ARIS

The Confidant

I let out a laboured breath, the rock-strewn terrain was uneven below my feet. This planet was rocky, lush, and warm. Everything the space station wasn't. I held my weapon to my chest, trying to keep up with my platoon. The slope was not level, and the toes of my boots kept snagging on the jagged edges of the rock face.

One would assume the planet would be in shambles by this point of war, but every time my toes made contact with its earth my eyes were met with beauty and life. I glanced up at the sky, the violet sky giving way to the stars and nebulas above. I cupped a hand over my eyes and paused a moment to drink in the sights. These were the only moments of peace I felt before the crushing reality of war thunders down on my shoulders.

Yelling from in front of me pulled me back to reality. The sounds of gunfire echoed in my ears and I ducked down to my knees and pulled the scope of my gun to my eye. I glanced up along the peak of the hill, the horizon was clear except for two black specs in the Far East corner. I squinted trying to make out their shape. Were the human, or were they ally? The glint of something metallic made my heart sink.

"STAY LOW, THEY'RE ARMED. WEAPON'S READY SOLDIERS!" I screamed so loudly my voice cracked.

Muffled shouts of affirmation met my ears and I rose into a crouching position, trying to keep as low as I could as I scaled the crest of the hill.

The spray of machine gun fire cascaded around me like raindrops. I glanced around, the soldiers behind me all flashed thumbs up. No one was hit. I pointed in front of me and gestured to everyone to be careful. These next few minutes were going to be hard. The meeting point was only a few hundred yards ahead, but the two snipers above made the once easy travels a life or death venture.

We needed to meet up with the other platoon. Our Brigade had gotten split up after our 'intel' mission had gone south. We had spent the last two days navigating the forest to find the hill crest we currently stood on. We were just sitting ducks, waiting to get picked off one by one. But, as platoon leader, I was unable to make the call to go back. It was now or never.

I scanned the hill in front of me. The scant foliage would do little to camouflage us. If we were back at the docking ship, we could grab the invisibility beacons, but we hadn't anticipated this turn of events. I swore under my breath, getting down on my elbows. I glanced to my left, the rocky trail gave way to a small brook. I swore again, I was at a complete loss of what to do.

I felt a small tap on my shoulder, "Hey Cap, what's the plan?" Aris' small frame was lost in the tall weeds.

I wanted to say something reassuring, I wanted to tell him I had a plan, but we were just sitting ducks, "I don't know. We have nothing here!"

"I know, we'll figure something out. We always do."

I grunted absent minded as I scanned the cliff again.

Aris gasped, his voice still soft, not yet deepened from puberty. "Quick look!" He passed me his ocular glasses excitedly, his eyes shining with adolescent excitement and I slipped them on quickly, "Look forty degrees to your left boss, do you see the covered ridge?"

I followed his words and saw it, the perfect place. The only problem was getting there. It was at least half a mile along the ridge. I swore loudly again. "It's perfect, but it's a death trap getting there!"

"Boss, breathe!" His voice still holding the unashamed satisfaction every youngling had after a job well done.

I inhaled deeply, "Ok, how are we going to do this?" I thought out loud, scanning the ridge before looking up at the snipers. There were two of them, humans. Two men. But, only two. "Alright, Aris, you'll lead the platoon. I bring up the rear. We go in pairs. Two at a time, we wait until the others are safe before the next pair goes. We are odd in number, I go alone. If I don't make it, you leave me. You get to the meeting point, whatever it takes. Got it?"