Part 71: Mission 20 - Accelerating Space - Part 2

Here’s a quick look at our first Primevals. You may be inclined to believe that they’ll be hard as all hell what with how badly they beat up Gai but, without cutscene power, they’re actually rather weak – about the same power as the Zondar Kings.

They’ve no Pilot Skills or noteworthy tricks (aside from the 10% HP/EN regen and Zondar Barrier).



With all that in mind, let’s start cleaning up the Zondar troops. Ryouko will begin, gunning for EI-15.










Good.



Hikaru takes away another chunk of HP.



Which opens the way for Izumi.








No problem.



This also gives Tetsuya the last morale he needed to reach 130.



Next up is EI-11. Blade quickly takes away over half his HP with a pegas formation.



This is followed by Golion, moving in to punch it to death.










This guy just might be the weakest type of Zondar because at least EI-02 has debuffs.



Kazuma gets working on EI-21.



Gai’s morale may be too low to kill the thing but let’s try it anyway.
















One thing to note is that it’s now PROTECTO WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARU!
This is the upgraded version of Protect Shade and will block all damage if it’s below 1600 (which makes this bullshit because that guy broke the threshold by 13 damage).



Let’s move to the other side, Sousuke is getting started on EI-02.



Which allows Volfogg to nab an easy kill.



Kouji casts Iron Wall and steps right into the middle of the mooks.
















Oi. Don’t chip my paint-job, dick.




Tetsuya moves in, also with Iron Wall, to give Kouji some cover.



Heero finishes the job easily.



Gai’s lagging behind in morale so Mike gets to work.



This fucker needs to die.













Normal people would toss Gekiryuujin a heal but I spit in the face of your common sense.
He’ll get in there with Iron Wall and it’ll be just fine!



Zechs, possibly due to his lack of upgrades (?), doesn’t dodge for shit even with focus (trying to use a point-blank attack resulted in him getting a 46% chance of being hit); he’ll hang back some and let Gekiryuujin tank.



Enemy Phase!



EI-27 goes for Golion but he was Alert’d.



Ergh…here comes EI-26 and this time it might hurt.










Hm. That’s still fine.




Damn it, go away!




That’s better.




Aye, keep going.



You gotta give them props for persistence. Even dogs learn not to stick their noses against an invincible giant robot lest they get rocket punch’d.












Like so.



Heero’s vulcans are officially stronger than his Sword: even the game defaulted to them as the counter.



Bah. EI-28 is outside of meleeing range so I had to defend to conserve EN.



EI-29 is not so lucky, though.














Eat kung-fu, bitch.



Oh, that’s cute. No theme song here (this time) as to not disrupt JACKIE CHAN!














Gekiryujin gets harassed by a bunch of troops but barely holds on.



ZX-02 (a.k.a. Primeval Hair) guns for Kouji.














Being able to form a drill out of your hair is impressive.




ZX-03 (Primeval Mouth) also gets boomerang’d when he tries to take a bite out of kouji.



Mista J killsteals and blasts Heero’s weakened EI-21.



Player Phase!

: Incoming.
: What’s coming?!





: It’s that weird machine that appeared at the Tokyo Tower!
: 31 Machine Primevals confirmed. Now, initiating attack.
: Who are you…?
: It’ll be fine, Mihiro! I’ll end this and I promise I’ll protect you and the others!
: So, hang in there!
: Um…
: First EI-01 and now she shows up here... seems this girl has a real problem with the Zondar.
: Let’s go, Zondar! I won’t allow you to keep existing in this universe!



Moving on, let’s have Fahra rescue Gekiryuujin with a Trust and have him move away.



By the other side, Big Daddy has detected shoddy enemy positioning.









Thank you, Bless.



Get in there, Sousuke.
















We’ll leave that to the Nadesico, then…



Akito takes the remaining EI-15 as it’d probably either suicide against Kouji or be killed by J.



Which means Gai can move straight after the EI-13 (and also closer to the main enemies).








Good, good.



Might as well get to work on that EI-28 as he’s the only one still at full health.



Kazuma is sent over to try and divert their attention away from Gekiryuujin (who’s now empty on SP).










Distracting doesn’t mean he can’t kill, mind.



Zechs holds his ground, sniping away.



Ya know what? Let’s just send whatever’s close to just clean up this turn.



Blade takes it upon himself to finish off EI-27.








Very good.



On the other side, Hayato is finishing off that there fishie zondar.



EI-28 still has a decent amount of HP but that’s fine – it’ll give a chance to show off Double Mazinger Blade.





This kill bumps Tetsuya up a level and gives him Prevail L4.



With that side clear, we can start on the Primevals.



More morale! More!










Ryouko does a lil bit more damage but everyone else just moves in closer.



Enemy Phase!




EI-29 tags Kouji and regrets it right away.



ZX-02 did not appreciate Golion punching it before.














Golion is a dick like that, though, and punts him away.



That low-ish health is probably what’s attracting everything.







Thankfully, teeth can be parried. Remember that the next time a child tries to bite you.



: I knew you would come now that Pasdar has been defeated...
: But I have returned to my true self! With Arma's help, I will exterminate all of you from the universe!












J blasts ZX-03 and takes some piddly damage thanks to his Generating Armor.




: The 31 Machine Primevals... technology designed to ease the stress of life.
: Recording complete. Proceeding to erase!


I also managed to get Mystery Girl’s attack on tape and it’s quite impressive.



Player Phase!



Gekiryuujin isn’t going to do anything else during this mission so he might as well end his work in style – here’s his final attack: Xian Tou-Long





With that dealt with, Mike weakens ZX-02 a bit more, just in case.



Then, it’s the girls turn to shine. All we need is for the appropriate BGM.












Beautiful.



ZX-02 is worth a level, a Sniper Scope and a BP+1.





Our people quickly realize that It has the same regeneration abilities as the Zondar.













However, it's still susceptible to having its Core pulled out, which King J-der does in short order.
All that remains is to purify it but Mamoru says he can’t do it; for whatever reason, he cannot “sense” the core and, as such, is unable to do anything about it.





Instead, it falls to Arma, also known as Kaidou, Mamoru's classmate.
The ZX core turns into a Zondar Crystal, which Arma and J are apparently busy collecting.
Mamoru starts to have an inferiority complex at his inability to help Gai...



Primevals have that clever AI and, seeing how ZX-03 has a very short range, it’ll defend everything it can’t counter.










Still, it’s decent enough damage.



More importantly, it levels Blade up and makes him learn Valor!



Sousuke weakens it a whole lot more.



Eh, I don’t really know why I attacked with Volfogg here but it, barely, managed to survive.





Let’s plonk Akito inside the ship and have him switch with Sayaka to get a Bless going on Gai.



Normally, I’d kill with it Hell & Heaven or Goldion Hammer for extra flair but let’s take this chance to show off Gai’s new trick: GAAAATLING DRIIIIVEEEEEEEEEERRRRR!

: I won't lose... not to you Primevals nor to my own weakness!
: GaoGaiGar and I have been reborn, and we'll show you our new power!




ZX-03 is worth a Learning OS.















Once again King J-der snags the core.



Yet again, Mamoru is unable to sense the core or purify it.
J, however, tells Gai not to worry about it as he’ll take care of everything from here on out but he also warns that if we get in his way, we'll be his enemy too.
He says that he's now paid Gai back for what he's done for him, and that sooner or later they'll settle the score once and for all – with that, he leaves.



Pagliaccio muses over the revival of Soldato J, warrior from the Trinary Solar System.
She projects his objective as protecting Abel's Calamity.

: Well, I better get going as well.
: I’ll be scolded if I’m late…
: Hold on, you! We still don’t know who you are!
: I told you before NOT to call me “you”…!!
: Tch…
: I think we should properly thank you at least once, though.
: If you’d like, you could come inside this ship.
: Don’t worry about it, sis. I was only doing my mission.
: Eh…?
: Well, then. I’ll see you later!



: There she goes…
: But, that girl…she called Shihomi “sis”…
: What, does this mean she’s family?!
: The hell’s going on here, dad?! You better start explaining!!
: …I also have no idea why she’d call you that.
: Really?
: Really…there’s nothing else I can say. I swear upon my soul as a Trailer.





Taiga calls everyone inside the Orbit Base so they can sort things out and Yurika is quite excited to see our new home.





However, just as everyone is about to move there, a giant brain-like object appears.
It seems to be a Primeval and, judging from the other three, Horis figures that each of them is modeled after a different part of the human body.
Whatever it is, Akane thinks it’s got horrible timing.





Worse yet, the thing is trying to open an ES Window, a portal to an alternate dimension.
Freeman explains that this is how the Zondar and Galeon were able to reach the Earth from deep space.
Ushiyama detects something like an asteroid being pulled out of the Window by the Primeval; it seems the wants to throw it at Orbit Base!
Taiga orders all troops back out to defend the base but Uribatake says it’s no good: we don’t have the firepower to destroy an asteroid that size before it hits!







It is at this moment that Gekiryujin runs back outside.
They plan to push the asteroid back through the ES window, which would strand the two in some alternate dimension as well.
They note that it’s an acceptable loss, especially considering that they’re newcomers to the team as well.







Chouryujin isn’t about to accept that, however; he deploys and tells Gekiryujin that he’ll do it.
Gekiryujin doesn’t accept it, saying that Chouryujin is an indispensable part of GGG and Wärter but they’re cut halfway by Chouryujin punching them back.
They apologize for hitting Gekiryujin but say that there’s no time for arguments.





Akito also deploys, unwilling to lose any more comrades like Gai and Shirogane.
He moves to Chouryujin saying that he’ll help him and, since he’s come this far, he hopes there won’t be any arguments from him either; with that, they both move towards the asteroid.
Yurika starts panicking and Gai tries to get outside to help them but it’s too late – none of them can make it to the two of them in time.




As Akito charges in, Ines gets in touch and tells him to concentrate, and to Jump.






: Do you hear me, Chouryujin…?
: I hear you.
: One day, for sure…we’re gonna come back for you someday.
: I’ll be coming too…I promise!
: Understood. Until that day, please take care of my little brother, Gekiryujin.
: I’ll be waiting…as long as needed…Trusting in you…without hesitation…
: We’ll meet again…someday, in the sea of stars…





Kazuma relates how everyone thought lost in the Bay Tower base are in fact safe here in space, on the Orbit Base.
Turns out that Liger’s plane was also shot down by the Primevals but they were rescued by Fuuryu and Rairyu and are safely back in America.
As for this base, it was built in secret in a joint effort of GGG and the UN’s secretariat as the main base of operations to fight hostile alien forces – considering that Wärter’s old base is still being rebuilt, this will probably be our new home.
Even with Dr. Hell defeated, there's no doubt that the Primevals, and Marimea's army, are major causes for alarm.
As is the loss of some of our other comrades...



Inside the Main Order Room, Gai promises Chouryujin that they won’t waste the sacrifice he made to protect this Orbit Base and, also, they’ll never forget him.
Ryouko adds that they won’t forget Akito, either and Izumi notes the irony of Akito carrying on so much that he didn't want to see any more friends die, then showing those friends the same sight from the other side.
Yurika is locked in her room in grief, as is Megumi; Ryouko is still hanging on but she is just as grief-striken.



Leo and Freeman raise a bit of hope, pointing out that the ES Window is a point-to-point connection, and that it is very possible that our friends made it out alive on wherever the other side of the Window is.
Ines adds more hope yet - she's not sure about Chouryuujin, but she suspects Akito at least can be located... if her theory proves correct.
Ryouko asks for details but Ines turns to Erina and asks if she can add details; Erina’s proclamation that it pertains to Nergal’s company secrets pisses off Ryouko that she’d value her secrets more than the life of their friend.
Regardless, Ines assures her that IF Akito is alive and her theory is correct, he's very close by.
That is, assuming that he really belongs in Wärter...



Kazuma and Mao then grill Trowa on this Barton Foundation and the Marimea army.
He confirms that "Trowa Barton" is none other than Dekim Barton's son, and leaves it to Quatre to relate the story he heard during the revolutionary war.
The two of them were among the five warriors the Colonies dispatched in Gundams: Operation Meteor, with its tangled web of backstory and intrigue.



One of the groups fielding the plan was the Barton Foundation, who were bent on world domination from the very outset.
As for what this group of resurgent maniacs has to do with Trowa, he explains that the real Trowa Barton died long ago.
It seems that a splinter faction of right-minded Barton Foundation folks feared what the real Trowa would do at the controls of a Gundam, and killed him right before launch.
This Trowa took his name and his place, having left his real name behind him long, long ago.



Unlike Trowa, Marimea is the genuine article, as Duo and Quatre’s secret mission to Earth back when confirmed.
The question is how she could have cooked up this operation in such a short time, and the answer according to Zechs is that they didn't.
There must be a mystery backer, who furnished Dekim the blueprints for this mess, if not many of the resources.
The Preventer folk haven't figured out who this is yet, but it seems certain that they wouldn't risk a full frontal assault on the Federation.
Likely it's to be a lightning, decapitation strike, and the Security Council seems to have decided to do nothing but watch for now.



Whether this is underestimation of Marimea, or something more sinister, everyone agrees that it seems like wrong strategy.
Or, perhaps they just plan to foist the whole mess onto our people, like always.
Speaking of messes, what to make of the manned Jovian Lizard mech? Are the Jovian invaders really being controlled by humans?
Kurogane wonders if we can’t pass this information to some news networks and see if anyone comes forth with any tips but but Akatsuki is sure that any attempt to spill the info would just get squelched; after all, the main Federation military probably already knew of this, and has been sitting on the info for a while.
Akatsuki seems to know more than he's letting on, but whatever the case may be, the fact that they effectively aided the Marimea army bodes very ill.
This might point to a common backer or it may not but Relena is still in their hands – between rescuing her, fighting off the Marimea Army and the Primevals, we’re gonna have our hands full.



Dekim does indeed have an ally on the Security Council, who claims he can keep them tied up until the time is right.
Dekim tells his ally to give his regards to "Mister Silver", as the ally reminds him of his promise for after the Federation is completely under their control.
Dekim assures the ally that he has no love for "those monsters" and that with the bureaucrats under control, no one can stop the "monsters"' destruction.
The Jovians are a wildcard, but they've already proven how useful they could be.



The ally warns in parting that the Wärter will act and that he should keep an eye out, making Dekim curse him for playing ringmaster.



Relena then enters Dekim's office, wondering who he was talking to.
Dekim won't say directly, but notes that there are far more dissatisfied people in the world than she imagines.
Regardless of how many people were sacrificed to get to this point, Marimea says that this "peace" is just superficial, ready to blown away with the wind at any moment.
Marimea claims that this is why she has stood up and assumed her father's mantle, but Relena says that whoever educated her that way had it all wrong.



Marimea isn't in the mood to have her role as rightful ruler of the Earth questioned, with a glint in her eyes that Relena remembers from the revolutionary war.
Dekim tells Marimea that their collaborators on the Colonies are gathering, meaning that the true Operation Meteor is nigh.
Relena urges Heero to hurry, since time is running out.



Meanwhile, the Jovian commander is demanding that his major general explain why they're helping the Marimea army when they've already have both a promise to George Glenn and a treaty with Plant..
The general chides him that it's all for their dream: a dream they all swore to do any heinous thing necessary to achieve.
When the underling hesitates, the general tells him that the Earthlings will eventually self-destruct... his people are merely "helping" a little.
Till the promised day arrives, everyone must endure the unendurable, and that means the commander.



After the general hangs up, the commander asks one of his brothers-in-arms where he thinks their battle will lead them...