bring trouble.'
'And what would they do to the great Colonel Mitch Taylor. Leader of the Immortals, slayer of Karadag?'
'Hey, you're not the one who spent a few months in the brig. I can do without that experience again.'
He pulled of his BDUs and threw them down over Parker's gear. The room was a mess, but he figured he couldn't make it any worse. There was just enough water left to wash his face.
'That food tonight will better than the shit we get.'
'Privileges of rank,' he replied with a smile.
Mitch pulled out his service dress from the wardrobe. It was the only other uniform he had with him, and the smartest thing he could manage. He figured evening dress would be too much for Kelly anyway, who was a man of simple tastes. As he tried to get dressed, Eli did her utmost to stop him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and tried to entice him to stay.
'Come on, you know Kelly can't withstand lateness.'
She let go and slumped down on the bed with a sigh and curse.
'Is this all our lives are now? One training exercise to another on base after base?'
'We're in the Corps. Our lives are what we are told. Another few weeks and we'll get our leave. We can head for Monterey and soak up the sun. Down cocktails to our hearts content and be the layabouts you fancy us to be.'
'Mmm, sounds good. I'll believe it when I see it.'
He made the final adjustments to his tie in the mirror, looking down at her glum face.
'Hey come on. This is luxury compared to the times we have known, a real bed, regular sleep, and nobody trying to kill us. I'll only be a few hours.'
'I'll be waiting.'
It was a short walk to Kelly's home, an apartment atop one of the towers of the colony. Two MDF soldiersposted at the door ushered him inside. It struck Taylor as strange that he would have a protection detail at his personal residence.
The Colonel made his way though into the penthouse. It opened up into a lavish open plan environment that was prime real estate on the Lunar colony. It didn't feel like the kind of place Kelly would have chosen. Taylor could only suspect it came along with the job. Up ahead, he could hear a hive of conversation, and he caught the last few comments.
'How long have we got till the bastards get here?' asked one officer.
Taylor's face turned to stone as he’d already anticipated the subject of the conversation. He pushed his way through two officers. There were over a dozen MDF officers stood about talking.
'Until which bastards get here?' he asked sternly.
The room fell silent as he strode in between them. His eyes contacted with Kelly, and he could see the weariness on the Commander's face.
'They're back, those alien bastards.'
Taylor was silent. He always expected them to return, but it was no less shocking.
'What do you know so far?'
Kelly took in a deep breath, as if to prepare for the passing on of such dire news.
'Not an awful lot at present. The Collingwood and what is left of the SGD, that's the Space Gateway Defence, is in full retreat. They've lost four or five vessels and are doing running repairs while making their way here with all haste.'
'The Deveron was out there. Did she make it out?'
'She did indeed, and is on her way here, right now.'
'How are we just hearing about this?'
'The SGD centre has only known for the last twenty-four hours. Colonel, I have been informed of your orders and told to relay them to you presently.'
Taylor expected the Commander to usher him into some more private quarters, but he laid it out for all to hear.
'The Deveron will be here within hours. You are to take what elements of the Inter-Allied are here and report to her for immediate departure. Your task is to gather any information you can on what's heading our way.'
A few of the officers gasped and sniggered at the order.
'Sir? Head towards them, with one ship?'
'Four other vessels are being sent out on similar information gathering missions. The honest truth is your eyes, and that of your alien friend, are what's needed. Get out there, gather any info you think could be useful, and get back safely. The fleet will be waiting for you when you haul ass back here.'
'Better be, Sir, because we'll be coming in hot.'
'Now, the rest of you. The last time we faced unbeatable odds, we chose to stay and defend our homes without knowing what we had let ourselves in for. I will not make the same mistake again. The colony is what it is because of the people who inhabit it. I am ordering an immediate evacuation to Earth.'
There was no argument from the officers present. Several had fought for their survival on the Moon, and none wanted to go through it again. Kelly turned to Taylor.
'You haven't got long, Colonel. Gather your people and be ready. She'll be docking at platform seven. Good luck to you.'
'And to you, Sir.'
Taylor rushed out of the room and immediately lifted his comms unit.
'2nd Inter-Allied. Grab your gear and report to platform seven. We are leaving.'
He didn't want to say anything else across open channels, but he knew they would already suspect a major problem coming their way. There would be no other reason for them to leave their training mission for anything but an emergency. He reached his quarters and found Parker inside, almost ready to go.
'What the hell's up?' she asked.
'Hell? Exactly that, coming our way and fast.'
She tilted her head and stared at his face to see if he really meant what she suspected. He could see exactly what she was thinking and asking with her eyes.
'Yep, it's exactly that.'
'Christ!'
He ripped of his service dress and tossed it into his kit bag. He knew he wouldn't have any need for it for a long time.
'We rendezvousing with the rest of the fleet?'
He ignored the comment and continued to get into his BDUs.
'Mitch?' she asked.
He knew she wasn't going to leave it alone.
'We're heading out in the Deveron on recon.'
She shook her head in disbelief.
'What?' he asked.
'Nothing… just that why do we always get the shit jobs?'
'Well in this case, I can honestly say we are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Being here on the Moon right now, and having Jafar's knowledge and counsel, means we were perfect for this.'
'Great, I'll remind you of that when we're up to our necks in shit.'
Taylor could do nothing but smile in response. She was more beautiful than ever when she was angry. She could see that in his face, and it only made her more furious.
The thirty-six marines of Inter-Allied lay about the docking bay awaiting their ride as the colony erupted into organised chaos. The evacuation had begun, and nobody was in any doubt as to what was coming their way. Taylor could only watch and wish the human fleet had been so substantial when it all began. Leaving the colony with the Prime Minister while the battle raged was a memory he would never forget, and one of the lowest points in his career.
Taylor had explained to all who were with him what their mission was. There had not been a single question or discussion about it. They were somehow numbed by the news, but he had spent the last year preparing them for
