Chapter.07 Amuro Ray

The Wave Rider carrying the Quebeley shook violently as the atmosphere acted as a brake, slowing their descent. Judau desperately tried to control their attitude, staring at the various data pouring out on the monitor. The monitor showed the wake of the ballute on either side, but he had no time to look at that.

After firing off the verniers several times, he finally stabilized the craft when the Argama hailed him. Oddly enough, the interference from Minovsky particles wasn’t that bad. After inputting their rendezvous point into the computer and confirming they were over the Atlantic Ocean, he knew once again that he was far away from Dakar and his sister. He shifted direction and landed on the Argama, careful not to shake off the Quebeley.

After a brief examination, Ple lay unconscious on a bed in the brig. She passed out from the shock of entering the atmosphere. It was decided that they’d interrogate her later after she recovered her strength. When she awoke, she complained about discomfort, saying her body felt heavy. Gravity bewildered Ple. The crew took turns taking in the endless ocean and horizon. For the first time in a while, the Argama was filled with a sense of freedom. Just then, the radar picked up a massive orange airship approaching from their rear.

It was the Audhumla.

The Audhumla came alongside the Argama. With a clear line of sight to the bridge, Bright saw a figure: the leader of Karaba, Hayato Kobayashi. He gave Bright a salute to which Bright returned for a considerable amount of time. Judau, meanwhile, arrived on the bridge and couldn’t help but stare at the enormity of the airship.

As night fell, a Dodai Kai launched from the Audhumla and landed on the open deck of the Argama. In addition to Hayato, there were two others on board: a man and a woman. It was Amuro Ray and Beltorchika Irma. Bright is surprised to see him. Amuro extends his hand, saying that it’s been a while. Bright pondered how long it had been since they saw one another and couldn’t believe that it was only a year ago that he had been placed under house arrest by the Federation. Although he still had some boyish features, Amuro certainly grew into a fine young man. The two shook.

Bright didn’t know the woman at Amuro’s side. Amuro’s introduction was cold: Beltorchika Irma of Karaba. She held out her hand and shook hands with Bright. She comments that he’s the type of person she thought he’d be, and he’s somewhat surprised. Amuro says her name with a somewhat scolding tone, and she silently stepped behind Amuro. Bright wondered if this was the woman who changed him.

Beltorchika was amazed that they had four Gundams. The Gundam Mk-II, Zeta Gundam, Hyaku-Shiki, and Double Zeta were all lined up for maintenance. Amuro asks if Bright knows where Char is as he looks up at the golden-colored mobile suit. He stopped at the feet of the Double Zeta and asked whether it was the new model. Bright says it is and tells him it’s the Double Zeta Gundam. Beltorchika jokes that the next one will be called the Triple Zeta for short and Bright quips back that they’d have to ask Anaheim about that.

Beltorchika reminded Bright of Emary somehow, and he had a hard time with women like that. Hayato asks whether they have a pilot, and Bright says they do, for now, glancing over at three figures at the edge of the mobile suit deck: Iino, Beecha, and Mondo. Amuro asks whether they’re pilots too. Bright says they are, and Amuro says that nothing much has changed since he was in space.

Just then, Ple came running out of a passage on the residential side of the ship. In tow were Judau, Elle, and Roux. Ple was ranting and raving about not wanting a physical. She was so preoccupied that she didn’t realize she’d run into something. That something was actually a someone. That someone was Amuro. Ple looked up at him with a puzzled look, and Amuro gave her a faint smile. Hearing the commotion, Iino and the others came over.

Ple clung to Amuro’s leg, commenting on how she likes him and that he’s kind. Beltorchika teased that it looks like the Lieutenant is popular with little girls too. Amuro chuckled, but Ple says she likes Judau even more and jumped over to his leg. Beltorchika is surprised, and Amuro throws out a joking comment about how he knew she hated him before the two start laughing.

Bright introduces everyone. Roux is especially interested that it’s Amuro Ray, the Newtype from the One Year War. Beecha and Elle chimed in that maybe they’ll ask for his autograph. Amuro couldn’t help but chuckle as he was accustomed to such reactions from people. Amuro introduces himself to Judau, reaching out his hand.

Judau thought back to his encounter with Kamille. He remembered the strange resonance they two had. Now, the all-too-famous Amuro Ray was in front of him. He was the very template for Newtypes. Judau shook hands with him. His had was large and warm, but that was it. There was no sudden space around them, no aura behind Amuro. Judau was taken aback. From Amuro’s nervous expression, he couldn’t sense a hint that he was a Newtype. Amuro, however, sensed that Judau was one. That’s why he approached him to shake his hand. Judau overlooked this.

Beecha, Mondo, and Iino nervously waited to shake Amuro’s hand. Just then, Elle and Roux snuck up from behind and caught Ple. Snatching her, they dragged her to the med bay. Judau followed them, forgetting about Amuro.

Amuro is curious about Ple. He says that he feels something like a distorted pressure from her, but he could be mistaken. Bright says there’s a possibility that she could be a Cyber-Newtype, and Amuro is surprised that someone as young as her could be. Bright asks for a word with Hayato. Hayato looks at Bright and then at Amuro. Amuro says he doesn’t mind and that him and Beltorchika want to see the Double Zeta and take a tour of the ship. Beecha volunteers to show him around with a nervous Iino and Mondo agreeing.

Bright took Hayato with him and headed for the elevator. Amuro sensed Bright was getting a little stiff but wasn’t sure why. He mumbles that it’s likely about Katz.

Hayato sits down on the bed in Katz’s room, saddened to hear that he is dead. The air in the room was heavy and stale as if Katz’s regret had somehow gotten in. There was a photo on the shelf next to the bed. In the photo were Fraw, Hayato, Katz, Letz, and Kikka all laughing. He stared at the photo in silence. After the One Year War, he married Fraw and adopted the three war orphans as his own kids. Katz had been killed in the Gryps War over Gryps 2.

Bright apologies, but he says he doesn’t have to. He says Katz must have fought hard, and if he died because of it, then so be it. Bright asks if he’s okay with that, but Hayato asks what it matters and that it still won’t change the fact that he’s dead. Bright agrees, knowing full well how he feels. Hayato says he has to talk to Fraw and the other kids, as their father and not a leader of an organization. Bright could only nod, barely able to see that Hayato’s clenched fist was trembling.

Amuro stood in front of the brig and knocked on the door. After a moment, Judau opened it. Ple was sitting on the bed with a lunch plate on her lap. She was a mess, but Ple didn’t mind one bit. Amuro couldn’t sense a lick of her being a Cyber-Newtype. He hoped that his hunch was wrong. Amuro wanted to talk to him in private, but there was an observation camera above them.

Amuro sat on the edge of the bed and said he’s worried about Judau’s lack of focus on things. He says that he can’t let his mind wander to unnecessary things, or he’ll die. Hearing that last word caused Ple to jerk her head up at Amuro. Judau says that Amuro would probably do better than a kid like him as he’s a Newtype. Amuro says that he suspects he is too, but Judau shoots him down saying that he wouldn’t have screwed up so badly and let his sister get kidnapped if he was one.

Amuro says he wants him to develop into a Newtype in a good way, not like him. Judau asks whether Newtypes are a reformed version of man but says he’s no different than other adults. It’s always nag, nag, nag. A moment of silence followed as Amuro searched for the right words. He asks whether it’s because he’s a rusty Newtype. Judau is confused, and Amuro clarifies that by being trapped by gravity that nothing much can be done as man changes in space.

Judau wonders why they don’t just go back into space, and Amuro says that he’s right, but new Newtypes like him were doing their best. It certainly wasn’t an answer, and Judau made that clear. Amuro says they’ll talk about it sometime and goes to leave the room. Ple says that Amuro smells just like him as she sucks on a milk pack through a straw.

The next morning, an untimely alarm blared through the Argama. The Double Zeta had started to move on its own. It was Judau. He bellowed out that he was going to Dakar to save Leina. Astonaige tried to jump up to the cockpit again, but he wasn’t in outer space like he was used to, so he didn’t get very far.

The Double Zeta rode the Dodak Kai that Hayato and the others came in on mainly because of Earth’s gravity and being unable to sustain flight with the mobile suit along. Bright, Hayato, and Amuro rushed in from a briefing room, having been up all night discussing plans. Their eyes were bloodshot. Judau looks at Amuro through the panoramic monitor and says he’s going to be a Newtype in action.

Bright cursed Judau as he rocketed off the ship.