When the Stars Fade (The Gray Wars) (112 page)

             
Alexander did
n’
t answer. He stared out into the storm, knowing full well that it was staring right back.

-                           
XXI                            -

              Cameron barged onto the bridge, his face flushed and full of anger
.“
What do you mean
?”
He marched over to the Admiral, staring him down
.“
Why have
n’
t you ordered a retreat
?
”

             
“I said we ca
n’
t and I meant it
.”
Fawk
s’
voice cracked. He was beyond stressed, past terrified even. That a junior officer was addressing him in this manner did
n’
t even register
.“
The node just shut down. Just shut the fuck down. We do
n’
t have a way to retreat. We do
n’
t have a way home
.
”

             
“That thing just took out a planet, Admiral
.”
Cameron pointed to the viewing screens, as though his words needed a visual
.“
What the fuck are we supposed to do
?
”

             
Admiral Fawks disintegrated, falling into his chair and babbling
.“
I do
n’
t know. I do
n’
t know. Christ Almighty, I do
n’
t know
.
”

             
An ensign burst into tears, wailing that Earth had abandoned them. Cameron was hard pressed to find a better way of putting it. He could understand, on some small level at least. H
e’
d felt the planet break, had the vibrations course through his body as he flew around looking for survivors. He knew that once the adrenaline wore off, he was in for one mother of a crash. Back at Sol, who could blame them for wanting to preserve the Homeworld?

             
Hiro put a hand on the pilo
t’
s shoulder
.“
The first order of business needs to be getting clear of that ship
.
”

             
“Where can we go
?”
Admiral Walker asked.

             
“Goddammit, Admiral
.”
Hiro wheeled on the officer, his temper flaring
.“
I
t’
s your fucking job to think of a contingency. We need to head for Colorum, regroup with the ships being refitted at the Cove
.
”

             
“And if they follow
?”
Cameron asked
.“
Are we supposed to cut the relays at Colorum too
?”
No one answered. Cameron turned around to find himself the center of attention. He looked for another officer, someone of higher rank, and was surprised to see that no one rose to the occasion. Captain Donovan was below at the hangar, coordinating the remaining ships to return. The other commanders were all aboard their own vessels, probably just as frightened as the rest of the soldiers. The XO had locked himself in his quarters and had
n’
t answered any calls, and Admiral Walker was back on
Midway
trying to keep the Seventh from dissolving.

             
“What do you think we should do, sir
,”
a technician asked.

             
Kaileen ran into the room, followed by the other wing commanders. Cameron looked at all of their faces, at the young and scared pilots who needed answers. He looked out at the screens and saw the winking lights of the enemy fleet, hiding in the shadow of the distant rock. He saw it all and felt his mind finally set itself. He was afraid, as he had every right to be, but there was something else building inside. Ever since waking up with a hangover after a night with his best friend, the universe just had
n’
t been right. Billions were dead, many close to him, and the monsters responsible just kept smiling and driving on. No, he was
n’
t going anywhere. He was pissed.

             
“Listen to me
,”
he said
.“
This is
n’
t the time to sit and weep. This is
n’
t the time to run home. We are the Fleet, home is out there. If these fuckers want to send a message, then I say we send one of our own
.
”

             
Slowly, he saw their faces change. Fear turned to anger. Sorrow became resolve. Admiral Fawks stood, his lined face hardened. More pilots and crew filed in from outside the bridge to hear. The weeping ensign, her tears drying, opened a comm channel so Camero
n’
s words could reach the armada.

             
“It does
n’
t matter how many of us they threaten, how many they kill. We will never stop. You all stood in front of the flags at one point or another. How many of you remember the words sewn below the emblem
?”
A few people whispered the phrase
.“
We do
n’
t give up. We do
n’
t run away. We are the goddamn FLEET! Let them hear you
.”
He stomped on the deck, his face red
.“
Let them know w
e’
re coming
.
”

             
At first no one spoke. Then someone started
.“
Until the stars fade
.”
Cameron turned to see Kaileen leading the chant.

             
More voices joined in, louder
.“
Until the stars fade
!
”

             
Admiral Fawks, in his commanding timber, spoke up
.“
Until the stars fade
!
”

             
Now the crew cried out as one, and the ships-of-the-line stood with them. Aboard
Midway
, Admiral Walker and Commodore Osaka shouted to their men and women, rallying every last soldier back from the brink. Their chant grew louder, until it echoed down the corridors and gangways. As one, the soldiers of Fleet turned their gaze upon the enemy, their wrath focused.

             
Cameron swelled with emotion. His heart pounded in his ears and his throat felt dry as a bone, but it was a moment he would never forget
.“
I
t’
s time they realized they came to the wrong system. The
y’
ve controlled the game until now. From today until every last trace is blasted from our skies, this is our fight. If we want to survive, we have to win
.”
He faced the crowd, his eyes set and full of fire
.“
We are the Fleet. And they just made one big goddamn mistake
.
”

Epilogue

Poor Lazarus

             
The MCU rested. It had been a short but furious amount of work. Now it was time to see if its programs had been successful. It pulled in all the resources it could, utilizing power from units deemed unnecessary, all to power a single charge. This was do or die time, and every watt counted. It ran a final check, deciding that 200 milliamps would have to suffice.

             
It waited for the precise moment, when the timing was perfect, and fired the jolt.

*              *              *              *              *

              The Archangels stood in silence in the empty hangar. Dax had pulled off most of his gear and Alexa was patching up his myriad of scrapes and bruises. She wrapped a thick bandage around his midsection to keep him from injuring his broken ribs. It must have hurt something awful, but he did
n’
t make a sound. His torso was covered in gashes and multicolored welts from his bout with the alien leader. There was another souvenir he carried from that fight: a notch in the butt of his Ragnarok. Next to him, eyes red and puffy, were Cameron and Kaileen. As happy as the pilot had been to see Dax, everything changed when h
e’
d been told the news.

             
At the center of the cabin, laid on a pile of seat cushions, Jos
h’
s body remained motionless. His armor had been carefully pulled off so that it would
n’
t remain on him when rigor mortis set. It was a gruesome job, but Alexa and Dax had insisted it be them to do it. The big man had been close to tears the entire time, but held it together for his friend. When the
y’
d removed the chest plate, the biofoam had obscured the wound to Jos
h’
s body. That was a blessing. As they sat in their seats, each soldier tried not to look over, but found their gaze drawn to the fallen officer constantly. He looked just like he was sleeping.

             
Leaning against the bulkhead, Alexa rubbing ointment into his shoulder, Dax held Jos
h’
s helmet in his hands. He turned it around and around absently, his face a mask of sorrow too deep to be expressed. Dax had never been one to make a lot of friends. Even when he played for New Freeman, his fellow teammates had been coworkers, nothing more. As he sat in thought something broke his concentration. A small beep caused him to look around, but he could
n’
t find the source. It sounded again, this time louder. After a moment he realized it came from the face mask. Looking inside, Dax could see letters on the screen, but could
n’
t make out what they said.

             
“What is it
?”
Alexa asked.

             
Dax held the cover out
.“
I
t’
s making noises
.
”

             
“Let me see
.”
Alexa pulled the helmet away and peered at the HUD.

             
“What does it say
?
”

             
She tried to get her face at the right angle to read the rest of the words
.“
System check
?
”

             
By now the other soldiers had begun to crowd around, wanting nothing more than some form of distraction to take their minds off the mission. Fares leaned on Ch
o’
s shoulders and Liane rested her head on Dax. As they stared down at Jos
h’
s gear, the message changed.

             
Alexa read the lines
.“
Reboot successful. MCU reports repairs complete
.”
She looked up at her squad, confused.

             
Cameron stepped forward. His voice cracked when he spoke
.“
What does that mean
?
”

             
“Shit
,”
Cho spat out
.“
These things did
n’
t come with an instruction manual
.
”