In another part of the Rocky Mountains, a crew of about ten tanks moved in on an enemy base. The tanks were armed with quad-cannon guns and plasma bombs. A helicopter hovered above.

     "We're covering you, Alexander," a guard in the helicopter reported.

     "Roger," Alexander responded. "Move out, everyone!" He instantaneously fired off a quad-cannon missile at the base, exploding a portion of the roof. The alarm sounded.

     "Brace yourselves, men, Alexander said grimly." Fifteen or so tanks poured out of the base and took formation. "Steady!" warned Alexander.

     "Attack!" the rival commander shouted.

     "Fire!" yelled Alexander. "Fire quad-cannons!"

     One ally tank came speeding past the frontline, breaching the enemy territory.

     "Joshua Meder here!" the young man said. "I'm moving in on the assault!" He fired a plasma bomb, narrowly missing a troop.

     "No! Joshua! We haven't been given any info on firing bombs!" an ally of Joshua and Alexander yelled, one that particularly annoyed Joshua. "Only fire the quad-cannons! You know the policy! Only fire what the commander instructs you to!"

     God dammit, thought Joshua. That guy is the biggest rule abider I have ever met! It's ridiculous! Instead of saying that, though, he simply muttered, "Okay, whatever." He brushed back his wild brown hair from his eyes. He hadn't cut it in a while.

     The enemy tanks began firing at point-blank range.

     "Fire all weapons!" Alexander yelled, and the ally troops countered the assault.

     Joshua fired off a plasma bomb. It landed five feet in front of the rival commander. "T minus five till the end of your life's story," shouted Joshua in triumph.

     BOOOOOM. The bomb erupted, setting off a huge cloud of fire and smoke. When the debris finally cleared, the enemy's tank was nowhere in sight.

     "Where'd he go?" Alexander inquired.

     "There he is!" a troop of his yelled.

     The enemy commander, a deep gash in his right arm, stood a hundred yards in front of Alexander's army. All of his troops were in formation behind him. The commander, who had been thrown out of his tank due to the eruption, hastily climbed back in amid a volley of missiles.

     "Fire!" shouted the rival leader with enthusiasm. Bombs, bullets, and shells flew through the air round after round. Alexanders troops began to crumble under the barrage.

     "Retreat!" Alexander shouted to all his troops. There was a massive grating sound as the troops' tanks hurried to retreat. Joshua, caught up in the heat of the battle, pulled away far later than the rest. He began heading away after the last ally, but suddenly glimpsed something out of the corner of his eye. He turned. An enormous bomb whistled through the air. Hastily, Joshua tried to outrun it, but to no avail.

     BOOOOOM. Krash.

     Joshua's tank was sent flying through the air; it hit the ground upside-down. He moaned in pain, as he sank into unconsciousness

               *               *               *

     "Commander Alexander!" a troop yelled in panic. "It's Joshua! He's stranded on the battlefield! We have to save him!"

     "No, I'm afraid we can't risk it without being blown apart," Alexander said gravely, turning back to the battlefield. "Sometimes in the heat of a battle, sacrifices must be made. God bless Joshua for his hard work and determination." He turned away from the battleground solemnly as he and the army rolled away.

               *               *               *

     Joshua, in his tank, was out cold, slumped over on the console and barely breathing. From the depths of the tank, a siren buzzed on quietly.