The Colony (8 page)

Furious, the alien delivered a swooping uppercut which knocked the space marine several feet back. The bloodied man trying to get up once more, before understanding how much damage a single punch from the demon had delivered.

Jack felt as though he were nearly asleep, his head ringing from the recently delivered punch. Watching the menace of men standing above him, Jack heard the zip of man-made weaponry fire through the air. A single, but high-velocity shot pummeling its way through the beast.

The demon prepared to shriek loudly, knowing it was now outnumbered and, in turn, doomed. Two more shots ended that, however, as both of the bolt-action carriers of death drove into the beast's skull. Ending the bastard in the process.

“What...” Jack said with disorientation. “What took you so fucking long?

“
Had to wait for a clear shot,” Renaldo answered, approaching his downed lieutenant. “Besides, you were handing his ass to him.” he added with a grin.

“
Is that what it was?” Jack asked, using Renaldo to help himself up. “Between the crippling punches I took, it was kind of hard to tell. Kind of felt like, I dunno, like I was in the ring against a fucking train.”

“
Aye.” Renaldo acknowledged.

“
But one of those big, tough trains. Not one of the sissy Christmas type.” Jack added.

“
Even though trains fall.” Renaldo replied.

“
Indeed they do.” Jack said, looking down onto the fallen beast as his sniper looted the corpse of any advanced technology. Especially when it came to weaponry.

“
Are you alright son?” the general asked, approaching the lieutenant after helping Julia from their safe haven beneath the floor.

“
I'll live,” Jack replied, turning to the fallen soldier. “He won't.” Jack added with a grin.

“
Oh my God, wow,” Julia said, rushing to Jack and looking his facial wounds over. “Are you alright?”

“
Be lying if I didn't say I'd had better days,” Jack replied. “But I'm good to go. We still have a job to do.”

“
And what would that be?” the woman asked.

“
Get you both safely aboard my ship.” the lieutenant answered with a grin, though it was overpowered by an eye which seemed covered with red veins and a dark bruise below it.

“
What's the plan boss?” Renaldo asked.

“
Well as soon as you get finished picking the poor bastard clean to the bone, we'll work on getting out of here.” Jack replied.

“
Hey, I'm just taking what we might need.” Renaldo defended with honor.

“
Really? I was waiting for you to take his watch. Maybe a wedding ring and credit cards.” the lieutenant jested.

“
He's got a watch?” Renaldo asked with interest.

“
We're leaving?” the general asked.

“
No choice. As soon as this guy misses a check-in, they'll be back here thick as thieves. This time, they'll rip the place apart looking for us.”

“
But I don't know if we can survive out there.” the general replied.

“
I've survived in worse. We just have to be smart about it. Trust me.” Jack replied.

“
I do lieutenant. I do.” Julia replied, though the general seemed a bit more reluctant.

-

“You sure you got it wired up right?” Jack asked of his sniper.

“
I'm telling you, I double checked the wiring. That's son of a bitch is pegged to blow sky high just as soon as they open it.” Renaldo defended.

“
Alright, well,” Jack said, the entire group well-hidden in thick brush a few hundred yards away. Using the thick rainfall to mask their getaway. “We hang out here until we hear the boom. When that happens, there should be a lot of attention heading toward the building. When it does, we skirt our asses up to those cliffs.”

Pointing toward a set of rocky cliffs that seemed well over a mile out, Jack looked back to the group of four to make sure his plan was clear.

“Shouldn't we stay put in case friendlies come looking for us?” the general asked.

“
Pulled the tracking beacon from the downed shuttle. The son of a bitch is right here in my pants,” Jack replied, patting one of his cargo pockets. “If they come looking, we'll be easy enough to find.”

“
I like it lieutenant.” the general approved with a nod.

“
The rain should erase out footprints within minutes. We just got to make it to those cliffs and start looking for a cave.” Jack replied with a nod of his own.

“
A cave?” Julia questioned.

“
If I know anything as a soldier, it's about how to tuck away and hide real nice. Every set of cliffs has something. A cave, maybe an interior spot that can keep this rain off of us and give us a place to recharge.” the lieutenant replied.

With his words came a planet-shuttering boom. One that seemed to quake below their feet.

“That's the signal, get to it. Renaldo, you have the lead.” Jack ordered.

The sniper led, followed by the general, a woman of impeccable beauty and a soldier that was as rugged as the planet below them. Each sprinting for the hope of survival as the demons sprinted toward the sound of explosion, only to discover three more of their soldiers killed by the blast.

-

As night fell across the colony of horror, Jack continued to watch the alien bastards below – their cliff hideaway giving the small group of survivors a clear perspective.

“Sure seems a lot more peaceful up here.” Julia said, approaching the hardened marine slowly.

Meanwhile, the general slept as Renaldo pushed sleep from his eyes. Having pulled in a bit of rest prior to swapping Jack with watch duties.

“Yea,” Jack replied. “Almost seems like there isn't a murderous race down below, with the rain and all.” Jack replied, though his thoughts remained on guard.

“
Can I ask you a question lieutenant?” the woman asked.

“
Jack,” he replied friendly. “Of course.”

“
You seem very distracted.” Julia stated.

“
Well ma'am, I have to be honest,” Jack replied. “The death of most of my crew is weighing heavily – and it shouldn't be.”

“
Yes, but, you wouldn't be human if you didn't feel some kind of emotion because of them.” Julia said in a comforting fashion.

“
I've been a soldier long enough to know better,” Jack replied, turning to face the beautiful woman. “There's a time and place for emotion. In the midst of battle,” he added, turning his attention to the colony below them once more. “That ain't it.”

“
When then?” Julia questioned.

“
My sole focus here and now should be on our survival. That's it,” Jack said. “But my crew, the faces of those children,” the marine said, biting back tears. “My wife.”

“
Your wife?” Julia asked, seeming both disappointed and surprised.

“
Yea,” Jack replied. “I have to push all of that back right now. Otherwise it would cloud who I am as a soldier.”

“
I didn't realize you were married. I didn't see a ring.” Julia commented.

“
Yea I,” Jack replied, still oblivious to Julia's feelings for him. “I don't wear one in combat.”

“
Oh,” the young woman replied. “Well, if it's any consolation to you, I think your wife would be very proud. You went toe to toe with one of the soldiers out there.”

“
Yea, and I got the shiner to show for it.” Jack replied with a grin, his eye engulfed with black tint from the recent encounter.

“
So Jack,” Julia said with smile. “From the perspective of a soldier, where do we stand?”

“
Well, my boys are coming,” Jack replied. “I don't know when, but you can bet your sweet ass the core is coming.”

“
My sweet ass?” Julia asked with a smile.

“
Oh, um,” the marine stumbled. “I didn't mean any disrespect. It's just a saying we all have. I apologize.”

“
No need,” Julia replied. “It's just a shame you're married,” she added, stopping to cautiously backtrack in her wording. “I mean for me. Not you, of course, I wish you and your wife all the best.” Julia carefully added.

As the young lady walked away, passing Renaldo in doing so, they exchanged nods.

“Julia,” Jack said, causing the woman to turn once more. “Thank you.”

“
Of course lieutenant.” she replied with a grin.

“
Um, anything I should know about LT?” Renaldo asked.

“
No, but we do need to talk strategy.” Jack replied.

“
Yes sir.” the sniper acknowledged.

“
We know we're at war, and we know our boys will be coming for us.” Jack said.

“
Yes sir, and chances are they'll be showing up thick as thieves, guns blazing.” Renaldo replied.

“
Yep, and it would be a big help to 'em if we could give them a SITREP of some kind when they get here.” the lieutenant said.

“
How are we gonna do that?” Renaldo questioned.

“
I'm going out there. Gonna try and scout out what they have and figure out what in the hell we're dealing with.” Jack replied.

“
Sir, with all due respect,” Renaldo said, speaking to his friend as a loyal soldier. “I should be the one to go.”

“
Renaldo, I can handle it.” Jack confirmed.

“
Sir, again, with all due respect, I don't believe you can,” the sniper admitted. “Or should.”

“
What did you just say to me?” the lieutenant asked, clearly upset over the remark.

“
Permission to speak freely, sir?” the sniper asked.

“
Cut the shit Renaldo. Say what's on your mind.” Jack demanded.

“
Jack, you got family back home. I don't. We both know whoever goes,” the sniper said. “If they get caught, they ain't coming back. Now I have recon skill and the ability to move silent. Hell, I'm a sniper for God's sake. I just got some rest and you're clearly exhausted. Just let me chow up and head out. I'll be back when the sun is back, and I'll have a good picture on what we're dealing with.”

“
I appreciate it Renaldo, I do – but I can handle it.” the lieutenant stated.

“
I know you can,” Renaldo replied pleadingly. “Just let me go. I have nothing to lose but my life, and I ain't scared of dying. You got everything to lose and nothing to prove.”

The two soldiers exchanged a stare which lasted nearly a complete minute. Each man searching the other one out with a need for words.

“Alright. You find your way down to wherever these fucks are calling a command center. You assess the situation, then you get your ass back in once piece. Understood?” Jack asked.

“
You got it.” the sniper replied.

“
Recon only, I'm series,” Jack warned. “We've lost too many already. Now chow up and get moving.” the lieutenant added with a nod of thanks.

“
Yes sir.” Renaldo replied, his bolt-action rifle across his shoulder.

-

“What is it?” Wesley asked, having rushed to the bridge of the small marine vessel.

Chandra offered no reply, simply a look of defeat.

“Holy shit.” Wesley said, glancing through the shatterproof glass and locking eyes onto Chandra's worry.

Two ships, very large and anything but human-built. Carriers – at least that was Wesley's initial assessment.

“What do we do?” Chandra asked.

“
God,” Wesley added. “I...I dunno.”

“
Wesley, we need to do something. Either hail them in surrender or try and run. They are closing fast.” Chandra said, punching coordinates into the computer systems in front of her.

“
No, we can't run. Ships that size are bound to have smaller craft inside. They'd just run us down.” Wesley finally admitted.

“
What then, try to hail them in surrender?” Chandra asked.

“
Normally I'd say hell no. I'd tell you to drop this damn rig to the surface. But with the kids aboard,” he said with despair. “We have no other choice.”

Chandra looked to him for several moments, both of the soldiers thinking of what may be to come. Wesley finally resting his hand onto her shoulder in comforting fashion.