I was so tired from doing sticks that my hands and fingers were numb. But, everyone in the escape caves had been vaccinated. The only problem now was up where I should have been.

Dammit, even Mariana was up there and here I was to borrow a phrase from Gabe “Stuck Like Chuck,” there was not even anyway to get the vaccine up to Mayflower and the Strike Force.

“You done good Doc,” came the voice of Joe Fortson from behind me.

“Two years ago I would have given you a snooty answer and blown you off. Now I just haven’t done enough.”

“Duty and Honor are a Bitch aren’t they Doc?

“By the way, your Wife and SGT Petersen just called on the land line and they have us four Human prisoner’s, one of which does not seem to be at all happy to be here. I think you have done everything Andy asked you to do!”

“No Gunny, Karl did that. How many did he take with him, do we even know?”

“No Kurt, and we won’t for quite a while but, he hurt them big time! Connor and his crew are stinging them and a bunch of them tried Ft. Stuart. I understand that wasn’t pretty. Bart can’t put the Dora up with this kind of crap going on, so it’s a ground fight down here.”

Suddenly the sky split with two new Skull ships flashing in, I was stunned until Joe spoke.

“That’s a Dust Off. They are pulling out, Why?”

“Just a little higher you Asshole,” he breathed as a Skull skimmed the South Ridge just below the line of sight from Ft. Stuart. The .50’s and the 25 MM’s hammered the air but, the ship never got high enough for the main armament to fire. “They are pulling out and we have nothing that can get to Space.”

“That’s not exactly true Gunny,” came the voice of Jan Christopher from behind us. “Ash and JoAnn were fairly adamant about that if I was going to be Alchibahs first commercial Pilot, I was going to be Classically trained. Ash and Andy put a full blown System Dive in my Cargo Bus. So Doc, if you can stand the G’s we can get to the Mayflower!”

Gunny Joe just stared at me, “What the hell are you still doing here Doc?”

Just After Midnight - Alchibah Day 982:
Sabbu looked up from his display and spoke to Les Reye hovering at his shoulder. “It looks like they’ve packed up and gone.”

“Nothing much left of Liberty City is there?” Les forced himself to continue. “Get all the bots in looking for survivors. Then get a hold of everyone you can contact. I want a list of casualties, who needs medical treatment, and what we have to provide it with.” He turned to Bartlett. “Get the Dora ready for ambulance runs, and I will alert Linda Parker to have her gear ready for loading.”

“We’ll be sitting ducks if they come back.”

“You turning down the flight Bart?”

Bartlett jerked back as if slapped. “Not at all Mr. Mayor. I’m shocked you could even think it. I want to help at least as much as you do. But if they come back and we lose the Dora on the ground while dealing with our wounded, we are going to lose all of the outlying colonists as well. We should use the cargo bus for medical, and have the Dora fly guard.”

Reye blinked slowly. He did it three times then took a deep breath. “Your right Bart, sorry. I’m not cut out for this job.”

“Maybe so Les, but you’re what we got and we are not about to be holding elections anytime soon. Get the other council members, Histy, Kara, and Connor if you can reach him. You are the civilian authority in charge of all the military and civilian forces on the planet, so get some advice and come up with a plan.”

“You saw the pictures the bots sent from the First Inn, Karl is dead and Fortson has always said he had no intention of commanding the guard.”

“Don’t ask him Les, tell him he’s it. Joe will do what needs to be done.”

Sabbu interrupted, “We have people injured in the ruins of the church. The bots are digging them out. Better get moving Bart.”

“On my way. Laura, let’s help load the bus we came in on. Good thing the other one survived as well. Les, send out Linda with her stuff as soon as she makes it from the infirmary. Have someone give her a hand and send a couple of bots to take care of the stretchers. We will lift off as soon as were hot.”

The snow had stopped for the time being and the clouds were drifting away leaving streaks in the sky where the stars shown through. Light from the primary reflected down from the moon Carter and the contrast between light and dark was stark. A landscape of blacks and whites. Fires burned sporadically in the city added reds and yellows which stood out amidst the background. A few dark dots, robots moving amongst the wreckage, were as they neared the burnt out center of the city.

Laura Seaworth landed the cargo bus in front of what was once the church while the Dora climbed to 10,000 feet and orbited the city.

One hour later - Windmill Hill:
The medical facility and bio-lab buried under the south side of the hill south of town had survived unscathed. Eighteen people had chosen refuge in the church. Ten were dead and two of the others were unlikely to survive. There were only another five people waiting in town for pickup and transfer. The final bombardment of the city had been devastating. Kellerman, told Laura to take the injured to the lab as that was where the planets best medical facility and only functioning hospital except for what was out at the Stuart Compound. Flying out that way could still be dangerous until all of the attackers were accounted for.

Judith Reye watched and wept as her husband stood up and left the terminal. He glanced at her and gave a weak acknowledgement showing that at least he knew she was in the same room.

“I have to get around and talk to people. That’s what us politicians do best dear. Sit here at the terminal and let me know if anything changes.

North of the city:
“You see that Joe?” Gene Washburn was up front and sending his view back to Fortson with the main group.”

“Got it Gene. Hold there and I will come up. Don’t move or give anything away.”

Here in the hills above Liberty City the snow was three foot thick on the slope. It would have been like walking through quicksand without the snowshoes and even wearing them each step in the fluffy powder sank in most of a foot and the constant effort was much worse than walking up a flight stairs with the treads too far apart. But that’s what it felt like.

Fortson was wearing the second of the two UNWG combat suits from the Mayflower days. He crouched down besides Washburn at the top of the hill. Dialing up the magnification showed a false color image of six warm bodies clustered at the base of the hills opposite side about a quarter mile down slope and Joe could hear a low buzzing sound from his helmet headset. Five in the field of view were humans dressed in UN gear. The other was something else, with extra arms and legs. Too many extra arms to be a Guardian.

Gene had his rifle pointed, “We could take them now.”

“That we could Eugene, but we need information more than body-count and we got no time to waste.”

Joe sent word to the rest of team, telling them to spread out and start encircling the group below. “While our people get in place I’m gonna close with those gommers. I can hear the background from their open com units. They’re still using the same short-range channels this suit is set for so they will hear me when I start broadcasting. I need to get in under fifty yards to make sure they get my signal. As soon as I yell stop! I want you to take out one of the humans away from the alien thing. If they go for their weapons take them out. But remember, we want prisoners. Pass the word to the others while I get into position.” And with that, Joe disappeared into the night heading towards the cluster below.

“Stop!” and the sharp crack of a high-powered rifle broke through the wind noise interrupting the sounds of blowing snow and rustling trees. One of the men dropped to the ground motionless. The others, even the alien, froze for an instant then the humans dove for the ground while the alien remained stationary.

Joe fired off a rifle grenade that exploded in the snow twenty yards on the other side of the enemy combatants. The snowpack ate up the fragments and muffled the blast but a large white mass filled the air and started blowing away to the east.

“Throw out your weapons, all of them, or the next eight rounds are all airbursts, six feet above ground level and right on top of you. You are surrounded and all of your friends are dead and gone. Unless you do what I say right now, you have about five seconds more to live.”

Joe watched through his visor and relayed the view as rifles and smaller pieces of equipment, things he couldn’t identify at this range but must be military hardware, started showering out from the troops still fifty yards away and below him, then landing in the snow outside of their perimeter. The big alien continued standing motionless, throwing away nothing. “I wonder if he is unarmed.” Joe thought as he ordered his squad to close in.

“Everyone stand and get your hands up, and that means you too,” he directed at the alien, adding, “whatever you are, standing there already.” As the humans complied the alien put his hands straight out. Evidently reaching upwards wasn’t in its range of motion but at least it understood the command. Joe started slowly forward, giving the rest of his men time to get close, but not too close.

Twenty feet from the standing figures Joe halted and looking at the alien said, “What’s your story fella?” Getting no reply, he let loose a round that hit only inches away from front most of the four legs.

“Future sslave. Meat yet not meat unimportant is, ssaying nothing. To warmth take, sspeak no more.

“What the hell does that mean?” Joe turned speaking to the closest human dressed in UN gear like his own.

“They’re Rogons, most of them understand us but none of them speak real good. Some times they don’t speak at all.”

“I know what your up to but what’s he doing here?”

“It’s a long story but the Rogons own Earth and all of us as well. The trip to take care of you and this planet is a just a small detail, for the Rogons—just an afterthought. I don’t know why they bothered, but you haven’t got a chance in hell at stopping them, all of Earth didn’t have a chance, and we outnumber you by millions to one. We learned pretty damn fast that resisting only made things worse.”

Joe thought about that a moment then said, “We’ll see about that later.” Then he said to those with him, “Get down here everyone. I see we have some data links up again so I’m gonna call and try for pickup. We’ll start for town but might end up at the Stuart compound if that makes more sense. Gene, stay with Krebbs and RoDan and gather up the weapons, then follow us in.”

They hadn’t gone far when they heard Bartlett talking to Laura on the bus, and giving instructions about staying low and heading north.

From the Logs of Sally Kellerman RN APRN

I entered the Lab to find only Chris Petersen rigging the computer system up in Defense Mode and Kurt was nowhere in sight. “Where is my Husband?”

Chris looked surprised, “He went up to the caves with all of the vaccine except for the two he left us. We have been so busy sticking everyone in sight we forgot to do us!

“So, and I love being able to say this once; drop those pants and bend over CPT.”

As I glared at him at my anger was lost in that big open smile, He and Robby were two of an irreverent kind. As I complied I reminded him, “Just remember I get to do you next!”

“Oh Shit,” Chris exclaimed, “Message received, CPT.”

After we had finished sticking each other, Chris broke out his rifle and complained, “The Boss built me this perfectly good piece but, all I have is two mags of ammo.”

I watched him pull out a MK 1 .338 Lapua variant and just had to grin. I walked over to the well hidden compartment and dropped it open to reveal the MBR that Mariana had given me. “Think you can use some of these Mags?” Tossing him a bag of ten 20 round .338 Hollow Points mags, I quipped, “Our Andy been a busy little Boy.”

Just at that point the computer began softly chiming. Chris looked at the screen and said, “Here they come, two Aliens and Five Goonies. You wanta take the other door?”

I just nodded and went through the new door to Treatment. Walt and John had put that in after winter started and keeping with Andy’s original design intent, it was built like an airlock even though it was standing open now. I moved through Treatment and to the new lobby door with it’s firing slits, Chris and I were now 90 degrees apart facing Andy’s killing field. I plugged my headset into the intercom jack, “In position and ready!”

Chris spoke quickly, “What say we take the aliens first. I got the one on the left, in three, two, one, now!”

We both squeezed at exactly the same time and the two aliens seemed to almost explode. Then Chris’s voice rang over the loudspeakers, “You arseholes want to see the dawn, drop them shooters and get face down.”

Naturally the young looking LT. Had to try it. The two rounds from the poor mans .50 that was the .338 literally tore him in half. The other four were face down before another breath.

Chris and I took turns going out the doors so that the four were always covered.

Chris cheerfully announced, “Gentlemen, you are now Officially Prisoners of War to Strike Force Alchibah. If in your limited education you have ever heard of the old US UCMJ, just live by it and you live. If not the CPT. over there has quite the reputation for how to deal with assholes.”

I was actually able to not grin as Chris moved amongst them, searched them and tied them up. I heard one, I could not tell which mutter, “Thank Fracking God, that’s over with.”

Fifteen minutes later with them safely strapped on Treatment tables, I was able to ask, “What the hell was that big boom?”

Chris looked up, “I don’t know but, the land line to Hanna’s Place is down!”

I. A SURPRISE VISITOR
The Alien Starship
Alchibah day 982

The gravity in the Rogan ship was about 2/3 of Earth normal. Richard Redmond was able to move freely, but he still had to run to keep up with Shintok; maylock-A. They emerged from the side passageway into a large tunnel that seemed to run the length of the ship.

The big Rogan was waiting for something and in a few seconds Redmond saw what is was. An oval shaped plate approached and stopped in front of them, about four meters long and two wide it stood about 8 inches high and was indistinguishable from the floor itself. There was no visible gap between it and the floor not even a crack

As soon as they stepped on the oval it began moving and they were soon speeding down the big main corridor. There was no discernable feeling of motion or wind resistance. They had traveled well over a kilometer, when the platform came to a halt. maylock stepped off with all four legs and motioned for Redmond to follow. They approached a large rounded door of the kind Rogons seemed to prefer and as it opened before them, maylock gave one simple order “inside”

As soon as he entered, the door slid closed behind him and Redmond was shocked, first that the Rogon had not entered as well, but more so for the fact that the room was filled with people.

The compartment was obviously very large, both wide and with a high ceiling, but it appeared as though someone had partitioned most of the floor space into a maze of rooms, using standard lumber and wooden paneling. The area immediately in front of the doorway was open, but off to the sides were what appeared to be lounge areas equipped with sofas, chairs and small tables, it was here that the humans were gathered.

Although most were male, there were a few females among them, and all were young and fit. The most common mode of dress was matching blue shorts and T-shirts, but some wore what were commonly called sweats and a few wore mismatched article of military uniforms.

It spoke volumes about Richard Redmond, UN first secretary for military affairs that he was totally unfamiliar with how soldiers dress in their leisure time.

He was immediately noticed and one of the young soldiers called out “Captain! We’ve got a visitor” a moment later a man in the work coveralls of a UN Peaceforce Officer approached from within the maze.

“Hello” he said “I’m Captain Lew DeWalt of the UN 21st peace brigade… and whom might you be?” his eyes gave just a hint of amusement at the man before him, oddly dressed in red silk pajamas and slippers.

“I am Richard Redmond, in charge of the United Nations expedition to Alchibah and Governor General of the colony there” Redmond replied in his haughtiest tone of voice.

DeWalt was not flustered; at least he didn’t show it “I see sir… Yes that was in my briefing, but you left on the Orion years ago. May I ask what you are doing here and obviously in some distress?”

“The Orion has been destroyed… Destroyed by traitors and criminals, and I was lucky to escape with my life” somehow he felt that was not enough “I was able to take a Rogons shuttle and escape while the pirates murdered her crew, but I will have justice! I swear!”

Such an outburst was a little overwhelming so DeWalt beat a hasty retreat “That’s terrible sir, but lets find you some quarters and suitable clothing, after you’re settled in we can get you some chow and let you see the Doc. First Sergeant to the parade deck!”

And so Richard Redmond was made a guest of the slave soldiers aboard the Rogon starship Deathfang.

II. SOMEONES COMING
UNHC Orion

Hunter had eaten one too many hot dogs but the oncoming tummy ache was not going to spoil this moment, because this was the seventh game of the World Series and his hometown Tucson Tigers were taking it down to the last out.

“Come on sport, this could be it” said George St James as he lifted Hunter up on his shoulders so the boy could see over the crowd. With two outs and the bases loaded, the Tigers had a chance to take the lead and bring the championship to Tucson for the first time since they had come to town, after the Dearborn nuke drove them out of Detroit in 2011.

On the mound the Yankees star reliever Andy Stuart began his wind up…

“Captain, wake up”

The patented Stuart curveball reached the plate and the batter swung…

“Captain, wake up please we got trouble”

“Oh what is it? What’s happening?” Hunter opened tired eyes and tried to focus “Sorry sir, Blake called from the bridge, he needs you ASAP”

Hunter put on his helmet and made his way through the lifeboats airlock, there was still pressure in the ship, but it was not safe to breathe. On the bridge, Blake had been keeping watch on the instruments that still worked, almost without rest since the battle.

“Captain, something’s on the screen, its coming right at us and I don’t know what it is maybe an asteroid.” Blake said. Hunter examined the plot “No, unfortunately that’s no asteroid. That’s a Rogon Medusa, and she’s coming to our rescue”

They were called Medusa’s because each one carried 12 to 20 dragon head ships on the bow. A multiheaded monster over 2000 meters long. Four years ago 50 such ships had entered the Solar system braking at an incredible rate, all the while broadcasting demands that humanity surrender. As they rounded the sun they passed close to the planet Venus, and it was there they demonstrated their awesome firepower.

Each ship fired salvo after salvo at the planet, each shot causing a plasma eruption in the planets atmosphere miles across. As millions of cubic kilometers of the Venusian atmosphere were super heated past escape velocity the planet developed a tail and coma like a comet. By the time the Rogon armada was finally past, the surface of Venus was visible from Earth for the first time in eons, a surface pock marked with hundreds of vast lava pools, the result of the final Rogon bombardment.

When the fleet of Medusa’s reached Earth, no further demonstration was needed.

III. MORE WELCOME GUESTS
The Alien Starship part II

Whenever the door to the Earth soldier’s compartment would open, curious eyes would appraise any new entrant, but all were surprised when they saw who their latest visitors were. “Attention on Deck!” was shouted out by several soldiers and all present snapped to attention.

“Stand easy” said Hunter St James for although he was visibly tired and weary and suffering the internal agony of the loss of his ship; the traditions of 30 years of naval service ran deep and he still wore the uniform.

Lew DeWalt burst out of his office upon hearing the commotion and was amazed to see a UNWG Navy Captain, with the star patch of a flag officer no less. His salute was crisp and sharp. “Captain DeWalt, senior officer of the 21st Peaceforce brigade, at your service sir!”

“Relax captain, senior officer you say?” Asked Hunter. “Yes sir actually I’m XO of the brigade and CO of Bravo Company, But Major Watson is on a mission”

Hunter took all that in “We can discuss all that later. Do your troops have space armor?” he asked.

“Yes sir”
“Good” said St. James “because we have 245 people in cold sleep capsules on the Orion, that we need to transfer over while the Rogans give us time”

Now it was DeWalt’s turn to express surprise “I should a known” he said “MR. Redmond said Orion was attacked by pirates, it sounded fishy at the time”

“Redmond is here” said Hunter reflexively reaching for his pistol. He bowed his head and closed his eyes, struggling for control. For a man such as St James duty always comes first “Captain we need to get moving on that work party… but I will deal with Redmond later”

IV. TROUBLE AMONG GUESTS
Later

Richard Redmond was sitting in a comfortable upholster chair, and enjoying a cup of hot tea. His new quarters were. Primitive to say the least, they were also private and Redmond was the sort of man who seeks status and privilege to set himself above those around him.

The door to the small room was flung open and none other than Captain St. James of the ill fated Orion practically leaped into the room.

“Redmond… You bastard!” he began “I’ve got some questions for you, and you damn well better have some answers!” St. James was almost shaking was he faced the other man.

Rising from his chair Redmond appeared calm with only a slight quivering of the tea cup to give away his inner feelings “Don’t take that tone with me Captain!” he said “If anyone has questions to answer it is the one who lost his ship to common pirates!”

That was probably the worst thing he could say, and hunter began to lunge at the career bureaucrat, and would have certainly hurt him, had not Lew DeWalt rushed through the door and interposed himself between the two antagonists.

“Please Sir! I can’t allow violence, If there is justification I can convene a board of inquiry” DeWalt knew he was on shaky ground, but he could not stand by and allow his superior officer to commit a criminal offense.

“Nonsense” said Redmond “The man is obviously delusional and should be confined he has no reason to attack me”

“Reason! I’ll give you reason, I searched your cabin Redmond… I found the report on the first expedition… The warning to humanity…. The warning You covered up! The warning humanity ignored and brought on the Rogon invasion. Redmond you will pay!”

“Captain please, this is not the time” DeWalt said as he began to guide St James out of the room “Lets do this right” and with such words of wisdom he was able to coax St. James into the hallway, and from there to his own office.

V. HOW IT ALL STARTED

Once there, Hunter related the story, hidden for so many years:

It started routinely enough 28 years before… The Stingray and her sister ship Remora had been sent to investigate some suspicious activities in deep space.
Far beyond the orbit of Pluto they had witnessed a small vessel vanish into what would become known as a wormhole. With a light speed delay of 8 hours it had taken days of messages back and forth to Earth before they received the order to follow that ship into the unknown. Another 3 years to track down the elusive vessel and the Earthlike planet it had found, that’s when the nightmare began.

Captain Rostov of the UNSS Stingray, along with 4 other crew had gone down to the planet leaving the second officer Lt. Leonard Jacoby in command, Rostov reported back that they had apprehended one “Brandon Carter’ a prospector for Hamilton industries on the planet, but there was more; Llama like aliens that used tools and weapons, and spoke fluent English, and then contact was lost. After that, things just got worse, Jacoby reported a large egg shaped vessel that came from nowhere and destroyed the Remora. The explosion of the Remora at close range caused extensive damage to the Stingray. With the Stingray tumbling in orbit around the planet, her crew frantically trying to extinguish fires and patch holes; the alien mysteriously appeared on her bridge, warning them to “leave and never return”.

Jacoby and the two remaining crew members put the broken Stingray on a course back to the wormhole, when twenty days later engine tech 1st class Hans Gephardt, for some unknown reason murdered ENS. Rutledge.

Jacoby had no options, no brig for the prisoner, no courts marshal, no way to operate the ship by himself, for 3 years going back he lived and worked with a man who might kill him just as suddenly as he’d killed Rutledge. The UN doctors theorized that just before their return through the wormhole, Jacoby put Gephardt out the airlock with no suit; Jacoby said it was a suicide.

There is madness in deep space, Hunter St James had faced madness and death in the infinite gulf between the stars, but even a madman can leave a legacy.

Jacoby had been the first man to return from another world, he was the man who brought back the news, that WE were not alone in the universe.

And Richard Redmond had squashed the story to save the UN embarrassment!

I. A room in space

The room in question was in fact quite spacious, far more so than any obvious need would require. So dimly lit that you or I would be hard pressed to determine it’s exact size and shape. The walls and area nears the walls contained a great number of devices that were obviously meant to provide information to somebody of alien intelligence.

there were four such somebodies near one side, the most prominent occupants of this room, resting on padded frameworks that could be made to swivel and tilt and had all the executive functions., And rightly so , because these four comprised the leadership council of the Rogon expedition to Urruth-not, aka Alchibah.

Without any motion or sound on their part, the great interior volume of the room was suddenly filled with strange lights. To you or me these projections looked like streaks of colors with multiple ghost images or echoes of the same, but to multifaceted alien eyes the projection was a perfect three dimensional representation of four UN spaceships some 5 million kilometers away in real space.

More than just a holographic image, a being with keening sense could actually feel the cylindrical bulk of UNH Orion, or the lean weapon laden bodies of her companions. Even the high velocity plasma of the exhaust plumes could be felt.

As they watched four more ships quite suddenly appeared in the field of view, one large and three smaller, although apparently of human construction, they were of no type previously seen by the Rogons. As they accelerated and made their attack runs, from keening, it was clear that no human ship could perform like that.

Symbols appeared near the UN warships, signifying that the task forces advanced Rogon weapons systems had been locked out.

‘Shintok; maylock-A, wise has acted” said the first Rogon, Ossog; sespes-AP “yes “ replied the next “ship, Chewpess is!”

Ossog; sespes-AP disagreed ”likliness is not, certainty is not, certainty must be”

But as they watched the tragedy play out nothing was revealed to solve their dilemma; one thing was clear, this was resistance unlike any they had ever encountered.

As they mysterious warships retreated from the field of view Shintok; petok-S brought up an unpleasant possibility “dragon heads, same is?” sespes was adamant “ same must not! Dragon heads to speak, Urruth-not, Chewpess must not, waiting is ”

The image above was one of crippled ship and spreading debris, a Rogon shuttle accelerated madly from the scene. And the view changed completely, in a different direction but not so far away was a lone shape, as it grew into view all that was seen was a featureless ovoid.

Nothing more was said.

II. A view to a kill

Shintok; elron-A, along with his broodmates had climbed high across an open field, and were just entering the tree line below the crest, when the impossible happened. Well below them where the last stragglers, a group of hapless Sheen struggled upslope with their captive burdens, came the unexpected sounds of strange weapons and death.

He could just keen the shapes of the human younglings, and the creature called a dog moving freely about, but there were places he could not keen, as though someone had placed walls in the field below where no walls had been when he passed.

A group of adult humans was among the Rogons, but he could not count them as they passed behind these strange shifting walls. To test this theory he aimed and fired his weapon at an area of blankness, but the wall was not knocked down.

Not far down slope, a group of Shintok began firing at targets that elron thought must be humans, when another unexpected thing happened, something was flying slow and high toward Shintok, just like a bird.

Alone among the Rogons, elron understood, for he had seen this bird not-bird before. On Urruth, at a place called Bogota, elron has seen the thing called a grenade.

“Shields must” he cried out, but no-one heeded, his own shield as it came to full strength pressed against the trees and even pushed his brood brother teth into the snow. Elron was locked in a vice of his own protection, when the swarm of fragments impinged upon his shield in a fluorescent green display.

The Shintok below were decimated , but elron could keen nothing as a wall of blankness obscured everything particles reached his shield and be found himself sprinkled with warm water.

Elron had little time to enjoy this as a certain number of grenade fragments had passed by his shield and streaking through gaps in the trees had hit his brood brother huk resulting in serious injury to what we would call his right rear hip. The individual wounds were numerous and deep, and blood was flowing.

Further upslope the lead group of Rogons had stopped and the four broodmates began climbing in that direction helping poor injured huk along.

When they arrived they found a group of perhaps 20 Rogons centered around Shintok; cantor-S, who was using a communicating device.

Just then the dragon head ship which had brought them to Urruth-not rose from the farm field down below and rapidly climbed to just above the ridgeline where is made a hard turn to the south. In the valley beyond missiles and cannon shell were fired in a great volley at the alien vessel. The dragon head’s shield expanded to a globe and as it reached the near by hillside several acres of trees were blasted to splinters. The ship angled up and accelerated instantly causing an immense sonic boom that shook trees and set off avalanches of snow up and down the ridge

To elron and his broodmates teth and argo trying to help huk, and control bleeding, the up blast of snow blocked both keening and vision just like the end of the world, for the first time in their lives, they felt a sense of hopelessness, stranded on this terrible world and now their ship had left.

In fact the departing dragon head had made a wide turn south and now was on a northward course rapidly descending to land in liberty city between the mangled dragon ship 4 and the still smoking crater where the First inn had until recently stood. The human settlement had sustained tremendous damage and the area all around was strewn with bodies, human and Rogon alike. Survivors… UN troops, Rogons and some colonial prisoners streamed to the ship. Shots continued to ring out from the forest surrounding the clearing and more brave Rogons and more UN slave troops died. A few minutes and much returned fire later she rose and departed to the south rising steadily away from the planet.

Less than a minute later dragon head 7, having been recalled from the Mayflower assault, came streaking down towards the city center and unleashed a hellstorm of fire at the crippled dragon ship and destroying Liberty town hall in the process. The shock wave hurled up tons of snow and loose objects of every description, even tearing limbs off trees as it reached the distant forest. When everything had settled the ship was long gone.

On the ridge above Sarra’s farm Shintok; cantor-S roared out the command ”Shields up! Shields up!” and as the Rogons all brought their shields to full strength the welcome sight of dragon head ship 8, also having left her assault team behind on the mayflower, came streaking in from the south firing a barrage at anything that was not a rogon shield.

Strips of trees were literally turned into matchpicks, and as she settled down the entire slope below was engulphed with a cloud of descending snow.

Elron was overcome with emotion as he helped pull huk into the dragon head ship “safe is! Safe is!” he said to everyone and no one “safe is’

And so the Rogons left Urruth-not, retreating into deep space, but not before learning a terrible and costly lesson: Real men (and women) will fight for home and Country.

Mayflower

Jaisa Benjamin

Waiting on the Mayflower for something to happen, for someone to need help, was not exactly how I had figured my involvement in the goonie attack at first, but by the time push came to shove I was fine with it. They had four cruisers, we had a small special forces contingent a few dozen militia and several shuttles. We would be needed, it was just a matter of when and where. Truth be told I think all of us on the Mayflower – Summer, Mike, Kaye and I – were hoping against hope that no one would have to call on us. After all, even if that meant we didn’t see any “action,” the fact was that it also would likely mean fewer colonists died. And that was infinitely more important than any childish need to be in the fight.

I was pacing back and forth in the staging room we had set up for SF Reserve just down from the main bay, fiddling with my battle rifle. The room was just off of a long hallway that lead up to the cavernous main entry room which all the elevators from the docking bay fed into. We were relying on Monroe to feed us back anything we needed to know from the bridge, as this room didn’t have access to any of the sensors. We had drilled this hundreds of times and by now our two teams could be into our shuttles and out the front door of the Rock in under two minutes. Of course we weren’t already in the shuttles on the off chance that the Mayflower itself was hit. That we had drilled too, though far less. We were just waiting on the call. Then Monroe’s voice came through the com.

“Andy, Steel, anyone? Alchibah under attack. Mayflower under attack. Three unidentified ships have approached us from behind. Never saw anything like them. One is heading down through the atmosphere of Alchibah. Seems headed to land just west of Liberty. The other two are coming after the Mayflower. These are not Earth ships. Andy, if you can hear me, that must be why the Goonie ships traveled slow — these skull ships came after them and needed time to circle around. Strike Force Rear is launched to intercept.”

I hit the com. “Bridge, Firebird, what the frack is going on? We’ve got two skulls incoming?”

“Firebird, Brige. Make that three, with three more headed to the surface,” came the response. “One’s trying for the back door. I’m going to catch it in the engine blast once it gets close enough. The other two are headed your way, straight in the front door. I don’t know what the hell they are, but you’re going to need to hold the entry room – whatever they are, they’ll be coming down the elevators. They’re starting docking now, so eta is five minutes.”

“Understood. You and the doctors stay on the bridge. We’ve got this. And get a robot crew down here asap. We’re going to need backup choke points like we drilled. Firebird out.”

“Will do Firebird. Good skill, and don’t get dead. Bridge out.”

Compiled from various log files

She turned to the other three teenage Strike Force members. “Thorn, lock the elevators. Dustup, set frag charges around the entry room. If they’re not human maybe they won’t recognize our explosives. Grinder, grab that crate. Help me barricade the hallway.”

She commed Monroe again as Summer sprinted out the door and Kaye grabbed a small crate of explosives and followed her. “Bridge, you give the robots their orders remotely, I don’t have time to coordinate them. Have them set up three choke points down the left fork and retreat. We’re going to blow the right fork. Firebird out.”

“Understood Firebird.” You could almost hear him wince through the com. “Don’t hurt my ship more than you have to.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Jai laughed, grabbing the other side of a heavy metal crate and helping Mike haul it into the hallway as she let out a gigantic sneeze.

“Great, last thing I friggin need right now is the goddam FidoFlu.”

“Tell me about it,” Mike said, sniffling.

It had been two minutes.

Summer sprinted back down the hallway.

“Elevators locked. Orders?”

“Blow the right fork back there,” Jai nodded down the hallway behind her where the bots were setting up the second choke point. “Just enough to bring it down. And be careful not to hit the bots.” Summer was already grabbing the charges out of the staging room as Jai finished. The last crate was in place just as Kaye ran up to them.

Then from behind them Summer shouted, “Clear!” just before a enormous blast shook the walls around them and a cloud of dust erupted from the formerly clear passage heading to the right at the end of the hallway.

“Carrigan!” Jai shouted down the hall, “You and the other bots get up here and take all the ammo you can carry to the other choke points. And then get the hell back to the bridge, no point in you getting fried too.”

“Confirmed,” replied R.Carrigan, “and thank you.”

“My pleasure,” she turned back to her friends. “Dustup, Thorn, you think you can rig those light fixtures about fifteen feet from the opening of the hall with concealed charges? I’d like to pull the roof down around their ears when we have to fall back to the next choke. Plus, it’ll give us some time to regroup.”

Summer grinned. “Can do boss.”

“We’ve got a minute and a half before they’re knocking on our door people, let’s move!”

“Gabe, lets back it down to 1 G. I am having a hell of a time breathing with this crap. Break.

“To All, as you catch up come to 1 G and pick up formation. Is there anybody in this outfit that did not get near that Damn Dog?”

Corrine Williams was the first to speak, “Yeah, Jeff and me. We have been on ship the whole time working on the new gyro’s for the sighting system, why?”

Andy had to finish a hacking, coughing attack before he could answer clearly, “Because those of us who have been using adrenaline and metabolic control to hold back the symptoms of that damn flu have a a hell of a price to pay.

“Gabe, how you doing over there?”

The answer was a groaning raspy voice, “About the same as you. Shitty! Explain it to the Girl!”

“We can kinda make Mama Nature stand in line but sooner or later She gets Hers. We have to stand down for a while sooner or later,” Andy finished with another racking coughing fit. “So the question is are you Deep Space qualified as a Pilot?”

“Yes and so is Jeff, Al would not take anyone who could not at least fly us back. What is it you want us to do?

“We are going to get everyone in formation and then slave our controls to yours. Can you and Jeff handle this while we rest up?”

“Yeah Andy, we can split the time and get some rest ourselves. We are not fighting that damn flu after all.”

“Good, BREAK. Ash, how long can we stay at 1 G acceleration?”

“Wish I could say more Cuz but, three hours till flip-over then three hours more. Then we got to kick em hard again to match vectors. Besides Jai’s gonna need some help!”

Andy groaned, “Agreed on both counts. Six hours it is then. Everyone get fed up, take the treat the symptoms medications and most importantly get some sleep. We won’t get there as fast but a least we’ll be worth a damn when we do.”

“Six Hours then we Ride Hard till Dawn!”

Evening - Alchibah Day 981:
“I love you Pam. I can’t say that too many times or make it any clearer. I wish I could, and I wish you could hear me saying it one more time.

I am looking out of the window of the First Inn now and I see the light signatures of eight or ten men, I think they must be men but some of them look odd. The numbers keep changing. It changes every time I look. They are coming partially on the road and also poking up from the riverbank but still they come. I am strangely at peace and this is good because to be in a state of agitation would help nothing. And I am thinking of you.

“Bligh and Fletcher are sending in views from outside the Inn so I will not be surprised from whatever direction the final assault comes.

“I am beyond surprise, and want to say one more time, I love you. I wish we had a voice link now but I can’t seem to get in touch with anyone. I will keep talking into the recorder hoping that it will survive even if I don’t. The colony must survive and I don’t have a clue about what is going on out there now. I just know too many have died already for us to fail.

“You will think I should have left the Inn when the communications went out. Maybe I should have, but they could have turned on again and now it is too late.

“Looking back the only thing I regret is we never had any children. We should have used the tubes as soon as we had the chance.

“I need to say that except for when you said you would marry me, it was the second happiest and proudest moment in my life, when Bart and Janie asked us to be Godparents to their daughter. In a way, I’m doing this for her.

“Whoa! A big explosion west out in the forest. I pray it is us and we are doing some good.

“They’re almost here now. I have Hanna’s pressure cooker filled with water and am going to hide the recorder inside. The data chip is almost indestructible so maybe it will be found. I just told the bots to go north and reach the Stuarts. I am going into the cellar now, and when the door is forced I will explode all the military stores down there and take as many with me as I can.

“I have to go now Pam. I wish we could do it all again. I love you.”

—Editors Note: The data chip this was recorded onto was found two years after the explosion of the First Inn and Karl Nash’s death. It is released by permission of his widow Pamela Nash. A thorough examination of the debris shows conclusively that four humans and one of the Rogons perished with him. He did not die in vain.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
—John 15:13

Stuart Compound

Connor Benjamin

The buzzer sounded. “Connor, it’s Kara and BJ,” came in over the speakers as he buzzed her in. He headed up the stairs.

“Right this way,” he ushered the two down into the command center. Elana passed them going up the stairs and went to secure the door (not that anything was getting anywhere near it).

“The system’s up and running. It’s just like training. Remember, the computer needs human approval to for the towers to go active, but after that anything that moves, dies. All colonists know to stay away from here, and everyone’s skipping town anyway, so that shouldn’t be a problem. You’ve got a hardline to Liberty Hall, Hanna’s and the Lab, but other than that stay dark. If anything changes I’ll be in touch.” He paused, looking at her. “But…?”

“I already know all that. We’ve drilled this dozens of times. We’re good, now do what you’ve got to do.” Kara responded.

Connor laughed. “I suppose you did. I’ll see you soon,” he extended his hand towards Kara’s partner, “BJ.”

Connor turned to his two girls, kneeling in front of them.

“Aya, Arra, I’ve got to go work for a while. It’s dangerous work, but I want you both to know that I love you sooo much, and I always, always will.” He hugged them both close, kissing them tenderly on their foreheads.

“We know Dad,” Arra started. Aya continued, “you’re going to fight, to protect everyone. Be safe,” then Arra finished, “ok Dad?”

“I will, I promise. I’ve got to go now. Look after the little ones.” He was looking his daughters right in the eyes, on the verge of crying himself.

“We will. We love you Dad,” Aya said, with Arra ending, “very, very much.” Then they both kissed him and hugged him, and then turned and went to watch over the babies so he could leave.

He stood slowly and, looking over his shoulder just once, ran up the stairs and then into the night and the beginning of his second war.

Kara

“I can’t believe I agreed to this,” Kara said aloud, to no one in particular.

“It’ll be fine,” said BJ, “we’re safer here than anywhere else.”

“I know. I just can’t it’s with the kids,” Kara muttered.

BJ looked puzzled. “What? What’s wrong with the kids?”

“Huh? Nothing,” Kara replied, hoping it was said smoothly, as if she had meant nothing by the comment. “I’ll check on the computers,” she said as she moved towards the control room. “Good one, Kara. All you need ,” she thought.

Everything looked in order at the computers. She took her time reviewing all the screens, and then admitted she couldn’t stay away any longer, so she went back to the common room. She stood staring at everyone, trying to take it all in. What they had all been preparing for was finally happening.

Kara’s stomach was in knots. She was physically exhausted from the trek from the Inn, mentally exhausted from worrying about what was happening “up there,” and terrified of what was happening “down here.” Goonies, an enemy we know, would be bad enough, but now aliens too? Who knows what they’re capable of. “Frak” was all that could come to mind.

BJ came over and put his arm around her. “I think one of the kids needs changing.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. I can’t worry about defending this place and change diapers at the same time,” she said as one of the babies started crying. “I can’t believe…” she let it trail off this time. Lucky for Kara & BJ, Aya and Arra tended to the crying baby, talking to him in their quirky fashion.

Kara breathed a sigh of relief. “So,” BJ started, “not big on the kids are you?”

“That obvious?” Kara asked.

“You look as comfortable as Andy would in a tutu,” BJ surmised, which started Kara laughing.

“I didn’t even think those two words could go into the same sentence,” Kara said through her laughter. As they stood watching, Kara asked, fearing the answer, “So…..is that a problem?”

“Well, I never imagined life without a family of my own.” BJ started, while Kara’s stomach knots grew worse. “But then, I never thought I’d be living on another planet, 8 feet deep in snow, with aliens attacking us with the help of humans, and everything else that’s happened. If there’s one thing I’ve learned since agreeing to this trip, it’s to take life as it comes, and to give up all expectations. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and worry about kids. Hell, nothing personal but I don’t know if I want to even marry you yet!”

“Yeah, good, ’cause I don’t know if I’d want to marry you!” Kara sassed back, noticing that BJ’s arm was still around her. She leaned into him, and just tried to enjoy what they had, while they had it. “Now all we need is a poodle.”

Stuart Compound

Connor Benjamin

Elana and I had just arrived at Fort Stuart from Liberty City. Good lord I’d never been happier for PT than I was at that moment. We sprinted the over half mile across deep snow from Hanna’s to make sure the Fort was set up asap. Kara and BJ were probably five to ten minutes behind us.

I hit the buzzer. “Sally, it’s Connor,” I said as the lock quickly disengaged.

I rushed through the door with Elana close on my heels.

“Elana, downstairs. Get the systems up and running. Sally, the goonies are on their way. We need to activate the Fort’s defenses. Kara and BJ are right on our heels and they’ll be taking over, but you’re going to be needed at the lab. Somehow they got through our Travis and Andy’s perimeter – there’s already one ship landed.”

“I’ll get the kids downstairs,” she replied, heading for the nursery. “Could you grab my pack and equipment? They’re in the closet.”

Elana com’d up to him as he got Sally’s bag and arms out. “Defenses are up and running. No one within range…wait, there’s something coming in from the west.” Then Sin’s voice came in over the military com channel.

“Two ships heading south towards the City! And whatever they are, I don’t think they’re human. Watch yourself. We’ll be in touch.”

“Well, that’s different. Doesn’t change anything though.” Connor said into his wrist comp. He turned as Sally led his two girls and six robots carrying six adorable babies out of the nursery.

“Come on girls, take the kids downstairs,” he told Aya and Arra. “I’ve got to talk to Sally for a minute.”

“See you soon girls,” Sally waved goodbye to the twins as they waved back.

“You good to get to the Lab?” Connor asked.

“As good as I’m going to be. It’ll be a trek through this, but no two ways about it.” She snapped a salute which Connor returned. Then he put his hand down and hugged his friend.

“You be careful now, you hear?” he told her. “We don’t know what’s out there, and we’ll kick it’s ass, whatever it is, but in the meantime you be careful.”

“I will, don’t you worry. And remember, you owe me a drink for taking care of the twins!”

Connor laughed as she strapped the light pack on and shouldered her CAW.

“See you soon Stonewall,” she said over her shoulder as she jogged into the night.