"I...I will. I will," he repeated.
The President smiled and stared into Taylor's eyes.
"I wish I knew what it was that made you special. What made you able to do all the things that you have done. Maybe I will finally find the answer on the other side. Good luck, Colonel, and..."
He gasped for air as if suddenly he couldn't breathe. He was trying to say a few more words, and Taylor knelt down so that he could whisper in his ear.
"Do not stop until Earth is...free."
No one moved forward to help. They knew it was hopeless. With his last ounce of energy, he squeezed Taylor's hand as tightly as he could, and then he died. There was complete silence as they tried to take in what had just happened. Taylor stepped back and looked at the President's lifeless body, and his words echoed in his mind. It had taken him a while to warm to the President, but they had grown to respect one another in the end, and Taylor knew what a loss to the Alliance he was.
Everyone looked to him now as if he had the answers, and yet he didn’t have any at all.
“What do we do?” Alita asked.
Taylor tried to think through their options, but only one thing kept repeating itself over and over in his head. Isaac’s last words; ‘Do not stop until Earth is free.’
That struck a nerve that was all too familiar, and it was causing anger and bitterness to manifest deep within his heart that he had to act upon before it destroyed him.
“We are going back to Earth, and we are going to kill every last one or them, or die trying.”
Nobody seemed enthused by the idea, but neither would they argue with him.
“You,” he said, looking to a member of the former President’s staff, “Get a list of those in line to the Presidency. We need someone to take those reins, and I’ll be damned if it’s gong to be me.”
Although he knew that in reality he would be running things for a while now. Everything rested on his shoulders, and he hated it. He really wanted to find something to kill to release some of his anger and feel that he was doing something useful. The civilian he addressed looked terrified.
"Colonel, I doubt a single one of those in line to the Presidency made it out with us. Almost no civilians did. As far as we know, President Isaacs' personal staff didn't make it off the Forbin.
"What's your name?"
"Lucy Cardoza."
"And what do you do? What is your station?"
The woman appeared to be stunned by his question. She looked exhausted and bedraggled, despite the fact she wore an expensive tailored suit and had no experience in the conflict they were involved in. She looked around fifty years old. Clearly, she was intelligent and well educated, but that didn't help her get through their near disastrous situation any better than the rest.
"I...I am a public relations advisor to the President. Or I was."
"A spin doctor?" Taylor asked abruptly.
"Yes...yes I suppose so."
"I am making it your job to find us a President, and until you do, the job is yours."
"But what about the candidates back on Earth?"
"If we can get to them, then fair enough, but right now they are under siege and have no knowledge of the President's death. Until we can do better, and you can find someone alive, it's on you."
"I..I cannot..." she began.
Taylor lifted up his finger to call for silence.
"You talk shit for a living, I am sure you can manage."
He turned to leave when Cardoza yelled out in panic, "Colonel Taylor, where are you going?"
It was if she were awaiting his orders.
"To carry out the last orders of the President of the Alliance."
He stormed out with Alita trailing behind.
"What is that? What did he ask of you?"
He was quiet as he tried to make sense of it all in his mind.
"Mitch? Please don't leave me in the dark."
He stopped as she had tapped a nerve. He looked into her eyes to see how lost and desperate she was feeling.
"The President asked me to do the right thing. To not stop fighting until Earth is free."
"And we won't, but please don't do anything brash."
"Billions of people live on Earth, our homeworld. Every minute that we stay out here will likely mean scores more of them dead, imprisoned, or worse. We should never have left."
"We had to, you know that. If we had stayed, we would have died."
"We would have found a way."
"No, we wouldn't have."
"It's like Jafar and Irala said, somehow I always do. I always get through."
"You do, but at what cost to everyone else? How many more of us have to die?"
"That's not up to me."
"Please don't believe this nonsense they have been telling you. You aren't a mythical hero or champion sent by some god. You are an actual hero, flesh and blood. Fate isn't what has kept you alive. You have done that, and all those who care for you."
He seemed to think about it for just a few moments before shrugging it off.
"We have a job to do."
"If you're going into a fight, then I am coming with you."
"He looked down at her arm in a sling, but even as he did so, she drew out a knife and cut the brace away, lifted the loop from around her neck, and cast it aside.
"Don't you dare try and stop me. If you are gonna be a stubborn son of a bitch, then you'll just have to accept that I am one, too."
"He smiled at her and then headed back towards the bridge.
"You think that Cardoza woman can handle what you have thrown at her?"
"I have no idea, but it really doesn't matter right now. It's important that I am not seen as seizing power. I have never tried or wanted to, but when those who want it feel threatened, they lash out. So let them do what they want to do while we fight this war."
She finally groaned in agreement as she followed him, as she knew she would, no matter what he said or did. They stepped into an elevator, but as the doors closed, someone leapt through the doors. It was Jones.
"So what's up?" he asked eagerly.
"The President's dead," said Alita bluntly.
He took it as some sort of sick joke because of the way she said it, but when he looked to Taylor's face, he could see she had really meant it. The smile was instantly wiped from his face, and his shoulders slumped.
"Don't worry about it," said Taylor.
"Don't worry? We risked our lives to rescue Isaacs because we all knew how important he was."
"Important when he was alive. Now he's dead, there is nothing more to say on the issue. We move on."
"Move on?"
"That's right, Jones. Move on!"
Jones was silenced as he thought it over. They were both beginning to realise that Taylor was right. There was nothing they could do to change the situation. He stepped aboard the bridge and looked around at the crew. The news of the President's death had already reached them.
"Put me on an open channel to the entire fleet," he ordered.
They all waited eagerly to hear what he had to say.
"This is Colonel Taylor. Moments ago the President of the Alliance passed away. Poisoned by a Morohtan weapon. It is a sad day for us all, but let us not forget what we have left behind. Even now, the citizens of Earth are fighting to defend their world and their lives. President Isaacs could not be saved, but he will be mourned when the time is right. But Earth, she can be saved, and so can the people of Earth. The President asked one thing of me as he died. Never give up, he told me. Don't ever give up until Earth is free. Well, you know what, that is what I was born to do, and I intend to do it. In one hour, I will jump back to Earth with anyone who is willing to come with me, and I will strike at our invaders with a fury that they have not yet seen. For those coming with me, ready your weapons and harden your resolve, because we are taking the fight to them."
He pointed for the comms officer to end the transmission.
For a moment there was s
ilence, as they took it all in, and then one of the crew began to clap. The rest soon joined in and whistled in support of his intentions with such excitement. He was glad he had rallied them to his cause, but he didn't believe it to be such as joyous a celebration as they seemed to. He knew what was coming, and it wasn't pretty. He looked to Fortier who still seemed a little lost in his new command.
"One hour, that is all you have. Make sure all repairs possible are done, and ensure we have a full complement of ammunition aboard. Take it from those vessels too badly damaged to make the trip if you have to."
"Colonel, we are being hailed by the Resolution."
"Put her through."
Vega appeared, and he seemed surprisingly calm. Taylor had expected him to put up a fight to his order.
"Admiral, I am sorry to have gone over your head, but..."
"It's okay, Colonel. I command this fleet, but you are leading the Alliance at this moment in time. With the President dead, it falls to you now to do this thing."
Taylor was pleasantly surprised by his declaration of support.
"What will you have us do?"
"Be ready for a fight. With this much support, we might finally have a chance of taking them on head to head."
"And if we can't?"
"There are too many people down there on the surface relying on us. We cannot fail."
"Will the rest of the Alliance support us?"
"That's what I'm about to find out, Taylor out."
"Colonel, we have calls coming in from all over the fleet. People want answers. They want to know who is in charge now, what are intentions are, and how you intend to conduct this mission," said Fortier.
He began to walk off the bridge.
"Colonel?" Fortier called after him.
He stopped and looked at the Captain.
"I don't have answers for them, but you can tell them what you want. I said all that I have to say. In one hour, we return to Earth with whoever is ready, able, and willing. That's all there is to it."
He left without another word as the Captain looked to Alita for some assistance, but she just shrugged and followed Taylor.
"You think this is a wise move?" she asked.
No answer came.
"You don't even have a plan?"
He only increased his pace until he reached his quarters. He went inside, stripped off his armour, and slumped onto the bed. Alita stood in the doorway as if awaiting some response. Taylor merely turned over as if to go to sleep. She went forward and sat down on the bed beside him. She took in a deep breath, trying to think of some way to reach him.
"I'm with you no matter what, Mitch, you know that, right?"
"Yeah...yeah, I do," he replied wearily, "I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't even ask to be woken up in this lifetime, let alone to be given the reins."
"You may not think fate brought you here, but there are many out there that do, because you have given them reason to believe it."
He rolled over so that she could see his face.
"And what about when it all comes crashing down? What happens when we crash and burn and I fail? It's like the whole Alliance has gone mad. I am not some invincible weapon that can pluck victory out of nothing."
"You’re sure about that?"
It had felt good to have so much confidence placed in him, but now he was starting to feel it was the sort of blind confidence that could be detrimental.
"You just have to have a little faith."
Taylor squinted as if it had hit a nerve.
"Faith in what?"
"In yourself. In the crew, in me, in our Regiment."
"Faith doesn't win battles."
"Are you sure about that? You have won so many fights you should never have won, where the odds were all against you. So many times, more than anyone can remember. If it wasn't fate that got you through, then what was it?"
He had no answers.
"Faith, in yourself and everyone around you. Many see weakness and failure everywhere they look, but you see hope and potential. You always have. It's the reason I am here today."
He appreciated the sentiment, and it certainly went some way to calm his nerves.
"What is it?" She could see that his mind was wandering.
"This Dusmus thing, this myth; do you believe it?"
"All I know is that for whatever reason, you were born to fight for us all, and that much cannot be argued."
"I was created just to fight, to save humanity? Seems a little farfetched, don't you think?"
"Your career is what seems farfetched, like the great heroes of ancient history. Maybe that is what you are."
He began to laugh.
"What?" she protested.
"Now it's all sounding like bullshit."
She smiled and lay down with him.
"What are you going to do about the President?"
"What do you mean?"
"He's the President of the Alliance. He should have some ceremony, don't you think?"
Taylor shrugged.
"He's dead now. I don't see that it matters."
"It's not for him. It's for everyone else."
"How do you mean?"
"Isaacs was a hero and a leader for our people and the whole Alliance. They will want to see him honoured, and it's a prime time to boost morale, surely?"
"Boost morale at a funeral?"
"It was an assassination. You play it right, and you can rile up the whole fleet. I know you know how."
"Why do I always end up in this situation? I am a fighter, not a talker."
That made her laugh as she wrapped an arm around him. As they relaxed, she began to think back over the events they had been through, and a thought suddenly leapt into her head that she could not help but share.
"Erzurum."
"What of it?"
"How did you know to come here? The Krys, the Aranui, the Cholans, they all knew to assemble here, but how did you?
"Quite honestly, I don't know."
She could tell he really meant it, and that left both of them postulating as to how he could have known.
"Must have been luck, I guess. It's somewhere that stood out in my mind. It's of little military value, so would be a safe refuge if everything went to shit. I suppose the others knew that as well as I did."
"If it were that obvious, why hasn't the enemy looked here for us? Don't tell me it's luck. Luck doesn't have anything to do with it."
"I really can't explain it. Erzurum, the name just popped into my head when it was clear we had to get the hell out of there."
"Hell, that's what it is, and you thought to bring us here?"
"Maybe that's why. Maybe I thought no place could be worse right now."
There was so much doubt in his tone that neither of them believed it even as it rolled off his tongue.
"Do you think they are fighting back...on Earth, I mean?"
"They must be. We can only hope they were ready for a war. Gods knows they have had enough warning, but then again, how many people actually learn the lessons of history?"
"What was it like? Back then when it all began, first contact with an alien race? The concept seems bizarre now. We have never known any different."
He laughed and shook his head all at the same time.
"The first time we met those suckers, it was fucking hell. I was on the Lunar Colony at the time."
She looked confused.
"The Moon."
"Ah," she replied with a smile.
"Honestly?"
She nodded enthusiastically.
"How many survivors of the first contact do you think there are? I have wanted to ask you from the moment I heard you were being brought back."
He sighed. "It was terrifying."
"Really?"
"They didn't exactly turn up to negotiate."
"They didn't even offer terms?"
"No, none."
"But our history says it was a grave mistake and misunderstanding that led to war, an
d that neither side was to blame."
Taylor coughed and spluttered as he tried to get his words out.
"Oh, really?"
He could tell she was being quite serious.
"Well, then I guess it's time to set the record straight. When the Krys arrived in our Solar System, there was no negotiation. There was no communication. They came at us without warning with murderous intent."
"Why?"
"Because the Lords who ruled them were sadistic bastards who wanted our world, and they wanted it without us on it."
"You talk like they were faceless monsters."
"Yes, yes they were."
She seemed surprised, but that was even more of a shock to Taylor.
"Is this what you were taught in school, and at the Academy?"
"Yes, of course."
"Alita, the Krys wars weren't pretty. They were every bit as terrifying and despicable an enemy as Bolormaa is. The first time I saw one of them our guns could barely scratch their armour, even one Krys warrior, one of their average soldiers. It took a platoon to take the son of a bitch down."
"Then how did you survive, and how did you win?"
"With many losses and determination. At first, our losses were horrific. It seemed that within just weeks, if not days, we could face extinction. That is what they tried. In time we adapted, we evolved. We improvised and overcame. We developed weapons to fight them and won at a great cost, but that wasn't the end. They kept coming, and with ever more terrifying weapons, even one that could destroy the entire planet. That was the bloodlust, and it ran through their veins."
"And yet you call some of them friends?"
"They were not all like that. Eventually, it became clear that their soldiers were nothing but pawns. The Krys people were not all bad, not the monsters we believed them to be, and after many millions, if not billions of deaths, we managed to realise that we could live together."
"And you think there are Morohtans like that? Maybe they aren't all bad?"
"I sure hope so. I really do."
Chapter 5
“One hour?” Alita asked as he yawned.
The alarm was still ringing on the counter beside them as she reached over and struck it violently. They’d barely gotten any rest at all. She sat up and rubbed her eyes as she tried to awaken fully.
Battle Beyond Earth - Box Set (Books 1-5) Page 87
