27 - One Last Hoorah!
Posted on Sat Nov 16th, 2024 @ 6:44pm by Commander Jenna Ramthorne & Lieutenant Commander Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell & Remal Kajun & Patin & Captain Rhenora Kaylen
Mission:
The Beginning of the End
Location: Bajor
The light of the day began to make way for impending darkness, but everything was ready. The bonfire stood waiting on the beach, and nearby there were tables of food and drink for those who came. It was exactly as Patin would have wanted it, a party not a solemn affair. There would be moments of reflection of course, but the tone was definitely more celebratory.
Rhenora ambled down to the sand, her feet bare in the sand despite the winter temperatures. Patina once again wrapped and snuggled against her, a fitting tribute to attend the celebration of the life given freely. Timber flares dotted the pathway from the cottage to the pyre, Rhenora taking a moment to light each one in turn, providing a guide for those that would come later.
The ocean was calm this evening, peaceful even as the sun descended beyond the horizon and the last vestige of daylight faded along with it. The tips of the waves glowed white with bioluminescence, an eerie touch to the evening. Was it Patins way of attending, making sure they weren't wallowing in their own pity?
Rhenora approached the pyre, Patins clothes and empty flask were laid out on the sand nearby. They would be burnt as a symbol of her passing, although Rhenora eyed the flask and had tucked it into her wrap. Somewhere deep down she had a gut feeling that she may see Patin again.
There was food, there was drink, there would be fireworks and of course the pyre. Several of the local villagers had already stopped by to offer their condolences. Each of them had suffered too and whether or not they knew Patin, she was a kindred spirit.
He milled about, never far from Rhenora or Patina, just in case. But he knew his boundaries and was there for moral and emotional support. He had also had a bit to drink, in solidarity of course. It wasn't the hard stuff he was sure Patin drank, but it was what he could handle. "I saw that." He said as he moseyed up to his wife. "Thought about keeping it too but was not quite sure of the best way to handle it."
" A reminder" Rhenora said simply with a smile. " if she ever has the opportunity to come back she'll be cranky if we didn't have it"
In the background, idle chatter about adventures had, Zio was telling the story of how Patin had arrived into her life back in the jungle. She said something about an explosion and an airship crashing down and the small crowd burst into raucous laughter. She was animated more than usual, more lively, having consumed copious amounts of the wine Remal had provided. Light weight that she was, it had hit her pretty quickly.
A shuttle flew overhead, shaking the treetops and flying faster than it probably should have. They knew right away it was likely Jenna ferrying Bonnie and anyone else who wished to come from the Sunfire. They would have to walk up from the village but would arrive in due time to pay their respects in kind.
The sounds of laughter once again swelled as another story was regaled, and Rhenora smiled. It was exactly as Patin would have wanted it. No bad vibes, just good friends and stories of the good old days. Whilst she would miss being able to talk to Patin, or be abruptly put back in her place by the short pocket rocket, she knew this wasn't really the end. Just another chapter.
The food was ate. The drink was drank. And the time had come at last to say goodbye. It was symbolism really as they had each one already said their goodbyes, in their own way and in their own time. Together they gathered round the pyre. Each placed an article of clothing upon the timber before a torch was lit. No words were needed as the torch was handed to Rhenora, Patin's closest and oldest friend.
Rhenora passed Patina to Remal and took the torch, holding it for a few moments in reflection before heading towards the pyre. Everyone seemed to fall in behind her, heads slightly bowed somberly in contrast to the gaieties of previous.
"May we commit what we have left of Patin to the Prophets. May it rejoin her Pagh in the Celestial Temple and may the Prophets have to watch their ass' for ever more" she said loudly before touching the torch to the kindling.
Jenna eyed the vest laid upon the burning timbers and panic set in as a thought crossed her mind. The flames were too high so there was only one thing to do, "Everybody get down!" She yelled before diving down to the ground. When Bonnie hesitated, Jenna reached up and pulled her down too.
Rhenora dropped to the ground on instinct before risking a glance to make sure everyone else had done the same. "What the...?!?!" She started to ask before the reason for the command became abundantly clear.
It took only a moment, but something in Patin's vest didn't react well to fire. She always had a tendency to carry around something explosive. The fire ignited the item and the pyre erupted upwards more than outwards causing the flames of the fire to reach as high as the tree tops and burn a bright purple. Wood chips spread outward spraying the patrons with ember-lit splinters. It was apparent no one had checked the pockets.
Remal asked, "Is everyone alright? Is anyone hurt?" There were murmurs and then someone started laughing. It was a slow chuckle that built and with it the mood. And then another laughed, and another. Almost everyone at the party was enjoying the moment as if Patin herself had caused it.
"Always going out with a bang" Rhen grumbled, and the sentiment carried through the crowd. They paused for a few moments to ensure nothing else was going to explode before the revelry began again.
The moon rose and began to wane again, and the first vestige of the new day coloured the darkest sky with the finest shades of light blue. The crowd had trickled away during the night, leaving only a handful sitting on the sand near the last vestige of the bonfire for warmth.
"Do you think she would have liked the send off?' Rhenora asked quietly, smothering a yawn.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and rubbed it gently, allowing his warmth to transfer to her through his touch. "I do indeed. I think she would have especially liked the part where the pyre exploded." He stood, brushed the sand off his tunic, then offered her a hand up. "Come, let's get you to bed. It's been a long couple of days."
She nodded mutely, depleted now the pseudo-formalities were complete. Taking the offered hand she rose and leaned against his frame, taking their time to amble back to the cottage. Everyone was exhausted, mentally and physically but they would recover, as would the community around them.
Life, as life tends to do, was continuing to march on. In retrospect, it didn't seem to stop for death, like time not stopping because the pages on the calendar run out. In the grand scheme little things like a birth or a death are just another part of the movement. The ever-present rotation of the planet, within the rotation of the system, within the rotation of the galaxy, just a tiny spec in the grand universe.
"See! This is what I am talking about when I talk about death and friendship." The visage of Patin was smacking her hands together as she made her point to the Bajoran Temple Prophets. She had been explaining to them what it means to pass away and the effects it has on ones relationships, especially where friends were concerned. In the cloud behind her was the scene that had played out below.
"And what is the significance of the large fire and the explosion?" One of the Prophets asked innocently.
Patin smiled, "The bigger the fire, the more they will miss you after your parting. It's all symbolism, keep up will ya. To some Bajorans, the bigger the boom, the bigger the symbolism." When they murmured and nodded to one another, she continued. "Next we can discuss the significance of Alcohol and the importance it plays in just being alive. Similar to coffee which can energize and keep you moving, Alcohol is better suited as a coping mechanism."
END.
Captain Rhenora Kaylen
Commanding Officer, USS Sunfire
Commander Jenna Ramthorne
Chief Flight Control Officer & Mission Advisor, USS Sunfire
Remal Kajun
Counselor Aide, USS Sunfire
Husband of the Captain
Played By Commander Jenna Ramthorne
Patin
Friend of the Captain, USS Sunfire
Played By Commander Jenna Ramthorne
