It was a no brainer for CJ. He opened his mouth to speak, but Taylor interrupted.
"Before you answer, know that I will hold you to this. I am saving your asses, but in return I want your service, and I want your loyalty, do you hear me? If you cross me down the road, I will make you pay far worse than the Cholans could ever imagine. You get me?"
CJ smiled, as if entertained by the whole thing.
"You get us out of this, and I'll follow you, sure."
"You give me your word?"
"And what's that worth?"
"Hey, I may be a criminal, Captain Roworth, but I am an honest one."
"And what about our relationship with the Cholans, Colonel? This could be detrimental."
Taylor thought about it for a few moments, but truthfully he had already made his mind up.
"If the Cholans aren't willing to help, then we don't have a relationship, Captain. Put their Admiral back on the line."
"Are you sure about this?"
"We set out to find allies, Captain, and the only ones willing to come are before us now. I won't go back empty-handed."
"And you'd risk the fabric of the Alliance for that?"
"Like I said, what is there to risk? Put him on!"
Murphy looked uneasy with complying with the order, but Roworth nodded in agreement. The Admiral appeared before them once more, jumping into conversation before Taylor could say a word.
"Colonel, this criminal must be brought to justice. Step aside, and let justice be done."
"You will stand down. This ship is under my personal protection. Any attempt to fire upon it, or to interfere in any way, will be considered an act of war."
Newman couldn't believe it and felt nauseous. He never realised how quickly the world could turn.
"Colonel, this ship is crewed by pirates that have broken dozens of laws. They have attacked Cholan vessels, and they must pay for their crimes."
"Admiral, I came to your world to ask for help from your people. I was sent away with nothing. If the Cholan people are unwilling to help us, then we are unwilling to help you. Stand beside, or stand aside, but do not stand in front of me."
"Colonel, I must protest, and I will be taking this to the President of the Alliance."
"You do that. We are leaving here in peace. Do not attempt to stop us, or by God I will end you."
"Don't be ridiculous, Colonel. You have one ship against the finest warships in the Cholan Navy."
"And I once faced the most powerful being the universe has ever known, and where is she now? Do not test me, Admiral. I am not looking for a fight, but neither will I shy away from one."
There was a tense standoff for a moment before finally he replied.
"You have not heard the end of this."
The signal ended, and for a moment they all watched the screens intently as if expecting an opening salvo to come, but it did not.
"If we open a gate, do you have enough power to get through?" Taylor asked CJ.
"We do."
"Then get us the hell out of here."
"Where are we going?"
"Back to Earth," snarled Taylor.
The gateway opened, but everyone on the bridge watched the Cholans like hawks until the final moment that they passed through into the jump. Moments later they were out, and back in orbit beside the station and Human fleet. They were relieved to find it was as peaceful as they had left it.
"What have you done?" Captain Roworth asked.
Chapter 8
"Colonel, I've got riots on Earth. I've got reports of attacks by Gurvs on two separate worlds. A Morohtan hold out force on another world. The Krys are apparently in civil war, and now you are telling me that you have potentially made an enemy of the Cholans?"
"Yes, Mr President."
Rivers leapt up from his chair and launched a bottle of spirits across his office. Sommer narrowly avoided it as it crashed into the wall beside her. He slumped back down in to his chair and began to weep.
"We are facing the greatest challenge to our survival since Bolormaa herself. We have dwindling resources. Currently no prospect of finding the resources we need to save this world, or even the ability to go looking for them, and now we may face war amongst the Alliance members, too?"
"I wish I had better news, Sir, but I went looking for allies. What I found was a lost cause, and those who didn't care for us anymore. Nobody wanted to help."
"But you put it all on the line for a traitor?"
"I took a tactical decision. We need able fighters for what we are about to do. CJ and his crew are some of the best you'll ever know. The Cholans refuse to give aid, and are dead to us as a result."
"Dead to us? Do you hear yourself?"
"Mr President, it's true." Newman stepped forward.
"Rivers looked surprised and slightly offended that he had butted in, but that soon turned to curiosity.
"Yes, the Corporal that I have heard about. You seem to be making a name for yourself."
"I wouldn't go as far as that, Sir."
"You have some things to say, so go ahead, speak."
He looked to Taylor for confirmation that he was allowed to, but frankly Taylor was glad to have someone else take over. Rivers opened a drawer on his desk and pulled out yet another bottle, as if he had a never-ending supply in there. Nobody would question him on it, though.
"Sir, I was there when the Colonel met the Emperor of the Cholan Empire. There was an attempt on his life. His own guards tried to kill him. Colonel Taylor was one of those that saved him that fate, and even that was not enough for the Cholans to offer any help. If that is not enough, what is? I would spend a lifetime repaying someone for saving my life, but he didn't give a damn. I don't know much about the Cholans, but I do know that if they aren't willing to support the Alliance, then they are no friends of ours."
"And you think CJ and his criminals are?"
"I know little about them now, Sir, but I have studied the Colonel's history, and I know how valuable a fighter he and his friends are."
"This is the same CJ that stole an AR2 suit and let it fall into Bolormaa's hands?"
"Yes, it is, but we didn't come off too badly from that in the end," Taylor added.
"Not because of his doing, though, was it? CJ is a loose cannon."
"Yes, Sir, as am I."
"You think that is a fair comparison, do you?"
"I think we are of the same time and place. We are weapons from a different era. We have our differences, but he can be a valuable asset to the Alliance."
"At the cost of the Cholan Empire?"
"What cost? They don't give a damn about any of us. They aren't helping, nor do they have the strength or the balls to come and face us."
"Well, I do hope you are right, Colonel. The Alliance has stood for more than two decades now, and we are rapidly falling apart. This is a rift we cannot afford."
"It is already there, Sir. If we are not willing to help Sarik defend what is his, and the Cholans will not supply support to our mission, what kind of Alliance do we have?"
"One in name only," he said wearily, "I never thought things could get this bad. So long as we had people working together in a common goal, I knew we could achieve anything, and we did. We overcame an enemy the likes of which none of us could ever have imagined. An enemy that to you, Colonel, seemed invincible. But in the end it was not you alone that defeated Bolormaa. It was everyone and everything that we did together. Everyone in the chain, from the ideas of new equipment, to those who built that equipment; those who mined for the materials to make it, the farmers who grew the crops to feed the workers."
He cupped his hands together in to a circle.
"You see the symbiotic relationship? We all have a place in life. Some are not as glamorous as others, but all are as important as one another."
"You really believe that?"
"Yes, I do." He sat back and sipped his drink.
Taylor was surprised. Rivers had always come across as a v
ery calculating scientist that had little time for emotion.
"Leave this with me. I'll figure something out."
"And things on Earth? I heard there was rioting."
"Yes, some of my latest orders have not gone down as well as I would have hoped. But that is no surprise. They were always going to be unpopular policies, but that doesn't make them any less necessary. I am going to need you in the coming days and weeks, Colonel. I am going to need all of you. Get a night's sleep, because we never know what the morning will bring."
"I am sorry about the Cholans, Sir. I wish it could have been different, but I can't force them to help."
He nodded in agreement as he pointed towards the door to usher them away. Taylor was sad to deliver such bad news, but glad that it was over. He hadn't expected Rivers to be as understanding as he was. They shuffled out of the office to find CJ standing at the far side of the atrium, opposite two uneasy looking guards.
"So what did he say? Is he cool with this?"
"The President has accepted the deal I made with you, but that means you keeping your end of the bargain as well."
CJ held up his hands.
"I am at your mercy. Tell me where to go, who to kill, and I'll do it."
"I'm afraid our work now is a little more complex."
"That doesn't sound like much fun."
"Look, I risked an awful lot to save your ass. In truth, you didn't deserve it. You were killing Cholans for profit."
"Spineless dwarves would do just the same if they had the strength and willpower to."
"Maybe so, but it was you that went looking for trouble. I can't put up with that shit anymore, you hear?"
"You want me to be a boy scout?"
"Impossible. Just don't kill anyone unless I say so, and please try to stay out of trouble."
He carried on past without another word. He actually felt sorry for the man. He used to hate him more than anyone in the world, but that had long faded. He was a clone created as a weapon, but he had overcome that and become a semi-functioning Human being. That was to be respected. As Taylor stepped through the doorway, he found a shady character lurking in the shadows. She was wearing a skin-tight suit that was unmistakeable.
"Razor, how the hell did you end up with this reject?"
She stepped out of the shadows, barely looking like she'd aged a day since they first met. Her hair was still a vibrant red.
"Where else do you think I would go? I wasn't made for a life by the rules. And anyway, have you seen what it's like down there, on Earth?"
"Sure, but you're telling me it's better living out there on the edge with a ship full of cutthroats."
"Yes," she replied, not even thinking about it.
"You're better than this, you know. You could have done so much more."
"Like what? Joined the Marine Corps? Come on, that isn't me."
"So an outlaw, that is all you have ever wanted to be?"
"I never wanted to be an outlaw. Just because I don't like to live by the laws your society creates? I am a free spirit, and I will go and do as I like. For now, CJ is the only one having any fun."
"Fun? That's all you care about?"
"I've seen enough crap in my life, so yeah. I want to enjoy what's left."
"And fuck everyone else?"
"I look out for myself. Maybe others should start doing that, too."
Taylor sighed. He understood her position, and sometimes wished he could do the same. But he couldn't sit by and watch the world burn. He and his friends had sacrificed so much, and he couldn't take a backseat now.
"Just because we don't agree on all things, doesn't mean we can't be friends. I've helped you before. I've fought for you, and I will again. I saw the deal you made with CJ, and I get it. I am in. I am yours to command."
He carried on without another word.
"Where are you going?"
"To get a drink."
He was at the bar in no time, and it was half full with plenty who were drowning their sorrows. He gestured to the barman, who had a drink poured for him before he'd even reached the bar. A well-dressed woman was at the bar, knocking back shots and giggling along with one of the staff. He reached the bar and grabbed his drink. He went to take it back when he noticed so many of his comrades had followed him in. He waited for them so that they may raise glasses together.
"Colonel!"
It was the woman at the bar. He turned to face her and could now see who it was, the First Lady, Rachel Rivers. She was in her early forties, but had the body of a woman half her age. Her flowing brunette locks looked perfect, and her makeup as professional as her hair cut. She didn't seem to fit with Rivers or the role of the Presidency. She was fun loving and carefree, nothing like her husband at all.
"Mrs Rivers," he said politely.
"Oh, come on, Colonel, we are way past that now, aren't we?"
Taylor shook his head.
"Not yet."
"Is my husband giving you a hard time again?"
"The other way around, I think."
"Oh?" she pressed.
"I'm sorry. I can't discuss it."
"Of course, but you are keeping well?"
"I get by. Now if you'll excuse me. It's been a long few days."
"Don't let me keep you," she replied with a smile.
She clearly wanted to go on talking, but Taylor couldn't do it. He never understood how Rivers could ever have married her. She seemed to do nothing but be a pretty face. He went to lift a glass when he noticed Jones step into the room.
"Come and join us. We are just about to raise a glass!"
He didn't look happy, but he took a glass anyway.
"To good friends and old friends, may they live forever," said Taylor. The group repeated it, and they took back their drinks.
"Another!"
"Can I have a word?" Jones asked.
"Sure." Taylor gestured for the barmen to give him the bottle, and they moved to a quiet table.
"You know what I am going to say, don't you?"
They took their seats, and he began to pour.
"That this is one great big clusterfuck?"
"Not quite my words, but yes."
"That I shouldn't have pissed of the Cholans?"
"Yes."
"And that I shouldn't have hired CJ, let alone defended him?"
"Then why did you? Do you have any idea how bad things are now?"
"Of course I do. You were there. Rivers told me everything."
"You knew, and yet still this was the course of action you chose?"
"Yep."
"Well...why?"
"Because whatever we were doing hasn't worked. More than ten years have passed, and what have we achieved? Ten years! Things are worse than they have ever been. Whatever we have or haven't been doing it isn't working. The Cholans don't give a shit, and the Krys have their own troubles. But CJ, Razor, and the rest of them, they were there with us at the end of it all. When we had to take Bolormaa down, they could have run and hid. They didn't have to risk anything for us, but they did. I'm not saying they are good people, or even that I like them, but I do know that we need them."
Jones sighed, accepting there was some truth in it. Taylor slid the bottle across the table for him to pour himself another glass, and he gladly did.
"I hate to say it, but it was so much easier when we had an enemy to fight, wasn't it?"
"It gave us focus, but I wouldn't say it's easier. You get to wake up every day and put on that suit and talk, and plan. Nobody is trying to kill you."
"But it was easier to make progress, or feel like we were."
"Really? We were on the back foot for most of the war. I can't remember the number of times I woke up wondering if it was going to be the last time. I remember the nightmares. Bolormaa, the most powerful creature we have ever known, and she was coming for me personally. I don't miss that."
"But we won."
"Barely, and look at us now. Fighting over scraps."
; The room fell silent, and they looked to the doorway. CJ and several of his team had entered. Nobody said a word, though. Jones nodded to him as if to say hello. They would never be friends, but there was a respect between them for all they had been through together.
"He is a pirate, you know that right?"
"I know that he doesn't like the rules. I know there are people who want to see him behind bars. Who does that sound like?"
"You are nothing like him."
"Of course I am. We are much closer than you realise."
"No, he is in this because he had no choice. You are here because you know it's the right thing to do."
"And when we fought Bolormaa, then? Was that because he had no choice?"
"Yes, the world as we know it was going to come to an end. He'd have gone down with the rest of us. He's not the villain he once was, but never forget that he is a mercenary, and he is in this for himself. He isn't like us."
Taylor shrugged as he poured himself another glass.
"This isn't going to be an easy ride, but we are going to get through it. We just need to hold our people together."
Taylor yawned before taking another glass.
"You should get some sleep. You look exhausted."
He nodded in agreement. It wasn't such a bad idea.
"The President is going to need you in the coming days, probably more than you realise. He has got big plans, and you are essential to them."
"Great," replied Taylor sarcastically.
"You always wanted to do the best thing for Earth, well you can't stop now."
He poured Jones another glass and walked away with the bottle in his hand. He was at his quarters in no time. He'd finished half the bottle by the time he had reached it, and it was a strong spirit. He was dead on his feet. He took off his shirt and collapsed into bed before he could get the rest of his clothing off. He was out for count.
* * *
Newman had been awake for well over an hour. He hadn't slept long, and it was an uneasy sleep. He had too many things going around in his head, questions about what he had seen, and what was waiting for him in his future. He thought he had been prepared for combat, but he hadn't. Prepared for everything ahead of him in life, and yet in a single week he had encountered the leaders of all three races, and now worked beside Colonel Taylor, the greatest hero the Alliance had ever known. It was a whirlwind experience that he could never have dreamed of, but it had also come with a level of stress he couldn't imagine.
Beyond Earth- Civil War Page 12
