Battle Beyond Earth: Insurrection Read Online Free PDF Page B

wounded. Many were being treated or awaiting treatment on the docking bay floor. There was no space left in the medical facilities. The shuttle reached the ground, and they stepped out to find a stream of blood along the dock floor. There was no triumphant return for them. None knew what they had done, and few recognised them. Taylor reached out and grabbed the nearest orderly as he passed.
    "The President and Lord Jafar, where are they?"
    The man struggled to get free, but Taylor's grip only got firmer.
    "That's secure information that I don't have, and you aren't privy to," snapped the man.
    He tried to get free, but Taylor's grip was like iron around his upper arm. So tight in fact that it was starting to cut off his blood circulation.
    "I am Colonel Mitch Taylor. Both the President and Lord Jafar will want to see me, so please cut the shit and just be helpful."
    The man sighed and reluctantly gave in.
    "They are being treated at Zone B, at an isolated ward at the rear of the sector."
    "Number?"
    "It is unclassified, and an emergency facility for just this very thing."
    "You let that secret out pretty easy," replied Taylor, smiling as he released his grip.
    "Screw you. There are people here that need my assistance. Why don't you cut the macho nonsense and make yourself useful?"
    "He just did. He just saved your ass," Alita said.
    But the man had no care to wait around and hear her response. He rushed off in a huff.
    "Becoming quite the little badass."
    "I learnt from the best."
    He went on at a brisk pace, pushing his way through the docking bay area and several sectors of the station before eventually reaching the unmarked area the orderly had mentioned in Zone B. Two heavily armed guards stood at the door, and both of them recognised Taylor instantly. They let him pass, and he strode in to find a dozen more marines waiting on guard inside, where he also found Sarik. His clothing was cut and several bandages covered minor wounds. Stitches held together a deep cut beside his eye.
    "How are they?"
    "Both your President and Lord Jafar are stable. They will be okay."
    Taylor gasped in relief, "Close call."
    "Yes, but we lost many more."
    "I need to see them."
    "With what in mind?"
    "We need a strategy put together right now. The Cholans have run with their tails between their legs, but they are still a threat."
    "Not anytime soon, though, surely?" Alita asked. She was now beside him.
    "I would strike them quickly while they are still weak. Follow me," replied Sarik.
    "Attack?" she asked Taylor as they followed the alien, "With what? We are in tatters."
    "And to wait and prepare could cost us more later. We have a resolve that the Cholans do not. We have broken their fleet. Now we must break their will."
    They stepped through into a medical room where there were just two patients, Isaacs one side and Jafar the other. Human doctors worked on both, with one Krys aiding them. Both of them were awake and checking through statistics. Jafar had a wound in his flank, whereas the President appeared to have a broken arm and light cuts. Jafar seemed to be in a much worse state, but he was taking it well. Taylor first went to his old friend.
    "Tough old bull, aren't you?"
    Jafar turned to greet him but winced slightly as a sharp pain ran through his body.
    "Still breathing," he replied.
    Taylor turned to the President who had not said a word.
    "Mr President, what are your intentions?"
    Isaacs looked up. "Intentions? Look at us. We barely got through this alive. Can you not give us some peace to recover what we have left, or is your warmongering state of personality that overpowering?"
    Taylor couldn't believe what he was hearing but did his utmost to remain calm.
    "Sir, the Cholans have already shown their intent. While the threat of Bolormaa looms over them, and we appear weak in comparison to the Morohta, they will continue to fight us."
    "Isn't this much death and destruction enough for you, Colonel? They won't be back anytime