Brothers at Arms
They were in the heat of battle. The rain was dousing the torches and trying to hide the moonlight from the small battlefield just outside the dense forest. Julian loosed another arrow from his short bow, embedding it in the gut of an orc.
"There are too many of them," Tony yelled over the cries of orcs and knights, exhausted.
"They mustn't reach the castle," Julian yelled back. He was exhausted as well but had more stamina.
"The castle's still hidden," Tony argued.
"It's too easy to find now. We either fight them off or call for reinforcements."
"But that will summon more orcs." Tony did not like that idea. "We can't hold these off, so what are we going to do if more orcs come?"
"If we're going to lose at the moment, it won't make any difference. At least if our back-up comes we stand a chance."
Tony slammed his staff to the ground and a fog horn sound blasted over the cries.
"No!" Tony shouted as he watched Brian have his intestines carved out. He charged at the orc who had slain his close friend and sliced its head off with his long sword, earning himself a cut on his arm.
They suffered heavy casualties holding the orcs off until reinforcements came but another herd of orcs flooded them before their second regiment of knights arrived. They had almost been wiped out.
"Captain Rickes to Julian, dinner's ready. Bring your brother."
"Acknowledged. Coming mum."
"Computer, save and end programme." Julian closed the programme and watched their armour change back into cotton shirts and trousers. "Come on Tony."
"Brian... he's gone." Tony turned to his brother, stunned.
"You can bring him back after this scene," Julian consoled him as they exited the holodeck and walked down the hall to the dining room. Their parents were waiting for them with a friend in the dining area.
"Lieutenant Barclay, Sir!" Cadet Julian saluted and Cadet Tony followed suit.
Captain Helen Rickes had recently transferred from the U.S.S. Maia to work on the Pathfinder project. Her friend, Captain Janeway, had been lost for some time and she had requested the post where she felt most useful.
After dinner, the young men returned to their game on the holodeck.
As they entered the holodeck, re-energised, with their medieval-fantasy attire back, the second regiment of knights galloped through the herd of orcs and Julian yanked Tony out of the way before he got trampled.
Before long they had killed the orcs or chased them off. The knights returned to their secret castle to celebrate.