Part 48: Mission #45: Interstate I-Ninety-Murder!

Bah! Stelas isn't so great! Okay, he made that awesome parts chart, and his wanzer designs are pretty good, but I'll have something that he'll never get! And that thing...that thing that he shall never obtain, which, to be clear, definitely exists, and I am not just stalling...wait, look! New Update!

Mission #45: Interstate I-Ninety-Murder!



: Who are you?
: I'm Mayer Edward of the CIU. We're under Isao Takemura's order to rescue you.
: Colonel Takemura? Is he fighting the coup?
: Yes. We'd like you to come with us.
: So he took action. Tell Colonel Takemura for me. I must decline his offer.
: Why? If we leave the coup forces alone...
: I will not fight. It's foolish to fight against your own people.
: I understand, but...
: I won't change my mind.
: You're going to ignore everything!? You selfish bastard!
: Stop it, Kazuki.
: But!
: Kazuki? You're Kazuki!? I see... I can't order my subordinates to attack my colleagues. I'm sure Takemura will understand.
I like how by this point in the game, Kazuki is a figure of dread throughout the world.
: ...
: You'll remain neutral, then?
: I only follow the government's orders. Whether it's this one or the new one.
: Okay.
: Are you sure?
: He told us how he honestly feels. That's enough.
I'm pretty sure it's not. Anyway, another heroic anti-success for the party!



: If we can get Colonel Takemura to talk to him...
: Isogai is just as stubborn as the Colonel. He won't change his mind.
: Our mission failed!?
: What do we do now? We're sitting ducks.
: Not necessarily. As long as his division remains neutral, the coup forces can't move to the Kansai area. He's not an ally of the coup forces.
Excellent, we've denied the enemy the...Kansai area...hold on a sec, I'm going to check Wikipedia...so, Osaka, then? Yeah, I guess that's probably pretty good.
: Yes. We succeeded in limiting the enemy's movement.
: We're still outnumbered.
: Yes. If Colonel Takemura fails, we lose before we begin fighting.
: Don't worry, Kazuki. Colonel Takemura will come through for us.
: ...
Kazuki is weighing whether he'd rather have Lukav conquer the planet or his father be considered a hero...



To Sendai!



It's the year 2112...where are the hover cars?



: Get moving. The enemy could attack at any moment!
: Is this the last detachment?
: Yes, Rebecca and Hatari are dealing with the other units. They should've arrived in Fukushima by now.
: We're almost there, too. We can meet up with the 6th division.
: Rudolf, here the come!
: ...Imaginary Numbers. It just seems to get worse by the minute.



: Target confirmed. All units, begin attack! Eliminate all targets. The enemy commander is a potential threat to the plan.
: Colonel, I think they want you. They're going for the head to make the rest of the job easier.
: Should we take 'em out!?
: No, the Wulong will lead our units back to Fukushima. I'll hold them off!
: Are you stupid? They're after you.
: I know. If I'm their target, they won't go after you.
: You're going to use yourself as a bait?
: We must preserve our forces. That is my job.
: You're crazy! It's suicide.
Well, his kids are Kazuki and Alisa...what does he have to live for anyway?
: Are you sure about this?
: Yes, now go!
: ...All right.
: Rudolf!?
: That's the boss's order. Let's go!
: Thank you...and good luck.
: Forget it, I just don't like arguing. I'll see you in Fukushima.



: Colonel, please wait! You can't fight them alone. Let us fight with you!
: ...Under the condition that you all will not waste your lives!
: Yes, sir!



: Colonel Takemura should have merged with the 6th division by now.
: The final battle...
: ...Can...hear...
: A dispatch? Which squad is it!?
: Shut up and listen!
: Is it you, Rudolf!?
: Listen up, Kazuki! Head to Sendai now!
: What do you mean!?
: There was a surprise attack by the Imaginary Numbers. You're father is fighting them as a decoy!
: What!? What the heck is that idiot thinking!?
: Yeah, an idiot like you. Hurry up if you don't want to attend his funeral!
But...Kazuki does want to attend his funeral...the sooner the better...
: Captain!
: I know! Full speed to Sendai Harbor!



: Colonel, we'll make an escape path for you!
: What are you talking about!? I can't leave you behind!



And an Imaginary Number speeds down the road and demolishes one of the JDF wanzers. Know the worst part? This isn't the sort of thing that can only happen in a cutscene...



: They're pretty persistent. We'll focus our attack to finish them off.
: Colonel, we can't hold out much longer! Please escape!
: How can I hope to save Japan when I can't even save you!? Don't give up hope, no matter what!



And the Colonel's last allies bite the dust.
: I guess this is it... Even if I die... there's still Kazuki and his friends.
If your last hope is Kazuki, it's time to give it up.



: !
: Father!
: Colonel, those are mighty brave words. I like that in a man.
: !?
Isao Takemura can handle certain death...but Mayer, shit, he wants no part of that...
: What're you getting chivalrous about!? I feel like gagging!
: We'll handle the rest! Pull out!
: All of you, pull out first!
: But Colonel...
: Go on ahead. I must see how he has matured.
: Yes, sir, please be careful.
: What're you doing? I thought I told you to get out of here! Or are you scared stiff?
: Are you joking!? I can't trust you to handle the situation! I'll have a hand in dealing with this problem.
: Stupid geezer! It's not going to be my fault if you eat it!
I assume they mean bite it...unless the grim fate they are facing is deciding who has to spend an evening with Mayer. Interesting side note, though, Kazuki's icy relationship with his father was actually a prototype of the Tidus-Jecht relationship from Final Fantasy X. Squaresoft had, for years, wanted to make a parental relationship so tediously irritating that it actually destroyed the minds of anyone brave or stupid enough to play through the game.
: They get along pretty well, don't they?
: They're both stubborn. They're just like immature children.



It's an escort mission. Isao is in a Enyo, and if he dies, you lose. What's worst, the AI can smell the blood in the water and will go straight after him. Due to the particularities of this game's targeting system, your only hope is using your four wanzers to form a wall well in front of Isao, blocking him off from the enemy. Anything else...could get messy. I'm taking Pham, Kazuki, Lan, and Liu.



Kazuki gets force-ejected and stomped on. My line instantly collapses as the enemy heads straight for poor Isao.



Fuck.



Dodge by Isao! We're still alive! We can do th-



Nuts.



I guess it's fitting that his son's failures literally get Isao killed.



Alas...



Well, let's try that again, shall we?



Ryogo, Alisa, Pham and Lan! Surely they will not fail me!



I don't like where this is headed....



But the future refused to change!



: That hand shall burn in never-quenching fire/That staggers thus my person. Imaginary Number, thy fierce hand/Hath with the colonel's blood stain'd the colonel's own land./Mount, mount, my soul! thy seat is up on high;/Whilst my gross flesh sinks downward, here to die.



Kazuki, Ryogo, Miho, and Mayer. No more fucking around, let's get this right.



Hold the line!



This is the point in the game where the enemy's battle skills start to get obnoxious.



Well, it's not like I was planning on moving Kazuki anyway.



Revenge!



Wrong arm, Kazuki, wrong arm!



Some one using a missile effectively? I don't understand...



Kazuki continues his duel to the death against the enemy Lenghe 1.



Hey, Ryogo's machine gun arm survived! Progress!



He celebrates by shooting the Lenghe 1 that Kazuki was tussling with.



Kazuki's thirst for vengeance has not been slaked. Another Lenghe must die!



And Mayer and Miho clean up the helicopters. It's a quiet mission for Miho, as without lucky combos, she's incapable of doing any significant damage.



And Ryogo had been doing so well too! I don't know why, but I'm reasonably sure his weapon arm is cursed.



It's not that the Ultra Combo is a bad wanzer, it's just that it seems completely unable to make it through a mission intact.



Kazuki ends the mission having occupied the attention of two Lenghe 1s for almost the entire battle. Now that's impressive.



A win's a win. Kazuki gets MVP.



: Father, he's right. It's only going to get tougher.
: Sorry. I didn't mean to worry you.
: But thanks to Takemura, the 6th division met up with Rudolf.
: Now all that's left is to hit the enemy full force.
: It's not going to be that easy. There's still a lot left to do.
: Oh, I never thought I'd hear those words from you.
: Then we should rendezvous in Fukushima, also.