Editing Vandread Volume 1 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 1===

‘Women are demons!!’

From the speaker there was a hysterical address being broadcast.

A thin atmosphere and red soil. A canyon on a planet where no one could be seen farming, a layer of atmosphere clinging to it. From this unnatural scene, it’s clear that this place is a planet created artificially through terraforming.

On either side of this layer of shaky atmosphere, gun platforms of various shapes and sizes are emplaced. And, the muzzles all uniformly, as though expecting someone to pay a visit from up above, were all set up vertically.

 

‘Once woman ate men’s innards, ridiculed them, and drained the life from them!’

“UOooo∼∼∼∼!!”

With the voice of the speech a deep shout was heard throughout the base of the canyon.

Spread around the canyon beneath the layer of atmosphere, precisely reminiscent of a construction site for a dam, was a city built of pipes and steel frames.

Through what would be called ‘Urban Planning’ the layout of the cables and pipes was a far cry from disorderly. And then there were the rustic gigantic gears jutting out that were slowly rotating heavily.

Rusty, and moreover the uncomfortable sight of pitch black oil oozing from everywhere, as well as the steam generally wafting through the city, all gave rise to a feeling of oppression akin to being locked up.

At the center of that city, in the place that was apparently the plaza, a crowd of men had assembled. All of the men in the crowd had been organized into groups by by their various ages, with those in their thirties and forties being the most numerous. They each had slightly dirty garments, plain hairstyles, slightly visible stubble, and there did not appear to be any deviation in the level of their height.

In the center of the plaza in which this crowd that had gathered, an enormous bronze statue depicting the city’s founder had been placed. That figure towered over seven others depicting equally brave men of accomplishment, each with a gaze free of hesitation, their left arms were raised in a show of power as they stared straight ahead.

Shown before the figure, with height of approximately five hundred meters, an enormous pedestal stood, at the summit of which, illuminated by countless spotlights, in what at first glance appearing to be a temple, a spaceship had been enshrined.

‘Let me say it one more time! Women are demons!!’

This important address was being shown on multiple monitors placed on this central pedestal.

Illuminating a magnificently smooth shaven head and a rich moustache, clad in a military uniform crammed full of splendid medals, there was a hard faced man, a vein visible on his forehead as he delivered the fervent speech. A display on the lower part of the screen read ‘Taraak Empire Second Generation Prime Minister’, who was apparently the current leader of this city.

‘Throughout several millions of years of mankind’s history, since a long time ago, due to the ‘destructive urges’ of those hateful women they have repeatedly pillaged from men; because of their ‘oppressive nature’ they forced them to perform severe hard labor!’

“UOoooo∼∼∼∼!”

Coming off as a madman with the way he was clenching his fist as he delivered his fervent address, the Prime Minister appeared as though he was getting drunk off his own words.

However, even this could not match the swelling arousal of the crowd. Everyone, clenching their fists in unison, were staring fixedly at the monitor were a strange glint in their eyes.

‘Putting an end to this longstanding history of disgrace and subjugation, having reclaimed our dignity as men……’

“BAH!”

Suddenly, as the Prime Minister began speaking of the men of accomplishment they all yelled and stood at attention.

‘Graciously, our great founding father, it goes without saying I’m speaking of his excellency Gran Pa, the foremost of the first generation ‘The Eight Virtuous Men’!’

Simultaneous with this statement of the Prime Minister, the multiple monitors all displayed a close up of the aforementioned bronze statue.

It appears that the central figure was the one the Prime Minister called “Gran Pa”, and along with the images of seven others surrounding it, it seemed they were each known as “The Eight Virtuous Men”.

‘The revivers of men’s dignity, and moreover for us the ‘fathers of this world’, the time has come for us to repay our great debt to the ‘The Eight Virtuous Men’ who guided us here with our loyalty!’

The Prime Minister’s speech was filled with even more power, as his facial expression changed to one of hatred.

‘Even to you gentlemen it is common knowledge, that today the frequent wrongdoings of those unforgivable women……’

As the crowd that was gazing forward gulped, the image on the monitor changed to one showing a wartime documentary.

 

In satellite orbit above the the country of men, the red planet that was home to the Taraak Empire, countless space debris, that is to say a large quantity of trash, was floating; the majority of that trash was from the wreckage of spaceships.

As the imaged moved from that upper orbit to display outer space, a blue planet with rings like those of Saturn circling the top and bottom became visible. This was then simultaneously displayed on the television.

‘Our bitter enemy Majere’

This was the planet of “those women” the Prime Minister was speaking of. Judging from their relative positions one could say that the “Planet of Women” was the satellite of the “Planet of Men”.

The Prime Minister’s speech was overlapping with such an image.

‘For the first time on over seventy years our empire is being threatened.’

Taking the Prime Minister’s words as a cue the image changed yet again, showing various violent battles. Although there was no sound, it was easy to perceive from the hectic blurred images that these were intense battles.

‘Those shameless women have impudently started invading the domain of our empire. Naturally our valorous forces will not stand for such cowardly acts and have not dropped their vigilance, but when it comes to those cowardly women, though our empire’s chivalrous spirit turned the tides, of all things those criminals attacked one of our space ships that didn’t even possess any kind of weapons……’

 

The images shown gradually became propaganda, the voice was replaced, and it began intentionally inciting the target of their emotions by changing the nuances.

A merchant ship was crushed without resistance, the appearance of the wounded crew who were trembling in fear, etc.

And then, the state of mind of those staring as the display that was showing the video manufactured according to the plans of the military leaders, became on of enmity towards “women” coupled with indignation and enveloped by feelings of hatred.

As if to deliver the final blow the Prime Minister raised his tone of voice.

‘Gentlemen! Will we permit such acts to occur? NO!! In no way shall we permit such things.’

“OOH∼∼∼∼!”

Responding to the Prime Minister’s inquiry the crowd responded by shouting their affirmation.

Already there was no room for doubt that things had developed as hoped for by the military officials.

Considering the trend, one would expect the Prime Minister’s speech to become more and more emotional.

‘My brethren! My siblings!! At this time, with the second generation and third generation joining hands, the time has come to raise the flag of our empire, of Taraak!!’

“UOoooo∼∼∼∼!”

Again an audacious shout swelled forth. And then, it happened as the Prime Minister’s tension while delivering the fervent speech officially reached its peak.

‘Even if it is only just us that does not mean we will stand around doing nothing! Rising above our past, for our pride as men, so that we may woon tread this path once more, today, at this moment we have obtained a new power!!’

In anticipation of these words, a close-up of the space ship that had been enshrined in the plaza’s pedestal was displayed on the monitor.

‘Look!! This here is surely our new power, the symbol of Taraak, the gallant figure of the universe’s strongest battleship the “Ikazuchi” has been revived and reborn!!’<ref>Ikazuchi is Japanese for thunder. The ship name is written in Katekana though.</ref>

“UOoooo∼∼∼∼!!”

Together with the rising fanfare of the orchestra, giving a feeling similar to an inauspicious fate that had arrived on this ship, the ‘Ikazuchi’, ominous steam was spurting out.