The Death of Megalon
Mothra soared through the clear night sky, the full moon making the ocean below a beautiful display of shimmering reflections. She could not properly enjoy it with so much to think and fret about. With a sigh, she continued her long trek, banking to steer toward her destination. Her rapid passage kicked up a shower of sparkling water behind her. Suddenly, the sound of other beating wings echoed across the ocean, accompanied by a rapid buzzing sound. Megalon shot across the ocean like a rocket, throwing up a trail of mist as he went.
"Megalon!" Mothra cried out to get his attention. The great beetle skidded to a stop, the trail of water catching up with him and showering them both in moisture. Mothra hovered in place before him.
"Yes? What is... what happened to you?" he asked, taking notice of her still-regenerating injuries from the Nebulan satellite's attack. She shook herself out of her surprise and to rid her fur of its wetness.
"It was the Nebulans but they have been destroyed. But now, I have an urgent message. Gamera will need help fighting the Gyaos. You should head in that direction." She pointed toward the south.
"Righ-" Their conversation was cut short as a swarm of crimson explosive particles surrounded the duo, filling their vision with red dots. Mothra was momentarily stunned as Megalon was hit with another blast of the shotgun ray.
"Prepare to taste my steel, pretty one!" Gigan swooped down at Mothra, his chainsaw arced back and ready for a swing. Mothra, still blinded, didn't see the cyborg demon charging towards her. Suddenly, a mighty war cry rang out, causing the ocean to vibrate from the sound. Megalon rushed up at Gigan from below, blocking his strike.
"I never knew you could go low enough to hit a girl, Gigan." Anger flared in his bulbous eyes as the monster cackled in his recent ally's face before they pushed off from each other. Hovering in place, Gigan's blood-red visor glowed and reflected off the water's surface below. Whatever eyes it concealed glared at Megalon whose massive orange optics stared back with the fiery hatred of the god he was. Gigan shifted his position and Megalon did likewise, his eyes never leaving his counterpart's. Behind him was an island a few miles away.
"It's always been all work and no play with you, Megalon. There is never any time for... fun, is there?"
"I suppose not but it is Friday night..." Megalon stated.
"Then let's dance!" An aerial game of cat and mouse began as Gigan swooped down close to the water and headed for the island. Megalon gave chase, staying on his hooked tail during every move he made. A tidal wave of mist erupted below them as the several-thousand-ton titans moved at Mach speed over the water.
Gigan suddenly whipped around, flying backwards. Megalon skidded to a halt as they continued to move across the water. Gigan roared and fired off his dual chest disks. The great knight tried to dodge but a blade slashed through his helm, leaving a deep wound.
"Did I do that?" Gigan cackled madly. He whipped back around and flew straight to the island. Megalon let loose a shrill cry of rage and put on a burst of speed that left the ocean's surface in an explosion of water. The dog-fighting duo flew upward at an angle, gradually getting closer to land. Megalon tried to close in and grab hold of him but Gigan was too quick, easily avoiding his pursuer. The Seatopian guardian fired a volley of napalm balls which exploded around Gigan but his course was not altered. Suddenly, a plan sprang into Megalon's head. He fell back a few hundred meters and fired off a volley of napalm balls, the extremely explosive orbs whipping past Gigan.
"Come on... turn around," he muttered to himself, staring intently at his enemy.
"Looks like you missed again, Mega -" The burning spheres struck and Gigan fell from the sky screaming, a fireball several times larger than himself on his finned back. Megalon leapt forward, flying straight at the demon for all he was worth. He stuck out his arm, clothes-lining Gigan in the stomach. The cyborg gasped for air as they continued on, locked together but climbing higher and higher. Gigan took his free arm and swatted Megalon in the face, breaking off his relentless attack. When they broke apart and took separate paths, Megalon jumped down to the sandy shore of the beach and skidded in the loose dirt. Gigan did likewise and fired off his Shotgun Ray. Megalon dodged the attack and aimed napalm balls at Gigan's sliding feet. The leathery demon leapt into the air and flew straight for him.
Megalon ducked Gigan's tackle but the wily cyborg's tail latched onto his horn. Gigan tried to drag him down but was stopped dead in his tracks. Megalon flung all of his weight forward, straining against his enemy. With one last jerk of his neck, he flung him over his head and onto the ground.
"You pathetic, wretched demon!" Megalon dashed toward him, his battle-tested lance held high above his head. "It will be a pleasure to tear your head from your body!" He brought the drill down but Gigan whipped upward in a fury of crimson and black, catching it with his dual chainsaw weapon. "Did they have to play 'Frankenstein' on you again?" Megalon taunted. Gigan swung his free arm upward but Megalon caught it and held it down.
"Foolish knight! You dare mock the Reaper?" Gigan started up the revolving blades. Razor teeth smashed against the metal drills, creating a cascade of sparks that encircled the two locked opponents. Megalon lifted himself up off the ground, using Gigan's strength against him and slammed his heel into the side of his head repeatedly. Gigan reeled back, open for another strike. The insectoid god rushed forward and upper-cut Gigan in his toothed beak, sending him high over his head before landing in a heap. The space demon's breath was hoarse and pained as blood trickled from the corner of his visor and mouth. Megalon fell back, giving his enemy an opportunity to get back to his feet. Looking down at Gigan, he watched him struggle.
"You think... you are some great hero, Megalon?" Gigan gasped. "But guess what, roach boy. News flash!" Gigan began to stumble towards him. "You were just like me. You slaughtered just as many things as I did." Gigan's bloody beak had a toothy grin. Megalon boiled with anger. "And you know what else? I think you enjoyed it just as much as I did..." Gigan gave a loud mechanical cackle.
"No... I was defending my people and my kingdom," Megalon pleaded his case.
"Don't mock my intelligence, you stupid insect! You enjoyed it! You loved the screams of creatures in burning torment as you tore through their buildings! You LOVED it." Gigan had regained his posture and was grinning at him. "You always were a gelded little puppy."
"...No!" Megalon dashed forward, burning with anger at his enemy but he wasn't thinking. Gigan leapt to the side, clothes-lining him and bringing his knee out to land on the back of Megalon's head. Gigan raked the deadly saws along his chest and face. The revolving teeth ripped chunks in a great shower of ichor. Megalon did not cry out, not wanting to give Gigan that satisfaction.
"Scream, damn you!" Gigan became infuriated and swung a saw across Megalon's chest, ripping up chunks of his armor. He continued to tear into the silent guardian, sticking his saw into an open wound. "I want to hear you... SCREAM!" Gigan lifted a saw high above his head and slammed it straight down into Megalon's side and held it there. It roared as did its sadistic master. Chunks of flesh, armor and bone flew about, soaking Gigan in crimson. Megalon gasped for air, his eyes wide with pain. He felt cold and his vision began to get fuzzy. He didn't want to die like this ...not like this. Gigan was panting also.
"Now let's go to work on that pretty face of yours..." A loud whoosh of air and a shadow fell over Megalon's body. He turned and saw Gigan's face get planted in the sand.
"Come to your feet and face me!" Mothra roared in challenge, glaring at the demon. Sparkles of light swirled around her. "I am tired of this charade. It ends NOW!" Before Gigan could react, Megalon's drill was under his jaw, pushing it up at a painful angle. He held Gigan's arm back and put his weight into his spine, immobilizing the other one.
"Do it..." Megalon looked deep into Mothra's eyes. She was shocked to see him soaked in his own blood but he fought on with as much courage as when he had first entered this war. "Do it!" he roared again, pulling Gigan's arm. Satisfied when the limb cracked, Mothra silently began to hover over the locked combatants. Golden bolts of energy flashed about as sparkling energy danced into being. The ancient Seal of the Elias began to form like a spotlight above them. Gigan gasped and a loud maniacal cackle erupted from his maw.
"Is this your grand final moment? Your encore, old friend? Well, I am glad to be a part of it."
"I will see you in hell!"
"...And it will hold no surprises for us." The Seal intensified, releasing more energy and light. Gigan and Megalon were obscured by the blinding radiance as the very ground they stood upon collapsed into a mammoth and seemingly bottomless sinkhole. When the dust settled, the two kaiju were gone.
Mothra was alone once again. There was no cheering for the hero, nor would there be. Only the silent night applauded Megalon's valiant effort. Mothra dropped her head. She was so weak and tired of this war! Never had she been in such a conflict that caused the death of the ones she held dear. Bronze particles began to float around her, shimmering with an unnatural light and she didn't feel as empty. It was as if Megalon was with her again as his essence floated gently down onto her wings and revived her. Mothra lifted off with renewed vitality and once again flew across the ocean toward her destination. She had to win this war for Megalon's sake so that his death would not be in vain.
A Time to Mourn
Throughout Seatopia, a gong tolled, echoing across the underground nation. This was the saddest and darkest day that had ever befallen the ancient kingdom in the countless millennia of its great history. Seatopia was a country in mourning. In almost one fell swoop, they had lost both their King whom his subjects adored and the god they worshiped.
In the long legacy of the Earth and its countless and vast civilizations, there were times when legendary individuals of high renown, great stature and beloved by all were laid to rest. None of their final honors could compare to what history bore witness to this day. An entire nation gathered en masse to weep together at the terrible losses it had suffered in a display of unbridled love and unity that made anything that had come before pale in comparison.
They all stood before the towering royal palace with Seatopia's new king, the former Prince Hector and his beloved Angelique. Dressed in the regal garb customary of a ceremony such as this, they stood hand-in-hand with the entire population assembled before them. Hector stepped away from his bride to take the torch that would set ablaze the funeral pyre that his father, the former king, now rested upon. The rest of the royal court looked on forlornly as everyone present bowed their heads in respect for the passing monarch. As the flames reached skyward, Hector stepped back to rejoin Angelique, fighting back the tears that threatened to reveal themselves. She took notice of his great sorrow and placed her hand upon his face.
"This is not a time to hold back your feelings, my king," she assured him.
"I cannot let my sorrow rule me, Angelique. Seatopia is in my care now. I must remain strong," he whispered with a shaky voice.
"Tomorrow you can be strong, my love. But today... we grieve." She wiped away a tear from his cheek with her thumb as King Hector thought back to what he had once said to his father.
Wouldn't it be a more fitting end for Megalon to die in battle than in a mound of dirt at our kingdom's doorstep? Wouldn't that be a more fitting end for the knight of Seatopia? And that was how both Megalon and his father had died, fighting against evil and oppression, boldly sacrificing themselves to end the threat of the Nebulans once and for all. Their selflessness had saved them all and for that and so many other reasons beyond count or measure, they would never be forgotten. Not in this lifetime, not even a hundred lifetimes from now.
Despite this terrible tragedy, the sadness and despair, Seatopia would live on. Both Megalon and King Antonio may have died but their spirits and their memories would remain for all eternity. With this thought in mind, Hector turned to face his fellow countrymen.
"Noble people of Seatopia, as I stand before you we suffer through the saddest and most painful day our country has ever known. And by royal succession and whether I wanted it or not, I am now your King." Hector paused a moment before continuing as he surveyed the crowd, taking notice of their looks of sorrow, worry, concern and even fear.
"I know there are some of you who feel that despite my bloodline, I have no right to be King of Seatopia. That I am too young, too brash, too inexperienced. You would be correct. My father would often bring this to my attention and I would become very angry and frustrated with him. But now, I truly understand what he meant and the great weight he bore as our ruler... and as my father.
"I can not replace my father nor would I ever dream of doing so. If my will be done, I would have it that he still be here at this very moment, even trading my life for his if need be. I may not have my father's strength nor his experience and wisdom and, by Megalon, I can only wish that I had half the courage and tenacity that he possessed. But I can tell you this: what I do have - what we all have - is the example he set as our beloved and cherished King, which we will all follow so that his ideals, much like his spirit, will live on for all time to come." Hector again paused as he realized that the looks upon the faces of his people were beginning to change, as if hope was starting to shine within their eyes once again.
"This is indeed a day for mourning and grief but it is also a time for unity! It is not I as your new King who will make our homeland strong but our entire race unified, stronger than ever before, that will ensure our perseverance and very survival. You all will give me the strength I need to rule this nation and see it through these dark times. When we breach the ominous darkness that threatens to consume us and break out into the light of a new day, our country will be greater than it has ever been!"
The people exploded into a chorus of cheers and began to chant his name, thrusting their fists up in the air. With pride, Hector looked at Angelique whose face bore a stunning smile for her King. He allowed himself to savor it before turning back to the crowd once more and holding his hands up for silence.
"My first act as your new King is to announce my betrothal and marriage to the woman whom I have chosen as my Queen, my beautiful Angelique." The love he felt for her filled his smile that outshone even Seatopia's artificial sun as he turned and motioned for her to step forward and stand at his side.
"I know that some of you may be thinking that she is not of royal blood, or even a member of the royal court. But nonetheless, this is the woman who has captured my heart, winning it with her love, her kindness, her courage and her compassion. These are the qualities that will define true nobility from this moment forward," Hector proclaimed as the people once again cheered their new King. He turned to Angelique and went down on one knee before her, taking her right hand in both of his.
"My beloved Angelique, who has changed my life forever, without whom I could not possibly go on... will you marry me?" A dead silence fell upon the entire nation as her answer was eagerly awaited.
"Yes, my King. I will marry you," she replied with tears of love and joy in her eyes. Hector kissed the top of her hand before leaping up and sweeping her up in a spin. As her feet came back down, they shared a kiss and a long loving embrace as the people's voices rose up once more in ecstatic joy. A new chapter began in the long history of Seatopia, one that would hopefully usher in a new era of peace and happiness.
On the island that had been the site of Megalon and Gigan's climactic battle, the pitch black of night was broken by a chainsaw shakily rising up from the enormous pit the two monsters had fallen into. A badly damaged Gigan feebly pulled himself out of the giant hole and weakly crawled across the sand, his internal systems failing. Dragging himself over the former battlefield like a crippled soldier, he managed to move a few more feet before collapsing, his eye flickering and then fading to darkness. His one last crackling metallic cry sounded sickly and raspy.
Watching from nearby, a shadowy figure made a call on a small interfacing device. "He just reappeared, sir."
"Excellent! What is his condition?"
"For all intents and purposes, dead - if such a term can be applied to a cybernetic organism. Megalon really did a number on him."
"Any sign of Megalon?"
"No, sir. But Gigan appears to be drenched in his blood. What are your orders, sir?"
"Move the flatbed carrier in and bring him back to the base immediately. We have a lot of work to do."
"Yes, sir." With that, the call ended and the figure motioned for a recovery crew with heavy transport equipment to approach the cyborg's body. Behind them at the shoreline was a massive cargo ship coming into position to lower its loading ramp. Under the cover of darkness on this moonless night, they could work unnoticed.
Attack on Beijing
Gudis' abhorrent child had reached Beijing in record time, much to the horror of those dwelling there. The Forbidden City had remained as it was since the time of the Ming and Qing dynasties centuries ago. Without warning, the gigantic creature suddenly appeared in the heart of this ancient area, smashing its way into the Imperial Palace. The structure had stood for over 500 years and served as the home of no less than 24 of China's Emperors. Now, it was being demolished in mere seconds.
As civilians fled in terror in all directions, Garasharp curled into the devastated remains of the once majestic Palace as if it were a nest. He then unleashed a terrible fog-like mist from his jaws that blanketed the Forbidden City. Immediately, people started to drop dead as the lethal gas overtook them.
Their internal scanners zeroed in on its life signs, two cyborgs had been sent to intercept the beast. Titanosaurus jumped off Mechagodzilla's back and landed hard on the age-old brick pavement. He quickly moved in, firing his missile turret, arm laser and cluster blasts while Mechagodzilla remained airborne, using his eye beams for a combined assault on the serpentine kaiju's body. Garasharp was easily thousands of meters in length and dwarfed both mechs in size as it reared its cobra-like head up that by itself was as large as its assailants.
"Look at the size of that thing!" Bordu exclaimed to everyone present at the UWP headquarters watching the mechs' onboard video feed. The kaiju's great mass added to its resiliency as the firepower it was being hit with sent chunks of bloody flesh in all directions but this was only the outer layers of its skin. The weaponry wasn't penetrating deep enough to hit anything vital. Suddenly, Garasharp lashed out with its massive tail and slammed Mechagodzilla hard, knocking him out of the sky. The Simeon construct went flying into the Hall of Supreme Harmony which was rather ironic, considering the violent circumstances. Garasharp reached down, snapping its huge jaws at Titanosaurus who rolled out of the way as it turned its glowing eyes at a new target. A pair of powerful beams plowed into him like a Mack truck.
Even with his force field up, the sheer power pushed Titanosaurus all the way to the eastern corner of the Forbidden City, destroying countless pavilions along the way. If not for their protective force fields, the beams that Garasharp was using would soon reduce him and Mechagodzilla to scrap in seconds.
"Will the force fields hold against that magnitude of firepower?" Bordu asked.
"I guess we will find out," Argon replied as Mechagodzilla rejoined the fray and landed directly in front of Garasharp, unloading everything he had into the monster but still there was no real penetration. The devilish serpent quickly brought its tail around to fire a sonic blast from its tip that hit Mechagodzilla so hard that he flew even farther and smashed through the Five Phoenix Gate at the entrance to the Forbidden City. His metallic frame tore a trench through the center of Tianimen Square.
"I am guessing now would be a bad time to ask if it would be at all possible to fight this thing without wrecking too much of China's most valued and ancient architecture?" General Aso wondered.
"I wish I could say yes, General, but they are fighting machines, after all. And with highly destructive firepower. We did not have them programmed with a lot of finesse," Argon admitted regrettably.
Titanosaurus was moving around to the creature's rear, taking advantage of the brief distraction Mechagodzilla had provided as it slowly moved its massive form amid the moderate cover. Garasharp kept bobbing its head, as if looking at where Mechagodzilla had landed. The mammoth snake beast brought its head down to almost street level and Titanosaurus leaped onto the back. He hung on for dear life as the kaiju flung its head in all directions, trying to get the cyborg off. Titanosaurus brought his laser cutter to bear, hoping that if he could hang on long enough and concentrate the beam, he would be able to breach the monster's skull. Garasharp threw his head straight back, pile-driving Titanosaurus into the ground like a jack hammer. He then hit his stunned opponent with a sonic blast that sent him flying backwards and crashing into the Imperial Gardens at the far back of the ancient city.
The monster turned back around, only to see Mechagodzilla coming at him at full speed, right into the serpent's face like a battering ram, letting his speed, weight and momentum work for him as the dazed creature fell off to one side, crashing into three nearby temples and smashing them to splinters. Reeling from the initial impact, Mechagodzilla crashed down not too far away in the main courtyard of the Palace but quickly sprang back up.
Now angry, Garasharp rose also, shrieking as he fired his eye beams once again. Mechagodzilla started a low level flight pattern with the destructive blasts following as the serpent moved its head. The mech circled as Titanosaurus waited. When Garasharp brought the beams around, he threw the end of the creature's own tail into the blast. The monster roared in pain and anger as it was sheared off, leaving a blood-spewing stump. Moving with a sudden burst of speed, he pounced on Mechagodzilla, wrapping him up in his constricting coils. His force field kept the mech safe from being crushed but he was immobilized and being bathed in a point-blank blast of eye beams.
The field was pushed to its limit as Titanosaurus moved in, unloading with his forearm laser which managed to obliterate Garasharp's right eye. In a howl of pain, he threw his head back, breaking off his attack so that Mechagodzilla could struggle free. Flying up into the air, the mech brought its ultimate weapons to bear as plasma missiles loaded into its hands for firing. A full salvo hit Garasharp, causing the beast to bellow once more. Mechagodzilla followed up with some impaler missiles also loaded with plasma which stuck like darts in the open wounds that the previous salvo had caused. With this two-step process, the kaiju's thick skin was finally pierced.
Garasharp swayed and smashed everything in sight as the burning plasma ate away at him from inside and out. Like any wounded animal, he lashed out, firing a beam from his remaining eye, only to have Titanosaurus leap into the path of it with his reflector dish engaged. The singular ray by itself had tremendous power and started to push the cyborg back, even with Mechagodzilla behind him and pushing against his back with his feet digging into the brick and dirt of the courtyard. When he finally came to a stop, Titanosaurus fired back the augmented beam and blew half of Garasharp's head and face off.
With one final roar of misery, the titanic serpent crashed down into what remained of the Palace with a tremulous impact and lay still. The devastating duo prepared to depart when suddenly, Garasharp lunged up with a roar, apparently not as dead as everyone had been led to believe. In one swift movement, he struck out like a cobra, snatching Mechagodzilla up in its jaws and swallowing the cyborg whole.
"Mechagodzilla!" Bordu yelled, believing he had just watched one of their defenders get eaten. But as Garasharp turned towards Titanosaurus, there was a sudden rumbling from within the beast as missiles, cluster blasts and lasers tore through its hide from the inside out and the kaiju shrieked in agony. A few moments later, its entire head exploded into a million pieces. Mechagodzilla fell to the ground with a thud and Garasharp's mutilated, headless body landed behind him. The cyborg got up, covered in blood and guts and shook himself off almost like a wet dog.
"Now... it is over," Argon declared, looking back at the others in the room.
"That is good to hear. I do not believe my heart could have taken much more of that," the Prime Minister confessed with a laugh.
"Bring the machines back to base and have the proper decontamination measures ready when they arrive," the Commander ordered. A few moments later, Mechagodzilla ignited his jet propulsion and lifted off into the sky with Titanosaurus in tow.
Dunkirk Redux
Not since taking on the Nazi Empire had the United States amassed a force the size of the one gathered on the plains of Minnesota. Now, even fighting Nazis seemed more appealing. Despite the devastation engendered even by the planet itself, the government had managed to bring all remaining U.S. soldiers from around the globe together. Confident, they now traversed a land covered in ash with the smell of death in the air but they were restless.
"So... the Feds promised us these supa weapons. What the Hell are we supposed ta do with them?" What this infantryman was carrying was an experimental hand-held maser, designed to take out Godzilla's parasites in case he ever came to visit an American city. Hefting it, the soldier examined its blue energy case. "This thing is supposed ta handle bugs?"
"We're supposed to be handling those, Corporal Bernstein. Bugs from outer space."
"Feels like we're inna movie, ya know? Only in the movies, WE'RE supposed ta win!"
"We WILL win, soldier!"
"Yeah, sure. Uh... I mean yeah, sure, SIR!"
A sudden rumbling was heard as a massive armored division completed its deployment. Designed to take on walking beasts that defied the laws of physics, these super-masers were the cutting edge of technology. The one million soldiers, volunteers and unwilling draftees hoped that these engines of death designed for gigantic monsters could handle beings from other worlds, worlds that were very different than theirs. A slight booming registered also.
"Oh, damn...", swore a soldier in a Piedmont drawl. "We ain't gonna like this..." A whirling sound came as battle craft the Pentagon had identified as originating on Planet X, code-named YUGGOTH by the higher-ups, deployed. The booming grew louder. As it continued, a platoon of what appeared to be giant mechanical penguins approached.
"Hey, wise guy! What's your knowledge of movies tell you?"
"That the Ninja Zombie Robot Pirates always win?"
"Ever consider that movies are fiction?"
"Oh, yeah..." A sudden crackling sound came as batteries of maser energy were fired, impacting on the aerial craft and causing them to explode.
"Ready RPMs!" When a detachment of Special Forces soldiers brought their weapons into action, all was noise and confusion.
Corporal Bernstein staggered across the battlefield as the droning of the MOGERA engines increased, expending blasts of an eldritch energy from a far-distant world that created an eerie green light where the masers blew up. He unleashed his weapon at one of them, triggering an explosion in its knee joint. As it began to lurch, a blast of glowing purple energy slammed into the thing. It whined and then imploded as the micro-oxygen shell destroyed it.
Overcome by the deafening noise, Bernstein fell, feeling a hand. He looked at it and discovered it didn't have an arm attached. Panicking, he threw it away from him, firing at a MOGERA's turret arm as another micro-oxygen shell slammed into it. The battlefield soon became a scene of horror as the lumbering machines kept coming, wave after wave of them, producing smells of acrid electricity that burned the soldier's ears. The armored force was proving more successful than had ever been imagined as micro-oxygen corroded the MOGERAs.
Firing at random, it seemed a dull fog had come over Bernstein until a hand grabbed him and someone said, "Congratulations, Lieutenant!"
"Wha-what happ-happened to the Sergeant?"
"He's dead. They won't find enough of him to bury." Bernstein began to laugh deliriously, thrilled to be alive.
"How many are still with us?"
"We took 60% casualties. You and I and about 1,300 other guys are all the infantry that remains."
"And the tanks?"
"Still around." Suddenly, a much more syncopated booming was heard.
"Oh... Christ," said the newly-minted Lieutenant and the newly-minted Colonel when a great roar announced a monstrous gorilla bounding onto the battlefield. It raised its arm and a wave of electricity struck the entire armored division at once. A whining sound accompanied the low rumbling that heralded a much larger MOGERA force.
Milwaukee
Kong and the MOGERA army were making their way through the downtown area when the great ape noticed that something had already caused major devastation. To his right about a thousand meters away, Gudis sat in the lower part of a smashed building as if it was an easy chair. He held the ripped-off top of another structure which still contained dozens of people, some still alive. Grabbing a handful, he tossed them into his mouth like popcorn. The hapless humans screamed in terror as they were scooped up. Taking notice of Kong, Gudis turned his head and stopped chewing long enough to wave at the simian juggernaut slowly walking toward him. Kong motioned for the MOGERAs behind him to stop where they were.
"What is he doing here?" Lord Koban exclaimed from the main control room of the Mysterian's North Pole base, obviously not pleased.
"Gudis!" General Kugo was also shocked by the reappearance of the dreaded abomination.
"Order Kong and the MOGERAs to attack immediately! And tell them not to let up until the Gudis is just a stain upon the ground!" Koban ordered, nearly in a panic.
"No, wait!" Kugo quickly cut in, eliciting a surprised and angry look from the King. "We do not know what the Gudis' intentions are yet and should not react hastily. This is a delicate situation, sir," he explained.
"I do not care what his intentions are! We have to attack it and kill it before it kills us!" Koban roared.
"We do not even know if that will work. This creature survived the combined might of over half a dozen kaiju and war machines, as well as a unified alien offensive and is sitting there as if it never happened!"
The King was also seething about a situation occurring closer than the United States. "I will not tolerate my orders being questioned, Kugo. You know the penalty for such an act! We attack now!"
"Yes. Just charge in half-cocked because that approach worked so well for your father. He would not listen to me either!" The general's anger was close to matching Koban's. Although his commander said nothing in response, he could see that his last comment had made him livid and realized just how close he was to paying for it. One of the other officers called out for their attention, diffusing the tense situation between them for the time being.
"What is it?" Koban sputtered at this further distraction.
"They appear to be having a conversation, sir."
"What?" Koban was quite surprised by what he was seeing on the monitor.
"Gotta admit, you put on one heck of a show!" Gudis spoke telepathically as Kong heard a deep booming voice in his head.
"You look like YOU are enjoying yourself," Kong grunted in kaiju-speak.
"And why wouldn't I be? I'm kicking back, enjoying a little snack, watching you wreak death, chaos and destruction. What's not to like? All I need now is a beer and I'm good to go. Oh, wait a minute... Is that a brewery over there?" Gudis looked over Kong's right shoulder. "Listen. If you can just leave that standing, it would be just swell, you know?" he quipped as Kong turned his head toward the sprawling plant and then back at the Gudis with a cocked eyebrow.
Is this creature insane or what? Kong thought to himself.
"Yes, very much so. You should try it sometime. It's a lot of fun!" Kong realized that he must have read his thoughts.
"You really find yourself amusing, don't you?" Gudis only half heard the comment as he plucked a very obese human out of the building he was holding.
"Ooooooohhhhh, look at you! Bet you could clog an artery all by yourself, couldn't ya?" he joked before tossing the screaming morsel down his gullet.
"You are in my way."
"Am I now?" Gudis smiled as he rose up, tossing the building chunk aside. The few survivors still inside screamed as it crashed to the ground. The monster was right in Kong's face, although he was slightly larger than the towering ape.
Everyone back at the Mysterian base watched the intense stare-down with bated breath. The two behemoths' eyes remained locked on one another with no sign of fear or wavering by either of them.
"You ever see THE WIZARD OF OZ?" Gudis suddenly asked as his expression abruptly changed from menacing to jovial.
"What?" Kong replied in confusion.
"No, I don't suppose you have. It's odd 'cuz for some reason, I'm visualizing you with wings and a fez on your head right now." Kong was not amused and the Gudis could see it as the giant ape clenched his metallic fists. "Oh, come now! The truth is, I rather admire you. There are, after all, only a few beings on this planet who can lay claim to defeating the mighty Godzilla in combat. It is a unique distinction that separates you from the other weak and pathetic lifeforms that populate this puny world.
"Look at you, standing before me as you are, whereas creatures across the vastness of the cosmos would flee screaming in terror at just the mere mention of my name. But you are not afraid, are you? No, you are strong and indomitable. Well, at least as strong and as indomitable as a giant monkey that flings poo and gets plastered on berry juice can be anyway...
"Well, I must be off now. This encounter proved very entertaining, by the way. Oh, you wouldn't happen to know whether or not Will Ferrell was among the casualties when you smashed your way through Hollywood, would you? As a comedian, he simply isn't funny and really does need to die." The only response he got was another confused look. "No? Oh, well. I was just curious anyway." Gudis turned and leaped into the sky, unfolding his wings and flying out of sight. Kong watched him leave, snorting in disgust before signaling the MOGERAs to continue onward.
At the North Pole Base, a collective sigh of relief could be heard. For all of his bravado, Koban was terrified of the Gudis and wanted no part of him but he would never admit that to anyone. He finally turned to face General Kugo.
"If you ever countermand my orders again for any reason, I will have you killed. Is that understood?" Koban had regained his intimidating posture and swagger.
"Yes, sir," Kugo replied, hiding his own contempt as the Mysterian King departed.
Later in a large, circular room was known as the War Bridge, located in the heart of the main dome.
Along its walls were advanced computers, video screens and consoles. In the center of this gigantic area was a raised platform, a single swivel chair, computer consoles and a video display screen. General Kugo was seated here, resplendent in his yellow suit and helmet bearing the insignia that designated his high military rank. On his belt was the sword passed down over the centuries from one Mysterian General to the next. The weapon was still as pristine and deadly as it was at the time of its creation. Its previous owner, General Wato, had left it on Earth the day his spaceship was destroyed en route to Mars. Now Darius once again wore the proud symbol of Mysterian might as he did during the first Earth invasion. There were five of these swords in existence and only issued to the highest ranking officers. It was no surprise that Lord Koban himself carried one on his belt as well.
The War Bridge was now occupied by all of the so-called 'arm-chair soldiers' of the Mysterian military. They directed their forces in the United States, determining which cities were best suited for attack by which elements of their massive army. Injected with a special serum that would keep them awake for 24 hours without drowsiness or fatigue, it was assured that nobody would rest until the United States was under the Space Force Directive's control.
To the veteran officer that Kugo was, the hum of the massive computers and constant voices of his subordinates was not in the least bit tiresome. At times, he was known to remain fully awake for months on end. Plus, this job was nothing compared to the countless hours he had fought on the battlefield. He had been and still was a model soldier to any race of beings. War was nothing new to him. Aside from his battle experience, Kugo was also a brilliant tactician. Nearly every movement the Directive made was at his command. Now, he was about to make another major decision in the Mysterian siege plan.
"Lieutenant," he asked from his command seat. "How close are we to the Minnesota/Wisconsin border?"
"Our forces should be reaching Duluth in another two miles, sir," the officer responded after checking his computer. All soldiers were expected to have studied the various locations within the United States and be familiar with their names. So far, there had been no slip-ups in getting resources to where they were supposed to be.
"Excellent. Take note of the projected attack plan now on the main screen." Kugo keyed his console to bring up a map of the continental United States on the enormous panel on the wall facing him. Up the West Coast, across the north, down the northeast and ending in Washington, D.C. was a red line indicating his strategy. Patches of orange showed areas that the Mysterian forces had already taken. A large yellow circle showed the Black Scorpion fence around the central states. A blue line across the south indicated the Xian attack wave.
"Note the separation of our forces following the crossing of the Minnesota/Wisconsin border. I want the northern line to be made up of 25% of our MOGERAs, our ships and our half of the Viran contingent. This will be known as Alpha Unit.
"On the southern front, I want Kong, the other 75% of the MOGERAs and twenty of our ships for observation purposes. This will be known as the Kong Unit. The MOGERAs will follow Kong's orders which we will be sending to him. Relay this plan to our troops and the Xians. I want our forces to advance every hour on the hour. Every two hundred miles, I will determine where they will strike next."
Detroit
Captain Marlon Rains had seen Hell and lived to tell about it. In 1968, he enlisted in the Air Force to make something of his life. After what seemed like a millennia, he was discharged after serving in Viet Nam for nine months. From the day he was air-lifted out until this point in time, he had lived with the horror that he experienced.
Many a night he awoke to the awful screaming of his brothers in arms, calling for their families thousands of miles away as they were being butchered by the Viet Cong. The stench of the hot jungle, the dead bodies and his own open wounds as he struggled just to breathe was what stuck with him more than anything. The smell was the most horrid thing a human could ever imagine. Rains was a fighter pilot who had been shot down and captured by the enemy. Eventually, the skills he had and extensive therapy for all he had witnessed in Viet Nam allowed him to work as a Boeing 747 pilot for Delta Airlines, flying out of Detroit, Michigan.
At 1:12 PM this day, most of his passengers were fathers, mothers, sons and daughters wanting to be with their families. When word finally reached them that the aliens were but a few states away, people were at a loss as to what to do about the invaders themselves. They did figure out that if they were going to die, they wanted it to be with their loved ones around them.
Captain Rains could see his destination in the distance. These days, landing there was like riding a bike. He was focused on his approach to the runway when his co-pilot pointed out to him that the city was half-way destroyed.
The robots and spacecraft that had been on television newscasts countless times were attacking the part that was not already reduced to rubble. His flight crew was at a loss for words. The plane were nearly out of fuel so he couldn't break off their approach and land somewhere else because there was no other landing strip near enough to handle the huge craft. One way or another, it was coming down. Rains and the co-pilot decided they would be better off landing than flying on EMPTY. The passengers were already becoming restless as they had noticed the condition of the city also.
"Attention, please. This is your captain speaking," Marlon said over the intercom. "I assure you that we are aware of what has happened in Detroit. There is no other place to land other than the airport. My crew and I ask that you exit the plane without panic when we land. I repeat, please stay calm and exit quickly when we land." His efforts did little to assure them. Screams could be heard as people got out of their seats to run to their friends or family members in other parts of the plane. The stewardesses' shouts for everyone to remain calm and in their seats were lost in the cacophony.
When the aircraft touched down, those not buckled in their seats were knocked to the floor and about the cabin. Marlon taxied up to the Delta terminal and cut the engines. The passengers headed for the exits, some who had been injured in the panic crawling along the aisles. From the cockpit, he could see why they hadn't been told of the situation. The tower had been obliterated and the airport itself showed signs of having been under attack. In the distance, two huge walls began to rise into the air as a dome was being placed over Detroit.
A jet aircraft streaked into the sky and exploded off to the left. Marlon looked back down at the devastation. Bodies littered the runway. When the invasion of Michigan began, people had tried to board any plane they could to escape. A large portion of Detroit was on fire. Even inside the plane, Rains could hear the screaming of the citizens of the city in the ever-increasing darkness the rising dome was creating.
"Attention pilots of human aircraft," a voice came over the radio. "Come out of your vehicle one by one slowly. You are captives of the Mysterian Alpha Unit. If you do not comply, we will be forced to destroy your aircraft." Then there was silence in the cockpit as Captain Rains put his head in his hands. The voice had asked if he would comply while passengers still onboard continued to scream. People outside cried for help. Explosions shook the ground as the aliens destroyed more of the city and killed more people. All of this was happening at once as Marlon tried to block it out but couldn't. It kept lodging itself deeper and deeper into his brain.
Not again he thought. Oh please not again!
"Will you comply?" the voice over the radio asked again.
Rains grabbed the mike and yelled, "I'll be damned if I will comply, you yellow sons-of-bitches!" He buckled his safety harness and restarted the engines. The plane made its way back to the runway, then gained speed until it lifted into the air.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?" screamed the co-pilot.
"You will stop with that right now, Private! I will not be taken by them!"
"Private?" Then it hit him. "Marlon, listen to me! We're not in Viet Nam. You're in a Boeing 747 that's nearly out of fuel and we're about to be gunned down by aliens. Get a grip on yourself, man! You can't maneuver in a plane this size and even if you could, that dome is closing fast!"
"Me get a grip, son? You get a grip! Why did you enlist if you're going to turn chicken when the first bullet is fired? We can beat 'em, boy! What have we here anyway? It seems those Cong sons-a-bitches keep finding new ways to try and outsmart me! A dome? Ha! What will they think of next?" Suddenly, a Mysterian saucer flew up behind them and fired its lasers. Rains did a hard right turn and the blast went underneath them.
"Marlon, the plane won't take much more of this! Land and we'll make a run for it! If you keep doing stunts like that, you'll rip us apart in the sky!" In the cabin, passengers who had been too frightened to get off or couldn't were shrieking and crying. Some were pounding on the door to the cockpit, yelling for the plane to stop. Marlon couldn't hear them. All he was paying attention to was the ever-closing gap in the sky and how to get through it. They were nearly there now. The Mysterian saucer fired another blast at them but Rains pulled a hard left.
"Damn it! We're out of missiles!" the Captain roared.
"We have no missiles, you old fool! We're on a 7 -"
"Then we'll just have to outrun 'em, Private!" Rains went left, trying to put his 'jet' into a barrel roll. When it flipped onto its back, lights and warnings blared all over the cockpit. Passengers were thrown to the ceiling of the cabin, most badly injured from the impact or crushed by others. The 747 had taken all it could and spiraled out of control across the sky. Pieces of the hull ripped off under the stress it was never designed for. It tumbled and fell before smashing into the wall of the dome in a ball of fire. Flaming wreckage rained down as the Mysterian saucer shot a laser blast into the inferno for good measure. The remains turned over and over before coming down on the city to add to its destruction.
By 3:43 PM, Detroit was nearly obliterated. An hour ago, the Alpha Unit had departed. All that remained were the Dome Units. After a city was destroyed and a dome or domes erected, some soldiers and MOGERAs stayed behind to complete any destruction that was needed, capture humans for transfer to the Prisoners of War Station. Officials and soldiers from the North Pole base would begin converting the human population centers to Mysterian ones. Once a Dome Unit was finished and officers in command of the destroyed city, it caught up with the rest of the advancing army.
The destruction part was over and it was time to collect the survivors. Sergeant Capen was in command of Battalion 426, patrolling with 25 other soldiers in Section 23. His was one of many such details in the area but somehow, a large number of humans had managed to survive here. So far, most of those his battalion had encountered surrendered willingly and were captured.
He personally hated serving with a Dome Unit, despising having to deal with the crying, pleading humans. The part that disgusted him the most was when he and his crew cuffed and shackled the captives. It wasn't that he felt sorry for their plight but the fact was that so many of them had emotional breakdowns. It could give any Mysterian soldier a headache but the job did have its upsides.
Dome Units were not given conflicting orders every five minutes. They had one simple job to do and nobody really cared how they accomplished it. Capen loved it when the humans got rowdy and put up a fight. If his troops couldn't wrestle one into submission, they would form a circle around it and one soldier would fight it hand-to-hand. If the human won, it was shot. These 'games' were only carried out with single or small groups of humans who wouldn't surrender. But above all, they were secret. If Capen's superiors caught wind of how he and his squad were slacking off when it came to rounding up survivors, they could all face execution.
Two streets over was a boarding house in a fairly intact neighborhood. Inside were 15 people, some of whom actually lived there. A few had handguns, others only kitchen knives. A fire in the fireplace was the only source of illumination besides flashlights since the electricity had gone off an hour ago. At each of the three windows facing the street stood a man who peaked through the blinds every few minutes. Outside on the steps in front of the door sat a 17 year-old kid with a pair of binoculars. He kept watch down the street in both directions for any sign of trouble. For now, it appeared that they were safe.
"Psst! Alex!" came a voice from the alley to the kid's left. "It's me, Gerald!" Alex turned to see his friend come out of the shadows with a blue duffel bag slung over his shoulder. He breathed a sigh of relief.
"You don't have to whisper, you know..."
"Yeah, but I didn't want you blowing my head off with that cannon when I came around the corner. You have been kind of shaky with that thing. Anyways, I got the guns and ammo we need."
"What did you get?"
"I only had time to grab six or so shotguns before they spotted me. When I broke into the gun store, they must have heard me and came to investigate. They saw me through the windows and came in after me. I managed to get out the back and haul ass through the alleys. They stayed on me until I lost them but they were only two streets over when I did. Have you guys had any problems over here?"
"Not really. We thought one of those robots was going to pass by here but it turned around. A ship flew overhead when I went inside for a bit. I caught a glimpse of it when I came back out. If I was out here, we would have been goners. No soldiers, though, so that's a good thing."
"Woah! Close call. I better get inside and tell the others what's going on. Watch yourself, man." In the large living room area, Gerald retold his adventures and laid out what he had procured.
"So what did you guys find?" he asked.
"Well," said a woman in her mid-thirties. "In the basement, we found a few crowbars, a baseball bat, some tools and a chainsaw. Myers over here brought down some guns and ammo he'd been keeping in his room without our consent." The last part was said in a disdainful tone toward the individual in question.
"A man's got to protect himself," he stated resolutely.
"Other than that, there's some knives in the kitchen and a few pocket knives." The weapons were laid out on the dirty orange carpet. It went without saying that their arsenal looked pretty pathetic.
"Are you sure you looked everywhere?" Alex asked.
"We searched this house as well as five others from top to bottom. This is it." They began to whisper amongst themselves when an explosion was heard off in the distance. Everyone was becoming nervous.
"Now hold on, everybody," a man said, trying to reassure them as he stood up. "This may be enough. I was on the south side of town with a larger group who had taken refuge in a hospital with about the same weapons we have. We were able to hold them off and drive them away."
"Then why aren't you over there now?" another man piped up. "I'll tell you why! Because after you drove them off, they came back with twice as many soldiers and turned the place into a bloodbath! Yeah, I heard about the hospital. A guy I was traveling with told me he was there and barely got away with his life."
"Yes, they did retaliate. But we did do a good number on them in the process. We don't have to stay put and wait for them to come back with a larger force. We can move around the city, taking out small squads when we come across them. There are lots of places to hide. Plus, we know the city better than they do. We can make it out of here!"
"Do you have any idea what we're up against? Seventeen people with a few guns and knives against an entire army of advanced aliens? Why not just go after them with pots and spoons? Maybe we could have a better chance using them for weapons. You're out of your gourd, man! I say we wait right here until help arrives."
"Any 'help' has been destroyed, you imbecile! If we sit here and wait for your imaginary cavalry to ride in, we'll be taken prisoner or die just like every other human the aliens have come in contact with! At least my plan gives us a chance to get away with our lives and keep our freedom!"
"Well, then... Maybe we should be taken prisoner, even if we don't know if we would get good treatment or not. It's better than dying! All your plan does is give us a ticket to the grave!"
"Stop it, both of you!" screamed a woman from the corner. "You're scaring the children!" Everyone turned to face her and her two young sons whose faces were buried in her dress. "You, you talk of fighting. Exactly how do I fight when I never used a gun in my life, or my children? How do you plan on protecting them? They can't go out there and fight! They don't need to hear this and neither do I!" The three started a major point of contention and the group was soon divided in half. One side wanted to get away and the others wanted to stay. Most argued and screamed at each other while a few tried to get them to talk it over peacefully. Eventually, they quit trying and joined in on the ruckus. The mother yelled for everyone to stop as her children cried even more.
"ALRIGHT! CUT THE CRAP!" roared a voice over all the others. They quieted down and looked toward the fireplace where a man had been standing silent the entire time. He now appeared frustrated as he gazed around the crowd with eyes so gray and cold they could make a lion stop in its tracks. His hardened visage pursed its lips as some were still talking to each other. "Look at yourselves, standing around and bickering like a bunch of scared rabbits! You're fools if you think you'll get out of this city alive. You have seen their army and what it's capable of. They have destroyed everything from here to California!
"As nice as it is to think that a handful of people with a few guns and knives are going to save the world, I hate to break it to you: it's not going to happen. Even if we could get through the city and outside the dome, where would we go? They have damn near taken the entire country! And if you think they'll give you any special treatment just because you kiss their feet and give them praise, you're in for a big surprise. They'll work you to death as slaves, then let you die in the dirt! All I know is I'm taking out as many of those bastards as I can." He reached down, picked up a shotgun and began loading it.
"We all have to die sometime. The question is, how do you want to check out? Do you do it on your feet or on your knees, begging? I'm not one for begging. Nobody ever gave me anything and I prefer it that way. I say let's fight them!" It took a few seconds for his words to sink in. Every person in the room knew what he said was true. They couldn't possibly get out of this situation with their lives and their independence. The woman who had spoken to Gerald grabbed a shotgun. He picked up the chainsaw. The man with the 'hit-and-run' idea took a crowbar. Others stepped forward to retrieve a weapon, except for the man who didn't want to fight and the mother with the children.
"You're all crazy!" he said. "I'm not dying in the streets with you fools."
"Me neither. I'll stay here and protect my children," declared the mother.
"That's just fine," the man who had inspired everyone sneered. "Bow down before them. But remember, even the children won't be spared." Each person eyed his or her weapon carefully, scanning every inch of it. They shared the same idea: Kill as many of the aliens as possible before they took them out. Alex suddenly burst back into the room, yelling.
"Heads up! I spotted a group of aliens down the street!"
"Let me see," the man who was standing at the fireplace ordered. He took Alex's binoculars and focused several blocks away. He could make out a squad of yellow- and blue-clad Mysterian soldiers. The one in front had an instrument not unlike a megaphone and was yelling at the surrounding buildings, obviously searching for survivors. "Now's our chance. Let's prove to them just what the human race is made of."
Nearby…
"Sir, I have spotted a group of five armed humans down the street," a Mysterian soldier reported to Sergeant Capen.
"What are they armed with?" he asked.
"Two of them have guns. The other three are carrying sharp objects of some sort."
"Excellent! We may have some sport here." Capen turned the volume up on his megaphone and directed it toward the oncoming citizens.
"Attention, humans. This is Sergeant Capen of the Mysterian Army. Lower your weapons and walk toward us with your hands in the air and you will not be harmed. If you do not comply, my soldiers and I will be forced to kill you." He lowered the megaphone and spoke to his scout. "Any change?"
"No, sir. They are still advancing toward us." Capen addressed them once more.
"To repeat. Drop your weapons, you stupid primates, before I split your skulls open."
"Still no compliance, sir."
"We will play it their way, then. Soldiers, aim between the eyes -" Capen's arm was blown off before he could complete the order. The battalion frantically looked around for the source of the shotgun blast as the sergeant lay on the ground, holding the stump of his arm and screaming in agony.
"It didn't come from up ahead! I never took my eyes off of them!" the Mysterian with the binoculars yelled.
"Of course it didn't!" Capen snarled. "Sneaky little vermin! It's an ambush!" As if in response, the humans ran from their hiding places in the alleys and attacked. The unsuspecting aliens on the perimeter of the group were beaten with crowbars and bats or stabbed with knives. Gerald cranked up the chainsaw and charged toward a blue-suit. The Mysterian held up his gun to block the weapon but it was jabbed straight into his abdomen. The soldier screamed and writhed as the bar was shoved in further. He fired his blaster frantically, shooting one of his brethren before hitting Gerald in the shoulder. The teen dropped the saw which continued to eat its way into the soldier. Blood sprayed all over the place.
From the windows of the adjacent buildings, five shotguns came into view, firing a fury of hot pellets down on the soldiers. The five resistors from down the street ran up to join the fray with guns blazing. On the ground, Capen took the radio from a dead soldier and called for assistance.
"This is Sergeant Capen of Battalion 426 requesting back-up in Sector 23! Be advised, humans are armed and dangerous."
"Acknowledged, Battalion 426. This is Battalion 413. We should arrive at your position in forty-five seconds." Capen dropped the radio. With his remaining left hand, he fired his blaster at one of the humans. The shot went through her heart and out her back. She fell to the ground beside him. He tried to stand but consciousness was draining from him as fast as the blood out of his arm. A shot to his side put him back on the street on his back. He looked up into a pair of cold gray eyes. The Sergeant fumbled around for his blaster as the human pointed his shotgun at his face shield. Beneath it, Capen seethed in rage.
"You know you can't win!" he spat. "In a matter of seconds, you will be dead!"
"Just like you," the man stated solemnly before blasting his head and helmet into shards of flesh and metal. A laser bolt from behind went through the man's chest. He fell on top of Capen's headless body, dead, his shotgun clattering against the pavement.
The soldiers fought off the crowbar-wielding humans with their guns as best they could. Those that were too close to shoot, they hit with the butts of their weapons. The people in the windows were finding it increasingly difficult to get a clear shot while below, handguns and blasters were firing left and right.
From down the street, alien reinforcements were coming. When they were in range, two soldiers with weapons similar to grenade launchers fired on the buildings where the shotgun squad was stationed. Brick and mortar flew everywhere. Others fired on the remaining humans in the melee with their blasters. One young man noticed the new squad arriving and ran at them, firing his handgun but was hit by laser fire.
It wasn't long before all the humans were dead. The soldiers of Battalion 426 who weren't killed in the dogfight stood by in shock, their uniforms covered in blood. The Sergeant of Battalion 413 called for a medical unit that arrived within minutes for the survivors of the decimated squad.
"We have found four humans in a house five hundred feet from our position, sir," a soldier reported. "Two children males, one adult male and an adult female. They came out without a fight."
"Have a transport ship drop them off with the other captives in Sector 12," his superior ordered.
"Sir, if you don't mind my saying so, we did kill some of our soldiers who were fighting those humans by accident. What happens if word reaches the higher-ups?"
"The higher-ups will never know, soldier. None of you will speak a word about this and those now-crazed soldiers' word is not valid. That entire battalion was a joke, a mockery of the Mysterian Army! You might say that we have done our species a favor in taking out a few of them." The two Mysterians stood in silence for a minute, looking down at the human and alien carcasses and pieces thereof that littered the street. Both species' blood coated the pavement. Gerald's chainsaw was still running in the Mysterian soldier's innards.
"Why did they do it, sir? Why did they attack? They must have known they couldn't win..."
"I honestly do not know the answer to that, soldier. Why do you think we continue fighting this so-called war against them? They are just stubborn, I suppose. Just a stubborn, primitive race..."
United Nations
The President of the United States stepped out of his limousine in front of the United Nations Building in new York. He was the final representative to arrive but both sides of the path that had been cleared for him and his party were lined with hundreds of shouting people being held back by a barricade of armed guards. Besides the locals who had turned out for his hastily announced appearance in the Big Apple, reporters were out in force, snapping pictures and talking into video cameras. As the President rushed by, everyone screamed questions at him. He didn't need his Secret Service agents to remind him to ignore them all and press forward. Interviews and signing autographs would have to wait until after he saved his country.
Ten minutes later, he was standing in front of the entire United Nations Security Council. Nearly every President, Prime Minister, head of state or ambassador from all the countries of the world were there. The President took a sip of water from the glass on the podium and wiped his forehead with a handkerchief he pulled from his pocket. The bags under his eyes reflected the lack of sleep he had suffered since the invasion began. With a deep breath, he spoke into the microphone.
"Nations of the world, I thank you deeply for attending this special meeting on such short notice to discuss how to deal with this terrible disaster that has befallen our planet. As we all know, a few days ago an alliance of extra-terrestrials made themselves known after an attack on San Francisco, California." Behind him, a photograph of the three alien leaders appeared on a background projector.
"They are unrelenting in their pursuit of world domination. So far, our military has had little or no effect on their forces. My colleagues, I will not beat around the bush with you... My country needs your help." At this, an uproar came from the august assembly.
"Order! ORDER!" yelled the Chairman, slamming his gavel down. "We will have order! Continue, Mister President."
"Thank you, Mister Chairman. I know this request is somewhat unreasonable in light of other events that are occurring around the world as I speak. This attack on our nation happened so fast that we are lucky we could respond with what forces we do have. Our military bases are being destroyed left and right, as well as our major cities. Whatever we do, it is not enough. The Space Force Directive is moving too swiftly. My people are being pushed into the Atlantic Ocean. They need refuge and they need your help. Any resources you can spare will be repaid and greatly appreciated."
"Yes, Mister Ambassador?" the Chairman recognized the French representative who rose from his seat.
"Mister President. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we sympathize with your situation but our countries need protection as well. What if these new invaders should reach our shores? We will need to conserve what resources we have to protect our own countries. Almost every nation has been battling against the Kilaaks and either been defeated or at best, severely weakened."
"I understand your concern, Mister Ambassador, but I promise our fellow delegates this: the Directive WILL come to your countries and you will have to fight them, one way or another. What I am offering you is a chance to fight this inevitable battle on American soil."
The Chinese Ambassador then stood up. "But what of the other disturbances that are affecting our countries? The multiple kaiju attacks, not to mention the presence of other aliens and natural disasters. If I remember correctly, Honshu, Japan, was turned into a city of lava! I say we muster our armies and face this menace when it reaches our borders."
"Once they reach Europe, they will have a bigger playing field," the President tried to explain. "They will be far more spread out. In the United States, they are advancing along three separate routes. The Xians are attacking the southern half of the country as the Mysterians pursue a northern course with the Virans assisting on two fronts. My prediction is that their destination will be our capital, Washington, D.C."
Next to speak was the British Prime Minister. "Mister President. I would like to recall the threat the leader of the Mysterians issued when he addressed the entire world shortly after the first attack on the United States: 'All hostility against us will be destroyed'. Mister President, I believe we all should at least try to reason with them. In the same address, they offered to negotiate. I believe any military action against them would result in defeat and destruction. If we stay neutral, at least we can try to talk to them."
"Reason with them?" the President shouted in surprise and disbelief at what he was hearing. "They wish to conquer our planet! When they say 'negotiate', they mean all or nothing! There is no reasoning. They will stop at nothing!"
"Mister President!" ordered the Chairman. "I must suggest that you calm yourself down. Shouting will get us nowhere."
"My apologies, Mister Chairman."
"I think we have heard both sides of this issue presented. Is there anybody else who would like to speak before we vote on what to do?" The French Ambassador stood again.
"I would like to say that we pity the United States in light of these recent attacks. But we must think of our own people. If we are to leave the United States to its own devices, then I say we do so completely. I say we cut off all imports to the United States and not except any exports from them... or refugees." The assembled representatives burst into a hum of discussion with their neighbors which caused the French delegate to raise his voice to be heard.
"If these aliens do not want us helping, then I say we don't assist in any way! They may take the accepting of refugees or permitting trade with a country as a sign of abetting the enemy and retaliate. It is not an easy matter to dwell on but we must make absolutely sure the Space Force Directive knows we offer no help to the United States." The commotion only increased.
"Order!" roared the Chairman. "We will now vote. You have your electronic pads activated to record your decision. Please do so now."
The President of the United States remained completely still behind the podium, unable to breathe. Sweat was pouring down the sides of his face. Maybe, just maybe they will change their minds... he prayed.
It seemed like hours had passed when in reality, it was but a few minutes. A clerk walked up to the Chairman with the results of the balloting. He was supposed to exhibit a neutral position when dealing with these types of issues but the decision just didn't seem right. All the same, he had to announce the results.
"A 90% majority votes that no help be given to the United States of America. Furthermore, no imports should be sent to the United States and all exports and refugees will not be accepted. Until this crisis is resolved... the United States of America will no longer have a voice at this United Nations." The Chairman brought his gavel down to adjourn the meeting but it felt like he was handing down a death sentence. The President nearly fainted except he was gripping the sides of the podium so tightly. A tumultuous racket of voices rose before him.
This is it he thought to himself. We are all alone in this. They can't possibly expect us to survive The Chairman walked over and put his hand on the President's shoulder.
"I am sorry, my old friend, but you had best leave as quickly as possible. Go before the crowds outside get word of this." The President could have spit in his face but he wasn't going to disrespect the United Nations in such a crude manner. He silently walked out of the great hall and up to a helicopter on the roof, escorted by the Secret Service. The chopper lifted away about the time the reporters on the ground got word of the outcome. Groups of angry people started to riot and storm the U.N. Building. The police quickly were overwhelmed and called for reinforcements.
The President watched the surging tide of despair below as he thought about the future of his country. A tear rolled down his cheek as the helicopter banked in front of the Statue of Liberty.
Later…
He had no choice but prepare to make the most frightening address to the nation a leader of the United States had ever undertaken. The President hoped that in some small way, his words would give the millions of Americans still safe from the Directive's rapidly spreading advance a ray of optimism; a reason to believe that maybe the U.S. could single-handedly defeat these invaders. They were scared and frankly, so was he.
When he arrived at the White House, his hair and make-up experts took over while he tried to calm down as they attempted to cover up the despair that was rapidly becoming a permanent part of his features. If the President looked nervous in front of the nation, his words would be meaningless. Five minutes later, America's leader was standing behind a podium in front of a camera. He had ordered that the teleprompter be removed since he was going to speak directly from his heart. The cameraman counted down with his fingers. 5-4-3-2-1. Then the President went live to his nation.
"Good evening, my fellow Americans. As you have no doubt heard from various news sources, the United Nations has rejected our plea for help in fighting off the Space Force Directive. Furthermore, American refugees will not be accepted into those countries until this crisis is over... if it will ever be over.
"In our desire for independence and to remain neutral to the affairs of other countries, we now find ourselves cut off completely, even if human lives are at stake. My friends, I am aware that our situation is bleak. But believe me when I tell you that I and the other officials of this country will not rest until we have used every possible weapon and resource available to stop these invaders. I ask you to have faith in us and if the battle reaches your doorstep to face it head on!
"We are united in our struggle against the Directive. I stand before you now not as your President but as a human being seeking to preserve the one thing we all hold dearest: life itself. I hope I will be able to fulfill my duties of protecting you, the people of the United States. Good night and may God help and watch over us in this, our time of national crisis." He concluded his address to the nation and retreated to the Oval Office without a word to anyone. There was nothing more he could say.
As he slumped down in his chair, the self-confidence and commanding presence he normally displayed during times of crisis were gone. It was as if the will to fight had been literally drained out of him. He watched the country he loved and had sworn to govern and protect get torn apart before his very eyes and was powerless to stop it. What weapons did humanity have that could stand up to these invaders?
"Mister President?" The Secretary of Defense had gotten word of what had happened in New York and hoped to discuss it with him before the press corps started demanding an official statement.
"Yes?" the Commander-in-Chief answered in a weary tone as he brought his head up from his desk.
"When the UN makes their announcement that we are now diplomatically isolated from the rest of the world, I don't think that's going to go over too well for morale, sir..." The President hung his head as he allowed the words to sink in. They kept reminding him of just how bad their situation was, no matter how much he didn't want to believe it.
"Do we have any other options available?" he asked.
"None, sir."
"What is the current death toll?"
"We don't have any official numbers yet but we have reason to believe that it is in the millions... and climbing." An eerie silence settled over the room after the Secretary's chilling assessment.
"Then we have but one hope," the President declared, looking his adviser in the eye. "Contact the United World Powers. Only they can save us now, despite what the rest of the world might think."
At G-FORCE headquarters, which had become the UWP meeting place because of its resources for planning and tracking military operations, Commander Argon was on hand to personally receive the President's request for assistance. He immediately called the rest of the members together for an emergency session.
"So the United States has simply been abandoned to their fate?" the Mu Empress asked, still shocked at how one of the most successful surface nations had basically been evicted from human society. The countries that supported assisting the U.S. were treated similarly, namely Japan, Mu and Seatopia. "As far as I am concerned, the United Nations no longer desires our alliance to be a part of it either."
"Yes, the U.N. has completely left them at the Directive's mercy, it seems," Argon assured her. "Along with anyone else who is willing to stand against this invasion."
"And the U.S. has asked for our help," General Aso reminded everyone.
"That is about the size of it," the Commander stated. "And why I have called you here now."
"Then we will meet these marauders head on!" King Hector proclaimed fearlessly.
"We are in agreement then?" General Aso asked. They all were.
And so it begins Commander Argon thought to himself.