3 years ago
Uh, listen up.
We've got a newcomer today.
Hey! You can enter.
Name's Ido.
Stuff happened, and he ended up here.
You must've already heard about it.
The rumours about a blue I-machine that extracted Orichalt
from a planet engulfed in a level 4 storm in the Deneb System.
I see, so you're quite the talented one.
Karla Milla-Foden.
In charge of information and sales.
Pleased to meet you.
My name's Rick Ayer.
The first person to ever win the Asteroid Speed 3 times in a row, a speed star!
I'll have to warn you in advance.
Hm?
If you ever get into an accident and I deem your rescue impossible,
I'll abandon you without a second thought.
Woah, this guy is looking for a fight right away.
And if it's the other way around?
Obviously, abandon me right away.
Ido!
I-Ido...
Ido!
What?
Ido got swallowed by that rock?
Little lady and Alice are with him too.
Even Maya?
Rick, where's that rock?
I'm following it!
Imminent gravity wave located.
It's going to Miguel Out!
I locked onto Rick's location.
Okay, from this distance it should be possible.
Karla?
Are the mining preparations ready?
We're shooting it out!
But in these conditions-
I will go.
Amanza!
We've got two choices.
Either chase after Ido, or...
Abandon me right away.
Just what are our odds?
Lieutenant!
We're going right into the warp zone.
Hey, hey! Seriously?!
Mattsun entered the warp zone.
Target performed a Miguel Out!
With Rick and the rest of them!
Dammit!
We're warping out as well! Hurry up!
We're out in normal space.
Kind of went with the flow here, so what do we do now?
Dig that guy up.
You're an excavator, right?
Don't ask for the impossible!
We should wait for Stulti to-
What a dull man.
What?
Mikuri Maya's life support systems...
can only work for so long.
Ugh...
Wanna go over the material in the lecture later today?
I've seen the experiment data, why'd it turn out like that?
You're going to a place like that?
I'm looking forward to the souvenirs!
What is this?
Something feels wrong.
It's not like I don't have any friends.
Even if just on the surface, I think I'm doing well enough.
But something just feels wrong.
This isn't... my place.
Maya, wake up!
Wake up, Maya!
M-Mr. Ido!
Alice!
Don't worry, her vital signs are normal
Thank goodness.
What is this?
Where are we?
Inside the rock that assaulted us.
We got eaten?
No way, we have to get out and fast!
If we can do that at all.
Huh?
Take a look.
The bedrock structure is rapidly changing and enclosing us completely.
Without a mining rig, there's no way we can escape.
Moreover, because of the intensely magnetic minerals the comms are down.
We can't even find out what's happening outside.
Surrounding environment, survival chances...
The space suit life support system, counting the reserves...
112 minutes left?
We have to escape in under two hours!
Alice's surrounded by a self-repairing crystal film that's forming an airtight layer.
You could try putting at least your face inside it.
Wait a bit!
Do you have the gravity wave data on it?
Yeah.
So Alice really is warping the carbon dioxide out and warping oxygen in.
But based on the numbers, her oxygen supply is steadily going down as well.
At this rate, it will be hard for her to survive as well...
How long will she last?
Based on the numbers, 3 hours or so.
I can't lose Alice.
We have to escape in less than 3 hours.
What about me?
Let's look into that.
That?
Looks like it got caught the same way we did.
A probe? Pretty old too.
Is it really alright to get this close?
You can't dig if you don't get up close, right?
Although, it's weirdly quiet.
Just keep calm like this, little rock...
Well, I'll be going now.
Tell me what you see.
Right...
The ship interior looks pretty old.
It appears to be a 20-year old manned probe for Miguel Net maintenance.
The logs say it was on its way to the Deneb System-
That doesn't matter.
How are the life support systems?
Will they work?
Doesn't look like it.
The reserve oxygen tank is empty too.
Retrieve the ship's log then.
We might be able to get some info out of it.
Head for the control room.
Hey, Alice!
Where are you going! Stop!
The control room, this must be it.
Alice?
Wait! You can't just enter!
Hey, Alice!
Calm down!
Calm down, I said!
It's not giving off any life signs!
It's just a corpse.
But!..
You waste more oxygen by panicking.
Did Alice go there too?
Yeah, she's right here.
Good.
Retrieve the log right away.
G-Got it! I get it, but!
What's wrong?
The place is, well...
I'm going.
Alice, stay there.
Huh? It won't budge.
Ugh, no way!
Don't give up!
Got it!
I told you not to waste oxygen!
What are we going to do without a mining rig?
Mikuri Maya's life support is going to last an hour more at best.
Let's just give up.
You're running away?
Honestly, I'd love to.
But you know, there's still some of it.
Possibility, you know.
Approaching this close will just make it attack you!
Wait, is he luring the rock formations out?
He's trying to reduce the wandering planet's mass!
How is it, Mr. Ido?
I think you should be able to connect.
Yeah, it's okay.
I'll open a monitor.
The majority of it is damaged.
I wonder just how much we'll be able to restore.
Sound data, then?
I'll play it.
...0023...
...manned probe Praum...
...by the wandering planet...
...escape impossible...
Is this the voice of someone who was on that probe?
...the reason Raptor stopped...
...Orichalt was released into space by another civilization with hope of making contact...
...that kind of idealistic thing...
...obstacle...harmful...
...I will move...
...Rajeev retrieved...
...something humanity should've never touched...
...doctor Arisugawa...
Guess that's it.
Orichalt, obstacle, harmful.
What was this all about?
I don't know either.
There's too little information.
But I understand this much:
Humanity knew what exactly Orichalt is.
But that truth hasn't been released even today.
Someone's concealing it on purpose, but why?
Because Orichalt was essential to humanity taking a step into space.
But it looks like it had risks comparable to, or maybe even greater than its benefits.
Wandering planet... That Rajeev thing they mentioned?
Yeah.
If I were to guess...
Humanity already encountered wandering planets.
They took what looked like aggressive actions towards humans.
The Federation banned jumping into areas that could lead to a possible encounter.
If you think about it, Miguel Net's jagged shape only supports that theory.
No, not just that.
The fact they attempted to capture us after we obtained such a massive amount of Orichalt.
The fact Federation's Treaty Compliance agency approached us and tried forcibly taking us away.
All of that was to conceal the wandering planet's existence and the threat it poses.
You're right, this does make sense.
And now, the voice recording you just heard.
...obstacle...
...Rajeev retrieved...
If the obstacle is Orichalt, then the wandering planet's aim must be the same.
Wait a little.
If your theory is right, then why is the wandering planet going after Alice-
I'm alright.
I just switched to the last reserve tank, it got hard to breathe for a second.
Steady your breathing and calm down.
Stulti finished exiting to normal space.
Looks like we shook Observer off.
Clair, confirm our current position.
Karla, use all of the observation devices you can and find Rick!
The rock that took Ido and the rest in should be there too.
Got it! FA-Loser
Don't think we'll let you die that easily, Ido.
Rick!
Are you okay, Rick?
Worried for me?
I sure am happy.
So, lieutenant. How's the Mattsun?
I found it, but as for its usability...
Thought so.
In that case, follow through with plan B as we intended.
What's the current mass?
Reduced by 22%.
Total loss is 37% compared to the initial observation.
Hmm. When it's down by 40%, go for it.
I got it.
Leave it to me.
What's wrong?
Are you alright?
Shit!
There's still some left.
There is, right, Ido?
Shit.
I screwed up.
How could I have?
Guess the legendary speed star is going to have to retire here.
Ido?
What happened to abandoning?
I'll do that if there's no possibility
This time the odds were low, but there was a chance of saving you.
That's why I did this.
Possibility?
By how much?
7%.
Haha. You're a dumbass.
Is that the thanks I get for saving you?
As if.
Here's where I'll give it back to you.
Your thanks!
Rick, stop pretending to be a cool guy.
Plan B.
The explosion of the mining rig should make the stream of magnetic fluid break through the rock.
An attack from outside?
Maya, the help's-
Maya!
Did that do it?
Yes!
No, it's pretty much undamaged.
No holes opened either.
Are you kidding me?
We have to dig with our hands then.
If we come any closer, it'll attack again.
Mr. Ido, you know, I never had a place to be.
I always suffered from that.
What is it now?
When the captain picked me up, I thought it was the worst.
Don't talk!
But it's weird.
Despite being in such a ridiculous situation, I kind of think that this might not be that bad.
Are you giving up already?
Mr. Ido...
There's still a chance!
Alice... Alice...
There's still a chance of survival!
The life support system's past the limit.
Shit!
Is there really no way to save them?
That's...
There is!
It's too early to give up!
Pops!
Good job holding out!
Leave the rest to me!
But the little lady's life support is...
I trust him.
Ido must've done something.
It's not the end yet!
Get ready, Rick!
Clair! We're breaking through with Stulti!
Got it! Breakthrough mode!
Rock formations approaching!
Charge right at them!
Guess there's no choice but to use the precious, precious Orichalt then.
Eat this! Half a year's worth of earnings!
Rick! FA-Loser!
Retrieve them before the bastard closes the hole up!
FA-Loser! Help me out!
Lieutenant Amanza, they'll do it alone.
Ido!
You're crazy!
I would've abandoned you long ago!
Heh. As if, you liar.
Alice saved her.
However,
once we were out of the magnetic field, her ability to warp oxygen increased.
It was small, but there was still a chance.
It must've been hard for Alice too.
Well, looks like this job's done.
Oops.
Looks like we'll have to run checks on you all.
Huh?
Looks like the wandering planet's still after us.
Persistent bastard!
Grayman.
Hm?
Attach a remote explosive to the Orichalt we have on board and release it.
Say what?
We just threw out half a year's worth to save you people!
It's targeting the Orichalt.
I'll explain properly later.
Agh, fine!
I got it, you piece of shit!
That's a massive loss, dammit!
Aaah, what a waste...
What can you do.
Life's more expensive.
Hm? You not going to Ido?
You want me to?
Huh?
Wait, did you finally awaken to my charms?
Eh? Eh?
FA-Loser.
My lost past, Alice, the Observer man, wandering planet Rajeev.
I can't help but think these are all connected.
And now there's another clue.
Doctor Arisugawa.
The name left in that old interstellar ship.
What's the meaning of it?
Searching for that is my...
It's been so long since we left our home behind
Drifting on the Milky Way almost every single day
Where am I supposed to go?
What're we really looking for?
Stumbling in the darkness, cold and lost
But a ray of hope still exists in my heart
Rain or shine, always chase the dream
Someday we'll fly across the sky, never fearing anything
We'll promise that we will go on
Even if you're against the wind, never stop!
Don't look back!
We'll one day rise above it all (Never give up)
Who cares? Oh, if the going's tough
Never think, keep pushing on!
We can find our promised land!
Observer's interstellar ship went missing in action...
But Sam Tailor's data was supposed to be sent here.
Chairman Adams, Mr. Hakubi says he has something to talk to you about regarding Dr. Arisugawa.
I see. I'll go right away.
So Amatsu Mikaboshi must've awakened Rajeev again.
At last I'll...
That which descended from the tomb that was the wandering planet.
That which smears ideals and madness.
That which tries to survive the day and win.
The desperate struggle stirs up a reckless wind.