any note. But as Taylor stepped out from the copter, he was met with an imposing and horrifying sight, the crash site of the larger part of the K'til. Even at fifty kilometres south, it still dominated the landscape. Allied artillery had already begun a bombardment, but they were positioned a kilometre away, so it was a dull muted drone.
To their front they could see three lines of trenches that had clearly been dug just a few hours before during the night.
'These boys can't have had a lot of rest.'
'Not like they use shovels anymore,' replied Taylor.
'No, but to have made it this far in this quickly. They must have met at least some resistance.'
Out of the corner of his eye, Taylor noticed an officer and his contingent approaching. He turned to see that it was Colonel Harney with Commander Phillips. There would be no saluting, now that they were at the frontline.
'’Morning!' yelled Taylor.
'Welcome to the front,' replied Harney.
He could see Harney was more than a little pleased with himself. He strutted about as if he had claimed a massive victory. But Taylor knew they were where they were now not through hard fighting the past few months, but good planning.
'Good work on getting so far,' he replied sedately and turned to Phillips.
'Sir, this was a fine display of intelligence and organisation.'
'Thank you, Colonel.'
'What do we do now?'
'We might have made it this far, but now we come up against the largest of Demiran's three armies, most likely with him at the head of it. It has become clear that many of the anti-aircraft systems aboard the K'til are once more operational, and that makes it dangerous to approach from the air. The first Navy boys who did were blasted out of the sky. So, this'll be a ground fight. We advance as much as we can when we able to until they have nowhere else to go.'
'You think they'll stand and fight now we're here?' asked Harney.
Taylor did not have to respond. Jafar did so for him.
'While Demiran lives, they will fight to the very end for him.'
'No one ever thought of stabbing him in the back?' Jones asked.
Harney looked to the Captain with disgust, for he knew the thought alone could be enough to cause chaos among their own armies.
'If soldiers repeatedly killed their leaders, where would we be?'
'Beg your pardon, Sir. But Demiran isn't you or I. He is a ruthless dictator who would have seen the utter destruction of our race. I can't find any remorse or sympathy for his situation.'
Harney had read Jones' file and gave him some leeway as a result.
'So, enemy positions and strength?' asked Taylor.
'They’re just over a kilometre ahead of us in the same trenches we saw at the coast, but in much greater number,' replied Phillips.
'Below ground, they'll be a tough nut to crack,' added Jones.
'Yep. That armour they wear is thick, and with the cover of trenches, our artillery will have a hard time shifting them. I doubt the psychological effects will mean much to them.'
'They fear death and injury, but are too scared to disobey their orders,' replied Jafar.
'Colonel, you're to dig in here and await further orders. We'll take ground at every opportunity and make new defensives quickly and at regular intervals. We know how detrimental trench warfare can be to both sides. This war may be in its final stages, but it will not be over soon.'
'Carry on, Colonel.'
They carried on down the line. Taylor looked on to see the trench positions they had been given were manned by just a single detachment from Harney's Fighting Fifth. They were at the front trench, and he could already see they wouldn't be keen to give it up. They had been given a stretch of land half a kilometre long, meaning they'd be tight on space.
'Into the trenches,' Taylor said across the comms.
Many had been expecting to get into the thick of the fighting and make the enemy suffer. They paced enthusiastically over to the defences, realising how long the war could go on for once both sides were entrenched. Taylor turned back to Rains who stood at the ramp of his copter.
'I believe your war is over, Lieutenant. Fall back to the staging area five clicks north of here. You may be needed yet when the casualties start piling up.'
'Can't say I'm sad to be benched, Colonel. Good luck out there.'
He stepped aboard and was quickly firing up the engines to lift off. Taylor turned back south; most of the Brigade was at the edges of the trenches and piling in to what many expected to be their homes for some time. He had other ideas. He turned to Jafar at his side.
'Tell me you have a way of contacting Demiran?'
'There is a way, why?'
'He may not want to dirty his hands in this war, but I know exactly how to call him out.'
'You think you can force him out here? Then what?'
'Then we kill him, and anyone who stands in our way.'
Jafar smiled. He already liked the sound of the plan.
'Make it happen. I want to talk to him myself, and I don't care who sees it.'
'This isn't going to be the long drawn out fight Phillips thinks, is it?'
Taylor stepped forward and noticed Jones had been standing the other side of Jafar, and so obscured by the alien.
'No, not at all. This ends here and now.'
Chapter 12
Demiran lay back in his throne aboard the stricken wreck of the K'til. He still could not believe he had fallen so far. He was slumped and lost. He wanted nothing more than to leave Earth for good and return home, but he knew with so little left, he would be torn apart by the other Lords. He suspected Erdogan would have already claimed his homeworld if news had gotten back to Tau Ceti of his plight. Six months since the destruction of the K'til, and he had made no progress. He had the look of a soldier who was utterly beaten.
A projection suddenly appeared before him. Used only by his close counsel, he sat up quickly when he realised who was addressing him. Taylor stood just five metres from his throne. The projection was near perfect with only minimal transparency. He had not seen the Colonel since his time in captivity, but he knew exactly who he was.
'I am Colonel Taylor of the 2nd Inter-Allied.'
Demiran stood up, and his back straightened as he felt hatred invigorate him.
'Your time is coming to an end. Your fleet is destroyed, and your armies are surrounded. Your Planet Killer is finished.'
'What do you want?' he asked.
'I want to kill you like the dog you are.'
'And what makes you think you could?'
'Because I killed Karadag. With my own hands.'
Demiran's eyes widened at the news. It was clear he did not know Taylor had been the one to do it.
'It was you who ended my kinsman's life and mission, and you who imprisoned me. You, who did this to the Gezgen K'til! You, who have turned one of my own against me. I am going to kill you before this is over!'
Taylor could see the alien’s blood boiling and smiled to only fuel it further.
'Come and try.'
The creature screamed in fury as it grabbed a table beside his throne and launched it across the room in
