Gabatrix: The Warrior of Silence

Ramla gave a nod of approval towards Ioren. Even the Itrean acknowledged the kind words. However, the fleet admiral seemingly didn't care as he berated Stone and continued with the main topic.

"Unfortunately," Arno explained. "That isn't good enough for Stone. I have had a chance to review your past records. The police chief you operated with filed no complaints, but there have been complaints in your service record at the UHN Marine Academy on Mars. Complaints that showed you to be ruthless and barbaric towards others. Complaints that showed that you were hostile towards other staff members and to your own recruits."

"A necessity and expected," Stone added. "It's called boot camp, Fleet Admiral. My responsibilities shaped the men and women that will defend us all."

Despite the bitterness that flowed in his voice, Ioren could hear a genuine sense of pride in how he stated it just now. It reflected well that made Inoke nod in appreciation. Even Ramla gave a hint of notice upon it as well.

"Regardless," Arno explained. "You might have done heroic actions in the past, but that doesn't account for what happened these last two weeks. You went into an area that you shouldn't have. You convinced a ship captain to give you power armor to wage war with exiled prisoners. As the CO of Oshunian military command, I find your actions on Dragon's Eye and hostility towards the doctor appalling. You might have had a mission on that island, but.....I will have you court-martialed because of this."

"I did everything I could....." Stone's said as his voice clenched. The muscles and veins on his arms were throbbing from the anger that he was repressing. "I wouldn't have expected less from this.....charade....."

"Master Sergeant," Ramla called out to him.

"Fleet Admiral Arno," the marine told him as his fury unfurled. "My partner and I did more for Oshun in these last two weeks than you ever did in six months. You try to shame my name! If these were the ancient days, then I would have challenged you to a duel to the death. I.....would enjoy it."

"Stone!" Ramla yelled at him. Inoke gave a look of shock towards the scene that was transpiring.

"Don't bother, Admiral Ramla," Arno held up his hand in her direction. "Making threats to the CO of the Oshunian military command.....quite unbecoming. Perhaps you hold a good record, and maybe.....you have grown senile in these recent years. Perhaps losing a family member might have been harder for you than you think. One way or another, you will have your court-martial. There....."

He was cut off as Stone showed his teeth at him. The words of accusation about his family caused him to step forward. His uninjured hand was clenched into a fist as he was getting ready to engage in physical combat. It caused the Fleet Admiral to recoil back on his chair a little bit.

A sudden small hand pressed against Stone's stomach. Ioren had jumped between them as the Itrean was looking up at the marine. Even if Stone was a rolling boulder of a person, he halted as he felt the tiny hand push upon him. It was just enough to pull the marine out of his bloodlust to bash the CO into the wall. The other admirals could see that the marine had momentarily settled.

"Fine....." Stone stated. "I see that it is the goal of the wicked to hold onto his throne at all cost. You won't get your court-martial, Arno.....I resign."

"Resign?" Arno questioned. "You don't have the right to resign if you are being issued a summon for a court-martial."

"Yes, I can. An officer of high rank can allow a serviceman to resign, and it doesn't have to be you."

He looked at Ramla and Inoke as Ioren could see what was happening. Stone was acting out of emotion, but not much could be done as she backed away a little bit. The anger and fury had defused enough that the COC was looking upon themselves.

"Are you sure of this?" Ramla asked Stone.

"Master Sergeant," Inoke asked him. "Understand that we are not in full agreement with ourselves and still need to debate this further. Your service record is filled with commendations. You can still fight this. A court-martial can still find you not guilty and have you pardoned. You might be reinstated into service until you decide otherwise."

"Why bother?" Stone answered. "I already fought against the leader of an organization a day ago. You can see the results....."

Ioren could see that Admiral Inoke was the most sympathetic of the situation. Ramla was the first to finally gave a nod of approval.

"Very well...." Inoke said with some regret. "Under this hearing, I, Admiral Inoke, endorse your resignation. You won't have to face court-martial. Instead, you will receive an honorable discharge for your services in stopping the criminal syndicate on Dragon's Eye."

"Be lucky that you even have that," Arno added as he gave a brief scornful look at Inoke. He waved his hand to the two. "Get out of my sight.....both of you."

"Fine....but," Stone said as he looked at Ioren. "We have one last message for you, Fleet Admiral, both of us."

"Get.....out!"

"Partner, at the count of three, you will use what I taught you with sign language.....just like that Itrean at the police precinct awhile back."

Ioren gave an affirmative nod to him. She knew what he meant as she felt a surge of contentment.

"One, two, three...." Stone and Ioren both gave the middle finger to the CO. The man smirked in response as if he didn't know what it meant. He at least knew enough that it might have been an insult. The door opened while the marine proceeded to step out, but Ioren gave an affirmative nod towards Admiral Inoke. She left the room, closed her tilon, and dared never to look back.

*******

It had been a few hours. Both Ioren and Stone walked into the apartment. When the doors closed, Stone almost walked to the kitchen as if he wanted to head to the refrigerator. However, he stopped before he went and had a seat on the couch. Even though Ioren was still in her green dress, Stone was now in his regular shirt and jeans as before. The uniform, neatly folded, was practically tossed to the carpet as if he didn't want anything to do with it anymore.

"Fuck them.....fuck everything," Stone said as he planted his butt to the seat. He started to undo his boots. He simply shook his head in utter disbelief.

Ioren felt partially distraught towards everything that had happened. From seeing Stone being put through this to having to go through so much fighting. She had to ask herself if the battles at Dragon's Eye were all worth it. At the same time, she had to put it aside. She could momentarily breathe a sigh of relief upon entering the apartment. She knew that she had to look out for Stone. She felt inclined to disagree with his statement as she typed.

"I don't see it that way, Stone," Ioren's tilon stated.

"Your opinions don't outweigh the choices that have been made," he said with aggravation as he tossed the boot aside. "I can smell the snake that Arno is. I wasn't sure at first, but now.....I would have had my hands around his throat, and I would have squeezed the life from it. Fucking traitor gave the command codes to Shaka'ra. He was the one that was giving the weapons to those prisoners."

"But why would he do that?" Ioren typed. She went and had a seat next to him.

"I don't fucking know. I don't fucking know!" he reiterated and yelled. He slammed his fist to the armrest. "Disgraceful, son of a bitch.....but what does it matter."

"You made the correct choice. You will finally rest."

He made a deep sigh as he tossed the last boot off. For once, Ioren could genuinely see Stone relax. Regardless of everything, he seemed to agree with her.

"Hmph......well.....at least you will have this apartment to yourself," he told her.

"What do you mean?" she typed.

He grunted as he rested his back on the couch. "I have my retirement planned out. I've done my service. Regardless of the fuckers that try to sabotage it. I'll be returning to Aphadus. I will have a gun collection bigger than any person on that planet, and I will shoot any Aksren or Shal'rein or any fucking intruder that comes to my property. Next time there is an invasion on that planet, I'll be on their assault carrier killing every soldier that dares step on the ground."

Despite the rather explanatory response, Ioren was not fully convinced as she typed. "You didn't retire till now. You enjoyed serving the UHN."

"Well, that's over." He started to undo the brace that was on his shoulder.

"I....." she paused her tilon as he could see that she was flustered. She gripped her arm hard as she rubbed it. She then resumed. "I think you are a hero, even if not everyone agrees."

"You were the one that put a grenade tip into Shaka'ra's back. You did more than you think."

"I'm not talking about Dragon's Eye," Ioren typed. "You have done so much for others in your own way. You care for people even if you don't believe it. You are....." she paused again.

He made another sigh. "It's.... why I'm giving you the apartment. Rent is pretty cheap, and I can make the arrangements for you just as easily. I'm sure that the next human you'll be assigned with here will be.... more cooperative."

This took Ioren by almost complete surprise that even her feathers and tail twitched a little bit. She was not expecting to hear him say that. For a couple of seconds, she was in outright bewilderment. Finally, she regained herself and continued, but she was somewhat flustered again.

The marine had taken his brace off as he set it aside. He tried to move his arm, but the pain from the penetrating bite of Shaka'ra resided. He looked at the brace as a restraint and refused to put it on. Instead, he endured in avoiding moving it too much.

"I don't want to live in this apartment," she typed.

"Oh?....."

"It is......" she was struggling to type as he could see her struggling to find an excuse. "It doesn't smell good. It's dirty and not pristine."

"In other words, I was right that you carry some of that Aksren snobbish attitude after all," Stone said as his eye peaked at her direction. "You might be part Aksren, but it doesn't mean that you are.....the word.....a connoisseur. Hmph......I knew it."

She almost gave a hiss to him, but she quickly knew that he wasn't too serious about it. Finally, she relented. "No, that wasn't what I meant," she typed. "I mean that....." her hand started to shake a little bit. "I don't want to leave your side."

The marine shook his head. "I don't think you would have a choice on that. I'm sure that the T'rintar will assign you to whatever they want. I'm surprised that they haven't sent you off to work in the waste facilities because of how they view the Golarren."

"It doesn't have to be that way, Stone. Please."

He briefly looked at her. "What is it that you're trying to get at?"

Finally, she slapped her tilon down on the couch. Was he purposely being stupid? She didn't know, but she had to confess her feelings. She had to make up her own mind and simply tell him in her own way. For her, it was the only way. She slapped the couch, feeling the pain in her chest, and stood up. She turned to face him. Her small delicate frame was still tiny to him even if he was sitting down. He had a skeptical look at her.

Ioren went and used sign language. She displayed the letter "I." Then she made the word "love" before she pointed at him. There was a stern look on her face as she almost shook in place. There were no tears in her eyes, but only a strong determination in how she acted. Stone saw this and said nothing. At first, she didn't know if it was done incorrectly. She repeated it again. Her breathing was intensified. Should she go back to her tilon? She started to look away as she stated the line repeatedly over and over again. Her hands continued to shake.

Stone reached up and grabbed her hands. It caused her to stop as her body was shaking heavily. Her reptilian eyes were looking all over him, but the sudden grab caused her feathers to lower down a little bit. She had completely lost track of all meaning of reality. He looked closely at her.

"You don't have a husband?......of course you wouldn't.....Zilik's Disease," he answered to himself. She could see that the words were sinking into his head. She now knew that he almost seemed to have been playing coy on purpose. He didn't want to face that reality. She wanted to fall into his arms, but he almost seemed to scuff her confession. She wanted to tell him so much, but only her hands could convey the meaning. Everything was silent for a little while. The marine seemed to think about it for some time.

"I can't....." he told her. He let go of her hands as he stood up. "I can't......" he repeated again.

Ioren stepped aside as if she were powerless against the rejection, but she was curious as to why he said it twice. He wasn't outright telling her 'no,' but it was as if something was blocking him from saying it. She watched him as he climbed to bed. He tried to put his hands above his head, but the pain resided. He refused to look at her as she simply stared at him. Finally, he took a deep breath and looked at the picture of his deceased wife.

"I miss her......I miss her so much," he told Ioren.

The Itrean was aware of his feelings. She wanted to fulfill that long-lost gap that pervaded his heart. If only she could say it to him. She didn't want to convey it through the tilon. If only his gut instinct would tell him how she felt. Instead, Ioren placed her hand to her heart. A part of her felt the tears as if his pain was passed to her somehow. She could only think of him now and nothing else. She went and carefully sat down on the sofa again. She had to brace for the pain that Shaka'ra had inflicted on her. She instead tried to focus on the fact that she was going to make a complete recovery. She would need to take more pain medication soon.

Stone simply closed his eyes. He felt the need to think about things. For him, he knew that his life was going to become more straightforward, but only because others made it that way. Now he had an Itrean that was falling in love with him. His only way to honestly answer this was just to let his eyes close and let sleep take over.....

*******

The marine felt disoriented for the first time in weeks. The distant white light radiated towards his closed eyelids. When he opened them, he knew that he wasn't in his room.

It felt familiar to be here. The bed was there, but nothing else. It was as if he was in a disjointed area of reality. His mind wouldn't confess that this was a dream. For now, his thoughts told him that this was the universe. He was staring at the great void. It was here where the light was the brightest. It wasn't wholly bright to blind him much as it had been long ago.

"I......was here before," he said out loud as he leaned up from the bed.

Pain.....there was supposed to be pain from his shoulder, but there wasn't any. Stone turned his head and pressed his hand to it. The mended scar marks that should be there were gone, yet his clothing was still there. Yet, his mind was still having a hard time understanding what was happening.

He wanted to look at the light, but he instead turned his head towards the side of the bed. Something was hanging there, even if there was no wall there. It was a picture that showed his sister and wife. Finally, he knew that this was a dream.

"It's not real, isn't it?" he asked out loud. His voice echoed throughout the landscape of white nothingness. He stared at the picture as agitation filled his thoughts. He placed his hand to his forehead. The last time this happened, there was somebody else that was supposed to be here.

"It is good to see you, my dear husband," the gentle female voice echoed near him.

A sense of joy filled his thoughts as he turned to his left to see the woman he wanted the most. It was his wife lying beside him. Her naked form was just as he remembered it before. Lying on her side and with her hand perching up her head, she looked upon the marine. A great smile was on her face.

"Gagana," he called out her name. "My beloved.....how much I have missed you."

He reached his hand to touch her face. He leaned forward to kiss her, but she held her finger up to stop him.

"There you are again....calling out for me," she said.

"I call out for you because you were separated from me," he told her. "Your life was wrongfully taken from me."

"I know, husband. You shouldn't have to fret for me, though. I'm in a good place now. It is you that I worry about."

Stone turned a little bit as he tried to close his eyes briefly. He flipped over to look at the picture, but she was already there. For a moment, he could look upon her ass and backside as she seemed focused on the image.

"Your sister is worried about you too," she said.

"My sister?" he asked.

"It's one of the many reasons that I'm here."

"I survived. I always survive. What is there to worry about?"

Gagana shook her head, turned, and looked upon him. "You are always so headstrong. I know to always walk beside you and not in front of you. You were so sad that you fell upon vengeance and hatred to fuel your life after I was gone. I know you, husband. I know the path that you underwent."

"I don't see what it is that you're trying to get at."

"You're going to retire soon.....are you going to let that vicious side remain with you? Are you going to let it fuel your life till your end? What about this?" she asked him as she waved her naked form outward to the environment. "I don't want you to be a danger to society or yourself."

"I don't care about society and what they think. My life isn't as much consequence either."

"Then what about her?" she pointed across the bed.

Stone turned his head to look upon Ioren. She was slightly different than how she was in the apartment. She was in the white dress of what Gagana wore. Cradled into a ball with her tail wrapped around her digitigrade legs, she seemed to be sitting on the bed crying. She shook where she was.

"Ioren?" he called out to her. She barely responded as Gagana walked up to the edge of the bed. She sat down and looked upon Stone with a somewhat disappointed look. At the same time, Stone's sight of seeing the Itrean in his wife's dress brought vile thoughts, but he could see his wife focusing hard on him.

"What?" he asked Gagana.

"You know what I'm going to say," his wife explained. "She confessed her feelings for you, and you just push her away?"

"I can't......I can't have her....." Stone stubbornly replied. "Not after what you have been to me. I can't betray the love that I had for you."

"My dearest husband. I want you to be happy. My time had ended a while back. You have nothing to fear in taking her as your new love and partner in life."

He looked down at the bed. He couldn't look at his wife as he could see the Itrean was substantially hurt. His lip curled as he thought about it.

"You have been the best wife that a man could ever have," the marine said.

"And you have been the best husband. I don't know about you, but I think she looks so beautiful in that dress. I want her to have it."

The more and more he heard his wife talk, the more and more he was calming down. The soothing tone of the voice was calming to his soul.

"Go and be with her," Gagana said. "You have my blessing....and besides, you'll see me again, eventually."

Stone watched as his wife took his hand, gently wrapped it, and moved it towards Ioren's hand. She was delicate in how she was doing it. The moment that the marine's hand touched the Itrean's hand, Ioren stopped crying and looked at the two. She started to calm down as Gagana patted Stone's leg. She got off the bed and began to walk towards the distant bright light.