Part 169: Mission 41 - Cross Point - Part 2
Alright, here’s the deal: the victory condition is just to shoot down Robert and that’s still very easy. So, you can get the skill point pretty much now but you should drag it out because all these Chiram mooks will yield some good money for you to upgrade your newly-returned ZEUTH units.Also, another thing for you to worry about :
Ending Point Alert! - Convince Atena with Kei and THEN with Olson (yes, the order matters): +1
Gain’s group draws first blood, with a support from Talia finishing the leader off.
Dyke learns Faith as his last command.
Loran switches to the front and prepares to TRI one of the four MP Nickick squads – this is where the
lies because each Nikick is worth 5k.
: Please, everyone, stop fighting! Help us find a way to save the whole world!
: I know we can do it if everyone works together! Please!
Good, good. Rand easily finishes the job.
Jiron steps up to pick on the next one.
: I don't get all this complicated stuff or what you're going through, but everyone's fighting to survive!
: I can't sit by and let you erase them all just because it's easier for you!
That’s some pretty impressive damage, actually.
We’ll get back there in a jiffy. Touga moves ahead, picks his target and fires.
: We have to protect people... that means all the people of the world!
: You said it, Touga! And we can't protect them if we get done in now!
: Plus, Leele's waiting for us back at Sandman's! We need to pull through!
A Chiram mook can’t survive this and Garrod’s team cleans up the squaddies.
Back to Jiron’s team, Shinn is gunning for a triple kill.
: I know how they feel, struggling to save their people...: But if there's a way for everyone to live and prosper, I have to help find it!
: That's why I'm here with ZEUTH!
And he scores, earning Camille Newtype L6
Alright, let’s get to it.
: Settle down, Atena! Take a second and think if this really is the time to be fighting us!
: Silence! Don’t you dare order me around, Kei Katsuragi!
: What, so you’re not going to listen to what your father has to say?!: You brought so much sorrow to my mother! You tricked my uncle! You’re nothing more than an enemy to me!: I’d never lend my ear to someone like you!
: This isn’t working, Olson! I don’t think she’ll listen to anyone but you!: Sorry but I gotta back off! You handle this!
: Throwing the towel rather quickly, are we? What happened to all those big words from before? : And now it’s up to me to clean up your mess…
: Uncle…You’re too soft on your kid, Kei!
Marin does some big damage on a distant batch of Ishkicks and, back in the main group, Roger blows away the remains of Gain’s target.
Enil detects some more arrivals and, this time, it’s a batch of Asakim’s birds.
Löwen warns Rand and Setsuko to be careful as it looks like the things are targeting both us and the Chiram.
We still don’t know what’s up with these things but they also showed up in the Feds’ test of their device – perhaps they’ve something to do with that Black Charisma? Still, Tetsuya says that while we may not know what they’re after, they’re coming after us so we need to respond.
That said, Gainer and Camille remember how these things constantly showed up with Asakim as he pursued their groups…could he be the Black Charisma?
Is this a bad time to say that I forgot these Cornicus showed up THIS close to our group? I tried popping a Confuse but quickly realized that I didn’t deploy anyone with it…crap.
Let’s charge ahead and see if we can’t give them more chances to spread their attacks out.
: Stop this now! Taking the Singularity from us by force won't stop the fighting!: If you really want peace, you'll think about saving people beyond your own!
At the very least we don’t wanna lose this money to the birds.
Claim our cash, Banjou!
: People are led by arrogance even in the face of disaster...
: Even so, I have hope that we can overcome that and find the right path!
Not enough on the squaddies, though, so Talia finishes them off.
Ryouma joins Marin on the northern bank, following up on the attack.
: We want to help the whole world! So we're not going to fight unless we have to!
: But if you make us, we will! If we want to save the world, we can't go down yet!
There go two.
Enemy Phase!
Shinn gets attacked by a three batches of mooks, damaging the leaders.
As Ryouma easily downs an attacking Ishkick, this one decides to get clever and attack Talia.
And there he goes. Crushing his dreams earns Talia Prevail L5.
Shinn’s still getting attacked and all that dodging procs SEED.
Hrm, that’s a 43% chance to hit on a focus’d Kei…do I dare?
: There you are, Singularity! You've put me through hell, but this time, you're mine!: No dumb jarhead's going to make me a stepping stone to his promotion!
: You'd better think about what you're fighting for, soldier!
Whew.
But my luck didn’t last…those Cornicus decided they REALLY didn’t like Kei. Despite all the other targets in range, almost all of them mobbed him and their numbers get VERY accurate with that much evasion decay.
Never set a Real that close to a Cornicus nest…there goes him and Maai but, thankfully, he’s done his part.
: Oof…it’s not easy being popular…
: You huge meanies!
Adette manages to hang on thanks to her Photon Mat and gets her OverSkill running.
Having screwed my second best mook killer (Renton passed him after last mission’s MAPW bonanza), the last Cornicus sets his eyes on Tetsuya.
: Maybe all we're trying to do is a pipe dream...
: But we think it's worth fighting for! And if you try to stop us, you won't find any mercy!
1300 damage on a Mazinger isn’t insignificant…I’ve a sinking feeling that these things were buffed.
Player Phase!
Let’s see now…
: Atena…pull back.: I can’t…as a Chiram soldier, I’ve a duty to save my country!: Please, uncle, come back to us!: …: Please, use your power and save Chiram – our homeland!: And that’s your reason for fighting Kei and I?: But, if you’re set on this, I won’t hesitate to strike you down. 
: !: Whoa, what are you talking about?! That’s real cruel, especially since you know how she feels!
: We’re burdened with the difficult mission of, somehow, saving the entire world…: If we're going to do that, there’ll be times where we must stay our course regardless of personal feelings. : And that’s NOW?!: …: Damn it, Olson! I thought you were better than this! How can you be so cold?!: Enough, Kei Katsuragi! I won’t tolerate you badmouthing my uncle!
: Atena…
: I’m coming with you. : I can see how determined you are, uncle. If you’re really going to save the entire world, then I want to help you. : Wh-what? Are you trying to tell me something?! 
: Be quiet, Kei!: It’ll be a tough battle, Atena…
: I can handle it, so long as I’m with you.
: Sorry. I’m getting you in trouble again. : For god’s sake, Olson, stop! Dial it down while you’re in front of the dad!: Follow our lead, Atena. We’ll take Robert out and end this battle ASAP.: Roger!
: What! That girl’s turning traitor?!: I’ve simply decided to trust in my uncle’s vow to save the entire world! And I’ll eliminate any who’ll oppose that!
: Wow, talk about reliable. That’s my girl!
: Huh, whaddya mean by “girl”?!: That girl’s my daughter - yet another trick from the Break. : Hey! None of this means I’ve accepted you as my father!: We should save this talk for after we wrap this up. I wanna know everything you remember about Tina!Total ending points: 2
And now we have a competent, new squaddie! Good times all around.
That is, aside from the fact that I’m still salty over losing Kei. These birds need to die.
: We all love our motherlands. I can't judge you for that...
: But if you thought of your whole world that way, maybe humanity would see a new future.
Good start.
Apollo picks a fresh Cornicus to double into oblivion and Renton’s working the northern Chiram group. I’m debating whether or not to nuke them at this point…
But I figure y’all would never let me hear the end of it, so I send Toshiya in.
: I can't believe you guys are so petty! Do you really care that much about just your own country?
: We all live on this planet! You need to think about how we can work together so EVERYONE survives!
They go both mooks.
Jamil weakens this last back of Nikicks and Amuro will at least grab the lead.
: If we find a way to save the whole world, maybe they would stop their fighting...: But if we can't... then humanity may have to settle it with force after all...
Touga and Emma did some 4500 damage but it wasn’t enough to kill the squaddies. Marin cleans the rest, though.
It does give Amuro a boost in Newtype, though.
Rand takes a Cornicus with an assist from Duke and Roger punts another into oblivion.
Following Gain weakening this squad, Kouji steps up to the plate.
: I totally get wanting to fight for your country and your people...: But sometimes you have to stop being selfish and look at the bigger picture!
: You have to see that!
These fucking…
…Moving along, Duke’s weakened this one group, so Kappei can easily finish them off.
: This is too complicated for me, but I know that some people don't have to suffer so others can be happy!
: There’s gotta be something we can do to make everyone in the world happy and we’re gonna find it!
And Banjou also takes one.
Adette and Talia work together for a kill while Atena takes Kappei’s survivor.
And there’s this weak Ishkick that’s easy pickings for Elchi.
Boom and this triggers Dizer Full Power.
Nearby, Ryouma fries a bird to get Prevail L7 and also trigger Kouji’s Mazin Power.
Enemy Phase!
The Chiram do not appreciate Atena’s shenanigans.
Hrm…barely short of a kill.
Neaby Apollo kills an Ishkick that attacks him and these three have made the worst possible choice of target.
: If you're willing to sacrifice everyone else to save yourselves, you're just like Gattler!
: I won't let you get away with that kind of selfishness! I can't!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJOUwnLQJys
Chiram vs. 2L Unit: “How can such an enormous Device exist?!”
Also, it’s very impressive that Marin managed to dodge that without even triggering After Image.
Marin wrecks two groups like this and it inspires Gainer to activate his OverSkill.
Henry immediately regrets attacking Quattro as he blows a hole through his squaddies. The two kills teach him Valor!
Like Kei, the Cornicus try swarming Kouji without realizing that this is exactly what they don’t want to do. He kills 3 and is no longer taking damage.
How about Rand?
No surprises here.
Finally, Gain and Amuro kill one Cornicus each and three others die fighting the Chiram.
Player Phase!
Alright, my patience is wearing thin so we’re throwing everything we have at them now.
: I can't write off what they're doing as simple arrogance...
: But if we can't get past those impulses, we as a race will never get over war!
No kills but that’s a lot of damage on all three Ishkicks. Easy prey for Roger.
Nearby, Garrod does the same but only leaves one survivor – this earns him Prevail L7.
Hm…we got stray Ishkick here.
Silvia takes to the front for the first time in forever to support and make the kill.
Get outta here, Henry.
He’s not going to be taken out just yet but Robert tells him to retreat and let him handle the rest. Henry apologizes, wishes him luck and does so.
As Renton’s cutting the northern-most carrier down to size, Gainer’s busying himself hunting birds.
: The land of Siberia is harsh and cold, but we've survived it by working together!
: If the whole world thought like that, we could do anything! You have to see that!
Didn’t even need the second attack.
Apollo weakens the center carrier and leaves it primed for us to put Kouji’s idea into practice: Triple Mazinger Blade!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm9g1CFTXXs
Huge power and it only cots 24 EN (with EN save) which is a pittance for any of these three - an excellent attack against anything bulkier.
Next up, Touga finishes what Renton started.
Gain takes out one of two Cornicus and Banjou’s about to exemplify what I feel about these birds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrDwjYPcnUA
Such display of manliness makes Kappei tougher with Prevail L7.
We should get rid of Robert’s teammates, so here’s Atena’s Volley attack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0E6DX87qnNo
Is what I’d say, had she not whiffed an 81% shot…at the very least there’s no dynamic finish on this one, so the video’s still good.
Talia finishes off a weakened bird. Next, Toshiya will DESTROY.
Very good.
Ryouma, Rand and Marin each grab a kill.
Enemy Phase!
That’s two more kills for Tetsuya, one for Marin and one for Gainer.
He learns Oversense L6, too.
I’ll take this, too.
Attaboy, that’s both birds down.
Player Phase!
Ahahahahaha!
Apollo leaves the last ship prepped and its easy money for Garrod.
: There’s lots of countries in the world and people in every one of them!
: If you don't care about any of them as long as you can save yourselves, I've got some words for ya!
And we’re done. Gain and Duke bring Robert down to size and Olson’s there to personally dismiss him.
: Lt. Robert! I'd respect your tenacity more if I thought you were fighting for country!: But I know you're only trying to shoot us down so you can rise in the ranks!: What's wrong with that? And big talk from the man who got launched all the way to Major General just for being a Singularity!: Rank is nothing compared to the fate of the world! You'd better get that into your head!
Mind, here’s Setsuko’s dialogue when she attacks anything:
: Such a sad battle... fighting to save your own country at the expense of all others...
: But I won't give up! I'll find a way to save everything, me and my friends in ZEUTH!
Robert cries out that he’s not the kind of man who should die in a place like this but he’s soon proven wrong as his device explodes for good.
That deals with this battle but Olson knows that, with Project D a failure and the knowledge that the Federation’s dimensional technology is as advanced as it is, the Chiram will throw everything they have at capturing the Singularities.
Speak of the devil, Mome soon detects more of their troops incoming.
It’s a fleet of their airships with the president aboard and he orders all of his troops (
) to stand down and retreat.He introduces himself as Jeffrey White and asks to parlay with us all – he’s already extended the same request to the Emaanians and, indeed, Maneesha returns to speak.
Holland and Quattro wonder if this could be a trap but Shaia is willing to take part in this talk. Mind, she doesn’t know if this guy’s trustworthy but if we truly have a mind to save everyone, we must listen to what they have to say.
Jamil and the others agree and pull back, leaving to Kei to wonder what’ll be discussed in this ZEUTH/Emaan/Chiram meeting.
Maneesha starts by asking what her sister is fighting for: is it really to save the world?
Shaia asks if that's really such a strange-sounding notion, and Maneesha yells that this world is unnatural: all these different people from all these different places, Earthlings even living in space... it needs to be fixed immediately! Fixed at the cost of everyone else's lives, though?
Shaia agrees that the world is a mess and immersed in unending conflict but even more numerous than the disagreements are the new encounters and friendships that have resulted. Shaia for one loves all the residents of the world and is counting on Kei, Olson and ZEUTH to find a way to save everybody.
Certainly, Kei’s simple-minded and carefree, the type who’d quickly act without taking any consideration for himself - Kei asks if she’s calling him an idiot but concedes that she’s not wrong in her assessment.
But it’s that purity that he and the other ZEUTH members have that allows them to simply fight for what they believe in, regardless of what world they came from. She’s decided to trust in the potential that lies within these impartial people, who themselves want to save everyone.
Maneesha demands to know what she'll do if Emaan is annihilated, but Shaia points out that the entire world is at risk: now's not the time to worry about individual nations. Maneesha understands how serious Shaia is and finally decides to try believing in her way of doing things.
She figures Shaia’s always been looking out for her and those around her…furthermore, she asks if the reason she left was because of Ranse, as Mimsy implied. Shaia says no, the guy chose Maneesha in the end and that should’ve been the end of it.
Regardless, Maneesha will head back to the homeland and get the elders to support ZEUTH – she’s leaving everything in our hands and Shaia thanks her for it.
The Chiram president is impressed with her speech, too, but Olson’s baffled that he came here by himself. The president figured it was appropriate, though, as both ZEUTH and Emaan both agreed to send one representative.
After they’re properly introduced, the president says he has one thing he was to ascertain with Shaia before anything else: what exactly ZEUTH is, made up of so many disparate components from so many worlds. Is it Zaft? Breakers?
Shaia answers as best as she can, saying ZEUTH isn’t affiliated to any nation or group and their members simply act, as people of this world, to safeguard it as a whole.
That's pretty much what he wanted to hear, noting that it’s pointless for them to speak of keep all the numerous Singularities in ZEUTH under control anyhow. Chiram no longer has the spare firepower to maintain itself as an independent nation, so he figures he might as well bet on an independent party like ZEUTH.
Shaia and Kei ask him to back up a bit to that “numerous Singularities” bit – wasn’t it supposed to just be Kei and Olson? Sounds to him that we haven’t noticed yet.
Singularities are people who were at the epicenter of any dimensional quake strong enough to break space-time – the world just suffered a second Break the World event and where were we when it happened? Indeed, every single ZEUTH member is now a Singularity of the “Second Break”.
It's now clear to Kei what Black Charisma meant with “the world revolving around us”...
Location: Lunar Surface – Skull Moon Base
We find Butcher welcoming the Eldar troops’ NEW commander, Gagarn, who’s finally arrived after a very long voyage.
This is exactly what Teral, Jeela and Leets feared: this guy’s known as a cold, cruel man whose own allies dread more than the even the enemy. Gagarn notices Teral’s face turning white but tells him not to worry, as they’ve already set up a new assignment…perhaps have Teral fly some crummy Harpy into battle?
Leets does not appreciate the guy’s disrespect, new commander or not, but Gagarn’s cronies, Dalton (with the hat) and Mesa, point out that this group of incompetents is lucky they weren't executed after their failures.
Mesa and Gagarn explains that Teral’s luck ran out the moment this world’s dimensional walls were destabilized again – this allowed their group to perform a second time warp and arrive here.
That’s the first Gattler and Vega heard of this “time warp” business and Gagarn offers to tell what Teral did not: the Eldar came to this era from the far-distant future for the sole purpose of seizing the Trinity Energy.
Gattler and the others wouldn't know, of course, but if left unchecked, Earth will become a great power who plunges the whole galaxy into war and the source of their strength will be the Trinity Energy. The Earthlings of this age are still amateurs in its use, though, so if the Eldar can either steal or destroy the Trinity Energy right now, history will be changed.
: And I’m also prepared to even eradicate all of humanity in the name of securing my nation’s future.
: OHOHOHOHOHO, what fun! Cmdr. Gagarn…I think we’re kindred spirits, I do. You’re so very welcome here!: Hmhmhm…I think so too, Killer the Butcher…
: There’ve been so many blunders nowadays. Maybe now we can actually start playing for keeps.
: (Teaming up with that self-indulgent savage, Butcher, and now this man who radiates evil… it's far too dangerous!)
: (If Gagarn’s plan is just to exterminate mankind, that’s fine…but I’m certain this snake’ll turn on us if we leave him be.) : (We must take the reins of Earth’s invasion before that happens…by any means necessary.)
Teral cautions Gagarn not to underestimate the Earthlings, who've proved far stronger than anyone thought.
Gagarn sneers at Teral’s “excuses” for his incompetency but tells him not to worry: by chance, he's made a new ally on his way here and he should be arriving shortly. He then orders Teral to attack the Earth in celebration of his, and Gagarn's, arrival.
Should the attack succeed, Gagarn will make Teral his second-in-command; Teral has no real choice but to comply, staking his pride on returning victorious.
Indeed, Gagarn tells Teral to offer his very life towards their nation’s future.
Location: North Ameria – New Earth Federation HQ
: …There was some activity out in space?
: A wormhole opened for a moment, it seems. I imagine some group crossed time and space to arrive here. : Call it another prank from the Second Break. Very interesting, indeed.
: But now it seems the Chiram and Emaanians have decided to support ZEUTH. : Yes, that was a surprise. I thought they’d be so eager to capture Singularities but, instead, they were easily won over… : That squadron’s as magnificent as I’d hoped. Why, I believe they’re as charismatic as me.: Is it wise to leave them at large?: They’re Singularities, so it doesn’t matter …there’s no point to them if they’re not shaking things up. : Go on, Schlan, Ziene. You two should also enjoy this new world. : Roger…!: As you wish…: And if things get boring, just cause another Break. Anything to bring about my ideal world…
Even more extra money with some added blue stones in the mix – as before, the amount depends on your current difficulty.
"In the midst of the war, the dimensional walls were broken once again by a newly-developed space-time oscillation bomb. This dimensional destruction, which would become known as the 'Second Break', changed not only the political order of the world - so close to stabilizing - but even the shape of the continents and the paths of the stars.
The people had no choice but to recognize anew that they lived in a transitory place with no certainties. Their anxiety exploded into rioting, news of which mingled with irresponsible rumors on the UN to incite even greater anxiety yet.
Though the New Earth Federation, recently reorganized via a coup d'etat, dispatched troops to quell the rioting, they could not quell the underlying anxiety and terror which clung to the bottom of the people's hearts.
Moreover, the Second Break affected the nature of the Rivalry Zones separating the Earth from space. Rivalry zones the world over weakened, accompanied by increased levels in Trapars.
This increased the severity of the Alien Alliance's attacks, fanned the flames of the war between Earth's residents and the space colonists and provoked increased activity by the Coralian Antibodies.
The people at large, with no means to alter their own fate, cowered in anticipation of the end of the world, all the while nursed by a stream of suspect information from the UN.
As the world itself faced the end of its existence, the final battle between its would-be rulers and inheritors was about to begin...
If you don't recruit Atena in the battle, mind, she still joins once the Chiram decide to support us but you don't get the Ending Point. Now, before we end, Rand players want to check the bazaar to pick up our second secret part:
Kei’s brought his Chiram bike over the bazaar with the intent of selling it – battles are only gonna get worse now, so he can’t really afford to play around with this thing.
Yes, it took a while to gather the parts needed to get it fixed and running again but Kei says he already got enough nostalgia from the thing. What’s important now isn’t the past but the future he’s creating with everyone else.
Mimsy asks if she also has a place in that whole creative process and Kei says building a future with her is just as important to him as saving the world itself.
Their moment’s interrupted when some generic guy shows up, quite taken with Kei’s bike: he used to ride one of these before the first Break and it brings back good memories of his time as a biker.
Kei’s willing to sell it to him but the guy’s salary ain’t all that – plus, he’s got a wife, kids and cats to feed. This isn’t a charity, though, so Kei can’t just give the thing away for free and Mimsy laughs that he sounds fully acclimatized to the “Emaanian way”.
The guy then has an idea, remembering this interesting little item that he’s recently picked up – perhaps we could work out a trade?
Kei doesn’t think the guy could offer anything particularly impressive, considering our group travels to every corner of the world. Nevertheless, when the guy shows it to them, they can all feel the item tugging at their souls a bit.
This DOES look interesting, so Kei agrees and tells him ride safely. The guy’s ecstatic to indulge his mid-life crisis and ride all night with his old rock and roll tunes blasting!
…Sure, but that “wife, kids and cats” business matters too, right?
Doesn’t matter because we now have a second Fallen Angel Feather and more SP Regen is always nice!
Like before, here’s a reminder of the steps we took to get it:
- Mission 26 – Kei and Shaia kill a total of 8 enemies together and, afterwards, purchase the Hong-Kong Video from the bazaar.
- Mission 29 – Purchase the Emaan Souvenir Pennants from the bazaar.
- Mission 36 – Purchase the Chiram-made Bike from the bazaar.
- Mission 41 – Visit the bazaar.
Finally, the bazaar’s now stocked with a Golem Overman, so that’s also good.