Chapter 22

Ron removed the ceramic bricks one at a time from around the oven. The thermostat read a constant forty degrees Celsius.

The basement chamber was filled to capacity. Over three-hundred nude women gathered on the padded bleachers, which had at best puzzled the construction crews. The campus had been cleared of all but the Sisterhood, Ron and Steven -who had flown in that morning. All present were nude. All were solemn. Elsewhere, in the two temples, similar assemblies waited as they watched closed circuit broadcasts of the event.

Ron removed the last brick, revealing the carbon oven container. The chamber was now heated to almost ninety to reduce the shock of the first breath of outside air upon the Rod of Aphrodite as it was revealed. Ron removed the oven lid, now just warm to the touch. Barbara handed him the preheated tongs and he used them to lift the carbon mold crucible from the oven. He set it into a preheated assembly. The mold had to be broken from around the casting, but it was too important to risk an uncontrolled blow from a hammer.

Ron gently applied the Circle-C tool steel knife edges to the top edge of the mold and slowly moved between two screws, alternating quarter turns on each to increase the pressure upon the knife edges. The screws were mounted at an angle, so that the force against the mold would be directed away from the casting within.

The scent of nervousness was strong in the chamber, although Jane had directed all to shower again just a short time before. It was like a heady, sexual perfume affecting all in the chamber. The air was thick with pheromones and nervousness. Both Ron and Steven had erections, but neither seemed aware and certainly not concerned over them. To the assembled women, the sight of them only contributed to the pheromone concentration in the chamber.

Ron kept an eye upon two strain gauges as he alternately applied quarter-turn or less rotations to the screws. Balancing the pressure on each blade precisely. He reached a pre-determined level and stopped. He stepped back and nodded to Barbara and Susan.

It was strictly ceremonial. But the rod would contain no bias upon exposure. Steven had in fact handled the Rod of Sappho quite a bit before it was presented to Jane. But the Rod of Aphrodite was to be purer than the snows of Everest, until it's bias was set. Nearby a gold satin covered mattress pad lay on the massive granite slab. They would induce the set right away.

Barbara and Susan stepped forward. First Susan, and then Barbara kissed Ron tenderly. They each added a reassuring hug, then turned to the assembly and each took a hold of a handle. They turned to Jane and she nodded to them.

Jane held the Rod of Sappho, now glowing with the light of a subdued arc lamp; sapphire blue in it's brilliance. Like the shade of the high sky in the last rays of a cloudless sunset. It illuminated her breasts and face, now angelic in repose. The nervousness in the chamber peaked as Susan and Barbara shared a look, then began to jointly twist the screws to increase the pressure.

They moved in easy stages, adding one-eighth twists at a time to the fine screws. The strain gauges increased a few pounds per rotation.

In the chamber all the women, even those in front found themselves on their tiptoes trying to get a better look as the rod was revealed. The tension was thick in the air.

Susan and Barbara continued their rotation until suddenly there was a loud CRACK heard throughout the chamber. Everybody in the chamber gasped. The mold was cleanly cleaved right down the middle. The side toward Susan and Jane fell away revealing the Rod of Aphrodite. It glowed in sister brilliance to the Rod of Sappho.

Tears came to the eyes of all who could see it. All those who couldn't felt the joy of the rest and developed their own.

Barbara carefully knelt before the mold. She examined the edges that still held the rod in place. She accepted a toothpick sized wedge from Ron. She placed it at the back edge of where the rod met the mold and gently pushed it between the rod and the mold. She motioned for Susan to catch the rod as it came free. A few splinters of carbon continued to crack off around the edges along the rod, and suddenly the rod fell free into Susan's hands. It came alive as it touched her skin. Glowing a bit brighter than the Rod of Sappho in the same wavelength of sapphire blue.

Susan held the rod high as she examined it closely. The sight of it affected all in the chamber. Tears of joy streaming down the faces of all assembled. Susan continued her examination for the slightest flaw. She could detect none, not the slightest bubble or crack. It was perfect!

She held it high above her for all to see.

"It speaks to me, like the first cry of a baby's breath. The Rod of Aphrodite is Born, IT IS ALIVE!" She said.

This time there was no restraining the cry of joy that emerged from the lips of the three-hundred assembled. There were gasps, cheers and sighs from all. Tears flowed like fountains from every eye.

Jane held up her hand and the congregations fell silent once more.

"Let us set it's destiny. Susan, please." she said, motioning toward the mattress.

Susan moved to the mattress and reclined upon it, the Rod of Aphrodite glowing brightly between her breasts.

"Ron, I wish your arms around me as Barbara guides the rod into me. The existence of the rod is an honor to you. I would feel much honored to feel your touch as I start down the path to my destiny." Susan said.

Ron nodded, tears flowing down his cheeks. He moved behind Susan and she sat up. Barbara knelt before her. Susan giving the rod into her hands. They shared a moment as they touched the rod together. Joyous in the feeling. Then Barbara took the rod as Susan lay back into Ron's arms. He wrapped them around her as Barbara bent before her. Susan drew up her knees and Barbara move between them.

"In the name of the love of Aphrodite, I induce the order of Timas unto you, O Rod of Aphrodite. To set your destiny unto her love. Will you accept the order of Timas?" Barbara asked out loud, positioning the rod against the opening of Susan's vagina.

All watching held their breath.

The rod suddenly slid smoothly into Susan as if sucked by a vacuum. The blue light disappearing into her. Her whole body took on a blue halo of light.

Susan gasped and her hips rose up in orgasm. She held them high as the massive convulsion gripped her like a vise. Ron held her in his strong arms, never faltering in strength as she held her hips aloft. Then suddenly the convulsion lessened and Susan lay gently back in Ron's arms. A look of ultimate bliss upon her face.

"The Rod of Aphrodite has accepted the call to be set with of the order of Timas, that we all share but the honored men among us." Barbara stated loudly.

This time the cheers went unabated for a long time. Tears of joy flowing once more from every face.

Finally Jane held up her hand. Slowly the cheers diminished to silence.

"The rod must remain for a full night to insure it's set. Those who wish, may attend, but let them all re-sanctify themselves and return." she announced to the crowd.

"You are fine, Ron. Stay as you are. Steve ... lets go cure that little problem of yours." Jane chuckled.

Steve grinned and followed her out of the chamber. The congregation filed out, tears of joy still flowing freely from their faces.

Most all returned later, but not until they had celebrated their joy with one or more of their sisters.

The sexual energy on both campuses that night could have easily launched a moon shot.

Ron sat holding Susan tenderly in his arms. He softly kissed her cheek and she intertwined her fingers with his.

"I love you." she said softly.

He nodded against her cheek.

"I love you. I shall always love you." he replied, just as softly.

They continued in their position, Susan's legs now lowered. She snuggled back against Ron, feeling his loving arms around her.

Cindy and Barbara returned, they carried new pillows which they propped behind Ron so he could lay back. He reclined against them holding Susan tight in his embrace. Smiling and thanking them. Barbara and Cindy lay on either side of them, snuggling to their sides.

Since the rod was now quite impervious to temperature shifts, the thermostat had been lowered to cool the chamber.

Jane returned with Steve and placed a pure white blanket over them to ward off the developing chill of the large chamber.

She herself settled back against Steve on one of the padded bleachers. Around them other couples snuggled together. Some just sat holding hands. Their fingers intertwined like Susan and Ron's. From time to time they shared soft kisses. But that was all. They were witnessing the birth of a new power of love upon the earth. This was pleasure enough. Juanita sat with Jill, holding hands.

The vigil continued throughout the night.

Only when the first rays of the morning sun touched the spires of the physics building did Jane step forward.

She knelt softly before Susan and drew the blanket aside. Cindy and Barbara moved to either side of Jane. Ron sat up behind Susan. His arms still around her as they had been all night. She kissed his cheek and then drew up her legs.

Jane held her hands between Susan's legs and touched the end of the rod with her fingertips. It smoothly slid out into her fingers.

Susan sat up and held out her arms and Jane presented the Rod of Aphrodite to her. Tears of joy flowing down both their faces once again. They touched the rod together for a long moment. Sharing each others loving gaze.

"The Rod of Aphrodite has accepted the set of the order of Timas. It is born as a power of love upon the earth." Jane said, withdrawing her hands.

There was a collective sigh among all who attended as Susan drew the slightly glowing rod to her breast. She took Ron's hands and drew them to the rod. Using it to reveal herself to him. He shuddered a bit and then a look of joy filled his face. Susan turned and kissed him tenderly, a look of contented joy on her own face.

After, Susan shared a moment of the rod's touch and a soft kiss with each of the congregation as they filed out. Opening her heart to each of them and sharing each of theirs. Tears flowed unabated as they passed one woman at a time. There was no hurry as each shared her moment touching the new rod with Susan. Finally Susan shared a long moment with Jill. Kissing her tenderly as they shared their hearts.

Afterwards she turned and presented the rod to Barbara.

Barbara carried it to a work area that had been set up and lovingly set it in a spotless cradle. She sat down at the bench and began the delicate work of affixing the base to the rod.

First she wrapped the end of the rod in platinum foil. A special set of electrodes supplied a moments bright flash as she spot welded a single pinpoint weld on the foil. There was no longer a worry about fracturing the rod after it's set. It could have easily survived the head on collision between two fully loaded freight trains. But there was still reverence for the rod. A special multifingered crimper squoze the foil tight into the grooves molded into the rod's base. Afterwards, a large bell jar was placed over the cradle and a vacuum applied and left to work it's magic, vacuum welding the platinum foil to the base of the rod.

Steve looked on in interest, but didn't say anything. Barbara and Ron were well qualified for the task. This was their rod, not his.

Susan stood once again wrapped in Ron's arms from behind, watching intently. There wasn't much to see for the moment as the vacuum removed the air molecules. Barbara used a bank of cryro-pumps charged with liquid nitrogen to supply the vacuum. Not a single molecule of oil from an oil diffusion pump would contaminate the weld. As each stainless steel cylinder reached it's capacity, she switched a manifold over to another one. Running the vacuum down to several Torr. After that they waited for a long period of time.

"Why don't you two catch a nap. This will take at least four hours." Barbara suggested to Susan and Ron.

"I'll wait." Susan said.

"No, even if you don't sleep. You two go lay down. I'll call you." Jane ordered.