I sat down at a table in a well lit room occupied by people far better dressed than me. The sore and stiffness of both prosthetics, my arm and leg, after almost two long years began to settle in. Between the handshakes, smiles, salutes, and formalities it all began to feel like a blur until a gentleman approached me. I stood up to shake his hand, with my prosthetic one, and he proceeded to take a seat across from me, positioning a data pad to record the conversation I was about to partake in.
“Please have a seat, sir. If it’s not too brash of me to say, it is truly an honor to have this interview.” The gentleman said kindly.
“Thank you.” I replied. “Has the Ministry of Truth cleared this interview? I’m just wanting to make certain so neither of us get in trouble.” I asked, thinking and knowing I have told my story in reports and briefs, but rarely in public.
“Yes sir, we have been cleared for this interview.” He replied instinctively.
“Okay. Okay…” I coughed having a tickle in my throat, but also being able to breathe a little easier knowing a Truth Enforcer wouldn’t be breaking down the door. “Well. What do you wish to know?” I laughed. The interviewer laughed in return.
“Well to start off I am a reporter with the Freedom Alliance, and as you know the two year anniversary for Save the Children is around the corner. We were wondering if you could answer a few questions and possibly give your recollection of the events that occurred on Vernen Wells?” The reporter stated with a purpose. Light and airy.
“Yeah. Sure. I’d be more than happy to answer some questions for you guys. Where do you wish to begin?” I answered.
“Let’s start with your name, rank, and where you come from.” He started with. Ah, yes. The formalities.
“Alright. Admiral Johnathan Sabo. Super Earth, Helldiver. International Helldiver Coalition, First Armada, First Fleet Minutemen.” I answered quickly.
“Thank you Admiral. Where is home for you?” He questioned.
“Penta. When there was a Penta that is.” I replied. The room went silent for a few heartbeats.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Admiral. I understand that sacrifice could not have been easy.” He responded, with a genuine sorrow in his voice.
“Penta no longer was home after some time. Those who I remembered most likely moved off planet or passed. A sacrifice that stings, but one that served it’s purpose.” I answered honestly.
“Nevertheless, I’m sorry for your loss Admiral.” He replied, again with a genuine sorrow.
“Thank you.” I answered, not knowing what else to say. The reporter cleared his throat as he pushed through.“As a Helldiver, there normally are four to your squad. Do you remember who was with you at that time?” He asked.
“I remember everyone on my missions. Even the replacements.” A blessing and a curse at times.
“Can you tell us who was with you and what was it like to be one of the first responders at Super Citizen Anne’s Hospital at the time of this Major Order?” He questioned, his pen and paper at the ready with the data pad still recording.
“Thomas Francis. Call sign, V. James Lighter, call sign Tech. Quintin Brock, call sign Cue. And one replacement. Anthony Ramirez, call sign Rome. Just some of the many heroes that day.” I replied looking directly into the camera of the data pad and not into the eyes of the gentleman across from me as the memories began to replay themselves.
“Comms check! Liberty, can you hear us?!” I shouted into my helmet hoping to get a response from our destroyer.
“Solid copy, Helldiver. We have a strong signal from you all. Give ‘em hell!” The technician aboard the SES Herald of Liberty replied. There she was. The SES Herald of Liberty hanging in the sky like a guardian angel sent by Lady Liberty herself.
“Button up and call ‘em in! Let’s get going gents!” V shouted. A veteran from the battles on Malevalon Creek. If anyone was ready to spill oil, this was the Helldiver for the job.
“You heard the word! Call ‘em and let’s get moving!” Cue echoed. A father of two, and the one who insisted on us being here. It didn’t take much persuading to convince us. It was the right thing to do. It was the human thing to do.
“Tech! How bad is our situation?” I shouted. If there was ever a man who was as honest and sarcastic as he enjoyed mathematics and mechanics, he was the one.
“Well… I’m not going to say we are ‘completely hopeless’, but we have an uphill battle for certain. I advise that we find supplies as we make our way. Looks like all our gear is coming down with half, if not minimal, munitions.” Tech answered slinging his MG-43 machine gun over his shoulder. “Guys… look.” Tech noticed and pointed out a fair amount of SEAF soldiers piled up next to some supply crates. “I don’t know about you, but that’s a lot more SEAF than I’m used to seeing on a basic Evac mission.” Tech wasn’t wrong in that observation. I surveyed the area we made impact doing a quick once over. The amount of SEAF personnel dead in the area was far more noticeable.
“Anyone got intel and a heading? Let’s get a move on!” I shouted.
“Admiral?” The reporter questioned.
“I’m sorry. Well… uhh…you have to understand. When we got the orders from High Command, we all were extremely confused. The decision to save a Children’s Hospital in the middle of a war or getting equipment for the field to help us win more objectives is what we were up against. We didn’t know we were making history at that time. I remember some at the beginning were torn between where to go, but my squad and I already knew where we were headed despite our situation.” I answered.
“Situation?” He asked. Here we go.
“Yeah.” I coughed. The dry air of the room caught me off guard. “Our destroyer, the SES Herald of Liberty, was low on supplies and reinforcements pods. When we arrived on Vernen Wells, we were practically operating on fumes.” I explained.
“And yet you still deployed?” He said surprised.
“Absolutely. It needed to be done. That’s our job.” I answered sincerely.
“That had to be a difficult thing to do once you realized the situation.” He stated, thinking there was another option.
“Not at all.” I replied. The memories began to flood back in effortlessly. “I think the hardest part is preparing yourself. Mentally, we all accepted the fact that we weren’t going to make it out. At the same time, we also knew that we would do anything we could to make certain the mission was completed.” I answered honestly.
“You stated earlier you didn’t know you would be making history, Admiral. When did you realize that this wasn’t a normal mission?” The reporter asked. The pen no longer was in his hand, but set on the note pad.
“The automaton forces that we encountered before we reached the Hospital were nothing out of the ordinary, but it started to get a little crazier as we moved forward. I’d say when we got in sight of the Hospital is when reality began to settle in.” I replied.
“Sabo! How are we holding up?!” Tech shouted to me. I was reloading my recoilless rifle as he wrapped up activating the Lidar station. I checked my gauntlet to see if the upload was complete.
“Two Hulks down. Three left in the pack, and twenty five minutes left on the clock, T!” I replied back.
“Dropping a pin. Let’s all meet up there and move in as one.” V ordered. Tech and I double timed it to the location to secure it before Cue and V could make it.
“Area secured!” I shouted as the other two arrived.
“Let’s get a move! Those evac shuttles aren’t going to fill themselves!” Cue shouted.
“Guys… we got a flare! Backside of the compound!” V shouted.
Oh no.
“Move out! Double time!” I shouted instinctively as I took off sprinting towards the sanitized red glow that lit up the sky. Get there. Get there. Get there!
“Drop ships on the horizon! Comin’ in hot!” Tech shouted over all four of us sprinting.
“Count them out! How screwed are we?!” V shouted back.
Get there. Get there. Get there!
“One… two… three… four…” Tech counted.
“Gunfire and SEAF at the facility! Eyes on!” I shouted over the deafening roar of the engines racing above us. Get there! Get there! Get there!
“Five…six!” Tech yelled.
“Seven!” Cue added.
“Scrap ‘em! Do what we can to help the SEAF! Drop supplies and hold the line!” V ordered.
“I got point! Moving up! Left clear! Ri- AHHHHHHH!!!” Tech screamed. Instinctively we all turned and froze. A Berserker came from behind the building and cut Tech down. He was still moving on the ground as the automaton walked over him making his way towards us.
“Tech! Contact right!” I shouted, firing every round I had at Tech’s assailant.
“Move! Secure the area! Calling in reinforcements! Strat up by the landing pad!” V shouted over the gunfire.
“Was it that loud that you couldn’t hear a chainsaw?” He questioned, seeming confused.
“Well,” I started off having to remember this person hasn’t seen a battlefield, “between the fighting, the explosions, adrenaline, heart pumping in your ears, all the chatter in your helmet it all… over laps if that makes sense. There’s just so much… static… maybe “noise” I think that’s a better way of saying it, that your brain doesn’t process everything as quickly as it’s happening. So, to be frank, no. None of us did until we… … until we heard the scream.” I answered. Hopefully that made sense to him.
“What you just described Admiral, has to be one of the most… I- I- I honestly can’t think of the word to use.” He replied flabbergasted.
“Shocked, scared, and numb. In that order.” I responded quickly.
“Numb?” He asked, like there should be a different word.
“In a sense. We were shocked because we got caught off guard. Scared that we would be next. And numb because your body kicks into a fight or flight moment. You have to trust your training and experience at that point because that’s the only thing that’s going to help you make it home. We’re already fighting, so the next thing to do is to continue to fight. When Tech got hit, we shouted more in anger than fear. I remember taking out not only that Berserker, but all the Troopers and Berserkers that stood behind it.” I answered the memory playing behind my stare.
“What happened to Sergeant James Lighter?” The reporter asked.
“Tech bled out on the spot. Crazy bastard actually called in all his sentry’s he had prepped in his loadout before he passed. A…um… trying to think a better term than “last effort” but the sentry’s were his last attempt to do something good in his life.” I answered, honoring the fallen memory of a lost soul.
“‘Last attempt?’ Could you elaborate?” He questioned.
“Well, when the sentry’s came down they only had half of the munitions in them. When I say we were running low on supplies, we were running “low low” on supplies.” I answered honestly. If people want to know how big of up hill battle we faced, let them understand it fully.
“Then what happened next?” He asked.
“Call the bird! Let’s get these kids outta here!” V yelled over to Rome. Ramirez was the diver that came in to replace Tech. Not a bad guy, just a little jumpy at times. Served under V his entire service as a Helldiver. Rome stood at the terminal keying in the sequences while Cue and I stood by the bay doors ready to help those behind them.
“Birds on the way!” Rome answered back. SEAF soldiers moved around providing suppressing fire, manning whatever barrier available, resupplying their comrades the best they could, or carrying away their wounded.
“Helldiver! We got multiple squads inbound! We gotta get moving!” A SEAF captain shouted at V.
“Birds here! Cue, Sabo! Bring ‘em out!” V ordered. We pressed the button for the doors. Children. More children than adults waited at the door, scared, and then in awe.
“They’re here! They’re really here!” A little girl shouted from the front of the group.
“Sweet Liberty! Look! Look! I told you they were coming! I told you!” A little boy in a wheelchair told the nurse next to him pulling at her sleeve. V appeared out of nowhere at my side
“What’s going on Sabo? Sweet Liberty…” V trailed off looking at the same sight I was. The children in awe, but the medical personnel in a whirlpool of emotions. Some relieved others frightened.
“Are you here to save us, Mr. Helldiver?” A little girl no older than four looked up and asked V as he towered over her.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m here to help. Come on. Let’s get you all somewhere safe.” V said kindly to her. She smiled as she held her teddy bear.
“Sabo, get SEAF over here to help. Staff! We need to get moving. The ships will be coming in fast, but we need you to trust us when we say ‘move’ you move. Are we clear?” V told the adults in front of him. His voice commanded respect as he spoke with not an ounce of fear.
“Crystal, sir. We won't let you down.” A nurse replied, speaking up for her colleagues who were still trying to catch up to the ongoing events happening so quickly.
“It is stated that the rest of your squad: Star Marshal Thomas Francis, Sergeant Anthony Ramirez, and Marshal Quintin Brock all died valiantly during this part of the rescue. There have been mixed reports of what actually occurred at this time. As someone who was there Admiral, could you put to rest the confusion and recall what happened?” He asked respectfully. The childlike eagerness in his voice was replaced with a professional, softer understanding tone.
“Get them on! Get them on! Kids first!” Cue yelled over the sound of his rifle. SEAF soldiers helped the children and staff aboard the Pelican ships that touched down on the landing pad.
“How many more?!” Rome shouted over the commotion towards me.
“Fifteen out of thirty!” I answered looking down at the personnel count on my mission counter. Twelve minutes left until Liberty leaves low orbit. We have to move.
“Next wave coming!” V yelled as he led the next group of survivors with a team of SEAF soldiers in a tight formation.
“Breach! Breach! They broke through the south!” SEAF soldiers yelled over the sound of the roaring engines. Everyone froze except for me and Rome. We raced towards the danger as several other soldiers followed us hold the line. Once we arrived we all were met with metal and the sound of mechanical gears. Four squads were pushing through rubble and the fallen, but we held our ground.
“Next wave, next wave!” Cue shouted over through my helmet.
“I’m on it!” V replied. The door controls were right behind us, but the importance of keeping the enemy at bay was greater. We heard the doors open and medical staff shout to each other while moving the kids.
“More kids, more kids! As much as you can!” One nurse shouted.
“Put as much medicine in their bags! Get them on board!” A doctor yelled to her staff.
“We don’t have much room left for this round of evacuations! We can only take so many kids and staff!” A SEAF soldier shouted at the doctors and nurses.
“We don’t have time! These kids will take my seat!” A nurse yelled back at the soldier. It felt like the world went silent for a moment… and then another nurse, and another, doctors, physicians, staff all deciding to give up their seats for those who they cared for.
“We don’t have time for this, Ma’am! Once that ship is up, it’s gone!” V shouted over the ongoing battle towards the nurse who originally made the statement.
“These kids are our life, Helldiver! Let us do the correct thing!” She answered. Without hesitation or question, a doctor stepped forward past the kids and walked out the door. He bent over, grabbed a rifle from the ground, and within a moment charged towards our position. He posted up near Rome and I behind a concrete barrier.
“May Liberty protect us!” He shouted as he hunkered down from the blaster fire. I looked around, more physicians and nurses arrived doing the same. Some throwing grenades into the automaton numbers, some firing into the breach with retrieved rifles, while others grabbed rocks and pipe to fight or tend to the wounded. I turned back to see V bringing the children, and the staff who stayed, out of the doors. Some kids reached and shouted for the medical staff that ran forward towards us only to grasp air while tears began to follow their cries. Red lasers began to shoot over our heads towards the final wave of survivors to try and limit the number that would reach the landing pad. Staff clung tightly to their patients, not in fear but protection. One by one nurses, physicians, specialists, SEAF Soldiers helping, began to fall shielding the children from incoming fire. While others kept pushing the children towards the landing pad, a couple of the children fled from the group in fear. I doubled back letting Rome and the others continue the fight so I could assist in the retrieval of the kids. Cue and V were already on it. Cue had gathered two kids and escorted them back while V helped get the last child out of hiding.
“Come on little man. Nothing is going to hurt you. I prom-…gah…” V gasped. A Commissar, somehow, got through and sent a blade right into his back. The kid cried out in fear and ran. V whipped around to confront his attacker with his rifle only to receive another blow with a blade to the stomach. Rome and I saw him drop to his knees as he threw and connected one last punch towards the automaton. The blow disabled its functions and it fell in a heap right next to him.
“No… no, nononononno, Medic!! Boss, down! Boss, down!” Rome yelled. He raced over to V who was on the ground not moving. It was at that moment hope started to fade from my mind.
“We’re done for… we can- Hulk! Rome, get out of there!!” I screamed over the comms. The automatons began to flood the streets. I looked back at the breach only to see the forces that once tried to contain it, dead, dying, or slowly walking backwards still fighting while trying their best to hold off the increasing numbers.
“Wha- umph! Hey!” I shouted confused and startled. The child that V had tried to save now clung to my leg for dear life. He looked up at me, holding back tears of fear and pain.
“Hey, hey, hey, shhh it’s ok it’s ok.” I tried to comfort him, and a rocket whizzed past my head. “Get down! Stay low! Piece of mother- grrr- scrap! Come here kid. Come here.”I repositioned him behind me so I could shield him from whatever mechanical horrors tried to come our way. “Rome! I need cover! It’s okay. Look at me, look at me, everything’s going to be okay. Rome! Sweet Liberty! Come with me kid! Stay close. Changing mag! Moving to LZ!” I walked slowly back with the child behind me shooting at the relentless, metallic horrors that continued to pursue us.
“Get out of here Sabo! I got this! Go!” Rome shouted towards me as two Hulks appeared out of the smoke. There were no screams of pain from Rome, only shouts of fury and defiance.
“I gotcha covered Sabe! Get the kid to the shuttle! Son of a- grenade out!” Cue coughed and grunted catching a blaster bolt to his shoulder. We all were out of stims with only a prayer that if we called in a resupply that maybe one or two would be readily available. I looked over to where Cue was. His chest plate was scorched with residue from rockets and blaster fire. No! Blood poured from every puncture he had endured using his rifle to remain upright as a walking stick with his sidearm drawn firing at the Troopers which began to pour in.
“I got- I gotcha Sabe. I- I- got…” Cue trailed off and went silent. He slowly lowered himself to the ground and sat against one of the compound walls, reloading his sidearm, and never finished. We sprinted to the Pelican. The child stopped and bent over coughing hard desperately trying to breathe. This isn’t going to work. I swung my rifle over my shoulder, as I reached down and picked him up.
“Hold on tight, big man. And don’t let go. That’s an order.” I said softly. He must’ve understood me because I felt his grip tighten around my neck. I sprinted. Get there. Get there! Get there! Soldiers moved aside to allow us through as we ran by, firing their weapons at whatever was trying to catch us. We reached the shuttle. Nurses reached forward to grab the child while others pleaded to the pilot to stay for one more minute. Once they grabbed him by the waist he let go of my neck. His eyes caught mine through my visor and without a word spoken, he saluted. I saluted back instinctively.
“That has to be…” The reporter started.
“One of the most Human and patriotic moments I’ve ever seen in my life.” I finished the statement for him. He cleared his throat before he could continue.
“How many… how many lost, do you think? Our research has not been able to find records of medical staff making such sacrifices as you have described.” He questioned.
“During this combat drop, I’d say roughly fifty. And- and it didn’t stop there. Reports from just about everyone I talked to who were there during this campaign all experienced the same thing. When I made it off planet side and back to the SES Herald of Liberty, I explained to my Democracy Officer what happened as we resupplied. His expression was just about the same as yours.” I explained.
“How many more combat drops were you a part of after that?” He asked.
“Ten more after that. But, at this time… everyone was there. When we came back to Vernen Wells, more destroyers were in orbit and shuttles were arriving from the surface. Still much work to be done, but the… um… the message had gotten out there of what needed to happened. And we did it. We all saw it through to the very end.” I answered, feeling the weight of everything I explained hit all at once as it has before. Breathe.
“Admiral, I want to thank you for this interview. You have given me so much to reflect on. I do appreciate everything that you have done.” He rose from his seat offering his hand. I reached forward with my good hand. He deserved that much at least. He smiled and changed his hand, grasping mine in a firm shake.
“I thank you, sir. Thank you for taking this time to not forget what truly matters.” I replied gently.
“You probably hear this a lot, but you’re a hero.” He said.
“I only did my part, sir.” I replied instantly.
“Four thousand, three hundred and eleven children were rescued, not including staff. You are a hero after all these missions and your testimony here today proves that. That's got to mean something to you after all of this time.” He urged.
“I’m just a small part of this grander moment.” I choked out holding back tears. “The heroes are the ones who are not with us here today. The ones that are buried in the soil where they last stood. The nurses who gave up their seats to get another child aboard the shuttle. The doctors who grabbed Liberators from the ground not really knowing how to operate them. The countless SEAF personnel that used their bodies as shields to protect those children. Those who placed those children first. Those are your heroes. And I am proud to have been in their company, even if it was for a short while.”
