FORWARD WE GO
By
A.j.
Timeline: Years after
Author's E-Mail: jetfixer@interaccess.com
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Hiya, all! I got insired yesterday at my mom's graduation (she got her Master's!!!!) so I bought a notebook and started to write. It's a short piece of fluff.Disclaimer:
I don't own any of the people mentioned below with the exception of Amara Kiyrin Buuroghs. (She's mine, but you all can use her if you want.)Warning:
Do I even have to go through with this anymore? You all know I write Dev&Danz stuff. There isn't any *overt* romance, but if you are opposed to a D&D romance, WHAT THE *_HELL_* IS _*WRONG*_ WITH YOU!?!?!? (In other words, Turn Back Now.)
Forward We Go
by A.j.He couldn't believe this was happening. It was just too surreal. He was a mechanic and mechanics were just *not* prepared for this kind of thing.
He was seated on a raised platform in the most comfortable chair in the middle of the New Pacifica Commons. Seated just below him was the Advance team... and as much of the population of Pacifica as the higher forces could cram in an enclosed space.
John glanced around nervously at the other people on the platform. Next to him, shifting quite nervously, was Lenina Magus. On Magus's left was one of the Ops members of the Roanoke who had stayed behind, Amara Buuroghs. They were all wearing matching outfits. The black robes (which Bess *insisted* were authentic,) covered John's best pair of clothes. (They only had a small hole in the back of the knee.)
John was also clean as a whistle. Not that he was ever 'dirty', but working of heavy machinery most of the time, he usually picked up a good layer of grime.
Not on this day, though. Every scrubbable part of him had been scrubbed, polished and/or soaked in some way or another. Devon had made *sure* of that.
John's eyes twinkled merrily at the thought of his wife. Even with all of Yale's prodding and pushing, John hadn't been able keep the elderly tutor's prediction. Three months ago he had lost his bachelor-hood and today he would gain his bachelor degree in engineering.
It hit him. *He* was about to get a B.A. *Him.* John Danziger, Mechanic. He allowed as small grain of pride to enter his being. After months of secret lessons and tests with Yale, he was going to get his degree. Not that a piece of paper meant much here in Pacifica, where actions spoke louder than words, but there was something good about proving yourself.
His grin widened even more when her heard a familiar authoritive voice rise above the din of the crowd.
"Sit. Down. Now. Your father is getting a major award today and the least you can do is sit still. You can go build sandcastles and pelt each other with weeds anytime. This is special so PARK IT!"
The room grew suddenly quiet at the raised voice of their governor. Not batting an eyelash at the fact that she was now center of attention, Devon stared down the two children on either side of her. True and Uly, on the other hand, seemed to sink into their chairs as all eyes turned from Devon to them.
"Yale?" Devon spoke up again. "Can we get started?"
"Of course," the elderly man grinned. "I think now *would* be a good time to start, since we seem to have everyone's attention. Are you three ready?"
After receiving three short nods, the tutor smiled even wider. "In the history of education, both on earth and on the stations, commencement was always offered to students who had made the commitment in their education to enter and finish college. While in later years humanity has once again made education not a man's right but a privilege, these three before you have fought and done all they can so as to change that. Over the past year all three of these dedicated people have been coming to me, when the can, to further their education and improve their minds. For even approaching me in the first place, they deserve this award. It isn't easy to go back to your beginnings and have the courage to ask for help. I commend you all, you are extraordinary people."
The entire room broke out in thunderous applause, and it was all John could do not to duck his head and blush. Instead, he turned and looked at his fellow recipients. Amara had given in and was hiding her red face in her shoulder, but Lenina was holding her head high and grinning broadly.
"Amara Kiyrin Buuroghs, please come here." Yale's eyes twinkled merrily.
Ama stood and shyly approached the elder man. She stopped right in front of him and slowly looked up into his warm chocolate eyes. She saw his expression and a slow smile spread to her own features.
"Ama, you I'm very proud of you. You've done so much. Along with this degree in literature," Yale held up a white sheet of paper. "I would also like to give you something from me." He produced a small wooden box from behind his back.
Reaching out, Ama took both objects and grinned widely as tears streamed down her face. "Th-thanks, Yale."
"Do good, Sunshine."
With a parting hug, Ama moved back to her chair, trying to pull a tissue out of her black sleeves along the way."Lenina Magus, please come here." With an impish grin in the direction of Bess and Elisha Denner, Magus stood, flipped her neat page boy and sauntered up to the elderly black man. She next surprised the hell out of him by giving him a bear hug and a sound kiss on the cheek. The room again erupted into loud applause.
Laughing heartily, the tutor returned the hug after a few seconds. "I don't know why anything you do surprises me anymore. Watch out, guys. She's a Biology major. We may be looking at our next doctor. 'Course she probably should have been an actress."
Magus let out a big giggle and waggled her eyebrows in Julia's direction. "You never know. Hey, Julia? Got room for competition?"
"Oh, yes." Came the doctor's reply. "But remember, I *am* a chromotilt." Julia stuck her tongue out at the graduate.
Laughing, Magus made her way back to her seat. 'Oh, boy.' Thought John. 'Here it comes.' "John Danziger. Get up here, now." Yale was still chuckling from Magus's performance.
John rose his body from his chair and looked out into the sea of cheering people, quickly locating the three most important faces. Uly was jumping up and down on his chair, True was waving her hand in the air and was using her other one to give loud cat whistles. His gaze finally landed on his wife. She was standing in between their hyper children, quietly clapping. There was a look of such pride and happiness on her face that John had to remind his lungs to start breathing again. He looked deeply into her eyes and what he saw there made his heart warm.
John could almost swear that he heard her thoughts. They said, 'Good job, grease monkey. I love you." And he knew it was all worth it.
-The End-
Okay, so it was cheesey, but whaddaya expect from the fried egg called my brain nowdays? Oh yeah, if any of you have a copy of my poem An Idea, could you send it to me? No demand request here, it'd just kinda be nice to have a copy of it. (Haven't seen it since I sent in last year.) Well, I'm off to finish my other story that I keep promising myself that I'm gonna finish. ::sigh::
A.j.
(That watery tart who passes out swords.)Devon+Danziger(someday it *will* happen!)
"And children will follow..."
"High strung? Him? What gave you that idea?"
This text file was ran through PERL script made by Andy. Original text file is available in Andy's Earth 2 Fan Fiction Archive.