Chapter Ten: The Archipelago Wars
Isle of Berk
Half an hour Later
Rather than flying in the chaotic air battle over their heads, Bravo Squad and the Dragon Riders were moving on foot through the forests toward the village as they escorted Alvin while keeping an eye out for any remaining Outcasts
"The village is much farther than I thought it was…" Astrid said as she rode on Stormfly next to Henderson
"Try walking across Camp Lejeune in the middle of summer." He replied
"Camp Lejeune?" Astrid asked him
"It's the base we're stationed at back in the states; it's an absolutely miserable place during the summer." He replied
"Where is it?" She asked him
"North Carolina, near the Atlantic Coast." He replied
"I may have heard Barnes talk about it once." Astrid said to him
"Wouldn't surprise me, the APM maintains a garrison there as well. But it's primarily just us…the Marines." He replied, "This isn't really a time for chit-chat you know?"
"Sorry, but this is the first time we've really socialized with somebody outside the APM." Astrid said when a flaming biplane darted across the sky followed by a USAF Fighter jet that broke off after the biplane crashed in the trees near the path they were on
"Hold on!' Henderson shouted
"What is it?" Astrid asked him
"I want to check out this damn biplane." He replied
"Uhhh…why?" Snotlout asked him
"Would you like to know who we're fighting?" He replied, "You guys stay here, Bravo on me!"
Bravo Squad followed Henderson through the trees toward the crash site where the remains of the biplane burned as its pilot crawled out from the wreckage mumbling something in Latin as Henderson and his men came closer, their weapons aimed at the injured pilot as the dragon riders followed Henderson with Alvin before Toothless and Hiccup landed with Barnes nearby
"There you guys are!" Hiccup shouted as they ran toward them as the Pilot pulled out a revolver and shot Henderson once in the leg and then aiming the gun at Astrid and Stormfly, but before he could pull the trigger, Barnes pounced onto the pilot, crushing him to death under his weight as Henderson grabbed his leg and withered in pain as Jasmine ran to him with a med kit
"Hold still!" She shouted to him as she opened the med kit and pulled out a roll of bandages that she used to wrap a bandage around Henderson's injury before cutting it from the roll with a pair of scissors while Benjamin and Turner lifted Henderson up to his feet and put his arms around their shoulder
"So much for walking to the village…" Astrid said, "Get him on my dragon; we're going to be flying the rest of the way."
"Flying?" Henderson asked
"What never flown before?" Astrid asked him
"Only once during the Gene Corp War…and that was in the back of a VTOL in a closed compartment." He replied
"Well don't worry this will be easy." Astrid said as Turner and Benjamin helped him get to Stormfly, who knelt down so they could get Henderson on
"How the hell did that little thing get through your Kevlar?" Turner asked as Snotlout picked up the revolver that was still in the dead pilot's hand and opened it up, revealing the five rounds of .44 armor piercing ammunition
"Well that explains why…but how the hell did they get that kind of am-." Benjamin said before Barnes interrupted
"Blackwater, General Karlson reported seeing helicopters with their markings flying in from their fleet offshore." Barnes replied with his translation collar
"Just get me out of here…" Henderson said as Astrid got onto Stormfly in front of him as the rest of his squad got on the other dragons with their riders
"You going to be okay back there?" Astrid asked him
Henderson nodded
"Just get this show on the ro-well in the air." He said before they took off into the air toward the village
Berserker Home Islands
36th Bundeswehr Armored Division
Aberly's Leopard tanks arrived at the Berserker Harbor where the Berserkers and their few remaining warships were attempting to hold off the attacking Blackwater Airborne troopers and the steel ships of the Roman fleet offshore
"There you krauts are!" Dagnur shouted over the radio, "Now do whatever you do!"
Aberly sighed
"I really hate that kid." He thought to himself as a Blackwater BMD-3 rolled into view, firing its auto cannon and machine gun at the Berserkers
"Acthung we have an enemy panzer to our left!" The Gunner shouted to Aberly
"I see it, I see it!" Aberly replied, "Gunner target BMD to our left!"
The Gunner turned the turret and main toward the BMD-3 that was now turning its own toward one of the Leopard tanks
"Target acquired!" The Gunner shouted to Aberly
"Fire!" He replied before the gunner pulled the trigger for the 140mm main gun that hit the BMD-3 and knocked it onto its side
"BMD is kaput!" The Gunner shouted as the Leopard's active point defense came online as a Blackwater soldier fired a RPG-29 at it and intercepted the incoming projectile
"Load HE rounds!" Aberly shouted as turned the cupola machine gun toward the direct that the rocket came from as the Blackwater soldier loaded another rocket into his launcher, but Aberly mowed him down and the near ammunition carrier while the autoloader loaded a high explosive round into the breech as the gunner turned the turret to face the Blackwater soldiers
"Come to papa!" The Gunner shouted as he pulled the trigger and fired a HE round at a Blackwater MG team as a BMP-2 came out from the water and opened it's back hatches allowing it's passengers to get out as it stopped to fire it's turret-mounted ATGM launcher at a German Marder XI that was already distracted by a group of Blackwater infantry, destroying it completely
"Sheiβe!" Aberly replied as one of the other Leopard took out the BMP-2 with a AP round as more BMP-2s, BTRs, and PT-76s rolled ashore carrying more infantry as two of the Leopards were taken out by ATGMs from a Mi-28 as rowboats carrying soldiers and troop barges started to come toward the shore from the warships
"Everybody fall back!" Aberly shouted over the radio, "Get your people out of here Dagur! Save your strength!"
"What?! Why are we running?!" Dagnur replied before one of the warships fired a salvo of heavy shells over them, "EVERYBODY FALL BACK!"
Aberly's armored vehicles and the Berserkers fell back into the village as the Blackwater and Roman landing forces started to come ashore in droves
Isle of Berk
The skies over the Hairy Hooligan village were now clear of biplanes thanks to the efforts of the American fighter jets and dragons as the Barnes, the dragon riders, and bravo squad flew over it with Alvin being carried by Stormfly
"Is the sergeant okay?" Barnes asked Astrid telepathically
Astrid nudged Henderson with her elbow
"I'm still alive if that's what you're wondering, it's going to take more than a shot to the leg to kill me." He replied, "Are we about to land?"
"Just about sergeant." Hiccup said to him as they flew toward the Great Hall where a field hospital had been set up to take care of the wounded Americans and Viking where they landed and were greeted by Stoick and Gobber
"Hiccup!" Stoick said to Hiccup as he ran toward Hiccup and lifted him up in a hug while several U.S Army medics ran to help Astrid help Henderson climb off Stormfly
"We'll take him from here ma'am." One of the Medics said to Astrid as they escorted Henderson into the Great Hall as Stoick put Hiccup down and approached Alvin, who had been thrown to the ground by Stormfly as she landed
"You have a lot to answer for Alvin, but for now, we'll just let you rot in the jail." Stoick said to him as four Vikings lifted the former chieftain of the Outcast Tribe to his feet and dragged him away as Karlson and Tesla came out from the Great Hall
"We did what you said; we took out as many of those helos and biplanes as we could. But they just kept coming and now they've got a foothold north of The Long Beach!" Karlson said to Barnes, "There's also apparently a European Military detachment with the Berserkers because we've intercepted several transmissions from them to their commanders and it sounds like they're in the same amount of trouble as we are."
"Any word from Cape Girardeau?" He asked him
"They want us to hold onto Berk and the Meathead Islands until they or the other members of the Coalition can send us reinforcements." He replied
"Do we have enough forces to protect both islands?" Barnes asked him
"Not effectively, which is why we're planning to launch a preemptive strike on the Roman fleet and send it to the bottom of the Inner Sea because we certainly have more than enough firepower here." He replied, "We've already got the Meatheads and the navy in on it."
"It will also be a lot easier to take out those soldiers on those troopships and barges when they're still aboard them." Stoick said to Barnes
"Well I've never had to sink a major warship that was out of sea, but I guess it's worth the try." He replied, "But we and the dragon riders will be limited to taking out biplanes, small boats, and suppressing their air defenses unless they can find a way for us to carry torpedoes and teach the dragon riders how to use laser designators to guide cruise missiles."
"I think we can do the latter, but the engineers will have to look into the former." Karlson said to him, "But in the meantime I suggest you guys prepare yourselves."
Cape Girardeau, MO
APM Command Bunker
Reaper, Smict, Paxton, the rest of the President cabinet, and several APM and U.S Military Officers all had their focus on the TV sets in the Nerve as the Russian Duma voted to declare war on the Roman Empire and Blackwater while the European Security Council assembled for an emergency session in Geneva while several international news broadcasters reported about the fighting in the Barbaric Archipelago or the declaration of war from the other members of the Coalition
"The war hasn't been going on for a whole two hours yet and more than half of the Coalition has declared war while the others are in the process." Chavez said
"Who will be the first to get forces to the Archipelago?" Reaper asked Paxton
"It will probably be the Russians, Europeans, or the Israelis since they already have forces assembled for the war games and as QRFs." He replied, "Well the technically the Europeans already have forces on the Berserker Islands according to our recent Intel, but only two divisions."
"What's the process on the counter-attack against the Roman fleet attacking Berk?" Reaper asked Smict
"Conrad is planning to launch the attack before dawn." He replied, "If we can neutralize the invasion fleet and take out the foothold Blackwater has established on Berk, we can focus our forces, particularly our air power on helping the other tribes defend their islands until the Coalition can respond and launch a proper counter-attack."
IRS(Imperial Roman Ship) Nero; Caesar-class Battleship
Somewhere in the Mazy Multitudes
Roman General, Atticus the Great was in the command bridge of the Nero as it sailed off the shores of the island where Fort Sinister where Roman engineers were hard at work establish a base of operations that would serve as the center piece of the Roman-Blackwater invasion of the Barbaric Archipelago
"General Atticus!" A Roman Officer said to Atticus with a Roman salute
"What is it?" Atticus asked him
"General Ovicula is proud to report that he has made landfall on Hysteria after a brief period of heavy resistance from the Vikings and is awaiting further instructions from you!" He replied
"Ahhh…progress at last; tell him to fortify his beachheads and prepare it for his tanks and heavy weaponry." Atticus said, "What is the progress of our forces on Berk?"
"General Aetius is taking additional time to prepare his forces, but is promising that he'll make landfall on Berk and the Meathead Islands before first light." The Roman Officer replied
"I understand his reasons; he's dealing with a more dangerous foe, much like General Decimus with those Europeans who have been helping the Berserkers." Atticus said to him, "And where in Mars' name is the commander of Blackwater's forces?!"
"He's already ashore overseeing the construction of his headquarters." He replied
Atticus sighed
Isle of Berk
Henderson was laying down on a cot as a doctor looked at his leg wound
"Don't worry sergeant you'll be back on your feet soon enough." The Doctor said as he stood up before walking away while Henderson laid his head back on his pillow as Karlson came into the Great Hall to check up on him
"How's the leg?" Karlson asked with his translation collar
"Better than it was." Henderson replied
"You'll get it over it." Karlson said to him, "So Henderson, I've been hearing…rumors that Martin Henderson isn't you're real dad."
Henderson laughed lightly
"He's my dad's younger brother; my mom and he were never married that's just what he wanted people to think." He said to Karlson
"I know it's all in the records." He replied, "Your real dad, Jerry Henderson died in a car accident less than a month after your tenth birthday."
Henderson nodded
"My dad was always better than that piece of shit, they never got along either. Every time they were together, they did nothing but argue." Henderson said to him, "One time my dad beat the shit out of him and threw him out, but yet he still came to help take care of me and my mom after he died."
"He didn't really like you either did he?" Karlson asked him
"That's an understatement, he hated every inch of me." He replied, "The feeling was mutual."
"Which is why you helped us tried to apprehend him…" Karlson said to him
Henderson nodded
"Only regret is that we didn't catch him." He said to him, "Tell you the truth I'm surprised that he hasn't ended up dead from mysterious circumstances."
"I'm sure that's coming sooner or later." Karlson replied, "So how's your daughter?"
Henderson closed his eyes and sighed
"She's with her grandmother; I was supposed to be calling her right about now." He said to her, "So I've heard you're a father now as well."
Karlson nodded
"Two best things that have ever happened to me." He said to Henderson as the doctor returned with auto injector filled with a light-gray substance
"This will sting just for a second." The Doctor said to Henderson as injected Henderson's leg with the substance
"What was that stuff?" He asked the Doctor
"A little present from the APMSF for your assistance for capturing Alvin, it'll make your wound heal quicker." Karlson replied
"Thanks…" Henderson said while in the village, Barnes, the other post-human dragons, and the dragon riders were preparing for the counter-attack on the Roman fleet
"The Roman fleet has positioned itself just northeast of Death's Head Headland where Blackwater has set up a fortified landing zone for their helos and paratroopers, but we're going to the ground pounders worry about them while we and every operable plane and VTOL goes after the fleet." Barnes said to the other post-human dragons, dragon riders and their mounts, and the pilots of the 502nd with his translation collar, "According to our intel, the fleet consists of three battleships, four heavy cruisers, 60 troopships and barges, four seaplane tenders, and numerous smaller vessels including gun and torpedo boats; our main priorities is to take out the troopships, the tenders, any biplanes, along with any anti-air armament the ships may have while the VTOLs, jets, and our ships take out the larger targets."
"Where will the navy be coming from?" Asked Walton Kruger, a post-human Zippleback
"A wolf pack of Gato II-class attack submarines will be coming from the northwest and they will be followed by the USS Iowa and her escorts." Barnes replied, "The former of which will be taking care of the Roman battleships which been identified as two Lord Nelson-classes and a Iron Duke-class, which we believe to be the flagship."
"Figures that Blackwater gave them our designs." Jones replied
"The Iowa shouldn't have any problems taking out those ships because she can fire more accurately and from longer range." Robin said
"That's enough you two." Barnes said to them in dragonese
"What kind of AA guns are we talking about here?" Snotlout asked him
"Probably pom-poms and 3 inchers, the latter of enough are probably powerful enough to blast apart any dragon with or without armor." He replied with his translation collar
"What in Thor's name is a pom-pom?" Astrid asked him
"It's a 37mm rapid fire anti-air gun." Barnes replied, "I saw one once in a museum."
"What happens after we take out the fleet?" Hiccup asked him
"We'll divert our attention to taking out the Blackwater forces on the Headland and after they're gone, we'll start helping the other tribes repel the invasions of their islands until more reinforcements can arrive." He replied
"And how long will that take?" Wensky asked him
"I don't know, but they won't be any of our guys that's for sure." He replied
Russian Attack Submarine – Western Mediterranean
Titov was with the captain in his quarters
"Why couldn't you send the transmission while you were launching the missiles?!" He asked the Captain
"Because the launch sequences disabled our long range comms long enough for Blackwater to start jamming it." He replied, "Plus it's probably too late now, they've probably already started their invasion as far as we know."
Titov sighed
"How long will it be until we're out of range of their jammers?" He asked him
"I can't say Colonel, we don't know what kind of system they're using to jam us." He replied
"Great we're at war and we're probably the only ones who knows it!" Titov shouted