Time: Earth Federation Year 107, September 9thLocation: Alpha Star, C9 Sector of the Perseus Constellation
Ryan Carter lay prone in a shell crater near the beach, surrounded by thick smoke and the dismembered bodies of his comrades.
This was the fourth Federal Army assault on Isis Beach. Despite extensive carpet bombing by Federal warplanes, the burrowing Zergs had largely survived. When the mobile infantry launched their landing operation, they encountered fierce resistance once again.
The fourth charge had clearly failed. Of the thousands of mobile infantry soldiers, only a handful remained, huddled in craters, struggling to survive. Ryan was one of them.
A faint, eerie clicking sound reached his ears, causing Ryan's nerves to tense up once more. He gripped his electromagnetic rifle tightly—it was his last hope. Though his magazine was nearly empty, it was still his only means of survival.
"D*mn it! Looks like I won't make it out of this one alive. Fine, if I take one down, I break even. If I take two, I'm in the black!" Ryan roared, flipping onto the edge of the crater and firing at the advancing Giant Armored Zerg.
The electromagnetic rifle spat out a fiery torrent, its bullets tearing through a towering two-meter-tall Zerg, sending it crashing to the ground. But there was no sense of relief for Ryan—hundreds more were closing in, and his rifle's red warning light indicated that his ammunition was running critically low.
"It's over." Ryan clenched his rifle. Against such overwhelming numbers, he knew he had no chance.
...
A piercing screech signaled the arrival of a golden-horned Giant Armored Zerg before Ryan. His rifle was completely out of ammunition, rendering him defenseless.
The Zerg raised its forearm—a sharp, bony blade stained with dried blood, evidence of the numerous mobile infantry soldiers it had already slain.
Its grotesque maw opened wide, revealing a sickly green, viscous fluid dripping from its mandibles—it was preparing to feast on him.
"Argh!" Ryan let out a scream as the Zerg's blade impaled his thigh, withdrawing with a sickening squelch, leaving behind a trail of crimson blood.
The Zerg licked its blade with its repulsive mouth. Despite its alien face, Ryan could sense its twisted delight.
"Eat me? In your dreams! You're coming with me!" Ryan roared, grabbing a plasma grenade from his belt.
The Zerg, displaying a surprising level of intelligence, immediately recognized the grenade's lethality. It shrieked and lunged forward, desperate to kill Ryan before he could detonate it.
The blade plunged through Ryan's chest, but at that moment, he had already pulled the pin!
"Boom!" The explosion ripped through the Zerg's face, spraying its blue brain matter across Ryan's mangled body.
Simultaneously, the surrounding Zergs let out collective wails of despair. They never expected their freshly hatched prince to perish on such a low-risk battlefield!
...
Time: Earth Federation Year 107, September 11thLocation: Gravity Well of Alpha Star, C9 Sector, Earth Federation Seventh Fleet, Medical Ship 703
"This kid is d*mn lucky—blown to bits and still alive."
"Yeah, but his right arm is gone for good."
"With wounds like that, just surviving is a miracle. Losing an arm is the least of his worries."
"True. Alright, get a mechanical arm ready."
"Yes, Doctor Lee."
...
When Ryan regained consciousness, his vision was filled with blinding white light. He shifted slightly, realizing he was lying on a soft bed. A quick glance around calmed his nerves—this was a hospital room aboard a medical ship. He had been here before after previous injuries.
"You're awake?" A nurse entered the room shortly after detecting signs of his awakening.
"Yeah." Ryan nodded. He had suffered injuries before, and though the memories of his near-death experience were still vivid, seeing his surroundings reassured him. He had somehow survived. His comrades must have rescued him after he detonated the grenade.
"You're really lucky to have survived a close-range plasma grenade detonation." The nurse, whether impressed or merely remarking on his luck, proceeded to describe his condition upon arrival. Listening to her recount his injuries made Ryan shudder in retrospect.
He had faced the Zerg head-on in the heat of battle, too enraged to feel fear. Now, looking back, he realized how close he had come to death. The sheer horror of it sent chills down his spine.
The nurse adjusted some settings on a nearby device before handing him a manual. "This is your maintenance guide. You lost your right arm, so we've installed a Model 034 mechanical replacement. It's a mass-produced standard issue from the Federation. You get the idea."
"What?!" Ryan instinctively reached out with his right arm, only to see a sleek, silver mechanical limb attached to his shoulder. Though it moved seamlessly, even allowing him to clench his fist naturally, it was undeniably not his own.
"Don't worry, it's connected to your nervous system, so it functions just like a real arm. In fact, it's even stronger than your original one. The only downside is the occasional malfunction, but the manual covers troubleshooting." The nurse chuckled. Having worked on the medical ship for over a year, she had seen too many injured soldiers fitted with mechanical limbs.
"Alright." Ryan nodded. There was no point in lamenting the loss of his arm now.
But as the saying goes, misfortune often leads to fortune. Despite losing a limb, Ryan's injuries qualified him for a Tier-3 disability discharge under Federal military law. This meant not only could he retire honorably, but he would also receive a generous pension—enough to ensure a comfortable life.
In the Federal Interstellar Navy, mobile infantry suffered a mortality rate thirty times higher than other units. During wartime, few ever completed their full tour of duty. Being able to retire due to injury, with a hefty pension, was a rare stroke of luck.