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All Roads Lead To Sol...Epilogue
Posted By: S7N<n.j.r.jones@brighton.ac.uk>
Date: 30 October 2004, 1:23 AM
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Epilogue
2100 Hours, September 15, 2552 (Military Calendar)/
Sydney, Australia, Earth
Manny stepped out of the apartment onto the bustling street, hitting the close button as he did so. He took a deep breath, feeling the cold air fill his lungs and stared up at the cloudless sky. The stars twinkled overhead silently. It had been a long time since he had been alone like this, and it reminded him of his first journey back home since he joined the UNSC several years ago. Tall skyscrapers rose high into the sky, but not enough to block out the night.
People strode passed him as he took in the scene, feeling a small sense of loss rise inside of him. The passed few months had been hectic, what with him completing his training. He had taken on two assignments since then; one to silence a Governor who was causing unrest in a nearby system, and the other was a surveillance job on Earth. He had finished the last assignment six days ago and had since been on a two-week break.
Things were looking grim for humanity. Reach had fallen, and it was apparent that Earth was the Covenant's next target. It was just a matter of time before they got here.
He turned to his left and started to stroll down the sidewalk, watching the world go by as he did. He was surprised they had given him leave; all it took was for someone to recognise him from outside ONI and his cover would be blown. Thankfully, this part of Sydney was devoid of any military personnel, it was mainly businessmen and state officials.
He pulled out a cigarette, lit it and took a long drag on it. Being an ONI spook had meant given up such vices as smoking and this was the only chance he got since being enlisted in Naval Intelligence. The taste brought back both relaxing and haunting images as it had the passed few days, and his head swirled at the sudden rush of blood from the nicotine.
His mind wasn't being kept busy with a mission or from reading intel and he often found himself thinking about what was going to happen with the war. It scared him a lot to think about the possibly extinction of his race. Passed battles replayed over in his head, the deaths of so many comrades, and in particular the thought of not seeing those that were still alive again. Harland, Fincher, Walker, and especially Sarah.
Snap out of it, Jon he told himself. This gets you nowhere! He upped his pace a little, falling in with the steady speed of those around him. The noise of people moving and the sound of cars passing by filled his ears and took his mind off it all, but not for long. He was normally used to the dull hum of his Prowler's engines or the deathly silence that came with waiting for a target. The noisy street was a welcome respite from his usual, everyday life.
He took another pull from his cigarette and exhaled slowly, letting the smoke drift up into the air. Everybody around him seemed so calm, at peace with themselves, not knowing what was happening out there, in the wide expanse of space. Soon this would be just another memory he would savour for when he was back in action.
After he had walked for a solid ten minutes he stepped out off the street and into a bar he had frequented the passed two nights he had been in Sydney. It was a quiet place with a pretty Australian barmaid. She had taken a liking to him the first night, and he found himself going back again just for the company.
It wasn't as busy as it had been last night, with a few patrons at the bar and a few small groups situated in booths along the walls. He walked over to an empty stool and sat down, placing his hands out on the bar in front of him. It wasn't long before Jenny, the barmaid, came over to him. She was slight and had a girlish look about her but there was a deep sense of maturity behind it. She smiled at him, a smile he had noticed that no other person in here received from her. She couldn't have been more than twenty-five, twenty-six at the oldest.
"What will it be, Pete?" she asked in a mild Australian accent. Due to his involvement with ONI he had to use another identity for security purposes. He wasn't Lieutenant Jon Manors tonight, a member of the Office of Naval Intelligence. Tonight he was Peter Thornton, a deputy manager at Reading and Hadley, an American corporation that had an office here in Sydney. He was here on business.
"A whiskey and soda please, Jenny." He gave her a polite smile. She nodded at him and turned around to fix his drink, allowing her gaze to linger on him. "Busy day?"
"Yeah, another day at the office really." He chuckled to himself. If only that were true. "A lot of paperwork had to be done and I was the unlucky fool to do it."
She turned back to him and placed his drink in front of him. He took a long sip of it, allowing the sharp tang of the spirit to flow down into his stomach.
"Has it been busy in here?" he asked her before an awkward silence settled in.
"Not as busy as I'd like, but enough to keep the money coming in." it was a lie of course. This, along with every other bar and restaurant in this part of town, was upper class and expensive and was never short of customers. And those customers were rich businessmen with money to waste.
Jenny glanced to her left.
"I've got people waiting, I'll come back later." She smiled at him again and strolled off down the other end of the bar.
It had been a long time since he had felt a woman's touch. A very long time in fact. Even though he had been together with Sarah they had gotten little time to themselves, especially in the last year or so.
He took another sip of his drink and relaxed back into the tall chair. The two men sitting near him were having a discussion about current events off-world. They seemed to be agreeing whole-heartedly that the Covenant would never come anywhere near here. One of them was adamant about the fact, something that Manny wished were true.
"You okay, there?" he turned back to the bar and saw Jenny standing in front of him again.
"Yeah, fine, just eavesdropping."
"How's your brother?" she asked "Have you spoken to him at all?"
Two nights ago she had enquired about his family, to which he had politely responded. But again he had to lie to preserve his identity. He had instead told her that his brother was a Marine in training. It couldn't have been further from the truth. At this point in time, Manny's brother was out somewhere gathering data on the Covenant fleet. It was a dangerous job, one he was glad had not come to him. But knowing his brother was doing it instead didn't make it any better than doing it himself.
"No, not yet." He shuffled in his chair. "He must be real busy there. I couldn't think of anything worse."
Jenny seemed taken aback by the statement. "You don't think fighting for the UNSC is a good cause?"
That had been the wrong thing to say, Jon. Nice.
"No, I mean the training. I hear its tough. I'd go myself but I'm just not that type of guy." He grinned at her, and was relieved to see her smile back.
"What if they find Earth? Aren't you scared about what may happen to us?"
"No, not really," he replied. "Whatever happens, happens, and there's nothing you or I can do about it."
She stood there in silence for a moment, digesting his words.
"I guess you're right. Why worry about something that's never going to happen?" she sighed and leant on one of the beer taps. Yet another disillusioned citizen of the UEG. He couldn't blame her though, or anyone else for that matter. So far Section 2 had done a good job keeping Reach's fall a secret, as well how badly the war effort was going.
She came back to him a few times after that and made idle chat, asking about his mother and father and his upbringing. By closing time he had finished four whiskey and cokes and was feeling a little light headed. He sucked on an ice cube, watching the last person walk out the door. He had never stayed this late previous nights, but for some reason he had not wanted to leave this time.
Jenny came round the front of the bar and began clearing away empty drinks and peanut packets that were scattered around the table.
As Manny got up to leave she came over to him and stood close to him. They stared at each other for a while before he broke the silence.
"I'd....better be going." He gave her a weak smile. She went to say something, but stopped herself. Her face reddened slightly and a look of shy embarrassment washed over her. She stared down at her feet for a moment then looked back up at him.
"Would you like to come up for a coffee?"
Manny took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. The thought of them entangled with each other got his blood going, but something in his head said no.
"I'd love to, really I would." He said, brushing his hand over her arm. "But I've got to be up early tomorrow for work. Another time, maybe?"
Her face saddened a little, but she sill smiled back at him.
"I understand." She stepped forward and kissed him lightly on the cheek. The touch of her lips sent a shiver down his spine.
She pulled away from him, her face reddening even more.
"I'll see you tomorrow night," he said and made for the door. As he pulled it open, she called back to him.
"I'll look forward to it."
He turned and looked at her, and it took every ounce of courage for him to smile at her and walk out through the door. The cool night air swirled around him and he took in a deep breath, exhaling sharply. He turned and started to walk back up to his apartment. The street was now virtually empty, with the odd passer-by here and there. The sky had clouded over ever so slightly, but not enough that he couldn't make out an orbiting space cruiser overhead.
He passed by a block of flats and remembered a conversation he had with a man a few nights ago. They had sat next to each other in Jenny's bar and had chatted about politics and the government. Keith was his name, a nice enough man but a bit over eager. He had invited Manny up to his place for a game of cards with a few of his friends, had said that they played every other night for fun. Manny had declined, but now he needed to be with someone other than a beautiful barmaid. He stopped and turned back towards the entrance. The automatic doors opened when he neared them and he was welcomed by a blast of hot air, as well as a slightly mechanical voice asking him how he was.
He walked up to the reception and got the attention of the young man seated behind it.
"How may I help you sir?" the receptionist asked politely.
"I'm here to see a friend." Manny replied, smiling broadly.
"Do you know his name?" Shit. Manny thought. What was his last name? It rhymed with something, which he couldn't remember. Grain? Brain? Crane! That was it, Crane!
"Keith Crane." He said after a moments pause.
"Ah yes, Mr Crane is on the seventeenth floor. Number twenty-two. He has a few people with him already."
"Yeah, one of his late night card sessions." Manny smiled and nodded at the man then walked over to the elevator and hit the "up" button. The panel above the doors indicated that the elevator had just gone up to level ten and was now coming back down. He put his hands in his pockets and whistled to himself. He glanced around at the foyer. It was mainly marble-tiled wall and floor, with some wood finish. A few pictures were scattered here and there, along with some plants.
The lift chimed that it had reached the lobby and he turned and stepped through the opening doors.
It was empty except for a female wearing what looked like a nightdress.
Manny's breath hitched in his chest, and he felt his pulse quicken as his eyes settled on her. He noticed the same thing happen to her as well. Her darkly tanned skin seemed to pale slightly, and her dark brown eyes widened. Her face seemed to contort with different emotions; pain, anguish, happiness, anger. They stood there and stared at each other for a long time, not moving.
He breathed in and out several times before he finally managed to speak. And when he did it was only two words.
"Hello, Sarah."
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