Battle Beyond Earth: Deception

by Thomas, Nick S.

  “What are you saying?”

  “Bolormaa, she might be pure evil, but I’d not like to presume to think all who follow her are, too. That is just not plausible. Have you ever stopped to consider that those fighting for her consider you the same? We are about the slit the throats of many of their own, and you have done this many times over, and worse. Are you not pure evil to them?”

  “I don’t give a damn what they think.”

  “No, and then you expect them to think any more of you? There may come a day where we can and have to live in peace with those who have followed Bolormaa. Let us not forget that.”

  There was now bitterness in Taylor’s face. He could understand what Rogers was saying, but he had lost too much, and paid too high a price to believe in his philosophy. They both fell silent for what felt like an age until Dart finally piped up.

  “You ready for this?”

  They both climbed into the suits and holstered their weapons in readiness.

  “Thirty minutes remember, no more. If we get stuck out there, we are in real trouble,” said Rogers.

  “And that is where you come in,” Taylor said to Babacan, “In theory, you shouldn’t have to do anything, but if we call for the cavalry, you’d better raise hell.”

  “Yes.” That was all he said.

  “Coming in close now. The docking bay they have is open and only environmentally shielded. You should be able to go right on through.”

  “Won’t that raise any red flags?”

  “If you get through quick enough, and unseen, it’ll just show as an anomaly.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah, course I am.”

  Taylor could see he really wasn’t.

  “That’s it. Ready when you are,” replied Dart.

  Taylor looked surprised. “I didn’t feel us land.”

  ‘No, you didn’t. We’re holding position one metre from their hull, and I don’t even have to do a thing.” He turned in his chair and held both his hands in the air, “The wonders of modern technology, Colonel.”

  He then reached back and pressed a single button. The door of the craft opened, but a light blue translucent shield covered the doorway to environmentally seal the craft.

  “I guess we’re learning a thing or two from the enemy?”

  “Just like always.”

  Taylor headed for the door and looked out to see the station below. It was as large as a small frigate and no less imposing.

  “Any last words of advice before we take the leap?”

  “Honestly, you know more about this than I do. I am just here to assist.”

  “Wonderful,” he replied, looking to the other two.

  “Remember, cavalry. We call; you come in like a fucking thunderstorm, and Dart, do not leave us behind. You come and get us. I didn’t make it this far in life to be left on some shithole enemy station waiting for their friends to come back and murder me.”

  He hated the idea of having just half an hour of power on his suit. He set a timer on his Mappad before finally going through the door. He turned towards the enemy station and provided a small amount of power to the boosters on his legs. He soon reached the hull, and his feet and hands clamped on so that he was in a crouched position. He ambled his way cautiously to the edge of the docking bay entrance and peered over slowly as Rogers did the same. Taylor activated his comms.

  “Once we are inside, it is radio silence unless all goes to shit, and remember, Becker.”

  Rogers nodded in agreement as Taylor took a deep breath and climbed through the shielding. He could instantly feel the artificial gravity, and he was up on his feet and rushing with lightning speed to the cover of a docked craft. As soon as he had got to cover, he took the time to look around. There was no sign that they had been spotted. He wanted nothing more than to lift his visor and breathe whatever air they had, as his helmet was stifling, but he knew he could not risk it.

  Footsteps rang out. They were light and slow as if someone was in no rush to get anywhere. He drew his pistol. Rogers already had his in hand. Taylor took a few more breaths and looked at his timer. They had already lost four minutes and achieved nothing.

  Time to get shit started!

  He knew they had no time to spare. They couldn’t continue to be cautious and slow. It was not a luxury they had. He leapt out from cover and moved directly towards the sound of the steps, only to find a single Morohtan carrying some kind of tool. He had no armour and was clearly at work on the ship they had taken cover behind. Taylor fired a shot into his chest, and followed it with another to his head, after he had counted the time down as he had been warned about.

  Rogers raced to the falling body to catch it before it crashed to the deck, but he was not quick enough, and the impact caused two others to rouse. One was unarmoured and unarmed like the first, and Rogers fired a single kill shot to the head, but Taylor fired at the other, a fully armoured Morohtan warrior. The shot hit its torso and knocked it back, but it was soon lifting its rifle to take aim. Taylor fired another shot straight into the receiver of its weapon, and as it fired, the weapon blew itself apart.

  With an immense turn of speed, Taylor was upon the stunned creature and leapt onto it, smashing it to the ground. He held his pistol directly to its head and pulled the trigger. Blood splattered across his muzzle and the deck below. Taylor was still surprised at how quickly it had all happened. He looked back to Rogers, and even though he could not see his face, he could see in his body language that killing disgusted him. Taylor could say no words to him, and he didn’t know what he would say if he was able to. He signalled for them to go on, and Rogers obliged.

  Not having communication was not a nice experience. Taylor liked to be able to converse with whoever he was fighting with, even if it was to make light of things to keep them all sane, but now silence was all they had. They rushed on through the only exit from the docking bay and into a narrow corridor. It was barely wide enough for them to go side-by-side. There was little lighting aboard the ship, as seemed to be the case among most of the Morohtan ships and facilities he had seen. It was as if they could see in the dark, or maybe liked to live in darkness. Perhaps it was simply to be imposing and unwelcoming to others like him.

  Taylor already could tell that their Hush Puppies didn’t really pack as much punch as he would like. A well-aimed headshot at not too far a range seemed to the do the job, but they weren’t as effective as their rifles, no matter what he had been told. Nevertheless, they were perfectly suited to this new work. They turned a spur in the corridor, and two warriors were approaching as if on some form of guard duty. Taylor picked up speed and sprinted towards them. The suit gave a surprising turn of speed that he wondered if he would ever become accustomed to. It was like hitting an afterburner.

  He crashed into the two of them and knocked them down. He then turned back and fired a shot into each of their heads before they had time to recover. Once again he saw the shock in Rogers’ body language. It was a brutal display of the power of the technology the Captain had helped to develop, and Taylor was revelling in it. He gestured with his pistol for Rogers to follow him. He strolled through the station now as if he owned it and was some kind of indestructible god, or that is what it looked like to Rogers who was trying to keep up. The truth of it was that Taylor was acutely aware of how their time was running out. He was searching for the bridge or equivalent to make sure they cut off communications before the bodies of those they had killed were discovered. He wished he could share that information with Rogers.

  Finally, up ahead he spotted a large archway with two guards standing on duty. It was the only location that had been guarded beside the docking bay, and that told Taylor everything he needed to know. He fired at the first as he ran and noticed how stabilised the suit was for firing on the move. He didn’t know whether that was the intentional design or a happy coincidence. Another shot flashed by him and struck the second guard in the head. He was relieved to see that Rogers had got in on the acti
on.

  Taylor did not stop, and he did not hesitate. They had no time to waste, and he was ever aware of the timer that was ticking down. He pulled out one of the ball-shaped silver stun grenades and primed it, launching it forwards into the room as they entered it. It was a bizarre experience for him. Never before had he run in after a grenade, or entered a hostile room without caution. The grenade took flight and soared into the centre of the bridge before igniting. To Taylor it looked like little more than a muzzle flash, but several enemy soldiers staggered back from the blast.

  Taylor walked into the room as if he owned it and put a shot into one of their heads. He could see five more and went from one to another, killing them at his leisure. It was clear that the grenade had crippled them very effectively, and Rogers was in on the action, too. The last of them dropped dead, and Taylor was admiring his handiwork when Rogers lifted his pistol to point right at him. Before Taylor could respond, he pulled the trigger, and Taylor felt an enemy soldier slump dead onto his back. He threw it aside.

  Taylor nodded in appreciation, but Rogers was already set to work on something else. He was looking for something, and soon enough he found it. He drew out an explosive charge from his belt and placed it on a console near to the centre of the room. He stepped away. It blew, and sparks flashed as the console went up in flames. Rogers nodded to Taylor to tell him that he was done, but Taylor already knew. It was a communications device of some sort, but he was surprised Rogers knew so precisely what to look for.

  They rushed on out of the bridge and found three more warriors approaching with weapons raised. The first fired, but Taylor instinctively dodged it, like he would a close combat weapon. The speed of his suit allowed him the speed to dodge the shot and leap into the cover of a support beam for the corridor. He picked out a grenade, primed it, and tossed it out in front of him, as opposed to towards the enemy. It hovered for just a brief moment before soaring down the corridor and igniting moments later.

  Taylor stepped out of cover. All three of their attackers were dead. The equipment impressed him, but then he was reminded of the time. He peered down; they had nine minutes left. The time had slipped by at a remarkable speed, and he pointed to the timer for Rogers to see. They both picked up the pace to retrace their steps. As they made a turn, Rogers crashed into an enemy soldier, and it tumbled to the ground with him. Another was beside him, and Taylor shot it in the head outright. He wanted to get back to help Rogers when a hail of gunfire came his way. He activated his shield and ducked back for cover before reaching for a grenade, but he stopped himself as he realised he couldn’t use it, not while Rogers was wrestling with one of the enemy.

  He pulled a stun grenade and launched it down the corridor. The flash burst out, and the enemy gunfire soon stopped. As he looked back to Rogers, he saw the Captain’s Assegai extend and pierce through his attacker’s head. It burst out through the crown of his skull. He cast the body off, and Taylor reached out to help him to his feet before they went on.

  Taylor deactivated his shield and drew his Assegai. He extended it, advancing with it in his right hand and his pistol in his left. The four enemy warriors that had been approaching were stumbling about and wailing in pain, but Taylor felt no sympathy for them, nor did he show any mercy. He thrust and shot as he passed them, ensuring none were left alive. Rogers seemed to have no problem doing the same now, as he put a bullet in the back of one of their heads, cutting another across the neck with such a blow that it nearly severed its head.

  They finally reached the docking bay floor, and Taylor stopped for a moment. He checked his timer. They had three minutes, but he just stood there waiting. Rogers shrugged as if he didn’t understand, but Taylor gestured towards the doorway as two more enemy warriors rushed through. They lifted their pistols and fired two shots each, and now Rogers understood. They waited another thirty seconds to see if any others would come before Taylor drew out a charge. He put it onto one of the engines of the only craft on the deck and then ran for the shielded exit. The charge blew as they leapt through the shield and burst out into open space. They floated there for a few moments when they spotted movement. The Lynx drew up beside them.

  Taylor gestured for Rogers to go first, and they were both soon aboard.

  “Punch it!” Taylor shouted, looking at the timer. They were now down to their final minute. He deactivated the suit and stepped out of it as the door shut and they made their jump. To their relief they were once more returned to the foggy entrance to Atlantis, a long and tedious journey that meant they were safe. Babacan looked disappointed.

  “Don’t worry, you didn’t miss much,” said Taylor.

  “I doubt that.”

  “That was quite an experience, Colonel,” declared Rogers.

  “You said you have been in combat before?”

  “Yes, a number of times, but never like that. That was as exhilarating as it was terrifying.”

  “Yeah? Well, it was your idea, remember?”

  “Sometimes the difference between planning an operation and living it are a world apart.”

  “Ain’t that the truth?” He held out his hand to Rogers, and the Captain took it.

  “First operation, and that is nothing short of success. The suits actually work. Truth me told, they are incredible.”

  “I know.”

  Chapter 7

  Jones sat at the bar where he would expect to find Taylor. It was as if he was there to take the Colonel’s place, but it was awfully lonely.

  “Drinking alone, Sir?” Sommer asked.

  He smiled as he noticed her there. She always made such an effort, and that only made him feel worse that he had to keep such a massive secret from her.

  “Not he same without the Colonel, is it?”

  “I am sure you can stand in as a drinking partner.”

  “I meant out there, on the edge, fighting the hordes.”

  Jones shook his head.

  “No, it sure isn’t.”

  “But he will be back, won’t he?”

  “Of course, there is no stopping Mitch Taylor. The question isn’t if, but when?”

  She could tell the dismissal and doubt in his tone.

  “You aren’t confident he’ll come back soon, are you?”

  Jones kept drinking, but he’d already answered the question without speaking a word.

  “What is different this time? He’s always raring to go, back before you know it, so what has changed? Did that time in captivity break him, more than just physically?”

  Jones shook his head as if he just didn’t want to answer, but she wasn’t willing to back down.

  “Come on, we have known each other too long now to go on like this, don’t you think I deserve to know the truth? You expect me to stand by you in everything you do, surely I’m entitled some honesty here?”

  “You stand by me because that is your job.”

  “You know that’s crap. I volunteered for this, and kicked ass to get to where I am. Taylor would never have let me serve as an officer in this Regiment if he didn’t trust in me, and so should you.”

  Jones sighed.

  “The truth is I don’t know what is going on with Taylor, but I do know he has gone through hell. I have seen more than my fair share of these things, and I know that what he went through would have been far worse. On top of all that, he is left knowing it wasn’t us that rescued him. It was her…Bolormaa. She was the one that kept him alive, and that saved him from Cakir. We failed in that job, and you know it.”

  “Bullshit, we’d have achieved our mission had Bolormaa not beaten us to it.”

  “Maybe, maybe not, but how do you think that feels for Taylor? She is toying with him, and no number of friends, allies, or any power in the Alliance is able to stand in the way and make a difference. Face it, we failed Taylor.”

  She was lost for words. She had no idea he felt that way, nor any notion that Taylor might think it, too. The sad reality was that Jones was only telling a half truth because he
couldn’t share the real story with her, and the more he dwelled on it, he realised there was more truth in it than he had previously cared to consider. Taylor had been able to rescue him, but he failed to do the same back, and that weighed very heavily on him.

  “I really don’t believe that is the way the Colonel feels towards any of us. I won’t,” she replied.

  Jones turned quickly on his stool as if to address her more seriously and put her in her place, but as he did, he stopped on seeing CJ step into the room.

  “Ah, shit,” he muttered, and Sommer looked around in horror.

  “What the hell is he doing here?”

  “Sometimes I think nothing more than to cause trouble.”

  “Hard at work, Captain?” CJ asked. He approached the bar and pointed to what he wanted without saying a word. It was clear that the barman knew well enough than to question his manners, and his black eye was proof of that.

  “We all take out time off, no different to you.”

  “Yes, but I don’t profess to care about the outcome of this war. I fight when I want and how I want, but you, you laze about and still consider yourself high and mighty.”

  “Really, what the hell is your problem?” Sommer snapped.

  “Oh, she is a feisty one,” he replied with a smirk, as he leaned casually against the bar and took his drink.

  “Feisty enough to kick your ass,” she replied.

  “Stop kidding yourself, little girl. You may play war, but I’ve been fighting it my entire life.”

  She tried to leap off her stool to face him, but Jones held her back where she was.

  “Don’t rise to it. He isn’t worth it, and no matter how much of an asshole he is, we don’t fight one another. Save that for Bolormaa and her own.”

  “That’s right. You keep her on that leash,” he replied with a sickening smile.

  Once against Sommer tried to get up, but Jones got up and held her back even firmer than before.

  “You’ll sit down and not go near him, and that is an order, you hear?”