Ark II - 35. What Time Is It?

Joel did witness the team Jim was a part of have success with the antigravity field. He saw the field work with the jetbike. Control was the problem there. With the jetbike powered up, it was fine. It threatened to topple over when stationary. It was a single, or if needed, two person craft for going short distances. Like bicycles and motorcycles it could carry two. The sidecar wasn’t even thought about. The other person would ride their own jetbike. If there was trouble the two riders could get on one and get out of the dangerous area. Joel also witnessed Sara Beth and the team she was working with discussing acres and acres of flat land they would begin planting. The agricultural portion of New Charleston stretched for miles! Or kilometers. They were growing everything. Plants and animals everywhere and a forest of trees in all available land. Grass! The robots being used to till the ground began before an hour on Gaea. They loosened the ground and took portions of the compost and tilled it into the ground. The growth cycle had begun. The grass and compost would begin the fertilization cycle. There would be greenhouses. For the more “temperamental” plants that need more attention., Flowers. Joel wasn’t uninformed. Many of those flowers were needed for medicines and also was treatment for the eyes. Roses Joel knew and there were dozens of roses. He knew Sara Beth would have them on Gaea. Orchids would be one of the flowers needed for medications grown in the greenhouses. Not the roses. The ground of New Charleston was not all level. As it would be in any parcel of ground anywhere. There were rises and there was a portion that seemed to be a perfect “bowl” for the lake. There would be access to water for this lake that they put there. It would never be dry. Joel could see kilometers of water surrounded by trees of oak, pine, maple and the countless others. Water fowl swimming on the surface; ducks and Joel knew there would be swans. He hoped for the white and black swans. Both were beautiful birds, so Joel thought. Ducks of all kinds. Joel knew it would be spectacular. That would be in another hundred years. This period out of stasis would be short. The many expectant mothers would need to be in stasis before giving birth. The mothers would be the stasis chambers for their babies. They needed to have things in place before that. The message back to Mars would be sent before that. They didn’t need to give away where they are. They worked well together. Jim was an active member of the team he was with. Sara Beth was working well with the team she was with. Lief was concentrating on the lake or pond. The freshwater they had in abundance. They would treat it and add the oxygen and other elements needed. Underwater plants would add to keep the water ready. Adding the other insects and life needed to maintain the water and add water if needed. Rain. The plants needed rain and rain could be done through some sprinklers. The irrigation of the crops would be done. Later, as Gaea became a life sustaining planet there would be needed rain. There was rain now, but the water had none of the lifeforms needed...yet. He again had confidence they would do it. They would create a twin to Earth.

In came Hank and Chloe. Joel looked at Hank’s eldest and instantly thought of the ugly duckling. He didn’t see it, but Chloe did about herself. Joel saw a pretty girl that was maturing into a very beautiful woman. Acne was a curse all Human’s went through. They had great skin treatments now that worked. She was struggling with both the dry skin and oily skin. How the Hell did that happen? Oily skin below the lip on the chin and by the nose on either side on her cheeks. Dry skin near the ears. There were the creams and soaps...don’t forget the pills to regulate the hormone levels and keep the body fluids...more normal. Whatever that was. Chloe was in that period where her body was changing from a child to a mature woman. Her features were taking on her mother’s influence...like Chloe’s hair was beginning to clump and get oily, too. It was also darkening and taking a dark red color, just like her mother. She was twelve soon to be thirteen that month. Poor thing. Poor Rita. Poor Hank! He had no doubt they had the improved progestin inserted. It prevented pregnancy from happening, yes, but also regulated the budding monthly cycle.

“Hi, Uncle Joel,” Chloe greeted Joel. “I have the clock you were asking for.”

“Of course, you do,” Joel smiled. “You’ll be saving me from a few headaches.”

She chuckled shyly, “It wasn’t difficult.” She shrugged.

“Says you,” Hank grumbled which Chloe rolled her eyes.

“The problem is measuring all time was tricky,” she started to explain. “Athena, show the clock and calendar we came up with.” Before them in the air was an analog clock with the minute hand, short handed hours and the sweeping red hand for the seconds. Below that was a clock that showed numbers that read 1234. “I thought you’d like the old clock.” Chloe chuckled.

Joel saw the analog clock showing the minute hand at thirty-four and the hour hand on the twelve. “I do!” He grinned at Hank, “My sons will love having to read an old clock.” He noticed the second had moved slower and a greater distance.

“Converted hours from Earth to the time on Gaea took some doing. We’re sticking to the twenty-four hours. We’re sticking with the twelve months, but thirty-three hours a Gaean day that we will say is twenty-four hours.” She pointed, “Using New Charleston as the center of measurable time, meaning each day begins at sunrise on Gaea. We could mark the sunrise at hour one, or move what we had as midnight back seven hours, but it isn’t mid night.” She pointed to the next number. “These are the mission hours from the time we launched. That’s in Earth hours.” Joel saw the number 136.8.11. Chloe smiled, “We have been gone one hundred and thirty-six years, eight months and eleven days.” She grinned, “That’s accurate for the month a day.” She pointed to another set of numbers that read 8.11.12.37.02. The last number was going up. “See? We’ve gained the minute. Our bodies aged eight months, eleven days, twelve hours, thirty-seven minutes...”

Joel began waving her down, “I got it. There will be a new number at the front in five months.” He squeezed the bridge of his nose to stop the head pain that was brewing.

“If the planets agree on a clock,” Chloe shrugged. “I started the Earth-time in Greenwich Mean Time. That last clock is mission time and ours..."

Joel jumped up and hugged Chloe which sort of surprised Chloe not even a second as she smiled, “This is great! It all starts somewhere. Then there’s Mar’s time...” He saw her face and added, “Who cares? We’ll know by Athena! This is wonderful! Great job, Chloe!”

“I didn’t come up with the time,” Chloe downplayed her work.

“You put a face on the clock!” Joel said. “The increased seconds and the hours.” He shook his finger in her face. “Don’t dismiss what you did.” He caressed her face gently, “A beautiful girl and very smart!” He grinned at Hank. “She’s taking after her mother.”

“She’ll be dangerous in the future,” Hank was smiling but feigned indignance, “Hey! I gave her some of those brains!”

Joel saw Chloe’s embarrassed face. He grabbed Hank and brought them into a Chloe sandwich making Chloe laugh and squirm as she chuckled more. “Athena, save the new clock and have it ready to display on command.”

“Yes, Joel,” Athena’s voice came.

Chloe smiled again shyly, “Now, Uncle Joel. If we don’t match the day with the rotation of Gaea our six in the morning will end up in the middle of the night or day.”

Joel nodded, “Okay, Athena adjust our day accordingly.”

“It will be done,” Athena said.

“But one minute is still sixty seconds,” Hank said to be certain.

“Of course,” Chloe nodded breaking out of the hug slightly. “The Gaean seconds are longer.”

“So,, saying one Mississippi, two Mississippi won’t work,” Hank smiled.

“No,” Chloe said. “One Mississippi and ah, two Mississippi and ah might work.”

“We’ll adjust,” Joel said simply.

“Are you getting anything done?” Hank asked with a smile that told Joel he knew. “I don’t know why you didn’t go with them.”

Joel shrugged, “I have plenty to do here...”

“Very little of which you’re doing,” Hank chuckled.

Chloe looked between her father and Joel. Then she realized why her father said that. “Oh, the neural link. You know what each other is doing.” She nodded.

“We can read what we see and do,” Joel said.

Chloe touched her father’s arm, “Tell Uncle Joel the latest with Mom.”

Hank smirked, “I woke with this taste in my mouth.” He frowned. “I wanted the spicy orange chicken from Beijing Wok.”

Joel’s head retracted slightly, “What?” Then he remembered what Hank had said before. “Oh, yes. The craving.”

“Yeah,” Hank grumbled. “I like it, too...when we were on Earth. That’s how I knew where we got it. It was definitely their food. It’s a signature dish.”

“Maybe we should call and see if they can deliver,” Joel grinned. “They have delivery, don’t they?”

“Oh, ha, ha, ha,” Hank said annoyed. “They closed a century ago, I’m sure. Besides, even if we ordered by computer my two new additions would be in high school!”

“You should ask Wei or Bia. They come from China and Mongolia.” Joel suggested. “Perhaps Dr. Lai Bi-khim. He’s Taiwanese. His wife Elliza is from the Philippines...I’m sure someone can make it.”

“Sure,” Hank muttered. “You know the dishes we call Chinese aren’t really Chinese.”

Joel grinned nodding, “Yep, I know. The dishes we call Chinese were created on the North American continent.”

“Athena could make it, I have no doubt,” Hank said. “Rita won’t die if the craving is not satisfied.”

Joel put his hand on Hank’s shoulder, “Well, she is eating for three. Sara Beth says a woman’s body is wanting something it needs for the baby or babies. The craving is for something her body knows had it. Thus, the craving.”

“Whatever,” Hank growled. “Its annoying, but so powerful!” He waved his arms out helplessly. “I mean I could taste the sweet orange sauce, the tender cuts of chicken...” Hank’s mouth opened as he bit into one of those cuts of chicken that wasn’t there, “the feel of biting into it,” he was savoring the memory of it. “Those little cuts of the red chili peppers...”

Joel chuckled as he knew them well, “The Tien Tsin Pepper! I love those!”

Hank snapped his finger and pointed at Joel with his right hand and touched his nose with his left indicating Joel had it on the nose sign in charades. “Yes!”

“Again! I haven’t known a pepper I didn’t like!” Joel claimed firmly. “Now I’m getting a hank’rin’ for this spicy orange chicken!”

“Hank’rin”?” Hank asked then understood. “That’s Southernese for cravings.” Hank nodded. “I got it. Why should only I suffer? Sara Beth has cravings you said.”

“For pickles, which she raises the cucumbers and pickles them herself!” Joel shot back.

“Why is Rita’s so odd?” Hank bellowed. “Pickles and ice cream?”

“Sometimes pickles and ice cream yes!” Joel said back as loud. “It has to be French Vanilla! He threw his hands out. “Why are we shouting?”

“I’m frustrated!” Hank replied, still loud.

“That’s fine! Does this help?” Joel asked.

Hank replied much quieter, “A little.”

Joel smiled, “Glad I can help.”

Chloe looked at Joel and her father, “Mom is right.”

“She always is,” Hank muttered. “About what this time?”

Chloe patted her father on the chest and then Joel’s. “You two are grown physically, but you’re both little boys in here.” She patted their chests.

Hank grinned, “But you’re never bored!”

Joel returned to the computer, which was kind of not necessary now. He was linked to Athena and therefore the computer anywhere anytime. He didn’t even need a keyboard. He thought of Sara Beth and saw her below. He didn’t need the interface with her as he knew her and knew what she pulled up on the computer. She was thinking about the supplemental plants like thyme, sage, peppers of all kinds...seasoning plants. Seeing where the best place to plant them and if they needed the greenhouse. They still had hydroponics and those that can be raised in the open. There were some plants like cinnamon that needed a certain environment. Mushrooms! Damp and dark. They were spore plants but needed. Hell, the plants and all animals were needed...even fire ants? Sara Beth said yes, but Joel wasn’t sure. Poison ivy or poison oak? Crabgrass!? Joel tried to clear his head by shaking it to get those thoughts out. Rita was right, he and Hank were just little boys in men’s bodies. Inside Joel felt like Joel. No different than he did at twenty. He felt more resistance when he moved physically. He was in shape and worked every day to keep himself fit. In fact, there was no one on the Ark who he would say was overweight in the slightest. Who knew the future? Would any on the Ark become fat and lazy? Would he? Who knew? Eating to comfort yourself was common among Humans. All of the people on the Ark seemed fine. No they weren’t perfect or saints but sane. There were a few in the groups he wasn’t that sure of. That was because they just were.

He watched Jim on the surface who dared them to let him ride the jetbike. He was lighter and he’d ridden dirt bikes on Earth since he was tall enough and where his feet touched the ground! He was fifty-five inches tall now and would probably be as tall as Joel. Joel swore Jim had grown since they left Earth almost nine months ago. Jim had a bicycle at four he rode inside the protected walls in Asheville! With supervision.

The jetbike’s controls were simple. The right handlebar was the throttle that you twisted to gain speed like a motorcycle. There was the left side that reversed the jet to radically slow down. Most, even Joel himself simply reduced the throttle and let the bike slow down naturally. In history and even in modern times, the foot control was to shift gears. Not anymore. The left foot controls the gravitational field and the right controlled the power given to the field. With two wheels or this gravity generator, you had to balance the rise of the bike and throttle to get the speed needed to stay upright. The typical motorcycle or bike. Joel was worried as his son took off, having to lean further over the engine to reach the controls. Jim handled the jetbike with confidence and rode a couple of kilometers toward his mother, who was not pleased, but kept it to herself. She trusted her son’s ability and saw him take off again.

“I know you saw that, Joel,” Sara Beth muttered to no one. She looked up to where she knew the Ark was. “You probably are looking right now.”

“I did and am,” Joel said, knowing Sara Beth had her earbud in her ear. “I’ve been watching you since you left the Ark.”

“Why didn’t you come down with us?” Sara Beth asked with a light chuckle.

“I didn’t want you to think I was hovering,” Joel admitted. “I know you are fine. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t have come down there.”

“Thank you,” Sara Beth smiled. “You’re hovering from orbit.”

“Yep.” Joel admitted. “Sue me.”

“Never,” Sara Beth shook her head. “Thank you for caring.”

“I do a lot,” Joel said. “You are part of us. We’re family. You, Jim, and Daylia are the most important people down there. Part of me.”

“I know,” Sara Beth smiled. “I feel the same for you. I love you, Joel.”

“I know,” Joel grinned. “I love you, Sara Beth.”

Sara Beth let out a little cry of surprise. Sara Beth rubbed her swell, “That was Daylia, saying she loves you, too.”

Joel chuckled lightly, “I want my girls safe.”

Sara Beth looked at her pad she was using, “We’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

“Gaean hours,” Joel said looking at the clock was not necessary, but he looked out of habit. “It’s nearly four o’clock.” Joel’s body was still on the Earth clock. His body was saying it was later. “See you soon.”

Joel contacted Nayef and Tom. They were the Psychiatrists on the Ark. There were others, both Psychologists and Psychiatrists. There had been a movement to remove the difference between them. A psychiatrist went to medical school and could prescribe medications. These days a number of psychologists could do the same. Some nurse practitioners could, There were doctorate nurses that had the credentials. Here was the headache coming. Joel pinched the bridge of his nose again.

“Yes, Joel?” Nayef said coming into the Control Room followed by Tom Szasz.

“You could have responded by computer,” Joel grinned rising from his chair.

“It’s a big ship,” Tom chuckled. “Personally, I prefer the personal visits. It’s not a long walk.”

“Okay,” Joel nodded. “We need to compose a response to the message sent from Mars. Can you think of someone to write the message?”

“Several,” Nayef said. “My wife is one. She’s published several papers that were very popular.”

“You were questioning the content,” Tom reminded.

“You didn’t want to give anything away,” Nayef said. “You don’t have to.”

“A reply earlier than they expect will confuse them,” Tom said. “If they can trace the origin of the signal...all ten of them, they will be even more confused.”

“The verification codes from Athena, you, Hank and the other leaders for the departments will confuse them.” Nayef said simply. “I’m sure you can write it.”

“I can,” Joel admitted then pressed his hand to his chest shaking his head. “However, it’s not my letter.” He waved all around him. “It’s everyone’s message, therefore everyone needs to let me know what to say.”

Tom nodded, “I see.” He shrugged, “Write it up send it to everyone, and let them add what extra they want.”

“I’ll do that,” Joel said. “The message will be sent while we’re in stasis. I’ll draft it, send it to everyone but I need it back in three weeks.” He thought another second and looked at Nayef and Tom. “What time is it?”

The two men saw the grin on Joel’s face, and both looked at him warily.

“You know what time it is,” Tom waved at the wall and the new clock and his eyes widened.

“Why?” Nayef asked. He looked at the digits and the analog clock., “What the Hell?”

Joel held up his finger, “Send Chloe a message, Athena.” He looked at the two men, “She’s in school now.” He looked again upward. “Chloe, I’ve thought about it and I think I might like it better if the time and date change happens at sunrise in New Charleston. No more midnight and we should make the analog clock a twenty-four-hour clock.” He looked at the two. “That would make it now almost 09oo hours. You know military time, right?”

Nayef’s eyes rolled, “I had to use the twenty-four-hour clock in hospitals.”

Tom nodded, “Me, too.” He held his head to keep it from bursting, “The charting!” He looked at Joel, “All dated and timed by the twenty-four-hour clock.”

“Sure,” Joel smiled. “The first real hour is at sunrise. That maked 0700 the first hour of the day!”

Nayef pointed at the clock display, “Is that second hand moving too slow?”

“For the second on Earth,” Joel nodded. “A Gaean minute is longer because the seconds are longer. You need more than one Mississippi!” He saw there confused faces. “It is a way most every child from the United States learned to count off seconds.” To which Joel got two, “Ohs”. Joel waved them off with his left hand.

“I don’t know,” Tom smiled mischievously. “There may be some who won’t get it at first.”

“We’ll have Athena help the children...” Joel began.

“Forget the children,” Tom laughed. “For example, take Wei. He has the worse time keeping appointments.”

Nayef nodded laughing. “He would set several alarms to get him to an appointment on time.”

“We weren’t in a session when he and Bai told us,” Tom assured Joel quickly. “He knows and talks about it with others freely.”

Joel’s eyes widened, “The man who designed the wall around New Charleston...the man who designed the dome over New Charleston...when I tell him we’ll meet at zero four hundred hours won’t remember?”

Nayef chuckled, “Bia was also reminding him of the appointments. He gets so caught up with what he’s doing he loses track of time.” He waved his hands out helplessly. “He can see what he’s working on.” Nayef pointed at his own head. “Time is a concept he can’t see in his head.”

Joel smiled, “Well, he has the filaments now. Athena will remind him.” Joel’s mind was in the conversation, but part of his mind was still watching Sara Beth, Jim, and the teams. “The teams on the surface are coming back.” He watched as Lief was going to pilot the return to the Ark. Sara Beth sent a message.

“We’ll be back in two hours,” Sara Beth reported as the Harpy Lander’s engines sent dust and dirt into the air.

“I’ll be here to greet you,” Joel said out loud. He looked at Tom and Nayef, “That was to Sara Beth. She is resistant to the filaments right now. She can still interface, but with the headset. She’s linked in that way.”

Nayef nodded, “These filaments and interface is remarkable!”

“We need to program Athena to only allow only certain things to be transmitted,” Joel said. “Some things will not.”

“My understanding is the person sending is responsible,” Tom said.

“Yes,” Joel acknowledged. “You two are excepting a third child. You may not care, but someone could get in a find out what studs you are! If someone were to get in and feel what I feel, or see, or hear when I’m making love to Sara Beth...I don’t care. I’m Human and sex is what we do. There are those that would see this as voyeurism! Seeing things others see as private. For security’s sake, there are times I will have to see what they are doing and thinking. Only certain people should be allowed to do this.” He brightened, “You are talking to a patient and ask how they feel...” he grinned, “You can know how they feel...”

Nayef nodded, “With their permission, of course.”

“Of course!” Joel said grandly. “This will change Psychotherapy forever!”

Tom nodded, “You’re right. Knowing they are hiding things.”

Nayef’s grin was a bit on the naughty side, “You know porn drove the computer to do some amazing things.”

Joel shrugged, “We’ve all enjoyed porn in our lives.” He pointed at them, “Admit it.”

“We have,” Tom nodded. “And still do.”

“We’ll have those parameters to submit to Athena,” Nayef promised.

“Commander Nesmith!” A female voice said through the interface. “You need to get to the delivery room we set up.”

Joel quickly recognized Dana Carek. She and a team were set together to handle all the deliveries on the Ark. “Someone’s giving birth?”

“I’m trying to prevent one,” Dana said quickly. “It’s Larisa Bhatt.”

Joel remembered the pretty Astrophysicist who was the first to say she was pregnant just days before Sara Beth. “She’s at forty weeks!?”

“No,” Dana confessed. “She’s at thirty-two weeks and that’s a problem, but not the one I need to tell you about. Sara Beth isn’t back yet, is she?”

Joel’s mind looked for his wife and saw she was about an hour and a half more away. “No, she’s on the way back. Surely there are other doctors...”

“She is the leader for the medical group.” Dana said quickly. “She is to be informed.”

That was true. “I’ll tell her to come to the delivery room.” He looked at Nayef and Tom. “Ansh may need your support.” He spoke to the air, “Sara Beth, I won’t be there to greet you. You need to come to the delivery room as soon as you are back. I believe the medical word is stat! I’m sure Dana has the case on file in the computer.”

“We’re on the way!” Nayef said. Joel followed right behind them.

The medical field had changed over the centuries. Joel saw Larisa on her back doing the breathing every woman was told to do when in labor. She should not be in labor yet. The difference was the pain control. They had learned to stop the signals to the brain to stop the pain. Larisa knew what was happening and did what her body needed to give birth. Not now! Ansh was there not knowing what to do,

“I’m sorry, Joel,” Larisa cried. “I’m too soon. I am so sorry.”

“Stop that,” Joel smiled at her taking her hand, then took Ansh’s hand, “Neither of you are at fault. Nor is the baby. He or she is just coming earlier than expected.” He saw Ansh smile slightly. “You stop it, too. We’ll get through this.”

Dana was a wonderful Obstetrics and Gynecologist. One of the best on Earth which got her on the Ark. She was also the top Neonatologists and even did amazing surgeries, micro-surgeries on fetuses in the first trimesters who would not survive birth. The fetus healed quickly in the mother. Dana refused to keep anything from her patient or family. “She has Placenta Previa.”

Joel knew that was bad. The placenta was going to come out before the baby! His blood ran cold hearing that. “You can do a caesarean section?”

Dana nodded, “I can. I would prefer for the baby to develop more.” She sighed, “I’ve been monitoring her situation. Placenta Previa will sometimes correct itself. She began having contractions since yesterday. Not much bleeding, which is the danger. Now, she dilated two centimeters as she has begun giving birth.”

Joel squeezed Larisa’s hand, “Can you stop the labor?”

“I’ve begun Terbutaline or Brethine, but it may be too late,” Dana shrugged. “Before the last four weeks an infant does better. Why?” She shrugged again, “No one knows. A baby’s lungs need to develop more.” She looked at Larisa. “I can try to reposition the baby and placenta manually, after I stop the contractions.”

Joel knew Dana meant to stick her hand inside Larisa and move the placenta and baby. “Got it.”

“We have time to let things work,” Sara Beth said coming next to Joel. She smelled of Gaea. The earthy smell of dirt and a little sweat. Her hair was down and a bit disheveled. Still very sexy to Joel. Sara Beth smiled at Joel, but it was her crisis smile. “Hi, Honey.” She kissed him quickly.

“Hi,” Joel smiled and looked at Ansh. “You need to sit. This will take a while.”

Tom came with a padded chair, “Here you go. You don’t have to leave Larisa’s side.”

Ansh sat never letting go of his wife’s hand. “Thanks, Tom.”

“Relax,” Joel encouraged. “We have many excellent doctors here.”

“I’ll try,” Ansh smiled.

Joel shook his head, “Don’t try. Do it!” He smiled. “I don’t do it usually, but I order you to relax!” He touched Ansh’s shoulder. “You have the best doctor in the universe to deliver your child. Trust her and her team of doctors.”

Ansh saluted Joel, “Yes, Sir, Commander.” He smiled.

Joel turned to Larisa, “And you do whatever she says to do. You have this baby. That’s also an order.”

Larisa smiled, “I will.”

“You can’t do without tonight’s entertainment,” Joel said. “Athena will send you what’s happening to you here. Understood?” He looked at Dana who nodded.

“Now,” Sara Beth said. “I need to wash up before supper.” She looked at Larisa, “Giving birth is the most dangerous thing a person can do. You know that. Why do you think women were chosen to do it?” She looked at Joel with a smug smile and kissed him. “See you at dinner.”

Joel went to the Communal Dining Area. He liked that he didn’t have to ask Athena to make an announcement. Well, he did, just not out loud. “As you may all know, Larisa Bhatt is having some issues which are being addressed. She is being watched carefully. I have every confidence she will be fine.” He looked at Chloe, “Did you get my message?”

“Yes, Uncle Joel,” Chloe answered. “You were busy.”

Joel nodded, “Indeed I was.” He grinned at everyone. “What time is it?”

He smiled as everyone looked puzzled by the question. He saw Sara Beth come in wearing clean coveralls. Her hair was still slightly damp, but would continue to dry. She had rushed to get here. Ian sprung up and hugged his mother.

“Chloe Cavill has come up with a clock,” Joel announced. He thought Athena should show the clock. “Its 1157. Or eleven hundred hours and thirty-seven minutes.” He grinned as they all spoke with each other. Joel laughed and held his hand up. “I know, it’s something we will have to get used to. We needed a clock to operate on Gaea.” He waved at the clock, “See? There are twenty-four hours.” He looked at them again, “I know you’ve heard of a New York minute.” He waved back at the clock. “These are Gaean minutes! New York minutes are shorter...I think...I’m not a Yankee. Anyway, Gaean minutes are longer. Still sixty seconds in a minute, sixty minutes in an hour...” he threw his arms out, “Who cares? It is what we say it is!” He looked at Chloe. “Are there still twelve months?”

Chloe nodded, “Yes, but we’ll have thirty-four days in a month, but a few months will have thirty-five days.”

“Really?” Joel asked. “Seven days a week, though?”

“Yes,” Chloe nodded.

“See?” Joel said brightly. “Monday is Monday all around the universe!” He smiled again. “We can keep the months’ names, but that could be confusing as the days and months won’t match. My birthday is in October. Our new month will throw that off. We may need new names for the months. Jim’s birthday is a few days away and we would not hear the end of it if we missed it. If I say we’re meeting on Monday morning at 0400 hours people know when to show up! Wei!” That brought laughter from the others.

“I’ve only been late a few times,” Wei defended but was smiling..

Joel nodded, “The children know how old they are,!” He waved them off, “It’s a work in progress. Now, eat!”

The clock and the digital numbers for the other planets and their time out of stasis remained up during dinner. It was 1300 hours when people began to get ready for the talent night.

The performances were an interesting arrangement, not because of the music, but it was roughly arranged by time periods. There were smiles as Ian stood waiting for Lunga to place his smaller keyboard on the raised portion of the floor. It had to be for his little fingers to reach and play the chords! The Dining Area darkened, and Ian watched his youngest son sit on the chair placed so he could play. Ian wasn’t scared. Joel didn’t think his son knew about stage fright. For his son it was fun. What surprised Joel was the bigger image of the large, white concert grand piano that was open on stage in a concert hall. He watched as his son never hesitated and when he began Beethoven’s Piano Sonata number twelve, his piano sounded like that grand piano. It wasn’t rushed music, and he played extremely well. Sara Beth was templing her hands with pride as he did so well. When Ian finished that one he was getting a lot of applause that he waited to stop and then he went to Beethoven’s fourteenth. He was five! Six in October, his father shared his month with his son. At the end of that there were people standing as they applauded. Ian smiled at everyone and went to stand between his mother and father who both hugged him. Even Kevin and Jim were telling him he did well. Rob was standing with the family and told Ian he played well.

“I’ll try to keep up,” Lunga laughed lightly. A bigger keyboard was brought for him. The background changed to a concert hall featuring the grand piano. ”I’m playing Mendelsohn’s Concerto Number One.” He sat down and began to play. He also got loud applause.

But it didn’t end. No! They took down the keyboard and again the lights turned down lower. Four figures stood on the raised portion of the floor as the light came on the four men. Joel was chuckling in surprise as was most all the others. The four men wore red and white striped vests over a white shirt with a black bowtie. Black pants, but all of them had handlebar mustaches! The ones that curled at the end. The background changed to show a light wood paneling but the barber pole everyone knew with red and white candy stripe. The four leaned closer together and at the sound of a pitchpipe hummed the note and broke into song. “Ain’t Misbehavin’. Savin’ my love for you. I know for certain the one I love, I’m thorough flirtin’, it’s you I’m thinking of.” The barbershop quartet was good! The close harmonies of the men’s voices...it was in the 1890s or early 1900’s. The fact Joel knew they were a biologist, a medical doctor, an engineer, and computer scientist was forgotten. They sang another, “It’s Only A Paper Moon.” Only they sang they’re only paper moons. Stand by Me was the last song.

Again, the lights were turned down and three figures got the center of the platform. The lights came back up and three women in gowns smiled and the big USO sign for the United Service Organization behind them. It was the 1940s and World War II was underway. The music started and the three women were performing for the men in uniform who were going to war. They sang “Mr. Sandman.” They sang the swing song “Boogie Woogie Bugel man from Company B.” “Don’t Sit Under the Appletree.” It was 1942!

It didn’t stop there! Brice got up with his back turned to the audience and wearing a black cape? Then he sang! He was very good. When he sang he turned and you saw the white mask that covered one side of his face as he sang “Music of the Night” from Phantom of the Opera. All the men who sang it before would have been jealous. Then Adel came up wearing a loose black dress and began, “’bout twenty years ago in New Orleans...” she sang “Le Jazz Hot” from Victor/Victoria! The irony was Adel had been born male, had gotten the gender reassignment surgery in her late teens. Now she sang the character who was female pretending she was a male, pretending she was female! Irony? She sang beautifully! Off came the loose dress and everyone saw she was female with breasts that were hers. The thin waist and full hips that said female. The body suit was red but allowed her female proportions to show. She had the range and even Julie Andrews would have been envious. She ended it with the flourish. “Le Jazz hot!” her fist went up as she snapped her fingers. She got a standing ovation with thunderous applause.

Bon Jovi and Electric Light Orchestra. 2090 with the Lunatics. 2150s with the Invaders from Mars.

The last thing done was when the lights were turned down, and the slow song by Richard Strauss began. Known from the 1968 movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. As the music grew, so did the light of a star breaking on the horizon. It was Ran coming up over the New Hawaiian Islands. The dome over New Charleston was barely seen. The light grew brighter, and your eye sank through the dome and the field of grass now had trees placed seemingly by God. The living complex was finished using Charleston’s Rainbow Row house colors. The sidewalk for the living complex was lined with the oaktrees and azaleas white and purplish-red, lined with roses. The light was growing with the beginning of the new day on Gaea. The soft boom of the bass timpani drums grew as the light grew. A lone person walked from the center square from a night...from doing somewhere. The Angel Oak was over a hundred years old stood in the town center. (It was older than that, but...) It could be Earth but wasn’t. The music reached it’s climax as the eye was taken again out of the dome an showed Ran’s rise out of the ocean. You saw a whale break the surface and plunge in a mighty splash as the music died zoomed out to the Ark where you saw Ran lighting Gaea with her twin rings where you saw the Ark, behind that was Gaea, behind which was Ran.

“Wow,” Hank said in a reverent tone behind Joel. Joel could only nod.