Love Your Enemy: A UEC Story (5)
Part 5: Love and War
Part 5: Love and War
Under the command of General Tyrone Murray, the UEC Central Army did what Commander Jack Green had feared. The entire planet of Altair Prime was besieged by UEC starships, preventing anything from entering or leaving the world. Given the UEC’s space superiority over the Alliance, this was the easy part. The hard part was waiting for starvation to do its part.
Down on Altair Prime, the Alliance of Planets was already feeling the effects of the UEC siege...
Prince Alexios Spektre was in horror and disbelief as he saw the ruins of Lexingtown. The small town had been bombed to oblivion by UEC starships, and the farmlands were torched by orbital bombardments. “Unbelievable!” he said to his companion.
Accompaying the Alliance leader was his young cousin, Xenophon Spektre; he was serving as Alexios’ shield bearer and personal chamberlain. Xenophon nodded in agreement. “Disgusting.”
“It was bad enough for the Earthborn to cut us off from food,” said Alexios. “But for them to also mercilessly bomb those attempting to grow something edible here, even their own people.”
“I’ve compiled the casualty reports,” Xenophon said. “Millions have perished, vast majority of them locals. The situation is so dire that they’ve resorted to…”
“Barbarians!” Alexios cried in disgust. “Every single last one of them.”
Xenophon responded, “Perhaps. Though I have heard Arlena is being treated well by her captors. Not that I trust anything coming out of the Earthborn.”
Alexios’ eyes widened. “Lena’s still alive?” But he shook his head. “I don’t believe it. Even if she has yet to perish, surely they have done unspeakable things to her.” He shuddered.
“For what it’s worth,” Xenophon began, “The Earthborn doesn’t seem to be a united bunch. The men who captured Arlena were the same group of men who kept us from securing Ouros. They are a tenacious bunch, better warriors than the rest. And we know it’s the same group because of their heraldry, the boar-warrior in red and green.”
Alexios was deep in thought. “I seem to remember something like that. I believe the men who greeted me back when I first touched down on Altair Prime had that heraldry along with their Union ones. The leader said something about the 13th not surrendering without a fight.”
“I see,” responded Xenophon. “They must have been of the 13th Earthborn elite group, also known as the Cisalpine Legion. At least that’s my theory based on what we’ve intercepted from Earthborn communications.”
“The 13th Legion, huh? If what you said about them is correct, then I shall remember them,” Alexios declared.
***
General Murray’s siege was much shorter than he had intended. Thanks to the Mass Interstellar Communications Network (The MaICoN), people on Earth quickly became aware of the UEC’s actions. Outrage over the genocide being committed against the people of Altair Prime reached a critical mass back on Earth, and the Pyramid in Singapore expressed the will of the people by putting pressure on the UEC High Command in Meridian.
Almost immediately, HighCom forced the UEC Central Army and the Military Groups to invade the planet and put an end to the Lambda War right then and there.
When Sergeant Major Marco Icardi heard this news, he was glad. He was no longer a part of this massive war crime perpetrated by General Murray and HighCom. That said, he knew that the 13th now had to put their lives on the line once more. No complaints from him, but now he had a personal matter to settle. Down in the brig.
Marco hadn’t seen Arlena after their last conversation. The Lakamodian girl’s final words were chilling, to say the least; and Icardi got the message. In the weeks that followed, he had done nothing as the UEC Waterloo was sitting idle in high orbit of Altair Prime.
It was a dumb thing to begin with, so Icardi told himself. For an Earthborn and a Lambda... What am I even hoping to achieve with her? Nothing!
Thus, Icardi was content to wallow in learned helplessness. In that time, his mind was swarmed by thoughts of his impotence, his inability to change his circumstances.
But now the situation had changed, and that change of orders was the jolt the Sergeant Major needed to take action - much needed action. Marco entered the brig with chocolate in hand. The prison guard was sitting down on his chair, utterly relaxed; but upon seeing his guest, he stood up straight and did a double take. Only his helmet prevented the guard from fully-expressing his surprise.
“Well, well, well...,” the guard said. “It’s been a while, Sarge. But she’s in Cell 3, as always.”
“I didn’t say anything yet,” responded Marco.
“Yeah, but it’s clear as sin why you’re here.”
Marco said nothing.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” the guard said mockingly. “You’ve kept your girlfriend hanging for so long. Go on!” Emphasizing his point, he made kissing noises with his lips; then he chuckled.
Marco sighed and shook his head.
The Sergeant Major made his way to Cell 3. He wondered where he stood with Arlena after their last meeting. And after ghosting her, he feared that she now hated him. But unbeknownst to Marco, the girl was actually waiting for him.
“Marco!” Arlena cried.
“Arlena,” he responded. “How are you holding up?”
Marco put the chocolate through the side of the glass. Arlena took it, but it was clear she was not interested in sweets at the moment.
The girl smiled, though tears were in her eyes. “Fine as I can be. I thought I’d never see you again.”
“My apologies. After what you told me, I thought you wanted nothing to do with me.”
“You idiot!” cried Arlena. “I miss you.”
Marco raised his eyes. “Wait, you... miss me?”
“S-shut up!” Arlena said. “I had none to talk to but the damned prison guards.”
Icardi grimaced, having remembered what had just happened. “Apologies. I can see how that can get annoying after a while.” He shook his head. “But never mind that. I’m sure you know what’s going on with the war.”
Arlena nodded. “You’re going to invade Altair Prime and confront my brother.”
“Providence had prevented us from a direct battle on Ouros,” said Marco. “But now there’s no avoiding it.”
“I understand.” An awkward silence reigned before Arlena continued. “But you don’t have to do this.”
“Pardon?”
“If you surrender, my brother will treat you with honor. I’ll make sure of it!”
Marco looked at Arlena with absolute disbelief. “Last time I was here, you told us quite clearly: victory or death. The way of Lakamodis!”
Arlena could say nothing.
“Regardless,” continued Marco, “surrender is truly not an option for us. We are winning this war, Lena. But you can still talk to your brother and ask him to make peace with us. If you change your mind on this.”
Arlena looked down, tears in her eyes. “My apologies. I was being selfish.”
Marco was ready to make his exit. He put his hand on the glass separating the two. “After this, the 13th will finish the fight on Altair Prime. If you see me again, that means your brother is dead.”
In return, Arlena put her own hand on the glass, matching Marco’s. Arlena’s palm was much smaller than Marco’s, but that was simply proper. For a moment, the Lambda and the Earthborn would have had their hands touching, if it wasn’t for the glass separating the two.
To be continued…
Author’s Note: Image generated at NightCafe.
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