First Salvo
a Zootopia fan fiction by Dan

Rated M+

(c) Zootopia 2016 by Disney Animated Studios
(Artist Ownership) Ayden Gull from BRO GULLS by Anti_Dev
(Artist Ownership) “I will Survive by William Borba 2017
(Artist Ownership) Sheath and Knife by Harmarist
(Artist Ownership) Anubis and the Buried Bone by Harmarist
(c) (Artist Ownership) The Kzinti by Larry Niven
(Artist Ownership) Don Carnage Disney’s TAIL SPIN
(Artist Ownership) Ikkey the Fox Kit by Inkbunny;s Ikkey
(Artist Ownership) Master Guns Flash by Inkbunny’s Flash Timberwolf
(Artist Ownership) Characters From Omaha the Cat Dancer Reed Waller 1994
(Artist Ownership) Jag Damien Tiger from Inkbunny’s Fluffy Puffy
(Artist Ownership) Dean Wilson from Animalolympics 1980
(Artist Ownership) Tanya Mousekovitz from American Tail
(Artist Ownership) Blotasky and Perkins from Cat Shit One by Motofume Kobayashi
The Chipmunks and Chipettes (c) from the 1980‘s cartoon series

Chapter 42
“Barukan no hi no hi!” part 2
(The Day of Vulcan’s Fire)

 8:30:40am
18 October 2020
The Destroyer Growler closing to tie up with the Crystal Gayle

 Zepher stood panting pleasingly as he wagged his tail to the sweet smell of fresh salmon coming from the closing fishing boat that was less than fifteen yards off the starboard side of the ship...

     “Mmmmm....smell that Demmy! Mmmmm....so nice.” Zepher said.

    “I don’t eat fish.” The Rhino replied.

    “You just don’t understand what you’re missing my friend.” Zepher said...Nothing like the taste of a warm fresh salmon with a nice side of greens, carrots and fruit. I like strawberry slivers with my salmon.”

     “Your thing my friend.” Demish snorted.

     As the Gayle drifted ever closer to the Growler’s side...Zepher put his spotting binoculars to his face and scanned the crew as they moved about the deck of the trawler. A cluster of them seemed to be hovering over a prone Polar Bear on the after deck by a large stack of shipping containers covered by a large grey deck canvas...

     One of them stood up from the prone body and pulled the weather jacket hoodie from his head....the face, the shape, the ears were sharp and frightenly apparent to the suddenly shocked fox....

   “OH FUCK!” Zepher screamed!

   At that moment...on the bow of the drifting fishing ship...the canvas covering the stack of metal shipping boxes was blasted away and into the air by the concussive back blast of a rocket motor igniting inside one of the steel containers. The rocket was held fast to its launching sled by stress bolts until it reached it’s full thrust potential then it left the box, leaped the fifteen yards of space between the fishing ship and the destroyer and slammed into the side of the Growler’s hull with a down sloping trajectory!

    The armored blunt nose of the missile cracked and ripped apart welded seams...snapped vertical frames...roared through a compartment and burned its’ occupants alive! It crashed through the deck plating, broke through another wall (bulkhead) and tore into another compartment where the weapon’s radio proximity fuse flashed an electrical signal to the weapon’s 300 pound warhead...

     And the Growler lurched, creaked, groaned and then screamed as the weapon exploded deep inside the ship....

     Jackson felt himself thrown air-wards and had he not been feet side up when his body touched the ceiling...he might have been seriously hurt or killed by the speed of the collision. He sprung off an overhead pipe, twirled around and landed by luck atop a tiger who’d been put through the same experience!

      “BOOF!” Jackson huffed as he landed on his back on the tiger’s chest! “OH SNIT!” He yelped as the lights went out!

      The first rocket hadn’t yet left its place when a second rocket on the back of the fishing ship lit off and followed its twin to an impact into the Growler’s midship guts! The rocket tore through the hull, entered the right side machinery space for the starboard gas turbine engine and exploded into the jet engine mount!

     Pipes burst! Fuel lines parted! The starboard engine was thrown off it’s mounts and fell apart! The Starboard main machinery space became a horrific oven and scores of mammals met their end. First they died screaming in flames then they died drowning as a torrent of sea water blasted through the damage caused by the rocket as it tore plate seams apart and gave the sea free reign to flood through!

     The lights went out.....the power went out....every....thing....went out.

     “GRRRRR....LIGHT THEM MOTHER FLUCKERS UP!” Zepher the fox screamed out as he pointed while holding onto Demish’s flack jacket...”KILL THOSE MUTHERS DEMMY!”

     The big rhino mashed his thumbs down on the trigger of his fifty caliber machine gun and the “Ma Deuce” barked death and red tracers down upon the exposed Kzinti on the deck of the fishing ship as they tried to get to their own guns....

    “BLAM..BLAM..BLAM..BLAM..BLAM..BLAM..BLAM...” Demmy whipped the machine gun from side to side, his bullets turning Kzinti into pick mists of torn up meat! “FLUCK YOU! FLUCK YOU! AND FLUCK YOU TOO!” The enraged rhino screamed out as smoke belching from vents and broken doors within the ship soon wafted over the aft weather deck...

     “Son of a bitch...” Zepher worried. “I think we’ve been hit bad Demmy!”

     “You think?!” Demmy snapped back.

     On the bridge...Commander Winsor was picking himself up off the floor....”Get me Damage Control Central! Get me Combat!”

     The helms-mammal screamed from his station. “Captain! I’ve lost stearing power! She won’t answer to a turn!”

     “Radar is out!” The Navigator yelped!

     Rudy Dolf ran up...”Reports from all over the ship Sir! Powers out! Power to weapons out! Starboard engine spaces on fire and flooding! Port side engine running at fifty percent!” Radio room can not send nor receive.”

     “KABOOM!”

        The Growler shook violently from a close in blast that caused the thick wind screens of the bridge to crack in their frames and the ship to lurch hard to her port side!

         “Son of a bitch!” A wolf Sailor screamed from the starboard wing bridge...”That fishing ship just exploded like a volcano!”

         “Casualties among the 40 Mike Mike (40 millimeter guns) crews!” Rudy Dolf screamed out. “Starboard side forward fourty mount damaged, Aft mount has no power!”

          Eozer, who was the Officer on Watch, stood next to Commander Windsor with a pair of sound powered phones on as the Captain walked around the bridge giving orders...

        “Damage Control is working on the power situation. Bastards must have “smacked us” right in main bus central Sir. Power’s out all over the ship and aux batteries won’t last long!

        “Where’s that Kzinti destroyer?!” Windor snapped out.

        “SIR! WATCH TO STARBOARD! KZINTI WARSHIP IS COMING HARD ABOUT!” The starboard wing watch cried!

        “They nailed us with our fricken shorts down.” Winsor snapped. “You tell DC Central we need power like right now!”

 8:35:20am
Aft 8 inch gun mount
“Michigan’s maulers”

       “We’re cold iron!” (“cold iron” means powder dead) Balstrum screamed out. “No power to Mount! No power to train nor elevate!”

        Michigan growled from his place up in the gun captain’s chair...”And guess who’s turning around?! Get on the fricken hand cranks! We’ve got one bullet in the gun! At least let’s use it before we get blown to hell!”

     “I’m on it!” Balstrum screamed as he un-buckled himself from his safety belt, dropped into the “train pit” below the 8 inch gun barrel and started turning the two hand wheels  to manually bring the cannon to bear on her target!

      “Right and upwards Balstrum!” Michigan screamed from his seat! “Turn! Turn! Trun!”

     Senshen screamed out...”Do you need help?!”

     “No! Get ready to fire the gun by hand! Hook up the trigger lanyard and please don’t jerk the gun on my head?!” Balstrum snapped.

     “Oh baby you make me so wet!” Senshen snickered.

     “This isn’t the right time to screw around girl!” Balstrum yelped back. “I was two months from shore duty....fluck me!”

      The explosion aboard the fishing ship blasted it apart and threw Zepher and Demish off their feet! They bounced across the fantail (back end) of the destroyer and into a safety net that kept them from being thrown overboard!

      “Son of a bitch!” Zepher sat up grimacing and holding his left shoulder...”Ugh! What the hell?!”

     “No time figure out snit kit fox!” Demish snarled as he grabbed up Zepher, threw him over his shoulder and charged back across the deck to his fifty caliber machine gun!

      “You alright Zeph!” Demish asked as he threw on his sound powered phones and called the bridge....”Bridge! After Starboard fifty cal up and ready! Target off the starboard bow, Kzinti destroyer bearing Two-Seven-Zero, range eight miles, turning to close us!”

      “Great!” Zepher snarled as he wrapped his good arm with a strap on Demish’s flack vest so he could stand firm on the rhino’s broad shoulder....”Incoming destroyer and we’re dead in the water...flucken amazing!”

      Demish pulled back the charging handle of his “fifty cal”...”Might as well show them we’re not useless kid. Give me a target to slaughter!”

“BOOM!” 

     The Growler’s forward eight inch gun fired and the shot slammed home true against the left side of the charging Kzinti destroyer! Whatever it was that went flying off the top of the warship had to be important enough because it exploded the moment after being torn from it’s mounting on the enemy ship’s superstructure!

     “Wanna bet that was the torpedo launcher!” Demish snarled as he aimed his machine gun...

     “Good shot by the number one crew!” Zepher snapped. “Snit...loading those big guns is gonna suck ass!”

     “That’s their problem!” Demish snapped. “Put those dead eye fox eyes to work kid and sight me in!”

 8:35:20am
Zootopia Naval Headquarters
Sandy Point Naval Installation
Sahara Square

     “Wham!” A small Fennic Fox tumbled out of the communications room, went into his feral form and bolted as fast as he could through the morning crowded halls of mammals going to and from their offices, just coming into work or going to and from the mess hall for breakfast, coffee and morning “fat pills” (pastries)

     “GET OUT OF THE WAY! URGENT MESSAGE! GET OUT OUT OF THE WAY!” The small fox screamed! He slid to a stop by the office door of the Navy Operations Chief and screamed again. “WE’RE UNDER ATTACK! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!”

     Admiral Don Carnage heard the Fennic’s screaming and came out of his office snatching the little fox off his feet...”WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN TO SAY WE’RE UNDER ATTACK?! YOU BETTER HAVE A GOOD DAMN REASON SAIL....”

    The little Fennic waved a sheet of paper which Don Carnage snatched from his small paw....”Sir! It’s a message from one of our attack submarines....rockets!....hundreds of rockets are coming right at us!”

    Don Carnage dropped the little fox on his butt on the floor and ran for his smart phone...”Get me the Mayor! Sailor! This is confirmed? It’s not a joke? It’s not a drill?!”

    “Yes Sir! Confirmed by validation code from the ZAS (Zootopian Attack Submarine) Thresher Sir! No doubt!” The Fennic replied as Don Carnage passed a quickly scribbled message...

     “Get that out to all Commanders, all Commands....Zootopia under attack, this is no drill. Incoming rockets of unknown quantity. Time of arrival unknown!” Don Carnage snapped as he fumbled for a plastic card holder hanging around his neck...

    “Snap!” The Admiral broke the holder in half and pulled a red paper card out of it...

    “Good morning Admiral.” Caesar’s voice sounded on Don Carnage’s phone.

    “Mister Mayor? You need to pull out your verification card at once. Don’t ask questions....just do it Sir. Time may be short.”

    A moment went by before Caesar came back. “I have it Admiral.” he replied.

    “Verification......Echo.....Romeo.....Two.....Seven......One.....Delta....Lima.....three......repeat Mister Mayor.” Don Carnage said.

    “Verification......Echo.....Romeo.....Two.....Seven......One.....Delta....Lima.....three......” Caesar replied.

    “Sir? Where are you right now?” Don Carnage asked as he looked at his watch.

    “I’m still at my house Admiral.” The Mayor replied.
   
    “Mister Mayor....this is the situation. An unknown number of rockets have been fired by the Kzinti. This is a confirmation. One of our attack submarines made the report and I’m sure within a few minutes our radars aboard our ships and at our shore bases will pick them up. I’ve sent a warning order to all commands. Time of arrival is not known. You need to alert the media and warn the populace now Sir.” Don Carnage said as he walked to his office window...”My gawd Sir.”

     “I’m having my wife call ZOO Productions right now.” Caesar said. “This is no bull snit right Admiral? We are under attack? Is there any other news?”

    “Right now Sir? Who gives a damn about “other news” our whole country is in danger. I need immediate authorization for a counter attack. Give authority to our attack submarines and our Vesuvius rocket boats to start hitting those bastards back. At least let’s not go down without a fight Sir?”

     Ceasar was silent for a moment...

    “Damn it Sir! Give me authorization please?! They could be on their way right now with an invasion fleet behind their rockets! Us? The Outback Islands? Sir! Give me the authority and I’ll make them “pussy pricks” bleed Sir!”

     “Do it!” Caesar snarled. “You have the authority for unrestricted submarine attacks. I have to speak with “ZOO” right now and inform the city counsel.”

     Admiral Don Carnage saluted to the phone. “Sir! Please get yourself and your family to safety! Forget the damn counsel, it’s too late! Sir....please.....time is short.”

     “You tend to your worries Admiral.” Caesar replied. “And Admiral?”

    “Yes Sir?” Don Carnage replied.

      “Give them hell.” Caesar said. “Take care of yourself.”

     “You also Sir.” Don Carnage replied.

 8:41:17am
ZOO Productions Headquarters
Downtown Zootopia

      Jarden Tordos (Pig) had been President and CEO of ZOO productions for the better of twenty years and he always took advantage of good young talent when he saw it and in the young female Puma now showing her stuff before him on a studio stage, he had the makings of another Gazelle....or so he thought to himself as the cat impressed him both with her dancing and in her facial expressions as she sang through a cover of “Broken Wings” before him...

     Suddenly his cell phone rang and when he clicked to answer it? He got a series of changing alarm tones...both long and short then the voice of the mayor came through....

     “Mister Tordos? This is the Mayor. Do you have your code card with you?” Caesar asked.

     Tordos pulled out his wallet, removed a plastic covered piece of paper, broke the plastic and held the red card in his hoof hand...”Yes Mister Mayor....go ahead please?”

     “Six.........One.........Nine.......Tango......Lima.......Delta........Four....Four....confirm?” Caesar asked.

    “Six.........One.........Nine.......Tango......Lima.......Delta........Four....Four....confirm.” Tordos said as he began to walk as fast as he could out of the audition. “Please tell me this is a drill Mister Mayor? Please? This is a drill right? Just a test?”

    “No.” Caesar replied sternly. “You will break all television and radio broadcast and announce situation fifteen of the pre-recorded alerts. You will add the following.....”Unknown number of rockets fired by Kzinti forces are heading for Zootopia. Time of their arrival is uncertain....”

    “Oh my gawd!” Tordos yelped. “OH MY GAWD!”

    “MISTER TORDOS! LISTEN TO ME GAWD DAMN YOU!” Caesar roared loudly!

     “Oh my gawd....oh my gawd we’re all going to die....” Tordos started to cry and shake as he fell on his knees...”We’re all going to be killed!”

      “Tordos?! You need to get the alert out! We don’t have time for delays and losing our damned heads! Get your fat porker ass in gear!” Caesar screamed! Jarden got to his feet and ran down the corridor of the headquarters screaming himself horse...

     “WE’RE BEING ATTACKED! EVERYONE FIND A PLACE TO HIDE! WE’RE BEING ATTACKED! Jarden screamed out as he broke into the main broadcast control room and grabbed the first technician he could get his hooves on...

     “Interrupt with emergency message 15! Interrupt with emergency message 15! Add....”Unknown number of rockets fired by Kzinti forces are heading for Zootopia. Time of their arrival is uncertain....” Jarden yelped. “Hurry up and do it!”

     The Weasel on the receiving end of the message shook with shock...”Are you sure Sir?” He asked.

    Jarden turned the weasel around and kicked him in the butt...”JUST DO IT!” 

 8:43:57am
Fudge n Packers ice cream parlor
Downtown

     Elias Lengree (A Gray Siamese Bull elephant, ice cream server) walked into the parlor and found Alex cleaning the tables and setting out the napkin holders...

     “Do you ever leave me anything to do before nine?” Elias asked. “Where’s the boss?”

     “He’s in the office estimating supplies and doing yesterday’s receipt reports.” Alex replied cheerfully.

    “You know what I like about you kid? You take an everyday job like working the tables and act like it’s a carnival ride. Do you ever have a down day?” Elias asked as he walked behind the serving counter and grabbed his apron.

     “I think my mother rubbed off on me more than my Dad.” Alex said as he teased around a napkin holder to get it just right. “My Dad’s the more serious and dower one. My mom teases him all the time to get him to smile and joke and it’s like tickling a powder charge. She loves to tell me...”Now Alex? You be very professional but don’t be stuffy like your father.” And my Father’s all like...”On the job son? Putting forth a professional and upright correct posture and behavior will always serve you best.” To which then my mom will pour a bucket full of ice water over his head to cool him down.”

    “BAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.....!”

      The noise from the television, the un-breaking aural tone of alarm got Elias and Alex’s heads turning towards the “EBS” picture that filled the tube....then their own cell phones started screaming with.... 

    “BAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW........” The aural tone stopped and for a moment...then there was no sound...and then...

    “The following message is transmitted by order of the government of Zootopia. This is not a drill.....This is not a drill....it has been confirmed that an unknown number of rockets, launched by the nation of Kzin, are currently in flight towards Zootopia. Their time of arrival and targets of impact are not known. Repeat...an unknown number of rockets, launched by the nation of Kzin, are currently in flight towards Zootopia. Their time of arrival and targets of impact are not known. All residents of Sahara Square, Savanna Central, Tundra Town and Downtown Zootopia are ordered at once to seek shelter! Repeat.... All residents of Sahara Square, Savanna Central, Tundra Town and Downtown Zootopia are ordered at once to seek shelter!.....

       “BOSS! BOSS!” Elias yelled and trumpeted with his trunk as he ran for the office! Alex fumbled with and urgently tapped away on his cell phone knowing the phone system was probably hopelessly clogged...

      “WILL! WILL! ARE YOU UP?! TEXT ME BACK! PLEASE!” Alex furiously typed as he ran to the front door of the parlor and came snoot to snoot with absolute panic! Mammals of all forms and sizes were in flight on their feet, on their hooves, on their bikes, in their cars....

      “WILL!  TEXT ME BACK!” Alex typed again before he brought up his mother’s message board....

      “MOM! DAD! I’M AT WORK! I CAN’T GET A HOLD OF WILL! STAYING WHERE I AM! I LOVE YOU!”

 8:44:45am
Zootopia Fleet Marine School of Infantry
Savanna Central
Fleet Marine Corps Base, Camp Quanaco

      Nori landed on his feet off the “Deuce n a half” truck and caught his brothers as they followed behind him! “Go Pow Pow ! Run your ass of Ori! Go Owen! Nori broke into a run behind his brothers as the emergency sirens blew around them and Marines were scrambling to get to any shelter!

    Owen spied a drainage ditch across the parking lot near the main mess hall and push / pulled his brothers with him! “A ditch is better than nothing! Don’t want to be in a building if it takes a direct hit!”

    “Oh great!” Ori snapped. “At least we’ll be half way in a grave pit! Less work for everyone else!”

    “SLAP!”....”Shut your mouth you silly dork!” Nori screamed as he and Ori jumped....into bunny waist deep water!

    “Oh great! Now we’ll drown and get blown to hell!” Ori yelped!

     Owen just got back to his feet when another Marine crashed into him and flopped him back into the water! The burley oldest brother snatched the offender by his shirt determined to lay him out despite the terrifying urgency of the situation....”GET READY TO LOOSE TEETH YOU STUPID BASTARD!” Owen snapped until he saw the officer collar pins on the Marine bunny’s shirt....

    “OH! OH SNIT! Uh......Sorry Captain!” Owen saluted. 

    “No...it was my fault for jumping before I looked.” The Captain replied as he flopped against the side of the trench. “I’m sorry Sargent.”

     Owen flopped next to the officer...so did his three brothers. “What a way to go into combat Sir...soaken wet up to our tails in a water ditch with rockets coming down on our heads.” Owen snorted. “Fluck us to tears.”

    The officer, A light cream tan male rabbit with a puffy cheek face, patted Owen on his shoulder...”Captain Oakley from Deerbrook County. Just so we have names and get to know each other a little bit if we should get blown to hell.”

    “Oh....I’m Sargent Owen Hopps. This one is Corperal Powen Hopps or “Ka Pow Pow” That one’s Lance Corperal Nori Hopps or “Gorvilla” and that joker waving and smiling like a clueless dumb tail is Private First Class Ori Hopps or “Spanky”

     “All brothers?” Oakley asked.

     “We’re not all here Sir.” Nori chirped. “Our other brother Dori is at Medic school in Sahara Square. Sure hope he’s digging a deep warren somewhere.”

     “What possessed you all to join the Marines?” Oakley asked.

     “Right now?” Owen replied. “We’re totally clueless. Should have stuck with carrot farming.”

      “Or grand larceny.” Nori snorted.

      “I could have gone to college.” Powen huffed.

      “I have to pee.” Ori snorted.

      “Hold it you!” Nori yelled. “Just like you want to stand around and piss and you catch a rocket in a squat.”

 8:37:00am
The Growler
Number two 40mm gun mount

     Gun mount Chief Hafleckt (Hippo) stood pointing his arm towards the fast incoming Kzinti destroyer....”DON’T HIT THE BATTERIES, WE’RE GOING TO NEED THEM! MANUAL TRAIN! MANUAL SHOOT! MANUAL TRAIN!TURN, TURN TURN! ELEVATE! TURN FAST! TURN FASTER!”

     The two Leopards handling the rotation and vertical declinations of the four gun barrels were following Hafleckt’s commands and turning their hand cranks like crazy as a pair of lions dropped clips of five round shells into the loading hoppers on the backs of the four guns breech blocks...

     “UP AND SET!” One lion screamed out as he turned to grab another five round clip from a shell server behind him.

“BANG!“BANG!“BANG!“BANG!BANG!“BANG!“BANG!“BANG!BANG!“BANG!“BANG!“BANG!”

      a “50 cal” back aft was cutting loose and sending hot red tracers down range as Vance Pollard (snow Leopard) turned his elevation wheels fast and pulled himself from his seat with every hard crank! “Hey Smoke!” Vance screamed to his partner in the other chair. “What’s the target?!”

     “The navigation bridge!” Willy Smallet (A Yellow Leopard) replied as he too furiously worked his hand wheels. “We have to kill the bridge crew!”

      “How do we know those bastards are there?!” Vance asked.

      “Better to do something, don’t you think?!” Willy replied.

      “Steady....” Halfeckt said as he gestured with a waving arm as he watched the Kzinti destroyer begin to turn to her left. Obviously she was moving to do a broadside with her double barrel gun mounts. “Hold steady.....elevate......elevate.......five round blast......FIRE!”

     “BLOOM!BLOOM!BLOOM!BLOOM!BLOOM!”

       The forty millimeter guns barked a quick flight of five armor piercing shells, their spent casings dropping from the breach blocks and clanging on the steel deck below as the shells covered the space and crashed into the superstructure of the destroyer below the ships bridge!

     “KABOOM!”

     At least “Michigan’s maulers” got to throw a round out as the flaming ball ploom from the eight inch aft gun caused the water below it to foam up from the concussion! While the forty only “tickled” the side of the obviously thick steel armor of the enemy’s superstructure, the mauler’s armored piercing 8 inch round penetrated the base with a shower of sparks! Somewhere inside that bastard...the one thousand pound shell exploded after sending showers of extra steel bits ripping through how many unlucky “Kitty bowl diggers” were in the way...

     Then the enemy’s own four mount, twin barrel’d, eight inch guns exploded before Halflect’s eyes at 75 yards distance....

“BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!......”

    Halflecht didn’t see the shell coming....he didn’t see the impact...but he knew he was dead. He felt fire burning his flesh, organ’s ripping apart, his body tearing in half and the sensation of flight. He spent his last moments trying to speak as his upper body severed from it’s stomach and legs....landed on the ruins of the destroyed number one forty mount.

    Some how....Vance Pollard escaped the carnage of his station and crew mates being obliterated. He was blown from his seat, thrown over a search light mount, broke his left leg and lay for the moment behind the launching cradle for the ship’s “gig” (crew long boat) where he ripped his uniform belt off to strap his mangled leg so he wouldn’t bleed out!

Aft starboard fifty cal station
 8:38:16am

     One moment Zepher and Demish were pounding away with their Ma Deuce. What good a fifty cal was against a warship like the big bastard now flying by with her guns trained to kill? Well who cared, at least they were doing something!

“KABOOM!”

       The aft eight inch gun erupted in spitting flame and smoke as the pale of smoke from whatever fires were raging inside the Growler was starting to make aiming difficult...

      “FLUCK! SHE’S GONNA CUT LOOSE ON US!” Zepher screamed out and then the Kzinti destroyer unloaded....
      
       “BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!......”

        “I felt like I was a pin wheel....it happened that fast. My guess is one of their shells penetrated the hull under our gun and blew up in the compartment under our station. The world was a mess of crazy colors like you see water then you see sky then water then sky...I don’t know? Thought I was dead maybe? Thought my head had been ripped off? Suddenly there’s water....I hate water! Even in boot camp I had to be picked up and chucked off the jump tower at the training pool. Then I came too, my float coat life jacket blew open and I’m like fifty yards from the Growler and she’s hurting bad....What a flucked up day I was having.”

Zepher....20 years later.

         “Spit.....spit.....DEMMY?!” Zepher screamed out as he struggled to swim. “DEMMY!”

         “HERE KID! RIGHT HERE!” The big Rhino replied as he waved. Zepher swam like crazy and wrapped his arms around Demish’s outstretched arm....

         “Whine....whine....” The poor fox cried and shivered as fear threatened to take over....

        “Zeph! Stop it will you?! Are you hurt? Come on fox! Snap out of it!” The Rhino screamed as he took on his feral form. “Get on my back kid! Calm the fluck down!”

        Zepher scrambled to get onto Demish’s back....”Gasp....gasp.....gasp....”

        “Are you ok Zeff? Talk to me ship mate!” Demish asked.

       “Yeah...I’m just a little cut up that’s all.” Zepher hugged his friend tight...”You?”

       “We’re two lucky mother fluckers.” Demish snorted back. “The ship’s in trouble Zeff...she can’t fight back. You need to listen to me ok? If you want to live? You need to listen to what I tell you!”

       Zepher nodded. “I don’t feel like dying right now, that’s for damn sure!” He said gritting his teeth...”FLUCK YOU! YOU GAWD DAMNED SAND  BOX SNIT EATING MOTHER FLUCKERS!” The fox screamed out as he stood up on Demish’s back then flopped off into the water!

      “Your bravery astounds me.” Demish said as he pulled Zepher’s head out of the water.

      “Just watch that “Zinti” ship so we don’t get machine gunned to death will you!” Zepher worried as he pointed!

3rd deck below the main deck
Fire fighting sea water pump supply room
8:40:10am

      Darla swam across the flooding room with a pipe patch in her teeth, climbed the canvas and insulated wrapping of the ten inch fire main pipe and with another otter, pushed up and held the patch sleeve over the gushing hole while her counterpart speed wrenched the patch tight!

     “WHERE’S THAT DAMN P-250 PUMP?!” Harley the otter screamed as he jumped back into the flooded compartment with Darla behind him!

     “KABOOM!”

      The ship violently lurched to its’ side and a flame shot down through the compartment hatch as an armored piercing shell punched through the hull and detonated in a compartment next to the passageway where Harley was about to scale the ladder up to! Darla caught him by his coveralls and whipped him away from the tongue of flame before he got singed!

     “Ugh!” The angry male otter snapped as he popped up from the water in the flooded compartment. “GAWD DAMN IT!” Harley yelled as he scaled the ladder with Darla behind him to appear before a scene of carnage...

    The team that was trying to get the water pump in place to de-flood the main fire pump room was slaughtered by flying shrapnel! Mammals were killed in their place, torn to shreds with blood soaking every wall and dripping from the overhead.  A young antelope was pulling herself over the deck...her guts ripped open, her entrails hanging out, fear in her eyes as Darla ran to her and took her head in her arms....

    “Momma?......momma........maammm.......” The dying antelope breathed her last and Darla gently lowered her head to the deck as she gritted her teeth in a rage....

     “Harley?! Let’s get this pump going!” Darla commanded with a snarl of determination.

     “Are you kidding?!” The male otter yelped back sounding scared! “We’re going to get this thing working?!” 

     Darla ran up to the male otter and clamped her teeth down hard on his tail! “YEEOWWCH! YOU BITCH!” he screamed as Darla jumped up and slapped him in the face! 

“That’s Queen mega bitch to you ship mate! Now move your damn ass and let’s get this pump going!” Darla screamed as she threw Harley into the pump! “Hook up the hoses! I’ll throw the suction eductor into the water down below and keep it clean of debris! We have to get the water out of there before the pumping machinery fails!”

Harley looked at his tail....”You cut me open Delaware!”

“Oh you poor baby, do you need your baw baw? GET TO WORK OR I’LL BITE YOUR DICK OFF!” The angry female otter snapped!

The bridge
8:40:10am

      Moving Commander Winsor would have taken some fantastic feat of strength....or in Rudy Dolf’s case a determination not to die so soon. Seeing the Kzinti destroyer passing close aboard to starboard and seeing the terrifying image of a twin barreled gun mount aiming right for him...Rudy threw himself into Winsor’s chest with just enough momentum and force to pick the commander off his feet and throw him through the door at the rear of the bridge before an eight inch shell tore through it, killing every bridge member in the compartment and exiting out the port side where it exploded in mid-air!

       “OOF!” Winsor huffed as he crashed onto his back. “Mister Dolf! What the hell?!” The Commander yelped before he looked past Rudy to see the headless body of the helms-mammal draped over the steering wheel binnacle.... 

       “Sir! We haven’t got time to sit around! We have to get to the armored bridge!” Rudy snapped as he pushed and almost dragged the Commander down a passage, down a ladder and through a thick compartment hatch which closed by hydraulic power as soon as Rudy got into the space...

      “THAAAAAATHOCK!”

        Rudy snatched a pair of sound powered phones and jumped into what looked like a fighter pilot’s seat and cockpit with a hand wheel control, a throttle like side hand control and three separate video screens!....

        “All stations! All stations! Captain is in the armored bridge! This is Ensign Dolf at the helm control station, the Captain is taking his place at his station! Combat sing out! Damage Control sing out! Weapons officer sing out! High tower watch?! Where’s the enemy ship?!”

        A watch on the Growler’s superstructure radar tower yelped back through the radio....”Enemy destroyer moving off into a tight turn to port! Distance One Thousand Yards! Speed Thirty Two knots! Course 090 off our starboard side!”

        “We’ve taken quite a thrashing Mister Dolf.” Winsor snarled. “You don’t feel like swimming yet do you?”

        “No exactly Sir.” Rudy replied. “We still have some fight we can throw back at them...” Rudy switched his radio dial and called the two eight inch gun mounts....”Mounts One and Two report status!” Rudy called.

       “Mount One re-loading in progress! Can only load, rotate and train in manual mode! Crews all here Sir!”

      “Sir Mount Two reloading in progress! Can only load, rotate and train in manual mode! We’re all pissed off! Fluck those gawd damned pussies!”

       “Well....” Winsor said shaking his head. “At least we’re all still spirited.”

 8:48:00am
The Fleet Amphibious Assault Ship Sayoni
Sandy Point Naval Station
Sahara Square

The Combat Information Center

     The rabbit manning the ship’s central radar screen was the first mammal in Zootopia to catch sight of the incoming Kzinti rockets. What first showed up on the edge of his circular scope was a pair of dots.... seconds later it became ten dots.......seconds after that twenty dots..... seconds more.......it looked like a massive polkadot colored cloud moving slowly and menacingly towards the green colored landscape from the ocean...

     “Bridge....Combat radar controller....multiple incoming vampires bearing 090, moving 270 on the compass. Estimated number around 300. Altitude from 3,000 feet to 1,000 feet. Distance now 70 nautical miles. Speed 100 knots and closing fast. Estimated time over the top fourty two minutes.”

      The Captain of the Sayoni joined other officers on the wing bridge as he grabbed a phone hanging on the wall behind him...

      “Chief Engineer...time to get the plant and screws up?” The Captain asked his engineer in the ship’s engine room.

     “We’ll be underway in thirty minutes to forty minutes Sir!” The engineer replied.

     The Captain looked at his officers then replied. “Come on Chief...shave some time from that please? I don’t want to be caught at anchor when these vampires come over head.”

     “We’ll do our best Sir!” The engineer replied.

     Down on the flight deck...Kerdle the fox was trying to keep his mind on his work, getting his drone in a squadron of eight armed and ready to take off...perhaps all that stood between the incoming rockets and his family. He was scared absolutely snitless as he finished filling the drone with fuel and threw the fuel hose into the catwalk....

     “Richey?!” Kerdle yelped to a bobcat who was working a magazine filling cart full of fifty caliber ammunition feeding the two guns in the drone....”Richey? How long mammal?!”

     “Done!” The bobcat snapped back as he disconnected the feeder and pulled the cart to the next drone! “You’re clear Kerdy! Crank that bitch up?!”

      Kerdle spoke into his sound powered phone....”Drone control...Drone control....this is Flying Fox Five Zero Three, armed, fueled, ready to turn....Controller reply?”

     Down inside the ship, in a compartment full of mock-up cockpits manned by rabbits...one of them raised and waved his paw to the lead officer in the room....”This is Ensign Deshurley...I have you Five Zero Three. Establishing control....spooling up the automatic power unit...”

     Kerdle breathed a little relief as the sound of the drone’s internal power system came online with a growing whine....then the drone’s two turbo-fan engines came to life with a loud growl!

     “Ensign Deshurley....drone five zero three is fully fueled and fully armed with four thousand rounds of fifty cal. No problems to report, you have a ready bird.” Kerdle said as he turned and waved at a deck director wearing a yellow shirt! “I have a yellow shirt at the ready Sir!”

     “Affirm! I see the yellow shirt on my screen ” Deshurley replied. “Pull chains, pull chocks, pass me off!”

     “Yes Sir!” Kerdle snapped back. “Go kill those mother flucks Sir!” He saluted the drone and ran under the belly to pull the tie down chains off and kicked away the wheel chocks. A moment later....Kerdle patted his head and pointed to the yellow shirt to hand control of the drone to the deck crew for launch. Watching the machine starting its’ roll towards the bow catapults gave Kerdle at least a little relief. He could only hope Rachel got the kits to a safe place. Knowing he couldn’t call her, he pulled out his smart phone and text’d....”Love you and the kits. Stay safe.”

      Kerdle heard a loud double “WOOSH WOOSH!” come from behind his back and he turned to see the destroyer Zootopia speeding through the anchorage towards the channel and the open ocean. She had obviously fired two of her vertical launch multi-hit missiles in an attempt to kill some of the incoming rockets!

        “Bridge....Combat radar controller....multiple incoming vampires bearing 090, moving 270 on the compass. Estimated number still around 300. Altitude from 2,000 feet to 700 feet. Distance now 40 nautical miles. Speed 100 knots and closing fast. Estimated time over the top twenty four minutes.”

 8:54:00am
Nick and Judy’s house
Downtown Zootopia

      The television was repeating over and over again....”Rocket attack is imminent! Rocket attack is imminent! Seek shelter now! If you can not find shelter and are in an open area...find a wall, a depression in the ground or some object to protect you from flying debris! Curl up and cover your head! Protect your head and all limbs! Alert! Alert! Rocket attack is imminent! Rocket attack is imminent! Seek shelter now! If you can not find shelter and are in an open area...find a wall, a depression in the ground or some object to protect you from flying debris! Curl up and cover your head! Protect your head and all limbs!”

      “Carrots?! Go! Get the hell out of here! Get in the damn basement!” Nick screamed as he struggled to get out of the bath tub...”Damn! What a time to pick to wash my tail!”

      “Shut up and help me!” Judy screamed back. “Ugh! Come on! What did you do Nick? Gain a hundred pounds?!”

      “What happened to you?!” Nick yelped back. “You retired and became a flabby ass! Now leave me here and get the fluck to the damned basement! NOW!”

      “I’M NOT LEAVING YOU HERE TO DIE! COME ON NICK! HELP ME!” Judy half screamed and half started to cry! 

      Then a voice screamed from the first floor of the house....”NICK?! JUDY?!” Jag the tiger screamed!

      “JAG!” Nick yelled. “GET UP HERE AND GET MY WIFE TO THE BASEMENT!”

     “SHUT UP NICK!” Judy yelled back. “I’M NOT LEAVING YOU!”

     Jag ran into the bathroom....”Funny time to take a bath Nick?!”

    “Will you please get Judy out of here Jag?!” Nick yelped!

    Jag snatched the fox by the scruff of his neck and threw him over his shoulder....”Do you always have to be a melodramatic queen Nick?! Jag growled as he scooped Judy under his other arm!

    “What about your family?!” Judy asked Jag.

    “It’s called a bomb shelter. I’m shocked you two don’t have one.” Jag said calmly as he ran with his bundles through the house and down into the basement. “My family will be fine. I couldn’t sit in a bunker when my friends are as naked as pigs on a griddle.”

    “I’m wet, I’m full of soap, I’m naked and I’m gonna get blown to hell...what a wonderful day this is!” Nick snickered as Jag entered the basement and looked for a place to shelter...

     “And you still stink Nick so “epic fail” sort of qualifies here.” Jag said as he placed Nick and Judy against the basement wall then ran across the floor to snatch a pair of thick plywood sheets! “I’m afraid these are gonna have to do. These.....and me.” Jag said as he leaned the sheets against the wall then pushed Nick and Judy under them with his body on top of them....

     “Jag!” Judy yelped. “Get out of here while you still can?! Please!”

    “I think it’s too late for that.” Jag said as he scratched Judy’s shivering head. “Hey? It takes a lot to kill a tiger...trust me.”

    Nick fumbled his paw around until he gripped Judy’s tight...”Wonder where Jackie is right now? Do you think he knows this is happening?”

   “By now?” Judy replied. “They’re probably already fighting those stupid feline rejects.” Judy then petted Jag on the chest...”No offense Jag.”

   Jag bent his head down and gave Judy a head lick...”None taken.”

   “How long before they hit?” Nick whined. “This is feeling like a fricken eternity.”

 8:57:00am
The Mayor’s residence
Downtown Zootopia

    Kimba stopped half way down the steps to the basement and ran up to catch his father by an arm...

    “Dad? What are you doing?!” Kimba worried. “You and Mom can’t stay up here?!”

    “We can’t sit down there while the city is in danger.” Caesar said. “Get down there and protect your sister! Your mother and I can take care of ourselves...”

     “Dad!” Kimba yelped as he gripped Caesar tighter. “You can’t take care of anyone if you’re dead!”

     “DON’T DISOBEY ME KIMBA!” Caesar roared into his son’s face! “GO! GET DOWN THERE AND PROTECT YOUR SISTER!” NOW!”

      Caesar pushed Kimba back and slammed the basement door shut! Kimba heard the locking bolt click closed!

     “POUND! POUND! POUND!” “DAD! MOM! DON’T BE STUPID! DON’T LEAVE US DOWN HERE ALONE! DAD!” Kimba screamed and pounded over and over again until his little sister came up from behind and wrapped her arms around his waist...

     “Brother? Isn’t mother and father coming?” The young lioness asked.

     “Sigh....” Kimba sounded as he grabbed his sister’s paw. “They want us to be safe. I’m sure Dad’s smart enough to take care of himself and mom....”

     Kimba pulled his sister into the small room in the basement protected by thick concrete bricks and a steel door that the lion cub pulled behind him...

     “Wonder if my cell phone will work in here?” Kimba said as he sat on the floor and pulled his phone out of his pants pocket...

Texting Alex Gray: Alex! Where are you?

Alex: At work. In a small room stuffed with elephants.

Kimba: Oh that’s a sucky place right now!

Alex: Tell me dude! Wall to wall elephant sacks over my head! Ugh!

Kimba: I’m in my basement....my parents are not coming down...I’m shaking mammal!

Alex: Can’t get a hold of Tina....my brother....feel you much.

Kimba: Dude...so you know?....I love you! Not....not like you know?

Alex: We’ll live dude! Be safe.....see you after this snit.

Kimba: hugs.....hugs.....kisses.....hugs....

Alex: Kim? Get out of my ass dude!

The Growler
8:43:40am
Jackson’s Damage Control Locker Crew
Deck below the weather deck. Middle of the ship’s hull

    Jackson steadied himself at the end of the line of mammals holding the charged fire hose that ran through their arms as a Wolf slipped a steel pipe over the end of the last locking handle to a burning compartment and got ready to pull the steel cable lanyard attached to it!

   “READY ON THE LINE!” The wolf screamed.

   “READY!” The fire fighting crew replied with a shout!

    “PULL!” The wolf snapped as he gave the steel line a good tug and the door flew open discharging a ball of flame out of it as the raging fire inside found new oxygen to feed!

    The crew of mammals was crouched low to the steel deck, allowing the ball of flame to race over their heads and expel itself before they charged head long into the raging fire with their hose and protective extension wand spraying water before their advance!

     “JACKSON?!” Ayden Gull screamed from the front. “GET UP A CREW TO COME IN HERE! WE HAVE WOUNDED TO DRAG OUT!”

     Jackson jumped from his place on the hose team and grabbed crew mates who were waiting in a line behind the fire team as ready reserves...”Shagreen! Marris! Chase! Vanlightner! Follow me!” The fox bunny shouted with a wave!

    “How much time do we have on air?!” Marris, a grey fox yelped as he looked at his own timer! The others in the crew quickly shouted out their numbers and Jackson screamed out as they all entered the smoke and flame engulfed space!....”FIFTEEN MINUTES! FIFTEEN MINUTES! Chase? Let us know when you reach five?!” Jackson asked.

    “Yes Sir!” Chase, a young Bengal Tiger, replied. 

    There were several mammals inside....some still alive by terribly burned, obviously too far injured to be saved. Others by luck had escaped the flames and the heat having broken limbs or severe wounds from flying debris. Jackson’s small crew went from mammal to mammal carrying those that couldn’t walk and pushing those along who could...

      Jackson found a rabbit cowarding and babbling under a desk that had been thrown against a wall by the explosion and fire that ravaged through the compartment and aside shivering like crazy....the bunny was unhurt!

     “SLAP!” “Come on! Get up!” “SLAP!” Jackson shook and slapped the terrified rabbit out of his shock....”SLAP!” Come on! Do you want to die here or live?! GO!” Jackson yelped as he butt kicked the bunny into flight and out of the compartment!

      Jackson had gotten to his feet to run over to Ayden Gull and the fire fighting team when another explosion rocked the Growler and threw him over a desk!

“KABOOM!”

       Ayden bent over the desk and pulled Jackson to his feet! “We’re all fine but the ship is flucked! We haven’t got any damn power! If we don’t get any juice to anything....we’ve had it!”

      “They must have hit the main distribution station!” Jackson snapped back! “You’d think they would have re-routed everything quick enough by now?!”

     Ayden thought for a moment...then he turned to the rest of the Damage Control crew....”Fluck it! Abandon this compartment! We’re going to the power distribution room right now! We’ve got to get power restored or the ship’s had it!”

The Growler
8:43:40am
Aft 8 inch gun mount
“Michigan’s maulers”

      “You cock sucking piece of snit.” Michigan snarled as he kept his face fixed to the manual aiming eye piece at his control station in the aft mount. He missed the enemy 8 inch cannon shell that flew past his bubble top by mere inches....

      “Come on Balstrum! Crank this mother flucker faster! Right! Up! Right! Up!”

       “Will you site this bitch in already?!” Balstrum screamed back. “My arms hurt!”
      
    Senshen screamed out...”What a pussy!”

    “I got your pussy you bitch!” Balstrum snapped back!

    “SIGHTED! CLEAR!” Michigan yelled for Balstrum to drop into the gun cradle pit! “FIRE!”

    Senshen watched Balstrum dive into the gun pit then she pulled the manual firing lanyard taunt!

“KABOOM!”

    The eight inch gun barked and Michigan tracked the round as it raced red hot beyond the flame blossom beyond the gun’s muzzle, flew 200 yards down rage and slammed into the superstructure on the Kzinti ship’s right side! A crew’d up anti-aircraft mount shattered to pieces!

    “ARGH! TAKE THAT YOU COCK SUCKERS!” Michigan yelled loudly as he bounced up and down in his seat! The enemy might have some advantage, the Growler might be somewhat powerless but the gun crews were still deadly efficient!

    “RELOAD! RELOAD!” Michigan yelped down to Balstrum and Senshen! 

     “DOING IT! CALM DOWN FOX!” Balstrum snapped back! 

 8:59:00am
Will and Gilly’s Apartment building
Sahara Square

     Will ran into the open field beyond his apartment building and found a culvert with a good sized concrete pipe to dive into. Better to take his chances here than in the basement of the building or in the apartment. He had jumped into the bathroom tub at first....”Thiiiiiissssssss.....not a good place.” The wolf said to himself as he hopped out and took off running out of the apartment building. Now he crouched outside the opening of the concrete pipe looking up at the sky as a sound like a swarm of bees started off soft and low somewhere in the distance then began to build with menacing cringing....

     (The Kzinti rockets are V-1 Nazi vengeance rockets)

     “Here they come...” Will said to himself as his ears downcasted and for a moment he whined and whimpered at the waves of flying death coming over his head. It wasn’t a steady sounding tone from them but rather a pulsing symphony of quick “on and off” puffs or “woops”. You multiply that by tens or hundreds and it made the nerves fire like crazy!

     Will turned into his feral form, tucked his tail between his legs and backed himself into the concrete pipe in tears....Where was Gilly? Where was Alex? Mom? Dad?....never had Will felt so utterly helpless nor completely alone. Was this how he would die? Cowarding like a dog in a stupid drain pipe?......

     Then the ground shook and his body bounced around the pipe!

“WAH-BOOM!”

“WAH-BOOM!”

“WAH-BOOM!”

“FWAAAAAAACK!”

End of chapter 42