Super Robot Wars MX Part #90 - Mission 51

Part 90: Mission 51 - Hope, the Ultimate GEAR

Location: Giganos Empire

Rain’s just finished her scans and confirms that all traces of DG Cells have vanished. And just in case, Prof. Kasshu coordinated with Nergal to have a new vaccine created and spread throughout the area. The Devil Gundam should be dead for good now, much to her and Domon’s relief.
But Hugo asks what about Bähbem and his hand in this whole mess. Should we ignore him and his foundation? For the moment, yes. Ruri figures Bähbem’s done using the DG Cells or he’d have done more to obstruct us – guess the DG Cells are no longer necessary to his plans. Ruri posits that, like Albero, Bähbem just wanted the things gone now. Speaking of Albero, Domon wonders what he’ll be doing with the Medius now that he’s carried out his revenge.

Indeed, Hugo finds the whole thing odd: time and again Albero tried to kill him but, yesterday, he backed off without ever firing a shot in his direction. On the flip side, it was also because of Albero’s quick retreat that we managed to easily eradicate all remaining DG Cells. Were all the attempts he took on Hugo’s life simply to make the Medius strong enough to beat the Devil Gundam?
One thing does bother Rain: Elde said they were ordered by someone to destroy the Devil Gundam. Who? And, on that subject, what is Elde’s own endgame?

: Ms. Mitte!

: What is it, Aqua?

: I’ve got a question regarding the lesson you just gave.

: Alright… but could you wait for just a moment?

*Beep, beep.*

: Hm? What are you working on?

: The specs of a combat AI I’m currently developing.

: Wow… these are pretty impressive.

: Oh? You can make sense of them?

: Well, I am your student.

: It’s a model for behavioral analysis and prediction… with an OS based around a quasi-personality?

: Correct. I designed it based on hints I picked up during a past job for a certain organization.

: Hmhmm… You really love your job, huh? What a waste…

: What do you mean?

: Well, you’re really popular around the resident men. Don’t tell me you didn’t know?

: No, I simply do not care. This AI is everything to me right now.

: Oh, no, Ms. Mitte! But what about us, your students?

: What, indeed… But, moreover, I’ll be leaving the military academy soon.

: Huh…?! Were you hired for another job? Has it something to do with that AI…?

: It does not but I’m afraid it is classified. Surely a cadet such as you knew that.

: Y-Yes…

: Either way, Aqua… are you truly certain you want to be a mobile weapon’s pilot?

: I am. It’s something I’ve always wanted, back during those tedium-filled days back home. I want to put things to practice and test them out with my own two hands.

: Why is that?

: I can’t stand the thought of being a caged bird anymore. I want to live by my own strength and choose how I want that life to be.

: Now that is a waste. If you stayed with your family and leveraged your favorable environment and status, you could accomplish so much more. Even greater prosperity could be yours than what you have now.

: And that’s why I couldn’t stand it there.

: I see… then I want you to keep something in mind.

: Yes?

: You are an excellent student but your lack of emotional control is your greatest weakness. A pilot must always be capable of keeping a level head to analyze the situation and respond appropriately. If you do not learn how to do that… it might cost you your life, understood?

: Yes… I understand, Ms. Mitte.

: (… A dream…?)

: (Ms. Mitte… just what are you…?)

*Bzzzt!*

: Aqua, there’s a transmission coming from Maj. Katsuragi for you and Hugo.

: From Maj. Katsuragi…? Alright, I’ll be right over.

Misato passes along news of Mitall’s assassination and how Elde’s the likely suspect. Misato says there were some things she was worried about, so she did some digging into the Tsentr Project. When Aqua asks what was it that prompted that investigation, she tells of Elde being listed as a third-party consultant in the MAGI’s development.
Hugo didn’t expect that woman to be involved with NERV and Aqua sees that that was the job Elde mentioned inspired the development of AI1. Furthermore, Misato suspects her ties to NERV and SEELE have lasted to this day. Were they the ones who’ve been ordering her and Albero? That’s not clear yet.
Still, thanks to Elde’s murder of Mitall, the Tsentr Project has been brought pretty much to a halt. Whether she did it of her own volition or under someone else’s command is still under investigation.

Hugo wonders why he and Aqua weren't informed sooner of the murder and of the Tsentr Project’s suspension. Misato doubts that happened by an accident, figuring the Project itself has a major tie to NERV and SEELE – something neither Hugo and Aqua nor the Federation are in on.
Regardless, she’ll let us know as soon as she finds out more, so we should focus on the mission at hand. With that, she signs off. Seems like there’s a lot more going on in the shadows that Hugo and Aqua expected.
But that’s a discussion for later and the alarm starts blaring.

MXP adds this bit, following Misato signing off:

This news raises a question from Aqua: what will happen to Hugo's medicine now that Mitall's dead? Well, he still has a stash left and the adjustments Mitall gave him way back when made the medicine a whole lot more effective... though he still can't go without it. So who'll make more of the stuff when Hugo needs it? Well, he figures the guy kept data on the synthesizing process stored someway, so we'd need to get our hands on that.
And if Elde erased that data when she killed Mitall? Then that'd be a big problem. The amount of medicine Hugo's got left might be enough to last him through this but it'll be a tight squeeze. And when Aqua asks, he says that if he fully runs out of the stuff, his body'll seize up like it did before. And some time after that, the organic components of his will simply shut down - he'd die, in other words.

Aqua asks if we couldn't run some analysis on the medicine he has to figure out the ingredients and make it ourselves? If that was possible, Hugo'd have done it ages ago. It takes some very special ingredients to synthesize the thing - ingredients that only Mitall knew how to create. All signs point that we'd need to get back to Mitall's lab and try to find all that but we hardly have the time to do so now. Hugo says it'll be a race to see if whether us taking out the Medius or him running out of medicine will happen first.
Aqua doesn't like that and is about to tell him to get to Mitall's lab ASAP when the alarm sounds.

Ginga and Hokuto are getting the news that the Gulfer have already brought their entire goddamn homeworld over to our system. The Space Corps Fifth Fleet has already set out from Mars and is at an intercept course – we’ll be heading there as well, once we’ve met up with the commander of the next operation. Who is it? Enter the Gulfer Chips! Absolute and Witter find the bridge to be a bit cramped for their tastes but Gurumei figures it’s good enough for human usage.
Hokuto, Kirakuni and Eris are gobsmacked that these guys are apparently commanding the operation but, thankfully, Altair is on hand. He tells us not to worry as, like Subaru, they are also free of the Gulfer’s command. The Chips no longer have anywhere to return to, so they figured they were better off helping Subaru and our crew.

On Shibuya’s own recommendation, Altair will be leading our team against the Gulfer homeworld. Altair remembers his years as captain of the Gulfer royal guard and the torment he rained upon the peoples of so many worlds; yes, he was under mind control, but he still takes his crimes to be too great. Not even with the Gulfer’s destruction could make up for it.
Still, if there’s anything he can be of use for, then he’ll see that it is done. With that, Bright wants to get the briefing started immediately and asks for everyone to be gathered.

So here’s the deal: the Gulfer homeworld is on its way to Earth, with the Fifth Fleet in pursuit. They haven’t engaged the aliens yet, mind, and Quattro figures they’re waiting our arrival in the area to start. Altair confirms, saying that only with ours and the Dendoh’s strength can the Gulfer be completely defeated.
And how will we pull that off? By destroying the Gulfer Emperor, kernel of the entire organization, at said homeworld – once he’s one, all other units will shut down. Kaine and Kouji see the parallel with Screw Nail, a precision strike at the enemy’s boss.
But the biggest hurdle to cross will be reaching the Emperor in the first place. Altair’s brought a diagram of the Gulfer homeworld and points out a moon orbiting the planet – mind, it is no mere celestial body. It is, in fact, a satellite that discharges a powerful energy shield around the entire planet. The camouflage provided by that shield is also the reason why our detection of the thing was delayed.

Jet surmises the plan: if we want to make it down to the Gulfer homeworld, that “moon” needs to go first. But, thankfully, we’ll only need to keep our sights set on the Emperor himself as the Fifth Fleet will handle the shield. Ryouko likes only having to worry about stomping the big bad.
Not that it’ll be an easy thing to do, Altair warns – we’ll be facing not the Spiral Castle but against the entirety of the Gulfer in this next battle. Indeed, Jim remembers the problems that come with storming the enemy HQ from our attack at the Demon Castle.
Kaine wonders if we couldn’t Boson Jump all the way into the planet with the Nadesico but Ruri vetoes the idea. First, Ines is still recovering on the moon after the major strain of navigating the jump to Mars; secondly, unlike the attack on the Successors, it’d be too dangerous for Ruri to hack the Gulfer’s systems. They might have viruses like Ragou’s set up as a counter-play for anyone who tries that.

Finally, Ruri also thinks it’d be best to save the Boson Jump only for an emergency. Doesn’t this qualify as an emergency, Ryouma asks. She concedes that the Gulfer are a mighty enemy but it’s one we’re better off dealing with via normal means – she’d rather not leave the Nahel Argama flying solo out here while we attack.
Vega figures Ruri’s planning for the aftermath of our assault and, regardless, Bright says the Argama CAN make the trip to the Gulfer homeworld with the new booster sent by Nergal. We’ll be setting off in thirty minutes, so he tells everyone to get ready.

: OOOKAY! It’s finally time for the big showdown with the Gulfer! We’re gonna have to work real hard to cover for Ayato and Shinji’s crew – and to protect all the other folks on Earth, too!

: That’s a fine spirit, Ginga, and it’ll grant you strength. Never forget what you’re feeling right now.

: You got it! I’m hyped and ready to go!

: …

: Is something wrong, Subaru…?

: I’m just a bit jealous of Ginga…

: Ah…?

: I used to be a Gulfer, though not anymore… Still, I’m also not an earthling. I’ve no place where I belong, people that I want to protect or anyone waiting for my return…

: Subaru…

: That is not true, Subaru. There is a place where you belong.

: Brother…

: He’s right, Subaru. And that place is right here with us, with the Magnate Ten!

: …I see… I do feel like I want to stay with you, Ginga, Eris and everyone else… Is this what companionship feels like?

: Indeed, Subaru. And it’s that knowledge that proves you’re no longer a Gulfer.

: Brother… I’ll be taking part on the Gulfer homeworld offensive as well.

: Subaru…

: I’ve always stood by my father’s… rather, by the Gulfer Emperor’s side. If the homeworld’ll be our battlefield, then I think I can help a bit.

: Very well. Then you’ll ride aboard Vega’s Valhalla as her sub-pilot. She is my little sister, meaning she’s also your elder sister.

: Alright…!

: Subaru…

: Wait, does that mean Subaru is Hokuto’s uncle?

: I suppose so.

: Heheh… what a cute little uncle.

: Huh…?

: Psych yourself up, Subaru. This battle’ll be a major one for Earth.

: Good luck out there, Subaru.

: Yeah…!

: And, Altair, I ask that you remember something too.

: What, exactly?

: That you are also one of our comrades and that you’ll make a lot of people sad if you try anything crazy.

: …

: If someone is capable of feeling regret, then there are no sins so great that atonement is impossible…

: Indeed, I am certain that living is how you’ll be capable of atoning.

: I thank you, Warrior of Cronus, Prince of the Planet Fleed… I shall take your words to heart.

: Then let’s get going, Altair.

: The time has come to fell the enemies that stole your past and sow chaos across the universe…!

: Hm…!!

Mission 51 – Hope, the Ultimate GEAR

Harry’s just received the code words “Tora! Tora! Tora!” from the Fifth Fleet, confirming the successful destruction of the satellite (same words the Japanese used to confirm their successful surprise attack on Pearl Harbor…!).
Yukina’s already detecting the energy shield around the Gulfer planet disappearing; we’ve got them with their pants down now, Minato quips, though Jun warns that they could potentially launch a new shield generator. We best get going to the entry spot right now, then, and Ruri sends all troops out.

The Fifth Fleet’s backing off with a bunch of RoBeasts in pursuit – we’d best get through this while they’re being kept busy, Quattro says. First step is getting down on the planet and Amuro asks everyone to reconfirm the course for entry – landing in the wrong spot would likely be fatal.
Sai and Drill think he’s exaggerating – there’s got to be some hiding spots even in an enemy world, right? Vega disagrees: the Gulfer Emperor is a computer that oversees the entire planet. It’d be incredibly difficult to avoid his gaze, so we must make landfall squarely at the Gulfer palace or this’ll end in failure. The assault on the Spiral Castle ain’t got nothing on this, Sai groans.

Moreover, Hokuto and Ginga know we can’t waste too much time here – there’s still the MU back on Earth. Akira agrees, wanting to put the pedal to the metal and get back ASAP. Bright passes command to Altair, who warns everyone to stay alert. The enemy is certain to already know we’re here.
And they do! Harry’s pinging enemy troops headed this way from the Gulfer homeworld.

In come dozens of Knights, though Subaru warns that this is merely a prelude of what’s to come – we’re up against the planet itself. Light figures we’re better off calling the thing a huge spaceship with built-in factories and Tap’s wondering if we actually can take on something like that.
Kouji says we ain’t got a choice there – what else did we come here for? Indeed, Rom warns that despair eats away at hope and it is a weak heart that begets despair. Tap knows that but this still ain’t easy to face.
Ryouko asks what’s up with that pansy-ass attitude – she could so kick his ass right now. If he were an enemy, he’d already be dead! As Hikaru calms her down, Rom continues: “the true enemy is inside one’s heart. However, that enemy is also the one you’re personally most familiar with.” And Maillot joins in with some Sun Tzu: “‘If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles’… you’d do well to remember those words.”

Light has a quiet laugh, knowing how hard it’d be to argue against these two, and Tap relents – he’ll just get to work and whatever happens, happens. Now, Altair tells Ruri not to expect enemy reinforcements to stop coming (they do) and to focus only on breaking through the area.
Harry’s already working on setting our entry point. Minato’s rather impressed with his skill but, well, he’s not Ruri’s second-in-command for nothing.

The point’s waaay at the back and Harry says we’ve eight minutes to get there. Any longer and we’ll carrying out this attack will be nigh impossible – we’ll have wasted too many resources, Judau sees. Not to mention, Ryouma adds, the enemy might get their energy shield back online.
Altair tells everyone to escort the Nadesico and Argama over to that point, whereupon they’ll have a clear path to descend onto the homeworld – a pair of knives at the Gulfer’s throat. Granted, Tetsuya and George note that that this battle will only truly end after we’ve dealt with the Emperor proper.
And we must succeed, Vega and Kazuya add, in the name of all those who’ve entrusted their hopes and their future to our care and all who are waiting for our return.
Forward!

Mission Objective: Nahel Argama and Nadesico C reach the specified point within eight turns
Mission Failure: Time limit expired or any ship, Dendoh, Ogre or Valhalla destroyed.

It’s a long way to the point and there are a ton of big Knights in our way – no tiny Gulfer whatsoever! Oh, and the Knights got a major HP boost. You’ll need to keep your ships always mobile, though you have decent leeway if you spam Accelerate with both.
If you can’t be arsed to kill everything, just carve a path and ignore the rest.

As always, the Chars lead.

Hopefully he’ll get mobbed. This one’s for Tetsuya.

Maillot’s missiles are even more effective. Masato gets this one.

Next up, Kaine and Amuro prepped this one.

Boom.

Everyone else starts moving onward, taking potshots at whatever’s close.

Enemy Phase!

No, please, go after Masato.

Ah, well.

Now that’s more like it. Two trade blows with Masato, another two with Quattro.

The more distant Knights are hanging back, though a group of Bugs starts closing in.

Player Phase!

Go long, Masato.

We’ll watch your back.

Juuust short of a kill. Bright attacks again, finishing the job.

Damn, Maillot, calm down!
That’s an easy kill for Vega.

Recently taught Aqua Hit & Away, so I can switch to her much more often.

Kouji takes it.

Gundams soften this Virus for Duke.

Get the enemies under fifteen and six Knight Locks will spawn. Ginga’s annoyed but Subaru says that’s hardly all we can expect of the homeworld’s defense forces – there are surely more on the way.
Which means we just gotta clean the road of whatever gets in the way.

Like in the previous mission, you’ll get a total of three waves of reinforcements before they stop coming. Eighteen Locks have a whole lot more HP than the Death Army troops, though.

All these mooks means Hayato gets to run amuck.

Just to be safe, I had Benkei pop two Spirit casts. Hokuto and Ginga dispatch the thing.

Enemy Phase!

Masato and Quattro continue tearing through the mooks. The Knights are all trying to gang up on them.

Player Phase!

*Alarm!*

: Wh-What is it?!

: An enemy unit’s running us down, like, crazy fast!!

: I-It’s—!

: You’ve made it quite far, humans – most impressive.

: Zero?!

: But I’m afraid my being here means your advance will come to a full stop.

: Damn the Gulfer…! They sent him straight for us!

: Hmhmhm… While Meteor was no threat whatsoever, I’d rather not let a vessel such as this trespass into our holy land.

: Watch out! He’s targeting the Nadesico!

: Ruriruri!

: Full power to the Distortion Field!

: You are far too late!

: Urk!

: Th-The Field isn’t—!

: Omoikane, keep the Field’s output steady!

: That won’t help you!

: Hrm…! This isn’t good.

: Hey! You’re way too chill for the mess we’re in!

: Order the nearby units to cover us!

: You will not, for death comes to you right this moment!

: D-Damage on the phase transition engine! Output going down! W-We can’t…! Captain!!

: Do not give up. If we do, we’ll never be able to track him down.

: Ruriruri…!

: Omoikane, run some estimates on the enemy’s movement patterns. Harry, you help him as well.

: Y-Yes, ma’am!

: This… this ship inherited the name and the memories of his— of their ship…

: I cannot let it be sunk…!

: Even if your vessel is capable of anticipating my movements, you are unable to react in time!

: Furthermore, things such as human emotions are, ultimately, fleeting! You’ll disappear along with the memories you bear, Nadesico!

: !!

: What?!

: You are also unable to react in time… to my movements, that is.

: Kch! A Boson Jump?!

: I won’t let you destroy the ship that took up the Nadesico name… or kill Yurika’s dear friends…!

: Y-You human vermin! How dare you—!

: …

: Black Sarana…!

: Akito…? Akito, is that you?!

: …

: Akito…!

: …Time is short, Ruri. Your orders?

: Oh, yes. We’re currently breaking through the enemy lines to descend on the Gulfer homeworld – please assist with the offensive.

: Roger that.

: Um… Akito.

: …What?

: As it turns out, I really won’t be needing that recipe.

: …

: So, I’d like to give it back to you.

: … We’ll see, if we both survive this.

: I understand.

: Heey! You two really gonna leave it at that?!

: It’s fine.

: Come ON! Don’t you got a ton of stuff to tell him—

: Don’t push it.

: Y-Yo, idiot, I’m just—

: I know, I know. But you’re not too good at this either.

: Which is why I was trying to push them!

: (The prince in dark armor, coming to save the young maiden… Despite all that’s happened, you’re still the Akito we knew.)

: However strong your emotions might run, they will not present you with the strength to prevail against us… You will be forced to accept that fact as I claim your lives one by one.

: No. So long as hope stays within us, we won’t fall to the likes of you! Hope is our ultimate weapon!

: Hahahah… you humans are absolute fools.

: But hasn’t your group suffered a string of defeats at the hands of those humans?

: Fine. You’ll come to regret those words.

: I’ve already had my fill of regret. All I’m doing now is pushing onwards…!

Aaay, Akito’s joined our crew! With… only another four missions left in the game. Again.
At least he’s pretty dang powerful, even by his lonesome.

We’ll have the Dendoh crew deal with Zero next, but first!

That’s two kills and a big chunk of HP off everything else.

Alright, over to you.

: Your pitiful struggle has run its course, Dendoh.

: Shut your trap! You ain’t gonna make me call it quits that easy!

: ‘Cause if I did, that’d be IT for everything!

: Zero!

: Oh, Master Subaru… it is truly deplorable to see the Emperor’s son cooperating with mere humans.

: I’m not a Gulfer anymore! I… I’m a human!

: I cannot allow you to sully the Emperor’s sight with such a display. You’ll perish here and now, Subaru!

: Subaru’s recovered his human heart and now he’s a dear friend of ours – you won’t lay a finger on him!

: Pilot of the Ogre… I’ll have you pay for leading Master Subaru astray.

: It’s you who’ll pay! I’ll never forgive you for how you used him!

: Did we get him?!

: Hell, yeah! That’s what happens when we get serious!

: No, wait! Look there!

: Hmhmhm… it’s useless. You cannot defeat me.

: No way…! He revived?!

: Does he also have the ability to self-regenerate?!

: That was way too quick to be regeneration.

: R-Right. Not even the DG Cells or Lazmunanium could work that fast…!

: I-It’s like the Ragou or the Data Weapons…

: Ah…?! Maybe it’s!

: What, Eris?

: Urgh, I’m an idiot… I should have suspected something after all those engagements! Zero might be…

: Harry, have Omoikane analyze this data, please!

: U-Understood!

*Ding!*

: I-I knew it! Zero’s also just a bunch of data given form!

: Meaning he has a backup saved elsewhere…

: And if that isn’t destroyed, he’ll just keep coming back again and again…?

: Y-Yes!

: So it’s useless for us to try and fight him now?!

: No wonder his name’s Zero – this isn’t funny one bit.

: And, to make it worse, the money payout’s also zero. This sucks.

: What’re you on about?

: Ah, nothing, nothing. Just an in-joke.

: Forget about Zero, troops! Support the Nadesico C and Nahel Argama and carve open a path to the target area!

Yeah, here’s Zero’s unique skill in play. He’ll always come back whenever killed and, as Hikaru said, you don’t even get money out of it. So just carry on with the plan.

Up top, we’re just going to town and clearing out Masato’s weakened survivors. In that, we trigger the last wave of reinforcements.

Maillot and Quattro are already set up as potential targets.

D-d-destroyed.

Rinse and repeat, really.

Enemy Phase!

And, once again, I forgot that SFX damage IS real damage in MX. Zero’s blasts left the Nadesico with about 30% HP left – thankfully, I’d seen fit to cast Iron Wall as I made my charge for the end zone. A ton of Knights mob the ship.

Player Phase!

And I’ve officially run out of patience! Pop goes everything, giving us a nice 100k bucks.

Two lone survivors crumble under valored double attacks.

And all clear, so let’s move the ships.