Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2003 09:21:24 -0400
From: John Ellison <paradegi@rogers.com>
Subject: The Boys of Aurora - Chapter 19

Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons
alive or dead is coincidental. The venue is fictional and any resemblance
to actual bases, locations, is coincidental.

This story takes place in 1976 Canada and reflects the mores, traditions,
customs, etc., of the times. I urge all of those who read this story to
remember that what is "politically correct" today, was not thought of back
then. If you are Lib-Left, politically correct and have jumped on the
bandwagons of whatever causes are the fads of the month, please do not
continue past this point. This also applies the so-called "Religious" Right
and "Moral" Majority. I respectfully remind you that the "Good Book" also
contains proscriptions, restrictions, do's and don'ts that I don't see or
hear any of you thumping bibles about. Write me, I'll be glad to give you
some excellent web sites. To all the anti-this and anti-that, Bible
Thumpers, Libertarians and the ACLU, the bankrupt and increasingly
irrelevant United Nations, please do not send me e-mails espousing whatever
cause you're touting. I have no time for claptrap.

As this work contains scenes of explicit sexual acts of a homosexual
nature, if such erotica offends you, please move on to a tamer site. If
your mainstay in life is Bible-thumping cant, please move on. If you are
not of legal age to read, possess or download writings of an erotic nature,
or if possession, reading, etc., is illegal where you live, please move on.

This story is written in an age without worry, and as such unprotected sex
is practiced exclusively. I urge all of you to NEVER engage in sexual acts
without proper protection. The life you save will be your own.

I will respond to all e-mails (except flames). Please write me at my e-mail
address: paradegi@rogers.com


The Boys Of Aurora: Chapter 19


The Phantom continued working until the bugle sounded Stand Easy. He put
away his notes and stood up, stretched, and went into the galley. As usual
the Litany and the Brats had disappeared with the speed of light the second
the first notes of the bugle call sounded, the Litany to the canteen, Randy
and Joey to the lounge where they would pet and fondle each other until
another bugle call summoned them back to work. Smiling at the rampant
horniness of the two young boys The Phantom wandered out to the loading
dock for a smoke. He found Ray, who was idly dangling his feet over the end
of the dock. At the first sound of the Phantom's step Ray turned and
beckoned for The Phantom to come alongside.

The Phantom sat down and almost immediately Ray turned and gave him a quick
peck on his cheek. "Hey, what was that for?" asked The Phantom.

"Yesterday," replied Ray with a grin. "And for helping me understand about
me, and for a lot of things."

"You'd better be careful and not let Kevin catch you doing that," replied
The Phantom. He laughed softly. "He might not approve at all!"

Ray chuckled and smiled. "Kevin is fine with us. He knows what happened."

"He does?" The Phantom stared wide-eyed and surprised at the young
cook. "You told him about us, about what happened?"

Ray nodded. "Yes. I told him how I felt, and how you felt. We talked about
how him and I feel about each other. He loves me and I . . . care for him
deeply. We agreed that we were meant to be together. So he's happy. I'm
happy." He gave The Phantom a nudge in the ribs with his elbow. "And is my
very wonderful young friend happy?"

The Phantom smiled slowly. "Yeah, Ray. Very happy."

Ray cocked his head. "You told The Gunner?"

"I told him everything, Ray," replied The Phantom with a tight look. "It
was difficult, and I thought he'd blow a gasket but, yes, I told him
everything. We have no secrets now."

Ray's eyes widened. "Wow!" He lowered his voice. "You told him about me,
and, um, the others?"

"Everything," confirmed The Phantom. He looked at Ray and smiled. "He says
that you're his only rival. He was really pissed off about the other guys
but he calmed down and we talked about everything. I feel a lot better that
I don't have to lie to him."

"Good," said Ray with a firm nod of his head. "I couldn't lie to Kevin,
either, so I told him exactly what happened yesterday, including that we
ended up in bed. He didn't get too angry, and he still wants me to meet him
on the Labour Day Weekend."

"Are you going to meet him?" asked The Phantom, remembering his
conversation, and advice, when Kevin began his wooing of Ray.

"Damn straight!" Ray giggled. "It beats staying home and listening to my
parents bemoaning the lack of Christianity in the labour movement - they're
all Communists, according to them - or listening to my brother complaining
about how hard done by he is at the seminary, or watching my little brother
trying to hide his boners!"

"Ray!"

Seeing the shocked looked on The Phantom's face, Ray snickered and gave him
a hug. "I'm only joking, Phantom." His brows wrinkled. "Well, not really."

"Which means?"

"Oh, Phantom, I want to be with Kevin, I really do. Even if things were
aces at home I'd still want to be with him. My problem is figuring out a
way to get out of Hell House and be with him!"

"It can't be that bad, Ray," said The Phantom kindly. He knew that Ray came
from a family of strict religious fundamentalists.

Ray sighed and grimaced. "Phantom, you have no idea what it's like to
prayed over every fucking day! You have no idea what it's like to have your
every move watched, having to account for every minute that I'm out of the
house!"

"Jesus. My parents let me come and go as I please."

"Mine don't!" Ray's face hardened. "I hate them, Phantom."

"You can't mean that," replied The Phantom, appalled. He loved his parents
dearly and the idea that anyone could hate his parents was foreign to him.

"I do!" said Ray heatedly. "I hate them because they are constantly shoving
their religious crap down my throat! I have no freedom. None! I can't look
the wrong way without my mother, or my father, and now Tommy, quoting some
bible verse at me!"

"Tommy?"

"My older brother. He's going to be a minister in our church. He goes to a
seminary run by the church. He's studying how to scare the Devil out of
little boys and the pension cheques out of little old ladies. He's a total
asshole!"  With a brother like Brendan, The Phantom could sympathize. "He's
that bad?"

Ray nodded his head. "He's the reason I joined the Sea Cadets and the
reason why I go away to camp every year. Tommy is so fucking holier than
thou, that it's sickening. He's engaged to be married to a real
honker. She's a bishop's daughter and uglier than sin!" He giggled. "Tommy
is saving himself for marriage, so he doesn't beat off. He's 23 and he has
never beat off!"

"You're kidding!"

Ray shook his head. "Nope. He's never beaten off. He has wet dreams, which
he says is God's way of cleansing the body of evil thoughts. Every time he
has one he runs off to the church and prays for forgiveness. Christ, he's
pathetic."

"My brother, Brendan? He used to beat off every night," confided The
Phantom. "The first time I heard him doing it I thought he was having some
sort of an attack! The noise he was making was terrible!"

Ray's eyes widened. "You heard him?"

"Sure, our rooms are right next to each other. Saw him, too."

"Phantom, you didn't!"

The Phantom grinned mischievously. "Like I said, he was making this racket
so I went and peeked into his room. He was buck naked and pounding away so
I watched. I was ten."

"You're lucky he didn't catch you spying on him," returned Ray. "I'd've of
killed you!"

The Phantom laughed. "Well, he wanted to after I told my Dad all about
seeing him doing strange things with his dick. Boy, was Brendan mad!"

Ray joined in The Phantom's laughter. "You actually told on him? Did your
dad freak?"

"Naw. He told me that it was something that all boys did sooner or later
and that I'd be doing it soon enough. He did give me shit for spying on
Brendan. Then he gave Brendan shit for jerking off and not locking his
bedroom door."

"Phantom, you amaze me sometimes," said Ray. "Your dad amazes me. My dad
would take out his belt and Bible if he ever caught any of us beating off!
As far as he's concerned the only sex allowed is between a man and a woman,
and they have to be married." His face clouded. "I'm going to have to have
a talk with Jeffy when I get home."

"Another brother?"

Ray nodded. "My younger brother. We share a room so I know that he's been
slapping the monkey. Also, he'll be sitting there, watching television, and
he'll start squirming and get all red in the face. He pops bone at the
damnedest times." He chuckled. "But then, he's only 11, so I guess that's
normal. He can't help it so . . ."

"Who can't help what?" came a voice.

They turned and saw Kevin, changed into work dress, coming onto the loading
dock. He sat down on the other side of Ray, took him in his arms and kissed
him passionately. "Now that is what I've wanted to do all morning!" He
smiled and kissed Ray again. "Gosh, I missed you!"

"You saw him this morning," said The Phantom dryly. "What's the matter,
didn't get enough last night?"

"Didn't get any last night!" returned Kevin indignantly.

"Chef stayed over," explained Ray.

"So, how about you and me going to the lounge and . . ." began Kevin
hopefully.

Ray pushed his lover away. "Not a hope! I have work to do and you have a
Dinner to set up!" He grinned lasciviously. "Besides, we'd have to bounce
Randy and Joey out!"

Kevin grinned his killer grin and raised his eyes. "Jesus, don't those two
ever stop?"

"They're growing boys. They need their sex," replied Ray with a laugh.

"You two are too much," exclaimed The Phantom, pretending to be
disgusted. "There's more to life than a roll in the hay!"

"True," replied Kevin. He gave Ray a huge hug. "But, boy oh boy, I can't
think of anything else with this guy around."

Ray gave an impatient shrug. "Knock it off, Kevin. We're in public!"

"No we're not," returned Kevin with a grin. "We're sitting on a loading
dock with Phantom" He gave Ray's neck a quick nuzzle. "Come on, Ray, just a
little bit of the old . . ."

Ray pulled away and glared at Kevin. "Damn, when I say no, I mean no! I
love you, you big fool, but sometimes you just push the wrong buttons!"

"Boys, don't fight!" The Phantom grinned at both Ray and Kevin. Ray's
conservative upbringing was showing. "You remind me of my brother!"

"We do?" Ray looked at Kevin, who grinned and licked his lips. Ray grimaced
in disgust. What a horny bugger!

"Yeah, him and me, we used to fight all the time. He knew just what buttons
to push to set me off." The Phantom shook his head. "He resented me, I
think, because he was cock of the walk for five years or so, and then I
came along."

"Tell me about it," said Kevin with a groan. "It was bad enough with Kieran
and Connor, then Collins came along. Christ, the way my parents acted you'd
think it was the Second Coming!"

"Little brothers can be a pain," opined Ray. "Jeffy's not too bad,
really. At least there's hope for him. He likes to peek through the keyhole
when I'm taking a piss."

Kevin giggled. "Big brothers are the worst! They are always on my case."

The Phantom agreed enthusiastically. "I could never please Brendan. I was a
dork as far as he was concerned. Hell, he even ragged me about the size of
my dick! He said it was too little and made fun of me every chance he got!"

"I'm safe in that particular department," bragged Kevin, flashing his
perfect white teeth. "Neither Kieran or Connor have anything to write home
about."

"As if you'd know," replied Ray with a sniff. "What do they do, go around
naked, which wouldn't surprise me."

"Naw, they're just a couple of sex fiends," said Kevin, totally
unfazed. "They're total perverts. If they're not screwing some member of
the Kennel Club they've picked up, they're licking each other. They're a
couple of complete horn dogs."

"Kevin!"

"It's true, Ray. They sleep in a double bed, in my room. Collins has his
own room, which is good because they'd be after him just like they were
after me!" He grinned and grabbed his crotch.  "They'd both like to put a
lip lock on the Kevin, but whenever I see the look in their eyes I become
the fastest animal known to man."

"What's that?" asked The Phantom.

"An altar boy on roller skates with a priest chasing him," hooted Kevin.

"That's disgusting!" returned Ray.

"You've never been an altar boy," replied Kevin dryly. "It wouldn't be
disgusting then!"

"Have you?" asked The Phantom.

Kevin shuddered and shook his head. "Nope. I managed to avoid that
particular fate. I figured that I had enough trouble keeping my brothers
out of my drawers, so I passed."

"You have a very strange family," opined Ray gravely.

"I do indeed," agreed Kevin. He thought a moment. "It wouldn't be so bad if
they'd just admit that they like sucking each other's dick. I mean they try
to be the biggest jocks on the block!  They go out with girls and try to
score. They drink beer, and every Sunday it's football on the
television. They're always bragging about how big their big dicks are,
which aren't. They pretend to be these two big, macho, straight guys and
then they go to bed and the next thing I know its sex city. Shit, I have my
own porno flick in my bedroom every night!"

"So that's where you learned how to . . ." began Ray with a grin.

"I just watched, Ray," replied Kevin emphatically. "Until I met you all I
ever did was watch." He sighed theatrically. "Except for Adam. All we ever
did was jack off together, so that doesn't count." He rolled his eyes. "All
around me guys were getting off together and I just watched!" Then he
laughed and gave Ray a quick peck on the cheek. "Then I met Ray!"

"I didn't teach you some of your tricks," returned Ray hotly. "Hell, the
most I ever did before you came along was . . ." He shut up abruptly. Kevin
did not know all the details of his relationship with Phantom and he did
not want him to know. "Anyway, you can't tell me that all you did was watch
your brothers."

Kevin made a face. "Them, and Chad and Nick. Now that was a show to
remember."

"Chad? Nick?" The Phantom looked at Ray, who snickered and nodded.

"Hell, yes," replied Kevin firmly with a huge grin. "They've been fuck
buddies since forever."

"Hardly forever," said The Phantom.

"Well, ever since they discovered that your dick is more than something to
piss out of. Chad's been making Nick very happy for years."

"He has?" asked The Phantom, surprised. "And where is Nick? He's supposed
to be here."

Kevin winked at Ray, who giggled. "The last time I saw him he was ranting
at Chad. Nick is a very upset little man," replied Kevin, returning Ray's
giggle. "Very unhappy."

"Why are you two giggling like a couple of schoolgirls?" demanded The
Phantom.

"Chad and Nick!" replied Ray, barely able to contain his giggling. He
nudged Kevin. "Go ahead, Kevin, tell Phantom about Chad and Nick," he
managed to say through his giggling. "He looks like he could use a laugh!"

Before The Phantom could reply a huge grin broke Kevin's square-jawed
face. He laughed and returned Ray's nudge with his elbow. "I don't know if
Phantom can handle it, being a country boy. It's pretty kinky."

"I am not a country boy!" huffed The Phantom, giving both boys a sour
look. "And believe me, after working two years in this place kinky is
almost a way of life!"

This remark was greeted with more gales of laughter. The Phantom's face
turned beet red but before he could explode Kevin held up his hand. "I'll
tell you, Phantom, why Nick was all bent out of shape this morning but just
remember what I said."

"At which time I suppose I'll see the humour in all this?" The Phantom gave
Kevin a stern look.  "We are supposed to be serving tonight, remember? If
Nick can't do his job than I have to make other arrangements." The Phantom
had no idea what Kevin, and Ray, found so funny in whatever arrangement
there was between Chad and Nick. He really didn't care all that much. He
was not given to gossip and frankly didn't care if the two stewards fucked
each other or the Ship's cat. His main concern was that both Chad and Nick
would perform well tonight. Whatever problem they had, and the underlying
reason for that problem, could not be allowed to impact on their
performance tonight. He told Kevin as much.

Kevin, still grinning, waved his hand dismissively. "You worry too much,
Phantom. They'll be all right." He was struck by a barely controlled fit of
giggling. "Chad will give Nick a quick blowjob and all will be well."

"I hope Nick brought his dildo," put in Ray.

"WHAT?" The Phantom almost fell off of the loading dock when that remark
registered.

"It's a long story, Phantom," said Kevin. He managed to control himself and
continued on. "First, you have to know that Chad is gay."

"He is?"

Kevin nodded. "He's the toast of Haliburton, I hear. The cadets of RCSCC
BEATTY are the happiest boys in Ontario with Chad around."

"KEVIN!" exploded The Phantom, shock registering on his face.

Well, they are, Phantom," returned Kevin. He stifled another fit of
laughter and hugged himself.  "Chad is not all that discreet and he admits
he's gay."

"Is that what got Nick going?" asked The Phantom, intrigued. Other than the
Twins, he knew of no other openly gay boy.

Ray shook with silent laughter, as he said, "Not hardly!"

The Phantom glared at Ray and then at Kevin. "What happened? Chad not want
to put out for Nick?"

Ray roared with laughter. "That too!"

"That did it!" The Phantom roared at Ray. "I have more important things to
do than sit around here and listen to you two playing at being a couple of
fishwives." He stood up and was about to stomp angrily into the Mess Hall
when Kevin stopped him.

"Sit down, Phantom," asked Kevin. "And Ray, shut up."

"I'll try," replied Ray, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I just can't help
breaking up whenever you start on Nick and Chad."

"Well, try to control yourself," ordered Kevin as he waved The Phantom back
to his seat. When The Phantom was once again sitting down, Kevin fought
back a grin and looked at him. He tried to keep a straight face. "Chad is
gay. Nick pretends not to be, and uses Chad whenever they get together,
which is four or five times a year."

"Uses Chad?" asked The Phantom, even more confused. "Fucks around with him
you mean."

"That too," replied Kevin, nodding his head. "Only not the way you think."

The Phantom growled in exasperation. He was getting completely fed up with
Kevin's little game. He managed, however, to control himself. "Kevin, I do
not care if Chad is fucking Nick, or Nick is fucking Chad. It's their
business. What I do care about is one of them fucking up my service
tonight. Now, if you have something to tell me, fine. If not . . ."

"Anson came into the Mess yesterday morning," began Kevin calmly. "He tried
to wake Chad up. Chad was morning Quartermaster but he didn't want to go on
watch."

"Okay, but I still don't see what Anson has to do with Chad and Nick . . ."

"Well, if you'd let me finish," returned Kevin sternly, "you'll find out."

"Fine!" The Phantom threw his hands in the air. "Anson came into the
mess. Then what happened?"

"Like I said, Chad didn't want to go on watch so he gave Anson a blowjob,"
replied Kevin blandly, as if Chad blowing Anson was a common occurrence and
of little or no consequence.  "Anson stood Chad's Watch. Then they went
sailing."

"Sailing! Chad showed Anson a new way to steer a whaler," hooted Ray. Then
he and Kevin collapsed in a fit of giggling.

The Phantom waited impatiently for the giggling to subside. "Since Ray
seems to know all about Chad and Nick, perhaps he'd like to continue?" he
asked coldly.

Ray waved away The Phantom's remark. "No, Kevin tells it better."

Kevin snuggled close to Ray and grinned again. "Okay, here goes," he said
to The Phantom. He looked at Ray. "And you, no giggling, please." Ray
nodded, and giggled anyway. Kevin shook his head and continued
on. "Phantom, before Chad moved to Haliburton, and before Nick's people
bought the houseboat they live in now, they lived next door to each other
in Gananoque. Nick was born a day before Chad and both their parents are
real good friends so they've basically been raised together. Chad told me
that when they were little they used to take baths together."

"Eliminates peeking through the keyhole of the bathroom door," said Ray
with a smile.

"Shut up, Ray!" both The Phantom and Kevin said together. The Phantom
motioned for Kevin to continue.

"Anyway, as they got older Chad realized that he was gay." Kevin
shrugged. "He's quite open about it and never hides the fact. His parents
aren't too happy about it, but they've learned to live with him being gay."

"And Nick. Is he gay?" The Phantom did not know Nick all that well, and
what he had seen so far had not led him to believe that Nick was one of the
brotherhood.

Kevin shrugged. "He says he isn't, and he puts on this big straight boy
act. He's always putting the moves on the girls. Personally, after seeing
him and Chad in action I have my doubts."

"You've seen him and Chad?" The Phantom's jaw dropped. "What do they do,
charge admission?"

Kevin smiled and shook his head. "They didn't know that I was watching." He
snickered and continued on. "Mind you, from what I saw, they should charge
admission. It was quite a show. Made me pooch out the front of my undies!"

Ray, for once, said nothing. He put his hand over his mouth and rolled his
eyes, shaking with silent laughter.

"Chad and Nick have been fuck buddies for years," said Kevin, continuing
his story. "Chad still comes into Gananoque for the holidays. His mother's
parents live there, and he goes down to the houseboat and him and Nick get
it on."

"Which is where you saw them?"

"Yes, Phantom, which is where I saw them," replied Kevin slowly. He shook
his head again and, despite himself, giggled. "I was there last year, for a
regatta. So was Chad. Nick's father is Chairman of the Navy League in
Gananoque so Chad and me didn't have to sleep on the floor of the gymnasium
at RMC. We stayed at Nick's place, which is where I saw him and Chad going
at it. Later Chad filled me in on some of the details."

"Convenient," sniped The Phantom.

"Come on, Phantom, Chad has to talk to somebody," replied Kevin
reasonably. "Ray and I talk to you because you understand. Chad talks to me
because I'm not after his hoop, or his ring." He paused and looked
thoughtful. "How would you like it if the man you're sleeping with only
sleeps with you to get off? Only uses you?"  "I wouldn't," answered The
Phantom honestly.

"Well, neither does Chad. Look, he's gay, and he likes being gay, and he
likes Nick. He was the first guy that Chad ever fooled around with. Chad
does everything Nick's way and I guess he just got fed up with it."

"Not to mention not letting Chad fuck him, and using a dildo!" Ray looked
positively indignant. "That's a turn off and an insult, Kevin."

"What is he talking about?" The Phantom looked at Ray in a new
light. Whatever did he know about dildos?

"Yeah, it is," agreed Kevin. He gave Ray another hug. "I've never used one
and frankly, I prefer the real thing." He returned to his story. "According
to Chad, Nick uses a phoney dick to beat off. He does it all the time,
according to Chad. He does let Chad fuck him, but he has to wear a rubber,
and he's not allowed to shoot into Nick's ass."

"Because that would be queer, right?" The Phantom was finally seeing what
Chad had to put up with.

"Got it in one, Phantom." Kevin sobered. "Chad is a nice guy. He likes
turning guys on, and he turns Nick on. What pisses Chad off is that he has
to pretend to seduce Nick. What also pisses him off is that Nick wants to
be seduced but Chad has to go through this silly little routine. Chad has
to bring Nick some fist books, and they always start out with them sitting
side by each, reading the damned things. Nick pretends to be reading the
book and he gets hard, and then Chad is allowed to go to work on him. They
always end up naked, with Chad sucking on Nick.  Then Chad is allowed to
fuck Nick for a while, but he has to wear a rubber. The first time they did
it Chad didn't wear one - I don't think they knew what a rubber was!
Anyway, Chad shot his load into Nick's butt, which pissed Nick off for a
year!"

"Because only queers fuck each other in the ass," said The Phantom with a
sad smile. "And of course, Nick isn't gay."

Kevin nodded. "He's just a straight guy who likes getting fucked and
sticking a rubber dildo up his ass." He looked disgusted. "In the end Chad
blows Nick while fucking him with a dildo.  When Nick's finished Chad has
to go to a neutral corner and beat off. When he's finished Nick compliments
him on the size of his load and then adds insult to injury."

"How so?"

"He always thanks Chad for the books, and then orders him not to tell the
girls, ever!" finished Kevin. "

"Poor Chad," murmured Ray.

The Phantom looked at Ray and shook his head. "Poor the both them," he said
firmly.

"How so?" asked Kevin, a look of surprise on his face. "Chad gets what he
wants, and Nick certainly gets what he wants."

The Phantom snorted in disgust. "No, they don't. Chad lets Nick use him,
use his body. For doing that, Chad is a fool and fucking Anson won't change
things a bit. Nick is a fool because he won't admit to himself, or Chad,
that he likes what they do, that he enjoys what they do, that he wants what
they do!"

"That's damned harsh," protested Ray. "Chad can't help it if he's gay!"

"I never said anything about Chad being gay!" returned The Phantom. "I said
he was a fool, and he is. Kevin, you said that Chad's Corps is the happiest
in the country?" Kevin nodded. "Chad blows, or fucks the guys, makes
everybody happy?" Again Kevin nodded. The Phantom rolled his eyes. "Kevin,
think on it for one minute. Ray is quite right in saying that Chad cannot
help being gay.  He can no more help being gay that you can, or Ray can or
I can. What is, is."

"But?" Ray raised an eyebrow.

The Phantom made a face and shook his head. "Chad is playing with fire, and
I mean fire! Okay, he likes dick! So do you, and Ray, and so do I. The
'but' here is, we don't go around putting the moves on everything with
something swinging between his legs! Chad does! Sooner or later he's going
to run into a Paul Greene, or a Roger Home, or worse, and then God help
him! This time he got lucky. Anson let Chad blow him, and Anson, for
whatever reason, went sailing with him and, I assume, they did a few other
things. But what is going to happen when Chad meets up with a guy who
doesn't want what he has to offer, and turns mean? Beats him up? Or maybe
even kills him!"

"I see what you mean, Phantom," agreed Kevin. "Chad shouldn't do what he
does. He should be more discreet."

The Phantom nodded. "Chad might think that he's doing his friends a favour
by blowing them, or letting them fuck him. He's not. All he's doing is
getting a reputation as a slut, and sooner or later the guys who are doing
him, and who want more, will find other outlets, other guys who don't want
it broadcast all over town that they're into dick!"

"Like the steam baths," replied Kevin.

Ray gave Kevin a puzzled look. "What's a steam bath?"

Kevin chuckled. "It's a bathhouse with a steam room," he explained with a
grin. "And a whole lot of private rooms for guys to meet."

A hard look came into Ray's eyes. He had a fairly good idea what went on in
the private rooms. "And just how do you know?" His voice had an icy edge.

Kevin snickered and made a face. "I know, love of my life, not through
experience, but by listening to two horny older brothers who thought that I
was asleep."

Ray gasped. "Your brothers go to places like that?" He was shocked. Ottawa,
a most provincial government town, had nothing that even approached a steam
bath.

"Sure," replied Kevin without emotion. "There's a couple of places in
Toronto that Kieran and Connor go to if they don't score with the chicks
when they go to over to Toronto for a ball game, or just for some
action. From what I heard they go in, they have a steam, and then they hook
up with some guy. It's all anonymous. Nobody knows anybody. When they're
finished, they put on their clothes and come home." He laughed quietly. "I
always know when they've been to the baths. They don't wake me up in the
middle of the night, grunting and moaning."

The Phantom shook his head and smiled. "We don't have a bath house, but
there's a place that everybody knows about." He pointed southward down the
bay with his chin. "It's called Harkness Bay. According to my father the
gays go there and frolic."

Ray snickered. "Frolic?" He began laughing and his eyes sparkled with
glee. "Frolic?"

"You know what I mean!" The Phantom saw the humour in what he had said and
joined Ray, and Kevin, in the laughter. "Hell and sheeit, Ray, what else do
you want me to call it?"

"Frolicking is good, Phantom," said Kevin. "I love frolicking!"

"Beats saying they're fucking," opined Ray, although he did frown at
Kevin's remark about "loving frolicking." There were certain things, in
Ray's opinion, that should never be talked about in public, even with a
close friend. He also had another pet peeve.  "I really don't care for the
term fucking at all." Ray's primness caused the other two boys to break
into more peals of laughter. Ray was not amused. He sniffed and
grimaced. "I do not fuck and I do not frolic! I happen to think that I'm
making love."

When the Phantom regained control he nodded his head. "Which is the way
it's supposed to be, Ray. When you and Kevin are together, you make
love. You care for each other." A sober look came over his face. "Gay men,
and boys, any who have any sense, know what can happen to them if they're
found out. They have few choices when it comes to sex. They either do
without, they find a quiet friend, or they go someplace where no names are
required."

Ray thought about that and then looked at The Phantom. "Phantom, Chad is
too young to go into places like that," he said reasonably. "As for making
out with the other guys, well what is so different from him doing that and
the guys sniffing around the girls?"

"One is accepted, the other is not," replied The Phantom coolly. "It is
quite accepted for guys to try to put the make on girls. That's supposed to
be 'natural'. Chad is like every other gay boy. He wants to have sex, which
I can understand. He wants to have sex with another boy. It is a perfectly
natural thing for him to want. That is not the problem."

"The problem is that he's spreading it all around," said Kevin quietly. He
sighed and regarded Ray. "He's only going to end up with a social disease
or . . . dead."

"I know," replied Ray. "I still feel sorry for him."

"We all do," said The Phantom. "We should also feel sorry for Nick. He's
going to have a horrible life." Ray's and Kevin's heads jerked up. "Chad is
gay. He admits it and, rightly or wrongly, is open about it." He looked at
each boy in turn. "Nick, on the other hand, enjoys, wants, and needs, boy
with boy sex. He denies it, makes a game of it. What he cannot admit is his
true, real self. He'll go on with his life, probably get married, and so
on. Sadly, he'll still be Nick and he'll still have that need. He will
still want and need a Chad in his life. He'll live his life like that,
afraid to give in to his needs, and he'll be miserable. He'll have this
secret he can't tell anybody about, or act on."

"He can always find a bath house, or a Harkness Bay," said Ray gravely.

"Yes, he can," replied The Phantom, shaking his head. "But then he runs the
risk of being caught if the police raid the bath house. The Comox police
sweep Harkness Bay every so often. When they arrest someone there the cops
always tell the newspapers and the guy's name is published. I don't think
that Nick would run the risk."

"So he finds another Chad," interjected Kevin.

"Perhaps," said The Phantom slowly. "Perhaps not. My guess is, not." He
gestured emphatically.  "You, me, we are all of us victims of circumstance
in that we are expected to conform to what society, our parents, the people
we know, expect us to be. We are expected to grow up and become good little
boys, get married, have kids, and die." He smiled cynically. "That's
perhaps an oversimplification, but basically that is what we are all
expected to do!"

"And if we don't, we're freaks," said Kevin. "I know for a proven fact that
Kieran and Connor have been doing each other for years. They go to the
bathhouses and have sex with strangers.  That's their business and it's a
deep, dark secret. In public they're two jocks who nobody dreams would be
interested in each other, or in other guys." He shook his head. "They will
do anything to keep their secret safe. Which means Kieran will get
married. So will Connor"

Ray's face hardened. "And either live a secret, double life, or never have
sex with a guy again and suffer. Good!"

"Ray, how can you say that?" asked The Phantom, flabbergasted at Ray's
hardness, his utter lack of sympathy.

"I can't feel sorry for people like that, Phantom," replied Ray evenly. "I
can live with a guy being gay, in going to the steam baths, or Harkness
Bay. I can live with Chad blowing every bone in a fifty-mile radius of
Haliburton. Right or wrong, that's his business. What I can't, and won't
agree with is people like Nick, or Kieran, or Connor, or every other gay
who allows himself to be forced into something, like marriage, when he
knows it's wrong, that he knows it will cause hurt and pain to innocents."
He squared his shoulders. "If you want to be gay, be gay! If you want to be
straight, be straight! But dammit, don't try to play both sides of the
street."

"Sometimes we have no choice," said The Phantom. "Let's be realistic,
here. We can't be openly gay. Society won't allow it. You know what would
happen if you came out, Ray. We have to live in the shadows, to pretend to
be something we're not."

"And we're miserable," retorted Ray. "We live in fear, afraid that someone
will find out about us.  We allow other people to dictate how we live our
lives. I allow my parents to dictate who and what I will be. That is going
to end and I really don't give a fuck what they think or do when I tell
them to take a hike. Phantom, I will not be tyrannized by my parents, or
the Little Big Men of this world. Not any more, not after what you did,
Phantom. I will not allow it! I will not allow it!"  He pounded his thigh
and then burst into tears.

"Holy, Jesus!" Kevin's strong arms enveloped the weeping boy. He murmured
softly into Ray's ear, and then looked at The Phantom, begging for help,
begging for an explanation.

The Phantom reached out and his hand slowly caressed Ray's tear-streaked
cheek. "My poor, sweet Ray."

Ray shook off Kevin's embrace. He straightened and wiped the tears from his
eyes. "I don't want to live like some fugitive, Phantom! I don't want to be
afraid of who I am!" His eyes were steady and piercing as he looked
directly at The Phantom. "I'm going to start fighting back, just like you
did, Phantom, just like you . . ." He smiled slowly, and shook his head
with the barest of shakes.  He would not betray their secret. He turned to
Kevin and reached up and stroked his cheek, feeling the rough bristles of
Kevin's beard. "I'm falling in love with you, fool." Ray smiled wistfully
and looked at the Phantom, then returned to look at Kevin. "I never
expected to, Kevin, but I am." He chuckled wryly. "You offered Matty a bed
if he needed it. Do you think you could find room for me?"

Kevin, confused and stunned at Ray's outburst, looked at The Phantom. The
boy's face told him nothing. Something had happened, something other than
Ray sleeping with Phantom. Whatever it was, it was unimportant. Ray was
falling in love with him and that was all that mattered. He took Ray in his
arms and kissed him gently on the forehead. "Ray, you don't have to ask,"
he said quietly, his voice full of emotion. "I know that I'm in love with
you, and I want you with me, always." He looked again at The Phantom. "I
know that Ray is in love with you. I can live with that so long as he's
with me. I know that I can't ever compete with you, Phantom."

The Phantom raised his hand and shook his head. "You and Ray belong
together. I will never interfere in what you have. Ray knows how I feel
about him, and about you. You're not in competition with me, Kevin. You
never were."

Ray hugged Kevin closely. "I need you, Kevin. I need you near me. I need to
know that if I pick up the phone you'll come to me. I don't think that I
could go on living with my parents if I didn't have you."

Kevin gently kissed the top of Ray's head. "Remember what you told me, that
I'm stuck with you?"

Ray smiled and nodded. "And I'm stuck with you. I think I got a better
deal."

"I think you both came out on top," replied The Phantom with a slight
chuckle.

"Sometimes I do," said Kevin with an evil snicker.

Ray punched Kevin in the ribs. "Kevin! Really, have you no shame?"

"Nope," replied Kevin honestly. "I'm not ashamed at all. I'm in love with
you, you little goof, so why would I feel shame for making love to you?"

"You shouldn't," interjected The Phantom. "And that is what I am trying to
make you both understand. Being gay is NOT something to be ashamed
of. Society tries its damnedest to make it that way, but it doesn't stop
you two from loving each other. And by saying that I mean you both feel
something wonderful for each other, so wonderful that deep down inside just
being with each other matters a whole lot more than sex."

Kevin nodded and took The Phantom's hand. "When I'm with this skinny git
called Ray I feel, hell, I feel like he's the part of me that's missing. He
completes me. Sex is a part of our relationship. That goes without saying,
I think. But, Phantom, if Ray told me now that we would never have sex
again, that all we would do is to hold each other, need each other, I'd
still love him and I would still want to be with him."

"Sex is sometimes overrated," replied The Phantom as he squeezed Kevin's
hand. "It's nice, and I like it, but sometimes . . ." He smiled
wistfully. "When I am with . . .um, my special friend, it's not always hop
into bed time. I'm like you, Kevin. He is the most wonderful thing in my
life and just being with him fills me with such a feeling of, of
. . . happiness. Just having him hold me in his arms is enough. Waking up
in the morning, with him snuggled up against me is enough."

Ray wriggled out from Kevin's embrace. He gave The Phantom a quizzical
look, wondering if, and when, he would ever openly acknowledge that The
Gunner was his lover. He shrugged mentally. He had no doubt that Phantom
had a reason for keeping his love affair quiet. Still, it was Phantom's
business, not his, and not Kevin's. He gave Kevin a slightly scornful
look. "Sheesh, you guys are sounding like something out of dime store
novel!" he said, not wanting Kevin to ask any questions about Phantoms
'special friend'.

"And you love it," retorted Kevin.

"Yeah, I do," replied Ray with a sly grin. Then he grimaced. "It's just too
bad that we have to go back to the real world at the end of the month, go
back into the closet."

Kevin heaved a sigh of regret. "Yeah. That's what hurts, Phantom, having to
hide, having to pretend to be something I'm not." He shook his head. "I'm
gay. It shouldn't matter, because being gay does not change the essential
me. It doesn't affect how I think about certain things, how I react to
certain situations, or how I do my job, or what grades I get in school. The
only difference between a straight guy and me is that I sleep with another
male. He sleeps with a girl."

"If he's lucky," retorted Ray. "If he's lucky he might get a hand wipe from
her."

Kevin nodded knowingly. "Kieran is always complaining about spending big
bucks on some broad and not getting to third with her. Connor bitches that
his girlfriend won't even let him feel her tits."

"Stupid buggers," said Ray with a grin.

"Yeah." Kevin gave Ray a huge squeeze. "I am so happy that I am not a
stupid bugger," he finished solemnly.

"You're just a silly bugger," returned Ray. "Now get off me, I have work to
do, and so do you."

The Phantom chuckled and smiled at the two boys. Kevin was so smitten with
Ray that it showed in his every move and gesture. "Ray is right, Kevin, the
dinner table awaits."

Kevin groaned and stood up, adjusting his woody as he did so. He blushed
and grinned at The Phantom. "See what he does to me?"

The Phantom snickered. "Must be true love."

Ray snorted and looked up at the obvious, huge bulge in Kevin's work dress
trousers. He grinned and murmured, "Phantom, I need to go over to Wardroom
Stores for a minute. Can you spare Kevin to give me a hand?"

The Phantom struggled to control a giggling fit. "Oh, I think I can spare
him for, say, half an hour?"

Ray jumped from the loading dock and nodded at Kevin, who grinned foolishly
and jumped down to join his lover. He looked up at The Phantom. "Thanks,
Phantom, you're a real friend."

"That's what friends are for," The Phantom replied, shrugging, a sad look
coming into his eyes. "There will come a time when Nick and Chad will need
friends. You both know that."

Both boys nodded sagely. "You going to speak to them?" asked Ray.

"No," said The Phantom shaking his head. "They have to find their own way,
walk their own path. I'll be their friend when the time comes."

"To pick up the pieces," said Ray.

"Or bury them," returned Kevin unkindly.

The Phantom heaved a heavy sigh. "Sometimes that's all a friend can do. I
can't, and won't interfere in their private lives. I'll help them, if they
ask, but I won't interfere unless it impacts on their jobs. If that
happens, it becomes my business. Until then, they're on their own." He
looked down at Ray, then at Kevin. He reached into his pocket and fumbled
with his package of cigarettes, thinking. He lit a cigarette and turned to
look out over the harbour. He could hear Kevin and Ray giggling and
murmuring, but ignored them. How much they had grown up in such a short
time. Ray had been a shy, diffident boy and was fast becoming a strong,
outspoken, youth, sure of his himself and very much aware of
himself. Kevin, brash, cocksure, a little loud, had changed, for the
better, becoming a warm, loving boy who basked in his love for Ray.

The Phantom also realized that he had changed. He had found love, true, but
more than that he had found friendship and respect. Last year, he hadn't
felt this way. He hadn't really understood or appreciated what an effect
the Sea Cadets would have on him, what an effect AURORA would have on
him. Before AURORA, there had been friends, which was hardly
surprising. But, now, it was different. Sam had been his friend, but not in
the way Ray, or Kevin, or the Twins, or any of the other boys of AURORA
were his friends. The boys here, in this place, had shown him love and
respect and affection, they had accepted him as one of their own, and
suddenly it came to him what Nelson had meant by calling sailors "A Band of
Brothers". The Sea Cadets brought them together, a disparate group of boys,
and, through training and camaraderie allowed them to grow, to learn to
accept each other for each other. They ate together, they trained together
and slept together. They fought each other and yelled at each other, they
had fun together, and in so doing learned to love each other, to support
each other, to forge a bond of brotherhood. Now he understood.

A soft moan broke The Phantom's reverie. He turned and saw Ray, flushed,
grinning sheepishly.  Kevin, who had his hand up the front of Ray's shirt,
turned a deep red.

The Phantom took a last drag on his cigarette and gave the two boys a
wicked grin. "You two might want to head off to Wardroom stores," he said
with a low chuckle. "I figure that you have maybe twenty minutes or so to
. . . frolic."

******

Tyler's hand shook as he began to dial the long distance telephone number
that The Gunner had written on the piece of paper. Tyler was standing in
the Ship's Office with Harry directly behind him. "Well, here goes," he
said quietly as he finished dialling the last digit.

The telephone was answered on the first ring. "Pax Vobiscum," said a
high-pitched, nasal, slightly whining voice.

Tyler, who was High Anglican, was a little unsure of what he was supposed
to reply. The Gunner had not mentioned that a Latin lesson was involved. He
hesitated and then remembered the responses he had heard during the one,
and only, Latin Mass he had ever attended. "Et cum spiritu tuo," He replied
slowly, hoping he'd got it right.

"What is your problem?" Major Meinertzhagen closed his eyes and waited. The
telephone he had answered was called the "Trouble Phone". The telephone
number was given to only the very trusted friends of the Order. Its ringing
was almost always a harbinger of disaster.

Tyler was momentarily flummoxed. Harry would tell him later that he had a
look on his face that seemed to say that he did not know if his ass was
punched, reamed, or bored. Tyler decided to quote the Latin quotation. He
quickly rhymed it off.

"One moment please."

Tyler could hear a faint rustling, as if the pages of a book were being
rapidly turned. In the office The Major quickly leafed through a loose-leaf
binder. The binder contained an alphabetical listing of all the codes
issued to friends. He found the quotation and nodded. "Good morning, Chief
Petty Officer Benbow."

Tyler's mouth flew open, startling Harry. "You . . . you know who I am?"

The Major smiled. The boy at the other end of the telephone could not know
that the Order, the very careful Order, kept very precise and detailed
records of everything, and everybody, who might have occasion to do
business with the Knights. "Benbow, Edward Tyler Stephen. Chief Petty
Officer and Master at Arms of HMCS AURORA," replied Major Meinertzhagen
with a slight smirk.

"Jesus!" Tyler looked at Harry and rolled his eyes. He placed his hand over
the receiver of the telephone. "They know who I am," he exclaimed in a low
whisper.  The Major, who had overheard Tyler's aside to Harry, chuckled
dryly. "At the risk of seeming repetitious, I shall continue." He quickly
scanned the printed page in the binder. "You are the Master at Arms of HMCS
AURORA. You are eighteen years and two months old, having been born on the
24th of May, 1958 in the Aurora General Hospital. You are a recent
graduate, and Class Valedictorian, of Upper Canada College School. You
graduated with a 98.3 per cent grade average, and are an Ontario
Scholar. You declined a scholarship with the University of Toronto to
become a Candidate Naval Cadet at Royal Roads Military College, where you
will report the first week of September, this year."

"You know all that?" asked Tyler, stunned at the information being read to
him.

"I do, indeed," replied The Major. "That, and much more." He chuckled again
and continued. "Your father is the Chief Financial Officer for the British
and North American Assurance Company. Your mother is a homemaker and is
actively involved in several charities. She is a patron of the Toronto
Symphony Orchestra. You have younger brothers, Martin Gregory and Geoffrey
Douglas." The Major heard the young lad gasping at his revelations, smiled
and, to prove his point, added, "You also have a sister, Elizabeth."

Tyler wondered just what in the hell he'd run into. They, he, whoever was
at the other end of the telephone line, seemed to know all about
him. "Hell, he probably knows if I'm circumcised or not," he thought. "You
seem to be well informed," Tyler said into the receiver.

"We try to be," replied The Major, not taking offence at the touch of
sarcasm in the boy's voice. "Now then, young Mr. Benbow, how may we help
you?"

Tyler took a deep breath. "A friend needs some help. It's not a real big
thing, and I'm a little embarrassed to think it all that important, but
it's real important to two friends of mine and, well, you see, The Gunner
. . ." Tyler shut up abruptly. He had no idea who he was talking to, nor
was he sure that he should be naming names other than Todd's.

"I assure you, young man," The Major rumbled nasally, "that as the
Chancellor of the Order has given you the telephone number, and your
identification code, everything is important to Sir Stephen. Please,
Mr. Benbow, tell me your cause of grief."

Stifling a giggle at the man's strange formality, Tyler nodded. "Well, like
I said, you might not think it at all important . . ." The voice at the
other end of the line did not reply so he continued on. "My friend Todd,
Todd Arundel, he needs a little help."

Major Meinertzhagen grunted and made a wry face. Mr. Michael might be on
the verge of making the Arundel twins his Pages of the Presence but
. . . personally The Major would just as well turn the pair of them over
his knee. Still, he must put personal feelings aside. "Chief Petty Officer
Arundel, major, is in difficulty?" he asked, not quite able to keep the
testiness from his voice.

Tyler covered the receiver again. "Wow! The Gunner is the Chancellor of
some Order, and he's a 'Sir'," he whispered to Harry. "And this guy,
whoever he is, he sure knows Todd! He got right cranky when I told him
Todd's name and . . ."

"I am not cranky," interrupted The Major. "Now, please do get on with it!"

Tyler quickly rattled off the reason for his telephone call. " . . . So you
see, sir, Todd is being penalized for something he can't help being. He
should be First Prefect. As for the other boy, well, as far as I'm
concerned, he's an ass!"

The Major was forced to agree with young Mr. Benbow. While the young cadet
had not named Todd Arundel's tormentor, and reportedly did not know him,
The Major did. He curled his lips in disgust. He knew exactly who the
previous First Prefect of St. George's had been: Charles Bowes, a
loathsome, feckless, overmedicated creature who played on his family's name
and now non-existent fortune to gain his ends. A young man without
character and the morals of an alley cat who would, in the course of time,
come to a bad end through drink and drugs. Charles Bowes was an ass! "The
matter shall be attended to," said Major Meinertzhagen presently. "You may
inform young Arundel, major, that he shall be named First Prefect of
St. George's College within the month."

"He will?" squeaked Tyler, allowing his surprise to control his voice.

Major Meinertzhagen allowed himself a slight smile. Ah, the young men of
today. They had no idea that certain forces could be brought into play,
that certain information could, and would, be used to influence
decisions. He glanced again at young Benbow's dossier. The boy came very
highly recommended by Stephen Winslow and his name had, in fact, been the
first name on the list of potential candidates that Sir Stephen had
recommended to the Grand Master. Very highly recommended. "You have
attracted the attention of a high and mighty personage, young man," said
The Major sternly. "Be worthy of his trust in you and of your abilities and
never again doubt the word of a Knight of the Order. Pax tecum, frater."

Tyler stared into the telephone handset, barely hearing the dial tone. He
swallowed and looked at Harry, surprise written all over his handsome
features. "Harry," he gasped, " . . . He said that I'd attracted the
attention of some high and mighty personage! He called me frater!" He
frowned.  "He also gave me a rocket for doubting the word of a Knight of
the Order!"

Harry looked perplexed, having no idea what Tyler was talking
about. "Frater? Rocket?" he blustered. "What in the hell . . . and just
what is a Knight of what Order?"

Tyler carefully hung up the telephone and stared evenly at Harry. "I am not
all that sure," he replied, a knowing smile creasing his face. "However, I
happen to know just who that 'high and mighty personage' is!" He nodded
toward the door. "He is going to tell me, no, us, all about it.  You and
me, Harry, we're going to see The Gunner!"