He swallowed. “So I’m dying?”
“Everything living dies one day, and time isn’t a factor here. A second can be an eternity and eternity a second. Virtually no time has passed since you arrived here.”
“Can I stay longer?”
“I’m afraid not.” Fresh tears flowed. “You’re still anchored in your reality, and the gap we are connecting through will only be open for the tiniest sliver of time.”
He held her tight. “But I just got here. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about the time we lost together. I can’t lose you again.”
“Shhh.” She stroked his hair. “You never lost me, and we’ll have all the time in the world one day. It’s not your time now, though. You have a mission to complete and much life ahead of you. Soon you will wake and finish this war once and for all.”
He pulled away. “What about the other ship? Don’t we need to destroy it also?”
“No. The pyramids have a weakness even Hal isn’t aware of. The ships are connected at all times and are run by the same intelligence.” She raised her fists, holding them apart. “In fact, the AI exists at the quantum level and is beyond your reach to harm. However, its tether to the vessels is dependent on each end of the connection. Meaning...” She opened one fist.
“You destroy one, you take out the other.”
“Correct.” She opened her other fist. “Two birds, one stone. The AI will still be active, but without the ability to manifest its will in your universe.”
He smiled ear to ear. “I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. I can’t wait to lay down my rifle once and for all and live in peace.”
She giggled.
“What?”
“Oh, just your naiveté is so cute.” She patted his thigh. “You weren’t built for peace, father, and this won’t be the last war. There will always be another.”
His eyes sank.
“Don’t worry.” She laid her arm across his shoulders. “I suspect yours will be a long life, and you’ve earned a break. A respite of peace and quiet. Though in time I’m sure you’ll grow restless. Duty will call again and for an honorable man, duty is a curse.”
“I’ll take what I can get. As my dad used to say...”
“It is what it is.” She snorted. “He still says that.”
Anna locked eyes with him.
A tear rolled down his face, “It’s almost time, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
They embraced, trying to extract every last drop of love from the fleeting moment. “I love you, Daddy,” she whispered in his ear. “Sing to me.”
Tears soaked his cheeks.
“You are my sunshine
My only sunshine
You make me happy
When skies are gray
You’ll never know, dear
How much I love you
Please don’t take
My sunshine away
The other night dear,
As I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you in my arms
When I awoke dear
I was mistaken
So I hung
My head
And cried.”
***
He came to amid an ocean of pain.
Did that really happen? Did I speak to Anna? Doesn’t matter now. I have to finish this.
“Sweetie, display where I need to launch the Pill to achieve the right trajectory and impact point.”
A spot appeared on his HUD. Gathering the last of his strength, he pushed out his arm and maneuvered his hand into place.
Here we go.
His clenched fingers opened. The Pill flew out, disappearing into the event horizon.
A brilliant white light flashed, followed by a gust of wind. The black holes flickered and collapsed in on themselves.
“Ugh!” slipped through his lips on impact with the floor. The gravity was gone.
He felt the momentary sensation of freefall and then was slammed down again. A thunderous bang washed over the room, which fell dead silent and dark.
“What the hell just happened?” a voice on the command channel asked.
“The shield just collapsed and it fell. Should we attack, Admiral Walker?”
He struggled to speak. His mouth was dry and lips cracked. “Anna, is that you? Can you still hear me?”
“Identify yourself.”
“It’s me, Trent. Trent Maxwell.”
Walker’s voice came on the line. “Someone confirm that signal ID and location. Trent, is that really you? Where have you been?”
His heart sank. “What do you mean? We made it inside the ship. We did it. We destroyed its core.”
A pregnant pause held the line hostage. “You entered the ship six months ago, general. The Keeper hasn’t moved since. Whatever the hell happened in there...I guess congratulations are in order. It looks like you did it. Stay put, we’re coming in to get you.”
Anna? Anna, can you still hear me? Please talk to me again. Please.
No one answered.
Trent laid on the floor and sobbed uncontrollably. He had held her in his arms. Of that, he was not, could not be, mistaken.
Epilogue
Trent squatted, scooping up black soil into his hand and compressing the earth into a ball. Releasing the pressure, the dirt fell apart. Looks like it’s dry enough to plant.
He rose, taking a panoramic view of his recently-purchased farm. Everything his eyes saw belonged to him. What a difference two months can make. One minute I’m staring into a black hole and the next I’m getting ready to plant a crop.
“Hey, hon,” Amanda thought-spoke, “they’re here.”
“On my way.”
The homestead was surrounded by a thin layer of trees to protect it against the strong Iowa winds. Under their shade, he saw Amanda, who matched his farmer’s attire of jeans and shirt. Jones and Susan were in legion black and fleet gray. They snapped to attention and saluted.
He waved them off. “I’m retired, remember? Besides, you’re a general, too, now, Nina. How’s the 12th Legion suiting you?”
“Fine, though I wish they’d reconsider reforming the First.” She shrugged. “I guess we have plenty of legions for peacetime. You’d still outrank me if you took up the supreme commander’s offer to replace Wills.” She cocked her head. “It’s probably not too late to take Walker up on her offer.”
“Quite all right. I’m happy to let you make the life-and-death decisions for a while.” He wrapped an arm around Amanda pulled her close. “It’s the simple life for now.”
“Until we die of boredom, at least.” Amanda jabbed her elbow into his ribs.
Susan laughed. “Your kids will liven things up around here.”
“Wow.” Amanda held her hands out. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. One major life decision at a time.”
“I take it you two are heading up to the Fist soon?” He looked to the sky. “DeWalt must be aching to get back out there.”
“He sure is.” Jones nodded. “We’re going to render whatever assistance we can for the resettlement of the Bearcat home world. It was completely cleared out.”
“I couldn’t think of a better mission.” Amanda squeezed his hand tight. “Hido would be grateful.”
Trent sighed. “It’s the least we can do after what we did to them.”
Susan shook her head. “Don’t keep beating yourself up over it. We did what we had to and they seem to understand that. You stopped both ships and just before the one targeting them touched down on a major colony world.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
A shuttle appeared overhead.
“Your ride?” Amanda pointed.
Susan followed it down with her eyes. “It appears so. The admiral’s in a hurry.”
The craft touched down, kicking up dust and sticks. Captain O’Shea stepped out.
Amanda giggled. “I see your boyfriend came to get you.”
“Yes, he did.” Jone
s smiled, staring at him. She turned back and frowned. “It doesn’t feel right without you two. Thomas, Simms, Gabriel...they’re all gone and now you two are leaving me.”
Amanda hugged her, barely getting her arms around. “I miss them, too, but you’ll never be alone.”
Trent slapped her shoulder. “That’s right. Stop by anytime you’re Earthside.” He looked at Susan. “That goes for both of you. Something tells me we’ll be missing you more than you miss us, by the time we see each other again. It’ll be odd to be on the other side of relativity for a change.” He stared at Jones. “I expect you to keep my great-great granddaughter safe, general.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Don’t worry about me, Great Gramps. Besides, you have plenty of time to catch up with the rest of your extended family. We came through pretty much intact.”
“I intend to do just that.”
Jones looked back at the shuttle to see Captain Roger Frost with his arms crossed. “We should be on our way. My new chief intelligence officer seems impatient.”
Trent narrowed his eyes at him. “Never met him before.”
She chuckled. “He comes highly recommended.”
They exchanged final hugs, good-byes, and shared a few tears. Amanda and Trent held each other as the craft rose higher and higher into the sky. A part of him wanted to be on that shuttle, but a squeeze from his love reminded him he was right where he belonged—for now.
Besides, there will always be another war.
The End of The Last Hero Trilogy
About the Author:
Nathaniel Danes is a self-diagnosed sci-fi junkie and, according to his wife, has an over active imagination. Mostly blind, he writes to create universes where he has no limitations. He lives with his wife and daughter in the Washington, DC area.
Acknowledgments:
To my teachers, from K to grad school. You taught me the power and grace of the written word.
Social Links:
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Blog: http://nathanieldanes.blogspot.com/
Website: www.nathanieldanes.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/nathanieldanes
If you enjoyed this book, check out the first two books in this trilogy:
The Last Hero
Contact with a race of pacifists convinces mankind to lay down its weapons and keep the peace. The last Medal of Honor recipient, Trent Maxwell, trades glory for the comforts of a family after the U.S. Army disbands. All that ends when an alien menace attacks the New Earth colony, which forces a crash mobilization. Trent finds himself reactivated and traveling through space to distant worlds, in order to stop this new enemy. During the century long journey of death, love, and loss, he also deals with the law of relativity that wreaks havoc with his daughter.
http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00NI5UGPI
The Last Revenge
Blood demands blood.
Driven by grief to the darkest recesses of his soul, Trent Maxwell lives and fights for one reason, revenge.
As hidden agendas plot, Trent embarks on an unholy quest to marshal the forces he needs to exact the heavy toll his heart demands.
The largest fleets and armies ever assembled in space collide. A river of blood soaks the galaxy, but when is enough, enough?
http://bookgoodies.com/a/B00WKZ2F6A
The Last Charge of the 1st Legion (The Last Hero Trilogy Book 3) Page 30
