Space crusaders

Chapter 5: This is no mine

"These whole 'huge fertile fields' mean what? Minefields? Are these pirates wanting our land mines?" Stan asked aloud the question that was on the minds of many members of his squad as they waited in position, entombed inside the individual boarding torpedoes. Inside each of these missiles, which were to be fired hundreds of thousands of miles and penetrate the alien ship, there was only room for one crusader, and it was so cramped that he or she couldn't even move very much.

So Squad Red was killing time by listening to the radio.

And all they had to listen to was the information that the large transmitter at their "bait mining station" was broadcasting for light years—some wild stories about the 'riches' of the Sol System and so on.

"Sure thing, bro! Before I enlisted, I worked near a field like this, five hundred miles in every direction, filled with anti-personnel mines, and although most of the mines had to be at least a few hundred years old, every now and then someone would get blown up. If someone didn't die, then he could only lie there and scream until he fainted because there was no way to approach him due to other explosives. But the rats were too small to activate the mines, at least usually, so they fed on the corpses. After each explosion, they ran like crazy. For them, it was a real buffet, you know? So before the big-titty elven ladies came, we all lived on these fat rats, so I guess that's what these 'huge fertile fields' are about." One of his battle brothers answered him on their radio chat channel.

Stan raised an eyebrow

"Bro... have you eaten rats that grew fat on people's flesh?"

"Hey, change your tone, Levinsky!" The battle brother got upset.

"Hey, sorry, bro, those were tough times," Stan admitted.

"You're damn right, so don't try to judge me."

"I bet Gina ate people," another battle brother chimed in. A few people burst out laughing over the radio.

"What you mean 'ate'? As she doesn't anymore?"

This resulted in another burst of laughter.

"Ok guys, stop slandering the sergeant of the Violet Squad, especially in the presence of another officer, because I'm still in the same chat." Sarge soldered them.

"Sorry, Sarge," they all replied in unison, but Sarge wasn't done yet.

"I'm sure you can ask Sergeant Jinx about all this yourself next time you get the chance," their own sergeant suggested, and when no one responded, then the woman added,

"I know you're all unhappy that Violet Squad will draw first blood, but our task is much more important; we will penetrate the pirate voidship and capture it for the eggheads so they can figure out how it moves faster than light."

"Oh, let's just penetrate them already! I can't stand this tightness anymore," Stan complained over the radio.

For some reason, many brothers and sisters started laughing until the sergeant cleared her throat expressively.

"Yeah... Levinski I think everyone knows this, but back to your question: Personally, I don't think it's about minefields, just fields full of food," shared the Sergeant.

"Well, our fields were kind of full of food too, at least for the rats..." The battle brother from earlier started, but Sarge interrupted him.

"No, it's about the fields where food grows."

"Like a food factory?"

"Yes, I think so."

"There is such a thing?"