Valley Road to Headwall

With Daan driving and a Hundeerwagon full of boys all pumped from their flights, they were looking forward to getting back to Headwall where the promise of a full Harvest Dinner awaited.

Laughter.

And following not too far behind, came one green SUV, emblazoned with The Network emblem and three stars, carrying a single occupant. The other resigned to waiting out the dinner at the start of the valley road. One road in and one road out.

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Late Afternoon — Headwall Station

Returning to Headwall, the boys spilled out of the Hundeerwagon in an energetic tumble of noise and laughter. Timo stole a glance across to the chicken coop, his tail twitching. Fergus, however, was waiting for him with his arms folded, standing firmly between the Hundeerwagon and the path to the coop.

Timo’s ears drooped, sheepish at being told off by a six-year-old.

Shortly afterwards, Huxley’s green SUV pulled up into the yard, ready to receive the incoming torpedoes in the form of Angus and Fergus, with a tactical insertion of Hamish between his brothers.

“Uncle Marvin!” they all chorused together. Huxley’s tail immediately broke into non-regulation oscillation.

Timo tilted his head and looked from Seb to Raven and then back to the pups crowding around Huxley. He had a “How come they get to call him Uncle Marvin?” look on his face. Seb and Raven just looked back and smiled, with a “that’s just the way it is” look of their own.

Once the incoming salvo had cleared sufficiently, Grandpa Jake and Grandma Bella came and exchanged their greetings with Huxley — a paw shake from Grandpa Jake and a hug and a sniff from Grandma Bella.

Not far behind, Rebecca stood waiting. On seeing the same Arctic turtleneck jumper, she had the same flash as last year, of Lucas, Eugene, and James — but this year she was more prepared and managed to keep her composure.

Huxley leaned in closely to give Rebecca a polite sniff, and as he did so, he spoke to her very quietly.

Rebecca now understood. She nuzzled the General very gently under his chin.

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Pre-Dinner — Sitting Room

The living room was starting to fill with both Humans and Hundel, the sound of chatter and laughter growing as each new person arrived. Huxley moved efficiently through the room greeting each boy in turn, mentioning to each one something specific about them that he had remembered or learned.

In the centre of the room, in silent pride of place, stood Raven’s completed parquetry coffee table — waxed and polished — now complemented with a vase of Harry’s flowers. Charlie came in and placed bowls of pre-dinner nibbles on the table.

Huxley caught Raven’s eye, then he looked deliberately at the table, and then back to Raven. Raven received the affirmation, and acknowledged the General with a nod and smile of his own.

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The Harvest Dinner — The Table

This year, the table was set for twenty-four — three more than last year — with three-legged stools deployed at each corner. The table itself was laden with the bounty of the station. Roast legs of lamb, and dishes full of vegetables from Harry’s garden.

Harry couldn’t help but beam in pride.

Huxley nodded in firm approval.

This year, in addition to the roast dinner, Charlie had prepared something extra special. Shortly after everyone was seated, he brought in a towering cheese soufflé. Fergus’ eyes lit up, and his nose quivered in anticipation as he caught the scent of the golden Headwall cheese, taken specially from the cellar caves earlier that day.

Grandpa Jake stood and tapped his glass once. The room fell silent. He waved his paw across the table — further this year than it had needed to reach before.

The meal began and dishes of food were passed along the table. Hamish, sitting between Seb and Raven, tapped Raven on the arm with his paw.

Raven put his right arm around Hamish’s shoulder and showed him the still faintly pink line of the scar on his palm.

Hamish then, very carefully with both paws, picked up the bowl of potatoes in front of him and passed them down to Raven.

This year, Huxley had moved to the far end of the table, and he continued his discussions with the boys, finding out more about their interests and achievements over the last year.

Huxley moved on to Rupert.

Rupert sat up a little straighter, shaking his head and shivering theatrically.

Several of the boys grinned and nodded in agreement.

Huxley gave a single, solemn nod, acknowledging Rupert’s field report as one of genuine strategic importance.

Dessert. Apple Crumble, with thick farm cream, and Harry’s vanilla custard. Huxley — two helpings.

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After Dinner — Living Room

The fire, stacked with Seb’s wood, burned brightly in the living room fireplace as everyone started to move through to find comfortable seats or cushions on the floor.

Seb’s 15th autumn birthday was due. Grandma Bella had asked Charlie to make Seb a special cake to be a surprise after dinner. The cake came in and was set on Raven’s coffee table, complete with burning ‘1’ and ‘5’ candles. It was decorated with a panorama of the local mountains around the side, and on top, a picture of a glider at the airfield with the mountains beyond. The golden sky merged into dark indigo, where the stars could still be seen — three stars significantly brighter than the rest.

Seb ran his hand through his hair and then went still — properly still, the way he almost never was. No task for his hands. Nowhere to look but the candlelight, and every face in the room turned toward him. Faces of friends and family.

Charlie moved next to Seb and spoke very quietly in his ear.

Seb’s gaze went to the window, where out in the deep indigo night sky, over the headwall and the mountains, he saw three stars, brighter than the rest.

James, Katrín, and Davíð.

Across the room, Raven caught Seb’s eye, his hand rising to touch the red stone of his necklace. An exchanged look between them — stones for Raven and stars for Seb — and a friend who understood.

Grandma Bella then passed Seb a small folded bundle. It was a flight jacket, complete with a name patch.

SEB — PILOT.

After Dinner — The Bridge

After dinner, Huxley had particularly asked Lewis if he would show him Orion through the telescope. Lewis was delighted to oblige the General and eagerly showed him the way to the bridge, his favourite place to view the stars. Grandpa Jake and Hans followed along too. Lewis carefully set the telescope up and pointed it in the direction of the constellation.

Huxley smiled. There was only one.

Lewis adjusted the telescope, and peered through the viewfinder.

Huxley knew quite a bit about Betelgeuse, but he wanted to know what Lewis knew.

Huxley then took a long and considered look through the telescope.

Huxley was impressed with Lewis’ grasp of a situation unfolding five hundred light years away from where they stood on a stone bridge with an old brass telescope.

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The Leaving

Huxley had a brief word with each boy before he left, leaving Seb till last.

Huxley tilted his head slightly and nodded.

Seb gave a small smile and nodded once in return.

Huxley was about to get in his SUV to make his way back down the road and meet up with his detail. Rebecca handed him a warm package.

Huxley nodded once.

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Headwall — Settling

Hamish had followed Seb up the stairs as they headed to bed and was hovering by the bedroom door.

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And one light left on. Always.

Autumn — Headwall Station: Year Two

A full year had now flown by since twelve frightened and traumatised boys from a collapsed, hostile Earth, walked down the ramp of a Hundeerde shuttle into a new world and a new life. Twelve boys taken into a Hunde family and who were shown complete and unconditional love, acceptance and belonging. Each one, on a unique journey, carrying their own personal loss and grief.

Notebook. Telescope. Necklace. Cooking. Engineering. Gardening. Sewing.

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Morning — Workshop

Raven continued to work on his coffee table, and was now well underway making the legs, from large blocks of wood. Marta had shown him on the first leg, how to chisel out and make the holes for the mortise joints — and then left him to it. Marta was not one to hover; she was available if needed. The second and third leg had gone well and he was feeling confident. With a steady tap of the mallet, the pile of wood shavings on the bench grew, filling the workshop with the scent of freshly cut wood. The workshop was the place where he felt happy and most himself.

Raven was carefully chiselling out the last mortise joint on the fourth leg. A large chunk of wood was still stuck stubbornly in the bottom of the joint and he put his fingers down to try and free it, using the chisel with his other hand to try and pry it out. Without warning the chunk of wood came free, the chisel slipped, and it sliced cleanly across the palm of his hand.

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As the summer weeks passed Raven continued to work on his parquetry coffee table, gluing and clamping rectangular blocks of wood together on his workbench. Each piece was carefully placed, light against dark — the pattern appearing as he progressed. Meanwhile over at the waterwheel the tumbler continued to turn, polishing Raven’s latest batch of stones. They would soon be ready and he eagerly awaited the result.

On Wednesday afternoons and weekends both Raven and Seb found themselves at the Veldmeer Airfield, enthusiastically helping out with whatever was needed. Helping to move gliders out on to the apron ready for flying, running wing tips for the pilots, retrieving the winch rope, and asking questions, lots of questions. Both the boys were firmly hooked, there was just something about these sleek, quiet flying machines that ignited something in each of them. A desire to fly or at least be near things that flew. For the first few weeks they simply continued turning up and helping in any way they could. They even managed to score one or two more flights with other pilots who wanted to increase their hours in the twin. One Wednesday afternoon Daan casually came over and found the boys washing down a glider and drying it off with a chamois.

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Summer — Headwall Station

Samson stood, just looking, at the slowly turning shaft of the waterwheel, taking in the finished work with quiet satisfaction. The leaks had stopped and the newly installed bearing meant the shaft was no longer moving up and down as it turned. It had been a big job, and he had certainly needed to ask for help with the heavier tasks, but he had done it. The satisfaction was not his alone. Marta and Daan had been quietly impressed by Samson’s ability to plan and direct the whole project.

With Samson’s repair of the waterwheel bearing complete, Raven had been able to put his next batch of stones through the tumbler and he planned to make these into a bracelet, each stone representing one of his new friends at school. He also made a start on the coffee table, and with Toby’s help on the weekends, it slowly started to take shape. The top was made from different woods, light and dark, glued and clamped into a parquetry pattern — each piece distinct.

Harry’s kitchen garden was in full swing, and he spent most days out tending, watering, weeding and then harvesting the crops. With so many people to feed, Grandma Bella had been genuinely grateful for his help and expertise.

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Last Day of Term — Start of Summer: Year 2

The classroom had that particular quality of a room that can’t quite sit still. A warm breeze wafted through the open window bringing with it all the smells of summer. The final bell of the school year couldn’t come soon enough. Timo was already practically vibrating his chair clear across the floor.

Miss Vera was handing out the final results for the year. She paused at Lewis’ desk, handed him his result sheet and smiled.

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