Operation: Pacifica, Meeting the Beast by CyberPyro (deadlock@one.net) [time: 1 hour into the landing battle] The battle between of the Chosen of Khorne and Jihaddi against the b'harnate forces ground on, far deadlier than anyone expected. Troops were cut off and shunted into obscure parts of the city where they had been slain by enemies laying in wait. Rescue missions, if someone could manage to dodge enough bullets, were often unsuccessful or resulted in the rescuers falling victim themselves. Overall, the Jihad was slowly gaining control of the battlefield, but the cost was proving dear. ... [place: East Bay, Sponge City] "No! Aii.." screamed the pilot of a b'habii b'hop bot. Plasma boiled off the outer layers of its armor and then flooded the cockpit, incinerating the pilot. "Advance, Chosen! Advance!" barked Captain CyberPyro as he retargetted his cannons. He'd waited, patiently holding ground and giving it when necessary, for the past hour of battle while the other Companies split up across the war zone to launch counter-attacks. The b'harnate command staff made a critical error in their troop deployment and CP exploited the opportunity like a lioness pouncing on her prey. A trio of Wyrm Bots buckled under the combined firepower of fifteen BattleArmored Chosen and crumpled into nearby buildings. Each exploded in series: reactor cores, ammo, and power storage units giving a fantastic pyrotechnics display. Twisted, charred pieces of metal and smoldering debris rained down in the street. The Chosen charged, weapons blazing, deeper into the city. ... [place: half a mile farther east, atop the tallest hill in the bay] [time: 15 minutes later] "This is *not* special!" growled b'harnii into radio, "my bots are being destroyed!" "As if we don't bloody well know that, mate," replied the terse, thickly accented Australian voice of Banana #1. Sounds of chain guns and sizzling lasers obscured the banana's last comment. "What 'e said, mate," chimed in Banana #2 after the static from a large explosion died down. "We're doing the best we can!" "That's not good enough!" snarled the Hell Wyrm, its normally dead cow eyes glowing a bright red. "Stop them!" Two of It of the One Tooth's Saethrian guards slid up beside their master, weapons raised. Below the plush demon, at the hill's base, a b'hii j'haa bot's torso ripped asunder from internal detonations of ammo. "Ah," chortled the Hell Wyrm as it drew its blade, "I see my yum- yum doodle dummy friends the Chosen of Khorne have found us!" ... "It's the Wyrm of Slaanesh!" shouted Sergeant Hawkins, pointing to the crest of the hill. "So..*hhs*..it is. *hhhhsss*" replied Captain CP as he began to twitch uncontrollably. The Holy Warp Spasm of the Clawed Albino approached faster than he had expected. "Hello again, my super-dee-duper special friends!" capered the Wyrm, doing an impromptu dance, "I've missed you all very much! Especially you, CP! I owe *you* so much luv from our last meeting, I just want to hug and cuddle you to *death* right now!" The Gemini and Hellborne Cannons of CP's Nemesis BattleArmor fell to the ground with a loud thud. The armor's hands nearly ripped off its own head and neck assembly before tossing it aside. A magnetic lock used to hold the two pieces of chest assembly together snapped and ricocheted off Hawkins's armor, leaving a sizeable dent. "Sir?!" asked a stunned Hawkins. His CO's armor lurched open, the on-board computer and servo-motors fighting to keep it upright despite the massive changes in weight distribution. CP, his features distorted by rage, ripped away the restraints holding his body in place inside the armor. A split second later, he jumped from the armor down to the earth, flexing his Big Ass Claws[tm]. "NYAR!!" bellowed DeadLock as he raced forward, flames howling about his body in a tight, vicious circles. His gaze locked on b'harnii, never leaving the demon as he prepared to ascend. "Ooohh, it's my cutie-wootie special-weshical Jihaddi CP and he's become one those icky-poo Maenads!" sneered the Magenta Monstrosity as it crossed its blade in front of its bloated, sagging chest. "Well, c'mon. Maenad. Come get your cuddly-wuggly hug from me!" DeadLock snarled and began to crouch down when a voice interrupted him. "Me man!" yelled a thickly accently Gaelic voice from inside DeadLock's abandonded Nemesis BattleArmor, "ye not be a fergetin' me at a time like this, now would ye?" "How cute, a talking sword," growled b'harnii, his dead cow- eyes again glowing red, "think that's going to help you, silly Maenad?" DeadLock held a Claw[tm] towards the sky. The response was immediate: the sword fluttered through the air and landed snugly in DeadLock's claw. "Nice trick, my super-deeeeee-duper yummy friend, but you think that will help you?" snickered b'harnii. "Maybe," rumbled DeadLock. He placed a nail on the blade's scabbard and yanked hard on the hilt. The Barney Slayer flared to life, wrathful flames screaming about from its edges. Man and sword stood together, an invisible exchange of powers and reciprocity building between them. "C'mere ya gross ol' demon an' let m' end yer life!" quipped the blade, cheerier than a sun-lit room filled with children on Christmas day. b'harnii breathed in deeply, terror seizing its plushy heart. The sword, as its name implied, could destroy b'harnii's immortal spirit. "NYAR!" screamed DeadLock as he ascended the slope, intent on sinking the Slayer into the Purple Pestilence's heart. b'harnii stood transfixed, watching the fiery Maenad draw closer by the second, unable to move for the fear gripping its soul. Scalding hot air blasted across b'harnii's snout, jolting the demon into action. It waddled away at a speed that proved both astounding and sickening to behold, bits of foam flicking from its mono- teeth. ... [place: Lyran Fortress, Observation Room] "Well, b'harnii may not survive, Master," observed a Lyran sorceror, his brow knitted in concern. "I shall enjoy watching the chase," the ancient Lyran replied. "And what if..." "It is of no concern. Our plans will proceed." DLtF(NYAR!) Copyright, Pyrokinetic Productions, Inc. (1997)