Taylor casually waved them off as if he had no care for the formality.
"Is he still alive?"
Sommer looked surprised.
"I...I thought you knew?"
"Knew what?"
"The prisoner is recovering at quite a rate of knots. The doctors started patching him up, but his body soon started doing the job for him."
If that’s the case, maybe Bolormaa could recover, too?
"Open the door."
The vast thick steel doors slid open on their rails, and he walked inside. Zaya was sitting casually in the corner of the room. Thick shackles and chains were secured to each limb, waist, and even his neck.
"I'd like to say I am glad to see you pulled through, but in all honesty, you fucked us, and you know it," stated Taylor.
Zaya shrugged as if he didn't care at all.
"I did what needed to be done," he replied coldly.
"Sending an invasion force to Earth? That needed to be done?"
"Yes."
"Tell me why. Try and explain it in a way that doesn't make me want to end you right here and now."
There was a bitter anger in his tone, and Jones and Alita felt there was a genuine risk that Taylor might actually go through with it. They watched the Colonel's hand hovered over the hilt of his Assegai, but they couldn't say a word. Taylor took in a deep breath and tried to calm himself as Zaya went on.
"You have sacrificed lives to win a war. You are no different to me."
That only made Taylor even angrier, but he knew his anger would do him no good. For any of his faults, Zaya had fought against Bolormaa, and that meant something.
"You may have no regard for human life, but I know you want the same thing as us. You want Bolormaa dead and buried."
"Yes, that is true," he replied firmly.
"We need each other. I just don't know if I can trust you. In fact, I would go as far to say I know I can't trust you."
"If you let me go, I will do everything in my power to kill her, no matter where it takes me, no matter what it costs, or what I have to sacrifice. If it would cost the destruction of your world and all of your humans, I would do it."
Taylor sighed in frustration. He couldn't think of a way of making it work, but he also knew he needed Zaya. He was the most powerful ally he could ever hope for.
"Is there no way I can release you without the risk that you will destroy everything I care for?"
"No," he replied quickly.
Taylor appreciated his honesty, but it wasn't helpful.
"Look, Zaya, Bolormaa has to die. We can do this together, but apart, I don't know what chance we have. You think about it."
He strode out of the room and waited for the doors to close before saying a word. As they locked shut, all eyes were on him, but he had nothing to say to them.
"Don't take your eyes off him, not for a moment," he ordered as he strode off. Jones and Alita still followed him everywhere he went. They all felt powerless in such an awful situation.
"So where to?"
"The bridge, we need to get an idea of the fleet's status. Re-group and do what we can to get ready to go back onto the line."
"You think that's gonna happen? If we couldn't defeat them before, what makes you think it will be any different if we go back?"
Taylor didn't seem fazed by Jones’ doubts.
"We lost a battle, and we made a tactical withdrawal. There is plenty to fight for."
Jones didn't say another word, and they were soon stepping onto the bridge once more. It was a hive of activity, and Fortier looked exhausted.
Taylor made just two steps inside when light flashed before their eyes.
"Jump gates opening!" a voice cried out.
Taylor felt his heart sink.
"They have followed us!" Jones said under his breath.
Ships poured in from the jump gates, but the gates cast long shadows so that they could not be identified. It was a vast fleet that looked like it was assembling for a major invasion or assault. Taylor almost stopped breathing for a moment, instinctively thinking they would be the enemy.
"Who? Who are they?" Fortier asked with a scared quiver in his tone. The gates closed, and the light began to normalise. There was an eerie silence on the bridge as they waited. Taylor calmed himself and stepped closer to study the screens. He recognised one of the larger vessels, and a smile drew across his face.
"The Yavuz!" Taylor declared gleefully, "Jafar's flagship."
Even as he spoke, he saw another fleet begin to appear from behind the cover of the planet.
"Cholans?" asked Jones.
"It's the Nakbe!" an excited voice called out from behind them.
Taylor doubted it, but as he watched and looked closer, he realised it was true. The huge and unmistakeable prow crept out from the cover of the planet to join the Krys vessels.
"Well, I'll be damned."
"We're being hailed by the Yavuz!" an excited crewmember called out.
"Put them through!" Taylor roared without giving Fortier the chance to say so.
Moments later his old friend appeared projected before them - Jafar. He was donned in the finest Krys armour, worthy of the Krys High Lord that he had become.
"What are you doing here, you crazy bastard?" Taylor asked.
"We came to join this fight," he replied simply.
Taylor smiled. "And you are most welcome."
Cheers rang out across the bridge, as he turned back, he saw the relief on Jones and Alita's faces. They couldn't tell if he'd planned it or was just lucky, but he could see the hope it had brought them.
Chapter 4
Taylor waited anxiously on the main hangar bay with several dozen of his marines. Jones was to his right and Alita to his left. Several shuttles came in to land, two of them Krys, one Cholan, and another Aranui. Jafar was the first to step out from one of the shuttles. He was an imposing figure in his armour, and in one hand he carried a steel staff decorated with gilding which he used to aid his old body, but Taylor had no doubt that it was a weapon first and foremost.
Close by his side was Sarik, and Boz and Gur followed as his guards. Taylor was glad to see they were still alive, as he remembered their loyalty. From the second ship came three Barbalar representatives who stayed close to Jafar's side and dared not take a pace in front.
"He’s really brought them to heel," whispered Jones.
Taylor agreed, but he was still shocked to see them all there. The Cholan shuttle landed as Jafar approached, and Tuin himself stepped out. Nobody said a word as they stopped in front of Taylor, and Irala joined them.
"What is this? How can you all be here?"
"We have come to fight alongside you, my old friend," said Jafar. Taylor was trying to find his words when Jafar continued, "I speak for all of us. Your world was always where this war was going to be decided, and we will make our stand against the enemy there beside you."
"What about the rest of your worlds?"
"Earth is vital to us all. It always has been. There is a reason why the Krys fought so hard to take it from you."
"It was their mythical paradise, I get it."
"Not just to the Krys, to all of us."
Taylor looked confused.
"Your world is in the history of all our races. Long forgotten how or why, but one thing is certain. All roads lead to Earth."
"I don't understand. You're saying that Earth is at the centre of all your combined myths and legends, but how?" Jones asked.
"It is one of the great mysteries of the universe; a mystery far, far older than any living being or their descendants. Many choose to forget or disregard such information, and yet the proof grows stronger every day."
"Proof of what?"
"I once called you the Dusmus Kahraman," declared Jafar, "At the time I did so to further our position in that moment, but what I did not tell you, was that I truly believed it."
Taylor was shaking his head.
"No way, I am not some legendary
ancient, mythical bullshit. I am just a guy looking to fight for what I can."
But as he looked to Tuin and Irala he could see they were very much in agreement.
“Surely not you, too?” he asked Irala.
He simply nodded in response. Taylor gasped in amazement. “Has the whole fucking world gone crazy?”
There was no reply.
“Irala, you of all people can see past superstitious bullshit. You are a practical man, a thinker. I have seen you predict and calculate things far beyond what I could even hope to understand. How can you believe this now?”
“It is true that our people have become quite adept at predicting the future through science and precise methodology. That is why now I choose to believe in the words that Lord Jafar is saying.”
“How the hell did you come to that conclusion?”
“By considering all the facts before us. You have done, achieved, and survived more than any human being could.”
“You think we’re weak, and that because I am human I couldn’t have done all that? That’s it?”
“No, it’s more than I could have ever done, or any of my people,” he added.
That silenced Taylor, as he was starting to realise how much they believed it.
“Some humans might call you lucky for what you have achieved. That could be the case for a small element of your life, but not when it is all considered. The odds are unfathomable.”
“What odds?”
“That you could have survived so many near death experiences, and that you have fought so many personal combats against far superior and more powerful opponents. It just isn’t statistically realistic. When you realise that, you might begin to understand why this leap of faith isn’t so surprising or unbelievable. You are special, Taylor. I don’t know why or how, or what force in this universe made you that way, but the fact remains that there is much more to you than meets the eye.”
Taylor looked across to Jones and Alita to see what their responses were. Jones just looked glad that their allies had turned up, and he didn’t seem to care why.
“I didn’t need them to convince me. I have always known you were special,” Alita said.
In was nice to hear, but it didn’t help.
“I don’t believe it, and nothing you have said convinces me, but I don’t care. You’re here now, and we need all the help we can get,” he added and turned to Jafar. “You and your people want to call me the Dusmus Kahra…whatever, fine. Call me Shirley if you want, just so long as I have you with me and willing to fight.”
Jafar made no comment, but for whatever reason, he truly believed he was the one, and that Taylor would now have to accept that. He still thought it was a load of nonsense but accepted he wasn’t going to be able to convince anyone otherwise anytime soon.
“I am gonna keep fighting and kicking ass till the day I die. So how will I ever convince you that you are all deluded? I could stop now, retire from all this, and find a quiet corner of the universe to my feet up. Would that do it?”
“But you won’t,” stated Jafar firmly.
“You aren’t capable of it,” Irala said.
“Capable of what?”
“Leaving your world to burn. Leaving other people to suffer. It is not in you, and that is what makes you special.”
“Even my world you would not see burn. You had no reason to help us,” Tuin joined in the conversation.
“Damn right I did. We needed you in this fight.”
“No, you are a hero to my people, just as you are to your own and all of the worlds in the Alliance.”
Taylor sighed. He didn’t want any of it, and worst of all, he could see the pressure mounting upon him was growing every day. All he could do was try and ignore it and move forward.
“This is all fun and games, but what now?” he asked.
Nobody said a word, but he could tell they were waiting for him to give them the answers. Finally, when he did not, Irala spoke up, “You pluck success out of scenarios where no others would ever conceive the possibility of doing so. Lead the way, and we will follow.”
“And if I am wrong? What if I lead us all to our deaths.”
“We will not follow you blindly, Colonel. We need a leader, not a dictator. Conceive a plan to free Earth, and we will fight to make that plan a reality.”
“Colonel Taylor, Colonel Taylor!” a voice cried.
A young nurse rushed into the room and to his side so that she could whisper in his ear. It was clearly urgent.
“Colonel, it’s the President. You need to come quickly!”
“Can it wait?”
“No, no it can’t,” she insisted.
He looked back to the others who waited for some news.
“You’ll have to excuse me. Thank you for coming. Return to your ships. You will hear from me shortly.”
He could see the surprise in their faces. They had been expecting some kind of sit down and discussion, but without another word, he left. Jones stayed behind to see to their departure, as he knew somebody had to, but Alita ran after Taylor.
“What is it?” she asked, trying her best to keep up.
He didn’t respond, but when she saw him take the turn towards the medical facilities, she started to understand and managed to catch up and walk beside him.
“It’s the President, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” he said quietly but kept up the pace.
“What's wrong?”
“I’m not sure, but it doesn’t sound good.”
"Well, what are you gonna do if he dies?"
Finally, he stopped and glared at her.
"I don't know, okay. I have no fucking idea. I never asked to be in charge of any of this, and now they want to call me some mythical saviour, and I have a feeling I am about to get another shit sandwich, so give me a break, will you?"
She was shocked by the way he lashed out at her, but she didn't have time to respond before he turned away and carried on. She wasn't even sure if she should follow him, but she was too curious not to. They entered the room to find five medical staff standing around the President's bed, along with several more civilian staff that had managed to survive and reach him. Isaacs was still conscious, and that was a relief, but as Taylor looked to those beside him, he could tell that it wasn't good news at all.
"Well? What's the deal?"
The snooty doctor who had been caring for him before stepped forward to address Taylor.
"I am sorry to say that the President's injuries were more severe than we first thought."
"More severe? How could you not know that? All this hardware and you couldn't tell?"
The doctor looked a little sheepish as he looked away, but it seemed he was more sad than disappointed.
"It was something beyond us and even the most sophisticated of equipment. Something which did not manifest itself until it was far too late," he added.
And then he remembered how the Morohtans worked.
"Poison?"
"Of a sort, yes."
"They poisoned me and I survived."
Although it was a reminder of the wound he had suffered. He still felt the pain every day, but he would never admit it to anyone, even though he suspected Alita knew it.
"You are stronger, younger, and with a strong constitution. Even then, I would speculate that whatever the President was infected with, it was far more concentrated than what you suffered, or that is what I would speculate without having access to your records, Colonel."
Taylor shook his head as he walked to the side of the President's bed. He looked weak, though far more composed than he had been under the effects of the drugs not so long ago.
"You did your best, Colonel. I thank you for coming to my aid. There was nothing more you could have done."
Taylor bit his lip, thinking about all the things he could have done differently.
"Is there nothing more you can do?" Taylor pleaded.
The doctor seemed sure as he calmly shook his head.
> "My time is over, Colonel Taylor."
"No bullshit now, how long does he have?"
The doctor seemed reluctant to answer, and they all knew that wasn't a good sign.
"I'm gonna die. You can't make that any better, so at least give us the truth, Doctor."
His voice was weak, and he wasn't even able to get up from the raised and seated position the bed had been made to for him.
"Mr President, Sir, your body is shutting down at a rapid rate. I..."
"Just give us a time, how long?" Taylor insisted.
The doctor acknowledged Taylor but turned to address the President directly.
"At the current rate, I do not believe your heart will hold out much more than a few minutes."
"Oh, God," Alita muttered in the background.
Taylor's eyes widened. He couldn't believe it was all happening so fast. Two of the President's staff began to weep, but he didn't seem bothered at all.
"I never expected to go out like this, but like every other poor soul who has been lost in this war, I don't have a lot of choice. That is my fate."
"I don't believe in fate, Sir," replied Taylor.
"No, maybe not, but she sure believes in you. You, of all people, you can go through hell and come out without even a scratch."
"Not quite, Sir." Taylor smiled.
The President reached out for his hand and took it as firmly as he could.
"Colonel, if there is one thing you were born to do, that was to protect our planet. You must see it. Whatever force keeps you alive, it does so for you to protect our Earth, do you see it?"
Taylor didn't want to believe any of that pre-determined and fate inspired talk, but neither would he argue with a dying man.
"I do, Sir," he replied sincerely.
"While you are alive, and you keep fighting, Colonel, it seems that our world will always be free. So you have to promise me."
"Anything."
"You promise me you will never give up. No matter how bad it gets, no matter what it costs. You will fight for the freedom of our world and the people who inhabit it, all of them. Will you do that?"
Battle Beyond Earth - Box Set (Books 1-5) Page 86
