The Blood Moon Battle

One day in the year 2302, I was sitting in my chair. I was thinking about the major battle the occurred the previous week. Oh, it was a bloody one indeed. I lost many men that day. Even lost the one I loved, to my own hands. I felt terrible about killing her, but she had to be stopped. I was about to cry at that time, but I didn't. I couldn't. I was (and still currently) leader of the InterGalatic Defense Force, the currently best space army in the universe. But a General like me can't be bursting into tears without others finding out. That battle, oh the battle, was a victory and a loss. The loss overcame the victory.

It all started on a bright summer day. My love, Rebecca, has been on a trip to the Neron system for a week now. I was worried that but I thought my pilot must of got lost in the asteroid field of Afrion. I got lost there plenty of times myself. She was a goddess to me. My phone rang when I was putting my uniform on in my chambers. I look at the caller ID, it said: Rebecca C. Roseli. I was full of joy. I picked up the phone.

"Becca! How are you honey?" I asked with joy in my words.

"I'm fine Vinny. But there’s something I haven't told you" I was worried that she had gotten hurt out there.

"What is it honey? If it is bad we can get passed it" I said with a nervous tone.

"I am the queen of your military's greatest enemy" She was talking about the Moonlings. Moonlings are nasty mutations of humans who were exposed to Reflective Radiation from the moon. They became extremely deadly.

"You must be joking, you look nothing like a Moonling" I was denying the whole claim. I hoped she was joking.

"I am not joking Vinny, the women of our race stay more human looking" She wasn't lying; I can detect lies in someone's voice. She told the truth.

"You traitor” I said angrily “You must of fabricated your love for me!"

"I didn't, I fell in love with you after our first date. And I offer you a place on the throne on the Moon. We can rule Earth together" Her offering was tempting. But I was too loyal to my planet to accept.

"I thought you could be trusted. I was going to propose to you when you came back. I had the last pure diamond ring left on Earth for you. I guess I will save it for somebody else. Goodbye you traitor" I hung up. I started to cry. I lost my love. She was a traitor I told myself. I stopped crying after a few minutes. This called for war. War will happen.

I gathered my personal squad together from across the universe. I called up Leroy first. He is a pyrokinetic soldier. Fareon was second. He’s my best stealth agent and assassin. Desperge or Dessy as my squad calls him was third. He’s the last remaining soldier from our L12 project which is top secret. And lastly, Rob. My favorite telekinetic soldier. I gave all of them a ring of restore, a ring that gives them their life back once after dying. I didn't need one; I have my trusty D-17 Automatic Barrage. The Barrage is an assault rifle that can change the ammunition type at voice command and does not require reloading; it runs on body heat emitted by my military's suits which have plug-in ports for the BH weapons. They were in the Briefing Room to brief the thirty rank Z-26 soldiers, a rank third best from mine. I needed to give my part of the briefing. I went into the room.

"Alright people!" I said loudly and everyone stopped talking and quickly snapped their view on me. "We are assaulting the old USSC base on the moon. I know some of you think it is stupid and that everyone will be killed. But if that happens, I or my squad mates†will detonate the base's Space Nuke" I gave Leroy a signal to press a button on the desk in the corner. Leroy pressed it and a drop-pod came out of the floor with a see through front casing. In the drop pod was a pistol and a battle suit with a helmet. I went up to the pod and pressed a button on the side. I took out the pistol. "This is a D-15 semi-automatic Ravager. It runs on your body heat that is intensified through the Mark Seventeen Stealth Suit. I am guessing all of you have seen my rifle in action and know what it can do. This pistol is similar" I explained. "This suit has the most advance technology of stealth developed by Fareon and all of our scientists in the stealth department. The Moonlings cannot see you with this suit active. Our ship's cloaking device has been programmed the same as the stealth suit here." I finished giving my part and let Leroy go up on the stage.

"Alright" Leroy started "we are dropping on the edge of the light side of the moon. The USSC base is about sixteen kilometers from the drop site on the dark side. Don't worry, your suits are temperature stabilized" I left after that. The plan was my own script. I knew what our projections are. A victory is close in hand.

I woke up at around four in the morning to get some target practice. I went into my bathroom to take a shower. As I was taking my shower, memories came back to me, memories of me and Rebecca having fun and enjoying life. I held back the tears and continued with my shower. I got out ten minutes later. I dried myself and picked out my combat clothes. I left the bathroom and look in my closet and took out my stealth suit. I then left my quarters and walked to the†armory.

As I got in the armory I heard some footsteps. I looked behind me and saw Fareon trying to sneak up on me.

"So damn close." Fareon said and he laughed.

"These floors are pretty loud." I said.

"Alright, I best be going to my room."

"See ya later man." Fareon left and I went to my special gun†cabinet. I opened it and picked out my Barrage and my comm set. I closed the cabinet and left the armory for the range.

I stepped into the range and picked a spot. I selected a titanium target. I pressed a button on my weapon and a scope popped up on top. I never used it in battle nor have I told anybody about it. I selected high explosive rounds and fired out thirty of them. I heard some footsteps and pressed to button again to retract the scope. Desperge walked in, selected titanium targets, took out his Ravager and fired off three rounds of armor piercing bullets in rapid fire. He looked at me finally.

"Oh Vince, didn't notice you there" Desperge said in his deep voice which was said to be altered in the L12 project by the doctors.

"Hey Dessy" I said and more thoughts came into my head. I remembered when I first met Rebecca. That was such a great night. I can remember it vividly.

It was June fifth, 2300 and I was at The Grand Space Ball on Sareon. I was wearing full Commander Uniform, and I took a seat at the VIP booth with Rob and Leroy. We were talking about how defense of Sareon is critical to the universe. Then she came, she was a waitress coming around to give out drinks. She stopped at our table.

"Hi I'm Rebecca and I will be serving you today" She said smiling and looked at Rob "What would you want sir?"

"Can I get the finest wine you have here please?" Rob asked.

"And can I get some†whiskey†please?" asked Leroy.

"Sure, and for you Commander?" Rebecca said. I was†mesmerized†by her looks. I snapped back to reality.

"Oh, just water. I don't drink" I said in a somewhat nervous tone.

"If you don't drink, then you could of ordered nothing then" Rebecca said and giggled. I laughed a little and she left to get the drinks.

"What’s up Vince? You’re acting strange" Leroy said and both of them looked at me.

"Nothing, just that Rebecca is†beautiful" I said.
"Well you both can get a room and, you know" Rob said and he winked. I had a disgusted look on my face.

"I'd never do that with a girl without getting to know her" I said with angry laced in my voice.

Rebecca came ten minutes later with a bottle of wine and whiskey with cups and one of the cups filled with water.

"Thanks" I said.

"Would you guys like to order something to eat?" Rebecca said.

"I would like the steak, medium rare please" Rob said.

"I will take the same but well done" Leroy said.

"And I will take Chicken Parmesan with a side of steamed broccoli" I said. Rebecca was writing down the order and finished quickly.

"Okay, your food will be here soon" She said. She left to the kitchen. I took out a notebook and started writing in it.

“What are you writing?" Rob asked as he was leaning over to look at my notebook. I closed it and put it away.

Twenty minutes passed and the food came.

"Thanks Rebecca, you look Italian. What’s your last name?" I asked.

"It's Roseli, and my middle name is Caitlin" She said.

“I'm Vincent Conner Defash" I said smiling.

"That sounds like a modern name, well enjoy your food" Rebecca said as she left. I started eating my food when I saw some suspicious people walking towards Rebecca. I watched them and they pulled out two concealed Armovus Thirty-twos each. They fired into the air.

"Alright you are now all hostages! We are members United Sareon†Revolutionists!" The first USR member said with a heavy Russian accent. I sneaked under the table and took out a Terval Twelve Shot. I did behind the crowd and then came out aiming at the USR members. The second member then took Rebecca as a human†shield. I had a terrified look on my face.

"Don't you dare hurt her!" I shouted in anger. The second criminal laughed.
"I see you like this one Commander" He said with a French accent and he shot her once in the leg. I acted immediately and shot the first USR member in the head and ran to disarm the second one. I grabbed his weapon, threw it to the ground and knocked him out with a good punch to the head. I caught Rebecca and put pressure on her wound. She was crying a lot.

"It is going to be okay" I said to calm her "Somebody call a medic!"

Two days later I walked into her hospital room with flowers and a page from my notebook. I sat down next to her bed. She looked at me and smiled.

"So I guess you do like me" she said.

"Yeah, I was with you in ambulance. I waited until they said you were all good and healthy. I didn't want to leave you" I said I left the floors and the paper on her nightstand. She took the paper and read what was on there. I wrote a poem for her.

"That is so sweet of you. I should thank you with a date sometime" Rebecca said. I got so happy.

"Sure. When you’re all better of course" I said and checked my watch. "I have to be going, Leroy is going to bug me for being here so long"

"Okay, Vinny"

"Oh, I left my number on the poem so you can call me when you’re out"

"Okay thanks" And I left the room, then the hospital.

"Hey Vince, you okay?" Desperge said. I just realized I was dwelling into my memories.

"Yeah, just remembering some of the good times with Rebecca" I said sadly.

"You gotta forget her man, its gunna get ya killed when you take her down" Desperge said. I have forgotten that I'm†supposed†to kill her.

"I don't know if I can do it" I said in a sad tone. "I don't know with I will have the strength to let go of her yet. She and I were together from the day she recovered from that bullet wound. That would be a little over two years. I wanted to-" I started crying. "I wanted to marry her, to be with her forever" I finished. Tears started to drip from my chin. Desperge was shocked, that is a hard feat to achieve.

“Dude, you really wanted to?” Desperge asked.

“Yes, I did” I answered with my head lowered.

“Man, you should just find somebody else. After the battle of course” Desperge suggested.

“I guess I will try” I was interrupted by my four inch wrist display which gave off an alert sound. I read what the alert said. “Looks like Xenon isn’t going to be on this mission. Picked the wrong round and used it on the wrong target in the other range”

“Is he oh- wait. Isn’t he the guy who advanced the quickest into Z-26 from private?”Desperge asked.

“Yep, guy lives with me too. He came from nothing but he is like a Cossack. Loves to fight and can deliver a good strike. I picked him for sparring in hand to hand combat class for the Privates; he took me down without me striking him.” I said proudly.

“Impressive. Very impressive.” My display started ringing. I looked down and it was four thirty.

“We gotta get to the ships. Their gunna take off in half an hour” I activated the helmet mode on my suit and a helmet wrapped around my head. I walked out and headed to the hanger.

The ships roared and emitted a bright blue glow from the thrusters. Our ships ran on our patented fuel, Plazmy. It was developed by our rocket scientists in Russia, and they named it something simple. The fuel never ran out, but needs to be checked after two hundred thousand hours of flight or space travel. But just in case, we check it after every mission.

I got on the ship to see everyone of the Z-26’s except for Xenon. I sat down next to one of the snipers, nicknamed ‘Trust Shot’ for his ability to make his kills confirmed every time. He looked at me while I was putting on my seatbelt.

“You know you are going against the most dangerous Moonling. The queen is trained to fight and kill the hardest of foes” Trust Shot said.

“Stay on channel seven. I want you to keep me posted on your hits, misses and kills” I said pretending I didn’t hear his intel on my ex.

“Okay Chief, I’ll keep ya posted”

“Most importantly, you have to say when you get hit”

“Roger that” The speakers on the ship beeped to indicate the pilot has turned on the ship’s microphone.

“We are going to take off in five, four, three, two” The engines got louder and the hanger doors opened. “One” The ship took off straight through the gap between the hanger doors, cloaked, and shot off towards the moon.

We landed precisely on our drop site. The Z-26 soldiers got out and waited outside for me and my squad to leave the ship. I got out first. Then Rob and Leroy side by side. Lastly, Desperge and Fareon left the ship. Desperge was holding a modified version of a M240. Rob and Leroy had gloves on that enhanced their powers. Fareon had his Stealth Knives and his sneak. I had my D-17 Barrage. Leroy and Rob gave the soldier’s their squads and I gave the snipers’ their positions. We cloaked and headed to the base. War started now.

We arrived after a Stealth Sprint (a special running formation developed by Fareon). We saw the Moonlings at their height of five feet, gray skin, deformed heads, and their SAK-65 Assault rifles made by Mikhail Kalashnikov’s great-great grandson, Viktor Kalashnikov for thin air to space battles. They all were looking at the stage in front of the base. On that stage were two heavily armed guards and Rebecca. She was giving a speech.

“Today we will mobilize for an invasion of Earth!” The Moonlings cheered, some fired their weapons into space. “We shall start mobilizing for war tomorrow. Vincent Connor Defash, the man responsible for your curse, will put up a fight. But we have a new weapon!” She looked into an entrance from the base to the stage and made a hand motion. Two Moonlings brought out the base’s Mark One Ninety-Eight Space Nuke. My jaw dropped. “Our engineers found this bomb deep in the base. We will use it on Station MS-01.” I was filled with rage. I took a Stealth Grenade, primed it and threw it at the stage. She sensed the grenade and jumped out of the way. It exploded killing the guards. The Moonlings ran around, not panicking, but making sure they can stay alive for their plan. We uncloaked and started shooting. I ran into the base main entrance.

I got in the base. No security at all. “Must be a trap” I thought and followed my helmet’s thermal trail. I followed it into a room that looked like it belonged in a palace. As I stepped in, the door slammed shut behind me. Rebecca was there with a sword with Japanese inscriptions on it and the red and green Tactical Defense Suit. She looked at me with her beautiful green eyes.

“So, it all comes down to this huh?” She said as she walked towards me. “I don’t think you can kill me. You still love me and I know it”

“That is not going to work on me. I will make you pay for your crimes of treason.” I said with my Barrage pointing at her.

“Vinny, I still love you too. And the offer for kingship still stands.”

“Rebecca, when I saw you at the Grand Space Ball in 2300 I fell in love with you. I knew you were that special someone for me. I felt like the greatest man alive when we went on our first date. But then you betrayed me and my planet. And for that, you will be punished.” I put away my Barrage and took out the hilt of a sword. I pressed a button on it and a titanium blade came out of the hilt. The real battle has just begun.

I ran at her and swung my blade at her. She blocked it and reached for my pistol. I then backed away then took out my Ravager and fired a nine millimeter round at her. It hit her dead center in the chest. She almost fell over but she staggered backwards and coughed up some blood. I took my chance and ran at her with my sword and stabbed right through her chest. She had a pained look on her face.

“Well done Vinny. You just killed the love of your life.” Rebecca said. She coughed up a lot of blood then her eyes closed and her limbs were at the artificial gravity’s control. She is dead. I killed her. I let go of my sword and let her body drop. I dropped to my knees. “She is dead. Forever” I thought. I started crying over her lifeless body. I felt the emotions running through me. The memories came back to me so fast, faster than before. I thought I was going to cry my heart out. I stopped crying realizing that the dead don’t care, especially the backstabbing dead. I left the base by following the thermal trail out.

I got out seeing a Moonling firing at Rob. I shot it with several forty-five rounds from my Ravager. I was late on the draw and Rob was shot in the chest, but I killed his attacker. I ran over to him and caught him as he was falling.

“So you did it” Rob said with a small laugh followed by him coughing up blood.

“I did buddy. It took awhile to get use to her death” I said going for the Medi-Shot on my belt. He put his hand up; to me that looked like him saying “let me die”. I stopped going for the shot.

“Everyone else is dead." I looked around to see bodies of Moonlings and humans all over "They died with honor. They are-” he coughed up more blood then he passed. I lost my whole squad and twenty-nine other soldiers. I laid Rob on the ground and reached into my suit and grabbed my actual fifty caliber BMG bullet, a family heirloom passed down from my great grandfather, and placed it on his chest. I got up and walked to the ship. The battle was over. The Blood Moon Battle was won.