Part 45
We need some more posting. This page is huge. I'll think of something.
Via Blanca... The Society's intelligence center.
Looks like your folks are out in full force!
Yes. This base is absolutely critical to the Society.
Genoce can't be far away, then.
The crazy guy with vague motives who has a history of losing to the one guy who keeps spoiling all our elaborate plans? Yeah let's just let him guard all our most important bases.
Albert...
What's up?
I don't know. I just wish I could do more to help you...
Just worry about protecting the ship.
Let's move!
......
Albert is always there for people.
Wasn't that the idea?
As long as the base is still standing...
Let's head in!
This is going to be a close one...
Getting into the base is same ol' same ol', except for these Guardian Wanzers. Square decided to simulate an all-out assault by planting two or three red shirts around the level. They'll probably die in less time than it took you to read this sentence.
Once inside, things really start to get interesting.
You see, the gimmick for this level is that your way is blocked by these barriers, which can only be destroyed by shooting the glowing red side. This normally requires you to make your way through a bunch of little tunnels on-foot, but I have a secret strategy.
It's called the Hard Knuckle 5!
Sadly, it does not work in all cases. There are times when you must fight gigantic robots with a puny pistol and a bag of holding full of grenades.
And sometimes you fall through the floor for some reason.
I'm not afraid of you... come here! I'll take you all on!
Well, it's really just the two of us. I wouldn't expect a mouse to be afraid of the other guys.
We already fought this boss, except THIS time he has suicide bombers. Actually I think the other guy did, too. Basically, my point is that I stood in front of him and he blew himself up with his own bombs. That's pretty much what I'm trying to say, here.
So you've come for our data room... Much good may it do you. The Society is more than you could ever imagine! UWAAAA!
U-waa. Think about that. Does anyone make an "ooo" noise when screaming? Someone go light themselves on fire and check for me.
What now?
...th.. st.... ....or....
Brenda! I'm having trouble hearing you. ...Hey, Brenda! Talk to me!
............
Damn it! I came all this way, and now this...?
You can tell you're nearing the end of the JRPG because the villains will either get half-competent or REALLY stupid. This is the former.
I can't do anything with these terminals alone. Guess I'll just have to go back. Hell!
Hurry up and connect the cable! We don't have much time!
!! The radio's working again...?
B...Brenda? What are YOU doing here?
After you launched, I realized they were jamming our comms.
Maybe you should have checked beforehand.
It wasn't easy getting here, but I had luck on my side.
And magic NPC powers, evidently.
What were you thinking? It's too dangerous!
Look, I'm sorry, but...
Never mind. Let's get to work!
All right...
So this is what you were after, eh?
Genoce!
Where WAS he all this time?
If you think you can stop me, you've...
We're here for the same reason. Outside of the Numbers, this is the only way to gain access to the Society's main base.
You... You're planning on breaking into their headquarters?
It's Royce... For better or for worse, she's still my sister. If you expect me to just sit back and let you kill her...
"You can't kill my sister! I want to kill her first! I called dibs!"
...Master! Please. We have no intention of harming miss Royce...
So you think... But to Royce, the destruction of the Society would be as good as death.
You're just making this up as you go along, aren't you?
......
I'm a soldier, Albert. I've fought for so long that war itself has become a way of understanding others. Every battle between us has only confirmed one thing to me...
He even trails off! That one is so easy even I won't touch it.
You don't have it in you to give her the honor of a decent death. I'm the only one who can end this.
You think killing your little sister will solve anything for you?
Save the preaching for someone who cares! What the hell do you know?
And so begins the greatest fight with Genoce in the game. For the first time, he shoots fast and hits hard. He can actually be described as... relatively hard.
Or you can trap him in the corner and punch the shit out of him. Your call.
I had to...
"I needed that punch to get through this base."
I have too much hope riding on me to give up now.
I used to think like that... But conflict is ingrained in our very natures. With or without the Society, war will continue. You think you can fight the inevitable?
That doesn't matter to me. What's important now is making the Society pay!
Suit yourself.
What is it?
Are you still... mad?
Of course I'm mad! What the hell were you thinking?
I'm sorry...
But look... if I hadn't come, we wouldn't have gotten the data we needed, right?
And if you'd been killed? Then what?
I... I just wanted to help.
This whole conversation makes Brenda sound eight years old or something.
Huh...?
All right. Admission time. I was jealous of Anita. How she got to fight with you. Protect you.
Actually I'm pretty sure I've used you both an equal number of times.
Be with you while I'm stuck on the ship, waiting and hoping your safe. I don't know... I just feel so useless sometimes.
Brenda... Ever since we left Bergen, you've been by my side through thick and thin. That... means a lot to me.
Albert...
Have more confidence in yourself, all right? You've been more help to me than you know.
Thanks...
Doopa doopa doop data gathering data gathering
That's all of it.
Great! Let's get out of here. This place is getting dangerous. ...Come on! Get in the Wanzer!
Hundreds of giant robots and enemy troops aren't dangerous enough for him I guess.
Uh... that's going to be a pretty tight fit, Albert.
We'll manage. Come on!
All right.
We turn to go, but Genoce goes over to the mainframe because he's stupid and can't just get the data off of us.
This place is going to fall apart any minute now! Come on!
I don't take orders from you, rookie! Clear out if you know what's good for you.
We don't have time for this! Let's go!
Gotta run gotta run gotta run!
Move it, Spidey, move it!
That is some intense that.
Albert! I'm getting a contact heading this way, and fast!
She's such a backseat driver.
I'll be damned if I'm dying here!
Until next time, Albert.
Damn it! Why can't I stop him?
Try trying.
That's a good haul.
Soon! We're so close to the most delicious rewards of them all!
Far too close, Brenda. Don't ever do that again, all right?
Does that mean YOU promise to lay off the recklessness too, Albert?
Well...
I think we know the answer to this.
Well what? Got some kind of monopoly on stupid, suicidal acts of heroism?
Brenda...
I almost forgot! We still need to analyze that data.
I'll give you a hand.
Hoo! Seeing Brenda trying to give Albert a run for his money just about gave me a heart attack!
Seems like everybody in this outfit's catching a bad case of the crazy heroics. Better watch out, eh Axel?
Too late, man. I think I already caught it.
He promptly leapt out of the carrier to save an puppy which about to get hit by a truck.
All right! Listen up!
Did you find out where the base is?
Yeah. Small wonder the Guardians didn't find it.
This is your chance. Place bets as to where it is now.
What do you mean?
I was thinking I keep forgetting Emil even exists, and then I remembered: Clark.
The Society's "base" is actually a giant floating fortress!
If you guessed "It's a flying fortress," congratulations! You win!
They call it... "Sentinel"!
Sentinel...!
Sentinel.
It's equipped with the latest in stealth technology. As a result, it's virtually invisible to conventional sensor probing.
Where is it now?
We weren't able to get an exact fix, but I've passed the data onto Guardian HQ.
They'll be able to calculate its flight path using satellite imaging.
And they will... in the next exciting installment! Yeah, the conversation just sort of ended there.
I have some more work to do on the video.