The lines at the edge of Breslin's eyes deepened. "Let me guess, hope for a better future for the human race?"

Krys heard the scorn in Breslin's voice. "No sir, it's a hope that nobody else would get hurt."

Commander Breslin stared at him for a long moment. He sighed and shook his head. "Son, I don't disagree with that."

Krys jerked at the commander addressing him that way. Only two men had ever called him son: his father and Mr. Strain. He wasn't sure the commander deserved to be included in that group.

"You're not a soldier, but you've seen the hardship of war. There's no way to make it pretty and there's no way to stop people from being hurt by it. All we can do is trust that it was the right thing and move forward. That's what we're trying to do now, move forward."

"And my settlement has done exactly that," Shelby reinserted herself into the conversation. "You said it yourself. I have a peaceful community with consistent yields on our ag products. The only troubles I've had dealt with convoys nearer the starport rather than my colony."

Breslin leaned back and let his eyes linger on her. "And you maintain part of your success was in harnessing the talent of someone born there with native knowledge?"

She nodded.

He sighed. "Do you think the replacements will ever reach his level?"

"Sir, if I may?" Krys broke in.

Breslin's eye twitched again but he turned to look at Krys. "You already did, you might as well continue."

"I'm sorry, but I've seen it with my own eyes. Your people, the replacements, you called them? Yes, well, they do the work and they're learning day by day, but most of them do it like a job."

"It is a job."

"Right, but the people I grew up with-that was our lives. It meant something to us. We took pride in it."

His eyes narrowed. "Pride?"

"Pride in knowing that we were doing a good job and helping out. We weren't greedy; we were just happy to bring in a harvest and make sure people got it. We were paid for it, I suppose, but there was never once any delays because we asked too much or wouldn't agree to sell it. At least none that I ever heard of."

He frowned. "The new workers have been taught to feel the urge to serve one another."

"They do," Krys was quick to say. "But they're young. Older than me, I know, but young enough that most of them haven't had the chance to really need to rely on one another. Until they understand what it means to be without, it's hard for them to understand how important it is to provide and how good they should feel about themselves for being able to do that."

The commander's eyes narrowed and glanced away a few times, showing that Krys had at least made him think. Finally they settled on him again and he asked, "How old are you?"

"Almost eighteen."

He snorted. "You're smart. Smarter than you should be, if you ask me."

Krys finally broke down and glanced at Shelby. She kept herself sitting at attention in her seat as she faced Commander Breslin.

"A smart man can be a dangerous thing. You can solve problems and see things others can't, but maybe you can make them too, by giving people ideas that they shouldn't have."

"Like I said, I don't want anyone getting hurt," Krys volunteered.

Breslin grunted. He held Krys's gaze and made him feel like the only two people who mattered were him and the commander. "I'm an old man by today's standards. Almost three times your age. There aren't many people like me left. Just these replacements with their training and not a damn bit of experience at anything outside of that."

"Sir?" Krys asked when the commander trailed off.

Breslin nodded. "A man in my position has seen a lot of things and made a lot of choices. Some good, some bad. Like I said before, as a soldier I have to follow orders and do what I've been entrusted to do. And some days that means I have trouble finding a way to let myself sleep at night."

Krys's brow furrowed as the man continued talking. He turned to Shelby and saw that she was focused on him still, but he could tell from her posture that she seemed anxious. Was something bad about to happen to him? To her?

"Mr. Evans, we're done here. Someone will escort you back to your room."

Krys's eyes widened. He turned to glance at Shelby but she remained fixed on the commander. Her fingers, he noticed, were pressing into her thighs instead of resting on top of her legs.

He nodded and stood up, and then turned and opened the door. The door started to shut behind him and he heard Commander Breslin start to say, "Lieutenant Riggs, for your dedication and performance over the past three years leading Settlement Sierra-12, you are being relocated to-"

"Right this way."

Krys turned and jumped. A soldier was standing there in a lighter version of the field armor he'd seen up close and personal. He tried, and failed to swallow. "Um, okay," he managed as the soldier turned away from him. Krys fell in behind him, wondering if he was marching to the room he'd stayed in before, or a new one accessorized with jail cell bars.

Chapter 44.

The last thing Lily saw before darkness claimed her was Palla all but running towards her. She gave in to the darkness and did the only thing she could: she waited.

"Desyncing complete. Hurry back, Lily," Sunshine said in a pleasant but otherwise flat tone. It was followed by the scrape of metal against metal and then the vibration of her cockpit cracking open. Her piloting pod hissed a moment later.

"I will, Sunshine," Lily whispered into the hot mask. She reached up and disconnected the mask so she could inhale the slightly cooler outside air. She could taste the burnt lubricants in the air and it made her grimace in spite of how refreshing the air felt in her chest.

"Lil!" Palla cried from outside her cockpit.

Lily smirked and pulled her helmet off. She blinked at the bright light streaming in and had to shield her eyes as she adjusted to it. A moment later, a shadow passed over her and she was able to look up and see Palla perched in the opening.

"Whoa! New uniform?" Palla asked as she took in the skimpy clothes Lily wore.

Lily laughed. "It gets so hot in here!" she said.

"You're soaked!" Palla said as her eyes took her in. "Oh wow, I had no idea it was so hot in here."

Lily nodded. "The padding doesn't absorb it either. I've been drinking water like you wouldn't believe."

"This can't be healthy," Palla mumbled.

"One of my biggest fears is that I'd go to get out and somebody would be here to help and see me dressed like this. Or undressed, I guess."

Palla's eyes skimmed over Lily's glistening body. "I can see why!"

"So, um, you're doing it."

Palla's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh! I am! I'm sorry!"

Lily laughed. "It's okay. If anyone's going to see me, I'd rather it was you."

"Um, thanks. I think," Palla said with a redness in her cheeks. "You've got some clothes on-it's not like you're naked."

Lily decided to let the matter drop since Palla hadn't taken the clue and climbed back down. She leaned up and opened up the storage locker to remove the optional uniform female officers were allowed to wear. It was similar to the same outfit she'd worn as a student, consisting of a blouse and skirt. The dress uniform had a more adult and formal cut to it, as well as both darker blues and her service ribbons and medals on the shirt.

"You were prepared for this," Palla announced as Lily pulled the skirt up her long legs and tightened it over the skimpy briefs she wore.

Lily ignored her and slipped her boots on over her bare feet and secured them before turning the shirt the right way. She pulled the sleeveless shirt on and buttoned it over her sweat-drenched halter top. She finished by squeezing the sweat out of the wide strip of hair on the top of her hair and then tried to blot off the sweat running down the smooth sides of her scalp.

"I was called back to the starport without having a chance to rest," Lily said. "I'm not sure why, but they want a report in person and they want it now."

Palla nodded. "They don't trust communications, the reb-the terrorists are using far more technology than they thought they'd be able to."

Lily nodded her agreement. She knew that they were officially discouraged from referring to their enemy as rebels. It sent the wrong message, or so the rumor was. Terrorists, on the other hand...well, nobody liked a terrorist.

"But why the rush? I wanted to expand and search the surrounding area."

Palla brought her finger to her lips. "Save it for later," she said. "Hush-hush out here."

Lily nodded. It wasn't just communications her superiors were worried about. She glanced past Palla to the paved ground outside and then looked back at her friend. Palla was grinning. "What?"

"You did it again," Palla said.

"Did what?"

"Surpassed expectations!"

Lily shrugged but couldn't resist a small smile. "I thought I wasn't supposed to talk about it?"

Palla sucked her lips between her teeth and then laughed. "Sorry, you're not. I'm just excited for you. Next time, they're sending me with you. I'm going to be your liaison."

"Liaison?" Lily repeated. She glanced at the helmet on the pod behind her. Sunshine did a fine job of arranging communications-why did she need a liaison? "Um, I don't know if that's a good idea."

Palla's smile started to fade. "Why not?"

"I lost some people out there," Lily said. "When we were-oh, right, can't talk about it. Well, I lost some supplies and some people. If you were with me, odds are you would have been in those vehicles that got hit."

"Oh!"

Lily nodded. "So we may want to rethink that."

Palla frowned. "We'll have to talk about it. I'm willing to take some risks. I mean, look at all you're risking. What right do I have to accept any less?"

Lily pressed her lips together and smiled. The truth was there were only two people left that she really cared about anymore, beyond herself. Krys would always be one of them and one day, hopefully as soon as the trouble on Venus was over, she would be able to reunite with him. Palla was the other one. If there was a way for Lily to keep her safe, then she would do whatever she had to in order to make it happen. "We'll talk," she agreed. "But for now, let's get up to my debriefing!"

"Good thing you hadn't been debriefed when I climbed up here-you'd have been naked!"

Lily groaned and shook her head. She shooed Palla away with her hands and then followed her friend down the side of her battle-scarred biomech. She paused, grimacing at the explosion on her cockpit that bent the armor enough to make it scrape every time it opened and closed. "I'll get you fixed up good as new, Sunshine," Lily whispered.

"What's that?" Palla called up to her.

"Nothing," Lily said. She glanced up into the open cockpit and smiled and started back down.

"Thank you."

Lily froze and looked back up. Had she heard Sunshine just now or was she imagining things? She'd never heard of a biomech pilot going crazy, but all those signals in her head merging with her own body's senses, it had to do something, didn't it? She shook her head and continued down. She could look that up later. For now she had work to do.

Palla led her through the maze of newly built administrative buildings of the starport that had been taken over by the army. Other than when she'd walked Sunshine out of the transport when they landed, it was her first time in the capital city since she'd been shipped off planet so many years ago. Rather than leading her into any of the buildings they passed, Palla led her to a another paved parking lot lined with over a hundred people. There seemed to be an equal mix of military and civilian uniforms in attendance.

"What is this?" Lily hissed as Palla led her down an aisle through the crowd.

Palla flashed her a grin. "Come on, they're waiting for you."

Lily reached up to her sweaty hair and then snatched her hand back down. There was nothing she could do to hide how disgusting she looked and felt. "Palla-"

"Up here!" Palla interrupted her as they emerged from the front of the gathered throng of people. A small stage had been erected and several people stood on it already. She recognized Commander Breslin from a picture she'd seen of him, as well as Colonel Abram, the leader of First Brigade.

Lily snapped to attention and saluted her superiors. The stern-faced men returned her salute and motioned for her to take her place. Palla led her to stand close enough to Colonel Abram she could reach out and touch him. Palla then took the spot to her left.

A hush fell over the crowd as Commander Breslin stepped forward. "Citizens of humanity," he addressed the crowd and even took a few seconds to include the cameras that captured the event for broadcast throughout the solar systems. "I have been tasked by President Ondalla to ensure the safety of our race. That safety has been put in peril by the terrorists that butcher our citizens and destroy our agricultural production here, on Venus."

He paused to let his words sink in before continuing. "We've been here a few short days so far and already disturbing reports are coming in. The terrorist activity that has plagued our transports and production has been far more organized than we first thought. There have even been reports of entire communities that have been found destroyed or with their residents butchered."

He paused long enough to take a breath. "Our soldiers have been attacked. Our equipment stolen and used against us. It is more than an act of terrorism: it is acts of treason. Treason against our very race. These betrayals will not go without reprisal!"

Lily realized that everyone was staring at her. She turned and saw Commander Breslin give her a slight nod. Beside her, Colonel Abram whispered, "Loud and clear, summarize your mission."

Lily felt the heat in her face and realized she had to speak. To the entire human race. She swallowed and nodded, and then lifted her head and stared out at the gathered crowd. "Omega Platoon was dispatched to Settlement Delta-22. We thought it was deserted at first until we started finding the bodies of citizens murdered in their homes. We soon found a mass grave behind the colony. While we were investigating, Omega's supply and support elements were ambushed."

Lily saw everyone was watching her. From the looks on their faces, she knew it wasn't because she looked like a sweaty kid who had just been rolling around with a newborn vison. They were hanging on her news. They were excited to hear what she had to say. She raised her voice and continued, "We pushed them back and discovered how to unscramble their countermeasures that hid them. We destroyed the stolen tanks they used and then pushed into the tunnels they used as a base."

Lily paused and turned to glance at Colonel Abram and then Commander Breslin. The commander nodded and said loudly, "The citizens of Delta-22 have been avenged!"

A cheer went up from the crowd. Lily felt fresh heat in her face and started to step back when the commander spoke again. She stood still and figured out a way to stand even more stiffly at attention.

"Captain Lily Strain here was in charge of Omega Platoon, a mixed platoon of biomechs and armor," he said. "I think it's safe to say everyone listening has heard of Captain Strain before. She came from Venus and has proved that our mercy and tutelage was correct. Captain Strain is an example for us all to live for."

Fresh cheering and clapping left Lily feeling short of breath and nauseous at the same time; she wanted to pump her fist and shout out in triumph. Instead, she stood still and struggled to keep from grinning.

"Captain Strain is being appointed commander of a newly formed D Company in 1st Battalion of the 1st Armored Regiment. Her task will be to root out these traitors wherever they are and eliminate them. To aid her, First Lieutenant Shelby Riggs is going to serve as her XO. Lieutenant Riggs has the distinction of running Settlement Sierra-12, the only colony on this planet that has consistently met and exceeded their deliverables while suffering no casualties or collateral damage."

Lily hid her reaction to hearing that the town she'd grown up in had been the only colony on all of Venus that had not suffered in the attacks. She turned and watched as Lieutenant Riggs stepped forward. She sized her up, noting how the woman was a few years older than her but held herself with the discipline of a career soldier. She looked tough. Pretty, but hard.

"Finally," Commander Breslin announced, "As part of Lieutenant Riggs's dedication to duty, she helped discover a traitor in our very midst. She found a young man who is not who he claims he is. He has been educated and accepted as one of us, granting him access to our procedures, knowledge, and most intimate of details. This invasion of privacy and security will not be allowed to continue. It cannot be allowed!"

The commander motioned and two soldiers hauled a man dressed in a blue and white civilian uniform up from behind the stage. He was lifted up on to it, allowing everyone to see that in addition to the sack placed over his head, his wrists and ankles had manacles on them. Lily's eyes narrowed as she watched the young man move. There was something familiar about his walk that troubled her.