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For Mick Ronno
11 November 2021 16:08Tom and Aletayria had come back to the Nexus for a much needed break from the chaos and the confinement. While Jack had helped his wife pass visually as a human, her height drew too much attention so most of the time she was stuck in the hotel. That was a hard time for a women who enjoyed the open air and outdoors.
Mick had called earlier in the day to say he was stopping by in the evening which was nothing out of the ordinary. Tom had invited Mick to dinner. The boy needed to get more accustom to Anthean food and no one could do that as well as Aletayria.
She was just finishing up dinner while Tom watched Zayda trying to crawl around on the living room floor. Out of the pouch now, like Ziggy had she was growing fast but her development was a little behind a human. They were playing with blocks though and she was learning to try and stand up.
Mick had called earlier in the day to say he was stopping by in the evening which was nothing out of the ordinary. Tom had invited Mick to dinner. The boy needed to get more accustom to Anthean food and no one could do that as well as Aletayria.
She was just finishing up dinner while Tom watched Zayda trying to crawl around on the living room floor. Out of the pouch now, like Ziggy had she was growing fast but her development was a little behind a human. They were playing with blocks though and she was learning to try and stand up.
Tom sat down beside Robert on the couch in the lounge area of the hotel. “Hell this day. It's finally quiet.”
Robert laughs as he takes the cup of tea. “It won't last more than an hour.”
“It's three in the damned morning.” Tom can't say if he is surprised or exhausted.
( Chaos never sleeps. )
(no subject)
22 November 2020 18:43Tom had heard from his wife about the chaos the night before. It wasn't surprising to him. He'd seen some crazy things at Ziggy's concerts; fainting, screaming, people being liberated from constraints and throwing off their clothes and God might only know what he missed in the crowds and papers. With the addition of angels, immortals, telepaths, and who knows what else something was bound to go awry. That it was Ziggy and one of his friends was a worry but also well within Tom's experience too.
When he woke up to a text from the twins asking to come and talk to him, he happily invited one or both of them to come to the house in the afternoon. It was the quiet time in the house. Ziggy would be elsewhere and Tommy would have gone out for his usual afternoon wanderings. It left Aletayria in the gardens and Tom with little to do.
He was making some tea to relax because he could imagine the topic that would be at hand when one or both of them arrived.
When he woke up to a text from the twins asking to come and talk to him, he happily invited one or both of them to come to the house in the afternoon. It was the quiet time in the house. Ziggy would be elsewhere and Tommy would have gone out for his usual afternoon wanderings. It left Aletayria in the gardens and Tom with little to do.
He was making some tea to relax because he could imagine the topic that would be at hand when one or both of them arrived.
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nexus_crossings prompt 4. "I was worried you'd never come back. What happened?"]
“What the hell is this?” Tom asks sourly as he sees the fellow astronaut standing at his car.
“Well, they told me you're too crazy from space to drive yourself.” Akihiko, a Japanese flight engineer Tom had worked with on several projects in the past, grins with the approach of a friend he thought he had lost.
“I land a half dead space capsule, alone, without burning up in re-entry and they think I can't drive myself home?” Tom grunts out a sigh as he gets in the passenger door. Akihiko laughs more as he gets in to drive but the young Japanese man can't keep the smile up as they start driving. There's too much worry.
“What happened up there?” He glances at his friend trying to come to terms with the fact he looked in his forties now instead of mid-twenties like the driver, despite the fact they had become friends because they nearly shared a birthday... just one week off from each other in the same year. “And none of those stories you alluded to when you called in or gave mission control.”
Tom swallows staring at his friend. The two men trusted each other with their lives. It wasn't just a saying either. They had built parts for each other's missions. The trust was literal. Jones stared out at the Florida coast as they drove. All the while wondering if he could tell anyone what he experienced in those two weeks.
“Time dilation and radiation” Tom finally says because it is true but not the whole truth.
“Yeah, the age, I know about that. I meant this... the cryptic messages and depression.” Akihiko glances over as they slow on an off ramp. “You just survived the unsurvivable and you're here behaving like you've died.”
“Pull over.” Tom asks, then demands. “Pull over!”
The Japanese man pulls into a parking lot for a small strip mall where they can park far away from the other parked vehicles for privacy. However, he has to interrupt the major's bid to talk first.
“I have to tell you something.” Akihiko almost freezes. “You don't have a home here any more Tom. She dissolved your marriage and is already remairried.”
Tom couldn't process what he was hearing. It's was clearly crazier than his own story of running into aliens. His jaw slackened with words that caught up in his throat. “In two weeks?”
The driver nods to his friend and can't bear to look at the astronaut in the other seat. “Yeah, we all thought I was too fast and it came out she was cheating. She just moved right on without feeling a thing.”
Tom wished for anger to well up at the betrayal. His wife was the love of his life. His last thoughts when he was convinced he was going to die were of her face and voice. However, the anger never came. Instead, Tom feels relieved by the revelation. He had carried guilt about giving his heart to another but this changes everything. The hint of a smile appears as he rummages into the inner pocket of his suit coat. Out he pulls a long strand of bright red hair with a hint of curl.
“I found someone.” Tom offers with a smug look while holding the strand out to his companion.
“You've been home.. what 2 days and you've already found a woman?” Akihiko just shakes his head.
“Not here.” Tom corrects. “While I was in space. I have a child. The twenty years wasn't an exaggeration.”
“Wait....” Akihiko furrows his brows. “The sordid details you were talking about.... You're sleeping with... fucking an alien? Hell, that is something more than sordid.”
“She's tall, slim, beautiful.” Tom is laughing because he can see the acceptance happening in the other man's expression.
“And a red head?” There's a head shake for that one. “Even in space, with aliens, you find red-heads!”
Now they're both laughing but Akihiko questions again. “Are you serious? Really, no.. this can't be.”
“Thank God it's so absurd sounding that no one believed me when I was rambling in delirium after landing.” That Tom was serious about. He couldn't imagine having people harassing him over it.
“You sounded like a madman when you came through the first time and it's only gotten weirder. I hope they're humanoid at least.”
“Yes, she's humanoid enough.” Tom replies and then looks out the window again. “Ask me later and we can talk more.”
“You just out and banged an alien woman?” The incredulous feelings are thick in the question.
“We have a child.” Tom reiterates.
The driver nods as he pulls away from the spot to head back out on the main road. “So, you're saying that you were dead in the water up there, literally, were rescued by space aliens … that you decided to have sex with AND you have a half alien child? Is there anything else I should know before E.T. Comes down out of the sky?”
Tom shrugs. “I punched her father. He's still mad all this time later.”
“See that.” Akihiko points at Tom. “That's the only believable thing to come out of your mouth since we sat down in this car.”
“He deserved it.” Tom rolls his eyes at the concept that there could have been any other choice.
“I'm sure you say that about all the people you punch.”
Both men are chuckling now but it was going to take time to work through the situation, especially his wife. All he could do was prepare for some nights of heavy drinking and wild but true stories.
nexus_crossings prompt 4. "I was worried you'd never come back. What happened?"]“What the hell is this?” Tom asks sourly as he sees the fellow astronaut standing at his car.
“Well, they told me you're too crazy from space to drive yourself.” Akihiko, a Japanese flight engineer Tom had worked with on several projects in the past, grins with the approach of a friend he thought he had lost.
“I land a half dead space capsule, alone, without burning up in re-entry and they think I can't drive myself home?” Tom grunts out a sigh as he gets in the passenger door. Akihiko laughs more as he gets in to drive but the young Japanese man can't keep the smile up as they start driving. There's too much worry.
“What happened up there?” He glances at his friend trying to come to terms with the fact he looked in his forties now instead of mid-twenties like the driver, despite the fact they had become friends because they nearly shared a birthday... just one week off from each other in the same year. “And none of those stories you alluded to when you called in or gave mission control.”
Tom swallows staring at his friend. The two men trusted each other with their lives. It wasn't just a saying either. They had built parts for each other's missions. The trust was literal. Jones stared out at the Florida coast as they drove. All the while wondering if he could tell anyone what he experienced in those two weeks.
“Time dilation and radiation” Tom finally says because it is true but not the whole truth.
“Yeah, the age, I know about that. I meant this... the cryptic messages and depression.” Akihiko glances over as they slow on an off ramp. “You just survived the unsurvivable and you're here behaving like you've died.”
“Pull over.” Tom asks, then demands. “Pull over!”
The Japanese man pulls into a parking lot for a small strip mall where they can park far away from the other parked vehicles for privacy. However, he has to interrupt the major's bid to talk first.
“I have to tell you something.” Akihiko almost freezes. “You don't have a home here any more Tom. She dissolved your marriage and is already remairried.”
Tom couldn't process what he was hearing. It's was clearly crazier than his own story of running into aliens. His jaw slackened with words that caught up in his throat. “In two weeks?”
The driver nods to his friend and can't bear to look at the astronaut in the other seat. “Yeah, we all thought I was too fast and it came out she was cheating. She just moved right on without feeling a thing.”
Tom wished for anger to well up at the betrayal. His wife was the love of his life. His last thoughts when he was convinced he was going to die were of her face and voice. However, the anger never came. Instead, Tom feels relieved by the revelation. He had carried guilt about giving his heart to another but this changes everything. The hint of a smile appears as he rummages into the inner pocket of his suit coat. Out he pulls a long strand of bright red hair with a hint of curl.
“I found someone.” Tom offers with a smug look while holding the strand out to his companion.
“You've been home.. what 2 days and you've already found a woman?” Akihiko just shakes his head.
“Not here.” Tom corrects. “While I was in space. I have a child. The twenty years wasn't an exaggeration.”
“Wait....” Akihiko furrows his brows. “The sordid details you were talking about.... You're sleeping with... fucking an alien? Hell, that is something more than sordid.”
“She's tall, slim, beautiful.” Tom is laughing because he can see the acceptance happening in the other man's expression.
“And a red head?” There's a head shake for that one. “Even in space, with aliens, you find red-heads!”
Now they're both laughing but Akihiko questions again. “Are you serious? Really, no.. this can't be.”
“Thank God it's so absurd sounding that no one believed me when I was rambling in delirium after landing.” That Tom was serious about. He couldn't imagine having people harassing him over it.
“You sounded like a madman when you came through the first time and it's only gotten weirder. I hope they're humanoid at least.”
“Yes, she's humanoid enough.” Tom replies and then looks out the window again. “Ask me later and we can talk more.”
“You just out and banged an alien woman?” The incredulous feelings are thick in the question.
“We have a child.” Tom reiterates.
The driver nods as he pulls away from the spot to head back out on the main road. “So, you're saying that you were dead in the water up there, literally, were rescued by space aliens … that you decided to have sex with AND you have a half alien child? Is there anything else I should know before E.T. Comes down out of the sky?”
Tom shrugs. “I punched her father. He's still mad all this time later.”
“See that.” Akihiko points at Tom. “That's the only believable thing to come out of your mouth since we sat down in this car.”
“He deserved it.” Tom rolls his eyes at the concept that there could have been any other choice.
“I'm sure you say that about all the people you punch.”
Both men are chuckling now but it was going to take time to work through the situation, especially his wife. All he could do was prepare for some nights of heavy drinking and wild but true stories.
Takes place 4 days after this, and the evening after this... and the evening before this.
( Stolen Time )
( Stolen Time )
[For any one or all of these prompts: 3. "I'm done acting like nothing's wrong. I'm going to fix this."
4. What does your character take pride in? 5. "Don't try to stop me." XD]
( You asked the wrong questions. )
4. What does your character take pride in? 5. "Don't try to stop me." XD]
( You asked the wrong questions. )
It had been a crazy few weeks. Learning about a place with so many aliens, reuniting with his wife, and finding a house. It was a lot, nevermind his son being the usual tornado of chaos. The house they had eventually settled on was human built but the style had given his wife a jolt of nostalgia. He hadn't been to Anthea, but he could only imagine this architecture was similar to her home. It was a beautiful house, small, minimalist, and warm with all the sunlight. Right now thin bluish curtains were drawn on most of the windows, another thing his wife had insisted on. He cared little about it though now that they were in place he could appreciate the beauty. Tom imagined at one time Anthea must have been beautiful with its open air houses and sheer colored curtains.
He turned his mind away from Anthea as he sat on the porch swing reading. The past of his wife's people always felt hopeless and depressing. Instead he smiled to himself. His son had been here earlier, high on more than drugs. The stream of Anthean had been welcome to hear as Ziggy spoke to his mother. Truth was they were both talking too fast and high pitched for Tom to keep up from across the room. He got the gist though from human culture. His son had someone or several someones with how his son was, what kind of someone in a place like this Tom could only guess but the signs were there.
That had been a few hours ago. The two of them had left, giddy like school girls, for the plaza and shopping. Tom had been invited but he had so little time to relax during the recent NASA projects that he was going to take his time to do nothing. What was the use of retiring, semi-retiring, if you didn't enjoy it. He took a moment to look at the cats laying on the porch at his feet. There were six now that his wife brought in from wherever she had found them. Most of them looked Earthly though one, one Tom was sure hadn't hailed from an Earth. Still he barely gave it a passing thought.
With one of the cats now settling in his lap on the porch swing, Tom went back to reading and listening to the sounds of people occasionally walking by.
[More images of the house here]
He turned his mind away from Anthea as he sat on the porch swing reading. The past of his wife's people always felt hopeless and depressing. Instead he smiled to himself. His son had been here earlier, high on more than drugs. The stream of Anthean had been welcome to hear as Ziggy spoke to his mother. Truth was they were both talking too fast and high pitched for Tom to keep up from across the room. He got the gist though from human culture. His son had someone or several someones with how his son was, what kind of someone in a place like this Tom could only guess but the signs were there.
That had been a few hours ago. The two of them had left, giddy like school girls, for the plaza and shopping. Tom had been invited but he had so little time to relax during the recent NASA projects that he was going to take his time to do nothing. What was the use of retiring, semi-retiring, if you didn't enjoy it. He took a moment to look at the cats laying on the porch at his feet. There were six now that his wife brought in from wherever she had found them. Most of them looked Earthly though one, one Tom was sure hadn't hailed from an Earth. Still he barely gave it a passing thought.
With one of the cats now settling in his lap on the porch swing, Tom went back to reading and listening to the sounds of people occasionally walking by.
[More images of the house here]
Currently work in progress
NAME: Tom David Jones
Age: 50
Race: Human
Home Country: British, immigrated and became a Dual Citizen with US to join airforce. Gave up dual for strict US citizenship to become an officer and work in the space program.
Occupation: Astronaut NASA (retired), Assistant director NASA r&d (current, part-time consultant)
Languages spoken: English, Russian, Japanese, German, and Anthean (Spoken and sign languages)
Personality: Curious, driven, and often bold, Tom is a father figure and mentor to most. He appreciates his life and wants to do something meaningful with it. He is prone to melancholy, depression and has issues with handling reality due to his experiences. Tom battles with addiction and alcoholism as a coping mechanism.
Skills: Aeronautics, Meteorology/Climate science, Resource conservation techniques, SCUBA, Water survival, Spacewalk Certified, Pilot (Jet and Space shuttle), Space Docking, Linguistics (English, Russian, Japanese, German, Anthean), Leadership, robotics and robotics repair, Scientific standards, research and experiment design, Anthean history and religion, diplomacy, Anthean research and space ship technology, Solar panel and solar sail install and repair, Child care (Especially for children suffering from genetic conditions affecting metabolism and development), Hydraulics, Electrical repair and circuitry, Aircraft maintenance and repair, Zero gravity first aid and basic surgery techniques, public speaking
History: Like so many boys born during the development of rocket engines Tom wanted to grow up and be an astronaunt. He attended the airforce academy studying atmospheric sciences and enrolled in the NASA training program. He volunteered for many dangerous projects during the development of spaceflight.
A manned mission was planned to do orbital research and a spacewalk. Major Tom volunteered and was selected for the mission. Two years married his wife worried he might die due to an explosion on the previous unmanned mission. He went anyway, excited to be the first to do an orbital spacewalk. The mission went well until ground communications went out. The missed thruster burn sent his ship out toward and eventually passed the moon.
Convinced he was about to die he sent a last message to Earth and his wife. After a day of floating he was found by an Anthean ship. Unconscious and suffering from radiation poisoning the onboard researchers knew some about human physiology thanks to one being on the training team that sent Tommy, one of their own pilots, to Earth years earlier. Aletayria, one of the researchers who specialized in biomedical and water reclamation took pity on Tom and saw to his recovery.
Tom and Aletayria, both researchers, spent significant amounts of his bedridden time talking. Tom learned about Anthean technology and realizing his treatment might take years gave up on returning to Earth. He eventually fell in love with her and a child was unintentionally conceived. Anthean and Human DNA were uncompatable but Aletayria believed either the radiation poisoning or the treatment had altered Tom enough that a child was born.
The child was born underweight and sickly from mismatched genetics. He possessed the normal 23 human pairs of chromosomes plus 15 extra, unmatched strands from his mother. It left him being biologically a human male and Anthean female. Hormone and genetic therapy were developed by the restless parents to save thier child's life. When his son was a teen Tom decided to return to Earth.
He had prepared himself for a very different Earth thinking that 20 years had passed, in reality the Earth had only experienced 2 weeks. Tom left in his 20s and returned at 45. He didn't speak of his family and his aging was blamed on radiation. He grew famous for surviving what was thought sure death for a human. He became part of the NASA spaceflight team but developed a drinking and addiction problem to cope with reality. 5 years later his son came to Earth and Tom used his government influence to make an identity for him. Tom also learned of the dangers to Earth from Ziggy and actively uses his knowledge of the superior Anthean tech to seritepitously improve human tech in ways to help prevent the ecological disaster the Antheans fear for Earth.
Semi-retired now Tom is equally likely to be found in a NASA lab as supporting his son's career. Currently consulting and researching environmental technology; Spaceflight water and air conservation and recycling and technology improvements to reduce air and water pollution. Still struggling with addiction, he desperately misses Aletayria but is too frail to return to space. He's also learned about the torture of other Antheans by humans, refusing to let the woman he loves come to Earth and possibly suffer the same. Missing her, addiction, and his knowledge that planet Earth may die leaves Tom melancholy and depressed more often than not.
Canon: Major Tom is a David Bowie character featured in several songs; Space Oddity, Ashes to Ashes, Hello, Spaceboy, New Killer Star, Slow Burn (possibly), and Blackstar. Also pulling from Peter Shilling's Major Tom (Coming Home).
Additional Notes:
Aletayria (Uses Susan as a human name); PB Karen Gillan
NAME: Tom David Jones
Age: 50
Race: Human
Home Country: British, immigrated and became a Dual Citizen with US to join airforce. Gave up dual for strict US citizenship to become an officer and work in the space program.
Occupation: Astronaut NASA (retired), Assistant director NASA r&d (current, part-time consultant)
Languages spoken: English, Russian, Japanese, German, and Anthean (Spoken and sign languages)
Personality: Curious, driven, and often bold, Tom is a father figure and mentor to most. He appreciates his life and wants to do something meaningful with it. He is prone to melancholy, depression and has issues with handling reality due to his experiences. Tom battles with addiction and alcoholism as a coping mechanism.
Skills: Aeronautics, Meteorology/Climate science, Resource conservation techniques, SCUBA, Water survival, Spacewalk Certified, Pilot (Jet and Space shuttle), Space Docking, Linguistics (English, Russian, Japanese, German, Anthean), Leadership, robotics and robotics repair, Scientific standards, research and experiment design, Anthean history and religion, diplomacy, Anthean research and space ship technology, Solar panel and solar sail install and repair, Child care (Especially for children suffering from genetic conditions affecting metabolism and development), Hydraulics, Electrical repair and circuitry, Aircraft maintenance and repair, Zero gravity first aid and basic surgery techniques, public speaking
History: Like so many boys born during the development of rocket engines Tom wanted to grow up and be an astronaunt. He attended the airforce academy studying atmospheric sciences and enrolled in the NASA training program. He volunteered for many dangerous projects during the development of spaceflight.
A manned mission was planned to do orbital research and a spacewalk. Major Tom volunteered and was selected for the mission. Two years married his wife worried he might die due to an explosion on the previous unmanned mission. He went anyway, excited to be the first to do an orbital spacewalk. The mission went well until ground communications went out. The missed thruster burn sent his ship out toward and eventually passed the moon.
Convinced he was about to die he sent a last message to Earth and his wife. After a day of floating he was found by an Anthean ship. Unconscious and suffering from radiation poisoning the onboard researchers knew some about human physiology thanks to one being on the training team that sent Tommy, one of their own pilots, to Earth years earlier. Aletayria, one of the researchers who specialized in biomedical and water reclamation took pity on Tom and saw to his recovery.
Tom and Aletayria, both researchers, spent significant amounts of his bedridden time talking. Tom learned about Anthean technology and realizing his treatment might take years gave up on returning to Earth. He eventually fell in love with her and a child was unintentionally conceived. Anthean and Human DNA were uncompatable but Aletayria believed either the radiation poisoning or the treatment had altered Tom enough that a child was born.
The child was born underweight and sickly from mismatched genetics. He possessed the normal 23 human pairs of chromosomes plus 15 extra, unmatched strands from his mother. It left him being biologically a human male and Anthean female. Hormone and genetic therapy were developed by the restless parents to save thier child's life. When his son was a teen Tom decided to return to Earth.
He had prepared himself for a very different Earth thinking that 20 years had passed, in reality the Earth had only experienced 2 weeks. Tom left in his 20s and returned at 45. He didn't speak of his family and his aging was blamed on radiation. He grew famous for surviving what was thought sure death for a human. He became part of the NASA spaceflight team but developed a drinking and addiction problem to cope with reality. 5 years later his son came to Earth and Tom used his government influence to make an identity for him. Tom also learned of the dangers to Earth from Ziggy and actively uses his knowledge of the superior Anthean tech to seritepitously improve human tech in ways to help prevent the ecological disaster the Antheans fear for Earth.
Semi-retired now Tom is equally likely to be found in a NASA lab as supporting his son's career. Currently consulting and researching environmental technology; Spaceflight water and air conservation and recycling and technology improvements to reduce air and water pollution. Still struggling with addiction, he desperately misses Aletayria but is too frail to return to space. He's also learned about the torture of other Antheans by humans, refusing to let the woman he loves come to Earth and possibly suffer the same. Missing her, addiction, and his knowledge that planet Earth may die leaves Tom melancholy and depressed more often than not.
Canon: Major Tom is a David Bowie character featured in several songs; Space Oddity, Ashes to Ashes, Hello, Spaceboy, New Killer Star, Slow Burn (possibly), and Blackstar. Also pulling from Peter Shilling's Major Tom (Coming Home).
Additional Notes:
Aletayria (Uses Susan as a human name); PB Karen Gillan