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satellite, bypassing the crew and NASA. "Boreas, this is Eagle Six. Over."
    The reply was instantaneous. "This is Boreas. Over."
    "How do you read me. Over."
    "Read you six by six. Over."
    "MILSTAR 4 has been upgraded. Over."
    "Wait one while we check it. Over."
    The astronaut didn't mind waiting. To the right of the Pacific, he could see the edge of the west coast of the United States, sweeping from Baja up to Alaska. He knew everything he could see, MILSTAR 4 could reach with its transmissions. The MILSTAR system was cutting-edge communications technology for the American military, consisting of a series of satellites that could exchange secure communications with each other and the planet's surface at bandwidths and speeds previously thought impossible.
    The speaker in his helmet came alive with sound. "Eagle Six, this is Boreas. We read MILSTAR 4 on-line for HAARP transmissions and upgraded. Good job. Out here."
    Eagle Six's hand flicked the control and he spun about, facing the shuttle. He jetted toward the cargo bay. He landed smoothly and backed the MMU into the FSS. He unbuckled from the maneuvering unit and made his way across the cargo bay to the airlock Above him, the cargo bay doors slowly began to swing shut. He entered the cargo bay and cycled through. As soon as he got into the lower level of the crew compartment one of the shuttle crew was there to help him remove his suit. He stripped down to his underwear as the crew went about its business preparing to conclude the flight.
    As he zipped up his flight suit, the collar flipped up for a second, revealing a small pin in the shape of an elongated cross. He quickly covered the pin, then went to his seat as the shuttle maneuvered for reentry orbit.
    Behind the shuttle, the antennas and dishes of MIL- STAR 4 loomed over the planet.

Chapter Three
     
    The windshield was streaked with mud, the wipers pushing aside as much of it as they could. Dalton had taken the road down from Rollins Pass much too fast, almost skidding off twice. His reckless driving hadn't stopped on the Peak-to-Peak Highway or the other roads on the way to Fort Carson as he outraced his headlights. Instead of getting on I-25, he took the more dangerous roads in the foothills until he arrived at the post.
    He was almost disappointed to have made it. There had been times when the grimy windshield, winding mountain road, and excessive speed, combined with tears blinding his eyes, should have sent him flying off into the darkness to crash hundreds of feet below in a mangle of flesh blood, and metal. But each time the Jeep veered toward oblivion, there was a sense of Marie guiding him, causing him to jerk his hand and skid back on the road.
    He pulled into the driveway of his quarters and turned off the engine, sitting alone in the dark, listening to the ticking noises of the engine cooling. The small house was dark, not even the light on the porch on. He felt his chest constrict. That had been Marie's ritual every evening. As soon as the sun began to set behind Cheyenne Mountain, she turned on the porch light, then the living room light next to the front window. And when Dalton drove home from work, the glow would be there to welcome him. It had been that way in all the quarters on all the army posts they'd lived at through his career.
    There were no more tears to bring forth. His eyes were red and bloodshot. He leaned his head back. The garden. He'd have to spray it to keep the deer from eating Marie's flowers. It had been one of the biggest sources of irritation when they'd moved in years ago. The deer ate everything and it had taken Marie two years to come up with a solution to keep them away: eggs mixed with water, sprayed all over the yard. Another ritual she had performed every evening before they went to bed.
    There were no more rituals. The jagged reality of that was settling into Dalton's chest like a cold fist surrounding his heart and squeezing tight.
    Headlights coming down the street cut