Jason enters the debriefing room with a face so grim it could kill
someone. He sits down in a room full of empty chairs. Looks about and then
looks down. The debriefing agent walks in with a brief case and sets down
in front of Jason.
"Where are the others?" Jason says
"Sorry boy, but there are no others you are the only one who survived the attack." The agent tells him.
"What do you mean? What about the troop carrier pilots didn't they make it out?"
"No, they did not" the agent says with a stern tone "some were shot down before they even got twenty feet from landing, others blown up as they were lifting off after unloading troops."
"What's your name?"
"My name is Chris, and you are Jason Taggem correct?"
"Yeah, that would be right. I am guessing you want the story eh?"
"You guessed it."
"Where you want to start?"
"Start from the moment the gate on the carrier dropped."
"The gate dropped and we ran out of the vehicle in groups of eight. We got hit really hard by the hydralisks, but things got less intense as each wave successfully killed a few hydras at a time, for a while anyways. The last wave, the wave I was in, went out when there were no hydras left to fight. We ran like the wind as we let loose the lead from our guns to hit the zerglings charging at us. We got back to back with each other, I don't know how many I just know I wasn't alone. Anyways, I just kept firing at anything that moved. We moved slowly to the hatchery knowing well that if we got rid of it the zerg would not be able to produce anymore combat units for a good while. What happened to the other group I don't know, all I do know is that there was a huge mass of green liquid flashed in front of my eyes and then bodies laying the midst of it. Then I heard the screams of men and zerglings together as I saw blood pool at my feet."
"Hhmm, very interesting. So do you know exactly how you survived?"
"No, I don't remember much after I saw the blood pool at my feet."
"Well, I think we are done here. You may leave now. I will present your debriefing at the next meeting we have to make notice of the soldiers that have done exceptionally well."
"Don't worry about it I don't really want to draw attention to myself."
Jason walked out of the room as Chris packed up his stuff and thought to himself that he would respect the wishes of a man who just survived a slaughter. He also made note that if something like this were to happen again he would be sure to sign up as Jason's permanent debriefing agent.
Jason walked into the mess hall and sat down next to one of his fellow privates. The man he sat next to looked at him and greeted him with a goofy smile and a hand thrust out for shaking.
"Ello mate, I ear ee jus git bact from that war zone they bin trying ter tak fer da past wik. Nis ter know on me mates is a survivor."
"Hello Brooks, how are you?"
"Oi, em fin mate, ho bout ee self?"
"Well I am a bit tired and could use some sleep, but I can go another hour or two."
"Weel, I ope you get ur slep. Ee might be neden it en two days."
"Why, what's happening in two days?"
"Weel, I ear they picken out a good undred min or more for a mission they got going. Sometin bout checking up on a base thet's out in the middle a no wer."
"I'm gonna check on it. See what the mission specs are."
"Oi, mighten be gurd idea mate, when ee fint out tell ma ok?"
"Sure, you will be the first to hear anything from me ok?"
"Roight mate, see ya latter."
Jason walked out of the mess hall and down the corridor to an elevator. He entered the elevator and pressed the down button. He stood waiting till the elevator came to a stop. He exited and walked down another corridor to his garrison's sleeping chamber. He climbed up to the top bunk and fell asleep immediately.
A few hours later Jason woke up looked around, seeing no one in the room he walked out to go to the mess hall. Arriving at the mess hall Jason makes notice that no one is there. He turns around and walks down the corridor this time exiting through double doors.
Entering the air and look of a morning sky he sees dots upon the horizon. He looks at the watchtower and begins making his way over. Climbing the tower he notices that the dots are flying in the air. Jason reaches the top of the tower and grabs a pair of binoculars. Looking through the lenses he sees the dots and identifies as one troop carrier badly damaged and four mutalisks. He starts to let the goggles from his eyes when he quickly takes notice of more dots upon the horizon, except these are traversing on the ground. Looking again through the binoculars he sees a good hundred zerglings.
With his heart racing Jason runs down the tower stairs. He does through the double doors and to the armory where he goes to fetch his combat suit. He notices that there are no power suits left and that even his is gone as well. Deciding that he is in charge of base defense he picks up two gauss rifles, three handguns, one C4 canister gun, several grenades, and a rocket launcher.
Running out the doors he sees the objects are closer, and becoming even more so. He goes to the main gate and opens the giant blast door. He buries several grenades in the crack where the blast door slides. Figuring that the well tempered steel has stood up to numerous explosions before a few grenades shouldn't do any harm. He then begins to climb the tower again, keeping in mind that the zerglings will have a hard time with stairs. He readies the rocket launcher knowing good and well that the mutalisks will reach the base first.
Two of the four mutalisks break off from the attack and start back over the horizon. The other two continue their pursuit. As they get closer to the base Jason makes firm his stance. They reach the bunkers outside of the base wall and one of them spits some spores at the carrier. The carrier begins to descend at an extremely slow rate so the mutalisks stay on it. They pass over the tower and Jason lets loose on the rocket launcher. The rocket races out across the sky and hits one of the mutalisks. The other makes a wide turn, giving him enough time to ready the C4 canister rifle.
Taking notice of the fact that he only has one shell for the gun he switches the rifle to BDC (Base Defense Control) and use the lazer site to target in the mutalisk. Upon pulling the trigger a missile launcher comes out of a hatch somewhere in the base and opens fire upon the mutalisk with a salvo of small missiles, which blows the beast into pieces.
Jason turns around and his heart almost stops upon seeing how close the zerglings are. Setting the C4 canister rifle back to SSM (Shell Shot Mode) he targets one of the grenades in the slot where he placed them. Opening both eyes so he can see both the zerglings and the grenade, through the scope, he readies himself for a more than likely death.
The zerglings reach the bunkers and group up in a column seven wide and close to fourteen deep. The front line reaches about one meter from the grenade upon which Jason fires. The grenade explodes with the impact of the bullet, triggering both the other grenades and the death of many zerglings. Zerglings die in blood and pieces, many fly off into pieces, which go about into different directions. Smoke holds a haze over them as they burn and die.
Regaining their bearings the zerglings charge again. Jason opens fire with both gauss rifles killing a number of them but not stopping them even the slightest bit. He decides that he has done all he could from that position as the zergling have disappeared from his due to the fact that they are now climbing stairs and to his surprise doing so very well. He opens a hatch in the floor of the watchtower and begins to descend. He reaches the bottom and hears the scraping of claws from the zerglings up top. He runs down the facility to a room, which has a balcony upon which he stand.
He reaches for the canister rifle again and sets it to BDC. He targets the very top of the tower, which holds a good number of zerglings in it. He sites it in and pulls the trigger. Several missiles hit the top of the tower killing zerglings left and right, while throwing their lifeless body's out over a small distance. Many zerglings begin racing across the roofs to his position. Jason jumps from the balcony and runs across ground towards the main gate.
A good distance out of the base he turns and opens fire with both gauss rifles again. As the zerglings charge they die in slow numbers and begin getting closer. Then from out of nowhere a valkery drops down just two feet behind him and opens up with several missiles killing numerous zerglings.
Marines from a drop ship that just recently landed open fire with their gauss rifles. Shooting at anything and everything that looks like a zerg. Keeping up their fire they slowly enter the base killing of the zerg.
A few hours later Jason is called into a conference room with the bases commander.
"We left you here because of what you went through, not because we did not need you, if that's what you are wandering." The commander says.
"Can we just cut to the chase and get my discharge over with?" Jason says impatiently.
"I leave you here and you destroy the bases watch tower to kill a few hundred zerg? And aside from that you used up two missile salvos doing it."
"I know what I did so lets get my discharge over with."
"This is not about your discharge private, this about the promotion you're getting for defending this base knowing it was a losing battle. I wish every soldier here were like you, ready to sacrifice his service duties to protect the base he is stationed at. Sure any man will sacrifice his life for his country, but no man would even think about coming close to the humiliation of being discharged."
"Sir?"
"What I'm saying is your not being discharged, you're being promoted for protecting this base. If the zerg had been allowed to take this base who knows how many men we might have lost trying to retake it."
"I see."
"We were originally going to give you one promotion and an upgraded power suit for surviving the last battle but once the council hears what you did for this base then you will be getting another promoting. On second thought your new rank is E-5."
"I still don't quite understand Sir."
"Equipment is replaceable Jason, human lives are not."
"One question Sir."
"Go ahead you have earned it."
"What were you guys doing away from the base?"
"I went to pick up your new power suit, the others went on a scouting mission."
"Where are the others?" Jason says
"Sorry boy, but there are no others you are the only one who survived the attack." The agent tells him.
"What do you mean? What about the troop carrier pilots didn't they make it out?"
"No, they did not" the agent says with a stern tone "some were shot down before they even got twenty feet from landing, others blown up as they were lifting off after unloading troops."
"What's your name?"
"My name is Chris, and you are Jason Taggem correct?"
"Yeah, that would be right. I am guessing you want the story eh?"
"You guessed it."
"Where you want to start?"
"Start from the moment the gate on the carrier dropped."
"The gate dropped and we ran out of the vehicle in groups of eight. We got hit really hard by the hydralisks, but things got less intense as each wave successfully killed a few hydras at a time, for a while anyways. The last wave, the wave I was in, went out when there were no hydras left to fight. We ran like the wind as we let loose the lead from our guns to hit the zerglings charging at us. We got back to back with each other, I don't know how many I just know I wasn't alone. Anyways, I just kept firing at anything that moved. We moved slowly to the hatchery knowing well that if we got rid of it the zerg would not be able to produce anymore combat units for a good while. What happened to the other group I don't know, all I do know is that there was a huge mass of green liquid flashed in front of my eyes and then bodies laying the midst of it. Then I heard the screams of men and zerglings together as I saw blood pool at my feet."
"Hhmm, very interesting. So do you know exactly how you survived?"
"No, I don't remember much after I saw the blood pool at my feet."
"Well, I think we are done here. You may leave now. I will present your debriefing at the next meeting we have to make notice of the soldiers that have done exceptionally well."
"Don't worry about it I don't really want to draw attention to myself."
Jason walked out of the room as Chris packed up his stuff and thought to himself that he would respect the wishes of a man who just survived a slaughter. He also made note that if something like this were to happen again he would be sure to sign up as Jason's permanent debriefing agent.
Jason walked into the mess hall and sat down next to one of his fellow privates. The man he sat next to looked at him and greeted him with a goofy smile and a hand thrust out for shaking.
"Ello mate, I ear ee jus git bact from that war zone they bin trying ter tak fer da past wik. Nis ter know on me mates is a survivor."
"Hello Brooks, how are you?"
"Oi, em fin mate, ho bout ee self?"
"Well I am a bit tired and could use some sleep, but I can go another hour or two."
"Weel, I ope you get ur slep. Ee might be neden it en two days."
"Why, what's happening in two days?"
"Weel, I ear they picken out a good undred min or more for a mission they got going. Sometin bout checking up on a base thet's out in the middle a no wer."
"I'm gonna check on it. See what the mission specs are."
"Oi, mighten be gurd idea mate, when ee fint out tell ma ok?"
"Sure, you will be the first to hear anything from me ok?"
"Roight mate, see ya latter."
Jason walked out of the mess hall and down the corridor to an elevator. He entered the elevator and pressed the down button. He stood waiting till the elevator came to a stop. He exited and walked down another corridor to his garrison's sleeping chamber. He climbed up to the top bunk and fell asleep immediately.
A few hours later Jason woke up looked around, seeing no one in the room he walked out to go to the mess hall. Arriving at the mess hall Jason makes notice that no one is there. He turns around and walks down the corridor this time exiting through double doors.
Entering the air and look of a morning sky he sees dots upon the horizon. He looks at the watchtower and begins making his way over. Climbing the tower he notices that the dots are flying in the air. Jason reaches the top of the tower and grabs a pair of binoculars. Looking through the lenses he sees the dots and identifies as one troop carrier badly damaged and four mutalisks. He starts to let the goggles from his eyes when he quickly takes notice of more dots upon the horizon, except these are traversing on the ground. Looking again through the binoculars he sees a good hundred zerglings.
With his heart racing Jason runs down the tower stairs. He does through the double doors and to the armory where he goes to fetch his combat suit. He notices that there are no power suits left and that even his is gone as well. Deciding that he is in charge of base defense he picks up two gauss rifles, three handguns, one C4 canister gun, several grenades, and a rocket launcher.
Running out the doors he sees the objects are closer, and becoming even more so. He goes to the main gate and opens the giant blast door. He buries several grenades in the crack where the blast door slides. Figuring that the well tempered steel has stood up to numerous explosions before a few grenades shouldn't do any harm. He then begins to climb the tower again, keeping in mind that the zerglings will have a hard time with stairs. He readies the rocket launcher knowing good and well that the mutalisks will reach the base first.
Two of the four mutalisks break off from the attack and start back over the horizon. The other two continue their pursuit. As they get closer to the base Jason makes firm his stance. They reach the bunkers outside of the base wall and one of them spits some spores at the carrier. The carrier begins to descend at an extremely slow rate so the mutalisks stay on it. They pass over the tower and Jason lets loose on the rocket launcher. The rocket races out across the sky and hits one of the mutalisks. The other makes a wide turn, giving him enough time to ready the C4 canister rifle.
Taking notice of the fact that he only has one shell for the gun he switches the rifle to BDC (Base Defense Control) and use the lazer site to target in the mutalisk. Upon pulling the trigger a missile launcher comes out of a hatch somewhere in the base and opens fire upon the mutalisk with a salvo of small missiles, which blows the beast into pieces.
Jason turns around and his heart almost stops upon seeing how close the zerglings are. Setting the C4 canister rifle back to SSM (Shell Shot Mode) he targets one of the grenades in the slot where he placed them. Opening both eyes so he can see both the zerglings and the grenade, through the scope, he readies himself for a more than likely death.
The zerglings reach the bunkers and group up in a column seven wide and close to fourteen deep. The front line reaches about one meter from the grenade upon which Jason fires. The grenade explodes with the impact of the bullet, triggering both the other grenades and the death of many zerglings. Zerglings die in blood and pieces, many fly off into pieces, which go about into different directions. Smoke holds a haze over them as they burn and die.
Regaining their bearings the zerglings charge again. Jason opens fire with both gauss rifles killing a number of them but not stopping them even the slightest bit. He decides that he has done all he could from that position as the zergling have disappeared from his due to the fact that they are now climbing stairs and to his surprise doing so very well. He opens a hatch in the floor of the watchtower and begins to descend. He reaches the bottom and hears the scraping of claws from the zerglings up top. He runs down the facility to a room, which has a balcony upon which he stand.
He reaches for the canister rifle again and sets it to BDC. He targets the very top of the tower, which holds a good number of zerglings in it. He sites it in and pulls the trigger. Several missiles hit the top of the tower killing zerglings left and right, while throwing their lifeless body's out over a small distance. Many zerglings begin racing across the roofs to his position. Jason jumps from the balcony and runs across ground towards the main gate.
A good distance out of the base he turns and opens fire with both gauss rifles again. As the zerglings charge they die in slow numbers and begin getting closer. Then from out of nowhere a valkery drops down just two feet behind him and opens up with several missiles killing numerous zerglings.
Marines from a drop ship that just recently landed open fire with their gauss rifles. Shooting at anything and everything that looks like a zerg. Keeping up their fire they slowly enter the base killing of the zerg.
A few hours later Jason is called into a conference room with the bases commander.
"We left you here because of what you went through, not because we did not need you, if that's what you are wandering." The commander says.
"Can we just cut to the chase and get my discharge over with?" Jason says impatiently.
"I leave you here and you destroy the bases watch tower to kill a few hundred zerg? And aside from that you used up two missile salvos doing it."
"I know what I did so lets get my discharge over with."
"This is not about your discharge private, this about the promotion you're getting for defending this base knowing it was a losing battle. I wish every soldier here were like you, ready to sacrifice his service duties to protect the base he is stationed at. Sure any man will sacrifice his life for his country, but no man would even think about coming close to the humiliation of being discharged."
"Sir?"
"What I'm saying is your not being discharged, you're being promoted for protecting this base. If the zerg had been allowed to take this base who knows how many men we might have lost trying to retake it."
"I see."
"We were originally going to give you one promotion and an upgraded power suit for surviving the last battle but once the council hears what you did for this base then you will be getting another promoting. On second thought your new rank is E-5."
"I still don't quite understand Sir."
"Equipment is replaceable Jason, human lives are not."
"One question Sir."
"Go ahead you have earned it."
"What were you guys doing away from the base?"
"I went to pick up your new power suit, the others went on a scouting mission."