“William! William dear!” The lady cooed trotting down the dirt street towards him holding her skirts high so they wouldn’t catch on the dusty ground.

Wisp turned and smiled at the approaching mass of petticoats “Mrs Hubbard, What can I do for you this fine morning?” He rested the ladder he had been carrying over his shoulder and paused waiting for her to catch up.

She quickly met up with him wafting herself with an oriental fan trying not to show she was feeling the scorching desert heat. “I’m so glad I caught you! You see my freezing unit has decided today of all days to pack up an die with no regard for the women’s association coming round this afternoon for iced tea. Could you be a dear and come and have a look at it for me?”

Wisp grinned wildly “Of course Mrs Hubbard. Lemme just drop my ladder off at the saloon I was going to finish the condenser on their water tower but that can wait till I’ve dealt with this emergency”

“You my boy are an angel! You sure the maker didn’t send you to us?” She replied with a giggle.

“No ma’am” He dropped into a comical boy “I'm but a mortal man handy with a sonic screwdriver”

“And a hammer, and a computer, and a cocktail shaker, and a side arm. You are a genuine renaissance man.”

“I try my hardest. Give me ten minutes to get the rest of my tool’s and ill have you enough ice for a bucket of iced tea.”

Wisp had been on Blessing for around three months now and had fully ingrained himself with the locals. After his public and violent break up with Vixen he had got himself a berth to this newly terraformed planet on the rim. Still a might too hot and dry for full colonisation he was one of the first settlers making the place habitable. He’d come to the town of Campbell as the residents were at the end of their rope. Help had been abundant at first building a houses and shops for everyone butthings had begun breaking down and seizing up and no-one had the know how to repair things. Then Wisp had shown up from the heavens in a barely functioning shuttle to answer their prayers. In no time he had fixed everything and built a few things to make life easier. He was a month away from being made mayor everyone joked. In payment he only asked for hospitality and aid in fixing his ship.

The town only had a few hundred people living in it but everyone knew Wisp and most had had something fixed by him. In his evenings he even worked in the saloon as a barkeep regaling all with jokes and tales of adventure across the cosmos. The clientele didn’t know how much was fact or fiction but they were entertained nonetheless. The young women in the town had taken an extra special shine to him and many of their fathers had approached him saying that if he decided to stay they’d be honoured to have him as a son in law.

Wisp welcomed the change of pace from the stress of interstellar crime with an abusive psycho girlfriend. It was good honest work for people who needed help and he was happy to do it. He was still repairing his shuttle when he got a free moment but it had slipped from his priority list. He had a little place that was slowly creeping into his psyche of somewhere called home. He got to the saloon and lent his ladder against the wall as the landlady came out onto the porch to greet him.

“Morning William, you finishing that condenser off today?”

“Afraid not Chloe. I was just on my way to do it when I got collared by Mrs Hubbard. Her freezing units broken and heaven forbid her and her lady’s might have to drink only cold tea” Chloe let out a light and gentle laugh as an honest grin took hold of her. Campbell had only one saloon which served as entertainment and watering hole for all its residents. Chloe O'Shea was the landlady, barmaid, cook, manager and bouncer until Wisp came along, willing and eager to take off some of the burden. He had also taken upon the job of keeping her company after the bar had shut usually leading to him helping opening the next morning.

Chloe stood at a tall and slender 5'6 ish with long blonde hair that refused to be tamed in the dry heat no matter how hard she tried. Her face was narrow with high cheek bones and soft eyes portraying an image of a classic beauty with an open heart.

"I'll try and be back before lunch but if not i'll definitely get it done tomorrow."

"There ain't no worries darlin' you just get to it when you can. Oh and Mr Florrel is coming in tonight with a few friends from up in Bluecreek to try your famous martinis so dont strain yourself too hard"

"oh well i was gonna pop over before my shift " Wisp said with a grin "but if im not supposed to work hard."

"well I never did..."

It was at this moment a lanky boy of fifteen or so came running into town half dead from exhaustion. He was shouting wildly as sweat shook from him in droves .

"Whoa calm down boy. Chloe grab this kid some water."

The young man collapsed at the steps of the bar panting and clawing for breath. "What is it? Whats all the drama?."

Chloe appeared carrying a large flask of water which the boy half drank half poured over himself. By this point a crowd had gathered round the spectacle oozing small town voyeurism.

"Reavers" he finally managed "they hit Bluecreek. Everybody's dead.' the crowd now recoiled in horror from the boy, faces gripped in fear and mouths half forming whispers.

Wisp stood up with hard resolve over him "Everyone spread the word. Do NOT panic" he emphasised the panic part. He stood calm and strong as the crowd were falling to pieces, they now fully believed his stories of galactic adventure which had previously been dismissed as tall stories. "warn everyone in town to get into cellars and attics and barricade the doors. We do have time so they should bring food and water. Anyone who has combat or shooting experience i'd like you on the roof of the saloon, however if you want to be with your families I wont judge. Go now and move quickly."

The crowd shot off like robots around the town quickly informing other residents. Shock was too strong to allow fear. Silent tears streamed down most faces with hands and knees trembling. Wisp turned to face Chloe, her face quaking whilst his was cold and firm.

"I need you to go to my shuttle. There is a black bag under the bed with a red band. Do not open it just bring it to the roof. Go now."

Out of fear and obedience more than trust she set off at a jog to his shuttle. Wisp entered the bar and took the shotgun from behind the bar. He then activated the sprinklers and set all the taps to flow. Wisp knew all about reavers from his unofficial academy lectures. As much as the alliance denied their existence they weren’t idiots of ignorance. Wisp knew his best chance was to draw them to a killing zone which would be the roof. He also knew they'd try to burn it down hence the water.

By the time he got outside a group of men with rifles had gathered outside. They were sweating for more reasons than the blazing sun. He saw fear in their faces and no hope in their eyes, a dangerous combination if there ever was one. He thought back to his own lectures and tried to give as much inspiration to them as he could even though he knew the information he had to give was grim.

"We're gonna make our stand on the roof. As soon as you can make a confident shot take it, don't try and be a sniper if you're not. Make every shot count and keep your ass in cover. They're gonna wanna get up close and try hand to hand. They'll throw up ropes, maybe try and climb up by hand. When we reach that stage just clear the walls. If things start going south i'll give the command to fall back to the water tower, theres two ladders so cover the man before and climb fast. We're all scared, and im not gonna lie about anything. Any reavers who do come are gonna be chasing escapees from Bluecreek. We're too small to send a ship at. If we're lucky not many will come our way. If so we can take em out from up here. If we're not lucky a lot are gonna come our way. They'll try and smoke us out or get up here. Hold firm. We can save this town. I've been in a lot of bad corners and come out the other side. Now get up the ladder and spread out on the west side, keep your ammo close and organized. If you have any gods you got a hankering to pray to you've got some time. Good luck."

Chloe came running up with Wisps bag as the men exchanged handshakes and headed up to the roof. A few more had arrived during the speech and the defence force now stood at ten men of varying ages. "Am I in time? Is this the right bag?"

Plenty of time there’s no sightings yet. And yep that’s the right one. Here swap." Wisp handed her the shotgun and bandolier from the bar and took his satchel. "we're making our stand on the roof. Keep your head and you'll be fine. I want you to concentrate on any you see with torches or grenades."

"William I’m scared. How do you know all about this? How do you know what to do?"

"I was trained in a military academy. I spent a long time learning how to do this. I also spent a while applying it for all the wrong reasons. I promise ill tell you everything after were done." Wisp looked into her eyes and saw her questions and her doubts. He wanted to tell her it would all be okay and she had no reason to worry but he knew that wasn't true and he didn't have time. He helped her onto the ladder and followed her up dragging the ladder with him. The men had formed a rough front on the west side with a space in the middle for Wisp. Instead of joining formation he went to the middle of the roof and unlocked his bag. In his time with Vixen he'd picked up some bad habits with the number of weapons he carried. This was now a very lucky factor as he had a minor arsenal with him. Picking out his sniper rifle and a good close combat riot shotgun for himself he distributed the remaining weapons amongst his soldiers replacing aging hunting rifles with sleek machine guns and pulse weapons.

Before taking his position he walked down the line exchanging handshakes and personal words encouragement. He took extra time to comfort Chloe who was visibly shaken. Eventually he couldn't delay any longer taking his spot and looking down the sight towards Bluecreek.

A sea of reavers approached. More than a hundred. Wisp looked away from his scope and cursed quietly. It would be difficult and close. They would be visible to the naked eye soon as well. To demoralize his already faltering force.

"They are just men" he shouted "broken and twisted but still men. And men bleed."

He returned to his scope and began to open fire. For nearly an hour. He chipped away at the approaching hoard, long before his allies could see what he was hitting. Eventually though the Reavers came into sight, a black shadow covering the golden plain. Wisp was taking them out quickly but without heavy artillery it was on a one shot one hit basis. He reckoned he could take out half of them before they arrived but the strain was beginning to show. His arm and finger burned with fatigue, sweat stung his eyes as he focused over and over. The other men on the roof were starting to feel equally afraid of the killing machine with them as the ones approaching.

Eventually despite his best efforts some were getting close to town, the pack now spread out upon their approach. "They're here. Do not let them get onto this roof. Do not falter and we will all see nightfall.'

The first reaver got into shooting range and a barrage of gunfire met it. The body exploded in a crimson shower giving the defender's a morsel of morale. Wisp concentrated on enemies at a distance leaving ones that got past to the rest but soon the base of the saloon was surrounded. Switching to his shotgun he began moving round the perimeter blasting clumps of invaders who tried to climb up. If he found a moment he threw grenades into particularly cramped groups.

The smell was overwhelming now. Blood, gunpowder, sweat, and burnt flesh coated the air. Wisp blocked it to the back of his mind along with his fatigue but it was getting to the others. Rate of fire was dropping, pauses were beginning to lengthen as reloads were fumbled. Then a hook flew up dragging the first man down to his cannibalistic fate. Wisp shouted at the others to keep going but their will was broken. The tide had nearly been defeated, it had been so close. Reavers began finding footholds on the rooftop. Wisp stopped as many as he could but more men were being dragged down into the abyss. Wisp found Chloe and practically threw her onto the ladder to the water tower, the last refuge.

Wisp was all alone now. Still outnumbered by thirty mindless savages. He took a deep breath and began his last stand.