Rover Strike: Vortex

Episode 4: Evil Resurfaced

By Gerhard Naudé

All Rover Strike names © Gerhard Naudé
All Road Rovers names © Warner Brothers and rightful owners
Raul Timbers © Kristen Coughlan

Any question, comments, complaints, feedback or suggestions can be 
sent to gnaude_@hotmail.com.

South African Expeditionary Fleet
International Waters
Central Pacific
2 November
6:48 PM:

The fleet of three South African corvettes is making their way
through the Pacific Ocean, heading for an unknown destination. The
sun is beginning to set on the western horizon.

Tropical Archipelago
International Waters
Central Pacific
7:06 PM:

This is a chain of three remote islands located well off the regular
shipping lanes. The islands are somewhat mountainous and covered with
tropical jungle. Here and there are ancient ruins of a long-gone
Meso-American civilization. But the ruins are far from abandoned.
Camp fires can see been burning here and there amongst the ruins,
while there is significant amount of movement in the shadows. A
large black silhouette shape moves out from a sheltered bay into the
open ocean.

Yacht
Somewhere near Hawaii
United States Territorial Waters
Central/Northern Pacific Ocean
8:46 PM:

This is a rather large, sleek white yacht with motorized engines. It
has two decks, one on the back covered by a canopy and on front that
acts as a sundeck. Two jet skis are locked in place at the rear of
the yacht. Lights are shining from inside the main superstructure of
the boat. Right now the yacht is anchored and just floating about.
Splashing about in the water is Striker and Phoenix. The two of them
are taking a swim together, he wearing blue swimming trunks and she
a purple two-piece bikini. The couple is laughing and enjoying them-
selves, splashing water at each other.

Striker:"Wonderlike idea of taking a night swim, Firefly."

Phoenix:"It helps to wash away the nervousness and is very relaxing."

The two of them swim closer. Phoenix gently takes Striker's ears and
pulls his lips to hers. They share a quick kiss, closing their eyes
and putting their arms around each other. When they break, both of
them have mischievous looks in their eyes. Phoenix quickly dives 
under the water while Striker watches. Suddenly he yelps in surprise
as he is partially lifted into the air. He lands with a big splash
as Phoenix comes back to the surface with a giggle. When he pops
back up, he shakes the water off his head and looks at Phoenix.

Striker:"Why you... come here, naughty puppy!"

Phoenix laughs and swims back towards the yacht. Striker swims after
her. When they reach the boat they climb onto the rear deck and
start to dry themselves off with towels. Once done, they hug each
other. The couple looks lovingly at each other.

Striker:"That certainly helped cool us down."

Phoenix:"Yeah, but it's going to get much hotter once we get into
         bed. It's a little late."

Striker:"Ja, it is getting late. How about we tuck in right now?"

Phoenix giggles.

Phoenix:"I can't wait."

Striker smiles widely as the two of them go into the superstructure.
Not far off, the large black silhouette shape is moving towards their
yacht. Inside, Striker and Phoenix come into the yacht bedroom and
close the door behind them. It is compact and small but by no means
cramped. A queen-sized bed is here, along with some wine in a bucket
of ice and some glasses. A single soft light shines from the ceiling
above. The couple embraces one another, smiling.

Striker:"How about I pour you a glass of wine once we're in bed?"

Phoenix:"Good idea. First, though, help me with my swimsuit."

Phoenix kisses Striker and he returns it. They kiss passionately,
rubbing their paws over each other's shoulders. Striker runs his paws
through Phoenix's long hair for a few minutes, then reached down for
her bikini top's straps.

Voice:"Yeah, show that rack!"

The startled couple immediately breaks apart as a number of wolf-
sapiens rush into their bedroom. They are all dressed in red uniforms
with black body armor and armed with AK-47s. They have helmets on
that cover their heads except for their muzzles and ears. On the
centre of their chests are insignias of a yellow pyramid in the
centre of a red circle. These are Alpha Soldiers. The soldiers go
and surround the couple, pointing their rifles at them. Striker and
Phoenix hug each other while growling at the soldiers.

Phoenix:"You guys certainly have a lot of nerve barging in like this!
         Who are you?"

Coming in behind the soldiers is Raul Timbers and another familiar 
figure of the past: Champion. Raul is pointing his Ak-47 at the couple 
while Champion has his arms folded across his chest and grins at them.

Striker:"And now Champion."

Champion:"Hey, you actually remember me. Amazing."

Raul:"Put your paws in the air."

Champion:"Better listen to Raul, Striker. He's serious about his
          job."

The let go of each other and put their paws in the air, though they
are still defiant.

Raul:"So this Striker. My boss has been talking a lot about you."

Striker:"Our friends will come and rescue us, Raul. They have
         probably seen you on radar already."

Champion:"Oh so moronically wrong."

Raul:"We are not worried about alerting your friends, Striker. You
      will see when we leave."

Striker:"Leave? For where?"

Raul:"To meet some more old friends of yours."

Striker:"General Diehard, if he is still alive."

Champion:"Very much alive. You know how hard it is for him to be
          killed."

Raul:"Enough talk."

Raul turns to some of the soldiers.

Raul:"Secure Striker."

Raul:"Yes, sir!"

Two soldiers put their rifles away and pull out some wrist and ankle
cuffs. They come up to Striker and bind his paws and feet together.
Once done, the two soldiers grab the spaniel by the shoulders.

Raul:"Good. Take him to our ship."

Soldiers:"Yes, sir!"

Striker:"What about Phoenix?"

Raul:"Oh, her."

Raul turns and nods at Champion. Champion grins, licking his lips and 
rubbing his paws together. He goes up to Phoenix and grabs her by the 
arm. She yips in slight pain while Striker watches in shock.

Striker:"Nee, you are not..."

Champion:"Oh yes I am. You were to bed this one tonight, but now I'm
          here to relieve you of that tedious chore."

Striker thrashes wildly, trying to get at Champion. More soldiers
come and held hold him. He screams at the grinning werewolf.

Striker:"You rape her and I will be killing you long after you are
         dead!!!"

Phoenix tries to break away from Champion, but he is simply too
strong. Raul watches the soldiers as they drag Striker out of the
cabin. He looks at Champion.

Raul:"Don't take too long. I doubt the general would send a search 
      party for you tonight."

Champion:"I'll take my time and come back when I'm done."

Raul shrugs, then heads outside. Outside on the boat, one can now
see the big shape of a vessel alongside the yacht. It looks like a
destroyer or cruiser, but it has largely been covered in a black
material and built to look more angular. There are few lights on
the ship. A walkway has been lowered between the yacht and a hatch
in the side of the hull. The soldiers drag the kicking and growling
Striker from the yacht onto the other ship. As soon as he is inside,
Raul gets onto the walkway. He looks up to the decks at the vessel's 
captain.

Raul:"We may depart, captain. Back to base."

Captain:"Aye, sir."

The captain barks out his orders. Raul goes into the ship, and then
the walkway is pulled back and the hatch closed. The engines start
up, but they are much more quiet. Soon the vessel cruises away from
the yacht, heading back the way it had come. Back inside the yacht,
Champion is holding on to Phoenix as he watches the vessel go. Once
he is satisfied it is far away, he turns to Phoenix. He grabs her
by both arms and turns her towards him. She still tries to struggle
free as he looks her over. Champion grins.

Champion:"Now I see why Striker married you. You are hot."

Phoenix:"He didn't marry just for that, you filth!"

Champion:"Of course not. He married so can score with you. But since
          he is going to be busy, I'll stand in for him."

Phoenix keeps struggling, but Champion uses his bulk to push her
onto her back. Once on her back, he forces her arms apart before
climbing onto the bed above her.

Champion:"I got a fire in me that need to be put out."

Phoenix spits in his face.

Phoenix:"Here's my fire!"

Phoenix grabs his wrists and creates flames on her paws. Champion
yelps and jumps up, his arm fur on fire. He swears and curses as he
tries to put out the fire. Phoenix jumps off the bed and heats up
her paw. She growls at Champion.

Phoenix:"Take this, you dirty pig!"

She takes that hot paw of hers and places it hard against Champion's
groin. Champion's eyes bulge out and he roars in pain. The werewolf
runs out of the cabin, onto the deck and jumps into the water. There
is a big splash and a cloud of steam. Phoenix runs out onto the deck
and looks to where the vessel was. She can just barely see it in the
distance. She runs over to a jet ski, jumps on and begins to loosen
it from the yacht. Champion, meanwhile, was climbing out of the
water and onto the deck. He is extremely angry.

Champion:"The little b****! I'll murder her!"

He sees her on the jet ski, trying to start the motor. He quickly gets
back on the deck and dashes for Phoenix. She gets the jet ski started
and takes off. Champion tries to grab her, but only manages to brush
his claws through her long hair. Phoenix turns and takes off after
the vessel. Champion growls, digging his claws into the side of the
deck. He turns around and jumps onto the other jet ski. He fumbles
about to get it loose and started, cursing all the way. Meanwhile
Phoenix goes after the vessel, riding over the waves at full speed to 
keep up. She keeps her distance so as not to alert the crew on the
vessel. She then looks behind her. Champion has managed to get his
jet ski started and is following her, but going full speed he is not
able to close the distance between him and the Pomeranian. Phoenix
looks back at the vessel, satisfied that Champion is, for now, out
of action for the moment.

Monitoring Room
Eta Squadron Headquarters
Unknown Location
At That Moment:

There is plenty of activity going on here. The Eta staff is working
at all the terminals. Sky himself is looking at a large screen which
shows a top-down satellite image of the vessel, Phoenix and Champion
on their jet skis. On a screen next to the large one is the image of
General Wolfeye.

Wolfeye:"Well, have they got him?"

Sky:"Yes, General. Our quarry has taken the bait. Phoenix managed to
     get away from Champion and is pursuing the vessel."

Wolfeye:"For once I'm glad she escaped. That Champion is worse than
         a sewage rat. Anyway, I will order my forces to proceed.
         Keep me up to date on their location."

Sky:"Yes, General."

Wolfeye turns away from the screen to give his orders. Sky keeps on
watching the larger screen.

Tropical Archipelago
International Waters
10:33 PM:

The vessel is coming towards the islands, heading to a makeshift
wooden shock by the shores. Phoenix watches it, looking at the ruins
and the lights there.

Phoenix:"They must have set up a big base here."

She then looks behind her. Champion is still trying to catch up to
her. Phoenix growls.

Phoenix:"But if I'm to rescue Strikie, I first got to get rid of that
         furry Neanderthal."

Phoenix takes off, heading towards the part of the island where there
isn't any light. Champion follows right behind her. As she approaches
the shores, she slows down to let Champion catch up to her. Champion
comes closer and is soon almost alongside Phoenix. He snarls at her.

Champion:"Come closer! I'm gonna rip out all your fur with my bare
          hands!"

Phoenix stands up, still looking forward. Champion brings his jet ski
closer to Phoenix's jet ski, reaching out to her with his claws bared.
Suddenly jumps off the jet ski, plunging into the water. Champion
looks back, grinning.

Champion:"She should be easy to catch now."

He looks forward just in time to see him heading straight for a rock.
Before he can even react, the two jet skis hit the rock and fly into
the air. Phoenix's jet ski smashes into a rock cluster, while
Champion and his jet sky fly into the jungle bushes with a loud crash
a yelp of pain. Back in the water Phoenix resurfaces and gasps for
air. She looks back to where Champion had disappeared into the
jungle.

Phoenix:"That should keep him off me for a while. Now for Strikie."

The Pomeranian starts to swim along the shore to the ruins. Meanwhile
the vessel has docked at the pier. Soldiers are helping carry a
struggling Striker off the boat. Raul follows after him as they take 
the cocker spaniel towards a large, Mayan-like pyramid. As they go to 
it, one can see even more soldiers bunked about along with LST(Landing 
Ship Tank) hovercrafts and Soviet-era troop helicopters under camo-
netting.

Sacrificial Altar
Temple Pyramid
10:46 PM:

This is large room within the pyramid dominated by the statue of an
ancient serpent god against the wall. Below it is an altar where the
blood of sacrifices has long turned black. On either side are two
holes. The walls of the room are covered with drawing and symbols of
those who dwelled here. The room is lit up by electrical torches.
Soldiers are standing guard here, flanking the single doorway, the
statue and standing by the pillars here. Striker is dragged in here
by the soldiers, lead by Raul. They bring him up to the altar. Raul
turns to Striker, then gives a powerful kick to the spaniel's tummy.
Striker's breathes whooshes out of his lungs and he goes limp.

Raul:"Now that should make things easier... for you and me."

He looks at the soldiers.

Raul:"Tie him down while I get the others."

Soldiers:"Yes, sir!"

Raul heads back to the entrance. The soldiers put Striker on his back 
on the altar. They spread his arms and legs and shackle his wrists 
and ankles to cuffs in the altar. Once the spaniel is tied down, the
soldiers stand aside. Striker doesn't struggle, but rather tries to
get his breath back. After a while Raul returns, this time with
Spectre and generals Diehard and Seneschal. All four of them walk
up to the altar. Coming behind them are two soldiers pushing a port-
able television on a trolley. Striker had recovered his breath and 
turns his head to the sound of footsteps. When he sees the group, he 
growls at them all.

Striker:"Spectre. And Diehard."

Diehard:"General Diehard to you. You should show more respect for zose 
         above your station, ja?"

Striker:"The only thing I would show you is the door to death."

Diehard punches Striker in the side, making him yelp out in pain. 
Seneschal chuckles.

Seneschal:"Not if we showed it to you first."

Raul:"After we reintroduce him to the Supreme General."

Striker frowns in confusion.

Striker:"Supreme General? I seriously would not believe that Stalker
         would even have you working for him."

Diehard:"Not zat traitor, fool. Ze REAL Supreme General."

Striker is even more confused. Diehard takes the trolley and brings
it closer to Striker.

Diehard:"Look at ze televizion."

Striker turns his head to look at the screen. Diehard presses the
on button and the screen comes to life. Striker can now see the
mysterious figure seated on his throne, looking towards the cocker
spaniel. His face is still shrouded in darkness.

Figure(on screen):"Ah, Striker. We meet again after so many years."

Striker's eyes widen as he recognizes the voice.

Striker:"Nee..."

The figure gets up, climbs down from his throne and walks to the
screen. As he gets closer, the light from the screens illuminate his
face: it is General Franco. Franco grins widely at Striker. Striker
closes his eyes and looks away.

Striker:"God, nee.... this is not real... this is a dream. A bad
         dream."

Diehard grabs Striker's ears and forces him to look at the screen
again.

Franco(on screen):"No dream. I am really here, alive and well as you
      can see."

Striker:"But you are dead! I shot you in the head and left you to
         die on the Ion Cannon! How can you be alive?"

Franco shrugs his shoulders.

Franco(on screen):"Stroke of luck. Or maybe I had done something good
      in my past life. Either way, I survived the bullet and managed
      to get on an escape pod before the cannon exploded."

His face looses the grin and becomes more sinister.

Franco(on screen):"My pod was damaged by the explosion, the reentry
      into the atmosphere and the collision with the ground. I spent 
      months in the infirmary. Just look at what you did."

Franco takes a side of his face and pulls. The face detaches from
his head, revealing that half his head is made of cybernetic implants
and reconstructives. He puts the face section back on, showing no
signs what was underneath.

Franco(on screen):"Not only that, the bullet you used is now lodged
      inside my brain."

Striker:"It probably hurts when you think, Franco."

Franco(on screen):"Amusing. While I do suffer an occasional migraine,
      that bullet was actually a blessing in disguise. See, that
      bullet is suppressing my more maniacal attitudes that I am sure
      you know about during your days at the EDF. Though I suffer
      bouts of lunacy now and then, I can now think much more clearly
      and be more rational and intelligent about my decisions and
      choices. So I should thank you for the bullet."

Franco then stabs an angry finger at the screen.

Franco(on screen):"But no. You do not deserve my thanks. You had
      destroyed my Ion Cannon, foiled my plans, killed some of loyal
      subjects and made that idiot Stalker and his lackeys take over 
      the leadership of the KH Military. Not to mention what you did
      to my body."

Striker:"What does it matter, Franco? The KH Military were going to
         turn on you anyway, with or without my help. And the pain
         you feel is nothing compared to the pain I felt and still
         feel over what you did to my family."

Franco(on screen):"Probably not, I agree. Because General Diehard
      here is going to be inflicting twice the amount of pain I felt
      onto you. And not just physical pain, once Champion returns
      with the video of what he did to your whore."

Striker screams in anger and thrashes about. Diehard and Raul start
to punch Striker in the stomach and groin. The spaniel yelps in
pain and stops struggling, groaning. Franco turns his attention to
Diehard.

Franco(on screen):"I am sure you can carry out Striker's torture and
      subsequent execution with the utmost efficiency. I will leave you
      to it now, but be sure to get it all on DVD for me."

Diehard:"Ja, Zupreme General. I vill enjoy zis order."

Franco(on screen):"Good."

Franco turns around and walks back to his throne. Seneschal then turns
the television off and orders the soldiers to wheel the trolley back.
Diehard grabs Striker's muzzle and makes the spaniel look at him.

Diehard:"I haf been waiting for zis moment. I vant to make you pay for
         shooting me in ze head in Frazakastan."

Striker spits at Diehard, who flinches back. The wolf then backhands
Striker hard. Striker yelps in pain again. Some soldiers come up with
another trolley. This one contains all manner of torture devices and
tools. Diehard looks at the tools, then back at Striker.

Diehard:"Now zis should teach you a lesson, ja?"

Diehard starts to browse through the tools. Seneschal and Raul come up
to Striker. Raul is holding a video recorder in one paw. Seneschal
cracks his knuckles, smiling.

Seneschal:"While we wait for the general, allow me to entertain you."

Seneschal lands a blow right between Striker's legs. Striker yelps
out again, tears streaming down his face from the pain in his groin.
Seneschal punches him again, this time in the face. As Diehard keeps
looking at the tools, Seneschal proceeds to pummel Striker while
Raul records it all on DVD.

City Ruins
Tropical Archipelago
10:57 PM:

The ruins of the city on the island is dominated by the large Mayan-
like pyramid. All around are the remains of buildings, shops and
houses. Most of them have long collapsed and are overgrown with
jungle creepers. But a few of the buildings that still stand are
housing Elite Guard soldiers and their vehicles. Some of the roads
have been partially cleared, while bonfires burn all along it.
Soldiers are patrolling everywhere around the ruins. At the edge
of the city Phoenix is creeping through the jungles. When she comes
to the edge of it, she peers over the city. She spots the temple.

Phoenix:"They must have taken Striker to that pyramid there."

Suddenly she hears footsteps and ducks into the jungle. A lone Elite
Guard soldier comes walking up to the jungle. His AK-47 is slung
over his back. He goes to a nearby bush and then proceeds to relieve
himself. Phoenix sneaks out of the jungle and up to the soldier,
making sure to stay silent and out of sight. When the soldier is
done, he zips up his trousers and turns around. Phoenix punches him
in the face and the soldier staggers back. He reaches for his rifle,
but Phoenix charges him down. The two of them start to struggle.
Phoenix grabs the soldier's muzzle to keep him from calling for
help. The soldier grabs Phoenix's tail and pulls hard. Phoenix
clenches her teeth in pain, trying not to shout out in pain. She
suddenly thrusts the soldier's head into the wall of a house. The
impact knocks him out and makes him collapse to the ground. Phoenix
pants for air, rubbing her sore tail.

Phoenix:"Now I can take his uniform. I doubt a bikini is a good
         disguise."

Grabbing the soldier's feet, Phoenix grabs the wolf into the jungles.
After a few minutes Phoenix reappears, wearing the soldier's uniform
and carrying his rifle.

Phoenix:"There. That should fit me well. But I'd better avoid any
         soldiers still. I'm not that well disguised."

Looking back to make sure the soldier is still out cold, Phoenix heads
into the ruins. She makes his way towards the temple, avoiding the
patrols and clusters of relaxing soldiers. Back at the spot where
she had ambushed the soldier, Champion appears from the bushes with
the soldier, who is only wearing briefs.

Champion:"Which way did she go?"

Soldier:"I don't know, sir. I didn't see which way she went."

Champion grabs the soldier roughly.

Champion:"Raise the alarm and hunt her down! Now!"

Soldier:"Yes, sir!"

Champion let's go of the soldier, who runs off to alert his comrades.
Champion looks at the temple.

Champion:"I'll bet she probably went after her lover. Maybe I can
          catch her on route."

The werewolf starts to run into the general direction of the temple
pyramid. Minutes later whistles can be heard blowing to raise the
alarm.

Bridge
Battlecruiser
Strike Fleet Franco
30 Kilometers from Tropical Archipelago
At That Moment:

A fleet of three KH Military battlecruisers, escorted by smaller KH
ships, are heading towards the island chain. There is almost no
light from any of the ships. The only light sources are the faint
blue glows from screens on the bridge. The leading battlecruiser's
captain and commander Wing are looking through infrared binoculars
at the island.

Captain:"Not that big a force that I can see."

Wing:"It is an expeditionary force. We didn't actually expect that
      b****rd to send all his forces after Striker."

Captain:"Is Franco himself there?"

Wing:"According to high command, he isn't. But four of his most
      important Elite Guard loyalists are there: Diehard, Spectre,
      Champion and Seneschal. With any luck, we can kill them all
      in this strike, but capturing them would be just as good. We
      need some inside info on the Elite Guard."

The captain lowers his binoculars and looks at Wing.

Captain:"So what are our orders?"

Wing lowers his binoculars, still looking at the dark shape of the
island.

Wing:"Blast that island into oblivion and capture the survivors...
      if there are any."

Captain:"Aye, sir."

The captain turns to his first-mate and passes him the orders to
prepare for bombardment.

Temple Pyramid
Ruins
Tropical Archipelago
11:07 PM:

The pyramid's exterior consists of tiers connected by a single flight 
of stairs that lead all the way to the top. Halfway up it splits
around an entrance into the temple, while the stairs continue up to
an exterior altar. Alpha Soldiers are standing guard by the entrance
while some patrol the tiers. Here and there a strobe lights set up
on stands. Phoenix comes to the foot of the pyramid and around the
city streets. The soldiers are running back and further, doing a
search for her.

Phoenix:"I'd better find Strikie before they catch me."

She then looks up at the pyramid.

Phoenix:"I don't see any way of getting up there unnoticed. Guess
         I'll just have to chance it and march casually up to that
         entrance."

Phoenix takes a deep breath, and then begins to ascend the stairs. She
looks at the guards patrolling the tiers, but so far none of them
pay much attention her.

Phoenix(to herself):"So far so good."

She keeps climbing to the stairs until she comes to the tier with
the temple entrance. She starts to calmly march towards the open
doorway. Suddenly one of the soldiers step right in front of her,
holding his paw out in a stop gesture.

Soldier:"Halt! I have orders not to let anyone through unless they
         important orders."

Phoenix:"Oh... um... Oh! I am here to report that Champion has been
         captured by Strikie... Striker's mate."

The soldiers looks skeptical.

Soldier:"You're kidding, right?"

Suddenly Striker can be heard screaming in pain from inside the
temple. Phoenix jumps in fright, but then steels herself. She shakes
her head at the soldier.

Phoenix:"No, I am not. He really has been captured."

The soldier's eyes don't seem to be on Phoenix.

Soldier:"Really? I think you'd better turn around."

Phoenix:"But this is important news."

Suddenly someone grabs her helmet and pulls it off, revealing her
full face. Phoenix spins and around gasps when she sees Champion
standing behind her, holding the helmet in one paw.

Champion:"You can't escape me. No one can!"

Champion pulls out his M4 rifle and aims it at Phoenix. The guards
also point their AK's at Phoenix. She is worried, but keeps herself
composed.

Champion:"Now, you and I are going to one of these huts and finish
          the business we had. And if you do that thing you did to
          me on the boat, I swear I will make you feel a world of
          hurt."

Another scream comes from the temple. Phoenix spins around in fright
again. Suddenly there is a shout from the top of the temple. An
Alpha Soldier is rushing down the stairs, holding some binoculars
in his paws.

Alarm:"Alarm! It's the traitors! Raise the alarm!"

Everyone looks at the soldier as he comes down to the entrance.

Champion:"What traitors?"

Alarm:"The KH Military, sir! Their ships are heading this way! Less
       than 30 kilometers away!"

Champion:"Rubbish. Our radars can see them from further than that."

Alarm:"I'm serious, sir! Look!"

Alarm gives the binoculars to Champion and points to the distance.
Champion quickly turns his back on Phoenix to look that way with the
binoculars. Phoenix takes this chance to bolt for the entrance. The
soldiers try to stop her, but she quickly goes in and turns a corner.
Champion spins around and sees her disappear around the corner.

Champion:"After her!"

As the guards rush into the temple, Champion turns to the soldier who
raised the alarm.

Champion:"Warn the generals!"

Alarm:"Yes, sir!"

The soldier runs into the temple. Champion readies his M4 again and
goes in a moment later.

Sacrificial Altar
Temple Pyramid
11:14 PM:

Striker is covered with cuts and bruised and has patches of fur
missing from his body. He is pants and groaning in pain. Diehard
is holding a pair of wires with their rubber-covered tips removed.
The wires are attached to a battery.

Diehard:"It's time for anozer shock zerapy, ja?"

Striker doesn't respond. Diehard touches the wires to each of his
big toes, sending bolts of electricity shooting into the cocker
spaniel's legs. Striker yelps and screams in pain. All the while
Raul keeps recording the scene and Seneschal just watches with a
grin. A moment later the alarm soldier rushes it and comes up to
Diehard.

Alarm:"Sir! The KH Military! They're approaching our location!"

Diehard immediately stops the torture. Striker pants heavily and
whimpers in pain while everyone else looks at the soldier.

Diehard:"Vat is zis?"

Alarm:"The traitors, sir! Their ships are less than 30 kilometers
       from the island! Their heavy warships are coming!"

Seneschal:"How the h*** could they have gotten that close?"

Diehard swears and turns to Seneschal.

Diehard:"Zend out ze order to evacuate immediately! Ve cannot fight
         ze traitors yet!"

Seneschal:"Yes, General!"

Seneschal and the alarm soldier rushes out. Diehard turns to Raul,
who is turning the DVD recorder off.

Diehard:"You und Spectre get Striker onto ze stealth ship now! Ve 
         leave immediately!"

Raul:"Yes, sir!"

Diehard immediately runs out. Raul whistles for the soldiers and
points at Striker.

Raul:"Grab him and get him to the stealth ship! Pronto!"

The soldiers run up and begin to release Striker from the altar. They 
start to carry him by the arms and legs. Raul and Spectre follow them 
as they head out through the exit along the rest of the soldiers here.

Bridge
Battlecruiser
Strike Fleet Franco
19 Kilometres from Tropical Archipelago
11:17 PM:

Wing and the captain are again looking at the island. Through their
binoculars they can see the soldiers are scrambling about. The
helicopters have been un-netted and the LST are coming onto the shore. 
The helicopters are actually modified Soviet troops choppers, painted 
in dark red and with more modern features built in, turning it into an 
Elite Guard Khan Chopper. The LST's that come on the shores expose the 
tank treads fitted beneath them, allowing them to drive into the 
ruined city. But neither Wing or the captain spot the stealth ship as 
it leaves the docks, hugging the coast.

Captain:"They've noticed us, sir. Not a problem, though. We are
         close enough to open fire."

Wing:"Good. Tell your battlecruisers to open fire."

Captain:"Aye, sir."

The captain turns to his first mate and gives him the orders.

Ancient Ruins
Tropical Archipelago
International Waters:

The Elite Guard troops are running out of the city, along with the
LST's, while some board the helicopters. Suddenly there are flashes
of light from the KH Military fleet. The battlecruisers have opened 
fire. Moments later the first shells slam into the ruins, blasting 
apart the ancient structures and tearing holes into the stone streets. 
The helicopters start to take off while the rest of the force hurry 
up their progress. The shelling continues, hitting a chopper and a 
few of the ground forces. One shell smashes into the top of the 
pyramid, blasting the altar into large chunks of flying rock. The
shelling continues relentlessly.

Catacombs
Temple Pyramid
At That Moment:

This is a network of corridors and passageways running throughout
the pyramid. The walls are decorated in pictographic artwork like 
the hieroglyphics of the Egyptian pyramids. Phoenix is running through
the corridors, seemingly lost.

Phoenix:"Which way should I go?"

Suddenly the building shakes and Phoenix nearly looses her footing as
another shell hits the pyramid. Dust and loose bits of stone fall to 
the floor. Phoenix regains her balance, then hears shouting behind
her.

Champion(out of sight):"Hey, pretty thing! Where are you hiding?"

Phoenix runs off again, going around a corner as Champion appears in
the corridor she was in. Phoenix keeps running, then suddenly stops
as she comes to a room filled with many urns and large vases. It is
a dead end.

Phoenix:"Wrong turn!"

She turns around to leave, then stops when she hears Champion's
footsteps. She looks around frantically, then goes and hides behind
some vases. A moment later Champion comes into the room and looks
around.

Champion:"Come on out, chick. I KNOW you're in here."

The building shudders again as another shell hit it. Some of the
urns and vases fall over and break from the vibrations. Phoenix
keeps her head down, praying softly. Champion looks around, then
opens fire at some of the pottery. The bullets easily shattered
them. Again the pyramid shudders, this time much more violently.
Phoenix grabs the vases she is hiding behind to keep them from
falling over. More of the urns and vases break, while a chunk of
stone comes loose from the ceiling. Champion looses his footing,
but quickly gets up again. A moment later an Alpha Soldier comes
into the room.

Soldier:"Sir! I have orders to get you back to the ship!"

Champion:"Not while I still got me a nice piece of a** hiding
          from me somewhere."

Soldier:"Sir! General Diehard said you either come with us or you
         will be swimming home!"

Champion glares at the soldier, then looks around the room. He finally
grunts in frustration.

Champion:"Fine! I'm coming."

The soldier and Champion leave the room. It takes a few minutes for
Phoenix to come out from behind the vases. As she appears, the
pyramid shakes again and the vases she hid behind fall over and
break. Phoenix keeps her balance.

Phoenix:"Now that that brute is gone, I can look for Strikie."

She goes to the doorway, peers around the corner for hostiles, then
heads back into the catacomb corridors.

Beach
Tropical Archipelago
11:25 PM:

This is a long stretch of sandy beach that runs between two tall
cliffs on the opposite side of the island. A few makeshift docks
are here. Right now the LST's are parked here while the Elite Guard
troops board them. The Khan Choppers are also picking up what 
soldiers they can before taking off. The stealth ship is docked
here as well, picking up the ranking officers. Behind them flames
can be seen burning from the ruined city as the battlecruisers
continue their shelling. On the docks the soldiers are carrying
Striker to the ship, followed by Spectre. Raul remains at the edge
of the dock with Diehard and Seneschal, who are busy shouting and
ordering their troops to the LST's and choppers.

Raul:"Sirs, we have Striker on the ship!"

Seneschal:"Good! Keep the ship ready to leave the moment we get on
           the ship!"

Raul:"Yes, sir!"

Raul rushes down to the dock to the ship. A few minutes later Champion
comes running down to the beach. Diehard and Seneschal turn to the
werewolf as he approaches.

Seneschal:"I thought you were still entertaining Phoenix."

Champion:"That b**** got away and managed to get on the island."

Diehard:"Vat! Vhere is she now?"

Champion:"She was inside the pyramid catacombs. I was close to getting
          her, but then I was told you guys were going to leave without
          me. So I left her there."

Seneschal:"So you didn't rape her?"

Champion:"No, she set me on fire."

Seneschal:"The Supreme General won't like that."

Diehard:"Bah! Let fraulin Phoenix die on zis island! Ve have Striker,
         und zat is more important to ze Surpeme General! Get on ze
         ship, Champion! Ve're leaving!"

Champion nods and runs down to the ship, while Diehard and Seneschal
oversee their troops' retreat. Once sufficient numbers have gotten
onto the LST's and choppers, Diehard and Seneschal give the orders
to depart. The two generals run down the dock to the ship and get
onboard. Minutes later the ship pulls away from the dock, while the
choppers take off and fly away and the LST's get into the wait and
travel the same direction on the waters. A few soldiers who straggled
are left stranded on the beach to watch as their comrades flee the
island without them. Back in the city the shelling has stopped.

Sacrifical Altar
Temple Pyramid
11:38 PM:

The room is in shambles. A shell had smashed through the ceiling and
struck the base of the big statue. It had toppled and now lay in a
heap of rubble on the floor. The altar is a crushed heap, with all
the torture tools and equipment lying scattered around it. Phoenix
comes into the room, sniffing around.

Phoenix:"Striker's scent is here."

She goes to the altar, where his scent is strongest. She sees patches
of his fur and a few blood spots here and there. Her eyes widen in
realization.

Phoenix:"They tortured him! Those..."

Phoenix looks around frantically, sniffing the air.

Phoenix:"But he's not here. They must have taken him away. I got to
         find! I wasted enough time getting out of the catacombs."

She turns around and runs back to the entrance. But as she approaches
it, a large group of KH Military Battle and Flame Troopers rush in,
followed behind by Medical Troopers. Phoenix stops in her tracks as
the troopers all spot her. She aims her AK-74 at them, while they
aim their KH-50s and Argon flamethrowers at her.

Troopers:"Freeze! Hold it right there!"

A stand-off ensues, but Phoenix can clearly see she is outnumbered.
Some of the troopers move behind their comrades to surround Phoenix
and aim their weapons at her. At that moment Wing comes into the
room, wearing his Covert Trooper uniform and carrying his canister
rifle. He looks at Phoenix.

Wing:"Well now. Phoenix. I'd have figured Champion would have done
      you in by now."

Phoenix says nothing, but instead growls softly at Wing. Wing ignores
her growls.

Wing:"Drop your weapon. We have you surrounded and have blocked off
      the only exit from this room. You don't want this to get ugly,
      do you?"

Phoenix looks around her, then sighs and puts the AK down. A battle
trooper grabs it and tosses it away. Two more battle troopers come
up to Phoenix and grab her arms, but she does not resist. She does
maintain a defiant look on her face. Wing comes up to her.

Wing:"So? Where is Diehard and the others?"

Phoenix:"I know nothing."

Wing:"The few soldiers we caught said him was in this pyramid with
      your Striker and some of the most important individuals in
      the Elite Guard. Surely, you being dressed like that, would
      know something."

Phoenix:"I know nothing. Where is Striker?"

Wing:"How should I know? Probably taken away by Diehard and his
      lackeys. Lying in a ditch on the island. A floating corpse in 
      the ocean. Or being tortured. I don't care. We want Franco's
      officers."

Wing shrugs.

Wing:"Maybe we'll get some important information from the Elite
      Guard soldiers we have captured. As for you, you are now our
      prisoner."

Wing turns to the troopers holding Phoenix.

Wing:"Take her back to the ships."

Troopers:"Yes, sir!"

Wing:"The rest of you search this pyramid up and down. Every crack
      and hole! Move it!"

The troopers all disperse and begin to search the temple. Phoenix
lets her get escorted out of the room.

City Ruins
Tropical Archipelago
11:43 PM:

Much of the city's ancient ruins are in even worse shape from the
shelling. Fires are still burning here and there, mostly from the
wreckages of LST's and choppers that did not manage to escape. There
is also sporadic gunfire as the stranded Elite Guard soldiers try to
make a last stand against the KH Military troopers pouring into the
city from the Hover Landing Craft deployed by the battlecruisers
sitting off-shore. But the troopers have already managed to capture
themselves a significant number of prisoners. These prisoners are
marched to the festival square in the centre of the city. Phoenix
is being marched towards the square by her battle trooper captors.
She seems to be concentrating on something. Suddenly gunfire erupts
very close by. The troopers' attention turns away to the source of
the shooting. Phoenix suddenly reveals what she had been concentrating
on: a flash of fire erupts from her body. The battle troopers all
duck and jump for cover. Phoenix takes her chance and darts into an
alley. The troopers quickly recover and see her escape.

Trooper:"Halt!"

The trooper rush after her, opening fire. But Phoenix quickly darts
into a corner to avoid the bullets. She runs as fast as she can,
heading for the jungle. Along the way she dodges patrols, Elite Guard
soldiers and KH troopers shooting at each other, and KH troopers with
prisoners. Finally she comes to the jungle and quickly runs into the
bushes. Behind her the battle troopers fire at her, but their bullets
only manage to shoot the bark off trees and the leaves off bushes.

Trooper:"Into the jungle! Spread out and find her!"

The troopers split up and each heads into the jungle in the general
direction Phoenix went.

Stealth Ship
30 Kilometers From Tropical Archipelago
11:56 PM:

The Stealth Ship is silently cutting its way through the ocean waves
as it flees the island. As it passes through other islands, the
flames from the island it had come from creates an orange glow in
the distance. Crew members are going about their duties while also
keeping an eye out for pursuit by the KH Military. Inside the
ship's infirmary Striker has been placed on a surgery table under
the guard of Raul and Spectre and some Alpha Soldiers. Striker is
not trapped down, but he too injured and in pain to move. A few
minutes later Diehard, Seneschal and Champion. As Diehard comes up
to the table, Striker glances at him.

Diehard:"You still alive? Guht. Ve can resume ze torture."

Striker:"W-w-why don't you just kill me and get it over with?"

Diehard:"Oh, you do not understand. Ve must first punish you for
         vat you did to ze Surpeme General, ja?"

Diehard gestures to Champion.

Diehard:"Champion here has return und he vill tell you about ze fun
         he had with fraulin Phoenix."

Champion:"What fun? That b**** got away from me before I could even
          have my fun."

Seneschal turns in anger to Champion.

Seneschal:"But Striker doesn't know that! Or didn't know before you
           just told him, you blockhead!"

Champion realizes his mistake.

Champion:"Oh, right. Oops."

Seneschal:"Oops? Oops? Is that all you can say?"

Striker smiles with relief, feeling more relaxed and mumbling a prayer
of thanks. Diehard sighs in frustration and turns back to Striker.

Diehard:"Champion's idiocy aside, ve have ozer vays of hurting you."

Diehard goes to a nearby trolley and picks up a surgical scalpel. He
comes back to Striker, then looks at the soldiers.

Diehard:"Hold him down."

Soldiers:"Yes, sir."

The soldiers come up and grab Striker's arms and legs, even though
the spaniel is making no attempt to resist. Raul gets out the DVD
recorder and begins to tape the scene. Diehard grabs Striker's chin 
and holds his head steady. He starts to bring the sharp point of the 
scalpel to Striker's one eye. Suddenly a whistling noise echoes in
the silence, followed by the loud sound of a splash. It is immediately
followed by a second whistle and splash. Everyone looks about.

Champion:"What's that sound?"

Spectre:"Sounds like artillery shells!"

A soldier stumbles into the infirmary and runs up to Diehard.

Soldier:"Sir! We're under attack!"

Diehard:"Kruziturcken! From whom? The traitors?"

Soldier:"No, sir! This is a human fleet!"

Diehard drops the scalpel and runs out of the infirmary, followed by
Seneschal and Spectre. Raul and Champion watch them go, then look at
each other.

Raul:"Do we continue the torture?"

Champion:"Hey, why not? The bosses will be busy."

Champion picks up the scalpel and goes to Striker. Suddenly the ship
shakes violently from the impact of a shell on the ship. Everyone is
knocked off their feet, while Striker is tossed off the table. Loose
items fall to the floor. Raul, Champion and the soldiers get back up,
but Striker remains lying on the floor.

Champion:"What the h*** was that?"

Raul:"This is much more serious than we thought! Come on!"

Raul runs out of the infirmary, but Champion looks at the soldiers
while pointing at Striker.

Champion:"Keep an eye on him!"

Champion runs out after Raul. The soldiers ready their AKs, keeping
a close eye on Striker, who remains lying on the floor, groaning in
pain. Back on deck, crewmembers are trying to put a fire on the
rear of the ship. Diehard, Seneschal and Spectre join the captain
on the bridge.

Diehard:"Who is shooting at us?"

The captain paws a pair of binoculars to Diehard and points to the
right. Diehard looks that way with the binoculars. He can clearly
see the South African corvettes coming towards them, firing their
forward guns at them. Seneschal and Spectre also see the lights of
the ships.

Diehard:"Vat is ze meaning of zis? Who are zey?"

Captain:"They're South African warships, General."

Seneschal:"South African?" What are South African ships doing so far
           away from their country?"

Spectre:"I think I know. They might be after Striker."

Diehard lowers the binoculars and turns to the captain.

Diehard:"How did zey see us?"

Captain:"They must have waited in a bay of the one the islands for
         us."

Seneschal:"But this is a stealth ship! How could they have seen us?"

Captain:"General, this ship is not invisible to the naked eyes. They
         could have had lookouts who might have spotted us."

Diehard:"Get us out of here! Schnell!"

Captain:"Aye, general!"

The captain barks out his orders and the crew scurry about to have
those orders carried out. Diehard, Seneschal and Spectre head outside
as the Stealth Ship turns away from the corvettes. They keep their
eyes on the fleet following them. The corvettes fire another salvo
at them. The shells splash harmlessly alongside the ship, though one
close shell splashes water onto the deck, drenching the three wolf-
sapiens. Spectre is really concerned.

Spectre:"Sirs, we might need to contemplate abandoning the ship and
         using the life submarine to get out of here."

Seneschal turns quickly to Spectre, growling in anger.

Seneschal:"Abandon ship? You mad? This ship cost a great deal of
           money! We cannot afford to lose even one!"

Spectre stares at Seneschal, then shakes his head and looks back at
the pursuing fleet. The fleet keeps on firing, but their shells are
falling more and more short of their mark. It is becoming clear that
the Stealth Ship is pulling away from its pursuers.

Diehard:"Ach. Ve are getting away from zem."

Seneschal:"I agree, General. And you wanted to jump ship at the first
           shot, Spectre."

Spectre doesn't respond, still watching the fleet behind falling more
and more behind. The corvettes keep on firing in the hope of getting
a lucky hit. One ship does. The shell misses the deck, but the angle
at which it hits water makes it strike the ship's propellers. The
is a big explosion at the back that makes the ship lurch forward.
Everyone grabs hold of something solid as the ship steadies itself
again. The ship levels out, but it has slowed down significantly.
This does not go unnoticed by the three wolf-sapiens.

Seneschal:"What the? We're slowing down!"

Diehard runs into the bridge and goes to the captain, who is on the
intercom and getting a damage report. Once the captain is done he
turns to Diehard.

Diehard:"Vell? How bad?"

Captain:"Very bad. According to engineering, we may have lost three
         of our four screws. At best, we can only move at 1/3 our
         top speed."

Diehard:"Himmel! That is too slow!"

Captain:"Aye, it is."

Suddenly a shell hits the ship. Everyone is almost knocked off their
feet from the violent impact and detonation of the shell. More shells
splash in the water, far too close for comfort. Spectre and Seneschal
come into the bridge.

Spectre:"Sacre bleu! General, we are dead if we stay on the ship! We
         must abandon ship!"

Seneschal:"Nonsense! The crew can fix this ship can't they, captain?"

Captain:"Aye, general, but they would need at least an hour."

Seneschal:"An hour?? In an hour we'll be sleeping with the fish!"

The ship shakes violently again as another shells hits home. Spectre
and some of the crew are knocked to the floor, but Diehard, Seneschal
and the captain remain standing. The intercom buzzes and the captain
goes to answer it.

Captain(into com):"This is the captain."

Voice(over com):"Captain! We're hit below the waterline! We are 
     taking on water! Fast!"
          
Captain(into com):"Can you fix the leak?"

Voice(over com):"Not a chance, captain! This needs a dry-dock!"

Yet another shell hits the ship, causing another violent shake and
explosion on the decks.

Captain(into com):"Get your furry butts out of there and head to the 
       escape sub!"

Voice(over com):"Immediately, captain!"

As the captain comes up from the intercom, Seneschal is flabber-
gasted.

Seneschal:"You're just jumping ship because of some water?"

Diehard:"Iz it zat bad, herr captain?"

Captain:"Afraid so, general. I would have my crew try and fix the
         hole, but we are under hostile. I have no recommendation
         but to abandon ship."

Seneschal:"This is crazy! This is just a bunch of humans!"

Diehard:"Nein, ze captain is right. Ve are getting out of here.
         Give ze order to abandon ze the ship."

Captain:"Aye, general."

As the captain goes to the intercom, Seneschal looks at Diehard.

Seneschal:"What about Striker?"

Diehard:"Bah! Let zat schreinhumf go to herr Davy Jones. And if
         he should survive, zen ze South Africans vill take care
         of him. Let's go to ze sub, ja?"

Seneschal doesn't argue with Diehard and the two generals quickly
leave the bridge, followed closely behind by Spectre. The captain
goes on the intercom and sends out a ship-wide message.

Captain(over intercom):"All crews, this is the captain. Leave your
       posts and head to the submarine. I repeat: abandon ship now. 
       Abandon ship and go to the sub."

Down in the infirmary the soldiers hear the message. They look at
Striker, who is still lying on the floor, and then decide to leave
him there. They quickly run out of the infirmary. Striker hears them
leave and tries to get up. He grabs hold of the table and groans as
he tries to pull himself up. The ship is beginning to list to the
rear. Inside the front of the ship in a compartment, the crew is busy 
climbing into the escape submarine. It looks like a scientific 
exploration sub, though it is certainly much bigger and has two 
torpedoes fitted to the sides. Diehard and Seneschal are among the
first to climb in, followed by Spectre and the captain. Next come
the ship's crew and the soldiers. Among the latest ones who climb
into the submarine are Champion and Raul. Soon only two crewmembers
are not in the sub, but rather at control terminals above the sub's
dock. The hit a few buttons, then rush down to board the sub. As
they do this, a hatch opens in the bottom of the ship. Water also
begins to flood the dock. As soon as the submarine's hatch is closed
the water rises enough to float the submarine. The sub's engines
comes to life. It goes into the water, dives under and steers away
from the stricken and dying ship, heading into the darkness of the
ocean. Back at the infirmary, Striker had managed to get back onto
his feet. He is standing a bit uneasy and obviously in a lot of pain.

Striker:"Must get... off... this ship... must not drown... Phoenix..."

Another shell hits the ship again and it lurches violently to one
side. Striker grabs a medicine cabinet to avoid falling. The contents
of the cabinet spill out onto the floor, scattering pills and bottles
all over the floor. A gurgling noise gets Striker's attention. He
looks and sees sea water flowing through the door.

Striker:"Ai yai... eina... yai..."

He makes his way to the door. When he gets to it, he is already up to
his knees in water. The ship is sinking rapidly by the rear. Striker
takes hold of the railings and starts to climb to the front. He does
not see that the South African fleet had stopped their shelling and
were approaching the sinking Stealth Ship. The front of the ship is
lifting up out of the water and into the air. Striker now uses the
railings as a ladder the more vertical the ship goes. He gets to the
top and looks down. The water is rushing over the superstructure of
the ship and flooding the bridge.

Striker:"If I stay... I'll be... sucked down... with... the ship."

He gathers all his strength, then jumps as far as he can from the
railings into the water. Once he splashes into the water, he tries
to swim away from the ship. The nose of the ship remains above the
surface for only a few seconds before it goes under in a cloud of
bubbles. Striker struggles to swim, his muscles in pain and his body
exhausted. Soon he is forced to doggy paddle, but even then he is
fighting to keep his head above the water.

Striker:"Nee... Phoenix... Nee..."

Suddenly a life preserver on a rope lands right by him. Striker does
not waste time in grabbing it and wrapping his arms tightly around 
the life preserver. As he clings to it, the rope is pulled and Striker
is reeled in towards one of the South African corvettes. He looks up 
and sees the crew looking down at him, holding rifles in their hands. 
The last thing he sees before passing out is the corvette's name on
the hull: SAS Amatola.

Jungles
Tropical Archipelago
12:24 AM:

The jungle plants grow thickly throughout much of the island. Nocturnal
birds and animals can be heard amongst the trees and bushes in the
darkness. Phoenix is still running through the jungles, trying to
avoid the pursuing KH battle troopers. Behind her she can hear their
shouts and orders.

Phoenix:"Still can't shake them off my tail. Better think of a new
         plan, faster!"

She spots a hollowed-out tree trunk lying on the ground and runs to it.
She kneels down and climbs into the trunk, just squeezing in. Phoenix
keeps still and listens as the voices come closer. Looking through
the hollow she can see the feet of the Battle Troopers as they run
past. Suddenly she feels one trooper standing on the trunk right
above her. She groans softly from the weight of the trooper on top
of her. Phoenix then hears the trooper talking to another.

Trooper 1:"Can you see her?"

Trooper 2:"Negative. From where I'm standing she could be on the
           other side of the island by now."

Trooper 1:"Well, we can stop searching for her. Commander Wing has
           sent out the order for us to pull out and pursue the
           rest of the fleeing Elite Guard forces."

Trooper 2:"Have the others managed to catch Diehard?"

Trooper 1:"From what I heard, old Diehard and his lackeys ran afoul
           of a fleet of South African corvettes that pounced on his 
           ship as he tried to flee."
           
Trooper 2:"South Africans? What are they doing here?"

Trooper 1:"Who cares? The thing is they sank Diehard's ride. Intel
           says they only saw one survivor who got picked up by the
           corvettes."

Trooper 2:"Who was it?"

Trooper 1:"Would you believe that it was Striker?"

Phoenix nearly gasps, but keeps her muzzle shut. Her ears perk up
even more.

Trooper 2:"Striker? Heheh. Poor b****rd. First the Elite Guard, and
           now the South Africans. I hear the South African president
           wants his head on a stake."

Trooper 1:"No skin off our noses. Come on. Let's get back to the
           others before we are left behind."

Trooper 2:"Okay, I'm coming."

The trooper climbs off the trunk, easing the pressure on Phoenix a
little bit.

Trooper 2:"All squads! We're heading back to the ships! Pronto!"

Shouts of acknowledgement echo through the jungles, followed by
running footsteps that soon fade away. Phoenix listens for a while
until she is sure they are gone. She breathes a sigh of relief, but
a minute later she breaks down in tears.

Phoenix(crying):"Oh, Striker... this was supposed to be the best
       night of our lives!.... Not this... I am so sorry I couldn't
       save you... sorry..."

She keeps crying. After the storm of weeping passes, she pulls her-
self together and wipes the tears away.

Phoenix:"No, Phoenix. Pull yourself together. Striker is in danger
         and you are the only one who can help him now. You must
         get hold of the others."

Phoenix crawls out of the log, looking around to make sure the
troopers are not waiting around for her. Once she sees the coast
is clear, she starts to run back to the ruined city.

Office of the President
Union Buildings
Pretoria
South Africa
5:37 PM:

This is the decorated office of South African president Adriaan
Vorster. It has fine wooden furniture and walls that shine with
wood polish. A big desk stands in front of a window that looks
over the gardens of the Union Buildings. Hanging on the walls are
photographs of presidents from Nelson Mandela to Adriaan Vorster.
The South African flag flanks either side of the desk. Vorster is
here right now packing important files and documents into his
suitcase before leaving for home. The phone on his desk rings. He
picks up the receiver and answers.

Vorster(into phone):"This is Vorster... Ah, Commander Matabula. I
       take it you have news of our fleet?... Ja?..."

Vorster becomes more and more excited as he listens.

Vorster(into phone):"Really?... You are certain it is him?... That's
       excellent! Well done! How soon will they will back?... Within
       a week? Goed so. Be sure to notify me directly when they are
       back in Simonstown... Dankie, Commander. And be sure to send
       my congratulations to the fleet's crews... Good. Goodbye."

He puts the phone down, then claps his hands together. He is very
pleased.

Vorster:"At last! The murderer of my family is in my custody. This
         is the best day of my life. If that anonymous fellow calls
         again I should thank him for the information on capturing
         Striker."

He suddenly gets an idea. He picks up the telephone and dials a
number. He waits until it is answer.

Vorster(into phone):"Hello, is the SABC? Ah, Tshopo, it's you. This
       is Vorster. I got a story for your news bulletins tonight."

He begins to tell Tshopo about Striker's capture.

City Ruins
Tropical Archipelago
1:02 AM:

The city is quiet now, the only sound begin the crackling of a few
fires still burning here and there. Much of the city has been badly
damaged by the shelling. The pyramid now boasts several large holes
in it. The burning hulks of Khan Choppers and LSTs are scattered
about. Down at the beach, Phoenix is busy putting up a transmitter
using equipment left behind by the fleeting Elite Guard or scavenged
from the damaged vehicles. Phoenix connects the wires together and
rubs her eyes.

Phoenix:"There. Now to set the transmitter to our frequency."

She turns the dial on a radio, seeking the right frequency. Once she
finds it, her paws go to a beacon attached to the radio.

Phoenix:"I hope this works."

She pushes a button the beacon. The beacon starts to beep and the
transmitter begins to broadcast the beacon's signal. Phoenix breathes
out in relief.

Phoenix:"Great. I was worried that this wouldn't work. I don't really
         have technical expertise like the others."

She yawns loudly and gets up.

Phoenix:"I'm so tired. Guess I'd better tuck in."

She gets into a nearby building. Minutes later she comes back carrying
some tent sails. She spreads them on the sand next to the transmitter,
then lies down and curls up in another sail. She bundles up another
to use it as a pillow. She looks at the open ocean.

Phoenix:"Striker... I'll find you... I promise."

A single tear rolls down her cheek. Phoenix then closes her eyes and
goes to sleep. The transmitter keeps up with the broadcasting of the
beacon's signal. Disaster has now struck Striker and Phoenix on their
honeymoon, with the return of Franco and his Elite Guard and the
capture of Striker by the South African government of Adriaan Vorster.
Can Phoenix be able to get hold of the others to rescue Striker? What
is the Elite Guard going to do next? And what fate awaits Striker as
a prisoner of the Vorster administration in South Africa?


THE END