mess hall, it would be great. They won't cause you any worry, they're just scared shitless. I got to get on the com and send a wave to those who need to know.” he said.
“And the lieutenant?” she asked.
“He's good I guess, hell I don't know,” the soldier replied. “I'm sorry Chandra, I really don't. I just know if he is, he's starving his ass off and waiting for the cavalry to arrive. You good?” Wesley asked.
“Yes,” the beautiful woman replied, drying her eyes a bit. “I'm fine. I'll get these kids some warm food.”
“Not too much though. We are talking marine chow here. It's liable to land them in sickbay.” Wesley said with a grin. His attempt to lighten the mood a bit while making reference to the vomit-like food.
And though Wesley rushed quickly to the small bridge area, he stopped for a few moments. Nimble hands activating the ship's two onboard mech units.
“Find Officer Bailey and assist her in serving chow to our guests. Then take a moment to look the ship over for anything mechanical.” Wesley said, firming his words to the two mechanical bots.
“Right away.” one of the masterwork machines replied in a throaty and digital voice.
They weren't officially soldiers. They were placed two to a skiff, at least of this size, for the single purpose of maintenance. The maintenance units were a far cry from their soldiering cousins, which could dispatch death onto its foes with ease. But they looked mighty similar.
Tall by human standards, an exoskeleton of steel and an abundance of raw strength. Nearly a year before, the crew had even bartered for a mechanic's shirt for each of the droids. One of them a solid blue, while the other was branded with the name Earl. Stitched with the finest bargain-bin thread.
So they had been effectively dubbed Earl and Hey You. Or some other, less PG-13 names, depending on who was shouting into their direction.
“Corporal Wesley, Earth Defense High Freedom. Please respond.” the soldier barked into the com system.
And as he waited, listening to the sound of steel boots hitting the floor in the distance, the soldier calmly waited for a reply.
“Corporal Wesley, Earth Defense high Freedom. Please respond.”
This time, after a moment of zinging through the com system, the desperate soldier found his response.
“You're on a secure Earth Defense channel corporal, go ahead.”
It was a man's voice, soldier no doubt. And it seemed hindered by the disturbance of Wesley's transmission.
“We have one chopper down and a second in bad shape. Majority of my crew possible K.I.A. Need immediate evacuation under heavy guard.” Wesley said, as though he were admitting defeat.
“What's your location corporal, so I can estimate a time?” the man's voice asked.
One of the worst things a soldier can feel, is forgotten. Which is how Wesley began to feel that very moment. Fighting for their lives on a military-ordered mission, only to have that same military seem bothered by a ship of its own soldiers.
“Tanilia Moon Colony. We were ordered here to recon a beacon and ran into...” Wesley began to say with aggravation.
“Please hold all traffic corporal.” the man's voice replied, cutting the soldier off before he could bitch about his current situation.
You little bastard. If I could, I would reach through this com and ring you by your damned little chicken-neck! Wesley thought.
He could hear several children laughing in the background of his own ship, though faintly. A good sign that they were easing a bit and no longer fearing for their lives.
“You're almost seventeen-clicks from the nearest safe zone corporal. We'll dispatch a ship for you as soon as one becomes available, but with that much legwork in front of it, you're looking to be there at least a couple more weeks.” the voice replied.
WEEKS? The corporal thought, his mental bitching beginning to get the best of him.
“We don't have weeks,” he said loudly, his voice now barking into the ship's com. “My entire crew is down. Either dead or injured and in serious need. We got a group of kids sheltered aboard our last remaining ship, but are low on supplies. We've found something here. Some type of alien life.” Wesley added.
“Let me guess. Demonic in appearance, winged and heavily-armed?” the voice asked over the com system.
“Um, yea,” the weary soldier asked, stunned by the question. “How the hell did you...”
“Because corporal, we've been at war for nearly forty-hours now. They've taken four of our planets and sacked Laylan Base.” the voice admitted.
Wesley knew the seriousness of that statement. Though the Sky Platform was the Earth Defense Marines strongest base, Laylan was on the short list. If it had indeed fallen, it meant they were not only at war, but getting their asses handed to them.
“War?” the stunned soldier asked.
“Affirmative. Looking over your logs it appears your unit was dispatched shortly before the Rynal began appearing across most of our colonies. Wasn't long after that they began hitting us with a lot of military force.”
“God.” Wesley said.
“Roger that. We still don't know a lot about them. But what we do know is there are hundreds of distress calls just like yours coming in. We'll get to you, but you have to find a way to sit tight until we can. Copy?” the voice asked.
“Copy that.” Wesley replied, finding it hard to push those words from his lips.