The Jovian Legacy

by Lilla Nicholas-Holt

  With a combined effort the ladder is hoisted across the river and secured. Jack digs the other end of the ladder into the soft bank and weights it down with rocks. The medics crawl across to get to Jack and his father.

  Both Jack and his father are in the ambulance, side by side. A drip is inserted into Jack’s arm. With a fear of needles he becomes nauseous, and flinches when he feels the initial sting as the neede is inserted. He looks across at his father, who is being attended to by the other two paramedics. His father returns his gaze with an expression of gratitude and love. It is a look that Jack will have etched in his memory forever.

  Jack pushed his chair out from his computer and went into his bedroom closet, rummaging around until he found his old school suitcase. With a wet flannel he wiped the dust off, and opened it. Inside the case he found his old scrapbook, and took it out onto the porch to read.

  There it was, the newspaper article dated 12th May 1993:

  Earthquake Causes Near Death For Sheep Farmer and His Son

  Amongst the chaos of yesterday’s earthquake which caused damage to 24 homes, a young ten-year-old boy saved his father’s life after the father had gotten into difficulty in a river bordering their property and almost drowned. Ben Dunlop was attempting to save his stock that were being swept down the river. Father and son also became swept into the river. Jack Dunlop managed to get himself out of danger and was able to come to the aid of his father, who was caught and submerged amongst debris. A heroic act by the determination and love of a son, who had injured his own leg in the process.

  The article continued on about other damage in the district. There was also the photo of his family, and Bud.

  Jack put the jug on for a coffee. The kitchen clock read 9.15 a.m. It was hard for Jack to get his head around the fact that he had revisited that rescue in half a morning. And here he was, having coffee in his flat, six-and-a-half years later!

  He took another look at the clipping. It was only then that he noticed something he’d not noticed before: His mother was clutching a photo. Out on the porch where he could get a clearer look, Jack observed that the photo was of a young girl, and although he couldn’t make out her features due to his mother’s forefinger covering half of the girl’s face, he could see her eyes. They were very much like Megan’s, or rather his cousin Katy’s - the little girl who had shown him her new doll’s house. Once again Jack’s interest was sparked into getting to the bottom of this Megan thing.

  Chapter 5

  While out on a walk to clear his head, Jack saw the black Volvo again. This time the men didn’t drive off when Jack marched over to them.

  “Okay, so what’s the bloody story?” Jack confronted them, nearly shouting, surprising himself. They were bigger than him.

  “Mr Dunlop,” the smaller of the two said in the undistinguishable accent. “We wish to help you understand. Therefore, when you return to your computer, type in the date 30th April 1985. Then after that journey, type in the date of 15th May 1985 for your second journey. And for your third journey, 2nd December 1985. That is all.”

  Their vehicle shot off again at lightening speed, leaving Jack standing there looking after them. He turned and sprinted back to his flat, keyed in the first date, and yanked his virtual reality helmet on. “30th April 1985, three hours.”

  In a matter of seconds, Jack is there, in that vaguely familiar room with the clinical smell. He is three, or close to it, he judges. His parents are there, along with his Aunt Pippa, two people he doesn’t at first recognise, and two doctors. The spacious room with glass walls is equipped with hospital paraphernalia and large boxy monitors. Everyone is in discussion. On the original occasion he didn’t understand their conversation, but this time Jack is seventeen in his three-year-old body.

  The doctor in the white coat speaks with assurance. “As I have explained in the past, our technology is sufficiently up-to-date for us to contemplate the possibility of the procedure to asexually reproduce a group of organisms or cells of the same genetic constitution. It is also costly, not yet legal, and at this stage, purely experimental. Though the procedure is currently under discussion to be legalised. So it is entirely up to you whether you wish to continue or not. We will give you time to discuss it between yourselves, and will formalise your consent if you choose to proceed.” They leave the room.

  Jack stares at his family, their faces a combination of concern and delight. The strange man breaks the silence.

  “Weel, I’m speaking fur baith masell ‘n’ mah guid guidwife, ‘n’ we feel that whit we’ve bin thro’ this lest week kin ainlie be mended if thare is some glimmer o’ hawp that we wull hae oor wee lassie back. Th’ cost isn’t an issue ‘n’ neither is th’ fact that th’ procedure isn’t entirely legal as yit, it’s under consideration, sae that’s guid enough fur me. I’m juist grateful that we hae a team ay doctors wha ur prepared tae haud thair joabs oan th’ line fur us. Thay wull be th’ ones tae cop it, nae us.”

  Holy shit! Jack thinks, finally recognising him.

  His father takes his mother’s hand. “Sweetheart, we’ve lost also, and by giving our blessing to the McGlews, we too are going to be receiving back part of what we lost. The McGlews have given us their word that we will be involved in the upbringing.”

  His Aunt Pippa also offered her blessing.

  What the…

  The doctor and his colleague return with the paperwork, which they quietly place on the table. “Do you wish to proceed?” the doctor asks.

  After they all agree everyone falls silent, the silence broken only by the scratching of pens on paper as Jack’s family and the McGlews record their signatures. He draws up a chair to take a closer look at the forms.

  His father takes exception to this. “Jack, why don’t you go and play in the go-kart.” Jack looks at the yellow and blue plastic go-kart parked with the corner. Also in the room is a cute wooden playhouse.

  Bloody hell. No way is he going to miss out on ascertaining the most important documentation, the whole reason of his revisit.

  “I’m tired,” he whines, gazing forlornly up at his father.

  “Okay, well just sit there then and don’t touch anything. And keep still,” his father warns.

  To Jack the form is upside down, but he is able make out the wording:

  Between:

  Dennis and Barbara McGlew

  And:

  Philippa Maree Tait

  And:

  Benjamin and Nancy Dunlop

  Affidavit of Consent

  …..death of Theresa Annette McGlew on 26th April 1985

  …..Deoxyribonucleic Acid of Theresa Annette McGlew for purposes of asexually reproducing from cells of abovenamed deceased …..Stem cells to be cultured in Petri dishes..…Gamete cell…..….

  We now affix our signatures to these affirmations this 30th day of April 1985:

  ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

  Jack understands perfectly: Baby Theresa, who had died only four days before, whoever she belonged to, must have been a baby of the McGlews, was going to be a guinea pig of cloning, so the McGlews could have their baby back.

  Jack pushes out his chair, loudly scraping the floor, and dashes over to the go-kart.

  “I thought I told you to be quiet!” his father says sternly. Jack doesn’t answer. He cannot figure out what it has to do with Megan, though.

  Back at his computer, Jack didn’t hesitate to key in the next date; removing his helmet to type it in, then putting the helmet back on again. “15th May 1985, twelve hours.” Jack was determined to get to the bottom of this.

  He finds himself playing on the floor with a train set, in an unfamiliar lounge. His parents are with him, as well as his
aunt and uncle and the McGlews. The group are in earnest conversation, so Jack toddles over to have a listen. The McGlews are distraught as if they have just received some bad news. Mr and Mrs McGlew shake their heads while his Aunt Pippa consoles them.

  Jack’s Aunt Pippa is trying to talk them through something. “We’re so sorry that it didn’t work out. It affects me too as I was the first to bring these beautiful babies into the world. When I gave birth to my two little girls, Julia and Theresa, I never would’ve thought that the next few weeks would turn out they way they did. I was facing having to give them up as they weren’t my husband’s. I’d made a life of drugs and partying, we both had. He made mistakes too. But I knew if I tried to keep my babies, our marriage would be over. I made a huge sacrifice, but was so happy when Nancy and Ben and yourselves agreed to adopt one each. When the twins died of SIDS within a week of each other, it was you who gave us all hope again. Your decision, and you being in a financial position to have Theresa cloned. It was a shock that the cloning didn’t work,” Pippa says as she takes Barbara’s hand, “but we want to try again. The doctors say they can use Theresa’s DNA, but they also need to take genetic cells from another close relative. My daughter Katy has the same blood type. She’s been screened and is the perfect candidate. The baby will have characteristics that resemble both the twins and Katy. I know they can do it. Please give them your consent to try again. I give my consent to have Katy’s DNA used.”

  Dennis and Barbara McGlew look at each other, pausing, and nod in agreement. Everyone starts crying and hugging each other.

  No-one notices Jack’s shock.

  The night grows livelier as they celebrate. Jack puts himself to bed, a room that his duffle bag had earlier been placed in. Inside are his favourite pyjamas and his teddy.

  Bugger the teddy, I’m not the dumb little boy they think I am.

  In the morning he is woken, given some lumpy porridge, and bustled into a car. The family drives to the clinic. The go-kart is still in its corner.

  Then he sees Katy, his beautiful cousin who is to die from leukaemia. Katy looks frightened. How he wants to tell her, warn her that she is about to be copied and then, in a few years’ time, die!

  How cruel can these people be? he fumes. At that moment in time Jack detests his own family, and cannot wait to have it out with them.

  Time is nearly up, he realises, with only fifteen minutes to go. Jack looks across at Katy again, then dashes over and throws his little arms up to her. At only a few years older she struggles to lift him. Jack buries his head into her neck and hangs on tightly. Katy is more surprised than anyone at this sudden show of affection from a little cousin she barely knows. Jack holds back his tears. Leaving go of her, he takes one last look at her, then turns and runs from the room. His parents call after him as he runs outside as fast as his little legs can carry him, across a road through busy traffic and into a park. He keeps running until his time is up and he is back in front of his computer.

  Straight back onto his computer, Jack typed in the date, “2nd December 1985, ten minutes”.

  In a matter of seconds he is in a strange room; not one that he had been in before, and there is no-one around. Jack realises he is in an office of sorts. On the desk is a pile of notes, and an envelope addressed to Mr & Mrs Dennis McGlew. He quickly opens the envelope.

  A birth certificate reads:

  Office of the Register of Births

  First/given name(s)…..Theresa Annette

  Family name….. McGlew

  Sex….F

  Still-birth/Multiple birth….—

  Date of birth……..…4th December 1984

  Place of birth….Southland District Hospital

  Name changes……….Megan Joy McGlew

  “That’s it!” Jack realises in astonishment. “They genetically engineered Megan from Theresa and Katy. Oh…my…God! Not only that; it means Megan’s actually a whole year younger than she thinks she is. They’re legally pretending she’s the original Theresa!” he says aloud.

  He hastily places the certificate back into the envelope.

  Within minutes he was back in front of his computer.

  Right. I have to make contact with them. Now.

  He typed into the program but found no response. Jack resigned himself to the fact that he would have to wait until they made contact with him, and went to bed.

  The next day, deciding to have a break, arranged to meet Megan. He picked her up and drove up north to a pretty little beachside spot where the sands were pink and a local fish shop had won the nationwide award for its seafood. Jack and Megan sat on the beach and ate fish and chips. Jack knew how Megan loved oysters so he had a few thrown in for her as a surprise. Jack admired his girlfriend, her hair glistening in the afternoon sun.

  So sweet and innocent, and so oblivious of her background.

  His heart melted. How could he tell her that they could never be together, that she was his first cousin, and that she was actually younger than she thought she was.

  He drew her to him, giving her a brief hug. Megan sensed his sadness but said nothing. The air had turned cold when they finally packed up and returned to Jack’s car. Their trip home was mostly in silence, sprinkled with polite conversation. When they drew up alongside Megan’s driveway they kissed. Their first real kiss. Jack kissed her like it was to be their last. It was a unspoken understanding between the two of them.

  Megan opened her door, discretely wiped her tears from her face and said goodbye.

  Jack watched her walk up her garden path, and with a splitting heart, drove home.

  When he threw his car keys in the fruit bowl he heard his computer buzzing. There were his parents again on the screen. Jack braced himself and logged on.

  “Hello Son,” his father began, “we’ve been attempting to reach you.”

  “Mum, Dad,” Jack interrupted, “I know about Megan. I’ve just been on three journeys the Jovian men here told me to go on.” His parents looked uncomfortably at each other.

  “Son,” his father spoke, “We don’t want you to have anything to do with these people; they are…..”

  “I don’t care who they are,” Jack butted in again. He felt annoyed at his father, annoyed at the whole goddamn thing. “They’ve given me an understanding as to what actually happened back then. Megan has been genetically engineered from Theresa and Katy. Poor Katy, who died of leukaemia. You used her! How could you? And Megan is my cousin!”

  “Jack, please,” his mother pleaded. “Let us explain. When we lost Julia and Theresa, we were approached by doctors who we thought were from the general hospital. It wasn’t until we came here that we found out the doctors were in fact from here. They were Jovian scientists, not hospital doctors. We didn’t know that at the time. And we had pledged secrecy of the operation only because we knew that it was illegal. The Jovian scientists have been watching Megan throughout her entire life. She is Jovian’s first and only scientifically advanced human being, genetically engineered from two individual DNAs, and that is why there is such an interest in her extended family. That is why we were also brought here.”

  Jack stared at them, stunned.

  Ben took over. “We want you to come and join us, be with us. Your life, and ours, will be greatly enriched. Would you please consider making your journey to join us?”

  Jack was taken aback. “How?” he asked.

  “Jovian has a spacestation that is used to pick out certain aircraft and vessels crossing the Bermuda Triangle, and literally suck them up. There are people here who can guide you through it, but you’ll have to do exactly as they say,” he cautioned.

  “Can I bring Megan?” Jack asked, testing them. There was a pause in conversation.

  “We don’t know. We have to be given permission,” his mother answered. “Would Megan want that? She’d be leaving her family behind.”

  “Her family is only down on paper as such. We’re her real family.” Jac
k knew that that was uncalled for. He knew that family, adoptive or biological, was real. He knew he was acting like a spoilt little brat, and had to snap out of it.

  “I’m sorry, I mean, Megs is so cool you know,” Jack said, feeling ashamed.

  “Son, it’s not a good idea.”

  Jack knew full well what his father meant. “Well Megan and I will always be friends,” he pointed out, aware he wasn’t being realistic. “I…don’t know what the future will bring. I’ve only seen the past through this program of yours and it’s made me realise that I want more out of life. I want that for Megan too.”

  “Then you’ll make the journey to us?” his father asked.

  “Yes. But I also want to do one last fun trip into the past first. Is that okay?” Jack asked feeling childish, especially after he’d a minute ago revealed his true feelings for Megan.

  “I can’t see any harm in that, but as long as you type in no more than twelve hours, because the program could malfunction and you could find yourself trapped. As we warned you earlier, you might alter the course of history if you don’t stick to the rules,” his father warned.

  “I’ll be okay,” Jack assured him, although he didn’t really know what he was planning to do. He had to leave the whole thing alone for a few days.

  Chapter 6

  After some considerable thought as to what he would do, Jack tried to remember a really special time in his life. He had to take his time, as it would definitely be the last time he could take a journey into his past.

  He typed in the date of his tenth birthday - 16th June 1992, twelve hours, remembering that this was the maximum time his father said he should allow, and slipped on his helmet.

  Jack wakes up at 7 a.m., excited that it’s his birthday and knowing that his parents have promised him a present that he’s been looking forward to all year. There, resting up against his wardrobe door is a shiny new ten-speed bike, a blue ribbon tied to the handlebars with a ‘Happy Birthday Jack’ card. He thinks it’s fantastic to finally have his hands on the bike that he’s been drooling over in the shop all year, praying that no-one else will buy it. About a month before his birthday he had ducked in to look at it again, and was upset to find it gone. Little did he know that his parents had put it on lay-by for his big day.