A YOOK BY ANY OTHER NAME

Chapter 12:  By Any Other Name

The two men walked rapidly to Bunny's trailer and Himself pounded on the door.  After a long moment, Bunny opened the door slightly, a satin dressing gown loosely tied about her waist, her hair tumbled, her lipstick gone.  
**************
 

Himself recalled Pat saying that Maximus "went" to Bunny, but he hadn't somehow thought... somehow been able to imagine....this. He breathed deeply, his jaw muscles working.  "Is he here?" he asked, his voice almost hoarse.  

 

 

 

In the back of the tr...er...caravan, MaxiSid heard Himself's question. Urgent matters having been handled, he was calm again, thinking clearly again, able to play the game again. Slipping on his tunic and wrapping his cape about his shoulders, he sat down on the edge of the bed, burying his face in his hands.  

 

 

 

It was thus that Himself and Jack found him.  "Maximus," Himself said sternly.  

 

 

MaxiSid lifted stricken eyes,  his mouth squared in the depths of despair.  Pressing both fists into his temples, he roared in anguish, lay back on the bed and rolled slightly from side to side.  Both Himself and Jack stood still, riveted to the floor in shock.  Bunny peered around the two standing men, watching Sid.  She nodded her head.  He was...impressive.  

 

 

 

Himself seemed to be buying it and dropped to one knee close to the General.  "Maximus?" he repeated, only more softly in tone. "Maximus, what happened?" 

                  

MaxiSid sat up, his face ravaged by grief, by torment.  "I...I...don't know," he murmured, his voice shaking.  "I was lying next to Joimus when," he gasped for breath, "everything turned all blue and...and ...hazy."  He well knew that both of them would recall Maximus' blue torment in Uganda and continuing on into the Outback. He knew that the Captain would be remembering that Maximus had been invaded by Sid's blueosity only as a result of saving Jack's life. He turned mortified eyes on Bunny.  "Then I woke up here."  Burying his face in his hands again, his shame too great to bear, he whispered, "I must have...forced... myself on Bunny."  Great tears rolling down his cheeks, he looked then in Himself's eyes.  "I have dishonored myself.   All that remains to me is my sword." 

                                   

Bunny's eyes grew large and round. "Wow!" she thought, nodding her head in mute admiration.

Himself lay his hand on MaxiSid's knee.  "No, Maximus," he said, "you have not." Himself's face grew fierce as he exchanged a glance with the Captain. "This is all Sid's machination. You are in no way to blame. You are a victim as much as Bunny here, as much as...Joimus."

 

 

 

"Joimus?" sobbed MaxiSid. "What have I done to my Joimus?"

 

Again the two other men exchanged looks, thinking of the matter of a torn bodice, a broken heart.  And then there was Bunny. Himself stood, putting his hand on her shoulder.  "Are you all right?" he asked, concerned for her well-being, her state of mind.  

 

 

 

"A bit shaken," she replied, "but I'm strong."
                                   

Himself was very proud of her, but suggested, "I could drive you to a doctor."  

 

 

"No," she said quickly, "no need.  He...he didn't hurt me, you know."

 

 

Jack and Himself had their eyes on her and did not observe the pleased look on MaxiSid's face as he watched Bunny.

          

Himself looked at Jack seriously.  "Could you take Maximus to your caravan?  I don't think he should return to his own just yet."

 

 

With Jack helping him, he got the distraught General to his feet, guiding him to the door and down the steps.  "Lock up your cutlass," he suggested to Jack quietly.

                                       
Looking back to Bunny, who was standing framed in the doorway, he inquired, "Will you be all right? Would you like me to send someone to you?"  

 

 

 

"I'm fine," she replied.  "Truly, I am."  

 

 

 

She shut the door and Himself stood there as evening completed its transition to night, watching the dark shapes of Jack and Maximus cross the Caravan Park. He sighed, running his palm across his eyes. How would this ever be explained to Joimus?

 

 

 

Inside Joimus' caravan, Pat had introduced Rose to Berti and Bud, explaining why she was here.  Berti suggested Bud wait outside now, and the two women led Rose toward the sleeping area where Joimus sat on the bed, covered by a simple cotton robe.  

 

 

 

"In epis," Berti was explaining, "we have only the one gown and so it's more important than it otherwise might seem that it be mended."  She lifted the wispy garment in her hands, holding it out to Rose, thinking how only very recently it had been restored so marvelously by the unwaters.  

 

 

 

"Joimus," she said, then nodding toward the petite French woman. "This is Rose.  She's handling the costuming for the film and has offered to sew your dress." 

                                       

Joimus, her lower lids still sparkling with tears, looked gratefully at Rose, a tremulous smile on her lips.  "Thank you, Rose," she said. "This gown is all I ...have."  Her eyes got a faraway look, as though she had lost almost everything.  

 

 

 

Rose, greatly moved by the sight of the other woman's distress, said, "I shall do it immediately.  I will return it to you as good as new and you will never know that it was torn."  Taking the dress with her, she left the caravan, hurrying back to her own.

 
 

Outside, Bud had seen Himself walking toward Joimus' caravan and gone to meet him part-way.   "Did you locate Maximus?" he asked him.

 

 

 

Himself paused, not sure about bringing more people into the events, but he could tell from the look in Bud's eyes, that the cop needed some explanation to defuse his anger and confusion with the General.  He explained briefly, asking him not to share the information with anyone other than Berti.  

 

 

 

"My God," Bud said, unable to believe things had gotten quite THIS messed up.  "Are you going to tell Joimus?" 

           

"I don't know," Himself replied, truly at a loss for the moment.  "How does one TELL Joimus that Maximus has just slept with another woman?"  

 

 

 

Bud shook his head.  "This is much worse than the gourdlings," he said.

 

 

 

Himself agreed.  "Much."  

 

 

 

"And that led us out onto the Saltflats of Doom," Bud added.  

 

 

 

"With attack leopards," Himself recalled.  They looked at eachother silently, both wondering where THIS might lead them.

 

 

 

Back at the set, Hando appeared above the rim of the tower, hanging like a hooked trout from the end of the crane's cable.  Annsmac patted Terry's arm. "I'm so relieved they didn't expect you to use your equipment this go round."

 

 

He blew out a sharp breath in agreement.  Though he was able to walk about now, he was still very, very sore and uncomfortable, still quite terribly blunt.

 

 

"Do you think there will be a scene anything like this in the film?" Wanda asked Lachlan as they stood side by side watching the, um, rescue.  

                                     

"I think there's a lot of tree-naming and story-telling," he replied,  "and not much tower toppling."  She sighed, having always been one who rather enjoyed a bit of tower toppling.  

 

Teller, standing nearby, offered, "Not to worry, Wanda.  Though I never collapse a single tower roof,  I am most fetching in my tale telling." He thought about the script, then added, "It is almost like a well-choreographed dance, you know, the way Ellen and I move amongst the trees, connecting with our words, our eyes." 

                                    

She smiled, nodding pleasantly at him, silently wishing for a Barbarian or two amongst the yooks, possibly a fountain with chains attached. Teller saw this in her eyes and sighed, knowing he had his work cut out for him with this...gentle...script.

"You will like it.  I promise you will."  

 

"Yes," she agreed, "I expect I will." After all, she thought, just watching Himself was always a pleasure, now wasn't it?  Just hearing the sound of his voice in the warm, Australian afternoons as he told his stories...and in his own accent.

 
Speaking of Himself, he was at that moment standing outside the door to Joimus' caravan, gathering his composure to knock.   Bud had gone back to his caravan next door to wait for Berti's return.  Biting his tongue between his lips, Himself gave one sharp rap on the door.  

 

Pat opened it, and, seeing who it was, came quickly down the two steps, closing the door behind her.  "Bunny?" she asked.  

 

Himself sighed, closed his eyes, and nodded assent.

 

"He...did?"  Pat gasped.  "He truly did?"  

 

Himself looked at her, his eyes filled with pain, and nodded again.

 

"Oh...MY!" Pat said softly, turning to look back at Joimus' trailer. "Where is he now?"  

 

"I asked Jack to take him in for the night," Himself explained.  Sighing heavily again, he looked at her.  "Pat, I've never seen him like he was there in her trailer.  He was so devastated and had quite lost control of himself."  

 

Pat considered his words carefully.  The General was always in control of himself....unless Sid had taken that from him.  "You need to find Sid," she said, a firmness and an anger in her tone, "and make him undo whatever it is that he has done this time.  He goes too...far."

Her eyes blazed at the thought that Sid was the cause of all the grief Maximus had innocently inflicted on both Joimus and Bunny.  "How is Bunny?" she added quickly.  

 

"Surprisingly well," he said.  "She is a strong woman and seems to understand that Maximus was not really himself."

                                   
Indeed she did.  Even now she sat in a chair, thinking deeply on that very matter.  Sid, being internally fully Sid, making love to her in a body that was externally fully Maximus, was...amazing.  She knew it had been for him as well, his human cellular structures responding in ways he had never before experienced.  He had wanted to explore, to test everything.  It was all somehow new to him and she smiled, chuckling softly at the thought of Sid as virgin.  But Sid, even wearing Maximus' form, was still her Sid.  Suddenly she understood the reason for the title of the current storyline.  The eucalyptus was only a metaphor, a covering, for the fact that by any other name, Sid was, indeed, Sid. In its original form, the phrase had applied to roses still smelling the same were they called by some other term.  Now Sid was being called by the name belonging to the noble, pure-hearted General. She wondered how long he could prevent the discovery that, despite that name, he was still entirely Sid.  It might be interesting...watching him try. So long as he did not do with Joimus what he had just done with her.  She was not sure she could bear it if he did that.

 
Himself was seated in a small chair beside Joimus' bed, holding both her hands in his as he talked quietly with her.  He had seen immediately that her heart had been gravely injured both by what Maximus had done and by Sid's once again being the cause of it.

                                    
"Do you think...one day...that we will ever get beyond his constant tormenting of Maximus?" she asked.  

 

He doubted it.  After all, what would become of epilife were that to cease? It was the cornerstone upon which every plot rested in one way or another. He refrained from voicing his thoughts, though, and instead said,  "He was so upset, you know, over what he had done to you.  He could not have regretted it more, been more anguished over his actions."  

 

His words made her feel more hopeful that, at least from time to time, Maximus was still able to throw off whatever Sid had done to him and return to being who he truly was.  She wanted to put her arms around him, to tell him that it was all right, that she understood and did not hold him accountable.  

 

"Where...where...did you find him?" she asked.

 

The strangest look flickered across Himself's face and he pressed his lips together tightly.

 

Seeing this, she cried out, "Oh, no! He was injured further?"  

 

"No...no," he hastened to correct. "He...he...had been...he was...he...." What to say? How MUCH to say?  

 

"Where WAS he?" she demanded.  

 

"Bunny's," he gulped.  "I found him at Bunny's."  

 

Blowing out a big breath, Joimus relaxed.  "Oh, good," she sighed.  "I was afraid it was something bad, but Bunny would watch over him well for me and keep him safe."  

 

Pat, standing at the entrance to the small bedroom, had to turn away, unable to bear more.

"Where is he now?" Joimus questioned.  

 

"He's with Jack.  I thought it best he spend the night under the Captain's care."  

 

"I wish he were here," Joimus said wistfully.  

 

"Tomorrow," Himself said, patting her hand.  "I'm sure we will work it all out tomorrow."

 

 

He stood, pushing back the chair.  "Why don't you rest now?" he suggested. "I'll go over to Jack's and check on Maximus for you to make sure he's OK."
      

"Thank you," she said, preparing to snuggle further under the covers.
 

 

 

 

He turned out the lamp and stood there a moment, watching as she closed her eyes. Shaking his head from side to side, he wondered where all this might be taking them.  He needed to concentrate on filming soon, but with Sid still on the loose somewhere, causing untold grief to his people, he knew he had to handle that first. He smiled slightly.  "His people."  He had never thought of them in quite that phrase before, but somehow being back here on his home turf, he was more aware of the truth inherent in that. None of the other males would exist had he not individually made each one a living, breathing person.  And none of their womenfolk would be here with them were it also not for that.  He felt sometimes of late like father to them all, and also like a father, wanted to watch over them, care for them, protect them. Then a frown creased his brow.  He had failed in his watchfulness with Maximus and the sting of that was deeply felt.  He would not fail again. He looked down at Joimus, tears brimming inside his lids.  "I promise you," he whispered, barely audibly, "I will not fail you again."

 
The blackness was complete.  The night was cloudy, the moon hidden. He had awakened, surrounded by the blackness,  trying to remember where he was, why every fiber of him felt so...wrong.  In the deep silence, it seemed like he could hear his body almost humming.  He turned, trying to adjust his position, only then discovering his right ankle was manacled and chained. The heavy metal of the links clanked in the darkness.  He almost smiled. That, at least, was something familiar.  He knew well the sounds of chains. He closed his lids, then opened them again.  It made no difference. Each way was equally black. So he lay there, trying to think.  Slowly again the memory of Sid and the net came back to him.  What was Sid up to this time?  Why had he left him here in the shed? 

                               

Suddenly his whole form jerked.  "JOIMUS!"  She was not defended! She would be... alone...not knowing where he was, what had happened to him!  He struggled then, trying to pull himself into a seated postion against the wall. A bit of cloth from his garment caught on a large splinter in the planked floor. The fingers of his right hand moved to free it, expecting to encounter the wool of his cape, but finding something...else...in its stead. What was it?  What was he wearing? Both hands moved then across his body, shocked that not only his cuirass was gone, but all his armor had been replaced with other clothing.  He felt buttons, lapels, pockets. He became frantic then when it dawned on him that while he lay unconscious, Sid must have switched his purple suit for the armor. He knew that could mean only one thing...one horror-filled thing. Sid was wearing his full uniform and intended to pass himself off as the General of the Felix Legions.

                                   

Pushing with his feet, he managed to drag himself so that his back was resting against the mesh that hung on the wall behind him.  He twisted, exploring the mesh with his fingers. Why was there mesh here?  Why would Sid need mesh that matched the net?  And why had Sid manacled himself? He must have dragged him while he was unconscious and and chained him to the wall in his stead.  Somehow Sid's actions did not make sense. Come morning, he intended to study his surroundings, hoping they would reveal more to him.  

 

He tugged hard on the chain.  It was attached securely to metal plating in the wall near him. There was nothing he could do at the moment, so he leaned his head back on the mesh, wondering why he was not hungry, his mind running scenarios of Sid, dressed as a General, walking amongst the other members of the cast. He smiled grimly. Joimus would know the difference.  So would Himself.  He would not fool them.  Especially not with his inability to grow a beard.  He almost chuckled as he raised his hand to his face, intending to run his fingers along the line of his moustache.