'So this was used against another race?' asked Ryan.
'That doesn't matter, right now. Let's concern ourselves with our own world,' replied Taylor. 'So what you’re saying is this. If that thing can get to the atmosphere of Earth, our planet is gone for our lifetimes!'
Jafar nodded.
'Christ. We need confirmation of this. Samson. Include all the information you have heard, but make it clear that the presence of this Planet Killer is still just a theory.'
The bridge fell silent again as they considered the possibility of losing Earth, and more urgently that they were heading straight for the Planet Killer.
'You've all had a long day. My marines will take on any watches they can. Everyone not on duty get some rest. We've got a hell of a time ahead of us.'
Two days passed without any contact when Taylor was awoken in the middle of the night Earth time. He pulled on his Reitech gear and rushed to the bridge to find the crew standing frozen and staring at the display screen.
'There's your visual confirmation, Colonel,' Ryan said.
Taylor turned to Jafar to ask if it was what he had suspected. Before he could say a word, the alien nodded to pre-empt him. Taylor looked back at the screen. He could not tell it and Tartaros apart, but he trusted his friend. They looked out at the hundreds of support ships escorting the behemoth.
'Doesn't make any sense,' Taylor murmured.
'What?' Ryan asked.
'The strength of their forces. Why didn't they send all this through to begin with? With all of this, and what they sent in the first war, we would have been crushed in the beginning. Before we had time to learn from their technology and stop them.'
Nobody answered until Taylor turned to Jafar for answers.
'Well?'
'The Krycenaean people are not as one, under one rule. Powerful leaders rule factions and planets. Each wants his own glory and power. They rarely stand beside eachother. Demiran would almost never stand beside Karadag, but he would make every effort to avenge him for his own gains.'
'So there is no one leader?' asked Taylor.
'One who is more powerful than the other Lords, one who holds more influence than the rest, but not with the control over all the others you would think.'
'And this boss, who is he?'
'Erdogan. The strongest, cruellest, and most power hungry of the Krycenaean Lords.'
'Then you have met him?'
'I have seen him. As a personal guard to Demiran, I met him once, but he would not know me.'
'Well, this just keeps getting better. Are we ever likely to see this Erdogan?'
Jafar shrugged his shoulders.
'He could be aboard the Gezgen K'til. He might have even been on Earth during the first war. I don't know.'
'But that is Demiran's ship, right?'
'Yes. Lord Erdogan can rightfully take his place aboard any ship in any war. He can take the glory without having to front the expense of using his own resources.'
'I sure would like to get my hands on that bastard,' said Parker.
It was the first thing she had said since Taylor had reached the bridge that morning. She had stayed so still and quiet that her presence had gone unnoticed.
'This big bad, the Erdogan. He must want Earth, right? Seems every other Krycenaean does.'
'I don't know.'
'All right. I've seen enough, and all this information is giving me a damn headache. Captain, collect as much data as you can, and then get us the hell out of here.'
'Wait!” Jafar shouted.
Taylor snapped around. It was a surprise to have Jafar assert himself so much. He could see the alien pointing at the corner of a display screen. He turned and carefully studied what at first looked like empty space. Then his eyes widened as he caught a glimmer of movement. It was the flicker of the chameleon ship camouflage that Taylor had all but forgotten.
'They’re onto us. Get us out of here!'
'No,' replied Jafar, 'right now, their guns are training on us. We'd not make it.'
'Then what do we do?'
'This ship, the Deveron, it must be known to Demiran and many others. They would want whoever was aboard alive.'
'Are you willing to bet money on that?'
'I don't have any money,' Jafar replied dryly.
Taylor could not help smile for just a second.
'All right then. You seem to have an idea of what you're doing. Tell us what we should do.'
They all looked to Jafar. Nobody aboard no longer doubted they could trust him, and he had the unique advantage of both his heritage and training by the Inter-Allied.
'There will be two of them out there, one on overwatch and one closing to board us. They're hoping to either board us with the element of surprise or destroy us if we try to run. Those are patrol ships. They have maybe fifty Mechs on board each of them.'
'Shi…it,' replied Samson.
'If they could have got aboard undetected, we'd be finished. But with a prepared defence, that's another story.'
He stopped and thought for a moment about what Jafar had said.
'That one we saw closing to our starboard side must be the boarding action, right?'
Jafar nodded in response.
'Okay, I want all but a protection detail for the bridge to the starboard side and ready to repel borders. Captain, have your gun crews prepared to fire at the other ship, but do not show any sign of it until the last second.'
'We don't even know where the other vessel is,' he replied.
'They must put out a heat signature, however faint. Find it!'
'Why don't we just blast them now?' asked Parker.
'We need that other ship on overwatch to let its guard down. Right now, that crew is waiting with their fingers on the trigger to give us everything they have got. As soon as the other has boarded us, we should have an opening.'
'Where will they breach?' asked Taylor.
'At the main hull door if they can.'
'Right then, masks on for everyone. Once they get aboard, we give them hell. I'll give you the green light when to fire, Captain. When that is done, we need to get that other ship off us fast and make tracks. Parker, have charges ready to blow the breaching clamps. I don't want them hanging on any longer than we need them to.'
'You got it, Sir.'
She rushed off about her business.
'You all know what you have to do. Do not give the enemy any indication of our intentions. Don't even let anything slip over the comms, nothing until the firing starts. Let's go!'
He rushed to the starboard side and grabbed a shield from the racks where they were stored ready for such occasions. They were cumbersome and bulky things to lug around, but well worth it when the fighting started. He took a knee behind his shield and waited for the inevitable enemy breach. Parker positioned behind him with a crate full of magnetic explosives.
For a full minute nothing happened, and they all waited in silence, listening for the enemy presence. Finally, they heard the quiet and subtle clamps attach onto the Deveron. Had they not been ready for it, Taylor doubted anyone would have noticed until the doors were blown. They were coming through the main hull doors just as Jafar
