The Landfall Campaign (The Nameless War) by Edmond Barrett

artificial lights gave some kind of idea what part of the day it was on the surface and that was enough. At first they simply sat around waiting for the all clear and their return to the daylight. If the marines stationed at the main entrance knew anything they didn ’ t share it with any of those who pestered them. The cave started to feel less like a shelter and more like a prison. A few people began to get angry and when the marine guards changed shifts their replacements were dressed in responsive armour rather than normal fatigues.
    Perhaps the same was happening in the other caves for on the second, or perhaps third day, a senior fleet officer came in. Baden was gone he said and then proceeded to name a number of starships that were known to be destroyed. Harbinger , the ship Alice and her group were to have embarked on, was the first name on the list.
    The announcement raised more questions than it answered but it did answer the big one. This was real. The people who had been pestering fleet personnel to know when they’d be let out now quietened down. Attitudes to the news varied from person to person. Some couldn’t believe what they had heard and seemed to work hard at convincing themselves it was all some kind of a mistake. Others, when blankets and folding beds were handed out, staked a personal space and apparently settled in for the long haul. Moving among them were fleet officers and NCOs, drawing up lists of who was in the shelter.
    Finally, five Earth days after entering the shelter, an officer came for Alice and the rest of the civilians formerly of Harbinger .
     
    “ Right, you lot are heading for the surface, ” he said briskly. “ There you will report to the Marine command post and make yourselves available to a Major Hillaby. ”
    “ To what purpose, Lieutenant? ” Professor Bhaile asked, indignant at the Lieutenant’s tone. “ We’re not marines. ”
    The Lieutenant glanced up from his computer pad at the professor’s fairly portly figure.
    “ No, you ’ re not Mister …”
    “ Professor, thank you. ”
    “ Professor Bhaile, the marines might have a can do attitude, but they don’t attempt the impossible. We know you’re not marines but they need people for non-combat duties. Heaving and hauling mostly. ”
    “ B-but-but that’s not what we’re here for! ” Bhaile spluttered. “ We are civilian experts in first contact procedure and alien language! We’re not general labourers! ” Alice and several others joined the indignant clamour.
    “ You all signed contract 266B, fixed term employment of civilian contractor on Battle Fleet ship, space-borne installation or off world ground base. ” The officer raised his voice to be heard over their objections. “ Point fifteen of the contract states that in the event of war, such individuals may, at the discretion of the officer commanding, be appointed to any non-combat task they can reasonably be expected to complete. This will constitute the norm until such time as hostilities end or that person can be repatriated to Earth, regardless of the length of time outstanding on the contract. Repatriation to Earth is entirely secondary to fleet operational priorities. An individual who refuses to obey lawful orders may, at the discretion of the officer commanding, be confined until end of hostilities or their repatriation to Earth. ” The Lieutenant didn’t read it all from his computer and instead recited it from memory in the singsong voice of someone who’d already made the same announcement many times. They’d all gone silent in the face of this assault of terms and conditions. For her part Alice was becoming aware of a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She could remember reading point fifteen before she signed the contract. She’d hesitated but then decided it would never come into effect and put her name on the dotted line. Given the opportunity by their silence, the Lieutenant added a footnote.
    “ Admiral Eulenburg has