At Noda’s signal, a group of workers pulled back the massive cloths draped over a large object in the center of the hangar. What ultimately emerged from the resultant cloud of dust was indeed a fighter plane—though it was unlike any Koichi had seen before.
The man in charge began to explain. “What you see before you is the close-range fighter Shinden, which was in active development by the navy at the tail end of the war. Designed as a land-based interceptor meant to take out B-29 bombers via hit-and-run tactics, it was projected to hit top speeds of over four hundred knots, features a nose-mounted canard, and boasts heavy firepower with four 30mm guns. It’s a unique and innovative machine on just about every count.”
As Koichi marveled at this remarkable aircraft, Noda stepped in to offer some additional context. “Only a scant few prototypes were actually produced during the war,” he explained. “Kept here in storage, waiting for a mainland battle that never came. But with all of the turmoil and confusion following the end of the war, they seem to have been forgotten about. Left here to rust in an abandoned hangar.”
“But it can’t fly in its current state, I’m guessing?” asked Koichi.
“Yes, that’s the main issue. We’re in need of an exceptional mechanic. Someone skilled enough to repair its entire fuselage. And I’m afraid such talent is in short supply.”
There was only one person Koichi knew who might be capable of such a task—Tachibana. And upon having this realization, a plan began to hatch itself in his mind. Perhaps Tachibana was just the man they needed in order for him to pull this off. Who else but him would even think of taking on such a job?
“Actually,” said Koichi, “I think I might know someone who fits the bill.”
“Oh really now?” said Noda.
“He got my Zero fighter back in flying condition in no time at all, after I did a real number on it by making an emergency landing on a beat-up runway. He’s the perfect guy for the job, I guarantee it!”
“Well, now. That’s quite the handy acquaintance you have, it sounds like.”
Noda readily agreed to Koichi’s proposal—which meant all Koichi had to do now was find the man…somehow. Because if anyone could help him carry out the plan he’d just come up with, it would have to be Tachibana.
After the recent Godzilla attack in Ginza, the demobilization bureau had been forced to establish a temporary headquarters over in the Kanda neighborhood.
Hoping to track down Tachibana’s whereabouts, Koichi had come to the bureau, where he’d had to make his case to one of the clerks in the family register department. After much persistence, the man—who was merely a supplementary worker brought in from Kansai to help during the state of emergency—ultimately agreed to have a look.
“Let’s see here,” said the man. “Mr. Sosaku Tachibana, correct? A maintenance worker stationed at the Odo Island garrison? Yes, I’m afraid we don’t have any current address on record for the man, sorry to say.”
“Damn,” said Koichi. “No leads at all, then?”
“I could certainly keep looking, but it would take quite a while, you understand. We’re downright swamped with search requests at the moment, and we only handle them in the order we receive them. Could be weeks, maybe months before we get back to you.”
“But I need to get in contact with him as soon as possible! It’s urgent!”
“Oh, I’m sure it is. But so are all the other requests I’m looking into at the moment. Everyone and their mother has been coming in here throwing the word ‘urgent’ around lately, believe you me.”
Koichi prostrated himself before the man, practically slamming his forehead against the counter. He had to track down Tachibana within the next few days—not weeks or months. Seeing this desperate behavior, all of the other clerks working at the counter and visitors passing behind him stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Koichi.
He knew Godzilla would be returning soon. He could feel it in his bones.
There was no time for modesty. “Please! It’s a national emergency!” he cried.
“Sir, I sympathize, I really do…” the clerk responded in a hushed voice. “But I can’t drop everything to try to move mountains for you. I’m sorry.”
It seemed no amount of begging and pleading would get him anywhere, given that there was apparently no readily accessible information on file.
“Wait… In that case!” said Koichi, changing tack. “Can you at least tell me what unit he was assigned to prior to being stationed on Odo Island?”
After receiving the addresses of several ex-soldiers who’d previously served with Tachibana, Koichi quickly set about sending letters to each and every one of them.
In these letters, he wrote the following:
Dear Sir—I am a man who spent the final days of the war on Odo Island alongside one Sosaku Tachibana. And I am writing to you and your fellow comrades today to inform you that the tragedy that wiped out the Odo Island garrison was not due to a sudden and unprovoked attack by the Allied forces, as has been publicly reported.
In truth, it was Tachibana himself who took aim and fired at a passing American ship in anger, despite the futility of such a gesture. When the American ship then naturally returned fire, all of the young men of the Odo Island maintenance team were killed in the retaliatory bombardment. It was also during this bombardment that Tachibana fled from his post, abandoning his duties to save himself by escaping into the nearby hills. As the only other survivor of the Odo Island tragedy, I, Koichi Shikishima, have taken it upon myself to inform all of you of the truth behind the disaster. I feel it is my duty to the deceased to let the world know the truth and ensure that your former comrade’s disgraceful crimes do not go unpunished.
Koichi set down his pen, then sealed and stamped yet another envelope before placing it on the stack of over a dozen identical letters he’d already written.
But even still, the search for Tachibana remained fruitless. Recognizing what little time they had left, Noda invited Koichi out to the cheap, rundown bar they often frequented in an attempt to persuade him.
“We’re doing everything we can on our end as well,” he said, “but he’s proving to be an awfully difficult man to find. There are other skilled mechanics out there, Shiki-san; let’s just cut our losses and try to find someone else.”
“Just give me a little more time,” said Koichi. “Please.”
“Why are you dead set on this one particular person? Godzilla could return any day now, and we need to prepare ourselves for that as soon as possible.”
“I realize that. But it has to be him. And I’m sure my message will reach him soon.”
Noda was flummoxed. He couldn’t begin to fathom why Koichi was being so adamant about finding Tachibana, but he didn’t want to quench the fires of determination that were burning in the other man’s eyes. Losing Noriko and falling into a depressive spiral had left him little more than the empty husk of a man. To Noda, it seemed as though this vendetta against Godzilla was the only thing keeping Koichi alive at this point. They could afford to wait another day or two, Noda supposed—but no more time than that.
On the way home from the bar that night, just a stone’s throw away from his house, Koichi was suddenly accosted by a voice calling out his name. But when he turned around to see who it was, he felt a sharp pain near the bottom of his scalp. As his vision swam, he realized he’d just been clubbed over the head with something.
Koichi shot awake in a panic as he felt a bucketful of water splash against his face. His hands were tied behind his back with rope, and he was lying on his back on the dirt floor in the mudroom of his home. When he lifted his gaze, he saw the very man he’d been searching for staring down at him: Tachibana, trembling with rage.
As soon as Tachibana could see that Koichi had come to, he threw a handful of letters and envelopes in the bound man’s face.
“Is this some kind of joke?” he demanded. “You sending out letters full of goddamned lies to all my old comrades?”
Koichi’s message had reached its intended recipient.
“Tachibana-san…” he said. “Is that really you?”
But his eager expression only served to amplify the other man’s rage. Tachibana got down on his knees and socked Koichi in the face, then grabbed him by the collar.
“You and I both know damn well what happened on that island!” he barked. “And it sure as hell wasn’t my fault! What the hell do you think you’re trying to pull here, huh?”
“Sorry…” said Koichi. “It’s the only way I could think of to draw you out of hiding.”
“Why, you miserable little—”
“You saw the beast that rampaged through Ginza. You can’t tell me that wasn’t the same creature that attacked us at Odo Island. It was Godzilla, wasn’t it?”
Tachibana had no answer to this. He just kept kicking Koichi in the ribs or alternatively punching him in the face. Before long, a large welt began to form over one of Koichi’s eyes.