Captain Voutas clenched his jaw, forcing himself not to tremble. He couldn't show any sign of fear in front of the CIC crew.
Inside, however, terror threatened to swallow his soul. Multiple fires raged throughout the Ballarat. Its damaged engines could only churn out a max speed of ten knots. He'd lost over forty sailors, with thirty more injured.
Voutas stared at the display screens on the bulkhead and grimaced. All of them were blank. The Gyaos had taken out their sensor and communication arrays, as well as the five-inch gun and missile launchers.
His stomach lurched. His ship was deaf, dumb, and practically unarmed, and a second wave of Gyaos bore down on them.
So do I just wait here and let the ugly bastards turn us into snacks? He picked up the phone at his console and activated the ship's public address system. "This is the captain. All personnel not actively engaged in damage control report to the armory, then report topside and repel incoming Gyaos."
A few sailors in CIC stared at Voutas with furrowed brows or wide eyes. They probably thought him starkers. He couldn't blame them. What sane person ordered people to fight giant monsters with rifles and pistols?
If we're about to cop it, we won't do it quietly.
"Filer."
"Sir?" A female sailor sitting at a nearby console turned to Voutas.
"Get me a satellite phone. We need to call in reinforcements."
"Aye, sir." Filer sprang out of her seat and hurried off.
Voutas's shoulders sagged. The American carrier Washington was roughly 150 miles to the south. Their planes could get here in ten or fifteen minutes. By which time the ship will be on its way to the bottom and we'll be in the Gyaos's bellies.
It didn't matter. He was the captain and he had to fight his ship, no matter how futile it seemed.
The phone on Voutas's console rang. Ballarat's chief engineer gave him an update on the damaged engines when the sonar operator shouted, "Sub-surface contact, bearing zero-nine-zero. Eight thousand meters and closing."
"Standby," Voutas told the chief engineer. He lowered the phone and looked at the sonar operator. "What is it?"
"It's biological." The sonar operator bit his lip for a moment. "And it's enormous."
XXXXX
Yamagata hacked on the smoke that hung in the air around the Ballarat. He gripped the handles of the .50 caliber machine gun, watching the shadowy forms of eight Gyaos flying toward the frigate. He wanted to hear the whoosh of missiles from the VLS tubes and the thump of the five-incher. Both remained silent. They likely got knocked out in the first attack.
"It doesn't look like the odds are in our favor, huh, Major?" Rice said to him.
"Yup . . . been there, done that."
Rice chuckled and brought up his MM-1 grenade launcher, ready to fire.
Yamagata took a couple of slow breaths, coughing again. He tried not to think about his family, about Nicole. All his focus had to be on fighting the Gyaos, staying alive, and keeping this burning, hobbled ship afloat.
The Gyaos drew closer to the Ballarat. Their screeches pierced the air, stroking Yamagata's fear. He clamped down on it and elevated the big machine gun.
"Look!" Soto pointed.
Yamagata saw a huge wake tearing through the water toward them. He held his breath, his heart hammering against his chest.
Something poked out of the roiling white water, something large and rigid. Yamagata leaned forward, eyebrows knitted together. Could it be . . .
The sea near Ballarat exploded in a massive geyser.
"Holy shit!" Candaele blurted.
A deluge of sea spray fell on the ship, soaking Yamagata and the SEALs. He wiped away the dripping water from his face, salt stinging his eyes. They all looked up. A massive, scaly reptilian form stood above the frigate.
Godzilla unleashed a prolonged, bellowing roar. Yamagata grimaced, the noise slamming into his eardrums.
Rice and his SEALs swung their weapons toward Godzilla.
"Hold your fire!" Yamagata could barely hear himself, the roar still ringing in his ears. He waved for their attention. "Hold your fire!"
Rice stared at him, then at Godzilla, then back at him. The SEAL commander put up his hand. Candaele and Soto lowered their weapons.
Godzilla swung around toward the approaching Gyaos. He opened his mouth. A jet of blue flame shot across the night sky. It tore through the Gyaos formation. A mass of flames erupted in the sky. Chunks of scorched flesh flew off in all directions.
"Yes!" Yamagata pumped his fist. The big guy just took out four Gyaos in one shot.
Four more remained.
The flying monsters circled over the Ballarat. Godzilla tracked one and unleashed another blast of atomic fire. He missed.
Two Gyaos fired their sonic beams. Both cut through Godzilla's thick hide. Blood poured from the wounds. He wailed.
Another Gyaos dove on him and fired. The beam sliced through Godzilla's shoulder. He cried out, then let loose a stream of blue flame. The Gyaos's left wing exploded. The creature screeched and tumbled out of the sky, smoke and fire gushing from its side. Godzilla belched out more fire. The Gyaos blew apart just above the water.
More beams streaked down from the sky. Two struck Godzilla in the back. He roared and whipped around. Atomic fire shot out his mouth. The Gyaos avoided it. Two more sonic beams tore through Godzilla's chest.
Yamagata swallowed, staring at the dark rivers of blood flowing down the beast's torso. C'mon. Suck it up and kill those bastards.
A Gyaos soared over Godzilla and lashed out with its feet. Claws ripped into Godzilla's shoulder. A fountain of blood shot out of the wound. Godzilla grabbed the Gyaos by the leg. The creature shrieked, flapping its wings, trying to break free.
Godzilla slammed it into the sea. Another curtain of water fell on Ballarat, battering Yamagata. Rivulets of salt water slid down his face. He wiped it away as Godzilla punched the Gyaos in the back.
The other two flying monsters dove on him. Both fired. One beam hit the water. The other struck Godzilla's armored plates. He roared and swung around. A blast of atomic fire flew from his mouth. One Gyaos exploded into fiery pieces of flesh. The other banked right. Yamagata couldn't tell if it was bolting or if it would come around for another attack.
Godzilla shot out another jet of blue flame. The Gyaos vanished in a burst of orange and black. Smoking body parts fell into the ocean.
The last Gyaos sprang out of the water and jumped on Godzilla's back. The mutated dinosaur roared and flailed at the other creature. The Gyaos screeched and clamped its jaws onto Godzilla's neck.
"Time to give the big guy a hand." Yamagata raised the .50 caliber, putting the sights on the Gyaos's back. He thumbed the trigger. Tracers zipped over the water and into the Gyaos. It let go of Godzilla's neck and roared.
"Flares!" Rice hollered.
He and Soto fired their grenade launchers. Two brilliant white flares soared past the Gyaos. It cried out, a combination of agony and rage. The creature whipped its head around and jumped off Godzilla's back.
Roaring, the radioactive dinosaur spun and lunged at the blinded Gyaos. His jaws snapped down on the flying monster's throat. The high-pitched shrieks ended in a choked gargle.
Yamagata watched as Godzilla bit down on the other monster's throat. Its body trembled and its eyes bulged. The Gyaos's mouth hung open, emitting no sound.
A crunching, tearing noise filtered across the water. The Gyaos's head tumbled off its shoulders. Blood gushed from its severed neck. The headless body collapsed into the sea.
Godzilla stared down at the dead monster, blood dripping from his jaws. He threw his head back and roared.
Thanks for saving our asses. Yamagata nodded.
Godzilla aimed his gaze at the crippled Ballarat.
"Man, I don't like the way he's looking at us." Soto raised his grenade launcher.
"Just relax," said Yamagata. "He's not gonna hurt us."
"And you know that how?" Rice didn't take his eyes off Godzilla.
"I've seen it before, during the Battle of Miami. He seems to . . . have a sense about who to fight and who not to fight."
Godzilla's gaze remained on the frigate.
Tremors took hold of Yamagata's legs. He started to have doubts about the monster's intentions.
Godzilla growled and turned away from the Ballarat. He sank beneath the waves and swam away.
Yamagata let out a long breath. The shaking in his legs stopped. I've never been more glad to be right.
"I hope that's the last of those damn birds," said Candaele.
"Maybe for here." Rice stared out at the darkened ocean. "But there are probably other Gyaos heading elsewhere for another food run."
"Not much we can do about that." Yamagata pulled part of his soaked fatigues away from his torso.
"You're right." Rice nodded. "All we can do now is help the Aussies try to keep this ship afloat. Let's check in with Captain Voutas and see -"
Rice's pendant glowed red.
Yamagata's eyes shifted from it to Rice's face. "So does that mean your pet turtle's finally awake?"
TO BE CONTINUED