hopeless, but he knew just where to go for help. Jafar had always told him to trust in Taylor, so that was precisely what he would do.
* * *
Irala stood on the bridge of the Ares 4 station, in temporary command of both the station and what remained of the fleet. Human and Krys crew worked all around him trying to restore the hardware and patch up all they could. He was under no illusion that they had taken a beating. The doors to the bridge opened, and to everyone's surprise, it was the President of the Alliance. One of the bridge crew called everyone to attention, but Irala never cared for such formalities.
"I am glad to see you are recovering well," he said to Isaacs.
"Thank you, Chancellor. I needed to get on my own two feet and see it all for myself," he replied, strolling forward and staring in shock at the devastation of the fleet visible from the vast windows. Last time he had been there the blast doors were shut and he could see little, but now the full extent of it was clear.
"You look at figures on paper, losses, wounded, but none of it means much until you see it for yourself."
"The Cholans are a desperate people, driven to desperate measures."
"We cannot afford any more of this division in the Alliance. We are ripping each other apart."
"Yes, they did the wrong thing for the right reasons, as Mitch Taylor would say."
"What?" Isaacs asked.
He ignored the comment. It meant little to him, and Irala cared little to explain it.
"We have a gateway opening," said Lieutenant Bravos.
They both looked to the image of the gateway and could see that it was not active.
"Where?" Isaacs asked in a panic.
Lights flashed, and a gateway opened less than a kilometre in front of them. Everyone was silent and waited for some sign of what was coming through. A dozen Cholan warships finally surged through into view, and the crew went rigid with terror.
"It's over," whispered Isaacs.
But seconds later they saw three Human vessels pass through, surrounded by many more Cholan ships.
"What is that?"
"I believe that is Taylor," replied Irala.
"What? How?"
"We're being hailed by the Guam, Sir," stated Bravos.
"Put them through!" Isaacs snapped.
A projection lit up before them, and to their amazement and joy, it was indeed Taylor.
"How is this possible?"
"I went to do a job, and I got it done. That's how it is possible. Do you have faith now?" Taylor asked.
His tone was a little angry and disrespectful of the President, and yet Isaacs was too shocked and happy to notice.
"What are the intentions of the Cholan Empire now?" Irala added more seriously.
"Yes, yes, what are they going to do now?"
"Whatever we tell them, Mr President," replied Taylor.
Isaacs shook his head in disbelief.
"You've only just joined this new life, and you have already subdued and conquered an entire race!"
Taylor smiled in response to Irala, though he knew that was not the tone it was meant in.
"If this is what you are capable of today, what will you do tomorrow?"
He wasn't sure if Irala was impressed or shocked over what he had done.
"I'm coming over," he replied and ended the transmission.
"How does he do it?"
Irala looked concerned, something Isaacs had never seen from him before.
"What is it?" he asked.
"You will soon have to make a decision."
The President looked on intensely and waited for him to continue; the pause was killing him.
"You must decide whether you are willing to hand over power to the Colonel."
"Hand over power? What on Earth are you talking about?"
"Do you not see? Mitch Taylor has not won this battle for you. He has won it for the Alliance."
"I don't see what you are getting at. I am in charge of the Alliance."
Irala shook his head.
"The Colonel has always done what he considers best, whether those above him like it or not. And now he has the entire Cholan Empire loyal to him."
"Loyal to the Alliance," Isaacs replied firmly.
Irala didn't bother responding, for he knew the President would not heed his
* * *
Irala stood on the bridge of the Ares 4 station, in temporary command of both the station and what remained of the fleet. Human and Krys crew worked all around him trying to restore the hardware and patch up all they could. He was under no illusion that they had taken a beating. The doors to the bridge opened, and to everyone's surprise, it was the President of the Alliance. One of the bridge crew called everyone to attention, but Irala never cared for such formalities.
"I am glad to see you are recovering well," he said to Isaacs.
"Thank you, Chancellor. I needed to get on my own two feet and see it all for myself," he replied, strolling forward and staring in shock at the devastation of the fleet visible from the vast windows. Last time he had been there the blast doors were shut and he could see little, but now the full extent of it was clear.
"You look at figures on paper, losses, wounded, but none of it means much until you see it for yourself."
"The Cholans are a desperate people, driven to desperate measures."
"We cannot afford any more of this division in the Alliance. We are ripping each other apart."
"Yes, they did the wrong thing for the right reasons, as Mitch Taylor would say."
"What?" Isaacs asked.
He ignored the comment. It meant little to him, and Irala cared little to explain it.
"We have a gateway opening," said Lieutenant Bravos.
They both looked to the image of the gateway and could see that it was not active.
"Where?" Isaacs asked in a panic.
Lights flashed, and a gateway opened less than a kilometre in front of them. Everyone was silent and waited for some sign of what was coming through. A dozen Cholan warships finally surged through into view, and the crew went rigid with terror.
"It's over," whispered Isaacs.
But seconds later they saw three Human vessels pass through, surrounded by many more Cholan ships.
"What is that?"
"I believe that is Taylor," replied Irala.
"What? How?"
"We're being hailed by the Guam, Sir," stated Bravos.
"Put them through!" Isaacs snapped.
A projection lit up before them, and to their amazement and joy, it was indeed Taylor.
"How is this possible?"
"I went to do a job, and I got it done. That's how it is possible. Do you have faith now?" Taylor asked.
His tone was a little angry and disrespectful of the President, and yet Isaacs was too shocked and happy to notice.
"What are the intentions of the Cholan Empire now?" Irala added more seriously.
"Yes, yes, what are they going to do now?"
"Whatever we tell them, Mr President," replied Taylor.
Isaacs shook his head in disbelief.
"You've only just joined this new life, and you have already subdued and conquered an entire race!"
Taylor smiled in response to Irala, though he knew that was not the tone it was meant in.
"If this is what you are capable of today, what will you do tomorrow?"
He wasn't sure if Irala was impressed or shocked over what he had done.
"I'm coming over," he replied and ended the transmission.
"How does he do it?"
Irala looked concerned, something Isaacs had never seen from him before.
"What is it?" he asked.
"You will soon have to make a decision."
The President looked on intensely and waited for him to continue; the pause was killing him.
"You must decide whether you are willing to hand over power to the Colonel."
"Hand over power? What on Earth are you talking about?"
"Do you not see? Mitch Taylor has not won this battle for you. He has won it for the Alliance."
"I don't see what you are getting at. I am in charge of the Alliance."
Irala shook his head.
"The Colonel has always done what he considers best, whether those above him like it or not. And now he has the entire Cholan Empire loyal to him."
"Loyal to the Alliance," Isaacs replied firmly.
Irala didn't bother responding, for he knew the President would not heed his
Similar Books
