advice.
Taylor and his team of Immortals sat along one side of the shuttle, with as many Cholans opposite them. At their centre was the new Emperor, Tuin. He had donned the purple sash of the Emperor, but in all other regards was dressed and equipped as when he and Taylor first met and exchanged blows.
"You will still not wear the crown?" Taylor asked.
Tuin shook his head.
"Why?" asked Babacan.
"Because I want to be the kind of Emperor I always wanted to follow."
Taylor appreciated the sentiment and that he and Tuin were not a world apart. Although he did not envy the responsibility the Cholan had now taken on as a result of his actions.
"You came to my world to ensure the Cholan people support the Alliance against the Morohta, but do I have your word you will see this through, for all our sakes?"
Taylor nodded and offered out his hand. Tuin still looked a little suspicious, and he had every right to be. Despite Taylor's hatred of what so many Cholans had done to him and those around him, he remembered the day he accepted Jafar amongst them, and it had paid off in dividends until this very day.
The ship passed into the docking bay of the Ares space station. Hundreds of crewmembers were lined up to great them in a lavish ceremony. Many more were still working to repair the station and craft beyond. Taylor was already shaking his head.
"Still don't get it do they?" he muttered.
"Get what?" Alita asked.
"That we don't have time for all this. A hundred personnel standing around doing nothing is the sort of waste of resources we cannot afford."
She didn't know how to respond. The shuttle came to a landing, and the ramp lowered. A red carpet led to where the President awaited them. A roar of applause rang out as he came into view, but he found it hard to be appreciative. He leapt down with his Immortals and strode towards the President. Irala was standing beside him.
"You've done a fine job, Colonel. You have pulled off the impossible!" Isaacs yelled with a huge grin on his face.
"Sir, can we please give up all the kissing ass and get down to business?"
The President looked as surprised as he was offended. He leaned in close to Taylor to whisper in his ear as the applause continued.
"Look at them. They need this once in a while. A victory. They have led miserable lives since all this began. Let them enjoy your success."
For once he stood back and was silenced. Isaacs had a point, and he felt a little sheepish for being so dismissive of the welcome party. He looked around at all their faces to see they genuinely were exuberant. He nodded to accept the applause and slowly smiled in response.
"Now can we get back to business?" he finally asked with a smile.
The President raised his hand to call for silence and then pointed for Taylor to speak to them.
"May I present to you, the new leader of the Cholan Empire, Emperor Tuin!"
The Cholan appeared at the door of the craft to everyone's surprise, along with a dozen of his personal staff and soldiers. Isaacs was shocked to the core.
"What happened to Kuyok?" he whispered to Taylor.
"He isn't a problem anymore."
Isaacs still look confused until Jones leaned in close to whisper back.
"What the Colonel is trying to say politely is that he put a bullet between his eyes."
Isaacs’ eyes widened, and he went pale.
"Colonel, you can't just kill an Emperor!"
"This is war. The winner makes the rules."
Jones still shook his head that Taylor had even contemplated regicide, let alone gone through with it and with no regrets at all. Taylor pointed back to Tuin as if for Isaacs to acknowledge him, and finally he did so. He coughed to clear his throat and recover from the shocking news.
"Emperor, welcome to Ares 4. Please come aboard."
They exchanged pleasantries for just a few seconds when Isaacs beckoned for them to follow him.
"Please, we have much to discuss."
Taylor gestured for Jones, Alita, and Babacan to join him.
"Uhhh, this is a briefing for high-ranking
Taylor and his team of Immortals sat along one side of the shuttle, with as many Cholans opposite them. At their centre was the new Emperor, Tuin. He had donned the purple sash of the Emperor, but in all other regards was dressed and equipped as when he and Taylor first met and exchanged blows.
"You will still not wear the crown?" Taylor asked.
Tuin shook his head.
"Why?" asked Babacan.
"Because I want to be the kind of Emperor I always wanted to follow."
Taylor appreciated the sentiment and that he and Tuin were not a world apart. Although he did not envy the responsibility the Cholan had now taken on as a result of his actions.
"You came to my world to ensure the Cholan people support the Alliance against the Morohta, but do I have your word you will see this through, for all our sakes?"
Taylor nodded and offered out his hand. Tuin still looked a little suspicious, and he had every right to be. Despite Taylor's hatred of what so many Cholans had done to him and those around him, he remembered the day he accepted Jafar amongst them, and it had paid off in dividends until this very day.
The ship passed into the docking bay of the Ares space station. Hundreds of crewmembers were lined up to great them in a lavish ceremony. Many more were still working to repair the station and craft beyond. Taylor was already shaking his head.
"Still don't get it do they?" he muttered.
"Get what?" Alita asked.
"That we don't have time for all this. A hundred personnel standing around doing nothing is the sort of waste of resources we cannot afford."
She didn't know how to respond. The shuttle came to a landing, and the ramp lowered. A red carpet led to where the President awaited them. A roar of applause rang out as he came into view, but he found it hard to be appreciative. He leapt down with his Immortals and strode towards the President. Irala was standing beside him.
"You've done a fine job, Colonel. You have pulled off the impossible!" Isaacs yelled with a huge grin on his face.
"Sir, can we please give up all the kissing ass and get down to business?"
The President looked as surprised as he was offended. He leaned in close to Taylor to whisper in his ear as the applause continued.
"Look at them. They need this once in a while. A victory. They have led miserable lives since all this began. Let them enjoy your success."
For once he stood back and was silenced. Isaacs had a point, and he felt a little sheepish for being so dismissive of the welcome party. He looked around at all their faces to see they genuinely were exuberant. He nodded to accept the applause and slowly smiled in response.
"Now can we get back to business?" he finally asked with a smile.
The President raised his hand to call for silence and then pointed for Taylor to speak to them.
"May I present to you, the new leader of the Cholan Empire, Emperor Tuin!"
The Cholan appeared at the door of the craft to everyone's surprise, along with a dozen of his personal staff and soldiers. Isaacs was shocked to the core.
"What happened to Kuyok?" he whispered to Taylor.
"He isn't a problem anymore."
Isaacs still look confused until Jones leaned in close to whisper back.
"What the Colonel is trying to say politely is that he put a bullet between his eyes."
Isaacs’ eyes widened, and he went pale.
"Colonel, you can't just kill an Emperor!"
"This is war. The winner makes the rules."
Jones still shook his head that Taylor had even contemplated regicide, let alone gone through with it and with no regrets at all. Taylor pointed back to Tuin as if for Isaacs to acknowledge him, and finally he did so. He coughed to clear his throat and recover from the shocking news.
"Emperor, welcome to Ares 4. Please come aboard."
They exchanged pleasantries for just a few seconds when Isaacs beckoned for them to follow him.
"Please, we have much to discuss."
Taylor gestured for Jones, Alita, and Babacan to join him.
"Uhhh, this is a briefing for high-ranking
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