* * * * *
He had been flown out West aboard an RCAF-surplus DH115 (a two-seated trainer version of the De Havilland Vampire*) piloted by an old acquaintance whom he had not seen for ten years.
Major Gerard Elkhorn; USMC Airwing.
"You've come up in the world," Colonel Phillips had observed during the flight: "No pun intended!"
The major had dutifully chuckled: "Thank you, sir."
But, all merriment had ended once Phillips was shown the film footage from Alaska.
"As far as we can timeline it," began Commodore Joshua Buckler (Office of Naval Intelligence): "...she disappeared from the Kurils within twenty-four hours of that initial recon photo being taken. Smuggled out, we think, aboard this vessel."
Projected on to the screen was a slide photograph of a World War II-era LST of the DeSoto County-class.
"You're looking at the M.S. Zeehavik; of Liberian registry. Originally known as the USS Lamont County, she was lend-leased to the British navy during the Big One. Then, sold to the post-war French navy, who ultimately decommissioned her, seven years ago, before re-selling her to a shipping company, based on the Dutch side of St. Martin's, in the Caribbean."
"What was she doing in the Sea of Okhotsk?" asked the colonel.
"Supposedly picking up food and medical supplies, donated by the Soviets, for refugee relief in the Belgian Congo. Hence, the 'protective escort' of two Lenin-class icebreakers...and five Kildin-class guided missile destroyers."
Commodore Buckler flashed two more slides, of the aforementioned ships, before adding:
"The Soviets claim they wanted to make sure she made it through the Northeast Passage in one piece! But, personally? I think it was so they could off-load their real cargo undercover of the annual polar night."
Here, he had ordered the activation of the Bell & Howell film projector.
"What you're about to see was filmed at our DEW Line base, between Nome and Barrow, by the Special Services officer in charge of the men's off-duty recreation."
The only sound heard in the conference room, for the next ten minutes, was the mosquito-like whine of the projector as it soundlessly depicted the blonde, naked giantess from the original RB-58 photo. Only, this time, she was not skinny-dipping. Rather, this film showed her rising up out of the Bering Sea like Venus. And, then, slowly wading ashore to subsequently devastate everyone and everything in her path!
"As you can see for yourself," remarked the commodore: "...they tried everything to stop her. Grenades; anti-aircraft machine gunfire; even Molotov cocktails! Nothing."
The film finally ended, with the base commander being picked up in the giantess' left hand...and swallowed alive.
"How was the destruction explained away, officially?" Phillips finally managed to ask after the lights came back up.
"An Air Force tanker plane developed engine trouble and crashed into the DEW base's generator plant," replied the commodore: "Resulting in an uncontrollable wild fire. As for Comrade Rusalka? She marched southeastward, after that. Inuit scouts, with the local National Guard unit, followed her by dogsled for the next forty-eight hours. That is, until they were relieved by S&R helicopters sent up from Anchorage. The choppers then followed her to the shores of Bristol Bay. Losing her only after she submerged. Without coming back up!"
Phillips sighed: "I suppose it's too much to hope she drowned?"
Buckler shook his head: "A Skipjack-class nuclear sub, the Alewife, established sonar contact with her about eight hours ago. Roughly a hundred miles southwest of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. And, from what they were able to ascertain, they think she's headed due south (alternating between a butterfly kick and a dog-paddle), straight toward California!"
"Any idea _where_, in California, sir?"
"Not as yet. But, given the indestructibility she demonstrated in Alaska, I don't think any of our forces, here, will be able to stop her from coming ashore anywhere she feels like it."
Colonel Phillips nodded. Then, he asked the obvious question.
"What do you wish of me, sir?"
"It's my understanding that you belong to a certain fraternal organization that might be on speaking terms with the current owners of a certain historical artifact. I would like you to intercede with both of them, on Uncle Sam's behalf, and get us that artifact. As it is also my understanding that it's the only thing known to man that can...negatively affect...giantesses like this one!"
Phillips knew immediately what the commodore was referring to; the Hsia Jie-ji. And knowing that Buckler's "understanding" was spot on, he stood up and saluted.
"Affirmative, sir! You can count on me."
tbc
Giantess World
Author's Chapter Notes:
MIRAMAR NAVAL AIR STATION,
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
(NOVEMBER 21, 1962)
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
(NOVEMBER 21, 1962)
Chapter End Notes:
De Havilland Vampire: one of the RAF's first Cold War-era jet fighters. In general shape, it greatly resembled the American-built Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter of World War II.
LST (Landing Ship, Tank): basically, a freighter for transporting other amphibious landing craft.
Zeehavik: Dutch for "sea hawk."
Northeast Passage: the circum-polar route most often used by European ships traveling from the North Atlantic to the Bering Strait (or vice-versa).
DEW (Distant Early Warning): acronym for a line of radar bases that was strung along the Northwest Passage of Alaska and Canada, during the Cold War, in case of circum-polar launching of nuclear missiles by the USSR.
LST (Landing Ship, Tank): basically, a freighter for transporting other amphibious landing craft.
Zeehavik: Dutch for "sea hawk."
Northeast Passage: the circum-polar route most often used by European ships traveling from the North Atlantic to the Bering Strait (or vice-versa).
DEW (Distant Early Warning): acronym for a line of radar bases that was strung along the Northwest Passage of Alaska and Canada, during the Cold War, in case of circum-polar launching of nuclear missiles by the USSR.