Farewell, Earth

After successfully completing two warps, Yamato rushed back to Earth.

“Radar has captured an image of the black hole,” Nakanishi shouted.

When the black hole’s image shifted to the first bridge’s main panel, it took the crew’s breath away.

“It’s like the devil’s mouth,” Kobayashi murmured.

“Maho, measure its size.”

At Kodai’s command, Maho worked her console hard and delivered her report.

“About 304,000 km top to bottom and about 308,000 km left to right. I’ll process it and create an image.”

“All right, give me its position data,” Sakurai said.

“As of 3:20, its center is at 53 degrees galactic latitude and 25 degrees galactic longitude.”

“Speed?”

“29,000 km per second.”

Sakurai made some quick calculations.

“Captain, five more days to reach the outer periphery of the solar system, then Earth will disappear three days later.”

Just five days…and in eight days, Earth would disappear without a trace. The end of Earth’s long history was coming. Everyone was speechless. But there was no time to be surprised or sentimental.

Kodai made up his mind and declared, “Carry out the next warp in five hours.”

Kamijo’s voice rose up.

“Captain, isn’t that reckless?”

They had just completed a big warp and the energy needed at least twelve hours to recharge.

“There are people waiting for us on Earth. It’s dangerous, but we have to hurry.”

“Understood,” Kamijo replied, and the crew was convinced.

While Earth waited for Yamato, it was ransacked by abnormal weather due to the approaching Cascade Black Hole. Storms struck, Antarctic ice melted, and floods and earthquakes spread over the planet. But those who remained on Earth still waited for Yamato‘s return without losing hope.

In the midst of this terrifying reality, which even the Space Science Bureau seemed to swallow, Sanada watched the situation in silence. Jiro Shima came running in with a sad cry.

“Chief! Pluto has been swallowed! Instantly!”

“That can’t be. Pluto has a diameter of almost 2,500 km…”

Sanada struggled to catch his breath.

“The image has been processed and is being sent now.”

On the panel screen, Pluto was shown being pulled by gravity, seemingly in slow motion. It was swallowed up as if falling into an explosion.

“It’s a monster…”

It was almost time for that monster to swallow the Earth. Only three more days remained. As that time ran down, Sanada felt as if sharp thorns were piercing his body.

“Chief…”

Shima understood the pain that must be wracking Sanada’s chest, having to leave without being able to save Earth. He couldn’t speak.

“Thank you.”

Sanada stared at the monitor, as if to force down his agony. He’d been meeting with his staff and telling them to have no regrets, but he could find no relief for himself. Even as the Director of the Space Science Bureau, he couldn’t avoid this catastrophe. Many of his compatriots had been lost in attacks by the SUS. He was heavy with guilt over not being able to find a better outcome. He sighed in resignation.

The voice of an operator piped up.

“Be aware, the emigration convoy and escorts have returned.”

An image of the ships appeared on the main screen. Sanada resumed the stature of a Director.

“All right, after landing is complete, process their maintenance as quickly as possible. We will leave in twelve hours!”

“The rest,” he said, gazing at a view of space on his panel, “…is up to Yamato.”

In space, a strong gravity lens effect bent the light of the stars. Something resembling a mouth opened up. Standing beside Sanada, Shima looked at the image and bit his lip, unable to bear it.

“There’s only a little time left for Earth…”

A certain determination appeared in Sanada’s expression.

At least I will stay here on Earth. I regret that I couldn’t save Earth, but I can stay with her.

“Shima, could you contact Dr. Sado?” Sanada was worried about Sado and Miyuki.

When Shima contacted Dr. Sado, his reply was “I understand.”

Miyuki had not yet rejoined Dr. Sado. Analyzer watched the storm outside the window. Even amidst all the noise, Mi-kun slept comfortably on Dr. Sado’s knee as he stroked her.

“This is good,” Sado said peacefully, forgetting the crisis while looking back and forth between the robot and his cat.

You’re both just like sake to me. You never let me down.

Mi-kun looked up and meowed at him.

“Thank you, Mi-kun. I’m a happy man.”

Mi-kun has always been there for me. Analyzer is my beloved robot.

“Mi-kun, how far have you come with me, a heavy drinker?”

Mi-kun meowed again and Analyzer happily joined in.

“Same for me, Dr. Sado!”

“Your favorite girl Miyuki is coming soon,” Dr. Sado said as his drunkenness began to fade. Before he could finish, he heard her voice.

“Dr. Sado!”

She bounded into the clinic and took a deep breath.

“Doctor! The lifeboat has arrived for pickup!”

But Dr. Sado sat still, drinking his sake. He shook his head slowly.

“Analyzer and Mi-kun are with me. We’re not leaving.”

“Doctor…”

“Get going, Miyuki.”

“I don’t like this! I’m not going without you!”

“You have to go! What will happen to Kodai if you disappear? He’ll be all alone.”

“Dad has Yamato…”

“Miyuki-chan,” Sado said persuasively, “Kodai saved the human race many times with your mother.”

Miyuki stubbornly refused to listen.

“He…he’s a person who couldn’t help just one mother…”

“Kodai always cared about your mother. He still loves you dearly. He doesn’t think she’s dead. Kodai believes that she’s alive. The time will come when you’ll understand.”

His voice changed to give an order. “Go, Miyuki-chan.”

Tears overflowed in Miyuki’s eyes.

“I don’t want to go without you, Dr. Sado!”

“Oh, I don’t have much time left in my old age,” he said with a smile. “I want to go with Earth at the end of this day. That’s enough for me.”

“Doctor…”

Miyuki still didn’t move. Sado put up a hand.

“Analyzer, if it’s not too much trouble…?”

“Understood.”

Analyzer could understand Dr. Sado as if he was telepathic. He swiftly lifted up Miyuki.

“Analyzer!”

Analyzer rolled outside, holding the struggling girl.

“Please, Analyzer! Take me back to Dr. Sado!”

“I can’t, Miyuki-san. Here, please.”

Analyzer opened the door of the waiting lifeboat and forced Miyuki in, ignoring her screams. He pushed the hatched closed with a bang and the lifeboat rose up through the storm, taking her away from him.

“Goodbye…Miyuki-chan…” Analyzer stared at the lifeboat, which seemed to rise forever.

As the storm gained intensity and shook the lifeboat severely, Miyuki clung to the window looking down toward her three loved ones.

“Dr. Sado…Analyzer…Mi-kun…”

Ten hours remained before Earth would disappear.

Yamato returned to the spaceport. An image of Kodai saluting immediately appeared on the screen at the Space Science Bureau.

“Space Battleship Yamato has just returned.”

Sanada saluted.

“Kodai, thank you. There’s no time…”

“Yes, we’ll get the last people on board the emigration ships as soon as possible.”

“Please do.”

Amid the storm, an emigration ship waited at the spaceport to take on the last refugees. The storm shook Miyuki’s lifeboat violently as it flew toward that spaceport. The shaking was intense and intermittent, and the craft was like a leaf about to fall.

“Be careful, Miyuki-chan,” a female researcher called out.

“Right…”

The researchers wore seatbelts, but Miyuki remained standing, looking blankly at the grassland below. Instantly, there was a loud roar, and they were thrown around by even more violent shaking. Screams rose here and there. Miyuki was flung hard against a bulkhead, and knew the lifeboat was in danger.

I wonder if I’ll die, she thought as her memory faded.

Dad…

Miyuki…

I feel like someone’s calling out for me.

At the Space Science Bureau, staff members were busy scrambling to leave. Shima rushed into the Director’s office.

“Chief, all remaining business has been completed.”

“Good. Very good.”

“Chief, we have to get going, too!”

“I…”

Sanada stared straight at Shima.

“I’m staying on Earth,” he said with a steady tone.

“Chief!”

Sanada placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“As a scientist, I want to watch Earth with my own eyes.”

As Shima started tearing up, Sanada grasped the young man’s hand.

“It’s my duty to do that. Please understand…I share the same destiny as Earth.”

Shima was silent, but accepted.

“Go, Shima.”

“Yes, sir…”

Unable to bear it for another second, Shima spun on his heel and left the Director’s office.

Shima appeared before Kodai on Yamato‘s bridge.

“Sanada…”

Sanada should have been there, but was not.

“He was very firm,” Shima said with a grievous look.

“All right then…”

After a deep sigh, Kodai went silent.

“Shima,” Tokugawa asked, “is everything finished here?”

“No. The lifeboat Sanada arranged for the field park hasn’t come back yet.”

“The field park…the lifeboat with Sado and Miyuki on board?”

“Yes…”

Listening to their conversation, Kodai looked out the window at the intense storm.

“In this storm…”

Whispering those words, he hurried to the hangar.

There, Kamijo was preparing a Cosmo Pulsar. Kobayashi approached and struck a helpless pose.

“Kamijo, are you gonna try to fly in this storm?”

Kamijo continued prepping the fighter, not looking up at Kobayashi.

“The lifeboat carrying the captain’s daughter has lost contact.”

“What?” Kobayashi stepped forward. “Then I’ll go!”

At that moment, Kodai entered the hangar. Without looking at either of them, he stood resolutely on the upper deck.

“Kobayashi, return to your duties. Kamijo, you too.”

Kobayashi’s glance snapped up to Kodai at the sudden order.

“Captain,” he said harshly, “We’re going to help your daughter. We’ll come back soon. Come on, you’re her parent!”

The order came again.

“Didn’t you hear me, Kobayashi? Return to your duty.”

Unable to argue back, the two of them left Kodai alone in the hanger.

The Cascade Black Hole swallowed Planet Jupiter. Earth had six hours left.

A Cosmo Zero suddenly leapt off Yamato‘s deck.

“Eh?”

“That’s it!”

Kamijo, Kobayashi, and Sakurai looked up at it from the first bridge. The Cosmo Zero 21…Kodai was its pilot.

“It’s Captain Kodai! Ha!”

Kamijo and Kobayashi looked at each other.

“The captain was gonna go himself all along!”

Kobayashi’s eyes filled with tears as he watched the Cosmo Zero disappear into the storm.

“Why did he…”

Tokugawa walked up and gently placed his hands on their shoulders.

“He didn’t want to place any subordinates in danger over the feelings of a parent for their child. The captain is that kind of person.”

The Cosmo Zero jetted forward, cutting through the turbulence. Kodai’s hand shook as he gripped the control stick, struggling to maintain control in the strong air flow.

Meanwhile, Miyuki’s lifeboat had crashed. Wreckage and corpses were scattered, and a few moans could be heard. Some people still seemed to be alive. Miyuki was stuck under a large tree and couldn’t move. She was lucky; she’d been thrown out when the lifeboat crashed and its fuselage split open. Fortunately, the dense trees served as a cushion. It was lucky for her that she wasn’t tied down by a seatbelt.

However, she had become trapped under a tree that was knocked over. She’d taken a considerable body blow. She hurt all over and her consciousness was blurred. Lightning flashed and a rain storm raged across the sky. She could hear a growing roar, like a tornado. Another object was approaching the crashed lifeboat.

“I’m going to see my mother soon,” Miyuki moaned. She was losing the energy to live. Through the storm, she could hear a faint engine noise.

Kodai impatiently steered the Cosmo Zero through the tornado.

“Where is Miyuki…”

Time was running out. If she couldn’t be found…

If I can’t find Miyuki, I won’t be able to face Yuki.

Then, he spotted the remains of the lifeboat below.

“Miyuki!” Kodai shouted her name as he wheeled around in the air.

The Cosmo Zero descended against the strong wind. As the canopy opened, Kodai jumped out and looked around. He could hear moaning here and there. He immediately notified Yamato.

“This is Kodai. The lifeboat crashed! There are survivors! Dispatch a rescue boat immediately! The location is…”

He’d come to look for Miyuki, but he also had to help the injured.

There’s no time…

He watched, astonished, as another lifeboat instantly descended. Miharu was in the cockpit.

“Captain,” she shouted, “leave the others to me, I’m a doctor!”

Not waiting for his permission, she led a rescue team off the boat. She had violated orders in following Kodai here, but he didn’t hold it against her. Instead, he was grateful. The survivors could be rescued right away.

“Sorry!” Kodai raised his hand to Miharu and went off in search of Miyuki.

Please be alive…stay alive with me…

“Miyuki! Miyuki!” He shouted into the rain.

Miyuki, please answer me, please answer me…

It was a small, faint voice.

“F-father…”

There was no mistake. It was Miyuki’s voice.

“Miyuki! Where are you?”

“Father…”

Stronger that time. He found her at last. She was alive. But her legs were pinned and she couldn’t move.

“I’ll lift it up. Get out of there!”

Kodai groaned and lifted with all his strength.

“A little more, Miyuki!”

The big tree rose and she crawled out, dragging her feet.

“That’s it, you’re safe! Can you walk?”

Kodai lent her his shoulder for support.

“Let’s hurry!”

But, though Miyuki was grateful that her father had come to rescue her…

“I wanted you to help mother, too,” she said, looking up at him.

“Miyuki, your mother isn’t dead,” he said clearly.

She was astonished.

“Huh?”

“Look at this.” He handed her a captain’s hat. Embroidered into it was the name Yuki Kodai.

“Mother’s hat…”

Kodai held up the hat in front of her.

“Mother isn’t in heaven. She’s somewhere in space. I’m going to find her no matter what. With you.”

“Father…”

“We’re going to find your mother, Miyuki.”

“Yes.” Her cheeks flushed with hope.

“Come on, let’s go.”

Kodai and Miyuki began to walk powerfully.

“Captain, hurry!”

One step ahead, Miharu took off in the rescue boat carrying the injured.

Yamato rose off the ground carrying Kodai, Miyuki, and the crew.

“It’s launching safely…”

Standing on Hero’s Hill, Sanada had been waiting for Yamato to launch.

“Okita-san…”

He vividly remembered the days when he boarded Space Battleship Yamato to fight alongside Kodai under Captain Okita. As if sensing Sanada’s thougths, the rain stopped for a moment and some stars appeared.

“Farewell, Yamato.”

Sanada saluted toward the sky.

“Farewell, Kodai.”

Dr. Sado held Mi-kun as he and Analyzer watched Yamato from a rooftop window at his field park. In his other hand, he held a sake bottle for the last time.

“Doctor…Yamato…”

Analyzer also had many memories.

“Yes…it’s gone. Analyzer, I’ve had a lot of fun with you. Thank you…”

Even so, Sado continued drinking, his face reddened. Mi-kun looked up at him and gave a lonely meow.

“Oh, that’s right! You too, Mi-kun! You’re my family.”

He swallowed the last drop and waved his hand toward the heavens.

“Thank you, Yamato. And goodbye…”

“Sanada…Dr. Sado…”

On the first bridge, Kodai burned Earth’s final moment into his eyes as he watched it disappear on the main panel. The crew members cried as they saluted.

“Thank you, Earth!”

“I’ll never forget you!”

Each of them tearfully said goodbye to Earth in their hearts. The same was true in Yamato‘s second bridge, observation deck, and EC1.

With Miyuki at his side, Susumu Kodai took the captain’s seat to speak.

“The human race has just lost its most important thing. I didn’t realize that until this moment. What has been the attitude of the human race toward Earth up until now? We have robbed, destroyed, vandalized, and remade it as thought we were the lords of creation. On the scale of the vast universe, this disaster is trivial. But we could not save the Earth. We were powerless. In the end, we lost…”

“Lost?”

“Yes, Miyuki. The new settlement gives us a chance to start over.”

Kodai straightened his posture and gave his best salute to say goodbye to Earth.

“Thank you, Earth. We fly toward the future of the new human race of Earth. Yamato, depart!”

At Kodai’s powerful command, Yamato quietly and heroically flew off into the galaxy.

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