Oahu, Kingdom of Hawaii
October 17th, 2025
1600 Hours
The entire Kingdom of Hawaii, was in a state of pandemonium. Hawaiian Army units were being mobilized as fast as possible, in conjunction with local law enforcement, and American forces already stationed in country, were in the process of evacuating all civilians from the beaches and coastal areas of Oahu, while also clearing out the main port. It was a matter of sheer luck that the 11th MEU was based in Hawaii for training, and was being assigned the task of setting up a defensive cordon in and around the Port of Oahu. Cruise liners and cargo ships were being ushered out of port, if able, and sent to other ports around the country. The Hawaiian government was working desperately to ensure the safety of its population, with a hostile naval force being escorted to their shores under the guard of the United States Navy, but was at a loss for how to explain the situation to its own population, as well as foreign news outlets. The media blackout in Colorado, along with the mass mobilization of the US military, had the world scratching their heads in wonder at what was going on.
Now there were flights of aircraft loaded down with weapons, flying out towards the Pacific, had the world wondering what was going on. When United States Marines were seen locking down the largest port in the country, and law enforcement was clearing people out of the area, more calls came in from around the world, asking what was going on. Then it all came into view. What looked to be a large fleet of warships, covered with smoke and flame, was gradually coming closer and closer to the island. In the air, helicopters and carrier based fighter aircraft, soared above, weapons trained on the ships below. All around the battered fleet, was the combined forces of the Hawaiian and United States Navy, including an entire Carrier Strike Group.
As the fleet steadily got closer, and news crews began streaming the events live to the whole world, did the magnitude of the situation become apparent. A fleet of outdated warships, including an honest to God Battleship, was among the ships steaming into the Port of Oahu. The various ships had their weapon mounts blown apart, smoke billowing from every last one. Some were even listing to port or starboard. Audiences around the world couldn't believe what they were seeing as clearer images came in, showing just how old the ships were, and even more unbelievable, were the flags atop the ships. The naval ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy flew proudly atop the superstructures of the vessels. Ships that looked as if they belonged back in World War Two, were sailing towards the small island nation.
It wasn't long before calls came into the officer of the Japanese Prime Minister, demanding to know what was going on. Others placed calls to Washington and Honolulu, wondering just what was going on. Reporters and news crews who were just outside the defensive cordon found themselves at a complete loss for what was happening as American tanks rolled up the street, training their cannons on the incoming ships. Overhead, American and Hawaiian jets soured over, followed by a flight of AH-1 Vipers belonging to the United States Marine Corps. As the ships gradually got closer and closer, loudspeakers on both the ground, as well as in helicopters above, began calling out orders of surrender in Japanese. Meanwhile, local police, as well as military personnel on the outer section of the cordon, tried desperately to clear the civilians and reporters who had gathered nearby.
Among those present was Natalie Harrison, reporter for the Honolulu branch of the NBC News Broadcasting Network. The twenty six year old California native had always wanted to be a reporter. Her father was a reporter, he grandfather was a reporter, her great grandfather a war correspondent in the army during the Second World War. It was in her blood to be a reporter, and she had all the necessary qualifications for the job. She was great with people, extremely charismatic, energetic, and great with people. After graduating high school, she had spent years doing internships to steadily gain more experience while she worked towards her bachelors degree. When she finally did earn it, a job offer from NBC Los Angeles came not far behind it.
A job offer that made Natalie and her family absolutely ecstatic. An offer from the nation's largest and most prestigious news agency, especially for a woman like her with little experience, was almost unbelievable. Natalie swore to herself and to her father she would make the most of her once in a lifetime opportunity, and wouldn't let him down.
Now, after two years of hard work, she had finally gotten herself assigned to her dream posting, the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Honolulu. Beautiful scenery, kind people, and amazing food made this by far the best place she could ever live. The cost of living was the only downside she saw, but her salary was able to cover the costs, as well as leave Natalie with enough money for herself to have fun, and send back to her family.
Yes, Natalie was living the dream. Great job, great place to live, and an equally great boyfriend who she had met shortly after moving to Hawaii. A boyfriend who also happened to be stationed at Joint Base Hickam right outside of Honolulu. However, recent events had made him seem rather jumpy and paranoid as of late. He'd refuse to talk about work, with the most he told her was 'you wouldn't believe me if I told you'. Natalie just shrugged it off as him acting as if he knew about something that was of the utmost secrecy, and that men in black suits would drag him away if he told her.
But she would soon learn the harsh reality of why he was acting the way he did.
"we now go live to our reporter live on the ground at Honolulu, Natalie Harrison! Natalie!" The voice in her headset called to her as her cameraman, John, swung the camera her way, and gave her a thumbs up, letting her know she was now on air.
"Yes, David," Natalie replied quickly, putting on her best friendly face, despite the sheer nervousness she felt from everything going on around her. "As you can see, local law enforcement, as well as elements from the Hawaiian Army, and the United States Marine Corps, are pouring into the port, and setting up a cordon around the area. They seem to be evacuating everyone from the entire port, as well as the surrounding area."
"Can you confirm the rumors that US and Hawaiian naval forces have attacked a fleet of ships that was approaching the island of Oahu?" David, the main correspondent back in the newsroom asked.
"I don't know, David. We overheard some talk from some-" she was interrupted by a loud bullhorn going off, followed by the unmistakable sound of missiles flying above them. Natalie shrieked as she ducked down for cover, something her cameraman mimicked, nearly dropping the camera as he dove downward.
"This area is not safe! Please evacuate the premises immediately!" A police officer called out over a loudspeaker, right as a cacophony of gunfire and explosions went off in the distance, sending many of those gathered fleeing from their previous positions around the barricades. As John steadied the camera once more, what he, and by extension, all those watching saw, was terrifying.
The police officers and army personnel manning the perimeter dove for the closest cover they could, watching off in the distance as the Japanese fleet was under fire from the helicopters escorting it. As the gunfire and explosions intensified, a small convoy of U.S. Marine Humvees and trucks pulled up, followed closely behind by a larger convoy of cars and trucks from the Oahu Police Department, including a SWAT van. The reinforcements took up their positions rapidly as the fleet, and the sounds of gunfire, got closer and closer to the port. Then, the sound of something flying through the air, sounding like a banshee's cry, was coming closer and closer until-
BOOOOM!
A loud, thunderous explosion rocked the ground beneath them as one of the US Marine Corps humvees took up position at the barricade, sending shards of metal and bloody, burned limbs flying into the air. This time, John dropped the camera completely, diving atop Natalie, hoping to shield his friend and coworker from more explosions. While he and Natalie couldn't see what was occuring around them, the camera did. Right after the humvee exploded, the body of a US Marine landed directly in front of the camera, his head facing towards the camera lens. Blood pouring from his mouth, a piece of jagged metal sticking out of his flak vest, which was soaked in blood, he stared into the camera, coughing up blood as he struggled to breath.
Millions of people who had tuned in to the news could only watch in sorrow and helplessness as the life drained from the young Marine. His lips mouthed words that couldn't be heard, but was unmistakably that of one who cries out for their mother. Mother's give life, and are the first person newborns see upon entering the world. It is only fitting that one calls for their mother when they are about to leave it. A tear ran down his face as he was able to mutter but three words, just barely audible enough for the camera to pick up.
"I'm sorry momma," The Marine coughed and spluttered once more, before falling silent. Right as his eyes closed for the last time, his his fellow Marines, alongside paramedics rushed over to him, desperately trying to help their comrade in arms. But it was of no use. He was dead, his lifeless body facing the camera to let all those watching know what had just happened. When it was cut, millions of American citizens sat glued to their television sets, at a loss for words at what they just witnessed. What they didn't know was that this was the first American serviceman to be killed in a war that would once more unite the world against a common foe. A war that would take a great many more lives before it could be won.
Once more, the world was at war.
"Good God!" Brian Iosua cursed, ignoring that he was live on their air, as he looked down at the scene unfolding below.
As the helicopter from the Oahu Star took to the skies above the port of Honolulu, those aboard couldn't believe their eyes. A massive fleet of ships, under guard from Hawaiian and American navy, was closing in on the port. One of the ships in the fleet, which was assumed to be a transport vessel of some kind, had its deckes filled with infantry from below. All of them armed, and none of them intent on surrendering. As the camera zoomed in, it was clear that those aboard had began to open fire on their escorts. But despite the best efforts of the sailors and soldiers on the deck, autocannon fire from the escorting Marine Corps helicopters tore through them effortlessly.
But this failed to stop the last functional gun on one of the ships from getting off one final, desperate, and hastily aimed shell towards their enemy.
"Mikala, are you-"
"JESUS CHRIST!" the pilot screamed as a shell fired from one of the ships approaching flew dangerously close to the helicopter, forcing him to bank hard to the left. A shell that impacted at Pier 1, directly landing atop an American military vehicle down below, and killing and wounding many of those who took up position at the cordon set up. When he finally regained control of the chopper, he could make out multiple explosions raking the decks of the offending ship, as the helicopter escorts sought to silence the last few weapons the unknown naval force had.
"Attention news helicopter, you are to evacuate the airspace now! It is not safe to remain here any longer!" The pilot of a Marine Corps viper ordered over the radio as another volley of rockets raked the deck of the offending vessel, whose superstructure was now ablaze. The last bit of ammunition not fired began to cook off, which resulted in the ship exploding violently, the forward section of the hull lurching up into the air as a massive cloud of fire and debris shot up into the air. A loud boom shook the helicopter, even as it was pulling off from the area. The explosion was heard around the city, and as the news helicopter began pulling off farther from the port, a large assortment of police, paramedic, firefighter, and military vehicles raced towards the port, clogging up traffic as they did so. In the air, more Hawaiian Air Force fighters shot past them, with American ones following in short order.
"What the fuck is happening?" Mikala asked as she looked down at the scene unfolding in her beloved city.
"I think we're going to war!" The pilot said from the cockpit as he levelled out the helicopter a good distance from the port itself, and angled the chopper at a position where the news crew could aim their camera properly.
"With fucking who?" she asked again, her face holding a fearful expression.
"If these radio reports are to be believed..." the pilot began, but broke off, shaking his head in apparent disbelief. "Word is saying those ships are from the Japanese Navy. Only there's a fucking battleship with that damned fleet." he continued. Alani and Brian looked at each other in disbelief, before turning to look at the pilot once more.
"But how-"
"I just don't know," the pilot interrupted. "I truly don't know. But I think we better get out of here, it's not safe right now." right as he said that, another loud explosion rang out from off the coast, indicating yet another of the Japanese ships being destroyed. One that appeared to be veering off from its previously designated course, and tried to run aground Sand Island. As the pilot wrestled with the controls once more, regaining control of the helicopter after another shockwave that rocked it, they got one final look down below before pulling back, and heading home.
The giant, burning fleet sat just off the southern coast, surrounded by a plethora of military aircraft, as well as naval and coast guard vessels. The occasional stream of tracer rounds from overhead helicopters soon subsided, and slowly but surely, anchors began to give way, and go over the side. White flags flew atop every remaining ship, and boarding parties began to prepare for the long task ahead of them. No matter how bad a day the crew aboard the helicopter thought they were having, they dreaded to imagine what the military and police were going through.
Sand Island Recreational Area
Oahu, Kingdom of Hawaii
October 17th, 2025
1800 Hours
Corporal Zachary McCarthy looked across the recreational park in pure astonishment over at what he saw. Directly off the coast, lay a fleet of burning warships of a vintage unseen since World War Two. The smoke from the fires raging aboard the vessels billowed into the air, turning the sky above them dark. An aircraft carrier belonging to the fleet was being towed along by tugs further out, its superstructure and engines entirely destroyed. But what, or rather, who, sat in front of him and his fellow Marines, was what threw him off the most.
All along the park sat hundreds of Japanese marines, and sailors. But these weren't members of the JSDF of which he was familiar with, and had even trained with during his time on Okinawa. These were the soldiers and sailors of the Japanese Empire, an Empire that had been beaten and abolished 80 years ago. Yet somehow, in some way, here they were. Real ships, real guns, real uniforms, and real flags put aside any doubts that this was a hoax. It simply just wasn't possible to do something like this. But at the same time, how could this be real? How could a fleet from a force that hasn't existed for nearly a century, suddenly appear off the Hawaiian coast?
"What the fuck is going on here?" He said as he surveyed the large group of POWs in front of him. As he looked them over, he realized they felt just as mystified and confused as he was. They clearly weren't expecting this to happen either. From what little he had been told, they were expecting to take up port in Pearl harbor, which they claimed to own. They claimed to have owned all of Hawaii in fact, something which made their interrogators scratch their heads in bafflement. The story they had to tell after that, was something else entirely. Their wild claims and stories made it sound as if they came from an entirely different world. But that wasn't possible, was it?
"I have no fucking idea," Lance Corporal Jason Williams replied. "None of this shit makes any fucking sense. For fuck sake, there's a god damn battleship docked off the coast, a dozen other ships sitting beside it, and hundreds of Japanese sailors and soldiers-"
"We not soldiers," one of the Japanese POWs interrupted, glaring up at Jason. "We are Marines of the Imperial Japanese Navy, not soldiers of the Army! Get it right, Gaijin!" the Japanese Marine hissed.
"Hey, guess what, I don't fucking care!" Williams snapped back, glaring just as good as he got from the man. "All I know is that you fuckers ruined our day by showing up here! If anything, we're the ones who should be complaining, not you!"
"You Americans always complain! Always cry, too weak to make proper warriors. It is why we beat you in 45."
"You never beat us," McCarthy corrected. "In 45 we dropped the bomb on Japan, twice, and won. But I think it's safe to say you aren't the enemy we faced back then, just as we aren't the Americans you faced back then either. Am I wrong?" he asked, not expecting much of an answer from him. As McCarthy studied him, he noted the man must have been in his late 40's at this point, and wore a rank that, while he didn't understand, was almost certainly some type of officer. He also noted the bloody bandage wrapped around his head, likely from when he was captured.
The man simply grunted before continuing.
"Perhaps you are right," he replied, turning his head away from McCarthy, choosing to instead study the situation around him. The sight and sounds of helicopters buzzing overhead, the rumbling engines of armoured vehicles parked nearby, their weapons trained on the masses of POWs in the park, and overall depressing atmosphere his fellow countrymen were in, seemed to sadden the man. "This place is not as I remembered it."
"Your just now figuring that out?" Williams chuckled. "Did it take you coming face to face with us to realize just how fucked you were?"
"I fought your kind before, and won. You will not win when the full might of the Empire comes down upon you, Gaijin!" the Japanese officer snarled.
"When the full might of your empire rears its fucking head, they'll get sent to the bottom of the ocean." McCarthy replied. "Or they'll end up like you are right now. Or they'll end up like those stupid sons of bitches." he said, thumbing a finger at the rather large pile of corpses that had been left after the Marines and navy began boarding and capturing the Japanese ships. Many of them stuck true to their warriors code, and refused to be captured. Many were either killed or had simply committed suicide than be captured. When totalled up, those that had surrendered, or had been nonlethally taken down, were outnumbered by those who died. Some even attempted to scuttle their ships or ram the nearby port with their ships. In the end though, they had failed, which led to the current situation.
"They died an honorable death for the Emperor! Better than surrendering to the enemy! They shall be remembered for that!" The man said proudly, not at all sensing the contradiction in his words.
"So what does that make you and the thousand more of you we have here?" Williams prodded further, getting an even sharper glare from the man.
"I didn't willingly surrender!" he snapped. "I was rendered unconscious by an explosion on the ship, and when I woke up, I was here! I would have died fighting you Americans if I could have!" he defended, still glaring up at Williams.
"Sure, you'd have died in a massive banzai charge with all those poor, dumb fools who tried before. All for some inbred old man who thinks himself a god." mcCarthy retorted. Now, the man stood up on his feet, and looked he was going to attack the Marine.
"I won't-" what he wouldn't do was left unsaid, as the buttstock of William's M27 collided with the Japanese officers diaphragm, knocking the wind right out of him, and sending him bowled over onto his knees.
"Dumb idea, pal," McCarthy chuckled mirthlessly, watching as, to the man's credit, he began to rise to his feet once more. But before he received another strike from the Marines, a voice called out to them.
"Enough!" said an old, tired voice. As they looked over to the source, they were greeted with the face of an old, Japanese naval officer. One with a chest full of medals and accommodations, a full head of gray hair, and face was showing quite a bit of age. His face also showed obvious pain and sadness, undoubtedly at his and his subordinates current predicament. He let out a weary, tired sigh as he stepped towards the Japanese officer in front of the two Marines. "Commander Okamoto, that will be enough. Do not antagonize the Americans any further. The Empire will need men like you and me alive, not as dead heroes." the man said, seeming to have far more reason than most of the POWs present.
"And just who the hell are you?" McCarthy asked, raising an eyebrow at the sudden appearance of the man, and his rather large escort of Marines and Hawaiian soldiers.
"My name is Toshihira Inokuchi, I am the commanding officer in charge of Battleship Division One, and of my fellow countrymen. As their commanding officer, I have the right to speak with them, and ensure their welfare." he finished, before returning to Japanese to speak with Okamoto.
"A-Admiral," the man stammered out, almost unbelieving who stood before him. Judging by the looks of the other POWs present, they couldn't believe it either. "Why would you surrender the fleet? Why would you surrender to the enemy while we could still fight?" Okamoto asked, truly not understanding why or how such a thing was even possible. The admiral simply sighed again and shook his head.
"Believe me when I tell you this Commander, I wanted to do nothing but fight on," He said. "I was told you were rendered unconscious during the battle, and didn't witness what had happened to the fleet. I cannot fault your ignorance for that, but believe me when I say that fighting on wasn't an option."
"But you-"
"They crippled the Zuihō within moments, Okamoto!" Inokuchi said seriously, with a look on his face that made it clear he would accept no arguments. "These are not the Americans we faced before. They struck with such precise and powerful weapons that they rendered every ship in the fleet useless without even needing to sink us! What could I have done against that? We'd have been sunk long before we got to Pearl Harbor even if I didn't give the order to stand down! What would have had me do, Okamoto?" He asked coldly, his eyes blazing in silent fury at the inferior officer.
"Nothing, admiral." Okamoto replied in a sulking manner, his shoulders slumping downwards.
"We cannot fight our enemy without weapons, and we had none to fight with. Not even my flagship was spared a direct hit. Believe me Okamoto, I wish I could have fought back, but I couldn't. The fleet itself couldn't fight back! And I couldn't in good conscience send thousands of men to the grave without the ability to bleed the enemy even slightly for it!"
"I don't understand, Admiral," Okamoto said. "Hawaii was supposed to be in our hands, not under occupation of the Americans. This wasn't supposed to happen. What is going on?" he asked, obviously lost in the current situation. With another sigh, Admiral Inokuchi continued.
"I truly do not know, Okamoto. That is what I'm hoping to figure out, which is why I'm here now." he replied. "It is time to officially surrender to the local commander, and begin discussing terms with them. As such, I am gathering what officers we have left in the fleet, and are preparing to meet with the Hawaiian and American delegation at Pearl Harbor." He finished, gesturing to an assortment of navy and marine officers behind him. Startlingly few, Okamoto realized when he glanced over at them. Had most of the high ranking officers in the fleet died in battle? Before he could ponder the question any longer, it was answered for him. "There are still some aboard our ships who refuse to surrender, and I was hoping you'd use your goodwill with your men to see reason. And as I have said previously, Japan needs living officers, not dead heroes."
"I see," Okamoto said slowly, realizing what the admiral was asking of him.
"Will you assist in this task, Commander Okamoto?" Inokuchi asked as the sounds of helicopter blades ripped through the air, steadily getting louder and louder. Looking up, a group of twin rotor helicopters began to land not far away from the procession around him. When they did, an assortment of heavily armed, and differently dressed soldiers disembarked from them, and made their way closer towards him and his countrymen. As he looked back up at Admiral Inokuchi, who was still awaiting his reply, Okamoto made his decision.
"Hai!" he answered, stiffening to attention, and rendering a salute, despite the pain that shot through his body at the sudden motion.
"Very well, follow me Commander," Inokuchi commanded, just as the apparent leader of the newly arrived soldiers had marched over to him, and placed himself but a few paces away from him.
"Are you Admiral Toshihira Inokuchi?" the soldier asked, his accent reminding him of what Native Hawaiians spoke with. As he looked the man over, he noticed the flag on his uniform wasn't that of the United States, but of the Hawaiian state flag. He was under the impression that somehow, in whatever strange world this was, Hawaii was somehow its own nation. He was still unclear about just what was going on, but he was hoping he'd soon have a better understanding of what's going on, and what had happened to him and his men.
"I am, and who are you?" Inokuchi replied in English.
"I am Captain Joshua Kihune, Hawaiian Navy Special Forces. I am here to escort you and your fellow officers to Joint Base Pearl Harbor to negotiate the surrender and treatment of those under your command, as well as interrogation as for you intentions and trespassing of Hawaiian sovereign territory and maritime borders. If you would, please follow me and my men."
And follow him Admiral Inokuchi did, with what few officers he had left from his ship, and from across the fleet. As he boarded the helicopter and got airborne, Inokuchi got a birds eye view of the entire city, as well as the military base next to it. The city skyline, the sheer size of Honolulu, and the very much foreign military presence on the island made it abundantly clear that this wasn't the Hawaii they had. As if the burning wreckage of his fleet sitting right off the coast, and the surviving members of his Division being rounded up by Americans wasn't proof enough that this wasn't the Hawaii he had expected.
He let out another long, resigned sigh of sadness at the events that had unfolded throughout the day. Neither his training nor combat experience could have prepared him for what had happened today. He could only hope that somewhere, somehow, The Empire would find out what had happened, and would avenge them. Japan wouldn't take this lying down like the Americans did during The War. But proper mobilization for war would take time. Until then, Inokuchi would learn all he could while he was here. Knowledge was power, and if he could find anything to use against the Americans, even as a captive, he'd do it.
Pacific Ocean
1900 Hours
As Lieutenant Commander Junichi Sasai floated in the vast Pacific Ocean, he couldn't believe what had just occurred. This day was supposed to be like any other. The Navy had been ordered to Pearl Harbor Naval Base due to increased tensions with the Greater Germanic Reich, and to monitor their naval presence in The Pacific. Then Admiral Inokuchi had ordered his squadron into the air against a pair of unknown aerial contacts ahead of the fleet. That in itself was strange, as the Reich had no carriers in the Pacific to even launch aircraft. The closest possible carriers would be in the Indian Ocean near Africa, not this deep in Imperial territory! But that wasn't even the worst part.
The aircraft they intercepted looked like nothing they had ever seen before. They were far sleeker, far larger, and much faster than anything either the Empire of Japan, or the Greater German Reich had available. To top it all off, some of the unknown fighters identified themselves as members of the Hawaiian Air Force, while the others bore the markings of the long dead United States Navy. They had even referred to him and his fellow pilots as members of a "Japanese Maritime Self defense Force". He had no idea who or what that was supposed to be, but he didn't care. He and his fellow pilots had their duty, and they would carry it out.
Or at least, they did their best to, even if their best wasn't nearly enough. The enemy outnumbered him and his wingmates, and they got shredded. First his flight commander, then his next two wingmates, before he was the last one left. His opponents must have enjoyed toying with him as they shot him down, specifically aiming for his wings, and sending him careening down to the ocean. He was lucky to have hit the eject button when he did, otherwise he'd be with his wingmates in the afterlife. He was also lucky, or rather unlucky enough, to be drifting alone in the sea, his flotation device helping to keep him afloat in the ocean. The shark repellant within his life preserver had long since ran out, leaving him vulnerable in the cold waters of the Pacific.
While he wasn't afraid to die in combat for the Emperor, being stranded out at sea was something that terrified him. Oceanic whitetip sharks were the bane of any sailor or pilot stranded in the ocean. It didn't help that Sasai was afraid of sharks to begin with, so the fact that he was now stranded out in the open sea terrified him. The more he thought about it, the more he realized just how doomed he was. He had no food, no water, his service pistol was unlikely to work from being submerged in water, and to make matters worse, the sun was going down. That meant his chances of being rescued, which were already near zero, would decline even more so.
It also meant that his risk of being attacked by the sharks that undoubtedly prowled the water would increase too. He didn't want to die in such a useless fashion; being killed by some wild animal rather than against an enemy, or if necessary, but his own hand. Before long, he became resigned with the fact that he was going to die out here. After all, if a search party from the fleet hadn't already been dispatched, chances are things had gone horribly wrong for them as well.
"So this is how it ends." Sasai mumbled to himself, looking across the sea, and noticing a shark fin breaking the surface of the water not far from where he was. His eyes widened in horror at the realization that he was already being stalked by one of the damned creatures. His heart raced as he desperately tried to figure out some way to get out of here, to save himself, but he couldn't. Slowly, the fin got ever so closer to him and his small raft, and he thought he was truly dead. But then, he heard a noise all too familiar hitting his ear drums.
Looking up, Sasai saw a shape in the sky steadily getting closer and closer to him. A surge of relief washed over him as he realized his worst fears wouldn't come to pass, and that he'd make it out of this situation alive. Sasai yelled and waved frantically at the helicopter, hoping its crew would see him, and rescue him. Fortunately for him, they did. The helicopter banked to its left, and swung over to the location of him and the life raft, no doubt having seen him. But as he looked closer at the helicopter, Sasai soon realized it wasn't a Japanese rescue craft. The shape of the helicopter was unlike any he had ever seen before, and when he looked at the writing on the side, he couldn't believe what he saw.
The insignia and lettering on the helicopter proclaimed it to be of the United States Navy, the same force that had shot him and his wingmates down earlier today. Aboard the helicopter, one of the men inside pointed in the direction of the shark fin that was closing in on him, and fired off a few rounds from his rifle in its direction, hoping to scare it off. The man succeeded in doing just that as the shark fin rapidly turned away, and submerged itself quickly. Before long, the helicopter was hovering directly overhead, and a rope ladder was being lowered down to Sasai by the crew of the helicopter.
While this helicopter was certainly that of the enemy, he wasn't willing to stay in the water any longer. He grabbed onto the ladder, and began climbing up. When he finally reached the cabin of the rescue helicopter, he found himself being pulled up, and subsequently restrained by the crew. He felt his wrists being bound together as a pair of hands proceeded to frisk and pat him down, checking him for any weapons.
"Gun!" one of the men said, jerking the Nambu pistol from his holster, and tossing it to the floor. The same action was repeated when the knife was found, which made another clanging sound as it impacted the metal floor. After a few more seconds, satisfied that he'd had been checked for anything that could be used to harm them, they pulled him up, and sat him down in the back of the helicopter. When he looked up at their faces, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Not only were the uniforms they worse entirely foreign to him, the makeup of the soldiers in front of him startled him.
One was obviously of African descent, another was obviously Japanese or Chinese, and the rest were all white men, or possibly those of the region just south of the former United States. The Nazis exterminated all the Africans in their American territory, and didn't like those of Asian descent either. The diversity of the group alone confused Sasai greatly, as he couldn't figure out what was going on. They were definitely Americans, between their looks and the obvious flags on their uniforms, one couldn't misunderstand that. But the question was how? How was this all possible. Before he could ponder the question any longer, one of the soldiers spoke to him.
"Just so you know, you're a prisoner of war now," the soldier said. "Not sure what the fuck you people were thinking running up on Hawaii like that though. Your fleet got fucking trashed for the trouble."
"Not much left of their fleet when it finally limped to Oahu." Another of them said.
While Sasai understood and spoke a little English, hearing their rapid fire talking made it impossible for him to understand what they were saying. Thinking back on the classes he'd taken in English, he asked the first question on his mind.
"What about my comrades," Sasai asked slowly. The men just looked at each other, before the African one turned to him and replied.
"Other pilots like you? Don't imagine any are left alive after what we did to them." He said with a shrug. "That said, plenty of your people are still alive in Hawaii, which is where we're taking you."
Slowly, Sasai nodded in understanding.
"How are you Americans here?" he asked, another question that bothered him. "We beat you in 1945, you should not have a navy. You should not be able to do this to us." he said, as if stating a law of nature. A few of the Americans just laughed at him.
"Buddy, you never beat us, period," The one of Asian descent chuckled.
"But we sure as hell beat you, both back then and right now." Another one laughed.
"My friends," Sasai said to himself, his head drifting downward in shame. He stayed that way for a few minutes, tuning out the voices of the Americans around him, a myriad of thoughts racing through his head. He wondered what his friends would think of him, what his family, what his instructors would do if they saw him like this. A tear ran down his face as shame welled up in him. "Where are you taking me?" he asked in a shaky voice.
"Joint Base Pearl Harbor," the one of Asian descent replied. The more he looked at the man, the more he realized he had to be of Japanese origin. A Nisei is what the man and his family were. Ones who'd rather leave their ancestral homeland for a nation of mongrels. He didn't know whether to feel pity or scorn at the man for that. But it didn't matter, as the soldier went on. "If there's anything you'd like to tell us before we reach the base, now the time, because as soon as we set down on the ground, your going straight to the men in black suits. Might help you out if we can put in a good word for you." the man said, sounding sincere.
Sasai just glared at him, giving the man's features one last look over before replying.
"You love serving the white man and his army, Nisei?" Sasai spat in his native tongue. "Do you enjoy being a traitor to your homeland? Fighting for those who will never see you as an equal?" For a second he thought he didn't understand Sasai, but after taking a deep breath, the man replied in kind.
"My family has proudly served the United States for nearly a century since my great grandparents immigrated here to escape Japan's insane government. I am no traitor, and I never forgot where I came from either. I am proud to be Japanese, but I am also proud to be an American. And as for 'serving the white man' as you put it, I'll simply say this; who do you think is in charge of this group?" he asked, gesturing to his teammates, who looked at him curiously as he did so.
"What's he asking, Lieutenant?" the dark skinned American asked.
"He's proving that the Nazis weren't the only ones who had short sighted racial views," The Lieutenant replied to his subordinate, before glaring back at Sasai. "And for the record, I am." he said finally, paying no more mind as he went back to conversing with his men.
They didn't speak to him any more after that. The rest of the ride was relatively uneventful, with them arriving at their destination after little over an hour. As they did however, a chill ran up Sasai's spine as he looked out at the Hawaiian coast. He could not only see the ships of his own fleet, which were burning and sending pitch black smoke rising into the air, but he also saw a plethora of other naval vessels, including an aircraft carrier larger than the Zuihō herself. Then he saw the masses of Imperial Navy sailors and Marines corralled together with tight groups under heavy guard by more American soldiers. Sasai truly didn't understand how this was possible. Hawaii was supposed to be under their direct control of the Japanese Empire! How could these Americans, since they definitely weren't the Reich, have accomplished this?
He didn't have an answer for that. When the helicopter finally landed, he found himself dragged to his feet, and rather unceremoniously tossed out of the helicopter. The only thing that stopped him from face planting on the ground, was a rather large man of native extraction, who dragged him up to his feet, and gestured to another group of soldiers standing not far away. Only this group wore the old flag of Hawaii on their shoulders, not the American flag. Before long, he found himself being marched off to interrogation, almost certainly to be tortured in some way. But as he got further and further into the base, the less and less he recognized it.
He wasn't sure how, or even why, but this wasn't the Pearl Harbor he had seen before. Hell, this wasn't the same world he left either, and he had no answers to explain it either. Perhaps he'd soon find out.
October 19th, 2025
Washington D.C.
United States of America
0900 Hours
As President Tulsi Gabbard stepped onto the podium, ready to give her speech not only to her fellow countrymen, but to the entire world, she paused. She looked over the crowd of faces present in the room, members of news agencies from all across the globe were present to hear what she had to say. To know why Colorado had been cut off from the rest of the world, why she had threatened severe actions against any nation who tried to observe the events with satellite imagery.
"My fellow Americans, and the people of the world," President Gabbard began. She stared at the camera for a few moments, before steeling her nerves, and continuing. There was no point in hiding the truth any longer. "For weeks, many of you have been curious about the media blackout in the State of Colorado, including the mass mobilization of military units around the nation. A great many more of you are also curious about the events that occurred on October 17th, 2025, off the coast of the Kingdom of Hawaii. While both of these events are certainly strange, and seemingly unexplainable, they are undeniably connected to each other. Why is the sudden appearance of a war fleet off the coast of Hawaii, which consists of ships nearly a century out of date and proclaiming to be from a nation not seen since it was vanquished at the end of the Second World War, could possibly be connected to what happened in Colorado? While we wished to hide the events that took place until we could better understand, and contain the threat we uncovered, it has become apparent that is no longer an option for either the United States, or the rest of the world.
"Before I can fully explain the events that occurred yesterday, you must understand that what I'm about to say is going to sound unbelievable. But if I am being entirely honest, I didn't believe it all myself. Not entirely at first, but the evidence provided to me was, and is, undeniable. At approximately 8'o clock, Mountain Time, what has been described to me by a panel of scientists, physicists, and military officials, as a portal to another world, opened up in Cañon City, Colorado."
Gabbard paused momentarily, watching as the eyes of all those in the room widened, and any side conversations that were previously going on in the room, abruptly ceased. The reporters in the room looked like she had gone mad, with the various reporters whispering among themselves, obviously lost at the president's words, believing it to be nothing more than a joke. But despite the lull in the room, Gabbard continued.
"While I imagine most of you assume what I said to be nothing but a joke, I assure you it is anything but that. If you wish to see physical proof, look no further than the Imperial Japanese Fleet that approached the Kingdom of Hawaii yesterday, and was subsequently engaged and defeated by elements of the American and Hawaiian navies. Which brings me to the nature of the portal in Colorado, and what world it leads to on the other side."
She took another deep breath before continuing, knowing the words she was about to say would throw the entire world into an uproar.
"The world on the other side of the portal open in Colorado, as well as the recently identified anomaly off the Coast of Hawaii, is a world where the axis powers won The Second World War." now she had done it. Even as she looked out and saw the horrified expressions on the faces of the reporters in the room, she undoubtedly heard the flood of calls being directed at the government of the United States and Hawaii from all over the world, seeking an explanation. Once more, she continued.
"Upon the opening of this portal, three Nazi bounty hunters chased a young girl of African American descent onto the grounds of Cañon City High School, who then proceeded to tackle and restrain her. After a short gunfight with police officers who had arrived, two of the assailants were killed, and the third was captured. One police officer and three students were also injured during the initial incident. Among the artifacts discovered on the bounty hunters were not only currency, but booklets detailing the names and personal information of individuals who escaped concentration camps within Nazi occupied America.
"Shortly thereafter, the Governor of Colorado called for the National Guard and FBI, who then brought the attention of the situation to the White House, and we acted upon it. After multiple teams of covert operatives were sent beyond the portal, the reports they brought back were horrifying. They brought not only confirmation of the world that laid beyond, but of more encounters with bounty hunters and Nazi operatives, many of which ended in firefights between them. But the information they brought with them, which has been gathered over the last two and a half weeks, will now be shown to the entire world. Last night I gave orders for the black out around Colorado to be lifted for specific news agencies in America and abroad, and their broadcasts should be reaching those around the world right now.
"But for those of you watching me right now, please see for yourself. Behind me on this projector, is evidence of what we have since discovered in the intervening weeks. I do advise you however..." she let out a ragged breath as she turned to the operator behind the computer that was connected to the projector. He understood the signal, and with the press of a few keys on his keyboard, the images that had turned stomachs and infuriated thousands in the American government and military, were now on display for the entire world. "What you're about to see is disturbing, but nonetheless real. Not from our world, but from a world now connected to ours, and a world we cannot ignore."
All across America, and indeed the entire world, audiences and governments stood unbelieving at their tv screens. Despite the photos streaming out from Hawaii, despite the news broadcasts now reaching every corner of the globe from news agencies in Cañon City who sent back unbelievable footage.
Footage from the other world, with decrepit towns, filled with dirty, ragged, and starving people. Maps showing the borders of the world that lay on the other side, photos showing bombed out ruins of Washington D.C. after the Nazis had dropped an atomic bomb atop it. A collection of photos and film that showed the surrender of the United States government, With General George Patton shaking hands with Hermann Goering. ANother of Japanese soldiers executing American soldiers at a field hospital. Photos of mass graves and concentration camps run by the Nazis, the dates on which showed that these facilities had run for decades. Nazi and Japanese flags flying over iconic American landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, Golden Gate Bridge, and Empire State Building.
But perhaps the most disturbing piece of footage shown was that from Cincinnati, Ohio, dated to 1947. As the recording played, it showed a Nazi tank rolling down a dirty, smoke filled street, followed by a large group of Nazi infantrymen. They began lining civilians and soldiers against the walls of nearby buildings, and opened fire, executing them one by one. The footage soon focused on a little girl, with a star on her chest, that was at the end of the wall of executions. Realizing he was out of ammunition, he reholstered his pistol, smiled at the cameraman, and lifted the girl up by her feet. Then he began to spin himself around, going faster and faster, slowly inching himself closer to the corner of a nearby wall. Then her neck connected with the building, her body went limp, and the soldier let go, laughing all the while.
As president Gabbard looked out at the crowd, she noted the reactions of those present ranged from unbridled rage, to utter sorrow at what they had just witnessed. Tears flowed from a great many of those in the room. Even the secret service agents in the room, who had not been present at the briefings where she first saw this footage, weren't immune from reacting to what they saw. She had already seen the footage, and refused to look at it again. But the world needed to see it. They needed to see it all.
And to top it all off, the firsthand testimony of a girl who had been rescued from bounty hunters in Colorado. Her descriptions of the concentration camp she and her mother lived in, and had escaped from, combined with testimony from captured POW's, and American Resistance members, only survived to horrorify and anger millions of people across the globe. When the projector finally cut off, and President Gabbard returned to her podium, she looked over a crowd of somber, angry, and terrified faces.
"It is my hope that you now all understand just what threat we face. This is what my government tried so hard to keep secret, to keep contained. But we soon came to realize that eventually, the evil that resides on the other side of that portal will learn of our own. And when they do, they will come for us. Despite my authorization for the movement of troops and military equipment through this portal to establish a base of operations, and defensive perimeter against axis forces, its clear we cannot do it alone. One nation cannot take on an entire world, not even the United States. Which is why I call out to every free nation in the world to assist us in this hour.
"Assistance that is even more necessary after the second anomaly opened up off the Hawaiian Coast, and a fleet of the Japanese Empire steamed through. Whether it was a coincidence or an act of the axis powers seeking to spread their vile tendrils into our world, it cannot be allowed to stand. This is exactly why I am formally requesting the General-Secretary of the United Nations to convene an Emergency Special Session, so we may better prepare and coordinate ourselves against this new threat. It is also why I ask the Congress of the United States to draft a declaration of war against this new axis, and am hereby ordering the United States military to DEFCON 1 readiness alert effective immediately. This is to ensure we may never be caught off guard ever again, as well as assisting our Hawaiian allies in their current crisis, who have invoked Article Three of the Pacific Rim Defense Treaty after the recent attack by Imperial Japanese forces.
"Make no mistake, there is a war coming, and we have to be the first to react, or we will suffer because of our inaction and political deadlock. But mark my words, we will win. We will not fail in our upcoming struggle against the evil that resides in this other world. Our world triumphed over the axis powers 80 years ago, and I see no reason why we won't now. The United States and our allies across the world will stand united against the greatest evil our world has ever seen, an evil that's conquered an entire world just like our own. A world they are reshaping into their sick image. A world that desperately needs our help against a force that has oppressed them for decades, and is now seeking to enter our own world.
"It is my hope that by shedding light on these events, that once more our world will come together in the face of this common foe. That once more democracy and freedom will triumph over the evil of fascism. Thank you all for coming here and tuning into this broadcast, and may God bless us all in this hour, for we shall need his blessing in this upcoming crusade of righteousness."