It took three hours for them to clear the Terminator nest. They had recieved recon intel that five hours out was a small abandoned warehouse full of lower level Terminators. This model was what The Resistance compared to chess pawns, simply designed to draw fire and do first wave damage. While they weren't the highest of threats, a terminator was a terminator, and all needed to be eradicated.
Dani Ramos had become restless at her desk at headquarters, itching for a battle, itching to see the bright hue of a terminator's eyes flicker and fade out. She was told they were red. The same color as the blood that spilled from her fallen soldiers. She watched the lights fade as if it were the equivilent to watching the soul leave the vessel of a human body. But Dani would never compare the machines to humans. They could never come close to being seeing as living creatures, and she would never be moved from that.
However, Dani was drawing concern from her generals, who said she was becoming reckless, placing herself in missions that were too risky when they preferred she stayed in the public's eye. The more she became a public symbol of hope, the less she fought. She needed to stay alive and boost morale and push paperwork. But that's not why Dani started this resistance. She wanted to fight alongside everyone else, and no one was going to tell her to stand down. Besides, she needed to take her mind off of something.
She felt foolish about it, but … Dani was human and she was lonely. She often felt a pang of jealousy whenever someone in the community claimed that they had found their soulmate. She was jealous of a world of color and the unimaginable safety and comfort that came from being in a lover's arms. Not just any lover, she had had that, but a true lover. Your destiny.
She wasn't in the smaller crowd, not many people found their soulmates anymore, not since Judgement Day. The odds of finding your soulmate in this age was as slim as winning the lottery in the dead age.
"Commander."
Dani almost jolted out of her daze, lost as she had been gazing upon the "corpse" of a terminator.
"Yes?" She asked, turning from the wreckage. A general stood in the doorway.
"It's time to exfil," he said. "All the soldiers are ready to start forming up."
"Good. Thank you." Was all she said. She followed the general out of the building, into the smoke and gravel ridden outside world. She quickly formulated the extraction plan, remembering that while they arrived on site with two aircrafts, one was destroyed in the fire. In total they had arrived with a squad of twenty soldiers, including her and her general. It took two pilots per craft, and there were only eight seats in the cargo area. They had lost seven soldiers in the fight. They would have to complete a second trip to extract everyone.
Outside she could see the soldiers crowding around together, punching each other in the arm or hugging festively. It was a small but great victory. An easy way to build combat experience and confidence in freshly trained troops.
"I need a volunteer!" Dani spoke out, her authority snaping the attention of everyone present to her. The soldiers scattered about in their clusters went to attention.
Dani stopped in her tracks and clasped her hands behind her back. She inspected the quiet line of her soldiers, all of them focusing on displaying discipline instead of answering her call.
"I said," she repeated, "I need a volunteer!"
She could see their eyes shift amongst each other, knowing that they were hoping someone would step up so that they wouldn't have to do whatever chore was about to come. She fought the urge to roll her eyes. She was about to open her mouth when two soldiers simultaneously stepped forward. A woman with incredibly short hair and a man with a very deep shadow of a beard coming through.
"I only need one," Dani said. "You, step back." She directed this command at the woman with the short hair, who obeyed with a crisp retreat. "You," she directed to the man, "Will accompany the bodies of our fallen soldiers back to base. "The dead should go home first, they paid a price you shouldn't argue against. Instruct the pilots of your craft to return after refilling their tanks to come for the rest of us. After you land, you must notify the morticians to organize a ceremony for our fallen soldiers, and, if you will, soldier, report to personnel to start the process of notifying their next of kin."
The soldier's face grew pale. Of course he wouldn't be the one to knock on the doors of the families, that was up to Dani and her team of officers, but to have the ball rolling for when she got there was just one thing to make that difficult task easier.
"Yes, Commander," The soldier said with a salute.
"Everyone else, let's help him collect our departed." Dani knew it was a morbid task, but this was war, and it had to be done. All she could think about at the end of a victorious battles was how she would want her loved ones brought back for an honorable burial and closure. Not to mention it, the task reminded her soldiers that this was not a game. Everyone needed a reminder of mortality and why this fight was so precious in the end.
It only took them a quarter of an hour to prepare their dead on stretchers and gently lay them on the floor of their last aircraft. Quick words of honor and gratitude were said above their corpses by Dani and any other soldier who knew the departed personally. After that, the aircraft departed and then… it was simply a waiting game. Three hours for the craft to arrive at the forward station, three hours for it to return to them. Dani ordered everyone inside to break with rations and camaraderie… well, what happiness they could have among the existing fellowship.
The soldiers kept to themselves in a corner far opposite of Dani and her general, sticking to the old time tradition of separation between enlisted and commissioned. However, it did get a little lonely, as both officers felt heart-heavy, looking upon the smiling and laughing group of the soldiers, laughing over some silly joke.
Dani got up first.
"Wha- What are you doing, Commander?" asked her General.
"I'm going to join them. Let's bond with our soldiers. It'll be good for us."
He seemed to hesitate, but stood up to follow Dani.
They approached quietly, by nature, as soldiers had to learn to move as if they didn't exist, all to be undetected by terminators out in the field. Dani could hear their conversation before they were even inside the huddled circle.
"I don't know why anyone bothers with looking for their soulmate," said one soldier. "There's too much death for that to become the norm."
"The norm?" rebutted another soldier in humored disgust. "It's nature. Nature doesn't stop because of war."
"But nature does evolve!" concluded the first soldier. "One day, no one will meet their soulmate, and nature will simply give up, leaving everyone to just find a partner who is good enough."
"That's kind of what everyone does now."
Dani recognized the third speaker as the woman who volunteered early, but whom she dismissed from the task.
"People pick someone who they're attracted to, and whether the reason be physical or emotional or other is subjective per case." The woman continued.
"Oh? So you've done that?" teased a fourth soldier.
"I mean, who hasn't?" the woman answered, her complexion getting in her cheeks.
"If you got to pick someone for life though, who would it be?" continued the fourth soldier, obviously in a joyous mood.
"That's hard, you can't just make people pick on the spot, there's a lot that would go into consideration."
"Please," groaned the second speaker. "Easy, hands down, I would pick Travis."
"Shit, no way, the girl who works with the quartermaster?" asked the first soldier.
"Hell yeah, have you seen that ass?"
Most of the soldiers laughed at the crude comment.
"That's how you'd pick someone?" asked the woman with short hair. "Ass alone?"
"Ass alone, that's all I need for life, baby," he responded, raising his water canteen as if giving a toast. "Like I'm gonna be doing missionary all my life."
"Who would you pick, Madison?" Another soldier asked.
"I have no one in mind," she reassured. "And if I did, I definitely wouldn't share that here."
"Why not?"
"Please," urged Missionary Man. "Don't let her fool you, she's just as shallow as the rest of us. You tease me about ass? I've seen you look around, Madison!"
Madison rolled her eyes, but smirked at the comment. Perhaps it wasn't that far from the truth.
"And your eyes don't discriminate, Specialist Grace Madison," the soldier continued to taunt. "In fact, if you got to pick your partner for life, it would be Commander Ramos herself." The cluster of soldiers broke out in ramble of comments, speaking over each other. Dani felt herself blush, her emotions full of flattery and violation. She realized they hadn't noticed her and her fellow officer standing just outside their circle, waiting to be recognized.
"Don't deny it, Madison!" The soldier continued to laugh. "I've seen you look! You look a lot!"
"Shut up!" Grace warned, jabbing an open palm against his armored chest. She was holding back a laugh though, Dani could tell from years of studying faces of countless soldiers. "Don't say shit like that. Not while she's…" Grace had now bothered to look around their surroundings, probably wondering if her superiors had noticed the loud squabble by now, and her eyes landed on Dani's, and widened. "...here…"
Dani's lips quirked as all the soldiers recognized her presence and shot to stand up, going to attention.
"At ease…" she said quietly, although she wished she could have summoned a more authoritative aura at the moment. "What were you all talking about?"
She knew, obviously, but she wanted to see what they would respond with. Test their courage and integrity.
"We were… we were just talking about soulmates, Commander," muttered the soldier who believed nature would evolve.
"What of it?" Dani asked, her eyebrow raising in annoyance, because one: they told just a partial truth, and two: she hated the concept of soulmates.
"Just the odds, Commander. How low they are…"
"Has anyone here found their soulmate?" Dani asked, wondering out of masked jealousy.
"No…" replied one.
"Not yet," replied Grace, chiming in. "Have… what about you, Commander?"
Wouldn't you like to know? Dani thought to herself, looking upon Grace's face. She knew she couldn't keep people from looking, she knew that from before the world ended, but… Dani never really liked having to witness people talking behind her back.
"No, and probably won't," Dani replied simply. "I agree the odds are very low. Best to just find someone who can take care of mature needs instead of dreaming of fairytale destinies."
The mood instantly became heavily somber. The soldiers didn't know what to do next, or what to expect from this encounter.
"May we join you?" Dani asked after a beat. "Just until the pilots return?"
The soldiers stuttered at the request, moving out of attention to straighten the crates they were sitting on and began offering them to Dani and the other officer.
"Of course, of course," they all said at different times. Dani sat down on an offered seat and those who ended up without something to sit on took to the floor.
It started off awkward at first, but they all soon found something that they could all easily talk about: dreams of when they won the world back, funny training stories, memories of before Judgement Day, their favorite books and movies. It was easier thought to bond over the past than the present or future.
Eventually the carrier had returned, ready to carry them all back home. They all climbed aboard, situating themselves snuggly in their chairs and strapping belts on, cheering and whooping at finally being able to go home. Dani was happy to go back too. She had left the office to take her mind off of her aching heart, the longing coming and going in episodes, but just ended up running into the topic she was running away from.
Dani had lost track of time after they had taken off, deep in her mind doing mental cleanup, when she heard a panicked murmur from one of her pilots.
"What's wrong?" she asked, leaning over his chair.
"Something has locked onto us," he said through gritted teeth. "I'm gonna try to shake the missile, but I doubt it'll be easy. Everyone needs too-"
"Got it," Dani reassured, not needing him to finish his sentence. "Everyone,"she shouted down the belly of the plane. "Shake tactic. If you're not secure in your seat, do so now!"
The small talk happening in the plane died instantly as a wave of fear and professionalism crashed through, everyone tugging their belts to test their integrity. Strapping herself in as well, she prayed out of old habit to her higher power, hearing the whistle of a missile approach.
"Hold on!" Was all the pilot said before a side of the plane ruptured in fire and splinters and shards. Dani gasped out of survival instinct, taking in air as if she was going down into the sea, but only smoke filled her lungs instead of life-saving air.
Then she could feel her surroundings begin to spin, and she couldn't tell if they were losing control or if the pilot was trying to shake off a second missile. Her mind spun with her body, trying to figure out if the intel reports mentioned an anti-aircraft outpost in their planned path, but she couldn't recall any facts now. Then her mind flooded her with images of Diego and Papi, long before Judgement Day, their smiles, their hugs, their laughs… and then everything went black.
Dani gasped dramatically as she came to, as if she were brought back through necromancy and took her first breath back from the dead. Alive again after what should have taken her out of this miserable world.
Her eyes frantically searched her surroundings, and she could immediately recognize that she was in the wreckage of her plane. She was lying on her back on the floor of the plane. Somehow, she had come out of her seat belt. She turned her head to the left and right, seeing nothing but bodies around her. Everyone else had been shaken from their seats in the blast too. Perhaps the explosion of the crash had destroyed their seats and set them all free. One soldier was for sure gone into the afterlife, a metal shard protruding from his helmet.
Dani tried to stand up, but a pain radiated through her right ankle, burning through her nervous system like an electric current. She reached out to soothe it, rubbing the ankle through her combat book delicately, looking for signs of breakage. She winced at the pain, hoping it was nothing more than a bad sprain. Not wanting to push the injury further, she sat up and dragged herself backwards, making her way from soldier to soldier to see if anyone else was alive. Her general was gone, blood crusting the crown of his head.
Then she tried another soldier, and another, then-
A harrowing gasp sent shivers through Dani's body.
"Hello?" she asked, "Who's alive?"
She wanted to turn around quickly, but didn't know the limits of her injured ankle, so she moved slowly.
A soldier was writing on the floor by the pilots, who were also, gone to the next world. The soldier groaned in a heartbreaking cry, and Grace wondered what horrific injury they suffered from.
"I'm coming," Dani said hurriedly. "Hold on, stay strong, soldier, I'm coming. Hold on for me."
"Help…." the soldier moaned.
"I'm coming…" Dani dragged herself to the soldier, situated beside them.
It was Specialist Madison.
A small, immature part of Dani wanted to hold back all her care from this soldier, purely from that past conversation she practically eavesdropped on, but knew better. She was young, and right now, no comment was worth holding out on a fellow soldier.
"I'm right here," Dani said softly, "I'm gonna make you all better."
Grace, who had been squinting her eyes tight in pain finally opened them wide enough to register Dani beside her.
"Commander…" she groaned. "I'll… I'll be okay…"
Dani's eyes looked down Grace's body, looking for the injury. When she found it, she failed to hide her horror. A small sheet of metal had torn in the crash and pushed right through the one exposed spot of Grace's kevlar chest armor, right above the hip. What luck. Dani wondered how deep the piece went, so she slowly rolled Grace aside just a few inches to see if there was an exit wound. It had made its way through her, but just a small tip protruded through her.
"It's okay, Commander," Grace continued, her voice shaking, speaking through her teeth as she tried to grit through the pain.
"You're…" to be honest, Dani knew she wasn't equipped to treat this wound, and to make matters worse, when she looked towards the pilot's seat, the first aid kid that was normally stored there was nowhere to be seen. She wondered where it had shaken to.
Grace screamed behind her teeth as her abdomen spasmed, her body not knowing what to do.
"You'll be okay, Madison," Dani said. "Everything's going to be okay."
Grace blinked, tears forming in her eyes. "I just wish… I just wish it didn't hurt so bad." Her voice was deep with the attempt of swallowing pain, but Dani could tell she was suffering greatly.
"Don't pretend just because you're in front of me," Dani sympathized. "If it hurts, then express it. It's better for you, don't waste your energy on suppressing yourself. That robs your body of any energy it could use to help keep you alive."
Grace's hand made its way to the piece of metal sticking out of her.
"No!" Dani swatted Grace's hand away, but it was too late, Grace would be able to gauge the severity now.
She shook her head. "I'm not making it, Commander. Don't lie to me… it's okay to tell me the truth. Just… send me off."
Dani looked upon her soldier, her heart plummeting. "Don't leave me alone here, Madison. I need your help."
"I can't help you anymore," Grace shut her eyes tightly, and then groaned deeply. "Please, just… send me off."
Dani reached out for Grace's hand, holding it like the chaplains would in the hospitals and then closed her eyes.
"You fought bravely, Grace Madison," she began, not wanting to open her eyes. She couldn't make eye contact right now, she would be weeping before she finished her sentence. "The Resistance would not have made it this far without you and your sacrifice. Everything you did, even leading up to this moment, has brought humanity so much closer to victory. Your death will not go in vain…" Grace tightened their grip, but Dani kept her eyes closed, tighter this time, knowing that this soldier was coming to terms with the word death, "We will win, that is the ending that you have given us."
Grace's breath was shaky, but more relaxed.
Nervously, Dani opened an eye, curious if the soldier was now passing. She wondered if this situation had moved her more emotionally than she anticipated, as her vision felt weird. It was incredibly blurry, so she blinked rapidly, trying to bring her vision to focus. Maybe she had a concussion? With enough blinks, her vision began to clear up, and she took a sigh of relief when it felt normal. The rubble seemed clearer however, all the shades of grey seeming on a larger palette. It fascinated her.
"Oh my god…"
Dani turned her attention back to Grace, horrified that the soldier was still clinging to life. And that's when she noticed. Grace's hair… her eyes… the blood on coming down from her hairline.
The colors began to bleed into focus like watercolor paint on paper.
Dani's heart beat wildly, her mind struggling to comprehend this truth in a panic.
"You can't be…" Dani whispered. She dropped Grace's hand, fumbling now at the wound at Grace's side. She couldn't- she couldn't let her go. She couldn't. She couldn't. Not now. Not now after finally finding what had caused her so much pain all these years.
"I'm…" Grace was incredibly weak now, and Dani was entranced by the crimson pool underneath Grace's body.
"Stay with me, Grace!" Dani shouted frantically. "Stay with me!"
"Com… commander…"
"Please," Dani pleaded, searching through everything within arms reach for the first aid kit. "Don't go, Grace. Don't go!"
"I…"
A white metal tin with a red cross finally stood out underneath the lifeless form of the man who joked so freely about picking partners just hours before.
"Grace!" Dani began to drag her body in the direction of the kit. "Hold on! Hold on!"
She dragged herself to the tin with surprising speed and strength, ripping it from under the dead weight. Dani then realized there was no response. She snapped around, wincing at the pain she brought to her ankle.
"Grace? Grace?!"
Her soldier, her soulmate, said nothing in return, only laid on the ground silent, her eyes closed peacefully.
Dani frantically pulled herself to Grace's side and ripped open the kit.
She couldn't let death take her away.
