Both younger admirals looked at their commander. They knew what his words meant and they knew that it was not an easy decision. Humanity knew what genocide meant, what the killing of every living creature of a country or a world is. They’d had shameful experiences in the past and they vowed that they would not allow it again. But now in this situation it looked as a possible solution for their problem, like the only solution. For the secret to remain safe everyone on that world, in that system who knew of Earth had to die or disappear.
“Does this mean that the president and the congress gave their approval?”
Levin exhaled.
“Yes. The federation has made its decision and we have our orders, if the choice is between that world and ours that world will die!”
The words were harsh but they were something that they and every soldier that would leave this system knew deep inside him. And the hundred million dead were a guarantee that the hate was great enough that the order if given would be carried out.
“I hope it won’t come to that. And if it does may god forgive us for what we must do.”
Levin turned toward Johnson and they stared at each other not saying anything for several minutes. Simonson was quiet as well. He wondered deep inside him what Jennings might think of the plan. He knew that his friend hated the enemy just as they did, maybe even more considering the personal loss but just as him he also loved and appreciated life and its beauty. They were warriors but not murderers, and this mission might make them that.
As if Levin read his mind he broke the silence at that moment.
“I feared this when the first battle finished, I realized at that moment when those two ships fired their weapons at the planet in a desperate act of revenge that this might be a war without mercy, a war in which we might have to become beasts, we might have to embrace our darkest side in order to survive. We are fighting an enemy that has no mercy towards its opponents, an enemy that will do anything in order to win, and from what Anaya tells us, they hate our race with a cold passion like no other. They fear us, fear what we might become. Make no mistake gentlemen this might become a war in which one side will have to die, and may god be my witness, humanity will not be the one to lose.”
May 21 2020
Bitola Macedonia
Fillip looked at the letter he was holding in his hands. He read it several times. It was a break up letter, a small piece of paper with just a few words on it. He knew that today might be the last time he would see her. He was supposed to return to his unit in two days and then ship out to one of the ships in Task Force One.
He knew that it might be a mistake, it probably was, but he knew that it was something he had to do. In several days he would depart, leave this world, taking part in a mission that might claim his and the lives of almost nine hundred thousand men and women, and he had to say his goodbyes…and deep inside he knew he had to see her again.
He was hurt, he knew that he should be angry, but instead all he felt was peace. He still felt the pain and the betrayal, but in a way he knew that he was already at peace with her decision, and with his.
He looked at her as she approached. He felt a little anger as he noticed the guy with her. He knew him well, they were never friends, he knew they would probably never be, but he also knew his brother, and he made a promise he wouldn’t do anything. He smiled as he remembered the day he made it. It was the day he found out she had cheated on him that she went out with Petar while he was on a mission and continued after he got back. He wanted to break him back then but as he watched him he realized it would not be fair.
He was tall at least a head taller than him. He had blond hair, a strong face that had a small scar on his forehead showing he didn’t have a peaceful childhood. He had blue eyes, small nose and full lips with a strong jaw that combined with his head and the strong well-muscled body that Petar didn’t mind showing off under his garments now consisting of a tight t-shirt and jeans reminded Fillip of a pit-bull. He knew that it was insulting but he smiled at the thought. It was an honest smile, a smile he always had on his face, a smile she used to love.
Next to him she looked amazing, and it wasn’t just because he loved her. She had long blond hair, green eyes, full lips, perfect body that she kept by exercising and running. She was wearing a white dress, he stopped for a second as he saw it…it was the dress he bought for her. He felt that it was her way of teasing him. And he wasn’t surprised that it was working. He felt his anger rising for a second.
He noticed her smile and he knew that she was watching him and knew she managed to break through his armor. He guessed that her sarcastic smile was supposed to hurt him but instead it only helped him. Watching her he knew that he had already won. He knew he loved her but he also knew that he was better than anyone she would have. Instead of showing anger he returned her smile.
As she noticed his smile she caught Petar’s hand. He smiled at the gesture. If it was supposed to help her assert her control over him it wasn’t working. And as she approached he knew that she knows.
She whispered something to his ear and he stopped looked at him and nodded. As he watched him Fillip noticed his smile. It showed pride. In a way it was deserved one he had to admit it and he nodded to him.
She didn’t notice what happened between them but she could feel as Petar nodded back. She looked first at him then at Petar but couldn’t notice anything.
After a second she started walking towards him.
“What do you want Fillip?”
Her voice was firm, and he knew she was trying to show strength. He waited a second just watching her.
“Well? What do you want? You called me remember?”
He smiled.
“Yes I did.”
“And what is the reason you did?”
He turned.
“Can we walk? I won’t bite promise.”
She looked at him. He noticed her hesitation.
“Don’t worry he can wait, and after today he won’t see me. As a matter of fact neither of you will, not for a long time.”
He noticed her look as he said that. It was a look of fear, a fear she tried hard to hide.
He knew that in the past he would have embraced her. He would tell her it was ok but not today, not now. She made her decision and so did he.
“Come.”
He slowly turned and started walking through the park. She watched him go for a second and then showing to her companion to wait for her she went after him.
He could hear her increased footsteps.
“Slowdown, will you?”
Even before she said those words he did. He knew she loved to walk but she loved to do it slow. He liked the same, although his training made him sometimes forget himself and walk fast.
She reached him and they started walking together neither of them saying anything.
He looked at the green trees in the park, and the blue sky. As he did he remembered the look of the planet from space. Of the blue shimmering ball in the darkness, of the small beacon of light that represented everything he loved and cherished, of his home. He smiled again at the thought.
As Irena noticed him she felt her fear disappearing. She knew that smile, and a thought, a memory appeared of how much she used to love it. She knew that right now he is lost in some deep thought. She couldn’t imagine what it was. There were so many things. She knew what he was, what he did. She knew him for a long time, knew him since she was a young girl, after all he was the brother of one of her best friends from high school. She hadn’t seen Ana since she broke up with her brother. She tried calling her a few times but…
But she never really knew him…not until that day…a shiver past through her as she remembered their first kiss. It wasn’t the first not technically since they had a brief fling in high school but it was the first real one.
She loved to play with men, always did, but since the day they went out she knew that something was different. But she stayed the same. She went out with him and for
a while she stayed faithful but in the end… It was not like it was the end of the world, and there were so many guys out there. She turned and smiled at Petar. He was watching them. It seemed that the smile gave him peace or at least she thought like that. He was different from Phillip manlier, more talking, less a dreamer, he was cool. Phillip was more peaceful, quieter and calmer. She smiled as she remembered he was a soldier. She knew that Petar was going to the gym that he was practicing karate, and was constantly bragging about it. Phillip never talked about his fighting skills, about what he could do, never liked talking about what he did on the missions. She knew from his sister that he took part in the fighting on the ships, she knew that he got medals for it. She even knew that he had trophies which he kept at home. Ana’s talks about him where what got her interested again that and the memory of that time in high school. And yet the encounter was sudden and unintentional it just happened. Before she knew she was going out with him and it was good. She liked him, liked the attention he gave her, but then he went to his unit came rarely for the weekends, and she met Petar. And even though she hated it her old self came back to the surface and she gave in to his advances. It felt good at first when she played with him and later with Phillip but it didn’t last long. Phillip noticed that something was wrong and reacted. She feared that things might get violent that night but instead he just walked away and that made her angry.
He did it like she was nothing. She expected him to yell, to say something, anything. Instead he just left. She knew as she saw in his eyes that she hurt him, she could even feel that he loved her but his reaction surprised her. She sent him a letter trying to explain or more rightly to make it like she broke up with him.
They were walking and he suddenly stopped and looked at the fountain and the flower gardens surrounding it. The fountain was newly built. It was built several years ago when the park was increased. So were the gardens. As she noticed the site she gasped. It was the place where they …
“It is beautiful isn’t it?”
She looked at him. What was the meaning of this? She felt surprise and a little bit of anger.
But as she watched him she calmed down. He wanted to tell her something so she let him have his way. And as she watched him she noticed his surprise as well. He wasn’t planning this.
“Yes it is.”
She closed to the fountain and the rising flowers that were surrounding it. The flowers were orchids in several colors. The fountain had two sculptures, an angel spreading his wings and a small child sitting and watching him. The angel was reaching down handing the child a present wrapped in orb. It was a gift of happiness. A small bench was placed close to the fountain. The bench was here from before but it was never moved and with the fountain and the garden it gave a perfect view of the circular gardens.
She remembered the exact spot where he kissed her, first her hair and forehead and then gently on the lips. It was a gentle kiss, a passionate one. She raised her hand and touched her lips. For a moment she forgot that he was here as well. She turned and noticed him watching her. She blushed and turned.
“Why did you bring me here? Why did you call me Phillip?”
He came close and looked at the fountain.
“Because we had to talk, and to give you back this.”
As he said those words he handed her back her letter. The one she sent him. She felt a pang of regret.
She took it from his hand.
“Why? You didn’t have to do that. I don’t need it.”
“I don’t either. Not where I’m going.”
She looked at him with surprise. She remembered his words from previous about not seeing him for a long time. At the time she thought that he was just saying it because they broke up but as she watched him she knew that it was something else.
“Where are you going? Why are you saying that?”
He kept looking at the fountain not saying a word. She came closer.
“Phillip, where are you going? Why now?”
“You know, this is the first place I saw you, I mean really saw you, not that day when we…but back when you were in high school. I was back for my sister’s prom and you were sitting here on the bench. You had a blue dress on you, that and a small orchid in your hair. You were talking with someone on the phone and as you did you looked at me and smiled. It was the first day I saw you and I never forgot you.”
As she listened to him she was surprised. He never spoke of this before. And she couldn’t remember it. She remembered the dress and the night but she couldn’t remember that exact moment. And it was so long ago. And yet as she listened to him she knew he did. She knew he once told her that in a way destiny interfered between them always placing some obstacle on the way to them being together. She didn’t know what he was talking back than and she smiled as he said several examples when they came close.
But he never mentioned this. She remembered him on Ana’s prom. She knew she liked him back then, he was well known, the brother of one of the most popular girls in her school, her best friend, a soldier and a good student. But she never knew he noticed her back then or that she managed to leave such deep impression on him.
As she came closer and stepped parallel to him he continued.
“It was the first time i noticed you as something else then just my sister’s friend. Since we were together i always brought you here, not because it was the place where i kissed you but because it was the place where it all started. And now it is the place where it will really end.”
As he said those words he turned. Their eyes met and she felt as he could see right in to her soul.
“This is the last time you will see me because I’m leaving soon. I called you to give you back your letter and… and because I needed to see you one last time. And it was good. No matter what happened between us I needed to see that you were ok.”
“Phillip i…”
He raised his finger to her lips.
“Shush. Don’t say something you will regret. Don’t say anything…”
She looked at him. As she watched him she felt strange. The anger, the trepidation, even the sarcasm, her playfulness was gone. Instead all she wanted was for him to hug her and stay here.
Phillip looked at her and as he noticed her eyes he wished things were different, he wished he could stay. He wished he could kiss her and say everything will be ok but he knew he could not.
“Irena we all make mistakes, we all have regrets and…” he turned away from her” and I don’t want to be one of yours. Life goes one…we…we had something, something wonderful, it is something that I will always cherish and remember, something I will never forget.”
“Phillip…”
He suddenly hugged her and she could notice him gently stroking her hair. Suddenly she didn’t care about anything else. She remembered this hug, remembered its gentleness and warmth, and remembered what came next.
“Irena I forgive you, I did the first time I saw you. I want you to do just one thing for me.”
“What?” – She whispered.
“I want you to never turn back and to be happy. Remember us with a smile and just be happy.”
She felt his kiss on her hair and forehead and then he just turned and left. As he went she just stood and watched him go.
And as she did she felt nothing but pain and fear.
Fear that she would never see him again.
Camp Pendleton California
May 28 2020 10:30 hours
General Barrett looked at the marines assembling before him. He knew that three other divisions are standing just like this at this very moment. He was the commander of the First Marine Expeditionary Force and of the Special units that were added to it. Four Marine divisions, the Macedonian corps, the French legion, the SAS Regiment, The First SPETNAZ Division, The First SF division of the PLA, and regiments from the forces of Germany, Australia and New Zeeland. In total one hundred and thirty two thousand men and women, the best that humanity had to offer were under his c
ommand.
The Marines of the First Marine Division, the ground combat element of the First Marine Combat Force, were resplendent in their dress blues as they marched, battalion by battalion, onto the parade ground and formed into three infantry regiments, each with three independent battalions. The division band followed, its drummers beating a tattoo as the regiments and battalions marched in. Twenty two thousand five hundred and seventy-five Marines in all. All were armed save the musicians; most with rifles carried at right shoulder arms, the others with side arms holstered on their belts.
As each battalion reached its designated position in the formation, their commanding officers called out, “Order, arms!” and as one, the rifles flashed off the Marines’ shoulders to be positioned alongside their right trouser seams. Sunlight glinted off the brass of the Marines’ buttons and emblems. The splashes of color on the left chest of their stock-collared jackets were the ribbons that told a Marine’s history.
General Barrett together with Major General Meyers the division’s commanding officer stepped onto the reviewing stand and stopped front and center to face his Marines. He took a moment to look them over. Almost every one of them had ribbons and medals showing they have seen combat. As he watched them he smiled. This division and almost every other he commanded were all composed of combat veterans, many of whom had experience fighting the very enemy they were going to meet on Arcadia. Those that didn’t had the experience of several theaters of war here on Earth back before the invasion and even after it as the world settled the accounts with the terrorists that were hunted down and the rogue states that supported them. As he watched he guessed that maybe one in ten marines didn’t have combat experience, only one in ten marines hadn’t looked into the mouth of the cat. He was sure that even if the fleet managed to smash every defense the Dacarians had they would still have to fight on the ground. And for that the troops under his command were the best.
The Icarian Legacy Collected Edition: Brave Souls - First Strike (Volume 3) Page 47
