They all nodded in agreement.
"We’re gonna open this door, and we’re gonna take these bastards down anyway we can, you got it?”
“Hell, yes,” Little replied.
“Sergeant, be ready on that door.”
They each took up positions and held up their shields ready for the onslaught.
“On my go… now!”
The thick steel doors slid apart, revealing nine creatures that did not hesitate to charge at them. Shots were fired from arm mounted weapon systems. Taylor leapt into the air over the first and spun in the air firing a burst in the head of his attacker before descending on the next one. As he landed on the Mech’s shoulders, it threw its shield up at him.
Taylor was thrown off the creature, and his rifle snapped in half by the impact. He rolled across the floor and back up onto one knee, just in time to see two of the Mechs rushing towards him. From his flank, Herbert crashed into one of the Mechs and sent it tumbling into the other. Taylor seized the moment and rushed forward, frantically stabbing the nearest one several times before it could get to its feet. Herbert did the same.
They looked up to see Private Ball being pushed back and fending off strong thrusts from two of the Mechs. They were using a version of the Assegai twice the length of their own. Little was nowhere to be seen, but another three Mechs were rushing at him. Taylor passed off a thrust from one of them with his shield, but as he attempted to counter, the creature tried to crush him with its vast shield.
Taylor was knocked down onto one knee, barely managing with both hands to hold up his shield from the crushing blow. All he could see now were the Mechs' feet. He thrust his Assegai into the nearest and then drove up and stabbed again into the upper thigh area, pushing forwards with his shield until the creature was knocked onto its back and unable to support its own weight.
Mitch landed on the beast, but it had its shield dividing them just as he had done. Before he could strike again, the Mech pushed its shield up and launched him up like he’d come off a springboard. As he flew up, the Mech staggered to get to his feet, and he could see he was going come back down on the creature; it was waiting to stab him with its weapon. He gave his boosters a little kick to alter course, turned to land behind the Mech, and with all the strength he could muster, thrust his Assegai into its back.
He could tell it was dead because he felt the weight begin to fall back against him. In disgust, he pushed forward which threw the body down onto the floor face down. Mitch turned back and saw Herbert was repeatedly stabbing his opponent where it still stood. Taylor spun around and found Ball backed against a wall by the last remaining Mech. He could see one he had already killed on the floor a few metres from him.
Taylor threw his Assegai across the room, hitting Ball’s attacker between the shoulder blades. The creature recoiled for a moment and then staggered until it toppled to the floor. But as it unblocked his view of Ball, he could see the Private was pinned against the wall by the creature's Assegai. The weapon was driven through his thick armour at the abdomen.
“No,” whispered Taylor.
He and Herbert rushed to the Private and removed his helmet. Blood was gushing from his mouth. The weapon that had gone through him was thicker than a scaffold pole, and they both knew there was no hope.
“Sorry, Sir,” he muttered, as even more blood spat out from his mouth.
Taylor could see the Private had killed one of his attackers and wounded the other before being struck.
“No, I am sorry. Don’t you apologise for anything. You fought hard and you fought well.”
It left a bitter taste in Taylor’s mouth that he had only gotten to know the dying man that day, despite having served together for so long.
“You won’t die for nothing, Ball. We came here to get the job done, and you better believe we’re gonna do it.”
Ball nodded, but he could no longer speak. He took his last breath and died still pinned to the wall.
“Damn fine soldier, Sir,” said Herbert.
“They all were, everyone we have ever lost.”
“Help, help me,” came a muted call.
They had forgotten about Little, and they could hear him pleading for assistance. They walked back through the dead towards the sound until they found another Mech. The voice was coming from underneath, and they could see Little’s left arm and shield stuck out from beneath the body.
“Help me,” said Taylor.
The two of them got down low and pushed until the creature toppled over to one side and revealed the Private trapped below. His Assegai was embedded in the lifeless creature.
“I’m alive!” he cried ecstatically.
Herbert hauled him to his feet, but the smile was quickly removed when he saw the body of Ball.
“Fuckers, mother fuckers, they killed him!”
Taylor grabbed the Private and shook him until he was silenced.
“We’ve all lost a lot of friends against these bastards, but this isn’t the time to cry over them. Pick up your weapon, and let’s do what we came to do.”
It was a sobering message that the Private reluctantly accepted. He drew out the Assegai and stared at the blue blood dripping down over his gloves.
“I’m gonna kill them all. I’m gonna kill every fucking alien!”
“Then follow me.”
“They must know by now you have made it here and are not aboard the Nassau,” said Herbert.
“Surely. All that remains is the question, can they stop us?”
“Stop us? No one can stop us!” screamed Small.
He was psyched up and ready to kill, just as he needed to be. The main control deck for the defence grid was up ahead, and they stopped on seeing what was guarding it; Elite Krys Mechs, just like Jafar and Tsengal. Their presence sent a chill down Taylor’s spine, for he knew where they go, so do Alien Lords.
Where the hell is Jafar when you need him? Taylor thought.
“Can we take ‘em?” asked Herbert.
“We don’t have a choice.”
As he said it, a door opened at their flanks, and twenty metres inside were twenty Mechs.
“Oh, shit,” Taylor sighed.
He knew they were done for now, but in that moment Little did something both suicidal and incredible. He raised his shield up and sprinted for the Mechs.
“No!” Taylor hollered.
It was too late.
“Come on, you square headed bastards!” the Private screamed.
As he passed through the door, he punched the release switch. The doors began to shut, and they saw a few flashes as Private Little blew out the control switch and cut the creatures off. Taylor thought he had gone made with bloodlust for the loss of his friend, but he’d also given them the only chance they would get.
Taylor turned to Herbert in surprise, but the Sergeant showed nothing but pride for what his man had done.
Two against two, Taylor thought to himself, not bad odds.
The two Krys soldiers wore agile and close fitting armour, just as Jafar and Tsengal had. It was adorned with elaborate silver symbols and detailing. It reminded him of the last time he had seen Demiran; the day he had killed the alien Lord. But these symbols were different. He assumed they must serve a different Lord, and that was a terrifying prospect.
‘Think you can handle this?” he asked Herbert.
The Sergeant didn’t reply, but he looked confident enough it was an answer in itself. The two creatures were armed differently with what appeared to be their own unique weapons. He studied them, and they stepped out into the open room to face off against the two humans.