Choice of the Gallant - Paradox Equation I by Sharon L Reddy

  ****

  He loved the post-war years. Right up until the time 'Manny Gallant' was drafted. He sat down and laughed until he cried. The war was in Korea and they called it a "police action." Another group of men agreed he was just a real good sergeant. He grew another half inch, but he didn't lose any men.

  He saw it coming, but didn't try to avoid it, just kept traveling with the Daredevils. He'd found a shape he and his ship both liked. She was a small silver travel trailer.

  He loved riding motorcycles and traveling the country with the show. It was one of the happiest times he'd ever known. All the Daredevils were fond of the 'kid' who had joined them. His name was Murray Gallant and he was a 'sixteen-year-old orphan' when he joined them. He was 'twenty-three' when he was drafted to go to Vietnam. Butch settled down and let him park the trailer he called "Alice" in his garage. The kid had grown a bit when he came back.

  ****

  He left the world he'd called home for nearly a hundred years and set out to explore other worlds. He spent nearly two thousand years learning the ways of other worlds and fighting to keep them safe.

  He became a student. On Earth. He smiled in satisfaction when he burned his draft card in front of the campus administration building in nineteen sixty-nine. Alex Gallant would not go.