"You're saying the CDF is planning to go back to Coral," I said.
"Of course we are," Harry said. "But the goal now isn't just to take the planet back. It's not even going to be the primary goal. Now, our primary goal is to get our hands on their tachyon detection technology and find a way to defeat it or use it against them."
"The last time we went to Coral we got our asses kicked," Jesse said.
"We're not going to have a choice, Jesse," Harry said gently. "We have to get this technology. If the technology spreads, every race out there will be able to track Colonial movement. In a very real sense, they'll know we're coming before we do."
"It's going to be a massacre again," Jesse said.
"I suspect they'll use a lot more of the Special Forces this time around," Harry said.
"Speaking of which," I said, and then told Harry of my encounter with Jane the night before, which I had been recounting to Jesse as Harry walked up.
"It looks like she's not planning to kill you after all," Harry said after I was finished.
"It must have been so strange to talk to her," Jesse said. "Even though you know she's not really your wife."
"Not to mention being just six years old. Man, that's odd," Harry said.
"It shows, too," I said. "The being six part. She doesn't have much emotional maturity. She doesn't seem to know what to do with emotions when she has them. She threw me across the room because she didn't know how else to deal with what she was feeling."
"Well, all she knows is fighting and killing," Harry said. "We have a life of memories and experiences to stabilize us. Even younger soldiers in traditional armies have twenty years of experiences. In a real sense, these Special Forces troops are children warriors. It's ethically borderline."
"I don't want to open any old wounds," Jesse said. "But do you see any of Kathy in her?"
I thought about it a moment. "She looks like Kathy, obviously," I said. "And I think I saw a little of Kathy's sense of humor in her, and a little of her temperament. Kathy could be impulsive."
"Did she ever throw you across the room?" Harry asked, smiling.
I grinned back. "There were a couple of times that if she could have, she would have," I said.
"Score one for genetics," Harry said.
Asshole suddenly clicked to life. Corporal Perry, the message read. Your presence is required at a briefing with General Keegan at 1000 hrs at Operational HQ in the Eisenhower Module of Phoenix Station. Be prompt. I acknowledged the message and told Harry and Jesse.
"And I thought I had friends in interesting places," Harry said. "You've been holding out on us, John."
"I have no idea what this is about," I said. "I've never met Keegan before."
"He's only the commander of the CDF Second Army," Harry said. "I'm sure it's nothing important."
"Funny," I said.
"It's 0915 now, John," Jesse said. "You'd better get moving. You want us to walk with you?"
"No, please finish breakfast," I said. "It'll be good for me to have the walk. The Eisenhower Module is only a couple of klicks around the station. I can make it in time." I got up, grabbed a donut to eat on the way, gave Jesse a friendly peck on the cheek and headed off.
In fact, the Eisenhower Module was more than a couple of klicks away, but my leg had finally grown in, and I wanted the exercise. Dr. Fiorina was right—the new leg did feel better than new, and overall I felt as if I had more energy. Of course, I had just recovered from injuries so grave it was a miracle that I lived. Anyone would feel like they had more energy after that.
"Don't turn around," Jane said, into my ear, from directly behind me.
I nearly choked on a bite of donut. "I wish you wouldn't keep sneaking up on me," I finally said, not turning around.
"Sorry," she said. "I'm not intentionally trying to annoy you. But I shouldn't be talking to you. Listen, this briefing you're about to go to."
"How do you know about that?" I said.
"It doesn't matter. What matters is that you agree to what they ask of you. Do it. It's the way you're going to be safe for what's coming up. As safe as can be."
"What's coming up?" I asked.
"You'll find out soon enough," she said.
"What about my friends," I said. "Harry and Jesse. Are they in trouble?"
"We're all in trouble," Jane said. "I can't do anything for them. I worked to sell you as it is. Do this. It's important." There was a quick touch of a hand on my arm, and then I could tell she was gone again.
"Corporal Perry," General Keegan said, returning my salute. "At ease."
I had been escorted into a conference room with more brass in it than an eighteenth-century schooner. I was easily the lowest-ranking person in the room; the next lowest rank, as far as I could tell, as a lieutenant colonel, was Newman, my esteemed questioner. I felt a little queasy.
"You look a little lost, son," General Keegan said to me. He looked, as did everyone in the room, and every soldier in the CDF, no more than in his late twenties.
"I feel a little lost, sir," I said.
"Well, that's understandable," Keegan said. "Please, sit down." He motioned to an empty chair at the table; I took it and sat down. "I've heard a lot about you, Perry."
"Yes, sir," I said, trying not to glance over at Newman.
"You don't sound excited about that, Corporal," he said.
"I'm not trying to be noticed, sir," I said. "Just trying to do my part."
"Be that as it may, you have been noticed," Keegan said. "A hundred shuttles managed to get launched over Coral, but yours was the only one to make it to the surface, in great part due to your orders to pop the shuttle bay doors and get the hell out of there." He jerked a thumb to Newman. "Newman here's been telling me all about it. He thinks we should give you a medal for it."
Keegan could have said, Newman thinks you should star in the army's annual performance of Swan Lake, and I would not have been as surprised as I was. Keegan noticed the expression on my face and grinned. "Yes, I know what you were thinking. Newman has the best straight face in the business, which is why he has the job he does. Well, what about it, Corporal? Think you deserve that medal?"
"Respectfully, sir, no," I said. "We crashed and there were no survivors other than myself. It's hardly meritorious service. Beyond that, any praise in making it to the surface of Coral belongs to my pilot, Fiona Eaton."
"Pilot Eaton has already been decorated posthumously, Corporal," General Keegan said. "Small consolation to her, being dead as she is, but it's important to the CDF that such actions are noted somewhere by us. And despite your modesty, Corporal, you will be decorated as well. Others survived the Battle of Coral, but that was by luck. You took initiative and showed leadership in an adverse situation. And you've shown your capacity to think on your feet before. That firing solution against the Consu. Your leadership in your training platoon. Master Sergeant Ruiz made special note of your use of the BrainPal in the final training war game. I served with that son of a bitch, Corporal. Ruiz wouldn't compliment his mother for giving birth to him, if you know what I mean."
"I think I do, sir," I said.
"That's what I thought. So a Bronze Star for you, son. Congratulations."
"Yes, sir," I said. "Thank you, sir."
"But I didn't ask you here for that purpose," General Keegan said, and then motioned down the table. "I don't believe you've met General Szilard, who heads our Special Forces. At ease, no need to salute."
"Sir," I said, nodding in his direction, at least.