A Touch Of Homesickness

Posted on 05/05/2020 @ 2:09am by Ensign Noah LeBlanc

The light tone of the "Segment" by Charlie Parker played through Noah's new quarters on board the Crazy Horse. He should be used to living in unfamiliar surroundings being in the navy, but the Pioneer had been home for three years. No matter, this assignment was a step up in many ways. He opened his second footlocker, swinging the lid open, finding what he was looking for. He pulled out a wooden humidor and set it down onto the end table. He opened the box and removed a Montecristo Platinum. He placed the torpedo under his nose, still fresh thankfully.

After clipping the end he lit the end of the cigar. He sighed, enjoying the sensation. "Computer… Switch to Girl From Ipanema… Getz and Gilberto," he said before sitting down onto the bed. The smooth jazz was replaced by a subdued latin melody. He removed a lock of brown hair from his face as he noticed a stack of letters. He picked up the stack and set them down onto the bed, they were all written on nice stationary, all from his sister, Zoe.

Noah removed the top letter and sighed, holding the cigar between his fingers. It had been almost a year now since he'd seen her. Despite regular video calls, he still felt disconnected. The service was what he wanted, but he never got used to the loneliness. He read the letter again for the hundredth time. This would probably be the last letter he'd receive from her for awhile, knowing their course.

Ma très chère Noah… It was written in her delicate handwriting in fine ballpoint pen. She always wrote of whatever she was feeling, seeing and doing. Of course longing for him to finally settle down, but that wasn't in the cards for him. He could hear his father say, I trained you as a cook and waiter, now you're a walking computer. Of course some days his father sounded more correct than others. Noah set the letter down before he became too homesick. These moments hit everyone, but he was too proud to admit it. Always having to be cool and in control.

A Posting By:

Ensign Noah LeBlanc
Chief Operations Officer
U.S.S. Crazy Horse