The Salvation War: Pantheocide. Part Eighty One Up

[Shroom Man 777]

ESPECIALLY when they've got so many TLAs* for that.

*Three Letter Acronyms

[Kie99]

Yitzchak heard Ben-Shoshan give a sight of relief. "Good, now we'll find out what's going on. Give him a wave as he passes overhead. Then get below and see if you can raise him on the radio."

Presumably that should be a sigh of relief, rather than sight.

I don't post much on here but I'm loving this piece of fiction, keep up the good work mate.

[tortieconspiracy]

I would've thought the FIRST strategic weapon would have been a flashlight to knock out the American attache with the launch codes to all the US missiles stationed in Britain so they could launch without our say-so.

That's the ten-pound wrench. Remember the first rule of hitting things; don't tap it, thump it.

I dunno; it seems to me that a 5 D-Cell Maglite is the moral equivalent of a ten-pound wrench. Have you ever handled one of those things? And apparently there's a 6 D-Cell version which seems like overkill to me. (link not to manufacturer website due to Norton having a freak-fit about security issues).

[JBG]

Hah! I knew it!

The military uses a lot of code-words, but it seems to me that when you get into the mindset, most of them are visibly related to the things they're codes for. The exceptions are mostly being used in complicated situations where people are too busy concentrating to figure out long sentences. Thus "Fox Two" instead of "I just fired a heat-seeking missile."

There's no reason to use "green" or "gray" as codes for various aircraft types.

When I first read "green" I thought that it was a simple quadrant indication system as used previously, ie for a snap report. Each of the quadrants have a colour so one can quickly infer roughly from where the threat is coming before refining the alert with a more exact bearing.

Then two full stops later, same line, an exact bearing was provided! So, confused, I then just went with the flow!

Anyway, if shouting into the intercom between the top of the sail and the CIC I don't see the need for "codes" as there is no transmission outside the sub. So, it's a bomber, a fighter, an MPA or a helo etc.

[Panaka]

That sub can count itself lucky that the B-25 is a glass nose version and that it wasn't carrying anything in that bomb bay. There is a version of the B-25 with a 75mm in the nose. There's a video on the net somewhere where a flight of them is shown attacking a Japanese base. They start firing at 3 miles out. Wonder if that gun could punch holes in a modern subs hull.

Regarding the old warbirds getting pressed into training service. There is a B-25 in Holland somewhere and a PBY, Constellation, DC-2 and I think a DC-3 at Lelystad airport as part of a museum, all in flying condition. Would those be used for training as well?

Anyway, a somewhat of topic question that I've been wondering about since the comment about how hard it is to pick up German build subs. I was wondering about the Dutch boats in service, as I remember one got hunted for after an emergency flare was seen in its sector during a NATO exercise a few years back. It hadn't fired the flare and thought it was being hunted. It wasn't found until it surfaced at the scheduled end of the exercise. So the question for those in the know is: How quiet are the Dutch subs.

edit: got rid of a few spelling errors

[Stuart]

That sub can count itself lucky, bith that the B-25 is a glass nose version and that it wasn't carying anything in that bomb bay. There is a version of the B-25 with a 75mm in the nose. There's a video on the net somewhere where a flight of them is shown attacking a japanese base. They start firing at 3 miles out. Wonder if that gun could punch holes in a modern subs hull.

I was SO tempted to make the B-25 a B-25H (the one with the 75mm gun in the nose). Yes, it would punch holes in the pressure hull. I resisted temptation thought, the idea of the crew being a bunch of newbies fresh out of training school was much tastier. That more or less compelled the selection of a glazed-nose aircraft.

Regarding the old warbirds getting pressed into training service. There is a B-25 in Holland somewhere and a PBY, Constellation, DC-2 and I think a DC-3 at Lelystad airport as part of a museum, all in flying condition. Would those be used for training as well?

In the early days after The Message, anything that was flyable got taken back into service while museums worldwide were ransacked for exhibits that could be returned to flying (or sailing or drivable) condition. Even aircraft that weren't flyable found a use in testing and experimental roles 9for example, evaluating protective paint for use in Hell). Ships and armored vehicles likewise. There are Home Defense Army units with (for example) Churchills and Centurions in the UK, T-34s and a handful of KV-1s (found in a disused depot) in Russia, I'll bet a German unit somewhere has a Panther or a Tiger or two. This is, by the way, certainly doctrine in the USA; a lot of military exhibits are actually still owned by their respective armed service and, in theory at least, can be reclaimed. Mobilization plans involve them being recovered.

So, yes, all the aircraft you list will be in service doing something important. It might well be that with modern airliners impressed into military service, the DC-3 and DC-2 are back to carrying passengers again.

Anyway, a somewhat of topic question that I've been wondering about since the comment about how hard it is to pick up German build subs. I was wondering about the Dutch boats in service, as I remember one got hunted for after an emergency flare was seen in its sector during a NATO excersise a few years back. It hadn't fired the flare and thought it was being hunted. It wasn't found until it surfaced at the scheduled end of the excersise. So the question for those in the know is: How quiet are the Dutch subs.

Not bad for their era (1980s). Not up to modern standards but the Walrus's are still pretty good boats.

[JN1]

Many of the RAC Tank Museum's exhibits are operational, so we could see Home Based UK units with Conquerors, Chieftains, Cromwells and even Mark IVs.
Pity there aren't any Tste Mosquitos left.

[Erra]

First post, de lurk.

I found The Salvation War through tvtropes (of course) and have thoroughly enjoyed both armageddon and what there is so far of pantheocide. Huge props to the author and everyone who's helped out on the series. I'm totally addicted, can't wait for more!

Out of idle curiosity, has Stuart thought of getting the whole series published? I think it could sell really well, and I know I'd love to have a copy. My apologies if this has been discussed before. I've only really read the "cleaned up" version of the books and have thus missed most of the discussion (there is a LOT of it). So if this has been talked about before, don't mind me, just being the resident noob.

Anyway, once again, awesome books, can't wait for more.

[Simon_Jester]

In the early days after The Message, anything that was flyable got taken back into service while museums worldwide were ransacked for exhibits that could be returned to flying (or sailing or drivable) condition. Even aircraft that weren't flyable found a use in testing and experimental roles 9for example, evaluating protective paint for use in Hell). Ships and armored vehicles likewise. There are Home Defense Army units with (for example) Churchills and Centurions in the UK, T-34s and a handful of KV-1s (found in a disused depot) in Russia, I'll bet a German unit somewhere has a Panther or a Tiger or two. This is, by the way, certainly doctrine in the USA; a lot of military exhibits are actually still owned by their respective armed service and, in theory at least, can be reclaimed. Mobilization plans involve them being recovered.

The question, for me, is how far back this goes. At some point, trying to recover museum pieces becomes more trouble than it's worth.

From my amateur perspective, that point depends on:
-How many are left in running or near-running condition
-Whether they play a useful role (as trainers or experimental craft if not in combat).
-Whether the role can be filled more efficiently by building something new
-Whether it's practical to find or make spare parts

Thus, it seems very plausible that the Russians have enough functional or near-functional T-34s around that it's worth the effort of restoring a batch of them and using them for something- as trainers to free up more modern tanks, if nothing else. The parts will still be available (by cannibalizing the less functional ones, if nothing else).

But on the other hand, it probably does not make sense to dig the sole surviving A7V out of the Queensland Museum, since it is not particularly useful for any purpose. The thing is such a gigantic useless clunking beast, so primitive compared to modern or even semi-modern designs, that I doubt it's worth bothering with even as a trainer. And, of course, there's no way that anyone has spare parts for an A7V kicking around; you'd have to make them from scratch, and if you have the capability to do that you might as well just build a better tank in the first place.

[JN1]

Out of idle curiosity, has Stuart thought of getting the whole series published? I think it could sell really well, and I know I'd love to have a copy. My apologies if this has been discussed before.

Armaggedon will probably be published in 'dead tree' form fairly soon. I would expect Stu to make an announcement when it is ready. Pantheocide and The Lords of War (which will follow this story) will be published sometime in the future.
No need to apologise, IMVHO anyway.

Thus, it seems very plausible that the Russians have enough functional or near-functional T-34s around that it's worth the effort of restoring a batch of them and using them for something- as trainers to free up more modern tanks, if nothing else. The parts will still be available (by cannibalizing the less functional ones, if nothing else).

But on the other hand, it probably does not make sense to dig the sole surviving A7V out of the Queensland Museum, since it is not particularly useful for any purpose.

There are rumors that the Russians still have warehouses full of stored T-34/85s. I don't know whether that is true, or not, however what is true is that as recently as the '70s and '80s the Soviets were still supplying allies in the Third World with T-34s.

On a related note to the A7V back in '42 when Australia was under threat from Japanese invasion a great many captured German Maxim machine-guns from WW1 were taken out of museums and rechambered for .303in.

[Simon_Jester]

There are rumors that the Russians still have warehouses full of stored T-34/85s. I don't know whether that is true, or not, however what is true is that as recently as the '70s and '80s the Soviets were still supplying allies in the Third World with T-34s.

As I said, I wouldn't be surprised. Granted, they have negligible resistance to modern antitank weapons, but they're still bulletproof, artillery-resistant, and they carry decent sized guns.

On a related note to the A7V back in '42 when Australia was under threat from Japanese invasion a great many captured German Maxim machine-guns from WW1 were taken out of museums and rechambered for .303in.

That's a whole different story, though. First, because the guns were only thirty years old or so at the time. Second, because the basic Maxim gun design was very widely used throughout the world during the early 20th century, so that parts would be easier to come by. Third, because the Maxim '08 was still capable enough to be effective, compared to other, more modern machine guns. It was worth breaking them out of storage, even if they had to be rechambered in .303.

But if Australia had a war all of a sudden right now, I find it hard to imagine them doing the same thing. I'd think that the resources invested in refurbishing (let alone rechambering) a large number of WWI Maxim guns would be far better spent on more modern GPMGs that are lighter and deadlier.

So what I'm interested in is the question:
What's the cutoff point? When does the military judge that it isn't worth the effort to salvage a museum piece because it's too old and inferior to justify the effort of getting it back into service?

[Andehtron]

Hello!

First time poster, drawn here by The Salvation War stories.

One of the things Ive liked about these stories is the old kit pressed into service and a question lurks in my mind. I live fairly close to Imperial War Museum at Duxford airfield UK, they have the American Air Museum hanger including a B-52D, F-111 a USN F4J an F-15, A-10, SR-71 and a B-29. I assume these would have been given back to the USAF, but would this be the case elsewhere? Or would the country in which the museum reside press them into service?
Keep up the good work!

[w34v0r]

Hey, just spent the last three days reading the entire series up to chapter 50.
GREAT WORK! Keep it up!

I do have a few issues with it, that I'd like to address.

1. In the very beginning of the first book, you seem to completely leave out Al Asad Air Base. In 2008, it would have been swarming with Marines with a small AF squadron to run the flightline, though even most of that was still Marine run.
I would know, I was there. Still am, actually.

ps - Thanks for giving me the willies as the location of the Hellmouth is pretty much within walking distance from where I live.

2. Now, this I suppose is more personal, but I highly doubt the AF would crank out more F22's instead of relying on older, cheaper, models.

3. In chapter 41 of the second book, you mention an AF Sergeant. There is no such rank, I'm afraid. There are Staff Sergeants, Tech(nical) Sergeants, Master Sergeants, and so on. Doing grunt work like that, I would assume Staff Sergeant, or even Senior Airman as possible ranks. Also, no AF member I've met has ever called an Officer anything more than their rank.

Hope I helped some. I look forward to the next chapters. I really like the cat and mouse games being played out. It's more chess to the boxing of the last book.

ps - You need to publish this when you finish it. It's a masterpiece.

[Simon_Jester]

One of the things Ive liked about these stories is the old kit pressed into service and a question lurks in my mind. I live fairly close to Imperial War Museum at Duxford airfield UK, they have the American Air Museum hanger including a B-52D, F-111 a USN F4J an F-15, A-10, SR-71 and a B-29. I assume these would have been given back to the USAF, but would this be the case elsewhere? Or would the country in which the museum reside press them into service?

I'd guess that it would depend on whether that country has enough of them to make a useful military unit. If all you have is one plane parked in a museum there's not much point in refurbishing it; it makes more sense to ship it to a country that has more in exchange for something else.

[Lonestar]

2. Now, this I suppose is more personal, but I highly doubt the AF would crank out more F22's instead of relying on older, cheaper, models.

It's been mentioned that a version of the BAE Hawk is under production. As for the F-22, it's being built because there is a production line open for it so nothing has to be spun up, not because it's a super-fighter.

3. In chapter 41 of the second book, you mention an AF Sergeant. There is no such rank, I'm afraid. There are Staff Sergeants, Tech(nical) Sergeants, Master Sergeants, and so on. Doing grunt work like that, I would assume Staff Sergeant, or even Senior Airman as possible ranks. Also, no AF member I've met has ever called an Officer anything more than their rank.

He was probably referring to the tendency to refer to anyone with with Sergeant in their title as "sergeant". There's no problem with that. That would be like me referring to anyone in the navy with E4-E6 as "petty Officer", even though their "Ultra proper" title would be "Petty Officer Thrid Class".

Mind you, when I was in the USN I would refer to bluejackets by their rates, so a E4 Became FC3 Smith instead of Petty Officer Smith.

[PainRack]

Clearing datum, that is getting the hell out of Dodge City, after a missile launch is standard doctrine. It's done as a reflex to protect the boat. Here, the captain did it as a matter of routine without really thinking about it.


It was apparent that he hadn't checked them to see if they were alive or attempted to get them below decks. As officer on the bridge he was supposed to do both before getting himself below, not just leave them there. That's grounds for suspicion against him.


They are, but remember, being dead doesn't put people beyond reach any more. There's a military police crew waiting for them in hell to ask some pertinent questions. So, there is no driving need to question them. This is one of the things I've been trying to consider in Pantheocide, the totally changed attitude to death that's going to result. Pre-Message the principle was "don't kill him, we want to ask some questions". Now, it's "kill him, then ask we'll him some questions". This is why a suggestion that the dead should suddenly be stopped from getting reborn was unusable; it fundamentally misses the whole point of the story. The whole meaning of death has changed.

Thank you. The implications of death is a fascinating insight into post Message human society.

[Stuart]

In the very beginning of the first book, you seem to completely leave out Al Asad Air Base. In 2008, it would have been swarming with Marines with a small AF squadron to run the flightline, though even most of that was still Marine run.
I would know, I was there. Still am, actually.

I've got some scenes set in Iraq coming up so I can move one of them to Al Asad for you. Pmail me a name and I'll gove ita cameo.

Thanks for giving me the willies as the location of the Hellmouth is pretty much within walking distance from where I live.

No problem; only be careful you don't see a great black ellipse forming out there.

Now, this I suppose is more personal, but I highly doubt the AF would crank out more F22's instead of relying on older, cheaper, models.

They will because, at time of writing, the F-22 production line was still active and funded. The Iron Law of Mobilization is that one builds what one is already building. Expense etc doesn;t matter, what does matter is numbers and one gets them by running every existing production line at full rate. What then happens is that one simplifies the systems on those production lines at a rate and ina way so that the changes don't compromise the numbers coming off the line. So, by now, two years into the Salvation War, teh F-22s coming off the line are prohiblt E or F variants and have been simplified to miminize production time. No ECM equipment is one obvious deletion and it's a good bet that the radar absorbant material has been replaced wherever possible by less epensive and more durable materials. I'll bet they also have external hard-points to carry a lot more missiles.

In chapter 41 of the second book, you mention an AF Sergeant. There is no such rank, I'm afraid. There are Staff Sergeants, Tech(nical) Sergeants, Master Sergeants, and so on. Doing grunt work like that, I would assume Staff Sergeant, or even Senior Airman as possible ranks. Also, no AF member I've met has ever called an Officer anything more than their rank.

Colloquially, they're all sergeants but I have ammended the text to read Staff Sergeant though (remember the cop talking to Franzing is a civilian; he sees the stripes and thinks "sergeant". I've been on Air Force crewed aircraft flights and they've all been pretty informal once the wheels are off the ground. First-name and nickname terms, especially between the officers. This is especially the case where crews come from a small unit and have been together for a long time.

Hope I helped some. I look forward to the next chapters. I really like the cat and mouse games being played out. It's more chess to the boxing of the last book.

You have indeed, thank you very much for the input. Pantheocide is, in many ways, the mirror image of Armageddon. Deliberately so. Lords of War is different again.

You need to publish this when you finish it. It's a masterpiece.

It's coming out this year, assuming things run to schedule. Pantheocide as a book should be out early next year

[JN1]

One of the things Ive liked about these stories is the old kit pressed into service and a question lurks in my mind. I live fairly close to Imperial War Museum at Duxford airfield UK, they have the American Air Museum hanger including a B-52D, F-111 a USN F4J an F-15, A-10, SR-71 and a B-29. I assume these would have been given back to the USAF, but would this be the case elsewhere? Or would the country in which the museum reside press them into service?

I'd guess that it would depend on whether that country has enough of them to make a useful military unit. If all you have is one plane parked in a museum there's not much point in refurbishing it; it makes more sense to ship it to a country that has more in exchange for something else.

IMVHO they'd go back to the US, or at least serve as a source of spares, as many museum aircraft have in the UK. For example to keep a flight of four Vulcans and two Victors flying the RAF has robbed every non-flying example of spare parts. As mentioned a while back while the RAF waits in line for new Lancers they are looking at manufacturing new spare parts and what remaining Vulcans they may be able to make airworthy.
The RAF did have enough Phantoms to form a squadron of them, but they were the Spey models so the F-4J would not have all that much compatible with them for example.

[Shroom Man 777]

Can anyone tell me what the standard battle rifle was during the Armageddon era? Particularly when the HEA finally invaded Hell. Was it an M-16 chambered for .50 BMG or something? I forgot.

[tricksterson]

Want to float a theory as to who's behind the Second (or third if you count Michael-lan's) conspiracy.
It's Jesus.
Yes everyone in Heaven considers him a harmleess doper, but what if that's obfuscating stupidity and Second/Tyhird conspiracy is a plot to put himself in dad's chair?

[Stuart]

Can anyone tell me what the standard battle rifle was during the Armageddon era? Particularly when the HEA finally invaded Hell. Was it an M-16 chambered for .50 BMG or something? I forgot.

Started off as the standard .223 M16 and M4 for the US, the AK74 for the Russians etc. These were found to be virtually ineffective; the US changed over to the .50 Beowulf M16 and M4 plus the .458 Winchester Magnum M114 and M115, teh British adopted the .338 Lapua Magnum in an enlarged and rechambered L1. Everybody else is switching over to very heavy rifle rounds fired from the appropriate rifles.

[Stuart]

Super-Route One, The Highway To Hell, Al Tarmia, Iraq

There had been a time when Super-Route One had been the primary logistics supply line for the forces deployed in Hell. Then, the highway had been backed up from Hellgate Alpha all the way to Al Tarmia, trucks moving nose-to-tail in convoy, mixed in with tank transporters and all the other vehicles that modern armies found indispensable. Those days had passed, now there were more than fifty permanent portals linking Earth and Hell with additional temporary portals being formed as necessary. That had taken the strain off Super-Route One and the traffic on the highway had accelerated accordingly. At long last, the great Oshkosh HEMTTs, the Russian Maz and their Chinese and European equivalents actually had a safer distance between them

"What's the cargo Sergeant?" Amy Seinfeld was a little nervous about asking the question. Not because of any security implications but from the fact that her Sergeant was Gerry Links, one of the heroes of the Tenth Mountain Division that had fought the daemons hand-to-hand at Hit. He'd been a private then, was a Sergeant now and was viewed with quiet awe by the rest of his unit.

"Relief supplies for Haiti." His eyes remained fixed on the road ahead. The traffic might have eased over the last year but it was still denser than any other road he'd driven on. "We're taking them through Hell to a hellgate at Port-au-Prince Airport. Them poor folks need the stuff we got here bad."

"Saw it on the television last night. Everything in ruins, the daemons working to pull people out of the wrecks. They say Abigor himself went there to help with the rescue efforts." Seinfeld stopped as Links grunted. "Must be odd for you Sarge, seeing them daemons helping us."

"They got guts, I'll always give them that." Links paused for a second, his memories of the Battle of Hit flooding back. "Even when we were hammering them with everything we had, they kept coming at us. They just didn’t stop. We had thirty-plus troops in the unit when the battle started, seven of us came out. They pushed us back. All the way through the town. Building by building, room by room. In the end, we were there, with our backs to the river, the bridge blown and nowhere left to go. If it hadn't been for the hajjis with their truck bombs, we wouldn't have held. They'd have torn us up on the river bank. But the hajjis blew themselves up right in the middle of the Baldrick groups and that bought us just enough time. We didn’t win at Hit, Seinfeld, they did."

There was silence in the truck cab, Seinfeld having the understanding to keep quiet and leave her Sergeant with his memories. Eventually he started speaking again, more to himself than to her. "So yeah, its strange to see them here on Earth helping us. But, they never pretended to be anything other than our enemies and when we beat them, they accepted that. And the average Baldricks, the little guys like us, they were as much victims of Satan as we were. Just like the Germans and the Japanese I guess. Now, they're doing what they can to make it right. But them Angels, they pretended to be so good and noble and our saviors and all that. All the time they were sending us to Hell. Now, they've run off and hidden and just launch their beasts and weather storms at us. We've got a real score to settle with them."

"Yahweh." There was a wealth of distaste in Seinfeld's voice. "You reckon he was behind the Haiti Earthquake?"

"Who knows? It's the Angels style all right but there were some egg-heads on Discovery Channel a few nights ago said it was natural, just a fault moving or something. Might as well blame Yahweh for it though. If he didn't do it, he's done a whole load of other things just as bad he didn’t get blamed for so it'll all even out. Bridge up ahead Seinfeld, get on the radio and warn the rest of the column.

The great towers of the Al Tarmia Suspension Bridge were a mile or two ahead. This was another bottleneck in the Highway. Not from volume, the bridge had six lanes each way, just like the highway. It was weight that was the problem. The builders hadn't taken into account the fact that all of the vehicles on this bridge would be heavily-laden military trucks mixed in with a large number of armored vehicle transports. So, the number of vehicles allowed on the bridge was restricted and the spacing between them carefully enforced. Sure enough, the traffic was slowing down as the bridge drew nearer. By the time Links had got up to the on-ramp, it was down to a barely-moving crawl so he was hardly surprised when it stopped completely.

Whatever was crossing the bridge to cause the delay was outsize and overweight. Links could feel the vibration building up under his vehicle and saw the towers staring to sway. There was something wrong about what was happening, but he couldn't quite work it out.

Seinfeld was in no doubt though, she was from California and the movement of the ground was unmistakable. "Earthquake, a big one!" Her cry was desperate as she looked for a way to get to solid ground.

That's what was wrong. The Al Tarmia Bridge wasn't really one bridge, it was two parallel bridges, one for each direction. Yet, they were swinging in perfect synchronization. That simply could not have been caused by the traffic, it had to be an earthquake. "Stay put Seinfeld, we're better off in the trucks."

Ahead of the stalled traffic, the suspended roadways were writhing and arching as the tremors thrust them around. This was only the start for as Links watched, a roaring noise drowned out the sound of his truck's diesel engine. The whole surface of the Euphrates River was arching upwards and formed a wave that struck the moving bridge to send a cloud of spray upwards. It flooded over the roadway, sweeping the trucks that had been unable to get off into the river. Then, the wave was past and was heading down south towards Baghdad. Incredibly the bridge was still standing, its motion slowly damping out as the water poured off it. Beneath it, the bed of the Euphrates was dry.

"Radio from the traffic office Sarge. The bridge is closed while it's checked for structural damage."

"Any word what caused that?" Links was still shaken by the suddenness and violence of the flood.

Seinfeld spoke into the truck radio again. "A mass of boulders got dumped into the river quite a way north of here. Masses of rocks, hit the ground fast and hard, enough to cause a quake. Came from a portal high up. The Euphrates is dammed up as well, the rock pile goes on for miles. No water is getting through at all."

Links looked south. "Baghdad isn't going to be too healthy when that wave hits it. Damn Yahweh."

Human Expeditionary Army Command Headquarters, Hell

"Well, that was the Sixth Bowl." General of the Armies David Petraeus looked at the members of his staff meeting.

"Tells us what the Seventh will be as well." General Michael Jackson wasn't happy at the news. One of the supply lines the HEA depended on had just been cut. As Petraeus's Chief of Staff, he was responsible for making sure his General didn't have to worry about supplies getting through to the front-line units. "Rocks from a portal high up dumped on a city. Question is, which one?"

"According to my mythology-wonks, the target will be 'Babylon'. The problem is, 'Babylon' is taken to mean the seat of sin and depravity. I suppose by biblical standards that could mean any large modern city." Richard O'Shea thought for a second. "How about Bangkok, Khunying General Asanee?"

Major General Asanee eyed O'Shea, primarily to try and guess whether he was serious or just trying to goad her. She'd always had a problem telling when Europeans were joking and when they were being serious. Eventually she'd adopted a policy of assuming they were the latter unless people started laughing before she said anything. Applying it now could be a good idea. "It is quite possible. Bangkok is certainly Sin City by the standards of your bible. Only, we are not the head of any great empire and we are of regional importance only. Also, my city is built on sediment and it may absorb the blows. Tokyo, however, that is different. The Seventh Bowl falling there will be devastating. It might cause another great earthquake. That is part of the legend also is it not." She looked at O'Shea again and raised an eyebrow.

"It is. Revelation 16:17-21 says Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, "It is done." And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe."

"Could be Tokyo. One of the original Heralds was killed there so that would fit."

"It's not a center of sin and depravity though. Although given their treatment of real estate values, they could be called that." Petraeus looked around the group.

"I wouldn’t say that. Have you looked at the Japanese internet porn sites?"

"I have not. Why have you?" Asanee looked dourly at the aide who had spoken and was secretly delighted to see him flush red.

"Tokyo sounds possible, I suppose New York and San Francisco are as well. And New Orleans. Michael, please get the staff to put a list of possible targets together and make up plans for relief efforts. If Yahweh does dump rocks on cities, it could be every bit as bad as Belial's lava attacks. More so, the lava poured over a single point and spread from there. A rock attack could cover a wide area. O'Shea, give General Jackson all the help you can.

"Organizationally, I've got good news. First, Second and Third Army Groups are all up to strength at last. Michael, the Commonwealth has done superbly to raise a whole Army. A magnificent effort. Now, I'm making a slight modification to the organization, now the field units are complete, I'll be adding an extra corps to each Army group, attached directly to the Army Group Command HQ. Khunying Asanee, I'm detaching the Thai Corps from Fourth Army Group and making it the Headquarters Reserve Corps for First Army Group. Your people are the only ones with real experience in portal warfare and I want them as close to the front line as possible. Fourth Army Group has been reinforced by the addition of North Korean troops and that brings it up to nominal strength. I propose to use them as the Army reserve. Fifth Army Group is still a mess though, if they don’t get their act together I'll treat them as cadre replacements. I'm detaching the German Corps from them as HQ Reserve Corps for Second Army Group."

"The Russians are going to love having a German unit as their Group reserve." Michael Jackson was amused at the concept. Almost seventy years after the end of the Great Patriotic War, the Russians still distrusted the Germans.

"They'll get used to it. Anyway, as soon as Heaven opens up, the H.E.A. is ready to go."

"You think that is close Khun David?"

"I do, we're close to the end of the Bowls of Wrath and that's the softening up process. I expect us to be hit by an Angelic Host shortly afterwards. Wherever they land, we'll portal in around them. My preferred plan is to open up three portals and put an Army Group through each. There are many variations to that of course but the basis of them all is that we go for the big kill again. And one thing has been made clear. I've had word from our political masters at Yamantau. Once any Angelic invasion of Earth has been defeated, we go straight to an invasion of Heaven. For that assault, nuclear weapons are free. Once we're in Heaven, I can order them used at my discretion."

There was a subtle intake of breath around the table. "Other weapons of mass destruction?" Jackson sounded awed by the clearance.

"Them too. Chemical, biological, you name it. All weapons are free, we can use them as we deem fit. Our primary responsibility is to reduce human casualties to a minimum."

"And stop Caesar recruiting all our deceased veterans?" Asanee spoke the words but the thought was in everybody's mind. The New Roman Republic was showing remarkable zeal in recruiting Second-Life humans with modern military experience.

"I think so. By the way, Caesar has offered us a Legion and we've taken him up on it. It's basically a light mechanized brigade, a mixture of Second-Life humans and daemons. I thought you might like it as Commonwealth Army reserve Michael."

"Thank you David. That'll will be. . . . interesting." Jackson paused for a second. "What about the Papal Divisions?"

"They're with us, again they're really light mechanized brigades and I plan to use them as Army HQ reserve units." Petraeus sighed. "You know, I am never going to get used to having an Archbishop as a brigade commander."

Throne Room, The Ultimate Temple, Eternal City, Heaven
The Divine Audience looked nervously at Michael-Lan as he entered the great Audience Chamber. The more astute tried to read his expression, to see if the news he carried would throw Yahweh into a tantrum or leave him mellow. Those who had decided that discretion was the better part of valor were already buying their tickets for the Mason's bunker. The foolhardy had taken heart from the recent good news and were watching from good, though exposed, positions on the floor. Michael-Lan reflected on what he would do if he was waiting here and didn't know what news was being brought. I would buy a bunker ticket, he thought if we fight the humans face-to face, there is no way it will end well for us.

He strode into the hall, making his way through the clouds of incense smoke that roiled around him, his footsteps interrupting the rhythmic chanting of the Great Choir. Then, he was approaching the Immaculate Throne and he prostrated himself before The One Above All, kissing the jade floor with his scarred lips. "Oh Eternal Father Of Us All, Whose Unspeakable Acts Are Always At The Forefront Of Our Minds, I bring news of the war against the humans." Michael sneaked a look at Yahweh and then at the rest of the audience. One of the Chayot Ha Kodesh, Azrael, was frowning slightly at the address, probably because he had worked out it wasn't quire as respectful as it had sounded. That didn’t worry Michael, he had spent days studying the reports from Lemuel and the interrogations of the Angels arrested in the purge and had come to the amusing conclusion that Azrael, along with every single member of Yahweh's upper-echelon command staff, was also conspiring against The Unspeakable One. To Michael-Lan this was an eminently satisfactory state of affairs. Isolating Yahweh and leaving him without any form of support had always been his primary objective. It was becoming apparent that at least half his work had been done for him.

"Speak, mightiest and most beloved of My generals." The Peerless Voice boomed out across the attendance hall.

"Oh Mightiest Star In The Heavens, I have good news to report. The fifth and sixth Bowls of Wrath have been poured. The darkness at noon envelopes the humans, causing them to choke on their blasphemy and chew their tongues with pain. Their crops are destroyed and starvation stalks their land. The mighty river Euphrates has ceased to flow and its bed bakes dry in the noonday sun. Soon, the Seventh and last bowl will be poured and the misery and anguish of the humans will be complete." Well, actually they will be screaming mad with anger and demanding your head on a plate, probably with an apple stuffed in its mouth. Then, they'll be coming to get it.

"This news brings joy to My Heart, Michael-Lan. Soon this war will be over."

Well, you got something right at last. Michael-Lan kept his face under strict control. The time to reveal his real feelings had not yet come. Not quite yet.

"The humans will be crushed and they will choke on their rebellion and blasphemy.

And so we revert to normal. Michael-Lan only just managed to stop himself snorting. Raving bombastic idiocy. Yah-yah, old boy, hasn't it occurred to you yet that the humans occupy Hell and left you with nothing to threaten them with. I suppose not, that would require a certain level of insight. Real threats are only going one way and Your Idiotic Self is on receive, not transmit. The question you should be asking is what the humans are planning for you. Whatever it is, it won’t be nice. "Indeed so, Oh Eternal Master Of Infinite Wisdom, soon the blasphemous wretches will cower before Your Divine Self as You administer Your Immaculate Justice. Now, we must exploit the misery and humiliation they suffer. It is time for the Angelic Host to assemble and raise its levies of the humans in Your Everlasting Service. May I beg Your Divine Indulgence on one point. Surely it is only fitting that Your Only Son as Your Unbelievable Representative should lead them in the triumphant march that ends this war." Sorry, Jesus, you're a nice guy and all that but one never, ever kills the father and leaves the son alive. I can't kill you but the humans can.

"A most fitting request. Make it so. And what is the news of the foul conspiracies?"

"Those that we have discovered and brought before you have been crushed." Michael glanced sideways at Azrael. Yes, that does mean I am on to you and that I hold your existence in my hands "Those who were led astray by the deadly sin of pride have been arrested. Their leaders have been interrogated and their followers detailed in a camp far removed from the city."

The clouds around the throne roiled and there was a distant role of thunder. The lightning display was pure white and merely rippled through the clouds. What a pity, Michael thought, it's been weeks since I managed to provoke a real multi-colored display. Still, at least the mason has managed to catch up on repairs to the walls. Never mind, we'll have an exciting enough display when I tell Yah-Yah the truth about what is going on.

"Detained in a camp?" Yahweh's voice thundered across the room. "For defying My Eternal Will? They should be punished for this, they should suffer the agonies of Hell for all eternity for their impertinence. I decree eternal damnation for them with all the suffering that their vile treachery deserves."

Thank you Yah-yah, that's the key piece I needed. You are now on record as having ordered what happens to the inmates of Belial's concentration camp. And when the humans find it, all the Angels in Heaven will be seen as your victims.

To the disappointment of those in the bunker and the delight of those who had stayed outside, the audience was over. Michael-Lan rose to his feet and backed out of the audience hall, genuflecting as he left. That hid any look of satisfaction on his face. His complex scheme was coming to its climax. Now, everything depended on Lemuel and Maion.

[Shroom Man 777]

Oh man. The end is nigh, the end is extremely fucking nigh! I can't believe that we're finally this close! The only question now is what happens if and when the humans arrive in Heaven, and if Micheal's scheme comes to fruition or if he gets his shit ruined. If this entire story's worth of gambit and scheming and dickstabbery comes to end on his terms, or in no terms, and if Putin finally gets his revengeance!

BTW Stuart check your PM!

[JonB]

All the ABC's are to be let loose on Heaven?

Well, I know where I won't be taking my second-life vacation, that's for sure.

[GrayAnderson]

Again, a very nice bit.

So, Stuart, to bring up an age-old question: How many divisions does the Pope have?

By the way, it's also very nice to see who's involved in the third conspiracy...*snicker* Basically, if I read things right, you've got the entire upper level of the angelic host plotting, and they're all doing it independent of each other. Since when did Labour get in there?

One other thing: What are the odds that the invasion force is so loaded up with humans who've been looking to revolt that the angels take a massive wave of fire from both front and back?