Galaxy Express 999 7

GE999 #07


p171
"If I had to name the most beautiful and most ephemeral thing in the world... Without a shred of hesitation, I would say: a comet!" was writing a space poet. He went on: "it burns its own life before vanishing, it looks like an Ephemera, because they both belong to some truly sad family."

7th stop
The Bookshop of the Comet


p172
What's this?
This is our next stop: Comet Station...

This is where Comet Halley and Comet Morehouse are leaving from to follow their ellipsoidal orbit and to get close the Earth...
... Then, they come back here...

These comets leave a long trail behind them, don't they?
But it's strange, this one doesn't have one.


p173
It's when they're getting near the Sun that their tail appears.
Indeed, the contact between the comet's matter and the solar wind is causing this trail!


p174
In a way, this place is the "birthplace of comets"...


p175
We've arrived!
The stop will be lasting one hour and a half...

Are we getting off here?

Quick, come, there's nothing to be afraid of, Tetsurou!!!

I already told you: this is a very strange place where there is neither up nor down, and where it's neither hot nor cold...


p176
We are at the heart of Comet Station, which is spinning really slowly...
You can't feel any up or down, but the pressure is exactly the same as on the Earth.

I don't feel good...
Let's get in a shop. Thanks to the artificial gravity, you'll feel up and down again.

A shop?

Oh yeah, there's one there...


p177
Which one do you want to go?
So many shops!!!

I want to try this one!
This one?

You mean, a bookshop?
Yes!
panel: King Bookshop

You made a very good choice! They're selling old books like the ones you could once find on Earth.
Here, the one hour and a half the stop is lasting will flow in a flash.


p178
This is the first time I'm seeing so many classic books gathered in the same place!!

I'm gonna take a look here!

We don't share the same tastes in terms of books, Tetsurou!
I know!

Hmm...
...
Note: The magazine Tetsurou is holding in his hands is Shounen King, in which Galaxy Express was serialized.


p179
...

What's wrong with him? He's staring at me!!

...

He took the magazine I was reading...
Hey, you there!! Stop right there!!

You snatched one page!
It's not me.

Don't lie! Look, one page has been torn!
But it's not me!!


p180
Follow me to the Comet Station police station.
But wait! Why would I do such a thing?!

Will you shut up?!

sfx: Schlaaaaaac
Aaaaah!


p181
Tetsurou!!

You met a violent person. What a mess.
I'm in a mess too, Maetel!

Did you fight?
I had a book, so I didn't get the time to draw my gun.

There is a doctor near here.
Thank you.

It's nice, you can find anything you want here.
panel: Hospital

You were shot in a bookstore?

There's nothing I can do. The only thing left is to cut it and replace it by a robotized leg.
What?!


p182
Here's the catalog, make your choice.
paper: Catalog

Wah!

I don't have enough money, but more importantly, it's just a scratch.

Silence! If that's how it is, I will choose for you!!
And if you don't have enough money, you'll have to work here for the next 10 spatial years to pay off your debt!!

Just you wait, damn brat!
sfx: viiiiiiiiiiiiiiz
Ah!


p183
sfx: viiiiiiiiiiz
!!

...

You're in cahoots with the doctor!!!
!


p184
So you're doing forced sale of robotized bodies, right?!
Let go of Tetsurou!
Ah! Ah!

Let go of him, right now!!

You've been discovered, your accomplice and you will rot in jail!!
Phew!!!

Let's go back to the train, Tetsurou.
We'd better!!

Because you think I'm gonna let you go so easily?!


p185
sfx: zyoooooooof
sfx: pschhhhhhhhh

panel: Hospital
It was a close one!!


p186
sfx: fyoooooooo
sfx: booooooom

You got better at drawing your weapon, Tetsurou.
Yes, I'm getting used to it since it was given to me on Titan.

It was a very dangerous place!

???


p187
What the hell...?

Mr. Inspector, they are usurpers!!
Throw them away!

Stop it! We're the real ones!

Let go of us!!!

Please forgive us for this inconvenience!!!
I have a sharp eye to recognize my passengers!!!


p188
Let us get aboard!!!
We'll work in the train to buy our tickets.

sfx: fwoooooooo

sfx: Tchooooooo
I'm begging you...

sfx: tchoooooo
Please take my son at least...

sfx: tchoooooooooo


p189
Look, a comet is leaving its birthplace...
This is Comet Halley...


p190
From the outside, it's a place both beautiful and ephemeral...
... but in fact, it's better not to let your guard down...

And the worse has yet to come...!!

When we will have left the Solar System, laws will only exist within the train and the stations.
This is a place ruled by the strongest that is awaiting us!!

The distance traveled to Comet Station is only in the immediate vicinity of the Sun. Now, the Galaxy Express is leaving this place on the rails that is leading it through the wild and lawless space.
While the travel of Tetsurou to get a robotized body is going on...
... the invisible rails of the Galaxy Express are spreading endlessly in the infinite space...