Kaiju Apocalypse by Eric S. Brown, Jason Cordova Page A

fate as Alantica. Almost every land mass we've scanned so far is teeming with lesser Kaiju, except for Lemura. While that city-state remains silent as well, Nathan has detected power readings there that can only be of human origin. If there are survivors trapped within the fallen walls of Lemura, I feel it is our duty to take them in before we leave Earth once more. It's clear there is nothing for us here. Not anymore. Our home, our planet, is lost. End general transmission.”
     
    “So... that’s it?” Ensign Hiro Iwakuma asked from the helm after a moment of absolute silence. “We’re just going to leave, like that? Where will we go? What will we do?”
     
    Kitty understood his concern and near panic. She felt something very similar threatening to well up from deep inside her. The calm emanating from Captain Whitmire, however, prevented the fear from overwhelming everyone on the bridge.
     
    “That is our long-term plan, yes,” Whitmire explained. “And Hiro? Remember your military bearing, son.”
     
    “Yes, sir!” Hiro snapped, his eyes locking back onto his duty station.
     
    “But while we're here, we also need to resupply the ship and try to take aboard anyone left alive,” Captain Whitmire continued. “It's our duty. All security and expeditionary personnel will be getting their orders shortly. As for the rest of us, we'll continue to learn what we can about what has happened here from orbit, as well as see if any of the orbital platforms remain functioning... though that seems unlikely at this time. Those platforms were built exclusively to support the ISS in the construction of the Argo , and were likely abandoned some time ago. Still, they're our best bet for refueling without endangering more of our personnel than need be.”
     
    *****
     
    Lieutenant Jim McCoy sat in the aisle between the rows of lockers as the rest of his platoon was gearing up. Like most everyone else, he supposed he was in shock. Sure, it sucked that the mission had failed. But to come home to find the great cities of Earth gone? It simply was too much. So far, he was holding it together, if only by reminding himself that he was still alive. He guessed that this counted for something, especially when so many others were dead.
     
    Corporal Steven Kirby slammed a fist into the door of his locker.  Bright red blood smeared on the metal facing as he hit it again and again. “Damn it, Lieutenant, sir!  What the crap are we supposed to do now?”
     
    “Denting that locker isn't going to change anything,” McCoy said without looking up from where he gazed at the Argo's cold metal floor.  “You heard the Old Man’s plan, like everyone else. We’re Marines. Still are, despite the security personnel moniker they’ve hung on us to make the civvies more comfortable. But some things never change, and us doing our jobs is one of those things.”
     
    “Yeah, we bust in, save some civvies, load up, and bug out,” Kirby growled.  “Not much of a plan if you ask me.”
     
    “No one did, Kirby,” McCoy pointed out.
     
    “Even if we load back up to max,” Private First Class Doug Grimes chimed in from a nearby locker, “the Argo can only hold so much. I mean, this ship has what, the storage space for maybe six months food and water? A bit longer maybe on the air with the scrubbers burning at maximum function and no breakdowns.”
     
    “You're right and you're wrong.” McCoy stood.  “That's six months for the entire population of the Argo .  The Old Man’s not going to wake the civvies or non-essential personnel we already got onboard. You can count on that. The newcomers will grab some of the reserve beds and we’ll put them into cryo as well. Simple. It'll stretch things out by bunches, and give us more time.”
     
    “Time?!” Kirby snapped. “Time for what? All we'll be doing is waiting to die!”
     
    “That's enough, Kirby,” McCoy warned.
     
    “I guess the LT means we'll be planet-hunting, Kirby.