SUMMARY: An alternate take on the nuclear holocaust of the 21st century. Also could be considered an alternate time for the Borg to attempt to assimilate Earth.
NOTE: This was a creative writing assignment that I just found and decided to post. I don't know if my ideas about nuclear war are plausible; if I'm wrong, please don't send flames. Please send all other types of feedback.
The planet was dead, just like everything around him. The people, the plants that had once been green, the earth beneath his feet, even the crumbled buildings around him, they were all dead. There were no people going to work at the Alliance Headquarters. There were no trees for people to sit under to protect themselves from the blazing sun. The same sun that was beating down on his red, burned skin, but he didn't notice. He was too busy staring in shock at the pile of charred corpses lying at his feet. They had been his friends, his comrades. They had fought the war together and now he was the only one left.
He remembered when the whole thing began. The machine men had come, the cold metal on their cyborg implants reflecting their demeanor, and given his people no choice but to fight or be destroyed. The leader of the Alliance called an emergency meeting. After days of discussion, the Alliance had decided to use the nuclear weapons left over from the Cold War of the previous century, which had been used in a time of paranoia. Now they were to be used in a time of dire need. The members of the Alliance had been reluctant to use the weapons because of their great destructive power. When all other options had been seemingly exhausted, the leader gave the order.
When the machine men returned, they had been ready. They fired weapon after weapon at the machine men and finally after days of fighting,
they retreated. They had won, at least against the machine men. They had lost against themselves. They had said that even though many would die, they would not feel guilty because it was for a greater good. Once they had seen the destruction, they realized they had been wrong.
Their cities were destroyed and millions of their race were dead. He couldn't help but think if there had been a option that they had overlooked. Had there been another way to win? After all what is the price for freedom?
He felt a hand on his shoulder. Could someone else be alive? He turned and came face to face with the leader of the Alliance. "Come on," the leader said, "Let's go see if there's anyone else left." Then they both turned their backs on the charred city and walked to the next one.