"I have no idea, but it really doesn't matter right now. It's important that I am not seen as seizing power. I have never tried or wanted to, but when those who want it feel threatened, they lash out. So let them do what they want to do while we fight this war."
She finally groaned in agreement as she followed him, as she knew she would, no matter what he said or did. They stepped into an elevator, but as the doors closed, someone leapt through the doors. It was Jones.
"So what's up?" he asked eagerly.
"The President's dead," said Alita bluntly.
He took it as some sort of sick joke because of the way she said it, but when he looked to Taylor's face, he could see she had really meant it. The smile was instantly wiped from his face, and his shoulders slumped.
"Don't worry about it," said Taylor.
"Don't worry? We risked our lives to rescue Isaacs because we all knew how important he was."
"Important when he was alive. Now he's dead, there is nothing more to say on the issue. We move on."
"Move on?"
"That's right, Jones. Move on!"
Jones was silenced as he thought it over. They were both beginning to realise that Taylor was right. There was nothing they could do to change the situation. He stepped aboard the bridge and looked around at the crew. The news of the President's death had already reached them.
"Put me on an open channel to the entire fleet," he ordered.
They all waited eagerly to hear what he had to say.
"This is Colonel Taylor. Moments ago the President of the Alliance passed away. Poisoned by a Morohtan weapon. It is a sad day for us all, but let us not forget what we have left behind. Even now, the citizens of Earth are fighting to defend their world and their lives. President Isaacs could not be saved, but he will be mourned when the time is right. But Earth, she can be saved, and so can the people of Earth. The President asked one thing of me as he died. Never give up, he told me. Don't ever give up until Earth is free. Well, you know what, that is what I was born to do, and I intend to do it. In one hour, I will jump back to Earth with anyone who is willing to come with me, and I will strike at our invaders with a fury that they have not yet seen. For those coming with me, ready your weapons and harden your resolve, because we are taking the fight to them."
He pointed for the comms officer to end the transmission.
For a moment there was silence, as they took it all in, and then one of the crew began to clap. The rest soon joined in and whistled in support of his intentions with such excitement. He was glad he had rallied them to his cause, but he didn't believe it to be such as joyous a celebration as they seemed to. He knew what was coming, and it wasn't pretty. He looked to Fortier who still seemed a little lost in his new command.
"One hour, that is all you have. Make sure all repairs possible are done, and ensure we have a full complement of ammunition aboard. Take it from those vessels too badly damaged to make the trip if you have to."
"Colonel, we are being hailed by the Resolution."
"Put her through."
Vega appeared, and he seemed surprisingly calm. Taylor had expected him to put up a fight to his order.
"Admiral, I am sorry to have gone over your head, but..."
"It's okay, Colonel. I command this fleet, but you are leading the Alliance at this moment in time. With the President dead, it falls to you now to do this thing."
Taylor was pleasantly surprised by his declaration of support.
"What will you have us do?"
"Be ready for a fight. With this much support, we might finally have a chance of taking them on head to head."
"And if we can't?"
"There are too many people down there on the surface relying on us. We cannot fail."
"Will the rest of the Alliance support us?"
"That's what I'm about to find out, Taylor out."
"Colonel, we have calls coming in from all over the fleet. People want answers. They want to know who is in charge now, what are intentions are, and how you intend to conduct this mission," said Fortier.
He began to walk off the bridge.
"Colonel?" Fortier called after him.
He stopped and looked at the Captain.
"I don't have answers for them, but you can tell them what you want. I said all that I have to say. In one hour, we return to Earth with whoever is ready, able, and willing. That's all there is to it."
He left without another word as the Captain looked to Alita for some assistance, but she just shrugged and followed Taylor.
"You think this is a wise move?" she asked.
No answer came.
"You don't even have a plan?"
He only increased his pace until he reached his quarters. He went inside, stripped off his armour, and slumped onto the bed. Alita stood in the doorway as if awaiting some response. Taylor merely turned over as if to go to sleep. She went forward and sat down on the bed beside him. She took in a deep breath, trying to think of some way to reach him.
"I'm with you no matter what, Mitch, you know that, right?"
"Yeah...yeah, I do," he replied wearily, "I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't even ask to be woken up in this lifetime, let alone to be given the reins."
"You may not think fate brought you here, but there are many out there that do, because you have given them reason to believe it."
He rolled over so that she could see his face.
"And what about when it all comes crashing down? What happens when we crash and burn and I fail? It's like the whole Alliance has gone mad. I am not some invincible weapon that can pluck victory out of nothing."
"You’re sure about that?"
It had felt good to have so much confidence placed in him, but now he was starting to feel it was the sort of blind confidence that could be detrimental.
"You just have to have a little faith."
Taylor squinted as if it had hit a nerve.
"Faith in what?"
"In yourself. In the crew, in me, in our Regiment."
"Faith doesn't win battles."
"Are you sure about that? You have won so many fights you should never have won, where the odds were all against you. So many times, more than anyone can remember. If it wasn't fate that got you through, then what was it?"
He had no answers.
"Faith, in yourself and everyone around you. Many see weakness and failure everywhere they look, but you see hope and potential. You always have. It's the reason I am here today."
He appreciated the sentiment, and it certainly went some way to calm his nerves.
"What is it?" She could see that his mind was wandering.
"This Dusmus thing, this myth; do you believe it?"
"All I know is that for whatever reason, you were born to fight for us all, and that much cannot be argued."
"I was created just to fight, to save humanity? Seems a little farfetched, don't you think?"
"Your career is what seems farfetched, like the great heroes of ancient history. Maybe that is what you are."
He began to laugh.
"What?" she protested.
"Now it's all sounding like bullshit."
She smiled and lay down with him.
"What are you going to do about the President?"
"What do you mean?"
"He's the President of the Alliance. He should have some ceremony, don't you think?"
Taylor shrugged.
"He's dead now. I don't see that it matters."
"It's not for him. It's for everyone else."
"How do you mean?"
"Isaacs was a hero and a leader for our people and the whole Alliance. They will want to see him honoured, and it's a prime time to boost morale, surely?"
"Boost morale at a funeral?"
"It was an assassination. You play it right, and you can rile up the whole fleet. I know you know how."
"Why do I always end up in this situation? I am a fighter, not a talker."
That made her laugh as sh
e wrapped an arm around him. As they relaxed, she began to think back over the events they had been through, and a thought suddenly leapt into her head that she could not help but share.
"Erzurum."
"What of it?"
"How did you know to come here? The Krys, the Aranui, the Cholans, they all knew to assemble here, but how did you?
"Quite honestly, I don't know."
She could tell he really meant it, and that left both of them postulating as to how he could have known.
"Must have been luck, I guess. It's somewhere that stood out in my mind. It's of little military value, so would be a safe refuge if everything went to shit. I suppose the others knew that as well as I did."
"If it were that obvious, why hasn't the enemy looked here for us? Don't tell me it's luck. Luck doesn't have anything to do with it."
"I really can't explain it. Erzurum, the name just popped into my head when it was clear we had to get the hell out of there."
"Hell, that's what it is, and you thought to bring us here?"
"Maybe that's why. Maybe I thought no place could be worse right now."
There was so much doubt in his tone that neither of them believed it even as it rolled off his tongue.
"Do you think they are fighting back...on Earth, I mean?"
"They must be. We can only hope they were ready for a war. Gods knows they have had enough warning, but then again, how many people actually learn the lessons of history?"
"What was it like? Back then when it all began, first contact with an alien race? The concept seems bizarre now. We have never known any different."
He laughed and shook his head all at the same time.
"The first time we met those suckers, it was fucking hell. I was on the Lunar Colony at the time."
She looked confused.
"The Moon."
"Ah," she replied with a smile.
"Honestly?"
She nodded enthusiastically.
"How many survivors of the first contact do you think there are? I have wanted to ask you from the moment I heard you were being brought back."
He sighed. "It was terrifying."
"Really?"
"They didn't exactly turn up to negotiate."
"They didn't even offer terms?"
"No, none."
"But our history says it was a grave mistake and misunderstanding that led to war, and that neither side was to blame."
Taylor coughed and spluttered as he tried to get his words out.
"Oh, really?"
He could tell she was being quite serious.
"Well, then I guess it's time to set the record straight. When the Krys arrived in our Solar System, there was no negotiation. There was no communication. They came at us without warning with murderous intent."
"Why?"
"Because the Lords who ruled them were sadistic bastards who wanted our world, and they wanted it without us on it."
"You talk like they were faceless monsters."
"Yes, yes they were."
She seemed surprised, but that was even more of a shock to Taylor.
"Is this what you were taught in school, and at the Academy?"
"Yes, of course."
"Alita, the Krys wars weren't pretty. They were every bit as terrifying and despicable an enemy as Bolormaa is. The first time I saw one of them our guns could barely scratch their armour, even one Krys warrior, one of their average soldiers. It took a platoon to take the son of a bitch down."
"Then how did you survive, and how did you win?"
"With many losses and determination. At first, our losses were horrific. It seemed that within just weeks, if not days, we could face extinction. That is what they tried. In time we adapted, we evolved. We improvised and overcame. We developed weapons to fight them and won at a great cost, but that wasn't the end. They kept coming, and with ever more terrifying weapons, even one that could destroy the entire planet. That was the bloodlust, and it ran through their veins."
"And yet you call some of them friends?"
"They were not all like that. Eventually, it became clear that their soldiers were nothing but pawns. The Krys people were not all bad, not the monsters we believed them to be, and after many millions, if not billions of deaths, we managed to realise that we could live together."
"And you think there are Morohtans like that? Maybe they aren't all bad?"
"I sure hope so. I really do."
Chapter 5
“One hour?” Alita asked as he yawned.
The alarm was still ringing on the counter beside them as she reached over and struck it violently. They’d barely gotten any rest at all. She sat up and rubbed her eyes as she tried to awaken fully.
“Why one hour? We can’t keep going like this. We need real rest,” she pleaded.
“The longer we wait, the more lives it will cost.”
“And if we aren’t at the top of our game, it might cost our lives as well.”
“You know how rarely I have ever been on top form in a fight before? Life isn’t that simple, Alita. The enemy doesn’t attack when and where you want them to. Resources are spread thin, time is short, and a great many lives are on the line. We’ll just have to manage on stims for now.
“Stims? Much more and we’ll go crazy.”
“We’re already crazy, or we wouldn’t have taken this job.”
She smiled at him, and they began to pull on their gear. Taylor couldn’t help but notice Alita wince as she stretched her wounded arm and neck.
“You know you aren’t ready for this,” he insisted.
“How many times was it that you said you were on top form for a fight?”
He grinned in response. She had him there.
“Can you fly like this?”
“If I’m breathing, I can fly.”
He didn’t like her risking herself, but he appreciated her support. He picked up his rifle and slung it over his shoulder, ready to leave for the bridge. There were a few minutes before his deadline was up. He had not heard from anyone, but he had no doubt the bridge staff would have had their hands full with half the fleet looking for answers.
They stepped aboard the bridge and found it was surprisingly quiet. Everyone was at their stations and ready to go.
“We are prepared to jump as requested,” stated Fortier.
“Thank you, Captain.”
As he stepped closer, he saw plenty of doubt in the man’s eyes.
“Do you really mean to go through with this?” he whispered.
Taylor pulled back and responded calmly, “Of course, Captain.”
“We have a lot of questions from the captains. Many will not jump before having an audience with you, Colonel.”
“We don’t have the time, and I doubt there is much I can say that will change the minds of those who are uncertain, but I will address the fleet one last time before we do this. Put me on.”
He wished there was someone else to address them, but once again it had fallen to him. He hadn’t prepared anything or thought for a moment about what he was going to say. He hadn’t even considered what he would do on the other side. With little information, it was hard to even speculate, but they needed to hear something.
“You’re live with the entire fleet, Colonel.”
He tried to give a little thought to his words.
“I said that in one hour we would jump back to Earth and engage the enemy. That time is up, and I am here to tell you that I fully intend to go through with that plan. I know some of you have your doubts, and I will not order a single ship to join us. You must decide for yourselves. The rest of you that came here, Krys, Cholans, and Aranui; you said you came here to fight, and that the fight was on Earth, that it always would be. That it is the centre of all things. But will you fight for it now the time has come?”
He took a deep breath as he paced back and forth for a moment.
“I know some of you will stay behind, and you will not be thought less of for it. Heaven know
s we might need somewhere to come back to. I can’t guarantee what we will find on the other side or how we will deal with it. We could be entering a fight that goes on for days, weeks, or months. All I can guarantee is that we are making the jump, and we are going to do everything in our power to help the people and the planet that we hold so dear. We make our jump in two minutes. Plot your course and prepare to jump. Good luck to you all, Independence out.”
The transmission ended, but within a few seconds Irala was projected in front of him.
“You just couldn’t stay away, could you?”
“Colonel, I cannot hold back any longer. This is the wrong course of action.”
“And yet you all came here to join this fight?”
“With the proper planning and execution.”
“Isaacs is dead. Earth has been invaded. How much longer will you wait before doing something?”
Irala shrugged the question off.
“If you go to Earth, you will die,” he said sincerely.
It was loud enough for all the crew on the bridge to hear.
“You don’t know everything. You cannot see the future,” he insisted.
“No, but we are rarely wrong.”
“Yeah? Well how did you get into this mess? You might be the most advanced race in the galaxy, but that doesn’t make you the smartest.”
“Listen to me, Colonel. I say this as a friend; you cannot go back to Earth. Not yet.”
Taylor would not accept that.
“Run and hide, that’s always your way, isn’t it? You would still be hiding on that desolate rock if it weren’t for us. It was us, the humans, who found you. We brought you back from the shadows.”
“And we are grateful for it, so much so, that we would not see you throw your life away now.”
Taylor sighed. “Will you support us or not?”
Irala couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Your stubbornness could yet be your undoing.”
“Many things could be my undoing, but I’ll have it on my own terms.”
“Then I am sorry, Colonel, we cannot support you in this endeavour, but we will be here if you make it back.”
His hologram faded away, and Taylor watched the gaunt expression on his face. Irala’s prediction weighed heavily on him, for he knew his old friend was so rarely wrong.
Battle Beyond Earth: Revenge Page 7