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[IceManYurt]

I really can't post any of Falcon's old stories till I atleast post one of my own. And since Falcon did pen quite a few stories over the years, I need to get this out of the way quickly

This is not Star Siege related, but it was written in homage to Ray Bradbury and is my favorite concept short story that I have written...

it's called May There Come Soft Rain

The time: the distant future. The place: any city, any country. "In this
war torn land, all that the people seek is peace, but that was not to come
to them," one of the few survivors said, through blood speckled lips. "I
remember the night they came. The troops you posted at our town were not
enough. That night I was violently, if that word can even describe it,
awakened when a mortar came though my neighbors roof. He was one of the
lucky ones...", the man trailed off into oblivion.

"Medic!" the sergeant-at-arms screamed. "I need a medic right now. This
man needs medical attention ASAP."

"Sir, we are too overextended to give any non fighting units any of our
attention," the medic said, with a firm, but sad resolution. "Besides,
this man looks too far gone for anyone but God to help."

"I don't think you understand. I gave you a direct order. I will charge
you with murder if you don't attempt to help this man!" the enraged
sergeant shouted.

"Why do you care so much about this civilian's life, when I can have more
troops on the field?" the medic asked.

"Because this man may have information on the enemy. He is one of the few
survivors," the sergeant said

It was a dire time for the world. This was the first true world war, not
like those in the twentieth century. Those were kids playing with pellet
guns. This was a war with every country in the world involved. No one
thought that Russia would get so aggressive after it turned into a free
market. Two countries had already been nuked out of existence and the
count was probably going to rise even to a greater number. The body count
was easily in the millions and this had been going on for only one year.

***

"Troops! They're coming on hot and heavy! Get down now!" the major
shouted. "Looks like they're using a flamer! Get beneath the fire sheets
now!"

Over the two way radio, impaired by the fire sheets, a solider started
screaming, "Sir, the.. burning though! Oh.. God.. burning though...", the
screaming stopped and static was all that was heard.

"Base, this is Major Tom McCellan.. squad chewed up.. badly.. only
survivor.. .me... need help.. .send extraction team.. if.. .can," the
major said into his radio.

High above the Earth in a secret research station that only top level
government officials knew about, work was being done on project Birdman.

"Commander Harrison, I believe we have found a perfect subject for the
suit," said project leader Andrew Wiggen.

"You mean McCellan. I thought you might be intrigued by his record, but he
has already requested an extraction, his platoon was flamed," Harrison
said.

"We could pull him out, and then incinerate the whole area, making it look
like they took another run," Wiggen said.

"You must really believe he is the one, don't you? Make it so" Harrison
commanded.

After McCellan was stabilized and was told what happened and where he was,
the routine battery of questions started. "McCellan, what is your
hometown?" Andrew asked him.

"Allendale, California sir. May I asked why I am here?" the major
responded.

"Frankly, no. Do you have any living family members, parents, wife,
children, siblings?" Wiggen wanted to know.

"Yes, parents, still alive, despite the war, still living in Allendale,
with my younger brother and sister. My older sister moved to Boise,
Idaho," the major said.

"Major, thank you for answering the questions. As you may have already
guessed, we already know the answers to the questions we gave you. We were
just checking to make sure you were mentally still in order. Don't worry
about your family. We will protect them. You asked why you were here. I
will attempt to answer your question, it would only be fair. We are a
top-secret government think-tank, specifically for weapons. We needed a
test subject, who seemed to be dead. The attack on your 'toon came at the
ideal moment for us at project Birdman. Project Birdman will basically
make you the best fighting machine for the U.S.A. Our greatest child ever
was created using a cybernetic system to link the suit to your mind. When
the suit is active, you can withstand up to a twelve kiloton nuclear blast
at ground zero and go invisible by mimicking the heat and background. The
number of weapons is only two at the present time, but they are very
powerful. Your mission is to distracted the Russian army long enough so
that project Icer can take place. Good luck and God speed, and remember
the fate of humanity rest on your shoulders," Wiggen said.

Project Icer is to get as many people off the earth and onto new
inhabitable planets, then the earth would be destroyed. Birdman and Icer
did work in the fact that the human race was saved; yet failed because the
whole Earth was nuked, along with Tom’s whole family…the cost of war they
told him. Tom was extremely confused. They said they would protect, so
where are they now? he silently asked himself. The only way he could get
closure was to go back to Earth, back to California, back to Allendale.

When he arrived at Allendale, he could withstand the Earth's now hostile
biosphere because the suit would protect him. He saw the last remaining
building, his home. Perhaps they're still inside trying to ride out the
storm! he thought to himself. As he got closer, he could see the burnt out
silhouette of his family and heard the house say, Today is August 4,
2026..." He stood there in the rain, wishing that the soft reign of peace
had come sooner.