Posted by Jennifer Ward in Side sim River’s office: when one is alone, voices are louder

Posted by Lieutenant River Styxx (OIC Marine) in Side sim River’s office: when one is alone, voices are louder

Posted by Jennifer Ward in Side sim River’s office: when one is alone, voices are louder
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻
River’s office was simple, nothing to fancy there was no need. Her office was a place to work and the standard furniture was good enough for that. It kept ones mind focused, but even so thoughts always drifted. For River this month would be hard. A year on and the wounds where still open, hidden but open. Time heals all but she is a fickle mistress one day she sooths you the next she hurts you. A sadist in the purest sense, Time my heal but loss was always felt it would never go away. It would always be mourned. The three lives that never where, the plants that never grew, the brick that never weathered and those hopes that would never be realised.

As she looked out of her window at the stars River new loss was happening in a million different ways right now. But all those losses felt small compared to her own. The loss of not just lives but of friends that had moved on. It seemed River would always be lost to time. As others moved one, got new jobs or got married. She stayed behind fell out of touch and all she was left with where memories, idealized ripples of friends and loved ones, in an endless lake of time. River had got used to empty chairs at empty tables. it was part of being a marine, no of being alive. But she still mourned the bed she shared with no one. the stolen glances and hidden touches she hadn’t felt in so long.

However even with that when she was alone and she closed her eyes she could hear them all, the very words they had spoken. She awoke every morning to turn and smile at a ghost. But in her dreams when she caressed the empty pillow, she was with her lost loved ones. But like all dreams you have to wake up and that could be the hardest part. It was easy to get lost in dreams and memories, sweet traps that where so easy to fall into.

As she looked at the photos on her desk, snap shots of another lost life, her own. It was a funny circumstance to be in, mourning ones self. River couldn’t figure out what exactly caused the loss of her old self, sure she was in combat but many others had been and where more or less themselves just a little tougher skinned. But she had completely changed, she was no longer the bright eyed, wise cracking, young women she was. She was colder now, no body to warm her at night, but that wasn’t the only cause. She had lost her wit and it had been replaced with cynicism was it a defence mechanism? perhaps. She stared at the star and hoped they help the answers she had been searching for. Beings had looked at the stars for answers, since the dawn of time and now for the first time so was she. As she stared the voices in her mind came to her trying to make sense of the cocktail of emotions she felt, pain, anger, sorrow, joy. Joy was an odd on bit then when you are wrapped in the embrace of good memories its hard not to feel there warmth.

As she stared and thought, for the first time in a while she felt a great weight lift off her. Was he finally coming to terms with everything? or was it just a temporary lull, now that she had a moment to stop and think unhindered, by work or rage or sadness. She didn’t know how long this new clarity would last but for now she was content to stare, to stop and to think. Reality could wait for now she had the company of long lost voices and the solitude to listen to them

Lieut Styxx (Marine OIC)

Some time after River was done commiserating with lost voices her console beeped I forming her of an incoming call.

Mystery Caller

River was brought from her musings by the noise I should have said no interruptions she thought as she sighed to herself and opened the com

Lieut Styxx (Marine OIC)

On the screen appeared the image of a woman with copper blonde hair. Brown gold-flecked eyes stared at the Marine through the comm. “Hello River.” Revna knew this was going to be a hard month for her. One year since that horrible incursion at Acheron, one year since she’d lost Abby to the horrors, and Lily to the specter of death. Almost a year since Revna had been so horribly injured by a victim of the atrocities. Behind Revna were all the panels and monitors associated with a biobed, but they were all off. But this appeared to be situated in a private room. Revna had been gone for a few weeks now, still on Centurion for her recovery after her lung replacement surgery. “How are you?”

Revna Edman

A small smile graced River’s face but it vanished quickly, her stern default look replacing it. “As well as can be expected.” she said simply trying to put on a brave face.

Revna sat back, crossed her arms lightly and eyed River. That brave face didn’t pass muster with Revna, but after a moment Revna nodded. It was an honest answer. But as well as expected left a lot of room for definition.

“How have you been? How’s married life?” River asked

Lieut Styxx (OIC Marines)

Revna shook her head, wow things travelled fast. It had been a week, and they hadn’t exactly been public about it…oh right Runa. Runa was still on board (OOC: at this point). “Well so far no complications from the surgery, so I count that as a plus. As for married life....I’ll let you know. It’s only been a week, and I ship out in another week and he’s not going with me, so....”

“So tell me how things have been going? We missed a couple sessions while I was in transit.”

Revna

River nodded “I never got the chance to get married. so I’d say enjoy it while you can and don’t let him go” She said reassuringly. She was glad that Rena was doing alright. Any surgery was risky but such a large surgery was at a whole other layer of trouble.

Revna grinned, “Oh I have no intention of letting him go. The gods, the universe, whatever you want to call it, gave me a second chance. And when I almost missed it they put him right in front of me again. You never know what is within your grasp.”

“I wish we where all so lucky” River said simply

“As for me. things have been ok. Got a new batch of recruits but there green, so I’ve been trying to get them up to shape. I’ve also moved that picture of myself Abi and Lily outside that restaurant, to my office. I’m getting used them being close again” she added after a short pause.

Lieut Styxx (OIC Marines)

“I’m sure you’ll get them up to shape. There is a reason they send you the greenest of the green. You have a way of working with them, making them into top notch marines.” Revna nodded, “I’m glad, River. Have you had any more updates about Abby’s progress?”

Revna

River shook her head “No, the reason they sent them me is because they transferred out half my marines. And they needed to fill the space, so they scraped together who they could and sent them to me. I some how have to replace three Sargents but the corporals they left me are new so they don’t have the experience.” she said angrily. she knew why and understood why marines on a ship with security where low priorities. But the colonies and the space stations weren’t. experienced marines where needed there, not on a ship that doesn’t get a lot of action.

River sighed “Abi has made some progress. she is now at a level of reading and writing expected of someone her age. However her memories are still lost, at he moment she can only create new ones. She recognises me but doesn’t remember my name and she only feels hate and fear at my image” she said sadly

“On the plus side. I heard that a scientist on the Ogawa has restarted the research on a cure for both the mutagen and the Nero toxin. Maybe she can make some head way The Ogawa is probably one of the best places to be doing that.” she added after a short pause.

Lieut Styxx (Marine OIC)