Counter Attack

# 4

Commander Silvestre put a device in my hand. I strapped it on my belt.

"Follow me," he ordered.

We went through a thick metal door and arrived at an enormous empty hall. It was pitch black, the only light came from our flashlights, dancing on the big pillars holding up the high ceiling. The underground water reservoir was empty, the water long gone. We walked through it, our steps echoing, until we arrived at our destination.

Silvestre put his hand on my shoulder.

"Peet, the few who remain will remember you as a hero."

"It was an honour to serve with you, sir." I tasted acid coming up from my stomach.

Silvestre turned and left. He had an attack to command. Colonel Drake offered the possibility of escape to everyone. A few left, but most of us stayed to fight our final battle. Earlier we had had a lottery, and I drew the shortest stick. Several of my mates wanted to make an exchange, but for once in my life I was selfish. I wanted to do it. The human is an interesting animal. If you corner him, he fights tooth and nail. Our numbers are fewer and fewer, but we don't give up, not whilst one human remains.

I flashed my light on the big, cylinder-like object on the rack in front of me. Cutie turned out to be a 50-kiloton nuclear bomb. Drake had kept it hidden until the time came to make it fulfill its purpose.

***

Now I'm sitting in the darkness, the only light is the red digital word on Cutie's readout display: "Armed". I wait. There will be a rumble above me, and the ground will shake. Several troops will attack the descending spaceship, but it will be only a diversion to confuse the Droks' predicting abilities. There must be explosions and fighting to cover up our real plan.

I can hear the noise now. I think of Diana. I think of my parents. I think of revenge. Fear and anger cause my stomach to clench. I grab the trigger device with shaking hands. I wait until the ground vibrates violently. I scream and push the button.