Shin Kidou Senki Gundam W: Frozen Teardrop – Shokuzai no Rinbu Chapter 4.2

Aoi heard the nearby explosion and it set each muscle into overdrive and she ran with terrible speed. As predicted, the bulkheads began closing one after the other to shut out smoke from the fire. She was like a hurdler and flew over the rising walls and slid/dove under the walls that came whistling down [in attempts] to cut off the path; and she did so whole barely losing any speed. Her beloved son, however, was not easily found. even Aoi began to show signs of fatigue. [Just] when she thought she'd reached her body's limit at the next bulkhead, she caught a small shadow in the next corridor. [She knew] beyond any doubt that it ws her won son for whom she had been searching. He was pulling at his Leo, which had been caught in the bulkhead, with all his might. As Aoi made to call to her son there was a violent explosion. For a second, she ws. .h.i.t with despair. At the same time, a column of bright red flames pa.s.sed by. A mere handful of seconds prior, the ele-auto saved her son. Aoi watched [the scene] as if in slow motion. It was Odin and Seis riding the ele-auto. Her beloved son had been rescued by his two fathers. She smiled with relieved joy and the iron [of the rescue] made her laugh from the [bottom of her] heart.

I'm so happy..... but
I'm sorry...
Plese forgive me [all of you]....
I can't be with you any more.....
Good..... bye

And Aoi was thrown out into the dark vacuum of s.p.a.ce.

The image of Aoi smiling as she disappeared into the flames [I know, she just got sucked out into s.p.a.ce. Also: can things flame in s.p.a.ce?] was burned into their eyes.

"Aoi, I'm sorry."

Seis left his son in Odin's care, "Look after him for a bit......"

"Oi, wait.... this is nuts!" Seis, the one time head engineer turned family man, got off the ele-auto, kicked the wall of the vent-now nearly gravity-free-- and disappeared into the still-exploding hangar. Odin spoke up to the child [Seis had] left behind, "The air's gotten thinner. Are you alright?" The boy heard and gave a small nod; but in his eyes, the fragments of his broken toy showed (lit: could be seen).

I've lost my Thing.
Nothing....
I don't have anything.

Thought the young boy.

Odin picked up [his son] and ran the ele-auto to the refuge shelter.

Seething with [thoughts of] revenge, Seis clambered into a Chimera in the hangar and, demonstrating his own knowledge of mobile suits was not lacking, challenged the hateful Greifs to hand-tohand combat. Three more enemy suits joined and it was an extremely fierce/heroic battle. Yet however new and powerful [his Chimer as], it still remained a Leo. This was a (fighting style) only Seis had.

"Not you a.s.sholes!"

With all apologies to his beloved wife, he exploded one suit by amputating the suit's energy generator on its back. "Not the Greifs!"

To shame the arrogance of another suit, [Seis] destroyed it while [simultaneously] breaking its head-mounted camera and ripping out the auto-balance circuits under the left arm.

"You won't get my son!"

The last suit he fought for the future of the stepson who had always thought of him [Seis].

"I won't be beat!!"

With all his might, Seis thrust his beam saber through the Schwarz Greif's chest. He had, however, just missed the c.o.c.kpit for which he'd been aiming. That final Schwarz Greif fired its mid-range canons just then. Seis' Chimera blew up and the Greif also was swallowed in the explosion and [both were] lost. The blast was of such a large scale that the whole Bulge listed [to one side].

Artemis had received a report that the three suit unit that had preceded [her] and successfully [broke into] the inside [of the Bulge] had been destroyed by a single Chimera.

"That's...... impossible." She thought there had been a (stunningly) brilliant pilot manning [that Chimera]. Perhaps it was the OZ Specials---

"Treize Khushrenada....." If she attacked carelessly, she would get burned.

She considered rearranging her troops and gave the order to a.s.semble at the position [located in a] blind spot [relative to the] bombardment [coming] from the fortress. "All suits, convene at H point!" That's when it happened. Treize appeared on her (communication monitor).

"This is Treize Khushrenada of the United Earth Sphere Alliance OZ Specials."

"Where are you?"

"Right behind you."

[Artemis] turned around in horror. There, a unit of white Chimeras had spread out around Schwarz Greif, encircling them.

"Again?!" She rather hated [how] Treize took her from behind. This was the second time her pride had been hurt [by him]. She immediately issued orders to all suits.

"All suits, change in attack target! the [new] targets are the white Leos! Concentrate fire on the enemy leader." The Schwarz Greif concentrated their mid-range canons on Treiz's suit at once.

"You don't wish to duel? Then I am obliged to....." Treize opened a different line and connected to the bulge. "s.p.a.ce fortress Bulge, please respond." The [people in] the command room had waited with bated breath for Treize [to contact them].

"Mr. Treize!"

"Brother......"

On the monitor, Treize's face looked unusually elegant [same word could also be read as "manly"].

"Your Excellency Mr. Catalonia, please cancel the automatic defense system and fire the Barge's canon."

"Wh-what?"

"And, if you so desire, please have my dear younger brother Van push the b.u.t.ton." The designated person [b.u.t.ton-pusher Van] could not hide his bewilderment.

"Brother, what do you mean?"

"It must be you, Van......"

As Treize['s suit] dodged the Schwarz Greif gunfire, he slowly fell back. "The enemy suits will follow me...... set the Bulge's cross hairs on me......" By the special properties of the Bulge canons, the greater the distance [Treize could "earn"] the greater the number of enemy suits that would be hit. However, it was almost certain that Treize, [situated as he was] in the middle could not evade [the Bulge canons].

"If you're the one to fire, I am satisfied [could also be read as happy]......"

"I can't, i can't do that," Van refused. "There's no way I could!"

"Look at the big picture Van...... by losing [one man], you can save the Bulge fortress." Van was well aware that in order to break through this disadvantageous tide of war, Treize had to be sacrificed. 

"You would sacrifice Supreme Commander General Catalonia, dearest Miss Dorothy, even yourself, just for my sake, yes?"

Admirable resolve, Treize..... but
This, somehow or other [will save you]......

Chilie's and Dorothy's feeling were as mixed as Van's. This, Treize's life risking proposal, spoke of his [failure] to find Zechs and Elv. Treize had given in to those two with their strong desire to be the ones to [make the final] delivery of [all twenty five] Greifs, and [he] gave them special permission to do so. In doing so, Treize [inadvertently] created the cause of this surprise attack on the Bulge and he was [now] thinking he would take responsibility [for having done that].

"Hurry up and make a decision! If this keeps up, I'll die for nothing!"

"I understand!" Tears welled up [in Van's eyes] and his voice shook as he shouted, "Bulge canons, prepare to fire! The target is the OZ Specials Commander's suit!"

That's my brother! (lit: Attaboy!)

"All Chimeras spread out! Fall back (lit: leave the front)! That's a direct order!" Treize's lone suit was surrounded by some twenty Schwarz Greif and he withdrew [further] back.

Get them, Van Khushrenada.
The future of the Earth rests upon your shoulders.

With a smile, his last thought murmured through his heart:

Take care of Mother.

For the sake of setting the angle/degree of the Bulge's main canons, the sights had been designed to be set up by controlling the propulsion burners. It was Artemis who had inferred that at once.

"Don't tell me you're going to shoot [him]? With the Bulge canon?!" It was hard to believe they would sacrifice Treize. She didn't believe the United Alliance Army had layers thick enough that they could throw away such a brilliant man [like Treize] as though he were a p.a.w.n. Yet all the elements spread out before her eyes substantiated her prediction. "How long until the Bulge canon is charged?!" Here Artemis hesitated. She had never before doubted her intution, but this one time was different. The challenge to a duel had also given her a jolt. There was also her being unable to fully accept that Treize, whom she had fought inside the Bulge, had appeared behind her. She had even been nicknamed the Precision Machine, [but] Artemis' clear mind was starting to warp [thanks to] Treize's [ability] to take action beyond what she could predict [#3]. It would later be criticized but it was her hesitation right then-- a huge tactics mistake-- that cast doubt upon her abilities as a commander.

The Bulge's sights were set. Van did not hesitate this time. The words of the kid with the taped-up Leo ran through the back of his mind. 

You can't just run away.

Van had said he would make that his policy from then on.

"You won't his [my] brother! He will definitely dodge! Phanes [#4], Mother will surely protect him!"

"Target, lock on!"

Now, Artemis made up her mind, "All suits, fall back! The Bulge canon is coming!" The timing of this order, however, could not have been worse. The (movements of the) Schwarz Greif, which were firing away, stopped for a few seconds.

"Fire the Bulge canon!" Van pushed the launch b.u.t.ton (lit: switch). In that moment, Lucretia's, Izumi's, Solac's suits flew to Treize's side at top speed and (left) [with him in tow] from exposure [to] the Bulge canon [er, the literal word is "exposure" or "irradiation" and "angle" or "edge" but since this is a beam weapon, I'm guessing it's just a more technical way to say "line of fire"] Twenty Schwarz Greif were destroyed in an instant, swallowed by [the canon's] almighty beam. 

"Idiot......" Artemis muttered. "I really am an idiot......" All that was left [of the Schwarz Greif] was two mobile suits, including her own.

"Commander Artemis......"

The surviving aide awaited orders.

"Evacuate! Evacuate! This is a total defeat, no?!" The two Schwarz Black flew off in complete humiliation.

The three Chimeras had taken some damage from the Bulge canon but confirmed that Treize's suit was unharmed [#5]

"Good...... nothing is more important that your safety," Solac heaved a sigh of relief.

"After losing Zechs and Elv, I'd become a livig corpse if we lost Professor Treize," Lucretia spoke, half crying.

"You guys have committed a serious breach of military rule...... getting away from the front line was supposed to have been a direct order from the commander," Treize's words were unusually harsh.

"I forced the other two to do it. Please only remove myself [from the ranks]," said Izumi Tarnoff. as he leaned out of his half broken suit.

"Wrong! I was 'acting on my own thoughts'!"

"I, for the sake of later soldiers, accepted Cadet Izumi's suggestion! I'm guilty of the same [crime as he is]."

"All three of you will [be retrained] from the lowest level drills at Lake Victoria! However, I express my respect for your bravery! And," Treize [then] spoke with a kind smile, "I'm sorry...... thank you." In the control room on the s.p.a.ce fortress Bulge, Van and the Catalonias were thrilled (lit: happy from their hearts) that Treize survived.

"That was elegant, Mr. Treize...... it truly was as if you danced a waltz."

"Van Khushrenada, I don't suppose we could allow this to remain in the Alliance's history?"

"No...... by dint of that surprise attack occurring, the abilities of the strongest mobile s.p.a.ce fortress (the Bulge) will come into question (lit: be doubted)."

"Then it's going to be---"

"Stricken from the records."

Yet perhaps---

It is thought that in Van's heart of hearts, the real reason was that he didn't want to leave a record of him trying to hill his [much] respected brother with his own hand---

"I give thanks to Phanes [see #4] and to Mother......"

Effectively, they had won but the acc.u.mulation of various chances that day caused/started a chain of events that could be described as destiny. What if that young boy had not been holding his toy Leo? If Seis Clark couldn't destroy those Greifs, would Artemis have been so jolted? If the Catalonias hadn't been there; if Treize had been late in arriving; if Izumi (and the others) had obeyed the order [to say away]...... It was a victory with an untold number of chances; in reflection, it was a victory like a chilling, break-out-in-a-sweat tightrope walk.

I can't believe how lucky we are.
I never want to feel this way again.
We must [eradicate] the colonies' will to resist us.

Van resolved strongly.

Yet [he] had stolen twnety lives in a single instant and despite being enemy [soldiers], it cast a deep, dark shadow on the thirteen year old's heart. He became even more cool (or realistic) than before.

AC-187 SUMMER

Almost one year pa.s.sed---

Zechs Merquise's and Elv Honegger's whereabouts were still unknown. Odin Lowe and his son had, since [the battle of the Bulge (lit: since that day)] been roaming just the two of them. Although they were really father and son by blood, that was the only knowledge Odin did not impart upon his son. He did teach him everything [else] he knew; tactics, and the art of survival. [The boy] took after Aoi in his body's physical capabilities. His clear mind he owned to Seis' (influence). And from Odin, he inherited a particular skill.

"Who are we going to kill here?" The two of the had gone to the medical facilities on the L-1 colony cl.u.s.ter.

"Don't b.u.t.t in like a snot-nosed kid when Dad's working [#6]."

"Dad? I don't have a father (lit: parents)."

"We're acting like father and son...... that's our agreement. [That is] if you want to eat." Odin had the boy help with the work, also. It was easier to get around with a kid that it was t go it alone.

"...... understand."

I can die anytime.

That may have been a good att.i.tude [for that line of work], but it didn't put food in your stomach. The little boy believed he 'didn't have anything,' but he did have his 'life.' Even though his head desperately wished for death, his body demanded life. For him to keep living, other lives had to be sacrificed. There wasn't any difference between eating meat, eating vegetables, or eating lives. The longer he lived, the filthier he became. It wasn't possible for mankind t live life beautifully. [He] didn't want to hear any lofty ideas. The problem was in his heart. That kind of thinking, peculiar to terrorists, was what Odin taught his son [#7].

Siblings Treize and Van had (likewise) gone to the medical facilities. For the sake of taking their father Hundert Khushrenada's body [#8]. The cause of Hundert's death was the "colony cold." It was a new strain that didn't respond to the most recent vaccine.

"This man was, from the very beginning, a soulless sh.e.l.l [devoid] of a soul...... death has done nothing to [add] value [to him]," said Van coldly. "If this was retribution for his treatment of Mother, it's too late."

"Don't speak ill of the dead......"

"That you won't talk means you must feel the same way, Sir (lit: honorable older brother)." He had become "Sir" instead of "Treize." Treize didn't say anything. That change in Van's personality was his own fault, so strongly did he feel about what he'd done that day.

"Shall we see Mother?"

"There was a rebellion at a near-by colony. I thought I'd visit after taking care of that."

"As usual, [you're] being indisposed of conveniently...... how about [finally[] stepping on the stage of history [for real]?"

"[The way it is now] suits me better."

Now, Treize was no longer Lake Victoria's exclusive educator. Currently, he was also called to officer training school all over, teaching young soldiers how to make use of mobile suits and operation/manipulation techniques. And when there was a coup de tat or dispute or disturbance in the area [he was in], he was roped into the front lines by military request. Throughout history, small scale rebellions have been controlled [ALT: History is largely comprised of the control of small scale rebellions.] In hindsight, Treize's fight starting from his first campaign to capture Mogadishu could probably be described as that. He executed the missions a.s.signed to him dispa.s.sionately. He championed no particular ideal, nor did he feel any doubt in fighting. The sortie this time was no different. The Resistance had attacked a Cosmo Arma base with five Tragos. Treize drove his borrowed Leo and confronted the unit of Tragos (which were responsible for the coup de tat). It was somewhat unfortunate that they were not white [the Tragos or the Leos?]

At that time, the majority of the terrorist organizations on the colonies were (aiming) for Van Khushrenada's a.s.sa.s.sination.

They could not allow the young Romefeller leader who had set up s.p.a.ce as [Earth's] imaginary enemy to continue as he had been. Also, Van's intolerable behavior towards the colonies had been on the rise recently and that was deserving of a.s.sa.s.sination. [Van had] completely blocked inter-colony contact ((including the transfer of personnel and supplied)), the inspection of all resources was being strengthened; it was exactly as though the United Earth Sphere and the [s.p.a.ce] colonies had resurrected the feudal [system] relationship between crown and colony. At one time, Van had even used high-handed techniques to push reform through the upper echelons in the Alliance. Here, also, that out and out matter was being demonstrated. The one difference was that it was the Romefeller Foundation alone which profited. [It was] the oppressive rule of a tyrant [or autocrat or despot or absolute monarch, take your pick]. Disposing of the sovereign was the first step in destroying that system.

That was the job for which Odin had been requested. Odin, however, was skeptical. Would anything change by a.s.sa.s.sinating Van Khushrenada? There was no question that the a.s.sa.s.sination of (the leader) Heero Yuy had [lead to] a big change (in time/history). ONce the gears of history were out of whack, they would not easily be righted. What history needed was a major overhaul, to be dismantled and put back together one gear at a time. In order to do that, the flow of history needed to be stopped temporarily (but)......

(One day/ lit: This day) [Odin had] received information from [a staff member (lit: a responsible party)] at the medical facilities that Van would be visiting his mother's room

"That kid, he's made enemies all over the place......" Odin said as he removed a dismantled sniper rifel from a violin case. He was [standing?] on a roof from which he commanded a view of [Angelina Khushrenada's] hospital room. The only time Romefeller Foundation's [precious leader] was alone and without his extremely tight security detail was when he visited that hospital room.

"I secured the escape route."

The son performed his role as trust worthy partner. Then, a young make nurse entered Angelina's room and Odin took note.

"That's funny......"

Angelina smiled nostalgically, "My, it has been quite a long time......"

"Yes......"

"Have you been a.s.signed to me again?"

"No...... today, I'm just changing the flower vases." [There was] a beautiful, richly colored bouquet of flowers arranged in a large vase [in her room].

"My, they're just like the Aurora Borealis, aren't they......" The memory of the Aurora Borealis as seen in her youth remained with her. "Are they from Treize?"

"Yes...... oh, no, they're from Van."

"Van? I have no recollection [of a Van]...... who do you suppose that is?" The young nurse didn't reply and (hurried from) the room in silence.

"The nurses for Angelina Khushrenada were supposed to be all female......" Odin pondered the information from [his] informant.

"Could he have been employed by a different organization? [meaning: another a.s.sa.s.sin]" asked his now seven year old partner.

"There's been an influx in the second oldest profession."

"I'll try tailing him."

"Don't overdo it."

"I'll try."

Van appeared at the medical facilities with a large bouquet of white lilies. Pure white that recalled to mind the image of those ice floes was something Van would love to the end of his days. As would Treize. For the time being, Van was [just] waiting for his brother [to arrive]. Speaking of Treize, he was putting down some dispute or other and [Van] knew (lit: thought) he would hurry [to the hospital] once it was taken care of. But no matter how long he waited, it seemed Treize was not coming. Even when he contacted the troops, he was told [his brother was] 'in the midst of battle.'

"Oh well...... I just wish Sir Treize were here, then I could see Mother's beautiful side." He decided to visit his mother alone. "Have you been well, Mother?"

Odin waited for his chance to snipe. If Van didn't take one more step towards the window, he wouldn't hit his mark. And he found himself posing the same question to himself yet again:

If I do kill this kid, would it really change the world?

"Treize, you're here...... look at these flowers...... aren't they beautiful? Someone named Van sent them," said Angelina, looking at the flower-filled vase as she [rested against] her pillow. "You should say thank yo to him also, yes?"

"Sir Treize isn't here." Van went to replace the flowers in the vase with the ones he was holding [well, it ultimately doesn't matter much BUT it sounds as if the white lilies already there were NOT from Van]. "Besides, these flowers......"

Suddenly, there was an explosion. The window shattered; blood, bits of flesh, and flowers went flying through the room.

"Chi! Someone beat me to the punch......" As odin was putting the sniper rifle away in the violin case, he noticed his communicator was vibrating (for his attention). It ws his son.

"...... sorry, I missed." His voice wavered audibly (lit: clearly).

"I'm on the way!"

On the outside spiral stairs that lead from the room downstairs, there was a young a.s.sa.s.sin [standing? crouching?] stiff even as he held his pistol at the ready. Odin stroked his head even as he spoke, "That guy went so far as to kill (lit: bury) the mother, too...... but that probably wasn't necessary." It was exactly like looking at himself from so long ago.

"If I had just [shot him] sooner...... then the mother wouldn't have died." The boy was (just) feigning a cold voice.

"Don't worry about it," said Odin as he took the smoking gun from the little boy. "It's like this for everyone the first time...... it gets easier after the second time."

"We'll get the contingency fee, right?"

"Yeah......"

On the (downstairs) landing, the young male nurse lie dead with the top of his head blown off. That was the first man the boy had killed.

I told you to take it easy......
I wanted to let you go (lit: throw away/abadon you) before [this happened]
G.o.d, I can't do this [lit: It's just as I feared I can't do this]
I'm sorry, Aoi......

With those thoughts, Odin and his son escaped from the medical facility. Treize heard of Angelina's and Van's deaths after he had completed driving back and [securing the] surrender of all members of the rebel army. That battle had been won by sheer pressure of numbers and there were zero casualties. That had been his battle style ever since he had begun fighting. In fact, Treize had yet to send [even] and enemy to death.

"Is that...... true......?"

He grieved over his brother's death more than his mother's. Treize esteemed Van's genius as the one who would usher in the next era; he even expected it. And he more than anyone else, noticed how admirably Van had continued to love that mother of theirs.

The story as told by those responsible for peace and order said that the male nurse was not part of an underground organization. He [the nurse] however couldn't stand Vans recent oppression of the colonies and that reawakened [his anger] over being punched; he approached some terrorists and they (volunteered) to take part in his revenge.

"So that's it then......" Treize felt regret. He shed tears of regret; it was all his fault. Van's intensification of colonial confinement started when he [Van] had been ordered to fire the Bulge canon. He had invited tragedy in my never getting his own hands dirty. Until then, he had never cried, no matter how painful or miserable things had been. But this time, he sobbed. Too steep was the price he paid:

Angelina Yuy
Van Khushrenada

He vowed to never forget their names. Also, he decided (in his heart) to not hesitate to get blood on his own hands.

Should doing so cause 'time' to stop, should it mean retrogression, I will accept it!

From then on until AC 193 when he was inaugurated as commander of OZT Treize utterly refused to step upon the [world/politcal] stage, instead operating in an education capacity. Treize also, for the eight years between [losing Van and Angelina] and losing to Chang Wufei, remembered the names of [each and every] irreplaceable person sacrificed for his sake [note: it's written such that it sounds like Treize is the one who is taking lives, and he is even if it's not done by his hand, it would be done by his order] No, it wasn't as superficial as [merely] remembering. They [the names] were carved into his heart; it was similar to sankhara [#9] practiced in Buddhism.

During this time, Treize likely lost faith in himself. While it could be surmised that it was around this time that [Treize] [began to feel] that it was better to be a failure with beautiful, self-effacing glory than to be a miserable victor with nothing but control by suppression, he did not once speak of his true intentions until the very end [of his life]. But in any case---

There's no doubting Treize's "sense of atonement" was extremely strong at this time. Ergo, it is believed that he wouldn't resort to simple suicide or allow himself to die in battle by taking recklessly rash actions. Essentially, by dint of not being Treize, Van had probably brought true peace to that crazy world. While bearing the weighty cross of atonement ever since, he (probably) prepared himself for taking the Earth and s.p.a.ce in his hands as Angelina-- the mother he should have loved -- always said he would.

MC-0022 NEXT WINTER

I took off the virtual visor. That was the end of the Treize files. The next files were Zechs Merquise and [or? #10] Milliardo Peacecraft but before [starting those] I remembered the original poem Treize wrote in the summer of AC 187 and loaded it. The t.i.tle was "Dazzling Light."

I saw a point of light from across the dark
I ran towards the light
Nothing but mere running
Running like on possessed
And I kept running
It was just like coming out of a tunnel
I burst into a world of dazzling light
It was a world br.i.m.m.i.n.g with contentment

Is this what I was looking for?
Something that I sought?

No, it was not
I searched not for repose
I did not ask for this heart

I looked behind me
I pa.s.sed by myself
There was the dark exit of the tunnel

I was not looking for results

We needed more progress

So it is
What I sought
It was in that black darkness
There was a meaning to my continued running

So I asked myself

Why?
Why continue to run?

AC 187 Sommer TK.

The (contents) were very deep, but I wasn't in a position to state my impressions. Just then, the emergency signal (re)sounded.

"This is Doktor T...... North Pole base respond."

Hurriedly, I picked up the line. "This is the North Pole base, go ahead Doktor T." With the sandstorm on Mars, the connection was rather bad. The man that appeared on the holomonitor had peculiar long fringe that kept his slender, student-like face from showing [note: dumb dumb dumb, if you can't SEE it, how come it is DESCRIBED?] 

"Tell Master Chang...... that the "Prometheus" was taken by young Miss Winner."

"That's ridiculous!" Master Chang shouted from behind me. "That's [an unbelievable] snafu even for an a.s.shole [#11] like you."

"I'm so sorry!" A silver haired gentleman who seemed [more like a] youth with his blue eyes and charm, cut across the screen. "Of course there's no way I ever would have thought Katrine would go so far! It's all my fault (lit: bad judgement)."

"Looks like that's about right," Master Chang said coldly. The scholar with the bangs spoke in an equally cold tine, "It just means the young lady is more excellent that we are...... from here on out, don't blame this poor guy." His voice was cold but his message was amiable. "I've just ordered 'Nanashi' to pursuit...... can I ask you to intercept?"

"That'll mean we have to kill Professor W's little sister."

"That's unfortunate, we're probably the ones at fault."

"Looks like it's time to hit the road, eh," said Duo Maxwell and he flicked his braid over his shoulder. "Let's go, sir......" [#12]

"Where's my Snow White?" asked Heero Yuy from behind.

"With his Warlock," Father Maxwell answered for his son. As it was a state of emergency, I made to stand up so I could make the necessary preparations.

"You're on standby here......" Father Maxwell pushed me back into my chair.

"But!"

"You haven't finished watching the files, have you?" He asked with a gentle smile while giving my shoulder a couple pats.

"Next are Zechs' files, the same [ones] that were used in that Relena Peacecraft's awakening from (hibernation)......"

"Relena Peacecraft?"

"It was a lot of trouble to hack them [hack them in order to GET them]." His face showed childish pride. "The princess we knew was a little better [than the one you're familiar with."

"But she's changed......"

"The cause is believed to be awakening her with only these files." Father Maxwell spoke with a mischievious grin. "How 'bout it? Got your curiosity piqued?" [#13]

To Be Continued.....

***NOTES***
of the COPIOUS variety

#1 What the latter part of this little pa.s.sage is trying to say is that basically, the leaders at the cusp of the 20-21 centuries (let's call them Gen 1) refused to step down to let their kids (let's call them Gen 2) take up the reigns and apparently actively worked to suppress Gen 2 from taking power. So when Gen 2 started squeezing out kids (let's call them Gen 3), Gen 2 decided to give them all the advantages they themselves didn't have. Gen 1 then finally comes to realize that they will not live forever but through their own oppression of Gen 2, there were no suitable leaders IN Gen 2 to take over, so Gen 1 had no choice but to hand responsibility for the world over to Gen 3... right.] 

#2 Right, so the *commander* committed a blunder by not being at his post, which is *not* the command room. I get that. But WHO is the freaking commander? Is it wrong to a.s.sume it would be Van or Chilie? Because Chilie handles everything swimmingly despite being locked into the *command* room. Also: if Chilie has the Bulge soldiers moving to defend the Bulge, why does it say he asks them to PREVENT themselves from infiltrating the ENEMY'S insides? Shouldn't it say the soldiers worked to prevent the enemy from penetrating the BULGE'S insides? Granted, the enemy is twenty five mobile suits, so I guess it would be weird to infiltrate just ONE mobile suit, but it sure seems to make more sense to me to either prevent the enemy from penetrating YOUR stronghold or for you to penetrate the ENEMY'S stronghold.

#3 - Artemis gets beaten by Treize because he is able to "take action beyond what she could predict." That idea of predicting outcomes and stuff comes into play (kind of significantly) in the next chapter, but with different characters.

#4 - Hey, whut? The text literally says "G.o.d of s.p.a.ce, mother will protect him" meaning either the G.o.d of s.p.a.ce OR mother (or, h.e.l.l, anybody will do in a pinch) will protect him. So I googled G.o.d of s.p.a.ce and turns out, according to wikipedia's sketchy info, that Phanes created the cosmos... and that's a pretty G.o.d like thing to do, yes? However, this was mentioned not on the Phanes page but the Chronos page under the Orphic cosmology section. Phanes was born from the silvery egg Chronos made.

#5 - Literally, it says Treize was unharmed, but obviously, he must have sustained SOME damage after having twenty five Greif's hauling away on him >.

#6 - Literally, it says "parent" not "father" but Odin is a man ergo a father/dad. Since he never told Heero he was his biological father, Odin and Heero must obviously attribute any references to the other (or to themselves) as "father" or "son" as part of their cover story as, well, father and son. And it IS extremely common for people to refer to themselves by their RELATIONSHIP to their partner rather than by their NAME, especially when you have an established repertoire with that person (as in family/work situations) in j.a.panese (and, hey, guess what! This is written IN j.a.panese BY a j.a.panese!)

#7 - Okay, so this sound weird because it's NOT saying "having a heart is WEIRD for a terrorst" but more like "having a heart is UNIQUE TO a terrorist" as in, it's something only a terrorist would have... obviously, you can argue that a terrorist must have something of an imperfect heart because of their job. I like the word "peculiar" because it could mean BOTH of WEIRD and UNIQUE and that's the best I can do with it. Also: yes, it says "son."

#8 - j.a.pANESE FUNERAL RITES ARE PRETTY AWSOMELY MACABRE! Why do they pick up the body? Probably to take it back to Earth, but... When someone dies, the body must be taken back to the family's house where it will lay (kind of in state) for the night. The dead is offered tea along with the rest of the family who gathers to discuss the preparations. I THINK the spouse of the dead (or maybe the whole family?) is supposed to sleep in the same room with the body. Everyone in j.a.pan MUST be cremated, it is a law. The family then gathers round the ashes and use chopsticks to pick out the bones that didn't get burned all the way. These bones are pa.s.sed chopsticks to chopsticks and THAT'S why you never pa.s.s food to people in j.a.pan from your chopsticks to THEIR chopsticks, but must set it down on a plate.

Customs like this (as well as socio-political issues) are interesting to read about because j.a.pan is so different from the rest of the world. And honestly, who really thinks about FUNERAL RITES? Just use what you know. But I'm not sure how many GW fans know j.a.panese funeral rites (I've just heard accounts from friends/coworkers who have lost loved ones here about how it works... haven't had the chance to sift for bones myself yet).

#9 - googled this and a karma/buddhism for dummies site informs me that Sankhara is a "deep impression" and that seems to fit with how Treize was remembering the lives he took.

#10 - Oh G.o.d. Well, when we get around to Chapter FIVE and specific plot points in chapter SIX, I feel compelled to waffle between AND versus OR here. However, without reading BEYOND this chapter and knowing what we know of the original series, it should probably be OR

#11 - I was blasted for translating "kisama" as "b.i.t.c.h" when Heero used the word to address Katrine (in a later chapter) and I'm sure people will wonder about this "a.s.shole" business, but I've asked three j.a.panese people (in addition to my own varied encounters with the word in non-gundam texts) and hands down: kisama is at the top of the list of BAD THINGS to call people. Fun fact: j.a.panese curiously void "taboo" words. There are (or were) seven words you COULD NOT SAY on public airwaves, as made famous by George Carlin, but in all my wild and varied experiences with j.a.panese, I can think of only one that isn't fit to print (or at least it gets treated to the j.a.pan-equivalent of an asterisk ala f*ck or sh*t)

#12 - you may be saying to yourself "Why the h.e.l.l would that sa.s.sy brat Duo Maxwell with the much lauded bad look to him refer to anyone as 'SIR'?" but the fact remains that in the text, he refers to Heero with a typical t.i.tle used in j.a.panese hierarchical relationships when speaking to your superior. In other words, Duo Maxwell is (at least in this p.r.o.noun choice) being polite.

#13 - Woah, can of worms! Barrel of monkeys! Ball of wax! Please please please keep this conversation (all in bold) in mind when you read chapters 5 and 6!!