Part 71: Chapter 71 (Intermission) - Von Bolt’s Secret Project

Update 71 (Intermission) - Von Bolt’s Secret Project



My dude...are you feeling alright? Those things you said...

I'll be honest. Not very much of that was actually Andy's fault. I wasn't always an unbeatable ACO...chances are I just didn't get the promotion because I hadn't proven myself yet. I'd had deaths, and almost lost battles...

I can understand your frustrations, though. I wonder sometimes if Colin is ready for his position as CO...but he always manages to pull through. I wonder if you ever gave Andy the chance to prove himself?

...No, I never really did. I was set against him from the moment he joined me...I think I was just looking for reasons to hate him. Makes me feel kind of like an asshole, looking back.

Hah...I wouldn't go that far. It's good that you've thought about it, though. Perhaps you can move forward with Andy once you get back to Cosmo Land.

Yeah, there's...a lot of things I need to say to that kid.

Hey, my dude, Sasha. Are we moving out?

I don't think so yet. We haven't heard from Rachel.

Weak. Let me check in with her.

We'll come with you--we ought to have everyone there anyway.



Nothing yet. They're combing Omega Land in the area my dude suggested, but there's no trace of the obelisk.

More and more areas of Omega Land are turning into wasteland. And we can't do anything about it!

Grrr! I hate this! There must be something we can do!

There's gotta be something we're missing. It should be somewhere on that part of the map...

Wait a second. Let me see that map.

What is it, Sonja?

Lash, you said the black obelisk turns the surrounding land into desert, right?

Yeppers! Pretty neato, huh?

I don't know if I'd use that exact word.

Is the speed of desertification the same on any terrain?

Wow. Word of the day, eh? Nice one, nerd.

Oh, snap!

My dude, do you ever add anything useful to these meetings, or do you just attend to say "oh, snap!" every now and again?

Anyway, yeah, it's the same speed. Terrain doesn't matter at all. That's why the desert emanates out from the obelisk at a consistent rate.

I traced the desertification, though! Wow, yeah, that's a weird word, isn't it? Anyway, yeah, it should be in this area, somewhere along this coastline! We seriously didn't find anything?

Hold on, my dude. I'll explain my theory--it is there.

Oh, hey, I get it! That means...

Yes. The obelisk is in the exact center of the desertif--

...the land that's turning into desert.

The deserts that we know of are here, here, here and here, right?

And if you draw a circle on the perimeter and radiate inward, the center is...

Right here!

That's not quite the same area that my dude pointed out.

There? That can't be right. That's in the middle of the Crimson Sea.

To be fair, when I initially looked into it with the intelligence unit, the actual center we got was around there, in the middle of the sea, so we presumed it would have been somewhere on the coastline near that point.

I see. I'm afraid you're incorrect, my dude. Omega Land is 70% water and has untapped resources on the ocean floor.

Oh, you can't be serious.

Yes. So Black Hole built a base in the Crimson Sea and took advantage of that energy.

Of course. Black Hole has satellites in space, fortresses in the air, obelisks on land...it only stands to reason they'd have bases on the sea, too. They use every possible advantage they can get.

Dude, yeah! If all the cities turned into desert, everyone would be on to them! But you can do whatever on the ocean floor... No one would ever know!

It means the black obelisk has transformed almost all of the Crimson Sea. With the sea nearly consumed, the process has now spread to Omega Land itself.

How terrible...

In retrospect, the black obelisk in Red Rock Desert may have been a decoy. The enemy diverted our attention to buy time for the real plan.

Neither were decoys--they were failsafes for each other. If we'd found the ocean obelisk, the desert one would have had enough time to be protected by Black Onyx and have been untouchable. Instead, we targeted the desert one, giving the ocean obelisk time to consume the ocean floor.

Oh, I'm so stupid! How could I have missed that?!

Rachel, it's not your fault. It was always going to be a lose-lose for us, because we ALL assumed there was only one.

My dude's right. Don't blame yourself, Rachel. None of us imagined he'd do something so awful. Besides, we should still have time to stop it.

Yeah, right on, Sasha! We've got time! Let's split back to the Crimson Sea and take 'em out!

We do have a notable advantage--this obelisk isn't protected by a satellite. We'd have been able to find it instantly if there was a satellite above it, since we knew the previous obelisk had one.

It's completely undefended, then?

...I don't buy that. They must have SOME protection, but what?

Von Bolt's secret project, perhaps...we still don't know what it is.



Aha ha! It looks like the great unwashed have finally taken up their pitchforks! But the hoi polloi are far too late. We already have enough energy.

Now all we have to do is sweep away these nuisances.

Hhh... Kindle...

Yes, my lord?

They are...hhh...coming?

Yes, my lord...but set your mind at ease. I shall stand in front of the black obelisk and deliver the coup de grace with plea...

No. Hhh... I will...hhh...do it.

You, my lord? You want to address this issue...personally?

I dislike...hhh...battles. I get so...hhh...tired... But they...hhh... They have come too far... Hhhhhh... This ends...here. Now.

Very well, my lord. I will make the preparations.

There is...hhh...only one preparation...we need. Kindle...hhh...activate the secret project.



Aw, possum spit! Look at all the troops! Looks like we found ourselves one humdinger of a termite nest, boys!

I agree, but also, why do you talk like that?

Hey, there's the black obelisk! Let's rush it!

Not...hhh...a chance.

Oh GOD, he looks just like the horrible infantry soldiers!

What--? Who are you?

My name is...hhh...Von Bolt. I am...hhh...commander-in-chief of...hhh...Black Hole...hhhh...and its eternal master!

Hawke, you let THIS clown supersede you as the leader of Black Hole's army?

You do not know of which you speak, my dude. Von Bolt is an exceedingly powerful CO.

You! You're behind all this!

Hehhh hhh hhh! Already stolen...hhh...half of Omega Land's energy... Hhhhh... One half...hhh...to go...

How barbaric.

I'll wring this land...hhhhhh...like a sponge. Nothing will...hhh...remain but...hhh...desert! The energy absorbed by... Hhhhh...my black obelisk...hhh...secures my future...

Your future? You're doing this for...

Eternal life! Hhh... Absolute power! Hhh... The universe shall...hhhhh...bow to me!

You'd destroy Omega Land just for some ego trip?!

I am...hhh..human. Nothing is more...hhh...precious than...hhh...life... MY life... Who cares what happens...hhh..to insects? I care only...hhhhhh...for myself.

You're wrong about one thing--you're not human. You might have been once, but this behaviour is nothing short of monstrous.

You're a complete mentalist! How dare you?!

Hehh hhh hhh! Dare, you say? Hhh...dare... Hhhh... Oh, I dare... Ignorant...hhh...boy!

Hey, fucker! He's not ignorant, he's right! You're really going to sit here, in this feeble-ass state, and claim you can stop us? We're going to beat you.

Yes...you are...hhh...my dude, aren't you?

Oh, so my reputation precedes me. Good to know. You'll also know that--

It is...hhhhhh...said...that whichever side you are on...hhh...wins, is it not?

Yeah! He's the embodiment of victory, so what chance do you think you have?

Answer me...hhh...this...then? What do you do when...hhhhhh...the embodiment of...hhh...victory...fights for me...instead?

What are you talking about?

My...secret... project. It is...hhh...complete.



N-no!

M...my dude...

......

A...clone of my dude?!

Yes...the world's...most unbeatable strategist is...hhh...under my command...

Surely it just looks like him? It can’t possibly have his skills...his personality...can it?

...You can never have enough medium tanks.

Well, he certainly SOUNDS like me.

We need to retreat and think of a plan. We can't win like this!

Run...hhh...insects... And if you return... I will...hhh...crush you...and drink...hhhhhh...drink your life!



I've noted down the map layout. This is where the enemy forces were, roughly...

I have a few notes on Von Bolt. I didn't meet him personally during my service, but I heard what the others said about him...I hope this is useful.





How do we defeat my dude?

He's unstoppable. Normally we can rely on my dude to help us against tough opponents, but against himself...he'll be evenly matched!

And Von Bolt starts in an advantageous position. My dude and the clone will be evenly matched, but the financial and strategic position will give Von Bolt the advantage.

Is there no hope? Are we just going to lose, right here?

What'd I tell ya about being too quick to just roll over, kid?! There's always a plan! Ain't that right, Rachel?

I...don't know. We're facing a foe with equal strategic capabilities, a better starting position, more money and power...and every second we spend strategising here is just giving him more time to absorb Omega Land's energy. He's holding all the cards!

Heh.

My dude, what are you smirking about?

You're not all ACTUALLY scared of this guy, are you?

Wha--? It's YOU, my dude! The world's greatest strategist! Are you saying you've got a plan?

What do you know, my dude?

Von Bolt cloned the greatest strategist in the world in order to become unbeatable. His power and my intelligence...it's a dangerous combo, for sure.

But this ENTIRE plan hinges on one key factor--that I'm the greatest strategist in the world. And we know for a fact that I'm not. Hell, we proved it in this very campaign!

Heh, I see. You mean...

Yup. I was soundly defeated by a strategist of even greater caliber than me--Rose Kuroda.

M-me?!

Rose. They're right--I can't defeat myself. At best, we'll be evenly matched. But you're our secret weapon. Von Bolt doesn't know you're capable of beating me. So...to put it simply...

Rose Kuroda, the Flower of Desolation, will you help me defeat myself?

...When the challenge rises, I will not be found wanting. My dude, I will work with you. Together, we will be truly unbeatable!

That's what I'm talking about!

You're both right. We CAN beat my dude. The two of you...I honestly believe you might be able to do anything together.

What are we waiting for, then?!

We'll move out first thing tomorrow. Tonight, we need to plan.

Right. We can't afford a single mistake.

Good luck, you two. We all believe in you.

Right, first things first, then, Rose... which COs are we going to be bringing? We've got three HQs, so... 3 groups of 2 COs.

Hm... I think for the blue team, I'd recommend...

***

Votes are now open for COs! I'll see you all next week for the Night Before, and then we'll be onto the final two maps of the game!