Richard Diamond
A man in his late forties and his son are sitting on a rock, drinking beer and looking at the horizon over a stretch of wilderness. Gen Dymas Gaticus Valdor breaks their silence,
Why does it even matter?
Somewhat startled Constantine Valdor looks at the old man,
What do you mean dad?
His father returns his son's gaze. The sun is going down turning his white beard ablaze with orange color,
Why does it matter that you do anything? Why did you join?
The young man looks away, searching for words,
I thought you... what do you mean, you joined?
Dymas puts his strong hand on his sons shoulder and squeezes,
This is not about me, why did you join the Marines?
Reluctantly Constantine looks at his father again, a bit resentful for the questioning,
I guess I just didn't know what else to do.
The man's gaze is piercing. He always saw right through his son,
Wrong son! You joined because you were meant to follow this path.
Still unconvinced,
I guess so.
But the man is unwavering. His voice is loud and steady and insistent,
I know so son. I knew it before you were even born. You are doing a great thing son. You may not know it, but this will lead you to something that actually matters.
He can't escape his father's conviction, but wishes he could somehow see things the way his father does,
Like what dad? How can you be so sure?
His father looks at towards the setting sun. It's very low now and it reflects off of his eyes, like tiny golden pinpricks,
You will have to...
Unir NaDoldor sits his daughter down on the couch,
I can't explain it to you baby. Some things you will just have to live through.
Little Ziritsa NaDoldor looks at her dad with big wide eyes,
Daddy?
Her voice trembles a bit. He smiles,
Yes sweetheart?
But she frowns,
I'm scared I will die.
He sits down next to her and gives her a hug,
Ow baby. It't normal to be scared, but we shouldn't be. There is no use in it.
He is so much taller than her. She has to move her head away from his chest to look at his face,
Are you ever scared daddy?
He looks down and meets her questioning gaze,
Sometimes. But I'm pretty lucky.
She raises an eyebrow, confused and intrigued,
Lucky, how?
He grabs her and gives her a big strong hug that makes her lose her breath,
Because I have you!
And because I know that in the end, this all means something.
She listens to his heartbeat,
Do you know the future?
He loosened his strong hold a bit to make her more comfortable,
I know that in the future, you...
Incredulous, TS Sigma shakes his head,
You can't know the future. That is impossible and would cause all sorts of nonsense.
Dr. Correinne Ledgester gives him a little push on his shoulder,
But what if you could?
This softens the mouse a bit from being so dismissive and he entertains the conversation, albeit with a hint of annoyance,
Then I guess I would try to do something that made a difference?
She tilts her head and looks him up and down with a slight smile,
I think you will.
He returns he optimism with a somber deflation of his shoulders as he looks around the room,
Not while we're in here. I'm afraid my life has only one trajectory. It begins and end in this terrible place.
She reaches out and pets his whiskers,
I think you are shortchanging yourself and your future Sig. There is more out there than this lab. I for one, don't intend to die here.
He looks back at her. Her hand moves to hold the side of his face,
What do you know of my future that is beyond these walls?
She shakes her head as if pushing off some ridiculous thought,
I know that you...
A tall android is looking at a distorted video of a woman. While the disembodied voice of Richard Diamond sounds behind him.
Why do you keep on this case? It was dropped long time ago?
Unflinching, Henry Hart skips and flips through the silent recording, dissecting every angle.
I don't know. She was your last case. You worked it because of me and then you were gone.
The voice continues,
Everything goes away eventually. Maybe it's time to let this go?
Henry zeroes in on a particular moment of the video where the woman looks into the camera and says something,
This case. It's somehow connected to my past and future. I think I need to keep with it.
He loops the section and reaches out to turn on the sound,
Who are you Liz Thompson. And why can't I let you go?
The voice of the woman fills the room...
All together,
Find me!