This was King Ghidorah.
Its complete form lay revealed before humanity through their sensors and instruments. While superficially similar to the Wings of King Ghidorah—sharing dragon-like and insect-like characteristics with similar exoskeletal structures—two key differences separated the master from its servants.
First, King Ghidorah possessed three distinct heads atop three serpentine necks, while each Wing had only a single head. Second, and more profoundly, was the matter of scale.
"Can this truly be considered a living being?" Dr. Yang whispered, staring at the data streaming across his terminal.
Despite extensive psychological preparation, the orbital station's personnel felt a collective unease as the detailed measurements appeared on their screens.
Body length: 3-4 kilometers, possibly longer. Wingspan: nearly 7 kilometers. Estimated mass: 300-400 million tons.
The creature's mere existence would permanently alter any planet's ecosystem. Its biology defied everything humanity understood about life.
"If it were to take flight," Commander Chen observed, "the energy release would equal tens of billions of tons of TNT. How did the Venusian civilization possibly defeat this thing?"
The unspoken question hung in the air: If Earth faced King Ghidorah instead of Godzilla, would humanity survive even a single day?
"It seems the Wings of King Ghidorah were evolving toward King Ghidorah's form," theorized Dr. Edwards. "Some kind of convergent evolution?"
"To think such creatures exist in our universe," another researcher murmured. "It's beyond comprehension."
King Ghidorah's dimensions exceeded anything that could naturally evolve on a planetary surface. The physics of how it could fly—even in Venus's ancient, more hospitable atmosphere—remained incomprehensible.
But now, these secrets might finally be revealed.
"Let's find out," Commander Chen declared.
The exploration vehicles' mission extended beyond analyzing the Wings. Their primary objective was to sample the colossal entity beneath the metal floor—King Ghidorah itself.
Previous seismic surveys had identified an area where part of King Ghidorah's body lay particularly close to the surface—a section of wingtip accessible with a relatively shallow drill operation. This represented their best opportunity for obtaining actual tissue.
After analyzing the complete three-dimensional model, the station team quickly identified the optimal drilling location: a spot requiring a 20-meter penetration through the steel containment layer directly above King Ghidorah's wingtip.
This presented a formidable challenge. The 20-meter metal layer proved harder than any natural bedrock, but the team came prepared. They deployed underground explosives in a carefully calculated sequence.
Through more than a hundred controlled detonations, the exploration vehicles created a pit approximately 18 meters deep and 7 meters wide. With the bulk of the excavation complete, the laser cutting systems took over.
After clearing explosion debris, the specialized vehicles transformed for vertical operations. They retracted their treads, extending articulated mechanical legs that clung to the pit walls as they descended. Mechanical arms deployed laser cutters to methodically remove the final meters of steel, transporting the slag to the surface.
After hours of relentless effort, dozens of vehicles breached the final layer, revealing a surface that reflected golden light.
A protective canopy deployed above the pit, providing optimal illumination and shielding the site from Venus's corrosive atmosphere. Everyone watching from orbit felt a surge of anticipation.
This was King Ghidorah, the Winged Doom that had destroyed Venus.
The team halted further excavation. They needed only a small tissue sample; the exposed portion was sufficient. Though scientists considered it virtually impossible that King Ghidorah could survive 450 million years without sustenance, they exercised caution. Venus's acidic atmosphere might damage the ancient specimen through oxidation and corrosion.
They initiated the sampling procedure.
The only accessible part was a protrusion at the tip of King Ghidorah's wing. Other portions lay too deep to reach with available resources, making this their sole opportunity for collection.
The most powerful laser cutter activated against King Ghidorah's exposed skin. The vehicle operator manipulated the beam with precision while the entire station crew watched in breathless anticipation.
Ten seconds passed. Twenty. Thirty. Forty.
King Ghidorah's body remained completely undamaged, as if the laser didn't exist.
"Increase power to maximum," Chen ordered.
The laser intensified to its highest setting, yet King Ghidorah's exposed tissue showed no indication of damage whatsoever.
The scientists exchanged bewildered glances. Even Godzilla's high-pressure phase-iron could eventually be penetrated. The complete absence of effect defied all known materials science.
After several vehicles nearly depleted their power reserves without causing even microscopic damage, Dr. Edwards conceded, "It's no use."
The team's reaction mixed disappointment with excitement. While they couldn't obtain a sample, the implications were staggering—King Ghidorah's composition surpassed anything in humanity's scientific understanding. It wasn't a white dwarf star fragment or any known element.
If humanity could understand and replicate this material, even Godzilla would become insignificant by comparison.
"Begin constructing a more powerful cutting device immediately," Commander Chen ordered, her expression animated with scientific excitement. "We must obtain a sample!"
"Yes, Commander!" the team responded enthusiastically.
Just as they began formulating plans for a more powerful extraction tool, all monitoring screens began to shake.
"Seismic activity?" someone asked.
Confusion spread through the control room. Venus lacked Earth's tectonic activity—what could cause such disturbance?
Suddenly, the feed from the most distant group of vehicles went black.
Then the second group. The third.
The tremors intensified.
"This can't be an earthquake," Dr. Yang stated. "The duration is too—"
BOOM!
Inside the excavation pit, King Ghidorah's exposed wing suddenly retracted.
Before anyone could process this development, a massive shockwave erupted from the site, launching all nearby exploration vehicles skyward.
In their final moments, cameras that hadn't been completely destroyed captured one impossible image:
Golden wings unfurling against Venus's toxic sky.