Gears - The Coast

     The ‘coast’ was not a coast in the traditional sense of the word. Rather, it was what just about every American called eastern Nevada. The actual coast was a shear cliff face, where the California strait surged large, fierce waves into the rock. If one wanted a tourist spot, they would not got to the Nevada coast, but rather get a flight to the island of California.
     The army camps were placed nearly twelve miles inland from the cliff-face. Few soldiers actually spent any time at the cliffs, and with good reason. It was not that they had no time to themselves, rather that they simply disliked the noise and chill of the large waves. Captain Fox, however, enjoyed the sea.

     Fox patted the neck of his snowy stallion, leading the creature to a patch of grass. As the horse ate, he climbed onto a large, warm rock and sat, watching the waves for a time. He reached into a pocket of his long tan coat, and removed an envelope. The first letter from Isaac. They had promised to write to each other while they were apart, so that they could keep the illusion that they were connected.
     Fox slit open the envelope and removed the paper inside. The letter was written in the language of the Minoan planet, as Isaac could not read nor write in any human language. Fox, however, prided himself on being fluent in both English and Minoan. He settled on the rock, and began to read.

     “Fox –
     Well, I promised I’d write, didn’t I? I’ve missed you. I’m sorry I waited three weeks to write, but new recruits have been keeping me busy.
     I should have written you instead of going to the tavern.
     But I made a new friend in the tavern! His name is maX. That looks weird, I know, but you put a bit more emphasis on the last part of his name. He’s an odd fellow – he dresses in purple! Fuckin’ purple! Ietha! And his hair is purple as well.
     But he’s nice to talk to. He’s a perfect gentleman, just like you. He offers to walk me home every night I’m at the tavern. And he never says anything rude to me. I’ve been a drunken ass once or twice to him, but he never gets mad! What kind of strict upbringing do ya have to have to be like that?
     You know what's weird? I think, despite all logic, that I may be developing a crush on him. I mean, really, he’s handsome, and nice.
     IETHA! What’s wrong with me? I don’t have time for romance; I’m in a fucking war!
                                                                                  - Isaac”

     Fox sat a while, thinking about the letter. He then pulled a pad of paper and a pen from his jacket and began to write a response to his friend.

     “Isaac,
     You once told me that you didn’t know what love was because you are a prostitute. You said that all you knew was using your own body for money. Now, you are faced with the chance to actually experience love. Are you going to simply throw that away?”