It's early evening in the yoga room at Punk Yoga. A single light shines down in the center of the room illuminating the circle of people sitting there. But for the light, darkness surrounds them, filling the corners of the room.

Monica gets comfortable and begins.  "Thank you all for coming, and Jacqui for letting me use the room. You are all my friends, and I need you now more than ever. I have a mystery to explore in the field -- somewhere in Central America. I expect it to be dangerous, and I don't want to let my conceit and ignorance kill me. You can help."

"What do you mean?" asks Jacqui. "How can we help?"

"I recently had an encounter with my own limitations," responds Monica.  "If I have any chance at succeeding in my quest, it can only be if I change myself first. I need to prepare. Physically, I'm the smallest and weakest person in the room. This simply won't do. I need to be strong -- strong enough to climb up a rope out of a pit or up a cliff. Strong enough to carry someone like you to safety if need be."

Shelly leans forward. "Well, I can help with that, and I'm sure Jacqui can too."

Monica nods, then continues. "I need to know how to fight -- how to defend myself. Where I'm going I can't rely on the good will of strangers. Strangers who may be chasing my goal for their own reasons."

Jacqui smiles and nods.  "I'm sure Luci can help with that," she offers. "She's a 6th degree black belt in Akido and ranked in Kendo and Jeet Kun Do as well. I'm only 1st degree in Akido."

"I'd be glad to serve," says Luci, formally. "And may I say, Miss Wahnee, if you wanted to put some brains behind your brawn, you'd become a formidable opponent instead of just a strong one."

"Uhhh... noted," responds Shelly, slightly embarrassed.

Monica looks down at the floor.  The shadow from the single light overhead make her face look severe.  After a moment, she looks up and continues.  "And I need to know how to use weapons. Guns and rifles. Not that I expect to, but I need to be ready in case someone else does. Shelly, maybe Heather can recommend someone?"

"Right," Shelly answers.

Monica turns now to Jacqui, and takes a deep breath.  "And Jacqui, I need to learn calmness from you. I expect a physical challenge to get in and get out, but the real test will probably be mental. I'm certain that what I'm after is dangerous, and like I said, my conceit, pride, and vanity are weapons against me. Panic and self-delusions could be fatal."

Jacqui nods slowly and leans forward. "Yes... but how long to you have to prepare?"

"This is an expedition," says Monica. "Small perhaps, but still needing to be self sufficient. It will be another month or two before I'm sure just where I have to go, and then there's all the paperwork and planning with the museum for finances and travel. But mostly it's me, and anyone coming with me, getting into shape. I figure about this time next year. A week to travel, a week there, and a week out again. And, of course, Amanda, I'll need a good photographer to document everything."

"Count me in!" says Amanda with a smile.

"You know I'm coming," nods Shelly.

"I can help with the travel!" squeaks Jacqui, sitting upright again.

"Perhaps I may be your escort," says Luci, slightly bowing her head.

"Don't be too eager to join," cautions Monica. "Shelly already knows most of what's going on, but the rest of you -- well, I need to let you in on a secret. I trust you to keep a confidence. Please trust me enough to not be frightened by what you are about to see."

"Huh?" says Jacqui, as the others murmur.

Monica stands up and steps outside of the circle of women, just at the edge of the light. "Ladies, please come forward and introduce yourselves."

From the shadows, and enormous Panther, gigantic Snake, and huge Goat move silently toward the gathering.  The only sound is the slight click of the goat's hooves on the hardwood floor as it approaches.


"Hi Brandi, guys," says Shelly with a casual wave.  She shifts to one side to make room for the creatures.  Monica moves in the other direction to make room.  Amanda is frozen, mouth open, opposite the approach.  Jacqui and Luci, together on one side next to Shelly, are both thunderstruck, but smiling, wide eyed.

Monica kneels and sits next to Amanda and puts her hand on Amanda's shoulder.  "Amanda, it's OK.  I promise."

The panther lies down next to Shelly, and in doing so, takes the form of a kneeling woman, it's dark fur transforming into equally dark hair and skin.  "Hi Shelly," says Brandi.

The snake curls up next to Brandi and becomes the form of a black haired woman sitting cross-legged on the floor, head bowed.  "Hi.  I'm Jin."

The goat moves into position between Jin and Monica.  Standing, it's sandy colored coat fades into the form of pale, blond woman.  She sits.  "My name is Acacia Budur.  Just call me Bud. You must be Amanda -- I'm sorry if this is really scary."

Amanda manages to close her mouth, then notices that Luci and Jacqui are absolutely beaming.  "What are you two smiling about?" she asks, trembling a bit with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

Luci breaks the silence. "For all of my youth, and all of my parents teachings, all of Chinese legends and myths -- all my studies and all my training -- I have known that there were spirits in all things.  And now, I have the honor of actually seeing -- and meeting -- those whose spirit forms walk the earth, that others may see!  I am delighted beyond words!

Amanda turns back to the three women, now just women, in their casual clothes and bare feet, sitting in all ordinary plainness before her.  She covers Monica's hand on her shoulder with her own.  "Oh," she says, "There has got to be a fabulous story behind all this.  Is there a short version?"

The three look at each other for a moment, then Bud speaks.  "We were murdered 12,500 years ago."

After a few moments pause, Jacqui breaks the silence.  "Ummm, may we hear the long version, please?"

"I'll set some tea going," offers Luci.


The group sets about their tasks -- Monica gets buff and does her research, Shelly gets her head straight so she can remain calm in any battle to come, and Jin, Brandi, and Bud work to face their past and sort out the details so Monica can make better sense of it all.

Amanda sets up a ruse to provide cover for the trip by recruiting Georgette.  Now they can explain their presence by way of a photo-shoot on location, and their oddities by way of the wants and whims of a Diva fashion model.  Georgette is overjoyed to have a chance at a fashion shoot done her way, and is even more excited about the whole mystic problem at hand.  Meeting the Golem Girls with their forms and powers was a shock, but soon became a delight.

Kevin and Alan are likewise recruited, since the team will need some men to deal with the men they meet who can't deal with women.  Alan, of course, is dumbstruck by the idea he's been dating a fire-breathing demi-goddess all this time, but Jin's earned his trust, and he's willing to give it a go.  Likewise with Kevin and Monica.  So now the team sets off to their carefully researched site in the jungles of Central America.  Even Jacqui and Luci come along, if for no other reason than the sheer delight of potential karma-leveling zen they hope to experience!

Playing up their cover, Monica and Amanda arrange five photo-shoots at different sites near their real target, the fourth site.  Their behavior at the first three, of course, completely bores the local authorities, what with the mechanics of the photography and the diva tantrums of Georgette, playing things to the hilt.  By the time they get to their fourth site, they're left completely alone.

< Suitable adventure here >

All are assembled in an underground chamber, a large, mica lined room housing the Calendar Machine.  To all eyes it appears a simple, sofa sized, black stone block covered with intricate carvings and patterns.  Facing the machine, across the room, a huge glittering white hand, open, vertical, fingers outstretched, carved out of a single tablet of mica.

Careful examination reveals that parts of the black stone's carvings are moving -- slowly.  Monica deciphers the text and instructs Shelly to take Phix's hammer and strike just there, just so, as hard as she can.  She does.


As the hammer strikes, an electric jolt knocks everyone off their feet.  Dazed, they regain their focus and look around.  Shelly finds and retrieves her hammer.  Monica shakes her head to clear it and looks around.  Alan helps Jin sit up.  The rest are sorting themselves out and helping those nearby.

They hear slow clapping behind them.  They turn to see a huge red-haired woman sitting on the floor near the wall. "Congratulations!" says Phix, providing the applause, "You've done it!  You've reset the Calendar Machine."

"Ummm, Monica?" says Jacqui, hesitantly, "Who -- what?"

"Allow me to introduce you to Phix," says Monica regaining her feet, "Librarian of the great Biblothiki, sphinx, and I'm proud to say, a good friend.  Her books and guidance helped me find this place.  And she provided Shelly the hammer which made it possible to reset the machine."

"Sphinx?" asks Kevin, "Did you say sphinx?"

Phix rises off her haunches and turns sideways to the group, spreads her enormous wings and shows her lion-like body, legs and tail.  "Yes.  She did say said 'sphinx'."  Phix smiled slyly as she looked down over her glasses at Kevin.

"Monica, are there any other surprises?" grumbles Kevin, sweetly.  "I remember you told us about Phix and the Library, but not that she was a sphinx.  Not that's it's a problem," he adds, looking at Phix.

Luci is standing again, head tilted, studying Phix carefully. "Pardon me, ma'am, but why is it I think I know you from somewhere?"

"Well, that we can discuss a bit later," comforts Phix.  "Meanwhile, is everyone OK?"

There are murmurs and shuffling as people regain their feet and dust themselves off.  Bumps and bruises, but no one is injured.  Things seem to be going well despite the disturbance.

"Well, then, if everyone is all right, then it's time for a reward," smiles Phix. "You've worked very hard, together, to get here and make this happen.  You have done well, but I dare say this is not the end of things!"

Everyone can feel themselves tense up as they wait for Phix to complete her thought.

"Monica!  Look at the hand!" shouts Bud.  All turn to look at the hand -- a yard long tablet of mica, several inches thick, which had been in the shape of an open, spread hand.  Now, the hand is closed.  Not as a fist, with thumb across the fingertips, but as one might close around a moth -- fingers curled, thumb at the side.

"Good! You noticed," says Phix, sitting down again. "Monica, do you want to study the machine again briefly before we go?"

"Yes, please," answers Monica.  "Amanda, will you take another photo set?  Even from here I see major changes in the inscriptions."

"I'm on it," says Amanda, checking her digital camera.  She walks slowly around the Calendar Machine taking several photos of each side, top and bottom.  Jin and Brandi help position the lighting and flash units. She waits a few minutes as Monica studies the changed areas, scribbling quickly in her notebook, then takes another, final set of photos.  The hand gets a full set of photos as well.  The rest of the team gather up their gear in the meantime and pack things for travel.

"Well, that should do it for now," says Monica. "This will keep me busy for years!  Thank you, thank you all so very, very much."

"M," says Shelly, "I'm sorry to say I feel a little disappointed. We got here, I get to hit a big rock, and nothing much happens.  I've had worse shocks fixing ignition systems back at the garage. The trip was fun and everything, but, am I expecting too much?  Maybe I just don't get all this archeology stuff."

"Are you nuts?" squeaks Georgette. "Incarnate animal demons -- no offense guys -- global destruction,  mystic incantations, the library of total knowledge,  a "living" rock, no, two living rocks -- the hand -- AND a real live sphinx?!?!  For crying out loud, any of this is amazing beyond belief, and we've had the whole shebang in one go?  Wow!!  I'm completely floored!"

"Yeah -- what she said," adds Alan, shaking his head. Kevin and Amanda nod in agreement.  Jacqui nods too.

"Shelly," says Monica softly, "we're just too close to all of this.  We've been wrapped up in it for a long time, and it's easy to lose perspective.  I'm just glad we didn't turn loose something horrible.  I think all we really did was rewind some sort of alarm clock, so to speak.  At least now I have plenty to study -- first hand information I've not seen anywhere else!"

"You're more correct than you know!" says Phix, smiling.  "And I'll be explaining that in due course.  But for now, it's time you got a chance to relax and recover.  How about a beach party?"

Laughter and cries of "Sounds fine!" and "Sure!" fill the room.  Phix chuckles to herself.  "Well, OK then! Oh by the way -- did Monica explain exactly how she got the the Biblothiki in the first place?"

Monica grimaces and shifts her weight to one foot.  Kevin says simply, "Monica?"

Poit!

Jin and Bud are laughing and shaking their heads as others start to look around.  Georgette and Amanda both let out an "Eeep!" in unison as they realize the world has reformed around them.  Jacqui looks around and pats Luci on the back.  "Now -this- is sweet!" she says.

Moments ago, they were in the cool, underground chamber housing the Calendar Machine.  Now, a heartbeat later, they are standing in the warm sun on a blazing white, soft sand beach.  To the north, a tall gray limestone cliff juts out into the sea, almost to the edge of the coral reef about 100 yards east.  The wide beach extends south to the horizon, bounded on the west by slight dunes and the wall of jungle foliage, vines, and grasses.  Their gear remains near their feet, where it was in the chamber.  Their vehicles and other equipment are parked nearby, next to the trees.  Shadows of the late afternoon sun are starting to move across the sands toward the sea.  Birds call and pivot on the easterly sea breeze.  Waves lap gently at the shore.

"Kids, have fun,"  announces Phix.  "I guarantee things are safe here.  The water's fine, and there's nothing on the bottom to hurt you.  Just stay this side of the reef so the coral doesn't scrape you up.  Worry about the trees later -- stay on the beach.  There's plenty of driftwood for a fire. OK?"

With that, Phix takes off her shirt and tosses it over a driftwood branch.  She puts her glasses in the shirt pocket then turns toward the water.  "All natural!" she teases, pausing to flex slightly for the open-mouthed Kevin and Alan, then bounds into the water with a huge splash.

"Oh, knock it off!" shouts Georgette, pulling off her shirt and shorts.  "You've seen me go through at least 50 costume changes in the past few days.  Get over it!  I'm going swimming!"  With that, she runs nude into the water, laughing, her hair flying.

Jin looks at Alan, Kevin looks at Monica, and the rest look at each other.  Giggles all round, and off come the clothes. By and by, they gather wood for a fire, in between water fights, Marco Polo, and just plain swimming and sunbathing.  Luci and Amanda compare tattoos, Kevin, Alan, Brandi and Monica play tag with Phix, trying to tackle her in the warm, waist deep water.

The day wears on, shadows move over the beach, and the sky glows red behind the western trees with the setting sun.  A full moon rises over the eastern sea, brilliant white in the deep blue band of darkness rising into the sky, opposite the setting sun.  The fire is lit, drinks are shared, and kabobs are cooked by the open flames.  Still naked, they sit on the sand or logs, drying in the gentle breeze as it weakens with the sunset.  The toasted marshmallows taste just right.