Galaxy Express 999 30

GE999 ch30


p93
"I've always hated rain. Every time it's raining, I feel dejected and I don't feel like doing anything. I wish I could live my old days on a planet where it never rains." -Ambosseri Kwahela, space hunter who died while fighting 3 Magellan soldiers.
30th stop
Lara and the Double Planet


p94-95
This double planet is really beautiful. A rainbow bridge connects the two parts!!


p96
I never noticed that we were towed by two more locomotives.

To go through this rain, one isn't enough.

Rain?
This rainbow is made of rain drops?


p97
Yes, rain is coming and going between both planets...
And they also share the same atmosphere.

Next stop: complete robotisation... It will last one day, 3 hours and 40 minutes.
Complete robotisation?

No one here is made of flesh. The people are all androids...


p98-99
[nada]


p100
[nada]


p101
Tetsurou... We have no need to get off, but I'd like to show you something that will make you think before getting a robotic body.

But you have to promise me to remain calm...
Will you be able to do it while you're a human made of flesh...

since your birth?
I'll do my best...

...

Miss Maetel...
I'll take a weapon, everything will be fine!

Let's go, Tetsurou! I've loaded some high calibre energy bullets...!!

Is this place that dangerous?


p102
Every opponent you'll face are robotised from head to toes, except for their brains.
Hmm!

I feel like I've been shrunk and put into a mechanism!!
It looks like robots prefer to be surrounded by other machines.


p103
An oil fountain...

An oil tap... Is that fuel?
It's liquid hydrogen that was treated so it doesn't explode. Here, it's a beverage.

Even benches are rigid and not comfortable!!!
It doesn't change the wellbeing of people living here.

Oh, what a naughty boy!
?

You should quickly destroy this human!
Thank you for the advice.

How dare she saying something so mean?!!
She's so pretty though!!!


p104
Men and women are all so pretty here!
This place is so boring.

They're all robotised since their birth.

It only lacks undertakers here...

because no one ever dies.
The last time it happened, it was 200 or 300 years ago.

The population never changed then?!
For the last 200 years, it has not increased nor decreased.

...


p105
Why didn't she serve me as well?

What? Your animal is also drinking tea?

Me, an animal?

My sincere apologies. I thought you were some sort of pig-monkey-crab from Cassiopeia.
A pig-monkey-crag?

I can't believe it!

Pwaah!!


p106
It was liquid hydrogen!!
Did you see that? He hasn't got any liquid hydrogen processor device.

It's a human made of flesh!! He's not robotised yet.

Get out of here, damn rat! It's no place for your like!!
Get back to your jungle!

Biological humans don't need coat, they can walk naked like animals!!
Maetel...

Shall we stuff her and hang her on the wall?
What about keeping only her head?
We could hang the skin too!!

Tetsurou!!
Maetel!!!


p107
It will make a fine stuffed object!!
Beautiful non-robotised women are rare!!!!
Maetel!!!


p108-109
Tetsurou!!!!


p110
You couldn't hold back, Tetsurou?
No...

I remembered how my mother was stuffed by Count Mechanical.
...

I thought that they were all the same as him!!
Monsters that only enjoy toying with other's life and stuffing human beings!!


p111
I wish this planet would be destroyed forever!!

...!!

Have you forgotten what your mother told you...?

Maetel...
Yes?

Do we all become like this when turning into a robot?
Like the Count Mechanical?

Well...

Maetel...


p112
I'm drunk from the liquid hydrogen. I forgot to make you drink override package...

Hold tight, Maetel!!!

When you'll robotise yourself...
When you'll become a robot...

In fact, there's another goal... another goal that...

Whenever humans become androids... or rather, when they're forced to become one...

Maetel!!!!


p113
!!

Don't worry, I'm a cop.
...!!

If you give me the body of that woman, I'll take you to the station.
!!

I'd like to return into a human body.
And what would happen to Maetel?

We just need to switch our minds.


p114
No way!! No way I'm turning Maetel into a robot!!
I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about travelling with you as Maetel!!

But she won't be getting on the train...
it will be me, in her body.

Out of question!!!


p115
What did she try to tell me earlier?

She said that when you become a robot...

What did you want to say, Maetel...?

Tetsurou!!!


p116
Tetsurou!!
Tetsurou!!

Arg...

Yaaaaaaaaaaah!!!

Tetsurou...!

His heart has stopped!!!
It's not beating anymore!!!


p117
Tetsurou...

Tetsurou...

...

!!


p118
Where am I?
In my house. You said that you have drunk a liquid hydrogen override, but it seems your body didn't like it.

My name is Lara. I'm a doctor and I made quite a name of myself.

How is Tetsurou?
He's still unconscious.

His heart hasn't been directly hit, the energy bullet went through his body without exploding.


p119
But what are you doing...?

Can't you see...? I'm about to get into this boy's body.

I can't stand robotised bodies anymore, I want to live again.
Stop!!

If you stop procedure, Tetsurou will die...
If we switch our bodies, he will keep on living.

He could even talk! In fact, I'm only switching our minds.
Stop!!!!


p120
Where am I?
The blood pressure hasn't increased too much... My ear are ringing a little, but everything went well.
...!!


p121
I'm going to the toilets.
Stop! It's embarrassing to say it that way.

But you gave this body to Tetsurou, Lara.
...

Hm!!!

How do you feel?
It's really the end of the world for me.
...


p122-123
See you, Tetsurou! Now, I'll travel as Hoshino Tetsurou...
and you'll live as Doctor Lara.
Don't worry!


p124
Don't try anything funny or something...
or else, I'll kill you!!

And don't ever forget that there are a lot of people ready to pay a fair price to get your body, Maetel.
I know that, Lara.

It's still weird...
This doctor offers us to switch our minds.

I need to get my original body back.

!!


p125
All the exit are locked...

It's getting hotter.

It's a real sauna!!!

Doctor Lara's office temperature is increasing all of a sudden!!
To all firemen in the 8th district, please head to this location.

What are you doing, Lara?
I preferred to get rid of my old body...

But Tetsurou's mind is still inside...
Whatever!


p126
I see... So that was your intention from the start, Lara...

Tetsurou!!!

Don't get inside, it's dangerous, your body might overheat!!!!

Tetsurou!!!


p127
Lara's operating room is shot!!

It won't be possible to switch back Tetsurou and Lara's minds...

I can't move.
Serves you right!

Tetsurou...
Yes?!

Do you feel able to keep travelling in this body?
...!!

...


p128
No way...!!
I want my body!!

Even if I have short legs and that I'm not handsome, I prefer my body.

The one that my parents gave me, their blood is running through my veins!!
It contains the memory of all the experiences I've lived so far!!

I would never exchange it!!


p129
I get it, Tetsurou...
But there's another way to switch our bodies.
Is that so?!

Mestor, one of my friends, has a device that can do it.
Is he doctor too?

He doesn't have diploma. He's doing it illegally.

panel: Mestor

Hm! Lara, you managed to transfer yourself into this body!!
It's the easiest way to get on board of the Galaxy Express.


p130
My turn, now!!!
I'm going to take Maetel's body, and we'll travel together!!
You deceived us!!!

Tetsurou, close your eyes.
Huh?!

I have this planet from the bottom of my heart.
I wish it to disappear forever!!

I want all its robotised inhabitants who toy with body and mind of people to be eliminated forever!!
I won't forget those who mistreat the heart of others!


p131
Waah!!!

Arg!

You're going to reverse the process!!
Transfer Tetsurou's mind back in his body and Lara's one in hers!!!

You shouldn't have brought them here. It caused trouble to me too!
No, no!! I wanna leave this planet, I want to get on board of the Galaxy Express with this living body!!


p132
Help me!!
Ah!!

Yeah, I'm myself again!! I miss it...

I'm going to kill you!!

Take that!!


p133
Let's hurry!!!

If I win this random game, you'll have to give me your body.
Ok, we'll exchange!!!
How foolish!!

Go ahead, Tetsurou, I'll come later.
?

I was worried. I feared that you would miss the departure.

Where is miss Maetel?
She will arrive soon.

There she is!!!

You arrived right on time for the departure.
So I made it.


p134
What an awful planet!

After their robotisation, are all men becoming like that?
They're not human anymore then...

Nor machines...
instead, they're monsters!

Yes, monsters made by science, Tetsurou.

Should I really become a robot?
What do you think?
Well...


p135
Men can live at best about hundred years...In the end, they don't fulfil much during their lives...
But with a robotised body that lasts several millenniums, you can then live a lot of adventures!

But... I really wonder which solution I should choose...
The road is still long, you'll have plenty of time to think it over.

I'll always be by your sides...
until you get a robotic body...

Tetsurou...
Yes?

Your body's warmth is really pleasant!
Err... Yes, yes!! Yours too, Maetel!!

Ah!!


p136-137
[nada]


p138
The energy control of the robotised city has unfortunately broken down...
...

Earlier, when Maetel got angry...
she seemed so sad...

She told me to close my eyes.

She didn't want me to see the explosion of the twin planets...?

What if it was really the case, so who the hell is Maetel?

In space, some lights are coming from long gone planets. Tetsurou told Maetel that he finds this light really sad...
What would remain of him once he will be dead? This idea made him sad. Meanwhile, myriads of stars kept on shining through Galaxy Express window.