Somewhere in the Andromeda Galaxy, a gigantic fireball floats in space. It is a red giant star, a powerhouse if there ever was one. It will one day meet its end but that time is still some million years in the future. For a few select beings, however, it might as well be a week.

A brilliant flash seemed to come from its surface and a gigantic half-sphere shaped object nearly half the size of Saturn emerged from this churning, boiling, incredibly hot ball of nuclear fusion. The object was unscathed by the immense heat generated by the constant explosions of energy taking place on and within the star. The anomaly entered an orbit that would take it around the dying sun every 15 Earth hours.

Suddenly, a white dot shone amidst the many stars overlooking the eerie scene and a much smaller object appeared. On the side of the ship, written in an unknown tongue was the word TIKOLTEN. The Kilaak vessel approached the one orbiting the red giant.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Tuket asked Captain Parsus, more in admiration than as a question.

"Is that... the Empire Ship? I have heard about it. My father used to tell me stories about how it sent our race to our home system. I would have never imagined it was real..." he stammered, dumbfounded by the sheer size of what had been built by his ancestors.

"Indeed," Tuket replied. He had seen this monolith several times before but didn't mention it to his men, at least not yet. "Guide us to that red beacon on the hull."

"Yes, sir." The Captain repeated the order and the TIKOLTEN headed toward the signal. After what seemed to take hours, they entered the tractor beam and a blinding flash of crimson red temporarily blinded them all. When the light died down, they found their 300-meter ship inside a massive hangar, suspended by four large clamps.

"Come with me," Tuket directed his crew, lowering the ramp onto the strange metal floor. They walked through the massive hangar bay which was large enough to comfortably hold the huge Nebulan Mothership and have room for at least two more like it.

After walking for what seemed like a mile, the Kilaaks came to a lone panel sticking conspicuously out of the floor that contained a keypad with the characters of their language. Tuket entered a four-digit code and the sound of shrieking metal filled the bay, causing them to floor beneath them seemed to give way and they were slowly brought down by an electro-magnetic field which reacted with the metallic properties of their bodies and allowed them to hover in the air. The energy field suddenly shot down a massive tube and they descended this 'magnetic elevator' so fast that all passing rooms and hangars were a mere blur. A menagerie of strange creatures zipped by. They had to be other forms that his ancestors had taken on Parsus thought.

Slowly, the elevator came to a halt and they found themselves inside a chamber that dwarfed the hangar where their ship had been docked. The ceiling was so high that it was all but impossible to see and the room stretched out from every point until it disappeared over an artificial horizon. The closest wall was a gigantic window structure from which they had a breath-taking view of the red giant. The Captain was again awed by the sheer grandeur of it all until he noticed what was sitting in the very center of the room.

It appeared to be a statue made of iron and gold, sitting on a throne that was nearly twice its own massive size. With a start, Captain Parsus suddenly realized the significance of the biological structure of King and Death Ghidorah. Why so many alien cultures fear or revere their form is not because of the creatures themselves but because of their creators.

The dragon had an elongated neck ending in a reptilian-like head with eyes of fire and surrounded by a crown of horns. Two long, muscular arms that ended in fingers with blade-like talons were before the Emperor's huge body. On his back, two mighty wings sprouted that seemed to be able to serve a more practical function than his arms. He looked more like a natural quadruped than a biped. His voice caused the Captain's knees to shake.

"Tuket," the entity said in a booming voice. "Do you bring me grief or do you bring me good news for once?" Even Tuket seemed terrified by the piercing eyes of the creature.

"G-Good news, sir. The invasion of Earth has begun anew. We have already activated several volcanos on the planet. Right now, our forces are attempting to control..." he trailed off.

"...Control what?"

"Control King Ghidorah." The Emperor did not move or speak but it suddenly became much hotter in the room than it was before.

"What happened to it?"

"We revived it, just like you suggested but something went wrong. The creature became uncontrollable and turned on us the day our invasion had been planned. We suspect there may have been foul play but-"

"Foul play? Did you seek assistance from another race of beings?" Tuket suddenly realized his mistake.

"Sir... I- I couldn't help it. Karkaru, he-he insisted that we receive biological samples from another race. We didn't have the necessary supplies to-" The Emperor suddenly stood on his taloned feet. Tuket nearly turned around to run but knew that it was useless.

"Tuket, you fool!" he seethed. "I should kill you where you stand for your insolence!" The Emperor's voice reverberated throughout the chamber, causing the floor under their feet to tremble. He approached the group with a speed that belied his large stature. Before Tuket could react, a clawed hand had wrapped itself around his mid-body and pulled him into the air. The Emperor stared into his eyes with a fiery rage that nearly caused him to scream in terror. Finally, the Emperor released him and the hapless Kilaak fell ten feet to the floor, landing head first on the hard surface of the great ship's hull. The Emperor was walking toward the window when he caught up to him.

"I will not kill you because I made a promise to your father that I would never harm you. However, I am afraid I cannot let you go unpunished." The Emperor glanced over at the other Kilaaks. Tuket understood what he was implying and nodded grimly. He knew there was no point in arguing. The Emperor looked up and suddenly brought his head down, charging his crew. They were too petrified to move until the great creature stopped a mere inch away from them. He threw his head up and opened his triple jaw structure before bringing it down and picking them up in his mouth-like appendage, crushing them with his jaws until their screams went silent. A silver goo began to drip from his mouth, falling to the floor and joining with it. When all of the liquid had melded with the floor, the Emperor spoke once more.

"They will serve our cause in their death. No ship can ever be too strong. The metallic blood of our ancestors is what made this ship in the first place. All of our dead are converted into the very thing that they have sworn to protect. Nobody ever goes to waste." The Emperor then returned to the topic at hand. "King Ghidorah was a great being. Death Ghidorah was also. But now, it seems that they have both been permanently lost. Did you bring the samples from the Earth monster called Godzilla?"

"Yes, in fact..." Tuket pulled the canister from its holster on his chain mail uniform and presented it. The Emperor took the capsule and scrutinized it with his fiery eyes before handing it back and heading toward his throne.

"Give it to my officials when they approach you as you leave."

"Don't you want to handle this yourself? How do you know that one of your 'officials' may not be trustworthy? I have learned that almost any race can suffer the penalties of treason..." The Emperor stopped in his tracks and turned to stare at him.

"Let me show you something," he said, going to his seat. Tuket followed cautiously. The Emperor sat down and pressed a button on a keypad that rose before him. A force field suddenly shot down from the ceiling and completely encircled them. The temperature dropped outside the protective shield and a trap door in the floor yawned open. A steel box rose and when it completely filled the opening, its roof and sides fell away, revealing a creature that was similar to the Emperor but somehow inferior.

"What you see here is one who attempted the idea that you would call 'treason'. He tried to drain the heat from this room and then open the emergency escape portal, which would suck me into space and kill me instantly. He was too stupid to realize that I have direct control over the systems in this room. He did not think about his plan well enough. If he had truly hoped for an honorable and intelligent assassination of myself, he would have figured out a way to breach that giant window and then say it was a meteor that must have slipped past our defense systems or better yet, an attacking alien race. But no, he chose the way of a fool. I have been searching for an opportunity to make use of him and believe that now he can serve my purpose well."

As Tuket watched, another box was raised to reveal a strange-looking beast covered in fur and with two huge horns on its head. Its eyes were large and multi-faceted like an insect's. The being only had three legs but its most noticeable aspect was its gigantic jaws, obviously with powerful muscles. Its mouth seemed to be able to swallow a Mysterian whole or snap one in two. The over-sized maw opened and closed ravenously as it looked around the room for nourishment. The traitor had been surrounded in a force field himself, Tuket realized. Yet another steel box rose from the floor. This one contained a human which had been stripped of its clothing and whose rib cage and other bones were clearly visible. The man was obviously starving to death. As Tuket watched the unfolding drama, the Emperor provided commentary.

"The beast you see is a creature from a planet in this very solar system. His world is a very violent and primitive place, even moreso than the one from which the human comes. He was a warrior for one side of his race which is currently involved in a civil war. No matter the victor, they will all fall under our weapons. We are merely watching to see if the victors impress us with some kind of new battle tactics, though that is looking grim. Their world will provide a new base for us to study the effects of super novae when this star goes critical. This one was injured during the war. He once had four legs but one was blown off by enemy fire. His fur was rich and silky but now is dirty and gruff. We captured him after his wounds prevented him from keeping up with his troop. He is quite a ferocious creature, as you can see."

The force fields surrounding the human and the beast were lowered. It snapped its head in the direction of the Earthling who screamed and turned to run but was too weak. The creature leaped across the room and drove the man to the floor. With its remaining arm, it tore him apart. Limbs, bones and organs went flying in a horribly bloody mess.

"Notice how the beast tears apart his prey before feeding. He likes to get the bones and any useless organs out of the way before feasting on the muscle and fat. And look how the blood is reacting to the floor. The ship's hull is rejecting it. The organic blood has no use to this vessel. Organic components are always inherently weak." When the creature had fed, the force field surrounding the traitor was lowered. The monster slowly raised its head and turned to look at the strange being. It could tell this was not food but it had life in it, life and warmth. That was good enough as far as the beast was concerned and charged the traitor who stood ready. Its long, scythe-like claws sparked uselessly and seemed to harm itself more than its target.

With a single, swooping motion, the traitor struck it down into a prone position. He brought his head up and struck his fallen enemy, sending it smashing against the force field surrounding Tuket and the Emperor. The beast slid down the impenetrable shield, leaving a trail of orange-hued blood.

"Do what you wish to me, Emperor, but please refrain from sending these pathetic creatures to be slaughtered by my hand." The Emperor smiled and pressed another button on the console. The gigantic window slid open as the traitor shrieked and instinctively grabbed at the floor. His claws sparked uselessly against the metal as the vacuum sucked him into its relentless eternal cold. The Imperial distorted and shrank into a slug-like creature that was forever trapped in orbit around the red star, too far away to benefit from its heat. Tuket turned to look back at the Emperor.

"Understand?" The mighty being asked. He simply nodded. "Very well. You should be on your way now. Your ship has been... prepared so there will be no suspicion. I hope you don't mind being the only survivor." Before Tuket could answer, he felt a door open underneath him and he was once more encased in the magnetic elevator, only now he was alone. When he reached the TIKOLTEN, he found it in extreme disrepair and looking like it had been through a war. Two tall creatures, nearly half the size of the Emperor but appearing more mammalian, approached.

"We will take the biological samples now." Tuket did not bother to argue or question them, or remain any longer than necessary. As he turned to go to his ship, a strange-looking frog-like creature approached. He knew it was just another form for his brothers but it was one of the lowest possible.

"Your ship is ready for take-off. We have demolished most of the vessel so everyone will believe that it suffered a close-range nuclear blast. You only have a few moments' primary burn, just enough to get out of range. Then you will have to resort to your hyper-booster systems. I hope you have a good sense of direction or else you will be no more than space junk once you return to normal speed."

Tuket nodded silently and entered his ship. He knew how to pilot the vessel by himself but it still felt odd not having anybody to help him or an automatic computer system to take over during the hyper-boost stage. With a silent, nearly sad effort, he powered up the aging warship, lifted off the hangar floor and backed out of the massive Empire Ship. He engaged the main boosters but they quickly gave out. Tuket checked to make sure that he was far enough away, not for the other ship's safety but his own. Hyper-drives were sometimes unpredictable and one wrong move could send the TIKOLTEN crashing into it.

Tuket felt strange. He never thought he would ever feel compassion for his men but he had been through much with them. Some might be sacrificed but he didn't realize that he would be the only survivor. It was one qualm of being a member of the most populous race in the universe. With a final shake of his head, he activated the hyper-drive. Slowly, the massive High Council ship of the Iron Empire sank back into the red giant. Soon, a new war horse for the Empire would be born and then, they would be unstoppable.

Back in Earth's orbit...

Aboard the AVENGER, the last remaining Mysterian vessel, its dwindling crew felt a massive jolt as a wave of intense electro-magnetic energy wiped out its propulsion systems. The nuclear blast was from one of the other alien ships but their sensors were too damaged to identify whose or which one.

The Captain, an elderly veteran of the Great Human-Mysterian War, stared out through the view port before him. The once proud 13th Mysterian Fleet, the most powerful force of their entire space armada, had been wiped out. Chonsho looked down at his display screen. The Nebulan fleet, for the most part, had also been obliterated. The unidentified ships had disappeared. Even the Kilaaks had taken major losses, their shields not immune to the effects of a nuclear assault and now, the larger part of their fleet, including the escort ship, had either been destroyed or vanished completely.

He stared at the lifeless corpse at his feet. The unfortunate Mysterian had struck his head against his console while the ship rode out a shockwave and surging electricity had fried him. Chonsho wanted to weep over the deaths of his comrades but he knew that such a thing would have him go down in history as a weakling. He hated the idea of this whole invasion.

Earth seemed to have become a metropolis of aliens seeking new homes or territory. He wished that his race had never become a part of this war. Chonsho snorted with contempt and stared at the Nebulan rocket as it traveled away from the Earth. The cause for all this bloodshed was contained on that very vessel.

He ordered his ship's two remaining nuclear warheads be deployed against it. Questioning looks from what little crew he had left were met with a stone-hard glare. They nodded, understanding what he intended to do. The missiles were fired simultaneously and quickly crossed the void between the two intruders in Earth's field of influence.

The first struck the rocket's propulsion system as it tumbled toward a cluster of orbiting asteroids that were a part of the nearby Apollo belt. The resulting titanic blast knocked the AVENGER backwards with such force that it was sucked into the Earth's atmosphere. The enormous heat and pressure of re-entry seeped into the holes in its hull, causing it and its crew to vaporize completely. But before he died, Chonsho beheld the second missile strike the Nebulan rocket which seemed to disappear in a fiery explosion that signaled the death of Godzilla once and for all.

It was then that Gudis arrived on the scene but he was too late to capture his prize as he cursed under his breath. Many aliens had sought to claim Godzilla for their own but now he was lost to them all forever.

Back on Earth, Viceroy Kubota admitted with a regretful sigh that he could not locate the rocket with the Nebulan scanning equipment. "I am afraid it is gone, Chairman..." He turned to Fumio, only to discover that his expression did not match his own for he was in fact was smiling. "Sir, what is it?"

"It appears that the Mysterians have finished our job for us. We discarded Godzilla into the depths of space to be rid of him forever and now he truly is gone," Fumio began to say as he stepped toward the viewscreen showing the aftermath of the titanic space battle. "May he rest... in eternal peace," he finished with a sly sneer.

Ken'trus received a transmission aboard the Xian mothership which had just departed from Planet X and was heading for Earth. "Where were you?" yelled an angry King Koban who abruptly appeared on the viewscreen.

"What is it now?" Ken'trus moaned indifferently.

"The battle in Earth's orbit with the Kilaaks and Nebulans! My forces could have used your help out there!"

"I thought you said you could handle it and made no mention of needing my assistance in any way," the Xian reminded him.

"We were outnumbered two to one and our weaponry did not so much as scratch the Kilaak cruisers until we started firing nuclear weapons at them! My finest fleet was completely wiped out!"

"Which is why I advised against a full frontal assault in the first place but oh no, why listen to me? The high and mighty Lord Koban must have things his way."

"Enough of your foolish banter! You deserted me!" the King roared.

"Even if I had sent fighters ahead of the mothership, they would not have reached there in time. You only have yourself to blame for this disaster."

"Listen to me, Ken'trus. When we finally do conquer this world, we will use the however inferior but still useful technologies of the Simeons, the Mu and Seatopians, along with our COMBINED might..." Koban started to say, placing special emphasis on COMBINED as he glared at the Xian. "...to thoroughly crush the Kilaaks and Nebulans and whomever else stands in our way. Is that understood? Koban out!" the flustered Mysterian finished before ending the communication.

Ken'trus could not help but chuckle. He loved seeing Koban worked up since it amused him to no end. The irritable Mysterian's temperament was most entertaining to the Controller and he almost regretted that he was going to have to kill him eventually.

Tara

In her quarters, Tara tended to various cuts and bruises on her face, wincing as she applied an antiseptic ointment to her injuries. Once more she had endured her husband's wrath. He was furious at the loss of his fleet and had taken it out on her. There were times that Koban lashed out at her for no apparent reason but she had learned to accept such things as part of her subjugation to the King.

She thought of Kugo and the kindness he showed her, as well as her own shocking action afterward, worrying what might happen to her if word got back to Koban of what she had done. At least it would not be Kugo who betrayed her to him.

There were brief moments when a tiny voice inside her screamed at her to stand up and fight back but it had been steadily beaten down and crushed under years of oppression. Besides, which one of Koban's other wives had dared to speak out against him even once without being killed?

It was as if there were actually two voices in Tara's mind; one desperately yearning for freedom from her mad husband's cruelty and another that reminded her of her place as her king's lead wife. To rebel would go against everything that she had ever been taught as a Mysterian female who were born into servitude and raised to obey and submit to their husbands and most certainly to their king's wishes.

Tara was utterly brainwashed. All pride, dignity or hope had been beaten out of her long ago. She believed this to be her fate and one that she would never escape as long as she lived. Sobbing, her face fell down into her hands as she slowly slumped to the floor.

Monsterland

Cillian Bakker kneeled before the large animal in front of him with a friendly smile. The Anguirus lowered its head and placed it against the young man's bosom and sat down. He petted the dinosaur, stroking its head and neck as he rested his head against the creature. He is so warm he thought. It was a pleasure to touch it for that sensation alone. The moment seemed to last forever and neither of them wished it to end. They seemed to have an inner connection; an understanding of life. Both of them were far away from home and secretly desired to be loved. Cillian looked into the kaiju's glossy brown eyes and smiled again.

This was more than a good pet, more than a loyal dog. It was as a close friend would be, a brother. He fed the monster by hand whenever he could and helped take charge of its care. On cold nights, he even came from his quarters to the laboratory to bring the Anguirusaurus a thick comforter or a blanket, often sitting beside the beast and watching it for hours as the youngling slept. Many times he fell asleep beside it. The staff rarely interfered with this bonding that was taking place, mostly to see whether a kaiju and a human could actually co-exist but this newfound relationship was much more than a mere science experiment for Bakker; it was the beginning of something special.

Moved by his obsessive love for kaiju, he was instinctively drawn to the creature but that was only the first step. From the moment the two had set eyes on each other when the baby dinosaur hatched in Moscow, Cillian sensed a connection between them and from then on, he rarely let it out of his sight. He oversaw every step of its transfer to Monsterland, the readying of its temporary indoor habitat and introduction to it. Cillian undertook the scheduled feedings and cleaning, even when he was not assigned to those tasks. Doctor Kamaiya understood and though he also would have given anything to share this special friendship with a kaiju, he was happy that Cillian had finally found a friend of his own who permitted him to tag along in most everything involving the hatchling.

Now, as the rapidly-growing Anguirus basked in the South Seas sun, Cillian leaned beside him, laying his head against its belly as it stretched out on its side in the grass. Looking up at the sky, he watched as a Giant Condor flew overhead. He loved to sit outside and watch Rodan swoop past on his way to the coast to fetch dolphins to eat and admired the majesty of Gorosaurus walking across the beach. Baragon would prowl about the rock mass on which the facility was located. And, every once in a great while, Godzilla himself would rise from the sea, so powerful and graceful in his appearance, to check on his adopted son whom Cillian also had taken to.

But ever since the aliens had appeared, nothing was the same and he feared it might never be again. But this - this calming moment with Anguirus, was like a nostalgic trip back to the past, to a time when things seemed so much simpler. This place was still his sanctuary, his shelter from the storm that raged all around and across the rest of the world.

He turned his head to look upon the face of his companion. So peacefully he slept in the sun, breathing gently and unmoving that tears welled up in the man's eyes. Seeing this creature able to enjoy a peaceful siesta while the world around him seemed to be collapsing into confusion gave Cillian the feeling that he was on another planet. Although he worried about the outcome of mankind's dealings with the aliens, this was a world he did not wish to leave. This was his moment. Out of an entire planet full of people, this was his turn to be at peace. With a deep sigh, he continued to enjoy it as much as he could.

Biollante

The ocean churned violently and a great maelstrom of water burst into the air, causing a colossal wave to slam upon the shoreline of what remained of Akita. A red glow seemed to emanate from it which gave the scene an eerie feeling. Suddenly, a dark, horrific roar trumpeted across the frigid air. It echoed out from the coast and frightened animals screamed in fear. Finally, the giant water spout subsided and the mangled body of Death Ghidorah stood in the deep harbor.

His wings were literally shredded from the battle that had taken place, his carapace singed and mauled as well. The archaic demon grew so angry, he wanted to make his foes suffer for the torment they had brought upon him. He waded ashore and as he shook the water off his body, something burst forth from the sandy beach and wrapped around his legs. Death Ghidorah roared defiantly as he tried to stomp on the mysterious rope-like thing. Suddenly, a massive form rose up and stood looking down upon him. Biollante had been waiting for the perfect moment to strike against her weakened enemy once again but Death Ghidorah was now under the control of Gudis, which made him a lot more powerful than he originally was.

Death Ghidorah angrily bit onto the tendril and ripped it in two, causing a green sappy blood to flow. Biollante roared in anger, sending more of her menacing toothed vines at him. Viciously, he swatted each away or bit into them, shredding them into a pulpy mess. She soon grew tired of this celestial beast and reached forward, biting into his chest with her long piercing teeth. The more Death Ghidorah flailed around, the tighter her grip became. The mystic plant monster began to glow brightly as Ghidorah felt an intense shock of energy searing through his body as sparks and smoke exploded into the air.

Finally, Biollante released the fiend. His body was so weakened from the shock that he collapsed onto the moist ground near her roots. She threw her head back and roared as if chuckling at the demon who imagined he could ravage the planet which she guarded. Biollante opened her mouth and spat a blob of radioactive sap at his body. The three-headed terror writhed in agony as the acid ate away at his flesh. However, he rose as quickly as he had fallen, forcing Biollante to rear back in surprise.

Death Ghidorah mauled her neck as she reared her head back and roared in pain. He tore away vines and clumps of flesh, smearing a sappy mess all over his mouths. All this did was irritate Biollante who flung spear-like vines into his body. For a moment, Death Ghidorah writhed from the pain but soon blasted them to pieces. The Spirit of the Earth backed away, raising her head into the air and roaring angrily. Her eyes began to glow a bright red as the Moon disappeared under a thick blanket of opaque clouds. Biollante concentrated her attention until a crackling bolt of lightning came out of the sky and slammed into Ghidorah's back, forcing him to the ground. She roared once again as if laughing at the torment she was inflicting upon her arch enemy. More arcs lanced at the ancient dragon's carapace, forcing him to cry out.

This did not stop Gudis who would find a way to subdue this enemy. An order came to the demon's mind and he rose, blasting a colossal flame from his center mouth that enveloped Biollante's entire face. Explosions erupted across her body, causing pieces of flesh-like plant matter to fly everywhere. A terrible bellow issued forth as more of her body was destroyed by the attack.

The faint beating of wings could be heard as Mothra glided through the clouds. Her antennae twitched as she sensed a disturbance and the terrible cries of Biollante who was in immense pain. As Death Ghidorah tormented his enemy, the planet itself seemed to cringe. A huge thunderstorm hung over the ruins of Akita which was but a few kilometers away. Mothra's furious cry soon swept across the planet as she flew overhead, shouting angered words in her ancient dialect which her enemy would most likely recognize. They weren't directed at Death Ghidorah but another creature that prowled the planet, the one responsible for the release of the demon.

"Your raid will not last here, Gudis! Like my ancestors, I shall drive you away. Your defeat is inevitable!" Mothra shouted as she went to aid her ally. Death Ghidorah snarled hatefully and continued to tear at Biollante's chest. Luckily, she managed to reach forward and bite into one of his slithering necks. The demon struggled but she continued pulling. A piece of the appendage gave way and before Death Ghidorah knew it, she had ripped a sickening wound that bled profusely. Biollante spat acid, causing it to sizzle from the caustic liquid. With pain and anger searing his blood, Ghidorah released a blast of lava from his three mouths simultaneously and again, Biollante's flesh exploded where she was struck.

Suddenly, three rainbow-hued beams lanced out of the sky and slammed into Death Ghidorah's side, pushing him away from Biollante. To the dragon's surprise, Mothra Virgo glided through the air, none of her previous wounds evident due to Biollante's healing powers which she had used on her. The dragon hissed malevolently at the deity, defiantly releasing blasts of lava gout beams which Mothra easily dodged. Her aerial abilities were very accurate, as well as being one of the fastest kaiju. Quickly, she streaked through the air and body-slammed him, forcing the terror to collapse onto the wet sand. Again he managed to raise up, so angry that he seemed to glow red with his seething fury.

Mothra showed no fear as she flew high over the battlefield, energy streaking through her wings and gathering into a glowing ball amid her six legs. Suddenly, she released a very potent sapphire beam from her chest region. When it hit Death Ghidorah, the intense kinetic and explosive force flung him backwards onto a plateau, causing it to flatten and send intense tremors through the ground. He was dazed by the attack which allowed Mothra to swoop in for another. She zoomed past him, slashing his side with her wing and then flew high into the air. Death Ghidorah lifted his battered body out of the rubble, trumpeting low, snarling roars. Mothra responded with a screech of her own and flew down to grab onto his heads and slash them with her claws. Electrical discharges danced from her wings which also battered the monster. Shimmering scales floated down as she continued to briskly flap her wings. Before Ghidorah knew it, he was smothered in them.

Now very weak, Biollante opened her eyes and saw Mothra defending her. This was amazing as the Earth spirit did not know how much Mothra actually loved the planet. Quickly, she regenerated her wounds in order to assist her. Mothra continued to blanket Death Ghidorah in a cloud of scales as the demon roared in agony when they got into his wounds and stung him severely. In a tremendous blaze of hatred, he released all three of his lava blasts.

The scales reacted with their heat and the explosion was so great that it enveloped both kaiju, slamming them to the ground. Mothra writhed in pain as she fluttered in the rubble. Death Ghidorah got back to his feet and galloped toward the fallen insect. Constant blasts of lava rays bombarded her body, sending smoke and explosions streaking into the darkened air. Her squeal of anguish seemed to fuel Ghidorah's malice as he yearned to destroy this enemy he'd had to deal with for millions of years. Mothra tried to evade his attacks by flying away but he caught her, biting onto her wings and body. He sadistically tore pieces away and spat them out as he watched the insect collapse onto the ground. Mothra could feel her life dwindling. No matter what happens she thought, Gudis must be prevented from doing any more damage with his puppet

On Infant Island, Moll gasped as she sensed Mothra's dwindling lifesigns. She could not believe that this terror was coming to pass. It was overwhelming to the three tiny avatars.

"Damn that Gudis!" hollered Belvera.

"There is only one way we can defeat Death Ghidorah," explained Moll. "Battra and Mothra must combine their powers. Battra is already weak from his last confrontation and Mothra is getting weaker as we speak." Lora gazed at Zirkon who was equally stunned by what was happening. Her fear could be felt by him.

Do not worry, Lora he assured her telepathically. I trust Moll's wisdom and you must do likewise. If Mothra and Battra fuse, then they would be a powerful force to be reckoned with Lora smiled and glanced up at the Doubijin who loved her so. Moll and Belvera were discussing what to do with Terius and Oberon who reluctantly agreed to allow Mothra and Battra to fuse.

"Alas, we do not know how to bring their powers together," Oberon admitted.

"We will use the Elias Triangle. It should supply enough power to do so."

"So you have a plan?" Terius wondered arrogantly.

"Yes, we do!" Belvera snickered, smiling sarcastically. Lora and Zirkon listened with a gleam of hope painting their faces. Moll's plan just might work. However, it would take time and patience to do so. Also, it could be very dangerous for them all. The six fairies climbed onto the Elias' steeds and took off, leaving Mothra's Temple haunted by the quiet, lurking evil that plagued the planet.

Preserving the Past

Professor Erickson felt uneasy as he walked into his dimly-lit laboratory in Mikasa City. Two of his three assistants had accompanied him to help with the final preparations. This latest experiment had greatly tired and stressed him out.

After studying Mothra for nearly 20 years, he knew that he had to do something to save humanity, or at least one person. Months before, he had discovered a way to replicate the cells in the human brain that permitted the storage of memories. He thought that if he could take these cells and transfer them to something more durable than the human body, memories could be collected. One thing he wondered about was what Mothra's thoughts on the idea might be. He was aware that she did not like humans messing with things they should not be and worried that this project was classified among those 'not to do' subjects. The middle-aged scholar tried to forget about these second thoughts but they kept popping back into his mind every time he glanced up at the walls covered with pictures of the insect goddess, the Elias and Infant Island.

"Professor, shall we begin?" asked Aki, one of his trusted colleagues. Nervously, he paused in his thoughts and glanced up at the large picture of Mothra that hung prominently over his desk.

"Do you think this experiment will anger Mothra, Aki?" Erickson asked, finally turning toward him.

"Professor, you have wanted this to be completed for at least twelve years. Are you going to stop now?" his associate questioned with surprise.

"Very well... Bring the phial containing the cells of my wife." Erickson began to get nervous at the mere mention of the undertaking, feeling kind of awkward that he was using his wife's replicated memory cells as a means to conduct his work. "I will also require the neural solvent container." Aki handed him a special shiny, purplish capsule he kept in a separate room. It was very beautiful somehow and had been constructed of different elements, mainly platinum and titanium. This was why he called it the Platanium Phial. He had it fabricated for the specific purpose of holding the solvent that contained the memory cells. Slowly, Erickson poured the solution into the phial.

"There," he muttered. "The platinum and titanium will amplify the cells' regenerative abilities so that the memories within them will remain intact."

"Can the cells be transferred into another person?" asked the other assistant.

"Yes, I do believe so. However, we do not have the time to test it. The world is in an uproar as it is."

"What will we do with the Platanium Phial?" Aki asked.

"I shall keep it with me. I can not risk it being destroyed or abused in anyone else's possession," he explained as he headed out of the laboratory, taking one last look at the Mothra-cluttered work room. With a heavy heart, Professor Erickson departed with his assistants quickly following.

Kilaak World Tour

Amidst the ruins of the Knesset in Jerusalem, the Kach Party members could scarcely contain their surprise when King Karkaru, the Kilaak leader, contacted them. After their initial raid on the Knesset, Israel's response had been to go on full alert. Use of nuclear weapons on Kilaak forces had, in conjunction with co-operation with the infidels, had caused the Kilaaks to suffer their first defeat at the hands of a non-Western Army. The strange bedfellows had been condemned by Kach and by Hamas but Baruch was confident that Yahweh was on his side. After all, the Torah had promised all lands up to the Euphrates River to Israel.

"You can guarantee this?"

"All that is required are a few minor acts of sabotage. We need the victory first and what you ask shall be yours. Shalom, my comrades." The Kilaak departed.

"Excellent. We now have a chance to make the greatest Jewish state in all of history!" The terrorists roared approval.

Gaza City

"You promise us this, an Arab-only Palestine?"

"Yes. But you must first assist with defeating the Israeli Army. We have weapons that will make your task possible. The Kilaaks will gladly hand to you your country once again. Inshallah and Salaam, my friends." Again, the Kilaaks departed, the devils having their bargains as the Hamas leaders grinned slyly at each other.

"Israel does not know what awaits it."

The River Don

Ivan Konev was very unhappy. First, he had learned that the Motherland wanted him whether he wanted to fight for it or not. That meant leaving a nice, comfortable life as an accountant in Archangelsk to battle spacemen from another world. Second, he had learned that his troops were to be partnered with old school Cold War-era super-weapons. And third, his lunch was missing.

"Who stole my lunch?" he shouted.

"It wasn't me!" yelled Pyiotr Kaganovich.

"All right... Hey, you! Boris! That's my ham sandwich, you thieving -!"

"Will you quiet down? The Colonel is coming around." The draftees quickly formed ranks.

"Good day, Colonel Bagration!"

"Good day, Corporal Konev. Ready to go kill some spacemen?"

"Er... Do we really have a choice?"

"Eh... No."

"I figured as much."

As the Russian army moved into combat position on the Don, Konev noticed a group of large shadows rising before them. They were hulking, lumbering, monstrous. Eyes like and unlike those of man came into view, raising a sense of anxiety and disgust in the soldiers, evident by the muttering and discontented grumbling amongst them.

"What ARE those things?"

"We call them Angeloi."

"Angels? What in Hell...?"

"They are supposed to have a kind of force field to keep the spacemen out."

"Who would pilot them? Teenagers with a need for drama?"

"What?"

"Never mind."

The four Angeloi units began to stride towards the alien forces which launched their own ground forces in response. Noise and confusion was soon overpowering as they surged forth, exchanging blasts of plasma energy. Earthmen fell to the ground with agonized screams in its otherworldly light as it burned into them. In return, aliens yowled in unintelligible and often blasphemous-sounding language as anti-tank weaponry breached the Kilaaks' protective armor. It was the only thing strong enough to do so.

A man yelled out in pain when plasma hit him. He ran at an alien who uttered an agonized roar before an explosion produced a shower of gore both native and extraterrestrial. A deep rumbling sound intruded on the mayhem as a vast shadow came over Konev's unit. Alien and human alike turned in panic as an Angelous reached down and smashed aliens into a foul-smelling paste. Strange energies scythed forth across the eerie scene as the invaders watched the unholy display.

Suddenly, a large blue Angeloi turned up its gun and fired, slicing through one alien craft, producing a thin cut and then a sudden double BOOM!. The energy from the alien weapon channeled into the gun as a rain of metal tore into ET and human alike. More fire came as the aerial craft were brought down one by one. Abominations of Man's science warred with death-machines not by his hand but from the Outer Dark. The Angeloi were altering the course of the battle and now the MIGs had air superiority. The alien ranks were suddenly feeling the brunt of Soviet-era craft that were much more lethal than they had first seemed.

"Why didn't the Americans ever design these?" shouted Boris as a red one blasted through the lines of aliens. They were starting to realize just what they had gotten into, judging by the furious activity on the other side of the battlefield. Their platoons, once vast and powerful, were disintegrating. Hind gunships and MIGs had decimated the lead squads and the second ranks were being routed. Rostov was on the verge of becoming a major victory.

Before Konev could speculate on this, a shell exploded and Boris gurgled. Putting his hand to his filleted belly, he said calmly, "I finally got guts..." and slumped to the ground.

Ivan fired his laser gun at a few Kilaaks that had come close before a golden Angeloi smashed through their entrenchment. The remaining aliens targeted it with the same unearthly light, which the Angeloi took and merged in its hands, forming a gun to aim at their camp. Dark and unholy energy lanced forth, producing the foul smell that came from burned silicate. The Angelous then turned its weapon toward an alien tank.

"It is amazing that the Americans never used these... It would make things too easy." A series of booming sounds was heard as an alien battle cruiser began to explode, triggering explosions from the ships closely flanking it. More shots were fired and other ships blew up. The Kilaaks suddenly realized that the Russians were using cadmium shells, much to their horror.

By now, their lines had truly disintegrated, raising shouts of "Rodinia! Rossiyinia!" from the human forces which now was in pursuit of the alien army.

Veliky Novgorod

"You can promise us the whole of the former People's Bloc?"

"Not the entirety, Mister Malinovsky, only the former Soviet Union. We need to find a way to trigger the programs in these mechanical devices they use against us to turn against their forces. Once they are under our control, we will then have a new weapon."

Fyodor Malinovsky glanced at the disguised Nebulan speaking to him. Hesitating for a moment, he took a puff of his cigar and replied, "We of the Russian Communist Party agree to this. After all, the peoples of the USSR are hardly better off now than they were when we ruled them, da?" He was a sturdy man, with a mustache that called to mind the long-dead Stalin. His face had a beaky nose and a long ugly scar typical of one who had done his share of killing. He waited for confirmation.

"Da." With that, the Nebulan departed.

"Fyodor, you risk treason!"

"Treason, pfah! What is this treason? Lenin, the great founder of the Soviet Union, was shipped in by the Germans. What is another issue like this?" His feral eyes gleamed as he pulled out the codes and began to type them into a computer. Cyrillic letters came up and then the ENTER CODE prompt. With a decisive tap, he typed People's Will.

On the Don front, the rout had begun to spread and the Russian army was now starting to tie down the alien forces. They were in a state of confusion, having underestimated their thought-to-be-inferior human adversaries. A sudden rumbling was heard and the Angeloi began to shift direction. The soldiers hesitated. All sixteen constructs began to march towards them, thundering steps following in their wake like the sound of an angry tin god. Perun, in his awesome ire come to strike at the long-apostate Russians.

The army began to move backwards as their own weapons of war were turned against them. An alien energy blast lanced at the purple Angelous with the green face. It turned, its other-worldly eyes gazing at the alien forces. A lancing strike hit them as well. A newer and more desperate phase of the struggle began as aliens and humans alike attempted to stop the aroused Angeloi.

Malinovsky grinned with his yellowed teeth, watching the slaughter as the Angeloi shields shrugged off both human maser cannons and alien firepower. "Foolish spacemen! They did not ask me to not fire it at them, only to make it the enemy of the capitalist dogs. And you, Pavel. You did not agree with me? Behold the glory of aliens and capitalists alike, slaughtered by the dread terror of the Great Game!"

In the battle itself, the confusion was enormous. An Angelous shuddered when a lucky shell entered its gun barrel. A sudden eruption of fire bathed the battlefield in an eldritch light, giving the impression of unhallowed arts giving birth to a holocaust of desolation. The Angelous toppled, its arms in ruin and its ichor oozing out.

A droning sound announced a plane carrying the awesome firepower that had held the world in a balance of terror in times past. A single bomb dropped, bringing the Angeloi to rapt attention. Its detonation came, terrible and awesome to behold as a cloud of smoke rose in the shape of a mushroom, followed by a sudden booming sound. Russia's other weapon, the Colossus had arrived.

The Angeloi were all weakened, bleeding at various points on their stunned frames. The Colossus' treads ceased rumbling as numerous weapons appeared from its arms. Fire lanced out from an updated version of the Angeloi's own armament. They ceased firing after a while but the Colossus continued until their last twitches had stopped. From its imposing bulk came the strains of The Hymn of the Soviet Union.

In the middle of a devastated Russia, a thundering voice with the accent of Veliky Novgorod resounded over what communications systems still existed. "People of Russia! The Proletarian Revolution lives! Heed my words. Our glory rises under the magnificent power of our friends and allies from the stars! Long live the glorious Soyuz Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik!" This would only be the first of many confrontations with the Kilaaks.

Johannesburg, South Africa

In the war room of the South African National Defense Force (SANDF), a subordinate handed Lieutenant-General Godfrey Ngwenya a bulletin with the latest news from the front lines. He frowned as he read it and then looked up at the messenger.

"The Kilaaks are laying waste to anything that stands in their path. They have already taken Pretoria and will be here soon." The Lieutenant breathed a heavy sigh before speaking.

"What do you think our chances are? Honestly, sir."

"Based on what we know of the Kilaaks and their weaponry, cobbled together from various historical sources and current events, I can honestly say that we are outmatched. Other nations are fending them off using cold-based weapons but we have no room for such things in our budget, I'm afraid..."

"We're going to be slaughtered, aren't we?"

"It certainly looks that way..." Just then, another adjutant rushed in with an important message.

"Forgive the interruption, General, but an urgent communique has come in for you from the Commander of the Simeons, sir." The three officers exchanged surprised and unsure glances before the order was finally given to open the channel and Argon appeared on the viewscreen.

"Commander Argon, I presume?" Ngwenya surmised.

"Indeed it is, General Ngwenya. And it is a pleasure to meet you, may I add."

"Thank you, Commander, but what may I ask is the reason for your contact with us, if you will pardon me for being so bold?"

"Not at all, General. I am offering my military forces to your people in your battle against the Kilaaks."

"A very gracious and generous offer, Commander. I have been seeing and reading the news reports about you joining the United Nations and your promise to help defend the planet. But it seems that not everyone shares your sense of brotherhood."

"It is true that in light of the past, there are many who do not trust us but the simple fact remains that we only wish to help."

"And if I should choose to decline your offer?"

"Then it stops here. You will not hear from me again and we shall leave you to your own devices. We have no intention of forcing our assistance upon you."

"Others have already turned you down. Is that not so?"

"It is."

"And that doesn't bother you?"

"I didn't say that, General. But regardless of our personal feelings on the matter, as new citizens of this world, we have vowed to respect the laws and rights of all sovereign nations. And if our services are not wanted, then we will mind our own business. But the real question, General, is that what you really want?"

"What I want is what is best for the people of my country."

"Of course you do and I want to help you ensure that you accomplish exactly that."

"What if we don't need your help?"

"Then you can choose to end this transmission now and go about your business. But is that really the truth?"

"What are you insinuating, Commander?"

"With all due respect, General... you need us."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. The Kilaaks have you out-manned, out-gunned and have superior technology and weaponry. Alone you cannot hope to defeat them. I know that as a prideful soldier you feel the need to fight this battle on your own with your own strength and find a way to win but it isn't going to happen this time. That is unless... you accept our help."

Ngwenya hung his head for a moment considered Argon's words. Part of him was angered at both the insinuation that they were not strong enough to defeat this enemy on their own and that it was also the truth. He was also taken aback by the Commander's sincere if not blunt statements but deep down he knew he was right. There was only one choice he could make to try to save his people. He exhaled deeply.

"Commander Argon, both I and the members of the South African National Defense Force... gladly accept your offer."

"Thank you, General Ngwenya. You are as wise as you are brave."

Before they were deployed, Commander Argon personally addressed his troops at the Simeon base. "We will engage the Kilaaks at approximately 1800 hours. This is what you will need to know beforehand. Our race has never actually had a confrontation with them before so pay close attention to what I am about to tell you. Is that clear?"

"Sir, yes sir!" they all shouted in perfect unison.

"When our forces hit the ground, keep yourselves spaced out. Be sure to cover each other's back but don't bunch up. We don't want to give the enemy an easy target. Avoid hand-to-hand combat with them if you can. Kilaaks have superhuman strength and durability so attack them from a distance. You will need heavy artillery to pierce their armor. Standard blaster fire won't scratch them.

"Once you crack their exo-suits, the exposure to outside temperatures should render them harmless. For our pilots who will be facing off against their fleet, use the special freeze missiles first, especially if their ships are in Fire Dragon mode. They are an updated version of the old prototype for the freeze missiles of the original STARLIGHT SY-3 so they should be effective.

"Now listen to this part carefully: Concussion and explosive projectiles only. NO HEAT-BASED WEAPONS. No flame throwers, heat-oriented beams or incendiary rounds. Is that understood?"

"Sir, yes sir!"

"Very good. You are dismissed. May the glory of the Simeon homeworld go with you."

When they reached Johannesburg, members of the South African National Defense Force joined with the Simeon army to meet the Kilaaks head on. The Kilaak tanks had superior fire power that instantly reduced whatever it hit to useless scrap while also proving to have such high molecular density that they appeared to be almost invulnerable. This was no doubt due to the environment in which the Kilaaks normally operated in.

When constructing metal bodies of their war machines, they generally started where other races would more than likely stop. Being a race that already existed in extreme temperatures that were close to the equivalent of a standard Earth blast furnace to begin with, the heat generated in their foundries would easily reduce other such fabrications to useless molten goo. This, along with their unmatched metallurgy, knowledge made them the supreme smithies of the known universe. The Simeon tanks suffered heavy losses until their aircraft began dive-bombing the Kilaak tanks with their freeze missiles.

Their addition helped even the odds as the skies became a brilliant and brutal display of beams and explosions. The Kilaaks were the only sentient species to master shielding technology for smaller ships while other races simply had to try to strengthen the armor on theirs. Of course, there was no one who had yet created anything that matched what the Kilaak ships could do in Fire Dragon mode but their present opposition was more maneuverable and slender, making them more difficult to hit. This, combined with their freeze weapons, made them a force to be reckoned with as well.

The Simeon ground troops were packing laser rifles set at their maximum power level as nothing less would penetrate the Kilaak's armor. Only the biggest and strongest among the Simeon ranks could handle the recoil of the guns which would easily dislocate the shoulder or even break the collarbone of a human. They were backed up by African soldiers packing howitzers, rocket launchers and bazookas, both carry and self-propelled. Olifant Mk 2 tank battalions of the SANDF found themselves outmatched by Kilaak weaponry but played havoc with the aliens themselves. The Kilaaks gave as good as they got as their various earthbound and aerial ships tore through both human and Simeon forces alike. When Kilaak soldiers weren't incinerating their targets with wicked glee, they would literally tear their attackers apart with their bare hands, using their freakish strength in close quarters combat. The battle was quickly turning into a bloodbath.

In one part of the city, brutal ground action was taking place. As opposing forces clashed, the Kilaaks quickly put the Simeons on the defensive until a giant came forth from their rank. A seven-footer suddenly emerged from beneath the dead bodies of his comrades, blowing every target away that entered his cross-hairs. He had hidden beneath the corpses and allowed the Kilaaks to march over him, waiting for them to pass before attacking from behind.

As they were hit and exposed to the outside atmosphere, the Kilaaks would seemingly deflate. Reverting to their small slug-like forms, their suits and armor appeared to be empty as they laid on the ground in scattered heaps.

One Kilaak managed to reach the giant gung ho Simeon who quickly broke its neck. Its body was used as a shield against weapons fire as the mighty warrior returned more of his own. Following the massive ape's lead, his comrades charged with a unified roar, only to encounter another living roadblock.

A towering eight foot tall Kilaak rose amidst the carnage, barreling into the large Simeon head on. They both crashed through the wall of a nearby crumbling building. The Simeon connected with punches that would have cracked human bone but this massive as well as ancient Kilaak shrugged off the strikes. It lunged again, only to be grabbed and judo thrown, his own momentum proving to be his undoing. The metallic alien's weight and density practically turned him into a flying wrecking ball as he went through an opposite wall and back outside. The Simeon charged after him, only to have the Kilaak snatch the alien ape's right arm in mid-swing and snap his forearm in two. His half roar/ half scream of pain echoed simultaneously with the sound of the breaking bones.

He drew his dagger with his good arm but it broke uselessly against the Kilaak's chain mail. It was then that the silicon invader morphed his right hand into a serrated blade that stabbed deep into the Simeon's gut as he was lifted off the ground. However, it was at that moment that the Simeon pulled every pin on his grenade belt. The explosion also caught a ruptured gas main. Combatants on both sides were sent flying as an entire city block was leveled.

Just outside the blast zone, a Kilaak tank rumbled onto the battlefield. A shell from it eviscerated a group of running Simeons and humans. Others opened fire from a second story window but the tank pivoted its gun turret toward them and completely obliterated that floor of the building and the rest of it came crashing down. As it rolled over a pile of debris, two Simeons quickly moved in on either side, placing detonators on the drive mechanisms and underbody where the armor was thinner before dashing away. Moments later, the explosions immobilized the vehicle. Another device was placed to the tank's primary cannon, destroying it as well. With their weapon rendered useless, the Kilaaks inside leaped out firing their hand blasters but were quickly picked off.

Suddenly, the huge Kilaak that everyone assumed had been killed pulled itself from the rubble, engulfed in flames. Though his exo-suit had been destroyed by the explosion, his temperature was maintained by the blazing gas main. His body was burning at around 900 degrees Celsius which allowed him to retain his humanoid form. Both of his hands had changed into a pair of molten swords which he used to cut a bloody swath through whatever crossed his path. The remaining defenders opened fire but it had no effect as their weapons were designed to puncture the Kilaak's protective suits which was supposed to take care of what was inside. They had no contingency plan for their enemy fighting without it.

A grenade literally blew up in the alien's face, taking part of it off in a rather gory display but still he fought on. It did cause brain damage as the Kilaak howled like a mindless beast before going completely berserk. Any and all intelligence and/or tactical training went out the window as he began to rip everyone he could get his hands on to pieces.

Things were looking bad for this particular garrison when a tanker truck came roaring in and mowed the Kilaak down. As the human who had been driving it leaped out, another tossed a grenade at the tank which contained liquid nitrogen. When it blew, the freezing liquid went everywhere, including all over the Kilaak that was attempting to pull itself out from beneath the semi's wheels. By the time he got free, he was already freezing in place. A well placed shot shattered the frozen body and a tiny slug-like creature could be seen trying to retreat into its shell. It couldn't escape the liquid nitrogen and froze as well. A Simeon soldier strode up and crushed the crystallized creature underfoot, finally ending its existence.

The tide of battle finally began to turn in favor of Earth's defenders when Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus arrived on the scene. A hail of missiles found their mark on countless Kilaak ships and soldiers as the invaders found themselves being pushed back. Retreat was ordered and they began to withdraw. However, this did not sit well with General Kulkan who announced his presence by firing the HELLRAISER's weapons from the upper atmosphere. By the time he was finished, the entire city had been blasted off the map and everything in it destroyed or killed, be it Simeon, human or Kilaak. The 500 meter Kilaak warship then came down out of the clouds to inspect and survey its handiwork.

"Life signs?" General Kulkan asked.

"None, sir. Wait... we have just picked up something..."

"What? Put it on screen." The image that appeared showed Megalon standing amidst the devastation. "So the Seatopian's lap dog is actually foolish enough to face us again after the beating it took during our last encounter. How droll - and pitiful," Kulkan mocked.

"Sir, we are picking up an energy build-up within the kaiju. A tremendous amount of heat is building and gathering in Megalon's crest horn. The readings indicate solar energy waves preparing for a possible discharge."

"A heat-based weapon? The bug is going to attack US with a heat-based weapon?" The Kilaak General began to chuckle. "This creature truly is as stupid as it is ugly."

But what General Kulkan did not realize was that Megalon's solar beam attack was far more than just heat. It also hit with unparalleled physical force as the Kilaaks were about to learn the hard way when he unleashed it. The pent up power sent him flying backwards from the recoil as the blast rocketed forth. It struck the HELLRAISER hard and with rather destructive results.

"What in the-" Kulkan started to say as the ship swayed to one side sharply. "Damage report!" he demanded, shaking off his brief loss of composure.

"We've sustained outer hull damage!"

"Initiate repair systems immediately and return fire!"

Megalon burrowed out of harm's way just in time to avoid the HELLRAISER's wrath as the landscape was pulverized. Mechagodzilla and Titanosaurus blasted their way free of the tons of debris that had temporarily trapped them. Once again, the Simeon war horses opened fire with everything they had.

As the HELLRAISER readied its weapons for another barrage, Titanosaurus dropped his shields and ran to the forefront of the battle field, getting as close to the ship as possible. When its main beam fired, the cyborg's reflector dish was ready to receive it.

"Sir! Titanosaurus appears to be absorbing our fire!"

"What? Then disengage at once!" But it was too late as a substantial amount of energy had already been taken in and Titano now returned it, at five times the magnitude.

"Secondary hull damage!" a Kilaak technician yelled out as the reflected beam struck them hard. Mechagodzilla quickly took to the air, pelting the ship with round after round of plasma missiles. Megalon re-entered the fray and unloaded his own firepower as well.

"Sir, the compound within Mechagodzilla's missiles is eating through the last layer of our hull! We are facing an imminent hull breach, unless..."

"Unless what?" General Kulkan glared at the confused Kilaak.

"An analysis of the corroding matter reveals that if we retreat to the cold vacuum of space, the reaction will be slowed down enough to give us the time we need to remove the substance from the ship." Kulkan pondered this option for a moment. He hated the idea of conceding defeat to these lesser organisms but he dreaded facing King Karkaru if he lost not only the battle but the HELLRAISER as well.

"Very well then. Do it!" he spat in frustration. "But let us leave a parting gift for our foes before we go. Cut all primary power except life support and bring the ship to the ground." The HELLRAISER slowly descended to the surface and powered down. Mechagodzilla, Titanosaurus and Megalon approached cautiously for a closer look. General Kulkan waited until they were as close as possible.

"Now!" he bellowed. An explosive surge of energy went off right in their faces, sending them tumbling as if an angry child was kicking his toys across the floor. By the time they recovered, the war ship had sped away.

"So... did we win?" Bordu asked almost sheepishly back at the Simeon base.

"If you can call this a victory..." Commander Argon muttered as the viewscreens showed Johannesburg looking like the aftermath of a nuclear blast. The victory and others like it were bittersweet at best.

By paying close attention to Kilaak activity around the world, the United World Powers had caught on to their true plans but with so many of their armadas scattered across the Earth, it seemed impossible to catch and stop them on every front. The leaders of the UWP's respective races beheld the situation with a sense of dread as they watched their valiant soldiers die in one engagement after another and their numbers continued to dwindle.

Meanwhile, the Kilaaks poured on the pressure as if they had the luxury of throwing their forces at the defending armies and the rest of the world like endless cannon fodder that continuously replenished itself. Attempting to behead a hydra would probably have been easier.

Germany

A temporary Pyrrhic victory had been won over the aliens - at the cost of leveling most of the Allemmanic regions and leaving millions of people homeless.

The Germans had utilized liquid nitrogen as an offensive weapon delivered via napalm-style drops. It wasn't as effective as freeze masers or cadmium and not enough to actually stop the Kilaak ships but the attack did destabilize their shields and hull temperatures enough to make them susceptible to standard artillery fire.

When a second wave of Kilaak flyers and tanks arrived, what remained of the German army didn't stand a chance - except for one mammoth machine. Emerging from the smoke and flames was a tank the likes of which the Kilaaks and few humans had ever seen before.

Rolling onto the battlefield was the Landkreuzer P.1500 Monster. The name truly fit as it easily dwarfed everything around it. The German pre-prototype ultra-heavy weapon was meant to be a mobile platform for the Krupp 800mm Schwerer Gustav artillery piece, a mobile grand cannon proposed by the Nazis in World War II. If completed and mass produced, it would have easily surpassed the Panzer VIII Maus and even the extremely large Landkreuzer P.1000 Ratte in size, although it would only have enough power to move at 10-15 KPH.

It was 42 meters (138 feet) long, weighed 2,500 metric tons, carried 250mm front hull armor, four MAN U-boat (submarine) diesel engines and a crew of over 100 men. It was so heavy that it cracked pavement and was not able to cross bridges.

The main armament was a 800mm Dora/Schwerer Gustav K (E) rail gun ten times bigger in diameter than modern tank cannons. Secondary weapons consisted two 150mm sFH 18/1 L/30 howitzers and multiple 15mm MG 151/15 machine guns.

Although history books claim that it had never gotten past the blueprint stage, at least one had been built just before the Third Reich fell. Wealthy industrialist Karl Hans Albrecht, the richest man in Germany, purchased it after an expedition turned it up in a subterranean storage facility that had been abandoned and hidden since the end of World War II. When the Kilaaks first attacked, he offered it to the German military to aid in the defense of the country.

With one shot of the Landkreuzer's hulking cannon, a Kilaak tank was completely obliterated, as was anything else it hit. It was even larger than the Kilaak's behemoth tanks and overpowered and crushed them beneath its massive treads. The Monster even opened fire on passing Kilaak aircraft. Although the weapon wasn't powerful enough to get past the Kilaak shields, the sheer force of the shells knocked them from the sky to crash on the ground. The Kilaaks returned fire but the tank's armor held up to their attacks.

The aliens were both surprised and angered at the idea that the humans actually had a weapon capable of standing up to them and with that revelation came a great fury. Countless numbers of Kilaak ships converged on the Landkreuzer, blasting it with their heat weapons. The super tank's hull temperature began to rise, leading to a tragic and horrific end for the brave men inside.

In the end, the Landkreuzer proved itself to be as invulnerable as it was designed to be, emerging from the onslaught seemingly unscathed, aside from the fact that it was now white hot. The Kilaaks' weapons had essentially transformed it into a giant oven, its internal temperature reaching an excess of 1500 degrees Celsius, cooking those within alive and eventually melting them into nothing.

The Monster, for all intents and purposes, had been slain. In short order, the same fate befell the rest of the nation which prompted the German Republic to surrender.

Halfway across the globe, yet another battle was being waged over a massive undersea volcano in the South Pacific as a fleet of Muuvian submarines led by Captain Gordon and the GOTENGO took on a formation of Kilaak ships. Muuvian torpedos and beams found their marks as the Kilaak shields proved to be as durable as ever. Only a pass of the flying battleship's freeze ray was required to weaken them.

Several ships in Fire Dragon mode attempted kamikaze attacks but were unprepared for just how resilient the hulls of the Muuvian subs were. They were the most advanced in the world and capable of diving to depths that would crush any other submersible. Such being the case, physical bombardment proved quite useless against them but the Kilaaks' weaponry however was not.

Suddenly, Manda bolted into the fray and entangled a Kilaak ship in his coils, buckling its shields and cracking its outer hull. The cold waters of the Pacific rushed in to claim its horrified crew. Taking notice of this new threat, several ships took aim at the Muuvian god and protector but not one could land a single shot. In the depths of the ocean, Manda was truly in his element and moved with more speed and faster reflexes than anything else in the war zone. The great serpent took out Kilaak ships left and right with a ferocity that few even suspected him capable of. Suddenly, a kaiju that the Kilaaks as well as countless others may have dismissed as weak or useless was commanding a whole new level of respect.

The GOTENGO then surged forward, obliterating anything in its path with the Mu subs following close behind. This would eventually result in a retreat for the Kilaaks and a glorious victory for the United World Powers.

As for the confrontation in the Middle East, the aftermath saw both warring factions obliterate each other and left Israel in burning ruins without the aliens having to lift a finger. No further opposition to Kilaak forces would be encountered there. Similar sabotage and subterfuge orchestrated by both the Nebulans and Kilaaks saw other military forces in various countries turn on one another rather than fight their true foes.

India

In one of the most densely populated cities in the world, a brutal battle was taking place between Nebulan and Kilaak ships with the city of Mumbai being flattened in the crossfire.

However, it was nothing but a cleverly orchestrated ruse. The warcraft of both sides were automated and unmanned. This particular scenario had been planned out by Fumio Subo and King Karkaru for the sake of the Nebulans keeping up appearances. Fumio needed his allies to believe that he and his associates were just as dedicated to the Earth's defense as anyone else and avert any possible suspicion.

Thus, the lives of over 13 million people were snuffed out, all for the sake of a grandiose and merciless deception.

Aboard the FLAMING FURY, King Karkaru stood stoically on the bridge as one of his lieutenants approached. "My liege. Everything is going according to plan. The various forces across the planet that stood against us have either imploded, been destroyed, wiped each other out or retreated."

"Excellent. And the status of the undersea volcano?" the King asked.

"Lost, your majesty. Our forces were defeated in battle." A few moments of silence passed as he patiently and nervously awaited a response.

"I see. Very well... Set our coordinates for the next target and get us underway immediately," Karkaru finally replied, much to the officer's surprise.

"Please forgive my questioning, my King, but do you not wish to initiate a retaliatory strike?"

"No, it is not needed. Let the victors of this battle believe that they have won. Do as I have ordered." The lieutenant bowed and turned to depart. Karkaru stood alone once more and pondered the situation, chuckling to himself slightly.

These beings and their so-called alliances, so tenuous and fragile that even the slightest wavering causes complete collapse! So easily corrupted and weak, ready to turn on one another at a moment's notice. Un-evolved, uncivilized lowly vagrants! Exterminating them would be the greatest gift the Kilaaks could give this planet.

Fumio's plans had been followed to the letter and as much as Karkaru hated to admit, it had worked. However, the most ironic truth was that all of these battles being waged across the globe, whether won or lost, were nothing more than mere distractions allowing the Kilaaks to go about their true mission. They activated volcanic hot spots while their enemies continued to deplete their own resources in one conflict after another.

Soon the human and alien dregs that dwelled here would be washed away and the Kilaaks would finally claim the Earth as its own once and for all.

Tibet

Another target for the Kilaaks was the towering Kunlun volcano. While they tended to it, a war was being waged in the nearby city of Lhasa.

The largest army the humans had ever assembled stood at over two million strong. Unfortunately, sheer numbers were seemingly China's only effective weapon for the soldiers were poorly trained and equipped compared to the military forces of other nations. Their tanks and jets were over 30 years old, lacking modern advances and range.

This would spell certain doom and an inevitable slaughter but as the Chinese marched forward, they realized that the Kilaaks were neither moving or firing on them. That was when the sudden cry of Taiwan's independence was heard. China had a history of secular rebellions - the huge White Lotus Rebellion in the 1790s and 1800s, the Taiping Rebellion in the 1850s-60s that killed 15% of the population and The Long March that launched the civil war between Mao Tse-Tung and Chiang Kai-Shek in the 1930s and '40s which killed tens of millions.

The increasing patterns of local protests were scaring the hell out of the Chinese Communist Party since they had enough of a historical sense to know that one of these mass riots could spiral out of control into a full-scale war. The Taiwanese had always wanted their independence from China but were biding their time, waiting for the right moment. They were very well aware that any move they made would bring an immediate invasion from the CCP so they had waited for their opportunity and have leverage.

With Fumio's guidance, the Kilaaks had given them their chance. Although the Taiwanese army numbered close to 300,000, it was hopelessly outnumbered 6 to 1. The Kilaaks armed them with their own advanced weaponry and then dropped them on Tibet's doorstep. A single Taiwanese soldier could easily take down 20 men with just one pass of a Kilaak flame thrower or heat cannon.

But in the end, none of this mattered. The civil war facilitated by the Kilaaks was serving no other purpose than buying time. When the Kunlun volcano was finally triggered, a Magnitude 10 earthquake buried the needle on Richter scales throughout the region. As the fault line shattered, untold devastation tore across Lhasa like a giant scythe, wiping out both armies in one of the most horrific displays of mass genocide the world had ever or would ever see.

Round-up

It was about dusk when a massive, ominous shape blocked out the setting sun as it descended toward Monsterland. The emergency alarms suddenly sounding throughout the island's main complex jolted Cillian Bakker from his near slumber, having dozed off while wading through some tedious paperwork in his office. He quickly rushed to the Surveillance Center and saw what appeared to be a gigantic three-clawed hand reaching down through the cloud cover. When it descended further, he realized what it was.

"No... not a hand... a ship?" he asked no one in particular. The aliens had come here as well! Cillian searched his memory as he watched the mammoth craft slowly float down but did not recognize it. He couldn't even begin to guess who was now at their very doorstep. Worry and uncertainty consumed him as he thought he had found a refuge here; a place where battles, invasions and the chaos that enveloped the rest of the world would not find him. Only now did he realize that there was no safe haven, no real refuge from the invaders that threatened the Earth. He had been a naive fool to ever think otherwise.

Secondary alarms began to sound which usually were only activated when a kaiju had left the island. Cillian and the rest of the staff quickly checked the various monitors.

"Baragon is gone!" a lab technician exclaimed. "Wait a minute... so is Varan!"

"Kumonga is gone, too!" another called out.

"No sign of Ebirah either!" a third voice shouted.

"We've just lost Godzilla Junior..." Their voices became a mixed wash of hysterics and confusion as Cillian watched flashing blips on a location screen that displayed where the kaiju were on the island disappear one by one. Suddenly, it hit him.

"Ang!" he shouted as he bolted out the door towards Anguirus Junior's lair. When he reached the young kaiju's resting place, he called out his name. The monster was gazing curiously up at the ship hovering high above but turned when he heard Cillian's voice. A fearful cry was heard by the horrified human just before the now nearly full-grown Anguirusaurus seemingly dematerialized and vanished in a flash of light.

"Nooooooooo!" Cillian screamed, falling to his knees. When the Xian mothership had teleported all of the island's resident kaiju aboard, it retreated back up into the clouds. The now rather barren island was left behind with its panicked and befuddled staff and one lonely human, kneeling in the dirt with his tear-stained face buried in his hands.

On Ganymede, the Hall of Discussion was now a burning ruin. It had stood for the past twenty years as a symbol of possible hope for the future alliance of Earth and Planet X but that was no more. A lone figure walked up to where the statue of Ambassador Glenn once stood. Now, it lay smashed and shattered on the ground.

Rentis' mind raced as he gazed upon the despoiled monument, Ken'trus' response to what he called an act of war. The Controller claimed that the Earthlings were responsible for the disappearance of Sar'rious and their treachery had to be punished. The destruction of the Hall and the statue of his human father was retribution.

Although Rentis never knew either of his parents, he was thankful that his mother chose to permit his birth and grateful to his father for the human emotions he was able to experience. Of course, none of that would matter if Ken'trus had not intervened on his behalf years ago, preventing his termination.

He owed him just as much, if not more and served Ken'trus loyally without question or doubt. He couldn't help but be concerned about the path their race was about to embark upon. The last thing they needed was a repeat of what happened in 1966.

"Rentis, this is Drone 692," a robotic voice suddenly spoke from his communicator, startling the Xian hybrid. "The Controller requests an explanation for your departure."

"Just running a brief errand. I am returning now," Rentis responded before turning back toward his shuttle.

He stopped for a moment, completely unmoving. Then he slowly looked over his shoulder, back at where the statue once stood. After gazing at it for a few seconds, he departed.