seconds before. Where millions, perhaps billions, of men, women, and children had worked and played and lived.
Gone. All because Earth’s leaders had decided it was better for their people to die than to surrender to the Kalquorians. The invasion force’s arrival had triggered a nuclear Armageddon, annihilating the planet’s major cities.
As Osopa tried to come to terms with incalculable deaths, Tranis’ clan carried their sobbing Matara off the bridge, leaving Simdow in command. The crew sat or stood frozen at their stations, eyes wide, mouths gaping as the inconceivable horror played out before them on their vid screens.
It was Tukui’s face that woke Osopa from the nightmarish trance that had descended. His Dramok stared as the others did, silent tears tracking down his cheeks. Osopa doubted Tukui realized he wept for the untold dead. He wasn’t the only man to do so, but it was the devastation of his Dramok’s expression that got Osopa moving.
The Nobek went first to Simdow’s station. A few flicks of switches, and the images disappeared, leaving them with the view of various ship status readouts. The first officer blinked at him.
“My apologies for doing that, Commander. However, it would be best to spare yourself any further trauma. Looking at it won’t help them.” Osopa had to pause as his usual command over himself trembled. When he managed to settle his raging emotions, he said, “By the ancestors, nothing can help them now.”
As Simdow stared at his control panel, as if it might offer answers for the inexplicable horror that had just occurred, Osopa went to Tukui. He gripped his Dramok’s shoulder.
Tukui raised his gaze to Osopa’s face, but the Nobek wasn’t sure he saw him. However, Tukui must have recognized his clanmate because he said, “We need to find her family.”
“I contacted some acquaintances a few days ago who were to police the area where they live. I called in a few favors, and they agreed to check in on her father and the rest.”
“Is there anything left to check on?” Tukui choked on the words.
Osopa swallowed. One of the transmitted vids had been from Washington, D.C. Securing that city, along with major military targets, had been the priority for the invasion force. The fighters had been there to witness the black plume of destruction climbing into the sky seconds after detonation.
The seat of Earth’s government was gone. Since Tina’s family had lived on its outskirts, they were certain to be dead.
“Maybe the reports will offer us something to hope for.” He could tell Tukui didn’t believe the lie. He wondered why he’d bothered to tell it. He squeezed his shoulder and headed back to the security station.
How would his Matara deal with such a tragedy? How much blame and anger would Osopa have to bear for playing his part in it?
It was only four hours later when their shift ended and they left the bridge, but it felt like a lifetime had passed. Though he was exhausted in the wake of the tragedy, Osopa would have gladly remained on duty rather than face what came next.
He stopped Tukui and dragged him into one of the many computer alcoves that lined the corridor. “How do we break the news to her?”
Tukui had commed Yorso to tell him what had happened soon after the shocked bridge crew had begun to gather their wits. Yorso had begged him not to make him deliver such a harrowing report on his own. “She’ll need all of us to help her through this. Let it wait until we’re together.”
With noticeable relief, Tukui had agreed that was the wisest course. Now that the moment was upon them when they’d have to break Tina’s heart, he was grim again.
Grim, but he had an answer. He’d apparently given it a great deal of thought in the intervening hours. “We’ll offer Tina what little hope we can. Maybe her family wasn’t home or in the city. There’s always that chance.”
“Should we allow her to get her hopes up? Isn’t that crueler than what’s probably the truth?”
“Do we have a choice? After all the upheaval in her life, we don’t dare take hope from her.” Tukui raked fingers through his hair. “I’m not saying we sugarcoat the situation. We tell her the basic facts we know, then we offer whatever glimmer of a chance we can.”
Osopa considered. He struggled when it came to dealing appropriately with tragedy, so he had no choice but to rely on Tukui’s instincts. However, there was one facet that he