[B]Holly Yuan[/B]

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ7Pndn4M9M]Colony Day.[/url] It was a time of relaxation, a celebration of human ingenuity's triumph. It was testament to the united will of all who had once looked to the skies, seeking to escape beyond Earth's gravity well. A testament to their success, to a great achievement that was unlikely to be toppled for generations. It was of no surprise, then, that their descendants were proud. Why would they not be? Humanity had [i]claimed[/i] the stars. They had stepped out in the void to call it home. And this annual observance, this one day of commemoration, was the symbol of everyone's pride.

And for it was an honour shared by all, even she, a mere peon of Internal Affairs, could take the day off.

Well ... that was if she'd wanted to!

Holly reclined against the cockpit seat, her eyes rapidly darting around behind her glasses as she took in the readings being projected onto her monitors. The dim blue glow of the screens reflected off her lens, but she didn't pay it much heed. She had gotten used to the refraction of light due to her eyewear. It was a reminder of her imperfection, as well as the imperfection in the universe that none could truly escape. Not that she really wanted to, however. After all, was the second of the three marks not [i]sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā[/i]? All unconditioned things were unsatisfactory. To acknowledge that was already putting her on the path of the Bodhisattva!

The woman giggled to herself as she leaned forward, fingers reaching out to flick a series of switches. She was probably interpreting the entire thing wrong anyway. But it was important to keep in mind, right? Especially on a day like Colony Day. It was a celebration of the greatest human achievement in history since the scattered essences of [i]yang[/i] brought fire into being, a chance for everybody to bask in the glory of humanity's triumph over the void.

But that was the thing.

Dyson had not emerged from nature. It was not some creation of the gods.

It was built by human hands.

And thus, it was imperfect.

Yet no less beautiful.

Her machine hummed to life around her, the warmth of the awaking engine sending shivers up her spine. The vibrating controls, gripped tightly in her hands, were like the caress of an old friend. It too was a child of humanity. It too was like those colonies that hung in the celestial sphere above. It too was imperfect.

And on this day, it would help remind everyone that no matter how great their achievement was, there was still more they could do.

[i]sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā[/i]

All unconditioned things are impermanent.

What Shenxiuwu would do today could be forgotten in days. What Colony Day represented could be forgotten in years. Their imperfect beauty would not last. They would be superseded by something greater, something that sought out a brighter, more perfect goal.

But it was okay.

Even if it was for one day, one moment, she would show off her child's beauty.

"[i]You're up, Lieutenant.[/i]"

Begin.

Holly eased her controls forward. Shenxiuwu rose from its kneeling position, blue and white armour gleaming in the hot sunlight as it stood tall in the centre of the field. She breathed in, allowing herself to feel the soft rumbling of the machine. To feel the weight of the two [i]dao[/i] that hung loosely from her child's hands, the weight that sought to pull her own, en-fleshed hands forth as well.

She would become one with her Walker.

She allowed her body to relax. She allowed her breathing to calm. She allowed her mind to become aware.

She allowed for her essence to entwine with her machine.

Allow it to settle in the [i]dantian[/i].

Allow the transmutation of the treasures to begin.

Her purpose was clear.

Shenxiuwu was built for parades like this, after all.

[b][i]發勁![/i][/b]

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UerK_AblXos]Her dance began.[/url]

[center][i]"The great man grows the many myriad things . . .

Breaking away from the military arts,

He promotes fully the cultural mandates."[/i][/center]