Battle Beyond Earth - Box Set (Books 6-9)

by Nick S. Thomas

  * * *

  "How are things looking?" Jones stepped onto the bridge.

  There were quite a few new faces. Many who had previously served had been reassigned, and he didn't blame Vega for that. He was surprised not to see Taylor there. Eight hours had passed since they last saw one another.

  "Well, it could be worse, but neither is it particularly wonderful. That incident cost us dearly. One frigate is out of action completely, after it sustained damage during a firefight on board. Medical bays across much of the fleet are still dealing with a lot of patients. Funerals. It is all an unpleasant business."

  "How long until we can be ready to strike?"

  "A few hours maybe. Crews are working around the clock. It is commendable actually, and very clear that Santiago did not have half the support he claimed. Which isn't to say that it is deeply concerning that some amongst us could do what they did."

  "We have to put it past us. It's done now. One thing will make people feel safe, and that is to know they actually are safe. When there isn't some genocidal maniac looming over them all the time."

  The doors to the bridge opened, and Taylor stepped aboard.

  "Welcome back," said Jones.

  He yawned, clearly having slept through his alarm, but they were all glad to see it. They needed him on top form.

  "What news?"

  "It'll be a few hours until we are ready again," said Jones.

  Taylor shook his head.

  "Whatever it takes, but we cannot screw up this time."

  Vega nodded along in agreement, as he took responsibility for the failing as much as Taylor did.

  "Milo Rivers says he has news for us."

  "What does he want, Admiral?"

  "No idea, but he wouldn't discuss it, other than in person."

  Taylor looked to Jones as if expecting some answers. Rogers stepped onto the bridge as well.

  "Rivers has news, what do you know about it?" Taylor asked.

  "Probably something to do with his work on Earth, but I haven't seen him in some time."

  "He's here," said Vega.

  The Admiral led them to a briefing room where they could talk privately. They took their seats. They all wanted to think the genius in Rivers had found some miracle solution to their fight with Bolormaa, but that was most likely too much to hope for. Rivers arrived, and two marines shut the door behind him.

  "What is it that you need to talk about?" Vega asked.

  "Tell us you have some secret to defeating Bolormaa."

  "I do not, Colonel, but I can tell you where she is."

  "What? How?" Rogers asked in amazement.

  "The Toghaimur, the jammer that was used aboard that ship. The technology is actually very impressive, but it also requires an immense amount of power to both jam communications and jump gateways. This power leaves a unique signature for several months, wherever the ship travels, whether the jamming is operational or not."

  "So what are you telling us?"

  Rivers looked puzzled, as if he had been quite clear.

  "That I know where Bolormaa's homeworld is."

  "What?" Taylor was shocked by the revelation.

  "The Toghaimur was built on a moon not far from her homeworld."

  "How can you know this for certain?"

  "Because I have already sent drones to investigate."

  "So this is one hundred percent?"

  "Yes, Colonel, it is."

  Taylor leapt up from his seat and paced back and forth, trying to take in quite what that meant. Never before had they managed to tie her down to any one location.

  "Is she there now?" Jones asked.

  "Not from the last report we received. We are keeping communications with our drones to a minimum to avoid detection.”

  "That would make sense. We've received reports of attacks at outposts on the fringe of Alliance territory."

  "What? Why wasn't I told? We were supposed to be striking at the first news of enemy presence," insisted Taylor.

  Vega sighed and looked away as if he didn't want to have to explain it all.

  "What is it?"

  "Well for one, Colonel, repairs are still undergoing. We were not ready to make the jump."

  "And what else?"

  Vega still seemed uneasy.

  "Come on. Don't hold back now."

  Vega sighed, knowing he had to open up.

  "Some of the captains, they don't want to follow you. Not after what happened with Santiago."

  "Don't want to? I don't give a damn what they want!"

  "Yes, and maybe that is how we got into this mess."

  Taylor opened his mouth to speak but was silenced, realising what the Admiral was saying.

  "Yes, you understand now, don't you? We have worked these people to death, and given them no say in their own lives."

  "No say? This is the Navy, not Sunday school!"

  "Maybe a few months ago that would have mattered. But since the fall of Earth, there is no consistency. There is no ruling body. People feel divided," replied Rogers.

  "They'll be a damn sight more divided when Bolormaa brings her wrath down on us!"

  "You are asking people to be logical in the face of such adversity," replied Rogers.

  "Damn right I am. Be smart, or be dead."

  The room fell silent, and Rivers took his moment to continue.

  "Not only have we unlocked a few secrets that the Toghaimur had to give, but we have reverse engineered the technology."

  "What are you saying?"

  "That he can jam jump drives and communications like Bolormaa did to us," said Rogers.

  "Yes, exactly."

  Taylor's eyes lit up. It was all coming together.

  "We can go direct to Bolormaa, and she'll have no way to run."

  "Yes, but you still have to be able to defeat her, and all that stands between you and her."

  "What is the enemy strength at her homeworld?"

  "Substantial."

  Taylor stroke his chin, thinking it over. There was a lot to think about.

  "And Earth, what news of that?" Rogers asked.

  "I believe we can make the surface habitable again, in theory."

  "In theory?"

  "It is a complex process. It could be centuries before it looked the way it once was, but we could have it habitable within a few decades, if we had the resources."

  "What resources?"

  "There are a great many things we will need, rare minerals especially. Things that we don't have access to at the present time, certainly not in the quantity we need."

  "But if Bolormaa was out of the picture, and you had the support you needed, you could do it?" Jones asked.

  "I believe so, yes, but it will be a long and arduous process."

  "Worth it," replied Taylor.

  "It seems to me all that matters then is what is right in front of us. We know where Bolormaa will be soon enough. This is it, we hit her with everything we have, and I mean everything," said Jones.

  "An assault on her homeworld? Do you know how dangerous that could be?" There was a knock on the door, "What is it?" snapped Vega, furious at being interrupted.

  The door slid open, and Jafar took up the doorway. He stepped inside with Sarik.

  "Welcome back," said Taylor.

  "I am sorry we could not aid you when you needed it," Jafar said, taking a seat.

  "No apology needed, you were doing what you needed to," said the Admiral.

  "The long and short of it is this, my old friend. We know where Bolormaa's home is. We have a chance to strike it, but it will require committing everything we have left, and to fail would be the end for all of us. Admiral Vega is concerned at how much risk there is, at how dangerous that is."

  "No more dangerous than doing nothing. We aren't going to win this war through attrition, she will. It will take a miracle to end this, and that is what we need."

  Taylor smiled. It was the sort of straight up talk he appreciated.

  "Just so yo
u know what you are saying. You want to commit everything we have to one massive assault against the lair of the most powerful creature in the universe?"

  "Yes, Admiral."

  "And you know what it will mean if we fail? It will be the end. Humanity will have nothing, neither will your people," he said to Jafar.

  "And if we do nothing, that will be our fate, too."

  Vega sat back in his chair. He was mentally exhausted. It was finally dawning on him that they were nearing the end, the final battle that would decide the fate of them all.

  "Why, oh why, did it have to come to me? Hundreds of years of peace, and it has to be me here, in this seat."

  "Try being woken up after winning the last war to be expected to fight another," said Taylor.

  That was a sobering thought to Admiral Vega. He sat upright with more poise and dignity, understanding there were many more before him that had to suffer the same.

  "There are things I can do here, a great many things. But I cannot do them while the threat of Bolormaa looms over us. I will do everything I can, but the fighting, well, that is not my job. I will have my drone data forwarded to you via a live feed so that you can track Bolormaa's location once she returns to her home. Good luck to you all. I pray that you can succeed, for all of us." Rivers got up to leave.

  It was food for thought for all of them, but he stopped at the door and turned back.

  "Oh, and one last thing, Colonel."

  "Yes?"

  "It is Zaya."

  "What about him?"

  "I don't think he has got long left, and he has called for you."

  "Not got long left? I thought he healed fast?"

  "Normally, yes. But whatever struck him in that last fight, he is not healing, and we simply do not understand the physiology of a being like him."

  "There is nothing you can do for him?"

  Rivers shook his head.

  "I'll be along shortly."

  Rivers left, and the doors closed.

  "Zaya?" Jones asked.

  "I thought we would have him when the time came to fight her."

  "Nothing we can do about that now, it is what it is," said Rogers, and he sprung up.

  "Where are you going?"

  "I am coming with you, Colonel."

  "Why?"

  "Because I am an intelligence officer, one of the very few left. Zaya has been secretive since the day we worked with him. If he wants to share something on his deathbed, then I am going to be there to hear it."

  "That’s pretty cold," replied Jones.

  Rogers shrugged. That was just the way things had to be. Taylor stood up to leave.

  "Get this data that Rivers spoke of, and you tell me the moment she has returned, but do not share any of it with a soul. Nothing we discussed here leaves this room, you hear?"

  "Of course, and if I need to send you news on open channels," said Vega.

  "Bolormaa's codename will be Blanche."

  "And the operation to attack her world."

  "Overlord."

  Jones jumped up to follow them.

  "Jones, you stay put. Have our people ready for this fight, and for God's sake make sure we don't have a repeat of yesterday. I want to see a tight ship from now on. We have one chance at this. Let's do it right."

  "And me?" Jafar asked as he reached the door.

  "My old friend. You have more than done your service for this Alliance, but I am afraid I have to ask for it one last time."

  "I did not come here to talk. I came to fight."

  "And fight you will. Get back to your ship, and await the command for Overlord to begin. When that time comes, we won't stop until this is through. Either Bolormaa dies, or we do. I hope to see you on the other side." He held out his hand in friendship.

  Jafar took his hand with a firm grasp. He was old and slow compared to what he once was, but he was still as strong as ever. Taylor and Rogers left the room. Rivers and his Marine escort were waiting for them.

  "Lead the way," said Taylor.

  Rivers hurried on as the rest of them tried to catch up. He wasn't a patient man, but that was no surprise. He seemed to work from morning until night, and got results, too.

  "What do you think Zaya wants you with?"

  "You're the Intelligence officer, you tell me."

  He shrugged.

  "Take a guess," added Taylor.

  "There is only one motivation for Zaya. He wants his mother dead. So I guess he wants some promise that you will get the job done, seeing as he can't."

  * * *

  Jafar still sat opposite the Admiral, and Jones was with him, too.

  "Can he do it, do you think?" Jones asked.

  Jafar knew Taylor better than any of them. He had been there when Taylor had made such a name for himself.

  "If anybody can do this, it is Taylor."

  "He is going to need you, all of you," added Vega, "Taylor is something special no doubt, but let's not forget that he is only a man. It's his friends that have gotten him so many battles. If his friends are with him until the end, he will have a chance."

  "We will be there, until the end," said Jafar.

  "And if we fail, Admiral. If Bolormaa escapes again?"

  "That is not a scenario that can be allowed to happen."

  Jones saw the concern on his face. There was more to his concerns that he had let on.

  "What is it?"

  "With so many of our colonies gone, and our merchant fleets hunted, how do you think we are being supplied? Keeping a single ship operational requires logistical support beyond your imagining. We don't have that support anymore, and we won't have it until she is dealt with."

  "How bad is it?"

  "This fleet could make perhaps three or four more jumps. Our ammunition could last a couple of engagements. Maintenance is being done on a scavenge and make do philosophy. Bolormaa keeps hitting our supply chain. If we do not stop her in the next few days, we will have no fleet left."

  Jones had no idea it had gotten so bad, and yet he knew he should have done.

  "Have you told Taylor this?"

  Vega shook his head.

  "He deserves to know."

  "Don't you think he has enough on his plate right now?"

  There was no easy answer to it.

  "Overlord must succeed, or it is the end."

  A light was flashing on the table. The Admiral opened a channel, and a member of the bridge staff appeared.

  "Sir, we have a jump gate opening."

  Vega leapt from his seat.

  "All hands on deck. Take us to battle stations."

  They all rushed from the room and followed Vega onto the bridge. The gateway had already opened, and everybody watched with a sense of dread.

  Eleven ships burst out into the space before them, but they were not Morohtan.

  "Cholan, my God, I didn't know any of them had made it?" Jones shouted.

  "Sir, we are being hailed."

  "Put them through!"

  Emperor Tuin appeared. He looked bedraggled, his clothes slightly charred, and a bandage covered one of his eyes. Vega didn't know what to even say. Tuin was studying them for a moment and could see Jafar behind him.

  "Then it is true? The Alliance has fallen," he said with sadness.

  "Not while there are those of us that still fight," replied Jafar.

  "My homeworld is gone. I have gathered what survivors I could find. There may be more. We can only hope."

  "My sympathies, Sir."

  "I did not come for your sympathies, Admiral. We have nothing left, except..." he said, lifting his hands, "These hands to fight with. Bolormaa must pay for what she did to my people. I want to see her dead. Show us the way, and we will follow."

  "Taylor is going to take us to hell, and maybe not back," said Jones.

  "Then to hell it is," said Tuin.

  The signal ended. It was some relief for them all to hear, but then the reality of the mutiny struck Vega. Jafar could see the concern on his fac
e. It was clear to all.

  "What is it?"

  “Some of the captains will still not fight with Taylor. I fear for how many will not come when we are called to action.”

  "They don't know what is at stake."

  "How can we tell them?" whispered Vega, "The moment the fleet knows we have the coordinates to Bolormaa's homeworld, she will know, too. She has spies everywhere."

  "So the fleet knows that we will be jumping into action, but not how vital the mission is?"

  "Yes. Too many of them distrust Taylor, and can you blame them? So many have died under his leadership."

  "But that was not his doing."

  "No, but that's not how they see it. They need to hear it from someone else. They need someone they will trust. You know they will listen to you."

  Jafar looked surprised and also confused.

  "There is a lot of respect for you amongst the Alliance. You have long been considered one of the most powerful figures among us, second only to our President."

  "Maybe one time, but not anymore."

  "People still remember that time. They will listen to you. Take up this mantle, and be the leader of this fleet."

  "What about Taylor?"

  "Taylor only cares for getting the job done. He has no love of power."

  Jafar groaned.

  "You are our only hope. If we cannot unite, we will be destroyed. Will you do it?"

  He didn't look sure.

  "Open a channel to the fleet," said Vega.

  "What are you doing?"

  "Duty has called you. You know it has to be done."

  Jafar wanted to say no, but he was not in a position to do so.

  "This is the Admiral speaking. As I am sure you are all aware, our Cholan friends have joined us, and I want to extend our gratitude to Emperor Tuin. But I also want you to listen to a few words from the man who will lead us to victory, a warrior who needs no introduction. Lord Jafar."

  He pointed for him to go on, but Jafar looked stunned.

  "This isn't for you. It's for them," whispered Vega.

  "I, I am Jafar, and...I am here because of one decision I made many years ago. I made a decision to stand up against a tyrant, a tyrant who wanted to destroy everything around them. That is what led me to where I am today, and the fight is no different. The enemy might have a different face, but that is all. We aren't just fighting for ourselves. We are fighting for each other, for all the Alliance, and everyone who lives in it. There are many survivors, and we can go on. We can rebuild the Alliance, but we can only do that if we stick together. I am asking you, save yourselves, and save one another. The next time we go in to combat, it will be together, or it will be to our deaths, all of us. Fight now. Fight to live. That is all. Jafar out."