When the Stars Fade (The Gray Wars) (5 page)

             
Jesus, i
t’
s a goddamn invasion.
Raymond grabbed his headset and dialed the link for the SP Operation Center. His hands shook as the line connected, and he rubbed them together furiously as he waited for the operator on the other end to pick up. While the headset chirped, Raymond watched the blue funnels spew out twisted black shapes. He switched to a higher-powered lens and the objects grew in size, enormous battleships and frigates spewing blood red energy in their wakes. As the Blue Space exits began to close, he had counted twenty total ships.

             
“Sector Patrol Luna, this is Operations
.”
The woma
n’
s voice on the other end was crisp and clear
.“
What is the purpose of your call
?
”

             
“This is Raymond Lee, TSI station Andretti. I have a major situation here
.
”

             
“Andretti, if this is a civil incident, you need to contact TSI Control. Do you need their information
?
”

             
“No. What? Listen to me, I have unauthorized Blue Space exits in..
.”
He threw files off his desk until he found the map of the space above Luna
.“
Quadrant 45, sector 21
.
”

             
The operator paused, typing on her computer
.“
I do
n’
t have any reports from Terra. Andretti, I need you to authenticate this channel
.
”

             
Shit
. Raymond squeezed his eyes shut, trying to remember the code for his station. He nearly panicked until he saw the note posted above his computer
.“
Uh, seven-four, er, nine-one-oscar-zulu-zulu
?
”

             
A longer pause
.“
Andretti, this is Operations. We authenticate, seven-four-niner-one-oscar-zulu-zulu. Send coordinates when ready
.
”

             
Raymond read off the coordinates from the telescope. The armada of ships had slowed down and seemed to be forming up into a battle group. The largest of the vessels, what looked like a giant beehive, was surrounded by the smaller craft.

             
“Andretti, we confirm contacts in Lunar space. SP will take over from here. Continue to monitor the situation, but if contacts come within fifty kilometers, seek out shelter immediately
.
”

             
Raymond did
n’
t answer, but heard the line close. He could
n’
t help but watch the hypnotizing shuffle of ships moving into a battle group and creeping toward Earth.

*              *              *              *              *

              On the opposite side of the moon, in the absence of the su
n’
s light, space began to bubble. A small weather satellite drifted too far off course, its fuel reserves depleted long ago and never refilled. As it meandered lazily into the depths, it suddenly sparked and shuddered. Blue light engulfed the satellite in its final moments, before the truck-sized capsule vanished into the ether.

             
Beside this new vortex, a dozen motes of lights winked into existence and began to grow.

*              *              *              *              *

              “I do
n’
t care what your status is, goddamn it. I want
Midway
cleared to launch in fifteen minutes
.
”

             
Hiro rarely swore, but the engineers on this post infuriated him. Ten minutes before h
e’
d been crashed out on a stiff cot. Then a terrified private had woken him with bizarre news: a dozen warships had manifested in Lunar space without so much as a whisper. The newcomers had yet to fire a single shot, but waiting to react was the last thing Hiro had in mind. Or it would have been if the chief engineer, a fat and slovenly civilian, could release the docking clamps so the supercarrier could launch. If h
e’
d wanted, Hiro could have simply ordered the ground rockets to fire and torn the restraints clean out of the gray dirt, but he was
n’
t so easily riled.

             
“Commodore, we have civilian personnel on board completing the refit. Half your plumbing is still ripped out, and most of the lights are on emergency power.
I’
ve got doors chocked open and entire sections of hull removed so we can access the wiring. I told you one month a week ago, and that still stands
.
”

             
Hir
o’
s head throbbed, but he forced his voice to steady
.“
I do
n’
t need my men in the latrine, Chief. And the crew is trained to operate in pitch black if necessary
.”
He leaned in close, smelling mustard on the ma
n’
s breath
.“
Now listen to me.
I’
m ordering my team aboard, and any man you have left is going to be conscripted onto the crew for the duration of this incident. And if you do
n’
t have those docking clamps deactivated by the time our engines fire, I will personally guarantee you end up in front of a firing squad
.
”

             
The ma
n’
s eyes bulged at the threat, his thick lower lip quivering
.“
You ca
n’
t do that.
I’
m a civilian
.
”

             
Hiro grinned maliciously
.“
I did
n’
t say anything about trying you. I just said
I’
d put you in front of a firing squad
.”
He did
n’
t wait for the man to respond and left him whimpering in place as he stormed out.

             
Outside the OpCenter, Hiro took out his phone and dialed his executive officer, Captain Earl MacReady. The two longtime friends had served with each other for twenty-five years, back when Hiro was a fighter pilot and Earl a radar operator. The commodore knew he could trust the XO to get things ready while he contacted Fleet and developed the situation from the ground.

             
Earl picked up on the second ring
.“
Hiro? Jesus, i
t’
s four in the morning. Wha
t’
s going on
?”
Hiro explained the situation
.“
Christ.
I’
ll have the Master Chief get the crews up to speed. Most are going to be racked out. When do you want to ship out
?
”

             
Hiro thought for a moment
.“
Launch in two hours
.
”

             
“W
e’
ll be at battle stations in one, Hiro
.
”

             
“Thank you, Earl
.
”

             
“Shit, I ca
n’
t even try to go back to sleep now. Have I ever mentioned yo
u’
re a prick of a boss
?
”

             
Hiro smiled, but could
n’
t bring himself to laugh
.“
Not since yesterday.
I’
ll see you aboard
.”
He disconnected and immediately placed a call to Admiral Gilroy at Fleet Command. He waited while the line was redirected through the relays down to Earth. Despite the incredible distance between them, the field-grade officer sounded as though he were only a few feet away.

             
“Admiral Gilroy speaking
.
”

             
“This is Commodore Osaka, sir. We have a situation developing over Luna
.
”

             
Hiro could hear the two-star admiral shuffling around at his desk. He tried to remember the time difference and figured it was around noon in Vienna. There were other voices in the background. Aides more than likely, from the condescending tone the Admiral used with them. Gilroy was a career soldier, battle hardened and brutish. He never could grasp the political side of the military, which was why he was still searching for his Vice Admiral slot.

             
“Commodore,
I’
m looking at some disturbing readings from a TSI observatory. What can you tell me
?
”

             
“A few minutes ago, a battle group jumped into quadrant 45-21. They are
n’
t responding to any method of contact, though thus far they have
n’
t shown hostile intent
.
”

             
“Intent? They made an illegal jump into Earth territory with a group of warships. I want the welcome party to get them the hell off the front porch. Are they Martian? Raiders
?
”

             
Hiro pondered the idea
.“
I do
n’
t believe so, sir. Mars does
n’
t have the tech to pull a maneuver like this. Ca
n’
t be raiders, either. These are...different, sir
.
”             

             
Gilroy shouted something to an aide
.“
All right, Hiro. Get your group in the skies and form a block. Fleet is mobilizing as we speak, and
I’
ll have
Valley Forge
out to join you in two hours. TFC
Normandy
and
Stalingrad
are already in sector with CBG Solus, but the
y’
re at half strength. W
e’
re gonna outnumber them by a hair
.”
He dropped off the line as one of his aides shouted something in the background. Hiro waited patiently
.“
Commodore, what were those coordinates again
?
”

             
“Right on top of us. Q45-21, off the Luna map
.
”

             
“Then why do I have pictures of a group on the opposite end of the goddamn moon
?
”

             
Hiro took off toward
Midway
, his heart pounding in his ears.

*              *              *              *              *             

              Raymond snapped off pictures as quickly as the computer could record them. The second group appeared only minutes after the first. He thought it was another wave of fighters until he saw them. The two fleets could
n’
t have been more different in design. These new craft were smooth and sleek, with silver hulls that shimmered in the light.

             
The armadas reached standoff distance and stopped. From his post, Raymond watched Fleet craft converge from the moon and Earth onto the impromptu battlefield. Two carriers, Europe-class from the size of them, led a battle group of destroyers and frigates toward the sortie.

             
The entire system held its breath, waiting for someone to make the first move.

-                           
III                            -

              Cameron and George sat at a table in the quiet mess hall, nursing steaming cups of coffee. A few other pilots ate their meals in silence, ignoring the overpowering smell of whiskey and beer wafting from the two me
n’
s table. George sat with his head on the table, groaning. Cameron seemed unfazed by a night of poor decision-making, and barely suppressed his smirk every time his friend winced. Their flight uniforms were clean, if not fresh. The
y’
d changed out of their dress blues a half-hour before.

             
“I told you that last shot was a mistake
.
”