Saga The First Day Challenge response: A journal entry by a new member of the Rebel Alliance

Hi, this is my response to The First Day Writers Challenge. It's short, but when I read the challenge it sorta just popped into my head. Let me know what you think.





Electronic Journal: Entry One
Entry Title: My first day.

Well, that was it. Today was my first day as part of the flight crew for the infamous Rebel Alliance. Who would have guessed there would be nothing special about it? Well, I shouldn?t say that. Today was special, I just thought it would feel different.

It doesn?t, not really. I feel the same as I did yesterday, and the day before.

Today, though, people depended on me and I guess that was different. People counted on me to make sure they stayed alive. What I did mattered for the first time in my life. Twice today, it was up to me and me alone to make sure someone else lived.

But tonight, writing this, I don?t feel any different than I did yesterday. Today does seem to be a good day to start a journal, though. A lot of guys here keep them. There?s something frightening about that. I know they keep journals so that there is something left behind when they are gone.

Somehow, though, that makes me feel safer, more secure. These guys at least think they will be around long enough to write something interesting. Something worth reading later. I don?t think I ever knew anyone that secure before. At least, no one that I lived with.

I suppose, once upon a time, I had a safe place to live. Babies don?t make it very long with out that, I guess. But it was so long ago I don?t remember. This is the first time I?ve felt like I would probably be here tomorrow to write entry number two in this thing.

It would be easy to quit, to leave. I know life is going to be difficult here. This is wartime, after all. Battles are being fought every day, or nearly so. If it isn?t a battle with the Empire, it?s a battle for survival. They told me it?s hard to get supplies in, that half the time there?s no food. That?s not a lot different from what I?m used to, though. Medical supplies are almost non-existent at the moment. That?s just as well, I suppose. There are very few injured to be treated in a space battle and no medicine means less to carry around.

Thankfully, that doesn?t mean no bacta patches for cuts and scrapes. I got my fair share of those today, but they are almost gone now. The cuts, I mean. The funny part is, I didn?t even notice I was hurt. After everything was over, someone noticed I had blood on my sleeve and found a med kit. That?s something else that?s new for me. I never used to have things like that available. Once in a while, I?d get patched up. But most of the time I just wiped the blood off and kept going.

That?s what it like, though, when you?re on your own. You just keep going and hope for the best. I?ve been pretty lucky so far. I can read and write and use a data terminal. Still not sure where I picked most of that up. I know where I picked up my repair skills, though.

I spent so long hanging around the spaceports that I couldn?t help but pick something up. That?s what kept me alive so far. I was pretty good at fixing stuff, so I?d hang around with the maintenance crews and they would give me a few credits to help out. That was nothing like this, though.

This was kinda nice. I was a part of the team. What?s more, they trusted me to do my job and know what I was doing. No one even got upset when I said I didn?t know how. They said they weren?t surprised, X-wings are a lot different from the big freighters I was used to working on. But the other guys showed me how to do it right, and then they left me to do it.

I saw when the guys? stabilizers weren?t working correctly or when one of the canopies didn?t seal correctly... I felt good, then. I felt useful. I like being useful. That?s new, too.

I guess I do feel a little different today. I still can?t believe how nice everyone has been. Obvi

 

Hey! I didn't know you were a member here! Good to see you.

Great fic!

You've created an interestign character, and I really want to know more about him (her?). How he (she?) ended up in the rebellion and what their life was like before they joined the Rebellion - sort of sounds like a hard life.

I think you've captured that whole first day thing very well. First days are often odd, and we don't usually get out of them what we expected. They generally aren't the type of days that alter our whole existence - it's a different kind of change.

Well done Pokey, it's a great fic!

 

Nice to see you here, ZMD. Really great post. I like how you gave your character that first day at work feeling. He(she) seemed to be in awe of what was going on around them, but also saw how they could contribute. I agree that I would like to learn more about this person and how he or she got to that point. Awesome stuff. Look forward to more

 

Very well done! I loved the idea, and the POV of it. Thank you for writing it!

 

Thanks for your feedback guys!

Kazzy I wasn't here until a couple weeks ago. What? the date under my name? Uh... I... well... Alright, I admit it, I was lurking. but I'm here now, does that count?

Healer Leona Thanks. A friend told me that it didn't seem to fit the challenge because the examples had specific characters, but it did say whatever felt right... I'm glad you liked it.

Rev HI! *waves like a little kid* I'm not sure there is more, but I'll ask Fred. if there is, I'll post it. Thanks for the feed back.

Sara_Kenobi Thanks for reading it! Really, though, I'm glad you liked it. I hoped it was original, I know I've never written that particular setup before.

Thanks all, for your support! Later.

 

Great job!

Today, though, people depended on me and I guess that was different. People counted on me to make sure they stayed alive. What I did mattered for the first time in my life. Twice today, it was up to me and me alone to make sure someone else lived.

I think this is a very telling statement about this character and what his past may have been like. I would love to read more about this character.

A lot of guys here keep them. There?s something frightening about that. I know they keep journals so that there is something left behind when they are gone.

I thought this was a powerful line that cut right to the heart of the fear and uncertainty they must have all felt and lived with each day.

 

Nicely done. I liked the balance of pride and insecurity that would come from dealing with wartime problems.

I especially liked There?s something frightening about that. I know they keep journals so that there is something left behind when they are gone.

Somehow, though, that makes me feel safer, more secure.

Pretty much says it all.

Great job.