One Good Soldier

right back through the trees. This time the tree limbs were a blessing, as they slowed her descent, but they weren't blessing enough. Deuce came to a stop against a giant boulder near the river, her neck broken and her heartbeat failing.

I'm a goner, Bobby.

Just rest, Caroline. I'm administering immunoboost, stims, and pain medication.

Oh, God.

I've triggered the beacon. Help will be here soon.

It was great serving with you, Bobby.

The honor has been mine, Colonel.

Deuce flatlined, but the suit managed to bring her back.

Stay with me, Caroline.

As she tunneled out for the last time, she was blinded by a brilliant white light.

Chapter 28

July 1, 2394 AD

Ross 128, Arcadia Orbit

Friday, 3:45 PM, Earth Eastern Standard Time

'We're all stop, CO! Approximately three astronomical units from Arcadia out of the ecliptic,' Nav announced.

'Good job, Penny!' the admiral replied. 'XO, COB, get my ship back in order.'

'Aye, sir.'

'Air Boss, how is the QMT of the fighters coming?'

'We'll be at one hundred percent within the minute, sir.'

'Good. As soon as that is done, have the wounded QMT protocols sped up. I don't want to lose a good soldier because we couldn't get them to sickbay in time.'

'Aye, sir.'

Wallace scanned the ship in his DTM, trying to figure out his next move. It wouldn't take long for the Seppy ships to figure out where they were. The interesting thing would be to see if they attacked them there, or if they took the QMT facility back, or if they'd try to protect the QMT control facility on the planet below at Capitol City.

Whatever the Seppy bastards did, he needed a new strategy. Casualty reports from the first wave were huge. The Lincoln was dead in the water, and the Tyler had lost Aux Prop and several DEG batteries. The Roosevelt and the Madira were in the best shape, but they were limping a bit.

'CO! CDC!'

'Go, CDC!'

Shit, what now? he thought.

I'm detecting seven hyperspace jaunts, sir. I'm sure it's that, Uncle Timmy replied.

'Sir! We just detected seven hyperspace jaunts. Five from the previous engagement zone and two from the enemy vessels that were waiting in reserve out by one of the moons,' the combat direction center officer explained to him. Wallace didn't like what he was hearing. That was seven ships; they were coming to finish them off.

'Roger that, CDC.' Admiral Jefferson turned back to his XO. 'Larry! We've got incoming. Let's get ready for it.'

'Aye, sir!'

Sound the call, Tim.

Aye, sir.

'General quarters, general quarters, prepare for incoming attack. All hands, all hands, man your battlestations. Prepare for incoming attack. All hands, all hands, man your battlestations,' Uncle Timmy announced again over the intercom and to all AICs.

The bosun's pipe sounded throughout the ship, sending a chill over the already overworked crew. Considering that the day started with wargames in the desert of Mars and then wound up across the stars in a real shooting war, the admiral realized that his crew were performing like superhuman heroes. Sometimes, that wasn't enough. But according to his orders from the president, it had to be.

'CO, the ships are coming out of jaunt near us at the following coordinates, sir. Uh, only one of them is coming out close to us. The others are a tenth of an AU off,' the STO shouted over klaxons that started up. Wallace had his AIC turn the annoying things off.

'Roger that, STO.'

'CO! CDC!'

'We've got the ships coming out of hyperspace, CDC.'

'Uh, yes, sir. But, sir, we're picking up EM disturbances near the planet that would suggest QMT jumps.'

'Keep me posted, CDC. I hope that's our backup.'

'Aye, sir.'

'CO! That Seppy hauler is on a collision course for the Lincoln!' the Nav shouted.

'I'm detecting activated