Chapter Text
Two Years Later
The sun's radiant rays enclosed Jack in a warm lover’s embrace as he skated from the wilderness down the riverside pathway, heading towards Poacher’s Hill. As usual, he was on his way to meet his best friend, Julie Martin, though today their reason for meeting was quite different than it once had been. Almost everyone Jack knew, human and non-human alike, had already made off for the Temperance Building, but Jack was hoping that he could spend a bit of time with Julie in their favorite place before the Venusians showed up.
At the top of Poacher’s Hill, Julie greeted Jack with a smile, her hands on her hips. “You want some water? I brought a canteen with me.”
Jack shook his head and sat down. “Nope, I’m not thirsty.”
“Ah, well, more for me, I guess.” With that, Julie unscrewed her canteen’s cap and began to sip. Off in the distance, Hunger City’s skyscrapers loomed, drawing Jack’s gaze. He sighed as he dug his fingernails into the cool dirt beneath him.
Shortly after their reunion in the street those two years ago, after the Venusians had arrived with Jack’s father and his father’s partner in tow and put an end to the burgeoning violence between the humans and the People, Jack had found himself involved in a series of long, painful talks between his mother, his father, and Julie’s family. All three parties had eventually agreed that Jack ought to stay with Julie and her parents for a little while, while his father processed the loss of his species and acclimated himself to the new planet on which he had just landed, and his mother began to learn what it was like to live for her own sake and not for anyone else’s. And it was there in Julie’s bedroom, when her parents had thought he was asleep on the sofa downstairs, that Jack had rekindled his relationship with Julie, sleeping with her for a second time. Later on there had been a third, which took place at none other than Poacher’s Hill. Much to Jack’s disappointment, however, three times seemed to be enough for Julie.
“You know, I really don’t think that sex is as good as they say,” Julie commented while putting her clothes back on after the third attempt. Jack was a bit unhappy as well, his skin grass-stained and itching as he pulled on his garments. Julie continued, “It’s awkward, it’s messy, it takes too long, and sometimes you don’t get anything out of it.” She was referring to their somewhat embarrassing second attempt, where Jack had been overly eager. The third time had been more enjoyable, but the grass was rougher than it looked and their fear of being seen had undercut their pleasure. Together they agreed that the first time had been the best, which confused Jack, as he had been sure he would improve rather than worsen with practice. He wondered why they had seemed to fit like puzzle pieces that night in the basement, only to become more and more misshapen later on.
“Maybe it’s the way we’ve been doing it,” Jack suggested. He didn’t mind their usual methods, but maybe Julie was craving to go further. Hopefully that’s the only problem…
“Maybe,” Julie said gently, “we’ve been doing it with the wrong people.”
There were other boys and a few girls for her after that, and Jack never dared to ask if any of them were the right people. For him, there would be no other girl but Julie. Even as their friendship with benefits simply became friendship and the two began to move in opposite paths, it was still Julie’s face that Jack saw in his dreams, and Julie’s name that he woke up sighing. His candle was still burning brightly for the first girl he had ever met.
Julie was aware of Jack’s continued flame for her, but she wanted nothing to do with it. She was experimenting, testing the waters, and though Jack’s heart ached to see her with other people, at least he had to admit that he was glad to see her happy. Occasionally they would discuss their personal relationships together on Poacher’s Hill. “Are you into anyone now?” “No. You?” “Well, I still like you.” “Oh.” But since Julie had always insisted that she didn’t want anything to get in the way of her friendship with Jack, Jack tried his best not to let himself get in the way.
Maybe there would be another girl someday, he reflected as he watched the wind ruffle Julie’s hair. Maybe instead of looking for love, he would let love find him. It could come in the form of anything– a meaningful smile, the flutter of eyelashes– and take Jack by the hand, leading him into a world that Julie had already willingly stepped into. All Jack had to do was open his eyes to the opportunities around him, lest love take him by surprise when it appeared.
Or maybe he would wait forever for Julie’s experimentation to end and for her to realize that what she had been looking for had been beside her the whole time. Maybe one day she would come back to Jack and tell him that she wanted to be his girlfriend at long last. Either option seemed fine, but Jack wasn’t holding his breath. All plans for the future were up in the air, which was as good a place as any to put them.
Julie spoke then, and Jack’s ears pricked up, tuning into her voice. “It’s kind of disappointing, isn’t it?”
“Isn’t what?”
“That we’ve been watching your father rehearse for days now.” She laughed. “This is supposed to be his big moment, but we’ve already heard everything that he’s going to do.”
“Oh,” Jack said, plucking a weed and holding it between his fingers. “Well, it’s exciting for everyone else, anyway.” And it’s not really about that to begin with. Although today’s event at the Temperance Building had been highly touted as Jack’s father’s first performance since leaving Planet Earth, Jack couldn’t ignore the intent behind it– to welcome the Venusians, as they returned to assess the newfound unity between the People, the humans, and the Mercurians. His father would draw the biggest crowd, but he wasn’t the only one who’d be performing.
Sometimes Jack still had to pinch himself when he contemplated the many ways that his life had changed since the People’s siege of Hunger City. The city itself had drastically transformed over the course of two years, as an oligarchy composed of representatives from each species– Ena from the People, Xyloto and Mylo from the humans, Az from the Mercurians, and Jack’s father as the sole Aresian– had assumed control. Now humans were free to walk the streets of Hunger City without fear of attacks from the People or the Nadsats, and the People had reclaimed much of the space that had belonged to them. Though progress was slow, Az’s faction of Mercurians who were learning to communicate with the humans’ newly-integrated society was growing in numbers, and on top of it all, Jack’s father was able to share insights from his past to help the new society flourish, devising an exchange system with no currency, and emphasizing the importance of music and art. Even the settlers were willing to bridge the gap between their way of life and the citizens of Hunger City’s way of life, opening permanent trade agreements and teaching them, with the People’s help, how to live sustainably off the land.
On a personal note, Jack’s own life had also undergone some major shifts. After his spell with Julie’s family, he had ended up dividing his time between his mother’s home in the settlements, and his father’s apartment in the city. Those initial days spent with his father had been rough for everyone, as Jack and his father were still getting to know each other, while Floyd, his father’s partner, had been less than eager to invite Jack into his life. Then there was the matter of Jack’s mother, who had woken up the entire household on the first night that Jack had stayed over, pounding on the door and demanding to be let in just to make sure that Jack was okay. Once Floyd had begun staying with Jack’s mother, however, the awkwardness began to ease. Eventually Jack’s mother calmed down and grew more comfortable on her own, while Jack, in turn, came to enjoy his father’s presence. He still had no idea what having a father was supposed to be like, but if it meant long explorations throughout the parts of Hunger City to which Jack had never been, impromptu jam sessions where Jack’s musical talent (or lack thereof) was completely ignored, and philosophical heart-to-hearts that lasted well into the wee hours of the morning, then Jack’s father fit the bill one hundred percent.
And yet, even with so much transformation, some things had yet to change. The Nadsats, for example, were still Nadsats, no matter how old they became. And Jack still met with Julie on Poacher’s Hill, although their meetings were becoming less frequent lately.
While Jack reflected on his life, Julie lapsed back into silence. Nowadays the two of them didn’t have much to say to each other, and Jack missed when they had been sixteen and ready to take on the world together. If only I hadn’t let her out of my sight, he thought, and then chastised himself for it. It was because he had let Julie out of his sight to lay down her weapons and make peace with the People that she was now playing a vital role in their new community, standing up for the rights of the People and making sure all of them had access to the resources that they needed. It wasn’t fair for Jack to wish that she had never had the opportunity to grow close to them.
As for himself, Jack had no idea what his role in the community was going to be. He knew there was no shame in simply living, but he couldn’t ignore the urge to do something important, something that would help people the way that Julie was helping them. For a while he’d tossed around the idea of becoming a rock musician like his father, but his singing voice had been described as “needs some work” by Julie and “well, at least you’re good at creeching” by Jagger. His father was much kinder, encouraging him to follow a musical path if he so desired, but Jack wasn’t sure if he did desire it. He hoped that eventually, Julie would take time from helping the People find their place in society to help him find a place in society. Until then, he wasn’t going to worry about it.
“How’s Richard?” Jack asked, trying to get the conversation going again.
Julie shrugged. “He’s good, I guess. How should I know? It’s not like I have a telepathic link to my boyfriend that lets me know if he’s doing well or not.”
“Appy polly loggies,” Jack muttered. He eased himself to his feet, sensing that it was almost time to head to the Temperance Building. “Hey, I think we should take off now. Your dad will probably be upset that we didn’t hear his entire speech.”
“You mean Az’s speech,” Julie snorted. “But you’re right, we probably should get going.” Stretching out her arms, she took a step down the hill. “Let’s skate.” Though she’d spoken the words so passionately a thousand times before, there was something different in her voice today, something that Jack couldn’t place. Something appeared to be weighing on Julie’s mind, and Jack was at once keen on deciphering what it was.
He didn’t have to wait very long to find out. Before they had reached the city, Julie sighed loudly. “Jack, I should probably tell you something. I— I’m planning on leaving Hunger City with the Venusians.”
The ground seemed to drop away from under Jack’s feet. He gave Julie a hurried look. “What?!”
“I said, I’m going to leave Hunger City,” Julie said. “With the Venusians, and some humans, and several of the People. We’ve been talking about it for a while, Syi and I and a few others… It’s not that we want to live there permanently, but… we have to at least find out for ourselves what kind of world they built for us. Plus, I figure if our population’s going to expand, we’d better find some new places to expand to.” Briefly she brushed her fingers against Jack’s arm, seeking his support. “So I’m going to go help find them.”
“But Julie—” Jack began, before stopping himself. His first instinct was to protest Julie’s decision to disappear into the unknown. What if something happened to her? What would Jack do in her absence? And yet, in the back of his mind, he recognized Julie’s free spirit, her insatiable thirst for new faces and new surroundings. She had never been destined to stay in Hunger City her entire life. Perhaps their paths would cross again, and perhaps they wouldn’t. Jack couldn’t be certain, but he hoped with all his heart that someday he and Julie would meet again.
“I’ll miss you,” Jack offered, unsure of what else to say.
“Yeah, I’ll miss you too.” Julie ruffled his hair, a gentle smile on her face. “But it’s for the best, believe me. Maybe you’ll even find some nice girl to hang out with now that I’ll be gone.”
“Maybe,” Jack muttered. I won’t ever, ever forget you. How could he? Julie was his best friend and his first love, and he had the memory of a half-Aresian on his side. No matter how long he lived– which could potentially be very long indeed– Julie would always remain in his heart.
“What about your family?” he asked. “What about Richard? Is he going too?”
“Mom and Dad fully support my decision,” Julie said. “Richard’s not coming. I mean, I haven’t talked to him yet, but it’s no big deal. I was planning on breaking up with him, anyway.” She lay a comforting hand on Jack's shoulder. “Don’t worry about me, Jack. The Venusians will take good care of me.”
Jack nodded, but upon hearing Julie’s plans for Richard, he tried his best not to roll his eyes. “You’re such a heartbreaker, Julie. I mean, who among the Nadsats haven’t you dated?”
“Jagger,” Julie replied immediately. “Never have and never will.”
“Ouch!” Jack exclaimed. He won’t be happy to hear that… Ever since Jagger had gotten to know Julie better, it seemed that he’d begun overcompensating for his initial dismissal of her by practically begging for her attention.
“What? It’s the truth.” Julie shoved her hands into her pockets. “I’m not a heartbreaker, Jack. I’m not going around trying to hurt people. I mean, most of them aren’t really in love with me, anyway. They’re just into me because I’m the one who saved us all from the People.” There was a note of scorn in her voice, a dismissal of that interpretation of events.
Though there were several ways that Jack could have responded, he decided that now wasn’t the time to get into an argument with Julie. As he skated, however, he couldn’t help but wonder if Julie’s observations of the people she dated were correct, or if she was simply projecting her own feelings onto them. Maybe you’re the one who’s not really in love.
By the time Jack and Julie had reached the Temperance Building, the assembled crowd was so thick that they could barely make their way through it to the side of the makeshift stage that had been set up outside. Most of the Mercurians were in front, owing to their diminutive size, while the People and the humans mingled with each other, filling the air with an excited buzz. At the side of the stage stood Jack’s mother, who gave Jack a smile as he and Julie approached. “Hey, you two.”
“Hey,” Jack answered, somewhat breathless from skating. He turned his face towards the stage, where the city’s leaders had already gathered. Ena stood flanked by two associates- her partner Duro and their daughter Syi. Several of Az’s colleagues from the early days of the Mercurians’ linguistic studies stood behind him. Mylo and Xyloto were side by side, their two-year-old child Skylar resting between the crook of Mylo’s arm and her hip. The only person who was conspicuously absent was Jack’s father, but in his place stood Floyd, his stance relaxed as he swept his gaze across the crowd.
“Hallowe’en Jack!” Jack turned his head towards the sound of his nickname, to find Widdy and Dice waving at him. Chasing each other in circles around them were Widdy’s siblings, Celeste and Owen, while Widdy’s mother tried vainly to corral them. Jack waved back. “Hi hi hi there!”
“Hey Widdy!” Julie called out. “Hey Dice! Have you viddied Jagger or Sledge? Are they here at all?”
Dice chuckled, while Widdy pointed to the opposite end of the stage. “They’ve got front-row seats! They wouldn’t have missed it!”
Of course, Jack thought. Though many concerts had taken place in the two years since Hunger City had come under new leadership, not one of them had rivaled the riveting performances that Aladdin Sane used to give. When Jack had played his father’s music for his friends, they had declared him equal to the person they’d once thought of as God. Since Jack’s father hadn’t set foot on a stage since coming to Hunger City, Jack could only imagine how excited Jagger and Sledge were to see him perform.
Quiet, everyone. Ena’s command rippled through the crowd, catching everyone by surprise. They did as they were told, buttoning their lips as all four leaders onstage– Ena, Az, Mylo, and Xyloto– stepped forward.
Welcome to our planet’s first-ever free festival, Ena announced. Today we celebrate the merging of our cultures, and commemorate the day that our time of peace began. It was two years ago that a chance arrival from the Venusians put an end to the People’s siege of Hunger City. Since then, our society has made great strides as each foreign species– human, Mercurian, and Aresian alike– banded together to unite us all. Today, as we await the Venusians’ return, we honor those who were the first to lead the charge.
Az began to speak, and Xyloto dutifully translated alongside him. “This festival is free in more ways than one. No one is charged anything to attend, and no one is inhibited. We’re all here to enjoy the same experience, to be in the presence of each other and to share some beautiful art. To that end, we’ve put together a roster of artists who I’m sure you’re all looking forward to hearing.” The crowd rumbled in affirmation.
“But before we do,” Mylo declared, “we’d like to take a few moments to honor those who came before us, who are now lost to us. Ena?” She glanced over at the Person, who stepped forward to the center of the stage.
Thank you, Mylo. Ena’s dark eyes gravely surveyed the crowd. From the day I was born, I was told that this planet belonged to my People. Though my clan has allowed others to share our space, it still belongs to my People. No matter how many times we were forced to relinquish the land on which we’d grown up, or how many of us had our lives taken away by outside forces, we persisted, and here we remain. In memory of my fallen brethren– some of whom gave their lives ages ago, others who were taken from us more recently– my family and I would like to present a song.
Jack had to marvel over how carefully Ena had chosen her words. Though the Venusians’ parting speech had galled many humans into accepting the People, others still resented them for the violence they’d inflicted during their siege of Hunger City, and in return, many of the People refused to accept the humans after they’d caused so much damage to their community. Directly referring to this damage was a risky move in a public speech, but Ena had strategically softened the blow in avoiding calling the humans out directly. On the other hand, Jack couldn’t help but wonder if his father was in a position to have heard the speech, and what he thought of it. Though the Aresians had been wiped out much longer ago, Jack knew that his father would never fully forgive the People for what they’d done, and he often suspected the feeling was mutual. He hoped that the festival would be the start of an improved relationship between them.
Smoothly, Duro and Syi slipped into place beside Ena, their heads raised high. From deep within their chests came a growing hum, like the rumble of faraway thunder. The hum rose, breaking into three separate notes, while images began to fill Jack’s head. He’d always enjoyed listening to the People sing more for the images that their music conveyed than the actual sound coming from their throats. In his mind’s eye, he saw the faces of the fallen People whom Ena had mentioned, remembered in the way that the People preferred to remember them– galloping joyously across the fields, curled nose-to-paws around a smoldering fire, playfully wrestling each other before heading to the river to cool off. Then, as Ena, Duro, and Syi wove their notes around each other, he saw them lay down their weary bones and melt into the earth, while their families gathered and sang them into an everlasting sleep.
A slow, respectful applause rose from the crowd at the conclusion of the song, accompanied by the Mercurians’ enthusiastic hissing. Ena dipped her head in acknowledgement, before accompanying Duro and Syi back to the side of the stage. Mylo, who had been keeping Skylar still, now handed the child over to Xyloto and came to the front of the stage again.
“And now,” she said, “I ask for those of us whom the Venusians brought to this planet to take a moment of silence. Because we’re not only united today in our dreams for a peaceful future, but by the tragedies of our respective pasts. Ares. Mercury. Earth. None of us would be standing here today if we hadn’t destroyed the planets from which we came. As we pause for a moment and reflect on the loss, I want us to remember the lives we had, and dream of how we can prevent this planet from suffering in the same way.”
She stepped back from the edge of the stage and bowed her head, as did the rest of the leaders. Jack bowed his head too, but he kept his eyes wide open, staring at the pavement beneath his feet. His memories of Planet Earth, what little there were, seemed so hazy now in comparison to the world on which he’d been living since he was five years old. His mother’s voice rose up inside his head– “We’re home. Our new home.” Home this planet had been, and home it would remain, for the rest of Jack’s life.
When the moment of silence was over, all faces turned expectantly towards the stage, waiting for Mylo to continue speaking. However, it was Floyd who stepped forward, sending a shock rippling through the crowd. Jack was surprised too, as he’d always known Floyd as a man of few words, hardly the type of person who’d be happy in front of an audience. But now Floyd was standing before them without a care in the world, and he was smiling.
“Well, folks,” he announced, each word ringing like a bell. “Without further ado, the person a lot of you came here to see… Ziggy Stardust.”
Every member of the crowd roared, but the older humans among them were the loudest of all. Jack whooped along with them, even though he already knew exactly what to expect. Ena, Az, Mylo, Xyloto, and the rest slipped off the stage, leaving Floyd standing alone. He moved to the back of the stage and picked up an acoustic guitar, while several other musicians took the stage in single file. All of them had been chosen on the recommendation of the Nadsats, and at least one of them Jack remembered as having played in Aladdin Sane’s band. He counted them as they moved to their respective instruments– one bassist, one pianist, and one drummer. But the band's lead singer and guitarist was nowhere to be found.
Suddenly, a round of gasps broke out as a section of the stage floor appeared to collapse in on itself. A few people surged forward, intent on helping, only to freeze once they realized that the situation had been planned. From the center of the stage, through the hole in the floor, a figure began to emerge. Most of the humans went wild the moment they caught a glimpse of orange hair– the result of endless experiments with redfruit– but it wasn’t until he’d appeared in his entirety that the rest of the crowd caught up to their enthusiasm. Jack’s father, the one and only Ziggy Stardust, strutted up to the front of the stage, garbed in a pearl-white kimono with blue patterns that Jack’s mother had helped design. The glaring sunlight bounced off the sparkly circle painted on the center of his forehead, and from his ear dangled an extravagant diamond earring– an Earthly relic that Mylo had dug up from her personal belongings. Raising his arms and fixing his mismatched eyes upon the crowd, Jack’s father cried out, “Hello! Is there anybody out there?” Those who were out there enthusiastically made themselves known.
Floyd came to the front of the stage, holding Jack’s father’s guitar, which had once been Eel Monsoon’s guitar, since donated to a good cause. Jack’s father cradled the guitar as if it were precious cargo. He gave Floyd a quick kiss and grinned as Floyd retreated to the side of the stage, before returning his gaze to the crowd. Though he could have met anyone’s eyes, it was Jack on whom his gaze settled. He gave Jack a nod, which Jack reciprocated, warmth spreading through his chest, before making his way to the microphone and cuing the band. As soon as the first few piano chords rang out, Jack closed his eyes, swaying along with the entrance of the rhythm section. Then his father began to sing, his voice identical to the one that Jack had heard on his record.
“Still don’t know what I was waiting for
“And my time was running wild, a million dead-end street signs.
“Every time I thought I got it made, it seemed the taste was not so sweet!
“So I turned myself to face me, but I never caught a glimpse
“Of how the others must see the faker.
“I’m much too fast to take that test!’
A soft hand slipped into Jack’s, distracting him from the performance. He opened his eyes to see Julie beside him, grinning up a storm and rocking back and forth. Jack couldn’t help but grin too, giving her hand a squeeze. A few words floated through his head, words that his father had told him on the day they’d met: As long as there’s you. As long as there’s me. Change was an inevitable force, and Jack had no idea where he would end up in even a few days, let alone a year. But as long as Julie was beside him for this one splendid moment, he knew that everything would be okay. Her luminous eyes were all that he could see as the band launched into the chorus, and those in the audience who knew the song began to sing along.
“Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes!
“Turn and face the strange ch-ch-changes!
“Don’t wanna be a richer one!
“Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes!
“Turn and face the strange ch-ch-changes!
“Just gonna have to be a different one!
“Time may change me, but I can’t trace time.
“I said that time may change me, but I can’t trace time.”
THE END.