by Genjiro on Sun Apr 01, 2001 4:26 am
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jpeane:
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Just now, perhaps? <IMG SRC="http://www.keenspace.com/forums/wink.gif"></B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P><img src="http://www.kyokipress.com/images/icons/wink.gif"> Oh, that wasn't an outburst, Jim san. That was mild shock. That's another thing, entirely. heh...<P> <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
<B>By the by, Gen san, that isn't a military ID card in your wallet is it? It would seem rather dumb to carry one in an occupation such as yours. Driving licence, perhaps? Just curious.<P>Jim</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I'm not <i>that</i> dumb, Jim san! That's my student ID. Well, it <i>used</i> to be, anyway. I don't go to university any more. But I did go to Edo U for a couple of years. Believe it or not, I was studying physics.<P><img src="http://www.kyokipress.com/images/icons/bigsmile.gif"> ***laughs*** <P>I actually got the BS...barely. My grades weren't so hot, and if I hadn't done well in my history and other math classes, I wouldn't have made it. My dad was real disappointed in my grades, too. See, he wanted me to be a physicist, since I'd done pretty well in math when I was in grade school. But...I don't know...it bored me to death. I didn't understand it. I would have preferred to major in history, but my dad wouldn't have that. <P>My dad had all these big plans for me. He had my whole life laid out for me. I was supposed to get my PhD with honors and become a famous physicist, get married to a perfect woman and give him two genius grandkids, then retire to teaching at EU. In short, he wanted me to be him, only as a physicist instead of a cultural anthropologist, and with a genius kid instead of me. My dad's a big deal, you know. Maybe you've heard of him? Kenichi Nakadai? He's written all these prize-winning books on human and alien cultures, and he sits on the board of directors at Edo U -- which, if you didn't already know, is like <i>the</i> top school in the Alliance. He could have gotten me a fellowship there, even with my sucky grades, on his reputation, alone. That's not the kind of life I want, though. I just can't see myself spending all my time calculating, or being stuck in a stuffy classroom all day. I also can't see myself having to live with the knowledge that my father <i>made</i> me. At least with this job, my success or failure is up to me. And in spite of what's happened to me, I don't think this is anywhere near as bad as being my dad's puppet would have been.<P>Still, this wasn't my first choice of jobs. I really wanted to teach karate, which is something I enjoy and have practiced since I was three. After I quit school, I had my own kyokushinkai dojo for a while. But I just couldn't make enough money to support me and my wife, who was going to med school. I couldn't find a job, so I ended up in this mess.<P>And my wife...there's another story. I met her at school, and I chased her for weeks before she'd even smile at me. She thought I was some snobby popular guy who just wanted another conquest. Heh! <P><img src="http://www.kyokipress.com/images/icons/confused.gif"> Do I come off that way?!<P>Anyway, when I finally did talk her into a date, that was it. She absorbed me. No other woman will ever own my heart the way Anya Bui does. Sigh...and I did a <i>terrible</i> thing to her...<P>Of course, my parents threw a fit when I told them I wanted to marry her. We'd only been dating for a month. Then later I quit school, and all hell broke loose. My parents have nothing to do with me, now. I'm sure they're sorry they didn't have <i>two</i> kids, so maybe <i>one</i> of them would have turned out right.<P>So, here I am. My life is <i>totally</i> screwed up, and I'm stuck in this horrible job, working with a woman who scares the living daylights out of me. Actually, Ilyana is incredible. I mean, she knows like fifteen languages, and could shoot a fly off a strand of hair at a hundred yards, without breaking the hair! Plus, she could kick holy crap out of me, if she wanted to. She's an awesome woman, and she reminds me of my mom. Not her abilities, though, but her attitude and her looks. My mom's beautiful, like her, with skin so pale it looks like it's made of milk. Mom also doesn't take any nonsense from anyone. She's an even bigger deal than my dad, in the scientific community. She works under her maiden name, Elizabeth Stratton. Have you heard of her? She's been on science shows before... <P>Oh yeah, Mom's a molecular geneticist. She's won every major prize in genetics, and goes on lecture tours in between her research projects. She was hardly ever at home, when I was growing up, since everybody always wanted to interview her and have her speak and stuff. My dad claims I'm narcissistic, and that I got it from her. But to be honest, he's got a pretty big helping of narcissism, himself. Needless to say, they're both disappointed that their only kid turned out to be worthless.<P><img src="http://www.kyokipress.com/images/icons/sad.gif"><P>I guess I'm not <i>really</i> worthless, though. I mean, my dad's father would be <i>thrilled</i> to know what I'm doing for a living, now. He's career Army, and was in an elite commando squad during the Tian Shan Revolt, right before the Alliance was formed, like nearly fifty years ago. He wanted Dad to follow in his footsteps, so I know there's at least one person in the family who'd be proud of me. At least he wasn't unreasonable when his son chose his own path in life. Too bad Dad didn't inherit that tolerant quality. Dad would be <i>horrified</i> to know what I'm doing, now. He is so against everything military! <P>But Grandfather...I'd like to be able to tell him. I know I could trust him with it. He used to tell me stories of the missions he went on, and even then, thirty years after the fact, there were things he refused to talk about. Actually, he'd probably be mad at me for telling him about this. But if I told him I'm in Intelligence, and left it at that, he'd be pleased. Especially if I acted secretive about it, like he used to...then he'd be tickled, I think.<P><img src="http://www.kyokipress.com/images/icons/smile.gif"><P>Wow...I really got off-track there, didn't I?! I was just supposed to tell you what the cards in my wallet are. Eh heh... No wonder Kaichi says I talk too much. Anyway, the card opposite the student ID is my university library card, which is good for life. I also have an Erosian visa in there. I'm supposed to be a college student, studying Erosian architechture. My student ID would actually show up as valid, if they checked it. EI went into the university's database and "fixed" it for me. Heh... If things had worked out right, the Major and I would have ditched our guns and taken a commercial flight to Cassare, and then on to Exedra from there. Unfortunately, stuff went wrong, big time. I hope this isn't a trend. I don't like being shot. It's... um... <i>unpleasant.</i><P>I have to wonder about those Erosian agents, though. I mean, they told us at HQ that the Erosians didn't kill Exedran agents, outright. Usually, they try to capture them first, so they can interrogate and torture them. <i>Then</i> they kill them...providing they live through the interrogation. Maybe the one who was shooting at me had some loose screws or something, because he was really trying to kill me. Though, he must not have been a real good shot, or he'd have gone for the head instead of the body, and I wouldn't still be breathing, now. He could have done it with one shot, if he'd been a good marksman. Thank goodness he wasn't. I may be miserable and unhappy, but that doesn't mean I want to be dead.<P>Yeesh...I got off on another tangent, there. Sorry! I guess I'd better quit, now, before Kaichi notices me typing and comes over here and smacks me. Heh...OW!!!! Damn...he noticed me.<P><img src="http://www.kyokipress.com/images/icons/razz.gif"> Too late!! I'm hitting submit!! Wheee!<P>Genjiro