~*~*~
Chapter Two - Without you
The news Brutto took back to the barracks affected them all differently; Dizzy would not stop insisting that Ellen would be back but it was very hard to see if her gusto was for herself, if it was what she felt, or if she was saying it to help the others who were affected by it more.
Rico made no sign of having taken in what had been said, but they all knew that he had volunteered to help find the MIA's rather then cleanup duty.
Gossard and Doc shared a few memories but they had not known Ellen very well. Brutto too, was only affected by how much the others had been affected by her death. Zim had also not known Ellen but seemed to be holding a discreet silence around the others.
The news had openly hit Higgins the hardest, he had been heard crying himself to sleep the night of the news, and he had written various letters and memoirs to himself. Notes about her life were sitting by his bed.
The one being they had expected to emerge himself into some form of sorrow was T'Phai, yet as so far, he had done very little outwardly. It was very hard for him to be much quieter then he had before yet they had known him before when he had lost L'War in the same way.
There were a few pieces of paper lying on the floor under his cot, all written in Tophetian and Zim would not take the papers and read what they said - the former drill sergeant had learnt the language whilst teaching in boot.
No one thought until almost a week after the news had broken, to ask T'Phai why he was not upset by what had happened to his best friend; as the question was asked he turned to Max, who had been foolish enough to ask. "Ellen is not dead Max, she is missing, there is no cause for grief." Max nodded slightly, he understood that entirely - what was there not to understand. "I also feel that SICON is wrong presuming anyone dead."
"Yeah, it's arrogant of them,"
"No, not arrogant as such, it is not very well thought," He leant into Max more so that no one else could hear what he had to say. "You have seen the effect that two such simple words have had on Higgins, if you then consider the number of Troopers that would be affected in such a way. It does nothing for morale to have people know such things."
The young man nodded his head, despite his initial very shaky start with the Roughnecks, he was now fine around T'Phai in the least, and the Colonel was a very sensible and agreeable person when the initial difficulties had been overcome. "Things are done differently on Tophet then?"
It was T'Phai's turn to nod and he looked at Max directly. "We do not tell the person's friends and family that their loved one is presumed dead, they should ascertain that on their own."
"I don't think Ellen's dead, T'Phai." The simple statement meant a lot to the Skinnie, it meant that he was not alone in thinking his friend had survived the experience.
~*~*~
Chapter Two - Without you
The news Brutto took back to the barracks affected them all differently; Dizzy would not stop insisting that Ellen would be back but it was very hard to see if her gusto was for herself, if it was what she felt, or if she was saying it to help the others who were affected by it more.
Rico made no sign of having taken in what had been said, but they all knew that he had volunteered to help find the MIA's rather then cleanup duty.
Gossard and Doc shared a few memories but they had not known Ellen very well. Brutto too, was only affected by how much the others had been affected by her death. Zim had also not known Ellen but seemed to be holding a discreet silence around the others.
The news had openly hit Higgins the hardest, he had been heard crying himself to sleep the night of the news, and he had written various letters and memoirs to himself. Notes about her life were sitting by his bed.
The one being they had expected to emerge himself into some form of sorrow was T'Phai, yet as so far, he had done very little outwardly. It was very hard for him to be much quieter then he had before yet they had known him before when he had lost L'War in the same way.
There were a few pieces of paper lying on the floor under his cot, all written in Tophetian and Zim would not take the papers and read what they said - the former drill sergeant had learnt the language whilst teaching in boot.
No one thought until almost a week after the news had broken, to ask T'Phai why he was not upset by what had happened to his best friend; as the question was asked he turned to Max, who had been foolish enough to ask. "Ellen is not dead Max, she is missing, there is no cause for grief." Max nodded slightly, he understood that entirely - what was there not to understand. "I also feel that SICON is wrong presuming anyone dead."
"Yeah, it's arrogant of them,"
"No, not arrogant as such, it is not very well thought," He leant into Max more so that no one else could hear what he had to say. "You have seen the effect that two such simple words have had on Higgins, if you then consider the number of Troopers that would be affected in such a way. It does nothing for morale to have people know such things."
The young man nodded his head, despite his initial very shaky start with the Roughnecks, he was now fine around T'Phai in the least, and the Colonel was a very sensible and agreeable person when the initial difficulties had been overcome. "Things are done differently on Tophet then?"
It was T'Phai's turn to nod and he looked at Max directly. "We do not tell the person's friends and family that their loved one is presumed dead, they should ascertain that on their own."
"I don't think Ellen's dead, T'Phai." The simple statement meant a lot to the Skinnie, it meant that he was not alone in thinking his friend had survived the experience.
~*~*~
