I looked across the table at Max.

"Rest up? Is that an order? I'm just getting started."

Max reloaded both of our rocket launchers.

"You're right it's only just begun."

I nodded then turned back to my computer.

"Communication, bring a com link to UB FOB2."

The AI relayed the communication link.

"Come in Utopia BASIN Forward Operating Base this is Arabia Terra command, Over."

Then a female voice came over the com.

" UB FOB1 reads you loud and clear Arabia Terra this is command over."

"Good, command, has the medical base been set up? We're going to fly some troops your way over."

"Negative command, we require assistance, the bugs have an unexpectedly large force that has been repelling all our attacks, our base is all that is keeping the few of us alive!"

"Calm down, we will be on our way with carpet bombing raids and drop troops,over."

"Copy we will hold off for as long as we can, over."

I turned to Max as the call ended.

"You heard whats going down ready the troops for rescue mission the wounded will have to hold off till we're done dealing with the bugs and get Utopia Basin FOB1 setup."

"Right away Sir!"

Max shouldered the rocket and ran out the command center down the metallic black halls.

"Command, have this message broadcast to all on base."

"We have lost many today on the battlefield, many are wounded.

Utopia Basin FOB1 is in need of help, before the medical droids there could help our wounded."

"We are the Dark Squad and we will aid our fellow Marines. The squads selected to stay and defend at base and will do so until we arrive back I'm leaving in charge of AT FOB1 captain Dark helmet. The rest of the Dark squad meet at the Tesla helicopters."

I stood and picked up my rocket launcher and tesla rifle and walked out the command center doors.

They slid open as I stepped closer to the

metallic black door.

I walked down the hallway, as I equipped my blue space helmet.

And exited the door to the main base, center square, three choppers were filled with Dark Squad Death Troopers.

I walked to the middle chopper and entered the side door. Took one last look around the base. The century turrents scanned the outside perimeter.

The medical personal tending to the wounded. Dark helmet met my glance around the base then nodded. I did the same back.

"Alright pilots, take us up! Dark Squad has a Base to save!"

The choppers started their engines.

One after the other they began to take flight.

"The chopper's destinations are set in place by base command ETA For Utopia Basin FOB1, 30 minutes."

The chopper's pilot told us over the intercom.

The flight over the craters in Arabia Terra was like a sea of holes covering the vast martian dusty plain. The dust storm was clearing and morning would soon be here.

I checked my battery in my tesla rifle at half power. That's ok, maybe I could grab charge when the daylight comes.

I slung the rifle on my back.

"Here, take this one I will take that half battery,General."

One of the Dark squad Death Troopers handed him an extended life battery.

"Thanks marine, what's your name?"

"They call me the Black Death but my name is Zack Sir."

"Well Zack I will have another battery cartridge for you when we get back to base."

"Roger that General."

The chopper ride was fine playing music back from earth, a lot of heavy metal.

The chopper smelled like sweat and piss.

The sun came up over the eastern plains of Elysium just as we entered Utopia Basin FOB1 perimeter.

The choppers flew over and all we could see was smoke coming from the base.

Max looking out the chopper window comments on the situation.

"Looks like they couldn't hold out and pulled the plug."

" The Operation Death Protocol."

I shook my head at the thought.

The base was completely destroyed.

Kilometers/miles of roasted bugs of all different kinds stand still around the base in their new ashy radiation forms.

"Command have communications relay that help has arrived to the Utopia Basin FOB1 any Survivors please respond?"

We waited a long time.

No signs of life, just the remnants of the nuclear blast.

"General Sam, this is Admiral Cate, bomb the base we cannot have any of our tech fall into the hands of the bug army."

"As you wish."

The choppers started to fly over the base dropping napalm bombs. Sending everything into flames.

The flames lit up the yellow iris of all our Reptilian humanoid eyes.

The choppers were flying low to the ground back to base when over the radio channel a voice called out.

"Help this is wrecking squad, we are stuck in a cave. The bugs got us trapped in a sticky goo after taking our vehicles hostage."

I looked at the map on my arm display.

The marine set his homing device on.

"There in that cave the entrance must not be far from there."

The choppers set they're new destination.

Which was 500 kilometers away from the bombed base and 250 kilometers from the nearest truck GSP.

"Alright, Dark Squad, new mission, search and rescue the survivors of Utopia Basin,

They are stuck in a bug cave. We will extract the survivors and explode the cave simple enough."

Flying over the plains of Utopia Basin we noticed all the base trucks turned over.

In the martian sand in convoy fashion.

"They must have started the Protocol and then retreated out of base towards our way and got ambushed from the looks of it."

Max noted the situation and I couldn't agree more.

"That looks about right but let's be sure about things."

The choppers land and we all exit out of the air crafts.

The entry to the cave wasn't hard to spot with the radar sensors.

The first squad moved into the cave while the engineers placed bombs at the entrance and on the inside of the cave walls while following the Dark death squad Marines.

The cave was narrow and rounded to the top oddly the walls also had a dried grimey substance to them.

I turned on my recording device that was located on the left side of the visor of my helmet.

Analyzing the grime and Sight of the Martian Cave.

"Substance unknown."

I looked at the walls while walking with Death squad 2

"These walls almost look like they were purposely burrowed out like this."

Max pointed out.

"You're right this doesn't seem like the works of the Divine creation."

I readied my rifle and aimed it down the cave. Then we heard the shrieking sounds of hundreds of bugs, crawlers and pinchers came flooding down the narrow tunnel like water in a tidal wave.

"Open Fire!"

The Marines got into formation and started to fire the tesla rifles into the incoming Pinchers and crawlers. The green neon lasers painted the cave yellow and sent flying bug parts into the vicinity.

The bugs didn't stop, they doubled the flood effort.

I looked down at my Rifles charge. It was half way depleted, thanks to death I still have half a battery charge or I would have been out.

I fired into the crawlers on the roof of the tunnel.

Watching them fall onto the incoming pinchers who were tearing apart the first death squad who now were relying on the close combat chainsaws and laser swords they had a choice of selecting upon finishing military training.

I hit the button on the side of my rifle and my chainsaw started up.

The next Pincher's top front claw got the chainsaw, ripping into the bugs frame, sending yellow blood spurting into the next blue suit beside me.

Max threw a flame grenade.

Igniting the crowd that was coming to aid the Pinchers.

"That should hold them, reload the next battery cartridges!"

I commanded and looked at max

"Thanks for that! we needed the break bro!"

Soon the bugs engulfed the flames and started back the charge towards us. The only thing working for us was the fact they haven't surrounded us yet and we have them funnelled towards us.

"We must kill these pests and save our

fellow marines."

I led the charge meeting the line and firing at the oncoming bug onslaught.

Then the engineers brought out the flamer cannons and started to burn the bugs.

The bugs retreated back further and further as we pushed till finally the fire cannons reached the Marines In the cave.

"We're out of fuel!" The engineers dropped the fire cannons.

I looked at the Marines stuck in the goo.

We need to get the Marines out now.

One of the death squad crew got his own leg stuck In the goo getting out another marine.

"Come on we need to move faster, they are going to be back any moment now!"

"AHHHHHH!"

A marines rifle starts firing wildly as he is lifted to the roof of the cave by the red goo, the rifle green neon blast hits a blue suit marine beside me. The blast tore through his skull and Into the marine standing behind him. Puncturing his oxygen tank cord. Which Sent him to the ground tryna replace the tank's cord with other fellow marines.

I watched the red goo swallow the lifted man while he was flailing around in the goo but he couldn't escape, the Marines fired at the goo but it did nothing it just swallowed the blasts, then the goo broke the swallowed marines blue helmet visor, then proceeded to suck out the Marines body with an acid substance the body flowed out the suit in a goopy substance, then the goo dropped the suit on the ground.

We all started to fire at the red goo beast.

But the blast did no damage.

The goo covered the cave entrance with its body and everything looked hopeless.

Then I shouldered my rocket launcher and aimed for the mass of the red blood filled goo and sent the rocket flying.

It exploded and the goo covered entrance was clear.

"Go. Dark marines, NOW!"

Dark squad moved quickly with the rescued marines.

Running and firing at incoming pinchers.

Some of the men were chopped in half, some were laying on the ground missing legs and crawlers finished them off. There was no chance of saving those who fell to the flood chasing us out of the cave.

The light from the entrance, meant more battery charge and aerial assistance.

It was far behind but the Red goo was following us up to the tunnel entrance.

When we got to the entrance the rescued team hopped into the first airCraft ready for our evacuation.

The rest of us turned to the cave entrance. I took a knee with the sun charging my gun. I hit the top button and started to fire with full fire power.

The bugs were being torn apart

"Die you fuckers!"

I called out to the bugs.

Max and the engineers used the explosives to the cave entrance just before the goo got to the top of the entrance.

The explosion was so massive that it sent a dust wind out our way knocking me and other dark squad members to the ground. The feeling was satisfaction. As I laid on the martian dusty plains.

I watched the chopper fly over, while Max and Black Death walked up and held out their hands.

I reached back out and they lifted me to my feet.

"Thanks Captain Max and Lieutenant Zack."

"Does this mean we have been promoted?" Max asked.

"Once we reach back to base we will make it official. You guys earned it."

Max nodded then grabbed my empty rocket launcher off the ground and passed it back to me.

I slung it over my shoulder and entered the airCraft.

It lifted off the ground as did the other chopper with the rest of Dark Squad.

The choppers headed back to Arabia Terra FOB1.

End of chapter 002

Mars Bug WARS written by Travis Willier copyright 2021