Its the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. I pause to remember
.
I will never forget that day. Yes, I was the enemy but it was a job
I had kids to feed, mortgages to pay. Orders came down from on High and we obeyed. By doing that we kept them happy and kept our jobs. I only found out later what they were trying to do with our world. I wonder if Id known that then, would have enlisted? But that doesnt matter now. Im not proud I fought for them but I did. I wont lie.
I can no longer remember why we were fighting that day so many years ago, just that we were winning.
We outnumbered the rebels and we had home team advantage. Everything was in our favour because thats how we had planned it. Things were going well for us
. then I saw it emerge form the dust and smoke. Ohh
. it was an awesome sight, wings unfurled, eyes blazing. A god of steel. Only as is closed in could I see how old this beast was. The metal no longer shone, battle scars crossed the giant body. This leviathan had seen a lot in its day.
Old as it was it moved like the wind, though there was a mournful quality about it. There was a sadness behind its movements, like it didnt want this moment to ever end.
A face appeared on my vid screen, the machines eyes turned to at me intensely
. it was as if that hard metal could see. The face on the screen was that of an old man. But his eyes
they were those of an immortal who well knew the folly of humans, tired of living but still as stubborn as ever. He would never give in.
Tell your superiors to send medical staff. Your men need it.
Then his picture started to fade
static obscuring his features... his voice sounded drained as he continued No one will die by my hand, only their own stupidity
Then the huge machine turned back to the battle.
I watched the hours go by; the battle was long and hard. That single man turned the tides though
I think he could have won on his own. That one person completely destroyed our force, though as I think of it now, he killed no one. He moved as if in a dream, a perfect deadly dance. Then I turned away, busy with the tack of staying alive.
When I next looked he had turned away from the battle now ended. As the angel reached the edge of the now chared forest it turned and saluted the battlefield, a final farewell before fading away like the remnants of a dream at morning.
Later that night I heard that Heero Yuy, the pilot 01 of Gundam Wing died peacefully in his sleep. He was 53.
I not sure if he knows how much of a difference he made on our lives. If he realizes what kind of impact he made in the world. Tales of his exploits and sheer determination are still taught in schools today, 25 years after his death. And I will never forget the time I saw one man stand against hundreds and win. I will never forget what he did during his last day on earth. He had looked so old, so wise, as if the world weighed heavily upon him. A burden he could not share.
With reflection I think a part of him knew that that was going to be his last battle, his final gift to the world he gave everything to protect. I dont think he knew that what he did would forever end the wars. Or that it would guarantee his place in history.
He died a victor, as he had lived, undefeated and unbowed.
The two minutes of silence are now up and I go back to my work. I have a real job now. I, like so many others, never fought after that day. Now we have two minutes of silence, on the 25th anniversary, honour all those who fought in the wars. Two minutes to honour the heros heroes; Chang Wufei, Quatre Winner, Trowa Barton, Dou Maxwell and Heero Yuy.
May they rest in peace.
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