The Book of John, Chapter 5

[nhpw]

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:3

When a young man or woman decides to enlist in the armed forces, there is almost always a conversation that takes place between that person and his or her parents.  The exact nature varies, as

Comments

[singer_shaper]

I think the challenge of an environment like that of the Academy is to think outside the box. Ask questions, challenge the norm, think independently and remain a person - because although it’s not a very diplomatic way of saying it (Dad, I can see you rolling your eyes across the lightyears), Earthforce Academy also creates killing machines. That is its prime directive, after all - train people to be military officers. Train them to fight, to survive… to kill. So help me, I was not going to be a killing machine who couldn’t think for himself.

This is such a brilliant insight into Sheridan's character - especially the last line. Keep up the great work!

[nhpw]

The puzzle piece that wouldn't fit? THIS WAS IT. So I'm glad when I retooled the chapter (you do not even want to know what a mess it was before) it came through the way I wanted this time!

(Unfortunately it meant I had to abandon the "Swamprat" story. I just could not make it work. Shame.)

[singer_shaper]

Would you mind if I use this quote for the And the Rock Cried Out, No Hiding Place discussion? I think it works really well in explaining Sheridan's understanding of the Shadow strategy.

[nhpw]

Go for it, man.

Um, FWIW? Asking this question made me feel like less of a dork for the fact that I'm already thinking about my Z'ha'dum post. :P

[enigmaticblues]

I really liked this chapter, particularly the bit about John's father getting him a spot (was that canon, or you? I don't remember), and John's response to that. And I love weaving in the bits about Maynard and MacDougan.

[nhpw]

That was all me! Although I believe the "meddling" bit in a vague sense is canon, and I KNOW it's established canon that they fought quite a bit when John was younger.

There is a scene from the In the Beginning book that was not in the movie, where we find out that it was David Sheridan who convinced General Lefcourt to offer John the position on the Prometheus, and when he found out about that, John was LIVID. That was sort of my logic behind this.

[kungfuwaynewho]

Wonderful. You have no idea how it was killing me all day to know this was up and I couldn't read it till I got home. But it was worth the wait.

Echoing everyone else's thoughts - I also really liked the discussion of how parents react to the news, and how his mother cried, and he assured her that he would come home...but that young John hadn't actually considered his mortality. That's something that I think is very true of people that age who go into the military, and it definitely fits Sheridan.

[nhpw]

That's something that I think is very true of people that age who go into the military, and it definitely fits Sheridan.

I've (obviously) never been in the military, so I'm glad this comes across as believable for most and especially believable for Sheridan. He... was kind of slow in coming around, I think, on the fact that HEY, LUGHEAD, THIS COULD KILL YOU. But on the same level, if he had been completely aware of his mortality, he probably wouldn't have taken some of the chances he did. What I'm having trouble with in the next couple of chapters is if it hit him all at once, or if it came in bits and pieces.

I'm more inclined toward 'bits and pieces', I think, and especially two big pieces that took him some time to work out - that first he would realize, "I'm a soldier. This is a dangerous job and I could die," as an abstract thought. The, "This, this right here that I am doing right now at this very second, THIS COULD KILL ME" - I think that took longer to settle in.