When the Stars Fade (The Gray Wars)

by Korenman, Adam

  “I want weekly updates on these soldiers,”Casey said.“You’re taking some promising men and women away from me.”

  “I’m giving them a chance to make a difference to the war,”Markov answered.“They’re not just going to be cannon fodder, against the Boxti or Blightman or anyone else. I don’t understand why you can’t appreciate that.”

  Casey leaned in close, the sweet smell of pipe smoke ripe on his breath.“I’ve spent my life in uniform, Doctor. These soldiers are my family, and you want to take them away for your little science project. You’re not the first brainiac with a new way to‘make war easier’on the troops.”He tipped back his glass, swallowing a mouthful of scotch.“We had a young kid just like you when I was a captain. Wanted to mess around with our brains, fix whatever causes a man to stress out about fighting. Only took a few dozen men losing their minds before they figured that was something best left untampered.”

  “General, I don’t think—”

  “No,”Casey snapped.“You don’t. You want to imagine the world a better place, fine. But do it with your own guinea pigs. The rest of of us live in reality, where a soldier is fine just the way Christ made him. We don’t need supermen, doc. We need infantry.”

  Markov raised his hands in surrender. He knew it was better than to argue with the General, especially with the booze rolling off him. He lifted his own glass and grinned.“To the infantry, then.”

  Casey mimicked the toast, but his eyes never left Markov. He drained the tumbler, savoring the burn.“If you’ll excuse me, gentlemen. I have to make a call.”He walked away from the table and out the side door, his medals jangling with each step.

  * * * * *

  Cameron awoke with a start, his eyes adjusting to the dimly lit room. As his mind cleared, he began to relax. The familiar sounds of the infirmary eased his nerves and heartbeat. He’d been coming and going the last few days, never conscious for more than a minute. The doctors had pumped him full of antibiotics and enzymes and other nasty medicines. He felt awful, but that was still an improvement from before.

  A young nurse walked over from outside the room carrying a chart in her thin arms. She smiled, obviously exhausted but still showing warmth.“I think you might stay with us this time.”

  “What day is it?”His throat was raw and dry. He reached out with a trembling hand and brought a nearby cup of water to his parched lips. The lid was capped off, but a square sponge stuck out from a straw, allowing him to moisten his mouth. Nothing had ever tasted so good.

  The nurse yawned.“Friday. The 25th.”

  “And where am I again?”

  She placed a hand against his forehead, her skin warm against him.“Ever Night, tactical operations for Kronos.”

  Kronos?Cameron’s pulse quickened. How did he get out here? Where was the rest of the flight group from Tallus? What had happened? Oh my god. He gripped the bed, veins bulging from his arms in effort. His skin went sheet white and a cold sweat ran down his face. The nurse moved toward him, gripping his shoulders.

  “What? What is it? Lieutenant, can you hear me?”

  Cameron shook, unable to breath. It took a minute for his body to hand over the reins. He turned his head toward the nurse, eyes wide.“They’re here. Get me an officer.”

  She furrowed her brow.“Who’s here?”

  He snatched her wrist, squeezing so hard she winced.“Get me a fucking officer, NOW!”

  - XVI -

  Eruk paced the bridge, clenching and unclenching his fists. His jaws clicked together as he ground his teeth. The loss of the frigate had been unexpected, but the orders that followed were more infuriating. The Druuma whispered its message again, as though he hadn’t understood the first time. He wondered if he could reach inside his chest and pull the wriggling thing out. Would it speak before he crushed it beneath his feet? The thought was followed by a sharp pain in his neck. The Parasite loved to remind Eruk that it was able to read his thoughts.

  “There is to be no retaliation. Har Wuna’s loss was an accident. Maintain position until the time is right.”

  Eruk seethed.“We are outnumbered now,”he said. Indeed, only hours after the frigate’s last transmission, a battle group had exited hyperspace a few hundred thousand kilometers away. The humans had moved to occupy the space around their planet, but several groups seemed to be looking for the Boxti fleet in a search pattern.“Had we struck when we first arrived, I could have assured our Lord total victory.”

  “He has plans for the humans,”said the Druuma.“You will not take any action unsanctioned by the King. Withdraw to the Wastes and leave a beacon. We will come back in greater number.”

  The Warlord slammed a fist into the bulkhead. The Worak navigator, Shix, jumped in his seat at the noise. He cowered as the commander stared down from the catwalk. Eruk was a Cthanul, a fierce creature whose civilization had gone over to the Boxti during the earliest years of the Conquest. As such, his race was afforded the privileges of the ruling class. And the Druuma, the Parasite of the Boxti, had amplified what was already a terrifying species into a monstrosity. Eruk’s four arms bulged with muscle that stretched his carapace, and sharp bone spurs jutted out from his skin, forming a natural layer of protection.

  The urchin-like Worak had only recently been conquered, and not all were indoctrinated. Unlike the Cthanul, the planet Fum had resisted the call for assimilation until the bitter end. Billions of the navigator’s kin had perished in the firebombing, the history of the creatures utterly erased in a campaign of destruction and genocide. When all that was left of their Homeworld were burning embers, the species surrendered and entered slavery. Shix had risen far beyond his station, a fact often reminded of him by the commander.

  “Has there been any change in the humans’course?”Eruk asked.

  Shix looked over at the radar operator. Warlord Eruk did not speak Pono, the sing-song language of the Quom, so he often had Shix translate. Having spent the last few years aboard the dreadnought, the Worak had picked up several new languages, many belonging to civilizations long since dead. He allowed his furry head to raise up on his stalk neck. His two yellow eyes locked onto the tiny beaked creature. He whistled.

  “What?”the Quom chimed back.

  Shix scuttled closer.“The commander asked you a question.”

  The bird-faced alien sighed.“No change. Just like the last fourteen times he’s asked.”It laughed.“You shouldn’t say it like that.”

  “No,”Shix said.“I don’t believe I should. He may pull off a limb that won’t grow back.”Eruk had a sick fascination with Worak anatomy, namely the traumatic removal of Shix’s spindly legs whenever he was in a bad mood. They would sprout again hours later, raw and red until the coarse black fur grew. But each amputation was pure torture. The navigator turned to face the commander.“No change, Warlord.”

  Eruk didn’t reply. He simply stormed back to his seat and collapsed into it. Shix looked at the Warlord’s chest, imaging he could see the Druuma moving underneath the battle dress. The thought of the Parasite both thrilled and disgusted him, but he was careful not to think about it too hard. He didn’t know if the creature could sense his thoughts from across the room, but didn’t want to risk it.

  Finally, the warlord spoke.“Issue a command to the armada. We are returning to Drova to regroup. Leave a beacon behind so we can find our way.”His words were dripping with malice, but the Cthanul knew he had no choice. This was a command of the Clerics, and only one voice rose above theirs. Settling down in his chair, Eruk consoled himself with thoughts of war.

  Less than an hour later, the Boxti ships began tearing into the blue void, leaping off toward the far side of the galaxy. The last vessel out, a worn and battered destroyer, opened a hatch and released a small and spiky pod. As the warship jumped away, the relay buoy began to sing its song.

  Khuum...khuum...khuum...khuum.

  - XVII -

  Berlinhadn’t left dry dock since Tallus. Attached to the repair station Irwin Cove, the carrier
underwent a massive overhaul. Floating far on the outskirts of the Colorum Belt, the Cove serviced ships from all over the galaxy. It had been placed in the remote region of space as a mining depot, but grew in function and size over the course of five decades. One of the largest man-made structures in the galaxy, the station had a surprisingly small crew. Only ten thousand engineers worked aboard, servicing hundreds of frigates, cruisers and carriers over the course of a year. This left more than enough room for the pilots and soldiers of the broken vessels to live.

  The infirmary, easily the nicest section of the floating base, was state-of-the-art and fully stocked. Irwin Cove often took ships fresh from battle, when the crew was as in need of attention as the crafts themselves. The chief medical officer, Doctor Patel, made his rounds down the hallway, stopping at each room to check on patients. Near the far end, he stepped inside a curtained-off area, closing the cloth behind him.

  “And how are we feeling today?”he asked. He was an Earthling, a true-born son of India, and his melodic pronunciation betrayed his lineage.

  Kaileen put down the book she’d been reading and glared at him.“I’m still stuck here, so not great.”

  Dr. Patel smiled, though there was little warmth in the expression. He’d been working with the military too long, and his bedside manner had all but vanished.“Still working on that Miss Congeniality award, Lt. Nuvarian?”He picked up her chart with a manicured, caramel hand and read.“I’m impressed, you’ve gone through almost every nurse on staff.”

  “Just spreading the love around,”she said sweetly.“Come on, doc. I’m fine. Whatever head injury I had clearly wasn’t that serious. I need to get back to work. In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s a war going on.”

  “Oh?”Patel walked around her bed, checking the IV bag over her head.“I must have missed that report. I get so busy here, and then there’s my stories. Don’t want to miss them. Gosh, I can hardly find time to read a news reel anymore. I guess the war will just have to get along without me.”

  Kaileen scrunched her face and groaned.“Come on, I’m a pilot. There has to be a ship out there that needs flying.”

  The doctor lifted the sheet covering the woman’s feet. He was only half-surprised that she had, again, removed her cast.“You know, broken legs don’t heal very well when you continue to aggravate them.”He squeezed her calf gently, feeling for lumps.“I trust you’ve stayed off of this foot when you wander the halls?”

  “Only when I’m heading to my kickboxing class.”She stuck out her tongue.“It’s been months. My leg is fine. And my head is fine. I’m fine. So let me the hell out of here before I start a riot with the other prisoners.”

  “Patients.”

  She screamed.“I’ve had it up to here with you and your fucking patience.”

  Patel smiled.“Not...never mind. You’re in my care until I say otherwise. I’m going to recommend you get time in the exercise room. Supervised, of course. You need to train yourself back into health, and then we can talk about you flying again.”He scribbled on the clipboard before attaching it to the bed.“For now, get some rest. I’ll have a nurse escort you to the gym in an hour.”

  “I don’t need a personal trainer.”

  Patel chewed on the inside of his cheek.“It takes sixty pounds of pressure to hit the afterburner on a Seed. Eighty for a Griffin. I doubt you’re up to thirty yet. So let a professional get you there faster. Then you can go annoy someone else.”He didn’t wait for the inevitable outburst before walking away.

  Kaileen sulked in her small quarters. She’d spent the better part of the year in infirmaries. First aboard the Gettysburg after the accident. Then Berlin. Now here. It was becoming a nasty habit. She had to admit, the food was better on the station, but the boredom the same. With the doc gone, she picked up her book, stuck the placeholder a few chapters back, and continued to read.

  - XIX -

  “Sergeant Alexa Haines.”

  The crowd roared, cheering on the spry team leader as she stood and danced in place. Already four soldiers had been called out, most from Alpha company. Alexa was the first female named and screamed to show her appreciation. Josh remained seated, half hoping to walk away unmentioned. Dax had been the first named announced. The big man walked over to Alexa, picking her up in a big hug. The jumped in a circle, surrounded by Charlie Company comrades.

  “We’re down to our last two candidates.”Hennesy stood at the microphone, his face shiny and red. He’d been enjoying a few drinks with the good doctor at the head table.“This next soldier demonstrated an ability to think on her feet during the early days of the event. Though she was taken out before the end, her personal score rivals entire platoons. The best shot in all of Kronos. Adders, congratulate Specialist Liane Lu.”

  Across the room, a petite asian woman stood and shouted. Her table rose with her, cheering and stomping on the floor. The Delta soldiers cheered her on, clapping their hands and whistling. Josh asked how well she had done. Felix told him she had 48 confirmed kills during the exercise. She had practically taken out Bravo singlehandedly before an Alpha mortar round knocked her out. Josh joined in the applause, duly impressed. It took five minutes for everyone to calm enough for the last announcement.

  “Our final candidate led his unit to the very end, taking the fight to the enemy without fear. No situation seemed too dire, no foe too daunting for him to tackle. Our last soldier exemplifies what we look for in a leader.”

  Josh looked across the floor at Zev. The two soldiers locked gaze, neither one breaking contact.

  “In fact, this soldier’s ability to read a combat situation was so impressive, that he will not only join his brothers and sisters in arms in this experiment, but will receive a battlefield commission to second lieutenant.”

  This caught Josh’s attention. He turned toward Hennesy, his eyes wide in disbelief. A battlefield commission? The idea of taking the rank of officer, without the mess of OCS, was quite tempting. Suddenly the contest seemed more interesting.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, let us shake the very roof as we welcome our final candidate into this program. From the number-one company in the number-one platoon in the top-ranked squad for the entireevent, Sergeant Joshua Rantz.”

  The room erupted as the soldiers, officers and guests shouted and cheered for Josh. They pounded the tables as he stood from his chair and waived, somewhat taken aback by the whole affair. Dax clapped him on the back and nearly knocked him over. The two friends hugged and toasted their beers. Across the room, Zev smiled and lifted his own glass. Alexa kissed her squad leader’s cheeks, grinning from ear to ear.

  Josh looked around the room, unable to comprehend the meaning of this win. The entire day had been one big blur, and this was just another mass of crazy to deal with. Still, he wouldn’t begrudge himself another drink for being named top dog.

  “Yeah!”He shouted.“Go me!”

  * * * * *

  “I’m not sure I understand.”

  “You don’t have to,”Cameron said.“Just get a destroyer group to those coordinates.”He’d had to scream himself hoarse before the nursing staff took his warnings seriously. They’d dragged one of the operation center’s field-grade officers out of bed to listen to the pilot rant. The Major was half-dressed and had heavy bags under his eyes. Throughout Cameron’s story, the officer hadn’t said a word. From the look on the older man’s face, he was anything but impressed.

  “Lieutenant, you’ve had quite an ordeal over the last week. It’s understandable to be a little upset.”

  Cameron had to bite his tongue to keep from screaming.“How the hell do you think I got here, sir? They must have followed one of our relays from Tallus, and I got dragged along for the ride.”

  The Major yawned, bringing a hand to his mouth.“Davis, I’m tired. We’re all tired. Sector Patrol is already out searching for your phantom armada, so why don’t we just let them do their job?”

  “Christ, sir. We don’t have time for waiting around.”

/>   A young corporal walked into the room carrying a small projector. He snapped to attention at the sight of the Major.“Sir. I brought the Comms.”

  The elder officer frowned, deep lines bunching on his forehead.“I didn’t ask for any communication devices.”

  “No,”Cameron said, swinging his legs off the bed.“I did. We locked on their signal?”

  The Major’s face reddened.“Lieutenant, you are way out of line.”

  “Then court martial me tomorrow. I’m trying to save your ass. Sir.”He stood, pulling his hospital gown tight as he walked toward the corporal.“Send it,”he said.

  With a chirp, the small box came to life. A holographic image faded into view, glowing against the soft lighting. A moment later, a wizened face moved into frame. Everyone in the room, with the exception of Cameron, snapped to attention. At the other end of the call, Commodore Osaka gave the faintest of smiles.

  “Lieutenant Davis,”Hiro said.“It is good to see you alive and well.”His eyes lowered.“I was sad to learn about your wingman, George. I regret that I only met him briefly. He seemed like a good man.”

  Cameron nodded, his jaw set.“Thank you, sir. And thank you for taking this call, I know I’m jumping about a dozen rungs in the ladder.”To his right, the Major sneered.

  “Your note said this was high priority. Given the circumstances, I’m extending you some leniency. But make this fast, Lieutenant.”Hiro sat back in his chair, fingers steepled in front of his face.

  Cameron dove in, describing his journey in detail. He told the Commodore about being sucked into Blue Space, about the Boxti frigate and the Tallus armada. He told coordinates and tactics and everything else he could remember about the enemy invaders. When he was done, no one spoke. Even the Major seemed cowed.