War Machine

The mood was grim on the front lines. Arthur picked his way through the soldiers that sat about, watching the distant ships in orbit. They were only black specs for now, but they’d be here soon to rain hellfire from above. The quiet, forested valley lulled as if it could feel the coming terror. Every now and then someone would check their pulse rifle, aiming up at the clouds. Calibrated sights or not, he didn’t think they stood much of a chance. As he entered the heart of the camp, he saw the artillery being loaded. One of those cannons could take a chunk out of the moon. The whole valley was ringed with them, but it still wouldn’t be enough. The Invaders gunships had shields and missile defense systems that they couldn’t even comprehend.

When Arthur reached the top of the hill, he found General James “Bullrush” Walton hitting a bag. Sweat dripped off him as he circled it, striking like a viper with his hands and elbows. He was old but strong, with thick arms and a wide back covered in scars. His ears were swollen and puffy from too many fights, and his nose was at a permanent slant.

“We need to talk.”

Bullrush ducked an imaginary punch and delivered an uppercut with a soft thud.

“With all due respect, I think you’re making the wrong call here. It’s too dangerous to meet them in open combat. Fire on them from a distance, slow them down, and try to gain more information.”

Bullrush paused and wiped the sweat off his brow. “Have you seen the footage from Mars?” His voice was deep and gravelly.

“Yes. I’m sure everyone has by now.” In a few minutes of horrifying footage, the Martian outpost had been obliterated. The Invaders had arrived out of nowhere, and without any effort to communicate had destroyed everything.

“Then you know what we have to do. Not one foot of Earth soil is going to be taken today.”

“We’re going to end up just like the Martians. Please, I’m begging you. Save our strength for another day. These men and women are willing to die, but don’t make them die for nothing.” Finally Bullrush turned to face him. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked as though he hadn’t slept.

“Our orders are to stop the Invaders advance, and that is what we are doing to do. Have a goddamn spine. I don’t need my soldiers losing their nerve at the last minute.” He paced like a caged tiger. “I thought you had some honor, Arthur. They must not teach that anymore at the Academy.”

Arthur clenched his fists. “It’s not about honor, it’s about what’s best for the people on Earth. If we die for nothing, who is going to protect them? We need to be smart!”

Bullrush turned away and struck the bag again. “That will be all, soldier.”

“Answer me!” Arthur yelled at his back. “Who is going to protect them?” He grabbed at Bullrush’s shoulder, and suddenly he was on his back in the dirt with blood in his mouth. Bullrush stood over him, panting.

“You’re dismissed.”

~~~~~~~

Arthur was lying on the cot in his tent icing his jaw when the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Dad.” Her voice shook a little, but he pretended not to notice.

“Hey, Bug. How’s the vacation going?”

“It’s ok. It took a long time to get out of the city, I was bored. But mom brought me a book to read.”

“Oh, yeah? What’s it about?” She was so smart, way smarter than he’d been as a kid that age. She devoured books and loved to learn anything she could.

“It has knights and dragons and an evil wizard. But the main character is a princess who had to keep who she was a secret so the evil wizard wouldn’t find her. It’s a little scary sometimes, everything that happens to her. But I know it’ll work out okay.”

“Oh, yeah? How’s that?”

“All the best stories have happy endings.” Arthur pushed the phone away as he let out a quiet sob. He felt the cool path of a tear down his cheek.

“That’s right. They do.” He said, not trusting himself to say anything else.

“Mom wants to talk to you. I love you, Dad.” He tried to memorize the sound of those words.

“I love you too.” He said.

There was some static on the line, and then Helen spoke. “Are you safe?”

“For now. They’re coming, Helen. And I don’t think we’re going to be able to stop them.”

“Come home to us. Please. For your daughter’s sake. I know we’ve had our issues, but you’re a good man, and a good parent.”

The siren went off nearby, and Arthur leapt to his feet involuntarily. “I have to go. Stay safe, Helen. Once you’re at the cabin, stay there.” He hung up and rushed out of the tent. People were running everywhere, strapping on body armor and loading weapons. He saw a few still sitting, staring out at the horizon with blank eyes. Arthur shoved through the crowds and made his way to the hangar. Several of the squad already had their suits on. They were twenty feet tall, made of titanium, and outfitted with every weapon known to man. He nodded to them as they passed and stepped inside the dimly lit hangar. Several technicians had already set it up his suit, and the cockpit stood waiting. He climbed a set of stairs and lowered himself inside. The motion sensors wrapped around him, and for a moment everything was dark. His whole body was enveloped like a cocoon, and the head closed to cover him. Then the cameras clicked on, and the entire room blinked into view. He could see in front, but also smaller windows of the view behind and above. It was disorienting at first, but after as much training as he’d done it was second nature.

“Gather around, everyone.” Bullrush called out through the speakers of their machines. While the other suits were a dull silver, his was crudely painted in the black head of a bull with flames pouring out of its nose and mouth. The squad fell quiet as they gathered around him. “In a few minutes, those Invaders gunships are going to arrive. They’re dangerous, we all know that. But so are we. They haven’t seen us in action yet, but when they do they are going to regret ever setting foot in this system.” He paused and looked at each one of them. “Remember your training. Remember what you’re fighting for. Humanity’s fate hangs in the balance. Now let’s show these alien scumbags what humans can do.”

Overhead, the clouds parted. Three massive spaceships loomed over them, blocking out the entire sky. Arthur felt his blood run cold. It took all his willpower not to turn and run right then. But he knew if he did, he’d never forgive himself. Bullrush was wrong about this, but it was too late to change course.

“Brace yourselves.” Bullrush said through the voice channel. “It’s about to get ugly.” All across the mountains, the artillery began to move. They swiveled to target the first ship, and then the peaceful valley exploded into chaos. Shells flew up at the fleet, but the shields stopped the explosions in midair. There was a lull for a moment as their artillery reloaded, and then the Invaders struck back. Concave structures that looked like satellite dishes were mounted on all three ships, and slowly they all rotated forward.

“Take cover!” Someone yelled. Each dish fired an orange beam at the ground that punched into the earth, and for a moment nothing happened. Then Arthur felt the tremor under his feet.

“Fly! Fly!” He yelled and engaged his thrusters. Where he’d been standing a moment before was torn to shreds, rocks and trees flying in every direction. As he climbed higher, he saw the impact ripple throughout the entire valley. The trenches the soldiers had been in just a moment ago were erased. It looked like an unruly child had kicked over an anthill. He could see people half buried, screaming for help. Some of the artillery was still standing, but most of it had been blasted apart.

The bottom of the ships opened, and a massive metal spike dropped to the earth. A horde of purple skinned, six legged aliens poured out, skittering towards the devastated human lines. They were scaled, with massive fangs that hung out of their mouths in an overbite.

Bullrush’s voice came in over the headset. “Everyone, to the ground now! Keep them off our people!” He twisted in midair and rocketed downwards, and Arthur followed. He flexed his wrist, and a minigun appeared out of his right hand. For his left, he chose a pulse hammer. It released a shockwave when it swung that would carve through their lines like butter. He accelerated towards the biggest crowd of creatures, and as the ground rushed up at him he swung the hammer. It detonated like a nuclear bomb, turning his enemies to ash as they flew backward. Instantly more took their place, rushing at him in a mindless wave. He leveled the minigun and swept it back and forth, fire shooting out of the barrels as bullets ripped through anything that came in front of him.

Still, they kept coming. They seemed to have no regard for their own lives, pressing forward even as he mowed them down. He saw one leap at him in his backwards camera and turned too slowly. It opened its maw, and a cloud of acid flew out, taking out his vision. He turned the minigun and sprayed behind him, but several of them grabbed hold of it, melting it and ripping it from his arm. The swarmed up his arms and legs, trying to claw their way into the suit, and one of his knee joints gave out. He hit the ground and his pulse hammer slipped from his fingers.

He screamed as the creatures crowded every camera, turning his vision to a blur of fangs, claws, and acid spit. Trying to fight his panic, he flipped his mic on. “Help! Someone, I’m getting overwhelmed!” Something scraped the suit just above his head, and he realized they were tunneling in. Arthur tried to put cover up with his arms, but the suit wouldn’t move. There was too much weighing him down.

Something detonated outside, and suddenly his vision was clear. Arthur pulled himself up in time to see Bullrush finish off the last of the swarm with the pulse hammer.

He offered him a hand. “On your feet.”

Arthur stood shakily, his breath coming in quick gasps. “That was almost it.”

“You’re still alive. Just try and keep it that way.” He grunted. “They just keep coming.”

Overhead, the guns were recharging orange light glowed across the disks as they prepared to hit the ground with another seismic shock.

“We need to take out those guns.” Bullrush said. “We won’t survive another shot from that.”

“But how?”

“Play it by ear.” He said. “We’re wearing billion-dollar super suits. It can’t be that hard.”

That’s why they call you Bullrush, Arthur thought. Action first, always.

They engaged thrusters and shot upward at a breakneck speed. Artillery shells went off around them as they passed through the shield, and then they were directly underneath the ships.

Arthur was looking up at the guns when the presence entered his mind. An icy dagger of pain stabbed through the back of his skull, and he reeled back in the suit. Somehow, through the pain, he could feel the presence shifting through his mind. There was no doubt in his mind it was from the Invaders.

How strange. The voice was so loud in his head could hardly think. It wasn’t any language he’d ever heard, but somehow Arthur understood it. Flesh creature inside a shell. It feels so frail on the inside. Soft and pliable. The pain increased, and Arthur screamed. Give in, flesh puppet. The pain was overwhelming. He could feel the presence trying to break its way into his consciousness and become one with it. Desperately, he tried to resist it. His memories streamed away, but he thought of Bug and clung to the thought. Everything else he could lose. Not that. He didn’t know how long it was, but eventually the presence receded. Arthur was still hovering in midair, and suddenly he could move again. His mind felt groggy and sore, but he was still alive.

Bullrush turned to face him, and Arthur realized his eyes were a milky white. “Hey! Snap out of it!” His general lunged at him, swinging a fist in a hook. Arthur barely managed to veer backward to avoid it. “This isn’t you! Fight it!”

He dodged backward again to avoid another punch, but this time it was a feint. Bullrush rocketed forward, closing the gap and slamming into Arthur. Together they tumbled through the air in free fall. Arthur fought to get away as they fell, but Bullrush had his arms locked around his chest. When they were almost at the ground, Bullrush twisted and accelerated Arthur straight down. Arthur boosted sideways, trying to get away, and they struck the ground in a skid. The impact flung them apart, and Arthur landed in a mangled pile. He tried to stand, but the suit didn’t move. He groaned and crawled out of the top.

Flesh puppet finally left its shell. The voice was weaker down here, but it still made his hair stand on end. Arthur looked around and saw the top half of Bullrush’s suit impaled on a splintered tree like a kebab. The bottom half was nowhere to be seen.

A group of the purple, six legged aliens skittered over the wreckage and fallen trees. Arthur drew his sidearm out of the ruined suit. He watched them come. Their milky white eyes fixed on him, and acid dripped from their slavering mouths. Arthur remembered what Bug had told him.

“All the best stories have happy endings.” He said with a grim smile as the horde rushed towards him.