The Onus of Liability:
"Did you look in on Don and Judy this morning?" John asked his wife, as they sat out at the breakfast table.
"I heard them quietly talking, and decided to just let them be, John. With all they have been through this past week, I think they need some time alone. Besides, Doctor Smith was going to check on him in a few minutes anyway."
John and Maureen were soon joined by Penny and Will, as well as T'lan and Brina.
"T'lan, when are your parents due back from their trip to the Murock Clan?" asked the Professor.
"Later today, Professor Robinson," said T'lan. "Since Brina and I did not return to camp last night, even though Teral and Selana knew we might stay, our parents will want to see that we are well."
Before the Professor could answer, Judy came strolling out of the ship. John noticed right away that she somehow looked different. An air of self assurance seemed to emanate from her person, and, as her father, he felt a mixture of pride and sadness.
"Good morning, everyone," she said, taking the seat next to her mother.
"How is Don feeling this morning?" asked Maureen.
"Better. His stubbornness is starting to show. He wanted to join us for breakfast, until Doctor Smith gave him another shot. He's sleeping now…"
"And he'll remain that way for several hours," interjected Smith, as he joined them at the table.
"Let me guess," said the Professor. "You slipped him a Mickey Finn."
"In a manner of speaking, Professor Robinson. Along with the pain medication, I did administer a mild sedative. He needs his rest and we all know how obstinately difficult the Major can be," said Smith.
The Doctor's remark brought a round of laughter to the table.
"Judy, you look rested, this morning," said John.
"I am," she said. "After Don awoke from the coma, and I knew he was going to be all right. I didn't have any more nightmares. I think we are both going to be okay."
...
Later that day, John found Doctor Smith, on the upper deck, buried in a medical textbook. He took the seat across from him.
Outside, Penny and T'lan were riding, Judy and Maureen were working in the garden, and Will and Brina were finishing their star map. Robinson knew he would be able to speak to Smith privately.
"Do you have a moment, Doctor Smith?"
Smith marked his place and put the book aside, "Of course, Professor."
"I don't think I expressed my gratitude very well last night. You saved the life of my daughter, and her fiancé, who also happens to be my best friend. My words are hardly adequate, next to the burden of my heart."
"I should have told you right away, that Tyler was a traitor, Professor Robinson. I might have saved us all a great deal of pain."
"Maybe," said John, "or maybe Tyler had already set the virus to be released before he approached the camp. We might all be dead or dying by now. You made a judgment call, and under the circumstances I can understand your reasons."
Smith, obviously remorseful, lowered his gaze to the floor.
"Do the others know of my treachery concerning the mission?"
"Maureen knows, and I'll have to tell Don and Judy. He has the right to know, and I don't want him to have to keep this from his wife. But I don't see any reason to tell Penny or Will," said John.
"I appreciate this, Professor, but…"
"Make no mistake, Doctor Smith. Had I found out about this before we set down on Priplanus, I would have blown you out the airlock myself," John said, somewhat sharply.
"But, in retrospect, I think Maureen would have had a very difficult time trying to forgive me, and for that, she would have been justified," he finished, in a much softer tone.
"I rather suspect that Major West will not be quite so forgiving, Professor."
"Well, Doctor Smith, I don't think that you give Don enough credit," said Robinson. "Come to think of it, neither did I."
"I don't think I understand."
Robinson recalled his reaction when Judy had informed Maureen and him that she and Don intended on dating. Reluctantly he continued.
"Maureen and I have always been very protective of Judy. When she told us that she was going to start seeing Major West, our first thought was to forbid it, but instead, we allowed them to see each other under rather strict conditions. We didn't realize just how much they loved each other."
"I see," began Smith. "Although the Major and I have had our differences, and I find him, on occasion, to be brash, impulsive, judgmental, I have always known that he worships the very ground Miss Judy walks upon. I know that much of the strife and conflict, they have endured, was a direct result of my actions. Because of her caring and sensitive nature, she would rush to defend my actions, often at the expense of her relationship with the Major."
"I won't argue with you on that point, Doctor Smith. Judy inherits that trait from her mother, and to be quite honest, I wouldn't change either one of them, which brings us back to you. Sometime before the Jupiter 2 left Earth, you made a decision to betray the mission, and your country. Maureen and I have chosen to forgive you, and I suspect Don and Judy will do the same. You are going to have to live with the fact that, three years ago, you tried to murder those you, by your own admission, consider family."
Smith shamefully looked away. Professor Robinson had put what the Doctor was feeling into words.
"Perhaps you should tell Penny and Will. At some point in our future, we know that we are going to be found by an Earth ship. When I am led away as a traitor, I don't want it to come as a shock to the children. They are old enough to know the truth."
"The way I see it, Doctor Smith, there is no reason to tell the crew that finds us, that is, assuming that we were found to begin with."
Doctor Smith stood and stepped closer to the viewport. Will and Brina seemed engrossed in drawing their new star map.
"A month from now, Professor, your brilliant son will design, build, and launch, a message buoy. It will reach Earth about two years from now. It is my intention to include a full confession and disclosure of my involvement and knowledge of the Aeolus Umbra organization. It is my suspicion that I will be taken into custody when the Earth ship arrives."
"I thought Tyler said that it would be…"
"One of the first rules in deceit," interjected Smith. "Always wrap a lie inside a bit of truth. It makes the deception much more palatable. As much as I have rambled on about family honor, the unvarnished truth is, I had none. That is, until I was adopted by your family and as part of your family, I now have a duty to uphold the family name. The actions taken were mine, and the responsibility will be mine."
"And if Tyler lied to you?" asked the Professor.
"Then he lied. The truth will attend to itself, one way or another. We already know that the Major and Miss Judy return to Earth at some point in the future, and since they have both indicated their desire to remain here to start a family, something will change their minds."
"Then you believe that history is going to repeat itself, Doctor Smith? That my daughter and son-in-law, as well as their children, are destined to die on board the Jupiter 6?"
"Quite the contrary, Professor," said Smith. "I wouldn't pretend to even try to understand the complexities of temporal mechanics, but it is my belief that by returning to the past, Tyler will undo almost everything he set out to accomplish."
"The Novikov self-consistency principle?" suggested Robinson.
"Perhaps, or the idea of parallel co-existing timelines, as I said, I'm well out of my element. The one thing I do know is that I will do everything in my power to prevent that monster from harming my family."
Professor Robinson stood and turned to face Smith. He extended his hand which Smith took in a firm grip. The rest of the conversation was unspoken, as the two men found a new understanding of each other.
...
It was mid afternoon when Jarrock and Lana rode into the Robinson camp. After greeting them, John and Maureen invited them to the table, along with Penny and T'lan. It took almost an hour to cover everything that had transpired over the past two days. John found himself amazed by how well Jarrock and his wife took what they had been told. His heart also went out to T'lan, who sat at the table with his eyes downcast in shame. The sight of his youngest daughter comforting her boyfriend left him with mixed feelings.
"Am I to understand, John, that this disease would have killed everyone in the valley?" asked Jarrock.
"I'm certain of it, Jarrock. Because this particular strain of the virus is both weaponized and airborne, it is possible for it to have spread beyond the valley."
"Based on my study of your physiology," added Maureen, "your people would have been just as susceptible to the virus as we would be."
"And Penny has been blessed with the gift of precognition?" asked Jarrock.
"Penny has always had a good sense of intuition," said Maureen. "I've learned to trust it as much as I would my own. It was T'lan, who recognized it for what it was."
Jarrock turned to face his son, "T'lan?"
"Yes, Father," he answered, his eyes still lowered.
"Face me, my son."
"I have dishonored our family, Father. I am no longer worthy to face you…"
"T'lan, face me!"
Slowly the young man raised his eyes to his father.
"By tradition, what you have done disgraces our family," began Jarrock. "But in reality, your actions saved the lives of our new friends, our village, and countless other lives. You and Penny faced a very difficult decision. You sacrificed honor to save lives, and I am proud, very proud, to call you my son."
"I am grateful, Father. But, what of the people in the village…"
"Do not concern yourself, my son. Leave that to me. Your mother and I must speak with the Professor and Mrs. Robinson, in private."
"Yes, Father," said T'lan.
He stood alongside Penny and they turned to leave the table. John saw tears in his daughter's eyes.
"Penny?"
"Dad?"
"Don't worry, darling," he said.
Penny nodded, "I'm okay, Dad."
When they were alone, John spoke, "Jarrock, T'lan told my wife that you will be forced off the council and your family will be banished from the village. Is this true?"
"I am afraid so, John. It is an unfortunate truth that tradition is held in higher consideration than the greater good. But our traditions have shaped our civilization for over two thousand years, and in general, the benefits outweigh the inconvenience."
"I would call displacing an entire family more than an inconvenience," said Maureen. "What will become of your children?"
"Our oldest daughter, Selana, is covered by her husband. She will not share in our dishonor," said Lana. "T'lan will bear the dishonor until he properly joins with Penny, something they cannot do until they both reach the age of enlightenment. In addition, he can never be appointed to the council. Brina will share the same fate as her brother, although she will be cleansed on the day she joins with her future husband."
"When Lana and I return to the village, tradition requires that I step down immediately," said Jarrock. "We will be given a week to put our affairs in order and leave the village."
"What would happen if you refused to leave?" asked John.
"After a week, we would become nonentities to the people of the clan. The council would pass a resolution to call for us to leave as required by tradition. This is little more than a written decree posted to the door of our home."
"This is wrong, John," said Maureen. "Isn't there something we can do? Maybe appear before the council…"
"No, Maureen," said Jarrock. "The council would listen to and acknowledge the circumstances, but would cling to the fact that our traditions allow for no exceptions."
"Jarrock, you and your family are welcome to stay with us," said John. "We don't have a lot of room in the ship, but we would gladly share until we could help you build a new home nearby."
"I am afraid that is not possible," said Jarrock. "This entire valley is claimed by the Lamotia Clan. We must leave the valley or deepen our dishonor. I do have a request of you, my friends."
"Maureen and I will do whatever we can," said the Professor.
"By tradition, the children of a dishonored couple can be claimed by one of the other families in the village. Once claimed, the children become members of the new household and are covered from their parents dishonor. The only stipulation is there can be no blood relation between the families. By example, Teral and Selana cannot make a claim because; Selana, T'lan, and Brina are blood related."
"You want John and I to take Brina and T'lan?" asked Maureen.
"We would be forever in your debt, Maureen," said Lana. "You see, Jarrock and I will be forever banished from the village, and the journey to the Murock Clan is a long and dangerous one. In addition, by separating Penny and T'lan, we would be putting them both in pain. They are already of one heart and one mind. The joining ceremony and consummation of their union is a formality."
John and Maureen looked to each other in an unspoken conversation. A nod of her head indicated to John that they were in agreement.
"Tell us what we need to do," said John.