Saga Beauty (The soldier and the civilian he protects: who leads a better life?)

Disclaimer: Didn?t you read? It says ?DISclaimer?. What more do you want?

Big ol? kudos to Kudzu for providing his aid with my writing.

And find the Halo quote.

Beauty

?Most people - same job, same gig, doing the same thing ten years from now. Us, we don't know what we are doing ten minutes from now.? - Vincent, Collateral

It was the same thing, day after day. Same boring job. Same boring home. Same boring wife. Same boring kids All day and every day, it was the same thing.

Day after day.

I kissed my wife on the cheek and ruffled my sons? hair, just like I always did before heading out to work. I flashed a smile to my family and grabbed my briefcase, always neatly standing next to our shoes. A small part of me wished one of the boys would spill his drink or do something stupid - anything to have a change of pace.

But no, neither of them threw his breakfast nerf at the other playfully or purposely blew down the straws of the glasses of blue milk to cause a nice, big, bubbly mess for mother dearest to pick up. They just kept on munching.

Jeez. Were they always this dull? Or am I too busy with my boring career to notice? I shook my head, waved goodbye to the back of my family?s heads and headed out the door. Just like I always do.

As I hop in my speeder, I breathe a heavy, self-hating sigh. How did I let myself become so? boring? Man. I didn?t wish this repetitive life on any poor soul. Perhaps I did something evil in a past life. Hell, forget about it, old man. Just go to work, do what you?re paid to do, and provide for your family.

I started the engine and muttered several expletives to myself. I hated this life.

* * * * *

?GO GO GO!?

My white armored hand snapped forward, ordering the clone troopers under my command to charge ahead. Our boots crunched over the debris of what used to be a wall as our rifles let loose with extreme prejudice against the fleeing remains of a would-be Separatist uprising on the lush planet of Primus.

Apparently wanting to be Mr. Defiant Hero, one of the retreating men turned on his heel, screaming profanities. His hands shot towards his sides and yanked out two blaster pistols, twirling them around his index fingers like he was frellin? Jango Fett.

Oh, I hate show offs.

Before Mr. Defiant Hero could get a shot off, I gave him a piece of my mind as I blasted off a piece of his mind. I hopped over his body, taking potshots at the uncoordinated mob running away. Typical. Loud and passionate bark - weak, pathetic bite. I had no pity for these mere armed civilians.

They had the courage to attempt an uprising but didn?t have the guts to push the odds for what they believed in. Cowards.

An escape shuttle rose into the air.

?Hold your fire, boys.?

I didn?t need to order them to do so, for we could all hear the signature sound of Republic gunships swooping in for the killing blow. All it took was a single pair of rockets, leaving trails of exhaust in their wake, to obliterate the ship. My troops gave ear-splitting whoops of victory as they stood triumphant in yet another battlefield.

Any soldier of any time or of any galaxy would inevitably see the galaxy as he is moved by the higher ups to and fro to essentially kill. We had no problem with it. Well, for the most part anyway. Personally, everything was so? random. Chaotic.

We were never in one place any longer than we were needed to be. After that, we were off to some other environment to do our job. I didn?t mind my duty - it was why I existed, after all. But I just wished we could stay in one place for just a little longer.

The way things were, jungle, desert, urban environments and countless others became a continuous blur of marching, shooting - just in different places every damn time. Just when I get accustomed to a given place, we?re ordered off. And each time, being the leader I am, I keep my mouth shut because I have to set an example for my boys.

Fierfek, what was the poi

 

Well, I beta'd it, so you know what I think. But great job! Again!

 

The civie IMO leads the best life, he has a family while the soldier can not. I love how you captured both characters with a feel of realism, it seems that I can relate to both in some level on another. It is also good to see you posting your short stories again, Mig. Keep up the good work.

 

Very thought-provoking, and nicely written. I like how you structured the story to showcase the contrasts and similiarities of the two characters.

no man needn?t believe himself to be a failure if he can find the beauty in things.

Great line.

 

Thanks, partner.

It was a rhetorical question, Mike. But thank you.

I'm glad there's a sense of parallelism in the story. Thank you, Gabri_Jade.

 

I just noticed...

"Remember - no man is a failure who has friends" - Clarence the angel's note, It's a Wonderful Life.

Coincidence? (It's a Wonderful Life is my all-time favorite movie, BTW.)

 

[image=http://backgrounds.crossmap.com/archives/321_medium.jpg]

I love that movie, too. Best Christmas story, ever IMO. But the relation was unintentional and I can't believe I didn't realize it until you pointed it out...

 

Page five?

 

...Page six...

 

Excellent job, Antilles. Nice parallels between the clone and the civilian ? interesting to see how both of their minds change when they see the other. Sort of a duality.



KT

 

Bump this amazing viggie!

This is definately one of your best fics, and your longest, I think. Their lives differ so much from each other, but both accept their lives, for they could hardly do else. Clones are bred for war, civvies ain't.

Great job, ner vod, you really showed a lot of talent here - in descriptions, details, feelings, philosophy and catching the lifestyles properly.

 

Another mod's feedback! The Halo quote is: "This war has enough dead heroes." which is said by Cortana.

Thank you. I'm glad there was some semblance of similarity.

Thanks, Dave. I'm flattered that you think this is my best.