Battle Beyond Earth: Insurrection (13 page)

"I am sorry this had to come so soon. Such responsibility should have fallen on others after the exceptional service you gave on the Cholan homeworld. But that just isn't the way this has gone. It's on us, you and I. I fully expect and intend to fulfil this mission without firing a shot, but a show of force is necessary. Do not provoke these Barbarlars. We may soon call them allies. Any questions?"

A young Lieutenant named Hartley spoke up. He had an artificial hand and a scarred face from burns Taylor knew he had suffered on Yaxha when storming the Emperor's Palace.

"Sir, are these really the sort of people we want to be fighting beside?"

Taylor smiled.

"Not really, but I am sure the enemy will feel far worse being in front of them than we will at their side."

A few laughed at his light heartedness.

"Our primary objective is to bring Jafar back alive so that he may continue his service as the leader of the aligned Krys worlds. Secondary objective is to get these savages on our side. Walk tall, be the intimidating sons of bitches I know you all are. Command respect, but show no intent of violence except in self-defence. Load up and move out!"

They rushed into the heavily armoured Stormer assault craft, and Alita took the pilot’s seat of that carrying Taylor and their team. Mitch sat next to her so he could see the external display screens, as they soon passed through the atmosphere. She gasped at the sight of the first Ejdar.

"Commander Sarik warned us of those creatures, but I think he understated them a little."

"No shit," replied Taylor.

As they descended towards their location, they swooped past one of the huge creatures and noted the Krys rider. Taylor was shaking his head.

"You know it's not so long ago that if you had told me something like that existed, I would have laughed and had you locked up for being insane."

"I am sorry to say that this is as much a shock to me as it is you."

Taylor smiled. It was the first time his comrades had felt like a fish out of water, as he had done since waking up in this new life. He was taking in all of the scenery now, just as Jafar had done, and coming to the same conclusions. It wasn't long until they saw the vast arena walls where the transponder message was hailing from. Alita cautiously checked the scanners and screens, expecting incoming fire any second, but it never came.

As they got overhead, and she slowed their descent for a smooth landing, they saw the shuttle near the centre of the open arena. She looked to Taylor for confirmation that he wanted her to land, and he nodded.

"I don't like this at all."

"Don't worry about it. We've faced far worse," replied Taylor.

Jones butted in. "It stinks, though. You don't enter a world with a small army, without any kind of opposition or questions being asked. Don't you think we are just being reeled into an ambush?"

"I thought about it, of course. But I also know the Krys, and these are the most simple and primitive of them. It is important for their leaders to appear strong in front of their soldiers. If they will want anything out of this, it will be a personal contest."

"And still you came?" Alita asked.

"It's just a thought," he replied, shrugging as if it didn't bother him at all, "Put us down as planned."

She didn't look at all keen but still followed the order. They came in at a steep angle, and thrusters levelled them off at the last minute. They touched down just five metres away from Jafar's shuttle. Taylor was quick to hit the door release, and the murky foul air flowed in through the openings. He felt his nostrils burn and his eyes water slightly, but still he went forward.

He looked around in all directions for some sign of life, but all he could see were dozens of marines pouring out from each of the craft. Krys warriors were disembarking north of their position and Cholan to the right. He was surprised to see Emperor Tuin himself was leading the small force. His eyes met with the Cholan leader, and he nodded in respect of his efforts. Taylor stepped towards Jafar's shuttle.
The ramp was lowered, and as he stepped up inside, he found it empty.

Where the hell is Jafar?

* * *

The ground shook slightly, and they heard the roar of engines overhead. Jafar knew it wasn't the Barbarlars, and he looked up to the hole to the surface above him. A Stormer passed by, and he caught just enough of a glimpse to recognise it.

"Taylor has come."

He heard a flurry of shouts coming from the guards down the corridor, and it brought a smile to his face.

"We are getting out of here," he said to the other two.

Footsteps rang out as one of the guards rushed to the entrance of the cell. It was the same repulsive guard he had communicated with before. He held a large two-handed axe in his hands.

"You hear that?" Jafar asked of the Barbarlar, "That is the sound of your doom."

"And yet here you stand, still a caged animal," the alien snapped.

Jafar smiled, stepping up to the bars of the cell, and that only infuriated the guard further. It was in this moment he noticed one of Boz's pistols slung from a primitive holster.

"You know your Lord is nothing more than a lying devious cheat?"

"The Barbarlar bore his teeth and took a step closer. The hulking guard stood as tall as Jafar and a little broader.

"Lord Coskun will have your tongue for such an insult."

Jafar stepped right up to the bars so that his face almost touched the thick branches.

"Why not take it now, or are you not up to the task?"

The Barbarlar's nostrils flared with anger, and he took a step up to the other side so that he was in arm’s reach.

"I would gladly, if only my Lord would command it."

In a flash Jafar's arms were through the gaps in the cell branches and wrapped around the Barbarlar's neck. He wrenched him forward so that his head smashed into the hard and barbed surface, pinning his hands and weapon between them. With his left hand holding firm, he reached down for the pistol with his right and drew it to side of the alien’s head. Jafar pulled the trigger before he could think or recover from the impact. The shot passed right through his skull and spewed blood out across the floor, and his body went limp.

Jafar pushed the body back so that it slumped far from the entrance. Boz and Gur were soon by his side.

"Taylor may have come for us, but that is no guarantee these barbarians will not try and kill us."

They nodded in agreement as he took aim at the hinges of the cell, shooting them off until the hatch collapsed onto the body of the fallen guard. Jafar handed the pistol to Boz, who could only use his one good arm. He then knelt beside the guard and smiled as he thought of the end he had met. He noticed the blade of the axe sticking out from between the body and the cell entrance and drew it out from his dead hands.

"Let's go."

* * *

Taylor looked around in all directions, making no attempt to take up any kind of defensive position, and that was making many of the marines restless. Then they heard a shriek that was shrill and echoed around the arena. Within seconds an Ejdar soared into view and landed twenty metres in front of him. The rider seemed to be assessing all those standing with him before lifting and blowing on a large horn. Trees all around the skirting wall of the arena began to rustle, and more than fifty of the creatures burst out into view, landing around them to encircle the combined forces at Taylor's disposal.

"What do we do?" Jones asked.

"Absolutely nothing." he said quietly.

There was an almost silent stand off as many of the Barbarlars leapt off their mounts and weighed up the foreigners. They looked highly suspicious and eager for blood.

"I bet they've never seen a Human before, let alone a Cholan," said Taylor.

"They don't look all that happy to see us."

"Would you, Jones? I remember the first time I saw an alien, and I wanted him dead, too."

A whole minute past as each side waited in a tense standoff. Taylor was expecting for one of them to come forward and announce themselves, but the silence went on so long he was starting to fear he had been wrong about them.

"This could turn ugly pretty quickly."

"Just wait, Jones, wait and see. I am betting whoever is in charge here will be curious enough to show their face and make a bit of a statement."

"Killing us all would be a statement," said Alita.

"That's not going to happen."

An even louder shriek rang out, and the huge Ejdar, Lord Coskun's mount that Jafar had encountered, swept in and landed halfway between his own troops and the encircled forces of Taylor. It was obvious he was the boss, and Taylor stepped forward out of the line towards him.

"This doesn't look good," said Jones.

Alita looked more uneasy than any of them as Taylor approached the huge winged beast and monstrous Barbarlar atop it.

"I am Colonel Mitch Taylor of..."

But he was rudely interrupted by the bellowing voice of the Barbarlar looming over him from a distance of two metres. Steam vented from the Ejdar. It bore its teeth and looked as if it wanted to eat him whole.

"You fired upon my ship. Explain yourself."

Taylor smiled and refused to be seen to be intimidated.

"Don't give me that honourable savage bullshit," he went on.

He strode forward and to the left side of the beast, reaching out to stroke its head. As he did, the Ejdar's jaw swung around as if to bite, but he had long seen it coming, pre-empting the beast by delivering a powerful hook with his right hand. It struck the creature on the nose. The sharp impact caused its head to crash to the ground, and it stumbled back slightly, throwing its rider. Coskun crashed to the ground beside Taylor, and the Ejdar retreated a few steps from them both.

Many of the Barbarlars raised their weapons, and Taylor's army did likewise, but he looked back at them with his hand raised.

"No!" he yelled.

He turned back to the Barbarlar whose ego had been badly bruised.

"Some beasts only understand a firm hand. Clearly, you need the same treatment."

"How dare you dishonour my leadership!" Coskun howled.

"I don't even know your name, and I don't care. I sent Lord Jafar here to negotiate peacefully. I gave you the carrot, and now I will give you the stick."

Coskun didn't understand the analogy, but Taylor's deviance only angered him further. He reached for the huge Bardiche slung over his back and appeared ready for a fight.

"If that's the way it has to be," stated Taylor.

He drew his Morohta hammer from his back, and it crackled with energy as it powered up.

"Stop!"

The voice was so loud it carried through the arena and caused everyone to turn and look. It was Jafar, with his two Krys warriors. The two were armed with pistol and axe, while Jafar stood empty handed. They had emerged from a stairway leading beneath the arena. Nobody said a word as he approached Taylor, but Coskun looked at him with both disgust and a little concern. Sarik rushed forward to Taylor's side as he approached.

"You knew my orders," Jafar said.

"And he followed them, but only so he could come back with a force strong enough to get this done the right way," replied Taylor.

Jafar nodded. "Thank you."

"Now if you don't mind, I have some business to attend to."

Taylor raised his weapon and turned back to Coskun.

"No," Jafar ordered firmly.

Taylor froze and couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"This savage imprisoned you."

"Yes, but look, he also commands the respect of his people. We need them, and you know it."

"Which is just what I am about to do."

Jafar shook his head.

"They will never accept you as their leader, and they will not except me if it is you who puts me in charge of them. I must do this myself."

Jafar sounded weary, but also determined.