Chapter 105
The math department didn't even have a lock on it; Hanso just pulled the door open, holding it for them as they passed through. It was like a little library, with complex-looking textbooks lining the walls and shelves and shelves of files lined up by date in descending order. Alomg one wall was a bank of huge box computers and a few scruffy people, looking odd in their sparkling white coats fed data into them, while a few others read out reports from another stand of computers, filing the printouts after reading them. Occasionally one would leave the computer and go to a small black marble pedestal that sat in the middle of the room; they would gaze into it for a few moments, then press a few buttons on the console next to it.
Hanso nodded at the stand of computers. "They are inputting data from the magnetic pulses from the Island; the computer coverts it to numbers and transmits it to the room behind the space/time chambers. From there it is fed into the 'universe', and from there we can track the movements of the tesseract, what worlds it is opening onto. And we can control it, call it back when we need to, direct it where to go." He pointed to the pedestal. "Look into it."
Jack moved forward and peered into the basin; it was a tiny universe, a mirror of the one they had stood in just a while ago. While he was gazing into it a scrubby woman came up, peered in and nodded, pointing, to a black cloud floating next to a tiny star. She typed in some numbers on the console and it zoomed in until Jack could see a tiny, green planet and as it zoomed closer he could see it was all forest, with tall, ancient trees and high mountains. The cloud hovered over it for a few seconds then vanished, and the woman nodded, apparently satisfied.
Hanso was watching Jack's reaction. "Recall. Time for a briefing."
He didn't like the sound of that. "Briefing?"
"Well, yes, Jack." He grinned, his teeth unnaturally white in his beard. "I told you my army was everywhere. And it is Legion. You didn't think they were all here, did you?" He shook his head, looking at Jack with a little disappointment. "Why would I build an army only here?" He held up the vial he had stuck in his pocket. "Why do you think we have so much of this?" He looked proud as he said, "We have standing armies on fifteen planets, now, and agents on countless others. It's why we take the strongest and fittest from your camps at night." He waved his hand over the podium and the universe began to spin and gyrate. "When the ancients on Earth looked up into the night skies they could see so much better than we can today. The skies were brighter, clearer, and they believed that the stars told the stories of their births, the stories of their lives, that they were a part of them, and so they named the stars, gave them meanings." He motioned into the basin. "You see, when people say they saw it in the stars, it's possible that they have. Take, for instance, the stars in whose solar systems we have colonized planets. First was Atlas, in the constellation, Taurus," he waved his hand and the bull appeared as Hanso pointed to a star. "Atlas. It means 'He who suffers', because Atlas had to bear the world on his shoulders." He looked pointedly at Jack before continuing. "We have a small group there. Next was Orion, the star Bellatrix." He nodded. "The warriorress. Then we moved to Chamaeleontis, or the Chameleon." The third star wheeled away as he kept listing them, and Jack was getting a sick feeling as Locke started fidgeting in earnest beside him. "The fourth planet we settled on was in Canis Major, the big dog; Sirius, commonly known as the Dog Star. It actually means 'scorching', but in the context of this conversation it could go either way, understand?"
Jack nodded. "Yeah, I get it. Me, Kate, Sawyer, Vincent/ plane crash. That's all just inference, like Nostradamus. You could read anything into that."
Hanso nodded. "Sure, you could Jack, but do you really believe that? Let me go on and maybe you will see better." He pulled up a fifth sun, ringed by spinning planets. "This is Geminorium, or Gemini, the twins. We have two in this constellation, actually. Fitting, isn't it? Mebsuta, outstretched hand, and Mekbuta, pulled in hand. Next was Alioth, in Ursa Major. Alioth means 'black horse', and while you may not get that reference, trust me, it is relevant." He waved his hand again and another star swirled into view. "Canes Venatici, the hunting dogs. This star here," he pointed, "is Chara. Joy. And this is Normae, the carpenter's level." He nodded at Jack's look. "Yes, that is why we were calling him the carpenter. Among other reasons. Then came Virgo, the virgin, with her star Porrima," he gestured to it, "The Roman goddess of childbirth."
Jack glanced sharply up at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"What do you think it means?" He smiled but his eyes were cold.
Jack didn't want to think about what it meant and he closed his eyes, feeling nauseous. "I don't know," he said as Hanso kept on.
"Next is the star Nashira, or 'she who brings good news'." He looked pointedly at Jack again as Locke sneered, pain ripping through him steadily, making his blood feel like it was made of ground glass.
Jack rolled his eyes. "Sara, I got it."
"But you see what she brings, Jack? Look." He waved his hand and a star swam up. "Constellation Librae. The scales of Judgement. And this star here," he pointed, "is Mulu-Lizi." He paused. "Man of Fire."
Jack swallowed. It was getting a little too real. "T-that's crazy."
Hanso eyed him, nodding slowly. "Is it? Next we colonized a planet in the star Botein, in Aries, the Ram." It came up to the top of the pedestal. "Little belly." His gaze stayed on Jack again as he flinched. "Next was Herculis, the hero, with the star Sarin, or 'many headed'. In Columbae, the Dove Constellation, there is Tsze, the son." His eyes strayed to the door. "The man we brought back, he was on the last planet. In Pegasus. The star Sadalbari, or 'Lucky star of the excellent one'." He paused for a few seconds, giving it time to sink in. "The stars tell our stories, too. Do you know what that means for us, Jack?"
He did but he wouldn't accept it. "I can't be a part of that. Sawyer, sure, and Kate, even, but not a baby. I can't do that."
Hanso nodded. "We'll see Jack, when it comes down to it." He glanced at John, who was gritting his teeth and shaking with agony. "I guess it's time for the closed room. Jack, help me."
They each grabbed Locke under an arm and helped him back into the Med lab, as a flock of red and blue birds took off from the courtyard, flying away into the afternoon sun.
---
Kate's bad mood had passed and she was now cheery and sweet, teasing Sawyer about his now-blackening eye. "You should know better than to do that."
He gave her an incredulous look. "All I did was kiss you."
She laughed. "And how does that usually end up?"
He shrugged, grinning, She was so vibrant and alive that he couldn't stay depressed. "Okay, okay." He glanced back at Sara, who was walking just behind them. "Hey, Professor. You okay back there?"
She glanced up at his nickname. "Professor?"
Kate was laughing. "Well, now you should really feel like part of the family, if he's given you a nickname. How official." She winked at Sawyer. "And it's not even that offensive."
He grinned back, pulling her to him as they walked. "Speaking of names, Freckles, have you been thinking about any?"
She smiled, looking down at her stomach reflexively. "Some. I kinda thought...you know, James. For you." Her cheeks reddened a little and she ducked her head.
"No, I don't want you to name him after me. He's gonna have enough devil in him without havin' his name too." He flashed his dimples at her, the devil, and she chuckled. But that wasn't the real reason he didn't want her to name their son James; he didn't want her to call anyone that but him. "Anyone in your family you want to name him after?"
He winced as soon as he said it; she smiled sadly and looked away. "No."
They were quiet for a few seconds and Sawyer placed his hand on her stomach. "Sorry. Should've known better."
She shook her head. "It's okay."
Sara broke the silence, stepping up beside them. "Um, my sister was pregnant last year and she made me go through baby name books with her for hours. I mean, every book you can imagine, English, American, Greek, Italian, Chinese, Japanese..."she shook her head. "She finally settled on Ashley Marie. All of that and she picked Ashley." She glanced up at them. "Anyway, I remember a lot of the names and what they mean, if you want to throw some out at me."
Kate was staring at her in amazement. "You can remember that stuff?"
Sara shrugged. "I retain trivial information really well."
Nodding slowly, Kate said, "I guess so." She turned her eyes to Sawyer. "Well? Got any ideas?"
He smirked at her. "Jack."
She rolled her eyes. "I thought I was forbidden to name him Jack."
"You are. I just wanna know what it means."
Sara was grinning. "I remember that one well. Jack means 'God is Gracious'."
Sawyer grinned. "I guess Jacky took that to heart, eh?"
They all chuckled a little, then Kate said, "I've always liked the name Mark."
Sara said, "God of War."
"Maybe not." She thought for a minute. "Gabriel?"
Sara nodded. "Strong man, I think." She added, "Plus he was an angel."
Kate had a sudden flash of inspiration. "I know! I used to know this girl, and her parents were hippies, right, they lived on a commune and everything." She smiled at Sawyer's look. "Iowa is a weird place. Anyway, her parent's put their names together, I can't remember it now, though." She smiled at him. "We could do that, Kate and James. How about Jate?"
He shook his head. "No, no. That just sounds wrong." He grinned. "I once knew these people who named their kid Rowdy Joe. Seriously. It was like that on his birth certificate." He smiled at Kate's look. "Tennessee is a weird place."
Sara spoke quietly. "What about Joshua?"
Kate and Sawyer exchanged glances and Kate shrugged. "I like it."
Sara smiled softly. "Joshua was closely associated with Moses. When he died Joshua took his place as leader of the Isrealites and he led them as they began their battles of conquest that lasted for many years, until he had led them to victory over most of the surrounding country. He's best known for Jericho, though, where he and his priests blew their trumpets and the Isrealites raised their voices until the walls of the city came down and it was destroyed."
Kate was smiling sweetly at Sawyer and she said, "I like it, James, how about you?"
He considered for a second, then nodded. "It's an idea. What does it mean?"
Sara looked away, then glanced back at them, smiling. It means 'salvation'."
