Soul at War Read Free Page A

started up the console while my toast cooked
in the kitchen. Instantly the news feed came to the screen and the
main headlines were taken up by the news from the Zion
group.
    The Zion group was a cluster of
planets owned by wealthy believers who wanted a place to devote
their lives to worship. They’d colonised them around fifty years
ago, using most of the existing structures left behind by the
frontier men of the last century. It was pretty secure and the
nearest military force was only a week away, add that to the sphere
of EW beacons and you would have thought it would have been quite
safe for these people to practice their faith.
    “Tensions are still mounting
as contact has been lost from several of the planets in the system.
Long range scans have shown considerable ship movement from ARC
forces directed to the region... ” the news
caster droned as I buttered my toast.
    “Vid-link.” I called out to the
console. “Jeff Simms, MOD.”
    “Clearence code please.” the console
chirped.
    “B5678. Shap, John.”
    “Subject?”
    “Inquiry. St. John, David. Zion
group.”
    “Thank you.”
    I sat in my chair near the console and
ate my toast. It was set to be a beautiful day. The skies were
clear blue and the breeze coming in through the window was warm. I
could see my greenhouse at the end of my small field and on its
glass roof a gray shaggy looking cat was staring back at me. It
wasn't such a bad life after all I thought.
    “John. Long time no see.” The face of
Jeff Simms appeared in my living room. He was all smiles and his
uniform was freshly pressed. Simms had been a stickler for the
rules and it had been his job to see every soldier through his time
in the forces from signing up to dropping out. Or at least it was
his job to arrange their funeral.
    “Hello Jeff. How's things?” I
replied.
    “Spot on, mate. You? How's civilian
life treating you?”
    “I can't complain. Just enjoying
breakfast while you're working...” I grinned.
    “Thanks. Some of us have been at it
since five am. You've seen the latest?” his face tried to retain
its grin but I could see he was bothered by it all.
    “Yes. Look Jeff I'm calling on behalf
of a friend of mine. His son is out there and he wants to make sure
he's alright.” Jeff nodded and held his hands up.
    “No problem mate. What unit is he in?”
he said.
    “He's not a soldier. He's a
missionary. His name is David St. John.”
    “I'll take a look for you.” Jeff
turned away from the screen and ran his fingers over a touch screen
tablet embedded in his desk. “St. John, David. Departed lunar
colony in June last year. Arrived at Zion group two months later.
Took transport to Sidon the following week. He's still there as far
as our records are concerned though I don't envy him.”
    “Why's that?” I said.
    “Can't say over vid-link but it's
getting worse out there. We have very limited communications since
ARC moved near so I can't even reach David for you.”
    “Thanks Jeff I appreciate
it.”
    “Are you coming back yet?” he said
laughing. “We need all the help we can get.”
    “If it's bad enough to want me back it
must be bad.”
    Jeff's face turned deadly
serious. “All I can say John is it's that bad now.”
    *
    As promised I began finishing the
gates. As I was applying the paint, I heard something above the
bird calls and rustling pines. It was oddly familiar, a sort of
thumping sound, mechanical and deep toned. It shook the turpentine
in the jar on the windowsill. It began to get louder, the thumps
closer together. Putting down the paint pot, I walked out into the
sunlight - until it was blacked out.
    It settled down in the field across
the path, anti-grav pads sending clumps of soil and turf in all
directions until they cut off and feet extended out from the sides
like a spider. Then hatches lifted outwards and a set of steps shot
out into the dirt. It was an Mk IV assault speeder, but an updated
one with matt black anti-radar shielding,