Spirit and Space - 2. Happy Birthday

Kazander, age 18

"I'm going to miss you Lura, and you too you little monster!" Zander picked up Ryker, his 19-month-old son. "I'll see you guys at Thanksgiving."

"Come on Zander, you've got to get to school sometime today... You've got practice." Rick yelled at him from the car.

"I know. I know. Are you going to try and make a meet or two?" Lura nodded. "I love you. Really, I do." He hugged the little guy and put him down. "Be good for Gypsy, Dan, and Petros." He got in the car and Rick pulled out of the drive. Ryker looked up at Gypsy and asked, "Daddy go?"

"Yes, bug guy, daddy go to school, like Ryker will one day. Like mommy does, and Dan does, and I do. Daddy goes to swim. Ryker wanna go swim?" Ryker got all happy.

"'wim 'iter 'wim." Gypsy took him to the pool out back and got in the water with him.

"I can't believe how well he swims." Dan laughed at the boy.

"Think about who his daddy is. This kid was born for the water." Ryker paddled across the pool. They had it installed just after the attack two years ago. Zander used it to get his strength back that summer, but they all enjoyed it. All four of them had recovered with very little damage to them other than scares. It was kinda funny though because now Zander had scars similar to Gypsy's ritual scars. They were all raising Ryker, but he knew who his daddy was, and when his daddy was home, Ryker's world revolved around Zander and Zander's world revolved around Ryker.

"I hate leaving him." Zander said aloud, not necessarily to Rick, just aloud.

"I know. I do too, he's like my son, too you know."

"Ryker of the five fathers. It's a wonder he knows who is who."

"Oh, he knows. He looks just like you, except his hair is longer. Gypsy still insists he don't get a hair cut. If he had his way the boy would never get a hair cut."

"That's fine with me. He's good for Gypsy, and Gypsy is good for him." They drove in silence for a while. In an hour, they were checking in to school.

"You've been assigned to 103, Kazander, and Enrico, you're in 213."

"We bunk together."

"You bunk where you are told."

"We bunk together, or I don't swim." Zander looked him dead in the eye.

"I'll see what can be done. Your roommates have already checked in."

"We'll wait here. You've got about an hour or I go back home until September when school starts. That's five meets and two matches." The boy ran off to find out what he should do. In about fifteen minutes, the captain came to see who was causing the problem.

"Kazander and Enrico, I should have known. What's the problem?"

"We requested to bunk together and we're not. I'm funny about my roommate and how he's going to fit into my practice schedule. Rick knows it and don't interfere, why would he not be my roommate?"

"The rules have changed... You are assigned another swimmer to bunk with... He shouldn't interrupt your practice schedule and Enrico is assigned an underclassman who is new to the campus. He's going to be a role model for him, they have a common background. He was kicked out of five schools previous to this one. I'm not changing it."

"Fine." Zander put his bag down, "Rick, pack me back into the car. I'll be right back." He took off across campus at a swift jog, ending up at the pool. "Hey coach!" The entire team was there except him.

"Welcome Zander, you ready to teach these boys your technique?"

"That depends. Which of these boys is assigned to 103?"

"I am." A gangly first year team mate spoke up, Alexander. "Why?" Zander pulled the coach aside to have the conversation he needed to have.

"I was supposed to be bunking with Enrico Pulvich, but they decided I would be better off with a guy from the team. Did you know about that?"

"No, but why are you getting so worked up about it?"

"We've bunked together for 3 years, we're family. He knows me and I know him. I don't like change it affects my swimming."

"It's no big deal... They probably did it to make it easier on the teams."

"If it don't get fixed and fast I'm going back home and spend three weeks with the reason Rick and I are family."

"Zander, talk to me here... What do you mean you're family?"

"His nephew is my son. We're family and I'm missing time with my son to swim. I would at least like to bunk with someone who will get my messages right in the middle of the night and not talk about everything he hears."

"Calm down, I'll get it straight. I take it you don't want folks to know about the boy."

"Not if it can be helped."

"You've always been trouble, Zander, but you're a good swimmer." He went back to the rest of the team. "Alexander, you need to come with me."

"Yes sir." They took the cart over to where Rick was waiting.

"Yep, I guess you're going to fix it now, cause Coach ain't gonna let his best fish go over a bunk."

"It stays the same."

"Hey you. My boy here tells me you're giving him a hard time about his bunk assignment."

"No sir, it's just that orders are orders."

"Well it's for his health, Alexander has decided he don't' want to bunk with Boone, as his coach, I'm backing him up. Put him where Enrico's supposed to be bunking and put Enrico in 103."

"I can't do that sir."

"Son you got two seconds to change it... cause if I loose one point over snoring it's on you."

"Snoring?"

"Yes, Kazander here snores like a chain saw, it'll keep Alexander up and then he won't be able to swim like he should for lack of sleep. Enrico here, well, it don't matter if he gets a good night sleep, he's not on my team."

"Yes sir, we wouldn't' want anyone to be kept up all night."

"That's a good boy. Enrico, take Zander's bag to his room, he's late for practice and owes me ten extra laps for every minute he's late starting now." He glanced at his watch. "Alexander, get your stuff moved and hurry about it. Rick will help you won't you?"

"Yes sir. Anything for the team." Zander pulled off his shirt and pants, then took off across the campus barefoot in his swimsuit.

"Now that's an athlete. Son, don't ever argue with my #1 slot. He always gets his way so long as he's under weight and long lapped, and he knows it."

"Come on Alexander, don't take it personal, it's just he's temperamental at times, but he sure can swim." Rick lugged their bags to their room, then helped the boy pack what little he had unpacked and take it upstairs. 103 was one of the larger rooms the Academy had to offer. They would have plenty of room to work out. Rick started to unpack. By the time Zander returned from practice the place would be like home. First out was a picture of Ryker.

Zander hit the water running. The rest of the team was waiting for the coach, but Zander already owed him laps and wanted to get them out of the way. Besides, he needed a warm up. He hadn't had his full run.

"There goes Kazander Boone, for those of you who don't know him he's our #1 slot for most everything. He's also our remedial coach. Get used to getting no sleep because he don't." One of the other returnees gave commentary. "Time him if you want. You could set your clock by him." Zander swam until the coach called him out.

"OK. Zan, I think you've paid penance for getting your way." Zander pulled himself out of the water and some of the new guys saw his scars for the first time.

"What happened to you?" Zander rolled his eyes and looked at the coach.

"Go ahead, but make it quick...." Zan laughed.

"I was running two years ago and eight guys jumped me and three of my friends. Two of us were knocked out in the first round, but Gypsy and I took all but three of them out. They looked worse than us. This is not too bad. It's healed and I can swim just fine. If you guys like martial arts, come and check out the match next week. Gypsy and I are going to face off. One of us will be #1 for the region when it's over, maybe, last time we fought we tied for first." No the younger ones decided, Zander wasn't someone you bucked, even the coach knew it. "Now, I want to see how you guys are shaping up" they hit the water and between the coach and Zander they had a hard work out.

"Okay, Boone, give me half an hour of laps, then you can go... And mix them up." Zan was back in the water.

"Hey Jim, what do you mean he don't sleep and we won't either?"

"Zander believes in hard practices and harder conditioning. He runs ten miles before every practice and swims thirty minutes longer than anyone. It's not because he needs the practice either. He's not dumb either. He can read any book in the library, including the Greek texts. His GPA is so high no one can hope to catch him. Year before last he missed the last six weeks of school and still made honors. I don't know when he sleeps for real. Oh, he skates every night from after dinner to dark as well. His roommate, Enrico Pulvich, is second in the class. He lettered in track last year. He had his face bashed in during the same fight that gave Boone all those scars. When the coach feels someone is off, they are assigned to Boone. So, my advice is, if you like sleep, stay under weight and don't let your stroke get sloppy."

"He sure is good."

"Yeah, he's got the best style ever seen through here. Have you ever heard of the team called Neptune's Spawn?

"Yeah, they send guys to the Olympics."

"He swam for them before he came here."

"Oh, well, that explains his practice schedule." They sat and watched Zander swim, timing his laps. "Like clock work."

"How did he get them so regular?"

"He told me he turned an egg timer after each lap when he practiced to make himself become consistent. Looks like it worked."

Zander finally pulled himself from the water and toweled off. Then took off at a run to the room.

"Hey Rick, this place looks good. Thanks for unpacking."

"No problem. Dinner is in a few minutes... Are you skating tonight?"

"Don't I always?" He stripped, hopped in the shower and put on a fresh uniform. You had to be in uniform to eat, then he would come back here and change into his play clothes and skate until dark. "Are you joining me?"

"I thought I might."

"Good." Zander kissed him as he finished dressing... "We'll have to have some fun later."

That night, before Rick went back to his won bed, he and Zander made plans for Zander's birthday... He would be 18 day after tomorrow.

"I thought I'd drive out to see you swim, then instead of you riding the bus back with the rest of the team we could go somewhere and party."

"I guess that would be fun. Question is will Coach go for it?" Rick laughed and climbed out of bed....

"If you win... He won't care. Besides, since when did you care?"

"I don't but I don't' want to make the other guys jealous either."

"Sleep well."

"You too."

At five am, the alarm went off and Zander was out the door for his morning run. A few of the other guys who wanted to prove their worth to the coach decided they would hang with Kazander. Coach looked out his window and laughed... Most of them wouldn't be any good come pool time, but they would learn that soon enough on their own. Zander decided to not make it easy for them and pushed himself. He didn't eat breakfast before running, some of them did and were throwing up before they were halfway through. On the backside, Zander passed the kitchens. Having been notified he was on campus, the head cook left his breakfast in the usual place... It was a health drink for energy, quickly digested and light on the stomach. He drank it as he jogged the last half-mile, then paused long enough to strip before diving into the pool. The sun hadn't come up yet and the water was shocking cold, but they hadn't started using the inside pool for practices yet. Three new kids had made it through the entire run with him, but one was so winded he could barely stand. The other two undressed and jumped into the water. Zander ran in his swimsuit, T-shirt, socks, shoes and running shorts, year round. These guys had on sweats and hitting the water gave one cramps so bad he was out before he swam a lap. The other swam about fifteen laps before getting out of the pool, but then the coach was there leading the squad through warm-ups. Zander finished his 1000 meters just as the rest of the team was getting ready to get in. They had a good work out, but Zander left after an hour and a half. A half hour later, the rest of the team was grumbling over Zander's short workout as they all jogged over to the gym for weight training.

"I don't know how it can be fair for him to keep the top slot if he gets shorted practices... even if he does one hell of a warm-up." Some one grumbled.

"Gentlemen," Coach got their attention, "it has been brought to my attention some of you don't understand why Boone gets a shorter swim than you guys.... well, here's why." Coach pulled back the curtain separating the viewing area from the practice room. Zander was in whites working out with his Sensei and trainer. He was sweating and smiling, but moving with lightening speed. He just completed a jump kick that took him a couple feet off the floor and landed it correctly. "Well, let's get busy..." And they worked out for an hour when Zan came out and began his weight training. Once classes started he would do this later in the day, but for now, he wanted to get it over with. He started pushups, but was soon stopped by his trainer.

"No, you do like this." He moved his arm and spread his feet. "Count sixty on each arm, switch each twenty."

"Yes, sensi." The exchange took place in Japanese. Zander did as bid and counted out in Japanese. The guys on the swim team did not envy Zander any longer... They only had thirty and the easy way. When he was finished, he went over to a funny looking machine, his ankles were clamped in, then he was hung by them, head down. It was how he did his sit ups.

"Any one want to try that thing?" Coach asked the team and heads shook all over. "Good, it's a bear." It wasn't too much longer before Zan was finished with his work out.

"Sensi, are we finished for the day?"

"Yes, tiger, but run 25 kilometers later, and skating them don't count."

"Yes, sensi." Then switching to English, "Coach, am I free to go?"

"Give me 100 laps later and you can go for now."

"Yes sir." He bowed to his sensi and then to his coach and took off to his bunk. Geez he was tired. Rick was up, had his morning run, as sit down breakfast and was catching up on his assigned summer reading.

"Hey you work out hard enough?"

"I want a shower, and my bed for an hour or so."

"How about a shower then a quick back rub, and we go into town for some fun?" Rick pulled out some of Gypsy's ointments... "Remember this?"

"How did you convince him to part with it?"

"It wasn't hard, just time consuming."

"Okay I'm game." They changed into their incognito outfits... Well-worn jeans and soft-soled boots. But that's where the similarity ended. Rick had on a spandex tank shirt that fit like a second skin with a loose silk over shirt that was open to his pants and gold hoop ear rings in both ears. Zander wore the same tank in electric blue, but added a braided choker that Gypsy gave him and put enough blue hair gel on his hair to make it stand straight up on top. He took a couple seconds and painted the teardrop under his left eye and lay on the eye liner to give him thick black lines around his eyes, then completed the look with three studs in his left hear and a pair of silver hoops in the right.

"Geez, you wouldn't think we were Cadets by looking at us." They laughed as Rick opened the door, to see Coach getting ready to knock.

"Well, looks like I caught you just in time." Zan looked at Rick and grinned. "Where do you think you're headed?" Coach stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.

"Sir, tomorrow is my birthday, we were going out on the town tonight for a little while."

"Birthday huh? Nineteen?"

"No sir, eighteen." He laughed.

"I see you didn't want to be mistaken for cadets. Were you planning on getting laid, then?"

"No sir, I'm committed to a relationship." Zan blushed.

"Ah, the son." Coach looked over and saw the picture of Ryker. "This him?"

"Yes, sir, and his mother."

"Well, I was going to impose a curfew on my team, but I think I'll wait and see how you guys perform without one. Why don't you just meet us in the morning at the arena."

"Sir?" Zander couldn't believe his ears... Then the coach pulled out his wallet.

"Have a good time, but get to sleep early... this should cover a hotel room, and no sex. It's bad for you before a meet."

"But sir, we already...."

"I know what you said, and I know there's more to your relationship than meets the eye. Enjoy!" He let himself out of the room. Zan and Rick burst into laughter as he left. Then they packed a little bag between them and they were off. As seniors, they were allowed to have a car on campus, but they were still supposed to only go off campus either in uniform or at the very minimum, collared shirts. They way they were dressed was definitely not allowed, but since when did that stop them?

They ate lunch in a bar and had fun until way after dark. Rick looked at his watch and it was 2350 hours. "Zan, what time is your meet tomorrow?"

"1500 why?"

"Cause you got 10 minutes until your birthday."

"Kewl." Rick wandered off to play some tunes on the jukebox, however, when he looked back over at Zan there was a strange man sitting at their table. Curious, he started over, but a girl grabbed him and pulled him to the dance floor.

"Kazander?" Zan looked up... he hadn't been drinking, but no one here should know his name.

"Maybe."

"You are he, I see the ear ring." Zan looked him in the eye.

"I'm wearing several ear rings... Which do you see?"

"The one that matches this." He pulled out a ring. It had a huge moonstone and the word spirit engraved in the silver around the stone. "It will fit you here." The man slipped it on his right hand, third finger. It fit perfectly.

"I don't know what to say. Thank you."

"Face adversity with courage and be not afraid of death. Live life for the love of living it." Zander nodded and glanced to the dance floor to find Rick, when he looked back the man was no longer there. He stood up and went to Rick.

"Excuse me miss, you're dancing with my date." She looked shocked. "Rick I think we should go. I'm tired and I do have to swim today."

"Sure buddy." They made their way out tot he car, then to the hotel. They had secured the room earlier. Zander fell into the bed totally exhausted. "What's up with you?"

"I'm just really tired. I swear I just imagined a man giving me a ring."

"Like the one on your finger?" Zander looked at his hand.

"Yeah, exactly like that. Wow."

"Maybe you should sleep." They undressed and curled up in the double bed together. That night Zander had some strange dreams, but he slept better than he ever had before. He was up early enough to eat before getting ready for the meet. His reddish blond hair kept a blue tint, but he didn't care. An hour before the meet he started his warm up, then ran five miles to the arena, with Rick driving ahead. The rest of the team was already there and weighed in. Zander stripped and weighed in, two pounds under as always. He went with the rest of the team to the benches... Then he heard it...

"'wim, daddy, 'wim. See momma! 'Ipsy! Daddy 'wim!" He couldn't help but to laugh. How was he going to hide that boy from the team. Coach heard it too, as did the team.

"Kazander?" Coach asked, he just nodded affirmation, chuckling. Then the meet began and when Zan hit the water the entire team could hear Ryker.

"Go, daddy, go 'wim." Zan won his first event and laughed as he heard Ryker, "My daddy win!" He toweled off and went over to Ryker.

"I love you too little guy." And gave him a hug, then kissed Lura before heading back over to the bench.

"I thought you didn't' want the guys to know about him."

"How could they not the way he was yelling?" Zan chuckled. "Besides why should I be ashamed? He's my son." Coach nodded. This kid was committed to a lot more than he let on or that he knew about. They won the meet, and after he got dressed Zander took Ryker to meet the guys before they got on the bus to go back to campus.

"Enjoy your birthday Boone, you're excused from practice in the am, but I expect you to do your laps sometime tomorrow, and loose the blue hair."

"Thanks coach." They spent the entire day together, the seven of them, and the night... And in the morning Rick and Zan went back to campus, promising to come home for Thanksgiving.