Blood of the Free - Chapter One: Traitor Amongst Allies

I woke with a start as the horn blew to call me and my men to the mess hall for breakfast. I had slept for eight hours, but it felt like days. I guess I was tired, after fighting all week. I wanted to go back to sleep, but then Lt. Maosa would come and blow the horn right in my ear. I heard him call my name, seeing as I was the last to get up. Sgt. Harold Daverson, Sgt. Harold Daverson, why couldn’t I be someone else today? I thought. I guess it wouldn’t matter, today there would be a huge assault on an enemy fortification sixteen klicks south of here, and everyone was going, it was general mobilization.

When I arrived at the mess hall I was still half asleep and hungry.  We were low on supplies, so the higher ups were being really tight about rationing. I wolfed down my breakfast and went for a jog around base to wake me up and get my blood pumping. When I got back I polished my standard issue plasma pistol and assault rifle, then my old rifle from all the way back in WWII. Ballistic weapons were looked down upon due to their use of ammunition and inferior power, but I held on to it because it had been passed down in my family for generations.

I had some extra time, so I began working on a micro reactor I salvaged from an enemy weapon. The technology was amazing. By using advanced nanotechnology, the unit was 38% smaller, allowing a larger magnification unit. That creates a more powerful weapon. I opened my rifle’s access hatch and installed the new reactor. Without the matching magnifier, my weapon wouldn’t be any more powerful, but it was lighter. Wait. I thought. I searched my room and found an old magnifying glass. I extracted the lens and inserted it into my weapon. I did the math and it should increase my power by 17%, and my rifle will still be somewhat lighter.

I got a call from the lieutenant saying he needed to see me immediately. He said something about “testing a new weapon”. I entered his personal barracks and asked him what was up, he said he was “innovating the battlefield”, and stepped aside to reveal a huge artillery unit. He mentioned something about “destroying war one soldier at a time”. All of a sudden the barrel of the artillery started glowing a bright red. The lieutenant screamed “This will be the end of your life, and the beginning of my empire!”