Autumn Year 3
During breakfast on Seb’s sixteenth birthday Grandma Bella slipped a small wrapped package next to Seb’s plate of scrambled eggs. It contained a full set of graphite sketching pencils. Seb was pleased, as his 6B in particular had become almost a stump.
Seb: Thanks, Grandma, that’s just what I needed.
Grandma Bella looked at Seb kindly and smiled.
Grandma Bella: You’re welcome. Happy birthday Seb.
Orchard
Later that day, during a quiet moment to himself in the orchard, Seb sat alone on the swing. Sixteen. Two years since he had walked down the ramp on the Chasetail and started his new life at Headwall, a place where he had only found kindness, acceptance, and most of all hope. He began to sketch, with the one thing that had filled his teenage mind, in the space that was left after flying, school and home.
Anja French. Swiss Shepherd. Cream white fur. And then, her eyes. What was it about them? On the rare occasions he plucked enough courage to look at her directly, her eyes seemed to penetrate a little deeper into the things he would not normally let surface. And yet, for him, it didn’t bring the usual feelings of retreat, rather feelings of wanting more. This was a surprise. Someone who truly saw just him, just Seb, not the poor human boy from a collapsed Earth that strangers sometimes still saw.
Veldmeer High — Art and Design Class
Electives. Art and Design, and a seat directly opposite Anja French. Today’s assignment — sketch the person sitting opposite you. Had Seb known, maybe he would have sat somewhere slightly different, but the fate of today’s seating selection had been cast and it was too late to switch out now. After all, it was not the first time he had sketched her… Seb checked his thoughts, lest they somehow leak out to his friends sitting near him. Raven to his right and opposite Raven, Toby, sitting next to Anja.
The almost imperceptible sounds of pencils on paper, pencils being sharpened, and erasers being deployed, filled the room. Time seemed to fly by and as the end of the class neared, it was time to start packing things away in anticipation of the bell. It was also time to compare sketches, and hoping against all hope that he was not turning red, Seb pushed his sketch paper across to Anja.
Anja: Oh Sebby! That’s beautiful!
Four words. Just four. And there it was again, Sebby. Seb was certain his entire visible complexion had flushed a violent shade of crimson.
And… that was not the only thing that had flushed.
To his abject horror he also realised that uncontrolled primordial biological forces of adolescence had taken over something in his pants… and to make matters worse, the bell was about to ring at any moment.
Without mercy, the bell rang.
The usual hustle of scraping chairs, chatter, and bags being packed filled the room. However, Seb had very much not moved. In fact, he had scooted himself in a little closer to the table.
Raven: C’mon Seb! It’s time to go…
Then without warning, Raven pulled Seb’s stool — with Seb still on it — away from the table. It was then that Raven looked down and immediately clocked the problem. A prodigious problem. He looked back up at Seb, with a face that was trying but failing to suppress a wicked grin.
In a state of wild panic, Seb grabbed his own bag and held it firmly in front of his pants.
Seb: Yeah! Right! Let’s… um, go!
Dinner — that evening
Raven: Hey Seb! Pass the pepper grinder would you mate… it’s the tall wooden one…
Fergus: Why’s Seb gone red?
Raven: Phew! It must be a bit — hot in here!
Autumn Year Three — Through Summer Year Four
The term and autumn soon slipped into winter. The pilots continued to make steady progress, with a friendly rivalry developing between the five friends as each new skill was mastered and checked off.
Fergus continued his strict enforcement of Timo’s chicken coop ban, during the frequent weekend visits from Timo, Hans, and Toby.
Lewis excelled in his studies and surprised both his teachers and the Theden University professors with his depth of knowledge and understanding of his accelerated courses.
And then, with little fanfare, another school year was done, and another Headwall summer was set to begin.
Mid Summer — Year Four
A familiar green SUV emblazoned with the Network emblem and three stars rolled into Headwall yard; however, this time it came complete with a driver. While the visit was not totally unexpected to Grandpa Jake, it was still a huge surprise to the boys and to three growing pups. They may not have torpedoed the occupant’s legs quite as fast as on previous visits, but nonetheless, they still greeted the surprise visitor with great excitement.
Grandpa Jake: Marvin!
Grandpa Jake side-eyed the driver sitting in the SUV.
I see you acquiesced to have a driver today.
Huxley snuffled in slight irritation.
Huxley: I did. They insisted. Politely.
Grandpa Jake: Anyway. So pleased to see you — it was a great surprise when you called and said you were on surface business and could squeeze us in for a visit.
Huxley: Official surface business is not the only thing I like to keep track of.
How are the boys?
Grandpa Jake: Doing great! But I am sure you will want to see for yourself.
Huxley couldn’t suppress a grin.
Huxley: That’s why I’m here.
News of Huxley’s surprise arrival filtered its way through the boys, and soon there was a steady stream of boys coming to say, “Hello, sir.” As usual, the General, fully briefed by regular updates from Grandpa Jake, engaged with each boy completely, commenting on something specifically related and of interest to them. There were no generic “How’s school?” type questions. More, “Tell me about the different types of vegetables you are growing this year,” or “I hear you helped completely rebuild the gearing on the waterwheel.”
Conversations continued on into dinner, with Huxley taking particular interest in Lewis’ accelerated Theden University courses.
Lewis: Professor Mowbray was particularly interested in my comparative stellar cartography essay on the differential parallax of Betelgeuse as viewed from two points roughly one thousand light-years apart. After all, I am one of the very few people who have ever seen Orion’s perspective from both sides!
For the second time that day, Huxley couldn’t suppress a grin.
Huxley: Professor Mowbray, eh, so he’s still there. He taught me!
After Dinner — Den
Grandpa Jake took two glasses and poured out two measures of his whisky from Earth.
Grandpa Jake: You know I will ask, Marvin. Any news?
Huxley sat back in his chair and took a thoughtful sip of the smooth amber liquid.
Huxley: On Duncan and Clara, no.
The electronic blackout, particularly around London, is absolute.
There have been successful extractions. Operationally challenging and dangerous. Not just to our personnel, but also to those rescued. We get close, and then they disappear without trace. Always right at the point of extraction. Never before.
Grandpa Jake: They must still be in London.
Huxley: I agree.
The Husky and the Bulldog sat together for a while in silence, simply sipping the whisky and allowing the weight of the conversation to settle.
Huxley: Shall we have that quiet word with Seb and Raven?
The mood in the den lifted immediately.
Grandpa Jake: Absolutely. Let me call them in.
Grandpa Jake disappeared from the den to fetch the two boys, leaving Huxley alone with his own thoughts and the promise he had made Jake, the winter before last.
We need to find them…
We do, and I will.
Grandpa Jake returned with Seb and Raven following close behind.
Grandpa Jake: Sorry, boys, we seem to be out of chairs. I hope you don’t mind standing.
Huxley: I have spoken to you both about your flying and your progress and how pleased I am.
I’d like for both of you to consider a future career in flying.
Specifically in the Hundeerde Space Defence and Communications Network.
The two friends looked at each other excitedly and both spoke at once.
Seb & Raven: The Network?!
Huxley: Yes.
You don’t have to decide now. You have your final two years of school ahead.
The academy intake would be following the summer after you finish school.
The boys simply looked at each other and grinned.
Screw Pile Developments 