Starcross

Chapter Five - Part lV

China Lake Military Research Facility

Death Valley, California

Dusk - 5 March 2020

            Feuerstein’s hands were shaking as he checked the number of bullets in his rifle magazine for what must have been the tenth time since the alarms sounded. It had only been a few minutes but so far nothing had happened and many of the men were wondering, and possibly hoping, if it was only a false alarm. Spinnaker, who had his back pressed against the sandbag barrier next to Feuerstein, reached up to ensure that his helmet was locked under his chin.

            “Did it change this time?” He asked the young Marine.

            Feuerstein looked up, shocked that someone was still next to him. “Sir?”

            “The number of bullets in your gun. You’ve checked it so many times now, I was curious if a few had disappeared or materialized.”

            The young man laughed nervously. “No, Sir,” He said, shaking his head. “I just keep forgetting if I checked them or not…”

            “First engagement, right?”

            “Yes, Sir. I, uh…” Dennis’ eyes glazed over as he recalled and watched a memory, his voice trailing off into a strangely comfortable silence.

            Spinnaker smiled and turned to Esposito, who was on the other side of him, slapping the man on the shoulder to wake him up. If he recalled correctly, Esposito was with him in the last combat action the United States had seen; which would explain why he was so calm in the face of danger.

            “See, man? See? I fucking told you this would happen.” A voice raised too high came belting out from one of the foxholes.

            “Grimes!” Spinnaker shouted, causing Esposito to jolt awake and blink against the low sun. If anything was going for them, it would be that the sun was to their backs making any attacker stare into it. “That better not be you I hear bitching!”

            “Sir,” The Marine started uneasily. “I don’t wanna’ say ‘I told you so’, but the Druidth are about to attack us. So I-“

            “Private!” Spinnaker interrupted. “Do you want my foot up your ass?”

            “No, Sir!”

            “Then don’t you dare finish that sentence!

            Silence settled over the unit, then laughter erupted from a few of the men; one of them sounded like the man Grimes was arguing with. Spinnaker wished he could con Blithe into surrendering one of his cheap cigars, but his Staff Sargent was on the other side of the compound.

            “You hear that?” Esposito asked as he sat there, his arms folded across his chest and his eyes closed.