Chapter 7.2 (1/2)
MC File 3 (middle)
”[Sir,] I have confirmed that four mobile suits took off from the Lanagrin Republic. Just as Master Chang said, it's definitely {Gundam Epyon} and {Virgo IV},” Kathy announced as she looked at the operation data on the virtual monitor. I wasn't a Preventer or anything, so she didn't have to be so polite to me [#0]. I took a peep over her shoulder and identified the {Epyon}. I could see there was no mistake. I was familiar with that red and black [machine]. Long ago, I'd challenged that suit to a fight. In the battle that came to be known as the ”Even Wars,” round the time I'd dome some preliminary skirmishes, I was sure there had been three {Virgo II}s accompanying [the Epyon]. Ultimately, I'd been left with the impresison [they] were hard to deal with.
”Sooo, their goal is there.”
”Their course has taken a big detour to the southwest,” Kathy said as she worked with images on several simulators. ”In that direction is...... Mt. Olympus.”
Just as I'd thought, [they weren't heading for] Chryse or Elysium Island.
”Shall I inform Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell?”
”When will Wufei rendezvous with those guys?”
”According to the calculations, in thirty Mars minutes.”
”Oh...... for now, it might be a good idea to tell Captain Sakai of the Voyage.”
”Understood......”
She responded to every [little] thing politely.
”As soon as that's been taken care of, I'll return to viewing the files. Father, why don't you take a seat on the sofa and rest.”
Did I look like that much of a grandpa? I still thought of myself as being young. For the record, I'm younger than your mom. Those words make it all the way to my throat but [instead: I swallowed them and changed the subject, ”Given the circ.u.mstances, you should put off on watching the files.”
”But.....”
”Kathy...... is it possible to watch Wufei (and the others') fight in real time?”
”Maybe, if I hacked the Mars Federation Army's surveillance satellites......”
That was probably no easy task no matter how [good] a preventer you were. To [successfully hack it] without getting caught was applause worthy. It was certainly impossible for the average hacker, and practically impossible for even me or Heero. For that silent brat Phobos or Miss Katrine, if they had the time, it might be doable. That's how tight the Federation Army's security satellite's security is. If she could do it by the time Wufei and Zechs made contact, I'd reward her with a lecture.
Me, by the way-- so far, my life had been boring as s.h.i.+t but I'd chosen to live it till the end. He'd probably tell me ”Your life's not worth curving the bullet.” That guy...... he thought that that too-heavy responsibility which Heero Yuy had been made to shoulder [was something] he had to see through to the very end. That's what friends do. Even if he doesn't think so himself. [His?] ties to Heero didn't begin now. As such, having already come this far, [he?] could only stick it out to the end. [#1]
I might look really old, but inside I was the same as I'd been as a kid, and with a little doping, I wouldn't lose to a couple squirts. I wasn't the fool hardy idiot who'd just blown outta here, but I was confident I could easily handle a gundam and I thought I could do it better than he could. From the get go, I'd had no intention of having a kid in the pilot seat of my partner. Except that now, my partner was no where to be found.
I had an interval of thirty minutes. I wanted to tell you a story from a little while back. Speaking in Mars years, that'd be around nine years..... no, ten years ago.
I'm gonna use the MC calendar for conveniences' sake hereafter, but actually, at that time, rotation based on a twenty-four hour [days] leaves you with thirty seven extra minutes.
That's ”midnight plus thirty seven.”
That was a pain in the a.s.s. At the time we used [a system] called ”Mars Time” and each hour was one minute thirty-five seconds [longer that the AC hour #2] but it didn't last long. Leap seconds or whatever, time moves on no matter how you measure it. Mostly, the guys who wanted ”freedom” and thought time, the past, history, beliefs and whatnot were a bother, they left old Earth for the ”New Earth” and had no reason to stick to the AC calendar. Over on Earth, they had a reason to hold their order and tradition in high regard, so [we here on Mars] wanted to take care of our own ”yard stick” and ”history.” It was a big responsibility that was thrust upon us, but we accepted it. History, economics, exchanges between Earth and Mars were practically nonexistent, we the citizens of Mars (Martians) honestly just wanted to be left alone.
Well, at any rate-- it was around twenty years ago Earth time that this moldly old story starts.
MC-0012 FIRST SPRING
I was bored.
Wasn't interested in tomorrow.
I knew the taste of alcohol and cigarettes.
I only came out at night [#3].
Colony, Earth, whatever.
Whatever.
Everything up until yesterday had been complicated. But I still went by the name ”Duo” and I still had a long braid hanging limply down to my a.s.s.
”Names are chosen by other people, eh.”
As long as I had a place to go back to, I was set. That's what I thought. But--. It was supposed to be over and yet nothing really was. The seasons went flying by in front of me, but I was at a stand still. I'd started to think that, if this was how it was gonna be, I'd have been better off in the frozen capsule like him.
”I just want to say, it's cold as h.e.l.l.”
He'd definitely say something like that. Ha, that made me laugh. Maybe that was when [it was]. When I thought I'd break it off with Hilde Schbeiker, when I'd been running hot and cold (lit: been pointlessly/inefficiently living with Hilde), Hilde beat me to the punch.
”Sayonara, Duo...... I'm sick of you.”
What the h.e.l.l? I mean, why wasn't it me saying that?
”You know, it shows on your face right away.”
”Huh?!”
”You really are hopeless...... always looking back.” She (abused) my hair with a sharp tug, ”What is this braid? I don't now if it was Mister Helen or Sister Miren but is it [really] that much fun? Do you think it's cool?! I think it looks like c.r.a.p!!”
”Ow, ow! OUCH!”
”So long! Say h.e.l.lo to your buddy Solo or whatever his name is.”
I spat on the floor and, by the time I'd thought to slam the door closed, Hilde was already gone. Even a guy like me was hurt 282/1/14. I was angry at myself for not fighting back [verbally]. My drunken vigor helped.
”Wait, oi!” I went after Hilde. ”I told you to wait! OI!” She started running to get away. I caught up and when I grabbed her shoulder, she gave a quick turn and grabbed my arm instead. ”!” Without a second to even think, I was in the air and thrown down to the ground.
”I used to be with OZ! You can't beat me!” She turned me over 282/2/1-2 in a stance unique to a soldier.
”Don't get within 9.46 petameters of me!”
”9.46 peta?” I later found out that 9.46 petameters is about the distance of one light year.
”If you do, be ready for me to file a restraining order (lit: sue you as a stalker)!”
If peta was [the same as] kilo, then it was nine trillion four hundred six billion kilometers...... so she hated me astronomically. I should just warp the h.e.l.l out of there [is what she meant]. ”I have a friend in the colonies who's a lawyer and it'd be so easy to get the papers.”
She rattled on as I stood up and as I rubbed my throbbing backside, I yelled out loudly, ”Aright! Alright already. I won't follow you any more, just go away.”
”Then I'll go easy on you...... be thankful I'm being so generous!” Hilde turned on her heel and was gone, just like that. I was sad to see her go. Why? Was it just because that matched how I felt or was I just conceited enough to think she still loved me 282/2/5-7<. either=”” way,=”” for=”” me,=”” it=”” felt=”” like=”” the=”” worst=”” way=”” to=”” break=”” up.=”” i=”” felt=”” like=”” c.r.a.p.=”” [my]=”” stupid=”” braid=”” was=”” pitiable=”” [alt:=”” i=”” was=”” one=”” wretched,=”” braided=”” idiot.]=”” i=”” was=”” a=”” dimwit=”” and=”” a=”” dullard=”” and=”” completely=”” uncool.=”” but=”” i=”” thought=”” ”uncool”=”” seemed=”” just=”” about=”” right=”” for=””>
MC-0012 NEXT WINTER
I landed on Mars. It was close to the foot of Mt. Olympus. Although one light year was impossible, I had gone as far away as I could. Not that I was afraid of legal action. It'd be easy to break out if they caught me. As long as I wasn't wanted (lit: hated), this way was the best way. It was also perfect for getting off the bottle. I used my wanderl.u.s.t to [handle] my grudge 282/3/13. Staying in one place made me antsy. So the endless wilds of Mars suited me far better than the cramped colonies. I collected a light engine and parts at a junk [yard] and while I was putting together an off-road bike for [exploring those] wild lands, I thought suddenly of a question as I wiped the sweat off my forehead with my oil-covered arm:
”Huh, was Mars always this warm?”
I thought the life system of the para terraforming dome was on the fritz. I left the dome and was surprised. A little leaf beetle was flying. The ocean was off in the distance. Clouds floated by. You could go on forever without a helmet. I took a deep breath and choked a little on the sandy air that spread through my lungs.
”Wooow...... chalk one up to the human race! [We] really did terraform Mars!”
I was in total admiration. The small sun was s.h.i.+ning. Phobos was moving in the opposite direction [from everything else].
”That's just really something.”
I suddenly thought of something then: what was man's greatest legacy? [I knew] it wasn't this world or the colonies at least. The pyramids and Roman Coliseum weren't it either. The human race wouldn't change all that much with or without ancient remains. It wasn't that kind of structure, it was something more (conscious) of the essence of man. [Was it his] possibility or [his] ever-expanding pioneering spirit[?] I didn't really know, nothing I could think of really fit 283/1/3-4<. mankind=”” in=”” and=”” of=”” itself=”” is=”” something=”” to=”” behold=”” but=”” our=”” existence=”” was=”” rubbish.=”” it=”” wasn't=”” for=”” (a=”” guy=”” like)=”” me=”” to=”” know=”” if=”” i=”” should=”” look=”” at=”” the=”” scene=”” before=”” me=”” as=”” the=”” light=”” of=”” a=”” new=”” hope=”” or=”” as=”” the=”” dark=”” cloud=”” of=”” a=”” future=”” of=”” continuing=”” endless=”” ruin.=”” honestly,=”” what=”” of=”” it?=””>
Tears spilled down my cheeks. I wondered why [I was crying] at a time like that. I certainly wasn't a kid and neither was there any reason for the scenery to move me [to tears]. What the h.e.l.l were these tears? Was it sadness or vexation or even happiness? Lonliness. This carefreeness and freedom that were supposed to suit me best somehow left me feeling miserable and lonely.
”......”
But I swear, even then I didn't think about Hilde.
”Ahhh......” I gave a huge yawn. After stretching my back, I went back to the workshop. I had to retune/rebuild the engine all over again. At first, I'd thought I would have to tour in an astrosuit, but I'd be happy to get more horse power. Thinking back about it now, I might have been able to have made it in time.
MC-0014 NEXT WINTER
I got on my partner ((an 800 cc two wheel bike)) and had me some Mars touring. In a few months, the immigrants coming from Earth increased dramatically. They'd probably gotten tired of living the quiet life over there. You could immigrate by [taking the] Mars (endemic) preventative vaccine and a simple doc.u.ment check. There was no reason not to smuggle yourself in, though 283/3/11. Actually, that's what I had done. There was noting to it when you got accustomed to the one-third gravity 283/3/13. It felt good to be outside without a helmet. I bet everyone just wanted ”freedom.” There were times when tens of thousands of immigrants came in one season. That was how the fishy Federal government got started-- [because all these people had been attracted to Mars]. The increase in population brought with it an increase in fighting. When that happens, the [list] idiots who mistake ”self indulgence” for ”freedom” goes on and on. If it's just a scuffle, the police or the sheriff can do something, but for the guy who goes as far as terrorism and (disputes), he can't be (so easily) taken care of. Anyhow, an armed force was established. It was imperative to save the peace. Since Earth's ”Peace Law” didn't condone the maintenance of an army, it was (within the limits of a.s.sumption) that the Mars Federation could only declare it's independence.
I shouldn't have done it, but I'd [gone riding] at full tilt one winter night on Mars. It was probably in the middle of the night, at ”midnight plus thirty seven.” I'd had a road accident. An iceberg, frozen solid, is serious bad news for a (two wheeler) bike. If [I had had #3.5] four wheel drive, I just would have slipped, but a motorcycle falls over onto its side. It was a picture perfect blunder 284/1/15, and I was an idiot. My spiked tired weren't worth s.h.i.+t. That little bit of alcohol I'd had (lit: the bit of alcohol in my stomach) wasn't too good, either. I [just] wanted some ”fire” to warm up my frozen body, but that was the fatal [mistake]. The handle bars swayed left and right and the light from my headlight [intermittently] lit up a rock wall. I can't remember what I slipped on. I might have been avoiding some obstacle. All I know was that it wasn't a banana peel. Before I knew it, I'd taken a fantastic spill 284/1/3<; my=”” partner=”” had=”” crashed=”” into=”” the=”” rock=”” wall=”” and=”” was=”” going=”” up=”” in=”” flames.=”” thanks=”” to=”” my=”” helmet=”” and=”” protector,=”” my=”” head,=”” spine=”” and=”” internal=”” organs=”” were=”” fine=”” but=”” my=”” left=”” arm=”” and=”” both=”” my=”” legs=”” had=”” been=”” broken=”” [#4].=”” it=”” was=”” feeling=”” my=”” age=”” more=”” than=”” the=”” broken=”” bones=”” that=”” caused=”” a=”” far=”” more=”” acute=”” pain.=”” it=”” was=”” sad=”” seeing=”” my=”” partner=”” burning=””>
”d.a.m.nIT, this s.h.i.+t huuurts!” Cry or scream, no one came. ”Gimme a break, b.a.s.t.a.r.d!” I railed at the Mars winters and [my] advanced aging at the hands of the Mars endemic.
It began to snow.
I could smell my self loathing 284/2/11. It was ridiculous to shout at myself. When a huge clump of snow looking like a snot ball fell into my gaping pie hole, I decided to shut up.
”Angggg.... guh.” Clenching my teeth hurt. But I could have been on the verge of dying 284/2/11<>
”Owa---! Somebody heeelp!”
It snowed harder.
The wind turned colder.
That's what I got for my flailing around. It was time to pay the price for [ a lifetime of?] having had my own way with one thing and another. I was doomed to die like that. Then, disappointingly, I lost consciousness.
In my swiss cheese memory [of the event], it seems like I remember seeing a circus hover-truck. Apparently, some busy body had found me.
”Just like always, huh, this kid......”
”Hn, blew himself up...... lucky no one else got caught up in it.” I remembered hearing the familiar voices of that man and woman.
”Is he breathing?”
”Barely.” After using [his] fist to check the breath coming from my nose, he took a whiff and spat, ”seems like he was riding drunk.”
”He was asking for it? Is he really [that] dumb?”
I wanted to say something back but I was only half conscious.
”You're leaving?”
”It's not like he's so [bad off] that he wave to do all sorts of stuff right now.”
”Good thing you're so tough, Mr. Stupid Pants [#5]......”
”[He suffers from] something that not even death would cure.” So they'd come to Mars, too, then. Earth must really have been boring. There was no reason for them to help me, but they'd at contacted a hospital that had emergency facilities. [They were] blunt as ever. Nevertheless, I was real glad the gundam called Heavyarms wasn't there. The way he handled the injured was way too rough.
When I regained consciousness, I was in a hospital room with both my legs plastered and suspended. My flaming partner had apparently saved me from freezing to death and served as a [beacon] for the rescue team. Even with the most advanced medical treatments, the doctor said it would take two months for my old bones to fully heal. That meant [I'd still be in plaster at the start of] the new year. That was two calendar years [#6]. I swear to G.o.d I'd never drive drunk ever again. Not that I believed in G.o.d or anything. I would never do it again at any rate. But not for my sake. I decided to never ever do that again for the sake of my now-torched partner.
MC-0015 FIRST SPRING
”I'm simply stunned at your stupidity.”
At the start of the year, standing before my immobile self was none other than Hilde. She had on black rimmed gla.s.ses and an expensive looking suit. The pin heels on her feet and the miniskirt looked good enough to get my heart racing. It was enough to make me wonder who it was at first, I hadn't seen Hilde in quite some time; she had changed into a beauty with brains. I was as miserable as ever, no... I was one shade more miserable, I couldn't pay the hospital bill and in the end, it was to her that I went begging.
With a little persuasion, a nurse I was on good terms with did me the favor of looking up circus groups with (older) sister and (younger) brother siblings, but they weren't anywhere on Mars. I didn't have any other acquaintances so I was at a loss. The hospital director said I could work off my debt at the hospital, but I really wasn't interested. The hospital had such excessive profits that they [had?] given me the Mars endemic vaccine even though I didn't ask for it. After all the trouble I'd gone to to smuggle it in, it was all for naught. But still, since my [rapid on-set?] aging had progressed, no doubt I'd been injected with a fake. Because my drunk driving wasn't a secret, if I was released from the hospital now, it followed that I'd be going to the big house. Prison on Mars was bad news. Apparently, once you went in, you didn't come back out. For an old man with broken bones, escape was most likely impossible. Meanwhile, Hilde had somehow gotten the information and came to see me.
”The people in the traveling Gypsy circus told me,” she told me, sounding like someone truly put out. Hilde was now a librarian at the Lanagrin Republic National Library located in Mars' southern hemisphere. My face froze with nerves. There was no doubting that I was within 9.46 petameters.
”Relax, you don't have to pay me back.” Unlike the outside, her inside was just like it used to be. ”Because what you need is the doctor's fee.” For all that I was a laid-up invalid, I had never heard such a rubbish pun [#7].
”Sorry,” she said, but didn't mean it. Who ever apologized from the heart? Use as much as you can then just toss it away, right? I did get out of the hospital but my partner was ruined and I had nowhere to go. I didn't have any other choice but to sneak aboard an airline and head to the Southern hemisphere. I was alone so I could go anywhere. I was fascinated with the souther hemisphered the first time I saw it.
The one continent was all connected. This was the Mars continent, the biggest on Mars?! d.a.m.ned if it wasn't the perfect place for off-road touring.
I thought it was embarra.s.sing but I rolled into Hilde's place in Lanagrin. She was living in a spiffy high-rise apartment. Seems like a secretary at a library made pretty good money.
”Oh well! You have pay for the squid with your own quid.”
Earn greenbacks on the red planet..... even without the corny pun [#8], I'd have gone along with that. At the center of this country was the Lana Green Sea and the high-rise buildings lining the ocean fronted megalopolis prospered, but along the perimeter of the ocean, quiet port towns dotted the way; they made me think it wouldn't be a bad place to live. None of that mattered to me. As I looked for a part-time job as a bar tender at a bar in one of the port towns, I earned some cash (as hired muscle [e.g. a bouncer]) and swindling people gambling on the side; I saved up my pocket money and started thinking about rebuilding my partner. Next time, if I wrapped wire rope around mud tires, I thought that would grip even on an iceberg. I found her on the way home after she was unearthed at a junk yard. They were selling the engine of an off-road bike designed for Mars, the Ares Hornet ß III 1500 cc[#9], albeit used.I [knew] it would be easy to steal, but a man has his pride and I had to buy it with the money [I'd earned] from honest labor. That was just common courtesy for [what would be] my new partner. Just you wait, Ares! From the next day, I started working in earnest (lit: with hope). I seriously worked. Without any persuasion from women 287/2/7, I really went after [all the] roughs and used some serious moves. The price skyrocketed several times [but if I saved] just a bit more and I'd have enough to buy the Ares engine.
”There really is no cure for your stupidity, huh!” The piggy bank I'd been using to save [for Ares] was picked up by Hilde. ”Don't you know how old you are? [ALT: Don't you think you're too old to ride a motorcycle?]”
”Give it back! I've finally filled it up, its MY piggy!”
”[I think] I'll be taking this as a fee for having to put up with you for so long!” She busted the piggy bank open and took all that as inside it.
”......”
There was no love.
I wasn't loved.
I intrinsically didn't 'get' love.
But I wanted Ares.
”Let's get married.”
”Huh?” Hilde said and turned around.
”I love you, let's get married!”
I'd give up alcohol, smokes, and women.
I'd cut my hair.
I'd give up the name Duo.
All's fair in love and war [#10].
Really, I'd do whatever it took. I wasn't going to give up on the Ares Hornet ß III engine, no matter what. I wanted to ride across the endless Mars continent.
”Marry me, Hilde! I never noticed (until now) [that] I've loved you all along!!” If I just had a marriage license (lit: registration) then I could combine our a.s.sets. If I could just get my partner [made], the bike was as good as mine 287/3/12. Frankly, I had a hunch I'd be rejected. But it looked like saying I'd cut my hair had worked.
”Alright, if you're gonna cut your hair.” I pulled Hilde [by the] arm and took her to a church in the port town. I had lent a large sum to the elderly priest there. I'd won it at poker. I'd won because I didn't advocate ”G.o.d's Path” 287/3/16-20 [#11]. We got the wedding performed there, cheap as free. The ceremonial cutting of my braid was also held there.
Sorry, Sister Helen.
So long, Solo.
This is for my new partner.
Forgive me.
I don't need a blessing. I didn't expect a promising future. I wasn't a pacifist or a bachelor. And I sure wasn't a consequentialist [#12]. This was also goodbye to dragging my past [around with me]. I played along for two or three months. Of course, I thought that was the hardest I'd worked in my life. I also did manual labor in MTFs ((Mars teraforming suits)) used for public works. It got around that I was hired muscle and a cheating gambler so I couldn't make much money doing that anymore. [Instead], I got into handling the smuggling of goods that the government had taken it upon itself to declare illegal by bullying the weak 288/1/12. The money wasn't half bad. Piggy Junior got nice and fat and all that would go towards my partner, version 3.0.
My first partner was [Gundam Deathscythe}. Actually, I'd stolen that, too. I had it remodeled and it became {Gundam Dethscythe h.e.l.l}. He was a super cool partner, but there was no way to use him outside of war so I (crushed) him [#13]. It was incredibly difficult and I'd heard grinding here and there [#13!!!]. I could hardly keep him [after the war], so I'd gone off to [the/my?] final battle in Brussels with my guns blazing. My second [partner] got junked the other day. This one was n umber three. I'd finally saved enough and busted open Piggy Junior. I got all the parts for my partner together and in the storehouse behind the church, I was a regular grease monkey putting her together. When I tried to make her roar, she didn't disappoint.
”Hey, Maxwell,” the old priest said.
”What's up, Gramps?” I was in a fantastic mood.
”Looks like I can't pay off my debt. [#11]”
”Oh, don't worry about it. I'm just about finished with my girl, so let's call it even.”
”I can't let you do that.”
”When I was a kid, I owed a great deal to [another] church...... so I don't need anything.”
”But”
”I may be a fake and shady, but I don't take money from the poor, that's me, Du- Pig Maxwell.” I sat astride my partner, hit the accelerator. ”Catch ya later, Gramps!” I headed to the wilderness at full throttle.
”YAHOO!”
I had a feeling I was forgetting something, but there wasn't supposed to be any past for me to look back on. I didn't even have that troublesome braid. I thought I heard a woman's voice [scream], ”You IDIOT!” but it was lost in the roaring of my bike's engine. Don't worry, don't worry. Anyway you slice it, I'm a big pig of an idiot.
MC-0016 FIRST SPRING
A year on Mars had pa.s.sed and I went back to Lanagrin [for the first time since leaving]. I didn't want to get older and winter was pretty dang cold. Even with my snow tires clandestinely fas.h.i.+oned out of mud tires wrapped in wire rope, I sunk [into the snow] a lot. Each and every time [that happened] I called myself an idiot. Ever since, I stopped riding my girl at night in the winter and spent the night at a saloon. The alcohol and smokes had already made a comeback. When my hair got long, I cut it. I didn't need anything at Hilde's [#13.5], so I didn't go to the maritime city but headed to the port town at the foot of camelback Mountain. I dropped by Gramp's church. I was in a for a [big] surprise. Hilde was there in a nun's habit looking after G.o.d knows whose kids.
”Hey...... what happened to you?” I asked amicably. Just as soon as I said that, Hilde's face got seriously angry.
”Don't you even! a.s.shole!”
Suddenly, she grabbed by right arm, twisted it up my back and pressed my hand to my back. ”This is all your fault!!” Just like that she pinned me to the ground and the (violent woman) straddled me. My protector felt the impact and inflated. Thanks to [my gear], I got through my last accident without breaking my back.
”Ow ow ow...... ow, ouch, that the h.e.l.l happened?”
”That old mad died and left the church to YOU! Said to tell you his debt was settled or something!!” Said Sister Hilde, ex-librarian, ex-girlfriend, ex-OZ s.p.a.ce Army soldier. ”Moreover, this money pit of a church is in a real FIX!!” I thought my right arm would get broken. Her kansetsu technique [#14] was no joke. ”You got the G.o.d of Death on one shoulder and the G.o.d of Poverty on the other, don't ya. How'd ya like that, huh?!”
”Whaddaya want me to do?!”
”Give me a divorce! Right here, right now: divorce!”
”What?”
”What do you mean 'what'! It's because my estate's jointly owned by you that I'm in this mess!!”
s.h.i.+t, ex...... I'd forgotten she was my wife.
”Why didn't you just file for divorce yourself?” I heard a snap that I hadn't wanted to hear, ”OWWW!!” A long time ago, a learned man once said: If thy right arm has broken, extend thy left. But I had no intention of doing that! I'd just broken my left arm about a year ago.
”There's these poor kids here with no place to go! And I'm supposed to just leave them to fend for themselves?!
”I don't know. Why not!”
”Where did this bad guy come from, you jerk?!” I thought about saying the non-resisting old man with the broken right arm was pretty poor [as in pitiable], too. There was a load of other stuff I wanted to say, too, but I kept quiet. Because Hilde grabbed my chin and made me flip over 289/2/11-12<. if=”” i=”” stayed=”” like=”” that,=”” she=”” could=”” get=”” my=””>
”U-uncle! I give up!” I surrendered. She had a flawless victory. With my powerless, dangling right arm, I signed the divorce papers. When I signed 'Pig Maxwell,' she blew up at me and called me an idiot. When I resignedly wrote 'Duo,' she took a jab at me, [accusing me] of dragging it out.
”Well, what should I write?” Hilde said a name I'd never heard before: James Clerk Maxwell. I gathered it was apparently the name of a Scottish physicist a long time ago and according to (our) family registry, my official name. For the marriage license, Hilde had taken it upon herself to give me that name. As [she] told me how to spell it out one letter at a time, I [was struck] by this (desperate/frantic) thought: it's strange how she's telling me what the letters are. I had a strange feeling. It was like being wrapped in warmth, like being in the palm of a gentle hand. It wasn't a distinct [feeling]; I'd never experienced anything like it until then. It was different even from the warmth of Sister Helen who loved me [ALT: who treated me with affection]. Hilde's ferociousness just before seemed like (a lie). I felt something akin to maturity.
”Something's different about you, eh.”
”Really?”
I thought it was because she quit wearing the black rimmed gla.s.ses.
I thought it was because [she wore] a nun's habit.
No, on second thought, it was because I'd been gone for one year, two Earth years. But something was different. I didn't want to say 'angel' or 'G.o.ddess' because there were absolutely no similarities there. In the back of my mind, the (key)word 'mother' popped up. But I immediately smothered (lit: denied) it. I'm not even supposed to know what ['mother'] is because ever since I was born, for as long as I can remember, I've been on my own. After that, I had to write an IOU for a hefty sum. Also, I had to promise to pay off my debt to the Schbeiker Church in the form of donations. She didn't say it like an order, but [her words] had the power to make me obey, [it was] as if I'd been put under a spell. On top of that, I was handed a new nickname, Father Maxwell, and a black priest's outfit. We were divorced, so I had no clue why I was being put under Hilde's restrictions, but I decided to go along with it. As a motorcyclist, I'd do whatever to protect my backbone and spine. Until my right arm healed, I'd have to stay at the church, orphanage, whatever that place was. The kids thought that I, with my arm in a sling, was amusing; I got sick of their incessantly d.o.g.g.i.ng my every step. Finally the bandages came off and when I thought the break was healed, Hilde suddenly came up and slapped me on the back. There was a pain that made me imagine that, if I had looked under my s.h.i.+rt, I'd see a red, hand-shaped mark.