Kadance: Another Tale

7

Kellan isn't sure what to say to this. He'd grown close to the man while they'd known each other. True it's only been a short time, but still. Jenk has taught him much, not just about the people of Dayla, but helped him understand more about life in general. He wishes that there was something that he could do to help the young seeming man, but according to Jenk there is nothing. And even if there was he wouldn't want the help. 

"Rest now, my friend," Kellan finally says to the pain wracked man. "Be at peace, be at peace." Kellan hides his own pain at what he's seeing from his friend.

Jenk gives a faint smile to Kellan, "But Commander, there is no peace for the damned, I thought you knew that?" Jenk musters up a pain filled laugh it's weak and full of bitterness.

Kellan finds himself nodding, "I know my friend." Kellan has trouble sleeping like all long time warriors. The things he's seen in war make sleep and peace impossible or nearly so. Kellan's words are softly spoken and he leaves just as quietly. He wishes he could stay with his friend until the end, but there is too much to do. They can't afford to stay there any longer than absolutely necessary. They will leave the civilian miners if they don't return. A few civilians left behind is nothing compared to the death of an entire company. Just more damnation to Kellan's soul though.

He has to get everyone packed and out of there and make sure that those that remained true are taken to a safe distance. He can do that much for his dying friend. It's not much, not with all the death that he and his people have brought to the people of Dayla, but it's all that they can do to rectify things.

It doesn't stop the thoughts of just how damned he is for what he has brought to this world. It has a sentient species, it should never have been brought forward for colonization. Had it been Dunworthy Holding and Kadance he's sure that it wouldn't have been. Kadance would never have allowed it.

Kellan is agitated. News isn't good. "What of those that joined us?" He demands pacing back and forth as he runs his hands through his hair.

"Half are too sick to move or wish to stay. That's not counting those that have already died." There had been hundreds that have died. The Lt. Commander tells Kellan and he likes it as little as the Commander although his voice is neutral while speaking.

Kellan smashes his hand into the door. The resulting dent makes the door warp. Kellan ignores the pain in his hand, the pain in his heart is by far greater. "Out of three thousand we've lost upwards of a thousand already. Now you tell me we'll lose at least another thousand? What the hell have we done to these people?" His anger towards himself and his self loathing is very evident. "We should never have come here."

The Lt. Commander silently agrees. Dayla was a mistake from the very beginning, now it's a very costly mistake. For the ones wanting to exploit Dayla, they'll lose money, but for the men and women of Beta Company, it is far worse. As for the people of Dayla, it is devastating.  

The Lt. Commander wishes that there was some way that those responsible for sending them to this damn hell  could experience even a portion of the hell they'll have for the rest of their lives. He wishes that they would feel a tenth of the pain the people of Dayla will or have felt. But they will never know. Civilians make demands on the warriors and never feel the pain it causes.

Only two warriors died while here, that due to them not paying attention. All the warriors like the native people. They like how peaceful they are and how they bring peace to the warriors around them. At least they did before the curse. Now they have to watch the people they've come to care for die, pain filled deaths. Their suffering has affected all the warriors.

Suddenly the tense silence of the room is broken by the sound of the Commanders com unit. "What?" Kellan demands and the LC watches as Kellan's shoulders slump.

"We'll be right there." There is pain and resignation in Kellan's voice.

Kellan looks up and over to his underling, "That was the medicos. Jenk doesn't have much time left. He's requesting to be taken outside."

Without another word the two leave the office and head towards the medical unit. They're both shocked at how much their friend has changed in that short amount of time. Two days ago he was healthy and fit. Now, he is a wasted body and no longer looks like the young man they know, but an old man that could have been his grandfather. An old man near death at that.

Gently they lift him up. They lock arms so that he is sitting upright and easily carry him outside. They take him outside of the compound to a large boulder and carefully settle him down. Jenk will have a fantastic view of the valley below him as he leaves this life.

Jenk's breathing is labored and ragged. The boulder is large enough that there is shade from the heat of the sun now beating down.

Before the two warriors can straighten up Jenk grabs their arms. His grip is too weak to hold the commander had he wanted to break it, but he doesn't. Jenk's eyes ask the question he's too weak to speak. "We flew them out yesterday. Many of your people have chosen to stay. Already they set up camps here. Only about a thousand will stay with me." Jenk closes his eyes in response, then opens them again.

Again his eyes ask a question, "I promise you, my friend, I'll do my best to keep Dayla from ever being invaded again and I'll fight to allow your people to return here to die." Kellan lip reads rather than hears the thank you Jenk gives him. Then the labored breathing ends. Kellan bows his head in honor to his fallen friend.

The LC takes a report on his com unit. "Commander, everyone is ready to go. Those that left yesterday report that treatment is more effective than expected. Come, they are waiting for us."

Kellan  ignores the LC and raises pain filled haunted eyes to the camps of the damned. "They'll be dead soon too. We've killed thousands for a planet we'll never conquer." His voice filled with grief and pain.

"We'll be dead soon too, if we don't leave sir," the LC replies although he's filled with just as much pain as his commanding officer.

Kellan's lips twist in pain and derision. "Yes, perhaps that would be best." His words are soft spoken and although they bring a slight panic to the LC he understands them as well.

Kellan looks over to his friend then back to his LC.  "You've been with me throughout this whole fiasco. Will you then accompany me when I make my report to the Admiral?"

The LC raises one eyebrow, "You're going to take the report to the top?" At Kellan's nod the LC says, "Sir, I've seen things here that we've always believed to be impossible. Dayla was chosen for it's bountiful minerals and fertile soil. But it belongs to the people here, not to us. Dayla  will only bring death to those of us from the United Planets. I'll stand by you even as you face the Admiral. We certainly don't need another war. At least this planet will be as inhospitable to shifters as it is to us. I believe Admiral Jannsen will agree, since shifters will be killed just as readily as we are."