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"...."
"There is an abnormality... in space..."
"The silence... must not be broken..."
"Two roots... an undesired world..."



"Chaos... discord... eliminate the guardians..."
"Correct the world... complete the pure life..."
"Failure."
"As was feared... humans..."

Man, I sure am glad they got Norio Wakamoto to voice the Einst Regisseur. The character really plays to his strengths.

-----




Yuuki gives Archibald a report on what he observed. Archibald is surprised to learn that the R-1 is being prepared for mass-production; Rose hasn't mentioned anything about it. As for their next objective, Archibald intends to head for China, where their armored modules will do a survey of point F2234.



Yuuki: "But... there's no Federation presence in that region."
Archibald: "Yes, I'm aware."
Echidna: "Then is this not a foolish means to pursue your mission?"
Archibald: "That's rather cutting of you. I expect a considerable return from this excursion."
Echidna: "Return? With my current information, I am unable to support."



Archibald: "Then what if I told you a great power slept at our destination?"
Echidna: "Power?"
Archibald: "Indeed. One of the great machine-gods of Chinese antiquity... a Mechanoid. Dr. Makoto Anzai of the LTR laboratories tried to prove the existence of a mighty colossus that fought with the devil in legend."

The giant Chinese robot is called a Chokijin (超機人), literally "super mechanical person". Atlus went with Mechanoid, so I'll stick with that.



Cuervo: "...! Did such a thing even exist in ancient times?"
Archibald: "Well, true or not, it's quite an enthralling tale, yes?"
Echidna: (Mechanoids... I have no corresponding data.)



Yuuki: "This is crazy. You expect me to believe the ancient Chinese built robots?"
Archibald: "Ah, you lack imagination. Is it so difficult to believe, in a world where aliens have been proven to exist?"
Yuuki: "That's completely different."
Archibald: "Is it now? So you place no stock in the paranormal and unexplained?"
Yuuki: "What are you talking about?"
Archibald: "But you will acknowledge the existence of aliens."
Yuuki: "....."
Archibald: "Ah, come now. There are more things in heaven and earth, Yuuki, than are dreamt of in your philosophy..."



Archibald goes on to explain that the Mechanoids are, in fact, a matter of record - and not just in myth and legend, but documented history from between the world wars of the old era. He's quite familiar with them, as the Grims estate holds a collection of such information, suggesting that his ancestors had contact with the Mechanoids themselves. His family were originally British aristocracy, and prosperous - though it seems their search for the Mechanoids may have caused their downfall.

In other words, Archie's ancestors were Nazi collaborators, helping them dig up ancient robots for B.J. Blaskowicz to fight, but then Indiana Jones killed them all. Or something.



Yuuki: (In other words, this is your ancestral fate.)
Echidna: "Major, do you believe in the Mechanoids' existence?"
Archibald: "Frankly, even now I have my doubts. But Rose has shared the location of the ruins LTR was excavating. I'd like to confirm with my own eyes."



Echidna: (Mistress Lemon must be informed of this...)
Echidna: "Very well. I withdraw my objection."
Archibald: "And you, Yuuki?"
Yuuki: "If that's your order."



Archibald: "Good. Doctor Cero, can Bronzo 27 and 28 be used on the next mission?"
Cuervo: "Actually... Bronzo 27 is showing some slight instability. That's Seolla."
Archibald: "Oh? So Number 28 was not the only one with defects?"
Cuervo: "I'm sorry. I'll find the cause as soon as I can."
Yuuki: (They're people, not tools...)



Echidna: "Allow me to sortie in their place."
Archibald: "Oh? Still monitoring us, are you?"
Echidna: "Is there a problem?"
Archibald: "No, not at all. Please, assist."

-----



Carla checks on Seolla, who's actually suffering quite a bit of pain in the wake of the last mission. She's just unhappy that she's let the School down with her performance. Carla is silent for a moment, then asks if she really believes in the revival of the Divine Crusaders. Seolla doesn't hesitate to respond that of course she does; there's no choice but to realize Bian Zoldark's dying wish that the Earth be protected from alien invaders.



After a moment, she asks the same question of Carla. Carla thinks a bit before saying that she supposes her reason is the same. During the L5 campaign, the Aerogaters attacked her hometown; her parents and brother were killed, and she only survived thanks to Yuuki's help.



Seolla asks if that means she wants to avenge them; Carla does... she thinks.



Cuervo enters with medicine for Seolla, and has to ask Carla to leave while he checks up on her. Once she exits, he gets down to business. Seolla's performance has been fluctuating ever since she captured the Wildfalken; perhaps she can explain why?



Seolla: "The truth is... Lat was piloting the Wildfalken."
Cuervo: "Lat? ...You mean, Latun 11!?"
Seolla: "....."
Cuervo: "I'm sorry. I never had the chance to give her a proper name. But... she's alive?"
Seolla: "I was surprised, too."



Seolla: "So I don't understand... why I pointed my gun at her."
Cuervo: "You what?"
Seolla: "I don't know... I don't understand my own actions."
Cuervo: (It's probably the stimulants from her last adjustment. It looks like they're affecting her judgement.)
Seolla: "When it happened, I wanted to bring Lat back with the Falken."



Cuervo: "Why didn't you tell me before now?"
Seolla: "I-I'm sorry. I did tell Arado..."
Cuervo: (Her dependency on Arado is too strong. We may need to do a readjustment.)



Seolla: "Could you do something for me, Doctor? Tell Ouka about it. She loved Lat the most; I'm sure if she came here, Lat would understand..."
Cuervo: (In Ouka's state, seeing Latooni could be... problematic.)



Seolla: "Doctor?"
Cuervo: "I understand. I'll tell her. But right now, it's your health I'm most concerned about."
Seolla: "...Okay."

-----




The Hagane is on temporary standby, so Lamia takes the chance to decrypt the disk Echidna gave her. She has an unpleasant discovery; on top of the other problems, the Angelg's decoder unit is also malfunctioning. She realizes that she'll have to make contact with W16 again, somehow, to request replacement parts. But for the time being, she'll have to use her own judgement... somehow.



And there's still the matter of her speech issue. She doesn't want to end up getting used to it...

For whatever reason, the line about her speech isn't in the original.

-----



Ryusei's chafing at the additional wait, but Kyosuke reminds him that the enemy could be lying in wait to swoop in on the base as soon as they're gone. (Excellen: "You know what they say, fools rush in." Bullet: "Ah, but he who hesitates is lost." Kyosuke: "Enough with the proverbs...") Lamia decides that she'll take the opportunity to learn more about SRX - apart from the pilot change, other circumstances may be different as well.

The original version has Excellen and Bullet both mangling "All things come to those who wait," only for Kyosuke to point out that they're using it wrong anyway.



Ryusei grumbles that he envies Rai, not getting stuck sitting around. Lamia asks about him (and gets another comment about her speech from Ryusei) and learns that he's in Kyoto.



Excellen: "Ooh, do you think our Prince Charming is off for an illicit rendezvous with Shine? Off to Kyoto to elope, maybe?"
Ryusei: "No. I give it a 300% chance of no."



Lamia: "What is he doing in Kyoto?"
Ryusei: "Taking a half-day to visit the family gravesite. He's got plenty of time until the R-2 Powered is finished."
Lamia: "Gravesite... you mean, Ma-ajor Elzam V. Branstein?"
Ryusei: "Nah, his brother's not dead. Just missing."
Excellen: "Camping in the mountains with the Boss, right?"
Bullet: "That's... well, I guess he might be."



Lamia: (They seem certain that he's alive.)
Ryusei: "Didn't think you'd know about Rai's brother, though."
Lamia: "Huh? Oh, yes. He's very fa-amous, isn't he?"
Kyosuke: "....."



Lamia: (Things are more different here than I'd expected...)

-----



Kyoto



Rai: "....."



Rai: (Cattleya. It'll be a while before I can come back here, like my brother. If... If I can lay the past to rest, I'll bring your flowers again. Then, maybe I can say farewell for real. So, until then...)





Rai: "An emergency call...? What's going on!"

-----




The R-2 Powered is loaded, and Rai has confirmed that he'll meet the Hagane en route. The enemy submarine has been detected, inexplicably heading for the Chinese mainland. It's a strange choice of destination, making them suspect a diversion - but their orders from Laker are to pursue the enemy.



Mission 12: From Far and Away



As the DCs advance on the dig site, the staff are in an uproar, desperately trying to reach safety. Professor Eri Anzai is furious at the interruption; they were so close to unearthing the ancient machine and vindicating her father's research! She can already guess that the intruders are others who gathered similar information about the area, just like her father did.



Archibald notes that they haven't dug anything up yet; probably just as well, as it would be troublesome if the Mechanoids were up and about. Echidna is unable to detect anything unusual.



Carla, on the other hand, has an odd feeling; a cold, dead sensation from beneath the earth... Yuuki can feel it too, but stoutly maintains that there's no such thing as ancient robots.



Archibald: "Well, then. Before our pursuers get here, let's finish their work."
Echidna: "Work?"
Carla: "You're kidding. We're going to dig that thing up!?"
Archibald: "Absolutely. Why else would we come here? We'll use our munitions to blow away the earth and sand."
Yuuki: "What about the ruins?"
Archibald: "Them as well. The machine won't be damaged so easily."



Echidna: "And the people in the excavation site?"
Archibald: "Oh, don't worry about them."
Echidna: "Understood."



Carla: "Hold on a minute! Aren't they civilians!?"
Archibald: "What's this, then? Have you forgotten that we're at war?"
Carla: "But they're defenseless!"
Archibald: "Your point?"



Yuuki: "Major, I strongly recommend we let them escape. Shouldn't we save our ammunition for our pursuers?"
Archibald: "Ah, I see. Yuuki, you're trying to avoid unnecessary bloodshed."
Yuuki: "As much as possible."



Archibald: "How nice. But... I rather enjoy unnecessary bloodshed."



Archibald: "Civilian blood, in particular."
Yuuki: "!"

"By the way, on our way here I fed a baby to a puppy. Then I set the puppy on fire. Did I tell you I've taken a liking to black tea? Yes, the color puts me in mind of the ashes..."




Archibald: "Hmhmhm... hahahaha..."
Yuuki: "!?"







Archibald: "This feeling... nothing else can compare! Exquisite, truly exquisite! The terror of a helpless opponent! Ahahaha! It's just like the old days! HAHAHAHA!"
Carla: "Ugh...!"



Archibald: "Ah, I beg your pardon. I lost myself in the excitement for a moment. Perhaps it reminded you of your own past."
Carla: (He... he's insane!)
Echidna: (Expending ammunition only for his own pleasure. Wasteful.)



Archibald: "Well, Carla? Will you join in the hunt as well?"
Carla: "A-Are you kidding me?! No!"
Archibald: "No? Ah, well. I won't force you. Our pursuers have arrived earlier than I expected."




Daitetsu confirms that it's the same ship that attacked the Far East base. Tetsuya wonders what they're doing out here, but the captain says there will be time for that later - right now, civilian lives are at stake.



Excellen: "Hey, Kyosuke. What is that?"
Kyosuke: "The LTR dig site. Did you sleep through the briefing?"
Excellen: "Not that. Something doesn't feel... weird, to you?"
Kyosuke: "Weird?"
Excellen: "Yeah..."



Irm: "I'm not noticing anything. How about you, Ryusei?"
Ryusei: "Now that you bring it up... the air feels... I don't know, stale somehow."
Bullet: "Yeah. Like a... cold breeze, blowing over our feet?"
Excellen: "Um... no, it's nothing like that..."
Lamia: (I don't understand. What are they talking about?)



Kai: "Just focus on the enemy, people. Understand?"
Excellen: "Yes sir, no sir, three bags full, sir..."
Excellen: (But still... what is that?)



Lamia: (I'm not picking up anything from underground. What did they detect?)
Echidna: (That is the SMSC Angelg... W17's mech. It would be best to avoid fighting here.)



Kai: "Rai, how's the handling?"
Rai: "No problems. I'm ready."



Archibald: "Oh? The SRX Project's R-2. If Raidiese, second son of the Branstein family, is piloting it... heh heh, such an ironic turn of fate."
Yuuki: "You know that pilot, Major?"
Archibald: "Yes, quite well. Though we've never met."
Yuuki: "....."



Archibald orders his people to hold our crew off while they excavate the ruins; the battle begins.