Chapter 3: Pembrook

"Sir, we have civilians at the arch begging to be let in. Some are them are a sore sight. Covered in dirt, lots of injuries. Most of them screaming about the sky falling. What would you like us to do?" Sergeant Pembrook asks over the Comms.

"They're not far wrong Sergeant. We believe several meteors have impacted on or around the town. Rescue teams are prepping as we speak. I'd like you to get some men together for a recon. We need more information. Set up a way station and let the civilians in. Every one of them needs to be scanned and registered. This will be temporary, but we can't leave them out there."

Yes Captain." Sergeant Pembrook replaces the com-unit on his belt and turns to his men. "Well! You heard the man. You should all know your jobs by now. Hop to it!" Turning to the supply chief he says. "I'll leave co-ordinating the civilians to you. Make sure they're registered and each have a bunk space somewhere. We can reset everything once this shit storm is over." He turns away, not waiting for the Chief's response and jogs over to his unit.

"Boy's we're going out. Keep your heads down and guns holstered. No shooting the civvies. They're panicked and scared and we're going to find out what the hell just happened. MOVE OUT!"

As the sergeants team jogs out of the ship and piles into the truck they hear the evacuation siren start its piercing wail. "Fuck." he mutters to himself. "This shit's gonna be such a pain in my arse."

The going is slower than Sergeant Pembrook wanted. The sheer mass of people streaming through and to the underground tunnel is immense. But eventually they make it out into the open air. What should have been the equivalent of a dark, overcast day, is now almost as black as a moonless night. "It looks like God took a dump and forgot to flush." he mutters.

Pembrook is an abrasive and gruff man. His time in the army had hardened him to the woes of war and death. But as they neared the town the scenes of utter destruction humbled him. No building still stood taller than 2 stories. Strange pockmarks littered the ground. Bodies, both whole and in pieces were strewn in, and on the dirt encrusted snow like a child's discarded toys. Shaking his head he mutters quietly. "Poor bastards." Crossing himself, he whispers a silent prayer for their souls.  As his eyes wander across the passing devastation something catches his attention.

He slams the palm of his hand on the trucks roof. "Hold it!" he yells. As the truck slows, he jumps out of the back and heads straight for a blown out storefront. Yelling into his com-unit he leaps over the broken windows. "We got injured out here we need a med team." He reaches the child crying over what he now realizes is a female body just as the ground starts to ripple underfoot. Turning to wave the rest of his men over Pembrook notices a bright trail in the sky. "Fuck." He starts to run back to the truck, arms waving, yelling as loud as he can. "Move, get out of there!" The blast rips him off his feet and throws him back inside the store as the meteor tears through the truck.

A shadow falls over his battered and bruised body as he tries to catch his breath. "You okay Mister?" A young voice asks. Turning his head, he sees the kid leaning over him. Gingerly rising to his elbows. he tests his limbs and heaves a sigh of relief as he feels his toes twitch in his boots.

"Sure I am kid. That was nothing." He sits up slowly, as joints and muscles protest each movement. "See. All good." he says. The kid lets out a cry and leaps into Sergeant Pembrook's arms. His little chest heaving with sobs.

"Mommy won't wake up. Why won't my mommy wake up?" The young boy wails and sniffles into Pembrook's shoulder. He awkwardly pats him on the back, unsure how to comfort him. He glances back at the boy's mother, her lifeless eyes staring right back at him and he sighs.

"It's alright lad, you're safe now. Your mother sent me to save you." He lies. The boy lifts his head, and raises innocent, trusting eyes towards Pembrook's.

"She did?" he whispers. "You came specially for me?" The trusting look in his eyes undoes the hard, gruff exterior Pembrook prided himself on showing and he wrapped the boy in a bear hug.

"She sure did champ." he lies again. "She wanted me to keep you safe, and that's just what I'm going to do." He lifts the child into his lap and turns him away from his mother's body. No use reminding the child of what he's lost, he thinks. Pembrook reaches for his com-unit as he holds the boy on his lap. "Base, this is Pembrook. Over." He shakes the unit and mutters curses under his breath. "Goddamn piece of crap." He shakes the com-unit again, hearing a burst of static emit from it.

"Hey, any of you dickheads listening?" The boy gapes at Pembrook.

"My mummy say's you shouldn't swear. It's not nice." He murmurs. Ruffling the kids hair Pembrook laughs. "Your Mummy's right kid. Never swear. I'm an irreverent ass. Just you ignore me. Okay." The kid looks at him confused.

"What's a irr-irrev uh."

"Irreverent?" Pembrook interrupts. The kids face brightens and he nods.

"Yeah. That!"

Laughing, he ruffles the kids hair again. "I'll explain it later." He says as another burst of static pipes from his com-unit. Tapping the transmit button Pembrook barks into the device. "Anyone receiving me? This piece of shit's not worth my daily rations. Can't take a single hit."

The crackling gets louder as a tinny voice floats out of the device. "We hear you Sarge. What happened we've lost contact with the truck."

"Fucking meteor hit it dead on. Bastard thing killed my men Chief. Call off any rescue missions it's too risky, we need all the trained personnel we can get for the ship. I'm headed back on foot. I'm bringing one civilian child with me and I'll gather any other survivors I can find. Pembrook out."

"We hear you. Safe journey and see you when you..." The voice breaks up and the unit starts to let out a stream of nonstop static. Pembrook launches the unit as far from him as he can and curses.

"Piece of fucking military shit." He mutters. Grasping the boy about his waist, Pembrook gets to his knees and sets the boy on his feet. "You hurt anywhere kid?" he asks. His eyes looking him over from head to toe.

The boy shakes his head. "No Sir. Momma protected me." He looks back towards his mother's body and then back at Pembrook. "Is she going to wake up soon?" he asks.

Rising to his feet, he offers his hand to the kid. "I'm sorry kid. She's not going to wake up, that's why she sent me. When we get to the ship we'll send someone out to get her okay?" The boy places his hand in Pembrook's and looks up at him with pure innocent trust shining from his youthful eyes.

"Okay." He says tremulously, tears starting to fall from his face as he's led away from his mother. Pembrook pauses at the blown out shop window and looks outside. Micro meteors are flying everywhere, and high in the sky he can see larger meteors making their graceless way, down to the surface of the planet. "Fuck me. We're so screwed."  His eyes rake over the smouldering remains of his truck, picking out pieces of his men. Nothing moves in the debris, and he can see none of his men made it far enough from the truck before the meteor hit. he sighs and shakes his head. "Damned waste of good men."

Making a snap decision he reaches down and scoops the kid into his arms. "Couple miles." He thinks out loud. "Kid weighs less than a rucksack." he looks up at the ever darkening sky again. "Just have to dodge some fucking meteors and we'll make it." Shaking his head he takes his first step out of the store, child clasped tight against him. "We're going for a run now kid. Hold on." The boy's arms snake around his neck as Pembrook starts his run. His eyes stay focused on the ground, he doesn't want to see the end coming and he needs all his focus to keep his footing.