Back at Base

Hours passed as the radiated wasteland darkened, the sun dawning in the distance.

"ATTENTION." The officer yelled. The soldiers all lined up exiting their sentries and stopping whatever they were doing.

"The second unit will take over for night guard duty, you may now rest back at base, a trench line was partially completed by the third unit, you may all leave back for base."

All soldiers began leaving, walking through every pathway back. Corbin joined with them, still carrying his rifle and a bloodied shovel. As they went to the rear, a single trench leading to the base was present, the large group of soldiers marched through. The trench was incomplete, lacking any wooden support and boards for the walkways, the soldiers marched through, a long trip back as they passed above the field they once charged on.

The sun slowly faded over the horizon once Corbin arrived on the other side. On the trench line he stayed in. They all walked the same direction, marching forward through the tight line. Through corridors and more trenches, the soldiers finally reached the entrance to their home, a box structure with a metal gate with a few other soldiers like them guarding on the side. Lanterns were already lit inside glass containers, hanging or being held by patrols wandering around. The gate slowly opened, creaking as it did with a metallic grinding noise. Once it fully opened, a large mineshaft elevator awaited them, it's door opening to welcome them home.

The elevator was quickly filled with the soldiers, leaving little space as everyone finally entered in the large box.

The doors closed shut once everyone has entered, and after a few seconds. It began descending down. Corbin stared blankly at the dirt walls with steel beam supports on all sides. Getting cramped up in the crowd of soldiers.

The elevator descended deep down before reaching a screeching halt, they reached home, a mineshaft splitting into different routes. People walked around rooms built into the dirt walls of both sides. Weapons production to storage of different goods such as weapons locked behind steel doors. The unit slowly exited, pouring into the mineshaft tunnel, lightbulbs lit up the shaft and the rooms onward. The main tunnel extended for a long distance with other tunnels splitting off on both sides. But they continued walking. Soldiers started removing their masks, holding it under their arms.

The group stopped on one room, entering inside. A room larger than the others, mostly walled off with a double door, opened.

Inside the room, bunk beds on the walls of the sides with stools next to each one carrying different things. From cards to tools.

Corbin headed to his own bed, sitting on the side.

Moris approached him, climbing up to the top bunk after resting his weapon on the stool. Corbin placed his helmet on the stool, leaning his own weapon to the wall next to him.

The officer from earlier stood at the entrance once everyone began to settle.

"BRING YOUR WEAPONS TO THE ARMORY FOR INSPECTION!" The officer yelled.

Everyone grabbed their rifles, heading outside once again. Corbin brought his rifle, one that once had a glowing barrel tip.

The crowd soon flooded tne entranceway, heading outside to get to the armory.

As they went onward, they reached it. Behind a locked door, a a large metal screen, a counter, and a small gap to fit things through, all behind a metal door. Two soldiers were guarding it, standing to the sides. Upon the sight of the soldiers, they opened it. Allowing a single person inside at a time.

It wasn't long before the crowd formed up into a line, waiting for their turn. The door opened and closed countless of times as more soldiers entered then exited, brandishing newer rifles.

It was a few minutes of waiting around. Moris stood behind Corbin, holding his own rifle which was dirtied with dirt and blood.

"Did yours have it's barrel glow bright as well?" Corbin asked.

"No, just dirtied up." Moris simply replied.

Corbin slowly inched closer and closer to the door as the line became shorter, more soldiers leaving with newer rifles, back to the quarters.

It was now Corbin's turn, the door opened to a small room with a person behind

Corbin rested the rifle on the counter, quickly being taken by the person. In a few seconds, a new rifle rested on the counter, clean and ready for a fight. Corbin took it, quickly leaving without saying a word, wielding his new rifle for the next battle.

Outside, Moris stepped inside, the line slowly moving as the next person entered.

Moris quickly joined with Corbin in the walk back, carrying his new rifle for combat.

"Wonder where our next battle would be." He said, initiating a conversation.

"With the trench taken, we'll probably be on recon, walking forward where those hostiles came from." Corbin responded.

"You reckon they have novus tanks like us?" Moris questioned.

"Probably, probably not, we'll see the next day if were ordered to do recon and find their home. We'll either raid it or wait for a negotiator for them to join up with us."

The two continued walking until they finally reached the quarters, soldiers were already resting on many of the beds, either sleeping or sitting on their bedsides.

Corbin leaned the new rifle on the wall, sitting on the bedside. Moris' rifle rested on the stool, the helmet now sat above it. The two finally lied down on their beds. Soldiers continuously entered from the entrance, carrying their new rifles.

As the minutes pass, the room was now full of resting soldiers. As everyone prepared to sleep, the lights were shut off, the time of slumber has come for the soldiers.

With the lights off, a new rifle, and taking off his boots among other gear, placing it on or around the stool, Corbin lied down and began resting. A battle fought and won today, tomorrow shall be no different.