CHAPTER 6: The Last Full Measure

"It is for us the living, to be commited to the great

task remaining before us. That we here highly resolve

that these dead shall not have died in vain. That this

nation shall have a new birth of freedom. And that

government, of the people, by the people, and for the

people, shall not perish from the earth."

-Abraham Lincoln

"Private," Tak said, kneeling over the fallen soldier, gently stroking the side of his face. "Private Hert." He slowly opened his eyes. Recognizing Tak, he managed a weak smile.

"Lieutennant." He whispered hoarsely. "Is it...done?"

"It's over soldier." Tak whispered sadly. "We've won."

"Good." Hert said, and coughed, blood staining his lips. He looked at Tak, and narrowed his eyes in thought. He weakly raised a hand, placing it on her shoulder. "You're...you're al...alive, ma'am." A tear ran down Tak's face. "My father didn't...die for...for nothing." He inhaled shallowly, and his arm fell from Tak's arm. "It's been an...honor...ma'am." He closed his eyes, and his body went limp.

"No," Tak whispered. "The honor was mine." She stood, and looked out over the control room. The floor ran red with blood. Moans from the wounded filled the air now. All stood in a group, looking at Tak.

"Sgt," She said sadly, "Have the men tend to the wounded. We're all brothers again."

"Yes ma'am." Replied Skoodge. "Anything else?" Tak looked around at the fallen.

"Yes. I want their names. All of them. No one is to be forgotten for what they did here today. Then call Irken high command. Tell them everything."

"Yes ma'am." Tak walked over to the tall window looking out into space. She placed her hand against the glass. Tears welled up in her eyes, tears she could no longer fight. They ran down her cheeks, dripping onto the blood-stained floor. War? Peace? None of it seemed to matter anymore. Either way, people had to kill. People had to die. Good people. She sobbed lightly.

Tak's team stood in silence, looking at their commander as she wept. Tak turned to see her team watching her. She wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She walked to a swiveling chair, and sat, turning her back to the room. Burying her head in her hands, she began to cry quietly.

"I've...never seen L.T. cry before." Seb whispered. "Not through all the shit and blood. She's killed hundreds of enemy soldiers, never shedding a tear. Why?"

"Battle is battle," Skoodge whispered. "But I know that this was different. She's killed her fellow Irkens. She's killed her leaders. Maybe, she even killed a little of herself. Maybe we all kind of did." Seb nodded her head lightly.

Tak stood, and inhaled deeply. She regained her soldierly poise, and turned to the soldiers that now tended the wounded laying about the room.

"Comms back on line?" She asked coldly. Skoodge typed on a computer keyboard for a minute.

"Online, ma'am."

"Patch the senate through on the main screen." Skoodge typed in a command. The large

viewing screen flashed on, and switched to an image of the irken senate. The six senators sat at a

long table, facing the screen. "Here goes nothing." She muttered. "My senators, it is my duty to inform you that the Tallest are dead."

"Dead?" One senator asked. "How? Who are you?" Tak fought the apprehension building inside her.

"They were guilty of treason. As you know all too well, my senators, the Tallest have been failing to uphold the safety and liberty of the Irken race. They have lied incessantly, and taken almost all power away from the people and the senate. They have declared unneccesary wars, and profited from the deaths of thousands of Irken soldiers." The senators listened attentively, but Tak could see that the six were looking at her curiously.

"You've assassinated them." A senator remarked. "You've instrumented an act of sedition?" Tak sighed.

"Yes, my senators. I am lieutennant Tak of Irken special operations. I am a soldier of the Irken empire, and I did what was neccessary to pretect the welfare of the people of Irk. I did what I had to to save the lives and liberties of my people. Now, I stand before you, prepared to accept the consequences of my actions, as long as they are carried out by all due process. But I do not regret my decisions."

The senators spoke amongst themselves. Tak couldn't shake the nervous feeling that she was being tried and judged. Her hands trembled, and her knees felt weak.

"Tak," One of the senators finally said. "We have long been aware of the corruption in Irken high command, and the hedonistic greed of the Tallest, though we were powerless to do anything about it. With the Tallest dead, it falls to us, the senate, to carry out justice and dispense punishment. Though your actions were just, you have commited high treason."

"Yes, sirs." Tak said dutifully.

"We are sorry, lieutennant." Another senator said sypathetically. "We must follow the law, lest we become corrupt as well. But we are willing to grant you one request. It is the least we can do."

"I do not regret that my actions have condemned me to death." Tak said. "But all I ask," She looked back at her team, who stood gravely at hearing the senators' ruling. "is that my men not be tried for treason. They were following my orders. They must be returned to active duty, or allowed to retire, depending upon their choices." The senators nodded approvingly.

"You are a good soldier, lieutennant." One said. "And your request has been granted." Tak turned to her team, who looked upon her sadly.

"Men," Tak said, "You have done your duty better than anyone could have asked you to. You are the saviors of our people. Never forget that. I go to my death knowing that I have given my last full measure of devotion for my people. That is the mark of a true soldier. To die for what is just and right, if it means there's only a small hope that your blood can set others free. Men, it has been my greatest honor to command you all. You are dismissed." Tak's team, along with the remaining Irken soldiers all stood at attention, and saluted Tak. Tak looked back to the screen to see the senators standing, saluting her as well. Tears filled Tak's eyes, as she returned the salute to the senators, then to her men.

Tak knelt on the mat in front of the deactivation unit, her hands cuffed behind her back. She looked slightly to her left to see the six senators sitting morosely at a table in the room. The executioner approached, his heavy boots sounding like the pounding footsteps of death to Tak. In a way, they were, she thought. The executioner knelt beside Tak.

"Are you ready?" He asked gravely. Tak's lip quivered. She bit it to make it stop.

"Just...just do it." She whispered, her eyes squeezed shut." The executioner nodded sadly. He stood, and pulled a cable down from the ceiling. He plugged it in to Tak's PAK, and walked to a console. He pressed a button, and the screen read "full power drain?" He pressed "yes", and a new screen popped up, reading "press enter to initiate".

"STOP!" A voice called. The executioner turned to see Tallest Larb, the newly appointed leader of Irk enter the room. The senators stood in respect, as Tallest Larb stood before them.

"You cannot execute this soldier," He said, matter-of-factly. "I have no desire to see a hero of Irk murdered for saving her people."

"My Tallest," A senator replied. "You know as well as we that she cannot go unpunished for her crimes." Larb looked at Tak, then back to the senators.

"That's why I have decided to issue a new punishment for her. One that doesn't involve being deactivated." The senators all voiced words of agreement. "She shall be sent, forthwith from the Irken empire, never to return, under penalty of death. Tak's heart dropped. Death was bad enough, but banishment? She'd rather be dead. "She shall," Larb continued, "Be sent to the Sol system with a contingent of troops, a battle fleet, and one hundred volunteer Irken citizens, where she will conquer the planet Earth," He turned to Tak "Which if I'm not mistaken, is the home of your old enemy?" He turned back to the senators. "She is to set up a government of her own design, colonize the planet, and rule to the end of her days as General Tak, overlord and queen of the planet Earth, answering only to herself."

Tak's eyes widened. She wanted to scream in happiness, but no words could escape her mouth. She lept to her feet as the executioner removed the plug, and uncuffed her. She ran to Tallest Larb, and without thinking, embraced him in a joyful hug.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Tak cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. The senators smiled, and so did Larb. Tak released Larb, and blushing at her emotional outburst, stood at attention, and cleared her throat. "Thank you, my Tallest." She said, saluting. "I am honored to accept this final mission."

"No," Larb said, "You don't have to salute me. In fact, all of Irk shall remember you and honor your name for all time." He knelt on one knee. "And I am honored to be in your presence."

Tak smiled a sad smile. This is the way things are now, she thought. Things had changed so much. They always do. She wondered what the future would hold for herself, and for the Irken race. She sighed. Thinking was dangerous. She had a mission to do, and she would do it.

There it is. Aren't I a naughty little astrobiologist? I look forward to hearing everyone's input on this story. And to those who fully understood the nature of it, and want to flame my bollocks off, all I have to say is "God save the Queen!" 'Till next time, cheerio.