The Prophecy
by: Lendrick

Earth, Blasted Region, 1400 hours

The sun glared hot and brilliant.
It had just stopped raining and the air was thick with moisture.
“I hate this; the damn weather can’t make up its mind!” Lendrick stated, running his gloved hand over the exposed part of his face, now dripping with sweat.
“Commander, I have the coordinates locked in, Gurtz won’t elude us for much longer”
“Good work corporal, make sure the men are ready to move, we need to make better time today now the rains stopped”
The corporal ran off to rouse the camp, leaving Commander Lendrick staring out at the bleak landscape. For two years, the High General Gurtz has eluded Lendrick’s sniper scope, and Lendrick, so close now, he could almost taste it – or was that last nights plains rat for dinner?

The contingent of Allied Free Sentient’s moved swiftly over the landscape, coordinated and efficient, they worked well as a team and equally so when off duty and relaxing with some Synth-ale.
Moving steadily in a southerly direction for two hours, the AFS squad came into view of what looked like an abandoned prison complex.
“The signal is coming from there, Commander, the signal is strong”
“This is it guys, look sharp and remember the tactics!”

Moving as one, the squad flowed down the hill, a black wave of sharp amour and death.
Approaching the perimeter of the complex, several Thrax soldiers notice the movement and intercept, rifles blazing.
“Remember your tactics, men!”
Hot lead burst forth, the squad firing with well practiced streams of hot lead, ripping apart the internal of the Thrax soldiers, dropping several. Thrax soldiers however were no stranger to a fight, their whole culture revolving around the glory of battle and a chance to die for their race.
Shots rang through the squad, several diving to the ground, one such private not so lucky and got three rounds in the head, exploding it.
“Dwayne!!! NOOOOO!!!” Another private screamed, charging the closest Thrax soldier, “That was my brother!! You alien scum!!!” Blowing huge chunks of the Thrax soldiers’ stomach, through the amour away – the Thrax Soldier was too close, and grabbed the privates’ head, breaking his neck.
“Keep it together people! Remember your discipline!” Yelled Commander Lendrick, as he blew away two more Thrax soldiers and reloaded his clip.
“Keep moving forward – we are breaking through”
Tossing a grenade, two more Thrax soldiers were blow apart, a stray hand slapping wetly against Lendrick’s body amour.
Clearing out the remaining Thrax Soldiers, the squad reached the perimeter, and began to breach it.

“We need to get you out of here General! They are getting too close! They could ruin everything you work so hard to prepare!!!”
“Fear not my paranoid little friend, they will ruin nothing!”
The general was quite a sight to behold and commanded unwavering respect throughout the bane. Standing in excess of six feet, his full tech amour has seen countless battles, being charred and gouged. Unfortunately to see the General, his face hasn’t fared much better when the odd attack missed the amour altogether – one eye scarred and replaced with a bionic one, missing half his nose, intimidation and fear exuded his presence.
“How goes the kidnap of the princess?” General Gurtz asked.
“Good, she will be spirited to our secondary base within the day; at least we know that part of the prophecy can’t be fulfilled now – but what about the other?”
“Let me worry about him, now, prepare our inner defenses for our friends outside – I have a nice surprise waiting for them.”

Three more Banes fell before Commander Lendrick – his assault rifle pumping out the lead, though he had now fallen to his last three clips.
Left and right the squad moved with precision, cutting down the Bane before they could develop an accurate field of fire. Using cover and concealment when it presented itself, they had penetrated to the inner courtyard of the structure where the defense ramped up. Three Predators assailed them, Lendrick switching to his rocket launcher and blasting one from the sky before it could get a shot off – the rest of his squad concentrating their fire on the remaining two – one soldier fell, then another, the third fell screaming, but taking it out in the process.
Commander Lendrick looked around exasperated; he had lost over half his squad by now.
“Come on people! Keep it together, we are rushing the complex”
Just then a figure appeared on the wall, which Lendrick recognized as Gurtz. Time seemed to slow, ejecting the spent rocket cartridge from his rifle, Lendrick went to reload. Gurtz seemed to activate something in his hands; Lendrick couldn’t tell what it was though.
The world turned white.
Then everything went black.

The pain woke him.
Lendrick was in what appeared to be a small office converted to a cell. He was being held aloft, above a couch by Gurtz. Having his hand around Lendrick’s neck, he held him a good two feet off the ground. One eye was closed due to bruising so Lendrick glared at the General through his one good eye, everything hurt. He felt as though all his muscles were dipped in acid and drawn through salt. Luckily he had a high pain tolerance.
“So….ready to surrender yet?” Lendrick croaked, a mischievous glint in his eye.
Gurtz replied by punching him in the stomach twice, breaking three ribs and throwing his clear across the room where he smashed through an office desk.
Lendrick moaned.
“You are insolent to the last, pathetic dog!”
“Yeah, that’s what my ex-wife says too!”
Pulling a concealed pistol from his leg amour they missed when they searched and stripped him of his weapons, Lendrick blasted away at the general. The first three shots went wild as he was still prone, but maneuvering into a kneeling position and taking a well aimed shot with his good eye, Lendrick vertically tracked the amour piecing bullets up Gurtzs’ immense frame, sparks flying, they did not penetrate. As the slide locked back into place when the last shot was fired, Gurtz was laughing; ejecting the spent magazine, Lendrick struggled to get the second one in, the laughing stopped. Gurtz realizing that the next shots would be head high where there was no protection, took two steps toward him and slapped the gun free with one hand, sending it flying, the other grabbed him by neck again, struggling in vain, and Gurtz lifted Lendrick from the ground once again and brought him within an inch of his face.
“We have your sister – the princess, and now we have you. The AFS will fall. The prophecy will never be fulfilled now! This is the last thing I want you to know, before…”
“Before what?” Lendrick croaked, managing to spit at Gurtz.
Gurtz swiftly broke his neck.

Lendrick awoke with a start – gasping for air, covered in sweat.
Someone had been shaking him.
“Come on Len!! What the hell were you sleeping for? We need to go or Commander Taylor is going to have our kidneys for lunch!”
“Huh? What? Taylor? But, what?”
“What’s wrong with you? This is our first day, and already three have quit – please don’t be another one walking out!!”
Memories flooded back to Lendrick, or more appropriately Recruit Lendrick, but, the dream? What did it mean?
The psychic woman he met during a holiday off-world whom he had spoken about the vivid dreams told him his was a definite Pre-cog. Someone who was able to experience pre-cognition, through his dream state. Lendrick had to admit that the vivid ones he did have, had all come to pass.
Getting his bearings, Lendrick quickly got himself into uniform and followed his comrade out of the barracks.
The dream still plagued him, it had been so real. Sister? Princess? Prophecy? None of it made any sense; his sister was back with his parents.
Slowly the dream was pushed to the back of his mind as the days drill duties for the AFS took precedence.
I guess only time will tell…….