Part 127: Pre-Intermission

Pre-Mission Adjustments

Bryger

parts added:
Booster
Hybrid Armor (+800 HP, +150 Armor)

Daitarn 3

parts added:
Booster
Hybrid Armor

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: To avoid any electromagnetic interference in that link, the Flash System will be used.

: Flash System?

: It's a type of brainwave inductor designed for Newtypes to use.

: So it's something like a psycommu system, or the psycoframe...

: The brainwave control devices in Gundams aren't all the same?

: Among brainwave control devices, there's a variety of different types. Raideen's psychic control apparatus is one... Then there's the Battle Machines' brainwave-based auxiliary piloting systems. Things like psycommu are pretty similar, but they still have some minor differences.

: I see... So even being a Newtype doesn't guarantee you could use the GX's Flash System.

: But I had no idea the GX even had a system like that.

: The GX was originally a mobile suit intended for Newtypes to use. Your GX had its Flash System activated by Tifa, which linked it to the moon.

: Oh, I see... Tifa was with me the first time I rode the GX, that's right.

: (.........)

: So that light from the moon means...

: It means that where the light shone, there's a GX unit, and a Newtype.

: So that's what Tifa was showing us.

: What's out in the sea in that direction?

: Most likely, Zondar Epta...

: Zondar Epta?

: I heard that name a few times while doing business with Breakers. It's supposed to have a relay station for the Innocent, as I recall...

: Whatever the case, we'll have to head there. (And to deal with a Satellite Cannon, it'll take another Satellite Cannon.)

[SCENE CHANGE]



: Can't be helped, we're crossing the ocean. Quit whining and help out!

: Garrod, take it easy with the Satellite Cannon, okay?

: Excuse me! I won't mess up like that again!

: Anyone with their hands free, pilots or whoever else, give us a hand! There's not much time until departure.

: Sure, I'll help carry luggage in a Gallop.

: Good idea. Chiru, you lend a hand, too.

: On it!

: Boss, Dike, Daisaku, Daijirou, Benkei, can you guys haul in the luggage?

: Whew... This's a lot of luggage.

: We can take it!

: Yeah, times like this, you gotta leave it to us heavyweights.

: Yeah, leave the heavy lifting to us.

: Hm! Hmmm!

: ...It's pretty cool seeing all the huge guys lined up like that.

















: Okay, okay. You're strong, Fatman, we get it.

: W-well, uh... Would you mind helping with the heavy lifting?

: Mmh!

: Hey, we can help with the small stuff.

: I'll help, too.

: ...Me, too...

: You sure? Don't strain yourself.

: Yeah, leave this kind of work to us!

: No... I want to help, too.

: But, you're kind of weak...

: (.........)

: (.........) Marbet, you have to break out of your shell yourself, you can't let others do it for you.

: Mio, are you...

: Okay, Tifa. Can you take this little package here to the infirmary?

: Okay.

: Jun, Chosaku, Shoji! Lead the way for Tifa.

: Leave it to us, Master.



: Now that you mention it, you're right!

: Eh? D-does it...?

: (.........)

: Will she be okay? Tifa's got kinda low blood pressure, doesn't she?

: Okay, I'll...!

: Don't.

: T-Tex...

: Garrod, can't you tell? She's starting to open her heart. She's happier now, doing things with others, than she would be shut away in her room.

: (.........)

: Wanting to take care of something, and actually doing so, are two different things. That goes doubly where women are concerned...

: (.........)

[SCENE CHANGE]



: Not quite. For the moment, we seem bound for an island called Zondar Epta. There's supposed to be an Innocent stronghold there, along with a GX and another Newtype...

: It might be possible to get word to Arthur Rank there, if it's an Innocent stronghold.

: (.........)

[SCENE CHANGE]



: You get paid, so of course you have to earn your keep.

: Yeah, sure. I'm charging extra for this, you know.

: Geez... You're so stingy when it comes to money.

: Still, this room's pretty lively now. Looks like setting it up was worthwhile.

: So, what's everyone gathered together for?

: Well, you see... I wanted to share an interesting story with the ladies.

: An interesting story?

: Eh? What is it? What's so interesting about it?

: Can we hear this, too?

: Sure, come one, come all.Okay, Bowie, take it from the top.

: *cough* *ahem* Ladies and gentlemen, are you ready?

: Would you hurry up and get on with it!?

: It was back when we were doing ranger work with Banjou and Shinobu... I heard about something. It's supposed to come out around this very beach.

: Come out...? What does?

: Y-you don't mean...

: Yes, a ghost emerges.

: G-ghost!?

: N-no way...!

: Yes... The locals call this area the Sea of Lorelei.

: Pfft, what a load of horsehockey.

: Yeah, and these are pretty rough times we live in. If ghosts were real, wouldn't they outnumber the living?

: A sharp denial! But there are plenty who claim to have heard the ghost's voice.

: I've heard this story before, too.

: I don't know how true it is, but it's a pretty famous story in these parts.

: Y-you're serious...?

: But why do they call it Lorelei?

: There are legends about Lorelei floating around... She's a siren who dwells in the Rhine River. Her beautiful singing is supposed to lure shipmen to their deaths.



: Wh-what the... When did you get here?

: Sorry. I was listening in from over here for a little while.

: What kind of poem is it?

: Let's see, if I recall correctly... I don't know what it may signify, that I am so sad. There's a tale from ancient times, that I can't get out of my mind. The air is cool, twilight is falling, and the Rhine is flowing quietly by... The top of the mountain is glittering in the evening sun. The loveliest maiden is singing up there, wondrous to tell. Her golden jewelry sparkles as she combs her golden hair with a golden comb...

Suddenly, the lights go out!

: Gah!

: Whoah!

: Noo, it's pitch dark!

The lights go back on.



: God, what's the big idea!?

: M-Miss... Er... Please don't cling like that.

: Ah, er... Sorry...

: Worked like a charm, huh?

: How'd you guys like our Double Kid performance?

: You jerks! Don't pull idiotic stunts like that!



: Gah!

: Uh, look, man... I'm not really into that kind of thing...

: D-dumbass! This is... Well, it's uh...

: Ooh, man-love!

: Why, you!

: Yeesh... If I'd known this was going to happen, I would've stayed near a girl.

: Hm? Witz, don't tell me you're afraid of scary stories?

: N-no friggin' way!

: Man, I just thought the girls would freak out. I wasn't expecting this.

: Heh... This, when they could have even worse battles in store... Such an entertaining bunch.

[SCENE CHANGE]



: Alright, then we depart for Zondar Epta.

: Roger. Main engine, starting up!

: Course clear. Transmission to all ships, the Argama is moving out.

: All hands, stand by at level 3 battle stations. We have to stay vigilant.

: Roger.



: What is it?

: Are we going to keep fighting the Innocent and the Moon Race?

: What are you getting at?

: Shouldn't we be more concerned with humanity's enemy... The Dinosaur Empire?

: (.........)

: With them in the picture, this is no time for humans to fight one another...

: But, the Dinosaur Empire hasn't shown any movement since last time. Right now, what's important is dealing with problems at hand, one thing at a time.

: I understand that line of thought, but... The Dinosaur Empire isn't like the Innocent or the Moon Race. Their aim is the complete extinction of humanity. I think we should put our top priority on investigating what they're doing, and crushing them.

: (.........)

: Besides, we still have no idea how much power they've amassed over the years... If we wait for them to show their true motives, it could already be too late by then.

: I'll take that into serious consideration. But right now, our priority stands with heading for Zondar Epta.

: (.........)

[SCENE CHANGE]



: (.........) Once we reach Gallia, I think I'll leave the others and take independent action.

: You're serious!?

: Yeah.

: ...Could I ask why?

: The Argama's set on fighting the Innocent and the Moon Race... We should be fighting the Dinosaur Empire right now, am I wrong?

: You think Bright and the others are wrong in their reasoning?

: I'm not saying that. But they're overlooking the underground forces too easily.

: (.........)

: In the Balmar War, they never showed their true power.

: Even so, what do you hope to accomplish by yourself?

: I told you before. My job is to fight my enemies. I don't have time to deal with unnecessary opponents. If there's no sign of them here, I'll just look around Gallia instead.



: Oh, didn't see you there, Jiron.

: (.........)

: I'd figured you'd understand, since you keep chasing Timp around.

: I know. And it's true, next time I see Timp, I might run off like an idiot again. But, ditching your friends? I wouldn't even consider that!

: (.........)


[SCENE CHANGE]



: 'Course, if it flied like the Argama, then I'd have no problems at all.

: Mark my words. I'll make the Iron Gear fly, one of these days.

: Sigh...

: What is it, Miss? You're sighing.

: You wouldn't understand my feelings... Say, Cotset... Do you think the Innocent at Zondar Epta are Gallian?

: Who knows... We never got a chance to get in contact with them.

: This will probably wind up as a battle... If the Innocent on that island are Gallian... We'll make enemies out of the Innocent even on Gallia... Then I won't be able to spread the flower of culture... Or even do any business.

: Miss, it's a little late to talk about that now, isn't it? If they attack us with a GX, we'll be finished right there on the spot, won't we?

: (.........)

: Are the Innocent really that big of a deal on your continent?

: It's not that they're strong. If you go against them, there's no survival. And it would mean betraying Sir Biel... I couldn't bear the thought of that!

: But, as for me, I've had enough of getting used by the Innocent.

: (.........)


[SCENE CHANGE]





: Dr. Mane, what's the status on the L-System?



: And the link with the new model?

: We can implement the on-board Flash System and the L-System any time. And the Black History mobile suits and mobile armors dug up in Gallia... The Mobile Doll System, and the G-Bits' analysis and startup has been successful.

: I see... We should thank our predecessors who left all of that here.

: Quite right, sir.

: If this experiment succeeds, the Moon Race will no longer be a match for us.

: By the way, Director, about that sample...

: I know. Do as you like.

: Thank you, sir. Now we can attain true success for the Human Race Restoration Program.

: (.........)



: !

: Who's there!?





: You two are...

: Pardon our late arrival. I'm Shagia Frost... This is my younger brother, Olba.

: I know who you are. The Moon Race people that control Gundams, right?

: I'm honored that you've heard of us.

: Hmph... You have a lot of nerve, sneaking in like this.

: Breaking through this base's defensive network is a joke, for us...

: ...What are you after?

: We've come here to offer you our assistance.

: You Moon Race people would offer us Innocent your assistance?

: That's right. We're not your enemy...

: Don't make me laugh. You think I could trust your words?

: A key figure in the Innocent such as yourself should be well aware... There are factions in the Moon Race that don't support the Diana Counter.

: (.........)

: We're not like Diana Sorrel. We don't want to return to Earth.

: (...Are these pawns of Agrippa Maintainer, the manager of the lunar city? Or could they be...) ...What do you want in return?

: Ah, right to the point. We want a Newtype on the Freeden, named Tifa.

: And the life of the GX's pilot...

: (.........) Then, show me proof that you'll cooperate with us... Use those Gundams of yours.




[SCENE CHANGE]



: Thanks, I owe you.

: But why would you want the Satellite Cannon now?

: There might be a need for it in the next battle...

: You mean... To deal with the GX in Zondar Epta?

: ...Yeah.

: (.........)

: ...Jamil...

: What is it, Tifa?

: Something bad will happen... I have a bad feeling...

: !

[SCENE CHANGE]



: So they intend to intercept us... All hands, to level 1 battle stations! Mobile Suit squadron, move out!

: Captain! The Freeden is moving ahead!

: What...? Jamil, what are you trying to do!?

[SCENE CHANGE]



: Same to you, don't get scared by Lorelei's ghost!

: Shut up, mind your own business!

: Heh... Okay, guess I'll head out, too!

: Wait!

: Tifa!? What are you doing here?

: Garrod...

: (.........)



: Tifa...!