Medals had also been awarded to the fallen, new orders of merit higher than anything their countries had ever awarded, specifically forged to honor their incredible sacrifice. The medals were to be displayed in a shrine at Nori’s ancestral home for time immemorial. The grounds were to be turned into a public park, to be enjoyed by all, a place where people could make pilgrimages to give thanks and appreciation for the freedoms the world would now be able to enjoy.
Twilight was falling and the speeches had been given, all except one. The closing speech was delivered by the Japanese Prime Minister, Yumiko Watanabe. In the twinkling half-light, Prime Minister Watanabe took the stage, a picture of warmth and elegance. She smiled and gave a modest bow to the congregation, who met her with a standing ovation. She spoke in her native tongue, but the screens behind her translated her words to the languages of the world.
“The last couple of days have been the most testing of our lives,” she began. “We’ve all experienced things that have shaken us to our cores. I know many of you have wounds that will take time to heal, but we can and will heal. As we move forwards, let’s discuss our future free from the climate of vitriol and hate. Let’s dispense with outrage and mutually assured destruction. Let’s accept our differences with grace and calm, and focus on the things that unite us, free from the tribal battle lines so many have tried to score in the sands between us. We have more similarities than differences. From this point on, let us lay our grievances to rest so we might focus on the positive things, on our unity, on the things that bind us, as brothers and sisters kindled under the stars. Please, wherever you are, cherish the moments and take care of each other. The future is ours together, and it begins now. So, without further ado… children of the Earth… let the celebrations begin!”
The president held out her arms to rapturous applause as the sky behind her lit up with a cacophony of fireworks. As the festival bubbled and fizzed with outpourings of joy, love, music and sparkling color, Becca caught up with the Jurassic Five, all of whom had been invited to Japan to partake in the celebrations.
Ash and Marissa were now a couple, full of giggles and laughter. They were incredibly sweet together, barely able to keep their hands from coming together, as though they were afraid one of them might be stolen away, never to come back. Becca knew the feeling well. They told Becca and Reece of their work with Marty, who was setting up an organization that would help kids around the world with disabilities break out of their shells and realize they could conquer pretty much anything they set their minds to.
Harper told them he’d donated the fifty million dollars he’d been awarded as compensation for the Jurassic Earth incident to the Polar B.E.A.R. Project, the mission to refreeze the arctic, just like Reece. He’d added fifty million of his own money to the pot. He’d come a long way from the petulant child Becca had first met on Jurassic Earth. Reece shook Harper’s hand and told him how proud he was. Even Daisuke jumped up and licked Harper’s face, tail wagging enthusiastically.
Barbara Wielens had donated a sizeable portion of her fifty million to a non-profit organization providing aid in conflict zones and countries affected by endemic diseases. She’d been helping on the ground in the Congo and Becca could already see an exhausted wisdom creeping into her eyes, making them appear much older than her youthful blush. Becca gave the young woman a long hug, and congratulated her. Then, safe for the first time in many months, Becca and Reece relaxed under the dazzling spectacle painting the sky with glorious twinkling technicolor.
Fang and Scarlet left the celebrations early. They made excuses about not wanting to attract too much media attention. They simply wanted to escape to somewhere remote and live anonymously, somewhere with a big sky full of stars. Becca hadn’t seen where Commander Blake had disappeared to. Whilst no one was looking, the man had slipped into the crowds and vanished. The realization he’d gone off alone, full of all that guilt and pain filled Becca with great sadness. This was alleviated somewhat by Hadley’s fortunes. The last time she’d seen him he was dancing with a woman in a flowery summer dress, doe-eyed, and laughing the night away.
Tired and happy, Reece and Becca bid goodnight to Schweighofer and Molotov. As they were leaving, hand in hand, Schweighofer shouted after them to make sure they left a forwarding address, so she could send them mock designs for the wedding invitations. Molotov had grumbled the plans were already getting so out of control there wasn’t enough money in the universe to make them happen. Schweighofer’s resulting glare abruptly corrected his perspective. When she finally shifted her disapproving glower, Molotov winked at Reece and the men chuckled together.
“You know what?” Reece said as he and Becca ambled alongside the waters lapping against Kagoshima bay’s shoreline, Daisuke jumping this way and that, cheerily snapping bugs out of the air. “I think this might just be the best day of my life.”
“Yeah,” Becca said, taking his hands and gazing into his eyes. “I wish everyone could be this lucky.”
“Hopefully, now they can. The future is wide open…”
Daisuke sat beside the embracing lovers, tail wagging, chomping nuggets of air. Reece felt a shudder of glorious emotion move through him. His mind cleared of all noise, and for the first time in forever he felt at peace. There were only two thoughts lazily reclining in his mind. The world was beautiful and he was truly, madly, deeply in love with Rebecca Louise Beaton…
The End
The Beginning…
Thank you for reading
THE JURASSIC EARTH SAGA
Your support is greatly appreciated.
Without you, this wouldn’t be possible.
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You may be interested in reading
THE PARANAUTS
(A Jurassic Earth Anthology Story)
Other adventures include
The Emperor of Dragons
The Purrmuda Triangle
The Last Star Chronicles
www.logantstark.com
welcome to the Loganverse
©2008 Logan T Stark
Jurassic Earth Trilogy Box Set Page 63
