Independence Day
Yep, another one-shot of our favorite characters but this time it's for the 4th of July.
Happy Independence day and for all those who served before me, with me and after me; thank you for giving me the chance to be one of you and thank you for all you do for us in return. I'm proud to have served with you and wish you all well!
Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters belong to Bungie. OC's belong to their respective creators!
"Kid, why are we here?" Eddie asked seriously as Zulu stared at an old and very much ruined monument that looked like the entire top of it was carried away by some unknown force. All around them was in the same state of decay and around them were bodies of a recent bandit attack that had the misfortune of thinking Guardians and a Baron were easy pickings.
"Memories of what we lost." Gabe replied as he looked at the monument with his helmet in his hands and wonder on his face. "I've always wanted to come here as a kid and see the history for myself."
"So it's a field trip...could've told us so I would've had the option to stay home." Theresa said dryly though Gabe didn't hear her or he was just ignoring her.
"That building," Gabe started as he pointed out a ruin that held a figure on a large stone chair with more than a few parts missing. "is a monument to President Abraham Lincoln. It holds two pieces of Lincoln famous speech's; his second Inaugural Speech when he was reelected as President and the Gettysburg Address, which he spoke after the Battle of Gettysburg during the US Civil War commemorating the battle and to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers on both sides of the conflict.
"It was also on those very steps that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have A Dream" speech in front of 250,000 people at the end of his March on Washington." Gabe recounted as he subconsciously moved while speaking.
Zulu silently followed and even Rilix moved silently as to not interrupt him.
"The area we stand in is called the National Mall and it stretches from the Lincoln Memorial all the way to the White House where the elected President stayed. In the area around us are other monuments and museums that hold relics and writings of history that shaped the US into what it was when I was alive. This place is sacred to all Americans and to even think of being in this state is...like having your heart twisted and ripped from your chest."
"The Cryptarchs actually would enjoy knowing this place exists." Avora stated after a moment of walking. "If there is as much history as you elude to that is."
"There's more than that here though you would have to be born into it to realize the amount of history here that you can't see. Yes there is enough here for them to be more than fascinated with but without knowing the history behind it would make a worthless endeavor for them." Gabe replied evenly as he continued walking.
"Then it's a good thing you're here then Mister Know-It-All." Theresa countered wit some humor though Gabe snorted in response.
"They wouldn't care for my word or my knowledge as "I'm not a Cryptarch and wouldn't have true understanding of the world"." Gabe said as Theresa gave a small laugh.
"That is Rahool in a nutshell." she agreed as they walked the National Mall.
"All of this, before the Great Machine?" Rilix asked in tone that was completely unlike her. Instead of her usual gruff attitude she was actually curious and enthralled at the area.
"Yea way before then, some of this predates me by more than a hundred years at least. I was born in 1996 and some of this area was developed when it was still in the 1800's." Gabe answered as Rilix took a look around at the place with interest.
"I'm not denouncing the historic value of this place or the affect it has on you since you were alive when this place must've been busy but to us it has no grounds for importance." Eddie said calmly though his tone gave away a little emotion. "Though I am curious about what else you know about this place."
Gabe took that in stride. Eddie might seem harsh with words but he still enjoyed learning about history as much as the next Guardian. After all, "one who doesn't heed history is doomed to repeat it". "Most of what I know is through history books and articles in the news but the rest is easy to deduce based on evidence and recollections from others."
"So word of mouth."
"In a sense, yes."
"What else is here to see? It's not often the Awoken know of the world we fled." Avora asked as Gabe smiled.
"So much that it would take a week or more to see it all and even longer to comprehend even a fraction of it." Gabe explained thoughtfully. "This is all of our history, even if you all never knew it."
"Not all of it though I assume?" Theresa asked as she went to examine the large pool in the center of the field.
"No but a large part of it is here." Gabe replied as Rilix glanced at a memorial of three people looking towards something obscured by overgrown bushes.
"And that is?" she asked as Gabe followed her eyes towards the memorial.
"The Three Soldiers." Was his reply. "Part of the Vietnam Memorial."
"Alright, time to do some field work; Spread out a catalog everything you can." Eddie said as the four looked at him. "And for the kid's sake, be careful if come across books or paper. Don't wanna hurt his feelings after all."
"Ass." Gabe muttered as Eddie grinned at him before moving deeper into the ruins. He glanced around but Theresa and Avora already went their own way.
"Show me this Memorial?" Rilix asked as Gabe looked back at her and nodded before turning towards the Three Soldiers and walking.
"It's a wall but it holds over 58 thousand names of those who either died or went missing during the War." Gabe explained as he led her to the wall. "It's not complete though and many doubted every name would ever be up there but they tried."
The wall had seen a lot better days but one thing Rilix noted was that the names on the wall were still there and legible after a millenia of being exposed to the elements. The compound the wall was made out of eluded her but something just seemed...off about the area.
"It feels cold. Sadness and despair hangs here." Rilix commented as Gabe inclined his head.
"Local stories said much of the same but there's another legend about the wall." Gabe said as he descended into the walkway. Some people have heard stories about those who put their hands on the wall and could swear that they felt not the stone but another hand on the other side. It was as if the souls of these fallen are inside this wall, forever looking out on those who pass by."
Rilix remained silent as she stared at the names etched into the wall. The surface of it shone brightly over the glow of the setting sun as her own reflection stared back at her. This wall and the humans on it were older than her and the Great Machine and to know that her mate was one of those to follow their footsteps filled her with some pride.
"When I first joined the Army, I used it as a way to escape my past; to start anew and do something with my life. When I started training, I thought I wouldn't make it; that I would add another failure to my long list of failures. It took me three tries to finally qualify with the bare minimum score in Marksmanship and I barely passed my APFT but I wasn't allowed to fail." Gabe spoke as if he was far away in a memory while Rilix stayed silent.
"Someone who knew me from my past vouched for me to be there and Drill Sergeant Traven told me that he would rather retire with shame than let me fail. He pushed me...he pushed me farther than I ever thought I could go. He never let me falter and if I did he was there to kick my ass until I got back up. One moment I was on the cusp of failure and the next, I was standing on the Parade field with my Beret and receiving the "Turnaround Soldier of the Cycle" award. To this day, I don't know how Drill Sergeant Traven did it but he turned me from a Juvenile Delinquent into an Army Soldier.
"Along my journey, my thoughts on why I did this changed. At first it was to escape but seeing all those faces at Graduation then all the faces of people who came before me looking down on us with admiration that we followed their footsteps just...well...I can't explain it. It felt right that someone like me would take up their mission when they no longer could. With all the trouble I had before then, it felt like I could repay my debts to society." Gabe explained as Rilix looked from the wall to him.
"You followed the Warriors path. Whether you knew it or not." she said as he gave a small smile.
"I guess I did." he agreed as he turned to the burnt orange sky. "Many came before me and many came after me but we all had the same goal. To preserve freedom and defend those that didn't have the strength to defend themselves."
"Admirable goals."
"Yea." Gabe replied as he gazed up a lone flag still waving in the small breeze high above the ruined White House. The pole it was attached to looked like it was about to collapse but the flag itself still waved tall and proud; a constant reminder that something was here. "Do you know what today is?" A shake of her head was his answer. "Today is the 4th of July, it was on this day that my country adopted the Declaration of Independence and went to war with Britain. This day was when my country first began as a new nation and every year it adds another mark to it's long history.
"Everyone would look at this and see just another ruin but I...I look at it as the continuation of my duty. My job is still not over as long as there are those that would threaten the innocent and the weak." Gabe said with conviction as Rilix stepped towards him. "As long as that flag flies, America still lives and I will defend it with my dying breath."
"It means that much to you." she spoke calmly as he didn't respond. Only stared at the flag before rendering a salute.
A salute to those that served before him and those that followed him. He would carry on his duty to them in their honor.
Rilix saw the motion and turned back to the flag. Still silently waving in the breeze, marking the day that a country was born.
She would never know exactly how it felt to fight for others, but she would give him his moment. This was for his past and she would honor it with him.
"Happy Independence Day to all of you that served. May you be at peace for all that you have done."
Short and sweet, no fluff in this one but this day is a cause for remembrance for those that made this country what it is today. I know that the controversy around the signing of the Declaration of Independence is up in the air but the fact remains that we celebrate the Independence Day on July 4th every year.
Thank you again from the bottom of my heart to all our men and women in uniform. I am proud to have served with you all and for all you do!
