Shin Kidou Senki Gundam W: Frozen Teardrop c8

Zechs and Noin

“It’s the strong that make the weak! [With] the Earth [playing the role of] the strong, the reality is the colonies [have been made into] the weak; they’re running [the colonies] down!”

“I hated anybody who was weak. They were incessantly trembling with fear over when they would allow themselves to attack. They couldn’t trust anyone, couldn’t say what they wanted to say, and I couldn’t forgive them for it.”

“That’s what the strong do!”

“Zechs, there are no strong people! The human race, all of it, is weak! As are you and me both!”

*

“It’s over, Zechs.”

“No, not yet! I still do not accept that I am weak!”

“The colonies themselves have decided and they will take the path to total pacifism…… your actions are meaningless!”

“This is, after all, [my?] bloody destiny…… don’t think there’s any escape from this crime (lit: sin)! This ends now, Heero!”

“Zechs, you’re supposed to see the future!”

*

“Why…… don’t you kill me?”

“Relena would be sad.”

“……”

*

“You are too pure. And too kind. But if you weren’t, I suppose that would mean [you] had no right to live.”

*

“In that case, I’ll (show you) I’ll survive through anything. As a soldier tougher than any other!!”

“Zechs!!”

“We’ll meet again, Heero!!”

AC-195 EVE WARS Libra

With my mouth stuffed with sandwich, I nodded in response to Naina’s question and switched this hovercraft to (auto-hover) in position 234/3/3-4<. Of the vegetables stuck between the slices of bread, the tomato was juicy and especially good. While enjoying [the sandwich], I looked absently at the light that was approaching our ship. I knew at once that that luminous point was the small ship on which my mother and President Relena rode. A few seconds later, they were within docking distance. Behind me, Katrine got depressed and sighed heavily.

“I fought using my family [#1] without knowing anything.”

I wanted to say that wasn’t true. The nano-defensers instantly reset the data accumulated in the unmanned machines [#2]. But there was someone to manage the mobile dolls’ systems and if they could (feedback [#3]) the data, it would be possible to restart them. I believed that, if it was the Maganacs, they were sure to respond, but Naina began speaking before I could.

“Even so, they weren’t effective against Snow White and Warlock. Moreover, it’s only just recently that those [nanotech] abilities have reached the stage of being able to be used practically, even though the theory came from the previous era, active application of nanotechnology has been the result of recent research.”

The reason people around me called me “reticent” was, I believe, because Naina was just too quick.

“This is delicious!” Katrine’s smiling face shone. “I’ve never had a sandwich this good before!”

“Sister Hilde taught me,” murmured Naina as she took a bite; her expression was somewhat sad. “There’s a trick to the distribution of mustard and mayonnaise…… she said it was the secret to drawing out the sweetness in the tomato.”

As she savored the flavor, Katrine muttered, “That old Professor Hilde Schbeiker, she’s been the authority on nanotechnology till now, hasn’t she?”

“Before she started the orphanage, her official [role] was as secretary in the Lanagrin Republic National Library…… in reality, she extracted data (that could be practically applied 236/2/14) from the enormous memory library from the past, and she’s been studying it since.”

“But ultimately that meant ‘Special Officer First Class Zechs Merquise’ was allowed to appear, right?”

On the wide range radar on the submonitor, a point of light appeared and it was leaving at a fast pace. It was {Gundam Epyon}, which had left from the above-mentioned battlefield at once, changing to flight mobile armor mode and withdrawing back to the Lanagrin Republic.

“That’s not right, Katrine.” Naina again made the denial before I could. “That hologram was a program that started with Dixneuf Neuenheim died…… Sister Hilde only extracted [the data] which was used for selfish purposes.”

It was the Neuenheim Company [#4] that made [our] father’s residual memories, which were in {Gundam Epyon}’s “ZERO system” into a three-dimensional real image but it was someone from the Lanagrin Republic who’d hacked [into whatever system] that lead us to the present situation. Both I and Katrine had initially believed Professor Hilde Schbeiker to be the ring leader. But Naina had said, “That’s absolutely unbelievable.” I could infer that, in the Lanagrin Republic government, there was an even more (unscrupulous) man behind the black curtain [#5]. Because Naina said it and she’d lived with Professor Schbeiker for several years, she probably wasn’t wrong. Their close relationship was vouched for by the deliciousness of this very sandwich.

“So the “PPP” [Perfect Peace Program] wasn’t Professor Schbeiker either?” When Katrine said that, the rear door opened and my mother and Lucretia and President Relena appeared.

“That’s backwards. Professor Schbeiker resumed her research in order to free Father Maxwell from the (spellbinding) PPP.” Even now, mother’s voice and Naina’s voice resembled each other. If I kept listening I wouldn’t be able to tell which was which.

“Besides, the basic concept of the “PPP” has existed since before we were born.” Mother spoke as she passé me the two microchips to which the “files in question” had been saved, “This is what we had copied at the Preventer base and this is what Professor Schbeiker sent us.”

“May I ask you a favor, Milu?” President Relena asked, using a tone of voice far too polite for a guy like me.

In a small country in Scandinavia on Earth, in the Cinq Kingdom’s Peacecraft household, [identical] twin princesses were born. It was spring of AC 130. Princess Sabrina and Katerina. They both had beautiful shining blonde hair and clear blue eyes. This royal house had an old custom of not raising twins together. The elder sister Sabrina would remain in the kingdom and the younger sister Katerina would leave her filial home a few months after her birth and be sent to colony L-1 C11234, one of the Cinq Kingdom’s space colonies. For Katerina, that was a happy thing. It was Sabrina, the [future] successor to the throne who was the unhappy one. She, who would one day be the queen, received a rigid education and had to master the manners and etiquette of the European court passed down from long ago. Moreover, at this time, the Cinq Kingdom was in a state of decline. Cinq was abused by the calculations/expectations of the big countries neighboring it. Revolutionaries and rebels who resisted the Earth Sphere United Alliance, at the end of a withdrawal war 238/1/16, often took refuge in the Kingdom [of Cinq]. The Alliance Army likewise cast a net to produce similar results. From a geopolitical point of view, a country occupying a peninsula in Europe shoulders something like a burden of being fated to get swept away in the land power of the [main] continent no matter what. [Now situated] between a rock and a hard place, the revolutionaries and rebels challenged [Earth?] to a decisive battle intending to gain the upper hand, but the Unified Alliance with its overwhelming military power unleashed an annihilating battle It was no small trouble for the Cinq Kingdom which was [unfortunately] a convenient battlefield. After all, there was no way for them to be a party to the rebels and revolutionaries 238/1/1-2< and the contriving of a military budget from their mean financial situation obliged them to participate in the war 238/2-1. After the war, the meager reparations and insurance paid out by the large countries was assigned for the reconstruction of the ruined country. [Cinq] was a terribly poor country; neither blessed with natural resources nor a thriving industrial sector; it lacked a single (positive) prospective. It was the people’s love of Princess Sabrina with her youth and dazzling beauty and [their love of] the humble royal house of Peacecraft that they didn’t erupt in dissatisfaction or instigate a revolution or revolt. Being raised in such a country as that, Sabrina was bound to be a big of a homebody; she grew up to have a diffident and gentle character. Undoubtedly, she was a sheltered princess raised in the tender care (of her wealthy family). She loved art and was deeply interested in pictures and music especially. Her seldom seen smile was said to be exactly like that of an angel. Yet her blue eyes were always full of worry/fear. The one who best understood the love girl 238/2/9< was the Norwegian forest cat given to her on her thirteenth birthday. It was a black and white long haired male and he was named “Somewhere.” He was given that name probably to symbolize Sabrina’s own desires 238/2/3-4<. It seemed to be a name from a film from a long time ago in which Judy Garland sang {Over the Rainbow} in the opening sequence, but like pets everywhere, the name “Somewhere” was abbreviated to “Sam.” Suppose cats have the ability to empathize/sense when a person is feeling lonely or sad. When she was feeling depressed, Sabrina sat at the piano, Sam always laid on his stomach on the left side of the keyboard and depressed the keys such that they made a discordant sound. Whenever she heard that, she’d giggle and say “Play it once, Sam,” which is a line from the movie “Casablanca” ((which comes from the same era as the Wizard of Oz)) and then she’d begin to play. It wasn’t jazz, neither was it “As Time Goes By.” [#7] Sam let out a small “meow” and Sabrina gently played Chopin’s “Nocturne #1 (夜曲第一番)[#7.5]” at something of a slow tempo. Occasionally, Sam turned over in his sleep and played another discord, but it wasn’t bad. Playing with her eyes downcast, Sabrina’s thoughts [were of] “The never ending battles of this world (戦い絶えないこの世)” a grievous lonely nocturne 238/3/7-8<. Or perhaps a (considerate) lullaby for Sam curled up beside her.

Meanwhile, Princess Katerina was living a happily bohemian life on the space colony. Raising her was the Darlian family which had [also] been entrusted with the governing of the colony. Since she was little, she enjoyed horseback riding early in the morning, enjoyed weekly spacewalks, and was friendly with the workers who constructed the colony. They called Katerina “The Lady of the House of Darlian” and looked forward to the cookies and chocolate she always took to them. Around the time she turned thirteen, there’s an (anecdote) about how she [got to] ride a (large scale) space work suit equipped with manipulators and help in the construction of the spaceport. There were several magnanimous people in the Darlian family also, they only slightly rebuked her and continuously overlooked her simple innocence.

What gave rise to the difference between the two princesses Sabrina and Katerina, born on the same day, has its roots in the difference of their learning environments: strict education versus laissez-faire 239/1/12-14<. But it was likely the scenery that was the [deciding factor]. One [place] was carving out a new world, reclaimed land filled with built-in happiness 239/1/7-8. The other was repeating a grievous fate of reconstructing broken things [only to have them] broken again, the Earth. There was a large gap between the two. One could imagine it was mostly the differences in their two worlds that influenced how markedly different their personalities, behavior, even their expressions were—to the extent that one would not think them to be twins. The world was seen by the sister with eyes wide-open and the sister with the downcast eyes wishing to forget misfortune—say a building of rebar, would undeniably be seen different by either girl.

AC 145 SPRING

Until she turned fifteen, Katerina’s studied were overseen by an elderly female tutor. One day, she made this request to the Darlians: I want to return to Earth and spend my final years in the comfort of my home town. I’ll (bring) the foremost teacher form the L-1 colony cluster to teach in my stead. The name of that teacher was “Heero Yuy” and while he was still a college student, he was apparently serving as a part-time instructor at the high school. Yet he had no major, he was equally skilled in science and maths (type classes) as he was well-versed in culture, philosophy and art; he was advertised as being knowledgeable in various and diverse fields [of study].

“Aren’t you a little young [to be a tutor]?”

In addition to being Katerina’s tutor, there were misgivings about their similar ages.

“If you’ll pardon my saying it, [teaching] a person as lively as the young mistress is too heavy a task for an old lady such as me.” She spoke as though she were thoroughly exhausted. The Darlians understood. For a daughter of the royal house, Katerina surely was far too restive. Besides, if they could financially assist a brilliant young man putting himself through school, they believed that was worthwhile. A few days later, Heero Yuy arrived at Katerina’s rooms. From afternoon to evening, Katerina was allotted study time.

“Pooh, you’re the new teacher?” Katerina gave the wallflower-like youth an appraising look from head to toe. Depending on the angle, he was somewhat handsome, but his clothes were unfashionable, his shoulder’s lacked breadth and his chest was thin, he was feeble…… was the impression he gave. Compared to him, the colony construction laborers were far more attractive she thought.

“I’m Heero Yuy. Pleased to meet you.” Their age difference was four years.

“So, what ‘s a young teacher like you got to teach me?”

“I wonder,” Heero said brusquely. “What do you want to learn?”

“Nothing….. I don’t need a tutor. A study program is fine.” After that, those two didn’t exchange another word (while in that room). Katerina dispassionately took care of the subjects the computer put out; Heero read the book he’d brought. When the appointed time arrived, Heero Yuy went home that day without having taught a thing. The next day was the same and the day after that, Katerina was tired form her horseback riding lesson and so she napped [instead]. For all that the young instructor should have said a word of caution, that would wake her up and so he didn’t [say anything] 240/1/13-14. He did nothing but merely continue reading his book.

*

This Heero Yuy youth was lacking in a thing called enthusiasm. To the extent that his college friends nicknamed him “The Extreme Rationalist.” Regarding his studies—no, regarding life itself—he had the attitude of not wanting to spend energy unnecessarily on passion or grudges or the like. Even the daily drawing of breath was done with efficiency, he didn’t open his mouth needlessly, he was calm, frank, and he consciously repressed the amplification of (heat entropy) 240/1/3<. He wasn’t able to make ends meet on the meager income of a part-time high school teacher [so] recently, he was doing manual labor in colony construction. The manual labor was restoring and reinforcing the colony’s outermost wall, there was gravity because of the centrifugal force but it was a hard [work environment] for the lack of oxygen. It was [extremely] difficult for small bodies to withstand [the work] and he realized he couldn’t continue the work if he wasn’t very “efficient.” Furthermore, in an airless work environment, it was “efficient” to avoid speaking needlessly. He made that awareness (lit: consciousness) his own personal creed. Excluding the privileged classes, the people living on the colony as a whole had a difficult life all around. But this poverty could also be seen on Earth, but if they believed they were creating the way to the future, it was possible to live contentedly. About six years ago in AC 139, the laborers began the “colony self-government system.” However, the Earth Sphere Unified Alliance did not recognize it in the least and under threat of using military power, the colonies gave up their autonomy before a year had passed.

Nevertheless, the people of the colonies were cheerful. They were naturally endowed with something of a pastoral carefreeness; their optimism prevailed. There were many people who thought “What? Just by dint of not having national disasters makes [space] the place to be!” In truth, the activists for the colonial independence promotion faction at the time took part in neither ideological complains and street orators nor extreme uses of force like terrorism. That can be interpreted [as meaning] the power of Earth’s suppression was still within a bearable (scope). About five years after that, the Earth Sphere United Alliance began slowly to apply pressure. On Earth, terrorism and disturbances were always happening and yet space was stable and peaceful. And the Earth

“If this is how it’s going to be, my old teacher was more interesting that this tutor,” she thought. Katerina was gazing at the scenery outside the window and Heero was reading the book in his hand as usual. While the colonies environment system was man-made, it sent an elegant/graceful spring breeze across the window. The soft lace curtains fluttered in the breeze. Because she was quite bored, Katerina asked a question as she gazed at the wind, “Sensei [#8], do you have a family?”

“My parents are dead and my elder sister got married and went to Earth,” he answered concisely. After Katerina turned around, she inspected Heero once again. Another question floated up in her heart, one that she wanted to ask [Heero] who had an indistinct personality that could melt into the background.

“Sensei……what is the meaning of us being in space?”

Heero spoke without taking his eyes off the book he was reading, “When you say meaning, do you mean the significance of existence? Or are you asking for a more scientific evaluation of mankind?”

“I don’t know. Both, I suppose.”

As he turned a page, he spoke dispassionately, “If you think about it from the social theory of evolution 241/2/7< [perspective], mankind’s [journey] into space might be said to have the significance of being the next step necessary to continue with the so-called {new awakening}. But from a scientific perspective, the feat of expanding the living spaces from Earth to the Earth sphere is a (meritous deed) of all human kind and so one may consider there to be no difference between the people in space and the people on earth.”

“Wonderful!” Katerina’s eyes were wide open. “I can’t understand a thing you’re talking about!” She pressed Heero with excitement.

Heero snapped the book he was reading shut and his eyes went to Katrine and he asked, “What do you mean?” Heero, though he was feeling put upon, likely could not flat out [refuse] a student who’d taken an abrupt interest in him. He decided to explain his remarks. To start with, it was necessary to define the meaning of each (and every) word concisely. To punctuate the meaning of those words, there was historical social background and for the sake of speaking plainly, it was necessary to sue even more words and it seemed that the things difficult for Katerina to understand lined up [one after the other]. Katerina couldn’t help herself; she interrupted Heero’s never-ending talk with a question.

“So ultimately, does it mean something or doesn’t it?”

“Ultimately……there isn’t a conclusion to that question 241/3/7<.”

“There isn’t a conclusion?” Katerina’s shoulders slumped dejectedly.

After heaving a deep sigh, Heero said, “Is it that important to have a conclusion?”

“What?” Katerina was dumbstruck. She believed the conclusion or solution was the most important part [as it was on] papers and tests.

“To observe things from several angles and take that data as a basis for making a judgment, to personally consider opposing views—that’s what’s important.”

“What, a ‘discussion’? Is that a conclusion?”

“It might be called that. It might not. In this case, the conclusion is synonymous with a ceasing of thought. There is meaning in the continuing of thought.

“It’s settled! There is meaning!”

“?”

“I mean, there’s meaning to being in space, right?”

“No, that’s not what—" Several hours passed in a blink. The gears of sensitivity and logic failed to catch as they were of different shape and had differing numbers of teeth. True to those words, their conversation continued without [those “gears”] engaging. The appointed [finishing] time for the day arrived.

“That’s all for today.”

“Sensei, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Katerina was interested in the youth who had enumerated the words she’s never heard of before.

“Oh, yeah……” Heero had remembered the joy of communicating—[and art] which he had been starting to forget. The next day also Katerina began with a simple question, “Hey, do you think there is a god?”

“It is believed that he doesn’t exist but he is thought to be necessary; he exists but is thought to be unnecessary. It is antinomious but both points of view are viable if you grasp the religious side metaphysically.”

“Wonderful, I don’t understand at all!”

“That’s good. Knowing your own ignorance [#8.5] is more valuable (meaningful) than any sort of knowledge.”

“Why aren’t men equal? Is it because there isn’t a god? Or because there is? Isn’t every one equal before God?” After that, their talk continued like mismatched gears as it had yesterday. The day after that also had similar dialogue and it continued [like that] ever after. The [topics of discussion] didn’t stop at philosophy or conceptual things but extended to the problems that occurred from history and customs [#9], verified by contemporary examples; and from the most recent of space sciences to classical literature. The verbal exchanges between the two may well have been nonsensical fun. Yet it was absolutely not meaningless. It was during this time that Heero and Katerina’s sense of values went through a (chemical change).

For Heero, the “efficiency” that had been his personal creed up until now had been rethought as it was not so very “inefficient.” Thinking that short words and speaking in a straightforward manner made something understandable had had the opposite effect. Also he who did his utmost to eschew the “meaningless” and “wasteful” in reality stopped his “deliberating” and “fumbling/groping.” Until now, he was supposed to attach the greater importance to the “motive” than to the “result,” but somewhere along the way, he had become a conclusionist or utilitarian and he noticed he’d fallen into [a pattern] of “stopping thinking.”

Katerina, on the other hand, came to know of the existence of field of view that was from new, different dimension. She felt the possibilities were limitless. Living in space definitely had meaning. And even living on Earth had some kind of meaning. That’s because, Earth or space, they both existed in space. Either one had their own sense of value, if one may be so bold in speaking, 243/3/9< if one discovers there is meaning to the existence of mankind, a person’s individual thoughts are precious and there is no particular need to limit them to history or place or environment. There is not a single wasted hour. There is not [a single] meaningless thought. There is value even in an [empty void]. Aren’t these [colonies] a good example of [exactly] that? That doesn’t mean she had clearly thought all that 244/1/1-2. But several years later, it was publically recorded that around this time, she seemed to get a feeling in her “heart” for those/these sorts of things.

That was in the rough draft of the composition “Heart of Space” which was written after this time by the leader Heero Yuy. It is said that a single letter of Katerina’s that bound up the feelings she had in her youth was the origin of Heero’s proclamation.

There may have been (romantic #9.5) feelings between them. Incidentally, the letter was not a love letter. Even years later, the relationship between Katerina Peacecraft and Heero Yuy may have remained as that of teacher and pupil. Or that may have been a façade [maintained] to the very end—.

AC-145 SUMMER

The area around the Cinq Kingdom on Earth was once again caught up in a new dispute. This time, it was a large scale [affair] where dozens upon dozens of ships in the rebellion’s fleet entered the bay and made a sea blockade. In response to this, the Alliance Army opened close cooperation between land, sea and air forces and made to commence an even bigger war of seize and annihilation. Already at that stage, it couldn’t be helped that the land of the Cinq Kingdom had burned to the ground. However, because of that a situation which hadn’t been predicted had developed. The surprising thing was that the [newly] arrived rebel special forces infiltrated the Cinq Kingdom palace and all at once set up an occupation, taking the royal family as hostages. In so doing, the Alliance army because unable to carelessly/thoughtlessly interfere. However small a country the Cinq Kingdom was, [the Alliance] could not abandon them when the royal family had cooperated with the Alliance’s army. Furthermore, if they did choose to desert [Cinq], it would betray the trust of all the other countries cooperative with the Alliance. The Alliance army’s teamwork collapsed, it was inevitable that the army brought ruin upon itself. Without starting battle, the Alliance army and rebel’s army got into a cohesive state/condition. At the time, (only) Sabrina and her cat Sam were calling upon Marquis Weyridge in a neighboring country and so [managed to] escape the [ordeal]. When Sabrina heard the news, she was stunned. She could not return to her home country with things being as they were.

“Oh…..Father, Mother……”

“Princess Sabrina, this must be terribly difficult for you, but for the time being, let us take refuge at the Darlians in the L-1 Colony.” This Marquis Weyridge was a member of the Romefeller Foundation’s European nobility and, as he was later to become, grandfather of Relena Peacecraft; he supported her [Relena] in secret. [#10]

“The royal house Peacecraft must not die out here. I beseech you to comply,” [said Marquis Weyridge].

A few days later, Sabrina headed to the spaceport in the suburbs of Brussels. As a high class limousine would stand out far too much, they used a regular car. The rain that had fallen until the previous night had lifted, the new green of early summer sparkled so lovely. From the sunroof, the sky was a cloudless, fathomless blue. But Sabrina was overcome with worry for her country and family. A (seven color) rainbow stretched [across the sky] beyond the windshield.

“Somewhere over the rainbow.”

Sabrina sang [that song] quietly. It was a song that gave her a small measure of courage.

“Don’t worry. Space is the land of your dreams,” Marquis Weyridge said kindly from his seat at her side.

“But.....” wouldn’t doing [was they were doing] incur/invite that much more confusion/disorder? She thought. It made a reasonable amount of sense in thinking that turning the rebels and colonies both into enemies and it was hopeless to fight the Alliance 246/3/13-15<.

“Do not fear……there truly is no power in space that holds military force. Moreover, controlling the rebels can be accomplished without too much effort.”

“Even so,” the people of the ‘Earth Delegation’ were harmoniously boarding the shuttle. “What about them?”

“If you call it something, then this is the ‘Darkness of the Genesis.’” His eyes with their (forced) resolution and his bearing—steeped with unchanging determination—could not be defied. “I’m certain it was C11234. In the vicinity [of that colony], the time bomb will go off. I’ll guide you to the escape capsule.” [They] boarded the shuttle with surprising calm. But at the time, Sabrina thought: Isn’t this when I am supposed to die? Her life up until now had all been for the sake of the Cinq kingdom. As long as that country was under the control of the rebels, there was no point in extending her life. Carrying such grievous thoughts, there was no point to succeeding to the throne of Cinq.

The shuttle left the spaceport and continued on as it overlooked the moon. Beyond the opposite side of the moon was the L-1 colony cluster. The huge lunar surface, seen from the window, was a grey land covered in countless craters. Certainly it was an inorganic/mineral thing that was associated with the afterlife. As Sabrina gazed at that scenery, she hardened her resolve: wouldn’t it be easier if she died? Wouldn’t she be free if she dies? That was the grave impression she was under. Before she knew it, they had closed in on the L-1 colony cluster. Cinquante who had been behind Sabrina smiling the whole while she gazed out the window, was standing.

“It’s about time. Shall we make our preparations?”

*

That day, Heero Yuy didn’t have his tutoring job and he was hard at work at the colony construction [job]. He’d had a bit of a [financial] break [between his two jobs’ income, but he’d continued [the construction work] with intent to get his body in shape. The rambling discussions with Katerina, he felt, had become a persona source of energy. He’d continued the [labor] job for more than six months and become rather adjusted to it and his chest had filled out as his muscles strengthened and his shoulders broadened. Just recently, he’d become able to go out into [open] space in an astrosuit; the (contents) of today’s work was mainly delivering materials using a large-scale work machine with attached manipulators. He had finally become accustomed to the [suit’s] handling. Suddenly, an image of astrosuited Katerina (clung) to the central monitor. When he opened the commlink, he could hear her ever-cheerful voice.

“Sir, are you working hard?”

“Don’t interrupt me.”

“But I was lonely because I couldn’t see your face.” She hung around with a carefree smile on her face 247/3/6.

“Go home.”

“The talk about the theory of evolution the day before yesterday, it was interesting.”

“Really? That’s good.”

“If a species does adapt to its environment as Darwin says, humans living in space like us just might become a new type of human.”

“That wouldn’t be for dozens of generations……For all that we are in space, it’s a change acquired postnatally. It’s not hereditary and there’s talk that the real issue is the danger of giving birth in space. However, according to the most recent DNA analysis, there is no room for idle talk 248/3/13-14. Would you please go away!”

“What’s that?” Katerina saw two points of light leave from the shuttle that was crossing [behind] Heero.

“?” Heero brought up the viewpoint preceding [them] on the monitor. Then, the shuttle was suddenly swallowed up in a blinding flash and disappeared.

“And explosion?”

“Shit.” Heero drew Katerina up with the manipulator arm and used the large work machine to shield Katerina [from the blast]. There were only a small number of fragments from the exploded shuttle, but they came flying If the large scale work machine hadn’t been there, Katerina may have suffered a direct hit and been killed.

“That light just now came from the escape pods.” Heero promptly referred to the (space work use manual) on the monitor and confirmed the handling of emergency escape pods. “Just as I thought!” Shown there was a heading which read: If [an emergency escape pod is: discovered, promptly switch to recovery detail. Of the two lights, one had headed of towards D11587 but another was closing in on Colony C11234. Heero left Katerina where she was and propelled the large work machine to where the escape capsule was heading.

“Escape capsule (in front of me), respond! Pull the reverse engine lever! If you pick up any more speed, I will not be able to rescue you!”

There was no reply. At first, he thought it might be unmanned, but he felt an obvious intent [of the occupant] to get off course. Heero made the large work machine speed up, launched the rescue wire, hooked the escape capsule’s propulsion unit, and decreased speed, using the last of his (propulsion fluid). Then from the astrosuit’s wireless commlink, he heard a weak voice.

“……please let me go……” Heero thought he’d heard a similar female’s voice. “……won’t you release me……I want to die……”

Heero shouted, “You want to die? Don’t screw around!” For the youth, it was an act that was truly inefficient and made him expend energy unnecessarily. “[If you didn't want to get rescued, t]hen you shouldn’t have used the escape pod, should you have!” Opening the hatch of the large work suit, he followed [along] the wire and clung to the escape capsule. But in doing so, the battery pack of [his] astrosuit got damaged and made his wireless communicator unusable. “I don’t know what you were doing but you will not die!” Heero continued yelling without realizing his commlink was disconnected [i.e. dead]. “The majesty/dignity of the human existence is not allowed to kill itself, either by killing or being killed! 248/2/9-11” He grabbed the escape capsule’s outer lock release lever. “Since you used the astrosuit’s commlink, you’re wearing a helmet, right?” Naturally, there was no reply. Heero steeled himself and released the lock. Inside there was a female victim. He checked that she was wearing an astrosuit and was relieved. And then, he found the reverse engine lever on the console and pulled it hard. Somehow, the escape capsule lost speed and came to a stop. However, the face plates of [their] helmets were in mirror mode and so they could not see one another.

“Are you alright? Can you stand? What the hell happened?” Heero asked many things, but there was absolutely no reply. At this time, he finally realized his battery pack was damaged. That was dangerous. His air would run out in a few minutes. In a flurry, Heero returned to the large work suit and went to replace [the battery] with a spare pack. While he did this, he made the victim stand as she’s not appeared to have lost consciousness, took firm hold of her hand and took her back to the large work suit. Of course, that female victim was Sabrina.

*

Sabrina thought it was strange. She didn’t understand why this person had gone out of their way save her suddenly reticent self. That was when she heard an auditory hallucination. It was a voice that sounded very much like her own.

“Sensei, are you alright? Answer me already!” That was Katrina’s voice, but there was no way Sabrina could have known that. She heard a tapping in her helmet. She heard the modulation of the unique sound wave 249/1/7-8, was it matching frequencies or playing with the volume? During the modulation, she heard a second sound that was very similar to Sam’s mewl, the cat she had left of Earth.

“Sam……” Tears moistened Sabrina’s eyes. Her closed heart burst like a dam, overflowing [with tears] “……I want to see Sam……” She remembered the Earth with its beautiful greens, clear blue skies, and pretty rainbows—she didn’t want to die yet. She couldn’t die until she’d seen her cute Sam again. She had to thank her savior. “Thank you very much……I” She thought it would be rude not to introduce herself, “I am Sabrina Peacecraft……and you are?” Slowly, she extended her hand to the person who had rescued her.

*

“Sabrina? Peacecraft?!” She was the elder sister [Katrina] had never met, but the name, at least, she knew.

Chapter end