Holding Up The Sky - Thuban
(Seven)
McQueen didn't keep track of how many times he watched the disk, but at the end of the images, the action of hitting 'rewind' and 'play' became part of the rhythm of the whole recording.
"Wait, let me change the disk" - rewind - play. "
"Wait, let me change the disk" - rewind - play. "
"Wait, let me change the disk" - rewind - play. "
When he finally felt that there was no more new information to be gleaned from viewing, McQueen punched 'eject', pocketed the disk and left Frank's study. Thirty minutes had passed.
The house was now remarkably different. The lights were dimmed and the only sounds were the strains of The Messiah softly playing in the living room and the muffled sounds of a quite conversation coming from the kitchen. McQueen moved to the Christmas tree. He was half tempted to place the disk back in among the branches - his first ornament. "Maybe ... Someday ... Maybe...." he thought.
McQueen heard Kylen come up behind him. She hadn't tried to sneak into the room, but she moved quietly, respectfully. "She's learned she can't sneak up on me," he thought with mild amusement. She handed him his Marine Corps mug. Inside - two fingers of scotch.
"Thank you," McQueen said without looking at her.
"We started without you," she replied.
"No. I mean, thank you." he looked down at her.
"Merry Christmas, Six," she smiled back up at him. "It was Cooper's time after all."
"Do you know what that means, Kylen? How significant it was for Hawkes to give Nathan the time?"
Kylen didn't answer. She had inkling, but really didn't know.
"A person can sell their phone time. The Brass turns a blind eye to it. I paid off my Harley selling off my communication time in bits and pieces. For Hawkes to give away his time ... It is significant." "On several different levels," he reflected.
"Merry Christmas, Coop," she whispered and toasted the air with her glass.
McQueen and Kylen contemplated the tree in companionable silence for a few moments.
"The big guy?" he finally asked her with feigned irritation.
"It's what came to mind," she said easily.
McQueen gave her a quick once over. She was speaking the truth. She hadn't wanted to use his name over an unsecured channel and it was the substitute that she had come up with in a split second. Kylen had no idea of the fact that he had once reamed the entire squadron - rather personally - because Wang had referred to him as a 'guy.' Actually it was sort of funny in an 'only Kylen' kind of way. What McQueen did not quite yet grasp was the fact that only Kylen could get away with it.
"What is going on in the kitchen?" he asked.
"We are just putting together some hors d'oeuvres. We'll bring them out in a few minutes."
"Marines call that 'small chow'." He said it on purpose - to make her laugh. He succeeded.
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The adults - Frank, McQueen, Ewan and Kylen - spent the next hour or so in relaxed conversation. Kylen had not lied. New Year's Eve at the Celina's was most definitely a low-key affair, which suited McQueen to a tee. For the first time he had really heard the War discussed within the walls of the house - albeit in was in the broadest of terms. They broke out McQueen's champagne as midnight approached.
Donning their coats, they took a moment to watch the ball fall in Time's Square and then immediately McQueen was led outside to the front yard. The kids had left Ewan's and were filing into the open space.
Frank spoke. "I know that this year outdoor lighting was prohibited for energy conservation, but I figure that well.... A few minutes ... we all need to have faith ... to have hope." With that he pointed a handheld remote at the barn and instantly a large star nailed to the peak of the roof was illuminated. The teenagers cheered and someone produced sparklers.
"Why, Six, I believe that is your star," Kylen whispered. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and handed him a lit sparkler before he could react.
McQueen watched the group hug and kiss, wishing each other Happy New Year. "What a brave new world to have such beings in it," he thought.
End chapter seven