“Why?” he asked himself. “Why fight back now? It’s over.”
The German marines had been cut down where they stood, but their presence had gained attention, and more troops were flooding towards them from another corridor. Taylor turned back to his own people.
“I never wanted to kill a human in these wars, but by God I will not let a single man stand before us and those we care for. Follow me!”
He rushed towards the sound of the incoming troops, and as they came into sight, he could see they were a mix of German marines and Mechs, but it did not slow down his pace. He drove his shield forward, and with Assegai in hand strode at the enemy without any fear at all.
Shots ricocheted from the shield, and he was in amongst the enemy within seconds. He was in his element now. He was fighting to save Jones and Parker, and all those he cared about, and nothing would stop him. He barged the first with his shoulder so hard, the man was thrown into the two at his back. Taylor ducked under the next rifle before him and drove his Assegai up through the man’s armour.
His shield drove up against a Mech, forcing it back against the sidewall of the corridor and thrusting three times into its torso. He stepped past it, and it dropped down dead behind him. Grey and the others were not far behind and cut their way through their attackers as if there was no resistance at all.
When Taylor finally reached the last soldier of the column, he drove his Assegai deep into the man’s stomach, and he collapsed onto the Colonel’s shoulder. It was only with this last death he finally realised what they had done. The man dropped from him and slumped down dead. He told himself it was necessary to defend those he loved, but it didn’t make him feel any easier.
“Come on, we aren’t far away now,” said Grey.
Taylor looked down as his hands. They were covered in red blood, human blood. He could smell the iron of the blood mixed with the salt of his own sweat. He’d tasted his own blood more often than he would like, and it never tasted good. He felt a hand at his back; someone was dragging him along. Herbert was at his side.
“We’re almost there now, Colonel.”
He started to walk under his own power and understood what he was saying.
Parker, he thought. She was close now; he could feel it. They took a turn ahead to find they were at the back of a defensive wall of German marines.
“What should we do?” Grey asked.
The marines were still oblivious to their presence and clearly trying to deal with the hellish situation Jones had created for them.
“Kill them all,” he ordered.
Automatic gunfire opened up. The marines were cut down where they stood until the last few lay own their weapons to surrender and were given mercy. Taylor stepped forward to their position without any care for his life at all. He turned his comms onto the tannoy and yelled out for everyone to hear.
“This is Colonel Taylor of the Inter-Allied Regiment. This fight is over. Lay down your weapons, and no further harm will come to you.”
With that, he stepped over the barricade and towards the defenders. Many of them stood up in amazement at him striding towards them.
“Can’t be,” one of them muttered.
Then he found Parker. Her left arm was in a sling and her face bloody from shrapnel. Tears came to her eyes as she spotted him. He ignored all others and leapt over them, taking her in his arms.
“You’re alive. I can’t believe you’re alive,” she whispered in his ear.
“Made it, you dog.”
Taylor turned around, and there was Jones. He had glancing wounds on both arms, a bandage wrapped around his head, and blood trickling down one leg, but he was still on his feet.
“You’re gonna need a new set of BDUs,” he stated.
“I figured as much.”
He looked around at the dozens of dead and wounded around them, some their own and others enemy who had gotten into hand-to-hand. A mound of dead Mechs formed an improvised barricade on one flank.
“Did you do it? Did you disable the weapons?”
“Sure did, Eli.”
He looked over to one flank where German soldiers battling from a corridor had stood up with their weapons lowered.
“It’s over!” Taylor shouted.
“What now?”
“Get to the bridge, Parker, and let the World and this fleet know the deal.”
Jafar strode up and joined the group.
“Still alive as well, you ugly bastard?” asked Taylor.
He seemed confused, not understanding the humour.
“Met a few of your sort aboard that thing. When I could have done with you most, you were not there.”
“On your orders,” he replied sternly.
Taylor could not disagree.
“Come on, let’s end this for good.”
He headed for the bridge. Ten of his unit, including Jones and Parker followed, while the rest stayed and took care of the wounded. As they strode through the ship, not a single one of the crew dared intervene. They were covered in dirt and blood, theirs, other humans, and alien. They looked liked death itself rolling through the battleship.
They finally reached the bridge and found two guards on duty in pristine uniforms. They reached for their weapons, but Taylor hollered in a booming voice, “Don’t even think about it!”
It was enough to make them stop at the terrifying sight. Jafar standing at Taylor’s side was what topped it off and make them think twice.
“Stop him!” A voice shouted from inside the bridge.
Taylor stepped aboard. A German Admiral was frantically looking around the room and expecting someone to act on his order. He wanted to say something but could not find the words.
“I am commandeering this vessel in the name of the European Alliance. I am Colonel Taylor, and you will consider me Captain of this vessel and Commander of the fleet. The Admiral is to be detained immediately!”
Herbert stepped forward and obliged. Nobody said a word as Taylor stepped up to the communications officer.
“Get me a direct line to here,” he said, showing the man the codes on his Mappad. The officer looked fearful but did as ordered. A few moments later, General Dupont appeared to them in his own quarters. His head was lowered into his hands, and it was clear he had been waiting for a call for sometime. He looked up in surprise at the bloody Taylor and his comrades who stood before him.
“Taylor? What the hell is going on up there? I am told you destroyed the Earth Defence Grid?”
“Long story, General. Short one, it had to be done.”
Dupont shook his head, knowing there was nothing that could be done now.
“I have taken command of the Nassau and ordered its crew to stand down. The fleet should do the same shortly.”
Dupont opened his mouth to speak, but the signal cut out and went to static.
“Where the hell did he go?” asked Taylor.
“I’m getting interference, Sir.”
“Well sort it!”
The room went silent for a moment before the XO piped up.
“Colonel, we’ve got incoming. Lots of them!”
Taylor rushed to his side. There were dozens and dozens of artefacts on the scanner, and not far from Earth.
“What are those?”
“Ships, and not ours.”
“We’ve got an incoming transmission!” the comms officer said.
“From who?”
“Unverified, no idea, Sir.”
He was abruptly interrupted by a hologram appearing in the middle of the bridge, and Taylor’s heart sank. It was Erdogan.
“I am Lord Erdogan. I am here to claim Earth in the name of the Krycenaean people. Lay down your weapons, and you will not be harmed. Fight, and you will die.”
The transmission ended. Taylor knew a war was upon them at the weakest point humanity had been in a hundred years.