Jack of Harts

Dad was the strongest man I knew growing up. He always showed up when the neighbors were raising new buildings, and dragged me along to help. I usually put on a good show of protesting, but always came. The cutest girls showed up for the barn-raising parties, doncha know? Dad was always in the middle of whatever work needed doing. Someone’s finishing a roof? Dad was there. A beam needs bracing? Dad. Raising a wall? Yup. Dad. We were always welcome because Dad helped at the hardest times. And Mom brought all the best hotdishes. I helped both at every opportunity because it was fun showing off for, and flirting with, the pretty girls. We all had our priorities. Dad’s priority was helping build a better world.

Dad retired some decades before The War and came home with a grand spanking new wife to show off to his family. Technically his first and only wife, and absolutely the first girl he settled down for. They spent a few years touring the various Carter, Hansen, Christensen, and other sen family homes all over Earth and beyond. Going fishing with his brothers, cousins, and such. Spending time with his mama. All the things a man that has served for the better part of two centuries needs to do to slow back down and rejoin the world he left behind when he signed his life on the dotted line. And Mom was just the kind of partner he needed to help. She held him through the hard nights. She walked at his side through the bright days. She saved him.

Dad officially served in the United States Marine Corps for a century back in the day. It was not official AT ALL that he worked for the AI Council most of that time. Now the Cybernetic Council. He was one of Dixie’s special agents. He went to a lot of interesting places, interacted with interesting people, and did interesting things. All of them classified. Most of them still top secret. And many never had a report suggesting his involvement. He was a secret agent man. Allegedly. Not that he ever talked about it. It was another life. One he did not share with me as I as growing up. I only learned about it when fighting during The War. Some of his previous adventures may have come up in conversation with people who were there. Allegedly.