VOICE LOG
06092182
Static rushes. Then, a strained exhale, ragged with pain.
“…Right. Where d’you even start, eh?
Lost. That’s it. Lost in this bloody tin coffin. Don’t know how long I’ve been floatin’. Maybe two days… don’t matter. Two pods next to me, both empty. No one made it. Just me… breathin’ in recycled air, listenin’ to the hum.
Then there’s this loud static, buzzing through his voice.
Wounds’re… patchin’ up, sort of. Not healin’. Bandages’re soaked through. Feels like glass cuttin’ inside every time I breathe. Don’t feel like I’ll last long. If someone finds this log… Buddha, please… let it be soon. Let me not be bones when they open the hatch.”
He coughs violently, spitting. A wet splatter hits metal. Long silence, broken by a shaky laugh that dies in his throat.
“…Pod’s got MREs—wait… nah, bollocks. Those’re mine. Think so. Can’t bloody remember. My head’s—”
[ LOG PARTIALLY CORRUPTED … … … ]
“…Endou. Aniue. First of the line.
Fred too. My brothers. Strong as iron. I weren’t cut from the same steel. Thought I’d build ships, design engines… ended up a Marine. Sergeant. Leading Delta. Ha… bloody engineer degree in a coffin. Ain’t that somethin’?”
Static fuzzes. His next words are fainter, half-lost:
“…Boot camp… there was this lass. Nervous as hell … … Thought she’d break. But she didn’t. Fire in her, through an’ through … … First fire-sim? Put me to shame. Put everyone to shame … … Big lad tried threatenin’ her after… she dropped him. Suplex, right in the dirt … … Sergeant tried to bark, but you could see him smilin’ under it.
Later… they paired us. A-section split … … She had half, I had the other. She burned too hot, marched ‘em into flanks, dead ends … … One clean win outta ten. Rest, her lads dropped like flies. Me, I kept mine breathin’. That’s what got me stripes, they said … …
But… she reminded me of Rei-chan. The look in her eyes. Like the world owed her nothin’, but she’d still take her piece … … Made me remember… made me miss—”
[ LOG CORRUPTED … … … ]
“…Rei… m’sorry. I should’ve kept you safe. Wanted to… wanted to see you smile again. To… hear you hum, just once more. Wanted—”