Part Three: GEZORAH





The Resort. By the shore.

"Mr. and Mrs. Bradley, my apologies for intruding, but I must speak with you," said Kodo, shaking the surf out of his Gucci's.

"Something wrong?" Asked Ken, trying not to sound too suspicious.

"The Mistress has requested you attend her in the penthouse. She has become...overtaxed by her duties of late, and bed rest has been prescribed," Kodo explained.

"Is it serious?" Kyo asked with concern.

"Hai, Mrs. Bradley. I suggest you both prepare yourselves for a bit of a shock."



Soon, in the penthouse.

"Iako san," Kyo spoke, approaching the woman's bedside. "I am so sorry to hear you are unwell. Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Yesss," Iako replied, with barely the breath for the word. She turned then, revealing the shrunken, ancient masque her face had become. "You see me as I truly am, Kyoko and Kenji Bradley. The alien presence within me has taken its toll."

Ken looked at his wife, and she nodded in affirmation. The Selgans tale was indeed too incredible to have been simply made up. It was the truth. "Mistress Iako, Kyoko and I both owe you a great deal already," Ken decided on the direct approach. "But we must ask you one thing more. Tell us now, please, how do we stop this thing?"

"I will tell you what I can," Iako began, pushing forth the words with effort. "I was just a girl when I first saw Selga, when I first saw paradise. It was exotic, it was beautiful," her eyes focused far away. "It was heaven. Then the Quasars came.

"I was location manager for Asia Development Corp. They dropped their plans for Selga after the first wave of monsters appeared. A giant crab, a jungle turtle, and the immense squid the natives call Gezorah. There were a number of deaths before the beasts were defeated, and my team was pulled out. The aliens ruined my hopes for this place. They ruined my life.

"More than a decade had passed before I returned, to find the aliens still alive. They remembered me, attacked me, and I succumbed. My once boundless optimism had been shattered long before, and I had not the courage to end my own life..." Iako gasped, and wrung her bony hands in anguish. "I can make no excuse for what I did then. I made peace with the alien monsters."

Iako was struggling to articulate, her voice growing weaker. The Bradleys could tell, she was dying. Kenji poured some water from a pitcher set upon the night stand, and passed it to Kyoko. She held the cup to the old woman's lips. Iako took a tiny sip.

"I gave them use of my body, hoping to keep them from harming anyone else. In return, they used their telepathy to make me a fortune in the Stock Market. I bought this island, and built this resort. And God help me, I enjoyed it!

"I call the creatures Yog. A 'terranization', if you will, of its true nomenclature. It is literally a living super colony of quasi-stellar energy. Its intellect is its weapon, giving it conscious control of its own vibrational frequencies. The ability to attune itself to neural activity of sentient and subsentient brains. It can invade a physical body, and control the host-form completely," Iako explained. "It can take over your mind.

"Yog and I have been together for nearly thirteen years now. Less than a microsecond to one of its kind. I know the creatures, intimately. Imagine a vast and boundless mind, coupled to the basest of natures," Iako was intense now, emphatic. "The Astro-Quasars are truly evil!"

"Iako san," Kyoko took the old woman's hand. Her instincts told her she could trust her words. "Kenji and I too have had some strange experiences of late. We want you to know we believe you, and we want to help."

"Yes, that is why I called for you," Iako forced a grin and continued. "Sound was the weapon that weakened Yog the first time, drove them away. I do not think you can kill them. I do not think they can die," she admonished. "But there may be a way to harm them. Destroy the derelict spacecraft."

"I thought they might still be linked to it somehow," said Kenji. "Any suggestions how?"

"Find Hiroki, he can show you. If he's not still piss drunk."

"Iako, where are the Quasars now?" Asked Kyoko, not entirely sure she wanted to know the answer.

"That is something else I hope will work to our advantage," Iako seemed to brighten a bit at the question. "Yog has gotten a bit restless lately, and gone looking for more monsters to play with. I think they may have already sown the seeds of their own destruction," her face broke into a wide, satisfied grin. "I think they have pissed off Godzilla!"



*



Godzilla rose from the depths, circling the enemies' nest. The alien spoor had vanished, lost in the encompassing stench of this place. This territory reeked of Quasar, and Man.

Wary of attack, Godzilla slowly advanced. The enemy was here, hiding somewhere. But it could not hide for long. The Monster King strode deliberately onto the beach, making landfall on Selga's northen shore. Its seething glare cut across the landscape, searching for its hated foe. There were no signs of the shimmers anywhere in his field of vision, but there was something else...

The temperature was dropping rapidly. The entire area seemed to be suddenly cooling down, beginning to freeze. Godzilla could see the frost forming across the top of the jungle canopy over which he towered, watched as the tiny crystals began to dot his hide. He roared then, a deafening anguished sound! It was the aliens, he knew, but where were they? Where?!

Then, another roar split the air. An indescribable screech that could freeze the blood on its own! Godzilla turned, to face the source of this strange new cry. Turned, and faced the new form of the enemy. Tentacles flailing, clustered beneath an enormous arrowhead crest, the power of the Quasars dancing in its eyes. This was the scourge of Selga, the nemesis of the SeaGod. This was Gezorah!



*



The village.

"I am sorry, Kenji Bradley. We have already done all we can to aid you," Riko grimly pronounced. "I do not know where Hiroki has gone."

"Why are we getting the cold shoulder here, Riko? We're only trying to help!" Ken still couldn't understand what this guy's problem was. Him or his booze-hound son.

"Godzilla has come. We believe he may have followed the two of you," Saki confessed apologetically. "Mikki has been offended, we can aid you no further." The Selgans slowly dispersed, turning their backs on the Bradleys.

"Godzilla is here? Well, I guess that pretty much confirms the veracity of Iako's story," Kyo observed.

"You seem to be taking this rather well," said Ken.

"I think I am getting used to it."

"Getting used to it?! Good lord I've created a monster!"

"Very funny, Mr. Bradley. Now get moving. We still have work to do, and a promise to keep."



*



The grotesque Gezorah shambles forth from the jungles, its monstrous eyes pulsing with the power of the Quasars control. It advances on Godzilla, heralding its attack with an ear piercing shriek, and an invisible nimbus of icy, brittle cold!

Godzilla braces against the charge and roars! At last, there is a target for his fury. He grapples with the slimy beast, repelling the assault with a clench clawed fist right between the eyes! Gezorah staggers, overbalancing as the force of the blow is joined by the force of gravity, and finally, Gezorah falls! Again, Godzilla roars his terrible rage to the heavens and bears down upon the giant squid.

Without warning, twin whiplike arms shoot forth and ensnare Godzilla in their suctioned grip! The saurian struggles, but cannot break free! The Quasars delight in the conflict, activating Gezorah's most potent natural weapon. From within the suckers that line the monster's whips emerge rows of sharp, curving claws! Godzilla screams as the bony knives extend, penetrating his hide! Instinctively, he backs away from the attack, allowing Gezorah to regain its footing. Finally, the Quasars sense their triumph at hand. The mutant squid would shred the foul beast limb from limb!



*



"Kenji, this is not working," Kyoko lamented, hacking her way through the brush.

"Well we've already covered the area from the resort to the village, to where we ran aground. We had to cut inland!"

"But we are getting nowhere. There must be a way to get Hiroki to come to us," said Kyo, contemplating their plight. "Kenji, how good is your eyesight?"

"Twenty twenty," he replied.

"Genki desu. Now, can you climb that tree?" She pointed to an ancient cocoanut palm rising over sixty feet into the canopy.

"Uh, sure," he confirmed with a smile.

Kyo smiled back. "Take this rope. Just throw it around the trunk, grab the ends and walk it up with you," she passed him a length of thick, knotted hemp. "I will cut ahead, to the top of that rise. After that, we try something else." Her katana was one of the few possesions salvaged from the ship's wreckage. It came up in a flash, point under Kenji's nose. "Agreed, darling?"

"Agreed!" Ken mocked terror, and Kyo kissed him. "Wait a minute, how about I blaze ahead and you can climb the tree?" He shouted after her.

"Sorry, Kenji. This sword is Samurai. A Bushido blade," she swept the weapon through the tangled foliage, cleaving it effortlessly. "No one may touch it but me," she waved. "See you soon!" And started off again.

"Sure I says," Ken muttered to himself. "Just walk it up the tree she says..." He arranged the rope hopefully around the trunk's girth. "Nobody touches it but me. Hmph! So it's her great grandfather's Ginsu," he griped. "Probably says 'Made in Japan' on it!" He grabbed the ends of the rope, set a foot upon the tree and pulled. Quickly, he pulled his other foot up, bracing himself stiff legged against the trunk, and completely unable to move. "I'm in trouble again," he sighed.



*



A cave on Selga's Western coast.

The ocean comes inland here, flowing beneath the rock to form a subterranean sea. This was once a place of great power, Hiroki knew. He could feel it. He had scoured the cavern, searching for something he could not name. Something that found him instead.

"Feeling lost, Hiroki?" A dark cloaked figure was striding closer, from deep within the cave.

"Who's that?!" The sailor yelped in surprise.

"Do not fear. It is I, Iako." The figure came closer, to stand in the dim light filtering in from the entrance. The withered hag had vanished. To Hiroki, she appeared as she had the last time they met.

"If you wish a fight, sorceress..." Hiroki postured, trembling.

Iako laughed at the misplaced bravado. "I wish to talk."

"Talk about what?"

"The Bradleys. Have you found them yet?"

"Found them? No..."

"Do not hesitate, Hiroki san. Godzilla cannot defeat these creatures alone."

"G-Godzilla?"

"Hei, and you must help him," she paused, stepping closer to the native. "You are sober, that is a relief. The chosen of the SeaGod should not be entirely witless."

"Huh?"

"Never mind. Do you remember the old wartime munitions dumps nearby?"

"Yeah, I could find them."

"Find Kenji and Kyoko first. They will know what to do," the woman turned to stride away. "Look to the south. I can tell you no more." With that, she disappeared back into the cavern.

A chill ran through Hiroki at the strange encounter. "Holy shit. I gave up drinking for this?"



*



Ken had managed to ascend nearly three full steps before landing flat on his butt. From the nearby brush came the sound of soft giggling. Somebody was laughing at him.

"Kyo! Is that you?" He half shouted, embarrassed. Then, he saw her. A little girl, an islander judging by her tanned skin. "Hello, little one," Ken greeted her warmly, trying to sound reassuring. "Sorry, I yelled. I didn't mean to scare you. I guess I must look pretty silly, huh?"

The child nodded affirmation, then giggled again.

"Terrific," he said. "My name is Kenji. Ken Bradley. What's your name?"

The child considered this for a moment, looking as if she might run away. Finally, "Suzy," she said.

"Suzy? Cool name!" Ken was genuinely pleased. "I'm from America, Suzy is a very popular name there. Very nice."

The girl seemed shy and very quiet, but she smiled at Kenji's words. "Thank you, Ken-ji," she said softly.

"You're welcome. By the way..." He began, still a bit embarrassed. "I seem to be having a bit of trouble with this tree," he held the rope's knotted ends in a hopeless gesture. "I don't suppose you'd be able to show me how this works?"

The child smiled widely, holding forth her own length of sturdy rope, presumably for a similar purpose. "Please, tell me about America?" She asked coyly

Now it was Ken's turn to laugh. "Okay Suzy, you talked me into it!" He thankfully agreed.



*



A surge of radioactive brilliance flashes along the bony dorsal shields that line Godzilla's spine, and he blasts! The beam emerges from his maw, striking Gezorah in the eyes! The Quasars scream, the sound echoing in Godzilla's mind, and he blasts the beast again!

The unnatural cold had become intense now, as if seeping in from the icy depths of outer space. The blood that ran from Godzilla's wounds freezing solid long before it hit the Earth. Only Gezorah itself seemed unaffected by the phenomenon.

Blinded, the mutant squid panicked! It swarmed over Godzilla, coiling him in its many legs. The Saurian snarled fiercely, and loosed another blast at its enemy's head. Gezorah's grip tightened...

The Astro-Quasars had lost control for a moment. It was the intense pain, the injury to its bioform that overrode the command impulse, allowing the creature to react instinctively. This was not good. However, it had seemed to be somewhat effective in this instance. With a roar, Godzilla's legs were pulled from under him, and the King was down! Gezorah sluiced triumphantly over its fallen foe, slowly retracting its now crimson claws, to prepare for an even better grip.

Godzilla was quickly freezing solid, and he knew it.



*



"Incredible," said Ken, peering out over the canopy. Suzy had led the climb, it was easy as soon as the girl had convinced Ken to remove his boots, his bare feet finding purchase on the rough bark.

"Look," she cried. To the north, they spied a vast cloud of frozen gasses. Strange shapes moved within the nimbus, battling. One of them, Ken realized, was familiar.

"Godzilla is here," he spoke, the dread evident in his voice. He had survived one attack by the monster already. Two, he was sure, would be pushing it.

Suzy tugged Ken's shirt and pointed. "See that little house?" She asked, directing his gaze.

"Yeah. I see it," he confirmed, spotting the roofline of a not too distant shack.

"That is where you must go. Where you will find what you need."

"Excuse me?"

"To destroy the Helio-7," she said matter of factly.

"O-kay," Ken agreed, surprised by her apparent knowledge of his intentions. "What do you say we start down now?" He asked nervously. Suzy nodded agreement, and they began the descent.



" Kenji!" They were nearing the bottom when the shout surprised them, causing the girl to miss a step.

"Easy little lady! That's my wife, Kyoko. C'mon, she'll be thrilled to meet you, and thank you for your help."

"You're welcome, Ken-ji," the native bowed her head, and they continued down.

"It's no good, Kenji. I made the rise, but saw nothing that would aid us," Kyo reported. "We must try something different to locate the illustrious captain."

"I think I've found someone who can help." Ken knew his wife was gonna love this kid. "Kyoko, I'd like you to meet..." Ken shifted against his rope to peer around the trunk. He realized the girl's rope was now missing. "Suzy?" And so was the girl.

"Suzy? Who is Suzy?" Kyoko asked curiously.

Ken's knees were trembling. With about thirty feet to go, where on Earth could the child have gone?!