This story is a homage to Ultra Seven, Tsuburaya and is dedicated to The Youth.

#26 superweapon R1

When you fight with an enemy, you will need a more powerful weapon than the enemy.  Then the enemy would need a even more powerful superweapon than you have.  When will the long distance running of sadness come to an end?

R Heavy Industries, one of the biggest companies and R Research Institute, T University teamed up to develop the new superweapon R1.  When Professor KIRIYA was asked for cooperations and opinions, he stubbornly refused and consistently was against the sad marathon.  They regarded his assertion as trvial, and got enchanted by the results of their studies or experiments.  Moreover, R1 made other great powers of the world acknowledge the priority of Japan, which gained a greater voice in the Group.  Some countries had already begun the development of stronger weapon than R1, be it true or not.  The weapon no more became the means of protecting the Earth, but the tool of struggling for influence.

"Why has it come to such an end?  It is clear to anybody that PEACE be the best of all.  That's because humans are originally foolish, isn't it?  It's a shame.  Waste of time and money." FURUDA

"So are some leaders.  Humans have such an ability as to produce great power.  Nevertheless, why should they NOT make better use?  For developing countries or to develop outer space." SOMA

"Self-interest makes them crazy, and changes everything, why?  If the race were to be run not only between countries but between planets, what would happen?" AMABE

"The bloody race would continue until either disappears.  It would be a hair's breadth from self destruction.  Even terrifying to imagine that.  Couldn't regret that too much." YURI

"Even if we fall behind others, even if it's just us, we should disagree with the development and the experiment, we should get them out of the sad marathon with blood, anyway...  " KIRIYA

"YES HOPE!!!!" ALL

ROPPONGI Yutaka, leader of R Research Institute, T Univ, had been searching for the asteroid for experimental use.  The more powerful the weapon became, the larger scale the experiments would be, so the asteroid had to be equipped with appropriate environment and sufficient remoteness.

Also that day, ROPPONGI was staring for the asteroid in the outer space, only to be in vain. 
✨Good evening, Docter R.✨
Called name and looking behind, he found three aliens standing.  
"Who are you?"
✨Don't worry, we are not shady, COMRADE.  You're looking for the asteroid for experiment, aren't you?✨
"Certainly, why?"
✨Our home planet GYERON has been globally contaminated by radioactivity.  It's no more been habitable.  Then, we have been looking for the place we could immigrate to.  We have just found and reached and liked the blue planet here.✨
"Humm… "
✨All aliens GYERON have immigrated into the Earth, and begun living as humans.  So we suggest to you, Docter, that we have you use our home planet.✨
"What did you tell me?"
✨We are the last three leaders to have left GYERON.  Thus, we can decide how to deal with the planet.✨
"Any condition of exchange?"
✨Nothing.  However, we will not be concerned with anything after your experiment.  OK?✨
Since he felt like catching even at the straw, ROPPONGI had been always thinking in mind just about the explosion of GYERON.

KIRIYA was dead set against the suggestion. 

"We are not allowed to destroy the planet, just because there are no inhabitants there.  There might be some animals, plants, or starbems.  And the destruction could affect the whole outer space."

"To protect our Earth from INVADE.  It would just be effective to let INVADE know that we have a superweapon, which would act as a deterrence.  Animals and plants?  We ourselves eat ones to live every day, don't we?  In order for us to survive, we need some victims.  Cannot be helped."

"It might be dangerous, I think, to believe the aliens you have just met and know almost nothing about.  Indeed, I want to believe COMRADE.  But it's too early.   We'd better develop a firm relationship of trust with them."

"It's not just you.  You have forgotten the aliens' attack these days.  At this very moment, the Earth might be about to be attacked by INVADE, do you understand?  If we did not prepare for emergencies, what would happen to us?"

"If our weapon should not be so effective as the other's, who could be bravely determined to admit defeat, what would become of us?"

"We've already started developing R2, and planning R3.  Furthermore, we've carefully examined the planet GYERON, which is now a dead asteroid without any life.   What's wrong with targeting it?"

"That's what I am calling a sad marathon with blood.  In the universe exist not only the Earth, and we human beings.  Even the slightest mistake would lead to the greatest destruction of the space world in an irreparable way."

KIRIYA's opposition was vainly rejected.  It was decided by majority vote that they would target the planet GYERON for experimental use.  

"I'm sorry for my lack of ability.  Being outnumbered, we cannot do but wait and see how the wind will blow up."

"Just cause.   Sengoku warlord, isn't he?" FURUDA "Inquiring mind has made him blind." SOMA
"A little thought would show what is right." AMABE
"It is time for the Earth to disappear." YURI

Aliens GYERON had not appeared since, but the experiment was steadily and progressively prepared.

(Once R1 is launched, its just me to stop it.  The worst, I would be exposed to a great amount of radiation.  And could I easily destroy it?)

Finally, R1 was fired at the target.  And it had hit the planet, it seemed.  But there happened nothing.  The planet GYERON looked hard on its surface, whereas 90 percent of the geological substances were composed of liquid.  That was to say, the lands were just floating on such a planet as water sphere.  R1 was not blown up but captured inside its hard crust which covered the water globe.
✨Thank you very much for the present, couldn't be better.  Now your superweapon is ours.  So, give us the Earth as soon as possible.✨

Aliens GYERON was not COMRADE but in fact INVADE.  It was too late crying over spilt milk.  Docter ROPPONGI was completely deceived.
Foreign scientists who had appreciated him at first took a 180 turn, taking their rage on him.

"It is no use crying over captured weapon.  What should we do, everyone?" KIRIYA
"Project Blue (#19) could protect the Earth, Prof?" AMABE
"R1 is so powerful that it will destroy the Earth soon after it is captured." KIRIYA
"The aliens would not use the weapon, sooner or later.  Because they like, want, and need the Earth." YURI
"Exactly, it would be only as a last resort." KIRIYA
"How about going swim or sink to talk with the aliens?" SOMA
"It would be the very best if only it were to work well.  But it will be no way at the present." KIRIYA
"Go to Hell whether we say yes or no.  I will definitely say no.  Absolutely no." FURUDA
"This is one of the most difficult challenges we've ever had.  Thank you for your good opinions.  They help me so much." KIRIYA

Global meeting must go on.  Not only KIRIYA but also KURA and USHIMA were present.  The trio were independently discussing the solution to the problem.

Docter ROPPONGI gave out a cry,
"I am to blame for all.  Let me produce R2 soon."
"No time, Docter."
"Then, let me go to parley, or call for peace talks.  One and only thing could I do."
He was totally rejected.
"How about letting him go. This is not just his fault, but the fault of everybody here.  So, we should give him an opportunity to earn redemption, because either will lead to Hell.  But if it works well, fathe problem would be peacefully solved."
Pros and cons, but KIRIYA was accepted, become of his great achievements of having dealt with aliens.

MOROBOSHI steered HAWK 2, space shuttle mode, on which KIRIYA and ROPPONGI rode.  
✨What made you come here?✨
"To ask you for peace talks.  We would appreciate it if we could get along with you."
✨No kidding.  We have great advantage.  We don't have to listen to you.✨
"Certainly now, you have.  But in turn, when someone has stronger weapon, the tables will be turned soon again.  We exactly hope the peace of whole universe.  We would like you, aliens GYERON, to cooperate the peaceful universe."
✨Even though you developed such a superweapon, how dare you say something good!　　Even so, we would take it again.✨
HAWK 2 returned to the Earth.

Each country began to cast a vote on whether to submit to GYERON or not.  But voting was always so MYSTERIOUS that authoity could control the result.
✨Well, give us your answer now.✨
"We will never submit ourselves to GYERON.  Even if we know we will lose, we will never give up fighting or living.  This is our decision, of the Earth," shouted KIRIYA to the universe.

✨Understand.  Disappearance.  We'll do as you hope.✨
R1 was fired back to the Earth.  The moment, the planet of liquid was blown up to the space.

During the last meeting, KIRIYA, KURA (#13#15), and USHIMA (#05#19) had beaten their brains out to find the best way.  It was to activate Project Blue (#19) around the GYERON, and what was more, inside out.  However, in order to set up the barrier, it was necessary to approach the planet.  So, KIRIYA agreed with ROPPONGI's suggestion of visiting the aliens.  Unless the aliens used R1, both planets should have kept their peace, the best scenerio.  
This case made the global union announce that each country should spontaneously give up its own superweapon.  Some countries ignored the announcement, continuing the development.  But they were supposed to repeat the same mistake as the aliens.

KIRIYA and MOROBOSHI were on JR Chuo-line from Takao, to go to T Univ.  Although Takao was the starting station, they did not seat themselves　and hung on to a strap.  From Kichijoji, their train started to be more and more crowded.

"The deceivers were deceived, great, too great."
"It is the aliens that first deceived us.  Finally, it's even."
"If we had continued the marathon as we did, we might have gone way of GYERON."
"It might not always be the case.  After all, the progress of science itself means the history of sad marathon with blood."
"Depends on somebody who makes  use of it."
"Humans are not gods, or all mighty, so they sometimes fail in something  Regardless of age, gender, or intelligence, what is importamwt is not to regret but to learn.  Just repeating your failure makes you close to perfect.  Nobody is perfect, so how close to perfect you will be is the goal, or a star that humans with intelligence should hitch their wagon to, I think."
(Great respect to you, Prof KIRIYA.) 
Young SEVEN gave an admired sigh about the wisdom of human Earth, KIRIYA.

The train unloaded a lot of passengers at Yotsuya Station, and let out a relieved sigh.

#26 the end