Troopers - Book 1

Plasma Tag

The dropship roared through the arid moons atmosphere, the heat shielding taking the strain so that the mobile infantry inside were safe.

"Remember your training and you'll get through this alive" the Lieutenant shouted, the troopers rolled their eyes; every lieutenant said that during a drop. "Believe in me and I will see you through this, I have not lost a trooper yet and I don't plan to now!" It was true, the lieutenant was known to be lucky and that all his men returned, they didn't all survive their wounds but they did return. "One more time, saturation bombing has not removed the arachnid threat, the bugs have tunnelled underground deeper and under rocks that will protect them, M.I. are going in to kill 'em all, working together slow progress but no bugs will live once the mission is finished!".

"Landing hot" came over the comm. from the cockpit.

"All right men unlock and brace." The sergeant shouted over the noise of the drop. The sergeant ran through his orders, the real mission he was explained. He double checked his sidearm; a round was ready in the chamber.

The dropship landed and the boarding ramp dropped into a cloud of red dust, the troopers ran out fanning into a covering arc scanning the horizon looking for attack. The Lieutenant ran out and stood in the centre of the semi circle with the dropship to his back. He saw nothing, no combat, no arachnid presence; he could hear the sound of war faintly in the background, as the dust continued to settle he could see that other dropships were streaming a few hundred kilometres further.

"Pilot you've drop us in the wrong place!" The Lieutenant shouted

"No he hasn't, we've been brought here due to your court-martial" The Sergeant walked casually down the ramp towards him.

"Sergeant Oakham explain yourself, what court-martial?" the lieutenant was confused but didn't let it show on his face.

"Due to your celebrity in the media, the court-martial according to your conduct unbecoming of an officer and gross misconduct was done behind closed doors..." Oakham started

"That is illegal I must be present at a court-martial to defend myself!"

"Lieutenant Wesley, please contain yourself in a manner that is becoming of an officer and if you were present the amount of evidence against you would have silenced you. The punishment for you crimes is public execution but due to your service and popularity, your execution is to be carried out on the battlefield so that your luck can run out and you become a martyr for the war." Oakham continued calmly.

"I would face death at the hands of the bugs there is no need for this" Wesley continued, a pleading whine entering his voice

"The orders came from General Archibold and Major Thorne directly; the risk could not be taken that your luck would hold. I hereby discharge you from duty." Oakham began to raise his Brunham TW-102-s, the Sergeant knew to aim at the neck joint of the armour, it was weaker than the face plate, and he wanted the first shot from the 'Peacemaker' to count.

"Troopers shoot this man!" Wesley shouted but not a single infantryman flinched. "I'll kill you myself" Wesley snapped his rifle to his shoulder and pulled the trigger, the muzzle flashed and the note of the gunshot echoed in the dry air. Sergeant Oakham stood still with his pistol aimed.

"A real trooper, officer or not always loads their own weapon. The men loaded yours with blanks. Welcome to Martyrdom." Oakham didn't flinch as he pulled the trigger twice in quick succession, the armour shattered around the neck and arteriole blood and bone fragments sprayed out. Wesley stood for a moment a blank and mildly confused expression on his face and then he collapsed straight down as the muscles released their hold. He slumped at the sergeants feet and blood poured from the throat turning the dusky red stone to a deep scarlet.