Part 36: Evacuation

We've got a while to go before we hit a new page, so here's the update!

36: Evacuation



We've got the Doomsday Countermeasure. This is good mostly because it means we have no reason to ever return to the catacombs or Buried Jinam, but also because it can used to shut down the Doomsday Device next time Doskias uses it. But where will that be?



Layla knows.

What is it?
A device built by Jinam to counteract the Doomsday Device. It creates a high frequency energy field which will halt the actions of the Doomsday Brain.
So, the next time Doskias attempts to use the Doomsday weapon, we can stop him?
I'm afraid not. The Doomsday Brain is too strong to be stopped in time - as you learned last time. However, with this device we can slow its actions...keep it from completing its mission until the inhabitants of the area in danger can be evacuated.
You talk as if this is about to happen...
It is. Shell 4.
The World Bazaar!?
The most densely inhabited part, I'm afraid. Maya, you must split up your party. Take two companions and find ships to evacuate the people of the Bazaar. Corgan will take two companions and a ship to Shell 4. He will use this device to halt the Doomsday Brain which is even now growing in the depths of the continent.
But Doskias will track them down and destroy them!
Corgan is aware of the dangers. His ship will attempt to hide from Doskias' fleet. Now, you must choose his crew.



I don't actually remember who has equipment and who doesn't, and you're given no chance to equip people before sending them off with Corgan, but Led + Selina seems like a reasonable party.

Now speed to the World Bazaar. The fate of its people rests on your shoulders.



We could speed to the World Bazaar. But first we need ships to evacuate the inhabitants with.



You can run around asking everywhere for them. Or you can just head straight to the Scumm Town docks.



Where am I gonna go?
You have ships here?
Yeah, fat lot a good it does me, I don't have any fuel for 'em.
If I could find some fuel, could I have some of your ships? I need them to help some people on Shell 4.
Might as well, they ain't doing me any good here.
Any idea where I can find some fuel?
Well, I used to get it pumped right here from Connor's mountain base, but now the lines shut off. Here's a key to the treasure lair of the base, where he keeps the key to the fuel pump. But, I heard Connor put a curse on it, to protect it while he's gone, so I don't think it will do you any good.



Time to hit the pirate base and see if we can get the fuel flowing again.




The south exit still leads to a moutain path ending in a sealed room. This time, however, it's guarded by zombies.




Lobo has a cool new ability, TorsoBurst...



...but as usual, magic carries the day.




More undead at the door itself. The key we were given unlocks it.



Inside the vault we find a strange glowing ball. If we examine it, the party is knocked back by an invisible force.

Ow! What the hell just hit me?
OW! It must be invisible. We can't hit what we can't see - let's get out of here.



And it kicks you back out onto the mountain path and respawns all of the undead at the entrance.



Trying to sneak past it has the same results as examining it. The solution is to use the spray-paint picked up in Wind City after liberating it from Chosen control.





I was laughably overprepared for this fight. I opened up with Barrier All and Haste All, while the demon tried to curse everyone (and succeeded only with Maya).



Then I pounded on it for a while while it tried, and failed, to curse Lobo.




And then I hit it with Destroyer, dealing enough damage to kill it instantly had I just opened the fight with that. Oops.



Looks like a key.

We can't take anything from the vault except this.



Back to the pirate base and taking the north exit, we find this pump - like the mountain path, you may recall it from our first visit to Shell 6.



That should fix the pipe, but the pump is still locked off.



Alright, that should do it, this pump is up and working...

In case you don't remember the pipe, we found that in Oasis scrap heap at the same time we went looking for the grappling hook.



None too soon. The ships are yours as agreed, but who will you get to fly them?
I thought you would.
I can't fly three ships, girl. Besides, my fortune awaits elsewhere.
What about Lobo's crew?
Jinam pilots? Ha, ha, ha. They wouldn't know the first thing! You'll find pilots; Marduk knows there's enough of them in the Bazaar.
But I -
The ships are in the docks, here's a key to grant you access. I hate to run off, but you understand, don't you?
NOW what am I going to do?



We can try using the key to get into the docks, but...

Even though I can get to the ships, I can't use them, I don't know how to fly them...I guess I need to find some pilots first.

So let's follow the manager's advice and head to the World Bazaar.



You might think that the Shipping District is where we'd find pilots, but nope, it's the Bounty Hunter District. Hope there are no hard feelings about the way we shot our way into their base, shot our way back out, and then murdered one of their officers!



Just every one of us, baby.
Alright, I have some ships in need of pilots, do you think you could help?
Help don't pay the bills, girl. What's in it for us?
I can't pay you, but if you'll help me, afterwards you can keep the ships.
Now THAT sounds like a deal! What's the mission?
Evacuating the southeastern part of the Bazaar.
You think big, huh? Well, let's get on with it.

Guess there aren't!



Meanwhile, in the sky near the Bazaar Slums...




You'll have to kill me to get it!
So be it!



This fight is much harder than the one against the demon on Shell 6, although I'm not sure how much of that is due to the party possibly not having up to date gear. Markham comes with two friends and is very heavily armoured.



Everyone here has some new abilities, but...











...none of them are terribly effective.



Fortunately, Black Hole still loves me.




This is the same spell that did over 1200 damage to the demon earlier.




Finally, though, he goes down.

No! I cannot fail....




NO! Maya must have time to escape! The continent will take her with it!



We are out of here.
Go on, I'll follow in the last ship.

As we're on our way out, though, we run into an old friend.



Alisa...What are you doing here? What did you do with the doomsday blueprints?
We tried to duplicate the device, but failed.
So now you're helping Doskias?
Until I can destroy him and retake my rightful place as Empress of the Chosen! The Ancient Talisman you have is an Imperial Seal of the Chosen, and matches the one my father gave me before he died. It is mine by birthright.
You mean the one the Watchers sent me to get? They said I would need it, but I don't understand what it's for.
Surrender it or die!
The Watchers entrusted it to me!
Then die!




Remembering what this fight was like the first time I played, I open up with Marduk's Barrier. If you're planning to fight fair, you need this spell running at all times during this fight.



Of course, I'm not fighting fair. Alisa now has 50 hitpoints left.



If you don't kill her very quickly, though, she'll soon use this card...



...inflicting poison, berserk, stun, slow, and curse on one of your party members. If you're lucky you can cure them before the stun wears off (and before Alisa hits another party member with it) and they go on a killing frenzy against the rest of your party.

Of course, since I have Marduk's Barrier up, it does nothing.



What did they do?
Destroyed the Jinam Device...Now the world will be saved.



Maya, true to her roots, loots the corpse before making a run for the escape ship.

Hmm, it's her Royal Seal.



There's no FMV for this one, but the slums are indeed gone, and if we fly to Shell 1...



...here they are.



As with Pranno, you can enter them.



Inside is a small area with three bodies, carrying a Soulstone, a Sticky Fingers (an accessory that improves theft rates - useless, given that Steal itself is the most useless ability in the game), and Slash Knives, a nice weapon for Badu.



Shell 1 is getting a bit crowded. There can't be too many continents left to raise...right?

Next time: We start prepping for the final showdown. There is a lot of ass that needs kicking, but we an unlimited supply of feet. Get your votes in - next update will feature a bit of dialogue and a lot of dungeon crawling.