[There was a mis-numbering glitch. Be advised, this is a NINE part series. Ooops.]
PART SEVEN
A CHRISTMAS EVE EVE TALE
*While Seymour sits at the piano, he thinks of how glad he is that the Qanteen was not empty as he had expected it to be. He has enjoyed his respite here. He had, of course, been assigned to read the FReeQ threads. They have been an important barometer for this cross section of the population for his boss, who actually IS on the Q team. His boss had cleared him for some things, but of course, not everything. *
*When he had earlier gone down the hall to freshen up and get to looking presentable again, he chanced to go into a lovely room, which looked like a shrine or devotional place of sorts. He had seen pictures in there of the POTUS and FLOTUS. There were others, such as Seth Rich, and more who have given their lives for the Holy Cause of Freedom in this battle not only for the freedom of this nation, but even the liberation of the entire world. He knew from reading the threads that it was indeed the Qanteen Quiet Room. The twinkling votives gave the room a special calm. *
*What a very special group these FReeQs are, so many of whom are gray haired, and have grown creaky holding the Standard and Torch for Freedom for so very long - and now hoping they are on the cusp of seeing their steadfast Vision bear fruit. He had bowed his head momentarily and then exited to see texokie circling the Qhristmas tree very strangely. What a Quirky one she is! He chuckles, “Tardis.”*
*His playing continues. This is truly a FINE instrument! He thinks of his Mission. He had noticed the recent newspaper reports of how the UK Forces [good guys] were following the cargo activities in the Arctic. He himself was involved in the US equivalent surveillance.*
*What the kids know very well already, but what the general public does not know, is that it is ALL REAL! He had been flabbergasted to learn that there really are such beings as “Elves.” But things are not as simple as the children’s Christmas tales. He was immersed in a world where the Elves - good guys - are under assault by certain enemies, and the US and UK air forces had been enlisted in their defense. Texokie had come really close to some aspects of the truth, as he had hoped she would, but he still could not speak of them or any of the specifics.*
*His space ship had taken a big hit of some kind of energy weapon by the Enemy, and crippled its drive function. The energy weapon did not breach the hull, but during the course of trying to fix the drive, he had had to get on the floor under the cowling in that area and had rumpled his uniform. The dirt came from the hydroponics/greenhouse unit which had also been hit.*
*He had managed to get into geosynchronous orbit over the Qanteen area and get the cloaking device on. (Yeah, we have those too!) What the Qanteeners do not know, is that there is an unmanned Government installation nearby, where he can obtain the parts he needs to fix the damage.*
*He had hoped to transport himself directly into the installation, but discovered that it has shielding which did not allow him to do that. The problem now is that he had hoped to be able to borrow a Qanteen vehicle on the QT to get there. His monitoring of the Qanteen indicated that no one would be here. No one would ever have known he had been there. He can’t ask Texokie to take him to the installation, but he has to figure out a way to get there - and to keep her safe as possible from learning things that could put her and other Qanteeners in danger.*
*So now he’s here, and the Qlock is Ticking. He really needs to borrow one of blu’s or greeneyes’ vehicles. He had noticed from his preparation to come down here to the Qanteen, that the trip to the installation from here would not be difficult; the snow pack is just right for one of the Qanteen snowmobiles. He chuckled, texokie really IS good at being an obstacle. Her Marine relatives raised her right! But now, what to do? He can’t tell her. *
*Seymour is startled when texokie skooches him over on the piano bench and plays the bass part to Chop Sticks. What a gorgeous piano! They finish with a flourish and both laugh heartily. Seymour realizes he has to take at least a little chance on texokie*
Texokie, do you Trust the Plan?
END PART SEVEN
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MOAR!