"SOLD! To Bidder #24 for 500 Credits!...Our next item up for bid is......."

"WatchagotGrampa? Watchagot?"

Al sat down in his old chair and looked over the videopad and its little insertable cards, all weathered and battered but still usable.

"It's some of your Great-grandpa's diaries from when he was in the Colonial Freedom War, Billy. See, back then this planet didn't just have people like us on it. The Bugs were here too. And some bad tribe of Protoss to boot."

"They're called zerg grandpa. My teacher says calling them Bugs is bad because some of them were smart."

"Smart or not, they were mean, nasty little things and deserved what they got! Stupid politically correct teachers shouldn't be filling your head with nonsense like that! Now do you want to hear about your Great-grandad or do you want to go walk your pet zergling?"

Sigh; "Sorry grampa."

"That's better. Now your great-grandad, my gramps, was a Colonial Marine stationed here. He fought and lived through the entire war, and after we drove the Bugs off and set up shop, he settled here. He built this house with some help from his old buddies, and our family's lived here ever since.

I've been trying to track down his diaries for years now, when I heard a collector of war memorabilia had them up for auction. Now we can listen to what he actually said and felt. It'll give YOU a good idea about why we should keep our guard up, and why our home is so important to us. This is something you need to learn, boy, so listen well..."

Al put in the first datacard and the new battery he'd bought, and the viewer came to life. A marine's face came into view, one that looked a lot like Al's, and the speaker crackled and sound issued forth for the first time in almost 80 years.

"Private Journal, UEDCM Private Al "Grunt" MacPherson, June 12th Old Terran Calendar" said a computer voice. Then a deeper male voice, Al's, began speaking... "Well. Here we are. The 3rd Army moved in a few hours ago to our Southwest, and just like us the guys in the scv suits started hauling in minerals and stuff. The assembly lines are working well, and supplies are starting to be procured. A depot's been thrown up just a few yards from my quarters, and I hear the barracks is starting to be put together now. These prefab buildings are great! Our scout was disappointed, though. There was a Landslide a few days ago. Lots of exposed minerals, but it cut us off by land routes from anywhere except our small outpost. The brain boys say we can cut through it with scv's and then we'll have access to everything on the map except the clifftops.

Crap. They're calling me to guard duty. I hear they're going to build a factory right away, and then get a few starports going so we can get the mechanized tank brigades together and use dropships to secure the clifftops. We still don't know where the Bugs are, and before we landed intel said there's some renegade Brainiacs running loose. We think they're West of us, which would put the Bugs to our South. I hope we can get things going fast enough. Bye Jenny, see ya later!"

"June 13th OTC; Hi Jen, I'm back. Things've been really hectic here. We got word that the 3rd is training fighter pilots as fast as they can. The 42nd and 43rd Wraith Squadrons are both forming up as fast as they can get fighters out. The Bugs found out where we were. Freddie just looked up and there was a giant blimpie-looking thing floating towards him. He fired at it and it turned and ran. He said he hurt it, cuz it was bleeding, but he didn't kill it. The scv'ers have been really busy. We've been conscripting them as fast as we can but we just can't keep up with demand. Sarge says were building a new Command Center near a dense exposed mineral field just south of us. Me and the rest of Bravo Company are heading down there to help cover it. They said we should have at least 1 tank and a couple Wraith fighters for protection by the time the new C3 center is up. I hope so, Jen. We're going to be between the Bugs and our main defenses. And still no intel on the Renegade Brainiacs. Gotta run, Jen, we're moving out. Godbless"

"June 14th OTC; Phew! We did it! Got the Command Center up and running! We've caught a glimpse of the Bugs too - they're just south of us - it looks like they found another mineral field too. That nasty purple slime is all over, but we can't see too much activity yet. We've just about got satellite linkup, to help our dropship spot for our tanks. Sarge said CincNorth ordered us to one of the dropships next. We're apparently going to take the clifftop just east of us, and use it to strike at the Bug base with the 14th Mechanized Infantry. Of course, that just means me and the rest of the Bravos with one big ol' Arclite and a couple fighters for air support. I hope I'll be around to tell you about it tomorrow. Bye Jen"

"June 15th OTC; We can see the damn Bugs much better. Even got a 3rd Command Center up and running, but it seems to me we're spread a little thin. We've just begun shelling the Bugs to our southwest, at the second resource field. The Wraith pilots had a field day though! They flew in under cloak, a couple blurs in the sky, and there was no resistance. Video intel found just a couple of Sunken-class defense growths, a hatchery, and a big log-looking thing one of the Intel people called an Evolution Chamber. There were little Drone Bugs running around, but our fighters killed off all but 2 of them before a few Hydralisk-type Troopers showed up and a Spore-class defense growth had been made. Every now and then satellite intel comes through and the Arclite takes a few shots at any new drones. Oh yeah, 3rd Army found the Brainies too. They were"

"June 15th OTC; Fuck! Jen, you wouldn't believe it...we just lost our first big fight. Got thrown off the clifftop like a used beer can. We're just beginning to build scv suits for more conscripts, when BAM...this acidy blob hits our missle turret! The shit's nasty too - ate right through the metal! We looked up and saw silhouettes the Sarge says were Guardian-class heavy bombers. There were 2 of them, and 2 or 3 of the Mutalisk-type air superiority flyers. He radioed the factory at CincNorth and got them to start making Goliath suits, while our air support flew in. Luckily the Bugs didn't bring any of the blimps with them, so our 2 fighters got rid of the 2 Gaurdians. But then 3 more came in along with the blimp and a Devourer-class air support flyer. The pilots got shot down, I think they must have died. Our dropship came and picked us up and the Com center flew away. The Guardians had wrecked the tank and killed most of Charlie company, even their medic. Poor girl was mutilated by that damn acid shit. The dropship that evacuated us smelled awful from all the puking."

"Grampa, what's mutilated mean?"

"Killed. Now hush up and listen..."

"Honey, we were scared to death. I was even afraid they'd get us at our southern minibase, but the Wraiths bought enough time for a couple more Patriot turrets and a couple more Wraiths to be made and brought in. Just enough to drive off the Bug fliers. We did get some good news though. 3rd Army was handling the Brainies pretty easily. They'd been making those little Corsair-class fighters, but the 3rd had 16 Wraiths, one and a half whole Squadrons, patrolling around while they built a 3rd base between themselves and the Brainies. It's been a long day Jen. I'll write some more tomorrow. I wonder if you'll ever read these. Hopefully it won't be for a long time. If you do I'll probably be dead. I don't want to die."

"June 16th OTC; We're all tired. Morale is low. We can't get back to the clifftop. The Bugs keep bringing in those Devourer-thingies and keep the Wraiths from supporting the few Goliaths we can land up there. We've changed focus a little. We're bringing in the Science guys to help us out against the Bug air force. In the meantime, Sarge says we're moving south to support the 10th Mechanized Tank Company and 105th Goliath Armored Brigade. At least they're giving us grunts a fighting chance - we're taking a couple medics along with us. We'll get limited air support, if you can call one lousy wraith support. Hopefully the 2 Arclites and 4 or 5 Goliaths can hold the Bugs to their northern minibase while we rebuild. We could use a boost right now. Bye Jen."

"June 17th OTC; Hey sweetie! We got some good-old fashioned revenge...as my great-great-something grandad said, we 'GAVE THEM A TICKET TO THE SMACKDOWN HOTEL!' Remember those Sunken-defenses they had? Turns out they can't attack as far as our tanks when they're sieged up! So we set up just outside their range and used the 2 satellite linkups we had and our wraith buddy to shell the stupid things. You should see em blow up - sticky red blood and guts go everywhere! It got better though! The Bugs tried to bring in a few more of those Mutalisk fliers and a couple Devourers, but the Devourers couldn't do much so they just sat there. Their purple shit just disappears before it hits the ground. They brought one of the blimps, Overlord-class Command-and-Control Sensor units. But the Goliath pilots shot it down with their missles and the Wraith pilot helped chase away everthing else! We got in a few shots too! I even got to use my Stimpack - God that shit feels great. The comedown's a bitch, though. Good thing we had the medics with us to help with the withdrawal. After the Bug fliers took off, we were able to kill a bunch of the Drone Bugs and even hit the Hatchery from extreme range. The shelling killed off the base! We KILLED A BASE HON! Now I remember why I'm here. I keep your picture with me in my pocket for luck, you know. Someday, you'll be here with me and we'll have a nice place to ourselves. Heh. Maybe we'll even keep Bugs as pets! Yeah. That'd be great. We'll clean em out and I'll see you soon, hon."

"Hey! He was right Grampa!"

"Yeah. He was, wasn't he. We've always been a pretty smart family. Now lemme put in the next card..."

"June 18th OTC; Wow! Everything's been crazy, but crazy good! We were attacked really hard by the Bugs, and it looked like it might be bad, but the Science guys and 3rd Army's 50th and 52nd Air Superiority Squadrons came through like gangbusters! Two whole squadrons of wraiths, plus our Science Ships firing greenish bursts of radioactive slime, and BOOM! The Bugs lost the entire air force, some more Hydralisk-class troops, and all but a few of their Overlords. The Brainies seem to be working with the Bugs on this planet -they sent a group of 3 or 4 Corsairs and a couple Dragoon-class Long-range Fire Support units to help the Bugs. But the 10th Mechanized took out the Dragoons, with Bravo's help of course. And by attacking from a bunch of different attack vectors, the 50th managed to take out the Corsairs with only 2 losses. We could all use showers - our tincan suits really start to stink - and a good meal, but we're feeling good right now. Things keep looking up. Talk to you soon Jen."

"June 19th OTC; We coordinated with 3rd Army's CinC and made an important discovery today! Turns out that our respective opponents were building too specifically to counter us. The Brainies were unprepared for ground-to-ground warfare, and after the devastating loss yesterday the Bugs couldn't handle a strong air force. So we switched targets, and it worked beautifully! We landed with the 10th Tank Company, the 105th Goliath Armored Brigade, and reinforcements from the Lucky 13th Mechanized Infantry Batallion - another tank and a half-company of marines, with a medic and even an scv along for field repair! The 48th Army Science Corps backed us up also, and just in time. Our tanks sieged up right next to the Brainies' base just as a few Zealot-class shock troops came out to attack. We might have lost a tank but the 48th came through with a quick energy matrix field or some other fancy thing that totally blocked the Zealots from hitting the tanks until we could finish them off. It was sooo COOL! While we were there, reports kept coming over the radio that 3rd Army's wraiths were decimating the Bugs! We even built a Tactical Nuclear Silo after we retook the clifftop, and dropped it right on the 2nd Hatchery that the 3rd hadn't finished off. The ghosts we recruited from Special Ops to sight the nuke said that they met only 3 Hydralisks for resistance, and by the time they showed up it was too late! I think we won! My tour will be up with this mission, so I'll be home soon Jen! Love you. See you soon."

"June 20th OTC; You'll love this Jen. The Brainie leader wants to talk terms of an alliance with us, now that Bravo Company and the tanks are pasting his base! The Sarge told him our position with a bullet to the brain of his last Zealot. Heehee. 3rd has just about finished up with the Bugs, too. They're pulling out as we speak. I can't believe I made it through. Sarge says all of Bravo has earned honorable discharges to settle this planet in the name of the UED. We're going to be settlers AND the planetary militia, hon! But at least we'll have a home. The Colony ship will be bringing you to me soon, and I hope by then I'll even have our dream home built. My god, honey, we won. And we have a home. See you in a few days. I'm glad you won't be reading these anytime soon."

"So what did you learn, boy?"

"That we won! And my great-grandpa was really cool!"

"Well...hopefully you'll learn more than that as you get older. Just never forget what happened. When I die you'll get the diaries. And you'd damn well better keep 'em! Now come on and let's go out back and pay respects to Grandpa Al and Grandma Jenny."

The End

Notes: The map is in red (Landslide). The battle was real. This is instead of "My Brother the Siege Tank." I'll write a funny BR next time I have a good battle to report. This was inspired by both my Grandfather, a WW2 decorated vet (RIP), and the History Channel's Civil War shows. I'd like to thank my partner $-Hell-$, the first Greenlander I've ever been acquainted with. It was a pubbie so I don't remember the names of our opponents.