by John Davis
Her tears continued to fall heavily as the brunette soldier clinched Jackson in her arms tightly. Partially to cushion such a violent flight, while clinging to any hope of his pulling through in the process.
As their copter flew away, it was slowly followed by the second, which spread gunfire onto the small Ancient group of foot soldiers as if it were watering a garden of dead grass.
“Someone approaches!” one of the American soldiers yelled, laying prone with sights on the figure which grew closer by the footstep.
“Take a small team around the flank and remain hidden. I'll handle this. Are they alone?” Certes asked.
“Yep, just one.” the American said.
“I'll take care of it.” the Ancient warrior replied, grabbing a rifle and heading into what would soon be direct contact with the man who approached.
As he fell, nearly wounded beyond repair, Perk looked to the sky which gleamed sunlight down. Its rays more welcoming than he had ever taken the time to notice before.
He had survived a fight with the harvester, though it came with a heavy price. Lacerations down his back, nearly the entire length of it. Several deep gashes across both his arms and right leg, while his hands did their best to cover a seeping wound on his upper-right shoulder.
It seemed like such a slap to the face having survived the brutal fight with an Ancient, only to see another standing over him at this moment. The defenseless man barley able to distinguish the race of the alien as sunlight drenched his vision.
“I could kill you right now and none would be the wiser,” Certes commented. “And I should, given your words when leaving us last.” he added.
Rather than finish the hurting soldier off, however, Certes reached down to grab him. His Ancient-strong grip easing Perk onto one of his shoulders.
“It's Perk. We need a bed prepared, some medical supplies and a bit of vodka.” Certes yelled, prompting a bit of hustle from those in their camp.
“Sorry about the harsh words.” Perk uttered.
“I've forgotten them. If you fought an Ancient and found victory, you have my respect. I've had to kill many of them myself. It is not an easy task.” Certes replied.
“Ever fought one shrouded in silver with claws like knives?” Perk asked.
Certes offered no reply. He simply looked into a sky which had started to darken a bit with the fall of evening. He knew of harvesters, and he knew of their purpose. A prelude to their queen's final invasion. One that normally exterminated a planet of both life and resources before moving to the next.
Certes knew the end was drawing near.
“It's a great pleasure to finally meet you. I'm sorry it had to be under these circumstances.” the general said.
“I'm sorry for earlier...I just...” she replied, her emotions knotted as firmly as her stomach.
Both Alicia and the general stood outside of a large tent. And though it was filled with sterile medical supplies, which had become a rarity since the Ancients arrived, her heart still longed for news on the man she loved.
“He's in good hands. We have the finest doctors available,” the general said. “At least the finest doctors left.”
“I know. He's just,” Alicia began to reply, tearing up once again. “He's everything I have.”
“I have no doubt that you will make a fine soldier for the Rise of Allies. I'll see to it that he's given every resource we have,” the general replied. “But I do need a favor from you.”
Alicia simply answered with a welcoming but concentrated look of concern.
“I need you to fly with a group of choppers to extract your friends.”
“But I wish to remain here by his side.” Alicia responded sharply.
“And for good reason. Love is a powerful thing,” the general said. “If you love anyone among that group in Wernigerode, you'll escort the choppers. Ancients are on their way to them as we speak, our sources have confirmed it. We can save them, but there is a very limited window of opportunity.”
It was as if her body went numb. Her heart in both places simultaneously, though she knew her body could not be.
“If I send my troops, your group will not trust them enough to evacuate. You know that. But if you accompany them, they'll follow you back. From the way Jackson speaks of you, they'll follow you to hell and back if need be.” the general said.
“They would.” she replied, drying her tears up a bit.
“Then please Alicia, there aren't a lot of us left. If we somehow manage to defeat these demons, we will need survivors to start over. We need those people to remain safe. For our own good, as well as theirs.” he said.
“Alright.” she responded, though she did so with a great sense of reluctance.
“A couple of hours and you'll be back here by Jackson's side. Ask the survivors to pack whatever they need for an extended stay, but have them do so quickly,” he said, staring directly to her for a moment. “We are not like the politicians of Washington City. If anyone wishes to remain behind, do not force the decision. Allow them free will to stay or go. It is what makes us human.”
“Understood.” she said, turning to begin her trip back into the war-torn countryside of Berlin by way of the sky.
“And Alicia,” the general said, prompting the brunette to turn once more as two soldiers readied to escort her. “You are in command.”
The brunette nodded, quickly turning to go bring her people home.
“Relax, you'll need your rest.” Gretchen said.
“I take it I lived eh?” Perk replied.
“You wouldn't have, if not for the quick thinking of Certes.” she replied, sitting by the wounded soldier.
His injuries had required stacks of bandages, not to mention meticulous effort by many in order to halt his bleeding. Perk had won his encounter with a harvester, but barely.
“I don't even know what in the fuck I fought. It was Ancient enough, but nothing like I've ever seen before. Certes isn't telling us something.” he said, slowly rising from the makeshift hospital bed in order to stand.
“No, you should be resting.” Gretchen replied.
“I'll rest after I get some damn answers.” he said.
And though he had been wounded to the point of cheating death, Perk was hardened enough to confront the one soldier who withheld information. Even if it meant doing so in front of a group of rifles.
“We have been strained substantially in terms of manpower. Rather than continue supply runs into Berlin, I suggest we fall back deeper into the countryside. Perhaps find a smaller, less populated town.” Certes said.
His advice was immediately agreed upon by the soldiers who remained, all of them having adopted the mentality of survival by committee.
“Hey!”
Turning to glance over his shoulder, Certes quickly developed a look of pester across his face.
“You should be in bed resting. You're no good to any of us in your condition, especially yourself.”
“I'll rest as soon as I get some damn answers out of you.” Perk replied loudly.
“So we're back to this now, are we?” the Ancient warrior replied, standing firmly to his feet.
Perk was injured, but not intimidated, continuing his march forward before drawing within a couple of feet, his rippled physique covered in bandages.
“How about you enlighten us all on what in the fuck I fought back there?” Perk demanded.
“I was here, not there. How should I know?” Certes replied in mocking fashion.
“About your height, but decked out in full chrome-plating. Knotted hair down its back, razor-sharp claws and a very nasty left hook. Rustle up any memories?” Perk asked.
“Maybe, maybe not.” Certes replied, calling the bluff of a man who was hellbent on the truth.
“Well hell boys, in that case. I suggest we march back in and grab the fucker, before we go haulin' skirts into the countryside. He'll be easy enough to find, because I remember exactly where I KILLED THE SON OF A BITCH!” Perk yell
ed.
“That's impossible.” Certes replied.
“You think I'm fucking around here ashman? I'll dust your ass where you stand and continue the hunt.” Perk replied angrily, pulling a pump-action shotgun to the ready.
“I saved your life.” Certes boasted.
“And that has you a bit on my good side. But you keep dancing around the need to know, and we're gonna start heading to that other side. The side that left your boy laying in a pile of blood and chrome back there, same as Nadia.” Perk said.
His statement drew the attention of Certes, pushing him over the boiling edge with rage.
“You better hope for your own sake that your statement of her is false.” Certes replied commandingly.
“Yea, that's right. She's dead,” he said, glancing around the room. “So is my good friend Saunders,” he added. “Your good friend Saunders!”
The Americans in the room began to deal with the loss of Saunders, while the Germans thought of the fall of such a great leader in Nadia.
Certes had heard enough, slowly pulling supplies from the belt around his waist. Including his weapons, of course.
“Alright big boy, we'll go find out who the fucking man is,” Perk said, tossing his weapon to the floor. “And the rest of you, the ones that bleed red, white and blue, need to start thinking long and hard. Because I never saw a day that you'd be taking orders from a member of the race that killed your families!”
“I will return shortly.” Certes said with confidence, though the entire roomful of soldiers followed him outside.
“You remind me of the dog among your species. The small version with the loud bark.” Certes said, flexing his massive arms a bit.
“Well, it's never too late to learn,” Perk replied, grinning a bit. “This little dog has bite.”
With that, the American smashed an intention-filled hook into the face of Certes, bringing something the Ancient had not seen in years. Blood.
“Unwise human...unwise.” Certes said, turning to face his aggressor.
Before he could further his statement, however, Perk had landed two more shots, both of them flush into the face of a much larger opponent, followed by a stunning kick to the demon's ribs.
“Only one person gets to hold the whipping stick around here.” Perk said.
Seconds later, his teeth were nearly jolted from their sockets by a thrashing backhand. Certes swinging with every ounce of tenacity inside of his large frame.
Clinching his fists for a moment, the Ancient began to clamor for the fall of the pesky human. A fall of the eternal type.
“That's enough,” one of the Americans boldly stated, pulling his rifle to the ready and pointing it toward Certes. “Let him be.”
“You dare draw down on me? ME?” Certes screamed with authority.
With his words came several rifles, all placed to the ready and held by Germans who felt their champion should be in control. An act that didn't sit well with the Americans among them, pulling their own rifles to the ready.
“Well damn Johnny Boy, I didn't think you had it in you.” Perk said, standing to his feet and slapping the American who had come to his aid on the shoulder.
“I've seen enough of my friends fall.” Johnny replied.
“You'll see more fall on this day I'm afraid. Many more.” Certes replied as a thicket of armed Germans stood to his back.
“I dunno,” Perk said, raising a sidearm. “You may just find out how vicious the little dogs can be.”
And though a shootout seemed inevitable, it was halted at the sound of chopper blades approaching.
It was enough to draw everyone's attention, including Certes and his group of loyalists.
“Well hell boys, I'm injured, but even I can make out those blades. Black hawks.” Perk said, each of them staring skyward.
Turning for a moment, the injured soldier extended his hand.
“Come on dear, you're the prettiest girl in town. I'd think it an honor if you'd allow me to look out for you.” Perk said.
Returning a smile with one of her own, Gretchen grabbed his hand with the soothing touch of hers, walking together as a small spark of attraction would soon begin to blossom into more.
Certes had also recognized the sound to be that of human choppers, studying the horizon as a total of eight rapidly approached.
“American? German?” the Ancient warrior asked.
“Neither, at least not by the flag painted to it.” Perk replied, joining the group and earning a nod of respect from Certes.
“This is not over between the two of us. Not by a long shot.” Certes said, reminding the injured soldier of a day that would soon approach and see their fight to the finish.
“You're damn right it's not.” Perk replied, the beautiful girl of fascination clinging to him tightly.
As the eight birds of steel landed nearby, massive blades slowing to a halt, Alicia Lucard stepped from one of them, smiling as she approached.
“One of these days you're gonna explain to me how you get so many damn lucky breaks.” Perk commented.
“One day,” she replied. “Right now I need everyone to get on a chopper. There's a huge force moving directly to this position by ground. We gotta get everyone out of here and get you back home.”
“Home?” Perk asked.
“Washington City.” she replied with a grin.
“Washington City?” he asked.
“I'll explain on the way. Now get your asses on a bird all of you.” she said loudly.
“What of the supplies and weapons?” Certes asked.
Before she had time to respond, however, the mini-guns began to fire out into the treeline around them, lead rounds cutting into approaching Ancient warriors.
“Gotta leave them. Everybody on a bird, we leave in sixty-seconds with or without you.” Alicia yelled, doing her best to overpower the snapping of gunfire.
As the first bird began to lift from the ground, Alicia, Perk and Gretchen aboard, they all watched the remaining quickly climb aboard other choppers. Each successfully making it to the sky once more.
“Where's Jackson?” Perk asked.
“Fighting for his life.” Alicia replied, her gaze one of both sorrow and nervousness.
“Look sharp for our queen!” Tahian demanded.
As the large shuttle of chrome and goth black landed onto the rooftop of a large and well-protected building, ice vapors shooting up from several pipes near the bottom, only the most-accomplished warriors stood ready. Leading them, Tahian.
He had nearly watched his force fall to those who sought Berlin. Now he awaited his queen, and would soon find out her intentions against the traitors of their race.
Her arrival, as well as that of dozens of harvesters, meant the final push for the planet was close. It was but a matter of how and when. Details he was sure to have soon enough.
When Queen Karie slowly exited her shuttle under heavy guard, every soldier present bowed as low as their Ancient frame would allow. Which was odd, as Queen Karie was no Ancient.
She looked nearly human, aside from a very white complexion and vertically shaped ears. She closely resembled what humans had envisioned elven, though her height was nearly seven-feet.
Dressed in nothing but the finest of splendor. A black robe of cloth was accented by the brush of fur around the collar, peppered with stark white and dedicated black. Queen Karie wore no crown, but rather a neck amulet which seemed to glow from such an incredible shimmer of white gold. A tradition among her people, the Rysak.
Throughout their history of ravaging planets and raping each of valuable resources, the Ancients had met a single race, one that repelled their viciousness.
The Rysak were a people of great history, and their society had mastered the use of the elements. In fact, when the Ancients had arrived for business as usual, the Rysak turned them away within a week, crippling their massive armada in the process.
For as long as anyone could remember, the Ancients had called the dar
k-black of space home. Gypsies of the stars, roaming the wide-open and stopping only when they stumbled upon planets which hosted what they needed. Water, which directly powered their armada of the sky, and sources of food. However, their loss to the Rysak had been grave. Finally encountering a race which was more advanced.
Thinking it the fault of their queen, the Ancients quickly overthrew her during a coo and replaced her with a more suitable candidate. Someone who knew of both wisdom and magic. Karie.
Once a sorcerer among her people, Queen Karie's first order of business was to create a unit so indestructible that the Ancients would never again struggle for victory. Crafting the harvesters by her own design.
It was the single reason that she angered so, looking upon a slain harvester which lay near her feet. All of the years they had been in service to the Ancients, the equivalent of hundreds by a human calendar, and finally a race had the willpower to best one of her masterwork harvesters.
Though she had no idea it came at the hands of an ill-tongued redneck.
“My queen. We were able to push the traitors out of Berlin with ease, but a harvester was killed. By the hands of a human.” Tahian said with loyalty.
As Queen Karie continued her stare onto the fallen warrior, each of the Ancient soldiers thought of the same thing. Her anger.
Though she looked much like a harmless work of beauty, Karie was indeed vicious. Her attractiveness was offset by her ability to inflict pain and end lives. Making her a truly respected queen.
Her people had long ago tapped the use of elements around them, and among her people, Karie was the most effective. She had the ability to harness nearby elements to her disposal, depending on the situation.
In some cases, the Ancients had watched her redirect strikes of lightning, while it wasn't uncommon to see their queen simply amplify the glare of a sun, magnifying it to a state of scorching fashion before targeting an enemy.
“You have done good work here,” she finally replied, easing the mind of Tahian. Her voice was a bit tribal, derelict while smooth. “Our first affair will be to run the traitors down like animals. Make them an example for any who would question our will in the future.”
