Scientific Methods Ch. 01

Thanks for the comments and feedback! I'm working on part 2, but got distracted with other stories 

The flyer was half-hidden under a layer of other, competing advertisements on the bulletin board, but a phrase caught Morgan's attention as she glanced at it on her way past: "multiple orgasms?"

She glanced around the empty hallway in the basement floor of the sociology building—no one was on campus this late except one workaholic professor focused on writing up her ethnography notes—namely, her. She lifted the flyers for Zumba and lectures out of the way, laughing at herself for being so concerned whether anyone saw her examine the flyer beneath. It read in stark black and white:

"RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS WANTED

Seeking women ages 18-68 to participate in a scientific study. Participants must be healthy non-smokers, able to spend up to 14 hours over four days in a laboratory setting, and capable of multiple orgasms in one session.

Study sponsored by the UM Dept. of Health Sciences and the Dept. of Engineering. IRB #67.983.

Contact Lina Ahlquist, doctoral candidate in Engineering at 431.493.9982, or Matthew Cantella, doctoral candidate in Health Sciences at 431.493.7459, if you are interested in participating."

Morgan laughed again. She was caught off guard by the idea of the university sponsoring any studies requiring participants capable of multiple orgasms. Really, what could this study entail? Engineering was involved? She felt her tired brain switch back on as she considered what the study might be about, and then thought, 'Well, I am pretty orgasmic, aren't I?'

_________

This is how Dr. Morgan Standish, newly tenured professor of sociology with a focus on ethnographic studies of marginal populations, first heard of a study pursuing an innovative line of inquiry.

Research Questions:

R1. How much biochemical power is released during orgasm?

R2. Does the amount of power vary from the first to the last in a series of consecutive orgasms?

R3. Can the biochemical energy released during orgasm be harnessed to power electronic devices?

R4. Can women generate enough biochemical energy to power low-voltage electronic equipment through multiple orgasms?

R5. Are orgasms a viable alternative energy source for low-voltage electronic equipment, such as three-dimensional accelerometers?

R6. What energy conversion mechanism will best address the long-term storage needs of orgasm-generated biochemical energy?

Morgan didn't know these questions yet, of course, but over the course of the next two days she contacted Lina Ahlquist, signed a consent form, and headed for the interview with the investigators, over at the biomedical engineering lab.

_________

The researchers seem nice enough, Morgan thought. Both graduate students working on their dissertation research, Lina and Matt were in their late 20s or early 30s. They worked well together, Morgan noticed, alternately asking questions and note-taking seamlessly, as if they'd been a team for a while. Morgan's ethnographic training alerted her to small details—Matt gazed at Lina when she read from the questionnaire sheet. Lina's eyes trailed over Matt when he fiddled with the tape recorder, then snapped away when he glanced back at her.

'Ah, young love,' Morgan smiled internally. The two seemed on the cusp of declaring their affection for one another at any moment. But perhaps Morgan was simply hypersensitive to such things after her eight months in the field studying the flirtatious life of Amish teens during Rumspringa. Those hypersexualized Amish kids were constantly "making eye babies" as one sixteen year old had described it. All that repressed longing!

It made Morgan feel old. Too many years focusing on research and the tenure track had left her little time for even making eye babies, though now as a 37 year old fully-tenured assistant professor, Morgan though she might want to consider making real babies—and very soon. She just needed to find the right...her attention was recalled to the task at hand. Had Lina just said...?

"...about how many orgasms you might have in one session, and tell us a little bit about what those sessions look like," Lina continued.

Morgan felt her face, neck and chest heat with a 1000 kilowatt blush. Did it seem as if Lina and Matt were leaning forward eagerly in their seats, and that both of them were sending her the same sorts of intense gazes they had been casting to each other?

"Um...well, it depends. Um. I might have just one if I am, you know, masturbating." Lina nodded for Morgan to continue. "If I'm with an, er...enthusiastic partner, I might have a dozen or more."

A quick smile flickered over Matt's face as he recorded her answer in his notes. Lina leaned forward further. "We need to know exactly what that means. The details of the masturbation, for example. How do you normally stimulate yourself?"

An uncomfortable conversation about vibrators and erotic literature ensued. Then Matt asked, "Now please, tell us about the..." He checked his notes, "...'enthusiastic' partners. What does that mean?"

By this point, Morgan was largely over her earlier embarrassment. Precisely how long one used a vibrator, at which angle, and whether one pinched one's own nipples during masturbation was surely the most blushingly intimate details one could share with complete strangers, right? She answered, "Enthusiasm has to do with whether my partner enjoys and is proficient at oral sex, is manually dexterous, and is"--here she did hesitate again—"imaginative."

Lina was nearly toppling from her swivel chair, she was so canted forward. "Look, Dr. Standish," she said, "I realize that it's awkward revealing these sorts of details and I normally would appreciate your use of euphemism—TMI, right?! But we actually really need to know, precisely, what you are calling 'imaginative.' What exact acts, sensations, and emotions are you experiencing that encourage you toward multiple orgasms?"

She leaned back in her chair and smiled sweetly. "Actually, let's be perfectly frank here—it is kind of odd to talk about sex so openly with people you don't know at all. Perhaps it would be easier if we could establish a slightly less formal tone? Can I call you Morgan?"

Morgan nodded.

"Great. Then, please let us know what we can do to put you at ease, so you are comfortable sharing these critical details. Would you like to go for a walk outside, or get some coffee from the shop down the hall? We can speak very quietly to avoid being overheard. We can even offer you a glass of wine—we OK'd that with the institutional review board—they said one glass wouldn't compromise research ethics!"

Matt cleared his throat. "Or I could leave, and watch the interview through CCTV. I do need to watch and listen." He shrugged apologetically. "But maybe it would be easier if I were in the other room."

Morgan smiled. "I'm sorry. It is a bit strange. I'm not really so shy, though. I can talk about it. But perhaps it would be easier if I knew what this study is about. If you can tell me without compromising the research, of course."

The researchers told Morgan the questions they were seeking answers to, reading each subquestion from the research protocol. She was amazed at the concept of the study. Of course she knew that chemicals were released during orgasm, but she'd never imagined energy could be in some way harvested from that release. Or was that too simplistic an understanding of the biomechanics? In any case, she understood that they really did need details to understand the way her body was able to orgasm, and she answered there probing questions more confidently.

For two hours Morgan spoke of her past encounters—the marathon sessions with Pete, who was so talented with his tongue, and with John, who could flip her g-spot like a light switch, turning her immediately to ON. She spoke of all the various positions in which she was most likely to come many times, and the emotional trust it took to allow herself to come at all. The discussion took a distinctly scholarly tone, as she considered her own responses more fully, and thought more deeply than she ever had about why she came six times one day, but couldn't orgasm at all the next.

At the end of the conversation, both Lina and Matt looked charged, as if the information were so electrifying that they wanted to speed off to talk over their notes immediately. Morgan recognized the look of scientists who felt they were on to something good.

Matt stood to shake her hand. "Thank you so much, Morgan. This has been extremely helpful. We will be able to better calibrate the next section of this study with all these details."

"Right," Lina nodded. "We would like to make an appointment for the next tests now. It will last three hours, and you will need to come here to the biomed lab. What day works for you?"

They discussed the schedule and agreed to meet three days later, in the late afternoon after Morgan's last class. When Morgan left the medical sciences building to crunch through the autumn leaves to the bus stop, she felt strangely exhilarated. Revealing so much deeply personal information was somehow exciting, liberating even.

She felt like she could kiss the men—even the women—who passed her down the aisle of the bus. That scruffy guy with a goatee had gorgeous long-lashed eyes—she could imagine pressing her body against his. She could imagine long lazy kisses with the pillowy pink lips of the woman who sat across from her. She stared at her lap as she flushed with embarrassment, and desire. Tonight was going to be a battery-operated extravaganza, just as soon as she got home.

_________

Three days later, pleasantly tender from three nights of intense self-love with her black bullet vibrator, some play with the lavender silicone dildo she usually left in the bedside drawer, and many pages of torridly sexy romance novels, Morgan strode across campus toward the medical sciences building.

The early November weather had taken a crisp turn, and she was layered with sweater, scarf and jacket. She was aware that she felt as sexually alert as any Rumspringa teen. Her clothes felt almost unbearable against her skin, and everyone she saw seemed dangerously alluring.

Even her students seemed attractive, and she had never thought of students that way before. Thankfully she was only teaching master's level courses this semester—otherwise she might have been leering at eighteen year olds! Not that she would ever approach one. She shuddered at the thought. But really, those young boys were like gorgeous animals, she thought as she watched one loping along in front of her, his tiny ass twitching under his skinny jeans and with his broad shoulders forming a perfect triangle atop long muscled legs.

Would such a gorgeous young man ever even notice her? She was in pretty good shape after all, with long strong legs and generous hips and breasts balanced in a pretty nice hourglass. Her last lover had said she had a "vintage" body, like the pinup girls of the 40s and 50s, which was one reason she still remembered him fondly.

Her hair was nice too, she thought, thick and long, brown with red tints. And her face was OK, though she figured it wouldn't launch more than 5 or 6 ships instead of Helen of Troy's 1000. Most people thought she was younger than 37. But she knew the young male students were surrounded by young female students, all of whom seemed more fit and blonde and sexy than Morgan ever had been, and they were not likely to notice even an attractive professor. She looked away from the man ahead of her.

As she entered the medical sciences building and followed the warren of hallways to the biomed lab, she fingered the soft velvet corduroy of her jacket. Her fingers felt like they were buzzing, they were so sensitive and alive. Or perhaps they were still tingling from this morning's session with her bullet vibe. In any case, the corduroy felt as pettable as a chinchilla and she had to stop herself from stroking her own arm.

The biomed lab was brightly lit and held a smattering of doctoral students and a bunch of computers and equipment she couldn't imagine a use for. Lina and Matt weren't there, so she had to inquire of another of those gorgeous young man—at least this one appeared a noncreepy age for her to lust over—and he nodded his black curls at a door across the hall. "They're through that door, just go on in."

She opened the door and found herself in a much more dim and sterile looking room. It was still a lab, with computers and equipment, but the walls were a deep, warm turquoise and the desks had butter-soft leather chairs in front of them. A plush oriental rug covered most of the floor, and art prints graced the walls. Best of all, the overhead fluorescent lights were left off, and soft light emanated from paper-shaded desk lamps. Lina and Matt were sitting at one of the desks, talking while gazing at a computer screen. The looked up at Morgan as she entered.

"Hello," she said.

"Hi," they both replied, smiling at her. Lina stood.

"I'm so glad you are here! Here, let me take your jacket." As Morgan unbuttoned and handed over the jacket, Matt also stood.

"Can I get you anything? Coffee, tea—some of that wine?" He winked at her. She blushed. Why did that offer feel so flirtatious? Her scientist's training kicked in: his head was tilted, and his eyebrows flickered up just before he turned and left the room.

"Coffee would be great, thanks."

Lina hung her jacket on a rack on the wall, then returned to the chair and gestured for Morgan to sit. "OK, today we need to test your responses to various stimuli as a pretest, to ensure that we can get good data for the final test."

"Stimuli?!" The word emerged a little sharply.

"What sort of stimuli are we talking here?"

Lina smiled. "We use visual stimuli for this test. You will be watching some film images and we will be measuring your responses with some special equipment."

Matt came back in with the coffee on a tray. "Cream?" he asked.

'You have no idea,' thought Morgan. She realized they were probably asking her to watch porn! Instead of being shocked or horrified, she found the idea intriguing. Watching in front of them? Wait, what was this special equipment?

Lina was still smiling. She said, "The data gathering instruments are affixed to various parts of your body to measure the different responses you have as you watch the images. We attach the instruments to your wrists, heart area, nipples, clitoris and vagina."

Morgan nearly spilled the coffee all over herself. She set the cup down hastily. "Seriously?!" she squeaked.

Matt smiled too. "It's not uncomfortable," he said. "And you'll be in this room alone, while we monitor the data returned by the instruments remotely. You needn't worry, you will be entirely private in here."

He sat next to Lina, and Morgan plopped down in a chair as well, largely because her legs felt a little shaky. He continued, "The instruments measure your heart rate, pulse, blood engorgement levels and how much your vagina is lubricating itself as markers of arousal. We use this data to calibrate the next part of the data collection process, when we measure the energy you generate during orgasm."

Morgan's head was spinning, but she took a deep breath. "Well, I appreciate how matter-of-fact you are about all this. It's a bit much to take in!"She laughed stiltedly.

Lina laughed as well. "Don't worry, we do all this so we DON'T give you too much to take in!"

Morgan's laugh felt more natural. "Double entrendre there? Well, OK. I'm willing to donate my embarrassment to science. What do I have to do?"

Matt sat back and took notes and Lina showed Morgan the equipment, which essentially looked like straps, small suction cups and an unusual dildo, all with wires affixed. "We will have to place these things on you—or I will if you prefer. We need to ensure they are placed correctly or the data may not be measured properly. So would you prefer that I do this, or Matt?"

"Uhh..." Morgan's mind flatlined. She couldn't possibly request the male researcher to handle her body in this way, but it felt nearly as awkward to ask Lina to do it.

Lina kept smiling, her open Scandinavian face and blonde friendliness easing the socially strange interaction that was occurring. "How about you get changed into the gown, and we'll figure it out as we go along, ok?"

Matt handed her a hospital gown and robe, and both researchers left the room. Morgan felt stunned, though she realized that she should have known that something like this would happen. After all, they had told her exactly what they were researching and she'd signed the consent forms anyway.

She folded her clothes and placed them on a chair, then slipped into the gown, which was actually quite soft and comfortable, though there were various openings in the places where the monitors needed to be attached. She belted the robe around her waist and brushed her chestnut-colored hair back behind her ears.

A few minutes later, a knock sounded at the door, and the researchers entered at her "come in."

"May I have your wrists, please?" Matt said. He wrapped the black rubbery straps around her wrists and messed with the wires, attaching them to the computer monitor on the desk. He stepped back when Lina held up two small suction cups and a long tube.

"I need to put these on your nipples, ok?" Morgan nodded and stared at the floor as Lina gently pushed aside the robe and opened the flaps in the gown at Morgan's breasts. She took the first cup and placed it against Morgan's nipple. It felt cold and wet. There was some sort of gel on it, which Lina smeared over the nipple by moving the cup around. Lina lifted the tube and attached it to the back of the cup once she had it centered over the nipple, and pressed a button. A strong suction drew Morgan's nipple tightly into the cup, so that it pressed against the walls of the tiny plastic dome. She inhaled audibly.

Lina looked concerned. "Is that OK? It doesn't hurt does it?"

Morgan shook her head silently. No way would she mention her tender nipples due to the ridiculous quantity of masturbation she'd done over the last few days. She blinked when she remembered her poor aching clit was to be similarly treated with its own suction cup. Lina attached the other nipple cup, and Morgan's breasts felt incredible. That steady pulling sensation was her favorite, as when her lovers just pulled on the nipples gently, but unceasingly. That would send her over into orgasm were she anywhere near it. And right now, she felt all too near orgasm.

Lina left the flaps of the gown open, to reveal Morgan's heavy breasts shining with the gel and milky white in the soft light of the lab, topped with the suction cups pulling the nipples so they filled the half-inch cavities. Her breasts looked obscene and out of context in a lab setting like this, like strange fetish objects.

Lina said, "I'll need you to lay back on that bench so I can insert the vaginal and clitoral monitors." Morgan looked quickly over at Matt, but his back was to her as he adjusted knobs on the computer. He stayed over there as Morgan spread her legs.

But Lina said, "Matt is the biomedical scientist here and actually knows the best placement for this piece of equipment. He actually has an MD as well. Would it be OK if he placed this monitor? I'll do the last one if you prefer."

"It's..." Morgan's voice came out as a dry husk. She cleared her throat. "It's fine. Whatever you need to do." She looked down at herself, splayed on the bench, her public hair thankfully just-trimmed and her labia glistening with arousal. She closed her eyes in humiliation. They would know that she was already aroused! Christ, she could smell her own arousal.