"...What," the president simply stated after receiving the briefing his Chief-of-Staff handed him.

"Yeah... apparently so. We now live in the year 1106."

The president facepalmed. "So... the entire United States just got teleported back in time."

"It would certainly seem that way, sir," the Chief deadpanned.

"Has this been... officially confirmed?"

"Yes, Mr. President, sir. Our base in Afghanistan is observing a crusader raid off on the horizon. Nobody poses any direct threat, though."

"Good God Jesus Harold Christ..." the president groaned, barely resisting the urge to facepalm again.

"I was thinking the same thing, sir."

"I should address the nation..."

"Is that a good idea?"

"It's better they found out from me than they do from the likes of CNN... And they're gonna find out, either way."

"Call a press conference, instead."

"They would likely pay more attention to an address."

"Okay. Fair point. When?"

"Give me a week to get everything together. And tell our bases abroad

__***

"Anyways..." Astrid Haddock began, but trailed off.

"Anyways, what?" Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, who happened to be Astrid's husband of five years, inquired.

"Nevermind. I don't remember," she answered, earning herself a snort from Hiccup. The two were relaxing on the peak of the island of New Berk in the dying sunlight after a long day's work. Well, they were relaxing... until Toothless showed up with some slightly harrowing news.

"<Six ships on the horizon.>" he said, landing with a small thump. Like all dragons, he could communicate telepathically with other dragons, as well as humans, as they had similar enough brainwaves.

"Wait, what? Where?!" Hiccup demanded.

"And who?!" Astrid tacked on.

"<About six miles south of here.>" Toothless answered. "<I don't know who. They aren't vikings, though. The ships aren't the right design... or material. They're metal. They also had some type of contraptions with really fast rotating swords on their tops hovering all around, buzzing like a swarm of angry bees. The biggest ship in the fleet also had some kind of contraption on it that launched small flying metal contraptions that were really loud, like a constant roar, but louder, and they came really close, and I saw humans inside of them, as if they were possibly controlling them.>"

"Toothless, either you're lying, or you're insane," Hiccup deadpanned. "Pick one."

"<I'm serious!>" Toothless yelled.

"You're insane," Astrid replied.

"<Fine. Don't believe me? I'll show you.>"

"Alright," Astrid sighed. "Let me get Luna."

"<No, no. There's no need t->" but Astrid interrupted him.

"Luna!" Astrid called out. At that, a pure white dragon whose shape was similar to Toothless leapt up the cliff.

"<Yes, Astrid?>" a musical, distinctly feminine voice, answered.

"Your mate is insane," Astrid stated flatly.

"<Why? What did he do?>" The white dragon, a light fury, deadpanned.

"He's trying to tell us that he saw ships made of metal, metal doesn't float though, and then he saw, and I quote, 'flying metal contraptions,'" Hiccup explained, making air quotes with his fingers.

"<Toothless, I thought we agreed to never discuss that.>" the light fury, Luna, said.

"<They're the chief and chiefess. They need to know.>" Toothless replied.

"<Fair point.>" Luna said. "<I just wish you told me before telling them.>"

"So... Toothless isn't crazy?" Astrid inquired.

"<...You need to see this.>" Luna said hesitatingly.

__***

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Astrid exclaimed in frustration. "Metal isn't supposed to float! Or fly either, for that matter!"

"I know, Astrid," Hiccup said softly.

"I'm baffled, really. How?!"

"I... really don't know..."

The conversation fell into a tense silence for a few seconds until Astrid, who sat down on the couch, called out in an absolutely tiny voice, "Hiccup?"

"Honey?" Hiccup responded. "What's wrong?" he cooed as he gently sat down next to her, and pulled her in close, holding her against his chest so she could hear his heartbeat.

"I... I'm scared..." Astrid answered.

"How come?" Hiccup asked softly

Did you see those... things?" Astrid asked, her voice laced with fear.

"Yeah," Hiccup answered, running his fingers through her hair. "Metal. Impossible, really. But that shouldn't be a reason to be scared."

"It wasn't the fact that they flew, Hiccup," Astrid said, her voice wavering from terror. She took a shaky breath in a vain attempt to calm her nerves. "It was how they flew. Did you see how high they went? How fast and far they could go? Even Toothless couldn't compete with that!" Astrid's tears were flowing freely now. "What if... what if they wanted to wipe us out, Hiccup? What could we do against something like that?" She wailed as she clung to her husband, before dissolving into a sobbing mess. He simply sat there, softly whispering sweet nothings, interspersed with the occasional calming shush, as he continued to pet her, until she cried herself to sleep in his arms. He then picked her up, and carried her bridal style to their shared bed, laying her down before spooning her. Pulling the covers over their heads, he proceeded to pass right the fuck out, the day's events finally getting to him.