Super Robot Wars Z Part #89 - Mission 26 (Setsuko)

Part 89: Mission 26 (Setsuko) - Prologue

Setsuko Route Chapter 26 Prologue

Last time on Super Robot Wars Z: ZEUTH split off to go their separate ways, Setsuko's still hanging around with the soldier types! Ready to keep training and getting better!

Current Top Aces:
1. Setsuko - 65 Kills
2. Amuro - 48 Kills
3. Shinn - 48 Kills
4. Talia - 48 Kills
5. Quattro - 47 Kills

Shinn and Amuro are moving up in the world. Also, it's hilarious how 3 of the five Top Ace slots are characters tied in pure kill count. Bye Kei! You didn't keep the top spot from Setsuko for long. And now I'm not going to see him for a loonnng time.

Kouji learns Guard, because you know what? I feel like making Mazinger Z even more hilariously tanky. Setsuko gets another level of SP-Up.

Gainer's not going to be using that Hypnosis System any time soon, so I toss it to Toga.

I give the rare and only Fallen Angel Feathers I'll get to Maria. This gives her the effect of the SP Regen skill.

A lot less deployment slots now, only eight.

Setsuko, Roberto, Emma
Tetsuya, Kouji, Maria
Athrun, Reccoa, Katz
Toshiya, Jun, Boss
Kappei, Sayaka, Sochie
Amuro, Miashey, Apolly
Quattro, Gavane, Luna
Loran, Joseph, Ray

I actually brought back out the Double Spazer since it can fly without using a precious part. One more thing, if you transfer Boss to another mech he takes Nuke and Mucha with him. They'll always be his subpilots. This is, presumably, because they just cram themselves in the cockpit with Boss.

Bask Om confronts Scirocco around the New Federation Headquarters. He's not a fan of the way Scirocco's been brandishing the Phantom Pain, but he's not going to get his claws on the Titans the way he got to Jamitov (whatever trick he used to accomplish that). Scirocco smiles, nods, and leaves, calling Bask a greedy fool under his breath.

Jamaican points out that the Phantom Pain is partly under Djibril - has Scirocco thrown his in with Logos against the old Federation? Bask doubts that - Djibril surely has his own doubts about Scirocco, so at least they aren't in bed.

Still, it wouldn't reflect well on the Titans to let Scirocco continue to climb. "Go forth, Scirocco. Once you eliminate ZAFT's task force, it will be your turn."

The task force is moving from Japan southwest over the East China Sea. They've been joined by a Karaba representative in an old-fashioned Beechcraft Model 17, here to brief the team on the upcoming resupply in Hong Kong. The resupply, of course, is much welcome; the Rivalry Zone makes it just about impossible to get supplies from space, so we have to depend on Karaba on the surface.

The Karaba representative, Beltorchika Irma, has already tracked down Amuro. And she got more than she bargained for; Hayato told her Amuro was the nervous type, but he's actually pretty chill. Amuro wonders if Hayato's thinking of Amuro's term on the White Base, but if he thinks about it, it would apply just as well to the state he was in when Karaba rescued him.

But he's not either of those men anymore, and he puts it down to the atmosphere on the ship, which is helping him forget what it was like in that research facility.

"Because you only feel content in a state of war?" asks Beltorchika.

"Not really," says Amuro. "It's hard to explain... I suppose it feels like people actually live here. Isn't that a strange thing to feel on a battleship?" Sounds like some kind of memento mori to Beltorchika, but the point for Amuro is that he's not fighting under orders right now.

She also saw the news on the U. N., and it sounded awful. Wait, what news? They're saying Japan's been liberated from the Hundred Oni Empire. What's going on over there?

Beltorchika is also here to inform Amuro that she's brought the custom mecha he ordered, the Dijeh. She apologizes for the design, and apparently so did Hayato, but it's how it turned out for an atmospheric mecha. Amuro gets that they'd really like to see him in a Gundam, but it's not his place anymore. There are plenty of younger, more fit pilots on the Argama for the name. It might even help him relax even further.

That's fine with her, but she's got one more thing to ask about - the fragrance he's wearing is Helen Helen, isn't it? It's a particular favorite of hers. I've got to thank Sandman for it, thinks Amuro.

Meanwhile, the others are checking out the story Beltorchika mentioned on the UN, in which it's written... that reinforcements from the New Federation routed the Oni, and that the Japanese government has rejoined them to rebuild? Rude! But Rey and Reccoa point out that the government couldn't possibly reveal that it was this secret group called ZEUTH, based around ZAFT and AEUG resources, which actually did the saving. And the stories of the Japanese who actually saw the battle are never going to overcome the mass media.

Even so, it's just Toga and Loran who aren't still mad. After all, does it matter who gets the credit if the people are safe? The truth would only wreck the peace again.

: I agree with them.

: Don't be fooled, Leele. Loran's a good kid, sure, but Toga's just a plain airhead.

: There's nobody home behind that empty smile on his face.

: ...

: I think you're right...

Kouji still sees a contradiction, though. Sure, this story wasn't the worst way to quell the unrest, and certainly, Schlan managed to deliver the news with poise. But ideally, there was no reason to reveal that Japan was infiltrated by the Oni at all, as Sandman said.

But he's snapped back to reality when Sayaka and Maria descend on him, both intending to take him out on the town of Hong Kong. "Wait!" he protests gracelessly. "Are those my only two choices?"

It's true that the ship will be idle in Hong Kong for a while, and the soldiers have shore leave while the loading takes place. The girls are excited to go shopping, mostly Lunamaria, who's on the hunt for a Chinese dress to get her moves on. Runa and Mizuki are behind her, of course, but on the other hand, Athrun's not exactly susceptible to that angle.

"What do you even like about that jerk anyway?" sniffs Shinn.

"You'll understand when you fall in love," giggles Mizuki.

Setsuko has leave like everyone else, but she's elected to spend it training. She can't get the disaster out of her mind, and she has to build herself up "to forget it... no, to overcome it."

: Even if it reopens the wounds underneath those scars?

: Even so.

: Fine... but my training program makes live combat look like a spring breeze.

: Good.

Hong Kong is basically the one from Kamille's and Shinn's world, and it's just a pity that Toga and Eiji have today's shift on the ship; tomorrow is their day off. Toshiya is off to hit the shops and casinos; Kamille is probably just going to explore and see the sights with his gang. Julie quips that that's fine; "Hong Kong at night is a million-dollar view, but the daytime's worth a few thousand itself."

They also say a word for Setsuko; she could have come rather than subject herself to the hell that is Tetsuya Tsurugi's regimen, but it was her decision. "Goals make people scary strong," says Mizuki. "Women especially."

Anyway, Hong Kong! The sights, the sounds, the... women! Kiraken spots a couple of good ones (Minako and Rie whine), and it looks like Vino and Yolan are approaching them, and--

--the women...

: Hey, you ladies work here?

: Uh... yeah...

: Have we met somewhere? Or is that just the feeling of destiny?

: Of course we have. At--

: Of course we have?

: Nuh uh! I mean, no, we certainly haven't!

: It's all right. I'm sure that if we just spend some time to get to know each other...

: Get the hell off me, Yolan!

: Wait... Eiji?

: So the other girl is...

: That's right. It's me, Toga.

And now the leave crew's discovered them! Shinn tells them off for disobeying orders, then storms off in a huff. He's probably still in a bad mood from the revelation about the Oni battle. Without Ray around, Kamille takes it upon himself to go after him. (It's not like Kamille to be selfless quite like that; Reccoa points out that it's really only for Shinn.)

But since Kamille's looking for Shinn, that leaves the rest of us free to hit the town! Eiji can't wait to get out of his disguise; Toga actually sounds disappointed. "The fluttering down there feels nice. Besides, guys keep being nice to us, like Vino and Yolan." The two do not want to be reminded, and neither does Eiji.

Emma will have none of it and sends them back to the Minerva, but Reccoa has a better idea - send them back without letting them change. Toga might not mind, but Eiji sure does. Oh well; this is all basically Eiji's fault anyway. Or they could send Gengoroh to get him, if he'd rather have that. Eiji quickly picks the first option.

: So all I got out of this was a big fat egg on my face.

: That's not true, Eiji. I just found out that if I flick my skirt, it feels super nice!

: I'm going, I'm going already! Just stop doing that at me!

: Sometimes Toga just goes off in his own little world...

It's true, Toga's upbringing was pretty much laser-focused on Zeravire fighting, leaving very little room for social graces. (Come to think of it, Zeravire attacks have dried up lately; Juri darkly suggests they're watching us quietly). Eiji's been filling his head with crap, or so Runa sees it; Toshiya says that boys just have to grow up together. Besides, Toga seems to be having fun, and they're certainly a good pair. But Mizuki says Toga still has a lot to learn from Eiji. Wait, Toga from Eiji[/i]?

"That's right. For Toga to grow into a true warrior..."

Kamille's followed Shinn to the part of the city closer to the coast, and he bumps into a girl. She says she's looking for someone - that gets a chuckle from Kamille. She's Four Murasame, and she thinks Kamille's name sounds somehow kind. Kamille, of course, doesn't like it. As it turns out, she's not big on "Four," either. Another thing they have in common.

Four is looking for a blonde, young-looking girl named Stella. Kamille fills her in on his side, careful to describe Shinn's clothing as "like a red military uniform." His friend? Not exactly, ponders Kamille, but... well, the kid reminds him of himself, or someone he could have been for want of a nail. "You are kind," laughs Four. "You're reaching out to him, aren't you?"

A woman named Rosamia comes to get Four, and Kamille identifies her Federation uniform immediately. She says they've found Stella, sort of; she accidentally fell off a cliff into the sea. And apparently, a young man in ZAFT red dove in after her. But they can locate them fairly precisely from the currents, so it should be fairly easy to retrieve her. Four says good-bye to Kamille, but Kamille is coming along.

Shinn tries to make conversation, remembering his "encounter" with her way back at Armory One. Eventually, he says the wrong thing: "Did you want to die?"

That triggers Stella, and in a panic, Shinn promises he won't let that happen - he'll protect her. She starts to calm down, so he apologizes and then says he'll protect her a few more times for good measure. Finally, they exchange names.

And that's exactly when Rosamia and co. show up. With perfect innocence, Stella introduces Four as her squadmate. Meanwhile, Rosamia knows Shinn is ZAFT (and he that she's Federation), but since he saved Stella's life, she's willing to let him and his friend go this time. Kamille thinks it's a good idea for him and Shinn to get out of dodge, and Shinn says goodbye to Stella. "But I'm sure we'll see each other again! In fact, I'll come visit you!"