The Commander's Lieutenant

Part 8

'Ugh...' Taz hated this part. She squeezed her eyes closed and braced for impact, the computer counting down with her.

The Pod hit the ground with a deep thud, Taz shaking by the time they could stand. A voice came over the loud-speaker, alerting them to their mission.

'Attention Rangers. Your mission is simple- destroy the four creatures and rescue the three civilians trapped in the colony.'

She limped a little, trying to ignore the pain. It hurt, but not as much as her ego. Up followed her, both of them grabbing guns. Up favoured two smaller zappers, but Taz preferred the biggest zapper. Even during weapons training, everyone knew the teacher would give the smallest cadet the biggest gun. What they didn't know was that Taz had a lot of experience with zappers, and this was exactly what she was hoping for.

Up's voice snapped her back into reality. 'Alright Taz- set your zapper to pew and let's go.'

Taz nodded and turned her dial towards pew. The two of them crept out from behind a rock, aiming at a green pile of mush. It heaved, assuring Taz that it was, in fact, alive. Up flicked his hand, telling Taz to go around. She nodded and stepped on the other side of the creature. Pointing their zappers, Up whispered to the creature.

'What are you?' He cocked his head, then looked up at Taz.

Her eyes hadn't moved from the creature, and Up looked back at it. It started to pulsate, turning purple.

'Aim and Fire, Taz!' Up shouted as the monster swelled, speedily growing bigger than them.

Taz uttered her war-cry, firing her zapper into the creature's chest. Up followed suit, the two of them blowing the creature away. After it exploded, covering Taz and Up in it's now orange goop, they made their way to the colony. I wonder which poor idiota privates got roped into being "civilians" dis time.

Up gestured to Taz, and the two of them jumped out from behind a rock as a surprise attack on two more goop balls.

'Up! I ain't never seen dese aliens before!' Taz shouted over the zapper-fire.

'Neither Taz! Wonder where the Academy cooked these up!' He replied.

Finally, the two creatures exploded. This time, Up grabbed Taz and whirled her behind the rock before she got splattered. He got a little on his arm, but just wiped it off.

'Gracias Up. Now let's get dose damn privates outta here!' She hooked the zapper strap back over her shoulder- it always seemed to come off when she was firing.

Up watched Taz run for a few metres, barely limping. He jogged to catch up and they stopped at two huge, arched metal doors. Taz wiped her hand down the door and looked at Up confused.

'It's warm, Up.'

Up put his hand on the door and pushed it open, looking on either side of it before letting Taz in. She stepped in behind him, zapper strap off, pointing her gun down every hallway they passed.

'It's like a castle, Up! How de hell are we gonna find dem?' Taz hissed.

Up shrugged, then heard a small pitiful cry. They heard shushing, and as they drew closer, came to a closet.

'Shut up, Krayonder!' A female voice hissed.

Taz rolled her eyes and hooked her strap back over her chest. Up rolled his eyes and pointed upstairs. 'I'm gonna go and look around for the last bug. You got those three?'

Taz nodded and gestured for Up to go. She rolled her eyes and turned back to the door. She whacked her fist on it, making the three privates jump.

'Look what you did, Ruth! Now we're gonna diiiie!' A high-pitched and barely manly voice whined, followed by a slapping noise.

Taz flung the door open and squinted at the three privates huddled in the corner. 'What the hell do you think you are doing?'

The blonde private screamed, resulting in a hand being clasped over his mouth. Taz uncovered her ears as a brunette girl with glasses released the boy's mouth.

'Oh Lieutenant! Boy am I glad to see you!' He shouted.

'Shut up, Private! Dere's still another creature somewhere.' Taz looked around, then held out her hand.

'The name's Krayonder.' He said, taking her hand. 'What is this place, man?'

'How should I know? Just another dumb simulation the Academy cooked up.' Taz replied, pulling the girl to her feet.

'Simulation?' A small voice came from the closet.

Taz leant down with a sneer on her face. 'You guys didn't know it was a simulation?'

'Well I did, but they wouldn't listen to me.' The girl with glasses interjected, her voice oddly high.

Taz shook her head. Just what am I supposed to do with dese idiotas? 'So, you are Ruth?'

The girl nodded. 'And that's Gene Kidd. She was brought in a month ago. They shoved her in the Drop-Pod with us and she had no clue what she was doing.'

'Hey! Neither did Krayonder! And it's Genevieve to you.' She replied grumpily, crossing her arms.

'Come on Gene, get out.' Krayonder retorted, holding out his hand.

She slapped it away and stood up on her own, dusting off her pants.

'Wait- you're only a kid! How are you gonna save us?' Gene whined.

Ruth elbowed her. 'She's Up's lieutenant, Gene! You know- the combat teacher?'

'Oh. Okay then!' She perked up, flicking her long brown hair over her shoulder.

Taz rolled her eyes- she recognised this girl. She was one of February's friends. 'Let's go.'

Taz flipped around, hearing a noise from upstairs. 'You three- get back to de pod and wait.'

They nodded, pulling their zappers out and running for the door. Taz pointed her zapper up the stairs, and carefully ran up them. She ignored the pain in her ankle- she could sense Up was in trouble.

She heard Up cry out and rushed into the room, where a gigantic blob with a huge, black eye swelled up bigger than the other three combined.

'Up! Get outta here!' Taz called.

He turned around to face her, sweat pouring down his face. Up looked back at the alien and fired one last shot- right into it's eye. It cried out in pain, and started to convulse.

Up ran as fast as he could, pulling Taz after him. The creature let out a final wail and exploded, sending Up and Taz flying into a wall. Taz woke up a minute later, facing the wall. The first thing she looked for was Up. Hearing a groan behind her, she turned to face him.

'Up!' She cried.

Taz pulled herself out from between him and the wall, rolling him onto his back. Up was unconscious, and they had ten minutes to get out of there. Taz tried calling to him, but he didn't stir. She finally resorted to something she promised herself she wouldn't do ever again- she slapped Up.

The last time she slapped up was also the first time. She had just woken up after the attack on her family during her quinceañera, and the first thing she saw was a large figure leaning over her. Out of instinct, she reached up and slapped him before asking questions.

The second Taz's hand connected with Up's cheek, he bolted upright. Taz had fallen back onto her butt when he woke up, scraping her hands on a few metal shards as she landed.

Up grabbed her hands and looked them over, shaking his head. He stood up and pulled Taz up by her arm, rather than her hands. 'Here. Put these on.'

He pulled out a small pair of black velcro gloves. 'Wh- why?' She asked, gently pulling them over her hands.

'You can't fire a zapper with shredded hands- now let's go!' The second Taz had the gloves on, Up grabbed her hand and pulled her down the stairs.

They left the alien fort, racing for the pod. By the time they got there, Ruth and Gene's chests were heaving up and down and they were bathed in sweat. Krayonder lay in a heap in the corner, a giant gash on his forehead.