All seemed lost, and not to the alien invaders or even their agents, but to a bunch of MPs with their Mech dogs. But then an engine roared overhead. It brought the firing to a stop. Everyone looked up to see a transport close to the size of the Deveron swoop in overhead and cast a shadow over them all. A US flag adorned the hull, and Taylor shook his head. He knew it was the end.
Several doors opened either side of the ship and troops jumped out. A few dozen landed on the rooftops either side of the alley, and twenty dropped in to where they had come to the dead end. They were indeed US troops and fully equipped in Reitech equipment.
Taylor, Jones, and Silva had their weapons trained on them but had made no attempt to fire. The troops didn’t take cover or even kneel; they knew as much as Taylor did that it was over. An officer strode forward from the middle of the group without even a weapon raised. He wore Army Ranger insignia, as did all who had arrived with him, and bore the rank of Captain. He stopped ten paces from Taylor and looked down at the wounded before turning back to his troops.
"Medics!"
Taylor lowered his weapon, nodding to the others to do the same.
Medics rushed forward to help the wounded, and Major Martin came striding past the cover from the other direction.
"Thank you, Captain. We'll take it from here!"
The Captain looked up at the MP Major with a disgusted look on his face.
"You keep your filthy hands to yourself, Major!" he boomed.
Martin was stopped in his tracks and utterly shocked by the condemnation.
"Captain, need I remind you I have direct orders to detain these men and bring them back to the United States for trial?"
The Captain spat in front of the Major and replied, "Pack up and piss off."
Taylor didn't recognise the Ranger officer, but he liked him already.
"You are way out of line, Captain. Hand over the Colonel and his men and back down, or you will be placed on a charge!"
The Captain ignored him and raised his comms link and simply said, "Prepare to fire."
The Rangers at his back and along the rooftops trained their weapons on the MPs and Mechs. Martin's face turned to stone.
"You've done enough damage here. Walk away or never walk again."
Taylor could see the fear in the Major's eyes. He wasn't a fighting man and never would be. He was a bully who just got put in his place.
"You're in big trouble, Captain. More trouble than you can ever imagine."
With that the Major turned and left, and the Ranger officer knelt down and offered his hand to Taylor. Mitch couldn't believe their luck. He took his hand and was hauled to his feet.
"How did you do it? Who gave you the order to come to our aid?" asked Taylor.
"I did," stated the Captain. "If a soldier cannot come to the aid of Colonel Taylor and the Inter-Allied, then who will he help? There's a war to be fought. You know it. I know it. Every man and woman here came of their own accord and has pledged to defend this planet against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. I am Captain King, 2nd Ranger Battalion, and I am at your service."
Chapter 6
Taylor was watching the world go by from the window of an aircraft once again as they made their way across France. He looked over to the seat opposite him that was occupied by King.
"You know, Captain, I prayed for a miracle down there. I prayed for a miracle, and I got the Rangers."
King laughed. "We've been called many things but never that."
"You know we went to that meet in Basel in good faith to try and bring an end to all this madness, and if anything, just made it worse."
"Was it worth trying?"
"Yes, of course, anything was worth risking for the chance of success."
"Then you made the right decision."
"You know we aren't fighting for the US here? We pledged our service to the EA because they were willing to fight the battle which needed to be fought."
"Yeah, I get that."
Taylor pulled out his flag patch and stuck it back on his sleeve.
"But that doesn't change the fact we will always be Americans. And we fight for America, even when she doesn't know there's a fight needing to be fought."
"We're with you, Colonel, every step of the way. We didn't come out here to save your ass. We came to join you."
"And you know the shit that puts you in?"
He nodded.
"Well, you have my eternal gratitude."
He breathed out a sigh of relief before continuing. "What's it like back home with respect to feelings about this war?"
"Some want in, some never want to hear the word 'war' uttered again in their lifetimes. Some people are just blind to the facts before them."
"We need America in this fight. We need Americans in this fight. If you were willing to join of your own accord, would others?"
"If you were to step up and ask them, I think so."
"Then that is what we must do."
"How?" Silva asked.
"Where there's a will, there's a way."
He looked over to King and thought for a moment before making him an offer.
"What is your strength?" Taylor asked him.
"One hundred and twenty six," he replied confidently.
"If you fight beside us, you fight as one of us, and not as a member of the United States armed forces. The Inter-Allied Regiment is a mix of all sorts, the best kind of mongrel there ever was. If you would accept it, I would be honoured to have you and your Rangers form a Company in the Regiment, with you at the head."
Taylor offered out his hand as a gesture of good will to seal the deal, and King took it with a huge smile on his face.
"I can't think of an officer I'd rather serve under, even if he is a marine."
"Then it's done. Welcome to the Regiment. You can formally announce it when we land."
"Screw that," he replied.
He lifted up his comms to the entire Ranger unit. "Listen up! We just joined Taylor's Inter-Allied. Welcome to the Regiment, boys!"
A cheer rang out through the ship that was followed by a hive of conversation as they excitedly discussed their new role. Five minutes later they were coming into land at Meaux, and Taylor could not feel more relieved as they touched down. The mission had been a failure and far more arduous than expected, but Taylor could not help but feel triumphant returning safely with all he had taken out and now with a veteran Ranger Company at his command.
He was the first out of the ship down the ramp towards General Dupont who was awaiting him.
"Mission was a complete failure," he stated before he'd even reached the General. He wasn't at all surprised.
"I know, but you did your best, Colonel, I know that. Right now, I have your General White on hold. He says the US President wants to talk to you, Colonel, and I cannot state how important it is you try and get the US on board. Do whatever you have to, but get the US on side. Follow me."
Taylor's relief and excitement for having got back, and with the Rangers in tow, was completely dissipated as he was led inside an office.
"I am no negotiator."
"You're our best hope here, Colonel. And what is it you always say, adapt and overcome?"
"Improvise and overcome."
"That's it, then you know what to do."
"Gee thanks," he replied as the screen flicked on in front of him. It was General White, just as he had been told. Taylor did not greet him and just waited for the shit storm that was coming, but he was surprised to see White's tone was nothing as he expected.
"Colonel Taylor, glad to see you are alive and well."
You changed tactics on me, you son of a bitch.
"No thanks to the dogs you sent after us," he replied venomously.
"Yes, I must apologise for Major Martin. He has a heavy handed approach, but he gets the job done."
"Not this time, he didn't," Taylor snapped.
"Quite, and I do apologise for that. Martin was not given permission to u
se force."
"Not use force? He had Mechs blowing the shit out of us."
"Yes, and Major Martin will pay a heavy toll for his sins, just as we all must."
Great, here he goes again.
Taylor was expecting another lecture, followed by a plea for him to return to the States, but it did not come.
"Colonel, let me get to the point."
"Please do..."
"President Robinson has personally requested to talk to you. Will you receive him?"
"Yeah, go on," replied Taylor with no enthusiasm at all.
He was transferred to a secretary. "Please hold for the President."
"So much for waiting to talk with me," muttered Taylor.
The President suddenly appeared before him, and he had no idea if he'd heard his last comment or not.
"Mr President," he said.
Robinson was young for a US President and in good shape. He was clearly at least part South American descent and was slick in his appearance, but it didn't impress Taylor.
We need a fighter in office, not a suit.
"Colonel Taylor, may I just say it is an honour to finally speak to you, and may I extend the nation’s gratitude for all you have done for this great nation."
Great, a kiss ass as well. This isn't gonna end well.
"Thank you, Sir," he replied, trying to remain calm.
"Colonel Taylor. You have done more for your country than can ever be asked of a man. However, I must now ask that you return home. You will not be charged. You will not face a court martial. I shall see to that. You are stepping on a lot of toes, Colonel, and straining many diplomatic relations which have taken many years and much work to set up."
"I’m sorry I am making diplomatic relations tough in order to keep the World safe," he replied sarcastically.
The President brushed his comment aside and continued.
"Do you not think this country has suffered enough in recent years? Do you not think we deserve peace?"
"Peace? I am fighting because we do deserve peace, and it must be fought for just as the founding fathers of our nation knew it."
"This is not the way, Colonel. If you..."
Taylor reached for the transmission button and cut him off. The door beside him burst open, and Dupont flew through it.
"You just hung up on your President!"
"He is no President of mine," snarled Taylor. "When a man with the balls for the job takes over, I'll talk again."
"What have you done?"
"Didn't you hear it? That asshole can't be talked into war. He's just doing everything he can to get me back there. Is that what you would have? Would you have me sent home where I would almost certainly be stripped of my rank and imprisoned?"
Dupont shook his head.
"No, I would not wish it, and you know I would take back all that I ever did to you if I could."
"This isn't about us, General. You stand beside me, and for that you are my friend."
It brought a surprised and puzzled expression to Dupont's face.
"So what now?" asked Taylor.
"I know the mission failed, but I need to know why. We need to understand this war. I need you debriefed immediately before you take your leave."
Taylor sighed. It was going to be a long day. When he finally stepped out into the open air once again, he found the sun was almost down. He felt utterly exhausted having sat for so many hours outlining all he had seen and experienced to Dupont and other EA officers. He turned and was pleasantly surprised to find Parker sitting on a wall waiting for him. Her head was down in her hands, and she looked utterly bored.
"Evening," he said softly.
Her head shot up at the sound of his voice, and she rushed into his arms.
"You know, back home they frown on this kind of behaviour, Sergeant," he said with a straight face.
"Well, we set the rules now."
It wasn't far from the truth, but he also recognised it was a potentially dangerous position to be in.
"So, did you convince the UEN to halt the war?" she asked.
Taylor sniggered. "No, it was a complete cluster fuck."
"I figured as much."
"Your vote of confidence is overwhelming."
"So what's next?"
"No idea. Just wait on new orders, I guess."
"There’s no way we can end this war with the info we now have?"
He shook his head.
"With Krys agents having infiltrated the UEN at every level, there is no chance."
"And they only infiltrated the UEN, what about our side?"
He shook his head. It didn't bare thinking about, but the clone of Jones was a nasty shock and reminder of what they could be facing.
* * *
Taylor awoke and shot up as a brainwave had struck him during the night. Eli groaned beside him and was clearly not impressed with having been awoken so abruptly, but he was too single-mindedly focused to notice or care. He jumped out of bed and pulled on his clothes while she still grumbled.
"Come on back to bed. We don't have to be up for hours."
"No, the war won't wait for us," he replied.
"What?" she muttered as she turned over and went back to sleep.
He looked at his watch. It was almost 0900 hours, and they had slept way past what a marine should.
"Goddamn it."
He rushed to the door, stopping as he remembered the last time he went out without a weapon and quickly rushed back, grabbed his sidearm, and strapped it about his waist.
"Got it, I got it you son of a bitch," he muttered to himself as he strode for Dupont's office that was located in the bastion they called a research facility. As he approached, he noticed it was named only 13E.
A subtle name to conceal a mammoth structure, he thought.
He rushed into Dupont's office and found him meeting with two Generals from other EA nations.
"I need to put out a broadcast," he demanded.
Dupont stood up, shocked by his abrupt entrance.
"You will have to excuse Colonel Taylor. Combat fatigue has made him forget his manners," he said; the other two laughed.
"If the UEN won't listen to the evidence we put before them, and the US President won't see sense, let me broadcast it to the World. People trust me. God knows why, but they do. Let me take the evidence we have to every news agency in every country which still remains neutral, and let the people decide for themselves."
Dupont sat back down silently and mulled over the idea. One of the other Generals finally answered.
"Why not? It could work."
He spoke in a strong Spanish accent. Dupont shook his head and replied.
"It's a dangerous proposition. We are looking for allies, and such a thing could turn people against their governments who would blame us for inciting any trouble which ensues."
"And?" asked Taylor. "Are we not past the point of politics and simply trying to win by any means?"
"There are always politics, Colonel. Believe me, I wish there weren't. Many times have I wished I could be in your shoes and not have to play the politics game."
"Let me do it. Not with any support, given or intended by you or any member state of the EA. Let me do it as a United States Marine, as a free man. If we can get this evidence out to the people of this world who are beyond the control and indoctrination of Krys agents, we could completely turn this around."
"And if it doesn't? What if it backfires and it sounds like crazy talk? No matter how true the evidence we have, it sounds crazy."
"I can't change the truth. I can only tell it like it is."
Dupont thought about it for a moment and looked at the other two. They both nodded in approval.
"Then do it, and let us pray the audience are as passionate and trusting as you believe."
"Thank you, this is gonna work. It’s gonna work like you could never believe."
"It's hardly the way to do things as far as diplomacy goes, but hell. Whatever we're doing now isn'
t gaining any more support. See my secretary on the way out. She will set you up with everything you need, including our press officer Captain Bernard."
Taylor was excited but also terrified that so much now depended on him. But this wasn't the pressure he was used to. He didn't have to succeed through combat, but through communication.
What the hell have I got myself into?
Half an hour later, he stood around a table with his own senior officers and the press officer as promised, but none of them yet knew his plan.
"Bernard, I am told you have plenty of contacts in the International press?"
"Yes, Monsieur," he replied.
"Good. I need you to get me on air, live. The US is absolutely essential, so try and get a sensible hour. We've got about seven hours until the Eastern seaboard wakes up and turns on the news. When they do, I want them to see me on screen telling it to them straight."
"And what is it you will be telling them?"
"That isn't your concern, right now."
"Begging your pardon, Colonel, but if I am to negotiate this for you, the stations will want to know why. It's a big ask."
"Then tell them Colonel Taylor of the Immortals has news the World needs to hear. That should be enough."
"That's it?"
"Has to be. We need this to be last minute. If the wrong people get wind of it, they will shut us down. I need you to get us on air quickly."
"If I may make a suggestion, Colonel."
"Sure."
"Is what you are going to say controversial?"
"Yes."
"Will governments want to block it?"
"Yes."
"And will people talk about it? Will it spread from one to another?"
"Yes, I hope so."
"Then forget the mainstream media. If you want to go viral, we can post it ourselves, and the news agencies will soon pick it up before there is any chance of shutting it down."
It was a concept he had heard of, but wasn't awfully familiar with.
Battle Earth VIII (Book 8) Page 9
