Must You Leave?

After another hour, the subtle sounds of the Air conditioners and the bustling of traffic outside. Jenna comes out the ward with her bag, free to go home after her night shift arrived a few minutes earlier.

Emily has taken a nap in the waiting area. Arms crossed and facing up the ceiling. Before she could wake Emily she sees her phone with a notification, an Email of Emily's approval for resignation and that she needs to submit some requirements to officially complete her process resignation from Merlot Industries.

Merlot Industries. One of most succesful and well known ship building companies in known space. 'She quit? It's only been two years.' Jenna says to herself

Tapping her friend's shoulder, Emily's eyes slowly open and looks at Jenna. She yawns and rubs her eyes, stretching to loosen her elbows from staying in the same position.

"You awake?" Jenna teases Emily with a smile.

"I am now." Emily answers. "Can we go home now?"

Emily notices Jenna's eyes on her phone. Her E-mail open for all to see and quickly turns her phone of.

Riding the bus, they both stay silent. Emily leaning by the window watching the buildings pass by and the city lights of the habitat looking like the stars of the cosmos amidst the dimmlygl glowing thermal rod simulating the light of a moon.

Jenna smiles seeing that Emily hasnt lost her old peronality. Emily always watched the fields and forest back home in Calhoun pass by in the railers. Though the people in Rhombus call them trains. Emily knew every part of the route. Even the slightest changes she can spot it from a kilometer away.

As the busy city streets turns into a quiet and calm subburbs they currently reside, the bus stops and the speakers announces they have arrived at the Point 7 Bus Stop and both women disembark. The quiet streets and artificial rivers in the town gives both girls a sense of peace. The atmo generators pumping out cold air simulating the arrival of winter. Though unlike winter in rustleton, night coming early, it was the opposite in Calhoun.

The house they live in the colony is small, large enough to house two to four people. The backyard thankfully is very wide and has a tree with a see saw. A feature left by the previous owners of the home.

"Finally, home at last." Emily comments.

Stepping on the wooden porch and checks the mail box for any letters. There are three letters, bills both for the electricity and water. The other is for Jenna sent by her parents.

Opening the door and turning on the lights, both girls drop their bags in the sofa. Emily walking to the kitchen.

"So what do you want for dinner Jenna?" Emily asks. Checking the refrigerator.

"I thought it was my turn to cook tonight?"

"After what happened, I wanna atleast return the favor." Emily answers. "Well anything?"

"Just cook something that you can cook quickly." Jenna waves her hand and sits on the sofe. Taking her shoes off with her feet and raises them in the center table and rubs her back. "Damn my back hurts. You gonna explain to me why you resigned?"

Emily looks at her with a blank face for a few seconds before turning her back and opening the refrigerator.

"Its best I tell you after dinner."

Rummaging the fridge, Emily finds instant ham, some vegetable packs and canned corn along wity brocolli. Washing the food in the sink and thawing the ice she turns on the stove.

Jenna turns on the holo screen and puts the channel on the news, ships of the . Placing her shoes in the shoe case beside the door and hangs their bags, the smell of the sweet fried ham and vegetable stew fancy's Jenna's nose. The scent reminding them of home.

'Well time to set the plates' Emily reminds herself.

•••

Jenna dozes back deep on her thoughts again of the events that transpired an hour ago as the news continues to broadcast. Not noticing the plates and utensils have already been set and the steaming hot food ready.

Emily calls her thee times and does not respond. She pokes her finger at Jenna's cheeks, bringing her back to her senses and Emily asking her if she should put the vegetables in the bowl.

The news feed in the holo screen echoes in the living room to the kitchen where the dinning table is also located. The sweet smelling vegetable stew steaming in the center alongside the ham.

They both eat in silence eating their meal and listening to the news to keep them occupied from silence and their metal chopsticks clanking with the stainless steel bowl, and the occasional passing of a street cleaner truck and flickering of the yellow incandescent lightbulb.

They both feel timid, waiting for either one of them to speak first. Jenna finishes her bowl and sets it aside. Emily still eating. Finding an opportunity Jenna speaks first to the dismay of Emily.

"So how was work?" Jenna asks.

"It was fine." Emily eats another spoon of vegetables in her mouth. "Nothing new. Just more navy ships we repaired in a few hours tops."

"Were they badly damaged?"

"Yeah. And boy was the crew lucky. The damage inside is a mess i dont know how the crew arent grinded meat when we talked to them."

Exactly as she mentions the crew, the news center receives breaking news of another fleet sent to the Threshold region called the Threshold Expeditionary Fleet. A region located in the upper western fringe where most of the confederate fleet is stationed.

"It was great repairing those ships cuz we now had something to do. The last few weeks we just sat around sorting out inventory and documents and maintaining the shipyard." Emily continues and eats another spoonful of stew with some ham. "I even got lessons in piloting maintenance drones when I have the chance thanks to Felicia."

"The deer woman?"

"Yeah her. And then Thorn taught me more about the NAV computer. It was kinda fun messing with it and crashing the ship." Emily giggles.

Fun. The word stuck to Jenna's head as Emily continues on with telling her day. It troubles her.

"If you loved your job. Why did you quit?" Jenna asks shutting up Emily.

"Oh yeah. That." Emily scratches her head and looks away from Jenna crossing her arms. Silence again between them.

"Its only been two years, the contract here is five. You always wanted to work here first when you graduated."

Emily ignores Jenna, mumbling that she had to find out.

"You had a job, you were happy and passionate about it. Why would you resign?"

"Ehh so what if I did." Emily says with a obvius fake smile waving her hand."Its my decision. I'm an adult just like you I can do whatever I want right?"

Jenna's head slightly slumps, her hair and shadow covering her eyes and frowning. Stopping Emily from continuing on.

"Jenna whats wrong?" Emily sits properly, straightening herself in the table and reaches her hand to Jenna, suddenly shooting at her with a frown. Catching Emily off guard.

Pulling something out of her pocket, she shows Emily a yellow military recruitment leaflet.

"You enlisted didnt you?" Jenna asks Emily.

"....Yes. I did." Emily answers hesitantly. "But I was going to tell you! Because you see...."

"When were you going to tell me exactly?!? When it's time for you to leave!"

"I was gonna tell you tomorrow but you saw my resignation letter. Or something."

"Emily! Why are you doing this? Your safe here, we barely escaped alive from the confederates now you want to fight them!?! Even the marines are having a hard time against them."

Jenna gestures her hand to the news feed reporting a fleet of marine transport carriers being destroyed while en route to Cerenia and confirmed mass casualties from the marine infantry which according to the historian being interviewed, is the first time a marine corps received causualties from other human combatants in since three hundred years ago.

"Jenna listen I..."

"No!" Jenna slams the table shaking the food off the bowl spilling the soup. "You listen to me Em."

"I understand its your decision, you're an adult like me. But you enlisting is the most stupid decision you have ever done!"

"They gave me a two week leave to think about it if I really want to go. So if I dont wanna go I can just stay here."

"But you alreadu decided you are going to leave after two weeks arent you?"

Emily groans, crossing her arms and slouches on her chair.

"Yes. So what?"

"So what!?!"Jenna rubs her hair. "Emily, you are not going to whatever fortress world will turn you into a monster! Why did you even sign up huh!?!"

Emily's brow twitches and grinds her teeth.

"You and I lost our home, our friends, our family !and everyone we know!" Jenna yells at Emily as she counts with her fingers.

"Thats exactly the reason why I enlisted in the firat place!"

"And that's stupid! So you're just gonna willingly lose your life for a planet thats probably burnt to the brim? Go out there and die alone while the connies steamroll past you to another planet!?!"

"Thats why enlisted in the marines! To make sure that doesnt happen."

"And they are dying. Emily! What you are doing is reckless only an immature teenager would even think off doing! Why are you doing this!?!"

"So I cant decide to leave you like you left us?" Emily raises her voice.

"Things are different now Em!" Jenna stands up from her seat. "We are at war. And we are, losing! Why do even want to fight those crazy bastards!

"Because I dont want to sit here and wait for another confederate fleet to nuke us. " Emily stands up from her seat. "While our people is being harrased in another planet they dont even know!"

"And I dont want to lose you!" Emily points her finger at Jenna.

"Well if you go out there and die, I lose you! You think I saved you in the invasion because it was my job!?! I saved you because youre the only other person i have left!"

Jenna sits down, tearing up.

"Emily. Im scared" Jenna shivers and havens her arms. "I almost lost you. I dont want to lose you again. Please. Dont go."

"Jen. Im sorry. But I'm going...."

"But no ones telling you to go! No one is forcing you to leave!"

Emily gathers her strength and lets out a large exhale. Her face turning stern and cold.

"I knew this was gonna happen Jenna. I shouldve told you sooner, Im an idiot. But I already decided, even before I got that leaflet, I know people die wherever I'll be deployed. If me dying means protecting place, getting our home back. Im going Jenna. Even if it costs me my life"

Jenna feels her heart sink deeper into her chest. Air sucked out her lungs. She slowly stands up and walks to her room. Emily tells her they are not done with dinner yet only to hear Jenna scream at her to not talk to her and slams her door shut.

Sitting down and staring at the pot still full of stew, she sees she hasnt finished her meal. Slicing a piece of ham she tries to eat, instead she only stare at the ham dangling in her spoon.

Wishing Jenna would still eat, she stores the leftover stew and ham in individual food containers in the fridge.

The news is still broadcasting, switching now to a fleet of navy and marine warships passing through the system. A few squadrons topping by the shipyards to refuel and purchase ammunition. The same ships she'll be deployed with if she passes training. With a press of a button in the remote she turn the holo screen off.

After putting the dishes in the auto washer she opens the door to her room to finish up her resignation process. Greeting her with a mess she needs to clean up.

"Right." Emily sighs. Picking up her shirt she didnt wash yesterday. And the rest of the mess as the clock tocks near midnight. Silence once again in the house.