p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"strongspan style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The King's Slumber/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred settles into the warehouse where the old MS is located. After investigating the MS, Manfred reads the inscription: ASGW-00 prototype, Solomon. Over the next two months, Manfred maintains a relatively normal routine, secures a job at the factory, and avoids forming interpersonal relationships to avoid suspicion. His first order of business is to inspect the MS./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: It seems the MS doesn't have a cockpit. I think we'll need a technician./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"One week after landing the job, Manfred calls Dukovak./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: I've got a job now, and at this rate, you'll finish your degree this semester. Try to get a loan to cover the remaining three months./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Don't worry about that, I managed to get a job at Gjallahorn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Why?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: I'll explain when I get to Mars. Start saving for my ticket because as soon as I finish my degree, I want to see the warehouse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: I can't pay for three months and a ticket to Mars at the same time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Just focus on paying for one month and give me the equivalent of half a month's tuition on top of that. I've got a job too, idiot./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: So, I'll send you the equivalent of one and a half months' worth of tuition costs?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Yep./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: I guess you'll be paying for the ticket yourself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: No, you'll also be paying for it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: How am I supposed to pay for your ticket?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Either I finish university, or I pay for my ticket. Your choice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Okay, I'll see what I can do. Alright, it was good talking to you./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Likewise, see you in three months./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Three months pass, and Manfred goes to pick up Dukovak from the Inter-Spatial Port of Chryse. Upon finding Dukovak, Manfred notices he's wearing a cowboy hat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Hey, Dukovak./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak turns to look and sees Manfred in a Hawaiian shirt. The two brothers hug each other./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: What's with the shirt? Are you trying to pick up girls or something?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: No, and where did you get that cowboy hat from suddenly?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: A girl gave it to me. I look good in it, don't I?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Damn right, you do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: You know, I feel like having a barbecue, like the ones Dad used to make./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Go for it, but I'll just handle the fire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Alright./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred and Dukovak hail a taxi, and Manfred gives the driver the warehouse's address./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Remember what I found?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Yeah./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Well, you're in for a surprise./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"After getting out of the taxi, Manfred asks Dukovak./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Why did you decide to join Gjallahorn? After everything they've done to us, I thought you wanted revenge./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Sometimes you must keep your enemies close./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: But how do you stand it?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Manfred, sometimes you should stop thinking like a stubborn fool and not be honest all the time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Well, are you ready?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Yep./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred opens the warehouse, where there is a huge object covered by a tarp./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Help me remove this tarp./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: On it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The brothers uncover the tarp, and Dukovak is astonished./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: So, Dad found an MS./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Not just any MS, a Gundam from the pre-Calamity era, apparently named Solomon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: No way./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: That's right, but the problem is it doesn't have a cockpit, and there's no way to operate it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Even so, neither of us has the Alaya-Vijnana implants to operate it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Damn, what now? Should we sell it and start over?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Are you crazy? This is our chance for revenge./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: But this thing doesn't even work./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: I got into Gjallarhorn's technical department; I'll take care of getting this MS up and running./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: What about the money, though? We need to get a cockpit and the implants./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: We'll handle that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Who's "we"?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: You and me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: What's your plan?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: In one month, Gjallarhorn's head technician, Yamazin Toka, will arrive on Mars. We have six months to get her to repair the MS and to operate on one of us to get the implant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: And what will you do?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: I just secured a position to work closely with her. I'm not stupid./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Do you even know when she won't have guards around her? Do you even have a concrete plan?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: We'll figure that out together./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Alright then./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Time passes, and Manfred and Dukovak lose contact until Dukovak learns something. Three months after the barbecue, Dukovak waits for Manfred at the warehouse door./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: How long have you been waiting for me?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Three hours. Yamazin is going to a restaurant in downtown Chryse next week. I managed to steal the components for the implant. We're going to make her an offer she can't refuse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: What about the MS cockpit?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: A Mobile Worker cockpit will be more than enough./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Do you have one of those cockpits?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: No, but she'll pay for it. Did you find anything useful in the warehouse?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Just a revolver./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Perfect./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Without bullets./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Damn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: She'll have guards with her, won't she?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: That's right./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: How do you plan to deal with them?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: We'll incapacitate them with dermal drugs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: What's your plan then?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: You're going to drug the guards; you'll need to be drunk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Okay... wouldn't it be better to pretend?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Well, yes, just make sure to drug them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Who's going to negotiate?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: I am, I already quit. Friday, downtown Chryse, have a whiskey on the rocks to avoid suspicion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Don't you realize how terrible the beer tastes here? I could really go for an Indio beer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Me too, here are the doses, remember to touch the guards' skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Okay, what do I do after drugging the soldiers?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: You'll sit at Yamazin's table and aim at her; I'll sit next to you as soon as I see the guards are drugged./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: I guess you'll do the negotiating./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: You're not good at talking, sometimes you're too simple or pretend to be./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred.../span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak gets up and tells Manfred:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Friday, don't forget. This is a photo of Yamazin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Okay./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Three days pass, and it's Friday. Manfred sees contingents of Gjallahorn entering with a woman resembling Yamazin. Manfred decides to enter the restaurant and go to the bar, ordering a Johnny Walker Blue Label./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Bartender: What will you have, young man?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: I want an elixir./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Bartender: What?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: I want a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue Label. It's an elixir./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Bartender: I see, are you celebrating something today? I'll bring it right away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Thank you./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Bartender: Do you want a glass?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Yes, with ice, please./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Bartender: Coming right up. What are you celebrating?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Maybe the last day of my life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred pours two glasses of whiskey on the rocks and approaches the Gjallahorn guards with the patches in his hands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Guard: Sir, please step back, you're already drunk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: But we must celebrate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred doses the guards with the drug. He returns to his seat at the bar and waits for the drug to take effect. After five minutes, Manfred decides to go to Yamazin's table and sits in front of her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Haha, you're so drunk you think you can sit at my table. How cute./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Look under the table./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin leans over and sees the gun pointed at her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: You know I have guards./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Well, they let me sit in front of you./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin sees the guards staggering and looking for support to stand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: I see. What do you want from me?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: It's not me you should ask./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak sits at the table./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Mrs. Yamazin, what a coincidence to meet again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Ah, Dukovak, why did you quit?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Let's not talk about that yet. I learned what I needed, and I really wasn't interested in working with Gjallahorn anymore./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: But you're a young promise in the MS research and development field./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: That's why I decided to leave Gjallahorn. Today, I come to offer you a deal you can't refuse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: And what deal is that?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: My brother and I decided to start a company, Horikoshi Defense Corporation. We'll be dedicated to developing higher-performance Mobile Suits for the Martian Union./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Do you even have an MS for reverse engineering?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Yes, but it's not just any MS; it's a Mobile Suit from the Calamity War./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak shows her a photo of the Gundam Solomon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Indeed, you have a Gundam, but I can work with several, without any limitation. Tell me, what compels me to accept your offer?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak puts some documents on the table./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: You saw under the table; you know these papers could have your signature or your brains instead. You would have 50% ownership of the company. It's an offer you can't refuse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Haha, it seems I have no choice. It's the first time in a long time I've felt something so intense. Take me to your MS, and I'll see what I can do with it to see if I'm interested./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak gets up from the table, Manfred does too. Manfred goes to the bar, grabs his elixir, and Dukovak exclaims:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Damn alcoholic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Do you know how much this bottle cost me?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Let's go./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred, Yamazin, and Dukovak get into a car. Dukovak points the gun at Yamazin's temple./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Relax, boys, it's the first time I've been kidnapped./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak drives out of Chryse, takes out a bucket of water, pours salt into it, and says:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Undress./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Wow, you're a lustful man./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak blushes and says:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: I won't look./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin undresses, Manfred takes out a car battery, and pours the salty water over her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Relax, boys, we might be partners after all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: If that's the case, touch the battery terminals./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred points the gun at Yamazin's head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: It seems I have no choice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin touches the car battery terminals./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Aghhh!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: That's it, get dressed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Oh, boys, I thought you had other intentions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: We just wanted to eliminate any tracking chips./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Wow, boy, it seems you're not just someone else's tool./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak blindfolds Yamazin, and Manfred drives the car./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: We've arrived./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred uncovers Yamazin's eyes and shows her the Gundam./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Its name is ASGw00 Solomon, it's a prototype./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Dukovak, how did you find this relic?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: My brother Manfred, who's beside you, did it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: So, you're Dukovak's brother./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: yea/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: What do you plan to do with it, boys?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Make it operational again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Did you already get the cockpit?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Not yet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: I have contacts in the black market; a Mobile Worker cockpit should work./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Do you have the funds?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Not yet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: That will be your entry investment for our partnership./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: I see, and what do you plan to do with the MS?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Use it as our main source of income, providing protection services to commercial fleets during the first years or months./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: As my brother said, we'll use the Gundam as our income source until we have enough funds to develop our MS./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: I see, it sounds difficult, unlikely, but I see you have a plan. Alright, I'll join your company, boys./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred takes out three flat glasses, with ice, pours the Blue Label into the glasses, and they toast./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: For the awakening of the king. Cheers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Everyone: Cheers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"They clink glasses and drink the whiskey. Yamazin proceeds to sign her resignation letter and the company document./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Boys, do you know that Gundams need the Alaya-Vijnana system to operate?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Yes, we were just about to discuss hiring someone to be our test pilot./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: I'll be the test pilot. Martian safety labor laws are quite strict; it's better to start tomorrow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: We should wait at least 24 hours for you to have no alcohol in your blood./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Don't think we're going to let you go that easily./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred puts an explosive collar on Yamazin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: I thought we were partners, and that you didn't have any fetishes, Dukovak./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: It's just a measure to keep your discretion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: ... I want 50% of the company's gross income./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: If it's net income, before taxes, we have a deal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Deal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: So, we just must wait. Yamazin, did you sign your resignation yet?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Yes, we just must wait./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"A day passes, Manfred wakes up, takes off his shirt./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: It's been more than 24 hours; I'm ready./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Wait, Manfred./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: There's no way I'm going to let you undergo the operation, Yamazin, I'm ready./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Dukovak, you're going to assist me in the surgery./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Okay, do you have any previous experience with this?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Yes, but we have to be very careful. We're going to take a long time, so get comfortable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The operation ends, and Yamazin tells Dukovak that the recovery process will take one to two weeks. During that time, Yamazin and Dukovak attend to Manfred. Eight days pass, and Manfred gets out of bed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Dukovak, Yamazin, did you get the cockpit?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: What are you doing standing up? You should be resting./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Oh, congratulations, Manfred. Yes, we got a cockpit; it'll be delivered tomorrow. Get back to bed; you still need to rest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred gets back into bed and falls asleep until Dukovak wakes him up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: It's time to test the Solomon's interface./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: How much time has passed?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Two days, get up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Okay./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Good morning./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Good morning, Yamazin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Sit in the cockpit and get comfortable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Is this safe?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: If you survived the operation, nothing would happen to you./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred sits in the cockpit, and a cable is connected to his back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Initiating system in 3, 2, 1... now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Arrgh!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred starts bleeding from his nose./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Don't exert yourself too much; you can damage your cranial nerves./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Gundam's eyes light up, and a hand opens and closes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: How does it feel?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Weird, I just opened and closed my hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: The wise king has awakened./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred settles into the warehouse where the old MS is located. After investigating the MS, Manfred reads the inscription: ASGW-00 prototype, Solomon. Over the next two months, Manfred maintains a relatively normal routine, secures a job at the factory, and avoids forming interpersonal relationships to avoid suspicion. His first order of business is to inspect the MS./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: It seems the MS doesn't have a cockpit. I think we'll need a technician./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"One week after landing the job, Manfred calls Dukovak./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: I've got a job now, and at this rate, you'll finish your degree this semester. Try to get a loan to cover the remaining three months./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Don't worry about that, I managed to get a job at Gjallahorn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Why?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: I'll explain when I get to Mars. Start saving for my ticket because as soon as I finish my degree, I want to see the warehouse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: I can't pay for three months and a ticket to Mars at the same time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Just focus on paying for one month and give me the equivalent of half a month's tuition on top of that. I've got a job too, idiot./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: So, I'll send you the equivalent of one and a half months' worth of tuition costs?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Yep./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: I guess you'll be paying for the ticket yourself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: No, you'll also be paying for it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: How am I supposed to pay for your ticket?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Either I finish university, or I pay for my ticket. Your choice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Okay, I'll see what I can do. Alright, it was good talking to you./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Likewise, see you in three months./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Three months pass, and Manfred goes to pick up Dukovak from the Inter-Spatial Port of Chryse. Upon finding Dukovak, Manfred notices he's wearing a cowboy hat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Hey, Dukovak./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak turns to look and sees Manfred in a Hawaiian shirt. The two brothers hug each other./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: What's with the shirt? Are you trying to pick up girls or something?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: No, and where did you get that cowboy hat from suddenly?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: A girl gave it to me. I look good in it, don't I?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Damn right, you do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: You know, I feel like having a barbecue, like the ones Dad used to make./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Go for it, but I'll just handle the fire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Alright./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred and Dukovak hail a taxi, and Manfred gives the driver the warehouse's address./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Remember what I found?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Yeah./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Well, you're in for a surprise./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"After getting out of the taxi, Manfred asks Dukovak./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Why did you decide to join Gjallahorn? After everything they've done to us, I thought you wanted revenge./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Sometimes you must keep your enemies close./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: But how do you stand it?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Manfred, sometimes you should stop thinking like a stubborn fool and not be honest all the time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Well, are you ready?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Yep./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred opens the warehouse, where there is a huge object covered by a tarp./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Help me remove this tarp./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: On it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The brothers uncover the tarp, and Dukovak is astonished./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: So, Dad found an MS./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Not just any MS, a Gundam from the pre-Calamity era, apparently named Solomon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: No way./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: That's right, but the problem is it doesn't have a cockpit, and there's no way to operate it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Even so, neither of us has the Alaya-Vijnana implants to operate it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Damn, what now? Should we sell it and start over?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Are you crazy? This is our chance for revenge./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: But this thing doesn't even work./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: I got into Gjallarhorn's technical department; I'll take care of getting this MS up and running./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: What about the money, though? We need to get a cockpit and the implants./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: We'll handle that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Who's "we"?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: You and me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: What's your plan?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: In one month, Gjallarhorn's head technician, Yamazin Toka, will arrive on Mars. We have six months to get her to repair the MS and to operate on one of us to get the implant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: And what will you do?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: I just secured a position to work closely with her. I'm not stupid./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Do you even know when she won't have guards around her? Do you even have a concrete plan?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: We'll figure that out together./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Alright then./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Time passes, and Manfred and Dukovak lose contact until Dukovak learns something. Three months after the barbecue, Dukovak waits for Manfred at the warehouse door./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: How long have you been waiting for me?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Three hours. Yamazin is going to a restaurant in downtown Chryse next week. I managed to steal the components for the implant. We're going to make her an offer she can't refuse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: What about the MS cockpit?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: A Mobile Worker cockpit will be more than enough./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Do you have one of those cockpits?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: No, but she'll pay for it. Did you find anything useful in the warehouse?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Just a revolver./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Perfect./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Without bullets./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Damn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: She'll have guards with her, won't she?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: That's right./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: How do you plan to deal with them?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: We'll incapacitate them with dermal drugs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: What's your plan then?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: You're going to drug the guards; you'll need to be drunk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Okay... wouldn't it be better to pretend?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Well, yes, just make sure to drug them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Who's going to negotiate?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: I am, I already quit. Friday, downtown Chryse, have a whiskey on the rocks to avoid suspicion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Don't you realize how terrible the beer tastes here? I could really go for an Indio beer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Me too, here are the doses, remember to touch the guards' skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Okay, what do I do after drugging the soldiers?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: You'll sit at Yamazin's table and aim at her; I'll sit next to you as soon as I see the guards are drugged./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: I guess you'll do the negotiating./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: You're not good at talking, sometimes you're too simple or pretend to be./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred.../span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak gets up and tells Manfred:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Friday, don't forget. This is a photo of Yamazin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Okay./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Three days pass, and it's Friday. Manfred sees contingents of Gjallahorn entering with a woman resembling Yamazin. Manfred decides to enter the restaurant and go to the bar, ordering a Johnny Walker Blue Label./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Bartender: What will you have, young man?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: I want an elixir./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Bartender: What?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: I want a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue Label. It's an elixir./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Bartender: I see, are you celebrating something today? I'll bring it right away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Thank you./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Bartender: Do you want a glass?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Yes, with ice, please./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Bartender: Coming right up. What are you celebrating?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Maybe the last day of my life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred pours two glasses of whiskey on the rocks and approaches the Gjallahorn guards with the patches in his hands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Guard: Sir, please step back, you're already drunk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: But we must celebrate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred doses the guards with the drug. He returns to his seat at the bar and waits for the drug to take effect. After five minutes, Manfred decides to go to Yamazin's table and sits in front of her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Haha, you're so drunk you think you can sit at my table. How cute./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Look under the table./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin leans over and sees the gun pointed at her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: You know I have guards./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Well, they let me sit in front of you./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin sees the guards staggering and looking for support to stand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: I see. What do you want from me?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: It's not me you should ask./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak sits at the table./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Mrs. Yamazin, what a coincidence to meet again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Ah, Dukovak, why did you quit?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Let's not talk about that yet. I learned what I needed, and I really wasn't interested in working with Gjallahorn anymore./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: But you're a young promise in the MS research and development field./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: That's why I decided to leave Gjallahorn. Today, I come to offer you a deal you can't refuse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: And what deal is that?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: My brother and I decided to start a company, Horikoshi Defense Corporation. We'll be dedicated to developing higher-performance Mobile Suits for the Martian Union./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Do you even have an MS for reverse engineering?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Yes, but it's not just any MS; it's a Mobile Suit from the Calamity War./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak shows her a photo of the Gundam Solomon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Indeed, you have a Gundam, but I can work with several, without any limitation. Tell me, what compels me to accept your offer?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak puts some documents on the table./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: You saw under the table; you know these papers could have your signature or your brains instead. You would have 50% ownership of the company. It's an offer you can't refuse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Haha, it seems I have no choice. It's the first time in a long time I've felt something so intense. Take me to your MS, and I'll see what I can do with it to see if I'm interested./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak gets up from the table, Manfred does too. Manfred goes to the bar, grabs his elixir, and Dukovak exclaims:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Damn alcoholic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Do you know how much this bottle cost me?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Let's go./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred, Yamazin, and Dukovak get into a car. Dukovak points the gun at Yamazin's temple./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Relax, boys, it's the first time I've been kidnapped./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak drives out of Chryse, takes out a bucket of water, pours salt into it, and says:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Undress./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Wow, you're a lustful man./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak blushes and says:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: I won't look./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin undresses, Manfred takes out a car battery, and pours the salty water over her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Relax, boys, we might be partners after all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: If that's the case, touch the battery terminals./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred points the gun at Yamazin's head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: It seems I have no choice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin touches the car battery terminals./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Aghhh!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: That's it, get dressed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Oh, boys, I thought you had other intentions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: We just wanted to eliminate any tracking chips./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Wow, boy, it seems you're not just someone else's tool./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak blindfolds Yamazin, and Manfred drives the car./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: We've arrived./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred uncovers Yamazin's eyes and shows her the Gundam./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Its name is ASGw00 Solomon, it's a prototype./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Dukovak, how did you find this relic?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: My brother Manfred, who's beside you, did it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: So, you're Dukovak's brother./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: yea/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: What do you plan to do with it, boys?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Make it operational again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Did you already get the cockpit?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Not yet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: I have contacts in the black market; a Mobile Worker cockpit should work./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Do you have the funds?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Not yet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: That will be your entry investment for our partnership./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: I see, and what do you plan to do with the MS?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Use it as our main source of income, providing protection services to commercial fleets during the first years or months./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: As my brother said, we'll use the Gundam as our income source until we have enough funds to develop our MS./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: I see, it sounds difficult, unlikely, but I see you have a plan. Alright, I'll join your company, boys./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred takes out three flat glasses, with ice, pours the Blue Label into the glasses, and they toast./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: For the awakening of the king. Cheers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Everyone: Cheers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"They clink glasses and drink the whiskey. Yamazin proceeds to sign her resignation letter and the company document./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Boys, do you know that Gundams need the Alaya-Vijnana system to operate?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Yes, we were just about to discuss hiring someone to be our test pilot./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: I'll be the test pilot. Martian safety labor laws are quite strict; it's better to start tomorrow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: We should wait at least 24 hours for you to have no alcohol in your blood./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Don't think we're going to let you go that easily./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred puts an explosive collar on Yamazin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: I thought we were partners, and that you didn't have any fetishes, Dukovak./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: It's just a measure to keep your discretion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: ... I want 50% of the company's gross income./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: If it's net income, before taxes, we have a deal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Deal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: So, we just must wait. Yamazin, did you sign your resignation yet?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Yes, we just must wait./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"A day passes, Manfred wakes up, takes off his shirt./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: It's been more than 24 hours; I'm ready./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Wait, Manfred./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: There's no way I'm going to let you undergo the operation, Yamazin, I'm ready./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Dukovak, you're going to assist me in the surgery./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Okay, do you have any previous experience with this?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Yes, but we have to be very careful. We're going to take a long time, so get comfortable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"The operation ends, and Yamazin tells Dukovak that the recovery process will take one to two weeks. During that time, Yamazin and Dukovak attend to Manfred. Eight days pass, and Manfred gets out of bed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Dukovak, Yamazin, did you get the cockpit?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: What are you doing standing up? You should be resting./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Oh, congratulations, Manfred. Yes, we got a cockpit; it'll be delivered tomorrow. Get back to bed; you still need to rest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred gets back into bed and falls asleep until Dukovak wakes him up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: It's time to test the Solomon's interface./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: How much time has passed?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Two days, get up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Okay./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Good morning./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Good morning, Yamazin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Sit in the cockpit and get comfortable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Is this safe?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: If you survived the operation, nothing would happen to you./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred sits in the cockpit, and a cable is connected to his back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: Initiating system in 3, 2, 1... now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Arrgh!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred starts bleeding from his nose./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: Don't exert yourself too much; you can damage your cranial nerves./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Gundam's eyes light up, and a hand opens and closes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Dukovak: How does it feel?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Manfred: Weird, I just opened and closed my hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"Yamazin: The wise king has awakened./span/p