It's a quiet Saturday morning when I choose to clean out my office on Fort Sturm. I want to avoid, as much as possible, the long and awkward goodbyes. After the last box is safely tucked away, I stand there, looking at the bare walls and contemplating my new life in the Capitol.
"I thought you'd sneak in here today and try to slip out unnoticed." I turn around and see Bixby standing in the doorway.
"Caught me, Sir," I say throwing up my arms like a bank robber.
"Try not to forget us little folk when you're up there in the ivory tower, Sergeant Major. If you need a saber bearer for your change of responsibility ceremony with the Chief next week, consider throwing my name in."
"Oh Sir," I say shaking my head. "You're still a commissioned officer and I'm just a dumb grunt who got lucky."
"Well, you're now a dumb grunt who makes a hell of a lot more money than I do." We both laugh before he holds out his hand. "It's been a pleasure, Sergeant Major," says Bixby giving me a firm shake. "Thank you for teaching me how to be a leader."
"Oh Sir, I think you always knew. You just needed someone to kick you in the ass a little."
"Probably," he says slowly nodding his head.
"Well, I think that's it," I say turning towards the door. "I'll be seeing you around."
"Just where the hell do you think you're going? There's a lot more people who want to say goodbye to you." My stomach drops. This is precisely what I wanted to avoid.
"Sir, really…"
"You don't have a choice," he says grabbing my arm and forcing me towards the conference room. He opens the door and inside is every company commander and first sergeant clapping around a giant cake with the words "Good Luck Sergeant Major" in red frosting with a giant plastic axe plunged into the center.
We spend the next half hour, laughing, joking, and reminiscing as each one of them tells a personal story about their experiences with me. The emotion is building and no matter how wonderful this feels, I know I have to get out of here.
"Seriously, gentlemen, this is incredible, but I have to get going." Suddenly, they all get worried looks on their faces. First Sergeant Galbiaz runs over to the door, opens it a crack, and peeks out into the hallway. I try to look out, but Bixby's hand pulls me back.
"Uh uh, no peeking."
"Sir, what's going on?" First Sergeant Galbiaz closes the door and flashes a thumbs up.
"They're ready," he says.
"Ok," Bixby says relieved. "You can leave now." I run up to the door, open it, and gasp. There, lining both sides of the hallway all the way out the front doors and beyond, is the entire Gunslinger Battalion, all dressed in their shiny dress blacks and standing at parade rest.
I turn around and see the commanders, first sergeants, and Bixby all smiling right back at me.
"Why the hell did you make them do this on a Saturday when they just got back from overseas!" I shout at them angrily, but they all just start laughing. I look over to Bixby totally confused.
"We didn't have to make them do anything. They wanted to do this."
"Why?" I say still dumbstruck with disbelief.
"Because, they wanted to show the Sergeant Major of the Defense Forces just how proud they were to serve under Command Sergeant Major Olivia Hightower…"
I quickly cover my face to hide my emotion, take a deep breath to steady myself, and then throw my shoulders back.
"Well," I say loud enough for everyone outside in the hallway to hear. "Command Sergeant Major Hightower wanted to say just how proud she was to serve with all of them too ."
"Godspeed, Hatchet," Bixby says shaking my hand once more before I turn into the hallway, and exit the Gunslingers' Headquarters for the last time…
The next evening, I stand on the back porch of our house and watch Aurora play in the grass with Ears the Rabbit. All the boxes have been packed and eagerly await the movers tomorrow morning. As I lean over the railing of the deck, I hold my hatchet in my hands and closely examine ever knick and scratch in its weathered handle. I just couldn't make myself tape it up in a box like it was any other simple belonging. No, it will travel with us as one of the family.
Clint is still cleaning up our take out dinner in the kitchen, but he keeps the television on. We kept it out specifically to watch an event that was supposed to happen tonight. I listen as the special report from PNN begins.
"Soon after the Task Force arrived in the Gulf of Sidra in the pre-dawn hours, the massive guns of the UDPS Polaris went to work…" The screen cuts to the images of the Polaris firing its giant cannons into the Mediterranean night. I close my eyes and remember what it was like to experience a broadside fired from her deck. "Within three hours, the ancient walled city of Syrte and the town of Qasr Abu Hadi, who until less than three days ago were considered to be impenetrable militia strongholds, now both lie in smoking ruins.
The pirates here in Tripolitania are now defeated, scattered, and on the run. The local population could not be happier." The image now shows a group of men, dancing on top of the burned out hulk of a militia armored personnel carrier, chanting and waving the UDP Mockingjay flag above their heads.
"Food aid and medical supplies which used to arrive only by the single bag, now arrive by the ton." The screen shows legions of UDP soldiers, sailors, and marines distributing food, bottles of water, and first aid kits to thousands of smiling and waving Tripolitanians while pilots land more transports in the background. Medics and doctors check out child after child, ensuring they receive immunizations and other care.
"Here in the Binwaldi Refugee Center, one of the hardest hit by the militia forces, and the site of the crash of Sergeant Major of the Defense Forces Hightower's hovercraft, there is real hope for the first time in many years." I turn around to see a line of smiling kids, none older than ten years, all holding a bag of grain emblazoned with the Mockingjay and waving. Then, there's an image of a UDP soldier handing the kids a rubber ball. "A gift from one of the soldiers here quickly turns into the first game that many of these children have ever played in their lives outside without fear of being shot or abducted." The kids all laugh and smile as they kick the ball back and forth between themselves and a few of the UDP soldiers who have decided to join in the fun.
I feel tears streaming down my face as I look over my shoulder at the screen.
"Allahu Ackbar," I whisper just loud enough for only me to hear.
"Though the crisis here is far from over, there is now undeniable progress. It may take many months or even years to restore normalcy to Tripolitania, but in the words of President Reefs in a press conference earlier today, 'It is a long time coming.' Reporting from the deck of the UDPS Polaris off the coast of Tripolitania, this is Grigori Tesla for PNN."
I turn back to watching Aurora play in the fading light as Clint clicks off the television and steps outside to join me.
"Don't worry about the television, I'll pack it up before we go to bed…" he looks over and finally notices that I'm crying. "What's wrong?" he asks worried.
"Nothing," I say as a huge smile creeps onto my face. "Nothing at all," I instinctively throw my arms around him, but quickly pull back as he jumps.
"What is it?" I ask.
"Watch it with that thing," he says pointing at the hatchet I forgot I had in my hands. "I've already shaved once today and don't need to shave again."
"Sorry, sorry…" I say looking down a little embarrassed. Immediately, he lifts up my chin and starts to wipe away my tears.
"So, do you have any special plans for that?" he asks pointing down at my right hand.
"Well," I say holding my hatchet back up to the light. "I figured at my first staff meeting at the Ministry of Defense…"
"Yeah…"
"That I'd walk into Central Briefing, see the Chief and all the other big-wigs sitting around the wooden conference table…"
"Uh huh…"
"And then I would sink this as hard as I can into the wood of the table and shout, 'There's a new sheriff in town!" We both burst out laughing as Clint grabs me, pulls me close, and then plants a kiss on the side of my head.
"And you're just crazy enough to do it, too."
"That I am…" I say looking back down at the ground. He waits for a few seconds.
"How does it feel to suddenly be responsible for every single soldier, sailor, airman, and marine over there doing great things?" I look back into his eyes and come up with an honest response.
"Exhilarating and terrifying at the same time."
"And that is why you'll be the best Sergeant Major in the history of the Defense Forces…"
"I love you," I say as he leans in for another kiss.
"I know."
Clint turns around and heads back into the house. I look to Aurora again still playing with Ears the Rabbit, but her game has taken a scary turn.
"Look! It's the monster again! Run away!" She bounces Ears fast over the grass and then makes a burrow out of the folds of her skirt for him to hide in. Khalid's words suddenly jump back into my consciousness.
"Olivia. I now see that a warrior such as yourself…can be the greatest mother of all. Your strength will be passed to your children…" I look down at my weapon one final time and then walk out to her.
She suddenly looks up and freezes as she sees the last bits of daylight glinting off the steel edge of the axe-head.
"Is Ears scared of Monsters?" I ask with a straight face. Aurora just nods, not sure of what to make of this. "Well, I am too," I say as my face transforms into a smile. "But if you learn how to use this," I say showing the hatchet to her, "it will keep both of you safe." My daughter's expression lights up like I've just shown her the open door to a brand new world.
I kneel down behind her as she climbs to her feet and leans into my chest.
"Alright," I say gently picking up Ears and placing him behind us. "I'm gonna put Ears back here so he can be safe and watch us, ok?"
"Ok," she says. Then, I place the hickory handle in her tiny right hand.
"You have to promise me, that you'll be very careful when you hold this. Never point it at anything you don't want to hurt."
"Ok," she says a little more nervous now.
"Don't worry, you're doing great. Now, it's important to remember when you throw this, not just to use your arm. All the power comes from here," I say tickling her little tummy. She giggles, but holds on to the hatchet firmly.
"Ok!"
"Now, hold it up and point the edge right to where you want to hit." I turn her to face the wall of the shed in the corner of the yard. "That's it, perfect!" All I'm doing right now is steadying her aim. All the weight of the weapon is in her little arm. "Ok, when you're ready, take a deep breath, relax, and throw…"
Aurora doesn't even hesitate. Like a duck to water, she pulls back and lets the weapon fly. It spins, straight and true, and plants itself firmly right in the wall of the shed…
THE END