When the Stars Fade (The Gray Wars) (47 page)

             
Markov, however, was not so easily distracted. He ran to the XO, stopping the older man mid-step
.“
General, how will this affect my candidates
?
”

             
Hennesy looked down at the scientist as if he were a bug
.“
I think this development trumps any school project you had planned
.”
He started to walk back toward the table, to a waiting drink that he now desperately needed.

             
Markov persisted
.“
General, I have permission from FLINT and Army Command to take these soldiers to my training facility, and that is exactly what I intend
.
”

             
“Did you hear a word I said
?”
Hennesy asked
.“
There is an armada bearing down on New Eden even as we speak. Your training site is in just as much danger as anything else on the planet. Yo
u’
ve got the names of the candidates,
I’
m sure you can collect them after this is done
.
”

             
“No
!”
The outburst seemed to shock Markov as much as the General
.“
I mean...General, my research is intended to help in exactly this situation. If I can get these soldiers somewhere safe, I can begin their training immediately
.”
He leaned in close
.“
Yo
u’
ll need them in the end
.
”

             
Hennesy groaned. A major headache was building between his temples
.“
Fine. Ther
e’
s a shuttle coming to take that pilot to Irwin Cove. You can hitch a ride, but there are
n’
t many Army facilities out in Colorum
.
”

             
Markov smiled knowingly
.“
That works better than you could ever know
.”
He ran off to find Sasha, leaving the General to wonder what exactly he had just set in motion.

-                           
XX                            -

              The broadcast went perfectly. It had been his best work, easily the sharpest writing of any report h
e’
d ever witnessed. And none of the sheep watching on their TVs would know the difference. That was the problem with this world. People believed whatever was fed to them, as though the events of the universe filled neat, hour-long segments. He wondered how many citizens had ever thought about Mars and the struggles the miners had gone through. Had any? Probably not. Under the soft but constant pressure of the Counci
l’
s boot, no Earthling dared raise a fuss over a few million deaths. It had been different back home. Martian men and women were nothing like the shits on the Homeworld. They were harder, more realistic about the harsh truths of life.

             
It made him angry to think like this, and he knew he had to keep in control. Mr. Kent had managed not to look scared or threatened during the whole ordeal, but he was a fragile specimen. If Jonah was
n’
t careful, h
e’
d make the poor fool snap on camera, and they needed the people on their side. This was just the first stage of a series of events that would change the world. Because that was what it was all about, right? Making the universe a better place? Jonah ran a hand through his hair. He knew it was
n’
t right, hearing voices the way he did. But they provided much needed context. They kept him thinking, and that was what kept him alive.

             
Victor walked over, careful to remain silent during the broadcast
.“
Sir, the next group is ready to go
.”
The
y’
d been releasing hostages in steady increments for the past week and a half. It bought time for more broadcasts, and that was all that mattered. They had plenty of warm bodies to send out
.“
Is this really helping
?
”

             
Jona
h’
s lips curled into a smile
.“
W
e’
re getting to them. The polls are showing a dramatic shift in our favor. I told you before, the body count worked in our favor. Kill a few people and yo
u’
re a murder. Kill thousands, yo
u’
re a rebel
.”
He chuckled
.“
We move on to phase three in a few days. Let the stories sit with the masses a little longer. Make sure they can see how w
e’
re treating our guests, too
.
”

             
It was a campaign to win over Eart
h’
s support. Every few hours, a new broadcast went out detailing the truth about the Mars Uprising. Along with the passages from Jona
h’
s personal account, video of the hostages enjoying lavish meals and luxurious accommodations helped build Red Hamme
r’
s image within the media and with the populous. No one minded the prolonge
d“
crisi
s”
because it seemed already over. Sure, there had been blood shed and a sizable death toll, but in the scheme of things it all evened out. The Martian Council had decried the attack, only to warmly applaud its brethren for their peaceful protest a week later. Jonah was
n’
t at all surprised by how quickly popular opinion shifted. H
e’
d seen it before on Mars, when the world went from loving his fight to hating his people. Before it had ended, the miners could
n’
t even find friends on their own planet.

             
It had taken years to plan, and there were still months of struggle ahead, but they had already won a key battle. He could see that from his room on the top of the tower. Having attacks all over the globe thinned out the Federat
e’
s infantry reserves. Where only days before the ground had been swarming with soldiers, now civilians formed a protective barrier, witnesses to what they had been assured could become
a“
silencing operation
.”
Alexander would
n’
t dare fire the first shot, not with the world watching. In effect, the very people that had condemned so many of his rebels to die would now become their bulletproof vests.

             
And, with a little help, Jonah would accomplish the unthinkable. He would steal Earth from under Alexander Burto
n’
s nose.

-                           
XXI                            -

              Cameron was still awake when Josh entered the room. He looked up, not entirely surprised to see the soldier standing in the hall. Though h
e’
d been in and out of consciousness, the pilot often awoke to find his rescuer sitting in a chair reading, or just walking into the room. In his brief lucid moments, the
y’
d shared a quick joke or two. It hurt to think about, but Josh was the closest thing Cameron had to a friend. The last few times, Cameron had been able to talk a little about Tallus.

             
“Do
n’
t you have a girlfriend or something
?”
Cameron asked.

             
Josh rolled his eyes as he entered
.“
You clearly have
n’
t seen Army women before
.”
He pulled two beers from behind his back
.“
I brought some medicine from the doctor. He said you should take it quick, before the nurse comes back
.
”

             
“You are a king among men
.”
Cameron twisted the top off and took a swig. The boch was a little warm but tasted amazing.
 “
Tha
t’
s right, tonight was your big ceremony. And you left it for me? All that free booze is just going to waste
.
”

             
Josh laughed, spinning a stool around to take a seat
.“
Do
n’
t worry. Delta Company took whatever was left for the after party
.”
He stopped, his smile fading
.“
Well, now i
t’
ll have to be for the road. The
y’
re deploying the battalion tomorrow
.
”

             
The pilo
t’
s face became serious
.“
Should
n’
t you be with your friends
?
”

             
“Nah
,”
he said
.“
I see them every day. Besides, I just found out
I’
m leaving with you tomorrow, so I figured we should get better acquainted
.”
He held out his bottle until Cameron clinked the glass
.“
You did
n’
t finish your story
.”
He took a pull on his drink.

             
“Yes I did
.
”

             
Josh took a swig of beer, his eyes never breaking contact
.“
You need to say it out loud
.
”

             
Cameron looked away
.“
It does
n’
t get better from where we left off
.
”

             
“I know
.
”

             
“A lot of people died there. Everyone
I’
ve ever served with..
.
”

             
Josh held up a hand
.“
Cameron,
I’
ve been shot at maybe five times in my life. I was patrolling the streets of Mars six years after the action had stopped. Yo
u’
ve been through more circles of Hell than anyone should have to endure
.”
He put his drink down and leaned in
.“
What
I’
m saying is that I ca
n’
t put myself in your shoes. I do
n’
t know what i
t’
s like. But
I’
m here, and I think you need to get it off your chest
.
”

             
Cameron wiped his face, ashamed of the tears that fell on his cheeks
.“
He was my best friend for ten years. W
e’
d taken on everything the universe had every thrown at us. He saved my life a dozen times. And I could
n’
t even tow him a kilometer to safety. I let him down. I got him killed
.
”

             
“Stop it
,”
Josh said sternly
.“
It was
n’
t your fault. Some alien with a dozen sticks up its asshole pulled the trigger, and h
e’
s living on borrowed time now. This is war, Cameron. This is what happens. And we keep fighting until i
t’
s over
.”
He rocked back and retrieved his beer.

             
“H
e’
s right, you know
.
”

             
They both turned and hid their drinks. Josh stood at attention, his jaw clenched tight
.“
Sir
.
”

             
General Casey took a step into the room. He was still in uniform, still the spitting image of a war hero. He walked over to Cameron and placed a wrinkled but strong hand on his shoulder
.“
War is the worst thing any of us can live through. The honest truth is that we envy the dead for their peace
.”
He turned to Josh
.“
Are you going to offer me a drink, or do I have to make it an order
?
”

             
Josh quickly pulled a beer from his coat and handed it to the general. Casey twisted off the top, taking a long swig
.“
You want to hear the first time I lost a soldier
?”
The two men nodded
.“
Twenty-two years ago. I was here. Well, on New Eden. Some warlord in Foste
r’
s Glen started lopping the heads off anyone he did
n’
t deem worthy to live in his neck of the woods. We rolled in hot, firing up the neighboring area and straight murdering anyone who looked at us for too long.