Part 7: Mission #7: There Are No Kind Bombs!

Well, I'm glad people are getting into the swing of things for the wanzer-building. I also appreciate that you guys are generally building these wanzers by cannibalizing Liu's wanzer, which is very convenient. I've already got the screenshots for the next two missions, but I'll try and work in the new wanzers after that.

Mission #7: There Are No Kind Bombs!
_{Alternate Title: Indiana: Worst State in the Union, or Worst State on the Planet?}

Last Time: We finally escaped from the power plant by submarine...okay, that makes no sense, but it's what happened, damn it!



From the power plant....



To a nearby submarine.



: Wow, a real submarine! Kazuki, check this out!
: Don't touch anything!
Kazuki hates fun.
: Ryogo, settle down!
: The JDF can't bother you guys here. I'll show you to your room.



I do believe it's time we were given some exposition.
: Hey, Liu. Why are they making such a big deal out of this bomb?
: You saw the pictures!
: Yes, it's not normal. But nuclear bombs are the same way.
: Nuclear bombs are more powerful. But there's a big difference between MIDAS and nuclear bombs.
: MIDAS doesn't produce radiation.
: That's right. MIDAS uses auric radiation. It doesn't harm the environment.
Other than, you know, annihilating large chunks of it.
: I don't know what they're talking about.
: I'm not an expert. I don't know anything beyond that.
: Auric radiation!? What's that?
: Auric radiation causes individual atoms to break into subatomic particles. It doesn't cause any environmental damage. If MIDAS uses auric radiation, it explains the accident site.
Okay, first of all, if you cause individual atoms to break down into subatomic particles, that will create nuclear radiation, because it will release a tremendous amount of energy through the process of...why I am I even bothering?
: It destroyed everything.
: It's a bomb that is kind to the environment.



Kazuki is also no fan of levity!
: It's an important point. Nuclear bombs have environmental repercussions, while MIDAS doesn't. It can be used anywhere.
: But auric radiation is impossible to control.
: Someone in the USN made it possible. It's sheer genius.
: It's really that amazing?
: Yes. Scientists have been trying for years. I can't believe this person made it possible.
: Why can't they make something more harmless?
: But I thought MIDAS disappeared in the explosion.
: Young lady?
: I think the base was working on a copy. I'm pretty sure the original is stored somewhere else.
: Yeah, I'm sure the JDF still has something up its sleeve. How about helping me out?
: Are you telling us to look for MIDAS?
: The JDF will capture you if you go back to Japan now. But if you find MIDAS you can make a deal with them.
So, we're going to help a foreign country find a bomb of inconceivable power, and then use as leverage to force another government to leave us alone. So, we're traitors and terrorists, then?
: ...
: Think about it when you rest.
: Kazuki...
: Alisa, we can't leave MIDAS alone.
: I knew you'd say that. Can I go with you?
: Alisa!?
: I don't think dad is lying. I want to prove it to you.
: Fine. Do what you want.
I, hold on, if you'll excuse me for a moment..._{You Motherfucking Pacers! What the Fuck! Can't anything fucking work out the way it's supposed to? Why can't Indiana just do us all a favor and burn itself to the ground? FUCK!!!!!} Okay, where were we?
: We're going, right?
: Yes.
: I knew it!
: What about you?
: This is too interesting to pass up!
That's stupid, Ryogo, Indiana-grade stupid.



: Sir, there is a dispatch from Lukav.
: From Lukav? Let me talk to him. What's up, Lukav?
: I heard your MIDAS retrieval effort failed.
You don't get to see his face for whatever reason.  We'll see it eventually, though. 
: Did you call to be unpleasant?
: No. I have some information.
: Tell me.
: They took MIDAS to Atsugi Base after the accident.
: To Atsugi?
: I don't know where it went from there, but probably somewhere in the OCU.
: How unusual for you to give me information.
: If you fail, it makes my job harder. Good luck.
: Same to you.
: What was that?
: It was from one of our spies.
: Do you know where MIDAS went!?
They just said, no, Kazuki? Why don't you ever listen?
: It was taken to Atsugi, but I don't know where it went after that.
: Then let's check out the Atsugi Base.
: That's not possible. The JDF is on alert now. We don't have enough forces to infiltrate Atsugi.
: What do we do, then?
: If we can get the flight record somewhere else...
: How do we get our hands on military flight data? Maybe we should think of some other way.
: Isn't there any other way...?
Bulls win! Bulls win! Um...maybe I shouldn't have the NBA playoffs in the background as I'm doing this. Also, for being a super-spy, Liu seems rather easily thwarted.
: If only someone could hack into the network...
: If we just need to get the information, there's a Digi-Com Base in Hatano.
: What's a Digi-Com Base?
: It's a digital communications base. I should be able to get the flight data there.
: You're a genius.
: Liu, let's go.
: So you'll help me?
: I have to do something.
: Yeah, I don't wanna be a fugitive for the rest of my life.
Uh...I'm not sure that this is the best way to prevent that, but sure.
: Let's go, then!



Here we go on our super-secret spy missi-



We're bringing the wanzers? Why are we bringing the giant walking tanks? This is a stealth mission! Nothing is less stealthy than a wanzer!
: So... how do we get in?
: The girl and I will go. You wait here.
: Alisa, is that okay?
: No worries, as soon as we have the info, I'll be back.
: Okay. Good luck.
Also, didn't Kazuki twice try to invade a JDF army base to protect Alisa? And now he's turning her over to a guy he just met to put her into a tremendous amount of danger?
: No problem. Let's go.
:...Okay.



Then again, Liu is a bad-ass. Here's he killing a man with his bare hands in order to get into the base.



: Yes.
: Good luck.



I guess in a hundred years, computers will like they were fifteen years ago. Alisa's able to get into the flight schedule pretty easily...
: Atsugi Base flight schedule...
And she needs another password.
: Do you know the password?
: Here it is.
And we're in.
: Now the file...
Which has been deleted...
: They deleted it already.
: They don't make it easy for us. But don't give up just yet.
But, the JDF being the bunch of incompetents they are, they managed to forget to delete the backup-file.
: Here it is. The flight schedule!



I hope we get to go to Australia!
: Download it...
And that causes klaxons to start blaring. Presumably, they are not klaxons of celebration.



: Just a little longer... Okay!
: Let's escape!



: Liu, hurry! Ahhh!
: Damn, we've failed...
And the enemy wanzer chases Liu and Alisa right into...



The rest of our team.
: Kazuki!
: Ryogo, return fire! And get Liu in a wanzer, fast!
: All right. Hurry, Alisa.
: Okay!
: Are we really going in full-bore!?
We are. Battle time!



Not a particularly interesting group of enemies. 1 Kasel M2, 2 APCs, and 2 of these things. They mount cannons, a cpu-only weapon type that are slightly more powerful and accurate than rifles, but have a minimum range of 2, meaning that they are sitting ducks in melee range.



A glimpse of the starting deployments. Position isn't as crucial as in a lot of other sRPGs, because almost all units have ranged weaponry, and there's no penalty if other units are in the way.



Here's a good example of that, I don't think Alisa has any sort of real line of sight on the enemy wanzer, but her shot is still as accurate as ever.



Meanwhile, Ryogo manages to stun the enemy Kasel.



Elsewhere, I turn Kazuki lose on the tanks. Why? Well, I've been trying to get his battle skill to trigger for a while now, and it only triggers if you attack an enemy in melee range. Not coincidentally, that's exactly the range where these tanks are helpless. Double Assault lets Kazuki take a swing with his fist and then fire with his shotgun in the same attack. It's nice, although it requires both a ranged and a melee weapon.



More importantly, it works.



And Liu continues his streak of not being able to hit anything ever. Next mission is going to be even worse for him, I'm afraid.



Alisa, on the other hand, is starting to chain together battle skills, leading her to fire multiple missiles in a row. Hard to complain about that.



This is a pretty easy battle. Cannons kind of suck, and there's only one tough enemy on the battlefield...and Ryogo just captured him. I'd have ended this battle a turn sooner, but one of the tanks got off a lucky shot and blew off Ryogo's machine-gun arm. That's way I love shields, because shit like this doesn't happen.



Victory!



And I scored another web address off of a dead guy.



: Liu, did you get your info?
: Yeah, thanks to Alisa. Let's get moving, we're being followed.
: But where do we run?
: Make for Omaezaki, and meet up with the sub.
: All right, let's hurry.

Next Time: Hatredcopter! Also, Liu gets replaced!