“No, we can’t send anymore troops to the Earth vessel, or more people will die,” I said.

“William, I know that you’re the prince of Mars, but I know what I am doing so get out of my way and let me win this battle!” Birmuhn Tagglehause exclaimed.

I left the captain’s command station for I knew I wouldn’t win the argument. As I walked down the stairs to my room, I wondered how we would win!

It was the year 2121 and Earth was dying. Their solution has to come to my planet, Mars, which is now occupied by people called Redeyes.
Redeyes are people like me, to have adapted to life on Mars and instead of having the brown eyes that Earth people have they evolved into people with red eyes, which helped them see the landscape better.
My father, William III, believes that Earth people shouldn’t come to Mars since they are like parasites. I don’t have an opinion on this though because I really don’t care if people from Earth come to Mars. I just don’t want anyone to die.
My father, though, wants me to grow up and become the leader of Mars. For this to happen I need to become stronger and braver, which I believe isn’t the right way to become a leader. Instead of obeying my father I have become of reader and philosopher.
My father’s way of making me a man is to send me into battle with the other Redeyes hoping I will learn about war and become a killer like the others. So here I am, on the ship of Redeyes facing a heated battle between Earth ships and ours.
My general, Tagglehause, a Russian name from Earth, though he is an Earth human, he despises their race since. My father trusts him because he is a farmer which is what our ancestors were. Also, he has had experience in the military back on Earth. I don’t trust him since he doesn’t seem to care about the battle, only the luxury.
Though I have no military experience, I believe sending my army straight into the enemy isn’t the best tactic, but it’s what Tagglehause wants. It seems like he doesn’t care how many Redeyes die.
I just want the fighting to end. With so much blood in space I can’t deal with all the emotions, men shattering on the windows and hull of the ship is just too much.
I knew what I had to do that night. I started to walk to the captain’s room hoping to confront Tagglehause to. As I started to open the door to his room, I heard voice coming from inside. A hologram was projected next to Tagglehause. It was the captain of Earth. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The Earth captain and Tagglehause were working together. I listened to their conversation.
“Tomorrow a transporter with supplies and men will be heading for our ship. Since I will focus my armies on your ship, send some of your people to take out that ship. If you do that then you will be able to destroy the supplies, and we will be forced to surrender,” Tegglehause spoke.
The Earth leader replied, “Okay just make sure nobody in your fleet will be able to detect us, and soon you will be wealthy and powerful.”
I wanted to burst into the room catching Tagglehause in the act but I knew if I did that then I would be sent to jail for insubordination. So I went down to my room to call my father and see what he would do.
When my father picked up, he instantly yelled, “What do you want?”
“I know that we aren’t the closest dad, but this is about our race. I believe that Tagglehause is working with the Earth people to take over Mars.”
“Impossible, Tagglehause has been a trustworthy friend for years. I know he may be an Earth humanoid, but I can trust him, and I know he will win this battle for us.”
I was outraged. My own father trusts an Earth man more than his own flesh and blood. “Father, listen to me! I don’t want anyone to die, but if people must it shouldn’t be our race. Tagglehause is a traitor and I will prove to you that he can’t be trusted even if that means the death of more people.”
“William V, don’t forget your place in this family. Talk like that will give me no choice but to kill you as a traitor.”
“I’m sorry, Father, I won’t go against you.” I hung up and went down to the grunts’ cabins where I found my two trusted friends, Zack and Luther.
“Zack! Luther! I have an important task to accomplish, and I need help, but it would be insubordination if you guys agreed.”
Zack said to me, “William, you are our prince and our best friend. Though you may not be for this war, we will do whatever you need us to do.”
Luther stood up and touched my shoulder. With no hesitation he stated, “I would die for you a thousand times just to know that you are safe.”
I smiled and said “Good, now this is what we need to do. I know that Tagglehause is a traitor, and to prove to my father that he is, we will take out a ship heading for our supplies tonight.”
Zack interrupted me and said, “I thought Tagglehause might be a traitor. Men have been talking about how everybody won’t last a week in this war since the Earth ships are shooting us down as soon as we leave the hanger.”
I acknowledged his statement and went back to my plan. “After we take out the ship we will go straight for their main vessel and take out their reactor, destroying their life support and winning us the battle.”
Luther said, “We can use my ship. It is small but has two side guns allowing us to sneak in and destroy their ships without being detected.”
That night we left to hopefully win the battle. Space was so vast. Mars looked beautiful with thousands of shades in red and the sun warming our bodies. It was almost as if heaven was right in front of me. But as I looked to the right of me, I could see blood and ships destroyed. Life was ailing and no hope existed except for us. Soon the enemy ship was right in front of us.
Luther came straight behind it and told us to fire. Zack shot vigorously into the area of the ship. Thousands of bullets hit it, and then Luther shot a rocket at the ship. I sat there in shock; I couldn’t do anything but stare. The ship exploded.
Zack asked why I didn’t shoot.
I just stared down in shame.
“William, if you don’t kill the enemy then your friends, your family will die and ours will end.”
I looked up and grabbed my gun. Bodies shattered on the glass of our ship. I told him “Okay, let’s kill these Earth scum.”
The Earth ship was in our sight. We came around like we planned and landed on the side. By drilling a hole into the hull, we snuck in without being detected. We were inside the main reactor. Zack and Luther started to shoot the reactor, I stood guard. Alarms went off inside the building. People started to rush over to the reactor. Zack yelled to me, “William, just leave us.”
“I can’t leave you guys, we are in this together.”
Luther told me, “We knew what we were getting into, now just go.”
I climbed back into the ship, the reactor started to overheat. I heard shouts coming from the Earth vessel. I couldn’t stop though. The ship took off and behind me a huge explosion occurred. My friends were dead, millions of lives taken, and I couldn’t bear the sight of the destroyed ship. I didn’t look back as metals and people shot past me. Now the only thing on my mind was Tagglehause, how to show his true colors to the people.
Once I got back to the ship Tagglehause announced that he single-handedly took out the enemy ship. I couldn’t believe my ears. I got so mad that I called my father to tell him the true story.
“Father, Tagglehause didn’t destroy the enemy ship, two of my closest friends and I destroyed a vessel that was about to take out our supplies, and then we shut down the main reactor to the Earth ship causing the explosion.” This time my dad listened.
“If this is true, William, then Tagglehause will be convicted of treason. We must have an investigation.”
The week our forces came back to Mars, Tagglehause and my father had a talk about my claim. We were eating when he brought it to Tagglehause’s attention.
Tagglehause started to hyperventilate and sweat. I knew he would be tried for treason, and I knew he would lose.
Tagglehause put his napkin on the table and said to my father, “Soon you will die, my friend, and when you do, I will become king and bring back my race.”
My father called the guards to take Tagglehause away. But Tagglehause pulled out a gun and shot the two guards. He looked at my father, as I stood in shock. “I guess, my friend that you will die sooner then you thought.” Five bullets went straight into his chest, and he collapsed to the ground.
“Father,” I yelled. Then, Tagglehause looked at me.
“You couldn’t just let it go. I would have been rich and your life would be just the same. But instead I now have to kill you to become king of this world.” Tagglehause aimed his gun at me and pulled the chamber, nothing came out. I used the chance to pull out my sword. I ran towards him and shoved the sword straight into his heart. Tagglehause dropped to the ground in agony. I stood over him in triumph. Blood stained on my clothes and hands while a puddle formed at my feet.
I ran to my dad and knelt next to him. He was still alive, but breathing with difficulty. With his final words, he looked into my soft red eyes and whispered, “Now, you have become a man.”