Letter Home from Harvest: I

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<Access: CV; Robert Santiago Gomez, SN 56921-37445-RG>
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<Access: Contact information, next of kin>
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<WARNING: Keylogging enabled. All message traffic from Harvest Operational Theater is restricted. Any breach of operational security will be censored and punished pursuant to JAG-311-AUG>
Dear Mr. and Mrs Gomez.
I regret to inform you that your son was killed in action <CTRL+A. Delete>
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Gomez.
I offer my deepest condolences when I- <CTRL+A. Delete>
Mr. and Mrs. Gomez.
I deeply regret to inform you that your eldest son was killed in action on May 15th, 2529. As his squad leader, it has fallen to me to write this letter home. Let me assure you, his death was quick and painless. He felt nothing. I personally witnessed his brave actions in the last few moments of his life, and I tell you that you should be proud to have raised a boy as brave and selfless as Robert was.
Unfortunately we cannot recover his bod <SHIFT+Home, Delete>
Your son will unf <SHIFT+Home, Delete>
I regret that he will <SHIFT+Home, Delete>
“He felt nothing” used to be a lie we told the next of kin so that they could sleep at night. Now it’s the truth. It’s God’s truth. Plasma sears the skin and kills the nerves faster than they can conduct pain to the brainstem. Radiation burns will do the same thing. I’ve seen so many good men dying without knowing that they’re dying, it makes me sick.
Your son did not die to Covenant plasma. I thought he did. God as my witness, I thought he was already dead. We were all hunkering down in what cover we could find, ready to throw grenades out, when I saw him. He was dancing between the plasma bolts, dragging Lieutenant Marcetti to safety. I’ve never seen anything like it. But it was too late. We’d already gotten to cover and the grenades were already thrown.
In this case, the grenade was a Fury tac-nuke, with a punt device to throw it just beyond minimum safe distance. And I’m the one who pulled the pin. If I’d seen him a split second sooner, maybe I could have waited. I don’t know. The tactical situation was fluid. But it was my fault.
I believe that the only reason the Fury was as devastating as it was is that every one of those split-lipped bastards had their head up, shooting at your son. And not a single one of them could land a hit. We crawled out from under that mushroom cloud and you can be damn sure we avenged Robert. But I’m the one who killed your son, and I’m going to carry that guilt with me for the rest of my <SHIFT+A, Delete>
Mr. and Mrs. Gomez.
I regret to inform you that your eldest son was killed in action on May 15th, 2529. I assure you, his death was quick and painless. As his squad leader, it was my pleasure to know him in life, and my honor to have seen his valor in his last moments. You should be proud to have raised a man as selfless and brave as Robert was...