Johny woke up shattered. That wasn't unusual. Ever since he'd left the Space Commando Corps, the headaches, the booze, the repetitive cycle of it all were so cliché that, once in a while, Johny would mutter to himself: "Couldn't you have done a bit better for yourself?" It was a rhetorical question. And he didn't think he needed to answer it himself.

He often thought how he missed the guys - his platoon. Even though most of the time they'd been miserable together on missions no one cared to remember anymore. They all shared a deep connection. And those were the moments when they felt truly alive - the minute of a soldier, as they called it. The only time the space commando was alive was when he was in a battle. And the Empire had plenty of those to provide while waging its endless wars across the quadrant.

He was now the last one standing from his platoon...well, barely standing, he thought with a grim smile. His left leg was a state-of-the art prosthetic, the parting gift from the Colonel that had some sympathy for him. The Colonel was also once a Space Commando, who lost half of his body on some forsaken planet. Johny remembered their last conversation before he was honourably discharged.

"Listen son. I know you are hurting, both physically and mentally. I lived it and saw it all so many times before. There is nothing I can do for you save for a very nice pension and this prosthetic. Take a look, you will thank me later, once you are a bit better."

Johny looked, shrugged, and just said: "Thank you, sir."

The Colonel looked at Johny seeing him unimpressed and clearly deep in his thoughts. The pain of loss clearly and forever stamped in his face. He knew this stamp of loss well

"Hmmm...As I said, you will thank me later. You have to promise me, however, that despite all these papers you are going to sign, which are but just a paper, that you will keep your mouth shut regarding everything that happened with you and your boys. Can I count on you?"
"Sir, yes sir."
"Cut this bullshit, will you? I know that you want to tell the world about it. And you want to expose this clusterfuck of a mission. I know you want to...I wanted it when the same shit happened to me. But it won't change anything, trust me on that," the Colonel told silently with a sad look on his face.
"Sir, yes sir."
"Okay, let's cut it short then...And good luck, son, try to enjoy your life after service. I am sorry for what has happened. Yet you are young, strong, smart and capable. There is still something for you in this world. Just go and find it. Remember, never give up, no matter the odds."
"Thank you, sir, I really appreciate it...even though I don't look like it." They shook hands and that was it.

Johny's military pension was enough to live a very comfortable life. The only condition was that he had to keep his mouth shut about their idiotic mission that caused his entire platoon to vanish within just a few hours. He still remembered the screams of his friends and brothers. That is something no booze could ever fully erase. Five years later and he still sees the same freaking nightmares every day. But, truth to be told, and regardless of his whining, the booze helped quite a bit.

Johny decided that it was a good day to get a few drinks at his favourite "No questions asked" local bar. And funny enough that the bar's actual name. He also liked it because everyone minded their own business and the bouncers quickly handled any unnecessary activity from the aggrieved customers' side.

He dressed and left his tiny but cosy apartment. Despite being lost in life, he liked his apartment clean and spartan. Years of service taught him that and messy places annoyed him a lot.

As soon as he entered the bar, he scanned the place for trouble. This habit stayed with him as well after service. He was, after all, not only a Space Marine, but also a Deep Infiltration Unit, as they were called, capable of operating alone in a hostile territory both on the battlefield and as an intelligence unit. He could blend easily when he wanted it. And that's exactly what he wanted tonight ... or any other night for that matter.

The bar wasn't crowded today. It was Thursday, and the space dockers, who normally favoured it, were still one day away from their weekly paycheck. Johny liked the vibe. He didn't like the bar crowded, as it was too loud and messy then. And he didn't like it desolate, as he would then stand out sitting there alone. Even though he was slowly becoming a regular, he liked to think that he wasn't totally lost...just yet. So, today, the bar was just perfect.

He proceeded to his seat near the bar table, where he could see the main entrance and all the windows. He smiled....old habits die hard, he needed to be in control of a situation and all the exits. Something felt odd, though. He couldn't quite place it right away but his gut was telling him that there was something that was off...