Battle Earth V (11 page)

“You really think this thing can fold space?” Eddie asked.

Neither of them answered him for a moment. They stared at each other, trying to make sense of the other’s perspective. Both were curious about the gateway, but they had vastly differing perspectives on what they believed should be done with it. It was the first time they had ever come to a disagreement about the way forward, but there was no ill feeling.

“Guys? What’s the deal?” continued Rains.

“You know as much as us, Eddie!” Taylor answered.

“I doubt that,” he muttered in response.

Chandra looked sympathetically towards Taylor. She could completely understand his desire to end it all there and then, but she also knew they had a responsibility to the future of humanity.

“I don’t want to go on fighting, you know,” she said quietly.

Taylor barely heard what she said, but the few words he caught and the look on her face tallied up.

“I know. Who knows what the right answer is here? When we look back on this in years to come with hindsight, then we’ll know,” he replied.

“Those bastards came close to bringing humanity to extinction. If we let off now and let them come back stronger, do you really believe we could survive? Maybe we’d never see another war in our lifetime, but in another fifty, hundred or two hundred years, that would be the end. Could you go home and back to your old life, knowing we have forsaken the next generations?”

Taylor shook his head. He no longer knew what was the right course of action, but at least he was among friends. He simply smiled in response, and he thought deeper about their conundrum.

We’re still speculating without all the facts,
he thought.

“How come they ain’t shooting at us?” asked Rains.

Taylor and Chandra leaned forward to look out of his cockpit. In the depths of their conversation, they had forgotten they were approaching the enemy gateway. Lights still faded in and out around the device, but there was no sign of any opposition to their landing.

“Landing in two!”

They watched as he took them in to what was clearly some sort of a landing bay. It was easily large enough for all of their craft to dock, but only five of Eagles swooped in on the initial wave. None of them could believe they had not yet been fired upon. They passed through the vast cavernous entrance and were beginning to get an understanding of just how vast the structure was.

From a distance, the landing bay looked tiny, but now they could see it was the scale of the gateway that had made it appear so small. The gateway was the size of a substantial moon. As they put down, they noticed the landing bay was completely empty.

“Looks like there’s nobody home,” said Taylor.

“I don’t like it,” replied Chandra.

She turned to Jafar who was sat just a few seats away.

“Where is everyone? Could this vast structure be unmanned?”

“Could be. I have never seen inside one of the gateways, but certainly it is a possibility.”

The craft touched down, and Chandra was quickly out of the door before anyone else. She peered around at the aliens’ docking bay. It appeared uncannily similar to one of their own bays. Most of the structure was made of slab sided metal, and it could only be described as spartan in design and layout.

“I don’t like this at all,” whispered Taylor.

“It’s more than a little creepy. Do you think it’s possible this thing runs itself?” she asked.

“Why not? We have more and more unmanned machines and facilities on Earth. This is probably just a bay for maintenance crews.”

“I’d like to know for certain that we are alone.”

Taylor looked around, remembering quite how much the structure dwarfed them. He peered around for any ways out of the docking facility.

“It could take weeks or even months to search this thing.”

She sighed as she realised he was right.

“Alright, we’ll have to maintain a presence here, though.”

“Agreed.”

Taylor shook his head as he panned around the area.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Just that I was expecting a fight.”

“Sorry to disappoint you.”

She turned to Captain Jackson.

“I want you to continue to investigate what you can, and keep a constant watch here. Make sure to keep an eye on your oxygen tanks, and refill them from the ‘copters at regular intervals. You’ll be relieved in six hours.”

“Yes, Ma’am!”

Taylor and the Colonel climbed back aboard with Rains and slumped back into their seats. It should have been a relief to them not having to fire a shot, but none of their questions had been answered.

“Back to the Washington, Lieutenant!” Chandra ordered.

“Damn quick visit!” he replied.

“Fleeting certainly.”

“We could have stayed and investigated further,” mused Taylor.

“That’s not our job. We came here to secure the landing area and deal with any hostile forces. We will maintain guard for now, but it’s time for the appropriate experts to take over. What the hell do we know about such things?”

“A damn sight more than most,” he retorted.

Chandra thought about it for a moment and then looked around the docking area again. She shook her head.

“No, experts like Reiter and his people were brought on this mission for a reason. We need to leave it in their hands to make some sense of this… thing.”

There was a brief silence as Taylor tried to understand whether she was marvelling at the technology or disdainful of it.

“To use it or destroy it?” he asked.

“That’s not a decision we can make anymore. We can send in our recommendations, but ultimately, we are here to follow orders.”

“And that’s okay with you?”

“Okay? When have we ever had to like our orders? We will do whatever is decided for us. Now, this appears to be in hand. We can leave it to Jackson. World leaders will want our reports on this without any further delay.”

It was not long before they both sat in Huber’s quarters. The first transmission would still not reach earth for several days, leaving them in an anxious position.

“Acceptable losses and the enemy gateway in our hands. This was as successful as the mission could have hoped to be,” Huber said, but he sounded tired.

Acceptable losses?
Taylor thought. He hated the term, but he could see that so did the Admiral.

“What now, Sir?” asked Chandra.

In a few days, Earth will learn of our success here, but we cannot wait for the endless back and forth messages which we must endure this far out. I am sending representatives back to report in person, and that will be you two.”

The two of them were stunned. They were both combat officers. The immediate understanding of the pressure that would be placed on them set in.

“Surely there are other officers rather more suited to this liaison task?” she asked.

“With a better way with words, yes, but you were there in the thick of it. You both have more experience facing this enemy and their technology than anyone in the fleet. We’re quite literally in uncharted waters here. I want the reports to be made by those it affects most. As frontline veterans, you will be asked to fight should we step through that gate. I cannot think of a more honest pair to analyse this situation.”

They accepted his assessment and argued no further.

“We will maintain position here until further orders. In the meantime, we have a lot of repairs to undertake and that will give our scientists and engineers time to give this gateway a good look over. I will hang on to your Battalion for the defence of the Washington, if I may. They have proven invaluable.”

“Of course, Sir,” she replied.

“Take the Deveron and two platoons for protection, and get back to Earth with all haste. We will continue to transmit all news and information to the Deveron as we get it while you travel. Lay this story out straight. There is still a lot to learn here, but we already have some major decisions to make.”

“Understood, Sir.”

“That’ll be all. Get underway as soon as possible, Colonel.”

They stood up and silently left the Admiral’s quarters, pondering the new responsibility they had been given. They reached the end of the corridor at the elevator when Taylor finally spoke.

“We’re both being sent to make this report, but we do not agree on the correct way forward.”

“Do you not think that is a good thing? We are being asked to report and advise, and in that duty we have a responsibility to give both sides of the coin. Do not change your opinion just because I am in command of the Battalion. I believe I am right, but I am sure you think just the same of your own strategy. We can’t honestly know who is right at this stage. Let’s not fight over it.”

Taylor nodded in appreciation of her understanding. Chandra tapped her comms unit and was glad to find it working once more.

“Captain Jones, be at the Deveron with two platoons in the next ten minutes. Have them fully geared and ready to travel.”

After a few seconds of silence, Charlie came on the line with a surprised tone to his voice. “Uhh…yes, Ma’am.”

“We travelled all this way and now going we’re going all the way back,” whispered Taylor.

“I have no doubt we will be back shortly.”

Taylor hoped not. He was fully intending to recommend destroying the gateway and the enemy’s access point to the Solar System. He imagined he was going back to Earth for good, but the possibility of other paths was quite frightening.

“You know we fought and won on our own soil, who is to say what lies beyond that gateway?” he asked.

She nodded in agreement.

“Have Jafar join us. Have Tsengal join Captain Jackson aboard the gateway. They might be able to help at both ends.”

They arrived in the docking bay where the Deveron still lay to find Captain Ryan with his feet up, playing a game of cards with his bridge crew in the vast docking area. They had stacked up some crates to make a table and used others for seats. Ryan looked genuinely surprised to see them approaching.

“Every time I see the two of you, it always means we’re heading for trouble,” he jested.

“Not this time. We’re heading home to report on everything we have seen, and you’re our chauffeur,” Chandra answered.

Jones briskly rushed into the room with his troops in tow. He held his rifle at the ready as if he expected a fight. Chandra was glad to see he was naturally as cautious and ready as ever. He relaxed as he approached and saw their casual conversation.

“We’re heading back to Earth, Charlie. I am leaving you in charge of our forces on the Washington. Captain Jackson will be your second and preside over any duties aboard the gateway.”

Jones looked confused by the news.

“The fleet is staying here. We’re reporting back, and we’ll see where this goes. Have your men get aboard the Deveron and prepare for departure. We will return in a month’s time, perhaps more.”

She could see he had many more questions, but he didn’t waste time asking them. He turned and sent the troops forward into the Deveron before making his goodbyes. She didn’t like leaving almost everyone she knew at the enemy gateway, knowing that at anytime a fleet may come through it.

“Good luck,” he said.

She turned to Ryan.

Have your crew square away. We’re heading for Earth.”

The Journey home was even more tedious and mind numbing than the route they had taken to find the gateway. Chandra and Taylor were sat on the bridge, both knowing they would soon see their home. Up ahead, the Moon shone brightly like a beacon calling them back. As they drew nearer, a transmission came in.

“Deveron, this is Commander Kelly.”

A video display flickered to life. The battle-hardened officer displayed a smile as he could clearly see Taylor and Chandra on the screen.