Last night at the rallying point station…
For many of the Ushra’Khan, it’s been a long time coming. Unity Station was a place of honor and for these past years a taste of the bitterness of betrayal still lingered. It was a beacon of freedom, a beacon that fell to treachery. The time was upon them now, the time that had restlessly stirred in their hearts.
Everyone was in their hangars, preparing their ships. Dreadnaughts, battleships, cruisers, we would need them all. It had been many years and a long road, but the end was near. It was time to come home.
“Uncle Twig, what’s going on?”
A small child was standing in the hanger, looking at an Amarrian man dressed in the uniform of a Warrior of the Ushra’Khan.
“My little acorn, you should be in bed sleeping,” Ga’len responded. He walked over to the child and scooped her up in his arms, “It’s bed time for you. We have much to do.”
“Are you leaving?” she spoke with a tearful voice, “I don’t want you to disappear!”
Ga’len walks over to her and kneels down as he speaks softly, “My little acorn, I will be back soon. I have work to do,” he continued, “Do you see those people over there, the Capsuleers from -A-? They are going with us too. We have the honor of standing and fighting at their side.”
“I don’t understand what is going on,” she spoke as she buried her head against Ga’len’s chest.
“Breanne my child, tell me, what do you know of Unity Station?” Ga’len asked.
Breanne looked up at his face, her eyes grew wide with wonder, “My mommy used to tell me of it, tell me stories. It was a beacon of hope for us, you know, the Minmatar. It was a symbol she used to say.”
“Yes, my child,” Ga’len continued, “a symbol of strength, fellowship and defiance in the face of Amarrian oppression.”
“My dad said it was lost to the Amarr in a horrible defeat long ago,” she continued, “he used to cry when he talked about it. He lost many friends who were trapped when everyone had to flee.”
“My little acorn, tonight we return to Unity Station, ” Ga’len lifts her chin so he can see her face, “Tonight we go and free our people.”
Breanne stands with a look of shock on her face. Slowly a look of understanding crosses her face. She smiles and raises her right arm, making a fist with her hand.
Ga’len smiles, leans forward and kisses her softly on her forehead, “I will return to you and Aunt Leainati soon,” he motions to his sister as she walks toward them, “but I must go and help my brothers and sisters tonight.”
“Be careful my brother, ” Leainati speaks with a smile, “Fight with courage, fight fierce, we will hold the line here. Free our people.”
Many years ago, a strong few took it upon themselves to join together. With fists raised high, they struck back at their oppressors. With fists raised high, they beat back the storm. With fists raised high, they planted the acorn in a field of hatred, a field that would reject them and try to push them into darkness, back into the storm.
Through blood and fire they fought. Through humble honor, they sought friends in the storm. Together with honor, together in strength they fought hard. Never yielding, never waning, they took back what was theirs.
They were the ones who planted the acorn so long ago, the acorn that grew into a sapling of hope, the sapling that grew into a tree a freedom. A tree that was hacked by axes of betrayal, a tree that bears the scars of oppression, a tree that now stands free in a Forest of Unity.
Oak and Ash, Birch and Yew, together they stand among the burned fields of hatred. Oak and Ash, Birch and Yew, together they now stand blinding the darkness with the light of freedom. Oak and Ash, Birch and Yew, together they are the shelter against the storms of oppression.
At long last, the saplings grow free again. At long last they stand under the branches of the Tree of Unity. At long last, we have come….for our people.
February 9th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
Great story. (UK)
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Ga'len Reply:
February 9th, 2010 at 11:05 am
Thanx mate!
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February 9th, 2010 at 9:09 pm
A tear was brought to my eye. Thank you for sharing this precious moment in time with all of us.
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Galen Reply:
February 9th, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Thank you for the honor of standing by your side, fighting under you command and laying waste to our enemies.
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February 9th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Too bad they did not provide us with a fight..
Almost like they left the keys under the mat and said "here it is, we did not want that station anyway"
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Galen Reply:
February 9th, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Indeed. They may be wanting us to think we are really winning and then sucker us into a defeat. We should not discount them so quickly.
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February 9th, 2010 at 9:51 pm
Very nice post.
And yes, it's too bad they didn't fight for 9UY. It's probably just a fiendishly clever plot to give us the system and confound their other enemies…
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Galen Reply:
February 9th, 2010 at 10:08 pm
Thanx mate. I had a bit too little sleep and a bit too much tea. Add to that a nicely random iPod playlist while driving to work sticking me with Lorenna McKinnit and the Avatar soundtrack.
:p
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February 10th, 2010 at 3:19 am
Loved it, Galen.
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Galen Reply:
February 10th, 2010 at 4:31 am
Just wait, I have more with this storyline. I hope you like how things unfold.
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February 10th, 2010 at 12:23 am
Great stuff. Gives me chills. It was a pleasure fighting along side you. We came for our people.
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Galen Reply:
February 10th, 2010 at 1:49 am
Likewise mate, an honor as always. Thanx for reading!
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February 11th, 2010 at 3:44 am
Blood for Freedom!!!
Awesome read Galen. Awesome.
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Galen Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 11:39 am
Thanx mate, I love writing these stories. Of course, I really love the inspiration for them!
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