Destiny
After a few more days of leisurely sailing, they approached Jack’s island. Janet had been enjoying herself in spite of the situation. She decided to just let herself go and enjoy whatever happened. She was with Paul finally and just being with him, experiencing new things with him was a wonderful feeling.
She had never been on a boat before, or to the Caribbean, which was beautiful. She could certainly see why Jack liked it here so much. Her only bit of apprehension was with Suzie. She couldn’t quite place it, but something was amiss with her. She quietly decided to just keep an eye on her and maybe whatever was bothering her about Suzie would come to the surface. Until then, she had no complaints.
She was appalled to discover that they were in fact actually in the past. It was either that, or Jack had created an elaborate charade to fool them. The hardest thing to get past was the automobiles she saw when they passed close to the Florida shore. Automobiles with internal combustion engines polluting the atmosphere! And people didn’t seem to be dropping dead from the lack of oxygen that simply must be surrounding the things, based on what she had been taught.
Finally approaching Jack’s island, Janet found herself in awe of the stone castle sitting on top of a cliff overlooking a natural harbor.
Jack maneuvered the vessel into the harbor and dropped anchor. He said, “Normally, I would go to shore in the skiff, but since we have the hovercraft with us, it’ll be much easier for us because we can avoid the climb to the top.”
Everyone piled into the hovercraft as he un-strapped it from the roof. After climbing in himself, he started the vehicle and cruised to the top of the cliff, parking near the moat. He got out and picked up a rock near the moat. Turning it over, he poked it with his finger several times and a draw bridge lowered itself. Obviously, the rock was a disguised remote control.
Jack got back in and drove the hovercraft across the drawbridge and parked in the courtyard. Everyone piled out and just stood, looking around. Suzie spoke first “Wow Jack, this place is really something!”
Paul said “Yes, it most certainly is! I don’t know what I was expecting, even after you told me what it was, but this is far more than I ever hoped to see.”
Jack said “Paul, you’ll find the furnishings interesting as well. Remember, this is one thousand years in your past. And, I furnished it with antiques from my past. As an archaeologist, you will be enthralled, I assure you.”
Janet said “Am I to understand that this is actually your home? It certainly seems like a city all by itself.”
“Yes, it’s simply my home, and for the most part I’ve lived here alone. Although to be honest the castle has only been here for a few years. Since I’ve had the time machine, I would go back to a time to experience an event or era in the past and stay there for several weeks or months, years in this last jump. But, always when I came back I’d use the auto return function and arrive at the same moment I left.
“That’s the one really crazy aspect of my life. To be honest, I actually have no idea how old I am. At first I didn’t even notice, but as I spent more and more time away, in another time, I came to realize that I was living my entire life in other times. By the calendar, I am only 35 years old, but look at me, obviously I am middle-aged. This is why I’ve lived my life as a bachelor.”
They had walked into the building as Jack was talking. Paul was immediately engrossed in the matching suits of armor standing guard by the enormous main entrance. On the stone walls reaching off to either side were swords, shields and a wide assortment of medieval weapons. Tapestries hung at places that seemed appropriate as well.
Janet said “Jack, if you’ve been gone for ten years, and live here alone, why does the place seem so clean?”
Jack said “That’s a good question, Janet. The answer is two-fold, however. First, when I built this place, seven years ago by one way of counting, decades ago by another, I put in place everything I could think of that would make my life easier. One of the things I found was about one hundred years in my future. It was a series of little robots that stay away when they sense human presence. When no one is here, or, when everyone is asleep, they come out and quietly clean the place, top to bottom.”
“The other is the time line itself. In this time line I’ve only been gone for a few weeks. I went on a trip to Canada and from there made the jump to your time. Ten years passed, but I returned to the same instant I left.”
~***~
After a dinner made entirely from a vegetarian menu so Janet wouldn’t experience too much culture shock all at once, Jack found Suzie standing on the roof, where the castle guards would patrol, if this were a castle in medieval times. Finally alone for the first time in days, he said “Suzie, I’m sorry we haven’t had any time together alone. I wanted you to see my castle and hopefully make yourself at home here. But, Janet coming along put a damper on it.”
Suzie said “Jack, you seem to always forget. I’m a computer program. Yes, I simulate a live person in a rather convincing manner, but I am still only a computer when it comes down to it. My true home is that beat up case you left in the hovercraft. If it were to go away, I would have no choice but to follow. I can only stray but so far from it.”
Jack said nothing for a while. The two of them gazed out over the pale blue tropical waters of the Caribbean. Eventually, Suzie said “Jack, you need to make me a promise.”
“Sure, Suzie, anything you want.”
“You need to promise me that you won’t turn down a relationship with a real woman, when the right one comes along. The more I see Janet and Paul interact together, the more I realize that the relationship we have isn’t healthy for you.”
“But what about you? I can’t just abandon you.”
“I’ll always be here, unless my program degrades enough or something happens to my case, or whatever computer I happen to inhabit at the moment. You need not worry about me. Promise me, Jack.”
“Okay, I promise. I don’t agree with you, but I will make the promise.”
They stood there well into the evening watching the stars and the water. Occasionally they would see a dolphin playing in the harbor. Eventually, Jack went to bed. On his way, he passed his library and was not at all surprised to find Paul there reading a book. “What have you found in my literary treasure trove, Paul?”
“Oh, just a history book I had not encountered before. You know, once a scientist, always a scientist. I have been in love with history all of my life and when I see another volume of history I was previously unaware of, I simply can’t resist. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all, help yourself, Paul.”
~***~
Suzie wandered the halls of the castle much like a ghost in the old stories Jack told her about. She found the idea creepy. As she was thinking these thoughts, and the little robots were doing their nightly cleaning rounds, Janet came out of her room in search of the bathroom.
Before she could disappear, Janet spotted her, right about the time a robot passed through Suzie’s left leg. Janet said “I knew there was something strange about you, Suzie. You’re a hologram! I don’t know how I didn’t see it before.”
Suzie said “Actually, that is a relief! I was getting weary of the charade. Jack obviously knows and Paul has known for a short time. They were waiting for the right time to let you know. Paul assumed you didn’t know about holograms because he didn’t.”
“Actually, I do know about them and I’m not really surprised that Paul was unaware. Paul and I are discovering many things that are different in the two cultures we share. Somehow, years ago, I assume, two different sets of rules were laid down, one for the government and another for the civilians. I don’t agree with it, but don’t know how to go about changing it, either.”
“Jack has some pretty good insights; maybe he’ll have a suggestion, when the time is right.”
“Okay, I’ll ask him.” Janet went off to the bathroom and Suzie continued her exploration of the castle.
She would go crazy with nothing to do. Maybe Jack would begin shutting her down when she wasn’t needed. She would have to ask him. The internet was very primitive here, but she had full access to what little of it there was. Fortunately, Jack had supplied a satellite dish with access, very slow, but she had no other options. It was better than nothing.
~***~
In the morning, Paul and Janet fixed breakfast for the three of them. This time Suzie joined them in her favorite way, popping into existence right in front of Paul. Paul jumped and spilled his juice while Jack laughed. Janet very calmly said “Oh hi, Suzie. Glad you could join us” she then simply went back to what she was doing with no other comments.
Paul was nearly speechless. After a minute of composing himself, he finally said “How can you sit there so calmly when Suzie just suddenly appears out of nowhere?”
Janet said “Suzie and I had a talk last night. The funny thing was that while we were talking, one of those little robots passed right through her left leg. Why didn’t you guys tell me she was a hologram?”
Paul said “I wanted to, but since I had no idea what a hologram was when I was first introduced to her, I assumed you didn’t either. Am I to assume you are aware of holograms?”
“Actually yes, I have access to several, to be honest. After all I have seen from spending time with you, I am no longer surprised to discover you were kept in the dark about them.”
Laughing, Jack said “Maybe there’s hope for you yet, Janet.”
Suzie seemed to be more of her usual perky self today. She had been acting as if she were depressed ever since they left Harmony a few days ago. She said “When are we going to see the dinosaurs, Jack?”
“I was thinking we should spend a few days here first. Too much culture shock all at once might not be good. This’ll give Paul and Janet, as well as YOU a chance to get used to the 21st century before traipsing around 65 million years in the past. There’s an island a few miles from here with a small local population. We’ll go there today and spend a few hours. Later, we can go somewhere else, if you like.”
Paul said “That sounds great, Jack.”
After breakfast, they all piled into the hovercraft and made their way to the harbor. Jack landed on the roof and they all climbed down into the boat. Jack brought Suzie’s case with him and stowed it in one of the boats numerous storage compartments.
Janet saw the case and asked “Suzie, just how old are you, anyway? That case looks absolutely ancient.”
Suzie said “Normally, a lady would never tell. But, like you said, my case is ancient. I was created nearly nine hundred years ago, or actually, a bit over one hundred years from our current location in the time stream. My normal location was fixed, but I could be transferred temporarily to this mobile unit. Not only is this the longest I have ever been away, but this is the first time I have been off of a military base.” She paused a moment, smiled and continued “I really have been enjoying myself.”
Janet said, “I may be able to get you an updated case, with a bit more freedom of movement and a few enhanced options. The technology I have access to is much more current, well current a thousand years from now. This certainly gets confusing, thinking of the past as actually the future.”
Jack said “We’ll be there in a few minutes, guys.”
Suzie snapped a military perfect salute, which was rather comical in her current attire of bathing suit, sunglasses and big floppy hat. She said “Yes sir, Captain sir.” She then did an instant change to more appropriate clothing for a shopping trip on a tropical island. Everyone laughed heartily.
Jack pulled up to a dock and Paul threw a line to the young boy standing there awaiting their arrival. Jack and the boy got the boat secured and they all disembarked. The boy said “We haven’t seen you in a while, Captain Jack.”
Jack said “Actually, I have been busy and had to go on a long trip. I just got back yesterday. Keep an eye on my vessel, please.” Jack handed the boy a five dollar bill, American and walked off. The boy stood guard by the dock.
Paul, Janet and Suzie walked toward the small town. Paul quietly took everything in while Janet got her first glimpse of life outside the city walls of Harmony. They walked past a family having a lunch on the beach. Paul pointed them out to Janet and began describing the concept of a family to her. They were both fascinated at how the family interacted with each other and could sense the happiness of all the family members.
They were particularly interested in the children. The father of the family used a machete to cut a coconut from a tree. He chopped it quickly a few times and then held it so his youngest child could drink the liquid from within. Once the liquid was gone, he cut it in half and using a piece of the rind, fed some of the coconut to the child.
Janet said “I had no idea about families, Paul. I wonder what it would be like to raise a child.”
Paul said while looking deeply into Janet’s eyes “I have been wondering the same thing.”
As they continued on to town, they came to a lady selling souvenir items she made from local raw materials. Janet selected a basket, which Jack assured her was a Bahamian specialty and purchased it for her.
Paul was more fascinated by the wood carvings the lady’s husband was creating. He stood and watched the man carve a beautiful statue of a fisherman for most of an hour. When the man was finished, Jack bought the item for Paul.
When dinner time approached, Jack said “I have a special treat for you. You are going to enjoy a traditional meal, consisting of Cracked Conch and peas ‘n rice. Janet, this is not a vegetarian meal, but trust me, you will like it. Paul, the archaeologist, today will become the anthropologist. That certainly doesn’t happen very often.”
Paul said, “If it’s as good as cow is, count me in!”
Jack laughed and said “Beef, Paul. Cow is the animal; beef is what you call the meat.”
Janet stopped, obviously shocked. With an incredulous look on her face, she asked “Paul! You ate animal flesh?”
He said “Yes, and it was delicious! You will have to try it!”
To avoid questions from the locals about why she wasn’t eating, Suzie wandered down to the beach for a walk, taking everything in. While there, a young girl approached her. The girl asked “Lady, are you an angel?”
Suzie said “An angel? Why would you ask that?”
“Your feet don’t sink in the sand; you must be an angel or something.”
“No, I am not an angel” she said. Hoping to change the subject, she asked “Do you live around here?”
“Yes, my mother is the basket lady you saw earlier.”
“She certainly makes beautiful baskets. Do you make them as well?”
“I’m learning, but I’m not as good as Mommy is. Gotta go!” she said and ran off.
Suzie quickly returned to the restaurant. She would have to be extra careful. She had no idea she would be spotted so easily by a young child. When she got there, she said “Jack, we should really get going.”
“Why?” he asked with a concerned look on his rugged face.
“I was walking by the water and was approached by a young girl who asked me why I wasn’t leaving footprints in the sand. I’ll have to be more careful, but for the moment, we should depart this particular island before she tells her parents and they come with questions.”
They finished their meals and headed back to the boat. Suzie looked nervous the whole time, until they were well off shore. Then she visibly relaxed. She said “I’m sorry guys that I made your visit here end early.”
Paul said “Don’t worry about it, Suzie. It’s a big world and Jack can take us anywhere. I, for one, am having the time of my life!”
“I am as well. No worries, Suzie.” Suzie laughed at the bit of Australian humor from Janet regarding her accent.
Jack said “I was thinking we should head back to the castle for a bit anyway. I have something to show you, Paul. I found another disk back at the Canadian dig. Why don’t you fill Janet in on what we found under the ice?”
As they made their way back, Paul told Janet everything.