“I had another question,” I said. “You say you played a small part in the rescue attempt, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, I want to understand this. You’re on the plane, and it has to fly low to the ground, right? It has to fly extremely low, right next to the ground and navigate the terrain, yes?”

“Yes.”

“And the plane is full of commandos, 60 of them and 8 crew. And you’re flying low, hugging the terrain and if you hit a mountain, you all die, is that correct?”

“Yeah.”

“And you are the one who keeps the plane from hitting the mountain?”

He laughed. “No, that’s the navigator.”

“And who does he rely on?” I asked.

“No one. He relies on the computer.”

“That’s you.”

“No, it’s a computer.”

“I see. They came to the desert, got you, took you to Iran and put you on this plane. You’re some kid and you’re going to do what? Have a joy ride? Hey! We’ve got this extra seat here. Why not go to the desert, get some kid, tell him what we’re doing and let come with us so he can take up space on this plane for no reason? Maybe get in our way while he’s at it. Yeah, let’s take him not because he is critical to this mission but because we like him. He’s got nice hair and stuff!”

He snorted. “I volunteered. They took me because I volunteered to go not because there was anything special about me.”

“Whatever. I would have been scared to death on that plane. Flying low, damned near into mountains, through clouds of dirt in a country I am not supposed to be in? I’d have been terrified. Were you afraid?”

“No, I loved it. I loved it and I loved you and I wanted to have both at the same time but having one and then the other seems just as good at this point, since there is nothing we can do about the past. But I have missed you my whole life and this time you’re marrying me! I don’t care if you say no, we’re gettin’ married anyway.”

I laughed.

“You’re marrying me, Panizzon. This time we’re getting married and I mean we are getting married, I am marrying you, we are getting married, we are going to be married.”

“Yeah, I know.”

And so it goes, the Saturn return of the Soldier and P and the thing on the other side of the world that changed their lives.

The End.

~~

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