stomach to "keep the fear up." But Brian knew it was just nervousness on all of their parts.
The admiral turned and faced the monitors again. "The F-15s are about ten minutes from the target," he said. The admiral pointed out the window.
Far ahead of them, visible in the clear atmosphere, Godzilla waded across the Sea of Japan. Even at this distance, more than three miles, he was majestic. The waves lapped at his belly and upper thighs, but the rest of him was fully exposed. The monster seemed oblivious to the ships that stalked him and the helicopters that buzzed around him.
"We'll never get a better shot at Godzilla than this," the admiral said. "Unless he comes onto land, of course."
Brian, Nick, and Yoshi heard the blast of a ships horn from the largest of the warships. The Japanese fleet sped up. Soon the ships were pulling ahead of the Kongo-Maru . The navy was preparing to out-flank Godzilla.
"We'll hang back here," the admiral told them. "But when the fighting starts, we'll switch to hydrofoil and circle around the battle." He pointed to the television monitors on both sides of the bridge. They showed images of Godzilla from various angles.
"There are dozens of remote cameras," he said. "The cameras are mounted on helicopters, ships, small patrol craft - even high above in AWACs aircraft. Everything is being fed to us and recorded." The admiral couldn't hide the excitement in his voice.
Dr. Nobeyama, too, looked eager for the action to begin. "We'll learn more about Godzilla today than we have in the last forty years," the Japanese scientist remarked with enthusiasm.
Yoshi tapped Brian on the shoulder. "I'm going topside," he said, "to set up my camera on the superstructure." He turned swiftly and left the bridge.
As Yoshi departed, he passed a tall Japanese man with a shaven head and tattoos running up both muscular arms. This man stepped onto the bridge. Brian noticed that the stranger had cold eyes, and his mouth was stretched into a grim frown. Admiral Willis turned and spoke to the tattooed man in fluent Japanese.
Brian touched Lieutenant Takado's arm. "Who's that?" he asked, pointing to the man.
"That's Buntaro," she answered. "He's a harpooner from the Japanese whaling fleet. If the aircraft and ships fail to destroy Godzilla, then we will have to get close enough to fire the trident harpoon into the creature's body.
"Buntaro is an expert marksman," she continued. "He will fire that harpoon from the gun on the bow."
"I want to go on deck with him," Brian said, suddenly making up his mind. "I mean, if it comes to that..."
"I do not think that Admiral Willis would approve. It will be very dangerous," Lieutenant Takado objected. "We will be very close to Godzilla."
"If the monster decides to destroy this vessel, it won't matter if I'm on deck or hiding in my bunk. We'll all die just the same. And anyway, my uncle dragged me out here - he can't object if I actually do something!"
" Hai ," she answered, admiring his bravery. "That is quite true. But I'm still not sure -"
"I'm going," Brian repeated. Lieutenant Takado heard the determination in his voice loud and clear.
"Admiral!" one of the crewmen shouted from the radar station. "The helicopters are clearing out to give the fighters room.... Yes! We have F-15s incoming."
* * *
"Stalker One to Stalker Three, come in."
Captain Reagan heard the call over his earphones. It was from one of the two aircraft that would lead the attack. He keyed his mike and responded. "This is Stalker Three, over."
"We see the target ahead. Stalker Three," the voice replied. "We're going in with machine guns... just to test the water."
"Be careful, Stalker One and Two," Captain Reagan said. "Come out of the sun if at all possible. Hopefully the creature will be blinded by the glare."
"Roger, Stalker Three," the voice acknowledged. And then Captain Reagan heard the pilot cry, "Here we go!" over the radio. The first two F-15s broke formation and dived toward the
The admiral turned and faced the monitors again. "The F-15s are about ten minutes from the target," he said. The admiral pointed out the window.
Far ahead of them, visible in the clear atmosphere, Godzilla waded across the Sea of Japan. Even at this distance, more than three miles, he was majestic. The waves lapped at his belly and upper thighs, but the rest of him was fully exposed. The monster seemed oblivious to the ships that stalked him and the helicopters that buzzed around him.
"We'll never get a better shot at Godzilla than this," the admiral said. "Unless he comes onto land, of course."
Brian, Nick, and Yoshi heard the blast of a ships horn from the largest of the warships. The Japanese fleet sped up. Soon the ships were pulling ahead of the Kongo-Maru . The navy was preparing to out-flank Godzilla.
"We'll hang back here," the admiral told them. "But when the fighting starts, we'll switch to hydrofoil and circle around the battle." He pointed to the television monitors on both sides of the bridge. They showed images of Godzilla from various angles.
"There are dozens of remote cameras," he said. "The cameras are mounted on helicopters, ships, small patrol craft - even high above in AWACs aircraft. Everything is being fed to us and recorded." The admiral couldn't hide the excitement in his voice.
Dr. Nobeyama, too, looked eager for the action to begin. "We'll learn more about Godzilla today than we have in the last forty years," the Japanese scientist remarked with enthusiasm.
Yoshi tapped Brian on the shoulder. "I'm going topside," he said, "to set up my camera on the superstructure." He turned swiftly and left the bridge.
As Yoshi departed, he passed a tall Japanese man with a shaven head and tattoos running up both muscular arms. This man stepped onto the bridge. Brian noticed that the stranger had cold eyes, and his mouth was stretched into a grim frown. Admiral Willis turned and spoke to the tattooed man in fluent Japanese.
Brian touched Lieutenant Takado's arm. "Who's that?" he asked, pointing to the man.
"That's Buntaro," she answered. "He's a harpooner from the Japanese whaling fleet. If the aircraft and ships fail to destroy Godzilla, then we will have to get close enough to fire the trident harpoon into the creature's body.
"Buntaro is an expert marksman," she continued. "He will fire that harpoon from the gun on the bow."
"I want to go on deck with him," Brian said, suddenly making up his mind. "I mean, if it comes to that..."
"I do not think that Admiral Willis would approve. It will be very dangerous," Lieutenant Takado objected. "We will be very close to Godzilla."
"If the monster decides to destroy this vessel, it won't matter if I'm on deck or hiding in my bunk. We'll all die just the same. And anyway, my uncle dragged me out here - he can't object if I actually do something!"
" Hai ," she answered, admiring his bravery. "That is quite true. But I'm still not sure -"
"I'm going," Brian repeated. Lieutenant Takado heard the determination in his voice loud and clear.
"Admiral!" one of the crewmen shouted from the radar station. "The helicopters are clearing out to give the fighters room.... Yes! We have F-15s incoming."
* * *
"Stalker One to Stalker Three, come in."
Captain Reagan heard the call over his earphones. It was from one of the two aircraft that would lead the attack. He keyed his mike and responded. "This is Stalker Three, over."
"We see the target ahead. Stalker Three," the voice replied. "We're going in with machine guns... just to test the water."
"Be careful, Stalker One and Two," Captain Reagan said. "Come out of the sun if at all possible. Hopefully the creature will be blinded by the glare."
"Roger, Stalker Three," the voice acknowledged. And then Captain Reagan heard the pilot cry, "Here we go!" over the radio. The first two F-15s broke formation and dived toward the
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