

THE COLONY

Gunship XX

by John M. Davis

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical people, events or places are used fictitiously. Any other names, places, events or characters are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual places, events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2019 John Michael Davis

Editing by: Russo Archer

All rights reserved, including the right to copy this book or portions of this book in any form.

Manufactured in the United States of America

johndavisbooks.wordpress.com

### The Colony

The alarm clock sounded loud, bringing Jack from a dream of perfect circumstances, he silently cursed the world around him, finally easing from his rack to prepare for the day ahead.

His senses were immediately awakened as his battle-tested hands splashed cold water on his face, providing an instant cringe. Slowly rubbing his eyes over with intention, he finally glanced at the mirror in front of him.

Lieutenant Jack Strong, Earth Defense Marine Corps. And though it was morning in his hometown of Dallas, he was aboard the Earth Defense High Freedom. A small ship, nearly six-hundred yards in length, the marine ship was typically a first responder. As such was the case today.

Following the signal of a distress beacon, their course had been set for the Tanilia Moon Colony, and though he expected it to be another chase which led them to a faulty beacon, he anticipated the worst. A good soldier always did.

Lieutenant Jack Strong had been a fresh face during the first Sky War, earning his stripes in combat. He'd also served against the Ryak during the second Sky War, and seen his share of combat during both major conflicts.

Through it all, the one lesson he'd learned that served him well, was to always be prepared. This was his ship, his crew of twelve strong who were among the Earth Defense Marine Corps' best. And his objectives were clear.

Land on Tanilia and investigate, then report directly back to Earth Defense Command. As a side note, a retired general was among the settlers and was to be extracted if the situation was deemed dangerous. Those were his orders.

"Everyone's assembled and ready." a voice commented, the crackle of a small com system beside Jack's sink.

"Alright, tell them I'll be there in five," Jack replied, reaching forward to press a button in firmly while doing so.

Standing in place for a few moments, Jack began to think of his family back home, eventually cutting eyes to a small photo across his less than spacious room.

Both of them living the standard life of a military family, at least as much as the suburbs of Dallas could provide. Both of them waiting, and praying, for his safe return.

It was constantly on his mind, seemingly each moment of each day. Just as it was as he prepared for a small meeting with the other soldiers on board, pulling his Earth Defense Marine shirt over a chest of ripped muscle and scar tissue.

"Attention on deck!" Bailey yelled.

Bailey had been the XO of their crew for nearly two years and had earned the trust of his lieutenant, though he carried the look of a greenhorn straight from boot.

"At ease everybody," Jack replied, slowly sitting at the military-style table, which was nothing more than a sheet of steel on posts.

"Sir, we're about an hour outside of orbit. I've got us stationary and awaiting your orders." Chandra said.

She was easy on the eyes by the standards of a soldier. Dark red hair of shoulder length, manageable curves, and a calming smile. She was also the ship's pilot and communications officer.

"Good job," Jack replied, nodding his approval. "The plan is pretty routine. A team of six will jump down to figure out what in the hell is going on, while the second team of six remains in orbit on standby."

"You mean we send six down to slap their radio and turn the faulty son of a bitch back on." Bronson commented.

Everyone seemed to chuckle a bit at the man's joke. He had a way of seeing the humorous side of things, rarely putting his skills as a solider to use. The lack of combat bothered him. Cowboy tough and rough around the edges, the black haired man hungered for the real action of war.

"Calm down," Jack said, warning his crew a bit. "Even though he's more than likely right, we still need to have our heads in the game."

Chandra nodded her approval, sliding a glance toward Jack, which was picked up by several of the crew.

It had long been rumored that the two were romantically involved, though rumors were abundant when traveling the fringes of the black.

It had also been rumored that Wesley sharpened his blades with nothing more than his bare hands, though the crew pretty much saw into the bullshit of that story.

Sure, he had two machete-length blades that were damn sharp, the gleam of edges evident as soon as they left sheath. And he had no conventional sharpener to speak of. But each member of the crew was sure that he had something tucked away somewhere. Perhaps laying beside the razor that none had ever seen, but had to exist. His slick-shaven head was testament.

"So, who gets to mingle with the idiots below and who gets stuck on this floating piece of shit?" Bronson asked.

"I'm leading the ground team," Jack said, turning to stare into his crew. "Bronson, Twiggy, Renaldo, Wesley and Avery are going with me."

"Ah shit." Lincoln commented, disgusted that he would remain on board rather than get some fresh air.

"That's enough private!" Bailey warned.

"Bailey will command in my absence," Jack replied, turning once more to his group. "Chandra, Wilson, Martin, Sayers...and Lincoln," he added, placing emphasis on the final name as he cast a stare of dare. "You will keep your ass in orbit until otherwise instructed."

"Yes, sir." Lincoln replied though he did so with a touch of sarcasm.

"Everybody chow up, then the ground team collects gear. We'll meet up at a chopper in twenty." Lieutenant Jack Strong ordered, turning to find a bit of food.

"Never understood why they call the damn things choppers," Bronson said with a devilish grin. "No blades, deep space capable...makes no sense to me."

"Preach it, brother." Avery replied.

He was a shade taller than Bronson, but equally as cowboy tough. It was as if they had plucked two ranch hands from a primitive moon and squeezed them into Earth Defense Marine uniforms. Though Avery had bleach-blonde hair.

It was considered a hop by everyone military. A simple free-fall out of the larger, orbiting ship, finally becoming a flight of its own as the chopper's thrusters kicked in.

And though he didn't show any signs of fear, Jack Strong did, in fact, fear each hop. They scared the hell out of him.

He had been out of boot less than six-months when, on his very first hop, the thrusters never kicked in. He was a private among his crew, the greenest man on board, yet the only one to walk away from the mangled wreckage that had become submerged in water.

The frigid water of Orion Seven had saved his life, but cost those around him. Every single time Jack prepared for a hop, he thought of those who perished in that crash. The same seat positioning inside of the copter. The same lighting. The same calm among the faces of the crew.

"You alright boss?" Renaldo asked, taking a seat beside their lieutenant.

"Yea," Jack replied, seeming to snap back to reality a bit. "You got everything you need?"

"Sniper rifle, scope..." the thin man replied. "That's it. I travel light."

"Yea, I guess so." Jack said with a smile, turning to his other side.

"Just a pistol and explosives here boss." Twiggy said.

He was rather short for a man of uniform, yet stocky. Of everyone in the unit, Twiggy was certainly the most unkempt, appearing as though he were simply drafted from the streets of cardboard box living.

"Yea, but you're good at what you do." Jack said with a confident nod.

"Damn right boss."

"I'm putting us right on top of the beacon. Should be less than a hundred yards away when he hit soil." Avery said, buckled in the pilot's chair as he turned back to make the needed calculations.

"Alright guys, prepare for the hop. Bronson, keep your com on." Jackson said, trying to calm his own nerves in the process.

"You got it." Bronson replied, clicking a button on his shoulder com, a green light brightening.

"You reading us?" the soldier asked, leaning his head to the side a bit as he spoke.

"Loud and clear." Chandra replied, her voice a soothing tune to the ears of a very nervous Jack Strong.

"Hold the fort down now." Bronson said with a bit of cockiness, settling in comfortably.

Within an instant, the chopper began a free fall without warning, eventually becoming a dedicated nosedive which brought it closer to the planet's atmosphere.

Please just land. Please just make it. Jack thought, his mind racing back to a time when he and his crew weren't so lucky.

He waited impatiently for the sound of thrusters, thinking of his wife and little girl as a feeling of helplessness surged throughout his entire body.

Where the fuck are the thrusters? Jack wondered, still waiting for a sound that never came. He did, however, begin to hear a loud sound that was nearly ear-shattering. Oh God, not again.

Moments later, however, both of the chopper's thrusters booted into full blaze, the torque of such powerful engines bringing a welcomed relief to the group's leader.

Fuck it. Two tears in a bucket.

"Woohoo!" Renaldo yelled, startling half of the crew with his sudden outburst.

"Avery, what the hell is that sound?" Jack Strong asked, having to do so in a near-yell to overpower it.

"Rain sir. A lot of fucking rain." Avery replied.

"Yea, no kidding. I can barely hear myself think." Lieutenant Jack Strong replied.

"I guess we know why these fuckers haven't answered their radios," Bronson said, tapping his unit several times. "The rain is so thick, I'm not getting anything on here."

"People," Jack said, casting a glance to Bronson. "They're people, just like the ones we have waiting for us back home."

"Wouldn't matter if their coms were satellite dishes, they ain't getting shit out through this rain," Bronson replied, slowing his emotions a bit. "Sir."

"He's right LT, I can't see a foot in front of me. The rain is too thick." Avery added.

"Just double check the calculations. We may not be able to see, but we should be fine once we hit soil." Jack replied, resting either knowing they would land in one piece.

"Yes, sir." Avery replied, tuning to review his calculations of the colony's beacon.

"What are you talking about? Didn't you guys verify working equipment?" Bailey asked.

"Yes...of course. They were coming in loud and clear." Chandra replied.

"How can that be? Their com system dropped just like that? And you are still picking up their beacon?"

"Yes, sir. It's coming in crystal clear. Looks like they are planning to drop within feet of the colony's beacon." she replied, turning to verify her statement once more using a set of blue-screened computers.

"Alright," Bailey said, looking through the hardened glass which lay out in front of the pilot's chair, exposing a swirled-blue planet below them. "Just keep your ears glued to the com. Lieutenant Strong knows how to take care of himself. We'll wait it out, for now."

"Yes, sir."

"Alright men, listen up." Jack said, their chopper having finally touched down on the drenched soil of Tanilia Moon.

"You'll have to speak up, we can't hear you over this fucking rain that we're about to march in." Bronson said loudly.

"Yea, I hear you," Jack replied with a bit of a grin. "We're all going to get a bit wet, it's why we make the big bucks," he added, bringing a chuckle throughout the group. "Bronson, you take Twiggy and Avery, head straight for the beacon to have a look see. We'll prep the chopper for an emergency lift, just in case, then we'll catch up to you."

"You got it, boss." Bronson replied, relishing in the role of calling the shots. Even if it was temporarily, and to a group of merely three.

"Renaldo, you get on the com and try to touch base with our people in orbit one more time. Wesley and I will reset the systems for takeoff."

"Yes sir," Renaldo said. "But I'm not sure it will do a lot of good in this atmosphere."

"It won't," Bronson commented, the reinforced rear hatch of their chopper opening slowly to expose the thickest rain any of them had ever seen. "But fuck it."

Two tears in a bucket. Jack thought, nodding to the three men who were departing into a mess of falling water.

Two tears in a bucket. A saying that had stuck with the man since the first Sky War. It had been coined by his XO, Lieutenant Masterson, and had carried them through some of the toughest of times. Times when friends were falling around him to their deaths, almost as quickly as the rain fell on this very day.

Whenever his unit had been up against it during that first war, his XO had pushed them through it with the same phrase.

Nobody knew what it actually meant, and most questioned if Lieutenant Masterson himself actually knew. Still, the catchy words strung together was often times enough and had forever been etched into the mind of Jack Strong.

Sealing the hatch once more, Jack turned to the remainder of his group. Renaldo and Wesley.

"Nothing doing sir." Renaldo said, still unable to gain a clear link with their ship in orbit.

"Alright," Jack replied with a nod. "Record a message to let them know we were unable to make contact because of the rain, then put it on loop. That way, if we get hung up for some reason, they won't come in here guns blazing," he added, turning to watch the rainfall hammer down through the shatterproof windshield of their chopper. "Cause it's looking pretty damn calm to me."

"You got it, boss." Renaldo replied.

"Wesley, grab the must have supplies. A few rations, a bit of extra ammunition," he said, turning back to Renaldo. "And you may want to fetch a thermal scope so we can see in this shit."

"Already got one attached." the proud sniper commented with a smile.

"Way to be one step ahead," Jack replied, his confidence in the soldier verified. "We move out in five."

-

"I got nothing on thermal." Renaldo said, his oversized rain suit of solid green seeming to engulf nearly half of the length of the sniper rifle he pressed his eye against.

"Alright, keep moving up," Jack said, motioning Wesley to the front. "I'll be right behind you. Renaldo, cover our six."

"You got it boss." the sniper replied, turning to use his thermal on their backside.

"Up ahead. I can see a large door." Wesley said, his two machetes strapped down to his thighs as he held a semi-automatic rifle in hand.

"That's the spot. Should be where our beacon is, along with the rest of the team," Jack said, rain showering down around them in the deserted gravel lot of the colony. "Let's check on these people, tell them to answer their damn radio and then get the hell out of here."

"There's no power." Wesley said, the group reaching the large door, which was nearly nine-feet in height.

"What?" Jack replied.

"I mean on the door. There's no power. I got the Earth Defense override code right here, but without power, I can't punch the damn thing in." Wesley replied, his voice barely able to penetrate the thundering sound of rainfall.

"Ah shit," Jack replied, just as tired of the falling water as those in his group. "Try knocking, but do it loudly. Let them know you're an Earth Defense soldier."

Rather than reply, Wesley began to hammer the flesh of his fist into the thick steel of the door, casting a deep and throaty echo for several hundred yards.

"Got something!" Renaldo said, kneeling as he began to watch the thermal scope with intensity.

"What is it?" Jack asked.

"I dunno LT, but it was moving quickly."

"Bronson's group?"

"No. I only saw one heat signature, and it was hauling ass."

"Keep your eye to the scope," Jack said, turning to Wesley, who continued his loud knock onto the door.

"This is Lieutenant Jack Strong of the Earth Defense Marine Core. I am hereby instructing you to open the door, otherwise, we'll have no choice but to cut through it."

Several latches began to unbolt, each of them done so with caution by someone on the building's interior.

"I guess I should have threatened them with a cutting torch that we don't have." Wesley commented, smiling at his XO.

"Just ready your rifle and make sure it stays that way, at least until we find out what in the hell is going on." Jack replied, prompting the soldier to shoulder his rifle at the ready.

"Identify yourself!" Renaldo yelled, trying to keep the heat signature in his scope.

Both Jack and Wesley turned, realized their sniper had indeed seen something caution-worthy. But, moments after, the steel door began to creak open.

"Get inside." Jack ordered, both of the soldiers under his command doing just that.

A frightened man backed away just a bit, noticeably malnourished.

"I'm sorry," Jack said, slowly pushing the rifle of Wesley away from the man's face. "We're Earth Defense Marines."

"You...you shouldn't be here." the strange man replied in a shaky voice.

"Again, we're Earth Defense Marines. Your colony hasn't answered any communication for at least two weeks. It's standard procedure to deploy a group of marines to check on you, and, well, we're that group." Jack said, looking around the room, seeming nothing more than a dusty warehouse.

"Where is everyone else?" Wesley asked, lowering his rifle, though hesitant at first.

"Dead, mostly. A few of us were able to fall back here and hold position. But going outside of that door is suicide." the man answered.

"Dead?" Jacked asked, offering his full attention.

"That's right. It's all on record, but you need to come this way. Quickly."

"You statement sounds military?" Jack asked.

"I'm a retired general," the man admitted. "Please, this way." he added, leading the three soldiers to the rear of the building.

"Anything on thermal?" Jack asked.

"No, steel is too thick." Renaldo replied.

"Stop," Jack said, halting everyone. "Listen, I've got men outside those doors and I've got no intention of leaving them. So you're either going to wait here and answer my questions general, or we're all going to take a trip back out into the rain to look for them."

"You can drop the general son, I'm not enlisted anymore. And I've got people too, hidden in the floor at the rear of this building and scared shitless. Most of them women and children. While I understand and respect the concern for your people, you'd be wise to give me the same. Otherwise, we're going to have a problem." The general said bluntly.

"Children?" Jack asked.

"Please," the general said, pausing as if to ask for compassion. "This way."

"You two stay on this door. Anything comes in not wearing our uniform," Jack said, turning to look at both of his men. "You know what to do."

"You got it, boss." Renaldo said, reinforcing his statement by a bolt-action slide of ammunition to the ready.

Though a single building, it was indeed large. Meant as the central part of the colony, a government building, which doubled as a fallout shelter. No windows, and a single entrance.

"I need to know why most of the colonists are dead. And I need you to carefully think through your words before answering, as I'm forced by Earth Defense code to report your answer directly back to my superiors." Jack said.

"Your superiors are of no concern to me," the general replied with hesitation. "The real judge, jury and executioners are beyond that door."

"Who?" Jack asked, stopping the general for a moment with the strong grip of his hand.

Offering no reply, the general instead broke free of the grasp, lowering himself enough to begin lifting a large grating of steel. A portion of the floor, exposing ten survivors.

"Dear God." Jack said, his emotions staggered as he caught sight of nine children, none over the age of seven. Each of them sitting in the small hole with a civilian woman.

"This is all that remains lieutenant," the general said, turning as he stood up once more. And the answer to your question is demons."

"Demons?" he asked with a puzzled voice.

Before a reply could follow, however, gunshots began to crack loudly in the background.

"Report!" Jack yelled, turning to hustle back to the entrance.

"Earth Defense weaponry, but not ours. Bronson's group maybe?" Renaldo said.

"Open it!" Jack demanded.

"Lieutenant, wait," the general pleaded, doing his best to catch up to the soldier in wait. "If the demons are outside, opening the door will seal all of our fates."

Taking a moment to consider the pleas of a retired general, Jack began to think of his men in the rain. Gunshots firing wildly outside of the thick plating of the door.

"Open it." he finally ordered, grabbing a small shotgun from his back and readying it with a single hand which held the weapon by the fore-end.

And with Renaldo laying prone, his scope to the door and rifle at the ready, Wesley slowly began to pull the door open.

Startling them all, Bronson nearly dove in, his body covered in a grimy mixture of blood and rain-drenched soil.

Twiggy staggered in as well, beginning to shut the door on his own. Or at least offer an attempt.

"Shut the door," Bronson yelled, moving in to help his shell-shocked friend. "Shut the fucking door!"

"Wait, Avery." Jack said, starting to intervene.

"He's fucking gone...in pieces!" Bronson yelled, never slighting on his attempt to seal the entrance. "Now somebody help me get this door shut!" he added, trembling hands working hard against the steel locking mechanism.

With the immediate help of both the general and Lieutenant Jack Strong, steel connected once more, forcing the horrors of the damning rain to remain outside.

"Oh fuck." Twiggy commented, sliding down to a sitting position.

"Someone is going to start telling me what the fuck is going on!" Jack said, pulling his shotgun back to the ready while adjusting his aim to the general.

"Please." the older man said, holding his hands up a bit.

Determined to get answers, however, Jack remained dedicated with his weapon. Until he noticed a small child approaching them, followed by several more survivors.

Finally lowering his weapon but never losing sight of his chilled stare onto the general, Jack nodded a bit.

"Start talking."

"We call them demons. Succubus. But the truth is we're not sure what they are." the general said.

"Sounds about right to me," Bronson yelled, still trembling a bit from fear. "Fuck sakes!"

"Bronson," Jack replied, staring at the man while thinking of the children looking on. "Shut up."

"We were colonizing, doing things according to protocol, and honestly, everything was going smoothly," the general added. "Then one day, people started missing. At first, we suspected our own as though a criminal lived among us, but we began to see this demon. Very tall, very pale. Wings."

"Wings?" Jack asked with suspicion.

"Yes wings," the general replied firmly. "Not made of feathers, mind you, but steel. Sharp as blades." he confirmed. "I finally convinced the others to pull back closely so we could better watch our people, but then the succubus creatures began to come here. They don't fear us, don't fear weaponry. They just come here and murder."

"You said they...how many are we talking about?" Jack asked.

"We still aren't sure. Maybe just a handful, maybe dozens," the general replied. "Maybe more." he said with regret.

"Don't matter how many," Bronson added, his normal calm beginning to settle back in a bit. "We encountered just one. Chopped Avery up into pieces with its wings and damn near got me."

Jackson looked at him for a moment, trying his best to soak up the entire statement, before finally turning back to the general, who now had all of the survivors behind him.

"And you didn't once try and radio for help?" Jackson asked.

"Of course we did. When everything first began, we tried. We did everything we could to get a transmission through this damn rain," the general responded. "As a last ditch effort, we sent a group out to try and trigger the distress beacon on the far side of the colony. But they never returned."

"Your group did you proudly, our ships picked up your beacon several days ago. That's why we're here." Jack replied.

"We didn't know what else to do, so the general and I moved our children here. We wanted to keep them safe. Their parents agreed to fight the demons long enough for us to get here, and we've been locked in ever since." the female survivor said, her voice warm but desperate.

"Julia, it's alright. I'm sure we are to be safe soon enough." the general replied.

"Well, you were right to bring the children here. This building acts as a fallout shelter, and I assume that the general's training served you well in this case." Jack said.

The general simply nodded, priding himself on being such a resourceful soldier.

"The bad news is, however," Jack said with pause. "Help may not be on the way. At least no time soon."

"I don't understand?" Julia asked.

"Well ma'am, the ship we have in orbit is a small marine vessel. What you see in front of you, plus the six aboard our ship in orbit." Jack replied.

"Can't you call for help?" she asked.

"No, ma'am. Less than a minute after hitting the atmosphere, we lost all ability to communicate with the ship in orbit. The same rain that stopped your calls for help I'm guessing."

"Won't they eventually send more soldiers to look for you?" Julia asked, her concerns growing deeper.

"Eventually, yes. But the mandatory time frame is thirty-days, at which point they'll dispatch an Earth Defense Carrier to come find us." Jack replied.

"Any mech units on your ship?" the general asked.

"Two, but they're engineering only." Jack replied.

"I don't understand? Mech units are supposed to be the ultimate soldiers, the protectors of our race?" Julia asked, unsure of their chances of surviving.

"Yes ma'am, and the soldier variety is. But we also have a lot of engineering versions in service, and the two aboard my vessel are just that. They can weld with the best of them, but aren't programmed or equipped to fight." Jack replied.

"So we have no chance then?" Julia admitted with disgust.

"What the Earth Defense Marines did send, ma'am is the toughest group of soldiers this side of Twalian. I'm well-trained," he said, turning to his soldiers. "We all are. Survival is very much a possibility, but we are going to have to be smart about things." Jack replied with a smile, his attempt to comfort her.

"Our chances of surviving greatly increased when you arrived, if nothing else. And for that we are grateful." the general said.

"As you already know, we're just doing our job," Jack replied with a nod. "But I do need to know of any other possible entry points into this building. Any venting systems, tunnels?"

"No," the general replied. "All of our breathable air comes in through steel grating on the roof. It's then put through a filtration system and pumped inside using holes on the upper-walls that are smaller than an everyday coin. Our venting systems are safe. No tunnels, no windows. Just that single door."

"Good, that's a start," Jack replied. "Renaldo, you and Wesley stay with the door. We'll rotate shifts on it. Make sure it remains locked up tight at all times," he ordered, gaining a nod from both soldiers. "Bronson, you and Twiggy find something to get cleaned up a little bit. Check your weapons and report back to me in fifteen." he added.

-

"Anything?" Bailey asked, approaching the small bridge of their ship.

"Nothing sir," Chandra replied. "They should have at least checked in by now."

"I agree." the XO commented, staring through the plated glass which overlooked the small moon.

"What should we do?" Chandra asked.

"Get Lincoln on the com, tell him to get his ass up here." the XO replied.

"Yes, sir." Chandra replied, turning to digitally call throughout the ship using her com system.

-

"Yea, I've fought a lot worse than what's outside of this building." Jack replied, answering the question directed to him by a near-starved six-year old.

Julia glanced at him with approval, knowing the children needed to feel hope.

"Fought against much worse." he added.

"Will we get to see our mommy and daddy soon?" a young girl asked, catching the soldier by surprise.

"I," he began to reply, doing everything he could to hold things together emotionally, eventually kneeling down to face the young girl. "I'm not sure sweetie. I'm not sure," he added, turning to glance at Julia for a moment. "But I do know that your mommy and daddy stayed outside to fight for you. To keep you safe. And that's our job now, so if they are still out there," Jack said, fighting back tears. "We'll find them."

Thank you. Julia motioned with her lips, eyes crisped with tears for the children.

Jack replied with a nod, standing once more.

"Bronson, Twiggy, you guys swap out at the door. I need to talk with Wesley and Renaldo." Jack ordered.

And slowly, not to mention very reluctantly, the two men swapped guard detail at the door.

"The children need food," Lieutenant Jack Strong commented, both Wesley and Renaldo standing close by. "And they are going to need it as soon as possible.

"Alright boss." Renaldo replied, both men agreeing, as were the general and Julia.

"The supply cache in the chopper..." Jack began to suggest.

"Bad idea boss." Renaldo replied.

"What do you mean a bad idea?"

"Bronson thought it best that we make the most of a short trip." the sniper replied.

"Meaning?" Jack asked sternly.

"He thought it better to bring luxury items."

Jack continued a stare of investigation, waiting for a further explanation from the stringy soldier.

"Vodka and chocolate bars, to be precise."

"Are you fucking?" Jack began to ask, stopping short when realizing the children were close by.

Then, grabbing the sniper by his elbow, Jack led the man away far enough to question him as a soldier.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Jack asked. "You mean to tell me that our supply cache, the metal box which normally contains rations for the field, is full of booze and chocolate?"

"Vodka actually." the sniper replied.

"I don't give a shit!" the XO said with a growl. "He's an idiot for

suggesting it, and you're an idiot for doing it!"

"Yes sir boss." the sniper acknowledged.

"Cut the boss shit Renaldo, this is serious. These kids have been here way too long without food."

"Let me know what you want and consider it done." the sniper replied, turning for a moment to glance at the children.

"That's the million dollar question," Jack replied. "Everyone on me!" he demanded loudly, prompting his group of soldiers to hustle to attention.

-

"Hadn't heard from our team on the ground. They should have checked in by now," Bailey said, a small group gathered on the ship's bridge. "Lincoln and Sayers will take the second copter down for a quick flyby. Recon only. You hustle your asses down below the hard deck and find out what's going on. Then you report straight back to me. Double time!"

"Yes, sir." Lincoln replied, the husky soldier resembling a street hooligan in appearance, black hair hanging just below his ears and a strong chisel of chin.

"I mean it Lincoln, recon only." Bailey reminded him.

"I got it."

It was a legitimate reminder, Lincoln's wrap one of being a hothead. More times than not, he would do what needed to be done, even against direct orders. A soldier, not a politician.

Red tape was not his strong suit, and most of those within Earth Defense ranks wanted no part of him on their team. But Lieutenant Jack Strong had been the exception. He could appreciate a man with values. And Lincoln respected Jack as a leader. The only part of the reason that Bailey felt inclined to remind the man of the sensitivity of the mission ahead.

Then there was Sayers. Typical soldier, though a bit on the scrappy side. Brush cut up top and a frame that filled out with the results of daily pushups. Though he was a good soldier, very solid with a battle rifle, his knack was reading digital equipment. He could literally see things through a monitor in a simple flyby that most others seemed to miss. He had an attention to detail.

And though Bailey worried a bit, he had no time to second guess his order. The two men had already boarded their chopper, prepping it for a hop. Doing it so quickly that most looking on began to wonder if their order had interfered with their routine. One that consisted of eating, sleeping...and not much else.

"Stay in contact throughout the flight. Make sure they stay on point." Bailey commented.

"Yes, sir." Chandra replied, turning to exchange com traffic in order to test the equipment.

Then, without warning, the chopper dropped from the hangar back, free-falling through a large opening in the floor.

It exposed an empty hangar bay. One large room with steel walls with two openings in the floor, each of them was normally home to a chopper held in place by extending arms of steel. Now, however, Bailey found himself looking out of the openings onto the glow of the moon below.

"Always hated this shit!" Lincoln yelled, both soldiers strapped in tight as the chopper dropped like a stone into the planet's atmosphere.

"Well, the rain is knocking out all communication. Something else to hate." Sayers replied.

"Fuck it, I don't like talking on this thing anyway. Just stay glued to the monitors and we'll do a quick flyby." Lincoln said.

"You can count on that."

-

"What?" Bronson asked with anger. "I just dried off!"

"Suck it up," Jack replied. "It's your fault the ship is loaded down with vodka, to begin with!"

"Either way, I think the hard part will be getting back to the chopper. You have no idea what we're dealing with LT." Twiggy commented.

"Whatever is on the outside of this door has no idea who it's fucking with," Jack said, hoisting a battle rifle onto his right shoulder. "I'm looking at a bunch of starving kids, and I'm a little pissed off about it."

"What are we supposed to do?" Bronson asked with a bit of sarcasm.

"Our jobs," Jack replied sharply. "Renaldo and Wesley stay here with the survivors while we carry our asses to the ship. We get there and back it up to the door. It'll give us a chance to try and make contact with the others and provide whatever comfort we can to these survivors."

"Jack, you don't understand. These fucking things outside...they're like nothing we've seen before. That short trip to the chopper isn't gonna seem so short if these bastards are still outside."

"Then run fast," Jack replied. "And if all else fails, shoot the bastards."

"Yea." Bronson said with disgust.

-

"Getting something." Sayers said, the chopper doing a low pass over the colony, though they could see nothing but rain.

"What is it?" Lincoln asked.

"It's a com from ground team. Sounds like a looped message, but they're alright. The rain is just knocking out their communications to the ship, which is understandable." Sayers replied.

"I hear that," Lincoln said with a nod. "This shit is thick as thieves."

Sayers agreed with a chuckle, continuing to monitor everything he could through the com system.

"I'll turn and do another pass, then we'll report back to the XO. Let him know all is well." Lincoln said with confidence.

-

"Fuck!" Bronson yelled, turning to fire several shots into the blanket of rain behind him.

The man was strong but greatly hindered, as he dragged a seriously wounded Twiggy with his left arm.

"Just get him to the chopper, it's up ahead. I'll do what I can to hold them back!" Jack yelled, his voice nearly overpowered by the sound of falling rain.

The men still had not seen what was stalking them, exactly, but knew Twiggy's injuries were severe. He had been severed through the chest, though none of the men had even seen the enemy. They were literally blinded by the rain, with only the faint outline of the chopper visible.

As a leader, Lieutenant Jack Strong felt horrible, having made it to the chopper with both of his men trailing behind. The soldier in him screamed for immediate return to help Bronson drag their wounded friend with haste. But the human being inside of him knew the children inside of the fallout shelter depended on at least one of them to make it back to the chopper. It was their only hope.

And so, after a moment of personal struggle, Jack decided to go back; help the men under his command. But only a couple of steps into the decision, he saw Bronson fall to his death, dropping a wounded Twiggy in the process.

It was a moment that would forever cement into his mind, Twiggy, the group's explosives expert, reaching out for Jack with desperation, only to be quickly dragged out of sight and into the thick of rain. Screams of soul-damning following very closely behind.

The soldier inside of Jack finally agreed with the human being in him.

Get inside the chopper.

Quickly pressing a sequence of buttons, the chopper's door opened, quickened by the pushing grasp of Jack's arms, which seemed to pop with such harsh use.

"Read you loud and clear ground team." the voice of Sayers said, broadcasting throughout the chopper.

"Wait!" Jack yelled, quickly closing the rear door of the chopper. "Wait, wait!" he cried, grabbing the com in his hand.

"Just in the nick of time LT, we were just about to hit atmosphere, go ahead with your traffic." Sayers replied.

"Oh God," Jack said, thankful that he had reached them in time. "I need you to get a message to Bailey."

"Alright sir, go ahead." Sayers replied, his voice sounding calm even through the digital front of the com system.

"Tell him, Bronson, Twiggy, and Avery are all dead. So are most of the colonists."

"I'm sorry sir, dead? Say again?" Sayers replied with a serious lack of belief, as though the com had become malfunctioned.

"Dead!" Jack confirmed loudly. "I need him to contact Earth Defense Command and get some damn help in here. I also need him to assemble a second ground team. Bring plenty of weapons and ration packs. The survivors are mostly children and haven't eaten."

"Uh," Sayers replied, taking a moment to relay the news to Lincoln. "Will do sir. What should I tell Bailey when he asks how the men died?"

"There is something here." Jack replied.

"Something, as in what? Contamination? Animals?" Sayers asked probingly.

Up until that very moment, Lieutenant Jack Strong had been unsure himself. But, glancing to the shatterproof windshield of the chopper, he saw it. Several of them. Just as the surviving general had described them. Demons.

Very tall, each of them had a startling paleness about them - their faces seemed to mesh together with pieces of flesh. It resembled a very serious skin-graft, with eyes of solid black. And though he had thought the general to be either mad or a victim of prolonged stress, his description had been accurate. Tall wings made of a steel-type material, their edges appearing to be razor sharp, as did the massive claws poking from their fingers.

Worse, dozens of them seemed to appear behind the one closest to the chopper, leading Jack to wonder how many there actually were.

"Sir?" Sayers asked.

"Just check your video feed." Jack replied, having the heads-up enough to lean forward and press a record button on the control panel.

A single pane of shatterproof glass separated the leader of a small Earth Defense Marine group from what appeared to be the devil himself, though it wasn't possible. Still, the monster began to drag his claws across the glass tauntingly, grinning a bit while staring at Jack with the pitch-dark of its eyes.

Firing up the thrusters of the chopper, Jack leaned close to the glass, placing their faces less than a foot apart. Offering it the universal sign of fuck-off as he raised his middle finger, slowly drifting the chopper in reverse toward the fallout shelter.

"That's the signal," Renaldo said of the thrusters. "Open the door!" he added, prompting Wesley and the general to begin helping him open their slab of steel safety as the chopper swiftly approached. Eventually bumping up against the front of the shelter.

With a sequenced press of keys, the chopper door opened once more, this time exposing the interior of the fallout shelter while providing a needed barricade from those who would see them dead.

"Hang tight sir, we'll get help to your position soon enough." Sayers replied.

With that, the chopper passed overhead one last time, bursting back into the upper-atmosphere on its way to report the findings to Bailey, and ultimately, Earth Defense Command.

"Jesus man, what in the hell was that?" Lincoln asked.

"I'm," Sayers replied, pausing to regain his wits. "I'm not sure. But we have to get this video back to Bailey quick."

Acknowledging the truth of his statement, Lincoln began to force the chopper into a full-burn, which turned it into a machine capable of hauling ass while drinking fuel as if it were going out of style.

-

Lieutenant Jack Strong sat in the pilot's seat for several harsh moments, continuing his stare out into a pit of fog which partially hid those who lusted of murder.

He had never seen their race before.

All of the training, the wars, the grit of battlefield death; it had all primed him into becoming the soldier that he was. Solid, strong and without fear.

But as he glanced out to those who appeared demon-like, their eyes gleaming of the madness of slaughter, Jack felt himself shiver just a bit.

"Sir."

Spinning back with haste, Jack immediately held Renaldo at gunpoint, his pistol dedicated to the draw.

"Whoa sir, it's me." the sniper said easily, slowly lifting his hands a bit.

"Sorry about that," Jack replied, lowering his piece. "Fuck!"

"I take it whatever is out there is as advertised?" the sniper asked.

"I don't know what the fuck it is...what they are...but the old man was right. Looked like textbook demons to me." Jack replied.

"Were you able to get a message out to Bailey? Heard a chopper flying overhead." Renaldo asked.

"It was Sayers, and yes I sent him a video feed of the bastards. Told him to get in touch with command and get us some damn help out here." Jack replied.

"How long before they get here?"

"We need to get everyone together about that." Jack replied, turning to stare out into the pack of demons once more, the silhouette of their figures seemingly dissipating into the fog.

-

"The good news is I was able to alert my crew in orbit. They know we're here, stranded, and they have a video feed of whatever is outside." Lieutenant Strong said, turning to look into the faces of each of them, including the children.

"What's the bad news?" the general asked.

"The bad news?" Jack asked with surprise. "For starters, three of my men are dead," he said before pausing. "So are nearly all of yours."

"How long before help arrives? Before we can these children off of this rock?" Julia asked.

A very good question in Jack's mind further made important by her genuine concern for the young colonists.

"Good question," he finally replied, his tone much easier with her compared to the general. "The remainder of my crew will surely be here soon enough, but beyond that, I'm not sure. It takes a lot of turning wheels to get real firepower here."

"You're not telling me anything new." the general commented, thinking of his years as a man of the uniform.

"There is something I wanted to lay out in front of the group," Jack said, taking his time in sternly looking to the general. "We do have a fully-functional chopper.

"So we're saved?" Julia asked.

"Not exactly. There's a cargo limit in terms of weight, so we all won't be able to make the trip. I was thinking of packing it with a soldier who will pilot, yourself, and as many children as we can fit." Jack replied.

"I appreciate the offer lieutenant, but I'd rather stay behind. I wouldn't feel right leaving and knowing children were still here. I couldn't live with it." Julia replied.

"Alright," Jack said, taking a moment to admire her bravery. "One soldier and as many children as we can possibly fit. Everyone else stays behind and digs in deep. We hold this position until help arrives."

"We? You mean you're not going?" Wesley asked.

"Afraid not. I couldn't live with myself," Jack replied with a grin, turning to warm the heart of Julia for a moment. "It'll be one of you two, and you'll settle it in marine fashion."

The woman had thought of asking what marine fashion meant, but hesitated just long enough to have her question answered, both Renaldo and Wesley dropping down to the push-up position.

The two soldiers began to push themselves up and down slowly in synchronized fashion, waiting for the other to give out. And though it was an easy task at first for both, after several minutes, their faces told a different story. One of twitching muscles cascading throughout their bodies with pain.

After nearly ten minutes of muscles lifting and lowering, Renaldo finally remained down, exhausted in defeat.

"That's what I'm talking about." Wesley commented, exhausted himself, but finding the energy to flex a biceps muscle toward the beaten sniper.

"Just get ready to get these kids into orbit," Jack replied, reminding them all of the seriousness of their situation. "You get up there and make sure Bailey is bringing us what we need, and you make sure they've alerted the core."

"You got it." Wesley said, nodding before turning to walk toward the chopper.

"Get in and sit tight. We'll pack it out slowly, then wait for a spell. We'll have to be quick about launching it," Jack said, turning to the others. "And those of us staying behind will have to be fast about sealing the door back."

"Lucky bastard." Renaldo said with envy.

"Not luck son," Wesley replied, turning to face the stringy smuggler. "Skill. Pure unadulterated, meat-eating, country-strong skill."

"I hear you," Renaldo commented, a bit under his breath. "I hope you choke on your first hot meal, you arrogant fuck."

-

It was the first crisis that Bailey had ever been tasked with, though he seemed to handle it well. Each move he made was done so in a rushed fashion, though very strategic.

"Pull both mechs and put them online. Have them handle the basic ship maintenance." Bailey said.

"Yes, sir." Chandra replied as the remaining soldiers scurried throughout the ship collecting their weaponry.

"You're to remain here. You make damn sure the core sends real firepower. Keep the distress message looping, and keep this baby in orbit." he added.

"You got it." she replied with a smile.

"Alright everybody, get your asses together and meet me in the launch bay in five." he ordered, pressing a button down on the com system.

Then, taking a moment to try and collect himself, Bailey began watching the looping video feed their ship was attempting to broadcast to the Earth Defense Marine Core.

"Never seen anything like it before. Never." he said.

"Alright, give me a list of what we're taking along!" Bailey demanded the last to board the small chopper as Wilson, Martin, Lincoln, and Sayers waited patiently.

"Two sealed crates of chow, a pile of medical supplies and guns. Lots of fucking guns." Lincoln replied with pride.

"Good. Let's go save some kids and skin some asses." Bailey said, sitting and beginning to buckle in. "Let's go!"

Rather than wait for him to finish strapping in, Lincoln nodded his approval of the direct order, beginning the sequence of the hop to come.

There was something about the toxic mixture of nerves, adrenaline and the free-fall which every hop began with. It was almost an out of body experience for any soldier who had felt the combination of the three.

The force of a chopper falling hundreds of miles per second, as if a stone had been flicked from the orbiting ship above, only filled with the souls of soldiers who hungered for a fight.

Each of them thought about the video stream which had been broadcast by their commanding officer. Each soldier's mind vividly replaying the sight of demons below.

"These boys don't know who they fucked with!" Martin yelled, bringing chuckles from soldiers who otherwise held a tight grip on the handles attached to their seats.

Moments later, the chopper's thrusters began to fire, taking the crew from a free-fall to a full-burn within a single moment.

"Woohoo" Lincoln yelled, his hands controlling the chopper's flight stick as the entire crew was pushed back into their seats with violent turbulence.

"Check your gauges Sayers, I can hear equipment back here stalling out!" Bailey yelled.

"It's not equipment sir, it's rain." Sayers replied, continuing his close monitoring of the shuttle's vitals.

Rain? Bailey thought, having never heard such a heavy downpour in his life.

The interior of the chopper began to echo with the roar of rainfall. Pellets of hard water slamming against the man-made steel of the chopper, as it did against the shatterproof windshield.

"How can you see in this shit?" Bailey asked, using a loud voice in an attempt to overpower the steel-echoed rain.

"I can't," Lincoln replied. "Lieutenant Strong has their chopper beacon going, so I'm aiming for a spot near them."

"Good idea," Bailey replied. "Sayers, go ahead and alert our beacon in anticipation of the core sending more firepower."

"You got it." Sayers replied, punching in a sequence of buttons that would make their spacecraft findable to the core's equipment when the time came.

-

"LT, they're weaponized!" Renaldo yelled, spotting several of the demon-like soldiers planting a large cannon into the ground.

It was primitive in appearance, though a glowing red circuit inside of the metal cylinder gave way to the fact that it was advanced, and it was a weapon.

And though it was a single cylinder, a spear-like attachment rested on its bottom, sinking into the water-drenched ground with a thud as it began to pivot.

"Weaponized?" Lieutenant Strong asked loudly, rushing over to the open door as he joined Renaldo in watching the chopper filled with children lifting-off. "Oh God!"

It was a certainty that the children, accompanied by Wesley, were to be destroyed at the hands of this race of murderers. And though he would have given his own life in order to save those aboard the doomed chopper, even Lieutenant Strong knew there was no stopping the demons, who now began to lock their weapon onto the lifting shuttle of souls.

"Oh my God, no" Julia shouted with panic, eyes quickly turning to waterfalls as she thought of the children and their innocence. "No!" she shouted, attempting to run out to halt the demons, quickly grabbed by the grasp of Jack Strong.

"LT!" Renaldo yelled, pointing to the sky above.

Just as the sniper had spotted the second chopper, the steel-winged demons had done the same. Taking a moment before finally adjusting their targeting system.

Lieutenant Jack Strong found himself looking to the skies above, the pupils of his eyes burning a bit as they fought against the relentless fall of rain. Two objects, though sketchy at best. One of them filled with children and heading to safety, while the second was most likely packed with needed supplies and longtime friends.

He knew that one of the ships was doomed, sensing an element of advancement when it came to the species of demons. He had thought them to be mindless-monsters, but now realized how wrong he'd been.

Lieutenant Strong watched as one of them seemed to bark orders to the others, though he did so in a very strange dialect. One that wouldn't be possible to replicate with a human tongue.

He realized how advanced the species was, in fact, noticing a special insignia imprinted onto the chest plate of their leader. They were weaponized and militarized, leading Jack Strong to sincerely believe there were hundreds more. If not thousands.

His thoughts were quickly pulled from that of military assessment, however, and back to reality, as the weapon placement fired.

It made the sound of a loud whisper as if someone was standing over the group and had exhaled deeply. The cylinder tube ejected a single burst, though it looked as though it were made from two different materials. The first was a glowing blue, followed by the second side of the shot that seemed to burn with a crimson red.

"Picking up some type of heat signature sir!" Sayers yelled, alerting everyone inside of the heavily-staffed chopper that was incoming.

"What is it?" Bailey asked with concern.

Before a reply could follow, however, their chopper was struck with the burst of double color. The glowing blue crashed into their spacecraft first, a full-blown EMP which essentially disabled every component of the ship. Then, a split-second later, the dark red burst struck their hull and damaged it greatly. Molten acid eating away everything in its path, including two fine soldiers in Wilson and Martin.

An analog-style alarm began to blare throughout the ship, alerting them to trouble as if a free-fall wasn't warning enough.

It's startling how a single moment can change a man. A world of military-trained calm turning into pure chaos as the inevitable becomes clear.

"Going down!" Lincoln yelled, the small chopper taking on heavy rain through a large hole which had eaten its way through the hull.

And though he pleaded with the flight stick, every speck of desperation inside of his arms pulling to gain control; there was simply no way around it.

They were indeed going down. Dropping like a stone filled with praying souls, each of them asking God for the chance to see another day.

"Try," Bailey yelled, the spin of their chopper forcing harshly against his lungs. "Try to put us down somewhere decent."

"Can't do shit," Lincoln yelled. "I got zero control."

Wesley had seen the shot from the pilot's chair of his own chopper. He'd been only yards away from the burst of fire and exploding steel.

And though his prayers were with the crewmen aboard the chopper which fell without regard for those aboard it, Wesley thanked the Gods for allowing him safe escape. Not to mention the children who remained seated inside of the cabin. Each of them struck with complete fear.

"Alright guys, pulling from the atmosphere now. We'll be aboard a ship within minutes and I'll have you all in a warm bed eating hot chow." Wesley commented, though his words were meant to comfort himself as much as the children.

"Shit!" Lieutenant Strong muttered, a bit under his breath but with great authority.

"The children!" Julia cried out.

"The children are fine," the lieutenant replied, turning to the panic-stricken woman. "But the bastards shot down the rest of my crew," he added. "Our supplies."

"What's our move LT?" Renaldo asked.

Staring out into the heavy rain for a long moment, his eyes never flinching, Lieutenant Jack Strong finally replied.

"Let's go be soldiers."

Fuck it. Two tears in a bucket.

He thought back to the original crash, of course. To the feeling he had carried in the bottom of his stomach throughout his entire career. He'd cheated death.

Being the single survivor of a skiff landing gone wrong had made Jack appreciate the things around him so much more. Yet, he had carried a sense of burden as well. Almost as if he felt a touch of guilt with him. Not guilt for the crash, which the authorities had investigated and cleared of any wrongdoing.

He felt guilty for continuing his life while all of those around him had been cemented into a fiery death. Jack felt as though a part of each of their souls remained with him. Even to this day.

Lieutenant Jack Strong had become just that. Strong. At least when it came to being a soldier. Professionally speaking, there were none that were stronger. While on a personal level he remained distant to most.

Fear of losing them, possibly, or fear of the other shoe finally catching up to him and dropping with swift judgment. Inflicting pain onto any and all who had become close to him.

And so Jack remained a soldier's soldier while keeping to himself outside of the uniform.

"You cannot go out there. You just can't." Julia said.

"No choice." Jack replied.

He'd began to check his weaponry carefully. Knowing in his heart that is was minutes away from being broken in well.

"If you go out there, those things will kill you. Both of you! And we'll be stuck here to die, just as we were before." the frantic woman replied.

"If we don't go out there our supplies are useless," Jack replied, turning to the woman for a moment. "Assuming they are still intact."

"Something is," Renaldo replied, using an electronic sensor that mounted to the side of his rifle in order to confirm it. "Some sort of beacon from what I can make of it."

"It means Bailey did things by the book. Even under pressure." Lieutenant Strong said with renewed confidence.

"The son of a bitch was known for it." Renaldo responded.

"He did his job, now let's hope Wesley does the same and gets some fucking help in here," Jack replied. "While we go do our job."

"It'll work," Lieutenant Strong commented, both men having edged themselves out into the rain. "Or at least it should."

"Let's hope so." his sniper replied.

Then, with a deep incline of his right arm, Jack hurled a live grenade nearly out of sight. It digital masterpiece of pain slicing through the hammer of rain and shaking the ground with a thunderous bang nearly a hundred-yards away.

Without so much as a word, both soldiers began sprinting away from the makeshift safe house and into the direction opposite of the explosion.

They had run nearly four-hundred yards when Jack motioned the sniper down into cover. Feeling as though they had made enough ground.

"How are we looking on the beacon?" Jack asked.

"As far as I can tell, we're still nearly a hundred-yards out. And I'm already seeing wreckage?" Renaldo replied.

"You will," Jack said, skimming his eyes onto the faint horizon filled with rain as his mind drifted back through his years of military service. "I've seen a few go down in my time. Brace yourself for the worst, because the odds of someone making it out of the crash alive," he said with a pause. "They aren't good."

"Figured as much." Renaldo said, skimming the horizon as well, though he did so with the aid of a sniper's scope.

"Take the bait?" Jack asked.

"Seem to have. I see nearly a dozen of the bastards in my scope. More than likely they will figure it out quick enough though, may have to shoot our way back in." Renaldo said.

"Be sure to get footage of whatever in the fuck it is we're dealing with." Jack said.

"On it." Renaldo responded, clicking a sequence of two buttons which began to digitally record the findings of his scope into the gun's internal hard drive.

-

"I wouldn't worry too much dear. The lieutenant seems capable of doing a good job." the general said, doing his best to comfort Julia as they both awaited a sign of hope.

"I know," she replied, trying to remain positive. "I just pray the children made it to safety."

"As do I." the general replied, standing beside the besieged woman as he thought of a colony that once was.

Colony twelve-seven. At least that was its official name, though its name became irrelevant as the dying began.

A small group of miners had originally filed a report. A written account of strange writings they had discovered on the walls of a nearby cavern.

They had been thought mad, or perhaps even victims of exhaustion. But when the group made a second trip, returning with photographs of the writing, their report became the top priority of the colony.

Not that it mattered.

After sending an investigative group to the site with no return, and then a second, the general knew they were in trouble. Though the souls around him refused to accept the severity of their condition, the general had triggered the distress beacon himself.

And as the moments of their first encounter with the Succubus soldiers became a reality, the general had already begun packing children away to safety. His quick thinking, along with the helping hands of Julia, had been the determining factor of the children's survival.

And though, for hours, they were forced to listen to the pleading screams of colonists through the thickened-doors of their shelter, they remained positive. Julia knew of the general's military background. And the general knew of the swift action that his military would take in order to help them.

He'd expected an entire Earth Defense carrier ship, though a part of him knew it was but wishful thinking. Their society had expanded far beyond the protection of such mighty ships. As predicted, they had sent a smaller ship filled with Earth Defense Marines. Investigate the beacon and report back to the fleet. It was protocol.

He'd comforted Julia's fears many times with stories of Earth Defense soldiers by the hundreds, even thousands, landing to save them from such a dire enemy. But as a half-dozen soldiers of ill-manner and a look of aggravation showed up at their doorstep, the general felt as though his military had let him down.

That is until Jack and Renaldo had volunteered to go out into the rain, the entire area covered with a new species of damned-killers, for the sake of bringing supplies back.

Selflessness. The mark of a true soldier.

-

"Fuck man, I don't want to die. You do it!" Renaldo said with conviction, though he did so in a hushed voice.

"I'm not asking, I'm telling." Lieutenant Strong replied with a growl.

A supply crate nearly twenty-feet away. Luminous blue flashing being emitted from its top as a light blinked on delay. The thick steel case was one of two, with the second having fallen into a ravine nearby. Its blue light giving away the position.

"Remember back on Galveston Seven? Remember, you said that you owed me one," Renaldo asked. "I took a hop for you and nearly died?"

"Shit," Jack replied, knowing he'd been bested. "That was years ago!"

"There's no expiration date on that one. I got shot!"

"Alright, damn," Lieutenant Strong confessed. "But we do this my way."

"Let's hear it." the sniper replied.

"You make it up to that hill," Jack said, pointing out the direction of a nearby elevation of rock. "You pan the entire area and clear me to go. Then you double-time to the crash site and figure things out. When you come back through, I'll have a pack filled and waiting in that spot," the lieutenant said, adjusting his finger's aim to a spot near the first supply crate. "You grab it and haul ass right behind me. Gun at the ready, just in case."

"Got it." Renaldo said with a nod.

"And Renaldo," Lieutenant Strong said, grabbing the rushed sniper by his arm. "After this shit we're even."

"You got it, boss. Good luck." the sniper replied, nodding once more and then breaking off into the direction of the hill. Though he did so with caution and silence.

"Good luck?" Jack mumbled as he thought of their stumbling onto such a capable foe, a skiff filled with his soldiers crashing down and the prospect of having to load up satchels full of supplies. Doing so in the wide-open while praying none of the demons caught sight of him. "Now there goes a damn comedian right there."

-

"I don't understand?" Chandra said, stunned by the news.

"The whole damn chopper, I saw it with my own eyes," Wesley replied, grabbing her above the elbows to enforce the truth. "They're gone."

She offered no reply. Just a heartfelt sobbing.

"Cry for them later. Right now, you need to forget about that shit and worry about these kids I brought up. They're starving and scared. Alright?" Wesley said.

Though she continued to cry, Chandra began to close her emotions down for the moment, nodding and doing her best to calm down.

"If you can see them to the mess hall, it would be great. They won't cause you any worry, they're just scared shitless. I got to get on the com and send a wave to those who need to know." he said.

"And the lieutenant?" she asked.

"He's good I guess, hell I don't know," the soldier replied. "I'm sorry Chandra, I really don't. I just know if he is, he's starving his ass off and waiting for the cavalry to arrive. You good?" Wesley asked.

"Yes," the beautiful woman replied, drying her eyes a bit. "I'm fine. I'll get these kids some warm food."

"Not too much though. We are talking marine chow here. It's liable to land them in sickbay." Wesley said with a grin. His attempt to lighten the mood a bit while making reference to the vomit-like food.

And though Wesley rushed quickly to the small bridge area, he stopped for a few moments. Nimble hands activating the ship's two onboard mech units.

"Find Officer Bailey and assist her in serving chow to our guests. Then take a moment to look the ship over for anything mechanical." Wesley said, firming his words to the two mechanical bots.

"Right away." one of the masterwork machines replied in a throaty and digital voice.

They weren't officially soldiers. They were placed two to a skiff, at least of this size, for the single purpose of maintenance. The maintenance units were a far cry from their soldiering cousins, which could dispatch death onto its foes with ease. But they looked mighty similar.

Tall by human standards, an exoskeleton of steel and an abundance of raw strength. Nearly a year before, the crew had even bartered for a mechanic's shirt for each of the droids. One of them a solid blue, while the other was branded with the name Earl. Stitched with the finest bargain-bin thread.

So they had been effectively dubbed Earl and Hey You. Or some other, less PG-13 names, depending on who was shouting into their direction.

"Corporal Wesley, Earth Defense High Freedom. Please respond." the soldier barked into the com system.

And as he waited, listening to the sound of steel boots hitting the floor in the distance, the soldier calmly waited for a reply.

"Corporal Wesley, Earth Defense high Freedom. Please respond."

This time, after a moment of zinging through the com system, the desperate soldier found his response.

"You're on a secure Earth Defense channel corporal, go ahead."

It was a man's voice, soldier no doubt. And it seemed hindered by the disturbance of Wesley's transmission.

"We have one chopper down and a second in bad shape. The majority of my crew is possible K.I.A. Need immediate evacuation under heavy guard." Wesley said, as though he were admitting defeat.

"What's your location corporal, so I can estimate a time?" the man's voice asked.

One of the worst things a soldier can feel is forgotten. Which is how Wesley began to feel that very moment. Fighting for their lives on a military-ordered mission, only to have that same military seem bothered by a ship of its own soldiers.

"Tanilia Moon Colony. We were ordered here to recon a beacon and ran into..." Wesley began to say with aggravation.

"Please hold all traffic corporal." the man's voice replied, cutting the soldier off before he could bitch about his current situation.

You little bastard. If I could, I would reach through this com and ring you by your damned little chicken-neck! Wesley thought.

He could hear several children laughing in the background of his own ship, though faintly. A good sign that they were easing a bit and no longer fearing for their lives.

"You're almost seventeen-clicks from the nearest safe zone corporal. We'll dispatch a ship to you as soon as one becomes available, but with that much legwork in front of it, you're looking to be there at least a couple more weeks." the voice replied.

WEEKS? The corporal thought, his mental bitching beginning to get the best of him.

"We don't have weeks," he said loudly, his voice now barking into the ship's com. "My entire crew is down. Either dead or injured and in serious need. We got a group of kids sheltered aboard our last remaining ship, but are low on supplies. We've found something here. Some type of alien life." Wesley added.

"Let me guess. Demonic in appearance, winged and heavily-armed?" the voice asked over the com system.

"Um, yea," the weary soldier asked, stunned by the question. "How the hell did you..."

"Because corporal, we've been at war for nearly forty-hours now. They've taken four of our planets and sacked Laylan Base." the voice admitted.

Wesley knew the seriousness of that statement. Though the Sky Platform was the Earth Defense Marines strongest base, Laylan was on the short list. If it had indeed fallen, it meant they were not only at war but getting their asses handed to them.

"War?" the stunned soldier asked.

"Affirmative. Looking at your logs it appears your unit was dispatched shortly before the Rynal began appearing across most of our colonies. Wasn't long after that they began hitting us with a lot of military force."

"God." Wesley said.

"Roger that. We still don't know a lot about them. But what we do know is there are hundreds of distress calls just like yours coming in. We'll get to you, but you have to find a way to sit tight until we can. Copy?" the voice asked.

"Copy that." Wesley replied, finding it hard to push those words from his lips.

"Earth Defense Command out."

-

Normally Jack would have cursed such heavy rain. But given the circumstances, it provided him with additional cover. Which he welcomed with open arms.

The lieutenant had shoved as many supplies into a satchel as possible. Military MRE packs, rifle magazines, and a small com radio, though its housing appeared damaged.

Zipping the satchel, Jack quickly placed it in the exact spot he'd pointed out to Renaldo. Forcing his body to stand as it fought against the weight of such rainfall.

He was alert enough to see the clawed-hand crashing down, rolling to his left as the Rynal soldier missed. A motion that left him down on a single knee and looking into the eyes of the demonic-like foe.

It was the first time he'd come face to face with such a horror, and he found himself visually studying the beast.

It was taller in stature than Jack, though its frame looked to be just as fleshy. Its body was webbed together like alligator skin. Nothing but tendons wrapped in skin.

And tendons could be severed, no matter the species.

"I think you'll find that I'm a bit tougher to kill than innocent children." Jack said firmly, standing to his feet slowly while unsheathing a combat blade from his leg holster.

The Rynal soldier replied. Uttering a string of language that was not understandable, nor repeatable by a human tongue. Still, Jack knew that the beast understood the events to follow. Its elongated fingers crunching down a bit to further expose claws.

The winged-demon was the first to strike, claws missing as it jumped down with tremendous force.

The monster looked up at him, its eyes of fiery-black concentrating on the seasoned soldier a bit. Studying him. Its eyes eventually shifting down to the knife hand of Jack, who strengthened his grip on the blade.

"See, where I'm from, a razor's edge will cut flesh from bone. Don't matter the species. And you can bet your ass," the lieutenant said with a slight grin. "I've cut my fair share."

The demon adjusted the angle of his head a bit, tilting it as the green of its eyes continued to watch the soldier.

Then, without a moment of warning, the Rynal soldier dashed in with extended claws, nearly digging into the marine's stomach.

Had he been less-experienced, the thrust of claws would have caught him. Possibly even killed him. But Jack had seen his fair share.

The first Sky War. The second. He'd even rubbed shoulders with the Sky Elites while hunting down murderous war criminals after it had all been said and done.

And using his experience wisely, he created a deep slash across the demon's rib cage as it dashed in for him. Dripping blood of neon-green which eventually began pouring.

"Be sure you get that wound looked at when you get to the gates of hell." Lieutenant Strong commented, grinning a bit as the Rynal held its wound.

His grin quickly turned to a grimace of pain, however, as a second Rynal drug its clawed-hand down the marine's back, crimson color immediately soaking the soldier's back.

Jack had hit the ground, rolling in pain as he also realized a second demon had joined the fight. The odds no longer even.

Quick enough, he narrowly escaped a thrashing curb stomp-style kick meant to end him – responding with a solid kick of his own to one of the Rynal, its leg buckling a bit. Then a second, as Jack began to work his way back upright.

Even the smallest bones in his skull, however, jarred wildly as the second Rynal crushed him back to the ground with an authoritative backhand.

With his vision blurred and what had instantly become a near-crippling headache, Jack was reluctant to stand again, opting instead to defend himself from his back.

Pulling a rifle from its back, one of the Rynal uttered several harsh words, its language very cold and direct; as Jack remained crumpled to the ground awaiting his fate. Eventually closing his eyes.

The lieutenant shook as the burst of ammunition sounded loud, though it took a moment to register. It was Earth Defense gunfire.

Quickly opening his eyes, Jack saw a Rynal falling victim to a single round, high-caliber. As the second turned with surprise, Ronaldo fired on it as well, though the monster evaded the shot. At least in terms of being fatal, the bullet merely clipping its side.

The demon screamed in pain, however, as Jack dashed to his feet and plunged man-made steel into the lower spine of the creature; brutally dragging the blade upward as the Rynal's screams turned to silence.

"Run!" Ronaldo yelled, nearing his brother in arms.

"Huh?" Jack asked, a ringing headache partially to blame.

"RUN!" the sniper yelled once more, sprinting past his military superior.

Oh Shit. Jack thought as the horizon was now filled with heavy rain and a small horde of Rynal, each of them closing in fast.

The pain of a headache is enough to put even the best to rest. Amazingly, however, the adrenaline of death at the gates seems to always push us to our limits. As it did with Lieutenant Jack Strong as he began sprinting as though his life depended on it.

Which it did.

-

"How are you feeling?" Julia asked several hours later as Jack lay resting.

"My head is still splitting...but I'm lucky to be alive." he replied.

"Yes you are, given everything that has taken place." the young woman said, lifting his head up a bit to place a fresh rag across his forehead; the linen full of cold water and headache-killing ability, or so it seemed.

"Sitrep!" the lieutenant yelled.

"Well sir," Renaldo replied, leaving the general to watch over the building's one and only entrance. "It isn't a good one."

"Give it to me." Jack demanded.

"Well alright, you asked," the sniper replied as a disclaimer. "We're at war."

"What?" Jack asked, removing the rag from his head as he sat up quickly, preparing to stand.

"I mean we're at war. The Earth Defense Force. Whatever those things are, we've dubbed them Rynal. Turns out the bastards are everywhere, not just here."

"What?" Jack asked, trying to process the new information. "How can that be?"

"I dunno. There was a small radio in the satchel, but it's one-way. I've been listening as best I can, but nobody is talking how. Just battle orders and casualties for the most part." Renaldo said.

Jack began to think about everything. The crew he had lost, the memories of home and his government as a whole. Then, pulling his sidearm, the lieutenant slowly aimed into the direction of the general.

"Why have they not taken this building?" Jack asked, his pistol glued to the general.

"What?"

"I just saw with my own eyes what these things are capable of. They have the muscle and the weaponry to get to us. To get through my ship. So my question is, why haven't they broken through yet?" Jack demanded to know.

"I, I don't know," the general said, pausing to lift his hand in front of the gun's path. "Please, that's the truth. I wondered myself, but I don't have the answers lieutenant. Now please." the general replied.

"I do," Julia added, stepping forward to the conversation. "At least I think I do."

Jack turned to her, pausing for a moment before finally lowering his sidearm and awaiting her explanation.

"I think it is the children," she admitted. "When the attacks began, they seemed to stay clear of the buildings where children were. I don't know why I just know that when we brought them into this building they began to ignore us and decimated the remainder of the colony."

"And you said nothing of this?" the general asked loudly.

"I didn't know. I thought it was my own mind thinking into things too deeply. I had no idea they were connected, and still, don't." Julia replied.

"Makes perfect sense." Jack replied.

"How so lieutenant?" the general asked.

"They used some serious hardware out there. Never seen anything like it before, but I know it could have easily punched through the skiff when it was attached to our front door. Hell, even the front door for that matter. They also rerouted their punch shot into the air and hit my crew's skiff. No way they didn't have time to lock onto the skiff filled with kids."

"The kids are gone." Renaldo stated clearly.

"Yea, I'm aware," Jack replied. "Means we're gonna have to haul ass pretty soon. It's only a matter of time before they hit us."

"Haul ass, there's nowhere to go?" the general replied in a questioning manner.

"I'm a master of improvisation." Jack replied.

-

The giveaway was the scratching against such a battle-thick door. High pitched dragging of nails across the human steel. Moments later, the door which had separated the group from the alien race outside – it began to pull away a bit. Brute force tugging against the hold of large bolts.

It took a few minutes, but finally, the light of day, masked in rainfall, of course, was easily seen through a large gap between the door and the frame surrounding it.

Snap.

The thick steel was finally broken from its hold, snapping apart from its hinges behind the incredible force. The group watched as several of the succubus entered cautiously, each of them toting a weapon which resembled a human rifle. Though it was different at the ends, particularly the glowing end which faced away from the soldiers.

Patting Renaldo on the shoulder for a job well done, Jack remained silent – as did the rest of the group.

The sniper had pulled an LCD screen from one of the battle rifles and linked it to the LCD screen on his own weapon. Working as a two-way system, the group could watch their hunters stalk them with detail. All while remaining hidden beneath a large steel flooring tile to the rear of the building.

Jack had first thought himself mad when seeing this new race of beings. Fearing nobody would believe him. After finding out the human race was at war with this new foe, Jack thought in an entirely different manner. A military manner – his experience taking over in such a situation.

The beasts searched the small building for nearly an hour, but to no avail. Finally grouping together and speaking to one another in language that seemed very strange, Jack watched as a single soldier was posted to the interior of the door.

Their fuck up. Their mistake. The enemy taking Jack and his experience too lightly.

"Gonna have to do this quietly," Jack whispered.

"Quiet is what I do," the sniper replied. "How do you want to play it?"

The sniper awaited Jack's command, while slowly attaching a silencing chamber to the long barrel of his bolt-action rifle.

Easing the steel from beneath their heads, all while watching the LCD screen which now acted as a security system, Jack finally peeked from their safe haven below.

Motioning the sniper up, Jack helped Renaldo ease himself from the spot beneath the large tile of steel as well.

"Count silently to twenty," Jack said, directing his comments to the general and Julia, both of whom remained hidden below. "Then make as much damn noise as you can."

"Are you sure?" the woman asked.

"I'm sure," he replied with confidence. "Two of us, one of them. I don't care how good they think they are," he added. "They don't know who they're fucking with."

Then, turning to motion the sniper into a corner, Jack ordered him to remain prone with a bead on the entryway. As the sniper settled into position, adjusting his scope carefully. Jack pulled both a combat blade and silenced pistol. Positioning himself by the doorway in a kneeling position.

Just as Jack had asked, both the general and Julia began yelling loudly. It was enough to be heard throughout the building, though Jack was sure that it remained muffled enough to be drowned out by ears beyond the building's walls. Hard rain to blame.

Sure enough, Renaldo motioned his lieutenant – letting him know that the soldier was coming to investigate. Seconds later, Jack could hear the heavy steps of such a confident warrior.

Swiftly turning, Jack thrust his blade toward the warrior, its blade stopping just short of entering flesh as the succubus grasped the lieutenant's wrist.

Gritting its teeth with anger, the monster began to overpower Jack by way of his clinch, turning the tested soldier a bit in the process.

Jack fired a single shot from his silenced pistol, the glancing shot barely hitting the monster's right side, but striking enough to release the grip of his wrist.

As the warrior began clinching its own side, only inches below its rib cage, Jack landed a flush hook to its face, staggering the beast back just a bit.

Then, following the punch with two more – both of them solid plows of clinched human bone into the face of an extraterrestrial, Jack seemed to have the upper hand.

Until the beast struck back.

A commanding hook from the much larger opponent knocked Jack to his ass, dazing him a bit. He knew the monster was coming, however, that much was a given.

Rolling to his side, Jack avoided what seemed like a curb-stomp by the alien. As if the lieutenant was pesky at best.

Knowing the alien would be on him again, Jack sprung up with a blade in hand. Cementing the combat knife into the lower portion of its stomach.

Furious, the alien delivered a swooping uppercut which knocked the space marine several feet back. The bloodied man trying to get up once more, before understanding how much damage a single punch from the demon had delivered.

Jack felt as though he were nearly asleep, his head ringing from the recently delivered punch. Watching the menace of men standing above him, Jack heard the zip of man-made weaponry fire through the air. A single, but high-velocity shot pummeling its way through the beast.

The demon prepared to shriek loudly, knowing it was now outnumbered and, in turn, doomed. Two more shots ended that, however, as both of the bolt-action carriers of death drove into the beast's skull. Ending the bastard in the process.

"What..." Jack said with disorientation. "What took you so fucking long?

"Had to wait for a clear shot," Renaldo answered, approaching his downed lieutenant. "Besides, you were handing his ass to him." he added with a grin.

"Is that what it was?" Jack asked, using Renaldo to help himself up. "Between the crippling punches I took, it was kind of hard to tell. Kind of feeling like, I dunno, like I was in the ring against a fucking train."

"Aye." Renaldo acknowledged.

"But one of those big, tough trains. Not one of the sissy Christmas type." Jack added.

"Even though trains fall." Renaldo replied.

"Indeed they do." Jack said, looking down onto the fallen beast as his sniper looted the corpse of any advanced technology. Especially when it came to weaponry.

"Are you alright son?" the general asked, approaching the lieutenant after helping Julia from their safe haven beneath the floor.

"I'll live," Jack replied, turning to the fallen soldier. "He won't." Jack added with a grin.

"Oh my God, wow," Julia said, rushing to Jack and looking his facial wounds over. "Are you alright?"

"Be lying if I didn't say I'd had better days," Jack replied. "But I'm good to go. We still have a job to do."

"And what would that be?" the woman asked.

"Get you both safely aboard my ship." the lieutenant answered with a grin, though it was overpowered by an eye which seemed covered with red veins and a dark bruise below it.

"What's the plan boss?" Renaldo asked.

"Well as soon as you get finished picking the poor bastard clean to the bone, we'll work on getting out of here." Jack replied.

"Hey, I'm just taking what we might need." Renaldo defended with honor.

"Really? I was waiting for you to take his watch. Maybe a wedding ring and credit cards." the lieutenant jested.

"He's got a watch?" Renaldo asked with interest.

"We're leaving?" the general asked.

"No choice. As soon as this guy misses a check-in, they'll be back here thick as thieves. This time, they'll rip the place apart looking for us."

"But I don't know if we can survive out there." the general replied.

"I've survived in worse. We just have to be smart about it. Trust me." Jack replied.

"I do lieutenant. I do." Julia replied though the general seemed a bit more reluctant.

-

"You sure you got it wired up right?" Jack asked of his sniper.

"I'm telling you, I double checked the wiring. That's son of a bitch is pegged to blow sky high just as soon as they open it." Renaldo defended.

"Alright, well," Jack said, the entire group well-hidden in thick brush a few hundred yards away. Using the thick rainfall to mask their getaway. "We hang out here until we hear the boom. When that happens, there should be a lot of attention heading toward the building. When it does, we skirt our asses up to those cliffs."

Pointing toward a set of rocky cliffs that seemed well over a mile out, Jack looked back to the group of four to make sure his plan was clear.

"Shouldn't we stay put in case friendlies come looking for us?" the general asked.

"Pulled the tracking beacon from the downed shuttle. The son of a bitch is right here in my pants," Jack replied, patting one of his cargo pockets. "If they come looking, we'll be easy enough to find."

"I like it lieutenant." the general approved with a nod.

"The rain should erase out footprints within minutes. We just got to make it to those cliffs and start looking for a cave." Jack replied with a nod of his own.

"A cave?" Julia questioned.

"If I know anything as a soldier, it's about how to tuck away and hide real nice. Every set of cliffs has something. A cave, maybe an interior spot that can keep this rain off of us and give us a place to recharge." the lieutenant replied.

With his words came a planet-shuttering boom. One that seemed to quake below their feet.

"That's the signal, get to it. Renaldo, you have the lead." Jack ordered.

The sniper led, followed by the general, a woman of impeccable beauty and a soldier that was as rugged as the planet below them. Each sprinting for the hope of survival as the demons sprinted toward the sound of explosion, only to discover three more of their soldiers killed by the blast.

-

As night fell across the colony of horror, Jack continued to watch the alien bastards below – their cliff hideaway giving the small group of survivors a clear perspective.

"Sure seems a lot more peaceful up here." Julia said, approaching the hardened marine slowly.

Meanwhile, the general slept as Renaldo pushed sleep from his eyes. Having pulled in a bit of rest prior to swapping Jack with watch duties.

"Yea," Jack replied. "Almost seems like there isn't a murderous race down below, with the rain and all." Jack replied, though his thoughts remained on guard.

"Can I ask you a question lieutenant?" the woman asked.

"Jack," he replied friendly. "Of course."

"You seem very distracted." Julia stated.

"Well ma'am, I have to be honest," Jack replied. "The death of most of my crew is weighing heavily – and it shouldn't be."

"Yes, but, you wouldn't be human if you didn't feel some kind of emotion because of them." Julia said in a comforting fashion.

"I've been a soldier long enough to know better," Jack replied, turning to face the beautiful woman. "There's a time and place for emotion. In the midst of battle," he added, turning his attention to the colony below them once more. "That ain't it."

"When then?" Julia questioned.

"My sole focus here and now should be on our survival. That's it," Jack said. "But my crew, the faces of those children," the marine said, biting back tears. "My wife."

"Your wife?" Julia asked, seeming both disappointed and surprised.

"Yea," Jack replied. "I have to push all of that back right now. Otherwise, it would cloud who I am as a soldier."

"I didn't realize you were married. I didn't see a ring." Julia commented.

"Yea I," Jack replied, still oblivious to Julia's feelings for him. "I don't wear one in combat."

"Oh," the young woman replied. "Well, if it's any consolation to you, I think your wife would be very proud. You went toe to toe with one of the soldiers out there."

"Yea and I got the shiner to show for it." Jack replied with a grin, his eye engulfed with black tint from the recent encounter.

"So Jack," Julia said with smile. "From the perspective of a soldier, where do we stand?"

"Well, my boys are coming," Jack replied. "I don't know when, but you can bet your sweet ass the core is coming."

"My sweet ass?" Julia asked with a smile.

"Oh, um," the marine stumbled. "I didn't mean any disrespect. It's just a saying we all have. I apologize."

"No need," Julia replied. "It's just a shame you're married," she added, stopping to cautiously backtrack in her wording. "I mean for me. Not you, of course, I wish you and your wife all the best." Julia carefully added.

As the young lady walked away, passing Renaldo in doing so, they exchanged nods.

"Julia," Jack said, causing the woman to turn once more. "Thank you."

"Of course lieutenant." she replied with a grin.

"Um, anything I should know about LT?" Renaldo asked.

"No, but we do need to talk strategy." Jack replied.

"Yes sir." the sniper acknowledged.

"We know we're at war, and we know our boys will be coming for us." Jack said.

"Yes, sir, and chances are they'll be showing up thick as thieves, guns blazing." Renaldo replied.

"Yep, and it would be a big help to 'em if we could give them a SITREP of some kind when they get here." the lieutenant said.

"How are we gonna do that?" Renaldo questioned.

"I'm going out there. Gonna try and scout out what they have and figure out what in the hell we're dealing with." Jack replied.

"Sir, with all due respect," Renaldo said, speaking to his friend as a loyal soldier. "I should be the one to go."

"Renaldo, I can handle it." Jack confirmed.

"Sir, again, with all due respect, I don't believe you can," the sniper admitted. "Or should."

"What did you just say to me?" the lieutenant asked, clearly upset over the remark.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" the sniper asked.

"Cut the shit, Renaldo. Say what's on your mind." Jack demanded.

"Jack, you got family back home. I don't. We both know whoever goes," the sniper said. "If they get caught, they ain't coming back. Now I have recon skill and the ability to move silently. Hell, I'm a sniper for God's sake. I just got some rest and you're clearly exhausted. Just let me chow up and head out. I'll be back when the sun is back, and I'll have a good picture of what we're dealing with."

"I appreciate it, Renaldo, I do – but I can handle it." the lieutenant stated.

"I know you can," Renaldo replied pleadingly. "Just let me go. I have nothing to lose but my life, and I ain't scared of dying. You got everything to lose and nothing to prove."

The two soldiers exchanged a stare which lasted nearly a complete minute. Each man searching the other one out with a need for words.

"Alright. You find your way down to wherever these fucks are calling a command center. You assess the situation, then you get your ass back in once piece. Understood?" Jack asked.

"You got it." the sniper replied.

"Recon only, I'm series," Jack warned. "We've lost too many already. Now chow up and get moving." the lieutenant added with a nod of thanks.

"Yes, sir." Renaldo replied with his bolt-action rifle across his shoulder.

-

"What is it?" Wesley asked, having rushed to the bridge of the small marine vessel.

Chandra offered no reply, simply a look of defeat.

"Holy shit." Wesley said, glancing through the shatterproof glass and locking eyes onto Chandra's worry.

Two ships, very large and anything but human-built. Carriers – at least that was Wesley's initial assessment.

"What do we do?" Chandra asked.

"God," Wesley added. "I...I dunno."

"Wesley, we need to do something. Either hail them in surrender or try and run. They are closing fast." Chandra said, punching coordinates into the computer systems in front of her.

"No, we can't run. Ships that size are bound to have smaller craft inside. They'd just run us down." Wesley finally admitted.

"What then, try to hail them in surrender?" Chandra asked.

"Normally I'd say hell no. I'd tell you to drop this damn rig to the surface. But with the kids aboard," he said with despair. "We have no other choice."

Chandra looked at him for several moments, both of the soldiers thinking of what may be to come. Wesley finally rested his hand on her shoulder in comforting fashion.

"Attention derelict vessels. This is Officer Chandra Bailey of the Earth Defense Force. I am hereby surrendering our vessel, the High Freedom, and advising that you do not fire. We have several children aboard and will remain unarmed."

With that, Chandra pressed several buttons that solidified the fact that they were dead in the water. Shutting off thrusters and what little weaponry was aboard. Leaving only their lighting, life-support systems, and com online.

As the two large ships pulled closer, both soldiers became nervous. For the children above all else.

"War ships, they gotta be. Looks like a lot of guns hanging off, and the exterior looks well shielded." Wesley commented.

"Do you think they plan to fire on us?" Chandra asked.

"No, they would have done it by now. They've had the bead on us for several minutes."

"What then?" she asked.

"I don't know," Wesley admitted. "May just be trying to figure out what in the hell to do with us."

The ships looked eerie by every definition. Several points on each end, which appeared almost diamond-like. The material which comprised the shell of exterior was a shiny brown. It resembled stone, though both soldiers knew it had to be a type of metal. Nearly twenty large cannons seemed to bloom from each ship, though they were all mounted to one side of the large crafts. Wesley suspected the side without mounted weaponry was the spot where smaller ships may be stored. A hangar bay, or something similar to it.

"They're powering weapons!" Chandra shouted.

"What?" Wesley asked, rushing himself to their console. "Did you power everything down?" he asked, though he checked the systems board with his own eyes.

"Yes!" Chandra replied.

"Well check again!" Wesley frantically replied. "Why would they be powering up weapons? We're no threat to them!"

"I don't know." Chandra replied in defeat.

"Get our damn systems back up, NOW," Wesley ordered. "We're going to have to make a run for it!"

It was too late. One of the large ships fired a burst into their direction – three glowing spheres of red traveling fast.

As Chandra fired systems back up, even she knew it was too late for them.

"Brace!" Wesley shouted, bracing himself for the impact of such weaponry.

The shot glanced over them, however, clipping a ship which now approached the theater of combat.

"High Freedom, this is E.D.F. Silver Charity. You're instructed to fall back to grid position four-seven-fourteen-one-nine and await further instructions." a man's voice announced through the speakers to the surprise of both Wesley and Chandra.

Just a few dozen of feet in front of their own small ship, the two soldiers witnessed zipping white shots with a glow of yellow. Pure and unadulterated man-made ass-kicking lead firing from deck guns.

"Do it!" Wesley shouted, his adrenaline in full supply. "Get us the hell out of here."

The massive carrier had followed the distress call and responded much quicker than expected – and they had shown up with guns blazing. Still, it was a matter of numbers. The large ship of steel was tough, no doubt, but faced two enemy carriers. Each of them now pounding return shots.

"Copy that," Wesley replied proudly, speaking firm into a console mounted com. "Be advised, we still have a few on the surface, including our XO and a former general."

"Acknowledged, now pull back." the voice replied.

The scene had become one of furious fighting, thick stream of shots firing back and forth between the ships, with the Silver Charity taking the brunt of punishment.

On their way to safety, both Chandra and Wesley watched several choppers fall from the carrier. Screaming their way to the surface with a single purpose.

To even the odds.

-

Jack had first thought it to be thunder. Then, as the lieutenant realized the rainstorms were somber, he knew help had arrived. Several loud popping sounds followed by whistling reinforced the fact. Choppers had been sent in.

"What is that?" Julia asked, joining Jack at the cavern entrance, as did the general.

"That would be the sound of marine payback. Am I right lieutenant?" the general asked.

"Well, we're not out of the woods just yet," Jack replied with caution. "But those were definitely marine choppers breaking atmosphere, and from the sound of it, one hell of a firefight above us."

"Do you think our marines stand a chance?" Julia asked with hope.

"I know this much," Jack said, turning to the young woman. "You don't fuck with the marines and walk away from it. Our people will win out eventually."

Julia seemed relieved, branching out and hugging Jack tightly.

Several moments later, however, she quickly broke away from him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything."

"I know. It's alright." Jack replied.

Without a response, Julia walked away. Heading away from the cavern entrance and the shame of her feelings for Lieutenant Jack Strong.

"Forgive me for saying so lieutenant, as it's not my place, but your wife must be an incredible woman." the general said.

"How so?" Jack questioned.

"I've come to know Julia well these past few months. I guess you can say our time spent under duress has seen us become good friends. She's beautiful, very caring and obviously into you." the general added.

"You're right," Jack replied. "It's not your place."

"I'm sorry, I just thought that..." the general began to respond, very apologetically.

"It's," Jack said, his eyes speaking of sadness. "It's alright. The truth is, I'm not sure that's she's even alive," he added, turning to the older man. "My wife."

"How so?" the general asked.

"She's a soldier as well," Jack admitted. "She went out on a two-week hop and vanished. Her entire group."

"I'm sorry," the general replied, placing his hand on Jack's shoulder in comforting fashion. "I had no idea."

The lieutenant acknowledged the general's words with a slow nod of the head.

"I found out only days ago. On our way here," Jack said. "I mean, they're searching for her entire group, but..."

"I understand." the general replied.

"Do you?" Jack asked with a bit of zeal. "This was supposed to be a simple hop. Show up, remind you to change the batteries in your damn radios and then head back. Help them find my wife," he added. "Instead I walk into this shit. Lose my entire group, only to end up inside of a war."

"If it's of any comfort to you, I think you've done an amazing job here. I couldn't have done any better, not even in my younger days." the general said with a bit of a smile.

Finally prompting a return smile for Jack.

"If you want my advice, stay the course. Right now, you're a soldier, but when this finished you become that concerned husband. Meanwhile, you use that grief...that emotion. You use that." the general replied.

Julia had heard a bulk of their conversation, having walked back to apologize. Instead, she paused to hear a story of a soldier hurting.

"General, may I have a moment?" Julia asked.

"Of course." the older man replied, quickly turning to leave her alone with Lieutenant Jack Strong.

"How much did you hear?" the lieutenant asked.

"Enough." Julia replied softly.

"Great," the soldier replied with embarrassment. "Just great."

"Relax," Julia said. "I came to apologize, not to judge you. Honestly, I think it's incredible that you could do anything outside of worry."

"No choice," Jack admitted, tears beginning to swell in his eyes a bit. "I'm just trying to get you guys to safety. Then, maybe," he added. "Maybe I can search for my wife."

"I'll not pretend to be your wife," Julia said. "But I do think that she'd be proud of what you've done here."

"What, lead my entire unit to the grave?" Jack asked.

"No. Keep us alive against unbelievable odds. There are also a lot of children that will hopefully lead incredible lives, all because of you." Julia responded with sincerity.

Boom.

A loud popping sound echoed through the sky, followed by several others. Four total.

"What?" Julia asked. Though Lieutenant Jack Strong already knew the answer.

"Get everything together, we've got to move!" Jack replied.

"I don't understand?"

"Those are our birds. I'd know that sound anywhere. The best thing we can do now is become easy to find." Jack replied.

"What about your friend?" Julia asked.

"He knows his way around, and I promise you he recognized those birds coming in. With any luck, we'll meet up at the finish line." Jack replied.

"Ours?" the general asked, rushing over.

"Yea," Jack replied. "Gear up, we need to move."

-

"Reading a transponder sir." the pilot of the lead aircraft reported.

"Good, sit us down near the signal and advise our birds to do the same. We'll set up a defensive perimeter and with any luck – the stranded know what to do next." the officer said.

Just like Lieutenant Jack Strong, the officer was equally promoted. However, this officer wore a uniform of dress blue, which was a good indication that he usually worked from the black of space.

As the first of four choppers touched down to the surface, several men sprinted from them, quickly assembling lazing guns. A common sight among their fleet, lazing guns were basically automated chain guns, which viewed the area in front of them with a small string of laser, which flowed red and projected nearly twenty feet ahead. Turning with the lazing gun – in turret fashion.

Moments after setting it up and bringing it online, the lazing gun began ringing out short bursts of lead. Picking up movement beyond the conventional sight of soldering eyes.

"Get a couple more set up, now!" the officer yelled. "And stay inside of the grid, locked and loaded."

Which they did. Each soldier laying on the ground near the chopper, rifles in hand.

As the remaining three choppers followed suit, each of them quickly bringing their lazing guns online, the group found themselves protected by a halo of eight turrets, each turning slowly and providing the security of an iron fist.

"If the sons of bitches come up on us now, they'll regret it." one of the soldiers claimed.

"As of now, yes," the officer replied. "Let's just hope the stranded know what to do. Otherwise, we might live to regret this trip."

-

"I can barely see in front of me." Julia said with frustration as rain fell down onto them.

"Just keep moving. Try to follow right behind me if you can." Jack replied.

Three figures sprinting through a relentless rain as if they were carving themselves through murky slate. Each of them wondering about a sniper out on his own.

-

"Let 'em know we're seeing resistance, but nothing we can't handle!" the man in charge yelled, pushing his voice over the ringing of lead.

Gun turrets, each of them beading down onto objects in the distant – slamming lead into extraterrestrial flesh.

"Sir, they're charging us." one of the soldiers responded loudly, his rifle scoped up.

Sure enough, nearly two-dozen of the demons sprinted wildly for the temporary base camp. Most falling shortly before reaching their destination as the turrets chewed them in piles of mush.

A handful made it, however, and began to slice into anyone near them. Panic setting through the encampment for a moment, before the lieutenant recovered his most important attribute. Calm.

"We got them five to one, make 'em pay for this shit!" the man in charge yelled, joining several of his soldiers in controlled rifle bursts onto each of the demons.

Eventually, nearly a full minute later, the last succubus lay dying - Its rattle for breath as menacing as its appearance.

"Recover the perimeter and stay sharp. Don't know how many more of these bastards are out there." the lieutenant said firmly.

"How long do we gotta wait for these people to show up?" one of the soldiers asked.

"As long as it takes Barkley!" the lieutenant yelled, approaching the questioning soldier. "And the next time you throw a question my way, it damn well better have sir attached to it!"

"Yes sir." the soldier replied.

As the lieutenant entered one of the choppers, using the vessel as a base station for their rescue mission, each of the soldiers looked ahead. Skimming the dense rainfall for any signs of movement.

Their gun turrets were ass-kicking in most situations, but as they'd found out, the laser targeting system which projected from them were cut down in range by the rain. Greatly reducing their range of contact.

-

"I'd say we're about a half-mile away from that gunfire." Jack suggested.

"Ours?" Julia asked.

"Absolutely." the general answered, his knowledge of marine weaponry deep.

"Good, then we're saved." Julia replied with relief.

"Not yet," Jack warned. "Our gunfire ringing out means our guys are shooting at something, and I think we all know what that something is. What it's capable of," he added. "Just stay sharp and focused. There will be plenty of time to celebrate when we get there."

Julia seemed a bit surprised, though the general nodded into her direction. Letting her know that Lieutenant Jack Strong was correct indeed. The soldier inside of him as strong as his last name.

"Best if we get moving." Jack said.

"I agree lieutenant." the general said.

As the three stood to their feet, preparing for what they all knew would be a sprint for their lives, Jack began to gasp for air. Strong arms of a succubus firmly gripped around his neck to blame.

"Jack!" Julia yelled.

"Get her out of here!" Jack cried out, though he did so in a very weak voice.

Grabbing Julia by the wrist, the general began to pull her from the immediate area, rushing her into a sprint.

"Mutha," Jack said, arching down and swiftly pulling his head back, smashing the backside of his skull into the demon's face. "Fucker!"

Turning to a reeling succubus, Jack gripped his own hands together, using a swipe of his own ripped arms to ax-handle the beast to the ground.

"We got something!" one of the soldiers yelled, prompting the rest to aim sights down onto the area in question.

"Hold!" the lieutenant yelled, quickly walking to the edge of their encampment.

Julia ran to them first with the general stumbling behind her. Both of them obviously shaken up.

"Get them aboard the chopper, I'll be there shortly. Get 'em something warm and keep your eyes open until I say otherwise." the lieutenant ordered.

"Yes, sir."

"General, sir, I've been ordered to bring you back to the fleet in orbit." the lieutenant said.

"I can't leave without the marines who showed up to save our asses."

"Sir, I have my orders." the lieutenant replied.

"Your orders? What about your oath?" the general questioned, scowling to the man in charge. "You are supposed to protect all human life, not just mine. We don't leave men behind!"

The lieutenant looked affected by the general's statement as if he were mulling his options.

"Please," Julia added. "They are good men."

"Alright," the lieutenant replied loudly. "I won't send my men out there – but I'll stall for a bit. Maybe forget that we've located you for an hour or so...but that's it." the lieutenant warned.

"That will do, thank you." the general replied.

Shrugging his thank you off as though he'd just made a mistake, the lieutenant quickly exited the chopper. Preparing to inform his men that their stay had just been prolonged a bit.

"Will they be alright?" Julia asked.

"I would like to think so dear," the general replied, turning to the young woman as they both sat, draped in blankets. "But the truth is I just don't know."

After hearing his admission, Julia glanced to the rainfall outside of the chopper. Wondering the fate of Lieutenant Jack Strong and his longtime sniper.

-

As he lay there, pellets of stinging cold rain hitting his face, Jack began to raise his head a bit.

The succubus had proven a tough adversary, but they could also be killed. Jack knew it as he turned to see one of their mighty warriors laying beside him, lifeless.

Jack remembered several flashes of memory. Their fight had been one of intensity – literally a fight for survival. Jack's knuckles hurt from the swelling that had followed pounding the beast into demise. Likewise, his body ached from the fight he'd gotten back. Nearly killing him in the process.

As much as the hardened soldier had cursed the rain up to this moment, he'd considered it a Godsend. The flicking of water to his face the only reason he'd come back from a land of eternal sleep.

Though Jack did so slowly, he began to lift himself from the muddy ground beneath him. Eventually standing to his feet. Staggering for a moment, Jack located his combat pistol. His rifle had seemingly disappeared, the thick rainfall most likely to blame. Reaching down, Jack also felt his combat blade. It remained holstered, though it had been loose.

He remembered a struggle in which he'd reached down with desperation, unable to pull the blade completely from its holster fitting.

With the rush of urgency and a pounding inside of his head, Jack quickly began running once more. Trying his best to correctly follow the bearings of gunfire he'd heard earlier.

-

"Got something!" one of the soldiers cried out, every one of them pressing eyes to scope as they waited.

Staggering into their range of vision, Jack fell to the ground. He'd gone as far as possible.

"Shut down the turrets, it's one of our own!" the lieutenant yelled, rushing to the aid of Jack Strong, who lay motionless on the rain-drenched ground.

"Jack!" Julia cried out, quickly held by the general.

"Is he breathing?" the lieutenant asked, having reached the fallen warrior with haste. "Is he?"

"Yes...barely." the soldier replied.

"Get him to the chopper, now!" the lieutenant demanded.

"Yes, sir."

"What about the other soldier?" one of the marines asked.

"We can't wait any longer. If we do, this man will die. Get him aboard, stabilize him and let's get our asses back to the deck above." the lieutenant replied.

"Yes sir, of course."

Turning to execute his order, the marines quickly sprinted off, Jack Strong in hand.

Out of nowhere, the lieutenant felt arms wrapping around him. Before he could turn to discover the identity of the succubus, the demon had jerked him backward, pulling the man in charge beneath a cloak of rainfall.

"Sir!" one of the marines yelled, though their lieutenant was nowhere to be seen.

In fact, he could still hear their yells for him. Though his struggle with the monster prevented him from replying. It slowly wrestled upwards, eventually placing the massive arms around his neck. Squeezing with authority, the lieutenant began to fade into whatever heaven this planet knew.

Click.

A single shot blasted its way through the skull of the alien, the snapping bullet releasing from a suppressed chamber. The sniper who had long considered himself a friend to Jack Strong, now found himself rescuing another lieutenant. Becoming a habit of sorts.

"On your feet, sir, we need to move quickly." the sniper commented, helping the near-lifeless lieutenant to his feet.

Moments later, the two men were located by a small group of marines that had come in search of their commanding officer. Helping Renaldo in getting the lieutenant to safety.

Within minutes, the choppers skirted back into the black sky above them – rainfall cascading across the finely-forged steel of the ships' hulls.

-

"May I come in?" Julia asked, knocking gently against the steel frame of the doorway.

"Of course." Jack replied, standing gingerly to his feet.

The fight against the demon, especially under such close quarters had proven him a hero but left him ailing. Jack stood, though it took a great deal in order to do so.

"I just wanted to thank you again. For everything. I feel as though I owe you my life." she added.

"It's alright. Just doing my job." he modestly replied with a smug grin.

"Listen, I wanted to..." Julia began to admit, her words cut short as two soldiers escorted a commanding officer toward them. The thick of rubber boots crashing against the loud steel grating of the hallway.

"Lieutenant Jack Strong?" the XO asked.

"Yes, sir." Jack replied, saluting his superior.

"At ease son. May I have a word in private?" the XO asked.

"Of course." Jack replied. Nodding to Julia for a moment as to apologize for cutting her short.

She thought of him in such a way that seemed to make Jack larger than life. Muscular, but not with an over-abundance, yet gentle enough to question which he was better suited for. Soldiering or loving?

As Julia saw the military-hardened soldier begin to weep, falling back against the steel wall behind him, she knew it in her heart as if it were a shared pain.

Jack's wife had been killed.

She'd never seen this type of news delivered in person but had always imagined how horrible it must be. Watching the XO try to comfort a man who'd been so strong for the core, Julia's heart bled for Jack – as well as the XO tasked with delivering the news.

"You may want to stay with him for a while ma'am if that's possible?" one of the escort soldiers asked.

"Of course." Julia replied – her own eyes tearing heavily.

Moments later, the three soldiers walked away just as quickly as they had shown up. Taking Jack's entire world with them.

"I'm so, so sorry." Julia said, approaching the broken man.

He wanted to reply. Thank her for the kind words and understanding. Jack simply couldn't. As he opened his mouth, nothing came out. It was as if his entire reason for living was gone within seconds.

Julia grabbed him into her arms, pressing herself as closely as possible as Jack continued to weep uncontrollably.

Boom.

The sound of a cannon shot hitting their ship, its course of flight jolting wildly – sending both Jack and Julia to the floor.

Three more booms followed, each of them as loud as the first. Their marine war ship once again jerked back and forth, rocking itself from such blasts. Quickly followed by the alarms inside of the ship.

Everyone report to your assigned stations. This is not a drill. A woman's voice declared across the ship's com system.

Julia questioned for a moment if the voice was real, or simply a computerized model? It sounded real enough, but the calm in the woman's voice brought doubt.

"What's happening?" Julia asked loudly as several more strikes against their ship could be felt. This time bringing a flickering of lights.

"We're under attack." Jack replied, drying his tears a bit. Just long enough to face the reality of what was going on.

"Attack...who?" Julia asked.

Her question answered with a simple glare from the man who'd gone from broken to soldering in a matter of seconds.

The demons have a fleet of their own.

-

"Report!" The ship's captain demanded, entering the large CIC in search of answers.

"We're giving them all we have, sir, but it doesn't look good." one of the staff members replied, watching the battle play out on his computer monitor.

"Giving who all we've got?" the captain asked, pushing everyone to realize he knew nothing beyond the blasts.

"Sir," the staff member replied. "We had three ships nearly fall on top of us. Look to be marked with the Succubus logo, and they aren't holding any punches."

"Our rail guns?" the captain asked.

"The ones we have left are firing," the man replied in defeat. "But having minimal effect. Their armor plating is unlike anything we've seen before."

He kicked it around for a moment. The idea of their single thermal shot. Each marine ship of this size was considered a war ship, and each war ship held one. Thermonuclear warhead. Otherwise known as a TW.

"Hit one of the bastards without a TW. Alert the fleet of our position and issue a distress signal. Sound the abandon ship alarm."

"Sir?" the staff member asked, several more turning to look to him as well. Seeking confirmation of what they'd just heard.

"My code entry is 4-6-09-5-27-11 – you have your orders." the captain confirmed.

"Yes, sir."

"Follow that order through and then get everyone in here to safety." the captain asked.

It could be heard through the ship's com system, as well as the com system on every ship-to-ship fighter that currently found itself dog fighting for survival against superior number.

Marine Command, this is ship identification delta-seven-delta. Sending last known coordinates and advising we are abandoning ship. Heavy fire from enemy craft. Evacuating to the surface to await rescue and extraction. I say again Marine Command, this is ship identification delta-seven-delta. We are going down.

Lieutenant Jack Strong had never been in this type of situation before but knew the layout of such a ship like the back of his hand. Quickly gripping his fingers onto Julia's and locking them tightly.

"Stay with me. Long push to the hangar. Just don't panic and run as hard as you can. Stay with me." he said.

"O...okay."

-

The demon's ships were strange looking by human standards. They were long, almost blade-like and seemed to be spiked on the front tips. Communication antennas, as well as a hangar door which spewed fighter ships from the front.

Their cannon bursts fired from the top of the ship, each shot bolting up from one of two massive holes and burning to a glow before completely changing direction and firing onto the marine vessel.

Jack recognized the glow of red and blue, knowing it was similar to what he had encountered on the surface only days before. Still, he ran without a second thought. Never daring to slow down.

Julia remained behind him. Better than Jack had expected. In fact, she'd covered a lot of ground in better fashion than many soldiers who'd served with him had. A compliment to her will to live, if nothing else.

"Up ahead." Jack yelled, the bursts of destruction now hitting their ship more rapidly. A fact which the lieutenant knew was an indication that the ship's rail guns had failed.

The entire hangar was filled with the bustle of bodies. Each of them eager to cram into one of the few remaining ships. Each lifeboat would plunge to the surface and with any luck, land near the rest. At which time they would regroup and do what they could to survive an attacking force which was soon to be behind them.

Jack pressed through the crowd as best he could, still holding Julia's hand tight, though it became increasingly harder to edge his way through what now seemed like a wall of human flesh.

He stopped dead in his tracks, as did everyone else as hush flowed through the crowd. A single gunshot to blame.

"Let the man and woman through, you bastards!" Renaldo yelled, having fired a warning shot through the hangar bay.

It didn't stall the crowd for long, but it did give enough of a window for Jack and Julia to make it to the skiff where Renaldo remained standing.

"Welcome back boss." Renaldo commented with a smile, extending his free arm and helping each of them to the chopper.

"The general?" Jack asked.

"Doing general things I suppose." the sniper replied.

Standing to her feet, Chandra wrapped her arms around the lieutenant and nearly refused to let go. Drawing strange looks from Julia, who had become so attached to the man in uniform.

"We didn't know that you'd make it in time." Wesley commented.

"Yea, well," Jack replied, turning to look into a mob of humans that longed to survive. Each of them beginning to trample the other in hopes of grabbing a place aboard a lifeboat. "We're aren't out of the woods just yet."

Chandra finally cut the lieutenant loose, though she did her best to keep him close.

"A little help?" Jack asked, turning to begin offering his own arm to those who needed help climbing up into the chopper.

"Wait? The children?" Julia asked loudly.

"Relax, they were on an earlier flight out. Missing all the fun." Wesley replied.

"You mean?"

"Yea, they're no doubt out of harm's way. Eating well and sleeping warm, I'd say." Wesley added.

"Oh," Julia replied with a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

People continued to file into the chopper, each one of them hoisting themselves up through a large door at its rear. Dozens more awaited their turn, but Jack knew it could never be.

"We pick up too many more and we'll be weighted. Never make it to the surface." the lieutenant commented loudly.

He also knew that the war ship, no matter how mighty, was still taking major shots and would soon burst into nothing.

One of the two soldiers positioned in the front of the chopper, turned to hand-signal the door closed. His order followed moments later by another soldier pressing a large button to its right.

The passengers aboard the chopper could hear the screams of those outside – total chaos continuing.

Cries for help and pounding against the thick steel of blast doors, as the chopper began to pull from the ship's deck slowly. Jack's stomach began to knot as he thought of those screaming people being left behind. Perhaps a few of them would find themselves safely aboard another skiff – though he knew for certain that most would perish.

Jack also thought of the war ensuing right outside of their ship – small fighters tearing into one another as cannon shots ripped wildly through the void black of space. He understood that their journey to the surface would no doubt be a turbulent ride. One that may find them all meeting death by way of exploding fragmentation.

Then again, should they survive the onslaught of enemy fire, their survival could very well be short lived down below. On a rain-drenched rock that hosted the colony. The fucking spot which, in his mind, started everything. It had quickly become a curse of sorts, a damnation of his sins now pushing against him.

Jack would be lucky to survive the free-fall. They all would. If luck was on his side, Jack's inner soldier would once again be forced to fight for their survival. This time, however, it was as if he were a wounded tiger with nothing more to lose. His wife, his crew – everything he'd lived for up until this moment. Gone. Jack embraced the fight to come, his fingers clamoring a bit from the thoughts of revenge against these bastards of the stars. This time he didn't run from the fight, he ran to it.

Two tears in a bucket.

-

"Delta-Seven-Delta, this is Star Hammer Orion. We read you loud and clear and have received your coordinates. Hold tight and give them hell, we're nearly three full days out. Copy?" a soldier replied through his hand com, awaiting a reply.

A reply that would never come.

"Call our scout ships back and burn to their position." a highly-decorated officer ordered.

"Yes sir," one of the soldiers replied, nearly a dozen in total – each seated in front of a workstation. "May not have the fuel to make a return trip if we burn the entire way."

"So be it," the commander replied. "Send out a message to the defense platform, tell them we're responding. Advise them we may be burning into a one-way trip and ask them to get us a tanker ship as soon as possible."

"Yes sir." the soldier replied.

Each of the soldiers knew it'd be a one way trip if they burned in. Simply put, the ship would consume fuel at alarming rates – pushing the engines to their limits in return. It would allow them to make what was normally a three day trip in about half of the time. The core warned against this, however, as the ship would tap its reserves and become stranded at its destination.

It was a gamble. Each of the six Star Hammer ships was nothing short of massive. Built to serve as a command post in space, they were filled with commanding weaponry and thousands of skilled marines who knew how to utilize it.

As four birds made their approach to the Hammer's docking bay – each of them an unarmed recon shuttle, their lights blinked of red and yellow. Sensors which began to communicate with lights built in the flooring of the hangar. Moments later, the shuttle's onboard navigational systems synced with the navigational systems built into the hangar's flooring. All of the lights turning green.

Standard procedure as the small ships coasted in on auto-pilot, bringing each of them to a soft landing as steel beams gently rested onto the thick flooring below.

Less than five minutes after, the entire ship began to thrust loudly, eventually burning its way to the fight. Hoping to rescue anyone who was in need, though the Hammer's commander had no idea of the enemy forces that awaited him. He simply knew of a fight in which marines just like him, needed help. And help was on the way. Sprinting hard across the star-draped landscape and ready to whip some ass.

-

"Gonna be going down hard," one of the soldiers yelled, shouting his warning to the seemingly overcrowded shuttle of souls. "If you've got a harness, use it. If not, find something bolted to the ship's frame and don't let go."

It was the worst sight Jack had ever witnessed, at least in terms of battle. As they glared through the thick windows of the small craft, which tumbled quickly to the colony's gravitational pull, Jack knew it without a doubt.

They were beaten.

A majority of the ships outside of the glass were painted with markings he'd never seen before and gave chase to defenseless shuttles that bolted for the surface. Shuttles just like the one currently full of panic.

Feeling the dip of their ship's nose – a good sign that a significant free-fall was upcoming, Jack removed his military-grade jacket. Wrapping it around both himself and Julia, the soldier then tied it firmly around one of the shuttle's support beams. Knowing it was surely welded to the ship's frame.

"I," Julia muttered with panic. "I don't want to die."

"Nobody wants to die," Jack replied. "I can promise you that if we live through this, I will protect you down there."

The young lady began to weep, as did many aboard the shuttle as others found themselves praying.

Jack found himself wanting to comfort her, but his own grief was nearly unbearable. With his eyes crisped with tears, Jack simply embraced her – strong arms doing their best to reassure a woman in doubt.

From the safety of a harness, Chandra had seen the exchange between Jack and Julia. For years, the female soldier had felt something for Lieutenant Jack Strong. Something more than friendship.

Often times she'd denied it to members of their team, but certain death has a way of forcing feelings to the surface. Chandra did something she'd not done in many years. Cried. Not heavily, but noticeably enough for Renaldo to spot it.

As soldiers, they were trained to never fear death. Even in such a time, the sniper knew her grief was emotional. He seemed to understand her pain – sliding his hand over a bit and clasping onto her own.

It was in that very moment that everyone began to question their lives. The choices they'd made and feeling unexplored. The hammering of rain against the outer shell of their shuttle gave way to the fact that impact was soon to come. No time for second chances.

"Jack," Chandra yelled, loud enough to get the attention of their longtime leader. "I love you. Always have."

The seconds in which it took his mind to process her confession were their last before impact.

It would be their last moments alive aboard the doomed shuttle. Every soul lost in the fiery crash.

The Star Hammer Orion would arrive nearly a week after Chandra's confession of love – finding a tough fight with their demon-like opponents. A race of technologically superior beings with no regard for innocent life.

Less than a day later, the succubus army would find that humanity was up to the challenge of a tough fight. Star Hammer ships joining alongside the Orion and eradicating such a vile race of warriors.

Though it would take nearly a year to do so.

As we colonized on the small moon once more, our soldiers began to recover what remained of the wreckage.

Lieutenant Jack Strong received a medal of honor following his death – along with every member of his team. Their journey into such a place and their sacrifice in the face of such dangers, never to be forgotten.

What would be forgotten, however, was Chandra's love for the lieutenant. His response never to be heard. They made a journey into whatever heaven or hell awaited them, with a singular thought - what could have been.

Unfortunately, in the world of adventure, even heroes die. Each of us would like to believe that a happy ending is guaranteed. That somehow, someway, the hero of our story will find a way to prevail in the end.

I'm here to tell you that thousands die every day. Each of them, the hero of their own story.

We would go on to learn that the succubus was only one of several alien races among the stars. Some of them peaceful – others violent. The most violent among them...human.

-

If you take anything from this short story, let it be this. Each of us will eventually find ourselves in a doomed shuttle of sorts. And though our demise will differ, our purpose up until that very moment remains the same. Live without regret. Follow your dreams and follow your heart, no matter where it may lead you.

Everyone's life ends in death. The setting, be it spaceships or a quiet hospital room in one of our many cities, will always be different. However, they all lead to a single closing moment in which we take the last breath. Take that breath knowing you made your mark on the world around you.

In fact, live every single moment of your life as if it were your last. In doing so, everything else will fall into place. Your loved ones will know where you stand. Your life will be full of happiness. Most importantly, when your moment finally arrives, you'll be able to leave smiling. That's what matters in the end.

Gunship is an ongoing pulp fiction series. Since 2011, John Davis has added content to the universe every few months and has recently announced a prequel series.

About the Author

As a brand new author in 2011, John M. Davis published Gunship and became an overnight success as it peaked at #2 (Amazon Kindle). Since then, John has published over 30 stories, including two #1 bestsellers (Gunship #2, Fleet). Not only does he write full-time, but John is also pursuing a graduate degree in history. He also runs a podcast (The Book Commander Podcast) and helps other authors with writing, publishing, and marketing, free of charge. That, along with the fact that John is a bonafide country boy, has earned him the moniker "Book Commander" within writing circles.

John has been married to the woman of his dreams for 18 years and counting! They have two fantastic kids (both of them avid readers) and currently reside in a small town in Southwest Virginia.

John shares a passion for Nintendo with his son while he and his daughter are fanatics of the CBS TV show Survivor. In fact, John co-produces a fan-made survivor show called Claytor Lake Survivor with his best friend and podcast producer, James Mann. John is a Canadian Football League fan and is a shareholder of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He is also an Evanescence super fan.

You can find out more by visiting his website or by using his hashtag on social media.

johndavisbooks.wordpress.com

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