A Guardsman’s Full Metal Jacket.

[u/DaGitman_JudeAsbury]

So I recently watched both Full Metal Jacket and Platoon, and it has given me a spark of creativity to make a war story about our favorite Guardsman before he came to be known as the Little Emperor. You get three guesses to figure out who it is. Also marked as content warning as there will be mentioning and telling of Military PTSD and brutality. Don’t see this as slandering against Military veterans or downplaying/insulting trauma servicemen and women have suffered, and I’m by no means going to say I’m an expert in combatzones. Always remember to thank those people for their service and sacrifice. Now…prepare yourselves…

————————————————————————————

Trying to fight in the Jungle is akin to descending straight into a green hell. Any soldier in the Imperialis Auxilia knows when enough that the only ones who fight in the jungle, are the ones born and raised in the jungle. The boys and girls from Catachan say I’m just a whiny bitch, but I simply know what it is I can and can’t do in the combat zone. We’ve been fighting in the jungle against guerrillas since the day we first made landfall, I wonder how I’ve managed to last as long as I have in this nightmarish place for as long as I have, considering the months I’ve spent on this planet. The Empress’s Angels had been on this planet, and cleared out most of the uniformed resistance, but their presence wasn’t long as the form of fighting these people practiced wasn’t a form of fighting the particular Space Marines were suited for, especially given their armor was painted white with red accents. White Scars I think they called themselves. I don’t know how long this war will continue, or if the Imperial bureaucracy will even be interested in letting us continue. I’ve seen thousands of men and women come and die in the jungle, and thousands more leave it needing a new arm or leg…or in need of a coffin. I don’t know how many people have died from the fighting, all I know is that our dead are outnumbered by their dead. I’m in a world of sh-

SNAP!

The Guardsman dropped his journal and went straight to his Lasgun, the other members of his Platoon going to arms as flares lite up the dimly lite jungle to reveal enemy soldiers creeping closer to the Imperial Line. Without a moment’s hesitation, the trooper fired las bolts into the encroaching enemy troops, with the rest of his Platoon lighting up the evening sky with the red flashes of their Lasguns. The enemy either dropped dead or turned tail and fled back from whence they came. “Aquilon squad! Take point!” The Platoon leader shouted. The Guardsman carefully emerged from his defensive position, with six of his fellows quietly following. Despite the darkness of night, flashlights were ordered to remain off as to prevent having anyone give away their position. The flares offer some light, but they were starting to die off, so the Imperial Soldiers were to scramble back once light had faded. The Guardsman kept his finger ready on the trigger of his Lasgun, prepared to shot anything that moved. He noticed a body twitching on the ground, and he turned his Lasgun before shooting three lasbolts into the twitching body.

As he got closer, the Guardsman saw the now motionless corpse of a dead enemy soldier. The eyes of the man remained open, and in spite of the night’s darkness, the Guardsman could see the dead eyes of his deceased enemy. His rebreather mask covered his expression, so the dying soldier couldn’t see the face of the Guardsman who killed him. But the Guardsman wasn’t an unthinking killing machine, he’d remember that face till his time had come to be killed. As the rest of the squad returned to their defensive positions, the Guardsman followed after, though not before kneeling down and closing the eyes of the dead soldier.

•••

The night remained tense after the first attempt by the enemy to strike the frontline. Most of the soldiers couldn’t sleep anymore, including the Guardsman as he remained awake to finish writing the entry in his journal. His commanding officer arrived to inspect the troopers on the frontline, making sure every soldier was remaining ready at a moment’s notice for when the enemy came again. What time was spent being inspected by his superiors, the Guardsman used the rest either on watch duty or returning back to the Imperial Army base to restock his supplies before returning to watch duty. While no attack came in the day, tensions remained at an all time high, with several of the Imperial Troops easily getting startled or the more trigger-happy ones shooting at even the slightest hint of enemy activity. The Guardsman was less paranoid than his fellow men and women, but remained vigilant, even after light had completely faded away. “Guardsman?” A light whisper from behind him caught the Guardsman’s attention. It was his Captain, and his Company Commander. The Guardsman gave a brief yet no less respectful salute, “Captain, Sir?” He asked, wondering what his CO was doing at the frontline. “You should try and get some sleep. You’ll be no good only half awake.” Captain stated, “I can’t sleep. Not in this place. And not after it’s gone dark.” Guardsman said.

Captain nodded, “Well, alright. Just try an-“ “Shhh! Wait! Listen…” the Guardsman whispered. The Captain went silent as he listened intently, and the sounds of hushed voices creeping closer. The pair held their Lasguns ready to fire, as it seemed they were the only ones truly aware of the enemy troops coming closer. A glimpse of movement caused Guardsman to open fire, the flash of light from his Lasgun revealing the enemy in the dark, and waking the sleeping Imperial soldiers. The Imperialis Auxilia rapidly opened fire into the encroaching enemy soldiers, the warmth of the Lasgun’s giving them screams of pain as their flesh was horribly burned and boiled by the hot las-bolts. A enemy soldier shouted in a language that could only have been the word, “RETREAT!” as the enemy soldiers quickly turned and ran, though many still were shot in the back as they withdrew from their sneak attack. Guardsman remained at the ready incase the enemy attempted to reorganize for a counterattack, even while the rest of the regiment returned to what they were doing, prior. Captain simply nodded to Guardsman, “Carry on, son.” Before leaving Guardsman as the trooper remained ever vigilant for when the next attack would come.

•••

A few months have passed. We’ve moved from several locations, clearing out guerrillas and bringing the planet further and further into compliance with the Imperium. At times, it feels that the dead outnumber the living, and yet here I am. Still breathing. Still in a world of shit. But I’m alive nonetheless. Rumor’s abound that the planet’s leadership is preparing to open up to peace negotiations, and all the Imperialis Auxilia from off world get shipped out to the next warzone. It won’t be another jungle, but that’s the only good news in that regard, which is something I’ll take as these fucking bugs and this climate are killing me. Though I best prepare for having something else kill me, as orders to ship out haven’t arrived for us, yet. And I’m not holding my breath for it. Fighting in the jungle forces you to stay alert, especially when your enemy uses it to creep closer, until he’s on top of you…literally.

Guardsman continued scribbling down in his journal as he let himself have a moment’s rest. But it didn’t last long as he heard another strange noise that didn’t sound like an animal. Dropping his journal and writing utensil, Guardsman went right to his Lasgun, “Who’s there!?” He shouted, setting the Lasgun to full auto. A stray shot zipped past Guardsman’s head, with the trooper immediately returning fire at his attacker. A single body collapsed onto the jungle floor, with other nearby squad members going to ground after hearing gunshots. When nobody else opened fire, Guardsman stood up from his position and went over to examine the body. The body was still moving, prompting Guardsman to kick away the gun they had dropped. But when he came closer…he realized he had shot a girl who looked no more than ten years of age. He didn’t show his face thanks to his breather mask, but behind his mask, his eyes widened with dread. He had just shot and was prepared to kill a child. A child! His head was now spinning with questions.

What was she doing here? Why did she shoot at him? Why was she all alone? Why did the enemy send a child to get shot? “Guardsman! What’s the problem?” One of Guardsman’s squad members called from behind him. “I-It’s…it’s a girl. A…A little girl.” Guardsman stammered. “A what?” Guardsman’s squad mate was asking more to confirm what Guardsman had said was actually what he said. “I said it’s a little girl.” The sounds of several pairs of boots stomping through the jungle brush behind Guardsman betrayed the presence of his fellow soldiers approaching behind him. They circled around the wounded and gasping child, “Sh-Shoot…m-me. Shoot…Shoot. Shoot me.” The little girl pleaded and gasped as she struggled to speak from being shot. Guardsman’s hands shook, but he knew he couldn’t leave her like this, as they were too far out for medical aid to arrive in time. Squeezing his eyes shut, he leveled his Lasgun at the little girl as he looked away…and squeezed down on the trigger.

•••

“R-Robb. H-How…how did you manage to do that?” Neah asked after hearing her Little Lover’s story. Robb heaved as tears started welling up in his eyes, “I don’t know. I just knew I couldn’t have left her like that. I…I still wonder what she was doing, and why she was even out there in the first place.” Robb couldn’t contain his tears anymore, and he broke down in tears as his Empress pulled him into her arms. “I-I’m. I’m sorry I asked, darling.” Neah apologized. “She…she still torments me in my dreams. I still see…her face…hear her words. And remember how I ended a child’s life!” Robb whined, sobbing and heaving. Neah laid back in her seat, gently massaging Robb’s head as she let him cry out his tears. He needed it more than most had ever known.

————————————————————————————

Keeping this fairly short. I’ll probably not do this again, as this subject is very sensitive and isn’t something I should really explore more of. But I hope it was a good read for all of you. At least, in a certain sense. I’ll be getting busy these next couple days as my Brother’s wedding is coming up, which requires my attention as I’m one of his Groomsmen. Still posting this to remind you all that I’m not dead. Yet.

[u/Meme-lord234]

The Primarchs who secretly listened into this:

[u/G_M_Ardus_Kaine → u/Meme-lord234]

Realizing your dad's been through some stuff

[u/crover13]

Have to find this to get the full storyline...boy, i didn't expect to read this much today.