Parachute regiment officer, he had still never fully gotten over his discomfort with heights.
Taylor reached the edge beside him and looked down to see one of the Mech workers lifting a weapon to the slightly mesmerised Captain. Taylor quickly fired two carefully aimed shots, hitting the creature square in the chest. It wore an armoured suit that the Reitech rounds punctured through and exited out the other side of the alien's body. The creature fell back and floated off the ship into space. Any other time, Taylor would fear the body being discovered, but this day it would be just another corpse among the thousands of others in space.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something move, but before he could respond, Jones' weapon fired, and two others joined him. Two more of the creatures were instantly killed without getting a shot off. Jafar reached them and looked at the repair work being undertaken.
"Those crews work in threes, so there should be no others in sight."
"Good, then let's move. You lead the way."
He turned to see the three nukes were already in tow. With the low gravity and power of the Reitech suitsjust two men could carry each. Jafar led the way forward, but Taylor turned back to Jones and could see he was every bit as concerned for the operation as he was.
"Only way is forward, old chap."
"Yeah, Jones, that's what I'm afraid of. Come on, let's see this through."
The two of them led the platoon on with Jafar on point. He led them back past Rains’ Stallion and through the blast damaged room until they were into the core of the ship. On their route, they past several dead aliens, but there was little sign of any other movement.
"Where is everyone, Jafar?" whispered Taylor.
"There will be roving patrols, but the impact must have killed many. Most of those aboard will be busy fixing the breaches.”
"So they're forming a perimeter all around this blast site. How are we supposed to get in?" asked Jones.
"Through one of Demiran's many access tunnels. There are secret passageways throughout all of his personal ships that only he and his personal guard know how to recognise."
"Sounds like he doesn't have a whole lot of trust for his own people?" replied Jones.
"No, there are many who would not hesitate to kill the Lord if they were ever given the opportunity. Surely this is not an unfamiliar concept to humans?"
Taylor could not help but smile.
"It isn't those under my command I fear. It's those above it."
"Lions led by sheep," Jones added.
Jafar seemed confused by the expression, and it was clear he wasn't sure what either of the animals was.
"You can speak our language, but you don't know what a lion is?"
"Our translation chips allow us to converse, but for some things there are no translations. There are creatures on my homeworld which I could not begin to explain to you in any language you would understand."
"Fair enough," replied Jones.
"Come on, let's focus on the task at hand," said Taylor. How confident are you that our presence has gone unnoticed?"
"Absolute. They would be hunting us right now if they knew we were aboard. The last thing Demiran would ever expect is for the humans to try and board the Gezgen K'til."
"Why?"
"Just look at it, Captain," replied Taylor.
"Yes, it has become the thing of nightmares. To go near it would be to invite death to all around you."
"Good to know, Jafar," said Jones.
Up ahead they could see an open doorway.
"Come."
They paced quickly but cautiously down the corridor to the broad doorway which was three metres wide by two high. One of the two doors look at if it had tried to shut but was jammed against the floor which had buckled up and blocked its path.
"They'll be along to fix this before long."
As soon as they had all got through, Jafar heard movement and signalled for them to shift over into the side of the corridor. Taylor ducked down into the alcove, realising how vulnerable he felt not having his shield. They had rushed so quickly
Taylor reached the edge beside him and looked down to see one of the Mech workers lifting a weapon to the slightly mesmerised Captain. Taylor quickly fired two carefully aimed shots, hitting the creature square in the chest. It wore an armoured suit that the Reitech rounds punctured through and exited out the other side of the alien's body. The creature fell back and floated off the ship into space. Any other time, Taylor would fear the body being discovered, but this day it would be just another corpse among the thousands of others in space.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something move, but before he could respond, Jones' weapon fired, and two others joined him. Two more of the creatures were instantly killed without getting a shot off. Jafar reached them and looked at the repair work being undertaken.
"Those crews work in threes, so there should be no others in sight."
"Good, then let's move. You lead the way."
He turned to see the three nukes were already in tow. With the low gravity and power of the Reitech suitsjust two men could carry each. Jafar led the way forward, but Taylor turned back to Jones and could see he was every bit as concerned for the operation as he was.
"Only way is forward, old chap."
"Yeah, Jones, that's what I'm afraid of. Come on, let's see this through."
The two of them led the platoon on with Jafar on point. He led them back past Rains’ Stallion and through the blast damaged room until they were into the core of the ship. On their route, they past several dead aliens, but there was little sign of any other movement.
"Where is everyone, Jafar?" whispered Taylor.
"There will be roving patrols, but the impact must have killed many. Most of those aboard will be busy fixing the breaches.”
"So they're forming a perimeter all around this blast site. How are we supposed to get in?" asked Jones.
"Through one of Demiran's many access tunnels. There are secret passageways throughout all of his personal ships that only he and his personal guard know how to recognise."
"Sounds like he doesn't have a whole lot of trust for his own people?" replied Jones.
"No, there are many who would not hesitate to kill the Lord if they were ever given the opportunity. Surely this is not an unfamiliar concept to humans?"
Taylor could not help but smile.
"It isn't those under my command I fear. It's those above it."
"Lions led by sheep," Jones added.
Jafar seemed confused by the expression, and it was clear he wasn't sure what either of the animals was.
"You can speak our language, but you don't know what a lion is?"
"Our translation chips allow us to converse, but for some things there are no translations. There are creatures on my homeworld which I could not begin to explain to you in any language you would understand."
"Fair enough," replied Jones.
"Come on, let's focus on the task at hand," said Taylor. How confident are you that our presence has gone unnoticed?"
"Absolute. They would be hunting us right now if they knew we were aboard. The last thing Demiran would ever expect is for the humans to try and board the Gezgen K'til."
"Why?"
"Just look at it, Captain," replied Taylor.
"Yes, it has become the thing of nightmares. To go near it would be to invite death to all around you."
"Good to know, Jafar," said Jones.
Up ahead they could see an open doorway.
"Come."
They paced quickly but cautiously down the corridor to the broad doorway which was three metres wide by two high. One of the two doors look at if it had tried to shut but was jammed against the floor which had buckled up and blocked its path.
"They'll be along to fix this before long."
As soon as they had all got through, Jafar heard movement and signalled for them to shift over into the side of the corridor. Taylor ducked down into the alcove, realising how vulnerable he felt not having his shield. They had rushed so quickly
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