When the Stars Fade (The Gray Wars) (106 page)

             
It was hug
e—
easily the size of a car, and moving faster than anything she had ever seen. The new figure hit the Boxti squad like a bolt of lightning, tossing them around like toys. One lizard-man lost his head to a sudden swipe from a sword. Another was smashed into a tree, pulverizing its skull. Limbs separated from their owners, spiraling in the air with trails of ichor following. The ground quickly turned to mud as it soaked in gallons of gore. Then, as quickly as it started, the fight was done.

             
Kaileen could
n’
t move as the creature turned to face her. It stalked forward, sword dripping thick dollops of multicolored fluid with each step. In a panic she raised her pistol and fired. Bullets pinged off the armor, falling harmlessly aside. The figure snatched the weapon from her hand, flipping it away. As the pilot tried in vain to scurry further back, the hulking warrior knelt down to eye level. It reached a hand up to its jaw and pulled an unseen handle. Its mouth yawned open impossibly wide, and Kaileen shut her eyes so she would
n’
t have to see.

             
“Kail? Is that you
?
”

             
She knew that voice. Looking up at the wide smiling face, tears began to fall down her cheeks
.“
Dax
?
”

             
He pulled her to her feet, wrapping his big arms around her frail form
.“
I
t’
s good to see you, too
.”
Pushing her back, Dax looked her over for any injuries
.“
W
e’
re getting the Valkyrie fixed up, but we ca
n’
t stay here long. There are going to be more of those things coming soon
.
”

             
She nodded
.“
Lead the way
.”
She lingered back a moment as Dax charged off, staring at the lifeless body of her copilot. With unsteady hands, she pulled the young woma
n’
s dog tags loose, stuffing them into a pocket. She could
n’
t think of anything to say; her brain refused to comply. Whispering a few words of comfort, Kaileen took off after the soldier.

              -                           
VII                            -

              Fighting had resumed in the skies over New Eden, though the tempo was decidedly more cautious. Terran ships gave the newcomer as wide a berth as physically possible, not wanting to cross some unspoken line and start a shooting war with the largest warship ever seen by human eyes. The Boxti, for their part, had pulled into a defensive position around the juggernaut. Standing on the command deck, Raymond struggled to make his mind comprehend the surreal sight. He almost forgot what brought him there in the first place. Every time he turned a corner and saw it floating out the window, he went through the same motions again.

             
“Are you sure about this
?”
Admiral Walker asked.

             
Ray turned, startled. He looked at the tablet in the office
r’
s hands, at the message h
e’
d read and reread a hundred times before bringing over
.“
I
t’
s her,
I’
m sure of it
.”
More than anything, he wished he were back home in Kentucky working some menial job. He felt his current post was punishment for the discovery about Luna, for threatening the tenuous peace with the alien allies. If that were true, h
e’
d be facing execution for this.

             
The deception at Sol had been for the greater good, and his report had shown that. Only a few people had ever had a chance to read the full document, to learn about the Nangolan
i’
s ruse with robotic Boxti craft. How word had begun to spread was outside of his area of expertise, but secrets that big did
n’
t stay hidden for long. And now, with the idea that Emperor Anduin had staged the attack on the High Chancellor and the majority of the Council, there was no other recourse than to seek revenge on the only friends the humans had against the Boxti threat. At least if Mara were to be believed, it had been a minority decision. The Nagnolani fleet had disappeared without words a week before, maybe to start their civil war. Could it all be true?

             
“What do you suggest
?
”

             
Ray did
n’
t answer at first, mostly because he was hoping the question was
n’
t directed at him. He felt a familiar sinking in his stomach, the usual knot that came with this level of awful responsibility. He should have headed back to Earth with Agent Blake
.“
If there is a civil war going on between different factions of the Nangolani, then we have a pretty hard decision to make, sir
.
”

             
“I do
n’
t see why
,”
Captain Donovan said
.“
The bastards killed most of our government. We still do
n’
t know where Burton or any of his staff ended up, if the
y’
re still alive. W
e’
re taking orders from governors on matters of galactic importance because the Grays thought we needed more motivation in this war
.
”

             
That brought a round of shouting and cursing from the room. Most of the brass from the station were in attendance, along with several of the generals running the ground game. A single voice cut through them all, and at barely over a whisper.

             
“We signed a treaty
,”
Hiro said. The commodore glared at each officer until they quieted down, though he was still aboard his ship and only present via a small vid screen
.“
High Chancellor Burton put his name down on the accord that granted Anduin and the Nangolani Empire allied status. We ca
n’
t simply wash that away
.
”

             
Admiral Fawks played with his beard as he thought
.“
The
y’
re clearly in violation of the treaty. I do
n’
t believe we left out th
e‘
do
n’
t murder our leader
s’
clause. Still, the Commodore is correct in that we ca
n’
t simply switch allegiances without proof
.
”

             
“We have the pilo
t’
s testimony
,”
Ray said.

             
Fawks shook his head
.“
Lieutenan
t—
excuse me, Captain Davis has been through more than a little in the past few months. Hell, h
e’
s been through more than most pilots see in their entire careers. And even if he were fit to stand as the sole evidence in this great crime, we have a much larger problem
.
”

             
“Where to even bring it up
,”
Hiro said
.“
With the Council mostly gone, there is no place for us to even have this discussion in an official capacity
.
”

             
Admiral Walker scoffed
.“
Do you really expect us to wait until after an election of a new Council? Until we can bring this horrible truth to the Terran people. And then let a bunch of green politicians handle the biggest decision of their careers in their first day in office
?”
He shook his head
.“
We ca
n’
t wait
.
”

             
“Then why wait
?
”

             
All eyes turned toward the speaker. Ray winced. He had
n’
t even realized his mouth was opening until the words were already out. It was becoming a rather nasty habit of his.              

             
“Speak up
,”
Hiro said. Admiral Walker ceded the floor.

             
Ray sighed meekly
.“
Why do we have to wait? W
e’
re in a war, one which I ca
n’
t pretend to think w
e’
re winning. Why should we waste any time when we are in dire lack of it? This room has the most intelligent and senior members of the military ready to act, held back by a technicality. Le
t’
s just call it martial law and make a decision. Is
n’
t that what they train you officers to do
?
”

             
For a moment no one spoke. Ray was sure he was simply going to be shot, but one by one the officers began to nod. On the monitor, Commodore Osaka smiled slightly.

             
“Well then
,”
Hiro said
.“
I guess we put it to a vote. Do we stay with the Empire until these accusations can be validated, or do we join with the Nangolani rebels
?
”

             
The captains and commodores and admirals each had a moment to think, and then they cast their votes. The decision, not surprisingly, was unanimous. It was
n’
t hard to see why they went the way they did. Humanity, as always, loved the underdog.

             
“Well, Mr. Lee
,”
Walker said
.“
Yo
u’
d better get on the line with your friend. I
t’
s about to get serious around here
.
”

-                           
VIII                            -

              Kaileen and Dax arrived at the camp with little fanfare. The Archangels were busy repairing panels on the crashed shuttle and preparing for a hasty evac. The pilot stared in wonder at the strangely-armored soldiers.

             
“Where did you get all this
?”
she asked Dax.

             
He shrugged
.“
Classified, little lady
.
”

             
She looked around the camp
.“
Wher
e’
s Josh
?
”

             
Da
x’
s face dropped and he sat down on a boulder. He could
n’
t speak, just pointed to a small patch of ground where Alexa sat with their frien
d’
s body. Josh was covered with a blanket up to the neck. Strangely, even with all his gear, he looked smaller in death. Kaileen shook her head.

             
“God,
I’
m so sorry, Dax
.
”

             
Fares came running over, rifle at the ready. He barely acknowledged Kailee
n’
s presence
.“
We just have the worst luck today
.
”

             
“What is it
?”
Dax asked.

             
“Enemy armor inbound
,”
Fares said.

             
The heavy gunner stood quickly, ignoring the pain in his chest, and donned his helmet. He found a loose barrel of linked ammunition for his HMG and picked it up
.“
Kail, yo
u’
d better get inside the Valkyrie. Help us get that thing off the ground
.
”

             
“Got it
,”
she said. She took off running, calling into her radio for more air support.

             
Dax grumbled
.“
What do we have to take on tanks
?
”

             
“Me
,”
a voice said. Dax looked over and saw a tall, skinny officer wearing armored coveralls and carrying a vehicle helmet. The ma
n’
s face was marked black with smoke and mud, but his clear blue eyes commanded the field
.“
Captain Grahams, Charlie Company
.
”