IRONOAK
STARDATE 01.23.23
HOURGLASS DOMAIN
Captain Grisla fired her pulse rifle directly into the Frog Demon’s mouth. Purple blood sprayed all over the Captain’s tattered grey uniform. A thin, long tongue shot over her shoulder and wrapped around her pulse rifle, yanking it abruptly from her hands. In one smooth motion, Captain Grisla spun around and drew her pulse pistol. Her many years of experience and training allowed her to zero in on the Frog Demon without even looking. Six direct hits caused the beast to explode into purple goo. A third Frog Demon jumped directly on top of Captain Grisla, knocking her to the ground. She fired her pulse pistol, but the monster had pinned her right hand with one of its webbed feet. Instinctively, Captain Grisla drew her bowie knife and thrust it into the belly of the Frog Demon. It let out a sharp cry before slumping over dead. Once more, purple blood dripped onto Captain Grisla, thoroughly soaking her Alliance uniform.
Captain Grisla was a stocky, older woman with hair cut so short she was almost bald. Her body and face bore many scars, two of which formed an x pattern on her forehead. Red light came out of her right cybernetic eye. She also had a cybernetic right hand and a cybernetic left leg. They were all products of the many battles that Captain Grisla had been through.
Something was wrong. Captain Grisla expected some of the Frog Demons to penetrate their trench, but not this many. They had taken more casualties than she anticipated. Jenkins, Dyer, Frankins, Tomkins, O’reilly, Argosky, Devins, Hopkins, Barrymore…all lay slaughtered on the dirt ground of the trench. There was a gap in their defensive line. Then Captain Grisla saw him. Young Alan Yang was frozen in place and shaking like a terrified rabbit.
Anger swelled up within Captain Grisla, but she quickly controlled it. How many good crew members did she lose because of this man’s fright? She ought to shoot him right now herself. But that is not the way of the Alliance. This was Alan Yang’s first taste of real combat up close and personal. Combat is completely different when you can see the enemy face to face, rather than just pushing a button on a computer console. She had to get through to Ensign Yang, but threatening him or imprisoning him would not work.
“Ensign Yang?” the Captain said in a stern, but non-threatening voice. “Can you hear me? It’s Captain Grisla. Do you know where you are, Alan? You are on Veridian VIII. You are part of a defensive line sworn to protect a trench from Frog Demons. Do you remember, Ensign Yang? Stay calm and breathe. Breathe deeply. You are alive and unhurt. Answer me, Alan.”
Captain Grisla slowly approached the terrified Ensign until she stood next to him. He had no injuries. The Captain quickly took away his pulse rifle. She lightly shook Alan Yang and stared into his eyes. They bulged out as they focused on her, then tears began to form.
“Ca…Cap…Captain? Captain…Grisla? I’m…so…sorry, Captain! I tried…I tried so hard. But my parents taught me that all life is sacred. That I should never kill. I thought I could do this…but I just can’t! I’m not a killer. I need to leave the Alliance. Lock me up, I don’t care. I just need to get out of here. When I saw the Frog Demons hopping toward us…I just couldn’t fire. I couldn’t fire! Please forgive me, Captain!!”
Ensign Alan Yang hugged Captain Grisla as tightly as he could. He was sobbing at this point. Captain Grisla patted his back several times before pushing him back. She had an unbreakable look in her eyes.
“Alan, listen to me carefully. Your parents, your family, your sisters and brothers, they are all going to be killed if we don’t stop the Frog Demons here and now on Veridian VIII. Do you know what Frog Demons do to their captives? They impregnate them with their eggs. Later, those eggs hatch, allowing small Frog Demons to eat the victim’s organs from the inside. Do you want this to happen to your family, Ensign Yang? Trust me, it is a horrible and disgusting way to die, I’ve seen it firsthand. You can save them, Alan, you can prevent that from happening. But you have to do your duty. I can’t do this alone. Do you hear me? I need you to fire your rifle and stand by my side. Can you do that?”
Alan Yang thought of his family suffering a terrible death. His fear subsided. He needed to act for their sake. He couldn’t let anything happen to his parents, to his grandmother, to his older brother, and to his younger sisters. He had to act, for their sakes. He had to force himself to do it.
“Yes, Captain. I am with you. I will do my duty. I swear it.”
Captain Grisla handed Ensign Yang his pulse rifle back. She allowed a slight smile to crack open on her stone face.
“Now the Frog Demons are going to be returning in a second wave. There won’t be as many but…”
Suddenly, two Frog Demons jumped into the trench landing on top of Captain Grisla. She quickly slit the throat of one of the Frog Demons with her bowie knife, but the other one wrapped its long tongue around her neck. Captain Grisla couldn’t breathe. She looked at Alan Yang for help.
The Ensign pointed his pulse rifle directly at the Frog Demon’s head. There was no hesitation, no second thoughts, and no fear.
ALAN YANG PULLED THE TRIGGER.
