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Analysis is complete, and it looks like the Huckebein is the genuine article; moreover, Sean is now certain that the enemies they faced were not Aerogaters.

In the original, Sean reports that the Megillot they captured had modifications of a type not seen from the Aerogaters, implying that somebody else has tampered with their old enemies' designs.



Sean: "Setting the Urchin aside for the moment, the pilot of the Mk. II was not human."
Russell: "An AI of some kind?"
Sean: "Close - but not quite correct."
Katina: "Stop beating around the bush, old man. Spit it out aleady, XO."



Sean: "The Mk. II's pilot was a bioroid - sort of an artificial human being."
Katina: "An android?"





Then we have some kind of joke that I have no idea how to translate.



Eun: "If we could continue..."
Sean: "Ahem. It might be more accurate to call it a control device shaped like a person. No personality or sense of self, no need for training or experience, faithfully carrying out its instructions... just another component to be swapped in or out as needed."
Leona: "An ideal mech pilot, in other words."



Sean: "The question is: who has the technology and production capacity to build them?"
Lefina: "Do you have an idea, XO?"
Sean: "I once heard that the Divine Crusaders were conducting similar research, but... nothing like these."



Katina: "So... what? If they're not the DCs and they're not Aerogaters, who are they?"
Leona: "....."
Sean: "We'll need more information to answer that."
Lefina: "Yes."
Sean: "At any rate, we must report this to Command at once."
Lefina: "...Of course."

-----



Back on the Hagane...



Bullet and Ryusei stare in disbelief as Arado wolfs down an inhuman amount of food, with no sign of stopping. Latooni informs them that he routinely put away three servings (minimum) while at the School.



Arado: "Your body is your most precious asset. So a pilot's primary duty is to eat! Major Elzam V. Branstein said that."
Bullet: "R-Really?"
Ryusei: "Wh... who knows... I guess it sounds like something he'd say?"
Arado: "C'mon, Lat, keep it coming!"
Latooni: "Sure... just a minute."
Ryusei: "Man, and they were afraid you'd try to escape..."

It's probably worth pointing out here how much the additional faces in the remake can change scenes. When Arado asks for more food (and throughout this scene), the original has Latooni wearing this awkward sweatdroppy "why am I surrounded by idiots" expression as opposed to the sort-of smile that she's showing here.



Bullet: "Sergeant Balanga... how old are you?"
Arado: "Um... 15. I think."
Ryusei: "You think? You don't know how old you are?"
Arado: "Not really... I don't remember anything from before the School."
Bullet: "Nothing?"



Ryusei: "...No memories of the past?"
Arado: "Nope. Well, I don't really care about it. It landed me in the School, so it's probably not worth remembering anyway."
Bullet: "Then... why are you fighting?"
Arado: "To survive. Not much more to it than that..."
Ryusei: (That's what the School taught him?)
Arado: "Well, I guess I'm supposed to talk about reviving the DCs and avenging Dr. Zoldark."
Bullet: "Really..."



Arado: "Anyway... what's gonna happen to me now?"
Bullet: "That's your choice."
Arado: "...My choice?"
Bullet: "Forgetting about the DCs for the moment, if you say you want to stop fighting, we'll discuss what happens next. You'll have to stay here for a while, but you won't go back to piloting."
Arado: "....."



Ryusei: "But, depending on how you feel, there's no need for you to be in detention forever."
Arado: "But, aren't I your enemy!?"
Bullet: "That's not who you've chosen to be. If possible... we'd like to set you free from the fighting."
Arado: "Free..."
Ryusei: "Anyway, think it over. If you make a decision, talk to me or Bullet about it."



Arado: (If I stick with this ship, It'll be easy to find Seolla again... what should I do?)

The original version has Bullet and Ryusei straight-up telling Arado that he should join them (despite Kai having told them - also only in the original version - not to badger him into doing so). Here they just kinda suggest that it'd be great if he stopped fighting.

-----



Laker relays the report from the Hiryu to Brian Midcrid.



The face of a man you can trust.

After Laker signs off, Graien Grassman grumbles about Laker's failure to respect proper channels of communication. Brian assures him that Laker is trustworthy, but Graien isn't backing down - Brian needs to understand how things are done if he's going to lead the Federation. By failing to respect the chain of command, confidential information has now been revealed in front of a civilian!



Mitsuko: "Oh, there's no need to worry about that. I can keep a secret."
Brian: "I'd appreciate it if you did, Ms. President. Otherwise, the Wizard of Politics here might put a curse on me."
Graien: (Hmph. You're just an upstart from the colonies.)



Still, because of this latest news, the inquiry into Isurugi Industries - and how so much of their hardware has found its way into the hands of the DC remnants - will have to be put on hold. Brian takes the opinions of his advisors. Graien doubts the vanished Federation units were due to Divine Crusaders; far more likely that it's "Case E." Nibhal concurs, citing the reappearance of Urchin-class enemy units as most worrisome.



Brian asks Mitsuko for her thoughts, and she again reiterates that Isurugi's Lion series is a licensed product; in the postwar chaos, it was simply impossible to determine where every last unit produced might have ended up.

Which isn't the question he asked...



Oh, and naturally she has no knowledge of these disappearances either.



Mitsuko: "Mr. President, wouldn't Mao Industries be a likely suspect? After all, they've only just rolled out their latest model. But here it is, in the hands of an unknown organization. A grave situation, don't you agree?"
Brian: "Perhaps, but your company isn't far from suspicion itself."



Mitsuko: "Oh, but I'm afraid it was my predecessor who conspired with the Divine Crusaders. I've been nothing but cooperative with the Federation, supplying you with armored modules, supporting the Aegis Project..."
Brian: "....."

The face of a woman you can trust.



Graien: "Brian, there is no time. Based on the unknowns seen in China, I move to classify this under Case E."
Brian: "I want more information first."
Graien: "You want to make the same mistake as Karl Schtleseman?"
Brian: "....."
Graien: "These are the enemies of mankind. There is no negotiating with them."



Brian: "I want to avoid war for as long as possible."
Graien: "That time has passed. You told the world as much yourself."
Brian: "You know perfectly well that the Tokyo Declaration didn't reflect my feelings on the matter."
Graien: "A miracle like the L5 campaign will not happen twice. War is upon us. This is no time for democratic dithering. I urge you to---"
Brian: "Chairman, we'll discuss this at a later time."



Graien: "Then make a decision."
Brian: "All right... we'll classify this as Case E. Special Advisor Mubhal, call a general alert for our forces at the moon, the colonies... and the White Star."
Nibhal: "As you wish."



Brian: "And... try to establish contact with them."
Nibhal: "....."
Graien: "Brian!"



Brian: "I may be your puppet, but I want to try things my way."
Graien: "You won't succeed."
Brian: "Maybe not, but I'm going to try. And I don't want to see any lobbying, like you did before the Tokyo Declaration."
Graien: "Hmph... do as you like."



Mitsuko: (Mmhmm... I smell a business opportunity in the near future.)



Nibhal: (Well, now... it's finally time.)

-----



At the SRX laboratory...

Tech: "Object fix complete."
Kenzo: "How is the TP reaction?"
Tech: "Still level 2. No change at the surface level."
Kenzo: "We still can't scan beneath the sixth layer?"
Tech: "No, Doctor."



Kenzo: "Captain Viletta, what do you think?"
Viletta: "It's heavily damaged, but this is definitely the core of the White Death Cross."
Aya: "Huh...!?"
Viletta: "There were no TP reactions from the other debris. It's as good as confirmed."
Aya: "Th... then, she could be..."



Viletta: "At the rate it's regenerating? We'll have to open it up and see."
Kenzo: "Good. Begin the operation."
Aya: "F-Father!?"
Kenzo: "Aya... the truth is in here. We have to verify for ourselves."
Aya: "All... all right."
Kenzo: "Then we'll begin."
Tech: "Yes, Doctor."



The lab equipment cuts into the object, and inside...