Godzilla Returns Read Online Free PDF Page A

steaming mugs of strong green tea.
    "The weather is fair," Rhee said, his spirits high. "It is a good omen! Perhaps we will finish our route early."
    Koh was silent. Rhee rattled on nervously. "It would be good to get back to Seoul before Independence Day."
    August 12 was South Korea's Liberation, or Independence, Day - the biggest holiday of the year, next to Chusok, Korea's version of Thanksgiving. Independence Day commemorated the day in 1945 when the Japanese occupation of Korea ended and the nation was reborn. Koh did some mental calculations.
    "I do not think our three-month schedule will rob you of the pleasure of Seoul's parades," Koh said dryly. "Or its women."
    "It is not that," Rhee said hesitantly. "It's my wife. She is due to give birth to our first child around that time."
    "Ahhh," Koh said, nodding. "A child born on Liberation Day. That is a good omen. I toast your unborn child, Ensign Rhee."
    The two men clinked mugs and drank. Rhee beamed with pride. For the first time that night, Captain Koh relaxed.
    I'm getting old , he thought. My instincts are not as sharp as they were. It seems that tea was all I needed.
    Koh stifled a yawn, and glanced at the ship's clock.
    But suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Koh caught a flash of light. Ensign Rhee grunted. He saw it, too - off the starboard bow.
    There it was again. "It looks like lightning," Rhee said But Koh was not so sure. He had never seen lightning that came from under the ocean itself!
    Again! This time Captain Koh was sure of it.
    He heard voices from the deck. Others had seen the eerie blue lights. The horn squawked. Ensign Rhee answered.
    "Bridge," he said, his eyes never leaving the starboard horizon.
    "It's Tae, on watch, sir." Rhee could hear the fear and uncertainty in the voice that came over the microphone. "There's something strange to starboard."
    "Yes," Rhee replied. "We see it. Stand by."
    Captain Koh searched the area where he last spotted the blue light. Even through his binoculars, he could see no other ship. Perhaps it's some natural phenomenon , Koh mused, though he knew otherwise. With a start, Koh realized his instincts had been right!
    "Ensign," he barked. "Contact headquarters!"
    Rhee grabbed the radiophone and began speaking. Koh watched the horizon tensely. There! Koh practically cried out. Another flash of light - and this one much closer.
    Suddenly, the ocean underneath the ship seemed to catch fire. Blue light surrounded the Azure Dragon , bathing the ship in an eerie glow. Captain Koh opened the door to the bridge and stepped out onto the walkway. He heard voices. Members of the crew were rushing on deck to see the strange lights. Even Ensign Rhee strained to see the display of eerie lights, though he never let go of the wheel.
    The wide patch of ocean surrounding the Azure Dragon was luminescent. It was a strange, unearthly spectacle. But not without beauty , Koh thought philosophically as he leaned over the railing to get a better look.
    The glowing lights seemed to come from far under the water. This display of unearthly brilliance was like nothing Koh had ever seen or heard about. As the seconds ticked by, the radiance grew in intensity.
    "Captain, look!" Seaman Tae shouted from the deck above. He was pointing down at the churning ocean. Koh looked down. The light was now so intense that it was difficult to stare directly into it. Koh blinked - his eyes were watering. Squinting against the glare, Koh examined the water that lapped against the hull.
    Finally, he noticed that dark objects were floating up from under the surface of the bubbling ocean. The shapes were silhouetted in the blue brilliance.
    Fish!
    Hundreds of them. Thousands of them. Fish of all sizes and shapes. And they were all dead.
    Koh clutched the railing. His mind reeled. And then he felt a moist heat against his exposed skin. Koh sniffed a strange odor. A rich, salty. briny smell, not unlike fish soup.
    "The ocean!" Koh screamed as the realization hit