Chapter Twenty-Four: Striking Back
Valka's Dragon Sanctuary
Task Force Therian
March 25th, 2246 – 1524 Hours
Henderson was laying with Sheva wearing their repaired translation collars as they watched Ellie, Evie, and Valka play with some of the baby post-human dragons
"I think your daughter is becoming a dragon enthusiast." Sheva said to Henderson telepathically
"Yeah I've noticed that…" Henderson replied, "Where did Calvin and Emily run off to? I haven't seen them since the others arrived."
"Who knows and I really don't care." Sheva said to Henderson, "So Henderson…have you ever tried getting married?"
"After my mom died, I did try dating a few women, but none of them never really clicked for me and I gave up on looking after Ellie and Evie came into my life because a kid is usually a big turn off for most single women my age." Henderson replied
Sheva looked at Ellie
"Who would be turned off by Ellie?! She's adorable!" Sheva said to Henderson
"You'd be surprised, there's a lot of people who don't want to have kids these days until they're much older." Henderson replied, "What are you interested in filling that position?"
"To tell you the truth…I do." Sheva said to Henderson, "But I don't know if I could handle it."
"I didn't know if I could handle being a father when Evie told me that Ellie was my kid and showed me the results of the DNA test she did." Henderson replied, "If I can do it, then you can too."
"Are you doing what I think you are Jayden?" Sheva asked Henderson
"What do you think?" Henderson replied, "Might as well do it now as well because who knows when we're going back home from all this!"
Sheva smiled and nuzzled Henderson
"Then the answer is most defiantly yes." Sheva said to him
"What are you two doing over there?" Valka asked Henderson and Sheva when she saw them nuzzling each other while Cloudjumper, who was sitting across from them turned his head as he watched them
"Let's just say there is going to be a new addition to the Henderson family." Henderson replied with his translation collar
"You proposed?!" Evie shouted to Henderson, who nodded while Sheva smiled again as she rested her head against Henderson's and purred
"Sheva is going to be my new mom?! Sweet!" Ellie shouted
"That was quicker than I expected." Sheva said to Henderson telepathically
"She's like me, she adapts quickly." Henderson replied telepathically
Meanwhile in another part of the sanctuary, Calvin and Emily were back in their human forms with Calvin in his dress uniform and Emily in her wedding dress as Catherine helped them rehearse for their wedding as Reaper, Karlson, Katie, Tesla, and Wensky watched
"She's really good at this." Wensky said to Reaper telepathically
"She was one of the best wedding planners in Cape Girardeau during her hay day." Reaper replied telepathically
"That's perfect you two!" Catherine said to Calvin and Emily as they held each other's hands and stared at each other with the veil of Emily's wedding dress covering her face, "Now go on ahead and kiss, because I know you two want to!"
Calvin smiled and lifted up Emily's veil before he and Emily kissed almost causing Katie and Tesla to burst into tears while Wensky and Karlson comforted them by holding them with their wings as Calvin and Emily pulled their faces away from each other and smiled
"This isn't even the real thing yet and I'm already crying!" Tesla shouted
"Same here!" Katie replied
"So what are we going to practice now Mrs. Reaper?" Calvin asked Catherine
"I think we're going to take a break from this for now." Catherine replied, "You two are doing absolutely marvelous!"
Henderson and Sheva landed behind Karlson and Tesla
"Hey guys! Are we interrupting wedding practice?" Sheva asked as she and Henderson stood by her parents
"We just finished actually, what's up the big smiles you two?" Calvin asked Henderson and Sheva as he took off his cap, which Emily took from him and put on top of her head before Calvin wrapped his arm around her and brought her closer to his side
"Oh nothing…just besides the fact he proposed to me." Sheva said to Calvin
"What?! You too now?!" Tesla cried
"I saw this coming a mile away." Karlson said, "How's Evie and Ellie handling it?"
"Ellie's excited and Evie's shocked." Henderson replied
"We should get married together!" Emily shouted
"A double wedding?!" Catherine asked, "I' haven't done one of those in a while! But sure!"
"Just so you Mrs. Reaper, I think my daughter will make a perfect flower girl." Henderson said to Catherine
"I was actually thinking that!" Catherine replied, "I think…I think I need to lay down because all of this excitement…come on Reaper, let's find somewhere we can lay down and be alone for a while."
Reaper nodded
"Best of luck to you four!" Reaper said to Calvin, Emily, Henderson, and Sheva before he and Catherine took off
"Both of my babies are getting married!" Tesla cried as Karlson continued to comfort her as Valka and Stoick watched from a distance
"Not as bad you thought they were Valka?" Stoick asked Valka, who nodded
"Casca blinded my judgment, I should've known better." Valka replied, "All those poor people back there and all the ones I've killed thinking that they were intentionally killing dragons…"
"There was no way you could've known Val, you shouldn't blame yourself." Stoick said to Valka, "If anything blame Gene Corp for turning people into dragons in the first place!"
"But I'm the one who's been killing them when I could've freeing them like regular dragons this entire time just by breaking a few measly collars on their necks!" Valka replied
"It's not your fault Valka, Gene Corp and the Romans forced your hand and you just didn't simply know the difference!" Stoick said to her, "If you want to make up for it, help us defeat the Romans and Drago before they can continue Gene Corp's work which includes hunting down Casca and his men and bringing an end to their reign of terror!"
Valka nodded
"Do you know where General Barnes is?" Valka asked Stoick
"I think he's with Samantha and their children." Stoick replied, "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to help you strike back at Drago." Valka replied
Somewhere else in the Sanctuary, Barnes was talking with the Valka's Bewilderbeast while Samantha, Leon, Anna, Zoey, and Preston slept behind him while Hiccup, who was exhausted by the day's events slept with Toothless while nearby Erwin and Margaret slept with his brothers and sister
"You have built a wonderful family general." The Bewilderbeast said to Barnes, who nodded
"Thank you." Barnes replied
"Then you do also know that your daughter is pregnant?" The Bewilderbeast asked Barnes
"What?! You mean Anna?!" Barnes replied, shocked as the Bewilderbeast
"She hasn't told you because she doesn't know yet either." The Bewilderbeast said to Barnes, "Your other daughter also feelings for Toothless, who has also feelings for her, but they're afraid of publicly displaying these feelings because they fear negative judgment from their peers most importantly you."
"Zoey loves Toothless?" Barnes asked him
"Those feelings existed long before they danced on that airship Barnes." The Bewilderbeast replied as Barnes looked at Zoey, who was still sleeping
"My little girl is in love…" Barnes said to himself, "It's hard to let them go you know."
The Bewilderbeast nodded
"It's part of being a parent, no matter what species you are." The Bewilderbeast said to Barnes as Valka and Cloudjumper landed next to Barnes and woke up the others
"General Barnes, I want to show you something." Valka said as she jumped off Cloudjumper holding a rolled up piece of paper
"What is it Valka?" Barnes asked her as Valka rolled out the map in front of her
"This is a map of the area that I've drawn over the past few years I've been fighting Blackwater and Gene Corp, it has almost all their major facilities and bases on it, including their conversion camps and the dragon trapper strongholds." Valka replied
"Why are you showing this to me now?" Barnes asked Valka
"Because I want to help you strike back at Drago." Valka replied
"Hmmmm…" Barnes said as he looked at the map, "I was kind of wanting to stay low while we here after the stunt we pulled off with that train, but striking back at Drago for what he and Walker did to us is far too tempting to resist, how well defended are these dragon trapper forts are?"
"They're designed to protect against wild dragon attacks, but I think you and your men won't have much of a problem with them with your armor and force fields." Valka said to Barnes
Barnes nodded as he laid down so he could get a closer look at the map
"What about this one over here?" Barnes asked Valka as he carefully pointed at the dragon trapper fort with a conversion camp located near it, "We can take out both that camp and the fort."
"That particular fort is home to a dragon trapper and hunter called Sven Kjar, who is also in charge of one of the Blackwater Hunter-killer teams have been sent after me and my dragons." Valka replied
"Yeah we've heard of him from a few of the dragons and prisoners we've freed." Barnes said to her, "But he's never ran into dragons like us before."
"Don't underestimate Kjar, he's a brute of a man who likes to torture and mutilate both dragons and humans alike if they get in his away." Valka replied
"Even more reason to take the asshole out." Barnes said to her, "We'll divide into two strike forces, Valka you will take Fergus and his men, Stoick and his men, and some of my men to take the fort while I'll lead the rest of my men along with Calvin and his squad to attack the conversion camp and free the post-human dragons in it."
Valka nodded
"Another night attack then?" Samantha asked Barnes, who nodded
"Tell everybody to get what rest they can, we'll fly out at 1900 hours." Barnes replied
"Who's going to watch over the refugees?" Erwin asked Barnes
"I guess Henderson and his squad since they don't have any armor yet." Barnes replied, "Ward, Tullus, and Aberly will have to stay here too because they can't generate any lighting without being recharged by a thunderstorm."
"Well about Henderson…he and Sheva just announced they were getting married now too, so I guess if Henderson is staying Sheva will probably will too." Valka said to Barnes
"When did this happen?!" Samantha asked Valka
"Just a few minutes ago, Sheva's mom is crying right now because of it." Valka replied
"Wow both of the Karlson kids are getting married now, what a shocker!" Preston shouted
"Not as much as you're going to be when you find out you're having kids of your own." Barnes thought to himself
Cape Girardeau, MO – Coalition Verse
APM Command Bunker
1722 Hours
President Paxton was in a war room by himself talking with a holographic American's People Military Naval Corps (APMNC) Admiral Jack Herald, whose fleet was now patrolling the Scandinavian Coast searching for Task Force Therian along with a fleet of Isotxian airships
"Sir my ships have been patrolling the Scandinavian coastline for two days now and we still haven't made any contact with Barnes or any of his men, I think it's safe to say that they're not coming back, at least right now with how active Blackwater's forces have been since the battle." Herald said to Paxton, who sighed
"Keep searching, I'm sure they'll pop up eventually if they're still up there somewhere!" Paxton replied, "Any word from the Isotxians?"
"Their airships are having the same luck we are Mr. President." Herald said to Paxton, "Do you know that all those airships together can carry an entire fucking army?!
"That's what I've heard." Paxton replied, "How well are they cooperating with you?"
"They're giving all the information they know." Herald said as an off-screen Ensign handed him a report, "This just came in from them now, apparently they've intercepted a few radio transmissions saying that Task Force Therian raided a train carrying post-human dragons out of a conversion camp last night and that they're possibly looking for the Vigilante now."
"How did they intercept a Blackwater radio transmission with their technology?" Paxton asked Herald
"They managed to convince a few Blackwater Communication Officers to work for them now." Herald replied, "Resourceful little bastards."
"Smart move." Paxton said to Herald, "I just signed a lend-lease deal with them that will start next month."
"I yeah I heard about that." Herald replied, "But if they launched an attack like that, I bet they will launch another one once they find that Vigilante."
"Why are they going after the Vigilante?" Paxton asked Herald
"Who knows?" Herald replied
Dragon Trapper Fort
1843 Hours
Eret was helping several other dragon trappers load a caged dragon into the cargo compartment of a Blackwater heavy-lift helicopter while another dragon trapper, Sven Kjar received their payment from a Blackwater Officer, two sacks bags of gold coins
"Thank you again for your services Mr. Kjar." The Blackwater Officer said to Sven Kjar, who gleefully nodded as he looked inside the one of the sacks
"No, thank you." Kjar replied
"Before I go, General Walker has requested that you give me a status report on your search for the Vigilante hideout to give him when I return to his headquarters, what do you have?" The Blackwater Officer said to Kjar, who sighed angrily and rolled his eyes
"I think we've got its location pinned down, but I want to check it out before I tell Walker." Kjar replied
The Officer nodded
"I will report to this to General Walker." The Blackwater Officer said to him, "But I give you warning, there's a possibility that a group of well-armed post-human dragons from the Coalition are with her now, so continue with caution."
Sven Kjar nodded
"I'll take care of them just like I do with any other post-human dragon." Kjar said to him
"I should also remind you that Walker's new boss wants them alive, you can do what you want to the Vigilante and her dragons, but the post-human ones must remain as unharmed as possible." The Blackwater Officer replied
"Yeah…yeah, sure." Kjar said
"Very well, until next time then." The Blackwater Officer said to Kjar before he turned around to get into the helicopter as its crew started up its engines before taking off
"What was all that about?" Eret asked Kjar
"Nothing, apparently there's a group of special dragons that Lord Drago wants alive who are possibly working with the Vigilante now." Kjar replied
"Ughhhh her…that woman has been destroying my dragon traps and torching my men and ships ever since she first showed up!" Eret said
"Join the club then! She's been doing to all of us, not just you and your little band." Kjar said to Eret, "But anyway! I want you to go to the Blackwater base to pick up some supplies for me that I and my men will need for our expedition to the arctic tomorrow to finally find that bitch's hideout and take care of her once and for all! Can you do that without getting captured?"
"Of course!" Eret said to Kjar before he turned to his men, "Come on guys, we have some shopping to do!"
Eret and his men left while Sven looked up into the clear night sky
"I just have the feeling that something that is going to really piss me off is going happen." Sven said to himself
In Route to Dragon Trapper Fort
1923 Hours
Calvin and Emily were clad in their powered armor as they rode on Karlson who was flying with Barnes alongside Valka and Cloudjumper while the dragon riders followed close behind them with Stoick and Gobber and the rest of Task Force Therian and Valka's dragon including the Bewilderbeast who was swimming just below the water's surface beneath them
"The fort is just up ahead!" Valka shouted to Barnes, who nodded
"We'll go ahead and split-up here!" Barnes replied with his translation collar, "Erwin I'm guessing you and your brothers and sister are staying with them?"
Erwin nodded
"They'll need our firepower, plus our presence will help keep up the morale of Fergus and his men." Erwin said to Barnes, who nodded
"I'm staying as well because the last time I left them alone they got kidnapped!" Margaret said to Barnes
"Very well then! Good luck to you guys!" Barnes said to Margaret, "Everybody that is attacking the conversion, follow me! Anybody that wants to help attack the fort needs to keep following Valka!"
Barnes broke off followed by Karlson and most of the other post-human dragons as they headed toward the conversion camp, leaving only Korensky, Erwin, Margaret, Julie, Manfred, and Harrison with Valka, her dragons, the Vikings, and the Isotxians
"You ready for this lad?" Fergus asked Korensky, who snorted
"Not the fight that I signed up for, but yes!" Korensky replied with his translation collar as Fergus patted him on the side of the neck before he pumped his shotgun
"Get ready!" Valka shouted as she slid her mask over her face
"You heard the lady! Lock and load lads!" Fergus shouted to the other Isotxian soldiers, who prepared their weapons as the dragons flew them around a cliff, revealing the dragon trapper fort which was located in the middle of a large inlet and was connected to the mainland by a long wooden bridge as Fergus turned to Valka, "Okay Mrs. Haddock, where are these dragon-knapping scumbags going to be keeping those dragons that you want us to help you rescue?"
"They should be in the holding areas on the bottom floor near the dock!" Valka shouted to Fergus, "But there's no way that the dragons can get us in there directly, so they're going have to drop us off on the roof and we'll have fight our way down from there!"
Fergus nodded
"This won't be my first rooftop insertion Mrs. Haddock!" Fergus said to Valka, "We did them all the time in Berlin back home and I'm sure the same logic applies to that place!"
Valka nodded
"I'll take your word for it Captain Fergus!" She said to Fergus
"They've spotted us!" Manfred shouted with his translation collar as the dragon trappers manning the fort's defenses began to fire nets and bolas at the incoming dragons and Isotxians and Vikings
"Your four take out those defenses!" Valka shouted to Erwin, Manfred, Harrison, and Julie
Erwin nodded before he and his siblings broke off and began destroying the defenses
"So when are you going to bring out the big guy?" Fergus asked Valka
"After we rescue the dragons!" Valka replied
Fergus nodded as they reached the roof of the fort where they were immediately rushed by the dragon trappers and Blackwater troopers there
"Take them out!" Fergus shouted as he jumped off Korensky, who immediately shot out his tail spines, striking several of the dragon trappers and Blackwater troopers before he took off into the air while Fergus blasted a dragon trapper charging at him with his shotgun
"FOR ISOTX!" An Isotxian Air Marine shouted as he and another Air Marine jumped off the Gronckle that they were riding onto the roof and began firing their M48s as Fergus blasted another dragon trapper with his shotgun while Valka and Cloudjumper worked together to take out several Blackwater troopers and dragon trappers at once as Stoick and Gobber and the other Vikings joined in
"This is for taking away my dragon!" Stoick shouted as he punched a Blackwater Trooper in the face, breaking the lenses of the goggles that he was wearing along with several of his teeth before he fell onto the ground, unconscious
"Good one Stoick!" Gobber shouted as he used his mace to smash in the head of a Dragon Trapper as a large Isotxian Paratrooper with Celtic war tattoos and paint on his face wearing a torn and dirty battle kilt dismounted from the Monstrous Nightmare he was riding carrying a M60 machine gun
"Holy crap!" A Blackwater Trooper screamed as the hulk of an Isotxian aimed his M60 at him and pulled the trigger, firing it from his waist and mowing down the Blackwater troopers and Dragon Trappers in front of him as shell casings fell to the ground at his feet while the barrel of the M60 glowed red with heat
"Area secured!" The Isotxian Paratrooper shouted after he mowed down the last of the Blackwater troopers and dragon trappers on the roof
"Good work, now break open the trap door over there so we can get inside and start clearing this joint out!" Fergus shouted
"Yes captain!" The Isotxian Paratrooper replied as he went over the trapper door covering the stairs that led inside the facility before he placed his M60 on the ground and grabbed the door and ripped it off its hinges before throwing it over the edge as another Isotxian Paratrooper threw a grenade down the staircase
"GET IN THERE!" Fergus shouted
"Where did you find these people?!" Valka asked Stoick as the large Isotxian Celtic Paratrooper led the Isotxian charge into the interior of the fort firing his M60
"Are you just going to stand there or are you going in?!" Fergus shouted to Valka and Stoick as he followed the other Isotxians and Vikings down into the dragon fort while the dragons took off and began to attack the other parts of the fort
Meanwhile, Task Force Therian started its attack on the Conversion Camp with Barnes and the other post-human Night Furies plasma blasting the anti-air defenses surrounding the camp while the other post-human dragons landed in the camp with Karlson, Tesla, Wensky, and Katie dropping Calvin, Emily, and Echo Squad off in a section of warehouses located near the camp's airstrip where the camp's inmates were being kept
"You guys free the prisoners! We'll stay out and cover you!" Karlson shouted to Calvin and Emily as Tesla, Wensky, and Katie fought off a security patrol
"Okay dad!" Calvin replied, "Come on Echo, we've got people to save from being our enemies!"
Calvin, Emily, and Echo Squad rushed to the nearest warehouse where Katrina kicked in the door next to the main entrance allowing the others to go inside the warehouse
"Holy shit! Look at all of them!" Don shouted as he, Calvin, Emily, and the rest of Echo Squad looked at all the post-human dragons where being kept chained up in cages inside the warehouse
"Who cares how many of them there are?! Just start freeing them!" Calvin shouted
"Yes sir!" Don replied as Calvin, Emily, and Echo Squad split up and began freeing the post-human dragons from their cages
"This will go quicker if there were more of us in here doing this!" Ronnie shouted to Calvin
"He's right, we're going to need help with this or we're going to be here all night!" Emily shouted to Calvin, who nodded as he got onto his radio
"If any of you guys are free, we could use additional hands freeing all these post-humans because there is a lot of them over here!" Calvin shouted to the rest of Task Force Therian over his radio before he continued to free a post-human Hobblegrunt from the chains holding him to the floor of his cage
"Who are you and why are you helping us?!" The Hobblegrunt asked Calvin after he removed his muzzle
"There's no time to explain!" Calvin replied, "But just trust us!"
The Hobblegrunt nodded as Calvin shot out one of the chains with his pulse rifle as Anna and Preston plasma blasted their way through the warehouse's roof and landed inside to help free the imprisoned post-human dragons
"Nice entry!" Emily shouted to them
"You said you needed the help!" Anna replied with her translation collar as she ripped open one of the cages as Calvin freed the Hobblegrunt
"What do you want me to do?!" The Hobblegrunt asked Calvin
"Go outside and talk to one of the dragons outside, they'll help you!" Calvin replied
The Hobblegrunt nodded and ran out of the warehouse after Hazel opened the main door by hacking into the control panel while Calvin moved on to the next caged dragon, a female Monstrous Nightmare who appeared to be unconscious as Calvin shot out the lock of her cage before he came and felt for her pulse, but couldn't find it and also realized that she wasn't breathing as well
"DAMMIT!" Calvin shouted as he slammed his fist onto the floor of the cage
"What's wrong?!" Emily shouted
"She's dead…" Calvin replied before he heard something moving under one of the dead Monstrous Nightmare's wings and went to check it out, finding a single after-birth covered baby Monstrous Nightmare hiding beneath the wing
"Oh god…" Emily said as Calvin reached for the Monstrous Nightmare, who cried and snapped at Calvin's hand, who quickly withdrew it
"He's scared to death…" Calvin replied before he put his pulse rifle down on the ground and took off his helmet and spoke to the baby Monstrous Nightmare in the calmest and softest voice he could, "Hey there little guy, there's no need to be afraid, we're here to help you."
The Monstrous Nightmare cocked his head at Calvin, who slowly reached out to it with his hand which the Monstrous Nightmare looked at, but this time smelling it
"He must be smelling your dad on you." Emily said to Calvin as he gently petted the baby post-human, who purred
"See, there's nothing to be afraid of anymore." Calvin said to the baby post-human Monstrous Nightmare, who looked up at Calvin before crawling over to him and into his lap where it curled up
"Do you see another one in there?" Emily asked Calvin, who looked around the age, but saw no signs of a sibling
"No." Calvin replied, "She must have died after he came out, taking the other one with her before it even had chance. Fucking Gene Corp."
Emily came into the cage and looked over Calvin at the baby Monstrous Nightmare in his lap, who stared up at her with wide eyes
"He reminds me of myself after Casca kidnapped you guys…defenseless and weak." Calvin said to Emily as she kneeled down next to them
"Calvin I think I know what you're thinking, but do you think we're ready for that kind of responsibility?" Emily asked Calvin
"How hard can it be?" Calvin asked her
Meanwhile, the assault on the Dragon Trapper Fort was going as planned as Erwin and Margaret flew around the fort with Erwin's siblings, Korensky, and Valka's dragons looking for targets
"Looks like we've knocked out all the defenses!" Erwin shouted with his translation collars
"So what do we do now then sir?" Korensky asked Erwin
"I guess just fly around and wait for the others to finish up inside!" Erwin replied
"Am I the only one who thought this was piss easy?" Margaret asked
"It was." Manfred replied, "These dragon trappers might be good at their job as Valka said, but they're horrible soldiers, I lost count of how many of them I saw jumping out of that fort to avoid fighting the others."
"Don't fool yourselves post-human, some of these trappers are better fighters than you think." Cloudjumper said to him
"Hey! It looks like they finally reached the holding area!" Korensky shouted as gunfire broke in the bottom section of the fort where Valka said that the trappers were keeping the dragons they captured
"Good, that means we're finally about out of here!" Harrison shouted before a SAM with a EMP warhead struck Erwin's shields and knocked them out followed by another SAM with a confusion warhead and knocked Erwin out and sent him plummeting to a platform that was sticking out of the side of the fort where Eret and Sven Kjar were waiting for him and rushed to the unconscious post-human Skrill after he crashed onto the platform
"Good work Eret!" Sven shouted to Eret, who was carrying the MANPADS that had fired the SAM with the Concussion Warhead as Sven kneeled down next to the unconscious Skrill
"So how exactly do you plan to get out of here with that Skrill?!" Eret asked Sven
"I never said we were bringing him with us!" Sven replied as he quickly placed a small tracking device on the Skrill's leg beneath one of the armor plates, "This thing is going to lead us back to where they came from! Now let's get out of here!"
Eret and Sven left the unconscious Erwin behind as Margaret, Manfred, Harrison, and Julie landed on the platform around him
"ERWIN?!" Margaret screamed as she nuzzled the side of Erwin's face, "ERWIN?!"
Margaret nuzzled Erwin again, but failed to revive him
"Don't bother, he's out cold!" Manfred said to Margaret, "We need to find a way to carry him!"
"There's some nets over here we can use!" Julie shouted
"Good idea Julie! Go get them!" Manfred replied, "Should we remove his armor?"
"Not here! It's too dangerous!" Harrison said to him
Back at the Conversion Camp; Calvin had given the baby Monstrous Nightmare to his parents while he, Emily, and Echo Squad went from warehouse to warehouse freeing the imprisoned post-humans inside them with the help of Preston, Anna, and the dragons freed from the previous warehouses
"Last one!" Calvin shouted as Anna plasma blasted the side door of the last warehouse allowing Calvin, Emily, and Echo Squad to go inside and open the main door allowing Anna, Preston, and the other post-human dragons to come inside
"Ohhhh…my stomach." Anna said after she came inside
"Another cramp?" Preston asked her
"Yeah…" Anna replied, "I really need to get it checked out."
Meanwhile Calvin was suddenly bewildered when he found a female post-human Night Fury chained up inside one of the cages
"Holy crap…" Calvin thought to himself as he shoot the lock off the cage before coming inside, waking up the Night Fury
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" The Night Fury said to Calvin telepathically as she tried to get away from Calvin, but couldn't because of the chains
"Whoa! Whoa! No need to be afraid, I'm here to help you!" Calvin replied before he removed the Night Fury's muzzle
"Help me?!" The Night Fury asked him telepathically "Do you even know who I am?!"
"No not really, should I?" Calvin asked her, "And there's no for the telepathy, I can understand you just fine without it."
"Wait! What?!" The Night Fury replied as it gave him a strange look
"It's a long story." Calvin said to her, "But long story short, I'm just like you, except I can change between human and dragon forms when I wish."
"Huh?!" The Night Fury asked him
"I'll explain it all later." Calvin replied, "So who are you?"
"I'm Clodia…have you seen my children?!" The Night Fury asked him
"Children?!" Calvin asked her
Clodia sighed
"I guess not." She said
"Well I haven't seen any male Night Furies here either, so who's the dad?" Calvin asked her
"He isn't here." Clodia replied, "I haven't heard from since he was deployed to Denmark with the rest of his division to fight the Isotxians, but that was three days ago."
Calvin's eyes widened as he suddenly realized who he was freeing
"You know who he is now don't you?" Clodia asked Calvin as she eyed the pulse rifle in his hands, "You're Calvin Karlson aren't you? He told me you were going to be after us."
"Just shut before one of the others hear you." Calvin replied before he shot the chains holding Clodia down to the floor of the cage
"Why are you helping me?" Clodia asked Calvin
"Because I don't want to scare the others by shooting you." Calvin replied
"Hey we got baby Night Furies over here!" Katrina shouted, making Clodia's ears stand up
"Go get your kids, but don't mention any of this to the others, I can't promise you that they're going to be as nice as I am now." Calvin said to Clodia
Clodia nodded
"Whatever my husband did to you, I just want you to know he wasn't always like that." Clodia said to Calvin telepathically, "It all started when Prince Tullus and Ulpia were killed by the Germans during a diplomatic mission before the war started.
"Tullus?" Calvin asked quietly, "Tullus and Casca knew each other and who's Ulpia?"
"Knew each other? They were best friends, almost brothers!" Clodia replied telepathically, "Ulpia was Aemilius' younger sister, she and Tullus we're about to be married when they were killed, it broke Casca's heart and turned him into the man he is now."
Calvin sighed
"Well then I know somebody who you would like to meet." Calvin said to her, "Go get your kids."
Clodia nodded and ran to get her children from Katrina while Calvin shook his head
"Why am I the only who has this kind of shit happen to me?" Calvin asked himself
"What was all that about?" Emily asked Calvin
"Nothing." Calvin replied, "Just wasn't expecting to find a Night Fury in here."
"Yeah I guess that was kind of unexpected…" Emily said, "But anyway, we're just about done in here and the others just took out the conversion facility, so this camp is as good as crippled."
"Any word about what's going on over at the Dragon Trapper Fort?" Calvin asked Emily
"Everything's going as planned except that Erwin got knocked unconscious by a couple of Dragon Trappers with SAM Launchers." Emily replied
"Jesus Christ, Erwin can never catch a break." Calvin said, "Is he going to be okay?"
"Yeah." Emily replied as Calvin walked out of the cage and looked over a Clodia, who was nuzzling her children, "Okay Calvin who is she?"
Calvin sighed
"DO you really really want to know the answer to that question?" Calvin asked Emily, who came closer to Calvin and nodded
Calvin sighed
"Just promise not to get upset in front of the others." Calvin said, "But she's apparently Casca's wife."
Emily's eyes widened
"And that ain't all, it turns out that Mr. Prince Tullus was best friends with Casca before he was kidnapped along with Casca's sister, Ulpia, who Tullus was apparently going to marry." Calvin said to Emily
"Holy crap…" Emily said to him, "And when exactly were you planning to tell us this?"
"Whenever it was appropriate, I didn't want to scare all the other prisoners by blasting her brains out." Calvin replied
"Well Calvin, you know that if is indeed Casca's wife and children over there, he's going to be looking for them." Emily said to Calvin
"I know." Calvin replied
"And you also know that Valka's Bewilderbeast is going to know who she is immediately? Right?" Emily asked Calvin
"Yes Emily I know all this." Calvin replied as he looked back at Clodia and her children, "I'll tell Reaper and my-"
"Tell me what?" Reaper asked as he and Catherine came into the warehouse
"Can I speak to you in private? Because I don't want all these people to hear this." Calvin replied
Reaper nodded as he and Calvin walked out of the warehouse and into the empty space between the neighboring warehouse
"What is it?" Reaper asked Calvin
"That Night Fury in there…she's…uhhhh…" Calvin replied
"She's Casca's wife isn't she?" Reaper asked Calvin
Calvin froze for a second, but then nodded
"She is." Calvin replied
Reaper sighed
"Jesus Christ Calvin, you like getting into awkward or dangerous situations don't you?" He asked Calvin
"Trouble seems to follow me, yes." Calvin replied, "I would've killed her if it wasn't for the other prisoners and the fact she has children in there."
"That was probably a wise choice on your behalf and I can respect that." Reaper said to Calvin, "What else did she tell you?"
"Well our Roman friend back at Valka's Sanctuary was apparently a close friend of Casca's when they were still human and was apparently going to get married to Casca's sister." Calvin replied
"Tullus?!" Reaper asked him, "He didn't mention this at all!"
"I know." Calvin replied, "But apparently Casca's sister was with Tullus when he was captured by Yates' thugs and turned into a dragon, but as far as I know she wasn't in the prison with him."
"What his sister's name?" Reaper asked Calvin
"Ulpia." Calvin replied
"I'll be sure to ask Tullus a few questions about this when we get back to the sanctuary." Reaper said to Calvin
"What should we do with the Night Fury?" Calvin asked him
"Well if Casca cares anything about her or his children, he'll come looking for them, no doubly bringing his men with him as I have no doubt that some of these other post-humans are their wives as well." Reaper replied
"So we're going to use them as bait?" Calvin asked Reaper
"Basically." Reaper replied, "And I won't be surprised if Tullus will want us to spare Casca and his men so he could try to convince them to defect."
"Yeah Casca will defect all right, to hell when I put a bullet in him." Calvin said to Reaper
"And I'm sure Tullus and Casca's wife will really appreciate that Calvin, you really need to consider the possibilities here." Reaper replied
"Possibilities?! That…man practically mutilated me and kidnapped you, Emily, Sheva, Henderson, Ward, and the others!" Calvin shouted to Reaper
"And we're all still alive including you although by all means you should be dead after that plasma blast to your stomach." Reaper replied, "Plus Calvin do you want those three baby Night Furies coming after you when they grow up for killing their daddy? Even if he's a complete asshole and before you say you'll kill them too, I doubt Emily is going like you very much after that."
"Okay…if Tullus can convince Casca and his men to defect, I'll just give him a few minor scars, if not, I'll go with my original plan and just fucking kill him." Calvin said to Reaper
"If that's the best you can do." Reaper replied, "Plus to tell you the truth, I'll doubt you'll be able to defeat Casca even in a one on one fight."
"You're so supportive you know that?" Calvin said to Reaper, "You know what? I am going to let you explain this all to Valka and the others when they find out about Mrs. Casca in there."
"Sure." Reaper replied
"Are you guys ready to go or what?!" Barnes shouted to Reaper and Calvin
"I'll tell all you just told me to your father when we get back to the sanctuary, but for now, just make sure that Mrs. Casca and her children stay safe." Reaper said to Calvin telepathically
Calvin nodded
"Also your father told me about that baby Monstrous Nightmare you and Emily are adopting, all I can I say is good luck." Reaper said to Calvin, "You'll also may have to fight your mother to get him back because she seems to already have grown attached to him."
"I should've saw that coming." Calvin said as he followed Reaper out of the alleyway to join the others as they regrouped
"IS everybody here?!" Barnes shouted as he looked around
"I think so." Wensky replied
"Well let's get out of here before Blackwater reinforcements show up." Barnes said as Calvin joined Emily
"Forgetting something?" Karlson asked as he motioned to the baby post-human Monstrous Nightmare, who was playing with Tesla
"No I didn't forget about him." Calvin replied as he went to get the baby Monstrous Nightmare, who started wagging his tail when it saw Calvin, "Hey there little guy."
Calvin lifted up the baby Monstrous Nightmare
"I see you already took the liberty of cleaning him for me." Calvin said when he realized that the baby Nightmare had been thoroughly cleaned by his mother
"I wasn't just going to leave on all that junk on him!" Tesla said to Calvin as he scratched the back of the Monstrous Nightmare's neck with his index finger, "So what are you going to name him?"
"I don't know yet." Calvin replied
"What about Milo?" Emily asked Calvin, "That's what my mom wanted to name Danny before she decided to let my dad name him."
"Milo? Sure that sounds good." Calvin replied before he looked at the baby Monstrous Nightmare, who had taken an interest in Calvin's transformation device and was playing with it, "Oh no! Don't mess with that!"
But before Calvin could do anything to stop Milo, he had already Calvin's transformation collar which mistook Milo's cries as a command
"Command received…initiating transformation in five…four…three…two…one." The Transformation Collar said as Calvin gave Milo to Emily before he transformed into his Monstrous Nightmare, damaging his armor and tearing apart his clothes
"Shit…" Calvin said as Milo cried when he heard Calvin's voice and struggled to break free from Emily's arms before she placed him down onto the ground allowing Milo to crawl over to Calvin
"I don't believe it! He still recognizes you!" Barnes shouted
"It's probably because of his voice." Reaper replied as Calvin lowered his head and let Milo nuzzle his snout before he climbed up Calvin's head and neck to his back while Echo Squad gathered Calvin's broken armor and his transformation collar
"We'll carry your armor for you." Katrina said to Calvin, who nodded while Emily climbed onto Calvin's neck
"Well now that's out-of-the-way, let's get going." Barnes shouted before he took off with Samantha, Anna, Leon, Preston, and Zoey and were followed by the others and Calvin, who flew close his parents. But unbeknownst to Calvin or the rest Task Force Therian, there had been a security camera watching and recording them the entire time
Back at the Dragon Trapper Fort, the Isotxians and Vikings were loading weapons and supplies into nets to be carried back to the sanctuary while Valka and Margaret tended to Erwin, who was still unconscious
"So they just left him there?" Valka asked Margaret
"Yeah." Margaret replied, "Didn't do anything to him as far as we know."
"To be sure of that, we need to get this armor off of him, but it's too dangerous to do that here." Valka said to Margaret, "How do you even breathe wearing all this?"
"A little difficulty breathing is worth not getting your ass torn to shreds by flak." Margaret replied
Valka sighed
"I guess I can't disagree with that." Valka said
"You know I never realized how much I'm attached to him before now." Margaret replied
"That attachment is called love Miss Reaper." Valka said to her, "It's very obvious you having feelings for this man because every time I see you, you're with him."
Margaret looked down at Erwin
"He's the only person I'm comfortable talking to about certain…things and doesn't look at me cross-eyed because of them." Margaret replied, "Maybe because it's I also feel kind of sorry for him too, he or his family hasn't known peace for generations."
"I'm well aware of the problems that the Isotxians have in their world and I can't help but to be reminded of what Berk was like when I was taken away from it." Valka said, "You also know that there will come a day that Erwin and his brothers will have to go back to fighting that war and there's a chance that…"
"I know." Margaret said, "I know…"
"That's the last of it sir!" An Isotxian Soldier shouted to Fergus after the last crate of supplies was place onto one of the nets
"Okay then! Let's get out of here so the big guy can turn this place into an ice fort!" Fergus shouted as Manfred, Harrison, Korensky, and Julie picked up the nets with the supplies in them
"Don't worry about Erwin, I and Cloudjumper will take him." Valka said to Margaret
"Thank you." Margaret replied as Valka climbed onto Cloudjumper, who grabbed the net with Erwin in it as he took off followed by Margaret
"Okay Mrs. Haddock, call in the big guy and finish the job!" Fergus shouted to Valka, who nodded before she used her staff to summon the Bewilderbeast from the inlet, who roared before he blasted the fort with his ice breath, encasing it in ice as an exhausted Sven and Eret watched from the shores of the bay with other survivors
"Awww shit, it'll take us months to clean all that!" A Dragon Trapper shouted as the Bewilderbeast disappeared back beneath the waves as the Vigilante, the Isotxians, and her dragons flew off into the darkness
"It doesn't matter! I managed to place a tracking device on that Skrill we brought down, so tomorrow we're going to paying them a visit!" Sven shouted, "Somebody go to the Blackwater Base and get any weapons and supplies you can get your hands together along with any survivors and send a message to General Walker!"
Valka's Dragon Sanctuary
2011 Hours
Henderson and Sheva were laying down together next to the Bewilderbeast's hot spring with their translation collars off their necks, when Hernandez suddenly landed next to them, waking up Henderson and Sheva
"Sarge! I and Jasmine were outside on patrol and our translation collars picked this up!" Hernandez shouted to Henderson and Sheva as he increased the volume on his translation collar's radio as it played a transmission from an APMNC Officer
"This is the USS Reagan to any surviving elements of Task Force Therian, if you are hearing this transmission please respond on this channel immediately! I repeat, this is the USS Reagan to any surviving elements of Task Force Therian, if you are hearing this transmission, please respond on this channel immediately!"
"God dammit, the one time I don't have a translation collar on!" Henderson shouted
"You want me to answer sir?" Hernandez replied
Henderson nodded
"USS Reagan, this is Private Roderick Hernandez, I'm not officially part of Task Force Therian, but we are with them!" Hernandez said to the APMNC Officer with his translation collar's radio
"I hear you and loud Private Hernandez! Stay on hold, I'm patching you in to Admiral Herald!" The APMNC Officer replied
"Sheva, can you go get my translation collar for me?!" Henderson asked Sheva, who nodded and flew off to get Henderson's translation collar
"Private Hernandez this is Admiral Jack Herald, commander of the APMNC 1st Fleet. We have locked onto your position and are changing course! Are you alone?"
"No sir! My squad leader is right here with me, but he doesn't have his collar on at the moment!" Hernandez said to Herald, "The rest of our squad is here as well along with a metric ass ton of refugees that the others have freed and left us to protect!"
"Left?! Where are they?!" Herald asked him
"They're getting some payback sir with the help of Valka Haddock aka the Vigilante and her dragons sir including a Bewilderbeast!" Hernandez replied
"You guys have one of those big dragons too now?! What are the odds of that?!" Herald shouted, "Are you in danger?"
"No sir, it's actually kind of comfy here!" Hernandez replied, "But some of the refugees we have could use some medical attention, but I suggest you keep your distance until General Barnes and the others return, so you don't spook the wild dragons that are in here with us!"
"Roger that, we'll keep a distance of a hundred clicks!" Herald said to Hernandez as Sheva came back with Samuel's translation collar and placed it around his neck
"Admiral Herald, this is Sergeant Jayden Henderson, Private Hernandez' squad leader!" Henderson said to Herald with his translation collar's radio, "All what the Private just said to you is a pretty accurate description of our situation!"
"Roger that Sergeant Henderson." Herald replied, "Do you have an ETA of when Barnes and the others will be back from their attack?"
"No idea sir!" Henderson said to Herald with his translation collar's radio while Herald sighed
"Well what matters is that all of you are in one piece, I actually had my doubts we were ever going to find any of you out here!" Herald replied, "How many refugees are we talking about here?"
"I'm currently guessing that we have about probably over seventy refugees with us now, but Barnes and them will be coming with more from the conversion camp they're attacking!" Henderson said to Herald with his translation collar's radio
"Over seventy?!" Herald asked Henderson
'That's just a guess sir, there could be more or less!" Henderson replied with his translation collar's radio
"We and the Isotxians will have medical teams and medevac birds on standby then!" Herald shouted, "What can you tell us about this Valka woman, can she be trusted?!"
"Well she's Stoick's wife and she's been taking pretty good care of us, does that tell you anything?" Henderson asked Herald with his translation collar
"Roger that." Herald replied, "I'll relay this information to command and the Isotxians, just hold your positions and tell Barnes, Reaper, or Karlson to contact me when they get back."
"We will sir, Henderson out." Henderson said to Herald with his translation collar
"Thank god, we're finally about home!" Samuel shouted
"Okay, Hernandez, I have a question for you. Why were you and Jasmine outside because I don't remember telling you two to go out on patrol?" Henderson said to Hernandez, whose excitement quickly faded
"Well you see sir…we were uhhh…uhhh…" Hernandez said uneasily
"Forget that I ever asked." Henderson replied, "Go tell the others and then go continue your patrol with Jasmine."
Samuel dismounted from Sheva
"So where were you two doing down here all by yourselves?" Samuel asked Henderson and Sheva
"Is that really your business…sir?" Henderson replied
"I guess it isn't." Samuel replied with a laugh
IAS Annihilation – Vehicle Bay; Somewhere over the North Sea
Isotxian 42nd Assault Infantry Division
Major General Erich Orlok had his gas mask and helmet off as he smoked a cigarette when he saw the all too familiar Isotxian Officer entering the vehicle bay with an Ensign
"Oh shit!" Erich said as he quickly threw his cigarette to the floor and smothered it with his foot before he shouted at his men and the Isotxian Soldiers and Personnel in the vehicle bay, "OFFICER ON DECK!"
Erich and the other Isotxians soldiers and personnel stood at attention as General George Chadaface, the foul-mouthed and occasionally ill-tempered, but highly skilled and respected commander of the Isotxian 3rd Army approached them
"Good evening gentlemen." Chadaface said to them as he stopped in the middle of the vehicle as his Ensign placed down a small stool for Chadaface to stand on, "I have some good news for, we've found Task Force Therian and they're okay, but us Isotxian fighting men now how quick safe okay can turn into we need help."
Erich and the other Isotxians nodded or muttered in agreement with the General as he continued
"As you know, this Drago Bludvist or as he calls himself the dragon god has been relentlessly pursuing Task Force Therian and he will no doubly show his ugly mug if we give him enough time to, but if he does, the 3rd Army will be waiting for him and his army of lackeys and then that bastard will know what kind of shit he stepped into it when he shot down the Mitchell when we grab him by the balls and refuse to let go until he cries uncle!"
Erich and the other Isotxians cheered and clapped
"Of course, I can just be rattling on about nothing because he might disappoint us and never show up to the party like the Imperials have so many times in the past, but that means we should not our guard down! Drago and his armies have proven themselves to be quite capable of inflicting heavy damage on us and our allies, so if he and his armies show up, we must not go easy on the bastards and we will unleash everything and I mean everything in our arsenal to smash them into bits including his little fucking pet dragon, a Bewilderbeast or whatever the white collars are calling it if Drago brings it with him!", "So prepare yourselves boys and girls, just because they won't show up, doesn't mean we shouldn't be ready for them!"
"Sir yes sir!" Erich and the Other Isotxians shouted
"As my apparent American counterpart said, god speed you magnificent bastards!" Chadaface shouted, "For the Northern Republic! For the Southern Republic!"
"FOR ISOTX UNITED!" Erich and other Isotxians shouted back
Blackwater Scandinavian Command
Walker and Drago were looking at their holo-map project in the Inner sanctum when an Ensign came rushing in
"They struck again! This time with the help of the Vigilante and her dragons!" The Ensign shouted
"What?! Where?!" Walker asked him
"One of our conversion camps along with the nearby dragon trapper fort on the West Coast!" The Ensign replied, "Heavy casualties reported and all the dragons at both sites were stolen, but there is some good news sir!"
"And what is that?" Drago asked him
"Sven Kjar has reported than he managed to bring down one of the post-human Skrills and planted a tracking device on it!" The Ensign replied, "He's currently gathering what men and weapons he has left and is going to pursue them!"
"Haha! Sven never disappoints me!" Walker shouted, "Can we track that device too from here?"
"Yes sir, he sent us the signal frequency!" The Ensign said to him
"Good…good, Walker prepare your forces, I want to move out as soon as we know where they're going." Drago said to Walker, who nodded, "It's time we finish Task Force Therian for good along with this Vigilante and her dragons."
Walker nodded
"I agree." Walker said
Author's Notes:
If you are reading this, you have just read 30 pages of text. Also you may have noticed that I renamed this to the Great War: Act One, that's because this is turning out to be longer than I originally tended for it be and I don't want to intimidate readers with an extremely long story, so I'm going breaking it up into two and possibly three(if necessary) parts. As always folks, post your thoughts and constructive criticism in the reviews!