Battle Beyond Earth: Revenge

by Thomas, Nick S.

  “Hell, no. We’ve taken plenty.”

  Taylor gestured towards the others. Two lay dead on the ground, and many of the others were wounded.

  “It’s as we thought. They didn’t come here for Phillips or to kill us. They want us alive.”

  “You mean they want you alive,” replied Jones, “It’s about you for Bolormaa, of course it is.”

  It wasn’t the sort of attention Taylor wanted.

  “They’re dying because of me?”

  “No, if it wasn’t for you, we’d all be dead and buried, so don’t talk like that.”

  He tapped Jones on the shoulder as a sign of his thanks and in friendship, and then addressed the others.

  “It’s an honour to be with you all! I bet you think this is the end. That I am going to start talking about death? Well, fuck that! There is still fight in us yet.”

  The pounding of feet on the stairs was getting louder. They could hear wild screams and fierce cries. It was not drones this time.

  “Amitads,” muttered Jones. He leaned in close, “Still think they want you alive?

  “They’re just more lambs to the slaughter. More fodder for our ammunition.”

  “Well, it’s working. It won’t hold out much longer.”

  “It’s not over yet, lads, so don’t be ready to pack it all in. Let’s give ‘em hell!”

  They all raised their weapons in readiness, as the sound grew even louder, like war drums hammering towards them. The filthy creatures stormed into view and shrieked as they fired randomly and charged like raging animals. Taylor was the first to open fire and dropped the first creature. They were picking their targets carefully and using single well-aimed shots to down their targets where possible. Taylor had fired just five shots when he ran empty. He dropped his rifle, ripped his pistol from its holster, and kept firing, but the Amitads just kept coming.

  The magazine soon ran empty as the bodies began to pile up. Their attackers were now scrambling over the bodies of their dead and the drones that had come before them. It was a grim reminder of the Krys war for Taylor, but as he saw Babacan fighting beside him, it didn’t feel so bad. He slammed in the next magazine and emptied it just as quickly. Then the third magazine in, his last one, and it was empty as quickly as the others. He slipped it back into his holster, drew out his Assegai, and activated his shield. Half of those beside him had run empty, too, and were following suit.

  “Come on!” he roared and jumped over the barricade. He smashed his shield into the first one he came to and pushed it back into their own line, simultaneously stabbing one that he passed, and then another. Finally, he stopped, and the creature on his shield was thrown back against the rest. Another Amitad flew past him and landed on them, too. Babacan was with him. He had come out with bare hands, and only then did he draw his Assegai.

  There was near silence for a moment as the creatures climbed up and prepared for the next attack. Taylor felt his blood lust building. He couldn’t feel it against the drones, but now he had something living and breathing to fight, it was different. With a roar, two-dozen Amitads rushed at them.

  They were no match for the well-armoured and skilled fighters under Taylor’s command, and yet they kept coming. Their Assegais drove deep as they butchered the enemy, but even then he heard a few cries as enemy blades found their targets. Bailey was cut across the leg just above the knee, and another slashed across the face. It was enough to spur Taylor on to fight even more fiercely. He drove his Assegai deep into the stomach of the last of them and pushed it off.

  “Is that all you’ve got!” Taylor roared.

  They heard it echo through the stairway shaft ahead of them. He looked around; they stood amongst a mound of bodies now.

  “It stinks here,” said Jones, “The next time you want to make a last stand, can we please do it in the fresh air?”

  Nobody said a word for a moment. It was the last thing any of them had expected to hear, but Taylor began to laugh, and the rest of them broke into laughter with him. It was all they could do to get through the situation.

  “Anyone got any ammo left?”

  “Few rounds,” one answered, but he was the only one.

  “There is nowhere left to go. This is the best place to fight them. So we stay, and we fight,” said Taylor.

  “We wouldn’t want to make it easy for them,” added Jones.

  “Colonel Taylor!” a booming voice called out from the stairway.

  That silenced them. He took a few paces forward.

  “Wait!” Jones said, but Taylor didn’t even hesitate. He climbed over more bodies to reach the stairs and stepped into the centre so that he could look up through the empty shaft. There were hundreds of Amitads waiting on the levels above, and a Morohtan warrior amongst them who called out, “Colonel Taylor!”

  “That’s me!’

  The warrior looked a little larger than most and wore what looked like a crown. He could only assume it was some kind of officer or leader.

  “I am Nergui. This is over, Colonel, but you can still save your people!”

  “What do you care?” he demanded.

  “We do not, but if you come freely, we will let the rest live! Refuse and we will kill you all!”

  Taylor smiled. He didn’t trust his enemy one bit.

  “Give us a moment!”

  He stepped back over the bodies and up to his people who were filthy dirty. They were all covered in dirt and blood, some of it their own.

  “You’re not considering it?”

  There was real concern in Jones’ voice, but he only smiled and slowly shook his head.

  “Are you crazy? They won’t keep to a deal like that. They’ll come for you the minute I am free and clear. You were right. They did come here for me, and I am sorry for that. I am sorry I got you all into this, but the only way any of us will get out of this alive is by killing them. That is as simple as it is.”

  “Then why did you ask for a moment?”

  “You kidding? A moment’s grace to take a breath and recompose ourselves; that’s worth its weight in solid gold fucking bars right about now!”

  “So you lied?”

  “Damn fucking right I lied, which is no less than that scum deserves.”

  "So what's the plan?"

  "I don't see that anything has changed. There is nowhere to run. They can't flank us, so we fight where we stand."

  "You have one minute!" Nergui roared.

  That only made Taylor angry. He didn't much appreciate ultimatums. He drew in long breaths of air to calm his pulse and be as ready as he could be, watching the seconds count down on his pad.

  "Ten seconds! What is your answer?"

  "No!" Taylor boomed.

  A few seconds later, they heard the thundering of feet from the Amitads coming down the steps towards them. As the first appeared, it was hit by a single shot, as were the two after it, but the rest met no opposition. There was no ammunition left to throw at them. Taylor ran forward and engaged the first. He thrust under his shield and into its lead leg. The creature dropped to one knee, and he rammed the Assegai through its mouth and out the back of its head.

  Without withdrawing the blade, he pushed the dead creature onto the one behind it, burying the tip of the Assegai into its eye socket. Finally, he drew out the weapon as they both dropped dead. Babacan kicked the one beside him, and it flew back with immense speed and smashed into several others. Jones weighed in on the other side, and before they knew it, they were embattled in an all out melee. They were fighting like lions. Just one of their own fell as they fought on for almost ten minutes. Bodies were stacking up, and that was slowing the enemy’s advance. Then they stopped coming.

  "Do you think they have lost the stomach for it?" Jones asked, panting heavily.

  Taylor staggered back into the centre of the lobby as they formed up in readiness. Fatigue was setting in now.

  "They'll be back. They always are."

  He took a knee and tried to draw in breath. The
old wound from the Ertnii blade pulsated as if it felt the enemy presence. He gritted his teeth as he tried to put it aside.

  'Bing.' The sound they had gotten to know so well, the elevator.

  "You'd think they'd have gotten the message by now," Jones joked.

  A few of them laughed, but they soon stopped as the doors opened. It was not Amitads, nor drones. Two Juggernauts stepped out into the lobby, and Nergui was at their backs. In the confined spaces, they knew the Juggernauts would run rampant.

  "Surrender now, and your friends will be left alone," said Nergui.

  "Yeah, right, I wouldn't trust you as far I as could throw you," snarled Jones.

  Taylor smiled, appreciating the sentiment.

  "My orders are to bring you in, alive, if possible. If not, it will be my pleasure to end you here today."

  He seemed as confident as any Morohtan Prince, and that made Taylor concerned. If he was even half of what one of them were; then they were in for a world of pain. The three paced closer as if studying their prey, or perhaps they were toying with it. Taylor holstered his Assegai and drew out the Bilgunn's hammer he still carried on his back. He needed something that packed a punch for this fight. The Juggernauts looked all but ready to charge when a hail of gunfire rang out from the stairway, and five bodies smashed to the ground in the middle of the stairway. Nergui turned just in time to see a Prince land amongst the bodies.

  Taylor's eyes widened in amazement and shock, but he soon realised it was Zaya, the last thing he expected to see.

  Zaya quickly got his balance back and stormed into the room. He thrust his sword through Nergui with one brutal thrust that ripped out through his spine. He tossed the body aside and turned to one of the Juggernauts. He grabbed it by its head, snapped it over, and then decapitated the creature with a quick swing of his blade. The other rushed at him in desperation, but Taylor leapt forward and struck one of its legs with the hammer, causing it to crumple. The Juggernaut lost balance and crashed hard into the wall beside Zaya. He merely turned and drove the blade into the wounded creature’s neck to kill it instantly. He had dealt with the Juggernauts with the ease at which the rest of them defeated the Amitads. It was an impressive sight, but no less terrifying.

  Taylor stepped back to the others and stared at Zaya as if waiting for his next move, but nothing came.

  "What are you doing here?" Taylor finally asked.

  "Saving your life. Now come on, let's move!"

  "Get the wounded. We're getting the fuck out of here!" Taylor shouted.

  They rushed into the elevator to find they were even more cramped than before. They had left the dead behind, but Zaya was far larger than several of the marines, and he had to stoop so as to not hit the roof. Taylor was pressed up against him as the doors shut, and he stared at the creature’s blade that was dripping with blood, suspicious of his intentions.

  "How did you even get out?"

  "I was set free."

  "How? Nobody would have let you go."

  "There was just one."

  Taylor sighed with frustration, knowing exactly who it was.

  "So what, you came down here to save us?" Jones asked.

  "Yes," replied Zaya bluntly.

  "What is the world coming to?" he asked rhetorically in amazement.

  The elevator slowed, and the doors opened to reveal a sea of bodies.

  "Jesus," said Taylor.

  "This was your doing?" asked Jones.

  "Move!" Zaya ordered as if he had taken command.

  Nobody was arguing with it, as he had given them all a chance to survive. They swept back through the lobby. A new wave of Morohtan warriors was approaching in the distance, and it appeared they would have to fight their way out. The bombardment had stopped now.

  "Do you have some genius plan to get us out of this?"

  As Taylor said it, one of their assault transports came in to land right in front of the building. It blocked the enemy’s view and gave them enough cover to embark. The ramp lowered a few metres from the front door of the building. Taylor ushered the rest of them through as they helped the wounded on board. Zaya waited beside him.

  "Are you coming?"

  Zaya seemed reluctant.

  "What? Is it too much to ask you to swallow your pride? This lone world thing ain't working for you, is it?"

  Zaya wouldn't admit it even if he did believe it.

  "Come with us, and we'll take down the bitch together!"

  He didn't say another word as he climbed aboard and left Zaya to the decision. As he headed for his seat, Alita looked back at him from the cockpit. She was beaming with excitement for seeing him. As he slumped back into his seat, Zaya climbed aboard and squeezed in to what space was left. It was usually reserved for the Aranui Guardians.

  "Wheels up, let's go!"

  They heard gunfire peppering the hull, but the small arms fire couldn't scratch the thick armour. The engines roared, and in seconds they were at the height of the Newman Building. They could see the carnage all around from the Indy's bombardment, but also thousands of troops, drones, and vehicles that were en route to join in the fight.

  "Your timing is impeccable," he said to Alita.

  "I know," she replied and smiled at him.

  She lifted the nose of the craft and headed up for the atmosphere to take them back to what was now home.

  "I thought you'd never come." He began to relax for the first time in what felt like an age.

  "Then you don't know me at all. I would overcome anything to not lose you."

  He was appreciative, but that also worried him. He didn't want to lose her, too, and he could just tell that she was being serious.

  "What the hell did you say to Zaya to get him on side?"

  "I told him the truth."

  It was a rather vague and mysterious response, but Taylor was content that she didn't want to be pushed any further. He looked back down the line of troops. Many were glaring at Zaya with suspicion; others were tending to the wounded or just exhausted and glad to be alive.

  "Do you think he can be trusted?"

  "No, Jones, no way," replied Taylor firmly, "but that doesn't mean we can't work together."

  He stood up and went over to Zaya who looked calmer than any of them.

  "You knew you were going to get out sometime, didn't you?"

  There was no response, but his eyes gave him up.

  "Why? Why were you so confident that we would not kill you in captivity?"

  "It is not your way."

  "No, it isn’t."

  "And that is your weakness, Colonel Taylor."

  "And there's the heartless bastard I thought I knew."

  "No, you are wrong. Heartless would suggest I had no emotion. I have plenty."

  "A bitter hatred, is that it?"

  Zaya nodded.

  "Yeah, well, I know just how to help you vent it. There'll be no shortage of people to fight before we get to Bolormaa, are you telling you are in on this? No matter who or what it takes?"

  "I always was. You are asking me to put everything aside. Not a care in the world to achieve what I must. I did that before, and you locked me up for it."

  Taylor sighed. He was right.

  "That was then, and this is now. Our world is invaded. Not any world, but Earth."

  "She wants it, doesn't she? She has always had a great hunger for a world like yours, one she thought she would never find. None of us did."

  It was all beginning to fit with what they had been hearing from the other races. He still didn't trust the Prince, but it was another piece of the puzzle. He began to smile.

  "What is funny?" Zaya asked.

  "It’s that we all thought this war was different. We couldn't work out Bolormaa's motive, and yet we should have known. The same old reason the Krys fought us, because they wanted what was ours."

  "Yes, she wants your world, but even I do not know what drives her. She thinks and does as she pleases."

  "And none of you have e
ver thought to overthrow her?"

  "Through fear of death, no. One did, many thousands of years ago. He did not just loose a humiliating fight, but was punished with a hundred years of punishment and torture before his execution."

  "You’ve got to give it to her, she sure knows how to set an example."

  “Yes,” he replied sternly.

  “When you came down here, free and clear, why didn’t you run?”

  Zaya looked uneasy by the question as if he found the answer embarrassing.

  “What is it?”

  “I came because I know how valuable you are. That much she is right about,” he said, gesturing towards Alita, “Bolormaa thinks so, too, and that intrigues me. I don’t know how you have lived this long. You seem weak and insignificant compared to my kind, and yet, there is something special about you.”

  “Yep, I’m a stubborn mother fucker.”

  The humour was lost on the alien.

  “When this is over, and she is dead, what will you do? Will you have peace?”

  His eyes went vague as if he hadn’t even considered the possibility of what life could be once Bolormaa had gone.

  “You can see why I might want to know. I’d rather not dethrone a bitch queen to have her replaced by a king set to carry on her legacy.”

  “I do not want her throne. I only want her dead.”

  “Yeah, right, you and me both. So…you’ll fight alongside us?”

  He swayed back and forth as if still uneasy with the prospect.

  “Come on, you know it’s the right thing to do. Together we are stronger.”

  “But you do not trust me, and I do not trust you.”

  “And? We can deal with trust issues. Right now what we need is every ally we can get. For us that means gaining a formidable fighter, but for you, it is to gain an entire Alliance. An Alliance of fighters that want just what you want.”

  Zaya certainly wasn’t at all happy to be working with them, and yet he seemed to have accepted that he needed to. Taylor went back to his seat and collapsed down into it. Jones’ face had an inquisitive expression about him. He must have watched his interaction with Zaya and was waiting for some kind of assessment.

  “So?” he finally asked, as Taylor wasn’t offering anything up.