Light In the Universe DX

Chapter 5: Percival

Chillylon, Eraq

June 6, 20XX

Percival had a rude awakening that morning, being woken up by the sound of gunfire in his base. As is his routine nonetheless, he glanced at the photo of his wife and two sons before quickly suiting up and sprinting out the door. Several Taliquida troops were firing away at the walls of the base, shouting at the troops to come out and die. The walls were starting to give way to the massive onslaught of gunfire.

Percival made it to the kitchen when a live grenade crashed through the window. Immediately, he jumped on the live bomb as it turned out to be a dud. There was no time to celebrate the malfunctioning grenade, as enemy troops stormed in the large room through the window. Percival's large frame made him center target.

Taliquida troops unloaded their magazines into Percival as his platoon escaped to call for backup. Percival thought that it was the end for him, but surprisingly, none of their pullets pierced his skin, much less his organs. All they managed to do was anger him, as they took a step back before they were beaten to a bloody pulp. As his platoon came back with backup, Percival stood alone as the Taliquida troops foolish enough to intrude were brutally injured or dead on the floor, and Percival's shirt remained in tatters, exposing his unhurt skin.

Percival wiped the blood from his face, breathing heavily as he surveyed the scene. Several men laid on the potholed floor in pieces, tissues and entrails decorating the floor in a macabre fashion. Though it was Percival's sworn duty to serve his homeland he had to wonder if this was truly his calling, only feeling more sick with himself the more he grew desensitized to the sight of mutilated corpses. What was even the point of this? With each person he tore through another one seemed to take their place, the deployed troops advancing at a snail's pace on their best days. There seemed to be nothing worth it in this sand pit, the promise of protecting freedom looking more and more like a sham.

Percival's breather was shortened by a flash of shadow and a monsterous rumble through the canteen. Telling the seasoned soldier there was only more enemies coming, possibly with more advanced weaponry. Without a second thought he ran out, hoping to curb the sudden invasion before it began or at the very least save his best men.

The craft was unlike anything Percy had encountered on the field before, sparkling black with a round body it moved at starling pace. It parked itself on the tallest area in the camp, the most strategic spot for releasing ground troops.

"Shit, maybe those space force loonies were onto something." Percy mumbled, getting closer to the craft.

The men of the camp surrounded the craft, training their guns at the spaceship as it glowed a deep blue, releasing a shockwave that sent all of the men into a deep sleep. Percy shivered as he grabbed a weapon and aimed it at the figure who stepped out of the ship, an indigo purple woman who radiated a evil energy. She was dressed far to fancy for any type of soldier, smirking something wicked as she approached the man.

"Greetings your lightness, we have much to discuss." She spoke in a unearthly calm tone, her eyes being covered by thick swirly bangs.

"What the fuck are you?!" Percy's hands trembled as he held his weapon, the being tilting her head amused.

"All in due time your lightness, come with me." She motioned for Percy to step on the ship "My name is Star Sapphire and I have what you've been spending your years looking for."

"As much as I'd like to join your glamrock band, I've got a job to do." He said. The fact she said she had what he was looking for was the first red flag, as he knew too many of his friends, both in and out of the military, who took an offer like that and ended up getting scammed, trafficked, or worse.

"Doing what? Ripping and tearing through hordes of human beings to fulfill some false promise of freedom?" Star Sapphire asked.

Percival took slight offense to the statement, but knew what needed to be done. "I'm not buying what you're selling! Piss off!" he shouted.

"Is rejecting my offer worth losing everything you hold dear?" Star Sapphire asked. Percival stopped, speechless. "Do you really wish to see everything you've worked for turn to cinder? Because all you love is in great danger"

"Come with me, and it will all be okay" Star Sapphire added, as his sleeping squadron was powerless to stop her or whatever tricks she had up her sleeve. Realizing he had no choice, he stepped aboard, wordlessly.

"Not to worry, you'll be back where you were soon enough" Star Sapphire replied, bringing him into the craft. Two burly quartz guards shut the door behind him, blocking it as he's lead further into the strange ship, given a seat in the cockpit.

"I can sense your fear. If I may, could you please attempt to steady yourself?" The Sapphire's soft voice asked

"Why?" Percy asked "You gonna probe me or some shit?"

"For your information I am trying to see the fate of your cherished ones, if you may clear your mind for a moment I could see their fates more clearly." Star Sapphire explained. Percival rolled his eyes, believing her to be full of it. He had a feeling this was an elaborate prank of some sort, but a part of him had a feeling he stepped into something much larger than himself.

As much as the Super-Soldier tried, he couldn't clear his mind enough for her to see who he held dear, only where he lived, but that was enough for her to instruct her Pearl to send a probe to the address.

"If you would kindly turn your attention to the screen" She said, showing the probe now in front of his tattered, ruined house, now in charred rubble. A reporter showed up, assessing the damage. They brought it in closer so they could hear the report.

"...Firemen searched high and low, but found no one inside. Police claim two boys formerly lived in the house." The reporter stated, turning his mic to the cop.

"We kept gettin' calls day an' night about the place gettin' shot up an' robbed, but ev'ry time we showed up, it was just two kids, bored out o' their minds. Whoever their folks are, I hope y'all's proud of yerselves!" The cop ranted. "They prolly died in the fire!"

Percival tried to doubt that any of this was real, but the doubt was overran with the truth: His home and family are gone. They were the reason he enlisted in the military.

When the September 11th attacks took place, his wife was still pregnant with his firstborn son. He saw the attack live on television, and decided to serve in the armed forces. If he had to die to prevent his son from living under tyranny, so be it, he thought. Now knowing his one reason for staying and getting deployed left and right was gone, he had nothing to lose. Percival hung his head in shame, holding back tears.

This was all the confirmation Star Sapphire needed to know he was on their side now, despite the silence of the grieving man.

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