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who want nothing more than to see blood. This is not what I signed up for, and not what we fought for!"
    The General's concern turned to anger at his comments.
    "So what, you'll walk out of the only career you've ever known, and do what? Piss about drinking too much and trying to relive the glory days. You're a fighter, a marine; it's all you know how to be. Now you don't have to like these orders, but by God you will follow them. You can be nothing out there in the World, a bum with nothing to offer, or you can be a Marine officer and a hero. You may have done great things in the war, but it is the machine behind you that made that possible and has made you the celebrity you are today."
    Celebrity? Christ that's the last thing I want. All I ever wanted in my years in the Corps was to have some kind of life with Parker, and now that’s the one thing being held from me.
    "All right, I'll do it. But this is gonna end badly. The Krys aren't some wild animals to be cut up in an arena. Mark my words, this is the worst thing to have happened since we won the war, and you will regret it."
    "It's out of my hands, and not for either of us to decide. I must follow my orders, just like you must follow yours."

    * * *

    Taylor walked back into his home and headed straight for the closet and grabbed his kitbag. He turned around to see Parker standing opposite him in the hallway.
    "Thought you'd be at work by now?" he asked.
    "I booked these few days off to share with you, remember?"
    He had already forgotten.
    "What can I say? I have my orders."
    She knew it was useless to argue with that, but she wanted to nonetheless.
    "You have to take this up the chain of command. You aren't a machine. You can't keep working day after day."
    "We did in the war."
    "Yeah, but the war's over. We worked without rest because the survival of our race was at stake. Why do you need to do it now, except to just appease a few idiots?"
    He nodded in agreement.
    "When I get back, I'll take this up the chain of command and see what I can do. They can't run me like this forever. They want me to fight over in France. I think it's a bad idea, and I think they'll realise it pretty quick."
    "Why France?"
    "Ah, some publicity stunt, I suppose; recreate a fight of the war or some shit."
    "So they are making a gladiator of you?"
    "I guess."
    "A little bit beneath you, don't you think?"
    "Marines, are we not the gladiators of our day?"
    "No, because we don't play to a crowd."
    "Mmm," he grunted back.
    "What's that supposed to mean?"
    "Look, I don't want to fight about it. These are my orders. I don't like them either, but they are what they are. I promise once this is over, I'll push for a few weeks’ leave, and we'll go somewhere nice."
    "I don't want to go somewhere nice. I just want you."
    It brought a smile to his face.
    "And you'll have me. Just give me a few days."

    * * *

    Thirty minutes later Taylor was aboard the bridge of the Deveron and soaring across the World for France. The ship had almost become his personal transport for publicity purposes. The crew loved it, for it meant light duties and a heap of attention from crowds wherever they went. Jafar travelled with him as ever.
    The crew discussed Taylor's fight with such enthusiasm and expectation of what was to come next. They seemed to have enjoyed the concept as much as the public had. He hadn't thought those who had served in the war would be so keen for it. Then he looked around and realised that whereas they had all done their part in the war, not one of them had to ever come face to face with a Mech.
    "Ready to whoop some ass?" asked Captain Ryan.
    Taylor continued to stare out over the Pacific in a world of his own for a while until his brain finally processed what was going on around him. He turned to the Captain with a puzzled expression and asked.
    "Ever fought a Kry in hand-to-hand?"
    Ryan shook his head.
    "If you had, you'd know the answer. It's no joking matter."
    Ryan seemed confused.
    "I