This is...
This speechless young girl's name is Kukrushka.
No one has ever heard Kukrushka's voice.
Kukrushka?
But the fact that she does not speak is actually part of her beauty.
An ancient sage once spake thusly:
"The ideal woman is one who does not speak."
More new crewmates...
Just how many more are there going to be?
But a young girl is a fleeting miracle, soon swept away by the winds of time.
She burns far too brightly for a middle-aged man like me.
Will you pity me? Will you pity Jonas?
Jonas...
The meeting to determine how to handle the Gnosia infestation will commence shortly.
All crew should gather in the main control room.
Though it pains me, it seems we have no other choice.
Let us make our way there, Yuri.
There are so many...
The evacuation orders were swift, so we were able to save a good number of people.
But apparently quite a few Gnosia infectees got on board, too.
Well, let's begin the meeting.
According to LeVi, there are unfortunately three Gnosia among the twelve on board.
Thus begins the banquet of madness...
How shall we deal with this situation?
How indeed?
To go with the proverbial flow, like a leaf on a rushing river... That, too, is an option.
So you're saying that as captain, you intend to do nothing.
Captain?
Did I say something strange?
You're the captain of this ship?
Oh?
It seems your amnesia is the genuine article.
Then allow me to introduce myself once more.
Yuri, I bid thee welcome to the Interstellar Cruiser D.Q.O.
As the captain of this ship, I, Jonas, am pleased to make your acquaintance.
Now, let the banquet continue!
You may do as you please, Stella.
As you wish.
The way they're talking to each other...
Does Stella follow Jonas's commands?
And...
What the heck?
Captain or not, what gives you the right to lord it over Stella like that, bud?
I dislike needless prattle.
Let us hurry and decide who will be frozen.
First, let's sort out what we know.
There are three Gnosia.
LeVi, are there any Engineers or Doctors on board?
Affirmative.
There is one individual each with Engineer, Doctor, and Guardian Angel credentials.
"Guardian Angel"?
There's a role like that, too?
Yes. The Guardian Angel can protect one crew member of their choice from Gnosia attack.
It is impossible for the Gnosia to attack a human protected in this way during warp.
However, because this places a great burden on the ship's hardware,
only one person can be protected per night.
Also, the Guardian Angel cannot protect themselves.
I see.
So if they can predict the human most likely to be attacked by the Gnosia...
They can prevent the number of humans going down?
Yes, that is correct.
I see.
Now I understand...
the purpose of these Guardian Angel credentials I received.
So, who's the Guardian Angel?
It seems no one intends to step forward.
Of course not. The risk would be far too great.
Why's that?
Do you really not understand?
They're able to protect others but not themselves.
So if they reveal who they are, the Gnosia will simply eliminate them first.
Oh, I see...
But if you're gonna bring that up, aren't the Engineer and Doctor facing the same risk?
Yes, they are.
But...
The Engineer and Doctor are able to identify the Gnosia.
If they don't share their findings and try to sway the vote some way, there's no point.
So there's some merit in outing themselves despite the risks, huh...
Man, this is getting complicated.
Well, is anyone going to declare themselves as the Engineer?
Kukrushka!
Hm... Looks like Kukrushka is saying that she is the Engineer.
So that means that Kukrushka is one of the bad guys.
Because I should be the only Engineer on board this ship.
What? You're the Engineer?
Yup. It's better if the Engineer tells everyone they're the Engineer, right?
Is there a Doctor?
Actually, I have Doctor credentials.
How droll.
I declare myself the Doctor
and thereby declare Shigemichi to be an impostor.
Captain, Captain! There seem to be two over here, too!
And thus, chaos ensues.
- Who do you think is suspicious, Yuri? - Huh?
Um...
I don't really know at this stage.
What I do know that is out of the four that stepped forward,
two are real and two are Gnosia.
That's it.
So if we choose someone out of the four, we have a 50% chance of eliminating a Gnosia.
That's true.
But at the same time, we have a 50% chance
of losing someone who has the important ability to identify the Gnosia.
So would it be better to choose someone outside of those four, then?
The thing is, there are three Gnosia.
So if two of them are among the four that declared their roles,
that means in the remaining eight...
There's just one Gnosia.
So if we choose one of the eight,
we have a seven-out-of-eight chance of sending a human to an icy fate.
Yeah... With that in mind, should we really exclude these four?
It certainly is a difficult decision.
Well, let us start by freezing someone.
I'm sure things will become clearer as we go.
In that case, why don't you go ahead and freeze yourself?
Silence, clown.
Yikes.
But I mean, Yuriko does have a point.
You'll never get this many people to agree.
I'm gonna say this knowing that you might not believe me, but...
Kukrushka is a Gnosia. That's what my gut's telling me.
And you're saying that you're not...
Of course. It's as obvious as can be.
I promise I'm not lying. Please believe me.
It's no use. Neither of them seem like they're lying.
But one of them must be!
Please vote for me.
At this rate, we'll never come to an agreement.
But thankfully, I am not an Engineer, Doctor, or Guardian Angel.
Freezing me will not put the humans at a disadvantage.
That is a wise decision.
Stella... But you don't have to nominate yourself...
I'm fine with it.
My position is slightly different from all of yours, after all.
Originally, Stella was sent by the government
as a combat maid who would look after me.
There's always been something mysterious about her.
A combat maid?
It is almost time for the warp.
Everyone, please return to your rooms.
It's that time already?
Kukrushka.
I will burn your beauty into my eyes before sleep's gentle embrace claims me.
After all, who can say if any of us will live to see tomorrow?
What's going on?
Yuri, please do not think too much about what Jonas said.
LeVi... Why's that?
Though once a hero of the space exploration era,
he is now just a drifter through space.
The Space Federation has officially designated him as insane.
Insane? So his saying that Stella was a combat maid was...
It's best not to think too deeply about it.
"Who will you protect?"
Oh, right. I'm the Guardian Angel, so I have to choose who to protect.
Who is the Gnosia most likely to attack first?
Of course, the Gnosia know who the real Doctor and Engineer are.
So the first one they'd want to eliminate is the real Engineer
that can identify them.
But if the Gnosia eliminate the real Engineer,
that's as good as confirming that the remaining Engineer is a Gnosia.
They'd be ensuring one of their own was sent to cold sleep the next day.
I'm sure they can see at least that far ahead.
Which means...
I guess I should choose someone who hasn't stepped forward.
There'd be a five-out-of-six chance they're human.
The odds that I'd mistakenly protect a Gnosia are low.
No... That's too simple.
Don't just choose the easiest answer.
You need to think like a Gnosia!
What choice would give them the biggest advantage?
For that matter, why would Gnosia step forward as Engineer or Doctor in the first place?
It's true that their false reports would cause confusion among the humans,
but the longer they have to keep up the act,
the higher chance the humans have of seeing through their lies.
So why would they step forward, given all that?
Is it because... the Engineer and Doctor are that much of a threat?
That's it.
If only one person claims to be the Engineer,
it effectively confirms them as the real Engineer.
Then the Guardian Angel just needs to continue protecting them,
and they're free to check one person at a time unhindered.
I see. That's how big of a threat the Engineer is.
Which means that even if it means risking one Gnosia being identified,
there's still a possibility that they'll try to eliminate the real Engineer first.
I promise I'm not lying. Please believe me.
You have made your choice.
Four, three, two, one...
I'm alive.
Please...
Please!
LeVi, could you check the crew's status?
Certainly. All personnel seem to be accounted for.
It appears as though no one was attacked.
Seriously? That's awesome!
The Guardian Angel predicted the human that the Gnosia were going to attack,
successfully protecting them.
That's quite the feat. Those were one-in-ten odds.
Yes! Yes!
I knew that Comet was lying.
Kukrushka is the real Engineer.
Since no one was attacked,
that means that the human that the Guardian Angel protected
was the one the Gnosia tried to attack.
The Gnosia only attack humans, which means...
Kukrushka is the real Engineer.
That also confirms that Comet is a Gnosia.
Now I just need to somehow convey this truth to everyone and sway the vote.
Okay, let's start with the reports from the Engineers and the Doctors.
Alrighty! I'll go first.
Stella, who went into cold sleep, was human.
I can also report that Stella was human.
What a pointless person to freeze.
I can't say that I'm surprised.
And from the Engineers?
Ah, so you're saying she's human.
Kukrushka is the real Engineer, so what she says must be true.
Which also means that Yuriko can be confirmed as human...
and Shigemichi as a Gnosia.
Wow...
To think that confirming the Engineer could confirm so much else in turn.
No wonder the Gnosia are so desperate to eliminate them.
Then I'll do my report next.
I checked out Yuri.
And Yuri's a Gnosia.
Don't falter.
Don't panic and argue with her. That'll just put more suspicion on you.
I can already see the truth.
Could you tell me why you decided to check me?
There was just something really suspicious about you.
Like you were trying to lead us in a certain direction,
talking about difficult things like odds and chances and stuff.
What they said made a lot of sense, though.
I don't think they were trying to manipulate us.
It just sounded like they were assessing the situation.
I feel we can trust Yuri.
I mean, I'm telling the truth, though.
I've had my eye on Yuri, too.
I see.
So this is how they sow doubt.
What should I do?
I'm the only one who can see the whole truth.
If I misspeak, that'll cast more suspicion onto me.
So, which is it, Sir Yurinchy?
I am human. But Comet has declared that I'm Gnosia.
Which means one of us is lying.
There's no doubt that either Comet or myself is a Gnosia.
So you're saying that we should vote for one of you?
Are you sure about that?
As long as there's a possibility that Comet is the real Engineer,
it'd be too risky to freeze her.
Wouldn't that put you at a disadvantage?
Yeah, I know.
That's true.
But I'm sure that Comet will...
That's fine, right... Comet?
Of course.
But...
I want you all to believe me!
I'm the real Engineer!
What?
N-No, it's nothing.
You end up saying more than you need to when you're nervous.
And that's when your lies become easier to spot through your body language.
Now...
It has been decided.
Comet will be put into cold sleep.
Just two more...
Hm.
Who do I protect?
Tomorrow, Yuriko will report as the Doctor
that Comet, who was sent into cold sleep, was a Gnosia.
Which will prove that Comet's report was a lie,
and then everyone will be able to see that I am human with their own eyes.
At the same time, this will confirm that Comet was the fake Engineer
and Kukrushka is the real one.
Which then confirms that Yuriko, who she identified as human, is the real Doctor.
The Gnosia are going to want to stop all that from falling into place.
Which means, the one they'll want to eliminate is...
You want me to believe you?
I see. She still thinks I might suspect her.
Of course she does, since I'm the only one who can see the truth.
I haven't told anyone else, but I'll share this with you.
I'm the Guardian Angel. I protected you yesterday.
That's why I know that you're the real Engineer.
I also know that Comet and Shigemichi are Gnosia.
So I want you to check the remaining crew members and find the last Gnosia.
I'll continue protecting you as the Guardian Angel.
For me?
Three, two...
So Setsu was...
Affirmative. I do not sense Setsu's presence.
I guess they predicted that I would protect Kukrushka.
But as long as Kukrushka remains, we'll be able to find the other Gnosia.
Racio...
Don't tell me...
Found you.
I see.
So Racio is the other Gnosia!
How long do you plan to make us wait?
Commence the banquet.
Man, there's still nine of us left.
Calm down. Now I know for sure who all three Gnosia are.
All that's left is to get them sent into cold sleep during the meeting.
First, let's lay out all the facts.
Yesterday, we sent Comet into cold sleep.
If Comet was a Gnosia,
that would mean that Kukrushka is the real Engineer.
The Doctors have already checked, right? If Comet was a Gnosia or not.
Yes. Comet was a Gnosia.
Nope! Comet was human!
Oh? It seems the verdict has been split.
The most important thing to establish is which one is the real Doctor.
You speak as though you know the answer.
So spit it out.
Right.
Kukrushka reported Yuriko as human yesterday.
As she was confirmed by Kukrushka, the real Engineer, Yuriko's reports are also—
Kukrushka is the real Engineer?
Hah! And when was that confirmed, pray tell?
Huh?
Good point. The other Doctor, Shigemichi, said that Comet was human.
Shoot. That's right.
The others have no way of confirming that Kukrushka is the real Engineer!
I can only confirm it because I'm the Guardian Angel and succeeded in protecting her.
Which means I'm going to have to explain that to the others.
No, but that would mean outing myself as the Guardian Angel...
I'm just going to come out and say that I'm the Guardian Angel.
For real?
Why...
What should I do? Should I come out and say that I'm the real one?
But what if this is a trap?
No... I can't think of the answer quick enough!
On the first day, I protected Comet.
Though due to baseless accusations, she was frozen the very next day.
N-No!
That day, the Guardian Angel protected Kukrushka.
The real Engineer is Kukrushka!
Oh? And how do you know that?
Because... I'm the real Guardian Angel.
Looks like we've lured out the final Gnosia.
Now, let me ask you something.
Yesterday...
why were you secretly meeting with Kukrushka?
Kukrushka...
You let your guard down, knowing your conversation wouldn't be recorded.
You need to make sure you're not seen by anyone for a secret meeting to be secret.
N-No! This is all backwards! I'm the real Guardian Angel!
You seem to be panicking quite a bit.
You'd do well to be more careful.
If you panic while defending yourself...
Everyone will think you're suspicious.
But I figured it all out...
Goodbye, now.
Bye-bye.
Next time...
A dolphin...
A-A dolphin?!