Post Mortem
Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2019 8:42 am
Capitol City Memorial Rotunda -
Following the destruction of the old Capitol Building, the old footprint was kept a rotunda as a memorial to those that lost their lives or so they thought to Jackson - although not everyone returned but it was rechristened to be a place of remembrance for everyone who lost their lives in the Imperium War and ever since the foundation of the Alliance. Torpedo cases containing the bodies of fallen Fleet and Marine officers and enlisted were arranged around the dias as well as caskets for those civilians and those who were going to be buried on Terra Alpha, the Naval and Marine officers who requested a space burial would have their torpedo tubes beamed to the TAS Kitea and the TAS Erebus for launch after the services.
One casket was different from the others, it was draped in the old Federation Flag, with an Imperium flag crossed over it. It was the first and only time since the foundation of Terra Alpha that the Imperium flag had flown on the planet, but it was in honor of it's fallen Empress, who's actions since her exile helped to repair her tarnished reputation.
President Emeritus Nick Ryder walked past the casket containing his father and put his hand on the top.
"Well dad... I wish you could see this, but you'd hate the lack of security." Nick whispered and sighed. "Gonna miss you."
"I never really met your father, but he seemed like a good man." Emperor Kaikoa Lei said as he approached Nick and put his hand on his shoulder. "Even mother did not hate him that much."
"Oh she and Leo got along pretty well, even after the divorce." Nick said with a half smile and looked at her casket. "Can't believe she's actually gone."
"Same here... I knew it would happen sooner than later, but I didn't quite expect it so... well... from someone else." Kai said and glanced at his wife Lucy who was talking with Nick's mother Tess and her alternate Teri. "So what's the story with the younger version of your mother?"
"Still figuring that out." Nick replied as he crossed his arms. "I'm trying to keep her close, after everything she's been through, kid's kinda trying hard to hold it together. Past alternate version... it's just... confusing for her. And us. Trying to not push her into anything let her take her own course."
"It is best not, after all... there may be a reason for it." Rumiko said as she approached Nick and Kai. "I'm sorry if I sound like a fortune cookie, but... I've been having the wildest visions of late."
"That's kinda new." Nick said as he gave her a hug. "Where's Dom?"
"No idea... which doesn't trouble me, he did think I was dead but... I do wish he were around, I think he thinks I'm betraying him by being part of Kaikoa's inner circle. Someone has to be a good influence on my nephew." Ru said with a slight smirk. "I honestly cannot say I am shocked by this development."
"I'm kind of waiting for her to walk through the door in a new body." Kai muttered. "Would not be the first time, although I do not think she possess the technology to save herself and transfer her consciousness into a clone body any longer." he winced. "I believe she came here to die, but to die with a sword in her hand."
"She wanted me to kill her or Emperor Magus Stormtalon. Thought we both were so wronged by her that it was our right to end her, but we chose mercy instead." Nick said and looked at the rows of caskets and torpedo casings. "A part of me wonders if that would have saved lives today or if this would have happened anyway but with someone else as the excuse?"
"The future is always clouded, especially these days with so many realities and timelines cutting in, but there are dark days ahead of us Nicholas. But like they say, it is always darkest before the dawn. You have to endure the dark to appreciate the light... but the night is not over yet and there are yet demons to face." Rumiko said cryptically. "Worlds will still fall and hope will be shaken but if we are smart... more will be saved than cannot."
"You were never that cryptic before Ru..." Nick said with a raised eyebrow.
"Never had visions and dreams that intense before." Rumiko replied and sighed heavily. "Dominus and his forces are not like the others, we are facing a multiverse of threats and he has done this to other realities, we're simply the next conquest."
"We'll face it as we've always had... " Nick said as he glanced over and saw Jon and Isabella Price arrive in hover chairs. "If you'll excuse me..."
Nick walked over to the First Couple and smiled as he looked at them. "Thought you two wouldn't make it?"
"Our doctors said as long as we don't try to stand and stay in the chairs, we could leave the hospital." Jon replied and winced slightly. "We're looking at probably a good month in these things, reconstructive muscle surgery takes a while to regain the strength we had, of course I don't doubt my wife will try to get that down to a couple of weeks... "
"How... are you Bella?" Nick asked as he approached her chair. "We've got a lot to catch up on."
Following the destruction of the old Capitol Building, the old footprint was kept a rotunda as a memorial to those that lost their lives or so they thought to Jackson - although not everyone returned but it was rechristened to be a place of remembrance for everyone who lost their lives in the Imperium War and ever since the foundation of the Alliance. Torpedo cases containing the bodies of fallen Fleet and Marine officers and enlisted were arranged around the dias as well as caskets for those civilians and those who were going to be buried on Terra Alpha, the Naval and Marine officers who requested a space burial would have their torpedo tubes beamed to the TAS Kitea and the TAS Erebus for launch after the services.
One casket was different from the others, it was draped in the old Federation Flag, with an Imperium flag crossed over it. It was the first and only time since the foundation of Terra Alpha that the Imperium flag had flown on the planet, but it was in honor of it's fallen Empress, who's actions since her exile helped to repair her tarnished reputation.
President Emeritus Nick Ryder walked past the casket containing his father and put his hand on the top.
"Well dad... I wish you could see this, but you'd hate the lack of security." Nick whispered and sighed. "Gonna miss you."
"I never really met your father, but he seemed like a good man." Emperor Kaikoa Lei said as he approached Nick and put his hand on his shoulder. "Even mother did not hate him that much."
"Oh she and Leo got along pretty well, even after the divorce." Nick said with a half smile and looked at her casket. "Can't believe she's actually gone."
"Same here... I knew it would happen sooner than later, but I didn't quite expect it so... well... from someone else." Kai said and glanced at his wife Lucy who was talking with Nick's mother Tess and her alternate Teri. "So what's the story with the younger version of your mother?"
"Still figuring that out." Nick replied as he crossed his arms. "I'm trying to keep her close, after everything she's been through, kid's kinda trying hard to hold it together. Past alternate version... it's just... confusing for her. And us. Trying to not push her into anything let her take her own course."
"It is best not, after all... there may be a reason for it." Rumiko said as she approached Nick and Kai. "I'm sorry if I sound like a fortune cookie, but... I've been having the wildest visions of late."
"That's kinda new." Nick said as he gave her a hug. "Where's Dom?"
"No idea... which doesn't trouble me, he did think I was dead but... I do wish he were around, I think he thinks I'm betraying him by being part of Kaikoa's inner circle. Someone has to be a good influence on my nephew." Ru said with a slight smirk. "I honestly cannot say I am shocked by this development."
"I'm kind of waiting for her to walk through the door in a new body." Kai muttered. "Would not be the first time, although I do not think she possess the technology to save herself and transfer her consciousness into a clone body any longer." he winced. "I believe she came here to die, but to die with a sword in her hand."
"She wanted me to kill her or Emperor Magus Stormtalon. Thought we both were so wronged by her that it was our right to end her, but we chose mercy instead." Nick said and looked at the rows of caskets and torpedo casings. "A part of me wonders if that would have saved lives today or if this would have happened anyway but with someone else as the excuse?"
"The future is always clouded, especially these days with so many realities and timelines cutting in, but there are dark days ahead of us Nicholas. But like they say, it is always darkest before the dawn. You have to endure the dark to appreciate the light... but the night is not over yet and there are yet demons to face." Rumiko said cryptically. "Worlds will still fall and hope will be shaken but if we are smart... more will be saved than cannot."
"You were never that cryptic before Ru..." Nick said with a raised eyebrow.
"Never had visions and dreams that intense before." Rumiko replied and sighed heavily. "Dominus and his forces are not like the others, we are facing a multiverse of threats and he has done this to other realities, we're simply the next conquest."
"We'll face it as we've always had... " Nick said as he glanced over and saw Jon and Isabella Price arrive in hover chairs. "If you'll excuse me..."
Nick walked over to the First Couple and smiled as he looked at them. "Thought you two wouldn't make it?"
"Our doctors said as long as we don't try to stand and stay in the chairs, we could leave the hospital." Jon replied and winced slightly. "We're looking at probably a good month in these things, reconstructive muscle surgery takes a while to regain the strength we had, of course I don't doubt my wife will try to get that down to a couple of weeks... "
"How... are you Bella?" Nick asked as he approached her chair. "We've got a lot to catch up on."