Never Had A Choice

We're FUBAR

Every time someone tells me they never had a choice; I immediately stop listening to them. There are always choices, you may not like them, but they’re there. I understand that more than ever now, after THAT day. 

It had only been a couple years since the spaceships appeared in the skies over Earth. Only a couple years since the invasion started. All pretty exciting stuff, the disappointment was that the aliens were human. As it turns out, we weren’t alone, or unique. I remember watching a video clip on the internet before the satellites came crashing down about convergent evolution or something. It doesn’t matter now. I was a soldier of The Empire now. A member of the Mendax outfit operating with the Eleventh Extension as part of the Sol Suppression Force. 

I scoffed at everything. Nothing made any sense to me. I was conducting maintenance on the standard issue Silas twenty-two that served as my weapon. Don’t be impressed. It’s a portable railgun but the technology for it isn’t that far beyond what the defenders of Earth were using now. The only thing to be impressed by was that whether it was steel, rocks, or wood if it could fit in the feeder, it would compress it and fire. This was the standard principle in The Empire, everything was repurposed, and everything was used. 

The news had gotten out that morning. “TRAITORS!” they called us. Some of the Empire’s forces had been ambushed and overwhelmed and amongst the casualties they found Earth citizens wearing the armor of the enemy. Of course, there was intellectual pushback. Some said we were brainwashed, others said we were being mind-controlled by alien overlords. The last one made me scoff, “Maybe they just never liked being on Earth.” 

Credit, where credit is due. The Empire ran a ship so tight it could survive space travel, pun intended. It’s why I was upset. Everything from defenses to armaments to patrols, the scheduling the bureaucracy and even supplies. Everything in the Empire ran as smooth as the finish on an orbital transport. So why weren’t we winning? 

As far as I could tell, it was intentional. The Empire would take ground and immediately retreat. We would ambush a large contingent of forces but never wipe them out. Even by the clumsiest estimates I could come up with, the Empire would and should have wiped out every oppositional forced and conquered Earth within the first month, two if they got held up. So why hadn’t we? 

Tahj pokes his head in through the doorway of the sortie room, “Two minutes grunts.” 

There’s an immediate shuffling behind me. Most of the other six in the unit are already prepared. The audible click of their helmets as they are set in place sets of in my ear like a nail in a coffin. I started assembling my rifle. Thirty silvery interlocking pieces with no fasteners come together in my hands as quickly as I touch them. The compressor snaps into place above the grip. 

“Thirty seconds, not even a personal best,” Tahj looks up from his arm mounted data entry machine and grins triumphantly. 

“And still nowhere near the champ,” his hands drop to his hips as he poses heroically. 

The buzzcut of a military man was losing the war against the passage of time as gray streaks encroached from the side of his head. Tahj wasn’t from Earth, but he was everything a squad leader should be; genuine, tough, and fatherly. I can hear the exchange of data between the others behind us. Bets had been made and lost. 

“Give it time Champ,” I said giving him a sideways glance and a smile, “I’ve almost got it.” 

“Good, I’ll retell the tales of your exploits to my great grandchildren the day it happens.” 

I scoffed again. He never misses an opportunity to brag about his three sons. Apparently having male children is a big deal in the empire, no I don’t know why. The flak armor slides over my body and connects to my trousers. Of all the things I can appreciate about the Empire, everything is custom made and when you have baggage like I do sitting on your chest, running around makes all the difference. I pull my hair back and tie it up, once, twice. The helmet goes over my head, and I slide it to the left, then forward and I hear the click. 

Tahj bellows in his leader voice, “Move it grunts, slow meat is...?” 

“TASTY MEAT!” We cry in unison. 

Outside the outpost an armored crawler is waiting for us and one by one we pile in, first Opera, then Poncho, followed by Shin, I step up and drop into a seat next to Poncho, Smoke, Medic, and Shop follow behind. Tahj is the last one to climb aboard and is greeted by Opera’s singing. 

“Oh, we’re going on a trip in our favorite rocket...” 

“Shut up,” we groan in unison. 

“Everyone briefed?” Tahj asks. 

We all got the brief through our personal computers attached to our armguards, so we all nodded. 

“What’s the point of this, Boss?” Poncho asks. 

“Sector eighteen N-D is a designated sift spot. Recent inactivity in the area gives intel the impression that either enemy forces have retreated from the area having sniffed out its purpose or are gathering a large force quietly for a hard offensive. We’re heading in to sniff out what’s what.” 

“What are we doing if we encounter opposition?” I ask. 

Tahj fixes his gaze on me; I can feel his faded red eyes piercing my armor. 

“Officially we are tasked as reconnaissance, but full discretion is left to us depending on the circumstances. Squash it if its small, bug out if its big.” 

The six wheels of the crawler jump as the paved road ends and the dirt road of foothills begins. An hour later we arrived at our drop-off point. The driver conceals the crawler behind rocks and foliage but keeps the engine in standby. A lifetime of military service and all the comforts of the Empire still doesn’t compensate for being in a cramped compartment like the crawler. We take a moment for quick stretches before we start our patrol. 

Our patrol takes us through the foothills following the worn but rugged road that at one point had only been used by Park Services. We travel in a chevron formation and it's tough, only Tahj seems to be taking it as a leisurely stroll. Linked through the internal comms of our helmets chatter is intertwined with reports of nothing. As per the usual Tahj is bombarded with questions about the Empire, he makes no effort to hide anything about living or being a part of it except for one thing. 

“Nothing to report, Tahj are you ever going to tell us about the aliens?” Opera asks. 

“Nope, you got anything Poncho?” Tahj replies. 

“Still nothing, you aren’t just yanking our chains right Boss?” Poncho asks. 

“I assure you they exist, and in time, if everything goes well, you’ll get to see them and then you won’t need me to tell you anything. Princess?” 

I loathe my nickname, the sooner I can ditch it the better. 

“Residual electric and heat discharge, nothing out of parameters. Why are sons so important?” I ask out of idle curiosity. 

Tahj is silent for a moment. I can tell he’s debating whether to answer and the others pick up on it as well as all other chatter stops. The question I asked was more significant than I realized, I held my breath in anticipation. 

Tahj break his silence, “The female to male ratio in the Empire is three to one. Why that is are details I can’t disclose but suffice to say that males are considered a significant resource.” 

I can practically hear the grinning through the comms from the others. Men are as predictable as a sunrise. Tahj must have sensed it or dealt with it before. 

“Don’t get too excited little boys, are almost considered a commodity, you’re protected as well as bartered over and yes, even fought over. It's rare but on occasion people are killed over males and even the males might get killed in the ensuing violence.” 

I feel the grins fade into anxious silence. 

“Tell us more Boss,” Poncho pushes. 

“We’re almost at our first stop. I’ll tell you this much because these are things you need to know going forward. The Empire is meritocratic, everything revolves around what you can do and what you have achieved, with that comes a level of responsibility. Including the choices you can make. Nothing is free or easy and if you want to have a say in what those choices are then you need to earn it.” 

“Such as?” Shin asks. 

Tahj turns to face him, and I swear to you even through the tinted screen of his helmet I can see a mile wide smile, “The right to breed.” 

We reach our first checkpoint, an old campsite that lies at the crest of a hill. Most of the commodities of modern society have been reclaimed by nature but several roughly hewn tree trunks meant to be crude benches around a firepit remained. 

The others stand around the edges of the campsite in a mock show of vigilance overlooking the steep ravine below. Tahj is sitting on of the benches in front of the firepit facing them as I approached. 

“Why are we here Tahj?” I ask. 

Something was bothering me, eating away at my brain. Old survival instincts were being set off in my brain. 

“You got the briefing, and I told you the rest,” Tahj replies. 

I tap my rifle with gloved fingers and the rap of armored fingers draws the attention of the others, it also gets my point across. Something was up. I’ve only known Tahj for a short while and as far as men I’ve met in my life, he’s probably one of the best, THE best most likely. But I can tell when they’re lying, even when they don’t say anything. 

Tahj taps his helmet, and the visor slides up revealing his smiling face. A look of pride or satisfaction, I can’t tell which. 

“You know, I have seven daughters, I don’t brag about them as much as my sons, but I am just as proud of them,” he said. 

He raises his hand pointing a finger at me, “Yet not even one of them can tell when I’m hiding something,” he continued. 

I didn’t return his smile. I dread what’s coming next. I already knew what was coming and I knew the consequences. I wasn’t sure how it would play out. I didn’t know whose side the others would take, but there was nothing I could do. I had no choice. I never did. 

“Lying is the worst crime in the Empire. Once they’ve knowingly told a lie they can never be trusted again. Even being accused of lying has long ranging repercussions that always end in death, either for the accused or for the accuser. Everything I’ve said so far is the truth. Intel believes a force is gathering nearby and we’re a part of sniffing it out.” 

He stands up with little effort cradling his own weapon. He makes no effort to brandish it but still I tense up. 

“The unsaid part is that the Empire has decided to give you lot an opportunity. Well, decided is sounds like there was a debate, it’s more the result of everything that you guys have done.” 

“This campsite is outside the interference network and is elevated enough to send out communication signals, so you’ve been given the opportunity to get in contact with your respective governments and tell them... whatever it is you think you’ve found out.” 

Instantly my rifle is in my hand with the safety off and it’s leveled with Tahj’s chest. I heard the others ready their weapons as and half expected to feel the quick sting before the black. Nothing. A quick side-glance told me I was correct but like myself, all the weapons were pointed at Tahj. Noted glances told me the others were confused as well. 

Tahj laughed and it echoed through the hills, “Let me guess. None of you figured it out.” 

Everyone straightens their posture, but no one relaxes their rifle, awaiting Tahj’s next words. 

Tahj shakes his head and holds up a hand, “Allow me to explain. You’re all spies. Every single one of you. Yes, we knew the whole time, we knew the moment you showed up on our doorstep and filtering through the various trials landed you in my squad.” 

The others are shifting uncomfortably. I can’t tell if it’s anxiety or a sense of defeat, maybe shame. 

“So what happens now?” Poncho asked, the sudden gruffness in his voice betrayed his uncertainty. 

Tahj sat down again, “You make a choice. You can leave now, join whatever Earth forces are nearby you’ll get back to your caretakers eventually.” 

“You’ll really let us go, just like that?” Shin queried. 

“We have no reason to hold you, and no one wants to murder you. Maybe we meet on the battlefield someday and we can vent any complaints.” 

“And the second choice?” This question came from me, which surprised me because I knew the answer, but I wanted to hear it. 

“You stay with the empire. You toss whatever devices you have for espionage down that hill, and we continue our patrol. You’re also going to stop sneaking out at night to plant various devices and stealing equipment. The Empire’s recruits were having fun tracking them all down and breaking them, but it’s gotten annoying. And Shinobi, stop stealing food. You aren’t going to destroy the Empire’s supply lines by eating everything.” 

Shin relaxes a bit. Tahj’s levity with the situation is both vexing and soothing. The effects on the others was becoming obvious. Making decisions was never a hard thing for me. I always knew what I wanted. The problem is that choice always eludes me. Three Mk. four Earth gunships drifted sideways from between two peaks and all hell breaks loose.