“It hasn’t been easy in two years,” Joseph replied. “I can’t even count the number of good men and women we’ve lost, both inside and outside the Marines. I’m sure it’s no different for you, sir.”

  “It is a little different, at least right now. The trife don’t like water. Our nuclear ships are off the coast, still managing. I don’t know how long that will last, or what will happen to them when they run out of fuel. Or food. Or water. Even the islands are infected with the bastards.”

  “We prefer to call them demons, sir,” Joseph said with a smile. “Since we’re the Bastards.”

  “Right. I forgot. The Magnificent Bastards.” The nickname for the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines. “I know of you, Sergeant. Lieutenant Wall, the hangar boss, described you to me, and I read the report the evaluators put together on you when you applied to be a Guardian. You’re quite an accomplished Marine.”

  “I do the best I can, sir. That’s all.”

  “Like the rest of us these days. You cleaned up well.”

  Joseph looked down at his utilities, pulling at the bottom of his shirt to straighten it even more. There was a spot on the chest for a name badge, but he hadn’t found his yet. “I didn’t want to meet you covered in trife blood, sir.”

  “I don’t know, I might have preferred that.”

  Joseph nodded. “Sir, I was just on my way up to the bridge. I would have used the CIC’s comms, but the system’s locked out and I don’t have an ID chip or the access code.”

  “It’s completely understandable, Sergeant. It’s actually the reason I was coming to you. I figured you might be a little lost on procedure since your CO didn’t make it.”

  “We are, sir” Joseph admitted. “I appreciate you coming down in person, Captain. I’m sure you’re a very busy man.”

  Tyson smiled. “Not as busy as you might think now that we’re safely launched. Most of my duties now are in preparation of turning the conn over to the ship’s computer. That includes ensuring all non-essential personnel are properly transferred into the population of Metro and my Guardians have what they need to do their job.”

  “Yes, sir. I think the most important need we have right now is access to the secured areas of the module and to our part of the network.”

  “Of course.” Tyson tapped on his comm badge. “Doctor Okoye.”

  “This is Okoye,” a deep voice responded a moment later.

  “Doctor, it’s Captain Grant.”

  “Captain,” Okaye said. “What can I do for you, sir?”

  “Can you please report to the Guardian module on deck thirty-one? Please bring the ID insertion kit with you.”

  “Of course, Captain. Are there any injuries to attend to as well?”

  Tyson looked at Joseph, who shook his head. “None of the injured Marines made it to the ship.”

  “No, Doctor. Just the kit will do, thank you. Grant out.”

  He tapped on the badge to disconnect. “We’ll have you up and running in no time.”

  “Thank you, Captain.”

  Tyson eyed Joseph. The Sergeant’s body language told him there was something else the man wanted to say but didn’t feel like he could or should. He had a feeling he knew what it was about.

  “Sergeant, you and your team are one of my most valuable assets on this mission, and I can’t afford for there to be any unresolved feelings or concerns between us. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “You have my permission to speak freely if there’s something you want to get off your chest.”

  Joseph sighed, still appearing nervous to speak his mind. He drew in another breath. “Well, sir. It’s about Colonel Hale. And our orders to enter Pioneer’s hangar. We were told there was a potential threat approaching through the air vents. When we arrived, there was no sign of trife.” His eyes narrowed, his anger beginning to show through. “You lied, Captain.”

  The accusation didn’t faze Tyson. “Yes, I did. Knowingly, and willingly. And under the same circumstances, I would do it again.”

  Joseph’s face began to redden slightly. “You left her to die.”

  “No. I was hoping she would bring all of her Marines down, not send a single squad. I understand why she didn’t. The casualties were too high and she needed to buy us more time. I didn’t want her to die, Sergeant. But I did need you here on Pioneer, not back there buried beneath the rubble. Do you understand?”

  Joseph glared at him a moment. Then he nodded. “I don’t like it, but I understand.”

  “I don’t like it either, Sergeant. It’s unfortunate, but our responsibility is to put Pioneer and the people of Metro ahead of everything else, including the lives of our fellow crewmen. That means making hard decisions and harder sacrifices. Colonel Hale understood that, and I believe she sent you down because she knew you did too. Your squad survived when none of the others did. You proved your mettle out there, and like I said, your record speaks for itself.”

  “I do the best I can, sir,” Joseph repeated. “That’s all.” The color drained from his face with his anger. “I’m ready to do whatever it takes to see Pioneer safely home, Captain.”

  Tyson smiled. “I appreciate that. Hopefully we’ll have smooth sailing, and you won’t be asked to make anymore hard decisions. But it’s always good to be prepared.”

  “Yes, sir.” He paused, the same uncomfortable body language beginning to return. He didn’t wait for permission to speak this time. “Sir, there is something else you can help me with.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Corporal Levi, sir. He’s one of my Marines. He didn’t apply to be a Guardian. In fact, his children are inside Metro, under the care of a volunteer since his wife is dead. It was his understanding that he would be joining them in the city after the launch, assuming he survived.”

  “I heard only nine of you made it onboard,” Tyson replied.

  “That’s correct, sir.”

  “Then going into Metro isn’t on the table for him, regardless of what he was promised. We need him out here.”

  “That was my perspective too, sir. When I told him he couldn’t go to Metro, he became agitated. Belligerent. He threatened the ship and me if I left him unsupervised.”

  Tyson’s blood turned cold, a shiver running down his spine. “He what?”

  “Sir, I’m sure he said it out of fear and desperation. I don’t think he would actually do damage to the ship let alone anything to risk the lives of forty-thousand people.”

  Tyson didn’t speak right away, needing time to gather his thoughts. He could barely comprehend the idea of someone threatening the ship whether he meant what he said or not.

  “Sergeant, when you applied to become a Guardian you were given a full battery of tests and interviews to establish your psychological stability for the needs of this mission. We hand-selected the twenty best applicants from a pool of over one hundred. Despite the rigors of the position the interest was high, as was the competition.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I understand that Levi didn’t apply to take those tests, but circumstances have put us in a position where we can’t rely on psych evals or eliminate any of the remaining Marines from the equation. I understand that Levi may have made his statement out of desperation, but I absolutely cannot risk that he’s capable of performing this duty when it’s his turn. Your job is too important for us to just assume his words were merely a proxy for his emotional state. Which means he’s unfit to serve as a Guardian.”

  “Understood, sir.”

  “At the same time, I can’t just allow him to enter Metro and be with his children. What kind of message would that send to the rest of the crew? That they can make threats and get what they want in exchange?” He shook his head. “That isn’t going to fly, either.”

  “Yes, sir. What do you suggest I do about him, Captain?”

  Tyson rubbed at his chin, noticing how the smoothness from his earlier shave was fading right along with the peace it had given him. He was ready to put the razor to it again, just for the chance to relax. He couldn’t believe he had to deal with something as serious as this already. He wasn’t ready for this, but he still had to handle it.

  “You’re aware Pioneer doesn’t have a brig?” Tyson asked.

  “I’m aware of that, sir. I heard there’s a prison in Metro.”

  “There’s a jail, but it’s intended for minor infractions committed by the civilian population. I’m sorry to say that what we’re looking at here is outright treason by a member of the United States Space Force Marine Corps.” Tyson paused, shifting his rubbing to his forehead. His heart pounded. His mouth went dry. “Without a brig to put Corporal Levi in, and as the commanding officer of this ship, it’s my duty to pass judgment and see that judgment carried out.”

  “Sir?” Joseph said, the tension in his voice proving he knew what Tyson had no choice but to do, even though it was the last thing he wanted.

  “Hard decisions and sacrifices,” Tyson said. “I have no choice but to sentence Corporal Levi to death.”

  “No,” Joseph said. “Sir, you can’t. We didn’t escape Earth just to kill a man for wanting to be with his kids, especially a man who’s served his country with honor.”

  “You asked for my judgment, Sergeant. You clearly wanted to put the decision in my hands.”

  “I didn’t expect the decision to be death. How could I?”

  “Let me ask you something, Sergeant Cross. Let’s say it’s two years from now. You’ve just completed your duty cycle and you’re preparing to swap places with two of your fellow Guardians, of which Corporal Levi is one. You do so with the understanding that there will be times when one Guardian is sleeping and the other is awake and alone with direct access to machinery critical to our survival as well as to your stasis pod. Can you honestly say, based on your earlier interaction with Corporal Levi and what you know of him as a Marine, that you would trust him with the lives of every single person on this starship? That you would trust him with your life?”

  Joseph stared at Tyson in silence, face paling, breath short. He remained that way for nearly half a minute before lowering his head to look at the ground, shaking it. “No. Not after what he said. I can imagine being that upset, I still wouldn’t say something like that, especially after I warned him to be careful with his words. Damn it.”

  “If we were on Earth, I would ship him off to become someone else’s problem. I can’t do that here. My only choices are to let him serve as a Guardian or end his life. I can’t give him what he wants without sending the wrong message to the others, and I’m not risking this ship if there’s any truth behind his threat. Our situation forces the issue to be that black and white, as much as you and I both hate it.”

  Joseph looked up at him, nodding. “Yes, sir. I understand. I’ll take care of it.”

  “No. I won’t ask you to put his blood solely on your hands. I’m the Captain. It’s my decision. As a Guardian, it’s your responsibility to help me carry out that decision.”

  “Yes, sir. How?”

  Tyson tapped on his comm badge. “Doctor Okoye.”

  “This is Okoye.”

  “Doctor, it’s Captain Grant again.”

  “Captain. My apologies, sir. I’m on my way.”

  “Are you still in sick bay?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Can you please bring a sedative along with you. Something that can knock out a horse.”

  “We have horses on board, sir?”

  “Just bring it,” Tyson snapped. This wasn’t the time for jokes.

  “Yes, sir,” Okoye said stiffly. “I’ll be right down.”

  “Grant out.” He disconnected the comm and looked at Joseph. “We’ll handle this as gently as possible. There’s no reason for him to suffer, much less know what’s going to happen to him.”

  Joseph nodded again, his face pained.

  Tyson felt the same anguish. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. The decision he’d just had to come to made him sick to his stomach. But it was the right decision.

  Wasn’t it?

  16

  Cross

  Pioneer. Guardian Module. 11.11.2052. 1530 hours.

  Joseph and Captain Grant remained outside the module while they waited for Doctor Okoye to arrive. They were both stiff and tense, and they stood together in uncomfortable but necessary silence.

  Joseph’s hand dropped to his hip, brushing the smooth cotton of his utilities, wishing he had taken a sidearm. He shouldn’t need one here on board. Not now. Hopefully not ever. This was the last thing he ever would have expected he might need to do.

  Damn Levi for being such a hothead about getting into Metro. Damn him for not taking it like a Marine. It wasn’t like him to make such violent outbursts, or Joseph might be able to reason it was just his personality. This was different. Levi wanted so much to be with his kids. A noble desire. Totally understandable, especially since his wife was dead. But to threaten the ship over it? To threaten him? Joseph didn’t want to believe he would follow through. In his heart, he didn’t think he would. But in a case like this, he had to know for certain. No doubts. This mission was more important than Levi’s life.

  But what kind of precedent would rushing so quickly to judgement and execution set for the days to come? It was a dangerous prelude to their journey. One he couldn’t help thinking would have consequences somewhere down the line.

  He heard Okoye’s footsteps on the metal floor of the passageway long before the Doctor came around the corner and headed their way. He was one of the darkest men Joseph had ever seen. Tall and thin, with tightly curled salt and pepper hair and a small nose, he wore the same utilities as Joseph beneath a long white coat, a name tag and his comm badge attached to it. He had the strap of a satchel slung over his shoulder, containing the ID kit and the ominous sedative.

  “Captain Grant,” Okoye said, coming to attention when he reached them. “Doctor Okoye reporting as ordered, sir.”

  “At ease, Doctor,” Grant replied. “Doctor Mtumbo Okoye, this is Sergeant Joseph Grant.”

  “A pleasure, Sergeant,” Okoye said. “Thank you for helping us get off the ground.”

  “That’s why I’m here, Doctor,” Joseph replied.

  Okoye turned back to Grant. “Captain, I don’t understand the request for the sedative. You told me no one was hurt.”

  “No one is hurt,” Grant verified. “We have a situation with one of the Marines. He needs to be calmed a bit.”

  “I see. I brought mecloqualone. It’s a hypnotic. It’ll put him to sleep.”

  “Thank you, Doctor.”

  “Sir,” Joseph said. “What are we going to do with him once he’s sleeping?”

  Grant’s face tensed, eyes meeting Joseph’s. “We’ll place him in one of the airlocks.”

  A chill rushed down Joseph’s spine. “You want to space him?”

  “I don’t want to. We’ve already discussed this, Sergeant. Give me another option, a reasonable option, and I’ll take it.”

  Joseph had spent the last few minutes thinking about it. He couldn’t come up with an answer that didn’t adversely affect the duties of anyone else on the crew.

  “Right,” Grant said. “There is no other option.”

  “Is this man a danger, Captain?” Okoye asked.

  “I wouldn’t be ready to put him in the airlock if he wasn’t,” Grant replied. “Do you have a better idea, Doctor?”

  Okoye pursed his lips. “What about putting him in stasis? We have a few extra pods. We can wake him when we reach Avalon and perhaps detain him then.”

  Grant immediately shook his head. “He refused to follow orders. He threatened the ship and everyone on it. He attacked a fellow Marine. We can’t reward him by letting him live longer and come out of stasis younger than the rest of us.”

  “Understood, sir,” Okoye replied. “You asked for another idea. It was the only one I could think of.

  “I appreciate the thought, Doctor. There’s just no other way to handle this.”

  “He won’t feel anything, will he?” Joseph asked.

  “Once he’s asleep, he won’t wake again.”

  “Just to be clear,” Grant said. “This is my order, Sergeant. Insomuch as the Guardians fall under my command.”

  “Yes, sir,” Joseph replied.

  “You don’t have to like it. You don’t have to like me for it. But I do expect you to follow your orders.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Okay. Shall we?” He motioned to the door.

  The module had a security panel on the outside, but it was currently inactive. The doors opened when Joseph put his hand in front of it, revealing the CIC. The three men walked in.

  “Sergeant,” Corporal West said. She was waiting near the front of the module, to Joseph’s left. He hadn’t asked her to stand there. She seemed to know he might need her. He could hear the others in the galley, talking and laughing. Was Levi among them?

  “Corporal Keesha West,” Joseph said. “This is Doctor Mtumbo Okoye and Captain Tyson Grant.”

  West snapped to attention. “Captain Grant, sir. I’m sorry, I didn’t—”

  “As you were, Corporal,” Grant said. “It’s good to meet you. I remember your file. You were approved as a Guardian.”

  “Yes, sir,” she replied proudly.

  “I’m glad the two of you made it off Earth.”

  “Corporal, where’s Levi?” Joseph asked.

  “He’s in one of the racks,” West replied. “Nori is guarding the door. He came unglued after you left, Sarge. Gave Morales a bloody nose for making a joke about Hoffman’s mother. It’s not like it’s the first time we’ve made fun. He’s just...he’s lost it.” Her grim look said it all, including the sympathy she felt for him.

  Joseph glanced at Grant, who nodded.

  “We’re going to give him a sedative,” Joseph explained. “Put him to sleep, and then take him away. We can’t trust him to do his job, Keesh.”

  Levi wouldn’t be the first Marine who had lost it. Some were fortunate enough to survive the trife, but in their minds they were always out there in the middle of it and they could never let it go. On Earth, those Marines were shipped off to Camp Lejeune, never to be seen again.