Operation: Phoenix, The Turning Point Battle, Pt 1 by CyberPyro (cybrpyro@iac.net) I walked to the edge of the blasted ellipsoid where a gaping wound had been opened by X'hirjq troops. If we found the time to repair the damage, it'd be expensive, but it did provide an excellent view of the landscape. I surveyed the macabre landscape masquerading as the TRES HQ. The corpses of X'hirjq and spongies lay frozen in the battlefield with far too many TRES Corps personnel and Dobermensch. The Jihad claimed victory here because we still had a handful of warm bodies on the field. "But what's the point? We might as well have been destroyed. We couldn't fight off a thousand spongies right now!" I complained to open air. "You gave the Jihad a fighting chance at survival," said Admiral J-Rock, coming up behind me. "We couldn't have taken anything else out of this battle." "Tell me about it," I sighed heavily, sifting memory. "All this life wasted; the thousands of young men and women who'll never see another day. I hate war; every time is horrific beyond words. Weapons make no difference, they each create their own horror. I ..." "Hmmm," thought J-Rock aloud as my internal ramblings halted their progression. "Anyway," I said, straightening my uniform, "what are you up to?" "You speak as though you've been in many wars." "I haven't. I was speaking more in terms of combat than war." "You've not been that imprecise with words before, CP," said J-Rock as he raised a eyebrow. "OK, so I'm tired to the point of collapse. What were your plans again?" " ... Bob and I are going south to get some first rate Unhealthy Snacks[tm] and scout around. There may be more sponges loose." "Good plan, I'll be here picking up the pieces. Have a safe trip," I said and turned to look out across the carnage again. ... The Hell Wyrm waddled down the matte black corridors, lit only by dim floor lights and an occasional control panel. Even in the near-darkness the X'hirjq preferred, his evil magenta colors shown brightly. The Great Satan of Backstage Fondling sang cheerily to himself, so happy his new allies were kicking the snot out of the Jihad. He'd heard the main fleet was finally moving to attack Earth, but he wanted to know from the Empress how the attack on the TRES HQ had gone. Many songs and corridors later, It of The One Tooth found the Grand Corridor into the Empress' throne room. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself; everything was working out much better than his wildest dreams had ever conceived. A saccharine tear rolled down the Hell Wyrm's blubbery cheek. It was just too beautiful: his plans of conquering the universe had failed miserably in what the Jihad called Operation: WorldWalk and he'd been exiled to some unfashionable region of the multiverse. But that was the best thing to ever happen, for there he'd met the X'hirjq. What followed was better than his best sugary-sweet fantasy: the Jihad was being systematically crushed and eliminated by his allies. The death oaths, done more out of frustration with those who'd vexed him, had succeeded in many places! Samhain, Tasha, Sandman, Shardik, and Morgenna were either confirmed kills or assumed dead. Following an inconclusive battle in Atlanta, Owsen, J. FoxGlov, and Windigo the Feral had disappeared, presumed to be hiding from squads of X'hirjq assassins in the Georgia countryside. Cerberus, CyberPyro and Most Holy had managed to evade every attempt against them. No matter, they'd be found and killed; his allies had convinced him of their prowess. 'After the pesky Jihad has been crushed,' thought It of The One Tooth, 'these allies of mine will make wonderful sponge minions. *chuckle*' ... "What a Stuuuuuuuuuuu-pendous day!" exclaimed the Hell Wyrm was he walked out onto the Empress' throne room. [She is not here.] stated the leader of tightening ring of X'hirjq. "Why..." said a startled b'harnii, "... It's not quite super-dee-duper nice to sneak up on and surround your ally like this." [We often forget your dull senses. My apologies.] stated the leader, bowing her snout slightly in apology as the other seventeen (17) guards made similar motions. "*giggle* Oh, that's OK!" bubbled the Lavender Lard Lord. [We will take you to the Empress. Follow.] ... A lone figure, clad entirely in white, stood at the center of the observation sphere built into the hull of the MotherShip. Above, the starfield streaked by in bands of blue, red, yellow, white, and an occasional green. Below the hull glittered slightly, surrounding the crystalline sphere in a cacophony of light. b'harnii looked into this illuminary chaos and found a fixed, stable point: the Empress. The Indigo Infant Ingester walked towards her, seeking conversation. After a few waddling steps the starfield began to solidify, assuming a fixed pattern. "We've arrived in Earth orbit?" [No. I await the arrival of X'ehmahr, the slayer of Samhain.] "Oooooooohhhh! SUPER-DEE-DUPER!!!" screeched the Hell Wyrm, nearly falling over as his gossip was confirmed. [We will continue our invasion after she has arrived. Are you prepared to use your Purple Cloud spell?] "Well ... I ... ummm ... that is to say ... not quite." [Why are you unable?] "I'm not yet strong enough in this dimension. It is something I do when my enemies are sufficiently weak and near death. It's a more honorable way of killing them." [Indeed. Leave me now, X'jrrrt'f will give you all the needed updates.] thought the Empress as she focused her attention on a single shuttle approaching her ship... ... "I want their technology," said the Hell Wyrm to his Wyrm Commandos, "X'hirjq tech is decades ahead of anything I've seen to date. Go out and get information while I sleep." The assembled Wyrm Minions saluted and departed Lord B'harnii's chambers, eager to gather information. The Lord of Sponge Minions flopped down on his specially designed plush bed, his layers of lard jiggling in a grotesque pattern until they finally came to rest, his consciousness long since slipped away. ... The Magenta Menace started and sat bolt upright in bed. He looked around, confused for a moment. He caught sight of a black-robed X'hirjq silently exiting his chamber. He looked at the foot of his bed and the plush of the back of neck wrinkled in horror. Sitting on a large, silver platter were the eight (8) skulls of his commandos, neatly cleaned and polished, still scented from the bodies they had surrendered them. A scroll of paper-like substance sat in the middle of the collection, and the Hell Wyrm drew it forth with a trembling claw. [Lord b'harnii, we detected these individuals in restricted areas shortly after they left your bed chambers. In the days since you slept, their fate has become what is before you.] [I trust these servants acted without approval. -- The Empress] [P.S: We will be arriving in Earth orbit shortly. You may inspect the assembled forces in the fleet if you so desire.] "I slept for two days?" asked the Hell Wyrm aloud, checking his chronometer. ... The Empress watched as a specially configured X'hirjq fighter disappeared over the edge of the Earth, headed for the sun-lit side of the planet. In the distance, a Jihaddi WarShip that had failed to escape the tightening circle of X'hirjq vessels spiraled down into the atmosphere, its hull ruptured in several places, spewing its atmosphere in burning streams. A X'hirjq BattleShip opened fire from a great distance, its powerful weaponry reducing the wounded Jihaddi vessel to clouds of glittering debris. Beyond the planet, one could see the badly battered remnants of the Blood Jihad Space Fleet as assembled vessels chugging along towards Mars. The Jihad had lost their orbital battle, their fleet crippled beyond hope of mounting a counter attack inside of two months. Behind the Empress, a door opened onto the floor of the observation sphere, admitting the Magenta Destroyer of Worlds. He danced a happy song, thrilled beyond world the end of his worst enemies was at hand. "I must say, your Highness, the force you've assembled to attack the Jihad is STUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-Pen-Dous! The Jihad does not stand a against your armies." chortled the Foul Foam F*cker [Are you ready to cast your cloud?] "I don't have the strength," offered b'harnii. [Begin your spell.] "But I ..." [BEGIN!] ordered the Empress. The Saccharin Cerebrum Sucker shifted nervously from foot to foot. With a heavy sigh he started his incantations, purple mist swirled about him, as he chanted his ancient spell. The mist became thicker, filled the observation sphere, and stained the crystal walls. The Hell Wyrm danced, cavorted, and chanted louder, drops of saccharin sweat falling from his bloated body. The Empress stood watching, dispassionately, the purple mist not daring to touch her even as more and more roiled upon itself in the confines of the sphere. The near-obscene noise of plush-coated blubber, hundreds of pounds strong, slamming into the crystalline deck announced It of The One Tooth's collapse. The mist dissipated, the spell a failure. The Maroon Menace looked at the visible starfield again, his system in shock from over- exertion. [Is that all?] queried the Empress her arms crossed on his chest, as the Wyrm spluttered indignantly. "You think you can you do any ... OOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!!!!" screamed b'harnii as one of the Empress' clawed fingers flicked out, broke the foam demon's skin effortlessly, and neatly removed a crescent of flesh the exact shape of her extended claw. [Since you are incapable, I will launch your assault device.] thought the Empress, stepping back, as magical energies began swirling around her. Their bright white color quickly filled the observation sphere and burst outside of it, lighting the MotherShip's hull. The Empress pointed her claw with the strips of Wyrm flesh on it towards Earth. The flesh disappeared with a crackling noise, the light around her claw changing to an evil mauve color. With an outwards motion, of her claw, the light shot away, pull the lavender light with it. The bright ribbon of energy streaked towards Terra, struck the atmosphere, instantly changing it to a bright purple color. Seconds later the planet was enveloped in a Purple Cloud. The assault against the mind's of Earth's residents had begun. To be Continued "Turning Point Battle, Pt 2" CP Copyright, Pyrokinetic Productions, Inc. (1995)