Walking up to the massive base doors.

I spotted a good number of drop ships, plummeting towards the Massive Chryse Planitia base.

Along with Replacement tanks and supply ships.

“Bro, they were finished, you gave the proper call.”

Max had a look of reassurance then that look changed when I replied.

“Could have easily been us max, The Bug army was unexpectedly in the thousands. The question remains, did we even kill half that Army with the Nuke?”

Max walked checking his rifle's charge cartridge.

“I know we killed hell a lot General, I knew a lot of those Marines down in the pinchers Eating mosh pit. They would have thanked you for the Nuke Sir.” lieutenant Zach Replied.

“When we get back to base everyone, check your vitals, run your cycles and check your charges we cant be running low on any power supply out here.”

“Fully charged bro.” Max nodded.

And we continued down the cold sand plains.

The Rest of the group of Death marines followed as we neared the doors to the Base.

Large heavy metal doors opened in front of us, Death squad Replacements were there to regroup with us. We all walked in and it was a sight for sore eyes.

Death Marines, Tanks, More Explosive armaments and my favorite Walking Death Mechs.

Which stood 60 ft tall, all green, all metal, shoulder weapons systems, right and Left arm cannons with right hand sword attachment.

The soldiers lined up outside the Pyramid entrance in the center of the base square.

“ Troops,We don't have much time to secure The Recon Radar beacons, so they are priority number One. I will need two teams to move out in the tesla trucks, set up the beacons, fly the drones and then make your way back here. Lieutenant Zach will lead these two Recon teams in the convoy of trucks south of the base towards the Out Flow Channels”

I looked across at the squads who will be completing these tasks. As they all stared back at me in an attention stance. The Blue suits reflecting off the sun.

“We must prepare for the bug army. Everyone to your stations.”

The squads in unison “ For The Dark Fleet!”

Turning around, Max continued to walk with me towards the entrance to the base command center. There we met with chief of medical staff Harper.

“Harper, good to see you, how's the situation in the medical facility?”

Harper looked Distressed.

“Not good at all General, we're going to need more hands on deck with the amount of injured on the list to be flown in here Sir.”

“Alright, I will put in a request for more medical personnel.”

Harper nodded. “Oh one more thing, Sir, Glad to have the Death Marines on Base.”

“ The Marines are here to pave a way through the infestation, that way, Harper, is gonna bring us a New civilization These Marines Bring Death, Destruction and Chaos, your job is to keep them alive so they can keep doing what they do best.”

“ For the Dark the Fleet Sir!”

“ carry on Harper.”

Max nodded to the Chief of medical staff Harper, as Harper walked by and out the entrance of the center pyramid, down the black square to the medical pyramid.

I stepped into the command center as the door opened, the sleek dark floors and the Dark green neon lit walls. The giant holographic map showing the mars terrain and other base locations across the mars Planet.

I Took off my helmet, placed it on the counter, then took a deep breath.

“Here you go bro.” I opened a Supply crate and passed a protein can and hydration pack to max, which he caught no problem.

I Grabbed myself a hydration pack and protein pack then made my way to sit at the command table.

“ Incoming message!”

The communication hologram played a recorded message from Admiral command.

“General Sam, this is a message from Admiral Catie Command.”

“Play it!”

“After reports across the Martian Planet of high numbers of bugs, we request The Dark Squad’s help with the setup of the tesla Force field which will keep out the bugs from our main base of operation which has been chosen to be your base here in Chryse Planitia as for the Bug City do not advance, more reports coming from the higher ups in time.”

The message ended. I looked across at max. “Well what do you think bro?”

“ Looking at the bigger picture, having the main base too close to the city was probably deemed too risky.” max replied

“This time Max, we will personally see to the protection of our tanks, engineers and Death squad Marine’s on the Ground.” I concluded. I stood up and made my way to the map terminal.

I chugged my hydration and protein packs. While studying the layout of the martian surface.

The Radar beacons were activated and the outflow channels data were being displayed the deep craters and narrow paths showing evidence of a vast ocean once being here on the surface thousands of years ago.

Then I looked at the bug city radar images and slurped up the last of my packs.

“Max?”

“Yeah, you ready?”

“Lets go set up this tesla field, this base needs to be fully operational.”

“Communication, have my voice channel play over the speakers and coms.”

I walked over to the counter and placed my helmet back on then started walking out of the facility.

“All dark squad members ready the tesla tanks and convoy trucks, engineers man the mechs.

Pilots ready the attack choppers for overhead protection.”

“The walking mech units are going to have to carry the tesla shield rods in the third supply pyramid.”

“Are you going in your own truck?” Max asked.

“No, I'm Riding With you bro.” I replied.

Walking out the entrance to the center command pyramid.

“ Okay that's fine, I call the Machine gun.” Max claimed.

“Yeah, that's almost enough reason to hop in my own truck. Yeah I will take the machine gunner seat in the truck behind you.” I replied.

“Machine gunner bros.'' Max joked and turned in his gunner chair moving the machine gun in a three hundred and sixty degree circle.

I entered the tesla truck behind Max, Climbing into the gunner chair.

“Yeah, machine gunner bro’s here to clean up, with bullets and death rays.” I joked back.

“Hahah.” Max laughed

“Alright Dark Squad Map Points are placed on the map, where we will set up each of the four rods together.”

“Forward to checkpoint one.”

The mechs walked following the convoy out of the big metal doors to the central command base.Choppers lifted to the skies.

The Red Martian dust bellowed into the air behind the speeding Tesla tanks and trucks. The Mechs jogged behind leaving massive footprints in the ground. While the choppers kept watchful eyes on the lands and radar scans.

I had Heavy Metal Music Play through my Helmet.

listening , looking out to the red desert plains, red dust flying all around.

We arrived at checkpoint one. The mech units and engineers went to work setting up the tesla shield tech rods. Within no time the rod was in place and we were ready to move on to checkpoint two.

Checkpoint two wasn't too far. Within thirty minutes we reached the second checkpoint.

Which Was facing the East towards Arabia Terra.

I focused my attention to the direction the massive swarm was last spotted.

Nothing.

“How's things looking on your end max?”

“Nothing Sir.”

“Alright, just keep an eye on that direction, never know.”

“You got it sir.”

“General Sam, This is your eye in the sky eagle one, come in over.”

“This is your General, respond.”

“General, a massive swarm is headed your way. From the north east.”

“Copy that Eagle one, can we hold out?”

“ They are slowly moving; They have the big ones coming along too.”

“Hit them with the nukes and try to take out as many.”

“Copy that sir.”

“SIR, THERES, ARRRAAAGHHHH!”

“Eagle one respond, Eagle one Respond?”

No response came.

But the second Rod was installed now onto the Third Checkpoint.

“Double time Dark Squad we got enemies incoming from the north east.”

The Tesla Tanks Hit top gear, and the trucks followed, the mechs were jogging along behind the convoy keeping our backs safe.

With no air support coming in over the coms the worst can be expected.

We arrived at checkpoint 3 and the mechs went to work.

I had a funny feeling inside then I turned and looked into the sky and saw a swarm of flying creatures in the distance which at first glance reminded me of dark black clouds coming our direction.

“ Over there Five hundred kilometers away in the skies, ready all weapons for the incoming, flying bugs.”

I pressed the top button on the machine gun hitting full power.

The machine gun hummed with energy.

The Mechs units announced “Lane reporting, were all done here Sir.”

“Everyone move on to the last point, fire once you feel they are within your range.”

“Guns hot.” Max started to fire his machine gun. Trucks and tanks driving along.

Max's machine gun actually fired cartridge rounds. Sending the copper casings to the martian sands. Mine however fired the standard tesla Death rays.

Sending beams of green into the incoming flying bug swarm.

The sun was high in the sky so all weapons even though being on the top function still never drained the battery.

“Die you flying fucks!” I grinded my teeth. Focusing on the swarm as they flew closer.

The bugs dropped out from the flying swarm to the ground. When they got even closer to the mechs, They held out their hand cannons and flamethrowers filled the air from the mechs and the tesla tanks which switched their death cannons to the flamethrowers.

“Come in General, Sir this is Eagle one, the eagle one has landed, They got me surrounded.”

“Copy Eagle one, we can come get you?”

“Negative Sir, They are using mind control, they want me to give up, they plan to use my mind to figure us out. I can’t have that IT WAS AN HONOR SIR FOR THE DARK FLEET AARRRRAAAGGGGHHH!”

In the Distance a Flash then an explosion touched the sky in a fiery blaze and black smoke.

We continued driving on to Checkpoint four.

The Martian surface towards Tempe Terra, Looked like it was a Horizon that moved like water, I Thought I was seeing a mirage, the surface moved, what could it be Another bug Force? We were here at checkpoint four just on time. Hopefully we can get back before we get surrounded by what was on its way down in the desert hills and mounds.

The Engineers were the top minded and hand selected by the Dark fleet, for the operations of the Mech units although they can be commanded from the inside by high ranking officials.

The Engineers still do the operating.

The Mech units went to work on the fourth rod.

“Max, are you doing alright?”

“My arm got busted by one of the Flying creatures, administering Morphine now.”

“Is it that bad, we can have a look at it now?”

“Medic! we need a medic on truck four.”

The medical Unit got out from truck two and ran back to truck four hopping onto the top of the truck to get a better look at the injury.

“Were looking into it at the moment, Wow I can see a Broken humerus bone your arm must be in a lot of pain?”

“Fuck Yeah it is, The Suit is taking care of me though.” Max explained enthusiastically from the morphine.

“Alright, is there anything we could do for him here?”

“Administering a foam casting now should hold along in place till we get back to base.”

“Good Job medic!”

The mech unit operator Lane voiced over the comms, “ were done out here.”

“Let's move back to base.” I ordered

“ Not quite General, we gotta wait till the shield is powered.” Lane insisted

“You mean we gotta hold off that wave headed our way till this shield goes up?”

“Yes, that is the case Sir.”

“Alright, Prepare to fight for your Lives, the Dark Fleet Depends on your sacrifice here today, for the glory of the Dark Empire, for our future!”

The Dark Squad over the communications “ For the Dark Fleet!”

“Base, we need Artillery and Turret backup on these locations.”

The map points were set for artillery strikes when deployed from the wrist communications.

We waited with all our cannons set to high blast functions.

Black and swaying like an ocean's wave but this surface had no oceans. The horde Approached, I hit the deploy and thunderous cannons sounded from the base.

The ground ahead of the horde exploded and parts of the horde as well.

Our firing line opened up with the power of the Dark Fleet's most advanced cannons and explosive armaments. Firing the machine Death Ray at the Horde.

“Gunner Bros!” Maxed called out over the communications.

“Fuck yeah Gunner bros!”

The Squad Went To Work holding back the horde. Tesla tanks were disintegrating the front lines of the incoming horde.

The Large Pinchers, inching closer, Then a blue blast exploded one of the tesla trucks beside me to the right sending a large green blueish explosion into the proximity. Also the other mech unit was shot by the bluish blast sending it to a fiery grave. The explosion had Shards flying into my vehicle hitting my air supply and cutting into my chest, stomach and leg.

I held my wounds, pouring out red blood from my blue suit.

The suit voiced “ administering morphine, injecting epinephrine,injecting steroids, health conditions critical.”

“Medic! argh, got damn medic, i've been hit by the blast.”

I continued to fire but the bugs were climbing over the tesla tanks and some of my shots were also ripping up some of the trucks apart.

“ General’s been hit, Medical get to him asap then come to me next i'm not looking so good!” Max called out.

I watched the Medic open the shot up truck door and fall out with a tesla death ray hole burned right through him.

“Fuck no way!” I Cried out!

“Max, I'm coming to you!” I got out the gunner chair and hopped to the ground from the truck. I landed with a fall.

The battle suit voiced “ Air supply running low.”

“ Fuck, Max come in, machine gunner bros come in.”

I got to the truck and the driver was tending to Max in the back seat. Max was cut in half and bleeding out.

“Fuck wheres his legs?” I looked at the driver who was shaking his head.

“Get us the fuck out of here!”

I pulled the driver out from the back seat and sat beside my dying friend.

I turned around and the driver was being eaten by a Giant Pincher. I closed the Door.

“Don't worry Max you're gonna be fine, I'm gonna get us out of here.” I climbed over to the driver's seat. Getting in I started the vehicle.

I Stepped on the pedal as hard as I could, before I could go anywhere I noticed our back end was being lifted by the giant Pincher.

“Max, I think this is it, this might be our end.”I called out. “machine gun bros” max bearly muttered out.

“Yeah, you're right, Machine gun Bros!” Then it hit me clear as day. I climbed to the top and into the machine gunner and started to fire into the Giant pincher holding us into the air above the crowd of smaller pinchers and crawlers.

The Last fighting mech saw me shooting, and I heard over the communication.

“General I'm going to get you free, you get out of here, I'm going to hold them all off. It was An honor Sir, Engineer Lane signing out.”

The mech unit whipped out the sword attachment and started to cut through the Horde. Bug parts flew into the vicinity with the mech units' wide swings. Then the mech unit got closer with a huge downward slash cut right through the Giant Pincher. The jaws release us from its death grip.

I hit the Pedal and started to drive then a familiar sound Brrrrkkkkttttttt!!! Chopper fire opened up. “ Dark helmet reporting, you guys think I would miss this battle.”

The choppers cut down the bugs behind me.

The mech unit shot signals into the sky to attract the bugs around the Walking Mech. they swamped the mech with their bodies. The mech marched on and just enough outside the rods radius. The Energy field went up and the Mech Exploded from the inside setting off the mech to explode killing the horde that was swarming the now destroyed mech unit. Choppers continued to fly, shooting at the Blast bugs exploding them in the distance. The bugs on the ground tried the tesla force field they burned on contact. Nearing the base the following bugs were gunned down by the advanced weapon systems. I started to pass out in the vehicle and my vision, everything went black.

I woke up in one of the Medical Pyramids' many Regeneration tanks.

To the sound of the medical droid voice, “The patient's healing is now complete.”

I was lifted out of the tank and dried off and helped by medical staff.

“Max did he?”

“Make it? yes! max’s over there in the regeneration tank number 004.”

“Thanks” I walked over to the regen tank to see Max floating in the waters slowly healing.

Half his lower half was regenerated.

“How long were we in these?” I asked a nurse walking by.

“One month.”he replied. I looked at the wrist communications, 50 messages unchecked.

“ You guys saved us, you're both war heros.” The Nurse mentioned

“No, the Heros Died Out there.”I replied.

Then I looked back at the Regeneration tank at my friend Max.

His eyes open.

End of Chapter 004 Mars Bug Wars Written by Travis Willier copyRight 2021