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Private
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We step off the Galaxy, and squint into the sun. Wearing, sandals, shorts and T’s, the familiar paradise sinks in. Home.
We go directly to our families.
“You’ve grown so much!” my mom exclaims.
“Where’s sis?” I ask.
“Still back on Poseidon. We’re waiting for her arrival,” my dad replies.
“Huh, that’s weird. I tried to look for her before we left,” I say.
My sister is in the Air Force. Newly promoted commander of 7th Division. 451 aircraft destroyed, 396 vehicles destroyed, 122 deaths.
“Freddy!” Jian says.
“Are you going to the indy festival?” asks Kian.
“Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that,” says my dad.
Every 5 years, there is a huge party on Yuris, celebrating our independence.
“Me too. Let me head out and meet up with my squad. I’ll see if I can spot Nnenne somewhere,” I say leaving. I grab my longboard and skate down to Marie’s house. I speak briefly to her father, and engage with “Death’s Virgin” whose KD is 923-0.
Marie joins me on bike. We pick up everyone. On our skateboards, bikes, scooters the 12 of us make our way down to the beach, a mile away from the residential area. Hundreds of NC citizens and soldiers are scattered across the beach.
“Just in time,” Jerome says.
Reavers are flying in the sky, shooting fireworks. The food frenzy is in progress. We grab plates and begin serving ourselves.
“The farmers sure did a good job on Cordes,” Hazel says. Table of fruits and veggies line the beach. However, there is scarcely any meat. On this planet, it’s nearly impossible to get meat--that is if ur not in the TR. From the departure, the Republic brought over 5 Million animals of livestock. Once Vanu ad the Conglomerate departed, we only had availability to about 500 of them each. There are only about 20 animals of livestock on Cordes, and 30 juveniles.
After about an hour, the entertainment begins. The Yuris Beach Olympics. A soldier only competition. The events include Volleyball, Frisbee, Badminton, and others.
My squad and I get ready for the first event as someone screams.
I look around for the source.
Screaming and yelling echos on the beach. People begin to panic.
“Terran! They’re here!” someone yells. I look to the waters. Red and black Galaxies, Liberators, and mosquitos approach about two kilometers away.
We soldiers begin crowd control. “Everyone underground!” We yell, guiding citizens to the underground city war shelter.
“On our f***ing vacation!” Sarah screams in rage.
“These motherf***ers are gona f***ing learn!” Adrian says. We bike to the soldier center. There are not enough weapons to accommodate 1,500 soldiers but 500 of us. The 1,000 retreat to the Galaxies, Liberators, and Reavers in the drop off space, as gunners.
I climb into Adrian’s Liberator with Quinn.
As we lift off kicking up sand, I realize we are at a serious disadvantage. No gear. Limited weapons. No communication whatsoever.
The TR approach 500 yards away. Adrian flies full speed ahead. I slip off my sandals and take off my green hawaiian shirt. I hear gunfire coming from Adrian. We fly over the first Galaxy, which Quinn as middle gunner engages. Bombs are dropped on top of it. Adrian rears upwards. I use the opportunity to strike. Handling the gunning tablet with sweaty palms, spray the fleet. 24 rotating barrels of 50 cals strike, sending 3 Mosquitos and a Galaxy hurtling towards the sea.
9 Galaxies, 15 Liberators, 22 Reavers, and 15 Valkyries remain. As they begin firing on us, Adrian performs a back loop.
The Panzers line the beach. 200 soldiers with Lock-on AA Rocket launchers line the beach horizontally. They take aim to lock, but the fleet remains in formation.
“Formal ass bastards,” I think.
3 Galaxies, 6 Libs, and 12 Reavers remain.
They approach the beach and eliminate all 200 soldiers.
“They’re going to destroy the city! We’ve got to stop them!” I yell over to Adrian.
Adrian speeds up on the tail of the fleet. He fires taking down a Liberator bombing stores.
“Take us higher!” Chen Li yells to him.
As we ascend, she drops bombs onto the air whales. A Galaxy goes down, and another is critically damaged.
“Sh*t I’ve got some locks!” Adrian warns. On our tail we face 4 Republic mosquitoes. I take out two as they fire missiles at us.
“Eject!” Adrian screams.
A tiny piece of hot shrapnel slices my forehead as my seat launches into the air. I parachute onto a high building. I signal a friendly Gal. I hop in to find Tolky and Jeb gunning.
I take Left wing grenader. We fly over to the last Gal, dropping soldiers into Yuris. The ground forces are taking care of them. Valkyries drop soldiers alongside the Galaxy as I leap from lower building to lower building. I grab a Gauss rifle from a dead soldier and grab cover as Terran soldiers spray. There are only 10 of us are outnumbered 3-1. The Air Forces continue to destroy the city. I rise from my cover of a truck and fire. Bullets hit a Terran medic, and she falls. Before I can duck again, a bullet catches my right pectoral. Before I know it, I am looking up at the sky, my vision fading.
“What the hell,” I think. Without personal shields, if not my mesh generator, my body is so vulnerable. I cough blood. Everything goes blurry and life drains slowly out of my body.
I respawn at the hospital 30 minutes later.
“Everyone move! We’re almost done!” Downs yells.
“Downs?” I exclaim.
“Hey kid,” he hands me a sniper, “Let’s get back into the fight.”
I follow Downs to the roof, where we leap to higher grounds. The air force is decimated, and all that is left are the ground forces. They ransack the town, paying us no attention, as their goal is to spread a message of terror. I spot Marie and her brother on a rooftop 3 blocks away, but retain focus.
Downs, I, and other snipers lay down. I adjust my scope as Marie told me before. I take aim on a Heavy and it takes 4 shot for me to get a hit. All of sudden, the Republic turns their attention to the rooftops. As we seek cover from the storm and everything is quiet.
“PUSH!!! THIS IS WHAT WE’VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR!!!” someone screams. His echo bounces around the city. Simultaneously, courage rises from every fighting soul on the Island. I rise from cover, take quick aim, and shoot a soldier in the head. I don’t know their class but I don’t care. This is my home. This is why I fight. Now is the time to prove myself.
A bullet enters my leg shattering my shin. I fall but keep shooting crouched. Another shot, enters my stomach. I collapse on the floor. Surging through the pain, I get up and continue firing. I take out two Terrans before a bullet lodges itself inside my shoulder. I rise from the ground, body trembling in pain. I take a shaky aim on a TR sniper, a piercing sniper round tears through my heart.
I fall staring back up at the sky. I stay calm as my blood chokes the life out of me, for I hear the cries of victory.
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Around 4,000 soldiers rush into the armories as we prepare to raid the Terran Warpgate. I take the full load. Composite Armor, Anchor assault rifle, Grudge shotgun, Desperado Pistol , Warden scouting Rifle, and Rebel pistol.
We march to the Assembly Hall for battle plans. The attack is going to be led by All the Division leaders. Division 1, Doe Downs. Div2, Leo Hicks. D3, Quabina Westley. D4, Bri Love. D5, Utah Vice. D6, Georgia Pleat. D7, my sister Nnenne Blake. D8, Chapman Bart. D9 Seth Green. D10, Pinne Pennelope. All the outfit join in with the squads. So far Typhoon Lagoon has reached 326 members.
I had tried to look for my sister, but only found the second in command, Reggie. He told me that her plane had been shot down and she had been captured.
“200 Of our men and women have been captured at the battle of J908. 200 of our PEOPLE have been captured during the invasion of Yuris,” Downs yells.
I clench my fists. Marie holds my hand. Tobias was also captured.
“The Terran must fall. 600 Years of Tyranny! 600 Years too long!”
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