They assembled dutifully around the central desk in the command tent, Stuart grinning as he walked through the hole in the door that Josh had made upon his exit, as the remaining flap waved about clumsily without its partner to hold on to.
"So why didn't we detect it?" Asked the Commodore to no on in particular.
"During combat runs we tuned down the locking range of the sensors" Replied Stuart
"To increase local sensitivity?"
"Exactly. If we had all the sensors active the data would only give us very vague directions. The combat over the last few weeks meant that we turned the majority of them off. He... it" he corrected, "could literally have come from the heart of China for all we know."
"I was afraid you were gonna say that." Said Josh grimacingly. "I take it that this means we're going to be taking a lot more people with us east?"
"I think we may need to call home."
Home, as it happened, was London. It had been set up as the last human city simply because it was the only conurbation where enough of the buildings were left to shelter the world's remaining population. It had taken almost two years to fight their way there through the Righmen, Josh recalled. But America had taken longer...
"What's up?" a voice crackled over the tannoy in the tent. . James was all about appearance and people. He also found it quite difficult to take orders, which had made him the ideal puppet leader in London, whereby he could make sure everyone else was doing their Job. Josh still didn't think much of this, however.
"We encountered a Haiken" Said Jenna. "From the east."
"From the east? How in the hell did it get there? And I thought you killed them all anyway?"
"So did we," Said David dryly. "We want to go find out what it was up to and where it came from, but we need more people"
"Righto" Said James in his typically offhand manner. "Thomas and his lot should be coming up from France to where you are shortly, with supplies. "I'll have Richard and the other lot come down from Denmark also".
"You going to reinforce the American wall?" Stuart piped up.
"Should I? James queried, sounding a slight more concerned.
"The long range scanners are showing a LOT of activity in the eastern zones" This was greeted with furrowed brows all around. This was odd. Odd and not good.
I'll have Harriet and her lot double the numbers" James said. "Three days till your comrades get to you. Talk Soon"
There was a click as he hung up his end.
"So now what?" Asked David
"We wait." Said Jenna.
Three days was not a long time in any sense. But it was remarkably dull. The members of the encampment had been used to pretty much constant combat, nights which were at risk of disturbance by unspoken evils that came in the night; from both sides of the conflict that had involved humanities unobtrusive little solar system. A solar system that had been hatched with intent long before even the smallest of bacteria had begun to grow.
Now all was silent. Stuart had been keeping tabs on the extra activity in the Eastern zones, but while the little yellow blobs were gathering in increasing numbers on the external border of what was formerly China, they never broke away. Perhaps they were gathering? Perhaps they were unsure how to proceed in their given circumstance? Who could say? In any case, they weren't advancing on their current position.
Stuart and the other command crew members sat out on the hill again on the morning of the third day, watching the horizon. The golden light of the sun was poking out over the horizon of pine trees. The haze making it look like the whole sky was alight with an orange flame. The air was cool, not cold but fresh and crisp, like you could bite into the air itself.
"The fact is," said Stuart "We shouldn't be getting any activity from the Righmen in that area. Nuclear or not- that was Krimmen territory. Josh nodded sagely. He remembered the charts in the command tent. The Righmen and the Krimmen were unable to drop themselves into earth at any other than a few preordained locations. The Righmen had previously been arriving via South America, whilst the Krimmen had only been apparent in China.
"We still don't know what locked the Krimmen into China though" He said
"There they are!" Jenna suddenly stood, as she pointed in two directions, and sure enough, two massive groups of people were marching towards them.
The crowds made their way into the encampment, apparently distributing food, water, and the precious commodity of soap.
"It's amazing what becomes valuable" Chuckled Josh as he shook hands with Richard and Thomas. Richard was still thin as ever, but his arms and legs had grown back to his athletic proportions. His hair, no longer straightened, curled atop his head.
"Thomas!" Came the cry from Jenna as she hugged him tightly about his middle. He too had toned up a bit, but his curly brown hair still stood atop his head, sideburns down his cheeks. He still kept his Chef knives on his person, though lately, Jenna suspected, they had been used more against Righmen than against chicken.
"Who are you and where's Jenna?" Came the immediate response. Everyone laughed.
This feels good thought Josh This feels like... home.
Gemma walked over to the main tent, and picked up a speaker.
"Ok everyone."
The camp stopped moving. In spite of the fact that nearly ten thousand people had gathered there, you could have heard a pin drop.
"Today we are heading east." No response, they knew this bit. "We have encountered a Righman heading from that direction. "A slight murmer... this was news to everyone apparently. "We are going to take all our forces to the China border, to ascertain what is happening, and make a choice of action." Nods and shrugs. "We will also hope" she paused "To ascertain the fate of the three brave people who went into that area and did not come back. Harriet and Thomas looked at her, agog.
Someone at the rear of the crowd shouted something. The yell was repeated by people progressively closer, until it became audible. "PREPARE TO MOVE, THE LAST MARCH BEGINS"
"Finally" Said Josh. "I was getting to wonder when something exciting was going to happen."
The others looked at him agog instead now. "What?"
