Why can´t we be friends
Julieta and Manfred get off the humvee. And they are greeted by Cecil Botha, a tall, black-skinned man, with great musculature and a well-kept beard.
Cecil: Mrs. Juris, I thought it would take you longer to arrive
Cecil reaches out his hand and Julieta shakes it.
Julieta: Well, the road was shorter than expected.
Cecil: Who is the boy with you?
Julieta: Manfred Horikoshi, he is one of the pilots sent by the Martian Union, you should already be aware of who he is.
Cecil: Yes, I'm aware of who he is, after all, I'm going to assist you in the last phase of Operation Free-bird
Julieta: So, do we already know about the whereabouts of the pirates?
Cecil: Let's go to my office, we can't trust just anyone.
Manfred and Julieta follow Cecil to his office. The office is not very decorated and only has a photo of Cecil with a woman and a girl.
Manfred: Is that your family?
Cecil: Yes
Manfred: How old is your daughter?
Cecil: She's 21 years old. How old are you, boy?
Manfred: 25
Julieta: Could you tell me what you found out?
Cecil: Don't interrupt me Mrs. Juris, I was talking to Mr. Horikoshi. Tell me Manfred, do you also have family?
Manfred: Yes, a brother. He's 20 years old, he turns 21 in a few months.
Cecil: I see, what about your parents?
Manfred: That's a very personal question.
Cecil: Don't worry Mr. Horikoshi. Now yes, I will give you the answer Mrs. Juris.
Julieta: Very well, where are the remnants of the pirate groups located?
Cecil: In Harare, in the Millennium Tower on the tenth floor
Julieta: Very well, pack your belongings, because we are going to Harare.
Cecil: Mrs. Juris, I don't think you understand the situation in Johannesburg.
Julieta: What do you mean?
Cecil: The city is flooded with protests from local people.
Julieta: Why are they protesting?
Cecil: They want greater representation and decentralization of the African Union
Julieta: Why do they want that? They live decent lives.
Cecil: That's what you think. Half of Johannesburg is mired in poverty. Didn't you see the tin-roofed shacks on your way to base?
Julieta: Yes, I saw them, but I thought they were a minority in the city.
Cecil: Well, you thought wrong, the protests will last a couple more weeks. Meanwhile make yourselves comfortable at the base.
Cecil gets up from his desk and puts his hands on it and speaks.
Cecil: Well, the briefing session is over. Manfred, I wish you the best of luck in the African Union. If you want to eat some local food let me know.
Manfred: Don't worry Mr. Botha, I'll tell you when I can go out with you and some friends of mine.
Cecil: That's fine with me, Mr. Horikoshi.
Julieta and Manfred leave Cecil Botha's office, sit on a bench and Julieta tells him:
Julieta: Why did you decide to be cordial with Cecil?
Manfred: Because you can tell Gjallarhorn is not everything to him.
Julieta: What do you mean?
Manfred: Did you see the photo of his family?
Julieta: Yes, what's the issue?
Manfred: That his priority is not Gjallarhorn, it's his family. That means he's a good father.
Julieta: I hadn't seen it that way, you know Manfred many Gjallarhorn pilots also have families
Manfred: So what?
Julieta: That Gjallarhorn has mostly decent people in its ranks.
Manfred: Decent people, yeah right. Is this an attempt to recruit me? Because I don't think you'll succeed.
Julieta: It's not an attempt to recruit you. I just think you would do better in the world working and fighting for Gjallarhorn. You are a good-hearted boy.
Manfred: Do you genuinely believe you are doing good in the world by working for Gjallarhorn and Rustal?
Julieta: Yes. What's with the question?
Manfred: Name one good thing Gjallarhorn has done for the world.
Julieta: Prevent countless armed conflicts throughout the solar system
Manfred: Are you serious? What about the civil war in Persia?
Julieta: ...
Manfred: Don't you remember that Gjallarhorn provided human debris to an extremist faction of the African Union?
Julieta: You wouldn't understand, Rustal's goal was to prevent a secessionist movement in the Middle East region. That way he would avoid a war on Earth.
Manfred: And do you think it worked, did the movement die? Did the secessionism of other regions of the African Union disappear?
Julieta: No, but the secessionism probably would have died if you hadn't intervened.
Manfred: You don't know that. The fact that Gjallarhorn was involved in the use of human debris leaves much to be desired.
Julieta: We don't know if Gjallarhorn provided human debris to the African Union
Manfred: Top Gjallarhorn officials admitted it on live television.
Julieta: They may have been forced confessions.
Manfred: You don't know that. Tell me Julieta. If you found out Rustal provided human debris to a faction, what would you do?
Julieta: I don't know.
Manfred: You don't know, or you don't want to say? Don't talk to me again until you have an answer.
Manfred gets up from the bench.
Julieta: Manfred wait this conversation isn't over yet.
Manfred: Oh yes, it is.
Manfred goes with Illmari and Sephora to the mess hall.
Sephora: Why did you take so long?
Manfred: Julieta wanted to talk, and you know I can't say no to her because according to her it's an order
Sephora: This Julieta is starting to grow on me. She treats us well all the time.
Illmari: You sound upset, what happened?
Manfred: In short, I told her to fuck off and reflect.
Illmari: What did you guys talk about?
Manfred: Julieta wants me to join Gjallarhorn.
Illmari: What were her reasons?
Manfred: According to her I have a good heart and I would generate "positive change in the world"
Illmari: She's not wrong, but why did you get mad?
Manfred: Because she said Gjallarhorn is an organization that ensures world peace.
Sephora: It's not all wrong, that's supposed to be Gjallarhorn's goal. But their morally questionable, if not downright incorrect, methods...
Illmari: Manfred I understand you hate Gjallarhorn for the human debris issue and what Sephora had to go through, but you have to understand that not everyone in Gjallarhorn is a psychopath.
Manfred: I get that, but still, I think the world would be better off without them.
Illmari: I really can't understand your recalcitrant hatred for Gjallarhorn.
Manfred: I don't think you can understand it.
Illmari: Excuse me? Sephora let's go, Manfred you'd better think about your next words.
Sephora and Illmari leave for Solomon's hangar. There they talk.
Sephora: Why did you get mad at Manfred?
Illmari: For what he said that we wouldn't understand. After everything we've been through together, it frustrates me that he thinks we don't understand him.
Sephora: Have you noticed he was angrier than normal? It's the first time he's spoken angrily to us
Illmari: That's true. I just hope he apologizes for what he told us.
Sephora: Eventually he will. If he doesn't, we're out of here. How long should we give him?
Illmari: I say we wait until he comes to sleep. Or the next day before he goes to sleep.
Richtoffen sits with Manfred and talks to him.
Richtoffen: It's very rare to see Illmari and Sephora mad at you. What did you tell them?
Manfred: I don't know, I'm sure it'll pass later.
Richtoffen: Be careful you might lose them, though that works for me after all.
Manfred: Why does that work for you?
Richtoffen: Because you'll be available
Manfred: So what?
Richtoffen: I can go out with you.
Manfred: We could play video games, after all you are better than me at them and I could learn a trick or two.
Richtoffen: Manfred I don't think you understand me, I don't want to be your friend.
Manfred: What? Then why are you talking to me?
Richtoffen: Argh Manfred I don't think you get it, I want to be more than your friend
Manfred: Don't fuck with me Richtoffen, are you serious?
Richtoffen: What do you think? But since I'm your friend, I can help you understand what your mistake was. Are you willing to tell me what you told them?
Manfred: I don't think you'd understand.
Manfred gets up and goes to the hangar. When he gets there he sees the girls sleeping
Manfred: What the hell could I have told them.
Manfred goes to sleep. When he wakes up, he sees their beds empty, but with their belongings
Manfred: They left without me; I'll catch up with them at lunch.
Manfred continues his day as usual, monitors the Solomon Gundam and all its functions with the maintenance team until he sees Illmari and Sephora pack their things.
Manfred: Hey girls, where are you going, I need to train in the afternoon.
Sephora: We're packing.
Illmari: We're leaving tonight, if you have anything to tell us, you have until tonight to do so.
Manfred: ...
Manfred sees them leave and after that goes to the mess hall. He sees a pilot.
Pilot: What do you want freak?
Manfred: Nice nickname you gave me, do you know where Richtoffen is?
Pilot: You mean the Red Bastard? He's probably in a hangar tuning up his Mobile Suit
Manfred: Why did they give him that nickname?
Pilot: For two reasons. The first is that he uses bastard swords when piloting his Mobile Suit and the second is because he is an illegitimate son of the Kujan family.
Manfred: Where is his hangar?
Pilot: Just go straight east of the base.
Manfred: Thanks
Manfred goes to Richtoffen hangar and when he arrives, he says
Manfred: Hey Richtoffen, can we talk?
Richtoffen is wearing a sleeveless shirt. He gets down from the platform and tells him.
Richtoffen: What do you want to talk about Manfred?
Manfred: I need you to tell me what mistake I made.
Richtoffen: Let's go to a bar.
Richtoffen gets into a Gjallarhorn military all-terrain vehicle and Manfred gets in. After a while they arrive at a bar in the city center. Throughout the city there are signs like "Gjallarhorn get out"
The bar is a very rustic place, the TV is showing the news.
Newscaster: The protests intensified in Johannesburg and there are signs that...
Richtoffen: Could you turn off the TV?
Bartender: Sure, no problem
Richtoffen: Give me two beer mugs.
Bartender: Give me a moment please.
The bartender fills the beer mugs and slides them over to Richtoffen and Manfred
Richtoffen: Thanks, Manfred have this beer to relax.
Manfred drinks the whole beer in one gulp.
Richtoffen: Wow, you're very thirsty. Do you want another beer?
Manfred: Yes please. I need it.
Richtoffen: You heard him bartender.
Bartender: So fast? Alright here's another.
The bartender slides another mug of beer towards Manfred's hand, and he catches it.
Manfred: Thanks.
Manfred and Richtoffen slowly drink their beers and when Manfred finishes Richtoffen asks him:
Richtoffen: Well, are you ready to talk now?
Manfred: Yes
Richtoffen: Tell me exactly what you told Illmari, I don't think she would have gotten mad out of nowhere.
Manfred: Illmari asked me what I talked about with Julieta.
Richtoffen: What did you talk to Julieta about? What did she tell you?
Manfred: That I have a good heart and that I could generate positive change in the world if I join Gjallarhorn.
Richtoffen: She's not wrong, I think you would fit right in with Gjallarhorn. Why don't you join us?
Manfred: To be honest, I don't want to join Gjallarhorn after what happened in Monterrey.
Richtoffen: The Monterrey terrorist attack?
Manfred: That's a nice way to rename the Monterrey massacre.
Richtoffen: Why do you call it that?
Manfred: Because I was there, and I know what happened. Dukovak and I escaped from there.
Richtoffen: And what did Gjallarhorn do according to your version?
Manfred: They opened fire indiscriminately on civilians.
Richtoffen: But the civilians started the shooting.
Manfred: That's the official version, I saw the protesters, no one was armed.
Richtoffen: I wouldn't be surprised if Rusal's Gjallarhorn did something like that. But even so, if you join Gjallarhorn, together we can change it so as not to repeat that tragedy.
Manfred: Don't you understand Gjallarhorn can repeat that tragedy in the wrong hands? I think the world would be better off without Gjallarhorn.
Richtoffen: Gjallarhorn is the only thing separating the world from chaos.
Manfred: Are you sure about that? The streets of Johannesburg seemed chaotic; don't you think?
Richtoffen: That's because of Rusal's Gjallahorn.
Manfred: You mean the reformed Gjallarhorn?
Richtoffen: That same one. Let's get back to Illmari. What did Illmari tell you?
Manfred: That she doesn't understand my hatred for Gjallarhorn.
Richtoffen: And what did you tell her?
Manfred: That I don't think she'll be able to understand and that's it
Richtoffen: Bartender two more mugs please
Bartender: Coming right up
The bartender slides two more beer mugs over.
Manfred: Thanks for listening Richtoffen.
Richtoffen: Don't mention it, though I might regret this in the future.
Manfred: Why do they call you the Red Bastard?
Richtoffen: I'd rather they call me the Red Rider, but it's due to family matters. Before the Battle of Chryse, my mother and I lived mired in poverty.
Manfred: Why?
Richtoffen: Because my father didn't acknowledge me as his son until weeks after the battle ended.
Manfred: What happened at the Battle of Chryse?
Richtoffen: Iok Kujan died, the only heir to the Kujan family. They needed to find a successor and luckily for them, I was the fruit of one of my father's affairs.
Manfred: I see.
Richtoffen: What's it like having a father?
Manfred: It feels good, I guess. It was fun looking for and repairing relics with him.
Richtoffen: I see. By the way, I think Illmari and Sephora got mad at you because you told them they wouldn't understand you
Manfred: Why would they get mad about that?
Richtoffen: Think about it Manfred. After everything you've been through together, telling them that makes them feel like you don't value your bond with them.
Manfred: I see. Can we go back to base before nightfall?
Richtoffen: Why do you want to do that?
Manfred: I must apologize to them. I think I really didn't measure my words.
Richtoffen: I see. Do you want to have anything else? Because I'm paying
Manfred: I think we can have one more beer, are you sure you don't want to split it?
Richtoffen: I'm sure.
Manfred: Okay
Manfred and Richtoffen stay at the bar and after a while they leave, a Gjallarhorn escort waits for them and gets in the driver's seat.
Already in the car Manfred tells Richtoffen:
Manfred: Why did you pay the bill?
Richtoffen: Because I wanted to get to know you better.
Manfred: Did you accomplish your goal?
Richtoffen: You could say so, I like you better. Even though you're a cynic.
Manfred: You mean realist.
Richtoffen: You're very pessimistic Manfred.
Manfred: Not at all
The all-terrain vehicle arrives at the base and Richtoffen says goodbye to Manfred.
Manfred: Richtoffen
Richtoffen: What's up Manfred?
Manfred: It was good talking to you.
Richtoffen: I say the same.
Manfred heads to the hangar where he sees Illmari and Sephora finished packing.
Manfred: Girls, can we talk before you leave?
Illmari: Be quick.
Sephora: We can't waste time.
Manfred and the girls go to the empty mess hall and sit at a table.
Manfred: I want to apologize
Illmari: I want you to be specific, Manfred.
Manfred: For how I treated you yesterday, you weren't to blame for me being angry.
Sephora: Go on
Manfred: For what I told you that I don't think you would understand me. I think it's insulting for you that I tell you that after everything we've been through together. And I'm going to be more open with you from now on
Illmari: Sephora let's go to the hangar; Manfred follow us.
The three go to the hangar, and upon arriving at the beds, Sephora tells him.
Sephora: Sit down.
Manfred: Okay, but where?
Illmari: On the bed.
The girls also sit on the bed.
Illmari: You're forgiven. But first we want to know why you hate Gjallarhorn.
Manfred: Remember I told you I saw my dad die and my mom died in the Monterrey massacre.
Illmari: Yes. But what does that have to do with it?
Manfred: Gjallarhorn killed them.
Sephora: We see, do you hate Gjallarhorn because of that?
Manfred: Not just because of that, overnight Dukovak and I had to start new lives. Although I can't complain about my life
Illmari: Why?
Manfred: Because I met you.
Sephora...
Illmari: One more thing Manfred
Manfred: What's up?
Illmari: Forget it.
Manfred: Tell me
Illmari: It's nothing, I just think you shouldn't be so hard on Gjallarhorn members. They didn't kill your parents.
Sephora: True Manfred, the one responsible for the death of your parents is who you should be angry with.
Manfred: I understand, Richtoffen helped me understand it. I don't know why you don't like him
Illmari: Let's not talk about that right now. Well Manfred, get some rest because we're training tomorrow.
Each one goes to their bed to sleep. Meanwhile, Miguel is on the coasts of Stockholm where he delivers a shipment of weapons and Mobile Suits. The weapons are in containers full of food. The operators open the containers where they take out many fish and potatoes. And among the food they begin to take out wooden boxes. In another container there are Rodi type Mobile Suits, and the operators are in charge of removing the potatoes from above.
European Separatist: How much do we owe you sir?
Miguel: You don't owe me anything, consider it a contribution to your cause.
European Separatist: It's good to have selfless people like you.
Miguel: By the way, do you happen to know where I can see those?
Separatist: For that you will have to go further north, but for that you will have to wait until September.
Miguel: I see.
Dukovak and Yamazin are performing Mobile Suit movement tests when Dukovak tells him.
Dukovak: Yamazin how will we convince people that the new interface is safe?
Yamazin: They'll have to believe us
Dukovak: Starting next week, I'll also be a test pilot.
Yamazin: Why do you want to do that Dukovak?
Dukovak: I must show that the spinal interface is not dangerous.
Yamazin: Manfred will kill you if he sees you piloting a Mobile Suit.
Dukovak: Manfred will kill me if I implant myself the Alaya Vijnana system. Anyway, all that's left to develop is the armor, eye system, and legs of the Mobile Suit.