"Lieutenant, two saucers incoming. Five o'clock."

"Roger that."

I scanned the quickly darkening sky. The brightest stars were just starting to peek through... I squinted. Lights in the sky made me uncomfortable lately.

"Darcy, you hear that?" I said.

Darcy nodded and hoisted the launcher onto his shoulder. "Five o'clock. Soon as they clear the ridge line they're toast."

I winked at him. "That's the spirit! Keep an eye on the sky, fire as soon as you get a lock. I'm gonna go check on Alpha Point."

"Good luck, Lieutenant." Darcy saluted.

I lifted my own launcher onto my shoulder and made my way up the hill. Rally point Bravo was designated about two hundred yards away from our main position, just in case we took some fire. We couldn't really afford any more casualties... But we could even less afford to lose any more weapons.

The damn things looked like flying saucers, just like in the movies. They cut through the sky in weird patterns, they lit us up with missiles and ion beams, and our scientists couldn't figure out how the hell they worked. But it wasn't all bad. Flying saucer, fighter jet, a Stinger missile can knock it out of the sky all the same.

I reached the top of the hill and knelt down behind the sandbags we had set up earlier. Sergeant Meyers saluted at me.

"Lock and load, then get ready to move," I said. "Saucers incoming, we might have some company on the way out."

Meyers opened his mouth but he said nothing, listening. An alien sort of whine began to fill the air, first quiet, but soon swelling to an uncanny crescendo.

I lifted the launcher to my shoulder and watched the skyline. A light streaked over the mountain range, seemingly gliding through the air. But... Only one. Where the hell was the second?

I tracked the saucer as it glided towards us. I couldn't let it get away, it was surely headed straight for our airstrip.

"Shit." I squeezed the trigger and fire erupted from the launcher. I watched as the missile streaked across the sky towards the floating light. The saucer changed course, sweeping across the sky in a parabola, doing its damndest to outrun the missile but it was no use; the Stinger did its job and the saucer was lost in a violent burst of light.

I threw down the launcher and leapt to my feet. "Move!" I screamed. I hurdled over the sandbags and barreled into the forest, not bothering to look behind me. The distant whining filled the sky once again; my world erupted into sound and light. Suddenly I was airborne; I think a tree broke my fall, and I rolled a few dozen yards down the hill. Concussive bursts rocked the mountainside and I curled into a ball, unable to stand.

I don't know how long it was before my legs worked. I stood and drew my sidearm. I shook as I walked down the hillside towards the smoldering valley. Behind me, the hilltop had been blasted bare and glassy. I stumbled and fell a few times.

Did Darcy get his shot off? Something told me he hadn't been able to.

I heard a noise behind me; I wheeled. A large, lurching figure emerged from the smoke; tall and lanky but clearly wearing some sort of armor. I shot it twice but my bullets did not halt its advance. Two more followed behind it, wielding what looked like rifles. My knees shook but I stood tall.

"You. Name," the alien said. It spoke through some sort of speaker mounted on its shoulder. A translator?

"My name is Lieutenant Johnny Carr, United States Army. Who the hell are you?"

The alien ignored my question. "Your capital has fallen."

I spat. "For now." 

"The fight is over," said the alien. "You have been defeated, but still you stand. Why?"

"Cause... I'm a sore loser," I said. I tried to sound more confident than I felt. I fought the urge to turn tail and run for my life.

"You lead the human resistance?" the alien said. "Your people have killed two hundred of ours."

I said nothing.

"You will be enslaved, along with the rest of your people."

I shot it again. The bullet glanced off his armor, and immediately it was on top of me. It knocked me over and closed one large hand across my neck.

"Stop," I choked out. My bravado faded. I went into fight or flight mode; all I wanted was to live.

"Do you apologize? Do you beg for your life?"

"Please," I choked.

The alien made a noise that might have been a laugh. "I may have a use for you. You have a choice." It released my neck and I fell to my knees, gasping.

"Either you can die here, today, or you can help us rule."

I looked up at the alien.

"You surely understand humans better than we can hope to. You can be our liaison, help us to keep them in line."

"I'll do it," I said, shuddering. "I'll do it."

The alien made a gesture. One of his troops brought forth a figure.

"Lieutenant?" Darcy's eyes widened.

"Kill this prisoner," said the alien leader, waving a hand at Darcy.

"Dammit Lieutenant, help me out of this!" said Darcy, struggling against his armored captor. "Greyson made it, so did Meyers!"

"I... I want to live," I said, more to myself than anything.

"What?" said Darcy, confused.

"I want to live." I raised my gun and shot Darcy. I blinked, and sat on the ground.

The alien leader studied me.

"Come, Lieutenant. We have much to do."