I tried to blink away some of the dust flying as the small arms fire raked the wall I was hiding behind. I randomly fired a burst around the wall without sticking my head out. I looked at my remote detonator. Damn, I’m still too close. I fired off another burst and ran.

I jumped behind a fallen wall as more bullets ripped across the ground around me. I tossed a grenade, my last one, at the troops just rounding the corner where I had taken cover just moments before. I knew it wouldn’t stop them, but it should give them something to think about. I heard a few satisfying screams as the grenade exploded, taking out the wall I was just using for cover.

I looked up over the debris I was using for cover. There was a burning armored vehicle about fifty meters to my left. I’m still too close for comfort from the enemy’s communications building. The detpack I had tossed inside had enough explosives to take out half a block. The last thing I want to do is take myself out.

As I started to turn to run for the vehicle, three enemy soldiers, all locals, popped up between me and the vehicle. I didn’t see them at first. I felt them as a round deflected off my helmet. Not like it had much ammo left, I emptied the magazine of my rifle in their direction. I released the mag and reached back for another. Damn. Just one more left after this one. What the hell is keeping Captain Murphy?

I didn’t see the three targets get up, so I ran like mad to the burning vehicle. One of the enemy soldiers stood up just as I was almost on top of him. A single burst to his head and he was no longer a threat. However, he distracted me enough that I managed to lose my footing on the rubble and dropped the detonator. More bullets zinged around me and made plinking sounds against the vehicle. Fuck. They’re getting close.

I grabbed the detonator and sprinted to the side of the vehicle. The ground ripped up around me and the metallic pings against the vehicle fell like rain. I hunkered as close as I could to the vehicle, hoping the fire hadn’t weakened its armor. I closed my eyes and pressed the detonate button.

The vehicle I was using for cover rocked slightly from the massive explosion. I heard screams and yells from those had exposed themselves. Others died from collapsing buildings or from the shrapnel from the destroyed communications building. Through the dirt and dust, I could see the top of the communications tower slowly collapse in an arc as it fell across the roofs of several buildings.

The dust was blinding me and making breathing difficult. The speaker crackled in my helmet. “Lieutenant! Lieutenant, are you there?”

Oh, now he arrives. “Welcome to the party, captain. I seem to be okay.” Our internal communications are all scrambled so we didn’t worry about the enemy monitoring us.

Captain Murphy asked, “Did you get the document?”

“Negative. The courier tube was destroyed,” I replied. “But I managed to memorize it.” My photographic memory was the only reason I was chosen for this mission. My memory is actually certified by the government of the United Confederacy of Planets. The UCP hired the mercenary group that both me and Captain Murphy works for. The document provides proof that the breakaway group, The Delcrons, is subjugating planetary governments and conscripting citizens into forces against the UCP. It lays out their plan in detail. One third of the member planets of the UCP aren’t convinced that the Delcrons are a threat. And since wars are messy, they hire us – mercenaries.

“Godammit, lieutenant! That’s why we’re even here!” shouted Capt. Murphy.

Using the dust and smoke as cover, I ran quickly to another row of buildings. Catching my breath, I asked, “Captain, did you copy that I memorized it?” When focused, my memory is perfect. An image can be retrieved from my brain and it’s accepted in a court. Getting certified isn’t easy.

Capt. Murphy grunted. “Get your ass back here ASAP. We need off this dirt ball pronto.”

Bullets started zinging around me again. As I ducked behind a building, hearing the slugs embed themselves into the walls, I checked my heads up display of the area map to locate where the captain was holding. It wasn’t far, but I had to cross mostly open ground. Catching my breath again, I asked, “Aren’t we going to kick the Delcron forces off the planet?”

Capt. Murphy snarled, “Not our mission. Are you close?”

“Eyes on your location now. Path is exposed. Can I get artillery support?” I asked as I popped a few rounds at approaching targets.

“Negative, lieutenant,” said the captain. “All heavy assets have been transferred to the hold. They’re delaying launch for us. But they won’t delay forever. It’s almost outside our range, but we’ll try to provide you with covering fire.”

“Acknowledged,” I said after taking a deep breath. I turned to look behind me and fired a short burst. Then I took off running. All the buildings in this one area had been mostly leveled so they didn’t provide a lot of cover.

I ran in a zigzag through the rubble, with bullets hitting all around me. I could see the shots being fired from my team and I hoped I wouldn’t get hit by any of them. I truly wished I was back on my home planet attending the university. I wished I’d never heard that ad on the radio calling for any able bodied individuals to join up with Colonel Wildman Williams and his wild band of mercenaries. “Sign up and get all the booze, bullets and broads you can handle!” The ad made it sound very exciting. Shit, was I ever stupid. The pay is great, but you get sent to shit holes like this.

And then there was a thud from the side of a building and then an oblong object landed next to me. Holy crap it was a grenade fired from a launcher. I jumped into a ditch even though I knew I was too late. When it exploded, I saw one of my legs take a different trajectory. I landed hard on rocks and rubble. I heard the captain’s voice but it sounded far away. My ears rang from the explosion. I couldn’t move.

I felt some hands grabbing me. I couldn’t hear well or see straight. I felt myself being lifted up. Capt. Murphy said, “Hang in there Lieutenant. Stay with me.” I was jostled around as whoever was carrying me was running. Shots were being fired all around me. I felt my leg jerk as it took another bullet.

I felt myself being lowered into the rear of a small vehicle and I sensed it starting to move. I heard Capt Murphy shouting, “Go! Go!” To me, the captain shouted, “Stay with me lieutenant! Don’t you go fuckin’ dying on me!”

I was being jostled around a lot as the vehicle I was in sped to the waiting transport. I knew in a few minutes we’d be leaving this shit planet. I did not want to die here.

I heard Captain Murphy shouting into his link, “I need emergency medical standby. I need a blank prepped and ready.”

A voice I didn’t recognize said, “I have twenty medical emergencies here captain. We have no more blanks.”

Captain Murphy swore, “Dammit! Lt. Simmons is going critical. If he dies, the mission is a failure.”

The other voice said, “Get him in here. We’ll figure something out.”

We were suddenly in shadow as the vehicle drove up inside the holding bay. Murphy’s voice faded away as he shouted, “Stay with me Simmons!”

All the sounds slowly faded away and then nothing…