Battle Beyond Earth: Survival

by Thomas, Nick S.

  Sommer was heading for the other drone. She didn’t mind destroying a machine. She reached a small wall and ducked behind it, but the drone stopped, turned, and walked away as she waited. She peered out to see it pass by the warrior, and he was drawing near. A few more metres and it would see her. She felt the Assegai shaking in her hand. She had never hesitated in training, but this was for real.

  Turan grabbed the other drone and thrust his Assegai deep, but it let out a warning sound. The Morohtan turned and raised its rifle. She had to act, but her body felt heavy as though refusing to move. Somehow, she managed to convince it otherwise and she jumped up, thrusting the blade into the Morohtan. Tears were streaming down her face. It was the most horrifying feeling in the world, but the creature turned and grabbed hold of her throat. They collapsed to the ground together. She was in a panic now and her strength fading.

  Seemingly out of instinct, she drew the blade out and stabbed the creature repeatedly for what seemed like ten times. Finally, its hold on her throat weakened, and its hands dropped. She rolled over and gasped for air only to find Babacan standing over her. He offered out his hand and hauled her to her feet.

  “You see, kill, or be killed.”

  She accepted what he said, and in that one moment seemed to see the world very differently. Her hand didn’t shake anymore as she reached down and drew out the blade from her victim. She looked almost proud of her work.

  “Come on,” said Babacan.

  She looked down at the blood flowing from the multiple puncture wounds in the Morohtan as it lay there still, and she started to understand what Taylor must feel after all he had been through. It made her respect him more for what he must have overcome mentally, as well as physically.

  “Come on,” he repeated.

  She snapped out of it and carried on after the other two as they crept inside. There was no sign of any more trouble.

  “Where is everyone?” she whispered.

  “They don’t think the place is at risk, so they don’t bother defending it,” replied Babacan.

  “Fools,” Turan said.

  “And this will get our communications back?”

  “We can hope.”

  They placed the charges throughout the foundations of the column when they heard footsteps approaching from the far side. They ducked back inside and waited for it to pass, but they became louder as two enemy warriors drew nearer. Babacan and Sommer were either side of the door while Turan was on the far side of the room.

  She grasped her Assegai tightly and tried to calm her pulse. She wasn’t going to hesitate a second time. The two enemies reached the doorway, and she was on top of one even more quickly than Babacan. She thrust her Assegai into the creature’s throat from one side. It exited on the other, almost severing its head. Babacan beat the other and threw it to Turan who ran it through.

  “I guess these Morohtans aren’t so tough as we thought?”

  Babacan shook his head. “Come on, let’s go.”

  They rushed out without finding anymore trouble and soon found themselves in the cover from where they had hatched their plan, in what seemed a few moments before. Sommer looked at her weapon. Blood dripped down onto her hand, but she no longer cared.

  “You ready for this?”

  Babacan didn’t wait for a response. He hit the detonator switch and watched the charges blow out at the base of the column. For a moment it didn’t move, but slowly it began to topple like a tree beginning to fall.

  “It’s coming this way,” said Sommer.

  “Run!”

  They were on their feet in seconds and running for their lives. The entire structure crashed down behind them, obliterating the base of the building they had taken shelter in. Sommer couldn’t quite keep up with them and leapt for safety. The building came down behind her, and they all vanished into a cloud of dust.

  “Lieutenant Sommer?”

  Babacan was quickly up on his feet, and Turan was pushing off a large piece of concrete that had landed on him. Babacan looked all around but could barely see anything in the dust bowl. Then he heard some coughing and rushed to the origin. Sommer was crawling out from the debris, and he helped her to her feet. She was covered from head to toe in yellow dust and was trying to breathe in some air.

  “I’m okay. I’m okay,” she said, finally clearing her throat, “Is it always this hard?”

  “Working with Taylor?”

  She nodded.

  “Always.”

  “What did I ever get myself into?”

  She had a smile on her face, but it was also a little pained from the bruises on her legs. She kept on walking and brushing herself off.

  “You think it worked?” Turan asked.

  Neither of them said anything. They wanted to hope so. Moments later they heard a hive of activity on the comms frequency as dozens of units tried to get information and look for Taylor and Greer.

  “The General, she’s still alive,” said Sommer in amazement.

  She couldn’t believe it after the state they had left her in.

  “We must find her,” said Babacan.

  They upped their pace as much as they could, and Sommer realised there was some hope. Finally, she felt they were making a difference.

  Chapter 10

  Taylor grunted and wiped more blood from his face where a cut had opened up over his left eye. It was swelling badly now.

  “I hope you are enjoying the show!” he yelled, looking around at all the dead bodies littering the ground and pinned to the spikes around the arena.

  The crowd seemed to be in heated discussions and placed tokens as though they were gambling on him. Taylor was all too familiar with the world of gladiatorial combat. He’d had more than a lifetime’s worth of it. He thought back to the horrific execution fights he was made to carry out in between the Krys wars. He’d never really enjoyed it, not like he did fighting in war.

  These Krys didn’t appear to want to fight him. They were just doing so in order to avoid certain death at the hands of their captors. Once again the cage’s door opened.

  “Let me guess, five guys?” he muttered to himself.

  But it was not. Just two entered the arena, but each was equipped with a sword, a glistening Krys blade of exquisite construction, like it was made for a Lord.

  Well, that’s not so funny.

  “I guess this is what goes for a fair fight around here?” he shouted to Cakir.

  The alien Lord didn’t seem bothered to even respond, and Taylor soon had more pressing matters to deal with. The first came at him swinging like a lunatic. Taylor jumped back as cut after another passed in front of him. The other opponent held back as the first swung in huge arcs. Finally, Taylor’s back was against the wall, and he had nowhere to go.

  The blade came at him in a powerful horizontal arc powerful enough to cleave him in two. He ducked under. The blade passed by and embedded in the body of a dead Krys pinned to the wall. Taylor took his chance to leap forward. He punched the creature as hard as he could in the ribs and then another to the throat. The impact was enough to throw him back, and he lost grip of the sword that remained where it had landed.

  Taylor took it with both hands and prised it out from the dead body as the Krys ran back in against him. The blade was free now, and Taylor cut against the creature. It lifted one hand to stop him, but it was taken off clean at the wrist with no resistance at all, and the blade carried through to decapitate the alien in one blow. It dropped down dead before his feet, and blood poured out over his left boot. He wasn’t disgusted anymore. It was all part of his normal life.

  He went forward against the other Krys who seemed scared to face him, and who could blame the creature? They stood knee deep in Krys dead. It held up the blade to stop him, but he beat it aside and hacked into the creature’s collar. The blade drove half a metre deep into its body with an almighty blow.

  Taylor drew out the blade and spun around, launching the blade towards Cakir in an attempt to assassinat
e him. The blade made it half way when there was a blinding flash. It disintegrated against an invisible translucent shield between the arena and those watching. The Krys Lord stood up and laughed, but that just made Taylor despise him more.

  Coward, that’s what you are!

  The cage doors opened yet again, and three Krys stepped into the arena. Two carried swords, and the third a long pole like weapon with an iron ball on each end. Taylor strode over and prised the sword out of the creature’s hand that he had killed just minutes before.

  "You think you will break me in here?" he cried, "I was born for this!"

  He defiantly ran forward at the nearest sword wielder and feinted a cut towards his head, swiping downwards with all his power. The Krys' leg was severed at the knee, and it collapsed in agony as blood spewed out over the floor. Taylor turned to face the others, but the iron ball head of the pole was already coming at him. He turned to spin out from its arc, but he wasn't fast enough. It struck his back hard and hit the tender skin, opening the wounds where he had been whipped.

  The pain was excruciating, and he was thrown several paces before regaining his footing. The blood dripped down his back, the sweat burning into his wounds. It hurt like hell, but it was only further motivation for him to try harder.

  * * *

  Sommer walked the streets liked she owned them. She was beaming with enthusiasm after the success of their mission. She didn't even think about the blood that soaked her uniform. She was beginning to understand now. The sun was up, and the first morning light pierced through the gaps among the buildings. Just when she was basking in their success, they heard automatic gunfire, and shots landed all around them. The three of them ran for the cover of an overturned mail truck and hunkered down, as dozens of shots struck their position.

  "Can't they just let up for a little while to let us have a few moments of peace?"

  "No," replied Turan, as if surprised she even had to ask.

  Babacan peered around and fired a few shots back, but five times as many came back at him as he ducked back for cover.

  "We need to keep moving."

  "Why, we can fight them?"

  "No, this is not the time to fight. We have completed our mission."

  "She is right. This is our job," said Turan.

  Babacan shook his head.

  "No, get moving, go!" he said as he pushed Sommer in the right direction. He lay down a burst of suppressing fire, then grabbed her, and started running. Gunfire tracked their path, but they took a bend. Babacan felt a shot glance off his helmet before they finally reached cover and slowed their pace to a light jog.

  "We could have taken them," insisted Sommer.

  "No, never go into a fight you aren't sure that you can win."

  "And you weren't sure? We could take on fifty Amitad scum."

  "Maybe, but you do not know what is out there. Our mission is complete. Do not lose focus."

  Sommer shrugged him off and cast his hand aside where he had been pushing her along.

  "Focus? I am more focused than ever."

  "You did well back there, but don't let it go to your head."

  "Says who? I think you are forgetting who is in charge around here."

  She looked to Turan for support, but he didn't seem eager to give it.

  "You know I am right. Taylor made you acting Captain. He gave you Jones' command until he comes back, if he ever comes back. That puts you in charge."

  Turan didn't seem to agree.

  "We both know that is not the case. Babacan has been with Taylor since the beginning. The job is rightfully his."

  She was silenced as she was getting nowhere, but Babacan finally spoke up.

  "Jones is coming back to us, and so is Taylor. Until that time, we will continue to fight and work towards everything the Colonel wanted us to."

  "But you don't know what that is, do you?"

  They both saw there was some doubt in Babacan's eyes.

  "Exactly," she replied.

  Babacan didn't like her tone, but he didn't know what he could do about it. None of them really knew who should be in charge. They all depended on Taylor so much that the possibility of having to fill his shoes had never occurred to any of them. They soon reached their lines and were recognised before they had even spotted their own who were well dug in. They were surprised to find Turan's platoon formed up in the street and ready to move. Turan shouted at them. Some had no idea what he was saying, but he didn't sound happy.

  "What is going on?" she asked Babacan.

  "They want to leave, and return home."

  "What? Why?" she demanded.

  She had to wait as Babacan listened to the heated argument that was unfolding, and then for him to translate.

  "They say they signed up to fight with Colonel Taylor, and that there is nothing here for them now. They want to return home to fight with Lord Jafar."

  "Well, that's not their choice, is it? Their orders come direct from Jafar."

  "Yes, to serve Taylor, and they cannot do that any longer."

  * * *

  “How is the Captain?” President Caron asked.

  The doctor seemed dismissive and wouldn’t even look at her.

  “It’s too early to tell at present, but there are many more patients that need treatment.”

  “You do realise the significance of this patient, don’t you, Doctor?”

  “I realise the importance of all my patients, and I…”

  As he spoke, he turned and realised who he was speaking to. The President had arrived alone, and he could only just make out the shadows of her security detail standing outside.

  “I am so sorry, Madam President. I didn’t know…”

  “That is okay,” she said as she strode up to look more closely into Jones’ room. He was still huddling in a corner and shaking as he talked to himself.

  “Captain Jones has suffered extreme mental and physical trauma to levels that I have rarely, if ever seen in my time in medical practice.”

  “Caused by what?”

  “It is too hard to say, but this isn’t really my field of practice. There are experts better suited to this kind of work.”

  “There were, not anymore, at least not that we have access to right now. What was your field?”

  “I am…or was a surgeon.”

  “Technical and highly skilled but almost entirely detached from your patients. Not so easy when you have to try and fix what you can’t see, is it?”

  He groaned, but she could see he knew precisely what she meant.

  “I am sorry, Madam President, but I have done the best I can.”

  “Nobody is disputing that. What more can we do to help him?”

  “Well, he still thinks he is trapped by the enemy. A prisoner at their mercy, he needs to know he is home and safe.”

  “I guess this is as close to home as he can get for now.”

  The doctor agreed.

  “But he also needs to connect with his own reality again. He needs his friends and his family.”

  “Where are they?”

  “As near as I can tell, most of them were killed in the invasion. If they are still alive, they have been displaced and are beyond our reach. The closest members of his unit could be the next best to help him. He needs to get back to his old life and believe where he is. That is a reality check I don’t believe I can provide for him. I do think Colonel Taylor’s visit at least started that process, but he requires regular interaction with his friends.

  “I am afraid that is not going to be easy.”

  The doctor looked confused and waited for her to elaborate. She sighed, wondering whether she should.

  “I have received reports that Colonel Taylor is missing in action. Nothing is confirmed yet, but it’s not looking good.”

  “Who else knows about this?”

  “Just a handful of my staff, and I am asking you to keep it under wraps, for obvious reasons.”

  “I don’t like the man. He is rude and barb
aric, but I am under no illusions that we need him. If I were you, Madam President, I would divert whatever resources you can to finding him.”

  She looked once more at Jones. He was a complete wreck, and she also knew what he meant to Taylor.

  “With both him and Taylor out of the picture, we have lost more than you might think.”

  * * *

  Sommer remained watching from the sidelines as the Krys argued amongst themselves. The sound of gunfire rang out not too far into the distance. Babacan didn’t get involved, and he sat waiting on a wall as Sommer tried to make sense of it all. Turan was losing his control over them. She didn’t even know the rest of them by name, and that was part of the problem. She had formed a bond with Turan, but the rest were still outsiders.

  “Aren’t you going to do something?” she asked Babacan.

  “There is nothing I can do. They owe me nothing, nor am I their commanding officer.”

  “But you have been around long enough that your word might mean something,” she pleaded.

  He shook his head casually, and it was clear that he would do nothing.

  “I don’t care what you think. You won’t lift a finger to help, and Taylor’s life may depend on it. You think you know what the deal is, but you haven’t said a word. You haven’t even tried.”

  She’d had quite enough and groaned, as she got up and stormed over to the bickering group. She stood right in between Turan and the one who seemed to be the ringleader, pushing them apart. It required all her strength, but she screamed at them, and that seemed to do the trick.

  “Enough of this! Listen to me!”

  For some reason, they did as she asked, but she didn’t know why. Perhaps the shock and surprise of it all was enough to make them curious. There was utter silence as they waited for her to address them, but then it struck her – she hadn’t planned what to say. She never expected them to even give her a chance. She had to think fast.