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At Tesla Reich...



Rishu has something he wants Filio to examine: the recorder data that Bullet gave him showing the Shishioh Blade-equipped Guarlion the ATX team encountered. Unfortunately Filio has little insight to offer, as he was only involved in developing the Guarlion's prototype, not any of the mass-produced versions.



Filio: "Master. Do you know something about this Guarlion?"
Rishu: "...Indeed I may. The man riding in that machine may be an old disciple of mine."
Filio: "A disciple..."
Rishu: "Mm. Such was his skill that I recommended him to the Aggressors. But then he vanished... with one swing of his Shishioh Blade."



Filio: "And joined the Divine Crusaders... but I didn't hear about anyone like that in our organization."
Rishu: "...I must make certain. I must learn that pilot's identity. And if it's him... I must stop him."



Rishu: "If he's wielding that blade for his own vulgar enjoyment... then it's my duty to chastise him."
Filio: "....."

-----



The Hagane is passing over India on its journey to the Earth Cradle.



Arado: (Aw, man... how can I escape when I'm locked up in here?)
Arado: "Haaahhhh... I'm huuuungry... sooo huuungry... is it lunchtime yet?"

-----



Latooni's been keeping an eye on her friend from outside the cell, worrying. Kai comes by to ask her what's wrong, and she asks how long they're planning to keep Arado locked up. He answers that at some point, he'll be transferred to an appropriate facility as a POW.



Kai: "Do you want to say something?"
Latooni: "...Yes. Arado's just the same as I was. Being forced to fight, no matter what he really wants... believing that that's just how things are."
Kai: "...I see."
Latooni: "But thanks to Giado, and Garnet, and... and Ryusei, I could change. So I'm sure that even Arado could be..."
Kai: "....."



Kai: (I'll have to have a word with the captain.)

-----



Ryusei: "...Got it. So patterns 20 to 35 can be used with the Invincible Sword. You OK with me doing that, Bullet?"
Bullet: "Well, they're all based on the techniques Master Rishu taught me, but the Huckebein can't really make use of them."
Ryusei: "Yeah, looks like they're more for the Grungust... so if I combine these with the data I entered..."

I like how even the game acknowledges that the Huckebein is a terrible fit for Bullet.

Wait, no I don't. Give me my red Grungust back!



Ryusei: "All right, that ought to do it. Rai, how's it look?"
Rai: "...30 to 33 are pointless."
Ryusei: "B-but I came up with those..."
Rai: "Then it'll be easy to remove them."
Ryusei: "Dude, you're ripping out the heart of SRX here! A super robot's gotta be flashy and awesome, like the Type-0!"
Rai: "If you pose like that, you're going to end up cutting us."



Ryusei: "Ugh... wh-why don't I go show it to Aya or the Chief and we can come up with a shortcut. OK?"
Rai: "It won't matter."
Ryusei: "Oh, come on. Here I thought going to Hawaii would help you unwind a little, but noooo, you're just as tight-assed as ever."
Rai: "You call it being 'tight-assed,' I call it eliminating wastefulness. Like those ridiculous names you keep coming up with for attacks."
Ryusei: "Wastefulness!? It's spirit! It's the cry of my soul!"
Rai: "Which has nothing to do with performing the attack."



Ryusei: "C'mon, this is just like when you say 'Tronium Engine, Full Drive!' when I use the Invincible Sword."
Rai: "No, it's not."
Ryusei: "I'll yell 'Heaven!' and then you yell 'Earth!' It'll be awesome!"
Rai: "No."
Ryusei: "Tch... y'know, I've got to drive SRX, it'd be nice to have a little support."



Rai: "...All right. Listen carefully."
Ryusei: "?"
Rai: "Whenever you make a maneuver or attack, I have to adjust the Tronium engine's output to match your timing. I perform damage control. I monitor the Captain's vitals. I collect battlefield data, I track safety parameters, I keep an eye on the servomotors, I regulate coolant flow, I track the position of the purged parts..."



Rai: "There is a mountain of work involved in keeping SRX combined. And you want to tell me that yelling an attack's name is the support you really need?"
Ryusei: "I got it, I got it. I was wrong. I'm sorry. I'll drop 30 through 32."
Rai: "And 33."
Ryusei: "Ugh... a-all right..."



Rai: "...The others are fine."
Ryusei: "R-Really!?"
Rai: "Yeah. We'll have to work out the details later."
Ryusei: "You got it! And Bullet, thanks for the motion data."
Bullet: "It's nothing..."



Bullet's muted response gets Ryusei's attention, and it comes out that he's worried about Arado. Even given their experiences with Latooni, meeting another School graduate reminds them of how young these people are. Rai points out that he's not that far off from their own ages, and that kids taking up arms is hardly a recent development in human history - which, while true, doesn't make them feel much better about having kids Arado's age as enemies.



Given that he's almost certainly been pushed into being a soldier for the DC remnants, Ryusei and Bullet both want to hold out hope that this could be a turning point for him. Rai keeps silent on the matter.

-----



Kai makes his proposal to Daitetsu, promising to take full responsibility for anything that happens. The captain is receptive, given that Latooni and Ryoto have already set a precedent for "rehabilitating" enemy pilots, but says that it'll have to wait until they've done a proper evaluation.



Still, Daitetsu notes, this is rather unlike the dreaded Demon Instructor. Kai confesses that since his daughter is about the same age, he imagined her in the same position, and wants to believe that Arado isn't too old to start over - if somebody just gives him the chance.



With that settled, Daitetsu has another matter for Kai's ears. There's been another transmission from Laker regarding an incident: Federation units stationed in the L2 sector have been going missing, one after another. First it was individual units, but as the investigation proceeds, entire ships have begun to disappear. Kai asks if they think it's the DC remnants: it's a possibility, though it's far removed from the site of their recent operations. We may very well be fighting in space again before long - but if we do, it will depend on the results of Operation Mole Hunt.



For the time being, the Hiryu Kai will be conducting the investigation, as they're currently making their return from the asteroid belt.

This scene was more-or-less in the original, but came at the beginning of the following mission (which was the next one to actually be in the original GBA version.)

-----



In the L2 sector...



The Hiryu arrives at its destination in the L2 sector. Sean orders a status report; the gravity cannon and bolt carrier are both offline for inspection, but other than that, everything's green. And they're here fifteen minutes ahead of schedule! Looks like their training out at Icarus wasn't just for show.



Lefina's absence from the bridge has Eun a bit worried. Sean lightly replies that the captain needs her beauty sleep. There's no emergency, so there's no harm in letting her rest a little longer. That being said, he orders the reconnaissance pods launched for the time being. No point in letting their guard down...

-----



In the hangar, Russell is helping Tasuku out with modifications to the Giganscudo. The new anchor units aren't attached yet, since Tasuku wants to test them first, but everything else is looking great. Dr. Radom gave them the blueprints before they departed, but between Tasuku's daily regimen of training, patrols, maintenance, kitchen duty, toilet-scrubbing duty, and his all-important recreation time, it's a miracle he found time to make the modficiations. He attributes the success to contributions everybody else made, whenever they had time.



Katina: "Hey. Well, Tasuku? How are the Gigan's Marionovations going?"
Tasuku: "Ma... Marionovations? Huh?"
Katina: "Y'know, renovations. But from Dr. Marion Radom. Marionovations."
Tasuku: "That's a... weird thing to call it..."





Katina observes that it doesn't look much different, and Tasuku explains that he hasn't swapped the shield units out for the sheath anchors yet. Her ears perk up at this, and she says the anchors are a real man's weapon and she wants them on the Gespenst - but she'll need a Tesla Drive to go with them, so they'd better work that into the bargain. Tasuku disagrees, saying that he has to do the Sieger's modifications next.



Katina: "Sieger? Oh, right, the other Marionovation."
Tasuku: "Yup. Under the wise guidance of Dr. Radom, I, Tasuku Shinguji, will put all my love into remodeling Leona's Guarlion! A true labor of love! Hmm... maybe I should draw a couple sharing an umbrella on both mechs' chassis..."



Leona: "If you do any such thing, I'll use the Siegerlion to step on you."
Tasuku: "Geh! Leona!?"
Leona: "Or perhaps I'll have you sample my latest effort?"
Tasuku: "I have to pick!? I'm sorry..."



Katina: "Heh. Guess your cooking hasn't changed, Leona."
Leona: "Huh? Um, yes..."



Katina: "And you're the cousin of the renowned super chef, the Black Tornado..."
Tasuku: "Tell me about it. I feel like a poison taster!"
Leona: "Poison?"
Tasuku: "Slip of the tongue! I'm sowwyyyy..."



Katina: "Anyway, Tasuku. What do we call the Gigan when the remodeling's done?"
Tasuku: "Just add 'Duro' to the name. Giganscudo Duro. That's what Dr. Radom calls it."
Katina: "Too long, I'll bite my tongue saying it. You need something shorter... Gan-Duro! Easier to say, right?"
Tasuku: "Hmm... Gun-doro, huh... sounds like something with a giant laser on it."




Leona: "!"
Tasuku: "They're still having us do training!?"
Russell: "No, this is---"

-----



Unidentified armored modules are rapidly approaching, having ignored all warnings. Sean orders Octo Squadron to sortie; there's no sign of Lefina yet, but Eun sent a summons to her quarters, so she should be showing up any---




Lefina: "S-Sorry I'm late!"
Sean:



Eun: "C-Captain! Why are you dressed like that!?"
Lefina: "Huh? Eek!?"
Eun: "!?"
Lefina: "Wh-wh-why am I dressed like this!?"
Eun: "You didn't notice!?"
Lefina: "No, I jumped right out of bed..."
Sean: "Hmm..."



Lefina: "I'm so embarrassed..."
Eun: (You slept in this late... and you brought a stuffed animal with you?)
Sean: "Well, nothing to be done now. Although, who is that?"
Lefina: "Huh? W-We always go to bed together..."




Eun: "That's not the point here! The unknowns have passed the D3 line!"
Lefina: "...! All units, carry out your orders! XO, I want a full status report!"
Sean: "Y-yes, ma'am."
Sean: (The captain in a negligee... that's a sight you never expected your eyes to behold, Sean Webley...)

I don't even know if I should be mad at Sean or not. It's not like he did anything...



Mission 15: For Whom You Carry the Shield



Katina warns Octo Squadron to stay sharp - it's been a while since they've seen real combat. She asks if Tasuku's going to be all right in the unfinished Giganscudo; the Giga Blaster is offline, but he's been wanting to get some data for the updated Gravicon system anyway.



Russell picks up the enemies' approach and shouts an alarm, just as a wing of Cosmolions enter the area. Looks like they could be DC or colonial remnants, although this is the middle of nowhere and there's no reason for them to be here. Unless, of course, they're the cause of the recent disappearances. But if that's the case, they're the ones who'll be disappearing this time!



Lefina watches this in silence, and Sean says what she's thinking: that's far too few units to take on their ship. She gives the order to keep an eye out for surprises: for the time being, the Hiryu will hold its position.