Chapter 8 (1/2)

Peacecraft File 1

“Naturally they’re going to stand in confrontation to me.”

“Isn’t that what you’re waiting for?”

“Those boys (lit: they) will charge through/head straight on a different (vector) professionally. That’s what it is to me, {Zechs Merquis}.”

AC-195 EVE WARS Libra

Zechs and Noin

“It’s the strong that make the weak! [With] the Earth [playing the role of] the strong, the reality is the colonies [have been made into] the weak; they’re running [the colonies] down!”

“I hated anybody who was weak. They were incessantly trembling with fear over when they would allow themselves to attack. They couldn’t trust anyone, couldn’t say what they wanted to say, and I couldn’t forgive them for it.”

“That’s what the strong do!”

“Zechs, there are no strong people! The human race, all of it, is weak! As are you and me both!”

*

“It’s over, Zechs.”

“No, not yet! I still do not accept that I am weak!”

“The colonies themselves have decided and they will take the path to total pacifism…… your actions are meaningless!”

“This is, after all, [my?] b.l.o.o.d.y destiny…… don’t think there’s any escape from this crime (lit: sin)! This ends now, Heero!”

“Zechs, you’re supposed to see the future!”

*

“Why…… don’t you kill me?”

“Relena would be sad.”

“……”

*

“You are too pure. And too kind. But if you weren’t, I suppose that would mean [you] had no right to live.”

*

“In that case, I’ll (show you) I’ll survive through anything. As a soldier tougher than any other!!”

“Zechs!!”

“We’ll meet again, Heero!!”

AC-195 EVE WARS Libra

Zechs and Heero

MC-0022 NEXT WINTER

Brilliant golden light inundated the monitor. It was s.h.i.+ning from the {Tall Geese Heaven} my father piloted. When the flood of light finally subsided, the two-hundred-fifty Mars suits went cras.h.i.+ng down.

“Amazing, isn’t it……” Katrine said beside me, her large eyes opened even wider [than usual].

“The particles of the gold light from {Tall Geese Heaven} are nano-defensers that were developed for anti-mobile doll uses. Long ago, Treize Khushrenada was apparently requested to develop plans [for a device that] would annihilate the mobile dolls that were sweeping over the AC era,” Naina briefly explained clear mindedly as she opened a lunch box.

“Is a technique from such a long time ago useful now?”

“It’s ‘superst.i.tion,’ no it’s ‘blind faith’ to think scientific techniques consistently surpa.s.s and progress what came before, Katrine.” Naina took out the sandwiches and told us it was a “late lunch” as she handed Katrine and me a sandwich.

“We aren’t at the rendezvous point yet?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head.

“Are they there already?”

With my mouth stuffed with sandwich, I nodded in response to Naina’s question and switched this hovercraft to (auto-hover) in position 234/3/3-4<. of=”” the=”” vegetables=”” stuck=”” between=”” the=”” slices=”” of=”” bread,=”” the=”” tomato=”” was=”” juicy=”” and=”” especially=”” good.=”” while=”” enjoying=”” [the=”” sandwich],=”” i=”” looked=”” absently=”” at=”” the=”” light=”” that=”” was=”” approaching=”” our=”” s.h.i.+p.=”” i=”” knew=”” at=”” once=”” that=”” that=”” luminous=”” point=”” was=”” the=”” small=”” s.h.i.+p=”” on=”” which=”” my=”” mother=”” and=”” president=”” relena=”” rode.=”” a=”” few=”” seconds=”” later,=”” they=”” were=”” within=”” docking=”” distance.=”” behind=”” me,=”” katrine=”” got=”” depressed=”” and=”” sighed=””>

“I fought using my family [#1] without knowing anything.”

I wanted to say that wasn’t true. The nano-defensers instantly reset the data acc.u.mulated in the unmanned machines [#2]. But there was someone to manage the mobile dolls’ systems and if they could (feedback [#3]) the data, it would be possible to restart them. I believed that, if it was the Maganacs, they were sure to respond, but Naina began speaking before I could.

“Even so, they weren’t effective against Snow White and Warlock. Moreover, it’s only just recently that those [nanotech] abilities have reached the stage of being able to be used practically, even though the theory came from the previous era, active application of nanotechnology has been the result of recent research.”

The reason people around me called me “reticent” was, I believe, because Naina was just too quick.

“This is delicious!” Katrine’s smiling face shone. “I’ve never had a sandwich this good before!”

“Sister Hilde taught me,” murmured Naina as she took a bite; her expression was somewhat sad. “There’s a trick to the distribution of mustard and mayonnaise…… she said it was the secret to drawing out the sweetness in the tomato.”

As she savored the flavor, Katrine muttered, “That old Professor Hilde Schbeiker, she’s been the authority on nanotechnology till now, hasn’t she?”

“Before she started the orphanage, her official [role] was as secretary in the Lanagrin Republic National Library…… in reality, she extracted data (that could be practically applied 236/2/14) from the enormous memory library from the past, and she’s been studying it since.”

“But ultimately that meant ‘Special Officer First Cla.s.s Zechs Merquise’ was allowed to appear, right?”

On the wide range radar on the submonitor, a point of light appeared and it was leaving at a fast pace. It was {Gundam Epyon}, which had left from the above-mentioned battlefield at once, changing to flight mobile armor mode and withdrawing back to the Lanagrin Republic.

“That’s not right, Katrine.” Naina again made the denial before I could. “That hologram was a program that started with Dixneuf Neuenheim died…… Sister Hilde only extracted [the data] which was used for selfish purposes.”

It was the Neuenheim Company [#4] that made [our] father’s residual memories, which were in {Gundam Epyon}’s “ZERO system” into a three-dimensional real image but it was someone from the Lanagrin Republic who’d hacked [into whatever system] that lead us to the present situation. Both I and Katrine had initially believed Professor Hilde Schbeiker to be the ring leader. But Naina had said, “That’s absolutely unbelievable.” I could infer that, in the Lanagrin Republic government, there was an even more (unscrupulous) man behind the black curtain [#5]. Because Naina said it and she’d lived with Professor Schbeiker for several years, she probably wasn’t wrong. Their close relations.h.i.+p was vouched for by the deliciousness of this very sandwich.

“So the “PPP” [Perfect Peace Program] wasn’t Professor Schbeiker either?” When Katrine said that, the rear door opened and my mother and Lucretia and President Relena appeared.

“That’s backwards. Professor Schbeiker resumed her research in order to free Father Maxwell from the (spellbinding) PPP.” Even now, mother’s voice and Naina’s voice resembled each other. If I kept listening I wouldn’t be able to tell which was which.

“Besides, the basic concept of the “PPP” has existed since before we were born.” Mother spoke as she pa.s.sé me the two microchips to which the “files in question” had been saved, “This is what we had copied at the Preventer base and this is what Professor Schbeiker sent us.”

“May I ask you a favor, Milu?” President Relena asked, using a tone of voice far too polite for a guy like me.

“Yes.” If we put these two files with the “Zechs File” we had and ran them through the “ZERO system” to (calculation manage), a new file with a more diversified historical point of view would be made.

“What should I name the file?” A new file name was necessary to save it.

With hope-filled blue eyes, President Relena said, “’Peacecraft File’ if you please.”

When I looked at the contents of the file, the oldest thing was from AC 130. Since Mother and Father were born in AC 176, this was pretty dated “Heero Yuy” was in the heading for people and for a second, I was puzzled. That was not the Snow White’s pilot’s codename, I finally remembered it was the name of the legendary s.p.a.ce colonial leader. All the data until now had been unclear about the origin of Heero Yuy. He was born to a poor working cla.s.s which had been developed by s.p.a.ce 237/2/3 [adjectival order], put himself through school and after he studied abroad at a distinguished college, he specialized in political philosophy and think tank and stood up for the colonies is one theory, and another is that he originally came from an affluent family and when he went to the colonies on a college study trip and saw how miserable [the colonists] lives were, he decided he ought to become the [kind of] politician who could save their pitiful lives. Either way, the leader Heero Yuy resolutely confronted/fought against the Earth Sphere United Alliance as a representatives of the colonies. How old would Heero Yuy have been in AC 130, I wonder. It was AC 165 when he appeared front and center I history and it was AC 173 when he filed/sued for independence for the colonies which had purported demilitarization and nonviolence. Commonly, it was referred to as the “{Heart of s.p.a.ce} Proclamation”. Two years later on April , AC 175, he was a.s.sa.s.sinated for/by Earth’s political calculation. It had only been ten years, but Heero Yuy had certainly worked himself to the bone and had continued to work pa.s.sionately for [both] realizing peach on all of Earth and the wish for colonial freedom and the happiness of those who lived there. The image he left behind was like nothing so much as him running straight through (violent/super excited) history. The one thing I didn’t understand was how he came to have so much enthusiasm. The original reason, like where the man himself originated from, has forever been vague. Now, in the new “Peacecraft File” I held in my hand, it seemed possible to have a glimpse at one part of Heero Yuy’s character formation. My interest was suddenly piqued. It was probably one of my bad habits—being carried away by a sudden impulse and then wanting to put it into action. I asked Naina to pilot until we reached Elysium Island. And I received permission to look at the contents of the file from President Relena and Mother. I put on the virtual visor and [the word] “ZERO” immediately appeared. It began with the story of my great-grandmother, the Queen [#6].

AC-130-144

In a small country in Scandinavia on Earth, in the Cinq Kingdom’s Peacecraft household, [identical] twin princesses were born. It was spring of AC 130. Princess Sabrina and Katerina. They both had beautiful s.h.i.+ning blonde hair and clear blue eyes. This royal house had an old custom of not raising twins together. The elder sister Sabrina would remain in the kingdom and the younger sister Katerina would leave her filial home a few months after her birth and be sent to colony L-1 C11234, one of the Cinq Kingdom’s s.p.a.ce colonies. For Katerina, that was a happy thing. It was Sabrina, the [future] successor to the throne who was the unhappy one. She, who would one day be the queen, received a rigid education and had to master the manners and etiquette of the European court pa.s.sed down from long ago. Moreover, at this time, the Cinq Kingdom was in a state of decline. Cinq was abused by the calculations/expectations of the big countries neighboring it. Revolutionaries and rebels who resisted the Earth Sphere United Alliance, at the end of a withdrawal war 238/1/16, often took refuge in the Kingdom [of Cinq]. The Alliance Army likewise cast a net to produce similar results. From a geopolitical point of view, a country occupying a peninsula in Europe shoulders something like a burden of being fated to get swept away in the land power of the [main] continent no matter what. [Now situated] between a rock and a hard place, the revolutionaries and rebels challenged [Earth?] to a decisive battle intending to gain the upper hand, but the Unified Alliance with its overwhelming military power unleashed an annihilating battle It was no small trouble for the Cinq Kingdom which was [unfortunately] a convenient battlefield. After all, there was no way for them to be a party to the rebels and revolutionaries 238/1/1-2< and=”” the=”” contriving=”” of=”” a=”” military=”” budget=”” from=”” their=”” mean=”” financial=”” situation=”” obliged=”” them=”” to=”” partic.i.p.ate=”” in=”” the=”” war=”” 238/2-1.=”” after=”” the=”” war,=”” the=”” meager=”” reparations=”” and=”” insurance=”” paid=”” out=”” by=”” the=”” large=”” countries=”” was=”” a.s.signed=”” for=”” the=”” reconstruction=”” of=”” the=”” ruined=”” country.=”” [cinq]=”” was=”” a=”” terribly=”” poor=”” country;=”” neither=”” blessed=”” with=”” natural=”” resources=”” nor=”” a=”” thriving=”” industrial=”” sector;=”” it=”” lacked=”” a=”” single=”” (positive)=”” prospective.=”” it=”” was=”” the=”” people’s=”” love=”” of=”” princess=”” sabrina=”” with=”” her=”” youth=”” and=”” dazzling=”” beauty=”” and=”” [their=”” love=”” of]=”” the=”” humble=”” royal=”” house=”” of=”” peacecraft=”” that=”” they=”” didn’t=”” erupt=”” in=”” dissatisfaction=”” or=”” instigate=”” a=”” revolution=”” or=”” revolt.=”” being=”” raised=”” in=”” such=”” a=”” country=”” as=”” that,=”” sabrina=”” was=”” bound=”” to=”” be=”” a=”” big=”” of=”” a=”” homebody;=”” she=”” grew=”” up=”” to=”” have=”” a=”” diffident=”” and=”” gentle=”” character.=”” undoubtedly,=”” she=”” was=”” a=”” sheltered=”” princess=”” raised=”” in=”” the=”” tender=”” care=”” (of=”” her=”” wealthy=”” family).=”” she=”” loved=”” art=”” and=”” was=”” deeply=”” interested=”” in=”” pictures=”” and=”” music=”” especially.=”” her=”” seldom=”” seen=”” smile=”” was=”” said=”” to=”” be=”” exactly=”” like=”” that=”” of=”” an=”” angel.=”” yet=”” her=”” blue=”” eyes=”” were=”” always=”” full=”” of=”” worry/fear.=”” the=”” one=”” who=”” best=”” understood=”” the=”” love=”” girl=””>< was=”” the=”” norwegian=”” forest=”” cat=”” given=”” to=”” her=”” on=”” her=”” thirteenth=”” birthday.=”” it=”” was=”” a=”” black=”” and=”” white=”” long=”” haired=”” male=”” and=”” he=”” was=”” named=”” “somewhere.”=”” he=”” was=”” given=”” that=”” name=”” probably=”” to=”” symbolize=”” sabrina’s=”” own=”” desires=””><. it=”” seemed=”” to=”” be=”” a=”” name=”” from=”” a=”” film=”” from=”” a=”” long=”” time=”” ago=”” in=”” which=”” judy=”” garland=”” sang=”” {over=”” the=”” rainbow}=”” in=”” the=”” opening=”” sequence,=”” but=”” like=”” pets=”” everywhere,=”” the=”” name=”” “somewhere”=”” was=”” abbreviated=”” to=”” “sam.”=”” suppose=”” cats=”” have=”” the=”” ability=”” to=”” empathize/sense=”” when=”” a=”” person=”” is=”” feeling=”” lonely=”” or=”” sad.=”” when=”” she=”” was=”” feeling=”” depressed,=”” sabrina=”” sat=”” at=”” the=”” piano,=”” sam=”” always=”” laid=”” on=”” his=”” stomach=”” on=”” the=”” left=”” side=”” of=”” the=”” keyboard=”” and=”” depressed=”” the=”” keys=”” such=”” that=”” they=”” made=”” a=”” discordant=”” sound.=”” whenever=”” she=”” heard=”” that,=”” she’d=”” giggle=”” and=”” say=”” “play=”” it=”” once,=”” sam,”=”” which=”” is=”” a=”” line=”” from=”” the=”” movie=”” “casablanca”=”” ((which=”” comes=”” from=”” the=”” same=”” era=”” as=”” the=”” wizard=”” of=”” oz))=”” and=”” then=”” she’d=”” begin=”” to=”” play.=”” it=”” wasn’t=”” jazz,=”” neither=”” was=”” it=”” “as=”” time=”” goes=”” by.”=”” [#7]=”” sam=”” let=”” out=”” a=”” small=”” “meow”=”” and=”” sabrina=”” gently=”” played=”” chopin’s=”” “nocturne=”” #1=”” (夜曲第一番)[#7.5]”=”” at=”” something=”” of=”” a=”” slow=”” tempo.=”” occasionally,=”” sam=”” turned=”” over=”” in=”” his=”” sleep=”” and=”” played=”” another=”” discord,=”” but=”” it=”” wasn’t=”” bad.=”” playing=”” with=”” her=”” eyes=”” downcast,=”” sabrina’s=”” thoughts=”” [were=”” of]=”” “the=”” never=”” ending=”” battles=”” of=”” this=”” world=”” (戦い絶えないこの世)”=”” a=”” grievous=”” lonely=”” nocturne=””><. or=”” perhaps=”” a=”” (considerate)=”” lullaby=”” for=”” sam=”” curled=”” up=”” beside=””>

Meanwhile, Princess Katerina was living a happily bohemian life on the s.p.a.ce colony. Raising her was the Darlian family which had [also] been entrusted with the governing of the colony. Since she was little, she enjoyed horseback riding early in the morning, enjoyed weekly s.p.a.cewalks, and was friendly with the workers who constructed the colony. They called Katerina “The Lady of the House of Darlian” and looked forward to the cookies and chocolate she always took to them. Around the time she turned thirteen, there’s an (anecdote) about how she [got to] ride a (large scale) s.p.a.ce work suit equipped with manipulators and help in the construction of the s.p.a.ceport. There were several magnanimous people in the Darlian family also, they only slightly rebuked her and continuously overlooked her simple innocence.

What gave rise to the difference between the two princesses Sabrina and Katerina, born on the same day, has its roots in the difference of their learning environments: strict education versus laissez-faire 239/1/12-14<. but=”” it=”” was=”” likely=”” the=”” scenery=”” that=”” was=”” the=”” [deciding=”” factor].=”” one=”” [place]=”” was=”” carving=”” out=”” a=”” new=”” world,=”” reclaimed=”” land=”” filled=”” with=”” built-in=”” happiness=”” 239/1/7-8.=”” the=”” other=”” was=”” repeating=”” a=”” grievous=”” fate=”” of=”” reconstructing=”” broken=”” things=”” [only=”” to=”” have=”” them]=”” broken=”” again,=”” the=”” earth.=”” there=”” was=”” a=”” large=”” gap=”” between=”” the=”” two.=”” one=”” could=”” imagine=”” it=”” was=”” mostly=”” the=”” differences=”” in=”” their=”” two=”” worlds=”” that=”” influenced=”” how=”” markedly=”” different=”” their=”” personalities,=”” behavior,=”” even=”” their=”” expressions=”” were—to=”” the=”” extent=”” that=”” one=”” would=”” not=”” think=”” them=”” to=”” be=”” twins.=”” the=”” world=”” was=”” seen=”” by=”” the=”” sister=”” with=”” eyes=”” wide-open=”” and=”” the=”” sister=”” with=”” the=”” downcast=”” eyes=”” wis.h.i.+ng=”” to=”” forget=”” misfortune—say=”” a=”” building=”” of=”” rebar,=”” would=”” undeniably=”” be=”” seen=”” different=”” by=”” either=””>

AC 145 SPRING

Until she turned fifteen, Katerina’s studied were overseen by an elderly female tutor. One day, she made this request to the Darlians: I want to return to Earth and spend my final years in the comfort of my home town. I’ll (bring) the foremost teacher form the L-1 colony cl.u.s.ter to teach in my stead. The name of that teacher was “Heero Yuy” and while he was still a college student, he was apparently serving as a part-time instructor at the high school. Yet he had no major, he was equally skilled in science and maths (type cla.s.ses) as he was well-versed in culture, philosophy and art; he was advertised as being knowledgeable in various and diverse fields [of study].

“Aren’t you a little young [to be a tutor]?”

In addition to being Katerina’s tutor, there were misgivings about their similar ages.

“If you’ll pardon my saying it, [teaching] a person as lively as the young mistress is too heavy a task for an old lady such as me.” She spoke as though she were thoroughly exhausted. The Darlians understood. For a daughter of the royal house, Katerina surely was far too restive. Besides, if they could financially a.s.sist a brilliant young man putting himself through school, they believed that was worthwhile. A few days later, Heero Yuy arrived at Katerina’s rooms. From afternoon to evening, Katerina was allotted study time.

“Pooh, you’re the new teacher?” Katerina gave the wallflower-like youth an appraising look from head to toe. Depending on the angle, he was somewhat handsome, but his clothes were unfas.h.i.+onable, his shoulder’s lacked breadth and his chest was thin, he was feeble…… was the impression he gave. Compared to him, the colony construction laborers were far more attractive she thought.

“I’m Heero Yuy. Pleased to meet you.” Their age difference was four years.

“So, what ‘s a young teacher like you got to teach me?”

“I wonder,” Heero said brusquely. “What do you want to learn?”

“Nothing….. I don’t need a tutor. A study program is fine.” After that, those two didn’t exchange another word (while in that room). Katerina dispa.s.sionately took care of the subjects the computer put out; Heero read the book he’d brought. When the appointed time arrived, Heero Yuy went home that day without having taught a thing. The next day was the same and the day after that, Katerina was tired form her horseback riding lesson and so she napped [instead]. For all that the young instructor should have said a word of caution, that would wake her up and so he didn’t [say anything] 240/1/13-14. He did nothing but merely continue reading his book.

*

This Heero Yuy youth was lacking in a thing called enthusiasm. To the extent that his college friends nicknamed him “The Extreme Rationalist.” Regarding his studies—no, regarding life itself—he had the att.i.tude of not wanting to spend energy unnecessarily on pa.s.sion or grudges or the like. Even the daily drawing of breath was done with efficiency, he didn’t open his mouth needlessly, he was calm, frank, and he consciously repressed the amplification of (heat entropy) 240/1/3<. he=”” wasn’t=”” able=”” to=”” make=”” ends=”” meet=”” on=”” the=”” meager=”” income=”” of=”” a=”” part-time=”” high=”” school=”” teacher=”” [so]=”” recently,=”” he=”” was=”” doing=”” manual=”” labor=”” in=”” colony=”” construction.=”” the=”” manual=”” labor=”” was=”” restoring=”” and=”” reinforcing=”” the=”” colony’s=”” outermost=”” wall,=”” there=”” was=”” gravity=”” because=”” of=”” the=”” centrifugal=”” force=”” but=”” it=”” was=”” a=”” hard=”” [work=”” environment]=”” for=”” the=”” lack=”” of=”” oxygen.=”” it=”” was=”” [extremely]=”” difficult=”” for=”” small=”” bodies=”” to=”” withstand=”” [the=”” work]=”” and=”” he=”” realized=”” he=”” couldn’t=”” continue=”” the=”” work=”” if=”” he=”” wasn’t=”” very=”” “efficient.”=”” furthermore,=”” in=”” an=”” airless=”” work=”” environment,=”” it=”” was=”” “efficient”=”” to=”” avoid=”” speaking=”” needlessly.=”” he=”” made=”” that=”” awareness=”” (lit:=”” consciousness)=”” his=”” own=”” personal=”” creed.=”” excluding=”” the=”” privileged=”” cla.s.ses,=”” the=”” people=”” living=”” on=”” the=”” colony=”” as=”” a=”” whole=”” had=”” a=”” difficult=”” life=”” all=”” around.=”” but=”” this=”” poverty=”” could=”” also=”” be=”” seen=”” on=”” earth,=”” but=”” if=”” they=”” believed=”” they=”” were=”” creating=”” the=”” way=”” to=”” the=”” future,=”” it=”” was=”” possible=”” to=”” live=”” contentedly.=”” about=”” six=”” years=”” ago=”” in=”” ac=”” 139,=”” the=”” laborers=”” began=”” the=”” “colony=”” self-government=”” system.”=”” however,=”” the=”” earth=”” sphere=”” unified=”” alliance=”” did=”” not=”” recognize=”” it=”” in=”” the=”” least=”” and=”” under=”” threat=”” of=”” using=”” military=”” power,=”” the=”” colonies=”” gave=”” up=”” their=”” autonomy=”” before=”” a=”” year=”” had=””>

Nevertheless, the people of the colonies were cheerful. They were naturally endowed with something of a pastoral carefreeness; their optimism prevailed. There were many people who thought “What? Just by dint of not having national disasters makes [s.p.a.ce] the place to be!” In truth, the activists for the colonial independence promotion faction at the time took part in neither ideological complains and street orators nor extreme uses of force like terrorism. That can be interpreted [as meaning] the power of Earth’s suppression was still within a bearable (scope). About five years after that, the Earth Sphere United Alliance began slowly to apply pressure. On Earth, terrorism and disturbances were always happening and yet s.p.a.ce was stable and peaceful. And the Earth

couldn’t abide by that. They must have believed it was rather impudent [for the colonists] to a.s.sert their own rights from the safety of the colonies. It’s likely this “contempt” and “jealousy” became the driving force behind the Alliance Army’s (silent/tacit) pressure against the colonies. Meanwhile, for the idealists with [advocated] anti-Earth Unification Alliance [sentiments], many of whom attended the same college as Heero Yuy, there was no end to their being taken away by the Alliance’s military police. The idealists and activists were primarily graduates of this college and just like that their academically gifted undercla.s.smen got involved, so naturally, [Heero] formed a connection [to the rebellion] via his friends. Before [they] knew it, the student activists had made the college into the base of operations for the underground organization. Heero was invited to join the group multiple times by one of his friends. He was, however, indifferent as per usual. As he understood it, activities of an illegal underground organization were “meaningless” and “useless.” The friend who had invited him was later to become “Doctor J,” the gifted scientist who developed the {Tall Geese} and {Gundam} but the particulars about [him] during this student activist time are unknown. Heero was consciously endeavoring to erase his presence. That was the best way. Taking action to help perfect strangers without so much as remuneration was more of a bother than anything else. It became a bother to keep refusing such invitations so he submitted a request for a leave of absence. He had already selected the theme of his (graduation thesis) and he was an honor student with a waived tuition so there was no reason to hesitate. It was then that the talk of being the Darlians tutor came around.

*

About a week had pa.s.sed. In that time, the most conversation they’d had with each other ended at the greeting level. Katerina was bored. The indifferent tutor wasn’t scolding himself over it, that much was self-evident.

“If this is how it’s going to be, my old teacher was more interesting that this tutor,” she thought. Katerina was gazing at the scenery outside the window and Heero was reading the book in his hand as usual. While the colonies environment system was man-made, it sent an elegant/graceful spring breeze across the window. The soft lace curtains fluttered in the breeze. Because she was quite bored, Katerina asked a question as she gazed at the wind, “Sensei [#8], do you have a family?”

“My parents are dead and my elder sister got married and went to Earth,” he answered concisely. After Katerina turned around, she inspected Heero once again. Another question floated up in her heart, one that she wanted to ask [Heero] who had an indistinct personality that could melt into the background.

“Sensei……what is the meaning of us being in s.p.a.ce?”

Heero spoke without taking his eyes off the book he was reading, “When you say meaning, do you mean the significance of existence? Or are you asking for a more scientific evaluation of mankind?”

“I don’t know. Both, I suppose.”

As he turned a page, he spoke dispa.s.sionately, “If you think about it from the social theory of evolution 241/2/7< [perspective],=”” mankind’s=”” [journey]=”” into=”” s.p.a.ce=”” might=”” be=”” said=”” to=”” have=”” the=”” significance=”” of=”” being=”” the=”” next=”” step=”” necessary=”” to=”” continue=”” with=”” the=”” so-called=”” {new=”” awakening}.=”” but=”” from=”” a=”” scientific=”” perspective,=”” the=”” feat=”” of=”” expanding=”” the=”” living=”” s.p.a.ces=”” from=”” earth=”” to=”” the=”” earth=”” sphere=”” is=”” a=”” (meritous=”” deed)=”” of=”” all=”” human=”” kind=”” and=”” so=”” one=”” may=”” consider=”” there=”” to=”” be=”” no=”” difference=”” between=”” the=”” people=”” in=”” s.p.a.ce=”” and=”” the=”” people=”” on=””>

“Wonderful!” Katerina’s eyes were wide open. “I can’t understand a thing you’re talking about!” She pressed Heero with excitement.

Heero snapped the book he was reading shut and his eyes went to Katrine and he asked, “What do you mean?” Heero, though he was feeling put upon, likely could not flat out [refuse] a student who’d taken an abrupt interest in him. He decided to explain his remarks. To start with, it was necessary to define the meaning of each (and every) word concisely. To punctuate the meaning of those words, there was historical social background and for the sake of speaking plainly, it was necessary to sue even more words and it seemed that the things difficult for Katerina to understand lined up [one after the other]. Katerina couldn’t help herself; she interrupted Heero’s never-ending talk with a question.

“So ultimately, does it mean something or doesn’t it?”

“Ultimately……there isn’t a conclusion to that question 241/3/7<>

“There isn’t a conclusion?” Katerina’s shoulders slumped dejectedly.

After heaving a deep sigh, Heero said, “Is it that important to have a conclusion?”

“What?” Katerina was dumbstruck. She believed the conclusion or solution was the most important part [as it was on] papers and tests.

“To observe things from several angles and take that data as a basis for making a judgment, to personally consider opposing views—that’s what’s important.”

“What, a ‘discussion’? Is that a conclusion?”

“It might be called that. It might not. In this case, the conclusion is synonymous with a ceasing of thought. There is meaning in the continuing of thought.

“It’s settled! There is meaning!”

“?”

“I mean, there’s meaning to being in s.p.a.ce, right?”

“No, that’s not what—” Several hours pa.s.sed in a blink. The gears of sensitivity and logic failed to catch as they were of different shape and had differing numbers of teeth. True to those words, their conversation continued without [those “gears”] engaging. The appointed [finis.h.i.+ng] time for the day arrived.

“That’s all for today.”

“Sensei, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Katerina was interested in the youth who had enumerated the words she’s never heard of before.