Wow, I've been away from this one a long time.

(Blows dust off) Right: where were we?

Godzilla is © Toho

ACTIONS AND CONSEQUENCES

G-Force Japanese Headquarters, Tokyo, Japan

Commander Aso was one of the first into the briefing room. After the necessary introductions, the assembled officers had watched wide-eyed as the satellite footage of the attack played out. The tanks and missile launchers assembled in an arc on the screen might as well have been useless models; only a handful of shots managed to be fired before everything in front of the robot was consumed in flames.

After the footage ended, the room went silent.

"King Ghidorah," Aso breathed.

"Not as it was before," one of the other officers said. "As near as we can tell, most of its body has been replaced with cybernetic components."

"We never found its body?" Katagiri demanded.

"It flew into the sea with a head missing," Aso said defensively. "We spent months searching for it by the time we gave up."

"So this is what the Saradians have been up to?" General Gillmore said on one of the viewscreens. "We were right- they were building their own robot."

"Not a robot," Akane corrected him. "This is a cyborg; a fusion of our technology and King Ghidorah's original form."

"So let me get this straight," Gillmore surmised, "an upgraded version of the most powerful living thing this planet has ever seen is now in the hands of a lunatic."

"So the question becomes," Aso said dreadfully, "what is he going to do with it, and is it our prerogative to get involved?"

"This is our technology," Gillmore replied, "as soon as it's cleared with the UN- which shouldn't take long considering what that thing did- MOGUERA goes into action. I'll be expecting Captain Yashiro on the next plane to Washington."

Akane froze. "Me?"

"Congratulations, Captain," Aso said, "you're going to pilot a robot again."

G-Force Temporary Field Command, New Guinea

"A what?" Miki asked.

"Mecha-King Ghidorah," Aso said over the video phone. "Tell the technicians I want that tranquiliser in Godzilla's body ten minutes ago, because along with this, Anguirus broke out of confinement last night. On top of that, I am not having Godzilla get back up on us."

"Yes, sir," Miki said anxiously, turned off the videophone and left the tent.

By all accounts, the situation had been getting worse and worse. Even with Godzilla down, they still had Anguirus, and now this Mecha-King Ghidorah to worry about.

Godzilla was still lying on the lakeside, the waves lapping against the upper half of his unconscious body. She'd never thought that he could look so vulnerable.

Nearby, Professor Yoshiwara had just been approached by a young man in a white coat and glasses. "Professor," he introduced himself, "my named is Adrian Somerset. EPA."

"Environmental Protection Agency?" Yoshiwara blinked, "what can I do for you?"

"I was wondering when we might be able to go over the toxicology reports together, sir."

"Excuse me?"

"The blood samples."

"Blood samples?"

"We have a few samples from Godzilla," the young man explained levelly, "of course, in his present condition, it's hardly surprising that Godzilla is losing a lot of bodily fluids- blood, saliva and so on- and given the cause of his state, there are a few things that need to be ascertained."

He handed Yoshiwara a file. "For example: just how toxic are these fluids? Do they pose any kind of environmental threat? And most importantly…" he indicated towards the half-submerged monster, "what if they get into the local water supply?"

Above the Arabian Sea

General El Hassan chuckled to himself, gripping the controls and looking down at the view screen. Beneath Mecha-King Ghidorah, as it sailed on unfolded metal wings, rolled the vivid, blue waters of the endless ocean.

The sound grew in his head, building to a crescendo.

"Yes, master," he breathed, "our time is upon us…"

New Guinea Lakeside

Miki walked past the banks of impromptu computer stands and frantically-working biologists, all surrounding the comatose Godzilla. She only spotted Yoshiwara when she was close to the water's edge; he was sitting on one of the rocks and holding his head in his hands.

"Professor?" she asked as she approached, "what's wrong?"

Yoshiwara made no obvious effort to compose himself. He sat up and gave a heavy sigh.

"What have I done, Miki?" he whispered, "what the hell have I done?"

"Professor?"

He shivered, looking across the water.

"Godzilla's poisoned blood is in the water supply," he said emptily. "There's an epidemic."

G-Force Construction Facility, 20 miles South of Washington DC, USA

Tokumitsu looked away worriedly from the screen. "Awful," he muttered to himself. Outside in the hangar, the last of the machinery was preparing MOGUERA for launch.

The automatic doors behind him swished open, and he turned around to see a familiar face entering.

"Akane," he smiled faintly, "good to see you again."

"Shame about the circumstances," Akane said.

"Did you see the news?"

"On the plane," Akane replied. "It's terrible."

They both looked back to the screen. "According to our latest update," the newscaster said solemnly, "at least 200 people have been killed, and at least 800 hospitalised, from drinking the contaminated water. Aid organisations are working to…"

Tokumitsu switched off the screen.

"MOGUERA's almost ready for launch," he said. "We finally get the first crack at something; MechaGodzilla's still undergoing repairs, I understand."

"At least we can do something about that," Akane said. She sighed quietly and glanced at the screen.

So that was what obsession did for you.

MOGUERA Hangar

Mike finished the last of the computer checks and strolled out into the hangar. A minute or so to finish fuelling it up and MOGUERA would be ready to carry out its first marching orders.

On the way across the walkway, something caught his eye. A woman he didn't recognise was leaning on the railing, staring up at MOGUERA.

"Hey," he introduced himself, "Mike Sullivan. You must be the new pilot, right?"

"Captain Yashiro," Akane introduced herself. "Dr. Yuhara told me you were young."

"I know computers," Mike said in explanation. "Bet you've never driven one of those before, huh?"

"I was in charge of MechaGodzilla in Hokkaido," Akane answered, "apparently the interfaces are identical."

"Yeah, well I hate to say it, but even if this thing has at least as much firepower, it can't move around as fast as the other one."

"It'll get the job done," Akane said.

Mike nodded and looked back up at the robot.

"Did you hear about what happened in New Guinea?"

"Yes," Akane said distantly. "I understand they're pressing charges on the inventor of the toxin."

"Still, Godzilla's down," Mike pointed out, "that's something, right?"

Akane didn't move. "I've wanted that to happen for years," she said quietly. "Ever since what he did."

"You've fought Godzilla before?"

"A few years ago; me and my squad." Akane sighed heavily and folded her hands over each other. "We were attacking Godzilla on the shoreline." She bowed her head and looked down the long distance to the bottom of the hangar. "I was the only one who came back."

Miki remained quiet for a moment, then said "I'm sorry."

"I've wanted Godzilla dead for years," Akane said shamefully, "but if this is what it costs… all these people… then it's not worth it," she finally admitted, "it just isn't."

Above them, the intercom crackled to life. "MOGUERA ready to launch."

Ok, that probably wasn't worth the delay, but the next one'll be good, I promise. As some may be able to tell, this part of the story is based on the Dark Horse Godzilla comics.

Next Chapter: MOGUERA vs. Mecha-King Ghidorah!

All Reviews Welcome!