Free Invasion of Kzarch by E. G. Castle

only target it would make any sense at all to use them against was the guerrillas’ main base, but the ‘headquarters’ were fairly well defended, including a good supply of missiles and entrenched launchers.
    This created a slightly odd situation, for a guerrilla style war, wherein both forces knew where the other’s main site was, but couldn’t attack it without worrying they’d lose.
    If only the guerrillas had some gunboats, Frank actually would have felt things weren’t too bad, but they didn’t. The only gunboats on the planet, besides those of the pirates, had been destroyed in the pirates’ surprise attack.
    And without air support, the guerrillas kept getting in trouble. Especially now that the pirates were being more careful with their gunboats. They hadn’t lost one in the last four days.
    The situation, as he had already said, just wasn’t favoring the guerrillas. They were losing too many men, for too little effect.
    Moodily, he downed another cup of beer, vaguely noting he needed to stop soon. It wouldn’t be good to start getting drunk.
    “What were you doing before you got into this mess?” Tom asked, in an attempt to divert the conversation. Apparently, he had been thinking things over too.
    “What do you mean? Before I came here?”
    “Were you on leave? Or were you assigned here immediately after another deployment?”
    “Oh, no. Well, not exactly; I was ordered here after a week of leave, but before that, I was on a standard assignment. No action, just a guard duty sort of thing.”
    “Have you seen much action in you time in the Marines?”
    Frank laughed, perhaps a trifle on the sour side.
    “Not really. I’ve seen more combat here than I have in all three previous years I’ve been in the Marines. Actually,” the lieutenant admitted, “I’ve only been in action twice before I came to Kzarch. Neither were even major battles. One was a light skirmish with pirates, nothing like this, and the other was just a brush with nutjobs.”
    “Nutjobs?”
    “Don’t ask.” Frank rolled his eyes.
    “What about your family? Where are you from?”
    “I’m from Emerald, a farming planet, more or less. Family? Well, last I heard they were doing fine. I’m the oldest of three, by a few years. My younger brother’s still in college, and my sister’s just graduated from high school, I think. If I got the dates worked out right…”
    “Oldest? Heh, you’re lucky. I was the middle one of my family. Of five.”
    “You lived here all your life?”
    “Yeah. Visited some other planets when I was younger, but found I wasn’t much interested in traveling. ”
    “You traveled as a tourist?”
    “Nah, took a job as a ship worker. Then I came back here, started a business.”
    “So being in the military wasn’t your first choice.” The captain chuckled.
    “Actually, I’m only a reservist.”
    “Really?” Frank was genuinely surprised. Considering how good Tom was at his job…
    “Yeah. Joined soon after I came back, then quit to start a business, like I said. Only re-enlisted when the pirates showed up. The general knew me, so he promoted me and put me in charge of a team. I’ve been running missions ever since.”
    “Huh. Tell me, since you said you knew the general; what’s he really like? I mean, although we’re working together, I can’t say I actually know him…”
    “I didn’t mean I know him well …” Tom protested. “I just served directly under him for a bit. Honestly, I was a trifle surprised he remembered me at all.”
    “Still, you know him better than I do. Tell me what you can about what makes him tick.”
    Captain Fil’dwis hesitated.
    “You have to understand…” he began slowly, “I don’t really mix much with Kzarch’s First Family.”
    “First family?”
    “That’s what they call themselves. They’re descended from the first family here, so… Anyway, the thing is, they dominate the Kzarch’s government. Always have. Probably always will Every