Hostile Spike (Battlegroup Z Book 2) by Daniel Gibbs (best pdf ebook reader TXT) 📕

“Have you killed people, Daddy?” Maggie broke free of her mother’s embrace. “One of my friends said that all murderers go to hell. I don’t want you to go to hell!” she practically shrieked.

Justin touched the screen, wishing he could will himself to move through the camera and hold them both. “Honey, listen to me. You’re very young, and so are your friends. They just parrot stuff they hear at home. I can’t tell you whether people go to hell or not. But I promise you what I’m doing isn’t murder. These League of Sol people, they attacked us. We’re just defending ourselves. Okay?”

“Okay.” Maggie’s lip quivered. “Does that mean God is okay with it?”

Answering questions about faith was difficult for Justin. He’d agreed long ago with Michelle not to promote his lack of belief but found it difficult not to share his viewpoint. “Baby girl, I don’t think He’s okay with war, but it’s a necessary evil. Hey, enough of this talk. How are you doing in school?”

“I got an A for my English studies,” Maggie replied, beaming. “And a B plus for math.”

“Not bad for a kindergartener.” Justin forced a smile and winked. “You’ll be acing first grade in no time.”

“I don’t want her growing up any faster than she already is,” Michelle interjected. She ran her hands through Maggie’s brown hair. “Okay, munchkin, time for you to go to bed.”

“But, Mom—”

“No buts, little lady. Go lie down, and I’ll come read a story to you in a few minutes, okay?”

“Okay.”

Justin put his hand on the screen again. “Good night, Maggie. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Daddy.”

Watching his daughter disappear from the vidlink frame, Justin wondered if he’d ever see her again or hear her voice. Tears fell out of his eyes as the thought overwhelmed him.

“Baby, what’s wrong?”

“I’m sorry,” Justin said. “I miss you guys so much, and I… I don’t know if I’ll return to the ship. Each time I launch into space, it’s a gamble.”

“You know, maybe it would help if you pray and ask God to watch over you.”

Justin sighed. “You know my stance on religion, dear. It hasn’t changed.”

“If you’re telling me that you question whether you’ll survive every mission, what do you have to lose, Justin?” Her voice rose in pitch.

“Look. We agreed when we got married—no conversion attempts. I get it. You’ve got faith. I’m glad you do, because I don’t. I think we only get this one life. So I try to live it to the absolute fullest.”

Michelle smiled ruefully. “I’m still going to pray for you.”

Justin allowed himself to grin. “I won’t turn it down. If, by chance, there’s something up there that cares about us… I’m sure your intercessions will help.”

An awkward silence followed before Michelle shifted. “I’m terrified, baby. I know you don’t need that weight on you right now, but it’s hard. I keep seeing the chaplain with a senior officer. Another four families got notifications this week.” Tears filled her eyes. “Do you have any idea how long you’ll be at the front?”

Millions of families across the Terran Coalition were undoubtedly asking that question. If you boiled it all down, regardless of the rightness of the fight or that they were locked in a war for survival, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, wives, and husbands across the land went to sleep each night wondering if they would ever see their loved ones again.

Justin bit his lip hard enough to hurt. “They’re saying nine- to twelve-month deployments, hon.” He paused. “I’m hoping that if we put into space dock at New Washington, I can get liberty to see you and Maggie.”

“What’re the odds of that?” Michelle asked. She dabbed at her eyes, drying her tears.

The posters lining the hallways of the Zvika Greengold reminding everyone to keep their mouths shut about deployment information flew into his mind. “Loose lips sink ships and all that, dear.” He offered a lame smile. “You’ll know when I get there.”

Michelle chuckled. “You only had a few weeks left.”

“I know.”

“The news says no one is being allowed to leave the CDF or the Marines right now.”

“It’s called a stop-loss order,” Justin replied. Officers and enlisted personnel alike detested them. “And yes, it’s servicewide.”

“Part of me is so proud of you,” Michelle said, her eyes again brimming with tears. “I know you’re out there, defending us. It means so much to me. And another part of me is equally furious and scared that it had to be you. Why you? Someone else could be out there fighting instead.”

“Dear—”

She held up her hand. “Let me finish. Once I process all that, then all I feel is shame that I’d be willing for our family to do nothing while this war is fought.”

“Honey, I understand how you feel. Part of me didn’t want to be here either.” He thought back to his decision to turn and engage the entire League force when it looked like the Greengold would be overwhelmed back at Canaan. “I had a change of heart. For whatever it’s worth, my place is here. I know it. It’s where I’m supposed to be.”

“Maybe it’s where God wants you to be.”

Justin chuckled. “I suppose I deserve that for getting all metaphysical on you.”

“Promise me you’re going to come home. I don’t know if I can raise our daughter alone, but more importantly, I don’t want to do this without you. I love you, Justin Spencer. Now and forever.”

“I promise you I’ll do everything in my power to come home.”

“That’s not the same.”

“It’s the best I can do without lying. And I won’t lie to you, Michelle. I love you and Maggie too much for that.”

She nodded and sat back on the couch. “Can you do something for me?”

“Maybe,” Justin said with a crooked smile. “Depends on what it is.”

“Please don’t bring up the war if you can with Maggie. She’s too young to understand all this.”

Justin raised an eyebrow. “She seemed like she