The War Across the Stars (16 page)

“Careful Nevin, I wouldn’t be surprised if they have more troops in the building.”

“Ya think?” Nevin said sarcastically. 

We emerged from the service hole and began to climb the nearby stairway, due to the lack of an elevator.  This building was far less elegant than the one we had come down in.  As we approached the top of the stairs we heard more voices. 

“Hold on,” I whispered, letting go of Lee.  Nevin still kept a tight grip on the general. 

I slowly opened the door with my gun in my other hand.  I saw a guard and in response, slammed the door open into another guard.  I sprayed a burst into the Vorgian who was standing before me.  Quickly I entered the room and went around the door.  Three shots entered the Vorgian who was trying to get back up. 

“Clear,” I called back to Nevin.

He came into the room with me, Lee still hanging limply over his shoulder.  We exited the room and entered a dimly lit area.  Several mobile stations were set up with large COM and TRIAD modules.  Many Vorgians were busy watching the TRIAD.

Nevin and I slowly backed into the other room.

“Ok, so there’s a lot of bad guys,” Nevin commented.

“Uh… Yeah,” I agreed.  “Put Lee down, I’m gonna need your help.”

Nevin set Lee gently on the floor and pulled his SMG back out. 

“Now!” I ordered as we both entered the room. 

My first move was to toss a grenade into the center of the equipment.  It exploded, shattering several screens and causing ripples in the holo-display.  Then I opened fire taking down the survivors as fast as I could.  One began to swivel rapidly, clearly attempting to bring me down.  I fired another short burst and he fell backward onto the TRIAD.

“Clear,” I stated, sweeping my gun around the room.  “I’m on my last clip though.”

“Great,” Nevin said.  He pulled out two extra ammo magazines and passed them to me. 

“Thanks.”

We went back and scooped up the still unconscious Lee.  Then we proceeded hastily out of the building.  Outside there was a line of APC’s and other light vehicles.

“C’mon, hurry,” I said as we rushed Lee toward an APC.

I slid open the door and pushed Lee into a seat.  I took the wheel and Nevin sat by Lee.  I started the engine by turning the switch, then pulled out of the parking lot.  I moved the vehicle out to a highway and cruised down the road, attempting to move quickly, though not suspiciously so.

“Ha, I think we did it, James,” Nevin laughed.  “We’re in one of their APC’s and they have no way to ID us as Elonian.”

“Yeah, you’re right.  We did good.”

We each waited silently for several minutes.

“Where do you think Ryan is?  Did he try to continue the mission?  Did he wait where we left him?”

“That is a good question.  He may even have tried to return to the foothold.”

We drove on for a while without incident.  Suddenly, Lee woke up.  He looked around frantically and grunted.  I looked back to see Nevin restraining him.  He was pressed hard against the seat.

“Keep him under control!  We still have a ways to go!” I yelled to Nevin. 

“Working on it,” Nevin said trying to stop the old man’s resistance.  “Ya know, this would be a lot easier if we had some sort of tranq shots.”

“I’ll bet, but we can thank our superiors for lack of forethought on that one,” I said. 

Finally Lee stopped fighting as Nevin squeezed his pressure point. 

“That wasn’t as easy as the first time,” Nevin sighed.

Time dragged by but eventually we reached the outer perimeter of the foothold.  Nevin stepped out of the APC to go clear us.  He approached the entrance with his hands in the air and guns on his pack. 

“It's us!  The Rangers!  We have Lee secured in the vehicle,” he called to the sentry. 

The soldier on the tower looked around, then looked down.

“You’re clear to enter.”

Nevin ran back to the APC and hopped in.  We drove in and parked near the Command Tent.  I exited the APC and walked into the tent. 

“Sir?” I said nervously.  I was uncertain if I was supposed to go directly to the major, but I figured I would try.

“Wha—” he started.  “Oh, it’s you,” he said, having recognized my armor. 

“We… We have Lee.  I don’t know where the rest of my team is,” I admitted.

“You have Lee?  Magnificent,” Kohl said in awe.  He instructed a nearby officer to move Lee to his next location.  “Alright, I’ll recall the rest of your team.  They reported you missing a few hours ago.  After that they continued to pursue the objective.” 

Kohl walked over to a COM unit and activated it.  “Dunkelman, your two missing soldiers just arrived at base with Lee.  Sending evac to your location.”

“Roger that!  Get it here ASAP!  We’re under heavy fire,” Ryan said with sounds of guns in the background.
             
“On it,” Kohl replied. 

He then called in a Corsair to pick them up.

Nevin and I paced around the camp, right outside of the command tent.  Soon a medic would come patch me up.  Yet time dragged on, though the end of the war was coming.  It drew ever closer.  But I knew that even when the war ended, our training would continue.  It would continue until we were the best soldiers the Elonian Empire had ever known.

Chapter 10

Treaty of Paix

             
“Today it was made official that the war is over.  The war lasted barely over a month and proved how powerful the Elonian Empire has become.  Earlier today, General Walt Lee abdicated command of the Vorgians in what is now known as the Treaty of Paix.  Special Forces captured the military dictator earlier this week.  His capture disheartened many Vorgians, and with his official abdication, Hothonos, Sontonos, and Vorga have surrendered control to our forces.  We’ll have more on this astonishing news later, including live at Paix, Euphola for interviews,” a news anchor announced cheerfully.

             
It was done.  Phil would recover and the war was over.  I would soon be at home with my family.  Spend some much needed time with Mom and Dad.  I missed my sister Amanda as well.  It was incredibly exciting to be going to visit them. 

             
I arrived at the spaceport in Ebony a few days after the official end of the war.  Nevin was with me, but we would soon go our separate ways after we left the spaceport. 

“Well, that was quite the experience, eh?” Nevin said.

“That is for sure,” I replied, walking through the crowds of people.

“It’s been a lot better than it could have been, considering we could have not been accepted together,” Nevin pointed out, smiling.

“Yeah, having a close friend helps.  But man, I miss my family.  I can’t wait to see Mom, and Dad, and Amanda again,” I said.

We were finally at the door to the spaceport.  It was time to split up.

“Well, I’ll see you later,” Nevin said.

“Yup, you too,” I chuckled.

I managed to catch a taxi and was home within twenty minutes.  I stepped out, still in my soldier uniform, and approached our house.  It looked just like I had remembered it.  I rang the door and waited for a response.  I could here rustling from within, then the door swung open.

Standing in front of me was Amanda.  Her dark hair, barely dangling past her shoulders, was just as I remembered it.  She opened her arms and pulled me in for a hug.  It was wonderful to see her again.  As she let go I saw Mom walk into the room.

“James!” she said in an alerted tone.  “Earl!  He’s here,” she yelled to my Dad.

I proceeded into the house and looked around.  Once again it had been redecorated and the walls had changed color.

Mom scurried closer and embraced me. 

“I’m home, Mom,” I whispered.

She started to cry and continued to hang onto me.  My dad finally showed up.  He had silver hair about the same length as mine, and a furry mustache.

“It’s good to see you again, James,” he stated.

“You too, Dad,” I responded.

At last Mom let go and I approached my father.  He reached out his hand, and I returned the shake firmly.

“You’re stronger,” he murmured, his face glowing with pride.  “You helped us win out there.  I’m proud of you, son.  I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks, Dad,” I accepted, smiling with excitement.  It was so nice to be home.

“So… Uh… How long will you be around?” Amanda asked cautiously.

“Well… I only have a week.  Then we are back to training.  There is only so much that I am cleared to tell you, but we have to become the nation’s best soldiers.”

“Oh… wow,” she said, somewhat sadly, realizing my time was limited.

“I’m sure you can handle it, James,” Dad said.  “I know you can be the best.”

“Thanks Dad.”

After our talk, we decided to go eat.  We went out to a local restaurant for some food.  It was called
Frank’s
, which was essentially a burger joint.  But despite the low cost and basic menu, the food was delicious.

“Mmmm, this stuff is great!” I said after downing another bite.  “It’s way better than what we get from the military.”

Amanda gave me a look as if she thought I was crazy, but Mom just kept smiling. 

“So…” Amanda said slowly.  “What’s it like out there?”

“Not as fun as it sounded,” I stated calmly.

“It didn’t sound fun,” she laughed.

“Well, I personally had expected to serve Eli as well as enjoy it… But it’s brutal.  Whenever someone dies…” I trailed off, my smile fading.  There was a long pause.

“Well, the business is doing fine,” Dad interjected, noticing the awkwardness.

“That’s good,” I mumbled, still having flashbacks of Steven Roland and Ben Butler, both having been shot right beside me.

“While you were away we made quite a profit.  Roger asked where you were last week.  He apparently missed your wonderful service,” Dad continued.

“Oh… yeah,” I said. 

I thought about how I would react if Nevin was killed… particularly right beside me.  I started to feel light headed.  I rubbed the area near my stomach where I had been shot.  It was healed up nicely, but it still hurt sometimes.  It started up its pain again.

“In fact, we are making so much money that Ross’s Rugs might be able to upgrade its store.  Wouldn’t that be great?”

“Yeah Dad,” I said, trying to concentrate on him. 

I shook my head to clear my thoughts.  Then, I set the few bites of burger that were left back on my tray.  “I think I’m done.  I need to get some rest,” I said.

Shortly after we set back off for home.  When we arrived I went up to my old room.  My bed was still there, even after several years of vacancy. In the closet hung a few of my clothes, but most of them were stored in a box downstairs along with my other possessions.  I changed into a plain white t-shirt and shorts and I sprawled out on my bed.

I quickly fell asleep, with the hope that sleep would clear my head.  As I fell into darkness a strange world seemed to form around me.  I felt warm… quite warm. 

I look around and behind me our house is aflame.  I try to move but I seem locked in place.  I then look forward again to see my family standing in a line.  A man armed with a pistol stood in front of them.  He looked familiar.  My mind ran through dozens of possibilities before it sank in…  He was the first man I killed.  The man my scope had picked on Sontonos.  I felt a rifle in my hands.  I attempt to raise the gun, but still I am unable to move.  The man fires a shot into Mom’s head.  He moves on and fires into Dad’s head.  I want to call for help, but can’t, nothing is responding. 

A raspy voice keeps repeating, “Save them!  Protect them!” Finally the man shoots Amanda.

Suddenly, Nevin arrives, and kills the murderer.  Slowly Rigel Korth approaches from behind, and jabs a knife into Nevin’s back.  Nevin screams and collapses to the floor.  Abruptly, I loosen up, raise my gun, and shoot Rigel.

Then darkness resumed.  I woke up and looked around.  It had become nighttime while I had been asleep.  Everything seemed to be fine. 

“Ugh,” I muttered.  “It was just a dream… just a dream.”

I still felt tired, so I rested my head back on the pillow.  As I returned to sleep, I hoped that it would not be as disturbing as the last time.

But this time it was not what would occur in my mind, but what would really happen that would be the most painful.  I jerked up from my bed and looked out my window.  It was early morning. 

Car alarms were sounding and gunfire crackled around us.  I heard the engine of some sort of aircraft nearby.  I quickly threw my combat uniform back on and left my room.  After I barreled down the stairs I found my parents in the kitchen gathering supplies.

“James!  Help us, we’re getting the cans and taking them to the basement.  Something is wrong!” Mom shouted. 

Suddenly, there was a tremendous explosion.  I glanced out the window to see that our neighbor’s house was burning and had a massive hole in the upper story.