Part 57: Mission 24 - A wakening
And we’re back, having saved Ranka from being kidnapped by the Vajra and/or chopped into sashimi by Tobikage. Alto and Setsuna are deploying as solo event units today (oh, boy, someone hold me!). Allelujah’s a squad event deploy, so here’s how we’re going:
Fei-Yen/Lockon
Shinn/Klan
Sun Quan/Shangxiang
Dancouga/Canaria
Mazinkaiser/Soubi
Michel/Kenji
Ozma/Luca
Mamoru/Sakura
Cao Cao/Moritsugu
Liu Bei/Rennie
Yamashita/Luna
Joe/Saya
Shou/Marvel
Aesap/Tsubasa
Kurou/Deceive
Heroman (I gave him a bunch of All Attacks and Continuous Action)
Kouichi/Eida
Kazuki/Allelujah
Arnie/Guan Yu
Tactician: Zhuge Liang
Let’s get going before the prospect of a Frontier x Trailblazer mission bores me into a coma.
Sumeragi’s put in a call to Billy in hopes he could shed light on whether music really could beckon the Vajra, but he can’t tell her much on that front. Vajra samples have yet to be presented to him or his research team to study.
Billy does point out that song, being produced by simple voice, wouldn’t carry through the vacuum of space. But, on the other hand, Richard and Scarlet argue that the Vajra clearly reacted to Fei-Yen, Sheryl and Ranka’s songs – both in the last battle and the one by the PLANTs.
A woman speaks up right then, saying their current research subject may be a similar case to ours. Who is she?
When Soushi asks, Mina confirms that they’ve confirmed what caused it: and as we hypothesized, the fragments of the downed Europa are to blame. Or, better put, this metal that had latched on to the fragments is the cause – once those fell to Earth, the metal split off from the fragments and started doing stuff on its own. Wait, “metal” was doing stuff?
It could well be the alien lifeform Hino told Allelujah about and Mina’s team decided to christen it Extraterrestrial Living-metal Shape-shifter – ELS, for short. From what they’ve uncovered, the ELS are prone to hijacking any piece of machinery they come in touch with; whereas, if they come in touch with a human, they’ll straight-up fuse with him. That explains that soldier Soma and Allelujah saw turning metallic.
Finally, there’s one other thing: they’ve established that the ELS are drawn to humans emitting Quantum Brainwaves, which is why all that stuff back at Moldova went after Soma and Allelujah. What all this amounts to is that we’ve a new problem in our hands, and Richard’s very annoyed. But Billy sees what Mina’s getting at: just as the ELS are drawn to Quantum Brainwaves, perhaps the girls’ songs have some sort of property that draws the Vajra? Hmm…
Cut to Howard’s office, Mishima knows what’s up. The results of their analyses have come in and, apparently, Sheryl’s voice gives off faint Fold Waves. These waves are primarily used as a medium for interstellar communication; ergo, Sheryl’s voice reaches out to the Vajra back in their universe, and calls them over via the same process used in Fold Transmissions.
Mishima posits the mastermind behind it all to be Grace O’Connor, Sheryl’s manager – or, rather, Col. Grace O’Connor, agent of the Galaxy Fleet. Sounds to Howard that they’ve amassed enough evidence and he wants them both arrested… but Mishima speaks against it.
Consider: those two have the means to control the Vajra, creatures wholly inimical to mankind. If they play their cards right and get their hands on that, think of what the Frontier Fleet could accomplish!
Howard’s not looking too keen on that plan, but Mishima isn’t done yet. If you remember, the Galaxy’s Fleet now finds itself in quite a difficult spot… which, on the flip side, makes this a prime opportunity for the Frontier, no? It starts to dawn on Howard that his right-hand-man is evil, but Mishima is too busy snickering to notice.
: What a mess… half the equipment set up for the show’s totally unusable…
: … Sheryl, I need a word.: What’s gotten you so serious…?: It’s about you and the Vajra.: It’s looking to me that they’re being drawn by your singing. This wasn’t a one-time thing either, so I really don’t think it’s all just a freak coincidence. : …: So I’d like you to tell me the truth! Are you, or are you not, a spy for the Galaxy Fleet?: …: But I… I also want you to know that, regardless of your answer, it won’t change what I said before.: You’re not alone anymore. Isn’t that right, Sheryl?: …: Alto, I—
: That was quite the touching speech, Sir UX pilot.: You’re…!: Also, you people can stop hiding. Come closer, if you would.
: Psh, she caught on to us. : Captain… plus Maj. Richard and his team… What’re you doing here?
: Well, we need to chat with the Galaxy’s cyborg lady there. : Cyborg…?: Hmhm, what a mean thing to say. Are you suggesting those who’ve received mechanical Implants aren’t human anymore?: A rather odd opinion, if you ask me, especially considering your team has plenty of people like me.
: …: Regardless, what will you be doing now? Are you going to arrest me and Sheryl?
: No, Col. Grace. We’re actually here to inform you that the Frontier Fleet’s cleared you two of all suspicions of espionage.: What…?: Hmhmhm, I see… I suppose there’d be no point in accusing us of anything if the Galaxy Fleet’s wiped out, yes?: What’d you mean by that…?: You should hear this as well, Sheryl. A message arrived four hours ago saying that our home, the Galaxy Fleet, was under attack by a horde of Vajra.: The Galaxy’s…!: Then your Fleet’s in this world too…?!: The Galaxy sent an SOS to Earth’s Federation Government, but, as of right now, both them and the Frontier government are ignoring the call for help.: Is that true?!
: From what we’ve seen, neither government is willing to save them and risk beckoning even more Vajra to the Earth Sphere. : In other words, both are looking out for themselves. : Damn…!: Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?!: Because there’s nothing we can do! The Galaxy Fleet’s by the Jupiter Sphere!: They’re too far away and hanging by a thread. Besides, do you honestly think the people here would help those they suspect of spying on them?!: …: How much does the UX charge for a mission?: What…?: Tell me already! Everyone knows you as the heroes who saved Earth, but you’re still a mercenary crew, right?! : True. Scumbags who take lives for a paycheck – that’s us. : Maj. Richard…: That being said, even scumbags like us have beliefs. We’ve our own burdens to shoulder.: It’s in light of that burden that we put a price tag on life. And life isn’t cheap. : Who do you think I am, hm? Here, take this!*Throw!*
: This card is…!
SRW UX - Rebellion Against Fate: That account has all the money I’ve earned during my career as a singer…: And if that’s still not enough, then I can sign off all my future royalties to you, too.: Sheryl, you…: Well, isn’t that something? The Galactic Fairy’s looking to moonlight as a Goddess of Battle. : Alright, alright… you’ve got yourself a deal!: Alto… this is who I am. My love for song, my wish to help the people from my home, they’re all real.: I understand, Sheryl.: Wait here, and I promise we’ll save your home and everyone who lives there!: No time to waste, then. We’re moving out to rescue the Galaxy Fleet’s refugee ships – effective immediately. : I trust we can count on the SMS to assist, Maj. Ozma?
: Absolutely.: The mission’s codename will be… “Galactic Fairy”!
Mission 24 – A wakening
: Ship damage has just exceeded 70%! We can’t take more of this…!
: Gch, is this the end for us…? We’re to rot away in an alien universe, failing all those who we swore to protect…?*Alarm!*
: We’re detecting a De-Fold signature right nearby! : It’s… the Macross Quarter, from the Frontier Fleet!: The Frontier?!
SRW UX - Rebellion Against Fate
: No abnormalities detected throughout the Quarter!: The Elshank and Ptolemaios have also De-Folded without any issues!
: We’re pinging the Galaxy’s refugee fleet dead ahead!: The ships have suffered heavy damage, but it seems their propulsion is still operational!
: Lam, get in touch and tell that we’re here to cover them!
: Yes, sir!: Ready all gun batteries! Clear a path for them to escape!
: W-We’re saved! The people of the Galaxy Fleet are forever indebted to the Frontier!
: All refugee ships have left the sector. They appear to be getting ready to Fold away!: All that’s left, then, is trashing the Vajra flocking around here!
: Deploy all mobile squadrons!
: Try to not do anything that’ll get you shot down again, Michel.
: That goes without saying! Just wait and I’ll show you what I can do with my new Tornado Pack!
: (Sheryl… I will keep my promise to you!)*Whoooommm.
: …!
: (This sensation is…!): (Do we have more than just the Vajra approaching…?): Vajra… Once again we must contend with their transgressions. 
: My friends, there is our final line of defense. Do not allow the Vajra anywhere close to it!
Time for round two: kill all Vajra, without losing any ship, Alto, Setsuna or Allelujah, and without letting them reach the eastern corner of the map. If they do, they’ll blast the Galaxy refugee ships and that’ll be game over.
Same strategy as the previous mission applies, only you also have the big Vajra ships hanging back – they’ll prioritize attacking over moving (watch out for their directional MAPWs), though, so take out the little guys first and then move in to deal with the rest.
Make sure you save resources, though, because that’s hardly the end of it.
And, like he said, Michel now has a Tornado Pack on his Valkyrie which boosts everything important, while also giving him the Beam Cannons attack.
SRW UX - Future-Bound Fighting Spirit
SRW UX - Life Goes On
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfLFjyKB07k
Forgot to show off the DK for this attack, so here it is!
This might’ve been a problem, if not for the fact that Sakura had debuffed this thing’s accuracy into oblivion.
Not that it helps Shizuna, but whatever.
SRW UX - Tales of Mirisha ~ The Brave Legend
SRW UX - Roulette
And that’s all of the things.
: No more enemies on radar! All Vajra have been brought down!: I’ve kept my promise, Sheryl…*Whooomm.*
: !: Keep your eyes open! Something’s coming!: Huh…?!
: Wh-What are those things?!
: They’re… masses of metal?*Whooomm.*
: ! They’re coming our way! Allelujah, intercept!
: Just what are they doing…?!
: Setsuna, you think these are what you sensed?!: I don’t know, but I think they’re…
: …*Whooomm.*
: (Hrk… what am I feeling..?! Is it coming from them?!
: We’ve a data match! Those hostile chunks of metal are made of the same substance found latched to the Europa fragments!
: Meaning these are the ELS?!
: B-But what’re they doing here?!
: Save your whining for later! The refugee ships are still nearby and we can’t let the ELS get to them!: All units, intercept and destroy all targets!
: R-Roger!in
You guys up for another gimmick enemy faction? That’s good, because the Festum aren’t the only ones: the ELS are rather frail and don’t hit too hard, but there’s a ton of them and their best trick is Fuse. It comes in L1 and L2 flavors, with these guys only having the former, and every time any of their attacks connects, you lose 10/20% of your max EN. If EN reaches 0, the ELS will fuse with the target – i.e., it’ll be shot down.
On the good side, they don’t get a full recharge like the Festum do; on the bad side, lost EN isn’t as easy to offset as lost morale. As always: you’ll want either your dodgy guys or those with reliable barriers to take point. Pay special attention to your EN hogs, as chugging fuel will work against you if that unit’s tank specced.
SRW UX - Envoy from Jupiter
: Hrgh… The ELS are responding to my Quantum Brainwaves?!: Is that just part of their nature? Or maybe…!
SRW UX - My Fate
: I hear it, Aesap… I hear the voice of life! The ELS are saying something!: A voice? Do you mean the ELS are giving out some sort of signal?!
SRW UX - Tales of Mirisha ~ The Brave Legend
: Hrm… Something’s ripping through my mind…: B-But this pain is nothing… We swore a vow to protect the powerless! You will not take even another step towards the refugee fleet! I won’t allow it!
SRW UX - Lion: I don’t give a damn what I need to fight next! I made a promise to her to keep those people safe and I intend to do just that!
SRW UX - A Bird’s Song
: The things are bumrushing us…!
: Keep your heads on a swivel! They’ll fuse with the Dancouga if we allow them to make contact!
: They have to learn that ladies don’t appreciate that kind of domineering approach!
: And if you won’t stop, then we’ll have to get a bit rough and make you stop!
SRW UX - Linebarrel
: Jeez… you don’t even wait a second before attacking, do you?!: Those bits that clung to the Europa already made a huge mess back on Earth – no way I’m letting your bunch make it there too!
SRW UX - Deus Machina 
: I feel not the presence of magical energies, so these do not appear to be evil spirits or familiars… That being said, what is this odd sensation…?!
: Tch, whatever! Lemme at these metalheads and I’ll dunk them straight into a blast furnace!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSzYV1auW3A
Aaay, I finally got the ELS to connect with their attack!
And when you kill enough stuff, the plot kicks in.
: Tsk, they just keep on coming!*Whoooommm.*
: ?!: H-Hey, Shou! I think those ELS—
: Not now, Cham! Shush!: Bah, would it kill you to just listen for a second?!: Everyone get back! I’ll take them all out with the Raiser Sword!*Setsuna moves right towards the new bunch.*
: Trans-AM! Rai—: …
: Grgh!: Th-The ELS is fusing with the 00!
: They’re being drawn by Setsuna’s strong Quantum Brainwaves!: Urk! Gch… Gwaaaaaaaargh!: Setsuna!: Get off him!
: A-Alto?!
: Get away, Alto! They’re coming for me, and you’ll be caught right in the middle…!: Are you kidding me?! I’m not about to sit back and watch a teammate get destroyed right under my nose!: Alto…!
Location: Celestial Being Vessel – Command Center
: The UX and the ELS are fighting by the Jupiter Sphere…?!
: Yes, ma’am. However, the ELS are pushing them back – things are looking poorly.
: Well, they’re kinda like heroes of the Federation now, so how about we go and bail them out?: Do you have any idea how far the Jupiter Sphere is from us, you dunce?*Alarm!*
: Hm?! What’s going on?!
: An unidentified unit just launched from one of the ship’s sealed-off sections!: Unidentified?! Bring it up on screen!*Beep.*
: That mech is…!: Come in, pilot of the unknown unit! State your name and affiliation! If you fail to comply we—: Nah, lemme handle it! The resident Super Ace’ll get out there and tie that sucker—*Power up! And flash!*
: I-It disappeared?!: What was that light…?!: The unknown unit’s signal has vanished from our radars!: (That light was just like that when a Fold is executed… Wait, did it…?!): Run a check across all sealed-off sections of the ship and tally the supplies stored in there!: Specifically, give me the status on blocks F35 to 40! That’s where the confidential supplies we got from the Frontier Fleet are!: Y-Yes, ma’am!*Beep.*
: I-It’s…! The item stored in block F38’s been stolen!: I knew it…!: Commander, F38 means…: Hm. A weapon module capable of unassisted Fold jumps…: He took the Fold Booster!: “Fold Booster”?! Then you think that unknown mech was headed…!
: Gaaaah…!: R-Rrrgh…!: Fusion rate across both units is over 60%! Any more than and they’ll be in serious danger!: Troops, can anyone break through the ELS lines and reach them?!
: And how d’ya expect us to “break through” that swarm…?!: U-Uwaaaah!: Alto…!
: I-It’s...!
SRW UX - Envoy from Jupiter
: ...: A Gundam...!
: Tieria Erde, Raphael Gundam, destroying the targets!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJHUMFp5Wgo
: Ms. Noriega, that unit is...!
: Yes… He’s here!*Tieria moves in towards Alto and Setsuna.
: Are you two alright?: Y-Yeah…: Tieria, why are you here…?: I’ll explain later. First we need to make it out of this!: Sumeragi Lee Noriega, standing by for orders.: Aye, aye. The Raphael’s attack has broken the ELS’ mob apart, so now we capitalize on it! Make sure you take out every single one of them!: Setsuna F. Seiei, acknowledged!: I’ll pay you back twice over for what you did to us, ELS!
Raphael Gundam (Tieria Erde)
Pilot Skills:
Innovade (イノベイド) – Activates at 130 morale. Accuracy and Evasion increase as morale does.
Support Attack L1
Support Defense L2
Guard
All Attack L1
Spirit Commands:
Invincible
Strike
Fury/Direct Hit
Iron Wall
Mech Features:
Gun
GN Field
GN Drive [T] MD
Trans-AM
Squad Bonus: Armor +100, HP +500 (Armor +150, HP +1000, Ranged weapons’ attack +150)
Tieria’s voice actor: Hiroshi Kamiya
Tieria’s usually meant as a tank-and-spank kind of pilot, but the Raphael has surprisingly good mobility and Tieria’s Innovade skill provides a nice evasion boost (and he’s already a good pilot on his own). It’s the 2nd hardest hitting CB Gundam (losing only to Setsuna, of course) and packs some very nice range. It even has a MAPW that hits 1-8 in two straight lines up front.
On the flip side, the Raphael REALLY likes to drink EN, which makes it the most dangerous Gundam to pit against the ELS. If you wanna make full use of him, you’ll likely want to give him E-Save – if you want him to lead, add in a squaddie with a resupply module.
The high cost usually pushes me away since I don’t care enough to use him as a main unit, but I reckon he’s solid enough as a squaddie too. If you wind up with free deployment space and want him to lead, pairing him up with Yamashita or, better yet, Canaria could probably work well.
Carrying on now!
SRW UX - Envoy from Jupiter
: ELS approaching! ELS approaching!: Well, we can’t have ‘em close in on us, right? Only one thing to do now… and that’s sniping the target before it comes to that!
: Sniping the target! Sniping the target!
SRW UX - Love 14 ver. HD (Vocal)
: What kind of sound is this…? It’s just a garbled mess! I can’t make any sense of it!
SRW UX - Dunbine Flies: It’s that voice again… The same voice I heard back at the Federation base!: A voice…? What’re you talking about, Cham?! I don’t hear anything!
SRW UX - Life Goes On
: I’ve no idea what any of you are up to, but if you’re going around hurting people then you’ll answer to me!
SRW UX - Love Survivor: The Boom, the Skrugg, Vajra and, now, these ELS?!: What the frick is happening to the Earth Sphere over these last months?! Did the place get cursed or something?!
SRW UX - Shangri-La
: Why are these – and the Festum, for that matter – attacking us humans for?!
: Stay on your toes, Kazuki! There’re still many unknowns regarding the ELS, so try your best to play it safe!
SRW UX - Envoy from Jupiter: Argh… It’s happening again…!
: They’re being drawn to Marie’s Quantum Brainwaves…! Hallelujah!
: I’m on it! These tin-cans ain’t getting even one finger on her!
SRW UX - Envoy from Jupiter: To promote dialogue with alien species is the final objective of the Celestial Being…: But, at this moment, I’ve no choice but to take hostile action! As contradictory as it might be, I won’t think twice to do this if it’ll let me save them!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymhMq37Usmg
And let’s show off his best attack right away.
SRW UX - The Eternal Soldiers
: Hah, I dunno what’s up with these ELS, but I like ‘em already if they’re bringing this much game to the table!
: We’re handing out free gunshot wounds today. Step up and I’ll make sure all of you leave here with one…!
SRW UX - Future-Bound Fighting Spirit: The Europa also lost contact around Jupiter… Just what is going on in this planet?!: We can’t leave these things to roam free or they might reach Earth again! They’ve got to be stopped now!
: All ELS confirmed destroyed. No new targets on radar.: Stay frosty, people. Get ready to pull back as soon as we give the word.: Alto, I apologize for what happened there.: Ah? N-No, don’t mention it… I’m the one who jumped into that mess and I couldn’t do jack.: Really, I should be apologizing for getting in your way…: Listen, did you… feel something when you closed in with that swarm of ELS?: “Something”?: …: (ELS, the Extraterrestrial Living-metal Shape-shifter… Could it be that what I felt when I came into contact with them was…?)
Cut to the Frontier, Sheryl’s still coughing and not looking too good, but she tells Grace she’s fine. And what about the Galaxy? The ships we managed to rescue have successfully Folded to the Earth Sphere.
That’s a relief for Sheryl, but Grace sees problems on the horizon: it took a long while for the folks of this world to begin to accept the Frontier’s presence, and the Galaxy Fleet’s arrival will complicate things once more.
All the more reason why Sheryl needs to work even harder – she, and her song, will help this world welcome the Galaxy Fleet as well… that cough isn’t going to make it easy, though. He tries holding on, but quickly passes out, calling out to Alto.
Back to us, Aoi is appropriately amazed at the Raphael Gundam for blasting that group of ELS to kingdom come. We’ve got all four Gundam Meisters with us now, but Lux vividly remembers Lockon telling her Tieria died during a previous battle of theirs. Moritsugu and Soushi explain: the guy’s an Innovade, a manmade quasi-Innovator.
He’s an artificial human, or, better put, a terminal unit built by Veda – that, in turn, means his mind is backed-up inside the supercomputer. So long as that’s there, he can come back indefinitely, even if his body dies.
“Heh, now that’s sounds real handy. So you get a do-over on life as many times as you want? Where do I sign up?” Kaido laughs, only to get immediately shot down by Magami. “Heh... They’d be better off giving an actual monkey a ‘do-over’ on life than a moron like you.”
“Haw, haw, haw, we’ve got a comedian here, eh?! Just lemme get my hands on you, chuckles!” Kaido starts stomping over, and Scarlet suggests a worried Tsubasa to ignore the two idiots – the ELS are more important. Indeed, Sima Yi didn’t expect them to attack the way they did, and considering that the Europa was an exploration vessel sent to Jupiter, Luna and Shinn figure the aliens probably have something going on with the planet.
In any case, we’ll need to wait until the eggheads have a report on the things. That being said, Cham pokes Shou again about what she felt during battle. What was it?
Cut to the Ptolemaios, Setsuna has an answer: the ELS have a mind – or something akin to it – of their own, and he felt it when the things were trying to fuse with the 00. Lasse can’t imagine blobs of metal having minds, but Tieria remembers Aeolia Schenberg’s 200-year-old prophecy of humanity being met with visitors from outer-space. Thus, the guy established the Celestial Being, and created Veda and the Innovades to help unite mankind.
If the ELS are intelligent beings, then it could be that the hour of Aeolia’s foretold “future dialogue” is nigh. However, as Allelujah remembers, the “dialogue” step of Aeolia’s plan was supposed to take place AFTER humanity had left the confines of the Solar System. Sumeragi ponders how we already have the Frontier Fleet and several other visitors from other universes, so maybe we’re headed towards another future than the one he predicted way back when.
The fact that we may be diverging from Aeolia’s plan makes Tieria pensive, and Allelujah thinks back to what Hino said back at Moldova about “divergence of possibilities”; what if all the possibilities inherent to mankind have caused it to diverge into a new future? Setsuna, meanwhile, is worried about what the outcome of this “dialogue” could be.
In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the baddies are up to no good: Mitsuhiro congratulates Hester in being named Representative of the Army of Mankind. In truth, that spot was supposed to be filled by Hazard, so she can’t well celebrate this. Dog Tack is there as well, and Hester tells him she doubts Hazard’s the kind of man to let that be the end. Indeed, she believes he’ll make a comeback and rejoin them in their struggles.
Dog vows to serve her faithfully until that time arrives, and Hester has high hopes for the skilled aide. Now, time to go over what the Army of Mankind’ll be fielding: they’ve already got the Megatherion and Babylon, plus GN-Xs and Jinrais from the Federation Army. The new Special Mobile Troop is also expected to join in.
Dog hadn’t heard of that Troop, and Mitsuhiro tells that it’s a team put together by Prof. Novel Dylan, the creator the Riot Series and worldwide authority in particle physics. Now if only they could finish the new Salvator Model... that requires a Fafner Core, as Kariya notes, and Tatsumiya is the only place they’ll find one.
: ?! Are you going to attack the island?!
: It’s necessary to defend humanity, as I’m sure you’re aware.: Says the people who left my dad and the Moldova Base staff to die…!
: Sacrifices need to be made in order for the rest to be kept safe.: Didn’t you stain your hands with blood precisely because you’ve someone you wish to be safe?: …!: We’ve come too far to start having second thoughts……
: (Michio…): (Damn it, what am I doing? The reason I left the island was to…): (Yumiko…)
Location: Island of Tatsumiya – Forest
: Oh, what gives…? This is supposed to be a group bug-hunt, so why am I the only one who got lost…? (Seri): Aargh, moooom!
: Moooom!: Huh?! Wh-Who… Is someone there?: Hahah, “mom”. That’s my… first word… since being born…: W-Who are you…?: Heeheehee…
Time for Sumeragi and Richard to unlock their second tactician bonuses: +10% attack power during the player phase and 10% EN/MP regen to everyone, respectively. Very nice.
And, for those keeping track, the Fafner trio’s now up to 110 combined kills – only 40 left! Joey’s up to 56.