Battle Earth III (21 page)

* * *

One week later. Taylor and Chandra stood at the foot of Jones’ hospital bed. His body was all but recovered, but he gazed into space without any sense of reality.

“Charlie, France is saved. Tartaros is leaving!” shouted Chandra in joy.

He looked over at her with a blank expression. A few months previously it would have been the greatest news the Captain could ever have heard, but now it was if it went in one ear and out the other. The doors swung open, and Taylor turned quickly to see Sergeant Dubois stood before them and gazing at the Captain with sorrow.

“May I?” she asked.

Taylor nodded and took a pace back to let her pass and stand at his bedside. She knelt down beside the bed so that her eyes were at his level. She said nothing, only staring back into his eyes and deep into his soul. She did so for what felt uncomfortably long. Finally, she stretched forward and kissed the Captain.

Taylor watched in amazement as his eyes flickered, and for a moment he saw the life return to them. He reached out and laid his arms around the French woman, holding her tightly. From over her shoulder, he turned and nodded to Taylor; a recognition that Mitch had not seen since they had returned from Paris. Chandra smiled as she realised that Dubois might well have brought him back from the brink of insanity with a single kiss.

Taylor turned to Chandra.

“This isn’t over. We have broken the enemy’s will to fight, but there will be more leaders, more armies. Can you honestly believe whatever other forces they have could let us get away with this?”

Chandra shrugged her shoulders. She wanted to celebrate the victory they had and worry about the future a different day.

“Come on, let’s leave them to it.”

They stepped out to find, much to their surprise, General Schulz sat in the waiting room for them with several members of his staff.

“How is Captain Jones?” he asked.

Taylor strolled up to the General and could see the concern in his eyes was genuine. For the first time since they had met, he did not hate the man.

“I believe he may have a chance,” replied Taylor.

“That’s wonderful news. The war is over, and the enemy is in full retreat.”

“To where?” he responded.

“Where, why should we care? Anywhere, but here!”

Taylor nodded in appreciation of the news, but he was far from wholly satisfied. He looked past the General to one of his aides.

“Get a message to the Moon for me.”

“Uhh...”

Schulz turned around and nodded in agreement to the young officer.

“A message from me, Major Taylor, to Commander Kelly of the Moon Defence Force. Tell him the war isn’t over. Tell him, we’re coming for him. We’re coming to take back all our lands, human lands.”

He turned back to Schulz.

“Earth has been saved, but while the enemy values our planet and know our location, this war will never be over...”