“Put out the word, Captain, Inter-Allied is to report here for departure in one hour.”
Captain Ryan didn’t look happy about the orders either, but there was nothing either of them could do. The hour passed quickly, and a few minutes before final preparations, the Colonel reappeared to say her goodbye. Taylor was glad to see her once more before they left. He hated leaving things in a bad way with one of his closest friends. He saluted her as she approached.
“The enemy are amassing. I’d say we have about a day before anything kicks off,” she said.
“And you really think this is a good time for us to be leaving?”
“The Washington must be protected, and they’ll be coming for the gateway. I still think this planet has a lot to tell us that we have not yet seen. Orders are to hold it, and that order was given to me. We all have our duties.”
“You know if the fleet gets into trouble, it can bug out through the gate. What are you going to do?”
She smiled in response.
“I’ll give them hell. I’ll make them remember why they don’t mess with the human race. Our leaders need to know what they face. They need to understand what it at stake, and they must be willing to do what is necessary.”
She looked down at her watch.
“Time for you to go. You look after the fleet, you hear? There will come a time when it is needed, probably more than you know. The day we can destroy the enemy before they reach our colonies, that is a great day.”
Taylor knew there was nothing more he could say to change the situation. They were leaving for the fleet and leaving so few behind. He could see in her eyes that she was fearless. She didn’t want to die. She only wanted the best for them all.
“Tsengal, you have kept to your word and been a valuable asset to me and the unit. I would ask you now protect the Colonel, as you have done me.”
“I will.”
Taylor noticed Suarez stood behind the Colonel. He had a triumphant and sleazy grin on his face that unsettled Taylor. Mitch disliked the fact the man served under him. He didn’t trust the Lieutenant among his friends, but he had no choice. The Colonel’s word was final. He saluted her and turned to make his way aboard the Deveron. He turned back just at the doorway.
“You look after yourself, Colonel.”
She smiled in return as he made his way aboard. When he reached the bridge, he could see she had already left to continue her investigation into the enemy world. She had been fixated on their technology since the moment they stepped foot there. But he’d never cared for any of it.
“When you’re ready, Captain.”
Leaving the enemy world was a welcome thing to Taylor, but he knew home was still far from sight. As they ascended from the planet, he could see half a dozen other ships heading the same way.
“Huber must be pretty concerned about the risk of attack.”
He was fishing for information, but it was clear Ryan didn’t have it.
“Wouldn’t you be, Sir? The Navy’s most powerful ship moored up in enemy territory, and light years from home. I am surprised the Colonel has not left Red 1 and come with us.”
“She is making a statement.”
“How so, Sir?”
“Throughout the war, we spent most of our time running, giving ground. This mission proved we could go forward and take land. She isn’t going to give it up without a fight.”
Ryan went silent. They both knew it was a dangerous game she was playing, but it was not for them to say. Taylor speculated she must have well under three thousand troops with her. The doors of the bridge slid open, and Captain Jones walked quickly through with purpose.
“We’re leaving?”
“On the Admiral’s orders,” replied Taylor.
“And she stayed, didn’t she?”
Taylor nodded. “We all have our duties.”
“We must petition the Admiral to move at least some of our forces from the gateway to protect what we have already taken.”
“Damn right, we’ll do everything we can.”
It was another day before Huber’s fleet came into sight. The space gateway they were guarding like gatekeepers dwarfed the two vast carriers. It was a sight to behold and marvel at, but Taylor could only wish he were back home on solid ground. The Deveron docked once again with the Washington to deliver its payload of marines. Taylor headed right for the bridge.
He remembered the carrier well and was already familiar with navigating it. As he passed through corridors he had fought in just weeks before, he could still see much of the superficial damage. He stepped aboard the bridge alone and was greeted by the Admiral.
“I see she still shows the scars of battle.”
“We’re back to full operating condition, but those scars are a bitter reminder of what could have been. I wouldn’t want any of my crew to forget what threats we face.”
“I couldn’t agree more, Sir. May we speak privately?”
The Admiral turned and led Taylor away into his quarters. They both knew there was a lot to discuss, and that none of it should be done privately. The door shut behind the two of them, and Taylor jumped in before the Admiral had even managed to sit down.
“Sir, what are we doing here? We’ve left our commanding officer out on her ass when we both know trouble is on its way.”
“Colonel Chandra is free to leave Red 1 and return to the fleet whenever she pleases. However, General White ordered her to hold there as long as she can. I cannot order her to do otherwise.”
“But you can help her. If the colony is attacked, she’ll need more troops, supplies and air support.”
“I am sorry, Major, but I will not divide our forces. I cannot commit the whole fleet. I cannot risk leaving Earth exposed through this gate.”
“So what are we to do, sit here until trouble comes our way?”
Huber sat down with a sigh and pulled out a bottle of whiskey, letting Taylor calm down.
“My orders were to hold this position and take a single enemy position if possible. The honest truth is nobody knew what we would find. We have what, ten thousand troops among us? It’s not enough to hold a colony, nor expand any further. General White has returned with news of our victory. He should return with armies in number great enough to continue into the system.”
“And if we can’t hold out that long?”
“Then we will return to Earth, knowing that this was an unrealistic enterprise and that we overstretched ourselves.”
“Meanwhile we’ve still got a few thousand troops on that planet.”
“They’ve got their own transport.”
Taylor was kicking himself inside. He knew how stubborn Chandra could be. He wanted nothing more than to get back on the Deveron and return to Red 1, but it was no longer in his hands.
“Earth’s armies were preparing for this eventuality, Major. We should see reinforcement within a few weeks. Your presence here is reassuring to my crew. You really saved our asses. I suggest you get some rest.”
It wasn’t what Taylor wanted to hear, but he knew there was no arguing with it. There was nothing more to do with himself. It was already evening and watches had been set. He resigned himself to a few drinks in the NAAFI. Jones had beaten him to it. He could see the Captain was even more frustrated by the situation than he was. Mitch took a seat next to him without a word.
“The Colonel, she had those prisoners killed, didn’t she?” he asked.
Taylor glanced in shock. He’d assumed she had kept it secret, particularly after Jones’ time as a prisoner of the creatures.
“It’s okay. I knew. She told me. I just didn’t want you to think we had any secrets.”
Taylor shook his head as he knocked back a drink.
“It was the right thing to do, you know,” Jones carried on.
Taylor was taken aback.
“It was the kindest thing to do. Kept alive, they’d be lab rats for scientists. They’d be poked, prodded, injected with poisons and experimented on, like they did to us.”