A few minutes earlier...

25th of April, 11:20

Aboard HMS Belfast, 55 miles off the coast of Scotland, the North Sea.

Only a few days into their patrol, HMS Queen Elizabeth and her CSG, consisting of two Type 45 destroyers, two Type 26 frigates that include HMS Belfast, an Astute-class submarine and a Tide-class tanker, ran into sea state 8. The seas surrounding the carrier strike group were unusually rough even for the frigates and destroyers like HMS Belfast.

Most of the crew below the decks was trying to make themselves as relaxed as possible, after all, they didn't anticipate anything after everything that happened.

Soon enough, an indisputable sound was heard throughout the entire ship as the piercing klaxon of the ship's general alarm shatters everyone's mood.

Broadcast Alarm: "Hands to action stations, hands to action stations. Assume CBRN damage control state 1. Condition Zulu."

And suddenly, the mood below decks changed. Even though it was more of an ordered rush rather than panic, everyone knew something unfavourable was inevitable.

The crew, across the entire ship, grabbed and emptied their bags and put on their white coveralls, white fire-retardant hoods and gloves. Every door and hatch was sealed just in case the ship was hit. Everyone's adrenaline was pumping, this was what they've been training and waiting for their entire career.

Inside the gun bay directly below the ship's 6.1-inch Mk 8 gun, high-explosive (HE) shells were readied while safety catches were pulled from the two Goalkeeper CIWS on board.

(Author Note: The Mk 8 naval gun, even though it's a 4.5-inch gun irl, was supposed to be adapted to carry the 155 mm gun barrel and breech from the AS-90 self-propelled gun until it was cancelled in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review. But well, since that's the UK and this is the FBU, it was never cancelled. And all the Phalanx CIWS on board were replaced by the Goalkeeper CIWS because of the much more complicated FBU - US relations in this world.)

Within minutes, all the close-range weapons crew are in their body armour and positions, only to see something terrifying right before the ship's path.

AWW 1: "...What the fuck is that?"

(Author Note: "AWW" stands for Abovewater Warfare Weapons which is one of the four sub-specialisation for a Warfare Specialist (WS) in the Royal Navy.)

Several hundred yards to the front of the carrier strike group was a huge sea serpent-like creature straight out of a fantasy novel. Everyone on the deck was astonished at the presence of such a strange creature.

Meanwhile, on HMS Belfast's bridge, the captain, Commander Jean-Pascal Ménétries was patiently waiting for orders from the COMCSG aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth on what to do next.

(Author Note: "COMCSG" stands for Commander Carrier Strike Group which is a fictional position based on the real "COMUKCSG" position within the Royal Navy.)

However before the ships could do anything, the sea serpent started swimming aggressively towards them, all while opening its mouth as if it was trying to eat them.

HMS Queen Elizabeth: "Belfast, that thing is directly in front of you."

Jean: "Understood, sir. I got it, Logan."

Logan: "Captain has the conn."

Jean quickly grabbed his binoculars and watched as the sea serpent came closer while HMS Belfast broke off from formation in an attempt to lure it towards her instead of the CSG.

Jean: "Hard port rudder! Hard over!"

Helmsman: "Hard port rudder. Aye, sir."

Lookout 1: "Incoming, starboard bow!"

Jean: "6.1, conn, bearing 055."

AWW 2: "Conn, 6.1, roger."

Jean: "Standby."

Jean handed the phone over to Sub-Lieutenant Logan Scott, the Officer of the Watch (OOW), while he quickly rushed to the front to watch the sea serpent as it quickly approaches the ship.

Logan: "6.1, bearing 055, range 925 yards."

AWW 2: "6.1, roger. Clear visual, turret corrected."

The ship's imposing 6.1-inch gun turned towards the sea serpent after all the necessary adjustments, Jean took a deep breath before he shouted out the order.

Jean: "Command approved."

Logan: "6.1, engage."

AWW 2: "6.1, shoot!"

As soon as the order was given, the 6.1-inch gun immediately started firing its HE shells. With a rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute, the gun was a serious threat to anything as big as the sea serpent. Soon, the general-purpose machine guns and miniguns were also firing at the eccentric creature.

Within less than a minute, the sea serpent was hit by multiple shells from the 6.1-inch gun and several hundred bullets, seeing this, other destroyers and frigates in the vicinity joined in the fight. The smoke caused by shells that exploded around the sea serpent was so tense that it eventually became impossible to verify their hits.

Logan: "6.1, cease firing."

AWW 2: "6.1, roger."

Everyone on the bridge patiently waited as the smoke cleared. However, once the sea serpent came back into view, there were no signs of damage on its skin, if any at all.

Logan: "You've gotta be fucking kidding me..."

Jean: "6.1-"

Before Zack was able to order the 6.1-inch gun to fire again, however, the sea serpent rose from the water and stared at the ship for a moment before turning its back to the ship and swam away...to everyone's confusion and relief.

Logan: "Sorry, my language, sir."

Jean: "...Carry on, sub-lieutenant. Contact operations, I want to know how that bloody thing got that close to us."

Logan: "Right away, sir."

* * * * *

Three hours later...

25th of April, 14:20

RAF Gibraltar, Gibraltar

An A400M Atlas transport aircraft landed on the runway in the once-quiet Gibraltar International Airport which was now filled with military aircraft taking off and landing almost every minute.

The transport aircraft taxied by the runway and opened its hatch. The badge on the A400M shows that the aircraft was from No. 47 Squadron RAF.

The equipment on board was quickly unloaded alongside personnel. They were all wearing green berets similar to that of the Royal Marine Commandos. However, they weren't Royal Marines. They are part of 8 Troop, M Squadron, Special Boat Service (SBS).

They were the first of M Squadron, SBS to be flown to Gibraltar from their garrison at RM Poole while the rest of the squadron was on their way.

All of them were quickly guided over to an empty hangar while the equipment unloaded was quickly moved into the hangar.

The lights inside the hangar were opened as the doors closed. The sixteen men quickly grabbed whatever there was inside the hangar and sat down before a projection screen.

There, a man walked past them with a laser pointer and turned on the projector. The screen shows satellite images of the New World.

???: "Gentlemen, welcome to Gibraltar. Unfortunately, we aren't here for a vacation. So let's get right to the point."

The pointer was turned on and it circled the region to the north of Gibraltar, their mission area.

???: "We will be inserted covertly, into the western coastal area of this peninsula, by two EC725 Caracals from No.7 Squadron, as part of the overall Operation Ruckus. From there, our troop will divide into two patrol teams, the first team, commanded by "Dinger", will be responsible for the peninsula's western coast."

Dinger: "Aye, sir."

???: "The second team, commanded by me, will go into this town, 60 miles to the northwest of Gibraltar. According to our satellite images and field intelligence, this is one of the many medieval towns in this peninsula we know almost nothing of."

Canine: "Sir if I may."

???: "Spit it out, Canine."

Canine: "Do we know nothing else other than all these satellite images, sir?"

???: "I am afraid, yes. That's why we're also being accompanied by two intelligence officers from Legoland though. Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to Emmanuel Wood and Eugène De Verley."

(Author Note: "Legoland" and "Babylon-on-Thames" are nicknames for the SIS (MI6) building at Vauxhall Cross within the intelligence community.)

Eugène: "Lieutenant John Wensley, it's an honour."

John: "The honour's mine. Anyways, any other question lads?"

There was no response, which was typical of John's troop. Although the two intelligence officers from the SIS were confused, John dismissed it like always.

John: "Alright then. The first team's dismissed, second team you know where to go. Another briefing in two hours."

Canine: "Aye, sir."

John: "If you don't mind, please follow me, gentlemen."

Emmanuel: "Very well."

The projector was turned off and while the rest of John's troop walked out of the hangar, he and seven others gathered inside a temporary tent set up outside of the hangar.

RAF Gibraltar was now being turned into a forward operating base (FOB). It was here where several units will be flown in and out for whatever reason there may be in the upcoming days.

A large map was rolled out onto the table as everyone gathered around it. A pin was used to mark the position of the town that was their objective.

Emmanuel: "Operation Ruckus is the government's plan to deploy troops along the borders and in key locations to prevent a major public disorder and external threats from this new world. On the outside, it's a precaution, however, on the inside, it's martial law in disguise."

John: "So why is it this specific town exactly?"

Eugène: "As you can see, Lieutenant, there are major port facilities there, albeit rather medieval and obsolete. We assume that the town is a major maritime trade centre within this peninsula. The government has resolved to dispatch a carrier strike group from Brest to visit this peninsula so we're here to gather information in the area for some time."

John: "...So we're going in virtually blind."

Eugène: "I am afraid, yes, Lieutenant."

Emmanuel: "Your teams, Mike One Zero and Mike Two Zero are two of the most important teams working on this, Lieutenant. We will help as much as we can."

John: "Let's just hope we all know what we're doing."

Emmanuel: "Of course, Lieutenant, of course..."

Eugène: "Especially since you're all veterans from service in the Philip-"

One of the team's member, "Kiwi", pulled out his L117A2 pistol and lunged towards Eugène, holding him at gunpoint, as the SIS officers stood dismayed.

Kiwi: "Don't you dare mention that again."

John: "Kiwi, that's enough. It's fine."

Kiwi: "I am stopping out of respect for my lieutenant. If you dare mention it again, I am going to make sure not one but two bullets log itself in your skull."

Eugène: "Okay, okay..."

And with that, Kiwi put his pistol back into its holster and backed down while Eugène looked at Emmanuel only to receive a cold response.

Emmanuel: "Don't look at me, the guy's right. Anyways, let's continue, shall we?"

* * * * *

At the same time...

The Franco-British Parliament, the Palace of Versailles.

Several hundreds of tourists walked around the eye-catching gardens of the Versailles, most were taking pictures while some simply enjoyed the beauty of nature.

That was until several groups of armed soldiers in full combat attire, accompanied by police officers, ran past them. These were soldiers of the 1st Battalion, French Guards, the last of the Foot Guards to be raised in 1941 under a Royal Warrant to include France in the national component of the Guards Division.

The French Guards can trace their origins back to the Régiment des Gardes Françaises created in 1563 as part of the Maison militaire du roi de France or the Military Household of the King of France.

But it was soon clear to the tourists that the Guards weren't here for ceremonial purposes, as they were fully armed and soon, they took positions around the entire palace and sent out patrols that often walked alongside tourists and citizens alike.

Soon, reporters from multiple news organisations appeared on the scene. One of those reporters, Stella Elliott, was a news reporter for the Entente Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) and she was determined to make her first report a success.

EBC Cameraman: "You ready? Don't stress out too much, try to relax."

Stella: "Thanks. I will try to do my best today."

EBC: "Okay, standby. Broadcasting in 3 2 1..."

Stella took a deep breath, holding her microphone tightly before she started reporting the situation. This was sure to be one of those tiring days, not just for her but also for everyone else...