Free The Fall: Crimson Worlds IX by Jay Allan

flagship.  That makes me as extraneous as an appendix.”  She took a deep breath.  “And I’d wager I could find 3 or 4 other volunteers to pilot some additional ships.”
    “Lizzie…”  Gilson’s voice was hoarse, her throat dry.  Arlington was one of her closest friends, and she was talking about throwing her life away on a desperate strafing run.  But the men and women on the ground were her Marines, and they needed help.
    “I’m OK, Cate.”  Arlington knew her friend was worried about her, as she had been since Terrence Compton and his people were trapped behind the barrier, stuck in First Imperium space facing almost certain death.  Her halting and fitful romance with Compton had been one of the worst kept secrets in the fleet, but only Gilson and a few others knew just how much she had loved him, and how badly his loss had hurt her.  “I can do this.”  She locked her eyes on Gilson’s.  “And I will come back.  I’m not trying to commit suicide.”
    Gilson closed her eyes and nodded.  There wasn’t any other choice.  Without some close air support, her second wave would be decimated before it even hit the ground.  And if she did nothing, Heath and his people would be wiped out.
    “OK, Lizzie.”  She fought to get the words out.  “When can you be ready?”
     

Chapter 6
     

Flag Bridge
MCS John Carter
Near the Saturn Relay Station
Sol System
     
    Duncan Campbell stood on the flag bridge of John Carter, staring at the incoming vessels on the plotting screen.  Carter had been his ship, and he’d captained her for two years before Roderick Vance sent him to Earth to destroy Gavin Stark’s main clone production facility.  He’d completed that mission without a hitch…unless you considered hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians dead from radiation poisoning to be a hitch.
    Vance had known the consequences of his orders, and Campbell had as well.  John Carter’s ex-skipper had done what had to be done, and the nightmares that had invaded his sleep since were his problem, one he kept to himself.  The scar on his soul was no less a battle wound than a bullet would have delivered, and he knew he would carry it the rest of his life.
    Campbell had completed another mission for Vance, a wild, all caution to the wind race to the planet Armstrong to deliver a warning to Erik Cain.  He’d burnt out his ship in that one, barely managing to get through to the planet and crash land.  He was badly injured, but he delivered his message as ordered.  Sarah Linden had tended to his wounds, saving his life and putting him back together with remarkable efficiency.  Now he was back, and his reward was waiting for him when he arrived.  Admiral’s stars and command of the main fleet.
    Campbell wondered if the massive promotion was based on his skill as a naval officer or the fact that Roderick Vance could count on him to follow his orders no matter what, even to slaughter millions if his command required it.  He didn’t know, but he suspected it was a combination of the two, with a bit of his father’s influence thrown in as well.
    He leaned back in his chair, shifting, trying to find an angle where his back didn’t hurt.  Dr. Linden had done remarkable work just saving his life, and she’d wanted him to stay in the hospital for at least another month.  But duty called, and Campbell insisted on leaving as soon as he was able.  The ride back to Mars, trapped in the tanks while another one of Vance’s Torch speeders tore through space at almost 50g, hadn’t helped his partially healed spine any, and now he often found himself in considerable pain.
    “Scanner report?”  He glanced at the communications console.  He’d taken Lieutenant Christensen with him when he moved to the flag bridge, bumping her up to Lieutenant Commander in the process.
    “The unidentified ships are still on an intercept course, Admiral.”  She paused, looking down at her workstation.  “Estimated