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many civilians we can take with us, then
we leave for a new home.”
         “The Coalition will be
distracted by the old fleet,” Madison
speculated.
         “Yes,” Elliot said, nodding to
acknowledge her astute observation.
         “That can’t be all of it. The
Coalition won’t just stand by and watch us leave,” Joshua said.
         “No, they won’t. We’ll also
build a Particle Warhead.”
         “I see,” Madison said. She broke eye—contact with
Elliot and stared at her lap.
         “It won’t ever be used, but
the Coalition will think twice before attacking us with that in our
possession.”
         “Elliot, won’t that weapon
level much of the Earth’s surface?” Madison
asked.
         “It could.” Elliot released a
long exhalation of breath. “We won’t use it, but this weapon would give us the
time we need to get away. The warhead will be purposefully sabotaged in the
event that it is captured by enemy forces.”
         “That’s Phoenix?” Joshua asked.
         “In a nutshell. I need people
I can trust on this one. I don’t want to force you on this, Josh. It’s your
choice. If you say no, I’ll respect that. Will you sign on?” Elliot regarded
his two friends, noting they had a mixture of dismay and contempt on their
faces.
         “Eli.” Madison got up and sat next to him, taking
his hands into hers. “it isn’t for you. I just can’t believe that we would
resort to using scorched Earth tactics.”   
         “Madi, I fought this when it
was proposed, believe me I did. I lost and now I have my orders.”
         “In that case,” Madison said and winked,
“I’m in.”
         “Well, if Madi’s in then I
don’t have many choices, do I? What do you need?” Joshua asked.
         Elliot found his shoulders
relaxing at the sign of renewed loyalty from the two. “First we have some
people we need to talk to.”

     A record fourteen hundred and seventy — three ships evacuated the
populations of the Moon and the Central States.
Of this grand number, the Coalition provided a mere thirty—seven. The common
belief is that they were indeed doing everything within their power to sabotage
Alliance
efforts to finish their new fleet. Contrary to that opinion is the evidence
discovered by Frederick Grant which shows a deeper conspiracy by the Twelve to
undermine the Alliance
itself. The evidence is incomplete, however, and doesn’t lend any clue as to
what this higher conspiracy was.

 
    Avoiding Disaster: Large Scale
Evacuations and Their Consequences
    by Rodney Giles

 
    Chapter III

 
    Less than a hundred Ferine left Helas. The survivors were piled into a
few shuttles by their rescuers and lifted into the dark sky. They looked
through the windows of the small departing vessels and stared at the massive
blackened maw of the ancient weapon. Lathiel knew that great titan would never
hurl another spear at their enemy. Helas was, once again, a lifeless world.
         The great chasm on Helas was
visible in the night sky above his childhood home on Cartise. As a youth, he had
spent many nights looking up in wonder at the artificially constructed station
on that orange planet. The shadowed world had always sported that dark eye,
scaring him as a boy. It frightened him more once his parents told him what its
original purpose was.
         Now the night sky would
forever be altered by that cracked face. The people of Helas had always found a
sombre reminder of their ancient and bloody past in the presence of that
monster. Hopefully in the future, it would remind them that they still had hope
for survival.
         Lathiel had spent the last day
recuperating from a few cracked ribs caused by the collapsed support beam. The
realization of the possible consequences to his actions had forced him out of
bed to call Elik. Lathiel was invited over at once for an evening of relaxation
at his house.
         He strode up the