Iserlohn Fortress is an artificial satellite
and the Free Planets Alliance.
situated on the border of the Galactic Empire
Its diameter is 60 kilometers.
The interior is divided into thousands of levels
for its function as a strategic base,
and is equipped with everything needed
20,000 ships of the garrison fleet and an arsenal.
with a military spaceport accommodating the
with a population of five million,
Iserlohn is a major city,
including three million civilians.
a part of the oxygen supply system.
There is a vast horticulture plant that serves as
complete self-sufficiency possible,
A hydroponic farm that makes
and a food factory.
Hospitals...
Schools...
Sports facilities...
Amusement facilities...
Shops, restaurants, and more.
It wants for nothing that you'd find in a major city.
And the person in charge of Iserlohn Fortress
in the history of the Alliance forces.
is Yang Wen-li, the youngest admiral
Oh, thanks.
What were you thinking about?
Nothing I should be sharing.
human greed ends up knowing no bounds.
It's just, by only thinking about winning,
killing enemies, letting allies die,
Being a soldier means spending your time
and cheating and outwitting everyone else.
It's a worthless profession.
Admiral...
then it can't be helped, but...
Julian, if you say you want to be a soldier,
Look, Julian...
A military is nothing more than a tool.
A tool that should never, ever be used.
harmless a tool as you can.
Remember that, and try to be as
Yes, sir.
I've thought that for a long time now,
everything went wrong.
but ever since El Facil nine years ago,
without considering the consequences,
God, when you let yourself be promoted
a person gets corrupted, bit by bit.
El Facil?
weren't you, Miss Frederica?
Yes, you were on El Facil then,
the same age as you are now, Julian.
Yes, now that you mention it, I was just about
like the other adults at the time.
He didn't completely lose his head
the garrison commander...
Even though the Imperial forces were approaching,
It was Rear Admiral Lynch, as I recall.
He and his men ran off to save themselves,
with some washout newbie officer,
and when they were told they'd been left
fell into hysterics, and started brawling.
the civilians just drowned their sorrows in liquor,
like an adult was Admiral Yang.
The only one who kept his head
washout newbie officer, huh?
He still comes off as a
Yeah, he hasn't changed very much at all.
I was thinking something...
hadn't been a hero in that battle,
If the then-Lieutenant Yang
wouldn't he have been happier?
Maybe.
Lieutenant Yang hoped that he'd-
Oh! No, he wouldn't!
Imperial forces and be living in a POW camp.
In that case, he'd be a prisoner of the
he'd probably be dead in a ditch by now.
Right, and knowing him,
What an awful thing to say!
hasn't changed at all,
The thing is, while the person himself
that one little event changed his life a lot, didn't it?
That's true.
who up till then didn't have a bad reputation.
Just like with Rear Admiral Lynch,
Did you know him well?
from the academy,
He was a junior classmate of my father's
so I saw him many times at home.
being captured by the Imperial forces.
Now that you mention it, he ended up
I wonder what ever happened to him?
I didn't run away!
they'd have just slowed us down!
If we'd taken the civilians with us,
That was my thinking when we took off.
and then take back El Facil at once.
The plan was to escape, request reinforcements,
But that bastard, Yang Wen-li...
He used our escape as a decoy.
by sacrificing us!
You could say that he only survived
Some "Hero of El Facil"!
And that washout lieutenant is an admiral, now?
Dammit!
I, on the other hand...
as a shameless coward.
I'm looked down upon in the prison camp
have deleted me from the family register.
I've even heard rumors that my wife and children
Yeah, maybe I made the wrong choice.
this level of degradation and suffering?
But was it bad enough to justify
crueler and more underhanded things.
The military's filled with men who've done
First of all, the guys they call "heroes..."
who have killed lots of people, right?
It's just shorthand for those
something morally worse than them?
Are they saying I somehow did
Well? Is this man up to the task?
Who are you?
I'm Reinhard von Lohengramm.
Oh? You're the young hero of the Empire?
You really are young, aren't you?
Do you know about El Facil?
How many years has it been?
You were probably a child, then.
I was a rear admiral.
Lynch, listen closely.
There is a duty I am giving you to perform.
rear admiral in the Imperial forces.
If you succeed, I'll give you the rank of
Rear admiral?
Rear admiral, huh? That's not a bad deal.
So, what should I do?
Infiltrate your nation, the Free Planets Alliance,
among malcontents within the military.
and incite a coup d'état
No way! That's impossible!
Are you being serious?
It's not impossible.
I have a plan here.
Follow it, and you're certain to succeed.
But if I fail, I'll die!
They'll kill me for sure!
Then die.
has any value as things stand?
Do you think your life
You're a coward!
both the civilians he had to protect
A shameless man who abandoned
and the troops he had to command!
no matter what excuse you give!
Nobody will support you
Is your life still so precious, after all that?
You're right.
There's no way I can clear my name at this point.
living as a shameless coward?
In that case, why not just commit to
You will make me a rear admiral, right?!
Your Excellency,
very enthusiastic about this plan.
Senior Admiral Kircheis doesn't seem
It's not like that.
this task isn't suitable for him.
Your Excellency, I'd venture to say that
as second in command of the space fleet.
There's no need to appoint him
but to suddenly promote him to senior admiral...
It's fine that he's your childhood friend, too,
with Reuenthal and Mittermeyer.
Please consider a balance
You just crossed the line, Oberstein!
The matter is already settled.
Check, Admiral.
Huh?
Wait, when did you...
Sorry to bother you while you're resting.
What is it? I'm busy now.
An Imperial forces warship has come as an envoy.
on important business, Admiral.
They apparently want to meet with you
I see... They've come calling, have they?
I'm on my way.
Well, then...
Admiral, you forgot your gun.
I don't need it.
Admiral!
You can't go unarmed.
I could hit what I was shooting at?
Julian, if I had a gun, do you think
No...
Then there's no point in carrying one.
shooting lessons from Schönkopf.
By the way, I hear you're taking
Yes, the commodore says I have an aptitude for it.
That's encouraging.
If things go wrong, I'll have you save me, Julian.
Right! I'll protect you, no matter what.
You little...
of Marshal Lohengramm
They say they've come in the name
of over two million prisoners of war.
to set up a bilateral exchange
Why now, of all times?
you usually do at a more peaceful time, right?
A prisoner of war exchange is something
It's suspicious, isn't it?
of Erwin Josef II to the throne.
Apparently, it's an amnesty to mark the ascension
I see.
I imagine the objective is different.
No, that's probably just the official reason.
Which is to say...
is ready to take up arms
Which is to say that Marquis Lohengramm
against the associated nobility.
In other words, we need to view this
Alliance forces from meddling.
as a ploy to keep us in the
Which is...
he'll infiltrate agents to split the Alliance forces.
Under the pretense of a prisoner exchange,
What?!
That would be...
Impossible?
the unity of our forces isn't that firm.
Much as I'd like to say that,
Marquis Lohengramm's proposal?
Then, will you refuse
I can't.
fundamentally under civilian control.
The Alliance forces are
This isn't my decision to make.
the government of your suspicions?
Then, why don't we inform
I have no proof at all.
There's a general election coming up, remember?
but the returned soldiers can.
Prisoners of war can't vote,
Two million votes-
it's five million, isn't it?
No, if you count their family members,
to win against something that appealing.
I probably don't have the persuasive power
Besides...
Besides?
If it becomes public,
to speak out about the military.
it will just strengthen Chairman Trunicht's right
returning soldiers and look for the agents?
So, should we investigate the
That's impossible.
among two million people.
There'd be no way to find them
Besides, it's possible this is all just a decoy.
Then, what do you intend to do?
I have an idea.
government accepted the Empire's overtures.
Just as Yang had foreseen, the Alliance
when resistance was futile...
Loyal soldiers, captured amidst the enemy
do away with the foolish custom
I swear to you that I shall completely
of blaming you for the crime of being taken captive.
you will be given bonus pay and granted furloughs.
Once you have been repatriated,
Those who wish to may reenlist thereafter.
All of you will be granted a one-rank advancement.
My soldiers, heroes that you are,
you've nothing to be ashamed of.
Return to your nation with heads held high.
incompetent former commanders,
The dishonor goes to your cowardly and
conditions in which surrender was unavoidable.
who drove you to the front lines under terrible
and beg your forgiveness.
I, Marshal Lohengramm, thank you all,
support of the prisoner exchange,
Lastly, in response to their humane
Free Planets Alliance military.
I offer my gratitude to the
So speaks Marshal Reinhard von Lohengramm,
Galactic Imperial Space Armada.
Commander-in-Chief of the
Flawless.
the cream of the two million.
Marquis Lohengramm just recruited
He looks like the real deal.
Hey, I was thinking, "Maybe he's packing a bomb."
He wouldn't try a trick as cheap as that.
Even if he took back Iserlohn now,
for Marquis Lohengramm.
there wouldn't be much advantage in it
his firepower and put him at a disadvantage.
On the contrary, holding it would divide
I see.
He's handsome, isn't he?
Yes, very much so.
Well, as far as he goes.
Not as much as Marquis Lohengramm, right?
Yeah...
and mature, and he might even rival me.
Give him ten years to polish his personality
It's amazing, isn't it?
He's only six years older than me.
Senior Admiral Siegfried Kircheis.
I am Galactic Imperial Forces
Thanks for coming such a long way.
I'm Yang Wen-li.
I've looked forward to meeting you, Admiral Yang.
I'm glad we could meet like this.
Indeed.
He's a dreamboat.
So handsome...
These formalities may be necessary,
but they're silly, don't you think, Admiral Yang?
I agree.
How old are you?
I'll be fifteen this year.
I see.
I went on my first campaign.
I was also fifteen when
While I'm in no position to tell you to do your best,
I wish you well.
and defect to the Empire!
Hey! Don't be too impressed,
Siegfried Kircheis, huh?
He seemed nice enough.
Yeah...
Strange, huh?
commander than towards our own politicians.
To feel more friendly towards an enemy
I really want to meet him now...
Marquis Reinhard Lohengramm.
Okay, Julian, we're going back to Heinessen.
for the repatriated soldiers.
I've got to attend the welcoming ceremony
humanitarianism and diligent foreign policy
And so, we can take pride that our government's
has made your repatriation possible.
and rest your bodies,
As you all here revive your spirits
I say without rebuke
join in our sacred campaign for liberation.
that I hope you keep in mind that we must again
You have all returned alive to your native country.
the honored dead of the Battle of Amritsar,
However, keep alive the memory of
whose numbers were ten times your own.
Ladies and gentlemen, never forget that.
Everything ready, Julian?
This idleness is only temporary.
Everything ready, Julian?
This idleness is only temporary.
It's time we slipped out.
This idleness is only temporary.
Yes, Admiral.
we cannot allow to exist!
That despicable monarchy is an enemy
Never cease the struggle against the brutal Empire!
Long live the Republic!
Tired, Admiral?
Yeah, I'm tired.
listen to Trunicht's speeches,
Tired of being made to
and tired of having to pay lip service to them.
It's part of earning my salary, I guess.
just to avoid public notice.
God, such a pain to meet like this,
I've enjoyed it a lot.
It reminds me of my days at the academy.
and extract a bit of wisdom.
It was how I could violate the curfew
Oh, thanks.
Take a look around.
So, are you going to tell me, now?
Right.
happening in the near future.
There's a possibility of a coup d'état
A coup d'état?!
Yes, it's how the Empire's Marquis Lohengramm
any grief from behind.
means to keep us from causing him
I see...
And there's no way of telling whether or not
will be controlled by Marquis Lohengramm.
the bunch that actually causes the coup d'état
Right.
Even so, you've thought up a troubling scenario.
much effort in letting them do it.
He wouldn't need to expend
Besides, from Marquis Lohengramm's point of view,
there's no need for the coup d'état to succeed.
while he conquers his own nation.
He just needs the Alliance divided
coup d'état in the bud, don't we?
Well, we need to nip this oncoming
don't speak carelessly to other people.
The matter being what it is,
It's a heavy responsibility, huh?
There is one more thing I want to tell you.
I see.
All right, I'll transfer it tomorrow morning, then.
It's not like not using it will settle things.
Well, I suppose we should get out of here.
Right.
Oh, yes, there was one piece of good news.
Things are working out with Rear Admiral Cazerne.
Can Rear Admiral Cazerne come to Iserlohn?
Yes.
Admiral, that's good news, isn't it?
Yeah, this will make me feel a lot better.
Terra is my mother.
Yeah, this will make me feel a lot better.
Terra in my hand.
Terra is my sea.
What's that?
Terra in my hand.
They're called "Terraists."
It's a cult that's become popular of late.
Terra?
That planet where the human race was born?
Yes...
that lies within the Empire now.
They worship it as the holy land
They aggressively cooperate with the war,
Terra in my hand.
They aggressively cooperate with the war,
Terra is my mother.
They aggressively cooperate with the war,
Terra is my mother.
calling it a crusade to recapture it.
Terra in my hand.
calling it a crusade to recapture it.
That's absurd.
The last thing we need now are crusaders.
Yes, it's excessively anachronistic, isn't it?
they're definitely a right-wing group.
Long story short,
after losing support in the Ternuzen elections.
The word is that the PKC switched to this act
the Free Planets Alliance will be destroyed.
At this rate,
a tool for self-interested politicians.
The military's been reduced to
We've lost the ideals of our nation's founding.
with our own hands.
We shall purify this decadent mob rule
the reconstruction of the nation.
But there are unavoidable barriers to
One man who will be a problem is here.
Admiral Yang Wen-li of Iserlohn Fortress.
we can't count him as being our comrade.
As he wasn't in the capital,
regarding what to do about him.
However, I'd like to hear any opinions
His intellect and popularity would be very useful.
We also can't ignore the strategic value of Iserlohn.
is the largest domestic fleet deployed.
And any way you slice it, their garrison fleet
Making an enemy of it would be troublesome.
too much time as we approach zero day.
That's for certain, but we're wasting
Do you think we can turn him to our side now?
We don't need a man like that as an ally.
This isn't about personal feelings.
We stand for righteousness.
At any rate, if we gain control of the capital,
even "Miracle Yang" wouldn't move on us at once.
to persuade him, even then.
I don't think it would be too late
I agree.
Yes...
Proposal:
We send in one of our own to keep an eye on Yang.
we can eliminate him.
If he takes any unfavorable action against us,
That might be best.
against him as a dangerous element.
We need to take steps to guard
Anyone opposed?
Very well, the proposal is adopted.
Dance, dance in the palm of my hand.
Can I keep them dancing to the very end?
The rest depends on your strength.
Yang Wen-li won't come out of Iserlohn.
If it succeeds,
Yes, sir.
Yang Wen-li?
By the way, what kind of man was he?
Sir...
Honest, and close at the same time.
Incredibly relaxed, and deeply thoughtful.
He's probably seen through this operation already.
go along with our stratagem?
What? Then why would he
I don't know.
Perhaps he's thought of some scheme of his own.
use the situation to turn the tables on us.
Or maybe he thinks he can
Admiral Yang's personal depth.
Still, that depends on
frightful opponent I've ever met.
At any rate, he's the most
However...
However?
then nothing could stand in our way.
I think, if we could be friends,
Yang Wen-li, eh?
I'd like to meet him.
Universal Calendar 797,
Reich Calendar 488:
all seemed peaceful,
As the curtain rose on this year,
the storm that was to come.
but nobody could have predicted
Before the Storm
In their hearts, people amass
Tears of such magnificent warmth
You go on, though the way is blocked
By heavy futility as the war drags on
Don't kill your dreams
Follow your dreams
Follow the glimmer of the distant galaxy
With your cheeks wet with tears catching the light
Make for that happy day
Cross the bridge of light
Lay bare your heart
Cross the bridge of light
Set free your tears and love
NEXT EPISODE
to be an ally in the coming civil war.
Calling upon Reinhard, Hilda promises
But at that very moment,
Marquis Littenheim, and the war breaks out!
Duke Braunschweig forms a pact with
Next time, on Legend of the Galactic Heroes,
"The Lippstadt Agreement"
Episode 18:
Another page turns in the history of the galaxy.
The Lippstadt Agreement
Next Legend of the Galactic Heroes