"We must set the next stage for the reclamation of Earth from the Invid," said Supreme Commander Tom Washington, clad in MARPAT camouflage. "We must evacuate as many people as we can."
I was inside this large chamber in the SDF-3 Pioneer. Thousands of soldiers, airmen, crewmen, and Space Marines attended. All were wearing covers; this particular chamber was a cover area, where servicemen must wear their covers. Washington was flanked by Admiral Breetai, commander of the Robotech Expeditionary Forces Command; I recognized him due to his tall height and his light blue skin and blue hair. Other general and flag officers stood on the podium with the Supreme Commander. I stood next to Major Jack Emerson.
"We do not have room in our extrasolar colonies to evacuate the entire planet's civilian population. We can only evacuate a small proportion of civilians. We have made contact with authorities on the ground to organize the evacuation. Each evacuation team has a quota of evacuees, and under no circumstances will you evacuate more civilians than your allotted number. While we can not evacuate everyone, even those in places still under human control, we can evacuate enough people and assets so that we can maintain are capability to fight the Invid in space. You have your orders. Get in gear and get ready for battle."
"Yes, sir!" we all exclaimed.
Minutes later, I walked along a corridor with Jack. The corridor was busy with military personnel walking about, getting ready to evacuate Earth.
"Jack, I'm a civilian," I said. "Will I be settled in one of the colonies?"
"Not unless you are an engineer, doctor, or a married man," said Jack. "Single civilian men are near last on the list, just above people over thirty years old."
"Oh."
"The evacuation priorities are based on the colonization quotas we did in the past twenty years. Skilled people first, then married couples of childbearing age, then married couples with at least one child under ten, then females between the ages of fourteen and twenty-four, and then children under fourteen."
"I guess I'm out."
"As you. As Adam Howerton, you are serving as part of the evacuation mission and you can be assigned to an off-Earth base. As for me, I volunteered to be part of the Roswell Evacuation Team. I didn't want to spend my time sitting behind a desk."
We reached the hangar deck. Through a window, I could see crewmen in space suits working, making sure everything was ready.
"Major Emerson," said Lieutenant Shelby Porter, standing at attention. "I will be your pilot."
"Everything okay, Lieutenant?"
"Yes, sir."
"All soldiers to their transports," I heard a voice say.
A few minutes later, Jack returned.
"Our people are ready to go," he said.
And so we did. Jack and I strapped ourselves in a seat in an Air Force transport shuttle. Some other soldiers were with us. Jack picked up a handset.
"Okay people, this is Major Emerson," he said. "We are all ready to go down to Earth. I will be the first one to step off the transport, and I will not step on the transport back to space unless every one of my men has done so."
I felt the transport shuttle take off. I could not see outside, but I could imagine the fighter escort forming a protective screen against the Invid. I could imagine the hull heating up as it entered the Earth's atmosphere.
A few minutes later, I felt a thud as the shuttle landed. "Welcome to Roswell Fleet Yards," said Shelby.
"I stepped out of the shuttle after Jack did. The place looked far different than when I was first here. The buildings were damaged from the battle a few days ago. I noticed that some of the runways were closed. Quonset huts were on the ground, providing temporary shelter for the crewmen and Space Marines still here.
"Lieutenant, go check on the evacuees," said Jack. "Use your hovertank."
"Yes, sir," I replied. I had been given a battlefield commission and made Jack's second in command. From my briefing papers, the evacuees were to assemble at the front gate of Roswell Fleet Yards. I drove the VHT-1 Spartas hovertank along the streets of the base to the front gate. I saw a huge crowd of people assembled there, with the Spacy police and a Space Marine infantry company keeping order. The commander of the Roswell evacuation, a Space Marine major general in MARPAT camouflage, supervised the whole scene. Thousands of people were at the gate. A few people were escorted inside. Most of them were young women, some as young as their mid teens. Others were young married couples, and other couples with young children. Anyone looking over thirty who had no children was immediately turned away.
"Anyone who tries to cross without our permission will be shot!" shouted a Space Marine with a bullhorn.
They were not kidding. There was a sandbag fortification and a temporary blockhouse set up. They were ready to gun them all down should there be a mass rush at the gate.
"Major Emerson," I said into the Spartas's radio, "everything seems to be okay."
"Copy, Lieutenant," he replied.
I looked closer. A couple with a teenage son and a little boy and girl were trying to pass through the gate.
"We can't let your son through, sir, ma'am," said the Space Marine colonel sitting at the table. "He's too old."
"We can't leave without our son," said the boy's mother.
"We do not have room even for everyone who would be eligible," said the colonel.
"Can I go through?" asked a girl. She was dressed in a coat and wore a knit cap. She appeared to be about his age.
"You look young enough," said a Space Marine.
"Then I'll marry him and he can go through," she said.
"You don't have to do this," said the boy, who clearly knew her.
"I know a male married to a female under thirty can enter."
"How will you get married?" asked the colonel. "Any priests around here?"
"I'm the county clerk," said this lady. "I can marry them. Just sign here."
They signed a paper, and she pronounced them husband and wife. She showed the paper to the colonel.
"You two may pass," said the colonel. "Enjoy the honeymoon."
"Thank you," said the boy.
The boy and girl boarded this bus.
"Get back here," said Jack.
"Yes, sir," I replied. I drove the hovertank, following the bus carrying the evacuees to the transport ships. A few minutes later, the bus and I reached the takeoff area. People were boarding the shuttles and some of them were already taking off for space.
"Everything all right?" asked Jack.
"Yes, sir," I replied. "There are a lot of people wanting to leave Earth. I guess they're afraid of the Invid coming here. They're already overrun the Midwest. The U.S. military has its hands full with refugees. We already have evacuation centers set up at airports in Kentucky and Oklahoma."
I noticed a civilian teenage boy standing near Jack. He had short green hair and wore eyeglasses. He wore a coat and blue jeans and sneakers.
"Who is that?" I asked. "One of the evacuees?"
"No," said Jack. "This is Steven Michael Sterling, Dana's little brother."
I introduced myself.
"I promised Dana that I would get Steve out of harm's way, to protect him," said Jack.
"They won't let him on the transports," I said. "Unless he's married."
"I'm not married, Lieutenant," said Steve.
"They will only let unmarried males under fourteen years inside, and Steve is fifteen," said Jack as another transport shuttle loaded with evacuees took off into the cloud-dotted sky. "He will come with us, after we fill our quota of evacuees."
"But wouldn't you get in trouble?" I asked. "Even get court-martialed?"
"It's okay," replied the major. "I grew up with him, my dad took care of him and Dana when their parents set off on that Pioneer mission."
Another busload of evacuees arrived; I wondered if they would be the last from here.
"Take cover!" someone yelled.
I took cover near my Spartas and heard explosions.
"We have to protect the evacuees!" yelled Jack. I switched the hovertank to battloid mode.
I knew the Invid would come, and I would be fighting them.
"All units," said a voice. "We protect the evacuees at all costs. No one is to retreat until all evacuees are safe."
"I copy," I said. For about a minute, shells rained down upon us. A few vehicles were destroyed. Above, there was a battle in the air, as fighters took on the Invids' flying machines, which had that crab-like appearance.
Then some other Invid war machines- skimming just above the ground- went in for the attack. I fired from a covered position, downing one of the alien machines.
"Good shot," said Jack. "But keep your guard up."
"There's more of them," someone said.
The next few minutes were like snapshots. Fire, find cover, fire again. The wreckage of war machines littered the landscape, with their smoke rising into the air. Occasionally, death would rain from above.
After our combat dance with the Invid, I heard an order.
"All Army and Air Force units attached to SDF-3 are to retreat," said a voice. "I repeat, all Army and Air Force units attached to SDF-3 are to retreat. Space Marine units are to cover their retreat."
"that's us," said Jack. "The rest of you get into the shuttle. There's someone I have to pick up."
"I'm with you," I said.
"Well, if I'm going against orders, so can you."
"Steve Sterling!" I yelled. "Where are you?"
"Did he board one of the evacuation shuttles?" asked Jack. "He could have slipped in when the Invid attacked."
"I'm not sure," I said.
"I see him," replied Jack. "Steve, hop in."
We headed for the nearest transport shuttle. As it turned out, it was the same transport shuttle that brought us here. I hoped Shelby kept the engine running.
We got off our hovertanks. Steven climbed in first, and then I did. I pulled Jack inside and we shut the door.
"Shelby!" yelled Jack. "Get us off the planet now!"
"Yes, sir," she replied. She pushed a lever and the shuttle rose into the air. I then felt the shuttle accelerate as I was strapped into my seat. Here we went. In a few minutes, we would be arriving in the Pioneer.
Suddenyl, something rocked the ship.
"What happened?" I asked.
"We're hit!" yelled Shelby. "I can't gain altitude. We have to eject!"
Transport shuttles had ejection pods. We all went to the back, making sure Steve went in first. I went in, followed by Shelby, followed by Jack.
"Here it goes," said Jack, opening a panel and pressing a red button.
I felt weightless as the escape pod went into free fall. I took a pice of lint from my pocket, tossed it, and noticed it traveled in a straight line until it hit the wall of the escape pod; it did not arc down.
Then I felt weight. The pod's parachute deployed, slowing our descent. After a few minutes, I heard a splash. I figured we landed in an ocean, lake, river, or someone's swimming pool.
Shelby looked through this round window at the door. "Looks like water to the horizon," she said. "Judging from our flight path, we must be somewhere in the Caribbean Sea."
"Is anyone coming for us?" asked Steve.
"The pod sends out a distress signal," replied Shelby. "A rescue team should get here."
A few hours later, there was still no rescue team. The only thing happening of note is that Jack had a cut on his cheek from the battle; I stitched it up.
"Another Purple Heart for you, mon," I had said in my Jamaican accent.
"What do we do now?" asked Steve. "I mean, what if these Invid, what if they defeated everyone?"
"Well, we dehydrate to death," said Jack.
"Surely you can think of something better," I said.
I peeked out the window. It was dark. The interior of the pod was dim, with only a few LED's lighting the pod.
"We're still sending a distress signal," said Shelby. "the battery is supposed to last for maybe eight hours. If nobody gets here by the time the distress signal stops, nobody is coming for us at all."
"I suppose we can't just paddle this thing," I said. "If we head due north, we should hit the coast of the Gulf."
"Not before we dehydrate to death," said Jack.
I figured this was a good way to end. I had fought honorably, even made a difference in the world.
There was not much to do but sleep. I was so tired. I could let go of life itself.
I was dreaming. There were images of war and peace. My family. My life in Jamaica. My battles with the Robotech Masters. My battle with the Invid. All the people I met, whose lives I touched. People in wet suits, shining lights on me.
I woke up and realized that I was awake.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"We're here to rescue you," said one of the men in wet suits.
Jack, Shelby, Steve, and I stepped into this motorized raft. I heard the engine roar as it sped. I could see the silhouette of a frigate. I was glad the Ocean Patrol came to our rescue.
As we got close enough to the ship, I noticed that it was not a United Nations Ocean Patrol ship.
The flag flying from the mast had a yellow X shape, with green triangles at the top and bottom and black triangles on the left and right. It was the flag of Jamaica. The ship was of the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard.
Ropes were dropped from the main deck, and the raft was reeled in, like a fish on a hook. We all stepped down into the deck.
"Show our guests to the guest quarters," said someone.
"Aye aye, sir," replied a sailor.
Ooooo
The next morning, we woke up on the ship's guest quarters. I looked around, noting the metal bulkheads. The only light was from an incandescent lamp overhead.
"Where are we?" asked Steve.
"On a Jamaican ship," I said.
A sailor arrived. "We have breakfast in the wardroom."
We were escorted down the hall to a ward room. It was a small room with a refrigerator and some cups and a coffee pot. There was cereal available.
A black man in khakis stepped in; he was a commander in the Coast Guard.
"Commander Thompson," he said. "Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard, captain of the McGillvery.
"Major Emerson, U.N. Army," replied Jack. "Is there anything you can say about the situation?"
"We were on patrol and we got your distress signal," said the ship's captain. "I take it you were survivors of the Invid offensive in America?"
"Yes, sir."
"We've orders to steam back to Kingston with you three. There are no Invid in Jamaica. In fact, the government declared its neutrality, and was informed the Invid would respect our neutrality."
"Really?" I asked.
"That Flower of Life isn't growing in Jamaica. Listen, we have some games and a library to keep you entertained as we head back to port. Just don't cause any trouble. The brig is not a fun place."
"We won't cause any trouble," said Jack.
Oooooo
Not much was done in the next two days; I did get to know some of the sailors, some of who actually took part in naval battles against the Robotech Masters. I finally saw the shore of Jamaica as I stood on the deck. I could make out the skyline of Kingston.
And then the ship reached the Coast Guard base in Kingston.
"What will you do now, Captain?" asked Jack.
"We will resupply and resume our patrol," he said. "Give some of my men shore leave."
I stepped down the gangway and onto the pier. I looked at the buildings. The Jamaican flag flew on a flagpole.
I noticed men in suits approach me.
"You come with us," they said. They meant it.
And so I went with them.
Oooooooo
I was driven to this building and escorted to this bare room with only a table, a chair, and an overhead lamp. I was made to wait for hours.
I was still a suspect in a murder. Somehow they learned that I was alive. I wondered what would happen to me. Will they resume the trial? Will I remain in custody as the trial continued?
The door opened and this black man in a suit entered the room. I recognized him as my old boss, Mr. Winthorpe.
"No kind words for me, mon?" he asked. "We worked so well together."
"You were plotting with that lady to kill her sisters," I said.
"There was a plot, yes," he said. "You were replaced with a decoy. The decoy killed those ladies. During the trial, they sent a team to capture you, and you were reported dead. But thanks to our intelligence service, we found the plotters, and a special forces team eliminated them and rescued you."
"What?"
"Because you are innocent, the prime minister pardoned you. You no longer face charges for murder."
"That..that does not make sense," I said.
"It is the official story," said Winthorpe. "Of course, if you contradict it, we might find that you were involved in the plot after all."
"But…"
"All of that is in the past. We have a new future to look forward to, my friend. We are at peace with the Invid. They have no designs against Jamaica. Go, go meet your family, start your life. I am afraid, though, that your job has been eliminated. We need not negotiate with the other nations about the protoculture."
I looked and saw that smug smile on his face. And yet, what could I do? Who would believe me if I accused Winthorpe, let alone his superiors, of plotting the murders of the two sisters of the Ruling Triumvirate.
Ooooooo
I later reunited with my parents and my brother Paul and sister-in-law Trina and my nephew Larry and my new baby niece. It was such a happy occasion. To them, I had come back from the dead. I took in the familiar surroundings of my family home, noting the couches and chairs and the kitchen counter and the refrigerator and stove. We all ate a meal of jerk chicken and other Jamaican favorites. But even without that, I was so glad to be home.
Oooooooo
A few weeks later, I was back in the Kingston seaport. A transport submarine was docked, tied to the concrete pier by ropes. Beyond the pier was the wide expanse of the Caribbean Sea. Birds circled overhead. It was a warm day, and I wore a short-sleeve button-down shirt and shorts and sandals. A light breeze blew through my hair.
Jack stood before me, dressed in Army Class "C" service uniforms. He had the silver oak leaves of a lieutenant colonel.
"So you really want to leave Jamaica?" I asked. "I mean, there is no war here, and you would miss my mom's jerk cooking."
"We were given orders to link up with surviving UEF units in the event we were stranded on Earth," said Jack. "The Invid are gaining ground. We have to stop them and I have to be a part of it."
"All the fight has left me. I have to let others do the fighting now."
"As will I someday, but not today."
"I…I hope you are alive when you're done fighting."
"I wish you well," said Shelby, dressed in the Air Force Class "C", who was now an Air Force major.
"Are you fighting the Invid?" I asked Steve.
"Not now," he said. "I will stick with Jack; he's like a big brother to me."
"Here," I said, giving him a red, gold, and green rastacap.
"Thank you."
"I'm the senior officer here, so I should be the first inside the sub," said Jack. "Take care."
We shook hands, and Lieutenant Colonel Jack Emerson walked towards the gangway connecting the pier to the sub.
"Take care, Shelby," I said to her, kissing her on the cheek.
"I won't give up," she replied.
Steve waved at me before going to the sub.
I turned and saw Barbara.
"It was a great party you and Hermes and the others threw for them," I said. "We may never see them again."
"Not as great as your homecoming party. It was like you coming back from the dead. Still, they were great people. I hope to see them again."
"Listen, Barbara, would you like to join me for a joint right now?" I asked.
"Yes," she said. "Let's do it. We shouldn't take life for granted."
And so we left the port together.