face was young -- no more than twenty years old, or so it seemed -- but her eyes were windows that opened onto a depth of age that was intimidating. The feeling was only enhanced as Tiy found herself being quizzed on the reorganization of the temple staff.

Dani, on the other hand, found the priestess a delightful mix of youth, energy, and devotion. She was clearly struggling to cope with her task, and she had turned to several older men and women who had provided the first suggestions on how to proceed. The youngster responded intelligently to several leading questions put to her, and more than once Tiy's eyes lit as she understood the slightly subtle point being made.

The young woman did suffer from a significant problem due to lack of education. Priestesses, or candidates for the position, were educated by the temple scribes in the basics of reading and writing. Tiy had been denied the privilege several times since arriving; only those who were in the good graces of the High Priest and Priestess received any education. Others were relegated to the role of servant until they convinced the hierarchy that they were trustworthy to become acolytes.

Those who proved resistant to the guidance of their betters were left in their appointed place as the ignorant slaves who swept, cleaned, and cooked -- those tasks they were best fit for. Now several of those same servants were assuming important positions within the hierarchy.

The chief scribe of the temple had been summoned at Tiy's command. She had tried to defer to Dani, but the old scholar had had years of experience at establishing new teams; it was critical to demonstrate from the outset that Tiy was the head of the temple. When he and several of his subordinate scribes had arrived, Tiy directed that everyone in the temple be given a basic education so they could read and write Ma'at's commands for themselves. A smattering of arithmetic would also be provided.

The younger scribes were stunned at first, and outraged in short order as the scope of their task was made clear. Dani could see Tiy's hands quivering as she held her temper and her position. It would take time for her to develop the habit of command. The youngster had so far handled herself very well, as the years as a servant had taught hard lessons of self-control.

The scribes, except for their chief, were finally dismissed to canvass the temple. They were to determine who had what skills and begin to organize those in need of instruction into groups.

The chief scribe glanced briefly at the visibly pleased avatar.

"Priestess, the scribes will do as you command. Is there more you require of me?"

The young woman looked visibly uncertain, now.

"I ... fear, Henuttaneb, that I will need the same instruction. I need you to take time to teach me to read and write as well."

Dani's eyes narrowed as she watched. ~What sort of person is this scribe, and will he accept Tiy's request as he should?~

Henuttaneb bowed low. He had served in the temple for many years and had been dismayed at the indifferent attitude of those in charge. This young woman was like a drink of cool water on a hot day. "I would be honored, High Priestess."

The archaeologist smiled as the first stone was laid in the priesthood's rebuilding. Tiy was inexperienced, but shrewd.

~She will do well.~

It was unclear whether the thought came from inside or outside of Dani's mind as she gave a respectful bow to the priestess and left the room for a survey of the remodeled temple. She exited through a doorway toward the rear of the temple and made a slow walk around the side of the building.

Dani noted the changes that had been wrought in the temple when Ma'at had confronted the priesthood. The outside walls had been scrubbed of the priest-ridden art; the ostentatious display of wealth had been replaced by the austere purity of smooth stone. The doors that had been gilded were now polished wood and stood open to any who cared to enter. Horemheb was once again standing at his post beside the door, and he bowed respectfully to Dani when she came into view.

"Greetings, Lady."

Dani smiled at him as she returned the bow. "I'm pleased to see you here. I hope you didn't suffer any punishment after our last meeting."

"No, Lady, I didn't. The excitement caused by your activities in the temple made the captain much less interested in what I did or did not do."

"If I can be of assistance by speaking to your commander...."

The man's face now showed a warm smile. "Thank you for your kindness, Lady, but that isn't necessary. If the situation changes, may I ask for your intervention later?"

She returned the smile as she replied, "You are welcome at any time." Dani walked into the main doorway, but stopped as her casual reply finally crossed the threshold of her thoughts.

~Why did I phrase it *that* way?~

It disturbed the woman even more that the other possible interpretations weren't more upsetting. She shook her head and continued her walk. ~I can't afford much in the way of entanglements, and I think I can use some time to recover after having to give up Archippe. I wonder if Tiy ....~

Dani looked carefully at the entrance as she walked in and noticed that the interior walls, too, had undergone a renovation. The entry was decorated only with the carefully etched words of Ma'at's principles. The artwork here had been stripped away, leaving the eye to focus on what had replaced it.

The scholar took time to explore the temple and noted that the kitchen was in the middle of a thorough cleaning with blessed water. The practice had lapsed many years before, it seemed, but the familiar, pleasant odor of the bay leaves once again began to permeate the rooms.

There was at least one potential problem on the horizon. The inventory of bay leaves was lower than the kitchen's expenditures would have indicated. Even worse, the supplier that stocked the herb had had a mysterious shortage; none was available at any price, nor was the merchant willing to commit to any sort of delivery estimate.

The next day found Dani and Tiy facing the precinct council of priests and priestesses. The occupants of Ma'at's temple had been interviewed over the previous two days as the exiled priests and priestesses had sought to reclaim the wealth they insisted was theirs. The Chief Priest of Montu -- much to the exiles' dismay -- had been quietly pleased by what had happened; he insisted that a full hearing take place before any decision was made.

Dani's appearance startled the council as she walked in, and her claim to be Ma'at's avatar evoked skepticism -- until the goddess herself staged a brief appearance. Tiy's position was confirmed at the same time; while not essential, it precluded the arguments that would have consumed much time and energy.

By the end of the day, the council had concluded that it was no business of theirs if a god or goddess chose to replace those who had been in authority of their own temple. The exiles were dismissed, but their faces assured everyone present that they had yet to concede defeat. The face of the former High Priest had a brief, nasty grin on it as he left the council room.

*****

The next several days were relatively quiet for the temple staff. Some were having slight difficulties in adjusting to the more demanding schedule, and in particular the adherence to the proper scheduling of the morning and evening ceremonies at sunrise and sunset.

The classes were another disruption of the old order, but as the bulk of the staff had never been educated, they were delighted to spend blocks of time in study. Some of the acolytes and priests who'd survived the reorganization were less so, but if the glare of the High Priestess was insufficient to quiet their muttering, then a later private word from Dani sufficed.

Dani had taken pleasure in stepping into a familiar routine as she, too, sang her part in the services. The first day she had stepped forward had gone smoothly, but she'd also found herself taking the morning meal with Tiy to explain the smothered giggles that had erupted from the avatar after the participants had nearly dispersed.

Tiy had blinked in wonder at the story of the first priestess who'd taught Dani her part in the services -- it seemed bizarre that the goddess would choose someone who had no prior knowledge of the temple and its ceremonies. The wonder had turned to mirth as Dani related the horror of her singing voice, and the working of the goddess to correct the immediate problem.

Heads throughout the dining hall turned at the High Priestess's laughter when Ma'at's disclaimer about the limitations of miracles wrapped up the tale.

Dani had found herself relating some of the tales of her more recent travels and was oblivious to the gathering crowd who sat in rapt fascination at the stories of times and places far removed from their familiar surroundings.

*****

"Djehuty, what is the news of the problems at Ma'at's temple? Have things settled down?" The Queen turned her attention at last to her religious advisor; he was slightly shorter than average, but had broad, strong shoulders.

"In general, Your Majesty, they have. The precinct council interviewed many of the priests and servants at the temple, and despite the protests of the ousted individuals, has declared the question closed. Their report indicates that the Goddess herself appeared briefly to verify the changes made." The man quirked a smile. "No one seemed inclined to argue with her. The ousted High Priest and Priestess seem to be working to complicate the efforts of the Temple in procuring necessary supplies."

The group took their time in discussing the ramifications of the changes and what their response should be from a political standpoint. Interfering was a dangerous step, but the temples interacted with many merchants and people from all classes. Allowing even a minor issue to fester could end with a major problem later.

"Djehuty, send a messenger to Ma'at's High Priestess and request that she come for a talk. I also want you to invite, not command, the avatar to come; be respectful to that one. We must not anger the gods, nor do we want to disturb the worshippers if possible."

It was midday when the priestess and avatar arrived at the palace gate, and they were quickly escorted to the throne room, where Hatshepsut sat on her seat. The Pharaoh's throne was left empty. The complex was larger than the palace in Memphis -- not surprising given the fifteen-hundred years that had elapsed. The columns were taller, slimmer, and more intricately carved and painted. Some of the ornamentation had survived to Dani's home time, but the scale of the palace had left her somewhat frustrated about her inability to explore.

~Perhaps later, if time allows before I have to leave....~

Tiy stopped and prostrated herself at the balk line, but the Queen Consort was intrigued as the supposed avatar -- named Dani, according to the reports -- bowed respectfully but remained standing. A guard stepped forward to punish the breach; he stopped as Hatshepsut commanded him to stop. The woman on the throne looked at the tall scholar.

"You are the woman said to be Ma'at's avatar?"

Dani bowed again. "I am."

"There are those who believe that you are showing disrespect to Pharaoh by your actions just now."

"I intend no disrespect, Your Majesty, and my goddess would be very unhappy with any actions on my part that would bring disorder to your kingdom. My people show their respect for those in authority differently from Pharaoh's people."

Hatshepsut blinked in confusion and her reaction was echoed in several faces around the room. Even Tiy broke from her pose to look up in bewilderment.

"I look like one of your people, but my home is in a place that is far from here, Majesty." She showed a ghost of a smile. "I am a scholar in my own land and have studied Egypt for many years, as did my parents before me. No one here has, or ever will hear even a rumor of my homeland. Ma'at has promised that when my tasks are done that she will see me home again."

The Queen set aside the questions provoked by that statement, and waved Tiy to her feet so that the interview could begin.

Tiy, despite her sudden ascension into her office, had managed to gain quick understanding and control of the major day-to-day operations in the temple. She might be young, but her intelligence more than offset her inexperience. The bulk of the interview was directed her way, as she was responsible for the interactions of the temple with the rest of the city.

Hatshepsut made her concerns clear; the conflict within the temple could boil over to the streets, and it was critical for Tiy and -- the queen looked pointedly at Dani -- any of her people to ensure that the situation remained under control. The expression on the queen's face made it abundantly clear that she would hold Tiy responsible for any problems resulting from the changes.

Tiy was visibly reassured when Dani commented that part of her task in the city was to ensure the changeover went as smoothly as possible. The only issue that threatened to linger was the supply of bay leaves. It seemed that the suppliers had a problem providing the herb, and the lack meant that the properly blessed water for cleansing would be unavailable should they be unable to resolve the situation. Dani speculated that the merchants might be waiting to ensure they were supplying the correct priesthood.

Hatshepsut quirked a smile as she understood the request. The situation would be more quickly settled if the suppliers understood that the throne approved of the changes in the temple.

The queen called out as the audience came to an end. "Lady Dani, I'm curious about your homeland and what brings you to the kingdom. If your duties to your goddess permit, I would have you return to speak more on those questions."

"I would be happy to do so, Your Majesty."

The two visitors left with Dani setting a brisk pace. Hatshepsut turned to her main advisor, Senenmut, as the doors closed.

"Make it clear to the merchants that Pharaoh would be very displeased if any temples were deprived of anything essential to the order of the city and kingdom."

The man bowed and quickly left the chamber.

*****

Kamose and Sat-jah reclined on the couches, as did their contacts in the merchant class and priests from other temples who had become long-time friends. Some of the kick-backs had found their way back to the exiles, and the group -- while not as well provided as before -- were housed and fed in reasonable comfort. The financial loss was still painful, and thoughts of revenge colored the conversation.

A newly anointed priest of Montu suggested that the exiles remove the usurpers. If the exiles moved quickly after eliminating the so-called avatar and new High Priestess, they could reclaim their place.

The suggestion left Kamose pale.

"You don't understand! It wasn't a *so-called* avatar; she's the real thing, or at least close enough to make no difference. It was ... like being wrapped in soft stone that you couldn't see. It would be suicide to attack them directly."

There was no question, looking at the man and woman who had lost their positions, that they utterly believed every word. Their companions tried to reassure them, and the arguments grew heated, but Sat-jah grew nearly hysterical.

The group resigned themselves to indirect attempts to destabilize Ma'at's temple. It would be difficult for some time, but there seemed no alternative for now. Even the attempt to deny Ma'at's temple access to bay leaves had failed when the palace had made clear their displeasure.

A more perceptive eye would have seen the darkness around Sat-jah and Kamose send tendrils out toward the others in the room, and a soft, sibilant voice began to whisper subliminal words into their minds. Set's toehold in Ma'at's temple had been dislodged, but his grip on the former priest and priestess was unshaken. They would serve as a gateway to the merchants and even the disaffected priest of Montu.

The war god tended to focus his attention out and away from the capital; that inattention would allow Set to establish a new base of operations. Sooner or later the chance would come again to strike at Ma'at and her priesthood, and fostering hostility between the temples was always such a pleasant way to let the humans do Set's work for him.

And with Pharaoh's impending death, there were so many opportunities for levering at what were normally imperceptible rifts in the ruling class.

A later civilization would term such situations a 'target-rich environment'.

For Set it was a perfect opportunity to continue his work of revenge against his ancient enemies and particularly against Ma'at.

*****

Pharaoh's informal council had gathered in their quiet, secure corner of the palace. Thirteen years before, they had met to orchestrate the crowning of Thutmose II, rather than his half-sister. None had any doubt that she was by far the more intelligent and capable of the two, but Hatshepsut was far too difficult to control. Her strength had been harnessed to the service of the kingdom just as easily by her marriage to her brother.

She wielded effective control, though her power had been checked. The priests, through their hold on Pharaoh, had countered any attempt by her to exceed the carefully crafted bounds they had set.

They had had a rude surprise when the Pharaoh had proven even weaker in body than mind. He had never been physically robust, and he had been forced to allow his father's generals to take the army south to suppress the last Nubian rebellion. The only bright spot had been his ability to sire a healthy male heir, which he had done two years after his accession to the throne.

Two years ago, after eleven years of rule, the king's frail body had succumbed to a wave of disease that swept through the city; he'd survived, but the damage had rendered him even more useless than before -- and handed even more power to his Queen Consort.

The council had worked ever since to ensure the anointing of Pharaoh's son, Thutmose III, as the successor. The old alliances between the temples of Amun-Re and Montu still held, and the High Priests, despite the occasional surface tiffs over priorities within the Temple of Karnak, were united in their determination to defend the stability of the kingdom. The two temples, working in concert, had effectively controlled the position taken by the religious authorities for years, but the last few days had brought news and rumors that made the political and religious ground tremble as the land had trembled on that day, two and a half centuries before, when the mountain north of the Minoans had vanished in smoke and flame. The kingdom's religious world had been shaken as thoroughly as the cities around the great sea.

The seeming appearance of the Goddess Ma'at in her temple, and the avatar who bore her likeness, had unsettled the balance of power. Their allies in Ma'at's temple had been cast out; it was essential to determine the truth of the rumors -- and the political stance of the new rulers of the temple.

*****

Tiy had worked harder in the last week than in all the years since coming to the temple. Lessons in reading and writing were crammed into the spare minutes between the official duties of a High Priestess. The insane schedule hardly ended with the last notes of the evening ceremony; Tiy found her evenings filled with consultations with the priestly council she'd set up at the urging of Lady Dani.

"I know you'll be even busier for a while," the avatar had said, "but once everyone understands that you *are* in charge and their own place in the running of the temple, you'll find the workload will ease."

"Lady," the young priestess began, "forgive my wondering. You seem to be so young, yet you speak as someone who has had years of practice at what I'm trying to do."

Dani smiled a little. "I am far older than I seem, dear. When Ma'at called me to her service, she made me young again." Her shoulders and smile sagged under the weight of years. "I'm more than a hundred years old, Tiy, and most of that was lived before my call. I've done what you're doing more than I care to recall."

The revelation left the youngster flushed with embarrassment. "My problems must seem trivial and boring to you." She was startled by the laugh from Dani.

"Oh, child, you have no idea how much I love this. I had always been a scholar and teacher, and a smart student is a joy and reward for all the hard work." She patted the priestess's hand. "You are young and uneducated; you are NOT unable or unwilling to learn. You have worked hard, listened, and put your lessons to good use. I am pleased beyond words, and very, very proud of you, Tiy."

*****

Thutmose's council sat in silence. The investigators -- spies, to be honest -- had finally reported that the population of Ma'at's temple was utterly convinced that they had received a visitation from the goddess, and not one was willing to contradict the new rulers.

The continued presence of an influential stranger had been confirmed, but none would say more than that she was the goddess's chosen.

The visit of their delegation to Ma'at's temple had been no more successful. The High Priestess had made clear that the temple's position would be determined by the instructions of the goddess and not by the will of men. The scribes had collated the records that bore on the current situation in the kingdom; Tiy had spent hours of her limited free time talking with the senior temple staff -- and Dani, of course -- about the prophecies at Hatshepsut's birth and the recorded desire of her father. Dani had gone silent for a moment as the others discussed the data; she had affirmed the prophecies, but left the final decisions to the locals.

"We will support the course that is just, even if that course is uncomfortable for those in power."

The message was clear: There would be no unified opposition to the ascension of Hatshepsut.

That left Thutmose's partisans struggling to devise a new strategy without the support of the temples that had been the keystone of their past success and current planning.

*****

The kingdom was in mourning.

Thutmose II, Aakheperenre (Great is the manifestation of Re), Ka Nekhet User Pekhet
(The strong bull, the great one of power), King of Egypt had died. The embalmers had done their work as the Queen Consort -- now Queen Regent -- directed the preparations for the king's funeral. Senenmut had been assigned to ensure the proper stocking of the tomb with the myriad articles the king would require in the afterlife.

The temples were also busy with their own preparations. Tiy was in a mild state of panic. She had been in charge of the temple for less than a year and now faced the most critical responsibility imaginable. The chief scribe, fortunately, had delved into the temple records and unearthed the rites and responsibilities for Ma'at's representatives.

During his search, he also came across a copy of an old, old scroll. His eyes widened at the contents, and he walked quickly to the 'office,' as Lady Dani termed it, where the High Priestess worked.

*****

The funeral procession had gone without a hitch, and Tiy had worked hard to memorize her part. Hatshepsut, and her step-son Thutmose, had carried golden offerings that were stored with the body of her beloved husband.

The royal family watched as the last seal was put in place, and the last note of the funerary dirge was sung, before making their solemn journey back to the palace.

Dani watched the proceedings with the rapt fascination of her profession, and recalled the innumerable tomb paintings she'd studied; it was a relief -- her mouth twisted at the unintentional pun -- to know that the reality matched the illustration.

~If it had a dwarf, it might be a Bes-relief!~

She bit her lip to squelch the giggles. She'd have to remember that one to inflict on Dom when she got back home. He'd made a study of the Egyptian protector god, Bes, and the horrid puns were a favorite way to tweak him. Dominic had complained at least once that the only thing worse than Dan's singing was his love of archaeology puns.

*****

Tiy re-read the scroll for what must have been the fifth time. Her reading skills had grown rapidly, and she had enjoyed the chance to learn the history of Ma'at's temples. Recent records of the Thebes temple had left her quietly weeping. The scrolls had told the story of a slow, steady divergence from the foundations of her goddess's principles.

This new scroll, though, had stretched back to the very earliest days of the temple in Memphis. Nebka, the High Priestess at the time, had written down her encounter with a remarkable young woman who had rescued the Pharaoh and his mother.

Tiy sat quietly as she considered the story. It was almost incomprehensible to think that someone who sounded much like Dani had graced the temple over a thousand years ago, but the scribes weren't in the habit of lying in temple records.

~An unnaturally tall woman, who bore the likeness of the goddess herself as her avatar. She spoke the language of the kingdom, but spent hours watching the activities of the city. She was a close friend of the Pharaoh and Queen Regent, and was known for her stories of her homeland. She had been invited to a farewell meal at the palace with Nebka, but never returned to the temple afterward.~

Tiy had asked the scribes to search the archives for any reports from her predecessor, Nebka, but while there were some amusing recorded comments about voice training, there was nothing about the avatar's fate. She placed the scroll on the table as Dani strode in.

"Lady Dani, I have a scroll you might find interesting."

"Thank you, Tiy." The scholar picked up the scroll and propped her hip against the table as she unrolled it to read. Her only outward reaction was a widening of her eyes as she read; it took much less time for the archaeologist to read the scroll than it had for the priestess. Once done, though, she stared at the wall for a long, silent minute.

"Yes, I was there, if that's your question. Nebka was a very remarkable and kind person, Tiy. She was wise in ways that still leave me in wonder, though I had lived twice her years." Dani looked at her companion with a wistful smile. "I miss her, and several other people I came to know there."

*****

The message was too deferential to call it a summons, but even a mild request from the Queen Regent should be taken as a royal command by the wise and prudent. Dani cleaned up and made her way to the palace; she was greeted by the guard commander, and she soon found herself standing at the foot of the dais where Hatshepsut and her stepson sat.

"I have come as you requested, Your Majesties. How may I be of service?"

The boy, only about eleven years old if her memory served, watched quietly and with interest as his mother spoke.

"When your presence was made known to us we had our royal archives searched, both here and in Memphis. Word has come to our ears of a similar visitation many years ago, when a visitation of the gods forestalled an insurrection. The palace records have deteriorated, but there are mentions of the visitor's talent for using stories to make her points."

The archaeologist smiled. "Your scribes are very efficient in their searches, Your Majesty." The regent quirked an eyebrow in obvious question, and the avatar's smile turned into a grin. "I had the pleasure of spending some little time with your predecessor, Queen Regent Iti, and her son, the Pharaoh Djer. I still count them among my friends; the time with them is among my fondest memories."

Hatshepsut hesitated. It was clear that she had a question, but wasn't entirely comfortable asking it.

"Lady Dani," the woman began, "you say, and the reports from Ma'at's temple seem to confirm, that you are Ma'at's avatar." Dani's minute nod encouraged her to continue. "I ... don't know whether you have come for more than your work at the temple, but I would appreciate your advice and guidance on a matter of importance to the kingdom, to me, and to the Pharaoh."

"Perhaps a more private place would serve better for a free and full discussion of those matters, Your Majesties. There might be those here who would misinterpret what was said in the course of conversation."

*****

The royal quarters were far larger and more elaborately adorned than Iti's home had been. Dani took a moment to survey the place in a bid to add detail to the available records on her return home.

The trio settled onto their couches as the palace slaves scurried to provide fruits and drink. The staff seemed to be healthy, well dressed, and respectful rather than fearful of their master and mistress.

"I invited you to come, Lady Dani, to inquire as to your Goddess's guidance regarding a prophecy she sent many years ago." Hatshepsut paused; if Dani was truly Ma'at's voice, she would know -- or be told -- of her goddess's pronouncements.

"You mean the one that says you will be the Pharaoh, Maatkare?"

Thutmose looked in fear at his stepmother at the words. Too many times over the centuries the ruling Pharaoh had been killed to clear the way for another contender.

"Peace, child," Dani called to him. "Your mother will not harm you, not if she wants the blessing of my goddess on her endeavors." She was silent for a moment.

"Hatshepsut, I have said that my homeland is far from here and very different from your kingdom. We, too, have our records of the past, and one of those is of a great Queen. Her father, a great king in their land, had died and left her sister as his heir, as he had no sons. That sister was weak in body, and reigned for only five years; when that sister died, the great king's last daughter took her place on the throne.

"The new queen, named Elizabeth, was a strong leader for many years. She is remembered in that land as a good and great queen who protected her people from invaders. Her reign is remembered as a golden age."

Dani looked levelly at the Regent. "It takes great courage to accept the responsibility of ruling a great nation. Your father had selected you as his successor, Hatshepsut, and the gods pronounced their will that you would be Pharaoh. Would you spurn the judgment of the gods?"

Thutmose looked nervously at his stepmother as she sat silently in her seat. Too often in the kingdom's history, a dispute over the succession was settled by the killing of one of the disputants. The archaeologist didn't miss the fidgeting.

"Thutmose, you needn't worry. The gods have a plan for your future. Your stepmother will need to train you for your future on the throne as well."

The boy looked surprised, as did the queen. "You mean I will be Pharaoh after my mother?" he asked.

Dani nodded. "Your mother was chosen to rule now, but you will also sit on Pharaoh's throne. You both will be remembered as great kings, even among the many great kings who have come before you. Hatshepsut, if you want Ma'at's blessings, you need to ensure that your son is properly prepared to take his place as a general and king."

*****

"Ma'at's temple has announced their support for Hatshepsut. It won't happen immediately, but the queen is moving to become Pharaoh. Even the boy is speaking in her favor!"

Thutmose's council, the men who'd guided the kingdom through the potential chaos of the last change in rulers, sat despondently as their carefully crafted plans lay in utter ruin. The queen, soon to be Pharaoh, was popular with the people as they saw her as a symbol of stability. She had been quietly effective during her husband's reign, and the prospect of many years of her full control was reassuring.

The army, too, had taken notice of the moves by Hatshepsut. The generals were concerned that, while she was a very capable administrator, she might try to lead an army into battle. They had extended feelers to her close advisors to try to gain an understanding of her intent.

"She's too damned efficient! Her political advisors are as good as she is, and they've managed to bring the bulk of the merchants and outlying governors into line." The speaker, who had been the religious advisor for the newly-deceased Pharaoh, huffed in frustration. "We're fighting a losing battle at the moment. Memphis and the other northern cities have swung over to her. They've been under her effective control for the last thirteen years, and her people used the time to lay the groundwork for a time like this."

"If I may make a suggestion?" Kamose spoke quietly, with the faintest sibilance. "Any attempt to stop Hatshepsut at this point would draw the ire of both gods and men. You might do better to lay your own groundwork, for example, to draw the boy, Thutmose, into our circle. With the proper advisors, and a good wife, we will be able to put him into his just position when we're ready without bringing unnecessary chaos to the kingdom."

The idea was snapped up by the group. The question of a good and submissive wife was settled when the name Adoratrix Huy was mentioned.

"She's of royal blood, and she has just given birth to a daughter. If we start now, we should be able to ensure the babe is ready for her role as the Pharaoh's queen."

Sat-jah volunteered to make contact with the prospective royal mother-in-law, though with the antagonism between the former priestess and the Temple of Ma'at, it was important to keep her involvement a secret.

*****

~Time flies when you're having fun.~

Dani was once again in the palace. She had been granted permission to study the grand building by Hatshepsut, and she spent her time committing the layout and ornamentations to memory. There were long-standing questions about the ancient city, and the layout of the capital before Ramses II remade the place to his liking was a point of significant interest. Proof -- at least proof in Dani's time -- would be hard to establish, but if she knew where to look it would be easier.

~Perhaps even the Meridian Foundation would be interested in funding the research. They're involved in an awful lot of esoteric lines of historical investigation.~

She shrugged and filed the thought away for a more appropriate time. For now, she wanted to check in on how the instruction of the young man who would be Pharaoh was going.

Tiy had wanted to take the responsibility herself, and despite her relative lack of education she had been effective in communicating the spirit of the principles of Ma'at.

The young voices of the priestess and prince became clear as she approached the door to the royal quarters.

"But, Tiy, how can a general, or even a Pharaoh, possibly follow even the first of Ma'at's commands? 'Thou shalt not kill, nor bid anyone kill' sounds as if anyone who is a warrior will break her commandment; that means we cannot defend the realm! Surely Ma'at doesn't intend that we allow the kingdom to be overrun."

Dani paused just outside the doorway. She knew that Ma'at had been working with the young woman through her dreams to help her understand the deeper meanings of her instructions.

Tiy had paused for a moment to gather her thoughts before replying. "In truth, Thutmose, the word 'kill' should be 'murder.' Killing of any sort brings disorder, and war is even worse, but you are correct, and the goddess knows that from time to time it is the lesser evil. She does *not* approve of murder or assassinations."

Dani stepped away from the doorway. Tiy was doing what she needed to do; she had to learn how to handle her position without crutches.

~I wanted to talk with Hatshepsut for a while about some of the stories I'd told Iti, so this will work out well. By the time I'm done with that, perhaps the kids will be done with their discussion.~

Dani smiled as she walked along, enjoying the pleasure that a parent knows when their child is doing well.

Ma'at interjected her own thought. ~Yes, my daughter, it is a joy when your child begins to reach her true potential.~

Dani began to nod ....

~HEY!!~

*****

"I need to decide, my council ... my friends. The rumors have been circulating for months saying I have and haven't accepted the crown. I'm sure many of them are being started and kept alive by the same men who kept me off the throne the first time.

"I accept that there will be discontent either way, but we all have heard the prophecy and Lady Dani's affirmation. I don't see that there is really a choice, but I will need your support. Do you all concur? Shall I take the Pharaoh's crown?"

Hatshepsut looked around the room at her council. Her dearest friends and most trusted advisors had debated the question all day; now it was time to call for the question.

To her right was her dearest love, Senenmut. He had been an unyielding advocate from the first. "Your Majesty, it would be an affront to the gods to do otherwise. Take what is rightfully yours."

Hapuseneb, the High Priest of Amun at Thebes, was next to give his concurrence. "I agree, Majesty. Accept the will of the gods and do your whole duty."

Nehsy, her Chancellor, Inebni, the Viceroy of Kush, Thuthmose, the Treasurer, Amenhotep, her Chief Steward, Useramun, vizier, Djehuty, nomarch in Herwer, and Puyemra, the second priest of Amun each spoke their assent.

Senenmut gestured at his fellows. "We have each given our agreement, Majesty. We have worked hard to lay the foundation for you to take this step for the last thirteen years, and we will continue to work to make your reign as successful as your service has been as the administrator."

She closed her eyes for a moment in silent contemplation. The room remained quiet until she opened them again.

"I will obey the will of the gods. Send the word out that I will be accepting the crown. Senenmut and Amenhotep, begin the preparations for my ascension to the throne."

*****

Time had flown by for the archaeologist. She had been less busy with the temple, but the extra time was spent in careful study of the growing, sprawling capital city. The cool winters, and the ever-reliable flood, marked the passage of another year.

The high point of her time, so far, had been witnessing the grand ceremony that crowned the new Pharaoh. Music swirled around the grand procession of religious, military, and political leaders as they pledged their fealty to the new Pharaoh.

Tiy hardly looked like the same battered servant as she walked calmly and confidently to give voice to Ma'at's blessings. Dani watched with pride as the formal words of approval were spoken to Hatshepsut; it was hard not to giggle a few minutes later as the shy young woman peeked out again when the priestess descended the stairs and smiled with relief.

The Crown Prince took his turn at the end of the procession, and swore his allegiance to his mother as Pharaoh. She, in turn, declared to all that Thutmose was the rightful heir to the throne.

The archaeologist walked contentedly toward the temple in the company of a very relieved High Priestess.

*****

The celebrations were beginning to wane as the citizens returned to their homes. One group had gathered as the darkness shrouded the city. The fall of night made it impossible for anyone, other than a few touched by the gods, to see the deeper darkness that danced and swirled around each individual.

Kamose looked as if he'd been forced to eat something distasteful.

"Our efforts have been unproductive. The Queen has taken the throne for herself, and has spit in the face of tradition. How is our alternative plan progressing, Sat-jah?"

She smiled thinly. "Adoratrix Huy is a very -- self-indulgent person. It has been difficult to keep her attention long enough to make the suggestion that her daughter is a possible mate for the Crown Prince."

There was a murmur amongst the shadowed group, and she quickly continued her report.

"I have made progress in becoming familiar with the whole family. It will take time to bend them to our will."

Kamose leaned back. His eyes seemed to look into the distance for a moment, then he turned his gaze on the former High Priestess.

"That will suffice for now, but if the mother, or the father, proves uncooperative, we will have to remove them as an obstacle."

*****

~It is time, my child. You need to prepare for the next step of your journey.~

It had been only a few moons since the coronation, and Dani had taken the extra time to widen her investigation of the capital.

~It's too soon! There are whole sections of the city that I haven't had a chance to visit!~

~I know, dear, but you've accomplished what you came here for. Now you need to leave so that Tiy will learn to rely on herself.~

Dani had to agree as she considered the situation; there was good reason for her to be well pleased with the fruit of her efforts.

Hatshepsut had accepted the full responsibility and authority of Pharaoh, though she'd taken on the trappings of a male, including the postiche -- a false beard worn by the Pharaohs -- to ease her acceptance by the more traditionally minded of her subjects.

Even the army had settled into the new order, though that situation was eased by the distraction of the inevitable uprising by the Nubians. Hatshepsut had given them a clear command to suppress the rebellion, and then wisely allowed them to perform their duty without interference.

~I still wish you'd tell me what you have in mind for Tiy and Horemheb. They're both wonderful young people, and I think they'd be good together.~

The response was gently admonishing. ~Dani, you are correct that they'd be a good couple. There are better choices that you, and they, have yet to meet.~

~They'll both find someone? I just ... I'm sensitive to that now. I really don't want someone else to make the same mistake I did.~

~They will both have their chance, dear daughter. It will be up to them to take advantage of their opportunity. I will not force them to choose wisely, but they will have the opportunity.~

"I suppose so," the avatar sighed, "but it would be nice to know they're happy."

~I promise, dear one, that you will know how they fare.~

The avatar sighed and made her way to the temple. She was determined to share her special meal with her new friends.

*****

The meal was held in a private area of the temple. Dani hadn't become as close to the royal family in this time and place, but the Pharaoh and Crown Prince were anxious to show their gratitude for Ma'at's intervention. There were few people invited to the meal, and it was easy for Dani to prepare the stew that Iri had prepared more than a millennium before.

The avatar passed on some of the story of that first meal she had shared with her friends, including her trick with the bay leaf.

"This time, you will notice, I've removed the bay leaf ... though if there are any volunteers?"

There was a burst of voices declining the offer, followed quickly by a general chuckle.

As the meal came to a close, Dani asked the royal family to stay for a moment. Ma'at had given permission for limited encouragement for those being left behind.

"I cannot say too much to any of you," she said. "I know that you, Hatshepsut, and you, Thutmose, will be remembered and known in the far future as great Pharaohs. The kingdom will flourish under your care. Thank you for allowing me to study the palace and your city. I look forward to sharing stories of each of you as I travel."

The royals finally left, and Dani was alone with Tiy. She looked bereft.

"Must you leave so soon? There is so much I don't know, and you've been there to answer questions I have. You've been like a mentor or mother to me." Tiy reached out and grabbed Dani in a desperate embrace.

"Hush, my little one," Dani murmured, as she caressed Tiy's hair. "You know that Ma'at chose you because she knows you can do this, and she will be with you even after I have traveled on. You've become like a daughter to me, and leaving you behind is hard. I know, though," she continued, pulling back a little and placing her hands on the youngster's shoulders, "that you can do this. You will always be in my thoughts."

"I know, but she's harder to hear and hug."

Ma'at's voice sounded abruptly within the High Priestess's mind. ~I will be near you all your life, my child.~

Tiy's eyes widened, and Dani smiled at her; she, too, had heard the voice.

"I think you will have the help you need, when you need it, and I suspect that you will find someone you will much prefer to hug," the avatar said with a twinkle in her eye. "Now it's time for me to leave." Dani hugged the priestess and stepped back.

Tiy watched as the other woman's form flashed brightly and vanished.

*****

Dani felt that familiar instant of disorientation as she was shifted in time and space. As the world steadied around her, she took notice of her new environment. The air was warm and humid, and the buildings were large. The architectural style was distinctly Roman, and Dani looked around to find herself in an empty city square. It was impossible to tell where she was -- the buildings blocked any view of the city's setting. As she turned slowly around, she caught sight of something that took her breath away.

~It was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world!~

She knew where she was, if not when, and her scholar's blood burned at the prospect of exploring *this* place.

Ma‘at

Chapter 6: Hypatia
By Itinerant

Synopsis: Sometimes there's no way to win, but you must fight to preserve what you can ...

"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 either Sapphire's Place (http://www.sapphireplace.com/stories/whateley.html) or the Big Closet (http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/taxonomy/term/117)."

Author's Note: My thanks to John in Wauwatosa and Scott Ramsey for taking time to proof-read this.

**********
From Chapter 5:

Dani felt that familiar instant of disorientation as she was shifted in time and space. As the world steadied around her, she took notice of her new environment. The air was warm and humid, and the buildings were large. The architectural style was distinctly Roman, and Dani looked around to find herself in an empty city square. It was impossible to tell where she was -- the buildings blocked any view of the city's setting. As she turned slowly around, she caught sight of something that took her breath away.

~It was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world!~

She knew where she was, if not when, and her scholar's blood burned at the prospect of exploring *this* place.

*****

~Ma'at! I ... this is another place I've dreamed of! There's so much about it that's forgotten in my time, and now I can see it! *Thank you!*~

Soft giggles echoed in Dani's mind. ~Oh, my dear daughter, it is *such* fun seeing your response to these visits.~

Her response to her goddess's comment was a barely restrained snort. ~You keep bringing me to places I'd have given body parts to see as Dan; what did you expect?~

~Nothing less, in truth. Just keep in mind you are here for something more than sightseeing.~ The goddess's thought was mildly admonishing. In fact, she sounded almost exactly as Dan's mother had in his youth.

~Yes, Mother!~ Dani responded, slightly exasperated as she instinctively reacted as she had in her long ago memory. As she completed the thought and realized how she'd referred to the goddess ”‘”‘ and why ”‘”‘ she caught an image in her mind of Ma'at quirking an eyebrow.

Dani just smiled and shrugged; words were really unnecessary. An old memory had provoked her response, but, for the last seven years, she had lived with Ma'at's calm, encouraging presence. The goddess's affection colored the bond they shared, and it had become plain that Ma'at used the term 'daughter' very deliberately. Dani had been busy for that time, as she was thrown into new societies and problems with little in the way of leisure to consider how her relationship with Ma'at was evolving. She knew, though, how much it had grown in warmth and intimacy. She decided that, all things considered, her reaction didn't seem at all out of place.

An immaterial arm hugged the young-looking woman's shoulders, and a warm wave of affection flowed into Dani's mind.

She basked in their shared emotions for a moment, but it was time to get started on her task here.

~The sooner I'm done, the sooner I can go *home*.~

She took just a moment to resettle the pack that had appeared on her shoulder, and appreciate the view, before continuing on her way. She'd seen it in artist's renderings in museums around the world, and had wondered. Ptolemy Soter had begun the mighty work. Ptolemy Philadelphus had completed it, so she was no earlier than 300BCE. It would have been sizable in her own modern world, and it was an unparalleled feat of engineering in this day.

The Pharos, Lighthouse of Alexandria, rose thirty stories above the ancient harbor; the reality -- even with her exposure to buildings three times its height -- left her awed by its beauty.

~It truly is one of the wonders of the world, My Lady, but what year is it, and why have you brought me here?~

~The year, Meri-Ma'at, is 399CE. You know already that you are in the city of Alexandria. I brought you here to meet someone who is very much a 'sister seeker' with you. Her name is Hypatia, and she is intended to rise to head the Platonist school in this city. She just needs some help to learn ... tact. She is brilliant, as your history tells, but she has little patience for negotiations; her diplomatic skills are somewhat lacking.~

Dani snickered. ~I've known a few scholars like that in my time.~

~Don't forget, daughter, that Hypatia is one of the brightest minds in mathematics, philosophy, and astronomy that humanity ever produced. Watching over her, and helping her learn a bit of tact, is your task. You will need to be very cautious yourself, as there is great danger from the religious orders. Hypatia is what your time would call a 'high-profile' target, and as a non-Christian celebrity she has drawn the attention of those who are determined to crush any pagan influence remaining in the city.~

Ma'at's avatar nodded. ~I'm assuming you mean Cyril, Peter the reader, and their lackeys.~ She shook her head in despair. ~Their ... audacity in calling themselves Christians is mind-boggling. It seems they chose their religion to take advantage of Christianity's newfound Imperial favor so they can have power; they certainly don't seem to follow its tenets.~

A grim thought responded, ~They have a rude awakening ahead in their afterlife, but not before they cause terrible harm to others in this one. ~

~So where should I go first? Should I find a place to stay, or locate Hypatia?~

~I don't have a temple in this time and place, so other arrangements will need to be made. First, you need to find Hypatia, and she will have suggestions as to where you can find suitable, short-term lodging. Head for the Great Library, my daughter; your charge will be in that area by the time you arrive.~

*****
Saint Michael's Church

Cyril shifted nervously under the old man's steady glare, though his friend and companion, Peter, seemed indifferent to Theophilus' displeasure. They had been caught harassing Jews as they left their service, despite having been warned not to bother them.

~Of course, the old man is *my* uncle, not his.~

"I'd ask you what you were thinking, but it's clear from your actions that you were doing anything *but* thinking!" Theophilus' voice was quiet and steady, but the tone was sharp enough to peel skin away in small strips. He leaned slightly forward in his chair.

"And *you*, Peter, were equally at fault."

"Your Excellency," Peter replied, "I had no intent of offending you, but the teachings we both profess to follow are clear about how we are to deal with pagans and heathen. You, yourself, set the standard by your own exhortations. I was only following your example."

The archbishop's face turned a pale red. "Don't presume, child. I'll have you studying in a Sinai monastery for the remainder of your life. Leave the pagans alone. Orestes has made it clear that he's going to protect any Roman citizens among them, and he's too popular for us to overrule. Both of you will be punished if either is caught in an attack. Is. That. Clear?"

"Yes, Uncle," Cyril jumped in before Peter could respond.

The two bowed and exited Theophilus' chamber; as soon as they reached the exit on the harbor side of Saint Michael's Church, Cyril pinned his companion in a shadowed alcove.

"What were you *thinking*," he hissed. "Don't you realize what he can do to us?"

Peter's voice was calm, almost unnaturally so, as he replied. "He won't do anything, because he knows someone must take action against the evil. Pagans are a poison in the city, and even if the Prefect chooses to let them roam unchecked, we must do our duty as Christians and exorcise their infestation. If we cannot yet act openly, we will -- we must -- do what we can."

Cyril backed out of the alcove and headed for the street muttering, "We'll do ourselves right into a monk's cell...."

*****
Theon's Mansion

"Daughter, you have a message from your student, Synesius. He seems to have some more questions to ask and observations to make on your attempts to reconcile your Platonic philosophy with Christian dogma."

Her laughter filled the room with a brilliant reflection of her joy, and Hypatia, her chiton flowing gracefully around her form, strode quickly to her father, Theon's, chair. "Did he put that at the top for you?"

Theon chuckled. "As a matter of fact, he had a small part at the top, addressed to me, that suggested I waste less time on unimportant things such as conics, and more time on truly useful things such as philosophy." A mock glare tracked his daughter as she arrived at his chair. "You've corrupted that boy! Aren't you ashamed?"

"Hardly, Father," she replied with a smile. "I'm just pleased he learned his lessons so very well. Thank you for encouraging him so much while he was here." She kissed his cheek as she took the letter from his hand.

He shook his head. "You dazzled him with your beauty, daughter. I had no chance to win him to the glories of mathematics the moment he set eyes on you." His smile broadened as a faint blush grew on her cheeks.

The young woman, just past her twenty-ninth birthday, had developed into the sort of mature beauty that poets only imagined, and that outward beauty was a shadow of the brilliant mind and spirit within.

She swatted playfully at him. "Stop it! You know we were just teacher and student."

A shadow passed behind the man's eyes. "He'd have been much more, if you'd have given him the smallest hint. I worry, dear, that you don't realize what you're giving up for your studies."

It was an old argument that had run on since her sixteenth birthday. People had begun to talk about the strange girl who'd run off every suitor in Alexandria; passing years had made the rumors more elaborate, but no less pointed.

She turned a sad smile toward her father. "I know you've always hoped that I'd find someone to wed, and you'd have grandchildren to spoil." She took one of his hands between her own. "I'm sorry, father, but this is what I was born to do. I *have* tried to find someone, but ..."

Theon rose, and folded his daughter in his embrace. "I love you, my dear child, for the person you are, not the person I might want you to be, and I am proud of the wonderful woman you've grown to be."

"And there could be no better parents than those the gods have given me." She eased back from her father's arms. "I have to meet my students at the Library, and then Orestes has a meeting of his advisers. If I delay any more, I'll be late."

Her father released her. "Quickly then. Get what you need, and I'll call for your chariot." He called for the servants as she left to gather her scrolls.

*****

~You'd think I'd be accustomed to this by now,~ Dani thought, ~but every stop just whets my appetite for more.~

She was making her way west, with the Pharos on her right, along a road running inside the walls of the great city. Her clothing, not surprisingly, had again become time and place appropriate; she attracted only a brief glance from those she passed.

~You will reach a plaza with four pylons,~ Ma'at commented as Dani passed another intersection, ~and then you have one more crossroads before reaching the Library.~

It was hard, terribly so, to just walk. She wanted to scurry around the city, like a mouse in a cheese factory, sampling all the wonders of this fourth century jewel in the Roman crown. For the next 140 years, until the arrival of bubonic plague, it would be a shining center of learning and trade.

~There is so *much* to explore here,~ Dani grumbled, ~that I could spend years digging into the corners of this place.~

~Ahem!~ Ma'at's mental voice overflowed with amusement.

~Yes, ma'am,~ came Dani's supposedly admonished response. Her mental giggle left some doubt about her sincerity, however.

Her first sight of her destination was somewhere between disappointing and disorienting. No paintings, portraits, or descriptions of Alexandria's Library had survived from this time, but even though she'd expected something different from a modern library, this was more like a college campus than the grand temple of knowledge she'd secretly hoped for.

It also made it difficult to decide where to go.

She wandered slowly north along the street, examining larger buildings for clues. A small cluster of men and women stood near the central building in the complex; she decided that, unless Ma'at said something, she'd head there first.

She smiled as a chariot rattled to a stop at the furthest large building and was immediately swarmed.

~It looks like a rock star arriving at a concert.~

Dani's interest was piqued as a woman stepped down from her chariot, and slowly worked her way through knots and clusters of people along the path toward her destination.

~That's interesting. I wonder....~

~This is Alexandria, Dani. In this place and time, a philosopher, astronomer, or mathematician can draw the same sort of crowd a rock star, such as Joanie Brown, will in your time.~

Dani's grin colored her thoughts. ~My Lady, I didn't know you were a popular music fan! I recall the stories last fall about Joanie, and Abby has been playing her album as much as I play country music. I knew people of this time were more civilized in some ways.~ Dani watched for a few moments, ~That's my target then? She's a bit far from here, but from what I can see she lives up to her historical reputation as a beauty.~

~Take your time as you approach her, dear one. You need time to hear the dialect they use here and now; you'll just have to explore the library a bit and listen to Hypatia's lectures. A terrible burden, I realize, but you're a strong woman.~

Dani grinned a bit. ~I didn't realize goddesses could manage to put their tongue so far into their cheek.~

Hypatia had finally reached an entry; Dani followed her inside shortly after.

*****

Dani walked slowly and quietly through halls lined with slots for scrolls, and new shelving for codices -- the early incarnation of modern books. Here and there a codex stood with an incipit visible, tempting her with treasure lost for a thousand years.

Tables stood at intervals, lit by windows set high in the walls. Dani listened carefully to various conversations as she tried to gauge differences between her own knowledge of Greek and Latin, and what scholars in this time and place actually spoke.

~I don't necessarily need to speak precisely as they do. An outlander wouldn't be expected to have a native accent, after all, and I think I qualify as an outlander.~

She smiled to herself as she stopped to examine a scroll at random; Dani was delighted to note it was one she'd seen before -- or would see in seventeen hundred years. Time travel grammar was as confusing as Douglas Adams had deduced, not that she'd ever admit to her grad students that she was a fan.

~One of the Sibylline Oracles!~ She carefully lifted and unrolled it. ~Let me see ... book eight ...~ Her smile at her discovery vanished as she read, and slowly a frown appeared. (Author's Note: Here's an on-line copy of what's come down to the present:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/sib/index.htm)

~This isn't the same text that survived to my time. I knew that changes were made to some ancient writings, but this ... I wonder if even this is an original.~

She continued her reading, mentally comparing what she'd seen before with what lay in front of her as she kept an ear on discussions nearby. Debates on topics from conics to machinery were just audible around her as she took time to scan the document before her. She added her own muttering, occasionally including imprecations in many languages, to the soft sounds around her as she made mental note of differences.

*****

Hypatia looked around her as she finished her explanation. "Are there any brief questions before we part?" She smiled, and her students chuckled. In a philosophy discussion, there *are* no brief questions worth asking at their level.

"Very good, then, and we'll meet again next month. Remember, I expect you all to have your reading done."

Her students departed in ones and twos, and she shook her head in mild disappointment. They were a reasonably bright group of young men and women, but none seemed to have caught onto her more subtle points. It was a source of frustration to her as she sifted young minds for those who would be able to carry on her work, and, gods willing, delve deeper than she had herself.

~Ah well, I've not yet reached thirty; I have time to find someone to train up.~

Her scrolls were, at last, tucked securely away, and she began to thread her way toward the entry. She was in no particular hurry as her meeting with Orestes was to begin with the evening meal; she almost regretted the extra time as some of her 'admirers' pressed their attentions as she stopped to speak with students and colleagues.

Dani had started grumbling in French, having worked through several other languages as she fumed about corrupted texts. "Idiote! Minus!" (translation: “Idiot! Moron!”)

Hypatia stopped abruptly, frowning. ~That's no language I've heard before. It sounds vaguely Latin, but....~ She walked slowly along the tables searching for the speaker -- the voice was that of a woman -- as her target switched her comments among what seemed to be several unfamiliar tongues. The Roman scholar finally located her target at a table in a corner of the stacks.

The woman was tall, slender without being skinny, and black-haired. Her back was turned toward Hypatia as the philosopher walked up; even the sound of approaching sandals failed to catch the stranger's attention.

Hypatia reached out and tapped an arm. "Pardon me, but do you have a moment?"

The stranger gasped softly in surprise as she straightened and whirled to see who had disturbed her. She was as tall as Hypatia, but her appearance was similar to that of the ancient paintings on so many walls of cities and tombs far south along the Nile.

*****

Dani was fixated on her reading, oblivious to the activity around her, when she felt something tap her arm and a voice ask for her attention.

She started, gasping in her surprise as she was wrenched from the text before her, and spun around. Her heart beat double-time for a moment until her brain finished translating what had been said, and she'd had a chance to focus on, and recognize, the person who'd spoken.

~Hypatia!~

Dani's surprise gave way to swift study of her charge, and she squelched a smile at her own brief surge of resentment as she looked into the eyes of a woman just as tall as she was -- a novelty during her travels, so far.

~I should have been paying attention. Roman civilization provided enough quality food for men and women to reach average heights humanity won't achieve again for hundreds of years. Wealthy families were even better off, and Hypatia's family was *very* well off.~

Barely a dozen heartbeats passed before Dani managed a smile and response.

"Certainly I have a moment. What can I do for you?"

Hypatia's brow wrinkled momentarily as she strove to place the stranger's accent. Her diction reflected someone who was well educated, but her inflections were odd, as though she had been taught by someone who'd not been directly exposed to the language. In any case, the young woman before her presented a fascinating mystery.

"My name is Hypatia, and I couldn't help overhearing you as you were reading. I didn't recognize the language, and wondered if you had time to indulge my curiosity? I have a meeting to attend this evening, but perhaps tomorrow we can meet again. I can send a chariot if you're willing to tell me where you live." The other woman, whose appearance caused a growing itch in Hypatia's mind, made an odd shoulder movement and smiled.

"My name is Danielle,” Dani said, “though my friends call me Dani, and I'm very pleased to meet you. I arrived in this city only today, and have no place to stay at the moment. If you have a suggestion as to where I might look, I'd be very grateful. If there are any questions you care to ask, I'll be happy to answer them if I'm able."

Hypatia tugged on a lock of her hair that had escaped from its confinement as she considered her response. Unfortunately, Alexandria was hardly a place for unescorted -- or so Danielle appeared to be -- women, and any travel within the city walls was particularly risky with unpredictable monks who circulated the thoroughfares in a search for heretics and pagans. She was also drawn, like iron to a lodestone, to this woman with dark, dark eyes whose depths shone with humor and intelligence.

"I don't keep track of such, normally," Hypatia began, "but I can think of a few scholars who might know of such. Until I have an opportunity to ask them, my home has plenty of space for one more. You're welcome to stay until other arrangements can be made, Dani." Her cheeks dimpled as she smiled mischievously. "At least as long as you're willing to put up with the questions I plan to ask, starting with an explanation of your strange accent."

Grinning in return, Dani replied, "I'm grateful for your offer, Hypatia, and accept. I'll even answer your questions as I can, and may."

~That was a very carefully phrased answer,~ thought the dark-haired Roman.

Dani's first ride on a chariot was an experience she dreaded repeating. As carefully paved as the streets were, they still provided a myriad of opportunities for a wheel to go abruptly up or down, leaving Dani white-knuckled in her attempt to stay aboard. Her pack was braced between her legs and the chariot's body.

Her hostess glanced in her direction, amused at her desperate efforts to stay aboard.

"I take it," commented Hypatia, "you're not accustomed to chariots."

Dani's reply was interrupted by a particularly wicked lurch. "You might say -- uuuunh -- that."

*****

Marcellinus had been loitering near the pagan witch's house, tasked to watch her comings and goings. Peter had insisted that his sentries not leave unless someone had come to take their place, or Hypatia herself did something out of the ordinary.

She was due back from her usual time at the library and then she'd be off again to the Prefect's palace for a council meeting. Watching her was boring, as she kept to a routine that was broken only in rare circumstances. This post was, for all practical purposes, a punishment for those who had annoyed Peter.

He stiffened as she came into sight today. She had always been alone before, but now she had another person, a woman, in her company. He watched carefully from his nook as the two walked into the mansion, committing every possible detail to memory, before he departed. He walked slowly until he was well out of sight of the mansion, then took to his heels to make his report as soon as possible.

*****
Theon's Mansion

Theon turned at the sound of sandals on the entry floor, smiling as his daughter swept into view. His eyebrows rose in question as another figure, equally tall and feminine, walked into the room in his daughter's wake.

Hypatia smirked at his reaction, walked up to him and took one of his hands.

"Father, I'd like you to meet Danielle. She was at the library when I finished my class, and I've offered her a place to stay until she can find her own rooms. Danielle, this is my father, Theon."

"Welcome to our home, Danielle," Theon said with a smile. "You are welcome to stay as long as you have need; this city, unfortunately, can be dangerous to unaccompanied women."

Dani returned his smile. "It is a great pleasure to meet you, sir. Thank you both for your kind hospitality. My name is Danielle, but my friends call me Dani."

"The pleasure is ours, Dani. As I said, I have a meeting this evening which I must attend, but don't worry, I'll exact my price for your housing later," the Roman woman said, smiling broadly.

At her father's questioning look, she continued, "Part of the reason I invited her was to find out where she comes from. I'd overheard her speaking to herself in a language I hadn't heard before. I hope you don't mind my leaving you two."

"Does this mean I have her to myself for the evening? Perhaps she's a mathematician?" He sighed, and a heavy, theatrical look of misery appeared on his face. "If she attracted your attention, daughter, I suspect she's yet a kindred soul of yours -- another philosopher come here to study."

"Oh dear!" Dani interjected, "I think I've provoked another round of a long-running discussion."

Her hostess waved dismissively, and giggled at her father's exaggerated response. "It isn't your doing, Dani. It's almost impossible to avoid the topic as my poor father is fixated on the supposed glories of mathematics and astronomy, while neglecting the true beauty of ..."

"... philosophy," Theon interrupted, chuckling. "As you can see, young lady, we've tilled this ground before."

Dani shook her head and smiled at the bickering pair. ~I see nothing has changed in academic circles in the last thousand years or so.~

Hypatia took a few minutes to show her guest to a room, but she was abruptly gone in a whirl of white.

*****
Imperial Prefect's Palace

Orestes, the Imperial Prefect -- effectively the Mayor -- of Alexandria, grabbed a grape cluster then leaned back on his couch.

"We've covered the business I'd planned for the evening. I do have some information that is of interest to the scholars in our midst." He plucked a small handful of grapes from the stem and popped one in his mouth.

Hypatia's gaze flickered in his direction, and her eyes narrowed. ~This isn't good, whatever it is.~

The Prefect's mouth was set in a firm line. "I know it has been only eight years since the Emperor Theodosius decreed the closing of the Museion, and Theophilus carried out his order with such ... enthusiasm. The order and its execution came so close together that there was little time to rescue the Museion's content. I've had friends at court in Constantinople send word that the Emperor Flavius Arcadius is considering another, similar, order to shutter the rest of the library. An alternative is to have its content reviewed and any unlawful texts are to be destroyed or rewritten.

"I don't know if it will happen, or if it does, when it might occur. I ask that those who are able take measures to copy what they can, and preserve the most critical texts."

Orestes looked sadly at the furious and crestfallen faces in the room. "It may be, my friends, that the library is doomed. I find myself praying daily that I might still succeed in preserving your lives, and even that is no certainty in these dark days."

*****
Saint Michael's Church
Theophilus' audience room

Marcellinus shivered, in part from sweat overcooling his body. He also felt a cold serpent's gaze from Peter, who had listened to the runner's hurried, stuttering report.

The bishop nodded. Theon and his daughter entertained guests on occasion, but they were almost invariably acquaintances of one or the other. It was very, very rare for a complete stranger to be welcomed.

"Whomever this woman may be, she is obviously unusual enough to merit further inquiry by the pagan scholars. Keep close watch, and ... invite the stranger to an audience if she should be by herself long enough. And gentlemen, I *mean* invite."

He gave his attendants a sharp look, but missed a half-smile on Peter's face.

*****
Theon's Mansion

Lamps lit a lovely garden hidden within the mansion where their dinner had been served. A small cluster of musicians played softly in a shaded corner as their master and his guest reclined at their meal.

"That was a delicious meal, Theron; your cook did wonders. Thank you very much."

Dani had enjoyed the food, though she had to suppress a shudder at being attended by slaves. Three courses had been served -- ab ovo usque ad mala, from eggs to apples -- accompanied by watered, spiced wine. The first course, as expected in a seaport, consisted of freshly cooked fish with raw vegetables. Roast pork flavored with a sweet-sour sauce, cooked asparagus, onions, and beans served as the main course, followed by sliced apples and honey sweetened pastries.

"Fame has some advantages, as does a reputation as a kind master. I find that gentleness is far more effective in getting the best from my slaves than harshness. They are well cared for, and they take very good care of me and my daughter in return."

"I find that principle holds true in almost any relationship." She sipped at her wine as her host nodded.

"Very true, young lady, and it is something well worth remembering. Your parents did well in raising you." He chuckled at her faint blush.

"I thank you, in their name. They were scholars in my homeland, and I caught their love of learning."

"My daughter mentioned that you are new to this city. Is your family further south along the Nile?"

She shook her head and nibbled on a pastry before replying. "My family is not from Egypt, and my parents died some years ago. I was their only child, so I have no family left."

Theon nodded in sympathy. "I won't intrude on where you're from; my daughter would be looking for revenge, if I found out before she did. On the other hand, since you're from another mysterious land, perhaps you have some knowledge of any cosmological theories from your area?"

~I'm glad this is an easy debate to handle, at the moment,~ she thought.

"We have two schools of thought. One says the Earth is the center of the universe; the other believes the Sun is at the center...." She briefly sketched out a body of knowledge consistent with Theon's time, and stated her own opinion that the heliocentric version seemed more elegant.

"I'm not an astrologer, of course, and wouldn't claim enough expertise to argue more than the most general topics."

Theon nodded and sighed. "Our own philosophers have argued that topic for centuries. Aristarchus is perhaps our most highly regarded proponent of a sun-centered universe. He had no ready answer for why we feel nothing of the Earth's motion, and, even ignoring that, he couldn't explain why there was no measurable parallax for any of the stars; something should be observable. Ptolemy's cycles and epicycles predict the planets' motions very well, and no one has improved on his system for the last two hundred years."

He paused for a few moments. "It may not matter, soon. Theophilus and his like-minded friends are rising to power all over the Empire; they are becoming more intolerant of pronouncements that contradict their own interpretation of their holy books."

Sadness filled his face for a moment. "Be careful, young lady. Thugs in this city are sometimes more than they seem. Your appearance is unusual enough to attract their attention; I'll ask Hypatia to stay close, until you can make other arrangements for guards and servants."

*****
Theon's Mansion

Dani's room overlooked a garden area, and she was gazing out her window well before dawn. Below her, dew reflected glints of light from house and sky, and quiet sounds of a wakening household filtered from open doorways.

~It's about time,~ she thought. ~Nebka, and dear Tiy, would be calling Ma'at's priests and priestesses together and beginning our morning ritual.~

Her heart ached as she missed her friends, but she quietly began to sing her part of Ma'at's morning service -- welcoming her new day of challenges. In her mind, as she replayed her memories, she heard her friends taking up their lines and songs, and took her cues from their ghosts. Finally, just as the sun broke over the eastern horizon, she sang her last notes and wiped at her eyes.

Hypatia had made her way briskly toward her guest's room. Danielle had retired before Hypatia had returned from her meeting, and it was time for their morning meal. Hallway lamps had been lit and still glowed, though it was nearly dawn. As she approached her destination, she heard a sweet, soft voice begin to sing a hauntingly beautiful song. She slowed, and was intrigued by what seemed to be random pauses of variable length. Hypatia stepped as quietly as she could to Dani's doorway, and she waited quietly until she saw her guest wipe at her face and turn from the window.

"That was lovely, Dani, but I don't think I've heard it before." The avatar turned to see Hypatia standing at her door. "I came to see if you were hungry," said the scholar, "and I thought I'd wait until you seemed to be done. Was that a song from your homeland?"

"I appreciate your courtesy," Dani replied. "It was a hymn of sorts, an ancient Egyptian song of thanks for a new day that a dear friend taught me. I needed the time this morning to remember and celebrate memories of people I dearly love and miss." Her eyes were dark as she thought back to friends who'd been gone for millennia.

"Well, you have a lovely voice. If I may offer a place at our table for a meal, and then," Hypatia smiled gently, "I do have some questions from yesterday to ask. I think I may have some new ones now, come to think of it."

A quick meal, consisting of freshly baked bread, sated Dani's hunger; she soon found herself seated in a quiet room with Hypatia and Theon, her father, and steeling herself for a sharp, intelligent interrogation. Yet she grinned at her inquisitors, relishing the prospect of sharp minds engaging and honing each other.

~Be careful, my daughter, as they may not know you are a time traveler. You may, if you wish, reveal your place as my avatar.~

Dani's smile was mirrored by Hypatia as the questioning began.

"So, Dani, my morning is free, as is my father's. If you don't object, I would very much like to sate my curiosity. I wondered, first, where you come from, and what languages you were speaking in the Library?"

A momentary frown crossed Dani's brow. "My home is west of here, far west of Britannia and Hibernia. I'm forbidden to say much more than that."

"Why would that be?" Theon inquired. "You sound as if you're protecting your home from us, or perhaps you're trying to protect us?"

"It almost sounds," Hypatia said, slowly, "like Plato's portrayal of Atlantis, a great land in the midst of the sea. No Roman vessel has ever traveled beyond sight of land west of Hibernia that has returned to tell their tale. What made you travel so far from your home?"

Dani smiled gently. "We are not Atlantis, that I *can* tell you. Consider, though, how large Eratosthenes calculated the world to be -- twenty-five thousand stades; it's hardly surprising no Roman has reached our shores.

"I'm a student of ancient history and had traveled to Egypt to study its ancient capital, Memphis. You overheard me speaking languages spoken in lands near my home, which I learned from my parents as a child. I learned seven languages as a child, and still more as part of my education. I have traveled enough that knowing local languages has helped."

Her hostess took a moment to consider Dani's answer before continuing. She knew Latin, and Greek was used in her home and in scholarly circles, but having to know so many languages was unheard of.

Theon, seeing his daughter deep in thought, continued.

"I'm puzzled. How is it you have come so far, yet aren't accustomed to something as simple as a chariot? Poor people don't travel as you have, and anyone who can afford to travel has access to a chariot."

"My people are able to travel long distances more readily than are Romans, but Roman chariots have their basket mounted on the axle. We have ways of making them ride more softly." Dani's wry smile drew a brief, broad grin from her hostess.

"Yes, I recall you seemed to be a bit unfamiliar with riding in a chariot, yesterday. That said, you've hardly answered our question."

"I understand, but consider it from my viewpoint. My people have knowledge in some crafts beyond yours, yet our wisdom seems hardly any greater. We still have wars, and the weak are still preyed upon. I am forbidden to say too much so that you may find your own way, your own answers."

Dani squelched a grin as she had a sudden mental image of herself dressed in a Star Fleet uniform and executing a 'Picard Maneuver' -- tugging her jacket hem down.

~Yup! I sound just that pompous.~

She almost lost it when Ma'at chimed in. ~If you call me 'Q,' daughter, we *will* have words!~

Dani sent a mental glare at her patroness then refocused on her host and hostess.

Several hours of evasive answers followed, interrupted only by a midday meal -- prandium -- that was slightly tense.

Theon was slightly less frustrated than his daughter, but even he was chafing at their guest's responses.

"Dani," he said as they sipped on watered wine, "it's obvious to even a casual listener that your homeland has knowledge far beyond what even our greatest Roman natural philosophers possess. You also have a very odd attitude toward your field of study -- you never explicitly said it, but it is apparent from your descriptions of your own parents' work that your methods insist on actually seeing artifacts 'in situ'. And your insistence on recording and numbering your findings is ..."

"Aristotle would find your methods wasteful," Hypatia cut in on her father's commentary. "Pure reason, applied to clear observations, is sufficient. To do otherwise is to allow yourself to become so encumbered with frivolous details that you lose truth's purity. I cannot allow myself to be drawn away from my pursuit of the Ideal, the One from whom all good proceeds."

Dani hoped her clenched teeth weren't obvious, though her hosts were bright and observant enough to make that unlikely.

~There's so much they *don't* know, and their methodology is just....~

She understood Hypatia's determination to be true to her philosophical foundations, though in this case she allowed it to cordon off vast regions of systematic investigations -- pagan philosophy had its own blind spots, as did Christianity.

She suppressed another sigh of frustration, wondering how to help them understand why she was so evasive. She racked her memory for a suitable cautionary tail to explain her problem. Hypatia was puzzled when a wry smile appeared on Dani's face.

"I've been a bit frustrated myself," the avatar began, "as I'd truly love to say much more than I have. My people, though, have made dreadful errors that have caused terrible death and destruction. One of those took place some years before I was born.

"Our merchants had long wanted to open trade with an island nation far to our west, but they were unwilling for many years. Our rulers finally sent several warships to make it clear we were very ... determined to begin trading.

"The islanders were unhappy, and fearful, but finally decided they would allow trading to take place. They also decided that they would do what they could to ensure no one would force them to act against their will again, so they began to study our land, and the lands of our friends. They changed their way of life and built a powerful army and navy. It took years, but finally our interests and theirs clashed."

Twilight shrouded Alexandria as Dani recalled friends and students lost in the Pacific war. "I lost many friends in our war with the islanders. We defeated them, and they have since become friends, but had we been wise enough to bide our time and not forced them to open their doors before they were ready, perhaps many thousands of lives would have been saved. I *will* not make that mistake, if I can help it."

*****
The Library of Alexandria

Dani had found a seat along one wall of a large ... classroom? conference room? She wasn't quite sure what name should apply in this time and place. Light poured in through wide, high-set windows, and white walls reflected it as if they were indirect lighting of a time more than a thousand years in the future.

She had accompanied Hypatia to observe a long-scheduled discussion and debate between groups from several of Alexandria's major philosophical schools, and now she sat back to listen and take note of who adhered to which school, and what each considered their preferred points of verbal attack on their counterparts. Platonists and other Skeptics, Epicureans, Stoics, and Christians had gathered for their monthly meeting to test each other's intellectual mettle.

Hypatia *loved* it. Encounters such as this were her joy, and usually the only real intellectual challenge she encountered. She was effectively, if not formally, her school's leader and definitely its leading light. She enjoyed having to cope with multiple arguments about her own beliefs, as she challenged her peers to defend their own.

Each group tended to use these encounters as a testing ground and finishing school for their most promising students. It was their version of graduate school, and served to sort out the most capable minds. Invitations to participate were high praise for a budding philosopher; failure to demonstrate their presumed ability, however, had led to long delays before a second invitation -- or worse, of late, a one-on-one meeting with Hypatia.

Dani, even seated along one wall behind Hypatia and her colleagues, could see the philosopher seething as a young man, Proclus, who seemed to be about Dani's apparent age, flubbed his response to a Stoic's counter-argument. It seemed, Dani decided, that the poor boy was destined to receive a chewing out for being too nervous under pressure.

~That's not helpful for him,~ she thought. ~He'll be worse, not better, if Hypatia rips into him. I've had hints of her temper before,~ the black-haired avatar mused. ~I suspect I'm about to see a demonstration of just why I need to be here.~

The young man visibly cringed as Hypatia, her dark eyes flaming with anger, stormed up and dragged him off to a small room just off a hallway. Dani quietly stepped over to stand by the doorway, and she could hear the woman's voice as she coldly and systematically used her words to strip the boy's hide from his body.

~That poor kid will take months to recover from this,~ thought the avatar, as she winced.

The boy was white-faced and shaken as he opened the door, and Dani watched as he walked, slowly, stoop-shouldered, and almost weeping, away. Hypatia followed him out with a disappointed expression.

"He was doing so very well," Dani heard her murmur. "I had hoped...."

"You have an interesting way with your students." Hypatia flinched at Dani's cool tone. "I thought you said only your very best were invited to these."

"I did, and they are," Hypatia replied in a slightly puzzled tone.

Dan glared out from behind Dani's dark, young eyes. "You have an interesting way of encouraging your students to improve. It sounded as if you were on the verge of throwing him out of your school because of his utter incompetence."

Hypatia blinked at her guest's simmering anger. "He knew better; he'd been taught how to counter their argument not two years into his instruction!"

"And just what do you think will be helped by your tearing into him? Proclus will be thinking about today the next time he's called for a debate."

"That's the *point*."

"Wouldn't you rather he be thinking about how to make his point correctly, about making you proud, rather than worrying about how you'll yell at him if he makes a mistake?"

Hypatia blinked as Dani, her own temper running on the ragged edge, stalked away.

~I need to take a walk before I really tear into Hypatia,~ Dani thought, as her anger seethed.

*****

Dani's life had settled into a routine of sorts. Not long after her arrival, and following several unsuccessful visits to short-term rental properties, Theon had suggested that Dani continue to stay in a room of his home. He'd noticed her attempts to tame his daughter's temper, and had decided that keeping a good influence around the house was worth a good deal more than his small extra cost in food and candles. Hypatia had left for a meeting early, leaving Theon time to extend his offer.

"We have more than enough room, and having another youngster around the house is good for my daughter as well. She tends to spend too much time with scrolls and classes, and not enough with those her own age." He sighed. "I suppose it's my fault. From her earliest years, as soon as she could speak, she asked questions about so many topics that I lost myself in teaching her. Her mother resigned herself to having two of us around the house, early on. There are times when I wish Hypatia had gotten along better with her mother, though. I can't help but wonder if that isn't why she never found a husband."

Dani shrugged. "I know of a man who was much the same way. He lived for almost one hundred years and never had a family of his own. Some people seem to get so involved in their studies that they forget there's more to life than knowledge. It isn't necessarily your fault; sometimes it's the person."

"Perhaps. I doubt he threw a sanitary napkin at his suitor to chase them off, though. My daughter has little tolerance for those who don't listen."

Giggling, she looked at him and asked, "You're serious?"

Theon nodded, but any reply was cut off by his daughter's return for their noon meal.

"Well, ladies, I have some friends to meet at the baths today," Theon commented after they finished eating. "I'll see you later, unless you care to join me?" He stood up to leave, but hesitated for an instant as a stiff joint sent a burst of pain through his leg.

"Dani hasn't been on one of our excursions to the baths." Hypatia turned to the avatar. "Would you be interested? I normally go when my father does, and it's a wonderful way to spend some time."

Dani nodded. Stories remained, and Theon's mansion had a private bath, but seeing a real Roman public bath in operation was an opportunity she refused to miss. "I'd love to join you, if you don't mind."

Theon nodded. "I'll call for the larger chariot, then, and wait for you."

Hypatia sent a worried look after him as he walked away. ~I forget, sometimes, how old he really is. Perhaps the hot baths will help.~ She startled a bit as Dani spoke.

"How old is your father, Hypatia? He seems to be fairly healthy."

Her hostess gave her a sad smile. "He's sixty-five, and you're right, he is in good health for his age. I'm afraid that the last few years have been hard on him, though. He's been declining since the Emperor shut down part of the Library and had so many unique scrolls destroyed." Hypatia's own face reflected a scholar's anguish at so much lost knowledge. "It's as if his last reason for living was gone, since my mother died some years ago. I don't know how long he'll last if the Emperor closes what remains of the Library."

*****

Dani was fascinated as she walked into their destination, and she was grateful yet again for being forced to shed any remnant of body modesty she might have had. It could have been worse; at least men and women were segregated where ancient Greek baths were coed. She wasn't quite ready for a mixed audience. She was more than ready for her first trip to a public thermae, though.

Hypatia and her father had brought along two of their house slaves, and the one accompanying the women now carried towels as Dani and Hypatia, clad only in sandals, walked toward the caldarium. Elegant artwork and mosaics adorned each wall along their way, with vivid colors glowing in reflected sunlight. Dani was also intrigued by some erotic scenes -- apparently signifying that prostitutes plied their trade in an upper tier of rooms.

Muffled sounds of passion from a doorway affirmed her surmise.

Not much later, Dani was calling down every blessing she could think of on Romans, their engineering expertise, and whoever had applied it to a bath house. She'd slowly eased herself into a steaming pool of water, allowing the heat to soak into every muscle and joint.

~A late fourth century hot tub, minus the water jets. Oh, it feels so *good*! It's nice to be spending time in a culture that appreciates baths and sanitary sewers.~

*****

Dani spent most of her time at the Library, often with Hypatia, but frequently without. She was unable to resist the temptation to explore quarters of Alexandria she'd not visited in her host's company. Portions of the city's center, where Roman, Greek, and Egyptian architectural styles blended and clashed, was her current target.

She walked slowly around the great square and examining each of the four obelisks that stood their silent watch at each corner. Hieroglyphics covered each face, and she was fascinated as she saw engravings that hadn't survived to her time.

~Definitely Thutmose III as we'd expected,~ Dani thought as she checked a face that had been eroded beyond translation when Dan had first seen it in the early 1920's. ~I still wonder what happened between him and Hatshepsut, and just what ended her reign.~

She had just rounded a corner when she was faced with a pair of monks. She tried to back away, but her back collided with something. She turned her head just enough to identify the obstacle as two more monks. She tensed for a moment, but relaxed a little as Ma'at's mental voice intruded:

~I am here, my child, and I will not let them do you any real harm.~

Dani's reply was forestalled by one of the monks in front of her.

"Archbishop Theophilus has sent us to ask you to come speak to him, and he has time now. If you would accompany us, we will ensure no harm will come to you. The city can be hazardous to the ... unwary, and we have been commanded to see to your safety."

Dani nodded her acquiescence, and walked quietly within her quartet of 'guards' as they led her through the ancient Roman temple's main entrance. She tried to slow down enough to take in some of the great church's splendor, but her guards gently, but firmly, hurried her along. She could catch only glimpses of murals, and statues gilded and gleaming in flickering lamplight. High windows allowed shafts of light, sparkling with swirls of dust, into the gloom. Her eyes adjusted slowly as her 'protectors' guided her to a large audience chamber off the sanctuary

A dais occupied one end of the chamber and held a large, ornate throne, occupied by a man in flowing robes. Clusters of men littered the space to each side of the room, leaving a clear aisle between the door and platform. She drew only brief notice as she and her 'guides' walked along, other than a steady glare from a man to her left. She glanced his way, and icy chills wrapped around her as she saw an all-too-familiar darkness shrouding him.

~That's bad enough, but he's contaminating everyone around him,~ she thought. Here, though, she was in no position to cleanse another religion's place of worship. She shuddered again as the man sent a vicious smile her way.

*****

Peter turned as footsteps approached, and his gazed fixed on the newcomers. A quartet of Theophilus' guards entered, leading a smaller, more slender female. He silently snarled as God's voice spoke quietly in his mind.

~That is the hand of my ancient foe, my rock. She is a new Eve bearing temptation and evil to my holy place. You must obey your rulers, but remember -- you must obey me, not man, if there is conflict.~

~Yes, Lord,~ Peter silently replied. ~What would you have me do?~

~Watch, and if Theophilus chooses to ignore my decrees on destroying the heathens, you and your companions must act.~

*****

Her guides drifted away to each side as she reached the dais, and she found herself pinned by a cold, considering glare. The man on the throne looked old and weathered, but his eyes were bright, clear, and hard as black onyx.

"Your Grace," began one of her guards, as he bowed toward the throne, "we extended your invitation, and have guided Hypatia's guest safely here as you commanded."

Theophilus turned his attention to the young woman.

"I am Theophilus, Archbishop of this city and guardian of Christ's faithful. I have been told that you are a guest of the pagan Hypatia. Why have you come to trouble this city, Egyptian?"

Dan had long ago learned tact and diplomacy; dealing with local tribes and governments to gain access to new sites, and extra hands to excavate them, across Egypt. Dani slipped into an old, comfortable role as she replied, using the guard's salutation to her 'host.'

"Your Grace, I am called Danielle. I have not come to trouble your city, only to study it. I am a scholar from a distant land, though I look much as your Egyptians do."

Theophilus gazed steadily at his 'guest.' Her body language indicated that she believed what she said was true. "And where might your homeland be, if not somewhere near the Nile?"

She moved her shoulders oddly; a gesture of uncertainty, if he was interpreting her correctly, but not a Roman, or Egyptian custom.

"My home is so distant that you have never heard of it. We have heard of Egypt, and its long history; we also have heard of Imperial Rome, though none of my people have been here before. We had also heard of your Lighthouse and Library, and I wanted to see if what I had heard about them was true."

Theophilus nodded. "And you encountered Hypatia at the Library. She invited you to stay with her then?"

Dani nodded. "I had asked for suggestions of where I could rent a safe place to stay. She offered her own hospitality to a stranger, which I gratefully accepted. I intend to remain there until it is time for me to leave, as it is a convenient, and pleasant place. She's a fellow scholar, and I'd hoped to meet her. I'd heard of her, though her temper has been a bit of a revelation."

Theophilus' mouth twitched at the woman's wry expression.

"Is your homeland Christian, or pagan?"

Dani hesitated for a moment then explained that, while many lands around her homeland have officially approved Christian churches, her own land, while generally Christian, did not. Many different bishops held authority over groups of believers.

"We have chosen to allow people to freely choose whom to follow. Each bishop is free to proselytize, and we believe God is better served by followers who freely and willingly convert."

Theophilus was mildly irritated at her impertinence, but he raised a hand to stifle Peter's angry condemnation. His voice was sharp as he questioned her again.

"Are you questioning my authority and methods?"

She returned his gaze calmly. "Not at all. I am simply stating how churches operate in my homeland, and the reasoning. It isn't my place to critique your choices." ~However much I might want to, it would be fruitless and counterproductive.~

She had apparently sated her "host's" curiosity, for the moment, as she found herself being led again by her 'escorts' back to Theon's mansion.

The Archbishop stared after the strange, young woman. She was calm beyond her years and a civilized barbarian. Her homeland was odd sounding, but no more so than so many half-heathen lands that had been overrun by Goths -- less so, in truth. His spies had reported that she had seemed entirely at home since her arrival.

~It seems she has come to visit the Library. Perhaps I can rid myself of a mystery along with the pagans.~

He waved to a short, graying man who stood to one side of his throne.

"Philip, I want you to gather your assistants and draft a petition to the Emperor to speed implementation of his decree to close the pagan's Library. Have it ready for my approval by next week, and choose an envoy to present it at court."

"Yes, Your Grace."

Peter watched as men scattered to take up their assigned tasks before turning to his own companions. He spoke intensely, but quietly to them.

"I want her followed, and chased from this city. If the pagan whore tries to get in your way, you are to deal with her however you must to keep her from interfering. This 'Danielle' must be removed from our city."

Whispers of leather on marble were their only reply, as Peter's men left to begin their task.

*****
Imperial Prefect's Palace

Hypatia's smile turned into a worried frown as she greeted her friend and long time ally, Orestes. He almost always had a fretful expression; it seemed to go with his job. She wasn't accustomed to having him look actively worried.

Her expression garnered a weary smile in return.

"Our friend, the Archbishop, is making life interesting, again, Hypatia. I'll fill everyone in when our meeting begins."

Less than an hour later, Orestes finally sat down to join everyone he'd summoned. His advisory council, and a select group of scholars, filled his private audience chamber to capacity.

"I asked you to come so that we can coordinate our efforts. Theophilus has sent yet another emissary to Constantinople with a request to purge and close the Library. I had sent an envoy there following our last meeting, but he has yet to even schedule a meeting. I also sent someone to Antioch in an attempt to secure their Archbishop's assistance in gaining the Emperor's ear; so far he reports no reply has been received to his requests for a meeting."

Hypatia and her father glanced at each other and sighed. The Library of Alexandria was known to be under imperial disfavor; no one would intercede without an exceptionally good reason.

Orestes noted the reaction. "I know. We're unlikely to even get an audience, much less a reversal. What I've called everyone here for is to try to organize a means to begin preserving those unique texts we know will be sought out for destruction. I'd like the heads of the major philosophical schools, and Hypatia as the ranking Platonist, to appoint as many students as possible to quickly sort through, and copy as possible, the Library's content. I don't know when we'll be stopped, but if we move quickly, we should be able to preserve something."

"Excuse me, Orestes,” Domnus interrupted. “Even when we've sorted out and copied the scrolls, we need someplace to hide them; someplace where Theophilus and his associates can't find them. We need someplace that's not too far away, too. It will be hard enough to conceal what we're doing without having a long caravan that a child could follow."

It was nearly sunset, and hours of discussion had ended in fruitless arguing, when Theon blinked and stood.

"Actually, I think I may have someone else to consult. Our guest, Danielle, claims to be knowledgeable about the Nile valley and its ancient ruins. With His Excellency's permission, I'd like to have her brought here to see if she has any ideas. I would ask, though, that guards be sent; she's been having some slight problems with hooligans of late."

Other messengers were sent out at the same time to alert each school to the huge task they would soon begin.

Dani had been delving into some of Theon's notes for his commentaries on Euclid, and had stumbled across Hypatia's editorial markups on her father's commentary on Ptolemy's Almagest, when she was summoned to the Prefect's Palace. She found herself a center of attention as she arrived in company of two large, heavily armed soldiers from Orestes' guard.

"Your Excellency," she said, bowing to Orestes, "what may I do for you?"

"Your hosts mentioned you have some knowledge of the lands along the Nile. We," he waved his hand at those crowding the room, "are concerned that the Emperor may demand the destruction of all the scrolls remaining in the Library. We had hoped you might know of some suitable places where we might hide, and preserve, copies of our most important writings."

The avatar blinked then frowned, as she tried to recall what areas remained reasonably pristine for at least the next few centuries.

~The Valley of the Kings isn't too badly off, and the Giza plateau isn't too active....~

She broke off her musing and asked, "Are you planning a single, large cache, or are you intending to have many small locations?"

A librarian replied, "I'd recommend a number of scattered locations. That way, we don't lose everything if someone stumbles across one of our hiding places."

A spirited discussion ensued over their options, and Dani found herself standing beside Hypatia and giving her hostess a sharp nudge to her ribs to squelch a heated retort. Dani's raised eyebrow and half smile took any edge off the implied rebuke; Hypatia grimaced, but finally responded with more diplomacy than she'd first intended.

Maps were located, and Dani began to tick off several suitable areas where the Library's content might safely pass the centuries, until civilization and reason made it safe to unearth them again.

*****
Saint Michael's Church
Mid-morning

Weeks of surveillance had garnered only frustration for Peter. Cyril had been sent to Apollonia, Cyrene with a confidential message for the remnants of the Christian church that lingered in an increasingly deserted city. Peter, freed from Cyril's timorous adherence to his uncle's orders, had gathered his monks together for final instructions before he sent them to watch the Library. They were dour, hard-faced men who had drawn Peter's attention, and approval, as they hammered street thugs from various factions with their clubs.

"I want that pagan whore to disssappear," Peter hissed. "I don't care if you have to remove that damned witch, Hypatia, at the same time. Find them, drag them off, and get rid of that Egyptian outlander!"

~I can't let that damned Hypatia win her appointment,~ he snarled silently.

A half-dozen cloaked figures bowed then departed. They had risen to the sort of rough authority available to a strong, hard man in a mob of other strong, hard men. Fear was foreign to them; mere pain had long since lost its place as a concern.

To a man, they feared Peter. Their bodies could bear injury without complaint, but their commander left their souls quaking. Their fear drove them, as swiftly as human legs could move, to take their posts outside the great library where both their targets were last seen.

Chariot or not, the two would not return to their residence this day -- not intact, anyway.

He turned to John Mark, as his team walked away. "How are your efforts to ... take care of those little problems going?"

John Mark smiled. "We've managed to track all but one of our issues; I'm afraid that we may not be able to deal with that one. We did a good job of making sure all the other issues were properly cleaned up."

"Very, very good, John Mark. Make sure they don't find out you're taking care of those problems for them. They seem to be having a good time, and it would be a shame to spoil it."

~Thank you, Lord, for the warning of what the pagans intended....~

*****
The Library
Early Afternoon

"Congratulations, Hypatia! You should be proud of your appointment as head of your school!"

It had been a long, LONG year for Dani as she advised, coaxed, cajoled, and argued Hypatia into a semblance of diplomatic, if not tactful, behavior. Changing the philosopher's habits had been only slightly harder than convincing others in her school of philosophy that she had, indeed, changed her treatment of other people for the better.

Hypatia still had her moments, but even Proclus had lost much of his hostility, though none of his caution, around her. Her change of attitude, combined with her will to succeed and sheer brilliance, had finally led her peers to follow through on their inclination to appoint Hypatia as leader of the Platonic School. She'd also done a stellar job of organizing her school's efforts to copy and save hundreds of scrolls that would certainly be purged from the Library, even if it were permitted to remain open.

Hypatia blushed at Dani's praise. "It was you as much as anything I did. I'd managed to repeatedly offend so many of my fellows that they'd have been more likely to vote me entirely out of the school than vote me as its head."

They stepped out into bright sunshine, dazzled for a moment as their eyes adjusted and unable to see that Hypatia's chariot lay beyond a small group of large, heavy men equipped with vicious looking clubs.

~Who?~ Dani wondered as her sight cleared. As the men started toward her, she decided to ask for identification later. She grabbed Hypatia's wrist and pulled her back toward the building.

"Come ON, Hypatia!"

The other woman blinked, gasped, and joined in a desperate dash away from the men who now pursued them. Hypatia quickly began to lead the way through the Library's maze of rooms, pausing for only instants to pull tables into their pursuer's way to gain a bit of time and distance. Her efforts gained little, as the men split into teams, cutting off escape routes and herding the women into a long hallway with only a couple of doorways.

"I'm sorry Dani," Hypatia gasped as they ran. "There's no other way out, and they'll catch up to us here."

"Maybe not," the avatar replied. "Quick! Over here!" Dani dragged Hypatia to and through a door, closing it quickly behind them. The place had windows, but they were set far too high to reach, though they shed reasonable light.

"They'll just force it open," Hypatia fretted as she tried to secure the door.

"Not when I'm done!"

Dani stretched out her hand, and then carefully closed her fingers. She watched as time's flow sped up and blotches of red began to speckle the hinge's surface. Hypatia watched in astonishment as the door's top hinge reddened from black iron to a reddish lump of rust. Sweat beaded Dani's forehead as she finished her first hinge. She repeated her effort on the bottom hinge, and then the door latch, freezing them all into utter immobility.

The avatar was wobbling with fatigue as she finally stepped back and dropped her hand, leaving Hypatia silently gaping.

The monks clattered into the long hallway, and slid to a stop.

“Curse them! Where have they gone?”

All six monks conferred for a moment before they split again into three teams. One team was to check any doors present in the hall; the other two teams would attempt to check outside in case their quarry had managed to elude them.

Hypatia held her breath as someone, presumably one or more of their pursuers, hammered on the door. She heard muffled curses, then heavier thuds sounding as if someone was ramming their shoulder into the stubbornly immobile door.

Curses filtered through to the two women, and slowly faded as the monks outside moved on, muttering.

“All the money spent on this place and they can't keep the doors working. Those women couldn't hold the door against us or gotten in with all that rust.”

As their voices faded, Dani stepped toward the door. She stopped abruptly, as she heard Hypatia's whispered, fearful question.

“What in the name of all the gods *are* you? Who are you, really? How were you able to do what you did to the door?”

Dani sighed then turned toward her with a sad, serious expression.

“I have not lied to you; I am Danielle, as I said when we first met, Hypatia. I am a scholar of history, as I said before, but I am also the avatar of Ma'at, an Egyptian Goddess -- her hands and eyes in the world. She has gifted me with certain abilities, and she sent me to this city to watch over you for a time.”

Dani smiled a little at Hypatia's puzzled look. "Watch over me? Why? And why me?"

"Why you? I can't say with certainty. I suspect you are a target for my Lady's enemy, Set, and here and now is a critical point in their battle."

Hypatia shook her head. "The gods contend with each other, and we poor mortals are, as always, caught between them -- mere pieces on the game board for their amusement."

~There's nothing much I can say to that,~ Dani decided. ~My Lady, now might be a good time to show me how to undo what I've done, here.~

~You did well, so far, dear child. Now stretch out your hand and mind as you do when you accelerate time's flow. Focus only on the upper hinge, for now ... very good. Now, exert your will this way.~

Dani felt, yet again, a mental muscle flexing in a strange, new way, almost, but not quite as she did when she lit fires for her friends near the Black Sea.

~Gently, my daughter, gently. Bring it to a slow stop and then make it reverse.~

Hypatia watched intently as her strange companion reached out her hand. Minute flickers of golden light appeared around her as Dani's face grew more focused, as if listening intently to a voice only she could hear. The philosopher looked for a moment toward the hinges, and was shaken to see the upper hinge's corroded, rusty form slowly return to its original condition.

~I see it, and I still find it hard to believe!~

Dani wobbled a bit from fatigue, as she dropped her hand. "That's one. Let's see how my next try goes." She reached out again, this time toward the lower hinge.

Hypatia noticed beads of sweat rising on Dani's forehead, but many fewer flickers of light, as another hinge was restored. The avatar quickly redirected her attention to the latch, which was swiftly restored to full function.

"That," Dani said, breathing heavily, "was work." She watched as Hypatia stepped over to examine each hinge carefully.

~I know I saw rust. I know I heard those monks beat on this door. I watched her reach out and make these hinges rust and then make the rust go away....~ All her philosophy hadn't prepared her for this. Ancient tales of Greek heroes -- Heracles, Theseus, Achilles, and so many more -- had never mentioned anything resembling Dani's abilities.

~I don't recall any Egyptian tales, either, but then they have been systematically expunged from the Library.~

She turned away from the door to stare at her house guest, who calmly returned Hypatia's stare. Dani moved to the door, opened it, and led them out of their hiding place.

"Let's go back to your home, Hypatia. I know you're bursting with questions, and I'd rather be in a safer location when I try to answer them; I'd also appreciate it if you'd keep what I can do to yourself."

*****

Hypatia's impatience was at a boil when they finally entered the mansion, and she hardly waited to greet her father before whirling on their guest.

"Alright, we're back. Explain!"

He blinked in bewilderment at his daughter's almost angry expression, though Dani seemed to be unfazed by it.

"Let's get comfortable,” Dani said to Hypatia. “It will take a little time to explain to your father what happened, and why you're perturbed."

Theon, by the time Dani and his daughter were done, wondered if he'd fallen into an ancient, epic tale. Even Dani's demonstration of some of her abilities, at one point using her powers to hold a small vase in mid-air as her host and hostess walked around it, hardly made it any easier to believe.

Dani waited as her tale was digested. Finally, after what seemed far too long a time, Theon returned his attention to her with a simple question.

"Why?"

"Because your daughter is important enough to have me brought here to guard her, and try to help her learn how to control her temper." Dani squelched a grin as Theon smiled -- until he caught a glimpse of Hypatia's glare. His smile vanished, but migrated to become a twinkle in his eyes.

"How do I know you're not lying? Even with your demonstration, you could still be...." Hypatia's rant died as Dani stood, glaring.

~Wretched, ungrateful...,~ Dani fumed internally. Ma'at hadn't been a 'mainstream religion' for centuries, but it was still offensive that Ma'at's truthfulness had been questioned. Dani was willing to put up with only so much.

"That's enough! Ma'at is the goddess of truth. Even if I wanted to, I'm not permitted to lie, or willfully mislead. I may not tell you everything you want to know, but that is hardly lying. Ma'at sent me here to keep her enemy's followers from keeping you from achieving your destiny. I had heard of you even in my homeland, and I *had* hoped to become a friend."

Theon winced; Dani's voice reflected her tightly reigned anger. ~She's utterly sincere in her belief, and after protecting my daughter I can see why she'd be upset.~ He decided that he'd best intercede before the women's clash escalated beyond recovery.

“Hypatia! You just said that Dani had protected you from those monks who were chasing you. She has nothing to gain, so far as I can tell, by lying to us.”

“Why didn't she tell us who she really is?”

Dani shrugged. “It didn't seem important to me. I am a historian who happens to also have other responsibilities. I truly came to Egypt to study its history.”

Hypatia gathered herself for another comment, but her father spoke up again and for the first time since Dani's arrival his voice crackled with command.

“Enough, daughter! Our guest has done nothing but good to you, and for you. Do you really believe that you're living up to your ideals right now?”

Hypatia flushed under his rebuke.

*****
405 CE
Alexandria, Egypt

Five years had passed since Hypatia's reaching the pinnacle of her career. She'd never succeeded in bringing her fiery temper completely under control, but she had managed to subdue it. She and Orestes had become a frighteningly effective team, managing to block Theophilus' attempts to destroy the remnants of the library, and keeping the pagans from being overtly persecuted in Alexandria. Orestes had been forced to assign guards to escort Hypatia and his other counselors after the monk's attack on Hypatia.

Their efforts to copy and hide scrolls throughout the Nile valley had also been completed, and even Dani breathed a sigh of relief. She knew, now, where each cache was. She could hardly wait until she could return home and restore a bounty of ancient knowledge to her own modern colleagues.

Now, though, Dani had a more immediate task. Theon had developed an odd cough, which grew worse as weeks passed. He collapsed, and despite his physician's efforts had succumbed to his ailment.

Hypatia was his heir. Theon had been the last member of her family, and she sat grieving her loss bitterly. Tears cascaded down her face as she mourned her father and mentor.

Dani sat beside her. Six years of close contact and living in the same household had allowed a tight bond of friendship to develop -- perhaps even more like sisters than friends. She had become fond of Theon herself, and she, too, felt his loss keenly. Now, though, her friend needed comfort. Dani wrapped her arms around Hypatia's shoulders and held on as her friend wailed her pain to the world.

*****
March. 415 CE
Alexandria, Egypt

Dani had been getting more nervous as the new year progressed -- or at least *her* definition of a new year. The Julian year began at the end of August, but she'd kept track of the days since the winter solstice. Dani's mind spun in a desperate attempt to save a brilliant scholar and friend.

~I suppose I could try to lure Hypatia out of the city for a while. Perhaps offer to show her some of the ruins near Memphis, or the temples near Thebes....~

~No, dear one. You may not, you *MUST* not interfere.~ Ma'at's voice was soft, but it was implacable for all its gentle tones.

Dani found herself, for the first time in years, in a vision of the Dean's office where she'd first seen Ma'at. She stood beside the desk and glared at the feather-crowned goddess, who sat in a chair before her.

"Why!? Why can't I at least keep them from torturing her?"

Ma'at's brown eyes reflected a depth of pain that made Dani flinch.

"Do you think I want to stand aside, daughter?"

"No." Dani's voice grew thick with sorrow, and her eyes teared. "But they'll flay her alive! Isn't there anything you can do, or let ME do?" She fell to her knees beside the chair. "*Please!* She's become like Iri, and Tiy to me. She's family! There must be something that can be done!"

The goddess gently, and briefly, stroked Dani's hair then raised her chosen's chin with her hand. "I'm sorry, dear daughter, but the price for interfering isn't one you'd care to pay. Your friend would still perish, and Set would be allowed to interfere as well. Look at the monitor, and see just one example of what your time might be like if I step in."

A flat-screen monitor hung on an office wall, and displayed scenes of horror. Instead of large cities filled with relatively healthy, well-fed people, she saw hamlets that were even more crude than those she'd left in ancient Memphis. Rag-clad people, adult and child alike, used crude tools to scratch away at small fields filled with scrawny plants.

"What happened?" Dani whispered.

"Set, if he is allowed to, will guide the Mongols further into Europe, and everything up to the English Channel will be devastated. Even the Muslim armies will be struck down, and their cities sacked. China's civilization will be stunted for centuries from repeated incursions. With no one to preserve the ancient Greek texts, no kernel of knowledge and culture will remain to grow into the Renaissance. Everything will fall back into darkness, chaos, and ignorance."

Tears tracked down Dani's face, but strong, gentle hands wiped them away.

"I would lose you, my dear one. You would never come to be, if we interfere."

"Can you spare her anything, My Lady? If she must die, can't you shield her from the agony?"

The goddess turned her head for a moment, considering what the ramifications would be. She looked again at Dani and replied, "I will do what I can, so long as it will not ruin the future we have both worked so hard to preserve."

*****
St. Michael's Church

Lent had come at last, and Orestes was fighting a mighty battle to protect what remained of scholastic freedom in his city, but Cyril, appointed as Archbishop to replace his deceased uncle three years earlier, had wielded the mobs to slowly whittle away at the Prefect's options.

“Peter!” Cyril called and waved his old friend to his throne.

“Your Grace?” Peter bowed respectfully to the Archbishop. In public he was scrupulous about maintaining a proper attitude toward the Archbishop; in private, they continued to enjoy the same close friendship they'd had since they were young.

“Our spy sent word that Orestes will be summoning Hypatia for consultations. Make sure she is stopped.”

“She'll have her usual set of guards, Your Grace. It might get violent.”

“It is the Lord's work; do what you must. It is time to bring the pagans to heel.”

*****

Hypatia had been a bit bewildered by Dani's behavior. She couldn't get an explanation, but her companion and friend -- she was hardly a guest anymore -- was growing more agitated by the day.
Hypatia had been summoned to Orestes' Palace for more conversations about how to check the growth of Peter and Cyril's mob. Dani waved goodbye as Hypatia rode off, escorted by several of Orestes' guards.

A large mass of men, some monks as well as thugs from the city's factions, waited in the square in front of St. Michael's. A smaller, but still sizable, group had taken their position on a side street. Peter watched patiently as Hypatia and her guards clattered along the main thoroughfare. He watched, smiling, as his men bolted from their concealment. Hypatia's guards wheeled and charged, driving the men away from their charge, who clattered ahead toward her destination and safety. As Hypatia's chariot rounded the last corner into the main square, but slid to a shuddering halt as a mob of hundreds of cudgel-wielding men blocked her way. Both sides paused for a heartbeat, then another. The mob surged forward and surrounded their victim, seized the horses, and swarmed toward the chariot itself.

Hypatia desperately looked around. Her escort was approaching the mob, but far, far too late. She screamed in fear as rough hands dragged her off the chariot. Moments later she screamed again in pain as sharp blades began to slice at her clothing and body.

Suddenly, Hypatia felt a strong hand grab her own and pull her away from the pain; the world faded away from her ....

*****

~It is time, my child.~

Dani's head snapped up, and she shot to her feet as a shimmering figure faded into view before her, coalescing into an all-too-familiar form.

~Hello, sister,~ Hypatia's image said. She shook her head, smiling sadly as Dani broke into tears. ~Don't weep for me, my friend. The mob has only the shell, not the soul. You still have things to do, and I'll be waiting when your own time is done.~

"I'm sorry, Hypatia. I tried ... I wanted to ..."

~I know, but this is what had to be. Be well, sister, and go with my love.~ Hypatia, still smiling, faded away.

~Come, my daughter,~ Ma'at's voice spoke again. ~It is time for you to go home.~

Dani felt the world spin and her vision blurred and faded from red into white ....

Ma‘at

Chapter 7 - Back to the Future
By Itinerant

Synopsis: She's Baaaaack! But how does Dani convince her team she was Dan?

And who're those guys in the weird car?

"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)."

Author's Note: Thanks to Amelia R for her help early on, and to John in Wauwatosa, and Scott Ramsey for helping out in catching errors, omissions, and the like. Remaining errors are entirely mine.

The character, 'The Preacher,' is mine from the story "Seth".

**********
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Southbound road from Cairo to Inbw-hdj (Memphis)

Brilliant, all-encompassing white turned to the dark red of sunlight on closed eyelids; a raucous noise was blaring in her ears as her vision began to clear. She could feel a softly padded seat under her -- she was sitting down, it seemed -- and felt something across her hips like a belt. As she grew more aware of her surroundings, she could tell she was leaning forward, and her forehead was pressed against something round, smooth, and hard.

~Where...?~

Her eyes fluttered open as she sat back. As she did so, the blaring noise stopped. It took her a moment to realize that it had been her car's horn; now, despite a noisy engine, she could hear her CD player as it played Willie Nelson's 'On The Road Again.'

Twenty years had passed for her as she'd traveled through time, but it had been only instants here in her present.

~I'm back! I'm HOME!~

Joy flared at her return to her own time and place, but it was tempered by her grief at having left Hypatia to her gruesome fate. However necessary, it had been agonizing to keep her silence.

~I know she forgives me,~ Dani thought, sadly, ~but it doesn't help much.~

~You know, too, that it would have been far worse had we changed your history; even Hypatia agrees that we could do nothing other than stand aside,~ Ma'at mental voice reminded her.

Dani frowned a bit. ~Agrees? Present tense?~ She felt her patroness nod.

~Present tense. You don't think she ceased to exist because she died, do you? Her heart barely stirred the balance, and Anubis allowed her to journey to Aaru where she dwells with the eternally living. She, and others, are waiting patiently for you to join them.~

~That doesn't help my guilty feelings at the moment.~

~I know, dear one, but you will come to terms with it in time. For now, you have things to do.~

~Yes, ma'am,~ Dani sighed.

She shifted her car into park, stopped the engine, and fumbled for a moment with her seat belt release. She took a moment to look around outside her vehicle to see if she'd attracted any attention. She noticed that her feet were well back from the pedals.

~I need to remember I lost a few inches in height.~ She giggled. ~It's like the first time my dad let me drive, trying to reach the truck's clutch pedal. I should be thankful for an automatic transmission; the poor tree would have my car trying to drive through it, otherwise.~

No one seemed to be around, and she climbed out to inspect her car after its barely controlled stop. If it had been damaged, it would be better to call for help than be stuck in an even more inhospitable location with an inoperable car. She closed the door behind her, and took her first deep breath.

~Oh, yuck! What's that *smell?*~

She coughed as an oily, acrid, smoky odor filled her nostrils; she looked around and noticed a yellow-gray haze filtered the sunlight.

~Smog? Ewww, I had forgotten about that. They may have better sanitation, but this is hardly a perfect age.~

She shook her head and turned to her task, carefully checking the front end for damage. Dani also took a moment to pop the hood to ensure her vehicle's cooling system hadn't been damaged; a leak could strand her in the middle of an area even more hazardous for a woman than ancient Egypt. Dan had apparently managed to slow the beast down enough that the tree bark didn't even have a dent, much less the bumper. The engine seemed to be intact and safe enough to use for what remained of her drive.

~Good! At least that won't be a concern. Now all I need to do is get to the dig and try to convince Dom, Gunther, and the rest of the kids that I'm me.~ She sighed briefly at the hassles ahead before reminding herself, ~It beats being dead. The last twenty years or so have been a gift, even if I were to die right now. There are so many people I'll miss from my travels, though.~

The trunk was next on her list, as long habit drove Dani to check her gear. There was little that should have been vulnerable to her abrupt stop, but she saw little point in taking chances.

She took a moment, now that she'd verified she had a working car, to examine her clothing, too. As before, Ma'at had made appropriate adjustments; she was dressed in a durable, modern, feminine outfit similar to the one Dan had worn for so many years. She could even feel the unfamiliar sensation of a modern bra. A quick survey of the trunk's contents showed everything was intact, though there had been some adjustments to its inventory.

~Meri-Ma'at,~ came a familiar, comforting voice, ~did you think I had forgotten that? I even included some extras that you'll need now for living as a woman in your modern world. ~

Dani smiled. ~I was just checking to make sure nothing had broken. I hadn't even considered the prospect of you forgetting anything. I've learned that, if nothing else, over the last few years. Thank you, Mother.~

~You're welcome, daughter, but you have company arriving behind you.~

The archaeologist closed the trunk and turned around as an odd-looking silver car -- a De Lorean, if she recalled correctly -- rolled up behind her. A chunk of ice slid off its hood as it stopped. The gull-wing doors opened and two men, one young and brown-haired, the other tall, thin, and white-haired, got out. The taller of the two appeared to have a haircut Einstein would have found embarrassing -- which was cosmically frightening.

"Hi!" the younger man began. "Do you need help?"

She quirked an eyebrow at the two. There was something oddly familiar about them. "No, thank you. I'm fine. I just needed to check my car before I get going again."

"Wonderful, could you tell us where we are?" the older man inquired. "We seem to be a bit lost." He ignored his companion's glare.

"You're about ten miles north of the site of ancient Memphis."

"In Egypt?"

She blinked at them, confused by the question. "Yes."

"Could you," the younger spoke up again, "tell us what the date is?"

"It's March eighteenth, two thousand seven." ~What an odd question....~

"Thank you, young lady, you've been *most* helpful," the older man said. He nodded in satisfaction as he turned back to the car. "Come on! Supper's waiting."

"I told you that the waveform at the...." The young man's voice was cut off as he clambered into the De Lorean.

"I know, and I have an adjustment that should get us back to our time line ..."

The car doors came down and cut off the rest of his remark. She watched as the two did something inside, then the car turned around and headed back north, accelerating rapidly. She heard a strange sound shortly after it had rounded a bluff.

~Weird,~ she thought, as she climbed back into her vehicle and restarted its engine. ~I'd best get going, though. I have another twenty minutes or so to the site, and I'm running very late. The kids will be concerned.~

*****

"Do you think he's okay, Dom?" Gunther Schuller -- Doctor Schuller to those who didn't know him, and a linguistic expert second only to Dan O'Neill himself -- looked north from the site. Dan, his doctoral advisor almost thirty years ago, had been due to arrive on the site almost a half-hour ago. His punctuality was legend among his students.

Dominic Monaghan, his slightly older co-worker and site lead, nodded his head. "I'm sure he's fine, Gunther. He's as tough as old leather, and has been up and down this road more than the two of us put together." He paused. "Look! There's his car! He must have gotten stuck in traffic leaving Cairo or something."

Their relief was short lived as the vehicle pulled up and parked in Dan's place. The driver, whoever she was, wasn't Dan. As she got out, they could see she was slightly above average in height, a little over five and a half feet tall, and had an ancient Egyptian's unmistakable look. Her long, black hair was tousled by a slight breeze as she turned toward them.

*****

Dani pulled up into Dan's normal parking spot, and she watched as Dom's face turned from relieved, to concerned, to angry. He began moving toward the car as she stepped out and walked around her vehicle.

~He doesn't recognize me, which is no surprise. I just hope I don't have problems getting him to listen long enough to explain.~

Dom strode toward her as he demanded, "Who are you, and what are you doing with that car? It belongs to Doctor O'Neill!" He came to a halt as she held up a hand.

Dani sighed internally; Dom had a temper that was legendary, and she'd expected this reaction. He'd be even more resistant to reason, if she wasn't very careful. "Calm down, Dominic; I need to talk to you, as site lead, and Gunther privately. It'll take a while to explain, but I was Dan O'Neill; for obvious reasons I call myself Danielle O'Neill, now."

"Of course you are!" Dominic sneered at the idea. "Try another line, whoever you are. I'm not buying that one."

"Will you at least give me a chance to explain and prove what I say? If we head into the office I'll explain what's happened to me, even though I know it will be hard to believe."

Dominic spun around and stormed off toward the dig's office hut as he snarled, "You want a chance? Fine! Come with me, but you'd better make it good. I've known Dan for more years than you've been alive."

He gestured at her to follow. Dani followed along, noting with a smile as Gunther brought up the rear.

~They don't believe me, yet, and they're probably going to keep me here if I can't prove who I am.~

*****

She stepped into their office, and hesitated for a moment. It had been only a couple a days since Dan had left, but she had been gone so much longer that it was a shock. An all too familiar quartet of desks, plots and photos hung on cork boards, and a coffee pot sat gurgling as usual on a tabletop.

Dominic walked quickly to his desk, pausing only to drag a guest chair from the side table. He took his seat, pointedly moving his desk phone directly in front of himself and folding his forearms.

Gunther pulled his desk chair to one side of Dom's desk, near a stuffed camel he'd given Dom as a Christmas gift and placing himself between Dani and the door. Both men were puzzled as Dani observed their seating arrangements and smiled.

~Let's start by giving the boys something to think about.~

The two men were puzzled when, as soon as she entered the office, Dani walked directly to the coffee pot and deliberately went through the same routine Dan had always followed. Coffee didn't smell quite as appealing as she remembered -- a disappointment considering how long she'd done without -- but she'd tolerate it as part of the staging she needed at the moment. She hesitated for a moment -- it had been twenty years, after all -- as she recalled each man's preferences, and decided to underline her identity by fixing them each a cup of coffee, then one for herself, prepared just as Dan had done for as long as they'd worked together in the field.

The look of shock on their faces was worth it. "Yes, gentlemen, I know just how you like your coffee. We've been together in the field on and off for the last thirty years, and I do recall little things like that."

Dom sat back in his chair with a bewildered, annoyed look on his face; Gunther, too, looked puzzled. "Okay, so you claim to be Dan O'Neill," Gunther began. "What happened that you look...." He waved a hand in Dani's direction. "I know mutants go through odd changes, but I've never heard of anyone changing so late in life."

The avatar inhaled to begin her tale, but was interrupted by the office door opening.

"Dom? I saw Dan's car here, and wondered if he was in here with you?" A short, sun-bleached strawberry-blonde woman had bounced in. She had an attractively rounded figure -- not heavy, and definitely not anorexic. She stopped as she saw a stranger in Dan's chair.

"Who's that?"

"Abby, you're here at a good time," Gunther said. "She drove up in Dan's car, and claims she *is*, or was, Dan O'Neill."

Dani nodded at the newcomer. "Hey Norm. Sorry for the surprise, but I've had a bit of a makeover since you saw me last. Call me Dani." She snickered as all three heads swiveled in her direction.

Abigail DuMont -- Abby to her friends -- was thirty-five, the third and youngest member of Dan's best field team. She was also a Mel Brooks movie fanatic, and had picked up her nickname, 'Abby Normal' -- Norm for short -- from "Young Frankenstein". Being a Boston native had just sealed the deal, as her colleagues were fans of “Cheers” as well.

"Dan??" Abby joined the other two in their state of confusion. All three were startled by a complete stranger's use of Abby's nickname -- one only a very few people knew.

Dani leaned back in her chair. "I'm really glad Abby's here. You three have been my core team for the last ten years, and getting your questions covered at the beginning will be easier."

She launched into an explanation of the events of the morning, from the drive south from Cairo through Dan's heart attack just outside the small village. The young-looking woman shuddered at her memory of crushing chest pain.

"It was horrible, and the last thing I recall was jamming my foot on my brake pedal."

"So what happened next, and how did you end up looking like an undergraduate coed?"

"Dom, when I woke up, I looked like this." Dani waved at her body. "I'm not a mutant, or at least I wasn't. When I had my heart attack, I was chosen by an ancient Egyptian goddess, Ma'at, as her avatar. She changed me so I looked like an Egyptian. She wanted to make sure I'd be accepted where she took me."

Dominic frowned. "I thought you seemed familiar. You look like the figures of Ma'at in the tombs, other than the crown and feather."

"The next part will be more incredible than the rest, but I should have proof of my claims." She took a deep breath and continued. "When I woke up, I found I was still in Egypt, but five thousand years in the past."

"Oh, come ON! You can't expect us to believe that! There are examples of mutants changing their appearance, but time travel?"

She shrugged. "It's not as if I was moving myself in time. Dom, you just uncovered the last corner of a large room, right? That's where things stood when I left Thursday, anyway."

He looked skeptical, but nodded.

"That was the throne room. The rest of the palace had a fairly simple layout." She stepped up to a white board on their office wall, and went on to sketch out and explain the palace's layout, including storerooms, baths, servants quarters, and royal apartments. "Whether or not you choose to believe what I say, I left a little gift for you here," she drew a small rectangle in red, "under that last corner of the throne room wall. There's a couple of tablets hidden there that will prove what I have said. In the interim ..."

There was a glint in Dani's eye as she continued. "I have another idea or two to prove I am who I claim, but I think Dom would prefer it be in private. If you could put in a call to the Supreme Council of Antiquities -- I think Doctor Hawass is still covering our operations -- and get their representative here, I'll see if I can't convince you while your team works on uncovering the cache I left."

The four left the office a few minutes later to gather and instruct the dig teams in just what part of the site they wanted uncovered, and that care was to be taken as the floor tiles were lifted. If Dani's information about where the tablets were buried was correct, Dom, Gunther, and Abby decided, it would take about three days to pull up the floor without disturbing any evidence. The SCA representative assigned to their site had been called to temporarily monitor another dig at Thebes, but he agreed to be available when they expected to reach Dani's tablet's hiding place.

*****

~Oh, Mother....~

It was all gone to dust and ruin, just as she'd known it would be. It was still hard to walk here where ghosts of long-dead friends haunted her. She wiped tears from her eyes as the four made their way toward the area where the throne room stood.

Abby caught the motion, and felt a surge of sympathy for the distressed woman -- whether or not she was Dan, she was obviously upset. The men, too, noticed Dani's reaction, though they were more puzzled than sympathetic.

"Dom? Gunther?" The avatar pointed to the most recently exposed corner, then turned to point a few feet away. "That area was a non-load-bearing part of the wall. Several pavers were pulled up, and the wall was undercut a little to make room. Here's where your teams need to dig to get at the hiding place." She scuffed boundaries in the sand and dirt that covered the floor.

She looked around a little and found her arms wrapped around her middle, hugging herself, as she recalled the beauty of the ancient palace.

"It was so beautiful," she almost whispered. "You should have seen the colors. There were pillars along here," she pointed along a stretch of the floor, "and the wall behind them was brilliant with colored engravings that told stories of the earlier kings who united Upper and Lower Egypt. A raised platform was over there, and Pharaoh's throne was on it."

Dominic glanced her way, still visibly skeptical; his expression moderated a little as he saw her wipe another tear away. "I still find it hard to believe. Even with the mutants around, I never heard of a story like yours."

"I know," she said. "I'd never heard of such a thing either, but...." She paused and gave him a smile edged with grief. "Until now all the digging, all the artifacts were abstract. Now I've spent time walking these hallways with the people who *lived* in them and lived here myself for a time. They became my friends, people I grew to love, and one who grew to be a sister to me; seeing this just reminds me that I'll never see them again."

She turned and walked back to the office, wiping her eyes as she fought to stifle the sobs that surged up from within, leaving them staring after her.

Dom, Gunther, and Abby stared after her, shocked by her reaction. Dan had been as calm as they came, despite an occasional flare of his Irish temper. This woman claimed to be Dan -- her knowledge of each of them and her speech patterns were strong points in her favor -- but her emotional outburst was a radical departure from the person she claimed to be.

"That can't be Dan," Gunther said. "He'd never react that way."

Abby rounded on her male companions. "She didn't say she was Dan *now*; she said she was Dan before she was changed. In case you hadn't noticed, women's emotional reactions are just a little different from men's." Both men shrank from her almost visible anger. "The way she's reacting is good evidence that she's being truthful."

She stormed off after Dani, fuming.

"Men!"

*****

As the four archaeologists finally reconvened in the office, Dani turned to her site lead; she'd managed to bury her pain again by the time everyone arrived and was sipping on a cold glass of water. "Dom, are you completely certain you want Norm here? She never heard the story that I plan to tell."

The man shrugged. "I'm still not completely convinced you are who you claim to be."

"It's your call; don't say I didn't warn you, though."

The black haired woman shifted gracefully in her chair and took a sip of water. "This took place a little over thirty years ago, and about five years before I relinquished my professorship for an emeritus position. Dom, Gunther, and I were digging just about where the tents are being set up."

A smirk appeared on Gunther's face as Dominic began to look uncertain.

"We had just uncovered the gate approaches to the palace, and Dom was the first to find an outer edge of the palace's foundation. We were in a good mood, to put it mildly, and ..."

"Okay! Okay! You don't have to tell the rest of the story! I believe you, Dan ... errr Dani,” Dom waved his hands in an urgent, but futile, effort to stop what he suddenly realized was coming.

Abby looked fascinated and grinned. "Oh, but Dom, I haven't heard this story before! It would be a *shame* to only hear part of it." She leaned forward, anticipating more of whatever it was that was embarrassing her friend.

Dom hid his face in his hands and groaned as Gunther snickered.

Dani found she was giggling quietly as she resumed the tale. "We decided to have a party with the dig team after the non-Americans left that night. The amount of beer -- good European beer, mind you," she raised a finger in emphasis, "-- we consumed was amazing. It took a while for Dom to find a camel, but the sight of him perched atop the beast, nearly undressed from the heat despite the hour, was quite something. Camel surfing was going to be the next big fad, and he was determined to be in the lead. That's why Gunther gave him that camel, by the way."

There was another groan from Dominic, who had his head on his desk. Gunther was laughing in his chair, while Abby was gasping for breath and wiping tears away from her eyes.

“Please tell me someone got pictures of that!” Abby pleaded.

Dani had a wide smile, as she recalled the incident ... and the evidence of it she'd stashed away... "Does anyone else need more proof?" ~I'm hoping my fingerprints are the same. That will help, too.~ She felt agreement from her constant companion. "I believe my fingerprints, though smaller, will still match, but I'm willing to delve into more stories ...."

The two men quieted, waving their hands. "No," Gunther finally replied, "I believe you Dan-i."

Dom looked up, still pink from embarrassment under his tan, and raised his hands over his head. "I surrender; we both know there are worse stories you could tell."

"Too true, Dom. I won't say anything more -- for now." She hesitated, then she blushed faintly. "No! I have one more embarrassing story, though this one is on me.

"You all remember about back in 1990 when our department bought that Mac II for producing papers with embedded graphics? I think Norm was a freshman undergrad at that time." The trio nodded. "I wasn't exactly a Mac fan, or a technophile of any sort, and mostly left the machine to you youngsters. I wanted to learn enough to make use of it, and Gunther was kind enough to help get me started. What I didn't know was that he'd conspired with Dom to ... customize the machine with some special sounds, just for me."

Norm gave Dani a puzzled look as the two men sniggered.

Dani continued, "Those two replaced the error sound files with a clip from a movie, 'The Life of Brian': 'Look! You've got it all wrong!'" She glared at them, or tried to. "All afternoon I'd hit a button and hear that ... sound. It drove me nuts, and I *like* Monty Python!" She glared at Abby in disgust. "Abby, you could at least be a little sympathetic."

Abby was trying desperately to keep her giggles from breaking out into full laughter. Dom and Gunther weren't even making the attempt as they roared their amusement.

Dani bit her lip to keep from joining them in their hilarity. She decided, though, that she could provide a final piece of evidence and gain a bit of revenge, too.

"Just in case there are any residual doubts, I have one more way to show I am who I say I am." Her evil grin sent uneasy quivers through the others in the room. "Let me sing for you," she said softly.

Their smirking faces turned pale as she started into her favorite travel tune. It took only a few bars of "On the Road Again" for an abject surrender by Gunther, Dom, and Abby. Their discomfort turned quickly to laughter, fed by relief and reassurance that an old friend had truly returned, miraculously reborn.

Gunther muttered quietly, "It has to be him. Dear God, there *can't* be two people who sing that badly out there!"

"Anyway, *children*," a smug, snickering Dani continued, "I would appreciate your helping me get in touch with the American Embassy. For now, I think I can be treated like any mutant who changes while overseas. Are you willing to do that for me?"

Dom, still fighting his chuckles, replied. "If you promise not to sing anymore, I'll contact the embassy and see if someone can schedule an appointment for you with the MCO office. I'll assume you'll stay in your normal quarters, so if there are questions we'll know where to find you."

"I really appreciate that, Dom. I know this is a 'Twilight Zone ®' moment, but I need to prove who I was. If you'll excuse me, I'd like to go unload my car and unpack a bit." She gave Dominic an ambiguous look -- a strange mixture of sadness and joy. "I was away from home for a long time, from my perspective, and it's very, very good to be back."

She stood and returned her chair to the table. At the door, she turned toward Norm.

"Abby, do you have a few minutes? I'd like to talk with you a bit, if I may?"

Abby glanced at Dom, who nodded quickly. She joined Dani as they left for Dan's quarters.

"What's up, Dani?" Abby glanced at the apparently young woman striding along beside her and tried to reconcile that image with memories of a tall, lean man who'd taught her so much about her chosen field.

Dani's expression was so woebegone that Abby almost laughed.

"Norm, I know it's been only a couple of days for you, but I've been like this," she swept a hand over herself, "for twenty years traveling to places I'd never dreamed of seeing. I'm comfortable with my body, but now I'm utterly lost. I have no idea how to deal with all the," she waved her hands, "*stuff* involved in being a woman in this modern world -- makeup, fashion, and all the rest. Help??"

Abby giggled at Dani's distress, but took pity on her.

"Okay, Dani. I guess I can cut you some slack since you're one of the girls, now. I'm going to ask for compensation, and an answer to a question, though."

The black-haired avatar frowned a little as she asked, "What do you have in mind?"

"Relax, girl. All I want is some stories. Tell me about your time here. What did you do? Who did you meet? That sort of thing. I'm also wondering how you could have been traveling for twenty years, and only look like a twenty year old?"

"*That* I can and will do. Ma'at said I wouldn't start aging until I was back in the here-and-now. You know, of course, that the boys will be jealous of your inside info."

Abby tossed her head in dismissal. "They're guys, quite aside from being a couple of old farts. They deserve to be taken down a peg or two every so often."

"Hey there! I'm not as much of a kid as I appear to be I'm a very spry one hundred seventeen!"

"Okay, fine. You're officially a young fart...."

The two grabbed Dani's gear out of her car as she sputtered in outrage, and soon were unpacking in Dan's old quarters. Abby stopped when she opened a toiletry case. She reached in and pulled out a tampon.

"Umm, Dani? Did you have any ... errr ... odd habits before you were changed?"

Dani glanced over, saw what Abby had, and blushed as she giggled.

"Ahhh, no. That's something new." She walked over and grinned. "Every time she took me to a new place, Ma'at made sure I had everything I needed. Even my clothing fits the new me."

Dani twirled around to show off her outfit.

"See? It's a perfect fit, and nothing Dan would have had around. Same thing with what you're holding."

Abby tilted her head in question. "How was it she chose you, and why make you into her twin?"

Dani sat down on her bed as she considered her answer. "I asked her those same questions, believe it or not. She said that she chose me because I love this part of the world and its people so much. You know I was born around here, and that I've spent all my life studying it."

Abby nodded.

"She wanted someone who would fit in easily, I think, and who knew their language." Dani struggled not to look too smug. "I was very pleased to find that I was able to converse with them fairly easily. As to your question about why she made me her twin ... I guess it was intended as an act of kindness on Ma'at's part." Abby looked even more puzzled, and Dani looked very uncomfortable as she continued.

"When I asked about why she made me into her twin, she gave me a glimpse of what I would have looked like in a perfect world. I was always a transsexual, Abby -- a woman's soul in a man's body from birth. Ma'at said I was fortunate to have been able to live without all the emotional and mental pain most people in that situation face, but from the moment I woke looking like this, it was as if I had a suit of clothing that fit for the first time in my life. She made me into her twin so that I'd fit into Egyptian society, instead of the red-haired Irish lass I should have been, but, for the first time in my life, things were right that I had never before realized were wrong.."

Abby dropped into a chair. "Are you sure she told you the truth?"

Dani's eye flickered with an instant of irritation, but she kept her immediate reaction out of her voice. ~Abby doesn't know Ma'at, not the way I do.~

"You can't imagine the relief I felt when I woke up this way, Abby. I can't imagine what it's like for someone who has a worse mismatch, but I have no doubt this is very close to who I really should be.

"Ma'at was and is the Egyptian Goddess of truth, justice, and order. For twenty years, she's been a part of my life in ways that I can't begin to explain; I can just sense her, even now, in the back of my mind.

"She's let me live my life, but has demanded that I live up to her standards as best I can. So, yes, Abby, I'm utterly certain that she's been open, honest, and truthful with me...," the avatar's eyes grew dark with recent pain, "... even when it would have been easier not to."

Abby started to respond, but Dani continued, shaking her head ruefully. "You should have heard her chew me out. Years ago, when I was working on my first doctorate, a young woman tried and failed to get Dan to pay attention to something other than school. Ma'at all but told me I wasn't to let my work, or service to her, take the place of having a real life."

Abby nodded. "You know that we wondered at times why you never seemed to talk about family. I'm more than willing to help out with that; in fact, I think there are some cute guys around your apparent age ..."

"Abby!!" Dani squealed.

*****

That evening, after a full day of work, the four had gathered for supper and a discussion of the artifacts they'd uncovered. It was standard procedure and a comfortable routine until Dani announced she needed to finish preparations for Abby's first class in Modern Makeup 101. The guys, on hearing about the ladies' plans, had begged off, and Gunther made a comment about Dani having gone completely over to 'The Dark Side.'

"Not 'The Dark Side,' 'The Pink Side,' Gunther," Dani retorted as the two men left, trying to retain shreds of their dignity -- a task made nearly impossible by feminine snickers coming from behind them.

The two women lounged outside their quarters as Dani made her first payment for her lessons. "I didn't have any idea what was going on, at first. My car was gone, and so was the roadway, then I noticed I'd had a major makeover. I thought I recognized the terrain, so I decided to head for the dig...."

She told her companion of that first day with its long walk and sudden encounter with Snefru's party at the village. Abby gasped as she heard about Dani's capture and examination and asked, "Did they hurt you or rape you?"

Dani shuddered. "No. They stripped my clothing off and ... made sure I was 'unspoiled'. It was humiliating, but they were careful not to damage the goods. I suppose I should be grateful for small favors."

Stars glimmered faintly through the smoggy haze, and Dani looked up, shaking her head sadly. “You wouldn't believe how many stars I could see then and there with all this pollution gone.” She finished describing her approach to ancient Memphis and seeing its glorious white walls shining, followed by her imprisonment in a thoroughly miserable dungeon.

"I had no idea what was going on. I was tired, hungry, and thirsty. But...," she smiled, stretched and yawned, "it's been a long day for me. Tomorrow we'll see if we can find more time for tales, but I have some shopping I want to do. I need the ingredients to make something special I want to share with you all."

The avatar looked west, and frowned at the rapidly darkening horizon.

Abby looked oddly at Dani's expression. "What's wrong?"

"I've tried to celebrate Ma'at's evening temple ritual since I learned it, not so much that I'm worshiping her, but I thank her for the day, her care, and for so many people I had a chance to meet. Today was special since she brought me *home*. I feel I'm being ungrateful if I don't take that little bit of time."

~My child, your day has been busy, and you needed to establish your identity with your children. Tomorrow is soon enough.~

Abby looked a question at Dani's sudden smile.

The avatar grinned. "Ma'at said I get a pass today, but tomorrow she expects me to be more diligent." She giggled as an immaterial elbow nudged her ribs.

The blonde blinked, then shook her head. ~Life's just gotten a lot more interesting.~

*****

Dani had managed to chase Abby out of her quarters, and decided to indulge herself as she got ready for bed.

~Twenty years between showers is long enough. A bath would be nice, but I want plenty of time to indulge when I have a chance for that.~

Warm water cascaded over her and elicited a groan of pure pleasure. Twenty years of societies that, at best, managed a shared bath and rudimentary toilet facilities had been tolerable, but not enjoyable. Alexandria had had *hot* baths, but having a real shower, soap, and shampoo was a god-, or goddess-, send.

She patted herself dry then relished the convenience of blow-drying her hair. As she turned toward her bed, she decided that a nightgown was probably wise. She had returned to a society that was far more prudish; she'd best get used to wearing clothing at night again. She slipped between soft cotton sheets and decided that a soft bed, with no worries about lice, bedbugs, fleas, or other vermin that seemed to infest every human habitation for most of the previous five millennia, was an almost sinful indulgence.

*****
Monday, March 19, 2007
Inbw-hdj (Memphis)

"United States Embassy. How may I help you?" A cheery alto voice chirped.

"Good morning. I'm Doctor Monaghan of Brown University's Archaeological Expedition at Memphis. I'd like to speak to a consular officer, please."

"Of course, Doctor. One moment please."

Dominic waited patiently as rejected elevator music filtered through the phone line.

"Ambassador Ricciardone's office. This is Wanda Theisman.. May I help you?"

"Yes, Ms. Theisman. I'm Doctor Monaghan at the Memphis dig. Doctor O'Neill had an incident on his way here, yesterday."

"Is he alright?"

"Well ... yes. It seems he had a late onset mutation, or something. I don't know what procedures exist, but I was hoping you could help."

"How bad was it? Is he in need of medical aid, or ..."

Chuckles erupted as Dom responded, "Um, actually *he* is now a very fetching young *she.*" He sighed, quietly. "It did nothing for his singing ability, or lack of it, though."

"So you're convinced it's the same person?"

"No doubt at all. We've worked as a field team for more than thirty years, and have some interesting tales saved up for teasing each other. She knew them." He shuddered. "And there's no way anyone could possibly imitate his way of butchering a song -- any song."

"If you're sure," there was a pause and faint sounds of keys clicking, "I'll gather the preliminary paperwork and e-mail you a copy of the forms, plus a list of what to expect on our end. It would help if you would come in with him or her...," she paused as she checked a schedule, "next Monday, the twenty-sixth. We'll get everything set up, but he ... she'll have to go through the MCO wringer. Mr. Siberell, Ryan Siberell, is picky -- probably the worlds most perfect bureaucrat ”‘”‘ but he isn't one of the frothing lunatics you get so frequently in their security sections. I'll make sure you get a list of their document demands and process."

"We know we'll have to deal with the MCO, ma'am. If you can e-mail a list of the information you and they will need, we'll try to make sure Dr. O'Neill is ready."

*****

Dom finally looked up from his laptop. "So that's the list, Dani. You have a lot of documentation to scare up, but I know people traveling abroad normally carry the bulk of it."

Dani nodded absently. "True enough. There are a couple of documents missing, but the university has one, and my lawyer has the other. I need to get in touch with her anyway to get the ball rolling on straightening out the rest of the mess this change of mine will cause."

"And I fear anything at the embassy will be a cakewalk compared to the airports and customs," Abby chimed in. "It's bad enough for most folk, but I've heard the MCO can get really obnoxious at times."

Dani shrugged. "It's going to be a part of my life from now on. I just hope it won't be too bad getting home to Providence.

"There's time for that over the next few days and weeks. For now, I'd like to take a little of your time and sketch the city's layout in three thousand BCE." She stepped to their white board again, and started by drawing in the current path of the Nile and existing terrain.

"The Nile's banks were a little different,, flowing along here," she dashed in what she recalled, "and the topography was a little different as well. The hill where they built the city extended a bit further south, and was a bit wider along here." She outlined her changes in a different color. "I think most of the changes are due to erosion, though some might be an accumulation of city waste.

"A big difference from what I had expected was finding a temple for Ma'at. All our research had pointed to her temples coming along at least five hundred years later, but there was one about here," she sketched a rectangle, "that might be buried below where we've excavated. I haven't heard of any plans for that area, yet, but I have information we'll want to capture for reference.

"For obvious reasons, I spent quite a bit of time there. I also learned the temple rituals; those need to be written down, along with the songs they include."

She glanced at their suddenly concerned expressions. "Don't worry, kids. I promise you won't suffer."

*****
Providence, Rhode Island
Brush and Associates Law Offices
Linda Brush's Office

She hadn't expected a call from Egypt.

One or more of the O'Neills had vanished into Egypt's Nile valley, for months on end, since Linda's great-grandfather had been the O'Neill family lawyer. The firm had been left with full responsibility for their state-side legal affairs, while the family of scholars was in the field. It had been critical a century before; now, it was a convenience. Their long association, though, ensured that a call from Doctor O'Neill would receive immediate attention.

"This is Linda Brush. Is that you, Dan?"

"Hello, Linda. It is, and it isn't. I was Dan, but I've had a bit of a makeover since we last spoke."

Linda sat back in her chair as her mind raced. "I hope you understand my being skeptical. Dan's voice is a high tenor; your voice sounds female. I'll need a lot of proof."

"You still have the list of verification phrases I updated before I left, I hope," Dani prompted.

Linda nodded, despite being on the far end of the phone line. "One moment, please." Moments later, she had retrieved Dan's master file and a randomly selected challenge and response was successfully exchanged.

"All right, I'll accept you are who you say you are for the moment. I'll want further proof though, if you have any major adjustments to the estate. Why don't you start by explaining just what's happened to you that you sound so different?"

Dani spent the better part of a half-hour outlining what had happened, and what paperwork she'd need from Linda to get her identity fully established for the MCO.

"I have an appointment with the Embassy, so I need you to have my paperwork sent next-day-air. If you have any doubts about who I am, you can, and should, call the dig yourself and talk to Doctor Monaghan."

"I had planned on starting there, really. Assuming he verifies your story, I'll send everything off this afternoon. You'll need to come home to take care of a lot of details, though, and you'd better plan for an afternoon. I want the whole story on this!"

*****
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Inbw-hdj (Memphis)

She watched as the workmen carefully cleared the last dirt remaining in the sizable pit they'd dug along the wall section.

Dom had set up video and still cameras to record each step of the excavation, and Dani had spent some time guiding the workmen as they cleared the last overburden from the flagstones, pointing out the places where the stones had been originally levered from their resting place. They had pulled the cluster of flat stones up, in a modern echo of the original work, then began careful excavation next to the wall.

It was a relief to see the edge of the engraved tablets revealed. The two tablets had been buried face-down, bedded in a thick layer of sand, to protect the contents from wear. Each was slid carefully out of its place onto a cushioned wood tray then lifted from the work area. A tent had been set up nearby with several tables for the first examinations of recovered artifacts.

The crew had done their work with the care and efficiency they'd shown for months, but they were distracted by the unexpected excavation and the items removed. Doctor Hawass, from the Supreme Council of Antiquities, was hovering around as well. He was an old acquaintance, but had never tolerated any deviations from proper handling of Egypt's unique heritage. He'd arrived early, and had listened patiently -- though with skepticism -- to Dani's tale. He agreed to defer judgment until after he'd seen her proof.

A work team prepared to flip over the first tablet, only to be stopped by Dani. She squinted a bit as she tried to look at those who were backlit by the sun's glare.

"Before they turn the tablet over, is everyone agreed that that site was undisturbed?"

Gunther gave her an irked look. "We only finished clearing that section last week, which you already know. We also established that no one has dug into this area since the First Dynasty."

She smirked at him. "Gunther, I chose that spot to bury them *because* I knew they were undisturbed. I want to make sure that everyone here is convinced that these tablets date back to at least the time period around 3000 BCE."

There were nods from around the perimeter of the tent, last -- and most reluctantly -- from Doctor Hawass. "I'm willing to accept your premise."

Dani nodded to the group. "Okay, now that you're willing to concede the approximate time of origin, it's safe to flip them. I hope some of you are fans of Douglas Adams."

The first stone tablet had a second, cushioned wood frame placed on top, and the pair of frames were picked up, flipped, and replaced on the table. The group was hushed as the top frame was removed. The hush didn't last long.

Hieroglyphics, engraved with skill and care rarely seen in such early efforts, covered its surface. Their usage was strange, though. Gunther, the linguistic expert in the team, frowned as he tried to decipher what he saw; his breath caught as their meaning suddenly became clear, and he looked abruptly at Dani.

"Pharaoh Tout-or-nada?? Zaphod Beeblebrox?!"

Doctor Hawass was less than amused. He glared in fury at Dom and his team. "What sort of absurd joke is this?"

Dominic shook his head as he strove to comprehend a situation rapidly spinning out of control. "Take a look at what's on the other tablet." It was soon turned over. Latin letters, something not developed for more than two thousand years in the tablet's future, were engraved on its surface. Worse yet it held a snippet from a poem not published until 1818 CE -- more than four thousand years after its burial:

"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Dani bit her lip, remembering the palace's beauty millennia before. Ignoring, for the moment, the stares of the people around her, she roused herself, and looked around.

"Doctor Hawass, I'm sorry you are offended, but these tablets are my credentials -- the proof that I truly was where, and when, I claim. They were made at my request, and I was there when they were buried. My physical form has changed so much, and the story of what happened to me is so bizarre, that the only way I could think of to prove myself was to put engravings on them that couldn't possibly come from anyone before our time.

"For those who don't get my references, Zaphod Beeblebrox is a character from Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide books. Pharaoh Tout-or-nada, on the other hand, is a multi-lingual pun: 'Tout' is French for 'all', 'or' is English, and 'nada' is Spanish for 'nothing'."

She shrugged. "You know that no one had disturbed those tablets for five thousand years. You also know that there's no way anyone from that time would have or could have written what's engraved on them. I deliberately used hieroglyphics on my first tablet as it was easier for Iti's engraver, and their style helps establish my tablet's creation date.

"My second tablet was more of a challenge for the engraver as it deliberately used modern lettering. Between the letters, and the poem, I thought it would suffice.

"So now I look like a young Egyptian woman of the ancient past, and I had the privilege of visiting this place we're only now unearthing. Once I have a chance to get home, I hope to document much of what I experienced. I want to write down what their daily life was like, what I learned about their society, and also give new insights into their religious rites. I don't know that I need to say much more, other than I have some abilities now that I did not have before."

~I don't think I should say much to Doctor Hawass and the workers about being your avatar, My Lady. My being a mutant is one thing; being the living representative of an ancient Egyptian goddess could cause some serious problems. So many in this region don't react well even to other monotheistic beliefs.~

~A wise choice for the moment.~

*****
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Inbw-hdj (Memphis)

It had been a long week. Dani had split her time between establishing new sites for future investigation and pulling together her paperwork for Monday's visit to the embassy. Linda had sent along a comprehensive package that included not only Dan's birth certificate, but also data from his laser eye surgery that provided iris and retinal patterns.

~Not that I expect Dan's old iris patterns to be useful. My eye color changed, so I suspect they were rearranged. It's interesting, though, that something I did to avoid glasses and contacts may turn out to be helpful now.~

She sighed as she checked off yet another item on the MCO list and looked at the next entry.

~Scars?? What the *hell* is that going to do for them? I don't have any scars, and if I did, they almost certainly wouldn't be anything like what Dan had.~

Dani sighed quietly. She was home, there was no doubt at all. Only her modern world had bureaucrats with such a plentiful supply of forms and paper; they seemed to take unholy joy, or perhaps they had investments, in ensuring prodigious consumption of paper products.

~And then they work to subsidize companies that make file cabinets by ensuring it all has to be stored for ready access. It could be worse, I suppose. At least it's easier than marking up clay tablets. Of course, it would be easer to add space to a tablet than it is to write "Providence, Rhode Island 02904-2221" legibly in a three-quarter inch long space for my employer, then again for my home address, then again for my lawyer, ...~

She wanted to get this done right the first time; there was enough to do in the weeks to come, including all the flak she'd take when she started talking about what she'd seen.

~Rudy will be intrigued; Jim Bell will be a perfect ass about the Minoans, I'm sure.~ She winced at the thought. ~He was more than half-right, damn it.~

By day's end, she had several thick folders full of forms and supporting documents: one for the embassy, another for the MCO, a third for her lawyer, Linda, and a fourth for her own records. A fifth, slightly smaller, pile had been prepared for submission to the university.

She stowed them all in a leather satchel that had seen almost as many years as she had. Linda would get her copy after Dani had responses from the embassy and MCO. It would be easy enough to drop it off with a courier service while she was back in Cairo.

*****
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Cairo, Egypt

"Nnnngggggggkk!"

A joint-popping stretch dragged a stifled groan from the lithe, dusky figure on her bed. Dani and her friends had made it into Cairo last night and were taking advantage of a rare day off to sleep in. Dani had wakened a bit later than her norm, finally dragged from sleep by sunbeams reflecting into her face.

~I knew I should have pulled my curtains.~

She flopped onto her back, and lay quietly as traffic noise built outside her window. Today she had an appointment with Abby to expand her wardrobe a bit; Ma'at had shifted Dani's field clothing, but she'd declined to add any outfits for meetings.

~You need to learn how to live your new life, daughter, and Abby will give you a good start. You'll need to have suitable clothing tomorrow, and it's a good opportunity for you to begin those lessons.~

~I don't like shopping for shopping's sake. I'd rather go, get what I need, and leave.~

~Dani,~ Ma'at patiently replied, ~by any reasonable measure, you're a lovely woman. I don't expect you'll ever be a clothes horse or fashion model, but you cannot just walk in, grab a standard size from the rack, and walk out. You will have to try things on to see if they really fit, and if the style looks good on you.~

The young woman sighed. ~I don't have a real choice, do I?~

~There aren't any practical alternatives, no. You'll need to look like a professional tomorrow, and field gear won't suffice for that. You are also *my* representative, so I'd like to think you want to consider that as well.~

Dani rolled out of her bed and padded toward her bathroom. ~That's true, and something I need to keep in mind -- even more now than before.~

*****

“So the boys are vegging out?” Dani asked.

Abby nodded as she led her 'student' toward her favorite shops in the Zamalek neighborhood of Cairo. It had a mind-bending variety of shops, and locally made goods vying with high-end imports for shopper's attention. Locals and tourists strolled along admiring hand-made crafts that would have fetched many times their posted price in Paris, London, or New York.

“Yup! They're glued to the tube watching ESPN on satellite. I think they're planning on catching basketball replays later.” The blonde shrugged. “Opening day is next week, so I don't really care to join them. The BoSox are hosting the Royals next Monday, and I want to listen to it.”

The avatar chuckled. “Norm, you can't expect a repeat of your home team's World Series win. I'll be a hundred -- again -- before they repeat.”

“Oh ye of little faith! We're here, c'mon.” Abby grabbed Dani's arm and drew her into a local shop.

“Hey! I don't need....” Dani's voice faded as her guide pulled her along.

An hour later they were on their way again, burdened with bags holding the clothing they'd worn into the shop. Now, instead of field clothing, they wore cool, locally-made dresses that were more-or-less tolerable by Cairo standards, which meant they were quite modest, by Western standards, for young women.

"This will take a little getting used to," Dani remarked as she picked at her sleeve, "but it's better than what I had to wear when I was first presented to Queen Regent Iti."

"You haven't told me any more about what happened since your first day back, come to think of it," Abby said, glaring mildly. "How about another installment while we shop? Maybe you can start with that necklace of yours; was that another of those things Ma'at decided you needed?"

Her hair swung gently as Dani shook her head. She carefully fingered the delicate feather on its chain. "No, not really. I think Ma'at suggested it to Iti in a dream, but only because Her Majesty wanted to do something special and didn't know what would be appropriate."

"Why would she want to do something for you?"

"That, my dear, would be telling my story out of order. Now, as I recall, I had been tossed into a cell right after being marched into the palace. I got a little food and water, and was too tired to mind the straw I had for bedding.

"The next morning I woke up to a big wooden door opening and a small, young woman who'd been sent to prepare me for presentation to Pharaoh...."

Several hours later, after returning to Dani's apartment, the two women collapsed in a small avalanche of shopping bags.

"I can't believe that guy!" Dani fumed. "'Excuse me, is this seat taken?'" she mimicked in as low a voice as she could manage. "'I noticed you sitting here alone, and wondered if you were a local resident who could help me?' I was about ready to stand up and throttle him!"

Her strawberry-blonde friend giggled at her exasperation.

"You should be flattered, Dani. He was just trying a pick-up line or two."

"I *know* what he was doing! It was so obvious, and so utterly ... tacky! He had a New Jersey accent, and was playing the 'Ugly American' role to a 'T'. He wasn't as bad as Snefru, but I couldn't help flashing back to what he did. I don't hate men, but I'm not comfortable thinking of them *that* way."

Abby smiled a little. "Dear girl, you'd best get used to it, even if it takes time. You're young and pretty, and when you get back stateside you'll be exotic to all the young men, and probably a goodly number of women. They'll swarm you."

"Crap!"

"Dani, get a grip!"

Dani turned a furious glare at Abby for a moment, but quelled her angry riposte and counted mentally to twenty before responding. "Look, Abby, for ninety-seven years I was a man, and didn't have anyone -- man or woman -- hitting on me for the last sixty. I've been like this for twenty years, but because of who I am I was always kept at arm's length. I'm not *used* to this! I don't really know how to respond to someone trying to put a move on me."

"Then learn from your big sister, *girl*! You aren't a man anymore, and you aren't a few thousand years in the past. You're a pretty young woman in a modern world; get used to it, because I have a feeling you're going to be one of those women who'll be considered good-looking even in your old age. They won't quit chasing you until you're dead and buried."

The avatar's eyes closed, and her lips quivered as she struggled with her overwhelming reality. No more hiding. No more standing aloof. No putting off what, in all honesty, she knew she had to do.

Dani took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and turned to Abby.

"No more simple life, I suppose. Okay, Norm, where do I start?"

Abby nodded in approval. "Better! I just so happened to pick up some things I needed just in case you wanted to listen. I don't expect to cover everything, but I'll hit the basics...."

*****
Monday, March 26, 2007
Cairo, Egypt

*smack!*

"Ow!"

"I said leave the bow alone, Dani."

"It feels funny!"

"It's *fine* just as it is. You just need to get used to it. You got used to public bathing, right? It has to be easier to get used to dressing like this than it was to get used to walking around naked with strangers looking on."

"Barely...."

Abby groaned at the pun as Dani turned to face a full-length mirror in her apartment; she had to nod. She was dressed in a smart jacket, blouse, and knee-length skirt and looked every bit a well-dressed professional.

She'd worked at her make-up herself and had passed Norm's inspection. Only the bow at her neck had provoked her student-mentor's intervention. It was time, though, to gather Dom and Gunther and head for the Embassy.

*****
Garden City, Cairo, Egypt
U.S. Embassy
Mutant Commission Office

"May I help you?"

A smallish, thin-faced woman sat at a desk in the lobby. Her gray hair was pulled back into a too-severe bun reminiscent of a stereotypical librarian, and she had a nasal voice that was almost, but not quite, as teeth-grindingly painful as Dani's singing. Her nameplate pronounced her to be Morgana Copps.

"I'm Danielle O'Neill and have an appointment with Mister Siberell, Ms. Copps."

"You need to have your paperwork filled out before your appointment. Do you ..."

Dani extracted the appropriate folder from her satchel and handed it over. "I have duplicates of all those forms, as they're filled out, so if something gets lost we can replace it. It would be a shame to waste your time, and Mister Siberell's, by not having everything ready."

She smiled sweetly at Ms. Copps, who tried to decide whether an insult was implied; she finally concluded the young woman was being helpful and resumed her questioning.

"You have your witnesses with you?"

"Yes. This is Doctor Dominic Monaghan, Doctor Gunther Schuller, and Doctor Abigail DuMont. They have worked with me for many years, and are willing to testify to my identity under oath."

Morgana sniffed. "Ms. O'Neill, if you'd go through the door with the 'Testing' sign, please. You won't need anything and may leave your belongings with your friends."

Dani walked through the doorway, stopping for only a moment to smile and nod at her friends.

"Now that the supposed mutant is on her way," Ms. Copps showed what might have passed for a smile, "which of you wishes to be interviewed first?"

*****

She was shaking just a bit as she finished dressing. Dani had been subjected to the most invasive, meticulous series of examinations and tests she'd ever experienced. They'd poked, prodded, peered, and plucked all over her body as they measured every physical characteristic they had facilities for, including fingerprints, and iris and retinal patterns. They'd even taken tissue and fluid samples from various parts of her body -- including places Dan hadn't had. She made a promise to herself to avoid doctors, unless she found someone who didn't store their instruments in a freezer.

Their testing of her powers was less invasive, but she'd been nervous at the stern faces that supervised the equipment as it whirred and buzzed. They'd had a baffled look by the time they finished, though.

The tests, as involved as they were, took less time than she'd expected, and she was told to report for her interview with Mister Siberell.

*****
Ryan Siberell's Office

Dani slid into one of the chairs located in front of Ryan's desk and looked over her interviewer. He was as average a man as could be imagined, though he'd acquired a deep tan from long exposure to Egypt's sun. Short, brown hair topped a fleshy, rounded face. His watery blue eyes were focused on a flat-panel monitor perched on his desktop such that he could work and see anyone entering his office.

He turned his attention toward the young woman sitting, relaxed, in her chair. He'd had a few mutants in his office during his tenure, but very rarely had one seemed so utterly *normal,* including dark brown eyes that were typical for Egyptians. She seemed a very atypical mutant.

~She could pass for a human with little trouble,~ he mused. ~Or at least she could if she were willing to throw away her old life. Even her eyes seem to be utterly normal.~

Results from her genetic scan had revealed a very odd set of mutant markers. None of them had been present in the DNA sample Dan O'Neill had provided for Brown University's emergency identification repository. ~Utterly unheard of!~

"So ... Doctor? ... O'Neill, you've been tested as far as we are able here in Cairo; we're a regional center for the Arab nations. You seem to be remarkably unremarkable, to be truthful. Why don't we begin with you telling me what you can about how your mutation occurred."

Ryan took notes as she related what she recalled of her drive south, then her heart attack. She quickly sketched out her activities and travels, noting her interviewer's faint frown.

~Time travel, and possible meddling in the course of history. Definitely something to be flagged and reported up the chain. Certainly it's far above my level of responsibility,~ he decided.

"So," Ryan said after Dani finished, "you claim to be an Avatar of this Ma'at, yet you have no energy signature from a bonded spirit."

Dani felt a familiar surge as Ma'at quietly spoke to her. ~Allow me, daughter. He needs proof you cannot provide, but I can.~

His eyes went wide as the young woman began to glow. The light quickly rose to almost a painful intensity and he squinted as a resonant female voice filled his office.

"Understand, young man, that Danielle is not a mutant as you understand the term. She is an avesa avatar, as they are called in Hindu -- she is empowered by me to be my presence in the world. I added your mutant markers to her genome so she will fit within your system."

Ma'at muted her radiance, and Siberell was able to finally see Dani had a solid-seeming head band with a large feather now.

"And you are?"

Her smile was bemused. "I am Ma'at, the Egyptian goddess of truth, justice, and order; I was one of those who brought your world into being."

He shook his head in confusion. "So how does Ms. O'Neill fit into all this?"

"*Doctor* O'Neill", she stressed her avatar's title, "lived much of her life in this area, and I needed someone to ensure my ancient enemy, Set, didn't divert history's path. I chose her for my own, and have brought her home so she can receive the training she needs."

Siberell, still confused at how odd this supposed mutant seemed to be, absently nodded and replied, "Yes, I can see that."

"Remember, Ryan Siberell, that she will answer your questions truthfully. Treat her justly; she is my chosen daughter, my own child as much as Amon, Nun, Heh, or Kau, and I will deal with anyone who tries to mistreat her." She paused and bestowed a small smile on him. "For what it's worth, I approve of you and your dedication to your job. You work to preserve order, as I do. Don't disappoint me."

Dani wobbled in her chair as the glow, crown, and feather faded. She smiled weakly at Siberell. "It's wearing when she comes calling."

Ryan blinked then turned back to his checklist. He worked through the standard list of questions, and dutifully entered all the requisite information into the MCO on-line system; he was very careful to make his entries complete, correct, and ... unbiased.

~I don't think I care to annoy her patroness.~

"Doctor O'Neill, I have all the information I need, now. You'll be sent an information packet that contains a summary of the rules and regulations a mutant must follow. It has brochures and contact information for schools with training facilities for mutants. They're geared toward high school students, as all but an infinitesimal number of mutants experience their change at puberty. Perhaps you can make arrangements with one of them to trade your expertise as a teacher for training; finding qualified instructors can be difficult for those schools.

“It will take about a month for all the processing required for your new passport and other identification, and you will have a new Mutant ID card as well. You won't be allowed to leave this country until your paperwork is complete."

"I understand, Mister Siberell, and thank you for your time."

*****
Monday, April 2, 2007
Inbw-hdj (Memphis)
7:00AM EET (5:00 GMT)

Gunther walked into the office only to find that Dani had not only beaten him in but had run a pot of coffee. He poured himself a cup and joined her at the cork board behind her desk. As usual, Dani had her radio on and tuned to the BBC World Service.

"Thanks for the coffee, Dani. What're you up to?"

She'd pulled out a 1:50K scale topographical map of the area and had tacked it up with north and south reversed.

She glanced his way. "I'm planning a little excursion to check on a couple of places nearby. I need to take a fiber-optic probe in case I find something interesting."

He gave her a suspicious look. "You *know* what you're looking for. This isn't like you, Dani. You've always been willing to trust us with even your wildest ideas in the past; what's different?"

Dani knew what sort of reaction she'd get if she let word get out. The Library of Alexandria was one of the ancient world's great treasures, and a mystery after its contents were lost forever. At least they would have been, except for her intervention. Her knowledge of, and help in creating, ten caches that, if they survived, would provide original copies of texts never seen by modern scholars and others that had been so heavily rewritten over time as to be unrecognizable.

"Gunther, this is something very different. I really don't want to talk about what I'm looking for, yet. If word got out, but nothing's there, even my reputation would be ruined. I expect enough trouble just dealing with looking like a coed.

"Please, trust me on this. If I find what I hope to, I'll bring you all in; we'll organize formal work teams and tackle it as we always have."

He looked disappointed, but nodded. "We've worked together too long for me to say no, Doc. I'll let you be, for now."

"Thank you, Gunther. I know it's hard for you, but...."

She broke off as Dom and Abby, who was grumbling quietly about her home team's first pitch pushing midnight, wandered in.

"Okay, team," Dani said as she stood and moved to her map, "Gunther was asking about my map, earlier. I wanted you all here to explain this once. I was in Egypt three times during my wanderings. During one of those visits, I was asked to locate places where some things could be buried and not bothered. I thought, since I have about a month to wait for my new ID, I could take time to check one or two caches and see if anything made it through. I'm going to do an initial look myself, but I'll call everyone in if I find anything."

Dom cocked his head as he looked at her and thought over her comments. After a few moments, he shook his head. "Nope, sorry Dani. I can't allow you to violate your own safety regs. These first two sites are close by, but you *know* how easy it is to have an accident in some of the wadis around here. Pick any one of us as a buddy, but you aren't going alone."

Dani glared at him and drew a breath to protest, but Gunther cut in. “Dani, you tell everyone the same thing when they start on your digs. Remember when Abby wanted to check out that possible necropolis a few years ago? You've warned us,” he pointed to himself and Dom, “about being safe, and we're men in this male-dominated society. You're not exempt from the rules. I don't care if you are a super-powered mutant; you go out, one of us goes, too.”

"Damn it, kids! I'm an adult, and I was ferreting artifacts out of this valley before your *parents* were born!"

"That was then; this is now. You know the rules, and you'll follow them, just as we do. No buddy, no equipment -- and that includes vehicles." Abby's voice was as unyielding as her companions'.

Her dark brown eyes almost sparked with frustration as she locked eyes with Dominic. "Hard-assed bastard!" she spat.

Dom looked amused. "You better believe it; I learned from the best. He was a hard-assed bastard that practically grew up here; a hard-assed bastard who never lost a team member. I'm not going to break a system that's worked so well and for so long."

Dani tried to hold her glare, but finally dropped her eyes. She knew they were right; she'd had too many close calls back in the '30s with friends to believe otherwise. It was still hard to place them all at such risk.

~Justice demands I follow my own rules,~ she concluded, as memories of co-workers who'd been injured, or nearly so, flooded into her mind. Dan had accepted the incidents and set the rules to prevent a repeat. Dani, as she reviewed her past, was struck by a wave of emotions Dan had suppressed. She fought and lost the battle to contain her emotions; tears flowed freely. ~What's wrong with me? I shouldn't be crying like this, not in front of the kids ....~

Dom stood and walked over to Dani's chair. He knew she was old enough to be his father, but at the moment he could only see her as someone who was in desperate need of comfort. He wrapped the young-looking woman up in his arms and spoke to her softly.

“Dani, we're being hard-nosed because we care. We were very fond of you before, and now we want to make sure you're around for a very long time, okay? Just pick your partner for today.”

The black-haired woman wrapped her arms around him, returning his embrace. Then she drew back and gave them all a wry smile. They'd become her children, and she'd lavished her love on them. She'd known they had cared, but hadn't realized that Dom, Gunther, and Abby had come to return her love so deeply.

~I was so blind: first with Agnes, then with the kids. How dense can one person be?~

“Thanks, kids. I appreciate your concern. It's frustrating, but we'll do it right, and safe. Dom, would you join me?”

"I'd be happy to, Dani. Just let me make sure everyone's work schedule is posted, and then we'll get our gear."

*****
Near Al Jizah

Dani looked up at the bluff, then down again at her map as Dominic looked carefully around at the bluffs. They'd made a couple of stops as she tried to recall exactly where she had told Hypatia a small cave cluster would be. There weren't too many in this area, but it still took time to find a place for their car then climb to where the caves were.

~If this were anywhere else in the world, I'd be sweating like a pig and wringing wet,~ she thought as they settled into a shady nook. Dani took several swigs of water from her canteen as she glanced around. ~At least sweat dries as fast as it appears around here.~

Dom noticed her motion. "It looks like there's a ledge up there," he said, pointing.

She nodded. "I think a trail runs that way from further up this cleft. With luck, we can scoot up the slope then follow the trail to where the caves should be. I'm hoping it'll get close enough to let us drop down to that ledge."

He took another look at her topographical map, then back at the terrain. "I think you're right. We'll have to be careful, though. That rock doesn't look too solid."

She nodded as she took her full ten minute break before moving on, despite being anxious to get going. Dani's young body wasn't feeling fatigue as keenly as Dan's century-old body had, and only Dom's amused glances kept her from cutting her rest short. She'd had to hammer her field teams until they understood that moving in a desert meant being smart every minute. No one working with Dan left for any off-site excursion without plenty of water, and everyone took regular breaks to rest and hydrate.

~And, yet again, I'm reminded of why I made a rule that no one, male or female, goes out alone.~

Dominic held a safety rope as Dani clambered carefully across a narrow spot, just above an old landslide that had dislodged itself from near the bluff's crest. She secured a spring-loaded camming device in a handy crack, hooked a carabiner to the SLCD, then looped their safety line through. She held it until Dom had scooted his way past the narrow point. She found herself on a fairly wide ledge, perhaps ten feet across, in front of what seemed to be an irregular, nearly vertical section of wall that looked like any other random section of bluff -- except for a stylized scroll carved into a flatter area about waist high on its left edge.

~Bingo!~

"Take a look, Dom. That's what I've been hoping to find."

The two unshipped their packs. Dani took out her digital camera, snapping pictures from several angles and distances, as Dom marked their position on a portable GPS receiver. An icon popped up on its map display, and he stowed it away in a pack pocket. He flipped open the main compartment to extract a fiber optic probe that would allow them to examine any sealed areas without making it obvious they had been there.

She worked slowly and carefully to drill a hole just large enough for the combination high-intensity light and multi-spectral pickup to get into the chamber that appeared to be behind the wall. Dom switched on the solid-state video recorder, and Dani gingerly slid the pickup through the hole as he watched the incoming signal on the recorder's built-in screen.

"Almost there, Dani, just another few inches ... Okay, stop there."

Dom frowned as he flipped switches to change the light's intensity. "Push it in another inch or two," he asked. His frown deepened. "Leave the pickup, Dani, and take a look at this. Is it what you expected?"

Her heart dropped as the pickup revealed only dust-laden rocks.

She shook her head. "The cavity looks to be about the right size and shape, and the engraving marks the location, but there should be a fair amount of material in there."

~I wonder if *anything* made it through?~

"Let's pack up and check out the other site," she said, her concern clear in her voice and face.

*****

Dani was standing by the image projected on the wall as she finished her description of what she and Dominic had done and found at each site.

"... so as you can see, the space is entirely empty in the second location, too. I don't know why, or how, but we need to keep this quiet until we can find out if any of the other eight locations have survived with their content intact."

Gunther shook his head in sympathy. "You're probably right; I just wish you were willing to share what you're expecting with us, at least."

"I know," Dani replied, "but, if nothing survived, I'd rather not get your hopes up. I'm looking for something that would be utterly unique, and worth more than its weight in gold. It will take time, but I promise I'll bring you in if I find what I'm looking for.

“Our schedules won't allow for more excursions between now and the end of May, either, so we'll have to plan out how to check the other sites I know about sometime in the next year or so. In the mean time, I suppose I can try to nail down the location of Ma'at's temple, since it's close.”

Abby's eyes lit. "That would be a huge find, all by itself! You're sure?"

"I lived there for about a year," Dani replied, "so I'm quite sure. I just haven't told you about that part of my time here."

The men perked up. "What's this?" Gunther asked. "You've been telling her about your time here, and you haven't told *us*?"

The blonde sniffed in disdain. "You were welcome to listen in, but Dani's been telling me about it during her 'modern woman' lessons. We can't help it if you run off."

*****

Dani had returned to her quarters after their evening meal while her team secured the site for the night. The sun was just dropping below the horizon as Abby trotted by and heard someone softly singing. It was eerily beautiful, but the words were in a language ... ~Ancient Egyptian?~

The young woman stopped and moved toward the music's source, which seemed to be to the west side of Dani's hut. She finally caught sight of Dani standing just inside, eyes closed and arms held wide as if she were a priestess giving a benediction in song.

As the sun finally fell completely below the horizon, Abby watched as Dani fell silent. She was startled when the avatar spoke: "Well, Abby, what do you think?"

"I ... you can sing??"

"Come on in. I'd rather not holler through a window."

Dani was seated on her bed and waved Abby to a chair as she entered. "Abby, the short version of what you heard is that, when I was in Memphis, Ma'at had me stay at her temple. While I was there, it was appropriate for me to take part in the ceremonies, but my singing skills were ... how did Nebka put it? ... 'An affront to man and the gods, and bad enough to chase starving rats from a granary.'"

"Well...." Abby drawled, trying to squelch her giggles.

Dani smirked. "Norm, I'm Ma'at's avatar -- Meri-Ma'at, the Beloved of Ma'at. It would have been wrong for me not to participate, but I couldn't because I can't carry a tune in a bucket."

"So what happened? You clearly *can* sing, now."

"I can only sing her ceremonial songs, Abby. Ma'at changed me just enough to allow me to sing those properly, but left me mostly alone so I could use it to help prove who I am, or was."

"So when I walked by, you were singing one of her temple's ceremonial songs?"

"Uh-huh. Remember my first day back when I told you I try to keep up with her morning and evening rituals? The songs are a big part of the ceremonies; I was just finishing up when you walked by."

"You ARE going to write this all down, right?"

"Words and music, kiddo, as soon as I can work it in."

*****
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Cairo, Egypt

Dani had joined her team for breakfast at 'their' cafe' near the river. It was a popular place for English tourists and encouraged their patronage by playing the BBC through speakers hidden around the outdoor patio.

The 'World Briefing' was more than a little interesting, though. Abby shushed her teammates as a report caught her attention:

"Friday, in Madison, Wisconsin, the popular musician Joan Brown was involved in another rescue. Authorities have not yet released names of those involved, but a young woman leapt overboard from a ferry to escape an apparent kidnapping. Joan, known professionally as Joanie, leapt into dangerously cold water to retrieve the young woman. Both the woman and the attempted kidnappers are recovering in hospital at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.”

Abby sat shaking her head in amused wonder. "That girl blew onto the scene with one rescue last Labor Day, and it seems she's decided to keep in practice."

Dom gave her a strange look. "You never said how it was you got hooked on a pop t- uhhhh pop singer like Joanie, Abby."

She shot a withering glare his way before she finally responded. "I didn't think I'd like her, but she does all kinds of songs from all over the musical map, even oldies." She shrugged and blushed. "Her albums are like having my MP3 player on shuffle all the time."

*****
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Inbw-hdj (Memphis)

~The emitter is heavy,~ she thought as one of the workers dragged the ground-penetrating radar unit along. ~I need to plan efficiently so he doesn't get overheated.~

She was grateful that the work crews had finally settled down after her reappearance. At first, they'd treated her as if she were just another undergraduate intern. It had taken several serious tongue-lashings from Dani and Dominic to convince everyone that this apparent coed was truly Dan O'Neill in a new wrapper.

Efficient or not, she'd made progress in tracking down her objective. She started with a wide-angle, low-resolution scan to figure out how deep the overburden was. Given how deeply buried the palace floor had been, she figured it should be less than ten meters; she'd lost her bet with herself -- she found the correct street pattern fifteen meters down.

Pure memory guided her from there, as she walked along buried streets to where fond memory told her Ma'at's temple entrance should be.

"Let's do one more wide scan, then we can shift to high-res mode to verify what I think is here."

It would take time to reduce the data and document everything, but before year's end she hoped to have a nice little historical hand grenade to drop in someone's lap.

*****
Monday, April 30, 2007
Inbw-hdj (Memphis)

"Dani! Mail call!"

A heavy envelope thumped onto her desktop, bearing a U.S. State Department logo.

Dani zipped the seal, and pulled out a stack of documents, brochures, and smaller envelopes. The cover letter seemed mostly boiler-plate bureaucrat-ese.

~Blah-blah-blah ... hmmm. "Your passport and mutant ID are granted contingent on your receiving acceptable training as defined in the following sections of Title 6, Title 18, Title 22, and Title 42 of the US Code ... Acceptable training facilities are listed alphabetically by region...."~

Dani scanned the list carefully, trying to locate something close to home. ~It looks like this Whateley Academy in New Hampshire is closest. Annnnnnd, yes, they have contact information. I'll give them a call tomorrow.~

She flipped through what remained, which was mostly special travel and customs information for mutants. She took care to read a brochure titled "Security Check-in for Mutants" printed by the MCO.

~Great. Just *ducky.* They basically claim they have authority to do anything, up to a strip search, to assure 'the safety of the flying public.' I don't see an appeal procedure either. They don't seem to have any oversight whatsoever. Lovely! I thought security checkpoints were obnoxious before!~

There was one more envelope, sealed, with the MCO crest embossed on it.

~Your case is still under active review by the MCO due to questions regarding your ... potential DAMAGE TO HUMANITY??~

~Your time traveling, daughter. They fear mutants, and you are a mutant who was in a position to cause untold harm.~

~But ... but ... you made sure that wouldn't happen!~ Dani sputtered.

~Yes, dear, but THEY don't know that; not yet, anyway. I'm not certain it would matter if they did. They're afraid, Dani. You've done something that could have destroyed this world, as I showed you would happen if you intervened in Alexandria. Their world could have ended, and it scares them.~

~I don't know what I can do, though.~

~I'm always close, and they will *not* harm you. They may need a bit of reassurance. If that doesn't work...~

Dani heard a sound like cracking knuckles in her mind and managed a ghost of a smile.

~Now, you have some other things to do and calls to make?~

~True, but I need to wait until this afternoon for Rudy to get into the office.~

*****
3:00PM EET (13:00 GMT, 9:00AM EDT)

"Egyptology Department Administration. How may I help you?"

"Claire? Claire Sokolva? This is Doctor O'Neill. Is Rudy in?"

"Dan?? I'd hear rumors that you'd had something happened, but...."

"Depending on the rumor, Claire, it may be true. I call myself Dani, now; I've changed a bit from last time you saw me.”

“So it seems. Yes, Rudy is in. One moment please.”

“Thanks, Claire. I'll fill everyone in on what happened when I have a chance."

"You'd better! Here's Rudy, Dani."

She heard a click as Claire transferred her call.

"Hello? Dan?"

"Hello, Rudy. It's Dani, now, but it *is* me."

"My word, Dan ... excuse me, Dani. I received a letter from your lawyer, Ms. Brush, that warned us what happened, but...." He had worked with Dan for years as an assistant professor, eventually following in his footsteps to become department head. The voice he heard was at once both familiar in cadence and phrasing, yet was unmistakably female. Rudy found he was unable to finish. The reality of his friend's change was too unsettling.

Dani snickered. "I'm not surprised, Rudy. It's been a wild ride for me, and I've had time to work through some of it. I called mostly to touch base, let you know what has happened on this end, and see if I can't get all the paperwork started for my identity change."

"We've started pulling some of your records with that in mind. We also heard some interesting rumors about something you dug up at the site. The report was about a pair of engraved tablets with unusual content for their time period."

"Ah! Yes, I have some high resolution pictures of them, and I plan to add some personal comments regarding their origin."

"So it's true? You caused them to be made and buried?"

Dani spent quite some time talking about her adventures with Dan's old friend and colleague, though hardly in great detail.

"Before I forget, Dani, National Geographic called. They'd heard of your new situation and wanted to set up an interview and photo shoot as a supplement to the article you wrote for their October issue."

"Did they suggest a time?"

"They just asked that you contact their Washington, DC, office about a week ahead of when you expect free. They'll send their people to wherever they need to be."

"I hope to be back by the middle of this month, but I need to arrange for training as soon as possible. I was also thinking that I'd set up some seminars or discussions with some of our colleagues about what I've observed. We'll have a better chance to talk it over when I'm back home. I hope to fly in on the fifteenth, and drop in on the sixteenth."

"That sounds like a very good idea, actually. I'll pencil in some time on the sixteenth to sit and catch up."

*****
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Inbw-hdj (Memphis)
Site Offices

~Let me see,~ Dani mused. ~I know it was here somewhere ... Ah! Here it is!~ She grinned as she sensed Ma'at's grimace at her avatar's filing system.

She slipped a sheet of paper out of a stack and smiled as she spotted Mrs. Carson's phone number.

"Whateley Academy Administration, Mrs. Carson's office. This is Ms. Hartford. How may I help you, Doctor O'Neill?"

Dani hesitated for a moment, wondering how Ms. Hartford could have known who was on the line. ~Caller ID, perhaps?~ She shook her head to dispel the distraction; Ms. Hartford was waiting.

"Good morning, Ms. Hartford. I'd like to speak to Mrs. Carson, if she's available. Would you put me through, please?"

"One moment, please, and I'll see."

Amelia Hartford's system had been busy (as she had) from the moment she physically answered the phone. It had been programmed to search for additional information about any unknown caller and provide Ms. Hartford, and her boss, if necessary, with both general information and anything that might have provoked a call.

~Hmmm. A new entry in the MCO database as of last month ... avatar of a Class X entity?? Entity CLASSIFIED per section 47, sub clause 17b, potential DAMAGE TO HUMANITY, no further information ... I'd best dig carefully on this one.~

"Mrs. Carson, you have a call from a Doctor O'Neill. Are you available?"

"I am, Ms. Hartford. Put them through, please. I assume you have your system digging for all sorts of fascinating information, as usual?"

"Check your caller information screen, ma'am. You'll find it useful."

Mrs. Carson punched a button to pick up her caller on the speakerphone as she scanned Amelia's information screen.

"This is Mrs. Carson. How may I help such a distinguished scholar, Dr. O'Neill?"

"Mrs. Carson, first, please call me Dani. Dr. O'Neill has always been a bit too formal for my taste. I find myself in need of the sort of specialized training your school provides. I changed recently, and I need to learn how to properly control my new powers.

"I can manage any reasonable costs your school might require; I don't expect a 'quid-pro-quo', but given your student body I might be able to develop some special classes as a part-time instructor, perhaps something like 'The Reality of Mythology'. I'm also fluent in French, German, Italian, Latin, Greek, Arabic, and Ancient Egyptian, so I could fill in as a language instructor. If you have students who're interested, I might also give a short introduction to archeology; even your law enforcement students might find our techniques for preserving evidence useful. I've made presentations like that before.

"I also did some traveling following my transformation, and I'll need a suitable place to document my experiences. I expect I'll also have to make occasional trips as I try to share what I've learned with my colleagues. I should be able to give plenty of notice on that end, though."

Elisabeth hesitated for a few seconds. The list of accolades Dr. Danielle O'Neill had accumulated in his, now her, career were impressive, even with almost a century to work at it. Whateley had also experienced a surge of teenage avatars from several pantheons; an adult with a similar perspective might be very useful to have around.

Sara Waite, despite being older, was a bit too far outside the norm, even for Whateley, to act as a student-mentor. Samantha Everheart wasn't a student, and Joan Brown was ... Joanie. She chose -- far too often -- to project the image of a mad-cap, teenage bimbo blonde despite her true age and intelligence; she didn't always portray the sort of maturity Elizabeth wanted as an example.

"Let me think a bit, Dani. I think we might both benefit from this, but I need to talk to my staff. Do you have an idea when you might be available, and are you, by chance, certified to teach in New Hampshire?"

"I plan to be stateside around the middle of this month. I have a bit of work to do on paperwork, but I could up your way as early as the end of June. I have a teaching certification in Rhode Island, but I can have my lawyer file for a regional credential (http://www.teach-now.org/reciprocity.cfm), if you decide you have a place for me. If I come up your way, though, I'll need a place to live and work that has a good heating system."

"Pardon? Heating system?" Her confusion was clear in her voice.

A quiet giggle came down the phone line. "Mrs. Carson...,"

"Call me Elisabeth, Dani."

"... Elisabeth, then. I've lived most of my life in Egypt's Nile Valley. I'm used to hot weather, not snow and ice. I've dealt with cold from time to time," she shivered as she recalled the Black Sea winter she'd lived through, "but I need a place to work where I can concentrate on writing, not shivering."

"This area is a bit thin on rentals of that sort, but we do have Realtors who could help. There's also someone associated with the school who's rebuilt a farmhouse and barn into her home. She probably would appreciate a good tenant. Before I forget, one other requirement for our students, and faculty with powers, is a code name."

"Oh. I hadn't thought about it, really. Are there any restrictions I need to keep in mind?"

"You need to make sure you don't infringe anyone's copyright. We have students go for weeks trying to come up with a good name."

"I'll make work of that over the next few weeks, then. I'll try to have some ideas by the time I arrive, if we can come to an agreement and you have facilities available for me."

Mrs. Carson smiled, despite the voice-only phone, and continued, "We both have some work to do, then. Let me know if your schedule changes. I'm sure we can find room for you as a student, and I suspect we can make use of your talents. I promise to be in touch within two weeks."

"That will be fine. I have my cell phone, so this number will work well even it's longer than two weeks. I appreciate your time, Elizabeth, and I hope to hear from you, soon."

"You're welcome, Dani. Goodbye."

Amelia Hartford made a note of the time, and ensured her search results -- far more comprehensive than what she'd provided to Mrs. Carson -- were properly archived for future reference.

*****
Friday, May 11th
Saint Louis, Missouri

The Preacher knelt at his altar, eyes closed and hands folded as he communed in prayer with his Lord. A warm, comforting voice echoed in his mind with guidance, filling him with its peace, calm, and wisdom.

~It it time, my son, to bring the child into my flock. My ancient enemy has brought her Jezebel, her treacherous Eve, into the world. You must prepare my young warrior for the battle ahead of him. Have your deacons seek him out, and make sure he is at your meeting tomorrow.~

*****
Sunday, May 13th
Bardshein, Egypt

Time had changed some things, but here, in this ancient land, a market was still a market in all ways that mattered. The sun had barely risen as a myriad of little booths lined the narrow street in this small town on the Nile; they held an eye-watering array of shapes and colors as each vendor sought to draw passers-by into purchasing their goods.

Dani had a very specific shopping list, though -- one that was five thousand years old. She walked slowly along, examining each stall's wares with eye, hand, and nose. Only the freshest and most colorful disappeared into her bag. Iri's stew was special, and she intended to ensure her cooking would do her sister proud.

She was taken aback at one point as she paused at a stall run by a middle-aged woman. Dan had, in the past, bought fresh vegetables from her and chatted for a few moments in Arabic. As Dani, though, the older woman used a distinctly different dialect that took a few moments to process.

~I'd heard there was a woman's dialect in Arabic, but this is the first time I've heard it in real use.~

She filed the information away for future investigation and continued on her way. She had a small problem locating a properly fresh source of bay leaves, but at last, with her list complete, she strode back to her quarters to prepare for the last meal she'd share with her kids for some time.

"What's that smell?"

Abby stuck her nose through Dani's door. She had been lured by odors of cooking meat and vegetables wafting from open windows; Dan had tended to leave them open to allow the warm May winds to circulate. She stepped in and stood quietly behind the avatar, as Dani carefully brought the pot up to temperature and covered it.

"That smell, young lady, is part of your supper for tonight. I have some loaves of bread and a few bottles of local wine as well, but this is the main course."

"Is there a story behind this, too?"

Dani smiled and nodded. "I'll spill the beans on the stew," she said snickering, "when we have our meal. And NO snitching samples!"

*Smack!*

"Ow!"

Abby rubbed her hand where Dani's wooden spoon had impacted as she'd reached for the pot's lid.

Dani smirked a bit, her amusement tempered by bittersweet memories, as she recalled a nearly identical incident that had occurred a mere four thousand years before. ~Archippe was just as much of a snitch.~

*****

Fragrant smells filled the canopied area as Dani set out dishes, silverware, and glasses. A side table held a warmer with a covered pot, but a luscious aroma wormed its way into everyone's nostrils despite its lid.

The avatar had, as best she could, replicated her farewell supper with Iti and Iri. Wine -- a vintage as close as possible to the ancient varieties -- had been opened and was breathing before being poured, and various breads, pastries, and vegetables waited buffet-style.

Dom, Gunther, and Abby walked up to see Dani waiting, hair pulled back and dressed in a modern version of what she'd worn five millennia before. The black-haired woman stood between the entry and table.

"Welcome, my friends. I'll be leaving tonight for Cairo and its airport, so I want to say my goodbyes tonight. I thought it appropriate to give you a flavor -- so to speak -- of the last meal I shared here when Memphis was new.

"No one makes identical wines, but I found one that tastes about the same. My selection of fruits and vegetables is identical; the stew recipe is from Iri, my sister in all but blood.

"Come, sit, and share a meal with me." She held her arms wide in welcome, and stepped back to allow her guests passage.

Dani had deliberately planned each stage of the evening's meal, with each course served as it had been in the palace so long ago. Again, Iri's stew held its own, and all her guests joined in Dani's laughter at the bay leaf incident.

"I think Iri and Semerkhet would have cheerfully strangled me, if it weren't for Iti. They were all dear friends, and I miss them. At least this time I can look forward to seeing you all again. I have a lot of work to do to capture what I saw during my travels, but I hope, and plan, to be out here with you on occasion. We have work to do on Ma'at's temple, and I still have eight locations to check on my other project."

She grimaced as she mentally looked to her future. "I don't mind so much taking classes; I need to learn how to manage my new abilities. I just shudder at the prospect of teaching *teenagers.*"

She shook a menacing fist at the trio as they snickered. "I have ways of dealing with people who enjoy other's misery. Just you wait!"

*****

Dani glanced around her quarters one last time. Cleanup after supper had taken little time with six extra hands, and she'd enjoyed a few extra minutes of quiet conversation before time had come for her to go. She'd hugged the men, much to their discomfort, and Abby, who was much more at ease with Dani's action.

"I'll check in when I get back stateside. I suspect it'll take a month or so to get all the paperwork squared away at the University and my own estate. I'll be heading up to New Hampshire around the end of June or the first part of July to find a place to live, if everything works out as I hope. I suspect I'll be there for three or four years, so I might as well be comfortable."

"Shall we expect to see pictures of you skiing?" Dom asked with an all-too-innocent look.

"I still have pictures of you and that camel, youngster!"

Dom cringed and promised to behave, a little, at least until Dani left. He sounded more sincere after Abby began trying to wheedle access to Dani's picture stash. The black-haired woman giggled, hugged all three again, and slipped into her vehicle.

Darkness had fully fallen over the Nile as she reached the main road. She had reservations at the Intercontinental, and a shuttle would whisk her to her terminal in the morning.

~Time to be on the road again,~ she thought as her CD player spun up another of her country music discs.

Her car shuddered as she rounded a turn. The spring desert wind, called the khamsin, was whistling down a gap in the bluffs. Dani compensated quickly and slowed a bit to allow for the thick dust carried in from the Sahara. She puttered slowly along, then a smile grew on her face as her thoughts coalesced.

~Oh yes! A very appropriate name on several levels, I think. A spring wind from the great desert has arrived.~

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.