Battle Earth IX (27 page)

The Admiral looked surprised. Addressing civilians was an alien concept to him.

“Sir, this is the human race now. They need leadership. They need hope.”

Huber opened a channel to the fleet.

“This is Admiral Huber, commander of the fleet…I…I…I want to commend you all. You have made it. We have made it. Initial reports suggest we number three million souls across two hundred and eight vessels. This was our mission, and what I can tell you is, mission successful!”

Cheers rang out from the bridge crew, but Taylor could not join in. He had lost too much to feel any sense of hope. Huber looked to him for answers, and he only glared back. It was Huber’s job now, and he knew it. He went back to the comms to address the millions of humans now clinging to his every word.

“We are three million. We are the survivors. We are the resistance! Together we will continue onwards. Hope, hope is what we have now. Remember that.”

He ended the transmission, for he was at a loss for words.

“Well done,” Taylor said.

“I’m not the man for this,” he pleaded, his voice barely audible.

“You are our leader now, Admiral. None of us ever could have seen or wanted this, but we do what we have to do. I have faith in you.”

He tapped the Admiral on the shoulder and walked off the bridge. As he reached the corridor outside, he found Parker and Dubois sitting amongst the dead Mechs. Parker appeared relieved and joyous that they had both survived, but Dubois looked like she’d just lost everything in her life. Taylor knelt down beside her.

“Sergeant Dubois…Coco.”

She looked up to him.

“He did this for all of us, didn’t he?”

“Yes. Charlie Jones was the finest man I ever knew, and will remain so in our memories. We have survived to tell his story, and you have survived. You are the future. You are carrying his child, the child of Charlie Jones and Coco Dubois. Just imagine what a soldier he will make.”

She looked horrified.

“No, not a soldier, never a soldier.”

Taylor remained silent, for he knew he would win her over yet. He knew any child of Jones could be nothing but a fighter. He stooped in closer and embraced her like a sister. He couldn’t yet come to terms with the loss of Charlie, but it gave him hope that there would be another Jones.

He got back up and strode onto the bridge. “I want to address the fleet,” he stated.

Huber didn’t know how to take it, so simply agreed. Taylor’s presence was terrifying. He was coated in blood and dirt, and his reputation was well beyond celebrity status. Huber opened a channel.

“This is the Admiral speaking. I have here with me Colonel Taylor of the Inter-Allied Regiment. The Immortals. He’s asked to speak a few words, but first I would like to personally thank him for his efforts. Colonel, please go on.”

Taylor took a deep breath. He couldn't believe what had happened in so few days. They had seemingly been sure footed on Earth one morning and in another star system by the end of the day.

Where the hell do we go from here?
he asked himself, but he knew he couldn't show so much doubt and fear to those who relied on him.

“This sucks. You know it does. I know it does. But suck it up. This is the life we have been given. It is our duty now to protect the human existence. The enemy threw everything they had at us, and yet here we are, still here. Earth is our world, and let me promise you, we will take it back. Remember that. Everything we do from now on is to get our homes back. Fight for it. Fight with everything you have got.”

His voice faltered slightly, but then he spoke with clarity and conviction, remembering all those they had lost.

”There is hope. There is always hope.”