Guidestar Combatants

The Camaraderie

Triton's plane finally landed in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, but his mind was far from at ease. As he waited for his armored car to take him to Tavernwoods, he couldn't shake off the heavy burden of war that weighed down on him. The thought of leaving Circe and their child behind made his heart ache with guilt and longing.

Sitting next to Triton was Steel, his fellow soldier and comrade. Triton wanted to confide in him, to share his inner turmoil, but he couldn't find the courage to do so. The fear of being judged or misunderstood held him back.

In an attempt to distract himself, Triton took out his phone from his pocket. It was a rare luxury to use it now that he was no longer in the barracks. As he held it in his palm, he couldn't help but think of Kirk, his friend who got caught using his phone to call his wife. He remembered the consequences that followed - being forced to do push-ups, again and again, for a whole month. All because he wanted to hear his wife's voice.

Triton couldn't imagine being away from Circe for that long. He sympathized with Kirk, but at the same time, he couldn't help but judge him for breaking the rules. He couldn't understand why someone would risk getting in trouble just to hear their loved one's voice.

"Hello..." That's all Kirk heard before Captain snatched the phone from his hand and ended the call. Triton could only imagine the disappointment and frustration Kirk must have felt in that moment.

But it wasn't just Kirk who suffered the consequences of breaking the rules. Triton himself had witnessed Captain's strictness and discipline first-hand. He remembered the day when Captain caught Donavon on his phone and the punishment that followed. It was a never-ending cycle of push-ups and reprimands, and it didn't stop until the day Donavon finally broke.

Triton couldn't help but wonder if Steel had a wife and children waiting for him back home. He wanted to ease his mind from all the thoughts and the heavy weight of war. But when he asked Steel, the hesitation in his response was enough to make Triton regret bringing it up. Steel's appearance, with his neatly trimmed hair and buttoned-up fatigues, only added to the contrast between their two personalities. Steel was a by-the-book soldier, while Triton couldn't help but question the rules and the consequences that came with breaking them.

As they drove towards the airport, Triton's mind was consumed with inner conflict. He couldn't make sense of his conflicting emotions - the guilt of leaving his family behind, the fear of failing as a soldier, and the doubt about whether he was truly fighting for the right cause. As they arrived at their destination, Triton couldn't help but wonder if his mind would ever be at peace again.

"I have a son, he is four, but no significant other." Triton looked at Steel like he was confused by what he had said. Significant other, he said to himself in his head.

"What happened to his mother?" Triton asked, his voice laced with curiosity and a tinge of concern.

Steel's jaw tightened as he tried to control his emotions. He could feel the anger bubbling inside him, threatening to erupt like a volcano. He clenched his fists, desperately trying to hold himself back from punching Triton in the nose.

"It's a long story, Triton," Steel said through gritted teeth, turning his attention to pulling his phone from his pocket.

Triton raised an eyebrow, sensing the tension in Steel's voice. "Man, a long story sounds perfect. Tell me we have a while to wait," he said, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Steel let out a heavy sigh, knowing he couldn't avoid telling his story any longer. Reluctantly, he began, "I was seventeen years old at the time... "

But as he started recounting his past, his thoughts took over and his story veered into a different direction.