Part 9: Mission 3 - The Deity Awakens - Part 2
Excuse the mouse cursor in some of these pictures - IrfanView decided to change back a few settings.
Outside, our people are staring at Tokyo Jupiter and there hasn’t been any activity or information from TERRA’s folks. Ryouma hopes the troops they sent inside are doing alright but we can only speculate.
Kouji expected this raid to be turn into a huge, booming battle but, by the looks of things, that’s not gonna happen. Still, Duke tells him to keep his guard up as we’ve no idea what might be going on inside.
Beecha is bored with all this but Mondo tells him that us not having to fight is a good thing. Sure, but he wanted to check out how strong those MU Dolems things are. Elle warns him that the things wrecked an entire city around the time they were born. And Beecha isn’t about to let them do it again; if we’re gonna be fighting them sooner or later, he wants to know more about the things before it comes to that.
As Light praises Beecha’s manliness, Judau is staring right at Tokyo Jupiter. It really does look a lot like the real thing.
Roux figures he’d know, considering his old wish of visiting the place after the mess with Haman was finished (before he was dragged into this).
When Puru asks, Puru Two says the trip to Jupiter would take about three years. The girl is outraged by the thought of spending all that time without seeing Judau and yells that she’ll be going with him. Puru Two complains that she’s being selfish but Puru turns to her and asks if she wouldn’t want to come along too? “W-well… sure but…”
Tap laughs at how popular the kid is and, while Judau flushes, Kouji says the trip might not take that long. Once the Hisago Plan’s Boson Jump network is up and running, travel time to Jupiter will be drastically reduced. Puru’s still going, though.
Aqua is impressed that they can be this relaxed during an operation, and Hugo tells her that she could stand to learn from that. “Yeah, yeah… I’m just a rookie co-pilot, after all,” she grumbles. Hugo’s in the process of telling her to stop pouting when he, and Torres, detect something approaching at very high speed.
And it’s not coming from Tokyo Jupiter, meaning it’s not the MU…
: Ah! That’s…!
: The Medius!
: Is here good enough?
: Yes.: And the Nahel Argama team is also around. That’s two birds with one stone, even. Let me handle them.: …As you wish.
: Heh… Is your heart not in this?: …All I want is to show Tokyo Jupiter – and what’ll emerge from it – to AI1. : Whatever that is, I don’t care. I only need the Medius to surpass that monster.: And it’s for that reason that we came to this place.: What are they doing here?!: They’re not running like before…!: I’m going in. Start collecting data.: Understood.
: Cpt. Bright, permission to capture the Medius!
: Permission granted. All other units, hold position and keep an eye on our surroundings!As he said, only Hugo can actually move to engage the Medius. We still only need to reduce its HP, though, so it’ll be fine. Mind, he can’t get in range to attack at this point.
Before we start, though, we had a new unit added inbetween missions and the game didn’t even see fit to tell us about it:
Getter Q (Michiru Saotome)
Pilot Skills:
- Sword Cut L1
- Support Defense L1
- SP Regen – restores 10 SP at the start of every turn
- Accelerate (5)
- Focus (15)
- Trust (30)
- Repair Module
Well, this is a rare sight, ain’t it? I can’t remember any other game where Michiru gets her Getter Q instead of the Lady Command. Addendum: EclecticTastes says it was in A, too.
The switch gives her more stopping power but, in exchange, she can no longer fly and the Getter Q isn’t very resilient. What does help, however, is that she has a combined attack with Ryouma which is pretty powerful and has 1-4 range (Getter Dragon’s longest reaching attack).
Natural SP Regen is excellent on a support, though Michiru’s a rather poor pilot. All in all, she has enough stuff going that you could probably find a spot for her in your early-to-midgame team but, later on, she’ll fall behind.
Enemy Phase!
Here they come.
: Who the hell’s piloting this thing?! Tell me!: (Hmhmhm… You’re better off not knowing.): Why won’t you say anything?!: Hugo, in that case—: I know! We’ll bring it back, either in one piece or hundreds!
Ooh, lucky.
: (The Medius’ movements are a bit different from before…? Still, the basis of it is…): (Seems like you’re done breaking in that mech. But the real question is whether your body can actually withstand using it.)
Player Phase!
Now we’re in range and Hugo pays the Medius back with a big crit.
: !!
: He just regenerated every bit of damage he took!
: Is that the Lazmunanium?! But how can it act this quickly?!: It shouldn’t, that’s what… (MXP version: Yeah, the thing wasn't even working right during that last test.): …What just happened there? : That was the power of the Lazmunanium… rather, of AI1.: What…?: (It can influence the Lazmunanium’s regeneration rate? Is that what she’s getting at?): (None of this was detailed in the Medius’ spec notes.): Oh, yes, AI1. You want to see? Please do – this will all be very educational to you.: Hrm? The unit isn’t moving…! What’re you doing?: AI1 wants to see the one emerging from the other side of the barrier.: And it took over the Medius’ controls for that?: Yes… so can you please indulge the child for a moment?: Don’t be ridiculous. There is a very simple word for those who just sit around in the battlefield: easy prey.: Give me the controls back right now. I trust you don’t want this to be your grave either?: …*The Medius turns towards the barrier*
: The hell? That bot’s just started looking at Tokyo Jupiter.
: Facing away from the enemy during an ongoing battle… confident, aren’t we?
: But there’s something odd about its bearing…
: Odd how? : This goes beyond merely dropping one’s guard… it’s as though the robot itself is looking at Tokyo Jupiter.
: The Medius itself is looking at it…?: Hugo! Now’s our chance!
: Urk?!: Hugo?!: Gck, rrgh…!
: What’s wrong?!MX Version:
: (This can’t be happening…! The medicine couldn’t have worn off already…!): Hugo! What’s going on?!MXP version:
: (My hands and feet are numb...! How?! This shouldn't be happening yet...!): Hugo! What’s going on?!: (The medicine's losing effectiveness...?! This has to be a sick joke! If my limbs seize up right now, we...!): Heey, Hugo! Get back to piloting now!: (Urk... Is this what Zapato was talking about?!)Common ground:
*Beep, beep!*
: What is it?!
: We’re getting a big energy spike coming from Tokyo Jupiter’s barrier!: Is it the Dolems?! All troops, get ready!: (Here it comes…!)
: What is THAT?!
: Is that a Dolem?
: It looks like a person…!
: More than that, it…!*The cursor moves to Rahxephon, who screams.
: !
: Th-that bot screamed?!
: I don’t know why but it kinda feels like…!
: Yeah…! Like Akira’s Raideen…!*The Rahxephon dashes for the map’s border and leaves.*
: Hey, it ran away!
: What was that thing…?
: Ayato, wait! Ayato!!*Haruka chases him and leaves.*
: …Was that unit what AI1 wanted to see?: Yes.: What is it?: I don’t know.: Excuse me?: It’s true. AI1 detected a quantum reaction with his sensors, so he told me he wanted to come here. : (It’s interested in knowledge beyond combat data? That’s absurd. I thought it was just a regular AI to help manage the mech…): Regardless, we’ve done what we came here for. I recommend we withdraw.
: …Understood.
: The Medius!
: It ran off?!: Hugo!MX Version:
: I-I’m fine… Sorry…: “Sorry”, huh?: (My arms and legs are moving again… I can handle it now…!): The TE Engine’s output is stable. We’ve got to go after the Medius!: Y-yeah...!MXP Version:
: (The numbness is going away. Guess the medicine hasn't become completely ineffective...)
: Are you alright?!: Yeah... We're going after the Medius.: Right, we might still have time! I'll just get permission from Cpt. Bright and--Common ground:
: Cpt. Haruka! Captain! Damn it, did she go after him…?!: Hey, isn’t that one of TERRA’s units?
: Yeah, just like the last one.
: Then, Operation Overlord was—: I’m getting another energy spike from Tokyo Jupiter’s dome! Several, actually!
: !
: Damn it! The MUs followed us?!: Target IDed! According to TERRA’s data, these are D2 Dotems!: The MU’s miniature weapons? All troops, open fire! Cover that friendly!: What about us, Captain?!: Intercepting those Dotems takes priority! Leave the pursuit of the Medius to the other platoons!: U-Understood!: (Damn it! If I could just have moved my hands back then…!)
Nothing’s ever simple, huh? Our people are closing in, while Elvy works on whatever’s close.
: Go to hell, you damned puppets! This is for my whole team!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR7DPagwRDs
<<Fox two, fox two!>>
Also, the Dotems are so very weak.
Enemy Phase!
Everything moves in.
Player Phase!
And now we clean them up with everyone.
: What’s with these things…? Are they machines or actual living beings…?
: Come on, you doll-lookin’ buggers! Try your hand on us since you cared to step outside Tokyo!
: What is this…? I can feel something like a consciousness coming from these units…
: ( Urgh…! I need to wrap this up in a hurry, or else…): Are you alright, Hugo?: Of course I am! Just worry about the enemy!
: We’ll have a repeat of the tragedies of fifteen years ago if we don’t stop them here!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjoC57hLnH8
Yet another minor attack being used in tandem with the main weapon!
That was the last Dotem but Kouji also had stuff to say:
: Damn it… Are the MU starting another attack?!
Torres confirms all Dotems dead and Elvy’s in one piece. She thanks Bright for his support and breaks the news that, other than her and Haruka, everyone else is gone.
As she leaves for TERRA’s carrier, Bright and Judau aren’t too happy with the outcome. Inwardly, Bright wonders if the true objective of Operation Overlord was the giant mech that ran off.
Location: Mutropolis
The claxons are blaring, as Higashiyama tells Mari that a massive amount of Mutron Energy is pouring from Raideen’s crag. But, how, when Akira isn’t aboard the thing?
Professor Hibiki (with the glasses), figures that this is much like when Raideen first appeared. Mari wonders if this means the Devil Empire has resurged.
Akira doesn’t think that’s possible, as he defeated Barao, the Devil Emperor himself – at the cost of his mother and Jinguuji’s lives, no less.
Just then, the energy goes away, and Hibiki suspects that Raideen is, once again, trying to warn us all of something. Akira agrees that it was positively a warning, but about what he doesn't yet know. To be on the safe side, Hibiki has Akira get ready to launch - and Mari too.
After they leave, Hibiki points out to Higashiyama that this may have something to do with what the TERRA’s Prof. Kisaragi was talking about. And given how Operation Overlord is going on right now, this hardly feels like a coincidence. Can it be that Kisaragi commissioned the development of the RMU System in anticipation of this?
Considering how insistently the Bähbem Foundation has been requesting to be allowed to study the Raideen, it’s rather clear to Hibiki that their bot must have some connection to the OOPart TERRA’s after.
Meanwhile, in Tokyo Jupiter, Maya and Miwa are getting confirmation that they managed to successfully send Dotems across the barrier and into the outside world; only natural, Kuki figures, considering that people from the outside were able to come in.
In fact, if they use TERRA’s own system, Kuki figures it’d be very possible to conquer the outside world via their Dolems. Maya wonders if "conquest" is the right word for it all but Kuki tells her that there can be no hesitation at this point. Miwa thinks that he doesn't grasp Maya's plans at all.
Regardless, Maya points out that if Kuki has actually listened to Miwa's report he should realize how much energy is required to open the passage out of Tokyo Jupiter. Furthermore, it’ll take a significant number of troops to face the forces of the outside world on equal group – sending that much out will have significant ramifications on the operations on this side.
Kuki begrudgingly agrees and Maya decides to only concentrate on recovering Ayato, whose escape she takes as her own misstep. She hadn't figured that at age 17 he was mature enough to board Xephon; saying nothing of the fact that she didn’t expect the unit itself to allow him to traverse to the outside.
Still, this might actually turn to be a fine opportunity for Ayato to develop further. If presented with the proper trials, it may speed his awakening as an Instrumentalist.
And what about TERRA? Maya expects them to be after the same thing so, with that in mind, why not “help out” a little bit?
Miwa raises the point that this could put the people synchronized with the Dolems at risk but Maya cares not about losing two or three Mulians. In fact, she’ll readily accept losing a thousand of them if need be. Miwa takes that as a sign of Maya's resolve.
Kuki reminds Maya of the Mu artifact that lies on the other side of the barrier. Does she care not about the dangers of it and the Xephon coming into contact? She sees no problem at the moment as the Conductor has yet to awaken.
Maya tells him not to forget that Ayato's awakening is the end goal, and hope, of all their plans.
Back on TERRA’s carrier, Souichi is confirming that the RahXephon’s, codenamed 5A, safely aboard. Seems that Haruka managed to guide it over and Isshiki is rather impressed – this must be fate, he figures, but won’t explain what that means when Souichi asks.
Souichi is a bit wary of Isshiki, an official of the Federation sent over to keep tabs on TERRA’s activities – he all but certain the guy’s actually an agent of the Bähbem Foundation. Either way, the guy wants to know if there have been any new discoveries on the 5A.
Nothing right now, says Souichi, which is why they’re moving it to Nirai-Kanai to have Prof. Kisaragi take a look. Well, there’s actually one thing they know: the thing’s pilot called it RahXephon. Isshiki sneers at the bot’s pilot going and giving it a name – like it’s a toy he just bought.
Regardless, the pilot has just finished being examined and Kunugi wants to have a talk with him.
Meanwhile, Ayato is a bit miffed that he needed to undergo a blood test as soon as he arrived but Haruka says it’s just a formality. He huffs that his blood is red and she’s forced to agree.
Ayato wants to know where the ship’s going and she tells it’s Nirai-Kanai. He’s heard the name: an Okinawan word meaning “the island where the gods dwell”. Haruka praises his insight but says the place has no gods and isn’t near Okinawa; rather, it’s a floating city extending from islands in the Kyushu sea, where they conduct their research on Tokyo Jupiter.
TERRA’s HQ is there and, when Ayato asks, Kunugi walks in and gives him the rundown of their mission to investigate and fight the MU. After he introduces himself, Kunugi tells the kid that an official decision regarding him hasn't come down yet; thus, his freedom of movement aboard the ship will be restricted until they arrive in Nirai-Kanai.
Oh, and before he forgets, he tells Ayato to fix the time on his watch to the correct time. Kunugi doesn’t explain what he means, only turning to Haruka and telling her to take him to the assigned room and then head to the bridge (she seems unhappy, hearing that).
He leaves, leaving Ayato a bit miffed with his attitude; Haruka says that the guy might be surly but he’s a good man. Either way, he wants to know what the guy meant with “correct time” and he remembers her saying she’d tell him about everything in this world.
What is it, then? He always thought the world outside Tokyo had been destroyed by the invaders.
Haruka asks him if he knows the population of the world. About twenty three million? Actually, it’s more like ten billion if you count the colonies. Next one, Haruka knows he’s seventeen years old, so does he know what year it is? Space Calendar 76?
Well, she tells him to take a deep breath and calm down: it’s actually the year 89. She shows him her watch, whose face is split in two to show real-world time and Tokyo time. Apparently the flow of time within Tokyo Jupiter is one sixth of real time.
Ayato calls lies but, while Haruka says that the detailed explanation for it is too complex for her to manage, it IS the truth. The battle Ayato thought resulted in the outside world’s destruction has been dubbed the MU War; Haruka tells him of what happened fifteen years ago, with their appearance over Tokyo and the people attacking out of fear when they just sat there, etc, etc.
Barely two and a half years have passed within Tokyo while it’s been fifteen for everyone else... and those years have been full of chaos. The Second Impact, the One Year War, the Lizard War and more occurred and it’s been theorized that the MU knew what was coming and, thus, hid themselves inside Tokyo Jupiter’s barrier.
Ayato asks, then, why Haruka went and took him out of there NOW if they spent fifteen years not doing anything about Tokyo? She doesn’t know why, actually, only that they ordered her to do so. He asks if his mother and his friends are still alive, inside Tokyo Jupiter, and Haruka confirms, though she’ll say no more. It’s time to get him to his room.
Along the way, they run into Elvy and Haruka immediately tells Ayato that she needs to stay behind for some girl-talk. His room is just down the corridor, so she shoos him away.
Haruka’s heard that Elvy was the only survivor of the infiltration party and is quite impressed but the woman herself isn’t here for that. She just wants a quick and straight answer for a single question and, no, it’s about when Haruka’s going to pay her back for the drink she covered the other day.
“Did you know what Operation Overlord was all about? Did my friends lose their lives for that stupid kid?” she asks.
Haruka wants to know where she heard that but Elvy demands an answer to her question. Did she know everything?
“…I guess our plans to grab Chinese food next week are about to be cancelled,” Haruka quips and earns a prompt punch from Elvy.
Ayato is checking out his new room and finds a barbershop-like pole spinning by the door. Odd to find something like this aboard an aircraft carrier but the suddenly-appearing Quon says this room was originally the infirmary. The stripes in the pole are meant to represent the red and blue blood vessels, see.
Ayato nods along as Quon starts questioning why we’ve blood vessels of both colors if humans only have red blood? Ayato ponders this, remembering her mother’s blood being blue.
He’s interrupted when Quon calls him “Ollin” and drags him away.
Later on, Haruka’s reached the bridge and wants Kunugi to explain why Ayato’s “room” is the confinement chamber for Mulians, rigged to blow up the occupants if not opened properly.
Souichi tells her that the results of the blood test came back: Ayato's nucleotides and peptides all displayed MU-phase reactions.
“But he doesn’t know anything! Let him go – please! I know he’ll work with us! And his blood is still the same color as ours, no?!” Haruka yells. Kunugi’s answer is a simple: “It is now. But someday, he’ll…”
As for our people, we’re busy looking over footage from the battle, specifically of the robot that came out of Tokyo Jupiter. Light remembers the Super Robot crew talking about it resembling something?
“Honestly, it kinda looked like Si— (this link is NSFW!)“ Kouji starts saying and Hayato warns that he might beckon aerial attacks if he finishes that sentence. When Puru asks, Kouji just says it’s just an old story of theirs. (Does that mean we can call another Akira to help with this?)
For real now, Ryouma says it was similar to the Raideen – the bot who defeated the Devil Empire, relic of the ancient Mu Empire and powered by Mutron energy. When Puru asks, Michiru says Mu was a civilization that prospered about ten thousand years ago and, eventually, sunk into the ocean following a huge natural disaster.
Beecha has a hard time imagining such an old civilization building a mech but Kouji’s ready to counter that with the fact that Dr. Hell’s mechabeasts were all ancient relics that he excavated. Elle’s starting to feel that tech from way back when is a whole lot more impressive than what we have now; Roux is forced to agree.
Ryouma even adds that Raideen’s Akira will be joining us but Higashiyama said it’ll take a wee bit longer than originally expected. Michiru wonders if something’s going on in Mutropolis.
The important part, though, is that the Japanese Super Robot crew all fought alongside Raideen before and, back then, they all felt this peculiar aura from it. The same one they felt today in the Tokyo Jupiter bot. Does that mean it’s also a relic from some super ancient civilization?
No time to wonder that, as Kaine runs in, yelling in shock. Tap wonders if he finally got a message from his sweet Linda – he didn’t and Kaine immediately sulks that she’s probably forgotten about him already.
Puru asks and Light tells of the guy’s unrequited love, only for Kaine to cut in: “You shut your mouth! It’s totally gonna be requited any day now!”
So, what was he actually yelling about? Well, it looks like the Tokyo Jupiter robot has just been taken about TERRA’s carrier! Seems like getting the thing out the barrier was the actual goal of Operation Overlord, Ryouma realizes.
Light is a bit miffed that we, and the Federal troops, were all mobilized for something like that but, on the flip side, Hayato figures the thing must hold some major secret for TERRA to pull this huge feint in order to grab it.
: Are you feeling better, Hugo?
: Yeah… Everything’s fine now.
: But what happened there? Your hands just seized up.: Just something of a spasm, that’s all. It happens every once in a while.: (…A spasm?)
: “That’s all?” “Once in a while”? Are you joking? The Medius got away because of you, did it not?!: …: And this is the first I’ve ever heard of any of this. Why didn’t you tell me before?: Because there was no need to.: Oh, no! You don’t get to give me that answer!: You go on and on about how I should just let you handle all of the fighting when, actually, you’re a ticking time bomb! This is absurd! : I don’t even know whether I should be impressed or shocked that you managed to go on piloting with your body like that!MX Version:
: If you’ve a problem, then we can end this at any time. Just go and call it quits with the Garmraid.: Where do you get off with that attitude, huh?! Alright, that does it – I’m not going anywhere! : Yeah, that’s right! I’m staying right here and I’ll be hounding you until we finish our job!
: U-um… please stop fighting.
: Yeah; this is the infirmary, right?: Ah… S-sorry.
: Will you at least let the doctor give you a full check-up?: Thanks, but I’m fine.
: Better to be safe than sorry, don’t you think? Next time that happens, it might cost you a lot more than today.: I… I know that.: Why won’t you take the exam, then? You’re not going to tell us that you’re scared of needles or something, are you?: Do I look like that much of a child to you?: …Oh, my god. You’re way too crusty for someone younger than me.MXP Version:
: (My body's not like this because I wanted to, alright...?)
: Aqua, I don't understand everything that's going on... but don't you think you're yelling a bit too much at him right now?: I... was thinking the same.
: O-Oh, right... Sorry, Hugo.: Forget about it. And it was my fault the Medius got away. I should be the one apologizing.
: ...: Something the matter?: No, nothing. : (I was thinking he was way too crusty for someone younger... but maybe he's not actually like that?): Will you at least let the doctor give you a full check-up?: Thanks but I’m fine.: Better to be safe than sorry, don’t you think? Next time that happens, it might cost you a lot more than today.: I… I know that.: Why won’t you take the exam, then? You're not scared of needles or something, right?: I'm way more scared of nagging old women.: Whaa--?!: (I take that back! He is crusty as all hell!)Common ground:
: Then, Hugo, at least take some medicine with you.: Thanks, but I got my own… And sorry for making you worry.*Hugo leaves.*
: Hey! Where are you going?! Hold up!*Off she goes.*
: …You think he’s really alright?: He won’t let a doctor take a look, so there’s no way to tell.: (But that symptom of his… Could it be a side effect of steroids or some painkiller?): (But he shouldn’t get like that unless the dosage is really high… Is he taking that much of it?)
And Misumaru’s just sent Bright our new orders: guarding Japan. Seems like the Far East command is worried about the Vegan attacks and the Dotems’ appearance.
What about delivering the D Weapons? Seems like Chongqing still isn’t ready to receive the things, so GHQ decided to leave them with Bright for a while to stall for time...