Episode 2: Rampage Across Portugal

United Nations Conference Building,
New York City

The men and women of the United Nations Security Council murmured quietly to each other.

The meeting chamber - a wide and spacious room of paneled walls and high ceilings - was dominated by a massive horseshoe-shaped table at which sat the representatives of the Council's fifteen member nations. Behind the representatives were rows of seats filled with personal assistants, diplomatic attachés, and security personnel. Given that this was a closed-door special session, phones and laptops were stowed away. On the chamber's east wall, overlooking the council table, an oil painted mural depicted a rising phoenix surrounded by images of war and disharmony.

The doors into the chamber shut with finality as the room's occupants settled in. Ambassadors and their staff exchanged panicked whispers. Despite the lateness of the hour, the general atmosphere of the room was frenetic and anxious. Ageletta De Vreese, the ambassador from Belgium and current president of the Security Council, looked at the other ambassadors to signal that she was ready to begin. Quickly, one by one, the diplomats ceased their private conversations and shifted their attention to her.

President De Vreese cleared her throat and leaned toward the microphone in front of her. She spoke in English, one of the six official languages permitted at U.N. council meetings. "Meeting is called to order at 10:14 pm. I declare open this emergency special session of the United Nations Security Council. Tonight's plenary session is convened to address one and only one Agenda Item, and that is the recent events at the Azorean International Kaiju Sanctuary." Looks of concern and more murmurs rippled throughout the room. De Vreese paused for several seconds and then continued. "In accordance with rule 39 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite Huchiro Tanaka, Director of the United Nations Kaiju Task Force, to participate in this meeting. He is present to brief us on the situation regarding the escaped mega-organisms and to answer questions from members. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item of the agenda. I give the floor to Director Tanaka."

From somewhere off to the side, a man stood from his chair and approached the podium at the head of the council chamber. Dr. Huchiro Tanaka, one of the world's foremost kaijuologists, was a thin nondescript Japanese man in his later years. Despite dressing in an expensive suit like the other politicians in the room, Tanaka had an air more appropriate for a college professor than a U.N. official. His black hair was neatly combed back and graying at the temples, and his studious eyes – eyes that took in everything around him – looked out through a pair of wire-rimmed glasses. Though his manner indicated readiness, the bags under his eyes betrayed exhaustion. Twelve hours on a last minute red eye from Tokyo to New York City hadn’t left him well rested.

Tanaka placed his notes on the podium and took a moment to fix his microphone. It was clear that the Director was a little out of his element; he was a scientist, not a bureaucrat. Yet neither was he unaccustomed to high-stress situations. Being in charge of the entirety of Earth’s kaiju affairs had a way of making one resilient against pressure.

"I thank you, Madam President, for this opportunity to brief the Security Council. As I detail the events from two nights ago, I wish to draw your attention to the packets that you have been provided, especially documents A/2020/08 through A/2020/15. Those satellite images highlight the specifics of the Breakout." Director Tanaka adjusted his glasses and looked down at his notes before commencing. "At 0338 hours, Kaiju Task Force Satellite Command, or SATCOM, observed atypical activity from one of the packs on the island. In particular, it was a pack that KTF field kaijuologists have designated Sentai Amaterasu. This sentai consists of four mega-organisms: Giganteus Taclydus, Giganteus Panghol, Giganteus Omukade, and Giganteus Straj. Dossiers have been provided for each of them." Tanaka waited as several delegates shuffled pages around. "Their activity was flagged as unusual because they were seen approaching and then entering the territory of Giganteus Daitatsu, a mega-organism widely regarded as the social alpha and apex predator in the Sanctuary. Since laying her egg, Daitatsu has become reclusive and hyper-territorial; she tolerates no challenge from other kaiju. Yet this sentai crossed into her caldera with impunity. No violence or discernible agonistic behavior took place."

Tanaka continued. "Approximately eight minutes later, Sentai Amaterasu exited Daitatsu's caldera and immediately initiated hostilities with the flotilla. The mega-organism dubbed Panghol generated water turbulence directed at the closest vessel in the blockade, a light destroyer called the HMS Dauntless, captained by Oliver Ross of the British Royal Navy. Panghol and Omukade entered the ocean in an apparent attempt to flee. Weapons platform #8, part of the Sanctuary's automated defense perimeter, was ineffective at halting their advance and was eventually disabled by Straj. Taclydus flew to an estimated height of nearly 3,000 meters, descending to attack the Dauntless’ forward missile battery once it had focused its arsenal on Panghol and Omukade. Straj subsequently engaged the vessel by enfolding the ship’s forward section in his arms. Within less than a minute, the Dauntless was set upon by multiple kaiju. Between Straj and Taclydus, the vessel was rendered largely inoperable and unable to prevent Sentai Amaterasu’s departure from the Sanctuary. Aside from Omukade making a passing venom expectoration, the sentai disregarded the Dauntless and continued its departure into the open ocean."

Director Tanaka paused to take a sip of water. "By this point, SATCOM had reported other kaiju also attempting to flee the Sanctuary. Senshuseki and Nachtmacher rushed the blockade from the northwestern coast of the island, followed closely by two other sentai and four independently acting kaiju. Each dispersed from the island at different geographic points. Sentai Hachiman, headed by Emperor Wukong, engaged Chinese and American forces. At the same time, Sentai Mikaboshi – the former pack of Daitatsu’s rival Byakko – battled the Russian and Indian navies. The entire flotilla was called into action, and the blockade became quickly overwhelmed." The Director went on to detail the specifics of several other violent clashes that accompanied the fighting with the Dauntless. He described the detonation of Russian missile cruisers by the fire-breathing Kirashaku, the skewering of the FS Aquitaine by Cthura’s spikes, and the near-sinking of an American aircraft carrier in its one-on-one confrontation with Fringehead the Fleet Killer. Despite the gravity of the events he was reporting, the Director’s delivery was cool and methodical. He didn’t have the luxury of becoming emotional.

"At final tally, we lost nine warships and more than 8,000 lives." The numbers elicited gasps from a few delegates. "Within your packets, there is a diagram indicating each kaiju’s projected course and estimated time of landfall. Currently, Sentai Amaterasu appears to be on a trajectory to Portugal, specifically the seaside capital of Lisbon. As we are all aware, a trio of Protostomions is devastating the northern coast of the Iberian Peninsula and working its way southward. We project that the Protostomions will reach Lisbon in forty-eight hours. This is approximately when Sentai Amaterasu is due to arrive. I have been in regular communication with the Portuguese Prime Minister and the U.N. Secretary-General, and the evacuation of Portugal’s coastline is well underway. As for the other sentai…"

One of the ambassador's suddenly interjected. "Quel désastre! How could this have happened?!" His tone perfectly captured the shock and exasperation of the other diplomats in the room.

President De Vreese was quick to chide the representative for speaking out of turn. "The delegate from France knows the Security Council's provisional rules of procedure. There are to be no interruptions while the briefing is in progress."

Tanaka responded, "It's fine. I will start taking questions." He looked to the French ambassador. "The containment strategy employed at the Sanctuary is one of force concentration. When a kaiju tries to leave the island, MASERs and missiles act as preliminary deterrence. If those don't work, the nearest warships converge on the escaping mega-organism, overwhelm it with firepower, and corral it back toward the island. This tactic has proven effective in neutralizing a vast majority of escape attempts. Our methods, however, are predicated on countering only a few kaiju at a time, perhaps four or five at most. But what transpired two nights ago was... unprecedented. There isn't a single force on Earth that could have stopped that many kaiju – the entire population of the Sanctuary – from fleeing all at once. Even if every mecha unit were stationed on the island, it would still have been a losing proposition for us."

"What caused this?" asked the ambassador from Estonia. "Why now? Surely your people must have some idea."

Tanaka sighed. "We only know this: Sentai Amaterasu was not the only pack of kaiju that mysteriously visited Daitatsu. Over the course of the past week, SATCOM observed each of the island's sentai entering Daitatsu's caldera at one point or another. Our behavioralists initially assumed that this was some form of appeasement display intended to convey submissiveness. But now, I'm not so certain."

The French ambassador chimed in again. "What exactly are you implying, Director? That Daitatsu coordinated the escape?"

"I'm aware of how it sounds," replied Tanaka. "But contrary to popular belief, kaiju are not stupid animals. They are capable of strategy and sophisticated communication. I have studied Daitatsu for several decades, and each year I grow more convinced that the Monarch of Monsters possesses some form of telepathic connection with other kaiju. The escape attempt by Sentai Amaterasu was not a random event, but rather, a signal. A signal for all to attack. We were outmaneuvered."

Murmurs erupted throughout the room, engendering a look of annoyance from President De Vreese. Several ambassadors at the table scoffed, while others listened silently in disbelief. The ambassador from the United States, a portly older gentleman with the demeanor of a military veteran, leaned forward to address Tanaka. His voice dripped with thinly veiled disdain.

"Let's get to the point of all this, shall we?" He motioned to Tanaka. "Mr. Tanaka, the truth of the matter is that you and your organization royally screwed up. Honestly, you might have just fucked the entire world. Your incompetence has led to nineteen giant monsters getting back out into the wild. This is on top of the war that humanity is already fighting with these so-called ‘Protostomions’. Not only do people need to fear for their safety from extraterrestrial invaders, but also from a whole mess of kaiju ex-cons who are probably keen to get some payback from the human race." The ambassador leaned back into his chair. "The world's nations have invested astronomical sums of money into your organization. The KTF has the single largest budget on the planet; several countries nearly went bankrupt helping to pay for the creation of your giant mecha. If it wasn't for the fact that the world desperately needs those mecha right now, I'd call for an Article 5 vote to suspend the KTF’s charter and summarily remove you as its Director."

"The media is calling it The Battle of Monster Island," added the ambassador from China. "World governments are panicking. Economies are in free fall. We need a decisive solution for the kaiju. A permanent solution."

Tanaka pursed his lips together. He understood the subtext in the Chinese diplomat's words.

The ambassador from Russia joined in. "Does the Task Force not have pure fusion nuclear devices in its possession?" There were several nods and murmurs of agreement throughout the room. "Our understanding is that pure fusion bombs are clean, so no danger of radioactive fallout."

"Exactly," stated the American ambassador. "Why has this option not been put on the table already? Frankly, I am tremendously concerned about the KTF having the only arsenal of such weapons on the planet, and the President of the United States shares my concerns. He wants to know why the KTF should continue to get funding while it hoards all of its technological advancements and scientific research. Look, the Sanctuary was a nice experiment… but it failed. Now is the time to act resolutely. No more coddling these creatures. Your pets need to be put down, Mr. Tanaka."

Tanaka closed his eyes for a brief second, giving himself a moment so he didn’t say something out of frustration that he’d later regret. He opened his eyes and looked at the American delegate. "I am aware of President Trump’s position on the kaiju and my organization. The same goes for Presidents Putin and Jinping," He glanced at the diplomats from Russia and China, then back to the U.S. ambassador. "The pure fusion armaments are a last resort. I have stated this before to the Security Council, but I will state it again. The use of nuclear weapons on the mega-organisms, whether pure fusion or not, poses immense risks. We believe many of the kaiju were born from radiation. While I do not doubt that the bombs would eliminate some of them, it is very feasible that others could radically mutate. Imagine what would happen if Daitatsu, an extreme radiotrophic life form, were exposed to the power of a nuclear detonation. You think we have problems now?" Tanaka shook his head. "Deploying nuclear weapons against the kaiju would be opening Pandora’s Box."

The American ambassador glowered and folded his arms across his chest, while other delegates made remarks of disapproval in their native languages. Amidst grumbles of contention, President De Vreese raised her voice. As she addressed the Director, members of the Council quieted themselves. "Director, Japan’s stance on the mega-organisms is well-known. As is yours. Despite the many kaiju attacks that your nation has suffered, the Japanese have consistently pushed for scientific study and humane treatment of the kaiju. You've argued in the past that coexistence is a possibility. But given recent events, can you honestly say that you still feel this way? Even you must acknowledge that human civilization is facing an existential threat unlike any faced before."

"I cannot speak for my government, only for myself." Tanaka looked around the room as he spoke, being sure to make eye contact with each delegate at the table. "The kaiju represent inexplicable anomalies in our understanding of the Universe. Their biology defies the known rules that govern what we know about life. Physics, even. According to Galileo’s Square-Cube Law, creatures as large as the kaiju shouldn’t be able to exist. All our mathematical models dictate that their bodies should collapse under their own weight, and yet… they clearly don’t. They’ve demonstrated abilities that border on the supernatural: energy manipulation, seismic generation, wingless flight… and their healing rates surpass even the most rapid of healing factors found in the animal kingdom. Some are able to subsist on diets that should be fatally toxic. My point is… the mega-organisms that populate our world contain within them scientific secrets that we cannot begin to fathom. By studying the kaiju, we could someday learn these secrets for ourselves. For the betterment of humanity."

Tanaka adjusted his glasses. His tone grew somber. "Make no mistake, I understand better than anyone how dangerous the kaiju can be. I lived in Tokyo as a boy during Daitatsu’s third attack on the city. Half of my family didn’t survive the evacuation. But much like people, kaiju have a range of personalities. They vary in temperament. Some are aggressive and destructive. Some are indifferent to other life forms. And a few have proven themselves to be protective of humanity, or at least certain groups of humans. Doctor Hendrick Lessing, one of the survivors of the HMS Dauntless, reported that the kaiju named Straj defended the Dauntless from one of its pack mates."

"I believe it is no coincidence that most of the kaiju that fled the Sanctuary are headed toward locations under imminent threat from the Protostomions. Sentai Amaterasu to Lisbon. Sentai Hachiman to Johannesburg. Sentai Mikaboshi to São Paulo. These are not escape routes; they are intercept courses. The kaiju are an important part of the ecology of this world, and don’t fool yourselves: this is their world, too. The inhabitants of the Sanctuary didn’t leave to hunt humans; they left to hunt Protostomions. And Daitatsu, their alpha, commanded them to do so". He paused to let his words sink in, and then continued. "Apparently, humanity and kaiju share a common enemy. Our efforts against the invaders have been costly and ineffective. Perhaps the kaiju can do what we can’t and defeat these invaders. My advice to the Security Council is simple…" Tanaka looked around the room.

"Stay out of their way."

It takes your sentai a total of four days to fly/swim the Atlantic to reach mainland Europe. It's a long, slow crossing with no sleep. For food, you content yourselves with eating a pod of whales or whatever large sea creatures you might encounter. Whether flying or swimming, you pace yourselves as you work your way across the vast blue ocean. Though you could make better time, you instinctively understand not to push yourselves too hard. Overexertion leads to exhaustion, and exhaustion could mean drowning. As you make your journey, you are all aware of the humans in your wake. Below the waves, a squadron of metal tubes match pace with your sentai. In the sky about half a mile behind you, noisy aircraft with spinning blades for wings observe your sentai's progress. Initially, the humans were harrying you as you flew or swam. The tubes fired exploding swimmers at you, and the flyers would tickle you with their projectiles. However, a few quick and costly exchanges with your sentai have forced the humans to break off and reconsider their attacks. During the final two days of your long trek, the humans seem to have resigned themselves to hanging back and following you.

In the early twilight hours of the fourth day of your trans-atlantic crossing, you spy land on the horizon. What begins as a featureless mass in the distance begins to take on detail and form. You see lights. A lot of lights, actually. They glimmer, reminding you a little of the lights that shone from the blockade around Monster Island. As you approach, you discern a coastline consisting of white sand beaches and hills. The hills, of course, are covered in a thick blanket of human-built structures. So many that you see nothing else. The structures - small white blocks with uniform red roofs - are expansive, extending across the land as far as your can see. No matter where you go, humans have a prolific way of marking their territories.

Where you happen to be approaching, the coastline is concave and forms a natural harbor. The mouth of a large river bisects the human city, and this river stretches through the landscape until widening into a large body of water. Tall, narrow arched structures reach from one bank of the river to the other, bridging both sides of the city. About a mile (1.6 km) from land, the water finally becomes shallow enough for the swimming kaiju to touch their feet to the sea bed.
To the north, you all see tall pillars of smoke. Large fires are burning miles away. Over the sounds of swimming, you hear explosions and weapons fire. All of you sense that something is coming. Something is converging on the city just as you are.

Ink Drinker and Avolu

Upon reaching the coast, the sentai takes a brief moment to rest and catch its breath, whether on one of Lisbon's beaches or in the shallows of the Atlantic ocean. Just beyond the beaches, you're met with the City of Lisbon.

After years of living in a nature preserve like Monster Island, the capital of Portugal is a drastic change of scenery. Lisbon is a sea of bleached white buildings punctuated by long boulevards, paved plazas, main squares, and parks. It isn't as large as some major urban centers, but it's still a sizeable place, even by kaiju standards. The city extends for miles in every direction. In the waterfront portion of the city, the structures are fairly squat and don't exceed more than a few stories. In the distance, however, you see the skyscrapers and high rises of the Downtown area stretching hundreds of meters into the air and dominating the skyline. Directly to your right, the mouth of the Tagus River cuts through the city and opens into a massive estuary a few miles upstream. Directly to your left is a deep water port where all manner of freighters and smaller vessels are moored.

It's early morning but none of you notice any human activity: no running and screaming people, no cars, no planes. No military forces to greet you. The city is strangely quiet and devoid of life. However, a look across the city proper reveals the presence of another kaiju. Straj notices first and waves, followed by the rest of you catching sight of it. The kaiju is inky-black, grinning, and enormous; its size puts it on the same scale as Daitatsu. It towers over the buildings of the Downtown area. Mist accompanies the creature.

None of you recognize the kaiju from the Sanctuary, and its unfamiliarity instinctively puts you on guard. The new giant monster has taken no aggressive action, thus far. Separated by the City of Lisbon, all of you take a moment to scrutinize each other.

The sentai and the other kaiju assess one another, but the moment is interrupted by noise and movement coming from the north.

Several kilometers from Lisbon is a sprawling national park that hugs the city's northern limits. This park is an expansive region consisting of kilometers of woodland, rugged hills, and small mountains. Aside from the occasional tiny village or Moorish castle, the area is green and undeveloped, standing in stark contrast to the heavily urbanized Portuguese capital. And it's from the depths of this region that all of you see something moving. A few somethings. The sight is many kilometers away and obscured by mountainous lowlands, but you can discern what appear to be large, vaguely humanoid shapes crossing the landscape. Initially, you only catch glimpses as these shapes as they move between hills and rock formations. Yet as they make their way toward the city, you begin to take in their features.

The creatures are crustacean-octopoid monstrosities; a seeming blend of several varieties of sea life. There are three of them, and they are enormous. Though not quite the size of Daitatsu or Ink Drinker, the creatures are certainly larger than any single member of the sentai. Their bulbous bodies are heavy armored in a rigid aquamarine carapace not unlike that of a mollusc. Their arms are the arms of colossal crabs, and in place of hands, they bear oversized pincers designed to crush and tear. Their faces are a hideous amalgam of multiple black eyes and a pointed, toothy beak. Their lower bodies comprise an undulating mass of tentacles. It's using these tentacles that the creatures glide across the ground. Perhaps the most notable feature about these giant monsters, however, is the presence of high tech armaments fused to their shoulders. Each creature is equipped with a kaiju-scale multi-barreled cannon mounted on either side of the head. These cybernetic devices remind you of human weaponry but writ larger, and the sight is a terribly confusing one. Never have any of you seen a fellow kaiju wield the weapons of the human insects. They smell like the sea, but they also smell of technology. This trio is undoubtedly part of the same species that the Great Dragon gave warning about.

The arrival of the creatures - the Protostomions - is preceded by weapons fire and the roar of engines. In the sky, a squadron of jet fighters swoop low and unleash volley and volley of missiles. The projectiles hit their mark and the trio of monsters is blanketed in a succession of explosions. You hear angry inhuman vocalizations. Out of the resulting cloud of dark smoke, beams of energy cleave the air and vaporize half of the fighters. The remaining aircraft immediately disengage from their attack formation and take evasive maneuvers, flying in every direction. The Protostomions observe the fighters and then seem to lose interest. They continue their advance toward Lisbon, and despite the barrage of missile fire, the creatures don't appear injured. So far, the humans apparently have been incapable of putting a dent into the monsters.

Upon taking notice of Ink Drinker and the sentai, the Protostomions come to a collective stop at the edge of the city. Seeing them much closer, the trio of creatures look almost entirely identical. One of them turns its head and glances into a nearby valley in the national park. It makes eye contact with Avolu. They briefly study the surrounding kaiju, looking back and forth between the sentai, Ink Drinker, and Avolu.

It's then that all of you are struck by an odd sensation. It's a feeling that you are aware isn't your own, yet you understand its meaning instinctively. In fact, the manner in which you experience it isn't unlike Daitatsu's Call. There are no words; just impressions coming from alien minds. They are many minds; a multitude thinking as one. You connect to them for but a moment. There's hunger there; a hunger both deep and primal. "Join with us" is the gist of the message.