Mini-Grand 5106 [SUDDEN DEATH]

Originally posted on MSPA by Ixcalibur.

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"Attention, this is Detective Pascal DuMont of the Corona Cabana branch of the Allied Lands police force. I am calling to report a Code 5106 in progress. This is incredibly urgent, I believe we may be on the final round, please hurry."

The message crackled out from a massive silver machine covered in neon panels and flashing lights. There were holographic interfaces and more switches and dials than can really have been necessary. It looked like something dreamt up by a bad scifi writer. Clustered around it were a group of people in helmets and brightly coloured jumpsuits. Captain Photon Laserox of the Space Police was the exception, having the honour of wearing the golden jumpsuit, and with no helmet his magnificent black quaff of hair was free to be seen by all.

"While I don't understand this man's peculiar vernacular, it is clear to me that a CRIME is being committed!" He hammily announced, posing with his fist held in the air in front of him. His faceless lieutenants nodded in agreement.

"I'll ready the Quantum Warp Jump Drive." The navigator said from his console, he began to frantically hammer at the buttons in a manner that to the untrained eye looked as though he had absolutely no idea what any of them did. Captain Photon did the same on the machine that had played Pascal's message.

"Fear not Detective Pascal DuMont!" Captain Photon announced. "For I am Captain Photon Laserox and I will save you from those nefarious Thundergods, if it is the last thing I do!"

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As Pascal messed around with the radio, Zafira couldn't help but notice a commotion going on in the corridor outside the communication suite. It was not without a considerable amount of complaining that she managed to pull him over to the doorway so she could peer through the reinforced glass panels. Outside she could see white suited henchmen stumbling through the corridors, the same vacant look in their eyes as had been present in Pascal's throughout the last round. Zafira's mind raced. It had to be Ataya's song.

Fortunately the communications suite was soundproofed; probably the only thing preventing Pascal from reverting back from a reasonably useful and intelligent member of the team to a drooling moron incapable of thoughts more complicated than 'I like naked women/I really want to drink something that will make me the mindless slave of an evil bitch'. Zaffy never even took the time to contemplate what precisely Ataya might be having the Thundertower henchmen drink, and it was probably for the best. Pascal fiddled with the radio, trying to get a better signal. He'd sent out a message but he had no idea if anyone had received it, and he certainly hadn't received any incredibly overwrought responses.

"Here." Zafira said, handing him a pair of headphones. They were thick black ones that covered the ear entirely. "Put these on, they should block out Ataya's song." Pascal glanced up from his endeavours and with a glance into the corridor was forced to admit that yes these were probably going to be necessary.

"You sure that will be enough?" Pascal asked. Zafira looked thoughtful for a moment and produced an iPod preloaded with all the chix' songs.

"I recommend ‘Because (We're Friends)’." Zaffy said, as she clicked the headphones into the iPod. After a minute or two of fussing around trying to find a song he could actually stand to listen to ("Ain't no party like a Sparkklechix Party?"), Pascal and Zafira pushed open the soundproof doors and following the throng of entranced henchmen.

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Forcibly muted, her hands locked behind her back and about to be attacked by a swarm of evil looking spiders, Mindy was not having a good time. She kicked Debbie in a desperate effort to get her attention.

"Look I said I'm sorry." Debbie said. "There's really no need to resort to violence." Mindy rolled her eyes and kicked Debbie again, more forcefully this time. "What is it?!" she exclaimed, as she wheeled around to face Mindy and the advancing wall of spiders. "Oh." she said meekly. Mindy stared at her, the panicked look in her eyes clearly indicating that she had no idea what to do and was rather desperately hoping that Debbie did. It was a good thing that they'd known each other as long as they had, otherwise the subtle nuances of such a panicked look might have been lost.

"I've got this." Debbie said, pushing Mindy around behind her and facing the chittering crowd of spiders. She flicked through the book, as they creeped ever closer. "you can do this you can do this you can do this..." she muttered to herself desperately, a sort of mantra, focusing her upon the task at hand. "Yer a wizard Debbie." she desperately tried to reassure herself. She spotted a fire spell, and without hesitating she read out the words, which had rather helpfully been spelt phonetically, her other hand outstretched at the spider horde.

Nothing.

For a moment.

Then,

FIRE

BURNING FIRE

SCORCHING FIRE

IT BURNT RED HOT IN THE EYES OF THE SPIDERS

THEIR SOULS GRIPPED BY THE RED HOT FURY FOUND ONLY IN THE HEART OF THE INFERNO

THEIR BODIES AFLAME, BUT UNHARMED

THEY WERE FIRE

Mindy's eyes narrowed in a manner that if Debbie had been looking, would have conveyed irritation that somehow Debbie had managed to turn a horde of giant spiders into a horde of flaming giant flaming demon spiders from Hell. It said 'Nice work Debbie'.

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Zafira and Pascal followed the crowd of henchmen out of the main section of the building, and to the catwalks where they had arrived in this insane place. Clearly visible amongst the throng was Ataya, naked and damp and singing. She did not look quite as cocky as she had done during the previous round, though she appeared to be coping reasonably well with the loss of her river. For a moment they couldn't see Sara amongst the throng of henchmen, a couple of who had stripped off their white suits and masks, but still carried their lightning rifles. Then it became apparent what they were drinking from, the body of a woman with long black hair. Though they could not tell at such a distance she was still alive, just about.

Sara was a fighter, she was fighting to keep her eyes open, to keep her blood flowing for her mistress. She was barely even aware of the mouths that pressed against her open wounds, lapping up her blood as if it was water. There was no pain. There was only Ataya.

It was only Pascal's hand over her mouth that stopped Zafira from screaming.

--------

Suddenly in the inky black sky that surrounded the Thundertower, a flotilla of spaceships materialised.

"Attention Thundertower, this is Captain Photon Laserox of the Space Police." The Captain announced via some kind of space age loudhailer. "You are probably committing a CRIME! Prepare to be boarded!"