Kodan Black Posted June 2, 2015 Out of the blue I got a message from my old childhood friend Zosj. His unit was being reassigned and he was going to be on Nar Eurbrikka for a week picking up some supplies before they moved to their new posting. I knew this was a rare opportunity for us to catch up and I had plenty of leave saved up, so I put in for a few days off. He suggested we get away from everything and rent a couple speeder bikes so we could take them up to the old Ha'Ka'Le Temple in the nearby mountains. It was offseason for the temple, the usual school groups wouldn't be there. It wasn't cold out, but it was cool and the guides only operated during the warmer months. I'd never made it up there myself, but knew some other pilots who had and they said it was a very interesting historical place to visit. When I made it to town Zosj had already rented the speeder bikes and was waiting. He looked about the same as when I had last seen him, but different. I couldn't really say how he looked different, he just did. We shook hands and exchanged brief pleasantries before the conversation just trailed off. I asked if he was ready to head up and he said he was. I expected to have him suggest we race to see who could get there first, knowing that as a scout trooper he had an advantage, but he never did. Maybe he had matured and that is what seemed different. The nearly hour we spent on the speeder bikes was in silence. Zosj was never the most talkative sort, but I fully expected something... anything. Not a word. I just trailed after him and he wasn't even going along at his usual breakneck pace. It was controlled and orderly. When we got to the temple we parked out bikes and looked at the outside. A further few minutes stretched on without talking or anything really. When he finally spoke it was jarring as it seemed so out of place amid our long silence. "This place used to be the center of the lives of the Ha'Ka'Le people. They would come here every day. They worked tirelessly to build this place and then it was the center of their existence for hundreds of years. Then through technology, marrying foreigners, and other things they just ... vanished. This is all that is left to prove they ever were. None of it mattered." I knew it was more than a history lesson about the Ha'Ka'Le. He was revealing his own thoughts. I wasn't sure what to say, so I just stayed silent hoping he would continue. "My last posting was rough. How has it been aboard the Avenger?" "At times fun. At times sad. I'm alone in my cockpit, so it is quiet. When you lose another pilot you don't really hear anything, it is just nothing. They aren't there. You get back to the ship and they are gone. But we try to make up for that by doing a lot together as pilots and within our own unit. I have some good guys watching my back." Zosj let out a big sigh before speaking again. "Not like that on the ground. The locals didn't want us there. The rebels... they'd snipe at us every chance they got and supplied the locals too. I was scared and clueless when I first arrived at our outpost, but the sergeant in charge showed me what to do. Six weeks in he and I were headed to our "showers", really little more than a hose with some boards for privacy, after we'd spent the morning repairing a speeder bike. I realized along the way I'd forgotten my shave kit in the barracks, so I went back to get it while he continued on. Part way to the shower with my shave kit in hand a rebel supplied rocket obliterated the showers. We were supposed to be there to bring order to the chaos of their planet. Different factions fighting all the time; we were supposed to keep the peace. During my time there we had an 80% casualty rate. I don't even know how or why I'm still here beside pure chance. And in a hundred years none of what we did will matter or be remembered. Probably even sooner." As we returned to silence we headed into the temple. We admired the craftsmanship and artistry done with such primitive tools. It was hard to imagine the space as it was used instead of being a historical site. Once it was full of people and vibrant, now just a historical footnote. I better understood Zosj's taciturnity and choice for our outing. Please critique and judge. Extra pics below: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MKJoshA Posted June 2, 2015 Very different style of build that we are used to seeing for SoNE, but I like it! Your story is powerful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tariq j Posted June 2, 2015 Very good build Kodan, the story is excellent and very gripping and definitely one of the best I've seen here on SoNE. Very well done Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shadows of Nar Eurbrikka Posted June 5, 2015 Judges have awarded you 3 XP! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kodan Black Posted June 5, 2015 Thank you, that is definitely the fastest judging I've gotten yet! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
markus1984 Posted June 15, 2015 Crazy but looks good and i also like the story behind the build markus Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lord Tyrus Posted June 20, 2015 Very different style to what is usually seen in SoNE, very nice! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
