Spodium

I

"They are here", a young boy cried as a black hovercopter flew overhead and landed in what must have been a park a few decades ago.

Fifteen men clad in black combat uniforms and power armor followed by an officer jumped out as people around them ran to a cluster of makeshift bunkers; the outcome of the battle was already clear.

The officer looked no different than the troops he commanded except for the trench coat and a black metallic skull mask which the officers wore compared to the grey skull masks which the enlisted men wore. One of the soldiers handed him a loud speaker and the officer at once started barking orders to the ill equipped rebels. "Resistance is futile", he spoke, "surrender now and you will be spared". The officer tried to sound as sincere as he could but deep down, he knew that it was a lie and sooner or later, he would order his men to shoot the rebels.

The troops saw activity in one of the bunkers and an old man came out carrying a white flag. "Please sir", he spoke timidly, "We don't mean any harm, there are just children and women in the bunkers. These young men are only here to protect us from raiders". The officer knew that the old man telling the truth but he had his orders; he cocked his head to one side and his troops at once understood what it meant.

A soldier stepped forward and pointed his gun at the defenseless old man. Before he could understand the trap he had walked into, the soldier opened fire and emptied the entire magazine killing the old man instantly. Others who could actually defend themselves took up their antique weapons but they stood no chance against better armed and better trained soldiers and were cut down within mere seconds.

Now the real question arose, what to do with the civilians? Some suggested to apprehend them and send them base camp while others suggested something dark which was to murder them and according to them, it was more humane than sending them to the camp.

The officer typed something on his wrist panel and a holographic screen appeared. There was another man dressed like them, his face obscured by the black skull mask."Checkmate this is Replicant", the officer addressed the other officer usingtheir call signs. "Hostile forces have been neutralized", he looked at his menwho were waiting for the answer from their superior, "We have encountered civilians, please advise, over!".

Checkmate answered almost immediately,"Eliminate hostile elements as per orders, over!". The officer went numb and his men could actually visualize his face turning pale under the mask, they had spent three months with him after all. "Do it", the officer spoke sounding visibly shaken. He never questioned killing armed people but he hated killing unarmed civilians; he wanted to question his superiors but he knew he couldn't; he had to kill.