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So, on with the next book, at a more reasonable pace!


Sumire's translation here.

I'm going to use feminine pronouns for Elendira, because that's clearly how she wants to be seen. And for Zazie, because that's how she currently looks, even though she's a gender-swapping avatar for a collective consciousness XD.

Chapter One - Zero Hour

Vash as the frontispiece. Included just to spread the love.


The book opens with a flashback to Chapel swearing revenge on Wolfwood, and then Elendira standing by a bed-ridden Legato, hooked up to IVs and machines that ping. One of Zazie's insects returns to her and she gives Elendira the update - they've located Vash again, Chapel and 'the old escort' are dead, and Vash is now travelling with Livio. That last one comes as something of a surprise.

Elendira turns to Legato and bitches him out for being pathetic - lazing around in bed just because he was shot in the head XD. She knows that Knives has more outright power than Vash, but she's concerned about Vash's unpredictability and his greater life experience. She tells Legato if he won't wake up, then he's useless, and she may as well kill him. Zazie watches, looking a bit distressed. (Sumire's p81)


Elendira doesn't kill Legato, saying she was just kidding, but Zazie isn't convinced. Elendira muses on Zazie's motives for helping them, and Zazie says she wants to know more about both Plants and humans. (If she's hanging with the GHGs as a way of doing that, she's just going to end up certain that both species completely suck.) The Ark speeds on through the darkness.

Vash and Livio have acquired themselves a car, Livio driving as Vash sleeps in the passenger seat. Livio stops the car when Brad's ship appears overhead, and Brad comes out to meet them.
Vash leaps towards Brad in full OTT talking rubbish at a mile a minute mode. Brad: "Wait, hang on just a second. What happened to the preacher? Why are you with that guy?" Vash: "Ah... I'll... explain that now..." (Sumire's p88)


Back on the ship, Brad is Unimpressed by explanations of Livio's MPS problems. He kicks Vash and sends him sprawling. As far as he's concerned, Livio killed Wolfwood and is likely to smash Vash's skull in while he sleeps. (Gotta admit to the point here. No guarantees I can see that nice!Livio's going to stay in charge full time.)
Vash tells Brad that if Livio was going to try to kill him in his sleep, he had his chance in the car. This makes Brad so crazy he's speechless, and it's Livio's turn to bawl Vash out for being a complete idiot. He'd thought Vash was faking it to test him out XD.


Vash tells Livio: "You're someone that he trusted. So...um...well...." Brad gives up at this point - he's obviously had experience of arguing with Vash! But he can't resist punching Livio anyway, and breaks his nose.


Of course, Livio's nose just heals right up again, which Brad takes as free rein to beat him some more, but Vash intervenes. Brad and Vash then recite the plot to one another - the military have got a working BFG salvaged from one of the crashed ships and they plan to take out the Ark with it. (I think Sumire's got who's speaking mixed up somewhat in this, since Brad is in a much better position for up-to-date info than Vash, but it doesn't matter much.)

So the military are making preparations as the Ark approaches, but Vash starts to think about the power supply for the BFG, which is, of course, Plants. He thinks this is going to be a problem.... (Sumire's p96)


And sure enough, as the Ark arrives, with Knives posing dramatically on top, the gun just doesn't work. The Plants inside all those rows of bulbs start to move, as Brad figures out that they won't allow themselves to be used to attack one of their own species. (Sumire's p101)


The Plants break free of the bulbs and all fly up to meet the Ark.


Out in space, a Warp Gate starts to open. The ships from Earth are arriving.


So much for Plan One then....
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