No Future Without War

Copyright © 2015 by Trevor Lionel Thurlow.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 08/06/2015

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Contents

Chapter 1 The Start Of A New War

Chapter 2 Ambush

Chapter 3 The Battle For Border Town

Chapter 4 The Battle For The Bridge

Chapter 5 The Battle For The Rose

Chapter 6 Missing

Chapter 7 Coming Home

Chapter 8 Olympics Come To The Union

Chapter 9 The Robot Army

Chapter 10 The Escape

Chapter 11 Robert’s Last Stand

Chapter 12 The Dead Ship

Chapter 13 The Tomb

Chapter 14 Captured

Chapter 15 Robert’s Revenge

Chapter 16 The Snow Troops

Chapter 17 Ending

Chapter 18 The Metal Robot

Chapter 19 Mission To Death

Chapter 20 The Weapon

Chapter 21 The Future War

Chapter 22 The Secret School

Chapter 23 The Killer Robot

Chapter 24 Past Sins Of Robert Shadow

Chapter 25 Tracking Down Space Monsters

Chapter 26 Nine Days Until Death

Chapter 27 Repeating Time

Chapter 28 The Secret Box

Chapter 29 The Quest

Chapter 30 Fighting For Life

Chapter 31 The Transtarans

For my loving wife and son.

Thanks for all your support with my novel.

PROLOGUE

It is a time in the near future. Constant warfare between all the worldly forces, resulting in several victories. Their military might had just started.

CHAPTER 1

The Start Of A New War

At the military college within the Union countryside a soldier went to the lineup to hear the lecture going on within the class.

There was a famous military commander teaching the class history. He was aged in his late thirties. He had brown hair, brown eyes and dressed in a light green suit with several medals pinned on his chest. His name was commander Dion Shadow and he was following his grandfather’s footsteps.

A soldier walked in. ‘Excuse me but could I see Dion Shadow, thank you,’ he addressed the class.

Everyone who knew Dion thought, Why does he want him?

Dion quickly walked over to the soldier and shook his hand. ‘What’s going on?’ he asked.

‘Sir, it looks like war, and the emperor has recalled all men.’

‘Do you have my uniform?’ Dion asked.

‘Yes sir, in the tank,’ explained the soldier pointing to the general direction. ‘Please follow me.’

Dion ran out of his college class were he saw his assistant named Ms Abbott.

She was a small woman, about five feet four inches with dark curly hair, deep brown eyes and olive skin. She raised her hand in as a stop fashion. ‘What is it?’ she asked.

‘Our emperor has just made war on our enemies’ country. I’m sure that I’ll be in the front lines with the first unit.’

‘But what about your teachings?’

‘It doesn’t matter.’ Dion said sadly.

‘Will you be back?’ Ms Abbott asked.

‘I’m sure I will be. But with the weapons that will be used in this war. I don’t know.’ he explained.

‘I’ll’, Ms Abbott began pausing, ‘we will all miss you Dion!’

‘And I’ll miss you!’ Dion said bending down towards her and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

‘Come on sir.’ yelled the soldier several meters away waving to him to hurry up.

Dion quickly ran after him towards the tank that was parked on the side of the road. They both jumped on and banged on the side of the tank to tell the driver to go.

The tank drove on with eight more tanks in toe. Dion sat on the top. He watched the other side of the road to see that there were no cars on it.

An air-raid siren began in the distance. Dion quickly looked up into the sky to see six dots approaching.

‘Hey tank commander,’ began Dion yelling down the open top hatch. ‘We got six or more helicopters approaching us, better get on the horn to the others.’ Dion pulled onto the mounted chain gun to set the range. ‘Eat lead,’ he yelled opening fire onto one of the helicopters.

Other cannons opened fire onto the helicopters as Dion felt his hands go numb.

The helicopters fired back. A blast hit the road in front of Dion causing smoke and dirt to fly over him.

‘Come on you, come and get it!’ Dion yelled and watched as the bullet rack moved up chewing the bullets up.

Dion looked up to change the range once more, as two of the helicopters burst into flames. One blew up in the air as the other landed in the field across the road.

Dion let go of the chain gun and took his submachine gun out and ran into the field with about a dozen soldiers behind him. They began looking into the smashed helicopter to see if there was an enemy left alive. They were all dead. Some were chopped to bits by bullets, and others just a burnt figure.

They all knew their job and also knew that the emperor was always right to go to war with the neighbour states, and all should back him.

The tanks later stopped at a train station where all the soldiers were to go and get off at a place simply known as the Border Town. They would then march on foot to the newly established front lines.

Their mission was to break into enemy weak spots then work their way behind the enemy strongholds and attack from behind.

Dion watched as a group of cavalry trotted past. They were not the backbone of the Union army force like tanks or aircraft, but they were still very useful.

Dion could recall when he first saw the Union army’s cavalry as knights of old with front and back plates and fought with swords.

A train left the platform, and another officer approached Dion.

An old friend of Dion, Simon was a small man with black hair and blue eyes. They both went to school together and joined the army at the same time. They had both kept their promises to each other and survived over a dozen campaigns.

At the front lines, things were as they usually were. Others may recall the trench warfare of the Great War in earth history. This was basically the same.

As the artillery pounded them first until their forces were weak the first armoured infantry stood waiting in their trench for the orders to charge the enemy.

CHAPTER 2

Ambush

All of a sudden the artillery opened fire behind the trench that held all of the infantry that quickly covered their ears.

Back at the military college, every room, and everyone was listening to the radio and the upcoming news.

‘As at 13:15 today, the first unit of infantry charged the enemy half a mile from our border. The enemy counter-attacked our forces but we broke through with the loss of some ten thousand men.’

The teacher, Ms Abbott, turned the radio off. The class did not talk much thinking the worst.

*     *     *

A distant gunshot sounded off. There were some 35 soldiers pinned down by the enemy behind the tree line. Dion Shadow pulled out another magazine clip to reload his submachine gun.

A cannon shell hit in the middle of the group blowing about ten of them apart. Dion now wished he had a desk job, he had seen far too much of this blood and stuff and he was not ready for his death.

It would also be Dion’s fault if no one lived through this.

The enemy were not as well equipped as the Union army, but they were more numerous and they were not giving up without a fight. The enemy were mostly normal people. Most did not have a professional army or get paid for their time.

Suddenly, there was some yelling from his ranks. Dion raised his head from the trench to see about 80 or more enemy moving from the tree line towards them. Dion pulled out a grenade, pulled out the pin and threw it over his shoulder then covered his ears.

An automated robotic machine gun opened fire which told Dion’s men that the enemy were within range or in a 50-feet radius.

Dion watched as it chewed up round after round not stopping. Out of 300 rounds, it was quickly down to 80. The control console started steaming, then sparks flew out, but the guns still went on.

‘We down to 15 rounds sir,’ Simon called out.

‘Oh, come on, come on,’ Dion said whispering to himself giving himself just a little bit more encouragement.

The automatic gun stopped with a handful of rounds remaining. The enemy attacking force had retreated for now and Dion gasped with relief and looked around his ranks. Looking at the radio man, Dion yelled, ‘Hey you, yes you. I want you to get onto the radio and get a chopper to pick us up.’

Very soon a Black Hawk helicopter hovered over the group. Dion ran over to Simon who was leaning against a tree stump. ‘Come on Simon, the chopper is here!’

Dion yelled shaking his friend, but Simon did not move. Grabbing onto his jumper then pulling on it, Simon tilted over. He now saw his best friend’s white face. Dion then noticed that a bullet had entered through the tree stump and hit Simon in the back.

‘No!’ Dion cried. ‘It can’t be!’ he said as a tear rolled down his face. He wiped it away with his sleeve. ‘I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… now I have to bite my shorts now, don’t I?’ Dion joked to his dead friend. ‘I promise to you Simon, I’ll finish this war once and for all. I haven’t broken a promise to you yet and I won’t.’ Dion paused. ‘I’ll kill all of them if it’s the last thing I will ever do.’I will bring peace to this world.

Dion took Simon’s 9mm calibre Browning Pistol from its holster then stood up and helped two medics pick up his best friend’s body to carry away.

*     *     *

Dion lay down on his bunk to rest after his shower when a figure came into the room.

‘Dion? Sir,’ a sweet familiar voice called out.

Dion sat up too fast causing his head to hit the bunk bed above his. An elderly woman walked in. She was Simon’s mother, a short lady with red hair and blue eyes.

‘I’m so very sorry for the loss of your son,’ Dion began sadly, but before he could finish the woman continued.

‘That’s all right Dion. We should all say that we are the one who is saying sorry. Simon said that he’d like to go down in glory than just fade away,’ his mom explained.

‘I lost 23 good men yesterday. How do you think I feel when I have to tell their families about the bad news? Some never had a chance,’ Dion snapped.

‘Dion, thank you for bringing him back. His funeral is on Monday if you can come,’ Simon’s mom said before turning and leaving.

Dion lay back on his bunk and could hear transport vehicles stopping and a helicopter flying overhead. No rest for me tonight, he thought to himself, sitting up to put his boots on.

Dion got out and walked outside. New troops were arriving constantly, a small unit had gathered together and Dion walked among them checking that they were dressed according to the uniform guidelines. He stopped in front of one of the new troops that happened to be one that Dion had educated at the military college.

A plump man, his name was Peter, with brown eyes and brown shaved short hair.

As Dion looked closely, Peter said, ‘Hi sir.’ Peter grinned.

‘Peter, what are you doing here?’ Dion asked.

‘Um! I thought you needed a hand so I put my name down and here I am sir.’ He paused. ‘You should have listened to Abbott. She went on and on and on about you sir. You get it right? She loves you sir.’ Peter joked.

‘Good! Very funny Peter. Now is there anyone else that came from my classes?’

‘Yes sir. Kristine and Scott, sir,’ Peter replied.

‘Oh yes, where’s Scott?’

‘He joined the cavalry.’

‘And Kristine?’ Dion questioned.

‘Yes. She joined the Military Police Group.’

Dion laughed. ‘Now that’s a hard job, but I guess she’s up to it. Right?’

‘Yeah!’ began Peter. ‘And well she’s a bit of a hooker isn’t she? Having seven boyfriends in a year,’ joked Peter.

‘Yes, I also believe that you tried to become her boyfriend too,’ Dion joked.

‘Yeah, well at least I tried,’ began Peter, shrugging his shoulders before continuing. ‘All that you can get is Abbott.’

With those words Dion grabbed Peter and threw him backwards against a vehicle. ‘Excuse yourself Peter. I may have been your teacher and a friend, but out here we are at war. Never speak to me like that,’ Dion ordered.

‘Yes sir.’ Peter gasped as he was picking himself up.

*     *     *

Hours later.

‘Great. Order requests from High Command,’ began Dion in front of his troops. ‘Our mission is to set up a small ambush force along this road,’ he instructed, pointing to the map. ‘So let’s move people!’

*     *     *

They had luckily passed an enemy patrol without being noticed. Dion rolled into his sleeping bag just as the sun had set for the night. He put some chewing gum into his mouth. The robotic automatic guns were switched on so that everyone could sleep for the night.

The robotic gun buzzed to wake everyone as its radar saw something off into the distance. All the soldiers quickly put on their infrared goggles and looked around.

‘There is someone out there sir,’ whispered one.

‘Well someone has to check it out,’ whispered Dion.

‘Nope, no need sir. The censor took aim at an animal,’ replied another.

‘Thank you, Everyone, back to bed,’

*     *     *

In the early morning daylight, everyone was busily packing up and was ready to be on the move to ambush the enemy. Then suddenly a shot rang out. The bullet fired in front of the men forcing everyone to hit the ground. Dion and Tim quickly crawled over to a log and looked over.

Tim was the tallest of the group, as well as one of the strongest, with brown eyes and shaved black hair.

‘Tim, it’s a sniper out there. I want you to go around to the back of him and flush him out,’ ordered Dion.

‘Sure thing sir,’ announced Tim chewing some gum.

Dion smiled. ‘You have a real bad attitude problem son. We’ll cover ya.’

Everyone bobbed up from their places firing into the enemy sniper direction. Tim ran round jumping over logs and crawling along the ground praying that the enemy would be keeping an eye on the men than him. There was a small concrete bunker where the enemy were firing from, and Tim crawled to the back throwing in a grenade. After the blast sounded everyone cheered.

Dion now knew that he had less than 24 hours before the enemy were here in force.

*     *     *

‘Sir an enemy convoy is coming up the road, with a tank,’ puffed a scout.

‘All right. Listen up. I want an L-shaped ambush. I want the cannon crew to hit the tank first before any firing. Is that understood?’ Dion ordered.

Dion sat next to the cannon crew holding his hand up in the air. Then as he saw the tank roll up he dropped his hand and the cannon crew let the tank have it.

There was gunfire back and forth as Dion led his handpicked force into the enemy convoy to kill or capture any POWs to trade. The front member of the force got shot down and two of his buddies dragged him to the side of the forest. A bazooka missile fired and took out a chain gun man on the half_track that came from behind the destroyed tank.

Dion watched as some of his men rounded up about a dozen odd enemy troops.

The radio crackled. Dion grabbed it from the radio officer. ‘Could I have a chopper to my location, with medic crew and room for plus 15 POWs, over.’

‘Yes sir. Commander Shadow sir,’ the radio crackled back.

Dion and his men waited with the unarmed prisoners. Every second that they stood there they knew that they were in danger.

Dion turned to the radio officer. ‘Could you give me the time that the helicopter will be in?’ he asked.

‘Yes sir, ETA any minute now!’

‘Thank you!’ Dion snapped.

He then began to watch as two of his men placed their empty drink cans on top of the burning tank. Gunfire began and the two men ducked for cover. One of the men started laughing upon seeing that the cans were riddled with bullet holes.

The chopper came into view, and Dion let out a flare of blue smoke.

‘I can see blue smoke. Is that correct?’ asked the pilot.

‘Yes, so get your fat ass down here,’ yelled Dion at the top of his voice.

Just as the helicopter landed onto the dirt road, several shots came from the forest directed at the helicopter. Dion and several others ran back towards the burnt-out tank. The helicopter doors opened and the automated guns fired round after round as the men jumped in and dragged their captured POWs until all were accounted for.

Tim sat opposite Dion blowing bubble gum bubbles. ‘That was a close one,’ he announced just before he noticed blood dripping down onto Dion’s boot. ‘Excuse me sir, but you’re bleeding,’ he mumbled.

‘Tim, get real ya’ joker. If I was hit I would have felt it, wouldn’t I?’ Dion said not believing him.

‘Then what’s that dripping from your leg?’ Tim asked.

Dion looked down and saw blood. He quickly rolled up his shirt and padding feeling all around. ‘Ahh,’ he groaned when he found the wound pulling his hand out. His fingertips were covered in blood. Dion felt oozy. He recalled Tim calling for the medic before he fainted.

*     *     *

Dion awoke with a nurse standing over him dressed in a sexy white uniform, a white hat with orange hair. ‘Are you feeling better now Commander?’ she asked.

Dion moaned. ‘Yes thank you madam.’

‘You may leave soon, when the doctor sees you next but don’t get the pad wet, and if you’re in pain or it hurts, you can take some morphine,’ she explained.

Dion sat up in bed, fully aware of the events of the last few days. Looking around, he saw a fresh combat uniform ready for him to wear.

‘Could all the soldiers now fit for duty from first, second and third corps units please meet in the meeting room for battle,’ an announcer yelled over the microphone.

Dion decided not to wait for the doctor to see him. He pulled the sheets back and slid out of the bed to get himself dressed and kick ass.

CHAPTER 3

The Battle For Border Town

All the commanding officers stood on stage as a number of troops all dressed in army green combat uniforms consisting of the first, second and third corps units stood at attention.

The prime minister came in onto the stage, dressed in a black-and-white striped shirt with a red tie, black trousers and shoes. He had short black hair with brown eyes. He shook all the officers’ hands, including Dion’s before walking to the podium and microphone.

‘I’m glad that we could fit all 6,000 of you in here,’ he began. ‘This is going to be a joint effort. We have called it the Battle for Border Town. As most of you would know, Border Town is at the end of the valley of hill. Except for the enemy. They have units now eight miles which our intelligence said that they are amassing an army of 300,000.’ He paused. ‘We know that they are more numerous, but you are a professional army, better trained. We all appreciate the work you’ve done so far, but your mission is to stop them.’

The prime minister then stepped back for Dion.

‘The armoured cavalry have already set up our defences around the town. Our engineering division have constructed a trench system. It’s four wooden steps deep, and they are busy fortifying the town as best they can. The veteran first corps will take the right flank, second corps will be in the centre and the third will take the left flank. If there’s any questions, please see your section commander. We hope all of you return.’

No one raised their hands for any imminent questions. There was total silence, so the meeting was over but a lot of combat men and women were determined. This was not war. It’s suicide. Many would not return. Many would fight until the last man standing.

*     *     *

The train arrived at Border Town, and the infantry’s long march to the trench defences were fine.

‘Could all commanding officers come to the battle bunker?’

‘I wonder what they want me for?’ Dion asked Tim and Peter after he heard the voice that called out on the loudspeaker as he started down the steps into the trench system.

There Dion saw the commander in chief of the infantry. He was in his sixties with blue eyes and grey hair. He looked through a telescope then turned to Dion.

‘I haven’t seen this force before,’ the commander in chief whispered passing Dion the telescope.

Dion looked through it to see a huge army of as many that the enemy had stationed there. The army wore their grey uniforms carrying all sorts of weapons. ‘That’s their paid army sir? The third best trained in the world. My men and I encounter elements of these men when we did that road job. They put up one hell of a fight,’ Dion explained.

‘So, we’re the first best trained army in the world. Order all men to load their weapons. We’ll fight them until they’re all dead,’ the commander in chief thundered.

‘Or if we are. Excuse me sir, but didn’t the ammunition group only give us enough rounds?’ Dion thundered back.

An officer interrupted. ‘Yes, so?’ he asked Dion rudely.

‘So! They will also fight until their last man is dead and –’ Dion was cut short when gunfire was heard. That told Dion and other commanders that the battle was on.

The Union army’s engineers’ had set up vast minefields along the front of the trench system and the troops listened as they all went off at once telling them that the enemy were approaching. The robotic guns opened fire as more mines went off.

‘Peter, Tim, stick close to me,’ yelled Dion running back with them to his position.

The enemy had broken up into three groups. Some 50,000 enemy were in the first wave, and their mission was to pick off as many of the Union soldiers as possible.

Dion took up his position on the top step within the trench system and fired his machine gun.

With their first wave shot down, they launched their second wave that was three times that of the first wave. Some of the second wave didn’t even have weapons, and so had to pick up the weapons of those of the dead.

The robotic guns were long dead, their barrels smoldering. All were firing from the trench system, with few causalities, but the enemy had reached the trench system.

‘Everyone,’ called out Dion. ‘Form a square,’ he ordered.

‘Yes sir,’ his troops yelled back and began to form the formation of a square within the trench system. They were all firing in all directions as they saw enemy troops reach their trench position. The front row knelt on their steps firing up.

Enemy troops jumped into the trench as several were reloading and now began using swords, bayonets or hand-to-hand combat.

Peter, who was on the second step threw down his pistol and ripped out his sword. He slashed one of the enemy troops down then turned to another as the enemy began to take control of the trench.

He swung his sword but missed and got it stuck in the wood of one of the steps. The enemy soldier brought the handle of his shotgun down onto Peter’s sword, smashing it. The enemy soldier then pulled out his bayonet.

Dion took out a pistol and pointed it at that enemy soldier.

The enemy soldier stopped dead in his tracks then his mouth dropped scared.

‘Piss off,’ Dion yelled.

The enemy soldier turned around but Dion pulled the trigger shooting him in the back and several other enemies that were within the trench.

‘Peter, get down here. Now!’

‘No! This is easy!’ Peter screeched grabbing an enemy soldier’s hand with a knife in it, banging it on his knee making the soldier drop his knife. Peter then flipped the enemy soldier over him, picked up his knife then stabbed him, and last but not least slitting his throat.

As soon as Peter had killed that soldier another one came charging carrying a bayonet stabbing Peter in the ribs. He felt it as it went through his armour and into the skin as it twisted around inside of him. Peter then fell down onto the steps barely alive.

‘No!’ Dion called out shooting the soldier that stabbed Peter before he knelt down by his side. ‘Don’t worry Peter, you’re going to be all right man,’ he said trying to encourage him.

‘I’m dead,’ mumbled Peter time and time again.

‘Wake up soldier, you’re not dead yet. Look into my eyes, you’re going to make it all right.’

‘Yes, I’ll be fine sir,’ Peter whispered holding his ribcage.

‘Tim, look after him,’ Dion ordered standing up and walking down the steps. The enemies were within the trench system and were overwhelming the strong points. He watched as a group of enemies ran down the path carrying a fully loaded chain gun. Dion raised his pistol and fired the last shoots before the enemy soldier could set up the range and kill some of his men.

Dion then ran to the chain gun and picked it up. ‘Zero point zero one should be close enough,’ he said to himself in an angry tone. (Zero point zero one is the shortest range. It means the distance away from the barrel.)

Dion then let the enemy have it. Steam soon started to come out of the barrel as he shot at any enemy that was within the trench system.

Suddenly, either a well-placed artillery round or rocket hit their position.

The well-placed round knocked Dion and his men unconscious.

*     *     *

Dion awoke a day later in the hospital. He was rescued still alive by additional forces.

‘Wake up Commander,’ yelled a voice. Dion awoke to see the image of the prime minister sitting next to his bed. ‘Commander, I’ve now promoted you to commander in chief of the army,’ he said.

‘Thank you sir,’ Dion said with a dry mouth. ‘What happened to Commander in Chief Bill Flynn?’ he asked.

‘I’m afraid that he didn’t make it,’ the prime minister said sadly.

*     *     *

Gaining the strength necessary, Dion began walking in the hospital.

Dion watched as a medical robot standing over Peter’s bed. Dion felt the same as Peter when an electronic shock went through his body.

Dion listened to hear footsteps coming along the walkway towards him and in stepped Kristine wearing a military police women’s uniform that was green jeans, green T-shirt with a red and black striped belt. She’s got black hair rolled into a bun, and she had dark eyes. She also knew that Dion wanted her and touched her buns.

‘Commander in Chief, you’re got a visitor. A sexy one too,’ remarked Tim standing behind Dion then blowing some gum as Kristine walked in.

‘Hello Dion, or should I say commander in chief?’ Kristine asked joking.

‘Oh! Kristine,’ started Dion surprised. ‘Where’s the others?’ he asked as they hugged tightly.

‘Not bad even!’ Tim interrupted as they hugged. ‘She’s got a lot of spirit sir.’

Kristine looked at Tim in a demeaning way. ‘At war, or dead sir,’ she said trying to ignore Tim’s comment.

‘Are we the only ones left?’ Dion asked.

‘Afraid so!’

‘I don’t believe you,’ Dion said as they stopped hugging.

‘It is true sir, everyone singed up,’ whispered Kristine.

‘What about Ms. Abbott?’ Dion asked fearing the worst.

‘She was killed after she was –’ Kristine paused ‘– raped, sir,’ she said sadly, because she knew how close they were to one another.

‘What? No. No. It’s not true,’ sobbed Dion.

‘Yes sir. All 27 of us, and only Peter and I are left from yours and Ms. Abbott’s class. I’ve got a list,’ Kristine said reaching into her back pocket then handing Dion a folded piece of paper that had all of the students that Dion had taught and the group of young future officers he helped to run.

Dion felt mad and in a rage he tore up the paper. ‘I’ll kill them all,’ he yelled then stormed out. Both Kristine and Tim ran after him.

‘Where are you going?’ she asked.

‘I’m going to order all our military forces to attack and wipe them out,’ he yelled through the hall.

‘Dion, be brave and come back alive,’ Kristine pleaded.

‘Don’t worry Kristine, there won’t be another name on that list.’

*     *     *

The palace was full of soldiers and media people. At the top of the stairs stood the prime minister and sat the emperor in a golden chair with several bodyguards standing on both sides next to him.

Two military policemen (MPs) opened the great doors and in walked Dion Shadow in full battle suit. He passed all the photographers that took his photo and kneeled at the top of the stairs on a red pillow.

The emperor, who wore the same uniform as Dion, was a very old man. He had no hair at all but was cleanly shaven. He stood up and put a medal around Dion’s neck.

Dion was now officially the commander in chief. He stood up to face the crowd. As he walked down the stairs he got a standing ovation.

*     *     *

Dion, the emperor and prime minister sat for a meeting after the award ceremony.

‘Emperor, I wish to command an attack on the enemy. Paratroopers will go in first and I’ll use my forces to push the enemy out of our lands,’ Dion explained.

‘No, I forbid an attack on the enemy,’ began the emperor. ‘There is something that our Intelligence wants. A six-kilometre bridge. It’s heavily guarded by the enemy and every mission to take it has failed. It’s a key point for the enemy. They take their artillery and armour across this bridge to the front lines. We’ve taken heavy losses, and we’ve tried to bomb it but our planes can’t get close to it.’

‘Then we land at night and attack at dawn,’ Dion requested.

‘That’s right, If we lose this offensive, we can lose the war,’ commented the prime minister.

‘Unless we take that bridge?’ Dion asked.

‘Correct, That is all.’

CHAPTER 4

The Battle For The Bridge

A silent submarine rose out of the sea. A hatch opened and six rubber boats with four men in each paddled to shore. They were to set up camp and wait for orders. All the ships and submarines waited undetected by the enemy off their coast.

The commander of one of the ships looked through his telescope watching the suspension bridge. The men were restless and thought of coming back alive. It was eight hours away from dawn and fireworks. As soon as dawn broke the ships sailed into the enemy ports firing all cannons pounding enemy units. Aircraft flew overhead shooting down enemy planes.

After heavy pounding at the enemy targets the Union armies reached the beach at 7:18 am. Dion watched through a telescope for his forces on the beach. He stood in the command station of the most powerful warship of all time.

Its name is Union Devil, made to blow the enemy off the face of the Earth. The Devil was first a submarine then a battleship and aircraft carrier built on top of the submarine. It was very fast because it could go up to 32 knots an hour in rough sea.

It fired all of its cannons at once, pointing out to shore. Dion then put his telescope away to see a jet take off for a bombing run.

The Union only had a total of 261 ships. Without their allies in arms – NATO, America, Australia, New Zealand and England – they would not be doing what they could do, but only TIME would tell

The infantry had reached the suspension bridge and were fighting heavy odds. By 14:43 Dion got the word to retreat all units from the emperor. The tankunits were already on the shore, and with no chance to use them they would lose.

‘This is a general announcement,’ Dion began as he talked on the radio. ‘All units of the Union pull back except the Tiger Force that will hold the bridge as long as possible,’ said Dion. Then he put the speaker down and put his face into his hands. ‘This is one bad mistake.’ whispered Dion to himself. I will be back.

The Union forces fled, leaving thousands of dollars of equipment. Dion sent all the troops back to the Union and watched as an air strike flew over the Devil and bombed the suspension bridge that so many lives were lostfor.

KILLED IN ACTION: UNION: 2,312 Infantry, 802 Artillery men, 312 Tanks, 110 Aircraft, 06 ships

ALLIES: 3,658 Infantry, 632 Artillery men, 687 Tanks, 126 Aircraft, 08 ships

ENEMY: 4,802 Infantry, 466 Artillery men, 1,086 Tanks, 898 Aircraft, 07 ships

*     *     *

Dion pushed a trolley along the walkway getting his shopping with six bodyguards around him. Dion slammed his trolley into a young lady dressed in a majors military police women’s uniform. She fell to the ground dropping her groceries. Dion bent down beside her and began to pick her groceries up. As she stood up, Dion holding all of her groceries saw who it was dropped them all again.

‘Oh! I’m so sorry,’ he apologised.

‘Hello Commander in Chief,’ she said, and Dion smiled at her beautiful face.

‘I’m sorry for running off on you last time we met, Kristine,’ Dion said again apologising.

‘You don’t need to apologise Dion, I felt the same way when I saw the list,’ Kristine said sadly.

‘Excuse me, Kristine, but would you like to go out to dinner with me?’ Dion asked.

‘Who me?’

‘You! Would you like to have dinner with me? Tonight? Maybe?’ Dion asked her.

‘Well! I’ve got guard duty until 18:30, so will 20:30 suit? Pick me up at my house.’

‘Yes I’ll see you then!’ Dion smiled.

‘Wait! Do you have my address?’ Kristine asked.

Dion hummed and nodded his head. ‘I’m the C-in-C. I’ve got it in my black book.’ He joked.

Kristine giggled. ‘I’ll see you then sir.’

*     *     *

Dion was reading a book as the limousine pulled up at Kristine’s address.

‘One hundred and eighteen Black Wood Road, one hundred and sixteen, one hundred and—here I am,’ Dion said to himself throwing the novel on the seat before reaching into his pocket, blew his noise on a hanky, took a bunch of flowers out from under his arm and held it in his left hand with the chocolates.

Dion walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. He did up his tie that went with his battle uniform. A fat man dressed in a robe smoking a pipe opened the door.

‘Come in Commander in Chief.’ He yawned.

‘Thank you, sir!’ Dion said, stepping in and facing the stairs as Kristine ran down them.

Kristine wore a beautiful strapless red dress, and she had high-heeled shoes. Her hair was done into a bun, the way she liked it. Dion walked up to her handing the chocolates and flowers to her.

‘Thank you. Dion, wait here. I’ll put the chocolates into the freezer and the flowers into a vars,’ she said as she walked down the last few steps then into the kitchen to her left.

‘Don’t worry I’m not going anywhere,’ Dion whispered as he looked around the room that was brown brick. There was a rocking chair facing the television that was to his right where her