Part 13: In fact, I DID find the +1 dagger, thank you very much.

We have arrived at Starbase 4.



Yipes, looks like they aren't playing around.



: Hah! Did you name it yourself?
: Show respect! Don't you realize I am science advisor to the Tyrannical Overlord? Why would you jump ship and abandon Commander Nomak like that? Surely you knew you would be placed under house arrest upon arrival?
: Naturally. But we also knew that Nomak would inform you that the virus is harmless to Krill physiology. And that your Starbase would be moved here to accommodate our visit.
: True! High Command was very pleased to learn that this dustball planet was the fourth! But again, you are no fool. Why risk coming here?
: Because the situation has become volatile. We need to straighten some things out with his majesty. You are our best chance of getting his ear. We want our freedom. All three of us.
: What do you offer in return?
: Information about the virus.
: That is hardly worth your lives! The virus is no longer a threat.
: Not to the people of Krill. But unless I'm wrong it will be quite effective against the Tyrannical Overlord's precious alien matter!
: My word!!
: Even the human scientists never knew what they were creating. It was Earth's failsafe plan in case your overlord got the alien matter first.
: Where is this virus now?
: In a safe place, along with a few samples that were transferred to Earth. Let us go free, and I will dictate the makeup of the virus to you exactly.
: You can use the formula to create an anti-virus. If Earth deploys it against his Excellency's alien matter, an anti-virus will be his only defense.
: You were indeed wise to come directly to me. I will contact High Command and the Tyrannical Overlord.



So, Starbase 4 is really, really small. It's also rust red and yellow, which is pretty decent color combination. One thing Krill sure know how to do is paint correctly.



This window you can walk on is cool but it baffles me how there can possibly be buried Gun Data here. I guess "Video Games" is the best answer I'll get.



This is the Impact Data, Splinter. It's like Fork or Vertical Spray in that it fires bullets on impact, but this one fires them in a random direction. It's interesting but unpredictable. I used it for a portion of this update's test run and decided against keeping it on.



But I just left him a minute ago...



: You are free to use this facility to create an anti-virus on the condition that you turn it in on completion. Do this and I will guarantee your freedom.
: Good.
: Here is a schematic of the virus. We will need to create both the virus, and the anti-virus to be certain it all works.
: Let's take a look. Hmmm. ... We will need to create a Genome to my specifications. But certain base genetic elements will be required.
: I would assume some fossil record exists on the planet below.
: It would take only a single preserved specimen to extract the genetic code we need.
: Looks like we'll have to scavenge for genetic building blocks.
: Psyme, we'll need someone to look after our interests here. We can't allow ourselves to get backed into a corner again.
: You'd better keep your hands to yourself.
: We'll see!
: I hope you get a sunburn pink skin!

This part of the game's plot confuses me. For some reason we need a very specific genome so to collect it we're going to collect random fossils from the surface of this random planet. And somehow it will all work?

We land the ship and leave it.



: Hold on! Now that we're alone, I need to know what's going on between you and that alien girl. Is cuddling up to her part of your assignment?
: No! Yes!



: What I mean is, I've been order to earn the trust of the Krill around me. It's necessary.
: So when this is over, you go your separate ways?
: Absolutely.
: Good. Because I hate to see a perfectly good human wasted on that Krill trash!
: Heh. You think I'm perfectly good, do you?
: Don't read into that! Anyway, we need to split up. I'll check this way. Remember, we're looking for fossils.



Well, the Sand Planet is sandy. And it has a bunch of random fossil things and totem heads as decoration.





This Gun Data is literally sitting in the middle of your path. It's the Impact Data, Barrier. It makes a vertical barrier where your shots hit. I've never used it since I prefer augmenting my shot strength 99% of the time.



Here's the map of the Sand Planet. Our destination is that big, dark green room on the map.



These robots wander the surface. You can shoot them to make them crumble, but you have to Krill Puck them to finish them off. So just use the Krill Puck twice to make the job easier.



Welcome to the random battles here! They're pretty hectic as things go. Unfortunately, I don't have any video of one this time, but next time we visit and press further onwards, I'll record one. These bugs are the most common enemy to face. They move towards you pretty quickly, but luckily aren't that strong.



That purple thing moves up and down vertically at a quick pace. Krill Puck destroys it but the timing can be a little tricky.



One of the minibosses on the planet, this one plays like a small puzzle.



You have to shoot those little nubs on its sides. Once all four are red, you can shoot and damage it. If you shoot the main body without having hit all four nubs, it fires bullets at you. You can see me using my B weapon for precision.





Hidden underground in this diamond of rocks is the Bullet Data, Bounce Shot. This is a pretty ridiculous weapon, as it fires shots that bounce to the ground, then all around the screen. Sounds good, but it's not too powerful overall, and having a lot of little bouncing shots can cause the game to lag. Overall not bad and I'm sure that give the right Cannon Data, it could be pretty efficient.



This is one of the fossils. There are 7 buried underground in this room.



When you touch one, you are summoned up to a ship and made to fight a skeleton creature that becomes larger for every fossil you find.



I don't know how Recker knows that seven are needed but I've stopped asking questions after that underground glass Gun Data. I won't be showing pictures of all the fossil locations and text because there's no reason and it would just make this update longer.



The Sand Planet is also notorious for having 99 enemy fights. Surprisingly, while playing to take screens, I only hit one of them, but in my test run I hit a bunch. They're not too bad, but there's a stretch of about 40 enemies that are all the same later on that gets pretty boring. It does help with leveling up though.



These enemies are quite common as well and unlike the bug things, they're resilient. Until you gain a couple levels, bombs are the best way to kill lots of them.



There are also these maw things that suck you towards them if you pass overhead.

VIDEO: Sand Planet Skeleton Boss.

Eventually I collected all seven fossils and the Skeleton boss appeared in its entirety. It's not a hard fight at all but you can watch it above.



Here's the fierce Skeleton boss. It actually does nothing to you other than float your way.



It is made up of seven different pieces all of which must be destroyed individually, so it take a little while in that regard.



When it reaches the left side of the screen it turns around and floats back to the right. It's really easy but it and its previous six battles give some really heavy EXP drops. I would estimate over 10000 EXP across the seven battles.



Instead of going directly back, I decided to look at a couple of those other dark green rooms for Gun Data, something I hadn't done in my test run.



These sand crab things appear in some of the other areas I visited. They're like the other bugs except slower and actively move towards your ship.



This miniboss is weird. You can only shoot it when the holes on the two barriers line up, otherwise it fires extra bullets in addition to the ones it fires normally.



The B Weapon's precision again turns out to be useful. Luckily this thing takes only 4-5 hits with that weapon.





Sitting underground in front of this door is the Bullet Data, Rocket. It's slow but powerful. I haven't tried it out because the Sand Planet is the place for fast firing weapons but I can try it out later I guess, seeing as I've never used it before, and trying out new Gun Data is something I'm actively pursuing in this LP.



Tight spaces are no fun. Glad I didn't have a big ship here.





Another Gun Data cave. This one holds the Cannon Data, Free Aim Cannon. A variant of the Free Movement Cannon, this one is pretty complex. When you press the fire button, you switch between controlling the direction your ship moves and the direction you fire the cannon. Requires quick reaction and planning to use since you must position yourself carefully before firing, something that this game doesn't always allow, what with swarms of enemies and tight corridors.



Before I give them to Scarlet, the Fossils and Genome show up in the inventory. The Genome is weird though, since it shouldn't show up technically until the next conversation with her.

Nothing else was hidden out there so I returned to the starbase.



: Yeah! Check this out! I had to fight a huge skeleton to get it!
: I'm sorry, I thought you said a skeleton? You're not some fantasy nerd are you? Did you find the +1 dagger too?
Favorite line in the game thus far.
: Hardy har har. Look.
: Wowee!! A living dinosaur bone!
: Told ya!
: What the hell are those two freaking out about? Wish they'd stop yelling.
: Let me extract a sample... Here it comes... Coolness! We found the GENOME! Let's get it back to the lab.



I never noticed this before but the view through the window changed since I was here last. I'll have to see if it changes again the next time I'm here.



: Right here.
: Let's get started. We'll breed the virus in one tank, and the anti-virus in the other.
: Dont' worry Psyme, I didn't put the moves on loverboy. Err Psyme, are you all right?





: I don't know!
: Uh oh. I know what this is. How to explain this to off-worlders... Mister Recker, how well do you know Psyme?
: Meaning?!
: When a Krill girl... Well... Take a closer look.
: What is that growing on her back?
: Holy Toledo! What have you done Recker?!
I don't know!
: Nothing! Just a kiss!
: You'll have to take her to a pool of water. Somewhere clean. The process can run its course there. I can't keep her on the station in her condition. Medic!



: some...er...new responsibilities.
: Wha...How could this happen?
: You put the moves on her?!
: You'll have to sort things out later. Find a pond and submerge her.
: But we're over a desert planet!
: Then take her somewhere with water! Just go, before she bursts right here on my floor!
: I can't go! I have to watch the virus! You're on your own you filthy scumbag!!

: Oh crumb.

*insert The Price Is Right fail horn here*

Well this was unexpected...



: I recommend the Forest Plant if you're looking for pure water appropriate for this kind of thing.





To the Forest Planet we go. Again.

Join me next time as we become a dad?!

-----

Current Weapon Data:

: 3 - Triple Cannon. Fires shots in a forward spread.
: 3 - Heavy Shot. A large projectile with a large hit area.
: 10 - Fork. Shots fork forwards.