Godzilla Lives!
A Godzilla fanfiction by Travis J. DeSantis
Chapter Eight
"Since you gentlemen already know about the Fire Mirror, I suppose there's no point in explaining it then."
"Don't get all huffy," Sgt. Higa replied smoothly. "It's our ship, we ought to know what it can do."
Maj. Kuroki silenced his co-pilot with a hand on the shoulder. "Please, Mr. Tanaka. We know about it, but we'd appreciate the details."
After Super-X2's first test flight yesterday, most of the technicians still wouldn't talk to them. That stunt Sho pulled was an impressive display of piloting ability, but apparently they felt more than a little protective about the experimental craft. Tomoyuki Tanaka was the only one of their number that came to the Fire Mirror briefing. Fortunately, he knew all about it and could run the briefing alone.
Tanaka was a stern, austere man in his 70s. He used to be in the JGSDF, but retired after the second rampage incident. Tanaka was also involved in the planning and construction of the original Super-X, so he was convinced to sign on with G-Force as a civilian advisor.
"As you can see by the diagram," Tanaka began, pointing to the large projection screen, "The Fire Mirror is housed in the forward cargo bay, apart from the normal ammunition caches. The actual mechanics take up approximately one-third of the craft's overall unarmed mass. It is meant to be the primary combat function of the Super-X2, otherwise we would have left it out. Without the Fire Mirror, this hi-tech 'special assault craft' is just a fancy missile launcher.
To operate the Fire Mirror, open the anterior weapon bay and the transmitter will automatically be extended forward. When engaged, the transmitter will generate an energy distortion field that will, theoretically, draw the radiation of Godzilla's thermonuclear breath beam and store it in the secondary energy containment units as pote--"
"Whoa, time out!" Yashiro interrupted, holding up his hands in a T-shape. "The 'Fire Mirror' is just some kind of atomic battery? What about the shield of artificial diamonds?"
Tanaka closed his eyes, then sighed. "That, Mr. Honda, is planted information. Considering the top-secret weapons development that goes on here, we suspected either independent hackers or those hired by political rivals would want to break into our systems and steal information. I now see that your résumé is not up-to-date."
Yashiro had the decency to look abashed.
"As I was saying, the energy will be stored in the Fire Mirror's 'atomic batteries.' There's enough room in the containment units to hold the total energy of a sustained beam attack, but it can safely hold only one charge. After that, you must immediately switch over to the offensive systems, which will recycle the energy--in the form of a high-powered laser--back at Godzilla."
Tanaka held up a hand to stifle Honda's next question.
"It is because of this absorb/redirect method that we dubbed the weapon a 'mirror.' Diamonds, natural or artificial, would not reflect energy but refract it, like prism does to light. They would scatter the atomic particles Godzilla can generate, making the so-called mirror blow up in your face. Such a weapon exists only in the world of science fiction, my dear boy. We live in the real world."
"I'm glad that's been cleared up," Sho said. Inwardly, he was berating himself for having believed someone who made video games for a living.
"You should also know that the Fire Mirror won't absorb the impact of Godzilla's breath. The distortion field will disrupt the nuclear energy, but the kinetic energy will remain. The Super-X2's defenses should be more than enough to handle the physical force of the attack, but just don't expect to be unaffected. Even with the most dangerous part nullified, it may still be strong enough to knock you out of the sky."
"I guess we'll just have to be careful," replied Sho. The unease in his tone was reflected in his crewmate's expressions. "Anything else we should know?"
Tanaka thought about it for a moment. "Yes, the distortion field has a limited effect radius. It is strong enough to completely protect the front of the Super-X2, but that's all. You'll be vulnerable from any other direction, which is why maneuverability is paramount. And there was one other thing..."
The aging man trailed off, but before he could get his thoughts back on track, a siren started to wail throughout the G-Force complex. They all looked up, staring dumbly at the flashing red lights along the ceiling.
"What are you waiting for?" Tanaka asked at last. "Unless I'm mistaken, that's the Godzilla alert signal."
The Super-X2's crew scrambled out of the room and to the hanger bay, then hurriedly took their positions in the craft. The technicians, their anger replaced with panic, were fighting with the computers to get the hanger doors open. For security reasons, there were several armored doors leading straight up and Sho found himself cursing them for not opening faster. Behind him, it sounded like Amane's leg was tapping anxiously.
An agonizing five minutes later, they were airborne, zipping up into the sky like a rocket. The Super-X2 came to a sudden halt above the skyline of Tsukuba Science City and the negative gravitational force--like that of an elevator, amplified several times over--made Yashiro's stomach churn.
"I think I'm gonna hurl," he moaned.
"Save it," Sho said quietly. He was already reliving a moment from his childhood, when he watched Godzilla trample through downtown Tokyo while he and his mother escaped via train. His father, also in the JSDF, was designated MIA and presumed dead. "When you see Godzilla, you'd rather do that than look at him."
"That does a lot for my confidence," the teen lamented.
They were zooming through the air at top speed now, a little over Mach 1. Izu-Oshima wasn't far from the mainland; they would certainly be the first to engage Godzilla. Not that standard military forces were much use against him in the past.
As they passed over Tokyo Bay, the horizon ahead of them darkened. A cloud of volcanic ash hovered over the area menacingly. When it all settled, the landscape would probably be unrecognizable. Glowing red rivers alerted them to the lava that poured out of Mount Mihara, but there was no Godzilla in sight. They slowed to cruising speed and began to skim over the island.
Sho could hear heavy breathing. He couldn't tell if it was someone else's or his own. Everything was deathly quiet, even given the cabin's protective sound dampener. Where was the tell-tale roar? Where was Godzilla?
They circled around Mihara and were suddenly presented with a wall of steaming scales. Yashiro screamed. The Super-X2 quickly strafed to the side and gained altitude, but was hit with a turbulence that rattled Sho's skull. Once they'd gotten some distance, the pilot realized their ship had narrowly dodged a swipe from one of Godzilla's massive clawed hands.
They were now face to face with the beast, so to speak, and it was safe to say no one had ever seen Godzilla this close before. Sho could make out every pulsing vein in the giant's eyes, golden where it should be white. Its pupils, rimmed with red irises, looked like they were blackened by the smoldering heat of feral rage. Surrounded by the rising cinders that glowed like Wil O'Wisps, with lava streaming down black scales the texture of tree bark, Godzilla had the presence of an ancient Fire God. Or perhaps Death incarnate.
The world went quiet. Like a muted television in a dark room, there was no sound, only the hypnotizing image of Godzilla's toothy maw. It opened and opened and opened. Huge fangs like sharpened tree trunks surrounded them. Under the giant's enormous bite pressure, he could easily pierce the Super-X2's armored hull and rip it in half.
Darkness began to descend, and then...
