The shuttle he could see coming his way didn’t care about what he wanted, however, and he could feel the bad news approaching.

The big delta-wing craft blew its thrusters on approach, sweeping to a stop, and landed lightly on its skids. Reed made no motion to approach. He just read the marking of the NACS Enterprise on the side of the craft.

He wished it read Odyssey instead.

That would mean that the assault on Earth had never happened. That his home, his family, that none of them were dead.

It was the captain of the Enterprise who stepped out first, surprising Reed. Usually captains sent messengers, unless it was really bad news. He couldn’t imagine what could be really bad after the last thing he’d been told. They couldn’t lose Earth twice.

Reed finally started to move, walking to meet the captain as he approached. It wouldn’t do to completely throw away protocol, after all.

“Colonel, good to see you,” Carrow called as they approached one another.

“Sir, a pleasure,” Reed answered, shaking his hand. “I assume you have news from . . . home?”

“I do, Colonel. Should we take this inside?”

“I’ll take it here, sir,” Reed answered stonily.

Carrow considered for a moment, and then nodded. “Alright, fine. Earth is holding the line, but they’re hard pressed.”

Reed blinked, almost physically staggered by the news.

“It’s not . . . gone?”

“No. It’s not,” Carrow said. “Every nation on the planet is now under martial law. Entire cities have been razed to the ground, but they’re holding the line.”

Reed looked down, shaking his head for a moment, and then looked up sharply. “When do we ship back?”

“You don’t.”

“But, Captain . . .”

“Reed, another gun . . . another ten guns”—Carrow shook his head—“won’t change a thing. We’re working on providing relief, but if you want to make a difference, I need you to start here.”

The Special Forces colonel grimaced, but finally nodded reluctantly. “What do you need?”

“Start working on your local contacts. We need their help. We’ve got six ships, plus the Enterprise, that are under our command, but we need more,” Carrow said. “The admiral and ambassador are going to be working from the top down. We need you to start from the bottom and work your way up. Soften them up. We need them to sign on for a fight.”

“Understood,” Reed said slowly, not looking happy in the slightest. “And when you’re ready to move?”

“I’ll make sure that you’re in on the operation.”

Reed looked him in the eyes for a moment, then nodded firmly. “Thank you, sir.”

Tanner smiled as he welcomed Gracen into his office, though she noted that the smile didn’t really reach his eyes.

“Welcome, Admiral,” he said. “I would say that I hope things are well, but . . .”