Battle Earth VI (5 page)

 
It was a relief to not have to be the one to tell him.

"You got it. I am sorry there is no time to see to your casualties, but time is not on our side."

"Got it, Sir, mount up when you're ready."

Ryan's crew passed the casualties over to an MDF medical team, who had been awaiting their arrival, and quickly scrambled back aboard.

"Load up!" yelled Taylor.

A Marine Lieutenant waited at the ramp to the ship. Taylor could see the wound on his arm and the quick patch up that had been done. His armour was still scorched from the battle, but he didn't show any sign of it affecting his ability.

"Lieutenant Samson, Sir. I have been assigned as Marine detail to the Deveron."

"Colonel Taylor, 2nd Inter-Allied."

"I am well aware who you are, Sir. I can't think of a marine alive who wouldn't know your face."

Taylor smiled back. Samson seemed completely calm and unfazed by the battle he had so recently faced. It was clear he was a marine with plenty of combat experience.

"Welcome aboard, Colonel."

Taylor looked up at the hull of the Deveron one last time and stepped inside. It felt good to be back aboard, but the battle scars were more present than ever. Blue blood trailed down one of the corridors where the body of a Mech had been dragged away. Metal support beams were twisted and burnt. Crews were busy cutting and welding on multiple levels to repair the damage. Samson stepped through to escort the Colonel to the bridge.

"Looks like you had a hell of a fight to get out of there."

"Just what we have come to expect of the Mechs, Sir. The surprise was seeing them again. All in all, we did well to get out of there with so few lost, but a minute longer, and I don't think any of us would have made it."

Taylor shook his head.

"I've been telling our Commanders for the last year that this would happen. How can anyone have been so stupid to assume they would just leave us alone?"

"Well, looks like your wish has come true."

"Mmm, can't say I wanted them to come, but we do have some unfinished business."

"This is the Captain speaking. We lift off in sixty seconds."

The two officers reached the bridge that felt like home to Taylor. Those who knew him and the fresher faces greeted him, but there was little enthusiasm in their faces. Taylor sat down at one of the workstations. He wouldn't lie about in anyone else's vessel, but the Deveron was an exception. A few seconds later, Ryan strode onto the deck. He was young for the Captain of such a vessel; and as aresult of the war that he would not have desired.

"Liftoff in five, four, three..."

The engines roared, and the Deveron quickly lifted from the docking bay. Within seconds, Wayans was putting full power down, and they soared out into space. After clearing the docking bays, they could see the extent of the evacuation. War ships, cargo liners, and civilian ships were all working together to take every human being from the Moon to safety. Taylor looked out at the defence grip around Earth. It was an impressive installation, but he still wasn't convinced it would be all that so many hoped for.

"When we fled, their fleet didn't seem to be following us with any haste. I guess we have a good few days yet before they reach us, maybe a week or more."

"Why would they do that?" asked Taylor.

"Only reason I know of is if they have brought the Gezgen K'til."

"The what?"

"The Planet Killer."

Taylor suddenly leapt to his feet and turned to the face the alien.

"How is it this is the first we are hearing of it?"

"I have not seen it in seventy of your years. I never thought I would again. The last time I was just young. It was returning from a great victory."

"Seventy years ago? How old are you?" Ryan asked.

"Eighty-three years. The Krycenaean can easily live to twice what a human does."

"Not with a bullet in their head, they don't," replied Samson.

Taylor nodded in agreement. But just as he smiled at the comment, he was reminded of the original topic.

"This Planet Killer. It may sound like a stupid question, but what is it?"

The bridge was silent as everyone's attention turned to Jafar. Not even the pilot Wayans could turn away.

"All I know is that when used it kills all life on a planet and renders that planet uninhabitable to even us for a long time."

"How long?"

"A hundred years, two hundred maybe."

Gasps echoed around the room. Taylor turned to Samson.

"Log everything we have just heard, and ensure it is sent directly to General White within the hour."

"Aye, aye, Sir."

The Lieutenant sat down at the nearest workstation and immediately got to work. He knew more was likely to be spoken in the next few minutes, and he could not afford to miss anything from his transmission. Taylor sat back down, trying to comprehend what that meant for all of them. Everyone waited for him to speak as they reflected on the same words.

"You told me they thought of Earth as a paradise, so why would they destroy it?"

"Either they don't think they can win, or someone is seriously pissed off," replied Ryan.

Taylor nodded in agreement.

"The Gezgen K'til won't destroy Earth. It will just delay its occupation. I never thought I would see it brought here though. Demiran's family built the monster two hundred years ago."

"Demiran? Your former boss and the one we captured?"

Jafar nodded.

"Well, that's just fucking great. He must be pissed."

"Can this Gezgen, whatever it is, be stopped?"

" The Gezgen K'til is a massive ship. The same class as what you called Tartaros in the first war. I know it must get close to the planet to operate, as the last time it was used, a great battle had to be fought above the planet before it could be deployed."

"So this was used against another race?" asked Ryan.

"That doesn't matter, right now. Let's concern ourselves with our own world," replied Taylor. "So what you’re saying is this. If that thing can get to the atmosphere of Earth, our planet is gone for our lifetimes!"

Jafar nodded.

"Christ. We need confirmation of this. Samson. Include all the information you have heard, but make it clear that the presence of this Planet Killer is still just a theory."

The bridge fell silent again as they considered the possibility of losing Earth, and more urgently that they were heading straight for the Planet Killer.

"You've all had a long day. My marines will take on any watches they can. Everyone not on duty get some rest. We've got a hell of a time ahead of us."

* * *

Two days passed without any contact when Taylor was awoken in the middle of the night Earth time. He pulled on his Reitech gear and rushed to the bridge to find the crew standing frozen and staring at the display screen.

"There's your visual confirmation, Colonel," Ryan said.

Taylor turned to Jafar to ask if it was what he had suspected. Before he could say a word, the alien nodded to pre-empt him. Taylor looked back at the screen. He could not tell it and Tartaros apart, but he trusted his friend. They looked out at the hundreds of support ships escorting the behemoth.

"Doesn't make any sense," Taylor murmured.

"What?" Ryan asked.

"The strength of their forces. Why didn't they send all this through to begin with? With all of this, and what they sent in the first war, we would have been crushed in the beginning. Before we had time to learn from their technology and stop them."

Nobody answered until Taylor turned to Jafar for answers.

"Well?"

"The Krycenaean people are not as one, under one rule. Powerful leaders rule factions and planets. Each wants his own glory and power. They rarely stand beside eachother. Demiran would almost never stand beside Karadag, but he would make every effort to avenge him for his own gains."

"So there is no one leader?" asked Taylor.

"One who is more powerful than the other Lords, one who holds more influence than the rest, but not with the control over all the others you would think."

"And this boss, who is he?"

"Erdogan. The strongest, cruellest, and most power hungry of the Krycenaean Lords."

"Then you have met him?"

"I have seen him. As a personal guard to Demiran, I met him once, but he would not know me."

"Well, this just keeps getting better. Are we ever likely to see this Erdogan?"

Jafar shrugged his shoulders.

"He could be aboard the Gezgen K'til. He might have even been on Earth during the first war. I don't know."

"But that is Demiran's ship, right?"

"Yes. Lord Erdogan can rightfully take his place aboard any ship in any war. He can take the glory without having to front the expense of using his own resources."

"I sure would like to get my hands on that bastard," said Parker.

It was the first thing she had said since Taylor had reached the bridge that morning. She had stayed so still and quiet that her presence had gone unnoticed.

"This big bad, the Erdogan. He must want Earth, right? Seems every other Krycenaean does."

"I don't know."

"All right. I've seen enough, and all this information is giving me a damn headache. Captain, collect as much data as you can, and then get us the hell out of here."

"Wait!” Jafar shouted.

Taylor snapped around. It was a surprise to have Jafar assert himself so much. He could see the alien pointing at the corner of a display screen. He turned and carefully studied what at first looked like empty space. Then his eyes widened as he caught a glimmer of movement. It was the flicker of the chameleon ship camouflage that Taylor had all but forgotten.

"They’re onto us. Get us out of here!"

"No," replied Jafar, "right now, their guns are training on us. We'd not make it."

"Then what do we do?"

"This ship, the Deveron, it must be known to Demiran and many others. They would want whoever was aboard alive."

"Are you willing to bet money on that?"

"I don't have any money," Jafar replied dryly.

Taylor could not help smile for just a second.

"All right then. You seem to have an idea of what you're doing. Tell us what we should do."

They all looked to Jafar. Nobody aboard no longer doubted they could trust him, and he had the unique advantage of both his heritage and training by the Inter-Allied.

"There will be two of them out there, one on overwatch and one closing to board us. They're hoping to either board us with the element of surprise or destroy us if we try to run. Those are patrol ships. They have maybe fifty Mechs on board each of them."

"Shi...it," replied Samson.

"If they could have got aboard undetected, we'd be finished. But with a prepared defence, that's another story."

He stopped and thought for a moment about what Jafar had said.

"That one we saw closing to our starboard side must be the boarding action, right?"

Jafar nodded in response.

"Okay, I want all but a protection detail for the bridge to the starboard side and ready to repel borders. Captain, have your gun crews prepared to fire at the other ship, but do not show any sign of it until the last second."

"We don't even know where the other vessel is," he replied.

"They must put out a heat signature, however faint. Find it!"

"Why don't we just blast them now?" asked Parker.

"We need that other ship on overwatch to let its guard down. Right now, that crew is waiting with their fingers on the trigger to give us everything they have got. As soon as the other has boarded us, we should have an opening."