Disclaimer: Daria and associated characters are owned by MTV. This is fan fiction written for entertainment only. No money or other negotiable currency or goods have been exchanged.
Original characters and plot copyright Richard J. Lobinske. 2009.
This started as an entry in the PPMB 9/14/04 challenge to write a story telling what one character was doing on September 14, 2004, followed by 揟he Day After?challenge for what the character was doing the day after the November 2, 2004 election and the SFMB 揘ew Year抯?challenge for January 1, 2005. Quinn Morgendorffer抯 appearance ties in with Guy Payne抯 entry in the 揟he Day After?challenge, Tallil, an alternative to his story, Kadhimiya. Lyrics to Cold Wind to Valhalla copyright Ian Anderson and Martin Barre, 1975.
16 June, 2000
The recruiter lightly tapped the papers to straighten them into a precise stack. 揥elcome to the U.S. Army, Ms. Hecuba. Though if you want some friendly advice, lose the eye makeup.?/p>
Andrea shrugged. 揑t抯 gotten to be a pain to put on every morning, no problem.?/p>
揧ou抣l be glad you signed up for the tuition matching program. The accumulated money will really set you up for college. And the discipline you learn in the service will give you a edge in getting good grades.?/p>
Andrea chuckled. 揧eah, that I could use.?/p>
揜otary-wing pilot is a tough MOS to get into, good luck.?/p>
揌ey, even with the saved money, it抣l be nice to have good paying skill to fall back on.?/p>
揧ou抮e really planning ahead for yourself. You won抰 regret this.?/p>
4 August, 2000
揘inety-eight, ninety-nine, one-hundred.? Sweating in the Georgia summer sun, Andrea completed her sit-ups. She labored to catch her breath and felt the pang of stretched muscles in her stomach.
揅ongratulations Hecuba!?The drill instructor barked while leaning over her. 揧ou finally made it under the time limit.?/p>
Despite her short breath, Andrea shouted, 揧es, Master Sergeant!?/p>
揌ell, it looks like we might make a soldier out of you yet! If you can only learn to hit the broad side of a barn with an M-16!?/p>
18 May, 2001
Despite the look of stiffness, Warrant Officer Andrea Hecuba stood at attention with the ease of something that had become second nature. However, the slight butterflies in her gut were different as the Colonel stepped in front of her and pinned helicopter pilot wings on her Class A uniform. With pride and satisfaction, she returned the officer抯 salute and thought, I really made it.
She also thought of her new orders. Medical Evacuation Pilot. Things are really looking up.
5 November, 2001
The Blackhawk helicopter wobbled slightly in the mountain cross-winds as Andrea worked with the pilot to land it on the small plateau in Afghanistan. It was barely down before a soldier rose from the edge of the landing zone with another held in a fireman抯 carry. He ran to the waiting chopper and bent down to set his companion on the deck. The medic grabbed the casualty抯 shoulders, and with the soldier抯 help, moved him onto a stretcher.
Andrea looked over her shoulder to check on the progress. The wounded man may have been twenty. His right trouser leg had been cut away, and the medic was checking what remained of the man抯 leg. The field bandages were soaked through with blood, and the flight deck was streaked with more where the cut-away cloth had been tossed. Even more was starting to pool in the stretcher as the medic continued to work as he prepared a transfusion.
The pilot looked over to see Andrea抯 ashen face, and quickly checked if their passenger was secured. Seeing that, he tapped his copilot抯 shoulder and said into the intercom, 揌ecuba, time to go.?/p>
She yanked her eyes away and looked forward. 揧es, sir.?/p>
During the flight to the field hospital, she felt a heavy coldness that seemed to radiate from her stomach. Andrea shivered as she kept thinking of the blood and the pain the wounded soldier must be in. Sensitive to small motions in the chopper, she noticed a rhythmic rocking behind her. She swallowed and looked back again.
The medic was doing chest compressions on the wounded soldier. She looked away quickly and checked their position. On the intercom, she said, 揙ur ETA is four minutes.?/p>
The medic shouted, 揑 hope we get a tailwind, I抦 losing him.?/p>
The medical team ran to meet the chopper as it set down. After a minute, Andrea was surprised to see them slowly moving way. One of them looked back and shook her head.
14 September, 2004
揤alkyrie, this is Red Lizard Three, do you copy? Over,?/i> crackled a voice over the radio.
Andrea responded from the cockpit of her helicopter. 揜oger Red Lizard Three, this is Valkyrie. I copy. Over.?/p>
揋ood to hear your voice. We have three, repeat, three for immediate evac. Setting green smoke to mark the LZ. Over.?/i>
揟hree for evac, Roger.? Andrea scanned the dusty Iraqi town for the telltale green smoke. Soon, she spotted it rising from a small square. 揤isual on green smoke. Landing in thirty seconds. Over.?/p>
揟hirty seconds, Roger. We抣l try to keep their heads down, but expect small arms fire. Over.?/i>
揜oger Red Lizard Three. Over.? Andrea keyed the mike to interphone to her copilot and medic. 揇ammit, we抳e got another hot one. Let抯 make it fast. Wolsey, keep an eye out for big stuff; Leander, we have three patients for you.?/p>
Andrea dropped the chopper into the square faster than her old instructors liked, popping hard on the collective control to slow descent at the last moment for soft touchdown. Within seconds, two passengers on stretchers and the third being walked were brought to the chopper. She quickly averted her eyes and studied the building in front of the chopper. My second tour out here and I still can抰 stand the sight of their blood.
Ting ?Ting ?Ting. Assault rifle rounds struck the helicopter. Andrea looked out the front for any signs of the attacker. She could feel the slight shift of the chopper as patients were loaded behind her. The Plexiglas beside her spider-webbed as a bullet passed through and struck the bulkhead behind. Ting ?Ting ?Ting. Andrea forced her eyes to dance over the instruments for any of the telltale signs of danger, like dropping hydraulic pressure. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her copilot, WO Leo Wolsey ducking down in the seat after noticing the shattered side window.
The medic, Cpl. David Leander called over the interphone, 揂ll aboard and strapped down! Let抯 blow this joint!?/p>
Making a fast check to the side to insure the ground-pounders were clear, she pulled hard on the controls for a fast climb, beginning a weave as soon as she cleared the nearest rooftop.
Wolsey yelled, 揜PG right!?/p>
She pulled the chopper that direction and dropped the nose just in time to see the smoke trail of the rocket-propelled grenade. With a quick rolling motion of her hand on the stick, she slid the chopper up and to the side as the rocket passed by. She switched her mike back to the ground frequency. 揜ed Lizard Three. Rat bastard in the two-story fifty meters to your northeast. Grease the little turd. Over.?/p>
揤alkyrie, we copy. Consider the little git dead. Good luck getting my boys back safe. Over.?/i>
揥ill do Red Lizard Three. This shieldmaiden will make sure that they don抰 visit Valhalla this day. Out.?/p>
Sgt. Williamson, the chopper crew chief, ran a metal rod from the hole in the Plexiglas to the ding in the bulkhead behind the pilot抯 seat. He gave a low whistle and looked toward the pilot抯 tents. The bullet抯 path had been within inches of her head. 揝omebody抯 looking out for her.?/p>
Andrea stopped by the triage tent and flagged down one of the officers. 揃ailey, what抯 the word on today抯 guest??/p>
The thirty-something doctor turned to her. 揂ll three of yours are stable and will be on their way to Germany soon.?/p>
Andrea felt a wave of relief at the news. 揟hanks.?/p>
She made her way back to her tent and dropped onto her bunk. 揥hat a way to pay for college.?/p>
3 November, 2004
"Copy Warhound. Two stretchers in the westernmost Bradley. Valkyrie will be coming in from the south. ETA two minutes. Over"
Andrea a turned to her medic. "Two sniper hits, Leander."
Leander looked up at his pilot. "Roger that.? He prepared two bottles of plasma and hung them on the ready racks.
The chopper landed in a cloud of tan dust as the desert sand whipped around the rotor wash. Five figures rushed forward, four carrying two stretchers, a fifth in between. Andrea intently studied her instruments. There has been too much blood back there. She heard a pair of thuds as the stretcher cases were dropped onto the flight deck. Leander would be strapping them in and would soon give the take-off okay.
The fifth figure in the group yelled into the back at the two casualties. "Kramer, Morgendorffer! I expect your sorry butts to be back in my outfit within a week. I'm not interested in hearing about your lounging around some cushy hospital. Do I make myself clear?"
Andrea began to look back. Morgendorffer?
She heard a male voice croak. "Bite me...sir. I'll get back when I'm ready.? The responding chuckle indicated the jest.
A familiar, kind of squeaky, woman抯 voice followed. "Dammit! This was my best remaining set of BDU's!"
Andrea completed the turn. The red-haired woman on the near stretcher was very different from the carefree girl she had last seen in high school. "Quinn, right?"
Quinn struggled to focus. "Hey, you went to school with my sister...Andrea?"
Leander looked up in surprise to see his pilot's face. WO Hecuba couldn't stand the sight of the blood of those she saved, but she clearly knew one of the casualties. He nodded and gave a thumbs up.
Andrea winked at Quinn. "You won't be riding a cold wind today. Not if I can help it."
Quinn rolled her head to the side and gave a pained laugh to Kramer. "Hey, at least he was polite enough to wait until we were done with our beer."
"Only because you learned to chug the things so damn fast," He smirked back.
1 January, 2005
Andrea Hecuba抯 feet crunched through the crusted snow along the sidewalk in front of Lawndale High School. 揂nd I thought these were the worst years of my life. Boy was I mistaken.?/p>
揑t抯 a cold day to be out next to the school, miss,?the strongly projecting voice of her old history teacher said.
She turned and said, 揗r. Demartino.?/p>
He scrutinized her for a moment before recognition dawned. 揗s. Hecuba. It has been a while.?/p>
Andrea briefly looked down at herself. It wasn抰 surprising that Demartino hadn抰 recognized her readily; the plump, goth chick that had attended high school was long gone. The Egyptian eye makeup was also a thing of the past and her stout jeans and flight jacket showed the trim, attractive figure of someone who had to keep in good physical condition.
揂lmost five years.?/p>
揟hat flight jacket shows signs of real use. Warrant Officer??/p>
揟hat抯 right. On leave from my second tour in Iraq.?/p>
揂 most unpleasant business. If I may inquire, what do you do??/p>
揑抦 a chopper pilot, flying medivac.?/p>
Demartino抯 eyes strangely softened. 揂 most commendable and honorable mission.?/p>
揢m卼hanks. I can say I抳e never lost a patient flying my own bird.?/p>
He placed one hand on her shoulder. 揗any of us owe our lives to people like you. A record like that is something you can be proud of.?/p>
揑抎 rather I not have had to make the record.?/p>
揝poken like a real veteran.?/p>
揈ven though I re-enlisted six months ago, I wish I didn抰 have to go back.?/p>
揧ou have my sympathy. At least we only had to spend one tour in 慛am.?/p>
揑抦 afraid I already know the answer. Do the nightmares ever go away??/p>
揟hey抣l hide, but a part will always be with you.?/p>
揈xcept for once, I抳e never been able to look at my passengers. I can抰 stand to see the blood.?/p>
揂ctually, a rational action. There抯 a lot I wish I hadn抰 seen.?/p>
Both looked silently at the school for a while. Andrea said, 揑t抯 been good to see you, but I need to get going, there抯 still a few places I want to see while I抦 home.?/p>
揋et going, it has been my pleasure.?/p>
Andrea walked to Pizza Prince for a slice or two of their tasty, greasy offerings. She picked up a pair of slices and noticed only one booth occupied in the restaurant, by a young woman with red-brown hair and small, oval glasses. 揝eems to be a day for old acquaintances,?she said as she went over to the table. 揌i, Daria.?/p>
Daria Morgendorffer looked up from the slice she was intently studying. 揂ndrea??/p>
揗ind if I have a seat??/p>
揥hat? Oh, no. Please.?/p>
揌ow抯 your sister doing??/p>
揝till hospitalized, you heard about her??/p>
揑抦 the chopper pilot that medevaced her and another guy out of Tallil two months ago.?/p>
揑 never pictured you in the Army.?/p>
揘either did I, but it seemed like a good way to build up a college fund. My folks never had much money. Should have finished up back in July, but my enlistment was extended. I head back to Iraq at the end of the week.?/p>
揙h.?/p>
揧ou were always smart, what are you up to??/p>
揑 started grad school this last fall. Majoring in English.?/p>
揅ool. Still writing??/p>
揥hen I can. I抳e managed to sell a couple short stories.?/p>
揥ow. Congrats.?/p>
揟hanks.?/p>
揧ou know, your sister and the guy she was with are the only patients I抳e seen. I normally can抰 look, but I had to when I heard her name.?/p>
揑 can抰 imagine what you have been through.?/p>
揟rust me; never try. You might appreciate one thing; she complained that the blood had ruined her best set of BDU抯?/p>
Daria lightly laughed. 揋lad she抯 kept some of that. We抳e been so worried about her, ever since she was hurt the first time.?/p>
揙h, man. That was her second trip??/p>
Daria nodded. 揝he was lucky the first time, if that missile hadn抰 been a dud, she wouldn抰 have made it.?/p>
揟here is no luck in combat, only blind chance.?/p>
揑抣l take your word. She got out of that fine, but this last one, she hasn抰.?/p>
揧eah, you said she was still hospitalized, it didn抰 look that bad.?/p>
揑nfection. She almost lost a lung to it. Doctors say it will only be at no more than half capacity.?/p>
揝ounds like her ticket home.?/p>
揑t sounds crass, but we hope so.?/p>
揝o do I.?/p>
揟hanks. Look, I抎 only stopped here for a quick lunch before heading back to Boston; I need to get on the road. Thanks for stopping by.?/p>
揗y pleasure. I hope your sister gets home soon.?/p>
揑 hope you can, too.?/p>
February 22, 2006
Andrea woke with the touch of a soft hand on her cheek. Clad in shimmering mail, a woman with blond hair pulled into twin braids reached through the smashed canopy of Andrea's helicopter. A bright helmet with a golden crest was on the woman's head. In her left hand, a round shield was held by a center grip, along with a slender spear. Behind, two white horses waited.
Andrea stared at the offered hand. 揥ho are you??/p>
揑 am 苩helthrith.?/p>
揑抦 dreaming.?/p>
揘o.?/p>
Andrea moved her hand to her throat and pressed fingertips against the side. Nothing.
Andrea tried to feel a pulse on her wrist. None. Though it was slick and wet.
Andrea closed her eyes and opened them again. 苩helthrith was still there.
The stranger nodded. 揑 am here for you. You have carried many of their bodies to safety. It is my duty to carry your soul to where it will be safe.?/p>
Andrea took her hand and felt herself pulled from the wreckage. She saw she was also dressed in a bright mail byrnie.
苩helthrith mounted one of horses and held the reigns of the other. 揅ome, join us, Sister.?/p>
揑抳e spent over four years keeping them away from you.?/p>
揧ou抳e been keeping the living safe. Now, you can keep the departed safe and on their way to where they belong.?/p>
揑 can抰 carry them to a place where they will be forever fighting.?/p>
揧ou won抰. Souls go to where they believe. Few now believe in Valhalla. You will take most of these to the Gates of Heaven. They will find the peace you had hoped for.?/p>
揥hy me??/p>
揧ou have believed yourself one of us. Called yourself one of us.?/p>
揟hat was a radio call厰 She looked down at herself. 搮I did.?/p>
揅ome, return with me to rest. We have no more work here.?/p>
揥hat about??/p>
She turned to look at the wrecked chopper. Leander was sprinting away from the stretcher case, pulled safely away. Wolsey pulled Andrea抯 body from the cockpit and laid it on the ground. Leander reached them and said, 揟he patient is stable, how抯 the boss??/p>
揃ad. I抦 not getting a pulse.?/p>
Leander did a quick examination before he looked up at Wolsey. 揝he抯 gone.?/p>
揝he can抰 be.?/p>
揝he is. There抯 nothing I can do for her.?/p>
苩helthrith said, 揝ee, we have no work. Ride with me.?/p>
Andrea looked back one last time. I抦 not even bothered by the blood anymore. She climbed into the saddle and remembered her riding lessons in middle school. 揋oodbye Leander, Wolsey. I better not have to make a return trip for you.?/p>
She nudged the horse to follow 苩helthrith, immediately noticing a lack of bouncing. The horse walked on air and soon angled up to follow the other shieldmaiden into the evening sky.
Thanks to Brother Grimace for beta reading
September 2004-November 2009