Part Two: MU II
2389 A.D.
Kenji sat before an interactive console, poring over the records of the history of this world. Comparing it to his own memories, he bacame convinced this was indeed an Earth of the future. A future where humans share a kind of symbiosis with the Artificial Intelligence of robots and super computers. The Natural world had been lost to pollution and disease, and is now ruled by a race of beings divergent from mainstream humanity. Like the ancient legends upon which they have based their culture, they are called the Mu, and like the originals, their Empire controls nearly the entire planet.
"Another Rum, Mr.B?" Asked the robotic drone called Bug.
"No, thank you. Bug, you're one of the sentient mechanicals I've been learning about, aren't you?"
"Yup. Whole ship is. Self aware, capable of independant thought and decision making, all the things you Organics take for granted. You can't really appreciate stuff like that unless you know what it's like to be without it. Know what I mean?"
"I think so. I wonder though, how Mankind can accept you as equals. In my time, people had a hard time accepting even each other. Social status was too often based on nothing more than the melanin levels of one's skin, though I'm ashamed to admit it. I know, because my mother was Japanese, my father an American. It is a fact I've been reminded of my whole life."
"Man was forced to grow beyond such prejudices, Mr.B. Most of the population was wiped out when the Mu attacked. Racial interbreeding was unavoidable. Nowadays, most folks are amalgams of the five genotypes, with families of any single ethnicity being the exception, not the rule."
"Guess that makes me an archetype of sorts around here, huh?" Kenji mused aloud.
"I suppose. Though I wouldn't get too cocky about it if I were you. And speaking of cocky..." the little robot scanned the room as if making sure no one could overhear. "The Captain has asked to see you on the Bridge, if you're up to it. You had a pretty close call with that Manda, and we scan a gunshot in your leg still healing."
"I'm fine, Bug. Thanks again for the rescue earlier."
"No sweat," buzzed the drone. "Just don't do any more skinny dippin' without strappin' a Shocknet to yer butt first!"
* * *
Soon, on the Bridge.
"Well now, look who's feeling better," said Magu as he rose from his Station. "Cap'n, meet our hitchhiker, Mr. Kenji Lawrence Bradley. Mr.B., Captain Mako."
"Makoto O'Reilly Jinguchi Jones. Irrashaimase, Bradley-san." She bowed. A lovely young girl with dark skin and shaven head. Her brown fatigues hung loosely over her thin, muscled frame. It was the look of a warrior. Ken blushed, unable to ignore her odd but undeniable sexiness.
Ken bowed in return. "Pleased to meet you, Ma'am. I apologize for not introducing myself sooner, but my arrival here has come as quite a shock. I trust Magu has explained it to you?"
"Hai, though such an account is a bit difficult to accept at face value. That is why I've been watching you," the Captain smiled. "You seem to be sincere, Bradley-san. Atragon agrees."
"Thank you, Captain. Please call me Kenji."
"You're welcome, Kenji. I'm relieved at the apparent veracity of your story. It would be a shame to have to kill you, you are very cute," she smiled again.
"I'm very Married, Captain, though flattered by your attentions. Getting back to my world and my wife are my first priorities. I hope you understand."
"Hai, I understand. Got any ideas?"
"Unfortunately, no. The device Kyoko and I were given could have malfunctioned, either that or we used it improperly. Those scenarios are so highly improbable that frankly, I don't know how to explain my appearance here, or how I'm supposed to get back."
Mako watched the young man's expression turn grim and hopeless. This stranger from the past was indeed very likeable, and Mako wished she could help him, or perhaps entice him to stay. "There is another possibility you have not mentioned. Perhaps this Alien had a hidden agenda he could not reveal. Perhaps there is a purpose to your presence, something you were meant to accomplish here? You are a chemist, are you not, Kenji?"
"True. top of my Class and fairly highly regarded in the field. Though the practical applications of my work have been few, I had recently developed a compound that could purify...oh, man!"
"Nani?" asked Mako.
"I can be so dense sometimes! The oceans here are toxic, right? I have a formula that will purify sea water. It might even kill off some of the more unnatural mutations that have developed in it, like those Mandas. At the least, it should give them a nasty headache!"
"You developed a salt water purifier over three hundred years ago? Why do we not have any record of this accomplishment, I wonder?"
To be honest, it was intended to desalinate sea water chemically but failed. The detoxifying action was an unexpected side-effect. I left the original batch in the hands of Japan's Defense Force.
"Nihon was one of the first targets to be destroyed by the Mu. I congratulate you, Kenji. This is something not even our most skilled Techmoids have been unable to accomplish. Do you think you could duplicate it for us?"
"I'm sure, though my success was achieved in a lake. Treating an ocean sounds impossible."
"We won't need to treat the whole ocean, just enough to give us some elbow room. We've been on the defensive for a long time now. It'll be good to have a weapon, any weapon with which to strike back!"
Suddenly, a klaxon sounded through the giant ship, and Ken jumped, startled by the sound. The lighting dimmed then shifted hue, casting the Bridge in a glow of amber. It could only mean trouble.
"Cap'n, we've got company. Three bogies closin' fast from astern. Bug's out there now, says they look like Mu Stingers," Magu reported from his Station.
"Let's lose them. Atragon, you know the drill," the Captain barked her orders. With a burst of speed, the amazing modular seacraft rose into the sky, racing back towards its home base. Faster and faster it flew, accelerating in a dizzying display of Atom-powered thrust. The Stingers too were fast but with limited range, and were quickly outdistanced by the giant warship.
Kenji breathed a sigh of relief, watching the enemy craft fade slowly from the screen. That relief was short-lived.
An immense burst of energy flared across the monitors, threatening to overload the ship's sensors as an enormous object appeared in their path! "Cap'n, object sighted dead ahead. Rad levels rising...bio-signature registering now...oh boy."
"What is it, Magu? What in blazes is it?!" Cried Mako.
"It's a Manda. The biggest one I've ever seen."
***
Tokyo Bay, the Present.
A bolt of fire black and vile burst through the break in the Storm. Higher and higher it arced, disappearing above the clouds, then came rocketing back toward Earth.
"Anna, no!" Miname screamed, racing from her hiding place and hurling herself at the old woman, knocking her clear as the bolt struck home.
"Holy spit," said Tanaka. "Take cover!" The blast was incredible, rivaling the fury of the Storm itself. The soldiers dug in to the wind whipped sands. Sato clung tighter to the huge dorsal frill behind which he hid, pressing closer to Godzilla's scaly flesh. Then the debris began to settle, revealing the aftermath of the arcane assault...
Slowly, Miname rose from atop Anna Bradley's unmoving form. She checked the woman's pulse and found her living. Behind her the dog lay singed and bleeding, and they realized the blast had found its mark.
"Miname!" Cried Sato approaching the scene. The soldiers too pulled themselves from the beach and stared at the brave young woman, her eyes now the color of the Sea. "Miname chan?"
"I..." the woman began. "I am she, known to you as Mikki. My Spirit now shares this form."
Sato found he could only stare dumbstruck, then cast a questioning gaze at Tanaka.
"Look at her eyes," said Shiro. "Mikki, is Miname alright?"
"Hai. Her Spirit sleeps so that I may speak. The time has come for you to begin to understand, Inoshiro Tanaka, so that you all may yet survive.
"Long before there was life on this world, there was the SpiritFire. A force integral to the existance of this universe. From that wellspring of energy arose the Gods of the Earth, the Sea and the Sky. These beings could manipulate the Elements, helping to shape the world as it stands today. Not all were of a benevolent nature, however. Corrupted by the Cosmic Power, some became amoral and wild. It is the Prince of those Wild Gods that attacks you now, the serpent known as Manda. It was his energy that struck me down, forcing me to retreat into this form. My Storm can hold the beast no longer. I'm sorry."
"Incredible," said Fujiko, awed by the tale. Above them, a squadron of Defense Force jets were winging out across the Bay en route to engage the monster.
"Mikki, without your help, how can this 'Manda' be stopped?" Asked Kazuki.
"There is only one other being on Earth with the power to kill a Wild God. He is there," the woman pointed to the giant form that lay where the sea met the sand. "The one you call Godzilla."
"Godzilla? Mikki, the beast is severely injured. Quite possibly near death," Shiro exclaimed.
"As the H-Man, I managed to stop the monster by dissolving part of its primary brain," said Sato. "I thought I was doing the world a favor."
"No, Maki Sato. Though I too have stood against Godzilla when he threatened Mankind, I have fought alongside him as well. The beast will know me, no matter what form I may wear. And right now, the world needs him more than ever before."
"So what do we do now? Call a veterinarian, pray to him maybe?" Sato inquired.
"No, but you can pray for me. The SpiritFire is a force of Creation and healing. With it, I may be able to revive the beast, but it is an effort I will probably not survive."
The men lookedgrimly at each other, wighing their options. Finally, Tanaka spoke; "What about Miname?"
"The Spirit of Miname Masada is strong. She understands the risk and agrees to it," Mikki replied, but the men still looked unsure. " Surely you do not mistrust me?"
"No," said Shiro. "I know you, Mikki. Your loyalty, your honesty. No man could ask for a greater friend. I just can't help thinking, is the world truly worth saving if it means losing you."
A smile spread across the face of Miname Masada, a smile as wide and warm as the Sea. She moved toward Shiro, and kissed him. "You have saved my own life once already, Shiro. Allow me to try to do the same for you."
"Was that kiss from Mikki, or Miname?" Shiro asked coyly.
"Both. Like it?"
"Beats the heck out of dog drool."
"The serpent draws nearer, Shiro, and time grows short. You must all leave this place. Please, see that Anna and the dog are taken to safety."
"We will, I promise," Shiro bowed before the woman. Kazuki and Fujito bent to lift Anna gently from the sand while Sato picked up the small canine. "Domo, Mikki-cahn. Good luck."
Mikki wathced through human eyes as the group trod swiftly down the shore. She stood for a moment, then stepped slowly into the Bay, letting the surf wash over her. This was her element, her servant, her Soul, and she immersed herself in its embrace.
Mikki approached the stricken monster and rose before him. Feeling his breath on her, touching his face, she spoke; "Godzilla, King of Monsters, hark now the call of Mikki, Soul of the Sea and Mother of all the Wild Gods. There is one last battle to end this war, one final foe you must face. The Sea is calling you, Godzilla. The planet cries your name. Rise, Godzilla," around her the SpiritFire burned. "Rise and slay the enemies of Nature, the nemesis of all Creation. Rise and kill the serpent Manda!" It flowed from her like a thing alive, surrounding the monster in an aura of cosmic force. "Rise and fulfill your destiny!" And with a final blinding burst of light, it was done.
Miname Masada staggered from the surf and fell upon the beach. Every ounce of strength was spent, drained from her as was the Spirit of the SeaGod. She turned to face the monster still lying motionless on the shore. "Get up, blast you," she spat the words with her last dregs of energy. "Get uhhh..." then she blacked out.
For a moment all was still. Then a spark, and another. Slowly, a glow began to build along the edge of the creature's dorsal plates. Another spark, flashing brighter, til the AtomFire flared across the saurian's back. Building, building, erupting in a flash of nuclear brilliance that arced from the monster into the sky. Its huge eyes opened taking in the light, and Godzilla roared its horrible warcry and rose raging from the sea!
***
Kunashirashima, 6000 B.C.
Kyoko sat by the shore of Obake lake, alone. No matter what century this might be, this island was like her second home, and she knew it like the back of her hand.
Kalen had tried to be comforting at the loss of the Sphere, perhaps too much so. The native was attracted to her, something she could not find the patience to deal with politely at the moment. What had gone wrong, she wondered. Why had the sphere deposited her here NOW? Kyoko cursed her own willfullness, it was not the first time it had landed her in trouble. This time, it did not look like it would be so easily fixed.
"Oh!" Inside her, the baby moved. Kyoko rubbed her growing belly, and held back her tears at the thought of the child who must also suffer. "It's alright, little one. Momma will get you home. I promise, somehow I'll get us home." Then her tears would wait no longer. "Oh God. How am I going to get home?"
From somewhere near, she caught the sound of voices. Down the shoreline stood a group of Koshida gathered on the narrow beach. Kyo watched as the party knealt before the lake, chanting. Slowly the words became clearer, familiar. They were praying to the monster. "Those fools," she cursed, rising from the sand to confront them. "Stop it," she screamed. "Stop your foolish praying!"
The chanting halted at her approach, then resumed as Mardsoon recognized her. The old man had apparently decided her presence was of no consequence and bade his small group to continue.
"You don't understand the forces you call upon," Kyo raged, her voice rising over the native's prayers. "That beast won't protect you. If it rises now to slay your enemies, then it will surely take their place! You will have unleashed a monster you cannot control. Who will save you then?" The chanting continued. The Koshida refused to hear.
"Mardsoon, please you must listen! I came here from a future world, I have seen what the Obake can do," she knelt close beside the old man, pleading. "That monster killed my Uncle. This journey was an attempt to prevent his death, but something went wrong and I was sent too far into the past to help him. Now I may be trapped here, and I'll not allow you to turn this island into a playground for that beast!"
Finally, Mardsoon turned to her. He raised a hand, and the chanting ceased. For a long moment he just stared at Kyoko. Then, "Your uncle, his name was like mine?"
"Hai. He was called Matsu."
"Matsu..." the old man considered the name. "Yes. Matsu. That is the name the SeaSpirit calls me. She speaks to me you see, she guides me. She bade me to build the Temple and the totem that now stands within it. She told me of an alignment of a pattern of stars amongst the heavens. She said that would be the time when the Mu would strike and the Obake would rise to defend us." The old man looked into the darkening sky above them. "That time has come, Kyoko. It is too late to stop what has been foretold."
"Then we are all of us doomed," seethed Kyoko, gazing grimly into the old man's eyes.
"Kyoko! Mardsoon!" Came a voice, a figure running from the jungle. It was Kalen, spear in hand, a look of wild fear in his eyes. "All of you come with me, quickly!"
"What is it, Kalen? What is wrong?" Asked Kyo.
"Can you not see, strange one? It is as the SeaGod spoke; the Mu have come."
"Mardsoon speaks true," Kalenm confirmed. "From the south come wave upon wave of ships, led by a creature risen from the blackest deapths of the sea. A serpent so huge it could encircle our village and crush us all!"
"Then we must gather our people and flee into the jungle," Mardsoon advised. "Let the invaders have the village, let them find it empty and without life to threaten. This island is unknown to them and that is our advantage. We can survive if we learn to strike from the shadows, then disappear."
"And what of the serpent," Kalen inquired. "How will we stop THAT?"
"With faith, and the power of the Obake. Even now it stirs, sensing its enemy's approach. Look there,"Mardsoon pointed to the surface of the lake. It had begun to writhe and boil.
"No," exclaimed Kyoko, backing instinctively away. "This cannot be happening." The horror of it struck her as the creature's huge crystalline spikes began to rise from the surface. "Get your people away from the lake, Mardsoon. For pity's sake, all of you get away!"
"Kyoko!" Kalen cried after her, but Kyoko was already gone, lost in the jungle. "Mardsoon, I'm going after her. Take her advice," Kalen called as the monster's spiky head emerged. "And get away!"
With a hiss of seething rage, the Obake men would come to know as Varan emerged from its ancient refuge and rose into the sky. It hovered momentarily, sniffing the air and scanning the horizon. It spied the invaders making landfall to the south and began to fly toward them, preparing a greeting that would let them know exactly how unwelcome they were!
Kyoko ran through the brush, away from the lake and the creature that haunted it. She ran northward to where the shore became steep and rocky, to the caves where she knew she could hide. A voice was calling to her, dim and distant. It was Kalen's voice, and she turned at the sound to chance a peek. There, impossibly high above the canopy, she saw the beast. "Dear Lord, it flies." She halted her retreat at the sight. "It really can fly."
Suddenly, Klaen was there. The native was quick, his approach nearly silent. He grabbed for her and she pulled away, slapping him hard across the jaw. He stood before her, the impact of her strike bringing tears to his eyes. "I had thought you might want my help, Kyoko. A spearman to watch your back. You are not as defenseless as I believed," anger flooded the islander's features. "I will go now."
"Kalen, wait! I'm sorry I hit you. Please don't go," she pleaded, realizing she truly did not want to be left alone. "I...Kalen? Why are you staring at me like that?"
The Islander shook his head fiercely, then stared again. "Kyoko," he spoke, backing away a pace. "Kyoko, you are glowing. It is like a fire that surrounds you! You do not feel it?"
"A fire? Kalen, I feel nothing wrong," she looked around her. "I see no fire, Kalen. Are you sure?"
"Yes! Kyoko you are burning, I swear it!" He replied with conviction.
Again, Kyoko looked, patting down her clothes as she went. Her pants, her vest...her vest! Couched within an inner pocket was something she had somehow forgotten about entirely. A small clay flask containing the sacred elixir of the islanders of Selga. The potion they claimed to be the blood of their God, the SeaSpirit called Mikki. Quickly, she withdrew the flask and held it before her.
"That's it, Kyoko! It glows brightly, blindingly. What is it?"
Kyo thought hard, conjuring a plan. "I think it is something we can use, Kalen. Something that may just stop those monsters in their tracks!"
"I do not understand..."
"I'll explain as we go," Kyo shouted, starting back down the trail.
"Go? Where are we going?"
"To the Village. I must tell Mardsoon of this!"
"Kyoko...!" Kalen shouted after her. "She must like me," he sighed. "She's playing hard to get!"
***
San Francisco Bay, 2389 A.D.
"Mako, we're gonna hit it," Kenji screamed as the warship hurtled toward the serpant.
"I know. Atragon, activate the tunneller, and fire the Zero-Cannon now!" Mako thumbed a series of switches, retracting the Conning tower and its upper decks into the main hull of the ship. "Magu, seal the blast doors. All hands brace for impact."
"Aye aye!"
Outside, the Manda screamed as the ship blasted it with a beam of cryonic energy. It was supposed to be a humane weapon, instantly freezing its target into suspended animation. This target however, was over twice the length of the ship, and mostly submerged. The monster writhed in agony as its scaly hide iced over, freezing from the inside-out.
Then the ship struck the beast. Its drill-tipped nose cone boring into the serpent's fur lined throat. It tore deep into the creature's flesh, ripping a wide bloody gash and driving the Hellsnake into twisting convulsions. With a move impossibly fast for a beast so huge, Manda dove beneath the waves, sending the warship spinning out of control. The giant craft smashed into the sea, the Zero-Cannon still firing, turning the surrounding ocean into a fast growing glacier that trapped the ship in an icy vault.
"Atragon, stop firing. Shut the Cannon down!" Commanded Mako.
"Cap'n, the icefield's still growing. Gonna have to disconnect her manually," Magu shouted in response. the ship was nearly buried now, encased within a spinning frozen mass of its own making. Only the prow stayed clear by virtue of its whirling drill-tipped nose. "I's no use. She won't respond."
"Atragon, fire the main thrusters. Burn us out of here," cired Mako. Instantly the ship complied, its afterburners shooting out a solid column of flame. The sudden shift in thrust halted the craft's rotation and shattered the bulk of the icefield to bits. The ship began to move, propelled by the growing forward momentum. Then suddenly, it stopped.
An awful noise like ice being crushed against straining steel echoed through the sub, accompanied by a sudden violent lurch! For a moment, silence, then a low growling hiss rang through the Bridge, and they knew they had been caught. "It's got us," said Kenji.
"Magu, talk to me," Mako shouted.
"He's right. Hull pressure's increasing, and we're still near the surface," the first mate replied. "Though probably not for long." Prophetically, the depth gauges began their count, and the sound of metal crunching began again. The sound grew, becoming a wailing, grinding screech!
"What the devil was that?" Demanded Ken.
"It is Atragon," said Mako. "She's screaming."
"We're takin' on water, Cap'n. Accursed snake's ruptured the hull. I didn't think the beastie was born what could do that," the first mate cursed.
"This Manda's different. Bigger and meaner." An ice cold sheathe came over the Captain's features, and she exposed a hidden panel on her control board, revealing an array bordered in the distinctive yellow/black striping that signifies 'Danger'. "Magu, gather the Technoids and get yourself and Kenji to the Safeships. This Manda may kill the Atragon, but she's not going out alone." Mako inserted her bare left hand into a cushioned slot, and clamped it shut.
Kenji went to her side. "Mako, what are you doing?"
"I ask no less of my ship, Kenji, than I myself would give. You did not believe that machines could be accepted as equals, but it's true. What you might have called an Auto-Destruct circuit, we call a suicide pact. My solace is that the blast is sure to destroy the Manda as well."
"Mako, there has to be some other way. I can't just let you..."
With her free hand the woman grabbed Kenji by the hair and pulled him to her, kissing him with all the passion of a spirit born to fight and to rule. The life and death of the moment moved him, and Kenji kissed her back. "Now get off of my ship," Mako smiled and let him go.
"Mako, I..." Ken began, not really knowing what to say.
"Cap'n, I've got a transmission comin' through," Magu advised. "It's Bug! He's above us, back on the surface. He's sayin' somethin' about a 'spear' or somethin'."
"A what?" Asked Mako.
"Signal's breakin' up. Bug, get the bearings outta yer flap and report!" Static was cutting through the drone's barely audible words. "A steer? A sneer? A..."
"A SPHERE, you jerk. I said, it's a sphere!" The technoid buzzed angrily.
"The Sphere!" Shouted Kenji, a look of relief washing over his features. " Mako, it's the device that got me here, it must be! Stop the suicide circuit, Mako. We can use the Sphere to escape!"
"Atragon does not agree. She is badly wounded, and like the beast that grips us, perhaps a little mad. I must stay with her til the end."
Ken thought for a moment, weighing his options. He never asked to be brought to this dying future, and he doubted it was an accident that he was. There was only one decision he could make. "Then I'm staying too." Leaning upon the Selgan Runestaff that had become his cane, Ken strode toward the Com Station. The channel to the surface was still open. "Sphere! Hey, Sphere!" Ken shouted. "If you or your lying alien master are listening, then get this straight; You take me and my friends here to safety, or you make yourself scarce right now. I'm not leaving without them."
A moment, then a reply. Bug's voice buzzed through the reciever. "I...it spoke to me."
"Don't keep us in suspense, Bug. What did it say?" Asked Magu.
"Huh? Oh, uh, I think she wants you to be more specific," the technoid buzzed. "Yeah...I mean, she wants your desired coordinates. A destination."
"I think Bug's in love," smiled Magu.
"I heard that!!" Buzzed the drone.
Kenji looked at Mako, and she turned her eyes away. "Take us to Kyoko," he said.
And then they were gone.
2389 A.D.
Kenji sat before an interactive console, poring over the records of the history of this world. Comparing it to his own memories, he bacame convinced this was indeed an Earth of the future. A future where humans share a kind of symbiosis with the Artificial Intelligence of robots and super computers. The Natural world had been lost to pollution and disease, and is now ruled by a race of beings divergent from mainstream humanity. Like the ancient legends upon which they have based their culture, they are called the Mu, and like the originals, their Empire controls nearly the entire planet.
"Another Rum, Mr.B?" Asked the robotic drone called Bug.
"No, thank you. Bug, you're one of the sentient mechanicals I've been learning about, aren't you?"
"Yup. Whole ship is. Self aware, capable of independant thought and decision making, all the things you Organics take for granted. You can't really appreciate stuff like that unless you know what it's like to be without it. Know what I mean?"
"I think so. I wonder though, how Mankind can accept you as equals. In my time, people had a hard time accepting even each other. Social status was too often based on nothing more than the melanin levels of one's skin, though I'm ashamed to admit it. I know, because my mother was Japanese, my father an American. It is a fact I've been reminded of my whole life."
"Man was forced to grow beyond such prejudices, Mr.B. Most of the population was wiped out when the Mu attacked. Racial interbreeding was unavoidable. Nowadays, most folks are amalgams of the five genotypes, with families of any single ethnicity being the exception, not the rule."
"Guess that makes me an archetype of sorts around here, huh?" Kenji mused aloud.
"I suppose. Though I wouldn't get too cocky about it if I were you. And speaking of cocky..." the little robot scanned the room as if making sure no one could overhear. "The Captain has asked to see you on the Bridge, if you're up to it. You had a pretty close call with that Manda, and we scan a gunshot in your leg still healing."
"I'm fine, Bug. Thanks again for the rescue earlier."
"No sweat," buzzed the drone. "Just don't do any more skinny dippin' without strappin' a Shocknet to yer butt first!"
* * *
Soon, on the Bridge.
"Well now, look who's feeling better," said Magu as he rose from his Station. "Cap'n, meet our hitchhiker, Mr. Kenji Lawrence Bradley. Mr.B., Captain Mako."
"Makoto O'Reilly Jinguchi Jones. Irrashaimase, Bradley-san." She bowed. A lovely young girl with dark skin and shaven head. Her brown fatigues hung loosely over her thin, muscled frame. It was the look of a warrior. Ken blushed, unable to ignore her odd but undeniable sexiness.
Ken bowed in return. "Pleased to meet you, Ma'am. I apologize for not introducing myself sooner, but my arrival here has come as quite a shock. I trust Magu has explained it to you?"
"Hai, though such an account is a bit difficult to accept at face value. That is why I've been watching you," the Captain smiled. "You seem to be sincere, Bradley-san. Atragon agrees."
"Thank you, Captain. Please call me Kenji."
"You're welcome, Kenji. I'm relieved at the apparent veracity of your story. It would be a shame to have to kill you, you are very cute," she smiled again.
"I'm very Married, Captain, though flattered by your attentions. Getting back to my world and my wife are my first priorities. I hope you understand."
"Hai, I understand. Got any ideas?"
"Unfortunately, no. The device Kyoko and I were given could have malfunctioned, either that or we used it improperly. Those scenarios are so highly improbable that frankly, I don't know how to explain my appearance here, or how I'm supposed to get back."
Mako watched the young man's expression turn grim and hopeless. This stranger from the past was indeed very likeable, and Mako wished she could help him, or perhaps entice him to stay. "There is another possibility you have not mentioned. Perhaps this Alien had a hidden agenda he could not reveal. Perhaps there is a purpose to your presence, something you were meant to accomplish here? You are a chemist, are you not, Kenji?"
"True. top of my Class and fairly highly regarded in the field. Though the practical applications of my work have been few, I had recently developed a compound that could purify...oh, man!"
"Nani?" asked Mako.
"I can be so dense sometimes! The oceans here are toxic, right? I have a formula that will purify sea water. It might even kill off some of the more unnatural mutations that have developed in it, like those Mandas. At the least, it should give them a nasty headache!"
"You developed a salt water purifier over three hundred years ago? Why do we not have any record of this accomplishment, I wonder?"
To be honest, it was intended to desalinate sea water chemically but failed. The detoxifying action was an unexpected side-effect. I left the original batch in the hands of Japan's Defense Force.
"Nihon was one of the first targets to be destroyed by the Mu. I congratulate you, Kenji. This is something not even our most skilled Techmoids have been unable to accomplish. Do you think you could duplicate it for us?"
"I'm sure, though my success was achieved in a lake. Treating an ocean sounds impossible."
"We won't need to treat the whole ocean, just enough to give us some elbow room. We've been on the defensive for a long time now. It'll be good to have a weapon, any weapon with which to strike back!"
Suddenly, a klaxon sounded through the giant ship, and Ken jumped, startled by the sound. The lighting dimmed then shifted hue, casting the Bridge in a glow of amber. It could only mean trouble.
"Cap'n, we've got company. Three bogies closin' fast from astern. Bug's out there now, says they look like Mu Stingers," Magu reported from his Station.
"Let's lose them. Atragon, you know the drill," the Captain barked her orders. With a burst of speed, the amazing modular seacraft rose into the sky, racing back towards its home base. Faster and faster it flew, accelerating in a dizzying display of Atom-powered thrust. The Stingers too were fast but with limited range, and were quickly outdistanced by the giant warship.
Kenji breathed a sigh of relief, watching the enemy craft fade slowly from the screen. That relief was short-lived.
An immense burst of energy flared across the monitors, threatening to overload the ship's sensors as an enormous object appeared in their path! "Cap'n, object sighted dead ahead. Rad levels rising...bio-signature registering now...oh boy."
"What is it, Magu? What in blazes is it?!" Cried Mako.
"It's a Manda. The biggest one I've ever seen."
***
Tokyo Bay, the Present.
A bolt of fire black and vile burst through the break in the Storm. Higher and higher it arced, disappearing above the clouds, then came rocketing back toward Earth.
"Anna, no!" Miname screamed, racing from her hiding place and hurling herself at the old woman, knocking her clear as the bolt struck home.
"Holy spit," said Tanaka. "Take cover!" The blast was incredible, rivaling the fury of the Storm itself. The soldiers dug in to the wind whipped sands. Sato clung tighter to the huge dorsal frill behind which he hid, pressing closer to Godzilla's scaly flesh. Then the debris began to settle, revealing the aftermath of the arcane assault...
Slowly, Miname rose from atop Anna Bradley's unmoving form. She checked the woman's pulse and found her living. Behind her the dog lay singed and bleeding, and they realized the blast had found its mark.
"Miname!" Cried Sato approaching the scene. The soldiers too pulled themselves from the beach and stared at the brave young woman, her eyes now the color of the Sea. "Miname chan?"
"I..." the woman began. "I am she, known to you as Mikki. My Spirit now shares this form."
Sato found he could only stare dumbstruck, then cast a questioning gaze at Tanaka.
"Look at her eyes," said Shiro. "Mikki, is Miname alright?"
"Hai. Her Spirit sleeps so that I may speak. The time has come for you to begin to understand, Inoshiro Tanaka, so that you all may yet survive.
"Long before there was life on this world, there was the SpiritFire. A force integral to the existance of this universe. From that wellspring of energy arose the Gods of the Earth, the Sea and the Sky. These beings could manipulate the Elements, helping to shape the world as it stands today. Not all were of a benevolent nature, however. Corrupted by the Cosmic Power, some became amoral and wild. It is the Prince of those Wild Gods that attacks you now, the serpent known as Manda. It was his energy that struck me down, forcing me to retreat into this form. My Storm can hold the beast no longer. I'm sorry."
"Incredible," said Fujiko, awed by the tale. Above them, a squadron of Defense Force jets were winging out across the Bay en route to engage the monster.
"Mikki, without your help, how can this 'Manda' be stopped?" Asked Kazuki.
"There is only one other being on Earth with the power to kill a Wild God. He is there," the woman pointed to the giant form that lay where the sea met the sand. "The one you call Godzilla."
"Godzilla? Mikki, the beast is severely injured. Quite possibly near death," Shiro exclaimed.
"As the H-Man, I managed to stop the monster by dissolving part of its primary brain," said Sato. "I thought I was doing the world a favor."
"No, Maki Sato. Though I too have stood against Godzilla when he threatened Mankind, I have fought alongside him as well. The beast will know me, no matter what form I may wear. And right now, the world needs him more than ever before."
"So what do we do now? Call a veterinarian, pray to him maybe?" Sato inquired.
"No, but you can pray for me. The SpiritFire is a force of Creation and healing. With it, I may be able to revive the beast, but it is an effort I will probably not survive."
The men lookedgrimly at each other, wighing their options. Finally, Tanaka spoke; "What about Miname?"
"The Spirit of Miname Masada is strong. She understands the risk and agrees to it," Mikki replied, but the men still looked unsure. " Surely you do not mistrust me?"
"No," said Shiro. "I know you, Mikki. Your loyalty, your honesty. No man could ask for a greater friend. I just can't help thinking, is the world truly worth saving if it means losing you."
A smile spread across the face of Miname Masada, a smile as wide and warm as the Sea. She moved toward Shiro, and kissed him. "You have saved my own life once already, Shiro. Allow me to try to do the same for you."
"Was that kiss from Mikki, or Miname?" Shiro asked coyly.
"Both. Like it?"
"Beats the heck out of dog drool."
"The serpent draws nearer, Shiro, and time grows short. You must all leave this place. Please, see that Anna and the dog are taken to safety."
"We will, I promise," Shiro bowed before the woman. Kazuki and Fujito bent to lift Anna gently from the sand while Sato picked up the small canine. "Domo, Mikki-cahn. Good luck."
Mikki wathced through human eyes as the group trod swiftly down the shore. She stood for a moment, then stepped slowly into the Bay, letting the surf wash over her. This was her element, her servant, her Soul, and she immersed herself in its embrace.
Mikki approached the stricken monster and rose before him. Feeling his breath on her, touching his face, she spoke; "Godzilla, King of Monsters, hark now the call of Mikki, Soul of the Sea and Mother of all the Wild Gods. There is one last battle to end this war, one final foe you must face. The Sea is calling you, Godzilla. The planet cries your name. Rise, Godzilla," around her the SpiritFire burned. "Rise and slay the enemies of Nature, the nemesis of all Creation. Rise and kill the serpent Manda!" It flowed from her like a thing alive, surrounding the monster in an aura of cosmic force. "Rise and fulfill your destiny!" And with a final blinding burst of light, it was done.
Miname Masada staggered from the surf and fell upon the beach. Every ounce of strength was spent, drained from her as was the Spirit of the SeaGod. She turned to face the monster still lying motionless on the shore. "Get up, blast you," she spat the words with her last dregs of energy. "Get uhhh..." then she blacked out.
For a moment all was still. Then a spark, and another. Slowly, a glow began to build along the edge of the creature's dorsal plates. Another spark, flashing brighter, til the AtomFire flared across the saurian's back. Building, building, erupting in a flash of nuclear brilliance that arced from the monster into the sky. Its huge eyes opened taking in the light, and Godzilla roared its horrible warcry and rose raging from the sea!
***
Kunashirashima, 6000 B.C.
Kyoko sat by the shore of Obake lake, alone. No matter what century this might be, this island was like her second home, and she knew it like the back of her hand.
Kalen had tried to be comforting at the loss of the Sphere, perhaps too much so. The native was attracted to her, something she could not find the patience to deal with politely at the moment. What had gone wrong, she wondered. Why had the sphere deposited her here NOW? Kyoko cursed her own willfullness, it was not the first time it had landed her in trouble. This time, it did not look like it would be so easily fixed.
"Oh!" Inside her, the baby moved. Kyoko rubbed her growing belly, and held back her tears at the thought of the child who must also suffer. "It's alright, little one. Momma will get you home. I promise, somehow I'll get us home." Then her tears would wait no longer. "Oh God. How am I going to get home?"
From somewhere near, she caught the sound of voices. Down the shoreline stood a group of Koshida gathered on the narrow beach. Kyo watched as the party knealt before the lake, chanting. Slowly the words became clearer, familiar. They were praying to the monster. "Those fools," she cursed, rising from the sand to confront them. "Stop it," she screamed. "Stop your foolish praying!"
The chanting halted at her approach, then resumed as Mardsoon recognized her. The old man had apparently decided her presence was of no consequence and bade his small group to continue.
"You don't understand the forces you call upon," Kyo raged, her voice rising over the native's prayers. "That beast won't protect you. If it rises now to slay your enemies, then it will surely take their place! You will have unleashed a monster you cannot control. Who will save you then?" The chanting continued. The Koshida refused to hear.
"Mardsoon, please you must listen! I came here from a future world, I have seen what the Obake can do," she knelt close beside the old man, pleading. "That monster killed my Uncle. This journey was an attempt to prevent his death, but something went wrong and I was sent too far into the past to help him. Now I may be trapped here, and I'll not allow you to turn this island into a playground for that beast!"
Finally, Mardsoon turned to her. He raised a hand, and the chanting ceased. For a long moment he just stared at Kyoko. Then, "Your uncle, his name was like mine?"
"Hai. He was called Matsu."
"Matsu..." the old man considered the name. "Yes. Matsu. That is the name the SeaSpirit calls me. She speaks to me you see, she guides me. She bade me to build the Temple and the totem that now stands within it. She told me of an alignment of a pattern of stars amongst the heavens. She said that would be the time when the Mu would strike and the Obake would rise to defend us." The old man looked into the darkening sky above them. "That time has come, Kyoko. It is too late to stop what has been foretold."
"Then we are all of us doomed," seethed Kyoko, gazing grimly into the old man's eyes.
"Kyoko! Mardsoon!" Came a voice, a figure running from the jungle. It was Kalen, spear in hand, a look of wild fear in his eyes. "All of you come with me, quickly!"
"What is it, Kalen? What is wrong?" Asked Kyo.
"Can you not see, strange one? It is as the SeaGod spoke; the Mu have come."
"Mardsoon speaks true," Kalenm confirmed. "From the south come wave upon wave of ships, led by a creature risen from the blackest deapths of the sea. A serpent so huge it could encircle our village and crush us all!"
"Then we must gather our people and flee into the jungle," Mardsoon advised. "Let the invaders have the village, let them find it empty and without life to threaten. This island is unknown to them and that is our advantage. We can survive if we learn to strike from the shadows, then disappear."
"And what of the serpent," Kalen inquired. "How will we stop THAT?"
"With faith, and the power of the Obake. Even now it stirs, sensing its enemy's approach. Look there,"Mardsoon pointed to the surface of the lake. It had begun to writhe and boil.
"No," exclaimed Kyoko, backing instinctively away. "This cannot be happening." The horror of it struck her as the creature's huge crystalline spikes began to rise from the surface. "Get your people away from the lake, Mardsoon. For pity's sake, all of you get away!"
"Kyoko!" Kalen cried after her, but Kyoko was already gone, lost in the jungle. "Mardsoon, I'm going after her. Take her advice," Kalen called as the monster's spiky head emerged. "And get away!"
With a hiss of seething rage, the Obake men would come to know as Varan emerged from its ancient refuge and rose into the sky. It hovered momentarily, sniffing the air and scanning the horizon. It spied the invaders making landfall to the south and began to fly toward them, preparing a greeting that would let them know exactly how unwelcome they were!
Kyoko ran through the brush, away from the lake and the creature that haunted it. She ran northward to where the shore became steep and rocky, to the caves where she knew she could hide. A voice was calling to her, dim and distant. It was Kalen's voice, and she turned at the sound to chance a peek. There, impossibly high above the canopy, she saw the beast. "Dear Lord, it flies." She halted her retreat at the sight. "It really can fly."
Suddenly, Klaen was there. The native was quick, his approach nearly silent. He grabbed for her and she pulled away, slapping him hard across the jaw. He stood before her, the impact of her strike bringing tears to his eyes. "I had thought you might want my help, Kyoko. A spearman to watch your back. You are not as defenseless as I believed," anger flooded the islander's features. "I will go now."
"Kalen, wait! I'm sorry I hit you. Please don't go," she pleaded, realizing she truly did not want to be left alone. "I...Kalen? Why are you staring at me like that?"
The Islander shook his head fiercely, then stared again. "Kyoko," he spoke, backing away a pace. "Kyoko, you are glowing. It is like a fire that surrounds you! You do not feel it?"
"A fire? Kalen, I feel nothing wrong," she looked around her. "I see no fire, Kalen. Are you sure?"
"Yes! Kyoko you are burning, I swear it!" He replied with conviction.
Again, Kyoko looked, patting down her clothes as she went. Her pants, her vest...her vest! Couched within an inner pocket was something she had somehow forgotten about entirely. A small clay flask containing the sacred elixir of the islanders of Selga. The potion they claimed to be the blood of their God, the SeaSpirit called Mikki. Quickly, she withdrew the flask and held it before her.
"That's it, Kyoko! It glows brightly, blindingly. What is it?"
Kyo thought hard, conjuring a plan. "I think it is something we can use, Kalen. Something that may just stop those monsters in their tracks!"
"I do not understand..."
"I'll explain as we go," Kyo shouted, starting back down the trail.
"Go? Where are we going?"
"To the Village. I must tell Mardsoon of this!"
"Kyoko...!" Kalen shouted after her. "She must like me," he sighed. "She's playing hard to get!"
***
San Francisco Bay, 2389 A.D.
"Mako, we're gonna hit it," Kenji screamed as the warship hurtled toward the serpant.
"I know. Atragon, activate the tunneller, and fire the Zero-Cannon now!" Mako thumbed a series of switches, retracting the Conning tower and its upper decks into the main hull of the ship. "Magu, seal the blast doors. All hands brace for impact."
"Aye aye!"
Outside, the Manda screamed as the ship blasted it with a beam of cryonic energy. It was supposed to be a humane weapon, instantly freezing its target into suspended animation. This target however, was over twice the length of the ship, and mostly submerged. The monster writhed in agony as its scaly hide iced over, freezing from the inside-out.
Then the ship struck the beast. Its drill-tipped nose cone boring into the serpent's fur lined throat. It tore deep into the creature's flesh, ripping a wide bloody gash and driving the Hellsnake into twisting convulsions. With a move impossibly fast for a beast so huge, Manda dove beneath the waves, sending the warship spinning out of control. The giant craft smashed into the sea, the Zero-Cannon still firing, turning the surrounding ocean into a fast growing glacier that trapped the ship in an icy vault.
"Atragon, stop firing. Shut the Cannon down!" Commanded Mako.
"Cap'n, the icefield's still growing. Gonna have to disconnect her manually," Magu shouted in response. the ship was nearly buried now, encased within a spinning frozen mass of its own making. Only the prow stayed clear by virtue of its whirling drill-tipped nose. "I's no use. She won't respond."
"Atragon, fire the main thrusters. Burn us out of here," cired Mako. Instantly the ship complied, its afterburners shooting out a solid column of flame. The sudden shift in thrust halted the craft's rotation and shattered the bulk of the icefield to bits. The ship began to move, propelled by the growing forward momentum. Then suddenly, it stopped.
An awful noise like ice being crushed against straining steel echoed through the sub, accompanied by a sudden violent lurch! For a moment, silence, then a low growling hiss rang through the Bridge, and they knew they had been caught. "It's got us," said Kenji.
"Magu, talk to me," Mako shouted.
"He's right. Hull pressure's increasing, and we're still near the surface," the first mate replied. "Though probably not for long." Prophetically, the depth gauges began their count, and the sound of metal crunching began again. The sound grew, becoming a wailing, grinding screech!
"What the devil was that?" Demanded Ken.
"It is Atragon," said Mako. "She's screaming."
"We're takin' on water, Cap'n. Accursed snake's ruptured the hull. I didn't think the beastie was born what could do that," the first mate cursed.
"This Manda's different. Bigger and meaner." An ice cold sheathe came over the Captain's features, and she exposed a hidden panel on her control board, revealing an array bordered in the distinctive yellow/black striping that signifies 'Danger'. "Magu, gather the Technoids and get yourself and Kenji to the Safeships. This Manda may kill the Atragon, but she's not going out alone." Mako inserted her bare left hand into a cushioned slot, and clamped it shut.
Kenji went to her side. "Mako, what are you doing?"
"I ask no less of my ship, Kenji, than I myself would give. You did not believe that machines could be accepted as equals, but it's true. What you might have called an Auto-Destruct circuit, we call a suicide pact. My solace is that the blast is sure to destroy the Manda as well."
"Mako, there has to be some other way. I can't just let you..."
With her free hand the woman grabbed Kenji by the hair and pulled him to her, kissing him with all the passion of a spirit born to fight and to rule. The life and death of the moment moved him, and Kenji kissed her back. "Now get off of my ship," Mako smiled and let him go.
"Mako, I..." Ken began, not really knowing what to say.
"Cap'n, I've got a transmission comin' through," Magu advised. "It's Bug! He's above us, back on the surface. He's sayin' somethin' about a 'spear' or somethin'."
"A what?" Asked Mako.
"Signal's breakin' up. Bug, get the bearings outta yer flap and report!" Static was cutting through the drone's barely audible words. "A steer? A sneer? A..."
"A SPHERE, you jerk. I said, it's a sphere!" The technoid buzzed angrily.
"The Sphere!" Shouted Kenji, a look of relief washing over his features. " Mako, it's the device that got me here, it must be! Stop the suicide circuit, Mako. We can use the Sphere to escape!"
"Atragon does not agree. She is badly wounded, and like the beast that grips us, perhaps a little mad. I must stay with her til the end."
Ken thought for a moment, weighing his options. He never asked to be brought to this dying future, and he doubted it was an accident that he was. There was only one decision he could make. "Then I'm staying too." Leaning upon the Selgan Runestaff that had become his cane, Ken strode toward the Com Station. The channel to the surface was still open. "Sphere! Hey, Sphere!" Ken shouted. "If you or your lying alien master are listening, then get this straight; You take me and my friends here to safety, or you make yourself scarce right now. I'm not leaving without them."
A moment, then a reply. Bug's voice buzzed through the reciever. "I...it spoke to me."
"Don't keep us in suspense, Bug. What did it say?" Asked Magu.
"Huh? Oh, uh, I think she wants you to be more specific," the technoid buzzed. "Yeah...I mean, she wants your desired coordinates. A destination."
"I think Bug's in love," smiled Magu.
"I heard that!!" Buzzed the drone.
Kenji looked at Mako, and she turned her eyes away. "Take us to Kyoko," he said.
And then they were gone.