Original subtitles

On course.

Ilyushin SX 1 is functioning properly.

The course got altered by the atmospheric friction.

That's bad; it's impossible to correct the course at that speed.

Impressive. That level of course correction is impossible for a human.

Entering intercept range.

Due to the course correction, unit two's right aileron is deformed.

However the auto-repair program is compensating for it.

Time to missile launch: 5 seconds.

4...

3...

2...

1...

Target destroyed.

SX 1 is returning as programmed.

So it passed the test.

Yes, Commander.

There's no question that this SX 1 has greatly improved our ability to intercept comets.

The plan promoted by the legendary Jet Rin and Commander Reynold has now come to fruition.

Mr. Kubo, be careful with your words.

The one currently in charge of this project is me.

M-My apologies.

Mr. Iwasaki.

Won't you be happy?

Putting aside arguments over the intercept system proposed by Rin-san's deceased husband,

you can't really say one is a pilot by just staring at a monitor.

Besides...

"Besides"?

If an intercept were to fail with this system that even a child could operate,

excuses can be made to deny responsibility and place it on the system.

Unfortunately, they can't make mistakes.

It's true the possibility is not zero.

That is why we need skilled operators like you.

Commander.

Have you ever seen sugar canes from Okinawa?

I know what sugar canes are.

Is there something special about sugar cane that are the basis of sugar?

No, I was just remembering my former posting.

Excuse me.

Everyone at the base, how are you?

Thanks to all of your support, we have been accepted as test pilots.

We're totally surrounded by new models that we've never seen, so we're really excited.

If Sako-san sees this, he'll start to nosebleed.

Unlike Shimojijima, there are lots of girls, so everything is...

FRESH!

Geez... What a carefree letter.

But this place has finally quieted down.

We don't have to worry about Miyazawa-kun and Ikeda-kun, but what's more worrying is those four.

Seriously, not one of them has sent back word.

Well, as we say, “No news is good news.”

I bet they're too involved shopping around in the city and have no time to send a letter to the countryside.

What are you fiddling with?

I learned it from Sako-san.

For the sake of some destined girl who will accept this...

Could it be you?

Huh?

Why not make a return as a pilot and pair up with me?

Unfortunately, I have no intention of going back to the front line.

Now that the Organization's discord has come to light, I have to support Commander Reynold more than ever.

Plus...

Nice to meet you!

We're finally here.

We'll be protecting world peace from today onwards.

Don't be so excited. We have to think of it as but one step in our career.

Well, as long as we bring results, no one will complain.

Precisely. We'll be the main characters of this base from now on.

Let's just hope so.

Let's do our best!

What, just three this year?

There's supposed to be one more...

But even if it's just three, it doesn't change the fact newborn chicks are here.

W-Well, yeah.

They can't be as troublesome as those girls, but this means we have to start over, too.

All right, let's do this. Yeah.

I heard that women take on defiant attitudes after thirty, but...

It'll be lonely.

It's a great future for those girls.

Come now, it's about time for the new chicks to arrive.

We have to greet them with smiles.

Yup.

I wonder what Honjou-san and the rest of them are doing.

I'm sure we don't need to worry about them.

After all, two Comet Blasters are recommending them.

I'm sure they're working on missions by now.

You're right, but that means they won't be coming back here, right?

This is the control tower.

Don't talk too loudly.

Yes.

The three pilot candidates reporting for duty from Headquarters have arrived.

I see.

Pilot Candidate Aoki Kiriko, sir.

I'll do my best, and nice meeting you, sir.

Tachibana Mirei.

I feel honored to have been assigned to this base.

I'm Ninomiya Mana.

I was born on the main island of Okinawa and am determined not to drop a speck of meteor there.

You three are the only ones here this term, but that doesn't make the order of engagement any less competitive.

Stay motivated and work hard.

Yes, sir.

What is it?

It's a request to land at our base.

From where? It's not from Headquarters again, is it?

W-Well... it's from...

What is it?

Honjou?!

What did you guys come back for?!

Um... Well...

We failed.

So, all four of them failed the exam together?

It'd make sense if only Hounjou-san had gone before the inquiry committee, but for all four of them to be dropped...

As you say, it is odd.

Do you suppose it's due to the opposition within the Organization?

We can't jump to that conclusion; we don't have anything to prove it.

I-I'm sorry.

Why did this happen?

Really, talk about lame.

Oh man, we don't need you to be depressed with us, Sako-san.

It's gone.

What?

You're kidding!

Sako-san, what's the meaning of this?

It was taken away.

I can tell that by looking!

Who took it?!

Men from Headquarters.

We got blamed for flying Stratos 4 without the Organization's permission.

Damn it, the fruit of my and Miharu's dream was taken away!

No way...

What?

What, did Honjou and the rest of the girls come this far to bug us?

They wouldn't.

But who?

I called it over.

If I remember right, you two are from Shimojijima Intercept Base, right?

That was confiscated from Shimojijima, as well, but do you know anything about it?

Do we know anything? We helped build it.

You just said "confiscated", right? Why is that?

Apparently it was illegally assembled, so Headquarters put out an order to have it confiscated.

But I've always thought it a waste for that to go into the shed,

so I made a direct appeal and had it brought here...

...under the guise of testing purposes.

Huh.

By the way, are you two close with Commander Reynold from Shimojijima Intercept Base?

There are lots of rumors about him, but how is he really?

"How"?

Commander Reynold is a great man.

We... no... everyone at Shimojijima truly admires him.

It's true that his views tend to clash with Central Headquarters', but there's always-

A reason.

What kind?

Because the comets bring-

What about the comets?

M-More then anyone else, the Commander...

...feels pain from all the damage the comets cause.

I don't know what kind of rumors are going around,

but it's because the Commander and Rin-san were there...

...that we believe we have the Cosmic Emergency Management Agency we have now.

Right?

I see.

Let me hear some stories again.

Looks like Shimojijima has a bad reputation.

Yeah, but don't let your guard down.

Looks like we shouldn't make the secret the Commander and Rin-san protected public.

Yeah.

The second floor was supposed to be open, but the girls who used to live here came back.

We're sorry.

Since we hadn't officially ended our contract, if they say they'll live here, we can't refuse.

We were told that it was a provisional contract...

...But if we can't live here, where do we go?

It can't be helped; I guess I'll come by ferry from Miyako.

I've never heard of main characters getting kicked out.

Thinking it's not right to just throw you out, we have arranged places for you.

I only live with my mother, so we have open rooms.

If you'd like, come over to my place.

Thank you very much.

Why are we so unlucky?

Karin is sure it's Karin's fault.

It's because Karin is different from everyone...

Because our superiors in the Organization are afraid of what Karin would do...

So...

Karin, don't think like that.

Yeah, if there's a reason we got dropped, it's that I was called before the inquiry committee.

Mikaze, that's wrong, too.

If that were true, you'd have been the only one to fail.

The reason is simple; we didn't have the skills to pass.

Then you don't have time to waste here, do you?

Kazuma!

Why are you back?

I was dropped off at Miyako and came straight over here.

Since the unmanned intercept program is going well, they're throwing away the extra personnel.

So Chizuru-san and Annette-san, too?

No, I convinced them to stay...

...so they could contact us immediately if an emergency develops.

They wanted to meet you girls, too.

They wrote recommendations for us, too...

...And we put their work to waste.

I'm truly happy I was able to come back here.

The sugar cane field is as green as ever.

It's the scenery that I was always remembering after I'd gone up.

This area, where typhoons pass through, takes a lot of damage every year.

The sugar canes that strive to grow upwards get knocked down each time.

But once the storm passes, they grow toward the sky again.

No matter how many times they get knocked down, they never give up.

I like the twisted sugar canes from this island better than others that grow straight up.

Instructor Iwasaki.

That's right; the Commander gave me this when I went up to the control tower.

Th-Those are-

It has been decided that you will all be employed as full-time pilots for this base.

Of course if you don't need them, I'll give them right back to the Commander.

We'll take them, we'll take them!

We'll gladly accept them.

I feel like flying around after being grounded for so long.

May I, Sako-san?

Yeah, let's get them ready.

Sorry for being selfish.

So, what about you girls?

Of course!

We'll gladly accompany you.

Will.

That's the spirit.

Wait.

Really, young ones are simple.

But then, I can't stay depressed.

Wh-What's with you guys?!

We thought we'd be able to become heroes if we came here.

And we get treated like this on the first day.

There's nowhere for us outcasts to go.

Hey, this isn't a church's confessional!

Ah, you can sit there, Oji-san.

Why, thank you.

Hey, I'm not an Oji-san! Call me Sako-sensei!

Yeah, yeah.

Miharu!!!

Next in the news.

The Cosmic Emergency Management Agency has made an official announcement that the newly-founded intercept base's,

the Eighth Orbital Station's, unmanned intercept system has been activated.

This is a project that has been planned from the time of the establishment of the SS Organization,

however after the double intercept system of Comet Blaster and Meteor Sweeper was put in place, the project stalled.

But upon reflection on the recent accident aboard the station,

the Agency re-explored the project,

and today, they finished the final examination.

The spokesman says it will become fully functional in the very near future.

Now, we'd like to hear input from Okabe Isaku-san who is familiar with the comet intercept process.

Okabe-san, with this acceptance of the Unmanned Intercept System,

how do you think the Cosmic Emergency Management Agency will change?

Yes, if the Unmanned Intercept System proves to be successful,

it's natural to think the importance of the manned intercept systems, Comet Blaster and Meteor Sweeper, will be diminished.

I see. And would that be due to considerations regarding the effects on the pilots?

Let's see; obviously the safety factor, but we can be sure that budget downsizing is a factor, as well.

In other words, we're being cast off.

This plan was originally proposed by the deceased Mikuriya.

I remember Rin-san and I strongly opposing it and that he did not understand the pilots' perspective.

However, why now?

Machines won't object.

Even if the operator were to disobey,

Headquarters, on the ground, can take the control in the worst case...

...as if the whole thing is a game.

So the group promoting the project is?

But then it's clear the result will be the exact opposite of what Rin-san's husband and you were hoping for!

The debris of history is always such.

Intentions of the time are ignored,

and the useful interpretation of the salvaged idea becomes the right idea.

But that's...

You do not need to worry.

As long as this base is functioning,

I plan to hand down the future Mikuriya and Rin-san hoped for to the honest, young ones.

That is why we work here.

Isn't it?

Yes, I may not be much help, but I'll strive for my best.

Tonight's celebration is for Mikaze-chan and company's promotion and to welcome the new girls.

It's from the Commander and me.

Don't hold back and have fun.

All right.

Thank you.

Cheers!

Hey,

she said welcome party, right?

She did.

But they said this is the rule here.

We sure came to a messed up place.

Hey, bring more beer!

Yes, right away.

Welcome back.

I'm home, Ran-chan.

Hey, trying to outrun me already?

Kazuma, I believed in you... that you definitely would come back.

I'm happy to see you, as well; I was worried the entire time, too.

Oh, I can't believe you said that in front of everyone.

Hey Teitoku, I heard you took good care of Shougun.

Thanks.

Fujitani-senpai, what's that?

Learning from Sako-san.

It couldn't be you girls, could it?

Ayamo, you're not eating?

No, I'm fine.

Oh yeah, Karin, you want to eat this?

Yep.

Listen!

You guys better train hard...

...since you guys've got great instructors like us.

Even these idiots became official pilots.

Who are the idiots?

You tell them, too, Hakuji!

No, Sako-san, you're drinking too much.

Looks like the lively days are back.

For those girls' future's sake, we've got to keep working.

And, any movement?

Seems like Honjou-kun, the girls, and Iwasaki-kun were sent back by a group of people who wish to isolate us.

I did not find any particular reason for them to fail the Comet Blaster Exam.

Then what about Miyazawa-kun and Ikeda-kun?

The experimental base for test planes is under the control of the Mitter Hiber Company, which manufactures intercept craft.

In other words, it's an independent base from Headquarters.

Of course, I intend to keep myself posted with what goes on there.

You guys listening to me?!

Not at all.

What?

Don't worry; I'll do the best I can.

For the sake of the peace he wished for.

And for the sake of those girls' bright future, too.

Mysterious planes suddenly appear before us just as we were reassigned back to the base.

What's that? Who's in them?

Next time, Stratos 4 Advance, episode 2.

Roll Out.

Look forward to it.