Brian could see it.
"Yes, sir," Lieutenant Takado said, still standing at attention. Brian smiled. Obviously, she wasn't accustomed to the laid-back style of the Texas military man.
"I guess you've been watching television," the admiral said with a sigh. "The United Nations seems to be paralyzed - as usual. But the political aspect of the current crisis no longer concerns us. We've run out of time."
He scanned their faces. "Godzilla is changing direction and beginning to head for land. If he continues on his present course, he will come ashore on the main island of Honshu - perhaps near the city of Hamada..."
Yoshi gasped. Lieutenant Takado's face remained rigid, but her jaws tensed.
"The Russians, the Chinese, the British, and even the French are with us," the admiral continued. "At dawn, United States Air Force F-15 Strike Eagles from Osan Air Force Base in Korea will attack Godzilla from the air. This attack will be followed with an assault by warships of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. In short, tomorrow we hit Godzilla with everything we've got. And may God help us all."
Nick whistled. Yoshi smiled triumphantly. Brian felt a little sick. Maybe I just don't have my sea legs yet , he told himself.
The admiral scanned the faces in the room.
"Get your sleep," he ordered them sternly. "Tomorrow is your baptism by fire..."
CHAPTER 11
INTO THE FIRE!
May 31, 1998, 4:05 A.M.
Osan Air Force Base, South Korea
Captain Paul "the Gipper" Reagan - no relation to the former president of the United States - eased back on the throttle of his F-15E Strike Eagle. The twin-engine fighter/bomber was fast and sleek in the air, but down on the tarmac it almost seemed to waddle. The smart bombs that hung from both wings, and the huge fuel tanks, which were filled to capacity, weighted the aircraft down.
It was a bumpy ride as Captain Reagan slid in behind the next aircraft on the flight line. Easing the throttle back even farther, he "parked" his aircraft behind the two in front of him.
"How does everything check?" he asked his weapons systems officer, who sat in the cockpit behind him.
"Just fine, captain," Captain Jennifer "Doris" Day said into the microphone. "The link to the global positioning system is up and running, so I know where we're going. Weapons systems are a go."
Just then a familiar voice crackled into his earphones.
"Nice rudder, Doris!" Captain Jackson "T-Bone" Boudreau said from Stalker Four, the aircraft that eased into position behind them. Captain Reagan couldn't help but snicker.
"Yeah, Stalker Three," Boudreau's backseater, Juan "Tony" Orlando, chimed in. "That's a real nice rudder."
Captain Reagan heard his backseater sigh. "Adolescents!" she said. "Stop looking up my after-burners!"
Captain Day was one the first female weapons systems officers - or wizzos - in the squadron. As with any "new guy," she took a lot of ribbing - especially from Captain Boudreau, a Cajun from the bayou country of Louisiana. There were women at Osan, but most of them were pilots or technicians.
Captain Day was different. She liked to shoot - guns, bows and arrows, pool, you name it. She was particularly good at shooting smart bombs and missiles. That was why Captain Reagan's aircraft had been chosen to fly Stalker Three, and lead the second wave of the attack on Godzilla - right after Stalkers One and Two "softened up" the target.
A voice from the tower broke into their banter. The flight controller ordered them to "cut the chatter."
Captain Reagan began his third pre-flight check, just to be on the safe side.
While he worked, Reagan thought about the upcoming mission. Fighting monsters is a lot different from fighting Iraqis , the captain mused. It's nothing like the Gulf War. No anti-aircraft, no fighter threat, no radar to tip the enemy off. This ought to be a milk run - but you never know.
He recalled how he felt that night, hack in 1990, when he was a rookie waiting to take off for his first combat
"Yes, sir," Lieutenant Takado said, still standing at attention. Brian smiled. Obviously, she wasn't accustomed to the laid-back style of the Texas military man.
"I guess you've been watching television," the admiral said with a sigh. "The United Nations seems to be paralyzed - as usual. But the political aspect of the current crisis no longer concerns us. We've run out of time."
He scanned their faces. "Godzilla is changing direction and beginning to head for land. If he continues on his present course, he will come ashore on the main island of Honshu - perhaps near the city of Hamada..."
Yoshi gasped. Lieutenant Takado's face remained rigid, but her jaws tensed.
"The Russians, the Chinese, the British, and even the French are with us," the admiral continued. "At dawn, United States Air Force F-15 Strike Eagles from Osan Air Force Base in Korea will attack Godzilla from the air. This attack will be followed with an assault by warships of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. In short, tomorrow we hit Godzilla with everything we've got. And may God help us all."
Nick whistled. Yoshi smiled triumphantly. Brian felt a little sick. Maybe I just don't have my sea legs yet , he told himself.
The admiral scanned the faces in the room.
"Get your sleep," he ordered them sternly. "Tomorrow is your baptism by fire..."
CHAPTER 11
INTO THE FIRE!
May 31, 1998, 4:05 A.M.
Osan Air Force Base, South Korea
Captain Paul "the Gipper" Reagan - no relation to the former president of the United States - eased back on the throttle of his F-15E Strike Eagle. The twin-engine fighter/bomber was fast and sleek in the air, but down on the tarmac it almost seemed to waddle. The smart bombs that hung from both wings, and the huge fuel tanks, which were filled to capacity, weighted the aircraft down.
It was a bumpy ride as Captain Reagan slid in behind the next aircraft on the flight line. Easing the throttle back even farther, he "parked" his aircraft behind the two in front of him.
"How does everything check?" he asked his weapons systems officer, who sat in the cockpit behind him.
"Just fine, captain," Captain Jennifer "Doris" Day said into the microphone. "The link to the global positioning system is up and running, so I know where we're going. Weapons systems are a go."
Just then a familiar voice crackled into his earphones.
"Nice rudder, Doris!" Captain Jackson "T-Bone" Boudreau said from Stalker Four, the aircraft that eased into position behind them. Captain Reagan couldn't help but snicker.
"Yeah, Stalker Three," Boudreau's backseater, Juan "Tony" Orlando, chimed in. "That's a real nice rudder."
Captain Reagan heard his backseater sigh. "Adolescents!" she said. "Stop looking up my after-burners!"
Captain Day was one the first female weapons systems officers - or wizzos - in the squadron. As with any "new guy," she took a lot of ribbing - especially from Captain Boudreau, a Cajun from the bayou country of Louisiana. There were women at Osan, but most of them were pilots or technicians.
Captain Day was different. She liked to shoot - guns, bows and arrows, pool, you name it. She was particularly good at shooting smart bombs and missiles. That was why Captain Reagan's aircraft had been chosen to fly Stalker Three, and lead the second wave of the attack on Godzilla - right after Stalkers One and Two "softened up" the target.
A voice from the tower broke into their banter. The flight controller ordered them to "cut the chatter."
Captain Reagan began his third pre-flight check, just to be on the safe side.
While he worked, Reagan thought about the upcoming mission. Fighting monsters is a lot different from fighting Iraqis , the captain mused. It's nothing like the Gulf War. No anti-aircraft, no fighter threat, no radar to tip the enemy off. This ought to be a milk run - but you never know.
He recalled how he felt that night, hack in 1990, when he was a rookie waiting to take off for his first combat
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