Egmo moved his arms to his pockets so he looked more open. Crossed arms felt a bit more closed off giving almost an impatient vibe. He didn't want to rush Alex especially with everything that he is processing at that moment. He wanted to be supportive, at least as supportive as he could be, and have the man feel comfortable. "Then don't. Trying to process an entire century of advancements is way to much of a task. Just take it decade by decade and then it won't seem so suffocating."
Alex sighed. "I've been trying to do that. And I'm still…boggled that there was a second world war, to be honest. The war I was in…that was supposed to be the big one. The war to end all wars. And…it wasn't." He shook his head a little bit. "I guess I just…I don't understand how that could happen so fast."
Egmo nods in understanding. He remembers briefly learning of both wars in high school. It never really occurred to him that he would meet someone from the first war. The second one always seemed more real as it was recent but the first one, the one that use to be dubbed The Great War, always seemed so detached. Like it happened in a different timeline. "Yeah. Germany was angry and humiliated. Or at least that is what I remember learning for why WWII happened. But I can't even imagine how it is like to be in either war." He said thinking back to the week his school dedicated to World War 2.
"Yeah, that's what my books said." He said. At Egmo's last comment, he let out a huff of a laugh. "No, you can't imagine." he shook his head a little bit, remembering how many nights he would still wake up with the sounds of shells in his ears, with the screams of horses and the shouts of dying men. The stench of the trenches in his nose and the taste of ash in his mouth. His lips tightened for a moment.
Egmo fell silent not knowing what to say. What could he say at a moment like this? He had no expressence in war and the wars currently happening, he had no part in. The were battles he has been in but nothing close to a war. Just some a couple of hours of being hit before they could apprehend the guy. It was more intergalactic police work than a war. So the man stayed silent, leaving time for Alex to continue to talk about his past or change the subject.
Alex swallowed. "Sorry." he said softly. "I…guess I'm still not totally…" he shook his head quickly, glancing over at Egmo for a moment, then away again, still walking. "I'm not completely…over any of it. Sorry." his voice was quiet, a little subdued.
Egmo gave Alex a reassuring pat on the shoulder when he apologized. Man, he wished he was better at comforting people but he had work with the low charisma skills he got. "You don't need to apologize for anything." He says softly when Alex glanced to him and they locked eyes for a moment. He continues to listen to his last statement before adding, "War isn't something you get over. Everything you see or do is most likely going to follow you for years maybe even to your grave. THe question is, can you live with those memories."
Alex bit his lip for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I…alright." he replied. "Thanks. And I've been trying to live with it all, but…it's not like there's other vets of my era to talk about it with. The closest I can get is vets from the second world war." he shook his head a little. "Which isn't the same at all."
