be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared.’”
“I don’t think reciting ancient philosophy is appropriate to our situation,” snapped Dupont.
“Far from it, everything we know has been learnt from those who came before us. Would you cast aside their wisdom and re-invent the wheel?”
“Enough,” said Walter sternly.
The President didn’t need to shout. His deep and commanding voice was sufficient to resonate around the room and bring it to silence.
“You do not see another option?” he asked of White.
“Not if the future of the human race is to be persevered, Sir, no.”
“And if, as the combined forces of Earth, we sent all our might to Tau Ceti to crush them, what would be the cost?”
“Probably hundreds of thousands of lives.”
Gasps rang out across the room.
“You are surprised? Surprised that the cost of war is the lives of honourable and courageous men and women? The last war was not won by anyone else. I’d never send a marine to die unless I knew it had to be done. Would you prefer we lost enlisted men and women of our armies, navies and air force, or civilians? The price has to be paid somewhere. I believe we can end this for good, and save the people of this world from any future pain and suffering.”
A cough rang out, and White looked to see Commander Kelly from the Moon Colony. He had been sitting quietly at the far end of the table throughout.
“Commander, I of course refer to humanity as a whole. I would see to the protection of the Moon equally with Earth.”
Kelly nodded in appreciation. They all went silent for a solid minute as every one of them thought of the options before them. Finally, the US President spoke up, as he had led the meeting from the very start.
“It seems to me, General, that while in theory you might be right, we have too little information. We do not know the enemy strength. We do not know how many colonies they have. We do not know if we have the strength and resources to succeed in a war in faraway lands. As much as I think there is a chance you could be right, we cannot risk all with so little understanding of what lies ahead.”
White looked around the room to see several were nodding in agreement. His argument was dead in the dirt, and he knew it. He thought about pleading further, but it was clearly going to be time wasted.
“I am sorry, General, but my advice would be to return to Admiral Huber. Congratulate him on a successful excursion into enemy territory, and have him return home with the brave men and women he commands. That is my recommendation and order to the forces of the United States. Are all in agreement?”
Grunts and words of agreement rang out. White’s hopes had been dashed, and he got up with slumped shoulders. The taste of defeat was bitterer than ever when it came from his own people. The meeting was adjourned, and the officials scattered quickly. Just after he had left the room, Kelly stopped him for a word. White sighed. He had no more desire to talk.
“What can I do for you, Commander?”
“You’re right. We both know it, but you must have known you’d never have convinced that room. They fought the last war because they had no choice.”
“Maybe they don’t have a choice now. They just don’t see it yet.”
“If that is the case, then they will rally to your cause soon enough.”
“Taylor said you were a good man.”
“Ha, what would he know?”
White smiled.
“I hope Taylor and the rest of your people return safely. If you’re right, we’ll need them more than ever in the coming days and months.”
White patted Kelly on the shoulder and carried on down the hallway where the crowd was beginning to thin out. He stopped in a quiet spot and leaned against the wall and exhaled sharply. He should have known he would make no progress there, but he’d had to try.
The General leaned back further against the wall and looked up to the bright lights running the length of the hallway. He was thinking of Taylor and the rest that he had left behind. He prayed they had come to no harm. He looked back down and was about to stand up straight again when a voice rang out next to him.
“Your boy Taylor is in the shit now. I hope he gets what is coming to him.”
White was still fuming from the insults and stupidity he had witnessed and received before the President’s eyes. He looked to his side and saw it was Dupont strolling past with his aide. His anger overcame him, and he leapt off from the wall and thrust a hard punch into the Frenchman’s ribs. Dupont’s body folded at his waist from the pain as he let out a squirm in pain.
The Brigadier’s aide froze and watched in shock and disbelief at the scene. He would not go Dupont’s aid, for it would mean striking a General. White looked to the frightened Lieutenant.
“How do you live with it, with a wretch like this? He isn’t worthy of your nation’s uniform.”
White grabbed the scuff of Dupont’s shirt and wrenched him upwards, hauling him in close.
“You’re scum. Disloyal, jealous, greedy, self-centred and zealous; everything I hate in a man. Were you a marine, I’d have you shot, and I’d probably do it myself. You hate Major Taylor because you are a coward, and he is a hero. One of thousands of heroes I know. Thousands who may die out there while weasels like you sit back in comfort. One day, Taylor is going to come for you, and I won’t be the one to stop him.”
He struck him with a quick jab to the same bruised rib once again and tossed him against the wall. The General strode away in disgust, but if he was honest to himself, it felt good to deal out a little pain. It was a long time since he’d been a field officer, and it was men like Dupont who made him wish he’d stayed as one. As he reached a turn up ahead, he noticed Commander Kelly once again.
“You know, it’s incidents like that which have put Taylor behind bars more than once,” he said with a smile.
“Yeah, and now I can understand why it’s worth it.”
“Dupont is a bastard, but he’s also one of us. If we can’t stand together in times like these, what chance do we have?”
“You’ll get no argument from me.”
The General continued onwards at a quick pace.
“Good luck to you, General, and may you bring our comrades back home.”
It was only a few hours later when the General was once again setting off from Earth. He didn’t want to leave familiar lands. He was reminded of how much Taylor had always voiced his hatred of space, and he knew exactly what he meant.
“Chart a course to the gateway, maximum speed.”
“Sir, we’ve got reports back from our recon missions.”
Huber looked up in the hope of good news. Taylor sat by him at the briefing table. There had been nothing more to discuss for the last hour, and it had largely passed staring at the screens.
“Go on, Captain.”
Vega tapped a few buttons on the console before them and brought up a few images of an enemy fleet.
“The remnants of those who attacked us. They’ve rallied at a point near enough halfway between here and Red 1.”
“That’s no accident.”
“No, Sir. Looks like they’re repairing and redressing their ranks, same as us.”
“And awaiting reinforcements,” Taylor added.
“Almost certainly,” replied Vega.
“Mmm,” murmured Huber.
“Admiral, we could strike out at them while they are vulnerable. Otherwise, we are merely waiting for them to grow in number and become a sizeable threat. If we succeed in crushing them, we could even continue on to the planet. Worst case is we fall back to the gateway here.”
“You know we cannot leave this gateway, Major,” replied Huber.
