+ Salkath Posted August 5, 2015 Posted August 5, 2015 ((South Wing, Factory Complex - Zakdorn)) :: The Zakdorn elder walked slowly, his leg hurt. And his chest burned with every breath he took, probably due to the toxins he had inhaled. They were slowly leaving the facility, Starfleet officers had left and everything was now in Zakdorn hands. He slowly walked, while the flow of people walked faster and past him. :: Nalurn: Thanks... for everything... :: Through the pain and cough, he was talking to Airun, the young girl that had not separated from him since the initial explosion. He was walking now mainly thanks to her, that let him lean on her for support. :: Airun: You did way more to save all of us. :: The boys in their section, mostly young teenagers. He had tried to coordinate them until rescue arrived. Apparently they were all alive. But they were waiting for the cure to arrive. Thinking of the toxin, another cough fit rocked through his body. His vision started to blur, and he felt his balance failing. :: Airun: HEEELP! SOMEBODY! PLEASE! :: His vision blurry, he could hear the girl calling for help as he fell. And then, a sharp pain on his head. And darkness. :: ((Improvised Hospital in Town Hall, Nearby town, Zakdorn)) :: He woke up slowly. He felt a dull pain in his head, and his mind was struggling to understand where he was. He was lying on something soft, and could hear voices all around him. People crying, people shouting, movement, pain. :: :: Slowly, he opened his eyes to see a familiar face looking at him. Mareen, the woman he had loved for all his live. :: Nalurn: My love... Mareen: You are awake. :: He could see the sadness in the eyes of the old woman. :: Nalurn: What... :: Talking was painful. Luckily, Mareen could always understand his line of thought with nothing but the first words. : Mareen: You collapsed due to the intoxication. The people from the rescue team carried you here. :: He tried to incorporate, but his world became blurry again and he fell back on his makeshift bed. :: Nalurn: How bad is it? :: She didn't answer. Zuin had a brilliant mind, even in that state, and there was no way that she would be able to hide it. But she felt incapable of pronouncing the words. :: Nalurn: I'm... dying. Mareen: They say you refused treatment. You inhaled too much, and it is too late. Nalurn: I... the young... Mareen: I know. :: She knew. The young ones took priority when they were in the triage center. :: Nalurn: Village... Mareen: I know. :: She also knew. For Zuin, evacuating the village should have had preference over helping the facility. :: Nalurn: I'm too old... Mareen: I know that, too. :: Zuin knew he was old, even with a full treatment his chances of survival were slim at best. For him, getting help to other workers with greater chance of survival was the strategically right thing to do. She had loved him, she had loved his strategic mind all their life. A brilliant mind that had been at some point recognized among the ten best in Zakdorn, making him minister to the Stratigo for a mandate. :: Mareen: You... you didn't... have to... :: It was only obvious that if that brilliant mind ever reached the conclusion that the best course of action involved sacrificing himself, he would do that without doubt. She could not fault him for that. :: Nalurn: Don't cry... in... :: He could not talk. But it was too late, she was already crying. :: Mareen: I know. In the battle of Zash they lost because they were crying and their concentration was diminished. :: It was a story he liked to tell their children and grandchildren to teach them Zakdorn should not cry because that prevents clear though. The fact that in the battle of Zash the enemy used tear gas didn't seem to nullify his conclusions. At least not as a teaching parable. :: :: Unable to answer, the old man smiled and nodded, slowly. He had been so lucky all his life to have someone like her at his side. She understood him, she had a brilliant mind of her own even if she had never been appointed a minister. Although she would say her ability had more to do with empathy that strategy. :: Nalurn: Sell the... our children... :: Sell our house here, go back to the farm with our eldest child and their family. With the money for the house here, you can have a good life there, and our daughter look after you. :: Mareen: I know. Just... turn that mind of yours off at least for your last minutes with me. :: She slowly leaned and kissed him in the lips, trying to hold the tears. :: Nalurn: Hold... my... :: Another fit of cough took grasp of him. He could barely talk, his body hurt, and everything was blurry. He was feeling sleepy, and he wanted to rest. :: Mareen: I know. I will. :: She would hold his hand and let him rest his head on her lap, like she used to do when he was minister and was prone to long sleepless nights due to the stress of the job. :: :: Comparatively to the stress of those years, dying was relaxed work, Zuin Nalurn thought. Holding her hand, he though he needed some rest. And he felt he had earned it. Sleepy, he closed his eyes one last time. :: END ((OOC: Not everyone could have a happy ending.)) MSPNPC Zuin NalurnResource allocation supervisorZakdorn Industrial Facility as simmed by Lt. John Valdivia - Science Officer - USS Darwin-AD238701JV0
Recommended Posts