The Centauran Wars.

escape from coastal battery Q

A corvun attack drove almost all of us out so quickly.. why at night out of all times? Most everyone retreated. 19 of us were left behind. Only after a few weeks, it's all gone. All our progress is like dust in the wind. I cock my rifle and look at my comrades with fear as I prepare myself. A last stand.
 
The corvuns blend in with the dark. You have to listen. Listen for any sound. 
I try to take a peek outside but get pulled back into the bunker. 
 
My officer holds my shoulder as he whispers, "Don't go out, you fool. They are just waiting for us."
 
I nod. It was foolish for me to even try to look out. Another soldier locks the door; it makes a loud sound, and they definitely know we're here. 
 
Tap tap tap. 
 
Someone knocks on the door. A voice comes from outside. "hello? Is anyone in Zeah?"
 
I hold my breath; every second feels like an hour. Then I look at my officer as he raises his pistol at the door. I sigh and respond in a last ditch attempt, "Yes, but we are simple civilians... taking refuge."
 
A long puase and then. 
 
Tap tap
"Can you open Ze Doah, please?"
 
I look at the door and respond quietly.
 
"I can't do that."
 
 
Thud. Thud. 
 
The noises get more aggressive. 
 
"Open the door" 
 
A soldier walks to the door, unlocks it, and pushes it open, hitting the soldier in the face. I grab him and drag him in. 
 
The soldier. Named Anderson closes the door. I hold the corvun down and put a knife in his throat.
 
"Make any sound. Your fucking dead."
 
He looks at me, scared, as he nods his head. He's no older than me. Perhaps twenty-two at the most. He only says three words. 
 
"Please, I surrender."
 
I cover his mouth as another voice comes from outside.
 
"Erroll? Erroll, where are you?" 
 
I keep his mouth shut. But he doesn't try to resist. We wait. And then we hear more voices. 
 
"hugh. heinz. Look for Erroll; he can't be far from here, and we don't want any Cetan taking him."
 
A few minutes pass. Then the door moves. But it doesn't open; whoever is outside pushes again and again. 
 
Tap. Tap. Tap. 
 
Then again, the door gets pushed. 
 
"Heinz, I think there's someone here."
 
The sound of something being set in front of the door was heard. And then. 
 
The door explodes. I grab the corvun up and switch from my knife to my revolver as I point to his head
 
"Don't fucking try it any move, and he's done to hear me."
 
"Fuck, Zey got erroll. Look here, Cetan, just put the gun down. You're outnumbered here."
 
"Go fuck yourself, Corvun." I put the gun closer to his head and wrapped my finger around the trigger.
 
"We can be civil here. Just listen to our demands, dirty corvun."
 
The corvun at the door stares at me defiantly, and the other next to him is looking at the one I'm holding at gunpoint with worry. 
 
"Who says we're going to listen to you?" 
 
I walk back and cock the hammer of the revolver.
 
"Your move."
 
He stares at me and looks back. I yell to him, "Call anyone, and his brains are over the wall." 
 
He sighs and lowers his rifle. "Fuck you, Cetan." What do you want? That's my cousin you're holding there." 
 
I look at him, then at my officer, as he steps up and says, "It's simple. I see you're civil men, and so are we. We just want a way out. And in turn, he doesn't die. But make no mistake, we have no fear of putting him down." 
 
The corvun looks back at us and slams his fist on the door.
 
"And who guarantees me, Zhat Cetan? 
 
"I guess you'll have to trust us," I respond. 
 
He looks at his cousin. Then at the soldier next to him, who I presume to be the "Heinz" he called earlier. Then he whispers something to him.
 
"Fine cetan. We agree. But once you leave our lines, anything goes."
 
"Sure. Anything goes," I respond. 
 
He motions his hand to follow him as he sends "Heinz" somewhere else. I have a bad feeling, but this is our chance. I walk around and see other doors blasted open. No wonder nobody reacted when they blew ours. It seems like they're used to it. 
 
"Hurry up, Cetan. We don't have much time." 
 
I run behind him along with my fellow soldiers as I keep the same corvun at gunpoint as we run. 
 
Eventually, we make it to some hills and grass. And the corvun looks at me. 
 
"There cetan. A deal is a deal."
 
"A deal is a deal." I push the corvun soldier I had in gunpoint forward as I keep my gun aimed at them. 
 
They walk off, and so do we. I see a Cetan truck full of soldiers driving forward. I yell at them along with everyone else to get their attention, but to no avail. Then I shoot at the air, the truck makes a hard stop as some soldiers shoot back. 
 
"HEY! We're with you. We're cetans." I yell at them. 
 
They keep firing at us for a few seconds, then stop and yell at us, "Cetans? Prove it, ya bastards." 
 
"Do I sound fucking corvun to you?" I reply. 
 
My officer stands up and holds his revolver up in the air. "Look at me. Don't be blinded by fear; you can tell I'm a cetan like you." 
 
They hold on to their fire. And then yell at us, "Ah, well, come on then, our. Apologies for such a response, but these days haven't been well."
 
"We know," Anderson responds. 
 
I walk with them and get on the truck as I watch the sun rise. And watch as we leave the very land we fought just weeks prior to catching. And now we retreat. To where? Who knows. I'm just glad to be out of there. I just hope the next battle isn't so bad. 
 
They say we're going to hold the line somewhere else. Hopefully, our navy will be able to do something and not shoot at us this time. I know it was an accident, but it made our job a lot harder. 
 
The sun is so beautiful. 
 
Private August Brown.