Canticle Blue

38. Sunset

Music - Shining Water by Anuna

With accelerated replenishment of air and water in the following weeks, two more habitat rings were made viable, and the Commons dome was pressurized. This prepared the way for more than one celebration. Because heat from constant sunlight in the Terreska was quickly becoming more than adequate, it was decided that the Maire Meid would now be used to create day-night cycles for the ship's new colonists. So, with their enthusiastic backing (and Gilon's fascination with circadian rhythms in humans) everyone prepared the ship for a sunset. At a predetermined time, coinciding with the current day-length and time of dusk on Per'sa Island, Gilon slowly began to push the bow of the Terreska away from the sun.

The Terreska community had prepared many things, some of them kept secret from Annibet, for an evening party in the spirit of the original team on Per'sa Island. As in those first days, Syl, Elyse, and Havilan—this time with help from Maire and Ip—made refreshments for a gathering in the Commons. Others, assisted by the Middi, collected lamp-stands and shades.

As the end of the ship's day drew near, Annibet entered the Commons for the first time. The air in the dome had the smell of newly-moist, yet long-dormant soil, seasoned with mysterious currents of things yet unthawed and fragrant flowers in planter boxes. As she had seen from a distance, the perimeter of the dome was lined with globe lights. Among the things she had not seen were globes placed underwater in the half-filled pond and at key accent points in the channels above it. And, across the pond, majestically presiding over wavelets of blue light, was the full form of the Lillith, slowly turning on a tether, continuously leveling itself to minute changes in the Terreska's spin, as if it were riding the wind.

In widening circles, the sun began to slowly move away from the center of the Terreska canopy. Taking a cue from that, shades were placed over globe lights in the Commons, one by one, and falling water emerged from the top of one channel. Annibet made a mental note to inquire later about how that had been managed, then decided she would rather not know.

For those who watched from habitat windows, sunset began with a brief dimming of sunlight, sweeping around the chamber surfaces like a rushing cloud. As the shadow became wider and darker, the moving wave of sunlight narrowed and receded, gradually leaving the chamber until the Maire Meid, beneath the canopy, was like a dancing facet of the sun itself. The sunlight slowly faded there as well, until only the highlights of the canopy frame were visible. Then, with only a fading afterglow left in ship, everyone assembled to toast the night and sang a chosen song. Havilan also offered a couplet for the occasion:

Evening seashell
Our chorus within

At that point, it was as if the whole interior of the ship were bathed in the light of a thousand full moons: ring upon ring of globe lights, with blue mist drifting between and before them. Annibet was spellbound. She thought, This is something no one has ever seen, a moment impossibly filled with grace. Who could ever deserve to see such a thing? And yet...there it was.

In the enchanting light, Havilan caught an expression from Elyse and knew exactly what she was thinking. She walked over to the pond and started to take off her shoes. Then she looked at the rest of her family, held up her hand, and said, "Everyone who thinks daddy has to take off his shoes, raise your hand." Whereupon Maire and Ip enthusiastically obliged.

There was no escape for Havilan, of course. So, a few minutes later, all four of them were dangling their legs in the pond, moving them very slowly, so as not to splash. Havilan said, "Elyse, this water is life-changing cold!"

She replied, "But I know it makes you think of our evening on the island beach when you were first smitten with me."

At that Havilan splashed her legs, and they both gasped with the shock of it.

Maire nearly shouted, "Mom, my feet are turning blue!"

To which Ip added, "I will make my feet blue also." And she did.

Syl joined them and actually waded into the pond on her tiptoes. With a quivering voice, she looked back toward shore and said, "Don't worry Geddes. If I freeze, I'll float."

Because it was night, they all wanted to treat it as such, talking and telling stories until very late, not concerned about the morning coming too soon, because they looked forward to that as well.