Part 126: Mission 36 - Into The Blue of Farewell - Part 2 (a.k.a. this guy AGAIN?!)

My computer is back and even though it crapped out with my username, I was still able to gather all my old files. Huzzah!

Time to get back to work and make up for lost time.




Very few mooks remain, so we’ll start working on the Zaft kiddies.



I’ll have Kouryuu kill one of the three remaining mooks and then have Anryuu combine.








No problem at all.





Quatre and Duo take down the last BuCUE and ZnO.

I’ll take Nicol out first to satisfy the secret requirement.

: That mech…there’s more to it than meets the eye! Is it a difference in combat experience?!
: I’ve do have experience but I also have self-confidence! Don’t think you can beat me with talent alone!













: This guy’s pretty quick!
: That unit looks like our G’s… it seems to be an all-purpose model.
: Still, this Blitz is also equipped for close-combat!













: A lightweight unit equipped for espionage…yet, it’s still capable of attacking…!
: We both have similar purposes…! But there’s a reason why I cannot lose!
: It’s the same for me…! In that case, let us fight!







: Stop it! This whole battle is a set-up! There’s no reason for us to fight!



















Nicol is worth a Multi-Lockon System and a Support Request+1.

Mind you, all Zaft kiddies leave without saying a word (not even a simple “DAMN YOU, NEO-WARTER! ”)

Next in line is Dearka.

: A sniping unit, eh…? Well then, I think this calls for a little competition!
: This guy…is he challenging me to a gunfight…?!
: Great! I’m up for a game!



















: He keeps transforming back and forth! Settle down, already!
: I’m not stupid enough to stop just because you say so!
: If my moves are annoying, then you’ll just have to take me out!





: This guy’s equipped for close-combat, eh? In that case, I’ll snipe him down!
: Sorry but that ain’t gonna work! I’m gonna get you in range of my Gerbera Straight!





















Dearka is a couple of levels, a High Performance Radar and a Support Defense +1.



The extra levels give David a boost to Support Attack, Defense and Multicombo.

Yzak and his armored Duel will prove slightly more resilient than the others but he’ll go down just the same.

: This isn’t the time for mankind to be fighting against each other!
: Is this relentless will to fight what makes Earthlings the ideal Tekkamen…?!















: Stop it already! I don’t want to fight against you!












Yzak is worth a level and an Anti-Beam Coating S.
He’s now purged his armor but we’re out of attacks for this turn.



Enemy Phase!



Oh, no…Yzak is going after Gaofighgar .














Git outta here, boy.




Morashim proves to be way more competent and, once again, knicks Gai’s HP (which doesn’t mean much as it’ll only get him closer to his Prevail-based invincibility mode).



Player Phase!

Alright, let’s finish off Yzak.

: This guy’s unit is a Gundam… a Preventer?!
: Time for a Gundam Fight! Readyyyyyy…GOOO!

















: You’re…that Trailer from Artemis!
: Look at these guys, driving around in those stolen suits…they don’t even feel guilty about it!
: You’re going to be beaten by your own weapons… Let this be a lesson for you foolish Naturals!
: Foolishness has nothing to do with being a Natural or a Coordinator! There are idiots everywhere!
: It’s dumbasses like you who keep this war going!









: A battle between Gundams? What do you call something like this, again?
: Shut up! You're not gonna confuse me!





















ERUPTING! GAAAAAAAAIIIII FINGEEEEEEEEEER!




Morashim has already lost half his health after repeatedly beating his head against Gaofighgar.



Seeing how he doesn’t have Prevail, we’ll weaken but we won’t kill him for now.














Aye, that works.

Also, I’m sending Volfogg, Blade, Aki, Hiver, Kurz and Mao down to the south-easternmost island for…no particular reason.



Enemy Phase!



Nope, not this time.



Player Phase!



Let’s finish him with something that won’t make much difference.














There we go.



The Voguslov is worth a level, a Large Generator and a BP+1.



Morashim refuses to admit defeat; he ditches his dying Vosgulov Submarine and sets it on course to ram the "Toybox".
He knows that, as resilient as the sub may be, at the speed his Vosgulov is going, the damage will be fatal.







However, some strange display comes on the monitor from Kaname, and Tessa orders the ship to emergency dodge - which it does.
Morashim is blown away at the near-impossible maneuver the sub pulled off and thinks the Tuatha's commander must be insane to try something like that.
Gauron demands to know what kind of magic Tessa used to get control back and, over the comm, Tessa tells him, to his noncomprehension, that "he" must not trust him very much if he kept this a secret.
Tessa proudly tells the crew that the ship is hers again and not to worry about it anymore.



As for who was controlling the ship just now, it was Kaname: the ship's mechanisms have become her limbs and organs.
Tessa orders Sousuke to capture Gauron, and authorizes him to shoot him dead if need be; of course, Gauron yells that this party is far from over and detonates a bomb.



Morashim is still determined to take out the Danaan, promising on his pride as a water aggressor to destroy it personally.


I LOVE THIS SONG AND I’M KEEPING IT ON SOUSUKE FOREVER!

: Everyone! I have regained full control of the Danaan!
: Prepare to begin our counterattack on Zaft! Push them off this sector of the ocean!
: Yes, mam!
*Gauron deploys.*
: Sorry! That guy got away from us!
: Bastard! He even got his Arm Slave back!
: Captain! Data indicates that his unit is still equipped with the Lambda Driver!
: That’s fine! He’s already in pursuit!



: Sousuke!
: I’ve been waiting, Kashim! No one will get in our way now, so let’s go have our final battle!
: Over there, Gauron!
*Gauron and Sousuke move to the southeastern island.*
: I have been waiting for this day. This has nothing to do with work…from now on, I’m just doing what I want!



: Chidori…
: (Sousuke…)
: I made you a promise…! I refuse to lose!
: Al! Activate the Lambda Driver!
: Roger.





: That’s it, Sousuke! Do not think – feel!
: You know nothing good happens when you get stuck in your own head!
: I’ll leave it to you to get revenge for Captain McAllen!
: Roger. I will defeat him…!
: Hehehe…Very nice, Kashim! Now, let’s begin our last dance!



Yeah. Even though Gauron is not spamming spirits anymore, he’s still an asshole.
If I kept this fight as a “one-on-one duel”, it would’ve taken forever (and Sousuke might’ve died as Gauron’s Prevail L8 started running).



We’ll deal with Morashim first, though.












I see that the Danaan is still unupgraded.



Morashim may be quite dodgy but his ZnO is still frail.












Since he has no Prevail, we’ll just curbstomp his ass.



Duo cuts him down a wee bit more and we’re good.



I’ll let David take this one.
















How’s that pride thing working out for you?



Morashim is worth a couple of levels, a Pierrot’s Mask and a Multicombo +1.

He, like the other Zaft kids, leaves unceremoniously.



Enemy Phase!



Yay! Gaurou went after Volfogg and gave me a free Melting Siren use!



Fuck you…



Player Phase!




Also, Gauron went into the water, just to make things harder!
The damage is small but at least it allows Volfogg to tag him with Melting Siren.



Nope, I’m not pulling back to draw him back on land.



I’ll just drop everything on top of his head and use all that SP I’ve been saving.














I like how Yumi nearly loses her balance when the Blue Earth Gamma goes full throttle.



Getting closer. BUT, I just realized something!



Pegas has Assail and allows Blade to go over by Yumi – this allows me to use their pre-movement, combination attack: Double Reactor Voltekka!






Out of tricks, are you? Then let Sousuke kill you and stop annoying me!

: I’m so happy, Kashim! I waited all this time for a chance to dance with you like this!
: I'll have to turn that down.
: Boring, Kashim! I thought we'd be partners all the way to Hell!
: I'll take you to Hell... but you're the only one going there.





Gauron is worth two levels, a High Performance Thruster, a Support Attack +1, and an Infight +1.



Sousuke also learns Prevail L7.

: It’s over, Gauron!
: Argh…hehehe, I lost… Looks like you’re the winner Kashim…
: Nah, not really…!
*Gauron charges at Sousuke.*
: What?!
: I’m truly happy now. We’ll be together until the end…hehehe…
: Tch! He wants to self-destruct with me?!
: Get outta there, Sousuke! This guy will really do it!!
: I can’t…! He’s holding me!
: Let’s be friends, Kashim! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!
: Sagara!
: The bomb’s gonna go off in 20 seconds…kidding! It’s actually 15! HAHAHAHA!
: If you want to go to Hell, then you can go alone…! I…I…!
: I MADE A PROMISE TO CHIDORI!!
: Time’s up! HERE WE GO, KASHIM!!



: ….
: Sousuke…
: Oi! You’re safe?!
: The Lambda Driver…it protected me…
: You may not understand…but it was your strength that allowed it to do that.
: It was your own willpower.
: …I had to keep my promise…


With that done and the Zaft troops finished, it seems like it’s over; however, Trowa runs up to the bridge and says there’s something else: Gimlet, who has been hiding in the Danaan all this time.
He’s taken Trowa hostage and is with him at the bridge.





He sets off a bomb he had in the Danaan and our people didn’t even expect someone else would be hiding in the ship; he was the one who helped Gauron escape, all with the intent of capturing both Tessa and Kaname.
Renée is about to shoot him down when he threatens the life of the girls if she doesn’t cooperate; Sousuke tries to follow, but all system are overheated and he's effectively immobilized.





Gimlet escapes, using an ECM that prevents Volfogg from tracking him


It's now clear that Gauron's last act was to allow both Whispered to get abducted.
With the Tuatha crippled and no forces in reserve, our people are helpless for now and Sousuke is not pleased with himself.



Shihomi and Ruri have returned from their ship’s repairs and Mardukas is giving them the report: McAllen is dead, Trowa is badly injured, as is the Tuatha itself.
Kaname and Tessa are now in the hands of whoever was pulling Gauron's strings -or perhaps in the hands of some other equally sinister buyer; everyone agrees that stealing them back is top priority, and for that the SRT operatives are to be attached to the Neo-Wärter.
Sousuke is of course along for the ride but he hasn't left his Arbalest since the previous mission ended.



Kalinin passes along two messages for Sousuke: one, this turn of events isn't his fault, and two, the only hope of victory is for him to master his mech.
Time for the Wärter to get back to work dismantling whoever is responsible for all the chaos gripping the Earth Sphere.



Even Kurz can't believe that the party turned into such a tragedy.
D-Boy and Gai warn that it will take more than a sense of vengeance to take down our enemy, who will be doing their best to hurt us and those supporting you as well.
What we need is discernment, and clues as to what the enemy is up to but one thing is certain: there's no time to be depressed.
Bionet (or whoever is backing them) now has both Whispereds, as well as some Q-Parts, in their possession - a prospect that worries Renée greatly.



Back at the hangar, it's proving very hard to pry Sousuke away from tinkering with his mech to do stuff like... eat.
Our people assure both him and Trowa that it's Gauron who was at fault here, not them.
Sousuke knows that it was nobody's fault, but still blames himself for not carrying out his mission; far from being the hero, he berates himself as an incompetent.
Honda and Levin show up, calling everyone to the dining hall to eat; everyone hesitant to leave but they know Sousuke needs some time alone – they will save him a plate, though.



After some contemplation, he orders his mech to freeze the Lambda Driver, vowing never to use it again.