[Hathaway's Flash] Vol.02 Ch.02

Chapter.02
Keria Dace

　The hot and humid air was suffocating, even with the door to the Valiant's cramped radio room kept open. The only audible sound was that of the waves lapping against the hull of the ship, as it was calm, and the direction of airflow was the same as the direction in which the ship was moving.

　"How are things?"

　Hathaway peeked in, wiping the sweat from the back of his neck.

　"There's no change with Oenbelli... maybe they've been wiped out?"

　Chartchai Coleman, shirtless, gave the receiver to Joseph Cedie, who was next to him.

　"I don't think such a thing would happen that easily. Radios have a tendency to malfunction too."

　"Either way, it's serious."

　Chartchai took the paper cup from Hathaway's hand and drank the rest of the soft drink from it.

　"Aaahh...," replied Hathaway somewhat ambiguously, looking towards the central deck. The crew working on the mobile suits had quieted down, so it was time to move out.

　"What's more, the problem is that the radio chatter is actually increasing from Davao to Guangzhou to Hong Kong..."

　Chartchai grabbed a few files from his desk and showed them to Hathaway.

　"These instructions, aren't they military orders to gather an army and police squadron at Guangzhou?"

　Hathaway glanced at the contents of the transcribed radio document and frowned at the sheer volume of police-related radio traffic. Guangzhou, located inland from Hong Kong, is one of the few cities preserved from the last century and a favorite location for the Federal government's ministers.

　"Masam is also saying to let them do it."

　"Hmm... seditious groups in Oenbelli,  the assault on the Haunzen... everything seems to point to a movement of the Council of Ministers from Adelaide to somewhere else... but it's too obvious. Hm?... Don't you think so?"

　"That's also how the captain feels, but it seems pretty serious, doesn't it?"

　"In any case, we're heading out. Continue your work intercepting their comms."

　"Of course, but... are you saying the enemy's comms are just a diversion?"

　"Come on, you're clearly intercepting too much, even for you guys. To me, that's what makes it look like deliberate comms."

　"Sorry about that, eh."

　Joseph grew flustered in front of the radio. Hathaway asked for a chart of their flight path and headed for the central deck. The sea air damaged the canvas covering the entire central deck so that some of the mended parts were almost torn to shreds, but there was no way to repair it. Next to the stairwell leading to the cabin, six mobile suits stood shoulder-to-shoulder, with several maintenance vehicles in between them.

　"Everything good?"

　"Yup, ready whenever... Aren't things taking a bit too long?"

　The chief mechanic, Maximilian Nikolai, took out a report board from the mechanic's desk with fatigue across his face. Hathaway ran his eyes over the list of supplies and general repairs for the mobile suits. Hathaway said,

　"Please report the details to the bridge."

　"Yes, sir."

　Maximilian's voice faded into the cabin.

　"Hatha!"

　Keria Dace's voice came from the hatch facing the rear deck where the Xi Gundam lay. She smiled joyfully at the coincidence of suddenly meeting Hathaway.

　"What's up?"

　"Oh, well, nothing, really. I mean... Are you really going out?"

　Keria's small, round head turned around to face Hathaway before she fully came up in front of him.

　"We have to figure out what Kimberley is planning. It might be used for future Mafty activities."

　Keria hated those last words, just as she thought she would.

　"The only thing in your head is ideology... You know that that's exactly what Mafty has set you up for, right?"

　A clear vertical wrinkle became visible between her eyebrows.

　"As a powerless organization, it can't be helped. So someone has to do it."

　"Are you saying the organization is wrong?"

　"This is all we can do right now. You should understand that."

　Even though Hathaway felt it difficult to control his emotions at her selfish words, his responsibilities towards Keria made him endure such annoying conversations. In reality, it wasn't really something he could actually endure. It wasn't until he met Gigi Andalusia that Hathaway began to have feelings for Keria; in reality, he was the selfish one. It is difficult for a person's heart to remain forever selfless and austere. In that sense, Hathaway was still an ordinary young man, not someone capable of pretending to be Mafty Nabiyu Erin.

　Of course, even after bearing the name of Mafty, Hathaway sought to remain strictly honest. Inwardly, he also sought spiritual nobility. But Gigi's appearance stimulated some more realistic desires in him. Unfortunately, these spiritual changes within Hathaway had begun to cause a rift between him and Keria.

　"So, what happened? With that girl called Gigi?"

　"I came into contact with a dangerous girl. I couldn't get rid of her, so I had to get on the Xi Gundam. That's what happened."

　This was the official explanation he gave every time following his escapade to the hotel in Davao, when Gigi was witnessed by his friends. However, within Mafty, an organization made up mostly of young people, such remarks by Hathaway were understood as a way to turn his personal issues into a public problem.

　"I've heard this story already."

　Keira had a twinge of sadness in her voice.

　"I meant what I said."

　As he was saying this, Hathaway felt that his voice sounded exactly like that of an adulterer trying to make up some lame excuse to his wife.

　"Sure. Fine. I know you won't lie. And..."

　Keria's eyes, of an indescribable color, gazed directly into Hathaway's.

　"In all probability, I think you don't need to lie either, right?"

　This was a tough criticism for Hathaway to take. Hathaway tried to slip past Keria's side, avoiding her eyes.

　"Hatha... do you hate me now?"

　Keria's voice felt so very far away.

　"It's not something you can choose between, like you hate it or you love it... but if you tease me like that, I'll hate it even if I love it."

　That was the momentum of things. Emotionally, it was a fine split. However, after having said it, Hathaway regretted it. It was very sly, being able to deny all responsibility, refusing to decide, and making the other person's intentions go the way you wanted them to.

　"!!"

　Keria kept looking in front of her as Hathaway slowly stepped towards the Gundam, bitterly thinking that he was still just at this level.

　"So immature..."

　Hathaway was still indebted to Keria Dace and still felt grateful to her. That was why he absolutely could not lie to her. For Hathaway, that was more important than playing the role of Mafty. All that said, though, it was also too hard to say anything about Gigi right now.

　He wanted her to leave him alone.

　Even though he knew it was selfish, that was how it was. Gigi was of intense interest to Hathaway. In fact, the feeling he felt might even go beyond the simple fact that she was of the opposite sex. That was what Hathaway wanted to say, but it wouldn't be something that would go over well. That was something he could never reveal.

　"Hatha...!"

　"Sorry. Please let me work now."

　"Do your own work!"

　That was a lot of talking for Keria Dace.　But that was the last time Kelia was interested in pursuing Hathaway. She slapped a leather baseball cap deep onto her head, turned her heels, and headed back towards the bow of the ship. She really cut her hair terribly short. Contrary to her personality, her split-second decisions were frighteningly quick. Hathaway viewed her as a boy walking towards the bow, legs outstretched in the shadow of the Gundam's frame. He suddenly noticed sweat starting to trickle down the back of his neck.

　"..."

　Hathaway looked at himself, painfully aware of her feelings for him, as she kept up her demeanor. Keria was someone who might have been called Hathaway's doctor until he started his full-scale involvement and participation in Mafty, one of the movements opposed to the Earth Federal government. During the regional space war called "Char's Rebellion," Hathaway, who was a minor and a civilian at the time, had become embroiled in a mobile suit battle. In the midst of the battle, he witnessed people around him dying one after another and even experienced killing the girl who had been his first crush with his own hands.

　That experience left Hathaway with only despair.

　After the war, Hathaway was put in front of a military tribunal, but his actions were exonerated in recognition of his success in downing an enemy unit. Suffering from prolonged depression, Hathaway was eventually able to reach Earth, where he was sent for treatment, as well as to become a trainee at a botanical observatory.

　It was an advantage to Hathaway that his father, Bright Noa, was considered a veteran captain. Without such a background, Earth in its current situation would not have allowed him to become a trainee at a botanical observatory. Nonetheless, the fact that enough people lived on the Earth to make it completely self-sufficient also factored into creating social habits on the planet, turning it into a perpetual breeding ground for endless exceptions.

　Hathaway was born on Earth, and the planet's environment both suited him and had a therapeutic effect on him. Nevertheless, he lived alone in an apartment in Hong Kong while studying for his exams to become a botanical inspector.

　That was when he met Keria Dace.

　She helped stabilize Hathaway's mind and nurtured hope in him for the future. Even after Hathaway left for Professor Amada Mansun's home of Manado on the island of Sulawesi to work as a biological observer, she came to visit him many times and even pretended to live with him for a while.

　However, the two could not get married.

　That was because she was an undocumented resident of Earth.

　It was then that Hathaway was informed of the existence of the Mafty organization by someone calling himself Qwack Salver, who visited Professor Mansun. Qwack Salver was a middle-aged man who had become a General in the Federal Army. However, this aging man, who used the pseudonym of Qwack Salver, or "quacksalver," meaning a scammer or fake doctor, deeply regretted the fact that Hathaway's father, Bright Noa, was working for the Federation Forces.

　"Your father knows that the Earth Federation government itself is the root of all evil today."

　"Are you saying my father should aspire to become a politician in the future?"

　Hathaway responded as if taking a shot in the dark.

　"But don't you know that on Earth, the slaughters perpetrated by the Federation government are continuing and that the migration of the privileged classes is only becoming more and more violent? Yet, in Federation cabinet meetings, there are policy discussions that talk about the possibility of our polluted Earth recovering, even with a population of about 100 million people."

　Qwack Salver explained many things to Hathaway about the state of the Earth; things that were unknown up in the colonies, out in space.

　"And then, those who don't have residence qualifications continue to be killed by Man Hunter."

　"How many?"

　"These past few years, it has been in the hundreds of thousands annually."

　"But isn't it a problem to have so many illegal residents?"

　"Yes. However, there are many demonstrations and activities by people who do not recognize what we call 'federal privilege.' Their opinion is important, is it not? They denounce the hereditary bureaucracy and the political world as the problem. I am guessing that you don't know that most of these families reside on Earth?"

　"The majority?"

　"Yes. Statistically speaking, about 68%."

　"That many..."

　"This is why they have to recognize the residency of just a few commoners in order to maintain their lavish lifestyles. People don't want to live somewhere all by themselves, you know."

　"I guess so... Is this what gives rise to cities like Hong Kong?"

　"Yes. If things are left unchecked, the Earth will not regenerate. Industrial facilities will apparently remain regulated, but with more people, we cannot depend on imports from the space colonies for all of our necessities."

　Even from this man who seemed so suspicious, both Hathaway and Keria saw that there was some truth, some background that they couldn't ignore. Besides, Qwack Salver's fearlessness was enough to reinvigorate Hathaway's nature as a pilot. After that, even while continuing to be taught by Professor Amada Mansun, Hathaway often flew to various locations to learn about the organization of Mafty. Keria was also pleased with Hathaway's renewed interests and expected that he would also become an illegal resident, just like her. However, about a year after Hathaway began working with Mafty, he became one of the organization's central combatants and left Keria. Having no choice, Keria started to participate in Mafty as district support personnel.

　That was the history between these two.

　Hathaway has no intention of denying that past.

　But the question of how he would handle the Gigi inside of him remains...