trans_9 | The Funeral

Everyone's had a chance to recover somewhat, to stop reeling or at least try. Now that people are at least somewhat closer to being on balance again, it's time to say goodbye.

There is a message throughout the ship, one tinged with sadness:

||Attention, crew. Those who wish to attend the funeral services for the crew-mates that died during the conflict should report to Obs Deck immediately. Services will begin in approximately a thirty Earth standard minutes.||

The floor of the Obs Deck shifts to allow lifts to come up through it. Tubes connect from the space there to the hatches that suddenly appear between the windows, giving something of an impression that the closed caskets are missiles about to be shot through a missile tube. The funeral pods themselves have clear round domes in them--some of the people that died more peacefully are visible, looking as if they're sleeping. Most, however, were killed in a way that would make them appear less than presentable, so in their funeral pods only the vaguest outlines of humanoid forms can be made out. Some have entirely closed pods or were vaporized and thus, only have a funeral pod there to represent them.

The ship lurches lightly as it comes to a stop to a random universe, but where it's stopped at is beautiful to behold. They are in the middle of a nebula, surrounded by red and blue plasma. Several new stars burn brightly, here, and they are stopped near one, just short of being sucked in by its gravitational pull. It's a red dwarf, small and faint and new, but its light is welcoming. Here, where the very fires of creation burn, and stars are born is the last place the dead will be sent.

[ooc: Instruction thingies]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

As odd as it was for Virgil to be stoic, it was uncharacteristic to see Rose as she was. Quiet, holding herself in a demure silence, a hand resting on Static's waist in gentle support. There were no words, there was no need for them. He was her friend and she was there for him, her head tipped to rest lightly on his shoulder.

Static looked at her and smiled a sad smile. She had been there for all these killings; she was part of it, fighting for her life. While he was slacking off and bowling for cyborg pirates.

He dropped his arms from their crossed position, and used them to pull Rose to him.

Too much of this was his fault.

The only fault here was the pirates and the zombies. That pained look of guilt was impossible to miss, she frowned at it.

"A lot of good people out there, people who made the choice to do something right, to save all of us. Same choice you made. They aren't out there because of you, but see these people here, around us? They are here because of you, because of everyone who fought."

"Yeah, but more of them should be here, and not about to trip the light fantastic. Five thousand dead... we should have been able to prevent it. But I-we were too busy goofing off and fighting about stupid shit like Luthor. I should've been able to do more, Rose. You know what I can do; I should've been able to do more."

"Do you really expect me to believe that you were 'goofing' around and letting people die? I know you better than that. Virg, you couldn't willfully let other people come to harm even if you tried."

Her arm tightened around him, face resolute in the words she'd spoken so vehemently.

"I didn't know the details. But, I was goofing around with the pirates. Playing games instead of taking it seriously and getting it over faster. Not knowing my actions were causing more deaths doesn't absolve me of the sin, Rose. Just like not being in control does absolve me of what happened with the Club."

He sighed, and tightened his arm around her as well. She was his life support right now. It was a switch of positions that...didn't feel wrong.

"You think anyone knows the details? Coms were down, there was no way of knowing what was happening out there to any of us." None of them had exactly had it easy, and he had been in the front lines.

"Trust me, I woke up naked and slimed in the middle of a zombie infestation. I'm sure there was more I could have done, but in the chaos we all did what we could. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"But you shouldn't have had to. You should've been able to wake up naked, covered in slime, and come directly up to me on the Ops deck." he paused. "Getting clothes on the way, of course. There shouldn't have been any zombie crap by then. All of these people shouldn't have been released just to be killed; we should have been able to find a way to help them instead."

"I got saved, and I'm pretty damned grateful. Sometimes you have to look for the wins." Simple and true, the end result was not what they might have wanted, but they could have been a hell of a lot worse.

"Yeah. Look for the wins." The sadness was still there in his voice, but the fight was gone. He just...didn't have it in him right now. Not to say they wouldn't have this argument well and proper later, but not here, and not now.

For now, all he did was hold her tighter and mourn.

The Funeral

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