“Humanities survival depends on its heroes,” Sergeant Benedict said as he straddled the walkway of the troop carrier, trailed by a cameraman.
Jake gripped the shoulder bars of his seat as he listened to the legendary soldier. His heart pumped and his hands trembled as the troop carrier burst through Klendathu’s atmosphere. When the turbulence calmed, Sergeant Benedict stepped before a poster of himself.
“We must be victorious,” he continued once the cameraman caught up. “High Command is counting on us – on you – to defeat the Arachnid attack on Outpost Delta.”
Jake tried to swallow. Outpost Delta was under siege and he and his fellow recruits had been hastily drawn-up as reinforcements. He inhaled, counted to four, and exhaled. It could have been worse; his squad could have been assigned an officer who was also fresh out of boot camp. Instead they were assigned Sergeant Benedict, Hero of the Federation. How many recruits got a hero as squad leader for their first mission?
An alarm buzzed and an orange light lit up Jake and his squad-mates as they sat with their hands clutched to their shoulder bars.
“We land in two minutes, First Squad," Sergeant Benedict said over the wail of the alarm. “Have courage and fight hard – the Federation expects no less of you.”
Hydraulics hissed as the bay door opened to a roar of wind. Sunlight swept inside and Jake shielded his eyes as a wash of heat stung his cheeks. Through the exit he saw a blue sky hang over the desert canyons of Klendathu, the Arachnid home-world. Outside, Jake saw another troop carrier fly into view with thrusters ablaze. He saw its bay door open and he squinted to see Second Squad huddled inside. They too sat with their shoulder bars gripped in hand, their faces bright in the sunlight and with eyes that stared back at him.
Jake saw a face he recognised but he could not smile. From below he heard a fizz and crackle roar towards them. A blue hue grew over Second Squad and in an instant their craft was struck by a barrage of plasma; a projectile fired from the hulk of a giant Arachnid below.
The troop carrier exploded into a burst of fire and smoke. Jake flinched and shielded his face as the recruits of First Squad gasped. Shrapnel clattered over their hull like hail. Sergeant Benedict stumbled back against his poster, his eyes wide as the cameraman dropped to a knee to capture the explosion.
Jake felt his heart hammer as sweat beaded under his helmet. Training could only prepare a solider so far. He gripped his shoulder bars again and looked to Benedict. The Hero of the Federation pushed himself off his poster and straightened his collar. He closed his mouth when the cameraman swivelled back to record him. Sergeant Benedict was not as broad-shouldered as in the poster depiction, Jake noted, nor was his chin as square.
The troop compartment flashed with a green light and another alarm sounded.
“Get ready troopers,” Benedict said after he cleared his throat. “You’re about to land. Remember, you are soldiers of the Mobile Infantry,” he looked into the camera lens, “but you too could be Heroes of the Federation.”
The troop carrier’s descent slowed and through the bay door Jake saw Outpost Delta rise up around them. He heard the rattle of gunfire, the thrum of a defence turret and the drone of the Arachnid swam echo from beyond the defensive walls.
The craft landed at the centre of Outpost Delta in a swirl of dust. Jake let go of his shoulder bars as they juddered and retracted.
“Go, go, go,” Benedict shouted as he pointed at the exit. “Get armed and get to the walls. The Arachnids already make their assault. You must not let Outpost Delta fall.”
Jake jumped to his feet, pulled open the rifle rack and passed each soldier a weapon as they disembarked. Opposite him another recruit, Trixie, pulled on the shutter of the grenade rack.
"It's jammed,” she called out as she banged its hinge. “Shrapnel’s bust the latch.”
“Forget the grenades,” Sergeant Benedict said as he turned his profile to the camera. “A true soldier needs only courage and a rifle. Go, go, go, recruits. To the walls.”
Jake passed Trixie a rifle and followed her into the compound together with First Squad. The air was thick with heat, dust and the smell of sweat and blood. He heard radios crackle, the wounded wail and officers yell. Ammo bearers ran back and forth, medics clamped wounds together and on the walls, veterans fired into the canyon.
“To the walls,” Sergeant Benedict shouted again from the troop carrier.
Jake took in a breath and followed Trixie and First Squad across the compound. They reached a ramp that led up to the perimeter wall’s palisade. Bullet casings rolled towards them as they climbed the slope. Jake could feel the railing shudder as the walls clanged to the assault of the bugs on the other side. He could hear their squirms and squeals and he tried to recall his training. Keep your distance, aim for the nerve stem.
The clash of chitin against metal rang aloud as a fighter bug, twice the size of a man, leapt onto the walls. The insect skittered towards a defender and with a thrash of its razor-sharp forelegs, severed the veteran in half.
“Oh, god,” a recruit cried as the Arachnid squealed and turned towards First Squad.
The bug rose on its legs and darted for the ramp only to shudder and splatter to a hail of gunfire.
“The bugs are getting over the walls,” another recruit cried as he turned back down the ramp.
“Hold your nerve, recruit,” Jake said as he stepped before the squad. “You heard Sergeant Benedict – Outpost Delta must not fall. Come on, First Squad, we can do this.” He turned and charged up the ramp.
“You heard him,” Trixie said as she pumped the barrel of her rifle. “To the walls.”
Jake reached the palisade as First Squad scrambled behind him. He raised his rifle to his cheek but held his fire as he looked into the desert canyon below.
An ocean of chitin squirmed and clicked beneath a cloud of sand. The fighter bugs writhed into a mass as they crawled from cracks and leapt from fissures. They drove in waves towards the walls with forelegs poised to slash and stab. Squeals rang through the canyon as the compound’s defenders shot them down. They came again and again, to fall into a heap of dead that rose up to the palisade.
“We’re doomed,” a recruit said as he saw the pile bridge the compound's defences.
Jake looked along the wall. To the far side he saw a bug clamber onto the turret tower and slay the gunner.
“We must save the turret," he said to Trixie. “Only its gunfire has a chance to hold back the swarm.”
Another bug leapt onto the wall, its legs raised like a crab as it stabbed the air.
“It’s no use, look.” Trixie pointed to the pile of dead bugs the Arachnid had leapt from.
Jake shook his head. “We’ve got to clear that breach then, no matter what.”
He grabbed an ammo bearer by the shoulder as he ran past.
“Grenades,” Jake shouted. “Give me all your grenades.”
“Have em’, rookie.” The ammo bearer shoved a satchel into Jakes' hands and ran back down the ramp.
“Cover me, Trixie.”
Jake strapped his rifle over his shoulder, held the satchel to his chest and ran towards the tower. He heard Trixie’s gunfire snap over his head as she killed the bugs ahead. As she reloaded, another jumped onto the platform. The Arachnid chomped its mandible, stabbed the air with its legs and ran for Jake.
“Get down,” Trixie yelled as the bug skittered over him.
Jake ducked, his heart froze. Bullets rattled over his helmet and he bit his teeth. He heard a squeal and felt the splash of blood as the bug ruptured to gunfire. Jake opened his eyes and let out a breath, but as he climbed to his feet another bug leapt before him. He dropped the satchel and aimed his rifle but the bug slashed to strike his arm. Jake felt a pain burn as chitin chipped bone. He dropped his rifle and fell beside the satchel as blood welled from his wound. The Arachnid crawled over him like a spider, he kicked his legs and tried to scramble away. He could hear the click of its legs and the chomp of its mandible near his head. He closed his eyes and felt a spray of blood.
The Arachnid fell dead and Jake opened his eyes to see himself drip in green entrails. He laughed and turned to see Trixie had led First Squad to his defence. They cheered and threw up their hands when they saw him climb to his feet.
“Keep going,” Trixie yelled. “Blow up that heap before the next wave.”
Jake drew in a breath, ignored the pain of his wound and grabbed the grenade satchel. He ran to the turret, clambered up the stairway and jumped over the gunner’s severed remains.
The canyon rumbled as the Arachnids clambered again to climb the pile of their dead. Jake bit free the pin of a grenade and tossed the satchel over the wall. It landed on the pile with a thud. Jake crouched and spat out the pin as the satchel exploded. The walls shuddered as a shower of blood and guts landed with a wet slaps.
When the air had cleared, Jake grabbed the turret and took aim. He saw the Arachnids waver and come to a stop. They squirmed and jabbed their legs at the air but came no closer to Outpost Delta. Jake leaned over the wall and saw the pile had been blasted apart, the breach was cleared.
The defenders' gunfire ceased and they turned to Jake with cheers and applause. Jake pushed back his helmet, smiled and held his rifle above his head.
“You got some guts,” Trixie said as she climbed the tower to stand beside him.
“Thanks.” Jake looked at his bloody arm. “If it wasn't for you, though, my guts would be everywhere.”
Trixie laughed and nodded behind him.
“Get ready for Fed Net,” she said as the cameraman clambered up the steps with Sergeant Benedict.
Jake wiped a chunk of green flesh off his shoulder as the cameraman zoomed his lens.
“Brave soldier of the Federation,” Sergeant Benedict said as he stepped in front of Trixie to shake Jake’s hand. “The Arachnids could never win against such courage.”
Sergeant Benedict shuffled Jake towards the railing to pose for the cameraman. Behind them, the canyon swelled with the halted Arachnids.
“What’s your name, son?” the sergeant whispered.
“Jake.”
“Jake,” Sergeant Benedict said to the camera, “is a true soldier of the Mobile Infantry.” He patted Jake on the back. “Perhaps tomorrow he too will be a hero of the Federation.”
The sergeant tried to smile but a tremor caused the turret tower to sway. The compound shuddered as a burst of dust and rubble erupted from a crack that gaped in the canyon. From it a tanker bug rose to drag its great hulk onto the earth. Rocks crumbled under the giants feet as sunlight shimmered over its black carapace. Behind the hulk, the fighter bugs began to shiver into a frenzy.
“Holy Sky Marshal,” Sergeant Benedict exclaimed as he gripped the railing.
The tanker bug rose on its legs and between its mandibles a spark ignited into a flame.
“Trixie,” Jake shouted as he grabbed the turret. “I’m almost out, get ready to reload.”
He pulled the trigger tight and fired at the giant as its jaws glowed with flames. Behind them, Sergeant Benedict fled down the stairs.
“Get outta here,” Trixie yelled to his cameraman.
The turret rattled as gunfire pounded from each barrel. Jake squinted as he aimed for the bug's head only to see each round ricochet as though it had struck stone.
“Jake,” Trixie yelled as the bug's flame ignited into liquid fire.
The bug lifted its head and with a bellow from its abdomen, blew the molten fire over the defenders on the wall. Screams wailed and bodies crackled. Jake saw First Squad disintegrate into globs as veterans wreathed like ants caught in a flame.
“Quick, Jake,” Trixie shouted as the bug turned towards them.
Jake clenched his jaw and aimed instead for the bug's abdomen.
The rounds curled through the air to strike the Arachnid's underside. The hulk staggered with a shiver as a jet of fire hissed from its thorax.
“That’s it, Jake. Shoot its guts out.”
Jake fired again, his knuckles white as he felt the burn of the sun on his neck. The rounds struck the bug's abdomen again and it sunk on its legs as it erupted with a bang. Liquid flame spewed over the rocks as the bug swayed and convulsed.
“Oh, no,” Jake said as he let go of the trigger.
The Arachnid teetered to one side and fell onto the compound wall with a crash. The palisade spilt and twisted apart as the perimeter wall buckled and collapsed. Trixie fell to the floor as the turret tower swayed and creaked.
When the tower steadied, Jake held out his hand and helped her back to her feet. They stood beside each other and looked into the compound. The perimeter wall was torn into ruin, its defenders dead as the giant bug’s abdomen crackled and sparked.
Jake looked to the canyon. The fighter bugs squealed and clicked their legs as they raced towards the sundered walls. Outpost Delta was lost.
“Retreat," Sergeant Benedict screamed as he climbed out of a crate and ran for the troop carrier.
“Quick, Jake," Trixie said as she pulled at his shoulder. "We've got to get back to the carrier."
As Jake pushed himself from the turret, he heard the click of legs run into the compound.
“Load the turret,” he said as he saw a fighter bug run towards the carrier.
“We can't stay and fight, Jake. The craft won't wait."
The sound of rifle fire echoed from the compound as the pilot defended the craft.
“Take off,” Sergeant Benedict screamed as he shoved aside the cameraman to scramble into the craft. “Take off, take off.”
“Go,” Jake said to Trixie. “We’ve lost the compound but we mustn't lose the Hero of the Federation as well. Get to the craft, this turret only needs one gunner.”
Trixie hesitated.
“Load the turret and get outta here.”
Trixie clenched her jaw as she grabbed a cartridge and slotted it into the turret. She went to speak but Jake beckoned her away.
“Go. Before is too late,” he said as he took aim at the bugs again. He felt Trixie place a hand to his back before she left for the craft.
Through the breach the bugs squirmed and squealed. Jake fired at the Arachnid's that crawled over the dead giant. Below he saw Trixie run across the compound. He swivelled the turret and took aim at a bug that leapt for her. She ducked and weaved and scrambled to safety inside the carrier.
He heard her call to the pilot as she banged the hull with a fist. Thrusters flared and the craft climbed into the air. Arachnids swarmed around the carrier, their legs singed as they stabbed and slashed at the underside of the craft. When the carrier had risen to safety Jake let go of the trigger.
Through the open bay door, he saw Trixie cast him a salute. Behind her, Sergeant Benedict still wailed as he pulled at his hair. Trixie turned and punched the sergeant back into a seat.
Jake smiled. Outpost Delta was lost, but at least he'd saved the Hero of the Federation. He threw down his helmet and watched the craft rise into the sky as the Arachnids raced up behind him.