The fight had been fierce and frantic. Jacobs and Straugh had arrived in the nick of time to drive the remaining creatures back into the wilderness. The creatures had turned timid when a lucky shot had dropped the power armored rebel. Timball and Sheng were both in critical condition after being savaged by the creatures, and Sergeant Kandrini was barely conscious after taking a heavy blow to the back of her head.
The only real victory was that the rebel was alive. His power armor had soaked up a hell of a lot of fire, and in the end it had saved his life when the telling blow hit. Jacobs had flown into a rage, and put a blaster shot in each of the creatures that was still moving before anyone could stop him. Straugh was busy calling down the Gravitycraft, while the rest bled slowly.
They loaded the wounded on board, then Jacobs and Straugh dragged the prisoner on board as well. "Get us back to base, Waters," came Sergeant Kandrini's weak command. Waters gaped at her before Corporal Straugh stepped in and got him moving back to the colony, and what passed for first aid on this planet. With the familiar dull thrum of the gravity jets they were off.
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Meanwhile, back in the clearing, other eyes watched the soldiers depart. They noted the efficiency with which the native creatures had been executed before they left. More of the creatures flooded the clearing and some cried in wild grief at their passing. A human walked among them to the spot where the rebel had fallen. He called out to his native allies, and promised them revenge.
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The dirty, squat, prefab buildings of the colony came back into view as the sun was setting. Corporal Straugh pointed to the building that housed the colony’s hospital, “Land us right there Private Waters.” He turned to the only other non wounded soldier left, “Private Jacobs, I want you in that hospital as soon as we land, getting the doctor ready for this, this.” He waved his hands at the blood stained uniforms of the other passengers. “Just get them ready, understood?”
Jacobs nodded, and stood at the door as the ship lurched into landing in the middle of the street. He ripped it open before the ship finally settled fully to the ground. He jumped out and disappeared from sight.
Sergeant Kandrini looked up as the ship vibrated with the landing, “Help them first. I’m going to be fine.” She flashed what would have been an encouraging smile if her face and teeth weren't covered in her own blood.
Corporal Straugh moved over and looked at her eyes which struggled to focus on anything. “Shit. Waters! I want this prisoner under your gun until we have these three stabilized.” He looked at the makeshift bandages on Timball and Sheng. Private Timball would have given him a stern lecture on the proper use of Corporate first aid kits had he been conscious. He hoped there was still a chance he might get that lecture yet. He climbed from the craft carrying his limp body, and laid it on the ground. Then he went back for Sheng.
He’d began to move the massive soldier, who had been covered in dozens of deep bites and scratches from the savaging he’d experienced before breaking the creature’s neck. Sheng had somehow managed to take three more of them down before the fight was over.
As he got him to the edge of the door, he heard angry voices coming from the direction of the hospital. It was Jacobs. “I said hurry the fuck up! People are hurt and you’re going to do everything in your power to fix them or I’m going to hurt You. DO I make myself clear you frontier loving piece of Corporate trash? Move IT!” Jacobs and a small group of uniformed medical personnel moved out of the door then. Jacobs kept up his yelling the whole time as he herded them to the bodies.
Straugh stepped up then and assumed control, “Private Jacobs! Thank you for rounding up these fine folks. Listen up we have three soldiers in bad shape. Which one of you is the doctor,” he demanded.
Private Jacobs spat at the ground the civilians had just walked on. “Ain't nothing Corporal,” he tossed a half-assed salute and moved to the ship. “Waters, help me with Lunk. He weighs a fucking ton.”
With Jacobs no longer terrorizing them, one of the group stepped forward, “I’m the doctor, you two.” She pointed to two of her people, “You heard the Corporal. Go get gurneys and stretchers. Darnell, you’re with me.” Her and another man moved to Private Timball.
For a moment Corporal Straugh allowed himself to relax and believe everything might work out alright after all. Then he saw the Corporate buggies headed their way from the Governor’s compound.
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