Post by Erica Weiss on Aug 14, 2013 21:52:57 GMT -5
When I ask my friend the nomad, ‘Would you agree
I have made my mark on the world?’ he answers, ‘Why
Yes, you have made something of your life; but I
Prefer to find out what life will make of me’.
- The Nomads, A.D. Hope
I have made my mark on the world?’ he answers, ‘Why
Yes, you have made something of your life; but I
Prefer to find out what life will make of me’.
- The Nomads, A.D. Hope
Sagittaron, 0700 Hours, December 12th, 1994
“So. What do you want for your birthday?” Erica inquired, turning to her ECO. The two were walking back to their bunks, finished with the day’s tasks of flying around and delivering supplies.
“What?” her co-pilot replied, breaking away from some heavy thinking.
“I said, ‘what do you want for your birthday?’ It’s tomorrow silly” Erica repeated, nudging him playfully on the arm as they strolled.
“How do you know it’s my birthday?” the ECO asked with a smirk.
“Boozer, we’re exactly fourth months apart! It’s pretty hard to forget something like that,” Weiss giggled. The co-pilot frowned at the sound of his call-sign; it wasn’t a nickname he was fond of, but when you had a reputation for excessively drinking and partying during your time at the academy, it was almost understandable.
Erica positioned herself in front of the ECO’s path, stopping him so that she could force an answer out of him. Standing at 5’10”, the soon-to-be 23 year old’s eyes were leveled to hers. Boozer boasted an unshaven scruff of facial hair that lined a strong jaw. His short dark brown hair was equally unruly, only maintained by the constant brush of his hand, pushing it back and off to the side. Strands of his bangs decorated his forehead, in an unmistakably casual but alluring manner. His greatest attribute however was his piercing blue eyes, which coupled with a low brow, only intensified his gaze. Even after the couple of years of knowing the man, Erica was still quietly taken aback by his haunting stare as the two spoke in that moment.
Hoping that her blushing wasn’t too obvious, Erica continued to speak as if he didn’t already entrance her. “Ian…” she started to say more softly, attempting to be more earnest in her approach. “We’ve known each other literally forever. I couldn’t have made it through the academy without your witty banter. The least I could do is get you something”
Ian chuckled with a shrug. He was beaming now, eyes quickly darting all around him. “We’re in the middle of a Forward Operating Base on Sagittaron. Short of gathering a cool lookin’ stone from the Acheron River, there’s not much else you could offer me.”
“Hm, that’s not a bad idea actually. Hey! If I get two of those stones, maybe then you’ll have the ‘balls’ to back me up in a fight” Erica joked, winking at the ECO. Her quip elicited and eye roll from Boozer.
Ian sighed. “You’re never gonna let that go, are you? It wasn’t by best moment. Besides, you handled him pretty well, you’re a good boxer!”
“Well duh, but it wasn’t easy either. The man was over six feet tall and at least two hundred-something pounds.”
“You didn’t have to fight him, Sparrow.”
“You didn’t have to insult his mother, Boozer” she snapped back. The two were grinning uncontrollably now, and followed up their infectious smiling with laughter. After many years, and after many adventures like the bar fight they were referencing, this was the pinnacle of their partnership: casually insults illustrated how comfortable they were with each other.
Once the obnoxious laughing died down to intermittent snickering, the two began to awkwardly stare at one another. Erica still couldn’t get over his bright eyes. “Well…think about it at least Boozer. Maybe during our supply run to the front lines tomorrow you’ll have an answer for me?” she suggested.
“Fair enough” he said with a smirk.
The two continued to walk, this time a bit faster, so they would reach their bunks before nightfall and before they got yelled at for wandering. As they briskly made their way home, Erica couldn’t help but smile again, this time, to her self. The ensign had no illusions on the dangers of war, no bloodlust, nor possessed a burning desire for action. She was grateful, that she arrived when most of the conflict had already been fought out: the Sagittaron Rebellion, as it was later known, started in the wake of early October, but by December, saw a dramatic change. Now, equipped with air superiority, many believed that the fleet of the Twelve Colonies had the upper hand, destined to end the bitter conflict sooner than later.
Rather than allowing herself to be consumed by the fear and sorrow that war brought to any soldier, Erica spent most of the night lying in bed, wondering what to get Boozer. Such was the effect he had on her; Ian saw the good in everything, no matter how grim. He made the 12 worlds a little brighter, and through him, she felt that she could get through this.
* * *
That night, she dreamt about her father. It was a memory, one that occurred not too long ago.
She was standing in the living room, her fingers intertwined and fiddling with nervousness. It was unbearably quiet, and she couldn’t break away from her father’s look as he examined the letter. With each passing word that he read, his look became more and more grim. Finally speaking, he choked on his words, too angry to speak clearly.
“What is this?” he asked, forcing the words out from this throat.
“My acceptance letter. I already applied and passed any qualifications. I leave tomorrow” Erica answered shortly. Unable to look him in the eye now, her eyes were downcast.
More silence. It took more effort for her father to speak again. “And you going to tell me this when?”
“I’m telling you now. I have to tell you now. Otherwise, you would’ve just disapproved.”
“You’re godsdamn right I disapprove!” he shouted, his anger suddenly boiling over. “I spent decades, countless hours of time and energy, into starting a firm setting you and your sister up with a job opportunity and stability for the rest of your life! And this is how you repay me? You want to frak off and play soldier!?”
Erica closed her eyes, wincing with each verbal blow. “Daddy…” she began to say calmly, trying to get a word in.
“This better not have anything to do with the Boone-kid!”
“This has nothing to do with Ian daddy! We both always wanted to go, to get away!” Erica was shouting now, tearing up. Her throat too, began to choke up now. Despite breaking down, her father was relentless.
“Well fine! Then go! The door is right there!” he yelled, and stood up from his chair. Before he could get his belt off, before he could use his hands on her ever again, she bolted out from the house, tears streaking behind her as she ran.
Weiss kept running, and ran until she found herself outside of Ian’s house. Wiping her tears, she tried to compose herself for her neighborhood friend. It wasn’t long after greeting him did he note something was wrong. As always, he had a solution to her problems. “You look like you could use a beer. The Flying Cow?” he asked her.
Sniffling from crying earlier, Erica nodded. “Sure. The Flying Cow Bar.”
“Great. We can both drink our sorrows away until we have to go to the Academy tomorrow. You’ll have my back if I get unruly and in a fight?”
His question inspired Weiss to chuckle, and it felt good. “You know I do. I always do,” she replied, and looked into his eyes. She was about to lean in and kiss him in that moment, when she woke from her dream.
It was pitch black when she awoke, and when she pulled herself upright, was only able to perceive her own labored breathing and the muffled sounds of the FOB outside. She sighed, and plopped her head back onto her pillow. She rubbed her heavy eyes, and continued to think some more.
What do you get for a guy like that? she thought to herself.