It was time for the main event of the evening to get underway, the guests were in their seats, the Achkaerinese Royal Family in their positions. The oval shaped area what might be called the orchestra to some historians was presently occupied by members of the Achkaerinese armed forces carrying the various standards of the Achkaerinese military, each regiment, each air force squadron, each of the naval vessels, they stood lining the sides of the orchestra section, in the centre of the oval stood the Achkaerinese Emperor
Peter Azurewind he wore a suit. A few steps behind Peter at one end of the oval was a stage with a podium and behind that was the Imperial Navy's orchestra and behind them was an empty seating area. Standing on the stage was Will Martin, an Achkaerinese musician, wearing a suit, he waited a moment and then raised the microphone she was holding, his responsibility was to begin the evenings events and it was with the song
Over the Hills and Far Away. When Will got to the line
"Then fall in lads behind the drum with colours blazing like the sun" the standard bearers lining the edge of the oval started to move they marched in two lines down to the end of the oval opposite the stage and then up from there to the stage, as they started moving towards the stage Peter saluted, as each standard bearer reached the stage they proceeded around to the empty seats behind the orchestra where they remained stood. Peter also now moved to the stage.
Once the last of the standard bearers was in place
Steven Ayanami walked onto the stage and stood at the podium, he was the MC for the evening - normally this was a job carried out by the Speaker of the Senate however he had fallen ill and was unable to attend so Steven was standing in.
"Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness's, Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen." Oliver said "Tonight as we have for every Memorial Day since the first one in 1946 we come together tonight in this place to remember those that have fallen in conflict regardless of sex, colour or creed. This year we especially mark the battle of the Northern Ocean in the Great War and we think of those who made the ultimate sacrifice defending the shores of the north, we also pay our tribute to those who fought further afield and as always we pay our respects to the dead of our allies."
The spotlight switched from where Steven stood at the podium to a few metres to the left where a singer Peter Hollens stood, his song for the evening was
The Last Goodbye, while he sang a Pilot Officer in the Achkaerinese Air Force marched in carrying a torch, the officer proceeded up to the stage and waited for Hollens to finish singing.
"With this torch of remembrance we remember all who gave their lives in the Great War and all conflicts since. May they never be forgotten. With this we reaffirm our commitment to caring for those in need, standing with those who serve and striving for justice." the Pilot Officer who'd brought the torch in proclaimed before handing it to Steven who placed it in a stand on the stage.
"The last year has seen the servicemen and servicewomen of the Achkaerinese Armed Forces continue to step forward and answer the call when it has come, the most notable deployment being to Phuebra and an ending to the formal civil war in that nation, Achkaerinese personnel remain deployed in the Gulf of Auraxis staring down the horror of a nuclear weapon. Some have made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives to save others.” Steven said “Tonight is our tradition we welcome the relatives of those that have died in service.” There was a moments silence and then the Queen of Songs, a somewhat odd religious title,
Phoebe Wolfe stepped onto the stage and started singing
The Call, as she sang a group of relatives of fallen Achkaerinese soldiers walked in through the supportive audience that stood out of respect and then out onto the arena floor where an honour guard of the Imperial Navy stood, the relatives made their way across the floor to the stage where they took their seats behind the orchestra.
"The Royal Hospital for Veteran’s continues to provide care of the highest quality to those who fought, the commitment and sensitivity of the staff is exemplary, the quality of the care exceptional. And this year the care of our veteran's takes on a new dimension with the introduction of the Legacy Foundation pioneered by Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Serenity. it is an honour to welcome all veteran’s of conflicts here tonight. And as we mark the Battle of the Northern Ocean in Great War we welcome tonight veterans of that campaign." Steven said once more the audience stood and applauded in the Achkaerinese veteran’s of wars gone by. They paraded in taking their seats in behind the orchestra. Steven waited and then continued to his next bit they were almost at the formal part now "Ladies and Gentlemen Alfie Boe."
The lights on the stage focused on Alfie as he started to sing, his song was
Bring Him Home as he sang, from the five entrances into the arena came members of the various branches of the forces each of them carrying a drum it was time to get to the serious part of the evening, the drums were placed together in the centre of the arena until they formed the
Drumhead, then two soldiers entered the arena each carrying a standard they made their way to the drumhead and laid the standards as they were expected to, one was the Achkaerinese flag, the other was the flag of the CIS - a tribute and marker of Achkaerinese allies that had fought and died alongside Achkaerinese troops in recent times. Another group made their way onto the floor it was led by the High Priestess of the Cult of Namis
Alexis Minette, tradition had it that the High Priestess wore something regal or regal like on this occasion, Alexis however had opted for a black skirt, a white blouse and then her service jacket from her days as a chaplain in the military, her group was made up of the religious people that would be dealing with the service that was about to take place. A few steps behind the religious group walked
Captain Yuki Tyler of the Achkaerinese Navy, she was the senior officer on parade an honour that rotated between the three branches of the service, this year it was the Navy that had the honour. She carried in her hands a white leather bound book - the Book of Remembrance, containing the names of all the servicemen and women who had given their lives. Fleur went to the Drumhead and placed the book on top of it before taking a step back and reflecting. On the stage Alexis had taken the podium from Steven.
“Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness’s, Honored Guests, Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen.” Alexis said “We come now to the formal part of the evening, the service of remembrance. This is a gathering that reflects the nature of all those that serve, all who have served and all who have made the ultimate sacrifice. It is a multi-faith gathering. We begin with our traditional opening song -
Edeweiss."
When the first song, a traditional Achkaerinese one finished, Yuki stepped to the side of the Drumhead and saluted Peter, who returned the salute
“Your Majesty the Drumhead is assembled. Permission to begin the Muster?” Yuki asked, it was a rather amusing moment for the two of them because they knew each other quite well Peter being the father figure in Yuki's life.
“Permission granted Captain.” Peter said
“Chief Petty Officer.” Yuki addressed the sailor conducting the orchestra “Begin the Muster.”
It was quite simple what would happen now, Alexis would announce in turn each element of the Achkaerin Forces that were going to be on parade first up as the
music suggested was the navy they were represented by their sailors, their officers, their cadets and their medics they formed the front of two blocks with a central aisle to the Drumhead between them created. The
music changed and in marched the Air Force representatives they had pilots, navigators, controllers, medics and cadets. Finally another change in music this time to
Flower of Aelmoor, the march of the Aelmoor Watch regiment in the Achkaerinese Army heralded the Army representatives arrival, personnel drawn from the frontline soldiers, the special forces, the armored corp, medical personnel and cadets. Finally the members of the civilian services entered from the sides and stood around the edge of the parade.
“In the book of Rebirth. It is written.” Alexis said “When the great unspokens darkest form lay broken and slain at her feet the Goddess Namis turned to the people of the chosen land and extended her hands, the souls of the dead were summoned once more to walk the soil of Mundus. ‘It is done!’ she declared ‘The journey is complete, the slate is wiped clean death is conquered, war is finished, peace is victorious, the sacrifices of the dead are recorded and all who are worthy in heart and deed shall sing the long song of peace in Meridian.’” it was probably the first time some of the guests had heard a quotation from the holy scriptures of the Cult of Namis contained in their holy book the Trinity Tome. Alexis looked around for a second “We now join together in our Armed Forces Hymn.” - this was a
hymn that had its origins in the War of the Five Queen’s back in the mid to late eighteen hundreds but it was most closely associated with the Great War when it had echoed across Mundus such had been the Achkaerinese deployments throughout that period of time. It was actually likely that some of the special guests were familiar with it.
When they’d finished singing that the Cardinal of Santiago
Martin Deed and Priestess of the Cult of Helus
Hannah Barker stood centrally on the stage.
“Divine Spirit, source of all being, from whom we emerge and to whom we return, we have gathered today to remember lives lost in war. For it is written,
"Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
We are thankful for the great love that gave us freedom and for the sacrifice of those who died that we may live in freedom. But we wonder sometimes if our freedom was not bought at too dear a cost.” Martin said
“And we pray for peace among the nations, and dialogue between warring factions. May we always remember those who died in war and persecution.” Hannah said “not only the soldiers, but the civilians who were raped and tortured and butchered. May we honour those who stood as a witness for peace, because they would not turn their hands to killing.”
“May our lives and our communities be a beacon of justice, peace and hope, and may our words and deeds be a witness for peace, all the days of our lives.” Martin said “And when we fall into strife and bitterness, may we forgive ourselves and others, and work for reconciliation and renewed trust.”
“We would live our own lives in such a manner that we plant seeds of peace, and not seeds of war. We would work for peace and justice and tolerance, so that war may be prevented. For we are held in your vast and mysterious love, each life a bright thread in the tapestry of being, and all are one, and one is all, and the divine life shines in each and all.” Hannah finished the prayer off from her position just next to Martin.
While the prayer had been spoken, Peter had made his way down to the Drumhead where he stood with it behind him facing the massed ranks of the Achkaerinese Armed Forces stood at attention it was time for the reason they were all there it was time to pay their respects. On the stage Simon and Serenity now took the positions that had just been held by Hannah and Martin. It was Simon who spoke first reciting the well known poem:
"Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.
We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.
And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields."
When Simon had finished Peter waited a moment before continuing
“They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old, age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.” Peter said, getting slightly emotional as he always did when he did this “At the going down of the Sun and in the morning. We will remember them.”
“We will remember them” was the echoing answer from all present,
The Last Post sounded out from a bugler on the stage, the standards behind the orchestra were lowered and the auditorium fell silent as each paid their silent thanks and respects to the fallen, reigning down on the centre of the auditorium was what could have looked like red rain, these were poppies, some of them resting on the headdresses and shoulders of the people on parade. When the two minutes was over it was signalled by the sounding of the
Reveille, Peter stepped to the side of the Drumhead as the standards were raised once more. On the stage Alexis moved to the front. But also two more people entered the floor taking positions one on the stage and one in the aisle at the back of the massed ranks, now it was Serenity's turn with the poetry.
"Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die."
When Serenity had finished reading that poem Alexis took another step forwards
“When you go from here tell them of us and say” Alexis said “For our tomorrows these gave their today.”
That was it there was just one more thing to do the orchestra struck up one last time for the traditional finale - the Achkaerinese national anthem
I Vow To Thee My Country, during the singing of this the torch was taken from its stand by the Pilot Officer who’d carried it in and handed to
Maria Harper to take out with her. At the Drumhead the other person who’d entered at the end of the silence
James Cooper had walked up to the Drumhead where Fleur had handed her the Book of Remembrance, now James turned and with Maria ahead of him walked down the aisle and out of the arena. Now Peter started applauding and soon all gathered were applauding the people stood in the centre.
Now to complete the evening there was the reception.
