| Episode Four 発進！！未完の最終兵器 Hasshin!! Mikan no Saishu Heiki! (Launch! The Incomplete Ultimate Weapon) |
| The death of Smith Toren is deeply affecting Noriko. She is constantly reminded of him and with this grief she throws herself into her training that much harder. Under the close supervision of Coach Ota, Noriko uses all of her free time operating an RX Trainer, which has a cockpit similar to the Gunbuster's. This extra training does not go unnoticed, though. Up in the observation deck in the training bay, Jung-Freud is watching. The feeling of anger boiling up within her causes Jung to confront Noriko after training is over. She states that the Coach has been working Noriko too hard, and that she would like to challenge her to a fight. Noriko tries to say there would be no contest, but Jung misunderstands Noriko's statement that she is not the better pilot, and this further angers her. Noriko agrees to the contest. On the way up to the Exelion's flight deck, Jung tells Noriko they will use training shells which will deliver an electric shock to determine who is hit. Noriko states her affirmation, but as soon as the cargo elevator reaches the flight deck, she freezes. Staring off into deep space, flashes of memory from her recent combat experience burst into her mind. Noriko breaks down and sobs, stating that she never wants to go into space again. Down in the woman's berthing area, Jung is telling Kazumi about the incident and says that perhaps she should have never bothered. The ire in her voice is readily apparent, and Kazumi reaches back and slaps Jung. Jung in turn slaps Kazumi. Jung says that if Noriko goes into space again, she will die. Noriko, laying in her bunk, overhears the argument. She asks herself if she would really die if she went on another sortie. A few hours later, Kazumi is in Coach Ota's quarters. He asks her what is on her mind. Kazumi brings up the fact that Noriko is still unprepared for the task of being a pilot. She asks that Ota stop using Noriko as an instrument of revenge, and use her instead. Ota tells her that she is conceited. Kazumi then asks him: "How can one who cannot protect herself look after the lives of others?" Ota tells Kazumi that things are not over yet. That is all he has to say on the matter. On the bridge of the Exelion, Captain Tashiro is informing the crew of their last long distance warp jump. He states that they will warp while in subspace, so as to not allow the alien fleet to track them back to Earth. Tashiro then finishes that if things go right, they will emerge from warp with Halley's Comet on their flank. The date will be 23 July 2032. Once under warp, things do not go as planned. A huge explosion rips through the ship, totally devastating a section of the Exelion. Alarm klaxons ringing everywhere, Tashiro is informed that they are under attack. He is shocked. The evidence that the aliens could attack under warp is staggering, even though it should be impossible. Tashiro gives the order to fire all cannon. Then the unthinkable happens. The fleet begins to drop from warp, despite the best efforts of the humans to keep it from doing so. Earth's location has now been revealed to the aliens. The RX-7 squadrons are planning to launch when Coach Ota finds a small group in discussion around one of the Machine Weapons. Asking about the delay, Jung tells Ota that her partner's RX-7 is not in working order. Ota then tells the pilot, Linda Yamamoto, to take Noriko's Machine Weapon. To make matters worse, Ota orders Noriko to stay aboard. She is angered by this, and her humilation shows. In space, the Top Squadron is in defensive position. The Exelion fires a cluster of photon torpedoes at a huge alien mother ship, which just shrugs off the attack. Startled, Kazumi and Jung stare at the monstrous sight, preparing for what is coming next. Large amounts of soldier drones begin to attack, causing massive amounts of damage to the already decimated fleet. Jung kills her 23rd opponent, but is soon caught in the claws of a drone, as is Kazumi. The struggle seems hopeless. Jung watches as her friend Linda is killed by one of the drones, her RX-7 crushed like a walnut. In the berthing area, Noriko is crying heavily. The humiliation she feels at having been forced to remain aboard is too much. She finally makes up her mind, however, to ignore this feeling. Stating that she has cried for the last time, she vows to the spirit of Smith Toren that the old her will die with him. She stands up and heads for the docking bay. The battle is not going well. The once large fleet has been reduced to a small handful of ships and the Top Squadron has suffered enourmous casulaties. Tashiro is about to order the Exelion to ram the mother ship, but warning klaxons sound as one of the hangars open. The Captain is informed that the Gunbuster is launching. Upon hearing this, Tashiro orders Noriko to back down, but Ota countermands the orders. Noriko takes off with only ten minutes of power to the Gunbuster. The sight is overwhelming. Beaten and humiliated, the human pilots watch as the Gunbuster appears, possibly one of the most enourmous saviors imagined. Inside the cockpit, Noriko orders the Gunbuster to fire its primary weapon by screaming "Buster Beam!" The powerful laser cannon mounted in the Gunbuster's head cuts loose and vaporizes scores of alien drones by the thousands, without harming any of the RX-7 or Cosmo Attack Fighter squadrons. As Captain Tashiro supervizes the transfer of his troops back aboard the Exelion, the Gunbuster covers their escape to safety. The alien fleet has been reduced down to just the mother ship. Noriko tries her best to snag the alien monster, but it is too fast for the Gunbuster's tracking system. Realizing she has no other options left to her, Noriko turns the machine's inertial canceller to full power and prepares to catch the monster. Horrified, Noriko's friends watch in disbeif as the alien monster impales the Gunbuster straight through with part of its body. Noriko feels victorious; she now has the creature right where she wants it. Vocalizing another command, Noriko slams both fists of her machine into the creature's body. Panels then open up on the forearms and massive electrodes drive their way into the alien's skin. Screaming in triumph, Noriko watches as the Gunbuster begins to boil the creature from the inside out. The explosion which follows is staggering. The joyful mood has changed suddenly to one of disbelief as the crew of the Exelion believe Noriko has perished with the alien. However, cries of relief and triumph abound as the Exelion's radar picks up the Gunbuster. Kazumi is overcome by joy, as is Jung. Their friend has proven herself in combat. Coach Ota smiles. His pupil has finally grown into the pilot she wanted to be. Like a phoenix emerging from out of the fires of war, Noriko has been reborn. |
| つづく To be continued... |
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