Duties and Desires: Part 1

Chapter 1
The Pelican dropship lowered its rear landing gear, and its hatch opened. The Insurrection medics pulled the injured out on medical stretchers. They moved with calm efficiency towards the medical facility.

Commander Gerald Barrie stood on one side, watching them calmly. His guards were behind him, their Assault Rifles ready. His subordinates had always been unconcerned with the injured dropping into the area, but Barrie always took time to ensure they would be treated properly.

The man wasn’t actually military, but was known for his combat and leadership skills. Although you never would have guessed it by his calm demeanor and relaxed expression. Everyone called him “the Commander”, and had been leading the Insurrectionists in the area for eleven years. Barrie was a popular commander, always giving opportunities for insight to others and willing to listen to others. He didn’t take heavy action against the UNSC, or threatened the lives of anyone on Eridanus II.

The group of facilities in the area were named “the Sanctuary”. Although Asphodel City and surrounding area was Insurrectionist territory, the civilians were not concerned with them, and came to trust the rebels to give them reliable medical care. Barrie always welcomed them to the Sanctuary whenever they needed help. It was in some ways safer than living in Asphodel City. In fact, the civilians preferred that the UNSC (United Nations Space Command) did not bother them at all.

Despite the diplomatic feel of the area, Barrie was also consistent with any security measures in case of anything. The Insurrectionist soldiers were armed with the latest weaponry and other UNSC contraband. None of it was stolen, as the Commander felt that petty thievery was beyond them. He had contacts that owned replicated blueprints for the official weapons, vehicles, and equipment for the UNSC. The guards carried new MA3 Assault Rifles, M4C Magnums, and snipers lined the facilities at the most unpredictable vantage points. They carried access cards to garages containing Warthog Light Reconnaissance Vehicles, complete with fingerprint and retina scanners to discourage thievery (not that anyone needed to). Self-destruct explosives were planted on every ship, and the 400 Insurrectionist soldiers made up over half the population.

“What happened this time?” Barrie asked as they passed by.

“Gunfight, sir,” one of the medics explained, not even slowing down. “Some kind of dispute over gang turfs. We've got four injured.”

“It’s those teenagers that give Asphodel a bad name,” the Commander sighed. “As if we don’t already have the UNSC on our asses all the time.” He walked after the medics, followed by his guards.

The medics laid the injured civilians on the beds, and a few doctors were looking over them. A boy was standing beside them, listening to them talk. Barrie sized him up. His hair was pitch black, with dark eyes to match, and was thin-lipped. He couldn't have been older than 10, but stood a fair height of around five feet.

“This one took a bullet in the head,” Dr Walker, the chief surgeon, said. “The only reason he’s not dead is because he has a metal plate where part of his skull should be. Got it from another gang fight, probably. Unfortunately, if I try to find the bullet with an MRI, it’ll tear the plate right out of his head.”

“But what if you use ultrasound, doctor?” the boy asked. “If we do a high-setting scan, we can make a good estimate as to where the bullet is based on the location of the entry wound.”

Barrie walked up to them. “Who is this?” he asked, looking to the boy.

“This is my assistant,” Dr Walker said, still thinking about it. “Okay, we’ll try it. Good thinking, kid.”

“What’s your name?” Barrie asked him.

“Felix Martel, sir,” the boy replied respectfully.

“You’re pretty sharp, boy,” the Commander said. “I could use someone like you to help me with things.”

Felix looked pleased. “Thank you, sir.”

“Felix, can you get the medical supplies?” Dr Walker inquired. The boy walked into a supply room and returned pushing a trolley laden with surgical instruments.

Barrie watched them work with the patient. Felix was serious, quiet, and very helpful. The Commander could see that the doctor was glad to have him around. He also noted how strong the boy’s build was, and made a mental note to recruit him as a soldier when he was old enough.

When Felix got home, his mother, Abigail, was in the living room with dinner ready. She was a woman with dark red hair, and the dark eyes and thin lips that was reflected in her oldest son. She could be described as the modest type of beautiful, and smiled easily. As he sat down at the table, she handed him a plate. “How was it at the medical facility?”

“Great,” he said. “One of the patients had a bullet in his head, but you know Dr Walker never failed to save a life yet.”

“Is your homework done? School’s tomorrow you know.”

Felix rolled his eyes as he ladled food onto his plate. “I know, mom. I’ve finished it already. Tom probably hasn’t yet, though.”

“Well he has trouble with something, he says,” Abigail said. “Why don’t you help him out?”

He groaned. “Mom, you could have helped him. I was out all day.”

“I know dear, but you need to spend more time with him. Working at a medical facility isn’t what people do when they’re 9 years old.”

“I’ll be 10 in a month, mom,” Felix said. “Where’s dad? He should be home by now.”

“The technicians wanted some upgrades on the Pelicans, and he’s staying for another shift to get it done. Oh, and Felix, Commander Barrie dropped by today. He gave me this.” Abigail passed a sheet of paper across the table. “He wants you to see him next Saturday at the administration facility.” Felix read it for a few moments. His mother looked at him. Her son was such a serious young boy, taking on quite a few responsibilities. He never disappointed her when it came to his studies at school, and brought home a fair salary from the medical facility every month. He had probably seen so many people brutally injured and helped bring them out from the rift between life and death.

Felix finished reading the paper, and picked his fork up again. “The Commander was here?”

“Yes, he talked quite a bit about you,” Abigail said.

The former was silent, eating without giving it much thought. So Barrie had taken an interest to him. He realized he would like to hear what the Commander had to say.

The only thing that Felix felt ever bothered him was that he didn’t know what he wanted to be when he grew up. There was a lot he could do, but it just never felt right for him. Maybe Barrie held the answers to his future.

Felix picked up his plate and utensils and placed them in the sink. He washed them thoroughly, and walked upstairs to Tom’s room.

His younger brother was playing a computer game when he walked in. Tom had his mother's red hair, but his eyes were lighter and his mouth was wider. His face was screwed up in concentration.

Felix looked over to the homework laid on the table. “Looks challenging,” he said sarcastically. “Division is one of life’s greatest mysteries, isn’t it?”

Tom turned around and quickly turned the computer off by pulling the plug. “You scared me,” he said.

Felix gave a mock glare. “That’s not very good for the computer.”

“Shut up,” Tom said, turning his computer back on. “You made me close the game. Now I have to start over.”

“You know, mom said you could go on after you’re done,” Felix said. “It really isn’t that hard.”

“I know, but I just don’t wanna do it.” His little brother opened an internet browser, and Felix grabbed his wrist.

“Hey! What are you—” Tom turned to face Felix, and trailed off as he saw the expression on his face.

The latter was reading the article on the homepage news.

UNSC CLOSING IN ON ERIDANUS SYSTEM

Reports of increased Insurrectionist activity has been detected. Civilians on Eridanus II had been targeted, and the casualty rate numbers at greater than a thousand. The UNSC (United Nations Space Command) is sending ships to the Eridanus System to deal with the Insurrectionist force. The counterattack is expected to conclude at a maximum of 1 week.

Commander Barrie always made it clear how he found the other Insurrectionists in the Eridanus System to be problematic. They attracted attention to any other rebel group, hostile or not. But the UNSC never cared. To them, an Innie was an Innie.

The Sanctuary was very well defended, but even it could not prevent the ships in orbit from launching a MAC strike down on them, if they felt like it. In the last major scrap with the UNSC, the Insurrectionists managed to hold their own…barely. But this time, it sounded severe. They were obviously in danger here.

Felix had never known why the Insurrectionists hated them so much. From what he heard, the civilians lived their lives the same way as they did. There had been no enemy to fight other than pirates and smugglers. But he occasionally wondered what it would be like, to walk among them, as one of them…

“Felix?” Tom asked, who was starting to feel a bit disconcerted. “Are you alright?”

Felix snapped out of his reverie. He felt his thoughts drifting away, and slowly let go of his brother’s wrist.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’m fine.”

Felix walked into the administration building, followed by two of Barrie's armed guards. They escorted him into the Commander's room, and the latter was sitting calmly behind his desk.

"Thank you, gentlemen," Barrie said. "Felix, please sit down. Close the door behind you." He did so, and sat on the chair across from the Commander. the guards stood by the door.

"Now," Barrie said. "Felix Martel. I know your father. He's been very helpful from the moment he began working here. A better Tech Chief I couldn't have asked for."

Felix nodded.

"But we're here to talk about you. Dr Walker seems to hold great trust in you. And from what I saw last Monday at the medical facility, I can see why. I would like to ask you if you want to become my personal assistant. What with everything I have to take care of here at the Sanctuary, I can use a smart kid like you."

Felix thought about it for a moment. "It would be an honour, sir. But what about Dr Walker?"

Barrie waved a hand. "I'm not asking the doctor to give you up for my sake, but I would appreciate it if you could help. Why don't you ask him yourself? If he agrees, then our problem is solved. And if not, I'll respect his decision and you'll keep working there.

"But you also have a say in this. What do you think? Do you want to help me?"

Felix was silent. Finally, he said, "I'm not quite sure yet, sir. I'll have to think about it."

"Very well," Barrie said, leaning back in his chair. "Now, is there something on your mind? I can see you were rather troubled when you walked in."

"I...I'm worried about all of us, sir. The UNSC look like they're coming for something, or someone in the Insurrection here."

The Commander frowned. "Yes, I heard about that. I will establish a meeting with their leader when they come, and perhaps we can make an arrangement. The Insurrectionists do make rather foolish decisions." Felix looked slightly doubtful, which Barrie noticed. "Don't worry, Felix. I'll make sure that no one, not even the UNSC, will be hurt in the meeting. I'll come back alive, you'll see." He laughed, then leaned forward again.

"Do you intend to stay here, at the Sanctuary, your whole life?" He asked. This time, Felix responded immediately.

"No, sir. I want to leave Eridanus II when I get the chance. The Sanctuary is a great home, but I'll want to find out more about the universe."

"Well answered," Barrie said. "I once had the same thoughts, but fate bound me to looking after everyone here. But it was also a blessing, because I feel happy with where I am now. But I think you are meant to go elsewhere in your life..." the Commander's eyes became more distant and thoughtful. "I know you have great potential. I hope, Felix, that you will be the one to end this war between us and the UNSC. You are certainly capable of it."

Felix was silent once again. He felt as if Barrie's words had marked him with something different. A feeling that he couldn't draw away from his statement.

"I certainly hope so, sir," he finally said.

"This conflict will become worse," Barrie said with a hint of sadness. "But you will save many lives, at the very least. I'm sure of it."

Felix saw a woman being rushed into the medical facility by a group of doctors, and was laid onto a bed. He knew why, and hurried to fetch the usual supplies for assisting with childbirth. He pushed the cart next to the bed, and Dr Walker took some of the utensils. Felix followed his instructions and helped however he could. After a few tense hours, the chief surgeon finally wrapped the baby in a blanket and passed her gently to the lady. He turned away from her and signed a form enlisted with details. One of the doctors gave him the instructions.

"Civilian. Her name's Sophia Dalason. Been rushed from Asphodel from work. Her husband's on his way from his job, busy as hell."

Dr Walker signed his name, and laid the clipboard on a desk. "Right. He'll give the details when he gets here." He turned to the woman and gave a kind smile. "Congratulations, ma'am. What's her name?"

Sophia was breathing erratically, but managed to smile back. "Amelia."

"Just rest for now, Mrs Dalason. Your husband's coming to see you."

Felix approached him. "Sir? Can I talk to you?"

Dr Walker nodded. "Certainly, Felix." They walked out into the hallway, and the latter closed the door behind them. "What is it?"

"Commander Barrie has asked me if I would be willing to assist him," Felix said. "It's very appealing, but I'm not sure if I should do it."

"Felix," the chief surgeon said seriously. "Don't worry about us at the medical facility. If the Commander is giving you an opportunity like this, you should take it. It'll get you far. Trust me."

He nodded slowly, but decided to put the thought aside for now as he saw a man walking through the door and towards Sophia, and they were talking softly. Felix took the cart back to the supply room and placed some more supplies onto it, he stopped it next to the bed, and Dr Walker said, "Please wait outside, Mr Dalason. She'll need some more injections to recover, and then we'll have to do some tests on Amelia before we let you go."

After going home, Felix thought about Barrie's words, as well as Dr Walker's. He knew that his "promotion" from the Commander was a step up in his future, but couldn't help but feel that he was leaving something precious behind forever.

He sighed. Maybe it was just one of many changes he would face in his life. He would just have to accept it.

Felix was waiting in Barrie's office when the Commander came in, looking tired but pleased. "How did it go, sir?" the former asked.

"Very well," Barrie said. "Their CO, Colonel Robert Watts, is very interested in our activities here at the Sanctuary. He's willing to hold off any threat from his troops. However, he will be monitoring the Insurrectionists whom have been causing Eridanus II so much trouble."

Felix looked worried. "Do all his soldiers feel the same way, sir? Because word could get out, and the Marines could do something out of the Colonel's hands."

"I know what I'm doing, Felix," Barrie said assuringly. "And we're not exactly a small force here. The UNSC might not be aware of it yet, but should they try to wipe us out, they'll find it a very difficult task."

"There could still be lives lost, sir."

"Perhaps. But remember, their intentions aren't to kill people, they want to disband the Insurrection. And from what I can see, it looks like Colonel Watts won't be doing anything of the sort right now."

Felix nodded. There was still something that was bothering him, but strangely, he couldn't tell what it was. As Barrie wrote some notes while Felix tried to determine what his thoughts on the matter were. Finally, he began, "Sir—"

"I'd like you to come with me next time I meet with the UNSC," Barrie said, almost at the same time. "So you get a first-hand experience of what they're like."

"Yes, sir." He decided not to say aloud what was on his mind, not just yet. Maybe the Commander already saw it, and knew how to deal with it.

Felix stood stock-still off to Barrie's side, and watched as a trio of Marines enter through the door and into the meeting room. Two of them were obviously non-commissioned, and were unarmed, but looked around the room nonetheless. One of them spotted him, and seemed to hold back a snicker. However, the officer standing in the middle was completely serious.

The man was a fair-aged soldier. He was thin, not very tall, and his eyes were a cold grey colour. On his shoulders were the insignia of a UNSC Colonel. It had to be Robert Watts.

Barrie stepped forward and raised his hand. "Colonel. Welcome to the Sanctuary."

"I thank you for inviting me to your...sanctuary," Watts replied, shaking his hand. "Please make this quick. I am very busy at the moment, and it's best the rest of my men don't find out about this meeting."

Barrie spoke with the Colonel about the Sanctuary; their relations with the rest of the Insurrection, and vaguely his plans for the future. Watts seemed to be intrigued by the fact that those at the Sanctuary were in good relations with the civilians on Eridanus II. When Watts told him about things in the UNSC and outside in other systems, Felix listened, interested. He wondered why they were exchanging information like this. It was odd, really, two leaders on different sides speaking as if they were travellers sharing their experiences with each other.

"But as a rebellion, don't you oppose what we're doing here?" the Colonel asked.

"Certainly," Barrie replied. "It's what we believe in, and what we'll stand by till the end. But the riots here are caused by rogues. Eridanus II has always been subject to piracy. We try to achieve our goals through different means, and possibly we can prevent the violence from spreading to the other systems. So, here are my terms—"

"Hold on," the Marine officer said, cutting across him. "I want my men to leave the room. And yours." His gaze drifted to Felix for the first time.

"I place great trust in Felix," the Commander said. "There is nothing you are to be afraid of."

"He's a child," Watts said. "And I don't want word of this spreading through your Sanctuary."

Barrie sighed. "Very well."

Felix left the room with the two UNSC soldiers, and he closed the door behind them. The Marine that laughed at him paced in circles in the hall, looking bored. But the other one was much younger, and asked, "What's it like, living here?"

"Don't talk to the Innie kid," the older one said. The Private ignored him.

"Not bad," Felix replied. "I'll bet it's better than the barracks I've heard you guys use."

"What do you guys do here, though? Why do you live in the outskirts instead of in the city?"

"Commander Barrie thinks Asphodel is too corrupted for the Insurrection."

The other Marine gave a snicker. "Bit rich, coming from you guys, isn't it?"

"The Insurrection wasn't created to disagree with Imperial Earth's every move," Felix said coolly. "I guess foot soldiers like you wouldn't know something like that, because you're just doing the fighting without understanding the concepts."

"You've got a real sharp tongue, kid," the leatherneck snapped, but the former had already turned his attention to the Private.

"How do you feel about this conflict? We haven't really gotten into open war, but everyone can see tensions are high."

"Well, we just do what we're told," the young soldier mumbled. "We're not supposed to question orders, we just follow them..."

"Sounds more restraining than our cause, doesn't it?"

"Shut your mouth, half-pint," the older Marine cut in. "I'll bet you don't even know what you're talking about."

Felix shot him a glare. To anyone else, it might have seemed odd that he would give a look like that to a tall, muscular soldier, but it wasn't intended as intimidation. He just did it involuntarily, because he didn't like others judging him by his age. Yet the Marine found he couldn't return his glare, and averted his gaze. An awkward moment of silence passed, before the door opened again, and Watts stepped out into the hall.

"I thank you for your hospitality," the Colonel was saying. "I believe I will meet you again, and perhaps after we have arranged everything, we may find more...progress."

Barrie nodded. "My men will show you back outside." He watched as the guards escorted the Marines and the officer out of the building.

"Felix, come in," the Commander said. The former complied, and closed the door behind them again.

"Colonel Watts has agreed to help our cause," he said. Felix looked surprised.

"He's joining the Insurrection?"

"It is possible, although it's highly unlikely. But there are still ways he can assist us in our efforts to keep the Insurrection as a diplomatic faction. He knows it is the best way we can meet our respective ends and put all this disagreement aside."

"I hope so, sir."

"Indeed. So what did you think of them?"

"They're very...disciplined, sir. But the lower-ranked soldiers are like pawns. They don't even know what they're fighting for."

Barrie sighed. "That is the difference between the UNSC and us, isn't it? And it's also why I believe we will come out on top in the end, one way or another."

Chapter 2
"Do you think it worked?" Tom asked, sitting in his chair and spinning it. "I mean, those Marines don't get fooled easily."

"Of course it worked," Felix replied, grabbing the back of the chair to stop it rotating. "Why would they expect Watts to fake his own death?"

"To be honest, I'm a little worried," Abigail said. "I'm not sure the Insurrection would trust Barrie's new partner, and if the UNSC thinks he killed their Colonel, things could get worse."

He had told them what happened after leaving Barrie's office. He felt that Watts was a bit hard to rely on himself, but maybe it was just a first impression.

"Your father's having a look at the new vehicles Watts brought in," his mother continued. "He'll be back soon though."

When Raymond got home, he looked exhausted but cheerful. "After seeing everything on those ships, you really notice how far behind we really are. But the Colonel's provided us with a fair share of everything."

When he sat down on the sofa, Felix walked over and said, "Dad, I heard you met Watts today."

"Yes, I did," Raymond replied. "Sit down, Felix. I can see you want to ask me something. What is it?"

He complied. "It's just that...do you think he can be trusted?"

"I expect there are a lot of people asking the same questions right now. But Watts has taken considerable trouble into helping us. I don't think he's up to anything."

"No, but what I mean is, will this work out? Having two leaders could lead to conflict."

Raymond smiled. "You're always so far-seeing, son. But don't worry...Barrie knows what he's doing. And if the Colonel becomes a problem, I'm sure he can make arrangements to remove him."

Felix nodded. He felt far from reassured, but maybe his father was right. They would get used to the change. It had troubled him that Watts' decision to actually join them caught Barrie by surprise. But I guess not even he's always right, he thought.

"This isn't good," Barrie said, looking over the screens. They had been brought into the conference room and installed into the Sanctuary's system by Watts a week ago. "Your second-in-command is proving to be a problem for us."

The Colonel shrugged. "I couldn't do anything about Major Rawley. It would have looked suspicious if both of us 'died' at the same time. What's your idea?"

"I don't like open combat engagements. I think we can distract them a little."

"That won't hold them off for long. We can't afford to be squeamish, Commander."

Felix didn't say anything, but he hoped Barrie had something to back up his decision. In the last few weeks he observed the newcomers, Watts had shown a very aggressive personality, not hesitating to take the lives of even his former men. The Marines he brought with him had been assigned as guards around the Sanctuary, as neither the Colonel or his soldiers could deal with the situation physically in case they were recognized. The Commander had done his very best to keep casualties on both sides minimal, but he began to mix his ideas with Watts, and things had grown progressively worse in terms of peace. On the flip side, more Insurrectionists had joined their cause because of the former Marine officer's tactics.

"I'll avoid taking lives when it's avoidable," Barrie said. "It's what I've been upholding for years. I won't let it go now. Did you say the Marines set up camp directly south of Asphodel?"

"Yes. They're not very far from the Sanctuary, so time is of the essence."

"Of course. Here's what we'll do. I'll send out a squad to their makeshift fuel depot, which you said was here," the Commander pointed at the hologram of the camp. "They can slip in from the west, set the gasoline off, and head away from Asphodel. It'll keep them busy for a while. It'll also make the Marines think we're located outside the city district. Where did you say the reserve fuel was?"

"Here." Watts indicated a small building on the other side of the camp.

"They'll set those off as well. It'll take them at least a day to get enough fuel brought in from the ship in orbit, and with any luck, the Marines will conduct their search elsewhere."

The Colonel still looked dubious, but didn't say anything more.

It had been a slow day. The Marines around the camp had been taking shifts with sentry duty, running drills, and waiting for their next orders. Their XO, Derek Rawley, had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel by Captain Warson, who was on board the Meriwether Lewis in orbit. The Marine officer was obviously very stressed with all his new responsibilities, and the fact that the Captain couldn't send help for them all the time since he had to monitor the entire UNSC presence on Eridanus II.

They should really send more ships, thought PO3 Franklin Mendez. But the Innies had been relatively discreet in terms of combat, and didn't show much open hostility since they arrived here 2 years ago. Bringing in a blockade or even a small part of the fleet would cause outcries from the civilians. It was already at a stretch to send Marines to the surface and keep watch.

Mendez was assigned to the camp to help keep things running, because the makeshift tech brought into the camp had a notorious tendency to have problems, especially communications. But he knew, and obviously so did Warson, that he could handle a rifle just as well as, if not better than most of the Marines. Which was probably why he had never been sent back onto the Lewis after his cycle on the surface was over.

His COM sounded. "Frank?"

The Petty Officer took the handheld device off his side and spoke into it. "What is it, Jake?"

"I need you to come over to the fuel depot. I'm having a little trouble with the nozzles."

Mendez sighed. They hadn't received the highest-class gear for this operation, and it was obvious the UNSC wasn't taking the Insurrection very seriously. Too bad most people only learn their lesson after the damage has been done.

"Pelicans are coming in soon, Frank. You coming or what?"

"Yeah. Hold on." There were Warthogs in the vehicle station nearby, but he preferred to run.

The fuel depot was located at the edge of the camp, next to a river. There was no other space open enough ships could land in the camp. When he reached the operating terminal, Jake was waiting for him.

"Alright, there you are," the technician said. "Wait here. I'm going to turn the valves on. Go over to the pumps, tell me what you see."

Mendez approached the fuel tanks, and there was a sound of whirring as the clamps released fuel into the pumps. He squeezed one of the nozzles, and there was a sound of rushing liquid, but nothing came out. He tried the other ones. Same thing.

"They seem to be jammed," Jake said. The Petty Officer frowned.

"You're right. But it's too convenient. Something's not right." He put the pumps back in place and walked towards the terminal, when he heard a ping behind him. He could guess what it was.

"Jake!" But it was too late. The grenade exploded, sending Mendez flying away from the exploding fuel tank, his back on fire. He landed hard on the ground, and instinctively dropped onto the ground to put the flame out. He saw Jake being consumed by a secondary explosion from the main fuel tank, and a group of black-uniformed men running away from the depot, as sentries and Marines hearing the commotion rushed towards them from every side.

The men were coming towards him—no, towards the river. They jumped in, one by one, being swept away by the current as the Marines opened fire with whatever weapons they had on them. One of them kicked Mendez in, and he fell into the swirling water with them.

The current was fast, too fast, and the Petty Officer knew that he would pass out soon. He couldn't find the strength to pull himself out of the river, or even keep his head above the water...

Barrie didn't seem surprised to see a Pelican flying back over the Sanctuary. Felix, who would have thought the men he hired would be returning in a less conspicuous manner, watched as the dropship landed and opened its back hatch.

"Something happened in Asphodel," the Commander said. "The boys were on their way back and there was a fight. The Marines had followed them, and some civilians were caught in the crossfire."

"Did they get rid of anyone following them?" Watts asked suspiciously.

"Of course," Barrie replied. "My men know what they're doing." He watched as some stretchers were hauled off the Pelican and to the medical facility. Barrie followed them.

"It wasn't a good idea," the Colonel said. "Bringing the civilians into the Sanctuary."

"They know about our confidential rule," the former said reassuringly. "And we have better medical care than they do in the city." Watts shook his head, but headed off back to the main facility. Felix followed Barrie into the medical rooms.

Dr Walker raised his eyebrows at the stretchers being carried in. "Looks like quite a nasty fight. Put them on the beds." The medics complied, and began their routine checks on the civilians.

"Looks like a couple of them fell into the river," the Commander said.

One of the unconscious ones were coming to. He approached his bed.

"My name is Gerald Barrie. Are you alright?"

The patient nodded slowly. One of his arms reached into his shirt pocket.

"It's okay. You're safe."

"No one is safe..."

"Who did this to you?" Barrie asked. "Was it the UNSC?"

The patient shifted in his bed. "Yeah. And they have a message for you."

"What is it?" the Commander asked, leaning forward.

The man's expression hardened. "'Go to hell'." With surprising speed he pulled an M6 pistol out from his pocket, aimed it at Barrie, and pulled the trigger.

The Commander ducked, the projectile narrowly missing him. Felix flinched, involuntarily stepping back. The sentries raised their rifles, the barrels aimed at the patient.

The disguised Marine leaped out of bed, shooting them in the head with efficiency. Barrie swore and took cover behind a cabinet. Dr Walker and the medics ran out of the room. The soldier turned to Felix, the only visible target.

The young Innie froze. He had no doubt the Marine would see him as a hostile and kill him without hesitation. He would never make it into cover in time.

Barrie jumped over the cabinet, and held a PA microphone. He threw the device at the Marine, and knocked into Felix.

The mic smashed into the soldier’s elbow, and his aim shifted. The Marine loosed a single shot, which embedded in Barrie's back. Felix heard the sickening sound as it penetrated and saw blood spray.

The guards, hearing the commotion, rushed in, opening fire immediately. The Marine didn’t even have time to turn before he fell before the hail of bullets.

The other patients shouted in alarm. But there were some, watching too observantly...

"They're Marines!" Felix shouted, still with Barrie slumped over him.

"Get the Commander out of here!" one of the guards said, helping him with the half-conscious man. The disguised Marines rolled out of bed and took cover behind it as the other guards fired at them. The Commander was placed on a stretcher and taken away from the medical facility.

Felix froze as he saw UNSC ships flying towards them from the distance. Behind him were the sound of voices.

"Hurry, give me a rifle!"

"Here, this one's dead. Frank, thanks for covering me. You're a tough SOB for a sailor."

"Shit, they got Terry. Let's move, the Pelicans should be coming in soon."

Without hesitation, the young Innie dashed off, as far from the medical facility as possible.

Fortunately, Watts already spotted the incoming hostiles, and one of his subordinates was making announcements over the PA. Insurrectionist soldiers were running to and fro, taking various positions and blocking off walkways. He ran in the direction of his house. He could hear the sound of gunfire, explosions, and the Sanctuary's hidden machine-guns activating. The turrets weren't designed to take down aircraft, but they were the heaviest weapons they had. UNSC ships were landing everywhere.

Felix spotted Raymond walking out of the aircraft he was working on, looking around in confusion. A group of Marines spotted him.

No! He watched helplessly in horror the enemies open fire on his father. He couldn't tear his gaze away from the sight of him being riddled by bullets, and collapsing, the wrench he was holding falling out of his grip with a clatter. Fighting back tears, the young Innie turned and kept running. He had to find his mother and Tom.

The fight was worse in the residential area. Felix ducked around several alleyways to avoid the commotion, and spotted his house. There was the sound of shouting from inside. A moment later an explosion shattered the front window, and the curtains were set ablaze.

No, please don't be inside...! He saw a group of Marines leaving the house, and looking around to see that it was clear, he sprinted inside.

The grenade had torn down a section of the living room wall, and the fire had quickly spread to anything combustible. Marines and rebels lay dead on the ground, weapons scattered everywhere.

The stairs to the second floor were on fire, but he spotted Abigail lying in the kitchen. She was breathing erratically. Hurriedly, Felix ran up to her.

His mother was covered in blood. There were several bullet holes in her chest and side, and one of her legs were blown off by the grenade.

"Mom, it's okay..."

Abigail turned her head weakly. "Felix..."

"You'll be fine. I'll get you somewhere safe..." Trying not to panic, he looked around for anything that could help her.

There was the sound of someone running in through the front door. Felix froze, but when he turned around, he saw that it was Dr Walker.

"Felix, I saw you coming in," he said. "Come on, we have to leave—"

"Doctor, my mom's still alive," he said pleadingly. "Please, help me get her out of here."

Walker looked into Abigail's eyes for a moment, and quickly nodded. "Okay, we're going to have to take her by hand. Grab her arms." Gently but carefully, he placed his hands under her back, and Felix took her by the wrists. They left through the back door, and made their way through the alleys.

"We'll put her in my house," the chief surgeon said. "I have medical supplies there." The trip seemed to take forever, especially since it was hard to move properly in the narrow alleyways carrying someone. The sound of fighting echoed from the streets.

When they reached Walker's house, he opened the basement door, and they laid her on a bed. Felix shut the blinds, while the doctor took his things and began treating Abigail. The young Innie helped clean off the blood, disinfected his mother's wounds, and sealed them, although he was trying not to think about his father, or whether Tom was upstairs when the Marines entered the house...

He began to feel more hopeful when they were finished, and Walker put a tourniquet on her leg. He sighed as the tension in his expression faded. The chief surgeon paused, walked to a cupboard, and took a pistol out. They waited, for any sound from outside...

Eventually, the sound of fighting died down. Felix pulled the blinds down slightly and peeked outside. There was no commotion.

"Attention," came a voice over the announcement. "The Sanctuary is cleared of enemies. All units, report to the main facility. Civilians, if you have injuries, the medical facilities are open..."

"We have to leave," Watts said. "They'll come back for round two soon enough."

"Agreed," said Barrie, wincing as he leaned against a wall. His spine had been nearly severed by the Marine's bullet, and although it had been reconnected, the Commander was going to have trouble walking for a long time. "We have to be inconspicuous about it, though."

"We'll move into the city in small groups," the Colonel said. "We'll set ourselves up inside the city, I know a few old friends that can move us underground."

Felix couldn't believe what he was hearing. Leave the Sanctuary? The thought was unbearable. It had been his home all his life, and abandoning it would be like leaving a part of himself behind. But he knew they had no choice.

"We're getting all of them out," Barrie continued. "Starting with the wounded. Robert, you should go with them. The longer you stay here, the more likely it is you'll be exposed. Here's a route we can take. If we move in from the west..."

"Don't worry," Abigail said. "I'll see you at the new location in a few days."

Felix couldn't help feeling concerned. His mother had a flushed look about her. "Mom, you look a bit pale."

"I'll be okay. I'm still recovering, that's all."

"Let me run a few scans, at least," he insisted. Taking the device, he did a few tests, and examined the readings.

"I heard about your father," she said, sounding suddenly dejected. "It was unfortunate..."

Felix's hand shook as he matched the readings with the most likely causes on a list. "They killed him just because he was there..." He shook his head, and focused on the scans. A match was found. "Mom, you have internal bleeding..." He got a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach as he realized what it meant. "You're supposed to avoid movement, and you need treatment."

Abigail shook her head. "No time, we're leaving soon. Have you seen your brother?"

He hadn't dared ask about Tom yet. But hearing the question, the young Innie felt a slight relief. "Tom wasn't in the house during the attack?"

"No. He'd gone out. I haven't heard anything about him."

"Wouldn't he have checked back in afterward? Unless..." the relief was quickly gone.

"I'm sure we would have been notified if someone found him," Abigail said, still looking worried.

There was the sound of voices as a group of people approached the medical facility.

"...should check for the more serious injuries," Barrie was saying. "What if they're not supposed to be moved just yet?"

"We don't have time," Watts said impatiently. "And it was your idea to get the wounded out first."

"I want them out of the way of danger, in case the UNSC comes back anytime soon," the Commander snapped. "Your intentions are completely different."

"Listen, Gerald. I know these Marines. They are going to be coming back, very soon. Your sensor jammers are going to let us carry out our plans, and we'll need every chance we can get. We'll be screwed if they decide to come directly, because we'll be caught with a lot of injured without any easy way to get them out. If they stay, they'll be dead for sure."

Barrie closed his eyes, sighed, and paused. Finally, he said, "You're right. I don't like it, but there's no other way." He turned to Dr Walker, and asked, "Are they ready to go?"

"Yes, sir," the chief surgeon said. "We're just getting the last of the patients out now." A pair of medics picked up Abigail's stretcher, and she looked into Felix's eyes for a moment. He wanted to say something, but couldn't get the words out, and merely watched as his mother was carried out of the facility with the other patients. As Barrie and Watts left, Walker said, "I still don't trust that Colonel. We've run into a lot of trouble since he came to our side, and his ideas are so...blunt."

The young Innie remained silent, still staring at the closed door.

Chapter 3
"Felix, there's nothing you can—" Dr Walker began.

He didn't pay him any heed. Rushing quickly into the medical facility, the young Innie quickly found his mother's bed.

Abigail looked much worse than she had when they were in the Sanctuary. Her skin was much paler, and she looked alarmingly dishevelled. Seeing him, she gave a faint smile. "Dr Walker's done everything he could...but there was really nothing to be done."

Felix had been able to hold onto his composure when Raymond had been killed, but it was because of the urgency of the situation. Now the thought that he was going to lose her too was unbearable. Grasping her hand, he let the tears fall freely.

"Watts wanted to bring everyone here," he said, forcing the words out and trying to suppress himself. "He should have listened to Barrie...he should have..."

"Watts knew what was best for us..." Abigail said. She seemed to have trouble keeping her eyes open.

"He doesn't!" Felix shouted, letting out his frustration, which was mingled with sadness. "The Commander does, he's just a traitor!" He squeezed her hand tightly, as if he could hold onto her if he never let go.

Walker entered at the sound of his voice. "I'm sorry, Felix. There were too many injured to look after while we were on the move...it didn't help we were in a hurry..."

"I know," the young Innie said miserably. "I just can't..." He felt his mother's grip relax, and she let out a slow breath, slumping back in her pillow. Gently placing her hand at her side, he walked slowly walked out of the facility.

"These Marines are starting to get on my nerves," Barrie said. "I'll make sure each and every one of them dies a slow and painful death if they so much as touch the Sanctuary."

Felix was worried. The Commander seemed to have become more irritable since they left the outskirts three years ago. He was adopting Watts' ideas, and more disconcerting, his tactics. He had difficulties walking since his injury in the medical facility, which gave him an air of ire. His authority over the former civilians of the Sanctuary had loosened as well. When he kept a low profile, some had opted to blend into the city. In contrast, he gathered many Insurrectionists around Eridanus II, and his plans racked up more casualties on both sides in the first three month alone than in his entire career.

"I'm surprised they haven't burned it to the ground," Watts said.

"The UNSC obviously don't respond well to my lenience," Barrie continued, ignoring him. "So let's teach them a lesson they won't soon forget." Turning to the map screen, he said, "I got some of my men to set up a camp here, north of Asphodel. We'll get their attention, close them off, and then take them out."

"Sir, that won't accomplish anything," Felix said. "It'll just piss them off—"

"Shut up," Watts cut in. "Your commander's right, we need to show them what we're made of. So, what's the trap?"

There was a glint in Barrie's eyes. "You."

"What?" the Colonel said, confused.

"You're going to pretend you've been captured, and just escaped. Your Marines will come running at that."

"They're not my—"

"You will be escorted there," the Commander said, as two soldiers walked up to them. "Then we need to make this convincing. Boys, feel free to give Robert a beating. We can't have this look suspicious."

The former Marine officer began to stutter, but Barrie said, "It's all for our cause, Colonel. I'm sure you understand." He watched, emotionless, as Watts was taken out of the room.

"Sergeant, I assume you know what to do," said Rawley.

"Yes sir," replied Gunnery Sergeant Justin Roberg. "I'm just waiting for my replacements to arrive, and we'll be good to go. They should be here soon."

"Step on it," the officer replied. "If I'm right, then there's a chance you'll be coming back with Colonel Watts."

Roberg looked at the survivors in his squad. He had lost four Marines in the last skirmish, which had been a drop in the ocean compared to the total casualties the entire battalion had taken in the five years they were here. Things were getting nasty, and he didn't know how much longer they were going to cover up the open hostility that lingered in the air.

A quartet of Marines approached them, escorted by Corporal Ramsey, who Roberg had sent to fetch the replacements. "Here are the new guys, Gunny." The Sergeant looked them over. They were young, mostly still in their late teens. One of them was female, and she looked a little nervous. He wasn't sure they would be suitable for the mission at hand. But he trusted Rawley knew what he was doing.

"Welcome to the team, boys and girls," Roberg said. "Names and ranks, if you please."

"Private Rob O'Donovan, sir!"

"Private Mikhail Miranov, sir!"

"Private Jess Morley, sir!"

"Private Owen Mackinley, sir!"

Good. They were attentive and disciplined. It would make the op a lot easier.

"You kids ever been in a firefight before?"

"Sir, no sir!"

"Well," Roberg said, watching as a Pelican landed at their pad and opened its hatch, "Get yourselves ready. You will, soon enough."

Private Jess Morley shook her head to clear the feeling of anxiety that held onto her. Relax, she thought. You've trained for this. But training was not the same as real combat, especially when you were killing other humans. She began to fidget with her Assault Rifle so she would have something to keep her mind off her apprehension. ''What would it be like, fighting to survive? To kill or be killed...''

Jess accidentally thumbed the magazine release button, and her ammo clip fell onto the floor of the Pelican with a clatter. Sergeant Roberg, who was sitting next to her, picked it up and handed it back. He gave a slight smile. "Ease up, soldier."

"Sir...we're going to be alright, aren't we?"

"Course. These Innies are a pushover. Just follow my lead, you've got fellow Marines watching your back. This won't take too long." He stood up, and said, "Alright everyone, listen up. The pilot's going to drop us off north of Asphodel. Warson's intercepted a few transmissions, turns out the enemy's got Colonel Watts in a camp near the city. We'll press in with stealth, and locate him. Once we have him, we'll get out and meet the dropship south of the city. There's a lot at stake, so we can't afford to make any mistakes."

Jess couldn't help but notice that her first mission was very high-risk. Usually anyone fresh out of training wouldn't be assigned to this kind of stuff, but according to the DI, she and her friends were quick-thinking and used good judgement. Rawley had been very impressed with their CSVs, and assigned them as replacements.

All that's left to be gained is experience, thought Jess. It was something to be gained, not learned. She checked her rifle one more time. And we all have to get it the hard way.

"The Marines have taken the bait," one of the Insurrectionists reported. "They're headed for the camp now, sir."

"Good," Barrie said. "We'll watch them fall into the trap. Then I'm going to pay them a little visit."

Felix hoped he wouldn't be asked to come along. He was finding it more and more uncomfortable to be in the Commander's presence over the last three years. He already knew that the plan, which was most likely to succeed, wouldn't do any good to either them or the UNSC. Whether he was aware of it or not, the rebel leader was slowly moving further from his goals of peace with Imperial Earth. Everything had been falling apart, and it was likely to get worse.

"Okay, looks tough," a Marine said, ducking back under the rock cluster they were hiding at. "How are we going to do this?"

"Watts should be inside one of those tents," Roberg said, showing them a map. "We'll split into teams, and search the entire cluster. It doesn't look like the Insurrection have a main force here, so by the time they bring reinforcements from wherever they are, we'll be out of here. We'll hit them hard, take them by surprise, get the Colonel, and get out." The Sergeant assigned the squad into teams, and indicated who was going to cover which area. When they were ready, everyone readied their weapons.

"Grenades, up and over," Roberg whispered. The Marines deployed explosives, and tossed them at the guards at the edge of the camp. The rebels gave yells of surprise but were quickly killed.

"Go, go, go!" the Sergeant ordered. "Fire at will! Farrell, Morley, cover me!"

The Insurrectionists heard the commotion, and rushed out with weapons. Jess opened fire, spraying groups of them with 7.62mm bullets. There were a lot of the rebels, but Corporal Ramsey and two other Marines joined the fight from behind them, with more leathernecks providing flanking fire. The Innies were quickly cut down.

"Good work, people, let's move!" Roberg shouted. The Marines immediately dashed into the camp and rushed in and out of the tent. Private Farrell quickly ran back out of one of them. "Not there, sir."

A sharp crack echoed through the camp. A bullet hit O'Donovan in the shoulder, and trail of smoke followed it. "Richardson, take that sniper out!" The sharpshooter moved to avoid a second bullet, took aim, and blew off the enemy marksman's head. The Innie's decapitated body fell from his outpost, and crumpled on the ground.

There were more coming. The Marines ducked behind tents. Bullet-holes began to tear through the fabric. "Mackinley, get over there and patch up O'Donovan." The Private complied, hurriedly helped his friend into cover, and took out his medkit.

Jess spotted an Innie running for Mackinley and O'Donovan, lined up her gun with the rebel's back, and shot him down. She poked her assault rifle around the tent's corner, and blind-fired until her clip was empty. The Private took a quick look to make sure all the enemies were down, reloaded, and said, "It's clear, Sarge."

"Good work, Morley," Roberg said, as they stepped into the tent beside them. "But next time, don't try to blind-fire—" he paused. Tied to a chair, facing downward, was Watts.

"Untie him," he said. Jess quickly moved behind the Colonel and worked at the ropes with her combat knife. "Sir, you're going to be okay. We'll get you out of here."

The Colonel was a mess. His uniform was tattered, his face was covered in bruises and cuts, and one of his eyes was blackened. He gave a humourless smile. "You came..."

"Yeah," Roberg said. "Christ, sir. How'd they keep you alive for so long?"

The ropes fell away. Watts gave a laugh, and stood up. "It's called...picking the right side." He grabbed Jess' wrist, wrenched the knife out of her grip, and placed the blade at her throat.

"Gunny, Insurrectionists coming into the camp!" Ramsey called from outside. "They've got hundreds—"

"You actually fell for it," the Colonel said. Roberg and Farrell were frozen. Rebels rushed into the tent, weapons raised. "Drop your guns." The Sergeant, still looking at his former CO in disbelief, placed his rifle on the ground. But Farrell turned, and raised his instead.

"Do as they say, boy—" Roberg began, but it was too late. The Private was riddled with bullets, jerked, and fell, oozing blood onto the ground. Watts handed Jess over to one of the Insurrectionists, and said, "Take them to Gerald. I need to get cleaned up." Spitting blood onto the ground, he left the tent.

The Marines were disarmed and marched into the Insurrectionist camp, hands behind their heads. Felix stood next to Barrie, watching the ten UNSC troops standing tall, yet obviously defeated. He tried not to look at the gun in the Commander's hand. It was the pistol he had been shot with in the medical facility in the Sanctuary. He had carried it with him since he obtained his spinal injury, and sometimes gazed at it with an expression of hatred. It was unnerving.

"So few of you!" Barrie said, a chuckle entering his voice. "What did you think you could do against us?"

He went to the man standing tallest, the one wearing a Sergeant's cap. "Did you really think your Colonel was still on your side?"

The Marine glared at him.

"What is your name?" The Commander asked.

"Gunnery Sergeant Justin Roberg. 09175-25692-JR."

"Do you know what this pistol means to me?" Barrie asked, pulling out his gun. Roberg didn't answer, but merely glared at him. The Innie leader gave a nasty smile, then shot the man in the head. Felix couldn't help but flinch. The Sergeant dropped, blood spraying from his forehead.

There was a sharp intake of breath from the end of the line, and Felix looked to see. A young private at the end of the Marine line had momentarily lost her composure.

Barrie moved to the second soldier in line. He raised his pistol.

"To me, this is a symbol of revenge, you see."

"I'll give you fucking revenge!" The Marine leaped towards him. Two bodyguards immediately beat him down with their rifles. The Commander reached down and turned him on his back.

"Try again," the Innie leader said, a cruel smile on his face.

"Burn in hell," the Marine snarled, blood flowing from his mouth and nose. He moved to stand up, but Barrie aimed his weapon at the soldier's face and pulled the trigger. Stepping over the body casually, he looked to the third. "Your friends are very quiet. If you don’t answer me, I’ll make sure they stay that way." Without waiting for an answer, he shot the Marine.

"Sir?" Felix said quizzically. "Perhaps we should interrogate them. Or at least keep them captured." Gerald Barrie didn't randomly murder people. Then again, he hadn't seen him do so yet since they left the Sanctuary.

The Innie leader turned and smiled at Felix. He went to stand beside the next Marine and put his pistol to the Corporal's temple. The man just glared.

"How many do you think I can kill with one shot, Felix?" Barrie asked casually.

"Sir..."

He fired. The bullet flew out of the soldier's head and killed a second. The Commander wiped the blood spray off his hand.

The executions went on. Felix wanted to squeeze his eyes shut and cover his ears, but could only stand there.

Barrie placed the firearm against the penultimate Marine's head.

"Sir, we can’t do this!" Felix cried out, unable to take it anymore.

"Why?" The Commander said, grinning at the young Insurrectionist.

"This isn’t accomplishing anything. We should ask them questions."

The Insurrectionist leader stroked his chin stubble. "Yes, perhaps this is true. You are willing to get the information I want by any means necessary?"

Felix nodded stiffly. "I am." He had a feeling he wouldn't like it, but the alternative was letting the Marine die.

"Good."

Barrie shot the soldier. Only the female Private was left.

"There. I've had my fun," the Commander said. He grabbed the Marine by the scruff of the neck and dragged her over to Felix. He dropped her and leaned in to Felix, his grin still in place.

"Now, you get to have your fun with her," he said, leering. "And once you’ve gotten what...I want, and you’ve gotten what you want, kill her."

The Private glared up at Barrie, but said nothing. The young Innie felt sick. He could only nod numbly. The images of the Marines falling one by one were still printed into his retinas. "Into the tent, now."

"Just remember," the Commander said in a whisper. "Who it was that killed your family at the Sanctuary."

Felix throat clenched. He pulled the Private into the tent.

She walked in to the tent and stood in the center. He looked into her eyes for the first time. The Marine's eyes were a light gray color, giving them a deep but attentive look that seemed to be rare even in soldiers. She had blonde hair, but the look was no less diminished despite the military regulation length. She was taller than him by several inches, and her build was slender but not overly thin. She had to be somewhere around 18 or 19. For a moment Felix could only stare at her.

"I don't care what you do to me, I won't say anything. Kill me if you want."

Felix closed the tent flap and turned to her. He pulled out a knife and walked up to her. She reflexively took a step back. The blade looked mean. On one edge it was razor sharp and the other side was serrated.

"Don't move," he said, darting forward and wrapping an arm around her waist. She grunted, trying to push him off. He took a step back and she raised her fists, and then paused. The ropes fell to the floor of the tent. The Private gave him a surprised look.

"What're you—"

Felix pressed a finger to his lips. "Be silent." He said, and went to the back of the tent. He stuck his knife in it and pulled, cutting a wide tear down the center of the canvas.

"Come on." He beckoned, peeking out. "It may not be long before they check."

The Private complied. "Why are you doing this?" She hissed under her breath as they stepped back out in to the cool evening air.

"Commander Barrie is not the man I used to know." Felix responded. "He's...changed."

"Don't we all, Felix?"

Felix whirled, placing himself in between Jess and the voice. The Commander stood, flanked by two of his bodyguards. Felix still had the rebel leader' pistol out, which he held just behind his back so they wouldn't notice. His knife glinted in the setting sun.

The young Insurrectionist’s eyes roved over the guards. They cradled their MA2s in their arms, but didn't aim them. He'd have time...

"I've done so much for you, Felix," Barrie said in a menacing voice. "I never thought you'd turn your back on us. Now I know I never should have."

"What about everything you worked for?" he shouted. "You used to hold values for your cause. Now you've become a heartless...!" He waited to raise the gun and fire, but couldn't. The thought of murdering was too much, and he was frozen.

"Sacrifices have been made," the Commander said. "It was for the best."

The young Innie felt Jess' fingers prying at the pistol. He let go slowly. "It was Watts," he said. "He's changed you." He quickly stepped aside, and the Marine raised the sidearm, aimed, and fired.

Her first round caught the left bodyguard between the eyes, dropping him instantaneously. Her next round went a bit wide, simply grazing the other bodyguard's shoulder. This did, however, cause the Insurrectionist to flinch and slowed his reaction.

Barrie moved for the dead Insurrectionist's rifle, but Felix knocked him down, hardly knowing what he was doing.

There was a single shot, and Felix looked over to see Jess rising from the second guard's body, holding the assault rifle in a perfect position. She settled the sight on Barrie.

"No!" Felix shouted, and she flinched.

"Why not?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the Commander. Felix understood what was going through her mind. He was asking her not to kill the one man who'd just put bullets into the heads of her entire squadron.

"He's...a good man. Just confused." Felix pleaded. "I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for him."

The Private glared at him. "Good God, you do like saving people, don't you?"

He rose and turned on the sidearm's safety. The Private shrugged, clapped Barrie on the temple, knocking him out. She stood up and grabbed the other rifle and their ammo.

"You saved my life, so I'll grant you that wish. You're going to have to come with me." She said, handing the other assault rifle to Felix, as well as a belt of ammunition and Barrie's pistol ammo. "But we don't want him following us, do we?"

Felix nodded. "Do you have a way out for us?"

Her face darkened. "Sergeant Roberg said there'd be an extraction vehicle south of the city when we were done. It's about a day's walk from here. Three if we want to avoid detection. I suggest we head there."

The young Insurrectionist hardly heard her. He was now staring at the bodyguards lying on the ground, and swallowed a lump in his throat. "What was your mission?"

"Rescue our CO." She grunted. "Doesn't look like that's going to happen now, does it? Turns out he was a traitor..." She began marching off.

Felix nodded again, forcing himself to look away from the bodies, and followed her, careful to avoid the other Insurrectionists.

"What's your name?" the Marine asked.

"Felix Martel." Was all he could manage.

"Private Jess Morley, UNSC Marine Corps." She responded, not looking back.

Jess, Felix thought. That's a nice name.

Chapter 4
"We should cut through the city," Jess said as they stealthily left the camp and into a cluster of trees that edged into Asphodel. "If we go around, it'll take too long, and we'll most likely be detected."

"Okay," Felix said, trying to keep up with her. It wasn't tiring, but her legs were longer than his, so he had to move at a more constant pace. "There's somewhere we need to go first. We shouldn't go by foot out of the city, Barrie's got men stationed inside it and out. Best thing to do is blend in."

"So where are we going?"

"My house." He became immersed in thought. After the people of the Sanctuary entered Asphodel, Felix had no desire to be stuck underground. Instead, Barrie had arranged for those who wanted to take residence in the city to live like civilians. He had initially been given a house, but didn't go back after Abigail died. His old things were still there though...

It had been a long sprint back into the city. Jess was slightly short of breath. "You're doing pretty well," she said. "I thought I'd had to slow down for you."

Felix was a bit exhausted as well, but said, "Follow me." They slipped around the toll gate, and took some short-cuts and roads less frequently used to avoid the sentries, neither of them talking. After half an hour, they reached the safehouse. He opened the door with the card he carried with him at all times, and they entered.

It was a fair-sized estate. The kitchen and living room were seen perpendicular to the hallway, and a staircase led to the second floor and the basement. Felix wanted to sit down on the couch and just let his thoughts catch up with him, but knew there was no time. Barrie would have regained consciousness by now, and he would likely guess that they came here. He closed the door behind them, and ran upstairs. "Wait here." He headed into his bedroom and changed into some fresh clothes, and retrieved some from Abigail's closet. A lump formed in his throat as he stared at his mother's sweatshirt, but shook his head and carried them back downstairs.

Felix saw that Jess was looking at a picture of him with his family. Tom was rolling his eyes at the camera, and Abigail and Raymond were standing behind their children, smiling. He handed her the clothes. "Here. It'll be a bit less conspicuous than your uniform." She looked back to him, put the picture down, and took them with a nod of thanks. She walked into the living room to change.

As he waited for her, his eyes found the picture. Again, he felt his emotions threaten to overwhelm him. The young Insurrectionist forced himself to look away from it, and decided to look for something to do. He retrieved a few wads of currency, some extra clothes, and the key card for his mother's car. When Jess came back out, she grabbed the weapons and said, "Let's go." He couldn't help but stare at her. Abigail used to wear that sweatshirt when they were going out for a stroll...

Felix hastily tore his gaze away from her chest. He didn't want Jess to think he was a pervert. "Follow me," he said again, in a voice he hardly recognized. He opened a door next to the stairs, and they stepped into the garage. The lights automatically turned on as they entered, flickering slightly from long disuse.

The Marine whistled. Sitting in the middle of the garage was a dark-blue sports car.

"Nice wheels," she remarked. "Your folks rich?"

"Barrie pays for everything," Felix said, opening the garage door with a button on the key card. "Can you drive?"

"Yeah. I got my training in the Corps, so you're in for a rough ride." They climbed in, and the car doors slid smoothly shut behind them.

He handed her the key card, and she started the engine. Felix handed her a helmet.

"What's this for?" she asked, putting it on. A visor slid over her eyes.

"This." He tapped a button, and a holographic screen popped up over the window. He touched the grid, indicating where the south end of Asphodel was.

"Whoa!" the Marine said, surprised. Although she was the only one who could see it, a ray appeared, hovering over the road and leading out to their destination.

"GPS. Follow the route." Looking astounded, Jess drove them out onto the road.

"Wish the UNSC had this stuff on their vehicles," she said, as they moved at a casual speed.

"This type of stuff is probably pretty expensive. I'll bet it's normal for your military cars to get busted up a lot, so they can't replace it all the time."

They drove for a long time without incident. Felix found his gaze constantly drifting back to his companion. She wasn't much older than him, but seemed to have a certain tension in her expression. It couldn't have been pleasant to have watched all her fellow soldiers slaughtered for no good reason. But her eyes were so deep, so thoughtful...

After a long stretch of silence, Jess asked, "So you said your boss covered all expenses in everything?"

"Yes," he said, reemerging from his thoughts. "We used to live on the outskirts of the city, in a place called 'The Sanctuary'. Barrie said it was supposed to show the UNSC what the Insurrection wanted, that the best way to get them to listen was through peace. He's put all that behind him now..." he trailed off sadly.

Jess' brow furrowed. She was taking in every word he said, and he could tell she was a good listener. "That's the thing about war. We go through any means to achieve what we want. We kill ruthlessly, we lie to others and to ourselves as to why we do it, we begin to become numb from remorse. I joined only because I wanted to see why people were doing this. It doesn't feel right, fighting amongst ourselves." She remembered something. "That picture...what happened to your parents, and your brother?"

Felix sighed. Slowly, his memories of everything that happened in the last few years returned as he told her about how Raymond and Abigail died.

"After the Marines left, I couldn't find Tom," he finished. "We looked for him, but no one knew where he went. And Dr Walker couldn't save my mom, it was too..." He couldn't continue, and once again felt the tears come.

"I'm so sorry," Jess said softly. "You must hate the UNSC."

The young Insurrectionist turned to look back at her, feeling the pain welled up inside him. "I don't. I...I'm so sick of hate. It's a terrible thing. So many people have died, and still no one's satisfied. I just want it all to end."

To Felix's great surprise, they reached the toll gate at the south end of Asphodel without being discovered. Jess pulled up to the booth.

"Do you have any money on you?" she asked. He nodded and reached for the bills in his pocket, and handed some to her. The Marine depolarized the window to pay, when the barriers slid apart and a row of armed men in uniforms were seen standing in front of the road. They raised their weapons.

"Shit!" Jess quickly switched gears and put the car in reverse as the guards opened fire. Bullets peppered the glass, cracking the transparent material. "Keep your head down, kid!"

Felix slipped out of his seatbelt and ducked under the hood, looked back. "Jess! Behind us!" She glanced at the rearview mirror, and saw a group of jet-black cars approaching them.

"Screw this," she said, changing gears again putting the vehicle back into gear and flooring the car. She plowed through the sentries, some of which weren't quick enough to roll out of the way and were crushed by the car's deadly tires. The vehicle lurched slightly, but sped through the toll gate and onto the bridge.

The sound of bullets peppering the ground around them was heard. Felix saw gunmen riding shotgun aiming their firearms at them, drive-by style. Some made contact with the car's trunk and back window.

Jess grabbed her COM out of her pocket and drove one-handed. She turned the device on and spoke into it. "Major Rawley, this is Private Jess Morley, do you read me?" There was no response. "Damn, our communications are still jammed. I'll have to get us out of the city's range..." She flinched as a round shattered the glass behind them and embedded dead-centre in the rearview mirror. "Felix, take the Assault Rifle, it's under my seat. See what you can do about those guys."

"You mean..." he swallowed. "Kill them?"

"Yes, of course I mean kill them!" she shouted, swerving onto the left side of the road to pass a car, and back again to avoid a second one heading in the opposite direction. "Come on, we're going to die if we don't!"

Felix grabbed the gun, flicked the safety off, and opened the sunroof. Bracing himself against the car's frame, he faced the cars, and squeezed the trigger.

The young Insurrectionist winced as the rifle kicked into his shoulder and the gun's muzzle flashed as it sprayed a series of bullets. It hit the hood of one of the cars, but essentially didn't have any effect. He raised the gun slightly, aimed again, and fired.

This time it had been a longer burst. The Assault Rifle nearly flew out of his grip as it discharged again. He was probably holding it wrong, but was rewarded by the sight of the bullets penetrating the windshield of the first car, and blood spraying on the inside of the glass. The vehicle, which hadn't slowed down, spun out of control and did a series of flips before a second car crashed into it and they both exploded.

Felix hardly heard the sound of the explosion, and stared blankly at the fiery mess left on the road. He had killed someone. Taken a life.

A bullet flew past his ear, and he jumped in surprise. The young Insurrectionist saw a third black car swerve around the wreckage and speeding after them. Aiming again, Felix held the trigger down tightly into it, but it was too far away for accurate shots. He saw the passenger take a few bullets in the head, drop his gun, and fall out of the car, which still chased them. He pulled the trigger again, but there was only a click.

"Jess!" he called. "I'm out of ammo!"

"Are they still after us?"

"I'm afraid so!"

"Alright. I'll pass you the pistol. Drop the rifle, we might still need it later."

A bullet sparked off the top of their car. Startled, Felix turned and saw a sniper positioned on the bridge's bracing. He ducked back into the car, dropping the rifle onto the floor. His heart beating abnormally fast, he said, "There's a sniper. I won't be able to—"

There was the sound of a loud pop, and a nasty hissing sound. Jess gripped the steering wheel as the car lurched off to the right.

"We lost a tire!" she shouted. They were running straight towards the bridge's wall, and before either of them could react, the car collided head-on with the concrete. Felix felt dazed as the crash cushions activated, blocking them off.

"We have to get out of here, Felix!" Jess said. She grabbed the pistol, and shot the cushions, which shrunk and deflated. Kicking the door open, she stepped out, and he followed her.

The sniper was on the other side, but he couldn't reach them while they were behind the car. Staying low, Jess looked across the bridge. "We're too exposed. We'll get picked off for sure."

"So what do we do?" he asked, feeling extremely dizzy and trying to hold back his panic. They were trapped. The Marine looked instead over the rim of the bridge.

"We'll go under."

"What?" He was still a bit disoriented.

"The bridge has a lot of girders supporting it underneath. They're wide enough to walk across. It's our only chance."

"If we fall—"

Jess turned. Behind them was the rebel driver. He was climbing out of his car and reaching for his gun. She shot him without hesitation, the pistol's reports echoing in the open space.

The sound of the gunshots cleared Felix's mind slightly. His vision wasn't blurry anymore, at least.

"Okay, go!" The Marine grabbed the bridge's edge and flung herself over, and lowered herself quickly onto the bracing. A single bullet narrowly missed her.

Felix began to feel panic again. Would he be quick enough to do the same? He never tried this kind of thing before.

Jess looked over the rim. She fired her remaining bullets at the sniper. They were pot shots, and were obviously intended for a distraction rather than trying to bring down the rebel. Now or never. The young Insurrectionist ran over to the edge of the bridge, grabbed it with both hands, and twisted himself onto the girders, careful not to overshoot. It was a very long drop into the water.

Jess holstered her empty pistol. "This way!" She walked across the metal column, with nothing but thin air for support. Careful not to look down, Felix followed, aware of how easy it would be to lose his balance. Every now and then, she would talk into her COM, but would receive no reply. But after the fifth try, a voice responded.

"Major Rawley here. Private Morley, what the hell is going on?"

Jess sounded extremely relieved. "I'll have to explain later, sir. Right now, we need evac on the double. Send in a Hornet, we're under the bridge south of the city—" She broke off as a bullet ricocheted off one of the girders. She looked around for the shooter.

"Down there!" Felix said. "In the boat!" Another bullet reached them, flying between all the gaps and impacting on the bottom of the bridge.

"Take cover!" Jess shouted. They ducked behind a thick vertical pillar, listening to the sound of the bullets sparking off their makeshift shield.

"Damn it," the Marine said. "The boat's going to come around pretty soon, and then we'll have nowhere to hide."

"You mean we're screwed?"

"Royally."

Felix gritted his teeth. They had come this far only to die. What was there to be done?

"Well kid, it was worth a try," Jess said. "I honestly didn't expect you to get us this far. But you'd make one hell of a soldier." She closed her eyes. "Shame it has to end like this..."

Felix couldn't think of what to say, but frowned. "What's that sound?"

The Marine's eyes snapped open. She smiled. "Our rescue."

There was the sound of a pair of missiles firing. They missed the boat, but hit the lake with a loud splash, spraying the water high into the air. A grey aircraft strafed downward, and hovered next to them. "Strange finding you here, Private Morley," the pilot said.

"Mendez!" Jess said with a smile. She took Felix's hand, and they climbed onto the side of the small vehicle, which wobbled slightly to support their weight. Another bullet hit the bottom of the aircraft.

"We'll get back to base in a sec," Mendez said. "Let me teach this SOB a lesson first. Tell your friend to hang on." The Hornet swooped downward so quickly Felix felt like he was falling. There was a loud whoosh as two more missiles flew out from the cannons attached below the vehicle's circular engines. This time, they hit directly, and the young Insurrectionist saw the gunmen leaping into the water as the boat exploded.

"Now to finish them off," the pilot grunted, firing the Hornet's machine-gun turrets at the survivors. Felix couldn't help but feel horrified as he watched the helpless men scream as they were shot dead, their blood staining the lake's waters. War was indeed cold. He gripped the handles of the vehicles tightly, wondering what was next as they turned around and flew up and away from the southern bridge of Asphodel.