Part 33: Episode XXXI: Bartholomew Fatima and the Unexpected Visitor

Episode XXXI: Bartholomew Fatima and the Unexpected Visitor


Welp, enough of that silly POWER business for a bit. Let’s see how Bart and the gang are doing on their end of the operation.


"Y, yes...young master...I hear when they attacked the fort at the border, the Gebler, led by Ramsus, routed them. We'd better withdraw for now, and reconsider..."
"Margie and them are still there. We'll go back! We have to! That reminds me... What about Fei and his guys? If they're alright, we could..."
"We've had no contact since we confirmed their order to charge..."
"Dammit! This can't be happening!"
”Why didn’t anyone think of figuring a way for the two teams to communicate during the mission if something goes wrong...? Eh? Citan, any ideas...?”
“Do not look at me. I am merely a country doctor.”
“...”
"Young master..."


”Hmm? Why yes, I am behind you.”
“No, not you. My boss battle senses are tingling...”
"Something's coming from behind! Jericho! Give me the helm... No, you keep it! Just hurry up and pull either way!!"
"Young master...?"
"Aft of our stern! 300! I'm picking up the sound of torpedoes being readied. A sand cruiser!? It's big! Speed 60! Relative route 0-0-0! They were hiding behind some baffles!"
"Kahr!"

Music: Fuse


“Torpedoes!? Two of them! Speed 87! Torpedoes confirmed with the sonar. They've shifted over to active homing!"
"Battle stations! Deploy the maskers! Ready the noisemaker!"


“Open jammer! Noisemaker, 2nd, 4th tube... Standby!”
"Emit noisemaker! Prepare to stop the engine! Helm... NOW! Steer to the opposite direction as far as you can! Stop the engine! Crash alarm!!"
“Stop the engine! Crash alarm!!”


The entire ship violently shifts. But it seems that isn’t going to quite work out for the Yggdrasil...

Meanwhile...


“...followed by a rapid blowing noise. Enemy vessel is probably floating rapidly to the surface.”
“Fluid static around enemy vessel is decreasing. Sand maneuverability of enemy vessel down 60%.... Looks like the main engine and effect-fins have been disabled.”
"Once their effect-fins are destroyed they will remain buried and unable to move. Surfacing was a smart move. Sand-Torpedo Chief! Well done on lowering their fighting power. Brilliant!"
“Sorry to trouble you.”
"Well...what shall we do with them...?"


"I promised an old friend... I must take it easy... An old...friend..."


Flashback time again. For once, it’s not Ramsus and his squad getting their asses handed to them by Future Dan... We join a young, pre-popped collar of the gods Ramsus and a two-eyed Sigurd in Solaris at some unspecified time in the past.


“You were supposed to help us create an ideal nation!"


“I've been living here to steal this country's technology from the beginning. Besides, there's someone waiting for me. Don't be bitter."
”Being a spy, using you, and shitting all over your ideals is just business. Don’t take it the wrong way. No need to get all sore.”
"It wasn't too bad going after the same ideals with you, for that short time."


And so Sigurd walks off the edge of Solaris. Being a spy I assume he has access to a jet pack. Oh well, it was nice of Ramsus to just angrily shake his fist and not sound the alarms or do anything to prevent Sigurd’s departure.

Back in the present...


“Use my name and urge them to surrender. Tell them to surrender if they desire the safety of Nisan. All divisions cease fire, but remain on alert! If any enemy vessel attempts to attack, shoot it individually!"

Music: In a Dark Sleep (Game Over Theme)


Welp, that isn’t going particularly well... Let’s go check on Fei and Vanderkaum’s POWER, shall we?

Meanwhile, across the desert...


"...It's them... Why them...? What did they do?"
”Eh? That didn’t even remotely make sense...”
“Sorry... My mind is in another place. That guy...? Hell, I don’t know what his deal is. I saw him a couple weeks ago and he said a buncha crap about POWER and slaying god and how he killed my father and then he made me fight a giant sand worm.”
“...Right. Forget I asked.”


"General! General Maitreya!! We have an R code message! I'm not sure, but it looks like the young master is in trouble!! We don't have time for this junker!!"


”Waaaah! My spleen!”
“No! Officer...uhh... Err... Did you catch that guy’s name?
“Don’t look at me.”
“Don’t party just yet.”

Music: Jaws of Ice


”Cocky little freaks!”


”It’s time to try out our new weapon.”
“Oh weak... That POWER crap just gives bosses a second form?”
“I’m coming for ya!”


Vanderkaum puts on a laser light show with his newfound POWER. It isn’t the most impressive display of newfound abilities I have ever witnessed.


“My unit will stay behind and try to buy some time. All operational Gears left will provide cover as per their commanders' orders, and retreat in set order."
"Don't be stupid! I'm staying too!"
”You guys couldn’t even take that thing’s first form without my help. And it wasn’t even shooting doom lasers then!”
"Shut up and listen, boy! You're the young master's guest. I can't let you die here."
"But..."
"...The young master... What he really needs is your strength. Please help him. I beg you.


“Farrant! Vind! Let's move out!!"


Well, I’m sure they’ll be just fi—







































































Well, that was a thing. Let’s see how Bart is... What in the hell is Bart doing...?


...Oh. The Yggdrasil is modified with a giant Gear sized old timey steering wheel on the back of the bridge. Sure... Sure, why not?


"The main engine and effect-fins' oscillators are mostly unharmed...but the electrical connections between them are wasted. We are bypassing the main connection and trying to scrape together all the energy we can. But it will only give us 70% of our usual maximum power at best. The propulsion-drills are not damaged, but if the sand can't be granulated they might as well be. We'll make battle speed 3...only barely."
”Uh huh... I understood like maybe a third of that. But that sounded kinda positive, I guess.”
"Sig! What has Gebler's 'Mister Puniverse' got to say?"
"He's been quiet since the first surrender demand."

Music: Leftover Dreams of the Strong


"Young master!"
"Sig! Listen! Surrendering isn't going to change Nisan's fate. We'll lose the Yggdrasil, the core of our power in saving Aveh and Margie. I know it looks bad, but you can still count on us!"
"Well said, young master! This old man will follow you to the pits of hell!"
"Sorry, Old Maison, I'm not dying today!! Besides they don't look like they're gonna hit us."
"It sure looks that way... Perhaps they have political motives that involve Margie or the young master..."
"That's probably it, Sig! But they're forgetting one thing... It's harder to bring in an animal alive than dead!"
"Young master...emergency connections are complete. Use the engine as you wish."
"Thanks!! Alright let's...go get those fools!!"

Back on Ramsus’ ship...



“...steering noise confirmed, course change... Taking evasive action.”
"Commander? ...Ha, Ha, Ha."
"...Can't help it, eh?"
”Well, what are they going to do? Spray burning wreckage smoke at us angrily?”
"All divisions, holding pattern cancelled! ...Resume attack!"
“Bow torpedo tubes 1-3, Namthal missile. Set 1 and 2 for homing, 3 for anti-radar. Tubes 4-6, Makara Mk5 sand torpedoes. After acquiring target set all to passive homing. All units, begin defensive fire. Aim for the main ship.”
“W, wait!!!”
”Hmm?”
“Deus ex Ohshitima detected on the horizon.”


“High energy reactions... What kind of gain is this!? Commander!! I can't believe this! This... Gear...? It's like reactive rounds are flying around...”
"Calm down. Put the analyzed picture on the monitor."
“Y, yessir...”



Elsewhere...


”Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap!”




"Oh cra-"




”It’s a Gund—!!!“ *explodes*




”Fooooooooox!”




Well...that’s probably bad...


"W, what happened?"
”Err...Sig...are you pulling off some awesome counter-offensive I’m not aware of...?”
“I am not.”
“Huh... Weird.”


”Suddenly kinda regretting installing this awesome Gear wheel on deck...”

Music: The One Who is Torn Apart


"Commander! Please wait Commander!!"

Ramsus runs off the bridge...


_{”Psst... Do you ever get creeped out by Officer Hawwa chuckling at inappropriate times to herself...?”
“Occasionally... What do you think is up with that?”
“Man, my last assignment was with a guy with a giant blue cross tattooed on his face. I’ve learned a long time ago not to question what is wrong with the higher up...”
“Good policy...”}

Back at the Yggdrasil...


”Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh...”


“...Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh?”









Music: In a Dark Sleep




The Demon of Elru’s Gear Render