---
-VI-
---
The 56th squadron personel were all sitting on metal folding chairs in what looked to be a park, but was actually something none of them wanted to be at. Many of the pilots were there, including Fencer Reeves and "Krazy Kel", who had somehow successfully bailed out of his falling plane when it bit the big one during the dogfight to save Clinton.
Glenn Gordon was sitting in the front row of seats, wearing his decorative air force uniform, watching the scene in front of him. A week before, two days after the vicious attack on the Clinton airbase, he, Roger Winters, and a few other 56th pilots had been awarded medals and a ribbon or two he didn't even remember the names of, medals he didn't even want, but he had formally accepted them nonetheless. The medals and ribbons were now hanging calmly and proudly on their uniform chests, like they made the people they were gripping "real war veterans".
An old Green Earth patriotism song was playing on the bagpipes now. He continued to sit there in the hard metal folding chair, stone-faced, as Roger Winters kept one eye on the funeral and one on Glenn Gordon.
"Gord--"
"Please, sir."
Winters was forced to keep his voice down as to not upset the ceremonies. "Gordon, we need to talk when this is over."
"Well, then, we'll talk when this is over, Major." For some dumb reason, Glenn Gordon seemed to have no problem with upsetting the ceremonies, for he did not lower the sounds he came out with at all. Winters shook his head sadly, and simply looked back to the scene, realizing that dealing with the pilot during the funerals of so many good people, including Dario Yossarian and Clay Shamrock, was useless unless he felt like raising a stink from the dead's family members.
When the depressing ceremonies were over and everyone was still in the cemetary, conversing with each other, Winters instantly decided to deal with Gordon at this time. "I'm sorry about Dario and Clay."
No response.
"The Blue Moon fighters apparently got orders to go back, Glenn, one of Blue Moon's key cities was being attacked by Orange Star. You should be happy to know that anti-air took quick care of them." Winters almost found himself praying that Glenn Gordon would give him any sort of response. He should, after all, he had just learned what had become of the people he hated most this past week.
Still no response.
Winters growled to himself without actually making any noise, and got straight to the point. "Glenn, I think it'd be a good idea if you got out of the air force as soon as possible."
Glenn didn't seem surprised, nor did any emotions seem to emit. "Why's that?"
"It's just, well, you've been through alot of what pilots barely imagine when they join the flights." The Major had a point, a strong one at that, and this crazy idea of him "leaving the air force" didn't exactly sound like a bad thing either, but then Winters sighed, looking away from Glenn and backs towards a pilot's new grave. "The Orange Star boys called Eagle the other day."
The Orange Star forces had called Eagle? That actually sounded like some of a surprise to Glenn. Winters had a feeling it was surprising due to the uncomfortable look on the guy's face when he looked back towards Gordon. "What do you mean, they called him?"
"They recommended your leave from the air force personally, Glenn. They saw you when you were at that base. They said you looked like hell." That had been true, he had looked "like hell". Messed up hair, dirty aviation uniform, scratches all over him, and so much more than that, more than he could ever remember for the life of him.
"We'll see, Roger."
"Gordon--"
"I said, we'll see about it." With a quick salute towards the superior officer, Glenn Gordon solemnly walked away from the fresh graves of honored Green Earth pilots, and began sauntering along beside the graves, looking at each of them, at the names of the pilots who had been lost in the line of duty for Green Earth.
Roger Winters watched the pilot walk away, and he looked back towards the grave before him for a few moments. He saluted it highly.
And then he turned and began walking in his own direction.
---
"I guess that's about.
The war had taken a toll on all of us at the 56th. For most, the price was their lives, but for me, the price was the biggest one I felt I could ever pay. The day after the funerals, I turned in my wings to the Green Earth air force. I couldn't deal with the war anymore, it had gotten to me so badly I just couldn't take it anymore. Although some felt I was a good pilot, maybe even the best at the 56th, I about went down in a blaze the day Blue Moon attacked us. I don't think I was ever really the same.
But I never did hear from my former flying partner again. I don't even know what's happened to him, I don't know if he's even alive. Maybe he'll read this interview you guys are doing with me, and he'll finally give me a call after all this time.
I'm figuring he's sitting back somewhere in Orange Star right now, either in a lounge chair or a coffin. Heck, maybe he's in the Orange Star army or air force or something. Who knows, maybe he's a CO by now.
That'd be Glenn Gordon for you. Just when you think he's dead, you'd see him on TV or somethin', racing along on a sidewalk faster than one of those planes he flew. I wouldn't be surprised. That's because the man's a fighter.
Just like those planes he flew and just like all those other guys from the 56th, he's a fighter."
-Ret. Major Roger D. Winters, G.E.A.F. Green Earth Aviation Magazine Interview
-VI-
---
The 56th squadron personel were all sitting on metal folding chairs in what looked to be a park, but was actually something none of them wanted to be at. Many of the pilots were there, including Fencer Reeves and "Krazy Kel", who had somehow successfully bailed out of his falling plane when it bit the big one during the dogfight to save Clinton.
Glenn Gordon was sitting in the front row of seats, wearing his decorative air force uniform, watching the scene in front of him. A week before, two days after the vicious attack on the Clinton airbase, he, Roger Winters, and a few other 56th pilots had been awarded medals and a ribbon or two he didn't even remember the names of, medals he didn't even want, but he had formally accepted them nonetheless. The medals and ribbons were now hanging calmly and proudly on their uniform chests, like they made the people they were gripping "real war veterans".
An old Green Earth patriotism song was playing on the bagpipes now. He continued to sit there in the hard metal folding chair, stone-faced, as Roger Winters kept one eye on the funeral and one on Glenn Gordon.
"Gord--"
"Please, sir."
Winters was forced to keep his voice down as to not upset the ceremonies. "Gordon, we need to talk when this is over."
"Well, then, we'll talk when this is over, Major." For some dumb reason, Glenn Gordon seemed to have no problem with upsetting the ceremonies, for he did not lower the sounds he came out with at all. Winters shook his head sadly, and simply looked back to the scene, realizing that dealing with the pilot during the funerals of so many good people, including Dario Yossarian and Clay Shamrock, was useless unless he felt like raising a stink from the dead's family members.
When the depressing ceremonies were over and everyone was still in the cemetary, conversing with each other, Winters instantly decided to deal with Gordon at this time. "I'm sorry about Dario and Clay."
No response.
"The Blue Moon fighters apparently got orders to go back, Glenn, one of Blue Moon's key cities was being attacked by Orange Star. You should be happy to know that anti-air took quick care of them." Winters almost found himself praying that Glenn Gordon would give him any sort of response. He should, after all, he had just learned what had become of the people he hated most this past week.
Still no response.
Winters growled to himself without actually making any noise, and got straight to the point. "Glenn, I think it'd be a good idea if you got out of the air force as soon as possible."
Glenn didn't seem surprised, nor did any emotions seem to emit. "Why's that?"
"It's just, well, you've been through alot of what pilots barely imagine when they join the flights." The Major had a point, a strong one at that, and this crazy idea of him "leaving the air force" didn't exactly sound like a bad thing either, but then Winters sighed, looking away from Glenn and backs towards a pilot's new grave. "The Orange Star boys called Eagle the other day."
The Orange Star forces had called Eagle? That actually sounded like some of a surprise to Glenn. Winters had a feeling it was surprising due to the uncomfortable look on the guy's face when he looked back towards Gordon. "What do you mean, they called him?"
"They recommended your leave from the air force personally, Glenn. They saw you when you were at that base. They said you looked like hell." That had been true, he had looked "like hell". Messed up hair, dirty aviation uniform, scratches all over him, and so much more than that, more than he could ever remember for the life of him.
"We'll see, Roger."
"Gordon--"
"I said, we'll see about it." With a quick salute towards the superior officer, Glenn Gordon solemnly walked away from the fresh graves of honored Green Earth pilots, and began sauntering along beside the graves, looking at each of them, at the names of the pilots who had been lost in the line of duty for Green Earth.
Roger Winters watched the pilot walk away, and he looked back towards the grave before him for a few moments. He saluted it highly.
And then he turned and began walking in his own direction.
---
"I guess that's about.
The war had taken a toll on all of us at the 56th. For most, the price was their lives, but for me, the price was the biggest one I felt I could ever pay. The day after the funerals, I turned in my wings to the Green Earth air force. I couldn't deal with the war anymore, it had gotten to me so badly I just couldn't take it anymore. Although some felt I was a good pilot, maybe even the best at the 56th, I about went down in a blaze the day Blue Moon attacked us. I don't think I was ever really the same.
But I never did hear from my former flying partner again. I don't even know what's happened to him, I don't know if he's even alive. Maybe he'll read this interview you guys are doing with me, and he'll finally give me a call after all this time.
I'm figuring he's sitting back somewhere in Orange Star right now, either in a lounge chair or a coffin. Heck, maybe he's in the Orange Star army or air force or something. Who knows, maybe he's a CO by now.
That'd be Glenn Gordon for you. Just when you think he's dead, you'd see him on TV or somethin', racing along on a sidewalk faster than one of those planes he flew. I wouldn't be surprised. That's because the man's a fighter.
Just like those planes he flew and just like all those other guys from the 56th, he's a fighter."
-Ret. Major Roger D. Winters, G.E.A.F. Green Earth Aviation Magazine Interview