Dust in the Wind [Open!]

[cityship]

|| Attention, crew, Attention. All personnel who wish to attend the funeral of Howard Bassem and Cedric Diggory, please report to the Observation Deck. ||

Once again, the Observation Deck is prepared for a sending-off of the dead. A hard pod containing Howard's body sits in the center of the room, with a much smaller pod containing Cedric's wand sitting beside it. The observation window is open, showing the attending crew a stunning view of a nearby fiery red star: the final resting place of the two fallen crew members.

Before the launch, though, there are goodbyes to be said.

Comments

[morphitudinous]

"I know, I know," Billy clung to her, wishing there was some way to keep them all safe. Any one of them could have been on that mission in the same hopeless situation.

"Sometimes I feel helpless against that fear, but I can't let myself."

[kaya_waterwave]

"I feel that too," she said quietly, "maybe more after all of this. Howard and Cedric were two unique, wonderful people, and they made a difference to people who met them and really got to know them. I know that the death toll on the ship isn't very big, but I'll miss them."

Who would play Quidditch?

"But all we can do is our best, since we never know what will happen next."

[morphitudinous]

Billy nodded, squeezing her tightly once more. "We will. And...I want to hear all about them sometime, since I didn't have the pleasure of knowing them."

[kaya_waterwave]

Kaya smiled. "They were both very different. I'll admit that Howard and I did not see eye to eye more than once. But at the end of the day, I knew he went through more than a lot of us, and he didn't have special powers or anything like that. Cedric was...well, he reminded me of you a little bit."

[morphitudinous]

They both sounded like interesting people. Billy felt a pang of regret for both of them, and what would never be. "I heard you talk about him and cynicism. Your conversations must've been so interesting!"

That brought him to Cedric. Billy thought back on what Kaya had said. "How? Am I one of those Hufflepuff people?"

[kaya_waterwave]

Kaya chuckled. "We were always riffing on each other. GLADOS made us date before. We argued and stuff, but we still had fun going on rides and laughing and competing. I really...really liked hanging out with him."

Here, she smiled. "They are supposed to be loyal and brave, willing to put the needs of others ahead of their own. Cedric was dead in his world, so he was happy to live at least. I can see you flourishing in that house."

[morphitudinous]

Billy felt his regret grow with the more he heard. They were interesting people, kind as well. Cedric and Howard had deserved a chance.

"Really? There wasn't a house for self-avowed geeks?"

[kaya_waterwave]

Oh, they deserved more than that. Kaya knew that personally. But they were not going to just be faceless deaths, that much she would be sure of.

"Actually, I think that was Ravenclaw. All the smart kids went there. I think you would have fit right in, Billy!"

[morphitudinous]

"If I could ever fit in with the magic-using crowd," Billy chimed in. "I just wasn't fortunate enough to come from a world where it's really possible for humans to use it."

But such was life. He settled, looking out the window in thought. So many worlds to try to save, so many places the two men would never see.

[kaya_waterwave]

Kaya hugged him. "Neither did I. I was just a bender. At least you come from a time where technology is so much more advanced. We just try to catch up as best as we can. You're pretty amazing as far as I'm concerned."