"Damn damn damn!"
Dr. Reijiro Koroku slammed the door of his apartment behind him. He began to rip off his suit and, unusually for this normally highly organized mind, simply threw it to the floor. He stormed to his closet and threw on his most comfortable kimono, then he headed for the kitchen and began to make some sashimi.
All on automatic pilot; his conscious mind was otherwise occupied. It was boiling over with anger.
He couldn't BELIEVE he'd been passed up! He thought for sure he'd win the funding from the Dr. Kyohei Yamane Foundation! Not only had he done some excellent work and come up with an intriguing theory, but his former mentor, the famous Dr. Hayashida, had submitted a personal recommendation that he be awarded the money.
But, incredibly, the committee had chosen otherwise. And that wasn't even the worst part of it. The worst part was who they'd chosen over him.
The Foundation had instead chosen to trust in Dr. Katari Gimansha, his old rival. They'd been squaring off as long as he could remember. Unlike the mutual respect that many rivals developed for each other, they instead had developed a mutual emnity over the years. And so the pain of losing to him was all the more bitter.
The anger beginning to fade, he sighed and poured himself some sake. He then took his meal and drink to the table and began to dine. As he lifted the chopsticks to his mouth, he began to muse.
He'd been employed at the Hayashida Bioscience Institute 20 years ago when Godzilla had returned to Tokyo. He'd helped Dr. Hayashida in the construction of the machine that lured the creature away, and was assisting in its operation when Godzilla tumbled into Mount Mihara. In the aftermath, he--like everyone involved in that operation--had risen quickly through the ranks of Japanese scientists. He'd become one of Japan's top biologists, working on many projects. His latest, the one he'd presented to the Foundation, actually involved Godzilla.
Studying cells recovered after the attack, and preserved in cold storage, he'd been at hard work trying to create a new kind of infectious agent. This hypothetical antigen would attack the monster, if not killing him than at least weakening him enough where conventional forces could finish him off. That way, if he ever escaped his volcanic imprisonment, casualities could be limited.
He didn't have this antigen yet; Godzilla's genetic structure had proven to be curiously complicated. But he had a feeling he was getting close, and he had had no doubt that with the additional funding he could have completed it.
Now, though...now that Gimansha had gotten the money instead...it might be YEARS before he could finish.
He finished his sashimi. Rising, his sake in one hand, he walked over to the window. As he gazed out it, his mood brightened a little bit. Tokyo at sunset...this was his favorite view. His eyes traveled from one tower of glass to another. He continued to silently stare at the view for long moments, sipping from his glass every now and then. Finally, when the sun disappeared beneath the horizon and his glass was empty, Reijiro turned away from the city whose electric eyes were lighting up.
As he sat the glass in the sink, for the first time unclouded by anger, he pondered the question of why Gimansha had won. His presentation hadn't seemed nearly as impressive. Had he somehow managed to acquire sensitive information on some of the committee members, and managed to blackmail them into giving him the award? He wouldn't be too surprised; his bitter enemy had resorted to such dirty tactics in the past.
His eyes narrowed as his resolve grew. The award had a period of several months where it could be revoked by the Foundation. If, within those months, he could somehow uncover evidence that proved Gimansha had used dishonorable tactics, and go public with it, the committee would have no choice but to revoke the award and give it to him instead. Yes...that was what he must do.
I'm good at solving scientific mysteries, he thought. Let's see how I do with human ones.
Dr. Reijiro Koroku slammed the door of his apartment behind him. He began to rip off his suit and, unusually for this normally highly organized mind, simply threw it to the floor. He stormed to his closet and threw on his most comfortable kimono, then he headed for the kitchen and began to make some sashimi.
All on automatic pilot; his conscious mind was otherwise occupied. It was boiling over with anger.
He couldn't BELIEVE he'd been passed up! He thought for sure he'd win the funding from the Dr. Kyohei Yamane Foundation! Not only had he done some excellent work and come up with an intriguing theory, but his former mentor, the famous Dr. Hayashida, had submitted a personal recommendation that he be awarded the money.
But, incredibly, the committee had chosen otherwise. And that wasn't even the worst part of it. The worst part was who they'd chosen over him.
The Foundation had instead chosen to trust in Dr. Katari Gimansha, his old rival. They'd been squaring off as long as he could remember. Unlike the mutual respect that many rivals developed for each other, they instead had developed a mutual emnity over the years. And so the pain of losing to him was all the more bitter.
The anger beginning to fade, he sighed and poured himself some sake. He then took his meal and drink to the table and began to dine. As he lifted the chopsticks to his mouth, he began to muse.
He'd been employed at the Hayashida Bioscience Institute 20 years ago when Godzilla had returned to Tokyo. He'd helped Dr. Hayashida in the construction of the machine that lured the creature away, and was assisting in its operation when Godzilla tumbled into Mount Mihara. In the aftermath, he--like everyone involved in that operation--had risen quickly through the ranks of Japanese scientists. He'd become one of Japan's top biologists, working on many projects. His latest, the one he'd presented to the Foundation, actually involved Godzilla.
Studying cells recovered after the attack, and preserved in cold storage, he'd been at hard work trying to create a new kind of infectious agent. This hypothetical antigen would attack the monster, if not killing him than at least weakening him enough where conventional forces could finish him off. That way, if he ever escaped his volcanic imprisonment, casualities could be limited.
He didn't have this antigen yet; Godzilla's genetic structure had proven to be curiously complicated. But he had a feeling he was getting close, and he had had no doubt that with the additional funding he could have completed it.
Now, though...now that Gimansha had gotten the money instead...it might be YEARS before he could finish.
He finished his sashimi. Rising, his sake in one hand, he walked over to the window. As he gazed out it, his mood brightened a little bit. Tokyo at sunset...this was his favorite view. His eyes traveled from one tower of glass to another. He continued to silently stare at the view for long moments, sipping from his glass every now and then. Finally, when the sun disappeared beneath the horizon and his glass was empty, Reijiro turned away from the city whose electric eyes were lighting up.
As he sat the glass in the sink, for the first time unclouded by anger, he pondered the question of why Gimansha had won. His presentation hadn't seemed nearly as impressive. Had he somehow managed to acquire sensitive information on some of the committee members, and managed to blackmail them into giving him the award? He wouldn't be too surprised; his bitter enemy had resorted to such dirty tactics in the past.
His eyes narrowed as his resolve grew. The award had a period of several months where it could be revoked by the Foundation. If, within those months, he could somehow uncover evidence that proved Gimansha had used dishonorable tactics, and go public with it, the committee would have no choice but to revoke the award and give it to him instead. Yes...that was what he must do.
I'm good at solving scientific mysteries, he thought. Let's see how I do with human ones.