Incident 3.2 December 11, 2043, 1330 Local Time Jumbo Shrimp Attacks Langstead, Morra Förfölja Attacks Armistice, Flying Worm Approaches Goldfoss
The first missiles rippled the grotesque, mottled flesh of the Flying Worm, leaving oozing red craters in their wake. Massive though it was, the beast was no Kaiser Schield.
The jets circled broad loops around the summit of Kirkfell, strafing the Kaiju and unleashing their payloads against it. Slowly, the humongous flying beast turned, its eyeless 'head' searching for its assailants. Drawing its body higher and higher, the spiny, membranous wings of the Flying Worm extended to their full size, and then flapped down with stupendous force. Several incoming missiles detonated prematurely from the thunderous pressure wave. Multiple jets were momentarily destabilized, though they were quick to recover. With their missiles soon expended, and their rotary cannons seemingly ineffective against a creature of such size, the aerial attackers withdrew.
Flying Worm's flesh stung from the attacks, but the offenders had been dispatched. Labouriously, the beast returned to its original course, and resumed its advance on Goldfoss.
*****
Seventy five kilometers to the southeast, Admiral Benjamin Logan gave the order to fire. The railguns of the VNS Vallandia, and several supporting destroyers, began to bombard their target. Logan picked up his tablet, and contacted General Helming.
Admiral.
General.
The bombardment's under way. What damage is the creature sustaining?
Gouts of gore blasting out of it from each hit on the body... but it doesn't really seem to be bothered by it. Focus all fire on its wings, we need to cripple that thing before it gets any closer to a settled area.
Do you still have a close-range visual of it?
No, our chopper got gusted right out of the sky. We've still got a view from the ground though, our heavy guns are about to commence a bombardment of their own.
Good. Let's kill this son of a-
*****
Langstead was a city with over a millennium of history. It was first settled by the norse and came to become one of the major cities of the island's early years. Being far isolated from the other centers of Valland, Langstead was a famous site of several last stands. The last open practitioners of Astroth, the veneration of the old Æsir gods, held out here in the 11th century, while the last Norse Jarldom held out here under the reign of Haraldor Greencloak until its conquest in 1688 (a fact which locals often lord over the people of Hornberg, who only held out until 1657).
Being blessed with isolation and a richly-forested environment, Langstead had been a historical center of wooden shipbuilding, logging and carpentry, a tradition that continues today in the form of Vallandic Furniture Incorporated, now a globe-spanning discount furniture retailer. While it may no longer be one of the three most significant cities in Valland, it is still easily in the top eight, and its economy booms as a smelting port and a major natural resource hub for the northwest corner of the nation.
All of this, of course, was completely unknown to the massive chitinous beast approaching it from below the surface of the sea. All the Jumbo Shrimp knew was that its sole purpose, for the time being, was to move on shore, and feast to its fill.
As the colossal, arthropod-like creature breached the surface of the harbour, small fishing vessels were lifted away by the rising wave and capsized. A deafening snap echoed, and a large, crumpled trawler flew through the air, crashing down deep in the city core.
*****
Harold Huntington was alone in his office when the first thunderous crash rocked the city. A wailing alarm sounded, and he spun around his chair to look out the window. A terrifying crustacean behemoth, coloured an unnatural mixture of salmon pink and dull green, with huge, orange eyes, was lifting itself out of the harbour. He froze, stood up, and felt a chill roll down his spine. Racing to a wastebasket, he leaned over and dry heaved for a few seconds, before straightening his back once more. He breathed deeply and closed his eyes, and willed himself back to calmness. Clearing his throat, Harold reached out and picked up his phone.
*****
Morra Förfölja's attack had been detected ahead of time, granting the city of Armistice precious time to prepare itself. Being the major military port and shipyard of southern Vinland, the city was well-defended... but would it be enough? Part of the populace was evacuating, but the roads were predictably clogged once again. Local police and military forces directed the population into shelters, weaponry was put into place around the city, and the defensive turrets were brought online. At sea, Admiral Logan directed the local fleet into position, compromising the ongoing bombardment of the Flying Worm in order to better confront this latest attacker. One destroyer had been very hastily released from the dock, but another, caught in the midst of a retrofit in drydocks, had to be abandoned to its fate.
Anxiously, the human defenders tracked the creature's approach. Precautionary evacuations were also taking place in nearby Arnarnes and Borden, but it was becoming increasingly clear where the monster's target would be. An attempt to depth-charge the creature failed, as Morra had by now accelerated to an alarming speed. With incredible pace, Morra charged the shoreline.
It was just as had been the case with the Ice Dragon's last attack. The Kaiju lets momentum carry its titanic bulk ashore, riding in the midst of a tremendous, crashing wave. Several small buildings were swept away instantly, and frigid floodwaters inundated the low-lying coastal areas. As the water slowly began to drain away, carrying heaps of debris with it. The huge cloud of spray that had been kicked up by the wave was rapidly crystallizing into a thick, icy fog. Morra Förfölja's attack was just beginning.
*****
Prime Minister David Thomas was in the war room with his cabinet, the Emergency and War Measures Act invoked once more. The faces of Helming and Toleman greeted them.
General Helming, the situation?
Flying Worm is inbound towards Goldfoss. We distracted it, but we haven't been able to stop it. Two more megaforms have appeared since our last briefing. Morra Förfölja, who attacked North Head earlier this year, was detected by our buoys in the Sodorshow forty minutes ago, and is about to hit the fleet anchorage at Armistice as we speak, while a 75 meter crustacean we're calling 'Jumbo Shrimp' made landfall in Langstead 20 minutes ago.
Where is Admiral Logan?
Currently leading the defense of Armistice. I have placed that battleground under his command, while I focus the rest of our efforts in the defense of Goldfoss and evacuations of threatened cities.
And what of the defense of Langstead, General?
Helming took a deep breath and lowered his head.
We withdrew our forces from Langstead to confront the Flying Worm. We had not anticipated that we would face two of these creatures at once, let alone three. Langstead is empty save for the coastal batteries.
The Prime Minister nodded gravely.
Very well. What is your recommendation at this juncture, General Helming?
The General breathed deeply and his frown intensified.
I would currently recommend a tactical nuclear strike on the Flying Worm, if we can't bring it down in the next five kilometers of its approach towards Goldfoss.
Are there presently any civilians in the area?
Peripherally. But it's only going to get closer.
I see. You have my authorization, General.
