Rico opened his eyes and stared at the bunk above him. He growled and
tossed over to his side, trying to grasp at elusive sleep. After all this
time on the Valley Forge, he had trained his body to grab sleep where ever
he could find it-- but today, sleep would not come. He sighed and let his
eyes roam over the room before him.
Something black and shiny caught his eye. He gave up on sleeping and walked over to the table in the room. Taped carefully under it, was as diskette. Curiosity got the best of him, and he removed it and placed it into the barracks video console. The screen flickered and came to life.
Rico automatically snapped to attention in surprise when Sargeant Brutto's face flashed on. He almost turned the console off, but something in the man's face held him. This was not the brutal, war hardened Sarge-- this was some other man with a face lined with care and worry, with eyes full of love and compassion. Rico was captivated. He sat down to watch as Brutto's form started to talk.
"If you are watching this," Brutto paused and cleared his throat, "then I did not make it home to you. I broke my promice." Brutto's image blinked back tears. "I'm sorry I couldn't come back to you, Marlene. I wanted to be there-- to watch Max grow up. He's a fine boy, and will make an even better man." Brutto paused a moment, and regathered his thoughts. "Marlene, do you remember the day I left, when I promiced that I would come back to you? I've been thinking about that, and how foolish it was to promice not to die in battle. I will do my best to come home, But if I can't make it, this tape is for you and Max. So you can see me, even if I never see you again."
Rico watched in amazement as the big man reached up to wipe tears from his eyes. Brutto? Crying? Rico could not believe what he was seeing. Brutto was human after all! His focus went back to the screen as Brutto finished composing himself.
"Marlene, Max, I just want to say that I love you. The whole reason I'm here is for you-- I will die gladdly if it will make Terra a safer place for you. There has not been a single day that I have not thought about you. You are my whole life-- the only reason that I was ever meant to live, or die."
His image shifted slightly. "Marlene, you are the love of my life-- always have been, always will be. I want you to be happy, whatever it takes. I know that whatever you do will be the right thing for you and Max." Brutto shifted again.
"Max, you are a good boy-- don't lose that. Just get better. You are going to go places, Max, great places. I oly wish that I could be there to watch. Take care of your mother, listen to what she says. Beleive it or not, we old folks to know a thing or two." He smiled, and Rico watched his face transform. Years of trouble seemed to roll away with that smile. "Don't give up, Son. Don't ever let my death be an excuse to stop you from doing something-- think of it as an encouragement. I know you are worth it."
Brutto stared straight out of the screen. "I love you both so much. I'll always be with you, as long as you keep a place for me in your hearts." He choked for a moment, then managed a final word, "Goodbye."
The screen went dark, and Rico sat in stunned silence. He removed the tape from the console and carefully replaced it under the table. Hardly believing what he had heard, he lay back down on his bunk and stared blankly up in silence.
"Up and at 'em, Rico! Do you think this is nap time?" Rico jumped up at the sound of Brutto's voice and saluted. "Come on, Ape! Training Sim in five!"Brutto marched out, and Rico started suiting up. He couldn't help a smile coming to his face. He knew that it would be easier to deal with Brutto from now on. 'After all,' He thought to himself, 'He's only mortal flesh and bone just like the rest of us. Only human.' Rico was out the door in two.
Something black and shiny caught his eye. He gave up on sleeping and walked over to the table in the room. Taped carefully under it, was as diskette. Curiosity got the best of him, and he removed it and placed it into the barracks video console. The screen flickered and came to life.
Rico automatically snapped to attention in surprise when Sargeant Brutto's face flashed on. He almost turned the console off, but something in the man's face held him. This was not the brutal, war hardened Sarge-- this was some other man with a face lined with care and worry, with eyes full of love and compassion. Rico was captivated. He sat down to watch as Brutto's form started to talk.
"If you are watching this," Brutto paused and cleared his throat, "then I did not make it home to you. I broke my promice." Brutto's image blinked back tears. "I'm sorry I couldn't come back to you, Marlene. I wanted to be there-- to watch Max grow up. He's a fine boy, and will make an even better man." Brutto paused a moment, and regathered his thoughts. "Marlene, do you remember the day I left, when I promiced that I would come back to you? I've been thinking about that, and how foolish it was to promice not to die in battle. I will do my best to come home, But if I can't make it, this tape is for you and Max. So you can see me, even if I never see you again."
Rico watched in amazement as the big man reached up to wipe tears from his eyes. Brutto? Crying? Rico could not believe what he was seeing. Brutto was human after all! His focus went back to the screen as Brutto finished composing himself.
"Marlene, Max, I just want to say that I love you. The whole reason I'm here is for you-- I will die gladdly if it will make Terra a safer place for you. There has not been a single day that I have not thought about you. You are my whole life-- the only reason that I was ever meant to live, or die."
His image shifted slightly. "Marlene, you are the love of my life-- always have been, always will be. I want you to be happy, whatever it takes. I know that whatever you do will be the right thing for you and Max." Brutto shifted again.
"Max, you are a good boy-- don't lose that. Just get better. You are going to go places, Max, great places. I oly wish that I could be there to watch. Take care of your mother, listen to what she says. Beleive it or not, we old folks to know a thing or two." He smiled, and Rico watched his face transform. Years of trouble seemed to roll away with that smile. "Don't give up, Son. Don't ever let my death be an excuse to stop you from doing something-- think of it as an encouragement. I know you are worth it."
Brutto stared straight out of the screen. "I love you both so much. I'll always be with you, as long as you keep a place for me in your hearts." He choked for a moment, then managed a final word, "Goodbye."
The screen went dark, and Rico sat in stunned silence. He removed the tape from the console and carefully replaced it under the table. Hardly believing what he had heard, he lay back down on his bunk and stared blankly up in silence.
"Up and at 'em, Rico! Do you think this is nap time?" Rico jumped up at the sound of Brutto's voice and saluted. "Come on, Ape! Training Sim in five!"Brutto marched out, and Rico started suiting up. He couldn't help a smile coming to his face. He knew that it would be easier to deal with Brutto from now on. 'After all,' He thought to himself, 'He's only mortal flesh and bone just like the rest of us. Only human.' Rico was out the door in two.