Samuel had been out all night studying the enemy's defenses for a night assault, and was sleeping late, when the warning sirens none of them ever wanted to hear began to wail continuously. His aide rushed in to make sure he was awake.
"Get to the bunker sir!" he screamed.
Samuel threw on his clothes not bothering to put on his socks, shoes and jacket, and hurried to the command bunker. Their operations screen was already showing what was happening; missiles rising from The Gulf Of Mexico. As they watched their warheads deployed. The Republic's Zeus anti missile missiles rose to meet them. One by one all but one of the warheads were destroyed.
Finally an ominous red circle blossomed where its tracking trail ended. The officers gathered around him, stood in awkward silence, knowing what that image meant- a hydrogen bomb had exploded over their territory. What had been under it no longer existed.
Agonizing minutes dragged by. "Where's the counter strike?" one officer screamed. "Why haven't we fired back? The first wave should have gone almost immediately!"
Suddenly a message began to roll across the bottom of the screen. "All nuclear units," it said, "Stand down. Disengage!"
The message ran several times, then a message appeared to tune their radio to The Union's frequency. A few moments later the president of The United States came on the air and announced they were surrendering. The Union's forces would turn over all territory they held to The Republic until elections could be held and everyone could decide who they wanted to belong to.
The official surrender would be held on July 4th, exactly four years after the war had begun. The First Speaker came in assuring the people of The Union they would be well treated. Celebration broke out in the bunker. A few minutes later it was dampened, however, when the news came that the American President had been assassinated. Celebrations were delayed to show respect for this honorable enemy.
With this struggle over Samuel's forces were asked to lend a hand in Europe. His tactics were needed there. So they began again, to prepare for transport.
Samuel was at the airport waiting to be flown to Germany when a tan skinned blonde woman in a Red Cross uniform approached him. Every serviceman dreaded their arrival because they knew it meant they bore some unwanted news.
"Warlock Star?" the woman asked.
"Yes," Samuel answered.
The woman took a communique from her pocket. "I regret to inform you," she continued, "your first wife has been killed. The details are here. Your flight has been rerouted. You will be taken back to the Somali capital. They wish you there for the ceremonies. You and your officers will rejoin your troops later."
"Thank you!" Samuel managed. "Excuse me."
His wives' occasional visits in the last couple of years had been his only anchor to sanity. Now, to hear that one of them was gone almost broke his will. He hurried onto the plane and read the communique.
Sharon had been going to one of the low security camps. There was a complaint by a family there that one of the guards had raped their daughter, but it appeared no rape had been involved. A truck had passed their car. Suddenly the back flap had flown up and half a dozen men had opened fire. Sharon and their beloved driver had been killed almost instantly. Their escort took up pursuit, and exchanged fire with the attackers for several miles, until their truck was disabled and they could not continue the pursuit.
The attackers had escaped. Their truck was found, a note taped to the shattered windshield "Vengeance is mine saith The Lord. The Last Redman."
Samuel crumbled the report and threw it into the aisle. One of his officers picked it up, uncrumbled it, and began to read. It was passed from man to man. Sadness and anger began to fill the plane.
The ceremony was a grand affair. Sharon's ashes were entombed at the new cemetery on the grounds of Samuel Star Military Academy. When it was all over and they returned to their quarters, Joy approached rather timidly.
I know this is not the best time to ask," she began, "but it may be a long, long time before you're ever home again and we'd really like to have you here. I know I'm young by some peoples' standards, but you and mother were young, too."
Samuel put his finger on her lips. I can only be here three more days," he answered, "can it be arranged that quickly?"
Her husband to be walked up and took Joy's hand. "We'd like to have the ceremony," he said, "in your people's new temple; the restored cathedral. If it would not be inappropriate it could be as early as tomorrow."
"It would be very appropriate," Samuel assured. "Let us have a little joy and brighten this time of sadness."
The wedding was a grand affair. Samuel knew it wouldn't be long before his first grandchild would be arriving. "Lords," he thought as he was boarding the plane "I feel like an old, old man, an old OLD man!" But he gathered

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