Chapter 15 : I bless the rains down In Africa
Dukovak, Yamazin, and Mick are working with an arm of the Mobile Suit. Mick is testing voltage and current in the arm with a multimeter, Dukovak is lying on a cot, and Yamazin is with a tablet.
Yamazin: Dukovak, could you stop slacking off and come help us test the new control system? You're the expert in biosignals and neurosignals.
Dukovak: I'm tired.
Yamazin: It's been 4 weeks since we arrived on Mars, stop lying around or you'll ruin your head.
Suddenly, a call comes in.
Dukovak: Damn, it must be Kudelia asking for progress on the project.
Mick: What was the project called again?
Yamazin: We haven't decided yet.
Dukovak gets up from the bed, puts on some pants and a shirt, and answers the call.
Dukovak: Good afternoon.
Manfred: Dukovak, I'm going to Africa.
Dukovak: Why are you going to Africa?
Manfred: The Gjallarhorn fleet decided to go after the last pirate clan. They took refuge in Africa.
Dukovak: It's very quick that they found the whereabouts of the pirate clan.
Manfred: Gjallarhorn's interrogations and movements took a long time. How's the development of the Mobile Suit going?
Yamazin: The first thing is to develop a control system with performance similar to the Alaya-Vijnana.
Manfred: And how do you plan to do that?
Yamazin: We'll explain when you're on Mars.
Manfred: Well, I have to go. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be in Africa.
Dukovak: Do you know how long it will take you to get there?
Manfred: About 6 weeks.
Dukovak: All right. Manfred, one more thing.
Manfred: What's up?
Dukovak: Be careful.
Manfred: I will.
The call ends, and Manfred goes to the dining hall. There, he stands in line and serves himself food. Manfred sits at a table in the corner and is joined by Illmari and Sephora.
Illmari: Have you talked to Dukovak?
Manfred: Yes.
Sephora: What did he say?
Manfred: He said to be careful.
Sephora: Manfred, do you have the console with you?
Manfred: Yes, here you go.
Manfred gives her the console. Sephora starts playing on it.
Illmari: Don't play at the table. At least wait for Manfred to finish eating.
Suddenly, Julieta arrives at Manfred's table and says to them:
Julieta: Can I sit with you?
Manfred: What do you want, Julieta?
Julieta: I just want to talk.
Manfred: Well, sit down.
In the distance, the Gjallarhorn crew members see the scene.
Crew Member: What is the admiral doing eating with that second-rate civilian?
Crew Member 2: Shut up. If the phenomenon hears you, he might do something to you.
The crew members approach Manfred's table and say:
Crew Member: Ma'am, we have a table for you.
Julieta: It's not necessary, corporal.
Crew Member 2: Do you mind sitting with these civilians?
Julieta: Not at all. Please, leave us alone.
Crew Members 1 and 2: Yes, ma'am.
The crew members leave the dining hall, leaving Julieta and Manfred alone.
Manfred: What do you want to talk about?
Julieta: I want to know if you're sure about going to Africa with us.
Manfred: It's orders from Lady Bernstein. She's the one who hired us.
Illmari: She knows what she wants. Is there anything else we can do for you?
Julieta: Yes, leave us alone.
Illmari gets angry and gets up, Sephora says to her:
Sephora: What do you want from Manfred?
Julieta: I just want to get to know him better, that's all. Don't worry, I won't do anything to him. I already have a boyfriend.
Sephora: You'd better.
Sephora gets up from the table and takes the console with her.
Manfred: What do you want to talk about now?
Julieta: I want to know why you really want to fight in Africa.
Manfred: I already told you, it's just part of the contract.
Julieta: If that were the case, you wouldn't have worried about not killing the child soldiers. Tell me, Manfred, what do you want to do in Africa?
Manfred: I just do it for my brother.
Julieta: You don't do it just for that. Come on, Manfred, you can trust me, we're similar after all.
Manfred: I already told you we're not alike.
Julieta: Of course we are, we both fight for someone we care about.
Manfred: Just because we have vaguely similar motivations doesn't mean we're alike in the slightest.
Julieta: Manfred, I told you you can trust me, nothing we talk about will leave this room.
Manfred: Hah, trust. You use that word very lightly. Tell me, what do I get in return if I tell you why I want to eliminate the last pirate clan?
Julieta: I don't use that word often, but if you insist. I would say you get information about the pirate clan we're going to fight.
Manfred: That's not what I want to know. Answer me this simple question: Would you continue supporting Rustal even if he's someone immoral?
Julieta: Yes.
Manfred: So you'd be his tool until the end of time?
Julieta: That's a very ugly way to put it, but yes.
Manfred: Why?
Julieta: I swore to be his sword and serve him.
Manfred: Well, it's clear we have nothing in common.
Julieta: What do you mean?
Manfred: You wouldn't understand.
Manfred gets up from the table.
Julieta: But what do you want to do in Africa?
Manfred: Fix the mess they have there, and eliminate the last human debris trafficker once and for all.
Manfred leaves the dining hall, and Richtoffen arrives to talk to Julieta.
Richtoffen: How did it go with Manfred?
Julieta: Well, it seems he's just an idealist.
Richtoffen: Are you sure? If Manfred were just an idealist, you would have stopped talking to him long ago.
Julieta: Well, I liked him.
Richtoffen: It doesn't seem like that to me.
Julieta: What do you think he is, then?
Richtoffen: I don't think you fully understand Manfred yet, especially his motivations.
Julieta: Why do you say that?
Richtoffen: You keep talking to him, he brushes you off when he wants. But it's not your fault. After all, Manfred is a tough nut to crack.
Julieta: I tried to be honest with him and it didn't get me anywhere. What should I do?
Richtoffen: Being honest did get you somewhere, he decided to talk to you after all. I would suggest presenting yourself as just another soldier and giving it time.
Julieta: Thank you, Richtoffen.
Richtoffen: You're welcome. Well, ma'am, I have to go.
Julieta: Where are you going?
Richtoffen: I'm going with Manfred, I want to play on his console.
Julieta: Why are you doing that?
Richtoffen: Sometimes you have to share hobbies with your friends. And Manfred's console has good games.
Richtoffen gets up from the table.
Julieta: Where are you going?
Richtoffen: I'm going to the hangar.
Meanwhile, Rustal is watching the news.
Reporter: Protests across the European continent have intensified. There are reports of clashes with law enforcement. And multiple police stations have been taken over by the protesters, if the local forces didn't mutiny already. Currently, police stations in Rome, Berlin, Madrid, Glasgow, Stockholm, Prague, Frankfurt, Lyon, Amsterdam, among others, have been taken over or support the riots.
Suddenly tear gas cans are thrown, and the reporter puts on a gas mask.
Reporter: Ian, let's get out of here.
Rustal: It seems we need to take more drastic measures. We need to deploy Mobile Worker teams to the area.
Subordinate: Sir, I'll send the order as soon as possible.
Miguel Amado is at the loading dock of a civilian transport ship.
Miguel: Hurry up, guys, money doesn't make itself, and this is a very personal delivery.
A young man with a northern hat approaches him.
Loader: We finished loading the ship, boss.
Miguel: So fast? Alright then, close the hatches.
Loader: Yes, boss. Just out of curiosity, where is the ship going?
Miguel: Do you want me to break you, kid? I'm not going to tell you that.
Loader: Sorry, boss.
Miguel: Don't screw up again, kid. Here, buy yourself something nice for you and your lady.
Miguel hands him a stack of bills and goes to the ship.
Miguel is on the bridge and says:
Miguel: It's time to take off, what are you waiting for?
Crew Member: At your command, boss.
Miguel receives a call.
Miguel: Who could be bothering me now?
Miguel answers the phone.
Miguel: Hello?
Dukovak: Miguel, how are you?
Miguel: What's up, my Duko?
Dukovak: Are you busy, Miguel?
Miguel: Not at all, kid, what do you need?
Dukovak: By any chance, do you have a contact that can give us or provide us with nanolaminate?
Miguel: Yes, I know one, I'll send you the contact.
Dukovak: Thanks, Miguel.
Miguel: Don't worry, kid, let's have a drink when we get back.
Dukovak: When Manfred comes back from Africa, we can have a barbecue.
Miguel: Don't mess around, Duko, Manfred went to put himself in the lion's den.
Dukovak: It's not a problem, they're just hunting pirates.
Miguel: A big mess is about to happen on the continent, I hope Manfred comes out of there alive.
Dukovak: How do you know that?
Miguel: I have my sources. Tell Manfred to be careful, the mess that's coming is very big.
Dukovak: I will, thanks, Miguel.
Seven weeks pass, and Dukovak tests the biomedical readings with a pilot wearing a new suit with armor on the spine. Yamazin examines the actuators of both arms. Mick is making sure the Ahab reactor is working.
Dukovak: How does the suit fit you?
Pilot: It feels weird, because of the device on my back.
Dukovak: That's normal; that's the nervous signal reader. Let's test the torso control system.
Pilot: All right, I'm going to get into the cockpit.
Dukovak: Go ahead, let me put this device on your head; it's for measuring your brain signals.
Dukovak puts a cap with electrodes on the pilot and monitors his brain signals.
Dukovak: Yamazin, how are the actuators?
Yamazin: They're good. Mick, how's the reactor doing?
Mick: It's working fine.
Yamazin: All right, let's start the test. Pilot, what's your name?
Pilot: I'm Richard Hartman.
Yamazin: All right, Richard, could you open and close your hands?
Richard: Sure.
Richard opens and closes his hands.
Yamazin: That's it, thank you, Richard. Dukovak, did you capture the readings?
Dukovak: Yes, both from the Mobile Suit and the pilot.
Yamazin grabs the tablet.
Yamazin: Dukovak, these reaction times are 20% slower than with Alaya Vijnana.
Dukovak: Is that a bad thing?
Yamazin: Not at all, in fact, we developed a new non-invasive interface system with similar results. We should celebrate.
Dukovak: Hell yeah.
Mick: Hell yeah, what are we going to do, have a barbecue?
Dukovak: I'm in, even though Manfred isn't here.
Mick: Yes, that's true, at least call him.
Yamazin: I say it's the right thing to do, Dukovak.
Dukovak calls Manfred.
Manfred: Hello?
Dukovak: Manfred, we managed to create a new interface system; we're making progress on the project.
Manfred: Dukovak? I was sleeping. Tomorrow we disembark in Johannesburg.
Dukovak: What are you going to do there?
Manfred: Start hunting the last pirate clan. I'll be back to Mars soon. How does the new system work?
Dukovak: It works with an artificial spine that detects the pilot's nerve impulses. It's a non-invasive device.
Manfred: How slow is it?
Dukovak: 20% slower than Alaya Vijnana.
Manfred: We've secured the contract. Just focus on finishing the MS development.
Dukovak: That's what we'll do, Manfred.
Manfred: Have you named the project yet?
Dukovak: No.
Manfred: What about calling it Phantom?
Dukovak: Manfred, we haven't discussed it yet.
Manfred: Well, put a name on it already.
Dukovak: Manfred, Miguel says you're getting yourself into the eye of the storm, be careful.
Manfred: I will.
Dukovak: Let's discuss the project name. Take care, Manfred.
Manfred: I will.
Manfred goes back to sleep. The next day, the ship disembarks in Johannesburg. A truck loads the Solomon MS and Gjallahorn's Mobile suits. Manfred gets into a humvee with his team, Manfred looks out the window at massive protests.
Manfred: Why are there protests?
Soldier: You don't know? People south of the Sahara are protesting for greater representation in the African Union parliament. The government is very centralized in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Commander: Soldier, no one asked for your opinion, Mr. Horikoshi, our mission is to eliminate the Kalk pirate clan. The protests might have been incited by the clan to restrict Gjallahorn's mobility through Johannesburg.
Manfred: What do we do?
Commander: Julieta will give you the signal to attack the Ponte City tower.
Manfred: What's there?
Commander: High-ranking members of the Kalk clan. We need to send a message.
Meanwhile, the Ponte building is surrounded by Mobile Workers, Mobile Suits, and patrolling aircraft.
A commander comes out with a megaphone.
Commander: Basam al Jarf is under arrest for the crimes of human debris trafficking and conspiracy.
There's tension and silence in the tower.
Basam: I'll never surrender.
Basam proceeds to get into a Graze Mobile Suit.
The radio in the humvee says: Prepare Solomon.
Commander: All right, kid, it's your time to shine.
The convoy stops, and Manfred gets into the Gundam MS.
Radio: Solomon, you're clear to move on my mark.
Manfred: Understood.
Basam: YOU WON'T TAKE ME ALIVE!
Basam jumps from the top of the tower and uses his thrusters to land somewhat gracefully.
Radio: Solomon, you have permission to engage. Head 5 km north.
Manfred: Since when do I need permission? Whatever.
Gundam Solomon gets up and speeds off in the designated direction. Meanwhile, Basam fights against Mobile Workers and Reginlaze Mobile Suits to escape the encirclement. After a fierce fight, Basam eliminates the first building perimeter.
Radio: Manfred, where are you?
Manfred: About a kilometer from the target. Who's speaking?
Julieta. It's me, Julieta. Manfred, it doesn't matter if you kill Basam; what matters is sending a message to the Kalk clan that they won't escape justice.
Manfred: How poetic you've become today.
Julieta: Manfred, do what you deem necessary.
Manfred: All right.
Manfred approaches Basam's Graze. Basam sees Manfred coming and says
Basam: So, they sent me a Gundam, very well, I'll accept the gift and take care of it.
Basam starts firing at Manfred and throws his axe. Manfred blocks the axe with his forearm and picks it up. He keeps moving toward Basam and decides to strike first. Basam blocks the attack and grabs Manfred by the neck. Manfred pulls out his knife and stabs Basam's shoulder. He then drops the knife, takes out another one, and stabs Basam in the armpit. Manfred pulls the knife out, grabs one of the Graze's arms with one hand, stabs it with the other knife, and makes a cut. The Graze pushes against Manfred. Manfred puts his foot against the Graze's chest, grabs the damaged arm with both hands, and starts pushing. The Graze's joint starts to break, and metal fragments start falling. The arm finally detaches.
Basam: So, you decided to become a Gjallahorn lapdog.
Manfred: The correct answer would be the Martian Union. But that's better than trafficking people.
Basam: Do you know who proposed trafficking for the African Union? Gjallahorn.
Manfred: I'm not surprised.
Basam: What are you going to do about it?
Manfred: Kill you, maybe I won't if you tell me where the rest of your clan is.
Basam: I'll never tell a Gjallahorn dog like you.
Manfred: Well, you asked for it.
Manfred unsheathes the Zweihander, and Basam approaches him with a knife his Mobile Suit picked up from the ground.
Manfred: Enough.
Manfred goes against Basam and strikes the missing arm, leaving the Graze armless. Manfred kicks Basam's Mobile Suit and says to him
Manfred: Basam, you have one last chance before I kill you.
Basam: I won't let a Gjallahorn dog kill me.
Basam exits his cockpit and is riddled with bullets by Gjallahorn snipers.
Basam: Shit.
Basam attempts to get up, but a Gjallahorn soldier steps on his back and shoots him in the head.
Manfred: Basam is dead.
Julieta: I know, good job Manfred.
Manfred exits his cabin and observes the chaos caused by his fight against Basam.
Meanwhile, the soldiers who were in Ponte City Tower proceed to make a series of arrests of space pirates. All the prisoners are kneeling with their hands tied with zip ties.
Commander: Take them to the base.
Soldier: Yes, sir.
A series of Humvees with Gjallahorn prisoners, escorted by Mobile Workers, depart until they reach the base at the Johannesburg ports.
The prisoners are lined up in rows, and the commander arrives. A tall black man with a beard and short hair.
Commander: Alright, gentlemen, as you know, we are looking for the leaders of the Kalk clan. If anyone has any information about this, let us know.
Prisoner: Why would we talk to you, pig?
Commander: Because if you don't talk, you're worth as much as dead. The commander proceeds to shoot him in the head.
Commander: Does anyone know anything?
Prisoner 2: I know where they went!
Commander: Very well, boy, tell us where they were headed.
Prisoner 2: Please don't kill me.
Commander: I won't if you tell me the truth.
Prisoner 2: They were heading to Harare. I swear.
Commander: Do you know where they were hiding?
Prisoner 2: I don't know, I swear, sir.
Commander: Alright.
The commander points his gun at the prisoner when another prisoner interrupts him.
Prisoner 3: I know where the Kalk clan's base can be found.
Commander: Very well, where is it located?
Prisoner 3: In the Millennium Towers, 10th floor.
Commander: Very well, you saved the lives of all these scoundrels.
Julieta takes a Humvee and picks up Manfred from where Salomon was.
Julieta: Do you want me to take you to the base?
Manfred: Seems like I don't have a choice.
Manfred gets into the Humvee and goes with Julieta to the base.
Once there, Julieta sees Commander Cecil Botha and says,
Julieta: It seems that Commander Cecil Botha is already working.
Manfred: Who is he?
Julieta: The interrogator who will lead us to the Kalk clan.