David reflected on the harsh reality that, at times, regardless of whether what you did was the right thing, if you ran afoul of the system, the system would grind you down. “Good luck out there,” he finally replied before extending his hand one more time.
They shook hands firmly before Kenneth departed without further words, leaving David to his mental anguish.
After what seemed like an eternity of spending time alone with his thoughts, the space station’s honor guard was ready for the ceremonial removal of the fallen. Joined by the Lion’s Marines honor guard as well as a couple of musicians from the band, they all assembled just outside the hangar bay on what was referred to as the docking slip.
The musicians began to play the hymn “Amazing Grace” as the pallbearers carried the caskets from the ship and down the gangway to the awaiting vehicles for transport. It was, in many ways, a repeat of the ceremony David had participated in just two weeks prior on the Rabin. David snapped his hand to his brow in salute as each casket was carried down the gangway. The biggest difference between that dark day two weeks ago and today was that Sheila was not at his side. Instead, she was in one of the coffins. His heart broke in a way he had never felt as they carried her away.
Another difference was that some of the families of those lost had been able to make it to the docking slip along with members of the press. David bristled at the intrusion of the media. In his mind, they had no place in the ceremony, the most solemn of rituals performed by the CDF.
As each casket was unloaded, one of the members of the honor guard announced the name of the fallen soldier. If the family was present, their sobs rang out as it came forward.
As David fought to keep stoic in the face of his immense anguish, Hadi Uzun’s name was announced. As the flag-draped coffin that contained Uzun’s remains was taken down the gangway, a woman, whom David assumed was his wife, tore across the rope line that separated the onlookers from the ceremony. She rushed the casket, nearly toppling it from the anti-grav sled it had been placed on, and cried in agony as she held on.
A number of members of the honor guard exchanged glances, but no one wanted to be the one to pry her off. As David was the ranking officer, the task belonged to him. He made his way across the gangway and put his hand on the woman’s shoulder.
She turned to look at him, despair, grief, and sadness etched into her face. “Why?” she asked between sobs. “He’d been medically discharged. He wasn’t even in the military.”
“Mrs. Uzun?” David asked, and she nodded. “I didn’t have the privilege of knowing your husband. He joined the rescue mission for the POWs because he felt he was the only man who could do the job. His sacrifice saved the lives of thousands. It’s a small comfort, but you should be proud of him,” David managed to get out.
She took her hands off the casket and stood tall, though tears still streamed down her face. “That sounds like him. Always trying to right a wrong.”
David stepped forward and embraced her then guided her back to the area reserved for the families. They stood there together as the rest of the caskets were removed. Sheila’s was the last to go because of her position as the XO. As soon as her name was announced, he stiffened. Try as he might, he couldn’t hold in his emotions. He cried openly as her casket proceeded down the gangway.
Uzun’s wife took note and put her hand on his. “A friend?”
“The best human being I’ve ever known,” David replied.
“I am so sorry.”
“I hate this war.”
“Uzun used to say that it was better to die on our feet than live on our knees.”
David turned his head. “Wise words.”
A few moments later, Sheila’s casket was loaded into a vehicle and left the docking slip. The honor guard and those assembled began to depart.
After saying his goodbyes to Uzun’s wife, David stood on the dock for a long time.
Eventually, General MacIntosh roused David out of his contemplation. He briefed the general on the battle and what had happened with the League peace delegation. Seeing that David’s heart was crushed, MacIntosh let him go and told him they would resume the conversation later and that he and the command staff of the Lion were to be present the next day at a joint press conference with the president of the Terran Coalition and chief minister of the Saurian Empire.
Several hours later, David returned to his stateroom on the Lion. As he walked through the door, he tugged off his uniform sweater. After adjusting the lights to his liking, he sat on the couch for a while. David still could not make sense of the events of recent days. He was certainly not at peace with never seeing Sheila again. Trying to focus on a problem he could solve to take his mind off the pain, he decided to track down someone higher up the chain at SSI and talk to them about Kenneth and his team. He pulled out his tablet and made a video call to SSI’s main headquarters.
After the link connected, a smiling young woman’s face filled this screen. “Strathclyde Shipboard Integrators. How may I help you?”
David attempted a smile in return. “Hello. I’d like to speak with Margaret Lee, please.”
“I’m sorry, but Ms. Lee is in a meeting.”
“It’s imperative I speak with her, Miss.”
“Who may I tell her is calling?”
“Colonel David Cohen, Commanding Officer, CSV Lion of Judah.”
A pregnant pause followed. “The Colonel Cohen?” she asked in surprise.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Wait one moment, please. I’ll get her for you straight away.”
The screen switched to the SSI logo, and an infomercial played in the background. Pondering for a moment how joyless everything seemed, David realized that what just happened should be funny to him, but he could only barely muster a small smile.
“What’s wrong with me?” he asked absentmindedly, even though no one was there to hear him.
A moment later, Margaret Lee appeared on the tablet. “Colonel Cohen, such a pleasure to speak to you today. What can I do for you, sir?”
“Thank you for taking my call, Ms. Lee. I’m reaching out to you to discuss your contracting team led by Kenneth Lowe.”
“Is there a problem, Colonel?” Margaret asked as her facial features went taut.
“Not per se. At least, not at this time. I would like to let you know that the actions of your team, and especially those of its leadership, including Mr. Lowe, as far as I’m concerned, were in the finest traditions of the Coalition Defense Force.”
“I see,” she forced out. “Were you aware of Mr. Lowe’s plan to stay aboard the ship when it put into space?”
“I was. In discussions with him, we determined that his team staying aboard was the only way to get the ship operational in case all of its functions were needed. Which… they were.”
“I wasn’t aware of that, Colonel. I thought it was simply a decision by Mr. Lowe. He is an outstanding program manager but can be rash.”
David smiled. “I have been called worse in my career, ma’am.” He paused before continuing. “I understand there may be some… impediments to Mr. Lowe continuing to support the Lion.”
“Ah, perhaps. I can’t really comment on that, Colonel. It’s an internal matter, as I’m sure you can understand.”
“Of course. But I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that I view his continued support of this vessel as vital to our ongoing mission to defend the Terran Coalition. I hope that carries the appropriate weight with you and his other superiors.”
Margaret pursed her lips. “Of course. I understand, Colonel. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“No, ma’am—just keep the upgrades to my ship coming and a solid team to work on it.”
“Thank you, Colonel. Good day.”
“Good day, Ms. Lee.” David pressed the button to disconnect the call. He was confident that the message had been received.
He would try to go to bed and prepare himself for a joint press conference with the l
eaders of both the Terran Coalition and the Saurian Empire. The funerals were still being scheduled, but Sheila would be given full military honors. He understood President Spencer would be attending in person. Just getting through them would be difficult. After that, he somehow had to get ready to go back out to fight. Leaning his head back on the couch, he wondered if he would ever be right again.
39
Obi Sherazi, the chief minister of the Saurian Empire’s governing body, walked with a small group of advisors and his security detail toward what the Terrans called the South Briefing Room in their governmental complex on Canaan.
The Saurians were a race of bipedal humanoid aliens that the Terran Coalition had encountered roughly two centuries before. The two races had fought several hot wars and experienced a cold war before relations warmed and they became, if not allies, at least trading partners. Saurians lacked hair. The tops of their heads were instead colorful patches of scales.
Sherazi had visited the complex on numerous occasions, as he had been attempting to act as a broker between the Terran Coalition and the League of Sol in the interests of creating a lasting peace. The last twenty-four hours had seen the high-water mark for those efforts, followed by the realization that the League simply had no honor. No peace would come unless the League was defeated militarily first.
“We have to do something more to respond,” Sherazi said to no one in particular.
His senior advisor, Sardar Ihejirika—a younger Saurian who had been aligned with him for some time—flared his scales. “What would you have us do, Chief Minister? We tried to do what the Terrans couldn’t… get them a peace deal.”
Sherazi bristled. “We have sat back for years and watched this play out. Haven’t you once considered that we should assist them more than we have?”
“I’m not inclined to counsel you to help the race that set our empire back a hundred years.”
Sherazi hissed. “Why do you persist in that old way of thinking? Our empire had grown overconfident, insular, and decadent. We thought we had the right to decide who was allowed to exist. That the Terrans helped us rebuild after they defeated our empire shows us their true nature. One could even say that the war was one of the best things to happen to our empire in centuries. They showed us who we truly are.”
“Send them a few more ships or lift the rules against our citizens volunteering to join the Terrans’ military. What other steps could we take?”
That was a loaded question. “Once the League finishes with the Terrans and has defeated them, they’ll move on. To us. To the Matrinids. To anyone else they can conquer.”
“We don’t know that. The League claims it has no designs on our territory or any of the other races. Only the Terrans and any human colonies that aren’t under League rule.”
“You don’t honestly believe an empire that relishes in expansion and preaches human purity is going to stop on our doorstep? We lack the military might to defeat their entire fleet. They know that.”
“Then send the chimps more war material. Prop them up. But don’t risk our sons and daughters in their war!” Ihejirika hissed.
Sherazi whirled around and bared his teeth at Ihejirika, hissing as well. “Do not use dishonorable and racist language in my presence, young man. Or you will find yourself without a job!”
Ihejirika bowed his head. “I apologize, Chief Minister.”
Sherazi inclined his head. Turning back around, he decided that more than ever, something had to be done to change the balance of power. He had prayed that a path would reveal itself. This moment had been coming for years, and successive Saurian leaders had avoided the question of what to do, if anything, in the fight against the League of Sol. But the difficult decision could wait no longer.
Walking up to the door leading to the briefing room, he knew it was time. “Let’s get on with it.”
* * *
After a photo opportunity was concluded, President Spencer and Chief Minister Sherazi took their places on the stage at the front of the briefing room. Dozens of reporters from both empires were present in the expansive meeting space. The Lion’s senior officers were seated behind both President Spencer and Chief Minister Sherazi.
As the visiting head of state, protocol dictated that Sherazi go first. “Mr. President, honored members of both the Terran Coalition and the Saurian Empire’s diplomatic service, honored members of both our militaries, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for the opportunity to share this joint podium today,” Sherazi said into the microphone at his lectern. “I wish to honor the gallantry and sacrifice of the brave soldiers who prevented the League from killing our diplomatic team and for their courage in the face of great odds.” His gaze swept over the crowd both in front of and behind him. “I also wish to honor Major Sheila Thompson. Her actions in saving her ship are consistent with the finest traditions of not only your military service but of the Saurian Empire as well.”
As he spoke of Sheila, he seemed to study David, who took notice and gave a slight nod of acknowledgement and thanks.
Sherazi nodded back before continuing. “Major Thompson’s sacrifice was also consistent with her beliefs, ones by me and most of our citizens. There is no greater love for another than to give your life to save them. This was given to us many thousands of years ago by our greatest prophet. That maxim was taught to you as well.
“Humans always seem to have a saying or quote that fits a given situation,” he continued. “One that I’ve remembered often of late is this: ‘All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.’” Sherazi pursed his lips. “For far too long, I and many of those in the Saurian Empire have done nothing. Oh, we’ve sent medical supplies, a few dozen outdated ships we would have scrapped anyway, not to mention that many young men and women who have more honor than their elders have defied our laws and the specter of dishonor to come and join the Coalition Defense Force.”
David pondered exactly where he was going and noted that the room had become very still. The sound of a pin dropping would have had the same effect as a grenade going off. Whatever Sherazi was leading to was big.
“But here we stand, continuing to shield ourselves with words, refusing to join this noble fight and do what is right. I have decided that the Saurian Empire will no longer do nothing.” Sherazi took a step from behind his lectern and turned toward President Spencer. “Mr. President, the Saurian Empire will join the fight against the treacherous League of Sol. Together and with anyone else who will join us, we will unite to defeat the League wherever it may slither. We will not rest until the League is destroyed and its ideology removed from the galaxy.”
Spencer appeared dumbstruck. Of all the things anyone expected, that wasn’t one of them. There would be problems, the least of which would be getting Saurian and human to work together without coming to blows. But those were good problems and ones he might be able to help figure out.
Spencer crossed the stage to meet Chief Minister Sherazi, and they shook hands firmly. Photographers rushed forward with a flurry of flashes, and the room erupted in applause and babble.
“Speaking on behalf of all citizens in the Terran Coalition, I say we would be honored to see the Saurian Empire join us in this fight.” Spencer’s voice was full of emotion.
The members of the diplomatic team, the military, and many of the reporters in the room began to applaud, as did the crew of the Lion of Judah.
David thought that perhaps all the pain and sacrifice had been worth it to get to this point, except for Sheila’s death.
It took at least thirty seconds for the crowd to quiet down, then reporters began shouting questions.
“Chief Minister Sherazi, the Saurians have stayed neutral for twenty-seven years. How will your people react to this seemingly unilateral declaration of war?” a female reporter at the front of the room asked.
“They will see the justness of our cause and rally to it,” Sherazi replied.
“And if they don’t?” another reporter sho
uted back.
“Then I will call on anyone who disagrees to challenge me to blood combat,” Sherazi said smugly. He was renowned as a warrior in the Saurian Empire.
“Chief Minister, how many ships will you send?”
Sherazi turned to face the man. “Aside from our home-defense guard, everything we have.”
More reporters started to speak over one another, then a young woman screamed the loudest. “Mr. President! There are reports that our forces fired first against the League peace delegation. Is that true?”
“Not credible reports, and you know it. Ms. Roberts, the CDF has provided direct sensor data that clearly shows the Destruction fired first.”
David fumed as Spencer fielded the question. How could anyone believe that the League was the victim?
Not to be deterred, the young woman yelled a follow-up question before he could call on someone else. “Sensor logs can be faked, sir. How do we know the CDF is telling the truth?”
“There are also multiple civilian sources that confirm it. Many telescopes were aimed at the incoming peace delegation. Do your homework. The facts speak for themselves. You can interview the thousands of people aboard the Lion of Judah, tens of thousands more on our space-based military installations, or aboard the hundreds of civilian craft in orbit who all saw the Destruction fire first. Next!”
A reporter from Canaan News Network, a staunch supporter of the war effort and defense forces, yelled, “Chief Minister, why, after nearly thirty years, is the Saurian Empire joining the fight?”
Sherazi responded, “Because this is the first time the Saurians have had leadership willing to make a tough decision. Joining a war isn’t something to be done lightly or without consideration. In truth, we should have joined this fight many years ago.”
Yet another reporter shouted, “Bret Stevens, Galactic News Network. Mr. President, while surely this is a shot in the arm to our war effort, do you really think one victory and a new ally is enough to stem the tide of the League? Are you going to consider renewed diplomatic efforts?”
Coalition Defense Force Boxed Set: First to Fight Page 49