Stories tagged “military”
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Dr. Meeks and the Robot Wars
The Chinese have built machines that emulate human appearance, gestures and intelligence. But that journey led them to other possibilities – escaping our physical limits and expanding our minds. When the technology allowed us to build machines th...
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The Outbreak
Mary Wake up A moan Mary A louder moan What is it Carl I couldn’t believe Carl was up this late, disturbing my sleep. There was only 3 more hours before I had to be at work. “Carl honey its late go back to sleep.” -“Mary it ha...
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Yes, We're at War
They recognized that their Union was a Fragile one, but when the world is so Close to the Edge of Armageddon, sometimes the most imporant thing to do is Talk. Sometimes Time and a Word can make all the difference. “Open Your Eyes, Herr President&...
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Nester - Anticipation
Tara lay prone on the hull, peering through the magscope mounted on her rifle. The dots had grown larger in the last hour and she knew battle was minutes away. The readout on her helmet visor read 980 kilometers. 979. 978. 977. Tara took a moment to gl...
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Nester - Hailstorm
An invisible hailstorm ripped through space from the hull of The Volta. The deadly energy bolts quickly converged on the flanking hoard of enemy boarders. Roughly 2,000 body-armored soldiers were approaching The Volta from port as the main assault rage...
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Nester - The Miss
Tara’s eyes went wide with surprise. She’d missed. In six years of war, she’d never missed. Twenty Eight major engagements 1,692 confirmed kills. 0 misses. Until today. She stared across the void through her magscope at the approachin...
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Nester - The Assault
The uncanny foe jerked itself in all directions with precise thruster blasts. It seemed to wrap around the invisible energy bolts like an unholy vine. It managed to evade every shot as if they were tennis balls playfully lofted by a child. Tara was, be...
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Lean on Me
“Man, swallow your pride! How am I supposed to know you need help if you won’t tell me?” I yelled over the roar of rushing air. It was a hot, dry heat and the open windows on the truck didn’t do much of anything but it was bette...
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Drop
The lack of sound was the most difficult thing to deal with. He could manage everything else, the shock of being ejected from the ship, the knowledge that he was totally powerless as he plummeted toward the planet below.Even the fact that even a slight...
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A Loss of Vision
“You lost more than just your eye in the war, Captain.” The Ensign, already crossing the line into insubordination, charged forward. “You lost your vision.” The Captain leaned back in her tall chair and turned it to face the vas...
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Taking Care of Business
“We’ve got launching orders, boys,” Lieutenant Bonzer shouted. This announcement was met by hurrahs from most of the rest of the 501st. Stationed on Mimas, nestled deep within the massive crater Herschel, their official patch referenc...
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Ringing the Doorbell
Bonzer commanded Arnold: “Okay, Arnie, bring us in. Park it and see if we can interface with the onboard systems.” They had made their skew flip about forty-five minutes ago and had arrived at the old hotel. They had decelerated for the maj...
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Reporting Live IV
Wit’ a new bottle in hand, he shot me another cocksure smile. “Alright then. As I said, Pa was a news man. Liked to go out into the undead streets and ‘report’. He was with a family friend, Arge, when they were ambushed. Only Ar...
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Awake
An explosion. In my hands, a gun. People are running….Why am I only walking? …I’m shooting them, they fall, one for every shot, though some shots aren’t mine. They come from the others…. Others? I recognize them? …Th...
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Appropriate Substitute
“You know that if we get caught, you’ll be dishonorably discharged.” Kevin sighed. “Melinda, I haven’t seen you in three weeks, and I’m shipping out tomorrow.” He kicked the snow at his feet. “On Christma...
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On Wings of Fire
I felt the cockpit shudder as the sleek fighter broke the sound barrier. I never heard the sonic boom, as the rumble of the engines blocked out all noise. Below me is an open field, small specks of fire from muzzle flashes punctuated a seemingly peacef...
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Blue
The last time she’d seen this much water in his eyes, she’d broken up with him. He said she’d been stone-hearted, but after leaving she’d gone home and composed the mother of all break-up songs. Captain Carlisle looked into the ...
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Old Hands and Bad News
My mobile started ringing so I could avoid the question, I don’t normally answer withheld numbers but I was glad for the distraction. I recognised the voice of my father-in-law. “Hi Jim, how’s it going.” “Not well Tom, I&#...
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Left To Die
“Mom, Mr.Breason is acting weird.” Sarah said walking into the kitchen from the backyard. “What do you mean babe?” Jessica answered. “I don’t know, he was looking at me funny.” “I’m sure he was just...
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Warden
Twenty-six feet and four inches above the head of the last dragon in line, behind eleven-inch fireproof, bulletproof glass, Felix Cel’Ruschk stood, arms cryptically folded over his expansive chest, his face betraying nothing as he watched the bar...
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First Encounters: Project Black Stone
“I don’t like it.” Mr. Cramstock didn’t know who the first person was that uttered those words. The phrase passed along from mouth to ear, from person to person, from clique to clique, across boundaries; an audible illness of ne...
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Volley'd and Thunder'd
The report of my rifle filled the air and the sights jerked as another shot rang out. A quick triplet of shots dropped another three. I moved the crosshairs and fired another three shots, reflexively hammering the magazine release and pulling the empty...
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Out of the Frying Pan
After I passed the first tier of concertina-wired fences, I could hear the buzzing of gates closing behind us. I spied muzzle flashes up in the tower. I felt more than I heard heavy-caliber gunfire tossing clumps of turf into the air around me. I pushe...
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New Case
“Thank you for taking this case.” the officer in front of Charles Bryant said, as they walked down the gray corridor. “If the military needs my help that’s no problem.” Charles replied. Internally he was thinking that he h...