Part 43: Mission #40: Spy vs. Spy vs. Spy

It's going to be a long update, so strap yourself in and get ready for the crazy.

Mission #40: Spy vs. Spy vs. Spy



We're headed back to Shanghai. Still, with a rebel invasion imminent, we probably ought to get out of Dodge.



: I won't take orders from the military.
Liu is a man who can never die!
: You think I'll agree to that!?
: I'm not from the military. There shouldn't be a problem.
: Fine... Do what you want!
: Liu!?
: !
: Liu, you're still alive?
: Leave the DHZ immediately. It's for your own good.
: I won't rely on you any more! Get out of my sight!
I guess he found out about our major, if accidental, role in the rebels' conquest of the DHZ...
: Do you want to use the training data from the oil field?
: Liu, tell me. Did you really betray us!? Tell me you were just lying.
: I was born to serve Sir Bal. Sir Bal's commands are my priority.
: Then why did you help us at the embassy!? You were ordered by Bal to capture us!
: Shut up! I'm not one of you anymore.
Come on, you'll always be part of Kazuki's Kooky Komrades, Liu. Yep you're a lifetime member in the...oh, we...may need a different name.
: You're going to get revenge by yourself?
: Lukav will hurt Sir Bal's reputation. I'll capture him my own way!
Hurt Bal's reputation? Wasn't he a double agent with dreams of world conquest?
: Liu...



Meanwhile, on a USN aircraft carrier...
: What?
: Why did you come back here? You have no intention of joining the USN.
: How do you know?
: Your message. It's quite obvious what you're trying to do.
: Impressive, Emma.
: You want MIDAS. What are you doing here?
: You'll see. I came back here to get MIDAS. Everything begins now.



Nighttime on the Pacific...



Suddenly, the U.S.S. Joe Biden erupts in flames!



And sinks. So...uh...someday we're going to stop Lukav...but not today.



: He betrayed us! Leave him be.
: He's probably at a loss. If he admits he's our ally, he's betraying Bal.
: Yes. He is a very loyal person.
: We can't leave him be. He'll fight Lukav by himself! He's going to die with Lukav!
: Calm down. It'll take him time to think things through. This is his problem. He needs to decide for himself.
: ...
: Come to the command room! There's bad news!
Well, if it weren't for bad news, we wouldn't have any news at all!



: Not good news. The USN's Pacific Fleet had an accident.
The USN has tried to kill us about a billion times, I fail to see how this is bad news.
: ! Tell me the details!
: The flagship aircraft carrier suddenly exploded and sank into the Pacific Ocean. Many are hurt or dead.
: What happened to Emma and Lukav!?
: They're dead.
This isn't bad news at all! You lied to me, Rudolf!
: !
: Is that true!?
: I don't know if it's true. The USN announced that they died!
: That's not true!
: Then check for yourself.
: I never thought it would end like this.
: No...
: It's too bad they're dead.
Yeah...well, it's not like they're really dead...
: What, you still have a problem with what I said? Go check the USN web site, then!
Why do you hate us so, hateful Rebecca?



: ...
: What's wrong? Lukav is dead. We don't have to worry about MIDAS anymore. You should be happy.
: Hey, Alisa is here. Watch what you're saying!
: Sorry... But we can't do anything about it.
: Yes. We'll just get depressed thinking about it. Why don't we go out and have fun?
: Yeah, Miho knows what I'm talking about!
: Miho, you're becoming more like Ryogo.
: Oh no! Really...?
: You need to be careful. You don't want to be like that.
: Hey!
: Oh, you heard me?
: Duh! Hey, Kazuki Go out with Alisa and get some fresh air!
: W-Why just me and Alisa?
It's not fucking date, Kazuki, ease the fuck up. At least, it better not be a date...this game is from Japan...
: Alisa doesn't like loud places. Take care of her, big brother! (Make her feel better!)
: (You know I'm not good at that kind of stuff!)
Yeah, he really isn't. Until the day that a person's sadness can be anthropomorphized and Kazuki can bludgeon it to death, he's basically useless with this sort of stuff.
: (She's your sister. Take care of her!)
: H-Hey, Alisa. Why don't we go out?
: ...Okay.
: Um... Am I really becoming more like Ryogo?
: I'll watch Ryogo for you. Just go!
No...I have a better idea...to the local tavern!



: The rebels invaded Nanjing. They retreated this time but who knows when they'll start up again. I'm so worried that I can't sleep at night.
: Hey, did you hear? Chairman Jie is dead. He was killed in the battle near the embassy. I heard this from a spender friend of mine. The rebels are invading Shanghai now because of that. Here's the spender web address. Maybe you can find out more.
: The rebels sacrificed many civilian lives in Nanjing. Why did they have to fight? I thought they were on our side. Isn't the military fighting to protect the civilians? I don't know what's right or wrong anymore... War drives people to do crazy things.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, war is hell and brings out the inhumanity of man and all that.
: The USN fleet on the Pacific had an accident. This is top-secret information. Don't tell anyone.
So...game, I don't suppose you'll accept these conversations in lieu of any sort of heart-to-heart with Alisa, would you? No? Okay, let's do this.



I mean, maybe Emma was only sent to Purgatory for her sins...
: ...
: I know. She's your long-lost sister.
: We're not even related. We were made from the same material. That was all.
Yeah, that's how being related works for everyone.
: Alisa...
: But I'm sad. I'm sad that my sister is gone.
: Of course! She was your sister.
: No! I'm just a puppet. I'm not like you. I'm just the product of some experiment!
: That doesn't matter! You're a human being like me. We don't need to be related. You're still Alisa. You're my sister.
: Kazuki...
: So don't make me sad.
: ...Thanks.
: Hey, don't make a girl cry.
: !?
: What a view! A great place for a date. Don't you think, Kazuki?
: !
: Do you know her, Kazuki?
: How do you know my name!?
: Not just your name. I also know about Alisa.
: Who are you!?
: I'm not your enemy. I'm Mayer Edward. A CIU agent.
: CIU?
: Central Intelligence Unit. The OCU's spy organization, right?
: Sure.
: What does an OCU spy want from us?
: People can see us here. Let's change location.



: Chill out. Do you know about the military coup in Japan?
: A military coup!?
: You didn't know. Then you wouldn't know that a JDF officer named Isao Takemura was the ringleader.
: !?
: That idiot! He finally went off the deep end!
In fairness, I'm pretty sure that anyone who had Kazuki for a son would eventually go mad from the stress.
: ...
: What's so funny?
: You're exactly like the profile.
: What do you mean!?
Apparently Mayer missed the part in Kazuki's bio where it explained that he has the world's shortest fuse.
: Calm down. What I just told you is Japan's official announcement.
: ?
: Japan is not telling the truth!?
: As far as I know, there's no record of Takemura ever moving any forces. But the coup-controlled forces are large, and moving fast. It's like they're the ones who invaded the capital.
: ...
How the hell do you frame someone for a coup?
: Did someone trap my father?
: Probably. I have to go investigate it in Japan... I want you guys to come along.
: Dad would never start a coup, Kazuki. We have to help him!
: Why should we do that?
: Aren't you worried about your father?
: I don't give a damn! He and I have no relation whatsoever. I'm not going to Japan with you.
: Kazuki...
: Even if I told you that the coup force has MIDAS?
: !?
: The original MIDAS exploded in the Philippines. Why would it be in Japan!?
: What if the one in the Philippines was another copy?
So, the first forty missions of this game were essentially pointless. Our travels around East Asia? Meaningless. Fantastic.
: !
: The JDF wasn't going to hand over MIDAS to another country. They tricked everyone and kept it themselves. And another interesting thing: A mysterious mercenary force is behind the coup. A foreign commander and a scientist are with them. I heard that coup was planned by a commander.
And Lukav is already there and in possession of MIDAS...I've never played a game that took such delight in making its main characters look like ineffectual cretins.
: A foreign commander and a scientist!?
: Kazuki!
: It's Lukav! He's going to manipulate the JDF to get MIDAS!
: How about now? Can you ignore everything?
: Emma is in Japan... She's still alive!
: All right.
: You'll come with me?
: I need to talk to the others. Come with me.
: You're being cautious... Sure. I'll go with you.



: Are you serious!? A military coup in Japan? This isn't funny.
: Assuming your story is true, are you going to take MIDAS back for the OCU and repeat what happened in the Philippines?
: Only the military leaders want MIDAS. The CIU has denounced MIDAS. The weapon is a threat to everyone. The CIU prefers Japan to remain the same. We don't want a JDF military dictatorship over the OCU.
Okay, granted, Liu said almost the exact same thing when we met him, and that ended with the deaths of thousands, but I'm sure it'll be different this time.
: Kazuki, do you trust her?
: Maybe she's trying to get information on MIDAS from Alisa!
: ...
: You're in the same boat, Miss Miho Shinjo.
: !
: What?
: Miho Shinjo is a member of JDF intelligence. She's a spy, just like me!
Well, you know, except that she doesn't loudly announce to anyone who'll listen that's she a spy.
: !?
: Is that true, Miho!?
: Of course not...
: Oh, really? I thought the JDF ordered you to watch over Kazuki.
: ...
: Give it up. You can't trick them forever.
: ...I guess so. I didn't think someone from the CIU would show up.
Yep. Miho was a spy this entire time. And the party suspected nothing...not even during the times we she suddenly displayed amazing spy-like abilities, like being able to single-handedly disable the Tianlei, or having a micro-transmitter on her at all times.
: You don't believe me? Then ask her yourself.
: Miho, are you really a spy?
: Yes, I'm a JDF intelligence agent. I looked pretty good in a policewoman's uniform, didn't I?
: What's going on? Were you trying to use us, too?
: Um... I was ordered to watch all of you so that you wouldn't become an obstacle to the JDF.
: You tricked us!? You knew everything from the very beginning!?
So, for the first half of the game, fully 40% of our party was secretly working against us...outstanding.
: Yes, at first. But I saw how serious all of you were. And I had no idea the JDF was hiding something like MIDAS. I wouldn't be here if I had known. MIDAS will only destroy us.
: Miho...
: I want to stop MIDAS. I don't need you to trust me. Just let me fight with you.
: It's okay. I know you're telling us the truth.
: Kazuki...
: Kazuki is so easy on women.
: Yes, he's very interesting. Hey, you know what I'm telling you is true. Will you come with me to Japan?
Well, we got all of the rebels in the Philippines killed and then accidentally destroyed the DHZ's government...we're due for a turn-around!
: Emma and Lukav are in Japan. Then there's only one thing left to do! We'll fight Lukav and rescue Emma!
: Yes!
: It's so easy to get him worked up.
: I'll arrange everything.
: Wait. We have another member. We can't defeat Lukav without him.
If Lukav is going to betray the human race, the only way to beat him is with the maximum number of traitors on our own team.



: Lukav is dead. What do you want from me!?
: Wait, Liu! Lukav is still alive! We know where he is!
: !
: Come with us. You'd be a great help.
: Where is he?
: Liu?
: Where is Lukav? Tell me!
: Liu, you can't do anything by yourself.
: Liu, please calm down. Lukav is in Japan. He formed an alliance with the JDF. You can't take him on alone.
: So what? You want me to join you? I betrayed you, remember? You'd trust me again!?
: Yes, is does take time to rebuild trust. Then why don't we make a deal?
: What kind of a deal?
: We'll provide you with information on Lukav and the JDF. You'll help us with our operation. How is that?
: We'll use each other.
: I don't think it's a bad deal.
: All right. I'll use you until Lukav is taken care of.
: Is that okay with you, Kazuki?
: Sure, if Liu agrees with it.
: Men are so stupid. Why don't they just say they're okay with each other?
Feelings are wrong and are never to be trusted! All men know this!
: They're complicated. I'm sure rich girls don't understand.
: They're just not my type! That's all.
: You're kind of complicated, too.
: That's true.
: Fine, say whatever you want!
: I'm not your ally. I'll use you until Lukav is taken care of.
: I'm worried about dad. Let's hurry.
: We're going to Japan now? When do we rest?
: We can finally go home to Japan.
: Now we need to arrange a method of transportation to Japan.
I vote zeppelin!
: Any ideas?
: Of course. I came prepared.
: I don't want to work with Liu, but it is to defeat Lukav.
Yeah, because if one person should be taking a moral stand, it's Lan.
: You made me realize my mistake. Liu will come to realize his, too.
: Hey, Kazuki.
: Rudolf.
: Where are you going now?
: To Japan. I guess this is goodbye.
: Did you forget that you owe us a debt?
Did you forget we have no money?
: I know, but I can't deal with that right now!
: I hear there's a coup going on in Japan. And Lukav is involved.
: ...What are you scheming?
: Sounds like there's a market for us in Japan.
: You're going to Japan!?
: I was right to help you because of your involvement with Lukav. Japan will be a fine business partner. Besides, the CIU girl paid us already.
You know you aren't very good mercenaries when you need to have another team of mercenaries on retainer for whenever you get into trouble.
: Mayer hired you guys!?
: Yes, as our escort to Japan.
: You'll help us?
: No guarantee. We only fight to win. Depending on the situation, we might end up on Lukav's side.
: Rudolf!
: If you don't like that, show us what you're made of.
: Fine. We'll show you.
: Good. The ship is ready. We can take you to Japan.



Off to Japan!



: There's too much interference. I can't get anything from the airwaves.
: Hey, CIU! You got any leads?
Hey, that woman has a name it's...Mayer? Wait, that can't be right. That is right. Damn it, Japan, do you still really not know what European names sound like?
: Kazuki, I think we should contact your father.
: ...
: What's wrong?
: Um... It's a long story.
Yes, it's time for the triumphant return of Kazuki's mildly psychotic daddy issues. Also, I'd like to point out that had you guys voted differently at the beginning of this LP, the coup could have been nominally led by Colonel Goodtimes
: Kazuki doesn't get along with his dad.
: Kazuki, we need your father's help in Japan. You can't be selfish. Do you understand?
: ...
: He's not listening.
: Don't let your personal problems get in the way!
: I know! But... I have my reasons.
: Mayer, do you know my father's whereabouts?
: Of course. Isao Takemura is in the Kure Naval Base.
: ! Has he been captured!?
: No. The base is protecting him. Looks like he still has allies within the JDF.
: Oh, good.
Yeah, so apparently there's a split in the JDF forces. A lot of them have pulled off a semi-successful coup and, for whatever reason, have framed Colonel Takemura. The elder Takemura's response? He's chilling in his army base.
: How do we get to Kure?
: Well...



: We land at Hamada, then take the expressway to Kure?
: That's certainly the fastest way.
: But won't the enemy be looking for us?
: Yes, but we know nothing of their whereabouts. Any path is dangerous. Therefore, it's best to get there as soon as possible.



: It'll be fine. Wulong is with us!
: We're not helping you.
: What do you mean?
: I already told you. We only risk our lives for money. If you got a problem, collect enough money to hire us.
: You're telling us to take care of it ourselves?
: That's right.
: Heh heh... We'll do what we want.
: What do you want to do, Kazuki?
: You're going to drag me there anyway. I'll show you what kind of scum my father really is in Kure!
Sounds like a plan.



: There's something coming in over the radio...
: From who?
: I'm not really sure...
: Can you read, over? Anyone... coup d'etat... pursued by wanzers... Rescue... Anyone, over?
: They're requesting help.
: Sounds like someone's being chased by the coup d'etat forces. What's the location?
: Um... near the national park.
: Kazuki, no way do we have time for this!
: We have to go help them!
: Of course...
: Meddlers. We'll continue on to Kure.
: Good luck.
That is the nicest thing she's ever said to us.
: Did they really abandon us just like that!?
: No problem, we can take care of it. Let's hurry!



It's not just A national park, it's THE national park...Japan is quite crowded, you see, so they only have room for the one.



Been a while since we blew up any JDF wanzers. It's good to be back.



: We got him! Surround him!
: Hey, Kazuki, isn't that it?
: What're you doing? Hurry up or we're gonna get wasted.
: That wanzer... It's the same one that attacked us in Yokosuka.
: It's a special forces wanzer. It's with the coup force.
: All right, we'll give support to that wanzer!



: A wanzer!? Reinforcements...? Our orders are to eliminate all resistance! Get 'em!
Finally, finally, finally, it's time for the fight. I take Miho, Pham and Liu and Lan, since I really need to use their wanzers. Right, so the deal with this mission is that there's one friendly wanzer on the map, and if he dies, you lose. So, the mission comes done to being able to get down the hillside before the enemy kills that guy. The enemies aren't particularly tough, though.



Again? Again. Miho takes an oddly huge amount of damage to the body. I'm starting to think she's cursed.



The DoubleOCommie finally sees action...unfortunately, well after the time when the name was accurate.



Meanwhile, The Tank...is the tank. Its name is what it is and what it does. To give any more description of its exploits would be to lose sight of this essential fact.



And it's the long-awaited debut of the Thrudgelmir...and it immediately has trouble navigating the hill tanks to its unusual legs. Looks cool, though.



From DHZ With Love.



Yep, Miho is still hanging on with a whopping 9 HP left in her body. Luck evens out over time, I suppose.



We've made it down the hill, and the allied NPC is still alive, so now it's just a matter of cleaning up the rest of the JDF wanzers.



Hey, has anyone come up with a movie featuring a fire-breathing spider? I'd call it Pyrachnophobia!



It's never too late for the DoubleOCommie to learn new tricks...



Marxism power....ignite!



You know, JDF, I feel like your head is not in the game...why don't you take some time off and ask yourselves if being our villains is really something you're interested in.



Bah. Liu gets MVP.



: You're not JDF... Who are you? Why did you save me?
: It's kinda hard to explain. But I can assure you that we're not the enemy.
: ...Allies?
: We're on our way to meet Isao Takemura. And this is Col. Takemura's son, Kazuki.
: Col. Takemura's son? ! The same Kazuki who's wanted for the explosion in Yokosuka!?
: That's not how I want people to remember me...
Well, I mean, compared to the stuff we were actually involved in...
: Dude, we're still considered criminals...?
: I didn't know! Excuse me! I am Sergeant Itsuki from the Kaita Army Base.
: ...Don't be so formal. Why were the special forces pursuing you?
: To control the coup, I was going to request help from outside.
: All by yourself?
: The base commanders have not told us anything... I couldn't handle it anymore, so I went of my own will.
: Sounds a lot like...Kazuki.
: Especially his hot-headedness.
: So I take it Kaita Base is running independently.
: Yes, you could say that...
: All right, let's check the situation at the base. Guide us there.
: At once! Please follow me!
Yay! I'm finished with the update!

Next Time: You're not going to believe this, but Lukav manages to outmaneuver again.