SECOND CONJUNCTION

"Kenji! Ken Bradley!" Kyoko's cries cut through the misty dawn, searching. "Kenji, where are you?!"

The scene was devastation. The military compound reduced to rubble in the monster's advance. They had all but forgotten the detainee when the alarms sounded, attempting to release Ken to safety just a little too late.

"Ms. Iso, he is here!" Cried one of the natives in the hastily formed search party. They all converged on what remained of the detention house.

"Is he..." Kyo asked warily.

"He lives, Ms. Iso," the villager replied.

Thank God, she thought, her heart fit to break at the sight of him. A large black bruise covered the exposed part of his face. From his mouth ran a trickle of spittle and blood. His lower body was trapped, pinned by the blocks that had once formed a wall. Kyo could not help realizing; this was her fault. "Help me get him out of this," she pleaded.

The beast that is more than a beast strode inland, surveying his domain. Something had compelled Godzilla to make this journey. A distant urge that was somehow...familiar. There was something here he had to find.

He had landed on Kunashirashima, and followed the shoreline south, searching. There, he encountered a vast, steaming lake. The lake was dead now, and it reeked of man. A foul, toxic stink so pervasive as if it had been put there to mask some other scent from long ago. Yes, there was another spoor here. Subtle, indefinable, alien. Frustrated, Godzilla moved on. Whatever it was he had sensed here was certainly long gone by now.

Nearby, he came upon a village of humans. They doused their lights and became still at his approach. It was such a small blight, this village. Easily scourged. Yet, the monster hesitated to observe them before he took action. Yes, they were of the Old Folk. The ones who acquiesced to his power, or the power of those that were like him.

There was a central structure where the humans gathered. Within was an image, an icon of some Wild God from long ago. This was, he sensed, a focus for the humans, and somehow also a part of his own quest. Could this be some representation of...brethren? A creature that had once inhabited that lake, before the Modern Folk came and drowned it in their stink? Godzilla advanced to investigate further. He would grasp this small totem, possess it. Examine the nature of its mystery. He took another step forward, then came the attack!

Without warning the pre-dawn light glowed red with the fire of man. They hurled their weapons upon him, forcing the monster back. Godzilla turned to face his attackers, and unleashed the fire of his own! Explosions rocked the landscape as the weapons of the Modern Folk were obliterated, destroyed by the bolts of pure Atomic force which had become the creature's lifeblood. Godzilla could now clearly see the forces that were arrayed against him, their lights massed and reaching off into the distance. Toward another group of structures that could only be their nest.

Behind him, an inadvertent tail swipe had raked the native village, destroying their structures and the icon he had wished to possess. Godzilla had not intended that, sensing their link to his goal. Enraged, the monster advanced upon the enemy, crushing their vehicles and scattering their troops. He had not come here to destroy, but this attack had interrupted his journey. Now he would repay that attack in kind, and destroy the humans at their nest!

The darkness swam before Ken Bradley's eyes, interspersed with pulsing points of light. There was a voice, soft and distant. It called his name, urging him closer.

The sun had risen now. He could feel its warmth on his skin, and as he opened his eyes, its glare obscured the face that hovered over him. Oh no, he thought, blinking as his vision slowly cleared. It's her.

"Kenji. How are you feeling?"

"I'm just peachy, dear. How was your evening?" Ken replied with venom. Then he saw the tears in her eyes, and she spoke through choking sobs.

"Kenji, I'm so sorry! I, I never meant for you to be hurt in any way!"

"Why, Kyo? Why did you set me up?"

"It was my research. I could not allow you to alter the conditions surrounding the prophecy. Unleashing your chemical, no matter how beneficial, would have invalidated three years of my work! I had to determine if these legends would stand by themselves, without interference from any external influence. I'm sorry, Kenji."

Terrific, he thought. She's sorry. She's crying. She's beautiful. What am I thinking? Must've been a tougher shot to the head than I thought. "Kyo, you could have been straight with me, told me how you felt. If you weren't so busy giving me an attitude we may have actually been able to work this out!"

"Ken," she began, but Ken wasn't finished yet.

"I hope you and your research will be very happy together. That beast didn't come from the lake, Kyo. It came from the sea. Varan's a no show. You got Godzilla instead. Godzilla for Christ's sake!"

"Ken, please..."

"No, you please! I've listened to enough crap from you. Ooohh..." Ken's whole body still ached . "I don't know why I'm wasting my breath. It's Godzilla I should be feeling sorry for. If he knew he'd have to face someone like you here he'd..."

Then, she kissed him. A long, gentle kiss. It was soothing. It was nice. She released him, and looked into his eyes. He peered back, and found something there he had never seen before.

"What," Ken was more than just a little speachless. "What was that for?"

"For you, silly," she smiled at him, the most disarming smile that Ken had ever seen. "Uncle was right. A kiss is a good place to begin." She gently stroked his bruised cheek, and leaned closer...

"Ms. Iso! Mr. Bradley," cried one of the locals. Nice timing, thought Ken. The Koshida led a group of his fellows, carrying armloads of bundled burlap. "We finished searching the compound," he placed one of the bundles before them and unwrapped it. "We found these."

Inside was a stack of cylinders attached to long rods. They had found Ken's stock of DSC. "They belong to Mr. Bradley, yes?" Asked the islander. "It is a good thing we have found them for you, yes?"

Ken and Kyo looked at each other and smiled. She turned to the native and agreed. "Yes, my friend. A very good thing."

Godzilla continues his inexorable trek across the island. A wake of nuclear flame burns at his passing. Behind him lay the wreckage of the humans nest, their weapons all wasted, their war machines dead. Was this the purpose behind the strange compulsion which led him here? To scourge this place of humans, cleanse it of those who do not belong? No, that could not be right. Not exactly. This conflict, like most, was mainly incidental. The monster had not sought to initiate these hostilities, they had been forced upon him. The Modern Folk had caused their own destruction, caused it by tempting his wrath.

Once again, the King of Monsters was unopposed. He would continue his quest for the meaning of The Urge. Not a pawn, so much, as a participant. This island was his stage, yet he was forced to search out the nature of the drama of which he was a part. Force it to reveal itself to him.

Something in the air was changing. Obscured by daylight, a conjunction of stars began to align, to form a pattern. There was a hint of conflict, of challenge in the atmosphere. There was also a city. He could smell the human hive up ahead, mixing with the scents of the sea. Godzilla disliked human cities. They stank. Finding no other foes to oppose him, the strange feeling of challenge now charging the very air, Godzilla advanced toward the hive to observe. Perhaps there he would find the meaning he sought. He would reach the city by the time darkness began to fall.

Nightfall at Obake lake. It was a strange tableau. Ken and Kyo led the vigil, surrounded by the remnants of the Koshida, now clad in their ritual robes. Rocket launchers salvaged from the wreckage of the Defense Force base stood smoking, positioned around the lake's perimeter. Their payloads delivered, they had done their job. The lake's surface remained calm, reflecting a pattern of stars high above. The hour of the Second Conjunction had arrived.

From the jungle came the sound of footsteps approaching. Ken signaled for everyone to take cover, and a pair of figures emerged from the brush. The first was Captain Goro, Commander of the decimated outpost. The other was Matsu.

"You may all come out now," the old native cried. "Come and join us upon the shore!"

Slowly, the Koshida revealed themselves, and Kyoko ran forward. "Uncle! Uncle Matsu!" She cried in relief, embracing her mentor. "What are you doing out of the hospital? You should not be here, it is not safe!"

"I am responsible for your uncle's premature release, Ms. Iso," Goro confessed. "Ah, Mr. Bradley!" He called as Ken approached. "I am greatly relieved to see you. I have failed in my duty to see to your welfare, and can only apologize for my part in your current condition."

"Well, we were caught off guard here, captain. It's not your fault we suffered an attack by Godzilla. Apology accepted."

The captain bowed, and Kenji offered the man his open hand. "Ms. Iso seems to have had a change of heart regarding your involvement here."

"Among other things as well, eh Kyoko?" Teased Matsu.

"Uncle, must you always be right?" She smiled. Ken's bruises concealed his blush.

"Let us hope he is correct about our current situation as well," said the captain. "My forces were decimated in the monster's attack. Few of us escaped. We ran through the jungle for most of the day, and finally reached Oneda. Immediately, we were taken to the hospital. That of course, is where I was reunited with Matsu."

"And glad I was to see you, my friend," exclaimed Matsu. "Ichiro here is the nephew of Captain Kishi, the garrison's former commander. I have known him his whole life, and he too is like family to me. Just as you all are!" Matsu made an expansive gesture, including all the Koshida, Goro, Kyoko and Ken.

"I have decided to take Matsu's views under advisement," said Goro. "The city is being evacuated. Replacement troops are now arriving , and being held in reserve at the port. I am still concerned however, with the use of your 'perfected' desalinization compound in this lake, Mr. Bradley."

"It's Kenji, okay?"

"Okay, Kenji," Goro agreed. "So, you timed the chemical bombardment with the height of the conjunction, as Matsu had advised?"

"Well, sort of," Ken replied nervously.

"What do you mean; 'Sort of' ?"

"What Kenji means is that the timing was perfect..." said Matsu.

"But the conjunction was wrong," finished Kyoko. "The primary conjunction was the one where 'The sour water should become sweet'. I fear we may have acted too late. Oh uncle, this is all my fault!"

"What's done is done my child. There is not a one of us who, at some point, has not had to think twice about their own judgment."

"Have you observed any effects yet?" Asked Goro.

"No. Nothing," said Kyo.

"But I think we may be about to," cried Ken. "Look! Look at the lake!"

The surface of lake Obake began to shift and smoke, dancing to the rhythm of the stars that moved above it. But it was what moved below that was the focus of their concern.

It broke the surface then. A row of immense crystal spikes rising from out of a slick, saurian hide. A harsh chemical stench rose with it, mingling with the sharp tang of ozone. It hissed, a cold piercing shriek like a bellows pumping steam through some hellish pipe-organ. The Second Conjunction had passed, heralding the return of Varan the Unbelievable, and the beginning of a battle for supremacy between two of the most powerful creatures that the Earth has ever spawned!