Part 79: Mission 32 - The Song That Was Played - Part 2
You might not have realized it, since she didn’t speak, but we actually got a new surprise addition to our forces!
Dom Trooper (Hilda Harken)
Pilot Skills:
Sword Cut
Shoot Down
Shield Defense
Support Attack L2
Support Defense L2
Attack Combo L2
Spirit Commands:
Focus
Accelerate
Vigor
Alert
Valor
Squad Bonus: 1000 Barrier, Armor +100, Crit rate +10
How’s that for a surprise? You get SEED’s phony Black Tri-Stars (though Mars and Herbert are attack only)! You can’t really expect the world from Doms, but it’s decent enough (range tops at 3, so that ain’t great) and Hilda isn’t a bad pilot at all. The squad bonus is a nice fit for a Super, too.
All in all, Hilda is purely squaddie fodder, but she could do a lot worse in that department than what she got.
Eternal (Lacus Clyne, Martin DaCosta)
Pilot Skills:
SEED
Shoot Down
Commander L3
Support Attack L2
Support Defense L2
Attack Combo L2
Spirit Commands - Lacus:
Bless
Cheer
Mercy
Daunt
Sense
Spirit Commands - DaCosta:
Accelerate
Invincible
Strike
Iron Wall
Valor
Unit Features:
Gun
Repair Module
Resupply Module
Squad Bonus: EN +50
Rinse and repeat what I said in W and Z1: Lacus is, as always, one of the best pure support units in the game. Cheer and Bless in one unit is always good, her SEED bonus paired with DaCosta’s spirits means the ship isn’t helpless in combat (though it’s not the best there, what with its crap armor) and it being around allows Kira and Athrun to use their METEOR combo attacks.
If you’re deploying the SEED boys, deploying the Eternal should be something to be considered. That said, if you don’t want to, you can probably make do without since they also have a combo attack of their own.
Imperial Valley (HL-1)
Pilot Skills:
Sword Cut
Shoot Down
Counter
Break Morale Limit
Guard
Prevail L7
Support Attack L3
Support Defense L3
Attack Combo L2
That’s a very extensive list of skills, and HL-1 does justice to all the hype with massive stats across the board – it’s not just a random mook relying on auto-dodge to win! On the other hand, the Imperial Valley is not all that different from before; if you didn’t go too crazy with your SP, you should have enough for Valors and Strikes, so HL-1 won’t last long.
If you’re running low, though, you might have some trouble as she’ll turn very dodgy and resilient once that big Prevail gets going. If anything, make sure you spread out your guys as you can to avoid free chain attacks.
As we all start closing in, on the next turn…
: Yuu!
: Seems he really is focusing on just GreAT now.
: We’re not the same as before… We will beat that machine this time…!
: You’re losing your cool, Yuu. We can’t stand up to GreAT by ourselves – you know that. : As your tactical advisor, it is my recommendation that we cooperate with LOTUS.: … We don’t need their help. The two of us and the Straybird can pull through this…! Come on…!: … Roger…!
: That unit and its pilot have already plateaued… We’ve been given permission to destroy it. In that case…
Letting Yuu get destroyed is a game over, mind. He has a decent amount of HP but will jump straight into the fray, so, if you tarry, evasion decay will start building up and he might find himself in trouble.
I’ll pop a Confuse cast just to eliminate the chance of the RNG getting sassy while I clear up the mooks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5_FiUEEqac
Let’s get this out of the way right now and showcase Hilda’s ultimate technique: lining up!
Oh, and I just remembered that the Akatsuki’s swapped to its Shiranui Frame. Contrary to the Oowashi, this is very much a ranged attack form – specifically, for use in space.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhLBWgbATBM
Lacus’ strongest attack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvrCs5gMXGU
And since we’re at it, Kouichi found his little Strike Valley to help showcase his new trick. It’s pretty dang powerful!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cXSrr93RT8
Not as powerful as this, though! By the by, I did not use valor and Kouji’s yet to receive his Infights.
: The unit has been perfectly fine-tuned. As for my own motions… no abnormalities detected.: Come. My trial run demands your participation…!
Once you damage HL-1, the plot kicks in.
: We’ve confirmed damage on the enemy unit. This could be our chance.: Yeah. We’ll end this right now…!*Yuu charges after HL-1*
: Hm, I see you’ve ever-so-slightly improved your skill and performance. That said…
: What…?!: The Imperial Valley was built based on combat data from all of you, and designed to exceed your parameters in all aspects. : In other words, even if you’ve managed to somewhat rise above the projected standard, it is still not enough to challenge me. : Gch… I can’t go down here! I have to save my grandfather…!: Hrk… We really cannot do this on our own…!: It is the end of the road for you. Ultimately, you just couldn’t prove yourself to be a new “potential”.
: Stop right there…!
: Kch…!: Stay out of this, Ichi—: You huge idiot!: …!: Why do you always gotta be so stubborn?! Just shut up and listen for a second!: When you’re not strong enough to handle something, just go and ask others for help! And, in turn, when they’re having a hard time, you help them back! : Even if people are weak by themselves, they get as strong as they need to be by helping each other!: Ichitaka…: Yuu… I’m sure you’ve realized the limits of your strength.: “They get as strong as they need to be by helping each other…”: We fought by ourselves, while you fought relying on the bonds between you and your teammates… Is that what differentiates us? (Well, when fighting him means going up against Mazinkaiser, Gaiking the Great, Jeegs, etc., yes.)*Alert!*
: …! Watch out! Energy spike on the enemy!: Ah, crap…!
: Bro… you saved me…?*The Straybird turns friendly!*
: I was weak… in both mind and body.: So I’ll try things your way – this strength that comes from fighting together with others…!: Yuu…!: Come on, Ichitaka!: Yeah! We’ll give her an eyeful of what we can do!
Straybird (Yuunagi Grife, HL-0 Haruno)
Pilot Skills:
Sword Cut
Shoot Down
Counter
Predict
Prevail L6
Support Attack L2
Support Defense L1
Attack Combo L2
Spirit Commands – Yuu:
Focus
Sense
Mercy
Drive
Soul
Spirit Commands – Yuu:
Accelerate
Scan
Snipe
Trust
Confuse
Squad Bonus:Mobility +5, Accuracy +5, A in Air
Now that’s a proper Skill list. Yuu’s got a lot of good stuff going for him and, his past humiliation at our hands notwithstanding, he’s actually a really damn good pilot. His stats are huge, especially Range and Evasion, and Predict plus his Imaginary Road ability makes the Straybird a really hard target to hit.
Hit & Away would be nice for him as only his two weakest moves are post-movement and the Rushbird outright hits harder, but the Straybird is still a very fine unit. Having Haruno’s spirit set and the Air terrain bonus at least makes him a very worthwhile squaddie to deploy, though you can easily have him lead something.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHa0FCEt4NI
Before we stomp HL-1 into mush, did you know Kira’s moveset straight-up changes when you’re up in space? His DRAGOON-based weapons don’t even show up if you’re not, so let’s make use of them now.
And of course they gave him the not-Newtype flash.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAvMtv33ZF8
Finally, the combo attack between the Nagahamas that I said I forgot to show off last mission!
: You will not amount to new “potential” – that has already been proven. Your continuous opposition is a waste of time.: I’ll admit that my heart was weak.: But I’ve watched Ichitaka grow before my very eyes. And now…!
Haruno: “She’s a combat AI with the same functionalities as me…”
Yuu: “Stay calm. Our skill and experience far exceed hers… We’ll have her down in 40 seconds!”
: You might be another sister model of Alice, but that don’t mean I’m cutting you any slack! Hand over the professor right now!: I cannot accept that request. The professor’s brain still has much use for us… It is a valuable apparatus with which new “potential” may be produced. : “Apparatus”…! The professor isn’t a thing, and we’ll be rescuing him from your clutches no matter what it takes!
: Why…? According to our data, I should’ve been superior to them in all accounts…: Do they, perhaps, hold something that our data couldn’t quantify…?
: All enemy forces destroyed and no other signals incoming!
: But that command unit sure was strong… Looks like they weren’t pulling our legs when they said it was made based on our data.
: Still, don’t you think this was a bit weird? They fought us fair and square today, unlike when they jumped us out in space…
: Maybe this was some sort of experiment. Those guys upgrade their unit and pilot with unbelievable speed, after all…
: In regards to the pilot, judging by what we saw today, this was likely a test run for that android.
: Do they mean to deliver her to Central, I wonder…: They can upgrade as much as they want, we still ain’t losing this… Right, Yuu?: …Trowa was too far away to attack anything, but he did have a line:
: My Logos infiltration mission is finally over. Now I am once again Trowa Barton of the Preventers.
: You’re leaving, Yuu?! But the battle just ended!: I’ve caused you and your teammates too much trouble… I don’t deserve to fight at your side after all that.: … Yuu, that stuff I said about helping each other? You were the one who taught me that ages ago, remember?: I did…? : I’d just lost my parents, so I was really down back then. You probably didn’t think what you said was anything special – just random stuff to cheer me up…: But I only survived ‘til now thanks to those words and the help of my friends.: Ichitaka… : Lend us a hand, please, bro… Not for my sake, but for the professor and the whole world’s…!: …
By the bridge, Sayaka’s very relieved that Djibril’s finally gone. Trowa apologizes for all the times he had to fight us, and he properly introduces himself to everyone. Ichitaka grumbles that Une could’ve told us he was an agent and they would’ve held back against him…
Of course, that couldn’t happen – it’d mean risking exposing his actual identity to Logos. Duo remembers the old “to fool your enemies, you must fool your friends” thing, but he at least knows that Trowa’s a certified tough-nut-to-crack.
Same goes for Heero, Wufei sniffs, and Shinn finally get to meet the guy in the flesh. Heero thanks him for the assist at Heaven’s Base and will be accompanying us as a way to pay back that debt.
Relena herself has no qualms with this, telling Heero to carry on with his own battle. She, meanwhile, will be waiting for him back on Earth. “Your Gundam is the stone upon which absolute peace will be made real… so use it to bring hope to everyone’s hearts.”
Iczer-3 asks if she wouldn’t feel safer staying close by, where we could protect her? No, her eyes are now fixated on the future of Earth and that easily lets her stand strong, no matter how frightful the situation. As she leaves, Daiya’s really impressed with her strong aura.
: Relena’s already left, huh?
: Yes, she set off for Earth not long ago.
: The Katou Organization selected several of its top fighters to escort her, so there shouldn’t be any problems.: You’ve befriended even the Katou Organization…? So this is the kind of group you’ve both been a part of…: Heh, yeah, I really lucked out here having folks like Kouichi and Yamashita and… : Aah, I better stop reminiscing or we’ll be here all day – the point is a ton of people here helped me out. I might still be a rookie here, but I think it’s a really good team.
: Hey there, Ichitaka’s bro! What’re you doing here in this corner?: …: We got a briefing coming up real soon, so you two need to get going! They’ll be mad if you’re late! : But Haruno and I… time and again we got in your way, never thinking of anything but our own agenda…
: All water under the bridge, guy.: Huh…?
: You want to protect this world, so that’s all that matters.
: You can’t get too hung up on the little things, or you’ll end up a total wimp – like Shinji here.
: Why’re you bringing me into this?!: Shush, you. You need to learn how to shrug things off, Stupid Shinji!
: While some of us can’t really say jack on this subject, the tomboy’s still got a point. Worrying too much’ll get you bald, ya know.
: They’re all very kind people, too.
: There’s nothing to worry about, Yuu. Just indulge in their good will, I say.: Sorry… and thank you…
Back to our leaders, while Cagalli points that we can’t be sure another Logos won’t crop up eventually, our victory today at least closes the book on humanity’s infighting for now. It’ll be up to voices of reconciliation like Relena and Durandal to lead the Earth Sphere from here on out.
Still, as Reiji remembers, there are still many other threats to the world out there – and we can officially add GreAT to the pile. They’ve been acting more and more overtly recently, Athrun notes.
Katou fears, from the data he received from the Hub Fountain, that it won’t be long before the Dimension Peeler goes active. In other words, the day the other side invades our world isn’t too far off. That’s likely the reason behind GreAT’s increased activity, Ozma figures, which is why Lacus and the others have decided that they can no longer stick to the shadows while pursuing them.
Now, Katou tells Misato that he’ll be taking off with the Shangri-La for a bit: he’ll stand guard over the dimensional passageway and if the space-time distortion starts acting up, he’ll be in position to take immediate action. Of course, he’ll leave Sawatari and Yulianne here to keep on helping us.
Misato agrees and asks that he let us know if anything happens. As he leaves, F.S. also relates that we’ve yet to ping where Moon WILL’s hiding out… he’s at the moon, obviously, but we can’t tell where. WILL often spoke with him in the past, but the guy has long since cut ties, so he can’t help us there. All in all, Hiroshi’s very annoyed that we can’t do anything despite knowing that he’s camping out at the moon.
And, to top things off, Kenichi says that we’ve yet to locate the Frontier Fleet or the Vajra Homeworld. So what are we supposed to do now?
Emi might have something, receiving a worldwide announcement that Durandal’s making right now!
“Not long ago, we have successfully brought an end to Lord Djibril, leader of Logos. However, that does not mean peace has returned to this world just yet. The Vajra still roam the universe, threatening the lives of every man, woman and child day in and day out. Moreover, unknown to us, other beings that’d threaten us all are lying in wait, biding their time.”
Domyoji doesn’t see what the guy’s getting at, so Durandal carries on: “There is only one way for humanity to endure what’s ahead: to evolve our society to a higher level! I now proclaim the start of the Destiny Plan, the final bulwark in defense of mankind’s future…!”
Welp, I guess someone’s decided to stop being reasonable. We’ll see what his Destiny Plan entails next still (no myriad Scirocco clones manning the SDF-1, though), but before we wrap this up…
OUT!
All is right in the world.