Part 93: Rainbow (Part 1)

Nirvash specV
Skills
Prevail L5
Break Will Limit
Will+ (Hit)
Spirits
(Renton)
Invincible - 15
Gain - 20
Strike - 20
(Eureka - SP Regen)
Scan - 1
Attune - 25
Mercy - 10
Trust - 25
(Nirvash)
Accel - 15
Focus - 15
Vigor - 20
Faith - 45
Traits
Jammer
HP Regen M
EN Regen M
KLF
Weapons
Staff (20 EN)
Bit Laser (8 ammo, 110 will, size)
Ace Bonus: Renton's, Eureka's, and Nirvash's max SP +30.
Full Upgrade Bonus: Jamming Unit.
Custom Bonus: Gains HP Regen (M) and EN Regen (M).

I'm not proposing to actually use Renton seriously, but to be fair, this is his last gasp at relevance.


Guren Type-02 (Karen Koutsuki)
Skills
Prevail L6
Morale
Will+ (Hit)
EN Save
Chain Actions
Spirits
Guts - 25
Invincible - 10
Strike - 20
Guard - 20
Valor - 35
Soul - 60
Traits
Radiation Wave (barrier)
Blade
Weapons
Flying Fang (6 ammo)
Grenade Launcher (10 ammo)
Class 2 Type 2 Cutter (12 EN)
Radiation Wave Emitter (28 EN, barrier, size)
Ace Bonus: 1.1x damage using Melee weapons.
Full Upgrade Bonus: Barriers/armor consume 0 EN.
Custom Bonus: +500 attack to Radiation Wave Emitter.

Karen is solid on offense and defense, supplemented by her great Spirits, but her weakness is always going to be that the Guren is a gas guzzler. Many times when she runs down on EN, it's a combination of spamming the radiation wave and tanking hits with Guard, draining her power into the defensive emitter. I've attached an EM receiver antenna and an Yggdrasil Drive to the mech.


Orguss (Kei Katsuragi)
Skills
Fortune
Attack Again
Counter L7
Ammo Save
Ignore Size
Spirits
Focus - 15
Sense - 15
Accel - 10
Luck - 30
Weapons
Hit (10 EN)
Missile (12 ammo)
Missile Gun (15 ammo)
Alpha Strike (9 ammo, 110 will)
Ace Bonus: When adjacent to a female pilot (ally or enemy), deals 1.2x damage.
Full Upgrade Bonus: Jamming Unit.
Custom Bonus: +300 attack to all weapons.

And Kei. I've criminally underused him, but I do like him. In Z3, he's back to his role as a crusher of enemy formations (albeit two at a time rather than three), and he has a subpilot! For now, he's an okay harrier, but he's small and fragile.

The xp curve in Super Robot Wars is pretty generous, so he'll probably catch up quickly enough.


Ptolemaios (Sumeragi Lee Noriega, Lasse Aeon, Lichtendahl Tsery, Christina Sierra, Feldt Grace)
Skills
Command L4
Share Parts
Repair Skill
Spirits
(Sumeragi)
Alert - 15
Trust - 25
Guard - 25
Assail - 35
Hope - 75
Awaken - 80
(Lasse)
Vigor - 25
Strike - 20
Spirit - 40
Fury - 30
(Lichty)
Accel - 15
Gain - 20
Exhaust - 50
Fury - 60
(Chris)
Scan - 1
Analyze - 30
Cheer - 30
Luck - 40
(Feldt)
Focus - 20
Invincible - 20
Bless - 40
Rouse - 50
Traits
GN Field (barrier)
Repair
Weapons
GN Missile (25 ammo)
GN Beam Cannon (10 EN)
Ace Bonus: Doubles the effect of the Command skill.
Full Upgrade Bonus: Armor +10%.
Custom Bonus: Doubles HP healed using Repair.

The Ptolemaios is an incredibly bad warship, but it's a good medic and comes packed with a long list of great Spirits. I see no reason to try to make it any good at shooting.


The Great Gurren (Dayakka, Leeron)
Skills
Spiral Power L2
Guard
Offensive Support L2
Prevail L4
Spirits
(Dayakka)
Vigor
Invincible
Strike
(Leeron)
Scan
Accel
Alert
Weapons
Sub Gun (12 ammo)
Main Gun (8 ammo)
Ram (20 EN, 110 Will)
Great Gurren Gang Rush (50 EN, 130 Will)
Ace Bonus: At 130 Will, casts Assail at the beginning of each phase.
Full Upgrade Bonus: Movement +1.
Custom Bonus: Docked units recover 100%.

The Great Gurren, on the other hand, simply does not support. It does get one useful thing the Ptolemaios doesn't, which is the ability to completely recover a unit's HP and EN with only one turn of docking, as opposed to, like, ten. Use it for Giga Drill Break Special.


Macross Quarter Fortress Mode (Jeffrey Wilder, Bobby Margo, Catherine Glass)
Skills
Command L3
Defensive Support L2
EN Save
Hit & Away
Offensive Support L1
Spirits
(Jeffrey)
Strike - 20
Trust - 30
Invincible - 15
Spirit - 40
Fury - 30
Assail - 35
(Bobby)
Vigor - 25
Accel - 20
Mercy - 10
Luck - 40
Valor - 40
(Cathy)
Scan - 1
Gain - 20
Guard - 25
Analyze - 30
Hope - 70
Traits
-
Weapons
Anti-Air Cannons (18 ammo)
Anti-Armor Beam Cannon (12 ammo)
Macross Cannon (32 EN, 110 Will)
Ace Bonus: Adjacent S. M. S. members gain +20% Accuracy, +20% Evasion.
Full Upgrade Bonus: Weapon range +1.
Custom Bonus: Docked units recover 100%.

Now if you want it all, there's the Quarter. And this was also the first ship we ever saw, so it's come an extremely long way.



Two years ago, "Setsuna F. Seiei" joined Celestial Being. Allelujah couldn't believe he was so young; Tieria couldn't believe Veda selected him, but there it is. Lockon, however, can see the fire in his eyes; both of them want to use their Gundams to fix the world...



But let's talk about the Imáge! Again. Their appearances have been falling off over the last few years; why are they coming out in force right now? And what's at the South Pole? Are they preparing for some sort of final battle with humanity, wonders Sheryl?

The truth is, the Imáge have intelligence, but we don't really know much about what makes them tick. Common wisdom says they want to exterminate humanity; maybe they've spend these past years gearing up for their assault?

Alto has to apologize to Sheryl and Ranka; they'll have to stay with us a little bit longer while we address this. They both tell Alto to go do what he has to do.



Eureka has a different view, one that Tifa shares: the Imáge are curious about humanity. Eureka feels that the Imáge are responding to the changes taking place in the world. Could they have given up on humanity because of the Imperium and what it says about our arrogance - and resigned to kill us all?

ZEUTH has met creatures very much like the Imáge, though by a different name. They had fled into another dimension when their own was in danger. Maybe the Imáge did indeed give up on humans, and fled our world as well.



And seeing what effect the Imperium has had on the world - even looking at Alejandro Corner - Crowe kind of can't blame them for being saddened by humanity's arrogance. He's not saying humanity has this coming, but the Imáge may well feel that's the case. But even if they were right, even if everyone in the world was irredeemable, Renton refuses to take that without a fight - "I'll defend this world so I can live in it together with Eureka!"

To be honest, Crowe feels the same way. Not about Eureka, he hastily clarifies, but even if the Imáge were right about humans, he's got this thing he'd say to them: "So what?" And he knows everyone in GOONZ feels the same. Not one of them believes that humanity deserves to be eradicated, however low they can sink. And we certainly don't need the Imáge's help to deal with the Imperium.



Even Setsuna, who's back on his feet. He's come to a conclusion: "As long as we exist, we live. Carrying on the wishes of those who are gone, facing the world in their place. I am not a god, but I will do this." Allelujah and Tieria realize that if Lockon were here, he would definitely put up a fight. "That's right!" chirps his Haro. "That's right!" We can't argue with that, can we?

Which brings us back to what Crowe told Renton earlier, that maybe the Imáge were right. Gainer and Garrod explain to him that Crowe was testing his resolve. He and Eureka, after all, hold the key to this battle.

Eureka expands on that: she's going back to the Imáge so that from her, they will see humanity's good side - kindness, compassion, love. She has to pass on to them everything she experienced with GOONZ. This is how she can protect the ones she loves.

And it's our job - especially Renton's job - to protect her so she can do what she has to.



Michel and Feldt both miss Lockon, but both of them are determined to carry him on and fight in his place.



"Your personal army, GOONZ, is off to save the world once more," quips Zero.

"Not for a moment have I ever considered you mine," says Elgan.

That's good, because while Elgan Roddick may have brought GOONZ together, Zero says every child leaves its parents one day. Jeffrey and Sumeragi come to back him up: they're grateful he formed GOONZ, but they're fighting for what they believe in now.

"All I have ever wanted for you," says Elgan, "is to fight in defense of this world and all its people." Zero can tell he's being completely honest about that, at least. Elgan backs up his promise with a proclamation that GOONZ is now an independent task force; he will guarantee their executive independence in the hope that they will fight for justice, and he appoints Zero as its commander, giving him the power to summon and mobilize GOONZ at will. Zero accepts, but says it's mostly for show; he has no intention to use GOONZ to liberate Japan when he has his Black Knights.

Elgan has places to be for now; he has to join Treize and clean up the mess Alejandro left with the U. N. Forces. The matter of the Imáge is left to GOONZ, and Zero.



The other commanders look to Zero for his first order, but Zero is better than this. He says that GOONZ means too much for him to command personally, and anyway, he doesn't put too much stock in the Chairman's little games.

But I truly believe I speak for everyone here when I say...
GOONZ will mobilize to the South pole and stop the Imáge invasion!



Holland is well-informed on the Imáge's operations - informed by Ime Liard, who knows quite a lot about them. Most relevantly, that they are the key to Holland's goal. He can use them to transform this world into Neverland. But to tell them to do that, he'll need Wendy and Peter - Eureka and Renton. Once GOONZ inevitably comes to stop the Imáge, he'll take Eureka and Renton. Then it will be up to Ime to keep his promise and cause the Dimensional Quake that will enable them to rewrite reality.



Something's still bothering Holland. He's all in to this plan - he's been for years - but he still can't understand why Ime would help him. Ime smoothly explains that Holland is causing GOONZ' hearts to waver. He doesn't particularly care if Holland rewrites or even destroys this world.

"Because you have the power to transcend the dimensions?" asks Holland.

"Let's leave it at that," smirks Ime. "But GOONZ, the Singularities, are becoming a thorn in my side. This is a good opportunity. I will lend you my forces."

Really? Well, neither the big man nor the Great Axion is going to be at the pole - Gaioh doesn't care for it - but he'll do what he can. The rest is up to the children.



Ime leaves a bad taste in Holland's mouth, but he tells Talho to rest up - he knows she hasn't been feeling well. The Imáge will handle GOONZ; all he has to do is take Renton and Eureka. He's leaving the Gekko behind; it'll be easier for him to move without them, he says. But it's obvious he's worried about Talho, and his goal here is to take them to Neverland, "a world for us, where time stands still" - even if he has to destroy this world to do it. But he doesn't seem to notice how sad Talho looks as he goes to deploy...


Chapter 49: Rainbow



So we find this thing at the Pole.



Eureka says it's sort of the Imáge's nucleus. The make a long story short, it's where she needs to go.



But the Imáge definitely aren't going to let her get there without a fight! Renton swears on his life to get her there, and it's up to the rest of us to protect them both!



I mean, within six turns, if at all possible.



Here's the wide view of the stage; there are quite a few Imáge to go around.



But very soon, Chris detects something else approaching - something equipped with one of the fake GN Drives...



"I've missed you so, Gundam!"

Graham still has it out for the Gundams for killing his men, and he's still going on about how he and the Gundam are fated to do battle. He is in love with the Gundam's power, but he's gone beyond love and into hatred!



On top of that, here's Holland, who's come for the Nirvash in his 303 - now with some kind of huge booster attached to it. He demands Renton come with him quietly, and of course, Renton refuses.

GOONZ tells Renton to fall back so Holland can't get him, but Renton's not backing down from Holland now. He and Eureka will fight together! Graham mutters that Holland, too, has found hatred on the other side of love. Like Holland, he's got eyes only for Setsuna's Gundam, and Setsuna is happy to respond in kind.

Imáge, this is humanity. You may think we're arrogant, selfish creatures...
But we're always struggling as hard as we can, living for all we're worth!
So... that's your answer, Renton?
That's too bad! It's almost tragic!
Holland... you...
Come on, Renton! I'm fighting to survive!



So it's end of the first turn and there's already a change of plans: shoot down the Terminus 303 SP.



Skipping around the huge mass of Imáge noise...

You're twisted!
You did this to me! It's the Gundam's fault!
I have to defeat you! Whatever happens to the world, this is what I want to do!
But you're part of the world!
Then I speak for the world!
Wrong! You're only doing this out of arrogance! I will cut out the distortion in you!
That's what I want to hear, Gundam! En guarde!








Setsuna's damage bonus is still bearing returns.



Holland only advances.

There is no point to this battle.
Colony Gundam! There is no such thing as a pointless battle! Life itself is an unending battle!
Then I will end your battle and your arrogance.
If you can! I won't let anyone snuff out the light of my life!





And that's when Graham gets his Ace bonus:



At 30% HP, he casts Love. Whoops!







It's not hard to burn off his Alert and Valor, though.

Lockon Stratos... I... we will fight!
We are Gundam!






The loot is a Hyper Jammer. I'm glad that didn't trigger at any point while I was fighting him.

Howard... Daryl... I...

What was that?
Another form of the world's distortion?
But... we're the ones who created it...
If so, then I...

Anyway, on to Holland?



Holland's Terminus 303 is equipped with a thing also called the Super Pack. It makes it incredibly fast and great at airborne combat. Of course, Holland only has his own natural skills, and despite the SP being a secret you get by scoring Holland 70 kills (trivial when you're on a third play), as an enemy right now, he doesn't have an Ace bonus, even on Hard.




It's really too bad, Renton! I thought we were alike!
There's no way! I don't think I've ever caught up in my past or tried to manipulate other people!
Manipulate? Don't be stupid! We've been fighting with all we've got!
How would you ever understand? How it feels to have your chance to love, hope, and dream stolen away?
You... you'd never understand!
No, I don't! But I know that what you've done and what you're trying to do is wrong!
So we'll stop you! Eureka, Nirvash, and me!






Holland drops a Vernier.



Six levels and the only new Spirit on the team is the Nirvash's Exhaust. Oh well.



Holland isn't ready to give up - he's spent too long being manipulated and abandoned!



Against Holland's instructions, Talho's brought the Gekko. Holland swears to her again that he'll have the Holy White One for her. "You guys recreate the legend for me!"

He activates the Compac Feedback System, hoping to get a lock on Renton's vital signs, but what he discovers is something he didn't expect...



A second life sign within Talho - his, and this is the first he's heard of it.

I'm sorry... but if you knew, you would have given up... on your dream...
I know you would!
!
...
You want to have it, don't you?
Yeah...
Didn't I tell you that my only future is the future you want?
I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...
Holland... human biology is the strangest thing. Yours and Talho's baby... it's growing at a normal human rate.
What?
It's growing independent of its mother's growth rate. It will be born a perfectly normal, healthy human.
So...
Our misfortune...
Won't pass on to the next generation.
Doggie... Kengoh...
Talho told us everything....
But you'd already blasted off...
You even took that Super Pack...
You guys...
When we look at your kid, this world doesn't seem that bad, does it? Almost...
Holland, I want it to see.
I want our child to see the world its mom and dad lived in...
...
Holland.
Me too.
Holland...
A new life... a baby...
That's quite enough of that.
!



Are you kidding? Cheval barks that Ime wishes us gone - and he will carry that wish out! This is Marguerite's last chance to show her loyalty!

Crowe's doubting again, and Ime senses it with glee. It's too easy to make him waver - isn't that how he drew out his Sphere's energy?



But Holland refuses to fight for him anymore. He's sick of Ime's lies, and he's found something new he's got to protect! He'll join us in defending this world and fighting the Imperium!



The Gekko is out of here, though. Talho tells Holland not to die, but at this point, why would he?

As for Cheval, Crowe's got a bone to pick with him.

Crowe Brust, I see you for the man you are.
You put on a farce of swaying in the wind, but at your core is an unwavering will. That's why...
That's enough outta you, asshole. I'm not listening to another word you say.
...!
Ime Liard.
I've had just about had it with you. We're going mano a mano today.



New goal: shoot down the Emeraldan!



Oh, and I do have the Terminus. It's not upgraded. I guess I'll pack it away on a ship.



Hey, Sakuya adds another Valor onto Dancouga Nova.



I really don't like this field, but the enemies are all Panicking, so it could be worse.





Renton finally gets Valor, and a couple of levels later, Assail. (The Imáge are really focusing on him.) Eureka learns Hope, useful to have on a pilot with SP Regen, I suppose.



Bulldamons are seriously the worst.



And five thousand DAMons later, it's turn 3.

It's going to be a long mission.



I'm going to focus on Marguerite, I think. By which I mean I'm going to skip to having Crowe disable her, I think.

En guarde, Crowe Brust!
You're trying pretty hard to put your energy into that. So you're still in denial, huh?
Silence! What do you know about me?
I definitely know that you're forcing yourself to fight!
!
Tell me you really want to avenge your brother and I'll fight you...
But I'm not about to be your punching bag for you to unload your stress on!
Silence... silence! I... I won't...
You can barely even form a sentence. Fall back!
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!
Quit being stubborn already! This is why I can't stand women!






Not yet! I cannot fall yet!
Give it a rest, Marguerite. You lose.
Silence, Crowe Brust! I can still fight!
Keep going and you're guaranteed to die.
Then... then I'll die... I've lost my master, my friends, my brother...
I have nothing left...
Don't be stupid.
Hm?
So you've lost your master, your friends, your brother, but you're still here.
You may have lost everything else, but you've got your life. That's something, isn't it?
Crowe Brust...
My buddies are putting their lives on the line! Don't tell me your life is nothing!
What is the matter, Marguerite? Carry out your mission as an Archsaber!
Sir Cheval... there is no longer any meaning in our title of Archsaber.
What did you say, Maaaargueriiiiiiiite?!
Tell me to die and I will... but I cannot fight in the name of Gaioh or Ime any longer.
How dare you! Do you know the meaning of what you're saying!
If I must fight, I will fight as an Archsaber... in the name of the Kingdom of Insaraum!
So my enemy is the Imperium! Ime Liard and Gaioh, King of Destruction!



Marguerite...
Do not bandy my name about! I am a Knight of Insaraum - Marguerite Pistail, Archsaber!
I forgot my honor as a knight to preserve my own life... but that fool is now dead!
I swear to my fallen liege, my friends, my brother... that I will fight for truth and justice until I breathe my last and my dishonor is wiped clean!
All right. But don't die, Marguerite.
My life has meaning now! I will not die easily!
Marguerite... MAAAAAAAAAAAARGUERIIIIIIIIIIIIIITE!
Sir Cheval... I will never, ever forget my debt to you from Insaraum.
But that is one reason I must defeat you... as an Archsaber!




Pearlnail (Marguerite Pistail)
Skills
Predict
Offensive Support L3
Chain Attack
Resolve
Spirits
Sense - 15
Spirit - 30
Bless - 30
Valor - 40
Hope - 50
Traits
Shield
Weapons
Willful Archers (2 ammo, 125 Will, map, size)
Valkyria Spinners (10 EN)
Faithful Archers (8 ammo, mobility)
Bloom In Heaven (40 EN, 110 Will)
Ace Bonus: 1.2x damage dealt on counterattacks.

Marguerite is destined to be a good support pilot, of course (hey, she's got Hope at 50 points) - but only for another stage and a half. And she only comes at 30% upgrades. It'd have been nice if Pearlnail took its numbers from the Brasta, but oh well.



Moving on, Kei gets Love!



Shinobu fills out Dancouga's Spirit list with Zeal. Aoi gets that for free!



Next round is Cheval's turn.

(Lockon... we will carry on your wishes.)
Feldt... we all feel the same way, you know.
Chris...
We've got to fight harder for him...
All right! I'll do my part!
His wishes are all of ours. We will keep fighting.
Because we are Celestial Being.
Right!



Ugh.



At least some of these Damons are finally dying. (All the enemies do need to be finished in those six turns...)

My Lord Ime wishes for your demise, Crowe Brust!
I think I got that signal loud and clear.
So you sic anyone he points you at like a good lapdog, right?
That is my duty! And my priiiiiiide!
You're not like Marguerite at all, are you?
Then I don't have to hold anything back for you!






Ouch.





This isn't going to be pleasant.



So here we are, halfway through the chapter; the Imáge are being annoying, but right now I really have to knock down Cheval Reptail. The poor bastard hasn't much left to say, so...

MAAAAAAAAAAAARGUERIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITE!
You shouted at me like that a lot back in Insaraum, I recall.
But it was with pride and dignity... the very model of a knight.
I have not changed! It is only you who are different nooow!
Sir Cheval, I will not forget my debt to you until the day I die...
It is with that gratitude, and the honor of an Archsaber, that I strike you down!











Cheval's last words call for Ime and Gaioh, and he drops a Soul of Steel.




Marguerite pleads with him to stop. If he's truly an Archsaber, he'll join her fighting against Gaioh - the one who destroyed their world!

Cheval protests that Insaraum is dead, and it's only by following Gaioh that they can live on. They don't have Insaraum anymore, only the Imperium - and if she doesn't understand that, she should just leave!



Ime quite disagrees - what she needs is punishment.



The only fitting punishment for her now is death, he says -



and Cheval leaps in to defend her. He gasps that Marguerite remembered the honor of a knight - what he should have remembered himself. That his only loyalty lies with the Kingdom of Insaraum...

Ime's somewhat bemused that Cheval thought he could lie to him. But based on Cheval's wounds, his charade is over...

Sir Cheval... you gave up your own honor to survive, so why now...
You... need to ask...? To save... the life of... my comrade...
But...
I'm sorry... Marguerite... for all I've done to you...
But I... I had to do this... even if it meant... lying to you...
That's enough from you, Cheval. Let us begin with the punishment for your treachery.
Silence, Ime Liard! I strike at you with the last of Emeraldan's and Cheval Reptail's strength!
That's good, Cheval...



Oh, crap.



Ime kindly steps out of the way, and all of Cheval's pent-up rage at Gaioh comes spilling out. Gaioh grins savagely. "Now you're finally worth eating!"



A new warrior is born.



As Cheval reels, Gaioh roars, "Cheval Reptail! Your power and soul are mine!"



Ime explains, helpfully, that Gaioh's Revival Cells are absorbing both Cheval and the Emeraldan. Cheval croaks out a final admonition to Marguerite, never to forget her honor and her courage. "And to you, warriors of GOONZ, look upon me... and see the figure of failure!"



Marguerite calls desperately for Cheval, but it's no use. A DAMon has no trace of the person it once was - just like her brother. Marguerite confirms it for the rest of us - every DAMon the Imperium used was once a soldier of Insaraum, including M. D. - her brother, Chene. Ime sneers. "It was entirely your choice to convince yourself that an engine of destruction without will or sentience was your brother."



Shut up, Ime.
I have been waiting for those emotions to burst forth from you. That is your true--
I'm done with you snickering at our problems.
And I think I just said I'm not giving a shit what you say anymore.
Crowe Brust...
Come on, Marguerite! We're not going to take any more of his bullshit!
Indeed...
Oh, that's perfect. Everybody's getting stronger here.
Don't you dare run away, Gaioh!
Run away? Who do you think you're talking to?
Or did you forget what I did to you last time?
Ugh...
Dammit...
Well, so what? Sorry my memory's so awful.
And I'm not the type to stay down when I'm down...
Oh?
He's right! We've been building up our strength so we could defeat you!
Gaioh! We owe you big time, and we will pay you back!
And we will topple the Imperium and stop it creating war!
Heh. Looks like I was spot on. I knew you guys would come out this world's champions.
Because we broke through the U. N. Forces?
So that's the tournament he meant!
Well done. But I'm not going to eat you guys until you can satisfy me personally.
But you'll have to beat Ime first.

Gaioh leaves, but we've got another reason we absolutely have to take him out - he could turn this entire planet into DAMons! But Ime Liard stands in our way...



And he's getting more incoherent by the second. Crowe's got the right idea - it's not worth listening to a word out of his mouth!

But this update has gone on pretty long, so I'm breaking it off for now. I've got to leave myself room for all the words of righteous fury that Ime Liard deservedly has coming to him.