Looking over the green grass Zack gazed over the countless stone-white tombstones that represented the many fallen sons of Texas that died in the line of duty protecting Liberty for eight-hundred and six years. Zack walked among the graves catching a name every now and then; Ray "Showdown" Tortellini Captain with the Liberty Navy, Samson August Field Operative for the LSF, Dustin "Buster" Harris Second-Lieutenant Liberty Navy. Countless names chiseled upon too many white stones, long worn monuments to those who gave their lives for their country, and today more of Texas' sons have come to join them.
Zack gazed up and saw crowds of mourners, family and loved ones of the soldiers lost in the recent Battle of Dawson. The fresh white stone, the red-white flowery of funerary sprays, and the black ribbon over the black suits and dresses of the attendees. Then there were the flags draped over the coffins, the quiet tears as the flag was ceremoniously folded and passed to mothers and wives of the fallen; a "thanks from a grateful nation". Zack wasen't here to contemplate the price of freedom, his brother was among those who paid the sacrifice on his behalf.
Zack didn't hear his mother as she laid her hand on his shoulder, "Zack its time," she said tenderly. Wiping tears from his eyes Zack made his way toward the funeral ceremony of his brother, First-Lieutenant Scott Greene, known to Zack and his fellow squad-mates as "Bandit". Scott "Bandit" Greene; Zack recalled how many times he would zero in on a Rouge or Xeno pirate only to have Greene jump in and "steal" his kill-shot. Even though he was top three on the squadron killboard, Zack and his other brother and sister pilots would never recognize the kills of a "Bandit". That only encouraged Greene, even back in the training simulators during flight school at Woodlands the Flight Instructors would chew him out constantly for his "reckless and unbecoming" tactics. "Hey as long as I'm on the top," Scott used to say. Now his buddy who used to come over to the Myers Farmstead on leave, served as "wingman" to Zack on many bar runs, and the vocal opposition to Zacks conscious when left the Navy to go Freelance...was dead. Just another name on the list of Liberty's fallen warriors.
The attention was called all around Elysian Fields as an old mournful Bugle tune was played over the cemetery for all of the fallen. Dozens of rifle-squads took their positions among dozens of new graves, and when order came the squads took aim and fired a Three-volley salute as flowers were laid into the grave by love ones as they watched the coffins being lowered into the ground. Zack took a handful of dirt from the grave-mound and slowly poured it unto his friend's coffin, "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Until we meet again brother," Zack whispered, "I'll send some assholes to keep you company." The terraform units began to fill the gravesite as families turned away going their separate ways. Zack saw his mother and father in the distance comfort Scott's parents, an embrace coupled with words of sympathy; Zack shivered at the thought that it could have easily been reversed with his friend's family comforting his mother should the tables have been turned. He caught eyes with Mr. Greene and gave a sincere curtious nod, there was nothing more to say and no amount of "I'm sorry" that could bring an end to their grief or bring Scott back.
There was going to be hell to pay though: Lane Hackers, Rouges, LWB, Nippon and even a few Rheinlanders if he can get it. They would all pay for the blood spilled in Hudson that tragic day. As Zack walked towards his car he caught sight of a memorial statue commemorating another war from Liberty's past - a statue of the Goddess Nike, the goddess of Victory. On the base Zack read:
When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today.
For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today.
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