History Assignment (A F4TF promo)

[edwarddubin0604]

(The scene at the Arizona Memorial is silent but peaceful the waters are lapping softly as two figures appear at the historic memorial. They are Kono and his son Yarak and Yarak looks around while Kono smiles at him.)

Yarek:  "Where are we father."

Kono:  "This is the famous Arizona Memorial."

Yarek:  "Why are we here."

Kono:  "You told me you were assigned to write a report about an incident that started a war and here is a place that actually started it or at least got this nation into the war."

Yarek:  "Where is this place."

Kono:  "This is a place called Wickham Air Base and this body of water was known as Pearl Harbor.  Yet eighty years ago there was an incident that was known as 'The Day That Would Live In Infamy.'"

Yarek:  "Why was it called that."

Kono:  "It was called that because it happened unexpectedly.  It was a sneak attack that was so devastating to the United States that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt named December 7th, 1941 and he declared war with those very words."

Yarek:  "What does that have to do with this memorial."

Kono:  "It has a lot to do with the memorial.  You see Commandrix, Terminatrix, Niko and myself observed the events and followed the events.  The archives show that the Admiral of the Japanese fleet wanted to fight the American fleet in neutral waters to show to show their superiority.  Quite unusual but the admiral was ironically a descendant of samurai so he felt he was upholding the tradition."

Yarek:  "How was challenging another nation's fleet upholding a tradition."

Kono:  "He believed in honor and he sent Japanese Zeros to drop fliers warning about his intentions and challenging the American fleet.  I don't think anyone took it seriously despite the incursion in American waters.  However, in this countries capitol Washington, DC. there was a lack of translators and the one who translated the message was toomlate in getting it to the president.  Thus on December 7th, 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor."

Yarek:  "What does it have to do with this memorial."

Kono:  "It has everything to do with this memorial.  This memorial is built over the USS Arizona and this battleship would have an infamous reputation after it sunk."

Yarek:  "How was it infamous."

Kono:  "There were ideas to try and search this battleship or even try to collect the oil but the waters were too toxic and nobody or no method could salvage or search the USS Arizona.  To honor these brave men who died on the USS Arizona this memorial was built to honor these fallen heroes.  It also honor unofficially the rest of the fleet that was destroyed as well."

Yarek:  "Kind of like the events that began the Zardoza War."

(Kono sighs but is impressed by Yarek's knowledge.)

Kono:  "That's a good comparison but don't use it in your report.  Now these fallen heroes fought the Japanese air force as best they could  by attempting to hold them off as they try getting their planes off the ground.  Meanwhile the American Naval fleet was like a moving target as they say on this world.  They were lined up in two's and could be picked off one by one.  However, there was one ship that escaped because it wasn't there at the time."

Yarek:  "How was that possible."

Kono:  "Well Yarek an aircraft carrier known as the USS Enterprise....."

Yarek:  "How did it warp into that time period."

Kono:  "That's a fictional vessel from a sci-fi television series.  The USS Enterprise I was referring to was the aircraft carrier and it fought valiantly during the war.  However, back to the USS Arizona which sits in this watery grave below us and this memorial like all memorials has the names of these brave men etched into the wall.  They signed up to serve their country or followed their fathers and brothers into the armed forces.  They were assigned to their vessels knowing they would be  giving their country and sacrificing everything to defend this nation."

Yarek:  "Just like in the movies."

Kono:  "The movies do not tell you the whole story.  You see the way war was depicted back then was quite an unpleasant affair as there was true anger and rage during that time.  You see this nations movie industry helped stir up the hatred along with the nations media."

Yarek:  "Why would they do that for."

Kono:  "Propaganda was important to stir that hatred.  It's what happens in war all the time no matter where the war occurs and never stops even when the war is over.
The carnage after Pearl Harbor and the loss of these fallen heroes quickly organized America's industries to produce supplies and recruitment efforts as well as producing warships."

(Yarek looks at someone who is looking at someone who is feeling the names on the wall.)

Yarek:  "Who is that?"

Kono:  "He is obviously looking for his relative's name on the Arizona's crew roster.  This man never knew his most distant cousin, who would have been in his hundreds if he lived and that man would have been in his fifties.  Imagine the other relatives who came to honor their fallen brave warriors on the USS Arizona.  You can see the sadness and somber mood he is in just like the relatives who honored their brave family members who died on this battleship."

Yarek:  "You think their spirits live with them."

Kono:  "I see they are teaching you myths too.  The fallen heroes of war never die but live within your memories and they live in stories that passed down from generations to generations.  They shall never die as long as their memories remain in their heart.  Right now we have to return home and you have your assignment to do."

Yarek:  Where else can we go."

Kono:  "Depends on the assignment."

(They disappear as the scene slowly fades to black.)