Wisdom in the Dark

Chapter 3 - Jak

“The part of Ganymede where Wodniki Village sits is beautiful this time of the cycle,” Jak explained to a small group of Pyc Family members, a glass of slivovitz – locally brewed plum alcohol – in hand. “Just in the last hundred or so rotations of Ganymede around Jupiter the Wodniki Family has planted more grass, scrub, creeper, and even bushes than in probably the entire last cycle of Jupiter orbiting around the Sun. Now it’s all green and the flowers are blooming almost as far as the eye can see. We hope we can plant some small trees outside soon.”

The four Pyc Family members standing in a small circle around Jak - three men named Jur, Karda, and Milan, and one woman named Vera - nodded approvingly at his easy words.

“How much have you planted?” Vera asked.

“Oh I’ve sown my seeds far and wide,” Jak replied with a garish look, resulting in uproarious laughter from the four at the s****l inuendo. “In all seriousness, I do my part for Wodniki Village, Ganymede, and all of the Jovian moons.”

“Now remind me, Jak,” Karda asked, “how big is Wodniki Village?”

“We’re steady at about five hundred people.”

Karda shook his head. “I barely remember when Pyc Village was at five hundred. Was that two cycles ago?”

“Maybe two cycles,” Milan chimed in, a dejected look on his face. “Attacks, natural deaths, and the current birth rate have us at about two-fifty now.”

“That’s still sizeable these wake periods,” Jak said, sliding in the complement. “You have lots of children. And your people are all genetically untainted, too. That’s quite the feat.”

“Here, here,” Jur said, raising his glass. “No siblings or cousins mating here.”

Karda, Milan, and Vera emphatically followed Jur in his toast.

It was all so easy for Jak; striking up conversation with complete strangers, the elbow rubbing, knowing when to slide complements into conversation to get his audience talking more. At first he was anxious but, after the first few minutes in the crowd within the Pyc Family Ting for the pre-marriage celebration, the words came back to him as easy as if he was walking. Now he was practically running.

“With Jak and the Wodniki Family we have a chance to increase our population again,” Karda said. “Unless you have the coordinates to the Lost Factory, Jak.”

“If I did the moons of Jupiter wouldn’t be in the predicament they are,” Jak replied.

“It’s just a fairy tale people tell themselves so they don’t lose hope,” Jur cut in. “Some ancient factory somewhere around Jupiter that can build space ships that can take us back to Terra? Please. Maybe it was real twenty cycles ago, but not anymore.”

Jak glanced around for a moment at the gathered Pyc and visiting Wodniki Family members mingling amidst the long open room of the Ting. Most had smiles on their faces, some frowning deeply in some serious conversation. Hung on the walls around them and the rafters above them were vines and flowers – costly decorations if they were harvested from the land surrounding the Pyc Village. When was making a show of one’s wealth and power too much?

Then Jak’s eyes fell upon Myra.

Though Myra was naturally taller than most people present, her stance was solid and dominant, and she exuded an air of power and surety. Jak could tell that the Wodniki Family members conversing with Myra were clearly impressed. “This is a fine match for our boy Jak,” they were probably thinking.

Jak watched as his friend Ivan made show of making a joke, and Myra’s thin lips turned upward into a small grin, but little more, and Ivan was put off by Myra’s cool response. Jak shook his head at his long-time friend.

Then Jak found himself staring at Myra, his insecurities forgotten for a moment. The tight crimson dress she wore hugged every delightful curvature of her anatomy and contrasted with her white skin. Her taught, muscular arms and legs were exposed where the dress stopped. He could almost see himself run his finger along that strong jawline, brush his hand past her high cheeks and into her soft, jet black hair, or trace his finger down her hip.

“Our Myra is quite a beauty,” Vera said.

“Oh, she is,” Jak agreed, not taking his eyes off his bride to be.

“You’re a lucky man,” Jur said. “Everyone says so.”

“Everyone knows so,” Vera said, a sultry smile on her face.

Karda placed a hand on Jak’s shoulder. “I’m sure you wish to speak with your bride. We’ll leave you be. A pleasure speaking with you.”

All of a sudden the confidence and easiness Jak felt evaporated, and he was left squirming on the inside. Perhaps he could avoid speaking to Myra a little longer.

Then Myra’s eyes met his.