“Surely this is a military matter, Sir,” Chandra added.
“Ordinarily, yes, but there is no precedent for such an event. They will have competent military advisers to hand and can make their decision based on the information we provide.”
“And if the enemy engages us?” asked Hicks.
“We can defend ourselves without recourse,” replied Huber.
Taylor shook his head in disbelief.
“I wasn’t aware we had to adhere to the rules of engagement against this enemy.”
Huber took a calm sip of his drink and sat back as he eyed up the Major, evaluating everything he saw.
“It is not for the enemy which we follow our rules of engagement. We are going after a device that is completely unknown. We must know what we are dealing with before we make any brash moves.”
Taylor rested back in his chair and knew that the Admiral was right. He could not bear the thought of another alien invasion, but also knew that haste could be the end of them all. Huber continued on.
“Colonel Chandra, your Battalion has been assigned this carrier. You will work in close correspondence with me, and I believe Major Taylor and your two alien marines could be a great resource to us. You will remain in an advisory position, as well as fleet defence, should we be at risk of boarding action. Keep your people sharp, and be ready for anything. We’ve probably got an uneventful couple of weeks ahead of us, but we are going into the unknown, so keep your guard up.”
As the evening came to a close, Taylor finally made his way to the individual quarters that had been assigned to him. As he turned a bend in the corridor, looking for the number of his door, he stopped at the sight of Eli sat against the wall and clearly waiting for him. She looked tired and must have been there for more than an hour.
“I don’t want to fight with you anymore,” she whispered.
He nodded in appreciation.
“You’ve put your trust in me before, so do it now. I trust Jafar and Tsengal with my life, as much as I trust you with it. You must do the same. Inter-Allied is more a family than we ever knew in the Corps.”
She did not disagree. He could see she had come to the realisation that she must put her past scruples behind her. He strode up to her and slumped down on the floor of the hard metal corridor.
“So did you learn anything interesting?” she asked.
“Not really. Only that Admiral Huber seems a good man and a good leader.”
She looked at him in surprise.
“I know. I don’t hate all of our Generals, just the idiots and bastards.”
He got to his feet and hauled her up to him. He passed his ID card through the lock of his quarters and entered to find it was barely bigger than a closet, but at least he had a bed. They collapsed together and enjoyed the new peace they had found.
Ten days passed quickly with regular drills and exercises carried out on the Washington. Taylor had got into such a routine that it almost made him forget they were in space and hunting down alien positions. He had spent many years on board seaborne carriers and smaller vessels.
On the eleventh day, Inter-Allied was digging into their breakfast when red beacons began to flash and sirens rang out. Everyone froze, looking around for some explanation. A voice came over the intercom. It was Huber.
“This is the Admiral speaking. We have just received confirmed reports from the Kittyhawk that enemy positions have been identified. We are presently changing course and making an approach with caution. All personnel are to go to combat stations. All advisory staff should report to the bridge.”
The room erupted into action with Navy, Marine and Army personnel quickly responding to the order. Taylor rushed to Chandra’s side as she strode quickly for the armoury where their gear was stored.
“Huber seemed pretty insistent that we should join him now.”
“And we will,” she replied, “but not until we are appropriately equipped for any eventuality. We were placed here not just as advisers but also as protection for this carrier. We cannot provide that protection unless we are ready for action at a moment’s notice.”
“No arguments here.”
As the two of them pulled on their exoskeleton suits, they watched Jones and the other company leaders organise the troops.
“Strange, isn’t it?” said Taylor.
“What?”
“Not going with them. We are field officers. Our job is out there at the front.”
“I’d be careful what you wish for, Major. We could yet have to get our hands dirty in this affair.”
Fifteen minutes later, they reported for duty on the bridge. Huber initially looked up at them in an agitated fashion because they had taken so long. He calmed down when he realised he now had the protection they needed. He beckoned for them to come forward while looking in astonishment at the two towering aliens following them. The security detail initially stopped their entry and looked to the Admiral for clarification.
“Let them through!” he yelled.
The Navy guardsmen looked up in awe as Jafar and Tsengal strode past.
“You must all appreciate how unorthodox this is; armed soldiers from different nations, and aliens among them on the bridge of the capitol ship of the fleet. We live in a new age where such things change.”
Taylor nodded in agreement and appreciation that they stood with such a forward thinking leader. He drew their attention to the display on the operations table. Chandra gasped at the sight of what she could see. Taylor stepped up to her side, and his eyes widened too.
Despite the enemy ships between them, it appeared to be what they were searching for, and they could make out the shape of the gate. It was a vast octagonal structure floating in space. Blue lights pulsed around the rim, and the framework expanded back as if presenting an entrance. Yet the gate was hollow at its core, and they could see nothing but space beyond.
“Christ. How big is that thing?”
“Five kilometres wide,” replied Huber.
“Fuck me,” whispered Taylor.
“Then Tartaros cannot have come through here,” Chandra said.
“I would not jump to any conclusions just yet, Colonel. We all saw the expansion of that vessel when it reached Earth. There is no reason why it could not have been brought through in a series of parts.”
“It would make sense,” Taylor agreed.
Huber looked up at the two aliens stood on guard behind Taylor.
“You two. Step forward and tell us what you know about this.”
Without hesitation, they both took several paces forward to the edge of the table.
“This is the gateway we came through.”
“Are there more like it?”
“A few, but not in this Solar System.”
“That’s a relief,” replied Taylor.
They were all quiet for a moment as they stared at the vast and terrifying structure they approached.
“Something of this magnitude must have required years to build, and God knows how to reach this place.”
“Our ancestors set off with these gateways hundreds, and some thousands of years ago from our homeworlds. We only know they have reached their destination of the gate in Tau Ceti, which they are connected to and is activated.”
“Fascinating,” he replied.
“And your race did all this to find the perfect world?” asked Chandra.
Tsengal shrugged his shoulders.
“We did it because we were told we must and that it was our duty. I can tell you no more,” replied Jafar.
Lights flashed on the live display below them that caught all of their attention. They looked down to see engines firing up on multiple ships between them and the gateway.
“Looks like they’ve spotted us,” said Huber.
“What do you want to do?” asked Chandra.
“Nobody touches the gateway.”
He tapped a display on the table beside him, opening a channel to the fleet.