10 years ago
Orichalt has been put in containment. Maintaining its stability.
Begin observation with both methods.
How pure is the Orichalt? Hurry up and report.
Considering the decay progress, its estimated purity is 52.4%.
Tch.
It shouldn't be that low. Measure it once again!
The return investment of this kind of Orichalt is less than 10%.
It's not even worth considering!
But chief, we've measured it several times.
Do you want to look for a new job here in the sticks?
I-I'll keep observing.
Hmph.
Useless idiots.
We're behind schedule, too. We have to work faster.
Back then
I was obsessed with my job in fund management, where I could freely move around with enough money
to influence the federation's economy.
I believed that it was something exceptional that couldn't be done without my talents.
But...
There's an abnormality in the Orichalt compressor!
What about the emergency response units?
In the early stages seven people uninstalled them!
What we're you thinking?
Detecting gravity waves! They're growing larger
All hands, retreat!
We won't make it!
It's a partial warp phenomenon!
My body...
Where is my body?!
There is something...
that I can get back.
doko e nagarete tadoritsuku no ka?
Where will you end up, caught in this flow?
dare o motomete ikiru no ka?
Who will you spend your life searching for?
koko ni aru no ga sadame nara
If what you have right now is fate
isso gyutto dakishimete kanata made
You may as well embrace it as you proceed into the distance
You must be here now
toki no tabibito yo mabuta tojite
Traveler of time, close your eyes!
hoshikuzu o koeru supiido de
With enough speed to pierce through the stardust
Dive into the stars
monogatari no hajimari made
Until you reach the beginning of your story
mogaki agakitsudzuketeiku
You'll have to struggle and claw your way through!
zero kara nukedasu
Place your faith in a nascent age
aoki toki o shinjite
One that lets you break free from zero!
Calling you, calling you everywhere
utae sakebe samayoibito
So raise your voice and let out a yell, wanderer!
haruka na negai e to
Heading for your far-off wish
tsumi mo ai mo nagashite go away!
Wash away your sins... your love... and go away!
tamashii goto yurase yurase
Shake, shake your entire soul!
inochi tadoru Heralder
You're a heralder following the course of life!
This is a follow-up report on the sudden large-scale Miguel Net outage
that occurred at Federation Standard Time 0043.
After consulting with the specialists, the Government Press Secretary announced to the press that
the estimated range of the Miguel Net outage,
at worst, may stretch up to 30 light years around Fifth.
Also, the Federation Safety Committee that urgently convened has dispatched a special investigation group.
However, with Miguel Jumps being unusable,
it may take them more than eight years to reach the area around Fifth.
For now, I took some measures.
Was that a good enough cover-up to use for information control?
That's a big help.
Damage reports from all over the colony!
Why is this happening!
Prioritize evacuating the population!
Just how many people do you think we have to evacuate?!
It's because I didn't have enough power!
Listen, I think there are interstellar ships that escaped from Fifth.
We just have to buy time until we can use that.
That said, the amount of Orichalt...
Preparations are underway to collect it across all federation planets.
Are you serious? If you do that, the economy will collapse.
No, things are already in motion.
For the survival of humanity we have to defeat Amatsu Mikaboshi, wandering planet Rajeev.
You're trying to do the same that he tried to, aren't you.
The same?
No way!
I have a just duty! And the resolve to fulfill it!
Because the savior of humanity is me!
Um.
Isn't there anything we can do?
Like what?
The scale is too large.
It difficult enough uncovering the plans of the federation's higher-ups.
We're just diggers, after all.
But...
The federation army...
The army deceived us and tried to retrieve the Orichalt.
Why talk about this now?
The army went only after the Orichalt.
And they didn't know about Alice. Yet...
Observer's Sam Tailor tried to take Alice off this ship.
I can only think of a midway change of plans after they learned about Alice.
What are you trying to say, Ido?
Sam Tailor said this to me before he died.
"Impossible! You were alive?!"
Huh?
That's right. He did say that.
So that means he must of known who Ido was, then?
Yeah. And what's more...
Sam Tailor and Kane Arisugawa are like two peas in a pod.
Analyzing the image,
the similarity is over 90%.
It's almost the same person!
But Kane Arisugawa was born in Federation Year 39. He's 50 now.
Even if he used advanced anti-aging measures, to look this young...
This Sam fella must be a clone.
I think so, too.
Clone technology is banned under federation law. Which means...
Yeah. It's the work of someone in power who operates outside the law.
But that's no reason to pull back.
Ido, my boy, just what did you do back then?
That's what I want to know, more than anyone.
Huh?
I figured out Kane Arisugawa's whereabouts.
Colony planet Sixth.
Kane Arisugawa is the CEO of MT Industries, and a laboratory of theirs is in its orbit.
Ms. Karla, you were still gathering intel?
Yeah. What better chance than a large-scale outage?
As expected.
Clair, set our course for Sixth after the briefing.
Yep.
Grayman, my opinion is just a theory-
But it's not like there's no chance.
And we're not patient enough to just sit quiet and watch how things go.
So, well, why don't we go meet him?
That Kane Arisugawa guy.
Grayman.
Isn't that just fine? There's nothing else to do. Right?
I know.
Let's go to Sixth, Mr. Ido!
Mr. Ido!
Jeez, you guys...
8 years ago
So, at what point shall we dig?
Let's do TR45.
Change that to TR47.
Huh?
Who're you?
Karla Milla-Foden.
I came to offer my intelligence gathering skills.
The probability of high-grade Orichalt in TR47 is 92.7%.
If you want to make money, go dig that. Right now.
Hmph, then do it yourself!
You can have the treasure if it's there.
Are you making fun of my intel?!
You're just miners in the middle of nowhere.
Your information may be accurate.
But who'd believe someone who's speaking in that kind of tone?
Where's the logic here?
I'm saying that I can't put my life in the hands of someone I don't trust!
Can't you understand something so simple?!
I really am a terrible woman.
Hmm, I'd like to head directly to Sixth, but...
We can't let ourselves get ambushed by the army.
This will take time, but should we use short jumps?
Karla! Can you calculate the route?
Yes. This is a route made by buying the rights to Miguel Jumps.
Bought from fellow miners, illegal merchants and such, so nobody will report us to the army.
You've sure done a lot over such a short time.
Tricks of my trade.
Clair, jump along the route.
Sure.
Initiating Miguel Jump sequence.
Deploying spatial mesh using Vega as the reference point.
Unit of measurement: AU.
Alice, you can come out now.
Putting this ship in grid 1
Deploying grid 2 in the same space.
Time until the Orichalt is released from the containment mechanism.
10...
9...
8...
7...
Kane Arisugawa...
6...
5...
Will I learn about my past if I meet him?
4...
3...
2...
1...
Containment mechanism, stopped.
Orichalt, released.
Don't be afraid.
I can do it.
I am the being that can protect mankind!
And for that I have to confirm it.
The truth behind the mercy during the old days.
Jump complete.
Starting the second sequence after confirming the coordinates.
Huh?
Boss, that's!
What?
That's Escavate...
Hey, Grayman!
Papa, it's Denrai's president.
Oh, it's been a while, Sacchan.
What did you do? Everyone in the business was contacted.
Told us to report immediately if we see you.
We got caught in a bit of trouble.
What the hell.
I won't tell anyone you were here, but I don't want any trouble either.
So hurry up and be on your way.
Hehe, we're in your debt!
After 12 more jumps we'll be at the edge of Sixth.
It's surprising that the army didn't interfere, or, rather, disappointing.
They're probably busy 'cause of Fifth.
When the army captured all of you, I looked through the personal files.
Sixth is your home, right? And your body's also there?
Not there.
Where is it, then?
Dismantled.
Total paralysis after an accident.
It ended up being declared brain dead and it was immediately disposed of.
But then when did you Mind Trance into this body?
Oh? What? You wanna know?
Just tell me already.
All right, sure.
Asteroid Speed pilots
copy their consciousness into the machines and both simultaneously process the information.
And I'm the copy.
So that's a backup data in case something happens?!
And you never had a body to begin with?!
Yep. Just like a ghost, right?
I'm Rick Ayer, and yet I'm not Rick Ayer.
That's why you don't use a human avatar in the expanded space?
You could say that's where I draw the line?
Yeah, even after becoming like this I still...
You still want to race?
After women, too.
Says a machine.
This is what you wanted to talk about before we reach Sixth?
Listen, Amanza.
Am I alive? Or am I a virtual personality?
At least, you exist right here.
Exist right here, huh...
Saved by your words.
Short jump completed.
The overall sequence is over.
We've entered Sixth's sector.
Good.
Alice, we reached Sixth.
The army's on standby at the other side of the orbit, huh.
To think there was a jump-worthy Orichalt in this place.
I scared Zepher who fed us fake intel into putting it there.
He made us go through hell, this much is only natural.
Can't anger the women, right?
Well, what do we do, Ido? Stulti might stand out.
Only a select few of us will go. Me and...
Gotta have me there to collect the data.
That's right.
Then, Maya who's good at astrogeology.
Eh?
And we'll also take Alice.
Alice, too?
It's possible that Kane Arisugawa knows what exactly is Alice.
So you're leaving us behind?
Provide backup.
Worst case, there will be fighting. We'll need reinforcements.
All right, Roger Wilco!
Ah! That's my phrase!
It's mine now!
Rick!
What's up, my pumpkin?
I understand you're nervous before an operation with a proper plan for once, but...
It's unsightly.
Sorry.
We're ready.
Sis, take care of Ido and our girl.
I mean, who knows what they'd do if left on their own.
Grave responsibility, isn't it.
Be careful, Ido. Don't go too far.
Got it.
I hope you'll learn about your past.
Thanks, Clair.
Well... I'll be back.
"Thanks". Ido has changed a bit?
Or that's how he originally was, it would seem.
I've disguised all of our life signatures as MT Industries staff.
We should be able to easily get in.
You can even do that.
Maya, according to Karla's intel the MT Industries facility is barrier-free, I-Machines can freely move around, but...
If something happens, we'll be relying on you.
Understood. I'll just need to bring Kane Arisugawa, right?
I'm counting on you.
I see it. It's MT Industries.
Just how huge is it.
As expected of a company that invented the Mind Trance System, I guess.
Just proof of how much they're filling their pockets thanks to the stupidly expensive patent fees.
But without the MT System we wouldn't have been able to keep living.
So we should be grateful in that respect, huh.
Mr. Ido, the facility approved our identities. No problems.
We'll enter through the central gate.
To think we're just easily coming in like this.
That's thanks to Zepher.
Where's Kane Arisugawa?
Probably in the lab in the sector with gravity.
We'll need to pass through the hatch to the right.
Did we reach the gravity zone?
There's even air. What a cutting-edge facility.
T-This is...
Rather than a lab this looks like an entire city!
Yeah.
Where's Kane Arisugawa's room?
According to the intel it's on the other side, but...
It's an M-class scale facility, it's not like we can just walk there.
There shouldn't be any gravity in the center.
So we can fly there.
Maya, brace for impact.
Right.
Nobody's here?
Security?!
The informer didn't know about this, did they.
Who knows.
Karla...
Ms. Karla, what's going on?
I'm sorry. But there's something I need to take back, no matter what, Ido.
It doesn't matter.
The course to Sixth, the infiltration of this facility, there's been too little interference.
I expected something like this could happen.
If you knew it, why didn't you stop me?
I don't have a past. Neither do I know my family.
So I should at least trust bonds of comradeship, right?
Even if it's just a business relationship?
I guess, so!
Mr. Ido!
Ms. Karla, stop them!
I'm sorry, I can't.
Stop your fire!
Hold it right there!
We'll only be hitting each other!
Return to defensive formation!
Switch your sensors to IR mode!
Don't shoot, you idiots!
You'll hit friendlies!
Stand back!
Y-Yeah...
Thank goodness, Mr. Ido.
Isn't it ironic, Karla.
That I was saved by the sensor you've procured.
You're there, I know. Come out!
My... body!
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!
No way...
No, it's true. But how...
So you're Kane Arisugawa?
That's correct. Kane Arisugawa is what I'm called and I recognize myself as such.
And I also perform the duties as so.
That's one roundabout way of talking.
Tell me everything you know about the wandering planet Rajeev.
And tell me who's Alice, the girl that appeared from inside the planet?
Karla's intel was spot on, you've really lost your entire memories.
If you still had them, you would have came here right away.
You know who I am, don't you?
Yeah, I know, and disgustingly well, I could say.
But how did you escape from that exile ship?
I'm asking the question!
Answer me. Tell me who I am!
An I-Machine longing for its memories so much it became an Evertrancer.
What a pitiful being, isn't it...
But I don't feel pity for you. I don't need to.
Because without your memories you're worthless.
I didn't even need to bring you all the way here.
Seriously, what a waste of effort.
What happened?
That jump of consciousness.
MT System?
That's correct.
The mask I'm wearing is not to hide my face.
That's the state of the art portable Mind Trance System my company has developed.
Step away. I'll have to be a bit rough.
Please, Ido's...
I've told you to step away.
If you're telling me to fight, I don't mind.
But answer my question. Who am I?!
If you're so insistent, I'll tell you the truth.
The body lying over there should have been originally yours.
What?
That means...
You've already met Kane Arisugawa before coming here.
Shouldn't it be obvious?!
You yourself are Kane!
Kane... is me?
Aah, the day of reunion! To think the day I can start over has come!
I'm! I'm!
I'm delighted, Kane Arisugawa.
Traveling as punishment, or wandering in silence.
Beyond the endless empty space there's a void full of luster.
When I stand at that place, the light of wickedness dries my tears.