Part 73: Mission 31 (Space Route) - Set Out on an Interstellar Flight...
One more mission and we’ll wrap up the Space Route. Ichitaka’s 15 kills ahead of Kenji, so he’ll likely have a solid lead on Daiya once we’re back together.
On upgrades, I’ve gotten Alto and Shinn over 50%, so their bonuses are now, respectively, Mobility +15, crit +20, movement +1, and, Mobility +15, crit +20 and A rank in Space.
Regarding squads, Voltes and Combattler are going out as event units, and while Ozma isn’t showing up in the intermission menu, he WILL be back when the mission actually starts, so you’ll need to set him in then.
Ichitaka
Shinn/Luna
Duo/Hilde
Zechs/Noin
Kenji/Kyo
Jeeg/Micchi
Heine (Gaia)/Quatre
Rey/Luca
Alto/Michel
Iczer-3/Atross
Klan/Yagyuu
Ozma/Canaria
Here we go.
We open up the Quarter, and Mishima’s up on TV, issuing a call to arms: “We sought nothing but peace after we left our homeworld. As we searched for a new planet, we asked simply for a moment of peace at this parallel Earth! But the Vajra attacked, relentless in their desire to eradicate us. We will not bend our knees to their onslaught, however! I, as the 5th president of the Frontier Fleet, solemnly swear that victory will be ours in this holiest of battles! For the people of the Frontier!
Lam is very surprised someone as young as Mishima made it president, and Monica chalks it up to the success of his operation against the Vajra. His speech at Howard’s burial was also quite moving – all in all, he gathered a lot of support. And the guy’s already showing what he’s all about, Kyo noting that the Valkyries are being equipped with some new kind of warhead.
Luca explains that it’s the MDE Warhead, L.A.I.’s newest creation and capable of creating a miniature Fold when it goes off… he only wishes they’d completed it sooner, as maybe Nanase wouldn’t have gotten hurt. But Ippei says it’s not the kid’s company’s fault; moreover, Nagisa points out, our Valkyries are also getting the goods, so he’ll need to stay strong for the battles ahead.
The fact that Mishima doesn’t seem to care that Ranka’s song isn’t available anymore to use against the Vajra makes Quatre wonder if the guy’s THAT confident in the MDE Warhead’s firepower. Ichitaka can see why Mishima’d be all hyped and raring to go, as the things are said to be even stronger than the Reactive Munitions… but knowing how he is, Heine figures Mishima would only be this excited if he was sure he had good odds of winning this.
Good for him, because Ranka is long gone. Duo says her departure was confirmed not only by Alto but by several eyewitnesses and the airlock locks of Island 1: she, Brera and that one Vajra were seen leaving.
Kenichi wonders if the Vajra’s hive is hiding somewhere in this universe, though Alice also raises the possibility that Ranka and Brera might be able to Fold back to the Highly Probably Universe with their Vajra’s help, finding their hive over there. Whatever the case, there’ll be no end to the battle with the bugs until we find and wreck the place. They’re in for a tough fight, Hyouma sighs.
Iczer-3 thinks it’s more sad than anything, figuring the best solution would just be if we could find a way to get along with the bugs (Atross is taken aback by our kindness – a far cry from the Cthulhu).
And with all this crazy stuff that’s happened with Ranka, Bobby has to wonder: what is Ozma doing? Here’s hoping he’s safe…
By Mishima’s office, he’s seen fit to call in Sheryl. She’s a “mere” indie singer now, so what use could he have for her? Well, word has reached him that she has V-Type Infection, and that it’s already reached her brain, meaning it can no longer be treated. Oh? Is he paying attention to what the paparazzi’s rumors, or did the government look into her?
Mishima won’t reveal his source, but the important thing is that her disease has opened a new avenue for her to use. You see, due to the V-Type Infection, Sheryl’s voice is now capable of generating faint Fold Waves – just like the traitor, Ranka Lee.
Does that mean Ranka’s also sick? No, it’s due to something else, though the cause is still unknown. But, regardless, Sheryl can now do what the girl could and Mishima would like to ask that she use her music to save the Frontier Fleet.
Back to the Quarter, Jeffrey’s just assembled the team to pass on some information relayed to us by the President’s Office: they’ve just received reliable intel indicating the location for the Vajra’s homeworld. Not nest, homeworld, and Kentarou says the entire place’s in the process of being Folded into this universe.
Hiyoshi and Ippei are blown away and impressed, as the best us humans can do is just warp our ships around. Regardless, once we’ve confirmed the homeworld’s location, the Frontier Fleet itself will set off to attack it.
This all seems incredibly hasty to Megumi, what with Ranka’s departure, but Kentarou figures they’ll be using Sheryl as her replacement. Alto’s taken aback by that, and the professor explains that her song can now affect the Vajra… likely due to her disease.
Alto, of course, hadn’t heard anything about that, and Michel and Klan figure we’ve no choice but to explain what’s what now.
Alto now understands what was going on with Sheryl, and Kentarou wagers Mishima’s looking at both her and the MDE Warheads as the keys to securing a victory against the Vajra. Ippei raises the fact that the Frontier’s been placed under the UN’s supervision and their actions’ restricted. Won’t unilateral actions – such as up and Folding away at the drop of a hat – make things much more difficult to control for the PLANTs and Lady Une?
Sure, but Kentarou figures Mishima doesn’t take this Earth’s protection to be needed any more. Considering how often forces of this world helped the Frontier defend against the Vajra before, that sounds very selfish to Megumi. Kenichi agrees: how can they simply turn their backs on the crisis enveloping Earth, all the people who’ve risked their lives for them?
Still, those are the options presented to the Quarter now: leave Earth with the Frontier upon Mishima’s command, or stay behind with LOTUS…
But the suddenly appearing Ozma and Cathy say balls to Mishima – that guy’s a criminal! As Bobby cries tears of joy over his return, Ozma apologizes for the worry and explains that they were being pursued by Mishima’s goons and couldn’t get in touch. Mishima’s what now?
Ozma explains how the guy used the Vajra attack as cover to kill Howard, and tried to eliminate them as witnesses. That explains a message Jeffrey received from Birler’s estate not too long ago: it said that the SMS was being disbanded and incorporated into the NUNS. Seems to Canaria that Mishima’s moving for a takeover of the SMS forces, but Ozma refuses to serve someone who killed the president to fulfill his own agenda.
Jeffrey agrees with him, figuring the Quarter’ll need to choose its fate right now, and the path is clear to him: we’ll be cutties ties with the Frontier Fleet. As Bobby scrambles to tell Micchi and Talia, Luca asks if this won’t mean we’ll be tagged as traitors.
If not that, Michel says we’ll at least be deserters, and while Luca’s still worried about Nanase, he can’t turn his back on this. Now, Ozma doubts the Frontier’ll simply let us go, so he wants everyone ready to deploy at the drop of a hat. Before we leave, however, Alto has one thing to take care of: he can’t leave Sheryl in Mishima’s hands.
Mission 31 (Space Route) – Set Out on an Interstellar Flight…
And, indeed, NUNS troops fly out after us the second we start leaving. The President’s Office is demanding we return immediately – the Quarter was never given permission to depart. Not happening, of course, and Jeffrey declares that they’re cutting ties with the Fleet and will be acting independently. The NUNS have orders to shoot us down, in that case!
Talia gets in touch and argues that the SMS is currently assigned to LOTUS, but the NUNS guys aren’t listening. This is a Frontier problem, and we better keep off unless we’re ready to face the consequences! As Meyrin detects their sights being set on us, our hands are forced. Shinn would rather not have to fight people who’ve helped protect the PLANTs before, but Rey knows we’ve no real choice here if they’re not willing to talk.
Jeffrey does apologize for pulling our folks into this, but Talia says it’s fine: we’ll just avoid fighting as much as possible and focus on leaving the area.
Alto’s left Sheryl aboard the Quarter, having quickly shown up and brought her over. She’s very confused with all the stuff going on, but explanations will have to wait a bit. In the meantime, Luca’s asking Jeffrey’s permission to use THAT – we can’t afford to hold anything back if we’re to leave here safely.
And if we’re already being tagged as traitors, Luca figures we should be ready to use all means at our disposal to pull through this and future battles. Fine, Jeffrey allows it, and Luca releases the AI limiters in his three drones. It’s time to engage that which once spread terror across Macross City: the Judah System!
And, with that, Ozma calls for formation My Soul For You. “We’ll show these mooks that we’ll fight not for Mishima, but for the future of the entire Frontier!”
Get any allied ship to the marked area, without losing either of them or the Nagahama bots. Now, despite what Talia said, you’ve no reason to avoid fighting the Frontier guys and, I think, it’s best to actually wreck them all first.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise for you, but we won’t be dealing with JUST a bevy of Macross mooks. In fact, the second a ship enters the area, you’ll be caught in a pincer attack. Not all that dangerous, but there’s no reason you should subject yourself to that in the first place.
And, as you might expect, the Frontier’s Valkyries are very dodgy, but don’t have much by way of defenses – pop Strike and go to town. I suggest you engage this group from one of its wings first, to force the other to come to you. Their missiles have rather long range, so goading them in will make things simpler.
It should also be noted, if it wasn’t clear enough, that the Valkyries now have access to new weapons: all of them have MDE Warheads, which are way stronger than the Reactive ones, and Luca now has access to his new Judah System weapon. It’s basically a better version of his Ghost weapon, which is post-movement and has 3 shots.
Pair that with all the different warheads and Luca’s one of the strongest squaddies around.
: I’d rather not fight the NUNS, but you’re not leaving me any choice…! If you’re set on stopping us from following our path… if you’re gonna try to use us and Sheryl for your schemes, then…!--
: I get that you’re all giddy with your new weapons, but you’re not winning that war by putting all your eggs in that basket. The Vajra aren’t that weak!
: The Vajra aren’t our only enemies! Chances are the NUNS and SMS alone wouldn’t be able to keep the Frontier safe…!: So it’s far too dangerous for you to send all of the Fleet towards the Vajra homeworld!
When you roll into the next enemy turn…
: Now what is this… the Macross Quarter is parting with the Frontier Fleet?
: Yes, sir. Moreover, it seems the Fleet’s development of an MDE Warhead has been successful… As they said, necessity is the mother of all invention.: We can’t well not collect data on that, can we? Prepare all troops to deploy soon.: Roger. 
: What should I do?: I want you to simply observe how they’ll fight. You’ll likely be facing them soon anyway. : Your mission is to control my magnum opus absolutely flawlessly, so we shouldn’t rush to send you into combat. : Copy that. Proceeding as instructed.
: Ken, these people are…!
: I know; they’re soldiers. If the orders are to fight, then they have to comply whether they want to or not! : But we’re also on that same boat: whoever the enemy is, we have to fight! 
: You think these cobbled together fighters can take us own? Someone’s really selling us short, I see!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZM6K4UjrMw
When you first use this weapon, you get this scene:
: Data collection complete. Should we relay these to the Professor’s brain?: No, this is something we can develop by ourselves. Continue to gather data on LOTUS.: But we should already have more than enough on these units…: There’s only so much one can learn from videos and recorded data. I want her to observe, to experience, how these heroes fight with her own eyes.: …: Roger that. Carrying on.
: Look at these pirates, thinking they can commandeer our ship. We’re going in, you lot!
, Aye, aye, captain!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipfbkj8HZmU
And here’s Luca’s new trick. It’s pretty good!
*Kill everything and the Quarter will move into the evac area.*
*Beep, beep!*
: We’ve multiple heat signatures closing in from 12 o’ clock! It’s!
: Come and show us that new weapon of yours. Let’s see whether or not it’ll amount to a new “potential”…: And I believe we might as well collect some data on the NUNS as well, just in case (I might have bad news for you…)
: Those are… What are they doing here?!
: These guys always pick the worse moments to crash our parties…!: Forward, troops! Engage and destroy the new enemies!I guess they really did expect me to do as the captain said and make a beeline for the escape zone. Whatever the case, your objective now is to destroy all of the new enemies – if there are still NUNS troops alive, you don’t have to take them (though that’d mean less money and we know that’s no good).
As for the Valleys, they’re pretty much the same as the Orb fight. Decently bulky and hard-hitting, but our guys here are some of our strongest. Focus fire them down and do keep an eye out for opportunities to MAPW them with Rey (who should already know Valor).
Finally, you can’t hit the Imperial Valley – not even with Strike. If you tried to attack if with Hyouma, you’d get this:
: We’ve already processed data on all of your weapons. Nothing you have will work.
: That guy’s not taking us seriously…!
: He might have some trick up his sleeve. Keep an eye out!So all you can do is take out the lesser Valleys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBSls69zyoA
Also, here’s Atross’ Iczer Bomb plus its DK.
Once three turns have passed since the Valleys’ arrival…
: No different from what the data suggested… which means the newest auto-evasion program can easily handle them. (Reported for hacking!)
: Hey, what gives?! It’s using some sort of trick?!
: That’s just like before… when I had to help Kira and Athrun!: Anything we can do, Kosuke?!
: I’ve nothing! The enemy’s apparently analyzing and predicting any and all of our motions!
: Damn it, then what’re we supposed to do?!
: What the hell are you people doing, letting the enemy get inside your heads?!
: Prof. Sakonji!: How many battles have you fought until today?! Did you learn so little from them that the enemy can process it all just like that?!: Get your head in the game and bring out every gram of your strength! Surpass the enemy’s predictions and your own limits!: Surpass our limits, eh… I like the sound of that!: This might just be the moment for us to try that again… the attack we used against the Boazans way back when!
: J-Just what’re you planning?!: Chill, XO – we’ll handle this!*The Combattler moves after the Imperial Valley.*
: Super Electromagnetic Tornado, followed by the Spin… I just have to avoid being hit by the Tornado, and the rest will be relatively easy to dodge.: I don’t need to tag you with the Tornado… I just gotta do this!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWwWU3GCB_8
Hyouma: Kosuke, bring our super electromagnetic energy into the red!
Kosuke: You got it, Hyouma! Forming a super EM field around the Combattler!
Juzo: Get in there, Hyouma!
Soldier: How… they stopped my movements without resorting to the Tornado?!
: Wh-what was… that attack?!: Now, Kenichi!: I’m on it! Here we go, guys!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E7kIi3HSsg
Megumi: We’re going with that move, huh?
Ippei: Just gotta think back to that hellish training we went through!
Kenichi: We’re going!
Soldier: This can’t be! Our predictions said nothing of them being able to do something like that!
: Impossible…! We should already have analyzed those units’ capabilities from top to bottom! This… this is…!: Kch… E-Engage the emergency repair!
: What…?! An error?!: The enemy’s movements have grown sluggish! We should be able to attack it now!
: Alright, then let’s go and finish him off for good!
: Decided to come out your hidey-hole, eh, Mr. Stalker?!: I haven’t the time to play with you. There are too many tests left to be done…!
: Ichitaka, the more we let this battle drag on, the more they’ll be able to gather data on us!: We still don’t know what these guys are after, but I guess nothing good’ll come out of letting them do that, yeah? Then let’s save the questions for later and just worry about trashing ‘em all quick!
: Who are you?! Why did you kidnap Ichitaka’s professor, and what did you target us for…? Answer me!: We’ve already applied the Orb data. I should be able to keep up with him now…!
: What’s up, Red Bot? Where’d all that attitude from before go?: I’m not finished yet! I just have to put the Imperial Valley’s full capacity to use and your measly Super Electromagnetic Robot will be easy pickings…!
The Voltes and Combattler now have a combined attack, but I forgot about it! We’ll see it next mission.
: Hell, yeah!: We did it, Hyouma!: A very good job, all of you. That was some fine teamwork!: Yow! Did Prof. Sakonji actually give us props?: Hah, maybe someone oughta check if Hell’s frozen over.: Are you volunteering, Juzo? Because I can provide some extra training that’ll send you straight there…!: S-Sorry, sir…!: All unknown units have retreated from the sector.If NUNS units are still alive…
: What’re these people made of…! They drove out all of those unknowns…!: These cowards…! It’s because you’re like that that we need to handle everything!: But you soldiers will have to keep the Frontier safe… just be careful around Mishima.: Here’s our chance. We’ll evacuate the area and reorganize.
: I suppose regular humans really can’t use the Imperial Valley to its full capacity… : You’ll be leading the troops next deployment. Is that fine with you?: Yes, master. It is no problem at all.
: Sorry for dragging you like that, but I didn’t want to leave you in Mishima’s hands. Not in the state you’re in…
: Aaah… You’ve heard about it, huh? And you were the one person I really didn’t want to find out…: Sheryl, please… stop pushing yourself. You don’t need to force a smile, or carry on with that act anymore…: No!: !: I’m going to keep singing – I have to keep singing! That’s the only way I’ll leave proof that I ever existed…!: Sheryl…
: But… it’s almost too much. I’m all alone, watching as my life crumbles away… and it scares me…!: Strange, isn’t it…? I’m Sheryl Nome… I’d decided to live the rest of my life like that, and look at me now…: … I’ll be right there with you!: Alto…: If you’re going to sing, then I’ll stay by your side until the very last moment!: Alto…: … Alto, please grant me some courage. Just enough to carry on singing for as long as I can…!: Sheryl…
By Talia’s office, she informs Durandal of Mishima breaking the Frontier’s treaty with the UN. If nothing’s done, won’t this be a heavy blow to Durandal, and the PLANTs’, position? Indeed, and Durandal’s disappointed: he’d hoped to hold talks with the guy. But it’s already too late, as Durandal informs that, just now, the Frontier Fleet Folded out of the solar system before the PLANTs could do anything to keep them in check.
Talia sees that their attack on us was meant to do nothing but stall for time as they prepared to leave, and Durandal figures they all fell for Mishima’s plan. Whatever the case, he’ll figure out what to do about this. In the meantime, he has intel for Talia: they’ve finally located Djibril.
So the time has come to track down the Logos remnants, and Durandal’s already requested LOTUS’ support with it. Once the Earth troops are up top, the Minerva and the rest of our group will rendezvous with them and pursue Djibril.
Cut to the Quarter’s briefing room, Ozma hands a disc to Kentarou. It’s filled with data he and Cathy gathered from the government computers while they were investigating Mishima; among which, some worrying information regarding Grace. Luca remembers Sheryl’s former manager (and Ranka’s current one) and, when Kenichi asks, Ozma says she was the one who suggested that Mishima weaponized the singers’ music against the Vajra.
Kentarou figures Ozma is worried that the lady might have her own plans, and Sheryl steps in, demanding they let her in on this conversation. From what Grace herself said, she deliberately gave Sheryl the V-Type Infection after picking her up from the Macross Galaxy’s slums. As the disease developed, her singing started to affect the Vajra apparently – and Grace sought to have her work as a tool for Mishima’s plot.
Nagisa’s appalled over the woman using Sheryl’s life as a plaything, but she disagrees: she’s not being used, and never will be. “My life belongs to no one but me. Everything I’ve done to this day, I did because I wanted to – and I’ll carry on living that way. I am Sheryl Nome!”
Well, Michel figures Alto’ll have to be there for her all the way – he’s the only one who could manage to lift her spirits like that. And he’s alright with that: “Sheryl… I swear I’ll be your rock,” he thinks.
Now, Alice hands Sheryl a fresh batch of her medicine and asks that she keep taking it. It should at least allow her to carry on with her everyday life. Sheryl’s not one to ignore doctor’s orders, so she promises.
All that said, there’s still one big question in Ichitaka’s eyes: Brera. We’ve been told that he’d been taking orders from the government, but, from what Ozma’s found, his recent escapade wasn’t part of that. There was no information whatsoever about it on the data they found.
But Zechs figures we’ll have to worry about him later. Right now, we should focus on dealing with Lord Djibril. Inwardly, though, Ozma prays that Ranka’s safe.
Speaking of, we find Brera and Ranka out in the middle of nowhere, some distant corner in space. She thanks him for helping her with this, flying all the way here, but he was eager to help. He was supposed to be no more than a fighting machine, but when he heard her sing, something washed over him – this is him paying her back for it.
Ai-kun’s still bouncing around, and Ranka tells him it won’t be long before he’s home. With that, she starts singing Aimo…