Falling Star
Written on 1/26/08 by Ziggy
The Story
The invention of the Soul Cannon unnerved the Colossi, an impressive achivement. It also unnerved Eric, though this was less than impressive. Had he been borne six years earlier, he would have found himself doing scrub duty on the mining robots in an asteroid facility. Now, he was considering volunteering for siege duty.
"You don't have to, you know." Voultrax counciled him, "I started out as a scrub tech myself! A few years of experience, a few promotions, you might find yourself doing medical work, or even pre-market purifyer jobs. Point is you don't have to enlist just because you don't have an offer from Dynalance."
"But I've always dreamed of working for Dynalance!" Eric whined, "I mean, what else could I do? Sure, I could take a suds job, but I'd never be among 'the strong, the steady, the vigilant'! If I volunteer for Soul Cannon, I could really make a difference! Maybe the Colossi won't challenge the blockade. Then I'd get a full battery of career optimizations, maybe even end up in lance command!"
"Yes, but if a colossus bears on your position, what then?"
"Well, at least my sacrifice will be remembered." and he added to himself, "I'll be safe in the Father's arms by then."
"Remembered, yes..." mused Voultrax quietly, "Remembered, but for how long? Just, be smart about it Eric. Volunteer for orbitals, or even sweeps! You'll make a great cleanser some day, I don't want you to throw that away."
"Thanks Voul." Eric said, his eyes lowered.
"Now go get that homework done. I have things to do too you know!"
But Eric knew that he would never be a great cleanser. The years of his apprenticeship had not been encouraging, and although he had been training under Voultrax, a master cleanser, his progress had been slow. The "principles of cleansing" left him dazed. Excercises in restoring be-gunked power armor were enjoyable, but only to a point. Though his hard work showed promise, it was un-exceptional. The Soul Cannon's arrival had flooded the local markets with technicians from de-commissioned infantry, including cleansers with years of on-the-field experience.
And so Eric was faced with a clear choice. Eric Dostrov-07.03.01 could persue his un-exceptional career as a cleanser for a mining camp seven light-minutes from the nearest hub. Or, Eric the firstborn of Aarolgie, could step boldly into manhood, and sign away his life to defend the Periphery from the Colossi.
At least, it seemed clear at the time.
---Four Months Later---
...ALERT! ALL OPERATORS TO BATTLE STATIONS! ALERT ALL OPERATORS...
Eric's heart pounds in his throat. His breath is deep and fast. No time. No chance to think now. Soon the firing chamber will open. The bonds will recieve him. He finds himself running toward his own execution. Vauge shapes pass him. "Hurry!" they cry, "Go now!" Now he has reached the chamber, now the command is given!
"Gah!" Eric sat up in bed. It had been 162 days since he had volunteered to join the Soul Cannon arm of Dynalance. His training was insultingly short. Training wouldn't help him. Knowing that didn't help either. When he was issued his uni-coveralls the thought once again rushed toward him that he might die in these clothes. The thought was pointless, he pushed it aside. Who cares what you're wearing when you die? Maybe your Mom, but his mother was proud of him. His whole family had attended his swearing in, and cheered as he performed his first salute. That had been months ago, and it still haunted him how the bold action had raked off the dross from his life. Eric found himself in a whirl of physical examinations, last minute testing, transport, and training.
He discovered the training consisted mostly of procedures he would be expected to perform when on watch at the Soul Cannon emplacement. Cleaning his bunk space, giving reports, saluting, standing attention. The more interesting classes you always saw on the vid-advertisements were absent. No one wasted 3d battlefield visualization on cannon fodder.
Analysis
Feel free to put any analysis here.
Ziggy's analysis
I continuously felt the urge to move into an explanation as to the operation of the soul cannon, the siege of the inner worlds, the role of the Colossi, and the history of their struggle. Instead, I have tried to focus on the character of Eric as a person, the results of his choices, and how these events have affected his actions.
