Farewell Mr. Clark (Trinity)

[Sidney Bainbridge]

Serenity View Township, Hera; Feburary 18th 2523

The Trinity had arrived on Hera the night before, the Clark family had somberly me the crew at the at the docks for the tearful exchange. The crew spent the night on the Trinity it a solemn state of morning for their fallen leader. With the mornings first ray the complement of men and woman who had served with him, some for a short time and others what had seemed like a lifetime set out for the services.

The family had given Sidney the privilege to first rites over the slain leader. The family stood to one side of the coffin grieving for there lost son or brother. A sight that could have brought the strongest of men to their knees. While the crew stood to the left as is prover of military to stand to their superiors. Sidney stood tall with no signs of grief or mourning on his face. Instead he face would show only pride and respect for his once and still great commander.

Sidney had thought over what he would say for the service and had been the whole time since they left New Cannan. "Lieutenant Colonel Clark, Post." There was a long drown out silence after he spoke. It was custom to make a call to post for the fallen though they could of course not post for orders. The call and following silence gave signal to the loss. Sidney could see the tears welling in the families eyes at the call to James.

After a long moment that dragged on forever Sidney stepped of with his left foot rigidly, the way he would have when reporting back in the war and approached the coffin on remaining on its left an stopped beside James torso. "Lieutenant Colonel James Richard Clark" He paused a moment. "Dedication, honor, respect, and determination are the first things that come to mind when you his name."

Sidney took a deep breath before pulling a small box from his pocket. It was an award box that he had carried with him since his time on Boros. It was an award Sidney had received from the Haven government, the closest place to a home for him and where his unit was based from. "On behalf of the former government of Haven, for honor and valor in action under extreme duress and in facing over whelming odds. I would like to present Lieutenant Colonel James Richard Clark with the Star of Valor. The highest dignity that can be placed upon a soldier by the government of Haven."

Sidney pulled the award from the small ornate box and then pinned it to James' chest. quietly speaking where no others could be heard. "I owed you this long ago James. I'll take care of Trinity are her crew." His face still looked hard as stone. Sidney never was one for tears or showing emotion but even this time it was hard to hold it all back. He took a step back from the coffin and looked up at those in front of him again. "James was a dedicated man to all those who came in to his life he gave them everything he had, even willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect them. He will be missed." With that he stood rigid again and offered a crisp solute. Upon lowering the solute he turn to face the other members of the crew and walked back to take his place beside them.

[Kalli Ann Bernett]

Seven months, eight planets, 208 days had past since the day Kalli joined the Trinity. Countless memories and here she was standing at the funeral of the man who made it all possible. She had to many emotions. Over 208 days she had learned to trust this man, over 208 days she had learned to fight at this mans side, over 208 days she had learned to worry for this mans safety, and over 208 days she had learned she deeply cared for this man.

She could remember every moment, from when she had found him and Sidney back on Haven, where they first met, to St. Albans where they had shares time intimately with each other in a crashed shuttle. All the way to when he go hurt on the job on Bernadette, to when he returned to the crew on Persephone. He had his place in her heart now and he wouldn't be forgotten.

Kalli had been recovering from how devastated she was when the whole thing happened but when the family showed up to pick up the body she was a mess all over again. Now though she had had the night to let the tears roll down and she arrived with the others for the service. Sidney had been given the honor of speaking first. She was glad it wasn't her, though hearing Sidney's words didn't make things easier.

Once Sidney had returned to join the group Kalli took her turn to say a few words and say her final good bye. She slowly walked to the side of the coffin her eyes looking only at the ground till she got there. She didn't want to look any of the family in the eyes, she wouldn't be able to hold it together if she did. quietly she began to speak, not sure if any of the others could hear her or not, she didn't really care. "I'm sorry James, I'm sorry I couldn't stop this, I... I, wish I could go back and do things differently. Everything, I.. I would, do it differently." She didn't know what she was going to say really she just let the words come out, as well as the tears that were now falling.

"You did right by this crew James. You... will always be my hero.. and, were going to miss you." She pulled her bracelet from her wrist and set it on the coffin. "We love you James and we wont forget you." The tears were pouring down her face now as she looked down at the coffin for a moment longer. Kalli wiped her eyes and ran back over to the others trying to regain her composure.


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Outfit

[Dani Kingsley]

The death of James had come as a bit of a surprise to Dani; shock was much too emotional a word for how the news made her feel. She had never known anyone who had died before. It was a strange feeling, to know she would never take another order from James or to see him.

She followed her crew members out, an eye on Sidney as he led the way. Lining up with the rest of the crew, she glanced across at the family. Their pain and sadness was foreign to her, and she stared at each one a little too long, trying to understand. Wanting to feel the raw emotion they were feeling.

Her attention returned to Sidney as he began speaking. She tucked her hands into her pockets, feeling a bit under-dressed. Having never been to a funeral before, Dani had not quite understood the gravity of the situation. She was at least wearing black, in her button-up long-sleeved shirt, but her pants were a dark blue and tucked into her boots.

Her fingers moved constantly as she fidgeted with her sleeves. She craved a cigarette; the woman hadn't smoked in at least a year. The toothpicks Dani usually used to relieve her oral fixation were in her pocket, as usual, but she did not dare put one in her mouth here, in front of all these people.

Dani glanced over at the casket, trying to imagine their fallen captain inside. She could not do it. All she could imagine was him as he had been, walking around his ship, that sense of confidence that had made her feel safe around him. A tiny stab of sadness, then, but her broken emotions would not give her more than that. It tortured her.

[Art Doyle]

Death had always been something of a constant in Arthur Doyle's life. On the inside and outside, you could tell in those quiet moments that he had become desensitized to it. That it didn't cause much of a ripple in the wave of emotions it should cause. He'd just... gotten used to it, you know? That didn't mean it took away any sadness from this particular moment. Art had had some strange family over the years. A father that sold him off to settle his own debts, a dead mother, another kind of 'family' taking him in. Then there had been the Trinity. Art remembered the day he met James Clark clear as day-- he had a good memory. Being stuck on Whitefall with Mort and his crappy little bar. James had been his unlikely saviour. A man in dire need of a mechanic. So Art had snapped up the opportunity.

It was strange in reflection, because Art had never expected to have someone he'd call a 'best friend'. James had been his wing man some nights, his Captain by day. There hadn't been a single time he'd ever questioned the man's orders or his integrity. Art had his back. Or did. Once. It takes that one time, doesn't it? That one time you seem to not keep track of things. Arthur had always been secretly the best kind of bodyguard to have. Silent, unassuming, deadly. In a personal way, he felt like he'd failed James as his employer, but knew that the man would never blame anyone for what had happened.

Art stared ahead solemnly. He didn't look to the family, and he didn't look at the crew as he stood amongst them, silent as a rock. His eyes were on the coffin. Part of him wanted to joke-- to shake it all off and make light of the situation. To take away from the fact the man was dead. This time... this time he couldn't not feel something. Art had gunned down his old man in cold blood without a second thought, but this had to be one of the saddest moments he'd ever faced.

More memories filtered through his mind like an old movie-- like a slideshow of James Clark's life from the perspective of Art Doyle. Finding Sakura on Beaumonde, the various incidents with Wolf, the Wu Zhen Le.

And then one stuck out in his mind. Not too recent, but not old news.

James knew.

James knew something Art had never told anyone. That he'd never allow anyone to know, and yet in one shining moment of rare weakness Art had felt he should have told him. If only to prepare him for a possible future. Something that might happen. Now he'd taken it with him to the grave. Was Art going to have to stand around while the rest of them died? Would that happen?

Well, not because of him. Never because of him. Art would make sure of that, one way or another. James would want them all kept safe. He knew one sure-fire way to keep them safe from his demons. Anyone else's would probably have to be their problem. But he could keep them from his.

Finally, Doyle's head dipped away from the coffin, and he'd peer up and down the line of crew that he was standing with. A minute of gauging their reactions. A second to see them like this one last time. Then, to the coffin again. The solemn expression was gone, his face a blank mask.

Farewell, James. I'll see you on the other side. Depending on my luck, maybe that'll be sooner rather than later...[/b][/color]



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[Sakura Kina]

She didn't cry. She wouldn't cry. She was a soldier first, then a lady. She wouldn't let herself succumb to her emotions that easily, even if it was... Even if it was...

She walked up to the coffin after Art walked back into the line and stood up, looking down at James' body. She held back the tears as she placed a hand on his chest. "I guess I got upset about that medicine for nothing, huh?" She spoke softly, chuckling lightly to keep herself from breaking apart in front of everyone. His body was so cold, sliding her hands down to James' hands, she felt his stiff, cold hands as well, blurring her vision ever so slightly as it became harder to hold back the tears. It was difficult seeing his face again, but she also did not want the image of James' body on a dirty operating table to be her last memory of his face either. Looking up at his face, there was a sense of calm in his face, as if he had just come out of a battle with no casualties.

She remembered times when James would be laughing and grinning from one ear to the next as he returned from a firefight, going on and on about how the Alliance soldiers were running like dogs with their tails between their legs. He would boast about how none of his soldiers were hurt, most of whom were standing around James listening and chuckling along. Yet he was beat up, often with multiple burns and painful amounts of bullets lodged in him. She would always yell at him about being so reckless, intentionally making the process of taking the bullets out of him more painful than necessary to get the point across.

He seemed so peaceful, such serenity in his features... She had been standing there for a while now and so she decided it was time to say goodbye. Taking off a necklace she had been wearing, she placed on James' body. The necklace was that of a worn out, rusted, dented bullet. "Do you remember that time on Jiangyin when we were out on patrol? You saw an Alliance soldier with a bead on me, so you shoved me aside... Took a bullet for me, right in your stomach. I was so mad at you, I thought you were just being a jerk, since I did just meet you only a few days earlier.. But I've kept that bullet with me ever since... I believe I owe this back now." As the tear fell down her face, she brought her hand up from James' body and took a step back. "I haven't thought of a name yet, but hopefully as time goes on, I figure something out that you'll like. Goodbye James." Turning around, she left the coffin. She was starting to lose control of her tears, but she tried her hardest to keep them back, though it seemed to be becoming a losing game.

[Roger Davis]

Roger stood at attention as Sidney began the ceremony in the expected military tradition. Their new captain spoke very well especially for someone who typically preferred to say as little as possible. Today was an exception however. James' funeral deserved Sidney at his most eloquent. Browncoats didn't have an office of veterans affairs but that wasn't going to keep them from honoring their dead.

The others all went and said a few words in turn and now it was Roger's turn. What could be said by only a recent acquaintance of the deceased? Since their meeting everything had been fairly hectic and Roger's main interaction with James was shooting slavers beside him or trying to mediate heated disputes on the ship. The two had no history together and Roger didn't know James personally. All he knew was a brief glimpse at a Captain who was willing to do anything for his crew and the record of a decorated army officer who still had subordinates following him dutifully a decade later.

James was one of the lucky few who had made it through the entire war. Apparently wounded numerous times, it was never anything too severe to take him out of action too long or to leave any lasting effects, his limp being from a recent wound. Funny that a man who had stared down thousands of elite Alliance troops, a man who had survived several of the bloodiest battles of the war, would find his end this way in civilian life when the odds were so much more in his favor. Well, the daring heroics were bound to catch up with him.

"It was an honor to serve on your crew." Roger finally said. "It is unfortunate I did not meet you earlier." Roger then gave a crisp salute at the end of his short remarks.

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”