Battle Beyond Earth: Survival

by Thomas, Nick S.

  “You know you really aren’t proving very useful. I should end your miserable life, but I wouldn’t want to rob myself of some satisfaction before you die. So this is not going to be quick. Tell me what I need to know, and you can scurry off back to your bitch of a mother, but those legs belong to me now.”

  “You would let me live?”

  “Not forever, but for now,” he said with a smile.

  They could both hear the drips of blood pooling beneath him.

  “Make up your mind,” said Jones.

  He was gasping for air and in tremendous pain, but finally he nodded in agreement.

  “Bolormaa does not have Taylor. Cakir does.”

  “Cakir? Who the hell is that?”

  “A Krys Lord who is seeking revenge against Taylor,” said Babacan.

  “I am gone a few weeks and everything has gone to hell.”

  He was relaxed and seemingly jovial in his tone, and Sommer didn’t understand it.

  “He is working with Bolormaa to fight against us,” Turan explained.

  “Well, that won’t do, it won’t do at all. I thought Bolormaa wanted to finish Taylor personally, so why would she let this Cakir get the pleasure?”

  “Bolormaa will only fight Taylor if he proves himself worthy. If he can be killed by Cakir, he is not worthy.”

  Jones laughed once more. He paced around Hagan as if deep in thought.

  “So I guess we are back to basics. Where is Taylor? Where is this Cakir holding him?”

  “Izmir.”

  “A frontier Krys world, I should have known,” said Babacan.

  “You’ve been most helpful, and now you can finish helping us, by shuffling off this mortal coil,” said Jones.

  He thrust his Assegai deep into Hagan’s body so that it ran up to the hilt. He took pleasure in watching the alien fade and then slump in the chains he was suspended in. Jones drew out the blade and let his blood flow out onto the street. He stood marvelling at the sky as if having immense satisfaction from the kill.

  “Why did you do that?”

  Sommer could see the Krys didn’t understand her reasoning, not even Babacan and Turan. She ran up to Jones and grabbed him by his uniform as if to strike him.

  “I said, why did you do that?” she demanded.

  Jones’ face was as blank as any Krys soldier.

  “Because he is the enemy,” Jones finally replied.

  He looked incredulous that she had even questioned what he was doing, but he didn’t fight back. He let her shake him as if she needed to get something out.

  “This is not us, damn it!”

  Tears were running down her face as she despaired at what she had experienced. She let go, staggered back, and sat down against the bonnet of a crashed car. She took another glance at the blood-soaked body of Hagan, turned away, and almost heaved once again.

  “What do you think we are doing here, Lieutenant?”

  She stared at him with a blank face, seemingly waiting for the next horrific event to occur.

  “This isn’t some border dispute. It isn’t a civil war. It isn’t a war between people we may be friends with sometime in the future…”

  “People used to say that about them,” she said, looking over to Babacan and Turan, “I bet Taylor said that about them plenty of times.”

  Jones twitched as if what she was saying hit hard and made him think about what he was doing. He began pacing again, and every time he looked at Hagan, he swore to quietly so that nobody could make out what he was saying.

  “You know it’s wrong, don’t you? Tell me you know?”

  He became more and more angry.

  “The only thing wrong is that thing is down here, and Taylor is not. I won’t apologise for doing my job and trying to find him!”

  Sommer looked around for support, in the hope of finding some humanity amongst the barbaric act that had been committed, but the Krys were completely on his side.

  “This is war, Lieutenant, and a horrible one at that. It isn’t ever going to be pretty. It isn’t going to be how you imagined it as some great adventure. It’s grim, and brutal, and nasty, and it makes us do things we never dreamed we could do. But that is the price we pay so that those not fighting get to live on in a civilised existence, and the next generation get to exist at all!”

  She didn't have any fight left in her as she could see she wasn't getting anywhere.

  "Izmir, it is a heavily guarded outpost at all times," said Turan.

  "Probably even more so if they have Taylor there," added Babacan.

  "How well guarded?"

  "You'd need an army to attack that world."

  "Okay, so we’ll go in quiet and covert."

  Turan was already shaking his head.

  "That’s not possible. There is nothing above the surface but aerial defences. Everything on Izmir is built several klicks below the surface in well-fortified positions. During the war with the Aranui, they destroyed everything on the ground, and what replaced it was an underground fortress, strong enough to withstand the heaviest of bombardments."

  "You say it's an army that we need. Then it's an army we must find."

  "But there is no such army," said Sommer in a sad and strained tone.

  "I am hearing problems, but not solutions."

  "We cannot just pluck an army out of thin air, Sir. Taylor dug deep to put together a force to find you, and it nearly cost us all our lives. We were too few in number."

  "And yet it worked, didn't it?"

  She had to concede defeat, but she didn't look happy about it.

  "We will make our case to the President. She understands how important it is to get Taylor back."

  "She won't be forthcoming, not even Taylor could get her to commit any troops to our last mission. She barely let him go," said Sommer.

  "We have to try. I won't accept there is nothing we can do. We know where he is, and we are going to get him back. Make your calls. Call anyone and everyone you know. Every contact you can think of. Find us the resources we need."

  Jones walked off without another word as though needing to get away from it all. He heard Sommer making her case to the others as he left, but he didn't care. She was getting no sympathy or support from the Krys. He stopped at the edge of another shattered and debris-strewn street so that he could think for a minute. He was taking in the sense of relief that he was free. The fact everything around him was in ruins didn't matter at all. All he could think was how glad he was to be free, and how Taylor was not. Footsteps approached from behind, and he spun around, raising his rifle as though expecting a fight.

  "Babacan," he said as he lowered it.

  "You are jumpy."

  "If you'd seen what I'd seen, you would be, too. What do you want?"

  "This thing that you are doing. The people you want things from, they will not give it to us. They will not hear us, but they might hear you."

  "I don't think I'm exactly in the mood or position to negotiate with anyone right now."

  "Whatever it takes to get Taylor back, isn't that what you said?"

  Babacan was making him eat his own words, and he didn't like it one bit, but he was right. He took a deep breath and sighed, accepting what he had to do.

  "You know I am not ready for this?"

  "We rarely are ready for anything that is thrown at us. That is what Taylor always says. We improvise, adapt, and overcome."

  Jones smiled at how important that was.

  "This is on you. You took up this job again, and now you must do everything in your power to see it through."

  "Okay, can you reach out to Jafar for me?"

  "We'll have to go back to the Independence in order to carry out long-range communications."

  "Then saddle up. We've done enough here."

  "Taylor's orders were that the rest of the Regiment remain on the surface and fight here. The Colonel gave his word to the President that they would stay. That is why we have the Cholan and Aranui Guardians to assist. They
were all Taylor could muster in the search for you. And the Krys, they'll go wherever Taylor is."

  Jones gritted his teeth. He could not break Taylor's promise.

  "So we have three platoons, is that it?"

  "We are coming, too."

  Sergeant Ness was dug in at the rubble on the corner of the street and had listened in from the beginning.

  "Your orders are to stay here," replied Babacan.

  "If the Colonel wants to bring me up on a charge when he is back, then he is most welcome," said Ness, climbing out from the cover to join them.

  "This is on you. You know what Taylor's standing orders are, and you are choosing to breach them. I will not stop you, but there will be consequences."

  "And I will gladly pay them. It's time we got the Colonel back, Sir."

  Jones was glad more than anything to have more humans by his side. He needed them to feel normal after being in captivity for so long.

  "Sergeant, you're with me until this is through. Do you think your squad is up to the job?"

  "They were born for it, Sir."

  He smiled in response.

  "That's the spirit."

  * * *

  "You have a welcoming party, Captain, and they don't look best pleased!"

  Jones didn't look out of the cockpit to see what Dart meant. He stepped up to the ramp and strode onto the deck of the Independence like he owned it. A line of provosts awaited him. He strode up to them and stopped as if squaring off against them. The officer amongst them opened his mouth to speak, but held his tongue when Babacan and Turan took up position behind the Captain.

  "Don't be a fool," said Jones.

  "Captain Jones, you are medically unfit for duty and are charged with assaulting another officer," the man declared.

  His voice was shaky, and he was clearly intimidated by all three of them.

  "Step aside," ordered Jones calmly.

  The provosts would not move. Jones lifted his rifle and primed it before taking aim.

  "Wait!" Sommer shouted, rushing to his side.

  She could see the cold look in his eye. He saw the provosts in the same light as the enemy they had fought earlier that day, just another obstacle in his way, and he seemed to have no quibble with shooting them where they stood.

  "Please, Captain, don't, this isn't the right way to go."

  Jones wasn't hearing it, so she turned to the provosts to try and appease them.

  "I struck the doctor, and I broke the Captain free. That is on me."

  "Then you are also under arrest."

  She felt her shoulders slump in despair at how quickly the situation was escalating, and how little she could do to stop it.

  "Please, Jones, don't do this!"

  The provosts drew their sidearms and took aim, but that only caused the Krys platoon at Jones' back to do the same.

  "This won't end well for you," said Jones calmly.

  The provosts were terrified and yet would not back down.

  "You are interfering with a vital mission. Stand aside, or I will put you down!" Jones roared.

  "Stand down, everyone stand down!" a voice cried.

  The President stormed into the room with her security detail desperately trying to keep up. She stepped right in between the two sides.

  "This ends, now! Put your weapons down, all of you!"

  Neither side seemed eager to oblige.

  "Put them down!" she yelled, glaring at the provosts. They finally did as asked, and Jones followed suit soon after.

  "What the hell do any of you think you are doing? The enemy is out there, not in here!"

  "Pardon me, Madam President, but we have our orders," said the provost.

  "I don't give a damn what your orders are, or were. I am giving you an order. Get out of my sight!"

  They left with their tails between their legs, but she soon turned her fury on Jones.

  "I am glad to see you back in the fight, Captain, but you need to get your head on straight."

  "The only thing I need to do right now, is find Taylor."

  "And you won't do that by making enemies of your friends."

  Jones didn't seem to like what she had to say, but he wasn't going to argue with her.

  "Now, seeing as you are back here, I assume you have some new information on Colonel Taylor's location. What can I do to help?"

  "I need resources. Soldiers and ships."

  "Those two resources we are spreading thin these days."

  "Then put me in touch with others who are not."

  Caron could tell he wasn't himself, but she was at least glad to have someone back in charge of Taylor's unit. She couldn't be fussy.

  "Follow me."

  It wasn't long before Jones found himself in a long-range communications room, the same one where Taylor had appealed for help when he was looking for Jones and Hariz. The same two women even manned the stations.

  "You have friends that you can reach out to, don't you?"

  "Get me Lord Jafar," he replied.

  Caron gestured towards the two officers to carry out his request. It took a few moments, but they were put through only to hear the sound of gunfire in the background and flashes of explosions behind Jafar. He was in the middle of combat.

  "What can I do for you, Captain?" he asked as calmly as he could.

  "I am sorry to have to ask this of you, but I have found Colonel Taylor, and I need your help."

  "I wish that I could, Captain, but I cannot spare anymore soldiers than I have already given to you."

  "You know he might die if we cannot get him back?"

  "And we may die if we cannot win this fight. You will have to deal with Bolormaa yourself. I am sorry."

  "It is not Bolormaa that has Taylor. It is your man Cakir."

  Jafar's face turned to stone as he finally looked into the camera and directly at Jones.

  "Cakir? That dog?"

  They could see he was conflicted.

  "He must be stopped. I cannot spare you any soldiers, but I will send you someone who may be able to help. I make no promises, Captain, but Sarik will be with you within the hour. Good luck, and I pray that you bring Taylor back alive."

  The gunfire intensified as the signal ended. The President was pale-faced, realising how dire their situation was.

  "Without the Krys to fight this war, we may not last more than a few months, and we do not know what else Bolormaa has to bring to the table. We have nothing. We have played all our hands."

  "We are not through yet. Get me the Cholans, and the Aranui."

  * * *

  Jones stepped out of the room looking weary and lost. Almost an hour had gone by as he tried to negotiate with different representatives, and to no avail.

  "Anything?" Sommer asked.

  The President stepped out beside him.

  “You did your best, Captain. If there was anything I could do, you know I would. Colonel Taylor means a lot to me, too, and I know how important he is to this war.”

  “Madam President, your presence is requested on the bridge.”

  Chapter 14

  “How? How is this possible?” asked the President in disbelief, as she marvelled at what she saw on the screens. More than twenty vessels lay in orbit around them. They looked to be of Krys origin, but nothing like the type any of them were used to seeing.

  “We are being hailed. They are asking for Captain Jones.”

  He looked as surprised as Caron did, and he just nodded as if to say yes.

  “Put them through,” Caron ordered.

  Sarik appeared before them, just as Jafar said he would.

  “How did you do this?”

  “Jafar asked me to provide my assistance. I needed an army, and there was only one left willing to come and fight for Taylor. The Barbarlars. They will not fight in our rebellion. They will let it go on and see who comes out as the strongest.”

  “But they’ll fight for Taylor?”

  “Yes, because they have nothing invested in him,
and respect him greatly.”

  Jones was just shaking his head in amazement.

  “I still don’t believe it.”

  “Time is short, Captain. The Barbarlars have short tempers, and if we do not find an enemy for them soon, they will just as soon find their own battle, or leave altogether.”

  “Don’t worry about that. If it’s a fight they want, there is no shortage. I am sending you the coordinates now. We jump in thirty minutes.”

  Sarik ended the transmission without another word.

  “Thirty minutes?” baulked the President, “That is no time to prepare. You have done no surveillance, nothing. You cannot go in blind.”

  “It always works for Taylor.”

  “But you are not him, are you?”

  “No, I’m not, but neither am I a fool. Cakir doesn’t know we have this information, and he has no idea we are coming. Neither does he realise we have access to these resources, all information that will reach him before long. Anymore time we waste, or risk exposure through surveillance missions, only gives the game away. He could just as soon flee with Taylor, rally a great fleet and army to his side, or kill the Colonel before we ever reach him. No, we hit hard and fast. Surprise and the Barbarlars are the only things we have in our favour, and both are time dependant.”

  “You are going no matter what, aren’t you? Even if I ordered you not to.”

  “Begging your pardon, Madam President, but this is a private enterprise. You told me you couldn’t spare an army, so I found my own. This is happening, no matter what anyone says.”

  She didn’t think any less of him and held out her hand in friendship.

  “I wish you every luck, Captain. Bring him back to us.”

  He shook her hand before running off the bridge. He didn’t need to tell his own people anything. They were still waiting at the ships ready to go wherever he ordered. There wasn’t one among them who wouldn’t hesitate to jump at the chance to get Taylor back. He reached the docking bay and found Sommer and Turan on the deck waiting for him.

  “Is it true? Do the Barbarlars fight with us?” Turan asked.