Breaking Ranks

Samantha: The Night Cycle

The night cycle had switched on but it hadn't hindered our progress. The Seraphim had talked of long, loping patrols of endless hours and so I wasn't about to complain when confronted with the reality of it. We bore the enhanced helmets of elite troops, specially decorated to lend a spectacular appearance to those lucky or unlucky enough to see us. As night had fallen the sergeant had ordered us to switch to the low visibility sensors, which gave the world a strange green appearance. We hadn't been noticed since leaving the elevator, though we had spotted a half-dozen people in the distance.

I had been the last person to spot a local and I couldn't help but take a certain pride in that. It was perhaps not something a veteran would take any particular pride in but I was keenly aware that I had to earn my place. The man was struggling along, half-running and collapsing as he tripped on unseen obstacles. Though we were silent I could tell the rest of the squad was as perplexed as I was.

We could see, across the distance, a fallen tree laying directly in the path of the stumbling man. And yet we watched, still and silent as ghosts, as he collided with it. He fell moaning to the ground, but a few moments later he clambered over it and continued limping in the same direction.

"Okay, I would like an opinion," Sergeant Gunnarson finally said over the squad channel, sounding genuinely perplexed. Aside from the occasional spotting report we had all been silent since nightfall hours ago and now squatted in the underbrush. "What is going on with that man?"

"There's blood on his tunic," Potter said. I squinted, my helmet's telescopic sight zooming in. It was still a patchy green shape but I thought I could make out a faded stain on his tunic that had a slight contrast.

"So he does," the sergeant replied after a moment. "And?"

There was silence for a while. "That's all I've got, lieutenant," Potter admitted.

"Anyone else?"

I thought for a while as the others admitted they had no idea. Perhaps...

"Trooper Sara. I know you're not falling asleep on us."

"No, sir. Perhaps there was a battle. He could have been wounded."

"He doesn't look too wounded to me." That seemed true enough, the man already recovered from his brush with the log. As we watched he tore down a hill in the blackness, stumbling and then falling to slide down. I winced, wondering what could spur him on so much.

"Shall we take him in?" Kaltaran asked.

"He could have survived a battle, sir," I said, my thoughts coming to me in a rush. "Fallen in among the fighting. Wounded, or fainted, or something like that. He could have woken up at night around the corpses. Lost his nerve and wanted to get out." A long silence followed my words. "It's just a theory."

"Hmm," the lieutenant said, sounding almost bored. "Perhaps. Well I haven't any idea. Let's leave him be but we'll angle towards wherever he's heading away from. I will set the beacon."

There was no discussion about this and I doubted anyone in the squad had the faintest worry for their own safety. We were the strongest bastards with the best gear in all the Outer Rim and there was nothing to fear. An army could kill us, had it wanted to. Failing that there was nothing to fear. Or so I told myself.

There was a soft ping as a destination beacon appeared on my HUD. Kaltaran hustled past, even loaded down as he was with the heavy weapons, and with his ostentatious helmet he looked like some mythical green dragon in my night vision. Potter was next, scout drones hanging off his pack's webbing, and then I continued at the same ground-eating pace.

It was another hour of trekking before we found the first bodies. The warmth from the corpses had faded somewhat yet they were still a dull green; enough for us to notice. As we drew near a great cluster of corpses could be found, as if the bodies had started in one area and like a stain had faded away as it spread.

It seemed unreal; like some echo from our primeval past. Two groups must have clashed hear, with what jagged weapons they had fashioned, in some clash that resembled the struggles of the Ancients of Old Earth. I tilted my helmet to the side, following a trail of bodies, their weapons discarded and with mortal wounds in the back.

There was a distant indicator on my HUD. I opened it up and scanned the details.

Hydroponics Facility HF-05

Local Name: Sandstone

Distance: 3.19 km

"Well now," the lieutenant said, and even over the distortion of the comms I could make out the amusement. "It seems our rookie was right." I flushed, grinning to myself. I took a moment to gather myself and keep my voice ice cold and disinterested.

"Just a lucky guess, sir," I said, cool as you please. There was no reply to this and the silence settled in once more as we began our approach. But I was still smiling even as we made our way through the field of corpses.