NOTE: The following interview was conducted as a part of a special project in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Earth/Saint treaty. The production and airing of this program were indefinitely postponed in the wake of the news of the departure of Saint from our solar system. No new plans for an airing have been announced. Also no further reports have reached us about the status of Mahoro Ando or of the whereabouts of Suguru Misato.
INTERVIEW WITH MAHORO
Q. For the benefit of our listeners could you fill us in on some of your history? I seem to remember that you were sent to earth to work at Vesper as an undercover agent of Saint.
A. Absolutely not! I was always true to Vesper! Leader, that is Yuichiro Konoe had me created using technology he had obtained from Saint in an agreement with Matthew. I never met Matthew nor did I have any allegiance to Saint. I find it very annoying that anyone would associate me with Saint and especially that they might consider me some sort of spy! What makes it so aggravating is that Matthew has always seemed to believe that she owns me somehow. I feel like I have been a prisoner of Saint for these last 19 years. I never ever worked for them! Matthew has always behaved as if I was on loan to Vesper and should be returned like an over due library book. That was, I assume the reason for much of the confusion. My planned nine year lifespan was a stipulation of the agreement with Vesper which allowed them to create me. When Vesper tried to extend my life slightly Saint objected and tried to end my career with force, first with a crab robot, and then with Ryuga. Only my dear Suguru saved me from them.
Q. Please tell us about your present condition.
A. Anxious is the best word I can find to describe how I feel. Since my body was destroyed and I was taken by Saint I have ached to return to or at least communicate with Suguru. I worry so much about him. Matthew has not allowed me to express myself as an individual and has tried to induce me to allow myself to become integrated into Saint's collective consciousness. I have resisted her over the last 20 years and continue to resist. I do have hope that this interview is a sign that Matthew is reconsidering my situation.
Q. Who is this Suguru? He must have been very important to you.
A. Suguru Misato was the grandson of Leader and the son of Commander Ryo Misato and Yuka Konoe. Yuka was the daughter of Leesha, a Saint, therefor he was one quarter Saint. In the last year of my life I became his housekeeper at his house in Hiryu, a suburb of Tokyo.
Q. That seems an odd occupation for a combat android. Why did you do it?
A. It was a part of the plan to extend my lifespan. If I were demilitarized as much as possible and did not use my primary weapon I could remain operational for a significant time. I was offered the chance to use this time as I wished and with the approval of Leader I went to work for Suguru. He was living alone following the death of his parents and he was only 14 years old when I moved in. I think that Leader was happy to know I was looking out for Suguru and I was happy to do it for my own reasons.
Q. What were those?
A. Suguru was so much fun to be around and he made me feel so accepted and comfortable. And there were some more personal reasons. I felt like I was making amends for the part I played in his fathers death. I fired on a robot that was holding the commander hostage and he was killed in the robots explosion. In effect, I killed Suguru's father and left him an orphan. Suguru did not know this until long after I started to work for him. It makes me so sad to think that twice in Suguru's life I was a part in his being left alone in this world. (Mahoro sobs and wipes away some tears.) I'm so sorry for that!
Q. You said that twice you were a part of Suguru being left alone. Does that mean you were involved in his mother's death as well?
A. No, I had nothing to do with that. That was the work of management! I was referring to the fact that I left Suguru alone on that beach in Mexico. We had a very close relationship.
Q. A relationship with a 14 year old boy could be a complicated one. What was the nature of your relationship. Was it a parental one or more romantic?
A. I – I'm not sure. I never had parents. I know I loved him and he loved me. Can you explain what the difference is? All I know is that I was happy to give everything I could to please and protect Suguru. There was a time when he was waking up when he called to his mother while I was holding him. He must have loved her very much. I would be l pleased to be Mahoro's mother, but I think I would rather be his wife. Which ever would please Suguru would please me. Was that a good answer? I mean did it make any sense? It's all very complicated to me.
Q. You said that Suguru had twice saved you. Tell me about this. How does a 14 year old school boy save a combat android?
A. The first time was on the beach when that crab robot attacked. This was the first attempt by Matthew to reclaim me. It was an inferior weapon and I underestimated its threat level. As I was about to destroy it, it used an unusual tactic especially devised to defeat me. It set off a flash bomb which blinded us both knowing that it would recover first and would be able to destroy me before I could see to attack. It would have worked except for Suguru. He ignored my wishes and came to help me. Suguru aimed my shots while I was still blind and we defeated the crab. Because of him I survived. The second time was much more dramatic. Saint had sent Ryuga to investigate me and he wanted combat. With my reduced weaponry and lifespan situation I saw only the possibility of a draw with both myself and Ryuga being destroyed. I did my best to avoid this result, but nothing worked. I had decided that their was no point in further struggle and resigned myself to my end when Suguru showed up. He put himself between Ryuga and I and told Ryuga it was his fight too. Ryuga struck him and knocked him out. It gave me a new reason to fight, even if the result was a fatal draw it would protect Suguru. I resolved to use my remaining resources for my primary weapon and made an all out attack on Ryuga. Much to my surprise Ryuga surrendered. When he realized what I had been holding back and why I had done it, he knew there was nothing for him to gain. Because Suguru had been there, my fate had changed and I knew that I would never lose hope so easily again. Just as he had on the beach with the crab, Suguru had shown me what true bravery was and how it could change things. I resolved to fight to live every second of my life and to live it the way I wanted. I would do this even if I had to fight Matthew herself.
Q. So how did you 'die'?
A. That depends on how you define death for an android. The fact that we are talking now would indicate that I'm not really dead though I have left your world. I think that I actually was inoperative for an instant once just before the Management cyborg Feldrance came to the Misato house. It was a day later in Mexico that I had battle with Feldrance and was forced to explosively self-destruct to eliminate his threat to Suguru. That is where my physical body was destroyed and, I'm sure where most people would put my end. Still I am talking to you, so it's how you define death which is at question here. Have you ever met a ghost? I've met two. Maybe that's what I am right now, but who knows? I still have hope that I will return.
Q. It sounds like you finally gave up despite your ambitions?
A. I had to save Suguru. That was the most important thing I needed to do and the only way I could be sure and achieve it was the way I did. Suguru had offered his life to fight for me. It had become my turn to sacrifice for him. What I regret is that I told him a lie to get him to go to a safe place, then I left him all alone. It is the great regret of my life. Actually the fact that I was there to protect Suguru was because he had saved me one last time. Suguru had been kidnapped by management and I was forced to use all my remaining resources to save him. I arranged his escape, but he refused to leave without me. I had run out of power and was barely functional, unable to move. I did rebound somewhat, but was not of much use until fate took a turn my way a few days later. The conflict between Management and Saint was coming to a crisis in a way which Matthew had not expected. Leader was able to make a new deal and gave his life in a suicide attack on Management leadership in return for my restoration for the protection of Suguru. I had won my battle of wills with Matthew. Unfortunately when Feldrance attacked us I found that he had become more powerful then before. His judgment was poor and that allowed me to finish him. If I had not done it at that time, while he was drunk with his new power, I might not have been able to beat him. It was frustrating though, to have gained a restored lifespan, only to sacrifice it so quickly.
Q. The fact that you were there at the time when Suguru needed you was due to your fight to have your wishes come true?
A. Yes. It was that and Suguru's courage and love. They really can change things. I am still fighting with Matthew to set me loose in the world of humans again. My heart will never rest until I can return to my sweet loving Suguru. That is the one thing I want to make clear in this interview. Suguru must know that I have not given up! If anyone knows him, please tell him this for me!
Summation: Thank You Miss Ando for sharing your story with our listeners. So many great events happened at the end of the end of the Earth/Saint conflict that it is difficult to remember this type of very personal story. On the 20th anniversary of the events I am happy to give you the time to tell your story for all of us. Also I give you my hope that that you will reunite with Suguru Misato soon. I join others in the feeling that you truly are the owner of a perfect heart.
Mahoro: I'm sorry, but I lost my 'perfect heart' long ago. I now have a human heart and despite the conflicts and confusion that trouble it I would not have it any other way. It's not as easy to live with, but from such hearts grow power and beauty few can imagine.
