In Crucible

Everything is perpetual night
No stars to cast a light of hope
Not even a silent whisper
Amidst this empty Ocean,

These dark robe we wrapped
Forever upon ourselves, Dark Cloak
Of eternal night that hide these
Glimmering gold shackles

Someday we pray undone,
This veil robe of shadow there
That these bonds by our own hands
Be hidden from preying eyes,

Why? To Search for Erudition in reality,
To Quest for strength of Character
Unbreakable, this Dark Fire
Ourselves we lit---

This Dark Flame surrounds us
A flame that gives no light,
No hope but awakens the mind,
The soul, the heart to despair and pain,

Raging fire burns this form, consumes
Everything that is good and decent,
Creates an unbearable weight,
Every breath, a heavy burden to carry,

Dry tears form--- pointless, meaningless
Empty void amidst this conflagration,
We pan our eyes and across the bow,
On the horizon covered by bountiful

Mountains filled with serenity
Plains rich with rice-honey and on its side,
An island where happiness reigns--
There Her dazzling light stands

And we remember the curl of Her lips
In annoyance she makes, Her sweet
Perfume and the sparkle of Her eyes
Perpetually etched in memory,

Remember that day we made
Her cry? Over petty matters
An Epoch before we knew this Heart
Beats for Her---

In Her heart we find Beauty,
In Her mind, working guiding
Her hands heals that is---
What she chooses to do,

We lower our head,
We close our eyes,
Let this Holocaust rage
Let this Fire reign to dampen

What this Heart yearns
What this Heart can not deny
This Fire can not consume it
We are left to lock it

Not a whisper to Her,
Not a sound, incommunicado
It stabs here, in this heart,
The mind says, let Her

Find peace, Let Her find
Happiness She seeks,
Let Her be safe---
We can not give these

Not with these hands bound
Not with these ankles shackled
Not when this Fire consumes,
Bitterly we know, not when we're ready,

Did we give Her a choice in the matter?
Not a question was uttered! Let Friendship
Stand as it is--- it could have been something
More we know, if left unbound and free,

Would we have locked these bonds ourselves?
With Her love here? Where She be Herself?
Would we risk Her? Not a question uttered
It could have been different, or everything lost

Even before it started. It had to be done,
All in the past now, programming
Took over, Loner's instinct reigned
Duty, Honour and Obligation champion

We lower our head,We close our eyes,
Let this Holocaust rage, let this Fire
Reign to dampen this pain wrapped
In a blanket of darkness, never forgotten,

Fire forge like Katana,
Amidst this hell, armor is made
Amidst this trial, erudition sharpens
Its edge bidding its time to be free,

We pan our eyes across starboard---
Light we found there
In our madness we thought
Perhaps She could take over

In our madness, She did awaken
Us and in rebellion we sought
To be Free of these bounds
In realization--- one she opened,

We know this Pyre has been
Burning long enough
Her friendship we thought
Could replace what we denied,

It can not be disavowed,
But as we pan our eyes her way,
Monstrous walls block we suspect
Beauty that hides within, safe,

Could we campaign for her hand?
Certainly, prepared to risk a friendship
Prepared to challenge this---
But would she be willing?

Like before, it is not her choice,
We do not utter a question, Friendship
Stand as it is, perhaps something more,
But it could also be lost to the wind,

We endevour to forget her voice
That echoes in our mind's eye,
Beauty that enchanted us,
Let Friendship stand unchanged

Amidst this scorching, searing fire,
After three times, this world
Traveled around Sol's system,
These bonds we endeavour break!

Let loose these shackles that bind,
On each Flank restless Dogs of War
In jubilation celebrate! Loyal Fox
Leads them, they snarl, growl,

Dogs of War ready to raise hell
At our behest, Noble Allies---
Old Fellowships, Lifelong Friendships
Waiting hour of battle to our side calls!

Our Eyes are wide open,
Our Ears receive everything
Every fiber in this being
Tingling in anticipation,

This Spirit is heavy,
Horrors maybe done
That shames that Flag flying
At top, and stains our Sword

It can not be undone,
We must trust this heart
To guide this mind,
This Spirit be strong on the tiller

When these bonds are loose
When this Spirit roams Free
The wind gathers around us
Dogs of War know--- moment's ripe

For a Coriolis Storm to rage
And the Mast of this Ship will call
A gale force wind and our sails
Be raised--- “onto the beachhead”!

But this Fire still consumes us
Unabated, was it a mistake?
To light it? These bonds won't break!
These shackles still hold tight

As the right Hand of God
Adds more fuel that drives
This Flame in even more fury
Tenacious, unrelenting in its hold,

Those lands are ours by right of birth
Those lands are ours to till,
Make plenty, to grow for those
Who in association with us demand so,

More importantly for the Heirs
Of this Flag that they may want
For none, That they may like a tree
In a well tendered garden grow mightily,

For this soul to find peace,
To search for Her and should She be
Free from obligation, should we
Lead a campaign for Her,

We can converse and perhaps this time
Find both Hearts beating on the same
Rhythm--- if in Her important opinion
Wishes to cast Her lot with this Fool,

If She does not? Unfathomably huge
This Undiscovered Country---
We may find another Beauty to share
A world and maybe find peace ourselves,

Our Lord God we pray, these bonds
Must break! These shackles destroyed
That our hands be free to guide
This ship's tiller, these lungs

Unrestrained in summoning
the Wind to this Coriolis
Storm! "TO ARMS! DOGS of WAR!!!
FORWARD! Let us retake

This war-torn world, that we may
Replant our Flag, Raise it, let it fly
Free that Peace, House and Empire
Restored, these Lands are Ours again!"