DT 2022: Parting Messages

:Major Duceppe,
:This is Andra.
I hope you’re doing okay. I heard you’re getting out of Naval Intelligence.
First thing I want to say is, I’m sorry. Sorry for not being the best Spartans you could possibly lead, and for not being a reliable team. I don’t know how we ended up like this, and I still don’t really know what happened.
I’m under house arrest as I write – my Smart AI is under order to monitor my behavior so any wacky or sensitive remarks I make will be censored I bet. Can I just say there’s some remarkable or cruel irony that an AI modeled after my own mind is also my jailer?
:[ALT 5032-4  Addendum: I didn’t choose this role. And she hardly says anything that warrants a censor to begin with. It’s just a job, sheesh.]
I received the reports for Daniele and Roxanne. Yet I still don’t understand why. It’s like I never knew the two of them. Roxanne was my best friend, I thought of Daniele as my big brother. I thought I knew them. Now I know I never did.
It baffles me why or how they got involved with former Lieutenant Commander Korn and stole a battleship. I hope you don’t mind me saying it – the whole incident reads like one of your heist movies you would show us on movie night. I just can’t comprehend what went through their heads, or how they did it.
I’m upset at myself even now for not being there to stop Roxanne and Daniele. I’m upset our team is being dissolved and you won’t be there for us anymore. I know I didn’t say it much, but I appreciate everything you did for us as our commanding officer. You might be the only authority figure I ever met that wasn’t some questionable human being. It’s starting to dawn on me how screwed up the people around me are, and yet…
Thank you for bringing Ferret Team Boson to Earth.
Living here, I believe the experience has shown me what I want to stand for and protect. I spent my childhood wanting to kill aliens and not much else. But now I know I’m trying to protect and help people.
That’s the kind of Spartan I want to be. I have you to thank for this realization.
Seeing New Phoenix and supporting Internal Investigations in North America, teaching refugee kids to swim in San Diego, investigating aliens in Rio and mercenary companies in Seattle, and getting to have a life that isn’t just about being a Spartan.
I met and learned from so many people. The world isn’t as clear as I thought it was, at least not in the way that our camp trained us to think.
I really hope this message reaches you before you retire, otherwise I’ll be super annoyed from getting it back hours later, undelivered. I wasted enough time just trying to make sure I didn’t say anything clearance-breaking. Would be a lot of wasted energy better used contemplating boredom in my suite.
I want to say thank you.
Since I can’t come visit you and I don’t know what you’re up to next, I figured the best I can do is send a parting gift. I ordered you two red-eared sliders from Mars. I recall you saying you liked reading Martian history, so I named them after the moons – Deimos and Phobos.
I hope you enjoy them.
:Your loyal Spartan,
:Andra-D054
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:Andra,
Thank you, I got your message. I also received your Martian turtles. I appreciate them, they’re very cute. Deimos and Phobos are excellent names.
I am retiring, I’ve since relinquished my security clearance so I can’t and won’t discuss further regarding the circumstances of your unit standdown. That’s not my arena anymore and I feel for the sake of ONI that would be the best for both of us.
I’m glad I could help you, regardless of how ever small my contribution to you and your friends’ personal growth. You’re a brilliant young woman and I believe your future is bright. Keep at it, you’re already a wonderful Spartan.
Don’t hold yourself accountable for what happened with your teammates. It wasn’t your fault and its not your responsibility. Things happened. You were closest to them, and you don’t know what happened. There wasn’t anything you could do so don’t feel guilty. Focus on the friends you still have. They need you now more than ever.
Don’t worry about me. I figure I’m going to rent an intersystem yacht and take it easy for a little bit. It’s been some time since I got away from SolCore. A change of backdrop wouldn’t hurt.
Take care of yourselves. I know that’s not very considerate of me given you can kill a man very simply, but I do mean it. Stay safe on your future missions. And if you ever want to reach out, don’t hesitate. I might be difficult to reach for some time, but I’ll be sure to read your mail.
I hope we can meet again some time.
:Your friend,
:Kyser Duceppe (UNSC Army, MAJ-Retired)
Category:The Weekly
Category:Short stories