Marco Domici: Pep Talk

Marco sat for several minutes while the others talked around him. He played his boot in the dirty floorboard. WIthin the space of a day the vehicles had gotten several different types of dirt on them. Everything from icy slush to plains dust. Marco smiled, and let them talk. He knew they would broach the subject when they were ready.

The vehicle's engine ran loud and like every military transport since the dawn of time, comfort was not on the options list. Everyone banged around a bit, it stirred conversation, and Marco watched Balt keep folks airing their opinions.

Gabbie was up front, by herself. Marco wasn't happy with that, but there were some things that needed to be said back here. Finally, after half an hour, they seemed talked out, yet pensive.

"Have you considered Gabbie?" Marco said. Normally it would ahve been quiet but it wound up being a bit loud to get past the vehicle's noise.

"What do you mean?" Monika said, as she shrugged her shoulders. "We all have to figure this out ourselves."

"That's one of the two things I wanted to ask you about." Marco said. He looked at each of them. "Every one of you is making up your own mind about what should have happened, and how you will respond to what did happen. Yet you don't want to give Max the same benefit. He made up his mind and acted. Yet you seem to think Gabbie or I should have seen it before Max thought it, and we should have stopped it."

"That's a double standard. You can think freely and choose, but Max can't?" He looked at Monika. "You're about Max's age. What if I told you everything you were supposed to do and think; would you like it?" He shrugged. "I sure didn't like it when people tried to do that to me."

"Max made his choice. When he wanted to leave, he was on his own. But when he pointed a weapon at Gabbie, he made it everyone's problem. None of us knew about it beforehand. None of us had time to sit down with him and talk things out. He was almost at the point of killing Gabbie before anyone knew what was going on."

"Max made a choice, just like each of you wants to choose."

They sat in silence for a long while. Then Jonatan spoke up. "You said there were two things you wanted to ask about. I'm not sure I have a good answer, but what's the second?"

Marco looked at Jonatan and nodded. "You're right. You guys need to consider the second as well." He glanced forward to where Gabbie was, and then looked back at the group. "I take it Guide members shoot each other often?"

Several blanched, Monika furiously shook her head. She started to blurt out but Balt held up his hand. "Marco, you don't know our way. No Guide member has ever threatened the life of another member. It just doesn't happen."

Marco nodded, and leaned forward. His voice carried and edge. "It just doesn't happen...until today." He pointed to the front of the vehicle. "There's a hard working leader up front who is all alone. She is trying to lead you the best she can and something happens that no Guide leader has ever had to face. How could she be prepared for it? How could she plan for the unthinkable?"

"Yet each of you is worried about how you feel. Not a one of you has said a word about how she feels. You don't care that she carries her own burden as well as yours. You don't care that she will live the rest of her life seeing Max's barrel pointed at her, something that just doesn't happen."

"You need to decide if the Path means everything at all, or nothing at all. If the Creator is real then he actually created everyone. You are no more or less creations than the Red Cards or the Mountain Men. If the Creator is real then he created Gabbie just like he created you. Just as you doubt, hurt, and anger, so does she. But she also carries a load you don't have to bear."

He took a breathe and stood ot move up front. "Don't judge Max, we all make stupid decision. Don't judge Gabbie, you don't know the load she bears. Judge yourself, and yourself alone. Are you so confident in the Creator that what he wills is what you want to happen? Do you believe that acting in your faith to rescue his creations is a crime while threatening to take a friend's life is okay?"

"Make up your mind. Act on that." Marco turned and moved forward, pulling the hatch closed behind him.

"Thanks, I think." Gabbie said. The cab deadened some of the sound, and they were alone. "I just wonder if it's true?"

"Depends on your goals, Lieutenant."

"Yeah, I know. 'Are the big enough?' I'm not sure." She glanced at him. "Any words of wisdom?"

"Yeah." Marco said, smiling. "Don't point a gun at any of my friends."

"Duly noted." She stared at the road for a bit. "I'm not good enough to lead, am I?" Gabbie bit her lower lip. "It was a lot easier when we fought the same enemy. Now, it's so big. So confusing."

She flicked the screen cleaners to remove bug splat. "I hesitated, Marco. I could have gotten all of us killed."

"Yeah, you hesitated." Marco replied. "You were confronted with something that should not exist, and you were trying to consciously balance concern for a friend in front of you with concern for friends behind you."

Gabbie checked the mirrors and scan unit. Methodically. "Yeah. That's why I need to step down. Balt will be a good leader." She jerked her thumb back at the others. "They already follow him well. It'll be odd, for a bit, though."

"Gabbie, you can't step down." Marco said. "You are just what I need, right where I need you. We can't afford to lose a good leader."

"You need someone who can inspire others and make decisions, Marco. I...I'm not that person."

"No, I want someone like that." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I need someone who will do their best no matter what. I need someone who has had to face the dark in themselves and others, yet still maintains hope. I need someone who I can trust, and who trusts me." He gently poked her bicep. "That's you, Gabbie. I need you. They need you, whether or not they realize it."

"They will, though." He crossed his arms and leaned back. "They will get to a point where they finally understand. At that moment they will love you for leading them."

They rode in silence.

"Marco."

"Yeah?" He looked at her. She smiled slightly.

"Thanks."

"Any time, lieutenant. I got an extra helping of 'wisdom' when you and Jo pinned those pips on my collar. Happy to dispense it."

Marco leaned back and took a nap.