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So I actually scanned and translated this story
But I didn't scanlate it, because I don't have the time and gumption to Photoshop the text into the bubbles and worry about how it's going to fit. XD Maybe some other time. Or heck, if anyone else wants to do it, be my guest. I scanned it large just in case but not very cleanly - can't bring myself to destroy a book's spine. So the file is 25MB, but at least people who want to read the raws can make out the words, even the blurry bits.
basso - La Scorta [Opera vol.1]
The text translation is here for people who want it separately. I'm sticking it under the cut for archival purposes as well.
I'm pretty sure this story is based on real-life events - that there was a professor at the University of Bologna who got Unibombed by extremist nuts. Which goes to show that anything can be turned into BL, even domestic terrorism. XD;;
***BEGIN TRANSLATION
La Scorta (The Escort)
by basso
Opera vol.1 / Amato amaro
translated by Petronia (http://petronia.livejournal.com)
10
VITTORIO: Something's been delivered to my house?
11
VITTORIO: Two men, large enough to get in the way even if all I do is accept them.
GINO (PHONE): I mentioned it, didn't I?
VITTORIO: Yes, you did. Bodyguards.
Do I need both?
BODYGUARD: We take shifts.
VITTORIO: Ah, I understand, Gino. Thank you.
GINO (PHONE): Be careful, now.
12
VITTORIO: I take the train to the university, so...
BODYGUARD: We'll pick you up and drop you off by car.
VITTORIO: No intention of riding the train with me?
BODYGUARD: That might be somewhat...
VITTORIO: Come by at eight.
13
BODYGUARD: What do you think?
Did he accept to be driven or not?
ARMANDO: Getting him in the car is my job. Just go straight to the university and don't worry about it.
BODYGUARD: Seems like a tough one to work with.
At his age he must've had one hell of a career as an economist, no? (With that attitude.)
ARMANDO: He's forty-two. I was surprised he looked so young.
Even so, he's had an impressive career.
BODYGUARD: So - the nature of the threat?
ARMANDO: At least read over the assignment before you show up.
14
ARMANDO: A treatise of his is being published as a column in an economics review, and came to the attention of an extreme-left group.
They've repeatedly threatened both him and the publisher in order to stop the serialization.
BODYGUARD: And the publisher is the media baron Gino Carraro, is it? Serious business.
ARMANDO: He even hired him bodyguards. Carraro and he seem to be close.
ARMANDO: ...
15
ARMANDO: Professor.
VITTORIO: Please sit.
16
VITTORIO: You don't have to sit there, over here is fine.
Or do you enjoy hard chairs?
ARMANDO: It's getting to be around eight...
VITTORIO: Sorry - today's lecture starts at eleven.
You're always so po-faced;
I can't tell whether you're angry or not.
17
VITTORIO: Sit, I said.
ARMANDO: The whole time?
VITTORIO: I've seen you. On TV.
You were guarding government VIPs, no?
I saw your face on the news. (Standing behind a minister.)
Weren't you employed by some mayor or other until recently?
A man like you, watching over a university professor like me?
ARMANDO: My schedule was free, and I had some dealings with the Carraros before this.
18
VITTORIO: Ah, yes. Gino's older brother.
I saw you when you were a bodyguard for Faust Carraro.
Probably when he was still Foreign Minister.
ARMANDO: Gino's been sending me on assignments directly ever since then.
He has a contract with my agency.
VITTORIO: Did you research me before coming?
ARMANDO: As an advisor to the government, you drew up an amendment to the labour laws.
The bill was passed.
19
VITTORIO: Only the good things, I see.
ARMANDO: You've authored many books.
VITTORIO: Did you read them?
ARMANDO: I gave the column in question a once-over.
VITTORIO: What did you think?
ARMANDO: I'm not enough of an expert to have an opinion.
Only, that it's not worth continuing to the point of irritating the extremists.
VITTORIO: It's worthless, you mean?
ARMANDO: Better to publish it as a book than as a column.
VITTORIO: But both Gino and I have decided to keep running it.
20
ARMANDO: Gino might be doing it for the publicity.
What are you doing it for?
VITTORIO: I'll go make some coffee.
And have you learnt something new about me?
ARMANDO: ...You like movies?
21
VITTORIO: Indeed.
I didn't catch your name; please call me Vittorio.
ARMANDO: Armando Pagani.
Whichever you prefer is fine.
22
ARMANDO: (Threats by phone, and by letter;
No packages as of yet.)
*ring*
ARMANDO: Pronto?
GINO (PHONE): How was he?
ARMANDO: No sign of losing his nerve.
GINO (PHONE): He's a strange one.
ARMANDO: The terrorist groups in that area are fanatics.
Wouldn't it be preferable to kill the column?
23
GINO: It'll be all right as long as we don't provoke them. (I'll shut him up myself.)
It's just an economics treatise.
Nothing that risks changing the country, like labour law reform.
There were threats back then as well; he might be inured to them by now.
ARMANDO: It's a problem.
GINO (PHONE): Hmm?
ARMANDO: He goes out walking at night.
To the movie theatre.
24
VITTORIO: You were watching me.
25
ARMANDO: You seem to enjoy movies a lot; I'm touched.
But it would be better at present to hold back.
VITTORIO: It must be hard, working late nights.
26
BODYGUARD: He's never gone out on my watch, though?
27
ARMANDO: Please be a little careful.
Of letter bombs.
*rip*
ARMANDO: Professor.
VITTORIO: Did the mayor make you resign because you nagged too much?
ARMANDO: Say what you like.
28
VITTORIO: What kind of film do you enjoy?
May as well pick something that suits your taste.
ARMANDO: Why do you only go to the movies on my watch?
VITTORIO: The other one doesn't seem interested.
What about waiting until something specific is playing?
My personality isn't so poor that I'd make you go with me to something you hate.
29
VITTORIO: What films do you like?
ARMANDO: ...Old films.
So the ones you choose to see are just right, Professor.
However, it's better not to go out wandering at night.
VITTORIO: Did the mayor stay in every evening?
30
VITTORIO: I got the impression he was a stiff-necked party hardliner,
But did you get along well with him?
ARMANDO: He belongs to a Catholic conservative party. They have policies against homosexuality.
When he learnt I was bisexual, he fired me.
31
ARMANDO: So I decided never to work as a politician's bodyguard again.
There's no guarantee it won't happen a second time.
VITTORIO: What if I went into politics and named you my bodyguard?
ARMANDO: ...Your thoughts, Professor?
VITTORIO: On homosexuality?
None in particular.
One might say - I'm not enough of an expert to have an opinion.
I'm a scholar of economic liberalism.
32
VITTORIO: Is that enough?
Say - are you attracted to men of my type?
ARMANDO: ...
33
OTHER MAN: I hear you're receiving threats?
VITTORIO: It happens often enough.
BODYGUARD: You can really stick it out.
The more competent he is, the more enemies he has.
Government advisor at thirty-seven - it's something, no?
It was a huge promotion at the time, they had to shunt aside the previous guy. (An older researcher from the same think-tank, too.)
ARMANDO: You did your homework.
BODYGUARD: I pick these things up just by following him around.
34
BODYGUARD: Not one to let anything slip, you might say.
Real level-headed sort.
ARMANDO: Professor.
VITTORIO: ...Ah.
35
VITTORIO: No interesting movies tonight.
So I say... I have work to do.
I'll be barricaded inside all day tomorrow, so you don't have to come.
Thank you.
...Do you have acquaintances in this city?
36
ARMANDO: A few from the agency.
VITTORIO: Do you have a lover in Roma?
I'd like to do it, with a man.
If you wouldn't mind joining me, we could try it out?
37
VITTORIO: ...Is it a separate fee?
ARMANDO: I'm getting angry.
38
VITTORIO: Your expression really doesn't change.
Good night.
39
*ring*
ARMANDO: Pronto?
VITTORIO (PHONE): A small package came.
I shouldn't open it, you said?
ARMANDO: Please call the police.
I'll be there immediately.
PASSERBY: It's true - there was a noise.
40
PASSERBY: It was small, but it sounded like an explosion.
There, you see - smoke!
ARMANDO: Professor!
41
ARMANDO: Professor--
VITTORIO: ...I'm all right.
I was surprised by the noise.
42
VITTORIO: ...It really was a bomb.
What a classy gift...
ARMANDO: Didn't I tell you not to touch it!?
How many people died because they got mixed up with that group, do you think?
And you're amusing yourself with this situation!
43
VITTORIO: ...I didn't touch it.
It exploded on its own.
You seem so reliable and take-charge when you get angry like that.
...Don't be angry.
44
ARMANDO: This isn't a game.
VITTORIO: ...What are you talking about?
ARMANDO: You're amusing yourself.
45
BODYGUARD: Armando's taking some time off.
46
REPORTER: Professor,
Could you give us your thoughts on this incident?
TV ANCHOR: We're picking up live from the scene in front of the publishing house.
47
TV ANCHOR: The apparent impetus for this latest bombing was the statement made by Professor Vittorio Conti, broadcast at noon today.
A small-scale bomb had been delivered to the professor's home yesterday--
GINO: How many times did I tell you not to provoke them!
48
GINO: This is nothing like the measly little bomb you got.
You can count yourself lucky that no one died.
...Vittorio, this column was only running because you wanted it that way.
Now I'm stopping it.
No more threats, no more bodyguards.
49
BODYGUARD: The professor was in a bad mood from the start, that morning.
ARMANDO: It might have been my fault...
BODYGUARD: Well - either way our job here is done.
50
51
ARMANDO: It's been a while.
VITTORIO: You're working?
ARMANDO: Protecting a certain country's representative at this seminar.
WOMAN WITH LETTER: Professor, here.
52
ARMANDO: And Gino?
VITTORIO: He's angry at me, so I backed off.
ARMANDO: ...You're not opening that?
It's been some time since the controversial column stopped.
Surely you're not still worried?
VITTORIO: For some reason, the threats are still ongoing.
53
ARMANDO: Professor--
VITTORIO: Isn't there a good film screening somewhere? I've come all this way to Roma.
ARMANDO: ...It'd be better to stay in the hotel.
Not go out walking.
54
VITTORIO: There might be something good playing on TV.
How about going over to your place and watching a video?
ARMANDO: You haven't had a bodyguard since then?
VITTORIO: No.
55
ARMANDO: You may be better off going to sleep.
VITTORIO: Maybe I'd be able to sleep, if I were lying next to you.
56
VITTORIO: Take me up on it.
57
VITTORIO: Just this once.
58
VITTORIO: Ah...
So warm....
59
VITTORIO: ...It makes me feel safe.
ARMANDO: It's partly my fault that the column was stopped as well. Professor.
60
VITTORIO: ...So should I take it
That you responded to my provocation
As an apology?
61
ARMANDO: You can take it any way you like.
Professor...
62
VITTORIO: A bodyguard?
It's not an issue to the point of going out of my way to hire someone.
ARMANDO: I'll do it.
VITTORIO: You have your next job lined up, don't you?
63
BODYGUARD: Gino said the threats stopped for him.
What type of threats does he mean? (The professor.)
ARMANDO: They're handed to him at academic meetings, seminars and so on.
BODYGUARD: A copycat?
ARMANDO: ...
BODYGUARD: He's got a lot of enemies, right?
Probably not as crazy as that one group, so you can rest a little easier.
Still - threatening letters every day or two. That's tough to handle psychologically.
64
65
66
MASKED MAN: Did you get the letters all right, Professor?
67
*bang*
MASKED MAN: !
ARMANDO: Professor.
68
ARMANDO: Are you hurt?
VITTORIO: ...No.
ARMANDO: It's probably a copycat crime.
69
MASKED MAN: It's Leoni!
Leoni hired me.
VITTORIO: Leoni, huh.
70
ARMANDO: The one who gave up his position as government advisor to you?
So the part about him being in the same think-tank...
VITTORIO: His stances were amusing, so on one occasion I took him down a few pegs.
At a state dinner, with important government types.
He might have held a grudge.
ARMANDO: ...
71
VITTORIO: You made a good guess that it would be here.
ARMANDO: I looked at this.
I chose a film I thought you would like.
72
POLICEMAN: Then, come by the station tomorrow to make a statement.
VITTORIO: Understood.
Is it all right to start walking around at night again?
ARMANDO: You never stopped walking around to begin with...
VITTORIO: We can still make it.
Let's go see this one. (Second one, right column.)
73
VITTORIO: Come.
74
ARMANDO: A comedy?
VITTORIO: I feel like seeing you laugh.
***end
basso - La Scorta [Opera vol.1]
The text translation is here for people who want it separately. I'm sticking it under the cut for archival purposes as well.
I'm pretty sure this story is based on real-life events - that there was a professor at the University of Bologna who got Unibombed by extremist nuts. Which goes to show that anything can be turned into BL, even domestic terrorism. XD;;
***BEGIN TRANSLATION
La Scorta (The Escort)
by basso
Opera vol.1 / Amato amaro
translated by Petronia (http://petronia.livejournal.com)
10
VITTORIO: Something's been delivered to my house?
11
VITTORIO: Two men, large enough to get in the way even if all I do is accept them.
GINO (PHONE): I mentioned it, didn't I?
VITTORIO: Yes, you did. Bodyguards.
Do I need both?
BODYGUARD: We take shifts.
VITTORIO: Ah, I understand, Gino. Thank you.
GINO (PHONE): Be careful, now.
12
VITTORIO: I take the train to the university, so...
BODYGUARD: We'll pick you up and drop you off by car.
VITTORIO: No intention of riding the train with me?
BODYGUARD: That might be somewhat...
VITTORIO: Come by at eight.
13
BODYGUARD: What do you think?
Did he accept to be driven or not?
ARMANDO: Getting him in the car is my job. Just go straight to the university and don't worry about it.
BODYGUARD: Seems like a tough one to work with.
At his age he must've had one hell of a career as an economist, no? (With that attitude.)
ARMANDO: He's forty-two. I was surprised he looked so young.
Even so, he's had an impressive career.
BODYGUARD: So - the nature of the threat?
ARMANDO: At least read over the assignment before you show up.
14
ARMANDO: A treatise of his is being published as a column in an economics review, and came to the attention of an extreme-left group.
They've repeatedly threatened both him and the publisher in order to stop the serialization.
BODYGUARD: And the publisher is the media baron Gino Carraro, is it? Serious business.
ARMANDO: He even hired him bodyguards. Carraro and he seem to be close.
ARMANDO: ...
15
ARMANDO: Professor.
VITTORIO: Please sit.
16
VITTORIO: You don't have to sit there, over here is fine.
Or do you enjoy hard chairs?
ARMANDO: It's getting to be around eight...
VITTORIO: Sorry - today's lecture starts at eleven.
You're always so po-faced;
I can't tell whether you're angry or not.
17
VITTORIO: Sit, I said.
ARMANDO: The whole time?
VITTORIO: I've seen you. On TV.
You were guarding government VIPs, no?
I saw your face on the news. (Standing behind a minister.)
Weren't you employed by some mayor or other until recently?
A man like you, watching over a university professor like me?
ARMANDO: My schedule was free, and I had some dealings with the Carraros before this.
18
VITTORIO: Ah, yes. Gino's older brother.
I saw you when you were a bodyguard for Faust Carraro.
Probably when he was still Foreign Minister.
ARMANDO: Gino's been sending me on assignments directly ever since then.
He has a contract with my agency.
VITTORIO: Did you research me before coming?
ARMANDO: As an advisor to the government, you drew up an amendment to the labour laws.
The bill was passed.
19
VITTORIO: Only the good things, I see.
ARMANDO: You've authored many books.
VITTORIO: Did you read them?
ARMANDO: I gave the column in question a once-over.
VITTORIO: What did you think?
ARMANDO: I'm not enough of an expert to have an opinion.
Only, that it's not worth continuing to the point of irritating the extremists.
VITTORIO: It's worthless, you mean?
ARMANDO: Better to publish it as a book than as a column.
VITTORIO: But both Gino and I have decided to keep running it.
20
ARMANDO: Gino might be doing it for the publicity.
What are you doing it for?
VITTORIO: I'll go make some coffee.
And have you learnt something new about me?
ARMANDO: ...You like movies?
21
VITTORIO: Indeed.
I didn't catch your name; please call me Vittorio.
ARMANDO: Armando Pagani.
Whichever you prefer is fine.
22
ARMANDO: (Threats by phone, and by letter;
No packages as of yet.)
*ring*
ARMANDO: Pronto?
GINO (PHONE): How was he?
ARMANDO: No sign of losing his nerve.
GINO (PHONE): He's a strange one.
ARMANDO: The terrorist groups in that area are fanatics.
Wouldn't it be preferable to kill the column?
23
GINO: It'll be all right as long as we don't provoke them. (I'll shut him up myself.)
It's just an economics treatise.
Nothing that risks changing the country, like labour law reform.
There were threats back then as well; he might be inured to them by now.
ARMANDO: It's a problem.
GINO (PHONE): Hmm?
ARMANDO: He goes out walking at night.
To the movie theatre.
24
VITTORIO: You were watching me.
25
ARMANDO: You seem to enjoy movies a lot; I'm touched.
But it would be better at present to hold back.
VITTORIO: It must be hard, working late nights.
26
BODYGUARD: He's never gone out on my watch, though?
27
ARMANDO: Please be a little careful.
Of letter bombs.
*rip*
ARMANDO: Professor.
VITTORIO: Did the mayor make you resign because you nagged too much?
ARMANDO: Say what you like.
28
VITTORIO: What kind of film do you enjoy?
May as well pick something that suits your taste.
ARMANDO: Why do you only go to the movies on my watch?
VITTORIO: The other one doesn't seem interested.
What about waiting until something specific is playing?
My personality isn't so poor that I'd make you go with me to something you hate.
29
VITTORIO: What films do you like?
ARMANDO: ...Old films.
So the ones you choose to see are just right, Professor.
However, it's better not to go out wandering at night.
VITTORIO: Did the mayor stay in every evening?
30
VITTORIO: I got the impression he was a stiff-necked party hardliner,
But did you get along well with him?
ARMANDO: He belongs to a Catholic conservative party. They have policies against homosexuality.
When he learnt I was bisexual, he fired me.
31
ARMANDO: So I decided never to work as a politician's bodyguard again.
There's no guarantee it won't happen a second time.
VITTORIO: What if I went into politics and named you my bodyguard?
ARMANDO: ...Your thoughts, Professor?
VITTORIO: On homosexuality?
None in particular.
One might say - I'm not enough of an expert to have an opinion.
I'm a scholar of economic liberalism.
32
VITTORIO: Is that enough?
Say - are you attracted to men of my type?
ARMANDO: ...
33
OTHER MAN: I hear you're receiving threats?
VITTORIO: It happens often enough.
BODYGUARD: You can really stick it out.
The more competent he is, the more enemies he has.
Government advisor at thirty-seven - it's something, no?
It was a huge promotion at the time, they had to shunt aside the previous guy. (An older researcher from the same think-tank, too.)
ARMANDO: You did your homework.
BODYGUARD: I pick these things up just by following him around.
34
BODYGUARD: Not one to let anything slip, you might say.
Real level-headed sort.
ARMANDO: Professor.
VITTORIO: ...Ah.
35
VITTORIO: No interesting movies tonight.
So I say... I have work to do.
I'll be barricaded inside all day tomorrow, so you don't have to come.
Thank you.
...Do you have acquaintances in this city?
36
ARMANDO: A few from the agency.
VITTORIO: Do you have a lover in Roma?
I'd like to do it, with a man.
If you wouldn't mind joining me, we could try it out?
37
VITTORIO: ...Is it a separate fee?
ARMANDO: I'm getting angry.
38
VITTORIO: Your expression really doesn't change.
Good night.
39
*ring*
ARMANDO: Pronto?
VITTORIO (PHONE): A small package came.
I shouldn't open it, you said?
ARMANDO: Please call the police.
I'll be there immediately.
PASSERBY: It's true - there was a noise.
40
PASSERBY: It was small, but it sounded like an explosion.
There, you see - smoke!
ARMANDO: Professor!
41
ARMANDO: Professor--
VITTORIO: ...I'm all right.
I was surprised by the noise.
42
VITTORIO: ...It really was a bomb.
What a classy gift...
ARMANDO: Didn't I tell you not to touch it!?
How many people died because they got mixed up with that group, do you think?
And you're amusing yourself with this situation!
43
VITTORIO: ...I didn't touch it.
It exploded on its own.
You seem so reliable and take-charge when you get angry like that.
...Don't be angry.
44
ARMANDO: This isn't a game.
VITTORIO: ...What are you talking about?
ARMANDO: You're amusing yourself.
45
BODYGUARD: Armando's taking some time off.
46
REPORTER: Professor,
Could you give us your thoughts on this incident?
TV ANCHOR: We're picking up live from the scene in front of the publishing house.
47
TV ANCHOR: The apparent impetus for this latest bombing was the statement made by Professor Vittorio Conti, broadcast at noon today.
A small-scale bomb had been delivered to the professor's home yesterday--
GINO: How many times did I tell you not to provoke them!
48
GINO: This is nothing like the measly little bomb you got.
You can count yourself lucky that no one died.
...Vittorio, this column was only running because you wanted it that way.
Now I'm stopping it.
No more threats, no more bodyguards.
49
BODYGUARD: The professor was in a bad mood from the start, that morning.
ARMANDO: It might have been my fault...
BODYGUARD: Well - either way our job here is done.
50
51
ARMANDO: It's been a while.
VITTORIO: You're working?
ARMANDO: Protecting a certain country's representative at this seminar.
WOMAN WITH LETTER: Professor, here.
52
ARMANDO: And Gino?
VITTORIO: He's angry at me, so I backed off.
ARMANDO: ...You're not opening that?
It's been some time since the controversial column stopped.
Surely you're not still worried?
VITTORIO: For some reason, the threats are still ongoing.
53
ARMANDO: Professor--
VITTORIO: Isn't there a good film screening somewhere? I've come all this way to Roma.
ARMANDO: ...It'd be better to stay in the hotel.
Not go out walking.
54
VITTORIO: There might be something good playing on TV.
How about going over to your place and watching a video?
ARMANDO: You haven't had a bodyguard since then?
VITTORIO: No.
55
ARMANDO: You may be better off going to sleep.
VITTORIO: Maybe I'd be able to sleep, if I were lying next to you.
56
VITTORIO: Take me up on it.
57
VITTORIO: Just this once.
58
VITTORIO: Ah...
So warm....
59
VITTORIO: ...It makes me feel safe.
ARMANDO: It's partly my fault that the column was stopped as well. Professor.
60
VITTORIO: ...So should I take it
That you responded to my provocation
As an apology?
61
ARMANDO: You can take it any way you like.
Professor...
62
VITTORIO: A bodyguard?
It's not an issue to the point of going out of my way to hire someone.
ARMANDO: I'll do it.
VITTORIO: You have your next job lined up, don't you?
63
BODYGUARD: Gino said the threats stopped for him.
What type of threats does he mean? (The professor.)
ARMANDO: They're handed to him at academic meetings, seminars and so on.
BODYGUARD: A copycat?
ARMANDO: ...
BODYGUARD: He's got a lot of enemies, right?
Probably not as crazy as that one group, so you can rest a little easier.
Still - threatening letters every day or two. That's tough to handle psychologically.
64
65
66
MASKED MAN: Did you get the letters all right, Professor?
67
*bang*
MASKED MAN: !
ARMANDO: Professor.
68
ARMANDO: Are you hurt?
VITTORIO: ...No.
ARMANDO: It's probably a copycat crime.
69
MASKED MAN: It's Leoni!
Leoni hired me.
VITTORIO: Leoni, huh.
70
ARMANDO: The one who gave up his position as government advisor to you?
So the part about him being in the same think-tank...
VITTORIO: His stances were amusing, so on one occasion I took him down a few pegs.
At a state dinner, with important government types.
He might have held a grudge.
ARMANDO: ...
71
VITTORIO: You made a good guess that it would be here.
ARMANDO: I looked at this.
I chose a film I thought you would like.
72
POLICEMAN: Then, come by the station tomorrow to make a statement.
VITTORIO: Understood.
Is it all right to start walking around at night again?
ARMANDO: You never stopped walking around to begin with...
VITTORIO: We can still make it.
Let's go see this one. (Second one, right column.)
73
VITTORIO: Come.
74
ARMANDO: A comedy?
VITTORIO: I feel like seeing you laugh.
***end