Back to S'skash, the Martian shanty town, JS went to visit Adam as he did every day. "Yesterday you complained about the patient's boring life," JS exclaimed happily, trying to cheer up his friend, annoyed by the broken jaw that forced him to eat with a straw, "Well, I brought you something to do. See if you understand something on these frescoes that I discovered in the old temple outside the city," and gave him a copy of the photos he had shot. Adam grunted and nodded. "I'll see what Vasquez wants." "Jay," Eve said "can I attach our insignia on your uniforms?" He stared at her, "It's done," he said to himself "OK, change the insignia, but don't overdo things!" Eve gave him a peck on the cheek and slipped away. Moments later Vasquez joined him in his office. "What's the problem, Sarge?" "A couple of missionaries don't want to go, what should we do?" "Load them on the first shuttle with polite but firm determination. Other?" Vasquez shook her head and said with regret: "These poor bastards don't stand a chance, the EA has played a nasty trick on them, indeed!" JS stared at her: "Tomorrow at 23.59, Galactic Time, you'll get the command and leave with the last transport from New Mars. First come here for the handover and taking the logbooks of Bradburyton." "Are you staying, sir?" JS felt that Vasquez was very worried that he deserted and that she had to arrest him, so he decided to calm her: "All regular, I've resigned from service with GOD's blessings. Effective from tomorrow at 00.00 GT." Then he added: "I gave the S'skash, this is the New Martians' real name, my word and they have appointed me their leader ... 'no one's left behind' isn't a joke for me." Vasquez stared at him intently, then saluted. At 9.00 of the last day of Bradburyton colony, Vasquez knocked at JS's office door. "Some of us wanna talk, sir, can you come in the coffee-break room?" JS nodded. In the coffee-break room there were waiting for him a dozen people, S-marines and pilots. JS knew that they were the "union representatives" of his troops. "We discussed about it, sir, and many of us are allergic to cowardice and aren't willing to abandon our comrades in arms, the Martians, I mean. And then there's Lucas's murder's question still open. We decided to stay, 30 of us, can you become our spokesman for this with GOD?" "You'll have to resign from the service, these are GOD's conditions. You'll lose your benefits. It's a point of no return, no way back. Here we stay and, maybe, we die. I give you an hour, then those who want to stay, bring me their resignation forms." An hour later JS received 30 forms, six from the pilots and 24 from the SMs. At 12.00 JS called a meeting of the Wild Bunch, as they had dubbed themselves. "Thank you, on behalf of the S'skash, we'll never forget it. For us you are also S'skash now." said Eve that JS had wanted to attend. "How did you intend to proceed, sir?" asked Vasquez. "Quoting Machiavelli 'No enterprise is more likely to succeed than one concealed from the enemy until it is ripe for execution'. We'll attack the Mines and kick out the Rats, as expected." "But there isn't the fleet to cover us any longer, but there're still two Rogue frigates". "We'll carry out Plan B," grinned JS. "There's always a Plan B!" "What Plan B?" asked all. "The one for Halloween!" JS grinned devilishly. Thank you to all people who appreciated the previous picture! Thank you for viewing and drop a note if you like! KookNfat: The JSuit