Original subtitles

Though you are so close, Kore hodo soba ni

I cannot tell you how I feel. Iru no ni tsutaerarezu

The more strongly I feel, Tsuyoku omou hodo

the harder it is for me to find the words. Kotoba ga mitsukaranai

What is sad is not fate... Kanashii no wa unmei ja nakute

...but that all encounters come to an end. Deai no subete ni owari ga aru koto

O incomplete beings, Mikan naru mono

awaken, for beyond the night... mezameyo yoru o koetara

At the end of the desert... Sabaku no hate ni

...the truth surely awaits you. Shinjitsu ga matteru yo kitto

A long time ago, there was a great war.

All that remained in its wake...

...was desolate land, sand...

...and a paltry number of humans.

And also,

those who governed them.

An intruder?

Isn't it a meteoroid?

I believe we are all looking at the same images.

Was anyone able to see exactly what it was?

Are you saying something that could not be seen...

...entered the atmosphere?

Where's the data?

What about things like gravitational fluctuations?

We cannot permit the existence of "something" that we cannot detect!

A Technos Taboo?

If so, there should be data that can be gathered.

At present, all we can perceive...

...is that "someone" or "something" has invaded our space.

Still, to call it an "invasion" seems drastic.

I agree.

Even if we were to accept that something entered our space,

it can't be proven that there's some conscious will behind it.

This was recorded by an orbital sensor at the moment of entry.

Just before entry,

its angle of entry changed to the optimal angle.

Would it not be more dangerous to suggest that...

...this is a coincidence?

What about Joganki?

I'd like to hear his opinion.

He is not here at present.

Though, I believe he has access to this data.

Very well.

At any rate,

...it is still premature for the Council of The Third to take up this issue.

Please continue to collect data for a while longer.

Let's move on to the next item on the agenda.

Sword Dancer

"O man, as thy dream dictates,"

"Let us depart on a journey tonight."

"Guided by the breath of the stars, the clear breeze,"

"and the blessing of the children of the night..."

Sorry to disturb your rapt mood, but Honoka...

Don't listen in without telling me, Bogie!

I'm not one to listen so intently.

Donna Myfree's poems...

...are just long lists of meaningless words to me.

Well, having you say, "I love your words,"

would probably confuse Donna Myfree more than anything.

Say what you like.

It's almost time for action.

I know that, you don't have to rush me.

They won't be active until it's totally dark anyway.

Besides, it's not exactly a job I'm enthusiastic for.

Exterminating copycat sand spiders...

But it pays.

When you put it that way, you don't leave me any room to argue.

It's true that my line of work is to do anything, though.

Now, then...

Extermination rate's gone up from 63% to 82%.

That's a good pace.

Why'd you guys have to build your nest in a place like this?

It's also fact that 137 construction workers fell victim to them.

Bogie, about how many are left?

Considering the heat signature distribution,

you should only have a few more to go.

Bogie, I'm sure you know already,

but don't use your guns, even if they flee in your direction.

If their abdomens burst...

They'll release a deadly poisonous gas.

Exactly.

You can only chop at their legs or cut their heads off.

Talk about troublesome.

You got the job because they're troublesome.

Don't complain.

You sure don't know when to shut up.

Damn it!

Bogie, don't you think that was unnecessary?!

A pro takes care of the job as quickly as possible.

No more heat signatures. Job accomplished.

More importantly, Honoka,

it seemed you showed a slight hesitation there.

Yeah...

You were...

...the mother spider, weren't you?

Honoka's policy is to do anything, except take a human life.

Her emotions were as numerous as the jobs she accepted.

There were times when she wanted to savor the completion of a job...

...and there were times she did not.

Even if something ached deep in her heart,

Honoka left it alone,

as if waiting for the scab to fall off in its own time.

Thank you for your hard work.

You were truly a great help!

We never dreamed a swarm of copycat sand spiders...

...would build a nest at the construction site of the new city sector.

I guess it was one of those unforeseen situations.

Probably for the spiders, as well.

Ordinarily, the Chief should be thanking you in person,

rather than a secretary like myself, but...

Oh, that's totally fine!

I'm sure she's busy.

This Emporium Town has grown big, after all.

But you were exactly how people describe you!

Huh?

I hear you're called the Sword Dancer?

That you're an incredible swordswoman?

It's nothing that amazing.

A beautiful girl, who wields her sword like she's dancing! It's nothing that amazing.

A beautiful girl, who wields her sword like she's dancing!

Please stop!

I'm just a jack-of-all-trades!

Well, please let me know if anything else comes up!

Whoops!

Count on it!

Up we go!

Set me down carefully.

I know...

Let's see.

Your connectors are all shiny and problem free.

Bogie, want me to check the inside, too?

Don't do that!

You were panicking there, Bogie.

Not true.

I was just kidding.

Anyway, Bogie, gimme your travel data from the last 2 months.

I'll compare it to how the parts are wearing out.

Roger that.

"A cloud, tired of drifting,"

"Seeks a stillness in the wind to rest."

"The sea of the sky, calm and quiet,"

"Awaits the wave of clouds to crest and boil over."

"The wind, afraid to pass by too quickly,"

"Does not tarry, but merely..."

"...wishes to become one with the blue of the sky."

Clouds are so nice.

Miss, you listening?!

Huh? What did you say?

Sheesh! I've been telling you!

The maintenance is complete!

You didn't hear a word of it, did you, Miss?

Well, thanks for that.

Anyway, about the way you address me...

It's my way of showing respectful affection!

You could just address me normally.

That's about all a name's useful for anyway.

Roger.

So, anyway, Miss...

I just want to do it once!

Just once, won't you let me check all the systems?

It's not every day that I see a well-balanced sand tank like this!

Out of the question.

There's no way I'd let anyone but Zankan take a look.

So, we won't tell the old man. Just a little bit?

It's no job for a kid.

What?!

I'm Toy Joey! I've got a little renown around here, too!

So what?

You trying to say you've got more skill than Zankan?

I call that cheap. Bringing up the old man like that.

So, you do know that you're still a greenhorn.

That doesn't mean I've gotta take being treated like a brat by you!

You've got no chest, either!

That's got nothing to do with this!

Honoka, there's no time for denying an objective truth...

...or for arguing with a brat.

Damn it, not you too, Bogie!

Oh, but... Shoot.

You leaving already?

I actually need to ask Zankan for something.

To the desert again?

Yup. Again.

To the desert again.

"I've come to the desert again."

Honoka quietly murmured to herself over and over again,

as if to reaffirm her irrational feeling of being at peace.

Riding out into this sea of sand is an ordinary day for Honoka.

Most of her livelihood and most of her memories were here.

Honoka!

Wake up! Honoka!

Honoka!

Wake up! Honoka!

Ow!

It went thunk! My head went thunk!

There are armored ants.

That's nothing out of the ordinary.

Just avoid them.

Oh, I think it's swelling.

They seem to be targeting a person.

The sensitivity of my motion radar is down,

so I can't clearly grasp the situation, though.

Is that so?

Hang in there for a little longer.

Zankan will fix it soon.

What did you just say?

A person is being targeted.

You sure it's not some kind of mistake?

Out at night alone in the desert?

You could have any number of lives and it still wouldn't...

According to my audio sensor,

there is one life form, which is either human or humanoid.

For real?

The armored ants are...

Them, I know about.

They only operate in groups of three, after all.

What's the distance? Approximately is fine.

Ahead of us, about 200 meters.

Roughly one hill over.

It seems the armored ants are out to enjoy their hunt.

What's the situation?

No movement.

Okay.

Owowow...

Man, it still hurts.

Find some better way to wake me, will you?

You'll just have to wake up before you end up like that.

Yeah, yeah.

Sheesh!

What kind of idiot wanders around the desert at this time of night?!

If it's to commit suicide,

you'd think there'd be better places for that!

If you're going to complain, why don't you forget about this?

Maybe I will.

But I can't do that, now can I?

Okay, be quiet for a bit.

There you are.

I wonder what he's doing?

Found ya!

One.

Two.

Huh? Two?

Damn it!

Sorry for taking away your sense of direction.

Bogie, start up the power.

Our activity's not secret anymore.

What's your status?

I've got him in my sight!

Close your eyes!

Sheesh! Do you want to die?! Out here...

Hurry, Honoka!

This way!

Run this way!

Thank you.

Bogie, combat deployment!

Roger!

Relax all your muscles!

Can you get up?

Yes.

Get down!

Good grief.

So, what's your story?

What're you doing out here?

Yes, well...

Oh?

Oh, the bump?

Ow!

Shoot, it's starting to hurt again.

May I?

Huh? W-W-W-Wait...

No way.

What is it?

The pain is fading away.

I am so sorry. I brought this in with me.

A sand firefly?

You had it in your hand this whole time?

Most people would've crushed it.

It would be sad to crush it.

No, that wasn't what I meant...

So, earlier, you were watching those insects?

Yes.

Since it was a rare sight.

Surrounded by ants?

I guess I was.

You guess you were? Who are you?

Iks.

Please call me Iks.

As if she had been blindsided,

something moved within her.

How could she express what she felt at that moment?

It was neither "soft", nor was it "warm".

If it were up to her favorite poet, Donna Myfree,

what kind of poem would she write to express it?

Honoka had hazily begun to wonder such things.

A flexible civilization... Juunan na bunmei wa

...is always rapidly advancing. Itsudatte nisshin-geppo

You and your dreams are also... Kimi to yume mo

...making headway even now. Genzai shinkou

I realized for the first time... Hajimete kizuitan da

...with that line, resembling a surprise attack. Fui-uchi ni nita sono serifu de

My sixth sense was pried open. Kojiakerareta dai-rokkan

I'd been waiting for this feeling this whole time. Kono kankaku o zutto matteita

Opening my heart, just opening it... Kokoro o hiraite tada hiraite

I embrace the voices of strangers. Daisansha no koe ukeireru

Earnestly persevering, just persevering... Hitasura koraete tada koraete

I even try turning pages of criticism. Hinan no peeji mo aketemiru

I'm going to leave my... Toushindai no boku wa

...true-to-life self behind, right here. Koko ni oite iku yo

You can say whatever you want now... Mou nanto itte kuretemo

...and I'm fine with that. Kekkou da

Ah, how simple is the impulse to evolve. Aa nante tanjun da shinka shitai to iu shoudou

You and your dreams are also... Kimi to yume mo

...making headway even now. Genzai shinkou

Preview

I'm Honoka.

Thrown off by the blithe attitude of the guy I met that night in the desert,

I keep finding myself not quite with it.

I even get teased by Millie and the old man.

Good grief!

That was when that bastard showed up.

That infuriating Joganki.

Next time on The Third - The Girl With The Blue Eye,

episode 2, "An Eventful Night".

An Eventful Night episode 2, "An Eventful Night".

An Eventful Night