22
Deep Space
CSV Zvika Greengold
3 July 2434
Five weeks into the trip back, the Zvika Greengold reentered extreme communications range with Coalition Defense Force command. At first, all Tehrani could do was pass a text message back, saying they’d completed their mission, along with a casualty report. A few days later, throughput increased enough to allow voice communication as the carrier continued to make its way toward Terran Coalition space.
As a result, she’d prescheduled a commlink discussion with General Saurez, as previously instructed. He was the overall CO for all CDF spaceborne assists, with the title of COMSPACEFLT or commander, space fleet. It felt odd to report outside of her defined chain of command, but nothing about the mission they’d just been on was ordinary.
Taking the vidlink in her day cabin, Tehrani sipped her tea before engaging the app. A few moments later, a grainy image of Saurez’s face appeared on her tablet.
“Colonel, can you hear me?”
“I read you, General.” Tehrani noted some static in the video. “We’re still pretty far out.”
Saurez wore a frown, and his eyes narrowed. “I’ve reviewed your after-action reports in detail. Impressive, capturing a fuel tanker with an impromptu VBSS team while executing the strike on Sol. I’ll overlook you disobeying orders and jumping the Zvika Greengold into Sol to pick up your pilots.” A small smile creased his face. “How’s your crew holding up?”
“As well as can be expected, sir. We took more losses than I’d hoped.” Tehrani pursed her lips. “Such is the cost of war. I hope our actions were worth it.”
“You have no idea.” He let out a sigh. “I should probably wait until you get back to tell you, but as far as I’m concerned, you’ve earned knowing. The League captured Eire two weeks ago.”
Tehrani’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. Eire was the capital of the Irish Republic and one of the Terran Coalition’s core planets. “Captured, as in landed ground troops?”
“That would be the definition of the word, Colonel. Planetary militias didn’t surrender until the Leaguer bastards started orbital bombardments of civilian population centers. Our fleet didn’t arrive in time, and now they’ve fortified the solar system. It’ll take a major fleet action followed by a massive ground invasion to root the commies out.” Saurez made a face. “I’m under orders to instruct you not to reveal this information to your crew or the fleet.”
His last sentence knocked around in her mind. An odd way to say that. Saurez obviously disagreed with his orders. “I see, sir. I don’t believe keeping bad news secret serves the interest of the Coalition Defense Force, sir. My soldiers will see it as a betrayal.”
“Well, who’s to say you heard me correctly when we spoke. After all, there’s a great deal of background interference. Something to do with hyperactive pulsars in the Jewel Box.” Saurez flashed a grin. “There will be a large celebration, a press event, and a lot of grandstanding when you return. The population needs to see a victory, and the Greengold delivered.”
On one hand, Tehrani heard the logic in that. On the other, it galled her to the core to have the men and women under her command used as stage props in a grand production. Oh, put a sock in it. If the Terran Coalition needs a win and a set of heroes to go along with the victory, then that’s what we’ll be. “We’ll be ready, sir.”
Saurez nodded. “It’s taking a lot of transmission power to keep this link going, so I won’t keep you further, Colonel. Again, the entire Terran Coalition is in your debt. We thank you and your crew. Bravo Zulu.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Safe journey, and Godspeed on your way home.”
The image blinked off, leaving Tehrani to stare at the black screen. She closed her eyes, contemplating what to do next. My soldiers aren’t timid, and neither are they weak. They deserve the truth—especially the ones who hail from Eire.
After trying to knock out some of the never-ending paperwork associated with keeping the ship going, Tehrani thought back to her conversation with Saurez. She touched the intercom on her desk. “Lieutenant Singh, this is Colonel Tehrani.”
“Yes, ma’am. What can I do for you?” Singh’s voice crackled on the speaker.
“Tie me into 1MC.”
“Aye, aye, ma’am. You’re live.”
She sucked in a breath. “Attention, all hands. This is your commanding officer, Colonel Tehrani. Command has been apprised of our success in the strike on Sol and its cost. Unfortunately, while we’ve been out of communications range for the past two months, the League expanded its campaign against our homes. The world of Eire has fallen and is now occupied by the enemy.
“When we get home, the Zvika Greengold and the rest of Battlegroup Z will be treated to a hero’s welcome. It will likely strike many of you as discordant, as it does me. But the population needs a beacon of hope in the darkness. So it falls to us to be that beacon, regardless of what we think or feel. Rest assured, as soon as our carrier is back in fighting shape, the Zvika Greengold will be back at the front lines, doing its part. Semper tempus. Godspeed, and carry on. Tehrani out.”
The connection clicked off, and she leaned back in her chair, pride filling her soul at her crew’s performance. What does the XO like to say? The truth will set you free. Tehrani went back to paperwork with renewed vigor.
Flames licked around Justin’s feet in the cockpit of his Sabre. He felt searing heat and smelled burnt flesh. As screams erupted from his throat, he woke with a start.
Breathing rapidly, he took a few seconds to realize he was in his stateroom and safe. His forehead and the rest of his body were covered in sweat.
Justin pushed the covers aside and stood. What is happening to me? He and everyone else on the Zvika Greengold should be jubilant. They’d hit the
