The Jovian Legacy

by Lilla Nicholas-Holt

  When they logged on and into the home of Ewen’s family again, they were surprised to see his wife and daughter sitting in front of the computer, waiting. Their eyes lit up as Ewen came into view.

  “Darling, this is your daughter, Michelle,” Patricia announced, beaming as her daughter gasped.

  “Hello, Father,” she greeted hesitantly.

  “Michelle,” Ewen replied, tickled pink to be called ‘Father’, “you are beautiful!”

  “How…are you?” Michelle awkwardly asked.

  “I’m very well, and so very pleased to meet you.” Ewen was blushing with success.

  Once again, Jack decided to bow out and leave them to it. Just as he turned to walk out, he heard another voice bark through the computer.

  “What in God’s name is going on in here!” A man’s voice. David had come home early from poker (or wherever he was) and had stormed into the room.

  The two women became frightened. What they next witnessed disturbed them, and was extremely upsetting for Ewen. David Smith grabbed his wife by the hair and pulled her off her chair. Michelle tried to push him away from her mother, but his arm came up and whacked her with the back of his hand, hitting her square in the face and knocking her off her stool.

  “You bastard!” Ewen screamed down the microphone, “I’m going to kill you!”

  David peered at the screen, a murderous look on his face. “Whoever you are, if I ever see you speaking to my family again, I’m going to kill you first! Got it?” With those words he bent forward and switched off the computer.

  “Bastard!” Ewen screamed again, beside himself with rage.

  “Jack! We have to do something!! He’s hurting my girls!” Ewen yelled at him in despair.

  Jack was worried. “There’s not much we can do,” he replied, his hunch proving correct. “I’m so sorry, Ewen.”

  Ewen broke down and sobbed. Jack didn’t know what to do. He hadn’t been in the company of a distraught man before. He went looking for an alcoholic drink, and found a bottle of something written in Egyptian in a cupboard. Jack hoped that it was alcoholic and poured a glass, handing it to his friend. Ewen swallowed it in one gulp and handed the glass back to Jack for another. Jack took a very inebriated Ewen back to his house that night to keep an eye on him. He wasn’t sure what Ewen was capable of doing with such a highly-strung nature, as upset as he was. Jack put his friend to bed and arranged for the house staff to look after him in the morning with a bath and a good hearty breakfast. Jack had a shower and went to bed.

  The next morning he told Megan everything. “I don’t know what to do, Megs, I knew something like this was going to happen.”

  “Can his family be brought here, just like we were?”

  “Don’t know, I hadn’t thought of that one. But I’m not on a rescue mission. I was only assigned to reconnect lost families,” Jack answered her.

  “Could you ask? He really needs your help. And his wife and daughter need your help,” she pressed.

  “I’ll give it a shot, but I’m not going to say anything about it just yet to Ewen. I know him, it’ll be the last straw if he gets his hopes up and nothing eventuates.”

  “Cool,” Megan said, kissing her boyfriend.

  Ewen didn’t stir until 11 a.m. The house staff had waited for him to appear for hours. They were keen to carry on with their own tasks for the day, but dutifully waited to be on hand for Ewen as Jack had requested. As soon as he did appear they sprung into action, cooking a healthy breakfast and running a bath. Ewen wolfed down his meal and made his way to the bathroom to the steaming spa bath awaiting him, remaining there for another hour before he emerged again.

  The hierarchy of Thebes had turned down Jack’s proposal for Ewen’s family to be purposely brought to Jovian. Jack kept the disappointing news to himself.

  Ewen tried a few more attempts to contact his family again, but the computer must have been completely disconnected from the wall. He fell apart and drank himself into the Thebes City Hospital, where he was hospitalised for two weeks. It was a huge setback for Jack, who almost lost interest in the whole reconnecting lost families program.

  “It doesn’t end up happily ever after all the time,” Megan sympathised, rubbing his back.

  Jack thought seriously hard about who he’d choose for his next subject. Megan suggested the husband and wife that she had met at the reunion who had been passengers in a Cessna when it ‘went missing’ in 1984. They had showed Megan a well-handled photo of their daughter, her husband and the family that they’d left behind.

  “They were such nice people; do it for them Jack,” Megan urged, giving him that look. Jack melted and yanked her into his chest, kissing her on the forehead.

  The next morning Jack got in touch with Mr and Mrs Bitner, who were gobsmacked to have been chosen for Jack’s project. It was talked about that he’d begun the reconnection program, and people were queuing up for it. Mrs Bitner was slight with impish looks whereas Larry carried a tall and thickset build with a full head of greying hair and a moustache (typically American) and who hadn’t lost his American accent even though they had been living on Jovian for twenty years or so. They handed the address of their daughter to Jack. Claudia’s family lived in Arkansas, where they had also lived.

  Jack set to work immediately, hoping he’d be able to make a difference in the Bitners’ lives.

  A nice difference, he considered, not wanting a repeat of Ewen’s experience.

  Thankfully it proved a relatively easy task to find this new family. After the two previous searches he’d fine-tuned his skills to the point where he’d mastered it.

  The Bobak house looked very interesting. They had several views of the house, as the Bobaks’ computer had a private monitoring system, indicating a large house with loads of activity.

  Wealthy people.

  Judging by all the trophies sitting on the antique sideboard in the spacious living room Jack figured they must be accomplished people as well.

  His assumptions proved correct when he saw a large number of people spill in, dressed formally and in high spirits. A long cherry-wood table in the far corner of the room was groaning with food, and everyone began to mill around it. The sight of the immaculately presented food made Jack’s stomach grumble. His attention turned back to the people fast filling up the room. A couple strolled in, smiling and chatting to others. Helga Bitner made a squeal of delight as she saw her daughter and son-in-law for the first time in years. Jack thought about turning the speakers on, but hesitated. He’d hoped that the daughter and her husband would be alone in the house, not entertaining a large amount of guests. He knew that the timing had to be perfect for something like this.

  He turned to Larry and Helga and said, “I think we should wait until their friends have gone before we announce our presence. It will be alarming enough for them to see your faces on their computer, let alone have it happen in front of all these people.”

  Reluctantly they agreed, although bitterly disappointed. Larry dotted his eyes with his large handkerchief. (Jack didn’t think anyone used handkerchiefs anymore.) Larry was clearly overwhelmed at seeing his precious ‘little girl’ again, the apple of his eye, Jack guessed. Jack showed them to the door, making a time for them to return the next day, and hopefully catch the Bobaks at home by themselves. After they had left Jack went back to the computer to switch it off. As he did so he literally jumped when he saw a sea of faces looking at him on the screen.

  “Oh shit!” he said out loud, wondering how he was supposed to explain himself without the parents there with him. He gingerly sat down in front of the computer and turned on the speakers, hearing an explosion of American accents. A forty something, good-looking man leaned into the screen and spoke to him, the voices in the background dropping off.

  “Hello?” he said wide-eyed. The group behind him, now silent, watched on, their gazes intense. Jack braced himself.

  “Hello,” he said back to him, cheerily. “You are probably wondering what�
��s going on.”

  “Riiight,” the man said with a lilt in his voice and spreading out the word. He waited for Jack to elaborate.

  Jack cleared his throat. “First of all, I’m Jack Dunlop, and a friend of….. Larry and Helga Bitner’s.” He grimaced at his words while the man looked astonished. A woman standing behind him (who Jack presumed was Claudia) also appeared to be in shock.

  He spoke again, choosing his words more carefully. “I apologise for alarming you. I am very pleased to tell you that your folks are alive and well. They have been living in a…place where it has been impossible for any contact, up until now.” Nobody said a word so Jack continued. He looked directly at Claudia this time. “Your parents didn’t perish when their plane went missing. They were amongst a lot of people that were extracted from their plane over the Bermuda Triangle, where, as you may be aware, many other boats and planes have also gone missing. They are, in fact, all living here on a place called Jovian, a planet thirty-five light years away from Earth.” He stopped talking as Claudia had turned white.

  “Ray?” she said in a small voice turning to her good-looking husband.

  His face blackened. “Who do you think you are?” he said angrily. “Are you some sick computer freak that likes to go round telling people their dead relatives are alive and well and living with aliens?”

  Jack replied quickly, his mind flashing back to the last irate husband. “Sir, I know it sounds farfetched.” He took a deep breath. “Larry and Helga Bitner were here five minutes ago with me. You have a houseful of guests, so I told them it wasn’t the right time, and they reluctantly agreed to return tomorrow when we thought you might be by yourselves, and therefore in a more… appropriate situation.”

  Claudia said something quietly to her husband, who turned back to Jack.

  “Yeah? Well now’s good. These people are our friends. So put your money where your mouth is, Buddy, and show them. Or, you might perhaps choose to be traced and sued for causing emotional and psychological damage to my wife,” he shouted at Jack.

  Jack held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, Sir. Please hang on a minute while I call them back.” He excused himself and left the room, picking up his link phone on the way out. Fortunately, the Bitners weren’t too far away and were excited to hear from him. They were back within a few minutes and, once again, Jack prepared them. He let them go in first and watched from a distance, observing them coming face to face with each other for the first time in twenty-odd years. Claudia’s expression was a mixed bag of bewilderment, elation and grief. Her cries were echoed by the many friends in the background. Jack felt somewhat amused (but dared not show it) at how Americans always get on the emotional bandwagon when something nice is happening. Claudia’s husband Ray watched on in disbelief.

  Lost for words now, huh? Jack thought smugly, reasoning that there definitely was something rewarding about this reconnecting families thing.

  He knew he should once again bow out and leave them to it, and slipped out of the room, returning with two drinks, placing them down in front of the Bitners and moving quietly out again. He noticed before he disappeared that the Bobaks and their friends had done the same thing. There was a great party going on. It did seem strange, though, that the parties were thirty-five light years away from each other. Jack learned later on that Ray Bobak had become a highly acclaimed actor and that they had just come back from the American Golden Globe Awards where he had received Best Supporting Actor for his latest role in a movie.

  “Now there’s a thought,” Jack said to Megan over the dinner table that night.

  “What?” Megan questioned through her mouthful.

  “This guy Ray’s some celebrity hotshot and has his choice of exposure. I wonder who he’ll choose to share his encounter with aliens with. Imagine the uproar. Maybe he’ll do the tell-all on the Oprah Winfrey show. He’s either going to become a major sensation or he’s going to look like a dick,” he sniggered.

  “We’re not aliens,” Megan chided. “Well, you might be, but I’m not.” Jack threw her on the couch and pounced on top of her.

  Chapter 23

  Jack was requested to attend a meeting with his colleagues, along with Premier Tiberius and Marquis Ahmose. He knew why they wanted to see him.

  Premier Tiberius spoke in great detail of Jack’s impending mission to introduce genetic engineering to all countries on Earth. “The seeds of Jovian will become plant and produce of Earth’s, and eventually people of all countries will benefit with the same advancement of taste and goodness as we have. As you know, it is through our food that we have become such content people, with no desire for greed nor power.”

  Premier Tiberius continued, “You would act as our representative and through you we will introduce our genetically initiated produce of all varieties of the vegetable and fruit family, which will in turn be consumed by all animals and humans. As I have informed you, we have introduced an ingredient which stimulates brain cells and alters the formation of neurons so aggressive characteristics of all humans and animals are all but dissolved, and at the same time, positive characteristics are formed. It also enhances the senses and everybody benefits. Our people are the proof of such engineering. The produce itself is bigger, brighter and the taste incredibly better as you have since discovered. It will be your mission to convince the governments to make genetically modified food acceptable and legal in all countries. For this you will be highly rewarded for your efforts.”

  Marquis Ahmose took over, “We have commenced a trust fund for your charges so they may each receive 40,000,000 Egyptian pounds by the time they reach sixteen years of age, though although they are not yet sixteen we have decided that, with the supervision and consent of their legal guardians, they should have access to their accounts immediately.” He then slipped his hand inside his suit, pulled out an envelope and handed it to Jack. Jack knew they were deliberately holding a carrot in front of him.

  “There are twenty-four access cards to the TBI. Please pass these on to your parents,” Marquis Ahmose instructed.

  Jack opened the envelope and took out a gold-faced card, a rainbow of colours sweeping over it as they did on his Lucre Box. It read, ‘Thebes Banking Institute’ .

  “There will also be remuneration for you. We will not leave you out,” Premier Tiberius said, smiling. “You will be paid 10,000,000 Egyptian pounds per month from the date you sign the contract.”

  “Where’s my pen?” Jack grinned back at him, suddenly convinced.

  He drove home with mixed feelings, mulling over the events of the meeting. He turned into the driveway, parked his vehicle and sat there for a few minutes contemplating what lay in store for him, and wondering how on earth had he got himself involved in such a mission. He felt his jacket pocket that was bulging with access cards for the girls - their future, and deliberated how he was going to explain to them that he had to leave them and return to Earth to do a job that could take years to accomplish.

  “Let’s have a family group conference in the lounge,” Jack announced. Dutifully Megan hurried off to gather up the girls as well as Ben, Nancy and Sobek.

  They sat around listening intently as Jack carefully and tactfully explained what he was going to do. All the girls remained silent as Jack told them of his mission and impending departure, some quietly crying. When he had finished speaking all the girls unleashed into buckets of tears. Even their ‘little’ gift of the bank access cards didn’t soften the shock. They were about to lose their very much loved ‘big brother figure’ and protector.

  “Hey, I’m not dying,” Jack protested, trying to console and settle them down.

  “No, but you might as well be,” Eshe wailed, “you’re going to be on another planet!”

  Jack could see how much they were hurting, and was unsure if he was going to lose it too. “I’m sorry,” he apologised, pacing out of the room and disappearing into the bathroom. The girls watched him go, and fell apart again.

  Throughout the chaos no-one
spared a thought for Megan. The girls assumed that she, as their big sister and role model, would stay back with them. But it was a different story for Megan. Her mind was spinning. In fact, she felt angry with Jack. A lot of time had passed since they’d first talked about returning to Earth. She’d thought it was a good idea at the time because she yearned to see her parents again.

  But now is now, she thought, how dare he assume I’d be fine with it now?

  She needed to have it out with him. Jack was sitting on the stool in the bathroom with his head in his lap.

  “What about me?”

  Startled, Jack looked up, baffled. “What do you mean?”

  “Am I supposed to be coming with you, or staying here?” she questioned, looking at him sharply.

  “Well, of course you’re com…,” his voice trailed off. “W…what were you expecting to do?”

  “What was I expecting?” Megan half yelled. “Jack, in the beginning, when you were preparing to come to Jovian, you gave me a choice then to come with you or stay behind. I chose you over my parents. Now you want me to choose again? You want me to choose you again?” Jack had never seen her like this before. He suddenly felt squeamish.

  “How dare you do this to me again!” Megan screamed, her eyes blazing.

  “Megs, I’m sorry, I don’t know what to say…I thought you wanted to see your parents again,” Jack said meekly.

  Megan took a deep breath. “That was ages ago, Jack. They’re probably dead by now!” She hadn’t finished. “You turn everyone’s world upside down and you don’t know what to say? That’s a hell of a copout from someone who calls himself a family man. Maybe it’s because they aren’t biologically yours. Is that it?”

  Jack couldn’t believe his ears. Her remark hurt like hell.

  At that moment Megan felt so bad at what she’d said that she broke down. “Oh Jack, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it,” she apologised, now angry with herself for adding to the upset. After a few minutes of calm, Megan wiped her tears away and looked vulnerably at her boyfriend of a few years.