PONIES AND 16" GUNS: Landfall

by An Iowa class battleship

First published 2nd of March, 2013

In the aftermath of WWII a portal rift appears at Midway. On the other side an enemy not of our world attacks, forcing the United States to retaliate and pursue the enemy beyond the gate, sparking a new war where worlds collide.

OCTOBER, 1945.

Humanity's biggest bloodiest conflict has ended no more than a month ago. Many countries are in ruins while many more were untouched. The Soviet Union controls over half of Europe with the Allies still in control of France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain, Italy, Switzerland and the U.K.

In the Pacific, the United States has total dominance over the ocean since the defeat of Japan.
With peace restored the U.S begins to degrade it's military forces in the Pacific. But one day, something out of this world happens.

A rift between space and time opens up within the Midway atoll. On the other side, an enemy like nothing we've ever seen before attacks the island base and the moored 2nd US Pacific Battlefleet. But with greater numbers and firepower, U.S Pacific forces overpower the attackers and pushes them back through the rift. In response, the U.S Government organises a campaign to find and bring those responsible to justice.

An expeditionary fleet, led by Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, is sent through the rift where they are transported to a world that defies everything we know. The arrival of Nimitz' battlefleet will not only make contact with an intelligent Equine race, But an ancient evil that once brought this world to ruins a thousand years ago has returned with a cold vengeance and a powerful army, unleashing a new war that will bring both worlds to ruins.

(Story is undergoing a total rewrite and extended with a brand new storyline. There will be major changes in locations, time, new characters, and the new storyline will follow on from an alternate WWII timeline. More changes will be listed as they come. So for the time being, all work on the sequel is on hold till then.)

Prologue: Fire, Sweat and Tears

San Marecisco Waterfront
Pier 18
Equestria, Verdon
Sunday, October 18th, 1599 AD.
6 weeks before “First Contact”

Three centuries ago, San Marecisco was originally founded as a key naval outpost for the Equestrian Hoofcific fleet. Today, San Marecisco stands as Equestria’s first Industrial City and is home to one and a half million Ponies and the Equestrian “First, Second” and “Third” fleets along with the growing Equestrian Airfleet. The city is built between a large open bay that leads out the endless body of water that is the Hoofcific.
Standing at the mouth of the bay is what remains of the Ironclad Bridge. The large suspension bridge was intended to be an alternative to a large, but risky ferry system that could’ve clogged the harbour and created chaos on shipping. Construction began twenty nine years ago. Five years in, progress had reached past the half-way mark when the bridge was destroyed by an unsuspected malestorm, killing hundreds of workers.
Only a few bodies were recovered, the rest was lost to the sunken wreckage that was to make up the road deck. The four pylons and the main roads making up the approach to the bridge now serves as an aging memorial to those who lost their lives after the project was abandoned.

The Ironclad Bridge still catches the eyes of Princess Celestia ever since she first visited the disaster site. Tomorrow would commemorate the twenty fifth anniversary of the disaster. Today, Celestia is in town to see off the elements of harmony on a six week cruise to the Crystal gulf that was reclaimed by the Crystal Empire along with its deep water port named Pearl City.

“Princess?” The voice of Twilight Sparkle draws Celestia’s attention away from the ruined bridge and towards her beloved student. “Are you okay?”

“Uh, yes, my student. I was just had a few things on my mind I need to sort.”

The excuse wasn’t enough to keep her personal student from looking in the same direction.

“What was it like, the day the bridge was destroyed?” Twilight asked out of curiosity.

“Chaos.” Was all that Celestia said. “When I first arrived at the scene, the storm had moved out to sea and the road deck had collapsed into mouth of the bay.”

“How many ponies were hurt?” Twilight asked.

“Those who were working on the pylons and the approach roads had evacuated just as the storm hit the bay.” Celestia replied, to Twilight’s relief. “But at least two hundred ponies lost their lives when the road deck collapsed in the storm.”

Twilight’s relief was shattered with shock. Death was always seen as a natural occurrence in Equestria, but for so many to die in an accident as severe as what happened on the Ironclad Bridge was really unfortunate.

“What a terrible tragedy…” Twilight shook her head.

“And one that has set fear into the hearts of everypony in this city.” Celestia agreed. “Equestria is on the dawn of a new era, a dark one to be precise.”

“How so?” Twilight tilted her head.

“Ever since the accident, San Maresisco has become the most dangerous city in Equestria in terms of workplace safety, the growing number of accidents in the industrial district, and the biggest issues being poverty and corruption in the city council and local law enforcement.”

Twilight didn’t know what to say, she and many other Equestrians knew that society in San Marecisco was falling apart. But she wouldn’t think it would be this bad. “That’s awful! Isn’t there something you can do?”

“It’s already in the works, Twilight. There’s no need for you to worry about.”

Twilight wasn’t worried about the city’s current state, but the mentioning of corruption in the city council is what’s spooked her. “But, Princess-”

“No buts, Twilight.” Celestia interrupted. “This is something I must deal with personally.”

“Are you sure?” Twilight insisted. “I can organise the lawsuits, the charges the-”

“Twilight” Celestia placed her hoof on her student’s lips. “You and your friends have done so much to protect Equestria from its mortal enemies. From Nightmare Moon, Discord, the Changelings and liberating the Crystal Empire from King Sombra. Words cannot describe on how proud I am of you, Spike, and your friends.”

Celestia’s words touched Twilight’s heart. To her, Celestia has always been a secondary mother to her since she took her into her school of gifted unicorns.
“Thank you, Princess.” Twilight thanked her teacher with a hug before joining the other elements by the gangway of their ship.

The ship is a former three mast, double decker Super Frigate named the ‘Everfree’ repurposed to transport royalty in the days before the first zeppelins took to the skies. Now retired from the navy, the ship will embark on its final voyage transporting the elements to and from the Crystal Gulf before she is struck from the naval register nd formally retired.

“Rarity, are you sure you need all this clothing?” Applejack questioned the fashionista as she observes a crane hoisting Rarity’s luggage onto the ship. “It looks like you’re trying to deliver a shipment.”

The alabaster unicorn simply laughed in response to the apple farmer’s question. “Darling, if I was doing a shipment for a valuable customer, I would’ve had the whole cargo space filled up by now.”

Applejack was puzzled. “And how on Verdon would somepony have ah’ wardrobe big enough store a ship load of dresses?”

“Somepony who obviously has an endless wardrobe that not just fits all of that clothing, but it also acts as a secret gateway to an alternate world!” The joyful voice of Pinkie Pie piped out of the blue with the pink mare appearing between the apple farmer and the seamstress.

“Uh… What now?” Applejack said after getting over the sudden shock from Pinkie’s sudden appearance.

“Hey girls.” Twilight greeted her friends. “Where’s Rainbow and Fluttershy?”
“There they are!” Pinkie pointed towards the start of the pier.

Trotting their way towards the gangway is a cyan blue, rainbow mane Pegasus named Rainbow Dash. Alongside her is a butter yellow Pegasus named Fluttershy. Joining the two is Vinyl Scratch, or commonly known throughout Equestria as “DJ PON-3” by her fans, had come to town to see off the elements and was expecting a friend from overseas to arrive in port from across the Hoofcific.

“Hey girls, sorry we’re late. We were just passing central station when we bumped into Vinyl.” Rainbow called out.

“Wassup dudettes!” Vinyl greeted the Elements.

“Hey DJ, What are you doing here?” Twilight asked.

“I’m in town to pick up a friend who’s coming in from Austaliona for a few weeks.” Vinyl explained.

Twilight was surprised. “Wait, you have an Austalion friend?”

“Yeah, I met her when I was doing my first tour there about three years ago in Sydneigh.”

“Wow, what’s her name?” Pinkie asked.

“Stirlingite.” Vinyl answered.
“What a lovely name.” Rarity complimented.

As Vinyl was about to continue, Princess Celestia re-joined the group to say her final goodbye.

“Are you girls ready to cast-off?”

“Yes.” The six replied at once.

“Hello, Princess.” Vinyl greeted Celestia with a bow.

“Hello, Vinyl.” Celestia replied. “What brings you here today?”

“I’m in town to meet a friend coming in from overseas.” Vinyl explained. “Her ship should be pulling into port soon.”

“That’s wonderful.” Celestia replied with interest.

A loud high pitched whistle broke the harbour atmosphere as the ex-frigate’s commanding officer announced his final boarding call.

“All aboard! For the Everfree’s final voyage to the Crystal gulf!”

“We’d better get goin’!” Applejack trotted off to the gangway.

“Right behind you!” Rainbow followed.

As the elements boarded the ship, Twilight and Celestia exchanged one final hug.

“Goodbye, Princess.” Twilight farewelled.

“Take care, Twilight. I’ll let you know on Spike’s condition when I return to Canterlot.”

Spike, who is Twilight’s assistant is a young dragon Twilight hatched as part of her qualification test to enter Celestia’s School of Gifted Unicorns several years ago, and have since developed a brother-sister bond. Spike was to come on the cruise but contracted a strange flu a week prior that saw him in hospital in their hometown of Ponyville.

“Thank you for looking after Spike for me while I’m gone… And for covering the medical bill.” Twilight thanked her teacher once more.

“Anything to help repay for all you and your friends have done for Equestria.” Celestia winked. “You better get going before they depart without you.”

“Oh, right. Goodbye Princess.” Twilight said before she teleported herself onto the ship as its crew began to free the mooring lines, freeing its sails and the captain orders the ship out to sea.

Ironclad Bridge Lookout
San Marecisco Bay
1.5 hours later

In the weeks following the Ironclad Bridge disaster, the city council closed off the area to the public after the construction company tasked with the bridge’s construction abandoned the project. Today the structure is in a bad condition, twenty five years without any maintenance and no all-weather protection coating has left the bridge completely exposed to the elements. The northern approach highway had been bulldozed and salvaged for scrap, the north tower and what remains of the road deck suspending from the tower was abandoned. The southern approach was left untouched as a memorial and the collapsed road deck couldn’t be salvaged, making entering the bay a dangerous gamble for large ships heading for port at low tide conditions.

The lookout is located a small ways back from the closed off main structure that overlooks the bay, giving the locals and tourists access to a beautiful and terrifying view of the whole city.
From the lookout you’re given a full view of the city itself. Small skyscrapers huddle around the City Business District while apartment complexes and commercial districts surround the CBD. The waterfront comprises of vast marinas with the San Marecisco Terminal as its centrepiece alongside the naval base. Making up the majority of the outskirts is the city slums where two thirds of the population that works in the city’s monstrous industrial complex calls home. The city’s nobles and industrial entrepreneurs reside in the large mansions on the large hills surrounding the city overlooking the slums.

To the north of the city lies the powerhouse of Equestria. Lining the other side of the bay are large factories, towering refineries, steel mills, the deep water port, dry-docks and the city’s coal fired power station. Its atmosphere of fire, blood, sweat and tears have plagued this city since the early days, the smoke billowing from the thousands of chimneys creates a terrifying cloud of fire that rains down ash on the industrial city. The one quarter of the factory workers who are unable to afford to live in the slums reside within the factories themselves, many of which have families to look after.

The workers would spend almost ten to twelve hours a day operating the large machines that make the materials to build Equestria. The young fillies and foals who can’t go to school would normally spend time helping their dads on the production floor, conducting small jobs to earn the extra amount of bits to get food on the table. In certain cases the mothers are forced to take up prostitution.

From time to time machines would break down, bringing production to a halt. In many situations the workers cannot access the source of the problem, so young foals are sent in to fix them problem. This however isn’t resolved without fatal accidents occurring, young children involved in such incidents make up twelve percent of the annual death toll from industrial accidents in the city.
These accidents don’t always occur in all factories. Some owners go the extra length to invest a small portion of their savings into looking after the workers and their families. Some factories have an apartment built alongside, while others have schools to help the young ones get the education they deserve. Princess Celestia applauds those who are doing their part to look after their workers, but the large majority have little to no symphony for their workers, regardless of the circumstances.

Celestia believed that the city was faring as well as the other cities of Equestria did, well… That’s what the annual reports from the mayor claim. A couple of weeks ago she received a letter from a private investigator who had quit the S.M.P.D on claims the department and city council was corrupted by the nobles and power hungry industrial entrepreneurs who had a grudge against the Equestrian Workers Union. It baffled her at first, but when private documents from the mayor’s office was sent to her last week truly revealed the true state of the city.

It saddened the solar princess to see her subjects succumb to such greed. Ever since industrialisation was introduced to Equestria from its Trans-Hoofcific neighbour, the Austaliona/Kangaroo Federation, the equine nation has been undergoing a sudden transition from its post-renaissance/early industrial age into a full blown Steampunk Industrial age. A transition that could take a whole generation to adjust.

Looking to the sky, not only was she met with the fiery wall of smoke that looms over the city, but the various sized airships of the western zeppelin fleet sailing over her as they head out to sea for military exercises. Looking back down her eyes meet a small rock embedded in the centre of the lookout with a bronze plaque on it.

“In memory of the two hundred and fifteen Equestrians who lost their lives on October 19th 1574.You are gone but never forgotten.
-Lord Mayor Fanta Sea.”
Celestia shook her head in sorrow from reading the plaque. The princess trots up the rock, opening one of her saddle bags she brought with her for this occasion she pulls out a beautiful bundle of roses enveloped in the golden aura of her magic. The roses have a mixed colour of white and a faint steel grey which makes them native to the San Marecisco metropolitan area. The wrapping is a dark grey tied together with a gold ribbon.

Celestia gave the roses one final glance before gently placing the roses at the foot of the rock. Two of Celestia’s elite Solar Guards present gave the monument a brief salute in a sign of respect. Celestia gave the monument one final look before she turned around and started her way to the royal carriage that awaits for the solar princess a small ways back from the lookout.

Her eyes once again meet the open expanse of the Hoofcific. Throughout Celestia’s life many major events have occurred around the ocean. From the great migration of the Hoofcific Islanders to the rise of the Austalion/Kangaroo Federation. The ocean also contains many secrets, from the lost city of Atlantis, to a long forgotten war whose scars that scorched Equestria have long healed. But some scars remain with Celestia, some of which she still masks to this day.

The scars inflicted by the greatest threat to the equine nation since Tireks reign.

The Gorgon Empire, and it’s ruler who’s name, forgotten but still lives on in Celestia’s memory, will spread fear like a plague at a brief mention.

Medusa

Author's Notes:

Hey guys, Iowa here.
I just wanted to apologize about the lack of updates. This year hasn't been good which forced me to take a brief hiatus from writing. But now I'm back! And with a new and improved "Landfall"!
There's so much I could say about what's changed. Well... Everything is changed. I didn't like where the series was going with the current plot, so I decided to stop on Equestria's Warships and start over from scratch. I'll be continuing Equestria's Warships once Landfall is done with a probability I might revise and redo Equestria's Warships to carry on the new storyline.

The prologue isn't over, the next chapter will cover Medusa's origin and on a later chapter how she and Hitler came together.
That's all for now, until next time.
"I'll see you on the naval battlefield."

P.S For those who are looking to start a new story or looking to improve your writing skills? I'm starting a blog series called "Write it Better". So keep an eye out on my blog feed if your interested.

Prologue: Castle of glass

Gorgon city of Athens
Gorgon mainland of the Illusive islands of Eternal Fog
Atlantean Straights, Hoofcific Ocean, Verdon
Tuesday, 8th Lunar rotation, 599 AD.
1000 Years ago

A long time ago before Tirek’s reign, early Equestrian explorers come across a large island chain at the heart of the Atlantean Straights. This chain comprised of four main islands surrounded by several hundred other small islands.

Athens, the main Island spans four hundred and eighty nine kilometers in length and one hundred and fifty seven kilometers at the widest point. Ronaldo, the second largest spans two hundred and seventy eight kilometers in length and eighty six kilometers in width at the widest points. The third island, Eclipse, spans two hundred and thirty two kilometers in length and sixty six kilometers in width. The fourth and final main island is the infamous ‘Gates of Tartarus’, a cone-shaped super-volcano ten thousand feet in height and one hundred kilometers in diameter. Many legends tell that the worst entities and beings in Verdon's history is brought to the volcano to be casted into its fiery maw where they’ll be banished to Tartarus. One particular legends says this is where Tirek is imprisoned.

Inhabiting the chain is a powerful race of all-female humanoid/serpent hybrids known as Gorgons. The Gorgon race was believed to have evolved from a species of small sea serpents almost a millennia ago and forged a small empire that expanded from the volcanic islands they inhabited along with many other islands in the Central Hoofcific Region. It was believed that the ‘Elements of Harmony’ and many other powerful magical artifacts were forged within the Gates of Tartarus on the island chain with the practice of the most powerful magic ever created before Star Swirl’s time.

The Equestrian explorers were able to make contact with the isolated nation which almost ended in hostility, but thankfully the first meeting between the Gorgon Empress and the first king and queen of Equestria extinguished any hostility and laid the foundation for a long tenuous relationship. Five hundred years later, the dark lord of Tartarus itself would be released upon Verdon, his eyes set on the young Equestrian nation. The king and queen would perish trying to stop Tirek from enslaving their citizens and inciting a cruel reign over Equestria, imprisoning the young solar and lunar princesses within the sun and moon.

Had it not been for the sacrifice of Empress Athena who used the ‘Orb of Destiny’to free the future Equestrian Princesses with the aid of her daughter, Medusa, the trio was able to defeat Tirek with the 'Orb of Destiny'and the newly forged ‘Elements of Harmony’. Following Tirek’s defeat the chaotic god Discord appeared and takes over the old Equestrian capital and establishes a reign of chaos on the surrounding Everfree area for several decades.

With the help of the Gorgons, Celestia and Luna underwent extensive training to help learn to unlock and control their magic along with intense combat training if all else fails. Luckily it didn’t resort to combat thanks to Discord’s ignorance that got him turned into stone. Following a centuries worth of rebuilding the old Equestrian Empire into what is known today as Equestria, a dark, tyrannical force stirred in the frozen north. King Sombera of the Crystal Empire has fallen under the influence of a dark, powerful art of dark magic simply called, the Corruption, and now rules his empire with an iron hoof. With some help of the Gorgons Celestia and Luna infiltrates the Crystal Empire via a space-bridge and defeats Sombera in a duel.

Following the rise and banishment of Nightmare Moon an unfortunate turn of events has occurred within the Gorgon Empire. Empress Medusa was conducting a spell test to remove the Corruption from some rare crystals that are only found within the lost Crystal Empire. The spell backfired and Medusa was infected with the Corruption which violently spreads throughout the Gorgon’s native archipelago, nearly infecting the entire population. With the Gorgons now under the corruption’s influence they began to spread the corruption across Verdon with an all-out invasion of Equestria, marking the beginning of the Equestrian/Gorgon War.

The invasion began along the west coast, though no major population centers or large towns have been founded, the corrupted Gorgon invaders rapidly spread throughout the continent. The invasion caught the Equestrian armed forces off-guard and unprepared leading to large casualties in their blitzkrieg. The invaders pushed as far as the Sisters Castle which led to a massive siege that would last up to a week, Princess Celestia’s intervention eventually lifted the siege and with renowned strength, slowly pushed the corrupted Gorgons back to the west coast. Through many months of fierce fighting, the gorgons retreated back to their homeland though the Space-Bridges they made. The Equestrian Army manages to seize one of the portals before it could be closed and would serve as a staging point for Celestia’s assault on the Gorgon mainland.

Celestia’s assault could’ve fared well, out of three thousand Equestrian soldiers that accompanied Celestia on this mission has been reduced to a small company’s worth of one hundred and twenty including the princess and some non-corrupted Gorgons. Cut off from home with no reinforcements and almost every infected Gorgon within a several hundred kilometer radius out for their blood, Celestia needs to find the Empress and rid her of the Corruption that plagues her mind or eliminate her, leading to the near extinction of her kind.

The young Celestia, adorned in her battle armour and her company are gathered outside the main entrance to the Mausoleum of the Ancients, where Medusa awaits for the Solar Princess.

“Colonel Geoffrey!” Celestia called out for the company’s commander.

“Yes, Ma’am!” The Colonel responded, rushing to the princess’s side.

“Medusa is waiting for me within the mausoleum, I want your company to dig in this position and hold it till I get back.” Celestia briefed Geoffrey.

“Don’t worry, Ma’am. We’ll give any slithering bastard that tries to interfere a jolly good seal-clubbing!” Geoffrey replied with a thick posh accent.

Celestia smiled to the Colonel’s motivation. “Does that apply to every Gorgon residing throughout the island chain?”

Geoffrey’s motivation briefly dropped from Celestia’s remark but responded with renewed determination. “Well, your majesty, like I said, any slithering bastard that comes near this dome of anarchy is gonna get an Equestrian flogging if they try to get past us. I may be Alicorn and not as genuine as royal blood, but me and my archangels are more than ready to throw our lives away for sake of saving the future of our kingdom, our kind and all of Verdon.”

Celestia couldn’t be anymore indebted to the Colonel’s decision to throw away the lives of himself and his company in a gallantry but futile effort that would indefinitely lead to their deaths.

“Colonel, I-I don’t know what to say…” Celestia spoke with a loss of words.

“Don’t thank us yet, princess, you still have an empress that needs her own taste of seal-clubbing. Now go, we’ll hold them off for as long as we can.”

“Right, don’t hesitate to fall back if they overrun your position.” Celestia reared up to blast the main doors with a solid blast of her magic.

“Don’t worry about us, we’re not that desperate to throw our lives away.” Geoffrey replied.

With Celestia’s back covered, she blasts the main entrance of the mausoleum with her magic, blowing them completely off their hinges. Proceeding inside she checks one of her pouches where the Elements of Harmony are secured, the artifacts could’ve seen better days but were in good condition. Celestia could only hope they could free the Empress from the Corruption. Celestia then pulls out her long sword which long ago was forged deep in the fires of the Canterlot Mountains when the once active volcano reigned dominance over the Equestrian heartlands. With her weapons secured she proceeds into the mausoleum.

After wandering the vast corridors and chambers where the corpses of the Gorgons past leaders are preserved in a mummified state within their crypts which have been enchanted to be linked to the Realm of eternal life Celestia finally reaches a pair of large doors that lead to the large central chamber of the mausoleum. Celestia knew she was expected, assuming Medusa has rallied her best fighters to protect her. Celestia anticipated a trap, so instead of politely knocking Celestia blew the doors off their hinges with a powerful kinetic spell. Upon entering the chamber and the dust had settled, standing between her and the Empress herself are thirty Gorgon ‘Imperial Lancers’.

Medusa welcomed the solar princess to the impending slaughter. “Princess Celestia, my old friend… Have you come to meet your maker?”

Celestia was shocked by how much the corruption had changed her. Once she was a beautiful Gorgon with the signature empress skin pattern coloured in teal pink, red, and yellow. Now, thanks to the Corruption, her body is all but pure dark magic, the colours of her scaly body have changed to a dark, glossy silver. Her upper, humanoid torso appears to be more voluptuous than before. Her snake like hair is extended down to about her lower back, their skin colour have also changed to a dark violet with a pink belly stripe, some golden Death Adders are mixed in to resemble hair streaks.
To top off her fear factor, her beautiful, but lethal eyes have changed from her normal rose-red pupils, to a more spine chilling slim reptilian look with glossy volcanic red pupils that gave off a glowing aura that is visible in the darkened room.

“Medusa… W-What has the Corruption done to you?” Celestia spoke with a loss of words.

“The Corruption?” Medusa laughed. “The Corruption has nothing to do with this. This is evolution, Celestia. The level of power that we now possess, thanks to these crystals, is tenfold compared to what everyone else was capable of.”

“Evolution? Listen to yourself, that’s what the Corruption wants you to think, Medusa, it’s plaguing your mind. You have to fight it, resist its lust for power.” Celestia reeled, drawing her longsword.
“There’s no fighting it ‘Celly’, sooner or later you too will succumb to its influence.” Medusa insisted, her right arm dissolving into pure energy before reforming into the shape of a Shashka sword.

It was just as Celestia had feared, the Corruption from the infected crystals have completely overwhelmed her. The only option now is to use the Elements to cure her, but first she needs to weaken her in order for the spell to work and dispose of her guards.

“You want to conquer the world, then you’ll have to pass me first!” Celestia challenged the Gorgon Empress with her royal Canterlot voice.

“Only one of us is leaving these sacred grounds, and it sure as Tartarus is not you.” Medusa accepted, her guards shrieked their battle cries and charged the solar princess.

Celestia took a defensive stance and waited for the lancers to swarm her before unleashing a powerful beam of focused energy, evaporating ten lancers in the first blow and grazing a few more. As the lancers were on top of her, Celestia casted her hardlight shield to help block the lancers attacks. The first attacker made her move against Celestia by trying to cripple one of her legs, but Celestia saw this coming and manages to dodge right of her attacker and drove her longsword straight through the Gorgon’s chest killing her instantly.

Several other lancers charged Celestia from the front, the princess block most their attacks with her shield but one of the lancers flanked her and got under her in an attempt to dissect her, but luckily her enchanted armour absorbed the blow. Celestia launched herself into the air and obliterated the attackers with an explosive energy bomb. With only twelve left to deal with, Celestia dive bombs another group with a shockwave spell, sending most into pillars and sprawling across the mausoleum.

Celestia narrowly avoids being decapitated by a lancer which only leaves a long cut on the right side of her neck, the attacking Gorgon ended up being blasted through a pillar and was fatally wounded as a result. Only seven are left but Medusa was nowhere to be seen during the initial fight, and that worried her. Just then, Medusa bursts forth from the shadows to strike down Celestia but saw this at the last moment and parried the Gorgon’s attack.

“I’ve trained you well, Celestia.” Medusa admired as she took another swing with her morphed shashka.

But Celestia leapt back with a powerful flap of her wings which also kicked up a lot of dust, disorientating the Empress briefly. A lancer attempts to strike down Celestia but failed to penetrate her shields, the solar princess retaliates with a powerful buck to the lancer’s skull which caused a bone shattering clap to echo across the mausoleum as the lancer collapses from the lethal blow.

Irritated by the loss of her lancer, Medusa casts a powerful rift spell to trap Celestia but her shields absorbed the spell and where depleted in the process.

“Your hardlight shields absorbed my rift spell? I’m impressed with your defensive magic practice. But now you’re exposed to my wrath, and I can promise you I will make your death as agonisingly painful as I can." Medusa hissed at Celestia, her voice full of blind hatred and her fang glands ooze with venom.

“It’s what you taught me and my sister a long time ago, Medusa. Now it’s my turn teach you something.” Celestia replied, hitting the empress with a magic suppression spell.

Medusa was caught off guard and all her magic abilities were lost while also being immobilised. Celestia opened one of her saddle bags and levitated the Elements of Harmony out as she prepares to use them against the Gorgon empress.

Medusa notices the artifacts and began to worry. “Wait, what are you doing!?”

“Over the past several centuries since tirek’s defeat, I’ve learnt something. No matter how chaotic things can be in our darkest days, harmony will always prevail!” Celestia boomed with her royal Canterlot voice.

The Elements of Harmony activate upon Celestia’s command, the artifacts shining as bright as her sun before unleashing its power against the Gorgon Empress. Medusa took a direct hit from the elements and any remaining lancers caught in close proximity were evaporated due to being made of pure dark magic. The chamber erupted into a blur of multitude of colours and brightness for several seconds before dissipating. Celestia lowers her wings below her face from blocking out the brightness of the elements power to find Medusa laying on the ground, due to how much darker the chamber has gotten with most sources of the artificial light blown out, Celestia cautiously approaches the Empress. Upon closer inspection, her initial views show she was still breathing, heavily though, Celestia places a hoof on her shoulder to see if she responds. The Gorgon was startled by the Princess’ grasp, and that’s when Celestia was stunned with fear. Instead of seeing the elegant rose-red eyes, the same glossy volcanic red eyes stared down into her soul. Celestia was completely paralysed in fear of Medusa’s immunity to the elements that she didn’t see Medusa’s right arm morph into a plasma cannon and at point blank range, shot a near fatal blow to the solar princess’ head.

The blast launched Celestia back several feet and nearly the whole left side of her face was badly deformed and doused in plasma fire. Never in Celestia’s life had she endured such agonising pain as she is now. Celestia quickly spawns a ball of water to douse her face in to extinguish the plasma fire. The princess then turns to her adversary only to see she had closed the gap and delivered another powerful shot to her chest, this time Celestia blocks it with a shield spell and with a flap of her wings put some distance between her and Medusa.

“You’re wondering why the elements failed to cure me.” Medusa asked. “It’s simply because the same forces that went into making the elements was also used to develop the Corruption. As the elements bring harmony and balance to our world, the Corruption serves as a counter-balance to harmony amongst our world. Otherwise, how else are we supposed to thrive and evolve on a world where we’ll just simply hold hands sing joy to the world without any opposition? The moment Sombera touched those crystals is what completed the counter-balance to harmony. Chaos, power, obsession, deception and betrayal is what fuels corruption.”

Celestia regained her defensive posture, blood flowed freely from her left eye socket which is now deprived of said eye and many exposed veins across Celestia’s mutilated face. With her sword recovered she knows what must happen now, she must bring balance back to harmony and disharmony. By killing Medusa, the Corruption’s power will be diminished and the elements will restore all that has been infected.

“And by abusing the Corruption’s power, Medusa, you have destabilised that balance. I now bear the ultimate responsibility to restore that balance.” Celestia replied, her horn charged and sword drawn, she was ready for the final battle that will determine the fate of Verdon.

The two royals stared each other down, waiting for one to make her first move. Medusa draws her cannon and ends the brief stalemate with a shot but Celestia predicted this and quickly sidesteps the blast and retaliates with a powerful offensive spell. Medusa blocks the spell casted against her and sees Celestia charging towards her, her cannon morphs back into her signature sword and charges as well.

As the two neared each other, Celestia had some last minute thoughts. What would happen if Medusa defeated her, would the world suffer from her wrath, will Equestria cease to exist? Whatever the consequences, Celestia must not die by Medusa’s hands. She needs to end this, with a killing blow. Memories began to flood her mind of all that was achieved between her, Luna and Medusa. The bond of friendship that was forged will now be broken in this very room. Medusa towers herself above Celestia to strike the solar princess down while the solar princess came in fast and low. The two would clash their swords for the last time as Celestia knocks Medusa’s sword-arm away and delivers the killing blow by impaling the Gorgon empress with her horn straight into her chest and with one more spell, blows out Medusa’s back and destroying all her upper organs.

Medusa drew her last, horrified gasp as her body registers the pain from her fatal blow. Looking down upon the solar princess who had sealed her fate, their eyes locked for the last time as the Corruption, and her life drained out of her body before falling limp to the ground.

Celestia stood over the fallen empress, Gorgon blood trickling down her horn and along her battle-scared face as she watches the Corruption separate itself from Medusa’s body. Audible whispers could be heard from the mist of dark magic before it vanished into thin air. Celestia drew a long breath of relief now it was all over.

Until a painful whisper drew her attention back to the corpse. No longer was there the corrupted Gorgon Empress that tried to kill her less than a minute ago, but the same Empress that Celestia had spent her life cherishing as her own sibling. The next thing Celestia knew she on the ground and was holding Medusa in her wings as she franticly tries to keep her alive.

“Medusa, MEDUSA! Look at me, you’re gonna be okay! I can fix this!” Celestia cried in regret and desperation as she uses a restoration spell to undo the damage she had done.

Medusa mustered what strength she had left and placed her right hand on Celestia’s damaged face which froze the solar princess in place, the two stared at each other, and this time Celestia saw the innocent rose-red eyes that many have cherished.

“C-Celly…” Medusa croaked.

“I’m here Medusa, I’m not going anywhere.” Celestia cooed as she held the dying Empress close.

“I-I’m sorry… I couldn’t f-fight it. I-I…” Medusa tried to explain only to be gently hushed by Celestia.

“It’s okay, you did what you had to do to ensure nopony else would end up like Sombera, or Luna…” Tears began to fall freely from Celestia’s only eye.

“And… because of m-me, you will… be t-t-he Corruption’s next victim.” Medusa sobs painfully.

“Don’t worry about me Medusa. No matter how strong its influence is, I will always be stronger.” Celestia ensures the Gorgon.

Medusa weakly nods. “The Orb of Destiny… m-mom still lives within the orb, the Gatekeeper and a few others haven’t been… infected. Get t-them as far… far away from here. Only will my people still live on… as l-long as they live.”

“I will, and I promise to restore these lands so the Gorgon race can thrive again.” Celestia promised.

Medusa let out a small, saddened smile. “T-thank you…”

And with her final breath, Medusa slowly slips away from reality as her body became deprived of life and her hand slid down Celestia’s face and onto her stomach. The entirety of the mausoleum was filled with Celestia’s agonising cries as Colonel Geoffrey and what remains of the Archangel Platoon came galloping down after holding the main entrance from the corrupted onslaught.

Present

What felt like reality was all but a constant nightmare that still haunts Celestia to this day as she jolts up from her slumber in panic. Franticly searching the room for Medusa it doesn’t take long for the solar princess to realise she was in her darkened bedroom and lets out a calming sigh. The room suddenly flashed as the princess of the night teleports into her sister’s room upon feeling her distress.

“Tia! Are thou okay? We felt a disturbance within the dream-realm.” Luna rushed to Celestia’s side.

“Luna?” Celestia jumped a little from Luna’s sudden appearance but quickly calmed herself. “Yes, I’m fine. I just had a bad dream.”

“Are you sure? Cause over the last fifteen lunar rotations since my return you have been having the same nightmare almost consistently as if it is a bad recollection of memories that I don’t recall?” Luna asked with concern.

Celestia sighed, she had caught Luna up on everything that had occurred since her banishment, except for one thing. She hasn’t told Luna about the war. Very few members of the public and the guards know about the war and all records about it in the Canterlot Archives, and the Gorgon refugees who are living within the castle under Celestia’s protection along with the Orb of Destiny.

Celestia illuminates her room with a cast of magic, the many candles spread around light up under her command. As Celestia went to step off her bed she hears Luna gasp in horror.

Celestia faces her sister with worry. “What’s wrong?”

Luna struggled to pull the words out of her mouth for a couple of seconds until she regained her composure. “Y-your face…”

Now it was Celestia’s turn to gasp, she briefly rushes over to the mirror on her dressing table that was gifted to her from Rarity. Upon a brief gaze she instantly turns away from the mirror with dread. The left side of her face which has been constantly hidden under an illusion spell to hide the damage done on that day was revealed a lot sooner than she wanted.

Just as Medusa feared she had passed the Corruption onto Celestia. Her left side of her face was scared from third degree burns and had severely decayed from the infection. The damaged veins clotted with blackened cysts were easily visible, and a large corrupted crystal had grown out of her left eye socket which Celestia violently yanks out ripping her eye socket open. Celestia immediately vaporises the crystal to vent her frustration and pain inflicted on herself, she then turns to Luna who was still recovering from the sudden shock she had.

“I’m sorry you had to see me in this state.” Celestia apologised as she seals the newly opened wound with her healing abilities. “I wasn’t too sure if you and the girls were ready for what had occurred after your banishment.”

“Tia, I’m your sister. You should’ve told me about this sooner…” Luna replied heartbroken. “Who did this to you?”

“Medusa.” Celestia admitted.

“What… No that’s not true, it can’t be! She was our greatest ally. Why would she do this to you?” Luna recoiled with denial.

“The Corruption got to her Lulu, I tried to revert her with the elements but I couldn’t. I-I had to kill her.” Celestia explains with regret.

Luna tried to deny what her sister was saying but she couldn’t stop reality from caving in on her emotions. Eventually she let her emotions in as she crumbled to the floor in tears as Celestia tries to comfort her.

“Why… Why did this have to happen Tia.” Luna sobbed. “Why her and not the Changelings, or Tirek?”

“Medusa did what she had to do, for the sake of maintaining the balance between harmony and chaos. She knew the risks, but it could’ve been the Changelings, or me that got infected… Your return would have dropped you into a more twisted reality that it almost did. There’s never been a day that goes by over the past millennia that I don’t mourn for her loss by my actions.” Celestia admitted.

Slowly, Luna comes to terms with what her elder sister had done to ensure the future of the world. “I now understand by what you had do, for our ponies, our allies, and our world. If you’re comfortable, I’d to further discuss about this, hopefully with some ‘sister to sister’ therapy?”

Celestia smiled. “Of course, Lulu. In the morning I’ll tell you the main events that transpired after your banishment during breakfast. Then we’ll go check up on Spike to see if he is cleared to come back with us.”

“Deal.” Luna agreed.

The two princesses wrapped each other in a quick embrace before bidding each other goodnight. Luna teleports back to resume her duties in the night court while Celestia cleans the infected blood off her fur and performs a quick spell check to ensure her empty eye socket has healed and that the Corruption within her is contained. Satisfied with her conscience, the solar princess slips back into her bed and the candles illuminating her room are blown out before drifting back to the dream realm under the watchful eye of Luna.

Author's Notes:

Hey there fellow sailors, Iowa here!

So I finally got the second prologue chapter done! Only took me nine months but I got it done that's all that matters.

"That's good and all, Iowa, but when are we gonna see our American protagonists? Nimitz, MacArthur, Patton and Spaatz, and the ships?"

Alright, alright! The third and final prologue will introduce our American heroes, both man and machine alike. And over the past time since I first started Landfall, a lot of you guys wanted to see things that would require me to bend time and space to meet those needs. "Will we see the Montana's? Are the ships captured by the Allies be used in the upcoming war? Where's the Royal Navy!? *Inserts World of Warships joke* Well... I'm doing just that, I'm making some major alterations to our timeline from 1920-1945. Such as by reading the description of the story there are some hints of theses changes such as the USSR controlling 75% of Europe.

"What the hell happened during D-day?"

All will be explained in the next chapter which brings up another point. I don't know how much I'm gonna put into the next chapter, but all I can say is; it's gonna be big! Like around the 20-30K range.

So that's all for now, I'm gonna be doing another blog soon regarding a certain 'War-Train' and the current plot settings for Rails of Destruction.

Until next time, I'll see you on the naval battlefield!
-Iowa.

Prologue: Worlds collide

Midway Pacific Command Headquarters
Midway Atoll, Pacific Ocean, Earth
October 5th 1945
09:30 Hours

It was a calm, warm sunny day on the fortified islands of Midway Atoll. The sun had long cleared the horizon and the local garrison is out in force, maintaining the large naval and airbase to it’s now reduced state of readiness. The last time this base was under threat of foreign attack was three years ago and it turned the tide of the war for the Pacific Ocean completely in the Allies favor that would gradually lead to the end of the second world war.

No more than a month ago the Empire of Japan formally surrendered to the allied powers onboard the battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2nd 1945, marking the end of Humanity’s bloodiest chapter in its history. The combined might of the three U.S Pacific Battlefleet’s stalled Japan’s imperial conquest of the South East Asia and sent their Combined Fleet to Davy Jones’s locker. Then came the intense island-hopping campaign to take Japanese occupied islands and liberate the larger island nations that had befallen under Japan’s iron grasp. Some islands fell swiftly while others were claimed at a great cost of life.

The United States Navy had a troubling start to establishing its naval supremacy against the IJN. Unlike the United States where it focused the strength of its fleets around its battlewagons, Japan had better success of establishing its carrier program than any of the Allied nations had estimated. However the United States was quick to adapt and thanks to its superior industrial capabilities was able to out produce the Japanese in the long term conflict.

“-The First World War was supposed to be the 'war to end all wars', but some people just wanted to watch the world burn, and sixty million people paid the price for their fanatical ideologies, deception and suffering they brought upon our world. Nowhere was safe from this grand conflict. Those who’d strive to keep the peace were swept under the rug of autocratic fascism while those who turned a blind eye to avoid being dragged into something they were never part of in the first place would awaken to their homes bombed out or an entire naval armada a flaming wreck.

We almost lost the entire 2nd Pacific Battlefleet that day on December 7th. Had the fleet been at anchor in Pearl we could’ve lost almost half of our naval firepower in one swift blow. The fleet had been out at sea conducting the biggest naval exercise the world would ever see. It was meant to show deterrence against the aggressors, but instead they saw us as a much greater threat we wanted to make ourselves.
All I can say at this point in time is never in my career would I go from being a tin can sailor to commanding the biggest and most powerful naval armada the world has ever seen. If only Steigleman survived to see his dream become a reality, I don’t know how we could’ve fared against Japan had we not had the battlefleets.

This concludes what could be my final report as Fleet Admiral, Mr. President. I have done my duty for my country and couldn’t be prouder to have done my part for the war effort.

Until we meet in Washington,
Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz.”

10:00 Hours

Not long after Chester finalized his report the Fleet Admiral felt the need to stretch his legs and had made his way down to the beach, stopping by the garrison cafeteria to grab a coffee along the way. Once he arrived at the beach where he joined what he roughly estimated was several thousand other American servicemen who got straight into the celebration of the allied victory. A vast majority of the off-duty servicemen are disembarked sailors, airmen and marines from the colossal mass of ships anchored nearby that make up Nimitz’s 1st U.S Pacific Battlefleet.

The battlefleet, over 100 ships and submarines in strength had seen the bulk of America’s naval combat since the U.S entry into the war. The 1st Pacific Battlefleet was stationed in San Diego at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor when it was being expanded to include the two newly completed Iowa class battleships and three Yorktown class aircraft carriers that was to be joining their leading sister ship. Since then the battlefleet had grown three times the size it was since 1941, many ships, great, old, valiant and daring were lost in action fighting the Japanese while new ships, built from the lessons of the war took their place.

As of today the 1st Pacific Battlefleet comprises of twenty Balao and Gato class submarines, fifty Fletcher class and twenty Gearing class destroyers, twelve Cleveland class and seven Fargo class light cruisers, the sole USS Wichita, seven Baltimore class and two Oregon City class heavy cruisers along with the newly commissioned USS Des Moines. All four Constellation class and six Alaska class battlecruisers, all four Iowa class battleships and one Illinois class Command Battleship which originally served as Nimitz’s flagship from 1942 until the arrival of the USS Montana which had entered service just in time to face off the Yamato during the invasion of Okinawa.

Throughout the entire war Admiral Nimitz was given full responsibility of all U.S fleet carriers in the Pacific Theatre. Making up the Pacific Carrier Squadron are the sole survivors of their respected classes Saratoga and Enterprise, all twenty four Essex class Carriers and the newly completed USS Midway which was commissioned a week after the war ended. All of the navy’s escort carrier divisions would be rotated between the second and third battlefleets. Five Akron class airships were assigned to the Pacific Airfleet, three would be lost throughout the war. The three lost airships would be replaced by the USS Columbia (ZRCV-1), the largest airship ever built in aviation history.

On the day the war ended the 1st Pacific Battlefleet had become the largest and most powerful naval armada ever assembled which combined with the other two Pacific and two Atlantic Battlefleets makes the US Navy the most powerful navy in the world with 6,768 active warships, support, amphibious, and auxillary ships prior to the end of the war. Today the 1st Pacific Battlefleet stands guard over the navy’s biggest spoils of the war, the former IJN Shinnano, Japan’s third and final Yamato class battleship which the Japanese had completed just before they accepted the Allies unconditional surrender. Alongside the Japanese super-battleship is the IJN Nagato and two 'Sen-Toku' I-400 class submarines, I-401 and I-403 which had sailed into the Guam garrison and surrendered to U.S forces at the end of September.

“Glad to see you out of the office, Sir.” A soft, feminine voice reached out to the Admiral’s ears.

Nimitz turned his head to the source to see his senior intelligence officer, Emma Gallagher standing alongside him. Emma comes from a Texas family with an Irish background who joined the navy as an intelligence officer in the outbreak of the war and served, to this day, alongside Nimitz throughout the entire war.

“Someone has to wrap up those final after-action reports and makes sure everyone gets home safely Emma.” Nimitz smiled.

“And don’t forget who had to aimlessly brisk back and forth through the passageways of a several hundred foot long battleship, collecting reports and orders through the wireless and checking twice that your reports were sent through to Pacific Command over the last four years? Not to mention the thousand cups of coffee I made between us.” Emma replied with a raised eyebrow, her voice breaking into her ancestral Irish accent.

Nimitz chuckled. “I wouldn’t have managed to pull us through this war without you. You have gone far and above the line of duty to bring victory, not to mention some of the acts of heroism you expressed throughout this war will not go unnoticed.”

“Aw don’t be ridiculous, Admiral. I was just doing my part for my country.” Emma waved off the Admiral’s compliment.

To be completely honest, there was a lot more to Emma than she openly admits. When she first joined the war as Nimitz’s leading officer of the Pacific Intelligence Network in June 1942. Throughout Emma’s wartime career she played a crucial role on gathering intelligence on the Japanese movements of their fleets, participated in the finalization of major offensive and defensive operations.

Emma, along with her team would uncover the IJN’s plans to invade Midway, anticipated the Japanese ruse in the Philippines, and was able to keep track of the combined fleet throughout 1943 to 1944. There was a one-off occasion where she saw herself out-foxed by Admiral Yamamoto during the Guadalcanal campaign that almost led to the loss of the key airfield both opposing forces have been fighting over the course of the campaign.

The conversation was briefly interrupted by the distant sound of thunder as it echoed across the atoll from the west. A long, trailing mold of dark greyish storm clouds could be seen creeping over the horizon as it crawled towards Midway.

“Looks like we might be having bad weather over the next couple of days.” Nimitz muttered. “This one looks like it could cause disruptions for the ships partaking in Operation Magic Carpet.”

“I’ll check with the weather team and see what they know about this storm. I’m sure it won’t be as bad as it looks.” Emma spoke before she started her way to the weather station.

Midway Training Group 1 conducting water rescue exercise with PBY-1587
100 Nautical miles west of Midway Atoll
10:20 Hours

A small ways out west of the Midway Islands the weather had taken a turn for the worse. The large storm is only starting to show its ugly side when it engulfed two US ships and a B-17H participating in the exercise. The waves become erratic as the Fletcher class destroyer; USS Jenkins, and the Brooklyn class light cruiser; USS Helena ploughed through them. Several thousand feet above the two ships a well-aged B17-H Flying Fortress, originally an E model dances through the stormy skies combating the strong gale force winds and the occasional gust of turbulence.

The plane had been refitted for maritime patrols/search and rescue after the E models were phased out by the updated B17-G and the introduction of the AC-17 gunship models. As the turbulence became more intense the plane would bank and roll more violently. The pilot makes the decision to return to Midway.

“USS Helena, this is PBY-1587 to Helena, come in Helena.”

“This is Helena actual, go ahead 1587.”

“Helena this storm is really starting to throw us all over the place. We can barely maintain level altitude up here, we have to break off and return to base, over?”

“Copy that 1587, I’ve informed the Jenkins that the exercise has been cancelled and we are returning to base, over?”

“Copy that Helena, exercise cancelled and we are returning to base, over and out.”

As PBY-1587 banked off from its orbit of the training group the Helena and Jenkins prepare for their U-turn trip back towards Midway. What would happen next would forever change humanity’s understanding of the multiverse and have the world’s greatest scientific minds scrambling for an explanation. It all began when those pitch black storm clouds started to glow green.

10:45 Hours

Back at Midway the air raid sirens, originally meant to warn the occupants and those embarked on their ships of an incoming air attack, now warns the island of the approaching storm. As the beach-goers scramble to return to their garrison or to their vessels Nimitz continued to eye the green toned storm with a mixture of awe and concern. Nobody had seen such an intense weather anomaly like this before. Emma returned to the admiral’s side, breaking Nimitz’s concentration.

“Sir, the weather team says they’ve never seen anything like this before! They don’t know whether or not this is some sort of compacted hurricane!” Emma spoke above the gale winds.

Just as Nimitz was about to reply the atmosphere was inundated with strange noises originating from the storm. The noises occurred with such intensity that everyone stopped and looked around for the source. But as quick as the noises appeared, they disappeared, filling the atmosphere with dead silence. Even the gale winds have stopped. Nobody talked or dared to move a muscle.

10:53 Hours

Back onboard the Helena and the Jenkins the eerie silence plagues the surrounding area of the two ships, only the battering of rain pelting the superstructures and the rumbling of the engines could be heard. The crews were in a state of unease and some were expressing discomfort of the situation.

“Sir, have you ever seen anything like this before?” Helena’s Executive Officer asked his commanding officer.

“Never in my life, son.” The commanding officer replied. “Nor have we ever seen anything like this in recorded history.”

The two officers remained quiet for a brief period of time, nobody spoke a word as they observed the calmed storm above them. Then the noises returned, louder than before, to the point where the bridge windows rattled from the intensity of the noise. Some of the crew and officers covered their ears to block out the noise that is now starting to cause irritation for some. Little to the awareness of the crews of the two ships a large wall-cloud was descending from the skies above them with a small funnel protruding out of it as it spirals down to the Pacific.

A keen-eyed sailor however spots the descending funnel and alerts his fellow crewmates. Though waterspouts tend to be a bit of a more common weather anomaly compared to tornadoes in key parts of the globe. But for a waterspout to spawn out in the middle of the ocean was a first for the crews of the Helena and the Jenkins.

From the moment the funnel made contact with the ocean is when all hell breaks loose for the Helena and the Jenkins when an explosion of titanic proportions is unleashed, sending water almost a kilometer into the sky and triggers a small tidal wave that would almost wiped out the two ships that got caught dangerously close to the blast. The Helena and the Jenkins received minor shockwave damage to their external components, deck fittings and virtually all glass viewports and windows were blown out showering those who were unfortunate in shattered glass. What followed was a colossal beam of light that rockets into the sky, those who had a clear view of the beam were blinded by its powerful aura.

10:55 Hours

By now the beam had breached the space-time continuum as it reaches for the stars. Nimitz, Emma and the thousands of navy and marine corps personal gaze upon the anomaly with mixed emotions. How and why this is happening is beyond anyone’s comprehension. Everyone continued to stare at the beam for a good minute before the beam finally dissipates and goes supernova, bathing everything within a three hundred nautical mile radius is a blinding flash of light more powerful than the two atom bombs dropped on Japan in August. As soon as the light faded away and everyone’s vision returns the storm begins to pick up its pace again, this time a lot more violently than before.

Nimitz was gonna turn to Emma only to find himself locked in tightening embrace from her having a panicked reaction from the unexpected event. Nimitz gave Emma a couple of pats on the head to bring her out of her panicked state. The intelligence officer looked up at the admiral before leaping back in embarrassment when she realized what she was doing.

“Uh s-sorry sir, didn’t realize I was doing that.” Emma blushed.

“No need to apologize, Emma. C’mon let’s get back to H.Q.” Nimitz led the intelligence officer towards the safety of the fortified building.

10:57 Hours

As soon as the powerful aura had completely faded away the crews of the Jenkins and the Helena immediately went into damage control mode. Tending to the wounded and reestablishing control of their vessels.

“Alright sound off!” Helena’s commanding officer barked. “Somebody man the helm, I need a medical team up here and a full damage assessment.”

A couple of responding voices rang out throughout the bridge as the crew rushed to help the injured while others manned their battlestations. One of the external access doors opened up revealing a distraught sailor.

“Captain! You need to see this.” The sailor called out.

“What is it sailor?” The commanding officer approached the stricken sailor who simply leaned back out of the access door and point towards the ship’s bow.

The captain’s head followed the sailor’s arm where his eyes met a swirling mass of green energy ahead of the ship. The captain couldn’t believe what he was seeing as did the others on the bridge as the captain selflessly stepped out onto the port bridge wing to get a better look and the view alone exceeded his expectation.

What was revealed in full scope was a colossal green vortex like anomaly stretching five kilometers in length with two protruding bedrock spires towering two kilometers into the sky that anchor the vortex in place. What the captain also realized was the event also seemed to have created an eye at the heart of the self-conscious storm. The captain silently steps back into the bridge.

“Sir?” The executive officer reached out to his C.O over the silence.

The captain simply looked his X.O in disbelief, but his expression shifted to restored authority.

“Get Midway on the wireless… Now!”

11:00 Hours
"Zero Hour"

The senior crew members were so infused in their attempts to reestablish contact with Midway that they didn’t notice a single ship emerging from the anomaly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2tHXPUede0&list=PLMYFz_IsJEovV7EKDGJnZWaUsnuJ8wq_Y&index=14&spfreload=5

Author's Notes:

Hey there fellow sailors, hope you're having an good day.

So finally I bring you the third and final prologue chapter (Excluding the previous chapter). Now I can get back to fleshing out this story, though with a lot more chapters, new characters (and historical figures with altered fates) and a lot more naval action than before. Though right now it's gonna have to wait until I return from my upcoming family cruise to Fiji starting on the 21st and ending on the 6th. Of course there are other factors I need to prioritise at the moment such as looking for full time work and my involvement in Eagle's Nearing the Edge collaboration story.

That's all to say at this time, hope you guys have a fantastic day and until next time,

I'll see you on the naval battlefield!

Zero Hour

11:00 Hours
Zero Hour

In the brief period of time between the appearance of the strange colossal anomaly and the appearance of the unknown ship the crews of the Jenkins and the Helena have been running amok getting their ships back into order. As the onboard radio operators try to hail Midway the Helena’s bridge crew couldn’t help but stare in awe of the anomaly, and that’s when one of them finally takes notice of the unknown ship.

“Contact, direct front!” one of Helena’s observers called out.

“What have we got? Friendly?” Helena’s Captain approaches the observer.

“Negative, sir. It’s hard to tell with it in front of the anomaly, but it looks like a Japanese destroyer, sir.”

“Are you sure, Lieutenant? Looks can be deceiving with anomalies involved.” Helena’s Captain asked with uncertainty.

“Yes, sir. That’s definitely a Japanese destroyer, Akizuki class by the looks of it.” The observer confirms as he gazes through his binoculars.

The Captain now appeared puzzled. “I thought Halsey rounded up the remaining six ships of the class when Japan surrendered. Where did this one come from?”

“No idea, sir- Wait, I got activity on the anomaly!” The Observer called out.

Just as Helena’s Captain hopped out onto the bridge wing, he manages to catch a glimpse of what was two bright openings on the anomaly as two more ships emerged from it.

“Two more ships in visual, sir. German Z-52 class.” The Observer announced.

“Germans!? In the Pacific? Something’s not adding up here, are you sure those are German destroyers?” Helena’s captain questions the Lieutenant’s observations.

“I recognize those ships the day we encountered them escorting the ‘Artic Convoys’ when I first deployed to the 2nd Atlantic Battlefleet.” The observer reassured his commanding officer.

“I’ll put your word to it Lieutenant. General Quarters, all hands to battlestations. Someone man a signal lamp, be ready to make contact with those ships in case they’re surrendering.”

“Aye sir!” One of the junior sailors replied.

Back at Midway Headquarters the storm had eased up a little though strong winds could still be felt. But much to the relief of those who were fortunate to seek shelter in the battle hardened headquarters building where strong gusts of wind is of little concern compared to the attempted Japanese invasion back in 42. Admiral Nimitz, Emma, and most of the island’s senior staff had gathered in the war room to discuss the bizarre storm that struck the island.

“Crazy storm we’re having today?” A senior officer spoke to the Air Marshal.

“Yeah, one of our B-17H’s barley made it out of that storm when the crew were conducting a search and rescue exercise.” The Air Marshal replied.

Nimitz’s focus was broken by Emma’s sneezing. “You alright Emma?”

“Yeah, just a little soaked from the rain is all. Nothing my Irish self can’t handle.” Emma replied confidently.

“I appreciate your iron-will, Emma. But it would help if you get yourself dried up and jump into some dry clothes.” Nimitz asked.

“Aye, sir. I’ll be right back.” Emma proceeded out of the war room back to her quarters to get changed.

“Admiral Nimitz!” A telegram operator called out. “Urgent message from the USS Helena.”

“What is the Helena’s situation, son?” Nimitz asked, the other senior officers quietened down to listen in.

The messenger reads out the report. “Sir, Helena accompanied by the destroyer, Jenkins are caught in the eye of the storm. They also found something in the eye, sir. Something out of this world.”

“What is this ‘something’ that they found, Corporal?” The base commander asked with interest.

“It’s hard to explain sir, they’ve describe it as if it’s something completely out of pure fiction.” The messenger continued.

“Well, whatever it is inform the Helena to keep an eye on it.” Nimitz requested.

“Yes sir.” The Corporal left the room when another messenger approached Nimitz.

Nimitz was growing even more worried about what’s going on outside. “What the hell is going on out there?”

Back out in the eye of the storm the Helena and the Jenkins had since repositioned themselves broadside on the three mysterious destroyers, all guns trained on them. Helena’s manned starboard signal lamp flashed erratically in the direction of the idle destroyers in an attempt to establish communications with them.

“Any luck communicating with them?” Helena’s Captain asked his X.O.

“Negative sir, they’re awfully quiet. “ Helena’s second in command shook his head.

“Keep trying, let me know the second they squawk.”

Helena continues her attempt to communicate with the destroyers only to fall on deaf ears as the Axis ships stayed quiet. Then, as if someone turned on the lights, the bridge windows of the destroyers lit up with an ominous green glow creating an already eerie sight combined with their illuminated reptilian like camouflage schemes of different varieties which gave them a more lively appearance. The anomaly lit up again at two separate locations as two larger ships emerged from the portal alongside the destroyers.

“Two light cruisers just appeared, sir. One Nagara class followed by a Konigsberg class.” The lookout reported.

“Where the hell are these ships coming from?” Helena’s commanding officer piped with wonder.

“I wouldn’t be too concerned about where they’re coming from, sir. But they now have the upper hand against us should they decide to make a move on us.” The second in command added.

“Your right.” Helena’s C.O now realised of the tense position the American ships were in. “Warn the Jenkins, we have to start putting some distance between us and them.”

As the Jenkins and the Helena started to pull away a large tear in the portal anomaly opened up as a large steel fortress emerged and took up the centre of the formation. Its large calibre guns tracking the American light cruiser

“There’s a huge ship that just joined the group of unknowns, Littorio class. She’s bringing guns to bear on us!” One of the observers raised the alarm.

“Helm, hard left rudder, all engines ahead full. All unknowns that come out of that thing is declared hostile. All stations, fire at will!”

The Helena surged forward with her front 6” guns blazing away as she pulls into a hard left turn to open up the gap on the now hostile ships. The Jenkins follows the light cruiser as the destroyer starts to lay a smoke screen to cover their escape while also dumping a large spread of torpedoes against the group.

The enemy ships make their reactionary moves as they start their pursuit of the two American ships with all their firepower concentrated on the Helena. The Littorio takes one of the Jenkins’ torpedoes on the starboard bow while the Konigsberg got caught in the spread and is ripped in half by another torpedo.

“We nailed the Konigsberg, she’s going down!” Jenkins’ Captain declared.

The Littorio, now suffering major but containable flooding fired a salvo of 15” guns at the Helena but the light cruiser is presenting such a small profile having completed her hard turn that caused most of the shells to bracket Helena’s hull with one finding its mark on the cruiser’s armoured belt which only scraped of some paint and left a long, scaring dent as the shell ricocheted off the sharply angled hull.

“Shit, that was way too close.” The second in command held his breath.

“We got a minor hull breach in boiler room two, need a damage team down here to help contain the water or our boilers are getting soaked!”

Looking back at the portal the lookout spots five heavy cruisers exiting the anomaly and just catches six large flying reptilian creatures flying out with the new ships. “Captain, I got eyes on five heavy cruisers and six… Uh, six flying reptiles.”

“Could you be more specific, rookie?” Helena’s C.O questioned.

“I think the appropriate term you’re looking for sir is dragons, and they are carrying some nasty looking payloads.” The X.O added.

“Get a wall of AA around us, I don’t want one of those things getting near us!”

Within a moment’s notice of the order every anti-aircraft mount and dual purpose gun trained their barrels on the pack and opened up with a hail of hot iron and deadly flak bursts in close proximity to the dragons. The reptilian creatures were forced to take evasive action having underestimated the effectiveness of the combined anti-air fire. The dragons split into two groups with four committed to attacking the Helena and the last two focused on the Jenkins.

As the creatures got closer to their targets the more accurate the anti-air fire became as one five inch proximity round found its mark underneath one of the dragons and prematurely detonated its payload, enveloping the dragon in a large explosion that also knocked its buddy out of the sky. The crippled dragon dropped his large payload hoping for a lucky hit as he slams into the Pacific ahead of the Jenkins but the dart like bomb fell short of the US destroyer, its five ton warhead explodes on the surface sending a water column high into the air and drenches the manned AA gunners.

The Jenkins pulls another hard manoeuvre under sustained fire to avoid colliding with the downed dragon but the large reptile grabs the destroyer in a desperate attempt to stay afloat. The dragon, now weighing down the Jenkins and almost threatening to capsize the destroyer pulls its head above the forward deck only to see the front 5” gun train onto him. In a last ditch effort to survive the dragon unleashes a torrent of fire onto the gun house in an attempt to cook off any ordinance being loaded. His attempt was interrupted when some of the Jenkins’ deck crew turned their AA mounts on him. The dragon takes a swipe at the gunners only for the ship to shift under his weight as his free claw strikes the superstructure.

The dragon was left in a position where its vulnerable throat was exposed to the 5” gun which pumped three rounds into the dragon’s neck which gave a dying cry as it’s now lifeless body is torn away from the destroyer. With the dead-weight removed the Jenkins regains her lost speed and continues to dodge to continuous fire from the enemy ships.

“Man, I don’t think we’re gonna be forgetting about that anytime soon.” Jenkins’ X.O exclaimed.

“Just like wrestling with the finest catch in the Bering Sea.” His superior replied.

As the Jenkins and the Helena continues to peel away from the enemy fleet another flock of dragons exit the portal to take the place of the fallen, their desire to avenge their fallen brothers drags them into the hail of flak and bullets. Three more dragons would be knocked out of the sky before another dragon would make it through the AA bubble and get on top of the Helena and began its dive on the cruiser at break-neck speed.

“Incoming, incoming!” Helena’s X.O cried out.

Helena’s commanding officer simply stared up in despair of the inevitable fate that was about to befall onto his ship.

The dragon held his payload tightly with his bare claws as he accelerated towards the cruiser, waiting for the right moment to release his dart bomb. The faster he went the quicker his target grew closer and the more accurate his drop will be. Just as the drake drops below two hundred yards above the vessel he releases his payload and pulls out of his dive. The dart bomb strikes home on Helena’s mid-section.

In the time that it took for the fuse to arm the bomb had pierced through every deck and breached the bottom keel when the bomb detonates. The initial explosion lifts the Helena out of the water, breaking her in half in the process. The large air bubble created by the explosion would be sucked back into the ship with catastrophic results as Helena is ripped apart from the inside. Most of her superstructure would be blown off the top of her hull as the powder storage rooms for the secondary guns caves in. It only took one spark to set it all off as a chain reaction of explosions ripped its way to the main magazines. Water-tight and fire-prevention doors are blown off their hinges throughout the doomed vessel as a fireball seeps into an exposed powder storage room of one of the 6” Guns and with a final large explosion marked the end of the light cruiser.

The crew of the Jenkins could only watch in horror as their fellow seamen and their proud ship is obliterated in seconds. The lone destroyer now stands alone against the other-worldly armada. The commanding officer is left with limited options as another volley of shells splash around the destroyer, an 8” shell over-penetrates the rear funnel.

“Sir, we are completely outgunned! We have to get out of here!” The X.O spoke in a panicked tone.

His commanding officer grabs him and stares dead into his eyes “That ship has already long sailed son, we’re out of options. All we can do now is warn Midway and stall the enemy as long as we can.”

“But sir-“

“Don’t give me a bullshit excuse, lieutenant. Now get your ass down to communications and get that message out even if you have to keep transmitting long after we have sunk, and that is a direct order.”

“Y-yes sir.” The X.O stuttered as he slipped out of the bridge and bolted for the coms.

“Captain, both launchers report all tubes are reloaded and requesting firing solutions.” The leading weapons officer announced through a voice-pipe.

“Standby.” The captain replied before grabbing a spare pair of binoculars as he exited the bridge.

Under the constant hail of gunfire and splashing water the captain of the Jenkins takes a step of fate as he brings the binoculars to his eyes. Through the lenses he spots the alien armada parallel to the U.S destroyer, his eyes lay onto the damaged battleship that took one the Jenkins’ torpedoes earlier on. Its bow was low to the water and was showing a shallow list to starboard.

“We got to finish that ship off.” The captain muttered under his breath.

With the captain caught in a tunnel vision he didn’t notice the dragon bearing down on his ship as it dropped its payload close to the ship. The close explosion that followed up nearly threw the destroyer onto its side as the captain fell onto his back. Without a second thought he scrambles back into the bridge stumbling onto the gyro-compass post where the voice-pipes hug the post tightly.

“Weapons officer, this is the captain. Bring both torpedo launchers to bear on our starboard bow. Your target is the Littorio that we nailed earlier.”

“Aye sir, bringing launchers about and we will track the enemy battleship once in visual contact.”

“Helm, Change course. Have us kite the enemy formation. Make sure you take us up along the Littorio on her starboard side, but not too close where our torpedoes won’t arm before they hit her side.” The C.O informs the helmsman.

“Aye sir, bringing us about!” The sailor replied as he throws the rudder hard to starboard.

The Jenkins makes her sharp right turn as another salvo of 15” shells bracket the destroyer from the Littorio as it tries to bring its rear turret to bear which unintentionally put the Italian battleship in the path of a fellow Takao class heavy cruiser as it accidentally fired some 8” rounds into the portside superstructure, knocking out some secondary guns and starting a fire. One of the Littorio’s Secondaries shot back at the heavy cruiser in frustration of its lack of situational awareness. The other four cruisers race to get around the wounded battleship to finish off the battered Jenkins.

The Jenkins however was able to get into an open position to finish off the Littorio. “Sir, this maybe the last chance we got of doing some serious damage.”

“It’s as good as we’ll ever get, it’s been an honor serving with you all. Prepare to fire!” The Captain ordered.

The two torpedo launcher operators maintain a steady trigger discipline as they await the final order. An 8” shell from a Heavy Mogami class cruiser strikes the destroyer’s number two 5” gun barbette and explodes underneath the gun house, blowing the gun off its mount and killing the gun crew as a pillar of flames erupt from the exposed mount.

“Now, flush the tubes!” The C.O barked as the Jenkins’ forward magazines cook off, ripping the destroyer’s bow off from the rest of the ship.

Without a second to spare, the Jenkins lets off a final hurrah as she unleashes her ordinance for the last time. The last of the torpedoes exit the tubes as a volley of shells zeroed in on the Jenkins as they made a beeline for the damaged battleship. The other-worldly Akizuki spots the deadly submerged wall of ordinance and warns her allies to which most were able to steer clear with the exception of the doomed Littorio, the Takao that collided earlier and one of the Nagara’s were caught in the spread. Out of the ten torpedoes launched only six would deal the finishing blow to the Italian battleship and two of the remaining four would critically damage the Nagara, the Takao would get off lucky using the Littorio as a torpedo shield.

With their adversaries defeated the axis ships regroup to secure the portal gate as reinforcements continue to pour through. The passing destroyers would mercilessly mop up the remaining survivors to ensure there are no witnesses and the dragons that participated in battle would return to their base of operations with the exception of two younger drakes who continue to fly east towards the Midway atoll. The last of the ships to pull through are six destroyers, five cruisers, three aircraft carriers, one of which was modified to carry the dragons that participated in battle. And the last ships to exit the portal are two Bismarck class battleships that complete the overall composition of their scouting task force. As the last of the survivors from the Jenkins are killed off the other-worldly fleet groups up and steams towards the American base to the east. Unknown to them was that the Jenkins was able to get its warning message off to Midway Pacific Command and will soon be aware of the incoming threat.

Back at Midway the skies had cleared up significantly as base operations continued without a hitch with some clean-up effort required in some areas. Admiral Nimitz, Lieutenant Emma who had changed into her spare uniform and the general staff had stepped out into the open to assess the weather damage.

“Doesn’t look like the storm caused to any significant damage apart from some blown over trees and a lot of lightweight items scattered all over the place.” Emma spoke observantly.

“The airfield reports minor damage to some of the prefabricated hangars and some aircraft have inflicted weather damage.” The Air Marshal followed up.

“Alright, nothing too significant was lost, let’s get this place cleaned up and back in order.” Nimitz spoke with authority.

“Admiral, Lieutenant!” A distant voice cried out.

The group of officers look back to see one of Emma’s senior staff members run up to them with a look of urgency on his face.

“Is something wrong, Adam?” Emma called out her fellow colleague.

The Communications Officer came to an abrupt stop just in front of the group, he took a moment to catch his breath before passing his message to the Admiral.

“Distress call from M.T.G One, Sir. They’ve been attacked.” The Coms Officer named Adam huffed.

The group of Officers were shocked by the news, Nimitz bore a look of worry but remained stern. “Attacked by who?”

“It’s hard to say, sir. The message was rushed and brief as if they didn’t have a lot of time to get this through.” Adam started. “To break it down for you sir, the Helena and the Jenkins were attacked by a joint Axis strike group comprising of Japanese, Italian and German ships.”

“Germans and Italians, in the Pacific?” The Admiral questioned the officer’s words.

“Yes, sir. That’s how the report came in, they also mention something about a large anomaly appearing in the eye of the storm out in the ocean and not long after they were engaged, they also reported that they were under air attack by large reptilian creatures.”

“Are you sure that is how it came through and it wasn’t broken up by any interference?” Emma questioned her subordinate.

“No Ma’am, that’s how it came through. We tried to hail the Jenkins and the Helena but they’ve dropped off the radar.”

“Off the radar?” Nimitz repeated.

“As in they’re gone sir, the transmission stopped abruptly before we could send a response.”

“What the hell were they attacked by, the Lock-Ness monster?” The Air Marshal joked.

What followed next wasn’t a funny response as two fireballs slam into the beach in front of them as the group was sent scrambling to cover as the two drakes roared overhead to launch their surprise attack on the island base.

“Does that answer your question you feckin’ lemon head.” Emma pointed at the flying reptiles.

“I take back what I said, we gotta knock those things out of the sky!” The Air Marshal yelled back.

“Emma, take your comms officer and get to H.Q as fast as you can. Raise the alarm, mobilise the fleet!”

“Aye, sir.” Emma replied as she and her fellow officer make a mad dash for the H.Q building.

A squad of U.S Marines came across the group of officers as they were making their way to their defence positions. “Sir, we need to get you into some solid cover, let’s go!”

“Alright, move it!” Nimitz barked as the group was escorted to a safe location as the drakes make another pass on the base under escalating gunfire from fixed anti-aircraft gun positions and some of the nearby ships.

As the group made their way to a more solidified position Nimitz turned to his colleagues. “Jackson, how soon can we get our birds in the air?”

“If I have to predict from now, twelve minutes. But if I had access to a wireless radio I can shave a minute and a half off the scramble time.” Air Marshal Jackson replied.

“Get onto it.” Nimitz ordered. “Emmet, what’s the status of the fleet?”

“About a third of our fleet still have their engines hot, but most of them are scattered around the atoll conducting post war drills.” Nimitz’ executive officer spoke over the raging gunfire.

“Catch up to Emma and see if you can get the last known position of the Helena and the Jenkins and have all readied ships sail towards it immediately.”

“Yes, sir!” Emmet rushes off to catch up with Emma.

“David, who do we have close by for support?”

“Last I checked, the Iowa’s battlegroup is conducting anti-air drills about fifty nautical miles to the north-east. The Saratoga should have reached the rendezvous point with the Columbia to refuel the airborne carrier returning from Japan which is taking place two hundred nautical miles just to the north. If we need the additional air support from both vessels, their aircraft can be here in less than two hours.” David replied.

“Good, having Silverbird Squadron nearby will be critical to resolving the situation, and not just them. I want every plane within two hundred miles of the island in the air, now!”

Author's Notes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDdzXUIiMZw&index=20&list=PLl7zTGocRY2tLI85-KSdx4h_nMMQeKMzh

Little island, all out war

USS Montana BB-67
6 hours later

“General quarter! General quarters! All hands man your battlestations, this is not a drill! Portside up, starboard side down, threat condition Zulu!”

The narrow hallways of Nimitz’s flagship was abuzz with activity as fellow crew members scramble to their posts, the engineers below clock into overdrive to get the ship’s boilers hot and the steam turbines purring. The gunnery crews man the battleship’s main 16-inch guns and 5-inch secondary guns, loading the appropriate shells to engage threats that they are most likely to engage. The smaller gun crews who man the hundreds of anti-aircraft guns scattered around the ship were already getting to work on taking down the growing number of dragons and enemy fighters that were filling the skies around midway.

The dragons themselves were proving to be rather resilient against small caliber guns as their thick scales have no trouble deflecting fifty Caliber rounds and 20mm shells. However it isn’t well solidified to take many 40mm shells and is no match for 5-inch proximity rounds as the explosive force alone can cause enough damage to buckle the scales and any shells that find the underbelly of a dragon is more than enough to guarantee a kill.

As the sun arched towards the west the other-worldly fleet continued towards Midway at a steady pace. The first pacific battlefleet gathers its strength at Midway as aircraft from the island base and every fleet carrier nearby were racing into the sky with fighters wrestling to regain air superiority from the attackers. Dealing with the fighters is a rinse and repeat routine but dealing with the dragons presented a whole new challenge of its own. There aren’t many aircraft in the U.S arsenal that carry autocannons capable of piercing a dragon’s scaly skin and Midway doesn’t have any of these aircraft stationed at this time.

Through all the chaos a pair of PBY Catalina floatplanes was able to get past the attackers and head west to locate the enemy fleet in the direction of the Helena and Jenkins’ last reported positions.

In due time they reached the last position of the patrol group and the two Catalina’s would locate the attackers and the portal that they emerged from, relaying their position back to base. They would also report in a second wave of ships in a similar fleet and a third, but much larger fleet. The overall fleet comprises of six battleships, twenty two heavy cruisers, fifteen light cruisers, ten destroyers and six aircraft carriers, tallying up to fifty nine ships with the possibility of submarines.

“-Are you one hundred percent certain that this is the main strike force, Emma?” Nimitz addressed his Intelligence Officer.

“Yes sir, we haven’t gotten any additional intel from reconnaissance saying otherwise.” Emma reassured the Admiral of the fleet.

“Very well, have are we doing fleet-wide? Are we ready?”

“All available ships are mobile and ready to get underway, sir.”

“Good, give the order. all ships ahead standard and assume battlefleet formation.”

“Yes sir.”

From the moment the order was given fleet-wide every ship that was ready raise their anchors to pull away from the island base joined formation with the Montana. Those who weren’t ready were given the task of defending the atoll while aircraft filled the taxiways of the island airbase waiting for the order to take off. The majority of the aircraft carriers present at Midway were given the order to sail north-east to avoid being detected and become the focus of the enemy attack. Should their cover be blown, they have ten Fletcher class destroyers, two Atlanta class Anti-Air cruisers, three Baltimore class heavy cruisers and the battleship, Kentucky to provide sufficient anti-air defense.

“Admiral, telegram from Fletcher. Message reads: 'Our carriers have cleared the island and are moving to a safe distance. First group of aircraft ready for takeoff'.” Emma read out the message.

“Good, what’s their overall combat readiness?” Nimitz asked.

“All but two of our carriers are ready to launch the all-out strike. The Tarawa is having hydraulic problems with her aircraft elevators and the Shangri-La is having electrical problems with the aviation fuel pumps. They only managed to fuel up a handful of planes.” Emma read out the second half of the message.

“Damn, keep me posted on the situation. Until those carriers have their problems fixed, we can’t proceed with an all-out air strike until every single plane is ready. This setback should give our fighters some time to gain air superiority before we commit our bombers.”

“I agree sir, we should deploy them now while we still have the numbers.”

“Give the word to Fletcher, Emma. Launch all available aircraft.”

“CINCPAC to Carrier Group, CINCPAC to Carrier Group. Launch fighters but hold your bombers back until air superiority is achieved.” Emma hailed the carrier group over the wireless.

“CINCPAC, this is Admiral Fletcher, Fighters are on their way and bombers are awaiting your orders to launch.”

“CINCPAC, this is Midway HQ. We got a squadron of Mustangs and AC-17 gunships going airborne.”

Nimitz made the calculations, thirty F6F Hellcat fighters between each of the twenty four Essex carriers present, Saratoga’s twenty nine, Enterprise’s thirty three and Midway’s thirty six P-80 Shooting star jet fighters. Nimitz practically has the full might of the U.S Navy Air Corps at his disposal with eight hundred and eighteen fighters and double the number of carrier-based bombers. Midway airfield has an additional one hundred and fifty two planes comprising of two squadrons of Hellcats, three squadrons of P-51H Mustangs and a squadron of A-20 Havoc attackers and AC-17 gunships each.

However the Saratoga is up north on a refuel op with the Columbia and can’t launch her fighters, however her trapeze fighters ready to go once the rigid zeppelin has completed her refueling.

“Admiral, Sky Marshal Armitage on the U.S.S Columbia has forwarded a message to us. Message reads; Nimitz, I've got fighters on the tightrope ready to go and a squadron of P-61’s on the catapults as soon as refuelling is complete. Columbia’s taskforce will make for Midway at best speed.”

“Tell Mary to keep her birds in reserve, Emma. We’ll need them to mop up anything that gets to Midway.”

“Yes, Admiral.”

“Sir, PBY one five eight seven and one five nine three have made contact with the first wave.” Another Intelligence Officer manning a radio informs the Admiral.

“What have they found?” Nimitz motioned the officer to pass his headset over to him, putting it on to catch the following conversation between the patrol aircraft.

“-One five eight seven to one five nine three, please confirm visual?”

“One five nine three to one five eight seven, I can confirm contact. Seven enemy destroyers, ten cruisers, two battleships and three flat-tops. Bearing is 198, heading 090, straight towards Midway. Be advised, they have transports. Repeat, enemy landing ships spotted.”

“PBY one five nine three, this is CINCPAC. What is your current position, over?”

“PBY one five nine three to CINCPAC, we are approximately sixty nautical miles directly west of Midway, just past Kure atoll.”

“This is the Kure atoll list--ing post to Midway HQ, we have --- enemy fleet in visual range and we -- under heavy fire and they have launched landing craft to take the --land, requesting assistance!”

“Emma, send a message fleet-wide. First enemy fleet spotted near Kure outpost, all ships assume capital phalanx formation and proceed to the atoll at best speed.”

“Will do, Admiral.”

Kure Atoll
Sixty Nautical Miles west of Midway Atoll.

“Enemy landing craft approaching!”

American troops scurry their way across the battered island to man fortified positions while simultaneously praying to god that the enemy doesn’t drop a shell on top of them. Just off in the distance the enemy fleet was in clear sight as they continually bombard the island while fighter-bombers and dragons keep the marines pinned down. No sooner had the landing ships made beach-fall the coastal fortifications open up with another salvo on the armoured transports, blasting a few sky high and bracketed a few more. Machine gunners and infantry men clutch their weapons tightly as they wait for the troop bay doors to open before sending every round into the exposed compartment and killing the occupants inside.

What felt like an eternity was mere seconds until the ramps finally fell onto the beach.

“Open fire!” A field officer cried out and the beach became a shooting gallery as infantrymen, machine gunners and armoured support rained hell into the troop bays.

The rapid fire submachine guns and 30. Cal’s sprayed the open troop bays while marksmen armed with their trusty Garand and Springfield rifles holds back on the action ready to put down more precise fire onto any unfortunate invader that manages to get out through the rain of lead. The overlapping thuds of multiple 50. Cal heavy machine guns from various emplacements and a supporting M16 halftrack carrying a quad mount made short work of the transports. The armour-piercing rounds made Swiss cheese of the thin armour and cutting clean through into the engine bay, ruptured fuel tanks would be set alight leading to a few more transports burning down.

More shells from the enemy fleet rained down onto the American fortifications, knocking out a few more gun emplacements and a stray 15” shell annihilates the M16. The same group of fighter-bombers, this time supported by a wing of dragons make another passing run on the defence line knocking out additional fortifications and any unfortunate soldier caught on the firing line of the fire breathing monsters were instantly cooked alive. The island’s anti-air defences made short work of any aircraft that strayed too close but few guns couldn’t do much against the dragons armoured scales.

More transports make landfall and their embarked passengers takes the advantage on the distracted defenders. Initially several marine squads poured out but what followed them could only be made of the purest of nightmares as minotaur-like beings cladded in armour and armed with battle axes followed suit. Some transports carried Gorgon archers, Gryphon lancers, and large canine like beings armed with light machine guns and anti-tank weapons. Making up the cannon fodder were small horses that looked to have been claimed by the undead.

“W-what the fuck are those things!?”

“I don’t know, but they're with the enemy so fucking shoot them!”

The marines that took notice immediately continued shooting at the invaders and their monster allies, the others that were focused on shooting the enemy aircraft as they passed over made easy pickings to the enemy sharpshooters as they returned fire. It didn’t take long for some of the monsters to quickly reach the trenches as the armoured Minotaur’s jumped into the American trenches with their battle-axes swinging. The Gorgons slithered in around the less fortified flanks or through breaches caused from the ongoing artillery bombardment, slicing their way through the American troops with extreme lethality. One Marine equipped with a 12 gauge would get lucky despatching one of the snake-like creatures before a sister-serpent takes him down.

In no less than ten minutes after the first transports landed the beachhead had completely caved in to the invaders and the defenders were forced back to the secondary line that surrounds the AA positions. “Move it! Move it! Take defensive positions and fix bayonets! These bastards like to dance, so we shall kindly return the favour to them. Get ready men!”

The survivors from the beachhead hop down into the trenches as those already positioned attach their bayonets to their rifles. One of the AA crew’s had repositioned their 20mm Oerlikon gun to face the oncoming horde of monsters. More shells from the enemy fleet saturate the surrounding tropical forestry that provided some cover for the AA positions followed up by another dragon pass as it burned any remaining tree standing to the ground. The wall of fire now divides the marines from the invaders as they await for the raging inferno to die down. Another dragon makes a run for the AA positions but underestimated the volume of fire that he would take before being forced to bank off but left it too late as his wings were shredded from base to tip and ends up crashing onto the beach.

“I got it! I got the motherfucker!”

“I saw it go down towards the beach, I don’t think something like that can survive a fall that high, right?”

“Well let’s hope it didn’t, the last we need to deal with is a completely pissed off fire-breathing lizard!”

“Cut the chatter! There's still planes that need to be swatted out of the sky.”

More shells and bombs fall out of the sky and continues to inflict devastation on the entrenched marines as the enemy invaders use the dust plumes and smoke from the exploding ordinance to cover their advance on the fortified positions. Once the next barrage had passed the invaders would hold position again for the next artillery barrage to push up and then repeat. For the defenders, many of which are young and haven’t seen much combat, this would be their first and last engagement as the enemy numbers was far too great and eventually be overwhelmed.

“Fall back! Fall back to the field headquarters, we got to make sure the communications equipment doesn’t fall to the enemy!”

Some of the remaining marines use their last smoke grenades to make a run for it. A few more would fall to the enemy’s blind firing of their weapons as the rest would get lucky with their escape. By the time they reached the outpost the survivors would be joined by reinforcements from the other side of the island. Another platoon of fellow marines along with a small armoured column comprising of USMC variants of the M24 Chaffee light tank, Sherman amphibious tanks, LVT’s, one M16 and M19 mobile AA vehicles. An M29 Lincoln heavy tank that was part of the column had gotten bogged down in the loose sand with marine engineers attempting to dislodge it behind the front lines.

“Where’s the rest of your platoon?” Another platoon commander called out.

“We’re it sir!” one of the four survivors replied as they approached the outpost. “They’ve consolidated all their landing craft on the west side of the island. We thought we had the upper hand, but that fleet kept hammering us and more transports kept coming. And then thes-these things, these creatures started coming out of the transports and slaughtered everyone. I-I don’t know how to explain it sir, what we’re going up against is completely out of this world!”

“But the real question I’m about to tell you son is can they be killed?”

“Y-yes sir, but they don’t make themselves an easy target.”

“Is that so? Then we shall make ourselves just as hard to kill as these monsters make themselves to be. You boys protect the communications bunker, we’ll give these freak-shows our welcome to Earth reception.”

“Oorah, sir!”

“Alright men, defensive positions! Nimitz’s fleet is on the way, we just have to hold onto this pile of sand for a little longer.”

“What about air support, sir?”

“Admiral Fletcher is already sending fighters our way and Midway has ground-attackers and gunships in the air. Jonny, you’re my assigned forward observer. Grab mickey with the radio and take position on top of the bunker. I want you to make sure our flyboys are killing anything that isn’t a devildog!”

“Oorah, Sarge.”

“C’mon private, where’s your spirit at? It’s a good day to die!”

The atmosphere was rattled by the demonic screeching of the gorgons, signalling their imminent offense. One final artillery barrage from the enemy fleet rains down all around the outpost, shaking up the tense soldiers while more warplanes and dragons strafe the armoured column. The mobile AA guns fired back at the attackers and bring down another dragon, a Kreigsmarine variant of the JU-88 Stuka dive bomber and forces a Japanese A6M Zero to break off from its strafing run.

Without hesitation the monsters make their move by sending in the undead knights first as cannon fodder to take the brunt of the American defences. With the marines distracted, the dragon that was shot down earlier made its return to the front. Letting out a deafening roar to announce its entry into battle as he immediately came under fire from the American tanks.

The dragon charged forward with every trembling stomp he made as he closed in towards the bunker. Marines armed with bazookas take shots at the large beast but couldn’t land an accurate hit and the gunners in the tanks struggled to line their guns with the dragon. One of the Chaffee's was able to manoeuvre into a flanking position thanks to its high speed and manoeuvrability and begins laying down quick fire into the dragon’s hide. The 75mm gun had no difficulty punching an Armour Piercing Ballistic Capped shell straight through the creature’s thick, armoured scales and shaving a huge chunk of its flesh off his side. The large beast let out a roar in pain as his eyes, full of blinding rage were transfixed onto the light tank and unleashed a torrent of fire at his assailant. At best the most damage inflicted on the tank was the camouflaged paintwork being scorched and some of the forward optics had cracked from searing heat.

But at such close range the loss of the optics was not a big deal to the Chaffee commander as the tank fires another APBC shell straight into the beast’s chest. This near-fatal blow was more than enough to enrage the dragon to close in and with a powerful swipe with his left arm knocks the 18.3 ton tank onto its side. None of the tank crew inside were seriously injured but the commander had been thrown out of the tank through his hatch being knocked open. Standing between him and his disabled vehicle was the mighty beast itself, his eyes full of rage and lust for blood transfixed on the tank crewman like his next meal.

Survival instincts kick in with a natural dose of adrenaline as the tank commander leaps for his M3A1 Grease Gun, a standard issue submachine gun fielded to U.S tank crews in the closing days of the war that chambers the same .45 Calibre rounds used in the Thompson submachine gun. The commander maintained his momentum with another combat roll to avoid being stomped on by the dragon as it tries to crush him with its forward claws. Whipping back towards his attacker and maintaining a disciplined trigger finger, the tanker fires several controlled bursts at the dragon with some bullets landing close to its eyes which forced the giant lizard to reel back and protect them. This gave the tank commander his one chance to make a run for cover and immediately jumps to his feet running for his rolled tank, the dragon recovers from its protective stance and attempts to fry the crewman with another burst of flames but manages to dive behind the wrecked Chaffee just in time.

His fellow crewmates were still trapped inside the tank and he needed to act fast before the overturned tracked vehicle becomes an oven or the ammunition inside cooks off. He didn’t have to wait too long until the dragon had to stop and take a breather.

‘Now’s my chance.’ He thought nervously but bravely leaps from the safety of his tank as he makes a mad dash for the bunker. He takes a few pot shots at the colossal beast to lure it away from the tank. “Hey! Over here you oversized gecko!”

His callout was more than enough to get the dragon to give chase. The tanker dives into a nearby impact crater caused by a 200 kg bomb. Peaking back over he saw the dragon closing in and takes more accurate shots around his chest cavity where he was able to damage its thick hide with his tank with some bullets striking the exposed flesh that force the dragon to stop and protect himself. What came next was a thunderous crack, a high pitched whistling and the dragon exploding in a massive fireball as the shockwave sends the tank commander back down the crater with the wind knocked out of him. His eardrums popped from the shockwave rendering the tanker temporarily deaf as he drags himself back up the crater.

As his head peeks over the crater’s edge the officer came face to face with the now deceased dragon almost giving the man a near heart attack as he stumbles away from the lizard in near terror but calmed himself upon realisation of it’s death.

Looking back the assailant that slayed the beast reveals itself from the plum of dust kicked up by the 105mm gun of the M29 Lincoln tank which had been freed from the loose sand by the Marine Engineers and now has joined the fight. It’s Allison V1710 V12 engine revs furiously as the heavy tank rumbles closer towards the front with a platoon of Marines close behind the safety of the machine. Another 105mm High Explosive shell leaves the barrel at speeds of 850 metres per second. The tank shell finds a group of Minotaurs as they were enveloped in a large explosion that left little of their remains to be scattered all over the battlefield which delivered a strong message to the hostiles to duck into cover and out of the heavy tank’s ear-like periscope sights mounted on the sides of the turret.

The tank commander looks back at his overturned tank to see his fellow crewmen had bailed out and are in a position to make a run for their commander’s position. The driver and the loader each were readying to throw smoke grenades when the opportunity presented itself. The friendly heavy tank moved forward to provide covering fire as another 105mm round rang out of it’s gun and finds a group of monsters as the following explosion sends dirt and remains high into the air. An enemy soldier retaliates with an anti-tank rocket but the projectile lands short of its mark in front of the tank by meters as two .30 Cal machine guns fitted in the hull and in the coaxial mount of the turret sprayed out lead towards the opposition.

Many troops and creatures alike dropped like flies as even more took cover wherever they could as the various machine guns mounted in the tanks and fixed positions suppressed them. This gave the tank crew the opportunity they needed to get their smoke grenades out as the loader gave his a slight under arm throw from where he stood so that the smoke bloom from the grenade will cover the tank as the driver threw his much further away. It only took a few seconds for each of the grenades to pop open and a small smoke screen to grow into a sizeable plume and allow the tank crew to make a run for the crater where their commander layed low just as the flipped tank was destroyed a rocket fired from a concealed Panzerschreck. Shrapnel flies everywhere from the following detonation with white hot debris narrowly missing exposed infantrymen by inches.

“You boys okay!?” The commander shouted over the raging gunfire as he checked over his crewmates for any signs of injuries as they each nodded in response.

They were soon joined by a fellow marine as he jumped into the hollow crater under the relentless gunfire that continues to criss cross the battlefield.

“Got room for one more?” The marine greeted the tank crew.

“Plenty of room in this shit hole.” The tank commander returns the gesture. “Any news on reinforcements?”

“The last I heard is that Nimitz has mobilised his battlefleet and is steaming this way, but that was an hour ago. We got friendly planes on the way as well and the first wave should get here within the next ten minutes.”

“Well, let's hope those flyboys can get here sooner. I don’t know how much longer we can hold those things off. We have to hold this position!”

“We’ll hold, Sergeant, we have too. We’ve got nowhere else to run, it’ll be a slaughterhouse for all of us and I don’t think those things are interested in talking prisoners right now.”

“Well, that’s a shame. I got family back home waiting for me for two years. Two years they have been waiting for me and if those fuckers are gonna take that away from me, then I’m taking every one of them down to hell with me.”

“A-fucking-men, Sarge! Now lets haul ass back to the bunker!”

“After you, tankers. I’ll cover you, get your men ready.”

“Alright boys, you heard the Marine. Get ready to make a run for it!”

Another volley of projectiles from the enemy fleet further saturates the island closer to the sea as every shell chunks out a few cubic metres of the terrain and rattles morale to breaking point. Further bombardment from dive bombers and the larger dragons adds more chaos and escalation to the growing number of casualties inflicted on the island defenders. The men used whatever cover they could find to protect themselves and continue to engage the attackers.

“Now’s our chance, boys! Run for it!” The Marine shouted as he climbed out of the crater firing a few short bursts from his submachine gun.

The tank crew followed the Marine taking several shots at the creatures before sprinting back to the safety of the hastily erected fortifications as they came under heavy fire from several attackers. The Marine that came to their aid would be mercilessly cut down from a MG42 while one of the crewmen named Mendoza is hit by a cursed arrow from a Gorgon Archer that turns their victims to stone upon being struck.

“Holy shit! What the fuck is this madness, Sarge!?”

“Don’t look back, Sam! Just keep running until you’re in cover!”

The tankers kept equal pace as they reached the safety of the bunker. The same Archer that downed one of their crewmates made another attempt on their lives but failed to connect a hit before the Gorgon herself was put down by an American sniper. Relieved and short breathed from almost becoming dragon food there was no rest to be given as they exchanged their issued weapons with what the Marines had in surplus and rejoined the fight with renewed valour. There was nowhere to run now, the remaining defenders of the island outpost now made their last stand against the monsters and the strangely armoured German marines as they started their charge against the bunker with the intent on leaving no survivors.

“Gentlemen, it’s been an honour serving with you all. Now let’s make them pay in blood with every last step they take on this pile of sand!” The base commander shouted as every manned gun and shooter opened up, their trigger fingers never dared to lift off the trigger until their guns had been emptied.

The leading elements of the first wave were cut down with many more of the creatures following close being blown sky high by the tanks as they focused on the deteriorating tree line where the enemy lay hidden behind what little cover there was. A few of the bipedal Canines, armed with an unknown variant of the shoulder mounted Panzerschreck rocket launchers fired their anti-tank rockets back at the American tanks. A Chaffee took one of the rockets to the tracks and was immobilised while an LVT took another and had its fuel tanks ignited. An unfortunate Sherman DD was hit in the ammo rack and detonated with deadly results, the whole crew and several Marines that sought cover behind the tank were killed instantly with many more inflicted severe shrapnel wounds. Another rocket struck the turret of the M29 but failed to penetrate, leaving negligible damage to the heavy tank as it fired a retaliation shot at the A.T infantry.

But as quick as the battle began it would already be over as the otherworldly creatures found themselves blown sky high by a volley of rockets fired by a wing of F4U Corsairs as they roared overhead. Air support from Midway and Admiral Fletcher’s carriers have arrived following hours of delays regrouping and getting scattered pilots to their aircraft, most had little time to gear up upon returning to their assigned carrier. Nevertheless they weren’t gonna let this new enemy beat them down without a fight.

What little hope remained for the defenders was revived with renewed valour upon seeing the friendly planes as they fired their rockets and dropped bombs on the enemy. The sight of a squadron of Mustangs roaring overhead to chase off another group of oncoming hostile aircraft alone was more than enough for several survivors to leap from the safety of the fortifications and with a battlecry, they charged at the now confused enemy guns blazing. The commander of the supporting heavy tank ordered his driver to put the foot down and move up to support the charging foot soldiers.

The monsters that still stood were initially confused with where the rocket barrage came from but the sight of the american fighters made it clear to them that they were living off borrowed time and began to slowly retreat for the landing boats with the Marines hot on their heels. Some of the armoured Germans stood their ground and drew the americans fire as long as they could until they eventually were brought down by heavy weapons or got caught in the crosshairs of the Lincoln tank.

High above the battle scarred atoll fighters from both sides engage one another in a dogfight for control of the skies. It was almost as if you were watching a display of aerial acrobatics with the way the planes danced and weaved amongst each other in their game of cat and mouse. The Americans had the upper hand with overwhelming numbers but the dragons compensated by acting as flying tanks for the unknown faction. Most U.S fighters were armed with .50 Calibre machine guns while some heavier birds like the P38 Lightning carried 20mm autocannons but it wouldn’t be enough to pierce the thick hide of the reptilian creatures. Planes that were armed with unguided rockets had a better chance of hurting the beasts or at best forcing them to dodge the projectiles. One unfortunate drake lingered into the path of an oncoming Tiny Tim rocket that was intended for the other monstrosities on the ground and was blown in half.

All over the open skies Mustangs tangoed with BF109s while F6F Hellcats straffes a squadron of Stukas attempting another run on the island defenders. The sight was alone was awe inspiring but at the same time odd with presence of German aircraft in the Pacific but no more unusual than the Dragons that are aligned with them. As the battle dragged on a few pilots took notice of one glaring detail on their adversaries.

“Hey, has anyone noticed the markings on these guys?”

“Yeah, I don’t recognise those symbols at all… Must be part of an elite branch of the Axis that we don’t know of?”

“God knows who they are but how can you explain the dragons? I thought these things are supposed to be some childhood make believe bullshit!?”

“I don’t fucking know! But they’re a real pain in the ass to take down, they’ve got some real thick scales that our guns can’t penetrate.”

“Is there anyone on station with any weapons to deal with these things!?”

“Fighters, this is V.F-36 Squadron. We’ve got tiny tims loaded and operating in the A.O. where do you need us?”

“Nice of you to join us, V.F-36. You think you can nail these flying reptiles for us?”

“Well, uh… We’ll see what we can do, our main objective however is to attack that fleet nearby, over?”

“Acknowledged, we could use whatever birds we’ve got packing heavy weapons to deal with these things. But commit to your orders, bombers. We’ll figure something out.”

“Rodger that, fighters. I’ll spread the word about the dragons, good luck out there.”

The air battle would rage on for many more hours as overall air supremacy was slowly achieved by the American pilots. By sundown all enemy fighters were knocked out of the sky at a small cost of a few pilots, the dragons however still remained an active threat in the area leading to further losses until the great beasts were brought down through combined arms fire.

With the enemy carriers nearby effectively de-planed the first wave of friendly bombers dived down upon the enemy fleet. Not all birds would survive the initial attack run through the concentrated anti aircraft fire but with a combination of dive bombers and torpedo bombers the axis vessels had to prioritize what group of planes posed the biggest threat to them.

The first attack lasted twenty minutes with most screening ships sunk or crippled at the cost of twelve planes and most of their pilots. The second wave concentrated on the capital ships with their attack lasting up to almost an hour with all three carriers sunk and one of the Bismarck’s severely damaged at a further cost of fifteen planes shot down. The third wave was meant to come in and finish the job but the arrival of the second enemy fleet prompted the pilots to go after the reinforcements instead. Dealing as much damage as the previous two waves combined the third wave sank all twelve destroyers and six light cruisers in the second fleet and damaging both heavy cruisers and knocking a dragon carrier out of action. A Fuso class battleship survived the attack unscathed.

With their numbers significantly reduced both fleets merged together and withdrew from the area to link up with the larger third fleet which had formed a naval blockade at the portal. All American planes were exhausted of their ordinance returned to the carriers or the Midway airfield to refuel and resupply for the next series of attacks on the Axis ships.

Until then, Nimitz’ battlefleet was steaming towards the blockade to engage them headon in what would be known in history as ‘The battle for the Gateway’. The war had ended a few weeks ago but once again the United States has found itself dragged into a new war against an unknown enemy from a different universe.

https://youtu.be/8NknmpdEEFI