Part 30: Mission 17 (Moon Route) - Your Memories
Here we are, there’s no more avoiding it… I really don’t wanna go down this road again. Urgh, let’s just rip this band-aid off and be done with it.
Misumaru’s just finishing his visit to his daughter's grave, wondering if she and Akito are happy together.
Meanwhile, the Nadesico crew is finally getting some images from the Hisago Investigative Committee’s port, including a picture of the Black Ghost. Saburouta figures Harry oughta have just hacked the guys’ server and nabbed the intel but Harry argues that doing would have made them really angry. That said, officially requesting this info turned out a bit pointless.
Ginga quickly recognizes it as the bot we saw in Kyoto and, here’s the kicker, Roux has seen some pictures of it already over the internet. Folks have been talking about the mysterious bot that attacked the Shirahime terminal colony and Saburouta sees what Harry meant. The net works way faster than the traditional military channels.
Of course, Harry figures the committee took as long as it did to give them the info as a transparent plot to harass them. Of course, they’re already used to that treatment. When Roux asks, Saburouta explains that many folks shun the Nadesico for its deep ties with Nergal.
Regardless, we’ve got the intel we needed and it’s puzzling at the very least: a mere eight meter tall robot, capable of Boson Jumping by itself? That’s something neither Earth nor the Jovians pulled off to date.
Saburouta smells Nergal behind it but Ruri already asked and they claim they didn’t make it. But do we actually believe them?
That company has a bad history, what with antagonizing the army and sending the first Nadesico to Mars as part of the Schiaparelli Project, plus a slew of backroom activities.
In any event, it seems the black mecha has mainly been pursuing anti-Nergal elements, and it’s obvious there’s stuff going on in the shadows of the Hisago Plan. Ruri figures that the terminal colony Amaterasu, the kernel of the Plan, is the next most likely place to get attacked, so that’s where we’re going.
Ginga meanwhile is trying to puzzle out precisely what the Hisago Plan is. Roux explains that it's a plan to create a Boson Jump network spanning the entire solar system. To make this work, several Terminal Colonies were set up, with Tulips set within each and every one.
Amuro adds that the Tulips aren’t flowers but, actually, giant gate-like structures built by an ancient Martian culture, allowing even non A-Class Jumpers to teleport. Those Jumpers are, in essence, people with the capacity of performing a Boson Jump independently.
“Wow, I bet they can pull some crazy jumps,” Ginga gapes. “… You’re picture stuff like a ski jump, aren’t you?” Hokuto sighs back.
As a better example, Amuro explains that the Hisago Plan overall amounts to constructing a sort of a high speed freeway, with the Tulips acting as entrances and exits to it, allowing of instant travel to any spot in the solar system.
In truth, construction of the structure started after the Lizard War ended, prior to the start of the Baam and Gryps conflicts. Roux also says that, since the Terminal Colonies were being made outside the Earth Sphere, it didn’t suffer any damage.
Plus, with the appearance of the Baamians, the Hisago Plan became such a priority in our defense strategy against alien threats that not even the Titanos, Neo Zeon or the Giganos tried to pull anything with it. Ginga then points out to the giant alien-shaped elephant in the room, asking where that plan was when the Gulfer and Vegans came over.
The problem is that the project still isn’t finished, meaning there's only a route between the Earth and Mars so far. The whole Hisago Plan is essential for humanity’s future endeavors and the defense of the solar system. Still, the fact that its stuff is suffering attacks seems to suggest that that there are folks around who not approve of that.
We’re approaching the Takiri Terminal Colony, ready to make our Boson Jump towards Amaterasu.
Following a bunch of technobabble, Ruri gives the word and off we go.
The jump is a success and our folks spot Amaterasu ahead – a completely different-looking place from Shangri-La and Neo Japan, Judau and Domon note. Considering the Amaterasu name, George quips that something must be hidden here. Saburouta’s surprised that he’s familiar with the Ama no Iwato legend.
Meeting with Domon has piqued his interest in oriental legends and mysteries, see. Regardless, it’s too long a legend to explain to Judau but Saburouta still expects things to get pretty interesting now.
Ruri orders the Nadesico to hold its position instead of docking, saying that it's usually best to study things from a bit of a distance (wink, wink). She wants to go greet the folks in charge of the place to buy Harry time to work, and asks Vega and Domon to accompany her as bodyguards. Vega’ll bring her bike.
Big angry man Azuma is in charge, demanding to know who goes there. As Ruri and co introduce themselves, Yamasaki at least is a bit nervous to see THE King of Hearts escorting her. Azuma doesn’t care, however, wanting to know what business brings them here. And for that matter, why is this clearly adult woman cosplaying in his colony?! “Are you a Red Comet fangirl or something?! What a joke!”
As Vega laughs a nervous denial, Ruri inquires what's wrong with people from the Federation’s Space Corps to stop by a Federation colony. He fires back that this is the very center of the Hisago Plan, and demands to know if she's obtained proper permission. Domon sniffs that they wouldn’t be here if they hadn’t and Vega has to stop a frothing Azuma from getting in his face; Domon sighs that he was just stating facts.
Regardless, Ruri tells him that an increase in Boson abnormalities has been detected since the Shirahime incident – should it be the result of an issue with the Jump System, the nearby space routes and colonies could be affected. Thus, it was deemed that an emergency check-up was in order. Vega lightly suggests he think of it as having his electric meter read, but Azuma is insistent that the Hisago Plan is flawless.
Yamasaki attempts to placate the brigadier general, pointing out that maintaining peace in space is what the Federation is for and recommending that they do whatever they can to satisfy this obviously dutiful officer. The Hisago Plan, the spiral that stretches across space, and the futuristic transport of the Boson Jump… now’s a good moment to give them a thorough display of it all, no?
Plus, they can’t send them back empty-handed after coming all the way here – a show of magnanimity from the brigadier general. That’d be enough to satisfy Ruri’s crew and have them return to Earth at ease, no?
At length, Azuma concedes his point but he yells that we’ve a limited time to look around: “I will not tolerate the likes of artificial humans loitering about Artemis!”
Ruri thanks him matter-of-factly and gets to work.
Harry and Omoikane are busy following Ruri’s directive and slowly picking through Amaterasu’s data banks; Saburouta sneaks up on him inside the window bowl, eliciting startled yelling that he can’t just walk in here.
Why, isn’t their relationship past the point where Harry should be so prudish? As the kid panics, Eris laughs at how easygoing friends those two are. Yeah, they’ve even shared the ship’s bath and whatnot.
Harry’s all worn out, not having the energy to keep grumbling at Saburouta’s antics; besides, he’s busy with all the hacking that he’s doing by his lonesome. No way around it, as the Investigative Committee is obviously trying to keep something hidden from us.
Harry laments how Ruri’s out getting scorned by the station people but Saburouta reminds him that he'd better use the time the captain is giving them to hack away and figure out what's really going on. Eris agrees, figuring we don’t have a lot of time to hang around.
Vega’s a bit miffed with Azuma’s attitude towards Ruri but she doesn’t mind, as he didn’t say anything untrue.
Inwardly, Vega ponders how regular humans need to receive genetic enhancements to be able to endure Boson Jumps unaided; Ruri’s obviously got some modifications of her own but, rather than be crushed by it, she’s managed to accept it.
They’ve been at this for a bit and she figures Harry should have found something by now.
And, indeed, he’s found a block in the station that wasn't on the official blueprints. Saburouta figures this may be the reason for the Hisago Plan being attacked; when Harry checks it out, they find experimental results from Jump tests – on humans!
These were all done very hush-hush and they even have a list of several A-Class Jumpers. Just then, the windowing OS goes crazy, innumerable windows popping up which read "OTIKA". Saburouta seems to have some idea of what it means.
Amaterasu’s going through the same thing, with Azuma roaring for people to do something – what would happen if they were attacked now?!
Yamasaki seems to have been expecting this and quietly bids farewell to the general.
Domon and Vega are just as confused at the spam going throughout the windows. Ruri wonders if Harry screwed up somehow, but Harry reports that this is Amaterasu's computers essentially fighting amongst themselves.
He reports about the computer in the private block of the colony and this mess is almost like it’s trying to make its existence known to everyone around. Ruri ponders the letters "OTIKA", then realizes in shock that, backwards, they spell "AKITO". She announces that she's returning to the Nadesico, telling Harry sternly that the enemy is coming.
Meanwhile, Yamasaki’s talking to some hidden mook. They figure “he” is inbound but wonder if Nergal is also involved; Yamasaki doesn’t know but, regardless, asks if it isn’t a bit soon for the guy to be in that getup?
But never mind that. A certain group will be good to go in about five minutes, so that’s when they’ll be leaving.
Vega meanwhile is racing through the base with everyone aboard her bike, headed straight to the exit. Ruri asks if her Valkyrie can handle three people aboard but she says there’s no problem – in fact, this is pretty exciting.
Meanwhile, Ruri muses that she was correct in assuming Amaterasu would be a target – but what was that word? A code? Is it just a coincidence that it’s that name? Still, he – that is, they are supposed to be…
Mission 17 (Moon Route) – Your Memories
Shinjou pings an increase in Boson particles and, indeed, in comes the Black Ghost. Ginga and Hokuto aren’t too happy at the idea that it’ll attack, especially since it helped us the other day; Hugo points out that doesn’t mean it’s an ally, though, merely that our enemies were the same at the time.
Azuma decides to just go for broke and gives permission to attack the Ghost in and around the colony. Shinjou warns that this might result in the place getting damaged but Azuma cares not – no sacrifice is too much in order to destroy this target!
Ryouko deploys right then, figuring she can take on a lone enemy even by herself. Saburouta recognizes her right away, glad to see she’s as spirited as ever.
Ruri arrives, sending everyone to battle stations BUT also wanting the ship to wait on standby. When Amuro asks, she figures the Amaterasu folk would decline our help if offered. Damn straight, Azuma yells, telling us all to stay put and watch.
Chibodee quips that the guy’s got a big mouth to match his size but still wonders if they’ll be alright. Amuro himself doubts that there's just one enemy mech, and suggests we all get ready to launch in case.
Meanwhile, Ruri tells Harry to try hacking into Amaterasu once more, with the keyword "AKITO". The kid doesn’t understand but Ruri’s hops in her chair to prepare for battle and doesn’t explain.
Ryouko figures the one enemy before her is just a diversion, but she's more than happy to be diverted.
Aestivalis Custom: Ryouko (Ryouko Subaru)
Pilot Skills:
- Prevail L3
- Support Attack L1
- Assisted Attack L1
- Invincible (10)
- Focus (15)
- Guts (25)
- Distortion Field
- Gravity Wave Beam Requirement
Like Saburouta but better in pretty much every aspect. Still suffers from the same deficiencies she suffered in the second half of W (in that PoD dictates she’s gimped for a long while) but, at the very least, the Distortion Attack pierces barriers so the lack of the Field Lancer isn’t that bad. Mind, that's only when she has the morale to use it...
Apply a wee bit of savescumming here to speed things up. You need to get the Black Sarana down to yellow HP or wait until turn four to keep things going. So, pop Invincible and Focus with Ryouko and make sure she connects with a Distortion Attack and evades the counter.
: …
: These moves are…! The hell… do I know this pilot?!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_xILEtsGz8
You’re looking at 70/70% rates for her even with Focus and she WILL die if two clean hits connect. Hell, she might be oneshotted if the Sarana gets a crit, so make sure she enters the enemy turn with Invincible on.
Enemy Phase!
And here we go.[/i]
The Black Ghost purges its outer armor and Ryouko asks if her enemy thinks he's frigging Geki Ganger or something. The pilot gives out an amused huff before quickly Boson Jumping away – he might be headed inside.
Right then, a bunch of Battas emerge around Amaterasu, small weapons used by the Jovians during the Lizard War. Does that mean they’re the ones behind this attack? Or, Saburouta argues, it could just be some camouflage while whoever’s in charge digs up some buried treasure.
Harry detects someone else besides him hacking into Amaterasu; Ruri suspected as much, and tells everyone to wait just a bit longer. Azuma fumes, figuring the “Lizards” to be the ones behind the recent incidents and Shijou sniffs that he’s almost correct. Before Azuma questions him, the klaxons start blaring as Gate #13 is unlocked – a gate he didn’t even know of.
Shinjou did, however, and tells the brigadier that this farce has come to its end. He muses over this black machine and the fixation impelling it, finally declaring to Azuma that he and his people are the enemies of Earth, Jupiter, and all the corruption in space: the Martian Successors!
Vega takes them to be old members of the original Jovian Federation, in which case we might be looking at the start of a second Lizard War. Thing are certainly far worse than we expected, and now Ruri tells everyone to launch. We have to figure out what the enemy’s truly after.
The Nadesico itself will maintain position out here but she wants everyone else to enter Gate #13 that just opened and, once inside Artemis, head to the third partition. Ryouko doesn’t like seeing these guys pulling the same crap as their predecessors and decides to go with the flow since she’s way out here.
Mission Objective: Any allied unit reaches the target marker
Mission Failure: Nadesico, Saburouta or Ryouko shot down
No problems here, provided you keep a close eye on the aestis. This mission is also the first appearance of MX’s multi-layered maps; you’ll see, once we get to Amaterasu’s entrance.
It’s still their turn, however, and no one’s got any defensive measures. At least the Battas decided to gang up mostly on Chibodee.
Distortion Field means they can avoid being oneshotted unless a crit happens. Still, morale is scarce, so I elected to have Chibodee weaken some and just dodge the rest.
A couple Battas did go after Iino.
Not the best but I’ll take it.
Oh, and Chibodee learned Valor and Shield Defense L4 from all this.
Player Phase!
Rising Gundam (Rain Mikamura)
Pilot Skills:
- Sword Cut L1
- Shield Defense L3
- Support Attack L1
- Support Defense L1
- Trust (20)
- Strike (20)
- Cheer (25)
Rain’s the designate support unit of G Gundam and her stats are appropriately lower than everyone else’s. Mind, she’s not a bad pilot – just average (better than Roux and Roux is reliable). Same goes for the Rising Gundam, as it shares the same performance issues as the Nobel.
Of course, you don’t deploy her because she’s great by herself but because she makes Domon an even bigger powerhouse… later in the game. If you’re planning on focusing on Allenby or deploy all the main Shuffle Alliance guys, then feel free to bench her.
If you’re trying to save up deployment spaces, however, she’ll give you the better deal than Allenby, in my opinion. Just give her SP Regen, Concentration and something to boost her morale because her gains aren’t too good. Hit & Away can also be nice as her two strongest moves are pre-movement.
These Battas make for some very easy and reliable exp for the ZZ kids, just make sure someone softens them up first. And we’ve many Cheer casters, so here’s the chance to get them all some love.
Let’s see what Rain can do.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt9Dl1tI75o
Oooh, almost. I think that’s about what Chibodee did with an equivalently weak move, so she really isn’t too far behind.
Like Allenby, the lack of a Super Mode is what really makes her lag.
So let’s speed ahead; the Battas are no threat, so insert a bunch of them being weakened, flattened by my lower level folks and yielding juicy exp.
Ginga, too, for the kill count.
Judau doesn’t care about your barriers.
And that’s that – once again, the mooks are cleared out in a turn.
Now, insert another two turns of getting everyone near Amaterasu’s entrance.
Once you’re ready to move in, select someone to move, place the cursor on the entry point and select 中へ to shift the view towards the interior. Your movement range doesn’t change at all.
The interior looks empty but when someone moves in…
Aaay, the Hokushin posse again! Seeing how the Kyoto and La Vie en Rose folks are here as well, it seems clear to Domon that they’re also in with the Martian Successors.
Ryouko wants to know what the hell these guys want so badly, and Ruri tells everyone to hurry to their destination.
These guys are still pains in my ass, so I’ll have my better guys take point and see what we can do for the lesser folk. As always, focus fire because you want to reduce their numbers ASAP.
: What are you lot up to, working with the Giganos?!
: If the Martian Successors manage to apply the technology of the Martian ruins to their schemes, then we’ll have an even worse conflict than the Lizard War in our hands…!
Enemy Phase!
A few Hokushin go after Amuro. All the better for them to get Funnel’d.
This one guy, however, gets clever and go after Saburouta.
: If these guys really are remnants of the Jovian Federation, then the one behind this must be…
: Looks like this’ll be a bigger problem than I expected…!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbniymwZOC0
Of course a 30% hit would connect. Still, better than risking the flimsy Aesti.
Player Phase!
While Hokuto leaves the top guy hanging with 60-ish HP, in goes Ryouko for the Double Attack.
: Successors, possessors, whatever! Now that you pulled this crap, none of you are getting away in one piece!
: The Lizard War’s over! What the hell are you trying to pull after all this time?!
There goes one.
Here’s the second.
Boom. And Domon learns Valor!
Puru Two needs a wee bit of levels.
And the last one goes to Mondo, who gained a grand total of six levels today. He’ll be going back to the bench until it’s time to make that last hurdle for 25.
With all mooks dead, it’s only a matter of turning the corner and heading to the marked spot.
Along the way, we pick up a Repair Kit, Magnetic Coating and Solar Sail (grants 10% EN Regen)
When we reach the gate, Ruri belatedly greets with Ryouko – it’s been about two years since they last saw each other but they’re glad to see each one well. Ryouko apologizes that our team needed to help with this mess but it’s no problem; furthermore, Ruri offers to guide her through this secret part of the base.
Ryouko realizes in surprise that Ruri hacking into Amaterasu’s system but she calmly replies that the enemy was doing it too… plus, Harry’s the one actually conducting the hack. How cruel, passing the buck like that.
Regardless, Ruri has a favor to ask of her.
The Black Ghost shows up right then and it looks like getting in here was his objective proper. Puru Two doesn’t feel like he’s going to attack, though.
Indeed, he wrecks a nearby partition and opens a path deeper inside. Ryouko follows behind as he makes his way to some door; as he stops, she goes and plugs a comm wire into the Black Sarana – Ruri requested this, so she could speak to him.
After introducing herself, apologizing for having to get in touch like this but his unit’s window comm receiver is too protected for her to open a channel. So, she’ll get to the point:
: Um… Can you please tell me who you are? Are you…: …Lapis, find the password.
: …: There’s no time. Watch, if you want.
: WHAT?!*Ryouko dashes inside.
: That’s… ID: Nergal ND-001 – the Nadesico A…!
: Nadesico A…?! The one from the Lizard War?!
: But… How?!: RURI! You seeing this?!: Ryouko…: What is all this…?!: Ryouko, calm down—: What the hell is that?!: Ryouko…!: WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!: Ryouko!: Uurgh…!: …The shape’s different but it’s the relic. The one from the Mars’ ruin that, during the Lizard War, was the target of both Earth and the Jovian Federation… The Boson Jump’s Black Box.: That’s the actual essence of the Hisago Plan?: Yes.
: Ruri…
: Huh?: They must be rolling in their graves with this going on…: Ryouko…: What it this doing here…?!*Beep. Incoming transmission!*
: It is all for the future of humanity!!: Ah?!: Admiral Kusakabe…?!
: Ryouko, your left!: ?!
: UWAAAH!!
The Hokushin cronies are still up and about, with Shinjou proclaiming that the Hisago Plan is now theirs – as per Kusakabe’s orders. And since the core is all that matters, that means the best way to speed their hostile takeover is to explode Amaterasu. They begin setting off bombs across the place, warning all who are present to flee this sector.
Harry’s rather impressed with their chivalry and confirms to Ruri that he’s secured all the hacked data. She orders everyone to fall back and, of course, Ryouko doesn’t like it. The Sarana’s pilot says this doesn’t concern us and wants us to run off – “he” is coming.
That’s the actual Hokushin, mumbling about the universal spiral, growing as a Hisago vine all the way to the heavens. Will the Sarana’s pilot perish before his woman?
The pilot reels and Hokushin commands him, a fool who cannot let go of a woman who’ll never return to him, to look on to the relic.
The relic breaks open to reveal someone inside – Yurika. Ryouko’s put two and two together and figured out the Black Sarana’s pilot has to be Akito – that’s why he called out to her at that time.
Hokushin interrupts, blasting both of them; Saburouta then rushes inside, grabs Ryouko and blasts a wall open for them to escape. Ryouko demands he let her go, her friends are still in there!
He calls “captain’s orders”, so Ryouko calls Ruri and asks if she didn’t see and hear what happened in there: Akito and Yurika are alive. Ruri doesn’t answer, and Ryouko fumes that, again, they’ll just watch them die.
Ruri reels back at this but still calls everyone back and for the Nadesico to depart at once.
Elsewhere, Ryouko gets in Ruri’s face and demands an explanation as to why she ordered the withdrawal. Akito and Yurika were still alive, so what the hell? Did Ruri not feel anything when she saw the two of them again?
Ruri drowns her in ellipsis, causing Ryouko to demand her say something. She does, saying that they must first make peace with reality and, then, think of what they’re going to do. Ryouko’s annoyed at how blasé she is face everything but Ruri ignores her and commands Harry to relay the intel we got to Misumaru.
When Ruri asks, Rain conjectures that Yurika has somehow been organically fused with the Boson Jump System core, and is in some kind of coma. Could she go back to normal? Rain thinks so, considering she went through the same experience in the past.
So, what now? Ruri decides to return to Earth and rendezvous with the Nahel Argama. Ryouko wants to go after Yurika’s kidnappers NOW and Ruri argues that they would, were there no other enemies prowling about. Besides, without more information about the Martian Successors, it’s not a good idea to run off after them.
Beecha’s surprised that Ruri’s so calm but Judau tells him to shush: she’s the one hurting the most. Did he forget whose picture lies right atop Ruri’s seat?
And Vega figures Ruri understands that, as captain, if she’s seen wavering, it’ll affect the entire crew. So, she’s doing all she can to avoid crumbling. Ryouko quietly remembers how Ruri was the one closest to Akito and Yurika, who lived with them before it all went down.
Amuro says there’s only one thing we can do for her: act as we would normally and be ready to help when needed.