Battle Beyond Earth: Invasion

by Nick S. Thomas

  He was on Earth. A place he never had wanted to leave any time in his life, and it always felt great to be back there. The air was clean and natural, and the ground firm beneath his feet. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath of air, exhaling as he calmed himself down.

  "Nice, isn't it!"

  He looked down and opened his eyes to see Jones. He had a grin on his face.

  "For now," replied Taylor solemnly.

  He had gotten close to losing his homeworld so many times that it was hard to smile about it.

  "So we got a plan?" Jones asked.

  "Nothing you don't already know."

  "That went well, then."

  "Yep. Same old shit. They'll keep talking till the day Bolormaa turns up and wonder where all the time went."

  "Are they going to do anything?"

  "We can only hope. I have said what I think. I have nothing more to say to them."

  "Still think she's coming for you?"

  He shook his head.

  "I don't know what to think. The idea of it is crazy, but then she's far from sane. Another psychotic dictator with all the power and resources to do whatever she needs. Seen it before, and it ain't ever pretty."

  "Yeah? How do you beat that?"

  "Taking their head clean off tends to do the trick."

  Jones laughed, but he could see Taylor wasn't joking.

  "Okay, okay. Well, we still have the spear, right? So we just have to get close enough to her, and it's all over?"

  Taylor finally laughed, but only from the absurdity.

  "Yep, that's all we have to do, just like that. A real walk in the park."

  "Come on, Taylor, you've always got a trick up your sleeve, what is it this time?"

  He walked on and thought about it as Jones strode beside him.

  "You don't think we can win this, do you?"

  "I never said that," he replied unconvincingly.

  "You didn't need to."

  Taylor shook his head.

  "There is always a way to win, but it ain't gonna be easy. Bolormaa is smart. If only we could understand what it is she wants. Before it was simple, kill us all or take our planet, but now, I am not so sure. If she wanted Earth, she could have taken it anytime in the last few thousand years."

  "Maybe she didn't know it existed?"

  "Mmm, I think that's wishful thinking."

  "We can hope. Anyway, while you were in there, we received word we are being reinforced. We are to report to Barstow immediately."

  Taylor laughed.

  "Barstow, Jesus it's been a long time."

  They carried on to the Stormer that was waiting for them. Even from a distance, he could make out Alita's face through he cockpit with the blast shields drawn back. She was smiling from ear to ear.

  "So you want to get this over with?"

  "Sure, can't say I am likely to be too excited by it, though. What are we gonna get, a few dozen raw recruits? Not much to work with."

  "The General there seemed to think he had a bit more to offer us."

  "We'll see."

  They boarded the craft and took their seats at the front near Alita. She was positively beaming. It was as if there were no war on at all, or she was happy to at least have the few days of peace they had been given.

  "Time to meet the new rookies!" she declared with glee.

  Taylor didn't look that impressed. That or he was distracted. He fell into a daydream for a while even though he could hear Jones talking in the background. He didn't take a word of it in. His mind wandered to the same question over and over. He was trying to understand Bolormaa, and it was frustrating that nobody had an answer beyond a guess or wild speculation. The next thing he knew he felt the landing gear connect with the ground, and that caused him to snap out of it. He realised he had actually fallen asleep.

  "You must've really needed that," said Jones.

  He shook off the fatigue and got to his feet.

  "Yeah, I guess so."

  The doors opened, and Taylor staggered out and stopped in his tracks.

  "Well, I'll be damned," said Jones.

  Taylor took just a few paces forward. They had landed on a raised platform, and thousands of troops stood formed up before them, every single one equipped the same as Taylor's unit were.

  "Got to be an entire Brigade," gasped Jones.

  "Welcome, Colonel!"

  A Marine General was approaching, a young woman far younger than would be expected for her position. She saluted rather casually to Taylor and strode right up and shook his hand. He repaid the gesture but looked completely awestruck.

  "The name is Greer, and it's nice to finally meet you," she said.

  She spoke to him in such a friendly manner he didn't quite know how to take it.

  "These troops here. They're..." he began.

  "Yours," she interrupted, "Five thousand troops, and not raw recruits. Every single one of them is a volunteer that has seen action."

  "Volunteers from where?"

  "Everywhere, any country and service that would allow their personnel to sign up. Experienced combat veterans who have been retrained with the best of equipment. In your honour, they have been called the 1st Recon Regiment. A new elite fighting force, the very best."

  "How? I mean, who made this possible?"

  "I did, Colonel," she replied.

  "This is no small thing, General. You must have pulled a hell of a lot of strings to make this happen."

  She nodded and smiled. "You know not so long back, my family name was Kelly."

  Taylor could already see where this was going.

  "That's right, that Kelly. I would never have existed without all that you have done for Earth, Colonel. One thing every generation has made clear since was that if you ever woke, we were to pledge our allegiance to you, and do whatever was necessary to assist you in any endeavour you might be involved in. Over that time, my family has amassed an awful lot of money. Money that will be useless if we lose this war."

  "You paid for all this yourself?" Jones asked in surprise.

  "Mostly, yes, as well as a few other investors. I got the approval of everyone I needed to make it happen."

  "Well, I'll be damned. This is about the first good bit of news I have heard in a long time," he said as he turned to Greer.

  The General was a tall woman and stood proud. She clearly had the respect of the staff around her. She had already earned Taylor's respect, too.

  "All mine, you say? So you won't be coming with us?"

  She shook her head.

  "You made it quite clear what you need, Colonel. My place is here, recruiting, training, and equipping the next generation of fighters for this war."

  Taylor took a few steps forward to get a better view over the edge. They were just what he needed in this war. But as he turned his head, he noticed a group of fifty Krys warriors. They were equipped the same as the rest, but carried huge weapons, more than any human could; even with the boosts their suits gave them.

  "And the Krys? How did you get them?"

  "Lord Jafar was kind enough to send fifty of his best warriors to aid in this endeavour. There is no doubt the Krys harbour strengths far beyond any human, and we have taken that into account. I think you will find their equipment very useful on the battlefield."

  He nodded in appreciation.

  "They're all yours, Colonel, what would you have of them?"

  Taylor smiled.

  "I guess you have been working them pretty hard these past few weeks?"

  "We certainly have."

  "And I have no doubt you have prepared them for the battles ahead, and I thank you for that. I want to meet them, and then I want twenty-four hour passes for every last one of them from 18.00. Not one is to return to duty during that time."

  She looked surprised.

  "Fighters need hope, they need friendship, and they need time off."

  "As you wish. They are yours to do with as you please, Colonel.”

  "Can you
organise a party for this fine body of men and women? As much food and drink as they can down, and some music. For many of them it will be the last party they ever see. Let's make it something special, hey?"

  He knew he was asking a lot of someone who had already given so much, but she understood.

  "Of course, Colonel,"

  He turned back to Jones.

  "Get everyone here. We're gonna make this one big happy family."

  “You got it,” he replied as he leaned in close.

  “Five thousand troops? Can you believe it?”

  “No, but it’s about goddamn time. I am a Colonel, after all. This is what I should have had from the beginning.”

  “Better late than never, ey?”

  “We can only hope.” His tone was still serious. He was glad of what he had been given, but furious that it had taken an independent venture to get it.

  “You do your ancestors credit, General,” he said to Greer.

  “Thank you, Colonel.”

  She looked proud of what she had achieved.

  “Do you still think we can win this war?”

  “Of course I do. While men and women like you and I keep up the fight, there is always hope.”

  “I am no fighter, Colonel.”

  “You fought to make this a reality, didn’t you?"

  She nodded humbly.

  “That takes more courage and fight than I have seen in most officers in a long time.”

  “Please, Colonel, you don’t need to go quite so far.”

  “Yes, yes I do. Do you know how hard it is to convince anyone to do anything in this war? However you have done it, you have managed to wrestle politics and the Alliance better than I have. I need friends like you. We might just make it through with more like you pulling the strings in background.”

  “Then I will keep it up.”

  “Please do. There are still plenty out there who believe we shouldn’t even be fighting this. That we should just lie down and accept our fate. Well, I’ll tell you something; those people never met Commander Kelly. Because he would have made them eat their words.”

  That made her smile.

  “Did you really know him that well? All these generations of my family have made out he was some great war hero, and that he fought by your side all the way through. I wonder if that might have been embellished just a little.”

  “It true, all of it. Kelly took a stand on the Moon colony when no one else would. He never gave up hope. And he had to go through it all again when Earth was occupied. Never before have I met such a resilient resistance fighter. He was an inspiration to us all.”

  That brought a tear to her eye that she quickly wiped aside and tried to hide.

  “I had no idea.”

  “We sure could do with more like him today, but something tells me there is more than a little of him in you. We are gonna get along just fine.”

  “Well, I’ll leave you to it, Colonel. Work never sleeps. Anything you need, you be sure to call, okay?”

  “Much appreciated, Sir.”

  He saluted her and she left. He couldn’t believe his luck. He felt an arm wrap around his shoulder, and he found Alita beside him.

  “She seems pretty badass.”

  “Yeah, we need a few more like her.”

  “You got me.”

  “Yeah, I have,” he replied with a smile.

  He strode up to the edge to look upon those who had now fallen under his command. They were a fine body of troops. Well equipped and well trained, he could tell. Their equipment was fresh, but he knew they were not. Their officers looked up to him, waiting and hoping for some words.

  Volunteers? I already have their loyalty, now I must show them why I deserve it.

  He activated the microphone on his suit so as to be heard by all.

  “I am Colonel Mitch Taylor, and I want to thank you all for being here today! It takes a great deal of strength to do what you have done, and you have my respect for it. Welcome to the Immortals!”

  A cheer rang out, as they could not hold themselves back any longer. He walked away and left them to it, but he strode back and stood right in front of Jones, who looked a little surprised at the serious expression on his face.

  "Lieutenant Jones. You have been my right hand man since I was re-born in this life. You have proven yourself as a fighter, and worthy of the name and family you were born to. And therefore, it is my great honour..."

  He pulled out something loose from his pocket and dropped it into Jones' hands. He opened up his hand two see two metal officer’s pips.

  "to say that now you are a Captain in this fine Regiment. Captain Jones," he said with a broad smile.

  They both knew how much that meant after Charlie Jones who had served with Taylor for so many years.

  "I...I..." he stumbled to find his words.

  "You've earned it, Will, and I need a man like you to wrestle this new Regiment into order."

  "Thank you," he finally said.

  He was taken aback, and they were the only words he could find as Taylor took the pips and pressed them onto his uniform beside the rest.

  "We have got trying days ahead of us. It seems like we always have to be honest. But with my good friends by my side, it feels like we might just have a chance of seeing a way through."

  It was then that Jones finally found some words as a spark ignited in his mind.

  "If you find yourself in hell, keep going," he said.

  Taylor smiled, for he recognised the quote. "Winston Churchill," he stated.

  Jones looked surprised, but Taylor patted him on the shoulder.

  "It is not the first time I have heard that quote. Charlie never got to see his son grow up, but I can imagine you are exactly the man he would have wanted that boy to be. You do your family credit, and I thank you for it."

  A few hours passed while Taylor awaited his colleagues. Their craft came in to land, and the thousands of new recruits watched their approach with eager anticipation.

  Jones and Alita stood beside him. They had studied the new recruits with amazement and intrigue since their arrival.

  “You think they’ll make the cut?” Alita asked.

  “You did, didn’t you?” he replied.

  “Yes, because I had you as my mentor.”

  “And now they do, too. We are gonna whip these men and women up unto a fighting force that is worthy of the name Immortals. And the next time we go into battle, it will be at the head of more than five thousand of the most well trained and capable fighters this universe has ever seen.”

  “Don’t you think that might not be overselling it just a tad?”

  Taylor turned to Jones and looked at him sternly.

  “No, I don’t,” he replied, “They are going to think it and believe it, and soon enough, their victories are going to set it in stone.”

  “But Bolormaa, the Morohta, they are beyond anything we have ever seen,” said Alita.

  “Bullshit! There is always something meaner and nastier out there. Always has been, always will be. All we can do is be the best we can be.”

  They watched the five ships swoop in to land. As the ramps came down, the Immortals swarmed out and fell in. Their number was a fraction of the reinforcements that had been assembled, and yet it was a sight to behold. Their armour was worn and battle hardened, and every single one of them carried themselves like they were unbeatable.

  Everyone was formed up and silent as they waited for some command from Taylor.

  “You’re loving it, aren’t you?”

  That made Alita smile.

  “Let’s see what they are made of, shall we, Jones?”

  Taylor addressed them all directly.

  “In time you will be as one, bound as brothers and sisters. Sooner than you think. It is time to get us on that road, so, first things first. A test of you all, and a chance for some entertainment! Fallout and form a circle, thirty metres wide!”

  They did as he ordered, but as they did so, he s
trolled on down and walked out into the circle they were forming. Alita and Jones followed. They looked at the faces of those around them. They looked anxious. They were unsure of what he was doing, but intrigued all at the same time.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Jones said quietly.

  “Time to break the ice, and maybe a few jaws along the way,” he replied with a smile.

  Drones circled overhead as projections above them lit into the arena. He waited for them all to fall silent before addressing them once more.

  “I expect those who lead in this unit to be the strongest, and the best. Platoon leaders and above, remove all weapons and armour, and step into the arena!”

  That word got them thinking. They were not sure how to take it.

  “You’re not doing what I think you’re doing?”

  “Why the hell not, Captain?”

  “Maybe because we want these guys and girls in one piece when the fight comes.”

  “They’ll do just fine,” dismissed Taylor, “Now get out of here, both of you.”

  “I don’t get a stake in this?”

  “Hey, no argument, I’m not getting busted up for a few laughs,” said Alita as she started to walk away.

  “You want in on this?’ Taylor asked him.

  As Taylor took off his weapons and handed them to Alita, he thought back to when they had fought in training. He had proven a good opponent. Finally, he nodded in agreement, and Taylor carried on speaking.

  “Every man and woman that serves under me must be as capable as the other. I don’t care for your rank or anything else, and this evening we are going to put that to the test and have a little fun. For those watching, enjoy this bit of entertainment, as we get few such moments of grace in these times.”

  “This doesn’t seem like your best idea ever,” muttered Jones.

  Taylor only smiled. A hundred and fifty officers had entered the makeshift arena. One of them was Krys, the others all human. Every single one of them dressed and equipped the same. They looked uncertain and wary.

  “This is how it’s going to be. Last man standing. No gouging, no deliberate breaks, or intent to kill. If you tap out, are thrown out, your back touches the ground and you can’t get up in three seconds, you're finished. Last man or woman still on his feet at the end of this, wins.”