{"id":210,"date":"2009-07-03T19:44:45","date_gmt":"2009-07-03T23:44:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.auroraforce.org\/blog\/?p=210"},"modified":"2009-07-03T19:45:04","modified_gmt":"2009-07-03T23:45:04","slug":"vong-war-annals-longing-good-byes-7032009","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.auroraforce.org\/blog\/?p=210","title":{"rendered":"Vong War Annals – “Longing good-byes” 7.03.2009"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wish you didn\u2019t have to go,\u201d Indy murmured, sliding her arms around his waist and burying her face against his chest.\u00a0 She listened to the quiet thudding of his heart as Mike folded his arms around her, inhaling deeply the scent of her hair.\u00a0 The wind keened outside the covered hangar.\u00a0 The transport stood about twenty meters away, on the rain-sodden tarmac.\u00a0 It was due to depart within the next twenty minutes, and he had to be aboard.\u00a0 If he wasn\u2019t aboard, he\u2019d never make the military transport dispatched to Wayfarer to take him and other personnel out of the sector, back to their postings.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t so much that she cared whether or not he made it back to the Sixth\u2014she\u2019d rather he stay here, on Xenen\u2014but that wasn\u2019t her decision to make.\u00a0 She thought she\u2019d be all right with his going back, if only for a little while, to wrap up loose ends.\u00a0 But now all she wanted was for him to stay here.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We have a second chance.\u00a0 I shouldn\u2019t worry.\u00a0 He\u2019s coming home this time.\u00a0 I can feel it.\u00a0 I know it.\u00a0 He won\u2019t betray me again.\u00a0 He won\u2019t betray <\/em>us again.
\n<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He kissed her forehead, tears welling in his organic eye as he stared down at her and she up at him.\u00a0 He managed to smile, brushing her hair gently from her face.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be back before you know it.\u00a0 Just one more little mess to clean up with the Sixth and then I\u2019ll be back here, with some small little rig to worry about protecting cargo haulers from pirates.\u201d\u00a0 He grinned.\u00a0 She laughed.\u00a0 They both knew life wasn\u2019t that uncomplicated.\u00a0 Not with the new alien threat in the galaxy.\u00a0 He leaned down and kissed her gently, holding it for a long moment before murmuring, \u201cYou have places to be today, too, love.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNothing more important than being here, right now.\u201d\u00a0 She tugged him closer, pressing against the warmth of him, inhaling deeply.\u00a0 He chuckled softly, rumbling in his chest.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t,\u201d he murmured to her.\u00a0 \u201cWe don\u2019t have time.\u201d\u00a0 His thoughts were clear\u2014he wished<\/em> they had the time.\u00a0 For that matter, so did she.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She sighed softly, reaching up and gently running her hand along his jaw.\u00a0 \u201cDid Dav at least let you say goodbye?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He frowned a little and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cHe wouldn\u2019t take my call.\u00a0 But I\u2019ll see him soon enough, when I come back and when he\u2019s back from patrolling with the Legacy<\/em>.\u00a0 I\u2019m not worried.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDad!\u00a0 I can\u2019t stall them much longer.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mike waved a hand toward their middle son, a signal for him to wait just a minute longer.\u00a0 He stared down at his wife, cupping her jaw in one rough hand.\u00a0 \u201cGuess that\u2019s my cue, huh?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGuess so,\u201d she whispered, covering his hand with hers.\u00a0 \u201cI love you, Mike.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI love you, too, Indy.\u201d\u00a0 He leaned in and kissed her one more time, lingering, savoring the taste of her lips.\u00a0 It would be weeks before he tasted that again.\u00a0 \u201cAlways,\u201d he breathed against her lips.\u00a0 He hugged her, tightly, then withdrew, picking up his bag and smiling at her before raising a hand in a salute.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She returned the salute, then let her hand drop.\u00a0 He dropped his arm as well and nodded to her, smiling wistfully, then turned and started walking to the transport in the rain.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I\u2019m going to get soaked.<\/em>\u00a0 He was almost to the gangplank.\u00a0 She ran after him.\u00a0 Just one more for the road.
\n<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He turned at the last minute, engulfing her in his arms.\u00a0 It was like that first kiss on their wedding night, every kiss on the nights they conceived their children, every good-bye and every hello all at once.\u00a0 It took her breath away and made his stomach feel hollow.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Their son hesitated to interrupt.\u00a0 The transport\u2019s engines rumbled.\u00a0 Mike held her tightly for one last, long, shining moment, then let go.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll see you soon,\u201d he said.\u00a0 She nodded.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMay the Force be with you, Mike.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He grinned.\u00a0 \u201cOnly if it brings me home to you.\u201d\u00a0 He turned and walked up the ramp after their son.\u00a0 She stood in the rain and watched as the boarding ramp slowly closed up, erasing the sight of him, watched as the transport slowly lifted, only backing up a few steps to watch it go.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I love you so much.
\n<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Her comm beeped.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBridger.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s operations, ma\u2019am.\u00a0 We\u2019re waiting on you up here for the dispatch orders.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She nodded, even though the voice at the other end couldn\u2019t hear her.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be there in ten.\u201d\u00a0 She shut off the comm and watched as the transport disappeared into the clouds, beyond her vision.\u00a0 He would call when they made it to the Sixth.\u00a0 Right now, she had an operation to coordinate.<\/p>\n

~ Erin<\/p>\n

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