One hit chapter! (A tribute to Alvin H. Davenport "Chopper")
A Funeral for Fallen Angels
Oured, 0900 hours, 5th December 2010.
The sun began to rise over the capital city of Osea; it was a grey and dismal morning for the sand island sqaudron epically what happened last month. Nagase looked towards the dark skies hoping to see a glimmer of light from the rising sun but just like the war, everything was hidden in darkness. The bells chimed nine o'clock it was going to start soon, today Nagase was wearing something other than her Jumpsuit, today she wore a black headband with her black one piece dress and black shoes. As she looked at jumpsuit she quickly turned away and walked out the door. As she closed the door behind her she saw in the hallway Grimm and Pops waiting for her. They were waiting for her and Blaze. As Nagase knocked on blazes door she soon discovered after opening the door, that he was gone. As she closed the door, she, Grimm and Pops silently down the hallway. They made their way to the graveyard with the cold wind blowing around them, the streets were silent on this morning, and it reminded them of when they were accused of attacking a Yuktobania engineering facility.
Oured, Military Cemetery, 0930 hours.
Everyone was lined up in black in front of newly dug graves. Each one of them had a picture of the soldier, airmen, seamen that had died in the recent struggle. In the centre of them all was a picture Alvin H. Davenport call sign "Chopper". As Nagase had her head down she remembered that day well. They were attacking incoming Yuktobania fighters that had a well planned attack; the allied forces were coming after a radar jam and some sqaudron calling allied forces back. All the stealth fighters were down and blaze said over the radio to Chopper.
"Okay Chopper, the enemies are all gone. Descend into the stadium and bail out."
"A little too late man." He replied "There goes the radar, my circuits are toast."
"Look, Forget about it Chopper Just bail out." She demanded "Please bail out."
"Okay. Guess now's the time." He said as he put his plane into a nose dive and heading towards the stadium.
"This is Thunderhead. Captain Davenport, are you all right?"
"There's the stadium, I'm dropping the plane over there."
"Roger. Now get out." She demanded again. A sudden silence fell before Chopper said to them.
"I can't." this sunk fear into everyone's hearts "The electrical systems all messed up. The canopy won't blow. The ejection seat's probably not working, either."
"Don't dare say that Chopper, keep trying." Blaze sounded angry at him.
"Don't give up, Chopper! Keep trying! Chopper!" Thunderhead repeated. As blaze flew close to Chopper he could see he had is mask off.
"Heh Heh…I'm going to miss that voice." Chopper replied to Thunderhead.
"Put your mask back on." Chopper fell full speed into the Stadium with Blaze shouting his call sign until he crashed. "Chopper, NO!" said blaze as he pulled away from the smoke.
"CHOPPER!" screamed Nagase. As a tear fell from her eye another one landed on top and then a raindrop fell from the black skies above. As one of the mechanics looked up she said to the flight instructor next to her.
"It's raining." As he looked up he said to her.
"Even the heavens weep." As Nagase looked around, there was no sign of Blaze…where was he? At the front, the head of the allied HQ in Oured stood before them in the rain. The sleek black hair and eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses hid the sadness in his eyes. The black suit he wore was a normal business suit with a black tie, he then said to all the people in the service.
"We are gathered here to remember and honor not only a brave pilot who gave his life for peace, but for all that have sacrificed in this battle to protect our way of life." Even the crew from AWACS Thunderhead attended the funeral, as they stood way back away from the graves one of the members said to himself.
"So this is the price for peace in this world; and all we could do is watch." At the other end of the Cemetery a flag was flown at half mast, it stood beside a large memorial stone with names engraved upon them. A man in a black suit with blondish brown hair stood over it in silence and stillness so still and deep in thought he did not notice someone else approaching from behind him. Meanwhile at the Funeral all the service men laid flowers down, those who remembered Chopper as a pilot and a person. As each person carried and planted a single white rose on his grave Nagase said to herself.
"Why? Why did it have to happen? Why did someone so good, have to die…why?" As she looked down she saw Kirk, Choppers dog, whining at the lost of his master. As Pops gently stroked his head the rain began to pour down even more, Nagase still wondered, was it war that killed so many people, or was it them trying to maintain the peace? Back at the other end of the cemetery the man with the brownish blonde hair said to the person behind without turning round.
"Are those for Barker?" he was an instructor pilot that was killed above the skies that faithful morning when Blaze first got assigned to a sqaudron. A young woman with long purple hair had black ribbons braiding through it. She walked towards the memorial stone with a bunch of white roses for him. "Better make it quick, Choppers Funeral has already begun." He said as he turned away to give her a private moment. As she kneeled on the tiled brick paving that surrounded the stone she said as she closed her eyes and prayed.
"And you Blaze? Paying respects to PJ? Instead of constantly inventing new excuses for being late, why don't you simply come here earlier?" as Blaze sighed he said to her.
"I did. I've been here since dawn." As she got up and looked at him with a surprised look he then said to her. "This place, reminds of how I was just a young cocky mercenary who didn't care about anyone as long as I got paid for the job. It also reminds me of the mistakes I've made in the past… and I made so many of them." as an old pilot looked at Blaze he smiled and thought of himself when he was that age, true he had no idea what he went through but it must have been painful. Later on he arrived in time for the placing of white roses on the grave, as every soldier placed a flower on the grave they all had thoughts about them when they had fun with Chopper. As each soldier placed their flower and thought of Chopper down Nagase remembered the first lesson of about war and the pilot.
"It's a rule of combat, never show any emotion. Keep your mind focused on your mission. No matter what, no matter how much is hurts you must always push your exhausted body beyond breaking point, be it physically or emotionally, you can't shed a tear." When Hans went to place his flower on Choppers grave, he remembered the fun time they had especially the first time in the hanger where he had trouble getting his helmet on.
"Dam thing won't go on." He said as he struggled to put it on.
"Here, I'll help." Chopper said as he slammed his fist down on top to push it down. It was on but now it was stuck, but they both laughed at the unfortunate event. Blaze then placed his flower down and remembered how they would rock n' roll to Choppers favorite song at full blast in the hangers late at night, the sound would echo around the whole base, they eventually got in trouble but they had fun doing it. He placed it down and walked away. As Nagase followed up behind him she looked at his picture and stared deep into his eyes, she never did get to tell him how she felt about him. His opinion on war matched with her feelings, she too hated war. She felt he was the only one on the base that hated war but he went into one to protect others; she went into war for peace. As she looked up to the sky rain drops slid down her face masking her tears, she still didn't understand something about war, as she turned to Pops she asked.
"Pops?" as he looked to her he said in a whisper.
"Yes, young aviator?"
"Why do they do it? Why do people risk their lives for other people?"
"Well…" he looked towards the sky hoping for an answer, as the rain started to become less heavy with sadness he said to her. "When someone passes away, it's the end. His past and future, all the dreams he once had they disappear along with him. This is true even if dies honorable in battle, as so many had." He said as he looked behind him to see the woman with long purple hair with black ribbons to see her head down and tears gently rolling out. "As Barker did, all the ties that keep him grounded to the earth are cut. All but one. The most important of all…people. Parents, siblings, friends, lovers and co workers. People who are important to him even pets." He said as he gently patted kirks head. "And these people, that stay to the ground are joined together in a great circle by their shared memories of him." As leaf passed them by and floated towards the dark sky, the rain then stopped. "This circle… is a circle of friendship, truth and sacrifice that grows larger and stronger as time passes, it's hard to explain it but we remain in the circle together, we have no choice…it's important to us." As Nagase sighed she said to Pops.
"So we do it because we have to I get it…sort of." As she looked at his picture she said sadly. "Still…I'm sad he's gone."
"Think how sad it would be if he died for nothing." Blaze said to her from behind. As she turned round she looked at him with silent eyes and a pale face. "But what he left us was something priceless…don't worry it'll become clear for you, one of these days."
"Hey, I got most of it…I just don't understand the rest." As pop looked at them both as Sqaudron leader and wingman he knew that they were becoming a team of unspeakable power. As Hans tapped Pops on the shoulder he turned round to see Hans saying to him
"The rain it stopped." as Pops looked up he saw the clouds were shifting and the sun was coming through the darkness. As the service concluded mechanics and pilots alike were heading back to Sand Island.
"Bye Pops see ya back at Sand Island." Nagase called back to him as she ran to where Blaze and Hans were standing waiting for her. As Pops stayed behind a little while longer he said to himself as he looked at Choppers grave.
"You see Chopper; the will of these young pilots is as strong as ever. The sparks you left behind have blazed into a roaring fire for these young aviators on the road to peace and for this war to end. The fire for peace will keep the people safe and warm for many years to come…watch over them when they're up there." He said as he turned and walked away. Meanwhile in a building opposite the cemetery in a dark room two figures sat in darkness watching the funeral.
"It seems one of the demons wings has been clipped permanently."
"Yes…" said the other figure as he stared into the distance.
"Not feeling any regret for that callback to all allied squadrons to assist them in November city… are we?" said the voice, his accent sounded belkan.
"No of course not." He replied. "But even with one gone, the Osean army is still advancing forward, the so called "Demons of Razgriz need to vanish…for good!" as the shadowy figure looked at him with pale eyes he asked.
"And how is that going to be possible?"
"A radio message from an advancing tank battalion at Cruik Fortress, is requesting close air support from the "Four wings of Sand Island" for tomorrow's last attempt. Even if they do succeed… I'll make sure that don't come back." As the large figure stood up and left for the door he said to the sitting shadow figure.
"You'd better because Osea wins then our plans would be for nothing, so don't screw this up… Hamilton!"
A/N- this is only a one hit but if you want more just review it if not well nothing more I can say. I did tribute for Alvin H. Davenport