Part 24: Mission 14 - Countdown to Disaster
Location: Spiral Castle
Altair’s talking the mystery voice again, noting that he seems to be having some unexpected trouble in Earth. Altair apologizes and the voice says it’ll send the “knights” to support him.
Altair’s to use them and capture both the Dendoh and the Data Weapons – left unchecked, its powers may grow too great. Finally, it reminds Altair that this fight is not his alone and signs off.
Back to us, Misumaru has filled Bright in on plans to develop and mass-produce the "Dragoon" Metal Armor. Seems like the production line is finally up and running in Chongqing – they’ve even started manufacturing the baseline models. So, now’s the time to get the Dragonars over and deliver the data ASAP.
As Misumaru cuts the comm, Ben ponders how his group’s shifting back to its original mission. And it’s as important as ever, Douglas figures; if the Federation can really mass-produce the Dragoons, the army will be much better equipped to take the fight to the Giganos. Enabling that to happen is already more than enough to justify the headache that was escorting the three Dragonars all this time.
Even Ben admits how Kaine and co. had it worse than the rest of them but now’s still not the time to relax; when they do cancel the pilots’ registration on the Dragonars, however, the three of them will be relieved of their compulsory military duty.
Ben detects a tone of dejection in Douglas’ voice and asks if he’ll be lonely without the three of them around. Nope, the guy says he’ll be so very relieved to see them gone. Hm-hmm.
Regardless, Vega steps into the bridge with a request to Bright: it seems that GEAR’s made some good advances with a Data Weapon tracking program, so she wants to get Eris and everyone else over to help finish it. Bright can see the importance of having that program up and running, allowing it right away.
Misato suggest she bring some folks along as escorts; while the Gulfer haven’t shown up around here, it never hurts to be careful. Sounds good, so Vega asks Hugo and Domon to come along – more importantly, she’d like their tech-savvy partners, too. With that, Misato wishes her a safe trip.
Location: GEAR HQ
Our crew’s already arrived, with Inoue reporting that he’s been working on improving the baseline program from what Eris had previously developed. It’ll take a very might program to run a trace on Data Weapons, so he got in touch with other experts from all over the world to tap their various expertise and see what could be enhanced.
And it’s quite the list of collaborators: NERV’s Ritsuko, the Photon Labs’ Prof. Yumi, Mutropolis’ Prof. Hibiki, Raizou Kasshu (Domon’s dad)... even the Bähbem Foundation, TERRA’s sponsors, sent data over. Considering how much that organization studied the MU over the past fifteen years, they’ve some of the most advanced tech around.
So, they’ll be applying all these enhancements and get the tracking program in working shape.
Elsewhere…
: Haaaah!!*Punch!
: Your footwork’s still sloppy!: Deeeya!!: And your foresight’s poor!!*PUNCH!!*
: Uwah!!
: OK… That’s enough for today.
: Th-Thank you so much!
: Ginga… are you alright?: Hell, yeah; this is nothing! Still, I really am no match for Domon.
: But you’ve good talent. Keep training as you have and you’d make for a fine Gundam Fighter someday.: Ah?! R-Really?!: Hm. So always remember to keep forging yourself. We can spar again whenever you’d like.*Domon leaves.*
: A Gundam Fighter… I always wanted to pilot a Mobile Fighter!
: But… you’re piloting the Dendoh. He’s a hand-to-hand robot too...: True, true. But I wanna be able to take out MSs with my bare hands.: Your bare hands?! That’s crazy…
: No, it’s all true.: Huh?!: The military’s got some footage of Domon’s teacher, Master Asia, destroying Mobile Suits with just his fists.: Wha, whaaaa?!: That’s the usual reaction – I was just as blown away when I first saw it.: How do people who can do stuff like that even exist…? I don’t believe it…: Really? I reckon Vega could pull it off, maybe.: I guess she could… She has been fighting the Gulfer RoBeasts and the Death Army forces with just that bike.: Just imagine, if I was her son… I could really go on to be a Gundam Fighter, I think.
: I'm not so sure about that…*Door opens.*
: Sorry for the delay, Ginga, Hokuto.: Oh? You got that program up and running?: It’s about 80% finished but I want to run a few tests on the current version. Can I borrow your Gear Commanders?: Sure. Do we bring out the Leo and Unicorn?: Yes, please.
: …
: …
: Alright, let’s get started. And Unicorn, Leo… you need to sit still. No running off, OK?: …: Ah, they nodded. Let’s load the program, then.*Tooop.*
: The scans are proceeding nicely… This should be—*Bzzzt!*
: Huh? An error…?! *Peeeew.*
: Leo?!: …*Peeeew.*
: U-Unicorn!: They… they vanished!*Beep!*
: A bug in the program?! But it can’t… I checked for those again and again with Rain and Aqua!*Alarm!*
: !!
We’ve got a problem incoming to Hoshimi Town but, rather than the Gulfer, Aiko reports that it’s the Death Army on approach!
Vega requests and Shibuya gives the go-ahead to deploy; meanwhile, they’ll call the Nahel Argama to come help.
Ginga and Hokuto rush over to Eris to grab their Gear Commanders back – they gotta launch on the double!
Eris stammers to tell them what happened but they’re too much in a hurry to listen. The enemy’s coming!
Mission 14 – Countdown to Disaster
: The Death Army’s broken into the town area!
: Here they are…!
: Still with just the usual terminal units…
: Any major heat signals nearby?: No, nothing.
: Just what are these things after…?
: The last time, they were after the Star of La Mu but… maybe, their targets today are the Data Weapons.: !
: Huuh?!: The DG Cells could infect those too?: The cells have some computer virus-esque properties, so it’s very likely they could.
: N-No way! I’m not letting the Leo catch any of that stuff!
: …!
: Still, we’ll need to use the Data Weapons to deal with this! Bring out the Leo Circle, Ginga – we’ll take them all out in a hurry!: (Ah…!): You got it! Let’s wrap this up before they even know what hit ‘em!: W-Wait!: Leo Drive! INSTAAAAALL!*…*
: Hm?: What’re you doing, Ginga?!
: I-I didn’t do anything! I plugged the Gear Commander just right!
: Fine, I’ll do it! Unicorn Drive! INSTAAAAALL!*Bzzzzt.*
: “System Error”?!: (They really…!)
: Where’re the Data Weapons, Hokuto?: Huh?! Aaaah!!
: What’s the matter, Ginga?!: D-Domon! The Leo’s not in my Gear Commander!: What?!: Mine’s empty too!
: The Data Weapons left the Gear Commanders?!
: Come again?! How?! 
: Could it have been the tracking program?: Y-Yes… It’s my fault…! There was a bug in the program and when I ran it…: A bug…?! No way, we all checked for those!: Wh-what now? Where did my Leo go?!: …I’m sorry…: “Sorry” doesn’t fix this, idiot!: I… I know how much I messed up with this, OK? But I… I…!: !: Ease up, Ginga; she didn’t do it on purpose. Besides, the priority now is destroying the enemy.: He’s right! We’ll figure out what to do after that!: F-Fine!: …
: We’ll be in big trouble if the Ogre shows up now. Domon, Hugo, the three of us will lead the charge against the enemy!: Got it!: Roger that!
This mission’s actually only for event units. Thankfully, they’re some of our best. Just make sure you don’t lose anyone (Kirakuni) as that’ll be a game over.
Domon’s actually launched with Fuunsaiki, so that’ll let the horse level up some.
FRYING DA SKY!
And that’s a oneshot.
I realized that Ginga/Hokuto’s kill total’s a bit lacking, so I have them charge right in as well.
Enemy Phase!
The Death Army wastes its time trying to attack Domon, who leaves them all alive for his pupil.
Player Phase!
Eris gets a ping and it turns out the Data Weapons hadn’t run too far away – they’re just right across the bay. Lucky, because she feared the worst.
Still, that begs the question: whenever the Data Weapons previously showed up, there were powerful energy sources nearby like Zeorymer’s Base or Neo-Tokyo 3 during that Angel attack. Considering they stayed so close, does that mean there’s something to that effect in Hoshimi?
That’s a question for later, as Ginga and Hokuto need to head over and grab the things back. Hugo and the others will run interference.
Don’t worry about dragging the Dendoh all the way there; once the enemies are dead, they’ll do it anyway.
The Death Birdies are still afar, so Hugo runs after them.
Bloody Ray doesn’t cover it, though.
Domon is very careful just to leave stuff in the red.
Enemy Phase!
This zombies cooperates, gunning for Ginga. The other one wastes its time on Vega.
Player Phase!
Two for the price of one!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K78YUE2YUs
Costs a fair amount of EN but that’s no problem with the Cell Fighter deployed.
Speaking of, Hugo and Kirakuni clean up the Death Birdies.
*Dendoh goes after the Data Weapons.*
: Here we are, Leo, Unicorn!: Hurry, you two! Save them right now!: I got it!*ALARM!*
: We’ve a group of unidentified objects on rapid descent towards us!: What?!s: The Gulfer?!
: W-We’re surrounded!
: What’re these things?!: They’re not the usual RoBeasts…! Those are humanoid models!
: They’ve dispatched the knights over here?!: More objects descending – two of them!
: O-Ogre!: Damn it, why now?!: But she said two… where’s the other one?!
: Oho… the Data Weapons are separate from the Dendoh? And it doesn’t look like they simply loaded them…
: You can’t fight the Ogre without any Data Weapons! Ginga, Hokuto, retreat right now!: Retreat where?!: Hmhmhm… Whatever’s happened, it is quite convenient to me.: Stop right there!
: NO, you stop! I’M the one you’ve to worry about!!
: !!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l6Smaxmmuc
: You! Michelo Chariot!!
: HYAHAHAHA! It’s been ages, Domon Kasshu!
: No…! They were also revived?!: Who’s that?!: He’s one of the Devil Gundam’s Four Heavenly Kings, a man infected by the DG Cells a year ago!: And you were supposed to have been killed by Sai Saici at Lantao Island…!
: And I was… I waaas…! BUT! I have returned from Hell to CRUSH YOU ALL!!: That man… he’s a rather similar being to us, Gulfer.: But I did NOT come here to make FRIENDS!: What are you here for, then?: To take those “Data Weapons”! HYAHAHAHAHA!!: What did you say?!: And why are you after them?!
: Looks like your hypothesis was correct…!: Yes…: I’ll only say this once! If you value your lives, hand over the Data Weapons!: Fool… These are not beings the likes of you could wield. That said, my current priority is to capture the Dendoh.: !
: Seize it, knights!*The Gulfer knights surround the Dendoh*
: They got us!: Let go! Let us go, you bastards!: Now take it to the Spiral Castle.: Stop!!*Vega jumps in and flies off with the Gulfer knights.*
: Hokuto! Ginga!: We’re going after them, Hugo!
: Right!: You’re not going anywhere before you deal with me!: Urk!: …: …*The Data Weapons also leave.*
: Th-The Data Weapons…!: Rrgh! They ran off!: They went in pursuit of their masters, hm? This just gets better and better.: No point in wasting anymore time here with them gone! DOMON KASSHU! I leave this battle to you!!*Off goes Michelo*
: Michelo…!: And now those nuisances are gone as well. What will you do, warriors of Earth?: I know exactly what I’ll do!*Domon charges after Altair.*
: I’ll crush you and go get those two back!: Heh… Then before we begin, do tell me your name.: When asking one’s name, you must first name yourself!: Hmph, such a ridiculous complaint. But, very well… I am Altair, the black knight of the Gulfer.: I am the first disciple of the Undefeated of the East… and the King of Hearts of the Shuffle Alliance! Domon Kasshu!!: Then come, Domon Kasshu! : To arms, Altair!!
Just a quick spirit cast to get Hyper Mode going and we’re good.
: What are you capturing the Dendoh and the Data Weapons for?! Answer me!: You disappoint me, Domon Kasshu… If you consider yourself a warrior, then claim that answer with your own hands!: Fine! My fists will tear your mask in half!
: You’d face me with such a pitiful unit? It seems you’ve a death wish!
: Not happening! I’m bringing you down and then I’m off to rescue Ginga and Hokuto!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK5dlwuNAHw
Altair’s not cool enough to have Fist of the North Star freeze frames.
: Not bad… but I’ve accomplished my objective for the day. I’ll concede this battle!*Off he goes.*
: Wait! Altair!!: Stop. We can’t keep up with his speed…!: Hrgh…!: Damn it…! I couldn’t do anything to help them!: …: What a disaster… The Gulfer stole the Dendoh…!: Ginga… Hokuto…
: The Nahel Argama…
: Hey! What happened to the Dendoh… where are Ginga and Hokuto?!
: They… were kidnapped by the Gulfer.: Say what?! You let that happen right under your noses!?: … I’m sorry.
: You’re “sorry”?! That’s all you got?!
: Enough, Kouji. They’re not to blame… and we share the responsibility of this for arriving too late.
: Gch…!: And what we should be thinking about right now is how we’re going to rescue to two of them.: You… You’re right…Notable loot is a Megabooster, Propellant Tank and High Spec. Radar.
Shibuya’s tapped the Federation’s spy satellite network and they’ve traced the Dendoh over to the blockaded sector of the moon where the Gulfer set their Spiral Castle. Kirakuni immediately asks permission to head over to rescue Vega, Ginga and Hokuto.
Misato understands how he feels but this is, obviously, not something he could pull by his lonesome; this is the Gulfer’s HQ we’re talking about. We can’t just sit on our hands either, though.
This presents a bit of a dilemma as Douglas’ team has strict orders to bring the Dragonar to Chongqing immediately to relay the units’ data and start mass-production. Letting the Gulfer have the Dendoh, plus the possibility of them capturing the other Data Weapons, puts the entirety of Earth at risk, though.
Bright's got a plan, and asks all the pilots gather in the briefing room.
The tech team’s studying the bug in the tracking program and Rain’s all but sure that this was no accident – someone tampered with the thing. That said, Aqua reports that we can't tell what part of the program had the bug routine tucked away; when the thing was booted, the trap sprung and forced the Data Weapons off the Gear Commanders.
Light can see that this was no amateur job if it managed to escape detection from these three girls and, furthermore, Inoue adds that it’d have to be something very technologically advanced to have the desired effect on the Data Weapons. Just who could have pulled this off?
We don’t know but Domon is sure that whoever planted the bug is in cahoots with Michelo; his, and the Death Army’s, arrival was too perfectly timed to be a coincidence.
Eris is taking everything pretty badly, thinking it’s all her fault; Hugo objects that they all share the blame and Domon only wishes that he’d noticed Michelo’s presence in time to avoid being blindsided.
Regardless, Light agrees with Duke: we should focus our attention on deciding what we’ll do from here on out.
Bright’s on the phone with Misumaru, having reported on everything and extended a request.
Misumaru ponders that he was going to have THEM rendezvous with our group sooner or later. Still, they’ve their own mission to fulfill so, once the Dendoh’s rescued, they’ll have to get back to it.
That’s fine with Bright, so Misumaru will have them come over to Hoshimi on the double.
Puru and Leina are obviously worried about the kids but holding onto hope that we’ll pull through. Misato walks in and relates how command has reached a decision: we’ll be splitting our forces, half to rescue Dendoh and the other half to escort the Dragonars to Chongqing.
But, Judau asks, what about transportation? We only have one carrier… or, rather, we did. Bright tells that the Nadesico B is coming over to Hoshimi as we speak. (Yay…)
That ship will take in the Dendoh team and head with them over to the moon while the Nahel Argama gets the Dragonars. Misato warns everyone that the division of units will only be announced once, so they’d better write it down if they’re not confident in their memory. Kaine cringes that he didn’t think to bring a notepad, so Tap suggest he flex his brain's muscles.
Headed to the moon will be all the Gundam series and Kirakuni/Eris; that strikes Mondo and Elle as far too little but Misato says theirs are the best suited units for space combat. Besides, their mission is simply to rescue the Dendoh, not level the Spiral Castle itself.
Beecha and Judau see where she’s going as a large group would draw more attention from the enemy so a small deployment is better suited for the mission.
The Nahel Argama, meanwhile, will carry everything else as they head to Chongqing – including the soon-to-arrive RahXephon. Hugo and Aqua are the exception, in that they still have their ongoing mission to pursue the Medius Locus; ergo, they get to choose where they’ll be going and Aqua has no problem with letting Hugo decide.
And here’s the first proper route split of the game. In case you weren’t paying attention, like Kaine, here’s the series list:
Nadesico B/Dendoh Team:
- ZZ Gundam
- G Gundam
- Kirakuni/Eris
Nahel Argama/Dragonar Team:
- Getter
- Mazinger
- Grendizer
- EVA
- Dragonar
- Raideen
- RahXephon
We’ll be going though both sides, alternating every mission, as I’ve done in the past.
Choose to go to the Moon and Hugo’ll ponder his personal responsibility in letting the kids be captured. Plus, we’ve confirmed that Albero was working with the Giganos so there’s a good chance he’s working in space.
Choose Chongqing and Hugo still wants to go rescue Ginga and Hokuto but Domon stops him and tells to focus on his own mission: the Medius previously showed up in Kyoto, so there’s a good chance it’s still on Earth. So, Domon tells to let him and the others worry about rescuing everyone – he promises to pull through.
Whatever you go with, Kaine wishes Domon good luck in the operation; conversely, he tells Kaine and team to keep their guard up until the reach the finish line. Sayaka, meanwhile, tells Eris to keep her chin up – if anything, the girl is feeling more confident that we’ll be successful with the famous Ruri Hoshino and the Nadesico helping.
Bright wishes both teams good luck and off they go.