Annihilation: Love Conquers All (37 page)

“Yes, I did.”

“So you thought you could send two hundred ships and twelve thousand troops and they would be perfectly safe against an enemy that you said represented a grave threat to our race?”

Dorg felt the chill run up his spine. His life was in the balance here. His face was damp and his heart was almost out of control. “Sir, I covered your assigned officer with my plans to make sure the clans approved them. I was told they were approved.”

“That’s the only thing saving you from execution. You are supposed to be the human expert. You are supposed to make the right decisions about them. You more than anyone should not under estimate them, but you obviously did. It’s that inefficiency that has the clan leaders angry. Do you have enough ships to handle the job?”

“I believe so. After what has happened, I’m hesitant to be sure of anything.”

“Will the Alliance send more if we request them?”

“State Leader Sten is furious about the executions and the early start of our occupation. I suspect that we would be publicly embarrassed and forced to request help from the general assembly, where our actions would be censured,” Dorg replied. “It’s also hard to justify more ships when we don’t know how many ships the humans have.”

Terl stared at the admiral and said, “If you had simply waited and took your entire fleet to the home world of these humans and occupied their planet, then you could have taken your time finding out just what capabilities they have, and we’d still have our ships and men. Your hatred of the humans led you to make mistakes, and now there is no way you’ll occupy their planet without a fight, which, incidentally, I think was your intention from the start. What makes this problematic is that you still have no knowledge of their capability. I agree with you that the remaining 1,200 ships should be enough, but I’m not going to take a chance; when will you arrive at the colony world?”

“Tomorrow, Clan Leader.”

“I have spoken with the Glod ambassador and he has agreed to send an additional four hundred ships, and we will also send another four hundred ships. You will take your fleet to the colony world and wait for those ships to arrive. Keep the majority of your fleet outside the star drive limit prepared to jump. While you’re waiting, investigate in detail and see if you can determine what happened to our ships and men. When the additional ships arrive, take enough time to organize them into your fleet, and then go after the human home world. Do you have any questions, Admiral?”

“No, Clan Leader.”

“Win this time, Admiral, or don’t bother to come back,” Terl said and then cut the connection.

Admiral Dorg sat looking at the blank screen for a long time. He not only lost the ships and men, but he also lost his brother. These humans had played him every time he tried to get the better of them. “Where did they go? Where did they go?” he wondered.

Richard Wiseman opened his eyes and saw Maggie sitting in a chair next to his bed with her head resting beside his hand. He looked around and saw all the medical machines that had his leg and arm inside them. He felt terrible. He felt like ten miles of bad highway. His whole body was just one big pain, but he found enough strength to raise his hand and place it on Maggie’s head. Maggie felt the touch and raised her head and looked at him and saw his eyes were open. She screamed and jumped up out of her chair and started kissing him on the forehead, cheeks, and finally, tenderly on his lips. “Oh, Richard, I’ve been so worried about you. I was so afraid of losing you. I’ve been praying that you would wake up and come back to me.”

He looked at her and softly raised his hand and touched her cheek. He tried to talk but his voice wouldn’t work, so he mouthed, “I love you, Maggs.”

She started crying and couldn’t stop the tears. “Welcome home, darling. We’ve missed you so much.” Richard squeezed her hand and then went back to sleep. Maggie could tell that her husband was back. She knew in her heart he was going to be fine. The two marines standing guard outside his room had heard Maggie scream her joy and knew that Colonel Wiseman was conscious, and they stood even straighter. The survivors of his battalion had taken turns on their spare time to stand watch outside his door. Even the wounded had argued for their turn. The guards sent word out over the com that he was back, and slowly but surely his men began coming to stand outside the hospital where he slept, finally at peace. There they waited for him.

Jeremy Watson was also in the hospital. He had been shot in the leg after he had joined the headquarters staff in support of Charlie Company. He continued to fire his weapon until he lost consciousness. He, like Richard, had been rushed back to Earth for special care. He had regained consciousness three days ago and was beginning to walk on his repaired leg. Getting his repaired shoulder to work properly was not going as well, but he knew it was only a matter of time until he was, if not 100 percent, at least ninety. He looked in his personnel pack and saw the letter Alonso had charged him to deliver, and he vowed to finish that promise quickly. Alonso deserved his best effort. He never considered having anyone else deliver it. It was his duty, his solemn duty. He missed Alonso tremendously and felt a huge weight on his heart because Alonso was killed saving him. “I’ve got to deliver this letter,” he thought.

Two days later, Richard woke to see Tag, Danielle, Maggie, and his children surrounding his bed. He smiled and said, “What’s the matter? Am I going to die or something?”

Tag took his friend’s hand and said, “Richard, we have been worried that you just might, but now we know you’re going to be fine. This is the first day your doctors would allow us to move you out of this room, and we have some visitors that will not leave until they have the opportunity to say hello. So, are you ready for a little trip?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Richard said.

Tag took the bed Richard was lying in and started rolling it out of the room and into the hall. The hospital staff lined both sides of the hall, and as soon as they saw him they started clapping. It continued and grew in volume as they rolled him through the front entrance and out to the grassy area directly in front of the hospital.

Richard heard, “Attention!” There, lined in perfect ranks, were the survivors of his battalion. The veterans of the Ross conflict saluted and then cheered their leader. Even the wounded that were unable to walk sat in their chairs and cheered. Richard felt a big lump in his throat and returned their salute. Then he saw, directly to the side of the entrance, the large crowd that covered the hospital grounds and extended out into the streets in both directions. The director of the government of Earth was approaching him with all the members of the general staff behind her. She came to Richard’s bed and he saluted her. “I’m sorry I can’t stand, Madam Director.”

Misty Nicole took a microphone and said, “It is I that should be saluting you, Colonel Wiseman. All of Earth wants to thank you for the sacrifice and bravery you and your men demonstrated during the relief of the Ross population. When confronted by a force more than six times your number, you and your brave comrades held out until relief could arrive. You fought even though your leg was broken in four places and you had shrapnel in your arm. Even thought your armor’s screen no longer functioned, you refused to leave the battle and continued to fight to save your men from being overrun through a weak point in your lines. We have not fought a battle in more than four hundred years,” she said to the assembled crowds. “Colonel Wiseman and his men have set a standard for all of our armed forces to follow that should inspire us all. It is with a grateful and loving heart that I have the pleasure of awarding Colonel Richard Wiseman the Solar Star, which is mankind’s highest award for bravery. He is the first marine recipient of this award. We also have changed his battalion’s numbers to First Battalion, First Division Naval Marines. His unit will be awarded the Golden Transport Medal, which is the highest award for bravery a unit may receive. Colonel Richard Wiseman is also hereby promoted to the rank of general and will command the newly constituted First Division. General Wiseman, all mankind thanks you and your men for the sacrifice and job you’ve done in freeing our brothers from the Alliance concentration camps on Ross.”

The crowd went crazy with a roar, and Richard could barely keep control of himself. He was crying for the men he lost and the memory of their sacrifice. His men were chanting over and over, “Wise-man, Wise-man, Wise-man.”

Tag leaned down and whispered in his ear, “Richard, your ghosts should rest easy now. You’ve atoned for your sins.”

Richard looked at Tag and said, “I can’t thank you enough for giving me a chance.” Then Maggie and the children were all over him with kisses, and he finally found peace and knew his heart was free.

Jeremy Watson rang the tone on the door of Alonso’s family’s living quarters. A pretty young woman answered the door and said, “May I help you?”

“Are you Maria Singh?”

“Yes I am.”

“I have something for you,” Jeremy said and handed her the letter from Alonso. The young woman took the letter, looked at the handwriting on it, and started crying. Jeremy continued, “I promised Al on Ross that if anything happened I would deliver this letter to you personally. He was my partner in the squad and he saved my life.”

“Come in please, sit down,” Maria said through her tears. Then she opened the letter and began reading it. Tears rolled down her face and finally she clutched the letter to her chest when she finished. Three young children were looking from around a corner and saw their mother crying. She saw them and motioned them to come in, and all three ran over and held onto her. She wiped her eyes and said, “It’s alright, children. This is a good friend of your father who has come to visit. He was there when your father died.”

The children looked at Jeremy with wide eyes and he said to them, “I’ll come back and tell you about your father if you like,” and then he looked at Maria and said, “if it’s alright with you.” She nodded her consent.

“Will you stay and have dinner with us, Mr. Watson?”

“Please call me Jer. Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Certainly. I’d like to hear what happened from you.”

After dinner, when the children had been put to bed, Jeremy told Maria about how Al had died while saving his life. He told her that if Al would have just left him, Al might still be alive, and that he felt responsible for his death. Maria looked Jeremy straight in the eye and asked, “Jer, if Al had fallen first, would you have run and left him behind?”

“No possible way!”

“Then how can you blame yourself for Al doing only what you would have done yourself?”

Jeremy looked into Maria’s eyes, and suddenly it was like the weight of the world was lifted from his shoulders. “There’s something else, Maria. I have received an award that I would have never had the chance to receive if it weren’t for Al saving me, and I think it belongs to you and your children.” Jeremy opened a small case and there inside was the Solar Star. Jeremy was the second marine recipient. Maria was deeply touched. “I’ve also requested that any benefits received by me for this award should be given to you and your children immediately. I told the Director that otherwise I would not accept it.” He then handed Maria a document signed by the Director of the Directorate, giving Maria full active wages of a general for life and full medical benefits for her family. It also awarded full scholarships for all her children to the learning institutions of their choice. Maria broke down and started crying in earnest. Jeremy took her in his good arm and held her until the tears stopped.

“Jer, will you come to see us and tell the children about their father?”

“I would be honored.”

“Maybe whenever you have the time you might take them out to play.”

“I look forward to it, Maria.”

Jeremy left and Maria re-read Al’s letter. At the end he wrote, “Maria, I love you with all my heart, and if you’re reading this, then I didn’t make it. The price I paid to protect you and the children was worth it. I need you to do something for me, my love. My squad partner Jeremy Watson will be bringing you this letter. He is one of the finest men I have ever known, and he’s alone now. His family died when he was young and he’s never had a serious relationship other than my friendship. I’m the closest thing he has to a family and if I’m gone, well, I’m worried about him making it. Maria, take care of him. I know that he will do all in his power to make sure you and the children are okay because he’s that kind of man. Open your heart to him. He deserves it, and so do you. I love you.”

Maria began crying again. Al was always so much wiser than anyone she ever knew. When she first read the letter she was angry at what Al suggested. Then she really looked at Jeremy and saw his love for her husband. She also saw that he and she shared that love and loss. In her heart, she knew Al would be smiling, and she knew that she had nothing to fear for herself or her children. One of the two bravest men in the galaxy was going to make sure she was taken care of, and she knew he would always be there. She began crying in earnest, but now they were tears of thankfulness. Perhaps she and Jeremy could heal together.

The Alliance main fleet arrived at Ross and began organizing into its units. The additional four hundred ships from Cainth were already present, waiting for the main fleet to arrive. Terl had notified Dorg that the Glod ships would arrive in twelve rotations and to wait until they got there. Dorg began having his fleet go through maneuvers to improve their ability at working together. He sent three dreadnoughts to the planet and had them drop a team of investigators to the surface to see what they could find out.