by Daniel Gibbs
Seville had to admit he was impressed by the ingenuity shown by the Terrans. To get a new type of reactor working under their noses and without League spies coming upon the information was a shock. It was also surprising that they got lucky and put the exact ship needed to counteract his plan in place with no advance notice. Chuckling to himself, he considered that many in the Terran Coalition would likely chalk that luck up to a miracle from God. To him, it was simply proof that low probability events did occur.
One major thing that had changed with the Saurians entering the war on the side of the Terran Coalition was that the League now viewed the conflict through a new lens. More ships would be coming, newer ships, and more troops. Seville had been promised they would see double the ships and troops in the next few months, but he would believe that when he saw it.
The chime at his hatch rang. “Yes?” he said, annoyed.
“Admiral, it is Colonel Strappi.”
Oh goody, Seville thought to himself. “Come in, Colonel.”
The door opened on Seville’s command, and Colonel Strappi walked into the stateroom. “Sit down, Colonel. Make yourself comfortable,” Seville said with gaiety in his voice.
“I did not expect your spirits to be so high, Admiral,” Strappi said cautiously.
Seville regarded the political officer for a moment. He really did despise political officers, but Strappi had grown on him, especially after he saved his life. He’d resolved not to openly mock the man as much as he used to. “In spite of our recent setbacks, Colonel, we’re closer now to winning than ever before.”
Strappi raised an eyebrow. “With respect, sir, how do you fathom that? Our flagship was destroyed. You were nearly killed, an elite strike team I didn’t even know existed was destroyed, and the religious fanatics of the Terran Coalition are braying to the entire galaxy how their God saved them. If that wasn’t enough, the Saurians joined this so-called Canaan Alliance, and there’s intelligence intercepts that suggest the Matrinids will as well. On the face of it, this looks like a total disaster.”
Seville laughed out loud. “Colonel, you’re supposed to be our morale officer. That sounds like a report I’d hear on that infernal Canaan News Channel. You’re not looking at it the right way.”
Strappi snorted. “How should I be looking at it, sir?”
“Yes, the Terrans won a victory. And yes, it’s done a lot of things for them. Oh, over the next six months, we’ll get our asses handed to us in every battle. They’ve got high morale, ours is low, they received what amounts to their entire military as reinforcements and they’ve got a hero to motivate them.” Seville leaned forward in his seat. “But the very things that give them strength, we can turn against them and use to destroy the Terran Coalition once and for all.”
Strappi sat in silence, waiting for Seville to go on.
“We will bide our time, marshal our reinforcements, and trade space for time. The Terrans and their newfound allies will press the advantage. They will stretch out their supply lines, and at a time and place of our choosing, we will overwhelm one of their battlegroups with numbers, and begin to roll them back.”
Strappi nodded. “But what about that new ship of theirs? It outclasses anything we have.”
Seville shook his head. “It’s a gimmick ship. Yes, it’s got advanced technology and its commander is resourceful and capable. But it’s only one ship. We almost had them in our first engagement. All we have to do is overwhelm it with numbers.”
Strappi looked a bit doubtful. “I understand, sir, but I worry about the cost it will take to destroy that ship. I worry for our morale.”
Seville allowed a grin to cross his face. “There’s one more thing, Colonel. That ship, for better or for worse, has been turned into a hero by the Terran Coalition’s media. Its crew, its captain; they’re all heroes. That’s a powerful weapon against us because the entire sequence of events has given the Terrans hope again. Hope is a powerful ally in combat, but in doing so, they’ve handed us a weapon. All we have to do is destroy that ship, and we’ll grind their hope under our feet.”
For the first time since he had sat down, Strappi looked as if he bought what Seville was selling. “In other words, destroy that ship, kill the hope, and they’ll collapse?”
Seville nodded. “Exactly. We’re going to destroy the Lion of Judah, kill Colonel Cohen, and make sure that’s front-page news. When we do, the Terran Coalition’s will to fight will fall apart. You and I will be the heroes of the League and someday we will be in a position to effect real change within the League.”
Strappi looked up, fear in his eyes. “Those are… dangerous words, Admiral.”
“Words that need to be spoken, Colonel. And you will be safest at my side.”
“I live to serve, Admiral,” he responded neutrally.
Seville again responded with a smile. “All in good time, Colonel. All in good time. But today, we rest and lick our wounds. Tomorrow, we begin to organize the strike that will destroy the Terran Coalition.”
Strappi raised his arm and made the fist of the League. “To victory!”
Seville mimicked the motion. “To victory!”
David walked into his stateroom. He had just completed his first watch and spent some time attending to paperwork in his office before having dinner with the senior officers in the wardroom. Another long but productive day in the books, he thought to himself. The Lion would complete its final Lawrence drive jump into the testing area at 0700 the next morning, and they’d have two weeks to find as many things wrong with the ship as possible before going into combat. A tall order, but one David was happy to fulfill.
Taking off his uniform to get ready for bed, he made a cup of hot tea. My reward for a hard day’s work, and it’ll help me sleep. Sitting on the couch with the hot mug in between his hands, his eyes roamed over pictures he had put up: the one of him, his father and his mother, a picture of him and Sheila, among others. Looking out at the stars in the quiet of the night, David realized that something had changed deep within him.
It would be about six months ago when he was alone and looking out into the vast sea of stars that he would begin to feel small and not up to the task at hand. He would question everything about himself, his decisions, feelings, and abilities. But tonight, looking out of his window, he realized that those doubts had been replaced by a quiet confidence that required no boasting, ego, or validation. A confidence that he was able, by the grace and help of God, to meet whatever the League threw at him, to lead his crew into battle, and bring as many as possible home safe and sound. That was his calling and his duty, and for the first time in many years, perhaps even in his entire life, David was completely ready, committed, and confident.
Tomorrow was a new day, and in two weeks’ time, David Cohen, the Lion of Judah, and the full might of the Terran Coalition and the Saurian Empire was coming for the League of Sol, and if he was still alive, Admiral Seville. President Spencer had said that Seville was wanted dead or alive, inviting comparisons to the wild west of six hundred years ago back on Earth. He chided himself for wishing more for the dead than alive part of that statement. As the quote that was attributed to dozens of people—though no one was really sure where it came from— “It’s not our job to judge the League’s soldiers. That’s God’s job. Our job is to arrange a face-to-face meeting as soon as possible.” Chuckling to himself, he was sure Sheila would have playfully yelled at him for saying that, but tonight, he’d enjoy his tea and drink to the possibility of finally driving the League and its oppression out of Terran Coalition space once and for all.
THE END
Echoes of War: Book 2 – Strong and Courageous: David has won a battle, but the war is far from over. He’ll need a miracle to defeat the League of Sol once more.
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Echoes of War
Book 1 - Fight the Good Fight
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ook 2 - Strong and Courageous
Book 3 - So Fight I
Book 4 - Gates of Hell
Book 5 - Keep the Faith
Breach of Faith
(With Gary T. Stevens)
Book 1 - Breach of Peace
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Acknowledgments
To Dad - thanks for all the many hours of great stories from your time in the Navy. They were a wonderful source of ideas!
Dave - thank you for the mentorship, advice and when needed, directness in helping me improve my writing and this book in particular.
To all those who have helped make a dream that started twenty years ago a reality; thank you for your help, support and encouragement—you know who you are.
I would be remiss if I did not thank the servicemembers of the US military that I have had the honor of working alongside for many years. Thank you for ensuring a society in which I can write the novel I choose to, the way I choose to. Above all, thank you for your service.
Finally, I believe it fitting to thank God for giving me the ability to write this novel and bring this story to life.