The battle was still raging in the South. Rounds popped intensely, back and forth.

“They sound like they’re being overrun. Do we push back?” Harlowe asked, ascending to the second floor to stand by Juno. They looked out over the rubble. The piles were stacked so high they couldn’t see very far.

“Negative. We can’t lose this position. They’ll have to hack it out on their own.” Harlow understood. She pressed her comm link. “Maxwell. Our position is clear. Move out.”

“Understood,” Maxwell responded. His radio relayed the intense fighting occurring around them.

“Private Grensly, move up to that crater and provide fire support.”

“Yes ma'am.” Juno’s mind was running calculations now. How long could they last? What were the best positions to defend their point? When would the Major contact her?

“Harlow. We need to hold this position until reinforcements arrive. Or, at least until we have word from command. Any suggestions?”

The gunfire drew nearer as the rest of the squad closed in on their position. Soon, Grensly was firing his rifle, too, from the top of the crater.

The worn out building was a better place to defend than their previous spot, with the walls giving cover and the higher floors providing a vantage point, but it wasn’t perfect. Their recent assault on it showed obvious weaknesses. The enemy could easily assault the building from the same places they had.

The pillar, the area they’d assaulted from on the left, the crater… With their numbers, the enemy would have a far easier time pushing into the building than Juno and her team did. Juno would have to get crafty again.

Suddenly, Juno spotted Maxwell and Jessly from the second floor dragging the wounded Corporal together through a flat valley between craters. When they passed by the standing slab, Juno rushed down to help them.

“Casualties?” Juno maintained her authoritative character despite her fears for the worst.

“No ma'am. We held them off, but they’re getting bolder,” Maxwell answered. They drug Danniger inside, propping him against one of the interior walls. He was still awake, but not talking.

“Still no word from command. We’re defending this area until they contact us.”

“Understood,” Both soldiers echoed.

“Jessly, I need your heavy machine gun on the second floor. Post up there, facing south, but be prepared to move around.”

“Yes, ma'am.” Jessly was a good soldier, one of Juno’s best; her right hand lady when push came to shove. When she left to assume her position, Juno turned her attention back to Danniger.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“How’s he holding up?” Maxwell was making sure the tourniquet was still applied well.

“Not good. That leg is mulch. His bleeding has stopped at least.” Juno inspected the Corporal. Covered in blood and dust and soot, he was a mess. WIth the suit and mask on, she couldn’t really tell how he was feeling, but the man kept shaking his head back and forth, absently.

“Corporal Danniger? How are we doing?” Juno asked him tenderly. His attention snapped to her.

“Sergeant? I’m not doing too hot.” His voice was weak, but he was surprisingly lucid. “It hurts… so bad, but I’ll survive… I think.” The mic on his suit picked up the heavy, pained breaths the Corporal struggled out. Juno felt for him.

“Relax now, Corporal. Don’t move.” She went to stand up, but Danniger grabbed her wrist. She looked back.

“Sorry… I’m out of the fight, Sergeant.” His breaths were deep and exhausted. Juno patted his hand and placed it by his side.

“You did your part. Now, focus on staying awake.” She left him.

The gunfire outside ceased. Soon after, the others returned, gathering around their sergeant. The fighting was paused while both sides regrouped.

Juno was still calculating in her head different outcomes when she suddenly realized the whole squad was staring at her. Everyone, even Jessly atop the second floor, stood nearby with their attention solely on her, waiting for her to make her mind up.

The tone in the air had stiffened. Tension, fear, anxiety. Nobody spoke. They just waited awkwardly for orders.

They were afraid. So was she.

Juno stood to meet them. Looking them over one by one, what did she say? Did she inspire them? Or would commanding them be better? Was she honest, or did she lie about their chances? Not lie. They didn’t deserve that.

Some soldiers were comforted by orders, even when the command structure broke down. It gave them something to do, an objective to complete. Some soldiers just needed a bit of inspiration to keep them fighting. What did her squad need? What did Juno have to provide for them? Would it be good enough?

She decided what she’d say for a moment, the silence in the building broken only by the crackling fires and the stray explosions in the distance. When she was ready, she spoke to them resolutely.

“I’m not going to sugar coat it. This is the situation. Unless reinforcements come soon to rescue us, we’re all dead.” Everyone understood that. Everybody accepted that, even Grensly.

She continued, “I know you’re scared. I’m scared. But this, this is our last stand. Everything we fought for, everyone we’ve lost, everything we’ve gone through on this godforsaken rock comes down to this final moment. Make it count.” Passion rang through her voice with her next words, “Every moment you breathe is a moment you can fight, and every moment you fight is a moment longer you survive. And the longer you survive, the better chance you give to your brother and sister fighting next to you.” She put a hand on Grensly’s shoulder. “If nothing else, fight for them.” He nodded to her.

She turned to address the whole group again, standing out before them. “Don’t give up hope. They will come for us. But don’t forget who we are. We’re marines, and we get the job done.” She punched her fist to accentuate that point. “If you go out, go out taking someone with you.”

The squad locked and loaded, hardening themselves for combat.

Everyone seemed to respond well to the speech, though she couldn’t see their faces. She was damn glad they couldn’t see hers.

“Alright, enough chatter. Jessly, focus on that second floor. Specialist Wex, what explosives do you have left? Anything that can blow some cover to pieces?”

“Sure, sarge. Not a lot but I can make something work.”

“Good. I need some cover taken care of. Harlow, I want you back on that crater. You keep them from taking that position. Grensly and Maxwell hold our flanks. Wex, when we’re done, I want you on the second floor watching that right side.” Everyone started moving to their positions. Tension and fear rose up in her, suddenly. Now was the time. Do or die.

Juno really wished she’d heard word by now. A pause this long from command wasn’t good news. Just the idea though, still gave her hope, and that was enough. Even more, their position was good. Maybe they’d get out of this. Maybe…

They went to work.