Sir, I ask you to please consider the lives of your men. You have lost three thousand troops today. I dont want the rest of them killed needlessly.
And just how are you going to do that? The Alliance officer sneered.
Im going to do it, alone. You will not harm another one of our troops. If you choose not to listen and continue this attack, then fire a blue and green flare when youve had enough and Ill stop killing your men.
The Alliance officer looked at Tag and said, You will be the first to die. He then went back to his lines and ordered every soldier on the front line to fire at the human on his command. Tag turned off the strobe and hoped that Atlas had given him adequate protection. The whole Alliance front line fired on him.
Tag stood in the middle of that hellish fire and felt nothing. Even the sound was muted. Heavy weapons fired at him: primary laser platforms and heavy slug throwers emptied their magazines into his force field, and he was untouched. The marines watched the firepower being directed at the single human and knew he should have been dead. He didnt even have on battle armor, but there he stood, unmoving, at the center of what should have been instant death. Then Richard heard, Youve done well here, Rich. Im sorry I couldnt get here earlier, but perhaps I can take part now. Please have your men ready to take some prisoners.
Tag, get out of there. Youre too important. Men, prepare to charge. We have to rescue him.
Richard, its a little late to charge; besides, if I were in danger, Id already be dead. Get down behind your screens and prepare for mop-up operations.
The Alliance forces began to advance, and Richard saw Tag raise his arm and point it toward the advancing forces. Suddenly, an incredibly bright blue beam was fired and run across the front of the advancing Alliance formation. Twelve rows of Alliance troops and all their equipment disintegrated. Then that hellish beam crossed the formation again and one-third of the remaining Alliance forces were blown away. There was a pause while Tag held the blue beam slightly over the heads of the remaining alliance forces; immediately a blue and white flare was launched from the rear of the Alliance formation and they began laying down their arms.
Tag, you never cease to amaze me. Round up the prisoners and put them in the camp. Assign some of the civilians to guard them, and then please get my wounded and me to a hospital. With that Richard passed out, his job complete.
Chapter 29
Admiral Kosiev stood on ground that looked like blasted glass and stared at the young man in front of him. He had no answer for what had happened during the final battle. Once the general commanding the ground forces was captured, all the remaining conflicts around the planet ceased, and the Alliance ground forces surrendered. The Earth fleet was in the process of loading the prisoners onto transports taking them to a cavern prepared for them on one of Jupiters moons. Earth central command had sent heavy transports to Ross to take the population and relocate them to another colony. There were only one hundred forty thousand of them, as this was a young colony. There was no way they would be safe once the Alliance main fleet arrived. We might not be safe, either, Kosiev reflected as he stood outside the destroyed marine base camp at Rossville. All around him was the wreckage of marine and Alliance weapons. He felt he had to come down and see the site of mankinds first land battle in four hundred years. It was important that he understand the price he would be asking the marines to pay. Some of the heavy weapon platforms were still smoking, and the remaining marines were looking for the bodies of their fallen comrades. Then he turned and said, Would you mind explaining how and what you did down here?
Tag had to force himself to break away from the scene of carnage all around him and said to Kosiev, I tried to prevent some of this bloodshed, but I didnt, Admiral, and I cant answer your question. Kosiev started to protest, but Tag held up his hand and said, This is something that falls into Special Force proprietary information. I honestly cant tell you. I am also going to request that any record or recording of what happened be sent to Special Forces Center on Earth. All of our personnel are also to be told to never mention it.
Kosiev stared at Tag, looked around at the site of the bloodiest fighting, and finally said, You know you saved thousands of lives down there. I dont understand how you did it, but it ended the conflict. Thanks.
Tag continued to stare at the ground around the Marine camp that had been hit with so many blaster beams that the surface looked like glass. There was no vegetation in sight and the entire valley looked like the surface of the moon. He heard that Richard was on board a hospital ship and was severely wounded. He prayed that his friend would make it. He continued to stare and ponder the destructiveness of war. Did any of the Alliance ships surrender? he asked Kosiev.
Actually, their flagship War Weapon did. We also forced the crew to leave the ship individually in spacesuits. We picked them up with one of our freighters and moved them away from the dreadnought. I had their senior officer put one of their lifeboats in a launching tube and set it for remote control. You were right; the Alliance officer launched the lifeboat and the dreadnought self-destructed, taking the lifeboat with it. Those Alliance sailors have a different point of view now about their leaders on good ol Cainth. If they are ever sent back, they are going to cause the clan leaders some problems. They are also being transported to Jupiters moon. I believe its Europa.
Kosievs com buzzed and a voice said, Sir, you have a call from someone named Danielle Gardner asking to speak to our hero of the month.
Tag was snatched out of his reverie and said, Uh oh, does she know what happened?
When you took the escape pod down and ordered me not to go after you, I called the Director to ask for instructions. Your wife was there at the time, and they both demanded a video feed on what was taking place groundside. They also ordered me to disregard your instructions and to send whatever force was necessary to withdraw you from danger. You, however, handled it before I could organize any kind of response. But to answer your question, they saw everything you did during that final battle.
The button was flashing on Kosievs com and Tag only stared at it. Admiral, could you please tell my wife Im indisposed, that Ill call her later?
You forget, Tag. She can see the truth, Kosiev said, smiling at Tags discomfort. Here was a man who took on an Alliance regiment without flinching, and now he was frightened to face his wife. Kosiev transferred the call to Tags com and smiled.
Tag picked up the com and said, Hello, dear. He then moved the com a foot away from his ear, and even Kosiev could hear Danielle yelling at him.
Ahh, there is always payment for the risks we take, Kosiev thought. He then laughed out loud at the expression on Tags face. The voice on the other end of the com doubled in volume, and Tag said, That wasnt me! No, I dont think this is funny. Kosiev left whistling, leaving Tag to the chewing-out he so richly deserved.
Richard Wiseman was asleep in a hospital bed onboard the Saint Theresa hospital ship. He had lost a lot of blood and was developing an infection in his leg. He and his wounded marines were being jumped back to Earth for emergency care. Doctor Chen had tried to treat some of the marines, but none of them would accept it until their commander was taken care of. Doctor Chen finally had to beam a video to their beds showing Richard asleep. Hes being kept asleep until we arrive at Central Medical, Doctor Chen said. Theres nothing we can do now but keep him stable. Now you soldiers lie still and let us help those we can. When he tried to turn off the video, the marines threatened to show the doctor what hand-to-hand was really like. So Chen left it on. What did this man do to get such loyalty? he asked one of the marines.