JUNE 4, 2016
SATURDAY
11:15 AM, JAPAN STANDARD TIME
The phone rang.
Or rather, every phone rang.
In this day and age, it was predominantly mobile phones, of course. But landlines were not exempt, nor were satellite phones. In short, every telephone in service in the Japanese Archipelago suddenly received an unexpected call from an unknown number. A massive and inexplicable event, shared by hundreds of millions throughout the entire country.
On this sunny summer morning, the reactions to the call were as varied as the millions who received it. Many chose not to answer. Of those who lifted the phone to the ear, Some rolled their eyes, some clucked their tongues, some laughed, some shrugged and muttered "shikata ga nai"- all before hanging up a scant few seconds into the message. Others, however, stopped whatever they were doing and listened to the entirety of the message. They were perhaps a minority, and among that minority only a slim few took the message seriously.
The message, generally agreed to be some sort of recording, was taken down or recorded by countless hands all over Japan, to be played on television, printed in newspapers, and accessed online for the few who had not received it.
It was a male voice, speaking in flawless Japanese with a Kanto accent (though the many linguists who studied the tape concluded that the language was a second one and the accent affected). The tone was polite, but crisp, businesslike. After all, this was no social call. This was an ultimatum.
The message was as follows:
People of Japan, you have exactly forty-eight hours to announce your unconditional surrender.
The voice you are hearing belongs to a duly appointed emissary of the Empire of Seatopia. Be it known that the illegal government of Japan currently occupies territory that belongs rightfully to the Seatopian people. We were once a proud and prosperous people, the first of Earth's great civilizations, building grand cities before you even mastered agriculture or the wheel. For our genius, our generosity in shepherding the benighted people of what came to be called Japan, we were punished. Your rose up against your rightful masters, with sheer numbers you drove us underground and into the sea. Over the centuries we have watched as you took our ancestral home, as you befouled our garden, as you heedlessly and arrogantly rode roughshod over that which was rightfully ours.
The time has come to vacate the squatters.
Those who wish to leave Japan will not be hindered. Those willing to renounce their Japanese citizenship and swear an oath of fealty to the Most Serene Emperor of Seatopia, Antonio XXI, will generously be allowed the privileges of his subjects. We are an ancient people, just and forgiving, our steps guided by our merciful god Megalon, peace be upon Him.
Acquiescence to our terms is to be announced on television by your Prime Minister, on which occasion a formal document of surrender will be presented to the representatives of the Japanese government. Silence will be regarded as resistance- which I assure you will be met with misery and annihilation.
You have forty-eight hours, Japan. May Megalon grant your leaders the wisdom to take your only realistic course of action.
--------
Hirotoshi Ueda gently set the receiver back in the cradle, a faraway and thoughtful look on his face. The message had come through even on his supposedly secure, encrypted hotline. He looked over at Watanabe, his young personal aide, who was slowly shaking his head as he slid his cell phone into the pocket of his impeccable Armani suit.
"Watanabe," Ueda said slowly, removing his glasses as he turned his desk chair, "did you just receive the same call?"
"Yes sir, I did," the younger man said. He looked down at the buzz of a text message. "So did the Finance Minister, it seems." A second buzz. "As well as the governor of Tokushima Prefecture." A third buzz. "And my wife."
"Your wife is not in government, is she?" asked the Prime Minister. He rubbed at his temple with his fingers. Something here was wrong.
"No, sir. She is a banker- currently she is in Sapporo on business."
Ueda frowned, deeply troubled. He stood, looked out the thick glass of his window, out at the hustle and bustle of the world's largest city on a bright Saturday morning. Watanabe's phone continued to buzz as he received more notifications.
"Sir," Watanabe said timidly after a few moments of respectful silence. "Perhaps we should turn on the news." Without waiting for permission, the aide flipped on the television built into the wall, bringing up an FNN special bulletin- regarding the strange phone call. Behind the anchors was a map of Japan, the prefectures that had reported inhabitants receiving the ultimatum colored in green. As Ueda watched, slowly the whole of Japan was highlighted in eye-catching green.
Ueda sighed. "What is it, Watanabe? Some kind of prank? Viral marketing?"
"I don't know, sir."
The Prime Minister sighed once more, as the FNN anchors chattered away, saying nothing of any importance. They seemed dismissive. Ueda was tempted to follow suit, but something was keeping him from being confident. He had never aspired to this office. "It seemed very threatening, don't you think?"
"Yes, sir. But it could just be a publicity stunt, like they say."
"Yes. Maybe. I don't know. I need to think. I should make a statement. Nothing about surrendering or any of this Seatopia nonsense. Just about finding whoever perpetrated this cruel prank."
"So you don't think it's real?" Watanabe asked, relief obvious in his voice.
"I don't know. Probably not." Ueda picked up his glasses, considered a moment. "I don't know," he said again. "Perhaps, just in case, we should do something. Just in case."
"What do you recommend, sir?"
"The Central Readiness Force. They should go on alert. Not war footing, but a heightened state of readiness. Just in case. But nothing too alarmist or public. Keep it quiet."
"Yes sir." Watanabe exited to see to his assignments, leaving the older man alone.
The Prime Minister sank into his chair. He had never expected to face anything quite this bizarre.
Hopefully, though, it would turn out to be nothing.
General Onodera was in a foul mood. Some joker called him and his staff and delivered a message. The odd thing was the message seemed to be nation wide. Cyber security was not his command but the rapid defense of Japan was. He contacted the Ministry of Defense for orders.
Finally he got an order to quietly order the forces into a war footing.
He called a meeting of his staff officers. At the meeting was Major General Masaki (Deputy Commander International Operations), Major General Isaki (Deputy Commander Domestic Operations), the CRF Chief of Staff (Colonel Raizo) and the two Vice Chiefs of Staff.
Tadashi Onodera entered the room his subordinates stood up. "Gentlemen, I assume you either got that strange call or know someone who did." The General said in a manner more direct than most officers in Japan. He saluted the men and sat down. "So I am here to tell you that the orders come on down from the JSO and the Cabinet. They want us to Quietly prepare for a war footing." The General emphasized the quietly part of his statement. "Now it will be no problems to get our soldiers here ready but we will need to contact our subordinate regiments. I believe our communication networks may have been compromised."
Onodera took a sip of water. "Though we will communicate with our other bases I want messengers ready in case comms go down. I plan on heading to Eastern Army HQ to ensure they are ready as well."
"Do we have orders to include them?" asked General Isaki.
"We do. Also we cannot prepare if we can't communicate with other commands."
Onodera took a breath. "Gentlemen we are dealing with an enemy that can hurt our people in ways we cannot imagine. If they can hack all the phones to send a message what else can they do?" The officers there were silent. "I'd rather prepare than not."
The room was silent. "Then I will head to At he Camp in Nerima and be back at at least.." He saw his watch was 12:45. "17:00 to 17:30 depending on traffic and meeting lengths. I will contact you if I am going to be later. While I am gone I want plans looked over."
The men nodded and saluted as the general got ready and left.
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Lower slopes of Mount Fuji, 11:20 AM
Terence Philemon Louis Jean-Balfourt pressed the cold tablet screen close to his ear, seconds after the message. He was no linguistics expert, but he had learned a little bit of Japanese in Monarch training seminars. He could read a newspaper and have casual conversations over the phone, but this... this message eluded him.
"Tekishi." Terence turned to a young man with small rectangular-rimmed glasses and a beige insulated coat, who was also pondering his Samsung Nova.
"Mr. Balfourt?" A crisp, fluent but slightly stilted voice in English replied.
"Did you just receive the same call?"
"Did... did it involve a sea kingdom and the unconditional surrender of Japan in forty-eight hours?"
"Yes. Yes it did."
A buzz from Tekishi's phone. "Apparently, the headmaster of the University of Tokyo also received this call."
A second buzz. "And so did Professor Kuroga of Microbiology."
A third buzz. "And so did Professor Hirachi of Robotics."
A fourth buzz. "And my sister."
Terence rubbed his temples together. "Your sister does not work in the university, does she?"
"No, Mr. Balfourt. If you recall, she is the secretary for the CEO of Sakamoto Steel Incorporated, in Yokohama."
"Hey." Terence looked up and around. "I can't hear the drills anymore."
"I'll take care of this, Mr. Balfourt." With a purposeful swish of the yellow tent covers, Tekishi emerged into the tranquil rocky landscape of Fuji-San. Other yellow tents circled around a large circular dip in the basalt. Usually, the said dip would be filled with eight to ten hired workers with white construction hats jackhammering into the rock. But today, the dip was empty. The jackhammers were all turned off, either lodged into the rock or laying by their sides. Their masters were of a similar motley appearance - some were laughing, some were muttering expressions of frustration, a slim few were conversing seriously amongst themselves, but they all held one thing in common - they were all holding their phones.
"Karoto!" Tekishi swiftly strode towards a burly, tan worker with a cigarette that was seemingly permanently lodged between two dry lips. "Why are your men not drilling?"
"I-I really don't know, Mr. Tekishi." The foreman gave a sincere shrug. "The thing is, all of my men received this mysterious call about this sea kingdom and surrender of the Japanese people... even I got it." He held up his Nokia, which also displayed the mysterious phone number.
A hand suddenly appeared on Tekishi's shoulder, and Terence emerged beside him and addressed Karoto. "Did... did everybody in the dig site get it?"
"Apparently so, Mr. Balfourt." A buzz from the Nokia. "Even the local park ranger, Mr. Nimobe, received it."
Several more buzzes. "...and almost every other park ranger in Fuji-San."
The foreman, Terence, and Tekishi looked at each other uncertainly. Terence finally broke the ice.
"Karoto, your men have been drilling since six in the morning for four weeks. Perhaps they deserve a half-day off."
Karoto slowly nodded, then summoned his men with a sharp clap and a loud call. Terence and Tekishi went back inside the tent. The tent was actually rather spacious, about fifteen feet across and eight feet tall. A PC, a locker table and several variations of the modern seismograph (connected by a labyrinthine hellhole of wires) were its contents. Terence offered Tekishi a stool, and the two sat down by the PC.
BREAKING NEWS
MYSTERIOUS CALL REACHES EVERY SINGLE PHONE NUMBER IN JAPAN
The two scientists read on, intrigued. They clicked on a video, and an FNN news anchor accompanied a map of Japan, slowly turning green by the district. The map turned green every time a district reported its inhabitants receiving the strange call. Terence and Tekishi looked on, mystified, as all of Japan gradually turned green.
"What is this? A prank? A marketing scheme?"
"The things that the youth today can do with technology knows no bounds, Mr. Balfourt. Also, this would not be below the marketing standards of sprawling modern corporations. However, I have not heard of any fashion or toy line bearing the name 'Seatopia'...."
The two men stared in silence at the screen for a while.
"...Mr. Balfourt, you don't think it could be... true? We do work with Monarch, after all."
"Maybe. Maybe not. But what intrigues me most is this."
Terence minimized the window, and brought up another screen, showing the reading of a seismograph for one day - relatively calm. Terence clicked a button, and soon the whole screen showed four weeks' worth of seismograph readings.
"Here." Terence outlined a group of readings. "For the past three and a half weeks, there's this been this steady 'boom' from underground. See? Slow but steady disruptions in the lines." Terence outlined a reading. The line was interrupted by faint but steady vibrations.
"It seems to have originated somewhere east, then slowly made its way here. It got closer to the surface. See? Lines grow taller every day." Terence clicked on a pull down menu, and selected a button. "...About a nine percent increase daily. Then, for the past two or three days, it stopped, probably somewhere near the magma vent of Fuji-San." As Terence outlined a few readings toward the end that were relatively calm, he paused thoughtfully. "..Like it was waiting. Waiting for something."
Tekishi looked worried. "Could it be... Godzilla? Or another kaiju?"
"Nonsense. The latest report from HQ proves that our Monster King is still sleeping under the Solomon Islands. But another kaiju..." He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Maybe the King has another contender for his throne."
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JUNE 6, 2016
MONDAY
11:10 AM, JAPAN STANDARD TIME
The phone call still evaded explanation, but for the most part had dropped from public notice. The prevailing theory in the media was that it was some sort of elaborate prank, and most people had gone along with that- it beat the uncomfortable thought that perhaps it was a serious ultimatum. The government had promised a full investigation and tighter cybersecurity, the people had nodded and gone back to watching baseball over the long weekend. Monday morning came, and though there were a few empty desks in workplaces (normally occupied by the eccentric and the crackpots, good riddance to them), life carried on as normal.
And yet some found themselves making the occasional anxious glance at the clock. . .
In his offices in Tokyo, Prime Minister Ueda sat down at his desk, as the last few minutes of the promised forty-eight hours melted away. Naturally, he had not announced a surrender- to do so would be political suicide. And so, he had carried on with his work, the usual Monday morning papers arriving. Even so, some sick dread in his stomach had made him clear the lines to Defense Minister Homma and Koyanagi, the Chair of the Public Safety Commission. General Onodera had the JSDF ready to go. If nothing else, this little scare was nothing more than a good test of Japan's mergency preparation protocols. If pressed, of course, Ueda would claim the mobilization was completely unrelated to the phone call. A coincidentally timed exercise.
He was already beginning to feel a little silly.
11:14 became 11:15. Ueda smiled as Watanabe handed him yet another document requiring a signature. There was nothing to worry about. He had been a foolish old man to be concerned.
LAKE MASHU, HOKKAIDO
The Ainu had called it “the Lake of the Devil”. Now, in summer, the water was often covered by a thick layer of fog, something of a local attraction- the fog was said to bring good luck.
But to those nature lovers idly enjoying the lake, it seemed to do the exact opposite. The fog had a biting odor and burned to the touch, like acid. The general unpleasantness was only reinforced by the thousands of dead fish washing up, more with each wave lapping at the shore. The few at the lake this Monday morning beat a hasty retreat as the smell and irritation grew more unbearable by the moment.
No one was present to see the two crimson oval eyes glaring malevolently through the mist, no one was present to see the enormous saucer-like creature rise slowly from the waters and begin a leisurely flight towards the city of Sapporo, plants wilting in its wake.
MOUNT ASO, KUMAMOTO PREFECTURE
No one could be sure where the sound was emanating from. Japan's most active volcano covered a huge area, littered with unexplored crevices and fissures reaching to the deepest reaches of the earth. Today, the entire range seemed to be filled with a strange sound, a deep and sonorous droning, so loud that people had to shout to be heard by those within arm's reach.
It was only when the twelve forms rose from out of the several craters in the area that anyone realized the source of the noise- the beating of twenty-four blistered wings. Fingers were pointed, cameras deployed. The more sensible fled, an appropriate reaction to the sight of twelve praying mantids grouping in the air, each nearly sixty meters in length.
As if acting on some unseen signal, the hovering insects immediately rocketed in one direction, flying in a tight formation. One dipped in altitude, gave a casual flick of the foreleg at the steel cables holding up the Mount Aso Ropeway before rejoining its brothers. It was enough to sever the sole means of support for a crowded tram car suspended hundreds of meters above the ground, condemning the thirty passengers inside to be crushed in the twisted wreckage when it landed. Those were the first to die that day.
The observant could see the giant insects were headed directly for Kumamoto City.
UMEDA, OSAKA
The attack truly began in the business district of Japan's second city. It was preceded by a rumbling, a shaking that was felt even in the tallest and most modern buildings. A few offices even began earthquake protocols, rehearsed diligently by the salarymen until they knew exactly what to do in an emergency. Those who survived would bless this foresight.
The street cracked and broke under the impetus of a gigantic spinning drill thrust upwards towards the sky. Bits of asphalt, vehicles, and even people were hurled aside by the spinning motion, smashing through the glass fronts of adjacent buildings. A bellowing screech could be heard from underground.
As the drill extended ever further upwards, it became clear it was merely the extreme end of two arms, held over the insectoid head of a truly bizarre creature. Panic broke out, the ensuing stampede killing and injuring dozens even before the creature climbed out the hole it had made and shook the dust off. It was huge, a staggering 115 meters from toe to the tip of the star-shaped crest on its beetle head, covered in a thick exoskeleton in mottled yellow and black.
The creature clashed its two drill hands together, and the ringing of metal on metal echoed through the concrete canyons of Umeda.
And then it went to work.
The buildings that weren't simply smashed by the abomination lurching into them were lit ablaze by the red lightning emanating from the horn atop its head. The mandibles of its mouth opened, and a flaming jelly sprayed out, clinging to any surface or unfortunate person unlucky enough to be caught in the way. It clung and burned, resisting all efforts to extinguish it.
The massive office buildings were packed full of workers, most of whom were unable to evacuate in time. Thousands died in panic, fire, and rubble as the creature began its march.
PORT OF KOBE, HYOGO
A scant few miles to the west, a similar situation was unfolding in Kobe. Even as dockworkers pointed across the bay at the smoke beginning to rise over Osaka, something was speeding towards them- not from below, but from above.
It descended without warning, bladed feet sinking into the pavement at Merikin Park. Witnesses would have trouble describing it, the words “bird” and “robot” often being thrown about. With its steel hooks in lieu of hands, single malevolent red eye, and the buzzsaw in its abdomen, it bore no resemblance to any earthly creature.
The creature screeched, almost a giggle as it lurched towards the world-famous Port Tower. The saw began to rotate, cutting through the steel latticework of the tower in a shower of sparks. The Kobe Port Tower split and collapsed, falling into the water of the bay. Roaring in triumph, the creature turned its single eye on the buildings of downtown Kobe. With a look some survivors would later describe as a smile of anticipation, it began towards the unprepared city.
NAHA, OKINAWA
It was an idyllic, warm day in Okinawa, sunny and beautiful, the streets full of idle window shoppers, and the occasional wide-eyed American serviceman from the nearby military bases, drinking in the exotic sights of a foreign country.
News of what else was occurring in the country was beginning to get out, more and more people were gathering around televisions and radios to keep abreast of events. Flights that normally would have continued on to the Home Islands were beginning to be grounded or turned back out of safety concerns- the city's seaside airport was much busier than usual accommodating the rerouted traffic.
The roiling water in the water off the airport was accompanied by a sudden chill in the air- almost as if heat was being drawn to whatever was causing the disturbance. And then it rose, a huge cuttlefish with pale flesh and piercing yellow eyes, pulling itself ashore with its grasping tentacles. Panicking pilots attempted to take off without authorization or clearance, resulting in the runways being choked with taxiing planes. The giant cuttlefish tossed airplanes aside with impunity, leaving what it did not completely crush covered in a thick layer of frost. Air traffic controllers desperately tried to sort out the mess even as the monster smashed through hangers on a slow route to the terminal building. JASDF and USAF personnel from the military portion of the base rained machine gun fire onto the creature, but small arms did little against the dense rubbery flesh of the ninety-meter tall cuttlefish. The vital warplanes were unable to take off, and were smashed beneath tentacles even on the ground.
Leaving fire and ice in its wake, it moved on into densely packed Naha.
KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, FUKUOKA
“I believe it may be a Titanosaurus. The largest theropod on record,” the graduate student said thoughtfully, handing the binoculars back to the professor of paleontology. Around them, students and faculty raced about, climbing onto buses waiting to evacuate them from the city. The appearance of the gigantic biped standing in the harbor and the trumpeting elephant-like sound of its cry had sent the city into something like panic. These two, however, had seen an opportunity for academic advancement.
The older professor nodded his assent as he looked through the binoculars himself. “I think you may be correct, young lady. Look at that swan neck, the pointed snout- oh! And the webbed tail,” he said excitedly as it flicked out of the water. “105 meters tall, at a guess. This is incredible!” the man enthused as the creature began to step ashore. “I never dreamed I would see a living specimen with my own eyes!”
“Professor, perhaps we should go?” the student asked anxiously, watching yet another evacuation bus fill up and speed off.
“And miss this exciting find? Why, I should think. . .” The old man's voice trailed off as the Titanosaurus trumpeted and smashed its talons through the walls of the Fukuoka Dome. The crash of tearing concrete could be heard for miles as the dinosaur methodically began to tear the baseball stadium to rubble. In seconds, the roof collapsed inwards onto the field, and a dense cloud of dust rose. The elephant-like cry could be heard amidst the chaos, even as the smoke and dust obscured the monster itself.
“Yes,” the professor said after a moment. “Yes, perhaps we should in fact leave.”
MOUNT FUJI
Here, as elsewhere, the rumbling began from deep beneath the earth. In this part of the country, it was not uncommon, of course. But his was something new, something rhythmic and deliberate.
At the base of the mountain,, near Highway 180, the hard volcanic soil broke and sank in on itself. Eight madly waving claws broke free, stretching high into the air before setting down with a reverberating crash. A body was lifted free from the gaping hole, and eight black eyes glinted in the late morning sun.
The eight legs began pumping into a blur, and the enormous spider was running south at an unbelievable speed, comparable to a bullet train.
At the summit, the only thing the rumbling could be compared to was a gigantic heartbeat. From out of the crater came something huge, larger than any of the other beasts attacking Japan. Despite its sheer size, it was ethereal, transparent, seeming to float softly upwards like a balloon. Hundreds of thick tendrils emerged from the main body, waving without direction in the air. It was a soft and gentle blue, almost indistinguishable from the sky as it hung delicately in the air over Mount Fuji. For a long moment it simply hung there, filling the area with a soft humming noise punctuated by a deep, regular throbbing.
And then, as though floating on the breeze, the jellyfish-like creature began to fly, tendrils trailing in the air behind it. It was headed west. Towards Nagoya.
CHIYODA, TOKYO
“-eyewitnesses just called it a green shaggy ogre. Look here, Nippon News has footage of it destroying Okayama Castle with one blow-”
“-giant snapping turtle, sir, it capsized the Maizaru-Otaru ferry-”
“-twelve praying mantises. The media has named them Kamacuras, for some reason-”
“-a snake or Chinese dragon, reports are sketchy at best. 200 meters long. We have nearly seven hundred dead in Matsuyama-”
“-enormous lobster battering the support towers of the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge-”
“-radar has something huge in flight headed for Sapporo-”
“-giant octopus in Kagoshima Bay-”
Ueda's head was spinning.
The Security Police had burst into his office, pistols drawn (for all the good it would do against a giant monster) and dragged him and Watanabe into this bunker, somewhere deep beneath Tokyo. His Cabinet was still being escorted to this “undisclosed location”, and in the meantime his staff seemed to be competing over who might give him the worst news. Most of the televisions seemed to be split between the carnage in Osaka and the same replayed footage of the huge new creature emerging from the crater of Fuji-san. Ueda removed his glasses, unable to bear the sights and sounds. His shaking hand reached up, loosened the knot of his tie.
“Pardon me for just one moment, please,” he said softly, edging his way through the crowd of uniformed JSDF personnel and staffers, his eyes intent on the men's room on the far side of the room. He willed himself to remain confident and in control until he was safely inside and the door locked behind him.
It was then that he allowed the tears to come to his eyes.
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MOUNT FUJI
11:15 AM
"Mr. Balfourt! Mr Balfourt!"
Before Terence could reply, Tekishi had already practically dragged him back to the tent and pushed him down onto the stool.
"What is-"
On the screen in front of the geologist, the calm, straight line from Saturday and Sunday had erupted into an abrupt flurry of violent jolts. It was updating real time, getting louder and more intense by the second.
"Abnormal." Terence looked at the screen for a full twenty seconds, then turned to Tekishi, who was nearly hyperventilating with excitement. "Very abnormal. What do you think this is?"
Before Tekishi could reply, Karoto burst into the tent. The cigarette had finally fallen from his lips, sweat forming on his furiously wrinkled brow. The sound of falling equipment and bewildered shouts could be heard from outside.
"Take cover! There's been an earthquake-"
Suddenly, all three men were thrown to the ground by a violent shock. The line on the PC was most literally jolting out of the screen by now. Terence involuntarily grabbed onto the side of the table to pull himself up.
TOKYO-FUJI RAILWAY
12:00 AM
"Relax, Mr. Balfourt. That computer hit you hard."
The first thing that Terence felt was a bandage. When he looked at his hand, he saw a faint coating of blood.
He steeled himself. He had felt worse in Afghanistan.
He then felt his head resting against soft leather. With further inspection, he saw Tekishi sitting down by his side.
He then felt a strange moving sensation. "Tekishi... are we on a train?"
"A Maglev, to be exact, Mr. Balfourt." The young man smiled to himself at his vast store of knowledge. "We are travelling at about four hundred and eighty kilometers an hour."
Terence suddenly became very aware of his surroundings. He turned to his right, and saw the blurring Japanese countryside speed by, and the nervous din of other passengers. When he turned to his left, he realized that every single seat in the train was occupied.
"Hold still, Mr. Balfourt." Tekishi was dabbing his forehad with pufts of cotton stained with iodine.
"Where'd you get that?"
"From the car, Mr Balfourt."
"Where are Karoto and the others?"
"Travelling in a convoy with the equipment on the road to Tokyo. Our car broke down at the last second, and Karoto suggested the train."
"Ah." Terence rested his head back again. This could turn out to be an ordinary day, after all. Suddenly, he took notice of the TV at the front of the aisle playing a live FNN broadcast. Terence looked on, intrigued, as a freakish robot bird methodically ripped apart an entire block of skyline in downtown Kobe.
"...Tekishi, what was the cause of the sudden seismic activity?"
Tekishi silently indicated the TV again with his eyes. Terence looked on in horror at the recorded footage of the giant spider erupting out of the mountain, dangerously close to the dig site.
"So it was a kaiju-"
Terence was interrupted with a dull thump on the front seat and the feeling of the train reversing. Terence felt a riveting pain explode in his brain, and there wasn't much he could do to keep from groaning in pain. Tekishi swiftly pulled him back to his position and got out his kit again.
A young conductor came into the room, clearly terrified but masking it with a brace face. "Ladies and gentlemen, there has been a problem. Part of the track has been... ah, destroyed by the recent tremors, and this train is temporarily stranded until government help comes."
Terence covered his ears to stop the immediate uproar and angry din of the passengers.
"I want a refund after this trip!"
"When will Tokyo send help?"
"I'm not waiting forever in here! I have a family to feed!"
"Let me out! Let me OUT!"
All of a sudden, when Tekishi was just relaxing back in his seat, Terence felt a second lurch. The train was moving forward again. Some of the passengers relaxed, but the conductor looked like he had swallowed poison. He hastily ran back to the front of the train, leaving puddles of sweat in his wake.
After a few seconds of confusion, all of the passengers reached a fatal conclusion: the train's engine had malfunctioned, and they were heading towards the destroyed part of the track.
The last thing Terence heard was Tekishi's voice forcing him into the crash position, and the sickening groan of the entire train as his stomach lurched into oblivion.
CRF HQ Camp Zama
11: 26 AM
"Was that a quake?" asked General Onodera to a major.
"Not sure sir but..." the major was interrupted by a junior officer. "Sir! we have a report from the Fuji plains! Reports are sketchy but reports are coming in state that two beasts broke out of the mountain. One a giant spider and the other looked like a flying jelly fish."
"A Flying Jellyfish?"
"That's the report sir" the officer replied.
"Get the deputy commanders in the map room and all vital command staff I need a meeting to plan out attacks." the general pointed at the junior officer. "Hai!" said the young man as he ran as fast as he could.
"Major tell the MP's at the gates that the base is on lockdown, report any activity spotted immediately and regular reports every two minutes."
"Yes sir." the major said as he got ready to leave the office.
"And major. call the ministry of defense and see what our orders are?"
12 PM
In the map room of the JGSDF Base at Zama the commanding officers we watching on tv's the shear inundation of information that was coming on.
Several junior officers put up a white board of where there were kaiju reports, both from the news and police and local SDF forces. The list was as follows
On Ground
Beetle: Osaka
Robot-chicken: Kobe
Lobster: Attacking Kaikyo Bridge
Long-necked Dinosaur: Fukuoka
Giant Mantis: Kumamoto bound
Squid: Naha
Ogre: Okayama
Spider: Shizuoka
Snake: Matsuyama
At Sea:
Giant Octopus: Kagoshima Bay
Giant Turtle: Sea of Japan
Airborne:
Unknown: Sapporo bound
Jellyfish thing: Nagoya bound
Onodera did not think that it was possible for this many monsters to attack a nation at once. He was trying to figure out a plan but the problem was that it was too much information. His nation was being attacked at all sides, his people were suffering. Now he was getting frustrated with the lack of orders he was getting from Tokyo.
He broke the silence. "Alright! Captain, get me Kantei. I will not be sidelined by bureaucratic fools. We are getting our asses kicked. It's time we kick some ass."
The captain dialed the number of the Kantei.
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Polyphemus They/ Them
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2 yrs ago
UNDISCLOSED LOCATION, TOKYO
12:20 PM
Hirotoshi Ueda had already loosened his necktie and discarded his suit jacket. If this was any indication of the way things were going, he would be naked by dinnertime.
“Yes, thank you, Mr. Ambassador. Any help the United Kingdom can give us would be greatly appreciated. The people of Japan will be thankful and indebted beyond description.” Ueda nodded gratefully and set the phone down on the receiver, looking up at his Foreign Secretary, Akiyama. The man had impressed Ueda in the last hour- even on the way to the bunker, he had been appealing to foreign powers for aid and assistance. So far, the United States, Australia, India, and New Zealand were already mustering troops to aid in the battles that were soon to be fought on Japanese soil. And that was just what Akiyama had managed to do from the backseat of a speeding car. Ueda himself had managed to wrangle promises from the British. Now history will remember my efficient begging technique, he thought bitterly. Hopefully his eyes were not too red and puffy from his breakdown earlier.
He had no sooner set down the receiver than a soft voice behind him quietly said his name. He turned to see Koyanagi, his Public Safety Commissioner. “Sir, we have to discuss the refugee issue. Greater Tokyo is unaffected, naturally thousands will arrive here.”
“Of course we're unaffected,” Ueda said with a sigh. “It's a message to us in government. Surrender or else there will be more. As bad as it is now, will our resolve stand when we see additional attacks in Tottori, Nagano, Kitakyushu, Oita, Himeji, Matsue, Hiroshima, Wakayama?”
“Be that as it may, sir,” Koyanagi said delicately, doing her best to avoid the Prime Minister's anger and bitterness, “this is an issue we must prepare for.”
Ueda shook his head. “So many people are leaving Japan. Order the governors of Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, and Saitama to reserve all empty hotel rooms and open all the parks for tents. That should at least accommodate a few.”
“But the wounded, sir,” Koyanagi pressed on. “Some of the biggest hospitals in the country are already inactive, sir, others are being abandoned in fear. The number of injured may actually outstrip the number of hospital beds in the country.”
“Then we'll need to set up field hospitals. And we'll need doctors, maybe even foreign ones. Akiyama,” he said to his closely listening chief diplomat. “Don't so no to anyone who offers assistance. The Cubans will undoubtedly call offering doctors and medicine, like they do when there's any kind of disaster anywhere. Tell them yes. Misery makes for strange bedfellows, eh?”
Ueda took a moment to look at the news coming in on the bunker's multiple televisions. It was the same, really- the creature the media called Manda rolling in the splinters of Dogo Onsen, the Kamacuras swarm wreaking havoc in the suburbs of Kumamoto, Osaka in flames, Fukuoka Tower toppling, Okayama Symphony Hall crumbling, the emergence of the two creatures from Mount Fuji. The news stations were simply cycling the same clips over and over again, without commentary- because really, what was there to be said? Of course, the only clip from the last hurried hour that had stuck with Ueda was not repeated. The one with the reporter in the helicopter over Kobe, the one who died screaming when the helicopter was hit by shrapnel and spiraled to the ground.
The telephone rang yet again, and the Prime Minister could barely suppress a sigh as he lifted the secure line.
“What? Yes, this is the Prime Minister. Yes, of course I'll speak to General Onodera.” Ueda almost felt himself straightening to attention, and was secretly glad someone was there to take responsibility away from him.
“General Onodera,” Ueda said formally once he was patched through. Confidence beganto flow through the Prime Minister as he took command. “Thank you for calling. I respect your initiative, you are the first JSDF official to contact me. I knew the CRF was our best hope. I have several instructions for you.
First, you are in military command for the duration of this crisis. All Ground, Air, Maritime, Coast Guard, and police personnel report directly to you from this moment onwards. Use them as you will.
Second, the Cabinet has agreed to call out all reserves in order to meet this threat. Foreign troops will soon be arriving to provide aid, I expect you to show them every courtesy and use them to their fullest capability.
Third, our first priority is to protect civilians. Moving them to safety is our immediate concern. As of right now, you have authorization to open fire on the jellyfish creature headed for Nagoya, codename Dogora; the giant spider in Shizuoka Prefecture, codename Kumonga; the acidic monster in Hokkaido, designated Hedorah; and the giant insects in Kumamoto, codename Kamacuras. For all other kaiju, attacks will wait until confirmation of the evacuation of all civilians in the immediate area or their confirmed movement into uninhabited land.”
In a few short sentences, Ueda had given the JSDF the most power they had held since WWII. he stayed on the line, waiting for a response as he watched yet another recap of Oodako pulling container ships underwater in Kagoshima.
NAHA, OKINAWA
“We brought you all this way just for this?” Corporal Tanner asked, shifting aside his M4 carbine to light a cigarette. “This better be pretty fucking good.”
“Give her a chance, Corporal,” Lieutenant Young said sharply. The young officer, a long way from his native Kentucky, shifted uneasily. “Those orders were sealed since the 1960s. In case of attack by giant monster, send military escort with current member of Azumi family. Our government knows what its doing.” In truth, Young didn't feel as confident as he tried to appear. His orders came from a yellowing envelope locked up in a desk drawer for fifty years, how much could they possibly mean?
And yet, when his CO had come to him with the assignment, Young didn't hesitate. Grab the oldest living Azumi, escort him or her to Shuri Castle. It had been a her. Most definitely a her, few men in the platoon could help themselves from at least a good up-and-down stare.
Young would much rather be on the front, fighting what the locals were beginning to call Gezora. But this mission, whatever it was, would be useful. At least, that's what he kept telling himself as he watched Gezora from a distance, smashing more buildings into dust. The young woman seemed to be concerned with little more than putting a jade statuette onto a forgotten little alcove of the castle, then kneeling down in the middle of the courtyard. Rifles and rocket launchers raised, the Marines couldn't help but notice the comely young woman. . . start to sing a song, apparently directed at a particularly large hill just outside the city.
Well, Young conceded, maybe these orders were a complete waste of time.
At least, he kept thinking that until the hill started to split open, revealing a large pair of ruby-red eyes.
UNDISCLOSED LOCATION, TOKYO 12:20 PM Hirotoshi Ueda had already loosened his necktie and discarded his suit jacket. If this was any indication of the way things were going, he would be naked by dinnertime. “Yes, thank you, Mr. Ambassador. Any help the United Kingdom can give us would be greatly appreciated. The people of Japan will be thankful and indebted beyond description.” Ueda nodded gratefully and set the phone down on the receiver, looking up at his Foreign Secretary, Akiyama. The man had impressed Ueda in the last hour- even on the way to the bunker, he had been appealing to foreign powers for aid and assistance. So far, the United States, Australia, India, and New Zealand were already mustering troops to aid in the battles that were soon to be fought on Japanese soil. And that was just what Akiyama had managed to do from the backseat of a speeding car. Ueda himself had managed to wrangle promises from the British. Now history will remember my efficient begging technique, he thought bitterly. Hopefully his eyes were not too red and puffy from his breakdown earlier. He had no sooner set down the receiver than a soft voice behind him quietly said his name. He turned to see Koyanagi, his Public Safety Commissioner. “Sir, we have to discuss the refugee issue. Greater Tokyo is unaffected, naturally thousands will arrive here.” “Of course we're unaffected,” Ueda said with a sigh. “It's a message to us in government. Surrender or else there will be more. As bad as it is now, will our resolve stand when we see additional attacks in Tottori, Nagano, Kitakyushu, Oita, Himeji, Matsue, Hiroshima, Wakayama?” “Be that as it may, sir,” Koyanagi said delicately, doing her best to avoid the Prime Minister's anger and bitterness, “this is an issue we must prepare for.” Ueda shook his head. “So many people are leaving Japan. Order the governors of Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, and Saitama to reserve all empty hotel rooms and open all the parks for tents. That should at least accommodate a few.” “But the wounded, sir,” Koyanagi pressed on. “Some of the biggest hospitals in the country are already inactive, sir, others are being abandoned in fear. The number of injured may actually outstrip the number of hospital beds in the country.” “Then we'll need to set up field hospitals. And we'll need doctors, maybe even foreign ones. Akiyama,” he said to his closely listening chief diplomat. “Don't so no to anyone who offers assistance. The Cubans will undoubtedly call offering doctors and medicine, like they do when there's any kind of disaster anywhere. Tell them yes. Misery makes for strange bedfellows, eh?” Ueda took a moment to look at the news coming in on the bunker's multiple televisions. It was the same, really- the creature the media called Manda rolling in the splinters of Dogo Onsen, the Kamacuras swarm wreaking havoc in the suburbs of Kumamoto, Osaka in flames, Fukuoka Tower toppling, Okayama Symphony Hall crumbling, the emergence of the two creatures from Mount Fuji. The news stations were simply cycling the same clips over and over again, without commentary- because really, what was there to be said? Of course, the only clip from the last hurried hour that had stuck with Ueda was not repeated. The one with the reporter in the helicopter over Kobe, the one who died screaming when the helicopter was hit by shrapnel and spiraled to the ground. The telephone rang yet again, and the Prime Minister could barely suppress a sigh as he lifted the secure line. “What? Yes, this is the Prime Minister. Yes, of course I'll speak to General Onodera.” Ueda almost felt himself straightening to attention, and was secretly glad someone was there to take responsibility away from him. “General Onodera,” Ueda said formally once he was patched through. Confidence beganto flow through the Prime Minister as he took command. “Thank you for calling. I respect your initiative, you are the first JSDF official to contact me. I knew the CRF was our best hope. I have several instructions for you. First, you are in military command for the duration of this crisis. All Ground, Air, Maritime, Coast Guard, and police personnel report directly to you from this moment onwards. Use them as you will. Second, the Cabinet has agreed to call out all reserves in order to meet this threat. Foreign troops will soon be arriving to provide aid, I expect you to show them every courtesy and use them to their fullest capability. Third, our first priority is to protect civilians. Moving them to safety is our immediate concern. As of right now, you have authorization to open fire on the jellyfish creature headed for Nagoya, codename Dogora; the giant spider in Shizuoka Prefecture, codename Kumonga; the acidic monster in Hokkaido, designated Hedorah; and the giant insects in Kumamoto, codename Kamacuras. For all other kaiju, attacks will wait until confirmation of the evacuation of all civilians in the immediate area or their confirmed movement into uninhabited land.” In a few short sentences, Ueda had given the JSDF the most power they had held since WWII. he stayed on the line, waiting for a response as he watched yet another recap of Oodako pulling container ships underwater in Kagoshima."Sir, I shall not try to fail you. However sir I must give you ample warning, lots of our people will die, civilians and Self Defense Forces, and foreigners. I cannot say how many will die. But this fight will be up hill, and we will pay for every meter in blood. Sir we must open up travel routes for evacuation and try to get people out. Hell sir these things are hitting Shikoku. We're in trouble. I shall get to work sir." The General looked at the map of Japan and saw the current whereabouts of these creatures.
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