Part 63: Mission 18 (Pacific Route) - Bloodstained Eyes - Part 1

Chapter 18: Bloodstained Eyes


It seems our plans to leave Orb have been accelerated and Arthur asks Talia if it’s because of Waltfeld’s message.
Not just that, she says, as the Argama also got a similar warning, so she thinks it’s legit; Meyrin wonders if we can believe what Kai said but Talia says he’s an old friend of Bright.
Arthur and Talia heard that Bright was quite a big deal in their previous world, having achieved astounding victories during a war a few years back; however, most of the crew from his old ship were civilians – even the ship’s resident Ace was only 16 years old at the time.
Arthur sees a parallel with the Archangel from their own world…



However, that’s a conversation for another time as we’ve just cleared Orb’s waters and the Federation has attacked right away.
Bright wonders if they were waiting for us to leave and orders everyone to deploy; as they do, Apolly notices that the feds have sent airborne units after them – including a new model of Mobile Armor.



Ben Wooder, leading from the Titan’s ship, sees that their intel was correct and, thanks to it, they were able to set up this trap; Buran Blutarch, pilot of the Asshimar, sniffs that Ben’s preparations were perfect but, as a game, this isn’t a whole lot of fun.
Of course, he tells his men that they HAVE to return victorious today considering the advantage they have.
Shinn is a bit silent and Rey asks if he’s okay; he says he doesn’t care about Orb, even with their visit – he’s now a soldier of Zaft, not a citizen of a country who hides behind peace.
Rey understands and tells him to avoid doing anything rash but, inwardly, Kamille senses that Shinn’s on edge today and wonders if he’s really alright; Quattro tells everyone that, considering the difference in firepower, we need to focus on defending our ships.
While Talia tells Arthur to ready the Tännhauser in case they need to create an opening, Buran tells the AEUG that our defeat today will come not because of their troops but because of politics.


Right. Or objective is simple, we win the fight. To get the Battle Mastery we do it in seven turns. This isn't as long and massive stage like 15 was though, we have a lot less units to deal with, so the turns pass pretty fast. Still. it's a surprisingly tight time limit.

Turn 1

I can't do anything to hit them the first round, so I just move up. Most of the action will be taking place over this island by the way.


Still, some of them reach me and so I can actually fight.






Darn it Quattro.


Shinn you had better do better








Not missing on an 90 counts.


Next up, Kamille hitting with that clay bazooka.






These guys are voiced by Nobuyuki Hiyama too!

Turn 2


These guys are in Tri Formation, Kamille's going to hit them with his own Tri Attack first.






There we go, the formation is softened up


Ready for Quattro to move up.








So close, so very close.


So I let Talia finish it off.


It's Shinn's turn.





Just a bit of softening up for the next phase.


The Windams start moving up on this turn, not much happens. They fail to hit any of my units and they all get weakened.

Turn 3


As the battle continues, Buran seems to be waiting for something and, soon enough, Meyrin detects another group of troops approaching – these are from Orb, though.
Talia wonders what they’re doing here and Arthur figures they came over to stop a battle so close from their territorial waters.
Not quite, the Orb troops quickly start attacking both the Argama and Minerva.


The platoon’s leader, Baba, tells Todaka that they’re providing support to the federal troops.
Todaka doesn’t like any of this: helping out the army that destroyed their country in the last war while attacking the group that risked their lives to stop Junius Seven from falling? Even if the order comes from the top, he can’t help but think of it as ungrateful (though he doesn’t think that word exists in the world of politics).
Either way, he directs his men not to shoot out the Zaft's cockpits or engines and, when Baba says it’s be against the parliament’s decision, Todaka says that he’s not a politician, so he doesn’t care.
It's now clear to Talia what all the warnings meant: Orb has abandoned its principles and sided with the New Federation; Bright now understands why the Orb reps were so mysterious during their conversation and why we ran into the feds as soon as we left their waters.
It seems that Orb has sold us out and now we’re flanked by both groups; we can’t turn around lest we want to contend with all of Orb’s forces, so Talia orders the Tännhauser fired up, so she can blast a path for us to escape.
Buran realizes what we’re doing, though, and decides to play his ace in the hole.


It’s another Mobile Armor, the Zamza-Zah which Buran says was created to fight not just against human enemies but also aliens!
This high-power, high-defense Mobile Armor plus his highly mobile, transformable Asshimar will become staples in the battlefields from here on out, Buran thinks; Ben reminds him that they’re here to test that Mobile Armor, made by an organization from the Former Earth Union (Logos).
Buran says that they’ve always snubbed the Titans but, with the Phantom Pain currently being reorganized, it seems their turn has finally come – he sends the Mobile Armor to intercept the Minerva and Talia tells Arthur to blast it and the enemy troops together.







The Mobile Armor completely blocks the Tännhauser shot, baffling our people that such a unit could have this much defensive power.
Things aren’t looking good with this thing in front and Orb’s troops at the back and Quattro tells everyone to get in formation, protect the ships and wait for a chance to break through; Kamille knows, though, that there’ll be no escape unless we can take out that Mobile Armor and Shinn isn’t happy that this is happening…


Right, the situation's gotten a bit worse. That Zamza-Zah is really tough,


First thing first, Talia's about to be in the line of fire so a casting of Strike.


Time take this leader out.





What's with barely leaving the enemy standing this stage.


Kamille can finish this one off, at least.






Of course now he crits.


Your turn Bright.






Well good enough I guess.






This is getting silly.








Good job, onto the next part.


As expected there's a lot of dogpiling on the Minerva.


Quattro is not having the best of days.


Apolly gets another level of Prevail at least.


And of course this jerk moves up right after he gets hit.


: An AEUG command unit? I’ll be taking you out!
: A Mobile Armor that can fly even in the atmosphere?
: And, not only is the unit powerful, the pilot’s also skilled…! I’m finished if I don’t take this seriously!




Whew.


The Orb Murasames move up and target Bright.


He handles them well enough.


Can't do anything to this dumb thing.

Turn 4


Trust is cast on Quattro and Bright casts Strike.


Because I'm not going to ignore the opportunity to blast away several enemies with a MAP.[/i]

Mega Particle Cannon, fire!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQJdg_lyLps
Good, that softened up the main enemies.


Shinn takes aim for Baba.


: Damn it! Wasn’t Orb staying neutral?!
: Answer me! Is this how a “peaceful nation” does things?!










Darn it Shinn you missed one.


Oh well, Kamille take him down.


: Forgive me…! But we have to protect our motherland…we have to protect Orb!
: Even if we’ve lost our way, such is the duty of all soldiers of Orb!





See what Shinn missing caused?


Kamille levels up and learns Spirit(35) at least.


Baba also retreats upon defeat, saying there’s nothing else he can do.
He takes the remaining squadmate with him.


Quattro takes aim at the other set of Murasames weakened by Bright.






And just like that they're gone.


Apolly learns Alert(10) from the process.


Why don't you have enough Will to MAP them all Talia.


Anyways, Arthur casts Guts and Meyrin uses Focus.


Might as well blast these two Windams.







I feel a little better I guess.


The enemy phase comes and it's fairly simple at this point, most every routine enemy is softened up and my Will high enough to take the bulk of the squads down.


Except for this jerk.


: The Federation developed another transformable unit?!
: What’s wrong? Can’t keep up with my Asshimar’s speed?!
: It’s also heavily armored…! I have to attack as it transforms but right before the plating closes off!



Whew.


The Zamza-Zah moves up and targets Shinn, but he dodges easily.