Lest we forget... – Forlorn Hope 3
by Soghla' Terri (Tell) Hope & HoD Ro' Matlh

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Title   Forlorn Hope 3
Mission   Lest we forget...
Author(s)   Soghla' Terri (Tell) Hope & HoD Ro' Matlh
Posted   Wed Oct 20, 2010 @ 10:23pm
Location   Breyberris Mine
Tag   Ro'
What does it matter anyway
In our
Darkest hour we’re all just shades of grey


"I'll go first" Tell told Timon and Parez "Stay here with the group, undercover"

They both nodded in agreement and turned back to the others, they had some meagre rations and shared them out between the group. Sparse trees offered little shelter from the insistent rain that soaked everyone through to the skin.

"It wont be long" Tell heard Parez tell them "She'll make sure its safe first"

Some of the group shook their heads and looked down at the ground. They knew the history of the mine and remembered what had happened here.

Tell walked across the uneven ground. Wide cracks had opened up on the surface as though the planet itself were opening her veins and bleeding. This was an ancient place a primordial valley. It kept memories and held them here as shades of grey. She wondered if the planet would ever recover when this war was over and if anyone would remember them.

She paused by a great pile of stones. It was a Qualedro, a monument to honour the dead. She had found Aidans empty grave. They had needed something to remember him by. Tell fingered the stones, each one of them had been placed there by the people in the village. Some of the stones were carved with words.

Even though your gone
Your presence is still felt here
We hold you near and dear
For we’ve loved you forever and ever
And we’ll forget you never.

Her mother had placed the last stone on the top, Tell remembered the day clearly as if it were yesterday. With a final glance at the Qualedro she turned to the mine tunnel entrance. A sudden noise startled her and she turned.....

There was a roar in the air and the whole group turned. The Silos of Navarem were open to the sky and their torrent of orbital projectiles was climbing on laders of fire towards the sky. Light fell from the air like rain, lancing down as teh orbital attack craft bombarded the Narvarem defences. Spears of death lanced up and down between the two. The outer defences have been broken and invasion was imminant.

Parez's voice came over the com. HIs visor was down so he would not be heard by the civilians, "We need to leave these people and get back to the bunker. If we can't hold them back then no where will be safe.

Tell had cleared the scrub away from the mine entrance and kicked some of the boards in. She called the group over. Tell entered the mine first and all the events of twenty two years ago replayed themselves in front of her eyes. Aidan appeared, taunting her, laughing at her. She could hear him and see his shade dart about the tunnel.

"Stay near the entrance" she told them "Don't go further back into the tunnel as the floor disappears. We'll be back as soon as we can, I promise." She looked at the desolate group as if for the last time, if she was one of them she would have.......

"Soldier" came the dry husky voice of an old man. Tell looked around until she could see his face. "Soldier, please if you should see my wife, we were separated. Her names Inea, she's small grey haired like me, blue eyes. Tell her soldier, I'll see her soon." he pleaded

The flood gates opened after that and the three soldiers were inundated with messages for loved ones. They didn't turn them away and promised to find them if they could.

They left the provisions they had left and water with the civilians. They made their way out of the tunnel, covering the entrance as much as they could with the scrub.

"We'll take the Drogo path down to the Breyberris Inn and the return to the bunker." Tell instructed.

The Drogo path, if truth be told, certainly was much steeper than the Hunters path. It's riddled with deep gullies and furrows. It's narrow in places close to the edge of the ridge. You could easily loose your footing if you weren't careful. Drogo wasn't for the feint hearted of walkers and only the hardest of all hikers would have attempted it. It meant nothing to the three of them now except a way of getting quickly down the hill. It bypassed the village where Tell had lost a piece of her soul and she pushed her pain away to the depths of her being. There had been so much pain and her forlorn heart was peppered with holes because of it.

Parez suddenly slipped and rolled down the hill, part of the path had given away under his feet. The others raced after him and pulled him to his feet. They were always there for each other. The last ones of a team of eight.
"I'm ok, I'm ok" he stammered. He wouldn't have fell if he hadn't have felt so dam tired.
Tell clasped his arm. "We'll rest at the bottom of the hill for a while before we move back" she told him

It would be nearly two hours to get back to the bunker and as the three of them walked along they fell into quiet companionable silence. Each alone with their thoughts each.

"Log on" Tell asked

"Mal, Mal.. I lost the little girl" she sobbed "She walked into a mine field and............."