Friday Night at the Movies
It was damned cold tonight. Outside the weather was howling with a whooper of a storm whipping the snow around causing white out conditions.. It had started early in the morning and by noon there was no way they were going to be able to fly ANYTHING or anyone out. They were essentially grounded. And for once the Jump ship and Sky bikes were in tip top condition. Funny thing was that being grounded actually caused more problems. They couldn't say what the real reason they couldn't answer a distress call or go out on recon was or they might give away to many clues to where Northstar was located. So all they could do was try and re-route the calls if and when they came in. So far the radio was was quiet and they had just come back from a supply run, so they were not due anywhere for a few days.
"Brrrrrr…" Matt commented as he walked down tot he main control room. He rubbed his hands together trying warm them up. " Can't we get anymore heat?"
"We could star a fire" Scout answered smiling " then we could roast marshmallows.. if we had any…"
'Just a random fire?" Tank asked raising a brow, putting a bookmark in the book he was reading " I don't see the Captain okaying that."
Scout seemed to deflate and turned back to the console he was working at. " I am getting so much interference from the storm that I think we are basically dead in the water in the communications department too."
" Not good. So what your saying is we are trapped inside, no way out and no way to receive or get any communications from the outside world…." Hawk asked running his hands through his thinning hair. " Not good."
"What's not good?" Jennifer Chase asked as she came down the steps in to the room. Her hair freshly washed and pulled back into its customary ponytail. She walked over and looked over Scouts shoulder and eyes widened as she looked over his scanners regarding the interference. "Wow!"
"Wow is right. I wonder if Stuart thought about this when he designed Northstar" Hawk commented as he slouched down into a chair and put his boots up. " This is going to very long few days if we are locked away from the world. It will drive Jon crazy."
" Speaking of the Captain…" Scout asked looking over at Jennifer who was still reading over his shoulder.
Jennifer shrugged her shoulders " I saw him an hour ago when we were sparring but then I went to shower and I said he had somethings to do before lunch."
Scout gave her a look which caused her to blush but she said nothing else.
Matt grinned as well, but to spare Jennifer any more teasing he swung his boots of the console and got up" I'll go find him. He'll want to know about the latest with the storm. While I am filling him in, you guys double check the generator and try and get some more heat."
Scout and Jennifer both saluted Matt as he walked past "Tank keep an eye on these two."
Tank snickered and went back to reading. It was avery good day to read.
Matt walked toward the crew quarters part of Northstar. The base was huge. a bit big for just five of them. A lot of unused rooms and spaces. When they had started exploring the base, they were amazed at what they had found. Real beds, private bathrooms, a huge kitchen that was obviously meant o feed at least 30 people. Not to mention training rooms, yes rooms, and even a pool table. They had found a small library with books that had started to degrade and laundry facilities and even the beginning of an indoor garden.. More then what was needed for five people. And it seemed like they were always finding new rooms or new toys left here and forgotten 15 years ago.
Humming to himself and relaxing a little as the air around him warmed slightly he stopped at Jon's door and knocked. " Jon?"
"Come in" Jonathan Power said as he swung around from worktable. " Everything okay?'" Jon hadn't worried to much about being late, so he was a bit concerned at finding Matt at his door.
" A few problems with the storm." Matt replied trying to not be nosy but noticing that Jon was blocking his view from his desk. Jon was acting kind of suspicious. Matt knew when he acted the way he was, with his face flushed and not meeting his eyes, he was hiding something. Raising two kids and Jon had taught him how sneaky they all were. "Whatcha got there?"
Jon looked at his oldest friend and father figure and then sighed. " Just a present for Jennifer.'
Matt looked intrigued " Really?"
"Yes, really. But it's not done and I don't want her to know about it. It has to be perfect." Jon emphasized.
Matt raise his eyebrows but said noting more as a grin stole over his face. " My lips are sealed"
Jon turned quickly and deposited the present into the top drawer barely giving Matt a glimpse of something bright silver with some bright color mixed in.. After he stood, he wrapped his belt and he and Matt exited his room and headed back to the control room "So what about the storm?"
Entering the room they both noticed Tank watching Jennifer and Scout who were hunched over his work station whispering to each other. He had put his book aside and had his arms crossed over his massive chest a fond smile on his face.
Jon walked over and put a hand on his shoulder and asked" Do we want to know?"
Tank shook his head and glanced up at Matt and Jon. "Something about remembering what he would do when it snowed when he was a kid. Then they got hush hush and have been over there talking ever since."
Matt nudged Jon" You want to be mom or should I?"
Jon rolled his eyes, but a grin was twisting his lips"I got it, but you have to put them to bed."
Matt just laughed.
Jon approached the pair and put a hand on both shoulders startling them. They had been so deep into their discussion they had tuned everyone and everything out. Nothing new. " Care to fill me in?"
.
Scout and Jennifer turned both of their eyes were sparkling with excitement. " Captain! We have a great idea how to spend today."
""Do tell" Matt said walking over.
" A Movie." Scout said excitedly.
"Huh?" Matt and Jon both said causing Jennifer and and Scout to frown.
"Okay follow me." Scout began moving back to his console. " So last time we were at the passages, some of the families there were watching old and I mean really old movies on computer screens. It seems that someone from Tech City has gotten access to some old movies from way before any of us were born. You know the kind that show the world with color and life? Anyways they have been selling these and few made it to the Passages. I traded for a few copes last time. I though Jen should get to see what real movies were like."
"Real Movies?" Tank asked, his book forgotten.
"Yep, big guy. So I brought them home and have been making sure the disks are clean of anything bad, and then Jen here was helping me figure out how to play it large enough and loud enough. What do think Captain?" Scout said without taking a breath.
" I think it's an incredible find. " Jon said as he glanced toward Jennifer who wore a huge smile. Her gray eyes dancing." I think since we are stuck, most repairs are done and we can't even get incoming troop data, that it's great idea. "
"What Movies?' Tank asked trying of make sense of data on the screen.
"Oh" Jennifer said and moved over to another screen and punched a few buttons "We have something called Dirty Dancing, The Princess Bride, and the Exorcist." She shrugged her shoulders. " Do you know these?"
"Mentor? " Jon called as Mentor came on line. " Do you have any information on these movies?"
"Yes Captain." Mentor said calmly looking down at them "Dirty Dancing was a very popular musical dance movie about first loves, The Princess Bride is a fantasy about what you would do for your true love among other things such as sword fights and pirates. " He paused for a second as he researched the last one. " The exorcist is a horror movie about being possessed by the devil. All were very popular for date night movies long ago."
"Date night?" Jennifer asked " I mean I now know what dating is, but what's date night? Was these a specific day to have dates?"
"Well Kiddo, traditionally, Friday night was date night. You would get dolled up and go for dinner and then dancing or a movie." Matt explained. " And guess what day today is? What do you think Jon?"
Seeing everyones excitement, Jon couldn't say no. " Okay then I guess tonight is date night for all of us. You guys choose a movie or movies and work on getting it set up, Find a room that is big enough for all of us to relax in. Best part of movies was just letting the rest of the world go. " He turned to Matt and then said" Matt and I will take care of the snacks"
"Snacks?" Jennifer asked. It seems like there was always something new to learn. Even with something as simple as watching a movie.
"Can't have movies without snacks. We will have to get inventive, but don't you worry." Matt told her. Yeah this was going to be fun.