Sacrifice

Fiction Fragment Friday

I probably should have done something Christmas themed since I’m posting this one on Christmas, but that is not the inspiration that hit. Also I did a Christmas themed Fiction Fragment Friday last week and didn’t want to do two in a row. This week instead is another new piece. I am working on worldbuilding with flash fiction. Teaching myself how to get the most of the world into the least amount of words while still being primarily a story. This is going to help me in a future work I have in mind.

  My head spun to the left as his fist smashed into my jaw.  I tried to roll with it, but I was not a fighter and he struck me harder than I thought possible.  Everything went blurry for a moment and the room seemed to be spinning.  I found myself bent over my desk grateful that I wasn’t on the floor.  I could barely make out his yelling as the fuzziness started to clear.

  “You son of a bitch.  How could you just sacrifice him like that?”

  “Ensign Smolders you need to back down now or I’ll have you thrown in the brig.”

  “Do you think I care?  My husband is dead because of you.  I’ve got nothing left.”

  “Lieutenant Cameron died a hero.  He held that exit while his team safely got away.  He chose them over himself and you are tarnishing his memory with this outburst.”  I was back on my feet and facing him.  My own anger and sorrow was fueling me, but I could see his hands were still balled into fists.

  “How dare you.  You don’t deserve to say his name.  You should have ordered him to retreat.”

  “I did.  He disobeyed that order and if he didn’t no one would have left that station alive.  He made the right call.”

  “How can you say that?  He was your brother.”

  “Because it’s the truth, you just can’t see it yet.”  I let me voice soften a bit.  “Franky loved you.  You were his world, but his duty always came first.  He knew that the only way his team could get out was if someone stayed and held that passage so he did it.  He always put others before himself right up to the end.  I respect his choice and you need to accept it.”  My right pointer finger was poking him in the chest and for a moment I thought he was going to punch me again.  Instead I could see the tears forming in his eyes.

  “He was my world.  What am I supposed to do without him?”

I wasn’t sure how he would react, but I reached out and pulled him into a hug.  He wrapped his arms around me and wept into my shoulder.  “We go on because that is what he would have wanted.  We stick together and give ourself time to grieve.”  We just stood there for a while.  I held back my own tears wanting to be the strong supportive.  Captains don’t get to cry.  At least not in front of their crew.