He ran a hand through his hair and slowly nodded. “Alright. I should have known you wouldn’t back down from a challenge.” They shared a smile. “It will be good to get back at those insect bastards. It’s been too long.”
“That’s the spirit! So, what are we after?”
He tapped at the screen of his comm. “It looks like there should be some data storage devices in an abandoned Xakul base on Elthea.”
“Do we have anything more than that?” she asked, picking up her tablet from the table.
“You should have the orders. Why not read through them and I’ll organize a briefing with Tomas and the team?”
Feeling a sense of relief, Laila nodded. Zac leaned over to drop a quick kiss on her lips before straightening his uniform and leaving the room with a promise to meet shortly for the briefing.
She began mindlessly flicking through the pages on her tablet. An incoming message notification blinked and Laila tapped the screen, opening a message from Space Force command sent not only to Laila and CJ, but to all the humans who were working with the Taureans. She skimmed it, then leaned back in her seat to close her eyes while she mulled over the meaning of the words.
The message wasn’t aimed at her directly, but it may as well have been. They were praised for performing well in training scenarios, encouraged to accept all opportunities presented to them, and reminded that their work was essential for Earth’s survival.
Essential for Earth’s survival.
The words rolled around in Laila’s mind, racing faster and faster until she had to rub her temples.
She read the message again, something she had missed the first time jumping out at her. They were to do everything they could to encourage the Taureans to join with humanity in the war against the Xakul.
Join withhumanity?
Surely they must realize that the only thing standing between Earth and the Xakul were the Taureans? They were the ones with all the power here, not the humans.
Only grudgingly was Earth deemed technologically advanced enough to be even considered a worthy ally. The Taureans were stretched thinly over a sizeable area of space. Why would they provide troops to protect a people that continually fought amongst themselves, and were rapidly destroying their own planet?
Perhaps the politicians back on Earth had realized that Earth was no longer a safe, insignificant planet in a distant solar system. They needed to look wider than their own planet if they wanted to survive.
Laila knew this was the most important mission of her life—of her career—and that she needed to succeed. She didn’t need some trumped up general on the other side of the galaxy to tell her this. She scoffed, glancing again at the official Space Force message, reading the words:“You must do whatever it takes to convince the Taureans to join forces with us.”
A second alert flashed on her tablet, Laila tapping on the notification to open a second message from Space Force, this one directed only to her.
That was interesting.
A video message was attached, and she opened it, surprised to see General Russell himself on the screen. Well, shit.
She hit play.
“Captain Storey, there have been developments here on Earth and I order you to return.”
Hold on. Why would they want her back on Earth so quickly?
“There was a leak about the true extent of the Xakul attack on Mars. It appears the details of your report were leaked to the press.” He paused. “We need you to return, to be the face of Space Force. To be blunt, we need some positive PR. You will be the image everyone on Earth associates with Space Force.”
Laila threw her head back and laughed. No way.
“You are to report back to Earth as soon as possible,” he continued.
She laughed again, humorlessly.
She was one of the few survivors of the Xakul attack on Mars, and the highest ranking, so it made sense to choose her. Laila wasn’t naïve. Once the furore over the Mars incident died down, they would replace her. Of that, she was positive.
And if they suspected her of leaking the report to the press herself? She didn’t want to think about that.
Laila felt trapped. She didn’t want this. She wanted to continue being useful in an active role, not behind a desk. She hadn’t joined Space Force for that.
* * *
