Rebuilding a Home

[Verz Horak]

[member="Arla Balor"]

Verz followed Arla as she headed to the nearby homestead. He could tell by the way she was walking that she was exhausted. Verz felt the same way. However, they had to at least check these homesteads. If there were any survivors, they needed to find them. If they needed their help, it was their duty as mando'ade to help each other in these trying times.

"I don't know Arl'ika. It's unthinkable that this could happen."

Verz looked ahead, his eyes roving over the forest ahead, looking for any others who survived. He hoped there were at least some here. The cities were damaged, but the people outside of them shouldn't have been hit as hard, Verz hoped.

 

[Arla Ordo]

[member="Verz Horak"]

It was unthinkable, even unimaginable. She nodded though and started to scan for life. So far there was nothing, "They may have gotten out earlier, or.." She didn't say the words they knew she was going to say they're dead. They'd have to comb for the dead bodies to left unattended it would become a gruesome sight.

"This has made me think though Ver'ika." She wasn't sure he would like what she had to say but why stop speaking her mind now, "maybe this is a sign to move off Mandalore and only come here when called. I've been working on planet Ordo." She didn't want to confuse the Clan name with the planet name.

"Maybe I should think about all our resources to be there." She had to admit one thing if this could happen here it could happen anywhere. Right now she was afraid and in protective mode for her friends, and family.

 

[Verz Horak]

[member="Arla Balor"]

It wasn't a short walk to the nearest homestead, but it was not too long. "I don't know if anyone would have been able to get out. It had been so sudden. There was no warning."

The trees swayed in the wind as the two of them walked through the forest, dropping ash on them while the wind carried the rest away. Verz listened to Arla detail her idea for moving off Mandalore, to another home. The idea gave him hope, about starting a new life on a new world. They were Mando'ade. They went where they needed to go.

"You know Arl'ika, I think that may be a good idea. It would be different, and Manda'yaim will always be my home, but I think that anywhere with you would be home for me as well."

He reached his hand out to grasp hers, giving it a squeeze.

 

[Arla Ordo]

[member="Verz Horak"]

"Any where with me?" she didn't look back what would he see her visor she walked slowly though, "I came through earlier I didn't see anyone, I didn't hear anyone either. It's odd not to hear sounds that are so familiar you count on them being there. They become part of your comfort part of your life." Part of everything she thought she looked back now this time the familiar armor there.

Then she wheeled about and kept walking and scanning, off to her left a building shifted and the soft sounds of someone groaning began to filter towards them. "Ver'ika do you hear that?"

 

[Verz Horak]

[member="Arla Balor"]

"I agree. You get so used to the sound of the forest, that you forget what it's like not having it around. It's strange. It's putting me on edge."

It turns out that the silence was helping them, at least for now. It made it all the easier to hear strange noises, with their senses on alert for danger. In that state of mind, it was easy to hear the soft sounds of someone in pain.

"I hear it too Arl'ika. I think it's coming from over there."

 

[Arla Ordo]

The ash made it hard to walk but they pushed through until they stood beside what was left of one of the homes. It was now nothing more than sticks and splinters, what had caused that.

She looked towards Verz then began pulling the rubble away, "Hello" she called out. Still all she heard was the moaning. As she reached for another board the pile shifted. "Oh"

She should have known that would happen.

"ok..I think we need to be more careful...well I do"

[member="Verz Horak"]

 

[Verz Horak]

[member="Arla Balor"]

The sounds coming from the wreckage were clearly those of someone in pain. When Arl'ika tried to move some of it, Verz could see the pile start to shift. It wasn't looking good. They had to be very careful here, or the pile could collapse further.

"Alr'ika, we need to be careful. We need to start from the top so that we don't collapse anything further."

He turned back to the pile.

"Whoever's down there, try to stay still. We're working as fast as we can."

 

[Arla Ordo]

[member="Verz Horak"]

From the top, ok. That work was slow and steady as they started removing each piece from below a voice wavered for a moment Arla wondered if they were too late. Then it returned, "We are coming."

Many houses had collapsed she stopped to send a message for an ambulance to be sent. She had seen a couple and they would be needing one once they reached whoever was below.

"Are you alone?" She called down as she looked to Verz to see his progress, the moaning tried to answer ok questions best left for later. "I wonder how long."

Every time she took a piece away she was greatful Avrum was safe on Ordo. Then she switched communications just so Verz could hear her. "When do you want to leave here?" And when she asked she was asking when to leave the planet, when to go somewhere else and start again.

 

[Verz Horak]

[member="Arla Balor"]

Verz had been going slowly, trying to avoid further collapse. He would occasionally call out to the trapped person, to make sure that they were still conscious. Verz knew that Arl'ika had sent for aid, but with all of the damage around the city, it would be a while before one could be dispatched to their area. Hopefully the person trapped would not need serious aid.

Verz tossed another chunk of rubble to the side, grunting with the exertion. He took a breather before switching to the comm channel.

"I think that once we go over both homesteads and determine what we can bring, we will be able to head out."

 

[Arla Ordo]

[member="Verz Horak"]

It was slow moving but soon they could see down into the darkness. Arla's visor showed her a faint heat signature, "There" She pointed downwards. The air ambulance from the Med Center could be heard approaching at least it might be coming to their location. With as much was happening it could go anywhere.

Arla lifted another board from the pile, nothing looked secure. "how do we get there if everything looks so..shaky?" She was usually the one that jumped down into the darkness and just dealt with it. This was different, this wasn't her life in danger this was someone else and she needed caution.

 

[Verz Horak]

[member="Arla Balor"]

Verz peered into the darkness. His heat sensors could also pick up the signature of the person trapped below. As Arla pointed out however, the rubble was still quite unstable. He finished pulling the board to the side, before stepping back to look at the remaining rubble. There wasn't much left in the way, but it could still fall into the hole. They had to go about this carefully.

"Let's try clearing some of the rubble that looks the most unstable. Then we can try to reach whoever is down there."

 

[Arla Ordo]

[member="Verz Horak"]

"Ok" she felt unsure even as she agreed.

She reached for what looked to be hanging over ready to fall grabbing it firmly and pulling towards herself. She watched everything the board touched did it move, was there any sound that would indicate it was falling.

"This is painstaking" she had it on private to talk to Verz, she didn't want to give anyone below cause to worry that they wouldn't get there. She was determined they would. She could hear the whine of an engine but her fear was so great she didn't dare look to see if someone was coming their way.

 

[Verz Horak]

[member="Arla Balor"]

Verz carefully lifted the next board, trying his best to avoid disturbing any other rubble. He tossed it to the side after it was clear, letting it land on top of the pile of other debris. It was even tougher now, as it required coordination as well as strength to get the debris safely away.

"I know Arl'ika. But we must do our best to get this vod free of this rubble. We are almost there."

The siren sound was getting closer. Perhaps it was coming here after all.

 

[Arla Ordo]

She pulled the next piece from the pile slowly as she watched everything around it. As she pulled the pile began to shift the weight seemed to have moved. Arla stopped quickly standing there frozen in time.

"Verz" She took in a breath, "Can you see below. I'm not sure if I pull this out that it won't all fall in" And it could as the pieces began sliding away from the opening. Arla thought this has to be good, right? She hoped.

The siren was now on their location landing in the nearest clearing. The dirt and wind made began shifting more of the debrie and bringing in other pieces that had already been cleared away.

"no.." Arla could see it, the pile was preparing to fall in..."oh no" The darkness what could she do...

[member="Verz Horak"]

 

[Verz Horak]

[member="Arla Balor"]

Verz, like Arla, saw the pile start to shift and groan from the powerful winds. The siren kept getting louder, but the pile of debris was still unsteady. It could collapse at any moment. They had to do something, otherwise the person under there could be killed. Verz made a split second decision.

Instead of jumping back, like he should have, he climbed down into the hole. His visor could detect the body heat of the person trapped, despite the dark. He pulled the debris pinning the person down as quickly as he could, then threw them over his shoulder. Then he tried his best to start clambering up the sides of the rubble. He lost his grip a couple times, but was able to catch himself before he fell.

 

[Arla Ordo]

Arla looked down into the darkness holding her breath Verz had jumped in. The winds whipped around them until the ship landed, "You the one that called"

Arla turned and nodded yes then quickly turned to look down, "My partner is down there." Soon there were more helping hands standing around reaching down to help Verz up. A stretcher waited for the one who had been laying beneath the rubble. Arla leaned over the edge reaching down for Verz hand.

"You know if you want to help go to the Med Center and join the teams there." Arla nodded even though she wasn't watching those around her. Arla's concentration was below.

[member="Verz Horak"]

 

[Verz Horak]

[member="Arla Balor"]

It was too dark to see anything except the light from above. Verz slowly hauled himself up, with the person who had been trapped slung over his shoulder. It was slow going, only being able to move with three limbs, and having to feel for shifting rubble every few seconds. It was taxing, but Verz made progress.

It took some time, but Verz was able to climb out of the rubble. He placed the person on the side, laying them flat before pulling himself up. It was at this time that the emergency medical service vehicle arrived. Two white and red uniformed medical personnel came over, carrying equipment bags over at a fast pace.

He had done it.

 

[Arla Ordo]

[member="Verz Horak"]

Arla was very proud of Verz and what he had done. She knew that he always had it in him to do great things. She went over to him, "you ok Ver'ika?" The sounds of thrusters told them that they were alone.

The woman who Verz had saved was on her way for treatment. They couldn't do much more and the light was fading. "We better find shelter for the night." It wasn't camping this was survival. Their home was...devastated.

All they could do now was try to bring comfort to survivors and try to find a way to rebuild. It would take time but they would get there. She was sure of it.

 

[Verz Horak]

[member="Arla Balor"]

The emergency vehicle left, with the unconscious woman within, being brought to the nearest medical center for treatment. Verz had leaned up against a tree to catch his breath, when Arla had come over asking if he was ok.

"I'm ok Arl'ika. I just need a moment."

Verz watched the sky, where the grey-black clouds swirl angrily. The sky looked darker, but it was hard to tell with all the ash in the air. Regardless, the chrono displayed by his HUD gave the time as being close to nightfall. Arla was right. They needed to shelter for the night.

"Let's go back to the house. The cellar should be secure enough for the night."

 

[Arla Ordo]

[member="Verz Horak"]

"Ok Ver'ika let's go" She reached out to help him. It was going to be alright that's what she told herself. "We'll secure what we can and tomorrow I think we should make plans for what the future holds Verz. Whether it's here or somewhere else."

It couldn't be here not really everything was....gone...just...feth.

It wouldn't take too long to get back to the house and then they could settle in for the night. Course it wouldn't be like it use to no tonight...what would they do?