Juno was paralyzed by the news. Her mind ran wild, head spinning with all manner of disastrous ways to die. Her next move struggled to break out from the mess of thought.

Focus. The thoughts wouldn’t settle in her mind. What’s our next move? The barrage would be coming soon. Their location was marked out by their suit nav relays. The ships had access to pinpoint accurate information.

The artillery fire would batter the enemy pretty hard. They’d have to spend time regrouping before they tried assaulting again. Depending on the casualties they sustained, they might decide to tuck tail and run, but that was a sliver of a hope.

In reality, the barrage would kill those close to the structure, and create space between Juno’s squad and the enemy. It would also create a smoke screen, concealing the squad’s movement. That might give Juno and her squad the chance to slip away before the enemy regrouped.

It would only be a matter of time before the enemy pursued them again, but, by then, Juno and her squad could reach the fill station in the north where transport was waiting. From there, they could leave this godforsaken moon.

But… the corporal… They couldn’t drag him along.

The best chance Juno had of saving the rest of her squad would be to leave him behind. The squad would have to agree, unanimously. No doubts, no wasting time arguing or finding another way. It was Danniger, or the squad. It was a shitty thing to do, but they’d have to abandon their brother so they’d all survive.

Her mind ran with ideas again. She explored every avenue, trying desperately to think of something else, but deep down, with a sinking heart, she knew there was no other option. And they were out of time. The choice had to be made.

Of course, there were more choices to consider besides just leaving Danniger, but they weren’t any more hopeful. The squad could stay together and die with the Corporal, or someone could take his spot, and stall the enemy. Or, they could all make their own choice, and split up, but no matter what someone was being left behind.

However, she didn’t consider these options. Sacrificing someone else to save Danniger was just as bad as leaving him behind. And she’d be damned if she gave up at the end, and let her squad sacrifice themselves for one person. She was their leader, and they counted on her to make the hard decisions, even if they disagreed with it.

To her, these ideas were moral conveniences, conveniences to keep from feeling guilty. But this wasn’t about morality. It was war. She’d be the bad guy, if it meant saving as many lives as she could.

The decision stuck in her throat. First thing was first, though.

“Everyone, listen up. Abandon your posts and meet on the first floor,” she said, clicking her comm to her squad frequency.

“Maam?” Jessly asked, stunned.

“You heard me, marine. Everyone inside. Command is sending a barrage our way. We need to settle in until it passes. Understood?” Everyone sounded off, everyone except Harlow.

“Harlow? You hear me? Get your ass back here, now.” No response. She listened for the gun fire. It was easier to make out now that her squad had stopped firing and packed up. The enemy still hammered the building with strings of shots. However, Harlow’s return fire was absent.

Juno felt an emptiness grow inside her. He was gone.

When the squad gathered nearby, his absence confirmed it. Harlow’s loss shook her. She’d known him for years. His nickname was Invincible around the platoon.

“Rest in peace, marine.” She muttered under her breath. Then, she waved it off. The rest of her marines needed her.

“What’s the situation, Sergeant?” Maxwell broke in. They were all huddled nearby.

“No one’s coming,” She said, bluntly. The words shook the squad. “We’re on our own.” They were less fidgety after the knowledge sunk in. An awkward silence invaded the air.

“That’s right. And that’s not all.” She stood out before them, between the squad and Danniger. “There’s a fill station half a sector away where air transport can reach us. We can get there on foot…” She looked over at Danniger, “But not with an injured man.” The room filled with quiet tension. Danniger was quiet, but conscious. She could tell because his head dropped at the news.

“You heard me correctly. That’s the situation. Command is prepping for a barrage on our location. The effect will give us room to escape, but only those able to on their own.” The group was silent. No one dared say anything as the situation fully settled in. Bombs exploded in the background, cracking the silence with distant rumblings.

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“Are you saying, Sergeant, that we leave the corporal behind?” Jessly spoke up.

“I’m saying, if we don’t, then we all die.”

“Why aren’t they coming?” Maxwell groaned.

“They’re abandoning us.” Grensly added, disheartened.

“This is bullshit.” Wex joined in, “They can’t fucking pick us up? They’re right there! I can see the goddamn ships through the window.”

“They’re in full retreat, Wex. If we don’t leave now, we aren’t leaving at all.”

“Then, I say we take our chances,” Wex argued again, “I’ll carry him. If I’m too slow, leave me behind.”

“I’ll stay, sergeant. I can hold them off with my heavy rifle while you get Danniger to the evac. Just make sure you all make it,” Jessly countered, cocking her weapon.

“Negative. I’m not trading lives, Jessly. Yours either, Wex.”

“We can’t leave him here,” Wex argued.

“This is it, Wex!” Juno snapped, “This is the only chance we’ll get. I’m the Sergeant, and I won’t trade the whole squad for one person. I’d do the same to any of you, and I’d expect the same for me.”

“This is such shit.” Wex threw down his empty rifle.

“As your Sergeant, my duty is to make sure as many of you survive by any means necessary. There’s a way out of this, so I’ve got to get as many marines to it as I can. I can’t make you do anything. Any of you. All I can do is order you. If you don’t want to go, then stay here. I’ll take who does. And if you all want to stay, then so be it. I’ll stay with you. We can die together on this rock. Or those with working legs can follow me, and make it off this godforsaken moon, for all of those who can’t. But, if we don’t decide, we die, we all die here, for nothing.” Grensly turned away, head dropping to his chest. The poor kid was lost.

“No.” Danniger finally spoke up, his voice weak and trembling with fear. “No. Sergeant, I’m spent. Leave me here.” The squad looked around at each other. They couldn’t believe it.

“Look at me. This leg… I don’t know if I’ll survive even if I make it.” His voice was weak with fear. He was clearly lying, “I don’t want anyone dying for me. Just go. Save yourselves. You can’t do anything for me. And I don’t want you to.” Juno and the squad were silent. She walked over to him.

“Sergeant.” His mask hid his quiet sobbing behind it. Juno knelt beside the Corporal.

“I’m sorry, Corporal.”

“Just shoot me.” Juno was surprised. She unholstered her pistol, hesitantly. Juno didn’t think she could do it.

“Is this what you want?” He laughed, unexpectedly. Then, shook his head. He tried to play it off as a joke, but, in reality, the fear must’ve changed his mind. Juno was glad. She wouldn’t have been able to do it anyways.

Softly, she put a hand on his shoulder, and spoke, “I have to make sure they make it, you understand? Or, it’d be me sticking here with you.” She heard him sniffle, and then he nodded his head.

“Make sure they get out, Sergeant. It’s been an honor.” He gripped her hand and pulled to his chest. Juno’s heart sank. She nodded, tapping his helmet with hers.

She handed her pistol to the man.

“Go down fighting.” Exhausted, he shook his head.

“No. No more fighting for me. I’m tired of it.” Juno almost changed her mind, resisting the urge to sit down next to him and accept their fate. But, she had to get her marines out. Standing, it took her a second, but she turned from the corporal towards her squad.

“You heard the Corporal. But, if you still want to stay, then make your decision by the time the barrage hits, because afterwards whoever’s with me, we’re leaving. And those of you still here when we do will be left behind.”

“Bombardment coming in. Keep your heads down until it’s over,” Juno barked as a whole host of ship guns rumbled in the distance. “Once the dust settles, we’re moving out. Hunker in, marines.”

The marines sounded off, moving to spots in the building they thought were safest. Wex, nearby, pulled at Juno’s shoulder. “What about Harlow?”

“He’s dead.” It was the only two words she could say at that point. Wex let go of her shoulder. They had been good friends, more than that. Harlow was like true family to him. Juno couldn’t focus on that now.

Hissing grew above them as shells rained down, growing to an ear deafening level. Then, the ground shook. Explosions ripped into the moon’s face, tearing up large swaths of smoke, ash, and dust. The shockwaves rippled through the dead building, rumbling rocks from high places, and misplacing rubble from the tops of piles. When the last one impacted the earth, silence followed. That was Juno’s chance.

“Let’s move out, marines.” Juno rose, headed for the smoke. Behind her was the rest of her squad, every member capable of following. All of them wore heavy hearts, but had clear minds. They still had a job to do. As they disappeared into the smoke, behind them, was left Harlowe, Danniger, half their squad, and a good amount of dead marines.

The barrage had worked. Juno and her squad slipped right by the enemy resistance. The squad then made it into the north, where they started their climb up into rocky hills. The squad was exhausted, physically and emotionally, but Juno could sense the fill station approaching. She kept driving herself, and the team forward. Eventually, over a rocky outcropping above, she saw it. They were almost there.

On the summit of a small plateau, Juno paused when she heard a distant gunshot. It was a small sound, but familiar. Her squad moved ahead of her towards the summit, leaving her alone. Juno had recognized the sound of her own pistol…

At the top of the hill was the fill station, their transport and escape. Down below was the wasted city, stretching over barren gray wasteland. Looking down over the rugged terrain, she could just make it out. The destroyed building stood in with the rest of the featureless rubble. The image made her chest tight. Juno turned quickly afterward, continuing towards the summit. She wanted off this rock…

When the air transport picked them up, Juno saw the battlefield stretching beneath them. It was a mess of fires, smoke, and rubble. There was no making sense of it. She recognized all the places where she’d left soldiers behind, though. They were easy to distinguish. Every scratch, crater, and pathway, the shattered building, the scarred battlefields packed with smoke and dead marines. She’d remember the images for the rest of her life.