Three Strikes [✓]

Departure

Chapter Fifty-Eight: Departure

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Tyler Island, Spring Sea.
October 28th, 2019.
0600hrs.

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Two days of peace and quiet went by for the refugees, but for everyone else on base one of those days was spent tirelessly planning a strategy and speech to present those people with. They needed more guys on the ground, more people holding guns, and that meant they needed every able-bodied person they could get. The problem was that only a handful were military and the civilians among them had every reason to want nothing to do with this fight. But they knew that going into it. They just had to find some way to make their case.

The plan was straightforward. Major Grimm would have people working to get equipment loaded up and once that was finished they'd gather up everyone in one of the hangars and give them the rundown. Part of that rundown was the Princess speaking with them to try and convince them to fight. She was supposed to be good at giving speeches, so it was a safe option. But there was no telling how well they'd take that.

Naomi wondered what the other refugees thought of the Princess. She had spent time around them, but not enough to gauge their views on her. She helped save their lives, but she also fueled the war that put their families and their lives in danger in the first place. Naomi wouldn't blame them if they never forgave her. However, things would probably be easier on everyone if they did. It was complicated, just like everything else. Not that she expected anything different at that point.

She spent her morning with her father at breakfast, wanting to spend what time she could with him before he shipped off with the others. It would probably only be for a couple of days, but so much could happen while she wasn't there to help keep them safe. Avril and Bandog had ended up stranded on Tyler Island for weeks when the LRSSG was supposed to be at the island in a matter of days. The idea of something happening to anyone under her command was unbearable enough, but the idea she would lose her father? She already knew she wasn't strong enough for that. She didn't want to leave his side.

But after breakfast, her anxiety led her towards Colonel Beckett's office. At first she wondered what she was going to say or what he could say to make her feel better, but as she muttered under her breath and tried to work things out she managed to get some kind of idea. The walk felt like it went on forever, but by the time she arrived at his office door she realized it wasn't nearly enough time. But she had gone all the way out there and it would be a waste to just bail when she'd gotten that far.

So, she knocked on the door. Beckett's voice sounded from the other side, a slight drawl to it as usual. "Yeah, come on in." Naomi opened the door and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Beckett lifted his head from what he was writing down, looking exhausted, but as soon as he saw her he gave her a small smile. "Ah, Trigger. Didn't think I'd be seeing you until the briefing, er...thing later."

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Naomi asked him right away, on instinct. Maybe she was looking for an out or something, but she couldn't take it back now.

"No. I was just writing some things down, it's nothing that can't wait," he replied, sliding the notebook he was writing in away. He motioned to one of the empty chairs against the wall, but Naomi hesitated, not sure if she felt like sitting down. She had too much restless energy. Noticing the hesitation and likely the look on her face, his expression and voice softened. "Are you doing okay?"