Character Poem

                                    Quelt'san Triibola
                                                                      by Naia Zifu

I am but a soldier
That's all I was meant to be, all I ever wished to be
Millions just like me fought and died in a few short years, but I survived
I was a Botoru once, and later, a Malcontent
I am one of the last survivors of both, left to wonder what makes me so special?
So deserving of a life, when so many greater than myself are long dead?
As an ordinary soldier, I've never lived for myself
I lived for the glory of Khyron and the T'sentrati people
Whom do I live for now?
For the woman who taught me how to love
For the miracle of new life we've made together
I would fight for my family, die for them, if I had to
That is the soldier's way
But I am a soldier without a war, trying to find a new way in a peaceful world
My new life is helping make peace, and I'm good at that
But is it wrong of me to still miss the war?
Our son was four when he asked what had happened to my leg
I lost it from a failed mission to kill the Regent, I explained proudly
I was the only one to survive
I'll never forget his expression of horror to hear such a story told so happily
I knew I'd disappointed him
I can't be proud of my battle scars after that
I know the past can't be changed
And I'll always be T'sentrati, always just a soldier
But now I try to live in a way that will make our son proud
And feel glad to have a family who loves me, scars and all



©1999 Naia Zifu  All rights reserved.
This is an original (though rather bad :-P ) poem for an original character, though there are
references for Robotech, which I haven't got rights to.  As always, I'm not trying to make money
from anyone else's ideas.