Part 37: Mission 15 (Japan Route) - Separation ~ Friends - Part 1
And we’re back to the Japan route. This next mission is found in different places on all three routes, though events may change ever-so-slightly; when we get to it on the other ones, in the interest of saving time, I’ll simply skim through whatever’s majorly different and carry on to the next one.
Saya, Arnie, Kazuki and Koyo are deploying as events, though only the latter needs to fly solo:
Joe/Rennie
Yamashita/Mike
Sun Quan/Saya
Arnie/Deceive
Kouichi/Eida
Shinn/Moritsugu
Sun Shangxiang/Luna
Kazuki
Tactician: Ylbora
Off we go.
The Fafner team’s returned to ALVIS as requested but the rest of our crew also decided to come with and Makabe’s very grateful. Romina proclaims that, as comrades-in-arms, we’ll help with whatever’s requested. And, from what Moritsugu’s heard, this mission concerns investigating an island that looks much like Tatsumiya?
Right, and while Makabe’s sure it’s another island made as part of the Arcadian Project, the issue at hand is that we’ve no idea what’s up with it. Considering the nature of the project, Richard figures it was pretty lucky that no intel on it leaked, but, on the other hand, that leaves us going in blind.
Still, Soushi figures it’s worth our time to check it out regardless, as that island’s databanks may have info on the Festum that the Tatsumiya crew didn’t uncover. Seems to Zhou Yu that this operation will have two fronts to it, then: one team will deploy with their mobile units to keep guard, while the investigation team will head into the island proper and look around.
Makabe agrees with taking precautions and tells Soushi to pick the personnel for this mission. They also have new Fafner pilots undergoing training as we speak, so he’d like him to consider bringing them along as well.
SRW UX - The Gate of Neidhöhle Opens
: Forward, GOOOUBIIIINE! 
: Quit playin’ around, Mamoru! The enemy’s right goddamn there!: You will not call me Mamoru! My codename is… Goubine! And I’ll keep you both safe!
: What are you getting this hyped for?! These’re just simulation Fafners we’re in!: I don’t wanna do this anymore! I want out! Mommy, I wanna go hooome! 
: Don’t lose heart, Kenji! Believe in yourself! Belief brings you STRENGTH!: Here we go! Goubine Exclamation!: Call it whatever you want, let’s get going already!*The three Fafners charge forward!*
: Haaaaah! Ichi!
: N-Niiii…!: SAN! Deeeyaaaaaah!
*Whiff!*
: What…!?: It dodged it…!
: W-Waaaaaah!: Urk, why…?! Are our spirits not strong enough?!: We really can’t do this! I want my mommyyyyyy!
: Gosh! What’s that boy doing, crying “mommy”…?! 
: (Hang in there, Mamoru… Show me what a man you are!)
: What was that just now…?
: Well, they’re trying out a team attack based around their unit’s strengths. It’s for use in today’s mission, you see, but…
: I can’t believe their altered consciousness are manifesting so vividly even aboard simulation Fafners…
: Well, Kazuki is a special case. : Children who pilot Fafners will, normally, display varying degrees of personality changes due to the Synergetic Code. : I know that, but… the changes we're seeing in my little Sakura and the boys are particularly intense.: But that’s not really the issue here, right? The three of them together can’t even bring down a single faux-target. : For that matter, why was he even allowed to wear that stupid mask? A Fafner is not a toy, and I seriously doubt these three could pull their weight in a real battle.: But, then, the only other child with high Synergetic Code values available is…: Your little sister, yes. Maya Toumi was in the original list, yes?: N-No, she can’t! They found she’s got a physical handicap, so she could only work as an operator…: A “physical handicap”, is it? Hmm…: …: Well, okay. In that case, Ms. Hazama, how would you like to raise us a new pilot?: …?!: Ms. Kariya! Can’t you be even a little bit considerate?!: It’s fine, Ms. Kondo...: Last I checked, the Alberich Organization still manages children that could be potential pilots. I presume they contacted you, no? : Ms. Kariya… I told them that I wouldn’t look after any other children.: I may not have conceived her myself, but Shouko was my one and only daughter. No one could take her place…: …
: I can’t believe we lost that badly…: Way this is going, I’ll never be able to get payback for my dad…
: Oh, you’ll be fine! You’re gonna have the Fafner all figured out soon, being the butch ass-kicker that you ar—: You better be ready to put up your dukes if you finish that sentence. : Th-That was a joke! Just a joke! I still remember all the times you knocked me silly when I challenged you!
: Hey, you know what? I’m thinking we need something better to yell and help coordinate our attack. We drop “Ichi, ni, san” and… hmm…: How about “Un, deux, trois”? Think that’d work?: We’re not doing ballet, man – that’s only gonna make things harder to pull off.: Speaking of, what’s with that mask? You said it was from Gou… something?: I told you before, it’s Goubine! Mobile Samurai Goubine! An invincible hero that fights guided by an unshakable belief in a bright tomorrow! : What he meant to say is that the thing really doesn’t jibe with you…: Oh? Is that Kazuki and the others?
: Kenji, Mamoru, Sakura!: Huh, you guys came back?!
: Just now, yes.: Ms. Kariya said the operation would start right after you got here… but I wonder if they’re actually gonna send us along…: Whatever, I don’t care about that right now. How was the world outside the island? I heard you guys fought in Japan, right?
: It’s the same deal everywhere else: they call in a bunch of kids like us and send us out to fight. We even had to go up against humans… : Hu—…?! You guys fought other people?!: Yeah, because those were the orders. “Fight people to save people”… something’s seriously wrong with Soushi, I tell you.: …: Oh, don’t say stuff like that about him. I’m sure that’s not what he wants—: What does he want, then? What did he have in mind when Shouko was out there?!: Kasugai…: …
Location: Elshank: Hangar
: When the accelerated particle engine exceeds 60% of its overdrive value, the safety lock is automatically engaged…: Disabling it must be done manually but, when doing so, one must be wary that it could send the anti-particles out of control…
: So this is where you were, Ensign. Can I ask what you’re doing?: Oh, Ms. Saya… Mr. Maki at JUDA put together a manual for the Orphes, so I was combing through it.: A manual…?: Yeah, I’m hoping it’ll help me inch closer to Maj. Richard’s level as a pilot…: And, I have to say, this Lepton Vectrer really is similar to the Riot’s Proton Generator, huh?: Granted, the former’s capacity and difficulty of control are many times greater than the latter…: Well, both engines are based around accelerated particles, so it stands to reason they’d be similar.: Still, I wonder… where was a unit like this made? : The Riot might’ve been brought up as an all-purpose mech, but it’s very cutting-edge stuff. And, yet, the Orphes is even more advanced than it. How is that even possible…?: I’m not at liberty to say. And, really, knowing that isn’t going to make you a better pilot. : Ouch, always so brutally honest, aren’t we? I’m well aware that I’m not even half the pilot Maj. Richard was. His technique’s way beyond mine…: No, it’s not technique that you’re lacking, but simple commitment as a professional.: Commitment…?: I understand why you’re doing this. You want to protect people’s lives above all else…: But our missions are hardly like feel-good plays. There’ll be times where we’ll be forced to take someone’s life…: I-I know that! But, still, I—: Then answer me this: should you find yourself fighting against friends or family, could you bring yourself to pull the trigger? 
: Th-That’s…!: Your hesitation is all the answer I need. You’re too kind to be in any battlefield…: Ms. Saya…
Cut to the transport ship Devil’s Ray, captain Mizoguchi’s grumbles at Maya getting conscribed into the investigation team, but he assures her everything’ll be A-OK – this is just like a nice and easy fishing trip! Besides, they’ve got the great general Lu Xun to plan things out!
In truth, Lu Xun’s not sure if he’s good enough to handle that, but Damian tells him to stand up straight. He’s Zhou Yu’s apprentice, right? Yes, but, unlike what’s written in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, he’s still very much learning the ropes…
Mizoguchi counters that, in the books, Lu Xun was blowing his allies minds even when he was starting out, so he’s certain the Gundam version will do just as fine! “Like Sun Tzu says, the future lies in the palm of our hands!” Damian yells, and Lu Xun thinks something’s not quite right with that quote… but he’ll give this his best regardless (that’s actually the title of a The Blue Hearts’ song, not a Sun Tzu quote).
Over by ALVIS, Kaname reports that the transport ship’s arrived at the island and the investigation team’s already working. As for the Elshank, it’s already deployed the Fafners and its other units, and they’re keeping an eye out.
Makabe figures we should expect the Federation to have already spotted the place as well, considering its faulty camouflage, so we’d best hurry. Actually, Solomon issues a warning and shows that we’ve another problem to deal with: Festum are emerging at said island, expected to the Grendel and Alhenteris types.
What triggered their appearance? Unknown, but Makabe wants the Elshank warned right away.
Mission 15 (Japan Route) – Separation ~ Friends
SRW UX - The Gate of Neidhöhle Opens: Festum are emerging from within the island?! What’s going on…?!: We can look into the cause later! Right now our orders are to eliminate them!
: We’re going in too, Koyo!
: Who made you the boss around here, huh? Don’t tell me what to do!: …?!
: Settle down, Koyo! We’ve a mission to do!: “We’ve a mission to do”… Is that what you told yourself as you did nothing but watch Shouko die, Soushi?!: …
: Deploy the standby units as well! All hands, battle stations!
: And leave any underwater battles to me and my Bakuryu!
: Hey, why can’t I go out?! Is that your way of calling me incompetent?!: That’s not it at all, no. Did you forget what happened to the Mark Sechs?: …?!: Things wouldn’t have ended the way they did if we had other Fafners and pilots available to also protect the island… : So I think it best to always try and keep some capable pilots in reserve.: Hmph, fine. I’ll let you off the hook with that.
: This place is crawling with enemies! Is Lu Xun’s team alright?!: The landing party is currently investigating the island’s interior. We need to make sure this area’s under control until they make it back! Keep your heads on a swivel, troops! 
Kill everything without losing Arnie, Saya, Koyo and Kazuki. The new Alhenteris are somewhat inbetween a Grendel and a Sphinx in terms of stats, so the same tactics you applied at the Tatsumiya battle should work fine here (everything’s still Assimilation and Mind Read L1).
That said, one thing you should be mindful of is that the plot will demand you arch your troops due North-Northeast and put you on a time limit, so at the very least have your troops hug the coast and start heading up while you kill the Festum on that part of the island.
SRW UX - Linebarrel
SRW UX - Shangri-La
SRW UX - Tales of Mirisha ~ The Brave Legend
Kill enough stuff and…
: Sir Ylbora! We’re detecting a group of units headed this way at high speed!: What?! Is it The Boom Army?!: No, we’re reading them as… Federation troops!
SRW UX - Future-Bound Fighting Spirit
: Well, I’ll be damned… so the UX has teamed up with that subversive Arcadian Project, huh?!: The Riot Archer?! Is that… Jin?!: But what’s he doing here…?!
: That Riot… isn’t it the one from that squad you were in, Arnie?!
: Lt. Spencer, your orders? Our orders were to secure the island, but…: We’ll just have to switch our mission parameters now that we’ve run into them…: Still, having the Riot Squadron’s first mission pitting us against the UX works nicely for us! I’ll bring down the leader!
: Urgh…!: Took me a while to find you, murderer! How I’ve been looking forward to this…!: That voice… It really is you, isn’t it, Jin?!: …?!: Wh-What… No way! Arnie?!: What’s going on here?! Why are you flying the unit that shot you down…? Why are you working as a merc, even?! Explain!: Th-That’s…!: Wait, don’t tell me… Were you always a spy for the UX…?: What?! No, of course I wasn’t!: Then why didn’t you at least let me know you were alive?! Do you have any idea what I’ve been through since that battle…?!: Or, what, did you figure faking your own death was the perfect way to wrap up your spy gig?!: No! Jin, just stop and listen to me!: Ensign Berge, we’re in the middle of a battle!: I know that! I’m just—!
: Waaaah!
: Arnie, how could you…! How could you betray us?! There’s no forgiveness for this!*Jin flies back to his original spot.*
: Here are your new orders! Engage and destroy the UX and their cohorts! : But don’t touch that unit! He’s mine…!: Jin, why…?!: I told you, this is the battlefield…! If you can’t bring yourself to attack that man, then get out of the Orphes right now!: Hrm…!
: All troops, listen up! I’m pretty sure those Fed mechs are equipped with accelerated particle engines!: Be especially careful with the flight lead! If its engine runs wild and triggers a particle annihilation, this whole area’ll go up in smoke!
: You mean it’s equipped with one of those Proton Generators lacking any limiters…?
: Bah, what a pain in the ass!: (Jin… I swear, I’ll just immobilize your unit…!)Well, frig. Damn out hot-headed friend straight to hell! Jin’s pretty much the same as when we fought him in Arkham City, meaning he’s now way outgunned by our people. The Riot C(omposite)s, as any good MP models, are packing the basic weapons of both A and B models, but the pilots aren’t anything special.
The Festum remain your primary targets and threats here, but keep your group set more around the N/ NE corner of the island. Jin and his crew will move in from the get-go, so draw them over and deal with them.
SRW UX - Linebarrel
SRW UX - Love Survivor
: There’re still more coming from inside the island?!: (What is going on here…?! Did the investigation team’s arrival incite the Festum…?!)
: What’s your status, Mizoguchi?*Beep! Machinegun fire!*
: We’re only running into the small Grendel-types, so Damian and I are managing it…: Still, the place is lousy with Festum. Finding buried treasure around here ain’t a walk in the park at all!: (This should be long enough…): Cmdr. Makabe, we’ve confirmation that that base has a Fenrir. I suggest we trigger it and destroy that island immediately.: …: What’s the matter, sir? We’ve a chance to eliminate all those Festum is one fell swoop.: The landing party hasn’t been fully evacuated yet, no?: I believe the alternative is still preferable to having our people be assimilated, sir. : …: Requesting permission to engage the Fenrir.: … Very well. Permission granted.
: Cmdr. Makabe…!?: But we’ll evacuate the investigation team while that’s being done. Get me in touch with Soushi. 
: Yaaah! Th-They’re coming this way!
: Get back, Lu Xun!*Machinegun!*
: …?!*Wooosh!*
: E-Eeeeek!
: Are you alright?!: J-Just barely… Can we not head back yet?!: Yeah, we already got the data we needed. Now we just need to ditch this place!*Beep.*
: Mr. Mizoguchi, what’s your current location?: We’re in the System Room, 6th sub-level.: Perfect. We need you to engage the Fenrir – Cmdr. Makabe’s allowed it.: (“Fenrir”, as in that thing Shouko used…?): Hey, now, you serious? I know Makabe’s always been prepared to make hard calls, but whoever gave him this idea…?: Are you not going to follow the commander’s orders?: Alright, alright, I’m on it. Just send the activation codes.: It’s already sent. Please set the timer for 15 minutes.: 15 minutes?! That’s nowhere near enough time!: The Festum are multiplying and we can’t stop them – it’s too risky to wait any longer than that. Please be quick about it…*Bloop.*
: Tsk… Alright, here we go. 3, 2, 1…
: Fenrir, activated.: Now let’s get outta here. Lu Xun, you know the way, yeah?: Well, I’ve somewhat memorized that map of the island we obtained, but…: Good enough for me. Show us the fastest route outside, please.: We’re stuck in our own Stone Sentinel Maze and now it’s your turn to help folks escape it alive! Back outside…
: They’re gonna blow up the island?! But the investigation team’s still inside!: An emergency escape capsule is in place for them to use. We’ll be collecting it over there.
: Our time limit is 5 minutes. Someone needs to reach that point and get the capsule by then.: I’m on it! I’ll do what you two could not!: Koyo…: Fine, but I warn you: what Shouko Hazama did was very reckless, and I will not allow anything of the sort again. : …! Meaning everything comes down to how good I am? I either ace this or you’ll call off the rescue?!
: The investigation team’s lives hang in the balance, my friends! Escort the Fafner to its position!: Kenji, Mamoru, we’re going to head out there if things go south! Let’s get ready to deploy!: O-Okay, chief!: (Make it good, Koyo…!)