Part I: A Fond Farewell and a Grand Goodbye

[JJLexi 0]

The Chamber of Honored Guests in the Hall of the Grand Duke was larger than most dwellings in the Sovereignty, and carried amenities that Jyrd Lexi could have only dreamed of owning, even as the son of a Count. It was upon entering these chambers the night before when he began to slowly realize the magnitude of what he had been selected to do. Thousands of Brythtons before him had gone through the Ceremony of Deharmonization, however only a handful had ever had the ceremony conducted in their honor in the Hall of the Grand Duke on Brythtia. The very thought that he would ever march down that historic aisle had never crossed Jyrd’s imagination.

 

 

 

He stared into the full length mirror, straightening the tunic of his dress uniform. The dark green crest of the Sovereignty shone prominently in the middle of this chest, set against black border and a white background. His brown dress pants had been pressed and ironed and pressed again. His shoes, polished until he could see his own reflection.

 

 

 

Over Jyrd’s shoulder appeared his father, Alstar, Count of Flyria. Dressed in his Sovereign Corps dress uniform and in full decoration the older Lexi, dwarfed his son. As a child, Jyrd often wondered if he would ever be able to match his father’s accomplishments in life. By the look in the Count’s face, Jyrd surmised, he finally had.

 

Alstar Lexi draped the guest of honor sash across Jyrd’s shoulder. “I’m very proud of you.” He told his youngest son, “You have brought more honor to this house than I or any of your ancestors. Our descendants shall sing songs in praise of your name.”

 

 

 

“You embarrass me father.” Jyrd replied. “I am just one person, I feel as if I don’t deserve this sort of fanfare.”

 

 

 

“But you do, my son.” Alstar told Jyrd, draping his arm around his son’s shoulder. “Indeed you are just one, but you are one who carries the name of the Song in to a brave new world. You will be the face and the voice of all the Sovereignty to an Empire far greater than any we have ever encountered. In a way, our future depends on your actions.”

 

 

 

Jyrd looked down towards the floor. Ever since the announcement of his selection, he had tried to ignore the constant hype that had seemingly engulfed him. But as the days went on past his selection, he began to wonder if it was all still hyperbole if everyone believed it. Carrying the expectations of billions of fellow Brythtons was a daunting thought, no matter how simple the task seemed. He looked up to see his father gazing down at him, tears welling up in his eyes.

 

 

 

“You look as if you believe this is the last you will ever see of me, father.”

 

 

 

“There is always that possibility, my son. As a soldier, I acknowledge that.” Alstar said. “You must come to that realization as well. The path to Heaven will be closed to you out there, by yourself. You must accept the fact that you may never see those you love ever again, in this life or the next.”

 

 

 

Jyrd blinked. He had always figured that he would come home. He couldn’t see the Federation placing him a forward area. He had always thought that they would place him in some semi-administrative position on Earth or on one of the other more heavily fortified planets of the Federation. Yet the pain in his father’s eyes was real. They carried a sorrow he would probably only begin to understand when he became a father.

 

 

 

Putting his hand on his father’s cheek, he matched eyes with him. “I will return to the Sovereignty, father,” he said, meaning every word of it. “And I will see you again, in this life or the next.”

 

 

 

Alstar caressed his son’s hand, and kissed him on the forehead. “It is time.” he said softly, choking back tears. “You depart immediately after the ceremony. May your Sacrifice be remembered for all time.” With that, he walked out of the chambers, leaving Jyrd to gather his thoughts.

 

 

 

Jyrd watched as his father walked out, a lump beginning to form in his own throat. He refused to actively acknowledge the fact that this would be the last time her would ever see his father. However, his father was right, there was that chance. In that instance, Jyrd wondered weather or not he had said all he had wanted to say to his father. He had now lost that chance.

 

 

 

Outside the doors of his chamber, the Sovereign Choir had begun to sing. It was now time to say farewell.

 

 

 

As Jyrd stepped out of his chambers, the he could begin to make out the words of the verses being sung. The first section of the choir sang the traditional opening hymn. The second section sang of the exploits of his family. While the third section sang of Jyrd himself and of his Sacrifice. The very sound of the Sovereign choir singing about him and of his family sent a chill down his spine. He took his place at the entrance of the grand hall, awaiting his cue to enter. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to become immersed in the moment. Despite the skepticism toward the grandiose nature of his treatment, this was a highly spiritual event, one that only the likes of the most worthy were to receive. Jyrd was honored and proud to be considered amongst those.

 

 

 

The singing stopped, giving way to a low, graceful hum. The doors to the grand hall opened, and Jyrd stepped forward, beginning his march towards the center altar. The hall was full, meaning nearly ten thousand had come. The white walls shone even brighter than normal as the sun lit up the entire hall through the many sky lights. Jyrd could see Grand Duke Oyril standing in the center of the hall adorned in his crown and ceremonial tunic, holding the saber of the Sovereignty at his side.

 

 

 

Jyrd could not help but feel nervous has he marched down the aisle. Out of his peripheral vision, he spotted his family sitting in the front row. On the other side of the aisle from them sat a group of Starfleet military officials; a human one-star admiral and his adjutants, a human Captain and a Trill Commodore, as well as the Federation Ambassador to Brythtia and her staff. The rest of the hall was filled with a mix of thousands of both familiar and unfamiliar faces, all here to celebrate an occasion in which Jyrd was still not sure he understood all the pomp and circumstance behind.

 

 

 

As he reached the center altar, the low graceful of hum of the sovereign choir died down. Jyrd fell to his knees with his head bowed and his hands firmly behind his back, which was customary for the ceremony.

 

 

 

“Jyrd Jryme Lexi, son of Alstar, Count and second heir to the chair of Flyria” the Grand Duke said, placing the saber on Jyrd’s left shoulder. “Today you embark on a solitary journey. A journey which will silence the Song. A journey that will close your path to heaven.” The Grand Duke paused for a moment, moving the saber to Jyrd’s right shoulder. “Only the bravest dare accept this journey, and only the strongest survive. Do you, Count of Flyria, accept the noble task that has been set before you by the Honored Council of Dukes?”

 

 

 

Jyrd took a deep breath, quickly recalling his line. “I accept this task with the greatest of honor, and the most sorrow of hearts. Although my path to heaven be lost, and the beauty of the Song be silenced, I choose to serve the Sovereignty, the will of the Honored Council of Dukes, and the graces of the gods.”

 

 

 

Jyrd felt the saber lift off his shoulder. “Count of Flyria,” the Grand Duke began “Let the gathering of your family and peers bear witness to your acceptance. May your name live on in their hearts and minds.” With that, the choir began their low graceful hum again.

 

 

 

 

 

“Count of Flyria,” the Grand Duke began again. “Take this time to acknowledge the Song. Embrace it, let it take over your soul one last time, for you may never bear witness to it again.”

 

 

 

Jyrd closed his eyes and began to meditate. Almost instantly, his mind became overcome in a sea of color and sound as he let the Song take over. In that moment, he could feel an overwhelming sense of hope and pride sweeping through the crowd, most all of which was directed at him. Suddenly, he began to realize why so many people felt the way they did. In this perilous time, he had become a symbol. A symbol of the Sovereignty that stated their intent to step onto the greater galactic stage. A symbol that showed that even in these uncertain times, the Brythtons were a strong and proud people willing to take major steps that could affect their place in history.

 

 

 

 

 

The choir silenced again.

 

 

 

“Rise, Count of Flyria.” The Grand Duke said to him. Jyrd did so, fighting back tears. The Song still rang strong in his mind. Within the hour, however, that wouldn’t be the case. Within the hour he would be on a Federation shuttle heading toward Earth, heading further and further away from the Song, and his path to salvation.

 

 

 

“It is time, Count of Flyria.” The Grand Duke in a low voice which still echoed throughout the hall “Though you depart, and your part in the Song be silenced, your name will not be forgotten.”

 

 

 

The leader of the Sovereignty let the words linger for a few seconds. Then with a solemn nod, he turned away. Jyrd could her the sounds of the congregation doing the same. As he turned towards the exit, he could see the backs of thousands of Brythtons. Turning towards his family, their backs were turned towards him as well. He could see his mother wiping tears from her eyes and his father’s fists clinched, as if fighting back his own. Jyrd wanted desperately to speak with them one more time, give them one more embrace. But he couldn’t. Not now, it was too late.

 

 

 

The tears began to roll down his face as he walked down the aisle towards the exit, each of his footsteps echoing loudly through the silent hall as he made his way down the marble pathway. A few seconds later, he was out of the Grand Hall.

 

 

 

The courtyard was empty save for a lone shuttlecraft and a Starfleet Lieutenant. The Lieutenant approached him has exited the Hall. “Cadet Lexi?” he said, stopping a few meters from him “I am Lieutenant Wanamaker. I’m here to transport you to the Colorado for your trip to Earth”. Jyrd managed a nod, to choked up for words at the moment. The Lieutenant fell his step beside him as they walked towards the shuttle. From the open doors of the Hall, he could hear the Sovereign choir beginning to sing the closing hymn. He couldn’t make out the words, but he knew them by heart already. It was three simple lines, repeated over and over:

 

 

 

Though he departs

 

His Song lives on

 

In all our hearts.

 

 

 

The choir became more and more feint as he walked away, becoming completely inaudible by the time he reached the shuttle. Within moments after he was seated, the shuttle took off. Jyrd stared out the viewport, watching the Grand Hall become rapidly smaller as it faded into the planet-side.

 

 

 

As the shuttle reached orbit, he could feel it fading. The Song was growing weaker and weaker. Jyrd clinched his fists, trying desperately to clasp on to it in his mind. . .until finally. . .it was gone.

 

 

 

He let out a mournful scream, falling to the floor. He grabbed at his hair, sobbing loudly.

 

 

 

For the first time in his life, he was truly. . .alone.