Battle Earth V (2 page)

She nodded in agreement.

Ten minutes later, they were out on the parade ground, where Silva had formed up the two Companies Taylor currently commanded. Jackson and Ota were stood chatting until he came in to view. They quickly turned as Silva called the rest of the other ranks to attention. Taylor nodded in greeting and thanks to the Sergeant Major as he came to a halt, taking a deep breath and surveyed the troops before him. Only a few months ago he knew few of their names, and now they were tightly knit comrades.

They were still missing a number from those killed or wounded in combat, but they were at better strength than almost any time during the war.

“Stand easy!”

Mitch was glad to see the relief in their faces that they were once again on home soil and without the ever-imposing danger of the enemy. At the end of Jackson’s Company, the two alien allies stood in formation, mimicking everything the others did. They were still not bound to any platoon or company. All that was certain; they were with Taylor, and they would remain with Inter-Allied. The towering creatures shadowed the men alongside them.

It struck Mitch that none among the Inter-Allied looked upon the two aliens with any doubt or fear any longer. There was no hiding the fact they were different, but they had been accepted within the unit. Like the others, they wore no armour that morning. Their skin-tight body suits had been sprayed in a camouflage pattern that resembled the fabric the rest of them wore, and their sleeves were emblazoned with the same insignia.

On their right arms they wore large Star and Stripes. It was an odd sight to see, but they all knew it was necessary to keep them from being shot by friendly forces.

“Good morning to you all! And what a morning it is!”

He looked up at the gleaming sky, squinting at the low sun that was already promising a blisteringly hot day.

“During the war, you received no leave, no rest, no R&R. Our orders are to re-equip and re-assemble to be back on our feet at full combat effectiveness within three weeks. I am sorry I cannot let you take the time we all deserve, but we cannot risk weeks to pass, without getting back on top of things.”

The grimaces of disappointment were hard to conceal. He smiled in response and continued on.

“However, as acting commander of the Battalion on this base, I am issuing you all three days leave.”

Cheers rang out as the troops could barely contain themselves.

“Pipe down!” Silva’s booming voice barrelled around the parade ground, quickly bringing them under control.

“I’ll see you all back here Monday morning, 0600 hours. Until then, your time is your own! Inter-Allied, fallout!”

 
The cheers and laughter broke out once again as the troops scattered quickly, to find loved ones and any enjoyment they could. Taylor smiled as he watched their sheer joy, but he stopped as he noticed Jafar and Tsengal still stood at ease. Parker leapt to his side in joy, but he brushed her off.

“Hang on a minute.”

He walked over to the two aliens still stood, awaiting their orders.

“I appreciate this brings us to a difficult position. You joined us as soldiers, but there is now not a war to fight.”

“There is always another war on the horizon,” replied Jafar.

Taylor smiled. He wasn’t sure whether to feel comfort in their support, or sadness in that they were probably right.

“You’ve got free movement around this base. Just be sure to be in uniform at all times, and to keep your ID cards handy. We are proud to have you among us. You earned our trust and respect, but it will not come so quickly to the rest of this world.”

“Thank you,” replied Jafar.

Taylor was taken aback by their response, as if they should be thankful for what little faith was placed in them.

“I cannot promise you will be treated fairly by many humans. You must remember the horrors we faced against your kind. There is little you can do that will help them overcome it. They need time. Continue to do what you’re doing, and eventually you’ll, well, fit in.”

“Lieutenant Rains suggested he could use our help,” stated Tsengal.

Taylor turned in curiosity but had no answer where there was not a question.

“May we assist him?”

Taylor nodded. “Of course, I’m sure he could use a hand. Crazy bastard would rather work on his bird than take a little time out.”

“A true warrior,” replied Jafar.

“Maybe, or maybe he just has a screw loose.”

The two creatures looked confused by his statement and went silent.

“I’m out of here. Remember what I said. Stick to base, keep insignia on at all times, avoid restricted areas, and you’ll be just fine. I’ll see you Monday morning.”

Mitch turned and grabbed Parker. She giggled as he tore her away to the jeep they had waiting.

“Where we heading, Sir?” she jested.

“When was the last time you kicked back on a beach, Sergeant?”

She smiled in response. Half an hour later they were at San Onofre, laying in front a beach hut they’d not seen since long before the war had begun. They knew that come the evening it would be a hive of activity, but until the end of the working day, they could enjoy the peace. Time seemed to pass them by as they relaxed and slowly fell into a deep sleep.

The constant bleep of Taylor’s communicator caused him to spring up. He hit the answer button and responded in a croaky voice.

“Taylor.”

“Mitch, you want to get your ass over here now. MPs are here with a particularly abrasive son of a bitch. They are trying to arrest our two alien friends.”

“What? Why?” he asked.

“Nothing they have done. Apparently, they’re acting like they are hunting for spies.”

“Christ, Eddie, where are Jafar and Tsengal now?”

“I hid them in a maintenance room, but they’ll not last long there. I sent the MPs packing, but they’ll soon be back when they find out the two of them were supposed to be here.”

“Alright, you just hold on. Do not let any bastard touch two of our own!”

“You got it, but you hurry on up here now. I can’t fight them off alone.”

Taylor leapt to his feet, which caused Eli to rouse and sit up with a smile. She looked disgruntled and disappointed that he was in such a flurry during their only leave in over a year. Then she noticed the concern in his face and quickly rubbed her eyes and tried to come to.

“What is it?”

“Jafar and Tsengal, MPs are trying to arrest them!”

She sighed, and he already knew she was put out by his support of the creatures. She shook her head in disapproval, but that only served to anger Mitch.

“Those two are part of us. Would you leave any other one of the Company in such a time?”

“No, but they aren’t one of us, are they?”

“People have said the same about female soldiers and black soldiers not so long ago. They stand with us, and that’s enough for me.”

“For Christ’s sake, will we never get a break?” she complained.

“Do what you like, but I’ll not leave them behind.”

He pulled on his shirt and buttoned it quickly as he rushed to the vehicle. Eli watched him leap aboard in a furious manner, speeding away from the tranquil paradise she had so recently been enjoying.

“You fool,” she whispered.

Taylor was already travelling well over the speed limit by the time he passed the gates to the road, and dust and sand swept in through the open sides of the jeep. His shirt was only half buttoned, and he was still wearing sandals. It was far from the well-kept image he maintained on base, but there was no time to change.

“God damn fucking bastards,” he yelled to himself as he hit the wheel of the car.

“I go for two God damn minutes, and they try to fuck us in the ass.”

Taylor had no love of the MPs, few did, but he genuinely had more than enough reasons to want to shoot some of them. Many despised him because of his combat record and all the glory they felt it brought. It was an envy he had to deal with on a regular basis.

Mitch could feel his head pounding as his anger and rage built. He reached the base gates in half the time it had taken the two of them to get to the beach. The dusty jeep came to a halt at the guard post, and a Corporal stepped forward to check his ID. The man looked suspicious of Taylor’s rough appearance, as he rightfully should be.

The Corporal desperately wanted to say something about his ill disciplined attire but looked to the rank on his shoulders, and knew he could not risk insult if Taylor really was what he was claiming.

“Identification, Sir?”

“For Christ’s sake,” he muttered.

Taylor reached into his pocket and fumbled around for his card that had seen so little use. He’d long forgotten what life was like at home.

“Here,” he snapped, passing the man a bent identify card. It was heavily worn and slightly burnt in one corner. The guard looked in shock at the card and took it suspiciously from his hands. Taylor sat impatiently.

“Well, come on, I haven’t got all day,” insisted Taylor.

“Uhh, yes, Sir.”

The man lifted his scanner, twisting the bent card to make it read properly and stood surprised as Mitch’s name and identity was displayed. There wasn’t a marine on base that didn’t know the name.

“Major Taylor, sorry for the delay, Sir.”

Mitch snatched the card from the Corporal’s hands and put his foot to the floor. The jeep raced forward and narrowly made it through the gates. They were only half open when he squeezed through. The Corporal shook his head in astonishment.

“Crazy bastard.”

Taylor’s jeep slid around the first corner, and he was quickly able to open up the throttle and tear across an open road towards Rains’ hangar. He slammed the brakes on and slid to a halt at the open doors where the pilot sat with his feet up as if it were any other day.

“Where are they, Eddie?”

The Lieutenant took another sip from his mug, not affected at all by the Major’s flustered state. He sighed and turned to Taylor, signalling over his shoulder with his eyes and a nod. Taylor turned to see three military police vehicles approaching. He snapped back around.

“We can’t keep them hidden forever,” mused Eddie.

Taylor shook his head. He knew his old friend was right, but it weighed heavily on his conscience that he would have to give up his own men, without them committing an offence. He turned back and stood confidently upright, glaring at the approaching vehicles. His right hand instinctively reached down to his thigh to rest on the pistol that had lived there for the last year, but it was nowhere to be found. He looked down in shock at the realisation that he was unarmed.

Caught without a weapon, for God’s sake,
he thought.

The recent peace had let Mitch slip back into an easy life, not yet earned. He coughed to clear his throat and prepare himself for the assault of the MPs. The three jeeps slid to an abrupt halt less than ten metres from his position, and eight soldiers leapt from them. At least they were officially soldiers; Taylor could never see them as such.

“I am Captain Ames. We are looking for the two aliens under your command, Major.”

Taylor grimaced. He had hoped they were unaware of who he was. He quickly realised that they were well informed, and he was not going to talk his way out of it.

“On what charge do you wish to arrest men under my command?”

The Captain squinted in surprise at Mitch’s description of the creatures.

“The alien soldiers known as Jafar and Tsengal are soldiers of an enemy army which sought to conquer this world. The reason for their arrest should not need explanation.”

Taylor’s face turned to bitter anger.

“I do not need reminding what this war was about. I fought it whilst you lay about polishing your pretty uniforms. I will not surrender any under my command without just cause.”

Before the Captain could respond a door opened behind Eddie, and they all stopped to look. The two alien soldiers step out from hiding. The MPs quickly lifted their handguns.