--MANGA TRANSLATIONS--
--TRIGUN MAXIMUM VOLUME 4, CHAPTER 1--
--"COUNTDOWN"--

Translation by sumire

Page 5

Jessica (narration): I'm Jessica!!

The dreamy lovely sweet sexy cat!!
My sweetheart is, like, you know, a total natural-born drifter!!
He's always wandering off--
--and then he doesn't come home for years!!
Oh, you dumb good-for-nothing--
--You can't just leave the reserved seat of love vacant forever!!
But never mind--we're alone now...
I'm so happy to make my delicious home cooking just for him...
EEEEEEE!! I! AM! ALIVE!! (Like, totally!)

Jessica: Here you are, Vash, it's ready!

Vash, Brad, Wolfwood, and a couple of kids are looking at her expectantly.

Page 6

Jessica: What the #@*&% are you slobs doing here!?

You've got some nerve, trying to eat here!

Wolfwood: Hey, this is the dining hall, isn't it?

Page 7

They're all chowing down.

Wolfwood: I have to admit... when I first came here, I thought...

With so many Plants here,
I figured you must have some good eats like we never see on the outside.

Jessica and Brad (simultaneously): If you think my/Jessica's cooking is lousy, don't eat it!

Wolfwood: That's not what I meant!!

Jessica (fuming): Brad... So you think my cooking's lousy, do you?

Brad: Hey, wait--You said yourself--!

Vash: Well, actually...

Page 8

Vash: It has something to do with the people still asleep in the cylinders...

A few minutes later.

Wolfwood: Ultra-long-distance communications?

Brad: It takes a lot of energy to run a high-powered signal.

Wolfwood: Signal...

Brad: We keep only the bare minimum necessary for survival, and devote all the other Plants to the transmission.

Wolfwood: A satellite?

Brad: Something like that, but an exceptionally powerful one to handle the distance between planets.

Vash: Let's go take a look, shall we, Wolfwood?

Wolfwood: Hey, you think I don't understand, don't you!

Vash: Not at all, not at all, I just think it'd be worth seeing, that's all.

Page 9

The transmission room.

Geisel: How unusual, a visitor.

Vash: We're going to take a look around, all right, Mr. Geisel?

Wolfwood sees a model of the Earth suspended in the middle of the ceiling.

Wolfwood: So that's what you meant?

Page 10

Wolfwood: This ship is sending messages to... Home. The Earth.

Vash: Yup.

For nearly a hundred years, they've been transmitting messages.

Wolfwood clenches his fist.

Wolfwood (thinks): Will we be saved? Us?

Page 11

Vash, Wolfwood, Meryl, and Milly taking the air on the top of the ship.

Wolfwood (thinks): This dirt-poor planet...

The population is steadily dwindling.
Or rather, we've reached the limit of life it can support, and can't grow any more.
I'm trying to protect the kids, but...
if the local Plant were to up and 'die' tomorrow,
they'd all of 'em be withered by the sun.
I don't ask for rescue... Just...

Wolfwood: God, grant us the hope to reach tomorrow...

Page 12

Wolfwood: ...amen.

Something is coming.

Page 13

Sirens sound.

Technician: Huh?

Okay, okay, what is it...
.....
...this is...

Ship guy: 0408 16's radio telescopes all got it!

On the first message, we got the password and archive.
It's even got a proper 'Read Me' in English!

Luida: Your conclusion?

Ship guy: No mistake about it--we've hit the jackpot.

Page 14

The message: Dear Comrades.....

A century has passed.
We are pleased that we may again recognize each other's existence.

Brad: A ____ packet transmission?

Geisel: So it would seem.

Ship person: Then they've done it? Back at Home, they've built warp drives?

Then that means the ships will arrive in just a matter of years!

Page 15

Luida: Everyone... thank you.

And above all, congratulations.

Vash and Wolfwood exchange a high-five.

Page 16

Meryl and Milly: It's amazing, amazing, amazing!

This is a historic moment!

Vash: Geez, you two are already drinking!?

Meryl and Milly: Come on, Vash, you too! You too!

Ship person: All right! Tonight we're gonna get smashed!

Ship person: What's a little indulgence once in a while?

Geisel: To think that it happened during my lifetime...

Brad: Good for you, Gramps.

Luida: Well, you've done it...

Sensei: What are you saying...

Page 17

Sensei: This is only the beginning.

Only the beginning.

Page 18

Knives looks up, angry.

Page 19

Sensing trouble, Vash wakes up.

Pages 20-21

Knives forms the Angel Arm.

Pages 22-23

An Angel-Arm bolt pierces the landscape.

Page 24

Technician: !?

Brad: What is it?

Technician: The satellite...

Brad: Not trouble at a time like this...!

Technician: ...it's...

...the signal has just... disappeared!

Knives: .....

Scum...
Too clever...
You expect me to put up with even more of you!?

Rai-Dei: I know all about your selfish whims.

But I haven't come here just to play with you.

Page 25

Knives: Just try it, sinners.

I'll cut you right out of the sky.

Page 26

Brad: Hey, wait!

At this hour... You're leaving by yourself?

Vash: .....

It looks like I don't have much time left.

Brad: We lost contact with the satellite.

Was that...

Vash: Probably. But don't tell anyone except Luida.

People would just worry.

Page 27

Brad: Hey! Hey, wait!

At least...
At least say something to Jessica before you leave.
She... uh... you...

Vash: Brad.

I'll cme back. Don't worry. Besides...
If she started asking questions, I know my face would give it away.
Sorry.

Page 28

Wolfwood: What took you so long, Tongari?

I'm catching cold out here!

Vash: What are you doing here!?

Wolfwood: As long as He's around, there's no real resolution.

Right?
So you need me around.

Vash: .....

Jessica (narration): And so I found out that that jerk had gone again.

From the bottom of my heart, I thought an insensitive clod like that was better off dead.
I cried all day.

To be continued...

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