Constellations (54 page)

Kirk looked up, over the campfire, toward the canyon's eastern rim. “The sun will be up soon. We'll start fresh in the morning.” His voice grew low, quiet. “There's still a chance. I need to know.”

McCoy nodded wordlessly, turned toward the tent Spock had erected hours earlier, and left Kirk huddled by the fire. Perhaps there was nothing more to say. Morning would come. Kirk's quest for his fallen crew would continue.

 

If Breandán heard Gabby's footsteps he gave no sign, content as he was to play silently with his action figures and construction vehicles.

“Breandán, honey,” said Gabby, “it's time for dinner.”

Breandán ignored her.

She sat down on the shaggy grass beside him. “I talked to the school today. They told me about what happened during playtime.”

Again, Breandán gave no response. Instead, he dropped one action figure and picked up another.

Gabby picked up the figure Breandán had discarded. “Who's this?” she asked.

Breandán looked up at his mother. “That's Mr. Spock.”

Gabby nodded, but she was doubtful that in
Star Trek
Mr. Spock wore camouflage fatigues.

“What's he doing?”

“Sleeping.” Breandán turned his attention back to the action figures in each hand.

She put “Mr. Spock” back where she had taken him from. She tapped one of the figures Breandán held. “Who's that?”

“That's Bonesey.”

“So the other one, he's Captain Kirk?”

Breandán said nothing.

“What are they doing?”

Again, Breandán said nothing.

“Honey, what are they doing?”

“They're looking for Daddy,” said Breandán quietly.

Gabby said nothing for a few moments as she rolled Breandán's statement around in her mind. At last she said, “What do you mean, they're looking for Daddy?”

Breandán bounced the figures across the rim of the runoff gully. “Daddy told me that Captain Kirk was sending him away. His shuttle crashed. Captain Kirk is looking for him.”

The last argument Kevin and Gabby had had before his Reserve activation centered on how best to explain to Breandán where his father was going and what he would be doing. Gabby preferred to deal with the issue by not dealing with the issue, but that would have been unfair to Breandán. So, Kevin sat down with Breandán the morning of the day before he left and explained patiently to him that Captain Kirk was sending him on a mission.

What will you be doing, Daddy?

Captain Kirk will have me flying shuttlecraft.

Gabby disagreed with the approach, and she wanted no part of the conversation, but she listened to it at least.

Now she understood. Her eyes began to well up with tears.

“Breandán,” she said, her voice choked with emotion, “would you like to come inside? We can eat dinner and watch
Star Trek.
”

Breandán looked up at her. She thought she saw a faint smile on his face, the first she had seen in months.

He stood, nodded, but said nothing. “Give me your hand,” Gabby said. “Let's go inside.”

 

A mother and a child walk hand in hand. A captain looks to the east for signs of his crew. Their roads will never end. But perhaps, in make-believe, they will find their peace.