Part 121: Mission 49 - The End of the Invasion - Part 1
And we’re back, having understood to crap out of the ELS and jettisoning Trailblazer’s plot from the spotlight. But there’s still Frontier nonsense to deal with, as the baddies are making a beeline for the Vajra homeworld. More importantly, Hazard is there, and the blood debt must be repaid in full.
Joe’s deploying as an event units and we’ve 19 slots open, so here’s how we’re going:
Aesap/Sakomizu
Liu Bei/Pretender
Kurou/Deceive
Kazuki/Maya
Setsuna/Marvel (Zwarth)
Shou/Tsubasa
Mazinkaiser/Moritsugu
Alto/Fei-Yen
Shinn/Lunamaria
Lu Bu/Seri
Arnie/Saya
Cao Cao/Domyoji
Sakura/Mike
Dancouga/Eida
Heroman/Miu
Mamoru/Shouko
Kouichi/Kiki
Sun Quan/Rennie
Kira/Kenji
Tactician: Romina (set her in if you’re on track for the other Tobikage secret)
Off we go.
: We’ve multiple Vajra closing in, with even more headed for this sector! Our radars are reading three thousand bogeys!
: Homeworld or not, there’s a frightening number of them inhabiting this area.
: Psh, that means nothing now that we’ve our new weapon ready to go…!
: Mr. President, requesting permission to expend Island 1’s energy stock to broadcast the jamming code.
: Are you certain this will work? I’m not sure if it’s worth endangering Island 1’s populace… : Remember that we’re facing a foe that brought the mighty Galaxy Fleet to the brink of destruction. You must make a decision now, Mr. President.: …: Very well. Deploy the Fold Jamming device and begin the anti-Vajra operation! Engage hypnosis! 
: The Vajra have stopped moving?!: Troops, shift to Phase 2! Launch the Implant Munitions!
: Ooh, the Vajra are…!
: Fold Network connectivity at 93,5%!
: The Vajra are firing on each other…!
: The Fleet used their Fold Jamming device to block their intercommunications…: And with the Implant Munitions lodged into them, they now have full control over the creatures…: The Vajra have become living weapons in every sense of the word.: Hmhmhm… We’ve nothing more to fear from them!: Congratulations on your success, President Howard, Mr. Mishima.: We’re the ones who should be thanking you.: We would never have finished our control technology as fast as we did without your assistance.: Well, my research on Aura Battler development has given me much know-how regarding control of Direbeasts and equivalent. Plus, we have our Odyssite.: Reining the Vajra in was quite simple once we were capable of analyzing their Fold Wave communication protocols.: Mr. President, all we’ve left to do is rally our troops and descend upon the Vajra homeworld!: Yes, order all mobile units to return right away! We’re making landfall!: I’ll hang back and take care of things up here, then.: Give me a bit and I’ll have any Vajra we missed under our finger.: Very well, Commandant Hazard. Please do.
: …: That went swimmingly, if I do say so myself, Director.: Hmph, those Frontier morons can go and handle their pest control themselves.: What about Annex’s fleet? Have they made it here?: Yes, sir. They’ve already concluded their warp and are standing by at a neighboring sector.: Hmhmhm, good. Looks like everything’s in place for our final play.: Yes – it all comes down to these next steps.: Pay attention, Dog. You’re about to see the greatest fracas of my life!: BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
*Blast!*
: A-aargh…!
: Give up and I’ll put you down easy. You’re not winning this after being disconnected from the Implant Network.: Kch…! Who do you think helped you analyze those communication protocols…?!: And we’re very grateful for your help, Col. Grace Godunova. But our project doesn’t need any Weavers of the Wind.: …?!: The homeworld of the Vajra will be our new Frontier. : Farewell, Col. Grace!*Blast!*
: Hrk… Gaaaah!: I-I cannot die yet! Not here…!*Jump!*
: What…?!*Slash!*
: Gwaaaargh! I-Impossible…!*Dead.*
: Hahah… Don’t underestimate one of the Galaxy’s cyborgs…: Rrgh…!: (N-No… Just let me do one last thing before I go…!)
: The Vajra are fighting each other?! How’d that happen?!
: I suppose the Frontier’s finished analyzing their Fold Network. : With that knowledge in hand, they must’ve found a way to exert some sort of external control over the Vajra and compel them to fight…
: They can do stuff like that?!
: They can, yeah… with Shot’s technology on their side.
: Shot Weapon…?!
: That man dedicated himself to researching Byston Well’s Direbeasts and perfecting Aura Battlers.: I don’t doubt his technology to be capable of weaponizing the Vajra as well…: And we already know the Army of Mankind now has units that draw upon Aura Power.
: Jin and Ayul’s…!
: Then, you think it’s Shot Weapon that’s helping them with all that?: Yeah, I’m pretty sure it is.
: It makes sense now…: The Army of Mankind used those Machine Island escapees as a trial run for this.
: You don’t think they’re going to turn the Vajra into kamikaze weapons like those guys, right?!
: That’s awful… The Vajra feel just as much as we do…
: But I’d expect them to need a massive amount of Fold Quartz to control that many Vajra.: How did they ever manage this…?: …: Odyssite…!
: …?!: The Odyssite has similar properties to the Fold Quartz, so if they used that…!
: I suppose that’s the reason behind the Frontier Government’s alliance with the Army of Mankind.
: They get their Odyssite from the Army of Mankind, and use it to control the Vajra…
: Following that, they conquer the homeworld and gain even more resources…
: Seems that’s the basic outline of their entire plan.
: But that doesn’t tell us why The Boom Army left the Earth Sphere to come here.: I mean, I doubt the Frontier Fleet would ever work with those guys, even if Hazard did call them over.
: Hm, but I’m sure there’s a purpose there. What are you up to, Hazard Pasha…?
: Regardless, we’ve long-since established that the Vajra are sentient creatures, so this is nothing short of an invasion against another species.
: Not to mention that endangering all of the civilians at the Frontier Fleet is reckless to the extreme, and not something I’m willing to tolerate.
: Thus, we’re moving to descend unto the Vajra homeworld to stop the Frontier Government and the Army of Mankind’s rampage.
: And what’re we gonna do if we bump into those mind-controlled Vajra?: Well, that’s what you have us for, no?: Mine, Sheryl and Fei’s songs might just be able to hold the Vajra back…!
: You can count on me!
: Speaking of, we’ve installed a Super Pack in your YF-29 – it’ll help amplify the girls’ Fold Songs.
: A Super Pack?
: Right; it’s biggest feature is the Fold Wave Projector, which’ll really magnify the power of their music.
: Aha, so it’s kind of like that sonic weapon you made for Heroman back at Arkham.: Well, certainly, my efforts back then have paid off dividends.
: The memories of my mortal struggles have sublimated this buffoon’s invention into a secret weapon on a galactic scale.: OH, amazing! My genius truly knows no bounds!
: All you did was wail on that guitar, Doctor-robo!
: All in all, whether or not we can hold back the Vajra’ll depend on your skill, Alto.: I know. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure their songs get through.: Heehee, don’t disappoint us. Our show’s depending on you… *cough, cough*…: Sheryl…!: I-I’m okay. I need to get ready to sing… *cough*: *Cough, wheeze* R-Rgh…!*Faint.*
: Sheryl?!
: …: Sheryl, stay with us! Sheryl!
: I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see it…: Her V-Type Infection’s reaching its terminal stage…: Huh…?!
: Oi, what the hell?! I thought she’d gotten better with those meds from Tatsumiya!: …: Sheryl hasn’t been taking those.
: What? Why?!: Dr. Toumi did everything she could to make a medicine that would put as little strain as possible on her vocal chords…: But, despite that, there are still side effects.: Whenever she takes that medicine, her voice gets really hoarse…: That’s nuts! This is her life we’re talking about!: Then, what, would you have stopped her, Alto?!: …: We all know there’s no stopping someone who’s so determined to do something that she’d risk her own life for it!: …: And, Alto… it’s only because you’re here that she—: Okay, that's enough, Ranka…: Thank God, you’re awake!: Sheryl, I…: Sorry, I didn’t mean to force you to look after me…: … And much as it pains me to say it, I’ll need you to run today’s show by yourself.: Sheryl…: Hmhmhm, I don’t often do freebies like this, you know…: …: Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll sing enough for the two of us…!
: Ranka…: Thanks. Now, don’t worry about me – I haven’t given up on living yet, and I won’t for as long as my heart’s beating.
: Ditto. I ain’t throwing in the towel ‘til the fat lady sings.
: Joe…!
: Bro, you should be resting!
: I know we’re also workaholics, but we’re absolutely not sending you out there in that condition!
: …: I’m so close… Just a bit more and I’ll figure out the secret of that power…: And what if you end up losing your life getting that answer?: …
: You have realized it as well, have you not? That power is…: So, what?: Joe…!: Sorry, Princess, but this ain’t just about Planet Ladorio anymore…: And it ain’t about me being on my last legs, or how my odds to winning are zero…: He… Ylbora is waiting for me. So, I have to go…: Joe…
: You said you had to talk to me, Princess Romina?: …: It’s possible that Joe’s next battle will be his last.: …?!: Whatever the outcome may be, I intend to watch over him to the very end.: I consider that to be my duty as the one who brought him into this war to begin with.: …: So this is just about you feeling responsible?: … No, it’s not.: …: I… love him.: …!: Of course, I’m not about to confront you about that. This is hardly the time for it.: Still, listening to Joe back there… it helped me come to a decision.: …: If we do succeed at ending all these conflicts and bringing peace to the world…
SRW UX - Love Survivor: Then, I’ll challenge you in earnest – not as a princess, but as another woman.: Princess, you…: …: Heehee, you’ll challenge me, eh? That sounds pretty good.: Of course, that’s assuming Joe feels that way for both of us, right?: Hah, that is true…: I suppose we should both pray for that to be the case.: Thank you for being so frank with me, Princess Romina. I’m seeing things a lot clearer now.: Rennie…: I know what I must do… and, if anything, I’ll also make sure I’ve no regrets.: But, first things first, the two of us need to stay alive.: Absolutely…!
: Hrk…! A-Aargh… Haah, haah...
: You really are going to assault the UX again, aren’t you?: …: You may try to stop me, but I…: Hmph, that is far beneath me.: Go, I say. We’ll see for ourselves if you’ll emerge from this as a bundle of space dust or as the ninja of legend.: …*He leaves.*
: Ylbora went after them, hm?: Yes, sire. Though, in his condition, I doubt victory’s a possibility – at best, this will end in a draw. : Hmhmhm, that would be just fine. : Hm? But if that happens…: We still do not know what the truth behind the Ninja Legend is. Simply waiting for it to reveal itself to us is far too dangerous.: …: Then, the plan is for Joe Maya and Ylbora to beat each other into submission, and then we move in and claim the grand power in their units…?: That’s it, yes.: Now, on to other matters. Do we have the precise location for the Vajra homeworld?: No, not yet…: I’m certain we warped to the exact coordinates Hazard gave us, but that planet is also…: It’s not in any of our star charts, as was the case with Earth, hm?: Yes, sire…: …: (Planets that aren’t in our star charts, our missing Kylhasium, and the Ninja Legend…): (They all strike me as being related, but I cannot say how. This unease grows with each passing day…)
Mission 49 – The End of the Invasion
: All ships have successfully Folded to the Vajra homeworld’s sector!
: L-Look at all of them…!
: Fold Sound Stage is operational and standing by!
: Are you good to go, Ranka?
: Y-Yes! I’m ready!
: Okay, then deploy all mobile troops!
: Leave the fighting to us, Alto. You worry about making sure her song gets through to the buggers!: Rrk…!
: Are you alright, Joe?!: D-Don’t worry about me…! And keep your eyes open – he’s coming, I’m sure of it!: I can feel it in my bones, and in the Tobikage…!: Joe…: (You’ll be okay… Just put your heart in your song and the Vajra’ll understand!)
: Kishaaaaaaa!
: Aaaaah!
: Huh?! The Vajra…!
: What’s going on?! Didn’t the Vajra see Ranka as a friend?!*Alarm!*
: …! I’m reading Control Waves – powerful ones! They’re being broadcast from around the Vajra homeworld!
: I guess they expected us to try something like this.
: Blast that Army of Mankind! They are going to use the Vajra as shock troops?!
: Switch to mission plan D23!: We’re breaking through the Vajra’s ranks and into their planet’s atmosphere!
: But we’d have to attack the controlled Vajra to do that…
: No time for grumbling! What’dya think we came here for, eh?!
: Lt. Kaido…!
: If you’re not willing to fight, then you wait in the ships!: We can play the role of villains by ourselves!
: Heheh, you ain’t hogging this spotlight! : Jumping into the fray and ripping through the enemy’s just the way we like it!: The Army of Mankind’s at the planet’s surface, and there will be no freeing the Vajra until they’re stopped!: I understand that it’s difficult, but our priority must be getting through here and making landfall!
Destroy everyone, don’t lose Joe or a ship. Big and beefy Vajra everywhere, but we’ve dealt with this before – spread out your guys to force the enemy to do the same and take them down with appropriate tactics. And don’t forget that the Vajra ships all have frontal MAPWs!
We’ve more stuff incoming from the north, so send a bit more troops to that side while you’re going through the Vajra – make sure Joe’s one of those. Mind you, with his reduced morale and no SP, you’ll want to be very careful that he doesn’t get mobbed by the buggers (just have Demonbane close by so his high HP draws their attention).
SRW UX - The Eternal Soldiers
SRW UX - Tobikage Appears!: Gch… You’re stuck with me all the way to the finish line, Tobikage…: Or, better put, ‘other me’!
SRW UX - A Bird’s Song
And once you’ve brought the enemy under 14 squads…
*Tzeeeeeep.*
: I feel something. It’s…!
: The Vajra’s pain…!: They’re crying… They want to be free. We have to do something – fast!
: Waaaaaaah!
: Hrm…! Our starboard side’s been hit!: Give me a check on all damaged sections…! The Elshank cannot be sunk now!: Everyone’s fighting so hard to impart our hearts to the Vajra…: And here I am, completely useless when I’m needed the most…
: Pii!: Heheh, are you telling me to cheer up? Thanks…*Boom!*
: Aaiieee!: Th-There’s a crack in the wall—*SWOOOOOOOSH!*
: Piiiiiii!: Aaaaaaaaah!
: Hrm, they just keep coming! If this doesn’t stop, both we and the Vajra’ll…!*Tzeeeeeeep.*
: It’s all right… I’ll take care of it, Kazuki… SRW UX - Azure: Th-That voice…!
: The Festum’s Worm Spheres?! They live in this part of space too?!
: No, that’s…!
: …
: The Mark Nicht…?!: …: It’s you, isn’t it, Kurusu…?
: We meet again…
: Why are you here…?!: I wanted to deliver them from their pain. That’s why…: That’s why I came back!
: Kurusu…!: I… I understand, Kurusu! You don’t even have to say it – I can tell already…!: I can see the flicker of your life!: You’re alive! You are there now!: Yes, I am, Kazuki! I am… right here!: Folks, if he also wants to save the Vajra, then that makes us allies!: Work with him to drive back the Vajra and find us a way through!
: Aye, aye!
And, bam, that’s the last Fafner secret unlocked. Misao’s squad bonus is Accuracy +5, HP +500 (Accuracy +30, HP +1500, 35% Double Image, Spec Debuff Immunity), and his spirits are Analyze, Focus, Sense, Zeal, Courage. It even has Assimilate L3 but, of course, the Festum aren’t a problem anymore.
Misao, as a pilot, is pretty good overall, compounded by the fact that, like Koyo, he knows Mind Read L3 for that flat +50% boost to his evasion/accuracy numbers… but the problem is the Mark Nicht. First and foremost, it doesn’t get the Crossing System which, as said with the Zero Fafner, is a relevant demerit. However, the primary issue is that, as the theory goes, the devs kind of forgot to give it actual “player unit” stats on its weapons.
You know how boss weapons have lower firepower than ours to accommodate their inflated stats and our lower HP counts? Well, that’s the issue: the Mark Nicht has appallingly low attack power – its best attack is only 200 points stronger than the frickin’ Mark Elf’s (4000 x 4200). You can guess how well it measures up to our mainline guys.
Or maybe that’s just to signify how Misao doesn’t actually make very good use of the Nicht. When Soushi takes it up in Exodus, the thing pretty much becomes Fafner Mark Granzon.
SRW UX - Azure: So much pain is born as lives are lost… and I don’t want the Vajra to experience any more than they already have.: That’s why I decided to be here!
SRW UX - Tales of Mirisha ~ The Brave Legend
Keep going, and when you’ve reduced the Vajra under 10 units…
: The Vajra’s numbers are dwindling. One more push and we may yet—
: What the hell…?!: Here he is…!: I’ve been waiting for you, Ylbora!
: Hahahah… Joe…: I’m glad to see you’re still kicking!: I say the same, Joe!: Why, I dare say we may be birds of a feather…: Yeah, maybe we are…: And that’s exactly why we’ve both got something we’re not willing to give up on!: …: Come on, then, Joe. This will be…!: Our final battle, Ylbora!
Take out Ylbora to progress with things. He’s over by the north-northwest flank, but still pretty far away, so you can stand to spend another turn trashing the Vajra while he moves closer. Also:
Secret Alert!Tobikage Secret #1 – 8th step: set Romina as your tactician and have Joe shoot down Ylbora.
One more time. Joe should already have plenty of morale from all the dead mooks, but killing Ylbora with no SP can be annoying – either have someone cast Attune and/or use Hope to fill his stock up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCgDrb0NPPs
Let’s get some Nicht weapons we didn’t see out of the way because I doubt I’ll ever deploy it with my limited slots.
SRW UX - Azure: I see. Your heart is…: You may read my mind, Festum child, but that won’t help you stop my advance!: I know. And just as you’ve chosen to be there, I, too, have a reason for being here!
SRW UX - Roulette
SRW UX - Love Survivor: We stand here today not as a Princess of Planet Ladorio or as a warrior of The Boom Army…: But only as people who’ve dedicated themselves to their causes! Thus, what awaits us…: Is a clash between our wills! Come, Your Highness!
: Away! What exists between Joe and I is a fate that none other may infringe upon!
: And we’re supposed to care…?!
: Joe might even hate us for it, but he’s hurt, and we won’t think twice of doing this if it’ll save him!
: We’ll stop you, Ylbora, even if we gotta ante up our lives!: Hah… Very well. Stay true to your will and face me!
SRW UX - Tobikage Appears!: The Tobikage and the Zerokage, you and I…! It is no coincidence that we’re facing one another right now!: True. We’ve always been butting heads with each other ever since we met!: But if that was fate, then this is where it comes to a close!: Yes, it is – and it’s also where the sealed legend will begin!
Ylbora drops a Damian’s Karate Manual (Melee and Skill +10, Accuracy +5)
: Kch… Hrrrrmm!: Sir Ylbora!: Haaaaaah!*Joe repositions.*
: Toryaah!
: Oorgh…!: Joe!: Stay away!: Joe…!: Hah-Hahah… It looks like the next attack will be the last for us…: Y-Yeah… and that’s just what I want…!: But why?! Why are you two so obsessed with continuing this…?!: …: Everyone’s got their own reasons for fighting… some do it to protect another, some do it change as people… : As for the two of us, our reason is just one and the same!: This is no longer about pride or tenacity…: We fight in order to unravel the answer that lies beyond this battle…!: Joe… Ylbora!: Raaaaaaargh!: JOOOEE!!
*Bzzzzzt!*
: Aaaiieeee!: Wh-What’s going on?! The Tobikage’s stuck…!
: This technique… It’s?!
: Hmhmhm, how do you like the taste of my Ultimate Plasma Binding?: Charme…!: It’s that trick she used before…!: Hmph, hardly. The energy at my disposal is far different from then!: Her Ultimate Plasma Binding uses the Odyssite as a catalyst! I trust you’ll appreciate its power!: O-Odyssite…?!
: Gwaaaaaargh!: BWAAHAHAHAHAHA! I’m afraid it’s time for you to exit stage left, Joe, Ylbora!: Gch… Hazard, you sonuva…!: Even the fangs of the fiercest of tigers mean nothing when they’re stuck in a cage.: But don’t worry: we’ll take our sweet time exploring the mysteries of the grand power of the Ninja Legend after you’re gone!: Hrm… That’s what they’re after?!: All troops forward – seize them!: Curse you, Charme! You… SRW UX - Love Survivor: You won’t have this your way!
: Ylbora…!: Rrrooaaarrgh!
: Kch… It can’t be! He broke my Ultimate Plasma Binding…?!: Don’t tell me that power is…!
: No… this isn’t any mysterious ‘grand power’!: It’s the power that embodies indignation towards evil!: It’s my wrath – a force that wants nothing but to annihilate the lot of you!: Y-You worm…!: Joe, can you keep up?!: Heheh, who do ya think you’re talking to?!: Haaaaaaaah!
: That light… They’re also…: (Director Hazard, that light is…): (Yes. It’s reacting to the Odyssite, just like Shot said it would.): (We were right. The source of their powers is…): Joe!: Had you worried for a sec, didn’t I, Rennie? Sorry about that. But I ain’t taking any more punishment without a fight!
: Sir Ylbora…!: Sir Ylbora… At last… At long last, you have returned to us!: Hm. We’ll talk about that later!: Our foes are Hazard… and The Boom Army!: I got it, Ylbora!