Part 69: Episode LXVI: The Captain of the Thames and the Attack of the Giant Fishbowl

Early update cuz I'm busy tomorrow.

Episode LXVI: The Captain of the Thames and the Attack of the Giant Fishbowl


“I've picked up the 'Ethos' fleet and the Thames on the radar, sir. They're on the sea south of here. If we travel at full speed we can reach them in an hour.”
"Alright! Set sail for Thames!"
“Aye, aye, sir!”
“First mate! The radar sir...!”
"What is it!?"
“The radar just detected an enormous object! It appeared straight above the fleet!”
"Don't tell me Stone's there already!?"
“No, it is much bigger than that! I estimate it's at least 2000 sharls!”
"That's gigantic... What in the heavens is happening...?"
”Some more bullshit... Buckle up!”




Meanwhile, the Thames and its fleet (by the way it has a fleet now as of ten minutes ago) seems to be doing okay. Well, that’s good. Fei’s not here to flip his shit and kill everyone if things go sou—




Well fuck...






Oh hey, it’s the world’s least aerodynamic airship. Remember that from the beginning of Kislev where some masked woman that TOTALLY is not affiliated with Solaris had some mysterious dealings with the Kaiser? No? What’s that? You’ve tried to block most of Kislev out of your memory? Congrats! You’re the average Xenogears follower!


Hey, you know who we haven’t seen in a while? That kooky Gazel Ministry. They’re watching home videos again. I find it amusing that the Gazel Ministry apparently has camera robots zooming around so they can watch the plot from...wherever the hell the Solaris government hangs out.


“ A selfish creed... I question his... faith.”
“We have no need for an organization of fanatics.”
“We will seek what they will... it's their nature.”
“But, too much is undue, something must be done. A reprimand is necessary.”
“They are an expendable group. There is nothing we can do at this point.”
“Yes, there is nothing more to gain from their continued existence.”
“They've already done what we required. Currently, we're in the process of 'dealing' with each area responsible.”
“Stein is in charge of dealing with Aquvy.”
“Bear in mind the need for a 'fitting solution'.”
“Didn't we just take care of that?”
“Moreover, Krelian is...rather exorbitant. It's only a molecular machine. Why is he placing so much importance on it?”
“'Humans', and 'machines', it's all the same to us.”
“Yes, they are all the same...”


Enlightening as always... Oh well, let’s see what’s going on aboard the flying flower vase.


“Engineering, ready for a full demonstration. Main ship, military units are at stand by.”
“Clean up is at 80%. Currently, our heading is clear.”
”The military lingoapparatusmatron is spinning up at 51% and rising.”
“Krelian, there are several ships that have not been vaporized. What should we do?”


“Eliminate the rest of the trash. Use the test subjects, Wels, for retrieval and elimination."
“We've confirmed the marker location of Stein. Of the 130 research and excavation sites, it's in the southernmost peak.”
“Shocktroops are entering Zeboim now.”


“The thing they've searched for over 500 years... This should be interesting."
“Releasing the Wels.”

That was Krelian. Given the fact he’s blasting people from the air and then raining zombies down on them, it is safe to assume that he is kind of a dick. 30 hours in and they’re still introducing new major villains. Anyway, let’s see what’s shakin’ on the Thames...

Music: Fuse


"What are you asking me for...?"
”I’ve been drinking since 9:00 AM. I’m seeing three of you right now... Just getting’ my bearings.”
"Weren't the other salvager fleets almost blown away by one shot? Is this the way the 'Ethos' greets us?"
"I seriously doubt that! Why do they have to attack us? We only came to help with excavations..."


"What!?"
”Hans, did he just say those zombie things are raining down from the fishbowl thing?”
“Yessir, captain.”
“Clearly I should have started drinking at 8:00 AM instead...”
"Why...? This can't be happening..."
"......Launch the Gears! Load the big gun!"
"Captain!?"
"Alright, y'all! We're going to assist and rescue any of the survivors from the other ships... if at all possible while trying to retreat! And shoot down those Wels with our two guns! Don't let those filthy Wels get near our Thames!"
*motions towards Hans* "Hans! Look alive! Take the helm! We'll show that fishbowl thing how real men of the sea retreat!"
"Y, yessir!"




Several salvage Gears jump overboard and the Thames’ guns ready for battle.


And umm...yeah... It is raining zombies... Apparently zombies float gently down to earth when thrown overboard in Xenogears’ world. Who knew...?


Welp! I smell another boss rush or two coming ahead.

Back on the Yggdrasil...


"So this is the purging by Solaris that Stone was talking about!?"
"Let us make haste! Otherwise the Thames will be destroyed by Reapers!"


Alright. It’s time to form a new party. Elly can take a breather. I don’t think she much enjoyed her time on the Thames anyway. This is Men of the Sea time...


By the time we get to the Thames, a hour later according to Sigurd, it looks to be err...in pretty good shape for having a flying fishbowl fire laser beams and drop an undead horde on it not long ago...

The party docks and proceeds to the Bridge...

Music: Thames: Men of the Sea


"Yes, you could say that. But you seem to be better off than I expected."
"Of course."






“...”


“...but the truth is the situation's been pretty bad. We've got some that are injured badly and some that are fatal. But considering what happened to the other ships, we're in no position to complain.”
”The distress message mentioned your ship was under attack by the Reapers. Anything we can do to help?”
“Naw. We got ‘em all.”
“Really...?”
“Yep. Some of the uppity critters tried to raid the Beer Hall. The men rallied and drove ‘em to the sea within minutes of that. They shoulda known better than to mess with a man’s drink.”
And by the way, Citan. What the hell is up with that fishbowl thing? It came out of nowhere and kicked our butts and left behind Wels. And then, it headed for some obscure excavation site where there's supposed to be nothing. Odd, since we were sent to go to a more deeper and bigger excavation site."
"Just as I thought..."
”Goddammit, Citan! Do you EVER share with the class before something has already happened?!”
"Some say they saw a huge Gear-like monster. It seemed like it was guiding that fishbowl thing to the excavation site. Or so I'm told."
”At the time it looked to me like there were three of them fishbowl things and they were all dancing in circles.”
"Stone... It appears there is something there for sure."
"Call it salvager's intuition, but I don't wanna get any closer. And Citan, is that fishbowl an enemy of yours?"
"You... could say that."


"Well, I won't ask for revenge. But I can't just sit back and do nothing. You can ask Hans anything about the site."
”Yo, dolphin dude. Where’s the next dungeon?”
“Due north from here. Big Ethos site hole in the ground. Can’t miss it.”
“Cool. Thanks. By the way...you don’t happen to know a guy name ‘Franz’ do you?”
“No. ...Why?”
“Just curious.”
“Weirdo...”


Welp, off we go to the Ethos Excavation Site to go...do something...or stop something...for some reason! Man, Fei is going to be SO fucking confused whenever he wakes up.










Ezekiel Class Battleship Concept Art