Something New

 Hello everyone!! I would like to extend my apologies to those of you  checking to see  Must Love Words today.  I regret to say it is no longer available here. I promise if I find out when and where you can see it.

 I will share  that information with you.  June is almost here and It is time for our new Episodes for Summer. We have new stories new, Authors, and a few new surprises. You have met our Ellie Mack, with Love Notes.Today I would like to introduce to you, for those of you that love Science fiction, Raymond Frazee.  He offered to start a week early and give you the first week of his story today. If ya love it come back Monday, his regularly scheduled day. I have more surprises up my sleeve Friday. So enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Diners at the Memory's End

By

Raymond Frazee

Copyright 2012, Raymond Frazee, All Right Reserved.

Part One

Friday, 24 Aug, 3183

"Are you busy, Winnie?"

Winfrieda Koltzer, Director of the School of Astronomy, Magdalen College, New Oxford, looked up from her computer screen and noticed the small, dark, and well dressed woman standing in her doorway, body already halfway through the entrance.  Winfrieda knew who the woman was, and knew why she was here.  "Oh, why would I be busy?" she asked in jest.  "The semester's about to begin, and I only have a few hundred things remaining before take a break . . ."  She waved the woman inside.  "What can I do for you, Cytheria?" she said, before returning to the work before her.

Despite spending years learning to ignore such slights, Duchess Cytheria Warington still bristled slightly when Professor Koltzer addressed her by her given name.  There was a small coterie of friends and acquaintances who, in private, she allowed to call her Cytheria, but like this, in public . . .

Entering the room, Cytheria said, "I understand you wanted to see me, Professor?"  She stopped behind a chair, waiting for an invitation.

Not looking away from her screen, Winfrieda said, "That bothered you, didn't it?"

"What's that?"

"When I addressed you by your name."

The answer came with no hesitation.  "Yes."

"Hum."  Winfrieda looked up into the Duchess' eyes.  "I'm a Loyalist; ask anyone.  I support Empire and Queen, always have.  And outside this office, were we to meet, I would address you as 'Your Grace' without hesitation.

"But when you're tenured . . ."  The smile that formed upon the tiny woman's face was impossible to define.  "Your office becomes your inner sanctum.  I'm sure Tommy has told you the same thing," she said, referring to Doctor McCrimmon, the director of the Theoretical Sciences Department, and one of Cytheria's oldest friends.  "And when people come into your inner sanctum and assume to be on a first-name basis with you--"  Her eyes narrowed dangerously, and her displeasure showed through clearly.  "Given your status at the university, you're lucky I bother to address you at all."  She waved her screen away, the pointed to the chair before Cytheria.  "Please sit down, and tell me what's on your mind, Professor."

Cytheria sat, feeling sufficiently chagrined.  "I suppose I deserved that."

"A little."  Winfrieda sat back in her chair, and crossed her hands over her tummy.  This time the smile she manifested was genuinely warm.  "I've been teaching here for seventeen years, and I've had my share of dealings with titled instructors.  I'm not one to begrudge a title--as I said, I'm a Loyalist--but I'm damned if I'll let someone bully me simply because they are a peer--or think they're one."  She cleared her throat.  "I'm afraid I became a little defensive when you addressed me by my name; we've not have much contact, and . . . I assumed the worse."

"So does this mean you're going to address me as 'Your Grace' now?" Cytheria asked.

"Not a chance.  You're lucky to get Professor."

They both laughed, the situation more or less defused--though Cytheria wondered if that were true, if Winfrieda were only making it seem as if she'd overreacted?  There's an easy way to find out, she thought, but decided doing mind and aural scans wasn't going to help her current standing with Professor Koltzer.  "Getting back to my original question--"

"Am I busy?"

"The one after that."

"Ah.  Why did I want to see you?"

"Yes."

As she brought up her screen again, Winfrieda said, "It's your Mr. Dahl."  She peered over the top of her hovering display.  "The one Tommy and you have been so eager in my class."

Cytheria knew exactly what Professor Koltzer was talking about now.  She'd spoke to her three weeks past, when Albert had decided he wanted to enroll in the Introduction to Astronomy and Astrophysics class, and tried to convince Winfrieda to allow Albert to take her class.  "Is there a problem?"

"You know I had him on a pending approval status?"

"No, I wasn't aware.  I'd thought--"

The demanding Winfrieda suddenly returned, and she didn't appear happy.  "As I explained to you--and to Tommy--I have my concerns with him attending my class.  He's not a full-time student; he's met none of the prerequisites--"

Which were all the same arguments I had with him when he wanted to take your class, Cytheria thought.  But when Albert gets him mind up about doing something . . .  "Yes, I do understand that all, Professor, but as I assured you--"

"And as Tommy did as well."  She gave Cytheria a disgusted look, her eyes narrowing.  "How is it this person has him pleading his case?"  She waved off the question before Cytheria could say anything.  "It doesn't matter, not now.  What I want to know is, who did you speak with?"

"I'm sorry--what?"  Cytheria's right eyebrow rose.  "What do you mean?"

"I decided to look at his enrollment request this morning, to give it consideration, and I discover he's now a student in my class--without my approval.  And this happened Wednesday . . ."  Winfrieda's eyes turned to slits as said coldly, "I'd like to know who you spoke with."

Cytheria didn't have an immediate reaction to Winfrieda's accusation, but after a few seconds her own demeanor turned harsh and unyielding.  "I can assure you, Winnie, I've spoken with no one."  She leaned on the right arm of her chair and began tapping her right cheek.  "I may be many things, but I'm hardly underhanded."

"Not even a little?"

"Oh, believe me, Professor--"  Cytheria chuckled softly.  "If I wanted Albert in your class, I would have told you I was going around you."  The tapping became uniform, with an intensity that matched the stare Cytheria was directing at Winfrieda.  "I may only be a first-year instructor, with no experience, no little understanding of how things are suppose to work . . . but I'm also a Lady of the Court, and if you think I'm unschooled in the ways of political intrigue, you've made a huge mistake--"

"In underestimating your knowledge in these things?"

"In underestimating me, period."  Before Winfrieda had the chance to say something else, Cytheria quickly added, "I have no idea who managed to enroll Albert in your class, but I wasn't involved.  He must have another benefactor."

"For someone with no history at this institution," Winfrieda replied, "Your friend seems to have some very powerful 'benefactors'."  Her gazed towards Cytheria softened, as she seem to understand she couldn't prevail in a confrontation with the Duchess Scoth, and trying to have Albert removed from her class would likely prove futile.  "I will say this, and however you like, you can get it back to him . . . he's in, but it's my class, and benefactors or not, if he doesn't keep up, I'll throw him out."  A self-satisfied grin played across her face.  "I still have the right, no matter the student."

Cytheria knew this to be true.  Since instructors faced the possibility of having students who not only came from powerful families, but who were important peers in their own right--as she had been when she attended school--the administration of New Oxford made certain any instructor's decisions regarding the removal of a student from class would be upheld.  Particularly where one couldn't keep up with the material . . .

"I assure you, Albert will do well."  Cytheria hoped this was true, but didn't allow her feelings to color her expression.  "He's going to surprise you, I promise."

Winfrieda nodded slowly.  "I hope so.  I truly do . . . Professor."  Her smile was, in a way, a sign she wasn't interested in any further confrontation.  "What he is to you, Your Grace?  If you don't mind my asking."

This was a question Cytheria knew might be asked, but that she couldn't answer.  When she'd suggested, weeks before, that Albert consider taking a class, the idea that his enrollment may be questioned wasn't something that she'd considered.

But once Albert had set his mind on Introduction to Astronomy and Astrophysics, the issues of his presence became evident.  He didn't want to audit the class; he wanted full enrollment, and that meant waving prerequisite requirements, which he did--and which resulted in Winfrieda putting a hold on his admission.

Then Tommy became involved by speaking to Professor Koltzer.  That was soon followed by Cytheria being asked to speak with Winfrieda . . . and now, here he was, with full admission--

And Winnie asking what he meant to Cytheria.

What could I tell her? she thought.  His origin, his means of getting her, who and what he really is--it's all a secret.  Anything she'd tell Winfrieda would be a half-truth--which, Cytheria realized, was better than an outright lie.

"He's a friend," she said.  "A good one.  And one who is in need of . . ."  She paused, looking for the most fitting phrase that wouldn't sound completely false.  "He's eager to reinsert himself back into school, and he loves astronomy.  Hence . . ."  She indicated Winfrieda, sitting across from her.  "He's in your class."

"Not by my doing."

"Does that matter now?"

"Humph."  Winfrieda turned her gaze back to her display.  "No, I suppose not."

"Is there anything else you need, Professor?"

"No, not today."  Cytheria stood and turned towards the door.  "Your Grace?"

Cytheria turned slowly, because she'd suspected Winnie was going to ask a question before she managed to leave her office.  "Yes?"

"If you didn't have anything to do with Mr. Dahl bypassing my hold," Winfrieda asked, "do you know who might?"

She shook her head slowly.  "I'm sorry, Professor, but I really have no ideas."  As she turned back towards the door to leave, she knew that wasn't exactly true.  She'd never admit it, but Heather probably had a hand in this.  And that means Maggie was there to give her a bit of a push.  And that means . . .

As the door closed behind Cytheria, she didn't want to believe that Albert had gotten worried he wasn't going to be admitted to the class, and had urged his "Avatar Underground" to help him out with a little computerized chicanery.  Were that true, it would mean Albert was so desperate to get into Winfrieda's class, he was willing to find himself being ejected from Magdalen College before he ever had a chance to sit in a lecture.

For your sake, love, she thought while strolling down the corridor of the Space Science Department, I sincerely hope you impress Winnie.  For you sake, impress the hell out of her

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