Chapter 51
Jason
Family

"So did it work, did it not work!" Diana is all but screaming in frustration as she throws a piece of equipment against the wall.

"We needed to give the new Brenda the shot three days after impregnation. From our tests on the original Brenda the new Brenda has likely miscarried already. The human no matter how open her gene, will not be able to carry this or rather these babies without this." Jason is all but trembling as he speaks to her. "Besides it is for the best their scientists would have too much information on us if she is with a group that includes one or more of them."

There is a long pause and she responds, "Unfortunately you're right." Diana turns and glares at David the one assigned to find the adequate female. "Find the new Brenda! Find her now!"

David has a look of horror on his face as he speaks, "I will do just that."

'You better!" Diana screams as she points to the door, "Now go!"

David tries to look as though he is walking normally, but at the end it is very quick as if he is running away. For Jason he is glad that the human will not be able to carry the child. It was unlikely anyway. The embryo needed to be put in the correct environment for it to develop properly and he doubts a physical body is up to the strain. This would not matter if it was a female of any of the sirian species or the human carrying a child of such mixed parentage; a human mother and a Whipelli father and Dahax Depol father. Maybe, just maybe this ugly plan of Diana and the Great One will not happen at all as it is much too complicated. Besides just finding new Brenda's is not an easy task. He rolls his eyes, all of this just for the chance of a permanent organ to give the Leader supernatural abilities is beyond belief.

Suddenly Diana is laughing as she stares at her reflection. "I must say that Mike Donovan is quite the man. It may be interesting to share a special moment with him." Her face is glowing with the thought.

The woman makes him ill just looking at her. The news guy has literally stolen her most precious project and now she just wants to bed him. He doesn't mean to, but his tone has a severity to it as he speaks. "Do I encrypt the data now so only you can have it or do you wish for me to wait."

Diana seems to be off in her fantasy still when she replies. "No, need I did it after she was stolen." Suddenly she cocks her head to him and scowls. "You may leave and go play at being a doctor now."

Suddenly the two SSG's are there before he is able to comply. He wants to escape, but Diana tells him to wait. They begin talking about Carl and perhaps traveling to a place the Earthers call the Bermuda Triangle. The thought being this may be the gateway that the ancients used to travel to Earth, something like a wormhole. There is a place on their own world they believe is a gateway as well. Jason has heard stories of odd activity in an area known as Schmeranc. Schmeranc, was known for aircraft and ships disappearing and never being found no matter the technology of the time. Oddly, with water disappearing it is strange that no remains of these vessels have been found to this day. Many claim that time itself appears to be manipulated in some way as they traveled through the area. He has heard these stories and because no one can truly say what is happening the stories can't be be refuted, most scoff at the idea though.

Next they talk about taking Carl to some place called Zona del Silencio where there are mutated animals and where no communication device will work, the humans also call it; Zone of Silence. Again there is something like this on their own world, this place is Josacna where it is said meteorites have been pulled into the area repeatedly. Communication devices will not work in Josacna as well. The Ibrea who once lived in Josacna before the environment became so harsh that no one can live there, they believed that ancient visitors used this as a doorway to our planet. This is a strange story, but at least the Ibrea did not see them as gods.

Brett turns to Jason, "We would like for you to continue to spend time with the youth. He will be traveling again and if we find any writings we want them translated immediately and sent to Our Great One. Do you understand?"

Jason finds he is trembling. He really doesn't like these two and looking at Diana he finds she is not so fond of them either. His hope is that the Brenda project is still on her mind and he responds in a way that may influence her. "Diana is the one who needs to give that direction as I answer to her only."

Diana tilts her head towards Brett and with a stern voice says, "Jason has projects here that are also considered important for him to complete. Take that trooper that the child seems so fond of." She then turns to look at the other SSG trooper and looks him up and down. "Projects that the Leader finds as important."

Brett smiles at her, "I am not taking him away from your projects. It is for now just two trips. A few days at each site, if that and that is all. We may only take Carl underwater only on the Bermuda Triangle project as there may not be any relics for us to study. Therefore, a day for Jason to be gone. However, we need to get the information on the ancients. We need to know why these sites are exactly like the ones on our own planet. The ancients are leaving a message for Our Great Leader so he can fulfill their prophecy for them. He will be the new guardian and take their place as they have planned."

Diana turns to Jason, "Go and do what you need to do." She turns away from him and then suddenly turns again, "Go check on Carl first and ensure he is well." With that being said she nods to Brett letting him know he is getting what he wants.

All Jason can do is be happy he is no longer being dragged into this conversation. He finds it hard to consider any of this as real. He is fine though with visiting with Carl. The trip with the SSG had been very difficult on him. They were not nice to anyone and patience to children seemed unknown to them. Also, the more he learns of them the more he finds that they are very dedicated to what feels like a cult following; the goal is in seeing their Leader become a god.

He feels for Carl, he has been trying to understand everything that happened on that trip. The odd dust they had sprinkled on him, he had brushed some off of Carl and studied it when they returned to the ship. There was nothing hallucinogenic about that black dust, but Carl had acted strangely. At first he thought maybe there really was some supernatural thing happening, but after being with Carl later he has changed his mind. So if not hallucinogenic and not supernatural, then it was fear. This meant Carl gave them what they wanted to hear, which is a way to comply and be left alone. Brett and bad Brian were always talking about all of this supernatural stuff around him and Carl. The poor kid without realizing it has put himself out there as a breathing device used for supernatural message reading. Yeah, he is a genius and he can read the writings, but that is all. Jason shakes his head, the rest was fear on Carl's part and they will never see it because they truly don't want too. They wanted to believe that some ancients have funneled their message through Carl, all very sad.

Walking down to where the Downstairs Kids lived was a nice way to just let the stress go. Although he finds himself clasping and unclasping his hands repeatably. Once he arrives there is a sudden release of stress and he finds himself able to breath without wanting to hold it until he is gasping for air.

The first to speak to him is Anthony who snaps at him, "Okay! Where is the real Brian?" The boy then crosses his arms sternly as stares up at Jason.

Next is Cathy who gives him a very hard look as she says, "He promised to help us with our plant platform!" That look turns into a sad gaze that has Jason wanting to reach out to her.

Very quickly he says, "Look, Brian has been unable to come. As you know he is a Youth Leader and he was given an important promotion that is keeping him busy. Ah, really busy. I know he will come back as soon as he can."

"Well, where is William? He doesn't like us anymore, is that it!" Anthony says with a disappointed face.

Jason feels for them. These young people had their, almost family and now they were no longer there for them. A family was something they deserved and the ones in charge weren't treating them as children should be truly cared for. He is pretty sure he knows little on caring for children, but he is positive he is doing better than the ones assigned currently. He isn't certain what to say, they need to hear something that isn't so; your not on their to-do list. Jason swallows and clasps his hands behind his back for a moment, he can't think of a way to say this so he blurts out, "William has been busy as well and I know that Aloohula will come as well as soon as he can." That didn't come out quite right, he looks at their disappointed faces and now he must tell them he wouldn't be here if not for the fact he was told to reach out to Carl. Shaking his head he knows he can't say that. No, he will have no study time to become a doctor today. Sadly it is just a dream anyway, his life has moved on in another direction and he must accept that. Who knows, maybe things will slow down a bit when he is fifty and he can pursue being a doctor at that time. He finds he is shaking his head again. Likely he will be deep in something else when he is fifty and hopefully a family of his own. A doctor he is not destined to be. Jason looks about for their caregiver who is nowhere to be found, she or he is likely working on whatever is on their schedule for the day. They will only come out to gather the kids for teaching, feeding, medical care or putting them to bed. With a smile it is time revise his list; it is time to do things with these children. Play kid games, eat some food with them, share stories.

Carl runs up with a large smile and following him is Deanna. Deanna, is only thirteen and is already a medical doctor in many ways. Still she may have succeeded at a goal he has always wanted at a young age, but there is one thing he knows and that is she needs a family. He snorts as he gives Carl a hug and they all laugh. Family for them is William who is father; big brothers Brian, Aloohula, Gordon, George and himself. A truly wacky family. He should find them a big sister. Yeah, they need an older sister to complete their weird family and he is going to ensure their brothers get their butts down here and do their job. Get that drone platform built, grow that weird medical herb, be there to listen to their fears and maybe this will help them through their own messed up feelings. Family is what it is all about anyway and not ancients and those weird childish stories. Family is not always blood and young ones need family even if it is a unusual group of crazies. Thinking on it now, it is he who needs a family.

Jason smiles and holds his hands up and with a happy voice asks, "Hey, did you guys ever play. . ."