Free Battle Earth IX by Nick S. Thomas

wouldn't be. A few of the ships exploded, but many more continued on. Pulses from the enemy vehicles soared towards their wall, and Taylor could only duck down into cover and hope for the best.
    Thunderous vibrations shook their position, and Taylor felt a little sick from the volcanic like eruptions shaking him about. Two more volleys struck their position before they heard the craft soar overhead. Two were struck by ground weapons and crashed down into the defences and erupted on impact. Taylor got to his feet and looked out across the plain. It was utter chaos, thousands of Mechs advancing on the city and drones out ahead of them in skirmish lines.
    He could see swarms of enemy craft on the horizon. He looked across the wall to those standing with him. Jones stood shoulder-to-shoulder with US Army personnel. They were speechless. The battle had only just begun, and yet they could see little hope of victory in sight. No one said a word, but Taylor knew he must. He turned and looked at all the stunned and distraught faces of who fought with him.
    "You see them!" he shouted.
    It grabbed plenty of attention, as no one else had anything to say.
    "You've fought them before! You've beaten them before! You think you're scared? Every army they have sent to this world has been destroyed. So it’s no wonder how they feel."
    Many of them nodded their heads in agreement.
    "And here we stand, still alive, still fighting. We are what broke all who came before them, and now they face us? They aren't to be feared. The Krys soldier is nothing better than you. He fights without thought or conviction. He fights because he is told to. You fight because it is your duty, and don't you forget it!"
    He looked to Jones who still shook his head, but he continued anyway.
    "We can beat these bastards! You can beat them. Run them into the ground and finish this once and for all. Erdogan and his armies are all that stands between the peace we have fought so hard for. Let's not give in at the final hurdle!"
    He looked back over the wall. The Mech forces we advancing rapidly now, and the gun towers were taking aim and preparing to fire.
    "Do not fear death, for it will come to us all one day. Fear defeat! Are you ready to beat these alien bastards?"
    Cheers rang out across the line as the gun emplacements opened fire. He didn't need to say another word as troops rushed to the walls to take up positions. The multi-layered platforms gave them three battlements, and Taylor stood atop the highest. Only Jafar stood taller two metres to his side. Taylor gestured for him to come closer, and he quickly obliged. Jafar looked calmer than any of them.
    "No bombardment, an immediate assault? Why would they do that?" Taylor asked him.
    "Because they are confident of victory," he quickly replied, without pausing for thought.
    "They think they're gonna just roll over us?"
    Jafar nodded.
    "Well, they're welcome to think it, but we ain't going down without a fight."
    "So you would die rather than admit defeat? And yet you always ask me why Mech warriors advance without care or caution or regard for their lives. You seem surprised their morale is so hard to break, when you encourage the same in those you command."
    Taylor had to think about it for a moment. What he said made perfect sense, and yet it had never occurred to him before. He looked back at the enemy troops advancing. Many were carrying large shields, not unlike they themselves used.
    "This Erdogan, he isn't like our enemies of the past. He is not blindly arrogant."
    "No," Jafar agreed.
    "He's justifiably arrogant," Taylor added with a smirk.
    He took aim with his rifle and watched as the first web rounds launched off from nearby marksmen. He was out of the ammunition himself, so simply left others to it. He stopped for another moment and looked at the spectacle before him. Mech warriors advanced in loose formations. Many clung to hovering armoured vehicles that were spaced ten metres or more apart and mixed