MARTY and his family were watching the new television series Star Trek the Next Generation. Watching science fiction shows had been a family matter with the McFlys ever since George and Lorraine started a family. George had been the science fiction type even before he met Lorraine watching Science Fiction Theatre every Saturday night. Of course there was that one exception in which George went to the “Enchantment Under the Sea Dance” and danced with Lorraine. That was the night of the famous Hill Valley lightning storm in which the Clocktower was struck by lightning disabling the clock permanently. If George didn’t miss that episode or story, he and Lorraine would’ve not fallen in love and the McFly children would’ve never been born. Of course, when Marty went back in time to that week, he made sure George would go by putting on that radiation suit and masquerade as Darth Vader.
While watching the show, Marty saw Captain Picard having a chat with his First Officer William Riker and there was a statement made in this conversation:
“He will triumph who knows when to fight and when not to fight”
Then, something hit him. Somehow, just like being called a chicken, this statement too was connected with his falling out with Jennifer. This is nuts. said Marty to himself, How could this have anything to do with my breakup with Jennifer? Then, the phone rang. Lorraine got up to answer it.
“Marty, it’s for you.” she said, “It’s Doctor Brown.”
Marty got up and said “I’ll take it in my bedroom.” After that, he went to his room.
Picking up his cellphone, Marty say “Yo Doc. What is it?”
“Marty.” said Doc’s voice, “I’ve made a scientific breakthrough and I need your help. Can you come over to my place right now?”
“Right now?” repeated Marty.
“Precisely.” said Doc , “Oh Marty. Sneak out through your window and
bring your skateboard. I don’t want anyone else to know about my discovery.”
“Right Doc.” said Marty, “I’ll be right over.” After that, he put down his cellphone, picked up his skateboard and snuck out through the window.
++++++
Since it was a Saturday, Jennifer had an afternoon shift so she was out by eight o’clock. By the time she was home, her mother said “Jennifer, you had a phone call.”
“It better not be Marty.” said Jennifer.
“No.” said her mother, “It’s a Mrs. Brown.”
“Mrs. Brown?” asked Jennifer. The only Mrs. Brown she knew was Clara. So she asked “Did she leave you her number?”
“Yes.” said her mother and gave her the phone number.
Jennifer went to the phone reading the number. It was Doc’s phone number. What does Clara want? she asked herself. She started dialing.
After a few rings, a voice on the other end said “Hello?”
“It’s me, Jennifer.” she said.
“Oh Jennifer.” said the voice, it was Clara’s, “Me and Emmett are
going out. I need you to come over and make sure that my boys do their homework.”
“Homework?” asked Jennifer, “On a Saturday?”
“Yes.” said Clara, “Me and Emmett have been getting complaints from the teachers about my boys not doing enough so I have to keep an eye on them every night just to make sure that they study. But tonight, me and Emmett are going out. So can you come over right now?”
“Sure.” said Jennifer, “See you in a while.” Hanging up the phone, Jennifer told her mother “Mom, I have to go over to the Browns and watch their boys while they go out.”
“Okay, Jennifer.” said her mother, “We’ll see you later.”
After that, Jennifer left.
++++++
After the two phone calls, Doc called the boys over saying “Okay everyone. Marty
and Jennifer are on their way over here. Jules, Verne you know what to do.”
“Yes, Dad.” said Jules.
Verne looked out the window. “Marty’s here.” he said.
“Okay.” said Doc, “I’ll be in my lab. When he rings the bell, let him in and send him there.”
“Okay, Emmett.” said Clara.
Doc turned to go to his lab. Minutes passed before the doorbell rang. Clara answered it. As expected, Marty was there saying “Hey, Clara. I just received a phone call from Doc. Is he here?”
“Yes.” said Clara, “He’s in his lab. Com’on in.” Marty did. “Just go to his lab.” Clara went onto say.
Marty entered the lab. There was Doc and Einstein. “Hey Einy.” said Marty petting the dog. “Doc?” asked Marty.
Doc looked up. “Marty.” he said.
“Doc.” said Marty, “You said you made a scientific breakthrough. What is it?”
Doc produced a flask and gave it to Marty. “Just drink it.”
“What?” asked Marty.
“Relax Marty.” said Doc, “It’s safe.”
“What is it?” asked Marty.
“Taste it and find out.” said Doc.
Marty looked very quizzically at Doc. But trusting him, he complied.
“Okay Doc.” said Marty, “What is it…” Then he saw the room around him getting fuzzy. “Doc!” he exclaimed, “What the hell is it…” He couldn’t say any more as he blacked out.
“Terrific!” said Doc. He went to the closet containing the clothes from certain periods and got out some male 15th century Italian clothing. Getting Marty out of his own clothes, Doc clothed him with the clothes he got out.
++++++
Jennifer drove up to the Brown house and got out of the car. Ringing the doorbell, Clara answered it. “Jennifer.” she said, “It’s good for you to come.”
“Good evening, Clara.” said Jennifer, “I came as soon as you called.”
“That’s good.” said Clara, “The boys are in their bedroom studying.”
“Where’s Doctor Brown?” asked Jennifer.
“He’s getting ready. Come on in.”
Jennifer did. She was escorted to the boys’ bedroom where they were sitting at their computer and studying with their books.
“Okay, boys.” said Clara, “Now behave yourselves. Do your homeworks and
no video games. Jennifer make sure they pay full attention to their works.”
“Right, Clara.” said Jennifer, “See you two later.”
“Alright.” said Clara. After that, she left.
++++++
Outside the bedroom, Clara met Doc saying “I’ve got Jennifer in the bedroom.”
“Great!” said Doc, “I’ve got Marty out like a light. Clara, I’ll set the time circuits. You get ready to sleep induce Jennifer.”
“Alright.” said Clara as she produced the sleep inducer.
++++++
Jennifer had problems getting the boys to study. “Com’on, boys.” she said, “Study your homework. Whatever your mother wants is very important.”
“Yeah, sure.” said Jules, “You and what army?”
She noticed Verne putting a CD-ROM into the computer. Jennifer asked “What are you doing?”
“None of your business.” said Verne. On the screen was Wild Gunman.
“Verne.” insisted Jennifer, “Your mother said no video games.” Then, she heard a bouncing of a basketball. It was Jules doing it. The ball almost hit Jennifer who said “Jules put that down and do your work. Besides, you shouldn’t be bouncing that thing in the house.”
“You’re right.” said Jules, “I should go outside to bounce it.” He turned to go out the bedroom door.
“Jules.” insisted Jennifer, “Come back.”
Jules refused. He just ran out to the back door. Jennifer started to follow. She barely in the hallway when someone jumped her from behind and flashed a bright light into her eyes. The next thing she knew, she blacked out.
++++++
Jennifer lied there unconscious as Clara said “Good work, boys. Emmett, I've got Jennifer out.”
“Good, Clara.” said Doc as he came in with some 15th century dresses intended for Jennifer, “I’ll help you get her into the bathroom so you could change her.”
“Very good, Emmett.” said Clara as she helped her husband pick up Jennifer.
As they were escorting Jennifer, Doc turned to the boys saying “You did great, boys. I’m proud of you.”
“Yeah.” said Jules, “That’s the first time we got out of control just to obey you.”
“Okay, Jules.” said Doc, “But don’t keep doing it to everyone. This
is a one-time only deal.”
He got Clara and Jennifer into the bathroom and closed the door leaving the two and the dress in there. Then, he went out to check on Marty. He was still out but was in the Renaissance clothing that Doc picked out for him.
“Dad.” asked Jules, “How long is he going to be out?”
“About another hour.” said Doc, “It’s the same with Jennifer.”
“Dad, do you think it’s going to work?”
“It has to, Jules. The entire future depends on this.”
Jules noticed the time circuits which read:
OCT 21, 1473 8:00 a.m
Destination Time
OCT 17, 1987 8:55 p.m.
Present Time
MAR 28, 1955 9:15 a.m.
Last Time Departed
Florence, Italy
Destination Location
“Well, I hope we succeed.” said Jules.
“Jules.” said Doc, “We must succeed.”
Then, Verne came in. “Dad.” he said, “Mom says she’s ready.”
“Okay.” said Doc as he left the bathroom.
Upon arriving, he saw the door opened and Clara holding the limp Jennifer over her shoulders. She was wearing the dress from the Renaissance period.
“Okay Clara.” said Doc, “I’ll help you get her to the lab.” And he did. Once in the lab, Doc said “Okay, help me get her in the car. Then, we’ll get Marty.”
After they got her in there, they turned to get Marty into the DeLorean. Once both of them were in, Doc said “Okay Clara. Wish me luck. The next time you’ll see me, Marty and Jennifer will be back together.”
“Good luck, Emmett.” said Clara as both kissed.
Then, Doc got in and opened the roof. Turning on the ignition and activation both hover and cloaking devices, the DeLorean lifted off the ground and faded into thin air. Once clear of the room, Doc accelerated the car up to 88 miles per hour and through the time barrier
Thursday, October 21, 1473
8:00 a.m.
Florence, Italy
The DeLorean found itself over the Italian landscape as the light dissipated. Finding a flat place to land, Doc set the car down. Then, he opened the door and first took Jennifer out and put her on a the grass. Then, he carried Marty out and lay her next to her. As he was ready to go back, he heard some stirring. Marty and Jennifer were coming too. Within minutes they became aware of their surroundings. They were also aware of each other.
“Marty!” exclaimed Jennifer.
“Jennifer.” gasped Marty.
“See you two in a week.” said Doc as he got back into the DeLorean.
Marty heard this and approached Doc demanding “Doc. What the hell’s going on here? What’s Jennifer doing here? And where and when are we?”
“You both are in Florence, Italy on the date October 21, 1473.” said Doc.
“Doctor Brown.” demanded Jennifer, “What do you mean ‘see us in a week’?”
“I think that’ll be enough time for you two to fall back in love.” said Doc.
“Fall back in love?” exclaimed Jennifer, “Never!”
“Doc.” said Marty, “You can’t do this.”
“You two brought this on yourselves.” said Doc, “Now you two are going to stay here and I’ll be showing up here every week until I see you two fall in love again. And during this time here, you two are not talk to or interact with anyone or touch anything. I think falling back in love would serve to be a perfect distraction to that.” After that, he closed the door and lifted off.
“Doctor Brown.” said Jennifer running towards the flying and fleeing DeLorean, “You can’t me here with Marty. He’s a jerk.” But the DeLorean went invisible and couldn’t be seen.
The next thing they knew, there as a huge fireball with two fire trails sticking out. Marty and Jennifer looked at the smoke in the sky. Then, they looked at each other in disgust.
“Get away from me, Marty.” said Jennifer.
“Jennifer, I had nothing to do with this.” said Marty, “Doc called me to
his place saying he made a scientific discovery and needed my help. I was told to come
down on my skateboard instead of in my truck because he didn’t want me to tell anyone
else about it. It was some sort of potion he wanted me to taste…”
“You mean you had nothing to do with Jules and Verne acting out of control as some diversion while someone knocked me out?”
“No.” said Marty, “I didn’t. Hey Jen. We’ve got a week to find
out how to get back together. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life here in the
15th century.”
“That’s your problem, mister.” said Jennifer, “Not mine.” At that, she turned to go into town.
“Jennifer, wait.” said Marty. He started to follow her.
Jennifer saw Marty following her and screamed out “Leave me alone, Marty. Just leave me alone.” She turned to run into town.
Marty continue to follow her but she was too fast. Before he knew it he found himself in the heart of Florence. But there was no Jennifer in sight.