Battle Beyond Earth: Insurrection Read Online Free Page B

had closed towards the Alliance fleet to shield the Nakbe. Three Human vessels had already been destroyed, and Jafar's own ship was burning.
    "What do we do?" Alita asked desperately.
    Taylor thought for just a few seconds, "Can you get control of the weapon systems?"
    Alita looked stunned and couldn't respond.
    "Can you or not?"
    "I...I can try."
    "Then do it. Get me the biggest gun this thing has got. What everyone keeps raving about; let's put it to good use."
    He watched in horror as the two fleets slugged it out and tore each other apart. Hundreds of fighters battled it out between them. The station was giving as good at it got, but it was close to crippled now.
    "We can't put the engines online," said Alita, "The course cannot be altered, not anytime soon, but we need to get the nose around and in line."
    "We can use the docking bay thrusters for fine adjustment," said Babacan.
    Taylor looked at him surprised, but nodded in agreement for him to go ahead.
    "You know the moment we fire one shot they will be on to us, and we're dead in the water," replied Alita.
    "But they won't know that. Send enough of a shockwave through these bastards, and they won't stand."
    Babacan went at the controls as if he knew what he was doing, and that surprised Taylor even further, but he didn't question it.
    "Get us in line with that heavy cruiser and prepare to fire," said Taylor. He pointed to one of the two identical craft that was off their bow to the starboard side.
    "Are you going to give them chance to surrender?" Alita asked.
    Taylor shook his head.
    "You know nobody aboard will survive?"
    Taylor nodded.
    "And their loss will save many more lives, on both sides," he replied.
    She didn't question him any further, but she still felt awful for it. She began powering up the Nakbe's monstrous Goliath cannon. They could feel the entire ship pulse and reverberate as masses of power surged through the vessel. They were banking ever so slowly now and almost in line with the aft of one of the heavy cruisers. Babacan put down a little power to the starboard thrusters and brought them to a halt once more, in plain sight of the engines of their target.
    "Fire when ready," said Taylor.
    Alita could see there were just a few seconds left until it reached full power. She looked into his eyes, pleading with him without saying a word, but she could already tell he would have none of it.
    "Do it."
    She closed her eyes and pressed the fire button. A huge burst of energy soared from the Nakbe and hit the powerful heavy cruiser. The impact passed through the ship as if meeting no resistance at all. Explosions burst out all over the hull. The ship was torn into five sections, with thousands more pieces of debris and bodies thrown out into space.
    They looked on solemnly for a moment as Alita finally opened her eyes. She wouldn't cry even though she wanted to. The battle came to a standstill; almost every ship and fighter stopped shooting. They were all looking at the devastation between the two fleets. Taylor turned to the most senior Cholan officer still alive, a female Lieutenant. She was trembling.
    "Get me a channel to the Cholan fleet."
    She didn't respond.
    "Now," he replied in a firm voice.
    She snapped into action and pushed a few buttons. He took his helmet off and prepared to make a speech he’d had no time to prepare for.
    "You are live to the whole fleet," she said begrudgingly.
    He hadn't expected for it to be so quick, but after a few seconds he began to address the fleets.
    "This is Colonel Mitch Taylor. I have seized the Nakbe in the name of the Alliance. I have no qualms in turning the powerful weapons of this vessel on any ship refusing to accept a ceasefire and offer immediate surrender. Your people..."
    As he spoke, Admiral Eme regained consciousness without anyone noticing him in the corner where he had fallen. He drew out his sidearm and took aim at Taylor. His sight was blurred, and he was jaded from the strike, but he squeezed the