the series by J. GRACE PENNINGTON
By someone near me with a polite handshake. By the crowd, cheering and shouting my name in celebration. By someone I love, quietly and intimately. By a good firm handshake, followed by profitable conversation.
Nothing that would be too dangerous. The highest rank available. I could handle it. High enough to where I wouldn’t need to work too hard, but not so high that I would get caught up in work and be unable to spend time with my friends. Doesn’t matter; any rank will do as long as I am useful and trusted.
Pass out. Go through with it, even though I had no idea how to perform the operation. Refuse, but comfort or pray for the person suffering while I waited for help. Rely on my own knowledge and fix it correctly.
Thank them, but bluntly refuse. Oblige them, and enjoy myself. Laugh, and tell them how sweet they are, but decline. Lecture the stranger on the foolishness and indecency of such an act.
An owl. Quiet, and peaceful. An eagle. Brave and bold. A horse. Strong and playful. An old mule. Trusty and familiar.
A sandwich, with meat, bread, and vegetables. Pizza, with almost everything on it. The special, whatever it is. A grilled chicken salad, with precisely the ingredients I order.
Grey. Orange. Each officer gets to pick whatever color they want. Blue.
I guess I might do it sometime if I found the perfect person. Not for me. I’m a single kind o’ person. I would love to. It would be wonderful. I want to, but it would have to be someone I really respect and admire.
I am equally close to all of them. They’re all fine except one, who I disagree with a lot. I am closest to one member of the family, but I love them all very much! I don’t know, I prefer to focus on what can I do for each of them.
A goldfish. Not too much work but it’s nice to have around. A stallion, so I can ride it on shore leave. A cute, fluffy dog to help pass lonely hours. A large hunting dog. It should be loyal, and helpful when I’m in trouble.
I’m proud of you, and love you just the way you are. I love you and care about you. You’re the child I always wanted. You are a good person.
A piece of small equipment that I helped develop. A solar system. A formula that cures a fatal disease. A revolutionary scientific theory that I helped prove.
Modern instrumental with some vocals. Quick-tempo tracks with a beat that moves your feet. Sweet, simple melodies that are full of emotion. Classical music, from an older time.
Tinker around with my favorite hobby. Compete in challenges or games. Sit and talk with people I trust. Read books, and fill myself with wisdom and knowledge.
Not much, compared to the knowledge in the world. Just about everything I need to know. A few things. I tend not to keep track of much. I know a lot, but there is much more I still need to learn.
What I do for a living, and small tips on how to do it well. Life in general. My life, and my outlook on things. Small things people can do to brighten someone’s day. An exhaustive manual on my own area of expertise.
A shield. I don’t feel qualified to attack. A broadsword. I would rush right into the heart of the battle. A spear. I would swing and strike at my enemy if I was forced to. A bow and arrow, so I could shoot without endangering myself.
Do nothing and wait for orders. Start telling everyone else what to do. Try to figure out what’s going on and who to listen to. Find the source of the problem and do what I can to fix it.
A quiet bed and breakfast in the country. A modern resort with shows every night and frequent parties. Any vacation I can share with my friends. A home vacation so I could rest and be in my own familiar surroundings.
Move myself and my friend quietly away from them. Slap them back. Yell at the person, and angrily pull my friend away. Tell my friend to go somewhere else while I have a word with the attacker.
Shake my head and walk away. Say, “Thanks I’ll take it.” Ask them what is going on. Tell them I’ll be right back with my legal adviser.
Stay in my room a lot and keep to myself. Lock myself in my room and vent my anger by throwing things around. Cry and cry for weeks. Pray or meditate on it silently as I try to deal with it.
By being a faithful officer. By being the best of the best. By being the most helpful to someone. By contributing to human safety or health.
Abraham Lincoln. William Wallace. George Washington. Robert E. Lee.
A room filled with strong, armed, and angry men. Being alone in total darkness with a poisonous insect. The idea of my loved ones trying to hurt me. A maniac who has captured the one I love.
A family classic. A thriller. A sweet, emotional story. A documentary.
Ask someone for advice. Begin plans for exciting new exploration. Give food to all the hungry people in the world. Create laws that protect people from the power of the government.
The vast expanse of stars everywhere. New and exciting planets waiting to be visited. The lovely nebulas, ghosting through space. The sun, which continually gives warmth and light.