“And when they freeze, they die,” Sho said.

  “Beyond that, the Deliverance is a closed system. The passages are too tight for more than a few people to get into a clear line of fire at one time. I don’t believe adding more bodies will make fighting them any more efficient. In fact, I’d argue in the opposite.”

  “I have to agree with the jarhead on this one,” Valentine said.

  Caleb’s jaw tightened. Did she have to be such a bitch all the time?

  “I agree with Sergeant Card as well,” Lieutenant Jones said, giving Caleb a long-suffering look.

  “If we pull everyone into Metro...” Captain Rogers said. “...if we tuck in like a snail in a shell like you suggested, Lieutenant, when we get to Proxima we’ll have not only the United States fleet but the entire global output of generation ships to help solve the equation. I would think a nuke would be the last option considering the number of lives at stake.”

  “That may be true ma’am,” Lieutenant Jones said. “I hope it would be true. But that’s why I want volunteers. Nobody out here who doesn’t want to be out here. There’s a chance they can clean the trife off the ship. That would make things so much easier.”

  Captain Rogers nodded. “Okay. I can’t argue that. If people want to try, they have a right to try.”

  “Unless someone has a better idea?” Lieutenant Jones said. “Doctor Valentine, what about you?”

  “I’m on board with your plan, Lieutenant,” she replied. “But me and my team will be staying outside Metro in the Research module.”

  “That’s not what we were just discussing.”

  “That’s not up for debate. We have important work that we’re continuing. If things go well, we might even be able to form another option to get rid of the trife. The Research module is self-sufficient. We have food, water, and stasis pods. I’ve got six people down here with me. What I will need are two or three of your volunteers to assist in locking down the module, helping to make the ventilation trife-proof and ensure the demons can’t get in.”

  “I don’t know if we’ll be able to spare two or three people. I don’t know how many we’re going to get.”

  “Or my team can vote with Major Lyle to send the civilians out to fight.”

  Caleb met Lieutenant Jones’ angry gaze. Was Doctor Valentine for real? Was she willing to use the civilians in Metro as a bargaining chip to get her way?

  “Major Lyle, you can’t seriously be thinking about accepting that outcome?” Jones said.

  “I am thinking about it,” Major Lyle said. “I respect Sergeant Card’s opinion. I do. But I also feel confident that we can clean the trife off the ship and take less than fifty percent casualties.”

  “Fifty percent?” Caleb said. “That’s twenty-thousand people.”

  “I can do the math, Sergeant,” Lyle said. “That’s also less than all of us dying.”

  Caleb started shaking his head almost subconsciously. He could barely believe what he was hearing. Had the trife put so much fear into people they were willing to sacrifice any signs of morality to save their own asses, or get their own way?

  He already knew the answer to that. He had seen it plenty of times on the ground. Mothers leaving their children behind, even though the trife didn’t attack children. People killing one another to escape the demons. Looting, murder, and worse. The trife hadn’t just started a war. They had turned large swaths of humankind into worse monsters than they were.

  Those monsters had joined them here too.

  “We’re wasting time arguing,” Captain Rogers said. “While the trife are moving freely around the ship.”

  “What do you say, Lieutenant?” Valentine asked.

  “I’ll get you two Marines to help out.”

  “Then you have my support.”

  “Major Lyle?” Jones asked.

  “Fine, Lieutenant. I said I would be open to your opinion and I meant it.”

  “Thank you, sir. Doctor Valentine, can Harry make the adjustments to the control systems to tie the navigation into the life sign detectors?”

  “He says he can.”

  “Sir,” Caleb said. “What about the dark spots?”

  “Private Delfina said there was a broken conduit. Doctor Valentine, do you have any electrical engineers on your team?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do.”

  “I thought she was a geneticist?” Sho whispered to Caleb. “Why does she have a computer hacker and an electrical engineer on her team?”

  “I don’t know,” Caleb replied.

  “Okay,” Jones said. “Let’s put this plan in action. Everyone on the bridge will head down to the Marine module to regroup. Major, Doctor, I’ll contact you from there once we’re organized.”

  “Agreed,” Valentine said.

  “Confirmed,” Major Lyle said. “But seeing how General Watkins is dead, the ship is technically a civilian vessel, and I’m now inside Metro instead of acting as a Guardian, I suppose it’s logical that I should take on his position as Governor of the city.”

  “It makes sense,” Captain Rogers agreed.

  “No argument from me, sir,” Lieutenant Jones said.

  “Good. I’ll be waiting for your next communication, Lieutenant.”

  “Will do, Governor. Sergeant Card.”

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Get us to the Marine module in one piece.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Chapter 26

  Caleb got everyone from the bridge to the module alive, the resistance from the trife limited in the direction they were headed. As Lieutenant Jones had noted, most of the creatures were spreading out in groups, heading for different parts of the ship, and likely planning to create new nests.

  It gave them a small break in the action, a small space in time to regroup, but they had to be quick, before Doctor Valentine could tell them to get a move on, before the trife would solidify their foothold. They all knew how quickly the trife could establish a nest and multiply..

  The remaining Marines were already present when Caleb and the rest of the group entered the barracks section of the module. The Marines were covered in sweat and blood, obviously tired and downtrodden. More than a few were injured, and at least two were in no condition to continue the fight, having lost a limb and quickly slapped a patch over the wound to keep from bleeding out. He had never seen a group of warriors look so defeated.

  Not that he blamed them. They were supposed to be safe. Free from the trife. It was supposed to be the smallest of victories, but a victory all the same. Instead, they had gotten their asses handed to them. Again. They had lost more of their friends and comrades and were thinking about the Deliverance suffering the same fate as Earth.

  “A-TEHN-SHUN! Officers on deck,” he barked as he entered ahead of Captain Rogers and Lieutenant Jones. Maybe Doctor Valentine thought the ship was civilian now and they should treat it as such despite the situation. He was holding on to the one thing that made sense to him. He would always be a Marine first.

  The rest of the Marines came to their feet, some more readily than others. Their attention was sloppy and disheveled, but he knew the lieutenant wouldn’t allow it to last.

  “Straighten up,” Lieutenant Jones snapped as he entered the space and saw them. “You’re Space Force Marines, damn it, not some football team that just lost the damned Super Bowl.”

  “I miss the Super Bowl,” someone said.

  “We all miss the Super Bowl,” Jones said. “But it isn’t coming back. None of what you knew before the trife is coming back. We’re Marines, and it’s our job, our duty, to be an example to everyone.”

  “Like who?” another Marine said. “There’s no one left.”

  “Bullshit. There are forty-thousand civilians on board. Do you want them to see you like this? Do you want them to see you defeated? Broken? Feeling sorry for yourselves like little babies? Marine up and come to attention properly!”

  The Marines made an audible snapping sound as they stood up straight and proud, joining Caleb and the Vultures at attention.

  “That’s better,” Lieutenant Jones said. He paused a moment, walking to the center of the room with Captain Rogers, making eye contact with each of the Marines. “Most of you know me, even if we haven’t served together. I’m Lieutenant Adam Jones. This is Captain Samantha Rogers. I hate to say it, but we’re the ranking officers on this boat.”

  A soft murmur went through the group. They knew what the statement meant.

  “What happened to Major Lyle, sir?” one of them asked. “He just sent us a comm message a few minutes ago.”

  “He’s in Metro,” Captain Rogers said. “As the acting Governor.”

  “Lucky bastard,” someone said.

  “We have to face the situation head-on,” Lieutenant Jones said. “The trife are on board. We did our best to hold them at the hangar, but we weren’t able to do it. That isn’t the fault of any one of us. We did the best we could. We have to accept that we lost this round, and we have to come back stronger. That’s what Marines do. Isn’t it?”

  “Sir, yes, sir!” the group shouted, less enthusiastically than the lieutenant wanted.

  “I said, isn’t it?”

  “Sir, yes, sir!” they said again, gaining some strength.

  “Damn it, how the hell are we going to get the trife off our ship if we don’t believe we can get the trife off our ship? Are you ready to go blast some more trife ass?”

  “Sir, yes, sir!” they all shouted, loud and firm.

  Lieutenant Jones smiled. “You’re damn right. Captain Rogers and I haven’t been sitting on our asses while you’ve been out there dying. We have a path forward.”

  “Everybody dies?” someone joked.

  “No.”

  “We’re going to lock down Metro,” Captain Rogers said. “Seal it off from the trife and keep the civilians safe.”

  “The civilians? What about us?”

  “Anyone who wants to join the civilians in Metro is free to do so.” Lieutenant Jones pointed to the two Marines who had lost parts of their arms. “You two are joining the population.”

  “Sir, I can still fight,” one of them said. “Give me a replacement, and I’ll be good to go.”

  “We don’t have any replacements on board,” the Lieutenant replied. “We weren’t expecting to need them.”

  “I’m supposed to live the rest of my life without an arm?”

  “There are replicators in Metro. They can produce a prosthetic, but not as quickly as we need you.”

  “Understood, sir. Still, I want to help.”

  “I appreciate that Corporal,” Jones said. “We’ll find other ways for you to help.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “We’re looking for volunteers to stay outside the city. Your first mission will be to eliminate the trife from the ship. Your second mission will be to take over as Guardians for the remainder of the journey. If you want to stay and fight, join me here in the center of the room.”

  Caleb’s mind flashed to Sheriff Aveline. He could see her face, picture her smile and her laugh. The sparkle in her eyes. They had hit it off so well in such a short amount of time. Less than an hour with her had given him pause in his decision to be a Guardian. He had never been that concerned with women. His duty was his passion, especially after the trife came.

  Now he had to choose.

  It was still an easy choice.

  “I’m in, Lieutenant,” he said, stepping forward.

  Lieutenant Jones bit his lip and nodded. His expression was an apology that it had come to this.

  “I’m in too,” Sho said, joining Caleb.

  “Sho,” Caleb said. “What about – ”

  “Save it, Sergeant. I wasn’t allowed to be a Guardian before.” She looked at Jones. “You can’t afford to leave us women out now, can you, Lieutenant? You’ll lose a third of your pool of volunteers.”

  “No, I can’t,” Jones agreed. “If you want in, you’re in.”

  Hafizi and Washington stepped in with Caleb. So did Pratt. Ten more Marines followed them.

  “What about you, Captain Rogers?” Sho asked.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m a pilot, not a Marine.” She moved away from the group near Lieutenant Jones, adding herself to the small group on the sidelines.

  Of those staying behind, only the two Marines who had lost their arms didn’t look guilty about the decision. They wanted it enough they were making it regardless of what their conscience was telling him. Caleb understood. He could never put anyone else over his duty – not when there were lives at risk – but that didn’t mean it wasn’t tempting.

  “Okay,” Lieutenant Jones said. “You have five minutes to relieve yourselves of your gear in the armory and meet me back here. Sergeant Card, Private Sho, Private Washington, you’ll help me escort the civilians to Metro.”

  “Civilians?” one of the Marines said.

  “That’s right,” Jones replied. “As soon as you step through the hatch into Metro, you become a Metro citizen. There’s no military inside. No Space Force. No Marines. You can talk to Law to see if they’ll take you on as a deputy. Otherwise, Governor Lyle will find work for you.”

  “Yes, sir,” the Marine said. He sounded disappointed. It still didn’t change his mind. He joined the other Marines in retreating from the barracks toward the armory to return their gear.

  “Sergeant Pratt, you’re in charge down here until we get back. Get these Marines ready to fight again. The trife are looking to establish nests deeper in the ship. We need to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

  “Yes, sir,” Pratt said.

  “Sergeant Card, come with me. The rest of you, take a breather. You have five minutes of downtime.”

  “Yes, sir,” the other volunteers said.

  “Oh, and welcome to the Guardians.”

  “Yes, sir!”

  Caleb followed Lieutenant Jones out of the barracks, through a short corridor to the module’s central control room, where the Master Sergeant was waiting.

  “Sir,” the Master Sergeant said, coming to attention.

  “As you were,” Lieutenant Jones said. “Master Sergeant Gold, can you link me in with the Research module?”

  “Yes, sir,” Gold replied, moving to the nearest terminal. He slid his hands over the control panel and then pointed at the lieutenant to indicate they were connected.

  “Doctor Valentine,” Lieutenant Jones said. “I have fourteen volunteers.”

  “Congratulations, Lieutenant,” she replied. Caleb couldn’t tell if she was being snarky or sincere.

  “I’ll be sending Sergeant Pratt and Private Ning to assist you with your preparations as soon as I finish delivering the new Metro citizens to the city. Figure about twenty minutes.”

  “That will do nicely, thank you Lieutenant.”

  “How is your man coming on the networking hack?”

  “It’s only been ten minutes, Lieutenant. He’ll get it done. Don’t worry.”

  “Right. Jones out.”

  He slid his finger across his throat to signal Gold to cut the comm and then turned to Caleb.

  “Cal, I’m really sorry about bringing you into Metro to meet Lily. I figured you two might gel and you would change your mind about the city. Win-win for both of us.”

  “You don’t need to apologize, sir. I get it. And yeah, we did gel. But my place is here for as long as the Deliverance is under threat.”

  “I knew you would be pragmatic about it. But I wanted you to know that I recognize what I did and the way it was resolved.”

  “Thank you, sir. That’s why you’ll always have my deepest respect.”

  “I don’t know that I will, Sergeant. There’s another reason I pulled you aside, beyond an apology.”

  Caleb watched Jones’ face. The lieutenant’s expression shifted to match the Marines who had decided to lock themselves in Metro.

  “Sir?” he said, shocked and saddened before anything more was said.

  “The only thing that’s kept me going is knowing I would be getting out of this,” Jones said.

  “We’ll get out of this,” Caleb replied. “We’ll kill the wayward trife, and you can go to Metro inside of a week.”

  “We hope,” Lieutenant Jones said. “You’re a strong Marine, Cal, but there are no guarantees. I want to stand with you. I want to keep fighting. But there’s a big part of me telling me I can’t. Not after all I’ve been through. Not after everything I’ve seen. I had a wife. A family. The trife took that from me. I know that isn’t unique, but I want to have that again before I die. And I can in Metro.”

  Caleb stared at the lieutenant. This man had been his mentor, his role model for over a year. He couldn’t believe he was going to give it up when the Guardians needed him the most.

  “Is that the real reason you wanted volunteers, sir?” Caleb asked.

  “Don’t call me sir, Sergeant,” Jones replied. “Call me Adam. I’m a civilian too.” He reached up to his uniform, taking hold of the name patch on his jacket and tearing it off. His jaw was tight, his eyes pained. “I’m sorry, Cal.”

  “You set us up to die out here,” Caleb hissed. “How could you do this to me, Adam? How the hell can you do this to them?” His voice rose as he spoke until he was screaming.

  “I deserve whatever you want to give me,” Adam said. “But you aren’t going to die. You’re going to take this group of Space Force Marines, and you’re going to make everyone in Metro proud. That’s what you do, Sergeant Card. That’s what you are.”

  “You do realize once you go, that makes Master Sergeant Gold the ranking enlisted?” Caleb said, unable to think of anything else to say. “No offense to him, but he’s been behind a desk since before the trife came to Earth.”

  “The situation is changing faster than we can make rules to keep pace,” Adam said. “You were slated as a lead for your Guardianship cycle. I think you’re the only lead in the program who’s still alive. Since we’re moving to Guardian Protocol, that makes you the CO. Guardian Alpha, in the new parlance.”