Standing in my blue medical robe in front of the medical regeneration tanks.

I watched Max go unconscious again.

“It's amazing.” I examined the new limbs max was growing back from the tank.

“It’s unbelievable really, these tanks nao capabilities take the Structure of your human Dna and the whole Replication process takes place through the reptilian DNA, kinda like the process of an alligator growing unlimited teeth, we grow back your bone and tissue through complicated gene therapy.”

“Wow, so could it bring you back from the dead too?”

“Unfortunately no, but this regeneration tank model does a reverse aging process, that can bring you back to whatever age you want old, young, so in a sense you can stay alive for a really long time.”

The nurse stared at me while I thought to myself.

“Everything alright, General?” the nurse asked

“I’m Fine, thanks for bringing me back, where was I?”

I continued, “ It’s still hell of a technology. How long will Max be in this one?”

“Five more days sir.” the nurse replied to my question.

“Alright carry on, I didn't catch your name?”

“It’s Robert sir”

“Alright Robert, You carry on.”

I walked into the dark halls and to the Washroom/Dressing room.

I stopped down the hall and entered the washroom and walked to the stall, and had my first actual Dump since Being out here on Mars. the power suits when hooked up to the life support systems have you so mapped out,

The need to secret humanoid waste is unnecessary, that is with the proper amount of the hydration and protein packs to keep you functioning properly.

I had a shower, feeling the water fall over my face and body. It was the best and the smell of the Military base soap was refreshing.

I turned the taps and walked out the shower room

I towelled off at my locker. Looking in the mirror at the places where I was wounded, seeing now a scaly green growth that now covered those areas.

“General Max, Sir Lieutenant Zack Reporting.” Zach went into Salute.

“At ease, holy shit your arms, what happened?”

I looked at his arms which were now scaly green lizard style arms.

“Oh these, yeah they said I should shed these and my regular arms will be underneath.”

“ No, I'm asking how did it all go down?”

“OOOOooohhh , I was in a Tesla Tank seen you Driving away when a big pincher got my tank ripped us open, I Fell to the Ground with my side pistol started to blast the first Bug coming my way, Then My arms were instantly gone Chewed off with one bite by the pincher and I was staring at two numbs Pouring Blood out.”

“Well Good on you for staying in the Fight.”

“The pleasure is all mine Sir, Were Death Marines they are going to chop me till there's nothing left if they want me to stay dead.” Zach opened his locker.

Opening my locker I reached in and grabbed my combat uniform and put on my combat fatigues.

“Well see you on the battlefield again friend, keep on the Fight!”

I closed my locker and walked out.

Zach Replied “For the Dark Fleet!”

Walking through the Dark Medical pyramid halls up to the armory station which every pyramid had.

I walked up to the power suits and got fitted in with the help from the Armory staff.

The whole process of putting on the power suit, to it being connected to the Chip implants, and life support system checks, once that was all done I was free to go.

Walking out the Medical pyramid the mars Sun out high in the sky.

“General on Deck!” another marine called out.

The base working crews, guards and training marines all came to attention.

“It's good to be back in the Land of the Living, We Will destroy this bug race once and for all.

For The Dark Fleet!”

The Military forces Raised their arms as I raised mine.

“Now Ready for the next attack, I need every soldier armed and ready for destruction!”

I continued to make my way to the command center pyramid.

“sir , Requesting the Medical staff i've been waiting a month. We lost many soldiers. I just couldn't keep up.” Harper looked at me for a response.

I went quiet. Looking to the dark floor seeing my reflection and for once I saw my emptiness in clear sight staring back at me.

“MAX!” Harper looked at me confused.

“I will request medical assistance, now stand down, or I will have you removed from your station and sent back to the globe for reforming. Am I making myself clear?” looking at Harper he stood at attention.

“Clear as a martian sky sir.” Harper walked out the command center entrance.

I turned and proceeded down the dark halls, the sound of my steps echoing off the walls and back into my helmet sound system. I walked through the doors to my private command center after the scanners opened them and the voice welcomed me back.

“Greetings sir, welcome back to the command center you have 50 unchecked mail.”

“I will look through them, bring them up.” on the hologram the messages and subject titles appeared, I quickly scanned them.

“Thats nice most of the bases are fully functional. What's more is there are more of these bug cities. Interesting, wait what really?”

The Command center AI confirmed to me what I was reading. “ That is correct sir, Admiral Catie your mother will be making her command at this base and will be arriving in the next day or so.”

Another message's subject line caught my eye: new tech towers. I opened and looked at the proposed tech and confirmed the order.

I also made another order for high command to send more medical reinforcements.

To the Central Chryse Planitia base command center.

I turned to the Map and noticed we had the update of the tesla force field that was protecting the base, but for how long is the question. We need to start hitting them back.

The command center AI confirmed, “ Engineers new tower schematic was downloaded and is now being processed to all their chips.”

“Perfect, have my voice relayed over the base intercom.”

“Marines and engineers gear up as we are reading for our first strike in the outflow channels.”

Equipping my power rifle and extra air supply unit I walked out the command center and down the dark halls and out the entrance to the center base square, The mech units were being packed with the tower supplies and the tesla tanks were being manned, while me and lieutenant Zach and the rest of the marines hopped into tesla trucks. Rifles charged and ready.

We all rolled out in an armed convoy, out the entrance into the sands sending dust particles into the skies towards the choppers flying overhead keeping watch.

I looked out the armored tesla truck window into the desert of Arabia terra, the haunting thought of those squid bugs chilled my mind.

We were closing in close to the outflow channels, their large sediment channels made and left from an ocean once being on the surface many years ago.

We got just outside the one main canyon that was used to invade our area.

“This is where we will set up the towers.”

“You heard the generals command, marines to get to work!” Zach commanded.

The Mechs started to set up the towers.

Engineers helped the setup on ground,while tanks protected the area, the tesla trucks circled around the parameter.”Gunners at the ready, be on the lookout!”

The towers were set up along with a bridge that connected the two marines climbed to the top, we set up a total of ten towers all manned gun turret systems, and my new favorite, tesla bug zapper coils on the bases of the towers ready to fry the fucking bugs. Battery cartridge crates were lifted to the top with explosive crates filled with grenades, rockets and flamethrower tanks.

I climbed to the top of the center tower.

I found myself a rocket and thought about my friend floating in a tank back at base, then about all the men that never made it back to the medical facility.

This fight was for them.

I loaded the rocket launcher then stared across the desert plain to the channel. I relayed my message to base.

“Base, have all the cannons fire a load of rounds into the out flow channels. It's time to start this Battle!”

Base force shield came down and the cannons fired

Thunderous sounds from the cannons back at base roared.

The land mass in front of us went up with pockets of dirt flying into the air.

Explosions landed across the Outflow channels tearing up the red sediment channels.

Then we saw it in the distance the hills started to move.

The mass was on its way towards us.

Blue blast bugs fired and missed some even hitting the tesla force field.

Our choppers handled them pretty easily with chopper machine gun fire and demolition crews aboard to fire rockets from the choppers.

huge blue blasts were visible from our towers.

The marines cheered “Woooo!Yeah!, Watch em go up in there own fuckin blasts.”

The Pincher waves continued towards us.

“Ready up marines here the bastards come!”

“Tanks,trucks, you're clear to fire!”

The rows of tesla tanks and trucks opened fired with energy blasts hitting the mass of pincher bugs headed our way. The blasts and turret fire really put damage on the bugs,tearing off limbs and Pincher's jaw’s, bug's guts splattered and covered the martian sands.

They started to get closer so we opened fire from the tower, sending in everything from rockets to rifle fire. The explosions and fired blasts were cutting the enemy down in a timely fashion.

The Bug army doubled down and started to send more our way. Then noticing in the distance the creepy tentacles moving about in the back but it looked like a forest of moving black tentacles thousands of bugs were coming our way.

“Marines , This is where we Fight and Die. Do not Give them an Easy Death, We Will Give them HELL!”

The Marines Opened fire with all the rockets and turret power of the towers. The bugs got closer and the Bigger Pinchers tried to tear down the towers but were burned instantly. The smaller Pincher’s didn't stand a chance running into the burning tesla coil burning to crisps.

“Gotta love the smell of burnt bugs in the afternoon.” I said across the coms.

Our tanks and trucks took a heavy blow being ripped apart opened and our marines eaten and tore apart.

We continued to fire killing most of the Pincher army the tentacle bugs most of them fried

But some started to reach our tower tops. Flamer troopers burned the tentacles. Keeping most of our marine safe some were still being snatched off the towers. But the Tesla coils burned. And we kept firing and dieing, fighting, killing, it is what we were bred to do were Death Marines. I looked over at Zach who had a look in his eyes that I could only describe as being a maniac expression. The fire from the flame thrower filled his yellow eyes.

Then I saw him get picked up and pulled off the tower. By a black tentacle.

“Noooooo!” I Screamed.

But there was nothing I could do but fire my rocket launcher his way and hope he would have a quick and painless death.

I pulled the trigger and dropped the launcher and equipped my rifle and hit the power charge and started to put in work with shots to the creatures bodies. Sending one to the ground.

As the creature fell I caught a Glimpse of Zach on the ground using his sword, cutting into a tentacle bug body.

“Clever bastard stay there, we will get to you as soon as we clear the rest of these fucking creeps.”

The Death Marine’s went to work killing and fighting till the evening and the moons were high in the martian sky.

After the long hours of shooting and fighting we noticed the bug army starting to retreat.

Every Marine started to Cheer, morale lifted and we continued to fire till the last cartridge.

The tesla field came down and more tesla trucks and tanks rolled in and started to chase the bugs off. Mech units returned and cleared the bugs from around the damaged towers, piled the wounded ones and burned them.

I climbed down the tower with the crew and started to look through the pile Dead bugs then from out of the black shell came a sword. Then a hand. We pulled Zach out of the Bug. covered in the blood of our enemies.

“We Won and We will win This War for the Planet as well!” I stated over the coms.

“For the Dark Fleet!”

The Marines Cheered out over the coms standing on the Martian Desert sands. I turned and looked at the two moons and smiled. “ This will be our home!”

End of Chapter 005 Mars Bugs WARS written by Travis Willier copyright 2021