The Battle for Eden

by Mark E Burgess

  “How do you think they’ll respond to this latest defeat?” asked Keith, taking a swig of his brew.

  “That’s what worries me,” Simon said. “Knackers don’t tend to repeat unsuccessful tactics. Their usual response to failure is to escalate the action. This has worked for them countless times in the past, due to their numerical superiority in most engagements.”

  “So you expect that it will get worse,” Tyrus nodded somberly. “I figured as much. The next question is, when?”

  “That may be the only saving grace here,” Simon answered. “It took them weeks to bring two squads against us. We have the rest of humanity on Eden to thank for that; they’ve been making things more difficult than the Crabs are used to. But sooner or later, as the planet is tamed, they will allocate the resources to deal with us. And that doesn’t bode well for our survival when they come again.”

  “What do you suggest?” T. J. asked him, frowning.

  “I suggest we have a backup plan,” Simon responded. “That is your motto, isn’t it?”

  “True,” said Tyrus. “But what sort of plan would you propose if they come with a large force?”

  “That’s pretty simple. We run.” Simon tipped his brew back to get the last dregs of the bottle. The empty clanked hollowly on the table as he set it down and wiped his mouth.

  “I thought we had decided to hole up here and defend the homestead,” Tyrus said, looking displeased. “You yourself said that travel was dangerous when the Crabs occupy a planet.”

  “And it is,” Simon nodded. “Staying here has been the best choice, up until now. We’ve got food and ammunition, a defensible building, and time to lay traps for the aliens. Out on the road we’d have far fewer advantages.”

  “Yet you would contemplate leaving. Tell me why now you suggest giving up my family’s home to those creatures,” Tyrus growled. “When did being here suddenly become worse than taking our chances in the open?”

  “It hasn’t, yet,” Simon replied. “But what happens if they bring an entire division at us? Or if they wise up and decide to lob mortars at the house until it crumbles? The main disadvantage to being here, at this stage, is that the Knackers know where ‘here’ is. We’re an easy target, stationary and well marked on their maps. They can take their time gathering the forces to wipe us out, and they know we’ll still be here when they get around to it. It might be wise to plan on being somewhere else, if they bring an overwhelming force.”

  “And where would we flee to?” Tyrus asked him. “We’ve not got a secondary hideout. Running without a destination would be close to suicide.”

  “That will take some planning. Whether we find another homestead or remote dwelling, or simply take to the hills, we’ll need supplies packed ahead of time. There’s a good chance we’ll have to leave in a hurry, if it comes to that.”

  “It’s going to be hard to convince the family to go,” Tyrus said, sounding uncertain. “We’ve built our lives here.”

  “Your family is what matters, not a building or piece of land,” Simon answered. “I don’t think anyone here loves the homestead enough to want to turn it into a mass grave.”

  No one had a response to that, and the men sat in silence, their enjoyment of the beverages tempered by the contemplation of things to come.

  The family members met in the greatroom the next day, and Simon outlined the possible scenarios that could be looming in the near future. “It’s pretty simple,” he began. “We may have won a brief reprieve, but they will hit us again eventually. If they hold true to their past history, the next assault will be much more brutal than anything we’ve experienced so far.”

  “Bring ’em on!” T. J. retorted, raising a clenched fist. “We’ve shown those bugs a thing or two already; we’ll kick their tails back into space every time they come!”

  Simon had to admire the kid’s bravado, but he needed to make the family see reason. Their lives all depended on it. He chose his next words carefully. “Do you know who the Tonn are?”

  The younger man looked around at his family, confused. He returned his gaze to Simon and shrugged. “I dunno,” he said. “I’ve never heard of them.”

  “That’s not surprising,” the spacer said. “They were a highly advanced race, with a civilization that spanned at least a dozen star systems. They’re also extinct, courtesy of the Knackers during their last visit to our region of the Cluster. An entire civilization, countless millions of creatures with powerful military and defensive technologies, all wiped out. They put up a good fight, too, which is what forced the Crabs to exterminate them. But in the end, the Tonn ceased to exist. We only know of them, and of their end, through archeological digs on mostly-dead planets.”

  He paused for a moment to let that sink in, then continued, “Now humanity is up against the Knackers. SpaceForce is learning fast, and we’re picking up tricks from the enemy every day. We’ve also come up with some new innovations that have given us an edge, here and there. But our species is in jeopardy. The Crabs outnumber us badly, and they wage war as a way of life. Eden is one of a handful of planets under siege as we speak. There are fewer systems between the aliens and our core planets every month. Their massive war machine just keeps chewing up worlds, and nothing has stopped them in countless millennia.”

  Now Simon had everyone’s undivided attention. As much as the family had followed the war, they knew that he was the one among them who had best seen its true face. He alone had gone head to head with the Knackers, and he knew the enemy as well as anyone could. Not a word was spoken as every pair of eyes was locked on his face.

  Now it was time to drive his point home. “That is what we’re up against, here in our little house in the country. Do you think we’ve had some good victories? Sure we have. It’s a testament to the courage and skill of every person in this room that we’re still alive to talk about it. Many trained soldiers haven’t done as well.

  “But we’ve been playing chess with a grandmaster who’s been distracted by other opponents. Because of that, we’ve been able to avoid checkmate so far. Make no mistake: when the virtuosos of the war game turn their full attention on us, it would be folly to think that we’d stand any chance. If we wish to live, we’d better have a fallback plan and be willing to use it.”

  The room was silent after Simon stopped talking. Several family members looked expectantly at Tyrus, and eventually he cleared his throat and offered his thoughts. “When Simon first broached the possibility of leaving,” he said, “my instinctive reaction was, ‘Hell, no!’ How could we abandon our homestead? Where would we go? How would we survive on the run? But on reflection, I have to admit that his words ring true.”

  Tyrus gazed fondly at Amanda, and at his sons and daughter. “You all are my treasures, my reason for fighting and wanting to keep living. All of this,” he gestured around them at the greatroom and the surrounding building, “means nothing without you being here to fill it with life. We can’t move our home to hide it from the Knackers. We can only move ourselves. I say it is always wise to hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst.”

  Multiple heads around the room nodded, and no dissenting opinions were offered. Simon breathed an inward sigh of relief. He had grown more and more fond of his “family,” and only now did he realize just how anxious he had been at the thought of them choosing to stand and fight. Even though they had been total strangers two months earlier, he felt a sense of responsibility toward these people, a need to protect them as best he could. Especially Kate and Jessie.

  Even as he thought it, he found his gaze drawn to Katherine, as seemed to be happening ever more often lately. She sat across the room from him, clad in yellow shorts and a sleeveless shirt, her sleek legs curled under her as she reclined comfortably in the cushioned chair. Her long dark hair was unbound tonight, and it cascaded over her bare shoulders in luxurious waves. He slid his gaze to her lovely face, and to his surprise he found her eyes already on him. Her head was cocked slightly to one side, her
full lips curled in a slight smile as if she were contemplating something pleasing. Then, when she saw her attention was being returned, she blushed but held his gaze steadily, not shying away from the contact. Her smile widened, warm and genuine, and that wordless communication made him happier than he would have thought possible. Could it be that she was having second thoughts about him? He guessed that only time would tell.

  Later that evening Simon was in his room, getting ready to sleep, when he heard a light knock at his door. He hesitated, then decided not to bother donning a shirt. Clothed only in lightweight shorts, he padded barefoot to the door and opened it.

  What met his eyes was entirely unexpected but very welcome. Katherine stood before him, clad in the same thin shirt and shorts she had worn in the greatroom. He could have sworn, however, that the top three buttons of the shirt had not been undone previously. It also appeared that certain aspects of her anatomy were more discernable through the material than before. Katherine usually dressed casually but modestly, downplaying her physical assets, and now with only the thin cloth of the shirt over her skin, Simon was getting a new appreciation for her curves. And she had more curves than he had imagined.

  It had been a long time since he had been this close to a woman thusly garbed, and it took all of his military-ingrained discipline to keep his gaze focused on her face. She smiled at him, her eyes soft and inviting. In a voice that sounded slightly breathless she said, “Hi, Simon.”

  “Hi, Katherine,” he said, his pulse suddenly pounding like a hammer.

  Her cheeks flushed just a little as she said, “May I come in?”

  “Yes, please, by all means,” he said, clumsily backing up and opening the door wide for her to enter.

  She walked slowly into the room, turning and closing the door behind her. Very deliberately she reached up and locked the latch, then turned and approached him, holding his gaze with her own. As she came close she allowed her eyes to roam boldly down his bare torso and up again, and she licked her lips as she smiled in approval.

  Simon stared at Katherine as if seeing her for the first time. What had inspired this unexpected transformation from shy waif to bold tigress? But he had lived long enough to not question a good thing when he had it. He reached up and touched her face, gently tracing the line of her jaw before burying his fingers in her soft hair. She closed her eyes and sighed, leaning her head into his hand.

  He pulled her slowly to him, and her eyes opened but she didn’t resist. She lifted her mouth to meet his and he kissed her long and deeply. As their tongues danced, he felt her arms wrap around him and the heat of her body pressing against his through the thin fabric. He luxuriated in the feel of her lithe form, running his hands down her back to cup her slender waist.

  Abruptly she pulled back, her breath coming fast and ragged, and she held his gaze as she said intensely, “I’m not worried about myself, Simon. Just promise me one thing. Whatever happens, please don’t ever do anything that would hurt Jessie. If you do, we’re through.”

  Simon smiled as he met her eyes without flinching. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said.

  He had just enough time to register the gratitude in her smile before she pressed against him once more, her mouth and hands eagerly exploring. He grinned and returned the favor, and that effectively ended any conversation for some time to come.

  That first time was intense and raw, a release of pent-up passion and longing grown out of years of abstinence, plus weeks of resisting the attraction they had both felt almost from their first meeting. Desire quickly overcame their initial awkwardness, and they lost themselves in the sheer animal pleasure of their coupling. Katherine was generous and hungry at the same time, alternating between slow seduction and urgent need, and Simon matched her energy move for move, losing himself in the primal rhythm, riding her as he built to his peak, reveling in the sight and feel of her nude form arched beneath him, and the naked emotion in her eyes as she climaxed. He followed her a moment later, giving in to the release as she wrapped him tight with arms and legs, and he tried with all his strength to make them one.

  Later that night they lay entwined in his bed, Katherine’s head on his chest as he held her close. He couldn’t stop drinking her in, the delicate lines of her face, the curve of her bare shoulder as his fingers slowly traced it, and most of all that look of happiness in her eyes. He had waited a long time to experience that, and he didn’t want to let it go ever again.

  She stirred against him and murmured dreamily, “I love your touch.”

  Simon smiled and replied, “That’s a good thing, because I love touching you.”

  Her arms tightened around his torso and she remained silent for a few moments. Eventually she looked up at him, saying softly, “I really want this to last, Simon. What’s going to happen to us?”

  “We’re going to survive, that’s what,” he said firmly, stroking her hair as he did his best to sound confident. “You, me, Jessie, all of us, we’re going to make it. That’s why we’re planning ahead. Your father has a great head for strategy, and we’ve done well against superior numbers. We may have to leave this place, but we’ll endure.”

  “For how long?” Katherine replied, and though she was putting on a brave face, he could see the fear lurking in her eyes. It killed him that she had to feel that, in a moment that should be filled only with the joy of discovery.

  He did his best to reassure her, saying, “We won’t have to hold out forever. SpaceForce will regroup and come to liberate this planet; I’m certain of it. Eden is a priority to the Federation, not some half-developed planet with a marginal habitat. As soon as they can muster the forces, the space fleet will return. The aliens have greater numbers, but they’re spread all over this sector. If we focus on one planet at a time, and concentrate our forces there, then we have a fighting chance.”

  “When do you think they’ll come to our aid?” Katherine asked him, propping herself on her elbows to watch his face.

  “I suspect it will be soon,” Simon replied, and he was being honest. “The Federation will want to act before the Crabs have time to strip Eden’s population. We’ve got some new weapons that look like they can do real damage, if we can deploy them properly with the right support. We’ll take the offensive soon.”

  “I hope you’re right,” she told him, snuggling her head onto his chest once more. Her fingers lightly traced circles on his skin as she murmured, “I want a future with both you and Jessie in it.” Then she looked up again as a thought occurred to her. “Oh, my,” she exclaimed, giggling even as she frowned. “What are we going to tell Jess?”

  “I expect we won’t have to say too much,” he laughed. “Do you really think she’ll protest?”

  “I suppose not,” she agreed, chuckling. “She’s just a little taken with you, I think.”

  “And how about her mother?” Simon replied teasingly, reaching to pull her to him.

  “Oh, definitely taken,” she purred, and for a precious little while the world outside their room receded as they lost themselves once more in each other.

  Chapter Eight

  The next day Simon and Katherine came downstairs together for breakfast. They had overslept, and everyone else was already in the dining room, halfway through their meals. Multiple pairs of eyes looked up as they entered, and Simon could feel the unspoken questions filling the sudden silence in the room. He and Katherine smiled self consciously, and they approached the table to find that two adjacent seats had been left open for them. Blushing, Katherine took her seat as Simon pulled it out for her, and he quietly sat down beside her.

  Amanda was the first to speak, saying, “You look cheerful this morning, Katherine! Did you have a good sleep?” The brothers chuckled, and she turned and shushed them.

  “I feel great this morning, thank you,” Katherine replied demurely, pouring herself some juice from the pitcher. She glanced over at Simon, and no one at the table could miss the warmth in the look they exchanged.

>   Simon focused on his food, chancing a few glances around the table as conversation slowly resumed. Sarah was staring at the two of them, smiling broadly as she nibbled on a breakfast cake. Tyrus looked a bit surprised but pleased. Amanda had a knowing twinkle in her eye, and the three brothers kept exchanging comments in low voices, with an occasional audible snicker that was quickly quelled by a disapproving glance from their mother.

  Jessie sat across the table from Simon today, and she was grinning from ear to ear, looking from Simon to Katherine and back again, as if she could not believe what she was seeing. She was practically bouncing in her seat, and she shoveled in her food so fast that her mother had to chide her to slow down lest she choke. Simon glanced at Kate, and she gave him a knowing grin. He winked and nodded; things were going to be all right with her daughter.

  After breakfast Tyrus approached Simon alone and said quietly, “I must say, it gives me great pleasure to see Katherine smiling again. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her so full of life.”

  “She deserves to be happy. Kate’s a woman of rare qualities,” Simon said, and he meant every word.

  “Well, this probably goes without saying,” the older man told him, “but I expect you to treat her well. I do not want to see her get hurt again.”

  “We’re on the same page there,” Simon reassured him. “I don’t plan on letting anyone, or anything, hurt her or Jessie.”

  Tyrus smiled and laid his hand on Simon’s shoulder. “You’re a good man,” he said. “I’m glad that fate dropped you into our lives.”

  Simon grinned broadly back at him. “So am I, Tyrus. So am I.”

  The days following were spent patching the damage to the house and their defenses, preparing for another Knacker assault should it prove small enough to be repelled. The breaches in the front wall of the home were patched with mortar and stones, and the fire ditches were prepared for reuse. The men struggled to repair and re-hang the heavy driveway gate, and eventually hammered and welded it back into a reasonable facsimile of its former self. After the pitfall trap was set and covered, and landmines checked and replaced, they were essentially as prepared as they could be.