Nathan was still, even a year later, mad as hell that the PTB (Powers that Be) didn't allow the Saratoga to hold a memorial service for them. The area was too volatile for a memorial service they had said. It was too much of a risk to hold the Saratoga there for a funeral when she was needed elsewhere.

A smile curled at Nathan's lips as he remembered watching Commodore Glen Ross fight Admiral Tilson tooth and nail. Ross had given the older man hell but Tilson still outranked him. The Saratoga had left that area of space without even a recorded playing of Taps.

Nathan stood and began to pace the small area. Wang, Phoose and Shane deserved a hell of a lot more than that. The Wildcards were the best unit in the Marine core and this was how they repaid them? It had been an honest mistake what had happened on the planet. Anyone of the holier than thou brass would've done the same thing the 58th did. They had honestly thought that it was a new species of life that was going to be destroyed by Roundhammer if they didn't warn it. They had never seen a Chig without armor before how the hell where they supposed to know what it looked like. Nathan still thought the Brass was punishing the 58th for that mistake by not allowing the Saratoga time to grieve for the fallen Wildcards .

A month later was the soonest he could get leave. Even with that Ross had pulled ever string in the book to get it for him. With that leave Nathan took one of the spacefighters and went back to the area of space where the battle had occurred. He had tried several times to get in touch with Hawkes to no avail. The Chigs had come up with a new way to scramble outgoing signals.

Before he had left the Saratoga he had rigged a speaker on the outside of the plane. Looking at the planet that had claimed Vansen and Phoose's life he had turned the speaker on. He opened a deck of playing cards and placed it on the dash board.

The solemn notes of Taps began to fill the cold vacuum of space. Nathan raised his hand in salute and held it there a long time after the song was completed. Tears ran freely down his face as he said goodbye to his friends.

"The Wild Cards will live on." He had vowed to his friends, "I will not let them forget us. I promise you that."

The alert siren snapped Nathan back to the present reality. With a sigh he walked over to the com unit and punched in an identification code. "All members of the 44th marine squadron must assemble immediately in the War room for debriefing."

So much for sleep, Nathan thought wearily as he straightened the collar of his uniform. He thought briefly of Kylen and prayed that she had gotten his package and was on her way to Iowa.

The horrors he had seen in the last year needed to be addressed and brought to the public's attention. But he didn't have enough clout to do that so he hoped with the reinforcements he was bringing in they would be able to bring some of these secrets to light.

Operation: Homeward Bound
Last day of May, 2064
The shockwave from the Chig weapon had thrown Lieutenant Paul Wang to the floor. He momentarily thought of getting up. Of firing his weapon till the last moment. Instead Paul curled up in a ball and closed his eyes waiting for the inevitable.

It seemed like the injured cargo hold tumbled through space for hours, slowly leaking precious oxygen. Silence made Paul open his eyes. The Chigs had stopped firing. He was surprised they hadn't finished him off.

A white dot of light caught Paul's attention. It seemed to be slowly moving toward him.

This is it. Paul thought swallowing a wave of panic, My jig's up. I'm going to the great stadium in the sky.

However as he focused on the dot of light Paul released it wasn't an Angel. He fought to curb the sudden hope he was feeling. The dot of light looked to be coming from the control panel inside a life pod.

Paul scrambled to his feet, sliding more than running over to the far wall of the cargo hold. Sure enough barely visible in the darkness was the hatch to an escape pod.

Sending off a silent prayer Paul activated a switch to the left of the door. Several tense seconds later it slid open welcoming Paul inside. Paul raced inside thanking whoever the genius was who had thought of having the escape pods run on their own power. He knew his time was short so there would be no time for precise calculations. Paul hit the eject button and prayed that the pod wouldn't burn up in the planet's atmosphere. Seconds after the pod was floating free of the cargo hold Paul had to shield his eyes. The cargo hold he had been in minutes before exploded in a million pieces.

Shenadoah, Iowa
June, 2065
"That's all he said?" McQueen asked turning around in the farmhouse's living room to face Hawkes.

Cooper Hawkes nodded, "He sent me a sealed envelope. I have instructions not to open it until this mystery person gets here."

Steam rising from a pot of water on the stove caught McQueen's attention. He quickly walked over and turned the black knob to a lower number. Absently he picked up a box of pasta noodles and emptied half the contents into the gray pot.

Ty picked up a wooden spoon before asking, "You have no idea who this other person is?"

Cooper smiled walking over to the kitchen counter that housed the stove and a small cutting board, "I know who it is."

Realization dawned in McQueen's blue eyes as he glanced up from the pot of noodles, "Kylen." He said softly.

Hawkes nodded, "She's the only other person West would trust. His brother's dead. The three of us are the only surviving members........." Cooper turned his head quickly as his voice started to quiver.

McQueen placed a metal lid on the pot and walked around the counter placing a supportive hand on the young man's shoulder, "How are you doing with all of this?"

Cooper sat down in the oak rocking chair, finally looking at McQueen with haunted eyes, "Does it ever go away?"

Ty tilted his head, not quite understanding, "What?"

Hawkes jumped to his feet, walking over to the bay window that looked out over the corn fields, "The pain." He replied in a whisper, "I see their faces every time I close my eyes at night. I think of them every minute that I'm awake."

McQueen sat down in a straight backed blue cushioned chair next to the fireplace, "So do I, Hawkes. All I can tell you is that it gets easier with time."

Cooper stared at the older man, "It's been a year. I thought by now it would be better."

McQueen stood and walked over to the mantle. Sitting on top was a polished maple box, about the size of an old fashioned jewelry box. Ty lifted the lid and took out a square wooden object. Silently he handed it to Hawkes. Cooper took the object from McQueen. Shane Vansen's face stared back at him. It was a picture of her in full dress uniform standing next to her sister and niece.

"Last Christmas was the soonest I was able to go visit them." McQueen explained quietly, "They were hit pretty hard by Shane's death but they seem to be coping. I thought you might get more use out of that photo than I could."

Cooper nodded his right hand gently tracing the outline's of Shane's face. "Thank you, Colonel. I had almost forgotten how pretty she was."

McQueen heard the sound of a engine coming up the driveway and glanced out the front door, "Sounds like our mystery guest is about to sign in."

Cooper stared at him, "What?"

Ty shook his head, "Never mind." He replied as he walked out onto the porch.

Operation: Homeward Bound
Chig Territory
Last week of May, 2064
Captain Shane Vansen glanced at her companion with envy. Vanessa Damphoose would never feel pain when the injured cockpit crashed onto the planet. Shane wished she were that lucky. As the cockpit fell farther into the planet's atmosphere she wondered if the convoy made it back to the Saratoga in one piece. She prayed that it had. That all her friends had made it back alive.

Shane hoped they had. That Nathan West finally had his happy ending with Kylen. Her friend deserved that. She felt the intense heat and saw the metal start to turn orange. Shane closed her eyes and leaned back against the seat knowing this was one fight she had lost.

USS Franklin Roosevelt
Chig Territory
June, 2065
Captain Nathan West walked into the conference room and took a seat among the fellow members of his squadron. The 44th was made up of four men and two women.

"Ten-Hu!"

The men and women immediately jumped to their feet, coming to attention.

A tall sandy haired man in his late forties crossed to the center of the room,"Be seated."

Admiral Paul Tilson cleared his throat as he faced the group of twenty men and women under his command, "I apologize for calling this meeting at this ungodly hour of the morning but as you all know this War has no time clock."

The Admiral turned his brown gaze to face Nathan, "As you all know the 44th lost their commanding officer on the last mission to Upeg. Colonel Mark Williams was a good friend and more importantly a good officer. He will be missed greatly."

The room fell into a solemn silence as Tilson allowed a moment of remembrance.

Paul Tilson cleared his throat, "Lieutenant Colonel John Oakes will take his place." The Admiral began raising his hand toward the doorway," Colonel, please tell the 44th what they're next mission is."

Nathan West thought he was seeing things. When Tilson had said the name John Oakes, Nathan had written it off as the fact it was possible that two people could have the same name. Now Nathan was staring at his commanding officer. The man who had saved Shane Vansen's life over Haleg by sacrificing his own to take out the Red Baron. Or so they had thought.

The brown haired man in his mid thirties didn't acknowledge Nathan's presence or seem to have any visible scars from his encounter with the Red Baron over a year ago.

"Thank you Admiral." Colonel Oakes began turning his attention to the computerized map behind him, "We have just learned that the Chig's are gathering their forces around a small astroid planet twenty light years from their home planet. The 44th's mission is to go in and drop a listening device on the astroid and get out without interacting with the enemy."

"If we know most of their forces are there," Nathan asked, "Why aren't we sending in a full force? Just wipe them out. End this thing now."

Oakes finally met Nathan's gaze, "Because we want to get a leg up, so to speak on what the Chig's plans are. If we were to send in a full force it would frankly be sending lambs to the slaughter. Our energy resources are rapidly decreasing. If we sent a full force in right now the War is lost." He turned to face the group, "Any other questions?"

Silence.

"Good. I want the 44th on the Flight deck in twenty mikes. Dismissed." Nathan remained seated while the rest of the squadron filed out. After Tilson left West stood catching Oakes before he left the room.

"Well, you look pretty good for a dead man." Nathan said folding his arms across his chest.

John Oakes sighed as he shut the door, turning to face West, "I wasn't sure if you remembered me."

Nathan's brown eyes narrowed, "Its kind of hard to forget a man who sacrifices his life a friend of mine."

"Let's just say the rumors of my death were greatly exaggerated." John replied.

Nathan stared at him, "Why? Why fake your death? Why cause Shane that kind of pain?"

Oakes adverted his gaze, "Believe me Nathan, it wasn't my choice, but it was what I had to do to survive." He met Nathan's gaze, "I heard about Shane and the Wildcards. I'm sorry Nathan. I know what that kind of pain feels like. You better get going. You have less than seven mikes to be suited and on the Flight deck."

"Yes, Sir." Nathan replied bitterly before exiting the conference room.