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Captain Sam Wychin wrapped the scarf around his face after letting out a cloud of steam. Damn, it was cold. The wind was blowing up quite a storm - soon any activity outside would not only be useless but dangerous - he had to move fast. He glanced at Sargeant Leon McManus standing next to him, piloting the last of the captured snakeman hovercraft into a hangar.
"Drive it in, Leon. We'll finally be able to get out of this cold..." Wychin said in a muffled voice through his scarf.
"Yes sir... that was a hell of a chase we had back there, Captain. When are we going in for some payback?" McManus pushed a button, turning the hovercraft and moving it into the hangar. "I want a piece of those bastards."
"Well, the way you drive man... " Sam clapped Leon on the back. "But seriously, I don't know. There was a goddamn army in there... I'm crazy, but not that crazy."
The hovercraft settled down and the two men quickly dismounted and headed down a staircase, away from the cold and wind. On the way down, Sam pushed a button, closing the hangar door.
Leon shook his head. The Captain probably wasn't the guy to talk to about dead hostages... the man wouldn't give a rat's ass.
"Chabert did a good job back there. From what I saw, he bagged at least three snakes." He said as he walked down.
Sam chuckled. "You guys are heroes... and I had a Navy SEAL buddy who used to tell me all about heroes. 'I've seen old SEALS and bold SEALS' he used to say. 'But I've yet to see an old bold SEAL...'". He looked at Leon. "But then again, heroes are what this team seems to be made of." He grinned. "Keep it up - you two make a good team. Make it your motto - less heroics, more dead aliens. I'd rather keep you guys alive."
McManus caught only pieces of that long, incoherent rambling session - but coming from the captain, it sounded like a compliment. "Understood, sir." He replied.
"Finally, some warmth." Wychin sighed. "It's always the same - aliens, cold, more aliens... why can't it be warm for once?"
"I don't know sir. I'm rather partial to California myself." Leon grinned.
"So, we've got three hovercraft with these tripod-mounted heavy plasma cannons, and more weapons than all of us can carry. Plus, we've got about a hundred of these prototype combat vests and about a half of the base complex which has been sealed off." Wychin yawned. "That's it, troops. I recommend you all get some rest." Wychin finished his little briefing with another yawn - he was damn tired too. This was a good time as any to conduct a team briefing - the blizzard outside all but sealed off the complex. Wychin turned to the side and noticed that he wasn't alone.
"So what do we do with those guys we rescued from the Snakemen?" Sophie Thornside asked.
"Well, as soon as the storm wears out, we take them back. I still say they told those damn snakes about is... but I suppose it's not right to just frag them." Wychin lowered his voice, almost as if talking to himself "Almost wish the snakes fragged 'em... spare us the trouble of lugging the bastards around."
Sophie didn't appear too happy with what she was hearing. "Sir, you're talking about those people like they're some sort of dogmeat! They're humans, just like us..."
Wychin sighed. "Don't tell me you've gone soft... Harrison went that way - and where is he now?" He paused for a second. "They're not like us. They're working with the aliens. In this war, there are only two sides - our side, or the other side."
"I don't think so sir - those guys seemed to have found a third... " Sophie looked straight into Sam's eyes.
"Then they're as good as the enemy." Sam stared back.
"That's where we're different... sir." Sophie turned around and walked out of the room.
Wychin sat back down on a chair and looked at a monitor. Why couldn't these people understand? They weren't fighting humans, like in all previous wars. The enemy was inhuman! They didn't know diplomacy, mercy or fear... they killed Harrison when he hesitated to kill one of them. Sam looked at the monitor closely - there was a small, white shape advancing through the snow. Whatever it was, it wasn't human, or of this earth. Sam hit the intercom button, yelling for all troops to assemble near the entrance where the alien was approaching...
Written on January 21st by Andrew Pokrovski AKA Captain Sam Wychin