KSGU:Volume 2 Chapter 2

Chapter 2 (continued)

Part 1

“Return back to the ship?”

It’s 4.02pm. As the light of the artificial sun started to weaken, Marida was talking to the receiver in the public phone. (That’s right). Zimmerman answered.

(End the search for the time being and come back before the deal begins. Same goes for Alec and Besson.)

It’s been more than 2 hours since they lost her. They didn’t have a way to break through the large construction area, and it’s true that they were just wasting time. However, they ended their search too quickly. Marida looked at the electric car that was parked beside the public phone on the road. Alec, who was in the driver’s seat, was staring at the neighboring building—the school compound of Anaheim Electronics. It’s impossible to see from here, but Besson should be behind the school watching through the same method.

Of course, nobody could guarantee that the student will come back. But after the huge commotion in the construction area, it’s impossible for him to stay there, and there’re no other leads. Marida looked at the watch to see that there’s still some time before the transaction’s done, and said with a somewhat anxious voice, <‘the girl’ must have entered the space colony builder>.

“We know the identity of the student who helped her ‘escape’. Most likely, it may be something related to the Foundation. Once we wait for him to come back…”

“That Foundation contacted us already. The location of the transaction is changed to the space colony builder.”

The fingers holding onto the phone trembled. The Vist Foundation that made contact with ‘her’ is now requesting a change in location for the deal—and in their territory too. Feeling the irritation of having the initiative snatched from them, Marida asked: <what about the ‘girl’?> (Play dumb) Zimmerman said.

(We have no idea of what their intentions are, but we can only pretend that we know anything. Go get ready just in case something happens.)

Then, shouldn’t we be going to the colony builder together instead of going back to the ‘Garencieres’? Marida wanted to say instinctively, but swallowed her words. The assumption here Zimmerman’s thinking of isn’t something that can be handled with just one or two people being on guard, but mobile suits that have to be on standby.

It’ll be great if Vist Foundation, who deliberately opened their stronghold, hand her over. If not, at that time—Marida answered ‘understood’ as she watched the school gate of Anaheim Electronics. It seemed that it’s after school, and the students that were in plainclothes were laughing and walking out from the gate to the electric car carpark.

What causes them to laugh like this? Marida saw a young woman pushing a baby cart along, walking beside them, and felt really happy. It’s not because that she imagined these pedestrians getting involved in the ‘assumed situation’. Once they’re involved, it’s easy for their lives to vanquish easily. However, they will never dream of such a thing. They never actually thought about their deaths actively or subconsciously, and think that today’s just like yesterday. Marida was really unhappy as she understood that peace was just a mistake made by this group mentality, and that it was extremely fragile.

I took in too much air outside, she thought. Even though she wanted to capture that student called Banagher and interrogate him about ‘her’ whereabouts, she herself isn’t suited to do this kind of work. She wanted to get rid of this tight-fitting clothing and return to the ship…

(It’s finally time. Let’s go check out what’s in that treasure box.)

Zimmerman said through the phone, perhaps reading through her thoughts. Marida wasn’t looking at the strangers, but looked up at the sky of the warm space colony that made her uncomfortable.