Part 12: Homecoming
Hypernet News Service
: 23 Sept 2199 : @ 1830 wst
COSMIC COUPLE GIVE BIRTH TO A STAR CHILD
Marucia Alexandre, female Envoy to Jupiter returned, has
given birth to a girl, named Juno Tordenskjold-Alexandre. The
child, her mother, and father Niels Tordenskjold, are being held in
quarantine on Callisto Base by the authorities, who are concerned
about a possible Alien Threat from Jupiter via the child,
who was conceived on Jupiter under dramatic conditions.
In Roman mythology Juno is the wife of Jupiter, King of the Gods. She was also called Hera, wife of Zeus in Greek mythology.
Hypernet News Service
: 01 Oct 2199 : @ 2400 wst
COSMIC COUPLE MARRIED
Jupiter explorers Niels Tordenskjold and Marucia Alexandre were
married today on Callisto Base. They have been lost in relative
time for 33 years, but most of their families are still alive,
and attended the wedding by virtual 3V. The only family guest on
base was their own newborn daughter.
But all 156 of the Solar Rangers personnel on base at the time were delighted to attend the wedding, making a party of it. A banquet of select freeze-dried foods was composed by the kitchen staff, including a six-layer wedding cake. All accompanied by a rather fine vodka made from an "extra" potato harvest.
Throwing a wedding in a semi-military space base can be a spartan affair: Marucia had to sew her own wedding dress out of some white bedsheets, and a bouquet of flowers could only be obtained from the experimental hydroponics lab, cloned overnight from a rose seed brought from Earth several years ago. The wedding ring was a slightly oversized vacuum-pressure gasket from a discarded space suit.
The ceremony was performed by base commander Walter Weir.
Hypernet News Service
: 08 Nov 2199 : @ 1830 wst
STAR CHILD GIVEN CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH
After exhaustive testing of the Star Child from Jupiter by
scientists and military personnel, no sign of abnormalities have
been evidenced, except for unusually high intelligence and an
especially sweet disposition. Public opinion has demanded the
"release" of the Cosmic Couple, and they are due to arrive back
on Earth very soon.
The military is against this and would detain them even longer,
but they will have to bow to whatever decision the World Government
makes in the matter.
Hypernet News Service
: 24 December--Christmas
Eve--2199 : @ 2100 wst
COSMIC TRIO LANDED
To great celebration, the famous Jupiter Envoys and their Star
Child have finally arrived on Earth at Copenhagen. They received
a hero's welcome that hasn't been seen in this century, which is
almost over. Literally millions of people left the comfort of
their 3V screens and came to Copenhagen to bid them welcome in a
voice that shook the old Viking city.
Simultaneously, a bright light illuminated the night sky above:
from Jupiter. They are obviously keeping an eye on their
friends. And a New Message began broadcasting: music this time,
like the singing of angels.
Hypernet News Service
: 01 Dec 31 2199 : @ 1200
wst
HAPPY NEW
CENTURY!
Tonight, over all our world, and the other worlds we have
come to know, we will celebrate not only a New Year, but the
beginning of the 23rd Century.
There will be lots of parties, but THE party everyone is
interested in is to be held at the elegant fazenda of the
Alexandre family, on the edge of São Paulo, Brazil. That
is the celebration to tune in to, for although there will be no
official 3V coverage, it is rumored that there will be live
optical broadcasts by a multitude of undercover pirate
newshawks. Included among the guests are presidents, royalty,
dignitaries from many lands, musicians, artists,
philosophists--and of course, the famous daughter of that
familia, Marucia Alexandre, just returned from over 33 years in
Jupiter, as well as her husband Niels, and their
own 3-month old daughter, Juno.
This will be a strange reunion for most of Marucia's family and
friends, who had waved goodbye to those brave young kids off on
their romantic adventure over 33 years ago. Now, long after they
were given up for dead, here they are again, not even one year
older, due to RTD. Marucia is
still 22 years old, but her friends are all in their mid 50's. Her mother,
Enrica Alexandre, is 85, her father died 8 years ago, but which
has been recent news to Marucia. Her former fiancee,
Eduardo de Ouro, who is now 60 years old, married another woman
many years ago, and has 2 sons and a daughter around Marucia's
age.
Adding to the confusing emotional situation, has been the news
that their 3-month old baby girl has begun to talk to her parents,
simply but coherently, in Danish, Portuguese, and WorldSpeak.
This has upset some people--especially among the military, who
had warned against letting the child go free on Earth.