Starcraft

Opening his eyes to the sun coming in through the windows that was last night filled with the stars he looked for the woman that was with him last night. Standing up off the couch, and stretching he could smell breakfast cooking. He could pick out the eggs, and bacon. She walked back in the room, and spoke to him first.

“I made you some breakfast. I figured you wouldn’t mind.”

“You can cook? So why are you still single?”

“Well I wasn’t last night.”

“Sorry. Your bruise seems to have healed pretty well though.”

Moving over to the window he looked over the city. Air traffic already cut across the cityscape in the early morning.

“Well if you are done watching the city I wouldn’t mind watching the Korprulu Sector Champion Games.”

“They are all on performance enhancing drugs anyways.”

“You have plenty of room to talk don’t you? Aren’t stimpacks standard issue to Marines?”

“I have never taken stimpacks for your information. I believe it degrades the neural pathways in less than a year, but like it matters. Most marines don’t live past the first few months even with stimpacks. But I still get my yearly supply of protein in every meal.” She smiled at him, and he continued on. “So anyways display screen on.”

Over the window a display screen slid down the wall, and he turned to watch it.

Instead of the games it was an advertisement to join the marines. A black marine armor jumped out of a dropship, and hit the ground running amidst the industrial music in the background. Circling the building it stopped at the back. Beginning to run it reached its top speed before smashing into the wall. Switching to a thermal HUD image it showed a grenade was flung into the room, and the marine opened fire with the gauss rifle. “Display screen off.” Collapsing onto his knees Markus let his hand slide across the screen as it lifted back into the ceiling. He stared at the floor until she spoke to him.

“Markus are you okay?”

“Ya I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want your breakfast?”

“That would be great.”

Standing up he looked out the window. Moving over to the kitchen area he looked at the breakfast that consisted of french toast, eggs, and bacon.

“My mother taught me how to cook. I already ate while you were sleeping.”

Sitting down, and looking at the food he started to eat as Alexandria left the room. As he neared the end of his breakfast a knock interrupted his thoughts. She re-entered the room.

“Wonder who that could be?”

“Probably that old bastard from last night to apologize to me.”

It was a different voice though. Shouting he could be heard through the door. “Alexandria. I’ll never hit you again, I promise.” The color drained from her face, and Markus stood up. Striding over to the elevator Alexandria moved in his way.

“No, please just pretend we’re not here. I don’t want to talk to him.”

Markus heard the door open, and looked at her.

“Looks like he is coming up here anyways no matter what you want. You can’t run away from your problems.”

Moving over to the elevator, she followed him in. As the elevator doors opened she stepped out, and headed over to the man approaching her. He was in standard first class citizen garb holding flowers, and her key card. He saw Markus step out of the elevator. Looking at Alexandria he spoke to her.

“Alexandria I’m sorry about last night.”

“I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

“I see how it is. You won’t sleep with me, but you’ll sleep with a marine.”

“No, it’s not like that.”

“You’re just a slu…” [Hell no.]

He never got to finish his sentence as Markus’s fist connected with his face. The man fell to the ground. Markus picked him up with one hand, and walked to the entryway. Grabbing Alexandria’s key card he opened the door, and tossed him out into the hallway.

“Learn some respect Citizen One.”

He headed back into the room, but was interrupted by automatic machine pistol fire. Twenty shots emptied from the pistol the man was holding, and cut a wide pattern across the entryway. Turning around Markus laughed as he saw the citizen trying to shoot him with his off hand while trying to keep his nose from bleeding everywhere with his other one. Clicking on empty he released the trigger, and reached for a fresh clip.

[Damn citizens can’t even learn to shoot straight. That pussy ass pistol wouldn’t even come close to penetrating the visor on a marine suit.]

Moving over he grabbed the pistol, and clip. Placing them both in his jumpsuit pocket he closed the door. Turning he saw her running towards him.

“Are you okay?”

“Ya, I’m fine. Sorry about the room, but he pulled a pistol on me.”

“I’m just glad you are okay.”

“So I’m guessing this statue is in the likeness of your father.”

“He thought it would be a good present for my birthday.”

“But do you like it?”

“I would prefer to see my father on my birthday.”

“So when is your birthday?”

“Well it was yesterday. He was at the Dylarian shipyards overlooking construction of his new flagship.”

“When was the last time you saw your father?”

“I saw him on my eighteenth birthday which was over a year ago.”

“I haven’t seen my parents for a couple years either.”

“So why did you really join the marines?”

“I was tired of people treating me like someone I wasn’t. No one took the time to get to know me, and already assumed they knew everything about me, and my family.”

“I’ve had that feeling before. So you already know my life story apparently. What about yourself?”

“Can I finish eating first? I’m still kind of hungry.”

“Sure, but you aren’t getting out of telling me about yourself.”

Walking back towards the elevator the two got in, and Markus headed over to his unfinished breakfast as she headed over to the display screen. Watching her sit down on the couch he lost track of what he was doing, and just stared across the room at her leaving his food untouched. As the display screen slid down she looked over at him, and smiled.

“Thought you were going to finish the breakfast I cooked for you. Don’t try to get out of telling me about yourself.”

Grinning he went back to his breakfast. Leaving his plate the way he left it earlier he moved over to the couch, and watched the display screen. Markus made a statement about the games.

“Looks like Kel-Morian worlds are making a comeback.”

“And that surprises you? The confederacy isn’t as invincible as everyone thinks it is.”

“Everyone is just human. It was bound to happen.”

Sitting down next to her on the couch he looked into her eyes.

“So tell me about yourself Markus.”

“I was raised a first class citizen, and applied for the marines when I turned seventeen and a half. My parents disagreed with my decisions, but wanted to help me. They wanted to make sure I was safe, and placed at some quiet post.

“Capital city of the capital world of the confederacy. Had to be the safest place you could get.”

“Well I decided to leave my family, and start a new life.”

“So who is this family of yours then? You obviously know about my father, so you should tell me about yours.”

“A well off first class family.”

“Uh-huh. I see how it is. I’ll make you tell me eventually. Tell me more about yourself.”

“Well after graduating from school I went to the academy, and graduated at the top of my class with some help that my parents gave me. I’ve been a private first class for a month. Went on my first mission last week, and now have this week off.”

“So that would make you around nineteen.”

“No. I went through the accelerated program in the academy, and graduated in three months. So…I know about your father, but not about you.”

“Well let’s see. I moved out from my parent’s house when I turned eighteen. I’ve lived here ever since.”

“That long? I’ve lived by myself ever since I was sixteen.”

“What caused you to move out so early?”

“My parents were loaded, and I decided to move out in my own world.”

“I’m guessing you are not going to tell me about your parents though.”

“Nope, at least not right now.”

“See if I ever cook you breakfast again.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“So what are you going to do with your week off?”

“No idea. You have any?”

“We could just sleep the afternoon away. I don’t really feel like going out, and doing anything just now.”

“How about I go back to my place, and sleep too. When you wake up we can go to a movie, club, or dinner, or something.”

“Ya, sounds good Markus. I’ll see you when I wake up.”

“I’ll see you later than.”

Standing up from the couch he turned towards the elevator.

“Hey Markus.”

“Ya?”

She stood up, and hugged him. .

“Thanks for being there for me.”

“No problem. So I’ll see you around seventeen hundred hours.”

“Okay.”

Walking to the main elevator, Markus got in. Walking inside a distribution center he grabbed the standard citizen one garb, and some other miscellaneous things. Sliding his identification card into the slot, the computer processed it, and he left the building.

Getting back inside his own top level apartment he unceremoniously threw what he had bought onto the ground. Lying down on the couch he went to sleep.


------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Markus get your lazy ass out of bed. We need to go get breakfast, and you know what happens if we’re late.”

“Damn it’s fucking early. Why do they make us get up at four in the morning for breakfast?”

“We’re in the accelerated program dip shit. Now come on.”

Opening his eyes he looked around the barracks room. Everyone was up, and going except for him. Standing up he opened his footlocker, and quickly dressed in his military training uniform. His head recoiled from the smell of the sweat being left on it yesterday from their training sessions. His fellow cadet waited for him, and together they sprinted over to the mess hall being the last ones in line. Sergeant Davenport approached the two of them.

“So Nausich and Fenix. Decided to show up last for breakfast did we? That’s five laps around the base perimeter, and one thousand push-ups. Then you can get your breakfast.”

Their voices echoed simultaneously, “Sir, yes Sir.”

When the two got out of ear shot Nausic spoke first.

“I told you. Know we have to run for you.”

“You need the running anyways. You are starting to get out of shape.”

“Bullshit. I’m in just as good of shape as you are.”

Markus smiled, because it was true.

“Ya, ya, ya.”

“So Markus. Did you get checked out by those medics yesterday. Damn, I thought they always wore those medic suits, but I guess I was wrong. Girl that checked me out was hell of fine. Even got her comm frequency.”

“Oh and when are you going to call her? When you get off of training tonight at ten. That’s a real bright idea numb nuts. Probably get expelled from the academy, and shipped off to fight some rebels right there.”

“Give me a break. I can pull it off.”

“Sure. Between all of the instructions we get when are you going to have the time to change the frequency, chat with her, and change it back?”

“That’s easy. I’ll just pick up an extra comm, and put it in my suit. Guaranteed right there. The drills are hell of easy now. I think I have them down almost better than you do. I can take any of the punishment they give me anyways.”

“Is it worth getting busted for?”

“Hell ya it is. You should see this medic. Blonde hair, blue eyes.”

“If you get caught I am going to laugh my butt off.”

“Ya just finish your laps, and let the pros handle their stuff.”

Completing their punishment they went to the mess hall just as everyone else was filing out.

“If you weren’t talking the whole time Nausic we could have made it for breakfast.”

“If you weren’t late we wouldn’t have had to run at all.”

Filing off the group closed up in a five by ten block, and began to jog around the base. Three hours later they filed back into the mess hall. Eating their lunch quickly they headed back out to a track, and began doing ladder sprints. An hour later they were back at the engineering area. Nausic walked over to an equipment area, and grabbed a comm while everyone was busy customizing their armor.

“Wow Nausic. Hope you pull it off.” Smiling Markus looked back at his suit.

[All black. I don’t see the point of customizing my suit though. I’m just going to get shot anyways, and have to fix it. Can’t believe he’s doing it.]

An hour later everyone had their suits set up at the equip area. Ten minutes after that they were all suited up, and out on the field with just their marine armor. All of them had their visors down. A voice came in over their comm. Systems.

“Alright you pussies. Today is an easy day. Take some laps, and work the kinks out. This is only the third day you’ve had your suits so don’t break them. Jogging, Markus headed over to Anderson. Seeing him nod his head, Markus figured his plan had gone into action. Taking long steps in his suit, he tested out the max length of stride he could get.

[Maybe they would see who would be fastest in their suits today?]

Interrupting his own environment he heard the sergeant’s voice issue from the speaker inside the head area.

“Alright you pussies form up. We are going to simulate a blood soaked battlefield. Your objective is to get to the other side. Oh and by the way. This is a live fire exercise.” Large cargo haulers moved across the field, and dispelled their cargo. Butchered human corpses were dispensed across the “battlefield” with the grass now soaked in blood. “Oh and by the way, all of your visors are broken.” All of their visors flipped up, and Anderson’s face went pale just as a female voice issued from his speakers that everyone could hear.

“So when can I see you Michael?”

[Ahh shit. That is hilarious.]

“What the fuck is that private Nausic? What the hell do you think you are doing? The old two comm trick.” Walking over behind him he opened the small compartment area of the fuel rod. Pulling it out he kicked his suit’s knee out, and Michael fell to the ground. “Just for being a dumb ass you get to crawl across the field unassisted by your suit’s power, because apparently your dumbass got hit by an EMP.

[Shit I can’t hold it in. Why did he have to get caught?]

Busting out laughing during this tirade everyone shifted their attention to the now laughing Markus.

“You think that’s funny too dip shit? Just for that your suit’s been hit with an EMP blast too. Apparently your fucking dumb ass stood right next to him.” Pulling out his suits fuel rod he hadded, “Oh, and your suit has a reactor problem. It’s going to explode in an hour.” Kicking his suit to the ground, he turned, and left while waving his hand. Automatic chain guns kicked on, and popped out of the ground. Beginning to fire, they cut into a pile of bodies that somehow had clumped together instead of being evenly dispersed.

[Ahh shit that’s gross. Why the hell couldn’t I keep my mouth shut.]

Nausic’s suit moved past his, and he crawled to catch up to him. These two finally took the lead, but didn’t hold it for long across the blood covered field. Some other people figured out how to crawl correctly and efficiently and passed them in a few minutes.

[Fucking bastards. I would take this if I had my suits power.]

Watching the group ahead of them begin to outdistance them he began to pass Michael.

“Fenix you bastard. Just wait until the end. That is when I’m saving it for.”

“Sure…what the hell was that?”

Just ahead several small objects popped out of the ground, and scuttled over to the lead group. Stopping ten feet ahead of them they popped into the air, and their visors slid down to cover their faces. Exploding it caused the bodies near them to shower them all with blood, and body parts; it gave their nice custom paint jobs a new red splatter cover; not to mention the shrapnel now in their armor. Their visors shattered, but it stopped the fragments from doing serious harm to their face.

Sarge’s voice came over a loudspeaker now. “Nice job dip shits. You are all fucking dead. Congratulations on dying by automated mines. You guys get to lay there while your suits servos lock up, and don’t move for a couple hours while some officers decide if your sorry ass bodies are worth pulling out of a battlefield. Unlike Markus’s, and Michael’s here whose suits power assistance is just off, and in the lead of the rest of you live bastards. The rest of you idiots are probably going to get caught in an artillery barrage. Nice job though Markus. You have made it halfway in twenty minutes. Looks like you might survive after all.

“That guy just has to rub it in. Good thing he pulled our power, I didn’t want to hear him rant at us anyways. But no, now he has to get on a loudspeaker. Fucking bastard turned off my suits comm remotely before we started crawling too.”

“So Nausic. How’s that medic doing.”

“Just great. She wanted to meet me at the mess hall sometime, but we both saw how that ended up. I can’t talk back to her, because I thought we would have our visors down. Shit! that is how Sarge noticed. When I talked into one, I talked into the other. Fuck. I forgot to switch it so they both aren’t hooked into the mike.”

“Rookie mistake for a professional. So do you know how we are going to get past this.”

“Just let the pro work.”

Nausic moved over to a pile of bodies, and grabbed several body parts. Moving ahead to where the other group lay, he crawled over them, and splashed their faces with the blood.

“Yup that’s how blood feels dumb asses. Sucks to die doesn’t it?”

“Micheal you are an ass hole.”

“So what? I wouldn’t be an ass hole to them if you weren’t dead.”

[Shit, he’s ahead now. But what the hell is he doing?]

Tossing the body parts ahead of him about ten feet more mines popped out of the ground, and did the same thing. However, he was to far away from the shrapnel. Commendation was heard over the comm system.

“Nice job Nausic. Looks like your dumb ass might get a field promotion for using dead bodies to trigger mines. Although you were dumb enough to get hit by an EMP. You should hear your medic chat about you though.”

“That fucking ass hole. Hey Markus when you pass those other guys smear some more blood on them.”

“Why?”

“Cuz’ they were the top students in our class.”

“Good point.”

Pulling his own body parts he dragged them across their suits as he crawled over them, and splashed some blood into the head area just like Michael did. Finally catching up to Michael he was about to pass him when a new thought came to his mind.

“Mike I’ll let you finish first if you help me. We’re going to slow, and I can’t make it on my own. If we alternate crawling, and throwing body parts though we should be able to make it with about a minute to spare.”

“Alright. But I’m going to be number one now, since we tied on everything else.”

“That’s okay. I would fail on my own.”

The two crawled in an alternating pattern of one throwing body parts while the other crawled forward, and began to throw their own body parts while the other person caught up. It didn’t matter though. Neither of them noticed the others catching up to them. Eventually they got to the end just as the others began to catch up to them since they finally figured out how to crawl efficiently in marine suits. Not having to stop, and throw body parts to clear the mine field also helped. Right before clearing the gun fire the other trainees caught up. Clearing the field of fire they stood up, and sprinted. Outpacing both Markus, and Nausic with their servos working.

“Looks like it doesn’t matter Markus. You can finish first though. I’m dead tired. I can’t go on.”

“Alright whatever. You probably just want to chat with that medic, and tell Sarge you’ve been shot. Last words to a lover or something.”

“No I wouldn’t do that. I thought about it, but Sarge might actually shoot me.”

Markus stood up, and walked over to the group celebrating their rise to dominancy with Michael smiling all the way. Standing up Michael walked over, and stopped a couple hundred feet away from the others. Their celebration went on for a few minutes with them congratulating each other. They saw Markus coming, and walked over to him, and congratulated him on surviving.

Michael walked over to Sarge standing off to the side.

“You guys both lost. Way to go. You two could have easily taken first, and second if you didn’t pull that stunt.”

“No, Sarge. I believe I am the sole survivor of our platoon. I think it’s been about an hour, and Markus’s suit is due to overload any second now.”

“You are one fucking genius Nausic.” Flipping on his loudspeaker, he addressed the rest of them. Since you all apparently love Markus so much, and wanted to surround him as his suit exploded everyone that died gets to run around the base.”

“So Sarge. What do you want me to do?”

“Go to the mess hall, and get some dinner with your medic. Than head back to your bunk, and get some sleep. If there is anything past the mess hall you’ll wish you were dead. But please clean the blood off of your suit, and get the smell of dead bodies off of you before you talk to her.”

Michael walked off towards the showers with a smile on plastered on his face. He would have had a spring in his step except for the five hundred pound marine armor weighing him down.