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Thank you for commissioning me!
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It had been his first combat sortie. The first time he’d flown around people who were actually trying to kill him.
It had been his first combat sortie. The first time he’d flown around people who were actually trying to kill him.
To Birch’s credit, he performed remarkably well for a first combat. He managed to splash two Jakkhari starfighters with only superficial damage to his own starfighter. More importantly, the starship he’d been escorting made it through the battle with minimal damage as well. His diligence in the flight academy was paying off.
But it also shook him to his core. Not only was this his first time reckoning with the knowledge that someone had attempted to end his life, he also had to reckon with the fact that he’d just taken two lives himself. It was all just too much, and compartmentalization broke down the moment he left the cockpit.
And Captain Corona Glow was there to pick him back up.
A gentle embrace, the quiet invitation to let his tears flow freely, and guidance from someone who’d once been in his shoes. All of the things Birch needed in a critical moment of his life, Corona Glow provided all of them. It was thanks to her that the young wapiti was able to debrief that battle and come to the conclusion that would set the tone for the rest of his flying career. “Focus on the lives you save. Not the lives you take.”
Just as Birch escorted Captain Glow’s ship through the battle, Captain Glow escorted Birch through its aftermath.
***It had been yet another combat sortie. After a while, the fact someone tried to kill you became so routine it was barely worth remembering.
To the young flyboy’s credit, he performed remarkably well for a first combat. She watched him on the sensors, splashing two Jakk starfighters with barely a scratch, letting their ship make it through in a good shape as well. He must’ve been top of his class in flight academy.
It was obvious to see it shook him to the core, despite the brave face he put on. The adrenalin wore off and the gravity of what just happened crashed down all at once. Someone tried to kill you. You have killed someone.
Corona Glow made tea. She never liked being called Captain, though that was the role she had on this ship.
A gentle embrace, the quiet invitation to let him cry it out. Giving him the words she never got to hear herself. Hoping she’ll give him a chance to deal with what happened properly, without poisoning his heart. She knew how hard that venom hit you. and how tough it was to heal from it. Some never did.
“Focus on the lives you save. Not the lives you take.”
Corona Glow smiled, holding Birch as he nursed his mug of tea and processed. He’ll do better than her. She knew it.
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