ataraxion | video;

[Bucky's a more than occasional visitor to the Shuttle Bay, having offered to lend a hand in return for training with the previous CFO. This is the first time in a while he's been back, though, and the view out's as distracting as ever. Maybe more.

He's standing in front of the windows, looking out at the rolling cloud.]

Kind of foggy out, isn't it. Pretty enough, though. Makes you wonder what could be out there, just out of sight.

[He turns, then, engine grease on his jumpsuit and streaking his face. He could almost have walked right out of a Brooklyn autoshop.]

I've been thinking about what I've missed back home. Christmas, Easter, maybe a birthday or two, or two thousand with the way time goes up here. I always did like holidays - they let you know where you are, where you've been. Even with the war on... well, I guess people needed the excuse to smile at each other. Now it feels like I've lost track of something important.

[He shrugs one shoulder, though. That's a little too much looking inward.]

So I'm wondering, what do you all celebrate, where you're from? And what do you picture might be out there, past the clouds?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[some hiatuses happen at the worst times.]

No ma'am. If I've still got one thing left, it's being able to say I've never been attacked by a plant.

Heard about it, though.

Why, were you looking for me?

Well, I.

I certainly would not say no.

Then I'm sorrier I wasn't around. Space Christmas, though - that mean people have some idea when it should be?

I don't think so. I think they just wanted to celebrate Christmas, or something like it.

Can't blame them for that. Not when I was thinking the same, myself.

How would you celebrate it?

Here? You know, I hadn't gotten to that part. None of the trees in that garden seem like they're the right shape.

What do they do in tropical places, I wonder.

Use less candles, maybe.

We can put a star at the the top of one of the trees, I think that will do, don't you? Made of paper and, oh, I don't know.

I'm not very crafty but I'm sure we could find something.

I know a guy could knock something up. He's crafty in more ways than I knew about.

Making do with what we had's usually how it went back home.

How long ago was space Christmas?

A month, I think. About.

Then I guess we got a while to work things out.

When is your birthday?

March tenth. How about yours?

Not as soon as yours, if Christmas was last month.

June 17.

You're right. Look at that, I'm getting old.

No, I don't think so!

What else d'you think birthdays are for? Besides, I'd be an old man to you either way.

You can't be more than twenty-five. You can't be old until you're at least forty.

[Besides she makes out with a man older than you every day, Bucky.]