Chapter 14

"Alpha flight, this is Bravo One. I read two groups, five each, can you confirm?"

"Bravo Leader this is Alpha One. That's a roger on the spooks! Distance sweeps show no other bogeys."

"Roger Alpha. Ten targets. We'll jump 'em going in. They'll have to work back past us to get home. Pickets One-Four through One-Seven and Three-Four through Three-Seven, you get the leftovers going in. Charlie leader, keep an eye on our six. Don't want any surprises. If any get past us going out, you can have 'em!"

"Will do, Bravo. Any more come sniffing around we'll give 'em something else to think about."

"They're closer to me, Alpha, so I've got the lead. We'll push 'em your way and pinch 'em in the cone. Good hunting!"

"Roger, Bravo Leader. Meet you in the middle!"

"Bravo flight, this is Bravo One, we've done this a million times in the sims, now we get to do it for real. Wait for my signal to form the cone, and don't show 'em what we've got until you have to. Here we go, single squadron attack formation, Go!"

The aliens saw them as almost as soon as they emerged from behind the asteroid and changed course to avoid them, their course and speed calculated to outrun the reaction drives that were standard for Earth forces. The deception couldn't last long without the tails of fire and condensation from the rockets, so Bravo One got back on the horn.

"Okay, they're committed. Let's close the gap and give 'em something to think about. Hopefully they won't notice Alpha closing in."

With drives maxed out, they were almost on top of the alien ships before their pilots could react, and just as they had practiced in the sims, Alpha and Bravo flights joined forces, merging into a single cone that covered most of the possible escape vectors while allowing them to fire at the enemy at will without danger of hitting each other. The aliens hit the gas but the Earth ships were already on top of them, and carnage ensued. Three, four, six then seven of the alien ships went up in balls of fire. The picket boats, lying in wait, got another before the final two swept into an upper atmosphere orbit and slung themselves around the planet, heading outward at a different vector than that on which they approached. Fearing a trap, the UE commanders recalled their flights. Only two of the Earth ships did not make it back to their base on the Moon.

"Yes!" Caprio's fist pumped in an uncharacteristic gesture as he watched the video feed from the Earth Defense fleet. For the first time in memory, the alien fighters were in retreat! "Take that, you alien assholes!"

The President's cabinet watched in amusement - those who weren't engaging in their own celebrations - as the normally reserved President enjoyed a brief release from his usual restraint.

"Not bad for a lame duck, eh?!" He asked of no one in particular.

The election results, of course, weighed heavily on his mind these days. So much left to do! His successor was a good man, no doubt, but it was so hard to let go with so much remaining to be done.

"This is what I wanted to see!" Caprio told his aide as they left the situation room. "I will go back to private life a happy man knowing I have accomplished this!"

"I think there is much more that you can be proud of, Sir." The aide said quietly, for once not consulting his ubiquitous PDT.

"And what would that be?" The President, still euphoric after the victory, asked absent-mindedly.

"Have you forgotten what you have had to accomplish to get this victory, in just a few short years?" The aide replied. "You have almost eliminated poverty, not just in a few countries, but throughout the world. You have made nations and peoples who have traditionally been at each other's throats work together to accomplish near impossible tasks. The economy and subsequently the prosperity of most of the people of Earth is soaring, and the gap between rich and poor has dwindled. Most of the Earth's population now boasts membership in a new, international middle class, and ignorance and illiteracy are at an all-time low. History may remember you as the First President of United Earth, or as the President who achieved victory over the alien invaders, but some of us will remember you as the President who saved Earth from itself."