*I honestly think I couldn’t even if I tried*

@thecryingstarcrew

Spirits he was out of practice.

That wasn’t the only thought in Marcius’s head as he lined up a shot on a Marauder, pulled the trigger, and hit it somewhere around the stomach instead of the headshot he’d intended to land. There was also the fact that his wife hadn’t come onto his radio in several minutes.  That he was here at all when he’d spent the past couple decades as a paper pusher because the Hierarchy was that hard up for soldiers.

Also that there were more of his own squad mates lying dead on the battlefield than he ever wanted to see.

But those thoughts were just a way to make himself lose focus, give into the fear that this situation really was hopeless. And if he couldn’t have the aim he used to, he at least needed the focus.

“Sadine?” He called over his radio. This was, what, the third time? “Tell me you’re holding up out there or I’m going to start to worry.”  That was a lie, he was already worried.

Luckily, this time the line crackled to life and his heart jumped up at the sound of his wife’s voice, tired and pained but there. “I’m alive, not much else though.”  She paused and Marcius could hear the exhaustion in her voice.  “We could use some backup.”

Ah.  It wasn’t going well then.  Marcius swallowed nervously. “Wish I could say some was coming.”  He aimed again. Fired. There was a headshot - he hoped he lived to brag about it or at least take some satisfaction in getting into the groove of this again.

“Yeah we- Fuck.”  The sound of gunfire drowned out whatever her response would have been, Marcius heard the start of what might have been his name - then the line went dead and he jerked upright, struggling to his feet.  His bad leg nearly buckled underneath him and he cursed through his teeth.