Mist

Universal Capitalism

Kicking out invaders has always been difficult for many human planets. Sometimes, we stay on the planet as long as we can until the invaders get tired and leave. That's the idea that makes heroes and saviors, but it's not promising. We usually try to battle them once or twice, and if we lose, leave until we get powerful enough to invade to get that planet back.

The cocky war lovers are always angry that we're losing planets and not giving all our efforts. But, we don't care. We don't care anymore. We cared until we gained 600 planets in one day. After that, the number of planets we have are just numbers, numbers that are supposed to incite fear. A species with one planet can be very strong, but considered weak. A species with 100+ could be weak, but are seen as super-powers.

We don't need an extra planet. But, occasionally the government loves certain planets. A few years ago, a planet was being invaded and they didn't give up on it. Why? Because that planet is literally just mountains, tough mountains packed with minerals that can can power strobe guns and consumer electronics. It comes in great quantities and is cheap to mine.

Our government and army don't fight for freedom or lives. It fights for things in the long run, for better buildings and technology, and maybe for a better cleaner safer universe for the next generations to come. It angers people so much, but there's no evil in this universe. There's competition, which makes wars and holds back invasions because we all want to beat our competition.

After asking a lot of questions, I find out that behinders is a slur for Unity and we managed to push the "behinders" to the front of the capital mountain. There's a valley there where we will finally defeat them. There's no cover from trees and trenches or much vehicle use, so we have to mosh.

Right now, we're in a base inside the depths of the capital, which is under the mountain. We'll rush into the valley, doing it old school. Old school meaning a V shaped mosh where the guy in front is carrying only a flag of the planet, empire, or idea being fought for. We're hoping for them to go old school because they hadn't had much time to plan this and organize...

I sit there in a damp, dark place where people are yelling and screaming everywhere, and pushing to get in the right wave. I don't know which wave I'm in, so I wait to be assigned. I find a line where decorated soldiers stand, inspect others soldier's weapons, and direct them to another line. I walk over and wait in a line. Two aliens in front of me talk to each other. "Unity will push hard, you know that, right?" says a tall, stout alien in tribal armor.

"I don't even like this planet. I miss my home," says the other, who's wearing medieval armor. The line continues until we meet the soldiers. One of them tells me to show my weapon. I bring out my shotgun, which is melted and broken. They point to a box of weapons and say, "Next."

I move forward, studying the massive behemoth of a cave we're in. Thousands of aliens are crammed up. A few people are selling ammunition or places to sleep. Others talk, hug, and even fight. It's like a tiny city. A group of aliens stands in a circle around the Mist President, who has a white flag with two bright triangles almost touching circled by space. It's the Mist flag. The president tries to get a volunteer, but they don't listen or act like they aren't.

As I sit there, a feeling tells me to take the job. I don't know why, but I just want to take it. I'll have 99.9% death probability if I take the flag. I would die and I wouldn't get to say goodbye to anyone. There'll be nobody to say goodbye to because I'll hit the line before anyone else. I rise and take hold of the flag.