It all began when I was 6. I went out into my backyard. The sun was
rising and casting a large gloomy early morning shadow behind me. The
grass tickled my bare feet with each step. It felt like hundreds of little
feathers all wanting to make me laugh with so much giddiness. This was the
summer of my childhood, not a care in the world. Nothing to keep me down,
nothing to get in my way, and an entire life ahead of me. I lied down in
the beautiful freshly cut grass and put my small hands behind my head and
stared at the clouds, recognizing shapes and characters I had seen in the
Vid Toons that I watched every morning. After about ten minutes, or what
seemed like ten minutes, all the clouds just disappeared. I stood up off
the lawn, and began walking to the house. It wasn't there. Something was
going on. I didn't know what, but something.
br
Seconds later the sky grew more and more bright. Everything turned
white, I could not see myself, the sky, the grass, nothing. Then, and only
then, I felt like I was falling, falling forever into a massive chasm that
wouldn't end. But, in that lied the answer to anything I could ask. I
questioned about where my parents were, and without an answer, I just knew.
I knew everything that I could think of. Then, my hands tingled, I
couldn't see them, but I knew they tingled. The same happened to my legs,
then my arms. All life as it seemed was being drained from my body. Then
I fell asleep.
br
I dreamed an incredible dream. Dreams that were beyond all
comprehension to the six year old mind. Then, I awoke with a great sense
of refreshment.
br
I looked around, everything was exactly as it was before that strange
experience. The house, the grass, me. It was as if none of it happened.
That was all I could remember from my youth. Well, at least it was the
strangest thing I remember from my youth.
br
br ***************Chapter 1. The Beginning of the End************** br
br "Get Down!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I snapped the pin out of a nearby grenade. I hurled it as far as I could into the incoming mass of zerg. For nearly two days we had been fighting off this siege of zerg, this seemed to be the final battle. Our resources were sapped, our buildings were all but destroyed, and the chance of reinforcement was impossible. br BOOM! The grenade went off blowing bits of blood and pieces of carapaces all over our small militia. I peered over the ridge that we had taken refuge on to survey the carnage. I had hit some of them, but not enough to make a dent. There were still more of them than we had ammo. I realized that there were more of them that we could handle. br Zerg. They were the most sadistic relentless group of aliens that I had ever known. All of them were just drones though, not matter how many we plowed through there were always twice as many that would take the place of them. br I grabbed my rifle, pointed it at the nearest crowd of zerg and held the trigger. One down, two, three. CLICK. My rifle was out of ammo. I reached into my belt and pulled out another clip to replace the old one. While replacing the clip, I checked the current situation. Both sides of the front line were getting battered hard. But the right side seemed to be taking on most of the onslaught. Hydralisks were tearing through the bunkers that were in place there, while mutalisks toyed with them from the sky. There was something wrong with the strategy. It was almost like the zerg knew what we were going to do. br I left the front, continuing to fire my rifle. Shooting in the general direction of the swarm, it was near impossible to miss at least one of them. I called through my headset to the people in the bunkers. One of the bunkers was on fire, and the missile turrets were taking a severe beating. br "Don't let them get around you, we can't be flanked from the right!" There was a short silence, then. br "We.. Ee..elp,. loss..eavy...cn't.. hold...AAARRRGGHH!!" Then the bunker exploded into a rage of fire and shrapnel. The small band of zerglings that were attacking it were taken out, but the rest of them concentrated their fire on the next bunker. I knew something was wrong. So I sprinted for the command center. br The command center had taken some serious punishment from a previous fight, bolts and wires hung strewn about, needing repairs from an SCV. All around the floor were pools of blood. On the walls were bullet holes and corrosive burns from the 'lisks. That was from a week ago during the last battle. We managed to hold them off, but not before they infiltrated the base and did some destruction to our own command structure. br The smell of fresh acid penetrated the scene, and stung my nose. I journeyed onward, into the center of the command structure. As I walked through the maze that is the command center, I came upon the command room. This was truly the most frightening thing I had seen in my life. br I entered the large room, peering from left to right. The lights were not even operational, but the monitor was functional. It portrayed the exact situation that was going on outside. I lowered my rifle in awe of the most spectacular thing I had seen. We were outnumbered by thousands. In the middle of a red swarm was a small blue dot. In the middle of that dot was the command center. br "CJ782 this is drop 124 we are inbound, will be in range in 30." The message hit me as a surprise. br "Drop 124, I don't think we have 30 outnumbered, no time" There came no reply. br I heard something, it wasn't that loud, but it was enough to make me raise my rifle, and swirl around to see what was there. Then there was a thud. I shuffled my way over in the direction of the noise. It led to what seemed to be a closet. And in front of the closet lied an old friend. In the side of his head was the leg of a zergling. Something was here, now I knew it wasn't human. br I ran to leave the room but was met by two massive 'lisks. They were taller then me, they started to spit their acids at my armor. I opened fire on them, one fell, but the other had managed to eat a hole through most of my protection. I bolted down the corridor to the exit of the command center. The 'lisk was right behind me catching up slowly. These stupid bugs were just that much faster. As soon as I was free of the imprisonment of the command center, I turned and fired into the darkness. The 'lisk kept coming full bore, I just kept firing. I fell to the ground and dropped my rifle. I scurried to grab it but, just as it was about to come upon me, a wave of fire shrouded the creature. A loud screeching could be easily recognized from the mist of flame. I snatched my rifle from the ground and pulled myself up. Standing there was a man in the red uniform of a firebat. br "Thanks," I spoke clearing my throat, "There is no person left alive in the command center. The right side of the line is falling. Find a commanding officer Tell him we have to hold out for another 30 minutes before a dropship will take us out, find out what we should do, NOW!" br "Sir, If there is no one left alive in the command center, that would make you the commanding officer." He was right. I called for a report, there were only 98 men left alive, and we were about to succumb to the zerg. I had to think fast, only a hundred men against insurmountable odds, there was no plan for that. If only to save the right side for a little while longer. br Something strange happened just then. Everything slowed down to a crawl. It was as if I could see everything happening all at once. Then a plan came to mind. We had 30 minutes to survive. I knew what to do. br "Withdraw, all forces. Retreat to command center and liftoff. Move to these coordinates and hold there until I arrive. MOVE!" br "YESSIR!" came the eager reply. The firebat trotted off to his original station while yelling into his headset. br "This is a full retreat, we on evac. Report to command center for extraction." The men began to fall back, continuing to fire their rifles into the crowded battlefield. Marines began checking in, two more down on the way to the station. br After about 5 minutes half the remaining team had retreated to the center. Just 25 minutes left before the dropship would arrive. A loud explosion came from over the ridge. I ran to see what it was, another bunker had gone up in flames right after the marines evacuated. One of them was being carried on the shoulders of two others. The last marine was firing into the swarm doing little to no damage at all. Then I realized that they had no way to get up the ridge to the center. The only way up was nearly half a mile from their current position. Making it half a mile like that would have been like pushing a boulder up a mountain. br I did the only thing I could. The only building still standing besides the command center was a factory. The machine shop was totally destroyed. But, waiting outside was one remaining vulture. I scurried about and, as fast as I could, familiarized myself with the controls. I never thought these damn things were so difficult. br Without a thought, I ripped out of there and jumped the ridge. I fell for what seemed like forever, from the air I could see most of the fray. The landing could have been done just a little bit better, but adrenaline can take care of most of the problems you have in combat. I met up with the group of tired men. br "Get him on the back, you guys run for it!" I screamed. They threw him on, and took off. I fired a few rounds into the crowd of zerg with the vulture. Weak stuff, but effective. Then a flashing light illuminated on the dashboard. This vulture had two remaining spider mines. It didn't look like the other two marines would have enough time to run back before they would be overtaken, and killed, by the zerg. So I did what I had to. I laid out the remaining spider mines while I drove. The clicking told me that they were locked onto the ground. Then I heard one scamper, hopefully, into a crowd of zerg. What must have been seconds later I heard the remaining one explode. Then I heard the most dreadful noise. I turned my head and saw one lone ultralisk rushing through the enormous canyon. It must have been the size of a bus, its large horns down near the ground ready to spear anything that came near it. Not good. br With no spider mines left, and that damn thing gaining really fast, there was nothing I could do. The marines still needed some time to evac however. I turned fast guns a blazing, trying desperately to take the thing down. I fired while I went backwards, trying to keep the injured soldier on my vulture. The 'lisk was advancing too fast for me to continue with what I was doing, and not die. br I wheeled around and jetted down the quarter mile stretch that remained. I passed the marines on the way, they were close, but I don't believe they had much of a chance. My odds still went to the 'lisk. Then I heard it, the sounds of fire spewing. When I turned, there was the firebat. He had lit the darn thing on fire, and its wretched structure was being melted away. A few of the marines on the ridge that were left concentrated all their fire on the ultralisk. br We never did kill the damn thing. It was just too big, but the distraction managed to get me and the four soldiers into the command center, but the zerg were catching up. br "Take Off!" I screamed into my headset. With most of the team evacuated, I let them go to the rendezvous coordinates. The building slowly lifted off the ground, leaving behind dead grass, and an unused Nuclear Silo. If only we had a few more days to research the thing, we may have been able to do some damage to the zerg. br "Sir, where are you going? If you stay out there you'll be killed." Noted the lone firebat. br "Just go, I know what I'm doing, this thing is too fast for them, I am goin to try to draw some fire." br "SIR" Was the reply. The Command Center did its liftoff procedures, then a low frequency hum came from the bottom of the round structure. The hover jets kept it aloft, while some small booster jets pushed it in the general direction of the cords. br With the command center on the way, I drove in front of the zerg, tauntingly. Hundreds of little zergling ran off in my direction. I headed in the opposite way of the command center, hoping to draw most of the ground troops away. Most of the zerglings came, as well as some of the hydralisks. Even a couple of flying units came my way, hopefully just enough to keep the CC safe from enemy fire. br I checked my H.U.D. which had a timer set for 30 minutes. It continued to count down to the final time, there were only 3 and a half minutes left. I made a large round circle and went in the direction of the coordinates I gave the firebat. The time continued to click down, 2 minutes, 1 minute thrity, one minute. It was down to the final minute, I was about fifteen kilometers away, when it happened. The sun disappeared, I looked behind me to see what was there. br It was a menacing site, the sun was black with the wings of a million zerg. Overlords, mutalisks, lurkers. Everything you don't want to see. I kicked the pedal to the medal. br I happened again, only this time it was different. I heard loud gunfire from behind me, it didn't sound like terran gunfire. But, when I looked to see what it was, I saw nothing. There were no zerg, no terran remnants, nothing. The smell of fire and rotting flesh burnt through the afternoon sky. And whatever it was that did this, disappeared into nothing but a blue haze. That wasn't it though, I hit something kinda strange. br I know it was humanoid, but I couldn't see much but a blur of it. As I looked, I saw the blur trial behind me. It must have been stuck on something. I couldn't worry about it though, if I missed the rendezvous then I would be stuck here for life. No person to talk to for company. br The turning was kinda sluggish in the forest, I almost hit a couple of trees. The timer on my H.U.D. went to zero, I was too late. br "Sir, The dropship has arrived, do you want me to hold them?" the sound was so eerily monotone. Like every soldier sounds after a major battle I guess. br "I am almost there, tell them to hold, no zerg in pursuit. This is going to be one hell of a report." I said with a chuckle. br "It's good to see you in good health, and good spirit sir." I continued on my way. br My head started to ache terribly. This voice came into my head louder than words. br
"Release me," My head felt like millions of knives were being stabbed into it. I didn't think that talking would do much, so I thought the answer. br
"I can't release what I don't have to begin with." My head settled a bit back to normal, but nothing could shake that strange feeling I felt when it spoke to me, whatever IT was. After a minute or two I reached the evac point. A dropship was there, the engines blazing ready to take off in a hurry. I drove the vulture onboard, there was just enough room. I got off and looked around it. When I walked behind I tripped over something. I reached down and touched it. It had strange skin. It must have reacted to my touch, because instantly it became visible. It stood up from its unnatural slumber and this black arc eminated from its forearm. Several soldiers pointed their weapons at it. The blade went dim, and it fell to the ground. br
I seated myself next to the window and looked out over the ravaged land. Where once there had been 10,000 marines, now there were only one hundred. Where, once, a dark shroud stood over the battlefield, an incredible light now stood over it. The light of hope, and the future never looked better. br
-End Report Lieutenant John C Roberts br
br ***************Chapter 1. The Beginning of the End************** br
br "Get Down!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I snapped the pin out of a nearby grenade. I hurled it as far as I could into the incoming mass of zerg. For nearly two days we had been fighting off this siege of zerg, this seemed to be the final battle. Our resources were sapped, our buildings were all but destroyed, and the chance of reinforcement was impossible. br BOOM! The grenade went off blowing bits of blood and pieces of carapaces all over our small militia. I peered over the ridge that we had taken refuge on to survey the carnage. I had hit some of them, but not enough to make a dent. There were still more of them than we had ammo. I realized that there were more of them that we could handle. br Zerg. They were the most sadistic relentless group of aliens that I had ever known. All of them were just drones though, not matter how many we plowed through there were always twice as many that would take the place of them. br I grabbed my rifle, pointed it at the nearest crowd of zerg and held the trigger. One down, two, three. CLICK. My rifle was out of ammo. I reached into my belt and pulled out another clip to replace the old one. While replacing the clip, I checked the current situation. Both sides of the front line were getting battered hard. But the right side seemed to be taking on most of the onslaught. Hydralisks were tearing through the bunkers that were in place there, while mutalisks toyed with them from the sky. There was something wrong with the strategy. It was almost like the zerg knew what we were going to do. br I left the front, continuing to fire my rifle. Shooting in the general direction of the swarm, it was near impossible to miss at least one of them. I called through my headset to the people in the bunkers. One of the bunkers was on fire, and the missile turrets were taking a severe beating. br "Don't let them get around you, we can't be flanked from the right!" There was a short silence, then. br "We.. Ee..elp,. loss..eavy...cn't.. hold...AAARRRGGHH!!" Then the bunker exploded into a rage of fire and shrapnel. The small band of zerglings that were attacking it were taken out, but the rest of them concentrated their fire on the next bunker. I knew something was wrong. So I sprinted for the command center. br The command center had taken some serious punishment from a previous fight, bolts and wires hung strewn about, needing repairs from an SCV. All around the floor were pools of blood. On the walls were bullet holes and corrosive burns from the 'lisks. That was from a week ago during the last battle. We managed to hold them off, but not before they infiltrated the base and did some destruction to our own command structure. br The smell of fresh acid penetrated the scene, and stung my nose. I journeyed onward, into the center of the command structure. As I walked through the maze that is the command center, I came upon the command room. This was truly the most frightening thing I had seen in my life. br I entered the large room, peering from left to right. The lights were not even operational, but the monitor was functional. It portrayed the exact situation that was going on outside. I lowered my rifle in awe of the most spectacular thing I had seen. We were outnumbered by thousands. In the middle of a red swarm was a small blue dot. In the middle of that dot was the command center. br "CJ782 this is drop 124 we are inbound, will be in range in 30." The message hit me as a surprise. br "Drop 124, I don't think we have 30 outnumbered, no time" There came no reply. br I heard something, it wasn't that loud, but it was enough to make me raise my rifle, and swirl around to see what was there. Then there was a thud. I shuffled my way over in the direction of the noise. It led to what seemed to be a closet. And in front of the closet lied an old friend. In the side of his head was the leg of a zergling. Something was here, now I knew it wasn't human. br I ran to leave the room but was met by two massive 'lisks. They were taller then me, they started to spit their acids at my armor. I opened fire on them, one fell, but the other had managed to eat a hole through most of my protection. I bolted down the corridor to the exit of the command center. The 'lisk was right behind me catching up slowly. These stupid bugs were just that much faster. As soon as I was free of the imprisonment of the command center, I turned and fired into the darkness. The 'lisk kept coming full bore, I just kept firing. I fell to the ground and dropped my rifle. I scurried to grab it but, just as it was about to come upon me, a wave of fire shrouded the creature. A loud screeching could be easily recognized from the mist of flame. I snatched my rifle from the ground and pulled myself up. Standing there was a man in the red uniform of a firebat. br "Thanks," I spoke clearing my throat, "There is no person left alive in the command center. The right side of the line is falling. Find a commanding officer Tell him we have to hold out for another 30 minutes before a dropship will take us out, find out what we should do, NOW!" br "Sir, If there is no one left alive in the command center, that would make you the commanding officer." He was right. I called for a report, there were only 98 men left alive, and we were about to succumb to the zerg. I had to think fast, only a hundred men against insurmountable odds, there was no plan for that. If only to save the right side for a little while longer. br Something strange happened just then. Everything slowed down to a crawl. It was as if I could see everything happening all at once. Then a plan came to mind. We had 30 minutes to survive. I knew what to do. br "Withdraw, all forces. Retreat to command center and liftoff. Move to these coordinates and hold there until I arrive. MOVE!" br "YESSIR!" came the eager reply. The firebat trotted off to his original station while yelling into his headset. br "This is a full retreat, we on evac. Report to command center for extraction." The men began to fall back, continuing to fire their rifles into the crowded battlefield. Marines began checking in, two more down on the way to the station. br After about 5 minutes half the remaining team had retreated to the center. Just 25 minutes left before the dropship would arrive. A loud explosion came from over the ridge. I ran to see what it was, another bunker had gone up in flames right after the marines evacuated. One of them was being carried on the shoulders of two others. The last marine was firing into the swarm doing little to no damage at all. Then I realized that they had no way to get up the ridge to the center. The only way up was nearly half a mile from their current position. Making it half a mile like that would have been like pushing a boulder up a mountain. br I did the only thing I could. The only building still standing besides the command center was a factory. The machine shop was totally destroyed. But, waiting outside was one remaining vulture. I scurried about and, as fast as I could, familiarized myself with the controls. I never thought these damn things were so difficult. br Without a thought, I ripped out of there and jumped the ridge. I fell for what seemed like forever, from the air I could see most of the fray. The landing could have been done just a little bit better, but adrenaline can take care of most of the problems you have in combat. I met up with the group of tired men. br "Get him on the back, you guys run for it!" I screamed. They threw him on, and took off. I fired a few rounds into the crowd of zerg with the vulture. Weak stuff, but effective. Then a flashing light illuminated on the dashboard. This vulture had two remaining spider mines. It didn't look like the other two marines would have enough time to run back before they would be overtaken, and killed, by the zerg. So I did what I had to. I laid out the remaining spider mines while I drove. The clicking told me that they were locked onto the ground. Then I heard one scamper, hopefully, into a crowd of zerg. What must have been seconds later I heard the remaining one explode. Then I heard the most dreadful noise. I turned my head and saw one lone ultralisk rushing through the enormous canyon. It must have been the size of a bus, its large horns down near the ground ready to spear anything that came near it. Not good. br With no spider mines left, and that damn thing gaining really fast, there was nothing I could do. The marines still needed some time to evac however. I turned fast guns a blazing, trying desperately to take the thing down. I fired while I went backwards, trying to keep the injured soldier on my vulture. The 'lisk was advancing too fast for me to continue with what I was doing, and not die. br I wheeled around and jetted down the quarter mile stretch that remained. I passed the marines on the way, they were close, but I don't believe they had much of a chance. My odds still went to the 'lisk. Then I heard it, the sounds of fire spewing. When I turned, there was the firebat. He had lit the darn thing on fire, and its wretched structure was being melted away. A few of the marines on the ridge that were left concentrated all their fire on the ultralisk. br We never did kill the damn thing. It was just too big, but the distraction managed to get me and the four soldiers into the command center, but the zerg were catching up. br "Take Off!" I screamed into my headset. With most of the team evacuated, I let them go to the rendezvous coordinates. The building slowly lifted off the ground, leaving behind dead grass, and an unused Nuclear Silo. If only we had a few more days to research the thing, we may have been able to do some damage to the zerg. br "Sir, where are you going? If you stay out there you'll be killed." Noted the lone firebat. br "Just go, I know what I'm doing, this thing is too fast for them, I am goin to try to draw some fire." br "SIR" Was the reply. The Command Center did its liftoff procedures, then a low frequency hum came from the bottom of the round structure. The hover jets kept it aloft, while some small booster jets pushed it in the general direction of the cords. br With the command center on the way, I drove in front of the zerg, tauntingly. Hundreds of little zergling ran off in my direction. I headed in the opposite way of the command center, hoping to draw most of the ground troops away. Most of the zerglings came, as well as some of the hydralisks. Even a couple of flying units came my way, hopefully just enough to keep the CC safe from enemy fire. br I checked my H.U.D. which had a timer set for 30 minutes. It continued to count down to the final time, there were only 3 and a half minutes left. I made a large round circle and went in the direction of the coordinates I gave the firebat. The time continued to click down, 2 minutes, 1 minute thrity, one minute. It was down to the final minute, I was about fifteen kilometers away, when it happened. The sun disappeared, I looked behind me to see what was there. br It was a menacing site, the sun was black with the wings of a million zerg. Overlords, mutalisks, lurkers. Everything you don't want to see. I kicked the pedal to the medal. br I happened again, only this time it was different. I heard loud gunfire from behind me, it didn't sound like terran gunfire. But, when I looked to see what it was, I saw nothing. There were no zerg, no terran remnants, nothing. The smell of fire and rotting flesh burnt through the afternoon sky. And whatever it was that did this, disappeared into nothing but a blue haze. That wasn't it though, I hit something kinda strange. br I know it was humanoid, but I couldn't see much but a blur of it. As I looked, I saw the blur trial behind me. It must have been stuck on something. I couldn't worry about it though, if I missed the rendezvous then I would be stuck here for life. No person to talk to for company. br The turning was kinda sluggish in the forest, I almost hit a couple of trees. The timer on my H.U.D. went to zero, I was too late. br "Sir, The dropship has arrived, do you want me to hold them?" the sound was so eerily monotone. Like every soldier sounds after a major battle I guess. br "I am almost there, tell them to hold, no zerg in pursuit. This is going to be one hell of a report." I said with a chuckle. br "It's good to see you in good health, and good spirit sir." I continued on my way. br My head started to ache terribly. This voice came into my head louder than words. br
"Release me," My head felt like millions of knives were being stabbed into it. I didn't think that talking would do much, so I thought the answer. br
"I can't release what I don't have to begin with." My head settled a bit back to normal, but nothing could shake that strange feeling I felt when it spoke to me, whatever IT was. After a minute or two I reached the evac point. A dropship was there, the engines blazing ready to take off in a hurry. I drove the vulture onboard, there was just enough room. I got off and looked around it. When I walked behind I tripped over something. I reached down and touched it. It had strange skin. It must have reacted to my touch, because instantly it became visible. It stood up from its unnatural slumber and this black arc eminated from its forearm. Several soldiers pointed their weapons at it. The blade went dim, and it fell to the ground. br
I seated myself next to the window and looked out over the ravaged land. Where once there had been 10,000 marines, now there were only one hundred. Where, once, a dark shroud stood over the battlefield, an incredible light now stood over it. The light of hope, and the future never looked better. br
-End Report Lieutenant John C Roberts br