Operation: Phoenix, Battle for the TRES Corps HQ, Part 5 by CyberPyro (cybrpyro@iac.net) "JJJIIIIHHHHHAAAAAAADDDDDDDD!!!!" echoed throughout the canyon as the spongies jumped in terror, panic-firing in every direction. A high whistling noise closed in on a large squadron on spongin, a miniature mushroom cloud exploding dead center. Those spongin not splattered across their fellows were thrown violently upwards, landing a couple of seconds later with a wet splattering noise. A long stream of plasma bolts sizzled through the snow, strafing across dozens of spongin, killing most on contact. "Fire!!" yelled their commander, their weapons fire aimed in the general direction from the plasma fire. Exploding rock flashed through the falling snow, a new stream of plasma killing more spongin. A series of dull thumps, and a set of high whistles later, dozens of spongin were changed into red goo raining down from the sky. The plasma streams kept coming, killing and wounding. The spongin, unable to find their target, ran towards the ruined remains of a cluster of S'moles, hoping to find cover. As they crouched down, it occurred to them that no shots had been fired while they fled. Curious, they fired into the snow filled landscape, hoping for a reaction that never came. "You five," ordered the Wyrm Sergeant, "get out in the field and see whatÕs out there." "I'm afr.." started a spongin before a bullet from the Sergeants pistol passed between his eyes. "You too, go," ordered the sarg. The group of volunteers disappeared into the snowfall and silence fell. Steel rang against steel for a brief handful of seconds, and then the white, muffled silence seized the world again. "Everyone stay together. Fan out in groups and look for the Jihaddi," ordered the wyrm minion, picking his company. The squads broke up, hunting around with rifles poised. ... "We need reinforcements," barked the sergeant into his comm unit. "Half of forces have been slain either by enemy fire or sliced to ribbons in a cat-and-mouse game." "They're on their way," said the Lieutenant, keying in orders for a battalion to intercept the last known position of the guerrilla Jihaddi. ... "Sir!" yelled a spongin into the comm attached to the sergeant's ear. "We found a body of one of the Jihaddi. The name tag says 'Hani' on it. I *gauk*" "What is it, private?" demanded the sergeant. Clanging of steel and the screams of dying spongin came over his comm link, followed quickly by silence. "Tanaka here, you b'harnate scum. Come get me if you can," growled a voice into the link before it was cut off. ... Tanaka slid down the snowy slope, losing his balance completely and crashing into a stump at the bottom. His breathing came raggedly, the cold air stinging his lungs as he trying to find a better area to battle the squads of pursuing spongin. Frozen blood chipped off his katana and wakazushi as he sheathed them, heading for a wooden area. The enemy had automatic rifles and seemed to prefer them over swords. ... The spongin growled, his sword blocked by the Jihaddi's katana. His sneer changed to a grimace of agony as the wakazushi's blade released his internals to the cold air. As the world went black, the sponge was dimly aware another of his kind suffered the same fate. The Samurai, already deeply wounded, fought onwards as his life's blood pulsed out into his uniform and armor. His death was unavoidable, he knew, but as many enemy as possible would die by his blades before his meeting with the ancestors. The last enemy fell to the earth, a billowing cloud of stream rising from the wounds running from thigh to opposite shoulder. Tanaka looked around, steam and swirling black dots obscuring his visions, as he recognized a ring of spongin around him. He stumbled forwards, intent on continuing the battle. A sponge soldiers met his eyes and charged, her sword held high. Her battle cry abruptly stopped as she approached Tanaka, his expert swordsmanship undoing her life in a single blow despite his weakened stake. Six more soldiers drew their weapons and charged, wanting to avenge their comrade. The first to meet Tanaka left to meet its ancestors as the second blow took the wakazushi from the Samurai's hand. Leaving itself wide open, the second screamed in agony as a vicious backwards arc from the katana undid its life. Takana grunted, blood erupting from his hips as a spongin sword pierced his armor. He staggered backwards, raising his sword at the charging spongin. Momentum caused the poorly trained spongin to impale itself on the blade, lodging the katana between two ribs. Another sponge, confident of its advantage, lunged forwards and into a blade Tanaka took from his kill. A sword swipe opened the Samurai's upper arm, rendering it nearly useless. His hand locked on the attacker's throat and drug him down to the snow as he fell. The spongin groaned in agony as the Jihaddi's knee slammed repeatedly into his body, his cries muffled in his throat. The spongin, desperate to escape the killing grip his enemy, drew his knife and stabbed the being on top of him. Rather than weaken his enemy, it seemed to encourage him, the grip becoming tighter with every wound. The noise of a M-16 firing on full auto silenced the combatants, dozens of bullets killing both in a matter of seconds. The spongin watched as Sergeant Williams, the one who had been hunting the Jihaddi for the past two hours, smiled with grim satisfaction. "Onwards," he sneered, we have more Jihaddi to kill today. ... [Are your troops completely incompetent?] asked X'huurrj'qx. "What do you mean?" said a rather stunted Lyran as a report was handed to him. The report indicated TRES Corps Marines had staged an ambush on advancing battalions of spongin. The final result: 429 dead troops, 53 wounded and... "WHAT?!?!" bellowed Gharn'll. [Two. Not two companies, but two individual, wounded TRES Marines killed after they destroyed that many.] "This is *impossible*" bellowed Wheri'El. [Convince me that your species is worthy of our alliance] challenged X'hioo'zq from X'huurrj'qx's side. [Enough!] snarled X'huurrj'qx. [We will not have this fighting among ourselves.] "Agreed," purred Wheri'El, his eyes clearly indicating he wanted X'hioo'zq's head on a platter. [This development is of minor significance] thought X'huurrj'qx. [Use your heavy weaponry and claim your prey.] "It shall be so," spoke Wheri'El, his voice almost crystallizing the water in the air. CP Copyright, Pyrokinetic Productions (1996)