A Liberty Story

[Sunset Glow]

Life with the Navy

It had now been a yearsince Lt. Rivers had been accepted into the primary fleet. Days had gone by, weeks... months... for Sandra those sometimes went by without much notice, unlike in the past where one day was a lot of time to her. And it was for this reason, she sat in her quarters, currently on Planet Manhatten, and looked out of the window, a writing pad in her hand, her eyes out the window and her thoughts travelling...

A full year? has it really been that long?

Accellerated officer training, the recruit flying hours... my home on Planet California... it all feels like yesterday to me. I used to not think much of the "high society", living comfortably in those towering buildings, each worth a hotel of its own. And now here I am, although not exactly "high society", in one of these same towering buildings.
I used to wonder whether these people were aware of the poverty, the corruption, the dirt and the catastrophic states in the underworld of Planet Manhatten. You know, below the shiny gold and stuff. And here I am, in one of these towering buildings, wondering the exact same thing.... about myself.

Should I think bad of myself? For being here? Or should I be proud for having made it that far? And not ending somewhere in the underworld?

I think neither. I think I should be grateful. Because I surely know, in regards of ending somewhere in the underworld, I was not far from it, courtesy of my involuntary stay with the Liberty Rogues on Alcatraz Depot.
So many bad things ... truly bad things ... could have happened, but .. didn't. This is nothing of my doing, and not something I have earned.

But who have I to thank? Fortune? Fate?

...

I suppose what matters now is what I am doing, why I am here. I have, somehow, ended up here. I am alive, I am well, I have my earnings from the Navy... I remember when I was at Alcatraz Depot with nothing but my life and the clothing on my body. Now I have so much more, I have everything I need .. more than that actually.

The Navy is paying most of my bills and even if I make it to old age, I will be cared for. In that way, the Navy is much better than any husband. And less trouble too.

These were the last thoughts Sandra wrote to the pad. She stared at the pad for a moment before saving and switching it off. Tomorrow a new week began, a new week, with a new day in her life with ....

... the Navy