Second chances at life lost [Bendytimed to post-plot]

[governorkang]

There was a lot of cleaning up to do after SHODAN and her robot armies had been defeated. Among the structural damage was parts of the Drunken Dragon Tavern: the store room and everything in it had been utterly destroyed, the pots that had rarely been used on-ship were strewn around the kitchen, and a couple of tables, one bench and a chair, and a portion of the stage needed repairs. The building next door that Kang used for half of his storage and called home had managed to escape relatively unscathed.

He had sustained some damage himself, with a few minor cuts and bruises, and a rough hole slightly larger than an orange missing from the membrane of his right wing. It hadn't healed completely yet, and the bandages didn't hide it very well at all.

He had personal matters to attend to before reconstruction could begin, though. Two draconians had been killed in the pod caverns, two that he'd known personally; they had served under him for over thirty years when he'd been Commander of the First Dragonarmy Engineering Regiment. Unlike the others that had been killed, there was nothing left of them. Vlemess, as a kapak, had melted into a pool of acid, and Urul the baaz had turned to stone, and then dust.

It was customary, because of the nature of draconian deaths, to simply place a headstone along with any personal possessions that could be salvaged. Sakura had helped Kang procure two suitable stones from the wreckage of the Great Wall, and he'd decided to place them in the little herb garden Kali had started before she'd gotten repodded (said garden hadn't been cared for since). It was visible from the tavern, and he felt that it was appropriate to have them near a piece of home.

He knelt down to clear a space on the north side of the garden, digging shallow holes for Urul's belt and one of Vlemess's bracers. He'd gotten lucky in finding their few possessions in the lockers.

[OOC: He invited/mentioned it to anyone that he counts as family or a friend, but it's cool for others to stop by too if they'd like. Threadjacking is also encouraged!]

Comments

[masterofnun.livejournal.com]

Punchy comes over and takes the shovel. His Puppet's tucked into the inside of his jacket, since weapons hold no place at a funeral. He digs for Vlerness and he's quiet, respectful, a general turnaround from his usual loud and obnoxious demeanor. But he's been to funerals before.

"You want me to say a prayer for them or do you not think they'd appreciate it?"

[governorkang]

"No, I don't think they would," Kang said, smiling wryly. The human's god was more than likely good in nature, and they had not been pleased about Takhisis's departure either. He appreciated the offer, though.

"This is the second time they've died."

[masterofnun.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. My sister, too."

He steps away from the hole so Kang can deposit the bracers. "What were their names?"

[governorkang]

Kang just glanced at Punchy curiously, not wanting to say the wrong thing by accident if he hadn't been particularly close with his sister.

"Urul and Vlemess. They served under me for over thirty years, most of my military career." The bracer was covered, and he set the headstones in place, each with their names chiseled in roughly in Common, and First Dragonarmy Engineering Regiment underneath.

[masterofnun.livejournal.com]

"The headstones are nice." Punchy gives Kang a little bit of space and stands off to the side, hands folded together, head bowed. Funerals aren't really a place for chitchat.

Nor are they places for outstaying their welcome. Punchy quietly takes his leave and lets Kang mourn.

[encourage]

Punchy'd had the right idea, with the chitchat at the very least. Most funerals Sakura had ever been to were largely quiet affairs, after the main speakers had fallen silent. Rare enough to have time to mourn (odd to call that a luxury, if it really was), filling it with words when most didn't know what to say felt like a waste.

When Sakura came by, it'd first been to a glance at the Tavern itself. The City hadn't been left unscathed, and she wondered at how changed the landscape would be as an after-effect of SHODAN's troops. Then it'd been to Kang, and where he'd set both stones in the little herb garden. "I'm glad those stones ended up working out," she said, voice kept quiet. She was cleaner than she had been, but otherwise was dressed in her plantsuit. Nothing else, as if that simplicity was her way of showing respect in light of having nothing properly black to wear.

[governorkang]

"Thank you for your help, Sakura," Kang stepped back to stand next to her. "They shouldn't have died like that. Their deaths on Krynn were horrible enough. They were given a second chance, and it was stolen from them."

[encourage]

"It's the least I could do," she said, her own way of trying to also say thank you. "You're welcome."

Looking over the stones, she listened to him speak. Death wasn't usually fair. She knew that, had seen it in different iterations, but something about how all of this had happened was worse. It hadn't needed to happen. It could have been preventable, if people pushed harder, maybe, if they looked into knowing and understanding this ship that even the Daligig didn't really want to discuss?

They weren't the thoughts she needed to indulge right now. Mostly she was so damn tired it didn't make a difference. Shifting what came to the front of her mind was a matter of waiting.

"I wish it'd been otherwise."

[governorkang]

Kang closed his eyes briefly, remembering the lost look in the eyes of the cloned draconians. He'd taken pity on them, hoping that one day they'd regain some piece of themselves. Unfortunately, it had never happened. "At least this time their souls hadn't been ripped apart. It was over quickly."

[encourage]

She couldn't quite stop herself from making a face at the mention of souls being ripped apart -- it was a horrible thought. Even souls being torn prematurely out of bodies was painful to witness.

"Fast enough most didn't know what was happening." She was glad for that. Bad enough to die again, worse to have it drawn out and know it was coming. "Small blessings, if that's the appropriate word."

[governorkang]

Nodding, Kang crossed his arms over his chest, "They were good soldiers."

[encourage]

Falling silent for a short while, Sakura considered something she wanted to ask. "Kang," she said eventually, "Would it be all right with you if I included their names on the memorial stone?"

[governorkang]

Kang blinked, turning to look at Sakura, "Of course." It would be the first time draconians ever shared a memorial with other races, even if the reason was because of shared senseless death.

[encourage]

She nodded her head toward him, more of a shallow bow by posture alone. "Thank you." If it meant it also went on her more private memorial, the smaller one set in the true fashion of the memorial stone in Konoha, she didn't currently make mention. People could get touchy around words like heroes, particularly without knowing context.

Her next question comes after another long silence. "The ship's never claimed to have current access to the lists of who's held in the caverns, has it?"

[governorkang]

"No. She still can't get to most of the records," Kang shook his head.

[encourage]

"Yet SHODAN could?"

[governorkang]

Kang frowned, "I've managed to do quite a bit of catching up on technology, but computers and programming aren't really my strong suit. I don't have any clue why that might be."

[encourage]

Sakura grimaced, if the expression didn't stay long. "Neither do I. I'll ask around the Engineering groups to see if any of them have an idea. Stop by Neuropathy, probably Programming too."

Though given who she knew in these various places, she wondered how much she'd be able to learn.

[governorkang]

"How are you doing?" Kang asked, suddenly. He considered Sakura to be a friend now, and he wanted to make sure she was alright after her parents had been killed.

[encourage]

It was still an odd question to hear, largely because it ceased sounding polite and started sounding sincere from so many people. She was halfway through saying she was fine when she figured that part of that sincerity might be asking for her to be a little more sincere too.

Harder to get ahold of, and harder to stick with. Yet here, at another gravesite, it was easier than with the rest. "I'm... keeping busy." Not quite a fine, which meant it was an improvement in honesty. "Not sleeping much." If that had less to do with her parents in specific than the situation at large. "What about you?"

[governorkang]

"I'm keeping busy, too," Kang crossed his arms over his chest, wings rustling and a stony, unreadable expression on his face. "It's too quiet in the house without Kali around, and I still can't see the damn dragon anywhere without wanting to destroy something."

[encourage]

"I hear there's a wall that could do with a little more demolition," she said, almost meaning it. She'd been tempted between the frustration of finding the Great Wall annihilated and everything else she'd been feeling. Instead, she'd farmed it for usable stone. As Kang knew. "We could probably get him to pose nearby for a little while."

If this made her think of Council matters, something she was more carefully considering now than she had in the past. "Next session will be interesting."

[governorkang]

Kang snorted, "I'd rather not have to deal with him in any manner at all. I'll be surprised if he isn't voted off for lying to the entire crew."

[encourage]

"I don't imagine he'll be staying," Sakura agreed. "Is that going to toss us into another election round when he's gone?"