U.S.S.A HellField

Chapter 32 Take it Back

BloodRust was now our next objective. We would take it back from the Alsha forces that still controlled it. Intel I was given said that they had reinforced the city walls after taking it, they had also built guard towers into the city walls. On top of that, they had Air support. The bastards didn't have a whole lot to work with, but they were crafty. I'll give them that. I wasn't sure if I should go in guns blazing or if we should infiltrate the city first and let Artemis along with her squad take out the sentries. Af'Ziel's men have proven to be reliable in a fight, they've been a big help so far and they had shown that during the battle for the citadel. I wish Alice would come with us, but I understand that she needs her rest, she went above and beyond, even compared to usual. Was this going to be our new normal now?

I went to the shower not long after speaking with Alice. Even though Thulia had healed me, I was still tired and needed to relax my sore muscles. Also, I probably sweated several kilos of water weight during that whole fight. I needed to ready myself for this last upcoming battle, hopefully, the last one for some time. One niggling idea that's been in the back of my mind, and I still wasn't certain, was that after this that maybe I should retire from the Marine Corps when we return home. Especially if Alice says yes, I'll need a civilian job to afford somewhere better so if we end up having a family. It will be somewhere better than where we are. At least they had hot water here.

After my much-needed shower, I went to get some grub. I was starving. I grabbed as much of a mix of edible things to eat as I could, nothing that would disagree with my stomach. I felt all the alien eyes of everyone inside the cafeteria staring at me. It seemed no matter what I did to try and remain inconspicuous, I always ended up doing the opposite thing and now I'm a hero to these people. I'll be remembered and then forgotten as the legend they mistook me for long after I'm gone. I think that's what I've learned about heroes throughout history from all the years I've known Alice.

I sat down by myself at one of the circular ceramic tables, it was a dark tan with a red symbol painted over the surface. A lot of the decor here was made of ceramic pottery and iron, all painted with different symbols in various colors. - "Hello...are you the crusader? The one who led the Assault on the Citadel?" The voice of a nervous soldier asked me. Maybe I shouldn't have brought Metis with me. - "HI, can I help you?" I asked him, even if I didn't want to. - "It's an honor to meet you. Please tell me, how were you able to fight off an entire battalion?" He asked, wide-eyed like a child. He did look younger than most of the other soldiers here.

- "Okay, take a seat. You see, when were most of the way there, we got attacked by enemy jet fighters. They came out of nowhere from the clouds I think, shooting at us. I went to the back of the plane...airship and opened the bay door to get a better look at what we were dealing with. I got on top of the fuselage and made my way from ship to ship until I was close enough to get a line of sight on the jets." I paused to take a bite and a drink. - "What did you do next?" He asked. - "So I aimed my plasma cannon." I moved my arm, just realizing I was not wearing my armor anymore, so I put my arm down. "And targeted them, shooting...I think five of them out of the air. Then a dropship comes from below us, dropping off over a dozen jetpacked troopers. I had a little trouble with them, but Alice and I dealt with them in short order." I told him. He seemed to get more interested in the story. Soon, more of his friends joined and sat with us.

- "Nasire, what are you doing bothering him? I'm sure he has more important things to do than talk to a green-talon like you." One of his comrades disparaged him, he had two others with him. - "No, it's fine. I'm telling him about Operation Iron Wing." I told them. That seemed to change his attitude a tad. - "Is that so? I'd like to hear how it went down. I've heard a few stories already, all of them very different." He said. All of them sat down. I recapped the story until I was caught up. - "Yes Alil, you will want to hear this." Nasire assured him.