The Lost Stars by Jack Campbell Page A

clenched one fist and looked at Iceni. “I know that alarm.”
    â€œYes,” Iceni said in a voice whose steadiness surprised her. The display was mechanically and unfeelingly providing the details of the death sentence she thought she might have miraculously avoided. “The enigmas have launched bombardment projectiles aimed at this planet. Seventy-two of them, many with substantial mass. That is enough to devastate the limited land area on this world and wipe out the human population.”
    â€œWhat can wedo?”
    â€œNothing, General Drakon. Absolutely nothing.”

CHAPTER FOUR
    â€œGENERAL,” Malin said urgently. He had come up close to Drakon without being noticed while everyone gaped in despair at the display with its deadly message for everyone on this world. “There are still a few freighters in orbit. We can get you up to one of them.”
    â€œI thought you wanted me to stay,” Drakon said, feeling intense bitterness at the end of his hopes for this star system.
    â€œWhen it meant something, General. It doesn’t mean anything now. That bombardment cannot be stopped. You can save yourself, and as long as you live, you can still try to make something from the ruins. With the flotilla commanded by Kommodor Marphissa, you will have substantial influence someplace like Taroa.”
    â€œAnd my troops, Colonel Malin? What about my soldiers?”
    â€œWe’ll lift as many as we can up to the freighters, General.”
    As many as we can? A few hundred, maybe. Out of thousands. Colonel Rogero would probably stay with his unit until the end, watching the enigma bombardment come down through the atmosphere in streaks of fire that would end in mushroom clouds. Colonel Kai, too. Colonel Gaiene? Drakon imagined Gaiene greeting the bombardment with a sense of relief that his long grief was ending. Gaiene would probably raise a defiant toast to the projectile with his name on it, meeting his end with the combination of style and sorrow that had marked him for the past few years. “Bran, I don’t think I want to. Abandoning all of those soldiers, abandoning all of the citizens here who counted on us to defend them . ..”
    â€œSir, with all due respect,” Malin urged, “it’s not about you. You have a duty to carry on with this, with whatever we can salvage from the wreck of this world.”
    Morgan had appeared on Drakon’s other side, her face twisted into exaggerated surprise. “Even he gets it right sometimes. General, let’s go. We’ve got a while before those rocks hit and turn this place into trash, but once the mob finds out those rocks are coming, they’ll riot and try to storm the landing fields.”
    They were right. Malin and Morgan had logic and reason on their side. But Drakon looked over at Iceni, who was gazing with a stony expression at the display. Sensing his eyes on her, she looked back at him. Iceni said nothing, but Drakon felt certain of the acquiescence she had just wordlessly conveyed to him.
Go ahead. Leave.
    Instead, he walked toward her, leaving Malin and Morgan. “Madam President,” Drakon said formally, “you need to get to a shuttle. I’ll order my soldiers to form perimeters around the landing fields. They should be able to hold back the crowds until the shuttles can load and lift.”
    She looked into his eyes. “And we would leave those soldiers? They would stand firm as we head for safety under their protection?”
    â€œSoldiers do that, Madam President. Sometimes they have to. You’ll be able to get clear.”
    â€œ
I
will be able to get clear? What of
you
, General?”
    Before he could answer, the command center supervisor called out. “We have a message coming in from the Alliance forces. It is addressed to President Iceni and General Drakon.”
    â€œGive us a private comm window here,” Iceni directed.
    Moments later, the virtual window