Free Invasion of Kzarch by E. G. Castle Page B

most unhappy at having been awoken for what was apparently nothing.
    “Look, I’ll rerun it for you- See? Right there!”
    The other rolled his eyes, and turned around.
    “The sensors blipped. So what? It’s probably just them malfunctioning; wouldn’t be unusual. No reason for you to hit the alarm.”
    “But the guerrillas-”
    “What, want to fight in this ?” The pirate waved his hand eloquently at the deep darkness.
    “Nah, only you are stupid enough to want that.” The pirate on sensor duty flushed.
    “But-” he began to protest again.
    The commander made a rude noise, cutting him off.
    “Alright, I’m going back to sleep. Head to your beds everyone! It was just ol’ jumpy Jaspers again.” There were a few murmurs, not everyone as sure as he was.
    “Unless somebody wants to go and check it out?” he continued with a slightly menacing air.
    Though the pirates had been alarmed when the siren had called them from their beds, the commander’s words had soothed them enough for them to want head back to ‘em, not checking out some, probably worthless, sensor hit.
    Some yawning, they turned back to their barracks.
    It was at that point when the alarm sounded again.
    “Jaspers, you wanna be shot !?” the pirate commander growled, hand dropping to his gun, spinning around.
    “Look!” was all the other said, triumphantly, as a speck of red contacts appeared and disappeared on the screen.
    “ Oh shit. ”
     
    ***
     
    Near noiselessly, aside from a few thuds and thumps, the team made its way towards the pirate encampment, moving as fast as they were able.
    Twelve minutes ‘til they reached it, then nine, then seven, then…
    KRAACCkkk-BOOOM
    “MAN DOWN! MAN DOWN!” a guerrilla called, as the sound of the missile’s explosion began to fade. Another one was already being launched by the pirates, though this one to a different location.
    “Can he continue?” the team leader snapped.
    “He’s hit in the leg; badly!” another replied, leaning down towards his fallen comrade. A red glare lit up the scene, as the second missile exploded nearby.
    “Dammit. All right, bandage him, then leave him.” Before anyone could protest, he preempted them.
    “No arguments! We’ve got to keep moving! Lieutenant Harsmith, take your men ahead and try to keep the pirates busy ‘til we arrive!”
    The lieutenant saluted, and, activating his suit, surged forward with the other Marines.
    To the fallen soldier, the team captain said, “You’re going to have to stay here. We’ll pick you up when we head back, okay, Jimmy?” Left unsaid was the qualifier, ‘ If we make it back’.
    “Y-yeah. I’ll be waiting,” the other whispered, trying to hide his pain as he was bandaged.
    With a short nod, the team captain headed forward, his men falling in behind him, though not without a few, ignored, grumbles.
     
    ***
     
    “Keep firing! Kill ‘em!” The pirate commander’s voice was edging towards frantic. The approaching guerrillas were making him fear for his life, something he wasn’t accustomed to be doing. The closest he usually came was making others fear for their lives.
    “Everyone, get to your positions! Shoot anything you see! Stop them before they get too close!”
    Their commander’s fear catching, they obeyed with a will.
     
    ***
     
    “They’re really laying the fire down heavily, aren’t they?” one marine commented, calmly starting to line up a shot.
    “Maybe they’re finally starting to take all this seriously,” Frank suggested, snapping off a quick weg bolt, which missed.
    “Pftt. One.” announced the first marine, killing a pirate.
    A double shot sounded out, striking through the yet dark forest.
    “Two.” the third marine said laconically.
     
    ***
     
    “Those are Marines out there!”
    “Shut up!” The pirate commander was frantically trying to think, of some way, any way, of getting out of the situation he was in. Though he tried to reassure himself that his pirates were in a