It truly is a lovely world.
No matter how many times I see it, it takes my breath away.
Does seeing the planet of your birth stir up fond memories in you?
Slaine?
Um... I suppose so.
It is nothing to be embarrassed about.
I have only been away for two months,
yet I already find myself pining for Vers.
Earth...
The birthplace of all humanity.
I have always dreamed of seeing it with my own two eyes.
I-I see.
Tell me, Slaine. They say that the sky here is blue, as are the oceans.
I have always been curious about that.
On Earth, are the air and water both colored blue?
No, the air and water are transparent.
But in a thick enough layer, it causes the light to be refracted,
c-causing them to appear blue.
I believe that is how it works.
Water and air in such large quantities that they bend light...
Isn't that amazing? I can't even begin to imagine it!
Ah, here you are.
Count Cruhteo!
The hour has grown quite late.
Please return to your bedchamber,
Princess Asseylum.
Oh, is it that late already?
The view from this veranda makes it all too easy to lose track of time.
Then I shall turn in, Slaine. Let us continue my lessons tomorrow.
O-Of course. It would be my pleasure.
The goodwill visit of Asseylum Vers Allusia, Princess Royal of the Vers Empire,
is a mere three days away.
But while there is a growing sentiment worldwide to welcome her,
tensions are also rising.
Expert opinion is divided on the subject of this royal visit,
whose aim is the easing of interplanetary tensions between Mars and Earth.
'Morning, Nao...
In addition to the optimistic view that relations between our two worlds can be improved,
Good morning, Yuki.
Which would you have preferred, a rolled omelette or scrambled eggs?
another, more pessimistic view, is that this is merely political theater
A rolled omelette, I guess.
meant to loosen interplanetary trade regulations.
Sorry. I made scrambled eggs today.
Aren't you eating breakfast, Nao?
I've already eaten.
What about you, Yuki? Today's your shift as drill instructor, isn't it?
Why didn't you wake me up?!
I woke you up a dozen times, Warrant Officer Kaizuka.
Hey, wait!
Don't worry. If you run, you'll be able to catch the next bus. Barely.
Speaking from experience. Just FYI.
Oh, and put the dirty dishes in the sink.
Heartless jerk...
"And so, the discovery of an artifact belonging to an ancient Martian civilization,
the Hyper Gate, on the Moon by Apollo 17,
paved the way for the human colonization and development of Mars.
However, this resulted in the appearance of the Vers Empire,
which claimed ownership of the Martian relics and Aldnoah, their ancient technology,
and proved to be the source of a long-standing conflict."
Hey, Inaho!
Good morning.
Huh? Yuki isn't with you?
My sister overslept.
Well, if she shows some spirit, she should make it in time for drills.
How could you shirk your duty to escort our Goddess of Tuesdays?
Maybe she's Penivia.
Who's that?
The goddess of laziness.
I'm down with that!
Folks who plan to go on to college don't need to worry about drills.
Going on to college, huh? You flunked midterms, Okojo.
Look who's talking, Calm. You got a C-minus on our last maneuvers.
I've been taking notes on every little thing, you hear?
I'm gonna take back my crown as top student in our class.
You sure are psyched to take down Inaho, Inko.
Disaster recovery, huh?
I guess even in Shingawara, once you leave the city proper, things are still being rebuilt.
It's been 15 years since Heavens Fall.
Those Martian jerk bastards really went crazy, huh?
Japan's in way better shape than where Nina and I come from.
But we've got a cooperative policy with Mars now, right?
There's even that goodwill ambassador who's coming.
Oh, you mean that Vers princess. What's her name again?
Assay? Easy?
- It's no wonder you flunked! - Bite me!
In 1999, the Vers Empire finally declared war against the UE.
As a result of the fierce back and forth fighting on the Moon's surface,
the Hyper Gate went out of control and destroyed the Moon itself.
The astronomical body that had been Earth's satellite for 4.5 billion years
I'm sorry I'm late!
was pulverized into countless boulders and now continues on in its orbit as the Satellite Belt.
Hey there, Warrant Officer Sleepyhead.
As a result of this event, Earth suffered catastrophic damage.
Lt. Marito!
Meteor impacts, gravity wave-induced crustal deformation,
Pee-yew!
earthquakes, tsunami, abnormal weather...
I thought I asked you to refrain from drinking on military drill days, Lieutenant!
Scars left by the catastrophe that followed on in the wake of the Moon's breakup, Heavens Fall,
This is just a game.
are still fresh all around the world.
Don't get too into it.
Soldiers of the Vers Imperial Army whose path home to Mars was cut off
We're doing live-fire exercises today.
by the destruction of the Hyper Gate took up residence in the Satellite Belt,
and even with travel between Earth and Mars now possible without the Hyper Gate...
M-Master Arm switch... Fire control...
Lower the dampers, then lock on...
Targeting correction...
F-Fire!
Okay, switch pilots.
Squad B, take cover in the bleachers.
Go act as spotter, Warrant Officer Kaizuka.
Please go easy on the booze, sir.
When a teacher smells of alcohol, students lose respect for him.
Don't you worry about me. I'm used to being looked down on.
No, sir.
You're actually a fine soldier, Lt. Marito.
I warned you to cut back on the alcohol, didn't I, Lieutenant?
Good to see you, Dr. Yagarai.
Don't see you here often.
Making a house call all the way out here, huh?
A patient of mine is being uncooperative.
I can't do my job without drinking.
It was drill day for them again today.
The work you're doing is important.
The KG-6 Sleipnir.
The Kataphrakt developed by the UE to prepare for the coming Martian threat.
A manned humanoid weapon.
Military training is now part of their required curriculum.
They fire off that 75mm cannon like it's some game,
and you guys tell 'em they can defend the ol' homeland.
Pumping those kids' heads full of this stupid crap, you call this a job?
Get real.
Lieutenant...
15 years ago,
the top brass hushed up what happened in Tanegashima.
Nobody believes me when I tell them now.
But even if no one else remembers, I do.
Aldnoah...
Out on Mars, they got their hands on the power of the gods.
Relics of a civilization 30,000 years gone.
Unbelievable power that reduced the Moon to rubble.
Who are you kidding, trying to stand against something like that?
Nobody's taking this seriously.
They believe that this transitory peace will last forever.
Tell me, Doc.
What's gonna happen to those kids whose heads have been pumped full of lies by us adults?
When the day comes for them to face off against those guys
that have been biding their time in the wreckage of the Moon,
how do you suggest we make up for all the lies we've told them?
Slaine.
Princess Asseylum.
Look up, Slaine.
Yes.
The day has come for us to say farewell.
I will now go down to Earth and carry out my goodwill mission.
The many facts you have imparted to me are certain to prove useful.
Um... Will it not be dangerous?
We cannot go on in fear.
Right now, someone must take that first step towards Earth and Mars reaching a compromise.
Princess...
Take this.
I'm told that it's an old Earth charm that wards off evil spirits.
But you said that this is all you have of your father...
It's fine. I'm sure that Father would want you to have it.
It's to thank you for saving me and my father when we were at death's door five years ago.
I shall deliver your and your father's prayer of peace to that blue world.
Thank you, Slaine.
Princess Asseylum. Your shuttle has arrived.
Very well. Goodbye, then.
Yes.
Know your place, scum.
While I appreciate all you have done to dissuade Her Highness from her folly,
when a dog soils the carpet, its master is responsible.
That is your only warning, Terran.
Yes, Milord...
You do not think much of Slaine, either, do you, Eddelrittuo?
Well, um...
If we go back far enough, we ourselves are descendants of emigrants who struck out from that blue world.
Why do we hate them so?
Begging your pardon, Milady...
we subjects of the empire became a new race distinct from the old humanity we left on Earth
when Emperor Vers inherited the authority of Aldnoah.
As one who embodies the power of the gods, Milady...
...you should not say such things.
My wish is to establish friendly relations with our distant home.
Regardless of how we found ourselves here, I am visiting Earth as a show of amity and our well-wishes.
Milady...
Selena, Hohmann transfer orbit complete.
Now commencing descent sequence.
All we can do now is pray for her safety.
Milord, you have a message from Saazbaum Castle. Shall I put it through?
Yes.
I expect you are rather stir crazy after playing host for three months, Count Cruhteo.
I cannot say that I carried out my duties satisfactorily.
This was my final opportunity to dissuade her from this foreign trip.
You needn't be concerned.
If something were to happen to Her Highness,
the 37 Clans here in orbit would not take it sitting down.
Even the Terrans must know this.
One can only hope.
Or perhaps if their intent all along was to provoke a fight,
that would be a blessing for us in its own way.
Saazbaum! Do not say such things!
Oh, did I go too far?
However, we Orbital Knights have dwelt in our castles for 15 years since the time of our fathers.
Dreaming of the day we would reach out and touch that blue radiance.
It's finally happening...
All these years of lying low is about to pay off.
Look!
The limousine that is carrying Her Highness Asseylum Vers Allusia, Princess Royal of Mars, has just appeared.
It is slowly heading this way, flanked by its escort vehicles.
We made it!
I still say watching it live on TV would've been just as good.
This is supposed to be a goodwill visit, so we need to join in and add to the noise.
Make her feel welcome, you know?
When did you switch sides and become a Mars sympathizer?
Hey, she's royalty! A princess!
Plus, the buzz on the net is that she's pretty cute.
Should've known.
I don't see her.
Not surprising. That's 200mm thick bulletproof tinted glass.
Specs like that are pretty typical for VIP cars these days.
Isn't she gonna wave or something? Y'know, to the crowd? This is a parade, after all.
How should I know? Must be a security thing.
What are we even doing here, then?
Because you said you wanted to come!
Domestic medium eggs, 98 yen 10 per carton, limit 1
Eggs are on sale.
And you are always lost in your own little world...
I knew you'd come!
Hey, Inko. You here to see the parade, too?
Student Council business.
We're helping direct traffic at the request of the security detail.
Well, aren't we a go-getter...
Hey, if you three aren't doing anything, you should help out, too.
We're really shorthanded!
I'd be willing to use trained monkeys at this point!
Don't give me that!
Trained monkeys would be more useful.
Hey.
All you have to do is put on an armband and stand there! Pretty please!
How about it?
What about you, Inaho? Will you help?
Let's get away from here right now.
A missile is coming.
What was that?!
What's going on?!
- It's through! - The limo made it!
No.
Our Princess Asseylum's heartfelt wish for peace has been mercilessly crushed
by a violent act of the treacherous Terrans!
We subjects of the Vers Empire
must resolutely bring down the hammer of righteousness in response to this atrocity committed by Old Humanity!
Hear me, proud knights of Mars!
The time has come!
The grand task that has spanned generations,
the Earthfall Operation,
will now be carried out with justice on our side!
Count Cruhteo, reactor output is at 97%. Launch preparations are complete.
I am solely to blame for not stopping the Princess from going to Earth.
Do not fall behind the other lords.
If it has come to this, we shall demonstrate our grief through force of arms!
Landing Castle, begin descent!
Your target, Japan!
Princess...
Of the 37 Landing Castles remaining in orbit, we have confirmation of 19 coming down.
Projected landing points are New Orleans, Beijing, Mozambique, and Tokyo.
We believe one Landing Castle will come down somewhere within 20km of Ichigaya or Chiyoda Ward.
These guys aren't coordinating their efforts at all.
They're only interested in landing first. There's no command structure at all.
Estimated landing time is 0800, three hours from now.
Goes to show how little you know.
Although we're unable to estimate how much damage will be done when it comes down,
Lieutenant...
They don't need a command structure.
it is believed that the Martian troops will launch their attack under the cover of that impact.
Those are 37 distinct military forces led by 37 different knights.
Therefore, we will deploy at a point 50km southwest of the projected impact point,
They're each trying to land first in a race to be king of the hill.
and after the shockwave has passed, we will mount a counteroffensive before they can form up.
Their rivals are their fellow Mars Knights.
According to observations, the enemy Landing Castles are roughly 2km in length.
They were never concerned about counterattacks from the surface.
This is a...
They'd unilaterally break the cease-fire?
Cease-fire?
These past 15 years,
they've been fighting a war up there in the wreckage of the Moon.
A war to live to fight another day.
Get moving, jackass!
That's what I keep saying!
What's that?
Look, Sis! Shooting stars!
Oh, wow... There's so many...
Did you make a wish?
Yep!
I wished that people all over the world would get along and live in peace!