A War Worth Fighting Part 30
April 12, 1945
Lady Une and Dorothy returned from the nearest town, their arms filled with bags of food and other items they'd collected. The afternoon had brought a perfectly clear spring day that made the young women anxious for the chance to get away and forget their cares-even if for a moment.
In the end, they had enjoyed themselves immensely and looked forward to another such outing soon, now that the weather was growing warmer by the day. Giggling and talking amongst themselves, the ladies of the house stepped into the kitchen to lower their bags and begin putting away their purchases.
Just as they finished, Lady Une announced, "I best go and check on Zechs to see what he would like us to cook tonight." Her young friend was on her heels as they headed for the den, where the political sponsor usually spent his days working.
On their way past the living room, however, they found the tall man standing with his back to the doorway and the telephone receiver pressed against his ear. There was a rigidness in his shoulders that made the young women share a concerned look before they entered the room.
His voice little more than a whisper, he said, "Thank you for advising me. We will be taking our leave to be there soon." Slowly, his hand dropped to rest the receiver down.
Biting her lip, Lady Une neared her lover as he turned to face her. With a gasp when she saw his stricken, pale expression, she frowned in worry, "What is it dear? What's wrong?" Instantly, her heart was pounding in her chest over the dread that he had received terrible news about her son.
Those fears did not have the chance to take hold before Zechs swallowed roughly and breathed, "President Roosevelt passed away this afternoon."
Dorothy's hand covered her mouth to mute the startled cry that escaped her at the news. Brown eyes widening, Lady Une swayed on her feet as though she had just been dealt a direct blow. Both relieved and stunned in the same instant, her knees buckled. As she was about to fall back, the young maid and her partner caught her under either arm and helped her lower herself onto the couch.
Quickly getting her bearings, the young mother turned to Zechs and shook her head in disbelief, "Roosevelt is dead? How? This cannot be."
Lowering his head, the politician took a deep breath before meeting the shocked gazes of the ladies sitting close. "It was a cerebral hemorrhage," he explained once he was able to find his voice. "A little past one o'clock, the President lost consciousness and never woke up. There is going to be an announcement made to the public soon."
As the final testimony that the terrible news was in fact true, he informed softly, "Harry Truman has just been sworn in as the new President of the United States." Dorothy swallowed past the lump in her throat as she fought the tears in her eyes.
Having had the honor of actually knowing the President, both Lady Une and Zechs felt an even greater sense of grief over his death. He had been a wonderful, caring man that extended his compassion to all he knew as well as those he did not. The letter that he had handwritten to the young mother to express his sympathy over Duo's disappearance was a treasured gift that was a perfect example of that.
Roosevelt had been one of the few really good men to lead the country. At a time of crisis in the war, he stood in defiance of those who posed themselves a threat to the safety of the American people.
Despite his handicap, he was the embodiment of strength and determination. And through it all, he had a kind heart that was found to be sincere and admired.
The United States... the world, had lost a great man that day.
Gently taking her lover's hand in her own, Lady Une peered into his eyes and asked, "Do you have the details of his service?"
"Yes," Zechs replied as he squeezed her hand. "The funeral services will take place on Saturday. The President will then be buried in New York. There, he'll be laid to rest in his mother's rose garden in Hyde Park. We would have to leave right away, traveling by train if we wish to be in Washington in time to attend."
His partner nodded in response and turned to face the saddened girl watching them. "Dorothy, you are more than welcome to join us, if you would like," she offered quietly.
Taken aback, the young maid's wide eyes blinked. "Really?" she breathed. "I... I would not want to intrude on something like this."
Smiling, the politician reassured, "You would not be intruding. It would be nice for us to have a friend there for both of our sakes." Lady Une nodded her agreement and grinned in kind, knowing what such an invitation meant to her.
Unable to hold back the tears in her eyes, Dorothy rushed in to embrace the couple tightly with a sobbed, "Thank you." Straightening herself, she dried her face and quickly headed from the room as she said, "I will be quick in packing my things."
Leaning in to kiss Zechs's cheek, the young mother suggested, "We best follow her example." As she rose, she lightly tugged on his arm to lead the way from the living room.
With every step they took, the realization sunk in that an era had ended.
* * * * * *
Below the deck of the Enterprise, Wufei finished buttoning his uniform jacket and placed his cap on the top of his head. Shoulders rigid, he appraised himself in the full-length mirror in his quarters. Considering the meeting that he was about to have with his chief officer, he wanted to be in his full uniform. It was only right.
On his way down the long corridors to the Captain's office far below the deck of the Enterprise, the Chinese pilot was glad for the silence above. Now that the ship was on its way for repairs after its direct hit from the kamikaze plane, the sounds of gunfire and explosions were long behind them.
There was even a lack of talk around the ship. Ever since word of President Roosevelt's death had spread through the crew as it was quickly reaching every corner of the world, the air was somber. A heavy quiet settled on the soldiers as they each dealt with the news in their own way. No one dared bring up discussion to what the loss would mean for the war effort just as it seemed to be nearing its close.
Pausing when he reached the closed office door at the end of the hall, Wufei took a deep breath and knocked. "Come in," the deep voice of the Captain called. Entering the room, the pilot closed the door behind him and gave the man seated behind the desk a salute.
"At ease, Chang," the older man told him as he folded his hands atop his desk. As his soldier relaxed, he asked, "How can I help you?"
With a rough swallow, Wufei looked just over his officer's head to avoid the eyes on him. "Sir, have come to request that I be discharged from my service to the Air Force. I am no longer fit to protect this ship, nor my country."
Blue eyes wide, the Captain looked up from the papers he had been skimming while listening to the pilot. "Discharge?" he repeated in disbelief. A sudden understanding filled his gaze as he sighed, "This is because of what happened to Carigan."
Upon hearing his dead friend's name, a lump formed the pilot's throat. Clearing it away, he nodded firmly, "Sir, I could have pressed my own plane harder to sacrifice my own life the way he had... but I did not."
The officer just smiled and leaned back in his seat. "And why did you not?" he questioned, folding his arms across his chest.
Against his defenses, Wufei could feel a sting of tears coming on. Voice raising in frustration, he answered. "Sir, I froze because I thought of my bride-to-be and my family back home. I allowed that to get the better of my thinking in doing whatever I must to stop our enemy and protect this ship." 'It should have been me,' he thought, but never said aloud.
Nodding as though he expected to be given that response, the Captain smirked, "In other words, you acted as any normal human being would have in your shoes."
Surprised by the comment, the pilot shook his head, "Johnny did not freeze like that. He did not let his personal life affect what he needed to do. He was the true soldier in the skies that day, Sir, not I."
Rising to his feet, the tall man rounded the desk to stand directly before his charge. "You know, Wufei, what Johnny did that day was a remarkable display of courage and selflessness. I will never discredit that. However, he was no more a soldier than you or any of the other men that are still alive to fight another day."
His lips tugging up in a kind smile, he continued, "For myself, there is not a moment that goes by when I am not thinking of my wife and kids back home. And while I am devoted to protecting my country to the best of my ability, I am still going to do everything within my power to return home to them."
To hear such a thing from an officer was a shock to Wufei. Blinking his widened eyes, he allowed the words to really sink in. After witnessing firsthand what his friend had given up, he had been down on himself for not being able to do the same. He was certain that his superiors would have thought the same.
Instead, he learned that he was no different than any other person. He wanted to live. And even while he wanted that, he could continue to fight with all the determination he had prior to that fateful incident.
Seeing that his message was sinking in, the Captain grinned, "I have seen you fly your plane in the middle of a kamikaze attack. I have witnessed your skilled flying in the thick of battle. I have watched you land your damaged plane onto a deck that was billowing smoke and flames from a direct hit."
With a deep breath, he shook his head, "You are one of the best men that I have on this team, Chang. The fact that you also want to see your loved ones does not change that."
Unable to trust his voice at that moment, Wufei nodded his head in appreciation. Rounding his desk to sit behind it once more, the officer folded his hands on his desk and shrugged, "That said, I am afraid that I simply cannot grant your request for a review to receive a discharge. We need men like you. Men who remember what we are fighting for. That only keeps the fight alive within."
A blonde eyebrow raising, he smirked, "Somehow, I'm certain that you are glad to have that request denied."
Grinning, the Chinese pilot responded, "Yes, Sir... Thank you."
The Captain nodded, "One thing that you can do for your friend, however. Perhaps you can spend some of our off time here writing to his family. Let them know from someone who fought alongside him what kind of a soldier he was. I'm sure that they would appreciate hearing that rather than just some generic letter of condolences from a Commander who knew little about him."
His chest swelling at such a suggestion, Wufei was already thinking of how he would honor his lost friend. He would make sure that his family was aware of how proud they should be of him. It was the best thing that he could possibly offer Johnny.
When the young man had not moved yet, the officer smirked, "You're dismissed, soldier." He made sure to emphasize the word 'soldier' as a way of letting his charge know he was still exactly that.
Instantly breaking from his thoughts, the pilot saluted with a rushed, "Yes, Sir. Thank you." Turning on his heels, stepped from the office and closed the door behind him to the sound of the Captain's deep chuckle.
A wide grin of pride on his face, Wufei headed for his quarters with an intense determination directed to his new assignment.
He had one incredible letter to start writing.
* * * * * *
Seated at the living room table, Heero and Duo were just wrapping up a card game when they heard their friend join them. Looking up, the couple was instantly stiff in concern in seeing the stricken look of the old man. With a deep frown as he lowered the cards in his hand, the private asked, "What's wrong, Howie?"
Taking his own seat at the table, their guest met their eyes and informed quietly, "I just heard some... distressing news over the radio. President Roosevelt died yesterday."
Equally stunned, the young soldiers' eyes widened and jaws dropped. Shaking his head, Duo sputtered in disbelief, "H-he's dead?" Howard nodded shallowly. Bringing his hands up to cover his face, the braided private whispered, "My God."
Heero, unsure of what to really say, moved to sit beside his lover and placed a hand on his back in support.
After learning of the times when Maxwell had actually met the President on several occasions, he knew the great respect and regard that he had for the man. Whatever enemy lines there may have been, Roosevelt was a wise and good leader to his country.
One was not elected into such an office four consecutive times, all the while bringing his people out of some of the worst of times with the Great Depression, without being a great leader.
When he lowered his hands, Duo sniffled and fought the shimmer in his violet eyes. "He was one hell of a guy," was all that his broken voice could manage.
The officer leaned in to wrap his arms tightly around his partner and gently kissed the top of his braided head. "I wouldn't want to be the one filling his shoes," Heero offered softly. He was rewarded with a watery smile of appreciation and a squeeze of his hand by Duo for the sincere sentiment.
Shaking his head, Howard commented solemnly, "I don't believe that there is a person in this world that would want that job, kid."
There, on the other side of the planet, an unannounced moment of silence fell on the room as a sign of respect of the late President.
* * * * * *
After arriving in Washington for the services and the display of Roosevelt's casket, Lady Une, Zechs and Dorothy headed to New York along with thousands of others to reach Hyde Park. The quaint, lush green area was a beautiful place for anyone to make their resting place.
It was more than fit for a President like Roosevelt.
Throughout the crowd of black-clad gatherers, men and women dabbed their wet eyes as the casket was brought into the clearing by armed soldiers.
When they reached the edge of the hole that had been dug, they gingerly lowered their bearing onto the grass and stepped back so that the clergy man could raise his hands over the flag-draped coffin for a prayer.
Closest to the grave site were Eleanor Roosevelt, flanked by friends and family. Not far beside them, Harry Truman stood along with his wife, Elizabeth. His black-framed glasses reflecting the bright sunlight, he watched with a heavy heart as the American flag was removed from the casket and folded by the soldiers.
From where they stood together in the crowd, Zechs, Lady Une and Dorothy took in the new President of the United States. Leaning close to her lover, the young mother said quietly, "That man has the weight of the world on his shoulders now."
Zechs nodded, "He was only Vice-President for eighty-days and now he is leading the country. I cannot even begin to imagine what he must be going through right now. In his speech to the press after he had taken his oath, he told them that he 'felt like the moon, the stars and all the planets had fallen on' him." [1]
Biting her lip, Dorothy asked softly, "Do you think that he will be able to handle the responsibility? Somehow, he will have to be able to see that our military will be able to see the war to its end."
Silently wishing that he could offer a better answer, the politician shook his head, "I know very little about Truman. He has not been in power long enough for me to know what kind of President he'll be. One can only hope that with the country watching he won't buckle under the pressure."
As the last of the prayers were offered and the incense was burned over the casket, the folded flag was carried over to Roosevelt's widow. Even in the grief of her loss, the woman was the image of strength despite the shimmer in her eyes. Smiling kindly to the soldier, she nodded in appreciation and clutched the flag close to her chest.
The bugles played the funeral march and a representative from each form of the military formed a line. Raising their guns high, they fired rounds into the air. Each blast resonated through the air and though the chests of those gathered.
Only all the more proof that the Commander in Chief truly was gone.
An era was officially ended.
Now the fate of the country and the world was resting on a new leader. Not only the United States, but those nations that made up the Allies were waiting with held breaths to see what just kind of leader Truman would be.
That bright day, the prayers went not only to the late President... but to the new one taking office.
TBC...
For more information on President Roosevelt and his death, it can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt
[1] For more on President Truman and that speech, that can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_S._Truman
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