Life must go on II

Emidio sat in the main office of the Solatium corporation building, the tallest building in the Nova Occasio web of domes. The entire colony was visible from this office. Emidio sat in the office sipping coffee and waited for his father, he had received a call that his father wanted to see him. Emidio begrudgingly came, prepared to have another argument with his father, Gargan.

Gargan rushed in, looking uncharacteristically in disarray, "Son! Thank god you're okay!"

"I'm fine" Emidio shrugged with disinterest. "I got a call that said you wanted to see me."

"I heard what happened to your class over the media, I was on Earth in the US opening a new factory when I got handed the newspaper. I came on the first warp flight back to see if you were okay. Are you hurt? Did something bad happen to you?"

"I am okay," Emidio was taken aback by his father's concern. "I think everything was covered in the papers, I am completely fine."

"Emidio listen to me," Gargan took a chair from the office and sat closely across his son. "I am so so sorry. I am sorry from the bottom of my heart, there aren't any words to express how sorry I am. I made so many mistakes, I only realize it now…"

"What are you saying?" Emidio felt a little scared.

"Reading the events in the news, it dawned on me. Since our country has been at peace for so long, the thought never crossed my mind. I sent you to the military, a dangerous place, the ones that are at the forefront of any crisis and that die in pointless conflicts and wars. Seeing what you had to go through I realized I could have lost you, the only thing I have left in this world. I naively sent you there out of some misguided and stupid idea that the army would make a man out of you. I am sorry for ever falling for something so ridiculous. Service in the army puts a target on your head."

"It's okay I-"

"No, it's not okay. I put you in such needless danger even though you begged me not to go, if the coin of fate fell on a different side you could have been among the unfortunate that died on Hrkar. Why god didn't punish me for my lapse in judgment I will never know, but I will never take you for granted. When I lost your mother, I felt the world had abandoned me, I pray you never go through that yourself, but I lost sight that it was just us now. I should have done everything to keep you safe."

Gargan stood up from his seat, he wanted to hug his son but felt like their relationship was broken to the point where he wasn't allowed to do that. Gargan said, "I know you turn 16 this year, you will become an adult, maybe it's too late but I would like to try and amend the mistakes I made. I hope you can forgive me."

Emidio sensing his father had wanted a hug stood up and hugged Gargan. "It's okay Dad. I made mistakes too. I lashed out at you because I didn't want anything to do with the Solatium corporation, nothing against your work, I just don't want to do it. I felt like I was being pushed into a life that wasn't my choice but because I was so young I didn't know how to communicate it properly." The two sat back in their seats with a mended relationship.

"Listen you should be able to do whatever you want," Gargan waved his hand. "I don't care what the media says you can be out of that damned military school tomorrow if you want."

"Actually," Emidio looked out the window, "I think I would like to stay and graduate from that academy. I don't think I will pursue a career in the army, but I can go into space transportation, I know how to perform precision propulsion control now. Isn't that cool? But most of all, the biggest reason I want to stay in that school is," Emidio turned to his father and grinned, "I've made some really amazing friends!"

***

Emidio met up with Roy and Ana in front of the arcades. Since the three had known so little about each other before the trip, they had agreed to go out together and try out what each other's idea of fun was. It felt like the right way to get to know each other better.

The first activity was Emidio's, video games. Roy and Ana felt an assault of sounds and colors from all of the machines that kept blasting. Coins falling, button mashing, and the murmurs of various groups of friends inside. The two always saw video games as a waste of time, especially Ana who felt it would only take away from her ability to be a better soldier, but for today they agreed they were going to give them a shot with an open mind.

To the pair's shock, they instantly fell in love with the arcades, the competitive nature of two-player games, made their spirits fire up. Now Ana had to have the best score and Roy wasn't going to let her have that satisfaction. There was a shooting game the two particularly got attached to, hours and money vanished as Roy and Ana were in an epic battle to beat each other's high scores.

While Emidio didn't get to play much today, he was happy to bring them into the world of video games and he found it hilariously entertaining watching them duke it out. Fighting in this video game could last for all of eternity, someone had to be the first to throw in the towel. Roy had decided to give up first, knowing how important it was to Ana that she be the best, he decided it was better to let her keep her victory. Though he didn't easily give up, he had tried to catch up to her for an hour before he had decided to let her win.

The next activity for today was going to the movies, Roy was a big lover of American cinema and he frequented a small movie theater for enthusiasts that only played old American black and white films. Ana had always believed all American movies were capitalist and imperialist propaganda, while Emidio was one of those art kids who thought movies were shallow and for the masses, it wasn't true art. True art was apparently the various teenage romance novels he read that had 'real depth'.

Roy had taken them to watch one of his favorites, the Ox-Bow Incident, a western from 1943. starring Henry Fonda. Emidio and Ana expected a snooze fest but had their expectations turned upside down. It wasn't some shallow popcorn entertainment or propaganda, it was a deeply moving, and powerful defense of the concept of the rule of law and why due process and trials are important. A minority against an angry mob that desires to lynch an innocent person, the story was a strong indictment of angry mobs, lynching, and the tyranny of the majority.

Ana was shaken and found herself strongly relating to the person who was accused, she wanted to jump out of her seat and talk some sense into the mob! Emidio on the other hand was moved to tears by Henry Fonda's final monologue at the end, probably one of the most well-worded love letters to the rule of law ever put to the silver screen. It was clear why this was Roy's favorite film, it was without a doubt the most Roy movie ever made. It was also one of Clint Eastwood's favorite movies.

As they walked out of the theater the group felt a kind of catharsis and fulfillment one would feel after incredible art, it truly was food for the soul. A masterpiece the three had all agreed, they walked around the city as they discussed the movie.

It was now time for Ana's activity. However, the girl had a mini existential crisis. She didn't really have an activity she liked to do in her free time. All she ever did was train, exercise, and study, maybe watch a bit of TV from time to time. She was at a loss for what to do.

Emidio and Roy suggested something they thought she might enjoy, a boxing match.

She could beat any of the boys in Lupus in a fight, except Khalid, and she had always seemed to be genuinely enjoying fighting. So why not watch a fight together? Ana thought about the suggestion, it made sense and so the three found tickets to a fight in Nova Occasio's underground part of the city.

They had a ton of fun watching and cheering. Ana had discovered a love for watching fights, while Emidio also enjoyed the experience. To him it was like watching two players compete in a fighting game only they were fighting for real, he wanted to place a bet but he wasn't old enough for it yet.

Roy also had a ton of fun even if watching boxing wasn't his thing, it doesn't matter what you do if you are in good company, he thought to himself.

***

After a long day of activities, the three were sitting on a bench at Nova Occasio's promenade in the center of the colony. It was nightfall, or at least the glass domes were simulating nighttime, it was always hard to tell but either way, they had tired themselves out. They were soon going to head to their apartments.

"Oh before we go," Ana said pulling out her pocket a picture and a postcard, "I almost forgot to show you guys. Hitomi sent a postcard from Japan, she turned 16 a day after we arrived back home and she wanted a bit of a break from everything. When you become an adult you can travel in space and she wanted to go see her place of origin for a few days to check it out."

Ana showed them the postcard and picture Hitomi took of herself. She was standing in Tokyo's Iconic Shibuya Scramble, holding a piece sign and wearing the latest hip clothes and fashion from Japan. On her postcard she wrote To Everyone in Lupus, Love ya! To Ana and Roy, I finally visited my country of origin, when are you two going to visit yours and stop romanticizing it. A heart shape was drawn next to the message. While she was in her Hitomi nice era, there was still a bit of that old spite in her.

The three laughed reading the message. Roy said, "I mean she is right. Ana, you and I should visit America and Russia."

"Oh you'd like that wouldn't you," Ana frowned at him. "What is your country of origin Emidio?"

"No idea," Emidio shrugged, "Both of my parents are melting pot mixes of various ethnicities, so talks of Earth were rare in my house. I guess I consider Nova Occasio my country of origin."

"Interesting," Ana paused for a moment, "Hitomi owes me and Lei Mei a self-care beauty day when she comes back."

"Oh right, you reminded me!" Emidio jumped from the bench, "I spoke to Lei Mei about this, but we should throw Hitomi a surprise birthday party! We were all a bit dazed when we came back, I don't think I even said to her happy birthday. Knowing her family background I doubt she ever had a real birthday party. We need to get her a present, a cake and candles!"

"That's a wonderful idea!" Ana smiled, "We should totally do that!"

"Oh I can't wait to see the look on her face, she is probably going to start crying!" Roy laughed.

"If any of you boys make fun of her for crying," Ana said, "I will break you."

Roy and Emidio saluted her and said in unison, "Yes ma'am!"

"Thought so," Ana crossed her legs. "By the way, have any of you seen Brigham?"

"I tried calling him outside but he has been cooped up in his apartment for a few days now…" Emidio said with a worried look on his face.