Abandoned artificial satellites.
Tanks jettisoned from space shuttles.
Refuse generated during space station construction.
Debris of all shapes and sizes are traveling around the Earth at speeds approaching 8 km/s.
Should this debris collide with a spacecraft, it could result in a terrible accident.
For this reason, mankind has been confronted by the necessity of collecting this debris.
This is a story of 2075, a time in which this space debris has become a major problem.


Hachimaki:
We humans aren't designed to spend our entire lives in space.
If you don't watch your diet and exercise, you can be sidelined before you know it.
And some people go crazy from staying in a closed environment.
Cosmic radiation is unforgiving, too.
Folks who can't handle it all turn right around and go home.
But there are times when sickness or injuries keep you from going back to Earth right away.
That's why the moon is like a convalescent home to folks like us who work in space.
So what it boils down to is that we humans just can't live away from the Earth.
That's just the way it is right now.


Tanabe:
Sempai!

Hachimaki:
How come you're all ganging up on me.

Tanabe:
What're you talking about?

Fee:
What?
Aren't we allowed to come and visit you?


Hachimaki:
Uh, yeah, I appreciate it.

Nono:
I guess this isn't gonna work.

Lucie:
It'll take you a week to recover?

Cheng-Shin:
So you're gonna end up spending all your time off cooped up in the hospital?

Hachimaki:
Jeez, if I'd known this was gonna happen,
I would've just stayed on Seven.
You know they've been bouncing me from room to room since I got here.


Tanabe:
But how come the ninjas have already been discharged.

Hachimaki:
With all that stuff they do, they're used to taking falls in low gravity.

Fee:
Hachi, I took care of all the hospital paperwork.
Oh, and also, this week's issue of Cosmonauts.
And, worker's comp isn't gonna cover this.


Hachimaki:
Uh? Why not?
I saved somebody.


Fee:
Hachi, you got hurt while playing ninja.

Hachimaki:
Can't you shut your mouth.

Tanabe:
It's not good to tell lies.

Hachimaki:
This happened to me because of those stupid neighbors of yours!

Tanabe:
That's why I've been trying so hard to make you feel more comfortable.

Cheng-Shin:
Hachi, why don't you just take advantage of this and go back to Earth to recuperate?

Tanabe:
Hey, that's right!
You haven't been back for over a year.
You can patch things up with your father...

Hachimaki:
Hey, give it a rest!
Everyone knows that astronauts heal faster when they're recuperating in space!


Roland:
That's a fine attitude.
You're not getting enough physical training if you hurt your leg like that.

Hachimaki:
Who are you, old man?

Roland:
I swear, kids nowadays really aren't worth their salt.
You've got it too easy.
You're used to your full pressure suits and Navstars.


Hachimaki:
Like I said, who the hell are you?

Announce:
Mr. Harry Roland of room 303, ....

Roland:
Well, guess that's me.

Fee:
Well, I'll be damned.
I can't believe that's Harry Roland.


Tanabe:
Do you know him, Fee?

Fee:
He's an astronaut first-grade with a 20 year career.
He's one of the heroes on the first manned exploration of the asteroid belt.
That was back when you guys were kids.


Hachimaki:
Seems pretty spry for an old-timer.
What's he doing in the hospital?


Tanabe:
Well, I think it's obvious that he didn't hurt himself playing ninja.

Hachimaki:
Stop bringing that up, damn it.

be sidelined : 《be ~》中心[主流・主力]から外される、二の次になる
before you know it : あっという間に、いつの間にか、驚くべき速さで
go crazy : 気が狂う、発狂する
unforgiving : 許さない、容赦のない、執念深い、厳しい
turn around and go home : 家に引き返す ※直訳:踵を返して家に帰る
convalescent : 回復期にある患者、病気上がりの人; 回復期(患者)の、予後の
convalescent home : 病後療養所
boil down to : 要約すると~ということになる、詰まるところ~ということになる
gang up on : 徒党を組んで~する ※ 作中ではみんなで押しかける
spend one's time off : 休日を過ごす
coop up : 〔狭苦しい所に〕閉じ込める
discharge : 退院させる
take care of : ~を引き受ける; ~を処理する、~に対処する
worker's comp : 労働災害補償、労災補償
recuperate : 健康を取り戻す、回復する、立ち直る
patch things up : よりを戻す、けんかするのをやめる、仲直りする
worth one's salt : 給料に値する働きをする、有能である
I'll be damned : こりゃ驚いた。/これは意外だったね。/こりゃ参ったね。/恐れ入りました。
was back when : ~の頃だった
spry : 〔特に老人が〕活発な、元気な
old timer : 懐古的な人、古顔、老人、老練家
Stop bring that up : その話を持ち出すのはやめろ



Welcome to the news vendor.
Please click on the magazine you wish to read, and overwrite the old file.

Hachimaki:
Wanna read this?
It's the current issue of Cosmonauts.
They're doing a special on Earth's environment.
I've already read it this morning.


Nono:
Oh, thanks.

Hachimaki:
See ya.

Nono:
Um, will you, um...

Hachimaki:
Oceans? You mean the ones on Earth?

Nono:
Yeah.

Hachimaki:
I don't know what I can tell you about 'em.
I haven't been back there for a year.

Nono:
You haven't?

Hachimaki:
So, how long has it been since you came up here?
You look to be about the same ages as...

Nono:
It's twelve years.

Hachimaki:
Twelve yea... twelve years?!

Nono:
Mm-hm.

Hachimaki:
What disease could she have that would keep her from going back to Earth for so long?
If she's been here for twelve years, I guess that means she's older than she looks.
No, don't think about that.
I guess it'd be a bad idea to just come out and ask her what disease she's got.


Nono:
Huh?

Hachimaki:
Well, let's see...
The ocean, huh?
Okay, the ocean.
Well, the sea level's risen in the past twelve years.
My family lives pretty near the town of Kujukuri.


Nono:
Kuju what?

Hachimaki:
On Japan's east coast.
I always saw the ocean, so I never gave it much thought.
I guess it's because I've been living in space for nearly a year.
From out here, there's something incredibly beautiful about it.
Um, But there aren't many spots left that are clean enough for you to swim in.
I think it's a lot better to look at it from a distance.
I guess.

Nono:
Oh...

Nurse:
Nono, honey?
It's time.

Nono:
Coming!

Hachimaki:
Oh yeah, I need to pick up my medication and...

Nono:
Do you think that I might keep this until tomorrow?

Hachimaki:
That's okay.
You can keep it.


Nono:
Really? Thanks!
That's very nice of you.


Nurse:
You coming?

Nono:
Yeah.

Nono:
Thank you very much!
See you later!

Hachimaki:
Twelve years, huh? Wow.


Hachimaki:
Usually, extreme cases go back to Earth for treatment.
Twelve years...
I probably couldn't handle that...
Could any human handle something like that?


do a special on : ~を特集する
look (to be) ~ :(様子・外観等が)~に見える





Lucie:
So we're on different flights back, Cheng-Shin.
Oh, that's too bad.


Cheng-Shin:
Could you tell Hachi good-by for me if you see him.
And I'll be waiting for him on Seven?


Lucie:
I'll pass it on to Tanabe.
She's always stopping by to bring him clean clothes and stuff.


Cheng-Shin:
She must blame herself for what happened.
Wow, Tanabe sure is thoughtful.


Lucie:
Actually, there's only one reason that I can think of for a girl to visit a boy in the hospital.
Hachimaki:
Now what?
Didn't I tell you not to come here every day?


Tanabe:
I don't come here every day.
I stayed home the day before yesterday.

Hachimaki:
What's that?

Tanabe:
A get-well gift, it's an apple.

Hachimaki:
You're kidding!

Tanabe:
They said it was grown right here in lunar soil.

Hachimaki:
Hey, are you sure this thing is safe?
I think it might have evolved into something that isn't a fruit anymore.


Roland:
You sure are lily-livered, youngster.
Space is just teeming with all kind of radiation.
Without an atmosphere to protect it, the moon gets more than 100 times the radiation the Earth does.


Hachimaki:
Well, I guess you can't expect'em to grow the same as they do on Earth.

Tanabe:
It looks delicious, doesn't it?

Hachimaki:
Think so?
Have you ever eaten one of these before?


Tanabe:
No, of course not.

Hachimaki:
You're trying to use me as your poison tester, aren't you?

Roland:
Listen up, young man.
And pay attention.
It's been over a century since Sputnik.
Since then, astronauts made space a vital place it is today.
There's no better place for an astronaut to die.

Hachimaki:
I don't need you to tell me that.
That's how I plan to go.


Hachimaki:
Gross...

pass it on to : ~に伝える、~に回す
Now what : 今度は何?
get-well gift : 病気見舞い
lily-livered : 臆病な
teem with : ~で満{み}ちあふれている、~がうじゃうじゃしている
gross : まずい



Hachimaki:
Huh?

Nono:
Oh, thanks for the magazine before,
Mr. um...


Hachimaki:
Hachirota Hoshino.
Call me Hachimaki.
Everybody else does.

Nono:
Hachimaki?
That's a funny name.
I'm...


Hachimaki:
Nono.
I heard that nurse call you over to her.
She called you Nono.

Hachimaki:
Something to drink?
It's my treat.


Nono:
No thanks,
I'm okay right now.


Hachimaki:
You could've let me treat you to a juice, you know.


Nono:
I've been passing the time here 'cause they put me under this afternoon.
And now I can't sleep.


Hachimaki:
I was wondering, hey, you don't have your camera with you today?

Nono:
Nah, I got it from my family as a present for my birthday.
But the earth didn't seem real, even when I took pictures of it.
Hey, Hachi, could you tell me about Kuju?


Hachimaki:
You mean Kujukuri Beach?

Nono:
Mm-hmm.

Hachimaki:
I was really into motorcycles when I was in high school.
The salty wind off the sea is really bad for machines,
but I rode my bike along the seaside roads all the time, anyway.
I never thought about it much, but I guess I really loved it.
Being able to see the ocean, I mean.

Nono:
Can you see it from here?

Hachimaki:
No, it's on the other side of the earth right now.

Nono:
You know what, Hachimaki.
I'd love to see your ocean!

Hachimaki:
Huh? I'm sure you will someday.
Well, I should get back to my room.


Nono:
Me, too.
I get in trouble if I stay up too late.



call over : 〔人を〕呼び寄せる
pass the time : 暇をつぶす
put someone under : 〔麻酔などで〕(人)の意識を失わせる
be into : 〔趣味などに〕入れ込んで、のめり込んで、関心を持って、熱中して、夢中になって、没頭して、はまって、打ち込んで、凝って
ride a bike : バイク(自転車)に乗る[乗って行く]
you know what : 〈話〉あのね、なんと◆最新情報を伝えようとするときなど、相手の注意を喚起するために用いられる
stay up late : 遅くまで起きている、夜更かしする



Hachimaki:
Three.

Nono:
Four.

Hachimaki:
Five!

Nono:
Um, bullshit.

Hachimaki:
Ah, this game is never gonna end.

Nono:
Here you go, Hachi.
All yours.


Hachimaki:
Oh, hey, Tanabe!
Sorry about that.
They said they have to have my company I.D. for their release forms.


Tanabe:
That's okay.

Tanabe:
Here.

Hachimaki:
Thanks a lot.

Nono:
Hey, you wanna play, too?
It's more fun with three people, you know.
It takes too long to finish with two.
Know how to play bullshit?


Tanabe:
Well, I... I have plans after this, so

Nono:
Oh, you do that?
That's too bad.

Nono:
I have three cards left.
No, okay, six!


Hachimaki:
Bullshit.

Nono:
You're wrong.
It was six!


Hachimaki:
You're kidding me!

Passenger:
Mr. Smith, look at the collections they've got here.
Tanabe:
I'm only on the moon through tomorrow, you know?
Then I'll back to Seven.

Lucie:
That's why you called me up all of a sudden?

Tanabe:
Well, I wanted to come to Apollo Park.
Unlike you guys, I won't be able to come back here for a very long time, Lucie.
Wow, this says "Moon Cracker"
Look, Lucie, I knew they'd have them!
This is cool.


Lucie:
Japanese snacks?

Tanabe:
I wonder how different these are from regular rice crackers.

Man:
Excuse me.

Tanabe:
Yes.

Woman:
Would you mind taking our picture, Miss?
You see, we were hoping to get a nice picture of the two of us with Apollo 11 in the background.

Tanabe:
You won't be able to get all of Apollo 11 in the picture from here.
But hey, you can get all of the Eagle module to fit.
Let's take it over there.
This is your camera, right?
I'm not very good with electronics, but this one looks like pretty easy to operate.


Here you go : さあどうぞ。/はいどうぞ。/さあ始めてくれ。/頼むぞ◆物をあげる[手渡す]とき
tthrough tomorrow : 明日いっぱいは
be good with : ~に巧みな、~に熟達した


Man1:
What do you think?
You wanna go shoot around after we get out of here?

Man2:
That's a really good idea.
But my muscles have been shot ever since I was admitted here.

Man1:
See, that's why you should go.
You've got to get up and get moving.
Man, it feels great.
The ball flies six times farther than back on Earth.
You feel like you've turned into the main character of a golf comic!

Man2:
I guess I'll try to make a black hole in one, then!


Doctor1:
Did you find him?

Doctor2:
He's not in B Ward.

Doctor1:
How about you?

Doctor3:
I've double-checked the monitors, no sign of him.

Doctor2:
Hey, what if he isn't inside the hospital anymore.

Doctor1:
Maybe we shouldn't have told him.

Doctor3:
Should I report it?

Doctor1:
That'd cause trouble.
Let's look for him for a little while longer.

shot : 〈話〉駄目になった、いかれた、ボロボロの、くたくたに疲れ果てた
admitted to a hospital : 《be ~》入院する
main character : 主役、主要人物
a little while longer : [時間]もう少し、もうちょっとだけ(長く)


Fee:
Are you sure you have everything?

Hachimaki:
Yeah. I guess it's time to go.

Fee:
So, where's Mr. Roland?

Hachimaki:
I don't know, I haven't seen him since last night.

Fee:
That's too bad.
I really wanted to introduce myself while I had a chance.


Hachimaki:
Aw, he's just a foul-mouthed old geezer.

Nono:
Hachimaki!
I heard you're getting out today?


Hachimaki:
Yeah, I was gonna stop in and say good-bye on my way out.

Nono:
Are you going back to Earth?

Hachimaki:
I have to get back to my job.
So it'll be a while before I get back to Earth.


Hachimaki:
Good-bye.

Nono:
If you ever get hurt again, come on back.

Hachimaki:
Sure,

Hachimaki:
Hey, Nono.
About your...


Nono:
Huh?

Hachimaki:
Nothing.
Take care of yourself!


foul mouth : 汚い口の利き方、口汚い人
stop in : 途中で立ち寄る


Hachimaki:
Take care of yourself?
Am I some kind of moron?!

Fee:
I see.
Here twelve years, huh?
You'd think that it would make things a lot worse for her.

Hachimaki:
You know , I never got around to asking her what disease she had.

Hachimaki:
The Sea of Tranquility.
It would've been great if it was a real sea.


Fee:
Huh?

Fee:
Hachi!
Over there!

Hachimaki:
Why d'you slam on the brakes?
Hey, is that a person?

Hachimaki:
How's he look, Fee?
Is he in trouble?


Fee:
The nitrogen levels in his suits are abnormally high.
Guess he didn't do enough pre-breathing.


Hachimaki:
That isn't a full pressure suit?

Fee:
The nitrogen in his blood is vaporizing, and causing embolisms.
He's got severe decompression sickness.

Hachimaki:
He's still breathing, right?
Okay, we'll get him back to the hospital and...
That's Mr. Roland?
Isn't he supposed to be a veteran?
How could he make such a rookie mistake?

Fee:
Don't ask me!
How should I know?

Hachimaki:
You don't think... suicide?

Fee:
Don't be stupid!
I should be able to carry him, so you go get the airlock and...


Roland:
Could you just leave me here?
It's time for me to go now.


Hachimaki:
Mr. Roland?

Roland:
I have leukemia.
Because I was out in space for 20 years.
Nobody [alive / who hives] loves space more than I do.
Nobody...
I don't understand how she could do this to me?
I...
And do you dare force me to retire!
I still have plenty of good...


Hachimaki:
Fee.

Fee:
I'm trying, but judging from his air tank readings, he's been out here for over ten hours.

Hachimaki:
Hey, old man!
Hang in there!
You've had a 20 year career!


Roland:
But you can't... get rid of me that easily.
This way, I'll... I'll be a part...
I'll be a part... of you...



get around to : 〔時間的余裕ができたので〕やっとのことで~まで手がまわる、やっと~に取り掛かる[着手する]、~する機会をやっと見いだす
never got around to : ~には至らなかった
slam on the brakes : 急ブレーキをかける
embolism : 《医》塞栓症
decompression sickness : 《医》減圧症
should be able to : ~できるはず





Fee:
I guess they're putting us on another flight.
Tanabe said she'll meet us at the space-port.

Hachimaki:
Hey, Fee.

Fee:
Yeah, what?

Hachimaki:
Let's say that... there really is something like God out there.

Nono:
Hachimaki?

Hachimaki:
I mean if there is a god, I guess he must really hate us human beings.
We pollute the Earth and the moon, and we produce all that debris.
I don't know.
Maybe we're like annoying guests, who don't take the hint when he's telling us point-blank to go home.


Fee:
Hachimaki!

Hachimaki:
What the...

Fee:
Shape up, you're a debris hauler, aren't you?
And you're a grown man, so quit your damn moping!
What's the shit about God?
What are we supposed to do.
This is humanity's world now!
That's right, Hachi.
Curling yourself up and hiding in a warm safe place won't solve a damn thing.
The world can't get by without space resources anymore, and you know it!
Mr. Roland'll roll over in his grave if he finds out what cowards you young people are!
So, just focus on your damn foot getting better!
Hard head, Hachi!


Fee:
Jeez, he really does have a head like a rock.

Hachimaki:
Ow, man, that hurts...

Nono:
Hachimaki?
So, you came back?


Hachimaki:
Well, something came up.
You hear all that?
Yeah, she's a scary lady, all right.
She whacks people upside the head.


Nono:
Hachimaki, you think you can find another oxygen tank?
I was planning to...well, you know.


Hachimaki:
Huh?

take the hint : 言外の意味を察する、空気を読む
tell someone point-blank : (人)に単刀直入に[率直に・ストレートに・ずばりと・ズバッと・はっきり・あからさまに・包み隠さず・露骨に・腹蔵なく・あけすけに]言う
shape up : きちんと振る舞う、襟を正す、節度を守る、しゃきっとする
mope : ふさぎ込む、意気消沈する、落ち込む、腐る
curl up : 丸まる、丸まって横になる、丸まって寝る、縮こまる
roll over in one's grave : 〔死者が〕墓の中で寝返りを打つ、安らかに眠れない、草葉の陰で嘆く[泣く・面食らう・ショックを受ける]
hard head : 石頭、頭の固い人
get by without : (何とか)~なしでやっていく[切り抜ける]
whack : ~を強く[激しく]打つ、強打する、ぶったたく、杖などで強く打つ
whack|hit|smack ~ upside his head : ~の頭を殴る、叩く、ぶん殴る



Nono:
There's an airlock up ahead and there're full pressure suits stored in it.
They won't find out if we go out onto the surface from there.
Don't tell anybody.


Hachimaki:
The surface?

Nono:
The city just entered the night side, you know.
It's prettier outside at night, full of stars.
But, for some reason,
the adults never wanna let me go outside.
I sneak out.


Hachimaki:
What're you talking about?
You're an adult, too, aren't you?


Nono:
I thought you knew.
I'm 12 years old.


Hachimaki:
Oh, wow, is that right?
You're only twelve!


Nono:
Shh!

Nono:
Bet you also didn't know I'm a Lunarian.
I was born and raised on the moon.
They say there are only four of us in the whole world.
Sorry, didn't I tell you?


Nono:
My mom and dad both work here on the moon.
They work as engineers in the ilmenite mining plant.
By the time they found out that Mom was pregnant with me...


Hachimaki:
I've read about them.
Lunarians are born with low gravity disorder.
So, even though they seem to be growing big, their bones, muscles, cardiovascular functions
just can't support a body at that size.


Nono:
All done!

Hachimaki:
Bodies that can't withstand Earth's gravity...

Nono:
It's pretty cool that I come from the moon, huh?
I'm proud of it.


Hachimaki:
Nono, don't you ever hate your parent for this?
Haven't you ever wished you could live on Earth?


Nono:
No matter how nice a place Earth is, there's no point if you're just gonna live there.
But I made up my mind that when I go to Earth for the first time, I'm gonna go swimming in the ocean!


Nono:
Besides, since my body's never been to Earth,
studying how it develops tells the doctors a lot about space habitation sickness.
And that's good.
I don't plan on leaving the moon until all their research is completed.
Anyway, every time they discover something new from me, my body gets stronger!
Also, I really don't wanna live on Earth.
I just wanna see it once, that's all.
This is the place that I call home.


Hachimaki:
This is home?

Nono:
So, what do you think, Hachi?
This is my ocean!
Pretty neat, huh?


Hachimaki:
Sorry, but to me, it's just a big desert.

Nono:
What're you waiting for?
Hurry up! Come on!
Come on!


Nono:
You can only see up to magnitude four stars on Earth, right, Hachimaki?
Look! right over there!
That's the supernova that they've been talking about on the news on Mon!
It's that light that's along the line running through Rigel and Sirius, see?


Hachimaki:
To me, the moon is nothing but a vast empty desert wasteland.
But to Nono at least, this place is much more than that.
I guess it's just a question of how we choose to look at this cold selfish universe that we live in.
Right, Nono?


Tanabe:
Hey, Looks like your leg is as good as new.

Hachimaki:
Yeah, so it is.

Fee:
Well, vacation's over.
The old daily grind is waiting.
So, you'd better make your peace with it.


Hachimaki:
Make my peace with it?
I did that long time ago.
Still, it's a vast ocean out here.



magnitude : 規模、等級、大きさ、大きいこと、偉大さ、重要さ、重要性
as good as new : 新品同様で
daily grind : 毎日の決まりきった仕事
make one's peace with : ~と仲直りする、~と和解する