The council reconvened after the break. The video from my len-senses was to be displayed. This was Thomas’ final moments. Most of the Major’s family stayed. His daughter and her husband left. The video for the first 4 minutes was damaged. When the technology repurposed itself, the images were not gruesome as some expected. Though the wheezing from a punctured lung was obvious when he started to express what was eventually our final conversation.
“D-don’t, Second Lieutenant” he said.
“Don’t what Major?”
“Don’t say it, whatever were you just about to say. I don’t want it to be cliché, like an overdone death scene from a bad vid-net flick.”
“Major, I don’t understand?”
“Second Lieutenant, Mandy, Mandy Avari…. I’m bleeding out, suits damaged, air filter damaged, Alpha battalion will not get here in time for me. You and I both can see our vitals off our contact len-senses. I’m at peace. That, that thing, whatever it is, or was, we hurt it, killed it. Quite proud of you really. It toppled down that Canyon, you’re going to be fine but me….”
“Major, stop it please just …”
“Ah, ah, ah, no no no, you were about to say it? Something like <just hold on.> No, badly written death scene lines. I need something real from you Mandy.”
“What? What do you need Major?”
“Mandy, you’re crying on your face mask, it will affect your visibility. I need the truth.”
“You need to conserve your air is what you need.”
“No, I need to know one thing. You’re true given first name? Come on now. Indian girl, Sikh, Mandy is short for something, is it one of the bad ones?”
“What?”
“Got you smiling….” Which one is it please, some truth …..Manmeet or Mandeep?”
“Oh my God really?”
“Yes, really I must know”
“It’s Manmeet.”
“Ha! I knew it. Did you get hassled? Must have got hassled when you were younger?”
“Yes, I got hassled”
“I would love to have hassled you Mandy Avari, I’m actually trying to impress you a little with my knowledge.”
“Colour me impressed Major Tom.”
“Heh, I actually read your file. I knew the name. Just wanted you to say it.”