Godzilla X The Thing…Redux
by Keith E. Kimball

"One last question - The Thing?" Akiko Mitsua asked her gracious host, "Did anybody really call Mothra that?"

"Only other newspaper reporters," Yuriko Junko answered, "Not professionals like Mr. Sakai and myself. Or you, miss. I thought it was a silly nickname and I was glad it died out quickly."

"Really?" Akiko continued, "Funny you should mention your colleague. Mr. Sakai was convinced that Mothra’s twin fairys - the Cosmos - said it too."

Junko waved her hand dismissively. "The Cosmos were being sarcastic. That was just a name slapped onto Mothra’s egg by the fools who wanted to turn it into a tourist attraction. Those businessmen didn’t know what they were messing with."

Despite her age, Junko was still very attractive. In a very impish sort of way. But Akiko felt a chill as Junko leaned forward, eyes growing serious for the first time since they’d met. "They found out not to mess with Mothra anyway, hmm?" Junko intoned solemnly.

"Yes, thank you, again, for your time."

"My pleasure."

The camera zoomed in close on Akiko’s own pretty features as she reminded her audience, "This has been part of our 40^th Anniversary of Mothra vs. Godzilla series. Please continue to enjoy our exclusive coverage continuing tomorrow night in an interview with Professor Miura. The professor was, of course, also one of Ms. Junko’s colleagues researching these mysterious events that led to the monsters’ first battle in 1964. On behalf of W-KEK News, thank you and good night."

The camera cut back for a quick peek at Junko, her impishness restored as she waved cheerfully, before the broadcast went to a commercial. It was a big plasma TV, situated high enough (and tuned loud enough) that the patrons of the trendy open-air bar could all enjoy it.

Perched carefully on her bar stool, Akiko announced grouchily to the world at large, "How did she stay looking so good? She’d old enough to be my grandmother."

At her left elbow, chief cameraman Gumpei Miyamoto took advantage of the excuse to eye Akiko up and down. She hadn’t had time to change out of her easy-breezy white blouse and matching skirt she’d worn for the interview. Akiko was a willowy beauty who dyed her hair a light auburn to differentiate herself from the newscaster pack. Her mile-long legs were well displayed by a combination of her bar stool and knee-length skirt.

Gumpei finally said, "You wish you look half as good now."

As expected, Akiko smashed her elbow into his shoulder hard. "Bite me," she snarled, "And where do you get off, hitting on her like that? She could be your grandma too. You’re such a slob."

She deigned to glance over her shoulder at Gumpei. True, his work kept him off-camera by nature since he was the one holding it. That let him dress casually all day, every day. But she didn’t think he had to be so messy about it. That tropical shirt thrown over his white T and khaki shorts was loud enough to break any camera’s lens.

Gumpei merely chuckled, pulling his T-shirt down over his little paunch again with, "Classic beauty never goes out of style, Akiko. Like mine, for instance."

"Ha!" she snapped, "You’ll be another lonely old single like her in thirty years. ‘Ms. Junko’. Couldn’t be all that much of a babe, could she?"

Trying not to spill his beer, Gumpei waved some sushi trapped between his chopsticks at her. "Blah, blah, blah, toots. The moaning of another old maid all alone on a Saturday night."

"She still turned you down, you pig!" she snapped.

The upscale bar was such a familiar hang-out for W-KEK crew that fellow customers and employees alike were used to their sibling-like squabbling. Nobody batted an eyelash. Luckily for those around them, both Akiko and Gumpei spared a moment to silently pick at their food gloomily.

"Excuse me," said a deep, pleasant voice at Akiko’s elbow, "Is this seat taken?"

Both newscasters turned. A tall, broad-shouldered figure stood proudly silhouetted against the full moon. Half inside and half in the street, he smiled politely as the military man waited for Akiko to answer.

She was having trouble getting her breath back. This square-jawed gent was absolutely gorgeous. And despite his American uniform, his Japanese was perfect. Frantically, she searched behind him to spot a date trailing behind. Nobody!

"Oh, no, sir," she smiled beautifully, "My colleague and I aren’t expecting anybody."

She caught a pleasantly surprised twitch in the stranger’s nod when she said ‘colleague’ that filled her with hope. That hope was confirmed when the man sat down, quickly scanning Akiko’s hands for a ring. She didn’t see one on him either.

Gumpei was chewing his sushi in a faintly jealous fashion.

Actually, the officer was now studying Akiko’s face with interest. Pointing, he said, "You probably get this a lot, but you look very much like…"

"Akiko Mitsua? One and the same," she tossed her short hair back.

He laughed. It was a deep, throaty rumble that sent tingles down Akiko’s spine. "Captain Blake," he returned, taking her hand in a strong grip, "And you’re--?" He proffered his hand behind Akiko’s shoulder to Gumpei.

Akiko batted Gumpei’s hand away gently, "He’s not important. And he was just leaving. So, see you at work Monday, right?"

Gumpei had been studying the other man’s face. Now he looked coldly miffed that she’d dismiss him like that. Nevertheless, Gumpei offered, "Yeah, I suppose I do have some other, more interesting people to see tonight. Yeah, I do." Leaning forward, he whispered in Akiko’s ear, "You and daddy have a good time."

She wanted to hit him and mean it but didn’t dare in front of Blake.

Instead she forced herself to smile gamely as Gumpei slowly shuffled, plate in hand, deeper into the bar.

Now that Blake had sat down and the bar’s diffused lighting was brought more into play, Akiko did notice some age lines starting on his face. 40-ish, she guessed, making him roughly a decade older than she. Not nearly as bad as Gumpei chasing their sixty-year old interviewee earlier.

So Akiko wholeheartedly said, "Yes, now where were we--?"

Several hours later, Akiko woke up in her own apartment. Blake had torn all the covers onto his side of the bed. It was a nice summer night, but still… Blake was clutching a big fistful of sheets one-handed against his chest. He was shivering as if he was insanely cold. Gently, she tried to pry some coverings loose.

Blake’s other hand snapped around, grabbing her wrist painfully.

She saw his eyes open in the pale moonlight drawing in from her open shades. Seeing and yet not seeing, he stared upwards.

Akiko recognized the look. Blake was in the throes of a extremely traumatic nightmare. Probably based in real life; just like her younger brother still suffered…after seeing their parents die when both were young. She’d had them too, of course, but she hadn’t actually seen it happen. Her false dreams had mercifully faded…eventually.

But something had Blake in it’s grip once more and wouldn’t let go. He moaned again, eyes flitting about the empty roof, as though he was watching something painful being acted out there. "No more," he said softly.

She’d shared a room with her brother for many years growing up. Akiko tried to soothe him, responding just as quietly, "Yes. No more. It’s over, it’s all over…"

Akiko kept repeating her reassurances as a calm undertone. At first Blake argued with her, saying, "No… Whitely, no…Outpost #31 didn’t….end it…no…Outpost #31…so cold…"

But soon her melodic tones won Blake over to her side. He switched to mumbling, "Yes…we did end it…MacReady…we finished it…The Thing… the whole facility…finished it…"

Akiko almost broke off her ministrations when Blake said The Thing.

He relaxed, finally allowing her arm free. Akiko rubbed her bruised limb. Blake had a whopper of a grip. No wonder he was still on active duty.

But what in the world did Blake have to do with Mothra?

Who was MacReady? Whitely? Were they Blake’s crewmates at this Outpost #31? Was that where Blake was shipping out to tomorrow? No, he’d finished it already. Finished what, exactly?

These questions and far more haunted her reporter’s instincts as Akiko studied her partner’s twitching form. He released the covers, and she pulled them up to her chin nicely. It was a big improvement.

A shadow flitted at her window. Akiko whirled; nothing. Probably a bird enjoying the warm summer night. The shape had been too small to be anything else.

Blake had stopped shivering.

Akiko had a funny feeling she should start.

Monday morning, Gumpei was studying his coworker at her desk. She didn’t have the usual joyous look of somebody who’d had a very good weekend on her face. Oh, she’s wasn’t miserably depressed either…but Akiko definitely had something in mind as she scoured the Internet.

Mentally, Gumpei chided himself. He treated Akiko like a sister because she reminded him very much of his real one. But in the end, they weren’t related and she was a big girl. She could do anything she wanted, with anybody she wanted.

Besides, he was probably still just jealous anyway. Why didn’t girls just throw themselves at his feet like that Blake guy? Was it the uniform?

In fact, Gumpei trusted Akiko enough to ask her what he might do to improve himself in the eyes of the ladies. With this in mind, he finally approached her. "Hey," he opened.

"Hey, good morning," she returned. Akiko didn’t turn from the screen. He could tell by her profile and her tone she wasn’t angry. Akiko was just paying careful attention to the information flowing across it.

His confidence failing a little (and probably the reason women didn’t throw themselves at him after all), Gumpei feigned interest in the screen. "What are you looking for?"

"A story."

Gumpei grunted, "We’ve got one for tonight. We’re supposed to interview Professor Miura in a few hours, remember?"

Ignoring him, Akiko sat up in her seat as a new article started loading. Gumpei laid his hand on the back of her chair, leaning forward to get a better look. He read aloud, "Conspiracies Unveiled - your one-stop shop for all unsolved mysteries on the World Wide Web. You’re not going tabloid TV on me, are you?"

"No," she returned, "but remember Captain Blake?"

"Yes," Gumpei said nonchalantly.

Akiko leaned back in her seat, almost crushing Gumpei’s hand with her back. He snatched his limb to safety as Akiko said, "He mentioned something about Mothra coming to a place called Outpost #31. I’d never heard of it before."

Catching on, Gumpei grinned, "A new kaiju story? About the star of our 40^th Anniversary coverage? Sounds promising, Akiko."

"Just what I was thinking. But the little Blake said about the incident was on accident. Military secrets and all," Akiko lied. She supposed that would indeed have been Blake’s claim if she’d asked him about it, but Akiko was familiar enough with how any government protected it’s mysteries. She didn’t want to disappear for knowing too much already. And she didn’t want to get Blake in trouble for saying too much either, although she doubted she’d ever see him again.

Although she was still at a loss for how Mothra could inspire such fear in the hardened soldier. Mothra was a fully sentient creature who fought only if she was wronged or in the defense of others against more vicious kaiju. Like Godzilla.

Of course, if Blake had wronged her, then Mothra could quickly turn vicious indeed… the 1964 fight proved that.

"Here, read this," she instructed Gumpei, "and I’ll go have a talk with Tanaka about covering our Miura interview. I want to get on this right away!" She allowed Gumpei to take her chair as Akiko swished away for her producer’s office, her high heels clicking on the bare floor.

Doing as told, Gumpei sat and continued reading aloud, "U.S. National Science Institute Station #4, A.K.A. Outpost #31. Disappearance of twelve man crew and entire facility in 1982…" He started skipping ahead, still quoting, "…inconsistencies in news reports and stories told to surviving kin, yada yada, lead to private investigations, blah blah, …hmm…facility founded in Antarctica on the day of…Antarctica?!"

A few coworkers glanced up at the outburst, but Gumpei was too busy staring incredulously at the screen to notice. "She doesn’t want to fly out there for a story, does she?! It’s too damn cold!!"

Godzilla, King of the Monsters, had struck once more.

Kaijuologist Shirley Chisolm was watching the raging reptile tear up a nuclear power plant. She knew the beast was after the plant’s core. The mutant needed the radiation as a dietary supplement. Literally.

She’d seen these feeding attacks before, but the professor was still fascinated by the aesthetic differences between this ‘new’ Godzilla and his deceased father. At first, the younger kaiju had looked just like his adoptive parent when he’d assumed the mantle in 1995. The youth had even grown to a height of 300 feet even, making him only twenty-eight feet shorter than his predecessor. But time had seen further mutation in his looks. Even a layman could see a big difference between their physical appearance now. By 1999 this Godzilla had grown into what the press nicknamed the "Millennium look".

A new Godzilla for a new century.

And trying to understand the monster’s continued mutation (or was that evolution?) was Chisolm’s current favorite kaiju puzzle.

The stocky blonde was studying Godzilla through a special pair of sensor-binoculars when one of her assistants gave her cell phone to her. Chisolm glowered, but her crew knew better than to interrupt her on the job unless it was important.

Still… "Who is this and what do you want?" she growled into the phone in her adoptive tongue, namely Japanese.

"Professor Chisolm?" answered a pleasant female voice that was oddly familiar, "I’m Akiko Mitsua, from W-KEK News. I think I’ve got a lead on a kaiju story you might be interested in exploring with me…."

Although the details were skimpy, Chisolm found her interest growing as Mitsua kept talking. In fact, she couldn’t help but be enthused by this bizarre story. She even turned halfway from Godzilla’s rampage to hear the reporter better. Chisolm found her assistant bothering her again, however, by tugging insistently at her sleeve.

The professor said, "Excuse me." Putting her hand over the mouthpiece, she charged, "What?! Why must you interrupt my other interruption?"

Chastened, the young man just pointed.

Godzilla had finished draining the core’s power. Now the apparatus was dangling loosely in his grip. Nothing she hadn’t seen before. Chisolm’s scowl grew deeper.

Then Godzilla dropped the empty device. But instead of immediately returning to the sea as was his wont, Godzilla’s head kept scanning the skies. He sniffed; his vestigial ears twitched; as his gaze roved back and forth. Searching.

"Hold on," Chisolm requested into the phone but didn’t hang up.

Finally Godzilla seemed satisfied there was no immediate danger. Still, his eyes narrowed as his senses were piqued, Godzilla waded into the ocean in a somewhat thoughtful manner.

From her cell phone, Chisolm heard, "May I continue?"

Despite herself, she replied, "Yes, of course."

Her assistants were aghast. Normally their formidable boss would be keen to follow up on such a unusual behavior pattern. Whoever was on the other end of that phone had to be a important personage indeed.

Or a very smooth talker.

Chisolm said, "Yeah, that’s right. I’ll speak to my backers right away. We’ll be enroute by Wednesday, I’ll make sure of that," before shutting her phone off.

Grinning widely, she announced, "Pack up your long undies, boys."

"I can’t believe," Gumpei complained loudly, "You got us out here."

He took a little comfort in the fact they’d gotten to do the Miura interview before they’d left Japan after all. At least that 40^th Anniversary series was done before Akiko dragged him off on this crazy trip.

Akiko leaned closer to him in the next seat of the helicopter’s passenger cabin to try and hear what he was saying. Their scientific partners in this little venture had provided some pretty sophisticated gear. Including half-face masks that helped moisten the cold air as well as providing short-range radio links between them for speech. Actually, the face mask’s miniaturized systems reminded Akiko of those underwater microphones.

Still, between the howling winds outside, her thick parka’s hood covering her ears, and their vehicle’s roaring engine, she had trouble hearing her own reply of, "What?!"

Before Gumpei could reply, the ferocious winds once again caused the HH-65A Dolphin vehicle to dip wildly in mid-air. All aboard clutched at their safety harnesses. Akiko didn’t normally get airsick; but another hour of this and she had a feeling things might change.

The bright red copter done up with a few white stripes and a black-hued cockpit was a larger transport model perfect for whisking passengers long distances across The Ice. Both crewmembers were at the controls, fighting their way through the winter skies that would darken this land without respite through six long months.

This meant the decently large passenger hold was free for Akiko, Gumpei, and their three-man team of scientific associates. The two groups of coworkers were grouped together on opposite sides of the narrow aisle from each other. Their pile of communal equipment had been large enough to fill the cargo chamber further back. A few things the scientists needed more immediate access to were lashed into the second row of seats behind them by mesh harnesses. Once the team had investigated the site, they’d decide if they could camp there or would have to return to Amundsen-Scott Station.

The copilot had looked backwards to address everyone while Akiko was trying to settle her stomach. She looked up to see him turn back to his controls calmly. At least it wasn’t an emergency; but she’d still missed what he’d said… She turned to Gumpei, whose eyes were lighting up behind his thick protective goggles. "Maybe," he called out, "We’re about to land!"

Barely did Akiko mention, "I hope so!" before her stomach flew into her mouth. It wasn’t her already-encroaching air sickness; it was the copter diving sharply in a barely-controlled fashion for the icy surface. Another heartbeat, and their ride had settled onto Antarctica’s bleak landscape.

She couldn’t actually touch her tossing belly under her thick parka, but she rubbed the area just the same. All aboard released themselves from their safety straps with evident relish. Stretching, Akiko added, "Oh, Gumpei, I didn’t think we were ever going to make it!"

Ignoring his own queasy stomach, Gumpei grinned, "You and me both, sister." His good humor vanished, however, as his qualms returned. "I don’t believe this," Gumpei reiterated, "It’s the middle of winter here. Everybody I talked to said you don’t travel to Antarctica in the winter unless you want to die. And that’s going to a settlement or something! Not the middle of nowhere!"

Akiko didn’t reply. They’d been over this more times than Gumpei could count already. His friend simply kept insisting they go; and strangely enough, she kept finding ways to get them there. No matter how many objections and obstacles came up.

Akiko wasn’t quite herself over this. It was a full-blown obsession.

And what, Gumpei would like to know, was up with that weird purse Akiko had acquired a few days ago? That thing was huge. Made of stiff leather, it reminded the man of an old-fashioned fisherman’s tackle box more than a lady’s purse. And she wouldn’t let it out of her sight either.

At least one person in that cramped space shared Akiko’s enigmatic enthusiasm. The only other woman present called out, "Mr. Miyamoto! Many scientific opportunities come up in Antarctica only in the winter. Think ozone studies. Plenty of my colleagues make the trip successfully every year."

He turned to Professor Chisolm. Short by American standards, the kaijuologist had found her height average among her Japanese neighbors and a great help to fitting in when she’d moved all those years ago. Of course, where else would someone interested in studying kaiju for a living go? New York?

"How many made the trip unsuccessfully?" Gumpei moaned, but too quietly for her to hear. In the few days they’d traveled with her, Gumpei had learned not to underestimate the scientist’s resolve. Not to mention her temper.

Akiko passed Gumpei his new camera from an overhead net rig, adding, "Quit bitching. We’re here, aren’t we? Why don’t you give Professor Chisolm a hand with her equipment or something?"

"Because I’ve got my camera. I’m a cameraman, you know."

Akiko snapped, "Then get your camera in gear and start filming! Let’s record the beginning of this auspicious dig for posterity." She pulled the mask away for a second to smile at him. "I guarantee," she added, "what we do here will be of great interest to the folks back home soon enough."

Gumpei liked the grin she gave him even less than the way she said that.

Suddenly he was glad that Chisolm and her crew, not to mention two helicopter pilots, were here to back him up in case something went…wrong.

Like what?

He wasn’t quite able to answer that one as he checked the weather-proof camera Chisolm had provided. The lady in question stepped up to them. Behind her, the newspeople could see Chisolm’s two assistants unpacking a small robot. Chisolm winked up at them both, "In a few minutes, we’ll be ready to get to the bottom of this mystery. Bottom! Get it?"

The American laughed heartily at her own joke before returning to her crew.

Akiko rolled her eyes, but Gumpei gulped. He said, "Is that robot what I think it is?"

"Of course," Akiko replied, "It’s been twenty-two years since the outpost vanished. Can you imagine how much ice must’ve built up on the site? We can’t just walk up to it. Or dig it up." She walked over to examine the machine being assembled, adding, "But this little probe will do the trick. Right, Professor?"

"It should," Chisolm grunted agreement, "It was supposed to be for penetrating Godzilla’s hide and giving us a good look at his guts. This little beauty shouldn’t have any trouble checking out a ice-buried facility for us by comparison."

For the first time since Akiko mentioned Outpost #31, Gumpei felt some relief. At least he wouldn’t be risking his neck getting buried in an icy tomb.

Far, far to the north, Lora and her twin sister Moll were studying an immense silken cocoon laying in a crumbling stone temple. Both of the women kneeled quietly, keeping their heads up and backs straight, in the start of an hours-long vigil. Their patience would be rewarded when Mothra finally emerged from her chrysalis into adulthood.

Events had been a little bizarre on Infant Island over the last few years, Lora reflected, as she let her hand caress the palm fronds nearest her. The Cosmos twins had seen many changes to the latest incarnation of their friend Mothra. But although the mutant creature’s life span was far greater than any normal moth, the kaiju still aged - and died - rapidly.

That most different form of Mothra had passed away. And by whatever sexual preference you preferred to call the androgynous creature, Mothra’s larval descendant had just entered her cocoon to become the new Mothra.

Or just another incarnation of the old.

Fairy Mothra always saw to that. Each of the creatures had possessed the power to split into hundreds of thousands of one-foot-long Fairys - and reform into the 200+ kaiju - at will. And before each Mothra died, it laid an egg and would split off at least a couple of Fairys to merge with it’s mature offspring later.

Thus each Mothra was a combination of old and new. Memories and personality alike. To the point in time when a Fairy was sent out, at least.

Lora couldn’t wait for Mothra to shed her cocoon this time. She wanted to know if any of the new permutations would continue or if they’d passed on with their originator.

Literally reading her mind, Moll said matter-of-factly, "I don’t think so. I think that weirdo stuff is over with."

That was the problem with being telepathic sisters. It was hard to keep your opinion to yourself. Although the link, which they shared with Mothra as her priestesses as well as each other, did let the Cosmos speak as one in public. Literally.

But privately, the twins did have their individual traits.

And as always, Lora frowned at her more practical sister. "Weirdo? Is that any way to talk about Mothra? I didn’t hear you complaining about the new forms when she battled Dagarla or King Ghidorah."

"You know I didn’t mean anything nasty," Moll returned, "but it was weird. Even for us. I’ll bet Mothra is back to normal, just like us."

It was true that, perhaps from a subconscious aspect of their link to Mothra, the twins’ differences had flared badly during that highly mutative phase. They’d hardly spoken in unison. They’d even taken to dressing differently from each other - and very ostentatiously, too.

But that seemed in the past as well. Their new day wear, sewed carefully from studying a pattern for childrens’ dolls, fit the six-inch high women in identical fashion. They wore simple red dresses that covered to the knees but left one shoulder and their backs provocatively bare.

Yes, the Cosmos were looking forward to this latest hatching…but it wasn’t an image of their favorite kaiju that suddenly thrust itself into their relaxed consciousness.

"Godzilla!" they cried together, turning their mere physical vision to the stone walls as well. Fortunately, Godzilla was far too distant to be a risk to Infant Island.

Not so for the Japanese mainland. In their mind’s eye, the monster king was churning purposefully through the Pacific. He was bearing down on the unsuspecting target, only a day’s travel away, with a nasty gleam in his eye. This was no nuclear snack attack. Rage against humanity was once again on the mighty kaiju’s mind.

No sooner did this hideous image cross their minds than another familiar telepathic tingle caught their attention. It was far fainter, but much more evil. A nasty little plot was hatching far south.

Knowing the source of the second sign well, the Cosmos summoned both the previous Mothra’s Fairys to their side. The women sent one Fairy to forewarn Japan of the imminent attack. Then they mounted the other, and Fairy Mothra began carrying them toward Antarctica as fast as her miniature wings could carry them.

The Cosmos focused their psychic powers by chanting their song together, lending their own strength to Fairy’s. Within seconds, they were over the horizon and out of sight of their home.

Left behind, Mothra twitched in her cocoon. She knew her little friends were flying into danger alone…but it would be some time yet before she could do anything about it.

Akiko grinned at her cameraman, "Hey, it’s not so bad in here now that the space heaters are on."

Gumpei grinned back but didn’t say anything. He was rolling, after all, and he’d already have to edit much of the downtime out later anyway.

Since the probot would be doing most of the work, everyone was huddled around the little desk Chisolm had set up inside the helicopter’s bay. As long as the radio link to their remote-control buddy held out, nobody would have to go back outside except when the probot returned. Akiko had even removed her face gear and hood so the audience back home would recognize her when the footage was broadcast.

After some egging on, Professor Chisolm had done without her facial protection as well. But even inside the Dolphin’s confines, she was cursing under the breath escaping her mouth in dry clouds every few seconds because of it. She still managed to man her probe’s controls with practiced ease.

Gumpei was stationed more or less over her shoulder, trying to get as good a view of the small monitor with his camera as he could. Akiko was at Chisolm’s other side, reminding the viewers of what was going on and bugging Chisolm further with questions. Chisolm’s assistants (What were their names again?, Akiko wondered) had their own terminals to monitor the probot and outside weather conditions as well.

"Well, well," Chisolm broke through her own salty monologue to herself, "Let’s see what ARCHI can dig up, shall we?" Currently ARCHI the aptly-named probot was digging straight down. All the better to keep the shaft it was making from collapsing atop the machine under it’s own frozen weight, as a horizontal shaft might without supports.

The three-foot long probot reminded Akiko of a spider. She hated spiders. But at least this one had twin drills instead of fangs. It also had several sensors, headlamps, and of course the camera allowing Chisolm to steer it in place of a real arachnid’s eight eyes.

Leaning forward to get another look at the monitor, Akiko’s purse thumped Chisolm on the head yet again. "Do you mind?" the kaijuologist snapped in a tone no warmer than the environment outside.

"Sorry," Akiko said, and slid it further up her back on it’s strap.

Chisolm glared again, but turned back to her controls. She stopped the machine’s forward movement just in time. ARCHI’s drills and forelimbs were waving in open space. It’s twin headlamps were shining against the icy side wall of…a cave.

It was very unprofessional, but Gumpei couldn’t resist muting his equipment to lean close for a comment. "Akiko," he groaned, "Don’t tell me we’re in the wrong spot. That doesn’t look like the remains of any prefabricated outpost to me."

Chisolm was checking the map. "If we’re off," she growled, "it’s either because those flyboys up front can’t pull their heads out of their butts or you, missy, didn’t know what you talking about to start with." Along with her crew, Chisolm turned to glare hard at Akiko.

She merely replied, "Can the probe get to the bottom of the cavern? Maybe this place had something to do with Outpost #31’s disappearance…" Akiko raised her hands in a placating gesture.

Chisolm considered this for a moment. Then she grunted, "Yeah, sure. I should’ve known better than to expect to hit pay dirt on the first try with such sketchy details to start with, anyway. Let’s check this place out."

Akiko smiled quietly. "If this cavern is what I think it is, Professor, we’re in the right spot, rest assured."

Chisolm gave a disbelieving snort at Akiko’s sudden reversal of confidence. Meanwhile, Gumpei thumbed the sound recorder back on for the proceedings.

As she moved ARCHI forward a little, Chisolm found the wall - which was only a foot or so away from the machine’s shaft - sloped down quickly but gently toward the floor. The wall was also rock, not ice, but a quick check of the temperature gauge showed it wouldn’t take long for anything that hung around unprotected to freeze.

The wall was easily within ARCHI’s long reach. It scuttled quickly and easily down, the tiny claws on each limb’s tip holding on tight. Clicking noisily in the echoing space, the probot picked itself across the ground only to find another wall blocking it’s way.

This wall was coated with ice but wasn’t. It wasn’t rock either. It was a funny material that was made of waves of spikes that reminded Gumpei of a pinecone lying on its side. Akiko asked, "Could you pan the lights around that, Professor?"

She did. The wall extended beyond the reach of their little probot’s headlamps vertically as well as horizontally. Just as Chisolm was thinking about scuttling directly up the obstruction, she spotted something off to the side.

When the probot turned, everyone stopped dead in a little bubble of horror. The lights were playing across the frozen form of a sled dog. A very dead one. And, somehow, a very flat one.

Unaware she was speaking aloud, Akiko mumbled, "It’s just like a snake skin. It’s all hollow inside…"

Her mouth a thin line, Chisolm panned the cameras around. Then she announced, "No sign of frozen blood or organs. Whoever eviscerated it didn’t do it right here or took the parts with ‘em. Maybe just dumped only the skin here to start with. Poor thing."

Holding her mouth, Akiko backed up away from everybody to station herself near a trash bag - just in case.

Gumpei forgot to mute it this time before he said, "I think I know what happened to the Outpost #31 crew. Somebody must’ve went crazy. Butchered everybody and everything he could get his hands on…" He trailed off, trying to keep his lunch down, as Chisolm kept sweeping the area for any other signs of foul play.

"Probably," Chisolm agreed, "It happens out on The Ice, sometimes. Still wonder what this has to do with Mothra, though. Maybe she came here to stop something else. Some underhanded deed the outpost was doin’ and the government didn’t want it widely known." The professor grinned, "She likes to do that sort of thing. She’s sort of a social butterfly. Butterfly! Get it?"

Gumpei was aghast that Chisolm could make such a joke in the face of that empty dog corpse. But then again, following kaiju around, she’d probably seen worse.

"Who cares what Mothra does?" Akiko said behind them.

Everyone stopped to turn to her in quiet shock. Ignoring her trash bag, Akiko was standing tall and staring back at them with strangely empty eyes.

"Excuse me?" the professor finally ventured. For once the wind had left even her sails.

Akiko grinned. And it was ugly. "You have indeed brought me to the right place after all. Whether it has anything to do with your stupid outpost or not," she said calmly in a voice not quite her own, "So I thank you, humans. Enjoy the show before you die."

Her captive audience was still so flabbergasted that the most Gumpei could do was keep filming. Akiko finally opened her purse, and a bizarre sight flew out.

The robot dragon Garugaru was only a foot long or so, but he was a wickedly nasty little thing with his bat wings, sharp claws, and pointy horns. He growled in pleasure at his freedom, flapping his razor-sharp wings madly to hover at his mistress’ bidding in the helicopter’s confines.

For her part, the dragon’s rider was a six-inch high woman in a tight leather catsuit. She sneered disdainfully beneath her ornate headdress at them. She was a beauty, but the sheer personality that filled the narrow vehicle with overwhelming force had a distinctly evil stench to it.

Gumpei and Chisolm gasped, "Belvera!"

Then they glanced at each other.

Now the evil fairy spurred her mount a little closer, her own curiosity piqued. When Belvera spoke, the motionless Akiko spoke too in an eerie unison. "Speak, dog! It’s her job to know who I am, but why would such a insignificant mote like you?"

With Chisolm awaiting his answer quizzically too, Gumpei was too embarrassed to reply.

Frustrated, Belvera reached into Gumpei’s mind telepathically for her answer. Her eyes bulged, and she involuntarily glanced down at the leather garment stretched over her voluptuous curves. "You’re sick," she growled.

But then she grinned. It was genuine, but all present wished she hadn’t.

"I like that. I think I’ll let you live after all," Belvera batted her eyelashes, but quickly her mask of hatred slid back into place. "And why not?" she roared, "You won’t be able to stop me from the middle of nowhere anyway!" With a kick to spur Garugaru on, Belvera guided him outside as Akiko threw the door open.

The others recoiled at the blast of freezing weather unleashed upon them, but Gumpei dropped his camera to lunge forward. Freed of Belvera’s control, Akiko was collapsing face-first like a marionette with her strings cut. Chisolm leapt forward to take his burden so Gumpei could close the door. Once the exit was secured, he turned back to Akiko, whom Chisolm was giving a quick examination.

Akiko came to herself with the professor holding her eyeball open to study it’s dilation. Noticing the reporter was focusing on her, Chisolm asked, "Hey. Are you feeling yourself again, or what?"

"I think so," Akiko moaned, rubbing her forehead.

Gumpei grinned beneath his mask with relief. "Good," he said, "Then let’s get out of here." He turned toward the cockpit only to be met by the copilot coming to see what all this commotion was about anyway.

"Wait!" Chisolm barked, "Maybe we can stop her!" Dumping Akiko unceremoniously on the deck ("Ow!"), Chisolm squeezed herself up against the small control panel once more. Gumpei reclaimed his camera, and got back in position as Akiko ran a hand through her mussed hair.

He was pleased that although she’d been controlled, it didn’t seem Akiko’s memory of the last few days was gone completely. For she said, "Umm, yes, continuing with our Mystery of Outpost #31 coverage, we’re hot on the trail of the evil Cosmos fairy Belvera!" A little gleam in her eyes said that right now, Akiko would gladly have a word with the smaller woman.

On ARCHI’s monitor, they saw the fairy-bearing Garugaru roar into the cave to alight on the spiky wall outcropping. Not being programmed to react to environmental extremes, Garugaru literally didn’t mind his icy perch at all. Belvera studied the wall for a moment.

She turned toward the probot at the sound of it scuttling up the wall at her. Chisolm set the drills spinning, aiming for the mount and the fairy alike.

"Oh, please," Belvera sneered, "Garugaru!"

The little robo-beast spit a bolt of purple lightning at ARCHI. Chisolm tried to dodge, but her machine had hardly been designed for combat. Diagnostic readouts on her instrument panel showed ARCHI had lost all it’s legs on one side as the camera view spun crazily. Ironically, the probot came to rest pointing right at the forlorn dog skin.

Lazily, Belvera set her ride down within full view of the probot’s camera. The image was now clogged badly with static, but everyone could still see her nasty smile. "Thanks again, humans. First your investigation of Mothra led me to unearth this place. Then you saved me a lot of effort making it this deep into Antarctica alone. And now, the moment I’ve been waiting for – the resurrection of Battra!"

As the fairy left the monitor behind for the last time, Akiko gasped. "Battra? The Black Mothra? But Godzilla killed him, years ago!"

"Uhhh," her cameraman realized, "Mothra dies a lot and always comes back…"

Apparently the copilot had seen enough. He returned to his post and the Dolphin’s rotors began warming up.

Chisolm, however, actually laughed. "What an idiot! Battra’s eggs have only been seen in the Arctic, not the Antarctic! She’s on the wrong end of the planet!"

Akiko and Gumpei threw each other relieved glances at the professional kaijuologist’s assessment. Even the assistants grinned at each other, nodding in confirmation of their boss’ statement.

The ice beneath their vehicle groaned heavily.

"Let’s get out of here," Chisolm agreed after all.

Sitting still in the howling winds had already iced up the copter’s blades enough that they’d started slowly. But now the rotors were going full force and the vehicle began lifting off it’s landing skis into the air.

The probot’s radio link was finally overcome by static. Chisolm switched it off with a little salute to her fallen soldier. Then she strapped in like everybody else.

As proof against The Ice’s dazzling summertime light, the Dolphin’s windows were heavily tinted. The blaze of light that formed from the ice they’d been parked on was so ferocious that all aboard could mistake the winter night for high noon in warmer climates. Even over the vehicle’s engine and those endless slipstreams of wind, Akiko turned white at the thunderous cacophony of shattering ice below. The light flickered and rippled like an aurora as the unseen monster struggled free of his chilled tomb.

She felt the copter dive again, plainly hoping to avoid too much attention from the awakening kaiju. There was a nasty impact on the tail; the copter spun around and dipped wildly. The reporter felt as well as heard the rotors bite into something unyielding. Just for a split second. But that was enough to sheer the delicate vanes off, and before anyone could scream, the Dolphin was bouncing and rolling sideways across the ice.

The entire section of flooring that Akiko and Gumpei’s chairs were bolted to was ripped loose from the rest of the disintegrating Dolphin and flung through the air, still keeping tight hold of it’s charges. As her vision spun, Akiko has a quick glimpse of the larval Battra rearing out of his prison with a deafening roar.

Then everything went mercifully black.

Belvera had shielded herself from Antarctica’s climate in a bubble of psychic energy. She spared one last glance toward where the Dolphin had disappeared, then turned toward Battra with a grin. Even though it would be a while before Battra had the strength to transform into his adult moth stage, she could easily get a fast ride off the continent with the larva. She wouldn’t need to expend such effort for long.

The Cosmos turned her telepathic powers to Battra proper. "Hear me!" she commanded, "I have freed you, mighty Battra. From now on, you shall follow the commands of Belvera! Make haste for the shoreline! And hold still for a minute so I can get on."

She spurred Garugaru forward, aiming for a spot behind Battra’s head so his spiky carapace would make a natural weather shield. Battra snarled. She stopped…cold, so to speak.

Battra’s blood-red, lidless eyes studied her. His savagely fanged mandibles clicked menacingly.

Belvera gulped, "Okay, so I don’t have to actually touch you…but let’s get out of here just the same!"

Battra was now standing still and ignoring her completely.

Deciding she plainly hadn’t established a proper psychic link, Belvera dared reach deeper into Battra’s mind.

And the coiled evil she found there made even the terrible Belvera shriek in mindless terror.

At his mistress’ distress, Garugaru fell back on his instinctive programming. He turned tail and fled.

Battra ignored the tiny mecha-kaiju as well as his mistress. Instead, he was hunkering his head against his own chest. Drawing in his energy, Battra concentrated.

Belvera risked looking behind to see if Battra was pursuing. He wasn’t. He was transforming into his adult stage far too early after hatching.

But not like he always had before: in a few seconds of blazing energy. No, the ugly Black Mothra wasn’t quite a copy of his forebear and didn’t need a chrysalis under normal circumstances. But this transformation was very far from what she would normally expect of the beast either. Despite her misgivings, Belvera bid Garugaru stop (but not turn around! Be ready to run!) so she could continue craning her neck to see.

Battra’s rock-hard carapace was melting like candle wax. Slowly at first, then with eerie rapidity. The beast’s face sunk down into his chest, becoming his neck, as Battra sprouted his namesake wings from his sides. The dying light from below the kaiju threw the planes of his changing shape into sharp relief. With ugly sucking and popping sounds, Battra’s legs formed from his sides and his abdomen flattened out into a properly moth-like shape.

Belvera and her mount could only watch, each with open-mouthed wonder, as Battra finished maturing. With a sweep of his wings that sent Garugaru tumbling, Battra roared a challenge to the world as he headed off into the eternal night.

The tiny woman shrieked anew, calling for Garugaru to right himself. She managed to stay on her mount with a good deathgrip. Her peon couldn’t stay in the air, however, but did manage to bank them into a nice, deep, soft snowdrift in the lee of an ice outcropping. "Idiot!" Belvera roared, "Get me out of here!"

In a puff of dislodged snow, Garugaru did so.

She spared an angry kick for her dragon, but then Belvera turned her gaze through the pitch-black skies toward where Battra had disappeared. She shivered and it had nothing to do with the cold. "What have I unleashed?" she wondered, in perhaps the first pensive moment of her life.

Still, there was nothing to do about it now. She had more immediate concerns. Belvera bid her mount over toward where the helicopter had crashed. Maybe that weak-minded scientist she’d encouraged on this journey had survived. Not to mention the radio. She’d need her puppets for cover again when a rescue team arrived.

She swept the area with her telepathy. The support crew of pilots and assistants alike had died instantly or were fading fast. Belvera angled over to the professor.

The woman’s section of wreckage was threatening her with being burned alive. Belvera reflected that might be better than the alternative demise that was slowly leaking from her body and staining the ice in copious red. Chisolm’s lower half was crushed beneath a section of the Dolphin’s tail.

Wrinkling her nose, Belvera dared get close enough to the flames for a good look at Chisolm’s wounds. The fairy could see as well as feel Chisolm tenaciously clinging to life. The scientist was clutching at empty air, her blood gurgling in her throat, as she writhed in hopeless agony. She sensed Belvera’s presence but her strength was fading. Unable to turn her head, Chisolm could only groan out, "help…me…please..."

Belvera turned away with disgust. Both for the heavy, disgusting wounds as well as what she perceived as Chisolm’s weakness in pleading for her assistance. Belvera left the professor to die (hopefully quietly) without a backwards glance. Perhaps that dirty-minded man had survived in a more easily-managed shape.

Mr. Kinky had made it but was unconscious. So was her little puppet beside him.

Reluctantly, Belvera telepathically encouraged the reporters now directly below her to awaken as she made Garugaru turn on his wing-joint mounted headlamps.

The torn-off section of helicopter had landed with it’s passengers face down. Akiko and Gumpei were still strapped into their seats. The reporters were partially sprawled across a snowbank but much of the impact had taken place on plain ice. Garugaru picked a blood-free spot near their heads to land. They both peeked under the headrests at the news crew. "C’mon, wake up," Belvera irritatedly growled.

Moaning, Gumpei stirred at her voice. "Akiko, it that you?"

Belvera flushed with anger at the insult of being mistaken for her puppet. "Maybe this will wake you up," she snapped. At her bidding, Garugaru fired another lightning blast from his mouth. The low-power bolt shocked both its targets into full - and rather painful - awareness. Both the humans groaned, tugging at their seat restraints, but a few broken bones and other nasty little impediments kept interfering with their movements.

"Oh, please," Belvera repeated, "Just suck it in! Walk it off! I need you, so you’d better get up and moving!"

She was about to berate the couple some more when a incoming bolt of light caught her attention. "Oh, no, I should’ve known," Belvera groaned. Garugaru moaned agreement.

"Belvera!" sang out Moll and Lora simultaneously, "What have you done here? Where is Battra?" Fairy Mothra stopped to hover a few feet ahead of Garugaru. The miniature bug squeaked, echoing her riders’ sentiments.

"You’ve got me," Belvera admitted gloomily, "He wouldn’t obey me. There was some…thing…different about him…" Deciding she’d said too much, Belvera clammed up. She didn’t want her younger sisters to leave her behind as punishment for what she’d unwittingly set loose.

As their sibling had hoped, the Cosmos took her angry silence as her normally childish reaction when one of Belvera’s monsters didn’t quite perform as she’d expected. Instead they turned their attention to the only crash survivors. At least, they would survive if the twins acted quickly.

Once again, they called upon their joint powers with a song. Healing power flowed from the tiny women to gently caress Gumpei and Akiko alike. To the twins’ relief, their patients below them were soon whole and hearty. Both humans rid themselves of their seats for good, running their hands down themselves and glancing at each other for reassurance their good fortune was real.

Much of Akiko and Gumpei’s protective gear was ripped in the impact. Gumpei found himself blushing from a cause beyond the cold as he realized Akiko could see a few choice sections of exposed skin on his form just as well as he could see hers at the moment. Her cheeks were going crimson too, but Akiko was very glad she was still alive to be embarrassed.

Instead of headlamps, Fairy Mothra was glowing with an inner beautiful light to allow everyone present to see. Belvera tried not to throw up as the humans, their facial protective gear gone too, turned to beam up at their tiny saviors.

"Thank you," Akiko said as Gumpei nodded vigorously, "And the professor--?"

For a instant, the Cosmos frowned. Then they turned to their sister accusingly, "You could have saved them."

Belvera shrugged nonchalantly, "I haven’t bothered with such weakling abilities in so long, I wouldn’t know where to begin. Don’t worry. There’s always more humans where those came from."

Moll leaned forward, making a fist, but Lora’s hand on her shoulder stopped her. Despite this, Moll said alone, "I’ll bet you could still heal yourself if you had to."

"Of course," Belvera sneered, "I’m important."

Moll really saw red at that. As Lora continued restraining her, Akiko broke in. "Excuse me--?"

All three Cosmos sisters looked down at them. Akiko and Gumpei were shivering mightily as they clutched each other for warmth. Their ripped clothing offered little protection now. She was trying to hide her surprise; she found Gumpei’s embrace comfortable. Or was it that she was more comfortable in his arms in particular than she’d thought she might be…?

"We’re really grateful," Akiko continued, casting her thoughts aside, "But can you help us get out of here now, please? Will Mothra be here soon?"

"Pretty please?" Gumpei chorused, finding himself staring up at Belvera.

The Cosmos answered, "Mothra is still in her cocoon. But don’t fear, we’ll get you to safety still." They turned their gaze onto Belvera warningly. "Together."

Belvera merely arched an eyebrow at the suggestion.

The twins insisted, "We can’t carry them all that way ourselves, even if we hadn’t spent so much effort to get here. Of course, since we will all be supporting each other, then we couldn’t leave you behind…" Moll continued alone, "Like we should."

Their sister grinned. "Then let’s get started," she said, "But I’m not singing."

"Fine," Lora agreed solo, "Your singing voice sucks anyway."

Belvera gasped. Moll turned on their mount to give Lora a truly impressed high-five with, "Good one!"

Despite the nasty look on Belvera’s face, Fairy Mothra and Garugaru got on either side of their charges. "Relax," the twins said into Akiko and Gumpei’s minds, "work with us, not against. Let the energy flow…"

Invisible psychic bands gently lifted the reporters and held them tight. Akiko tried hard not to let unpleasant thoughts - such as poor Professor Chisolm’s fate and Battra’s escape - intrude as the combined Cosmos whisked them across The Ice.

It had originally taken their little group several hours to fly from Amundsen-Scott Station to where the team guesstimated Outpost #31 had been. So it was with great surprise that after only a few moments’ flight time, Akiko noticed lights blinking on the horizon. "Hey," she was impressed, "That was quick."

The twins glanced at each other, then admitted, "We’re sorry. This is getting to be quite a strain, even with Belvera’s help. We’ll have to leave you at this place."

"This place?" Akiko wondered, "Where is it?"

"We don’t know the name," the Cosmos answered, "We saw it on the way in. But it does have plenty of people to take care of you. You’ll be just fine."

When Akiko opened her mouth to protest further, Gumpei grabbed her arm. He whispered, "You don’t argue with the cute little fairys who can drop you in the middle of the Antarctic." Just in case, he smiled beatifically at all three women.

Belvera snarled back.

Akiko still wasn’t consoled. "Wait," she pointed out, "We’re not telepaths like you. What if we don’t speak the lingo down there? Please don’t ditch us!"

Lora frowned at her sister, "She’s got a point."

Moll’s jaw tightened, and then both sisters chorused, "We will explain the situation for you if we must. But we have to hurry. Not only Battra, but Godzilla has risen again."

Now it was Akiko and Gumpei’s turn to speak simultaneously. "Godzilla!"

Gumpei cast a appreciative glance around. The kaiju-less Antarctican landscape suddenly looked very good to him.

Akiko was going to ask where Godzilla would make landfall next when her hosts moaned. The entourage dipped lower in the skies, and she tried to relax as she’d been instructed anyway. She didn’t know much about this psychic stuff but right then Akiko was willing to learn. The reporter concentrated very hard on lending whatever strength she could to the three fairys’ efforts.

The blinking lights were very close now. Some of them were resolving into huge, powerful floodlights illuminating a large permanent complex on The Ice. It looked a heck of a lot newer and more high-tech than Amundsen-Scott or McMurdo to her. And right then, that was just fine with Akiko.

Suddenly her helpers cried out, "Oh, no! Battra!"

"Where?" Akiko jumped, turning her head frantically.

"Not here," the Cosmos quickly reassured, "But worse! At Infant Island!"

Belvera spared the effort to laugh a little. "Maybe Battra won’t listen to me," she gloated, "but he still knows his ancient enemy. I suppose the truce they had to fight Godzilla together is off. Too bad for your friend; she hasn’t hatched just yet has she." The last bit was not a question; it was a fact and Belvera knew it.

The Cosmos could spare no more time for the humans or for Belvera’s nasty comments. As soon as they’d cried out, they’d pulled the group down much lower to the frozen fields. Akiko noted grimly they’d barely cleared a high chain-link fence topped with barbed wire. Now who would bother putting such a thing around a base in the middle of Antarctican nowhere?

The military, that’s who.

But which country’s military?

They were about halfway down the twenty-foot fence’s height when the Cosmos joined Fairy Mothra in a scream of pure anguished pain.

As a reflex, Belvera tried to hold the news crew up herself as her fellows tumbled from the sky bonelessly. She couldn’t do it alone even if she’d had time to prepare, of course, so Belvera was instead dragged along toward the ground at high speed. She let go just in time to avoid crashing herself. By sheer luck, the group flopped into a huge snowdrift that had been piling up against the fence in a narrow alleyway between buildings.

Klaxons were blaring around the camp. Belvera realized they must’ve tripped something, probably a laser switch, by coming over the fence. A quick mental scan showed the humans (Why did she bother?) were unconscious again. But her sisters were out cold too.

The lone Cosmos was at a loss of what to do next.

Men in thick outer gear, rifles in hand, appeared at the alleyway’s mouth. Despite herself, Belvera had Garugaru rear up as she cried out, "Peace! I’ve got wounded!"

Apparently the lead figure didn’t believe her. Or the sight of her and Garugaru was just too weird to take a chance with. He opened fire.

The little mecha-kaiju’s head and right wing went flying. Belvera screamed with as much rage as fear while she crashed against the snow. "You stupid humans!" she roared, and her telekinetic pulse sent the man who’d fired soaring against the nearest wall with an ugly thud. "How dare you!" she raged, "I’ll kill you all!"

The soldiers could hear somebody yelling even as they started being tossed every which way, but they’d lost sight of their tiny opponent in the drifting snow. Realizing this, and seeing the other intruders still motionless face-down in plain sight, the troop leader picked himself up from the wall where he’d been flung. "Fall back!" he commanded, "Fire in the hole!"

Despite the common warning of explosives to come, it was a knock-out gas grenade that flew and not a pyrotechnic one. It was more than enough to fill Belvera’s miniature lungs and render her unconscious, gasping, in seconds.

The raging winds cleared the gas very shortly. After waiting a few seconds more to make sure it wasn’t a trick, the commander edged forward while his men covered him. He found the unconscious Belvera not far from Garugaru’s mangled body, eliciting a curse under his breath. The commander continued, noting the other Cosmos and Fairy Mothra, before reaching out cautiously to turn Akiko over.

He’d been shocked to realize somebody was out in such a torn-up parka and no face mask to start with. He was even more shocked to see that particular face reflected in the alleyway’s dim light. "Akiko--?"

Meanwhile, the second Fairy Mothra had finally caught up to Godzilla.

The kaiju king was still powering through the North Pacific Ocean, some hours from landfall. Fairy Mothra projected his likeliest course; if Godzilla kept going straight, there was any number of large, populated cities to attack.

But his target of choice was probably once again Japan’s shining jewel: Tokyo. Of course, Godzilla could be wildly unpredictable… Her quest had to continue.

Godzilla was passing the small island of Odo. Although modernized somewhat, the natives still lived by most of their ancient customs. Fairy Mothra spied a three-man wooden outrigger canoe rising and falling in Godzilla’s wake. The men had released their fishing nets - and their catch - to keep a tight hold of their vessel once Godzilla appeared.

Fortunately, Godzilla deigned to ignore the canoe completely as he swept on by. Fairy Mothra swooped down, alighting unnoticed in the rear of the tiny ship for a rest. Without the Cosmos to help her as they did her other half, she’d spent an awful lot of effort getting here quickly by herself. The mini-kaiju fluttered her wings gratefully for the moment’s rest.

Just then psychic pain like she had never known pierced Fairy Mothra’s skull.

The miniature monster was knocked out instantly and without a sound. The canoe was still rolling in the waves of Godzilla’s passing. Fairy Mothra’s senseless form continued to escape notice as each Odo islander thanked his ancestors that they’d been of no interest to the monster. But most of them also agreed, the kaiju’s determined look bode ill for whatever his target was.

Ahead of the canoe, Godzilla grunted curiously. The crews’ hearts leapt into their throats as Godzilla slowed, then glanced back at them. His gaze swept the little ship quickly, then narrowed. He stared hard.

But not at them. Past them. Toward the distant southern horizon.

Again the crew breathed a sigh of relief as Godzilla turned his back to them. The monster redoubled his pace toward Japan with great determination. The boss turned to his underlings, ordering the ship back to its port. The radio was one of Odo Island’s few modern conveniences. Usually it was reserved for summoning emergency medical help. The captain suspected there would be no problem with using it for an early warning system instead.

Unknowing that her mission had been fulfilled anyway, Fairy Mothra remained both comatose and unseen.

For the first time in far too long, Akiko was comfortably warm.

So comfortable, in fact, she was a little reluctant to shed her dreamy state for full consciousness. But all good things must come to an end, and so did this. She tried to sit up but found herself once again strapped into a harness, already sitting up.

She wasn’t tied up or otherwise restrained, however.

Akiko started to glance around, but found herself staring outright at the smiling face in front of her.

Blake was in his combat fatigues with a Kevlar vest thrown over. The captain was grinning in honest pleasure as she stirred. "Careful there," he warned, pointing toward her left arm.

"Oh," said Akiko, realizing it was in a cast and sling. She could feel some other cuts and bruises bandaged up around her body as she experimentally flexed. Her mind was still a little groggy, however, and she indicated the baggy Star Wars T-shirt and jeans. "What is this? Who--?"

"Just take it easy," Blake soothed, "You’re hopped up on some painkillers, but the doctor gave you her OK. She even gave you that fetching ensemble you’ve got on. You got to keep your purse, though." Wincing, Akiko ignored that ugly thing Belvera had made her haul the fairy around in to take a look around. She was in a setup very similar to the helicopter’s bay. But this was much more modern; she might’ve mistaken it for a passenger jet if the seats didn’t face each other from each wall. Or the military-style harness holding her in place.

Akiko was relieved to see Gumpei drooling peacefully onto his own borrowed clothing a few seats away.

Strange. She remembered Blake clearly, but the last few hours’ incidents were having trouble arranging themselves in her brain. Concussion, maybe? She focused hard and finally got, "The Cosmos?" past her lips.

Blake frowned. "I was hoping you could tell me," he admitted, "they’re all unconscious. The doc couldn’t find a thing wrong with them - well, for being six-inch tall women, anyway. And that little bug-thing looks all right, I guess."

Akiko was finally starting to shake off her stupor in earnest. "Where are they? And Belvera?"

"All three of them are in back with a medic watching over them," Blake assured the reporter, "and their little friends are there too." He grinned a little ashamedly. "Or what’s left of that robot dragon. Sorry about that; tell them about this if it makes the Cosmos feel better." He pulled up his shirt to display the bandage circling his gut from the back sprain Belvera had given him.

"You shot Garugaru?" she gasped.

"Yeah," he confessed, "That’s why you’re on – ahem, that’s why we’re taking all of you back to Infant Island right away. Wouldn’t want to incite an incident with Mothra, would we?"

Akiko shook her head. That was a mistake; now her vision was spinning. "You don’t have to worry about that," she grit her teeth against the pain, "Garugaru is Belvera’s mount. Those three are sisters, but there’s no love lost there."

Blake looked surprised. "Oh, well, good then. I thought Mothra only had two priestesses to start with. Guess I’ll brush up on my Japanese monsters."

She waved it away with her free hand, "Whatever. But I’m glad you’re taking us back already. Not to mention saving our lives." The beautiful woman smiled at him, her eyes promising a much more personal thank-you later if they got the chance. Blake’s eyes smiled back but he kept the rest of his face in line.

She could spare a moment to be curious, now. "What the heck am I flying around in, anyway?" Akiko realized she couldn’t hear the Antarctic winds or the vehicle’s engine. The soundproofing really was just like a passenger jet.

Blake frowned again, pulling his professional soldier’s mask into place. "That’s not important," he replied, "But I was hoping you could tell me about what all of you were doing out there in the first place."

The sentence sent a nasty image flying back into her mind. "Battra!" she announced, "That’s why the Cosmos are out cold! Battra…severed the link…to Mothra." The mere thought of just how permanently that severing might be chilled Akiko to her bones.

The yell shocked Gumpei awake, drowsily groaning, "Akio! Donnn worryyy! I’ll safe youuu!"

As her cameraman tried to gather his wits, Akiko blushed and hoped Blake didn’t hear that from where he was sitting.

Blake’s business face didn’t crack. "Sounds familiar. Kaiju, right?"

"Yes," she confirmed.

"And what," Blake wondered, "did Belvera want to awaken a kaiju for?"

"A tool to destroy humanity," Akiko informed him, "but she couldn’t control him. Battra left…." This triggered a little something in the back of her mind. Akiko concentrated on remembering and another horrible thought came to light. "No! Don’t go to Infant Island! That’s where Battra is!"

"That’s rightt…" Gumpei agreed, his disposition quickly improving.

Blake nodded, but there was a polite firmness in his voice. "I doubt Battra stayed there once he’d finished with his business. Sorry, but Infant Island it is."

"What?" she returned.

"As you’ve noticed, the aircraft we’re using isn’t a widely-known design yet," Blake said firmly, "And I am not flying it anywhere near where the Japanese Self Defense Force can shoot it down and spark an international incident. Is that clear?"

Akiko deflated. Once again soothing, Blake added, "Don’t worry. Our Japanese embassy will leak the information you two are stranded on the island. A few hours, tops, and I’m sure somebody will be out to get you."

Gumpei finally joined the conversation properly with, "And the Cosmos?"

The captain said, "You’ll take them with you, of course. Say, you could use that giant purse you’ve got there. I think they’ll fit. What does a girl need a purse that big to carry around, anyway?"

Akiko smiled halfheartedly, "Cosmos fairys, apparently."

She still looked dismayed at being abandoned. Blake hated to do it, but he had to remind his passengers what might be at stake here. Allowing his eyes to grow cold and hard as steel, Blake prompted, "And I have to add that you and Mr. Miyamoto will not talk about anything you’ve seen or heard since you fell into our laps. Remember; we’re taking you back because of the possibility Mothra might involve herself and blow all secrecy right out of the water. Otherwise, you’d have walked right into a highly confidential state secret. Do you realize what that means?"

Akiko swallowed hard. So what she’d suspected about how deep Blake’s government ties might run had been true.

But damn her reporter’s curiosity. She just had to say, "Is that what happened to you and MacReady at Outpost #31?"

Blake froze. Absolutely froze.

For a heartbeat Akiko thought she’d crossed the line and would die immediately.

"So I still talk in my sleep," Blake eventually said.

Gumpei shifted uncomfortably; his suspicions confirmed as well.

The lovers continued ignoring him to stare into each other’s eyes. Blake seemed to be trying to take a page from the Cosmos’ book; that is, reading her mind to see how much he’d given away before. Akiko merely looked back.

When he remained impassive, Akiko finally admitted defeat. "Okay," she said, "We don’t know what happened at Outpost #31. We were trying to find it, and Belvera tricked us into helping her revive Battra. I can show you where we were on a map, I think…"

"Please do," Blake said, promptly fishing one out of his breast pocket.

Waving her finger, Akiko pointed out a spot. She added grimly, "This is just the area where we narrowed it down as best we could. We told the pilots to try starting with the center. If they were still alive, you could get a better description from them yourself."

"Professor Chisolm and her assistants?" Blake said, obviously having checked up on her whereabouts.

Akiko lowered her head.

"That’s a shame," Blake added, "The professor had a lot of unique ideas. She was a rising star in her field." He folded the map back up, looking a little relieved himself as he announced, "And you were nowhere near Outpost #31. And if I was you, I’d never bother trying to find it again."

Akiko wasn’t sure if their mark was truly off or if Blake was just trying to throw her off in case she was fool enough to try again after all. Which she wasn’t. Knowing what had befallen Chisolm, she’d had enough of Antarctica - not to mention relying on Blake’s good graces - to last a lifetime.

The intercom clicked open and their pilot announced they’d landed. Akiko blinked; she hadn’t even felt the slightest bump.

The captain addressed both of them for the first time. "Still, one last precaution before you disembark. Just a little blood test. Both of you, accompany me back to the medic’s station, please."

Gumpei struggled to get his harness undone for a minute. Trying hard not to show how embarrassed she was over Gumpei’s clumsiness, Akiko stepped up to the door with Blake. Blake wasn’t going in first, however. He was waiting for them, and watching both reporters in a very alert and somewhat suspicious manner. One hand stayed rather close to the pistol on his hip.

Before Gumpei could join them, the aft compartment door flew open. Riding her freshly-repaired Garugaru, Belvera steamed out in a blaze of anger. "You!" she roared at Blake, "How do I get off this thing?! Speak or die!" Even as she fumed, Belvera had already paralyzed Blake telekinetically and was reaching into his mind for the answers.

"You!" Akiko returned. She found her good hand ripping Belvera from her saddle and squeezing her tiny ribcage tight. "Think mind games are funny, do you?!" the reporter snapped, violently shaking her helpless victim.

Garugaru’s reaction time was a little off; apparently some more repairs were needed. He finally realized his mistress was in mortal danger. The dragon sunk his steel teeth into Akiko’s good right hand. Akiko squealed, releasing her grip, and tried to lash out with her wounded arm. That only put her in more pain; Akiko could only watch through her tears as Garugaru released her to catch the plummeting Belvera.

Back in her saddle, Belvera took a second to catch her breath. "Now fry her," Garugaru’s evil mistress commanded gleefully.

Blake was still stunned. Akiko had a split second to realize she couldn’t evade a hit directly to her chest at this range as Garugaru unleashed his electric bolt beam.

Gumpei slammed into her, taking the blast meant for Akiko on his back right between his shoulder blades. Together they knocked the recuperating Blake over as well.

Belvera sneered down at the heap below. "Good enough," she said in a somewhat hoarse voice, "You’ll think twice before messing with Belvera again, human. Goodbye!" With that, Garugaru swept toward the door and a simple telekinetic push sent it open.

It was hard to laugh evilly with her chest still hurting her, but Belvera tried anyway as the duo disappeared into the night.

The young man who had to be the medic appeared from aft, flying to the smoking wounds on Gumpei’s back. "I’m sorry, Captain," the youth said, "I don’t know what came over me. I could see that little witch putting her robot back together, but I couldn’t do anything about it--!"

Blake waved it away with, "You’re not the only one she’s pulled a mind whammy on today, Ford."

Akiko cradled Gumpei’s head sideways in her lap to allow the medic to minister to him. She found her tears dripping down into her lap as well. His ragged breathing was tickling her thigh; it gave her some hope at least. "Please say he’ll be all right," she pleaded to the medic.

Her tears gushed anew when Ford replied, "I’ll do what I can, miss."

Akiko found much more hope in the stereo tones that came from the medic’s abandoned station, weak as their call was. "Wait! We can help you…bring him here…"

Her broken arm didn’t let her help much. It was up to Blake and Ford to haul the unconscious Gumpei aft. Some of the woman’s relief washed away at the sight of the Cosmos. They looked like they were fighting to stay conscious themselves as the fairys laid across a dishtowel thrown atop the small, narrow counter.

Akiko glared at Blake, "Did you drug them?"

"No," he reassured, getting a confirming nod from the medic.

Gently, Gumpei was laid down on the only bed in the cramped quarters. The Cosmos focused as best they could, but their healing song was broken and disjointed. Still, Akiko could see Gumpei’s wounds lose some of their puffy shine. Although still ragged, her friend’s breathing was more regular now.

Drained, the Cosmos sank back against their towel. Lora threw an arm over her eyes to shield her from the bright desk light; Moll just stared fatalistically ahead as both continued trying to gather their wits.

Akiko noted grimly that Fairy Mothra had yet to awaken.

"Are you all right?" she finally asked the twins, feeling the question woefully inadequate.

Lora started crying silently. It was up to Moll to reply simply, "No."

"What happened?" Akiko continued.

Moll’s voice was very empty and dull when she said, "We don’t know. Mothra is gone. We cannot feel her at all."

Behind her, Ford bent to continue working on Gumpei. Akiko was at a loss for what the youth or anyone could do to heal the gaping wound evident in the Cosmos’ shared psyche at Mothra’s absence. She could only stare at her little friends for a few seconds, trying to come up with anything - anything at all - to help them.

A new voice spoke quietly from the intercom. "Captain, I think you’d better get up here."

At his pilot’s tone, Blake was out the cubicle door and headed forward before the man had finished his sentence. Akiko turned to go after, but Blake stopped her wordlessly with one upraised hand.

His other hand was still near his pistol for easy access, she saw.

Blake swept away. Akiko peeked out of the cubicle door to see the forward compartment’s own door shut between her and the captain. Ford prompted her to remain as well, but didn’t tear himself away from his patient when Akiko returned to the troop bay anyway. As quickly and quietly as she could, Akiko stepped up to the closed door Blake has disappeared behind to listen. She couldn’t hear anything over a moaning island wind. Realizing nobody had shut the side door after Belvera’s departure, she stepped over to do so and clear the way for her to hear what Blake was doing.

As she stepped into the doorway, Akiko automatically glanced out at the moonlit Infant Island night.

She stopped dead at the sight of enormous twin red eyes glowering at her from a great distance and height.

Frozen for a few heartbeats, she was able to discern the moonlit shape of Battra resting on the low, rolling hills leading up from their beach landing and into the island’s interior. That moaning wind she’d noticed was the slow pulse of Battra’s wings fluttering gently. The kaiju was staring directly at their craft.

After a long, heart-stopping moment, Battra dismissed them as a threat. He turned his profile to them, so sharp in the dazzling moonlight, and roared his strange cry. His screech was much more high-pitched than normal; it carried an eerie accent that reminded Akiko of dozens of Cosmos speaking as one instead of mere twins. The gargling roar echoed longer and more deeply in Battra’s throat than it should as well.

With a flap of his wings that rocked the Americans’ strange craft, Battra set off to the north. Toward mainland Japan.

Blake appeared out of the cockpit. She was just about to ask what he thought of Battra’s appearance when she got a good look at his face.

The soldier was both more frightened and more determined that she had ever seen him. His hand never left the butt of his pistol, now, and he motioned Akiko back to the medic bay in a tone that brooked no argument.

Once they’d returned to the infirm, Blake interrupted Gumpei’s ministrations with, "First things first, lieutenant." Blake then commanded, "Prepare to get a blood sample from everyone aboard. And I mean everyone, be they human, fairy, or bug, right now. Don’t exclude yourself or me."

"Sir?" the medic asked.

Blake sent him to work with a stern look. Akiko stayed silent, picking up on Blake’s own fear and fueling her own with it. Another click on the intercom, and Blake summoned Wagner the pilot and Kimble the communications man to the medic bay as well.

Thus everyone aboard the craft was under Blake’s watchful eye at once.

Blake kept staring hard as Ford drew blood from everyone present. The Cosmos and their mount were so tiny, it only took the medic a flick of a scalpel across their legs to get the few drops Blake deemed necessary. He also seemed to think the bloodless Fairy Mothra’s other bodily fluids would stand in well during the test.

Once everybody’s samples were neatly lined up in separate petri dishes, Blake heated a needle and jabbed the samples one by one starting with his own. Of course, nobody else seemed sure what to expect, but whatever it was, Blake didn’t see it either. Saving the Cosmos’ offerings for last, Blake stooped to a microscope to examine them closely as he jabbed their samples as well.

This too satisfied the captain. He visibly relaxed, and his announcement of "We’re clear. No signs of infection," caused the others to do so as well.

Then Blake snapped to, remembering it wasn’t quite over yet. He ordered, "Kimble, get Home One on the line. Tell them by my order that the MacReady principle is effective immediately on all Antarctic stations. Repeat, MacReady principle effective immediately, all stations. Each station can only stand down when MacReady principle is cleared by each station individually. Confirm."

Getting his confirmation from the radio jockey, Blake also ordered the pilot back to his station to prepare for immediate liftoff. Akiko heard Wagner shut the side door on his way by.

The Cosmos had drifted into unconsciousness again, leaving only Akiko and Ford to stare at their leader.

At the look on her face, Blake threw up a hand to ward her off again. "Let me think for a minute," he ordered.

It didn’t take long for Blake to arrive at his decision. Soon he barked out some more orders. "Ford, see what you can do for everyone," he indicated the Cosmos and Gumpei alike, "Akiko, come with me."

The captain led her to the little radio cubicle located between the troop bay she’d woken up in and the cockpit. Kimble turned at their entrance, and Blake laid a hand on his shoulder with quiet authority. "Get me our Japanese embassy in Tokyo, son. I’ve got a hell of a lot of fast talking to do, and I might need your famous face to back me up on this, Akiko. Go along with what I say. I can’t divulge all the details, but I swear by all that’s holy it’s true."

She nodded, but again her curiosity interfered. "What’s wrong? You were already suspicious before Belvera escaped, but now….What set you off?"

Blake gave her a short, grim look. "Battra’s vocalization. I’ve heard that particular tone before."

The radio man turned from his control board to say, "Captain, the ambassador has fled the embassy and is refusing contact right now. The city’s under attack from Godzilla."

The monster waded into Tokyo Bay, straightening up from his almost-prone swimming position in the (to him) waist-deep waters. He snarled a challenge to the city at large, slapping his clawed fists against the water in an almost playful fashion.

Godzilla didn’t have to look far for an answer to his cry. Two DD-122 Hatsuyuki-class Navy destroyers were blocking his passage into the heart of Tokyo. They were perched close to the Rainbow Bridge spanning the inner reaches of Tokyo Harbor. The bridge itself was lined with alternating MBW-93 Twin Maser tanks and Full Metal missile launchers, shining brightly in the aptly-named edifice’s dazzling lights.

Ensconced within their steely shells, each soul in the task force on land and sea alike knew their assault could never stop Godzilla. But the delay - any delay - in his landfall would allow so many more innocent people to be evacuated from the area. It would be worth it.

So it was with fierce pride that their commander called out, "Full Metal units, fire!"

Pairs of the huge, shiny armor-piercing munitions peeled off their launchers into the sky. As per the plan, the missiles were focused on the monster’s chest area. A few skittered off into his arms and belly, but Godzilla absorbed most of the blasts with a chilling howl.

The commander ordered, "Maser and destroyer units, fire at will!" while his missile launchers struggled to reload.

His loyal soldiers did so, again concentrating their fire on the same areas the Full Metal barrage had already softened up. Maybe, just maybe, the effort would break past Godzilla’s regenerative powers and damage something vital…

This next wave of fire, being halfway made of ultra-hot Maser radiation instead of physical projectiles, had less pure mass to keep Godzilla at bay to it. Godzilla growled low in his throat, pushing against the withering barrage to reach the nearest destroyer. Jaws agape, Godzilla crashed down on the vessel longer than he was tall, tearing away with his foreclaws as well.

The ship was rent asunder, some of her own ammunition going off in her weapon barrels to seal her doom. The point-blank explosion sent a plume of water mixed with parts of the destroyer and her crew alike showering down on the JSDF across the bay. The ship’s fuel and oils, lit aflame, spread across the waves’ surface with silent purpose.

But of Godzilla, there was no sign.

Until the monster reared up beneath the other destroyer, the gaping wounds around his neck and chest from the first ship’s demise already closing. The triple rows of spiky dorsal plates on his back impaled the destroyer. As Godzilla’s feet found purchase on the bottom again, the Hatsuyuki-class ship was tipped onto her sides when he stood. The naval vessel broke in two as Godzilla struggled forward, his grating plates literally sawing the ship in half.

Mercifully, there was no explosion in the destroyer’s innards this time. But the fractured halves of the vessel spilled her guts, her mechanical lifeblood, and her crew alike as she disappeared beneath the waves.

No such mercy came from Godzilla himself. He roared furiously at the bridge detail as another wave of Full Metal missiles spun from their launchers toward him. Snarling, he leaned forward into the waves and quickly pushed off from the bay floor. The weapons’ sophisticated targeting systems still honed in, their preprogrammed warheads ignoring the cold waters even as their fiery exhaust was snuffed out by it. The missiles’ sheer momentum kept most of them on target as the Full Metal missiles impacted against Godzilla’s back, legs, and tail.

Gliding beneath the JSDF’s perch, Godzilla allowed some of his excess nuclear energy to pulse straight up from his back plates.

The narrow beam cut through the center of the Rainbow Bridge like a saw as Godzilla passed.

Those vehicles right at the point of impact exploded, setting off a chain reaction that claimed most of their nearby comrades in an eerie fireworks festival spanning the dying bridge. Any who did not, tumbled helplessly into Tokyo Bay as the bridge unraveled beneath them.

Their commander’s last words were, "Where is my air support?!!" before his Type 82 command vehicle also fell into Tokyo Bay.

It almost seemed to be a question on Godzilla’s lips as well as he ignored the now-skeletal bridge behind him to scan the skies carefully. He resumed his walking posture on the bottom, allowing his tail to slap the surface. Snarling, Godzilla advanced, leaving the bay behind for landfall at the Hamarikyu Garden. Ignoring the lush foliage he was trampling, Godzilla strode forward to make the Tsukiji Fish Market disappear under his thunderous steps as well. Godzilla was now on Tokyo’s streets proper. Then he paused.

For a long moment, Godzilla pondered the city warily. He stared, he sniffed, and his clawed fingers twitched in anticipation of battle. But nothing rose to meet him, and Godzilla’s eyes flashed. He roared with frustration, plowing into - and through - the elevated Tokyo Expressway before razing a city block with tooth and claw.

Instead of his usual thorough destruction, however, Godzilla quickly turned to the next set of buildings after only a few bites. His tail lashed out, slamming the edifices broadside and crumbling them wholesale. The kaiju turned again, swiftly crashing into the next block on the other side with an angry roar.

Akiko and Kimble were watching over Wagner’s shoulders through the cockpit windscreens as their airship entered Tokyo Bay. Blake had ordered even the radio man out of the equipment room to finish his high-level negotiations with Prime Minister Hayato Igarashi privately. At least neither of his soldiers objected to her seeing the secret airship’s cockpit.

Wagner observed, "Godzilla’s looking for something… I thought there are no nuclear power stations in Tokyo because of him to start with."

"Right," Akiko said, "But Godzilla sometimes destroys other energy sources as well even if he isn’t hungry. Besides…who can tell? Godzilla just seems to hate us, and nobody knows why."

The Americans looked sad at that, though Akiko suspected they were both glad Godzilla didn’t haunt their shores inexplicably or not. She couldn’t say she blamed them either.

Blake appeared behind Akiko. "Wagner, see the clocktower over there? Make for it’s bottom before somebody gets trigger-happy. Kimble, get back there and help Ford unload his patients once we land. The JSDF should have an ambulance waiting."

As the radio man pushed past her to leave the cramped cockpit, Akiko gave him her purse for the Cosmos. Blake turned to Akiko, "This is where you get off, missy."

Seeing an onrushing object over Blake’s shoulder through the window, Akiko actually smiled. "Look!" she cried.

All the soldiers whirled just in time to catch a glimpse of a huge insect gliding serenely over the vehicle. But it wasn’t Battra’s aggressively striped, bat-scalloped wings that allowed the kaiju the power of flight.

No, it was the softer, rounder, somehow more feminine shapes and color tones of Mothra’s outstretched wings that bore her through the skyline. The beautiful kaiju, restored to her white and red glory last seen eight years before, was sweeping along with quiet determination.

Tears of relief flooded Akiko’s cheeks and it looked like the soldiers were going to join her. "I don’t believe it," she added, "We’re saved after all!"

But even as Wagner’s steady hands brought them down in the spacious intersection at the clock-bearing Wako Building’s foot, Akiko had no choice but to sober up. "I don’t get it. Mothra isn’t after Godzilla. She’s just circling around." She stood on tiptoes for a second to gaze back toward the glimmering fires nearer Tokyo Bay, adding, "I can’t even see Godzilla from here. What’s she doing?"

Blake looked mystified as well, but he had a job to do. "Time’s a’ wastin’, honey. Get going. Stick with your buddy in the ambulance, they’ll take care of you both."

The reminder of poor Gumpei taking the bullet for her earlier colored Akiko’s thoughts as she embraced Blake with her good arm. They kissed, but even Wagner sensed she was a little withdrawn about it. When they pulled apart, Blake sought an explanation in her eyes. Akiko turned away, and Blake once again brought his professional mask into place as he steered the lady from the ship’s cockpit.

Stepping to the concrete sidewalk, Akiko finally got an outside look at her mysterious vehicle. The jet-black machine looked like a cross between the body of a super-sized Huey helicopter with the wings and propulsion systems of a Harrier jump jet. It bore no markings of affiliation but could easily fit in with the JSDF’s more high-tech vehicles such as the twin-barreled Masers.

Ford and Kimble were bearing Gumpei’s stretcher over toward the promised ambulance. Kimble paused and freed a hand to thrust that ugly purse, stuffed full of Cosmos and Fairy Mothra, into her grip. She turned back to Blake and found herself spying Wagner reluctantly stepping off the airship as well.

"Remind Ford," Blake commanded his pilot, "After you’re sure Ms. Mitsua is safe, get to the embassy as soon as possible. Cooperate with the Japanese authorities fully but don’t say more than you have to." He paused, throwing Akiko a little salute before sliding the door shut again.

"Hey, wait!" she said, stepping forward to catch him. Wagner caught her arm firmly instead, keeping Akiko clear of the ship’s VTOL jet blast as the ship lifted straight upwards a short ways. Her former ride straightened out, a bit more stiffly than Wagner would’ve done, as Blake got his bearings.

She turned to the pilot, "What was that about?"

Wagner was watching the ship hover. "He said he wanted it on his head, and on his alone." He threw a salute to his commander.

Akiko joined him. But again she was reminded by Blake’s self-sacrifice of Gumpei’s own. She turned back toward the ambulance. Ford was helping the local medics strap Gumpei’s stretcher directly onto a large wheeled gurney before they put him in the ambulance itself. As the crew readied to lift the gurney into the vehicle, Kimble cursed loudly, "Jesus Christ!" at the skies.

The cry of Battra answered him.

Akiko whirled; the kaiju was swooping down the avenue. His wingtips brushed against buildings on each side, ripping great slashes into the harmless structures. It didn’t slow Battra one bit as he bore down on Blake’s airship. Battra sent red and yellow arcs of power dancing along his single horn jutting from his forehead. The energy thus congealed, his prism beams blasted forth from his eyes as dark red bolts of terror.

Blake barely dodged, slamming the airship into it’s forward drive and around the Wako’s corner out of Battra’s line of fire.

The prism beams played along the streets, chasing the spot where Blake was only to hit the San-ai Dream Center building instead. The glass cylindrical tower of women’s fashion shattered with a sound of a million shining bits of broken crystal.

One stray shot caught the ambulance, sending it up in a ball of flame even as Kimble and Ford ran, wheeling Gumpei, away from the target.

The shockwave knocked everyone over. The winds of Battra’s passage as the kaiju whirled around the corner in hot pursuit also stirred the flying debris into a frenzy. Akiko screamed but couldn’t hear herself in the din. Somehow, the Cosmos purse’s strap didn’t break off in her grip as she tumbled around the street.

Finally the winds and shockwaves tearing at each other in the relatively confined space let her go. She found herself dumped into the narrow gutter at the foot of the Ginza Core Building’s entrance, kitty-corner to the Wako and the remains of the San-ai. Groaning, Akiko pulled herself upright only to spot Gumpei nearby. Her cameraman was still strapped onto his gurney, but it had tipped over and he was face-down in the gutter.

Throwing the purse over her shoulder, Akiko charged to Gumpei’s rescue. She leaned heavily on the back of the gurney, using leverage to lift his head clear. Akiko moaned as her wounded arm pressed against the torn gurney. Gumpei was very lucky that had taken most of the explosion for him. Gumpei was sputtering and choking; the water having finally shocked him back to consciousness. "What the hell?" he said in a very surprised fashion. He struggled with his bonds a little, adding, "This is the weirdest bondage dream I ever had."

Akiko had to laugh, "Coming from you? I don’t believe that."

The reporter found Ford at her side, helping the slender woman with Gumpei’s superior weight. Steadily they tipped Gumpei back onto his wheels. She was relieved when a glance showed that Kimble and Wagner were more or less intact as well around her. Ford threw a thumb toward Kimble, explaining, "I’m told Mothra has arrived. What do you say I mix up a little something to wake up her buddies so we can talk to her?"

"Wonderful!" Akiko agreed. Ford spread out his medical kit and began trying to water down a stimulant into a safe dosage for such small bodies. At Gumpei’s request, she let him loose from the straps. Akiko was glad to see him sit up, albeit shakily. "How do you feel?" she quizzed her cameraman.

"Stiff," he complained, shivering a little in his ruined shirt. Gumpei was trying to reach the scabs on his back to scratch them. Akiko caught his arm and didn’t let him. Gumpei sighed, "Surprised to still be here, really. I guess I’ve got those cute little fairys to thank again, right?"

"Mm-hmm," Akiko confirmed, "But I’ve got you to thank to start with."

A glance showed the soldiers were still paying more attention to the skies or to Ford than her. Akiko leaned forward, risking a quick kiss on Gumpei’s lips.

She liked the feel of that better than she thought she would, actually.

Gumpei stared up at her in shock.

Then slowly, cautiously, he sat up further and moved to hold Akiko close again and share a longer, more passionate kiss.

Akiko pulled away this time before he could grip her. The soldiers behind them were tempted to catcall, but the look of true hurt on Gumpei’s face kept their mouths shut. Walking back toward Ford, Akiko was distracted from watching the medic work as a flight of jets roared overhead. Akiko followed the F-15Js’ path as they banked toward the flaming city blocks where she could now hear Godzilla raging out-of-sight.

As the jets neared, Battra popped up from amongst the buildings behind their formation. His prism beams sang out once more. Caught unawares, the entire flight was wiped from the skies as Battra swept through their glittering remains, roaring triumph.

Akiko whirled again. A land column of fresh Full Metal launchers and Maser tanks was rumbling down the street from the corner Blake had disappeared around. Battra spun around as well, bearing down on them from above in an instant.

None of the land vehicles’ crews had any time to react either.

But Battra held his fire.

He carefully studied the troops as he swept overhead, yes, but Battra ignored the land units to return to circling the skies. The rushing column kept going, making a right at the next intersection to leave the Kabukiza Theatre behind as they neared Godzilla.

This time, Battra’s flyby was at a much higher altitude. Still the turbulence caused by it tipped the willowy Akiko over once more. It also scattered Ford’s medicines. Cursing, he enlisted his fellows to retrieve them as he finished his stimulant.

Finally satisfied, Ford waved the concoction under the Cosmos’ noses. They stirred, and Akiko gently prodded them with her finger. "Hey, you’ve got to wake up," she told the twins, "Mothra’s here. She needs you."

"Mothra?" they chorused. Hopefully, the Cosmos reached out mentally…and their faces filled with confusion. "There’s nothing. Nothing but Godzilla."

Akiko’s jaw dropped, "That’s not true! We saw her—look!"

Now it was the twins’ turn to watch open-mouthed as Mothra glided into view. Another set of JSDF air units, this time A92 Dark Wings jets, were screaming by overhead. Again Battra appeared, from the opposite side as his double, and launched into pursuit of the fighters. The military seemed to be expecting it this time. They separated, and soon the twin Maser cannons mounted on each wing in place of conventional weaponry was singing out in response to prism beams. Battra began a cat-and-mouse game amongst the buildings with his little targets, hampered by the constricting surroundings as they’d hoped.

Together, with all their heart, the Cosmos broke into a song that was a strong as ever. Fueled by hope and desperation alike as it was.

Mothra ignored the dogfights around her, as well as the Cosmos’ desperate attempts to reach her, to continue flying serenely around the city.

The Cosmos allowed their song to dribble off into painful silence, staring after their friend’s unheedful form.

Akiko winced at the sound of Battra’s prism beams firing again. "Maybe she just can’t hear you from here," she guessed, "Let’s try from up there, okay?" She pointed to the Wako’s clocktower top.

"It won’t make any difference," the Cosmos glumly said. But they didn’t struggle in Akiko’s grip either as she stuffed them back into the purse for the trip. Gumpei immediately stepped to her side. She threw him an appreciative grin for his support.

Ford was eyeing the tower with distaste. "You really want to go up there? Looks like a big target to me."

"No, I don’t," Akiko admitted, "but it looks like I have to. Thanks, boys. You’re relieved of duty. Carry on or whatever." She threw them a salute, but the soldiers didn’t budge. Kimble spoke for his fellows with, "Afraid you got no rank to throw around, lady. Since the captain said to make sure you two are all right, I guess we’ll stick with you… Sure you don’t want to stay at ground level, though?"

"Stop complaining," she ordered, "the electricity’s still on, so the elevators should work. Isn’t that nice enough for you?" She smiled ironically at the last, and all four men pounded across the empty street and into the lobby with her.

Since the elevator didn’t go all the way to the roof itself, the group had to take the stairs for the last part of their journey after all. When they finally neared the rooftop’s edge, Akiko found the tall store offered a fairly commanding view of local Tokyo.

Having laid waste to the area immediately around the harbor, Godzilla was now thundering through the heart of the Ginza business district. Roaring with growing frustration, he finished off the low-slung, futuristic block shape of the Matsuzakaya Department Store with his tail. The kaiju was continuing to pound each section of city briefly in an effort to flush something to fight out. A few Type 90 tanks joined the remaining Twin Maser units as they continued to harass him but Godzilla was looking for something meatier to chew on.

Battra was near the Matsuya Ladies’ Department Store a few blocks to Godzilla’s north. The other kaiju was staying out of Godzilla’s line-of-sight behind the buildings. Akiko realized the King of the Monsters might not even know for sure Battra was present yet. Battra amused himself by still pursuing any air units that dared cross his path.

Mothra had completely disappeared.

Akiko pulled the top of the purse open, allowing the Cosmos to survey the scene in an unsteady fashion as well. They winced with pain.

"Battra is trying to protect Godzilla from the JSDF," Akiko prodded them, "Hurry, call Mothra!"

"Really?" the twins wondered, "Why would he do that?"

Reminding herself of how badly the twins’ psyches were scrambled just then, Akiko forced herself to remain patient. "You’re the telepaths. You tell me."

The Cosmos tried to pull themselves together. They sang a low dirge for a moment, reaching out to pull an explanation from Battra.

Gumpei hummed along with them. Akiko glared at him.

"What?" he said, "We helped them before, didn’t we? Carrying all of us halfway across Antarctica, remember?"

Akiko’s eyes flashed in annoyance.

But she found herself humming quietly too.

Weakened yet further, the Cosmos sank back against Fairy Mothra’s comatose form. "We cannot feel Battra either. Our eyes tell us what our telepathy does not. But the humans… we can reach…" For a moment Akiko was afraid the fairys would collapse on her.

A few seconds’ rest and they finished their tale, "Captain Blake has persuaded the JSDF that Battra is the real threat. Even Godzilla must be ignored until Battra is destroyed… Heat…All Masers as one…Battra must burn," they weakly informed their audience.

"Why?" Akiko demanded.

The tiny women tried to gather their strength, this time ignoring Akiko to call out to Mothra desperately once more. But they were too drained and slipped into unconsciousness yet again.

Akiko turned to ask Ford to try waking them again, but he was watching the JSDF land units that were massing a little past the intersection immediately below. More forces were gathering at the far ends of the other streets, she noted, turning the next intersection over into a giant crosshairs with the Kabukiza Theatre’s corner view just off center. Every military vehicle present was a Maser unit, be it the MBAW-93 twin-barreled or a larger single-cannon Type 66 unit.

Kimble pointed out a low-flying shape to her, announcing, "Look, it’s the Blackbird!"

Akiko finally had a name for her mystery ship as Blake flew the Blackbird back into view. He also put the ship right into Battra’s view. Waggling the ship’s tail, Blake dared the kaiju to try to blow him out of the sky again.

It was a dare Battra was all too willing to accept.

But the insect, like Akiko, underestimated the speed the experimental troop carrier was capable of. Blake sped out of Battra’s outstretched claws and toward the Maser formation. Incensed, Battra howled as he rushed into pursuit. As Blake sped past the theatre with Battra hot on his heels, all four corners of combined units’ firepower ripped into the kaiju’s belly.

Battra shrieked with the burning radiation’s assault. And it was the same unearthly call he’d uttered back on Infant Island. Losing altitude, Battra plowed face-first into the Kabukiza. The Masers hopped to, screaming down the boulevards and back into firing range as Battra struggled to free himself from the beautiful ancient theatre’s remains. Each tank fired at will into the rolling mass, throwing up more explosions and dust that obscured their target. Nevertheless they were intent on obliterating Battra completely. They paused only when their weapons threatened to overheat.

The kaiju rose from the mess. His wings sported a few holes and great shredded wounds bled from most of his body. But still his lidless eyes stared with hatred and his movements were steady. Battra’s unusually thick, syrupy bodily fluids pooled beneath him, oozing, and he roared that bizarre alternate roar again. As Battra’s wings healed themselves, the kaiju took to the air once again. Akiko gasped at the sight.

The fluids hanging down from Battra’s wounds were deliberately turning around - with a mind of their own - to reenter the bug’s body. Even a pair of limbs, nearly severed from his thorax, were sucking and oozing their way back into place. Battra rained his prism bolts down on the Masers even as he continued literally pulling himself together. The Blackbird was circling around back as Blake wondered what to do next.

A enormous beam of yellow-hot radiation spewed past the Wako Building to strike Battra just below his neck joint. For a couple of long seconds, the hellish beam played along Battra’s front even as it slammed the kaiju backwards into the buildings across the street from the Kabukiza Theatre’s remains.

Everyone atop the Wako Store instinctively ran to the opposite end of the roof, throwing arms over their eyes, as the beam passed by their haven. Only once the blast stopped did they dare blink past their starry vision to see what had originated the assault.

Godzilla closed his mouth with a satisfied hiss. Then he roared, charging forward up the Higashi-Ginza street past the Sony Building to finish off the first real opponent he’d had all day. He drew even with the Wako, his tail swishing side to side into every building he passed.

But the sight that rose from the flames was enough even to give Godzilla pause.

Gumpei spoke for his entire group when he said, "What the hell is that thing?"

Even the reawakening Cosmos, who would never dare curse aloud.

Akiko added, "That must be it…exactly. What Blake was talking about that night. The Thing!!"

Gumpei gawked at her, "That sure ain’t Mothra."

It wasn’t even Battra anymore. The kaiju was changing shape. He was becoming a twisted mismatched beast, grasping claws and flailing tentacles appearing from gaps in his beam-ravaged form. Patches of suspiciously dog-like fur sprouted among the insect carapace’s spikes. The Thing’s neck stretched out like a giraffe’s; the monster howling in pain-filled rage. Parts of the beast still afire, the horrible apparition trampled Maser tanks and the tiny Mitsukoshi lion statue alike underfoot as it began clawing up the street toward Godzilla.

Godzilla sneered with disgust. His back plates lit up slowly, ominously, for a few seconds. Small whisps of yet more excess nuclear power escaped the corners of his mouth as Godzilla prepared his atom beam once more.

This Thing that had been Battra was still too clumsy on it’s alternating feet to make it up the broad thoroughfare to Godzilla quickly.

But it was a lot quicker on the draw with its energy beams.

Especially once multiple rows of horns, duplicating the lone one still atop the Battra-ish head, sprouted down the entire neck. The Thing bent forward, turning his entire neck into a veritable energy cannon as each row of horns fed prism beam power to the next row in line for one concentrated blast.

The electric red beam, even thicker than Godzilla’s, slammed the kaiju king backwards. His own beam spewed harmlessly into the skies as Godzilla flew off his feet. The monster crashed back down, skidding on his side backwards into the Sony Building. His sturdy back plates found purchase there whether Godzilla wanted it or not. Ironically it was the former bug that had his opponent pinned and mounted against the building.

Godzilla was stuck in the corporation’s soulless monolith helplessly.

On the ground, the surviving Maser cannons renewed their assault on The Thing. They hit where the beast was already burning, hoping to spread the flames across it’s misshapen form. The Thing took a moment to sprout a few sets of spindly limbs like Battra’s but tipped with a dog’s paws. It smashed left and right, catching the Maser tanks beneath it’s blows. Their explosive fuel set The Thing to screeching, allowing it’s burning new paws to drop off and wither in their own flames.

The Thing had almost abandoned Battra’s form completely. The wings, curving into hooked claws that rose high above it’s body, were the only thing left besides the head. It stretched it’s torn abdomen out into snake-like coils and began slithering up the street toward the King of the Monsters. It’s limbs clutching the rooftops for support, The Thing finally extinguished it’s fires by rubbing against the buildings beneath.

Godzilla’s atom beam met The Thing head-on.

His back plates’ energy shattered the Sony Building into dust, freeing Godzilla of the corporation forever. His beam played across The Thing, driving it screaming down to the sidewalk’s level. More chunks of the terror, not burned by flame but quite dead from radiation exposure, were blasted off the main mass to splatter across the Higashi-Ginza’s proud thoroughfare.

Godzilla was on his feet, pounding closer even as his atom beam blasted out again. Godzilla slashed repeatedly back and forth with the beam, steadily whittling The Thing down to size.

Screaming, mewling, writhing, The Thing clutched futilely at the sky. Leaving the humans still watching from the rooftop in his wake, Godzilla stomped forward to tear his foe apart.

The Cosmos screamed, "No! Don’t touch it! It must burn! Burn!"

The psychic version accompanying that verbal cry was so strong that even Akiko felt it’s passage. Godzilla stopped and blinked, glancing around for the source of that plea. Finally the kaiju turned back toward the clocktower. Backlit by the flaming city areas he’d created, Godzilla peered at those atop the store. His eyes narrowed as he considered the tiny creatures there.

Godzilla snarled. His claws clutching, Godzilla’s tail whipped into the Ginza Core Building as he turned back toward them. Gumpei moaned, "Never met a kaiju who could resist knocking over a landmark! Come on, Akiko!" He snatched her arm to commence dragging her from the rooftop.

"Look out!" Akiko cried and the Cosmos echoed her. But her cry wasn’t to her fellows on the rooftop.

It was for Godzilla.

The monster reacted somewhat, stopping to glance around. It wasn’t enough. The Thing, coiled like a spring, launched itself forward. The Battra-mandibles bit deep into Godzilla’s right arm. Even as Godzilla began waving his limb about, The Thing’s face melted. It began to flow into Godzilla, merging with the kaiju.

Reflexively, Godzilla brought his other arm around to rip The Thing away. A gaping mouth appeared in The Thing’s belly and Godzilla’s oncoming fist disappeared into it. The Thing clamped down and gained another hold. It’s own mismatched limbs spread, reaching for Godzilla’s legs and belly.

Godzilla shrieked as The Thing’s many limbs penetrated his scaly hide. Akiko and Gumpei moaned. They could see protuberances of The Thing extending from within it at each point of contact. Those disgusting growths were already moving beneath Godzilla’s scales. Moving and growing.

Godzilla, his eyes narrowed with furious pain, spit another atom beam across his own chest.

The blaze separated him and The Thing in a bloody tide of ripped flesh as the multiple Thing-limbs were pulled loose. It also separated Godzilla’s right arm at the elbow and his left fist from the rest of his body.

Godzilla’s blood spurted out, across The Thing and the city itself alike. Even as The Thing crashed into the streets again, the radioactive material ate into his faux-Battra hide like corrosive acid. It had lost too much mass during the battle. It didn’t have the resources to pull itself together into Battra once more, making it more fit for direct kaiju energy beam combat.

The Thing never even got to enjoy it’s last meal of Godzilla bits as the King of the Monsters fired the atom beam once again.

It’s entire mass was seared now, new fires cropping up as flammable building materials rained down upon the dying Thing. Godzilla’s tail brought the Mitsukoshi Department Store crumbling down atop it. The pretty girls emblazoned on the store’s gigantic billboards continued to smile happily as they spilled into the street.

Akiko never thought she’d cheer for Godzilla. But cheer she did, throwing herself into Gumpei’s arms. The reporters jumped together for sheer joy. Around them, the soldiers celebrated as well, raising arms to the sky with war whoops of victory.

Behind them, the Blackbird roared over to settle on the spacious roof. Blake appeared out of the side door quickly. He ran over to the group. At Kimble’s request to return to their posts, Blake nodded absent acquiesce.

But Blake wasn’t finished yet as his soldiers returned to the Blackbird. "Tell the Cosmos," he yelled over the noise Godzilla was making, "to have Godzilla keep firing. He’s got to kill every last cell of The Thing or it’ll survive to start over."

Akiko nodded down into her purse. "Did you hear that?" she asked.

"Yes," the Cosmos replied weakly, "We’ll try."

Their song formed a quiet backdrop as Akiko, Gumpei, and Blake turned back toward the rooftop’s edge. Godzilla stopped tearing at the Mitsukoshi. He was shaking his head like an annoying insect was buzzing about it repeatedly.

Yet despite his bad manners, Godzilla understood that he needed to make sure. He returned to burying The Thing completely in burning rubble as use of his one regrown hand appeared. Then he packed it tight with his slamming tail, trapping his opponent in its own funeral pyre. Now the kaiju straightened from his labors, regarding the bonfire mountain he’d fashioned out of man’s structures with evident satisfaction.

For a moment Godzilla studied the mess critically, unconsciously flexing his right forearm as it continued to reappear from his cauterized stump. When nothing moved but the flickering flames, Godzilla roared in triumph and spread his arms to the sky.

Nevertheless, the battle h