Battle Beyond Earth: Insurrection (26 page)

"It's real," Alita whispered, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

Taylor felt his neck almost snap as he was struck with the backhand of Sarnai. He had barely turned back when he felt his sword cut deeply into his chest. He raised his arm in defence, but it was no good. Sarnai cut down. The blade cleaved into his vambrace, which was all that stopped his arm from being severed. He felt the last of his energy reserves fade as Sarnai grasped his throat, lifted his feet off the ground, and plunged the tip of his sword into Taylor's torso. The thrust was so powerful that the blade exited through the backplate of his armour.

"No!" cried Alita as she turned to see the sword plunge through Taylor's body.

Sarnai stared at her as he drew the blade out of Taylor and tossed him aside.

"Come on, you son of a bitch," she whispered to herself.

He let out a shrill cry and rushed to the archway. Babacan charged forward to meet him, but with one heavy swing, he was smashed aside. The Prince, who was larger than the archway entrance, crashed through the architecture and leapt at Alita. His sword was held up for a crushing blow. As he descended towards her, she dropped down onto one knee and raised up the Pauri Tao. She wedged the butt into the side of her foot and pointed it right for the centre of the Prince’s chest. His face turned to fear, but he had no time to redirect.

The blade pierced his body and thrust through and out of his back. It stopped at two barbed horns on the shaft, and he came to a lifeless stop before he would crush her. Black blood that resembled oil poured out from the wound and from his mouth as he struggled to breath. She pushed with all her strength, toppled him over onto his back, and pulled out the spear. The alien Prince tried to speak but could only gasp. Alita held the spear up high. She drove it through his back and slashed to the side until it severed his head.

She dropped down to one knee and gasped in relief, marvelling at the beautiful blood drenched weapon in her hands.

Taylor,
she thought and rushed to his aid.

She charged out through the archway. There were more than ten Stalkers beside Taylor's body. She stopped and raised the spear to show them their Prince’s blood dripping from the blade, and then lifted his head with her other hand. They looked for just a few seconds before running in terror.

* * *

Commander Song stood at attention with half of her crew at the docking bay as they watched the three Stormers come in to land. They still didn't know what to expect. Dozens of marines waited there amongst them with their rifles at the ready.

"Think they really found it?" asked Nichols.

"Something went on down there. We must pray they did," replied Song.

The door to the first Stormer opened, and Jones and Babacan staggered out carrying Taylor across their shoulders. All were battered and wounded, but Taylor was not able to support his own weight, and he looked barely alive. A medical team rushed to their aid, and he was soon placed on a stretcher.

But the crew still waited in anticipation of the news. Alita stepped out next with several others of the Immortals. They appeared as if they had been fighting for weeks of brutal combat, and yet most were still standing on their own two feet. Everyone came to a standstill. Alita stepped up to the centre, and all eyes were on her.

"We went down there in search of a weapon that few of us ever truly believed in. Taylor believed, and he was willing to, and almost did, give everything to find it!"

As she spoke, Taylor fought off the medics giving him aid and tried to pull himself to his feet. He reached for Jones to support him, and with Babacan’s help he slowly made his way over to Alita, and she carried on.

"The Pauri Tao is real, and here is the proof!" she shouted. As she did so, she tossed the head of Sarnai into the centre of the room. It rolled to a halt as blood splattered across the deck in a gratuitous display.

She turned to Taylor as he reached her.

"Do you want to do the honours?"

He shook his head. She pulled out the weapon from behind her back and thrust it into the air for all to see. Few could believe it for a moment, and there was an eerie quietness, until Nichols began to clap. Everyone else in the room soon joined in. Song was shaking her head in disbelief and began to cry with happiness at their success. Taylor finally raised one hand to have a word and all were called to silence, wanting to hear him speak.

"We have the spear. We have each other, and we have got hope. It's time to go home!"

Cheers rang out across the deck. Song leapt down and approached Taylor.

"Well done, Colonel!" she shouted and patted him on the shoulder, but he winced in pain as a result, "I have just had reports of several small Morohta vessels lifting off the planet. They are fleeing. Do we pursue and stop them from relaying these events?"

Taylor shook his head.

"No. It's time for us all to go home. Let them get back to Bolormaa. Let them know we have killed one of her sons, and that we have the means to end her. She will now feel the fear we once felt."