Reapers: The Shadow Soldiers by Josh Collins

have trusted him, but he was still apprehensive.
    Joining Index on their bulky subspace capable transport, Burns sat and awaited deployment. For better or worse, they were about to find out if the Colonel was more than just a figment of Control’s imagination.  

FRACTURED PAST: PART II

    Fort Hermara, Mardius, 20 years and 2 standard months prior

    The situation on Mardius was bad. The Dominion and the Mardian loyalists had dealt decisive blows against the Resistance and so the bushwhackers were lashing out in a vain, final offensive. Every day hundreds of Dominion soldiers were cut down. The medical tents at Fort Hermara had become a bustling hive of activity. It got so bad that they eventually ran out of beds and began laying men on the ground.  
    This all meant that there was little room in the tent for Burns, who’d been recovering at a steady pace. Since Evelyn had been a compliant prisoner, the guards were okay with letting the two of them wander to a quieter area of the base and get some fresh air.  
    This freedom did wonders for Burns’ recovery. He was glad to get away from the sickening smells of death inside the tent. At this point, nature was a better remedy than any bandage Evelyn could put on.  
    Due to the severity of the Resistance’s attacks, the two were ordered to stay inside the confines of the Fort.  
    Normally, this would have felt like a prison sentence, but Burns quickly found that it didn’t bother him. He could have been in the middle of a battlefield, and he’d enjoy it if Evelyn were there. She had a certain allure. It wasn’t just the graceful flow of her soft face; it was also something internal. Her morality. She was very different then the rest of the Dominion. The others only cared about money or power. Evelyn seemed to be the only person that genuinely cared about people .  
    He looked over at her as her fiery-red hair was blown back by a gust of wind. He then noticed that she seemed hesitant to eat the packaged food they had been provided. With a smirk, Burns grabbed a few packets of sauce and dropped them near her crossed legs. She glanced at the packets of sauce and then looked up at him with a smile.  
    “Thanks,” she murmured. “That sauce is about the only thing that can make these rations even remotely edible,” she joked with a smile. Burns chuckled back at her as he poked his fork around in the mush. It was very true. The rations served at the Fort were horrendous.  
    She continued to smile for a bit after that, which in turn made Burns smile. He hadn’t done that much in his life, but he couldn’t help it when he saw her. Even if she wasn’t around, just thinking about her made him smile. He’d spent nearly every hour of every day for two months with her, and nearly all of it he had been happy. He always felt warm, and it wasn’t just because Mardius was closer to its sun than other planets.  
    He’d kept his feelings hidden for some time, not wanting to alarm her, but the freedom they were allowed today made it difficult to keep such passions down.  
    “Stay with me,” he blurted out, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed. She squinted her eyes as she swallowed another bite of the meal.  
    “I’m not leaving until you’re better,” she ensured, somewhat confused. He probably should have left it at that, but his adrenaline had started pumping, and he felt confident he could get her to see his side.
    “No, I mean after,” he clarified. “Talk to the Major, get your sentence reduced,” Burns urged her. She understood this time, and the idea caused her to shift around uncomfortably.  
    “I can’t do that Ben. I disobeyed orders,” she maintained, staying true to herself. Burns looked at the sunbaked gravel and took a deep breath.
    “Yeah, but—” he paused, finding it difficult to express what was on his mind.  
    “What?” she asked.  
    “It’s just...after what happened, ” he stammered, trying to find the right words, “I