I would learn later that the transport ship had blown the escape route shut , sealing the fate of seven more Marines. Twenty had given their lives for me, on one level I knew that was their job but it didn’t soften the blow much , if at all . The transport had blown holes in a good portion of the city looking for me, but it had retreated, in need of many repairs as the local militia had begun to open fire with hand held surface-to- air missiles. In all , thirty-eight alien troopers had fallen before the transport swooped down to pick up the survivors and make its hasty departure.
Drababan had finally stopped running and my bumpy ride had mercifully come to a conclusion. The tunnel had opened up into an underground train stati on, barren except for the burnt- out husk of a derailed engine car. Beer bottles and junk food wrappers littered the enclosure and the smell of urine was exceedingly strong. I was home and I couldn’t have been happier. Drababan walked a few paces and slouched his great bulk against one of the cement pillars, in my joy to be free I had forgotten how truly wounded he had been.
“Drababan?” I asked as I approached him.
“Step away from the prisoner, Mr. Talbot.”
I wheeled to see ten or so Marines enter the station cautiously, all of their weapons were trained on Drababan’s sagging body.
“Wait ,” I said trying to put my self between them and their target. “You don’t understand.”
“I understand all I need to right now, Mr. Talbot . I lost twenty good Marines out there today saving your ass, and I’ll be damned if I go and let you get killed now.”
“He’s hurt, Colonel, surely you can see he’s no threat at the moment. And while I do gratefully acknowledge the sacrifice you and your men made, Drababan also had a part in my getting here.”
“Do you not remember him trying to kill you?” o ne of the Marines closest shouted. “That mother fucker is the enemy, we should be making shoes out of him!” As he approached, his finger squeezing ever so slightly more, hoping that Drababan would make some sort of move. Drababan merely looked on as the drama unfolded, it seemed that he couldn’t care less.
“You’re sure he isn’t going to kill you or anyone else for that matter?” A shorter figure asked as she pushed her way to the front. It was the woman who had saved my life twice, even covered in dirt, blood, and a camouflage uniform it was easy to see that she was beaut y . T he other Marines towered over her, but she commanded respect as she approached . T hey lowered their weapons, but never too far from the ready.
“ Sergeant ,” I said when I noticed her insignia and my tongue worked , “ h e’s injured, and yes I know he — I mean, they — are the enemy but he was as much a prisoner as I wa s . H e was forced i nto that battle just like I was and I think that you can all tell that he’s done with that now. I’m asking you all to please put your weapons down and help him.” And as if on cue , D rababan coughed and more blood flew from his snout.
“Grubner , ” t he s ergeant ordered, “ g et over there and do what you can for him. Baker, Fields, you cover him, if that thing so much as flinches, I want a belt ”
Grubner didn’t flinch when the order came his way . I’ve got to hand it to those medics , they think nothing of their personal safety when it comes to the well being of others. Baker and Fields , however , didn’t seem nearly as confident . I approached Drababan with Grubner, after all he was human, he had to have some fear for his safety, getting shot was one thing, get ting eaten was entirely another. H e nodded to me as we got on either side of Drababan.
“Drababan, this man is going to help you ,” I said , fearful that it already may have been t o o late.
“I would welcome that , Tal-bot.” H e fell into unconsciousness.
CHAPTER S IXTEEN
Indian Hill wa s a buzz, everybody had been crammed around the twenty or thirty
Drababan had finally stopped running and my bumpy ride had mercifully come to a conclusion. The tunnel had opened up into an underground train stati on, barren except for the burnt- out husk of a derailed engine car. Beer bottles and junk food wrappers littered the enclosure and the smell of urine was exceedingly strong. I was home and I couldn’t have been happier. Drababan walked a few paces and slouched his great bulk against one of the cement pillars, in my joy to be free I had forgotten how truly wounded he had been.
“Drababan?” I asked as I approached him.
“Step away from the prisoner, Mr. Talbot.”
I wheeled to see ten or so Marines enter the station cautiously, all of their weapons were trained on Drababan’s sagging body.
“Wait ,” I said trying to put my self between them and their target. “You don’t understand.”
“I understand all I need to right now, Mr. Talbot . I lost twenty good Marines out there today saving your ass, and I’ll be damned if I go and let you get killed now.”
“He’s hurt, Colonel, surely you can see he’s no threat at the moment. And while I do gratefully acknowledge the sacrifice you and your men made, Drababan also had a part in my getting here.”
“Do you not remember him trying to kill you?” o ne of the Marines closest shouted. “That mother fucker is the enemy, we should be making shoes out of him!” As he approached, his finger squeezing ever so slightly more, hoping that Drababan would make some sort of move. Drababan merely looked on as the drama unfolded, it seemed that he couldn’t care less.
“You’re sure he isn’t going to kill you or anyone else for that matter?” A shorter figure asked as she pushed her way to the front. It was the woman who had saved my life twice, even covered in dirt, blood, and a camouflage uniform it was easy to see that she was beaut y . T he other Marines towered over her, but she commanded respect as she approached . T hey lowered their weapons, but never too far from the ready.
“ Sergeant ,” I said when I noticed her insignia and my tongue worked , “ h e’s injured, and yes I know he — I mean, they — are the enemy but he was as much a prisoner as I wa s . H e was forced i nto that battle just like I was and I think that you can all tell that he’s done with that now. I’m asking you all to please put your weapons down and help him.” And as if on cue , D rababan coughed and more blood flew from his snout.
“Grubner , ” t he s ergeant ordered, “ g et over there and do what you can for him. Baker, Fields, you cover him, if that thing so much as flinches, I want a belt ”
Grubner didn’t flinch when the order came his way . I’ve got to hand it to those medics , they think nothing of their personal safety when it comes to the well being of others. Baker and Fields , however , didn’t seem nearly as confident . I approached Drababan with Grubner, after all he was human, he had to have some fear for his safety, getting shot was one thing, get ting eaten was entirely another. H e nodded to me as we got on either side of Drababan.
“Drababan, this man is going to help you ,” I said , fearful that it already may have been t o o late.
“I would welcome that , Tal-bot.” H e fell into unconsciousness.
CHAPTER S IXTEEN
Indian Hill wa s a buzz, everybody had been crammed around the twenty or thirty
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