Abandoned with the Enemy

Prologue

I groaned as I pulled myself away from the sloshing sea onto the white sand. If I still didn't want to drown I'd have to get away from the water. If the tide came in while I was unconscious it would kill me.

When I saw grass through my blurry vision I decided I'd gone far enough and let myself float into darkness despite my fear of dying.

***

'Goddammit!' I groaned as I swatted at insects buzzing around my ears.

I grumbled while I blinked against the bright light, then tried to sit up after a while. My wet clothes added to my irritation and I pulled them off, choosing the bother of taking them off against keeping them on.

After a few struggles I tossed the last piece aside and laid back naked on the warm sand. I cared less about being covered with that than the wet cloth clinging to me.

I recalled the main events that led me up to here; born into a poor family which sold me into the military because they wouldn't be able to feed and raise me otherwise, the subsequent training which showed I had a tenacity for keeping alive, and the assignment to one of the most abused secret sections of the military after almost killing a senior officer who came close to raping a girl at a bar.

'GODDAMMIT, FUCK YOU!' I screamed. 'WHY DON'T YOU ALL GO TO HELL!?'

We were supposed to set up a hidden base at the latest M class planet that was found. Its inclusion in one of the territories had been a fight between the feline Silth and humans for years, each claiming they found it first and that the simple civilizations living on it were part of their combined worlds. The universal council had been trying to establish a peaceful settlement between our species but with the continual tensions and skirmishes between us it was almost impossible. So far there was only the official promise to not colonise the planet and come into contact with the species on it while the dispute continued.

'As if.' I said to myself and tossed a nearby rock away from me.

The encounter with the Silth carrier was devastating. With both ships running stealth close to the sea surface, we were in stone throwing distance when we found each other. The panic reaction was to unleash our full arsenals upon one another. The few fighter pods from both sides who managed to launch, including mine, had just about obliterated each other when the carriers burned down and sank into the ocean.

With no home to return to and most of my equipment damaged I headed off to the nearest island available on the local map. The pod broke down before I was able to reach it and I used up all my stamina to reach it by swimming.

I stood up, shaking on my legs. I would have to hold out long enough for help to arrive. If that ever came.

That was the risk of a classified unit. Nobody would acknowledge you, nobody would save you, nobody would praise you. Only the pay and the thrill were worth it.

I reviewed my surroundings, white beach, tropical climate, mostly blue sky, vacation paradise for most people.

I hated it. I saw unknown predators and diseases, difficulty in finding a decent shelter, food.

'DAMMIT!' I shouted again.

I took another look at my clothing. The only useful thing that came with it was the knife. No matter how advanced technology became, the one thing that stayed part of basic equipment was the knife. I didn't care about my clothing, but I was aware enough to not take chances and buried all of it in the sand.

After that I faced the jungle in front of me. Just me and my knife. I wasn't ready, but I had to survive.