[hider=What Do You Say?]
[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPx1HT9pqos]What do you say?[/url] by Reba McEntire
[hider=Lyrics]

Stuck at a red light outside an adult bookstore
His son said, "Daddy, what are all those X's for?"
As the light turned green he changed the subject fast
Started talkin' 'bout football as they drove right past

So what do you say in a moment like this?
When you can't find the words ohh, to tell it like it is
Just bite your tongue and let your heart lead the way
Let's get out of here
Oh, what do you say?

Seventeen years old
She was out with her friends
They started drinkin' at some party
Till she was three sheets to the wind
Her momma always told her
She could call no matter what
She was cryin' on the front steps
When her mom showed up

Well, what do you say in a moment like this?
When you can't find the words ohh, to tell it like it is
Just bite your tongue and let your heart lead the way
Let's get out of here
Oh, what do you say?

Sometimes you gotta listen to the silence
And give yourself a little time to think

Her every breath is weaker than the last
And lately when she sleeps, she talks about the past
Her husband knows she's tired of holdin' on
She looks at him and says, "I wanna go home"

But what do you say in a moment like this?
When you can't find the words to tell it like it is
Just close your eyes and let your heart lead the way
Oh, what do you say?

Ohh, just close your eyes and let your heart lead the way
Oh, what do you say?
Ooo, what do you say?
[/hider]

Have you ever had days where it felt like the world was against you? A father of two knew those days all too well. On his way to take his son to school, his car broke down, leaving them stranded in the road. An hour late to school, his boy still got written up. If that wasn't bad enough, the mechanic wanted $300, or the car would go unfixed. It was money they just didn't have.

He left the car and took a taxi to get his wife. She was at her morning appointment and couldn't drive herself. He was late once again and never felt so bad in his life, but his wife just smiled and climbed in, with a hug and a kiss. He dropped her off at home, than had the driver take him back to the shop, where he charged the money to his credit card, though he knew it would be a long time before it was ever paid off.

It was after he picked his eight-year-old up from school, that they got stuck at a red light outside an adult book store. 

His son said, “Daddy, what are all those X's for?” 

A large white sign with three red x marks were hanging above the store door, next to the words “Adults Only Enter Here.” The books on display were explicit and not for children's eyes. How could they leave them there for the general public to see? 

As the light turned green, he changed the subject fast, started talkin' 'bout football as they drove right past.

“Are you excited about your first football game, buddy?” He asked as he drove on home. He shut his eyes briefly. He was not ready for his little boy to grow up.

[i]So what can I say in a moment like this? When I can't find the words... to tell it like it is. Do I just bite my tongue and let my heart lead the way?[/i]

“Let's get out of here. I bet momma misses us.”

[i]Oh, what do I say?[/i]

–

He walked through his front door, his son trailing behind him, and nearly ran into his wife. They smiled at each other, the love they had as strong as it had been on the day of their honeymoon. He leaned toward her and kissed her gently. Their teenage daughter came running down the stairs, in clothes that he did not approve of. He opened his mouth to tell her to change, but saw his wife shake her head. He sighed, knowing his girl was growing up and wished he could be as strong as his wife.

“Please, can I go?”

His wife looked out the front door at a group of teenage girls, who were sitting in an open top convertible, shouting and honking their horn impatiently. 

“I don't know..” His wife bit down on her lip and glanced at him. “Will there be adults there?”

“Of course, duh.” His daughter walked toward them and waved out the door. She glanced back at her mother. “Please, mom. Come on, it's just a party.” She batted her eyelashes and pouted. His wife always fell for her look.

“Oh, okay, but here take your sweater.”

–

Just seventeen years old, she was out with her friends, they started drinking at some party, until she was three sheets to the wind. She felt the pressure and went along with them, not having the courage to know when to stop. It was after the boy tried to kiss and touch her, that she grabbed the cordless and ran out the door.

[i]Momma always told me I could call no matter what...[/i]

–

When they got the phone call, he saw his wife freeze up. He could hear crying on the other end and words he could not understand. He knew without asking that his daughter needed him and was starting to rise to his feet.

“No, let me.” His wife put her hand out and shook her head. “A girl needs her mother in times like these.”

“You really shouldn't be driving...” His worried eyes looked down on her, but he saw the determination and knew she had to go.

–

She was crying on the porch steps when her mom showed up. The girl stood up and looked at her, guilt and fear covering her tear stained face. She broke down harder when no angry words came forth and all she got was an embrace she would never forget.

Her mom pulled back and reached up to wipe a tear from her face.

“What can I say in a moment like this? I can't find the words... to tell it like it is. Should I just bite my tongue and let my heart lead the way?” She shook her head. “Come on, baby, let's get out of here.”

[i]Oh, what do I say?[/i]

–

She set at her vanity table and looked in the mirror at her pretty, too thin face. She ran her fingers over her shoulder length blonde hair. Her husband watched from the bed, frowning and fighting the tears in his eyes. Sometimes you gotta listen to the silence and give yourself a little time to think. He got up and stood behind her, gently touching her shoulders, not saying a word.

A tear slipped down his cheek when she pulled the wig off, her big blue eyes flooding over as all her fears came pouring out. She was so strong and did not want the children to know just how sick she was. She reached up and touched the small patches of hair that had grown back in. 

Before he could say anything to reassure her, she fell from her chair, collapsing to the floor. 

–

He stood next to her hospital bed, fighting back his tears, for her sake and for his children's most of all. They were standing at the door as if afraid to come inside. Her every breath was weaker than the last and lately when she slept, she talked about the past. He knew she was tired of holding on.

She looked at him and said, “I wanna go home.” Her eyes closed and they were her last words. He put a hand over his mouth and looked down at her in shock, his whole body trembling. He turned around when he heard the sounds of his children's sobs, seeing how they clung to each other like little frightened babes who had lost all their hope.

[i]What can I tell them in a moment like this? I can't find the words to tell it like it is. Come on, just close your eyes and let your heart lead the way.

Oh, what do I say?[/i]

“Is she...” his daughter started to ask.

[i]Oh, what do I say?[/i]

–

A redheaded woman was sitting in the waiting room, her two children by her side. Her face paled when she saw a man walk out of a room. He had his arms around a girl and a boy. They were crying and it seemed their whole world was turned upside down. The redhead sucked in her breath, her eyes widening. She reached for her daughter and pulled her to her chest. Her heart pounding, she touched her son's hand, her grip tightening. She never wanted to let them go. 

“What happened to them, mommy?” her small girl asked.

[i]What do I say in a moment like this?[/i]

[b]The End[/b]
[/hider]

[hider=Never Forget]
{note - I'm removing a few lines of text here, as I do with everybody who leaves a message with their entry -- but suffice it to say this entry represents a colossal amount of work by the author, and that bore mention. Enjoy! -mdk}

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96HtY9XJSMA]Sabaton - The Final Solution[/url]


[center][h1]Never Forget[/h1][/center]
[center][hider=Disclaimer]This story, while based heavily off of true events, is not meant to represent the true thoughts and actions of the real-life parallels to the characters. In particular, I must stress that while one character clearly fills the role of Adolf Hitler, their inner thoughts and reasons behind doing what they did are entirely different. Their character is in no way meant to represent the real Adolf Hitler and should not be seen as an attempt to make him appear any less evil than he actually was. They are most certainly not meant to be the same person, and you should not look at them as the same people.[/hider][/center]
[hr]

[center][h3]Former Terran Colony Newy Wizna, Republic of Zarmina[/h3][/center]

The twin suns of Newy Wizna glared down on the ground, as the planet and the two stars were situated just right in their orbital paths to allow for the stars to seem as though they were right next to each other. In reality, they were multiple astronomical units apart, the smaller red dwarf orbiting the mid-sequence star in the center. It was an arrangement that happened rarely, thanks to the red dwarf's erratic orbit. Normally, the elevated heat would be perfectly comfortable for a human. However, add camouflage, armor, and heavy weaponry, and it suddenly becomes far, far worse. Not that anyone realized it. Bullets in the air have a way of making people forget about everything else.

A system of enemy bunkers was situated right on the outskirts of the colony's border, firing down on the Terran forces from their hilltop position. They had held the border for nearly four days now, the four hundred Zarminian troops stopping the full force of the 12th's blitzkrieg into their territory. It had been twenty-one years since the end of the First Great War, a war which many of the soldiers still remembered. The Newy Wizna colony had been taken from the Terran Empire after their defeat, along with countless other planets and systems.

Now, however, the Terrans were ready for the war. The chaotic days of the Terran Republic formed after the First Great War were over, giving way to the Terran Reich. For years they had waited, building up a military behind closed doors, revealing it just a week ago with their declaration of war against the Republic of Zarmina. So far, the war as a whole was going swimmingly, Zarminian colonies and stations fell one by one to the Terran forces. Of course, war never looks easy to the men on the frontlines, a lesson Specialist Rudolf Veit was learning the hard way.

"How the hell is our entire division losing to a few hundred Zarminians?" Yelled Rudolf as he rolled into cover behind a fallen hovertank. "We must outnumber them forty to one!"

An old man, likely a veteran of the First Great War, pulled a plasma cutter out of his backpack. As he cut into the tank's bent hatch, he gave Rudolf a look that seemed to say "You don't know anything, do you?"

"Kid, if there's one thing you learn in war, it's that expectations are nothing more than something to help you fall asleep before a battle. The moment bullets start flying, your expectations mean nothing." He said over the deafening zaps of railguns firing their slugs, before throwing a magazine of ammo to Rudolf. "Your rails are too black for you to have any ammo left."

"Thanks!" Said Rudolf in a voice that lost its ability to carry emotion due to the sounds of battle he had to shout over. The other soldier had guessed right, he ran out of ammo so long ago that his railgun's barrel had turned to a cool black. Just as he had learned in training, he reloaded the rifle, looking towards the other soldier and bringing his fist to his chest using only his elbow-the Terran sign for a sitrep request.

"One of their anti-tank rifles hit the negative energy unit of this tank!" He yelled, turning his plasma cutter to a higher setting and plunging it back into the thickly armored hatch. "I could use some help with this hatch!"

"On it!" Responded Rudolf, taking out his plasma knife and using it as a makeshift cutter. As they kept going, the could hear banging from the inside, the tank crew desperately trying to get out. Whatever was happening in there, it wasn't good.

With a loud clang, the hatch fell off onto the ground, revealing the inside of the tank. The crew of four practically baking in the heat of an electrical fire. They immediately scrambled out, scraping against the red-hot ring which the two had cut around the hatch. They had burns all over them, but luckily the fire hadn't been going for long enough to kill them outright.

"MEDIC!" Yelled Rudolf, looking behind him to see a hand signal from a trench behind him.

[i]Medic, need cover fire[/i]

He returned an affirmative by nodding, then put his head around the tank and opened fire on the bunkers. A hail of fire rained down on him, stopped by the tank. With the fire drawn, the medic was able to get the tank, and immediately knelt down besides the communications officer of the tank. He worked faster than Rudolf ever believed possible, moving on to the next man in just a few minutes.

Rudolf turned right back behind the tank, happy to be alive. Another tank drove by them, luckily noticing them. Their own communications officer popped the tip of their trumpet out of the hatch, sending a message that didn't have to deal with enemy jamming systems to the main force behind them.

[i]Wounded, pinned down. Send support.[/i]

Rudolf slid down the side of the tank into a sitting position, sighing in relief. The sound of an APC's engine got louder and louder until it finally passed over the hill after what had felt like an eternity. Safe in the knowledge that he'd survived, he relaxed, his gaze falling to the ground. 

The relief immediately faded into horror as he found a pool of blood forming on his uniform, staining the solid green with red. He never even noticed that he had been hit, and only after he saw the wound did he feel pain. He had gone through live-fire courses in training, sure, but getting hit with an enemy slug was completely different. It was a moment in which he realized he wasn't some kind of invincible hero from a movie or book, he was just another soldier, and could be killed like any other.

"Really gets to you, doesn't it?" Said the other soldier, inspecting the wound. "The slug just grazed your leg, it'll hurt like hell and look even worse, but you'll be fine in a couple of days. You got lucky, it didn't hit your bone, a worse case scenario with that kind of injury and you'll lose a limb."

Rudolf just sat there, silently staring at his leg. He was so shocked that he couldn't respond. The other soldier calmly bandaged the wound, knowing that even a field clinic could take care of it thanks to Terran technology. When the APC arrived, he supported Rudolf, carrying him into the APC and laying him down on a stretcher.

"You'll be fine, kid." He said with a knowing smile. "The medics will patch you up and have you back out on the field in no time. Just remember Corporal, Markus Finch will always have your back."

[center][h3]Hoffnung Ghetto, Gerechtigkeit[/h3][/center]

Hundreds of people stood in line, the light of a red dwarf illuminating the city, deeply entrenched in the small ring of jungle that ran right across the axis of the planet. It was once the proud capital of an empire, but now it flew the Terran flag, called itself by a Terran name, and spoke the Terran language. Apparently, that wasn't enough for them. Their nation had been stolen, and now their people were being shipped off in cargo ships to God-knows-where.  

"You! Name!"

Lev Haskel turned around to find a Terran soldier yelling at his sister, Sarah Haskel. Her wings folded back behind her, hiding their beauty from the Terran. It was a common response to danger for Murtadan, but he didn't expect that the Terran would know that.

"S-Sarah Haskel" She said, trembling with fear. Luckily, the Terran seemed less antagonizing and more bored, as if he was doing mundane office work. 

"Ecktranai-Lizwitz, get on the ship straight ahead. And don't forget the 'Sir' next time, some people are happy to be doing this."

Lev was surprised at the Terran, ever since they divided the city, he'd believed that Terrans were heartless and selfish. This soldier wasn't either, he was just following orders. What nobody there knew was that he was unwittingly allowing a horror to come to pass.

"Name?" He said again, this time it was directed at Lev. Pushing back his fear, Lev responded as best he could.

"Lev Haskel, Sir!"

"Nova Terra, second ship to the left."

"But my sister..." Said Lev, before being cut off by the Terran.

"Orders are orders, and don't talk back to anyone. Same reason I told your sister to address me as Sir."

Lev opened his mouth to protest, but all that came out was a weak "Yes Sir". He boarded the ship he was told to, and found that it was not at all what he had expected. Everyone knew it would be cramped, but there already wasn't enough room for everyone to sleep. By the time everyone was onboard, there might not even be enough room to move.

There were no cots, forcing everyone to sleep on the freezing metal floor or on each other. There wasn't any food in sight, everyone hoped it would be dispensed at regular intervals, but they would soon find out that their hopes were in vain. The stench was terrible, but without any way to clean themselves, it looked like everyone would just be getting used to it. An airlock stood to the side of the cargo bay, but it didn't feel like an escape route so much as an invitation for suicide. Still, they had all been assured that everything would be okay. They were just going to 'work camps' after all, it would be hard, but they'd survive. At least, that's what they had been told.

[i]Everything is going to be fine.[/i] He told himself [i]Everything is going to be fine[/i]

[center][h3]Terran High Command, Olympus Mons City, Mars[/h3][/center]

The room had no windows, and it was lit only by the holographic display on the table. four people sat around it, all in uniform. The four military force heads and Kevra Könntesein, the Führer of the Terran Reich. She had seized power simply by finding a lighting rod for the anger of the Terrans, the only problem was that this lightning for was an entire people. She didn't seem to care, though. Whether she just hated them or wanted to direct the Terran anger somewhere was completely unknown to all but her, and it didn't change the fact that she had ordered the deaths of countless Murtaden. 

"I'm disappointed, General." She said, staring at the hogan without any emotion. "It took you four days to breach a tiny defensive line, that's not what I expected from the Grand Army... Perhaps it requires a change in leadership?"

"Our enemy knew how to use their land." Said Balzed Eumeh, a Zhànshì. His people were genetic constructs made by the Terrans to be the perfect soldiers, and while they weren't targeted by the Führer's genocide, they certainly weren't considered true Terrans. Everyone in the room would be well within their right to order him to do anything they wanted, and he'd have to obey thanks to obedience towards Terrans being hard wired into his brain.

"Are you implying they fought better?" Asked the Führer. Raising an eyebrow and reaching for her coilgun pistol. "You will answer truthfully."

Literally being unable to resist, General Eumeh responded with his head hung low. He expected nothing less than execution, a common punishment for Zhànshì who refused to follow orders.

"Yes, they laughed in our faces when we captured them, which we only accomplished after they had run dry on ammunition."

"I'm disappointed, Eumeh. Our forces are supposed to be the best the galaxy has ever seen. Such failures are unbecoming of a Terran division, see to it that such failures do not occur often... or else you will be useless to us."

General Eumeh shivered in fear, he knew what happened to people whom Kevra considered useless. He saluted her, hoping to appear more professional.

"Understood! It will not happen again!" 

"Don't be a fool." Said Kevra, beginning to refocus the holographic map on the table. "Of course it will happen again, it's your job to make sure it happens as little as possible. Enough of this. Admiral!"

"Yes, Führer?" Said Hans Norbert, the High Admiral of the Terran Star Forces.

"How is the invasion of the Third Sagittarian Republic proceeding?" She asked, finishing focusing the map on 62 Sagittarii, the capital of the Republic. "I trust your fleets are performing excellently."

"They have surrendered, Führer. The moment our fleet entered the skies of their homeworld, their ships struck their colors and we received an unconditional surrender. A cowardly move, not that I'm complaining."

"A hundred stars in a single month?" Said Kevra, impressed at the accomplishment. "We now control the majority of the inhabited systems in the Orion Spur. The Republic of Zarmina will have fallen soon as well. Once we have taken their capital, we will prepare for an offensive against the Perseus Union."

Everyone else in the room fell silent at the statement, even their breathing ceasing. Hans spoke up, hardly believing what Kevra had just said.

"But Führer! They control the entire Perseus Arm! Besides, we're allied with them! How could you-"

"Admiral!" Yelled Kevra, silencing him before she continued. "The Perseus Union's ideology and ours are opposites, there can be no coexistence. They may control an entire galactic Arm, but that galactic arm is mostly outside of the galactic habitable zone. All the systems beyond the Laeraka Nebula are full of either gas giants or hellish planets that can barely support their own populace. We can take them easily."

The Admiral still didn't agree with the plan, but he knew better than to question the Führer twice.

"Understood, Führer. My fleet will begin moving to the border."

"If there's not anything else to cover, then this conference is over. Dismissed." Said Kevra, turning the lights back on by snapping her fingers. The only other military leader in the room was the [i]other[/i] High Admiral, commander of the Terran Navy. The Navy was considered an afterthought, and it was only ever talked about if a Terran world was under attack. While transporting naval vessels to other planets wasn't worth the cost, keeping them operational certainly was. Their artillery and anti-air capabilities had proved indispensable during the First Great War.

"Heil Könntesein! Heil Terra!" Came the unanimous response.

[h3][center]Newy Wizna, Conquered Territory[/center][/h3]

The humming of hovertank drives filled the ears of the entire town as the Terran forces drove through the central street. Nobody tried to resist, they knew that they had been beat. Soldiers marched up the street with the armored convoy, collecting Murtadan along the way. Those not rounding up prisoners rode either in APCs or on top of the tanks themselves, those on the tanks making it clear that they wouldn't hesitate to open fire.

"Hey." Said one of the soldiers riding on a tank, Rudolf Veit. "Did you hear about the Perseus Union?"

"No, what about them?" Said another soldier, his uniform showing that he was nothing more than a Private.

"I managed to hear some superior officers talking about it, we just got a message from High Command telling us that the Perseus Union was refusing to hand over the Murts in their own lands. I'll bet we'll get the order to move out today."

"Shame, that." Said the other soldier, staring at Rudolf's leg. He couldn't help but realize the contrast between the peachy color of his skin and the soulless grey of the prosthetic's metal. "I met a few Perseans on Earth, during the games. They seemed nice."

"Well, I guess you can't judge a species by a few people, now can you?" Said Rudolf, in blissful ignorance of the irony of his statement. As far as he was concerned, the Murtadan were just being sent to camps to protect them and the galaxy from their greedy and scheming elders. Little did he know that there were no such elders.

"Say, do you ever think of what you'll do when the war's all over?" Asked the soldier, deciding to avoid bringing up Rudolf's leg. "I mean, do you have a family back home?"

"Yeah, wife and two boys. She wanted to join up, but when the draft went out for all the men that idea was shut down pretty quickly. I'm planning on moving to Kepler 22b when it's all over, my wife and I really like the ocean, after all. No better place to go than a water world."

"Sounds nice, I'm just hoping to get through this." He responded, looking down at Rudolf's leg again. "A limb can be replaced, but... I'm just afraid, you know? I was never good with handling pain, if I were to take a shot in the middle of a firefight..."

"I lost my leg providing cover fire for a medic." Said Rudolf, smiling in an understanding way. "I was standing entirely on one leg, and there was a big chunk taken out of the other one, but I didn't feel a thing when it happened. I couldn't even think about myself, all I could think of was that medic. I think that's why it didn't hurt, I didn't care. My father always said that that's what makes humanity so good at fighting, we have such a drive to help others that we'll defy even death to do so."

The other soldier laughed, the sound drowned out by the tank's engine flaring up as it rounded a corner.

"I wish I could be as idealistic as you!" He said, the laugh fading away. "That'd be nice, just ignoring pain because you know you're helping someone."

"I'm telling you, you should try it." Responded Rudolf, still in a cheerful mood. "Couldn't hurt to try, not more than it would if you didn't, at least."

As the convoy made its way through the streets, the voice of General Gerald Wini, commander of the 12th, came through the personal radios of every soldier. His voice wasn't what you would expect from a Terran General, he spoke with what was more or less a softer version of the usual heavy and intimidating Terran accent. He was the youngest general in the Terran army, at a mere twenty-seven years old. Such an age was formerly the realm of fiction, but when a man holds a city with a hundred men, people notice. In fact, rumor had it that Führer Könntesein herself had promoted him.

"Attention soldiers of the 12th Terran Army!" He said, the convoy continuing forward as everyone listened. "The Führer has declared war on the Perseus Union! Effective immediately, we are to begin an assault on enemy positions coreward of the Laeraka Nebula! This assault will utilize the same blitzkrieg tactics we have been utilizing both here in the Republic of Zarmina and the Third Sagittarian Republic. The enemy homeworld of Rodina is our goal, we head for the Zarminian capital today. From there, we will leave on the 19th Terran Transport fleet next month, after the 214th have cleared the way for us. That is all, General Wini out!"

"Thought so." Said Rudolf, putting his hands behind his head and laying on his backpack. "At least we've got a month to rest here, that'll be nice."

"If the Zarminians don't revolt, that is." Said the other soldier, looking at the Zarminians lining the streets. There wasn't any biological difference between the Terrans and the Zarminians, but centuries of separation caused them to grow apart. Even then, humanity wasn't united. 

"Let's just hope they don't. I'd rather not have to fight civilians."

"You're not the only one, just the thought makes me sick."

[h3][center]Nova Terra, Terran Reich Core World[/center][/h3]

"Men to the right, women to the left! Children under twelve with their mothers!"

A Terran in military uniform barked the orders into a megaphone, and everyone immediately obeyed, organizing just as he had said. Two lines formed, made up of disheveled and malnourished Murtadan, happy to be alive. The sight of the camp, however, took all their hope away. There weren't barracks like so many had said: there were tents, with the mud as their floor. In fact, nothing there was like what they had been told. All hope turned to dust as they realized that nothing they had heard was true, that they weren't there to work, that they weren't there to keep them from becoming a threat to the Reich. No, they were there for one purpose.

To die.

A giant building was right next to the two lines of Murtadan who had just stepped off of the cargo ships that brought them there. There were countless bodies, those who died during transit. There hadn't been any food, and at this point, they were just glad that they had been given the luxury of breathing. Nobody knew what the building was for until the bodies were handed over, and immediately brought inside. A crematorium. The Terrans had done their research, Murtadan traditions called for burial. Right then, everyone knew that they weren't people anymore. Some ran, but the Terrans were quick on the draw. Anyone that tried was killed instantly, then carried off to the crematorium as if they had never lived.

"Name?" Said a Terran to Lev Haskel, his voice completely emotionless. Lev hadn't even realized he was at the front of the line, too horrified at how little the Terrans seemed to care about their fate.

"L-Lev Haskel, Sir!"

"Age?"

"172, Sir!"

"Terran years, boy."

"18, Sir!"

"Occupation?"

"Student, Sir!"

The Terran frowned, marking an X on his tablet's holographic screen. 

"Any skills?"

"Electronics repair, Sir!"

A check appeared on the screen, the Terran's frown changing to an emotionless slate.

"Diseases?"

"None, Sir."

Another check.

"Disabilitites?"

"None, Sir."

Again, a check.

"Sexual orientation?"

"Heterosexual, Sir."

A fourth check, Lev didn't know what they meant, but things seemed to be good.

"Are you a Communist?"

"S-Sir?" Said Lev, not knowing quite what he was being asked, He knew the term had something to do with the Perseus Union, but he had never heard what it really meant. He was just an IT guy at a small little company back home, he never really cared.

"I said, are you a Communist?"

"I don't suppose so, Sir."

A check came up on the screen and Lev breathed a sigh of relief, glad that "No" was the right answer.

"Restate your name."

"Lev Haskel, Sir."

"No."

"No?"

"A-7713. That's your name. Go straight."

Lev followed his orders, barely believing what was happening. Judging people, sentient beings, solely based on their skills? Who they loved? What they called themselves? This was exactly the kind of thing Murtadan were taught not to do. During the ancient war, it was said that the Terrans claimed to be superior because of their history, because they had been through horrors just like this. They tried to forget it, not wanting to remember the shame. It seems that they never learned one of the most important truths in the universe: A mistake that you forget is a mistake you will make again.

As he entered the building, he saw a sight nobody could have expected. The floor was covered with hair and feathers. They were taking away the two things that were used most often to identify Murtadan. It really was a case of removing any semblance of individuality, making everyone look the same, think the same, and in the end, die the same. Screams from a nearby building made it clear what those Xs on the screen meant. Even though he was walking into hell, Lev felt lucky. Lucky that he wasn't walking into literal hell.

Terrans in the room undressed them, beating anyone who resisted. Forcing them down onto benches, they started to cut their hair and pluck their feathers. As his feathers went one by one, Lev could almost feel himself becoming something else. Others cried, both from the pain and from the thought of losing the last shreds of their individuality. The Terrans, however, didn't seem to feel at all. They just focused on their jobs, like they were working at a desk at some company, doing boring and menial work that didn't mean a thing. But instead of accounting, they were working to take away the very identity of thousands of people, one feather at a time.

Lev didn't cry, though. He was like the Terrans, he just didn't feel. It didn't seem real, but he knew it was. It was like being in denial, but even worse. His stomach tightened up as he realized that he wasn't feeling anything while he saw his brothers and sisters stripped of anything that was theirs, even of the possessions they were born with. When the nightmare was over, they simply woke into a second one, being shooed out of the room like cattle, into the next room. Lev felt like he was just floating in a stream now, simply staring at the world glassy-eyed while his body moved on its own according to whatever everyone else was doing.

They were given stark white prisoner uniforms, tracking devices attached to each and every one. Nobody could go anywhere without it being on the schedule, nobody could try to escape, nobody could even go to talk with those in another tent without the risk of being beaten. As they exited the building to see the walking corpses outside, the remnants of what were once people, they truly realized something for the first time.

They were going to die here.

[center][h3]Newy Warszawa, Zarmina, Capital of the Republic of Zarmina[/h3][/center]

An explosion rocked the building as the glass picture window crashed, shrapnel from a tank flying through it. The zaps of firing railguns once again filled the air of Zarmina's largest city and capital. In the days before, everyone knew there was something brewing, whispers of freedom from the underground, but none of the Terrans could have expected that the revolt would be so effective. There was even an improvised Zarminian tank roaming the streets, somehow besting the supposedly perfect Panther Mk2s of the Terran Army.

A molotov cocktail flew through the shattered window, killing a squad of rescue personnel coming to help any survivors of the shrapnel. The weapon was ancient, but age doesn't matter if it can still kill. Rudolf was lying on the floor, trying to avoid the gunfire. A medic from the rescue team fell right beside him, her eyes no longer blinking and her heart no longer pumping. Her arm lay over his back, still warm. Rudolf has been through training, and had already fought, but he wasn't ready for this kind of warfare. There were no longer combatants and non-combatants, anyone who spoke a different language was the enemy.

A Zarminian holding a civilian-model railgun rifle stepped through the window, three molotovs haphazardly strapped to his belt waiting to be thrown. Rudolf froze, thinking that if he played dead they wouldn't fire. He was wrong. A shot rang out, hitting the head of the medic lying next to him. He closed his eyes immediately, warm blood splattering onto his arm. He refused to look at the medic's head, he'd heard the stories of what happens to people shot at point-blank with a railgun.

Knowing that he was no longer safe, he abruptly turned his head around, facing away from the dead medic. Opening his eyes, he found that the Zarminian was making sure that the others were dead, looking away from him as he fired on a volunteer rescue technician. His own railgun lay right next to his hand, well within his reach. Slowly and silently extending his arm, he grasped the railgun's handle, pulling it closer to himself. Setting it up to use his shoulder as a brace, he aimed it at the Zarminian's back. The Zarminian turned around to make sure the rest were dead, and saw Rudolf lying there with a gun aimed right at his chest.

The Zarminian tried to fire, but Rudolf's finger was already on the trigger. A single tungsten slug shot through the Zarminian's chest, a small splatter of blood exiting with the slug through his back. Both hit the wall, leaving behind a slug lodged in the wall surrounded by red, a common sight in urban combat areas. Finally breathing again, he stood up, returning the railgun to its standard combat carry position and ran down the hallway to the comms room.

It had already been a month, and there was no sign of the 19th Transport Fleet. Still, there might be a chance that there were close enough to perform an emergency jump and land their relief force early. As he ran through the hallway, he could hear more explosions and the screams that resulted. Through the rare windows, he could see hovertanks spiraling out of control. They plowed into buildings that had stood for centuries, demolishing them in seconds, their sharply-sloped carbyne armor cutting through the brick buildings like a knife through butter.

[i]I have to get a message out![/i] He thought, his steps getting longer and faster as he ran down the hallway, the sounds of battle seemingly tormenting him as he dashed for the communications room. [i]I must bring reinforcements![/i]

After what he could have sworn was an eternity, he reached the communications room, finding the interstellar communicator still intact. He dialed in all of the 19th Fleet's possible locations, setting the wormhole exits that would let the message travel hundreds of light years in an instant. The flick of a switch under a broken glass case activated the quantum hotline, which would ensure that the message would reach High Command. He wanted to be sure that someone knew what was going on, be they in the system or on the other side of the Orion Spur.

"This is Specialist Rudolf Veit of the 12th Terran Army!" He said, yelling into the microphone. "We are stationed on the planet Zarmina in the republic of the same name, a major uprising has occurred! Zarminian insurgents armed with small arms and IEDs are assaulting our forces all over the city! Enemy organization is unknown, enemy backing is unknown, enemy has been confirmed to be using improvised combat vehicles! We need immediate backup! I repeat, immediate backup!"

He heard footsteps behind him, and spun around to see another insurgent reaching for a molotov in order to destroy the equipment. Their eyes met straight on, and they could each see the fear on the other's eyes. For a brief moment, Rudolf wondered how different they were, if this Zarminian had a wife and two kids just like he did. What if he was fighting to protect them, even more literally than Rudolf himself? Part of him wanted to throw down his gun, and ask why they were doing it.

However, that was nothing more than the wild imaginings of his emotional side. His other side, the side that remembered the months of training and combat, begged to differ. It told him to raise his gun and shoot for the heart, which he did immediately. The Zarminian fell over, the same eyes that made Rudolf question his duty turning from shining windows to the soul to lifeless, unblinking features on the face of a rapidly cooling corpse. The Zarminian rebel wheezed out one last sentence before he died, in a language that Rudolf didn't know.

"Moja miłość... Przepraszam."

Wiping his mind of what had just happened, he sealed the room and returned to the microphone, yelling desperately into it in the hopes of getting a response.

"Specialist Rudolf Veit to 19th Terran Transport Fleet, do you read? I repeat, 19th Terran Transport Fleet, do you read? This is Specialist Rudolf Veit of the 12th Terran Army to the 12th Terran Transport Fleet, we are under attack and require assistance! Do you read, 19th?"

His messages became more and more disjointed as his fear grew, knowing that if nobody answered, he could die there. By the time a response finally came, his messages has descended into almost complete inanity.

"This is the 19th Terran Transport Fleet to 12th Terran Army, repeat situation!"

"Thank God you heard!" Exclaimed Rudolf, regaining his composure in that single instant. "I'm Specialist Rudolf Veit of the 12th Terran Army. We are under attack from Zarminian rebels, they're better equipped than we expected and we need support! I'm requesting that you land the relief forces early!"

"Specialist Veit, the situation has changed." Said the voice on the other end, which took on a grave tone. "The 219th was wiped out, the Perseus Union is pushing for Zarmina. We're here to evacuate you now."

"Then do it!" Yelled Rudolf, the sound of footsteps coming closer and closer.

"Specialist, calm down! We're on our way!"

Now there was banging on the doors, with one of them lighting up as someone with a plasma cutter began to cut through it.

"U-Understood! 12th Terran Army out!"

The door fell into the room just as Rudolf spun around, railgun in hand, to find five Zarminian rebels. Without even thinking, he fires a spray of bullets, not aiming for any particular body part or person. They all fell, and Rudolf didn't even realize what he had just done. All he wanted to do now was survive, he didn't care how many people he killed, only that he survived. Luckily for him, the other groups didn't have plasma cutters, and could do nothing but bang on the doors unless they were willing to use a molotov in the hallway. So he just sat there. His railgun raised, completely alert for any sign of hostiles. It was like that for a horrifying five hours. Many times he wanted to just fall asleep, but his instincts wouldn't let him. They would only let him fall asleep when the danger was gone.

After those five hours of being reduced to nothing more than his instincts, the doors opened. At first, he thought he would die, but then he saw that the soldiers outside we're Terran. The 19th had gotten through. He and the rest of the 12th were safe now.

"Specialist Veit?" Asked one of the soldiers, lowering his rail gun as Rudolf did the same.

"Yes sir, 12th Terran Army."

"Well, Specialist, you saved everyone today." Said the soldier, smiling. "If not for that message, we would have never known to make an emergency jump. I'll bet Eumeh will like to hear this."

[i]I did save them, didn't I?[/i] Thought Rudolf, relaxing for the first time in five hours. 

"Just get us off of this this planet." He said, walking towards the door. "I think the whole Army has had enough."

[Center][h3]Terran High Command, Olympus Mons City, Mars[/h3][/center]

"HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?!" Yelled Kevra, slamming her fist down on the conference table as the others backed away in fear.

It had been only a few months since the loss of the 219th fleet during the invasion of the Perseus Union. Even so, the Terrans had already lost nearly everything they had conquered. Sagittarius was gone, Zarmina was gone, all they had left was original Terran space. The enemy forces kept creeping into even that too, with many of the outer systems being lost.

"Führer, we are doing all that we c-" Said the High Admiral, hoping to calm Kevra.

"BE QUIET, ADMIRAL!" She yelled in response, making it clear that she had no interest in any kind of excuse. "This was supposed to be our return to power... and now we're losing the war! I won't let this happen. All of you, you are not doing your best! Humanity's best is [i]not[/i] failing against [i]this[/i]!"

"Führer, we can't win this war! Just end it and prepare for the next!" Said General Eumeh, desperately trying to convince the Führer to end the war. However, she seemed to have other ideas.

"You will follow my orders, General! Move your troops to defensive positions inside our space!" She yelled, silencing any further protests. She looked at the holographic map, staring at proof of her failure. She gambled with lives, and she lost. All the calculations she had made, all the crimes she committed, all the people she had killed or sent to die, it was all in vain. After this, humanity would just be looked upon worse than ever before.

[i]No![/i] She thought, clenching her fists as she looked at the map with a deranged stare. [i]I can still do it! I can still restore the Empire![/i]

[center][h3]Nova Terra, Terran Reich Core World[/h3][/center]

"You! A-7713! Over here!"

It was one of the sweltering days on Nova Terra, the three suns of the Centauri system scorching the planet's surface. Only the biodome kept the environment livable, but it clearly wasn't meant to keep it comfortable. The Murtadan were especially unaccustomed to it, with many of them coming from either their planet's frozen wastes or the thin strip of temperate land. Lev himself was from the frozen wastes, the heat taking quite a toll on his malnourished and already broken body.

The voice of the Terran forced him to comply, it was almost an instinct now, obeying them. His mind might scream for him to run, but his legs followed the orders of the Terrans. He walked over to the Terran, his all-bone legs just barely supporting his thin body. It had been weeks, months- he didn't know how long. All that he knew was that it had been at least 2 years since the last molting he had before the nightmare began. His wings were looking worse than ever, their featherless hide filled with scars from beatings the Terrans gave him. He didn't understand why they were doing this, all he knew was that they were, and that was enough for his instincts.

"Y-yes, Sir?" He said weakly, lowering his gaze to the Terran's feet.

"A-7713, follow me."

"Y-yes, Sir."

The Terran walked slowly, letting Lev stay close to him. It wasn't something he had expected, Terrans usually forced the Murtadan to run with them, even though they knew they couldn't. Those that gave in were beaten, as were those who stopped to watch. This Terran, however, seemed to care that Lev couldn't possibly keep up with him at a normal pace.

Eventually, they reached a secluded alley somewhere in between the mess and the barracks, the Terran ones, of course. Once again, it came as a surprise to Lev. He had expected the crematorium. He hadn't disobeyed any orders, done anything that would make the Terrans angry. However, it was well known that they would burn people alive no matter who they were, just to keep everyone else in line. For whatever reason, though, this man had taken him into the middle of nowhere.

"Here, take this." Said the Terran, handing Lev a slice of bread. It looked like a feast to him, his rations usually got stolen by the others, so he almost never got the full ration. It was just enough to survive anyways, and he knew he was slowly dying. After staring at the bread for a moment, he stuffed it into his mouth, eating it in seconds. The scene would have been funny had he not looked like a skeleton. If he had been thinking, he would have assumed that the bread was poisoned in some way. However, starving to death has a way of letting your instincts take over.

It wasn't filling at all, but it was enough to let him live for days. He looked up at the Terran, who was smiling. Not the sick, almost psychotic smile that the Terrans showed when they were beating Murtadan. It was a soft, compassionate smile, like something Lev would expect from his mother. Filled with questions, he opened his mouth. The Terran held up a hand, with the smile still on his face.

"I know what you want to know." Said the Terran, guessing Lev's question. "It's because you don't deserve this. All of this, it's supposed to be in our past, the past that too many of us forgot. I didn't forget."

"But... they'll kill you..." Said Lev, still unable to understand why the Terran would help him. "You could save yourself..."

"I can help, so I do help." Came the Terran's response, as he turned to leave. "Meet me here every day, and I'll get you some food."

Lev's first instinct was to be wary. The Terran could easily be tricking him just to have some fun, but then their eyes met. Lev could somehow tell that he was sincere, that this was the first friend he met since he left his hometown. It was such an odd situation, the only friend he had in the world was an alien who wore the uniform of his oppressors.

"I will, sir!" Said Lev, overjoyed at the thought of someone who wouldn't beat him or steal from him.

"Please, my name is Alexander. Alexander Boni."

"Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Lev returned to his tent, hoping to tell his father the good news. Of course, he couldn't do so yet, he would have to wait until everyone was gone. If they heard, they would kill him for it.

[center][h3]Nova Terra, Midnight a Month Later[/h3][/center]

Lev awoke with a jolt to a flash of light and a scream. He wanted to know what had happened, but he didn't dare go out at night. If the guards saw him, that would be his death. Then he heard a thump, like a sack of potatoes falling to the ground. More flashes, screams, and thumps followed, and Lev's curiosity got the better of him. He got up and opened the tent, looking outside to see what was going on. He was met with the sight of a Terran corpse, a hole placed perfectly right between its eyes.

Looking up, he found that the guard tower above was empty. The guard had fallen, whatever was used to kill him was strong enough to knock him off. There were only two species that could handle a gun that powerful: the Zhànshì, and the Perseans. Since the Zhànshì were all over the camp anyways, it was quite clear who it was.

[i]Is this the end?[/i] Thought Lev, still staring into the sky. [i]Is this horrid nightmare finally over?[/i]

He could have sworn that he saw a few stars eclipsed by something, but he didn't have much time to think about it. The zapping of a railgun filled his ears, the screams of another Terran following. He saw Alexander running towards him, railgun in hand.

"Lev! Thank God!" He yelled, abruptly coming to a stop by planting his feet into the ground. "It's the Perseans! They're here! You're saved, Lev! You're all saved!"

His eyes were filled with tears, and the happiest smile Lev had ever seen was on his face. Lev, too, smiled, starting to cry tears of joy with him. A bomb struck the Terran barracks, dropped from orbit. They went up in flames, with all the Terran soldiers desperately trying to fight the fire. Unfortunately, they were perfect targets for the Perseans. Flashes lit up in the sky, paratroopers opening fire with hastily assembled railguns. 

Lev embraced Alexander, his head coming up to only his chin on the towering man.

"Thank you" Was all that he said.

"You're welcome, son." Said Alexander, returning the action. "You're welcome."

[center][h3]Earth, Terran Reich Capital[/h3][/center]

"Attention all 12th Terran Army units! We have recieved our orders!"

The General's voice could barely be heard over the gunfire and explosions. The allies had made it all the way to Earth. They had taken all the lands around the capital itself, and now, they were pushing into it. The Perseans from the east, and the rest of the allies from the west. The government building, the Reich itself, was in flames. All the soldiers expected to be told to defend the city, but it would be in vain. It was the end, the war had been lost.

"The Führer herself has ordered us to defend the city. We are to defeat the enemy at any cost and save the capital. Those are her orders. Now it's time for [i]my[/i] orders."

Rudolf stopped firing for a moment and ducked behind cover, wondering what the General meant. Was there even something else to do? If they surrendered, the Perseans would just kill them right there. There just wasn't a way out of it, they were dead no matter what.

"We are going to open up a corridor to the river! All soldiers are to protect evacuating civilians and members of the 9th Army! We do not leave until every last one is across!"

With that single order, Rudolf was no longer afraid of pain or bullets. He was no longer afraid of how he would be remembered or what would happen to his family. He knew that he'd be tried as a war criminal for serving Terra, he knew that his family could be dead right now, but he didn't care. Because right then, he knew his sole purpose was to save lives. The people of the city, the soldiers of the 9th, their lives were all in his hands and the hands of every man and woman in the 12th Terran Army.

He leapt out of cover, opening fire with his railgun. The slugs struck the enemy soldiers, killing them one by one as he ran towards the rest of the Army. A railgun slug hit his cybernetic leg, but he didn't care. As long as it still worked, he was fine. Breaking out of the alleys and into the streets, he saw the rest of the 12th. He ran to join the formation, breaking through the Persean lines in a wedge, inching closer and closer to the river.

The last Persean fell, and the river Spree came into full view. On the other side lay the end of the war, the end of this life of killing and battle. The faces of the other soldiers made it clear that they were thinking the same thing, imagining the looks on their families' faces when they returned. They might not, they might even be killed after surrendering, but they didn't care. At that moment, the world was about to become perfect for them.

Civilians rushed out of their homes, flooding into the streets and jumping into boats docked along the riverside. A constant stream of people-civilians and soldiers alike-crossed it, making their way to the other side. Rudolf was almost at the front, almost at the boat that would take him to the other side, to the side where the Perseans wouldn't be able to torture him, kill him, or worse. His salvation was so close

A young girl was right next to him, though he didn't get a good look at her. He was too filled with excitement about crossing the river, leaving this cursed war behind. But then he heard it. The most important sound he would ever hear: the zap of a railgun. He spun around, seeing the tungsten slug glisten in the sunlight. Time almost stopped for him right then, and it felt as though he had an infinite amount of time to think about his decision. However, he didn't think for a second. Seeing that it was just to his left, he jumped into action, flinging himself as fast as he could into the air to his left, hoping to take the bullet for whomever it was meant for.

It hit him square in the chest, the impact slowing it to non-lethal levels as it passed through his body, hitting another soldier's armor. He fell onto the ground, right in front of the young girl. As his vision faded, he caught a single, distorted glimpse of her face. With his last breath, he pleaded to her, begging her to tell his family what happened.

"I am Rudolf Veit... tell my family... that I died... as a hero..."

His heartbeat faded away, his breathing stopped, and his eyes fell shut. As his life faded away, he had one last thought, his true last words.

[i]I wouldn't have had it any other way.[/i]

[center][h3]Earth, Terran Reich Capital[/h3][/center]

Elsewhere in the capital, the Führer herself was sitting in a simple, wooden chair. Her elbows rested on a table which hadn't been polished in decades, while the almost silent sounds of battle could be heard miles away. It was the old city bunker, a relic that some said had existed for centuries. Though the sounds were muffled, they were there all the same, constantly reminding Kevra of her failure, of the calculated sacrifice that had been in vain.

"Why... why did I do this?" She asked herself aloud, tears streaming down her cheeks as for the first time, she realized what had happened. "All of them, they all died without reason! So many soldiers died just to see their home be invaded again, and so many died by our hands for no purpose!"

She reached into a small drawer under the table, pulling out an old coilgun pistol with a single slug. As her hands shook, she loaded the gun and flipped off the safety. She didn't bother to write a note, didn't even bother to let anyone know why she did what she did. Now, she knew that there was no excusing it. After all the years of her life, this was the first time that she had grasped something. It was an idea taken for granted by nearly everyone else in the universe, an idea so integral in so many cultures that challenging it would get you labeled as an absolute monster.

For some, there was no way [i]not[/i] to challenge it. For some, the idea never made sense. Kevra was one of those people, yet somehow, she had managed to figure it out. After decade upon decade of confusion and ignorance, she finally understood why the idea was held so closely to the hearts of every known species in the galaxy. It was the reason the neighbors of Murtadan cried when they saw their former friends being taken away, it was the reason soldiers could bring themselves to do things that Kevra formerly couldn't see as anything but complete insanity. 

It was the reason General Eumeh frowned at enemy casualties, it was the reason Admiral Norbert cringed every time he got a report of a successful planetary bombardment. It was why the 12th Army had disobeyed her orders, and it was why so, so many of her own soldiers had joined the war in the first place.

"A life is more than a number." She said to herself, bringing the coilgun up to her head. "No note, no video. Everyone will remember me as a monster, but at least they will remember me, remember all of this. Remember it, so that it will never happen again."

The last sound she heard was the quiet [i]zap[/i] of the coilgun, and it was all over.

And this time, nobody ever forgot.

[hr]

[center][hider=Author's Notes]I would like to draw attention to the fact that the Battle of Newy Wizna is based entirely off of the real-life Battle of Wizna, which was extremely close to the version depicted in this story. 720 Polish troops held off 42,000 German men for four days before they were defeated. The evacuation of the unnamed city (which some may have guessed correctly to be Berlin due to the mention of the Spree River) also occurred, and was orchestrated by none other than General Walther Wenck of the 12th Army. However, he and his men crossed the Elbe River, which later formed the border between West and East Germany.

Lev Haskel's name, means (very) roughly "The heart which God strengthens". This is less me saying that God was with those in the death camps (I'm agnostic, after all), and more me saying that unbelievable amounts of willpower were needed to go through what happened there.

Kevra Könntesein, as you all already figured out, is the "Not Adolf Hitler" I talked about in the disclaimer. Again, I must say that she and her thoughts are not mean to represent Hitler in any way. I will, however, give you the meaning of her name. It roughly means "Beauty could be", though in this case, this is to be taken as "Beauty that could have been". This is meant to show how good of a person she could have been remembered as if she hadn't gone to such extreme ends to accomplish her goals. As was implied, she did have the intention of restoring Terran holdings in the galaxy and once again setting them in a place of power. However, as she said at the end, she never realized that lives were more than numbers. This is not her somehow avoiding ever learning that, this is indicative of her being (at least somewhat similar to) a sociopath. In real life, sociopaths don't suddenly flip the "on" switch in their brain for morality. Some can integrate just fine into society (Like Kevra, while "Being Hitler" doesn't really sound like integrating, remember that she had a somewhat normal life before that), while others become the serial killers that make everyone see sociopaths as naturally evil people. Kevra's epiphany would almost certainly never actually happen, but this is fiction, and I would rather have her be more than a plot device instead of being realistic.

Alexander Boni, the ten or so lines he appeared in, is a character I wish I could have done more with. I wanted us to have a better look at his motivations and desires, but in the end, he became a side character. For those wondering, he is a Communist, and lied in order to survive. He was drafted into the military, and unfortunately lied too much for his own good, seeming loyal enough to get a posting in a concentration camp. He helps out whoever he can, and we can all assume that he had multiple others whom he provided with food. His name is possibly one of the more ill-fitting ones here, but I figure I might as well explain its meaning: It means "Defender of peace".

For those of you who are wondering (Which is all of you who didn't immediately pause reading to go open up a google translate tab), "Moja miłość... Przepraszam" (the last words of the second Zarminian rebel Rudolf killed) mean "My love... I'm worry" in Polish (google translate polish, at least). Everything Rudolf imagined about him was true, and he was fighting to save his wife, a Murtadan, from being found by the Terrans.

Murtadan, for those who are wondering, is a bastardization of the word "Chosen" in some language. I unfortunately can't remember which one.

Now, I have twenty minutes until the deadline, so I'll end this right here. I sincerely hope you enjoyed my story, and I would be overjoyed to receive some feedback on it! I wrote this to improve my writing, and you can't learn from your mistakes unless they're pointed out to you in the first place![/hider][/center]
[/hider]

This concludes the (eligible!) entries for RPGC #1's popular vote. I should note that, in addition to all this, we've also received a few additional entries -- one of which you won't see here, as it's being submitted to an unspecified external contest (aka publishing!). I have two more that I *can* share, and if any more stories trickle in, I wouldn't mind adding them here at the end so that more folks can read them at their leisure. These are not eligible for the popular vote, for various reasons, but you can still enjoy them as we have.

[hider=additional pieces]

[hider=Inspired by Newton's Cradle] 
Inspired by [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITzQiUeBegA]Newton's Cradle - Ludovico Einaudi[/url]

Silence. Silence and darkness, the familiar embrace she experienced on a daily basis. She hated it. And yet, she had no way of protecting herself or fighting back against that which encased her. Segumir was alone, yet again. A light shined through, and the darkness was no more, a temporary relief for her. A man in a white coat again. All she sees nowadays. 

If only she could be free, happy and full of life, as she was before. Or was she? Lately even her own memories seemed to taunt her, the question of their existence always lingering. The man in the white coat was the focus of her vision, dull and bleak eyes which envied the world, yet the men here bear no pity or self conscious, otherwise she wouldn't be here. He was rummaging through papers, ignorant to the presence of the girl. 

Although Segumir didn't know where she would be after here, the unknown was one of few things she feared, but it created a paradox within herself. She desired freedom, but was too scared of what may lie ahead of her life. She wished for death sometimes, but the strange devices ensured otherwise. Segumir was inside a containment tube, one that kept her in a form of stasis, wired up and floating in the liquid she could only relate to as twisted comfort.

The man seemed to exclaim something as he pulled a paper from the rest, then headed for the door. She knew what was happening next. And she dreaded it. The lights went out, the door was closed, the darkness returned, continuing her torment. Sleep often deprived of her as the chaos within her mind continues, Fate had smiled upon her and blessed her with the mercy of losing consciousness.

Murmuring. Voices. Scratching. Her eyes lazily opened, awakening, the men ignorant of her actions. They always seemed so focused on their papers. It reminded her of something, her earliest memory, when she had first arrived here. She knew this was true, for it was that which began this metronomic torture that was presently her demise. When she had arrived here, Segumir was initially in this glass cage, her body felt sluggish and eyelids heavy. The men in white suits seemed to frolic around her then, observant of every action she could muster, although the others resorted to watching the devices, some which scratched lines onto paper endlessly.
 
"Telepathy", "Telekinesis", "Mind Mastery", these words were of many they muttered amongst each other. Segumir hated them, they brought upon her unpleasant thoughts, those that now brought her despair. Another day, the men observing her uninterested, another eon of inhumanity for her mind. Segumir was breaking, and it seemed her time should come very soon, yet the men continued their scribbling, their murmuring, their regular activities while she slowly died inside. Why? Why must she be subject to this suffering? It wasn't fair, [b]it wasn't fair[/b]. No more no more NO MORE [b]NO MORE[/b]. 

Glass shattered everywhere, the liquid flowing out in an abrupt wave of energy as Segumir dropped onto the floor, freezing, but vivid and alive. She was free. She was cold. Cold. Cold! Her maddening laughter echoed through the room as she relished in the feeling of cold, for it was the first thing she had felt in ages. She was feeling, she was alive. She wanted more. She needed more. Segumir gazed at the men, all frozen in astonishment and fear. She could sense Voices inside her, insatiable and undeniable. They craved, they desired, they needed. And in coalition, she craved, desired, and needed.
 
She turned to the closest one, and walked towards her, strong and proud. Into his eyes, she stared. Fear was resonating from his mind, heart rate was increasing, breathing ragged. Segumir didn't like it. Gently brushing her palm onto his head, she blessed him with her Voices, and in response he howled in agony, scratching at his balding hair until it and his fingers bled. Within moments, he stopped, eyes wide in agony, he was broken. And it felt wonderful. All his suffering, all his agony, it was rejuvenating for her, and she needed more. With another laugh, she stretched her arms outwards, and everyone repeated the first victim's actions. Screaming, agony, then silence. It was beautiful. Segumir felt alive. 

As she departed from the room that was her lifelong prison until moments ago, she felt a stinging in the back her mind. Fear. Uncertainty. Suffering. Panicking, she ran outside, destroying mind after mind she encountered. It was not enough. She needed more. So much more. So that she could forget, forget about the fears which clung to her in their maddening embrace. She was afraid of the Silence and the Darkness. She was afraid of Nothing. And anything, any feeling, would satiate the numbing avarice that pushed back the Nothing. Segumir was free, yet still felt she was within Nothing's cold grasp. She needed more. [/hider]

[hider=Inspired by Hunter's Season]
Inspired by [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJjwMBgDkX8]Hunter's Season - Kamelot[/url]

The snow descended gently and gracefully, as it silently covered all that was. The wolves that no longer breathed, the blood splattered everywhere, the dying boy, the grave marker. Dull and bleak eyes gazed upon the wintry sky, indifferent and uncaring to the cold embrace that surrounded him. I am dying. I am finally dying. "I... I'm... Sorry..." He murmured with what strength he could muster.

9 years ago, she was happy. She had her friends, Joshua and Tyrael, her two closest companions in the whole world. Since they were small, the three of them were always a close knit group. Tyrael and Joshua were both strong and healthy, but Cassidy herself was rather frail, the 8 year old child would often rely on her friends for help as the three adventured, climbing up trees and running through the sea-like forest. I don't mind, and hopefully they don't either. I think...

Joshua glanced at the other two as they raced up to the treetop, holding a steady lead, but Tyrael was close behind, while Cassidy struggled. The playful grin shifted into a look of concern as he called out "Cass, you need help?". The girl close by had also stopped to turn to their near forgotten companion, showing the same worry as himself. I hope she's not pushing herself too hard, she does that alot. The girl continued to stubbornly try to keep up with the two. 

"No... huff... huff... I'm... I'm ok!" I won't be defeated by a simple plant so easily! Or maybe she would, Cassidy thought as she felt her arms go numb. She faltered, and fell onto the soft grass below. It was a short fall, she hadn't climbed very far, but the others still climbed down with haste. Joshua was like this; brave and strong, while still caring and nice. Maybe thats why I love him. She didn't care, it was just pleasant being with him. 

"You know you can just let us know when you're too tired, Cass." He kneeled down to help her up, still worried. "Yeah, its no problem for us!" he heard Tyrael chime happily beside him. Together, the 3 continued playing. Joshua was the only boy in their group, brown hair and dauntless eyes, but it didn't bother him, the  supposed wall of gender that usually separated children. Tyrael had long and pretty hair, jet black, with a clear gaze. She was the most skillful and dextrous of the three, maybe it was because of her training and "missions"?

Yes, they were perfect together, Joshua and Tyrael, why wouldn't they be? She'll definitely love him one day, just as I do. The little girl, short and neatly trimmed blonde hair with long side bangs, eyes brimming with innocence. Although it didn't bother her, she only wanted to be close to Joshua. Whether he chose Tyrael or her was up to him, and she lacked the self confidence to see any way he would choose herself. Still, they were young. She neither resented or hated her beloved friend, but envied her capabilities.

Joshua glanced at the setting sun, disappointed. "Aww, its time to go back. Do you have another one of those missions again, Tyr?" She hesitantly nodded, causing him to sigh. Why does she have to go on those missions all the time anyway? What were they? The boy decided to let her have her privacy in the matter, Tyrael often avoided the topic as best she could. Oh well, a mystery for another day. As a trainee for the Hunters, he also had his own training to do, leaving Cassidy alone in her own thoughts often.

They were 15 now, growing into fine young adults. Cassidy was growing weaker every day, but refused to show it. The doctor had already informed her and her parents the she was sick. Sick with something they could not cure. She would die within 5 years, an unfortunate fate awaited her so early in her life. Cassidy distanced herself from the two more and more. If she were to die, who knows how gravely it would affect them. No, I have to remain alone. I couldn't possibly leave such a large scar in Joshua's heart. He mustn't fall in love with me. Pain surged through her body, she struggled to hide it, yet it wasn't her ailment that ached her. My love...

Cass was getting further and further from them, he could sense it. But he didn't know why. Maybe she despises us? Maybe she just despises me... He gripped his chest, heart throbbing with pain. If it is what she desires... Joshua couldn't help his feelings. He knew he must help his friend in any way he can, but he didn't know what to do. "Whats wrong?" the girl asked. He turned to face Tyrael, only to see her expression full of worry. "Ah... I-It's nothing..." He faced away again, trying to hide his pain.

Tyrael loves him. This was apparent to Cassidy, for her friend now stared at Joshua as she herself does; with longing and sorrow. The three who were once thick as thieves were nearly split, barely talking to one another. Tyrael still had her missions, and in their settlement, there was little else to do. The Hunter's Season was approaching, and soon Joshua would be put to the test. This may well be the last time she sees him. She only hoped her feelings could remained locked away. 

The Hunter's Season was upon them, and Joshua still had lingering feelings for her childhood friend. He was doubting himself, growing more forlorn every passing minute. Was this really the right thing to do? Am I so incapable I can do nothing?? He cursed his inability to help a dear friend. He was alone in this world now, only the future of the Hunters ahead showing promise. With one last longing sigh, he was ready to leave. Only, he hadn't anticipated what happened next.

Flaming arrows were raining down everywhere, easily igniting the straw roofed houses as the village went up in flames. Only one thought had crossed her mind. Joshua! They were under attack, and for all she knew, her love was already slain. Ignoring the pain, she raced through the destruction and ensuing chaos, people running and screaming, strange figures in dark clothing wielding swords slaying all around. She tried her best to push onwards. She had to see him but once more.

They were under attack. By whom, they didn't know. Strange, dark clothed people were scattering everywhere, silent and quick. They wielded unusual swords and wore concealing helmets, but seemed dedicated to one purpose and only one purpose; eliminating everyone. The others around him were falling like flies. The trainees, the Hunters, everyone seemed defenseless against their onslaught, even himself as he tried fighting back one of them, instead his blood dipped blade shatteredas he fell back into the snow, wounded. They then preyed upon the rest of the village, unaware that Joshua was still alive.

People were dying all around them, champions and warriors alike fell to their swift and skillful movements, but the dark ones seemed few in numbers. She had to turn a blind eye to her fallen neighbors, she had to get back to him. "Joshua!" she shrieked as she came upon his body, blood tainting the snow. Throwing herself onto him, Cassidy prayed with all her might that he might live, although she doubted he would be so lucky. Only, his grunt assured her he lived. "Joshua! Joshua! You've got to get out of here!"

"You're going to die!" Joshua rose, groggily. Cassidy was before him, panicking as tears flowed. "Cass! What's happened?? Everyone-" She shook her head, confirming what he hadn't wanted to consider. Everyone was dying, there was nothing that could be done. Not even the might Hunters, renowned warriors in these lands, were at these stranger's mercy. All hope was lost. But... Not everything is. He grabbed her companion's hand, and the two fled into the forest. So long as he could save her, the one he cared for most, he could die happy. 

He was taking her away. Away from the destruction, away from the horror. Why? Why with me? Is it because Tyrael isn't here? I will do? She felt pathetic and unloved. Then Cassidy recognized someone. It was one of the dark ones, the lack of blood and ashes showed they had just arrived. The being crumpled, kneeling to the ground as she picked up pieces of Joshua's bloodied weapon. Taking off their helmet, Cassidy saw familiar long black hair of a young girl. Embracing the last traces of her loved one, she mourned, shoulders shaking. 

Two years had passed since the slaughter, the term Hunter's Season now one of remorse and grief. But they had survived, and the days were filled with humble pleasure and happiness. Finally they were together, but not quite as he had hoped. Indeed, he and Cass were alone with each other, something he had longed for. But instead of love, it was awkwardly forlorn distance between the two, for he couldn't tell her his feelings. He still didn't know why she cut herself off from him and Tyrael, and Tyrael, he knew nothing of. For all he knew, she still disliked him, and that was what blocked him. He couldn't risk ruining the reliance they now shared.

These past two years have been the some of the greatest moments of her life, although she tried to fight such thoughts back, with such a tragedy responsible for their current situation. She tried, but couldn't hold back her joy. What she had desired all her life was finally happening. And yet... She felt guilty. Cassidy was doing that which she sought to prevent; become closer to Joshua. He seemed sorrowful as well, she presumed what ailed him was Tyrael vanishing. She still hid what she had seen that day from him. He couldn't know. About Tyrael... or her own condition.

Together, they could survive for however long they could. He only wished to know what is was that ailed her. Cassidy no longer tried pushing him away. Maybe she knew of the reliance they both had on each other. Someone to protect and be protected by... But Joshua didn't want someone to protect, he wanted more. Someone to love... I can't continue like this. He had to tell her, despite the risks. Returning to the cave they now called home, his conviction remained strong. Until he saw her collapse.

Her head was swimming, vision fading. She heard something, although it was vague. She felt tired. So very tired. "...dy...Cass...CASSIDY!!" Her eyes burst open, holding onto the frail thread of life. Joshua was holding her, worry and despair in his eyes. "I... I'm...sorry...". I'm so sorry, I didn't want to do this to you, to bring you such pain. I'm so sorry. Her time was up, her life spent. Soon she would leave him, all alone out here. But he was strong, he could survive, he must.

She was dying. This was undeniable, no matter how much Joshua wished to deny it. There was still so much he had to tell her, but all that seemed so far away, so unimportant. He held her closer, sorrow filling him. How could Fate be so cruel? Why must she perish while he lived?She must have hated him with all her being. "I'm sorry... All I wanted was for you to be happy... For you to die in the arms of someone you loved... I'm so sorry I have to suffice, someone you hate... I'm sorry." He couldn't stop apologizing, the guilt was suffocating.

Something she had craved for all her life, something which seemed so impossible; his caring embrace. His words struck her like lightning, and things were clear. He thought she had hated her, all this time? How could she? If he is to survive, it must be me he should hate. He has to know! "I... Don't hate... you..." Her eyelids felt heavy with each passing second, but she had something she must do. Cassidy felt his face, turning his gaze to hers. Smiling, she said "Thank you... my love..." Cassidy couldn't die happy, not like this, not with so much unfulfilled. But... This was all right. She could die peacefully with this.

Cassidy fell limp, her eyes closed one last time as she drifted into a slumber with no awakening. Her last words. Her precious remaining life. She had expended it to tell him. Tell him that she... "Cass... Cassidy! CASS!!" He continued calling out her name, denying the futility of his actions. This was too much, too unfair, too cruel. How could Fate do this to them, to her? And now she was gone. Gone forever. 

That was a month ago. The day his love had perished. Joshua died that day as well, just a hollow shell of himself remained, albeit not for long. He didn't eat, he didn't hunt. Joshua waited for when he would expire. He didn't care anymore, not for anything. He was alone, and the crippling solitude was something he hated. Almost as much as himself. Surely if he had done something different, changed something, anything, she could still be alive. He would gladly have died for her, had Fate allowed it. 

As he sat in front of her grave, dead thoughts were all that remained, hopeless bleak eyes which stared at the marker. The snow that gently descended had almost covered him completely, but Joshua remained still, ignorant of the cold embrace surrounding him. He was broken, and nothing could fix him. Maybe... Just maybe... His death could allow him to repent. And so he waited, for the end of his existence. Growling behind him seemed to ring out the beginning of his demise. A pack of wolves lurked behind him, hunger driving them towards the dying Joshua. Getting up, he glared at them, empty eyes that hated, hated everything. They would suffice. But he would not go down easily. 

The snow descended gently and gracefully, as it silently covered all that was. The wolves that no longer breathed, the blood splattered everywhere, the dying boy, the grave marker. Dull and bleak eyes gazed upon the wintry sky, indifferent and uncaring to the cold embrace that surrounded him. I am dying. I am finally dying. "I... I'm... Sorry..."He murmured with what strength he could muster. He had taken so long to die, made Cassidy wait so unbearably long. But at last he was coming. A sad smile appeared as he welcomed Death's Visitation. I am coming back to you, my love. The snow continued to bury him, silent observer of his passing from this world, until after all this time, he was no more.
[/hider]
[/hider]