The General continued to speak, his scarred face barren of emotion.
“And yet the enemy must be stopped. The Tyranids cannot be allowed to simply cut a swathe through the Empire. You, Timothy, confirmed what I already knew. The best way to destroy this enemy is by depriving it of what it needs most – life to gorge on. It might not stop them here but we will gradually sap their strength till they are no more.
Prepare to fire the Terminatus missile.”
There were audible gasps from those on the bridge.
“Prepare to fire, that is an order.”
Timothy began to sweat, and his heart raced. But there was nothing he could have done or said to change what was about to happen.
“Fire,” the General commanded.
Timothy looked out. A white speck hurtled away from the ship towards the beautiful blue and green planet. Deathly silence gripped the bridge.
Then it seemed to disappear into the green haze for a few seconds.
Perhaps, it had failed Timothy had thought.
But then the first dash of red appeared and it began to slowly expand. Timothy left the bridge to return to his dour quarters. He knew what was about to happen and couldn’t just sit and watch it. Over the next few hours what was once a thriving world would become a barren rock devoid of all life.
All those men, women, and children, their homes and dreams would be no more.
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