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We're so close to Earth...
You've always wanted to go there, right?
Aren't you happy?
Now's not the time to enjoy it.
Well, I hate being on Earth.
I'm a big guy, right?
Earth's gravity is just so...
uncomfortable.
Now then, one more time before we land...
I don't know about that guy.
Don't you hate being back on Earth even more?
I just want to check out the situation there once again.
With my own eyes.
Are you really the same Guel Jeturk?
Plus, I can't trust you to handle the negotiations alone.
Excuse me?!
What's that supposed to mean?
I've sent the coordinates.
I've already verified it, too.
I'm grateful you have so many friends.
Meanwhile, the Assembly League may have sniffed us out.
The wait is over.
Please proceed with preparations.
Yes, ma'am.
Still no luck?
She says she has no appetite.
Didn't she make up with Miorine?
She skipped all her classes, too. Looks like they're through.
Why'd it turn out like this, damn it?!
The stables haven't been cleaned.
Where's Martin?
Do it evenly, or I'll rat you out.
I have nothing to hide.
But the girl you turned in...
What was her name?
LM236, Nika Nanaura.
Maybe she'll come for revenge.
Should you be sleeping with one eye open?
Thinking of you underdogs biting at each other... It makes me laugh.
Damn right, we're underdogs!
People like you at the top of the heap would never understand!
I couldn't allow Earth House's position to get any worse.
As the head of the House, I--
You didn't want to get mixed up in any trouble.
You realize that you gave up trying to hear her out.
That's why you can't confess to those around you.
Am I wrong?
You're right.
I gave up on talking to Nika.
I failed as House leader.
But even so, at that moment, I really, truly thought
it was the best way to protect every--
Just say that, then.
It's annoying to see an underdog being so stubborn.
Episode 19
Quinharbor
To all passengers from outside the Earth Sphere...
As per the Earth Sphere Biological Protection Act,
please proceed to the section for a bio-security check.
If you are carrying anything on the biological protection list,
please notify the relevant staff.
Why are our mobile suits escorting us?
I told you I'm seeking a peaceful solution!
You seriously think those people will cooperate so reasonably?
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Even without weapons, it looks daunting enough to quiet them down.
I'm told that Miorine Rembran is about to begin negotiations.
If they crush the Earthians with that Gundam,
more people might end up supporting Miorine.
That won't happen.
Miorine herself would never allow it.
What's this about?
I wanted to have a little girls' night out.
I'm just an engineer.
I don't have any information your League officials would want.
At present, the high council is planning to forcibly suppress the Benerit Group.
If worse comes to worst, there could be a clash.
Nevertheless, we'd still like to find a way for both sides to work together.
If the Group loses its position,
you'll be scapegoated for breaking the Cathedra Agreement...
Ms. Winston.
You have to think about yourself.
So, please...
Tell me what you know.
This has nothing to do with me.
A girls' night out...
I really did want one.
Spacians go home!
You plan to rip us off even more?!
Release our comrades!
We want an end to your monopoly on Permet!
Hey! Who told them we'd be here?
How should I know?
Madam President, we should regroup.
None of them are armed.
They just want us to hear their voices.
Hey, Spacian! Give me something.
Whoa, kid! Back off!
What was that for? I didn't do anything!
Only authorized personnel...
Young Mr. President...
Please don't stand in place.
Where does it say that, huh?
Miorine... can you negotiate on your own?
What are you talking about? Of course I can.
I have somewhere to be. I leave her to you.
What?!
Young Mr. President! Damn it...
Don't let Madam President out of your sight!
Madam...
Right...
Greetings, everyone.
I'm Miorine Rembran.
My hope today is that we can speak on equal terms.
Equal, eh?
Follow me.
The Benerit Group intends to build a new development facility
near the reconstruction district in the southeast of Quinharbor.
This could produce a maximum 30% rise in local employment--
1,529 people.
That many Earthians are missing or dead after the Plant Quetta Incident,
thanks to your search for the perpetrators.
You arrested people without reason and detained them...
Some of them were tortured, as well.
We never gave any orders to--
You merely weren't informed.
Your monopolization of Permet...
The proxy wars you force onto us through war partitioning...
Those are already unbearable.
But if you make us suffer further by going outside the law,
we will do the same.
All Spacians must leave Earth.
That is our demand.
What's a Gundam doing here?!
I don't know the details, either.
It's some kind of joint venture with GUND-ARM, Inc.
With Miorine?
Die, die, die, die...
Let's take a peek.
My, my...
Well...
Don't touch that!
Give it back!
Whoa, hey!
I'll kill them all! Spacians... and you!
I want you... everyone to die!
Die! Die!
Die, die! Die, die! Die, die!
Die, die, die! Die, die...
Die...
Sophie...
Why did you die on me?
Wait...
Don't leave me here!
I don't want to be alone!
I'm afraid...
to die.
What the heck just happened?
You'll never understand.
Never...
GUND-ARM, GUND-ARM A ray of hope
Madam President...
It's time to resume.
Right...
Let's go.
Prosthetic limbs?
This is medical equipment handled by the company I'm running.
It was designed and developed by Earthian students at the Asticassia School.
Now you weapons merchants want to sell us medical products, too?
Just now, you demanded that all Spacians leave Earth.
Yes...
Then that means the Earthians must also leave space.
I suppose it does.
That's a demand I flatly reject.
What?
They're my valuable partners.
I can't lose them in such a separation.
I don't claim to understand how enraged you Earthians are.
Or the economic obstacles you face.
But even so, I seek dialogue.
Please give me a chance!
How can we trust you when you don't have the final say?
Would you trust me if I became the Group's president?
Is that your intention?
I now understand that it's what I really need.
We can't engage in negotiations with you.
Ten days...
Until the results of your presidential election are clear,
we'll suspend all protest activities.
Are you sure?
Leave the deal-making to the politicians.
Besides...
if we're going to talk, I'd rather talk about that.
I'm a doctor, after all.
Thank you very much.
Hey!
Suletta came!
W-wait...
I'm not... ready yet!
Do you mind sitting here, Ms. Suletta?
And will you share that ham?
S-Sure...
Breakfast is soup made from Tiko's milk...
We've had to start using the stuff in the freezer.
You forgot to flip the switch, didn't you?
Which means it's a more luxurious breakfast than usual.
In that case, we wanted to eat somewhere a bit brighter.
Here.
How is it?
Yes...
It's delicious!
Okay! Let's dig in!
I'm so hungry, baby!
Can you pass that?
Martin?
Say that again, huh?!
So the management company was right?!
Chuchu, calm down.
It's true. Nika was cooperating with that terrorist group.
That's why I reported her to the management company.
Ms. Nika...
Ms. Nika was trying to stop Ms. Sophie and Ms. Norea.
She wasn't trying to destroy the school.
Maybe so!
But she lied to us.
How can I forgive her?
Only Nika can tell us why she was doing that.
Till...
I failed to notice that you were struggling, Martin.
However... Clean the stables.
Enough that the animals feel better.
Forgive me, Till.
I...
I'd have done the same as you, Martin.
Wait, she's our friend, isn't she?
Even if you know it's not the best way,
there are times when there's only one thing you can do, right?
I heard about Seethia.
You made a grave, too?
It was the only thing I could do for her.
Hey, kid!
Are any of your Fold buddies still here?
No.
And my name's not "kid," it's Sedo Wanchek.
I'm an official refugee designated by the special reconstruction plan.
Never mind.
Let's go back.
Hey, w-wait!
Benerit has a school that takes in Earthians like me, right?
School?
Young Mr. President, we--
Will you let me in?
He probably means the Academy.
Grassley's child-rearing program?
That place is run by meritocracy.
They even take in orphans who lost their families to war partitioning
and reeducate them.
Shaddiq Zenelli and their other five pilots all came from there.
So you can do it, right?
I don't belong to Grassley.
Ask one of the Academy graduates.
Come on!
I just want to be like the Prince!
The Prince?
He's an awesome guy who graduated from
whatever that place is, and now aids us Earthians.
Instead of piloting mobile suits like Sophie or Norea,
I'm more interested in--
Mr. Kenanji!
You...
Who told you about all that?
Who...? The adults, of course.
Everyone knows about it!
Mr. Kenanji, what are--
That's Shaddiq Zenelli's nickname.
Jeru Ogul...
That was his name before he was adopted.
Since he was a remarkable child,
and because of that name, everyone at the Academy called him "Prince."
You said it yourself. Everyone knows about it, right?
And yet not one person has ever given us such a report.
No one except you, an Earthian who lived with the Dawn of Fold.
Excuse me...
Guel, where are--
It's Shaddiq!
The Open Campus, and Plant Quetta...
They're all farces that he staged!
Arrest him and grill him right now!
Calm down. Do you have evidence?
Without it, he'll just shrug it off.
Guel, go back to Asticassia.
To the school?
If you can find President Sarius, that'll be your evidence.
Shaddiq must be keeping him close by, in the place he feels is safest.
Grassley House!
Oh, going home already?
There's been a sudden change of plans.
We'll be taking our leave.
Understood.
Goodbye.
Let us begin...
Eri...
Huh?
Hey, wait a minute!
What are you doing? I haven't issued any orders!
You're wrong! It's not me!
Attention, garrison command.
We've been attacked by the demonstrators.
As we're unarmed, we are evacuating.
Wait! You can't leave your post--
President Miorine is on Earth right now, isn't she?
Why Quinharbor?
Why...?
Did those two really go for the purpose of negotiations?
Code name: Sophie Pulone.
Machine: Lfrith Ur.
Code name: Norea Du Noc.
Machine: Lfrith Thorn.
Affiliation...
Ochs Earth?!
The two Gundams that attacked Plant Quetta and Benerit's school...
that's where they came from.
H-Hold on...
Ochs Earth was... 21 years ago...
I told you, didn't I?
The higher-ups are trying to forcibly suppress the Group.
You don't mean...
The ones who support the once-defunct Ochs Earth as a covert organization...
are the Assembly League's high council.
Although I don't have proof.
The heinous sinners who trampled on GUND's ideals...
Now you're trying to interfere with Eri's future?
I can't allow that, can I?
An attack?!
They've done it. It's the Spacians!
I won't deny that I tried to use you,
but it's also true that I want to avoid armed conflict.
Please...
Lend us your support.
All units, you are not authorized to attack.
I repeat. You are not authorized to attack.
What the hell is happening...?
Did you trick us?
No! We aren't the ones who...
How unfortunate.
We're leaving.
Wait, please! Hear me out!
This way, Madam President.
Plant Quetta?
You'll find it there.
A component of Quiet Zero, the project that is her obsession.
Quiet Zero?
In any case, let's hurry to the plant!
It was a cinch for them to win you over, wasn't it...
Dr. Winston?
Feng!
Please! Take her!
Move!
Fighting is currently escalating in the eastern part of the city,
as Benerit Group mobile suits
Spacians...
open fire on housing complexes where anti-Spacian activists
have barricaded themselves.
It turned out just like I said.
So what happens now?
I called for a ship, as well as mobile suits and Sabina's team.
Prospera Mercury was onto us, after all.
Guel... You've defiled her.
In response to the Benerit Group's attack...
Miorine...
...anti-Spacian groups...
It can't be.
What the hell is Miorine doing?!
The leader of the Earth Independence Movement...
That's why...
you can't cling to me anymore...
Not to me, or to Mom.
I understand now.
Suletta?
Aerial was just like you, Mr. Martin.
Huh?
She knew that this is what Mom would do.
Even if it wasn't the best way,
Aerial did the only thing she could.
I... didn't understand a thing.
It's all my fault.
I...
did this.
Next time,
Episode 20
"The End of Hope."
Illustration: KEIGO INOUE