III. Occupation

I taste dirt and blood in my mouth as I lie on the ground, bodies flying apart all around me, the result of heavy weaponsfire in the immediate vicinity. The bunker had exploded unexpectedly, but I can see the cause now: the second wave of Zerg was approaching, and guardians were bombing our meager encampment. Marines dive in bunkers only to have the haven torn apart by the Zerg onslaught. Tanks commence fire from their siege positions, pouring flak onto the other Zerg surrounding their targets. Wraiths fly into the atmosphere, courtesy of our battle fleet in orbit. Goliaths march unflinchingly forward, their robotic exteriors pummeled with acid spores and needle spines, but unleashing their missiles all the same. I dare not stand for fear that the Hydralisk sliding over me will reduce my skull to a gaping hole. Once I am free of the bastard I roll back and grab my gun, which had been separated from me in amidst the chaos. I bring it to the ready position and turn off the safety—my rifle is the only one that has a safety, they stopped production of those two decades ago.

I open fire, pouring lead into the Hydralisk's backside. It falls to the ground, screeching. There is no use now, I must stand or I will surely die. My eyes unconsciously stray from my Zerg targets in search of the boy, whom I see behind a tank, huddling beside a tread, gun lying on the ground. I jog over to him, to knock sense into the kid, but more Zerg block my path. Luckily for us, the barracks' seem to have touched down with trouble, and more men are re-arming themselves with flame-throwers and medkits. Most of the recent Firebats die instantly (a result of their foolish attempts to test their weapon before entering the battle) but a few survive. I dash to the nearest barrack and grab a more efficient armament, though I keep my rifle at my side.

Another Hydralisk approaches me from behind. I smell its putrid breath before I ever see its face. I slowly turn and it growls threateningly. Drool seeps from its open mouth, filled with small dagger-like teeth. Its black eyes search my own, waiting for my scream of terror and subsequently, the last sound I will ever make. Its scaled head rises, revealing sacs where I assume the needle spines are stored. Its claws rise as well, and it prepares to fire. Oh, shit…

But before it can proceed with my death its head blows apart, spraying bright crimson blood all over myself and the ground. Some splashes in my open mouth, and some in my eyes. It is salty and warm, and I wipe it away. As the cadaver falls I see a lone figure with a smoking Gauss. The kid had saved my life. To no one did I owe this honor. I purposely crush the Hydra's skull under my boot and nod thankfully at the boy. He walks over, and I can see that he is pale, his eyes wide and mouth open. I pull down my sun visor and open the comlink. "Thanks kid," I say, my voice gruff. I must sound like a grandfather to him. "I owe you one."

He activates his sun visor as well. Damn, all he needs to do is press a button. I have to roll mine down; another sign that I should have retired years ago. "No problem," he responds. His voice cracks at the end of his sentence. Still a teen. But he doesn't—

I force him to the ground and blow a bloody hole in the Zergling that was about to devour his crotch. It falls, twitching, bleeding, moaning. He looks behind him, shaken. "Keep alert," I say, getting to my feet. "We're even." He nods vigorously and inside my heart I laugh. No man can endure worse that having his genitals bitten off by a rabid alien muskrat.

I clap a hand on his shoulder. "Stick with me!" His suit rattles with the force of my hand, and I realize that my strength has not diminished since the Academy. I beckon to him, and he follows me. I run across the battlefield as explosions continue, although smaller and less frequently. I see more SCVs scrounging for parts to build the command center. I rush to the perimeter, where the last of the Zerg Hydras are being forced back into their lairs, and I know that our occupation has begun. I turn and see the Admiral's dropship land in the new city center. The kid looks out onto the vast hell that stretches before us. "Is war always this horrible?" he asks.

I chuckle. "You haven't seen shit." I wave my hand in the air. "This is probably the cleanest part."