Fey'Dann - The Forgotten War: A Rear Echelon Billet (open)

[William Neir]

While others continued to live the high life at the B&G, and enjoy the time away from combat, I had decided that I'd had enough for an evening. I said goodnight to Doc, Alma, and a few others, and quietly slipped out the front door. All of the 127th, as well as the balance of supporting NRSF companies were being billeted and quartered at a nearby hotel. The amenities were basic and minimal on a tourist's standards. Naturally, it was received far better by men and women who weren't guaranteed to sleep beneath a roof...on the best of days. The only complaint that I had was that it was still a rear echelon billet, and I hadn't signed up to the service to see Coruscant.

Pausing outside, I lit up a smoke before making my way down the walkway. There was a skytram stop at the intersection, arriving every 15 minutes to pick up and drop off soldiers between the bar and grill and our hotel. Glancing at my chrono, I'd just missed the last stop by 5 minutes. So I stood, and got a few curious glances from passerby civilians, eager to catch a glimpse of my olive drabs and stripes. What time was it back at the University? Cynthia was probably stuck in a lecture. I wondered if she daydreamed, and missed a long-winded professor's spiel about humanities. I wondered if she wondered about me. No doubt we were now restless and uneasy, for reasons far opposed. I'd kept correspondence with her all through my basic and advanced training stints. She knew everything that I'd been through, from PT's to bland rations. She worried, not only for me, but because she was on Chandrila...and all she could do was worry now.

[Jae Pylache]

Lieutenant Pylache retires from the bar early, leaving the men to their usual merriment. Anyway, if you don't drink, smoke, or attempt to mingle with the... ahem... ladies, there's not much to do at a bar past a certain hour. He heads to the nearest tram station to wait on a transport back to the assigned quarters.

As he nears the waiting area, he sees Private Neir waiting on a tram as well. Seems Jae wasn't the only one who thought to call it a night early. He steps up beside the young man.

Evenin', Mr. Neir. Had your fill of carousing with the men as well?

[William Neir]

"Sir."

I dropped the remnant of my cigarette and covered it with the toe of my left boot. Though no salute was needed in off-duty protocol, I still hadn't gotten used to interacting with my superiors on a casual basis. A trooper's first distinct lesson that he receives from the D.I. is that all soldiers may be created equal, but stripes are still below bars, when you get down to brass tacks.

I didn't know the 1st platoon Looey, but that made him about even with most of Krayt company. I'd barely gotten my feet wet here, and was only starting to get my bearings. And somehow, the Lieutenant could keep track of replacements fresh from the depot. That was a good sign.

"I just thought I'd better turn in early, sir. I'm not much of a night owl, I suppose."

I smiled nervously, fiddling with my cap absentmindedly.

[Jae Pylache]

He notes the man's nervousness, and chuckles warmly.

Calm down, man. We're off duty... no need to be formal. I've never been much of a night owl myself.

His voices trails off, lost in thought. The men were happy now... on leave, nothing more life threatening than falling off a bed in the morning. But, as had happened in the past, that could change all too soon. Now was as good a time as any to talk to the men under him.

So, what's on your mind?

[William Neir]

"Just thinkin about Cynth-"

I corrected myself mid-stride

"-Cynthia, my girl. She's studying economics at Chandrila, and we haven't exactly got to see each other in a while."

Patting at my jacket pocket, I continued.

"Just correspondence, mainly. We can't do much more than write. I knew I'd be leaving her for a while when I signed up. Guess I'm just feeling it more some nights than others."

I didn't want to lose my train of thought on a mental ramble, and I looked at the Lieutenant, curious.

"Sir, do you have somebody? I mean...out of the service, and such. I didn't really take loneliness into the equation when I enlisted. Not that I'm having second thoughts. Guess I'm just trying to pass the time a little better."

[Sam Riley]

At the time Neir and Pylache were getting ready to board the tram to the hotel, O'Neil was completing her last rep of four sets of chinups, the end of her two hour routine. One she did every day atleast while billeted in town.

Her skin glistened with perspiration and the blood pumped through her veins to the beat of "I love myself today." through her headphones.

Mentally singing while gritting her teeth as she pulled her body weight upwards "Im..cool..." to the bar "Im calm..." and down again "Im gonna be ok..."

Dropping to land both feet heavily on the mat, Jordan finally felt the tension escape from her neck and shoulders. The workout was therapeutic, much more so than sipping a beer in a noisy bar. Not that she avoided the company of her peers, but pushing herself, disciplining herself, was something she was much more comfortable with.

She looked at herself a moment in the mirrors that surrounded the hotel's execise room. "Im gonna be proud, and loud and outta control..." The song cheered her, but no smile made the trip from her mind to her lips.

Time for a sauna and then up to her room for a much needed shower, and then bed.

She hit "repeat" and sang the song silently again in her head as she stepped into the steam room.

[Jae Pylache]

He chuckles again lightly.

Good man... good for you. It's always a comfort to know that someone out there's thinking about you. Holds the lonliness at bay, sometimes.

He ponders the man's question. Did he have anyone? Not anymore. He considers blowing off the question, giving a vague answer, but that would be pointless. He will fight and possibly die with this man. No reason to lie to him.

Well... I did, once. I loved her, but I probably didn't tell her that often enough. I guess I was just too cold for her. She couldn't take the distance from me. Not the physical distance, mind you. That she could handle. She just felt I was too far emotionally, like I didn't really care. It wasn't true... I cared immensely. But then again, I can see why she was mistaken.

He shakes his head in a self-depricating manner, and meets Neir's eyes again.

Listen to me, rambling on like an idiot...

[William Neir]

"No, sir..."

I shuffled my feet a little.

"I appreciate it. I guess I'm just trying to figure a way to handle all this. That, and...well...when we go fight. I guess that'll be even more different."

I pushed the thought out of my mind. Strange as it may seem, I didn't join the forces to fight. There was some unsaid life experience out there to be grasped. More than places and people to see, either. Some unknown psychological question lay dormant inside me, and I didn't have the words to ask it to myself. I needed validation, but to what, I had no idea.

"Sir? How long have you...I mean, been here?"

[Jae Pylache]

He grows slightly more somber at the mention of fighting.

That's true, son. When we fight, everything will be different. And that's when you see the true mettle of a man. There are men who lose their nerve, and their fear overcomes them. There are others who overcome it and fight. But there's a secret to it. Just one thing you have to remember. You will die. I will die. We all die. And in the end, what does it all matter? All men die, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. Once you get that in your head, it all becomes... easy. Because then you see death as it truly is. And it is nothing to be feared.

And I've been here for four years now. Not sure why I joined originally, but I'm glad for my decision. I have the feeling I'm doing good, doing what's right. Don't know when I'll leave, either. Just seems like I'm not finished here yet.

He pauses for a moment and turns back to the younger man.

So, tell me... what do you plan to do in the NSRF? Are you here to make it a career, or what?

[William Neir]

The Lieutenant's words drained the color from my face. According to his way of thinking, the only way to go through combat was with an abandon to life itself. The thought sickened me...and I wanted to immediately shuffle it out of my mind. Yet, there was a kind of barbaric practicality to what he said. From the outside looking in, as I still was, I could almost see where he was coming from. But looking in Lieutenant Pylache's eyes, I saw a stare that reflected the person within me, and he was miles apart. A distance sure to be closed by war, but not the friendliest of prospects.

I didn't realize he had said anything else to me, so engrossed in his first statement as I was. Finally, I spoke up.

"No....no sir. I'm..."

I licked my lips a bit, trying to return some normalcy to my train of thought after being blindsided.

"...well sir, I'm going to school to be a writer. The first thing that my professors told me is that only a fraction of a writer's work is in words. The rest is in feelings, impact, and experience."

I paused, looking off into the skyline.

"I don't have much in the experience department, sir. I've lived on Chandrila all my life. Guess I figured the best way to get solid life perspectives was to enlist. That, and the Forces agreed to work with me on tuition. All in all, it boils down to job experience, I guess."

I laughed.

"But no...no career, sir. At least I don't think so. I'm not much of a soldier. Well, I mean I had to be a little to get this far...but not like you guys, sir."

[Jae Pylache]

He claps his hand on the man's shoulder, chuckling.

"Don't worry son... you'll do fine. I can see it in you. This is always the worst part. The wait is almost worse than the fighting. It saps you of strength, makes you doubt. But when the fighting begins, it'll all come clear. The pent up frustration, the anxiety, the fear... it'll all vanish like mist in sunlight. Trust me, you'll be ok."

[William Neir]

"I guess so."

The tram arrived with a hiss of repulsors, coming to a stop precisely at the drop-off point. I hopped aboard, with Pylache behind me. We occupied a seat near the back. The few denziens on the bus were silent, and it was an eerie atmosphere, as we prepared for the ride back to quarters. I looked at the Lieutenant, whose face was as calm as if he were taking a ride into market.

"What you said...back in the bar...do you think it will be a tough mission? I barely know anything about the Cizerack, much less why we're going to Fey'Dann, wherever that is."

[Marc Tycho]

'Dont mean to take your heart away from you Neir old buddy but those friggin Cizzerack are THE most viscios bastards in this galaxy and personaly i wouldent go 100 feet infront of them by choice.' Tycho said unexpectedly taking a seat at the table where the 2 guys sat.

Tycho nodded to Pylache and waved down a driod, ordered the 3 men a drink and turned back to the convosation. War this, war that thats all soldiers alked about but then again it was one of the last nights these guys were going to see of a free country for a while. ' Alright guys?...whats the word of Feydan then? asked Tycho.

[Jae Pylache]

Pylache nods and smirks at Tycho's comment. Not buyoying to the morale, but true none the less. He turns his attention to the obviously nervous Neir.

"Well, he's basically right. They ARE quite vicious. And staying 100 feet away is an excellent idea, as they far outmatch the best of us in hand-to-hand fighting. However, they are also... shall we say... uneducated in the art of war. They fight in a straight-out swarm manner most of the time, attempting to destroy their foes with pure force instead of any real tactics. The fighting will be nowhere near "easy"... don't get me wrong. But they will not be able to mass over us as they have with other opponents, either. Don't worry too much about it. We won't know anything for sure until we arrive."

[William Neir]

"I guess not."

It didn't keep me from worrying. Nothing could. I felt pensive and on edge. The culmination of two years of preparations and training were about to come to a head. I'd drilled in live fire exercises, OELO deployments, and every one of the aspects of training for a NRSF soldier over a dozen times or more. According to the numbers...I was a soldier. My jump wings glinted on my DU's with no less brilliance than Marc's or the Lieutenant's, but I wondered if it was really so equal. Lieutenant Pylache had four jump stars, Tycho had two. And tomorrow, I would get my first...

...if I lived through the first day.

The airtram trundled through the criss-crossing Coruscant traffic, and suddenly veered into an approach lane, adjacent to a large, grey edifice...the hotel. I policed up my gear in the stow area under the seat, and pressed my cap onto my head.

"I don't think I can sleep a wink tonight."

We filed off the bus, and went into the hotel lobby, where I fished out a cigarette, and lit it. It was late, and few people milled about in the large room....mostly enlisted men. After a moment of wordless reverie, we all took the lift up to our billet floor, and walked to a T intersection, where our paths would split. Lieutenant Pylache's quarters went left. Tycho and I shared quarters with Occeran and Alma...no doubt still at the bar. Before parting with the Lieutenant, we paused.

"Sir...if I don't make it back..."

Gulping, I formed the words in my head, meticulously trying to clarify my speech.

"...will you mail my letters home for me?"

[Jae Pylache]

The man's nervousness was evident as they moved toward their hotel rooms. And he had heard this speech before. For some, it was necessary. For others, it was not. But he had seen this man in training. He has a good head on his shoulders, and he should be fine. He nods to the younger soldier.

"I would be glad to... under one condition."

He waits for the words to sink in before continuing.

"I'll mail your letters if you promise to mail mine. We'll just have to watch each other's backs then, won't we? I'm counting on you to be there to mail them back for me... can you promise me that, soldier?"

[William Neir]

I smiled, suddenly receptive of what Lt. Pylache was up to.

"Yes sir."

Maybe it was the sense of obligation that pulled me away from my recent melancholy. The fact that I wasn't going to be another warm body on some front line, but that I was depended on, just as I depended on those around me. It didn't assuage my fears, for I was still afraid. Yet, I had my purpose. I knew that I had a responsibility to stay alive. Not just for the mission's sake, but because people I knew needed me. Thus, on my last night of peace, I found solace in Jae Pylache's words. Suddenly, my request seemed rather silly, but I was thankful of the reply.

"You can count on me, sir."

I snapped up a salute to the Lieutenant, which he echoed in turn...then I left for the evening, following Marc back to quarters.

"Marc...hey...wait up."

[Marc Tycho]

Marc slowed to a careful walk for Neir to catch up, he was making his way back to his quarters to rest, not to sleep. If he slept the nigt would pass quickly and the day of war would loom over him.

' Im sorry, i was in a bit of a trance there Nier, the night is passing to quickly and i dont wish it to...' Tycho said with a heavy hearted huff.

[William Neir]

"I just want to go to sleep."

We reached our room, and opened the door. Beds were bunked on both sides of the small hotel room, so that four men could sleep inside at once. I made my way to the closet, taking my dress coat off and hanging it up with textbook care.

"I'm alright, I guess. Just rather not be sitting around with nothing to do...just waiting."

Stripping down to my boxers and undershirt, I fished out a smoke, and lit up, hunching low to sit on my lower bed, while Marc sat opposite on his.

"This must be how the turkey feels."

I let out a laugh.

"Y'know...on the night before Thanksgiving. Ever seen that holocartoon? Where the turkey thinks Thanksgiving is coming, and just kinda wigs out? Then, he finds out that the farmer's just been sharpening his axe to cut down a tree, instead? I always liked that one. Hell, listen to me. I figured that on this night, of any nights, I'd be all stoic, and thinking about philosophy, and all the things people said in history books. Heh, it figures."

Taking a drag, I lay back on my bed, and stared up at the bottom of the top bunk's mattress, exhaling a thin trail of smoke.

"You got a girl back home, Marc?"

[Marc Tycho]

Marc looked to Neir for a moment or two trying to remember when someone had asked that before. No one had, not many knew much about Tychos life back at home, not many at all it was a shock that somone would care to ask.


' Yeah, i have a wife and a daughter...my daughter is 9..and growing real fast..' He said with a chuckle, taking his eyes away from Neir a moment Tycho took a picture frame from his satual and looked at it a few moments. ' Haley is on the left and my daughter Gemma is on the right...' He said passing the frame over to Nier.

' I have not seen them in 3 months, since this whole sherade started...and now this, it will be a few months till i hold my family again...'

[William Neir]

"Really?"

Marc didn't seem much older than me. I'd never have guessed that he had a family. It seemed surreal that this was the time in a man's life that some people expected men to make something of themselves. I'd been at school for a few years. Doc was starting a family.

"They look great, Doc. Real great."

I handed the picture back to him...suddenly feeling a little out of place. I missed Cynthia...terribly. But it seemed that I had little other than puppy love compared to what some others had at risk.

"I hope I'm that lucky...y'know...whenever."

I lay back on my bed, staring straight up, as I fiddled idly with my field knife.

"What a way to see the galaxy, huh?"

I let a muted laugh shake my shoulders, looking over to Doc.

"All expenses paid vacation, and all you gotta do is not die. Or at least that's the glass half-full of all this <smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont>. What a bright side. And I'm not even that worried. It all just seems like a dream, I guess."

[Marc Tycho]

' When you get out there Neir i highly suspect you will disregard it as a dream, dont get me wrong mate by going to war for the new guys can mean a one way ticket to hell...then again it can mean experience and your first tour...' Tycho said. He hated letting the kids feelings flop, but the trt had to be told.

' Just stick with me out there Neir and dont give up...remeber that...just dont give in...alright?' Tycho said strapped his bag tigh again.

[William Neir]

"Yeah..."

I put my field knife away, and pulled the covers over me, rolling to my side.

"I guess you're right."

With a sigh, I tried to empty my mind, and find some way to sleep. After hearing Doc's no-frills talk, I was running low on excuses to sleep.

"...I guess you're right."

As the lights went out, I spent minutes...hours....staring up at the wire backing of the bunk above me...praying for the release of sleep to come, and cursing it all at once. Sleep meant another day. The day of days that had finally come all too soon for whatever part of me claimed to be ready. Eventually, I found the release I needed, and my eyes closed.