| Subject: Chapter 285 - Part 2 (16 and above) (end of chapter 285) |
Author:
KatherineG.
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: Wednesday, April 18, 07:10:02am
In reply to:
KatherineG.
's message, "Dreams in the Dark continued (273>)" on Monday, March 05, 07:03:06am
He was nearly at Van Vactor's office, his thoughts so intense that he had covered almost the entire base without seeing a thing; it wasn't a good sign. In the military, as in his time back in Hollywood, he needed to be alert. Too many enemies and dangers awaited anyone who wasn't always on watch.
He tried to remember this, his eyes more steely, as he entered the outer office of the base commander, was greeted with a curt nod by the man's secretary. The assistant then rose in smooth military style and opened the door for Michael, announcing him to his senior. Apparently, he had orders to let the ex-actor in from the moment he arrived.
This itself was an interesting detail, one the visitor was doing his best to remember. Still, his face was an absolute blank by the time the door closed behind him, bracing himself for whatever might come. Even if it were the absolute worst, he couldn't let this man see his pain. His plans thereafter would depend on not being found out.
Van Vactor's eyes grazed over him, nonetheless, clearly seeing little to recommend the recruit. Even though Michael's stance was perfect, his training barely needed, it did little to impress the man. To the officer, the actor had always been a burden; he had told him so from the first moment of his arrival. Michael could tell that nothing had changed at all.
Or so it seemed. Van Vactor continued to sum him up visually, allowing him to stand at attention for several minutes, before he even let him out of the rigid stance. Once the newcomer slid into the slightly more comfortable position of "at ease," he found that the other man's eyes were almost amused, his words unexpected. "Congratulations. You've done better than I thought."
There was little he could say in response, especially given their difference in rank. "Thank you, sir," seemed the safest. And Michael had always been well-aware of how to keep safe.
The commander smiled ironically again at the expected answer, seeming pleased. Then, he began to make his thoughts clear. "I'll admit I've thought the worst of you, Samuelle. When I was told that I had to take you, I almost fought it. You're old; you've been pampered, and there's nothing about you that suggests you'd make a good military man." He leaned back in his chair, his eyes quite deep. "But now I see that I might have been wrong."
Again, there was little allowed response, leaving the actor in utter silence this time; Van Vactor seemed to respect that, moving on. "I've watched you closely over these past few months. I'd hoped you'd wash out in the first week or so, but you hung on better than most of the younger ones." He was rocking back and forth in his swivel chair a little, seemed to be thinking. "Maybe you're just better at giving the right appearances, given your background, but a military man's life is half-bluff, anyway. No one's not scared when he gets out into battle. We all just find ways to convince ourselves that we're not half so terrified as we are."
Michael could do nothing but maintain his silence at this insight. The senior officer's confessions were so unusual that no response, again, was appropriate. Still, this seemed to please the man; he came forward heavily in his chair, elbows now on the desk, to stare at the recruit, as he went on. "I think I've changed my mind about you now. You have just enough knowledge of bullshit to get by here--and you've been taught how to make friends well enough." This hadn't exactly been part of the actor's training, but he said nothing, allowing Van Vactor to continue. "You also have something I didn't expect." The gruff man's gaze probed deeper. "You have courage." His head leaned back a bit, regarding him distantly--his words coming from some place within him. "I didn't expect that out of you at all."
Such courage was part of the actor's make-up--and had certainly been well-honed by his time protecting his beloved. But again, he let his commander continue without comment, the man now looking down to a report before him. "I talked to Sikes after that accident you had. It seems he believes that none of you would have survived, if you hadn't intervened."
This was news to Michael, his thoughts of that dreadful day mostly of Nikita; he barely remembered the rest. "I only did what I had to, sir," he said, feeling that some response was necessary. But it only brought a snort from the other man. Apparently, he was convinced that the actor was more heroic than he had once believed.
Van Vactor held up the report in front of him, moving quickly to circumvent such modesty. "It says here that Sikes credits you with both calming Kane and finding some smooth landing area." He put the paper down, gaze dissecting the actor. "Not an easy job, when you're directly over what's soon to be one of the largest bases in North America."
He left this discussion here, making it entirely unclear--from his attitude--whether he were praising or interrogating Michael. The newcomer had no real idea of what to say, the report only finally bringing such details back to him. Now that he heard them, they did seem right. But it didn't require praise, had only been a reflex action. Willie had been panicking--had been likely to take all of them with him into such chaos, including Sikes, whom they had needed most of all. He could remember growling something along the lines of, "Shut up!" when anything quieter hadn't gotten through. And he did remember that terrible moment when everything below them seemed to be nothing but new barracks, workmen, and deeply-piled snow. For all the open ground the base had, there had seemed to be nothing but people and ice as far as the eye could see.
It had been sheer luck, then--as far as the actor was concerned--that he had managed to spy some clear bit of space for Sikes to attempt his landing. It could barely be called a runway, had ended almost immediately in a deep snow drift--the impact with it probably saving them but also inflicting their pilot's various wounds--but it, thankfully, *had* worked. Still, Michael wasn't at all convinced that he should be praised for any of this. His mind had only been caught in a thousand visions of Nikita and how he needed to return to her. It had been his body's reactions alone which had managed to save them all.
He couldn't think of much to say to Van Vactor's observations, tried a, "Thank you, sir," solely because it seemed the safest. If he had learned nothing else from the military, it was that general obtuseness could sometimes be of immeasurable benefit.
It seemed to do the trick here, as well, his commander snorting at the attempt; his head shook slightly, as he gathered his thoughts. Finally, his gaze returned to the recruit. "Let's get a few things straight. I still think you're a bullshitter, and, if I have my way, we're never recruiting another actor again; you're too damn good at hiding your thoughts." The look deepened, almost appreciative. "But you know how to handle yourself, with the men and your duties." The smile seemed more real this time. "I'm almost gonna be sad to see you go."
This was far too odd to be able to muster up any answer; even a "thank you" would seem cocky. Michael just stood there silently, hoping, while Van Vactor smiled. After all, if this little bit of unusual praise was all this meeting was about, then the actor's life might well have been saved yet again.
His commander seemed to see this, nodded once. "I'm glad we've gotten that straight." Michael had no idea what that really meant, only waited for the rest. "Let me tell you two things, then. The first is that your unit's assignment is in England. You'll be making your way there on the first ship out on April 4th."
God. This news alone made the actor's heart thump. He was only going to be able to start his trip back to Nikita on the 31st. If he were supposed to be back in Canada and on the wholly opposite coast only four days later . . .
The terror started to grow at this moment, his fear that he would be held back from his beloved--perhaps permanently--growing. To his surprise, Van Vactor eased it. "The second is that, when you go back to Hollywood, you've got three interviews to do to try to promote the war effort. As of the 3rd, you'll be on a plane back to your unit." The military man's eyes almost looked regretful. "That doesn't give you much time with your wife."
This news almost made Michael close his eyes in relief, but he managed to remain expectedly placid. Such a statement both meant that nothing had happened to Nikita--at least that the RCAF knew about--and that he *would* be allowed to see her again. It didn't matter to him that the trip would be brief, that there would be constant demands on his time. All that did was that he would see her, would hold her again; his heart thumped. What else on earth could ever matter more than that?
Van Vactor seemed to interpret the man's silence as disappointment, which was anything but the truth, his words a warning. "War's hard on a marriage, Samuelle. Probably a good one in four don't make it." He appeared to be speaking from experience, moved on to give his advice. "If this actress of yours is up for the challenge, that's good." His look hardened. "But don't let it distract you from your duties, if she isn't."
Michael had managed to remain mostly mute for this little interview--but this particular challenge was more to Nikita than himself; he couldn't keep silent, his gaze intense. "She is, . . . sir." The last word was barely remembered in his defense.
The almost-breach of protocol only amused the man, however; he gave a nod, letting that subject go. Even if Samuelle had discovered it at a somewhat advanced age, young love was notoriously idealistic. He would let the man discover whatever truths life threw at him on his own.
He was about to let the actor go, had only one more warning. "I've seen you trained, Samuelle. Now, look out for your comrades. Knowing they're behind you is the only way you're safe."
He dismissed the actor after this, leaving Michael to nod once before making his way toward the door. But the warning was a good one, would need to be remembered; just Van Vactor's words about Kane's panicking had brought that fact back to him. His was not, after all, an entirely perfect unit, many of its members quite questionable. If he were going to live through this--and he *was*--he would have to do his damnedest to see them all safe; the sound of his shoes was soon crunching over the early Spring snows. That was the only way he would make it back to Nikita for good.
[End of Part 285]
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
| |
Feedback: 