Chapter 19

Today, nearly a century after the two most powerful forces on Earth engaged in a war neither of them expected to win, they stand here now, united. It is my honor and privilege to accept the title of Co-Governor for the Coalition of Cooperative Planets. May we have peace forevermore.

-CoCP Co-Governor Aleisha Zheng, September 9th, 2147 CE

TAPS WAS ALMOST certain his feet were frozen. He couldn't feel his toes, one of the consequences of walking for nearly three days straight through piles and piles of snow.

Mad had told the squad they would get where they needed to go in a day or two, but the soldiers' resolve was wavering. With the pace they were making, two days would likely turn into three, maybe four.

The icy wind bit Taps through all his heavy clothing, trying to wrap its frozen fingers around his weary soul. He resisted the cold touch, but felt it grasp ever closer with each step he took. Taps saw the travel had taken a toll on Mad as well. She was breathing heavily, but she pressed on, blazing a trail for the squad.

In addition to Taps's frozen feet, his back also ached, probably due to the weight of his clothing, backpack, his rifle, and the newly acquired Sovereignty gun. There wasn't a day of traveling that the thought of tossing one of the rifles into the snow didn't cross his mind.

When the distant sun of Frigidum began to set, Taps gave up all hope of reaching Squad Eleven for at least another day. He waited for Mad to signal the squad to halt, but she kept walking. Taps followed, nearly certain he could hear his frozen toes popping off one by one.

Darkness fell over the weary soldiers and all Taps could see was Mad trudging across the snow. He dipped into his last reserves of willpower and pushed his legs forward, determined to go for as long as he could.

Taps watched Mad from a few yards behind as she scaled a high rise in the terrain, standing very still at the top. He wondered where she found the strength to continue as he blinked away a few flakes of snow.

That was when she fell.

He saw Mad's legs go slack, bringing her to her knees. She stayed still for a moment, her feet still moving as if they were planted on the ground, digging slight grooves into the snow. Then she slid face first down the other side of the rise.

Taps threw aside his rifles and pack, sprinting upwards to the top of the rise and diving after Mad.

Snow filled his mouth and clouded his vision as he slid, but he focused on catching up to her. By the time he reached Mad she had come to a halt at the base of the rise, flat on her stomach and unmoving.

Taps pushed himself up and raced to her side, flipping her onto her back. He brushed the snow from her face and opened her mouth to see if her airway had been obstructed.

Mad's breathing was clear as far as Taps could tell, but just to be sure he put his ear to her chest and listened intently. There was the distant ka-thump of her heart muffled by the three coats between it and his ear. Taps sat back on his heels and relaxed. Mad was alive and breathing.

"Cobb!" came a cry from the top of the rise. "What happened?"

"She passed out!" Taps called back. "Tell the others to make camp for the night! We're done for now!"

"Roger that!"

Taps heard distant footsteps crunch away and looked down at Mad. Only then did it occur to him that he should have asked for someone to help him carry her back. He sighed and looped one of his arms under her legs and the other around her back.

Taps lifted Mad from the snow, his exhausted limbs screaming bloody murder in protest. He took a step, his knees creaking like an old wooden door.

Ignoring the limits of his body, Taps took another step. By the time he reached the top of the rise his bones were jelly. By the time he got to the hastily erected camp his soul had succumbed to the icy wind, leaving only a husk to carry Mad. By the time he had entered her tent and laid her down on a cot he had become the very definition of frozen. Taps felt the very fibers of his being tearing as he pushed himself back to his feet and stumbled outside of Mad's tent in search of his own.

Taps opened the entrance flap and stepped inside. His muscles turned to ash and his eyelids gave in to gravity, dropping along with his exhausted body. His sleep was total and dreamless.