Stephen was still holding Janet some time later. Slowly, she had relaxed and her reactions had ceased, but she still held him to her. He didn’t really know why. He didn’t want to guess either. Here was a woman who had lived almost her entire life surviving from one moment to the next, trusting no one, while protecting others who had a distant respect for her, and probably no one to turn to.

As if in answer to his thoughts, Janet spoke up. “You’re not the only one who’s helped me like this,” she told him.

He waited, because she seemed to want to add more. “No?” he prompted.

“No,” she replied, exhaling steadily. “I don’t distrust everyone, Stephen. And in answer to your question, last time I couldn’t stop myself crying like a little girl was four years ago when a soldier died under my watch. Edward was there…” She paused again, looking into Stephen’s eyes as she wiped her own. “He was like a father to me, Stephen.”

Stephen nodded. “We all need someone at times,” he said, because it seemed appropriate to say.

Janet nodded. “I know,” she replied. “Sometimes I can be stubborn,” and to his intense surprise, she smiled. It was the first one he could recall ever seeing from her. “I know that look! Yes, I can smile!”

Stephen was at a loss for words. He had really put his foot in it, to quote his father. “I-I err… Well…”

“You’re seeing a side to me that very few people ever see,” she said, surprising Stephen further.

He stared at her for a while, and then cleared his throat nervously when he realised he was staring too long. “Sorry,” he added, looking forward again. “It’s bad manners to stare.”

“Manners mean nothing where I come from Stephen,” Janet replied. “In my book, honesty and compassion count for a hell of a lot.”

Stephen raised one eyebrow. “I didn’t think you were the kind of person that would have much use for compassion,” he admitted candidly.

Janet gripped his shoulder hard. “Listen,” she began. “A couple of days ago I wouldn’t have given you the time of day. I’ll tell you this; I don’t need long before I can quite accurately guess if I am going to be on good terms with anyone I meet. Years of dealing with soldiers and scientists in a war-time environment sharpen your instincts,” she stopped. “Am I rambling?”

“No,” Stephen immediately replied. “It’s good that you can talk with me.”

It also occurred to Stephen inconsequentially, that Janet had a very good vocabulary of words which she had always chosen to put to use. Surprising since Stephen doubted there was any formal education anywhere on the planet.

Janet smiled again. “I like you,” she told him, to his immense surprise. “I guess that’s why I felt able to… To show weakness in front of you.”

Stephen immediately contradicted her. “It’s not weakness to show what you’re feeling Janet,” he told her. “Sometimes, it takes a great deal of strength when you’re so used to hiding behind a wall of… Of coldness and an aloof attitude. Now wait a minute,” he added quickly when he noticed her frown. “I’m not saying that you are cold and aloof, you proved otherwise to me already. I’m just saying that it’s how you’ve come across to others.”

Janet said nothing for a while; she seemed to consider what he said to her. “It was easier I guess, to be that way with the others,” she paused again, and then looked straight at him. “I also have to keep up the act. It wouldn’t do for me to completely change overnight would it?”

Stephen didn’t know what to say.

Janet took his hand in hers. “I am rambling! I started saying how Edward was there for me.”

“When a soldier in your watch died,” Stephen said, recalling her remarks. “It couldn’t have been just any soldier,” he added.

Janet shook her head sadly. “No, not just any soldier Stephen,” she replied. “Someone I was once very close to.”

Now Stephen had understood a great deal more than he did before. No wonder she treated everyone with a distant attitude. She didn’t want to get hurt again. “I get it now,” he told her. “I’m sorry, I was-”

“Stephen, I don’t wanna hear any ‘sorry’ from you, get it?” she snapped angrily at him. “You got nothing to be sorry about, you hear?”

Stephen said nothing, but he nodded.

“Good,” Janet continued. “Yes, we were close. He’s gone, and it was four years ago. Some time sooner or later you… You just have to get on with it.”

There was another silence, and Stephen felt he had to say something at that point. “It’s easier said than done though, isn’t it?”

“It was harder for Edward.”

That was surprising, and Stephen frowned. “Why?”

“It was his son who was killed.”

Stephen was beginning to see the relationship that existed between Janet and Edward for what it was. He was not simply a subordinate who managed to exercise his opinion once in a while. Instead, he was a father-figure to her, and if he had enough strength to support Janet at a time when he himself had lost a son, it alone said much for the inner-strength of the man.

“Stephen?”

He was brought back to the present on that querying tone. “Sorry, I was thinking.”

“About what I just said?”

Stephen nodded. “Edward must be very strong inside.”

“He is,” was the simple reply.

There was another silence, but this one was comforting. Stephen relaxed for a brief few moments, and he could feel that Janet was doing the same.

All too soon, it was over.

“I’m going back to our room,” she suddenly told Stephen. “I’d like to talk more but we’ve both got things to do.”

Stephen supposed she was right. “Okay,” he replied levelly.

“I don’t want this to be the only time we talk like this,” she said quickly, gripping his shoulder. “Would that be okay with you?”

“Definitely,” He immediately replied.

She lingered for a moment. “Thank you,” she said after a moment. Then she lingered for a few moments longer, nervously plucking Stephen’s hand, before she walked quickly back the way she had come.

Stephen felt much better for having stopped her from running off earlier. He returned to the observation lounge and got back to work.

04:40 Hrs, Day 86 Mission Year 51.

Very soon, he and everyone else were too busy to worry about personal concerns as plans were drawn up and immediately put into action. One difference in Janet’s attitude was that she no longer objected to their using the Artificial Intelligence units that were scattered around the planet. Hundreds of units had been salvaged and refitted with Klankharii power supplies. Stephen had managed to construct a safety feature into each of the units that allowed power in each unit to be severed, in case the unit’s CPU did malfunction or refuse to carry out their instructions. The humans were far more cautious of a second machine war in space and were thankful that their space bound counterparts had addressed that possibility.

“Alright, so that makes seventy-three units salvaged so far?” Davidson asked of Marlon, as they both supervised their refitting in the largest cargo bay of the Kl’Deesius.

“Yeah,” he replied. “Another eighteen non-functional but they could be cannibalised and some working units built from them.”

“Mira just informed me on my way down here that we managed to locate another fifty salvageable units somewhere in Eastern Europe. She’s giving coordinates to her shuttle crews who’re out to get them now.”

“Good. Hopefully we can get another twenty or so from them,” Marlon replied with approval. If they could get a hundred of these things together, apart from anything else, they would prove a nuisance to the enemy with their high level of manoeuvrability and the weapons they already sported. Then the thought occurred to him. “You think the tech teams can come up with some sort of power augmentation for their weapons so they can cause some severe damage?”

Davidson frowned. “Dunno about severe sir, but they’ll sure cause an annoyance! And yes, Ship Sub-Commander Notaris told me that their engineering crews were awake all night studying the existing weapons on a defunct unit to see how they could be improved. Got all excited about how such technology could be implemented into their fleet to increase their own weapons efficiency.”

Marlon raised his eyebrows. “Really?” he asked.

“Surprised me too sir,” Davidson replied.

Marlon stopped for a while to consider something. “You don’t need to call me ‘sir’ anymore Davidson,” he spoke up.

Davidson was dumbfounded. “But sir? You outrank me!”

“Not any more Davidson,” Marlon replied, to Davidson’s intense astonishment. “As of this moment, I am giving you a field promotion to my equivalent rank. You’re now going to be a Colonel.”

“Now just a minute-”

“No Davidson, hear me out. I’ve been delegating responsibility to you for some time now, ever since you proved that you could be trusted. You’ve been working at least as hard as I have at command decisions, and now your rank should reflect this.”

Davidson regarded Marlon with some consternation. Marlon could see why, but he needed to make sure there was at least someone else who understood that if one of them were to be lost during this battle in orbit, the other would have to take over responsibility for everyone else. Rank mattered not to Marlon, but Davidson, despite his changes over the past two years, was still very much a soldier, and giving the appropriate command rank would make sure he understood his importance to the others now – indeed it was probably the easiest way to make that point – just in case.

“Well sir, err… Captain,” Davidson amended. “Boy this is gonna take some getting used to.”

“Don’t worry, Davidson, you’ll get there,” Marlon clapped him on the soldier. “Now, about this technology that the machines developed…”

Conference Room.

05:20 Hrs.

“The situation so far people,” Marlon asked of everyone in the room. Included in this conference besides the Tau Ceti crew were Janet, Edward and Miradima’s first officer, Sub-Commander Notaris.

It was Notaris who spoke up first. “I have been monitoring fleet transmissions with the communication officer,” he spoke in Klankharii, with Davidson translating for the two humans who did not know their language. “Our rendezvous with them is expected in little more than thirty minutes.”

“Yes,” Miradima continued in English. “However, the bulk of our defensive line has engaged the enemy fleet outside of the Sirius system, reporting eight destroyers and twelve medium class vessels. They have reported losses of over twelve frigates and thirty corvettes, and several hundred more have been crippled by the enemy.”

Expressions ranged from consternation over such losses, to lack of understanding. Stephen told Janet, stood next to him, about the fleet information. “We’re on a frigate-class vessel right now,” he told her. “Our allies have roughly a hundred fifty of these in service. They have some destroyer class vessels but they’re settled in their home system.”

Janet’s expression turned sour as she began to understand the significance of the losses sustained by the allies. “Can we hold the line?” she asked in an acerbic tone that Stephen decided to interpret as Janet being worried. He nodded, and then gripped her shoulder to get her attention back on the meeting.

“The good news however,” Miradima was saying. “Is that in doing so we have managed to reduce their fleet down to three destroyer vessels and four medium scouts. Our fleet will have a tough time with those vessels though.”

“What about the defensive line around Tau Ceti?” Marlon asked.

“They surprised us,” Miradima admitted. “They suspected we would try to draw a line in our home system and have decided to bypass us. This is why the forces in the Sirius system were targeted. Now they have a direct line of travel to our position here, and we have no time to get a force in their way.”

Marlon nodded. “Alright, then it’s more important that we get our forces up and running,” he turned to Davidson. “As of this moment, Walter Davidson is recognised as a joint leader with myself,” he continued despite the surprise from the others. “Until now he answered directly to me regarding all matters. I feel that it is necessary to have two people in charge of operations in this system just in case of unforeseen events.”

Stephen did not bother to mention what those unforeseen events were, even though he knew all too well what Marlon was referring to. Helen on the other hand did not keep it to herself.

“Don’t you dare,” she said harshly, rushing to his side. Then they had a very low voiced conversation among themselves.

“What’s with them?” Janet asked Stephen in a hushed voice. “Is there something between them?”

Stephen nodded. “Did you notice before?”

Janet shook her head. “I was too wrapped up in my own affairs to notice anything,” she admitted with a brief smile.

Stephen could not help but return the smile.

“Listen, about…”

“Not now,” she told him quickly, squeezing his arm in the process.

Stephen, while being unused to this form of tactile contact with anyone, found it easy to accept considering the source. He nodded and listened.

“The decision has been made,” Marlon said in a low tone to Helen before turning back to the others. “Alright, here’s where you’ll all be,” he added, pushing a touch control on the desk. A holographic image appeared, and it looked much like a schematic. “What you all see is the layout of an underground base on the Moon. It has twenty sections, able to hold about five thousand people each. We estimate that there can only be about a hundred thousand people left on Earth…” and Marlon stopped for a while, looking around him, the emotions clearly visible in his drawn face. “One hundred thousand people. All that’s left of Earth.

“We have to see to it that they are recovered and placed in that facility. Each section can be used to house different factions on Earth. From what I gather, there are about eighteen of them on Earth, some with more people than others. The North American contingent has around six thousand survivors that haven’t been taken over yet, and we’re watching all the time.”

“Once the fleet gets here, I will order them to begin transporting them immediately to the underground complex on the Moon,” Miradima told everyone.

Stephen understood that the transport capabilities of Klankharii vessels was limited to around a thousand kilometres per ship but they had already tried linking ships in a chain for one long-distance continuous transport and succeeded. They would use a similar approach to get the survivors directly into the lunar complex without alerting them to the existence of the Klankharii and possibly scaring them into heart attacks and so forth.

“There they will remain until the current crisis is over. It’s gonna be up to every one of us to convince them that we are doing this for their benefit. The complex already resembles those fallout shelters on Earth but those quarters are cramped. Miradima?”

“Terraforming is a science that is unpredictable where time constraints are concerned. We may have the Earth ready for re-colonisation within a year, or it may even take up to twenty years.”

“It’s already been decided that, after this battle is concluded either way, our allies here will transport all remaining survivors to one of their own worlds which has been recently terraformed for agricultural purposes.”

“That solves that problem at least,” Stephen said very quietly to himself.

“There we will all stay until our home is ready for us once again. You think your people can handle it?” Marlon asked politely of Janet, who nodded. “Alright. We should get to it. Our enemy will get here within less than thirty-two hours and we need to be ready for them. Stephen, can I talk to you? Everyone else, that’s all.”

Everyone left, except Stephen who waited for Marlon, and Janet, who waited with Stephen. Eventually, once the others were gone, Marlon approached Stephen. “You’re going to the lunar complex with the others,” he told him in no uncertain terms.

This was greatly unfair, to get cut off from the battle like this, as if he hadn’t done enough! “But sir-”

“No buts Stephen and I have repeatedly asked you not to call me sir! You’re going to the complex!”

“Why?” Stephen asked outright, feeling aggrieved.

“You’ve done your job Stephen; you set up our resources for the drone units. Davidson and I can take that one from here, and I don’t want you at risk any further. You’re going and you’ll go in thirty minutes to the surface.”

“No I’m not,” Stephen snapped. “I’m going to fight for my planet!”

Marlon glared back. “Yes you are going!” he snapped harshly.

Stephen gathered himself for another storm, but suddenly the wind was knocked out of him, and he was dragged out of the conference room by Janet. Stephen was too winded to notice that Janet had given Marlon a brief nod to signal that she would take care of things with Stephen, but Marlon was grateful that she was going to try and prevent any further protest.

Once outside, Janet propped Stephen up against a nearby bulkhead and supported him until he got his breath back.

“What the hell did you do that for?” Stephen asked harshly.

“Because you’d be no good to them up there and you know it!” Janet snapped back.

“How do you know?”

“I don’t, but if your Captain told you to go with us he has his reasons.”

“Well-”

“And he doesn’t want you in any unnecessary risk,” she stared at him hard enough to burn holes through his head.

“He wouldn’t know if I was at risk, and he’s at risk as well so there’s no justification for what he’s saying!”

“Well I don’t want you to go,” she suddenly said.

“Well I don’t- What?”

“I said I don’t want you to go!”

Stephen didn’t know why, and was in no mood for guessing games or niggling little mysteries. “Why?” He asked pointedly.

Janet threw her arms up in exasperation. “Do I have to spell it out for you?”

Stephen had no time to figure out that statement because Janet had forced him up against the nearest wall and kissed him soundly. He did not hesitate and took hold of her as tightly as he could.

It didn’t last long because she stopped, and pushed back gently, looking at him with apprehension. She had the look of a frightened rabbit, Stephen thought.

“I’ve no idea why I did that,” she said, muted.

Neither of them said anything for a few seconds.

“You’re not gonna run away from me are you?” Stephen asked very gently, hoping with all his heart that she would not.

“You’re not gonna tell me to fuck off are ya?” She asked facetiously, but her tone was concealing an emotion Stephen could only guess at.

He shook his head. “No,” he added in a very soft tone.

She appeared to swallow, hard. “Good,” her tone was quiet, as if she could not find her voice. Then she dropped her head to his shoulder.

“Hey hey,” he whispered gently. “Why are you so upset now?”

She shook her head while keeping it buried in his shoulder. “I don’t know,” she said gently. She was at least in control of herself, if only barely. “All I know is that… This is the first time I’ve done this with anyone for years… And I don’t wanna give it up now!”

“Well that’s good, right?” Stephen immediately asked.

“I don’t know,” she replied, looking up at him again. “Do you think it is?”

“I hope it is,” Stephen admitted.

“Do you see now why I don’t want you to go?” she asked. “I haven’t felt like this around anyone for a long time, and I’m not gonna let it happen only to find that he goes and gets himself killed on the next mission!”

Stephen felt his heart jump. “You move fast!” He said facetiously to cover the shock he just experienced.

“What?” She asked, dumbfounded.

“I was kidding. You’re really serious?”

“Yes,” she emphasised. “Come down to the shelter with us.”

Some habits die hard, he supposed. “Alright,” he replied. “But you could make it less like an order you know,” he couldn’t resist adding.

“Right, but listen…” and she stopped him with her hand on his chest. “We have to keep up the pretence while we’re down there in front of the others. At least for a few weeks or so-”

“I doubt we’ll be down there that long,” he interjected.

“No, but for a few weeks I want us to keep our distance… At least in front of the others,” she replied.

Edward passed them in the hall. “I’ll get the others ready,” he said in passing.

“Thanks Edward,” Janet replied, and then turned back to Stephen. “He already knows. I told him.”

“Told him what?”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Told him my feelings about you!”

Stephen’s heart jumped again; she really did move fast! “Come on, let’s go.”

They left for the transporter room, where the others were waiting.

Kl’Deesius Transporter Room.

14:00 Hours, day 86.

Most of the surviving population on the planet would be transported in batches over the course of the next twelve hours by supply ships working with the fleet. By this time, the support fleet that had been despatched by Klankharis Prime had arrived in Earth orbit and were setting up the defensive line that would make their stand against the enemy.

Thirty-seven ships in total were now available to them. Of those, eighteen of them were damaged in battles against the enemy on their way out.

The allies would need a clear battlefield, and everyone in one place together. There was no way they could divide their firepower, so everyone was being relocated to the lunar complex so that the battlefield was clear.

Stephen and John were already down on the surface with the other survivors from the ship, so only Helen remained to be transported to the surface.

Marlon escorted her to the transporter room so that they could have a few quiet words.

“Now you’re coming back to retrieve us when the fight’s over?” Helen asked for the fifth time, though Marlon knew she already had the answer.

“Yes,” he replied. “Look, I know it’s difficult but this has to be done.”

“But I still don’t get why I have to go down there instead of stay up here-”

“Because you can’t help up here!” Marlon snapped. “Look, you’re gonna be needed on the surface for casualties. There’ll be many of them.”

“There are native medics to treat the others,” Helen persisted.

“Human casualties Helen, there’ll be humans! The survivors when they get here will need treatment. The other medics can handle some treatment but they need a human to supervise. You’re the best there is.”

Helen glared at him for some time. “You’re using that as an excuse and you know it,” she snapped.

“Well I don’t want you up here while all this is going on, and I’m sticking to that!”

Helen turned away. “Just go,” she told him.

“Helen-”

“We’ll talk when you pick us up,” she interrupted in a morose tone. “Just go.”

Marlon sighed, and turning on his heel, left the room.

Lunar Level 2, two kilometres below the surface of the Moon

14:10 Hrs, Day 87 Year 51

Stephen had already toured the underground facility on his own. The provisions were basic but more than any of the survivors had been able to acquire on Earth. There were independent quarters for five thousand in each section, erected by the supply ships that had arrived hours before, so each occupant could have a room to his or herself if they wished. There would be no time to allocate independently due to the proximity of their enemy attack, so it was decided that each individual would be transported directly into each room, with all the doors left open so they knew they were not prisoners. It would take a lot of work on the part of the transport operators at the destination end, but it would cause the least problems later on, whereas bunching them into the central area of the complex could make the survivors feel as if they were being herded like cattle. Marlon probably saw to it himself that no one would be treated in such a manner as much as it was possible with so little time.

Technological enhancements were purposely limited within the shelter due to lack of human understanding. Only the uppermost levels, accessible now only by transporter, had the technology required to run life support and communicate with the surface. Even the environmental controls for each of the shelters were housed separately up there, to prevent tampering from the humans.

The layout of the one section in which Stephen had access was symmetrical, arranged in an eight sided star configuration, with a large central space cleared out for use by everyone as they saw fit. It would also be provided as an assembly point for everyone when the time came for them to leave, and for any special instructions that might need to be issued. Each of the corridors leading to the individual cubicles was a straight line leading off of the central section. Despite their best efforts, it felt to Stephen a lot like they were being locked up in a prison complex. Much like the shelter that he saw in Phoenix, he thought to himself.

Helen emerged from the effects of her transport at the same time. Immediately she arrived, she signalled the attention of the Klankharii personnel surrounding the central assembly point.

“Which of you are trained in medical practices?” she asked. Those people who were medically trained stepped forward. “Have you been briefed by the Ship Commander on what we need to do for our arrivals?”

“Yes we have,” one of them replied. “The medical equipment you have ordered has been placed into the nearest of the rooms to this area.”

They would be in easy reach of anyone who needed to treat the sick, Helen thought. Then she turned to see which of the rooms. She was about to ask the personnel which rooms had the supplies when she noticed that there were two guards to each room, and she had her answer. Along with many other qualities, the Klankharii people were incredibly efficient. “Excellent. We need to prepare them for casualties, because there sure as hell are gonna be a lot of them.”

“Understood,” the same Klankharii officer replied, and then signalled to the rest of his team. They moved quickly to their tasks.

Damn that bastard Marlon! She was superfluous down here!

She’d best find out where Stephen and the others were so she could brief them on the situation. The last thing she needed was for them to get in the way unless they had something useful to do for the medical teams.