Phoenix

[AztecWarrior]

Prologue

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NC Stronghold City
NC Stronghold
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Military food had a reputation for not being very high quality. This was necessary, however, under the stresses of war. Quantity overcame quality.

This is one damn good steak! thought Lt. Major AztecWarrior. It wasn't every day that one could indulge in one of them. His date, Black Widow, was enjoying pasta just as much as he enjoyed his steak. The wonders of restaurants. It almost felt as it they were back in civilian days.

"I feel like I was still an engineer at college!"

"Those were scary times."

"Yeah. Riot cops shooting up your buddies, people disappearing..."

"...they took my best friend. She was walking to campus one morning and the riot cops came. They took her away. That was the last time that I saw her."

"Another time, I was walking home, and they raided one of the dorms for no reason! They shot three of us, and they walked away empty handed."

"Damn Terrans..."

He began to get flashbacks of his CDL imprisonment. He saw Terrans, surrounding him. He was staring down eMa's three-barreled Mini-Chaingun. His blood ran cold. His heart started beating fast. He started to sweat. He reached for his Suppresor. It was gone!

"What are you doing?"

"....wha....they're gone!"

"Are you feeling OK?"

"Of course, of course."

He had told her the story of the invasion and bombing of Esamir on the way to the Stronghold. The troops in the Galaxy listened in awe. Nobody was supposed to have come back alive from that gate. Yet there he was.

They finished their meal and left. They both enjoyed it.

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Vanu Sovereignty main base
Vanu Sovereignty Stronghold
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Four scientists gathered around a table. Helios' Fury had been a huge success. The invasion force was on the way to attack. However, they still had a bit of U-235 left. Not enough for a large atomic bomb like the one detonated on Esamir, but perhaps, a small one to take out a base.

"So, Edison, do you favor using the remaining U-235 for another weapon?"

"Well, the consequences of Helios' Fury so far have been positive to the Sovereignty. I am in favor of such an act."

"Is there any objection?"

None of them raised their hands.

"Very well. This bomb will be much smaller, perhaps mounted as the warhead of a Decimator rocket. What base should we target?"

"Well, there was one surivior of the first attack. 'Mayan warrior' or something along those lines. If we can kill him, then we have a complete propaganda victory."

"We could also strike one of the exit gates from Esamir, rendering escape impossible."

"Watson, recent reports show that most of the troops in immediate danger have left. The island is almost completely vacant."

"All right. Does anyone have any other ideas? None? Fine. We strike Ceryshen."

Outside, an invasion force similar to that of the New Conglomerate was being assembled. The plan was for Aztec's base to be nuked by a small commando squad, then for the main force to take over the entire continent.