Transformation
Day 14 Morning, Bio Lab
I was upset, I had hoped to beat Mariana in this morning, but there she was firing up the coffee pot. I was caught in the door with the case stuck square in my hand.
“I thought you had brought down all the medical equipment, what happened find some you forgot?” She asked with that smile that could break hearts.
“Not really,” I replied, “This is not medical and I don’t care what the labels say. This is all I have left of my Great Grandfather. I have to say that despite what Great Grandfather tried to teach me; I don’t know the first thing to do with any of this. I popped open the upper level of the clearly marked Medical Instruments case and motioned her to look.”
She moved over took one look and laughed, “And you thought you had no means of fighting back?”
“If you don’t know what they are and have no idea what to do with them My Lady, what good are they?”
She stared at me, “You really have no idea at all?”
“No, Dr. Stuart, they are guns that’s all I know. Flat out, honest; I can say that much and no more.”
She rocked her head towards me, “So why show this to me?”
I looked at the floor for a long moment. “Because I never want to be in that position again, and the only person on this planet I am not afraid to admit that to is you.”
“OK, let’s start from the top. The long gun here is called a SOCOM 16, it’s a civilian variant produced in the 1990’s by Springfield Amory. The two handguns are STI Spartans’ in mint condition. The Springfield is functionally identical to the one you will see on Ash’s back. Only difference is the stock; the Spartans are clones of Andy’s Colts. So what is the big secret?”
I gulped, “Col. Stuart, will you teach me how to use these damn things? Please?”
She didn’t miss a beat, ‘Teaching some one to pull a trigger is easy.” Letting that sink in, She looked me square in the eyes with those Ice Cold eyes; “teaching you to kill is a whole nother matter. What do you want to do; ‘Protect and Defend’ or Kill?”
I had the answer for that ready, “Whatever it takes to do the job your Husband asked me to do. Which path does a Combat Medic take?”
Mariana stared like someone who had been punched in the gut, “Protect and Defend, a Combat Medic has no reason to be in the Assault Wave. But, are you sure you want to do this?”
It was my turn to stammer and pause, “What is the difference in wanting to and knowing you have to?”
Her reply haunted me for days, “Honor!”