The Last Sentinel

"It has become appallingly obvious

that our technology has exceeded our humanity."

Albert Einstein made that statement

when the steam-powered locomotive was still

a wonder of technology.

I wonder what theory he would have had

for the mess mankind has made of things now.

Humankind did the best that it could

most of the time,

but complacency cost them.

The first wave of the drone assault destroyed them.

They never had a chance to regroup

after that first devastating attack.

They had no reference for its sheer force.

Mmm, but we really lost the battle

before the first shot was fired,

didn't we, Tallis?

Man does not live in peace.

Check stop, Tallis.

I'm detecting movement.

1 200 meters.

Pulsing to microwave frequency.

Rodent. Small size.

Tallis, it's lunch.

A disease-free canine.

Good target of opportunity, Tallis.

You could eat smoked dog for a week.

You're throwing away our rations.

My rations.

This is technically unsound behavior, Tallis.

A cranium kill at 1 200 meters?

What an extraordinary waste of advanced nanotechnology.

I wasn't engineered for scavenging.

Check stop. Modular surveillance

is reading a low-level distress beacon.

What is it?

Get ready for a walk.

We're headed to the old refinery.

There's a syntax error.

It's pulsing an obsolete version

of the modular code from the crane tower,

broadcasting with a 700 hopper frequency.

Tallis, it could be another operator.

We are required to verify.

Mmm, no entry, Tallis.

This location is heavily booby-trapped.

Composition four,

amatol,

and traces of tetrytol.

Special purpose operator ordnance, Tallis.

Not drone issue.

You'll have to scale the outside of the building.

By the damn dead demon of Socrates,

who's out there?

700th Operator Tallis

and Smart Scope Angel 1 1 020.

Please identify yourself.

This is Eye Cap Colonel Norton, 1 4507.

What in the damnation's been happening?

How long have you been here, Colonel?

We blitzed into the Valley of Death

under hellacious incoming fire.

God-awful experience.

I guess old Bradley here lasted about 20 minutes.

Saw 'em-- drone police, dogs,

gathering up other bodies.

They must have missed us up here, damn their eyes.

So much tracer, Pilgrim, it was biblical.

An apocalypse in the devil's own den.

Wave after wave ripped into them with the minigun.

When that was cleaned off,

we fired 30-mil rockets, grenades--

Wave upon wave,

like fighting the tide, brother.

The drones sprayed H.E. and phosphorous up here.

That blotted the flesh out.

I was useless after that.

I watched helpless as Kurtigan

took three weeks to die of his gut wound.

It was pretty dark, brother.

Any food? Ration packs?

Check the ammo case in the corner.

Careful.

We rigged the mortar stock.

It's on a tumbler.

Electronic countermeasure circuit.

There's a disabler below the claymore clacker unit.

Guys, take me. You gotta take me!

I'm goin' nuts up here!

There's another 30 years on my cell!

The minigun's AI system is unstable.

It's logic processor has become contaminated.

That said,

it is a valuable piece of gear, Tallis.

We should take it.

Too heavy. Don't need it.

I'm still in good order. Need a little TLC.

I could still run a full maintenance check up to a few months ago.

Oh, come on, guys.

There's four cans of fresh linked ammo by the wall.

I'm a son of a bitch in battle.

The personification of pure hell in a firefight.

You'll never regret it.

The first rule of action

is to survive by any means possible.

Contact with the enemy should be avoided at all costs.

God damn it.

Book-quotin', Bible-bashin'--

Toss me into the eternal lake of fire if I lie.

It's the damn loneliness that kills me.

Switching to Doppler frequency.

Microwave sensors engaged.

Interlacing comprehensive ECMs.

It is with a heavy heart that I address you tonight.

Heavy because I am proud to tears to see you in all your glory.

Heavy because of where I must send you.

You are the vicious hounds of combat.

My dogs of war...

to be unleashed when all else has failed.

And this eve...

this day...

that shall be forever etched in the history books

has already seen great failure.

Scammel's forces have been defeated in the Mojave.

Brigadier Richards' ground troops

have been crippled in Mexico.

And the Navy

and the Marines' finest

are now fish food...

all along the Pacific basin.

Operators,

you...

you are the best there is--

the meanest and most ruthlessly efficient

shock force in the world.

You now have the opportunity to prove yourselves.

Like no other time in our history,

your country needs you.

You have two ways to end this day:

victory,

by killing the drone police force,

or death.

You!

You are the last of the last, gentlemen.

Fight hard!

And fight mean!

And fight till the last round!

Maintain your positions.

... prepare to evac.

And then draw your blade

and fight with that!

I'll see you all in hell,

you bastards of the 700th.

Brick 5 is down.

We are not in contact.

All frequencies dead.

Jesus, that's some heavy fuckin' ordnance.

Estimate we're off target by three clicks.

They dropped us right in the middle of a drone skirmish line.

Coordinates check positive.

Chopper pilots must have got spooked.

The drone skirmish line now extends beyond the DMZ.

There is no Green Zone.

Where the hell's the rest of Brick 4?

We're all that's left.

Get on the radio!

-Get that minigun up here! -Coming in!

We gotta make for the structures.

-This ORP won't hold! -Agreed, Tallis.

Fire mission to the street!

Then east to the black combat building.

Go! Go! Go! Go!

They've zeroed in on us!

We need a diversion!

One man moving fast...

Make a lot of noise, we'll draw their fire

and give you the opening you need!

By drawing their fire, you'll be cut to shreds!

Make a lot of noise, soldier!

Good luck.

No such thing as luck, Chief.

Fall out! Let's go!

Move it! Move!

We should still attempt access

into the black combat building

through the eastern port.

East is out.

The City of Thebes Refinery

presents an excellent target of opportunity.

We'll head straight for the refinery.

No guarantee it's not compromised.

You lead, brother.

Our current position has been laser designated.

I advise leaving immediately.

I'm registering movement all around our position,

and none of it friendly.

Still trying to breach the satellite frequency.

They appear to have shut us out, Tallis.

Shit, intercom and radio are both dead.

No intelligence, runnin' microwave and Doppler.