Braon Bręgen 
Martin Kane
Romance  at the Australian Oceanographic Centre.  


Author's note:

Anyone wishing to contact me may do so via the DtV messageboard for Readers &
Writers. I invite anyone to send any comments, good or bad, should they wish
to. I'm always interested in what others think of my little tales.

Copyright is mine. I'd be flattered if anyone wanted to use this tale
elsewhere, but please seek permission first.

I'll abstain from the adult content warning, if you've got this far, you're
certain to know what kind of thing to expect anyway.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

He saw her standing on the observation deck, leaning forward over the rail,
gazing into the colourless water. He put two and two together and spoke.

'Doctor Penderton, I presume.'

She stood and turned to him. As she righted, he was immediately struck by her
size. She was tall, if not six foot then certainly no more than an inch short
of it.

'You must be the new professor,' she said and held her hand out.

He shook it, impressed by the careless strength of her grasp. Her flesh was
cool and smooth. Pleasant to the touch.

She was broad with her height, but not obviously bulky. Her shoulders were
wide but in proportion to the rest of her body. The lab coat was loose fitting
but tight enough to show her as slender rather than overly built. Her hair was
light, bleached by the sun. She had tied it in a neat ponytail at the back of
her head, a long smooth lock that fell down between her shoulders.

Her face was etched with the quiet intelligence of a scholar. It was a slim
face, well in keeping with her long and sleek body. When she smiled, it
creased her expression into wry amusement. Her eyes were dark and brimming
with a sardonic but indulgent humour.

'Please, call me Gill. We really don't hold much for formality around here.'

'I've noticed,' he said.

It was true, he was feeling quite out of place dressed in suit and tie. In
fact, he'd already removed the suit jacket, leaving it over the chair at what
would now become his desk. Though that was as much to do with the heat.

Despite her neat lab coat, Gill was casual. Rubber sandals on her feet exposed
chipped toenails. He noticed a half-eaten chocolate bar stuffed
unceremoniously into her breast pocket. The coat itself was dazzlingly clean
however.

'Professor Collins isn't it?'

'Richard, please.'

'Richard. Welcome to the Australian Oceanographic Centre. I trust that you've
been given the two-dollar tour.'

'No actually. I was just left to wander around and familiarise myself with the
place.'

She smiled. 'Don't tell me, that was Henderson, right? Don't worry about the
old man, it isn't personal. He doesn't like anybody. I think he gets quite
disturbed people in general, gets on far better with his plants. Tell you
what, I'll give you a quick once around.'

He smiled at this, lightly flirtatious. She raised an eyebrow in silent reply.

'Please, don't let me keep you from your work.'

'Don't worry about it, I'm not too busy at the moment. Anyway, as I say, we
tend to run a fairly loose ship.'

As she showed him around they chatted amiably.

'Are you a native?' he asked. 'I can't be sure if that accent's local or not.'

'Born and bred. I studied in England for a number of years though, the accent
got fairly diluted. You're from England yourself I believe.'

'Born and bred,' he agreed. 'So, you like to check out new staff thoroughly?'

She laughed at the implicit implication he placed on this. 'Oh, let's just say
that your reputation precedes you.'

'Really? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?'

'I'll let you know. But I must admit, I was genuinely impressed by your paper
on cowries, the teres- and cribraria- complexes.'

He was taken aback by this. 'You must read a lot of obscure papers to have
come across one of mine, they're hardly required reading.'

'Don't be so humble. It was incisive stuff. You have a real talent for cutting
straight to the point, using a single paragraph where most scientists would
run into pages.'

'Popular with the students then? A ready made revision guide?'

'Actually we don't have any students here, if you don't count those on
practical field study. And, to be honest with you, no one ever does.'

They wandered through into a fairly standard research lab. Tables piled with
odd accoutrements and miscellaneous scientific detritus. She introduced him to
a couple of young doctors who were dressed more akin to surfer dudes than
scholars.

Up a staircase and they walked along a balcony overlooking the Centre's
grounds, a neat green, and beyond it a mile of impressively unkempt fields.

'We also have a small area of beach roped off for research, but there are also
diving facilities, snorkelling, everything you'd expect. Do you dive?'

'I did a basic course when I knew I'd be coming here. I'm looking forward to
the real thing however.'

They moved on to the library. This at least was unimpressive. Unimpressive
that was until she showed him the CD-ROM indexes.

'Now you're just showing off.'

'Accessible, of course, from anywhere in the facility.'

He shook his head in wonder and she continued with the tour.

'I don't mean to pry but why did you move back to Australia? Your work at the
Northwood City University was cutting edge.'

'Well, if you're going to study ocean wildlife, England isn't the best place
to do it.' She gave him an sardonic smile and added, 'No offence.'

'None taken.'

'In truth, when they opened this place they had a couple of very specific
positions in mind. I just happened to fit the bill.'

'Now who's being humble? You were headhunted. I hope they offered you an
obscene amount of money.'

'Better than that, they offered me an obscene amount of facilities.'

He nodded at this. 'I must admit, you are better equipped than any other
facility I've ever seen.'

They had reached a grand glass atrium overlooking the main entrance hall.

'Well, that's about it. I trust you're suitably impressed.'

'Totally blown away,' he assured her.

'Good. There's a faculty barbecue on the beach at the weekend, you should come
along. It'll be a good chance to get to know people.'

'Sure.' He smiled then. 'Beach barbecues, swimming and snorkelling. You guys
certainly believe in the all work and no play maxim.'

'Be weary. Make the most of the free time while you actually have some. This
time next month we won't have time to breathe. And then, after that, once the
season changes, we really hit the busy period.'

'Breaking me in gently?'

'No, just waiting until you've signed the contract.'

Irrespective of whether the period was busy or slow, Richard found his time
fully occupied for the following few days, settling into his new position.

Despite other intentions, he didn't get the opportunity to drop in on Gill
again. In fact, he didn't even lay eyes upon her again until the beach party.
And the next time he did lay his eyes upon her, they almost sprung out of
their sockets.

He arrived at the beach, easily finding the right location despite the
somewhat generalised directions. Past the row of beach-huts, and there's an
American car parked in a sort of lay-by.

'American? What sort of car?'

'I don't know. A really big fucker.'

'What if it's not parked there?'

'It's always there.'

And it had been. And it was noticeably American - huge bonnet with a steer
style ornamentation.

The party was well in swing despite the early hour. The Centre's beachside
property had a small patch set aside for recreation.

A series of gas barbecues were roaring away, the normal gang of middle-aged
men tending them eagerly.

A stoned looking individual wandered up, assessing him though mirrored shades.
Steward, he of the obscure directions.

'Hey man you found us then?'

'No sweat.'

'What did I tell ya? You want a beer?'

'Is the pope a catholic?'

'Fuck him, he can get his own beer.'

Stewart pulled a can from a cooler and handed it to Richard, who took it with
thanks.

He cooled himself on the icy tin before popping it and pouring the crisp
lager down his throat as though it was lemonade.

'How do you stand this heat?'

'You hold the secret in your hand. You think it's a coincidence that we brew
the best in the world.'

Richard laughed. 'Well that's debatable.'

They were wandering the small patch of beach, Richard having pulled off his
sandals to let the baking sand smother his feet. It was so fine - like dust.
He'd never walked on a beach like it in his life. But then, the English
coastline probably wasn't a good comparison.

He stopped short. There was a beach volleyball game going in nearby. Two teams
leaping around in beach clothing, slapping a ball around with surprising
skill.

What struck him wasn't the fact that one of the women playing was of quite
exceptional musculature, despite the fact he was a fan of female bodybuilding.
What stuck him was the fact that the muscled woman in question was Doctor Gill
Penderton.

'Oh shit. Is that Gill?'

'Didn't know she could do that huh? That chick has got serious over-
achievement issues.'

'Uh huh,' he agreed vaguely, unable to pluck his eyes away from the sight of
his well muscled colleague, clad only in shorts and the skimpiest of vests,
bulging and pulsating like an athlete as she played a power driven game.

She was slim, as he'd already noted, but now he could see that her body was
layered by a serious network of heavy-duty muscles. Her chest was broad and
thick, the high-point of a Vee that tapered down to a strong waist and
rippling stomach. High breasts busted slightly from the scooped-neck vest but
her physique was too hard and toned for them to have any voluminous size. In
fact, it was only the well- developed pectorals that gave her any real degree
of cleavage at all.

Then there were her legs - long and lean, but with thighs swollen, an amount
of muscularity that only held sleek proportion because of the incredible
length of her legs.

Richard was routed to the spot until they finished playing, some time later.
Gill high-fived her team-mates and grabbed a bottle of water. She headed over
to Richard.

'Hey. You made it then.'

'And very glad I did. That was certainly impressive.'

She was gulping at her water. She halved the bottle in one go, then poured the
rest over her head, throwing back her face into the icy water, pouring it over
her chest and then her back.

If Richard wasn't already throbbing with lust, he certainly was now. He
managed to retain some of his cool however.

'Do you play for a team?'

'Oh God no. It's just a good way to let off steam. I used to play as a kid; it
was really good to get back into it when I returned here. Sorry, excuse me a
second. I gotta go say hi to someone.'

And with that she was gone again. Leaving Richard breathless and awe-struck.

He watched as she eased her way into a conversation, shaking hands with an
elderly man he'd never seen before. She moved amongst the people here with a
familiarity and ease he envied. She was genuinely at home in this crowd. Still
there was only one way that he was going to learn to fit in better.

He tossed his empty into the huge tub and picked up three fresh. Then he
imposed on a conversation between two guys he'd half-met. He couldn't quite
remember their names but figured he could cruise through on charm. He hoped.

By the time the food was being served, Richard had met his way through a few
new people, feeling as drained by the socialising as any true introvert would.
He found himself next to a stout looking guy with a deep tan, as all Aussies
seemed to acquire, naturally enough.

Between mouthfuls of surprisingly good burger, he asked the man what field of
research he was in.

'Economic filtration and debris retrieval.' And with that, stiffly, he walked
away.

Richard was at first too startled by this to notice that Gill had wandered up
behind him.

He turned to her and sighed. 'He's a cleaner, isn't he.'

Gill gave him a sympathetic nod.

'I think I've just committed some social faux pas,' he said.

She shrugged. 'It happens. Easy mistake to make.'

'I mean, I hate it when the faculty and the domestic staff don't mix, then I
go and stick my foot in it like that.'

'This place is actually pretty good like that. Again, nothing against good old
Blighty but all the institutions I was in, the different grades of scientist
didn't mix, let alone the staff.'

'Yeah, it can be a bit cliquey.'

'It's useful to stay friendly with the people who run things. I don't mean the
management but the people who really run things, the ones who actually keep
the centre going. The janitors, the administration and secretarial staff. Next
time you want to get into the lab on a Sunday afternoon, who do you think
you're gonna have to ask to drive down after their Sunday lunch?'

'I'll apologise,' Richard assured her.

'He's actually a really great guy. I used to work out with him at the staff
gym.'

Richard was glad to have an easy opening. 'Yeah, I noticed you work out.'

Gill smiled at him, her customary crooked grin. 'Oh you noticed, did you?'

'Well it is kind of hard to miss. That's quite an impressive arm you're
brandishing there.'

'I've another here,' she told him, half flexing the other for the briefest
moment.

'I have to say, I was struck by Australian women in general. What is it,
something in the water?'

'Yeah, we're a tough bunch of chicks.'

'I was in a bar last night, I doubt there was a single woman there who
couldn't deck me with a single punch.'

'Yeah, but you live on the south side. I know cops who wouldn't wander down
there alone at night.'

He didn't highlight the fact that she knew where he lived; he hadn't mentioned
it previously. I was good to know she was checking up on him. He gestured to
her impressive physique.

'Where do you get the time? I mean, a body like that must require some serious
attention. Considering the hours you put in at the Centre, I'm surprised you
get time for any sort of hobby, let alone one that demands so much time and
effort.'

'Bodybuilding isn't a hobby, it's a lifestyle choice. I get time because I
make time. If you really want something, you'll find a way. Yeah, my days are
pretty packed but I just cut out the shit that squanders time. There's a fully
equipped gym at the Centre, which is free to all staff. I don't waste money on
travelling, I jog to and from work. I can read all the new papers I need to at
home while I'm riding the bike or stepping.'

'Got it all worked out, huh. I'm impressed. Really.'

'It also ensures we keep our financing.'

'Huh?' That threw him. He swept a hand over his head, signifying that her
comment had gone right over his head.

'Grant money. I'm like the secret weapon. There's a guy on the board that has
a thing for muscular women. To some guys, the sight of biceps on a girl is
just as enticing as double-dee cup tits.'

'Really?'

She made no comment at this - quite obviously and deliberately avoided doing
so in fact.

Instead she continued. 'I just have to make sure I'm wearing short sleeves
whenever he looks around the facility.'

'Never fails?'

'Hasn't done yet. We've always got what we ask for.'

The party continued well into the night. The troops had thinned to the
hard-core drinkers. Much to Richard's disappointment, as dusk fell and the
temperature dropped, Gill had pulled a loose shirt around her shoulders,
stealing those gorgeous arms from his sneaky peeks.

Her legs were still exposed however, as they sat around the campfire in the
dimming light.

Alcohol and heat had done its job well on Richard. His highly trained mind was
rapidly losing functionality.

At some unspecified point, he drunkenly realised that he was stroking her
thigh.

'What are you doing?' she was currently asking him. Richard stopped and
wondered himself for a moment. He looked up at her, realising that his eyes
weren't focusing properly. He examined the middle girl, fairly certain that
her expression was affectionate and amused rather than aggressive and
offended.

'I'm being awe-struck,' he said, or at least tried to. The drink taking the
sharper definition out of the words.

'I think he's in love,' someone laughed.

Richard tried to agree but passed out instead. He slept a while, genuinely
unaware that his head rested in her lap.

He awoke presently, excusing himself to be discretely sick. It was only after
the vomit and bile had expunged itself from his stomach that he realised that
he had awoken to Gill chatting amiably, her hand absently stoking his sleeping
head with gentle affection.

He tried to be happier about this, as well he should be, but was currently
more concerned with the somewhat awkward task of finding his way home.

Hangovers aside, Richard got into the thick of his work, finding the right
colleagues to apologise to and glad to discover there weren't actually too
many. Also, those to whom he did apologise waved it off, no offence taken by
his unrefined behaviour.

There seemed to be a general appreciation that the British weren't as hardy
drinkers as they thought they were. Richard would have taken mild offence to
this if not for the fact that he had actually given their argument additional
fuel.

With Gill, his apology was waved away also.

'Sorry for what?' she asked him. 'I'm glad you came by though, saves my having
to track you down.'

'Oh yes, why's that?'

'Something I want to show you.'

He made a hand gesture, offering her the floor. 'Please do.'

She raised a wry eyebrow. 'You wish! Actually I want to take you out on a
boat. You can snorkel, right?'

'Yeah.'

'Great. Can you spare me an afternoon?'

'Um, sure. Name a day.'

'Thursday, Friday.'

'Friday.'

'Perfect.'

And so, on Friday, they'd met on the beach. Richard was glad to see she'd
dressed skimpily again. A swimsuit with a skirt wrapped about it. Her breasts
were pressed tight against the suit, highly noticeable against the sleek
plains of her muscles.

Richard tried not to stare. He failed. She caught his eyes and he realised
he'd been caught ogling. He bowed his head in mute apology.

Gill tutted and led him into the boat, taking no offence whatsoever. She then
glanced back to ask him something and caught him staring at her bum, even as
concealed as it was by the flowery skirt.

'Men,' she sighed and climbed into the boat.

Richard meekly got into the boat in front of her.

It was a small boat, designed for a maximum of three, but only if they didn't
move about much.

Gill ripped the motor into life.

'This is safe, isn't it?' he asked, a little hesitant.

'If you're anxious,' she began, as the motor surged into life, 'then I suggest
you hold on.'

And the boat took off.

To his credit, Richard didn't cry out as the boat suddenly flew into life,
racing away towards the horizon. They seemed to bounce over the top of the
waves, almost gliding along.

The wind ripped at them, blasting salt into their faces. Richard felt
decidedly unsteady, having no seatbelt or indeed any real seat to brace
against. He dared not say anything to this completely unconcerned woman
however.

The journey was short, and curved around taking them close to some cliffs a
little way around the bay. Gill took them in towards some shallow rocks,
finding an appropriate place to throw out a line.

She tied the boat. It bobbed with the sea, but was otherwise secure.

Richard looked up at the sky. It was a gorgeous Friday afternoon and he was
out in the open water with a beautiful woman whom he desired like crazy.
What's more this had been her idea. Life was good.

He looked across at Gill, the creature of his aspiration and wondered what she
had in mind. What had she planned for him?

She tossed Richard some flippers and a mask and snorkel. He was mildly
disappointed that she did in fact actually want to dive.

He attached them, prepping the mask and adjusting it to his head.

'Ready?'

He nodded.

She stripped off the skirt and wagged a disapproving finger, as he couldn't
help but glance down at her stunning legs.

'Follow me closely.' She lifted a heavy-duty torch, tested it and nodded
approval.

They dived into the clean, clear water together. Despite the proximity of the
cliffs it was deep here. Gill took him on a couple of practice dives, pointing
out certain marks along the rock wall beneath the surface.

They surfaced again.

'OK, you ready?'

He nodded. She slapped on the torch and dived again. Richard took a deep
breath and followed.

It was a fairly arduous swim, but the flippers made it easier. Richard was
glad his hands were free though, and wondered how Gill managed to aim the
torch while she swan. No, he didn't wonder. He could see her muscles moving
through the clean water, saw the flex and swell. She was a strong swimmer -
emphasis on the "strong".

There was an opening in the cliff deep beneath the surface, a tunnel leading
right into the rock. She disappeared inside and Richard followed. He was
excited, remembering all the adventure tales he'd read as a boy of secret
caves and hidden treasures. Never would he have dreamed he'd ever swim inside
one.

Gill led him through the narrow tunnel. It was tight and it was easier to pull
yourself along by the rock sides and ground than try to swim. It went on for
longer than was comfortable, angling up but not steeply enough for Richard's
liking.

The air was threatening to grown stale in his lungs but he had a little more,
as Gill's muscled legs finally vanished from in front of him. A moment later,
his head broke surface.

Gill reached down and helped haul him up onto a natural ledge of rock.

They were in a cave, inside the very cliff wall.

There wasn't quite enough space to stand but two people could quite
comfortably sit on the ledge without risking falling into the pool besides
them. The ceiling sloped towards the far end and a jagged rock stood out a
foot above the pool.

Richard looked around him in wonder.

'This is amazing.'

'Thought you'd be impressed.'

Gill removed her mask and snorkel, having set the torch down, pointed upright,
to act like a lantern.

'This is natural?'

'Completely. Some researches found it by accident last year. They were
ultra-sounding the cliffs and got some anomalies.'

'What about the air? Why hasn't it gone bad?'

Gill picked up the torch and ran it along a series of cracks in the wall and
ceiling.

'We're not airtight. There's a whole web-work of cracks and fissures, it leads
out in all sorts of places. That also explains how this is possible.'

She then switched off the light.

It took his eyes a few seconds after the glare of the torch, but Richard
realised they weren't in pitch darkness. A soft luminescence was emanating
from the walls. As his eyes adjusted he realised that he could in fact see
Gill, see her grinning at him.

'Algae?'

She nodded. 'Isn't it amazing?'

'It's beautiful. Almost...'

'What?' she prompted, poking him insistently with one bare foot.

He grabbed the foot to stop her stabbing his ribs, but kept a hold of it.

'It's like a night sky, a completely foreign star pattern unknown by anyone
else.'

She smiled. 'That's cool.'

They stared at the pattern of lights a short while. Gill finally broke the
silence.

'Can I have my foot back?'

'No, it's my foot now.' He ran his hand further up, caressing the hard peaked
calf, clawing his fingers into that solid muscle.

Rather than admit that this was pleasurable, Gill acted as though this were
actually offensive. 'Careful buddy, you wanna know who you're messing with.'

'Oh yeah? What you gonna do tough girl?'

'I told you we Aussies are a tough breed.'

She pushed him over backwards with the captured foot, then leapt over and on
top of him. She lay her muscular weight astride him to pin him down.

'Now what you gonna do?' she giggled.

He ran his hands up the sides of her broad, tapering torso, feeling the
layered muscle upon muscle. His fingers skirted her armpit to finally spread
open around her powerful arms. Just as he was about to grasp about her
wonderful biceps she snatched his wrists and slammed his arms down either side
of his head.

He struggled but she held him fast, easily strong enough to keep him trapped.

She was low, her body so close to his, he could almost feel the jutting
nipples that poked down through her suit. Her head was mere inches above his.

Richard reached his head up to kiss her. She backed away however.

'Not yet.'

She got off him, sitting back, all prim and proper all of a sudden.

The light went back on and Richard blinked against it.

Gill pulled a plastic cooler out from a nook, opening it and taking out two
crystal glasses. She gave them both to Richard to hold. She then returned to
the cooler and produced a bottle of Champagne.

'Anyone would think you've planned this,' Richard remarked.

She ripped off the foil and popped the cork, pouring two generous glasses.

A toast, 'to new friends', and they drank.

A refill and Gill sat back, regarding him.

It appeared to Richard that she had something on her mind. The kissing hadn't
exactly put her off, but there was something holding her back, he was sure of
it.

It wasn't long before he found out what it was.

'You're a liar,' she stated bluntly.

'What?' Whatever he was expecting her to say, it wasn't this.

'You're a liar. You tell lies Professor Collins.' She spoke matter- of-factly
and without passion.

'Why would you say that? Why would you accuse me of that?'

'You knew who I was before you came here.'

Silence.

There was no question in her tone - it had been pure statement.

'Oh,' he said finally. 'That.'

The floor was his. He finished his drink first.

'Yeah, I knew who you were. I told you I'd read some of your papers. I mean,
your reputation precedes you.'

But that wasn't what she was getting at and this wasn't a time for evasion.

He took a breath and dived in. 'When I was younger I had a videotape, it was
of an AWABB contest. You were less developed back then but I guess the name
stuck in my head somehow. I must admit, it was a tape I did watch a fair few
times.

'When I came across one of your papers, the name rang a bell. I wondered if it
was the same woman. It wasn't hard to find a picture of you on the internet, a
head and shoulders picture I mean, on the university website. The internet is
so useful.'

'So you came here because of me?'

'That wasn't the only reason. It is a great oportunity, one I'd be mad to pass
up. I mean, transferring twenty thousand miles because I've fallen in love
with a girl I've never met. That's just stupid, right?'

'Stupid? Yes. Romantic? Perhaps. Indulgent? Definitely. Arrogant? Probably.
Mildly deranged? Almost certainly.'

'OK, that's my confession. My dark secret. Your turn. Tell me how you knew.'

'OK.' she agreed. 'I wasn't just competing in amateur contests back then, I
was actually a part of AWABB. In the office I was working at there was a few
of us, a dozen or so. We did basic promotional work, scouting for sponsorship,
arranging contests and whatever. My job was basic office shit, dogs-body work.
I was doing it part time while getting my doctorate.

'One of the things I did was handle Mail Order video sales. I remember one
contest tape we sold, an amateur contest I'd competed in myself actually.
There was one person that bought it and I remember noticing it was a
university address - you must have been in the halls of residence at the time.

'It stuck in my head because it was a student at Oxford and his name was
Richard Collins. Collins - Oxford. It's a geeky sort of joke, I know. But then
you add Dick to that, short for dictionary.'

'Yeah, I've heard that one too,' Richard agreed.

'Anyway. It was enough for the name to stick in my head. Like you, the name
triggered the memory and I wondered if it was the same person.'

'When did you decide it was?'

'When you spent the entire barbecue throwing surreptitious glances at my
arms,' she told him with a giggle. Then she amended, 'Well, actually, in
truth, most guys do that the first time they see them. It just doesn't
normally give them a raging erection.'

With this she sneaked her hand across to his lap, grasping the painful bulge
in his shorts.

This time when he went to kiss her she didn't pull away. When he pulled that
muscular body close to his own, she wrapped powerful limbs about him, just as
insistent.

The torch clicked off again and they carefully found a lying position in on
the rock ledge, Gill on top again. Richard wasn't about to complain. Not that
he'd be able to do much if he didn't approve. Gill didn't take guidance from
any man, least of all the one inside her. And as he was about to find out
Aussies didn't do anything half-heartedly.

They made love beneath their own private starry night sky.