The man proclaiming peace

We are twenty-five. I don't know, how long we have been on this post. Far away from any human thing. A planet with its unbearable, hostile surface. In front the military construction of the enemy. Our station, almost completely under face, is firing with its restless artillery. Day after day, we are sitting here operating the systems. The enemy is already covered by a massive dust layer. Indeed, I can't remember that we have ever seen them. I don't know why. This rhythm of day and night is onerous. I'm missing these simple periods of the earth. Sometimes, it seems that our bigwigs have forgotten us. Every three weeks, a transport reaches this lost place. On board munitions, energy and food to continue the barrage. I don't like this job anymore. We live in tiny quarters, never able to leave the steel construction without spacesuit. Outside, it is cold, dusty and deadly. 
   Looking into the eyes of my chums, I become aware that nobody sees an end in the future. However, there is an end one day, I know, this war will cease. Certain. We cannot say that it's too hard here, that is all routine, no men are killed, no dead is govern this area. That's not directly a bloody battle field like anywhere else. But we hate seeing these artillery shutting sleepless. They are firing automatically, we just have to sit next to them and supervise its functions. But even if we did not do that, it would not matter. 
   The Lieutenant always means, "That's life, guys! Nobody can expect that his opulent dream must be reality!" He is right.
   One day, the radar chief shouts nervous that a shuttle nearing our position is detected. It cannot be the regular supply. That's too precocious. But the system is capable to recognize a correct identification code. The sensors say that it is a pretty small vessel. Some soldiers mean that an officer is coming with an order to evacuate this planet. 
   The Lieutenant, I and two others are standing in our spacesuits on the platform. We look to the gray sky. A petite space craft nears us. It lands slowly. Numerous minutes later a man comes out of an opening. 
   He waits some moments, watches the area. Then he walks straight ahead to us. Even with his helmet we are able to see a fat smile. "Soldiers, soldiers! No war anymore! We've peace! Tell it everyone, we've peace!" Enthusiastically he shakes our hands. 
   We stare skeptically to the Lieutenant. He searches for a fitting reaction. "So... come in! Then narrate what you know!"
   Inside the station, all soldiers of the shift have surrounded the stranger. We are whispering. Everybody wants to believe this... but peace? Now? He is just kidding... 
   The man takes down his helmet, takes off the spacesuit. He looks in our eyes. "You can trust me! Sure! One week ago our delegation could arrange a contract between the earth government and the united space colonies. Why you haven't heard it in military radio?!" 
   "Enemy is disturbing all frequencies," the Lieutenant answers. 
   Many guys become spirited. 
   "Stop!" the officer cries. "Where's the proof that this person doesn't lie?" 
   The stranger nods softly. "Yeah, your officer's right. There's no evidence for my statement! I can only ask you for stopping your attacks!" 
   "He's right!" one calls. "For days the opponent hasn't been firing back! And why? They know that there's peace, guys, peace!" 
   "We're the last ones who don't know that!!!" another one shouts furiously. 
   The Lieutenant stands up. "Shut up, everyone!" 
   The crowd gets quiet. 
   "Good. So why haven't we received any message informing us about this peace?" 
   He hesitates. "Well, I've to admit... I can't image why you've not been apprised!" He rises and gazes positively to the hopeful circle. He opens confidently his mouth: "I don't know why you haven't been informed! I don't know! The only thing I can say you is the word peace! I have been there... remote! I have heard the notifications on each transmission! I have seen the corps desisting fights and leaving the battle fields! The soldiers coming home! Pictures of the earth, the blue planet glowing by the thousand fireworks in the atmosphere! Television news showed the diplomats and ambassadors of both sides embracing each other! If you only can picture these exhausted privates with tears in their eyes. You haven't seen this outer space full of uncountable 
swarms of retreating vessels! I have seen it! Believe me! Here, far away from any information, here are the last ones without knowledge of this glory of concord! Now I am here, I am here and I pronounce: War is over!" 
   A murmur passes the troop. Suddenly applauding starts. Some soldiers jump up, acclaim loudly. A chaos is established. Laughing soldiers. We trust him. 
   We wake the sleeping shifts. The fearful cold station is flooded by a fanatic cheer. The soldiers screech loudly, smile, show photographs of their families. They want to go home! We all want to go home! 
   "Sir, what's with the artillery?! They're shooting at the adversary!" a nameless voice sounds.    
   "Truly, he's right! Silence!" ordered the officer. But he can't cease the confusing disquiet. 
"Shut up!!!" he barks furious. "Everybody is calm now!!! Understand!!!" 
   The jumble is mute. 
   "Okay. Weapons chief!" 
   "Here!" the answer tones. 
   "Chief, deactivate immediately barrage!" 
   "Aye, Sir!"
   We are looking out of the massive glass window. The bright projectiles disappear. The artillery has stopped. We can feel the hush. Peaceful. We stare to the horizon. No reaction by the enemy. Five, six, seven minutes. Nothing happens. 
   "That's peace, guys!" a man cries. 
   "Sir!" another yells. "Sir, the radar shows a second space craft!"
   The Lieutenant startles, "What? Friendly?" 
   "Yes, Sir!" 
   He looks to the stranger. "Is that ship belonging to you?!" 
   "No!" 
   "My standard accompaniment, we rise to platform!"
   We are on top of the steel facility. The small shuttle of the stranger stands in front of us. We can recognize a little point in the sky. The object nears. It is much bigger. A space-atmosphere fighter, fatally armed. The jets flame and the fighter lowers its height gradually. Moments later, it has touched down. 
   Two persons appear. They step fast to us. "Lieutenant, my name is Major Hurges, third United Army!" 
   The Lieutenant salutes. 
   "So, we are searching a man. That's his vessel!" He shows with his hand to the stranger's ship. "He's here, isn't he?!" 
   The Lieutenant nods acknowledging. 
   "We arrest him! He has escaped with a stolen transport!" Abruptly he gazes to the deactivated weapons. "What's going up here?! What's with your artilleries, why don't they fire?" 
   "Sorry?" Our officer looks to us perplexed. "We thought that we've peace now!" 
   "What peace?" The man laughs boisterously. "Good joke! If one thing's sure then that we've still war! For everybody here: There's still war! Why do you think that we have peace?" 
   He stutters, "The man said it, he said that there would be peace! He has described it in detail!"
   On the face of the major a big smile. "Oh man, why do you believe this stuff? Lieutenant, an officer can't be so naive! We should be glad that he hasn't told you to capitulate!" The other man cackles. "Your visitor has been the victim of a hostile gas assault. The poison gas has spoiled his brain. Since this incident he has been completely insane. Unfortunately he could flee from the sick bay! We'll bring him back." 
   Silence.