Part 62: Mission 34 - Severed LOOP / Knight from the Flaming Skies
We open in the Spiral Castle, with the Gulfer watching as the Aldebaran falls to Earth – Dendoh and Ogre aboard.
That’s absolutely perfect and the Castle tells Gurumei to see that it happens.
In the Earth route, you open up with Boss apologizing for all the trouble though Jun and Light are rather impressed that he and his crew are alright even after being eaten by that thing. Sayaka tells of how this accident got Kouji and Tetsuya at each other’s throats for a bit but Boss figures them having a brawl every now and then is good.
Sayaka doesn’t like it consider it was all HIS fault but Boss objects that he didn’t become monster food just for kicks, alright?! Kaine suddenly runs in, saying some major problem’s going down and we need to deploy ASAP.
Elsewhere, Misato’s explaining to our troops of the Nadesico’s battle with the Gulfer warship. Maria wants to go help but Misato says they’ve already won – the problem is how the Dendoh’s aboard and the thing’s now falling into the atmosphere. It’s expected to crash on an island not too far from Nirai-Kanai, so we’ll rendezvous with the Nadesico over there.
Back at GEAR HQ, Shibuya’s desperate to get a feed on events – nothing’s coming in yet.
Meteor and Aiko have already calculated an estimated point of descent and the best they’re going to get is a live, faraway transmission from the Federation’s base in Okinawa. They still can’t get in touch with the Nadesico due to the atmospherical reentry, so all they can do now is pray for our safety.
Mission 34 – Severed LOOP/ Knight from the Flaming Skies
The Nadesico reaches the spot where the Gulfer warship is projected to land and, when Ryouko asks, Harry reports no sign of the Dendoh ever exiting it. No transmissions, either, and he’s already expecting the worst…
Ryouko tells him to get bent – if he’s got time to mumble nonsense then he oughta use it to keep calling out to them. Indeed, Rom and Kazuya are certain the kids wouldn’t have thrown the towel yet, so we can’t either. Alright, Harry’ll keep at it.
On the other path, the Argama is already here waiting for the Nadesico. Ruri apologizes for calling them all the way here but more important is the Dendoh’s status. Ruri confirms that the kids managed to rescue Vega within the ship but anything afterwards is still unknown.
Misato’s worried but not Haruka: those kids are tougher than they seem, so they and Vega’ll be fine. Kaine and Domon agree, adding that Ginga and Hokuto are just as hardy as Boss and crew – they’ll make it back to us.
Hikaru hopes so, as wrapping this up with a downer ending would be bullcrap even in mangas. When Light asks, Ryouko introduces the former Nadesico A crewmates.
*Radar blip!*
: Hey, look up there! The warship’s incoming!
: Full power to the Distortion Field. Have firefighting and medical teams on standby. All hands, brace for impact. 
: Y-Yes, ma’am!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weILhvn_FMQ
: Ah…! Hokuto, Ginga!!: Please respond, you two! Please!
: Th-that’s!!
: It’s the Dendoh! They’ve made it out!
l: Oh, yeah!
: Are you alright?!
: Yup – we’re all good, Camille!
: What about Vega, Hokuto…?!
: She’s safe with us. We saved her just as we promised we would!
: Really?
: Whew… goddamn…
: The kids are pretty awesome, huh?
: Yeesh, I was really worried there for a second. : Send the rescue team immediately – all troops remain on yellow alert and ready to deploy. Oh, and relay the news to GEAR HQ – they must be very worried.: Aye, aye!
GEAR’s already received our transmission and everyone’s mighty relieved to hear it.
That’s a very impressive victory for the Dendoh pilots and the Magnate Ten and Keisuke and Saioinji are very proud. It was only the strength of the kids’ hearts that made Orie’s rescue possible.
: Mom…!
: Hokuto…!: I’m… so happy you’re alright… so, so happy…!
: Forgive me, Hokuto… I’ve kept so many secrets from you…!: That doesn’t matter… you’re safe, so that’s good enough for me…
: …
: But, that guy… his hair was the same color as yours…: Yes… he did…: His eyes, too?: Yes… they were the same… *sniffles*: …!: Brother…aah…: (Mom…): I-I…
: I won’t let them get away with this…!: Ginga…
: I said it before, but I really, really mean it this time! You’re gonna pay for this, Gulfer! You huge idiots!!*Alarm!*
: ?!: Gulfer RoBeasts detected up above! They’re descending this way!: Damn, they’re chasing us?!
: Psh, the Dendoh lives… resilient cockroaches.
: That guy…! It's bigwig nº 2 - he was at the Spiral Castle!
: Mom, get to the Nadesico! We’ll take care of them!: Hokuto…
: We’ll be fine – hurry, please!: O-OK!: Deploy our troops immediately and intercept the enemy.
: Here they come… However, things won’t be as simple as before!
: !
: Our output jumped straight into the yellow! What just happened?!: Th-That’s…!: I dunno what the hell that guy’s up to but a Final Attack’s gonna wreck him good! Let’s get ‘im!
: OK! Unicorn Drive! INSTAAAAALL!!*Tweeeeeeeeeeep.*
: Here! We! GOOOOOOO!: N-no, wait! The Unicorn didn’t come out!: The hell are you talking about?! We got all our Data Weapons back up there!: I-I know that but—!: Fine, then I’ll do this! File Load: Leo Circle!!*Tweeeeeeeeeeep.*
: L-Leo?! You too?!: Heheheheh… It worked like a charm, I see.: Aqua, the Engine’s output is falling nonstop!
: I can’t bring it under control! Nothing’s working!: What’s going on here?!: It’s that thing! It’s an EM Interference Field – I’m sure of it!: ?!: That’s what that RoBeast unleashed just now and its waves are preventing the Data Weapons from taking form! While inside its boundaries, the necessary conversion signal is scrambled and, thus, they can’t take physical shape – not even as equipped weapons!
: B-But…!: Not only that, the field’s also affecting the energy conversion of the other units as well! At this rate, all troops beyond the Nadesico will run out of power and be left immobile!
: Wh-What do we do, then?!: I see only one solution… We must defeat that RoBeast!: Hahahahah! I wonder what’ll happen first: your units running out of energy or your bodies having the life wringed out of them. Either way, you might as well have both hands tied behind your backs inside my battlefield!
: Urgh, crap…! The Dendoh’s energy’s also falling!
: The longer this lasts, the greater our disadvantage will be…! : Still, we can’t simply run away from here.: Right on! We’ll just have to wreck them before we run out of juice!: Come, humans! This land will serve as your communal grave!
Despite what Ginga said, you can’t really take down Gurumei before you run out of energy simply because you lose 50% of your total at the start of every turn (turn 1 counts). So, by turn two, we’ll be running on fumes.
In hindsight, this mission would be perfect for the Aestis since they’re being constantly topped off by the Nadesico. I didn’t deploy them but the folks we have on hand have some good ammo/free attacks.
The Earth route version of this is easier since you have the Argama team with you from the start. The EVAs will also be immune to Gurumei’s trick if they’re plugged in while the Dragonars and Supers also have plenty of cheap, high-powered attacks (not the Gundam Fighters, though).
Make sure you only deploy folks that can move just fine on land because once your EN is 0, you can’t move while flying.
Machine General Giga Gurumei
Pilot Skills:
- Prevail L4
- Support Attack L2
What do you expect from a guy who looks like this? Gurumei is pretty much what the Gilgazamune was: big, beefy and packing a lot of punch. He’s got no MAPW but his stats are pretty good all around – don’t let him get a clean hit or it’ll hurt.
Thankfully, his strongest attack is pure point-blank range (it’s got a nice accuracy modifier, too), so he’ll almost always be limited to his less destructive weapon.
I wouldn’t have deployed an EN-hungry MS like the ZZ had I known of Gurumei’s incoming trick but I’ll play with the cards I picked.
This’ll likely be his only kill here.
Amuro doesn’t need EN for anything save for his melee attack, though.
The Garmraid’ll have problems, though. Fang Knuckle is his only free weapon but, at least, it’s still powerful enough.
Ah, well.
Enemy Phase!
Amuro gets jumped by the nearby RoBeasts, weakening a few of them. A basic Gulfer attacks Judau and gets blasted.
Player Phase!
Oh and there’s this too. The Dendoh is pretty much useless right now since, unlike other units, it simply STOPS when its EN runs out.
Deploying the Cellbooster wasn’t good face the fact that it can’t move unless it’s airborne BUT at least it can be used to extend the kids’ operational time once.
Won’t be happening again, though.
Let’s get as much use of it as we can.
Alright.
On the flip side, the Dijeh and its free weapons will be king here. Camille takes out the last basic Gulfer.
Keep going.
Daimoshaft only has two shots but this’ll serve us nicely.
Enemy Phase!
Oh, no, you didn’t.
And sharkbot gets oneshotted. The other ones get weakened by Amuro.
Player Phase!
Quattro’s not in range of Gurumei, so he slaps Error around some.
Amuro’s good, though.
Oh and Gurumei will always defend on your turn. Hugo also does a bit more damage.
Rom and Kazuya deal with the last two Faitas, while everyone else is on approach.
Enemy Phase!
Here we go.
Just need to squeeze out a bit more damage.
All other nearby Gulfer try engaging Amuro, only to whiff horribly.
Player Phase!
We wanna get him down to about 80%.
Take out whatever’s in the way, too.
Blah, you got lucky.
Knight Bug here figured he could attack the Nadesico but Camille quickly wore him down.
Didn’t even need to call for a support.
With Hugo’s help, Amuro brings Gurumei past the threshold.
*Alarm!*
: C-Captain! We’ve other objects on high-speed approach!: Do we have an ID?: It’s the Gyandolar!
: What?!
: Ahahahaha! What a fine mess you’ve found yourself in today, Rom Stoll!
: Deondra!: Damn it, as if this wasn’t bad enough already!: Exactly! We’re more than willing to put this opportunity to good use!
: Finding the Meteor Cube will be far easier if we can get rid of you right now…! You’ve all got a one-way ticket straight to Hell! GWAHAHAHA!: You impudent Gyandolar…!: Come now. We’re here to help you as old friends… how about some appreciation?: I owe you no such courtesy. Do not get in my way or you won’t live to regret it.: Hmph, I see your head’s as hard as the rest of your body. Fine… we’ll just go and do our thing, then.: Did you maggots hear that? It’s time to destroy Rom and his mooks!
: GADESSIR!!: Uuurgh…! This just keeps getting worse!: We… We just have to find a way – any way – to beat that RoBeast!
: Hokuto, Ginga… everyone…!*Alarm!*
: ?!: We’ve detected another object descending upon us!
: M-More enemies?!: No, wait! That’s…!
: Hrm?!: It can’t be…! : I-It’s?!
: …
: Brother!!
: The Ogre’s mask…!
: So that’s the true face of the Knight Ogre…!: Rrrgh…! You made it out as well, Altair?!: …: Perfect timing, Altair! Now this lot’s death is all but assured!: …I am no longer the Altair you knew.
: What did you say?!: I have been freed of the chains that bound me… 
: By the hands of Vega, the children of the Dendoh… and all of the Magnate Ten!: ?!: Behold! The true might of the Knight Ogre! Viper Drive! INSTAAALL!!
: Huh?!: Feel the weight of my attack, Gurumei!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_f9ul7nu5A
: Urk- GUOOOOOOOORGH!!
: Oh! The EM Interference Field disappeared!
: Our output’s coming back up!: Your field is no more, Gurumei…!: Y-You! Curse you, ALTAIIIIRR!!
: D-Did the Ogre just help us…?
: Looks like it…: A-Altair…
: What are you doing, Dendoh, Magnate Ten?! Now’s your chance to end them all!: Y-Yeah!: The… The two GEAR Fighters are back together…!: Urgh…!: Psh, him losing his field doesn’t mean you’ve turned the table on us!
: Hmph, is that a fact, Deondra?: What’s that supposed to mean?: It’s not just the Ogre that made it this way. Look over there!
: The Nahel Argama…! You also knew to come over, Bright?
: Hm. It was impossible not to detect the Gulfer warship’s descent.
: H-hey, check it out! The Ogre’s also here!
: He really is…!
: That’s the Ogre…? Hmm, it really is similar to the Dendoh.
: Doesn’t matter what it is. An enemy’s no more than a target to destroy.
: But… I think things are a bit different now.
: Can it be that he…?: We’ll explain the details later but, for short, the Ogre is on our side.
: Really?!: Yes.: The Knight Ogre… is on our side…? 
: Double GEARs – Double G… Wait, that was a year ago. (Check Alpha 2’s release date.)
: The hell are you on about?!
: …: Domon Kasshu… I presume you’ll find it hard to believe but I am now—: No, I understand even without hearing the particulars. You’ve regained your true self.: …!
: Launch all units – support the Nadesico team!
Knight Ogre (Altair)
Pilot Skills:
- Prevail L9
- Sword Cut L9
- Support Attack L2
- Counter L8
- Revenge
- Strike (10)
- Spirit (20)
- Alert (5)
- Fury (50)
- Valor (35)
- Mercy (5)
Altair’s joined the good guys’ team and he’s a monster of a pilot. You know how Domon kicks all sorts of ass? Altair has him beat in all stats.The lack of Hokuto’s Iron Wall means he’s not as hard to kill as the Dendoh but a maxed out Prevail and Sword cut (plus the Viper Whip’s Illusion Flash) will still make him quite resilient. Having Revenge and a high level Counter also means he’ll more often than not simply swat away any enemy that tries getting clever with him.
Do keep in mind that the Ogre’s not upgraded in the slightest, so be a bit careful around Gurumei. Still, he’s very good.
Our side mission today will be to start hoarding kills with Tetsuya. So, I set him and Kouji up ahead.
Asuka needs some exp, though.
Shinji and the others close in, just weakening stuff.
Let’s tear through these remaining Gulfer now.
Bam.
Oh and here’s something curious.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sv0Zkx1yM0
The Illusion Flash has gotten a new animation from when Altair was an enemy.
Enemy Phase!
Of course.
: Damn it, Altair! Your memories came back?!: My mask of lies was destroyed thanks to Vega and the children of the Dendoh!: He who stands before you now is a man who’s lost his homeworld to the Gulfer! Prepare yourself!
Ahaha!
Error falls to Ginga, Lock is weakened.
The Gyandolar really wanted to go along with my plan.
Tetsuya gets mobbed, taking two kills and weakening a bunch more.
Player Phase!
Another two kills from these side-by-side Zarios.
Let’s start dealing with Gurumei – though you ought to kill him last or the Gyandolar bail.
: The chains that bound Altair are no more! And having lost their GEAR, there will be no victory for the Gulfer!: Silence! Silence! I have but to bury all of you right now and that’ll be the end of it!: Then you will behold upon your battered bones the might of a man who’s recovered the light of truth; as well as the hammer blow of my wrath!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q10nmOfSkD0
: Face all that's happened, I’ll simply have to destroy you and the Ogre together!: Not happening, big guy!: We finally got my mom back safely – how could we just let you walk over us?!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxU_7YYsf2Y
Gravity Sword DIIIVEEEEEER!
Back on this side, Rain needs levels and Deondra needs killing.
Nice. That’s Renew (fully restores EN and ammo on target) and levels on Sword Cut, Shield Defense and Support Defense.
Halfway dead.
Enemy Phase!
Oh?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjX4s649lTg
“Don’t just sit there gawking, idiot!”
Tetsuya gets all the kills, wrecking so many of the Gyandolar that attack him.
Player Phase!
Now it’s just simple clean-up.
BUT I’M NUMBER ONE! *boom*
Deondra’s getting frustrated at Gades’ lack of help despite her faithful service. Why?
: Your secret weapon is gone! Just accept your loss with dignity!: The audacity of this mere human! Do not make light of Giga Gurumei’s power!: You still wanna go? Come on, then! My karate’ll make you tap out!!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN2M0jgSLYs
: I-Impossible! How could I be defeated?! And by these PUNY HUMAAAANS?!: M-My lord! GWAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!
: All signs of the enemy are gone!: Good. Bring our troops back in.: Hah… And now… I…
: H-hey, Hokuto! The Ogre!: Huh…?: Wh-What’s going on?! Brother!
: Oh, no! Linda, send a medical team over to the Ogre right now!
: Y-Yes, ma’am!Goodies today are: Martian Donburi, Image Sensor and Psycoframe.
Other convos we missed:
: Fool! You can spend eternity in Hell ruing the day you challenged Ashura!: Hm… I take it you’re done monologuing? Come on!--
: Your last ace in the hole, the Ogre, is on our side now! I can already see your defeat on the horizon!: Hmph… We weren’t in the same camp as the Gulfer’s guard captain to begin with!
: And now I’ll make you pay for underestimating the Gyandolar’s power!--
: While you might be a decent fighter, you’re still a pup! How can you prevail against someone who’s fought across the entire galaxy?!: Let’s put that to the test, then! I carry the burden of many others on my back while you only have your evil – we’ll see which comes out on top!--
: Leave kids like these loose and we’re gonna end up with more Roms down the road.: You’re the ones who can’t be left loose!: Yeah! And we’re not letting!--
: I’ve no idea what’s going on but if you’re turning on us, you die!: Silence, Gyandolar! You’re allied with the Gulfer, so you, too, will taste my blade!: Bring it on! I never liked you from day one!--
: You’ll now see the might of the nº1 ranked commander, kids!: Being the best in a group of bad guys is nothing to be proud of!
: And we’re taking away your crown and dunking you all the way to the bottom, Mr. nº1!--
: You are as foolish a man as the rest! What are you thinking, going against both us and the Gulfer?!: If you’re that strong, you could’ve had anything you wanted as captain of the Gulfer Imperial Guard!: You mean as a puppet bereft of his past, and I’ll have none of that life! I live according to my will and now I strike you down!--
: Your defeat is already sealed, Deondra! Begone off Earth, you and the Gulfer!: I don't know about the Gulfer but we still have plenty of business here.: So I'm afraid I'll have to insist YOU be the ones who take a hike!
: Brother…
: Vega… : Please… don’t try to speak…: Mom…: You… you are…?: Yes…: He’s Hokuto – my son…: …: And you’re… the other pilot of the Dendoh?: Yeah… Ginga Izumo…: These two children are the Dendoh’s chosen…: They are.: Earth… is a fine planet…: Yes, it is…: You deserve… happiness…
: Urk…!: Brother…!: Take the Ogre… It’s yours now… : Huh?: And defeat the Gulfer… their power is massive but I’m sure you can…: H-Hey now…!*Wiiiirrrrrrr.*
: …
: …: You too… Your new contract… is with them…: Rrgh…!: Brother!!
: Don’t worry, Orie… he just passed out.: But…: We won’t let him die… He also has much to do in this life. We’ll look after him at GEAR HQ, so you all go and do what must be done.: Yes…: …: …: Let’s go, Viper Whip…: We’ll wreck the Gulfer together, Bull Horn…: (Brother… we promise we’ll carry out your wish… So get some rest right now…)
Back at GEAR HQ, it’s time to play catch-up to events on the other path. As before, we’ll skip over this since we’ve seen everything play out. That said, here are some important/amusing bits:
- Judau and Camille quickly see the Psycommu similarities with the system that sent Gon Jem berserk. Having someone who didn’t undergo Cyber Newtype-style enhancements use such a system is asking for trouble, risking serious mental damage under the grievous burden. Shows to Quattro that the Giganos are past the point where they’ll be choosy with their methods.
- While we didn’t see it go down, Federation scouts have confirmed that it was Maillot who destroyed the Mass Driver. Linda figures he had his reasons and, moreover, doesn’t believe the rumors that he killed Guiltorre – he had too much faith in the guy’s beliefs. Quattro likes seeing not-Sayla have such faith in her brother. Still, Kaine doubts Maillot would go down that easy and figures we might run into him again as we keep on fighting the Giganos.
- Our people hear of the events at the Spiral Castle, with the Unicorn and Leo fusing into Kiba, the Beast Overlord. Maria wonders if all our regular four Data Weapons could fuse together into a Beast God but, no, Ginga says we’ve no elephant, cougar or eagle. What’s more surprising to Light is finding out someone with a body like Vega’s is the mother of a grade-schooler.
- Saburouta’s GEKIGANGER blood is boiling with news of the Getter’s new attack. Is it called GETTER FLARE or GETTER FIRE?! Hayato quips that he’s watched too much anime (par for the course for a Jovian) but Kirakuni says any normal man would be hyped over a cool new finishing move.
- Ginga, ever the fan of Gundam Fights, immediately recognizes Kyral the Grim Reaper and isn’t happy. This guy’s a coward who killed his opponents before the fights took place! Why is someone like him in our team?! Saburouta and Rain remind him that the guy also risked his life to fight the Devil Gundam and now is working to seek atonement.
Kyral says the kid’s outrage is just, having bloodied his hands and dirtied his soul until Domon made him realize the error of his ways. Thus, he vowed to dedicate his impure life to the well-being of the world; if Ginga can’t bring himself to forgive what Kyral’s done, then he’s more than welcome to punch him. At length, Ginga decides not to – he doesn’t punch unresisting opponents and, plus, Kyral doesn’t strike him as a bad guy now. He might not be able to forgive what the guy’s done but he does seem honest in his desire to atone, so they can fight together. Kyral needs to stop calling him “youngster”, though.
Seeing some G Gundam-style fist-based friendship and mutual understanding brings a manly tear to Saburouta and Kirakuni’s eyes. Harry isn’t feeling it, so they suggest he go spar with Domon or Kazuya: “A-Are you joking?! My body’d be turned to mush before I made sense of anything!”
- And at the end of the moon route:
Amuro’s also eyeing Elvy’s Vermilion at the hangar, pondering that it’s rather similar to the RahXephon. Well, yeah, it was built on the Bähbem Foundation’s research on the thing. Inwardly, Amuro revises his statement: the feeling he’s getting out of it’s not similar to the RahXephon per se but, rather, more to Dolems in general. Or maybe he’s imagining things.
Either way, Amuro’s heard news that we’ll be heading back to Nirai-Kanai after this – seems like Watari’s called us over some urgent matter. He doesn’t know what for but maybe it’s got something to do with what happened with the RahXephon in Mutropolis? Haruka and Misato say nothing’s wrong and that they simply didn’t allow the bot to sortie but Elvy is uncomfortable entrusting the fate of humanity to an unreliable weapon.
That’s assuming the RahXephon IS a weapon, Amuro posits. It and the Raideen have shown themselves to have something of a will and purpose of their own, related to the obvious connection between the two.
Elvy figures their purpose is to defend mankind and, in that case, why didn’t the thing deploy when it was needed? Amuro doesn’t know, wondering that the RahXephon may have other ideas beyond what we expect.
All the more reason to bury the thing and let Elvy and her Vermillion cover the gap, she thinks. Amuro knows her attitude doesn’t stem from pride or ambition but simply out of wariness regarding Ayato but the usage of the RahXephon is up to Kunugi, not us. Moreover, what’s also important here is that Ayato is risking his life of his own free will – she should respect that.
Elvy apologizes for being out of line and, with Amuro’s wishes to not get too worked up, leaves. Inwardly, though, Amuro understands her irritation: why did TERRA set the RahXephon and Ayato up to take part in battles?
And Rom won vote for who'll be getting maxed out, Asuka being stuck in second place (AGAIN!
), followed by a tie between Dendoh and God Gundam. We'll see how much bigger a monster we can turn the Vikungfu next mission.