Chapter 7
A few, protracted blinks of her eyes catching a beam of sunlight streaming through the windows and Zoe was brought into a state of wakefulness. Taking a deep breath, she smiled, feeling more refreshed than she'd been in ages. As her vision came into focus, she found her fingers still intertwined with Jamie's. And his face was … inches from her own.
Her eyes widened slightly and she felt a bit of warmth in her cheeks. And then it all came back to her: the frustrating dream, Jamie's words of encouragement, and the forsaking of his own "no touching" rule in his attempts to comfort her.
Judging by the peaceful way in which she'd woken, he had succeeded.
Zoe felt a fond smile tug at her lips as she took in the sight of the sleeping Highlander: the gentle rise and fall of his chest, the lips slightly parted as he softly snored, the chestnut mop adorably tousled. She resisted the temptation to reach out and smooth it down across his forehead.
Instead she gently extricated her hand from Jamie's hold and sat up, intending to start her day. But her thoughts returned to Jamie as she recalled what he had told her about the tragic elements of his past. He had certainly endured more than his fair share of hardship and heartache, causing Zoe to consider him with a new level of respect.
A quiet voice suddenly cut through her reverie... "How long are ye gannae sit over me, starin' like tha'?" Her gaze was quickly back on Jamie's face, his eyes opened in mere slits and the side of his mouth curled into a teasing, rakish smile.
Embarrassed, Zoe flushed to her ears and moved back, avoiding his gaze as she sat up even further. She cleared her throat. "Sorry ..."
Jamie's smile widened in fondness. "'S'alright." He stretched, stifling a yawn. "Giud mornin'."
Zoe, still feeling some leftover embarrassment, simply nodded. "'Morning," she chirped.
"Did ye sleep any better?
She studied him again, a slight smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Yes, I did. Once my brain quieted down some, I was finally able to drift off to sleep. It's not an easy feat but talking with you last night helped very much. Thank you, Jamie."
His cheeks took on a pinkish hue as he looked away bashfully. "Och, 'twas naethin'—"
He was interrupted by a shrill, ringing sound, one that startled the two of them. He turned back to Zoe, gazing questioningly at her. "Phone?"
Zoe thought for a brief moment and then nodded, eyes widening slightly in realization. "Oh, yes. I remember passing a phone near the kitchen when we first arrived. Looked rather primitive but that's all I remember. I barely paid it any mind."
Jamie quirked a dubious eyebrow. "Really?"
"Well, we had more important things to worry about at the time."
Jamie looked away and shrugged, conceding she was right. The ringing was incessant and prompted Zoe to finally rise from the bed and hurriedly make her way toward the kitchen.
Jamie stood, listening as the noise stopped and Zoe began speaking.
"Oh, Hello, Ellen … Yes, fine. Thank you for asking." There were a few pauses in the conversation, broken up by small talk and some light chuckling. Jamie felt himself smile, happy to hear Zoe in a lighter mood after how she had felt the previous night.
"So, wha' did Ellen have tae say?" He inquired upon her return.
Zoe smiled. "She asked if we'd like to have breakfast with her and Vaughn."
"Oh. Tha's verra nice o' them."
"I told her we'll be there in twenty minutes; that will give us enough time to wash up and get dressed."
Jamie nodded. "Alright. So, who gets the bathroom first?"
"You can go ahead. That will give me more time to decide what to wear."
"It'll be lunchtime by then," Jamie returned, a light smirk upon his face. "I better phone 'em an' ask them tae wait fer us." Zoe scowled and then quickly grabbed her pillow, lobbing it at his face.
"Aagh!" he exclaimed, holding his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright, 'm sorry. I didnae mean it ..."
Zoe eyed him sternly as she stood next to the bed, gesturing with her hand out into the hallway in the direction of the bathroom. Rising from the bed, Jamie collected his boots, belt, kilt, and a shirt.
" … Much," he finished, flashing a teasing grin at her as he passed her.
Zoe aimed a glare at his retreating form before heading over to the pack to select some clothes.
With a satisfied smile, Zoe padded down the hallway, carrying the clothes she'd picked out for the day. The outfit was simple yet feminine, consisting of a high-necked, short-sleeved, button-down white blouse with lace trim, and a mid-calf length, lilac-colored skirt. It had taken her less time than she'd expected to decide on what to wear. Jamie should be pleased, she thought, a wry smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
As she neared the bathroom, she found the door slightly ajar and heard humming coming from inside. She stopped barely a foot from the door and from the crack, could see a shirtless Jamie, shaving as he stood in front of the mirror.
She hadn't intended to stop and watch, but then found herself doing just that, silently observing his technique and finding the movements oddly mesmerizing. The way he ran the blade down his cheeks then across and underneath his chin in smooth strokes, scooping up mounds of shaving cream as he did so. She then wondered why he bothered when there was hardly anything to shave. Zoe tried to smother the giggle that rose to her lips and ended up coughing when that failed. Jamie started and turned, dropping the razor in the sink.
"Och, have ye been waitin' long?" He asked, blushing slightly. "I'll jis' finish up an' ye can have it tae yerself."
Zoe flushed. "Oh, no, don't let me rush you."
"Nae, it's fine. I'm doon anyway." Turning back to the sink, Jamie rinsed the blade under the tap, then rinsed any leftover bits of shaving cream off his face before patting it dry with a towel. Reaching into his sporran, he dug out the small comb and ran it quickly through his hair, taming the sides covering his ears and neatly arranging his fringe.
Smiling in satisfaction, he hung the damp towel over the bar next to the sink, pulled on his shirt, and stepped out of the room. "All yers," he told Zoe with a smile as he walked past her.
Zoe appreciatively returned his smile and then stepped into the bathroom, eager to refresh herself and get ready for the day ahead.
"Thank you so much for inviting us," Zoe said around a mouthful of light, flaky quick breads known as 'waffles.' "These are delicious."
"Aye," Jamie added, enthusiastically stabbing another with his fork and dropping it on his own plate before slathering it with the dark, sweet syrup made of tree sap.
Vaughn shared a brief, amused look with his wife before turning back to their guests. "It's our pleasure." He rose slightly from his chair and gestured toward the kitchen. "More coffee?"
"Oh, yes, I would like some, please," Zoe spoke up. Vaughn turned to Jamie, eyebrows raised.
"Er, no thank ye," the Highlander demurred before helping himself to two more slices of crispy bacon. "I'm fine." Nodding, Vaughn accepted Zoe's cup and headed for the kitchen, returning quickly with her replenished cup of the dark, rich, caffeinated beverage.
"Do either of you have plans today?" Ellen suddenly asked.
Zoe and Jamie shared a look, caught off guard by the question. "No, not at all," Zoe answered before taking a sip of coffee. "Why do you ask?"
She looked at Zoe. "Well, I thought it would be a good opportunity to give you a tour of the university lab and meet some of my fellow scientists."
Jamie tensed.
"You'll get to see what we're working on up close, maybe even offer up some of your own expertise." Ellen's smile quirked into a bit of a grin.
An excited smile brightened Zoe's face. "Oh, could I?"
"Of course."
Zoe turned to Jamie excitedly. Jamie responded with an awkward nod as he forced a smile.
Vaughn must have sensed his unease. He leaned forward to address Jamie just before rolling his eyes jokingly in his wife's direction. "And while they're going ga-ga over science, I could show you some of my woodworking."
Jamie nodded. "Aye, I'd like that," he replied, trying to raise his voice over the two women who were already engaged in their science talk. At least he'd have something to do, but he was still very disquieted over the fact Zoe was going off with Ellen someplace by herself.
"Well, I'll just clear all this, wash up, and we'll be on our way," Ellen said at last.
"Need any help?" Zoe asked.
Jamie's teeth furiously dug into his bottom lip. He needed to talk to her. Now. It was time for a diversion tactic. "Er, no, tha's alright," he suddenly exclaimed, grabbing Zoe by the arm. "I'll help ye."
Zoe quickly whirled around, gazing at him in confusion.
"No, that's fine, I don't need any help," the other woman assured them.
"I've just got to make a quick phone call," Vaughn spoke up, heading out of the room.
Jamie watched as their hosts vacated the area and then pulled Zoe away into the foyer.
"How long are ye gannae be there, an' wha' am I gannae do while ye're gone?" he asked, quietly yet emphatically, letting her know he was not happy with the arrangement.
Zoe regarded him as if he'd grown an extra head. "Jamie, Vaughn offered to show you his woodworking."
"Aye, I know, but …" His brow creased into a frown. "I really think I should be goin' with ye. I can meet up wi' Vaughn later."
Zoe failed to stifle a scoff as she rolled her eyes. "Oh, really, now. Jamie. You wouldn't find it interesting in the least."
"How d'ye know that?"
The petite astrophysicist arched an eyebrow at him, her expression incredulous.
Knowing he was looking quite foolish right now, Jamie blushed faintly and then sighed. "Look, I cannae help it. I dinnae trust these scientist types much." Zoe fixed him with a wide-eyed, pointed gaze. "Except for ye, of course," he quickly added, holding his hands up placatingly. "I jis' wanna make sure they're on the level an' won't experiment on ye, or anythin' like that."
Zoe's mouth dropped open in disbelief. "Experiment on me?! Jamie, Ellen will be there with me. You don't trust her?"
""Weell ... no. Nae quite yet," Jamie admitted, trying hard to keep his voice barely above a whisper. "I'd really like tae, but … Look, I need tae make sure. We've only jis' met these people, eh?" Zoe huffed in annoyance. "Zoe, I still think it my job tae make sure ye're safe. Let me go wi' ye this one time, an' I willnae ask anymore."
Zoe was still annoyed, but one look at Jamie's pleading face and she was convinced arguing with him was pointless. "Well, alright," she told him. His resulting pleased smile warmed the edges of her heart.
A couple of minutes later, Ellen had returned. She had changed into a more business casual outfit consisting of a short sleeved, white button-up blouse, a pair of tan trousers, and a pair of black, low-heeled shoes. "All ready?" she asked Zoe.
"Oh, yes," Zoe replied. She turned, gesturing to Jamie. "Is it alright if Jamie comes with us?"
Ellen blinked at the Highlander in mild surprise. "Oh? You're interested in seeing what we do, Jamie?"
"Aye," he said with a nod. "I'm … jis' interested in … weeell, ye know …" He gestured with his hands in a vague, wide circle. "...The whole thing. All of it." He trailed off, clasping his hands behind his back and shrugging with an awkward smile.
Ellen smiled at him. "Well, you're more than welcome."
Vaughn appeared behind her, shooting a questioning gaze at the Highlander.
"I'll come back an' join ye a wee bit later," Jamie assured him.
Vaughn nodded. "Yep. Knock yourself out."
Jamie nodded back, giving the other man a wave just before stepping out the front door after Ellen and Zoe.
"And this is our lead scientist, Dr. Claire Allen," Ellen announced, leading Zoe and Jamie over to a tall, middle-aged woman wearing a white laboratory coat over a pink skirt suit. Her thick, wavy blonde hair ended just above her shoulders, and bright blue eyes exuded a real sense of intelligence and professionalism behind a pair of square, wire-framed eyeglasses.
"She has a Doctorate in astrophysics as well as Master of Science degrees in geology and geochemistry," Ellen continued.
Zoe was impressed. Intelligence, indeed.
"Dr. Allen, Zoe and Jamie Heriot."
"Oh, no, just Zoe Heriot," Zoe corrected through an awkward laugh.
"And Jamie McCrimmon!" Jamie indignantly added as he tapped his fingers against his chest. "An' besides, it would be Jamie an' Zoe McCrimmon in tha' case, an' … well, tha's jis' how it works…" He trailed off, looking away, his train of thought going to unnerving places.
"I'm so sorry," Ellen said, an embarrassed smile upon her face.
"That's alright." Zoe turned to Dr. Allen. "I'm an astrophysicist as well."
It was nice of Ellen to give them a tour of this place. Jamie hadn't paid much attention to all the details of the different buildings, but the grounds themselves were lovely, consisting of green, rolling hills and several small ponds.
Softly approaching footsteps pulled him from his thoughts and he found the scientist lass standing before him with Zoe.
"This is my friend, Jamie," Zoe said, gesturing to him.
"Nice to meet you, Jamie," the older woman said with a kind smile as she extended her hand to him.
Jamie regarded her hesitantly for a brief moment before shaking her hand. "How do ye do," he returned with a shy smile.
"So, Zoe tells me you're interested in seeing what we do here as well?"
Jamie's eyes narrowed curiously as he turned to Zoe. Wha' did ye say tae her aboot me?
Zoe simply slapped on an innocent smile and gave him a little shrug.
"Oh, aye," the Highlander blurted. He reached out, making a sweeping gesture with his arms. "I find this sorta thing real …" He trailed off, unsure how to continue and nearly wanting to throttle Zoe, just this once. "... Interestin'," he finally finished.
Dr. Allen chuckled softly. "Don't be shy. I know this can seem a bit overwhelming, especially with all the different equipment we have here, but I'll explain it all in due time."
Och, jis' great.
"But first, since you're both new to Athena, or 'Thena' as we usually call it, I'll start you off with a brief introduction."
Jamie resisted rolling his eyes. He didn't expect anything from a scientist to be brief. Turning toward Zoe, he saw her smiling in anticipation and allowed himself to lighten up.
"As you've probably noticed, Athena is a circumbinary planet," Dr. Allen began.
Zoe's eyes lit up. "Oh, yes! Of course."
"Eh? Circle-wha'?"
She turned back to Jamie. "Circumbinary. It means the planet orbits two stars." The Highlander was still confused. "The two suns in the sky."
"Oh, aye. That." He nodded, rocking back on his heels.
"Its water to land ratio is similar to Earth's," Dr. Allen continued, "but in this case, twenty percent of the surface is covered by land masses and islands. The remaining eighty percent is covered by water in the form of oceans, lakes, rivers -"
"And phenomena such as hot springs?" Zoe cut in.
The scientists in the room all turned in Zoe's direction, odd looks upon their faces. Realizing all the attention was on her, she felt her cheeks flame. Perhaps she shouldn't have mentioned it. The hot springs could very well be a phenomenon only found in the Azurian territory.
Their gazes lingered on her a second longer before Dr. Allen continued, " ...Whereas Earth's is 29.2% land and 70.8% water."
Zoe inwardly breathed a sigh of relief as they appeared to let it slide, most turning back to their individual projects as the senior scientist continued her detailed explanation. Why should they expect anything? After all, she was human. Why would she be on the Azurians' side?
"Talking of land masses and water, I did spot a very large, distinctive body of water just to the east."
"Yes, that's the Kinross Ocean," a young, brunette male scientist confirmed with a smile. "It's the largest of the three named oceans of this planet."
The name immediately got Jamie's attention and a pleased, slightly smug smile crossed his face. He tapped Zoe's shoulder.
"Hey, Zoe, tha's a Scottish—"
"Shh, Jamie!" Zoe hissed with an impatient wave, her attention completely taken by the scientists. "I'm listening."
Jamie frowned and sulkily stepped away.
"Its atmosphere is very much like Earth's, being composed of very similar concentrations of oxygen and nitrogen," Dr. Allen continued. "This was discovered by a rover vehicle sent via satellite from a space station. It was equipped with air monitoring devices that collected samples and recorded the findings in real-time, then sent the findings back. Once we had received a substantial amount of readings proving it was habitable, we began sending advance teams to the planet. Quite early on, we discovered a gravitational field very similar to Earth's."
Zoe nodded thoughtfully. All the information presented thus far made a lot of sense.
A male scientist with graying hair who appeared in his fifties introduced himself as Dr. Gregory Logan and continued the discussion. "Its chemical composition is comparable to Earth's as well, with similar ratios of iron, oxygen, silicon, magnesium, nickel, and so on. Although in this case, the planet's core has a smaller iron to nickel composition than Earth's; but essentially, it's quite similar."
"Yes, I had a look at some of the rocks not long after we arrived. Upon initial inspection, they appeared quite similar to rocks from Earth."
Dr. Logan nodded. "Yes, and this is due to -"
"—Common rock constituents of the crust that are very similar," Zoe interrupted, a self-satisfied smile on her face.
"Much like Earth they are nearly all oxides," the man continued, hardly missing a beat. "Almost ninety-nine percent of Athena's crust is composed of silica, alumina, iron oxides, lime, potash …"
By this time, Jamie felt his eyes glazing over and gave up feigning interest. Taking one final look around the room, he found himself satisfied that these people didn't seem to intend Zoe any harm. Sidling up behind her, he softly tapped her on the shoulder again.
Zoe whirled around, a bit of irritation in her expression which changed to curiosity as she raised her eyebrows at him. Jamie motioned for her to step back with him a bit.
"I'm gannae go an' see Vaughn now," he told her quietly. She appeared to be waiting for further explanation. Jamie awkwardly shrugged. "It's all a bit over ma heid," he explained, a slight sheepish grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
A hint of a smile crossed Zoe's face and she nodded. 'See you later,' she mouthed to him.
Nodding, Jamie turned to Ellen, who briefly excused herself and showed him outside.
Dr. Allen turned back to Zoe and the rest of the group. "The planet's orbit around the two suns is very similar to Earth's around its own sun. One revolution of Thena takes 368 Earth days and 24 minutes. One Athena day is approximately 23.2 Earth hours."
"Very interesting," Zoe mused. "I'm curious about this planet's climate variation. Is it similar to Earth's in its different hemispheres and regions?"
Dr. Logan nodded. "Athena is tilted slightly on its axis, so the planet does experience different seasons, especially in locations further away from its equator. We are located approximately fifty degrees north of the equator, in a rather temperate zone. We are currently in our late Spring season, which means warm days and chilly nights-early mornings. We will also get the occasional ion storm, during which a very quick, fierce barrage of magnetic particles rains down on the surface. These happen regardless of the season."
A young, male scientist Zoe hadn't seen before suddenly strolled into the room. He appeared to be in his early twenties, about six feet tall and on the lanky side. He had wavy, auburn hair, a dusting of freckles over the bridge of his nose and cheeks, a lightly-tanned complexion and gray eyes framed by round, gold-rimmed glasses.
"Ah, speak of the devil. Marcus, it's about time you got here," one of the older male scientists chided. "Several experiments are sitting here, languishing, nearly ready to be junked awaiting your return."
"Very funny, John," Marcus returned dryly, rolling his eyes. His accent was American, but of the Transatlantic variety prevalent in mid-twentieth century films and New England boarding schools. "If you'd known what I was going through concerning the Zeus project, perhaps you'd be just a bit more understanding."
"Oh, that's your excuse every time."
"I beg to differ. The specifications require a lot more fine-tuning, which obviously requires a lot more -" He suddenly stopped, noticing Zoe nearby. A faint blush splashed across his cheeks. "Oh, I'm sorry, I hadn't noticed you earlier."
Zoe was at a momentary loss for words and gave a slight shrug. "That's quite alright. I hadn't expected it. I just arrived here."
Dr. Allen neared him. "Marcus, this is Zoe Heriot. She's newly arrived from Earth and is a friend of Ellen's."
Marcus nodded to her, giving a small, polite, though clinical, nod. "Nice to meet you, Miss Heriot. I'm Marcus Barthell, Doctor of astrophysics." He automatically stuck his hand out.
"Oh! Me too," Zoe returned, smiling widely as she reached out to shake his hand. She blushed slightly. "I mean, Doctor of astrophysics."
Marcus' smile widened before his gaze shifted to Ellen, his brow furrowing in confusion. "You never mentioned a friend from Earth turning up."
"I never had the chance," Ellen said. "Vaughn and I only just met them."
Marcus' eyebrows shot up nearly to his hairline. "'Them'?"
"Me and my friend, Jamie," Zoe supplied.
"Oh." His gaze lingered on Zoe a moment longer and he gave her a smile. "Well, I hope your journey from Earth was a smooth one, and that you're getting on fine here."
"Oh, yes, of course. Ellen and Vaughn have been making us feel at home."
"Oh, good. I'm glad to hear it," he returned with a nod.
"Marcus, could you tell Zoe about the occasional ion storms we experience here?"
"Of course. Well, I'm sure you probably know quite a bit about them already."
Feeling quite embarrassed, Zoe flushed to her ears. "I'm afraid I don't. I never had much of an opportunity to study them."
"I see. Well, no bother. The particles are ionically charged, traveling at lightning speed, but as soon as they reach the lower atmosphere they plunge to a very frigid temperature, around -50 Centigrade. They are very dangerous, especially to the plant life here. Anyone who grows plants and crops has measures in place to protect them."
Zoe nodded. "What causes the ion storms?"
"Certain planetary bodies intersect Athena's orbit from time to time, and their magnetic fields create a disturbance from which the particles are shed and rain down on the planet."
A perplexed frown knitted Zoe's brow. "But if these bodies intersect with your orbit and their magnetic fields create this disturbance, wouldn't it be felt more in the form of rotational instability, or cause the crust of the planet to buckle which in turn could initiate phenomena like an earthquake or volcanic eruption? Assuming the concept of plate tectonics is relevant here, of course."
"Athena's moon prevents such rotational instabilities from occurring," Dr. Allen supplied. "Our planet and its moon are synergistic. Without this, we surmise the effects would be much more serious."
"Ah, I see."
"As for the concept of plate tectonics, some of our geologists and geophysicists have entertained the possibility for many years and have studied it as much as possible. They've conducted field trips to different regions of the planet over the years, even to the challenging southern hemisphere."
"Oh, very interesting." Zoe's impressed smile morphed into a curious frown. "Challenging in what way?"
"The terrain is quite rough and hard to scale. Think of Macchu Picchu and the Eastern Cordillera back on Earth. The weather patterns are a bit more unstable in that region as well, so it was always quite a challenge to study the area and collect data. We don't have an exact handle on how similar or different the mechanisms are to Earth's, but our studies thus far have shown that the frequency of disturbances such as earthquakes or volcanic eruptions is much lower than that of Earth."
"Oh. Well, that's certainly a good thing," Zoe remarked. "What sorts of experiments are you currently working on?"
"That's where I come in," Marcus announced. He shared a look with Dr. Allen, who nodded with approval. "The project currently taking up most of our time and effort is Zeus."
"Zeus," Zoe repeated thoughtfully. Her eyes lit up as she made the connection. "Zeus, Athena. Oh, clever." Marcus gave her an indulgent smile. "What does it involve? Perhaps I could assist in some way."
"It involves gathering data to help us study and predict the occurrence of the ion storms more efficiently and accurately. We've launched a satellite into space orbiting the planet but we've also got a terrestrial system in place to measure changes in atmospheric conditions that usually signal the arrival of the ion storms. Unfortunately, it still hasn't been fine-tuned." He appeared to be studying Zoe. "We could certainly use another scientist with expertise in astrophysics."
Flattered, Zoe found herself unable to speak for a brief moment. "Oh, yes! I would love to assist in any way I could! I've been proficient in astrophysics since I was a very young child. I excelled in basic sciences in my earliest years of school and was placed in the enrichment program before being sent to work on The Wheel - our space station. While there, I -"
"Please, there is no need to prove yourself to me or anyone else here," Marcus interrupted with a gentle smile, holding up his hands placatingly.
"Oh. Well … Anyway, I'm pleased to be involved in this project. I've never really studied ion storms very much in detail, but I am a quick learner. And I am looking forward to working with all of you on this."
"Good," Marcus returned, his smile growing.
With a decisive nod, Zoe returned his smile. Her gaze momentarily left him and settled on the other scientists, who had returned to their work, some already heavily involved in it. The facility itself was quite a remarkable one, as far as laboratories went. Not as technologically advanced as the Wheel, but impressive nonetheless.
Yes, she knew she was going to like working here.
"So, ye made this yerself?" Jamie's gaze flew from an expertly carved mahogany chair to Vaughn.
"Yep, that's one of mine," the other man replied. "Made that one close to two years ago. Based the style on our old furniture set back on Earth. 'Revival' something-or-other."
Jamie nodded thoughtfully. Vaughn had been kind enough to show him a whole collection of his woodworking projects, both those he'd long since completed and those he was currently working on. He'd shown him their oak dining room table that seated eight, along with a large china cabinet. Jamie was impressed with the craftsmanship and could tell how dedicated Vaughn was to his work.
Hearing soft snoring in the corner of the room, his gaze settled on Barney curled up in the corner of the room, asleep. Watching the dog for a moment, Jamie smiled as he thought back to half an hour earlier, when he'd first arrived. Barney greeted him by jumping up and licking his face. Jamie had been a bit startled at first by the exuberant pooch. "Whoa, there! Ye keep tha' up an' I'm gannae need a bath!"
His smile turned into a grin and he uttered a quiet chuckle before returning his attention to the chair. Running his hand over the smoothly polished, curved edges of the top rail, he mused about how much work Vaughn had put into it and how long it had taken to make.
"Have you done much work with your hands?"
Jamie nearly startled at the sound of Vaughn's voice behind him. Turning to his new friend, he shrugged. "Er, um … I used tae. Ages ago."
Vaughn nodded. "I'm not surprised. You've got the hands for it. Well, if you'd ever like to help me with any of this, let me know." His mouth twitched into a slight grin in reaction to the Highlander's surprised expression. "You could be like my apprentice."
"Could I?" Jamie had to admit he found the idea appealing.
"Sure. And being from Scotland, I bet you've got some experience with farming, maybe fishing too? Abe Watkins up the road has a big farm. He's really dedicated to it, but he's getting on and could really use some help. I can introduce you to him one of these days if you're interested in tending the farm animals, some of the crops."
"Aye, I'd like that." His brow furrowed slightly. "I didnae expect there tae be much farmin' when we first arrived here."
"Oh, no, we've got some nice farmland, at least in this area. Ellen and I have our own little garden out back." Taking a few steps toward the back door, he gestured for Jamie to join him.
Stepping outside with the other man, the Highlander's eyes boggled at the lush, ornate garden that was bigger than he'd expected. Not only did it include a variety of colorful flowers, but a vegetable garden, as well as trees both ornamental and fruit-bearing.
"Ye grow all these yourselves?"
Vaughn nodded. Strolling over to a large, shady tree, he plucked a piece of fruit from it that resembled an apple. Wiping it on his sleeve, he sunk his teeth into it and chewed, smiling happily. He picked another one and held it out to Jamie, who eyed it warily.
"Apple," clarified.
"Oh," Jamie muttered dumbly before accepting the piece of fruit, then wiped it on his sleeve and bit into it. He was pleasantly surprised at how fresh and juicy, and how much it was like the apples he was used to eating.
"We brought the seeds with us from Earth. A lot of people did, as well as saplings."
A thought suddenly came to Jamie. "Aye, Zoe an' I saw some stuff growin' in the garden at our place."
Vaughn chuckled. "Yeah, Old George liked his gardening. He was quite good at it, too. Grew some award-winning cucumbers, tomatoes, even pumpkins." His wistful smile faded. "I imagine there's not much left to it now."
"No, they all looked aboot half-dead."
"Well, if you like, you can help yourself to some of our seeds," the other man offered as he led the way back inside the house.
"Thank ye. I bet Zoe would like tae grow some."
Vaughn nodded and then froze. "Hey, can you stick around a little while longer?"
Jamie regarded him curiously.
"I've got some folks you'd want to meet."
A quick glance at Jamie's watch revealed it was only two o'clock. Zoe told him she'd be back before dinner, so he had plenty of time. With a slight shrug, he nodded.
Vaughn smiled and then rushed over to a side table on which a beige telephone sat. Jamie watched the other man hastily grab the receiver off the cradle and push a series of buttons in quick succession.
Jamie blocked out the ensuing conversation as he stared at it, almost dumbfounded. Old George had a phone as well, and Jamie couldn't figure out how it was even possible for them to work on this planet.
The sound of hands clapping together tore him away and he started a bit. Lifting his gaze, he found Vaughn standing before him with a smile. "Okay, that's settled! They'll be right over."
"Yer phone," Jamie began, pointing to the appliance. "It's … but ye've got no -"
"No telephone wires," Vaughn finished in amusement. "I know. They're underground, like the electricity."
"Oh."
There was suddenly a raucous knock on the door. "Oh! Got here earlier than I expected," Vaughn muttered. He headed for the front door and pulled it back, exchanging exuberant greetings with a group of four men. Three appeared middle-aged, with one a young man around his late teens. "Robbie! You managed to wrangle the boys and bring 'em along!"
"Aye, wasnae easy, lemme tell ye," the oldest looking man said, tone a bit sardonic as he turned to the others, but the corner of his mouth turned up in a teasing smirk. Quite tall, he was over six feet with an average build, a bit of a paunch at his midsection. His short, wavy reddish hair was graying slightly at the temples, and his blue-gray eyes had a bit of a mischievous twinkle to them. His most noticeable feature however was his accent. Just hearing it caused a wave of emotion to erupt inside Jamie.
"Especially since this guy'd rather sit around, listening to his records and daydreaming," another man chimed in, this one shorter with light brown hair. He had a friendly arm around the young man and playfully tousled his dark blonde hair. The young man rolled his eyes in reaction as he tossed his straight locks out of his eyes.
Vaughn approached Jamie closer, holding his arm out and gesturing to the newcomers. "Jamie, this is Robert, Hamish, Donald, and Ian." He pointed each of them out, starting with the oldest and ending with the youngest. "Robert, Hamish and Donald are all brothers, originally from Maritime Canada." Robert quickly turned to him with a glare. "Sorry."
Robert nodded before turning to Jamie. "Call me Rabbie. I was born an' raised in Scotland before my family an' I set out tae Canada. My younger brother made a good livin' as a fisherman there, so we took the opportunity." He pointed to his brothers. "These laddies were born later."
Jamie nodded thoughtfully as he looked them over, his gaze returning to Robert with a smile. "I'm James Robert McCrimmon. Jamie."
Robert's eyes lit up. "Ah, the McCrimmons of Skye!"
"Aye, tha's right!"
"I could tell by yer kilt, laddie. What a bonny sight. I didnae think the kilt had been worn in many centuries."
Jamie's bright smile faded as he felt a twinge of sadness in his chest. He tried to cover it up with a small shrug. "Aye, well, 'tis my bit o' 'home.'"
Robert gazed at him thoughtfully and then nodded. "I can understand that."
Jamie nodded back in thanks, the corner of his mouth twitched in a half smile.
Robert shrugged. "All I've got tae remind me of my first home is my Da's pipes."
Jamie perked up at this. "Yer Da was a piper?"
"Aye. He brought 'em with him. He's gone many years now, an' the pipes have jus' sat there. No one knows how tae play 'em and we hardly even remember wha' they sound like. May no' even be workin' anymore." Robert's eyes were clouded with regret.
Jamie gazed sadly at him. "I was a piper, but I've no' played fer a long time m'self. I left ma pipes back on the TAR-uh, table at home. On Earth. Pipes, chanter, the whole lot." He uttered a ragged sigh, now feeling more homesick than ever.
Robert looked Jamie over a moment and then smiled. "I'll give 'em to ye, then, laddie."
"Me?" Jamie asked, tapping his fingers against his chest.
"Aye. At least I'll know they're goin' tae a good home."
Stunned and touched by the man's generosity, Jamie found himself at a loss for words.
"Music is in my blood," Robert continued. "I like tae sing an' play guitar. Some nights I'll play at the village square."
Jamie nodded and his mouth dropped open as a realization struck him. "Ye were the one playin' 'The Lea Rig' the other night."
"Aye, tha' was me." A mischievous grin lit up his face. "The more, shall I say, original version."
Jamie chuckled softly then felt some warmth in his cheeks as his mind returned to the events of that night and Zoe's discovery of the lyrics.
"So, when did ye arrive from Earth?"
Jamie began to quickly count on his fingers before he realized the futility of such an exercise; he really hadn't kept track that closely. Zoe would most likely know. He shrugged. "A few days ago. Wi' my friend, Zoe." The other men eyed him expectantly.
"She's at the university lab with Ellen," Vaughn cut in.
Ian smirked. "Another scientist, huh?"
Jamie's brow furrowed as his gaze fell upon the young man. "Aye. Wha' of it?"
Ian shrugged. "They think they know so much more than we do. Meanwhile, they spend their whole lives in the schools and labs and hardly have any, you know, real-life experience."
Jamie bristled a bit, feeling a subconscious need to defend Zoe. "An' wha' do ye do?"
"I work in my dad's hardware store, mostly with inventory, delivery, even help keep track of the finances."
Jamie nodded. "Weeell, each tae their own, eh?"
"Couldnae have said it better meself, laddie," Robert declared.
Jamie aimed a grateful smile at him, but his eyes soon narrowed as he really listened to the other man's accent. Something about it stood out to him. "So, where in Scotland do ye hail from?"
Before Robert could answer, Donald stepped forward with a large box. "Oh, Vaughn, we brought over the music we promised." He gestured to the box. "Some 78s, tape cassettes, CDs. A nice, healthy assortment."
Vaughn smiled. "Perfect. And I just got the stereo system fixed." He held a hand out, gesturing for the others to make their way into the family room. He himself hung back and then nodded to Jamie.
The Highlander turned to Vaughn, his face blank.
"What I said the other day, about the various technologies we'd all brought with us from Earth? We've got all kinds of music on different forms of media: records and turntables, compact discs, portable players, digital storage, not to mention musical instruments. Robert's got his guitar, of course, Hamish brought a keyboard with him, other folks brought other instruments. Every so often, they'll perform in the town square, the Noonmark or at the university's performance hall."
Jamie nodded and, curious to hear what sort of tunes these friends of Vaughn's had brought, followed him into the other room.
"So, what do you think?"
Jamie was nodding his head in time to the beat of the music and nearly jumped as the sound of Donald's voice cut through the late 1960s mellow ballad currently playing. "Oh, aye, it's nice." Jamie couldn't remember the name of the song or the band; only that one of them mentioned it was a Canadian band.
"Isn't it? Nice, welcome change after all that hard stuff he insisted on playing." He hooked a thumb in the direction of his son.
"Dad, there's harder stuff than the 'Stones," Ian protested.
The 'Stones'? That was the name of the band whose music they'd earlier played? Jamie could see why it was called 'hard' music; he likened it to the noise of rocks being banged together.
Donald shrugged. "I suppose. And being centuries-old music, it is something of a novelty."
Robert bent down and reached into the box he'd brought the music in. "Speakin' of novelties …" He drew out what appeared to be a ten inch long wooden dowel with goggles made of tin attached on one end, and on the other end were two bent wires holding a card in place.
Jamie tilted his head and wondered at the object. On closer view, the card had two identical black and white photographs on it, side-by-side.
"Wha's tha'? Is tha' a photo of Eilean Donan?"
"It's called a stereopticon, and yes, it is Eilean Donan castle. Look through here." Robert indicated the tin goggles and passed the apparatus' handle to Jamie.
He looked through and saw the photograph, but the castle seemed to be looming toward him out of the background to the foreground and the loch and trees pulled back. It was like looking at the castle in real life—minus the color …
"Tha's amazing! I've neiver seen anythin' like tha'!"
Robert's eyebrows raised in amused surprise. "Really?"
"I'd like tae show this tae a friend of mine. Might I borrow it for a wee bit?"
"Of course."
Jamie's attention was soon back on the music. "D'ye have any tunes that are more from yer own time?"
Hamish scoffed. "The stuff from our own time can hardly be called 'music.'"
"Aye, aint tha' the truth," Robert added with a chuckle.
Jamie watched Ian rummage through the large box, his face cracking open in a wide grin as he seemed to discover something. "Hey, talk about old novelties … look at this!" He motioned his father and the others over.
"Well, I'll be," Robert said quietly as he held up a record album, a nostalgic smile on his face.
"Wha' is it?" Jamie asked.
The older man turned the album around so he could see the cover. It bore the title "Bonnie Prince Charlie: Songs of the Jacobite Rebellion" by Alistair McDonald and featured what Jamie assumed was a depiction of the Prince himself.
"That was one of granddad's, wasn't it?" Ian piped up.
"Aye, it was," Robert replied. "Perhaps we should play it." He suddenly met Jamie's gaze. "If ye dinnae mind, of course."
Jamie's brow knitted in confusion. Why would he mind? It would be nice to hear some good old, rousing tunes about something that featured heavily in his life. "No, I dinnae mind at all, Rabbie. I'd like tae hear it."
Robert seemed skeptical for a brief moment but it quickly passed, and he handed the record to Vaughn who placed it on his turntable.
Jamie looked on in anticipation as Vaughn placed the stylus on the disc, switched on a knob at the base of the player and the room was soon filled with the sound of music.
Jamie smiled and began moving his arms to the upbeat rhythm of the guitar as a male tenor voice sung along …
"Ye Jacobites by name, lend an ear, lend an ear!"
His smile widened. He was really beginning to enjoy himself. Here he was with kin, listening to some jolly music ….
"Ye Jacobites by name, Your fautes I will proclaim"
The Highlander's smile quickly faded and he heavily brought his arms down to his sides.
"Your doctrines I maun blame, you shall hear, you shall hear!
Your doctrines I maun blame, you shall hear!"
Jamie turned away from the others so they wouldn't see the deep frown upon his face. This song was obviously not complimentary of the Jacobite cause at all. In fact, it was downright offensive.
After what seemed an eternity, the song finally came to an end. Jamie stood around morosely while the others clapped and smiled.
"From a poem by Robert Burns. Good stuff, eh?" Hamish exclaimed, nudging the Highlander.
"Aye. Fine," Jamie replied, his voice emotionless. He couldn't believe they found this song enjoyable. They've got to be Lowlanders, he thought glumly, then chastised himself for being so hasty. He had no confirmation of that - he had no idea where in Scotland they were from. He didn't even know their clan name. Perhaps it was possible they used it to take potshots at the Lowlanders for their reprehensible attitude towards the Highlanders and their cause. He allowed himself a tiny ray of hope.
Vaughn smiled indulgently at them as he removed the record and returned it to its sleeve before handing it back to Ian.
"Well, it's been fun, Mitchell, but we need to get back," Donald said after a glance at his watch. He turned to Jamie. "It was nice meeting you."
"Aye. I'll bring over my Da's pipes one a' these days," Robert added.
Jamie nodded with a wan smile. "Aye, I'd like that. Thank ye. An' thank ye fer that photo thing of Eilean Donan."
Once they'd said their goodbyes, the men all made their way outside, Vaughn saying a few more words before closing the door behind him.
"Nice guys, aren't they?"
"I s'pose," the Highlander replied glumly.
"What's the matter?"
Jamie tried to cover up his disappointment as best he could. "I never learnt their name. I mean, their clan name."
Vaughn appeared mystified for a brief moment. "Oh! Ferguson."
"Ferguson?" Jamie repeated. "Or Farquharson?"
"Ferguson. F-e-r-g-u-s-o-n."
"Oh." There it was. They were most certainly Lowlanders. Jamie kept his expression neutral, but deep down his face had fallen to the floor, the thrill of meeting fellow Scots markedly diminished.
Vaughn must have picked up on it. "Alright, spill. What's eating you?"
Jamie gave a shrug. "I dunno. That tune. Was no' verra friendly tae us Highlanders."
Vaughn offered a quizzical frown which eased into a sad smile. "You really are into your heritage, aren't you?"
"Aye."
Vaughn clapped Jamie on the shoulder. "Nothing wrong with that." He then eyed the younger man contritely. "I'm sorry. I should have suggested something else to listen to."
"It's alright. Ye didnae know."
Vaughn nodded. "Hey, would you and Zoe like to join us for dinner tonight?"
Jamie was grateful for the change in subject. "Will it be jis' the four of us?"
"Yeah, I think so, although it's possible Ellen's cousin may show up."
"Eh?"
"Her younger cousin. He's a good guy, though really brainy. Another scientist." His expression became pained. "At least I won't feel so outnumbered with it being three against two." A light smirk twitched at the corner of his mouth.
Jamie smirked back. He couldn't help feeling wary at the mention of this male cousin who was also a scientist, but quickly dashed away those thoughts as he followed Vaughn to the front door.
"You and Zoe come by around six. That should be enough time. And if you've got any ideas for projects we can work on together, let me know."
"Alright. Mebbe another bed for our wee home?"
Vaughn nodded with a smile. "You bet."
Laying her hand on the cottage door's handle and giving it a firm squeeze, Zoe sighed. It had been a long, though satisfying day. She enjoyed learning about this Zeus project and was happy to be a part of it. A quick glance at her wristwatch revealed it to be half past five. Zoe's stomach growled audibly and she wondered what she could cobble together for dinner. She thought there was some of Vaughn and Ellen's stew left over ...
Entering the front room, she found the lights on and Jamie seated on the small sofa, studying what appeared to be a couple of large photos seated in some odd looking apparatus. As she approached, he stopped and turned, lifting his gaze to her.
"How was yer day?" he asked, the corner of his mouth lifting in a tentative smile, though his tone seemed a bit glum.
"Oh, it was very productive," Zoe replied, words of enthusiasm tumbling from her lips. "Their scientists carry some very impressive credentials. I've already learnt a lot from them. And you'll never believe this, Jamie. They asked for my assistance on a project gathering data to modify their ion storm monitoring systems."
Jamie stared blankly at her before giving a small shrug.
"Well, it's quite important. The ion storms are capable of causing a lot of damage, especially to the plant life, not to mention dangerous to any humans or animals who happen to be outside in them. They're hoping this project will help better predict the occurrence of the storms so they will have more time to prepare."
"Oh," Jamie finally said in a small voice. "Weeell, I'm happy ye found somethin' tae do."
Zoe's smile faded as she finally noticed his moody demeanor. "What's wrong?" she asked, taking a seat next to him.
Jamie heaved a sigh. "Vaughn introduced me tae some Scots laddies an' we talked, listened tae some old tunes o' theirs, an' they showed me some old stuff they brought from Scotland."
Zoe tilted her head, regarding him in confusion. "So, what's the matter?"
"They're Lowlanders," Jamie spat out sourly.
"You're both Scottish. I don't see what the problem is." She scoffed.
Jamie gaped at her. She might as well have committed blasphemy. He tried to articulate the grievances behind the conflict between the Lowlanders and the Highlanders but Zoe was unmoved.
"Hadn't you recently told me that beggars can't be choosers?"
"Er, well, aye, but … but this is different!"
Zoe shrugged. "I don't see how."
"Well, er …" Jamie simply trailed off, his mouth flattened in a frustrated line.
Zoe's gaze shifted to the object lying between them. "What's this?"
Jamie perked up a bit. "Oh, it was their Da's. Picture of Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland. It's a …" His eyes narrowed as he tried to recall the exact name. "Starry-oppy-somethin'?"
Zoe bit back a chuckle before studying the device. "Ah, a stereopticon. Yes. They're usually two photos that are taken and then visually overlapped to produce one three-dimensional photo. It's an optical trick."
"Aye, that. Rabbie let me borrow 'em. I found it pretty an' thought mebbe you'd like tae see it as well."
Zoe gave him a brief nod before returning her attention to the photo.
"Look at it, almost like magic," Jamie said with a smile.
After a moment, Zoe snorted.
"What?"
"The technology is so primitive. I mean, the effort is commendable for the period and materials available to them then, but …" She turned back to the photos, unable to suppress a laugh. "I'm sorry. In my time we were working with three dimensional, full color film. To me, this is … prehistoric."
Jamie pouted, as if her very words had ruined it for him.
Zoe ignored him as her thoughts returned to her new involvement with the scientists. "I should probably mention, this project I'm assisting them with is a very important, involved one. I'll be at the university lab every day helping them, or nearly every day."
Jamie felt a twinge of jealousy upon the mention. If Zoe was going to be gone almost all day every day, he'd only ever see her in the mornings and evenings. He didn't want to appear clingy, though, so he kept his disappointment to himself.
"Goodness, I'm famished." She turned to Jamie. "Are you hungry yet? I'll see if there's anything left for supper. I believe there is some stew -"
"Oh, er, actually, Vaughn invited us tae have dinner wi' them at six," Jamie interrupted.
Zoe froze. "Oh. I don't recall Ellen saying anything."
Jamie shrugged. "Mebbe ye were too involved in all yer science stuff an' forgot," he said moodily, then he added, "He said a cousin of Ellen's might be there as well."
Zoe stopped rolling her eyes and straightened in surprise. Ellen had a cousin? This was news. "Oh," she finally replied with a small shrug. "Well, it might be nice to meet another member of their family." She rose from the sofa. "I'm just going to wash up quickly and we can head over there."
Vaughn pulled the front door open and greeted them with a smile. "So! Have a productive day?" he asked Zoe. Before she could answer he quickly held his hands up. "No, wait, forget I asked that." He aimed a slight smirk at his wife, who rolled her eyes in reply.
Zoe wrinkled her brow and Jamie tried to bite back a snicker as they entered the house.
"To answer your question, yes, we had a very good day," Ellen said anyway. "And we're very happy to have Zoe helping us."
Zoe beamed as their hosts led them into the dining room, gesturing for them to sit down. "Vaughn said something about your cousin joining us?" she asked, having taken a seat next to Jamie.
"Well, we're not quite sure yet," Ellen replied with a thoughtful frown. "It depends on how busy he is." She disappeared into the kitchen, returning a couple of moments later with a basket of dinner rolls and a bowl of salad. "In the meantime, you can start helping yourselves."
Jamie began to reach across the table for a roll until Zoe nudged him sharply, a frown of disapproval on her face.
"Please pass the rolls?" she asked Vaughn sweetly. The other man nodded and reached forward, passing the basket to her. She thanked him with a courteous smile while Jamie looked away briefly, wrinkling his nose.
He felt a soft tap on his shoulder and turned to find Zoe holding out a roll to him. Accepting it, he nodded and gave her a whisper of a smile.
Ellen was about to sit down when the doorbell rang. She was quickly up and at the front door. Jamie automatically rose from his chair, nodding at Zoe to do the same.
As Ellen pulled back the door, Zoe's mouth dropped open.
On the other side was Marcus.
Note: In case I hadn't mentioned it before, yes, I am a geologist. And I did let my geology geek come out to play in this chapter. Hope I didn't bore anyone to tears. XD