Part 245: Mission 49 (Zaft Route) - Light of Despair, Glimmer of Hope
This mission starts like 52, with Tifa talking to D.O.M.E. and Djibril throwing a hissy fit that Aprillius didn’t get destroyed by REQUIEM.
Bros need time to get
Likewise, the following scene with Durandal and Haman is the same as 50 at first: loads dead in the Plant colonies, Durandal is moving Messiah up front to draw Djibril’s eye and, if he wins, he’ll get that Destiny Plan party started.
The changes start rolling then with Haman saying she’ll have Zaidel use a certain something as a countermeasure to their REQUIEM problem for the time being and asks that Durandal leave her to deal with ZEUTH.
Durandal’s surprised that she’d take to the field herself but Haman says there’s a foe she needs to face in person and takes off. “She’s yet another human bound by love and hatred. So long as people are incapable of extricating themselves from such things, the battles will continue.”, Durandal ponders to an uncertain-looking Talia and it’s for this reason that he must take action.
Durandal sends Meer to Copernicus, assigning the Minerva to be her escorts and, inwardly, tells Talia that, once everything’s finished, he’ll take the reins over that which they couldn’t overcome themselves: Destiny. With that, he’ll secure eternal prosperity to all of mankind.
Location: L2 Sector
Our people have heard of REQUIEM’s attack and the casualties resulted of it, as well as the way Logos managed to curve that beam to find its target (according to Henken’s intel).
Harry and Jamil figure they must’ve used mind control to force Tifa to tap into D.O.M.E.’s energy supply as fuel for that a weapon. Attacking the place willy-nilly is dangerous as the aliens could intervene (especially now that they have Kazami’s data) but we can’t just sit around.
So, as in 51, we’ll be going after the relay station Logos used to bend the beam: take it out and TEMPORARILY disrupt their shots. Still, if it’ll delay Logos’ strategy even a little, Kira figures we’ve a responsibility to get it done.
Apolly and Roberto are rather surprised at the kid’s clear-headedness - he doesn’t feel like a regular Ace pilot – and Amuro chalks it up to him being an admiral in Orb (technically speaking, Kira’s the highest ranking soldier in ZEUTH).
Impressive for such a young man and Roberto figures, just like in Zeon, results will quickly propel you to the top in Orb’s military. Amuro says that if you ask Kira, though, he’ll just say it’s because of Cagalli being his sister, so he’d rather we pay no mind to his rank.
Kira overhears a bit but, when asked, Amuro says they’re just gossiping. Inwardly, though, he can see the sorrow hiding in Kira’s eyes and figures his past also weighs heavily on him – more so than we can tell by just looking at his face.
Mission 49 (Zaft Route) – Light of Despair, Glimmer of Hope
The Titans are hard at work keeping anyone from touching the relay station – only Lacus and Henken’s ships remain, having lost their MS troops.
Waltfeld wants Henken to run while the Eternal keeps the enemies pinned as their ship should be capable of giving these guys the slip when the Raddish has gotten to safety.
Henken isn’t about to take that risk, though, and figures they can get through this together – ZEUTH should be here soon, so they just need to hold out until then. Meyrin’s also take the job as the ship’s Operator, determined to do her part for the sake of both Earth and the Plants.
Henken’s Raddish a wee bit bulkier than in the Gibraltar route but you only need to hold on for two turns and both ships have enough Iron Wall casts to stay alive that long.
Pre-battle lines:
: Many of the AEUG’s members are Spacenoids.: While we may have split with Zaft, that does not mean we’ll ignore a weapon made to destroy Colonies!
: If we leave that facility intact, it’ll mean an even greater danger to the Plants!
: Exactly! And that’s why a small numerical advantage won’t make us flinch!Two turns later…
: Rrrgh, they’re stubborn like cockroaches! Give up already!: We have something to defend – that’s what drives us in battle.: And so long as those feelings lie with us, we will not yield against any force.
: They’re here! It’s ZEUTH!
: Are you alright, Lacus?!
: Yes, Kira. Both we and Cpt. Henken are well.: We’ve been waiting for you guys!
: Meyrin?! You’re on that pink battleship?!: I’m the Eternal’s operator now.
: All troops, launch! Provide support to those two ships and destroy the relay station!
: Wait! I’m detecting a VERY large energy signature coming from the opposing direction!
: Is it another beam from the Moon?!
: No, the direction is different but it’s headed straight this way!
: All ships, emergency evac! You too, Raddish and Eternal! Quickly!!
: Hmph. Running off like dogs, are we, ZEUTH?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsNKq8Aaiy4
: THIS— THIS CAN’T BE!!…Whoops.
Henken tells us that what destroyed the relay station is a weapon called Colony Laser – the empty shell of a space colony that’s been transformed into a weapon of mass destruction.
It looks nothing like a Zaft weapon, Waltfeld thinks, and from what Pala had gathered, this one belongs to the Space Revolutionary Army. It’s quite the trump card for the Aprillius Allied Army and now we have super weapons on each side.
Henken sighs, saying they oughta point those guns towards the aliens if they wanna make a show of strength. Bright figures the Allied Army used that weapon on the relay station merely in self-defense against REQUIEM but it’s only a matter of time before they aim it at the Moon or, worse, at Earth itself.
The meeting’s interrupted when Miriallia comes in with a message from Wong to Quattro: Haman wants a meeting with the AEUG and ZEUTH.
Location: Near the Colony Laser
We can’t really fathom what Haman has in mind requesting this meeting but we also can’t afford to refuse someone who’s seemingly intent on parleying.
Sara smells a trap, though, especially with the fact that she wanted the meeting with Quattro and the captains to take place aboard her ship, but Gainer doesn’t think they’d jump straight into this without thinking – at least Kira and Athrun, ever the enhanced Coordinators, have gone with them for some added security.
Jiron figures him and Fatman should’ve gone as bodyguards, too, but Roger says the two of them wouldn’t exactly fit in with this meeting of leaders… which makes Rag ask what he’s doing here. Shouldn’t he be out there with them, negotiating on our behalf?
Roger says no, since this meeting is no place for a fair negotiation to occur. Mind, he’s not yet saying that it’s a trap but he’s certain the other side’s up to something – they wouldn’t have called us all the way to their Colony Laser otherwise.
Of course, he’s got no clue what Haman’s angle is, so we can only wait for Quattro and the others to return.
Nearby, Amuro’s ill at ease – he feels as if Haman’s pressure could envelop them all. The best he can do is count on Quattro to see us through this as he’s long since stopped being “just a pilot”.
In the Gwadan’s conference room, Haman bids welcome to all her guests and formally introduces herself as Mineva Zabi’s regent.
Heizaemon is quietly surprised that the leader of such a powerful organization is this young lady and Bright also didn’t expect to see Wong hanging out with Axis. As before, he slipped into their side to protect himself after Brex’ assassination and while he doesn’t know if Durandal was behind it, he shares the AEUG’s former leader’s doubts about the guy.
Quattro asks why he wanted to mediate these talks between us and Axis but Haman cuts him off, asking that he direct his questions to her. As before, she quickly reveals Quattro’s true identity to us.
Quattro asks her to get to the point and she does: “Give me access to ZEUTH’s firepower”, is what’s up. Holland asks if the Allied Army’s trying to talk us into joining now that their previous attempt at suppressing us failed but, no, Haman says that was Zaft’s doing and has nothing to do with her.
Indeed, Durandal has no idea that this meeting’s taking place and Quattro asks if she’s suggesting that Axis break away from the Allied Army and join forces with us.
Haman sees Durandal to be a bigger threat than even the corrupt Federation, to say nothing of the fact that she’s fed up with listening to Zaidel prattle on about the Newtype Theory.
There’s the same convo from ZEUTH’s 51 regarding the Newtype Theory and how Haman despises Zaidel for using it as a tool to leverage his own influence and she offers Axis’ strength against Durandal and Zaidel if we agree to surrender ourselves to her command.
“…And if we refuse your request?”, Quattro asks. “Then you’ll have made an enemy out of me. I can afford to deal with Durandal after the New Federation’s finished.”, she replies.
Holland doesn’t care for her “puppetmaster” shtick but she tells him to snarl all he wants: what she does, she does for humanity. Kira and Athrun see that she has her own ideas for what’s the right thing to do and just looking into her eyes tells them that no one’s words will shake her iron will.
: …
: Relax. Even should you choose to decline my offer, I swear that you’ll be allowed to leave the Gwadan.: …
: Let’s hear your decision, Char. Will you stand with me or against me?
: You handle this, Quattro.: …
: None of us have a read on her true goals. So ZEUTH will defer to your choice on this matter.: …
: Lt., Amuro asked me to tell you something.
: Amuro?
: It seems he anticipated this would happen. “I look forward to hearing Quattro Bajeena’s – not Char Aznable’s – choice.”, is he said.: “Quattro Bajeena’s choice…”: Your answer, Char?: I…
Quattro’s decided against Haman’s offer and Emma sees that, regardless of all the help she could be against the Allied Army, he just couldn’t bring himself to accept that bargain.
No one seems to have an issue with his decision, Amuro sees, and hearing that eases Quattro’s consciousness a bit. But now he has a job to do as Quattro Bajeena – this world does not need the son of Zeon Zum Deikun.
Henken’s surprised that Haman actually made good on her promise to allow us back to our ships and Wong has no idea what she’s thinking: he absolutely expected her to try to kill us once we turned her down.
Bright’s just about to order the ships to leave the area when Torres detects movement from the Axis troops.
The Gwadan deploys troops and a bevy of revolutionaries show up right after. Lancerow isn’t happy that Haman’s private meeting with ZEUTH ultimately ended with her attacking us and she apologizes, saying this is because she wasn’t strong enough to convince us.
Jamil quickly recognizes his old rival from 15 years ago and Holland isn’t happy that her promise extended only to letting us leave the Gwadan but not to actually letting us leave HERE.
Everyone deploys and Garrod and Pala have something in mind, deploying by themselves, while Fa and Camille go over the Zeta’s newly equipped parts (same as 51). We have to deal both with Axis troops and the revolutionaries protecting the Colony Laser and Apollo sees an opportunity in this: we can beat both sides and wreck the thing while we’re at it.
There’re a lot of troops in the area (a suitable escort from the Aprillius’ Army’s trump card, Athrun figures), though, so Bright tells us to focus only on clearing the current attackers – we’ll worry about the Colony Laser later.
Runa’s a bit miffed, considering how close we are to the thing, but Mizuki figures it’d be difficult to approach it with all the defending revolutionaries breathing down our neck.
Inwardly, Quattro wonders why Haman allowed us to leave if she was just going to attack us anyway.
Mission Objective: Shoot down all units (the Axis troops will retreat once the Gwadan goes under 50% HP or is shot down)
Mission Failure: Any allied battleship, Garrod or Pala shot down
Skill Point: Destroy all enemies within 6 turns.
Not a difficult point: we’ve a bunch of revolutionaries to the west (Lancerow will make a beeline for Jamil’s squad, if he’s deployed), Axis troops to the north and more enemies will be showing up from the south.
Send a handful of units up top to kill whatever they can before working on the Gwadan when the timer draws short, while everyone else hangs around southwest (you’ll want to keep them close-ish to intercept the new arrivals).
Vs. Lancerow:
: Is it you, Lancerow Dawell?
: So, that sensation I had in Orb really was you, Jamil Neate!: We both saw time, didn’t we?! Then, why are you making the same mistakes?!: Let this conflict continue as is and all you’ll accomplish is reviving the nightmare of 15 years ago!: We have no choice…! The Colony Laser must be used if we’re to prevail against the New Federation!
: Don’t you see that this’ll lead us down a path where there’s no going back, Lancerow?!
: So what you’re Jamil’s old rival – ya ain’t scaring me! : The way this boy fights… it’s just like Jamil…: That’s ‘cuz of all the work I did with him! Here’s what I learned!: You were trained by him, hm…? Then, let’s see what you’ve got!Vs Gwadan:
: I feel some pressure coming from that ship… is it Haman Karn?: You can sense me, boy? You’re rather talented, I see.: What are you thinking?! What’s the point in pushing this battle along?!
: If humanity’s to have a future, the scum that corrupts it must be removed first. THAT is the point of this.
: Can’t you see all the lives that’ll be lost while you’re doing that?!: How disappointing… a prodigy you may be, but you’ve let morons poison your mind.: Then, as a favor, I’ll end your life right now.
: Why were you dealing with both us and the Allied Army, Haman? What are you planning?: My thoughts already lie beyond this war and, so, I’m making preparations.: Come with me, Char. Your power’ll also be needed.
: You’re asking me, personally…?: The two of us, together, can show the way to society.: Any future imagined by someone who can’t see the crisis that’s unfolding before her eyes would be no more than an illusion!: Wake up, Haman! This isn’t the place for us to be having this dispute!: What a fine speech…! That’s the answer you found in this world?: Those scum have corrupted you as well! I was a fool to think I could rely on you!: The fact that that’s the only thing you’ve taken from my words shows how you cannot be entrusted with leading society! Make way, Haman Karn!We also missed these two “vs. Reccoa” convos when we did ZEUTH’s 51:
: You've grown a lot, Setsuko.
: 2nd. Lt. Reccoa... but why?
: I've found something, just like you have your pride of the Glory Star.: I'm fulfilled now, as a woman... and that's why I fight!
: I don't care about men and women, but I don't want to have to fight you like this!
: 2nd. Lt. Reccoa, what's the matter with you?!: You tried so hard to be a good soldier after you defected to the AEUG...: But that'll just make you a woman who does whatever the men want!: I'm fighting of my own free will! For my own goals, not for anyone else!: I was wrong, 1st. Lt. Emma... you're a strong person...: But I'm a woman!Fast forward…[/i]
A bunch of Fed units approach quickly and Banjou figures they’re trying to piggyback off this battle in order to destroy the Colony Laser. Schlan is also present and says that, in truth, their mission is just to destroy us.
Gain is amused that they’d prioritize us over that huge gun but, indeed, they consider us the bigger threat. As in ZEUTH 51, Yazan and Reccoa are also present and their convo is pretty much the same (Camille and Quattro also sense her).
Garrod and Pala are worried that we’ll get overwhelmed from all sides and he moves to cut us some slack by taking out one of the leaders. Despite Jamil’s warnings, Garrod charges after Lancerow, is summarily slapped around and thrown screaming out of the battlefield.
Renton’s just about to go after but Gain and Holland stop him, figuring they can take care of themselves – furthermore, we’ve no wiggle room to go after them with all these enemies around. The only think we can do for now is make our way out of here and hope they’re safe.
Same secrets as 51 ZEUTH: the Reccoa stuff and Biosensor weapons for the Zeta.
Ramsus, Dunkel, Jerid and Mauer retreat with either indignation or surprise that they’ve been wrecked. Schlan’s retreat is exactly the same as ZEUTH’s 50 while Reccoa’s is like 51.
I could’ve killed the Gwadan but that’d be
and it wouldn’t change anything:
Haman can’t afford to have her main ship sunk and pulls back. “Put your back into this, ZEUTH. There won’t be any point in calling you here if you don’t.”, she thinks.
Witz finds it very odd that they’d run off so easily after attacking us and Quattro seems to have an idea of what’s going on.
Lancerow can’t keep fighting and unceremoniously retreats.
All enemies downed:
: We’ve got even more Revolutionary troops approaching!
: They just keep coming!
: Shows how much that Colony Laser’s important to them.: Cpt. Bright, order all troops to retreat!: But we can’t simply leave the Colony Laser—
: Relax – he’ll take care of it.
: “He”?
: The Moon’s in sight.: I see…! All troops, retreat! We’re leaving this sector ASAP!
: Hmph! ZEUTH’s run off. Looks like they’re all bark, no bite!: We’ll usher in a new world order! None may stand up to us!Nearby…
: ZEUTH’s cleared the area, Garrod!
: Heheh… looks like they saw what we were up to!
: All we have to do now is get rid of that Colony Laser!: Alright…! I see the Moon!!
: Radar’s detecting a large energy signal?! That’s--!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rek5euZWclg
Honestly, I was very pleasantly surprised to see that they actually made a special cutscene for this but also disappointed that it only shows on this route!
How’s that for a proper representation of the Sat Cannon’s firepower, Blitz?
Garrod gets a hero’s welcome back on the ships and Witz now sees that he simply feigned being shot down by Lancerow so that he could leave the battle and position himself for a good shot on the Colony Laser while the enemy was focused on us.
Indeed, this was their plan from the very start since they figured the Sat Cannon was the only weapon that could bring down something of that size – Kouji’s impressed at Garrod’s acting and even Renton thought he had been legit shot down.
Still, looks like a few folks figured out what he was up to since they got everyone to pull out of the area, right? Yeah, he was a bit too over-the-top when he got shot down that our more seasoned people figured he was up to something and just rolled with it.
Either way, thanks to his stunt, the Colony Laser is totaled but something about this whole engagement smells weird to Rand and Setsuko: Haman could’ve very easily had her men kill us aboard her ship when we refused to cooperate but she didn’t. Maybe she didn’t care to take such a cowardly course of action, Pala wonders.
Kira doesn’t think so, having taken her to be someone who wouldn’t be above using any tactics in order to get what she wants – to say nothing of the fact that Axis’ troops didn’t really seem to be fighting for real despite having initiated he attack.
Roybea is starting to get the picture, though: thanks to Haman calling us over and initiating a battle that close to the Colony Laser, the revolutionaries wound up losing their super weapon.
Haman wanting us to destroy the thing is the only explanation for her actions. Quattro turning her down made it so she needed to stick with the Allied Army but it’s likely she saw that Colony Laser as something she’d rather the revolutionaries not have access to. In the end, she played us as pieces in her own plan.
Camille has felt how dangerous she was during the battle: the ruthlessness she was emanating showed him that she would absolutely use even the lives of others as tools to further her agenda. Kouji’s annoyed that there’s someone like that in the Allied Army and Tetsuya figures the same applies for Logos and the Federation, what with their respective use of REQUIEM and forcing the Coralian Antibodies to awaken.
Athrun says the Allied Army losing their trump card should do a number on their impetus but the problem is that this will provide Logos with an opportunity to counterattack. That said, something odd is that today’s battle didn’t see Logos troops but actual Federation Army units (as shown with Schlan’s presence) – does this mean the Army has dealt with Logos while we weren’t looking?
Kira suggests that the Federation many no longer see them as enemies, having noticed throughout the Archangel’s past investigations on the Feds’ movements that they weren’t actively trying to destroy Logos once and for all after their coup.
Jamil seems to have an idea…
Harry comes in right then, telling that our next objective with be to deal with said Logos on the moon after resupplying on an AEUG-allied colony.
We’ll be trying to destroy them before they can get another REQUIEM shot going which means the moment Garrod’s been waiting for is at hand. He’s certainly not about to let them keep using Tifa as a cog in their war machine.
Over by REQUIEM, our people’s suspicions are proven to be true when Djibril gets punk’d by Scirocco and the Bros.
This scene’s the same as ZEUTH’s 51, as is the last one of Diana telling Agrippa that she’ll be taking Scirocco’s invitation to release D.O.M.E.’s seal.
Finally, over by the Bazaar, we get the Soul of Steel event only taking place in the AEUG’s colony. The start is just like before, with Garrod giving the colonist girl his preserved bouquet but, this time, it’s Henken that’s impressed with the display.
He’s sure the kid’ll save Tifa with that forward-facing attitude. Henken himself will not be accompanying us, since the Raddish will be taking off to spy on the Allied Army, so he gives Garrod the Soul of Steel as compensation.
The kid thanks him, promising to work extra-hard to make up for his absence.
Pala, however, is curious as to what brings Henken to this Market and judging from his flustered response, Roybea quickly figures out that he was buying something for Emma and offers our help finding the perfect gift.
Henken, quietly, wonders how even non-AEUG people know of his relationship with Emma. Gossip, I tell ya…