Toggle Background Color



Lorenzo di Montegnacco gets the news that Lancaster Corps has been wiped out. This surprises him, since there were only supposed to be three enemies - but when he sees the visual data on their machines, he realizes why. The extra insurance he brought will pay for itself after all.







Lorenzo asks about the hostages, who have already been moved to the planned position. Meanwhile, the Type-CF needs another twenty minutes to power up; the enhanced ASRS should be mounted by that time, and with the Type-CF's power output it should have no problem staying in operation.

quote:

ASRS - Anti-Sensor and Radar Sphere. A type of electronic countermeasure employed by the DC remnants, it projects a spherical field that bends incoming radio waves around the source, preventing detection by the radar receiver. Effective against many known wavelengths; its only drawback is the short duration in which it can be used. The DC remnants use ASRS to great effect in launching surprise attacks against Federation troops.




Lorenzo turns to Kenzo Murata; the opponents he promised will be arriving shortly. However, their goal is to retrieve the Type-CF, not to crush the enemy here. Murata's been looking forward to a real fight, but Lorenzo tells him that there will be time for enjoyment later. Murata suspects Van's uprising has something to do with this; Lorenzo responds that he's buying them time to establish a foothold from which to expand into the universe, but until that time comes they must act covertly.

I'm not sure if Kenzo is supposed to be Murata's first or last name. It's "Murata Kenzo" in the encyclopedia, but OG does names in Western name order. It's just Murata whenever he appears, so that's what he'll be and we can forget this digression ever happened.



The ATX team arrives, and Excellen is surprised by the sheer number of Lions, and by the one Guarlion standing guard. It feels like they're waiting for something - they probably have an escape route already planned out. But first, the hostages...



Bullet scopes out the area on camera and finds what he's looking for with surprising quickness; the captured staff are being moved across the facility, Kusuha among them. At least we have confirmation now, although the question remains of what the terrorists are after. Ransom, perhaps? But why move them now?



Bullet sees an opportunity; there's only one Guarlion guarding the base, and if he strikes now, the group moving the hostages can be cut off from the main enemy force. Excellen and Kyosuke both yell for him to wait, but he's not listening.







Murata: "Hasty."



Bullet: "...! That Guarlion's sword... it's a Shishioh Blade!?"
Murata: "You will entertain me."
Bullet: "Damn it! Get out of my way!!"



Bullet: "I won't lose to you!"






Murata: "I see right through you!"



Murata: "You are a novice!"









Bullet: " Uagh!? H-how is he so strong!?"

So that's what that feels like.




Murata: "Hmph. The ATX Team... I heard you were trained by Sanger Zonvolt. Yet you fight based on your emotions. Perhaps the next challenger will fare better."



At the main base...



Kai: "Aggressors, Major Kai Kitamura, reporting arrival with two companions."
Kenneth: "So you're here. I'm Kenneth Garrett, the commander of this base. Don't get comfortable. I need you to head to Test Site #4."
Kai: "...Sir? The screening was supposed to be conducted at Langley."
Kenneth: "Site 4 has been seized by terrorists."
Kai: "!"



Kenneth: "I dispatched the ATX Team... but it seems they've bungled the operation."
Kai: (Kyosuke did...?)
Kenneth: "And I'm afraid our hands are too full to send reinforcements."
Kai: "So you're sending us instead."
Kenneth: "Yes, that's right. You came here to evaluate our pilots, didn't you? We've all heard of your glory days... show us you haven't lost your touch."
Kai: (Bending the rules, are we? Why risk your own personnel when you can get a guest to do your work instead... but if Kyosuke is in danger, he needs our help.)



Kenneth: "What's the matter? Are the Aggressors merely figureheads?"
Kai: "...No, sir."
Kenneth: "Then stop dawdling. Proceed to Site 4 and wipe out the terrorists."
Kai: "Sir."

That's right... a new game means a new crop of asshole Federation commanders!



Rio is indignant at learning that Kai, Rai, and Latooni are being welcomed to base with a combat mission, but that dissipates immediately upon learning that Kusuha and Bullet could be in danger. Kai tells her and Ryoto to go back to Washington, but she begs him to give them machines as well.



Kai: "You two are on vacation. And I promised Director Meilong that---"
Rio: "I'll worry about my dad! At least give me a support unit!"
Ryoto: "The enemies are strong enough to give Lt. Kyosuke problems. I think the more firepower we have, the better."
Kai: (They're right... but if something happened to either of them, I...)
Ryoto: "Major, we're telling you we want to help."
Kai: "That's not the..."
Rio: "Major Kai, please!"



Kai: "...All right. We brought two of the mass-produced Huckebeins with us for the screening. The startup process will take some time..."
Ryoto: "Leave it to me. I helped develop these; there's a backdoor you can use to launch on short notice."
Kai: "Good. Then get to it."
Ryoto: "Sir!"