Part 57: Mission #54: The Ragtag Misfits Ride Again!

Another one update day, and, I must admit, that's likely to be the rule for the next week and a half or so, but then things should pick back up. Then again, I'm feeling sick and had a 3 and a half hour exam today, so, really, that's as good as I can do for you guys.

 Also, you can't get Jose in this path, you only get that choice in the other branch, and yes, you guys will get to vote on it. 

Mission #54: The Ragtag Misfits Ride Again!



Of course we are.
: What happened?
: Imaginary Number Forces are landing on Okinawa Ocean City!
Okinawa? You know, everything I know about Okinawa I learned from Kill Bill.
: Really? Is that true?
: They're disguised as DHZ, but it's them. We were too distracted by the coup d'etat. They already have half of the city under control.
: Lukav wants MIDAS. Is MIDAS in Ocean City?
: Sasaki ordered the coup squad to hide it in Ocean City. Head to Okinawa! Commander Kawada will tell you the rest.
So, the bomb we spent fifty missions looking for? It was in Okinawa the entire time...you know the place we started the game. Our thrilling chase around the Pacific Rim? Completely meaningless!
: We need to leave right away. Get ready!
: Are you ready!?
I am obligated to respond in the affirmative.



And we head to the last locale of the game...same as the first. Also, the map is still upside-down. Even though we've never even visited the Southern Hemisphere in this branch.



: There's too much confusion!
: What about the connection bridge!?
The bridge is named after Kosuke Connection, a famed engineer of the mid-21st century.
: Our defense force is fighting the enemy.
: Tell them to hold out until we send backup!
: Yes, sir!
: Regroup at the connection bridge! Don't let them into Okinawa!...Too bad we can't give much of a backup though.
: Can't they settle down?
: They're fighting the Imaginary Numbers! Of course they can't.
: They gotta be more laid back! They can't win like this.
In the future, medical marijuana won't be legalized...it will be mandatory.
: You're a different story all together, Ryogo.
: Who are you!?
: Commander Kawada, we're here as backup.
: How is the situation in Okinawa!?
: You must be Kazuki. The situation is terrible.
: It's all because you tried to make a deal with Lukav. You brought this on yourself.
: You're right. We were foolish.
: Who cares! What about MIDAS? Is it safe?
: We don't know what's going on in Ocean City.
: We need to hurry.
: Where is MIDAS stored?
I'm not going to like the answer, am I?



: What a fortress...
: MIDAS is on the lowest level.
: Wait, MIDAS is buried directly under the city!?
: That is correct. MIDAS is set in the city's power source. If it's removed incorrectly, the city will collapse into the sea.
Why would they do that? No, honestly, am I supposed to believe that the generals looked at MIDAS and said, "You know, the middle of a power reactor would be a swell hiding space for an exceptionally powerful bomb!"



: So you tried to keep MIDAS hard to reach.
: How foolish. Lukav won't think twice about destroying the city.
: Yes. He doesn't care about Japan.
: We don't have much time.
: We need to get to the lower core before Lukav gets there.
: You need to use the connection bridge to get to Ocean City. But our forces are fighting the Imaginary Numbers.
Or we could use a boat...or a plane, or really anything that doesn't involve us trying to directly pass through an enemy chokepoint.
: We don't have time to go around. Let's go.
Fine.
: Oh man!
: Our leader made his decision. We don't have mush time. Let's get ready.



Hey, it's Dr. Koike, the guy who left us to die back in mission 3!

: !?
: Dr. Koike?
: Where were you guys!? Have you been on the run this whole time?
: What are you doing here!?
: The DHZ military invaded Ocean City. We were evacuated. First the coup, now the DHZ invasion! What's happening to this country!?
We happened.
: We'll stop the DHZ.
: Are you fighting the DHZ military!?
: Sort of.
: There's no time. I'll explain when we get back.
: All right... I'll wait for you. Come back alive.
: Yeah.
: I'll give you the password to Ocean City's web site. You'll be able to download the blueprints to Ocean City. The password is EHOBA.



Let's do this.



: How is the JDF resistance?
: 92% have been dealt with. They're no match for us.
: What about them?
: They made it to the bridge. They're headed this way.
: I see... They continue to entertain me.
: If they're in your way, I can deal with them.
: Don't mind them. Leave them be. Emma and I will head for the lower floor. Stay on the surface. Eliminate all JDF units and facilities.
: Yes, sir.
: Kazuki, Liu, let's see how far you get.



The JDF kind of suck at this whole military thing...



: What the heck are they?



You do definitely deserve to die for your incredibly stupid, "let's attach MIDAS to a city and see what happens," plan, but...



The plot obligates us to save the day.



: Who are you?
: Outta the way, dudes! The defenders of justice are here!
'The defenders of justice?' Ryogo, that's a one-mission ban for such a ridiculous sobriquet. I don't think we defended justice once in this entire game!
: We'll take it from here. Take the wounded and retreat!
: ...Thanks. Our guys are in Ocean City! Please help them!
: I know. Lukav's not getting away with it this time!
Yeah, I'm sure the seventh time'll be the charm.



Once again, it's time to make sure even the bad wanzers get their day in the sun. Alisa, Mayer, and Lan get the call, and I send Miho in to make sure it doesn't turn into a bloodbath.



I'd be lying if I said I had faith in the Firearm, but it just might get the job done this time...



Whenever Alisa is effective, there's always a sense that something terrible is going to happen to balance things out. In this case, it's the fear that sometime, when it's least helpful, Salvo is going to go off and make Alisa useless.



Some wanzers were just born under a bad sign.



Nice, now, to capitalize on this turn of events. Lan, redeem yourself!



Whoever built the Firearm, I must ask: Why? Just...why?



Overkill? Well, maybe, but if I kill the pilot, I don't have to worry about the wanzer, and it's not like Mayer has any real chance of hitting him with her rifle...



The good news? Alisa killed the Lenghe. The bad news? She did it by triggering Salvo, meaning she's all out of missiles, and putting her in close combat is a bad idea. Fortunately, I have...other plans.



But first, Miho has to confront one of the most soul-crushing battle skills the enemy can pull at you. Avoid 80 means that Miho will be doing exactly 0 damage to this fucking Shunwang.



Mayer's having a solid mission. Then again, that brings the number of solid missions a missile wanzer has had in this branch to...three and a half.



I could take the 6 Shots into close combat and hope for the best, or I could eject Alisa into this vacant Shunwang. Guess how much faith I have in the 6 Shots?



All that's left is a a Lenghe 1 and a missile wanzer. The missile wanzer doesn't have many missiles left, so it's not much of a threat. So, time to start chipping away at the Lenghe.



And now it is mine. Then again, this late in the game, I don't have much use for it.



Mayer finishes off the mission by shooting the last enemy in the head with a rifle. Not a terrible showing for the rejects. In fact, the only wanzer on the team that really was even close to being destroyed was Lan's.



The game concurs with my judgment. In an incredible upset, Mayer wins MVP. Who built this wanzer anyway? Capskye? Fuck, that guy knows how to build pleasing wanzers. At this point, I'm 90% sure that he's some sort of split personality of mine that I don't know about, like in Fight Club.



: Hey, Kazuki, can you hear me? Do you copy!?
: This is Kazuki, what is it?
: The Ocean City comm is down! We're going to lose MIDAS.
Well, we had nearly twenty seconds where it seemed like the protagonists weren't ineffectual dolts, that's all we can hope for at this point.
: Roger. We're headed for Ocean City now.
: Hurry!
: Things aren't going to be looking good. We better hurry.
: ...It's so exciting. Is MIDAS going to be ours or Lukav's?
Man, I guess Ryogo really upped his dose for this mission.
: How can you say that at a time like this...?
: It's like Ryogo, though.
: Forget it. Weren't we in a hurry? C'mon!

Next Time: Liu fights fire with deadly, deadly neutron beams.