Marco Domici: The Death and Life of Roy McKenna

I was a fool. Yeah.

I lived. Maybe..

I loved. Beyond a shadow of a doubt.

“Sonofa...” Roy snapped awake.

Breath echoed inside his armor as he kept his muscles still. The link attached to his brain showed no threats nearby. He had dozed in his battledress and only the sensors alerting him to someone getting up to relieve themselves had woken him.

The thermal outline suggested Odert, the only other adult “stand to pee” option in the group. Roy’s suit solved his problems in that regard. He quickly tabbed through the body count; Annika had little Lilian curled up in her arms. The Dahlin’s, mother and son, were likewise bundled together.

Some form of cloth was draped over his legs and a body lay curled up next to him. Infrared didn’t identify much but Roy knew her form. He had paid serious attention to it over the past three days. Well, as rapt as one can pay while riding overwatch on a rattling tracked crawler thing made into an armored storefront.

“What is the matter, Roy?” Karin said softly. “Did I disturb you?”

Roy scanned one last time, set his brain bucket on active reception, and broke the seal. His implant was good to go.

He smiled. She had draped one of her shawls over him. She shivered slightly since the fire had died down. Roy carefully propped the PG against the tree behind him and set the shawl over her.

“No, Karin. I dozed off. Wasn’t supposed to happen.”

“You haven’t slept for days.” She said quietly. “When were you supposed to take a break?”

Roy snorted. “When I was relieved by someone else who could take over. Sorry. I’m a little disappointed with myself. I’ve done the long guard thing before, never fell asleep.”

Karin sat up and leaned into Roy’s armor. “I put the shawl over you. I wasn’t sure if your armor kept you warm or not.”

“It does. Very much. It can keep me cool as well.”

“Is that why you never leave it?” She tapped his breastplate and grinned. “How...nevermind.”

“Yeah, don’t ask what you don’t want to know.” He put his arm gently around her. “This is the first quiet time we’ve had and I don’t know what to talk about.”

She thunked his breastplate. “Well, you haven’t swept me off my feet yet, besides being that whole handsome and brave soldier from far away. How about a little romance? Something besides ‘I will take you.’ in the arms carrier?”

“In my defense, that’s not what I meant.” Roy grinned as he felt her breath on his chin. “Mostly. More of a nuance in take. Besides, your whole perception of me is flawed. Okay, yeah, my accent pegs me as a foriegner. Still, you don’t know that I’m brave and the concept of handsome is a real stretch.”

Karin stretched up and kissed Roy lightly. “You are handsome to me. I do not make a habit of throwing myself at men unless they are buying more than ten thousand credits of merchandise. Even then, it’s just a sales ploy.”

Her eyes met his. “I am not an innocent, Roy. Nor am I common.”

“You’re beautiful.” He replied as an armored glove stroked behind her ear.

“And you’re handsome. And a good catch, from what I hear.”

“Oh, and what did you hear?”

Karin’s grin went wicked as she faced him and straddled his thighs. “Teach you to wear armor.” She said, thunking his breastplate for good measure.

Her voice changed. “We travel, Roy, but we are not unconnected. Your Tjanern; Marco. We know who he is. My father feigned ignorace but was busting to talk about it afterwards. We shared a meal with him, and then his friend protects us. One cannot be timid and be Tjanern Marco’s friend, it is said.”

“I’m his subordinate, not his friend. He’s an officer and I’m enlisted. Those don’t mix.”

“Your words say one thing. His tone says another.” She leaned forward and hugged the cold armor. “Who is a woman to believe?”

Roy pulled her close. He hated armor at that moment.

Another rib cracked as the tall blond bandit kicked Roy. Sweat and blood stuck to Roy’s mouth as a fat blue skinned woman pulled Roy’s bound wrists and stretched Roy out like a slab of meat, ready to be kicked again.

Roy had argued heavily with Odert about not scaring the tribesmen with the Hofud armor. In the end Karin had asked. Partly to please her father, partly to get Roy into normal clothes. Normal Desert Path clothes. His armor was packed away and hidden. Karin seemed the happiest Roy had seen her.

They had eaten together, a Path token of fellowship. While Odert didn’t offer his wares for display, the tribal warriors had looked at the women and the vehicles. And again at the women. Roy fumed inside.

Someone had taken a rock to Roy’s skull; his head had split open and blood had coated his face. They had bound everyone and tried to open the locks of the truck. Odert had refused and they had beaten him unconscious. The bandits had shown their chauvenism and assumed Roy was next in command. He must have the combinations beaten out of him. They were working on him, but hurting their foot almost as much as they hurt him. Still, six of them and one of him made for zero chance.

I give up. It was a stupid thing to do.

I loved you Karin, sorry I failed you.

I wanted to name our first daughter after your mom. Mine was a Navy cook, not as inspiring.

Roy grunted as his hip took the next kick. Through the unswollen eye he looked at Karin. The women and children were kneeling by the truck, two men with auto rifles guarding them. She was looking at him as the bandit leader, a tall muscular man named Hasan, grabbed the back of her blouse and yanked hard.

“No!” Roy tried to say. His breath was gone. He didn’t see the woman holding a long blade rear back. He didn’t see the end of his life approaching.

Karin saw. Her hands were bound and her shredded blouse was in Hasan’s grip. She screamed and ran, throwing herself on top of Roy as the blade came down across her ribs.

“NO!”

Roy recognized the look of the slowly dying. Their eyes faded as life escaped. His med kit could save her, if he wasn’t bound. If the bandits were gone.

Her body slumped on top of him.

Roy sobbed. They had killed her, thus he was dead.

“Okay, dirtbag.”

Can a man die more than once? Does he who has died not know that once dead he should cease to move?

Roy grabbed the woman’s wrist and pulled hard. He chest screamed in pain as his shoulder pushed her knee sideways until it broke. With her falling weight, Karin’s, and his own Roy was able to pivot on hs glute and sweep his kicker. Mentally apologizing to Karin, because of his hurry, Roy let her fall off him as he rolled to elbow the other man’s throat deep into the ground.

The two men guarding the women started to bring their rifles to bear as Roy grabbed his kicker’s blade and cut himself free. They started to aim as screams assualted their ears. Nails and teeth drew blood on their calves and pain shot up their legs. One man went to club Annika while the other pointed his muzzle down. Both men died before they could finish.

Roy breathed heavily. More than one cracked rib. His left hip joint was probably half out of socket, if not broken as well. Blood dripped from his mouth and from the blade in his hand. He looked at Hasan.

The bandit leader smiled and drew his own blade. “I long to fight true...”

For a moment Hasan was on his tippy toes. Roy’s off-hand had pushed Hasan’s guard down half a beat and the blade that entered under Hasan’s jaw was about to lift him off the ground. It twisted as Roy used the blade’s anchor point to throw Hasan’s failing body over his hip and hard onto the ground.

Roy recognized the look of the slowly dying. “Annika, open the truck, quick.” He said as his blade spilled Hasan’s guts into the dust and sent the bandit to the Creator with haste.

“Why is there a handsome man staring at me while the breeze gently says my back is not covered?” Karin said as she looked at Roy. He was back in his armor. She was in the company of two women mixing foul odors into healing poultices.

“I used all my medkit supplied to keep you alive.” He said. Half a cold cigar stuck out of his mouth. “Figured I might as well get a nice view for my money.”

“My father!” She said gasepd as the memories flooded back.

“Tougher than jerked blagy.” Roy frowned. “It was close, but he’s alive. Hurt, but alive. Annika drove us to this village and they’ve been taking care of us for a day and a half. You snore, even laying face down.”

Karin relaxed. “And Nowhere, are we stil going to your house there? Is there room for everyone?”

“I don’t have a house. Yet.” Roy said. He looked at her. “But the Tjanern said I could have one so I’ll make it big enough to hold everyone.” He grinned. “Maybe even a few more.”

“You are flirtatious and forward, Mister McKenna.” Karin smiled. “I like that in a potential husband.”

“I’ll take you.” Roy stepped forward and kissed a bare shoulder blade. He had to get the power assist engaged to stand back up without passing out. “Nuance be damned.”