Jovian n. 2

Halkett had learned the Jovian language and proved a good ambassador.

‘Well?’ he demanded curtly, also speaking Jovian with difficulty with my Earthly voice. ‘What is it?’

It was a roundabout way, a long way, an awkward way to read the language of Mars, Monk reflected. Martian to Jovian to Earthian. But it was better than no way at all.

The Martian language gave me my greatest worry. Like most actors, I had picked up enough Martian, Venusian, Outer Jovian, et cetera, to be able to fake in front of a camera or on stage.

‘It’s not just lessons all the time, then? So long as you’re talking Jovian, for example, you could be talking about dinner or the threedies or anything else at all?’ ‘That’s quite right, Mrs. Landry,’ said Jennifer. ‘There is of course no such language as Jovian—but you have the rest of it right.’

Tried to start my novel again yesterday—an alien from Jupiter enters Wimbledon but gets knocked out at the quarter finals. Something to do with the fact that the phrase ‘New Balls’ is an insult in Jovian. I worry that some people might find this a little implausible.