[b]Private Aden Robertson[/b]

[i]'Maybe being a merchant wouldn't have been so bad.'[/i]

Aden had replayed that thought a decent amount of times over the last two weeks. Usually, he was hunkering in a hastily dug whole or avoiding a spray of rifle fire. At the moment it was brought on by the pillars of smoke and the steady [i]thump[/i] of artillery that seemed to encompass all of Inbur. Gunshots from the cities outskirts had spilled over into the commercial districts; whether from partisans, the Calarian vanguard or the stubborn Inburian defenders was anyone's guess. 

All Aden knew was that he was sitting at an isolated gate with his marksman's rifle as the rest of the Inburian army left. Leaving orphans like him, survivors of decimated and ravaged formations, behind to buy time for the still intact units. 

Necessary but one Aden wouldn't have let happen if he had known what was going on until he had figu-

Gunshots resounded from one of the other posts. Aden turned seeing a figure sprinting from the long deserted guardhouse. 

He hadn't even noticed that the kid manning the post had left. The figure was enveloped by the haze that the city seemed to have adopted with the sudden bonfire of it's buildings and materials. The scout losing sight of the intruder in the gloom. 

For a split second Aden wondered why he was even bothering. Chances were he was the only man still manning his post here. If he was lucky whoever got here would accept his surrender. If he was unlucky.....

[i]'Too late to quit now.'[/i]

He came to the conclusion as he took off after the intruder; his rifle cradled in his arms as the shape of a zeppelin came into view. The last glimpse of the intruder as they vanished from sight at the mouth of the gangplank into the aircraft's gondola. Aden's approach up the gangway was a half cautious trot with his rifle at the ready. 

But as he skidded to a stop he became aware of the rather large grouping of individuals within the zeppelin. Apparently, Aden [i]had[/i] been the only man to hold his post. Not that the loyalty was doing him any good at the moment. At least one man wore an Inburian Army uniform without the armband of the partisan/rebels. 

None of them however appeared to be a military air crew. So he raised his rifle slightly as he became aware of a shotgun wielding man among the collection. 

"This is the property of the Inburian military. Identify yourselves." 

Which in hindsight was a stupid thing to say given the state of Inbur and the Inburian military in general. Both of which Aden had unfortunately seen degrade to their current state over the last two weeks. He gave a sigh as he lowered the rifle slightly before anyone could reply. 

"Wait... Forget that....Let's....Get out of here first..." 

It hurt to abandon his duty, however suicidal but he knew the difference between sacrifice and slaughter. Being the rear guard in a burning city was definitely the latter.