Requiem æternam dona eis

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[There is a large funeral pyre on the Plane. It is large enough to hold over a hundred bodies. The pyre is edged in a thick wall of stone to contain the fire. There are a handful of devices embeded into the stonework to contain the fire and the heat. There is also a transmat in the pyre.]

[In a moment, all the bodies from the onsen still there are transmatted onto the pyre. They're under the canvas, so no one has to see the gruesome sight.]

I should say something then, shouldn't I? [Benny is awkwardly quiet for a moment, not really sure how to proceed. If only they were enemies, they could send them off in some grand Martian manner. Oh well. She looks to Brax, and then back to the pyre again, clearing her throat and starting again] Right, well we're gathered here today-- [she stops short, making a face] Oh, that's weddings, isn't it? Bullocks. [she fidgets, looking to Brax again, before taking another deep breath and trying again] I can't say I knew anyone I saw in that room. A few looked familiar, but in the face of it all, I really can't say I could distinguish one from the other. I don't know what kind of people they were, but regardless, they deserved better than that display. [another pause, and she turns to Brax] Oh, I'm rubbish at this. Can't you say anything?

[Braxiatel, in funeral greys, shakes his head. His voice is quiet.] Not unless you want the funeral rites for a fallen Martian warrior. Or, Heavens forfend, one of my own kind. [He places a hand of support on Benny's shoulder.] This isn't for grieving friends and family, Benny. This is for them and for you.

For me? [she pauses at that, and almost protests, but stops short] Right, well maybe just a moment of silence then. I know if it were me, I'd want to tell myself to shut up about now, too. [she looks to the pyre, and then back to Brax] Do we light it now?

[Braxiatel hands Benny a lit torch.] Just put it to the pyre. The stone is programmed to guide the flame.

[Benny stares at the torch before taking it. She approaches the pyre, hesitating once more as she stares it, before finally putting it to the pyre and watching it all burst into flames. She doesn't back away right away, but finally she backs away, returning the torch to Brax]

[Braxiatel accepts the torch, then blows it out. Silent, he reaches out to hold Benny's hand and watch the pyre burn.]

[and Benny in turn takes Brax's hand, her eyes never leaving the pyre]


{ooc; after this post.}

Comments

[doctorsfanboy.livejournal.com]

[Damon didn't want to see that pile of corpses ever again, but here they are! And burning, no less. The canvas helps, of course, but it's really not hard to guess what's underneath, and he feels a bit ill. He stays and watches, though, just as he stayed in that room.]

[collector]

Damon. [Braxiatel's voice only barely breaks the silence.] It's good to see you again. [Gently, he squeezes Benny's hand. He's caught between letting her have her peace and encouraging her to be happy, and when an option allows for meddling, Braxiatel will almost definitely take it.] Benny, have you met Damon? He's one of my people, a technician. I'm sure he could have done a better job with this transmat system than I did.

[ooc; thread order of Damon --> Brax --> Benny?]

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[she puts on a tight smile] We met briefly. This place is absolutely swarming with you lot, isn't it?

[doctorsfanboy.livejournal.com]

[nods, then quietly;] It's good to see you again too, Cardinal Braxiatel. And it seems to be, yes.

...I apologise if I'm interrupting.

[ooc; works for me too!]

[le-traitre.livejournal.com]

{Robespierre approaches the pyre, bowing his head before simply reciting a psalm for the dead}

"Be at rest once more, O my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.

For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,

that I may walk before the Lord
in the land of the living--"

[collector]

[If his hand wasn't in Benny's, he'd have linked his hands together behind his back and drawn away. He has the vaguest sense that Damon would somehow be so much more talented at this empathy thing than he himself is.] At a funeral? Not at all. The more the merrier.

[buckingbronco.livejournal.com]

[Dino has a fairly good idea of what's going on here. He watches the pyre with an almost relieved look on his face.]

[collector]

[Braxiatel recognizes the psalm. He inclines his head to Robespierre]

Thank you, Monsieur.

[ooc: tagging order of Robespierre --> Brax ---> Benny?]

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[Benny notices Dino but isn't sure if she should speak up or not. Finally she decides she should at least acknowledge Dino]

It's all cleaned up in there at least, as far as I know. Are you okay?

[collector]

The blood isn't spreading any longer, anyway. Hopefully, we won't see any more of it for a while.

[ooc: :|b]

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[she looks at Brax like he's a crazy man, which he is] It's not a bleeding party. [a pause] Although it is tradition in quite a few societies to drink to fallen comrades. [and then she turns her attention to Damon, smiling, although some sadness lingers around the edges] What do you say? Care to join us in a drink to dead...strangers?

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

See, I'm rubbish. That is what was needed.

[Benny half suspects Brax might have even been aware a French man with a penchant for knowing how to do these things was lurking somewhere nearby]

[doctorsfanboy.livejournal.com]

[Damon would lineface at you forever if you left now, Brax. But returns the sad smile, and nods] Of course. Straxus has already introduced me to the Astral Bar.

And it would be good to have a distraction, I think. There's no sense in brooding over this. [he'll probably still brood anyway, but that's beside the point]

[collector]

It would be miserable to live with people who brood. [Not that he's saying anything, Benny.]

[Through the magic of slight of hand, Braxiatel has somehow replaced the torch in his hand with a bottle of rosé and three glasses.] At your leisure, my friends.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[what's wrong with being left with Benny, Damon? Hmmm?]

[But anyway Benny has a very strong suspicion that Brax's statement is directed at her] I do not brood. And excuse me if...whatever that was made me just a bit queasy. So sorry, Irving. [but he has wine, so he is almost forgiven] Is Straxus another Time Lord? I didn't think you lot drank that often usually.

[doctorsfanboy.livejournal.com]

[Damon says :| to that. And nods.] He is, yes. And we don't tend to...we have a high tolerance for most alcoholic beverages.

But I did enjoy the taste of that strawberry drink he made for me. What was it called? A daiquiri? [he's glancing at that rosé curiously too]

[collector]

A strawberry daiquiri, that's right. I'm beginning to suspect my entire species has a hidden sweet tooth.

[Braxiatel lets go of Benny's hand because even he can't pour three glasses with just the one hand. He does, however, manage to pull it off with just the two.]

[He lifts his glass to Benny and murmurs] Don't be acrid, Bernice. You'll spoil the drink.

[brandyhabit.livejournal.com]

[Benny actually has to cover her mouth as she tries to conceal her laughter at the Time Lord drink of choice. So it's good Brax let go. Her laughter is cut short at Brax's comment though]

I'm not acrid, and I sure as hell wouldn't spoil the drink. [and with that she takes her glass, and does an impressive job of downing half of it in one sip. Humans are lovely, aren't they Damon?]

[buckingbronco.livejournal.com]

[Dino gives himself a bit of a mental shake] I'm fine, that was just...well, unnerving is kind of mild for it.

I was actually a bit worried about how we were going to clean all that up.

[ooc: Works for me!]

[le-traitre.livejournal.com]

{He looks up at them both, speaking quietly, though not out of reverence. He's simply a rather soft-spoken man.}

It is only a rite for the dead, so they may reach the Lord, despite how monstrous they may be. Though I doubt even the Lord has his reach in this place.

{Robespierre looks back at the pyre} Would you happen to know what they were? Unless you are burning bodies other than the ones in the top floor of that Oriental building.

[lamb_of_gold]

It seems there were others with the same notion, then.

[collector]

No, this is for those on the thirteenth floor, you're quite right. I'm afraid we haven't yet been able to identify the species.

[collector]

"I hold with those who favour fire." It's the best we could give them, I'm afraid.

[ooc: tagging order of Mu-->Brax-->Benny?]

[doctorsfanboy.livejournal.com]

[Damon merely raises an eyebrow at Benny's behaviour, and sips his own drink thoughtfully] Perhaps not our entire species, Cardinal Braxiatel...I couldn't imagine Commander Maxil or the Castellan appreciating a daiquiri.

[charmandsmiles.livejournal.com]

[The Doctor is taking a leaf out of the Master's book, and dressing for the occasion. Not that he doesn't normally wear a lot of black, but that's beside the point. He's watching Benny and Brax the funeral from a distance, hoping nobody will spot him. Which obviously means they should, or he will stand there and brood all day.]