Warmonger

Three Niner Eight

"Evil will triumph if good men do nothing"

-  Unknown

He lost count of the hours he and his squad of five have been spending in the storage room of the cleaner of level D, section twelve. It was sheer luck that all of them could fit into the room once the engines were out but it seems to be uncomfortable as it lacks the personal space that everyone needs. Each head often bumps into another and the compactness of the four walls gave little air for the troopers to breathe in. But they have their orders and they await the time to strike. This can be monitored by Sergeant Hobbes's GMT watch that he straps on his left wrist. Within the confines of the room, it is common to hear the growl of different species patrolling pass the undetected hiding and the occasional siren that wails once in a while which the troopers assumed were from the alien ships. 

Hobbes rested his neck on the side of his rifle, dripping his sweat as the warmth in there seems to worsen day by day or so he felt. He constantly checked his watch and sighed, thinking that this must have been the longest wait that he and his squad mates have to endure. 

"Pass the rations around," offered Private Kerberos, a decent man to have in the squad. It was the last of his K rations that he was willing to share with some of the mates that he just met ever since Captain Jan transferred him from Three Niner Zero. "I hope it is enough."

"Thanks," Private first class Gia said, biting into the biscuit that she took from the silicon packaging. "You're very sweet."

She too had rested her rifle on her neck, with the safety on following safety protocol. Her red hair was short but not as short as a man but it didn't matter for she behaves like a male and being around her makes it no difference between the two genders. It was very rare to see her being feminine once in a while but it seems that she has the hots for Kerberos. 

"Do you still have any cigars?" Damien asked.  

"Sorry, but I gave all to a guy from the second." the boy replied. For Damien, cigars seem to be more fulfilling than biscuits and oat bars but Hobbes was glad for it won't fill the room with polluting air. 

"Damn, I haven't had a smoke for weeks." he lamented, crossing his arms like a sulking baby.

"It has only been a couple of hours," the sergeant pointed out. "How can you say for weeks?"

 Howard smiled, "Well, in space, you can say time is not affected."

"I'm looking at Greenwich Mean Time Zone." The sergeant tapped the watch's glass.

"We're not on Earth anyways." he laughed.

"Keep your voice down," Gia reminded. "We don't want those D'mt to notice us."

"Anyways," Howard rubbed his belly. "Can we go to the kitchen first before we officially proceed with our mission?"

"The cooks would also have been captured."

"What would the aliens want to do with the cooks?"

"Perhaps to cook them some Foie gras." 

"Do aliens eat that?" he asked the Sergeant. 

"Beats me."

"I could use some Foie gras right now."

"And a bottle of wine," Damien added. "That would be nice."

"A bit fancy for my taste," Gia said. "I prefer hawker food."

"Like what?"

"Maybe, Chicken rice? Hmm... that would be nice."

Conversations can sometimes cut the boredom faced by these soldiers and the sergeant was rather glad that they were able to mingle among each other easily despite their different backgrounds. Conversations can sometimes even cut the hours and as they talk, it filled the small room with expressions that make them unaware of time for they all went to deep in their talks to truly understand each other and their perspectives of things. 

The sergeant glance at his watch again, "Alright, it's about time. Check your gear and load up."

"So do we go to the kitchen first?'

"Negative," he answered sharply. "We are to secure the bridge and ensure all hostiles are eliminated. Three Niner Five will be supporting our backs. They will head for the engines and try to get them to work."

"Sergeant, they are not engineers, right?" Gia asked.

"That is alright," he loaded a fresh magazine into his bullpup. "They will link up with a squad from the 8th engineers at the engine room. Once we hear from them, we will proceed with our mission to eliminate the mothership, Warmonger."

Kerberos loaded a fresh magazine into his rifle, "Let's just hope they make it easy for us."

"Whatever it is," Hobbes said. "I want to see all of you alive, understood?"

"What about Captain Jan?"

"We will rescue her afterward," Hobbes chambered a titanium round. "Shoot anything that looks alien."

Breeching the doors of the storage room, the troopers follow the lead of the sergeant. All of them nervous but at the same time relieved as fresh air baths them completely. However, their sweat still pours not only from the humidity of the room but from their actions as well. To Hobbes, it is no time for them to feel as such for every second of the operation could be seconds from defining life and death. To Hobbes as well, he dislikes the way his troopers are feeling for they are trained soldiers that have experience in close quarters combat and the main line of resistance. As they hogged along the grey wall leading to a small section of the ships that would take them to the bridge, encounters with the alien race were expected for the exchange of fire that took place during the journey only give them a heightened in their cautiousness. The sergeant was the only one that seems to fire the first shot, often going for what he thinks is the leader before aiming at the second grunt. Gia would follow next and crouch next to him, to fire on the remaining four. Often the patrols that they encounter would be around this number. In the next phase, they switch place with Damien and Howard while the two guard the rear.

"How far are we from the elevator?" The sergeant asked Kerberos, who is tasked to monitor the radio frequency and the map on his tactical pad. 

"About four clicks from here, Sir."

"Keep moving," As they came to the doors of the elevator, three of them made and guard the triangle perimeter while the sergeant waited by the doors. "You nervous?"

Kerberos looked at him, "A bit."

"Don't worry," he assured him. "Let's get out of this together."

The plasma display by the button indicates the lift slowly making a descend. 

"Make space," Gia said. "Get ready."

Kerberos and Hobbes aimed their rifle as the lift got closer to their level, "Clear."

Cautiously, they moved into the lift but still with their view fixed on each point and it is only when they are assured safe when the lift door slide close did, they break the formation. 

"Do you think our presence has been alerted?" Damien asked.

"I don't think so," Hobbes said. "So far we annihilate all the aliens in the patrols."

"Could they have sent distress before dying?" Howard suggested, stacking the forestock of his rifle on his left shoulder.

"That is a possibility that we must not rule out."