Part 83: Mission 46 - Starlight Serenade - Part 2
Now this is much better, especially if you haven’t a lot of troops available. Kaine’s as reliable as ever and Maillot’s still excellent. Min… is there but can always help add some damage.
Most enemies are far away but Maillot is just in range.
Wrecked.
Quattro leads the charge of our outer units, being just as effective as his clone.
Enemy Phase!
Now here’s an annoyance: the Gilgazamune’s outside WILL chase you into the fortress. We’ll deal with them later.
Jovian mooks waste their time going after the Dragonars.
Some take more damage from Light’s bazooka.
Player Phase!
Hey, I can finally show off Min’s chainsaw!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cv09Iz02MqI
I’m gonna miss these mooks.
Following an assist from Kaine and Light, Amuro takes out a Daitetsujin and Daimajin. Camille, Hayato and Maillot leave this other one hanging by a thread.
Outside, I’ve parked Bright atop this HP/EN regen terrain. Some big mooks remained to hunt him down but, unfortunately for them, Bright is not trapped out here with them. They’re trapped out here with him!
With the Regen, the Argama’s pretty much invincible.
Enemy Phase!
Oh, I can show off a Jovian Rocket Punch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpLjuzGsCz8
A good thing is that these mechs don’t have the Boson Jump ability from W, so you needn’t worry about Strike.
Player Phase!
There goes the last Daitetsujin inside.
And Maillot pops the wall ahead.
More enemies! Maillot tells us to ignore them and hit the next bulkhead – our target is Dorchenov.
Another kill for Bright, just as three more start to come over.
Enemy Phase!
As Quattro gets pestered by our trailing Gilgazamunes (which he repays by taking some 8k HP from them), Judau is the main target for the stuff ahead.
Only the one Gilgazamune survives.
Player Phase!
Still on our merry way forward, this Gilgazamune has been appropriately flattened.
I’ve got a surprise waiting the other ones…
Enemy Phase!
And they play ball, happily funneling themselves up for us.
Player Phase!
I was going to leave you guys be but if you’re going to be like this…
Soul’d MAPW means whole lot of damage. After that, it’s clean-up: two for Light, one for Tap, one for Min.
These two corner ones were smarter, though.
Do a little bit of damage here.
Three Denjins downed by Bright, the Gilgazamune will soon follow.
Speed up a turn and we’re all clear.
Pop goes the door.
MORE enemies! The guys just don’t know when to quit but at least it tells Light that Dorchenov’s growing desperate. Kaine suggests the mooks bail before they get hurt.
KIIIIIILLLL!
Benkei can afford to cast a few Valors here and there. Quattro finishes the job while the piddly Gebais and Draus get reduced to the consistency of mush.
Fast forward a few more turns while everyone moves down this loooong corridor. We’re almost there!
: Urrgh! I’m surrounded by worthless maggots! This fortress is invincible and I’ve given no order to abandon it! What happened to your Giganos spirit?!
: What a joke! You’ve no right to talk of spirit!
: Hey, Kaine… way things are going, it’s gonna look like this is the Hawk’s show.
: I can see that, alright?! Shush!
: Hey, Dorchenov! You’ve nowhere to run so just throw in the towel already!
: Rrgh! Silence! SILENCE, I say! I have but to destroy you and I can make it through this!: God DAMN, you just don’t know when to quit, do ya?!
: Take responsibility for all your crimes and pay for them in the afterlife, Dorchenov!!
The MP Gilgazamunes will, of course, defend Dorchenov so taking them down will simplify things. Plus, by this point I consider it a matter of pride to stomp this mission into the ground for the crap it gave me as a baby SRW player.
Insert two turns of getting everyone into position, whereupon the mooks have already been destroyed. The Purus alone took out two with Valored Twin Funnels.
And now we can FINALLY end this long mission:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8GCjVOIciU
Took some taunting but I finally got the Gilgazamune’s cool MAPW on tape!
↑←↑ : I will not fall! I will NOT! I have but to crush you all and the Giganos will have a chance to turn this around!
: This conflict was brought to this point only because of this power-hungry man…! And I won't tolerate his overinflated ego!
: You’ve got some nerve to take Kaine’s mom hostage!: Silence! An ignorant soldier like you could never grasp my ideals!: It’s funny that you think I’d actually want to understand a crook like you!
: None can stand up to me now that my skill is paired with this Gilgazamune! You’ll fear me like a mighty demon!
: Hah, a “demon”, eh? Well, your lust for power is certainly inhuman. 
: Yeah. I think this guy might actually be worse than the Hundred Demons.: Why you little! How dare you insult me!
: Put up your dukes, Dorchenov! You’re going down and then we’ll bring this war to a full stop!
: Away, boy! So long as I draw breath, the United Giganos Empire is indestructible!
: Give it up, guy – you’re finished already!: QUIET, you! Anyone who dares oppose me will pay with their life!
: We, as the folks who took down Haman, have a responsibility to make the world a better place…!: Which means I’m taking you down, too! I do this for everyone who fought believing in a better tomorrow!--
: Space'll never know peace while men like you, who’d toy with the lives of others, are still around!: Silence! SILENCE! There will be peace once the Giganos rule the Earth Sphere!: I’m not about to let someone like you call the shots for Earth’s future!
: Blast you, Dragonar! You’re nothing but a plague on the Giganos!: Oi… I didn’t expect the big bad waiting for us at the end to be a petty guy like this.: SILENCE! I will not let it end here! Behold the spirit of a Giganos!: Fair warning, Dorchenov. I won’t be “beholding” your spirit… I’ll be taking it.
: One of Gon Jem’s men?! What are you doing with Plato?!
: Because I really don’t feel like having to call a pig like you “commandant”. : Shut your mouth, woman! I am the commandant of the United Giganos Epire!: Hah! If you’re gonna be dreaming, then you oughta fall sleep first! I can help with that, though you might be asleep for a real long time!
: In the past, man searched relentlessly to find out how humans ought to live in space. This search resulted in wars upon wars…: What?!: And although man lost much along that path, it also gained something.: You… You’re Quattro Bajeena of the AEUG! Zeon’s Red Comet!: I will not sit idly by and watch it be lost once again because of your egocentrism…!: A dreamer like you dares lecture me?! Whatever era we’re in, it is power that charts the course of humanity! And I’ll make you painfully aware of that!
: You must fall here and now, Dorchenov, lest you bring ruin to all of mankind!: To hell with you! Wasn’t it Guiltorre who first started this war to eliminate the vile Earthnoids?!: The Marshal only sought to push humanity into becoming a fitting people to the Universal Century…! Indeed, he wanted to bury vile men… vile men like you! : And, as such, I now take your head!!--
: You’ve got a whole lotta crap to pay for, Dorchenov, and I’m here to collect it all! : You insufferable brat! I’ll paint my sword with your blood!: You huge dumbass! Your end was already set the second we got here!: Hrm! Who in blazes do you think you are?!: I’ll tell you and you better remember! : We’re the cavalry – the dragon cavalry – and our job’s to skewer monsters like you!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UITDsfwD-jE
Maillot and Kaine have a combined attack and it’s sickeningly good: this is the THIRD strongest attack in the game (loses only to the FDS and another combined attack) but, and here’s the kicker, it requires only 110 morale and it costs 10 EN!
: Th-This can’t be happening! I… I can’t go like this…!: Begone from this world, Dorchenov, hand-in-hand with your ruined empire!: I… I won’t die yet! I will NOT!: Dorchenov…: I WILL NOT DIE! The Giganos Empire’ll endure if I’m alive and, someday, I’ll restore its glory!: Move! Move, Gilgazamune! We cannot let them leave here alive!*BOOOOM!*
: Soldiers of the United Giganos Empire. This fortress will soon collapse; leave here at once and surrender to the Federation. The late Marshal Guiltorre would not wish for you to throw your lives away meaninglessly…: Bear your noble Giganos spirit and live on with it.*The two surviving Daimajin retreat.
*: Kaine, we better go too. This fortress’ll be just a hunk of scrap in a bit.
: Yeah, crazy grandpa there is the only one who should go down with this place.
: Yeah! Bye, Dorchenov… Bye, Giganos Empire!: Dorchenov… let this fortress serve as your tombstone…!*Everyone bails.*
: No, NO! I will not die yet! I WILL NOT! So long as I live, the United Empire continues!: Yes, that’s right! The empire is eternal! Immortal! Brave soldiers, our empire is eternal!: Indeed! The United Giganos Empire will forge ever forward alongside you brave, resolute men and women! It'll claim the greatness and victory it deserves—*BOOOOM!*
: GLORY TO THE GIGANOS EMPIIIIIREEEEEEEEEEEE!!
Items earned today were a Solar Sail, Martian Donburi and Biosensor.
And here are a couple of convos I missed:
: Urgh…! Why the hell did you guys come back here?! Don’t make me shoot you down… Stay away!!--
: Kaine! Please, stop!
: Linda?! She’s aboard the D-3?!
: She is, Kaine! So stop – don’t do anything that’d make her sad!: But I…: We know! Which is why I’m going to wade my way through you and into that fortress!
: (Hold on, Kaine… We swear we’ll save your mother…!): Goddamn it! You better dodge this, Light!
: Hey, guys! I’m back!
: Kaine!
: You really got us all on pins and needles, you ass!: Ouch…! You know, you could stand to make this welcome a bit more welcoming!
: Still, thank goodness everyone made it back OK – both you and your mother.: Heheh… I really gotta apologize to you guys. You went through a tough bit because of us…
: Thank you so much for everyone’s help. We are both incredibly grateful.: Mom…: Kaine… you’re no longer the boy I knew…: Huh?: You’re a fully-fledged man already – one who’s ready to find his own path in life.
: Maybe but, mom… I…: I know what you’re going to say. : Everyone, I thank you all for helping Kaine throughout this whole ordeal… And while he’s got more than his share of rough edges, I hope you’ll keep on giving him a hand. : O-Oh, come on, mom! Now you’re embarrassing me!: Shush now. This is the last thing I’m doing for you as your mother.: Mom…: As an avowed neutral person in this war, I couldn’t bring myself to support one side or the other… But, Kaine, if you believe this to be the right path, then keep with it.: I… I’m not taking part in this ‘cause I like fighting… but I’ve come this far, so I wanna see for myself what’s waiting beyond all this mess…: Besides, a whole lot of my friends are here.: Kaine…: Look at him, being all sensitive.: Go on, Kaine. And know that I’ll always be waiting for you to come home.: Thanks, mom…
: Heh… Wow, even I’m getting a bit teary eyed from this…: Yeah, nothing beats family…: But that’s not the only family reunion going on…
: Brother…
: …Goodbye, Linda.: Please, wait! The Giganos are finished! Our family doesn’t need to be separated anymore!: …*Someone walks over.
: Hold on, Maillot…: Kaine Wakaba… I’ve a great debt of gratitude to you.: Chill, man. I was just helping out Linda’s brother, not the Blue Hawk.: …Take care of her for me.: Are you really gonna take off…?: …: Brother!: Oi, wait up! You’re my future brother-in-law, so you know how bad I’m gonna look if I let you leave like this? Come on, let’s just wipe the slate clean and start over…
: I am content, Kaine Wakaba. My soul is awash with a sense of fulfillment… like all of my cares have melted away.: Then, why?!: Brother… our father was also worried sick. At least go see him a bit…: I’m sorry, Linda. Relay my apologies to him as well, please.*Someone else walks over!*
: About that…
: It’d be best if you told him yourself.
: …: Father…!
: Father…: It’s been a very long time, Maillot.: …: So, you still don’t understand… I suppose I expected that.: My will has not changed since then. I cannot condone your actions.: I figured you’d say that… I still remain a traitor to the Giganos in your eyes, so I suppose it’d be odd for to me lecture you as your father…: …: Heh… That said, I still do not feel the need to apologize for what I did. I stayed true to my beliefs, just as you did by devoting yourself to Guiltorre… Ultimately, we simply took different paths in life.: …: But you are still young. You must help shape Earth’s future with your own hands.: My role ended with the empire. There is no place for a man like me.: … The Giganos’ Blue Hawk died today, but the man Maillot Plato shouldn’t share in his end just yet.: You would have me live in shame…?: Whether you’ll see it as something shameful or not is your own decision. But our group has need of someone of your strength.
: The Earth Sphere will still be gripped in chaos, so we’d like to ask for you and your comrades to lend us a hand in bringing the quickest end possible to this conflict.: Considering the Giganos’ military ranks have been dissolved, there should be no problem in you coming along.: …: …: Every person has a part to play. Sometimes, the circumstances around us may also demand that we play a certain part. What we ask of you today is that you bear your noble spirit in the defense of the people.: Lt. Quattro Bajeena… Rather, I ask you this as the Red Comet: will the day come where you’ll have to play the part said circumstances assigned you?: …: Lt…: I’d like to hear your thoughts.: … I cannot answer you right now. Still, should that day come, I intend to make sure I do not go down the wrong path.: …I see. I apologize for my rude question.: It is no problem, Captain.: If you’re now naming yourself Quattro Bajeena, then I suppose I should also abandon the title of Blue Hawk.: But the Giganos spirit still lives within me… and I shall wield the strength it gives me not for the Federation but for the future of Mother Earth.: Oh, Maillot…
: Captain…!: But I will not impose this choice upon my subordinates. I ask only that you assure their safety.
: What are you talking about, Captain?!
: We are the Practice Squad… and we’ll be at your side wherever you go!: Seems like everything’s settled, then.: Lts. Quattro Bajeena and Amuro Ray… I would be happy to join you in battle.: I say the same. And I’m eager to see what you’ll do as part of the team.: Hmhmm…
: Brother…: Here’s to the battles ahead, Kaine Wakaba.: Y-Yeah, man! Welcome aboard!: (…Does this mean he’ll always be close by now? I know I said all that because Linda was right there but… Oof, it’s gonna be tough…)
: Well, hey, I guess the groupies are gonna be our buddies starting today.: Hey, boy! We’re the Practice Squad!
: And while we’ve agreed to cooperate with you, that does not give you the right to take that casual tone with us.
: Where are you dummies getting that attitude from?
: She’s right. You’re way too puffed up for guys who lost to us time and again.: Y-You don’t mean…! These girls are…?!
: Yep. Puru and Puru Two and fully-fledged pilots of the Magnate Ten.
: Which means you guys got your butts kicked by these kids a whole lot. 
: I-Inconceivable…!
: It’s true! And if you guys’re with the program now, you can start sweeping the hangar like good newbies.
: And no complaining. You guys are our mooks now.: Uh-huh… Then I guess you’ll have to also have to teach me how to be a good mook.
: Erm…! Th-That’s!: What’s the matter, boys? Come on – try some of that sass on me. I may not look like it but I’m pretty strong. I can handle whatever, from sweeping to laundry duty.: (“May not look like it”… yeah, right.)
: S-Sorry! We went a bit overboard!: So long as that’s clear, we’re all good. And I guess we’ll be working together from here on out. Good to meet ya.: That said, I’m a bit thirsty now… Go fetch me something to drink, why don’t you?: Right away, ma’am!: Hoo, boy. Those two broke down in a hurry.: Lt. Min… Um… Many thanks.: You three better put on your big boy pants. If you say you’ve got that “Giganos spirit”, then you gotta stand firm. 
: Yes, ma’am! Roger that!: Yeesh… some nice folks joining the crew, huh?: Yup… It’s said “the more, the merrier”, but the Magnate Ten’s approach may be taking it too far now…: Naah. We’ve got friends and old enemies banding together to help Earth – that’s 100% a good thing.: Right. The Giganos and their leader lost touch with their hearts and that led to their defeat… But it is the bonds shared between one another that gives people strength. : That’s something none of us should ever forget – it’s what helped us fight to this day.: (The peoples’ hearts and their bonds… that is the source of the Magnate Ten’s strength – the strength that’ll defend Earth?): (Your Excellency, Marshal Guiltorre… Though the Giganos Empire was undone today, its spirit lives on within us.): (And I, Maillot Plato, want to ponder the essence of your ideals once more, now as part of the Magnate Ten… For the future of beautiful Earth.)
Plato and Douglas will be taking off with Ben towards the Space Corps’ HQ. They’ll also be keeping Mrs. Wakaba under their protection until the conflict’s over. Again, Ms. not Mrs. – she is thankful, nevertheless. Bright thanks Plato for his support but the professor says this victory was due to our unwavering will, courage and faith in our comrades. Furthermore, Plato’s also coming out of this having recovered something irreplaceable.
Douglas tells Bright that the Giganos’ defeat has sent some ripples down on Earth as well – there’s some activity going on. Bright’s worried about the team that went to NERV but right now the Nahel Argama needs to rendezvous with the lunar group.
Ms. Wakaba asks Bright to take care of Kaine but he laughs that it’ll be he who’ll be depending on Kaine’s support. As for Plato, he muses that the Earth Sphere’s future is currently caught amid the chaotic tides all around – it’s up to us to see it preserved.
And Grashbar had a laugh at Dorchenov:
