SEE THE STARS
One
I know not what the future holds, I know not what it brings, I only know what has passed and what tears that would bring. Now we must go forward with our heads held high, together in our belief in God and what we know is right.
This was the last entry in the journal of a soldier serving in the Solaran Commonwealth’s Army before he went into battle with so many of his comrades. Yes, this was our Galaxy, where a terrible war was being waged between the Solaran Commonwealth and its allies, the Hellertron Empire, and a vicious, evil, despotic race, the Kayton Empire, intent on conquest and enslavement of the entire Galaxy. To this end, on the Keltar battle front on the Godforsaken planet of Ganeymon, the Solarans were facing the Kaytons and their Drone armies in deadly combat. The Kaytons were getting stronger by the day whereas the Solarans were getting weaker, being drained by the need to send reinforcements to stem the recent Hellertron defeats. How much longer could the thinning crest of the Solaran defence line hold out against another concentrated Kayton attack? They were about to find out as the alarms sounded all along the Solaran front lines.
The Unknown Soldier, who made the journal entry, and all his comrades advanced from their dugouts and into the front line trenches proper to prepare themselves for the coming onslaught.
A young Second Lieutenant, who was standing next to the Unknown Soldier, shouted to his platoon, “Open fire!” as wave after wave of Kaytons and their Drone armies came at them.
The Solarans held out… but for how much longer?
The Major in charge told the front line radio operator to call for air support.
“The Air Force is spread very thin,” replied the radio operator. ”Can we hold out without air support?”
Grabbing the radio receiver, the Major shouted, “I’m telling you, if you don't get me an air strike, and soon, we are going to collapse!”
There was no reply; just silence at the other end of the line.
As things deteriorated, the Major gave the order to prepare to retreat. At least that way some men would be saved, whereas if they stood firm they would all be killed or captured.
At that very moment the radio operator said, “Listen,” as the unmistakable sound of Solaran fighter bombers could be heard in the distance.
On board the lead strike aircraft, the Squadron Leader radioed to his pilots, "We are approaching the front line, T.A.R.D.S on now.”
Tactical All Round Defense System was a force field which enveloped the whole plane. It was a good system but as it was a huge drain on the power, it was only used when absolutely necessary. That time had now come as the anti-aircraft shells exploded harmlessly on the force field, lighting it up as they struck.
As they approached No Man’s Land the squadron leader said to his pilots, "Make them count, these lads are desperate.”
They swooped in low and fast on the unsuspecting Kaytons, dropping their delayed action cluster bombs which exploded with devastating effect, breaking up the attack in its tracks. The surviving Kaytons retreated back to their front lines as the squadron made its escape back to base to re-arm for the next expected mission, such was the pressure being exerted all along the front line.
The men in the Solaran trenches reacted with cheers of relief at having repelled the attack, the Major’s Adjutant saying gleefully, "We did it, we held.”
"This time, yes,” the Major replied. “Next time we might not be so lucky. I don't know how much longer we can hold on.”
The young officer standing next to the Unknown Soldier turned to him and said, “We did it; we held…” But then his expression turned to sadness as he realised the Unknown Soldier had taken a stray bullet and died at his side. After composing himself, he said, “I didn’t even know your name, soldier, but I am going to find out now who you are and who your loved ones are.” He ever so carefully and respectfully went through the soldier’s pockets to try and give a name to this brave man who had sacrificed all in the name of freedom. But the soldier must have left his papers in his dugout because all he could find was a photograph of his girlfriend in his top left hand pocket, literally next to his heart. On the back of the photograph it read, Please, my love, keep me close to your heart. As you are to mine, always. To remind you of me throughout these hard times. And when the war is at an end and victory is ours, we will be reunited again, happy and free. My dearest love, Otterley.
The young officer thought, I won’t let you be forgotten. I will find out who you are and when the war is over I will return your private belongings to your devoted girlfriend and tell her that I had the honour of serving by your side.
Two
Life on earth continued as normal, oblivious to what was going on around it. In England, in a city called Leeds, John was sitting in the bookies with his friend, Bob, who looked like the shepherd in the Specsaver advert who sheared his dog by mistake. He was the spitting image of that character. I was thinking to myself, look at all these people deceiving themselves they are going to win some money.
My mother once said to me when I was young, "You never see a poor bookie.” What a way for a company to make a profit, by living on people’s addictions.
My father was from Holland, but I never saw a bookies in Holland when I was a teenager. I think they must have had more sense. Mind you, I suppose it is no worse than selling cigarettes or alcohol.
Poor old Bob gambled all his working life. He lived a wretched existence. He had no cooker, fridge, microwave or television, had been on Pension Credit for the last two years and all he bought in that time was a new mattress and radio. In fact I created a new word in the English language to describe him: the WRETCHIDITY of Bob’s life. Sitting there with his shirt hanging out and his shoe laces undone, I called him the dead end kid of Oakwood.
His father’s brother emigrated to New Zealand before the war and Bob still kept in touch with them. I said to him once, “Do your relatives in New Zealand know what a wretched life you lead?”
Bob just laughed. “I hope not,” he replied.
He liked the girl who worked behind the counter in the bookies. She said to me once, "Where did you dig Bob up from?"
I replied, “I think he is a little treasure.”
She said, "I wish you’d left him buried.”
Another time, I said to her, “Why don’t you have Bob for Christmas dinner?”
Do you know what she said? "I’d rather have a turkey."
Bob said. "I don’t think I like that woman any more."
"Never mind Bob,” I replied, “there are plenty more fish in the sea." I used to sing to him, “Bobby, Bobby, Bobby’s in love.”
In the bookies once, he said. "I haven’t eaten for two days."
Someone shouted back, "Well force yourself, Bob!"
Another time, after he had lost a lot of money, he said he was thinking about ending it all.
Walt shouted from the back of the room, "I wish you would, Bob, and do us all a favour!"
Walt had a shiny, bald head and black teeth. They were all lined up like little black dominoes ready for action. I always remember the highest mainline railway station in England has something to do with the back of Walt’s head… Dent, on the Carlisle to Settle line, because of the dent in the back of Walt’s head.
Bob shouted back, "What hair shampoo do you use, Walt? “Wash and go? Every time you wash, a bit more hair goes."
Walt replied. "Yes Bob, it’s like your money… here today and gone tomorrow.”
I’m afraid you don’t get any sympathy in a bookies.
Walt asked me once if I liked opera. I said, “I watch that Oprah Winfrey on TV.” Needless to say, Walt was not amused.
I used to go to pub quizzes with Walt and a couple of his friends and
we were in the Hope Inn on York Road one day. Walt was arguing with a guy and called him semi- illiterate.
The guy then stood up. “Don’t you call me semi–illiterate; I am totally illiterate.”
I swear that is exactly how it happened. Oh, and that just reminded me of the time I was at a friend’s house with Alan and his wife, Linda. She asked me to go to the shop and gave me a list. On closer examination, one of the items listed was mag.
“What’s this?” I said. “Do you want the television magazine?”
She had a look at the list. “No,” she said, “that’s margarine.”
Another item on the list said tuff puss.
I said, “What’s this you want, Linda, love?” She said that was toothpaste. Oh dear.
Alan said she wasn’t the brightest spark but she was good in the bedroom.
“Well,” I replied, “as long as you are happy, Alan, that’s the main thing.”
Bob once said to me, “If I get a big win, he’ll be my best friend.”
Dave said, "Tell him you don’t want any friends.”
“I don’t know where all my money is going,” Bob remarked.
I said, “Do you think it’s got anything to do with the fact that you’re sat in the bookies all day?”
He said he would have to cut down.
“Yes,” I said “and pigs might grow wings and start to fly.” He might as well have been married to the bookies. Could you imagine the ceremony? ‘Do you, The Bookies, take thee, Bob, for every penny he has? To