Project 43
August 2411

"Is there a virus spreading?"

My father's eyebrows shot up when I had asked. To be perfectly honest, I had practically been bouncing with anticipation while I waited for him in the dining room for our evening meal and blood draw. As usual mother wasn't joining us. It was rare she did though she always showed up for breakfast.

"What makes you ask such a thing?" He asked placing his white case and a plastic bag on the table. As always, he pulled the case forward first punching in 23237. A number he had me memorize for emergencies. Specifically, if the base wherever attacked. He said to get to the nearest embassy or government official. It would be faster to treat me with blood already drawn or treated and there where notes on my condition in the case.

I have a very specific case of anemia and had to also have frequent transfusions as well as a high protein diet and vitamin D. Needless to say without this facility, my parents or other assistance from doctors I wouldn't survive very long. It also made me more susceptible to illness. "There were four kids suddenly gone today."

He smiled gently pulling forward my arm putting a tie on it. "Ah yes I imagined you might ask about that." Pressing around for a vein he readied his needle. I looked away moments before he began the blood draw. Something about a needle in my skin always made me queasy no matter how "normal" it had become for me. "It's nothing you have to worry about. A couple of them where just caught staying up late and fooling around. They were under review for the discipline committee."

"All day?" I pressed frowning. What had they done that was so severe?

My father David sighed, the band snapping slightly as he pulled it off and expertly removed the needle replacing the spot with a cotton ball that I immediately pressed down as he cleaned up. "You know I'm not technically supposed to share confidential information." He had that gleam in his eye though, which meant the details were juicy.

I wiggled in my seat impatiently as he put the tape over my cotton. "Well?" I huffed finally unable to bear his silence.

He chuckled shutting the case and pulling out the food. Chinese tonight: greasy deep-fried goodness I almost never get to eat by the way. "They may be army brats just like you but even they have rules. What's one of the biggest ones?"

I thought about it as he served us both on the table I had set. Despite mom never being here I always set a third place. My dad had explained to me when I was about five that even though mom didn't always come it would make her feel sad if we didn't so it was habitual. As always it remained empty as my father dished up the food. "Stealing. Entering Restricted areas. Sex with an older officer. Leaving base without permission." I remember squinting trying to think of another one but I was pretty sure I had named them all.

"Yes well it would seem there was an older officer involved." My dad replied taking a bite of his meal.

My mind jumped to several conclusions. I knew he'd never spell out the exact details but- "Four?" I asked leaning forward as he dug into his noodles. "Like a video thing with an officer recording sex!?" It made sense, two of the guys were gay (ish? One of them might be trans without a preference? I wasn't really sure since I never got to actually interact with them) and Stephanie had been with Derrin, the tall broad smiling handsome sex god of a man. Nearly being eighteen and having to only look at your peers was torture when you had a crush on someone. Like I had zero chance.

Ok no I have NO chance; they can't even see me and probably don't even remember me from when we were little. Except for the random puddles of blood I'd collapse in. Fun times. You'll have to go back to entry 210 or so to hear all about that. I think it was Julyish.

If anyone even reads these.

I was pretty sure a noodle came out of his nose as he choked in surprise at my comment. "What kind of television has your mother been approving?" He managed to cough out wiping his mouth with a napkin.

Of course, all I could do was laugh, since she was even more strict than he was. "Well?"

"Nothing nearly so dramatic dear. They snuck out and they all managed to get fake civilian I.D's so we're having to figure out who provided them is all."

"Ooooh so you guys are going to water board the kids!?" I asked excitedly.

"Christ Annie, lay off the old war movies."

"Spy movies these days." I replied with my mouth full. Even if he understood me he ignored my comment.

"They're just grounded and under questioning from their parents Annie. You have such an imaginative brain."

"Which could be used for other more important things don't you think? What about the botanical gardens? You haven't been back there since March."

I sighed. Typical father turning the conversation around on me. Like I had nothing better to do than talk about myself. "I enjoy a tan and it's the only time slot I can manage to swap in order to hop into the pool without anyone else in it."

"I still think tanning is a poor idea. It'll cause sk-"

"I'm already dying dad I don't think skin cancer is high on my list of concerns." I muttered.

We stayed silent for several minutes. It was a sore subject; one we had fought about countless times, but the result was the same. To be perfectly honest it was one we just started to ignore all together when it was brought up, and also what made me so stubborn about using the tanning booth. As much as I loved plants- a little water and sunlight and soil and most everything was fine. Boring in comparison to listening to a podcast in the tanning booth for my natural vitamin d I was supposed to get.

"Tomorrow afternoon at 1300 I'll need you to come down to the lab. We need to run a couple of tests for General Horgan, he'll be there to ask a couple of questions."

"Tests?"

"He's curious about your condition and if there's been any progress with it."

"O-ok." I said slowly picking up a piece of chicken. "He's never been interested in me before. I'm not exactly a super genius like the nerd herd." My personal reference to the group of kids that I use to attend schooling with and have summers off with. Until I became bubble girl.

Dad shrugged pouring out some rice onto his plate. "Men get crazy thoughts in their head when they think they need to win a war. Even if it's a hypothetical one."