Chapter 25: Hell from the sea:
"Imperial Walkers on the North Ridge" -Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.
"We're cover for the whole fleet so there's turning back" -JT Marsh, Exosquad
"Two armies which had hacked unrelentingly at each other for ten hours had fallen silent, resting for the moment on their swords." –The Yom Kippur War: The epic encounter that transformed the Middle East
Persian Gulf
August 5th, 20xx
8:20pm
In the deep dark waters of one of the most important bodies of ocean lay a giant nuclear saurian. Though to visual observance, the kaiju seemed to be dead, it was cruelly deceptive for the monster could sense a potential target nearby. Often when he found a new victim, it was alone and the monster dispatched it so rapidly that he disappeared before his opponents, armed with the latest in surveillance technology, could respond.
Suddenly, the monster sniffed the water around him before his eyes began to open slowly. Growling at what he had detected, the monster let out a bone-chilling roar before his speed rapidly increased. His blood-red eyes narrowing, Godzilla roared in challenge all around as he set off towards a target that was infinitely more bountiful than anything that he had destroyed thus far. Anyone who looked at those eyes would know that death was coming for them and that the only thing to do was to make peace with the deities that they believed in.
G-Force field Command Center:
8:30pm
In the main field headquarters for the UNGCC, Colonel Miki Saegusa had just arrived at the main command center. Taking a sip of water from her cup, Saegusa took in the sight of the others in the large room. Tachibana and several other commanders were busy looking over maps and notes while the lower level personnel were at their stations monitoring the latest reports. So far, today had seemed to be another quiet day, which everyone gratefully welcomed. However, Saegusa sensed that something dark was approaching to which she had only a faint glimpse of the identity.
Suddenly, the colonel felt a cold wind course through her body. Closing her eyes as if in deep concentration Saegusa struggled to compose herself as images suddenly started to bombard her mind.
Several of the others noticed here condition and were about to ask when one of the radar operators yelled out, "Sir, we've just spotted Godzilla."
Tachibana asked, "Where is he located?"
The operator pushed a button at his console that revealed his location before delivering his information "He just attacked several merchant ships." Pressing another button, the operator told his audience, "These are his probable targets." All watched the locations on the map light up with a single question on their minds, mainly where he was heading.
Saegusa answered that question as she looked at the main screen with horror before told everyone else in the room, "He is heading straight for us." Before anyone could ask, she remarked quietly, "I sense that he has located us."
Keeping a wary eye on the screens, Stanton said to the radar operators, "Is this information confirmed?"
The men and women quickly began pressing several buttons while everyone else waited for several long moments before one of them replied in a quiet tone, "Yes sir, the probability is exceptionally high that Godzilla is heading to this exact location."
Everyone chilled, as they all understood of the meaning of the news. A deathly silence descended upon them for several moments before Tachibana turned to everyone and said, "Make preparations for a possible evacuation and signal all forces Red Alert." All nodded and the command group dispersed, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on them.
In scores of barracks and tank parks around the main headquarters, the troops scrambled the moment they heard the alarm. After conducting final checks, the numerous tanks, IFVs, and other vehicles of the massed G-Force ground units started to move out of ground of the main headquarters before heading towards the coast.
The airbases were also a beehive of activity as they scrambled to get every plane into the air. As the base crews loaded up the weapons onto the planes, pilots received final briefings with the commanders stressing the need for them to perform at their best. For those that were in or near Godzilla's line of advance, they made preparations of their own for defense and evacuation.
As for the fleet, they immediately moved to flank speed as the separate elements attempted to rendezvous between the monster and their main field headquarters. Flying overhead were scores of fighters from the carriers as well as the combined force of all of the helicopters the fleet mustered for combat.
On the bridge of the JDS Hyuga, Omori watched the water in front of him. As far as the eye could see lay scores of American and Japanese warships scrambling into formation with aircraft flying in all directions. All around him as well as he could see on the flight deck, his crew hurried to prepare the ship for combat. Looking at the other ships around the Hyuga, Omori mused about the situation that his fellow naval commanders faced.
One of his subordinates turned to yell out to him that the other commanders were checking in. Nodding, Omori pressed several buttons on the consoles in front of him and seconds later the screens filled with the faces of his commanders, "How are preparations on your end?"
Bergen answered first, "We're getting underway and are preparing to engage. There is something to consider here as Godzilla seems to be heading directly for us." Before anyone could inquire, Bergen explained, "At first it seemed that Godzilla was heading for G-Force field headquarters but suddenly he switched course and is heading straight for the closest fleet group."
Carlson also replied, "I already have my planes ready to launch but we're still some distance away from Godzilla and have just entered into missile range."
The other commanders in the battle zone gave similar answers to which Omori nodded before he spoke to Bergen, "Looks like you'll be on your own for a while."
Bergen mused on that statement before saying back to the Japanese admiral, "We'll do our best to occupy him until you arrive."
Suddenly one of the radar operators yelled out to Omori, "Sir, we have spotted Godzilla and he is closing in fast. ETA is seven minutes."
The mood on the bridge darkened as they absorbed the news before Omori turned to the other admirals, "Did you also get the same message?" Bergen, Carlson, and the rest nodded before Omori remarked, "Damn, we've run out of time." Turning to one of his subordinates, Omori yelled out, "Transmit to headquarters our situation then signal battle stations." Turning back to his fellow admirals, Omori told them, "Well then let's get this battle underway. Good luck and good hunting."
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
Nodding on his end, Admiral Bergen switched off the link and turned to look out at the ocean as his XO yelled out the order for battle stations. Turning to look at the radar screen, Bergen told his XO, "Commence delaying operations. Set course to link us up with the rest." "Alright then, if you want a target then I guess we should oblige."
The Dwight D. Eisenhower and her escorts immediately accelerated to flank speed as they sailed on a near collision course with the monster. The escorts along with attached surface groups took the lead with the combined submarine force following on behind them and the Dwight D. Eisenhower herself next in the line. The warships already had their weapons trained on the path Godzilla was to take and once he entered into range, they let loose with a deadly volley of Mark 46 and Mark 50 torpedoes.
From the moment, his huge body broke the surface of the water Godzilla let out a roar of challenge as he spotted several aircraft and helicopters flying overhead. Snarling at the craft, Godzilla began his advance, swerving his head left and right to search for any potential target or threat. He would not have to wait long as the first barrage of missiles slammed into his skin with tremendous force. The combined explosions had enough force to force him back into the water where he then encountered a large spread of torpedoes. Once the smoke cleared, Godzilla let out a bone-chilling roar as he observed the first squadrons arriving overhead.
Looking at the accompanying planes, Eisenhower's CAG winced as he observed their numbers sensing that it was not enough. Though more were on the way, including from the Carl Vinson, Godzilla was moving much faster. Taking a deep breath, he signaled the others before diving into the attack with bursts of 20mm machine gun and ASMs.
Growling as his foes pressed their attack, Godzilla slammed his tail into the water before he fired his atomic ray into the sky. When the beam passed by without any damage on his foes, Godzilla snarled again before he fired several more blasts even as explosions occurred all over his face. Once again, his aerial foes escaped his retaliation before they resumed the attack. In addition, the nuclear saurian caught sight of several more groups of black shapes on the horizon heading towards him. Snarling, he resumed exchanging long-range fire with his attackers.
Circling around for another assault, the Eisenhower's CAG took stock of the situation. Impressed that they had managed to hold the monster at bay, the air group leader dove back into the attack, eager to contribute to the defense. Once the monster filled the HUD screen, the pilot unleashed another barrage of his weapons onto his huge form. At first observation, the results seemed spectacular as Eisenhower's CAG raised a hand in a fist of victory until he saw the smoke clear and Godzilla looking right at him, his dorsal fins already charged. Unable to jinx in time, the pilot resigned himself to death but fortunately, a hail of missiles slammed into Godzilla's face, throwing off his aim. Eisenhower's CAG turned to see planes from the Vinson as well as that from the air force arrive on the battlefield. Activating his communications link, the Eisenhower's CAG radioed his counterpart, "Thanks for saving our hides back there."
Vinson's CAG replied back, "No problem, happy to help. A large number of my planes are in the air and I have two air force squadrons with me along with a maser squadron. More squadrons are on the way. "
Nodding in agreement, Eisenhower's CAG checked the weapon status of his air group as well as that of the others before he replied on the line, "We'll fire off our remaining weapons and clear the way for you." The air group leader acknowledged his counterpart's reply before he signaled his own fighters, "To all fighters, concentrate fire on Godzilla's head an upper torso."
The assembled air fleet broke formation and engaged with half engaging from all side and the rest engaging in a single mailed fist. Those that attacked from all sides flew by Godzilla before circling around for another assault. Meanwhile those that flew as that of the large group launched a volley of missiles with the maser aircraft maintaining a continuous barrage of energy fire.
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower:
Watching as the air units engaged the monster, Bergen let out a small smile at their performance as well as that of the other squadrons. Then his face became grim as he saw the progress of all their forces as they attempted to reach the battle zone as well as Godzilla's rapid advance. Turning to one of the others, he immediately asked for a status update.
One of the other officers replied, "Three air squadrons are about to take off and we have our ships along with that of an SAG. The USS George Washington is on her way."
Bergen nodded as he counted the numbers, "Alright then, we'll have to make do with what we have. Signal all forces to engage immediately."
As one, the warships turned to the side to present all of their weapons at the approaching enemy. Within seconds, they launched a spread of Mark 46 torpedoes and other ARSOCs into the path of the charging nuclear saurian. Submarines joined in by firing a wave of Mark 48 and Type 89 torpedoes while having their missiles ready when he broke through the surface.
Despite the relentless bombardment, Godzilla continued his advance while firing his atomic ray at his aerial assailants. Completely focused on the threats from the sky, Godzilla did not notice the threat from the sea until the torpedoes slammed into him with impressive force. Snarling from the attack, Godzilla immediately rushed forward through the water as another barrage of torpedoes exploded at his waist. As he shook off the effects of the latest explosions, Godzilla blinked his eyes as he observed the warships in front of him, their guns and missile launchers flashing yellow as they engaged. Bellowing angrily in challenge, the monster advanced rapidly towards the assembled warships.
At first, the concentration of fire at selected sections on the monster's body seemed to work as Godzilla slowed his advance. However, he was still closing in and if one were to look at his eyes, they burned with fearsome hate and a vicious focus. Inevitably, as if like a tidal wave, the nuclear saurian closed the last few miles and reached the edge of their lines. Scanning what lay in front of him, Godzilla let out a bone-chilling roar before he let loose a barrage of his atomic ray into the water.
From the bridge of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, Bergen and the rest watched in horror as Godzilla unleashed his atomic ray. However when the smoke cleared, all had looks of relief until they saw the nuclear saurian's location. Bergen had a look of horror as he and the rest watched Godzilla grab a Perry class frigate and lift it up from the water. As the other ships moved in to assist, the nuclear saurian tore the ship in half, sending the stricken ship's crew into the water, before he nuked both ends with his atomic ray. Before anyone could react to the destruction, Godzilla immediately turned around as a Hatsuyuki class destroyer came in with guns blazing. Bergen and everyone else watched as Godzilla put it to the torch with his atomic ray. Roaring in victory, Godzilla let out random blasts of his atomic ray, forcing both his air and naval assailants to scatter in confusion. As the ships and air squadrons reformed, the soldiers watched with horror as Godzilla began to recede rapidly into the distance. Silently wincing for the losses, Bergen immediately activated a com-link and said into the command net, "This is the Eisenhower, the monster has broken through. Repeat the monster has broken through, setting course in immediate pursuit."
JDS Hyuga
Listening to the communications channel from the Eisenhower, Omori let out a deep breath as he took stock of the news "Acknowledged. Do your best, we're rendezvousing at these locations." Turning to look out at the water, Omori asked loudly, "How soon can we arrive at the battle zone?" One of the other officers on the bridge pressed several buttons at his console, which immediately displayed the location of his fleet group in relation to Godzilla. The admiral remarked quietly, "Kuso, Godzilla is moving faster than we anticipated." Omori's face took a grim tone as he continued, "If he presses on then he will overwhelm us." Turning to look back at the map, Omori observed the other fleet units as they closed in along Godzilla's expected path before asking a question in his mind, "How soon can we confront him in strength and with how much strength do we have on hand to do so?"
USS Carl Vinson
That same though also crossed Carlson's mind as she observed the battle going on in the screen in front of her. Silently watching as Godzilla continued his advance against the naval forces, Carlson gauged in her mind that she and her group would have at most 20 minutes before it was her turn to engage. Turning to her fellow officers and asked sternly, "How soon will the rest of the fleet rendezvous with us?"
One of the officers answered her question, "The George Washington has already entered the battle zone and is battling the creature along with the Eisenhower and the surface action group. All our nearby submarine and surface groups are already beginning to link up with two submarine groups and a surface action group about to join us shortly."
Carlson nodded at the information and turned to watch as Hornets from her carrier prepared to return to the air before asking her fellow officers, "Any word from the others on whether they would assist us." The look on the faces of her subordinates was her answer to which she grimaced before activating her com-link, "To all forces, general quarters, stand by for combat action." The alarms begin to sound as the rest of the Vinson's crew rushed to their stations. The female admiral turned back to the main screen where it showed her fellow soldiers fighting with everything at their disposal against a common enemy who this time around was hell bent on killing them all. Focusing her eyes on the Eisenhower, Carlson whispered quietly to herself, "Hang on Andrew we're coming in as fast as we can."
Persian Gulf
Though bombard from all sides, particularly from the rear, Godzilla continued on his present course with impressive speed while leaving a trail of wreckage behind him. From time to time though, the nuclear saurian turned to stand and fight. Although bombard from all sides, the monster scanned for targets before firing rapid bursts of blue-white flame. Despite the explosions around his eyes, the atomic ray scored devastating hits against targets in the water and particularly in the sky. After his foes temporarily backed off under the deadly atomic ray, the monster returned to his present course with the airplanes and ships heading in right behind him.
Barely having enough firepower to take on Godzilla, the G-Force naval and air units suffered damage that exceeded all of their previous engagements against the monster thus far. With limited resources and mounting casualties, Bergen and the other commanders that were already engaging Godzilla directly played a delicate balancing act, trying to battle Godzilla to the best of their ability while preserving as much of their strength as possible.
Bellowing as a hail of smart bombs and ASMs slammed into his upper body Godzilla blinked his eyes for several moments before focusing on several clusters of targets in the sky. As they flashed yellow once again, Godzilla retaliated with several long blasts of his atomic breath. While the combined barrage from land and sea, did force Godzilla to stumble back, his main weapon also found its mark as it nearly vaporized three full squadrons as well as the remnants of several others along with two frigates and another destroyer. Rising up from the water, Godzilla growled angrily as he saw the results of his handiwork before he closed his mouth and charged his dorsal fins once again. Before anyone could react, the nuclear pulse blinded the ships and planes and forced them to break formation. Roaring in victory, Godzilla resumed his course at flank speed with his assailants attempted to reorganize.
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
Emerging from the floor, Bergen blinked his eyes for several moments before he and his staff saw the results of the previous hour and an half of combat. Grabbing a pair of binoculars, Bergen took stock of the carnage, the sight of which surprised even him. Activating his com-link, the commander of the Eisenhower got on the line, "To all other units, this is the Eisenhower."
The first voice on the other end was from the Hyuga, "Acknowledged Eisenhower. Please report status."
Taking a deep breath, Bergen updated his comrades on his fleet's situation, "All groups under my command have lost about 30 percent strength each. For the air units, it's up to 50 percent and some have suffered much higher losses." Pausing for a moment to look at the radar screens Bergen then asked, "Please tell me you guys are ready to go yourselves."
Carlson was the first to respond to that question, "We're just about finished our preparations, we need at 25 more minutes to get everything ready."
Omori then also got on the line as well, "Also we are rendezvousing at these coordinates." The Japanese admiral paused for a moment as he pressed several buttons before he spoke again, "I know that you and the others already have endured much but we request that you recommence your attack in the hope of driving him towards us."
Bergen let out a deep breath before replying in a firm tone, "We'll give it our best shot sir. I'll see you guys shortly." The other high-level admirals nodded before the link terminated and Bergen turned to his fellow officers on the bridge, "Once we reorganize, we recommence the attack." The look on the faces of his subordinates showed a mix of incredulity and grim determination and acceptance, which was a relief to Bergen as he yelled out to the engineering room, "Get us flank speed as soon as possible."
USS Carl Vinson
Likewise, Carlson looked worriedly at the main screen while ordering her forces to expedite their preparations for she saw Godzilla heading in fast and the pursuing forces unable to delay him. Despite seeing that the monster had just entered the range of her fleet's missiles, Carlson turned to his XO who was on the com-link, "How soon will the others arrive?" The XO shook his head before resuming his conversation on the com-link while Carlson cursed silently as she turned back to the digital map, which showed the distance towards Godzilla decreasing drastically, "Damn, we've run out of time, signal all forces to engage immediately."
Around the Carl Vinson, huge plumes of smoke engulfed her escorts as they unleashed the first wave of their cruise missiles. Immediately afterwards, the ships immediately jumped to flank speed to close the range to the target to which they did after thirty minutes that felt like an eternity even though, from the view of the radar screens, the monster was on a collision course with them. The moment that they arrived within range, the lead ships opened up with their main weapons, determined not to give him any respite.
Godzilla bellowed in anger as he observed the path in front of him blocked by the new arrivals. Slamming his tail repeatedly in the water, Godzilla snarled as his eyes scanned his surroundings. Seeing it full of assailants, Godzilla let out a roar of challenge before he began to batter his foes once more. While most of the retaliation came in the form of his atomic ray, the nuclear saurian often used his hands and tail to slash at any targets, mainly planes that got in too close.
Observing from the bridge, Carlson smiled as she observed her ships along with the other new arrivals made their impact on Godzilla, "Hope you like that you bastard." Turning to look at starboard as the Eisenhower and her accompanying ships appeared over the horizon, Carlson immediate got on the line, "Are you alright Andrew?"
The voice on the other end of the line was harried, "We're pretty banged up but still capable of combat operations. Be careful, Godzilla is really chewing up everything in his path."
A nearby explosion drew Carlson's attention as she witnessed Godzilla nuking one of her Mursame class frigates before firing on the others to which she swore before replying back glumly, "Thanks for the warning, we'll keep that in mind." Several more explosions occurred in the water before Carlson asked again, "You're still capable of operations?"
Her former squadron leader replied sternly, "Damn right we are. Right now my forces are eager to hit back against the bastard." Regaining his professionalism, Bergen then asked, "Alright then, let's get to work."
With attacks coming in from all directions, Godzilla repeatedly halted his advance from time to time as he turned to deal with them. Although seemingly surrounded, Godzilla still held the initiative. With a hail of atomic fire, the nuclear saurian made sure that his foes paid dearly for their exceptional defiance.
JDS Hyuga:
As his subordinate officers carried about their duties, Vice-Admiral Omori divided his attention between the main plotting table and the main screen. The admiral and his command staff used the plotting table as the map to plan potential moves while receiving updates of the battle's progress on the main screen.
On that main screen, Omori and his fellow officers observed as Godzilla smashed his way forward. Most of the ships already engaging him were involved in a running firefight in which they were losing in terms of numbers and speed. Some managed to get in front of him but they lasted for a very short time before the kaiju swept them aside with some of the ship icons disappearing. Switching back and forth between the plotting table and the main screen, Omori said to his fellow officers, "So that is all of the fleet that managed to rendezvous with us?"
The XO nodded in agreement before adding, "The remaining fleet units are too far away to join up with us." He paused for a moment as he listened to something in his ear before turning back to the admiral, "Sir, Godzilla is on final approach to this location."
Omori let out a dark sigh at the bad news before he told his fellow commanders, "All ships to battle stations immediately." As the other officers jumped to work, the Japanese admiral turned to one of his communications officers, "Signal headquarters, we have a high probability of Godzilla breaking through." The officer did what he was told as Omori turned back to observe the assembled ships headed into the fire once more.
USS Carl Vinson:
Watching as a Perry class frigate go down with flames from stem to stern, Carlson silently cursed and attempted to maintain her composure as she saw several hundred sailors lose their lives. Turning back to the main screen, the admiral winced as she observed the fleet units engaging Godzilla. While there were still numerous ships engaging, there were virtually no reserves available for the fleet to throw into Godzilla's advance.
Her XO, looking at one of the other screens, said to her, "Admiral, we have to break off soon, ammunition levels are decreasing rapidly and we have already lost several ships already."
Carlson grimly nodded for in addition to the two frigates, she had just lost an Arleigh Burke class destroyer. Thinking thrugh her options, she asked back, "How is the Eisenhower group fairing?"
The XO nodded before answering the question, "Eisenhower's group is up to forty percent while her air group has lost thirty percent. For the accompanying surface groups, they have lost 45 percent."
Carlson winced at the information before she turned out back at the radar screens, "And this was just after 45 minutes of combat. I'd never thought that I'd live to see combat such as this." She shook the thought of and was about to contact Bergen again when the voice of the commander of all G-Force naval units attempted to get on the line. Activating her com-link, Carlson immediately spoke to the person on the other end, "This is the Vinson, go ahead."
JDS Hyuga
Omori sighed in relief as he heard the voices of the commanders of his fleet units who had already engaged Godzilla. Looking intently at the maps, Omori said over the command net, "Execute withdrawal to these coordinates immediately." The voices on the other end began to acknowledge the order as Omori turned to his fellow officers present, "Are we ready."
The XO answered simply, "All weapons are loaded sir."
Omori nodded before saying on the command net as the fleet began to head west, "Prepare to engage the moment you have him within range."
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower
Looking out at the battle, Andrew Bergen winced as he attempted to figure out how to execute the withdrawal. Getting on the line, the admiral yelled out to the others in the immediately vicinity.
"All ships prepare your spreads of torpedoes and then rendezvous at these coordinates at best speed. Ships in front of Godzilla will engage first with the rest around him following behind him". Then he switched on to the Vinson, "You heard that Toni?" The voice on the other end acknowledged the order before Bergen turned back to watch the battle.
With close cover from the Seahawk helicopters, the G-Force warships immediately made their turns to bring their tubes to bear. Two minutes later, torpedoes knifed through the water from all sides and in several waves. The front torpedoes slammed into their target with the ones striking from behind, in an attempted to prevent the monster from attacking the ships that sailed passed him. It worked despite several atomic ray blasts passing uncomfortably close by.
Watching as Godzilla passed by on the Eisenhower's starboard side, Bergen and his fellow officers on the bridge attempted to hold their composure as the carrier's defensive systems also went into action with nuclear saurian. For several key moments during the passage, the crew on the aircraft carrier thought that the monster would have fried them but fortunately, the defense systems combined with key strikes from the air allowed them to pass safely by their foe. Once in the clear, the crew let out a deep breath before the captain ordered the engines up to flank.
Looking back out at the slowly receding Godzilla, Bergen turned to his XO, "How long until we link up with the main fleet?" The answer came back that at maximum speed, they would arrive in 40 minutes. Keeping his eyes on the nuclear saurian, the admiral remarked quietly, "And that information does not take into account that Godzilla will most certainly be chasing us. Get us there as soon as possible and keep tabs on the air support."
Persian Gulf:
The fears of Bergen and the rest of the G-Force naval commanders came true as Godzilla fired several shots of his atomic ray to keep his foes back before diving back beneath the surface with an enormous splash. Immediately, the monster's eyes blinked for several moments as he saw several torpedoes heading straight for him. Roaring angrily at the numerous explosions, Godzilla let out small breaths as his eyes scanned the darkness of the depths of the ocean. A minute later, he commenced his advance as additional torpedoes slammed into him from all sides.
The subs in front of Godzilla immediately gunned their engines to escape and fortunately all escaped though they had a narrow escape as Godzilla attempted to reach out to them with his arms. Once in the clear, the subs immediately re-targeted the nuclear saurian with their sonar systems before gunning their diesel engines to full power in a bleated attempt to catch up with the monster.
They had air support from squadrons of S-3 Vikings and P-3 Orions, which repeatedly flew towards Godzilla's location, dropped their Mark 46 torpedoes and flew the hell out of dodge. However, some were not fast enough as a blue-white energy beam broke through the water several times to kill the anti-submarine aircraft.
However, the constant torpedo strikes slowed his advance the nuclear saurian pressed inexorably on, his face moving sideways as he searched for any new potential large targets. He did not have to wait long as his ears picked up the noise of large engines. Letting out a small snarl as his eyes blinked for several moments, Godzilla suddenly sprinted quickly through the water like a giant torpedo.
JDS Hyuga:
With the sonar systems of the entire fleet switched to the active setting and turned to maximum power, they quickly sighted Godzilla who was rapidly closing in on them. Seconds later, the flagship transmitted orders for the fleet to assume battle formation with the warships surrounding the carriers in a semi-circle.
On the bridge, Admiral Omori watched quietly as the ranges decreased rapidly. Once the target passed the range circles for his torpedoes, the Japanese admiral turned to his fellow officers and gave a silent nod before the commanders began to press several buttons to transmit their orders to the rest of the fleet, "Commence attack. Launch torpedoes immediately."
As one, the multiple ships in the G-Force fleet turned their torpedo tubes towards the expected path of the nuclear saurian and soon multiple "fish" were spearing towards his location. Soon they found their mark, the cumulative explosions rumbling the waters around the combatants while temporarily blinding the sonar systems but the fleet did not need them anymore as the kaiju immediately rose from the water.
Bellowing angrily at the attack, the monster's eyes narrowed as he took stock of his foes. Raising his hands in an attack posture, Godzilla began to head towards the ships who immediately responded with a hail of fire. Roaring in rage at the initial barrage, Godzilla attempted to advance but the wall of fire thrown in front of him was enough to force him back in surprise at the assault. However, that antagonized him further and with several harsh swings of his tail, the nuclear saurian charged back into the battle. To the shock of the combatants, he rapidly used a mix of swinging his arms and tail while blasting his way through his atomic ray as he closed in on the naval fleet.
The lead ships immediately attempted evasive actions but Godzilla reacted faster. His dorsal fins already charged, Godzilla fired his atomic ray in a long arc that destroyed two frigates and several helicopters. Those that escaped his attack attempted to scatter with some sailing exceptionally close to the nuclear saurian. Despite his foes bombarding from all sides, Godzilla immediately rushed towards one of the nearby Japanese frigates and immediately grabbed it with his hands. Digging his claws deep into the hull, the monster smashed the upper structure of the ship. Several other ships along with fighters flew in to provide support but Godzilla ignored them as he continued to smash the unfortunate frigate into pieces. As the crewmembers that managed to escape attempted to jump off the ship, Godzilla stepped slightly back as his dorsal fins charged up.
His assailants watched in horror as the ship blew up right before their eyes with nearly all lives lost. Before they could react, Godzilla turned back to the vanguard of the fleet, his blood-red eyes burning red hot. Growling as his foes continued their attack, Godzilla slammed his tail into the water before he charged once more into the fray.
Watching from the bridge, the commander of all G-Force naval forces winced as he witnessed Godzilla unleashing his nearly limitless destructive power. Turning to one of his communications officers, Omori yelled out, "Get me the other commanders immediately." Seconds later, Bergen, Carlson, and the other commanders appeared in split-screen format on the main screen, "Request update on status immediately."
One by one, the naval commanders delivered their reports, which were unsurprisingly all bad news. Omori silently cursed before looking back out and wondering quietly what else they could do.
Attacked from all sides at point blank range, Godzilla's advance began to slow as he swung his face from side to side. Seeing none, Godzilla let out a small snarl as he observed another wave heading in to attack. Suddenly his mouth closed as his dorsal fins lit up before a ball of energy emerged from his enormous form.
The nuclear pulse blinded everyone while scrambling their sensors and forcing them to break formation and therefore the firestorm they had been bringing down on Godzilla who took full advantage of to unleash havoc. Eyeing his opposition, the nuclear saurian charged up his fins and delivered a devastating barrage of atomic fire. The atomic ray destroyed three ships while the air fleets took a severe battering. Bellowing in victory, Godzilla rapidly increased his speed as his foes attempted to regroup.
Stunned by the attack, even the veterans of the last Godzilla war were ordering their fleet groups to break off and regroup. That decreased the firepower brought to bear on Godzilla and allowed him to increase his rate of advance. Though some of the ships attempted to resume their attack, it was futile as Godzilla was now through the fleet's lines. A few frigates along with three subs let loose their torpedoes but it did not do noticeable damage to the monster.
Shaken by the demonstration of power, Omori watched as the monster receded into the distance. Turning to the rest of the officers, "I need a projected course immediately. Also, get me field command on the line. Tell them to prepare for arrival and send our apologies." The officers carried out the order and soon Tachibana came on the line, "I'm sorry to report sir that Godzilla has broken through our lines and will make landfall sir."
Tachibana nodded in full sympathy and replied, "Do what you can and do not worry, we understand." Omori acknowledged the statement and Tachibana terminated the link before turning to his fellow commanders, "What ground forces do we have available?"
Stanton immediate pressed several buttons and one of the nearby consoles before he answered the general, "We have these forces available and the rest are still assembling."
Tachibana winced at the statement before he announced to the rest, "Send them in and prepare others for combat action."
Twenty miles southeast of Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia:
10:10pm
Emerging from beneath the surface of the water which an enormous explosion, Godzilla blinked his eyes as he scanned the area in front of him. As far as he could see, there were foes everywhere with endless more heading straight for him with all of them moving in a seeming disorganized fashion. Announcing his arrival (as if his emergence from the water was not proof enough) with a loud roar, Godzilla raised his hands in an attack posture before he advanced onto his powerful human foes.
On the shore, the surprised defenders increased the pace of the preparations with many knowing what was behind them. Although Godzilla was rapidly closing in, the defenders held their fire as they attempted to reorganize so that they could get in better initial hits on the nuclear saurian. A few hoped that the monster would indeed ignore them but almost everyone else knew that their luck did not work that well.
Though no one had attacked him as of yet, Godzilla sensed that what waited in front and around him constituted a potential enemy. Narrowing his eyes, Godzilla let out another roar of challenge as his dorsal fins charged up before he fired the opening shot. Bellowing in victory at the damage that his main weapon caused, Godzilla increased his speed as he closed in towards his foes.
As he watched the monster fire his atomic ray before resuming his advance, Tachibana closed his eyes and let out a small breath before he turned to his fellow commanders, "Tell all forces to commence firing." He then turned back to the screen as he saws the battle getting underway, "May kami forgive us all for what we're about to unleash."
Despite the confusion, the frontline forces had managed to organize enough so that when the order came in, they readily moved into action. As Godzilla closed on in on the first defense line numerous small groups of tanks and AFVs that had arranged themselves into long lines unleashed a fearsome opening barrage.
The staggering hail of shells and missiles unleashed by his foes forced Godzilla to stumble back in surprise. Roaring angrily at the attack, Godzilla slammed his tail down on the water before he pressed on though the firestorm that G-Force unleashed upon him. As the firepower his foes brought to bear against him intensified, Godzilla returned the favor as he began firing random shots of his atomic ray.
Sailing close to the shore, the naval warships also unleashed a bombardment onto the monster as he headed towards land. Their five-inch main guns fired rapid shots along with several spreads of torpedoes and ARSOCs but refrained from using their other missile weapons for fear of hitting friendly troops. The combined firepower from the sea slammed into Godzilla with enough force to make him stumble forward several steps. Fortunately, they were not on the monster's target list for after forcing them back with several atomic ray blasts, Godzilla refocused his attention towards the shore where bigger targets awaited him.
Flying rapidly from their airbases, Nobunaga and Carter along with the rest of the first G-Force air squadrons to reach the battle zone witnessed an incredible sight. Below them, lay small groups of AFVs that blasted away at the rampaging Godzilla who in turn retaliated with a stunning level of force. In addition to the fire from the ground immediately around Godzilla, the pilots also saw streaks of missile fire slamming him from all sides.
Watching as Godzilla unleashed his atomic ray on a group of Type 90 tanks, Nobunaga mused out loud, "kami, it's truly an incredible sight." He then contacted Carter, "You ready to go over there?"
Carter nodded before he answered, "I don't know about you but I'm straining at the leash over here." Turning to look at the rest of the pilots to see that none had broken off despite him and the rest giving permission to do so, he then added, "I also think that perhaps that we have a good portion that are also in the same agreement." He then contacted the other pilots in the assembled group, "Make every shot count. Break and attack" Nobunaga nodded and readied his own weapons before launching his own weapons.
Growling angrily as a hail of munitions from the air slammed into his upper body as well as the surrounding area, Godzilla blinked his eyes for a moment before they focused on a section of the line. Suddenly his mouth dropped open and a sustained blue-white flame rained down upon the tanks and IFVs. When it dissipated, a hole opened up in the lines to which the monster started heading through at a rapid pace as his foes moved in to plug the breach. Soon, in the midst of the G-Force ground units the nuclear saurian started inflicting heavy damage on the target rich environment, smashing with his feet and tail while vaporizing with his atomic ray.
As they watched Godzilla annihilating their comrades, several units close to the monster's location started to panic Godzilla unleashed his destructive power in the nearby area. While the others sympathized, they held station while Godzilla continued his vicious attack, their weapons already armed and aimed right at the kaiju and their crews waiting for their turn at the monster.
Although they knew that they had no choice, the sight of their forces fighting Godzilla at point blank range was distressing. Tachibana, "Tell them to break off and open up the distance." Watching as Godzilla began to pursue them actively, the general then remarked to his fellow commanders, "Looks like he is truly gunning for us this time around."
Marching across the desert landscape, Godzilla began to inch away from the coast though he remained in range of the main guns of the warships. Sniffing the air around him, Godzilla let out a roar before he headed south with his foes blasting him from all sides. In turn, the monster lashed out with his atomic ray but most of his intended victims barely managed to dodge. Growling as his foes continued to resist him the nuclear saurian slammed his tail at the ground before continuing his advance.
Though taken by surprise, the lead ground units had recovered from the initial shock and were mounting a savage defense. While some engaged the monster head on, others engaged in hit and run attacks, hoping to force Godzilla to react to them and buy time for everyone else. For those that engaged from fortified positions, they blasted away at the monster before switching positions at the last moment to avoid a potential counterstrike from him.
As the fighting raged, several units began to break from their positions and head quickly towards the rear, to the concern of those that continued to resist the monster's advance though they understood their reasons. Fortunately, reinforcements began to arrive right behind them, their weapons already trained on the monster.
Smashing his way into the midst of his foes, Godzilla bellowed as he inflicted damage on the tanks and IFVs that moved in too close. Fortunately most managed to fall steadily back before the monster's advance while continuing to blast away at his thick hide. Enraged by the resistance he encountered, Godzilla halted his advance from his main destination as he turned to clear the surrounding area of his assailants.
In their AFVs, American and Japanese soldiers focused on their duties as they all knew that it was the only way to stay alive. Commanders yelled out orders on the command net while the gunners blasted away at Godzilla at locations they felt would sting the monster the most. Although they mostly had to maintain their spacing with the accompanying vehicles, the drivers also jinxed around as they avoided retaliation from the monster.
High in the air, the air squadrons of G-force roared overhead as they joined in the attack. Watching as the ranges between the combatants decreased, the American and Japanese aircraft armed their general munitions before they dove into the attacks in waves, firing a barrage of gunfire and guided missiles onto the target's enormous form. As Godzilla turned to meet the attack, the lead fighters released their bombs, with mainly of them splitting open to rain several hundred deadly small munitions onto the nuclear saurian before they pulled up at full speed. While most of the ordnance found its mark, some landed uncomfortably close to that of the ground forces but fortunately, there were no fatalities.
Watching from a field command post, Colonel Benson and Colonel Shiratori had grave looks on their faces as their forces along with that of their brothers in arms engaging in a brutal fight with Godzilla. As the nuclear saurian battered his way forward, Shiratori said, "It's truly an ugly mess out there."
Benson nodded with an equally grim look on his face as he watched the combined American and Japanese forces fighting the hard charging monster, "It is and I think that it is going to get even uglier." The Japanese colonel did not argue the statement as they observed the battle before Benson got on the line, "Artillery batteries are to stand by for fire mission." Shiratori turned to look at him before Benson replied to his unspoken question, "Just in case." The Japanese colonel nodded in grim agreement.
Marching forward through the hail of fire, Godzilla bellowed angrily as his foes did not let up in their assaults. As his eyes scanned the area in front of him, Godzilla snarled before he torched the landscape in front of him with atomic fire. When he surveyed the results of the attack, Godzilla roared in victory before he continued on, smashing those that survived his atomic ray but could not get clear from him in time.
As they fell back, the lead units called in for support to cover their escape even at the risk of incurring casualties by friendly fire. Soon the ground between the tanks and Godzilla filled with explosions as artillery and air support rained down on the area in rapid succession. Taking advantage of the assistance, the ground units attempted to open up as much distance as possible. However some of the artillery fire exploded amongst the rear guard as they opened up the distance from the monster.
For those closest to the monster, it was a fight for their lives as their foe continuously hounded them. The ranges between the two combatants decreased enough for the tanks to use their machine guns although all knew that it was almost useless against a target of such incredible power. With death coming at them from all sides, the tank crews fought as if they had nothing left to lose, with the gunners pumping out shells onto the monster's huge form in rapid succession.
Continuing to advance towards a large group of lights off in the far distance, Godzilla battered his way through savage resistance. As a new wave of foes appeared in front of him, Godzilla methodically engaged them until they withdrew from beyond his wrath before he marched on. From time to time though, Godzilla seemed specifically target several groups of enemies that he sensed to be major threats.
Although they had been through hard fighting for the better part of an hour, those that had already engaged a seemingly powered up Godzilla were surprisingly still full of fight. Once they arrived at the defense line around the field headquarters, most headed to rearm while those that had a substantial amount of ammunition assumed their places in the hastily built fortifications. It contained a mix of tanks and IFVs mixed in along with the heavy defenses of the field headquarters. Anti-tank missile teams stationed themselves around the IFVs with their weapons at the ready while also keeping a line open so to hear the orders to bug out quickly.
Directly flying overhead were squads of helicopters, most of them attached to the ground forces and above them flew helicopter squadrons that operated independently. At higher altitude were the combined fighter squadrons, which all waited for the call-down signal. Waiting amongst them were the Super X-III and Garuda II, their crews ready for the fight ahead.
G-Force field headquarters:
In the main operations center, the G-Force command staff watched intently as their ground forces began to surround the main headquarters. All were busy consulting each other on their forces when one of the communications officers yelled out to them, "Sir, all lead forces have arrived at the defense line and have refitted. We have also made contact with the other forces."
The commanders looked at each other before Middleton asked, "Any word on whether they will assist?"
The communications officer shook his head, "Negative, it looks like most of them are hanging back. The Saudis are already moving into position while the rest have been flying in reinforcements." He then highlighted the locations of these reinforcements on one of the large screens. -
The commanders winced at the statement before Tachibana remarked, "Damn, it looks like we have no choice then. We're on our own." Pausing for a moment to look silently at everyone in the room, he gave out the order, "Speed up evacuation as best you can. To all forces, make every shot count."
East of G-Force field headquarters along Highway 95:
Despite the incredible efforts of G-Force, Godzilla inexorably advanced towards his destination. Scanning the area in front of him with his blood-red eyes, Godzilla snarled as he spotted his target in front of him and his foes regrouping once more. Roaring into the sky as if announcing to all around him that it was their turn to die, Godzilla plunged forward once as a sudden silence descended onto the battlefield.
The defenders held their fire as Godzilla approached as they attempted to deliver a volley that would truly force him to halt and make him truly fight. As the ranges decreased to optimal and the orders came in, scores of guns went off almost at once with a second deadly volley following in quickly behind.
At first, it actually worked as the enormous hail of fire that slammed on Godzilla's charcoal grey skin actually forced him back. However, the monster quickly recovered his balance and with a roar to the night sky, he scanned the area with his blood red eyes before charging towards his foes. Fortunately, the defenders poured in enough fire to slow his advance to a crawl, which enraged him as he observed the movements of his foes on the ground. With a large bounty of targets in front of him, Godzilla did not even blink for a moment before his dorsal fins lit up and he unleashed his atomic ray, swinging his head up and down as well as from side to side as he attempted to kills some of his numerous foes.
Though they continued to blast away at Godzilla, the tanks and IFVs also prepared to switch positions as they observed the nuclear saurian bringing his atomic ray to bear in a savage fashion. After letting loose several more rounds of gunfire and missiles, the units in the first line of defense began to retreat from their initial defensive positions, while keeping the target under fire. Those in front of him pulled back directly to the next line of defense while the rest moved to attack Godzilla from the side and rear in running engagements. Though those few that fell directly back from the monster lost their lives as the monster crushed them flat, the rest barely managed to make it out and avoid Godzilla's wrath.
Godzilla snarled as he observed the foes below him beginning to disperse. His enormous feet caught some but the rest started opening up the distance rapidly before he could crush them with either his feet or tail. Growling at the sight of the tiny objects scurrying beneath him, Godzilla's dorsal fins lit up before he raked the ground directly beneath him with a blast of his atomic ray, killing several bunched up tanks and IFVs. Before he could fire another blast, a hail of artillery landed on and around the huge nuclear saurian, enveloping him in a mix of explosions and smoke. When the smoke dissipated, Godzilla snarled as he saw his foes engaging him from range before he closed the range once again.
With the problems in the rear starting to become untangled, more reinforcements arrived on the battlefield. As they made the final approaches to Godzilla's location, many whispered amongst themselves as they passed by the wreckage of the past several hours. While a large portion of the reserves headed to the front line, the rest headed to positions from which to counterattack the kaiju.
Though impressive, the defense inevitably like served as a seawall against a tremendous storm, it eventually failed as Godzilla smashed his way into the defenders in the front line. Raking the ground beneath him with several blasts of his atomic ray, Godzilla roared in victory at the results before he increased his speed, crushing the remnants as well as the survivors that could not clear out in time. Observing several squads of tanks and other armored vehicles attempting to gather in front of him, Godzilla immediately vaporized them with his atomic breath. The resulting destruction shocked the nearby units and they barely reacted in time as Godzilla moved forward towards the hole in the G-Force lines.
Bellowing as he caught sight of the structures before him, Godzilla slammed his tail onto the ground before his dorsal fins charged and he began to torch the area around him. Although the personnel had already partially evacuated from the nearby buildings, they still contained ammunition, fuel and other supplies, which quickly ignited in enormous fireballs. Scores of soldiers and civilians died instantly while others died screaming from the horrendous burns that echoed throughout the battlefield. While non-combatants scattered to whatever safety they could find, the troops attempted to get to their units, in fact it reached the point where the front line units quickly accepted stragglers who came from other armored units. The hastily assembled formations attempted to form a temporary blocking position against the monster as the non-combatants fled from the area and reinforcements arrived to plug the breach.
High above the battle zone:
Far off in the distance, a dark entity sensed the carnage playing below him. The entity circled silently before it began to growl as it sensed a familiar presence. Its yellow eyes blinked for several moments as if in deep concentration before the entity let out a hyena like roar. Spreading its enormous red wings, the dark entity immediately flew towards the location of the disturbance.
G-Force field headquarters
While the multiple radar operators on the ships, ground and airplanes kept track of the heavy combat action, they kept their eyes out for the possibility of intruders heading into the area. Within minutes, several radars picked up the approach of the dark entity when it began to descend. Immediately the word passed up to G-Force field headquarters when one of the operators announced to the entire room, "Sir we have a UFO heading towards Godzilla's location."
The occupants in the room let out startled gasps at the report with Miki Saegusa, who was in deep concentration, reacting the most sharply to the news. Turning to look at her superiors who nodded at the grave look on her face, Saegusa turned back to the operators and asked them, "Do you have a visual as of yet?" The officer shook his head before Saegusa ordered, "Send in any available air units to identify the new arrival."
At the airbases around the battle zone, several squadrons re-equipped for aerial combat. After a rushed briefing about the UFO, the fighters immediately took to the air before rapidly closing on the target. As the air squadrons closed in to visual range with the UFO, eyes widened in shock as they came face to face with a red demon. Before anyone could react, the abomination lashed out with a red energy blast from its maw, killing four fighters and scattering the rest. They quickly reformed and moved to engage with a volley of missiles and machine gunfire. To their shock, the new arrival quickly gained the upper hand despite his enormous mass.
In 10 minutes of furious air combat, the huge kaiju broke through the air defenses and continued towards its destination with the air squadrons regrouping before they set off in pursuit with some of them firing their weapons in a vain attempt to slow the UFO down. Watching as the monster receded into the distance as several missiles slammed uselessly against the kaiju's thick red hide, the lead pilot signaled on the command net to the UNGCC field command center.
G-Force field headquarters
11:48pm
As everyone was busy coordinating the defense against Godzilla, one of the communications officers yelled out, "Sir, the UFO has broken through the air defenses and is continuing towards this location." He then tightened his headset as he listened to the updates before adding hastily, "Sir we have visual of the unidentified object."
Noting the tone of the voice, Tachibana asked sternly, "Punch it on the main screen." The officer acknowledged the order and in a few seconds, the command staff let out gasps as they saw what the object was.
Saegusa was the first to speak, her voice drained to that of a whisper from a very old woman, "How far is he from Godzilla?"
Frightened by the sight of the new arrival, the officer replied, "ETA is 10 minutes."
When they heard that answer, all had grave looks on their faces, as many of them had been veterans from the final day of the last war against Godzilla. Watching as the demon kaiju approached Godzilla, Umezu asked his fellow commanders, "How long will it take to evacuate?"
One of the other subordinate officers answered the Japanese general's question, "Not soon enough sir."
The others let out a deep breath before Tachibana said to his fellow commanders, "Signal everyone to prepare for possible arrival of the unidentified object."
Saegusa whispered quietly as she sensed what the arrival of the creature meant. As if reliving her younger days, she whispered quietly to whatever deity would hear her, "May kami help us all?"
G-Force logistical area
15 miles west of Highway 95. 11:56pm
Back on the ground, Godzilla continued on his rampage against the G-Force defenders and the facilities. As the monster continued to his advance, his foes attacked on the move, circling around him while blasting away with their weapons. To the eyes of the troops in the front line, the monster seemed an immovable statue as he withstood the barrages unleashed upon him with no noticeable effect upon his huge form.
Despite the intensity of the fighting and the battering from the monster, Benson, Shiratori, and everyone else stood their ground, slowing Godzilla's advance and forcing him to deviate from his destination to fight them. Inevitably, the fighting turned into a slugging match that pushed the G-Force ground units to extremes for even at their best the casualties inevitably mounted fast. Whenever one unit had fought extensively for a long period, it would withdraw as best they could while another one took its place. The only units that were in constant action were the artillery and even then, half of their guns held their fire until the frontline troops requested it.
As several MBT-92s moved in to blast away at Godzilla with their main weapons, a rain of red energy beams rained down on them, vaporizing them to the shock of all. Before anyone could figure out the source, several more units came under a barrage of red energy beams. Godzilla blinked his eyes before a rain of red energy fire rained down on him as well. All fighting ceased as the combatants searched turned to the sky to see the G-Force air support engaging an enormous target. As they watched the object decreasing its altitude, a large number of smaller objects emerged from it before they too fell to the ground. Though a large number of guns of the G-force did turn skyward to engage the new arrivals, they were too late as they could only kill a few before they landed on the ground with such force as to make the ground shake. The air units also joined in stopping the fall of the giant circular objects to little or no avail. Emerging from the craters, the crabs looked at the target environment in front of them before they all crackled with glee and unleashed hell.
Watching as the huge crabs devastated the enemy in front of him, Godzilla snarled as several started to head towards him. Raising his hands in an attack posture, the monster's dorsal fins charged before he unleashed blue-white fire at the red crablike creatures. Though the energy beam killed three of them, the rest jumped out of the way and before he could fire another blast, the crabs jumped into the air before landing right on his skin, all the while firing a red energy beam from their jaws. Once, the crabs landed onto Godzilla, they started hacking away with their claws along with showering him in a hail of red energy beams.
At first, Godzilla attempted to slash away at the crab-like creatures and in fact threw and rolled along the ground in order to rid himself of the creatures. However, they proved resilient and continued to cling on Godzilla's skin. Growling angrily, the nuclear saurian closed his mouth and his dorsal fins lit up before a burst of nuclear energy emanated from the monster's huge form.
Roaring angrily at the resistance, Godzilla's dorsal fins lit up before he fired a vicious barrage of his atomic ray, incinerating anything that moved within the beam's path. Bellowing at the carnage, Godzilla scanned the area in front of him as he searched for potential targets before he resumed firing his atomic ray at his surroundings.
However, a giant red beam blast from the sky blasted into Godzilla, forcing him back and stopping him from firing a barrage of his atomic ray. Turning to find the source of the attack with a huge roar coming from his mouth, Godzilla blinked his eyes as he came face to face with a fearsome enemy long thought dead. Those that he fought earlier also shared the same sentiment as they came face to face with a horrific devil from the end of the last war.
Author's Notes:
This upcoming battle is based in part on the Battle of Chinese Farm, which took place in the Yom Kippur War in 1973. As for the battle itself, it was considered to be one of the most brutal battles ever witnessed by the Israelis (and they had been in wars since 1948). I wanted to do something similar to that engagement with what I have written in this chapter and in the next few chapters.
Author's Questions:
How did I do in displaying the carnage of a full-blown battle with Godzilla in which the humans had to make their stand and fight?
As always, please read and review.