Flame Dragon
1958 Words
Back at the White House.
“They already arrived at the Seawind Region and are now in talks with the Marquess there, unfortunately, it will take them three days to get confirmation from the royal capital to enter. Meanwhile our fleet there is saber-rattling. Miss Anastasia thought that projecting our naval power to the locals may speed the process.”
Raphael reported as Michael was sipping his coffee, he put it aside and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and looked for the written reports.
“Hmm.” Michael nodded in satisfaction, “Be sure to keep me updated.”
“No problem.”
Back at the Seawind Region.
The afternoon came and the people in the port started bustling as one by one, ships from the other nation started getting nearer and nearer to dock. But due to the shallow docks, they weren’t able to dock the ships physically but they found an idea of using an RHIB as the main transportation tool to transfer naval crews and officers at the port to experience their first foreign mission.
All of them are wearing their service uniforms that quite attract the girls in the port.
They are not expressing any sort of hostility, making the locals appease their worries.
Heavy-lift cargo helicopters such as the Sikorsky CH-53K Super Stallion are hovering in the sky as they carry Humvees that will serve as the main transportation for Anastasia and the special forces. Not only the Humvees are being transported, but there are also M939 six by six cargo military trucks for carrying food and supplies.
It was quite a spectacle, a metal box that seems to be heavy is being lifted and transported easily by the flying metal box with spinning rotors on top. The guards who witnessed such a magnificent scene can only dream of having them.
Anastasia and Karen were strolling in the port. Seeing a lot of merchant ships docked unloading their products as they conduct their trade. Though it was unsettling at first due to the presence of the alien fleet, thanks to Karen who assured them that nothing was going to happen, business continues as usual.
“This is one of the main port the Kingdom of Euphoria has, in this place a lot of merchants and traders from another country go through here to sell their things. Though most of the trade is happening after winter, I must say that you timed your visitation.”
“You’re quite right.” Anastasia said as she looked at the docked medieval merchant ships, “The Empire of Liberty wanted to introduce itself from one nation to another.
“Don’t worry, the messenger bird is on its way to the capital. It will take three days to get there and three days to return here.”
“That’s good, I already told my supreme excellency about it and he was pleased with your hospitality towards us. Which I forgot to say, thank you for your kindness in taking us here and sorry for the disturbance again.”
“Oh no, we should be the one apologizing since we attacked your ship. I already talked about punishment to Captain Nelson and he is willing to do anything just to atone for his sins.” Karen instantly said as she fumbled her hand.
“Anyways, the gift that we are going to give you is being transported, you can see it in the sky.” Anastasia pointed at the pale yonder, making Karen look in that direction.
A squadron of heavy-lift helicopters with hefty containers tied on the metal ropes are approaching the port at quite a speed.
“I must say, I’m fascinated by your ships and that flying metal over there. If our country has that, then transportation would be easy.”
“If the Kingdom of Euphoria and the Empire of Liberty established diplomatic ties, I believe our supreme excellency might approve of giving some of them to your country.”
“That would be nice if...I hope our country may form the relationship you prospect.”
…
Meanwhile, inside the bridge deck of the USS Gerald R. Ford Aircraft Carrier, Captain Ford is playing with his Rubiks cube and then—.
“Sir radars detected one bogey heading toward our location, its speed is 30 knots while its altitude is 150 meters. Based on the blip, it’s a huge bogey.”
“Okay, identify the threat and if they are indeed one and it’s not associated or affiliated to the Kingdom of Euphoria, shoot it down.”
“Aye aye captain.”
Then a moment later, on the bridge deck, they saw a large species hovering in the sky.
Flapping its big and wings sheathed in crimson scales, fires combusting in its mouth. There’s no mistaking it, it’s a dragon.
“This is my first time seeing a dragon in my life.” Captain Ford said in awe, a bead of sweat trickling down his face.
“Captain, what do we do?”
“Remain surveillance, don’t attack it unless we have to.”
“Aye aye captain.”
At the ground, Anastasia and Karen were immediately surrounded by their personal guards.
“Lady Karen this place is dangerous, the Flame Dragon is here!”
“Red Dragon? Impossible they should be in their hibernation phase—” Her eyes wandered looking at the expanse boundless sky and saw a flame dragon flapping its wings.
She suddenly lost all her strength in his feet, falling down at the terrifying creature known to mankind.
“Our doom has come!”
“Ma’am we need to get you out of here for safety.” One of the special forces took Anastasia away from a safe location, separating her from Karen.
“Command, this is Vault Actual requesting immediate evacuation to our location.”
“Vault Actual, we copy, sending two helicopters in your position.”
“Copy that.”
Ending transmission.
“Ma’am please we need to get you out of here.”
“But how about Sirius?”
“Bravo team are already dispatched and are now en-route to his location, you’ll meet him here.”
Then moments later, the Fire Dragon that made the town quiver in fear started attacking with his fiery breaths despite the winter season, the house was set ablaze.
People started evacuating frantically as they carried their valuables and ran as far as they could go.”
The flame dragon didn’t give them a chance and started trailing them with his breath. People were turned to cinders and ashes the moment the fire engulfed them.
Seeing this Anastasia saw such a cruel scene in front of her making her fall to her knees.
“Tha-that’s a dragon?”
Guards of the Seawind Region mobilized and assisted the evacuating people however the moment the Fire Dragon got near, they instantly forgot their duties and began running as well.
At the bridge deck of the Gerald R. Ford Aircraft Carrier, Captain Ford swiftly reacted as he witnessed the scene.
“Sir our battleships are on standby and awaiting your orders to fire.”
“Sir, should we deploy our squadron fighters?”
“No, let’s test the might of our naval warships first. Patch me through the destroyers, cruiser, and battleships and tell them to fire in my command”
“Aye aye captain!”
Ten seconds later, the Dragon began soaring through the sky again to prepare for the next wave, however, the navy won’t let it happen.
Captain Ford in his radio gave his order, “Fire!”
From the fore of the Arleigh-Burke Class Destroyer, Ticonderoga Class Cruiser, the vertical launch system opened, smoke billowed out from the ship as four three RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missiles, one from each ship were launched. Its target, the flame dragon.
With a cruising speed of Mach 4 and 39 kilograms warhead, it instantly reached the flame dragon, causing a deafening explosion that rocks the earth below.
Even though the flame dragon is in the sky, the locals there halted as they heard thunderous explosions overhead. They saw a fleeting trail of smoke from the mysterious navy that alarmed the Seawind Region naval forces.
“I-I-Impossible! Such tremendous power.”
“That light arrow followed the flame dragon and then it exploded...I can’t believe what I’m seeing anymore.”
“They are not normal ships, they are monsters. We were lucky that thing didn’t attack us or else we will share the same faith with that dragon.”
“But did they defeat it?”
“Don’t jinx it.”
…
Back at the bridge deck.
“Sir hostile dragon is still alive but it’s getting away from the town as if it is running away from it.”
“Heh.” Ford chortled, “Maybe it got scared after tasting some of our modern weaponry, very well. Fire again.”
Three missiles were fired again and hit the dragon, this time, the flame dragon fell to the ground, stump arms and gaping holes can be seen on the structure of the dragon.
It glided away from the residential area which Captain Ford favored, “Go and show the might of the World War 2 battleships!”
The three main batteries of the Iowa-Class battleships, retrofitted with new modern firing control systems slowly turned and aimed at the grounded dragon.
Two Iowa-class Battleships were given permission to fire their main armaments, making it six batteries in total. Two in the fore and one in the aft.
Seconds later, the 410 millimeters 50 caliber Mark 7 guns fire a full broadside.
They fired three times in a row, 54 armor-piercing shells each had a load of 1,200 kilograms, totaling 64,800 kilograms were fired in its batteries as it created a thunderous explosion in the sea, quivering those who witnessed.
An instantaneous explosion followed by a short earthquake turned the dragon into smithereens.
“That’s...the...power...of...those...ships?” Captain Nelson looked at the corpse of the flame dragon and shifted to the ships who killed it, “We were so...lucky...that...those...ships...didn’t...fired on us…”
“Captain…” One of the crew pointed at his crotch.
He accidentally wetted himself from the terrifying power of the navy of the Empire of Liberty.
…
“Is it dead?” Anastasia asked the special forces who were on his radio.
“Yes ma’am, it was a direct hit, they already confirmed it.”
— “Lady Anastasia!”
Karen suddenly shouted in the air, calling Anastasia as she ran towards her.
Panting heavily, she continued, “Those are your country’s ships right?!”
“Yes?”
“Thank goodness that we have you in here.” She bowed as she kneeled in front of her, making Anastasia somewhat embarrassed.
“No need to do that, it was only natural for our navy to act if that dragon is harming the populace, even if it’s not our people.”
“Thank you for your compassionate words, I will really send a message about this to the king himself….However.” Karen took a glance at the dilapidated houses of her city.
Noticing that, Anastasia spoke, “I will have a word with his supreme excellency to lend you humanitarian aid. I think you need it.”
…
Meanwhile, back at the White House.
Michael slammed the table, “Whaaaaat? A dragon you say?”
- Writer
