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Mission 5: Is Your Usefulness At An End?
Kyosuke and Excellen have been observing the test site from a distance. It looks like Bullet ejected from the Huckebein, though he may wish he hadn't once Kyosuke gets his hands on him. (Excellen comments that he sounds like the Boss.) Still, there's been no contact from him, so all they can do is hope for his safety - and in the meantime, learn what they can about the hostages.
There's only a single unit guarding them - the custom Guarlion that took out Bullet. A troublesome opponent, to be sure, but oddly familiar as well. With that sword, it reminds them both of Master Rishu and Marion, and their work at Tesla Reich.
But more importantly, bringing such a fearsome guard must mean that the terrorists' goal in coming here was important - there's a real treasure of some kind being stored here at the test site, and "Commander Chrome-Dome" (Excellen's new nickname for Kenneth) didn't tell them what it was. Excellen suggests they pester him about it, but Kyosuke doesn't see the need; if this situation continues, it's Kenneth's neck that will be on the block. Still, they were expecting somebody else to come from Langley to back them up. The Commander's being awfully laid-back about this for somebody with so much to lose...
Actually Excellen refers to Kenneth as "Octopus," that being an unflattering nickname for bald people.
One of the unknown goons informs Lorenzo that the Type-CF is ready for launch. He asks about the Grungust Type-2, but the news there isn't as good; it's been configured for a specific individual, and nobody else can get it to power up. He resigns himself to leaving the Grungust behind. Their contacts are an hour from the designated point, meaning that it's time to move out...
Bullet's sneaking through the test station on foot, trying to find Kusuha, when some of the terrorists run by talking about the order to withdraw. The hostages are just to be left in confinement; their guard will be withdrawing as well.
Apparently unable to understand that this means they're leaving anyway, Bullet proceeds to jump them and knock them out.
With them out of the way, Bullet wonders what to do next. If the coast is clear, should he buy time for Kusuha and the hostages to escape? Then again, so long as he's here, maybe he can figure out what the terrorists were after...
The answer surprises him.
Bullet radios Kyosuke to confirm his situation; the hostages have a clear shot to escape. But there's some new kind of mech in the hangar - and it's starting up.
Lorenzo is pleased with the success in getting the Type-CF started up, and orders his forces to hold position until the ASRS is active.
Murata: "I had hoped for a battle with the ATX team. This is disappointing."
Lorenzo: "Our priority is retrieving this unit. Not fighting."
Murata: "You'd let this opportunity pass? A chance to repay those who killed Maier?"
Lorenzo: "I'm not interested in revenge."
Kyosuke: "Bullet said he saw a new mech... that one looks like it fits the bill."
Excellen: "There's our hidden treasure, I guess. Sheesh... why do these things always happen to us, hmm?"
Kyosuke: "Don't blame me. What happens, happens..."
Kyosuke: (A signal? This is... from the Aggressors?)
Kyosuke: "...It's time."
Excellen: "For what?"
Kyosuke: "What do you think?"
Excellen: "Really? Oh, Kyosuke, you animal!"
Kyosuke: "Help's coming, we know Bullet is safe. Now it's time to see what they're made of."
Excellen: "Okaaaay. Well, you say that, but I think I can guess already..."
Grunt: "Sir, the enemy is on the move!"
Lorenzo: "Hmph..."
Lorenzo: "ATX Team. This is Lorenzo di Montegnacco of the Divine Crusaders."
Kyosuke: "!"
Excellen: "Montegnocchi? Aw, geez. Now I'm hungry."
Lorenzo: "...Montegnacco. It has nothing to do with food."
Excellen: "Ooh, he's a stuffy one. This'll be fun."
Actually it's something along these lines:
quote:
Excellen: "Monde Nyan-ko? Aww, do you want skritchies? On your cute widdle paws, maybe?"
Lorenzo: "...Montegnacco. I don't have paws."
"Nyan-ko" being what a Japanese-speaker might name their cat if "Fluffy" struck them as too exotic.
Kyosuke: "This is Lieutenant Kyosuke Nanbu of the ATX Team. What do you want?"
Lorenzo: "As you're no doubt aware, we have hostages on the base. Hold your position, and I'll guarantee their safety."
Excellen: "'And don't even think of callin' the police, or it's curtains for 'em!' Well, if you've got a name like that, you may as well act the part."
Kyosuke: "May as well. Let's see what he wants."
Excellen: "I suppose. So, Monty... what's your ransom demand?"
(She continues calling him "Nyan-ko" or "Monteniku" ("niku" meaning "meat") throughout the first part of the mission.)
Lorenzo: "We're not here for money. We're for this - the Valsion Custom, Type-CF."
Kyosuke: "Valsion!?"
Excellen: "Wait, seriously!? It looks completely different!"
Lorenzo: "This version has been enhanced for mass-production and space combat. It's the next generation of weapon."
Excellen: "Another holdover from the DCs, huh... so Isurugi is still building the designs?"
Lorenzo: "We just want the machine. Putting it through combat now would be a waste."
Kyosuke: "In exchange for the hostages' lives, you want us to look the other way."
Lorenzo: "Precisely. It's not a bad arrangement, I feel."
Kyosuke: "....."
Lorenzo: "Or will you fight, at the hostages' expense?"
Kyosuke: "...Guess we'll have to play along. Excellen."
Excellen: "Them's the breaks, huh?"
Lorenzo: "A wise decision."
Bullet: "That mech's got Kusuha and the others under its thumb! But without the Mark II, I..."
Bullet: "Wait. There's another option. Kusuha brought it with her..."
Kyosuke: "Excellen, I don't need to tell you this, but... don't move."
Excellen: "Roger. If you need me, I'll be taking a nap."
Kyosuke: "Go ahead. Just be ready to go when the time comes."
Our current objective is to spend a turn without moving or attacking.
And they're not kidding. If you move...
Lorenzo makes good on his threat and orders Murata to kill the hostages. So let's not do that.
On Turn 2, Lorenzo and Murata sense somebody approaching.
Kai: "Sorry to keep you waiting. Kyosuke, Excellen..."
Excellen: "Huh? Wh... what...? Is it morning already?"
Kyosuke: "...You actually fell asleep."
Excellen: "Well, we've been on heavy rotation lately..."
Kai tries again, and this time gets a response. Lorenzo watches the new MP Huckebeins with interest - another prize to be captured, but not worth the risk of pursuing now. Meanwhile, Ryoto freaks out when he hears that the Federation has secretly been building a Valsion, of all things. Kai wastes no time in ordering everyone to move - Latooni and Rai encircling, while Ryoto and Rio support from behind. After confirming the location of the hostages, he tells Latooni to keep an eye out for heat sources from other hidden machines.
Kai hails Lorenzo and requests his name. Lorenzo responds in kind, and Rai recognizes him as one of his father's former subordinates in the colonial military.
Kai: "Latooni, what did you find?"
Latooni: "I don't think that mech is watching the hostages directly."
Kai: "Good. Kyosuke, take down that Guarlion."
Kyosuke: "Roger. Excellen, cover me. You'd better not still be half-asleep."
Excellen: "I always give it my all... <3"
Lorenzo asks for Kai's response, but then---
Bullet bursts back into action, having found and activated Kusuha's Grungust.
It's causing him no small amount of discomfort, given that the T-LINK is calibrated for her use, but he yells that he'll handle the enemy Guarlion all the same. Hearing this, Kai tells everyone else to shift their fire to the Valsion, while Lorenzo warns his men to keep our crew away from same...