Mercs on Mars - Logan's Log 8: R & R, and the Aftermath
While recuperating, Logan briefly recounts the biggest and most difficult battle of his Martia career - the Third Battle of the Mariner Valley... But he also made contact with his wife back on Earth.
THE THIRD BATTLE OF THE MARINER VALLEY
TRANSCRIPT:
LOGAN’S LOG #8: “R & R, and the Aftermath”
[BEGIN RECORDING]
(Quietly, slow, mumbled)
I called her... finally. Worked up the nerve. (sigh) Worked up the nerve to check in on my wife, and... and our children. Seems such a long-ago-time now [sic] that I started these logs, and I suppose it was only–what? Three weeks ago? Four? A little over a month, I suppose.
(Messing with mic; Sound comes in clearer, speaking directly into mic, with deep, rapid breathing)
A lot's changed since then, for the better and for the worse. I've lost... two of my crew... But i was “instrumental” in "winning the battle."
(deep sigh)
That's what the higher-ups said. The brass said, "We won." It felt like a... well, like a ‘dignified retreat" if you ask me. There was no advancing.
…(pause)...
This planet will be fought over, until there ain't no buggos left, no Xenos.
(movement, huffing and puffing on a cigarette)
‘Til the threat of the Infection is finally eradicated, i don’t know what kind of civilizations can be made here. But we’re trying. We’re trying real hard here.
You know, some of that is what I said to her….
I, I had to ask–it was a fool damn thing to do, but– but I had to ask, if there was another man in her life. And uh, her answer was…to my thinking anyway… a bit ambivalent.
(mic mess-up, clears throat, begins walking)
And so, we find ourselves yet again, at an impasse… Em, and me.
(twigs breaking, noise of cowboy boots on concrete)
But we’ve been there before; we’ll work through it. I just wish she could…
(heavy sigh)
Work up the nerve to come back here.
Maybe I should work up the nerve to go back there…visit the Blue Balls–sorry, Blue Marble (chuckles darkly)-- slip of the tongue, a little Freudian for you.
(deep inhale, deep exhale)
Well, today’s the second-to-last day of R&R. The squad is healed up. Mostly scrapes and bruises and… chemicals…
…Faraj’s face will never be the same, but… he’ll, uhh… (sniffs) … He’s determined to go back out with us. And uh, you know, Hodge is…. He’s tough as nails, like the rest of us.
I, I’m not sure I should call him that any more.
I meant it as a joke, but (clears throat) …
…After the battle, after the Mariner—Valley, I just value the lives of my crew too much to make jokes, crass or not, or… well intentioned or not.
(puffs)
He’s a fine soldier and a good man.
Stanek, our doc in the field, he, uh, he, he applied trauma like like nobody's business. He… man. If not for the Czech, we would, we would have been checked out real fast!
I don’t know how I survived it.
I guess my “Wolvish” instincts, “Wolverine Brain” took over. And uh, you know, I sliced and diced and shot and fought.
(Rising and sighing, more walking)
At the end of the day, sometimes… feels only like a shuffle of the deck, but…
We got better cards comin’ up!
(a heavy wooden door swings open and then closes behind Logan as he enters a building)
And the enemy, well…
They’ve got worse times ahead. Yes, indeed-y.