Part 32: Mission 9 (Setsuko) - Dimensional Collapse

Setsuko Route Chapter 9


Last time on Super Robot Wars Z. We failed and Junius 7 is ready to crash into the earth. On the plus side, we blew up Butcher, the first time of many.

Current Top Aces
1. Kappei - 16 Kills
2. Kouji - 15 Kills
3. Duke Fleed - 15 Kills
4. Setsuko - 14 Kills
5. Kamille - 13 Kills

Poor Denzel gets pushed off the top aces list. We'll have to fix that this mission.


I slip Virgola 3 an Apogee Motor, a handy item that ups mobility by five and movement by 1. Next it gets a High-Spec Radar, which ups a mech's maximum weapon range by 1, very useful. That's all for upgrades this round, onto the story.



Despite Shinn's insistence that he escape before his mech can no longer achieve escape velocity, Athrun refuses to leave Junius Seven. He wants to remain and damage the falling rubble as much as possible so the Minerva's cannons have as high a chance of making it safe as possible. And it may be Orb at stake, but Shinn's helping as well.


Once the two are satisfied, Athrun urges Shinn to leave, but Shinn intends to take the Zaku with him. He's pretty sure the Zaku can escape safely with the Impulse's help. Athrun doesn't believe it and insists on finishing the job.

: Why do are you always like that? All noble and giving?
: What do you want me to say, then?
: "Get me outta here, dammit!"
: How about it?
: You'd really rather I said that?
: It was just an example! I'm saying we don't have time for this!
: Sorry...


But Shinn's bet proves wrong. The pull of gravity is stronger than he estimated.


Camille comes to both of their rescue; his Mk II's Flying Armor can shield all their mechs from reentry.


As for the rock, all three ships will handle that - together.


Meanwhile, the Glory Star has been warped yet again. Not far, this time, as the falling wreckage of Junius Seven is still visible in the sky.

Setsuko runs for her Virgola unit, determined to do all the damage she can muster to the station. Denzel warns her that the Virgola is in no shape for an operation like that. As much as Setsuko hates it, all they can do is wait for the King Beal and Argama to do their jobs.




Toby is scouting, so while they wait, Denzel asks Setsuko about her history to try to help her calm down. Reluctantly, Setsuko begins: her parents died to a colony drop during the One Year War. She should have been with them, but she doesn't actually remember - probably as a result of the trauma. All she remembers is finding herself in the shelter with the other children. She knows it happened to a lot of kids, and yet - "maybe I lost the strength, the will to live right then." She came to the Federation looking for a reason to live again, hoping to find a place.

: Setsuko Ohara, atten-SHUN!
: S-sir! Yes, sir!
: State your division! You have two seconds!
: I, I'm a member of the Lunar Military Tactical Research Division, a.k.a. the Glory Star, sir!
: And what is its mission?
: Evaluating and developing tactics for the next-generation production weapon Virgola, sir!
: Good. There's your reason to live.
:Wha?
: Look, 1st. Lieutenant, the way I see it, no one knows what they're meant for until they're over.
: So while you're living, the point is to look for what that could be.
: And if it isn't obvious, mine is beer.
: ...beer?
: You got it. There's nothing like coming home alive to a frosty one.
: Nothing against the wine at Mr. Sandman's, but our world's beer's the only one for me.
: Chief...
: Your thing is sugar, right, 1st. Lieutenant? You should see the grin on your face eating parfait in the mess.
: You saw, sir?
: Saw? I was sitting right next to you. I don't know how you didn't notice.
: I'm sorry... I, um... when I'm enjoying something sweet, I don't notice anything...
: Hey, it's okay. You're only human.
:I'm not telling you not to worry. In fact, there'd be something wrong with you if you didn't.
:But don't forget that you're doing something meaningful. I promise you that.
: I am? But all I do is hold you and the 2nd. Lieutenant back...
: Look, I'm not going to tell you you're as skilled a soldier as us. But you are one of us.
: You can't live your life right or wrong. As long as you work with us, your life isn't meaningless.
: ...
: I think you're doing fine. You really pushed yourself to stop that colony drop.
: You didn't want anyone else to go through your pain and sorrow, did you?
: Yes...
: That's good. That's why I like you.
: C-chief?
: H-hold it! That wasn't a come-on! I like you as a person!
: Let's try that again. Here's what I'm trying to say. Listen up.
: 1st. Lt. Setsuko Ohara! Live! No matter what it takes! Until you find your place!
: This is your number one mission! Secondly, we are definitely making it back to our world!
: Sir, yes, sir!

Suddenly, the sound of clapping?

: That was awesome, chief! I'm so touched!
: Y-- how much did you hear?
: Right around the declaration of love, I think. I almost yelled out to stop you, honestly.
: You idiot! I was just encouraging my squadmate as a commanding officer!
: Really? You're my commanding officer too, and you've never said anything like that to me.
: Fine! I like you! In fact, I love you! Til death do us part! I love you with all my heart, Toby Watson!
: Are you happy now, you little ****?
: Not at all. I mean, I know I asked, but now I'm just creeped out.
: Why, you...
: Hee hee... hahaha...
: That's all for briefing. This is an emergency, don't forget!

I forgot. I love these guys.

Toby was trying to figure out where we are, right? South America, he says, close to the equator. That puts us, by Denzel's reckoning, right in the danger zone of the debris fall. They have to get moving.

There's some sort of facility nearby, and Denzel figures it's big enough for us to take cover in. Actually, a building near the equator that reaches up into the sky... that sounds to Denzel like the base of an orbital elevator. Setsuko's Virgola Unit 3 is badly damaged, though, so Denzel will handle it while Setsuko uses his Virgola 1.


"Remember your mission, 1st. Lieutenant. And that combat data, too."




Chapter 9: Dimensional Collapse




Kei Katsuragi and his partner Olson Verne are busy defending that very orbital elevator from terrorists. They've managed to fight them all off, but everyone else in their squad has been shot down in the process. The Daggers the attackers are using links them to the Western Federation, but what are those guys thinking attacking the orbital elevator when Junius Seven is falling on their heads? If they want it that badly, though, they'll have to try harder - the Daggers can't touch Kei's and Olson's Bronco IIs in the atmosphere.


And it's a good thing, too; this doohickey is apparently some kind of insane new superweapon, strong enough that Kei and Olson know it's a damn good thing they managed to defend the elevator without it. It gives them both the creeps just to have it there, even as a last resort. But they're under orders to use it to destroy the elevator itself if they absolutely have to.

Kei's just about ready to go home and visit Tina - hopefully avoiding her dad's shotgun. And, as Olson has to remind him, also Francesca, and Madame Lin, and Francoise (Kei says he's still working on them). Olson, Kei's wingman in more ways than one, is getting worried that continuing to be that isn't safe anymore.


Jokes aside, though, the attackers are back for round 2 - and this time, they've brought the Alliance's latest mechs! Kei suspects he may have to play their trump card yet...


After the doozy that was the last mission, this one's much simpler. We have a handful of units and three turns to blow them all up, and we have two new mechs to play with to boot!


Super Dimension Century Orguss
Kei Katsuragi - Bronco II
Voiced by Sho Hayami(Japanese), Tom Fahn(English)

Skills:
* Very Lucky - Pilot gains 20% more money when defeating enemies, does not stack with the Luck Spirit Command.
* Attack Again - If the Pilot's skill stat is 20 points or higher then the enemy, the pilot will perform a second attack. This second attack is considered a Support Attack and is effected by the Cooperative Attack skill.
* Counter (Level 2) - On the enemy phase, will sometimes attack before the enemy. Activation rate is determined by the skill stat.

Spirit Commands:
* Focus(15) - Increases hit and evasion rates by 30%

Squad Leader Bonus
* Attacks do 20% more damage to men, 20% less damage to women.

Kei is an amazing pilot overall. He's dodgy and has decent stats, and with his good Skill stat it won't take much to get him using his innate Attack Again to hit everything ever twice. But what makes Kei extra amazing is his Squad Leader Bonus. It's quite simple, nearly every enemy in the game is male. All the generic grunt enemies are male. The game even considers A.I controlled space monster machines male. It's only a handful of female bosses that the downside of his Squad Leader Bonus comes into to play. For 99% of the game, Kei will just flat out do more damage then he should. As for his mech, the Bronco II is basically a stopgap, Kei will be upgrading to a better unit soon. Though, there is an amusing exploit involving the Bronco II, but that can be covered later.


Super Dimension Century Orguss
Olson D. Verne - Bronco II
Voiced by: Hirotaka Suzuoki(Original Anime), Kenyu Horiuchi(This game), Victor Garcia(English)

Skills:
* Support Attack(Level 1) - When adjacent to an allied character before having attacked that turn, can perform a Support Attack after the ally attacks. The support attack will be slightly weaker then a regular attack.
* Cooperative Attack - Whenever the pilot performs a Support Attack, that attack will automatically be a critical hit.
* Support Defend (Level 1) - If adjacent to an ally on the enemy phase, if an attack will hit the ally, the character will perform a Support Defense and the attack will hit the character at reduced damage instead. The number of times this can be performed depends on the skill's level.

Spirit Commands:
* Focus(15) - Increases hit and evasion rates by 30%

Squad Leader Bonus
*+20% Evasion Rate

Olson isn't as awesome as Kei. He's a good support attacker though, and he's pretty dodgy. Though Support Defend is pretty silly on him, as he'll always be piloting fragile Reals. Still, it might help out if the random RNG roll means that otherwise your other fragile Real gets hit harder. I'd say stick him next to Kei but, amusingly enough, Kei's Attack Again means that he'll rarely be able to take advantage of Support Attacks. Like Kei he'll get something much better then the Bronco II later.


It's time to show how Kei does things, ready to blow things up.


As you can see, Attack Again is kicking in, you can choose not to use it like any other Support Attack if you like, but I'm not going to do that at the moment.


: This is not your lucky day! All you've got left is only the Bronco Squad's two top pilots!
: Brace yourself! I'm gentle on the ladies and rough on my targets!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNxQKKYGZVI

If there's one thing Kei's good at, it's absolutely shredding single targets.


Olson moves down to handle the next guy, sadly he won't be able to one shot it like Kei can.

: Junius Seven is going to crush us and all you can think about is your own country's profit?
: What the hell are you guys thinking?



Darn it Olson! You just missed and 87% chance! Ugg, on that note I move to the enemy phase



Only one enemy gets a shot in.


The rest move up, except for the Windams, they stay where they are.


Olson and Kei don't recognize the blue robots; the Glory Star is surprised to see anyone fighting at a time like this. It's obvious that the jet-like mechs are trying to defend the elevator; since we're going to use this place for shelter, says Denzel, it's only polite to help around the place.


Denzel calls Kei and Olson and states his name and intention. Olson points out that the enemy has the advantage of numbers, so there's not much point in them laying a trap; they may as well trust the Glory Star.

: Oh yeah, Setsuko, baby, after we win this, wanna go out?
: I, um...
: Hey! Don't you dare hit on our star!
: That's enough, Toby! ...scaring off creeps who hit on the 1st. Lieutenant is my job.
: Sorry about my partner's bad joke. We're grateful for the help.
: I was serious...


And we have Glory Star ready to help!


They'll head towards the Windams, they're tougher then the Daggers.


Olsen plants himself in the middle of a bunch of them.






Not content with simply missing on a 87% hit chance, Olsen decides to get hit on a 9% hit rate.


Next Kei finishes this guy off. I was concerned about his missile attack only having ten ammo, so I didn't just leap in to oneshot another Dagger.






Next, the enemy phase. I have one turn left after this one, will I make it?


Kei. Why Kei. Why you too.






At least Olsen dodged the Windam...


Yeah. Going to evade this one.



Hallelujah.


The RNG is not my friend this mission, luckily a few casts of Focus will help give it no choice but to rule in my favor.


Also a casting of Trust, just in case.


Like Denzel said, Setsuko is piloting the Virgola 1 this mission. Really it suits her a bit better.


It's time to blow up some Windams.



: (Survival... is meaning enough?)
: (Chief, 2nd. Lieutenant... I'll fight for the Glory Star!)


"Lock on Target... Have a Go..."





27% hit chance.


Here we see the effect of the High-Spec Radar.

: Grr! It's been one fire after another since we came to this universe!
: But my duty is to complete the Virgola with my men! I can't die here!




Go Glory Star Go!


Toby, sadly, can't get in range.


Olsen gets ready to weaken this Windam.






It's beautiful.


Kei moves to finish it off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37Y0OGzzGbY


This gives Kei another level of Counter, time for the enemy phase and to kill them all on counterattacks.


One immediately guns for Toby.

: Come on! It's true in our world too, but you can't throw a brick without hitting some underhanded freak!
: I'll show you what we do to people who think they can scheme away while the sky is falling!


Oh Toby I love you so much.


The other two fall to Kei so...





Things seem to be over and Kei is quick to thank Setsuko and invites her for a date to show his gratitude - Denzel is, once again, getting annoyed at the playboy's talk.


Olson tells Kei to stop as Junius Seven will fall soon and they need to find shelter; however, there's no time as Setsuko detects another wave of enemies incoming.


Olson doesn't understand why they're so intent on stealing the Orbital Elevator and Kei is glaring very quietly at the incoming mob. "Hey, Kei! You're not thinking of...!", Olson asks.


"You're damn right I am!", Kei yells as he makes a run for the device...