The Vet's Life After...

The First Truth

"The first truth is never the whole truth, it is simply one side of the story; a one-sided truth will never tell you the same story as many truths being told at once. Then, and only then, can you begin to understand the true story being told." Alex and Suso listened intently to the elderly veteran, the first of many in their journey. He was on his fourth story, his last deployment before being declared unfit for battle.

"We were stationed on a planet amongst the outer-colonies, we moved around so often I forget on which planet this particular story took place." The older male sat back I'm his chair, inhaling the smoke from his cigar as he eyed Suso curiously. "Hell, it may have even been Reach." He exhaled slowly, letting the thick smoke fill the room. "But that's not important, what is important is that my platoon was attacked; we were surrounded, outgunned, and outnumbered."

"Excuse me for interrupting, but what were your initial thoughts and reactions when that occurred?" The old man paused when he heard the male voice.

The old man raised an eyebrow and looked at the younger male behind the female Sangheili, it was obvious he was both curious and surprised. "I'll never forget them, those harrowing moments where I convinced myself I was ready to die with pride; those thoughts were dashed the second I saw those fateful drop-pods fall onto the enemy troops. Spartans and O.D.S.T.s alike climbed out of those wrecks and pulled our asses out of the fire.... only to be our fucking replacements." The old man watched as the younger male reacted to his story, showing no changes outwardly yet still telling him everything he needed to know. "I watched as those Helljumpers died for us, only for the sands of time to cover their bodies and leave them forgotten like so many soldiers before them."

The female Sangheili stayed focused, hanging onto every word of the old man's story; not paying any attention to his continuous staring at Alex. "Soldier, what branch did you serve?" The question caught Suso off-guard, but Alex simply looked at the older veteran.

"Sir, Captain Alexander Dover of the 7th Orbital Drop Shock Trooper Battalion, First Platoon." Alex stood at attention and saluted, showing respect to the veteran before him.

"Oh? First Platoon, huh? Did you ever see action on that damned ring?" The old man inhaled the last bit of smoke from his cigar before setting it in the ashtray, leaning back in his chair as he stared at Alex; slowly exhaling the smoke in his lungs.

"Sir, I was not part of the initial deployment on the Halo ring; I was deployed with the Chief later on as he hunted down the Prophet of Regret. Although I was not there during that fateful fight, I did witness High Charity and the Covenant Armada appear." His face darkened for a moment before he continued. "I was among those captured and transported onto High Charity; I witnessed the slaughter and torture of numerous soldiers before the Chief saved us. He lead us through the chaos before a small group and myself lost him and had to fend for ourselves, luckily we found a Phantom who's pilot was an Unngoy who had yet to depart." Alex moved, turning to the side and leaning against the wall. "That lead us to follow the Prophet of Truth to Earth. From there, I was nothing more than a simple soldier."

"A simple soldier?" The man glared fiercely at the former O.D.S.T. as he stood on his feet, his prosthetic leg almost impossible to notice. "Are you telling me that you believe just any soldier can be an O.D.S.T.? That any soldier has the strength, the courage to willingly drop from orbit straight into the fray?" Alex stood straight as the old man walked to him, looking slightly up to the younger man's eyes. "You are a Goddamned Helljumper, the strongest and toughest sons of bitches second only to a Spartan. Don't you stand there and tell me you are simply a soldier when I know you've seen shit no one else has."

Alex stood silently, staring straight into the old man's eyes; knowing this man understands his pain. "Sir, we're not here to talk about me." Alex broke eye contact, unable to bear the weight of this man's gaze. He looked to the side and closed his eyes. "The lady here asked a question, you never answered."