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—-
I WANDERED FOR HOURS. A ship as big as Eternity made for an easy place to avoid everyone. Finding it difficult to accept exactly what had happened, I kept thinking of things that would drift across my mind that I needed to tell my father, and then reality would come crashing back and filling me with grief anew.
My mother. My poor mother, who had never done anything wrong other than raise me as a son, was dead now too. I tried to remember the last time I’d seen her, which had been just after I’d finished training, I’d stopped by home and enjoyed a home cooked meal with my family. My sister had harassed me endlessly, as was her fashion. My brother had complimented my sharp uniform and apologized for making an ass of himself before my training began. My mother had looked at me with the pride and love reserved only for mothers.
I blinked and felt hot tears run down my cheeks. I couldn’t recall crying ever in my entire life. My father had been a harsh headmaster growing up, but he was always kind and fair. He’d taught me military discipline without ever pressuring me into service.
A door opened ahead of me and I found myself looking through teary eyes at the makeshift barracks that had been set up. All activity stopped, and everyone stared. No one stared. I felt their grief as well as their sympathy. I found Ivata and sat down across from him. He didn’t say anything, because he didn’t need to. He knew I wouldn’t speak even if he tried to engage me. My men gradually faded back away from us without ever uttering a word.
I sat there for the better part of three hours, across from an equally unmoving and stoic Ivata, who simply stayed close at hand in case he was needed. The doors sighed open behind me and I heard soft footfalls crossing the deck.
“Captain?” Mallory said softly. “A word please.”
Ivata looked at me for a long moment. I know I moved my head, though I had no idea how much, to indicate my world wouldn’t shatter if he moved a few feet away from me.
“What is it?” He asked, sounding irked that he’d been taken away.
“I’m sorry to interrupt. I need to brief you.”
“Apologies, Commander.” He said with a sigh. They must have both looked at me, because both paused.
I rose from my chair and turned around. “I have not discharged my duties.” I said, my ears were ringing so loud that my voice seemed to boom and roll across the deck like thunder. The Night Stalkers picked their heads up.
“Colonel,” Mallory said. Her eyes were red. She’d been crying. Poor woman, I thought. She must have been going insane worrying about me.
“Ma’am, I apologize. I...needed some reflection time.”
She looked even more like she wanted nothing more than to grab onto me. “Understood, Colonel. We’re bound for the far side of Cassia Novela. There is a class two star there which may have planets in the habitable zone, and at the very least the radiation from the nebula will shield us from discovery.”
“Understood ma’am. That sounds like a strong plan.”
“I’ve been in contact with other...Captains. We’re wondering...if you...have an idea of a response?”
Ivata stepped in smoothly. “Colonel Valentine and I will need to confer...”
I looked at him. “Captain are you one of mine?”
His lips twitched in a grin. “Yes sir, I am.”
I turned. “What about you?” I said, pointing to Venlent. She nodded. “And you?” Private Windset this time. He saluted crisply. I raised a hand
A loud, powerful, “Yes, sir!” Rolled back at me.
I rounded on our commander. “What about you, Lieutenant Commander? Are you Vandorian?”
She grinned, not a happy one, but one of malicious intent. “Yes, Colonel, I am.”
I grabbed my communicator off my belt and smacked it onto the table, tuned into Fleetcom and the ship’s broadcast system.
“Attention, all vessels.” I said. “This is Colonel Destota Valentine, leader of the 160th Special Forces Battalion.” I clicked a channel and overrode their comm systems, and broadcast throughout their vessels, even the Carriers. “We have suffered a great loss. We have lost an influential leader and our closest allies have abandoned us. We still have our council, and we still have a fight to win. I need to know who is with me, who will stand with me against our most ancient enemy?”
The tiny speaker crackled, and it took me a moment to recognize it as the cheering of our people.
“We will eradicate the Phelb Empire from the galaxy.” I said, simply, with anger in my voice. “This will no longer be tolerated. Today is the day that the Phelb Empire has gone too far. Today, we declare war.”
—-
