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2.5 - Belonging Part 2
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'He moves like a ghost!' - Una thought internally.
In front of her stood none-other than 1st Lt.Kolme Nilas, 'Acting' Fluchtig combat commander, mech team leader and of course - Her Boss. Whom had unbeknownst to her entered the room and stood quietly reading the blurb on the back of the two books, one in each hand.
"I didn't know ya had such good taste newbie!"
He proclaimed after noticing her stare.
Una again moved on instinct, standing up straight and bringing her hand to a salute - 'He must be furious over me getting all upset like that earlier, what sort of a soldier am I or what?!'
"Just, err umm, well you know, passing by I guess." Kolme mumbled awkwardly.
Una stared at the older man wondering what exactly was the appropriate answer to such an odd remark;
"Sir?"
Kolme for his part broke into a smile; "Yes well, really though 'The Adventures of Inspector Pullman and Sergeant Standing', talk about a classic girl. And this one here looks to be a first edition even!?"
"It... it was my Father's sir, that one I mean. I bought the second one in an old antics shop in Bannerman."
Una added meekly.
"In Bannerm'n eh? You don't mean the old pawn-shop looking place on 13th road do ya?!"
Kolme blurted, excitement betrayed in his voice.
Una nodded hesitantly, the old shop had sold a bit of everything and had been the most convenient place to find physical prints of older books back in her academy days - Although the other members of her cadet squad had always chided her for it.
"I bet you met the old woman who runs it then?"
Una nodded again, she had indeed met the kindly older lady in the shop that seemed to sell just about anything. Kolme seemed oddly pleased by this knowledge;
"Ha! And what a 'gal she is, ain't no one better to find somen' rare on Abhaile. I mean books are hard enough to come by these days but especially on Abhaile - To be fair they don't have much in the way a' forests so everythin's gotta' be imported, but that old woman seems able to find just about anything.
I'll tell ya this much, used to be a lot easier to get your 'ands on books before IAFS, now we don't ever get to take leave on Bhaile, 'tis a real pain ya know Rookie?"
Una struggled to find the right answer, wondering if all this blatant rambling was some elaborate form of reprimand - She had certainly known officers who liked to trip up their subordinates with off-topic questions;
"Ummm Sir?" She hazarded warily.
To his credit Kolme appeared to realise the nature of his rant had been a bit unheeded, "Ah-h right. You say it's from your Pa? Did he leave you alot?"
"Ah, I...well, not really. T-the gas didn't... didn't really leave much..." - The question had taken her off guard in its bluntness. If this was a dressing-down, then it was a very cruel way to do so.
To her relief Kolme seemed to realise the landmine question he had just asked, "Sorry lass that was insensitive of me, guess I got carried away, ha-ha..."
Una nodded glad to be free of going into it any further-- [When a Nation-State suffers deliberate damage to it's air supply, the corrupted air has no where to go - This in most cases results in the damage of all possessions, meaning that although the country inside the station may look undamaged - In reality every brick of every house, the seems of each page in a book, the fallen leaves on the roadsides - All can carry dangerous traces of the poisonous substances used in such attacks.
Therefore while bodies may decompose at a slower pace and properties may look untouched, neither are recoverable without great personal expense - Past that which most individuals can afford--] - Those words, as listed on the letter she had received that fateful day, moved to the forefront of her mind now.
"But really though" - Kolme added in a deliberate effort to break her from such thoughts, "It's a great series this, your ahem - Your old man must of had a good eye for stories".
"He..um, he liked one's like that, where they always win at the end."
Una put out meekly.
Kolme almost 'hummed' with approval;
"A man after my own heart I'd say, nothing wrong with a happy ending - In stories atleast.
I actually used to have the first four volumes of this in hardback and with the authors signatures!" He decreed a little too proudly.
Una stared blankly at the man, "Four?"
"Hmmm? Well of course, there were more than that too mind you, I lost them all when the Mont-Blanc went down. Damn shame too, was some good stuff back in my old digs. Any'ow - You really never read the third one? I'd say it's the best of da' lot, they finally get around to the secret of Pullman's da and the-- Well anyway it's worth a read if you like that kinda' thing."
As he finished talking he lay the two volumes he'd been perusing down gingerly on the edge of the table where'd they originated from, moving his now free hand to scratch the back of his head.
Una plucked up her courage, if this was some sort of elaborate hazing she'd just have to face what came of it - The promise of a third book was too much not to ask about;
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
"Ummm well I got the first one back at auntie's, well she's really my gran-aunt. After...after the station 5 attack I was pretty, ummm low. I just used to sit on her Veranda most of the day. She has this little white dog that used to come sit with me. Err, anyway one day she just put this pile of books next to me, said I should have them.
Never mentioned them again after that and I'm not really great at reading - They call it 'dyslexia' I think, that's why Miss.Hoki got me all these textbooks back in school --"
The words now flowing she gestured loosely at the left side of her newly stocked bookshelf.
Hoki had indeed tracked them down for Una back during her short-lived academy days and it remained a core reason for her admiration towards the former instructor - The books had helped alot, although reading them still felt like work. All reading took great effort for Una, but reading her father's collection had in a sense helped her to better make her own way through physical writing more-so then the standardised digital;
"-- I only had the one from that series but it's my favourite from Dad's collection. A-and then when I saw the second one in that old shop. Well that is to say, I didn't know there was any more of them..."
'Why am I telling him all this, he's a borderline stranger. He didn't "order" me to say anything.'
For his part Kolme smiled kindly, scratching again at the back of his head, in much the same manner she'd seen Sabban do since arriving on the ship;
"Well I might've lost the original copies but I managed to get an omnibus edition of the first three books, you're welcome to it if you'd like."
His offer made he fumbled in his pockets for a short moment before tossing over a small, foe-brass door key.
Una caught it with ease in the minimal-gravity environment, offering Kolme a quizzical glance.
"Everyone's got one, 'sept Scarlet but I never lock the door anyway - What idiot would be dumb enough to try steal from the ship's second 'ighest ranking officer!"
He said before bursting into a fit of laughter at his own statement - Laughter that Una couldn't help but note seemed to be mostly in disbelief at his own ranking aboard the Fluchtig - Rather more than anything else.
"Take whatever ya want, if I'm reading somen' it'll be by the bed, the rest's free. If you want to that is, though like I said not as much there as there once was and most of its random gardening and 'istory books these days".
Una nodded respectful while pocketing the little key. It seemed apparent now that this conversation was not a grilling, seemingly the opposite in fact - It felt down-right friendly.
"Umm, how come you have old type books? Sir."
"Hmm? Ah well, I wouldn't say it's anythin' like your dy-lex-i-wats-it, ha-ha no more I'm just an old man I guess.
I knew someone long ago, reckoned any soldier who wer'nt readin' in his downtime wer'nt worth his own weight in battle. Said we should always be keeping the old brain-box a-tickin' one way or another and for me he recon'ed reading were the best way for that. And well those yokes --" He beckoned his head at the small electronic screen mounted to Una's wrist;
"-- Well not as many of them back during the First War, they existed mind you - I ain't that old but weren't much good if you were in a trench in the lashing rain, ye're ears strained permanently for the slightest sound. Errm any-ways, books is good I reckon, she used to agree... Might be worth asking Scarlet too, well maybe."
He finished, seemingly realising he had moved out on a tangent once more.
Una looked up doubtfully, to which Kolme grinned;
"Heh, she ain't just a pretty face that one, she 'as more smarts than me that's for sure. My collection is pretty random I'm afraid, 'read anything you can get your 'ands on. Gardening, mechanics or fictions - as long as you're always reading' - That's what my old Gaffer used to say, but Scarlet, well who knows what she might have squirreled away."
With this final recommendation made, Kolme turned to make for the door, stopping just short,
"You, ah, fellin' a bit better after sleeping - ahem, about 'all that'?"
'He really did come here just to see if I'm alright? What sort of senior officer does that? An needy NCO maybe but for him just to come back to look in on me?' - Una felt inclined to laugh but instead did her best to smile, saluting once again;
"Yes Sir, sorry about earlier Sir".
Kolme stood for a moment studying her features, the faint curving of the lips in what he identified as a forced front -
The pained look in the Rookie's eyes. Kolme stopped silent for a few moments, studying this false complexion of stoicism;
"Is that why ye're here Una-lass? Why you became a soldier I mean, for your Da'?"
Una's heart fell - 'Is he trying to say he doesn't think I'm cut out for this career, that my stats aren't good enough to be here?' - "I-i'm not sure I follow what you mean sir?"
Sighing a little Kolme nodded and pulled open the door, "Course, ignore my silly ramblings. Ah-right well, let me know if anythin' changes or if, you err want a book. Oh and Rookie, it's a little late but - Welcome aboard."
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