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Crowded Force.

• I had not bargained for this kind of passage when I volunteered to join the fighting force that was on the way to Mars. Mankind had first set foot on Mars some twenty six years ago. Pirates had gotten wind that Mars was one huge treasure trove. Everything considered riches and luxury on earth was to be found in abundance – Platinum, Diamonds, Gold, Copper in fact oil in abundance was to be found nearly everywhere on Mars. The world Governments had kept all this secret. Unfortunately the news leaked out Five of the richest men in the world got together and employed a fighting force the likes of which had never been seen before on earth. The ship was a replica of one of the world's first space ships. No seating possibility only the Pilot had a seat the rest armed to the teeth crowded together like sardines in a tin. Here and there someone fainted. The weight of our most modern arms weighed us all down. The ship suddenly made a half turn and we slowly settled down on Mars. Men glad to be able to move around freely again were like a bunch of young children, Guns were shot into the thin Mars air. Some were even wearing the freshly issued breathing masks Oxygen was very thin. One man was using his small military spade to dig into the sandy soil. When asked what he was doing he sheepishly said, “I am digging for some of those riches , I did not come here to play soldiers. He was marched away and we never saw him again. The conglomerate of rich men had, had him executed. At last we were on the move marching in some semblance to a modern army. Every so often oxygen tanks waiting for men and women to take a fill and food and water. I myself dropped into my old long not used army stance. Foot followed foot mind a blank. From experience I knew that there was only one thing to do and that was to obey orders in other words I had become a robot. Then the order came to spread out with the warning to keep an eye on the man or woman to the left and right. What came next was plain hell a wall of flying bullets whistled around us with here and there a short sharp cry mainly of astonishment. Another wounded or dead. Shells now delivered barrage after barrage and still we moved forward. What I had feared most were the airplanes, the fighters. They moved so fast there was no time to take aim. Usually they were gone before one could even take aim. I myself knew that it was useless to shoot at something that was moving away from one. The next piece of nastiness was a wall of flame. Pipes with a highly inflammable liquid were set alight forming a wall. I set and example I ran at the wall of flame and jumped through it. It was as I thought a matter ofa little heat and one was past the barrier. Others had followed my example and we charged on to the settlement where most of the richness of Mars had been stored. Soon the most modern of space ships escorted by smaller fighting ships landed. We who had captured the settlement in the first place were told that if we wanted to get back to earth we would have to pay our passage by transporting case after case of jewels Gold, bars of platinum, and barrels of oil were pumped onto the space ship freighters, It took me five years to smuggle my way on to one of the freighters. This had been the cause of my hatred for all of the Rich consortium of wealthy families that I slowly but surely got rid of in my own way. One after one families disappeared. Many of the rich seemed to have just given u the ghost and died before peoples eyes. This is not to say that I am admitting murder, or should I say mass murder. You see I did not look for riches in Mars what I found was a small weapon that looked like a small sewing needle. It must have been a copy of some small Martian creature that fired poison. That if it landed on ones skin one just upped and died. You are probably asking how did I manage to get near enough to the different families. I had identity papers forged by friend telling the world that I was one of the best bodyguards in the world and to tell you that , that what I have just written,is a figment from my  
•   imagination, your scribbler Bern.
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