New Conglomerate Junior Divison

[DeathsVirgin]

INTRO


My name's Frederick Blake, and this is my story.


I was born on January 1st, 3250—Earth time—on an island 300 miles off Amerish in the restricted zone.


The island, Yuris, is basically where all the New Conglomerate people reside, from retirees, to vets, to past-political leaders, to civilians. Most of the time, soldiers come back to check on their family, and then they return to the treacherous war.


A lot of things changed in 3000, concerning humanitarian liberties, implemented by only the NC, really. The Vanu were too infatuated in their pursuit of new technology and artifacts, and we all know what strict assholes the Terran are.


People were given chances for normal lives—sort of. NC military leaders realizing that the pointless war was never going to end aimed to establish a small government with only one political party, to serve the people, better than what Terran or Vanu had. Rules were care-free and after a while people even wondered why we even established the government. Then again we were not perfect as crime and such occurred sometimes.


Those who chose not to fight in the military could stay on Yuris. The landscape is nostalgic. Earth-books contain similar scenes of sandy shores and the sky set on fire in an inferno of pink, red, yellow, and orange on the sandy beach. Lush forest is scattered across the island.


Everyone was welcome. Terrans who sought freedom and less restrictions, Vanu abandoning their inhumane beliefs. With this we gained a substantial amount of Arauxians joining the Conglomerate. Soldiers were given a change to retire after 10 consecutive years of fighting and deemed title "Veteran".


Vanu scientists who switched conducted tests, revolutionizing life itself with "mercy" nanites. They would reverse the effects of rebirthing, and slowly, but peacefully draining the person of life. The gift of mortality was given by the NC.


This technology was banned by all other factions.


The population of Yuris is roughly one million. We've now tried to make our lives as Earth-like possible, as many women get married and have children. As a counterpart to births, rebirthing technology as well as all vanu tech is restricted to citizens for their own good.


When most of the first and second generation vets come back, they spend a year or two enjoying "the spoils of war," before taking the mercy nanites. Some of these guys have been here since rebirthing tech came out.


You'd think immortality would be a nice thing but one you live for 200-300 years plus, dying daily, enduring the horrors of war—you have to wonder what that does to a man.

New Conglomerate has a rule besides freedom and that's: don't forget where you came from.

Life is great on Yuris. The only real jobs here are farming, trade, and transportation. The people rely on the agrarian society with our exports coming from Cordes, the small neighboring island, 50 miles off. Farmers take boats or NS civilian issued Valkyries there to cultivate.


Enough about Yuris. Back to my story.


When I was 13, I decided to join the ranks of the Conglomerate, and admit myself into the NCJD (New Conglomerate Junior Division).


The New Conglomerate decided to better their soldiers, substituting old vets with freshly trained young, sharp, and like-minded recruits who had much to learn. They took in teens 13-17. You went into the battlefield at 15, and you would be judged from there. You were not an official rookie; only when entering adulthood, graduating from the NCJD into the New Conglomerate Infantry.


A lot could happen in those two years, and a lot could be learned. This is what I hoped.

With my parents' approval, I departed with 2000 Station Cash. I waited for the public Galaxy shuttle and as the wait dragged on, I saw other recruits with their blue and yellow duffel bags.


"These are the people I'll train with," I thought.


"These are the people I'll fight with." I looked around at their each individual faces.


"These are the people...I'll die with."


Five minutes in the Galaxy was just enough time to get talking. We discussed so many topics ranging from factions, to politics, to the war itself. We dreamed of becoming high ranking commanders and officers and maybe bringing an end to the war so that Auraxians could live in peace.


We finally arrived at Poseidon, an NC controlled and built city. It was located in the restricted zone and floated above the surface of the Araxium Ocean, 100 miles off the icebergs of Esamir. Each faction has their own cities. Vanu has their Techno-Tropolis and Terran built Gresley. They have so much tech putting the cities off the grid. No one messes with the cities of the opposing factions, for they would bring full scale assaults on the perpetrator.


We looked upon the big city as the Galaxy hovered near ground. As we marched down the slope of the the transport exit, the familiar smell of the sea greeted us, as well as a beautiful woman in blue.


You must be the last batch of new recruits," she said.


"Yep!" I exclaimed. "I'm here to make a difference!"


She chucked. "You'll make a fine soldier."


She walked us down flights of stairs, the five of us, down to the ground level. A Sundy was parked alongside the curb as we left the landing space. We boarded the bus and headed for a tacit five minute drive to the recruitment office, conveniently located near the NCJD base.

"Your paths start here. Go into the office, register, and they'll take it from there," she said.


2 hours of paper work and displacement led to us finally rest in our bunks. My three roommates, Henry Chao, Jake Marks, and Adrian Cole said that they had arrived last week. I went to primary school with Adrian, but we never really got close.


After talking about the NCJD, we spoke about Earth things. TV shows, comics, football, US Navy Seals. After a while, drowsiness took me in and I fell into a deep sleep.


Training was waiting for me.

[DeathsVirgin]

"You fine young men and young women have trained hard! Some have quit along the way. The 100 of you recruits who have completed two years of basic, intermediate, and advanced training should be proud, because I sure as hell am!"


I'm indulged in Commander Jox's speech. Hard work we went through, indeed. I learned to shoot straight, specializing as a Heavy Assault. 15 years old, buff and 150 pounds, I had turned my scrawny ass into a soldier who was ready to fight.


I learned how to use military equipment, I learned to drive a tank, I learned to fly Reavers! I was taught to switch to my sidearm when my ammo ran out in the midst of a battle. I learned how to use my nanoweave shields wisely. I learned how to take a serious beating.


So much experience I gained without setting a foot on the battlefield. I knew it wouldn't be the same; but...


I was ready to fight for people's right to live a normal life. If the NC drew back from the war, the possibility of Vanu and or Terran going after our cities would be high.


Freedom over Oppression!


"I’ve seen undeniable progress since day one from each of you who stand before me. In the New Conglomerate, we never give up. And we never take the easy way out. Those Terrans can't hold us down! The Vanu can't improve the human race. You are the next generation of soldiers! It is your duty to protect our citizens’ liberties and human right to live a normal life, away from this non-ending madness! With this said..."


We all grin with anticipation.


"I now deem you officially part of the New Conglomerate Junior Division!"


We throw our berets up in the air and cheer. Part of the New Conglomerate. Following in my grandfather's footsteps. The battlefield awaits.


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We are lined up, naked. It is time to connect our matrix into the rebirthing network. I'm shaking. Commander Jox explained:


They'll strip you and make you drink a whole lot of nanites to the point where your stomach can't take anymore. Then they'll place you in a cylinder filled with liquid rebirthing nanites. They'll close the lid cutting off all oxygen, and you are basically supposed to drown in the nanites. They'll leave you in there for a few days so that you get tapped into the rebirthing network. Obviously, you're dead, but the nanites will preserve your corpse. They'll drain the cylinder after the time being, and then your dead body will dissolve into the network, and your matrix will be sent to the nearest spawn tube. Pretty neat, huh?


"That sounds f***ing brutal man," Adrian agrees.


We watch the boy in front of us drink to his stomachs limit and perform the drowning ceremony as we call it.


"You're next."


I gulp. I'm still trembling. My ultimate death fear is death by asphyxiation or drowning. I sit down in the chair and they pour me a glass of nanites. I drink.


Extremely metallic and bitter. As I swish my mouth, the nanites move around clinging to my tongue and every piece of skin in my mouth. They're like mouthwash, but thick and just more potent. They burn my throat like a coke being consumed without stopping. They slide down my esophagus and my stomach pops and fizzes. I can feel them entering my bloodstream as rejuvenation and strength comes from nowhere.


I drink another glass. Then another. By 5, my veins are pulsating with nanites and my future brothers in arms have stopped cheering "chug, chug, chug!" as I lay down my glass, prepared to vomit from my stomach being overfilled.


With much embarrassment, but realizing that everyone today has done it, I remove my undergarment avoiding embarrassed eyes, and climb the ladder into the cylinder or nanites. They are warm. To my right, is a row of tubes stretching forever. I can't see the end, but I see the dead bodies of my friends submerged in their cylinders. I take a deep breath and exhale completely.


"Be strong soldier," I think.


I plunge myself into the murky pool of green. They close the lid over me. I do nothing for a few seconds, scared, panicked, unable to breathe. Think of grandpa.


With all the willpower I can muster, I suck in the nanites. I begin to cough, which my body naturally makes me inhale right after. The more I cough, the more nanites I inhale. I'm soon unable to even move. I can feel the nanites in me. My lungs are completely filled and darkness begins to take over. Feels good.


••••••••••••••••� �••••••••••••••••� ��•••••••••••••••• ••••••••••••••••� �•••


I wake up in a bed and vomit everything. I feel lightheaded, dizzy, and tingly from head to toe. My vision is heavily blurred. I look down to see the ground before me covered in green nanites.


"Heyyyy! Looks who just spawned" Adrian congratulates me, handing a towel for me to wipe my sticky bare feet. I look around to see about 30/60 of my male companions. They are either up and about in their blue and yellow-trimmed bath robes, not yet spawned, stumbling and staggering like drunkards, or vomiting nanites as I. I put on a robe from one of the hangars.


"Where the f*** are we?" I ask.


"We're in the main spawn room of Poseidon!" Adrian intrinsically exclaims.


"You mean of the NC infantry?" I am bewildered, but embarrassed of my lower status. "What's going on?" I ask.


"We're waiting for everyone to spawn, girls and boys. Then we're going for squad assignments," a cold looking kid says to me.


I look at the spawn tube to see green nanites fluctuating green and nothing, forming a hologram of a body and then the meat begins to fill in. The boy step out of the spawn tube and vomits.


"That's so weird, but so cool," I say.


We watch him struggle with a dogged attempt to walk in a straight line.


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We are in the spawn room waiting for each boy to spawn with approximately five minute intervals, until there are exactly 60 of us.


In two hours, we change from our bathrobes into our basic gear and make our way back to the ceremony or party room of the NC.


"Finally the boys are done," a girl says. "We've been waiting an entire moon cycle"


We line up.


A familiar face takes the stage. It is the woman from before! She spots me and smiles. Does she really remember me?


She begins calling squads. I am placed in bravo squad, junior platoon 1, generation 3. Adrian luckily is in my squad, as well as my frienemy Sarah, and professional buddy Tolky.


"Now," she smiles, "for squad leaders."


Murmurs begin to fill the air. Who would have the honor and responsibility of being a squad leader? As she begins to speak, we are hushed.


"Alpha Squad Leader of Platoon 1, Generation 3, by vote, Tyler Gray!"


I give a personal applaud. Tyler had helped me through my breaking point during "hell week," otherwise known as the Devils playground. 6 weeks of torture, obstacle, and endurance training.


We were sent to vote after the last day of training, 8 people we would see as squad leaders (excluding ourselves). I guess the person with the most votes was deemed the squad leader, and Tyler deserves Alpha.


"Now, Bravo Squad Leader of Platoon 1, Generation 3, by vote..."


Who could it be?


"Frederick Blake!"

[DeathsVirgin]

We waited in almost complete silence with small conversations sparking here and there as the Galaxy soared towards the Dahaka region. My squad consists of me and my 11 comrades. There are two of each class in our squad. The sniper Infiltrator is so shady. She hasn't spoken a word at all. Her helmet hides her face, but I feel like
I'm being watched.

"60 seconds until drop," Adrian says. He is our transport pilot.

We unstrap out of the seats.

I am determined to be the best squad leader that I can be. If I was ranked 2/8 for likeliness to be a squad leader, I would fulfill this duty.

"OK guys…" I really don't know what to say. "So. Just like Commander ordered. A small squad of Vanu are patrolling around Dahaka. We go in, take them out, take the base, and let the main infantry take the Amp Station."

Adrian says,"30 seconds until drop."

"Don't f**up squad leader," Sarah jeers.

"Aw shut up," I say. "And remember our training, guys. This is the real thing"

I open the trapdoor and we enter the low-ceiling bottom floor of the galaxy.

"This is pretty badass," Hazel (Medic) says. There are boxes of supplies and a few rebirthing tubes. Ammo and camera controls for the guns of the Galaxy stun us.

"Hey, focus" I demand. The 11 drop pods lined up await us. I dont hesitate to get in. The four-way doors come up.

"Hell of a tight fit for a MAX," says Killian.

I sit down in the pod and swing down the roller coaster style harness. "Tell us when, Adrian," I say.

I put on my helmet, lay my Guass SAW on my lap, and grip the handles of the harness tightly as I wait for his signal.

"Now! Drop Now!" he yells.

I smash the release button and feel my center of gravity shift upwards. The rush is exhilarating as, but I stay focused.

After about 10 seconds, the pod slows down dramatically and my stomach churns. The landing is hard but nowhere near fatal. The four way hatches open. I'm blinded by the Sun, which my visor adapts by tinting on the inside. I look around and see my squad just landing or standing beside me.

"Adrian, keep that thing in the air. If the medics get killed, we're gonna need you," I warn. "That and you're our ride home"


"Roger that," I hear his voice through my inter-linked com.

I place my spawn beacon down. An eccentric ray of blue light shoots for the heavens.

The infiltrator speaks for the first time. "I'll first a spot to snipe." Her voice is melodic and girly, but professional.


"OK, assume open formation" I say.

We begin to steadily approach the base.

"OK, one capture point. Two generators. One enemy spawn point." I begin. "Here's the plan. Team one [Me, Tolsky(Light Assault), Jeb(MAX), and Sarah(Medic)] will go for the generators. Then, the spawn point where we will camp."

We scan the Indarian landscape vigorously, hot sun roasting us. We are about 300 meters from the base, going from a decline.

I continue, "Team two [Jill(Second-In-Command & Heavy Assault), Quinn(Light Assault), Po(Engineer), Killian(MAX), Hazel(Medic), and Jerome(Short-Ranged Infiltrator)] you guys get down to the spawn point and suppress them for the time being. Marie(Long-Ranged Infiltrator) you cover all of us. Jerome, you cover the generator cloaked"

"Roger." They say.

We have our rifles and pistols up scanning the area.

"Spotted a Vanu Infiltrator," says Marie, "East of your position. He just cloaked and went into that building. Stay frosty."

"Roger." I confirm. "Cover Team 2, we're going inside."

I signal Team 2 to begin their objective.

We have our backs against the wall lined up in single file, right next to the door.

"Watch for proximity mines," I remind.

On my signal we burst in. A glossy figure runs and on instinct I lock onto it with my iron sight, and squeeze the trigger lightly. The body falls to the ground. The figure begins crawling. I shoot the Infiltrator in the head and a pool of blood leaks from the head. The body dissolves into a hologram of green nanites and then is gone.

"Holy sh*t Freddy. I didn't even see that" Sarah exclaims.



"I'm missing all the f***ing fun" Adrian says.


"Stay focused, celebrate later," I say sternly, but inside I am booming. My first kill! My heart is practically beating out of my chest. It's a bit horrific, but I refuse to be influenced by the horrors of war.



"Tolsky, get that generator down," I order. "Jeb cover that door north, Sarah you cover those doors east, I've got the one behind us."


I kneel taking position. We wait for Tolsky to overload their generator. About thirty precarious seconds pass when Tolsky finishes. We begin to hear the alarm of the breached generator and quickly move upstairs.


"Moving for the generator," Jeb says.


I spot a flat, purple Y-shaped object on the floor and Sarah moving towards it. Actions are faster than words, so I activate my Nanoweave shields and tackle her two feet from the explosive.


Motion triggers it and we are knocked back. I struggle to breathe.


"Oh my gosh! Are you OK?" She begins running med-tests on me. I can barely breathe.


"Capture the point,... then worry about me."


"We have eyes on two f***ing squads of Vanu now leaving the spawn!" Jill screams over gunfire.


"I've got eyes on them all. Picking them off like flies." Marie says nonchalantly.


"Remain in...position... as long... as you can..." I mutter. I cough up blood. Sh*t!


Sarah takes out her medical applicator and begins streaming nanites into my chest. I feel them repairing my ribcage and multi-punctured lungs. I suck in fresh air.


"I told you to watch those damn mines" I say. "Cover the doors guys."


"We're falling back to you!" Jill yells.


The rattling gunfire draws near. They sprint up the stairs to us.


"You guys take the control point! Team 1 move to the hallway. Po get a turret on the right stairwell. I want all my MAX's in the other room! Tolsky on the left stairwell! Jerome use the generator for flanking cover!"


"Here they come!" Jerome yells.


I am covering the left stairwell, along Tolsky. Two Vanu heavies appear from the door and they don't hesitate to fire upon us. They both put up their glossy turquoise nanoweave shields up. We use our training to our advantage and utilize the cover. I get hit, but my shields absorb most of it and the plasma just dissipates. It feels like getting slugged with a baseball bat.


The first one falls by Tolsky, a quick headshot, but the second one is still standing. Beams of purple plasma zoom past me, but I am safe in cover. Tolsky is near death with plasma burnt though his chest.


"Medic!" I yell! The heavy stops to reload, which I begin shooting at him. Trying to flee, he puts his nanoweave shields up again subbing for his depleted personal shields, but catches 12 of my precise bullets. Blood splatters the wall.


Before I can get down, I get shot twice. I'm in pain, as the scorching hot plasma continues to eat away at the skin and tissue cells in my shoulder and bicep.


Sarah comes to my rescue shooting the infiltrator to pieces. She goes over Tolsky, who has died and begins reviving him. At the same time, She throws me an injector. I roll up my sleeve and press the injector on my skin. Nanites begin to travel through my skin into my blood and heal me. I watch as the bloody would begins to clot, muscle grows back, and then finally skin with zero scar tissue.


Tolsky wakes. "Oh sh*t! did I die!"


"Stay focused! MAX inbound!" I scream.


"Copy that. Give me a second, I've got some lights to deal with," Killian says.


I take out the rocket launcher I have strapped to my back, take aim, and fire. The explosive shell detonates and knocks the MAX back a feet. The alien looking soldier gets right back up and begins shooting at the cover me and Tosky are hidden behind. Turquoise and purple plasma splashes everywhere as the MAX advances. I dare not get up from cover and I signal an angered Tolsky to stay down.


At the last second, Killian is MAX charging and he tackles the MAX. Killian begins stomping on the MAX's head until it is a purple and red puddle. Infantry swarm him. He falls.


Tolsky and I throw each a frag grenade taking out about eight men.


Over heavy gunfire and lasers, we hear commander.


"You've liberated the facility! The main infantry is already dropping now"


Similar gunfire echoes. The vanu are picked off one-by-one until there is only blue and gold.


************************************************** ************************************************** ******


"You kids really f***ed them up!" exclaims an excited Mercenary Downs of Alpha Squad Leader, Platoon A.


"It was for our right of passage" Adrian joked.


The base is swarming with the entire platoon.


"33 kills 5 casualties?! Even we don't go that hardcore. We're headed to the Amp Station, you guys wanna tag along?" We have earned respect from even the first infantry division!


"Sorry, sir, we've got to report back to the warp" I say.


"Right, Right. Mercenary Downs. Call if you're ever in a pinch." I shake his death grip.


We depart back to the Galaxy. As we fly we talk about how awesome and tactical the mission was.


The Infiltrator sits next to me.


"Great job, Freddy," she says in a teasing tone.


I'm about to speak. She removes her helmet. Even Adrian is gawking.


"Keep your eyes on the sky dumbass!" Sarah yells.


She is gorgeous. She lets down her black hair tied in a ponytail.


"I definitely made the right choice voting for you as squad leader."


I stare into her curious green eyes with a smirk.

[DeathsVirgin]

A lot happened in the next 4 months.

I got myself some composite armor, upgraded my rifle to an EM1, my pistol to a Commissioner, and got some new blue camo.

Our team has become so much better at combat, as well as teamwork and trust.

My relationship with Marie has progressed, as she is my girlfriend now. I do really like her, and she makes a great battle buddy, as well as just sitting and talking about life.

Also, thanks to both Platoons of the Juniors from the NCJD (Platoons A and B) our strategic teamwork led to the capturing of three techlabs. All Junior and Senior squad leaders of the NCJD were given their own dorms.

There was a conflict that came out of this saying that we were acting Terran-ish, giving people of higher status better privileges, but it quickly simmered when the rooms were as small as the infantry's individual dorm rooms.

That offended so many of us, me included. The guys who said that totally got their assses kicked. The officers and generals are nowhere near similar to the Terran military leaders.

The Terran leaders get the fanciest and most exquisite foods and wine. Meat and alcohols preserved thousands of years from Earth. General Hicks eats veggie-burgers and filtered water with us in the public canteen. While the Terran leaders live lives of comfort, without setting a foot on the battlefield, Commander Bri Love is always out in combat leading us, and fighting alongside us. In NC, no matter our rank, gender, race, we are all equals. That's something Terran will never have.

The good thing about the rooms is that Marie likes to come over to "have some fun" if you know what I mean. Aside from that, I can just sit down, and think, or plan out strategies and formations for the squad.

Recently, big news hit. My squad became the second best squad in the NCJD, next to the alumni 1st Generation's Delta Squad of Platoon D. Their average KD ratio was about 10-1, while we're at 7-1. Me, my KDR is about 4-1 average; 367 kills and 92 deaths.

I have to say though. These past four months have changed me. I've seen some horrific stuff, as well as endured it.

I watched as Jerome get his head torn clean off by the strength of a Vanu MAX, spine still attached. Then it was used like a rock on a rope to beat us and then we were shot to death.

I was kissing Marie one time, after our Platoon secured a base. A terran sniper literally shot her entire brain out and her blood spurted into my mouth. Brain particles went flying all over me. I looked upon her fallen corpse and saw the baseball sized hole in her head with no brain. I vomited and cried on the spot.

I remember, a Terran heavy assault pinned my down with his Flash on Esamir. He had his studded snow tires on, and proceeded to sand my entire head off. Very Painful but relaxing as the studs grated the part of my brain controlling nerve receptors.

Sarah once had her neck snapped 180 degrees by a Vanu assassin. Her back was to us, about to make another sarcastic smart-ass remark. The Infiltrator uncloaked and as her body stood facing forward, her head jerked a half revolution and looked to us. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her mouth gaped open.

We were burned to death when We hopped on our exit Galaxy. A few Vanu heavies got us with Lock-On's and the inferno consumed us like an oven before exploding on ground impact.

We witnessed the terrible gang rape of a Vanu recruit by Terran Generals. She was probably around 17 to 19. We wasted them and let the traumatized girl.

I had my throat slit by a Vanu Infiltrator. It was so painful as I bled to death and choked on my own blood. Homicidal nanites invaded my cells and nerves and ate them. I gurgling in pain as Marie screamed for a medic in tears. In 20 seconds, I was gone.

Adrian and Quinn were literally ripped into chunks of meat when a Terran MAX with double chain guns discovered them.

Our Valkyrie was about to get shot down on Esamir so we all had to jump to our deaths. Except that I landed on a Auraxium Spike, and was impaled. As I slid down my body was ripped in two.

Horrific stuff.

Anyways, the NCJD building combined with the main NC military building into an even bigger base.

Now a commander, Doe Downs selected me to be his apprentice just two days ago.

I am sleeping.

"Aye, Freddy! Get up! We've got a fight! Get ready in 10 or we're leaving without you!" he booms, bursting into my room. I scramble out of my bed and assemble my uniform. I take a few minutes putting on my composite armor.

I sprint to the armory and from my locker, I grab my EM1, my Shrike Rocket Launcher, and my Commissioner Revolver. I head over to the Ammo dispensary and take a few mags and a backpack load of shells. Then I head to the public med-room and collect some med-kits.

I sprint back upstairs and see Alpha Squad of Platoon A, 3rd Infantry Division, waiting for me.

"OK, here's our guy, we'll talk along the way. The Crown's waiting for us" Commander Downs says.

The Crown!!! I've heard so many epic war stories about The Crown even when I was a kid. Vets told all sort of awesome tales back on Yuris.

"So what's you're name kid?" A female Engineer asks.

"Uh... Cadet Frederick Blake ma'am," I reply. "Squad Leader of Bravo Squad, Platoon A. NC Junior Division"

"So you're the apprentice huh?" a light assault starts, "Timmy Quell." He lets out a hand. I shake the death grip.

Do they all shake like they're trying to break your hand?

We keep doing introductions until we pass by the rec room. Someone calls my name.

"Freddy!" they call chasing after me.

"Hey, what's up?" I ask. It's Marie.

She begins rustling my uniform. "You didn't think I'd let you go without a kiss did you?" she says in a flirty tone.

I'm totally embarrassed as the entire squad is snickering.

I kiss her for a good five seconds and retract. They are all woohoo-ing and whistling.

"Stay safe," she says leaving. "And kick some ass for me!"

"Pshh, I will babe" I say.

"Whoa Blake, who was that?" Downs asks in a teasing tone.

"It was my girlfriend, now calm down," I say nonchalantly.

"Eh, beats a fleshlight and thousand year old Earth Playboy magazines," says Medic Marco.

We "ew" at his crude comment.

"I gotta ask though, kid,"do you love her?" The Engineer, Gretchen asks.

There is silence as I think.

"Y-yea..." A weak response.

"I've loved her since the day I laid eyes on her" I rephrase. "Those days where you really need someone, I know I have her. She has me too."

"Try to keep it that way. You've got a good thing going on. We don't really do any loving in these times, well except for Mr. Fleshlight over there," she says, "but ever since our ancestors came to Auraxis, love has just died out. We're faced with so many political, economical, and military problems that emotions die with us. We need to all learn to love again. Not just as individuals, but as a race, with the slight exception of those Vanu freaks. My point is, no one knows what love is, not anymore, so cherish it."

"That was f***in' beautiful" says Engineer Liam.

"Yea man. Aye Gretch, how bout dinner with me when we get back then?" asks Heavy Assault Brody.

"Mmmmmm, I'll think about it," Gretchen says teasingly.

"Don't worry Brody. That's totally a yes," says medic Jessica.

We go all the way down to the ground level where Galaxies are waiting to take The entire four platoons of the 3rd Infantry Division.

"So what's the plan?" I ask.

"The Platoons A and B are going to take a giant convoy of tanks, sundies, harassers, you name it. Were taking those to the Crown. C and D are taking the air fleet there. Get ready to double up."

"Sh*t. 24 people in a Gal?" says MAX Toby.

"Yep," say Downs. "We'll land in the warpgate, get our convoy as C and D wait."

"Fear the NC Zerg!" soldiers begin to cheer. We begin stomping on the ground and yelling.

"FEAR THE NC ZERG!!!"

[DeathsVirgin]

We are rocking out to instrumental metal music blasted at full volume in the Harasser. Downs is driving, heavy Assault Brody is in the front seat. Light Assault Chen-Li is on top gunning. MAX Shaquisha is sitting in the back carriage. Light Assault Timmy, Infiltrator Ilana, and Engineer Liam are in the backseat.

"Watch this!" Downs yells over the music. He activates the Turbo. We are thrusted back into our seats, as he completely clears 40 meters of cliff.

"Holy sh*t! DD!" Chen-Li screams.

"I almost fell out you f***tard!" Laquisha screams. "Do that again and the Burster cannon goes up your ass!"


Downs gives a hearty laugh and continues to speed towards the bridge leading the land and air fleet. The rest if our squad is not too far away in a Valkyrie.

He parks the buggy behind a tall rock. The Platoon sundy deploys, NC soldiers pour out. I look around as blue beams illuminate the night sky. The rest of our squad hop out of the Valkyrie nearby and regroup to us.

"Alright squad leaders. Thirty-no-twenty seconds to spread out and put up squad beacons."

He slams the beacon onto the desert turf. A blue light shoots out.

"Here comes the air fleet. Convoy catch up! I want full gunners in those Gals! Keep one for each platoon in the air." Downs is imputing all kinds of commands before we even start fighting.

"Let's get those S-AMS up like now! One for each Platoon!"

This guy REALLY knows what he's doing.

After about two minutes, the squad leaders confirm that all transport vehicles have delivered all infantry troops.

"Air Fleet, Convoy! Advance and standby" he yells.

Reavers and Liberators, and Vanguards, Lightings, and Combat-ready Harassers begin to advance from the bridge.

"OK. Platoon A, swarm A-point. Patrol the main building up-down. These Terran f***s shouldn't even be able to move two feet without bumping into one of us! Platoon B, capture and guard B-Point. Same with C Platoon. Use that bridge to your advantage!"

I'm seriously impressed by his initiative, and efficient use of tactics as a division commander.

"Platoon D, provide suppressing fire for our vehicles and be prepared to reinforce."

"Wow," I say.

"He's pretty good, ain't he?" Infiltrator Sanjay says.

Downs grins. "You ready kid?"

I nod.

"Stay close" says Infiltrator Ilana.

"Everyone move!"

Sanjay, finds a place to snipe. We run into the building, up the stairs and wait about thirty seconds to capture A-point. 6 of us are in the room, the other 6 are outside the room guarding. The rest of the platoon is up and about the base suppressing Terran from getting up or down to A-point.

"B-point secured," says Platoon B leader.

"C-point captured," says Platoon C leader.

"Very good, hold those points," Downs orders.

As time rages on, our defenses get breached as the medics die, and there is no one left to heal. The infantry begin dying and have to respawn far away. The time it takes them to get back here, we are battling a squad of Terran MAX-crashers.

"These f***ing immature bastards!" Engineer Liam screams. He and Gretchen are firing away at MAX's with mana turrets.

"Can I get some repairs over here!" Toby yells. He fired a rocket at a MAX, which explodes the head into a paste of red and pink.

"A bit busy!" Gretchen screams. A sniper bullet hits her in the chest. She stumbles back. The second and final bullet rips her jaw clean off, and severs her vertebrae in her neck.

I shoot at the Infiltrator standing in the stair balcony.

"Medic!" I yell. Jessica and Marco both come over. I drag her body inside the capture room leaving a scarlet trail. They stream healing nanites into Gretchen's body. I watch in horror as well as awe as her mandible grows back, then the reddish-pink dermis begins to quickly cover that. Finally her tan epidermis completes her anatomy as the plates in her neck realign and the bullet pops out of her breast.

"That's f***ing awesome." I say.

"I know, but get your head back in the game," Marco advises. Gretchen wakes and continues fighting.

I take part of the MAX slaughter and gain two more MAX kills on my record.

"Area clear! Left side" yells Brody.

"Area clear on the right!" Light Assault Timmy says.

"I'm back," says Ilana uncloaking.

"From where?" I ask.

"Recon," she replies, "they're bringing in their entire 8th division."

"Sh*t!" Downs curses.

"Uh... DD, we've eyes on what looks like a div of Vanu coming from the East...Your orders?" Platoon Leader D asks.

"God****it! Can we get a f***ing break around here. This was supposed to be an easy operation. Not f***ing final stand!" Downs rages.

"They're approaching! Your orders?" The woman asks.

"I want all of air and land directed towards them! Platoon D also. We can handle our own."

A plasmic explosion of purple takes out half of our health and sends ruble flying everywhere, as well as dust on our eyes. We lay on the floor gasping for air, insides damaged.

The medics throw heaIing grenades. The pain leaves my body as my ribs straighten and the burn on half my face is covered with new skin.

Now the real fight begins.

[DeathsVirgin]

"Hold on sir!" I yell. There are four—three and a half of us left: Me, Downs, Chen-Li, and Marco. Downs has been shot in the leg and chest. I take out a clueless Vanu Heavy with the help of a Terran Medic which I send a bullet through his head.

Marco explodes, blood and gore getting all over us.

Chen-Li vomits.

"Hang in there soldier!" wounded Downs warns.

"Cover me sir!" I yell. I crouch to where part of Marco's corpse lies. It then disappears in a hologram of green nanites. I grab his Medical Applicator. I am held at gunpoint by a Vanu Infiltration who is taken out by Chen-Li and Downs. Ducking down from Vanu and Terran artillery, I run for one of my infinite lives back into the capture point. I begin healing Downs.

"Ahh, that's better," Downs says.

"Sir, How much longer are we going to go at this?"

Downs moves to the left door, and Chen-Li and I move to the right door.

"Just five more minutes!"

"Downs, C point has been captured," says Platoon C leader.

"Sh*t, can you spawn?" Downs asks.

"Negative. Our Platoon Galaxy has been shot down, as well as our Sunderer. I'm out of squad beacons."

And engineer throws a grenade. Chen Li quickly throws it back.

"Hold off, and try to take it back!" Downs screams over gunfire aimed at the head of a Vanu medic reviving his comrade.

Chen Li gets shot in the face by a Terran Heavy with a shotgun. To top half of her head is gone. Before the bulky man can advance to Downs, I pull out my Mag-Cutter and sink it into the back of his neck. I can feel the vocal vibrations of the dying soldier travel through my knife. I give it a good 90 degree twist and the man falls.

Surprised, Down spins around, pistol pointed. He lowers his weapon and grins. "You're growing on me kid."

"Downs, we can't fucking get through! They just keep mowing us dien in the midst of their own fight!" Brody yells.

"Just try to work your way together! Chen-Li should be joining you guys. Blake and I are holding off, but not for long. They're pressing hard so hurry!"

Downs checks the window.

"There! Our guys are here! Suppressing fire kid, I'll cover them!"

I constantly check my left and right as Downs clears the way for the 10 soldiers to reach us.

"OK, they're in the building"

Downs falls.

"Sir?" I ask. I see steaming plasma eating away his head. I look at the steaming plasma eating away my heart.

Lucky Vanu sniper. They managed to puncture the weak spot on my Composite armor. My vision fluctuates blurry and clear. I feel sleepy. I fall to my knees.

A Vanu light assault bursts in the room. She takes aim and is gunned down by my comrades.

Brody comes to my rescue. "Hang in there kid," he says catching me.

"T-...too...late" I murmur. The base turns blue in favor of our capture. I grin as life leaves my body.

************************************************** *******************************

I wake up in a Galaxy. I step of the rebirthing tube. Downs is there grinning.

"I've been waiting," he says.

"That f***ing sniper..." I mutter.

Downs chuckles, resupply and get to the drop pods.

I rush to a terminal, access my slots and my weapons appear in front of me. I rush to the drop pod and Downs and I drop in.

"Brody, update" Downs asks.

"Well, TR has been kicked out but we're dealing with Vanu falling back to the East. We're scavenging squad beacons and trying to take out S-AMS and G-AMS's!"

"I guess we should regroup with them," I say.

We begin running to the east side of the area. We see the 1st division squads raining hell upon the Vanu vehicles and aircrafts.

"Oh man, let's join the party" I say excitedly.

We take out our rocket launchers and begin firing upon the Vanu. I get about 2 sunderer kills, and 1 Galaxy kill.

The last of the Vanu retreat to the nearest territory. Fireworks pop as we cheer and fire into the air. We've capped the Crown, and now I have my Crown story to tell, when I return home.

The sun begins to rise.

************************************************** *******************************

We go directly back to Poseidon.

"Well kiddo, I hoped you learned some stuff today," Downs says. "Until then," he lets out a hand. I grip it with all my might.

He chuckles. "You still have a long way to go Freddy."

Me and my squad take the day and eat out in the city's pier. The sun is shining bright and the ocean water smell returns to me. We dress out of uniform for once.

I tell them about every hair of my Crown fight.

"My babe's so brave," Marie says wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Pshh. I could have done better than you with my eyes closed and a pistol," Sarah remarks.

"We still have a long way to go, he said."

"That is true," Tolky says. "But we've learnt so much in these past 4, 5 months," he adds.

"True. Forget calling us Death's Virgins, we're freakin' 7-1!" says Jerome.

"Hey, wasn't there a training session today?"
Hazel asks. We freeze.

"Just f***in' with ya."

"Let me heal you said no medic ever," Jeb jeers.

We laugh.

Po calls a toast. "To the journey ahead!"

"To the journey ahead!" we cheer.