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Authors: Andy Kasch
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mumbled.
It was a short drive to the university, especially with Alan determined to enjoy his opportunity to drive. They dropped Kayla off at the front building—Jumper gave her a little shove to help her exit—and then took the 2-seater around to the social sciences building. As they were parking, an overhead sound made them both look up. There was a small space shuttle above them, descending fast over the far end of the parking lot.
“That’s got to be Uncle Brandon!” Jumper said.
They watched as the boxy spacecraft lowered, hovered, and landed. The cabin door opened upward. A lone human figure emerged and began walking towards the social sciences building.
Jumper sprung from the 2-seater and ran to meet him.
“Uncle Brandon!”
Brandon’s smile was so wide it was the first thing Jumper saw as his face came into view.
“Jumper!” he said and raised his hand. Jumper leapt through the air the last few yards and slapped his hand as he landed—a special greeting Uncle Brandon taught him as a young child, something he called a running high five .
“So great to see you Uncle Brandon!” Jumper stepped back and checked him out a little better. Brandon wore old Earth style clothes, denim pants that the older generation called jeans , and a cloth coat of the type they referred to as letterman jackets .
Jumper then glanced at the shuttle craft behind him. “Did you bring Aunt Rachel or Rachel2?”
“No, Jumper. I’m here on important business. Is your dad waiting for me in his office?”
“That would be my guess. We just arrived ourselves.”
“I see. That must be Alan2 with you.”
“Right. Kayla—Kayla2, that is—begged a ride from us, so she’s here, too. We dropped her off at the front so she could exercise on the bars.”
Brandon unfocused his eyes for a moment. “Kayla2. Yes, I remember her. Cute young thing. Her father was depressed over not having seen her in so long, the last I talked with him. That was last year sometime. How’s her mom?”
“She’s always been depressed, as far as I can tell. Doesn’t seem to bother Kayla2, though.”
Brandon talked as they walked. “We’re all pathetically unaware of how our actions, particularly those which transgress Erob law, are a detriment to our children.”
“You’re still the same old Uncle Brandon, I see.”
“Yes. Let’s hope that never changes.”
Alan joined them and exchanged greetings with Brandon, then the three of them walked to the sociology building and entered. Jumper’s dad wasn’t in his office, so they went to his lecture hall. He was there, talking with several native students. When Jumper’s dad saw the three of them come in, he stepped back from the group and crossed his arms in front of his gray climate-controlled shirt. To anyone else, it would appear he was indifferent to their arrival—possibly even irritated—judging from his expression and body language. But Jumper knew his dad well enough to detect an ever-so-slight smile at the corners of his lips. He knew he was happy.
Brandon apparently wasn’t fooled either, as he proceeded immediately to Jumper’s dad and stood before him. They didn’t say anything for a long moment as they beheld each other. Then Brandon stretched out his hand. Jumper’s dad didn’t immediately react, but the corners of his lips upturned noticeably. Finally, he reached out and they did that special old Earth handshake of theirs. Brandon then clasped his hand between both his and held the position as toothy smiles formed on both their faces.
“I told you they weren’t really mad at each other,” Jumper said to Alan. Alan nodded in response without taking his eyes off of them.
Brandon spoke. “I see you’re growing a goatee, Derek. It looks good on you.”
“Is that what future-people call a chin beard?” Derek replied.
“Although,” Brandon said, “there are a few gray hairs in there. On your head, too—you can’t hide them with that short haircut. And I
It was a short drive to the university, especially with Alan determined to enjoy his opportunity to drive. They dropped Kayla off at the front building—Jumper gave her a little shove to help her exit—and then took the 2-seater around to the social sciences building. As they were parking, an overhead sound made them both look up. There was a small space shuttle above them, descending fast over the far end of the parking lot.
“That’s got to be Uncle Brandon!” Jumper said.
They watched as the boxy spacecraft lowered, hovered, and landed. The cabin door opened upward. A lone human figure emerged and began walking towards the social sciences building.
Jumper sprung from the 2-seater and ran to meet him.
“Uncle Brandon!”
Brandon’s smile was so wide it was the first thing Jumper saw as his face came into view.
“Jumper!” he said and raised his hand. Jumper leapt through the air the last few yards and slapped his hand as he landed—a special greeting Uncle Brandon taught him as a young child, something he called a running high five .
“So great to see you Uncle Brandon!” Jumper stepped back and checked him out a little better. Brandon wore old Earth style clothes, denim pants that the older generation called jeans , and a cloth coat of the type they referred to as letterman jackets .
Jumper then glanced at the shuttle craft behind him. “Did you bring Aunt Rachel or Rachel2?”
“No, Jumper. I’m here on important business. Is your dad waiting for me in his office?”
“That would be my guess. We just arrived ourselves.”
“I see. That must be Alan2 with you.”
“Right. Kayla—Kayla2, that is—begged a ride from us, so she’s here, too. We dropped her off at the front so she could exercise on the bars.”
Brandon unfocused his eyes for a moment. “Kayla2. Yes, I remember her. Cute young thing. Her father was depressed over not having seen her in so long, the last I talked with him. That was last year sometime. How’s her mom?”
“She’s always been depressed, as far as I can tell. Doesn’t seem to bother Kayla2, though.”
Brandon talked as they walked. “We’re all pathetically unaware of how our actions, particularly those which transgress Erob law, are a detriment to our children.”
“You’re still the same old Uncle Brandon, I see.”
“Yes. Let’s hope that never changes.”
Alan joined them and exchanged greetings with Brandon, then the three of them walked to the sociology building and entered. Jumper’s dad wasn’t in his office, so they went to his lecture hall. He was there, talking with several native students. When Jumper’s dad saw the three of them come in, he stepped back from the group and crossed his arms in front of his gray climate-controlled shirt. To anyone else, it would appear he was indifferent to their arrival—possibly even irritated—judging from his expression and body language. But Jumper knew his dad well enough to detect an ever-so-slight smile at the corners of his lips. He knew he was happy.
Brandon apparently wasn’t fooled either, as he proceeded immediately to Jumper’s dad and stood before him. They didn’t say anything for a long moment as they beheld each other. Then Brandon stretched out his hand. Jumper’s dad didn’t immediately react, but the corners of his lips upturned noticeably. Finally, he reached out and they did that special old Earth handshake of theirs. Brandon then clasped his hand between both his and held the position as toothy smiles formed on both their faces.
“I told you they weren’t really mad at each other,” Jumper said to Alan. Alan nodded in response without taking his eyes off of them.
Brandon spoke. “I see you’re growing a goatee, Derek. It looks good on you.”
“Is that what future-people call a chin beard?” Derek replied.
“Although,” Brandon said, “there are a few gray hairs in there. On your head, too—you can’t hide them with that short haircut. And I
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