Comrade

“September 1, 3000. People once spoke of our glorious country. Our comrades would come back from every battle carrying the spoils of our enemies—and vast plunder beyond human perception. However, a tide of bad fortune had ruined our glorious country, and we had been smashed by the Great Empire. Empire, my butt! Barbarians more like! They marauded and brutally destroyed our towns, our cities, our planets. Whatever transportation that had not been fully incinerated was hopelessly beyond repair. 

Today is September 2nd, 3011. The glory of our nation has once more been restored and put down again. We have come back from the depths of failure—only to be thrown down into yet another pit—but we will get back. Today, comrades, is the Battle of Dread.”

Lieutenant Dmitri lay his pen down and wiped a tear away. He was leader of his own army division—the 1st Guards Army. As proud as he was to be a leader, he understood that he might not live to see the sun again. He and his company were to be shipped on the Titan-class ship, the TD Allegiance. He exited his bunker and walked the long path to the docking bay.
“Lieutenant Dmitri! Good to see you!” said Sergeant Yuri excitedly as he saluted his superior. “I hear we are to be finally put in battle as a support army to the 3rd and 5th Shock Armies!” 

“Yes, Yuri, we will finally see battle. I, unfortunately, cannot share the same sentiment as you. Our comrades are dying out there! This is not the time to be overly joyed about reaching battle status!” said Dmitri. “Yes, Comrade Lieutenant. I shall learn to control my emotion,” said Yuri. “Good,” was the only reply that came from the back of the cold Lieutenant. He cared not for enthusiasm. Today was not a day for such nonsense. 
“1st Guards Army, get ready to deploy!” came a voice over the speakers. 

Dmitri rushed himself into his Avenger-class ship, and glanced at Yuri, who already had climbed into the cockpit of a Revenge-class ship. The rest of his comrades mounted into Revenges or Interceptors. As Dmitri sat down, he reached slowly for the two triggers that controlled the twin, repeating quad cannons on his Avenger, the envy of all fighter ships. The Revenge had two heavy laser cannons as well as proton torpedo ports, so it was nothing to be ashamed of, and the Interceptors had a heavy laser cannon and missile ports. However, unlike all the other ships, the Avenger was not only the fastest, but also had missile and proton torpedo ports. On top of that, it had stealth capabilities. 
“Black Team, Red Team, Green Team, and Blue Team are ready!” came a voice over the intercom.
“Okay, good. Team B and R, you’re with me. Sergeant Yuri, lead Team G and B!” said Dmitri.
“Understood, boss,” came the cool, nonchalant reply.

The docking bay’s doors literally swung open, and the roar of ship engines came to life. The Lieutenant pressed on the acceleration pedal and kicked his sublight ion engines into ignition. He opened a secure-comm channel to contact the Commissar of his arrival.
“Commissar Sergei, this is Lieutenant Dmitri of the 1st Guards Army, we have arrived at the rendezvous point—and” Dmitri did not even finish his sentence. He stared blankly at the destroyed Death Star and guarding Leviathans, the LV Hydra and the LV Python.
“Comrade Rostov here. The Commissar is dead. I am in direct command.”
“Okay,” said Dmitri. “I need a status update. What has happened?” 
“You’ll find out soon enough.” 

The Lieutenant slammed his fist on the instrument panel and accidentally turned the stealth on. Just as he did so, he watched as a sudden bolt of light came from nowhere and lit up a nearby interceptor into a flaming fireball of red, orange, and white. 
“Whew. That was too close!” groaned Dmitri as he checked the scanner. He didn’t need to. “Lieutenant, Yuri here. We have incoming interceptors at 11 o’ clock. They’re part of the Great Empire!”

Finally, thought Dmitri. Some cockpits to blow up.
“All Teams, on active, full throttle. Kill anyone in your sight!” Before he could finish that sentence, he saw a cloud of interceptors in sight. Rotating his quad cannons, he let loose three bursts at the incoming Empire fighters.
“Noobs.” He said, as the laser bursts destroyed 2, and the ensuing debris destroyed 4 more.
“Barrage them with missiles” he yelled over the intercom. For once in his life, he saw a true beauty—200 missiles soaring at once. He watched as his own two smart missiles quickly found targets. The combined missile attack obliterated the incoming enemy fighters. 

All of a sudden, an enemy Leviathan came out of nowhere and used its multiple laser cannons to destroy his comrades. 
“Everyone on flee status!” yelled Dmitri.It was too late, he watched in silence as team after team was disintegrated. Their initial success could not match up with their failure. 
“AF-150, Avenger-class ship, you are under arrest by the Great Empire. Stealth cannot keep you hidden forever, we have you on tractor-beam,” came a voice into his comm channel. 
“Forget it, Empiric Barbarians. Smoke this!” said Dmitri.

Leveraging his Avenger, he quickly located the Leviathan control room—obvious because of its location on top of the ship. He squeezed the firing buttons—and watched as quads of lasers spewed out of his repeating cannons and enveloped the control room in a ball of fire. 


“Nooooo---“came the cry over his comm channel. Instantaneously, twenty eight laser cannons swiveled and aimed in his direction. He quickly barrel-rolled and escaped the first volley. He closed his eyes and pressed the nova button, which created a bomb using his missiles and proton torpedoes. The only cost of that bomb, was the fighter and his life. He quickly steered until he was pointed directly at the side of the Leviathan, and yelled,
“Revolutsiya!!!!” He closed his eyes again as he yelled and slammed on the pedal. Laser turrets aimed at him but it was too late—the avenger smashed head on into the Leviathan, and then exploded with a tremendous impact, which split the Leviathan into two. 

Aboard the Death Star, DS Obliteration, Commissar Rostov and the crew saluted the scene. “Your death shall not be in vane, Dmitri. We shall truly avenge your death. We salute you, Comrade.” Rostov slowly smiled as the Death Star slowly crept around the moon and aimed its powerful laser and the remaining Leviathans. Total Obliteration.