Free Battle Earth VI by Nick S. Thomas

particles well before they reached them.
    "Much closer and we won't have that luxury," Bailey said.
    "Targets will be in range in thirty seconds!"
    "Prepare all weapons. I want to give them everything we've got from the get-go," she replied.
    They could see the fighter wings advance from the human fleet. The Planet Killer was visible now, but they had been well prepared for it. To most who had fought the enemy in the first invasion of Earth, it looked little different to what they called Tartaros.
    "Looks like they haven't got a whole load of ships covering that monster. You were right," Taylor said to Jafar.
    "I doubt they think it's in any danger, not yet anyway," replied Bailey.
    "In the Krycenaean history, the Gezgen K'til has been unstoppable. It is one of the things maintaining Demiran's power, for many of the other Lords fear its wrath, should he turn on them and try to expand his influence. Even the great Erdogan is wary of crossing Demiran for the power it holds."
    "They really have pulled out the big guns," Taylor added.
    "Yes, and played all their cards. If we can defeat this thing they all fear so much, we may well yet prove they can never win."
    That was a positivity Taylor rarely heard. He liked this Admiral more every minute he served alongside her. Her confidence and composure reminded him a little of Chandra and that brought a smile to his face.
    Almost there, he thought.
    A single pulse flew past their display monitor and burrowed into the hull of the Neptune, but the dreadnought of a ship almost brushed it off entirely.
    "In range in five, four, three, two."
    "Fire," Bailey replied quickly.
    The bridge lit up as the railguns and missile bays fired as one. The escort ships around the K'til took a battering from the human fleet, and as they closed the Earth planetary defence grid joining the fight. Taylor watched in awe as the battle unfolded before his eyes. From what they could see, it was just hulking ships slugging it out, but he also knew how many hundreds or thousands of lives were ended as each ship was blasted into space debris.
    "Itching to get into combat, Colonel?" Bailey asked. Taylor stood mesmerised.
    "It's strange to sit back and watch a battle be fought before your eyes. Never have I felt so redundant. Never have I seen death on the battlefield in such vast numbers. Some of those ships being vaporised have more men and women than my entire Battalion."
    "Not a pretty sight, is it?"
    "How much longer until we send the Purge fleet in?" he asked.
    "Not long now, but we need to get as many of those escort ships out of the way as possible to give us the best chance of getting the nukes in. I just hope it's enough. Just look at the size of thing."
    "Can't we just hit it with nukes from here?"
    "We tried that last time around. Their weapon intercept defences took out everything we threw at them. Only way to get close is with something severely armoured."
    "Then pray this works."
    Taylor stepped forward and opened a channel to Huber.
    "This is about the best opportunity I think we're gonna get, Sir."
    "Agreed. Have your man activate the signal."
    Taylor turned and nodded to Jafar who knew exactly what to do. He lifted a device he had kept close since they left the enemy vessels and punched in a few buttons.
    "That it?"
    He nodded in acknowledgement. Bailey placed her hand on the ops table and panned over to where the Purge ships had laid in wait beyond the human fleet.
    "They're powering up. This is it."
    The battle continued to rage all around them, but Bailey and Taylor were fixated on the Purge ships on their viewing screens. They knew it was their best and probably only chance of stopping the Planet Killer.
    "Has anyone ever tried to destroy this thing before?"
    "Yes, Admiral.They failed," he replied sternly.
    "I guess they didn't have inside knowledge like we do."
    Jafar remained silent.
    "How long until they reach their target?"
    "Approximately two minutes, Ma'am."
    "The game must be up by now