In war, truth is the first casualty. -Aeschylus
Let us learn our lessons. … Never believe any war will be smooth and easy or that anyone who embarks on that strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events… incompetent or arrogant commanders, untrustworthy allies, hostile neutrals, malignant fortune, ugly surprise, awful miscalculations.
- Winston Churchill
Bel stood in Sea’s office, her arms crossed as she looked at her sister. She was sitting behind the desk, reading over something on the cortex. Her usual zen calm even calming the usually fiery medic. She had called Bel up there on a professional capacity and since it rarely if ever happened, Bel was curious to know what happened. Maybe they know about Miley… maybe someone was looking for him? She had told Sea everything about the man and Sea had promised to let her know if word got back.
Sea finally looked up at her and leaned back in her seat. “Bel, Im very disappointed in the fact that you wont treat the 12th.”
Bel felt her body turn cold and she clenched her teeth before she shook her head. “Who told you I refused to treat them? I refuse to treat the ones with wounds healable with a simple bandage. We have refugees that I am still treating with wounds from the evac and I am running dangerously low in just about everything. If it wasn’t for General getting me more supplies, I would have to refuse a lot more than the 12th. Im saving the essential supplies for seriously wounded people. If they had any idea of how many people I have turned away for stupid little wounds like cuts and bruises. I am not going to patch up superficial wounds and then have NOTHING to use to patch up the sucking belly wounds or the deep gashes from a reaver attack. Im not a monster, Sea. Im just one person trying to help not only this moon but other moons’ inhabitants.”
Sea smiled at Bel and nodded slowly as she stood up. “Never thought you were a monster, Sis. Just getting the facts. Im the mayor, I knew the answer. I just had to get it from you.”
“That doesn’t mean Im happy they are here, Sayasi. They fought for independence from the Alliance. The Alliance sees them as hostile. Anyone they deal with will be connected to them in the Alliance eyes. You worked hard to get a treaty with Alliance. I don’t want to see that treaty broken. I don’t want to look at the refugees and have them go through yet another disaster. They have been through enough. I miss my home. I miss being out in the wastes where I am close to my father. And you cant deny that the 12th coming by all the time doesn’t send a red flag to the Alliance about our little slice of heaven?”
Sea walked around the desk and set a hand on Bel’s shoulder, making her sit down before looking at her. “I have thought about all those possibilities and more. The treaty is strong as long as everyone involved behaves, it will stay strong and we will NOT have to worry about that war spilling blood on our moon. Let me be the mayor, Bel.”
Bel nodded slowly and sighed as she sat back in the seat. “Ive lost one home, Sea. I don’t want to lose another. I miss Blackburne so much. I miss…” She closed her eyes and thought about her Sayasi. “Nina… and Papa… And that moon is the only way I can get close to them in spirit, Sea.”
Sea hugged her and Bel thought about it all, glad she had General. Glad she had Sea and Sabrina. Her new family.
- Winston Churchill
Bel stood in Sea’s office, her arms crossed as she looked at her sister. She was sitting behind the desk, reading over something on the cortex. Her usual zen calm even calming the usually fiery medic. She had called Bel up there on a professional capacity and since it rarely if ever happened, Bel was curious to know what happened. Maybe they know about Miley… maybe someone was looking for him? She had told Sea everything about the man and Sea had promised to let her know if word got back.
Sea finally looked up at her and leaned back in her seat. “Bel, Im very disappointed in the fact that you wont treat the 12th.”
Bel felt her body turn cold and she clenched her teeth before she shook her head. “Who told you I refused to treat them? I refuse to treat the ones with wounds healable with a simple bandage. We have refugees that I am still treating with wounds from the evac and I am running dangerously low in just about everything. If it wasn’t for General getting me more supplies, I would have to refuse a lot more than the 12th. Im saving the essential supplies for seriously wounded people. If they had any idea of how many people I have turned away for stupid little wounds like cuts and bruises. I am not going to patch up superficial wounds and then have NOTHING to use to patch up the sucking belly wounds or the deep gashes from a reaver attack. Im not a monster, Sea. Im just one person trying to help not only this moon but other moons’ inhabitants.”
Sea smiled at Bel and nodded slowly as she stood up. “Never thought you were a monster, Sis. Just getting the facts. Im the mayor, I knew the answer. I just had to get it from you.”
“That doesn’t mean Im happy they are here, Sayasi. They fought for independence from the Alliance. The Alliance sees them as hostile. Anyone they deal with will be connected to them in the Alliance eyes. You worked hard to get a treaty with Alliance. I don’t want to see that treaty broken. I don’t want to look at the refugees and have them go through yet another disaster. They have been through enough. I miss my home. I miss being out in the wastes where I am close to my father. And you cant deny that the 12th coming by all the time doesn’t send a red flag to the Alliance about our little slice of heaven?”
Sea walked around the desk and set a hand on Bel’s shoulder, making her sit down before looking at her. “I have thought about all those possibilities and more. The treaty is strong as long as everyone involved behaves, it will stay strong and we will NOT have to worry about that war spilling blood on our moon. Let me be the mayor, Bel.”
Bel nodded slowly and sighed as she sat back in the seat. “Ive lost one home, Sea. I don’t want to lose another. I miss Blackburne so much. I miss…” She closed her eyes and thought about her Sayasi. “Nina… and Papa… And that moon is the only way I can get close to them in spirit, Sea.”
Sea hugged her and Bel thought about it all, glad she had General. Glad she had Sea and Sabrina. Her new family.
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